Blizzard has announced the return of the Winter Wonderland event for Overwatch on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. It begins next week and introduces a variety of new content for free, in addition to bringing back some of what we saw last year. And, yes, there are new skins on the way.
As detailed in the new developer update video above, Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan revealed that Winter Wonderland 2017 includes a "long-awaited Hanzo skin" that was previously seen in one of the comics. Roadhog and Junkrat are confirmed to receive new Legendary skins, though they won't be the only ones included; fans were upset with the number of Legendaries last year. Unfortunately, none of these were actually shown off, and the brief teaser below only shows one of Mei's existing skins.
Last year's event saw two maps, King's Row and Hanamura, get what Blizzard calls a "seasonal pass," where they're decorated for the event. Those two will make a return, while the Arena map Black Forest will also receive one of these seasonal passes. Kaplan described this as "one of the most gorgeous jobs [Blizzard's] environmental artists have ever done." A limited-time mode, Mei's Snowball Offensive, will also return and now be playable on both Ecopoint: Antarctica and this winterized version of Black Forest.
Blizzard will also introduce another new Mei-centric Brawl, which Kaplan compared to a boss fight. Mei's Yeti Hunt pits a team of five Mei players against one Winston player in what sounds a lot like the basic concept of Evolve. The five Meis try to hunt down Winston as he seeks out power-ups. Once he's collected enough, he'll enter Primal Rage mode, at which point the Meis have to flee to avoid being killed. Once enough Meis--or Winston--are killed, the game is over.
Kaplan said that, with this mode, Blizzard wanted to try something "fun and different," admitting it is meant to be silly. He said the point is "just to be fun and light and refreshing for a short period of time," rather than a serious, truly competitive mode that will be used in esports.
Winter Wonderland launches on all platforms on December 12 as a free update. Presumably this will work like past events, with players receiving a free loot box for logging in and the standard box being replaced by a seasonal version that includes the new, limited-time skins and cosmetics. An end date for the event hasn't been announced.
With her MMA career likely complete, UFC star Ronda Rousey is looking to make her next career move. The first-ever UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion is reportedly close to signing a deal to wrestle for WWE.
The news comes from USA Today, which cites two sources claiming Rousey is working out the details on her move from MMA to professional wrestling. Given her connection to WWE over the past several months--and even years--it's clear she has a major interest in becoming a wrestler.
After making her first WWE appearance in 2015 at WrestleMania 31, in which she joined Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Triple H, and Stephanie McMahon for an in-ring segment, Rousey teased the idea that she had a future in wrestling. She then appeared in the audience during the 2017 Mae Young Classic women's tournament, supporting fellow MMA fighter Shayna Baszler.
Now, with Baszler making a name for herself in WWE as part of the NXT roster, it's a good time for Rousey to join the fold. At just 30 years old, the former MMA champion could have a long professional wrestling career ahead of her. While she would surely need some training to acclimate to working as a wrestler, rather than a fighter, Rousey can become a marquee player in WWE.
Then again, there's always the possibility that Rousey decides not to make the jump in the end. After spending years on the octagon, perhaps she'd rather sit back, relax, and enjoy the fruits of her labor.
Of course, it'd be much more exciting for her to not only join WWE but help raise the profile of the women's division even higher. Who wouldn't want to see Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair for a Women's Championship at WrestleMania?
This month, EA kicks off the first "season" of updates for Star Wars Battlefront II, which are based on the upcoming new film, Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi. The bulk of the new content arrives just prior to the film's release, on December 13, but before then, EA has shared a new trailer that showcases some of the Last Jedi-themed content that is coming to the game.
Perhaps the most notable additions that The Last Jedi Season brings Star Wars Battlefront II are two new heroes, Finn and Captain Phasma. We've known for some time that both would be added to the game as free DLC characters, but the new trailer marks the first time either have been shown off in the game. Additionally, developer DICE will add a new Galactic Assault map (Crait), a Starfighter Assault map (D'Qar), and a new vehicle (Tallie's A-Wing). You can take a look at them in the video above.
Some new single-player content will also arrive as part of The Last Jedi Season, specifically a new mission called Resurrection. This puts players again in the role of Inferno Squad commander Iden Versio, this time "during the days of the First Order's rise to power." You can catch a peek at the new mission and an older Iden in the new trailer.
While most of the Last Jedi-themed content won't arrive until next week, EA kicked off the season modestly this week by letting players choose to align themselves with either the First Order or New Republic. Once you choose a side, the game will present you with special, weekly faction quests over the next few weeks; completing these will "help edge your faction closer to victory" and earn your side additional rewards. The first challenge is available now and tasks players with racking up 50 kills with each trooper class.
Other new challenges and special events are also scheduled to arrive throughout the month, including a holiday playlist on December 27. The content will roll out at the same time across PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The Last Jedi, meanwhile, premieres on December 15.
Remastered versions of the first three Devil May Cry games are headed to new platforms early next year, Capcom has announced. The Devil May Cry HD Collection is officially coming to PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in March.
In terms of any new changes to the games, Capcom didn't share details. It did say all three games will run at 60 frames per second but did not detail any specific visual improvements. You can see how the new versions look in the screenshots above. The package will be priced at $30 when it's released on March 13, 2018. It'll be available both physically and digitally. We'll report back as more details are shared.
We liked the original version's release; in our Devil May Cry HD Collection review, we awarded the compilation a 7.5. The lack of extras--something that may not be addressed for this new release--were lamented, but it still presented the best way to experience the three games on what were at the time modern platforms.
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle's new update adds a second multiplayer mode for free. The Nintendo Switch exclusive already had a co-op mode of course, but this local PvP mode--in which each player can use a single Joy-Con--marks the first time the game has allowed you to fight against your friends. We've played it and we think that fans of the base game will likely find a great new way to enjoy the strategy title.
