With every new Black Panther clip released, it becomes even more clear that this is a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie like no other. The latest look at the movie shows just how futuristic the technology T'Challah (Chadwick Boseman) has access to is. Based on this small clip alone, it puts most of the toys the Avengers have to shame.
In the video, T'Challah's sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) springs into action in what must be the Black Panther's control center. With her brother in need, she manages to control a car from a remote location, allowing him to tail the bad guys. Beyond that, every bullet shot at the Panther, she says, builds up the hero's kinetic energy. He's able to use that energy to put a stop to the villains once and for all, before escaping in the car being driven by his sister.
While T'Challah may be the one on the front lines, it's clear that Shuri is the brains of the operation. "She's T'Challa's Q," director Ryan Coogler tells TotalFilm (via GamesRadar), comparing the hero to James Bond. "She's by his side with the technology he needs. The way she helps him is really cool."
It remains to be seen how much more technology Shuri will unveil in the movie. At this rate, though, perhaps the Avengers should hire her to redesign pretty much everything they do. Black Panther lands in theaters on February 16.
While 2017 was packed with an assortment of amazing games, 2018 is primed with its own roster of exciting games, including heavy hitters like Red Dead Redemption 2, Anthem, God of War, Kingdom Hearts III, Dragon Ball FighterZ, and much more. To help you keep track of all the games coming out, we've compiled the release dates of all the biggest ones confirmed to come out in 2018 so far.
Be sure to check back often as we update this article with more release dates or any potential changes to any of the dates below. And if you're eager to figure out the release dates from games last year, you can also reference our feature on the game release dates of 2017.
Below you can find a list of the biggest games that don't have explicit release dates but are confirmed to release sometime this year. There are also games listed that we expect to launch in 2018. We'll be moving each of these games into the release date sections above as soon as official dates are announced.
If you haven't followed the price of graphics cards lately, or are oblivious to the price of GPUs and are thinking about buying one, then we've got an important PSA for you: Now is a really bad time to buy a GPU.
Graphics card prices have skyrocketed because GPUs are so effective at mining cryptocurrency, which has gained a lot of traction in recent months. To get a gauge for the price discrepancy, let's look at the GTX 1080 Ti; the lowest you can find Nvidia's flagship gaming card online right now is $1,350, which is roughly twice the card's MSRP. The situation is arguably worse on the AMD side. The 4GB version of the RX 580, which carries an MSRP of $200, is going for roughly 2.5x as much online currently. The following chart encapsulates modern GPU MSRP against their current, lowest street prices.
GPU
MSRP
Street Price
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
$700
$1,350
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080
$550
$1,100
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Ti
$450
$800
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070
$380
$900
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060
$250
$400
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
$150
$185
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050
$110
$140
AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
$500
$1,500
AMD Radeon RX Vega 56
$400
NA
AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB
$229
$540
AMD Radeon RX 580 4GB
$200
$495
AMD Radeon RX 570
$170
$476
Lowest prices reflect time of publish.
As you can see from the comparative chart above, the pricing surge has affected all GPU sectors. Even lower-end cards like the GTX 1050 Ti and GTX 1050 are well above MSRP, albeit less so than the higher-end cards. Not only are GPU prices sky high right now, but cards like the RX Vega 56 are currently completely sold out everywhere.
While it's possible to find some high-end gaming GPUs near MSRP if you're vigilant, the windows of opportunity are small. One way to skirt around this issue if you are thinking about building a gaming PC with a new GPU is to buy a prebuilt system.
When we met with system vendor CyberPower PC at CES, the company revealed to us that it, along with many other system vendors, have strict GPU pricing guidelines. This effectively means they can't over-inflate the price of its systems based on the street prices of graphics cards.
Historically, it's generally been cheaper to build a PC than to buy a pre-built system, but that has changed in today's climate. While we think you should learn how to build a PC as it can be very rewarding and educational, there's no shame in purchasing a pre-built system, especially right now when they're largely unaffected by the current cost-prohibitive price of GPUs.
To exemplify this, we tried recreating CyberPower PC's Z370 i5 configuration. CyberPower PC's rig costs $1,169 and comes with AMD's 4GB Radeon RX 580 GPU. When we spec'd out the build ourselves using the cheapest prices found on Newegg and Amazon, our total came out to $1,322. That's $144 more than CyberPower PC's price. On top of that, it doesn't come with the company's warranty and customer support.
If you still really want to build a new gaming rig yourself, we suggest you use browser extensions like Honey to provide you with alerts on GPU price drops. As for when graphics cards will come down to normal MSRP levels, only time will tell.
This is an especially exciting week for game releases, as two of the year's most anticipated titles, Monster Hunter World and Dragon Ball FighterZ, are both set to launch on January 26. The latter is the new 2.5D Dragon Ball fighting game from Arc System Works, the studio behind Guilty Gear and BlazBlue, and it looks to be one of the best titles based on Akira Toriyama's popular anime and manga series.
In GameSpot's Dragon Ball FighterZ review in progress, critic Peter Brown called the game "an exciting revitalization of Dragon Ball Z's glory days." He added, "Even if you think Dragon Ball is old hat, and even if you're intimidated by fighting games, there's a good chance you'll be drawn into the explosive action and personalities that expertly evoke the anime's infectious spirit."
