Black Friday is approaching, and many retailers have announced their deals well in advance of the big day. Best Buy is one such retailer, and it actually offered a select number of sale prices prior to Black Friday. But it's Thanksgiving evening and the day after where the full selection of deals will be available, and we've rounded up everything you can expect to see discounted across PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, and 3DS--and even a single, solitary deal for those looking for something new to play on Wii U and Wii.
In terms of hardware deals, there isn't much. Switch will be in stock but at its regular price of $300. Neither the PS4 Pro nor Xbox One X will be on sale, with the sale prices instead coming on the older hardware. A 1 TB PS4 can be had for $200, but that doesn't include any free games. On the Microsoft side, you can get the Madden 18 Xbox One S 500 GB bundle for $230, and as a bonus, you'll receive a free Xbox One controller. A free controller is also available with another bundle, which swaps in Forza Horizon 3 in place of Madden.
Controllers and accessories will also be discounted. The PlayStation VR Gran Turismo Sport bundle drops to $300. All PS4 DualShock 4 controllers will be $40, including the Red Crystal color version that is only available at Best Buy. Xbox One controllers will also be available for $40, although some will cost more--presumably the special edition colors and designs. Those looking for a headset will have several options, including the Turtle Beach XO Three wired headset (which works with Xbox One, PS4, and PC) and Turtle Beach Recon 150 (which also works with those devices) for $40 each. Astro headsets will be up to 25% off, while a handful of Switch accessories (including a Joy-Con charging station) will be $20 each.
Below, you'll find a comprehensive list of everything we could find on sale at Best Buy. Some specific pricing was not shared and the exact time your local store opens will vary. You can check out the full details on Best Buy's website. For more, check out our roundup of the details at other retailers:
Following its recent announcement, Bungie plans to reveal more about Destiny 2's first DLC expansion, Curse of Osiris, during a livestream today, November 15. You'll be able to watch the stream for yourself through the embed below starting at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 7 PM GMT.
This is just the first of three streams Bungie has planned over the next few weeks, leading up to Curse of Osiris's release date on December 5. As such, today's stream won't cover everything. Dubbed "New Stories to Tell," it will share details about "the places you'll go, the characters you'll meet, and the enemies you'll fight." A stream on November 21 will focus on new activities, and the following week's (on November 29) will showcase new gear and a Crucible map.
Curse of Osiris, as you'd expect, centers around the character Osiris and takes players to a new planet, Mercury. The debut trailer was narrated by Ikora, who reveals that an "ancient gate" has opened on Mercury. "Past and future" machines are coming through it with the intention of remaking "the universe in their image." Ikora says Osiris anticipated this but was banished because of his dangerous ideas, and she notes that he could either serve as an ally or bring further destruction.
The DLC introduces Mercury's Infinite Forest zone to explore, the Lighthouse social space, and new missions, Strikes, "Raid content" (whatever that means exactly), free roam activities, a world quest, and more. Additionally, it increases Destiny 2's level cap. We should have a better idea of what to expect after today's stream.
Marvel Heroes, the free-to-play, Diablo-esque action game, is shutting down. Marvel announced the news today, revealing it has ended its business arrangement with developer Gazillion Entertainment.
In a statement shared with GameSpot, Marvel Entertainment stated, "We regret to inform our Marvel Heroes fans that we have ended our relationship with Gazillion Entertainment, and that the Marvel Heroes games will be shut down. We would like to sincerely thank the players who joined the Marvel Heroes community, and will provide any further updates as they become available." This presumably applies to the PC version of the game (first released in 2013) and the Omega versions fully released on PS4 and Xbox One earlier this year. We've followed up with the company to find out more about the timeline for the game's shutdown.
No further explanation was shared for the decision. Kotaku, which first reported the news, notes that updates and communications from Gazillion have been absent recently. A current and former employee told the site that some people were told to not come into work this week, so it appears this move has been brewing for some time.
As noted above, Marvel Heroes is an action-RPG in the mold of Diablo, but with a free-to-play business model. It features a wide variety of Marvel characters, with players able to obtain everyone from the Avengers to the Guardians of the Galaxy to Inhumans. We'll report back as we learn more about how Marvel is handling the shutdown.
On whichever side of the Great DC Debate you fight, there's no denying that Justice League has a lot to prove. DC diehards who insist there's nothing wrong with the direction and tone of the DC Extended Universe up to this point might worry that the pivotal team-up has been "Disney-fied" or made into a comedy to appease critics and Marvel fans; others that the beloved Wonder Woman was the exception to the rule for the DCEU, rather than a fresh start. Fans on all sides have followed the various controversies surrounding Justice League's production, like Joss Whedon taking over director duties from Zack Snyder at the last minute, and simply wondered how it will all turn out.
Through all the setbacks, uncertainties, reshoots, shake-ups, and drama, it seemed unlikely that Justice League would wind up anything other than a complete mess. And yet, here we are: Justice League is a pretty good movie.
The plot is basic: Batman and Wonder Woman sense an incoming threat, an ancient alien invader named Steppenwolf. They determine their best course of action is to assemble a super-team comprising Cyborg, The Flash, and Aquaman in addition to the two of them. The League comes together in fits and starts, but by the end, every hero--yes, all of them, wink, wink--shows up to do his or her part in a climactic battle.
It's Superhero Movie Plot 101, but crucially, it's more or less coherent from beginning to end. It's also fun, with plenty of huge laughs and some terrific (although CG-heavy) action scenes. Yet overall, it retains that serious, Zack Snyder-ish tone that sets the DCEU apart from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Much of Justice League's thematic focus zeroes in on the hopelessness of a world that's suffered defeat after defeat, of which Superman's death in BvS is only the latest. For a variety of real world reasons, from the current state of politics to the seemingly endless tragic mass shootings, this is going to resonate with audiences right now.
It would be condescending and unfair to simply heap Justice League with praise for these accomplishments, when it actually suffers from many of the same flaws that have plagued both DC and Marvel's movies for years. Like Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, Justice League's Steppenwolf has about as much depth as a shallow pothole. He shows up in search of the "Mother Boxes" with the sole goal of destroying the world, serving as nothing more than the catalyst for the Justice League to form.
Also similarly to Thor, Justice League's CG is occasionally distracting, especially where Steppenwolf is concerned. In close-ups the villain's face can look like a video game character's, and not in a good way. In addition, the movie opens with a cute smartphone video of Superman from before the events of BvS--not unlike the opening of Spider-Man: Homecoming--during which you should try not to stare too hard at Henry Cavill's mouth, given they had to digitally remove his mustache during reshoots.
The mad and the mighty
All that aside, Justice League's real draw is the epic team-up of this handful of super-powered heroes. They all have their time in the spotlight, including a surprising number of smaller, character-to-character moments that help flesh each one out and establish them at concrete points in their personal arcs that can be picked up in later movies.
The Flash, for example, gets a couple of scenes with his dad, imprisoned early in Barry Allen's life for allegedly murdering Barry's mother. We get to see Cyborg wrestle with his newly minted body, struggling with his father's decision to rebuild him--but also interacting with other heroes, including Flash and Wonder Woman, in believable scenes that add layers to all involved. Bringing this many main characters together isn't easy no matter who's in the director's chair, especially when half of them are being introduced here for the first time. Amazingly, Justice League mostly pulls it off, even if a couple of plot points get glossed over too quickly.
Ben Affleck continues to do just fine as an older, more hardened Batman. He lacks the charm of previous Bruce Waynes like Michael Keaton and Christian Bale, but you could also blame that on this Batman's place in the story as an underpowered hero who's been outstripped by god-like colleagues and foes. He's also taken to subtly self-medicating with presumably very fine brown liquors--watch how much whiskey he pours himself in one scene after a tough fight--which is a chewy little detail for those paying attention.