It'll take some getting used to, however: the movement and attack system in the base game allows each character to utilize one movement, one attack, and one ability in each turn, but the PvP mode overhauls this in favor of a ticket-based structure. Each team receives three tickets per turn, and one ticket is used up each time any of your three characters moves, attacks, or uses an ability. Initially, this can feel restrictive, as it affords you fewer options than in the base game. However, a number of item boxes scattered around the map can grant you extra attacks, ability uses, or movements, as well as new power-ups such as damage bonuses and increased chances of your attacks having super effects. These item boxes add another layer of strategy, as you have to decide when to attempt to retrieve them, when to use them, and which character to use them with.
Interestingly, the mode disables the characters and builds you've unlocked and created in the main game, instead forcing you to pick from a number of pre-set builds for each fighter. Every character is unlocked from the start, but initially you can only pick their all-purpose build, before later unlocking more specific builds such as Rabbid Peach's healer set-up, which has more Power Orbs invested in its healing abilities. Unlike the game other modes, this Versus mode allows you to pick an all-Rabbids team or pick a trio exclusively from the Mushroom Kingdom.
Finally, the new mode can be played on four bespoke maps, each of which are unlocked from the start and are based off the main game's four worlds. Take a look at one of those maps in our Let's Play at the top of this article, or if you'd rather just watch some straight gameplay, you can do that above. Mario + Rabbids' new PvP mode launches as a free update for Nintendo Switch on Friday, December 8.
Square Enix has officially announced that a new Tomb Raider game is on the way. The company confirmed the news in a brief statement, though it stopped short of fully revealing the new game, whose title, platforms, and release date remain unknown.
"Driven by our goal of putting our fans first, we want you to know that it won't be long between the official reveal and when you can play," read the statement. "Our journey will begin with a major event in 2018. We simply can't wait to take you on Lara Croft's defining adventure."
Finally, a new Tomb Raider movie is coming to cinemas on March 16, 2018, starring Alicia Vikander and Dominic West. It's possible that this is the "major event" Square Enix refers to in today's statement.
The first image from the upcoming X-Men: Dark Phoenix has been released. The next movie in the long-running superhero franchise hits theaters in November next year, and will focus on the classic Dark Phoenix saga from Marvel's comic books.
The image comes via Entertainment Weekly and shows Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner as Jean Grey. Jean becomes corrupted by Phoenix Force that provides her with her powers, forcing her to turn them against the X-Men. Check it out below:
EW also features an interview with Turner, who talks about taking on this challenging role. "It's about the butterfly effect of this thing happening," she said. "What happens when the person you love the most falls into darkness? I have to go from broken-down Jean to this confident, arrogant, know-it-all character within milliseconds."
In addition to this week's selection of Deals With Gold, a new sale is going on right now on the Xbox Store. Microsoft has kicked off a Game Awards Sale ahead of tonight's big awards show, giving Xbox One owners another chance to score some nice discounts on many of this year's biggest releases.
You can find the full list of discounted titles on the Xbox website. The Game Awards Sale will be available until December 10, while this week's Deals with Gold expire on December 12. The Game Awards 2017 airs tonight, December 7, at 5:30 PM PT / 8:30 PM ET. You can see the full list of nominees here.
As in past years, Sony has launched a Flash sale to coincide with the annual Game Awards. Dozens of PS4 games are on sale right now as a result, including many of the year's biggest releases on the platform.
The Flash sale is open to all PSN members--you won't need a PS Plus membership to take advantage of these sale prices. You can see everything on sale here. Unlike this week's standard PS4 deals, these are not available for long, as the Flash sale ends ends on Saturday, December 9, at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET.
Ubisoft has announced Far Cry 5's release date has been delayed. The open-world first-person shooter will now launch on March 27, 2018, instead of the previously announced February 27, 2018 date, which constitutes a delay of one month.
In addition to this, The Crew 2's release has been moved from March 16, 2018 to the first half of Ubisoft's 2018-19 fiscal year, which means it will launch between April 2018 and September 2018. One other Ubisoft franchise game, which has not yet been revealed, has been moved to its fiscal year 2019-20.
Far Cry 5 is set in Hope County, Montana. It lets allows players to create their own characters, who is a junior deputy. The main antagonists in the game are a religious cult called Eden's Gate, which has impacted the lives of some of the characters that join the player on their mission. The cast of supporting characters include Pastor Jerome, an African-American priest who has lost his flock to the cult; Mary May, a bartender with a penchant for flammable cocktails; and Nick Rye, a pilot who wants to create a better future for his child.
One of the big new additions is the ability to use dogs to distract enemies and pick up weapons for you. Other classic open-world gameplay opportunities such as flying planes are also available to the player. Far Cry 5 is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
The Crew 2, meanwhile, features an "open-world USA" that has been "completely reshaped for motorsports." In addition to cars, players will be able to take control of boats and planes for the sequel. There are four main motorsport categories in the game: street racing, off-road, pro, and freestyle, each of which has its own set of "deep" options and "wide selection of vehicle types." A beta is coming for The Crew 2, and you can register for it on the game's website here.
Bungie has announced the launch date for Destiny 2's first-ever Raid Lair, and it's coming up quite soon. Curse of Osiris owners will gain access to the new Raid content later this week, and much like the release of a proper Raid, Bungie will monitor attempts to become the world's first team to complete it.
The first Raid Lair is called Eater of Worlds, and it launches on Friday, December 8, at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM GMT (5 AM AET on December 9). Specifics of what kind of challenges to expect will remain a mystery until players get in there and share details, but we do know the broad strokes of what to expect from Raid Lairs.
Bungie has explained previously that designing Destiny Raids is a major endeavor--that's why we only saw a handful released for the first game, and why Destiny 2 only has one so far. Raid Lairs are effectively the studio's attempt to compensate for that, by providing players with new Raid content that re-uses some of its previous work. Eater of Worlds is set in the Leviathan Raid, but it features new encounters and puzzles, as well as a "completely different" final boss. While not as lengthy as the proper Leviathan Raid, this is meant to exist alongside it. It'll also offer its own unique rewards.
The goal behind Raid Lairs is to give players an additional Raid-style challenge to complete each week. A second Raid Lair will launch with Destiny 2's next DLC expansion, which is due out next spring. There's no word yet on when we'll see the next full Raid.
