A new event is now underway in Pokemon Go. Ahead of this month's Community Day, Niantic is bringing back the Easter-themed Eggstravaganza event, making it easier for players to hatch certain Pokemon and providing extra bonuses for a limited time.
The event kicked off on March 22 and gives players a chance to hatch an "even greater variety" of Pokemon from Eggs. In particular, monsters that typically hatch from 5 km or 10 km Eggs, like Wynaut or Ralts, can be found in 2 km Eggs for the duration of the event. Some Pokemon, such as Pichu and Togepi, will also hatch more frequently.
In addition to that, every Egg that players hatch during the Eggstravaganza event will come with extra Candy. Niantic is also offering double Stardust throughout the event as an added bonus, and special boxes that contain Super Incubators, Star Pieces, and other items will be available for purchase from the in-game shop.
Pokemon Go's Eggstravaganza event runs until 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET on April 2. That is also the same day that the latest Legendary Pokemon, Lugia, is scheduled to leave the game. Following its initial run as a Raid Battle boss last summer, Lugia returned to Pokemon Go earlier this month. This time, the Legendary Pokemon knows the "newly improved" Flying move Sky Attack, and Niantic says it will be easier to capture than before if players manage to successfully defeat it.
Niantic is hosting the third Pokemon Go Community Day event this weekend, on March 25. As before, the event will run for a three-hour block of time. The featured Pokemon for this month's Community Day is the classic Red and Blue starter Bulbasaur, and if players manage to evolve it into a Venusaur during the event hours, it will learn the powerful Grass-type attack Frenzy Plant.
One of the common gripes with Ernest Cline's phenomenally popular novel Ready Player One is that it merely pays lip service to the retro pop culture it endlessly references. Simply listing off things from the '80s that people love is a shallow way to evoke nostalgia, and it fails to capture anything substantive about the movies, music, and video games being referenced. Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One adaptation tumbles down the same pitfall (ahem), and yet, like the book, it manages to be pretty compelling anyway.
Set in 2045, Ready Player One follows Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) and his friends (Olivia Cooke's Artemis, Lena Waithe's Aech, Win Morisaki's Daito, and Philip Zhao's Sho) on their quest to win control of a virtual world called The Oasis. The concept of a VR app that combines video games with social space is already pretty familiar to us in 2018, and in many ways the movie's vision of the future lines up with what we might expect this stuff to really look like in a couple of decades.
There are omni-directional treadmills, full-body haptic feedback suits, and many more hardware accessories that let people interact with The Oasis. Because basically everyone in the world--regardless of age, gender, race, or any other demographic factors--accesses The Oasis, the differences in the technology poor and wealthy people use is a constant factor throughout the movie. Wade upgrades his gear as soon as he starts accruing cash, while his deadbeat step-uncle blows all their savings on in-game upgrades trying to win a valuable artifact, which he'd hoped would pay for a new house.
Within this world, the game's creator, James Halliday--played by a slightly uncanny-looking Mark Rylance--hid three keys that will unlock his ultimate Easter egg: a series of hidden steps that will grant the winning "Gunter" (egg hunters) total, legal control of The Oasis (making them filthy rich in the process). If you'll pardon another reference, it becomes the Holy Grail for an entire generation of gamers.
All this setup is fertile ground for a story about an average kid who rises above his circumstances, finds inner strength, defeats the evil corporation, and gets the girl--it's the familiar hero's journey through and through. The fact that Wade's strength comes from his obsessive knowledge of latter-half 20th century pop culture only makes it even more appropriate for Spielberg to have grabbed the reins on this adaptation.
Ready Player One's entire nostalgia-invoking concept works much better in a visual medium. Half the movie is entirely CG, and the motion-captured performances and general graphics and effects are incredible. One extended sequence set in the iconic location of a beloved horror movie is particularly excellent. This is the kind of movie you want to see on the biggest screen possible, and in 3D, if that's your thing (I saw it in RealD, and it looked fantastic).
The movie also improves on the book in massive ways, including cutting out an entire act that did the plot and characters no favors in the source material (Wade thankfully no longer spends a large chunk of the story stalking Artemis against her wishes). Overall, it does an incredible job making the story accessible. Viewers with no knowledge of contemporary VR technology or video game culture will be able to fully enjoy Ready Player One, which goes to great lengths to explain the basic concept of The Oasis and how it fits into this futuristic world. While you're engrossed in the movie, it's easy to believe that the fight to control The Oasis is the most important thing there is--that Wade and his friends would devote their lives to it, while the evil IOI (Innovative Online Industries), led by Ben Mendelsohn's villainous but weirdly likable Nolan Sorrento, would fight with murderous, Gestapo-like ruthlessness to stop these meddling kids from winning.