Wonder Woman has the second largest presence of all the heroes, though her role was reportedly not expanded in this year's reshoots, counter to speculation that she'd be made more prominent thanks to her standalone movie's success. Gal Gadot's youthful, idealistic, positive character is a perfect counter to Batman, and it often seems like she's holding the team together--if not leading them outright. She glows, and her presence is much appreciated.
The three we haven't met before--Aquaman, The Flash, and Cyborg--hold up admirably thanks to some fantastic casting.
Jason Momoa may not be the Aquaman fans recognize from the comics, but he's one you'll want to get to know better. The hard-drinking, no-BS King of Atlantis is relatively early in his personal story arc, but the equal draughts of humorous pessimism and raw badassery Momoa brings to the screen should have everyone excited for his standalone film next year. At one point he rescues a drowning sailor, unloads him unceremoniously in the nearest pub, and downs a full bottle of whiskey on the unconscious man's tab. Yet later, Momoa shows off his comedic chops in a scene that may or may not involve Wonder Woman's confessional lasso.
Cyborg is the most dour of the bunch, which is saying something, for a team that also includes Batman. Granted, Victor Stone is also early in his arc, hooking up with the League shortly after being rebuilt as Cyborg. There's no faulting him for being less fun than the others, given his personal trauma and turmoil; the bigger problem is how his deliberately vaguely-defined powers allow Cyborg to serve as constant deus ex machina, hacking anything and everything that needs to be hacked.
Thankfully Ezra Miller keeps things light as The Flash. Miller has impeccable comedic timing, and although every characters gets a proportionate number of quips throughout Justice League, most of the big laughs come from him.
Hatchet vs. scalpel
Batman v. Superman and Suicide Squad felt like giant compromises marred by meddling, half measures, and band-aids stuck on bleeding wounds. They were hatchet jobs. But while Justice League went through about as much production turmoil as either of those, the changes to it might have been made with a scalpel wielded by a skilled hand, cutting away only what was necessary to make it a stronger movie.
It's not trying to solve all the genre's problems--and it doesn't.
So the villain is uninteresting and the plot occasionally moves too quickly as Justice League juggles a half dozen main characters. These are small prices to pay. Like one of its many taglines, Justice League feels "all in"--a movie driven by a vision shared among its stars and filmmakers, that succeeds at the most important things it sets out to do.
Justice League is everything you want in a modern super team-up movie: a diverse crew of well-developed heroes coming together, butting heads, cracking jokes, and kicking butt. Despite the DCEU's sputtering start, Justice League coalesces in the end, and it works in many more ways than not. It's not trying to solve all the genre's problems--and it doesn't. But as a team-up movie and a fresh jumping-off point for the DCEU, Justice League is a 100-story leap in the right direction.
Batman: The Telltale Series Season One is, in theory, a game well-suited to the Nintendo Switch. Its episodic structure allows players to experience its narrative-driven adventure in short bursts, with each episode lasting around three hours, and thanks to the portability of the Switch, players can now dip in and out at their convenience. You can read our review of individual episodes for specifics here, but as a whole Season One of the series starts off really strong. While the following episodes don't quite carry the momentum, it puts some interesting spins on familiar characters, making it worth playing for Batman fans. However, doing so on the Nintendo Switch comes with concessions.
Season One of Batman arrives on Switch with some drops in visual fidelity. While the game by no means looks bad, its rough edges are noticeable. Compared to its counterparts on other platforms, textures are less detailed, colours aren't as vibrant, and the poster edge effect that gave the game its comic book feel is diminished. Lighting also seems to have been scaled back, making for a less atmospheric experience. In handheld mode, the game is letterboxed, which means there are distracting black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. While these bars disappear when playing in docked mode, seeing the game on a big screen shines a spotlight on its other blemishes.
There are also some quirks in the way you interact with the game. The Switch version is playable in handheld and docked mode with controllers and, overall, this feels like the best way to play. However, during quick-time action sequences there were occasions when it felt like button presses were either not being registered or the game wasn't properly signalling that they had been. For some interactions, the on-screen indicator turns yellow to show that it has been properly executed, but this didn't feel consistent. Fortunately, there aren't any major punishments for missing a command, as scenes continue to play out regardless of missed inputs.
In handheld mode, it's also possible to play entirely using the touch screen. The UI changes so that dialogue options are jumbo sized and can be tapped, while pressing and holding points on the screen will move Batman or Bruce Wayne around. This control scheme works well in the exploration and investigation portions of the game, but removes depth from the action sequences, as quick-time commands change from specific button presses to simply tapping parts of the screen. Actions that require the player to tap two parts of the screen simultaneously also register very inconsistently, which can be frustrating.
Overall, the Switch version of Batman: The Telltale Series Season One is a serviceable, but not ideal, way to play. Those that have the option to get the PS4, Xbox One, or PC versions may find that doing so is both more cost-effective than purchasing the Switch version, and makes for a better experience.
GameSpot played through Batman: The Telltale Series Episode 1 on Nintendo Switch. This is our impression of how the game performs technically; for a more detailed analysis of the episodes read our reviews here. GameSpot was provided with a code by Telltale Games.
It's time for the lights to go out. Are You Afraid of the Dark, the horror anthology series aimed at younger audiences, is making a comeback. This time, though, it's heading to the big-screen.
The news comes from Variety, who reports that the adaptation will be produced by Paramount Players, a division of Paramount Pictures. The big screen version of Are You Afraid of the Dark has landed Gary Dauberman, the screenwriter for It and It: Chapter 2, to write the script. Dauberman's horror credentials also include 2014's Annabelle, as well as the sequel Annabelle: Creation. He's also working on The Nun, which is set in the same Conjuring universe as the Annabelle films.
Are You Afraid of the Dark originally ran for five seasons on Nickelodeon between 1992 and 1996. It was later revived on the network for two additional seasons in 1999. The series revolved around a group of teenagers who call themselves the Midnight Society, that meet in the woods to tell scary stories.
Paramount Players is run by AwesomenessTV founder Brian Robbins and is the division of Paramount that is also developing an adaptation of another Nickelodeon series, Dora the Explorer. That project is a co-production with Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes.
Starting today, you can explore Star Trek Online's newest update on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, Season 14 – Emergence. The new season sends players on a mission with legendary Starfleet Captain Geordi La Forge, voiced by LeVar Burton from Star Trek: The Next Generation.
To celebrate the launch of this update, we teamed up with Star Trek Online to give away a PlayStation 4, Xbox One S, Plantronics headsets, and in-game prizes.* In addition, we'll be selecting 1,000 winners per platform (2,000 total) to receive a faction pack of in-game items for Star Trek Online on PS4 or Xbox One.
PLEASE NOTE: There are two entries below! You can enter to win a PS4 or Xbox One S, or both.
*This contest is only open to legal residents of the United States, District of Columbia and Canada.
*No purchase necessary. This promotion is only open to legal residents of the United States, District of Columbia and Canada. Contest ends at 11:59 pm PT on Tuesday, November 21, 2017. Please visit the official contest page for terms and conditions.
Star Trek Online is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online game where players can pioneer their own destiny as Captain of a Federation starship, become a Klingon Warrior and champion the Empire through the far reaches of the galaxy, or rebuild the Romulan legacy as the commander of a Romulan Republic Warbird. In Star Trek Online, players have the opportunity to visit iconic locations from the popular Star Trek universe, reach out to unexplored star systems and make contact with new alien species. Star Trek Online is currently available on PC, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One.
