Sea of Thieves promises plenty of opportunities for sailing the seas and raiding treasure, but it promises more of those opportunities for those insanely dedicated players who can get max reputation with all three factions. Recently, a player became the first person to become a Pirate Legend--and some fans are not pleased.
Streamer Prod1gyX has played the game voraciously since its release, racking up dozens of hours already in his quest to hit the highest rank. And he accomplished the feat today, gaining max reputation in the Gold Hoarders, Merchant Alliance, and Order of Souls factions. He was awarded Pirate Legend. However, he leveraged his Twitch fanbase to farm treasure for him so he could boost through the ranks quicker.
Not surprisingly, this has caused some consternation among other players. For example, the top post on the Sea of Thieves subreddit right now is titled "#NotMyPirateLegend" and is filled with players arguing that he doesn't deserve the status of the first player to reach Legend, since he boosted ranks.
Further adding to the controversy is confusion and annoyance over what reaching Pirate Legend gets you. It unlocks a new area, called the Tavern of Legends, that is full of merchants and other NPCs. This is where players can accept the special quests that unlock when Legendary status is reached. However, it appears at this moment that these quests are similar to normal quests, but are long and feature stronger skeletons. Prod1gyX appears to have acquired some unique rewards, but pre-launch quotes from Rare make it sound like there would be much more in store for Legend-ranked players.
There's a possibility that Rare may be planning on tweaking and adding to Pirate Legend rewards and gameplay in the future. The studio has said it's heard player feedback about the overall game and is working on a number of improvements. For now, though, it's focused on performance improvements and fixes to issues that have plagued Sea of Thieves since launch.
While WWE has confirmed that it's had discussions with Hogan "about how he can help others learn from his mistakes," are there chances that the two sides will come to some sort of agreement that will see him return at Wrestlemania? The answer to that question seems to be no.
Though Hogan appeared at the premiere of HBO's upcoming Andre the Giant documentary and was photographed on the red carpet with WWE wrestler and executive Triple H, the company is maintaining its stance. In a statement to PWInsider, WWE says, "Hulk Hogan is an important part of Andre the Giant's history, however, his appearance at tonight's HBO premiere of the documentary and his plans to help others learn from his mistakes does not mean WWE is rehiring him. Hogan is not scheduled to be at any upcoming WWE events."
Of course, that didn't stop WWE's social media team from posting a photo of Hogan at the premiere with Big Show. Still, when approached by TMZ, Hogan maintained he'd be skipping Wrestlemania. "No sir," he told the site, while Jimmy Hart--who evidently still plays the role of Hogan's wrestling manager, sans bullhorn--made it clear Hogan was there at HBO's request.
Yet, when asked if he would make a comeback eventually, Hogan offered a simple, "Maybe someday, brother." As for when that could happen, it's anybody's guess. However, with Shane McMahon on an "indefinite leave of absence" as Smackdown Live commissioner and Daniel Bryan transitioning back into an active competitor role, the Tuesday night show will be in need of an on-camera authority figure.
Of course, that's if there's even a place for Hogan in 2018 WWE. At age 64, it's highly unlikely that he could ever wrestle again due to injuries and surgeries he's gone through over the years. What's more, WWE very publicly fired Hogan after the tape. Going back on that may not be something it's willing to do. Then again, helping him figure out "how he can help others learn from his mistakes" could also be the first step in bringing him back into the fold.
Whatever the case, don't get your hopes up about Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania 34. That shouldn't matter, though, as the card for the show is already stacked. Wrestlemania airs April airs live April 8 on the WWE Network.
A big update is now available for Pokemon Go on iOS and Android. Niantic has rolled out the recently revealed quest system, which introduce new objectives to complete and more story elements to the mobile game.
Following the update, players can take on two different types of "research" quests: Field Research and Special Research. Field Research quests are distributed at PokeStops and challenge players with completing various tasks, such as taking part in battles or catching specific Pokemon.
Special Research quests, on the other hand, are "story-driven activities" assigned by Professor Willow. These "take Trainers further into the world of Pokemon Go than ever before." The initial batch of Special Research quests are linked to Mew, which players will have a chance to encounter after completing the storyline.