Whether Raid Lairs prove to be substantial enough for a fanbase hungry for more content remains to be seen. Curse of Osiris released earlier this week and introduced a variety of new content, though the game arguably still lacks the type of endgame that hardcore fans are seeking. Bungie will seek to partially address that with the release of another big update next week, which includes the addition of Masterworks weapons.
Pokemon Go already added a limited number of generation 3 Pokemon as part of its Halloween event, and now more creatures from Ruby and Sapphire's Hoenn region are on their way to Niantic's mobile game. Fifty new monsters are now available to catch around the world, including Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, and more. Niantic and the Pokemon Company are yet to reveal the entire list of generation 3 critters available, but did specifically mention Swablu, Wailord, Salamence, and Feebas, while more can be seen in the trailer below.
In addition, the game will now reflect real-life weather and climate conditions wherever you are. The new dynamic weather feature will be visible on the in-game map and will affect which Pokemon are likely to appear. Niantic and the Pokemon Company say you might find more Mudkip when it rains, more Cacnea in the sun, or Snorunt in the snow. The weather's other effects include "changing Pokemon habitats," as well as "increasing Combat Power and earning more Stardust after catching a Pokemon." Separate to weather effects, the current season will also change which Pokemon are likely to appear.
A new Portal game has been announced, though it's a little different to previous titles in the series. It's called Bridge Constructor Portal, and it's a crossover between Valve's puzzle franchise and, you guessed it, Bridge Constructor.
As in the mainline Bridge Constructor series, the game tasks you with getting a truck from one side of the screen to the other, except this time you achieve that by placing portals in the right locations to warp your vehicle to the exit. It's coming to PC and mobile on December 20, with "console versions" following in "early 2018." Developers ClockStone Software and Headup Games did not state which consoles they were referring to, but the above trailer features logos for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, so it's safe to assume the game is coming to those platforms at least.
In the meantime, check out some images and a trailer for Bridge Constructor Portal above. What do you think of the crossover? Let us know in the comments.
Rockstar has continued to consistently roll out new content for Grand Theft Auto V's online mode, GTA Online, since launch. It's set to get one of its biggest pieces of content to date with the launch of a new online heist that arrives next week on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
The Doomsday Heist is described as a "massive new adventure" by Rockstar. Players will team up with an "unlikely alliance" between some of the game's characters to save San Andreas from what appears to be the threat of nuclear annihilation. Here's the plot description shared by Rockstar:
"A billionaire tech mogul, an idealistic intelligence agent, a socially awkward conspiracy theorist, and a neurotic supercomputer have been forced into an unlikely alliance to save San Andreas from total annihilation. As apocalyptic threats mount from enemies unknown, you and your criminal crew are enlisted to untangle mysteries and eradicate threats spanning from the bustling streets of downtown Los Santos to the ocean floor and all the way to the inner depths of Mount Chiliad in an epic new online adventure."
Rockstar also shared the trailer above, which teases out some of the heist's highlights. It looks like you'll break into top-secret bases, go on bombing runs, and drive a flying car. The promotional image above also features a jetpack and a shot of that same car underwater that looks reminiscent of the James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me.
The Doomsday Heist will be released for free to all players on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on December 12. It marks the first heist added to the game since online heists were introduced in 2015. That makes this a particularly notable launch. It's also the first since many new system and elements were introduced, such as this year's aircraft-centric update.
Ubisoft has announced a new multiplayer mode for Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. It's focused on PvP, allowing you to play the Nintendo Switch title locally against your friends--with a single Joy-Con each--for the first time. the mode is launching as a free update on Friday, December 8.
The new mode is completely distinct from the main game, with separate character builds, an overhauled movement and attack system, different rules regarding team selection, and bespoke maps. As opposed to the main game's movement and attack structure, the new mode introduces a ticket-based system in which your team can collectively only move, attack, or use an ability three times in a turn.
There are also a number of item boxes littered around each map containing tickets for extra movement, additional attacks, or more ability uses, or different power-ups such as damage bonuses or increased chances of your attacks having super effects. You can read more and see some gameplay in our in-depth look at how Mario + Rabbids' PvP mode revamps the game.
The new mode isn't the first DLC that's come to the strategy game. The last Mario + Rabbids DLC pack launched in October introducing new Ultra Hard Challenges, while a new single-player expansion will arrive next year as part of the game's season pass. The additional content expands on what was already an accomplished game, which we awarded a 9/10 in our Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle review.
"Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle exudes off-beat optimism that never dissolves," wrote our critic, Edmond Tran. "It's a consistent delight, no matter how challenging the road becomes, because Kingdom Battle's unique turn-based tactics system is in every way a pleasure to engage with. Coupled with the annoyingly infectious allure of Rabbids, and the always delightful, colorful world of the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is an implausibly engrossing formula that is positively challenging and endlessly charming."
Leia Organa has fought her way out of garbage compactors. She's chased down Imperial soldiers on speeder bikes. She choked a handsy crime lord to death, and helped bring the Empire to its knees. She was an accomplished diplomat and a cutthroat politician, but Leia was always known best as a princess.
And then, the Force awakened. When Leia Organa returned to the big screen for the first time in 32 years, she had traded in her royal title for a new one: general. Now, instead of presiding over kingdoms, she leads armies. The Resistance is her domain, and its soldiers, pilots, techs, and spies are her subjects.
But how did Leia go from a young noble to a war-hardened military leader? Naturally, it's all Darth Vader's fault. Here's what you need to know about Leia's journey from princess to general before we say goodbye for good in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
From royalty to rebel to representative
It didn't take long for Leia to immerse herself in the world of politics--and the world of espionage. At the age of 14, Leia began working for her father, Bail Organa, as a junior legislator in the Imperial Senate. Before she turned 19, Leia took over for Bail as Alderaan's elected representative, making her the youngest-ever senator in the Senate's history.