Star Trek Online is licensed by CBS Consumer Products.
Black Friday is just around the corner and with that comes a plethora of deals on televisions, movies, and electronics. Walmart recently released what it has in store for the day, so shoppers can plan their trips accordingly. In most states, Walmart's doors open on Thursday at 6 PM, so if you're in the market for a new television and movie to watch, you'll be in luck.
Walmart has a couple of extremely cheap TVs available, including a 39-inch Element Smart TV for $125; however, this is not a 4K TV. The best bang for your buck comes from LG. Walmart has a 49-inch 4K Smart TV available for $328. Like most Black Friday deals, these may not be top-of-the-line televisions for your 4K gaming. You can check out television reviews on our sister site CNET to see if these deals are right for you.
While the retailer lacks sales on 4K movies, Walmart has a ton of Blu-rays and DVDs on sale this upcoming Black Friday, many of which come with codes for digital copies. You can get Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, and Alien Resurrection together on Blu-ray for $10. For more recent releases, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Baby Driver, Logan, and War of the Planet of the Apes are all sold separately for $10 each. Finally, Walmart has a wide selection of $6 Blu-rays and $2 DVDs as well, and we listed some of the better ones below.
Below, you'll find a list of Black Friday deals in TVs, movies, and tech that we think might be up your alley. You can check out the complete listing of deals on Walmart's website. If you're interested in what the retailer has in the way of gaming, check out all of Walmart's Black Friday gaming deals. Otherwise, we have breakdowns of other retailers through the links below:
On Black Friday--November 24 this year--people will be busting down the doors of retailers to get the best deals possible on everything from electronics to toys to clothing. Target recently revealed all its deals for the yearly event--which actually starts on Thursday at 6 PM in most states--and if you're in the market to upgrade your television or smart home, you're in luck.
Target has quite a few televisions on sale during the Black Friday event, but many are not name brands you're probably familiar with. A 43" 4K Polaroid Smart TV will cost $230 and comes with a Google cast with purchase. There are quite a few recognizable brands on sale as well, including a 65" 4K Samsung Smart TV for $850 or the 49" version for $430. You can check out television reviews on our sister site CNET to see if these deals are right for you.
The retailer also has a few deals on smart home tech as well, including Amazon's Echo Dot and Google's Home Mini both for $30. In addition, Google Chromecast and Amazon's Fire TV Stick are on sale for $25.
Below, you'll find a list of Black Friday deals in TVs, movies, and tech that we think might be up your alley. You can check out the complete listing of deals on Target's website. We've also got detailed breakdowns of all the offers at other retailers through the links below:
Black Friday is coming up soon, and that means a ton of deals on everything you could want. As expected, retailers have released their deals ahead of the big day, like Best Buy. With the doors opening at 5 PM on Thanksgiving evening--in some states--the retailer is offering up some big deals for TVs, movies, and more.
As far as TVs go, Best Buy has a 50-inch Sharp LED 4K television with Roku for $179.99. Normally, the television costs $500 and is currently on sale for $400 on the retailer's website. In addition, you can get a 60-inch LED 4K TV from Sony for $600, which currently costs $1,000. There is also some pretty decent deals on 4K players, with the most notable being the LG 4K player for $100. It's worth noting that most of the TVs sold on Black Friday aren't of the highest quality, so it may not be the best choice for your 4K gaming. You can check out television reviews on our sister site CNET to see if these deals are right for you.
If you're looking to add to your movie collection, the retailer has a ton of movies on sale, many of which come with a digital copy as well. The most notable of the bunch is The Princess Bride on Blu-Ray for $2. In addition, you can get some of the latest home releases on 4K for $10-15. Best Buy also has movie collections listed, but the retailer does not have the Black Friday prices listed.
Below, you'll find a list of Black Friday deals in TVs, movies, and tech that we think might be up your alley. You can check out the complete listing of deals on Best Buy's website. If you're looking for deals around video games and accessories, make sure to check out our comprehensive list of everything in gaming Best Buy has available for Black Friday, or every retailer through the links below:
With Black Friday around the corner, Walmart has also released its full flyer for the big shopping day. There are a ton of game deals to take advantage of, particularly for those with a PS4 or Xbox One, with these offers becoming available on Thanksgiving evening (November 23) or Black Friday itself, depending on when your state allows stores to begin opening. Nintendo Switch and 3DS offers are also available, although PC gaming fans unfortunately won't find anything.
In terms of hardware, the offers are similar to what we've seen elsewhere. Switch is in stock, but at a regular price ($299), while there's no sign of Xbox One X or PS4 Pro. However, you can pick up a 1 TB PS4 for $199, or a 500 GB Xbox One S for $189. Neither of these systems comes with any bundled games, although Walmart will also take $50 off "any" Xbox One S, so you'll be able to pick from other bundles that have what you want. Walmart will also be among the retailers to offer the special green Zelda: Ocarina of Time 2DS bundle.
In terms of accessories, DualShock 4 PS4 controllers drop to $39 each, including the Walmart-exclusive Crystal Blue color. Xbox One controllers are also available for $39, including some special edition versions. Third-party, wired Switch controllers will be available for $17, while the Gran Turismo Sport PSVR bundle will be $299. You can also get a wired PS4 or Xbox One headset, the Turtle Beach Recon 50P, for $25.
You'll find a complete rundown of everything on sale--or as much as we can glean from the flyer--below. You can check out the full flyer, and find out when your local store is opening, on Walmart's website. For more, check out our roundup of deals at other retailers:
The Microsoft Store may not be the first retailer that comes to mind when thinking about Black Friday deals, but Microsoft's retail branch does frequently have some worthwhile offers. This year is no exception, as the store--like many others--has released its Black Friday ad in advance of the big shopping day. As you'd expect, you won't find any PS4 or Nintendo Switch discounts here, but those in the market for Xbox One or PC games or hardware have some options.
In terms of consoles, you have a variety of Xbox One choices, although you won't find any promotions tied to the newly released Xbox One X. But if you're interested in an Xbox One S, you can actually place an order prior to Black Friday; the Microsoft Store will roll out offers throughout next week. On Sunday, November 19, it will take $50 off the price of the special edition 1 TB Minecraft Xbox One S bundle (bringing it to $350) and throw in a pair of free games. One of these is from a limited selection of older titles (such as The Division and The Crew), but the other includes new releases like Star Wars Battlefront II, Call of Duty: WWII, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, Forza Motorsport 7, and Assassin's Creed Origins.
A similar but cheaper option involves the 500 GB Xbox One S Starter bundle, the primary feature of which is three months of Xbox Game Pass. It will also be $50 off (bringing it to $229) starting on November 19 and gets you two free games, one from each of the aforementioned pools. Other Xbox One bundles will also be $50 off on November 19. The cheapest option arrives on November 23; for $189, you get a 500 GB Xbox One S and a free select game: your choice of Watch Dogs 2: Gold Edition, Steep, Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection, Just Dance 2018, or Hasbro Family Fun Pack.
In terms of games, quite a few will be on sale starting on November 23, but exact pricing remains unknown in most cases. Forza Motorsport 7 will be $40, Call of Duty: WWII will be $50, and a month of Game Pass will be $1. There will also be a variety of games "up to" 50% off, including Shadow of War, Assassin's Creed Origins, and Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition.
On November 23, Xbox One controllers will be up to $20, making the cheapest option $40. A number of laptops will be on sale, while the Lenovo Explorer mixed reality headset drops to $299 (from $399) on November 19.