In addition to that, players will earn various items for completing these quests. Players will also receive a stamp for the first Field Research task completed each day. Collecting seven of these stamps will lead to a "Research Breakthrough," which will unlock additional rewards, potentially including an encounter with another Legendary Pokemon.
While Mew may have just arrived in Pokemon Go, a different Legendary is on its way out very soon. Players have until April 2 to catch the Legendary Psychic/Flying-type Lugia before it leaves Raid Battles again. April 2 also marks the end of the Easter-themed Eggstravaganza event, which makes it easier to hatch rare Pokemon from Eggs.
Pokemon Go Patch Notes
Introduced the new Field Research and Special Research feature that encourages Trainers to complete objectives to earn unique rewards
Trainers can now discover the Mythical Pokemon Mew for the first time with Special Research
Beat Saber feels like the next-generation rhythm game. Developer Hyperbolic Magnetism released a teaser trailer back in January that went viral on YouTube, which is a rare accomplishment for a VR game. As the name implies, the game combines lightsabers with music.
In Beat Saber, you wield a blue lightsaber with your right hand and a red lightsaber with your left. Blocks fly towards you that have blue or red triangles, which dictates which color lightsaber you should use and the direction you'll need to slash through them.
Beat Saber has high energy electronic audio tracks that were composed just for the game. Hyperbolic Magnetism asserts that its tailored music allows it to fine tune the beats to the rhythmic gameplay it wants to achieve.
The game will offer four different difficulty levels. The easiest mode should be a cakewalk for most, but at the higher difficulties, Beat Saber can feel pretty overwhelming. In addition to hitting beats, the game also has sound blocks with Xs on them that you need to avoid. There are also large red laser-like columns that fly towards you, which you need to physically step away from to avoid. Beat Saber shows a lot of promise and could be VR's DDR.
In Death
Many have described In Death as the Dark Souls of VR. Both games have similar art styles and feature challenging roguelike gameplay.
The premise behind the game is that you're dead and have to fight your way through purgatory. You'll face undead knights, ghouls, and archers within procedurally generated levels.
Combat is primarily focused on archery, which works well in VR. One controller acts as the bow, and the other hand allows you to pull back on the string to shoot. You'll be able to pick up different types of arrows that offer unique abilities. Fire arrows, for instance, can inflict more damage. You can pull out a shield from your back to defend yourself against knights or ghouls when they get too close. You can also use it to bash them to create some distance. The game is currently in early access, and developer Sólfar Studios tells us it's experimenting with incorporating melee mechanics as well.
In Death supports artificial locomotion, so you can move about the world via a joystick or trackpad, but the game also supports a unique teleportation mode that allows you to throw a lightning bolt on the ground to teleport through the world.
Budget Cuts
Budget Cuts is one of the most anticipated VR games in development. It's a stealth action game that requires you to sneak your way through a deadly robot-infested office. The robots can use their blasters to instantly vaporize you. Luckily, you can throw scissors and knives to kill them. You can also pick up and throw random office trinkets away from your trajectory as a distraction so you can make your escape.
The game relies on teleporting mechanics, but rather than using it as a crutch, teleporting is a key element of the game's design. With your teleporting gun, players can project an orb to a nearby location. The orb will serve as a preview window for the surrounding landscape before players decide to commit to the teleportation. Using this mechanic, you can survey the landscape for deadly robots before you make your next move.
Whether or not you own a VR headset, Budget Cuts is one to watch out for if you're a fan of stealth-action games.
Museum of Other Realities
From the studio that developed Fantastic Contraptions comes Museum of Other Realities. Like the name suggests, it's more of a VR museum than a game.
When you first enter the Museum of Other Realities, its layout looks very similar to other museums. Many of the 3D pieces of artwork within, however, were created with VR apps like Tilt Brush, Medium, and tools from Unity and Epic's Unreal Engine. Many of them feature subtle animations or project sounds and music depending on how you interact with them.