Other reviews for Dragon Ball FighterZ have also begun appearing online ahead of the game's release this Friday, and they've been similarly positive. We've collected a sample of Dragon Ball FighterZ reviews in our roundup below, which we'll continue to update as more reviews are published closer to the game's release. In the meantime, you can take a wider look at what critics think of Dragon Ball FighterZ on GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
"FighterZ is complex and distinct enough to be enjoyed by fighting game competitors, but there's no question that it's been designed to tap into the hearts of Dragon Ball's most dedicated fans, and no doubt those same qualities will win people over who've never given the series a chance. Where past games attempted to get there through huge character rosters and deliberately predictable trips down memory lane, FighterZ has bottled the essence of what makes the series' characters, animation, and sense of humor so beloved and reconfigured it into something new: a Dragon Ball fighting game that can go toe-to-toe with the best of the genre." -- Peter Brown [Full review in progress]
IGN -- 8.5/10
"Between the accessible auto combos, homing attacks, and simplified command inputs, Dragon Ball FighterZ is an inviting gateway into the world of fighting games for newcomers--whether you're a Dragon Ball fan or not. Those easy controls can open the door to some spammy behavior, but just as often it's satisfying in a way that does right by the Dragon Ball name. Dragon Ball FighterZ has enough depth and complexity to glow as brilliantly as a Super Saiyan." -- Mitchell Saltzman [Full review]
EGM -- 9/10
"While there have been many fighting games based on the Dragon Ball franchise, Dragon Ball FighterZ marks a modern approach through the means of fast-paced action. From its breathtaking visuals to ease of gameplay mastery, the new fighter is a good stepping stone to expand the fan base of the genre. However, it may not satisfy players who are looking for complexity." -- Evan Slead [Full review]
Game Informer -- Review in Progress
"The more I delve into training mode, the more I learn about FighterZ, which is great; before playing the full game, I was a little afraid Arc System Works was going to go a bit too simple to appeal to casual Dragon Ball fans, and I'm happy to be proven wrong. Despite the simple control scheme, there are plenty of ways you can approach your opponent, and I never felt completely helpless, or that any one option was overwhelmingly powerful. Complete novices will still have to do some genre learning, but the fundamentals are simple enough that it won't be too much of a chore." -- Suriel Vazquez [Full review in progress]
Eurogamer -- Review in Progress
"Dragon Ball FighterZ, then, is the fighting game for everyone. Sure, it's a fast-paced game, and with three-versus-three action the screen can get pretty busy at times, but Arc System Works' effort to make the combat accessible means pretty much anyone can pick up their favourite few characters from Dragon Ball and get them to do cool and exciting stuff straight away. A few minutes spent in training mode and you'll find yourself doing combos that approach the 100-hit mark--just from a few basic input commands." -- Wesley Yin-Poole [Full review in progress]
VideoGamer -- Review in Progress
"We've still got to do some online testing when the servers are up, but the offline lobby for Dragon Ball FighterZ suggests this is going to be a good 'un. Whether or not you like fighting games or Dragon Ball, extremely dramatic villains and hench dudes with giant hair hurling fireballs at each other (all set to unceasing guitar solos) is kind of inherently enjoyable." -- Alice Bell [Full review in progress]
A new patch is out now for PUBG's test servers that includes some changes that developer PUBG Corp. says should improve the game's performance and more. It will arrive in the live game on January 24 or 25, depending on your time zone.
Starting off, the studio says server and client performance should be better now by way of changing the visible distance when your character is in the air. Additionally, no longer will all players spawn at the same place before matches, which should also help improve performance.
"Previously, all the players would spawn together at the same location awaiting the start of the match. Lots of interaction among multiple players in such a small area had a high impact on the servers," the developer said in an update posted on Steam today. "To solve this, we have introduced multiple areas where players gather before the match start. As a result, the performance, both server and client-side, has improved."
You can see the full patch notes for today's PUBG test server update below. These changes will make it to the live game very soon, according to the developer's official Twitter account.
In terms of future updates, PUBG Corp. said it is planning "additional modifications" regarding airplane performance, with more details set to be divulged "soon." On top of that, the studio said it is testing a new anti-cheat system. Right now, the team is collecting data to ensure stability and compatibility. This testing could lead to crashes, and if you encounter this, you're advised to post a screencap of the error screen in the PUBG forums here.
In other news, PUBG's main theme music is now available to stream and purchase because definitely what you want is more intense, driving music to keep you going.
PUBG Test Server Patch Notes (January 23)
Gameplay
Introduced multiple pre-match starting areas on both maps in order to optimize the server and game client performance
Removed weapons on starting island before the match start
Language
Applied new Russian, Japanese, and Chinese (simplified/traditional) fonts
Bug fixes
Fixed the issue where players were able to slide-jump from prone
Ubisoft has rolled out the latest update for Rainbow Six Siege, and it's a big one. The 4.2 patch, which serves as the Mid-Season Reinforcement patch for the current season, is now live on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, introducing a variety of buffs and nerfs to individual Operators.
As detailed earlier this month, patch 4.2 primarily deals with balance changes. Concussion effects are being reduced, and they'll no longer disable sprinting, a change that impacts both Ela and Zofia. Ela also takes a hit to the magazine size of her SMG, which drops from 50 to 40 bullets. Ash also sees a nerf to the damage done by her R4-C, while Twitch's Shock Drone ammo drops significantly, from 15 to 5. Additionally, Bandit gets one fewer barbed wire to deploy.