Just because Leia worked in the Imperial government, however, didn't mean that she supported it. On the sly, she started to fight back. Outwardly, Leia focused her efforts on humanitarian causes. But, as shown in Claudia Grey's novel Leia, Princess of Alderaan, she snuck a handful of refugees off of the planet Wobani and took them back to Alderaan. She smuggled sensitive data out of an Imperial stronghold with the Mandalorian outcast Sabin Wren in Star Wars: Forces of Destiny, and helped Kanan Jarrus' crew of rebels steal three battleships in Star Wars Rebels. All the while, the public dismissed Leia as a simple, flighty princess.
Soon, they'd know better.
After Leia helped smuggle the Death Star plans off of Scarif, Darth Vader captured her, branded her a traitor, and destroyed her home planet, Alderaan. The Emperor dissolved the Senate, and Leia's time as a monarch and a politician came to an abrupt end (Naboo, where Leia's birth mother served as queen, has an electoral monarchy, not a hereditary one). After all, it's hard to rule when your kingdom no longer exists.
Yet Leia couldn't escape her royal moniker. It stuck with her when she helped the surviving Alderaanian citizens find a new home in Marvel's Princess Leia miniseries. She commanded a mission to capture Darth Vader on Vrogas Vas in Vader Down, stole an Imperial Star Destroyer in Marvel's Star Wars, and led Operation Yellow Moon, a feint designed to distract the Empire from the Rebellion's upcoming attack on Endor, in Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure. All the while, her friends and followers still called her "Princess."
After years of conflict, Leia and her friends destroyed the second Death Star, bringing the Empire's reign of terror to a close. In the resulting power vacuum, the Rebel Alliance rebranded itself as the New Republic and re-established the Galactic Senate.
Leia played a pivotal role in the new government, bringing Naboo into the fold and serving for years as the Alderaan sector's senator. But despite her pedigree, not everything went in Leia's favor. As implied in Aftermath, Chancellor Mon Mothma passed the Military Disarmament Act against Leia's wishes, reducing the size and scope of the New Republic's military. In Aftermath: Life Debt, Leia tried to convince the Senate to help liberate Kashyyyk, the Wookiee homeworld, but the New Republic refused to intervene.
Family life got in the way, too. Leia married Han Solo in a small ceremony on Endor, and they had a child named Ben. But Han had no patience for politics, and often took off for months at a time to participate in starship races around the galaxy. When Ben grew older, he went off to train as a Jedi with Leia's brother, Luke Skywalker. Meanwhile, Leia was stuck serving in the Senate, and spent most of her time alone, separated from her family. (Although she's Force sensitive, and possibly as powerful as Luke, she always sacrificed her own power in favor of her responsibilities.)
After 23 years of service, Leia decided that she'd had enough. That's when everything fell apart.
Sins of the father
When Claudia Grey's Bloodline takes place, the Senate has been stuck in deadlock for years, and Leia's fed up. Her party, the Populists, wanted a government that gave control to individual planets. Their opposition, the Centrists, argued in favor of strong central government and powerful military. The Senate was deadlocked. As politicians bickered, the citizens suffered.
Leia had no interest in returning to her aristocratic roots, either. She inherited a royal governorship on the planet Birren, but Leia was over the royalty thing. She happily passed the title to the next-in-line, a Centrist senator named Carise Sindian.
But just before Leia submitted her resignation, the Loyalists nominated her as their candidate for First Senator, a Prime Minister-like position designed to cut through the Senate's gridlock. Meanwhile, Lady Cerise found a secret message in Birren's treasure rooms that revealed Leia's biggest secret: Darth Vader was Leia's biological father.
As a dedicated Centrist (and a secret member of the First Order), Cerise made sure that the public learned the truth about Leia's heritage. Leia's political career crumbled in an instant. Longtime Populist allies abandoned her, accusing her of keeping secrets, while the Centrists publically questioned her motives, integrity, and credibility. Just like that, her time in the Senate was over.
That's why, when Leia discovered that a group of Centrist planets were secretly funding a large-scale paramilitary operation called the First Order, nobody listened. And so, Leia did the only thing she could. With the support of a handful of loyal politicians, military leaders, and soldiers--not to mention a stockpile of thermal detonators snatched from First Order weapons smugglers--Leia founded the Resistance, an unsanctioned militia dedicated to keeping fascism at bay.
Without Leia's leadership, Luke Skywalker would still be lost among the stars. The planet-destroying Starkiller Base would still be causing havoc around the galaxy. We're not sure what The First Order is going to throw The Resistance's way in The Last Jedi, but whatever it is, expect General Leia to be right there fighting it. She's not just a princess, after all. She's a bona fide hero.
When the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR released in 2016, they were derided as being too expensive. All three VR headsets have received significant price drops in 2017, however, making them much more accessible. VR may still be far from mainstream, but its market share grew steadily in 2017. Let's look back at the medium's highlights (and lowlights) over the past year.
All three VR headsets have received significant price drops in 2017
Coming into 2017, the HTC Vive had momentum over the Rift in a battle between the two PC VR headsets. The past year has arguably been more kind to the Facebook-backed platform, however. While the Rift and its Touch controllers retailed for a combined $800 at the beginning of the year, the bundle received a notable price drop to $600 in March. Oculus then temporarily dropped the price of the bundle to $400 with its summer sale. The device became a big-seller on retail outlets like Amazon as a result, and the company permanently cut the bundle's price to $400 in October.
2017 also marked the one-year anniversary of the Touch controllers. While many users reported having tracking issues at launch, Oculus has solved those problems through software updates and now there are over 300 titles that support Oculus' motion controllers. The platform also officially introduced support for room-scale with three sensors in 2017, moving out of its experimental beta state when it was introduced in 2016.
The Rift received many respectable exclusives in 2017
On the user interface front, the Oculus Store still needs a lot of work, but the company has implemented refunds and announced Dash, which will allow users to launch their favorite desktop apps while they're in VR.
At the tail end of the year, Oculus showed its continued commitment to mobile VR and announced Oculus Go, which is an all-in-one mobile VR headset that doesn't require a phone. The company also showed off its updated Santa Cruz headset prototype, which featured new motion controllers coupled with inside-out tracking that provides six degrees of movement without the need for external trackers.