One of the coolest set pieces is being able to crawl into a tree to enter a massive Stranger Things 2 landscape with the kids from the show looking at a humongous Mind Flayer monster shrouded in darkness. It's very ominous and awesome.
Some of the artworks within The Museum of Other Realities feel like you're hopping into a portal to a different dimension. One exhibit lets you escape the museum to hop into outer space to explore a floating spaceship surrounded by little asteroids that you'll need to hop on to traverse the terrain.
Users will also be able to customize their own floating polygonal avatars. The developers intend the Museum of Other Realities to be a place where users can meet up, chat, and hang out.
Vacation Simulator
Vacation Simulator comes from Owlchemy Labs, the developers who made Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality and Job Simulator. It's a sequel of sorts to Job Simulator, because according to the developers, "after you job, you vacation."
The demo we played took place at a beach and featured similar gameplay and cartoonish humor to its predecessor. Floating cartoon robots talked to us and gave us different little mini-games to play. One game had us shooting balls at a net against a robot goalie. Another game presented three 2D images of the same sand castle from different angles and tasked us to recreate it using different 3D blocks.
Electronauts
Electronauts is more of a music creation tool that lets you be a VR DJ than a game. Your motion tracked controllers act as digital drumsticks that you can use to interact with the unique UI. Electronauts starts out by allowing you to hit virtual tonal drums to create a base melody, which then forms a loop in 4/4 time. From there, you can layer additional beats on top. The game also has sequencers and tools that allow you to change tempo, alter pitch, add sound effects, and more.
The way the game digitizes its music makes it difficult to create a song that sounds bad. If you're at all interested in being a electronic music producer, Electronauts is a game worth keeping your ears on.
Creed: Rise To Glory
From the developers of Raw Data and Sprint Vector, Creed: Rise To Glory is a boxing game inspired by the Ryan Coogler-directed film.
The game attempts to be part-simulator and part-arcadey boxer. One interesting VR problem the game tries to solve is melee combat occlusion. Typically, if you were to punch an opponent in VR, your hand would clip through them. Developer Survios, however, has implemented what it calls Active Ghosting Technology. It detaches your in-game arm from your real arm when you punch through an opponent so you don't see a boxing glove clip through them. Once your retract your arm, your virtual limb syncs back into place. It's an interesting mechanic that prevents players from simply flailing their arms to inflict damage. Survios also says that its system takes into account how much force you put behind your punches. So if you're playing Creed: Rise To Glory, you certainly don't want to pull your punches.
An appeal from actress Lindsay Lohan in her lawsuit against Rockstar Games parent company Take-Two Interactive, which alleged her likeness was used in Grand Theft Auto V, has been dismissed in the New York Court of Appeals. The lawsuit dates back to 2014 and was initially thrown out in 2016 before Lohan appealed.
The lawsuit claimed GTA V's character Lacey Jonas is an "unequivocal" reference to Lohan. In the initial ruling, the court stated that "[e]ven if we accept plaintiffs' contentions that the video game depictions are close enough to be considered representations of the respective plaintiffs, plaintiffs' claims should be dismissed because this video game does not fall under the statutory definitions of 'advertising' or 'trade.'"
In the appeal, as spelled out by Gamasutra, the court concluded that "a computer generated image may constitute a portrait within the meaning of [Civil Rights Law sections 50 and 51]. We also conclude, however, that the subject images are not recognizable as plaintiff."
In simpler terms, Lacey Jonas is not a likeness of Lohan, and that's the final word.
A new round of Event Quests will soon be available in Monster Hunter World on PS4 and Xbox One. Among the missions players will be able to take on this time is the Egg Lovers United quest, and it gives everyone the chance to add another very unusual headpiece to their wardrobe. [Update: The quests are now available for a limited time.]
The quest kicks off tonight, March 29, at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET (12 AM UTC on March 30) and will be available in the rotation until April 12. It's a six-star arena quest that requires a Hunter Rank of 11 or higher. The objective of this mission is seemingly straightforward, tasking players with hunting a Kulu-Ya-Ku.