It's not bad news for everyone. Lesion's Gu mines will now refill more quickly, and Capitao's Para-308 sees a damage boost. Ubisoft previously explained why it's making all of these changes, but as you'd expect, it largely boils down to feeling certain characters were over- or underpowered.
Outside of balance changes, Ubisoft has released improvements to the Caster Camera. It's also added a new animation icon for when a teammate is disabling the Defuser. Perhaps more importantly, once the Defuser is placed, its progress is displayed in place of the round timer. Ubisoft said it plans to continue improving the Bomb mode and will share more details in the future.
The update is now available on all platforms. You can check out the full patch notes here. Ubisoft has already confirmed another year of content for Siege--the Year Three season pass is up for sale--but specifics on new maps or Operators have not been announced.
Coming from fighting game developer Arc Systems Works, Dragon Ball FighterZ rides the fine line between being an accessible yet complex enough fighter for hardcore players to sink their teeth into. While it may seem daunting to dive into the game as a newcomer, and certainly watching an average battle can be overwhelming, you'll come to find that the game does well to make sure fresh players can pick up the systems in no time. Still, there's plenty to learn about the game's more nuanced mechanics.
In this video above, we'll break down what you'll need to know when trying to test your mettle against Dragon Ball's strongest fighters. Much like other fighting games, Dragon Ball FighterZ's roster of characters--spanning the history of Akira Toriyama's anime and manga series--have their own unique strengths and weaknesses, along with their own unique styles of play. While you can certainly dive into the game and button-mash your way to victory on occasions, you'll need to learn the inner workings of FighterZ to survive on the harder difficulty settings and during online play.
For more of our thoughts on the game, which is set for its January 26 release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, be sure to check out our Dragon Ball FighterZ review. And if you're curious about what sort of Easter eggs and gags found their way into the game--including how Yamcha finally redeems himself--check out our full write-ups and videos about all the things that await you in DBFZ.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands is about to get its third PvP expansion. The free update, called Extended Ops, will be available tomorrow, January 25, on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and will bring exclusive new maps and a brand new game mode called Extraction. Check out the new trailer for Extended Ops below.
Extraction mode tasks one team with locating and escorting two "High-Value Targets" out of a conflict zone. Naturally, the other team is tasked with stopping them and keeping the hostages where they are. Ubisoft says it will take a lot of strategy to stay alive and win the round, regardless of which side you're on.
There are also two new maps coming to the game. Both the Institute and Garage maps will be available for Quickplay and Ranked. Like previous PvP expansions, there will be new gear introduced for both the base game and PvP modes. Extended Ops releases on all platforms on January 25.
The last free DLC for Ghost Recon: Wildlands was a Predator-themed expansion called Jungle Storm. It brought a limited-time mission to the game where you square off against the classic character the Predator, to mark the film's 30-year-anniversary. Jungle Storm also introduced new cosmetics, new maps, and two classes to the game.
The Sea of Thieves closed beta has officially begun. The beta is going on now for select Xbox One and PC players, but it appears many are currently having issues accessing it.
Like the Sea of Thieves technical alpha that took place back in December, the closed beta is only available to those who either joined the Sea of Thieves Insider Program prior to December 1, 2017 or pre-ordered the game. Players who fell into the latter camp received the beta automatically if they pre-ordered Sea of Thieves digitally, while those who reserved the title at retail had to redeem a code in order to install the beta. However, it appears many pre-purchasers are being met with a "too early" error message when they attempt to launch the beta.
Developer Rare has addressed the problem on Twitter and says it is currently looking into a solution, though the studio didn't offer a precise timetable for when it expects the issue to be resolved. "We're aware some players are getting a 'too early' error when attempting to launch the Sea of Thieves Closed Beta. We're currently all hands on deck investigating and will provide updates ASAP," the developer tweeted. We'll update this story with any further details Rare shares.
Sea of Thieves is an open-world, co-op adventure in which players form pirate crews and search for treasure. The closed beta is currently scheduled to run until 12 AM PT / 3 AM ET / 8 AM GMT on January 29. Rather than featuring a portion of the full game, Rare says it crafted a tailored experience for the beta "that offers a true taste of the pirate life."
Ubisoft has embarked on some unusual projects--a Mario-Rabbids crossover that is basically XCOM wasn't something a lot of people saw coming--but its latest announcement is particularly unusual. The games publisher has revealed a new "personal gaming assistant" called Sam that will be housed inside the Ubisoft Club mobile app.
As you'd imagine, Sam's original inspiration was Siri, and that shows through its ability to answer basic queries made through text or voice. As seen in the images below, it can share the "weather" in various Ubisoft games and can respond to questions and requests related to those titles. Examples the company cited including asking for Far Cry 5's release date, to watch a trailer for Beyond Good & Evil 2, to get help in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, or to hear a story recap of Assassin's Creed Origins.
That may all sound somewhat rote, but where Sam becomes intriguing is through its ties into Ubisoft's games. It can provide a breakdown of your play stats, recommend in-game challenges you should tackle next, or even suggest tip videos from YouTube. Eventually, the hope is that it will be able to analyze your play style to the point where it can even point out possible skill upgrades that would be of use to you.