The Vive Introduces New Peripherals, But Loses Momentum
At the beginning of the year, HTC introduced the Deluxe Audio Strap for the Vive. It integrated headphones and made the heavy head-mounted display much more comfortable, which was important considering the Vive was arguably the most uncomfortable HMD of the bunch. HTC also lowered the price from $800 to $600 shortly after Oculus dropped the price of its Rift bundle to $400. While the Vive is still more expensive than the Rift, owners do get room-scale right out of the box with Valve's included lighthouse trackers.
Several peripherals were revealed for the Vive this year. TPCast is a third-party add-on that allows the Vive to go wireless with minimal added latency. HTC also began to sell Vive Trackers that will allow you to see non-tracked accessories in VR, though time will tell if they will provide a meaningful impact to consumers.
In 2017, HTC pushed its Viveport store and subscription service, the latter of which allows users to play up to five VR games a month starting at $7. But many users have reported that it's been a bit of a buggy mess, even causing blue-screen issues. Throughout the year, many users have also complained that HTC's customer service has been slow and unresponsive when it comes to repair and replacement issues.
On Valve's end, the company revealed its Knuckle Controllers towards the tail end of last year, which track individual fingers and will allow Vive users to grip and release virtual objects by way of a strap that attaches to users' hands. Unfortunately, only certain developers have them today, and Valve hasn't announced an official release date for the controllers as of yet. Early on in the year, Valve revealed that it was working on three full VR games, but it disappointingly hasn't revealed any screenshots or info on any of them since.
SteamVR got a wide variety of new games throughout the year. Notable standouts include Pavlov VR, which many refer to as virtual reality's Counter Strike, and Gorn, which is an arena hack-and-slash game that takes full advantage of room-scale VR. The year's end is topped off by Bethesda's Fallout VR and Doom VFR shooters.
Valve revealed that it was working on three full VR games, but it disappointingly hasn't revealed any screenshots or info on any of them since.
PlayStation VR Leads Virtual Reality Sales
Sony recently announced that it has sold over two million PlayStation VR headsets to date, which shows that PS4 owners have a healthy appetite for VR.
The headset itself went from $400 down to $300 for a limited time, and Sony also revealed new PSVR bundles that include the PlayStation camera, Move controllers, and games like Skyrim VR and Doom VFR for $450. These new bundles come with a slightly modified headset that offers an HDR passthrough.
Sony recently announced that it has sold over two million PlayStation VR headsets
Considering the PlayStation Camera and Move controllers weren't originally designed for VR, however, much of the community is clamoring for an improved tracking system and more refined controllers that feature joysticks.
Microsoft and its hardware partners that include Acer, Lenovo, and HP release their Mixed Reality VR headsets towards the tail end of the year.
Lenovo, in partnership with Disney, releases a $200 augmented reality headset that allows users to play Star Wars: Jedi Challenges with their phones.
Verdict
While VR may not have gone mainstream in 2017, it takes years for even the most disruptive tech to reach mass market adoption. There have certainly been pitfalls along the way. For instance, CCP Games announced that it would suspend resources on developing new VR games, and the medium could certainly use more big-budget AAA games, but it's important to acknowledge that VR is still relatively new and that high-quality games often take years to develop.
Oculus, HTC, and Sony have lowered the prices on their respective headsets, which has bolstered adoption across the board. Considering that VR is still a new, growing market meant that many third-party developers opted to release their games on all three major VR platforms. In fact, many fun games like Rec Room and Star Trek Bridge Crew are even cross platform across all three headsets. All of these contributions lead to a case where a rising tide lifts all boats in the burgeoning industry.
The Good
The Bad
All headsets are much more affordable
Rift receives numerous respectable exclusive games
Deluxe Audio Strap makes the Vive much more comfortable and adds integrated headphones
Sony releases slightly refined PSVR headset and Aim controller
Developers like CCP Games pulled resources from VR
Valve was largely a no-show for VR in 2017
Viveport is buggy and HTC's customer service needs improvement
While the 2015 deal between Sony and Marvel allows Spider-Man to appear in the latter's cinematic universe, Sony is still making the most of owning the overall movie rights to characters from the Spidey comic books. The studio has several spin-offs in development, and the first of these will be next year's Venom.
The first piece of promotional material for the movie has now been revealed. It's a banner that was spotted at Brazil's Comic-Con Experience (CCXP), and shows the fearsome alien symbiote of the title bursting through the letter V. Check the images out over at Collider.
Venom will star Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock. In Marvel's comics, Brock is a photographer and rival to Peter Parker, who becomes a host for the parasite and sets about to destroy him. A behind-the-scenes video released in October showed Hardy on-set.
The movie hits theaters on October 5, 2018. It also stars Riz Ahmed and Michelle Williams. Zombieland's Ruben Fleischer is directing.
Ahead of the holidays, the Microsoft Store has a promotion going on where it features a different set of deals each day. For today, December 7, the retailer has discounted a bunch of Xbox One and PC games--including many of this fall's big releases--by up to 50%. However, you've only got a very limited amount of time to take advantage.
All of the aforementioned titles are for Xbox One. There are also a small handful of PC games discounted. These are primarily from Bethesda--the highlights include The Evil Within 2 and Wolfenstein II for $30 each, or Doom for $20. Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood can also be had for $20.
You can see everything on sale here. This is a one-day-only deal, and some games are already sold out, including Middle-earth: Shadow of War on Xbox One and the PC and Xbox One version of Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition. If you're interested, you may want to jump on this quickly. Just be aware that a new Xbox Live sale is now underway to celebrate The Game Awards, and it discounts some of the same games. Additionally, Steam may follow suit today and discount some of these PC games. We'll report back if that turns out to be the case.
Some links to supporting retailers are automatically made into affiliate links, and GameSpot may receive a small share of those sales.
One of the key post-campaign activities for Destiny 2 players to check out after finishing the new Curse of Osiris DLC expansion's campaign are Lost Prophecies. Completing these reward you with unique new, Vex-style weapons, but you don't immediately gain access to any of this. Here's how to unlock Lost Prophecies.