Complete the quest enough times and players will earn materials to craft a Kulu-Ya-Ku helmet, which features an elongated neck and completely covers your hunter's face, much like the popular Wiggler helm. This particular headpiece is a touch more unsettling, however, as it actually resembles the monster's head much more closely than the Wiggler helm did. You can see it for yourself in the tweet above.
If you missed out on getting a Wiggler helm the first time around, the Wiggle Me This Event Quest will return to the rotation next week, giving you another opportunity to craft the helmet. Next week also marks the start of the Spring Blossom Fest, the first seasonal event in Monster Hunter World. That will feature daily activities and other special Event Quests, including one for the Mega Man Palico armor.
You can find the full Event Quest schedule for Monster Hunter World on its official website. Capcom recently released a big update for the game, introducing the returning monster Deviljho along with some balance adjustments to nearly every weapon type. Players also had a chance to hunt Tempered Deviljho recently as part of a very short-lived Event Quest, but that will return to the game sometime during the Spring Blossom Fest.
A new patch is now available for Fortnite. Coming on the heels of the big v3.4 update, developer Epic has deployed another fairly minor patch for the popular battle royale game, which primarily resolves a handful of bugs and makes a few other performance improvements.
Specifically, update v3.4.1 fixes the delay in the Pump Shotgun animation. It also resolves an issue with the game not displaying the distance for Sniper Rifle eliminations. Finally, the patch implements "multiple" unspecified crash fixes.
Patch v3.4.1 is available to download now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Epic says it will roll out a similar update for the mobile version in the "near future," which will also include some platform-specific fixes. You can read the brief patch notes for the new update below or on the official Fortnite forums.
The latest patch arrives shortly after the release of Fortnite's v3.4 update. That introduced new content to both Battle Royale and Save the World modes. The former received a new weapon, the Guided Missile, and brought back the temporarily disabled Boogie Bomb. Epic also shuffled the rarity of shotguns, although they're functionally identical to before. Meanwhile, Save the World players can now take on a new Easter-themed quest line.
Update v3.4 also kicked off a new limited-time mode for Battle Royale: Sniper Shootout v2. Likewise, a new batch of weekly challenges are now available for Battle Pass holders. Be sure to check out our guide on how to complete Fortnite's Week 6 challenges.
Fortnite v3.4.1 Patch Notes
Multiple Crash Fixes
Pump Shotgun Animation Delay
Distance not being shown for Sniper Rifle eliminations
By Anonymous on Mar 30, 2018 10:43 pm Join Ben and Jean-luc as they go through all of this weeks latest event resets in Monster Hunter World including a fun new one to get a Kula-Ya-Ku mask.
If you saw Ready Player One over the weekend, you know that it ends on a relatively triumphant note. Wade gets the girl, he gains control of The Oasis, and he splits that control among his clan, the High Five. Then he closes The Oasis down two days of the week, so players will be forced to spend more time in the real world.
There are some nuances here that are worth exploring. For example, did you notice that the very last shot, where Wade and Samantha are making out on a chair, is the first time she's had her hair tied back instead of covering her face? It signifies that she's grown to be more accepting of herself, including the birthmark that she's self conscious of earlier in the movie.
There's a bit more to discuss regarding Ready Player One's ending, so let's jump in.
Adventure
First off: Wade gets the final key by finding a secret Easter egg in the Atari 2600 game Adventure. You might be wondering: Is Adventure really the first game to feature a hidden Easter egg? Is that part of the story based in reality?
The answer is yes! Released in 1980, Adventure was indeed the first game with this type of secret. At the time, Atari didn't credit individual designers; Warren Robinett hid his name in Adventure to signify his authorship of the game. It's become known as the first Easter egg, and its inclusion in Ready Player One is one of the coolest things about the movie (or the book).
The old man and the boy
You might also be wondering exactly what's going on with old man Halliday and his younger self in the scene where he gives Parzival the Easter egg. This version of Halliday isn't a character controlled by the game itself, but it's also not Halliday back from the dead--the designer really is gone, he tells Wade.