Below, we've laid out all of the deals we know about at this point. Due to the way Microsoft has explained some of these, we can't be sure about the exact pricing for many of the games, so we'll have to wait until the sales go into effect to know the specifics. You can see all the Microsoft Store deals here. For more, check out our roundups of Black Friday deals at other retailers:
Xbox One S 1 TB limited edition Minecraft system (with Creeper-themed controller)
Choice of free game (Star Wars Battlefront II, Call of Duty: WWII, Shadow of War, Forza 7, Assassin's Creed Origins, Destiny 2, FIFA 18, Madden 18, Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, and more options)
Choice of second free game (The Crew, Hasbro Family Fun Pack, Just Dance 2016, The Division, Watch Dogs)
$10 off extra Xbox controller
Save $50 on Xbox One Starter bundle (MSRP: $279)
Xbox One S 500 GB system
Xbox One controller
Xbox Game Pass three-month subscription
Xbox Live Gold three-month subscription
Choice of free game (Star Wars Battlefront II, Call of Duty: WWII, Shadow of War, Forza 7, Assassin's Creed Origins, Destiny 2, FIFA 18, Madden 18, Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, and more options)
Choice of second free game (The Crew, Hasbro Family Fun Pack, Just Dance 2016, The Division, Watch Dogs)
$10 off extra Xbox controller
Save $50 off select Xbox One S bundles (MSRP: $249 - $399)
Eligible bundles include 500 GB and 1 TB systems with a variety of bundled games
Choice of free game (Star Wars Battlefront II, Call of Duty: WWII, Shadow of War, Forza 7, Assassin's Creed Origins, Destiny 2, FIFA 18, Madden 18, Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, and more options)
Choice of second free game (The Crew, Hasbro Family Fun Pack, Just Dance 2016, The Division, Watch Dogs)
$10 off extra Xbox controller
Available November 23:
$189 Xbox One S bundle
Xbox One S 500 GB system
Choice of free game (Watch Dogs 2: Gold Edition, Steep, Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection, Just Dance 2018, or Hasbro Family Fun Pack)
$10 off extra Xbox controller
Accessories
Available November 23:
Xbox Game Pass one-month subscription -- $1
Xbox Live Gold three-month/six-month subscriptions -- $10 off
Select Microsoft accessories -- 25% off
Turtle Beach Elite 800x wireless headset -- $200
Xbox One Minecraft Creeper controller -- $55
Xbox One controllers -- up to $20 off (lowest MSRP: $60)
Having trouble finding a SNES Classic? Retailer Walmart has announced that the mini console will be in stock this today, Thursday, and Friday, November 15-17. Units will be available starting at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET each day, which means you have three chances.
There is a limit of one per customer, and Walmart says supply is going to be "limited." It appears the units will be available on Walmart's website, though it remains to be seen if there will be units available in-store as well.
Destiny 2's latest weekly reset has taken place on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, marking the end of the latest Faction Rally event and kicking off Victory Week, which means there's a new Legendary weapon available for purchase. Bungie has also shifted the Flashpoint to Titan and rotated the selection of items available at Eververse. Most significantly, the weekly reset has introduced the next Nightfall Strike: Savathun's Song. Here's what to expect in terms of Modifiers, Challenges, and rewards.
The first of the two Modifiers is Momentum. This causes health and shields to only regenerate while you're sprinting; standing still is essentially a death sentence; crouching behind an object for cover won't be a viable strategy this week. Luckily, if you do need some extra time, you can get it through the other Modifier, Timewarp: Anomalies. This presents you with objects scattered through the mission that you can destroy to extend the Strike's time limit.
In terms of Challenges, the always-present Speed of Dark is in effect, which requires you to finish the Strike with at least five minutes left on the timer. Unbroken tasks you with dying fewer than three times. And The Best Defense asks you to shoot down 15 projectiles during the final boss fight before finishing off Savathun's Song.
The reward for completing the Nightfall is Powerful gear. This is one of the only ways to obtain such gear, and they're among the best items you can get your hands on. It's also an easy way to increase your Power level past 265, which presents a difficult point to surpass for many players. If you haven't hit 265 yet, you may want to wait until after you've raised your Power level to grab the Nightfall reward. This Nightfall will be available until the next weekly reset, which occurs at 1 AM PT / 4 AM ET / 9 AM GMT / 8 PM AEDT on Tuesday, November 21. Keep in mind, Destiny 2's weekly reset time will change with Curse of Osiris's release.
If you still need to unlock the Nightfall, you'll have to complete two Strikes and approach the suggested Power level of 240 before Zavala lets you take part. Traditional matchmaking is not available, but in its place we have Guided Games, providing players with the opportunity to be matched up with members of a clan for the mission (which requires a Nightfall Ticket). Alternatively, clan members can sign up to serve as guides through the Nightfall. Doing so does not require a Ticket. Although they're imperfect for now, changes are on the way for Guided Games.
Following last week's promotional images for the upcoming Deadpool 2, we have a new teaser. In keeping with the theme of the Thanksgiving poster and magazine cover, this isn't a standard teaser, but it does briefly provide a first look at some footage from the movie.
The bulk of the teaser features Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) perfoming an art class in the style of Bob Ross, the much-loved TV artist who hosted The Joy of Painting on PBSthroughout the '80s and '90. Deadpool's take is, of course, somewhat more foul-mouthed, but keep watching for some blistering action from the movie itself. Check it out above.
An official synopsis has also been released by Sony. This almost certainly isn't actually the plot, but just in case, here it is: "After surviving a near fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Mayberry's hottest bartender while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the yakuza, and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavor--finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug title of World's Best Lover.
Who doesn't want to see that? Deadpool 2 hits theaters on June 1, 2018.
Mario may be headed to the big screen once again. 24 years after the failure that is the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie, Nintendo is reportedly nearing a deal to make an animated movie based on the hit franchise.
That's according to the Wall Street Journal, which reports that Nintendo is in talks with Illumination Entertainment, a subsidiary of Universal Studios responsible for movies like Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets, and Minions. The WSJ says the two companies have been speaking about the prospect for a year but that a deal is now "close" to being signed. As you'd expect, neither company is talking about the deal publicly just yet.
Nintendo has famously been hesitant to allow its franchises to be adapted into movies. The aforementioned Super Mario Bros., released in 1993, was a critical and commercial failure, although it did leave us with a truly magical cinematic moment. The WSJ notes that Hollywood has long been interested in Nintendo properties, given their worldwide success.
The report states that Nintendo would want to play a creative role in the film, and that series creator Shigeru Miyamoto (now a Representative Director with the company) will potentially serve as a producer. Miyamoto has previously experimented with film, even releasing a series of Pikmin shorts. Last year, Nintendo made it clear it was interested in expanding to films but that it would like to do "more than just license something."
Illumination could make several movies as part of the deal, but a source said that only one is planned for now. We'll report back as we learn more. Separately from this, Nintendo is working with Universal on a theme park.
We've reached the midway point of the month, which means we're on the verge of getting our hands on some new Games With Gold titles on Xbox One and Xbox 360. But it also means that this is your last opportunity to claim some of the freebies that are currently available.
On the Xbox One side, today is the last day to claim a holdover from October's Games With Gold: The Turing Test. The puzzle game has been free since mid-October but will return to its regular price after today. On Xbox 360, it's Nights Into Dreams (an HD version of the classic Sega Saturn game) that will soon drop its freebie status. Take note that, as with all Xbox 360 Games With Gold games these days, it's backwards compatible with Xbox One, meaning owners of that system have two games to make sure they grab today.