After finishing the campaign, speak with Brother Vance at the Lighthouse on Mercury. He'll provide you with a mission to complete some Adventures. Once you've done three of them, you'll unlock access to Heroic Adventures. These are more difficult versions of standard Adventures with a recommended Power level of 300 and Nightfall-style Modifiers to contend with. While difficult, you can thankfully respawn. Completing one of these will earn you a variety of rewards (including a new shader and emblem), and you'll be able to speak with Vance to move things along.
At this point, he'll provide you with your first Lost Prophecy quest. You'll receive an item that needs to have certain requirements fulfilled; for instance, you might have to farm Heroic Public Events or chests to obtain a specific type of item that must be consumed. (This can take the form of a single blue item, or a green version--in which case you'll need to acquire 10 and then trade them into Vance.) Once you're done that, head back to the Lighthouse, speak with Vance, and activate the Forge. From here, you can craft the first of the new Vex weapons--check out one we got above. It's unclear at this point exactly how often you can repeat all of this, but there are a number of weapons and Lost Prophecy "verses" to complete.
Even aside from these, there are numerous new weapons in Curse of Osiris to obtain. There's also a variety of new gear, new Exotics, and tons of new Eververse cosmetics to obtain through the newly refreshed Bright engrams. As noted above, the expansion also introduces a new (if somewhat brief) campaign set on Mercury, additional Crucible content, and more.
A new selection of game discounts are now available in the US PlayStation Store. As was the case last week's PSN deals, this week doesn't feature any publisher-specific sales, though there are still some new PS4, PS3, and Vita discounts to choose from. [Update: In addition to the regular set of deals, a new PS4 Flash sale is live for a limited time, running until the morning of December 9.]
As usual, the majority of the deals available this week are for PS4, and many feature an additional percentage off for PlayStation Plus subscribers. Among the games discounted right now are Hob for $15 (or $17 without a PS Plus subscription), the horror games Perception ($9.88/$11.95) and Don't Knock Twice ($10/$14), Warhammer 40K: Deathwatch ($28), Space Hulk ($21), and Space Hulk Ascension ($24.49).
PS4 owners also still have a chance to snag some of the game deals that had previously been available. Most notably, The Elder Scrolls Online is still on sale; the Gold Edition costs $30, while the Morrowind expansion is $30. The Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition - Duke Nukem Bundle is likewise still on sale for $40.49.
You can find the full list of deals available now on the PlayStation Store. Unlike typical weekly sales, not all of the aforementioned discounts will be available until the same day, so you should act quickly if you see any that you're interested in. More deals will likely be available later today to coincide with The Game Awards 2017, which airs at 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET.
Balancing weapons in any shooter is no easy task. Bungie is faced with an even more daunting proposition in attempting to create fun and balanced weapons that are used in Destiny 2's PvE and PvP modes. But one of the new additions in Curse of Osiris is proving to be especially problematic due to a bug.
Among the new Exotic weapons in Curse of Osiris is the Prometheus Lens. It's the second trace rifle to be added to the game following Coldheart, which was available as a pre-order bonus. Aside from generally being a fun gun to use, Prometheus Lens is not especially notable in PvE. However, in Crucible, it's proven itself to be wildly overpowered, as you can see in the Twitch clip below from streamer iBLINKtv.
As you can see, it absolutely annihilates foes. This isn't a one-off occurrence; there's a popular thread on Reddit where players are lamenting the current state of the weapon's balance (or lack thereof). It's even sparked speculation that it could result in the cancellation of the upcoming Trials PvP event, similar to what happened with previous map exploit. However, there's been no word from Bungie as of yet whether such a move is even being considered.
Bungie has acknowledged the issue, explaining that it's not due to poor balance, but instead a bug. "Prometheus Lens shipped with a bug," community manager David "DeeJ" Dague said on Twitter. "We'll address the issue and talk solutions in 'This Week At Bungie' on the blog."
Unfortunately, that blog post doesn't arrive until Thursday afternoon in the US, which presumably means a fix is not imminent. As such, you may want to avoid Crucible for the time being, unless you don't mind potentially being incinerated without warning.
Bluehole's massively successful battle royale game, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, arrives on Xbox One next week. Before then, however, players will have a chance to purchase some exclusive items for the game.
Beginning December 7, Xbox One owners will be able to purchase the PUBG Warrior Pack, the first of three cosmetic item packs that will only be available for the Xbox One version of the game. The Warrior Pack includes four items that can be used to customize your character: a balaclava hat, as well as a camo t-shirt, pants, and tennis shoes.
The PUBG Warrior Pack costs $10 and will only be available for a limited time, until December 10. It will be followed by the PUBG Accessory Pack from December 14-17 and the Tracksuit Pack from December 21-22. Each of those packs will cost $5. You can see some of the items from them above.
As previously mentioned, these three packs will only be available for Xbox One players. They'll also be the only items you can purchase in that version of the game during its preview period. However, publisher Bluehole has said that more loot boxes are on the way to PUBG, though the publisher assures that the boxes will "never" contain any items that could affect gameplay.
PUBG launches for Xbox One via the Game Preview program on December 12. Like the early access PC version, it will cost $30. The game launches in full on PC later this month; before then, players will have a chance to try out PUBG's new desert map, Miramar, which will be available during the "final test round" before its version 1.0 release. The map will also feature an exclusive new vehicle.
We've known for some time that PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds will be getting a new desert map, but up until now, publisher Bluehole hadn't shared many details about it, aside from teasing a few work-in-progress screenshots of the environment. That's now changed, as the publisher has officially revealed the map and when players will have a chance to play on it.
Known as Miramar, the new arena is a far cry from PUBG's current map, the lush Erangel. It encompasses industrial areas, beach towns, arid desert land, and more, which the developers say will dramatically change how players approach the survival game. "The unique terrain and dense urban areas of Miramar will create a new Battle Royale experience where the old strategies may no longer work and new tactics are required," the development team wrote in a post on the Steam forums.