Ubisoft also promised there will be no shortage of Easter eggs. One example is asking for the definition of insanity, which yields Voss's quote from Far Cry 3.
A beta of Sam debuts today in Canada through Ubisoft's app, which is available for free. The company plans to expand it to other countries in the "coming months."
The Bartlet Jones Supernatural Detective Agency, the studio led by Twisted Metal director David Jaffe, has experienced significant layoffs. Jaffe announced recently that the studio, which developed Drawn To Death for PS4, let go of many of its staff this week.
Jaffe announced the news on Twitter today, explaining that a canceled project resulted in the developer needing to downsize significantly. The "vast majority" of the gaming staff has been laid off, but Jaffe has yet to explain what the future of the studio will be.
"Wanted y'all to hear it from me before anyone else: we've had a project canceled and have been forced to lay off the vast majority of the Bartlet Jones staff gaming division," he wrote on Twitter. "More news to come but for now, that's what's up. Heart's breaking for the amazingly talented crew that's out of work."
Not much is known about the project that was canceled; neither Jaffe nor the studio had spoken about it prior to this week. The developer was relatively small prior to the layoffs, but it's unclear exactly how many people are out of work.
Drawn to Death launched last year, and, in spite of a striking style, met a lukewarm reception from critics and players alike. You can read more about Drawn to Death in our 4/10 review.
This week, developer Niantic added a new set of Pokemon to Pokemon Go, all from Generation 3's Hoenn region. Recently, the studio also revealed that, for a limited time, any egg you find will hatch a Pokemon from Hoenn.
This means that there's another way to grab Hoenn Pokemon that doesn't involve stumbling across them by chance. Niantic announced the news on Twitter alongside a video of an egg hatching into Torchic, one of the starting Pokemon from Ruby and Sapphire.
23 new Hoenn Pokemon were added this week. In the past month, Niantic has added 70 additional Gen 3 Pokemon. In addition, a Gen 3 Legendary, Kyogre, is also available right now. Players can encounter the Pokemon in Raid Battles until February 14.
In other Pokemon Go news, Niantic recently began a series of real-world events called Community Days. The first event, which took place last weekend, allowed players to try and catch a Pikachu that can use Surf. The next Pokemon Go Community Day will take place on February 24 and will focus on Dratini.
A new week means new programming being added to Netflix's streaming library. While these might not be the most exciting arrivals of the month, considering elsewhere in January saw the Batman and Lethal Weapon movie franchises becoming available to stream, there are some titles you will want to check out.
The most notable arrival of the week is a new season of the Netflix original sitcom One Day at a Time. The show, which is loosely based on the '70s-'80s sitcom of the same name, stars Justina Machado and Rita Moreno, and counts TV icon Norman Lear among its executive producers. Upon its premiere in early 2017, the series was met with positive reviews. As with Season 1, the new installment of the show will include 13 episodes.
This week will also see a new season of the animated The Adventures of Puss in Boots and the Netflix original movie A Futile and Stupid Gesture be added to the streamer, among other titles. Finally, two new comedy specials will debut. Todd Glass: Act Happy will begin streaming on January 23, while Kavin Jay: Everybody Calm Down is added on January 26.
The new trailer for Pacific Rim Uprising is here. The sequel to Guillermo Del Toro's 2014 sci-fi action hit stars John Boyega and arrives in theaters on March 23, 2018. This latest promo gives us a bit more plot than the first trailer. It shows Boyega's character Jake Pentecost being released from prison to reluctantly take on the job of piloting a Jaeger in a new fight against giant, city-destroying Kaiju. There's tons of action too of course--check it out above.
Pacific Rim Uprising is directed by former Daredevil showrunner Steven S. DeKnight and also stars Scott Eastwood, Zhang Jin, Cailee Spaeny, and Jing Tian. The film has had a troubled development over the years, with Del Toro ultimately handing the directorial reins over to DeKnight but remaining on board as a producer. In April, Del Toro spoke about working with DeKnight and explained that he was a hands-off producer.
"It was such a great choice. I mean, I love [DeKnight], love what he does. I think he's really brilliant," Del Toro told Indiewire. "He's making it his own. I'm not breathing over his shoulder saying, 'What are you doing? What are you doing?' He's doing things differently, and I like that.
"When I produce, I try to produce the way I would like to be produced. I say to everyone I produce, 'If you need me, I will be there 100% all the time. If you don't need me, I'm not there. You show me the cut then we'll start interacting.'"
Bandai Namco's highly anticipated Dragon Ball FighterZ arrives on consoles and PC in only a few more days, but some players have another chance to try the game out ahead of its release. The publisher is holding another open beta for Dragon Ball FighterZ today, January 24, and unlike the most recent test, this round is available exclusively to Xbox One players.
The Xbox One beta is going on now and ends tonight at 9 PM PT / 12 AM ET, giving you a few hours to jump in and try out the Dragon Ball fighting game before it launches later this week. This beta includes the same roster and features as the previous round of tests, but Bandai Namco says it has "made the necessary improvements in order to enable X1 users to experience Dragon Ball FighterZ in all of its online multiplayer glory."