Tomorrow, November 16, will bring with it the second half of the month's Games With Gold lineup. Tales From the Borderlands, Telltale's episodic spin-off of Gearbox's Borderlands franchise, will be free on Xbox One. Additionally, Indiana Jones-esque action-adventure game Deadfall Adventures will go free on Xbox 360 (and Xbox One). High-octane racing game TrackMania Turbo remains free for the entire month on Xbox One.
You can see November 2017's full Games With Gold lineup below; click any game link to queue up your download from Xbox.com. Meanwhile, Microsoft has launched the next set of weekly deals for Xbox One and Xbox 360.
The Xbox One's backwards compatibility feature, introduced in November 2015, lets you play original Xbox and Xbox 360 games on the current-gen console. But what games are available? We've rounded them all up--and we'll continue to update this post as new games are made available to the extensive list. More are added regularly, although new original Xbox games will be less common. [Updated November 2 with one more game]
Xbox One Backwards Compatibility Lineup:
Xbox
New titles are bolded
Black
BloodRayne 2
Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge
Dead to Rights
Fuzion Frenzy
Grabbed by the Ghoulies
The King of Fighters Neowave
Ninja Gaiden Black
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Psychonauts
Red Faction II
Sid Meier's Pirates
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Xbox 360
New titles are bolded
0 Day Attack on Earth -- added October 26
3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures
A Kingdom for Keflings
A World of Keflings
Aegis Wing
Age of Booty
Alan Wake
Alan Wake's American Nightmare
Alice: Madness Returns
Alien Hominid HD
Altered Beast
Anomaly Warzone Earth
Arkanoid Live
Army of Two
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Assassin's Creed III
Assassin's Creed Revelations
Assassin's Creed Rogue
Assault Heroes 2
Asteroids & Deluxe
AstroPop
Aqua
Babel Rising
Band of Bugs
Banjo Kazooie: Nuts n Bolts
Banjo Tooie
Banjo Kazooie
Batman: Arkham Origins
Battlefield: Bad Company
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Battlefield 3
BattleBlock Theater
Battlestations: Midway
Bayonetta
Beat'n Groovy
Bejeweled 2
Bejeweled 3
Bellator: MMA Onslaught
Beyond Good & Evil HD
Bionic Commando Rearmed 2
BioShock
BioShock 2
BioShock Infinite
Bloodforge
Blood Knights
Blood of the Werewolf
BloodRayne: Betrayal
Blue Dragon
Bomberman Live: Battlefest
Boom Boom Rocket
Borderlands
Borderlands 2
Bound by Flame
Braid
Brain Challenge
Bullet Soul
Bullet Soul: Infinite Burst
Bully: Scholarship Edition
Burnout Paradise
Cabela's Alaskan Adventures
Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2013
Cabela's Hunting Expeditions
Cabela's Survival: Shadows of Katmai
Call of Duty 2
Call of Duty 3
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Call of Duty: World at War
Call of Juarez Gunslinger
Capcom Arcade Cabinet
Carcassonne
Cars: Mater-National Championship -- added November 14
Cars 2
Castle Crashers
Castlestorm
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Catherine
The Cave
Centipede & Millipede
Child of Light (added October 12)
Civilization: Revolution
Clannad
Commanders: Attack of the Genos
Comic Jumper
Comix Zone
Condemned
Contra
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Crazy Taxi
Crystal Quest
Crystal Defenders
Cyber Troopers Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram
Dark Souls
Dark Void
Darksiders
Darksiders II
Daytona USA
de Blob 2
Dead Rising 2: Case West
Dead Rising 2: Case Zero
Dead Space
Dead Space 2
Dead Space 3
Dead Space Ignition
Deadfall Adventures -- added October 26
Deadliest Warrior: Legends
Deadliest Warrior: The Game
Deadly Premonition -- added November 2
Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue
Defense Grid
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut
Dig Dug
Dirt 3
Dirt Showdown
Discs of Tron
Disney Bolt
Disney Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
Domino Master
Doom
Doom II
Doom 3: BFG Edition
Doritos Crash Course
Double Dragon: Neon
Dragon Age: Origins
Dragon's Lair
DuckTales Remastered
Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project
Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara
Dungeon Siege III
E4: Every Extend Extra Extreme
Earthworm Jim HD
Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon
Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Encleverment Experiment
Escape Dead Island
F1 2014
Fable Anniversary (added October 4)
Fable II
Fable II Pub Games (added October 4)
Fable III
Faery: Legends of Avalon
Fallout 3
Fallout: New Vegas
Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon
Feeding Frenzy
Feeding Frenzy 2
Fighting Vipers
Final Fight: Double Impact
Flashback
Flock
Forza Horizon
Fret Nice
Frogger
Frogger 2
FunTown Mahjong
Galaga
Galaga Legions
Galaga Legions DX
Garou: Mark of the Wolves
Gatling Gears
Gears of War
Gears of War 2
Gears of War 3
Gears of War: Judgment
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime
Gin Rummy
Girl Fight -- added October 26
Goat Simulator -- added October 12
Golden Axe
Go! Go! Break Steady
Golf: Tee It Up
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grid 2
Gripshift
Guardian Heroes
Gunstar Heroes
Guwange
Gyromancer
Gyruss
Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax
Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo 3
Halo 3: ODST Campaign Edition
Halo 4
Halo: Reach
Halo: Spartan Assault
Halo Wars
Hard Corps: Uprising
Hardwood Backgammon
Hardwood Hearts
Hardwood Spades
Harms Way
Haunted House
Heavy Weapon
Hexic 2
Hexic HD
Hitman: Absolution
Hydro Thunder
I Am Alive
Ikaruga
Ilomilo
Injustice: Gods Among Us + disc-only Ultimate Edition
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Interpol: The Trail of Dr. Chaos
Iron Brigade
Jeremy McGrath's Offroad
Jet Set Radio
Jetpac Refuelled
Jewel Quest -- added November 14
Joe Danger Special Edition
Joe Danger 2: The Movie
Joust
Joy Ride Turbo
Juju
Jurassic Park: The Game
Just Cause 2
Kameo
Kane & Lynch 2
Killer Is Dead
The King of Fighters '98
The King of Fighters 2002
KOF Sky Stage (added October 12)
Lazy Raiders
Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Dead 2
Lego Batman
Lego Indiana Jones
Lego Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
Limbo
Lode Runner
Lost Odyssey
Lumines Live!
Luxor 2
Mad Tracks
Magic: The Gathering 2012
Mars: War Logs
Mass Effect
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 3
Matt Hazard: Blood, Bath, and Beyond
The Maw
Medal of Honor: Airborne
Meet the Robinsons
Mega Man 9
Mega Man 10
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Metal Slug 3
Metal Slug XX
Midway Arcade Origins
Might & Magic Clash of Heroes
Military Madness
Mirror's Edge
Missile Command
Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine
Monday Night Combat
Monkey Island: SE
Monkey Island 2: SE
Monopoly Deal
Moon Diver
Motocross Madness
Ms. Splosion Man
Ms Pac-Man
Mutant Blobs Attack
Mutant Storm Empire
Mutant Storm Reloaded -- added October 26
MX vs. ATV Reflex
N+
NBA Jam: On Fire Edition
Neogeo Battle Coliseum
Nights Into Dreams
Of Orcs and Men
Omega Five
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
Operation Flashpoint: Red River
The Orange Box
Outland
Pac-Man
Pac-Man C.E
Pac-Man CE DX+
Pac-Man Museum
Peggle
Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark Zero
Persona 4 Arena -- added November 14
Phantasy Star II
Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds
Pinball FX
Planets Under Attack
Plants vs. Zombies
Poker Smash
Portal: Still Alive
Portal 2
Prince of Persia
Pure
Putty Squad
Puzzle Quest
Puzzle Quest 2
Puzzle Quest: Galactrix
QIX++ Puzzlegeddon
Rage
Raiden IV
Raskulls
Rayman 3 HD
Rayman Legends
Rayman Origins
Red Dead Redemption
Red Faction: Armageddon
Red Faction: Battlegrounds
RoboBlitz
Rocket Knight
R-Type Dimensions
Runner 2
Sacred 3
Sacred Citadel
Saints Row: The Third -- added September 14
Saints Row IV
Sam & Max: Beyond Time & Space
Sam & Max Save the World
Samurai Shodown II
Scarygirl
Scrap Metal
ScreamRide
Sega Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd & Co.
Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World
Sega Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage
Sega Vintage Collection: ToeJam & Earl
Shadow Assault/Tenchu
Shadow Complex
Shadowrun
Shadows of the Damned
Shank 2
Shinobi
Shred Nebula
Shotest Shogi
Silent Hill: Downpour
Skate 3
Skullgirls
Skydive
Slender: The Arrival -- added September 14
Small Arms
Soltrio Solitaire
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic Adventure -- added September 28
Sonic CD
Sonic The Fighters
Sonic The Hedgehog
Sonic The Hedgehog 2
Sonic The Hedgehog 3
Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode II
Soulcalibur
Soulcalibur II
South Park: The Stick of Truth
Space Ark
Space Giraffe
Space Invaders Infinity Gene
Spelunky
The Splatters
Splosion Man
SSX
Stacking
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
Steins; Gate 比翼恋理のだーりん (Japan only)
Steins; Gate (オリジナル版) (Japan only)
Steins; Gate 線形拘束のフェノグラム (Japan-only, requires game disc)
Strania
Street Fighter IV
Stuntman: Ignition
Super Contra -- added September 14
Super Meat Boy
Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition
Supreme Commander 2
Syberia
Tecmo Bowl Throwback -- added November 14
Tekken 6
Tekken Tag Tournament 2
Texas Hold 'Em
Ticket to Ride
TimeShift
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2
Tomb Raider: Underworld
Torchlight
Tour de France 2009
Tour de France 2011
Toy Soldiers
Toy Soldiers Cold War
Toy Story 3
Tower Bloxx Deluxe
Trials HD
Trine 2
Tron: Evolution
Ugly Americans: Apocalypsegeddon
Unbound Saga
Undertow -- added September 14
Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
Viva Piñata
Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise
The Walking Dead: A Telltale Games Series
The Walking Dead: Season 2 - A Telltale Games Series
The Walking Dead: Michonne - A Telltale Miniseries
Ubisoft is deploying a test server for Rainbow Six Siege's next major update, Operation White Noise, early next week, but before then, players who have yet to try the popular shooter will have a chance to sample it for free. Today, Ubisoft announced that Rainbow Six Siege will be free to play on PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Uplay and Steam for a limited time this weekend.
The free period kicks off on Thursday, November 16, and runs through November 19. As is typically the case, PS4 players will need to have a PS Plus subscription in order to take part in the free weekend, while Xbox One owners will need to have an Xbox Live Gold membership.
Additionally, you'll soon be able to pick up Rainbow Six Siege at a discount. Ubisoft is holding a sale on the game on all platforms from November 16-27, during which time the shooter will be available for up to 60% off. Players who purchase the game after the free weekend will be able to carry their progress over to the full title. Many retailers are also offering discounts on Rainbow Six Siege as part of their Black Friday sales; Walmart will have the title for $19, while the Gold Year 2 Edition will be $25 at Best Buy.
Technical test servers for Operation White Noise go live on November 20, but Ubisoft says more information about the upcoming update will be revealed during the Pro League Finals on November 19. The event will be streamed on Twitch and kicks off at 12 PM PT/3 PM ET.
Operation White Noise is a South Korea-themed expansion that introduces three new Operators, one of which is from the canceled Poland expansion. It also adds a new map called Mok Myeok Tower, a skyscraper that features a bar, office space, vents, a rooftop, and more. All players will get access to the map for free, while Year 2 subscribers will get early access to the new Operators.
Following the surprise announcement at BlizzCon earlier this month, StarCraft II is now free to play. Beginning today, November 14, PC players can jump into Blizzard's popular strategy game at no cost.
New players who are getting into StarCraft II for the first time will be able to play through the entire Wings of Liberty campaign for free. All of the current and upcoming co-op commanders are also free to play up to level five, while Raynor, Kerrigan, and Artanis will remain free to level up as much as you want.
In addition to the Wings of Liberty campaign, players can permanently unlock the game's ranked multiplayer ladder, which includes all of the multiplayer units from Wings of Liberty, Heart of the Swarm, and Legacy of the Void. In order to unlock it, you'll have to earn 10 First Wins of the Day in Unranked or Versus AI play.
If you already own Wings of Liberty, you can get the second part of StarCraft II's campaign, the Heart of the Swarm expansion, for free instead. In order to qualify, you'll need to have purchased Wings of Liberty prior to October 31, 2017. You'll get Heart of the Swarm simply by logging in between November 8 and December 8.
While Wings of Liberty is now free for everyone, players can still purchase all of StarCraft II's subsequent campaigns--Heart of the Swarm, Legacy of the Void, and Nova Covert Ops--for $15 each. Blizzard is also offering a bundle featuring all of the campaign expansions for $40. Those who purchased any of the three before October 31 will receive an exclusive Ghost skin (above) and three new portraits as a free bonus.
Microsoft has added another handful of titles to Xbox One's backwards compatible catalog. Four more Xbox 360 games are now available to play on the current-generation console.
As always, if you already own the disc, you can simply pop it into your Xbox One and begin playing; games that you own digitally will be waiting in the Ready to Download section of My Games and Apps. All four titles are also available to purchase from the Xbox Store.
First up, the new 2.0 update--which is out now--adds a 3v3 Grand Prix mode. The new mode includes two types of match: one is based around "standard Bomberman rules" and one sees "two teams compete to earn points by collecting crystals."
In addition, ten new characters are now available in the shop. They include little nods to other game series such as Zone of the Enders and Mortal Kombat--take a look at all the new characters in the patch notes at the bottom of this article, via Konami. The update also includes nine new accessories--again, based around other games--and a whole new world for the story mode.
Finally, the update fixes some bugs and adjusts the balancing of some characters' special abilities. The enhancements will improve what was already a good game: we awarded it a 7/10 in our Super Bomberman R review. "In almost every respect, Super Bomberman R plays it safe with its tried-and-true formula," wrote critic Jason D'Aprile. "The story mode is short (less than two hours at most), but fun with some creative boss battles and plenty of nostalgic throwbacks. The heart of the game--the battle mode--is a welcome retro rush, and decades since the franchise debuted, it's still one of the best party games around."
Super Bomberman R Update 2.0 Patch Notes
The new Battle Mode "Grand Prix" has been added.
The Grand Prix mode offers the following new features from normal battles.
Each battle is 2 rounds and the team with the most total points wins.
Each character has different power-ups.
When you lose a life in the Grand Prix mode, you are resurrected after a certain time instead of turning into a Miso Bomb.
Soft blocks will start falling after a certain time has elapsed.
You can play with the following two rules.
Crystal - Compete points by collecting the crystals in the stage.
Basic Bomber - Compete points by defeating the opponent team.
The Bomberman Bros. each have different individual characteristics but can equip a cartridge to gain features and special abilities of other characters.
Up to 6 Nintendo Switch can be connected in the Grand Prix mode for a network battle.
10 new characters are available in the shop.