On top of the harsh landscape, Miramar is home to at least eight major cities, each of which features different kinds of buildings and constructions that will affect your strategy. Here's how the development team describes each location:
Los Leones
The largest city in the region, Los Leones features ample shopping, a skyline filled with new construction, and a glorious, golden-hued City Center. Players should secure high vantage points by exploring the numerous construction sites, and loot for gear in the cavernous, abandoned commercial buildings.
El Pozo
El Pozo is a city known for its large industrial and entertainment districts. Players can test themselves against all comers in the Luchador Arena, put their motorcycle skills to the test In the death bowl, or hunt in the ruins of the long dead textile factories.
Monte Nuevo
Monte Nuevo is the picture of a town besieged. Ramshackle walls built to protect its residents now allow players ample cover to explore the well-stocked compound.
Valle del Mar
Valle del Mar is a colorful oceanside town bisected by the De Toro bridge. To the West of the bridge is a quaint school, and to the East, a beautiful church. The key to holding this town is bridge control, as it's the only direct route between mainland and the island.
La Cobreria
The shipping and transport capitol of Miramar, La CobrerÃa's most prominent feature is it's enormous Rail Yard. Here, players will hunt and be hunted among the half-buried cargo of a long dead industry. Careful players should loot the schools and campuses that dot this town before attempting to hold the Yard.
San Martin
San MartÃn is located just west of Hacienda Del Patrón. Checkpoints and barriers have transformed this once-quiet small town into a war zone. Both sides of the town have overlooks, so careful players should scout first, before charging into town.
Pecado
Once a tourist destination featuring the largest casino in the region, Pecado continues to thrill players to this day with its mix of high-value loot and dangerous sightlines. Aggressive players will immediately loot the Arena and Casino, but savvy players should check out the 4 story hotels between them.
Chumacera
Chumacera is the husk of Miramar's once thriving textile industry. Long abandoned factories overlook a main road lined with residential and commercial buildings. Verticality in both the buildings and terrain make this town an exciting location to loot--high risk, high opportunity!
Miramar will also feature a new vehicle, a retro-looking pickup truck that will be exclusive to the map. Players will also be able to find a new weapon, the Win94, which will likewise appear exclusively in Miramar as a world spawn.
Players will have a chance to compete on Miramar during the "final test round" before PUBG's version 1.0 release. That is slated to launch before the end of December, so you should be able to try the anticipated new map sometime this month. PUBG will also release in early access on Xbox One via the Xbox Game Preview program next week, on December 12.
In the long build-up to the release of Justice League, there was some suggestion that we might see Superman in his iconic 'dark' costume from DC's comic books. Although we now know that this costume did not appear in the finished movie, cinematographer Fabian Wagner has confirmed that actor Henry Cavill did shoot some scenes wearing it.
In an interview with Inverse, Wagner revealed that the footage was amongst several scenes filmed by original director Zack Snyder that were ultimately cut. "There were [quite a few scenes shot]. It's a cool looking costume," he said. "Sadly we didn't see that either in the final cut. Zack takes his time with telling the stories and I've always liked that about his movies. There are a few scenes that I was very much looking forward to seeing which unfortunately got cut."
Superman wore the design in The Death and Return of Superman comic books from the early '90s. In those issues, Superman was killed by Doomsday, much as he was in last year's movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and returned with a dramatic new look.
Part of the reason that the costume ultimately didn't appear in the final movie could be due to Zack Snyder's departure from the production shortly after the end of principle photography due to a family tragedy. Joss Whedon took over as director, and the movie underwent extensive rewrites and reshoots throughout the summer.
Justice League has not been the big box office success that many were expecting. To date it has made $572 million at the worldwide box office, after nearly a month on release. This is well below this year's Wonder Woman, which made $821.7 million, and Dawn of Justice, which made more than $873 million. In addition, it been rumored that Justice League had a production budget of $300 million, which is more than either of those other DC movies.
Among the additions in Destiny 2's just-released Curse of Osiris expansion is a new Public Event on Mercury. Like those in the base game, players looking for an extra challenge (or simply better rewards) can activate a more difficult, Heroic version of this activity. However, doing so isn't simply a matter of pressing a button--and it's a more involved process than of any Public Event that we've seen before. Here's what you need to do.
After completing Curse of Osiris's first mission, head to Mercury and walk straight out of the Lighthouse. The Public Event starts near the two Vex who are standing at attention; stand near them and wait for the event flag to appear, then go toward the inner ring of the Fields of Glass. Enemies will begin spawning on the left and right sides from portals; kill them until an enemy with a yellow health bar named Keeper of Ages appears. It will drop orbs, which you'll then need to take to two warp gates near where it spawned. Then repeat this process on the other side.
Next, you'll want to wait for the catapult to turn around. Jump on top of it so you can reach one of the two islands on either side of the area. Kill the enemy named Keeper of Ages Present (or Past), pick up the orb it drops, and dunk it at the center of the island. You'll then see a Vex object floating near the back of the platform. Shooting this will provide platforms for you to jump on. You'll likely need more than one person to follow these platforms to the top of the island where they can activate a plate on the roof.
With the Heroic version of the event triggered, the Vex Gate Lord will spawn, this time with a shield. Kill the enemies around it and take the orbs they drop back to the gates from the first part of the event. Catapult up to the roof of the center area, and from here, you can dunk orbs to drop the Gate Lord's shield, allowing you to damage it. Repeat the process until it's dead to complete the event.
This Public Event is just one of the new pieces of content you'll find in Curse of Osiris. There's also new story content and Strikes on Mercury, as well as Crucible content and a variety of new weapons, gear, and cosmetics to acquire. Its release coincides with that of update 1.1.0, with another major Destiny 2 update due out next week.