Dragon Ball FighterZ releases for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on January 26. The game has been very well received by critics. GameSpot's Peter Brown called it "a Dragon Ball fighting game that can go toe-to-toe with the best of the genre" in our Dragon Ball FighterZ review in progress and said, "Even if you think Dragon Ball is old hat, and even if you're intimidated by fighting games, there's a good chance you'll be drawn into the explosive action and personalities that expertly evoke the anime's infectious spirit."
Chances are good that you went to Toys R Us at least once when you were growing up. The chain of toy stores was once the place to go for kids dreaming of Nerf Guns, lego sets, and video games. However, the company has been facing financial trouble lately, forcing it to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy. As part of those proceedings, Toys R Us announced this week that it'll be closing up to 182 stores.
This does not mean that the company is going out of business altogether, though. The store closures are a necessary part of its plan to rebound from its financial woes and to rebrand itself as a smaller and more strategic retailer.
There will still be hundreds of Toys R Us locations left across the United States after the closures, as well. And there's a chance that not all 182 stores will shutter, if the company can successfully renegotiate its leases. But most of them are expected to close.
Toys R Us declared bankruptcy back in September 2017, as a result of several straight years of losses. The company has not turned a profit since 2013, and as a result it needed the bankruptcy restructuring in order to deal with $5 billion in outstanding debt.
Thanks to the upcoming Dragon Ball FighterZ, we've all been reminiscing about afternoons spent watching Dragon Ball Z on TV. But if you want to revisit the anime--or if you want to watch any of the Dragon Ball series for the first time--it can be a little tricky to know where to find them. Here, we've compiled a list of every legal streaming service for Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super, and more for the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia and New Zealand.
Unfortunately for UK fans, most of Dragon Ball isn't available to stream legally due to licensing complications. Blu-ray or DVD are your best options and will feature the widely used Funimation dub, rather than Europe's original English dub (which was based on a French translation and refers to Piccolo as "Big Green").
Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball adapts the first 194 chapters of Akira Toriyama's manga of the same name and mostly features series protagonist Goku as a child. In the US, it had a few failed runs--an original "Lost Dub" in '89 and another dub in '95, both of which were canceled due to low popularity--before Funimation's re-dubbed version began airing in 2001.
Funimation currently has the exclusive rights to the English dubbed version in the US and Canada.
Dragon Ball Z adapts the latter 325 chapters of the Dragon Ball manga. The first (censored) English dubs aired in the late '90s, and it was re-dubbed by Funimation in 2005.
There is an HD remastered and recut version of Dragon Ball Z called Dragon Ball Z Kai, which cuts out a lot of the "filler" from the original series that wasn't in the manga. Dragon Ball Z Kai isn't available to stream currently, though you can watch select episodes on theAdult Swim site in the US with a cable login.
Battle of the Gods and Resurrection F
Two recent Dragon Ball films--Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods and Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F--are available to stream only in the UK on Netflix. If you're not in the UK, there's always Dragon Ball Super.
Dragon Ball Super
Dragon Ball Super is the newest anime series based on the franchise and the first Dragon Ball anime with an original story in 18 years. It's an official sequel to Z with Toriyama involved in production, and its early episodes cover the events of the films Battle of the Gods and Resurrection F. Thanks to a partnership between Crunchyroll and Funimation, the English sub is widely available.
Arc System Works' highly-anticipated fighting game, Dragon Ball FighterZ, is almost here. The cel-shaded 2.5D fighter follows a 3v3 format similar to Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and it's packed with Easter eggs and references for Dragon Ball fans to find. Here, we're collecting all the details you need to know about Dragon Ball FighterZ, from the release date to gameplay, tips, and more.
We'll continue to update this feature with the final review, guides, and more as they're published, so stay tuned both before and after the game's launch!
Dragon Ball FighterZ releases on January 26 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. A pre-release beta has already wrapped up.
Review
GameSpot's Dragon Ball Fighter Z review-in-progress is now online. In it, critic Peter Brown states, "FighterZ is complex and distinct enough to be enjoyed by fighting game competitors, but there's no question that it's been designed to tap into the hearts of Dragon Ball's most dedicated fans, and no doubt those same qualities will win people over who've never given the series a chance." You can read the full review here.
The roster primarily includes Dragon Ball Z characters, though there are a few introduced in the recent films and Dragon Ball Super--including Goku Black, Beerus, and Hit--and an entirely new character, the mysterious Android 21, who is locked behind completion of the story mode.
What About The Story Mode?
Dragon Ball FighterZ includes a new story mode that takes place after the end of Dragon Ball Z and sometime during the events of Dragon Ball Super. The new character, Android 21, seems to play a major part in the story.
Note that in any mode, you can opt to use either the Japanese or English voice acting.
We've assembled a Dragon Ball FighterZ beginner's guide to help you grasp the game's fundamentals. We touch on a variety of subjects, including managing your Ki energy, assembling a strong team of fighters, and much more.
Destiny 2's first Season 2 Faction Rally has wrapped up, and we have a winner. New Monarchy has again emerged victorious, and that means its unique reward is now available for sale as part of Victory Week, which is underway on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
As with previous events, this means the Tower is now adorned with New Monarchy decorations to celebrate the win. The victor is determined based on the Faction that collectively earned the most rewards packages during the Faction Rally event. With New Monarchy coming out on top, it's the only one of the three Factions that is now selling its Winner's Offering: a Legendary auto rifle named Loquitor IV. Anyone can purchase it for 50,000 Glimmer, but those who pledged loyalty to New Monarchy during the event can do so for a mere 1,000 Glimmer.