There is a subset of the audience who won't find it so easy to swallow, though, and will begin questioning whether anything in Ready Player One actually makes sense the second the credits start to roll. If you're into video games or gaming culture and understand how massive online games like World of Warcraft actually work, the poorly thought out rules Ready Player One sets up for its virtual world simply won't add up.
For example, the movie establishes over and over that if your avatar in The Oasis dies, you lose all the items and money you've ever acquired (your stuff explodes from your dying virtual body in a satisfying shower of gold and trinkets which can then be scooped up by other nearby players). T.J. Miller, in his hilarious portrayal of a villainous mercenary known as "i-R0k," worries about dying in a climactic scene, since he's carrying 10 years' worth of loot and plunder around with him.
Narratively, this gives everything stakes, and it's effective for that. But within the game world, that doesn't make sense--there's really no way to store your valuable items or money for safekeeping? That's not how video games work. And what about a character like Aech, who has an entire, massive workshop full of stuff?
There are many more nitpicks like that throughout the movie. Can players attack each other anywhere? What stops every area of The Oasis from turning into a bloodbath? Similarly, if you've ever seen some of the lengths players go to find Easter eggs in real video games, the solutions to Ready Player One's world-shaking puzzles will actually seem quaint in comparison.
Yes, the details might be changed, but the movie suffers from the same problems the book did. It's undeniably fun to see squads of Master Chiefs, Ninja Turtles, Battletoads, Overwatch characters, and countless more join in an epic battle against an evil corporation. But those references are almost entirely shallow as can be; when one character pulls out a Lancer from Gears of War, it shoots green lasers, and when another chucks the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch at his foes, he doesn't even bother to count to five--err, I mean three.
Hardcore gamers will also likely cringe at the way Ready Player One casually throws in gaming language in ways that sound totally unrealistic, like one character earnestly calling another a "noob" in the middle of an actual, physical confrontation, or saying "I've seen all her walkthroughs [and] her Twitch streams." Um, you mean you watch her on Twitch? Nobody would say it like that.
And yet, Ready Player One is crazy enjoyable anyway. It's all too easy for those who actually know games to see through the cracks in Ready Player One's virtual world, just like it was in the book. But that's a side effect of what makes this thing so universally appealing: In ditching the arcane layers of rules and conventions necessary for real video game worlds to actually function, this hyper-nerdy story becomes far more accessible. If you can get past the nitpicks, there's a really fun movie underneath. And if it leaves the finer details ambiguous or botches a reference to some cherished movie or game along the way--well, we'll always have the originals.
Far Cry 5 releases early next week for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, but eager players are able to get an early jump on downloading the game. Developer Ubisoft has now released the pre-load dates and times for all systems.
If you're playing on Xbox One, you'll be able to pre-load first as the game is now available for download (but not to play, obviously). PC players on both Uplay and Steam will be able to pre-load the game starting today, March 23 at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT / 12 AM GMT. PlayStation 4 players will have to wait the longest; the game will be available for pre-loading on March 25 at midnight, local time.
Far Cry 5 officially releases on March 27. The game is garnering lots of attention for its narrative, which pits players against an apocalyptic, radical, Christian cult, run by a crazed figure known as The Father, who has authoritarian control over a small Montana town. The game is open world and will take about 25 hours to play through the main storyline.
Following its announced partnership with Nvidia back in December, Nintendo has released its first title for the Nvidia Shield. Mario's masterful Wii adventure Super Mario Galaxy has now launched for the set-top console--but like all of Nintendo's other planned games for the Shield, it's only available in China.
The Chinese Nvidia Shield website (via ResetEra member Jonneh) shared a bit more information about the title. One of the biggest questions surrounding this port was how the game's controls would translate to the Shield's controller, since many of Mario's most crucial actions in the game--such as performing a spin attack and activating star launchers--were handled by shaking the Wii Remote.
Running the Nvidia website through Google Translate reveals that spinning in the Shield version of Super Mario Galaxy is performed by pressing the X button. Judging from the game's trailer (via YouTube channel Chinese Nintendo), maneuvering the star cursor now appears to be handled using one of the controller's analog sticks.
If you happen to live in China, the Nvidia Shield runs for RMB 1499 ($227), while Wii games on the system cost RMB 68 ($10). However, this partnership will likely remain exclusive to China permanently, so don't expect to see Nintendo's titles appear on the Shield in other regions any time soon.
Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One is the long-awaited big-screen adaptation of Ernest Cline's pop culture-packed virtual reality novel, and it hits theatres next weekend. Considering Spielberg is responsible for some of the most popular and successful movies of all time, and that the 2010 novel was a huge bestseller, the movie has been met with a surprising amount of advance resistance from movie fans. Maybe it was the GCI-heavy trailers, or the movie referencing posters, but many seemed to lower their expectations well in advance of its release.
The good news is that the film is great. While not without flaws, it shows once more that Spielberg is an absolute master of thrilling, crowd-pleasing cinema. So we've put tother a few reasons that you should check out Ready Player One, from improvements to the novel and pop culture references to the movie's handling of virtual reality--check it out above. You can also read GameSpot's Ready Player One review, in which Michael Rougeau described it as "crazy enjoyable" despite some nitpicky issues.
"It's all too easy for those who actually know games to see through the cracks in Ready Player One's virtual world, just like it was in the book. But that's a side effect of what makes this thing so universally appealing: In ditching the arcane layers of rules and conventions necessary for real video game worlds to actually function, this hyper-nerdy story becomes far more accessible.
"If you can get past the nitpicks, there's a really fun movie underneath. And if it leaves the finer details ambiguous or botches a reference to some cherished movie or game along the way--well, we'll always have the originals."
After not appearing in WWE since 2015, is Hulk Hogan preparing for his return to the company? It was July 24, 2015 when WWE terminated its contract with the wrestling legend in the wake of a leaked sex tape, in which Hogan--real name Terry Bollea--made racist remarks.
While WWE had maintained its stance since then that it had no interest in Hogan's return, the tide seems to be changing. After rumors began swirling that Hogan and WWE were negotiating a return, the company confirmed to PWInsider in a statement, "We have had discussions with Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan) about how he can help others learn from his mistakes, however, he is not under any contract with WWE."
It's important to note that while WWE confirms that there have been talks with Hogan, the statement makes no mention of the wrestler appearing on its programming or having an active role in storylines. However, the Wrestling Observer reports that Hogan is currently scheduled to appear at the red carpet premiere of HBO's Andre the Giant documentary, where both Stephanie McMahon and Triple H will also be in attendance.
Of course, the question remains of whether WWE should bring Hogan back. At 64 years old, his wrestling days are most likely behind him and it remains to be seen how effective he'd be in a non-wrestling role. One possibility would be as an on-air authority role on Smackdown Live, now that Shane McMahon is on an indefinite leave of absence and Daniel Bryan has been cleared to return to wrestling.
Additionally, his return would prove to be easy cannon fodder for wrestling fans who love to chant disparaging things at wrestlers during televised events. It's possible WWE could be setting itself up for failure in that regard. Beyond that, as a publicly held company, giving Hogan a spotlight may not be the best look.
All of that said, though, the company's statement says it wants to "help others learn from his mistakes." That could mean a few different things, but perhaps Hogan could be utilized in an off-camera role mentoring younger wrestlers--as many WWE superstars do after they retire. Shawn Michaels, for instance, is one of the trainers at the WWE Performance Center.
Whatever the case, it'll be interesting to see if any of this leads to a Hogan appearance at Wrestlemania 34. That event takes place April 8 on the WWE Network.
The PS4 action-RPG Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is coming to Nintendo Switch this June. Publisher NIS America announced that the game will launch in North America on June 26, with a European release following three days later, on June 29.
The Switch edition of Ys VIII is billed as the "definitive" version of the title, featuring content from both the PS4 and Vita releases, along with their completely relocalized script. Switch owners will also have a chance to pick up a limited Day One Adventurer's Edition, which includes a reversible cover, a foil pack featuring three character cards, and a double-sided poster with heroine Dana on one side and a map of the Isle of Seiren on the other.
Coinciding with the release date announcement, NISA has shared a new trailer for Ys VIII, which you can watch above. The video provides a bit of background on Dana, the mysterious maiden that protagonist Adol dreams of after washing ashore on the Isle of Seiren.
In addition to Switch, NISA has also narrowed down the release window for the PC version of Ys VIII. The game is now slated to arrive for the platform via Steam sometime in April. Further updates on the status of the PC version will be announced on the publisher's blog.
Ys VIII was one of the many upcoming Switch games announced during January's big Nintendo Direct presentation. The game originally launched on PS4 and Vita last September and was well-received, earning an 8/10 in GameSpot's Ys VIII review. Critic Heidi Kemps said the game "delivers an immensely fun and memorable experience" and "will compel you to keep exploring for hours on end."