Ubisoft has released the next big expansion for Rainbow Six Siege. With the game recently celebrating its two-year anniversary, we've now gotten Operation White Noise, which adds the usual array of new Operators (plus one extra), a new map, and other content to the shooter on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
White Noise's biggest additions are those Operators. With this being a South Korea-themed update, two of them hail from the 707th Special Mission Battalion. Dokkaebi is an Attacker whose unique gear is the Logic Bomb, which allows her to hack enemy devices and reveal their position with a loud noise. Vigil is a Defender who has access to the Electronic Rendering Cloak, or ERC-7, which prevents him from being seen on cameras. In addition to those two, we get a third Operator, this one from the canceled Poland expansion. Zofia Bosak uses the KS79 Lifeline, a grenade launcher capable of firing both explosive and concussive rounds.
As is typical of Siege expansions, these characters are now available to Year 2 season pass owners for free; everyone else will be able to purchase them using in-game currency beginning on December 12. All players do get something for free right away, as the new Mok Myeok Tower map is available to everyone. This is set near the top of a skyscraper observation tower, which is home to a variety of different environments and places an emphasis on verticality.
Besides the new content, Ubisoft hopes to make some improvements to the game with this update. This includes testing "new synchronization logic for some projectiles," most notably including grenades. The goal is to prevent issues where the position of grenades suddenly change--such as one appearing right back in your face after you throw it. Additionally, your movement will now be factored in, so that throwing a grenade while you're on the run will cause it to go further.
The rate of fire on handguns has also been increased and new UI elements should make it easier to track buffs and debuffs. And, of course, a variety of bug fixes have been made impacting specific maps, weapons, and Operators. You can check out the full list here. All of this coincides with Ubisoft announcing that Siege has eclipsed the 25 million players mark.
Microsoft has revealed the latest selection of discounts for Xbox One and Xbox 360. This week's Deals with Gold are available now for Xbox Live Gold members and include some notable titles on both platforms, as well as a few Spotlight deals that even those without a Gold subscription can take advantage of.
A few notable Xbox 360 games are on sale this week, as well. Gold members can get discounts on the original Metro 2033 ($2.24/£1.79) and Metro: Last Light ($3/£2.24), Dead Space 3 ($5/£3.74), DuckTales Remastered ($3.74/£2.49), NBA Jam ($5/£4), and Street Fighter IV ($14/£10.49), among other titles.
Most of these offers will be available until 6 AM ET/3 AM PT on December 12, giving you a few days to take advantage of this week's sales. You can find the full list of Deals with Gold discounts on Major Nelson's blog.
Destiny 2's latest scheduled maintenance period proved to be briefer than expected, and the game is back online. Along with it, Bungie has released both update 1.1.0 and the Curse of Osiris DLC, marking the launch of the first DLC expansion for Destiny 2 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Update 1.1.0 is a substantial patch. It finally introduces PS4 Pro and Xbox One X enhancements to the shooter; both receive HDR support, while the Pro version gets a dynamic 4K resolution and Xbox One X gets native 4K. There's no indication if HDR support will be added for Xbox One S or PS4 owners.
Elsewhere in the patch, there are numerous changes to balance, bug fixes, and other adjustments. Super abilities now deal more damage to bosses, players begin recovering health sooner even with a low Recovery stat, numerous grenade types deal more damage (while Pulse grenades have been nerfed), and different weapon types have been tweaked. For instance, precision auto rifles see a damage increase but precision modifier reduction.
To compensate for Curse of Osiris's higher level cap, the recommended Power levels for certain activities are now different. The Nightfall calls for a 270 Power level, or 300 for the Prestige version. The Leviathan Raid recommends 300, or 330 for the Prestige version. For Guided Games, the Nightfall still suggests 270, but the Leviathan's Power level suggestion is 310.
Rewards have changed in some cases, with Crucible matches in the Quickplay and Competitive playlists now handing out Rare and Legendary items more frequently. You'll also gain more XP for finishing a match. Other 1.1.0 changes affect specific class abilities and gear, while some are just downright funny. One issue that's been addressed is described as such: "Cabal Gladiators would sometimes have horrific arm elasticity when being defeated during Cabal Drill Public Events."
This is all in addition to what Curse of Osiris brings to the game. Players who purchase the DLC can now visit Mercury and take part in new missions, earn new gear, and more. Additionally, Bungie plans to release another Destiny 2 update next week that revamps and introduces more new systems, such as adding Masterworks weapons. For now, you can check out everything that's changed in the 1.1.0 update here. Also take note that 1.1.0's release marks the beginning of Season 2, which means Bright Engrams' contents have changed, clan levels have reset, and more.
It's officially December, and the first Tuesday of the month has brought with it a new batch of free games for PlayStation Plus members. A total of six more games are now available for download to Plus subscribers, including a total of as many as four on PlayStation 4 (or five if you're in Europe).
PS4's lineup is headlined by Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition, a remastered version of the 2012 Zelda-esque action game. This version includes all of the original release's DLC along with a variety of technical improvements. It's free this month alongside Kung Fu Panda: Showdown of Legendary Legends. A PSVR freebie from November, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, remains free throughout this month, and those in Europe can also pick up That's You for free. Additionally, thanks to Cross-Buy, Forma 8 is available on PS4 in addition to Vita.
The PS3 side features Xblaze: Lost Memories and Syberia Collection, the latter of which is a compilation of the two Syberia adventure games. In addition to the aforementioned Forma 8, Vita owners can download Wanted Corp for free.
All of these games are available now for PS Plus members on the PlayStation Store. They'll be free to download until Tuesday, January 2, when Sony will replace them with the next batch of freebies. Claiming these games allows you to play them as much as you want for as long as you have an active Plus membership.
In addition to the free game downloads, PS Plus subscribers receive some other bonuses this month. Plus members get exclusive access to the Monster Hunter World beta, which runs from December 9-12 on PS4. Later in the month, they'll also receive the PlayStation Plus Pack for free-to-play game Smite, which consists of various characters, skins, and voice packs.
December 2017 Free PS Plus Games
PS4
Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition
Forma 8
Kung Fu Panda: Showdown of the Legendary Legends
That's You (EU only)
Until Dawn: Rush of Blood (PSVR)
PS3
Xblaze Lost: Memories
Syberia Collection
Vita
Forma 8
Wanted Corp
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