Victory Week--and the ability to buy Loquitor IV or cash in Faction Tokens--runs from now until the weekly reset on January 30. On that day, we'll also see the first of many of the updates on the way for the game, including the release of Masterwork armor.
We're now well into January, but it's not too late to grab the free games that are now available for PlayStation Plus subscribers. January's allotment of free PS Plus games are out now on the PlayStation Store, meaning that titles like Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Batman: The Telltale Series have temporarily dropped to the low, low price of free for paying subscribers.
Mankind Divided is the headlining PS4 freebie this month. The dystopian cyberpunk role-playing game casts you as Adam Jensen and tasks you with catching a terrorist group, which you can do by being a stealthy detective or a tech-enhanced killing machine, or some mixture of both.
As for Telltale's Batman game, this is the first season of the story and puts players in tricky situations as both Bruce Wayne and his crime-fighting alter-ego. The decisions you make will have some consequence on the relationships around you, and the overall story.
Other PS4 freebies in January include the wacky and fun party game That's You! (if you're outside of North America) and StarBlood Arena (which requires PlayStation VR). Additionally, PS Vita's free games, Uncanny Valley and Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness, are both free on PS4, too. You may have to "purchase" Psycho-Pass on PS4 and PS Vita separately, however, since it is not normally part of Sony's Cross-Buy scheme. Note that in Europe and Australia, Psycho-Pass is only free on PS Vita, not PS4. Finally, PS3 owners get Sacred 3 and The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 for free.
You can see January 2018's full PS Plus lineup--covering PS4, PS3, and Vita--below, or you can claim them on the PlayStation Store.
Sony has announced God of War will launch for PlayStation 4 on April 20. The announcement was made on the PlayStation Blog, where a new trailer also made its debut. It focuses on Kratos as he grapples with trying to teach his son, Atreus, about restraint, responsibility, and consequence, which are all things Kratos learned the hard way in his previous life as a god-slayer.
Interestingly, his son isn't aware that Kratos is a deity, and is starting to face the same struggle with power and rage that his father did. Of course, there's also plenty of typical God of War eye candy on show, ranging from lush environments and sweeping vistas to towering monsters. Check it out below.
Also in the post, game director Cory Barlog detailed God of War's various special editions, as well as pre-order bonuses. Anyone that puts their money down for the game ahead of its release at participating retailers will get three legendary skins for Kratos's shield.
If you pre-order GameStop or EB Games, you'll also get the "Luck of Ages XP Boost," which grants +10 Luck and one Enchantment Slot. Luck increases the amount of experience and Hacksilver gained and lets you use abilities more often.
Click image to view in full screen
The Collector's Edition is $130 USD/$170 CAD (European price not yet available), and includes a 9-inch statue of Kratos and Atreus, a steelbook case, 2-inch Huldra Brothers carvings, a cloth map, and an art piece on its own. It also features the Death's Vow armor set, Exile's Guardian shield, an issue of the God of War digital comic, a digital artbook, and a dynamic theme.
The Stone Mason Edition, meanwhile, features all the content mentioned above, as well as the Stone Mason's ring, Mimir's Head talking keychain, a 2-inch Horse and Troll carving, and the Defender of the Chosen in-game shield. It costs $150 USD/$200 CAD.
Finally, the Digital Deluxe Edition has the full game, digital artbook, digital comic, dynamic theme, Death's Vow armor set, Exile's Guardian Shield, and--for those that pre-order--a Kratos and Atreus physical pin. This version will cost $70 USD/$90 CAD
You can take a look at all the versions, and their contents, in the gallery above or learn more about them here.
Having carved a path through the Greek gods, this new God of War title takes Kratos to a land dominated by Nordic gods and monsters. As the trailer above indicates, it will be a more intimate story about Kratos and his son. The game is also going to be much longer than its predecessors, taking 25-35 hours to beat.
Pokemon Go players now have a bunch of new Pokemon to add to their collections. Developer Niantic has added another batch of monsters from the Hoenn region to the popular mobile game, all of which can be found out in the wild right now.
This new batch consists of 23 more Pokemon that originally appeared in the series' third-generation titles, Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. Niantic hasn't specified which monsters have been added, but the developer shared a new piece of key art that features Aggron, Flygon, Lunatone, Solrock, Camerupt, and several other Pokemon.
Interestingly, the Legendary Pokemon Groudon can also be seen in the artwork. Groudon was the first Gen 3 Legendary to appear in Pokemon Go, but it was only available from December until January 15. It's unclear if Niantic is teasing a second run for Groudon or if the developer is simply referencing the fact that it's one of Go's Gen 3 Pokemon.
The first batch of Gen 3 Pokemon arrived in Pokemon Go last month and consisted of 50 monsters, including Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Wurmple, and others. An additional 20 Ice- and Water-types from Ruby and Sapphire were added several weeks later during Pokemon Go's holiday event. A new Gen 3 Legendary, Kyogre, is also available in Pokemon Go right now. Players can encounter the powerful Sea Basin Pokemon in Raid Battles until February 14.