So what is he? This is where a bit of Spielberg magic comes in, and as the viewer, you just have to suspend your disbelief a little bit more than usual. Is this apparition of Halliday being controlled by someone else? Did the designer somehow upload a part of himself into The Oasis before he died? There's a reason Halliday doesn't answer the question, and it's because it doesn't really matter.
What's important is the symbolism of Halliday finally leaving the room--his room--with his younger self in tow. The imagery of Halliday keeping himself as a boy around like a pet is strong and haunting, considering this is a man who feared change and chose to live his entire life in the past, obsessing over his childhood. When his successor, Wade, finally makes his way through all three challenges, Halliday can let go.
Witnessing that moment cements the lesson Wade has learned by the end: That he can't keep living in the past if he ever wants to be happy. That's why he resolves to split control of The Oasis with his friends, and even why they choose to shut it down on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The real world "is the only place where you can get a decent meal," after all, as Halliday puts it.
Justice prevails
There's one other thing that might itch the back of your mind once Ready Player One's credits start to roll: Where were the cops, or any authority besides IOI, for the rest of the movie?
This one isn't easily answered. For much of Ready Player One, it seems that IOI is the only authority in existence, almost like this movie takes place in some kind of post-apocalypse world (Wade does mention the ominous-sounding "corn syrup drought" and "bandwidth riots" at the start). Then, once F'Nale has been defeated and Sorrento had a change of heart--in other words, when the cops are no longer needed--they finally show up to bust the bad guys.
First off, why did they show up then? Well, it seems the combination of a lengthy car chase, a guy with a gun, and the taped confession Aech sent them (a detail that's noted only briefly at the end) was finally enough to get their attention. If they showed up to investigate after Wade's stack blew up, it must have happened offscreen (although maybe Sorrento was right, and they really didn't care).
As to where they were the rest of the movie, we can't really know. Apparently Ready Player One takes place in a world in which massive, all-powerful companies like IOI have so much authority that it takes a recorded confession from one of its executives to finally get the cops involved. What matters is justice prevailed--it's a very Spielberg ending, when you think about it.
Any more questions about Ready Player One's ending? Hit us up in the comments below and let us know.
There's no question that there are more references stuffed into Ready Player One than fans of the movie will be able to spot in a single viewing. Practically every frame of the film is an Easter egg gold mine. However, that doesn't mean the film's writers were able to fit in everything they wanted--or were even able to obtain the rights to it all.
So what didn't make the film? That's exactly what GameSpot asked screenwriters Zak Penn and Ernest Cline--who also wrote the novel Ready Player One is based on. While they both admit having characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Star Wars universe showing up would have been cool, Penn says, "You were just going to see a costume of that. You weren't going to see the real characters."
That said, Cline does remember one thing they tried to include but couldn't get the rights to. "Zak and I are both big fans of the David Lynch adaptation of Dune and we wanted to have one of the characters, i-R0k (TJ Miller), fire a Weirding Module at one point and we couldn't get that," he reveals.
For those who haven't seen Dune or simply don't remember it, the Weirding Module is a weapon that amplifies your voice into a sonic beam that can destroy just about anything. Ir certainly would have done some serious damage in the Oasis, had i-R0k gotten his hands on it.
Still, even though they were unable to include the Weirding Module, Penn assures fans that there is a nod to the film in there for those paying close enough attention. "There is a reference to [Lynch's] version of Dune," he teases. "[Parzival] talks about the Harkonnen Drop-Ship."
That mention joins dozens--possibly hundreds--of other obscure pop culture references that make Ready Player One such a unique film. Good luck catching them all. Ready Player One is now playing.
The next limited-time game mode in PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is now underway on PC. This weekend only, players will be able to take part in the flare gun event, which runs from now until 7 PM PT / 10 PM ET on April 1.
Flare gun mode is set on the desert map Miramar, and as its name implies, it introduces the new flare gun to the loot you can find in the game. Developer PUBG Corp. says only a "limited number" of these will appear in the mode, and they'll spawn inside certain single-story houses across the map.