Option Bomber - A
Option Bomber - B
Reiko Bomber
Shiori Fujisaki Bomber
Jehuty Bomber
Anubis Bomber
Dracula Bomber
Princess Tomato Bomber
Bubble Head Bomber
Goemon Bomber
The Bomber Planet World can be accessed when beating the Story Mode in Standard Mode.
Two new Battle Stages for Standard Mode are available in the shop.
Nine Areas
Critical Path
9 new accessories are available in the shop.
Starry Sky Solar System Series
Crab Series
Castlevania Series
Gradius Series
Silent Hill Series
Rumble Roses Series
Zone of the Enders Series
Tokimeki Memorial Series
Mystical Ninja Series
The performance of Belmont Bomber, Vic Viper Bomber and Pyramid Head Bomber's special abilities have been adjusted.
The punch and kick controls have been slightly adjusted.
Another FIFA 18 update has been released, and although it only appears to introduce a pretty small change, it actually fixes a pretty big exploit. Until now, it was possible to trick AI-controlled opposition into fouling you if you went into the corner and shielded the ball. In FUT, this could be utilized to get enemy players sent off and to hence win easily in Squad Battles and boost your rewards significantly.
Now, EA has fixed the issue. The patch notes for the latest update state the developer has "removed the chance for the CPU AI controlled player to receive a second yellow card when trying to push or pull an opponent, with the exception of an attacker who is through on goal and 1 on 1 with the keeper." This doesn't apply to human controlled players, however.
FIFA isn't quite at that stage yet, but it does have plenty of live content updates throughout the year. A different FIFA 18 patch dropped just a couple of weeks ago, FUT continues to evolve each week, and FIFA 18 for Switch was also updated recently.
In other FIFA news, EA says the US national team's failure to qualify for the men's World Cup for the first time since 1986 will not affect the franchise's sales. "The World Cup is the world's largest sporting event and it is followed by all people around the world who love soccer or football, depending on what they call it where they come from," EA CEO Andrew Wilson said. "Does it heighten their enjoyment if their national team is participating? Of course. But we don't see people stopping watching a World Cup just because their team is not there. As you think about the US in particular, we are a very multicultural country." For more on the popular sports game, check out our feature on FIFA 18 vs PES 2018.
Now, the company says its tests have been completed and that all platforms have been returned to dedicated servers in every region. That's welcome news, since P2P servers mean players may experience frozen matches as hosts migrate, as well as other annoying little things that using dedicated servers avoids.
However Headquarters--the game's social space similar to Destiny 2's Tower--is still not working as intended. Sledgehammer last week made it a solo experience to help improve the online experience. Unfortunately, it's still solo-only (though you can manually invite friends), and that's not changing for some time.
"HQ is best enjoyed with a thriving, fully populated social community interacting together," Sledgehammer said recently. "So hang in there while we address the most pressing concerns first."
Along those lines, the developer released a Call of Duty: WW2 PC patch that fixes a bunch of issues and has said it is "committed to banning those who exploit the game to gain advantage over other players." Finally, the launch of Call of Duty: WWII's microtransactions has been delayed as a result of multiplayer's ongoing issues.
Star Wars Battlefront II is the latest Star Wars game from EA and DICE, and this time around, the developers have made some major changes to the series. Unlike 2015's Star Wars Battlefront, all of Battlefront II's DLC characters and maps will be given away for free to all players, but the game introduces microtransactions in the form of loot crates to compensate for that. It also features a full single-player campaign that's set between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens and puts players in the role of Iden Versio, the leader of an Imperial special forces group called the Inferno Squad.
Star Wars Battlefront II releases for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 17. Ahead of the game's launch, we've compiled our most important features and gameplay videos detailing everything you need to know about Star Wars Battlefront II. Check back often as we update this article with our in-depth review, guides, additional articles, and videos. Details will likely continue to change as EA responds to the backlash against loot crates; Battlefront II Hero unlock costs have already changed just before launch.
Review In Progress
Our full review of Battlefront II is coming soon once we get more time with the live game. Until then, you can read our thoughts in our Star Wars Battlefront II review-in-progress. GameSpot critic Alessandro Fillari scored the game a 6/10 and wrote, "While its main narrative feels unresolved, and the general loop of the multiplayer carries a number of issues, Battlefront II still manages to evoke that same sense of joy and excitement found in the core of what the series is all about. But as it stands, the biggest hurdle that Battlefront II will need to overcome--for its simultaneous attempts to balance microtransactions with genuine feeling of accomplishments--is deciding on what type of game it wants to be."
Guides & Features
We'll have in-depth tips and guides for Star Wars Battlefront II in the coming days to help you succeed in the game's single-player and multiplayer modes. In the meantime, you can check out our guide on how Battlefront II's complex progression system works, where we detail all of the game's currencies, Star Cards, and what each of them unlocks.
The Battle Of Endor Campaign Mission Gameplay--Experience the iconic Battle of Endor from Iden Versio and the Empire's perspective. Warning, there are spoilers here in the game's second campaign mission.
The next pair of Pokemon games, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, launch on 3DS this month, marking the series' final installments for Nintendo's dual-screen handheld. The titles are based on last year's Sun and Moon versions but tell an "alternate" story that revolves around the mysterious Legendary Pokemon Necrozma.
While the core adventure remains the same across both versions, each game has some some distinct elements, so you may be unsure of which to pick up. We break down the biggest differences between the two versions below to help you decide which one to play. For more, you can also check out our Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon review.
Which Version Should You Get?
We recently had the opportunity to interview the developers of Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and one of the topics they weighed in on is which version players should pick up.
"In essence there's no real problem with whichever one you buy, you're going to get a really good experience of Pokemon," said Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon director Kazumasa Iwao. "But one point users might want to consider is that the Pokedex in Pokemon Ultra Sun is based on the Pokedex in Pokemon Sun and the same for Ultra Moon and Moon. So if something the players are really looking for is Pokedex completion, they might find it better to go for the opposite version this time round in order to help complete their Pokedex. So if they bought Pokemon Sun, they might want to choose Pokemon Ultra Moon this time."
However, those who care more about the games' narrative may want to consider sticking with the same version this time. As producer Shigeru Ohmori explained, "[I]f you're looking for a story-based experience then those who played Pokemon Sun may want to go for Ultra Sun as there are some small details that remain consistent throughout the two that might appeal to people looking for a story-based game."
General Differences
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon tell the same story and feature the same cast of major characters, but there are some slight differences between the two titles that will make the experience unique depending on the version you choose to play. As in the original Sun and Moon, the two games are set 12 hours apart. Ultra Sun will reflect the time that is set in your 3DS clock, while Ultra Moon will be 12 hours ahead--meaning if you play during the day, it will be night in the game.
Additionally, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon introduce a mysterious new group called the Ultra Recon Squad. This team arrives in Alola through an Ultra Wormhole and has some sort of connection to the Ultra Beasts; in one trailer, the group can be seen commanding the new Ultra Beast, UB-Adhesive. You'll encounter different members of the Ultra Recon Squad depending on which version you play. In Ultra Sun, players will cross paths with Dulse and Zossie; in Ultra Moon, players will meet Phyco and Soliera.