Niantic recently kicked off a new series of real-world events for Pokemon Go called Community Days. The inaugural event took place this past weekend and gave players a chance to capture a special Pikachu that can use Surf. The next Pokemon Go Community Day is scheduled for February 24 and will feature the rare Dratini, though Niantic hasn't yet announced what special move the Dragon-type Pokemon will know.
Pokemon Go's inaugural Community Day may have only taken place this past weekend, but developer Niantic has already announced details for the next event. The second Pokemon Go Community Day will be held next month, on February 24, and it'll give players a chance to catch a rare Dragon-type Pokemon.
Unlike previous Pokemon Go events such as Chicago's Pokemon Go Fest and Europe's Safari Zone events, Community Days aren't held at a specific location, but rather during a designated window of time. This gives players around the world a chance to meet up at local parks at the specified time and catch Pokemon together. Players are able to earn in-game bonuses for the duration of the event; during February's Community Day, catching Pokemon will net you triple the normal amount of Stardust, while Lure Modules will last for an extended period of three hours.
Most importantly, each Pokemon Go Community Day will feature a special Pokemon that knows a move it cannot typically learn in the game. During January's Community Day, players were able to capture a Pikachu that could use Surf. Next month's event will feature Dratini, though Niantic hasn't revealed what its exclusive move will be yet. You can read more about the upcoming Community Day on Pokemon Go's website.
While the first Pokemon Go Community Day may be over, players still have a chance to capture the game's current Legendary Pokemon, Kyogre. The powerful Water-type Pokemon will appear in Raid Battles at certain Gyms until February 14. It is the second Gen 3 Legendary to appear in Pokemon Go so far, following Groudon, which was available until earlier this month.
Niantic released a new update for Pokemon Go last week, though it was a fairly minor one, primarily making some quality-of-life improvements to the game. That will likely be one of the final updates certain iPhone users will be able to install, as Niantic will soon end support for some older iOS devices. Beginning February 28, Pokemon Go will no longer work on any Apple device that can't be updated to iOS 11, such as iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c.
Team Ico's PS2 classic Shadow of the Colossus was one of the most breathtaking games of its generation when it debuted in 2005, pushing the limits of the console's power with its sprawling world and towering bosses. As beautiful as the game looked at the time, it is even more stunning on PS4 thanks to Bluepoint's forthcoming Shadow of the Colossus remake, which breathes new life into the acclaimed adventure by rebuilding it from the ground up for modern hardware.
While the core of Shadow of the Colossus remains almost untouched, the upcoming PS4 remake features a few new things for players to do when they're not tracking down colossi, in particular a rather extensive Photo mode. Additionally, more than a dozen filters are available to let you adjust the look of the game as you're playing. Some were available in the original game as unlockables, but there are even more here.
In the video above, we show off the many different filters available in Shadow of the Colossus. These can make the stunning environments even more visually striking and allow you to see the world of Shadow of the Colossus in a new light, both figuratively and literally. There's an even wider array of tools and filters at your disposal in Photo mode, including an optional film grain setting.
The first big DLC pack for Assassin's Creed Origins, The Hidden Ones, has arrived. The expansion is now available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and Ubisoft has shared a new trailer that sets the stage for what to expect.
The Hidden Ones is a story-driven expansion that sheds more light on the rise of the Assassin Brotherhood. It is set four years after the events of the main game and takes players to the new Sinai Peninsula region, where they'll have to "investigate a clash between a rebel faction and occupying Roman forces." The new trailer offers a glimpse at this conflict, showing Roman soldiers slaughter innocent Egyptians and raze cities while the eponymous Hidden Ones retaliate.
In addition to the new story chapter, The Hidden Ones introduces a variety of new items for players to acquire, including an outfit, two Legendary weapon sets, a pair of mounts, and other weapons. The expansion also raises the game's level cap to 45. Players who've purchased Assassin's Creed Origins' season pass will receive The Hidden Ones for no additional cost, while everyone else will be able to purchase it separately for $10.
The next DLC expansion for Assassin's Creed Origins, The Curse of Pharaohs, is scheduled to launch on March 6. That DLC introduces a brand-new storyline separate from the main game that pits players against famous pharaohs and Egyptian beasts. Like The Hidden Ones, the expansion will also add new outfits, gear, and weapons, these themed around ancient Egyptian mythology. The Curse of Pharaohs is likewise included in Assassin's Creed Origins' season pass or can be purchased individually for $20.
Beyond the two paid DLC expansions, Ubisoft is also releasing an educational Discovery Tour mode for Assassin's Creed Origins next month, on February 20. That mode will be available as a free update to players who already own the game (or as a standalone $20 download on PC), and it lets players explore the world without any combat or quests. Ubisoft will add daily guided tours curated by historians and experts to this mode for players to embark on and learn more about Egyptian society and history.
Square Enix recently detailed some the new content coming this month to Final Fantasy XIV Stormblood as part of the game's big 4.2 update, Rise of a New Sun. Following those details, the publisher has shared a new trailer for the game, showcasing the forthcoming update and some classic enemies from the series' final SNES installment, Final Fantasy VI.
The trailer, which you can watch above, begins with a battle against the Phantom Train, one of the most iconic bosses from Final Fantasy VI. The video also provides glimpses at several bosses, as well as Hells' Lid, one of the two new dungeons coming in the update. The most intriguing bit of footage, however, comes at the very end of the trailer; as the video fades to black, the face of Final Fantasy VI's main antagonist, Kefka, slowly appears, followed by his distinctive laugh.