If you manage to find one of the elusive flare guns, you can use it to call in some helpful items. Fire the gun vertically into the sky and a plane will fly in and deliver a cargo drop to your location, which will contain two weapons, a piece of Level 3 armor, and an assortment of normal care package supplies.
You can read more about flare gun mode on the Steam forums. This marks the second special event PUBG has held since the game began offering Fortnite-esque event modes. The first featured eight-player teams and doubled the drop rate of rifles.
In other PUBG news, the game's smaller 4 km x 4 km map, Codename: Savage, will enter testing next week. PUBG Corp. also recently rolled out an update that introduced a weapon skin system to the game. As a way to celebrate the first anniversary of PUBG's Early Access release, the developer is also offering a free weapon skin to all players on PC for a limited time.
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is getting a new map, and its first testing window is about to open on PC. The map, currently called Codename: Savage, will be 4 km x 4 km, smaller than the game's existing two maps. Early details about Codename: Savage have been emerging, but the map will enter its first full testing phase next week, and players will get the chance to give it a try.
Codename: Savage's first testing phase starts Monday, April 2 at 7 PM PT / 10 PM ET / 3 AM BST Tuesday. It will go until Thursday, April 5 at 4 AM PT / 7 AM ET / 12 PM BST. This phase will be a closed, limited test, but players will be able to sign up to participate on Steam. Developer PUBG Corp. says it will provide more details on how to take part in the test on Monday, and says players should "keep an eye on [PUBG's] social channels to maximize your chances of getting a key."
PUBG creator Brendan "PlayerUnknown" Greene unveiled some details about the new map during a panel at the Game Developers Conference. He said the smaller, island map is coming this year, and "should give you all a much more intense and faster paced Battle Royale experience." He also shared a sneak peak on his Twitter account at the same time.
PUBG Corp. is stressing that the map is in its early development phase, and it's opening Codename: Savage up to players so early to gather as much feedback as possible. "We haven't released content so early in its development since our alpha testing stage. We're doing this because we want to start getting your feedback as soon as possible and drive the development in the right direction," the developer said on Steam.
In other news, PUBG Corp. has just released a new PC update that adds a weapon skin system and a few other features. We also recently got the chance to sit down with Brendan "PlayerUnknown" Greene himself to ask him about the incredible success of the game, how it spawned out of a series of mods, and how it plans to stay relevant with increasing competition in the future. Check out the interview in the video above.
Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle will defeat Stephanie McMahon and Triple H at Wrestlemania 34by submission. The match will end with a memorable visual: Kurt Angle will lock Triple H into an Ankle Lock, Rousey will lock McMahon into an armbar, and both victims will scream and tap in the center of the ring at the same time. The photo and video footage of this submission will be blasted to every major news outlet in the world as the signature "Wrestlemania moment" of the evening.
WWE has run this story playbook multiple times over the past 20 years. It's the tale of the disgruntled employee vs. the sociopathic boss, epitomized in the late '90s when "Stone Cold" Steve Austin began feuding with the evil Mr. McMahon. And since then, the McMahon family--Vince, Stephanie, Shane, Linda, and now Triple H--have excelled at playing villainous authority figures, who use their money, influence, and corruption to keep the good guys down. Remember Stephanie vs. Brie Bella, Vince vs. The Rock, or the McMahon family vs. Daniel Bryan? The opponents change, but the basic storyline stays the same.
The key part of this classic storyline is its finish. The WWE fictional universe is, with rare exceptions, a just universe. When all is said and done, the villain gets his comeuppance--usually on a massive stage to maximize its impact.
This narrative of this match is built on a kernel of truth, as all great WWE matches are. At Elimination Chamber, Rousey came out to the ring to sign her WWE Raw contract. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were all smiles at their latest acquisition. And that's when Kurt Angle had to ruin everything.
The Olympic gold medalist let it all spill out in the ring. He said that Triple H wanted Rousey under his thumb. He recalled that backstage, Stephanie McMahon dismissed Rousey as washed up, boasting that even she could take her on. WWE had anticipated the inevitable backlash against Rousey and spun it into a storyline--a better strategy than waiting for the fans to start chanting, "Holly Holm!" And this way, Ronda could address the elephant in the room directly; Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were the stand-ins for every social media naysayer.