Ultra Recon Squad, from left to right: Dulse, Zossie, Soliera, and Phyco
Version-Exclusive Pokemon
As with every pair of Pokemon titles, the primary difference between Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon is the kinds of Pokemon you can encounter in each version. While both games feature most of the same monsters, each one is also home to a handful of exclusive Pokemon that cannot be captured in the other version. Below you'll find a list of all the version-exclusive Pokemon that have been confirmed so far:
Ultra Sun-Exclusive Pokemon
Alolan Vulpix
Alolan Ninetales
Houndour
Houndoom
Cranidos
Rampardos
Cottonee
Whimsicott
Tirtouga
Carracosta
Rufflet
Braviary
Lurantis (Totem-sized)
Passimian
Turtonator
Ultra Moon-Exclusive Pokemon
Alolan Sandshrew
Alolan Sandslash
Electrike
Manectric
Shieldon
Bastiodon
Petilil
Lilligant
Archen
Archeops
Vullaby
Mandibuzz
Salazzle (Totem-sized)
Oranguru
Drampa
Legendary Pokemon
The Alola region is also home to a diverse array of Legendary Pokemon, and thanks to the appearance of Ultra Wormholes in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, players will be able to encounter Legendaries from past regions, as well. Every single Legendary Pokemon from previous gens returns in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, though as is the case with regular Pokemon, some can only be encountered in a specific version. Here's the list of all the version-exclusive Legendaries that appear in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
Ultra Sun-Exclusive Legendaries
Ho-oh
Raikou
Groudon
Latios
Dialga
Heatran
Reshiram
Tornadus
Xerneas
Buzzwole
Kartana
Dusk Mane Necrozma
UB-Burst
Ultra Moon-Exclusive Legendaries
Lugia
Entei
Kyogre
Latias
Palkia
Regigigas
Zekrom
Thundurus
Yveltal
Lunala
Pheromosa
Celesteela
Dawn Wings Necrozma
UB-Assembly
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon release for 3DS on November 17. Along with an expanded storyline, the games introduce many new features and characters, including a new surfing game and Team Rainbow Rocket, a villainous supergroup comprised of the leaders from past teams. Players who purchase either title by January 10, 2018 will receive a free gift: a special Rockruff that evolves into the new Dusk Form Lycanroc.
We're now comfortably into November, and if you haven't already claimed them, that means the next set of Xbox One and Xbox 360 Games With Gold titles are waiting for you. A total of four games across the two platforms will be available over the course of the month, as well as one that's stuck around from last month.
Xbox One owners can now pick up the racing game TrackMania Turbo, while puzzler The Turing Test, a holdover from October, will continue to be free through November 15. On Xbox 360, the Sega Saturn remake Nights Into Dreams is available at the low, low price of free for the first of the month. Later this week, starting on November 16, Tales From The Borderlands will go free on Xbox One, while Deadfall Adventures will drop to $0.00 that day. Both Xbox 360 games are playable on Xbox One through backwards compatibility.
November is here, and it's going to be a big month for subscribers to Amazon Prime. The service's streaming video component is beefing up its library heading into the end of the year with original TV shows and movies--including the critically acclaimed The Big Sick.
The big news for Amazon in November comes in the form of a secret agent, though. As with Hulu, a large piece of the James Bond film library is now available--practically every film from 1962's Dr. No through 2002's Die Another Day. The one omission is the original Casino Royale, which starred David Nivens as 007.
Another major arrival to Prime is three Thursday Night Football games, taking place throughout the month. Matchups featuring the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, and Pittsburgh Steelers will be available live exclusively through Amazon Prime Video.
We're now well into November, and Hulu has shared a full list of new titles coming to its streaming service this month. In addition to new episodes of your favorite TV shows, November will see the debut of some notable Hulu original series and a slew of new movies to watch.
The most notable addition for the month is sure to be the series premiere of Marvel's Runaways, the streamer's first comic book adaptation. From Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, the creative duo behind The O.C. and Gossip Girl, Runaways tells the stories of six teenagers who learn their parents are supervillains. It arrives on November 21.
Future Man, from executive producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, will bring time traveling comedy to Hulu. Josh Hutcherson stars as a janitor that might also be the savior of the universe.
As for movies, popular titles like 13 Going on 30, Ocean's Eleven, and Terminator 2: Judgement Day will become available to stream. Additionally, 21 James Bond films have debuted on Hulu, giving subscribers access to almost every single film starring the famed secret agent, prior to Daniel Craig taking on the role. The only early film that's missing is 1967's Casino Royale.
The next pair of Pokemon games, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, are quickly approaching their November 17 release date, and ahead of their launch, Nintendo has been giving away a ton of free items and Pokemon for the previous Sun and Moon versions. Many of the giveaways have already ended, but there are still plenty of rare freebies for Sun and Moon players to get their hands on.
We've rounded up all of the distributions that are currently running for Pokemon Sun and Moon, as well as a few that will be available for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon when those versions launch. We'll be updating this list as more giveaways are announced, so check back often to see what free items and Pokemon you can get.
Pokemon Sun/Moon Free Gifts
Pokemon
Magearna
Unlike other Mythical Pokemon, the Steel/Fairy-type Magearna is available not through Mystery Gift, but via a QR code. After defeating the Elite Four and completing the main story, you can use the QR Scanner feature to scan the below code. After doing so, visit the Antiques shop in Hau'oli City and pick your Magearna up from the deliveryman waiting there. The Mythical Pokemon comes at level 50 and knows the moves Fleur Cannon, Flash Cannon, Lucky Chant, and Helping Hand.
Celebi -- Ends Sep. 21, 2018
Players who purchase either Pokemon Gold or Silver from the 3DS Eshop by September 21, 2018 will receive a bonus download code for the Mythical Pokemon Celebi. The code can be redeemed in Pokemon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, or Ultra Moon. We've outlined the steps you need to take to find and redeem the code here.
Charizard -- DONE
Players in the US can pick up a free download code for Charizard from the electronics department in Target stores. The popular Fire-type Pokemon comes at level 50, is equipped with the Red Card item, and knows the moves Dragon Dance, Flare Blitz, Fly, and Earthquake. As with other download codes, you need to input your code via Mystery Gift to receive Charizard. The distribution runs until October 14, and you have until February 4, 2018 to redeem your code.
Marshadow -- DONE
For a very limited time, players can pick up a free download code for the Mythical Pokemon Marshadow. Those in the US can get the code from GameStop, while players in the UK will have to visit "participating retailers." This is the first legitimate way Sun and Moon players can obtain the rare Fighting/Ghost-type, which comes at level 50 and is equipped with Marshadium Z. It also knows the attacks Spectral Thief, Close Combat, Force Palm, and Shadow Ball.
Pikachu -- DONE
To celebrate the release of the Pokemon series' 20th anniversary film, Pokemon The Movie: I Choose You, The Pokemon Company is giving away six different versions of Ash's Pikachu for Sun and Moon. To receive a Pikachu, enter the code PIKACHU20 in Mystery Gift. However, you can only receive one of the six Pikachu, and the version you get depends on when you enter the code. The full Pikachu distribution schedule is below.
Beginning October 23, players in the US and Canada can pick up a free download code for a shiny Silvally from GameStop and EB Games stores. The distribution will run until November 13. Players in the UK will also have a chance to get the rare Pokemon at participating GAME stores from November 3-16.
Mega Stones -- DONE
Mega Stones are exceptionally rare and valuable in Pokemon Sun and Moon. When equipped to their corresponding Pokemon, Mega Stones allow it to Mega Evolve during battle, often changing its type and giving it a considerable stat boost. Nintendo is giving away several batches of Mega Stones that aren't normally available in Sun and Moon, all of which are redeemable via a universal download code. Input the following codes in Mystery Gift by October 31 and you'll receive these Mega Stones:
Purchase either Pokemon Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon by January 10 and you'll receive a special Rockruff as a free bonus. This Rockruff will only evolve into Dusk Form Lycanroc, a new variant of the popular wolf Pokemon that is exclusive to Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
This post has been updated.
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