Final Fantasy XIV's 4.2 update introduces a new story scenario titled Rise of a New Sun, along with a new side quest called The Jade Stoa. Additionally, the patch adds several new mounts (including the unsettling magitek death claw), the ability to build submersibles and hunt for undersea treasure, and a Hard version of The Fractal Continuum dungeon. It also makes changes to PvP rules and the Performance action.
The Rise of a New Sun update rolls out for Final Fantasy XIV on PS4 and PC in a little over a week, on January 30. You can read more about the upcoming update on the official Final Fantasy XIV website.
It's been a long time coming, but Marvel's first female-led superhero movie arrives next year. Captain Marvel hits theaters in March 2019, with star Brie Larson in the title role. The movie is expected to start shooting soon, and Larson has posted an image of her training for the role on Instagram. The caption says it all: "Learning how to fly." Check it out below:
Captain Marvel hits screens in March 2019. The movie is directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who collaborated on Ryan Gosling's breakthrough Half Nelson and have directed episodes of hit TV shows The Affair and Billions. The film also stars Ben Mendelsohn (Star Wars: Rogue One), Jude Law (Sherlock Holmes), and DeWanda Wise (She's Gotta Have It). Samuel L Jackson will also make a return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the role of SHIELD boss Nick Fury.
A few details about the movie were revealed at San Diego Comic-Con last summer. It will be set in the 1990s, making it something of a prequel to the current MCU. We also know Captain Marvel will be facing off against a classic Marvel villain: Skrulls.
Ahead of her standalone movie, Larson is expected to make her debut as Captain Marvel in this year's Avengers: Infinity War, which hits theaters in May. Check the latest Avengers: Infinity War trailer out here.
Rockstar Games has announced all the new content, events, and sales in GTA Online this week. Starting with the new content, the Ubermacht Revolter luxury car is now in the online game and available to purchase from Legendary Motorsport.
The slick-looking car is a deadly beast, featuring a machine gun on the front to keep enemies at bay like something out of James Bond. The fictional car's tagline is "Looks for the red carpet, power for when the deal goes south."
Also in GTA Online this week, you can earn double GTA$ and RP for the new Adversary multiplayer mode Air Quota, which was added last week. Up to four teams and 16 players face off and transform through a series of aircraft, from helicopters to jets to jetpacks. Additionally, GTA Online players can earn double bonuses in every Rockstar-made Stunt and Land race through January 29.
As for the sales and discounts, various MKII upgrades and customization options are on sale this week (see below). Additionally, the Warstock Cache & Carry store is holding a 25% off sale on two vehicles: the Benefactor Turreted Limo and the HVY APC amphibious tank.
Mk II Upgrades – 30% off (cost to upgrade to Mk II weapon)
Mk II Magazines – 25% off
Mk II Scopes – 25% off
Mk II Muzzles – 25% off
Mk II Weapon Liveries – 25% off
Finally, this week's Premium Race in GTA Online is Tube Rider with the Ruiner 2000 vehicle, while the Time Trial event is "Coast to Coast." As usual, if you finish in the top three in the Premium Race you'll get an allotment of GTA$, while every participant earns triple RP no matter where they finish. For the Time Trial, beating the average time will earn you double GTA$ and RP.
The theme music for the massively successful Battle Royale game, PUBG, will be available today digitally to stream and purchase. The intense, driving theme music is recognisable to anyone who has played the game, and now you can listen whenever you want. Tom Salta, AKA Atlas Plug, wrote the song. You might not know him by name, but you are more than likely familiar with his work. He wrote music for games like LawBreakers, Ghost Recon: Wildlands, and Halo 2 Anniversary, as well as the animated series Halo: The Fall of Reach.
Salta said in a statement that it was an "exciting challenge" to write music that embodies the intense nature of PUBG the game. "I really hope the fans enjoy it as much as I did writing and producing it!," he said.
Bluehole audio director Haejin Lee added, "We were looking for an orchestral electronic hybrid theme that would give players a huge build-up keeping them resolutely determined until the beginning of actual gameplay."
Lee added that he and PUBG creator Brendan Greene personally picked Salta to write the theme music for the Battle Royale game. "I've worked with many composers and Tom is one of the most energetic collaborators I've ever worked with. During his composition process, he came up with something even better than what we had envisioned," Lee added.
If you're having trouble on PS4 right now, including playing games, it's not just you. PlayStation Network is suffering from issues right now, Sony has confirmed, although there's no word yet on how soon they will be resolved. [Update: PSN's status page said earlier today that the service was working correctly again, but a newer update shows that every service except PlayStation Vue is having problems right now]
Sony's PSN status page lists the Gaming and Social category as experiencing trouble right now. Specifically, it states, "You may have some difficulty launching games, applications, or online features." PlayStation's support account on Twitter also confirmed as much, saying, "We're aware that users are having issues accessing some features on PSN. Thanks for your patience as we investigate."
Indeed, a number of game companies have alerted players on Twitter that they may have trouble playing online right now. This appears to potentially affect everyone trying to play something on PSN on PS4 or PS3, though your miles may vary.
Neither Sony's Twitter account nor status page offers any sense for how quickly this will be addressed. As always, it could be a matter of minutes or hours. We'll report back as soon as we receive any more information.
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