The match at Wrestlemania 34 will probably start off slowly; Angle and Triple H, both ring veterans, will work the majority of the match to create suspense and some back-and-forth drama. Rousey won't be in the ring for very long--she'll probably get the hot tag at the end to close things out--but at any point that she is in the ring, she'll be a house of fire. WWE is doing its best to recapture the old Rousey--the pre-Holm Rousey that teamed up with The Rock at Wrestlemania 31.
That's the Ronda Rousey that WWE wants for the foreseeable future. Because eventually, someone is going to break Asuka's neverending streak. And if Ember Moon doesn't get the honor of doing so (she should have already done it at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III, but life isn't fair), Rousey is the likeliest candidate. She'll be the Brock Lesnar of the women's division, but with more appearances and a better attitude.
Before she was handed back-to-back losses by Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, Ronda Rousey was the reigning "baddest woman on the planet"--the queen of one-round submissions. A bronze medalist of the Beijing Olympics, Rousey was an undefeated UFC champion in the bantamweight division. This, combined with her good looks, her take-no-prisoners scowl, and her signature arm bar, made her an MMA icon. Writers dedicated thousands of words to "what she meant" for women in sports and for women in general.
How, exactly did it all to go to hell? The told-you-so critics would have you believe she was always bad and always overrated, but that's a gross oversimplification. To put a slightly finer point on it, she wasn't well-rounded--she had incomparable grappling skills on the ground, but in a stand-up fight, trading punches and kicks, she was completely outclassed. MMA fighting evolves quickly, and today, the top fighters must be impeccable in multiple areas rather than prodigal in one.
Rousey believed her own hype. When she faced Holm and Nunes--a boxing champion and a hard-hitting specialist--Rousey tried to beat them at their own game, toe-to-toe, rather than leaning on her Olympic-level skills. It was pure, reckless hubris, and perhaps she didn't even know how outgunned she was. Her terrible coach, Edmond Tarverdyan, didn't teach her to strike properly or move her head, as many observers, including Rousey's own mother, noted.
Rousey admitted to suicidal thoughts after her loss to Holm. And professional wrestling is the perfect career for someone who is too psychologically fragile to handle the self-doubt that comes from real, crushing loss.
Rousey will never have the dread or burden of expectation that she had in the UFC. She'll be able to live the outsized myth that fans want to believe about her and that she wants to believe about herself. And Wrestlemania 34 will be the beginning of that myth making.
GameSpot and CNET have teamed up to give you a chance to win an Xbox One, SCUF Infinity1 controller, and PUBG crate. Competition ends March 31, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Entry open to legal residents of the United States, Puerto Rico or Canada (excluding Quebec).
Two (2) winners will receive: Xbox One and SCUF Infinity1 controller
One (1) winner will receive: PUBG crate with a custom Xbox One controller
You can now get Spec Ops: The Line for free, but only for a limited time. You can grab it from the Humble Store now, discounted down to the very affordable $0 from the usual $30. The store notes that this is a limited offer for 48 hours only or while supplies last, so best to hurry along if you'd like a copy.
The Line was notable for its attempt to make a statement about war within the structure of a shooter, leading to a heavy story and even fourth-wall-breaking tool tips in load screens. The narrative was very inspired by Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now. In the GameSpot review, Chris Watters gave credit to its memorable and sometimes shocking moments, but found the gunplay itself banal.
It will be available until 10 AM PT Saturday, March 31. As usual, purchasing the game through the Humble Store gets you a code to redeem through Steam. It's playable across PC, Mac, and Linux.
Humble has been offering free games at a regular pace. It just put out F1 2015 last week, the latest in a long string of freebies. The store made its name on its bundled indie games, which are still going strong. The current indie bundle offers games like Mini Metro, Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes, and Superhot.
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Join Ben and Jean-luc as they go through all of this weeks latest event resets in Monster Hunter World including a fun new one to get a Kula-Ya-Ku mask.
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