Prison-break game A Way Out launches today, and it aims to give players an interesting cooperative experience. The co-op aspect of the game is so important that you can't even choose to play it solo--you either need a friend or to be matchmade into a session with a stranger. But A Way Out makes this particularly easy, as you only need one copy of the game for online co-op with a friend.
EA announced this functionality a while ago, and recently director Josef Fares explained how it works in a (somewhat explicit) video, embedded below, if you own the game, you can invite anyone to play with you--regardless of whether or not they own the game, too. When a friend accepts your invite, they'll be prompted to download and install the game, after which they'll be able to play through the entirety of A Way Out with you.
Confused about how the Friend Pass works for A Way Out? Here's Josef Fares to explain: pic.twitter.com/anlCIrCqv6
The version that the friend downloads is the free trial, so they won't be able to keep playing without you. However, it's pretty awesome that EA is enabling this, especially since A Way Out focuses so much on cooperative play.
The weekend's just about here, and if you're looking for a way to spend your time, there's a free game available now that might keep you occupied. You can download F1 2015 on PC for no money right now through the Humble Store.
To take advantage, simply go over to the game page here, add the game to your cart, and check out. You'll get a Steam key for the game and will have full and permanent access after you download it. Normally, F1 2015 goes for $40.
As the name suggests, F1 2015 was the 2015 entry in Codemasters' long-running Formula 1 racing series. This particular installment received a 6/10 from GameSpot, with critic Danny O'Dwyer praising its gameplay but knocking it for reliability and stability issues.
It's worth noting that many players appear to be having issues using Xbox controllers; a Steam commenter suggested that starting the game with the controller unplugged, then plugging in the controller and selecting Xbox Controller from the settings menu is a possible workaround. We haven't had a chance to test this out ourselves, but it's worth a shot if you run into problems.
F1 2015 is free to download until tomorrow, March 23 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 5 PM UTC. In other news, you can also try out F1 2017 for free right now through Steam, although you'll have to buy it to keep playing after this weekend.
Microsoft's anticipated pirate adventure Sea of Thieves finally released for Xbox One and PC this week, although like many online multiplayer games when they just launch, its first few days have been beset by a number of technical issues. Developer Rare will perform server maintenance tomorrow, March 24, which will render the game unplayable for a period of time.
Maintenance begins at 2 AM PT / 5 AM ET / 9 AM GMT and is scheduled to run for approximately five hours, concluding at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET / 2 PM GMT. During this period of time, Rare says the game's servers will be offline, so you won't be able to play Sea of Thieves at all, as it requires an internet connection even if you're adventuring solo.
This maintenance period shouldn't affect most players in the US given how early it will occur in the morning, but players in Europe will find themselves unable to play the game for quite a while. Another round of maintenance is also scheduled to follow early next week, on March 27. It will likewise begin at 2 AM PT / 5 AM ET / 9 AM GMT and run until 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET / 2 PM GMT.
Since its launch, many players have been experiencing a number of issues when trying to play Sea of Thieves, ranging from not being able to get online to not receiving gold after completing missions. Rare acknowledged these problems and outlined its plans to resolve them in a post on the game's official website.
Like previous games, Far Cry 5 deals with some serious subject matter. Its story centers around a radical apocalyptic cult in a small Montana town that's led by a crazed figure known as The Father. For better or worse, its developers claim they weren't trying to offer a commentary on present-day issues by setting the game in the United States. And while the game's opening is certainly eerie, that's not a tone that's maintained throughout.
That's evidenced by nothing better than one side mission in particular, which you can check out in the video above. It tasks you with helping the town to prepare for an annual tradition, which sounds innocuous enough, only this tradition is something called the Testical Festival. I won't spoil it for you, but it involves a sequence that I think it's safe to say you haven't seen in a video game before.
You'll be able to see this for yourself in-game quite soon, as Far Cry 5 releases on March 27 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Despite the number in the title, this is far from the fifth entry in the series, as we explored in our recent look back at the history of Far Cry.
Far Cry 5's story should take you about 25 hours to complete, although that will of course depend greatly on how much you engage in side shenanigans such as this. If you'd prefer to make your own fun, Arcade mode lets you create some very different types of experiences.
Far Cry 5 launches next week, and as we've seen, it's shaping up to give players a pretty interesting open world to roam around in. But its narrative premise has garnered the most attention, as it pits players against an apocalyptic, radical, Christian cult that has authoritarian control over a small Montana town.
In the video embedded above, the GameSpot team dives into the first 11 minutes of the game that show just how it begins its story. And, from this initial glimpse, it looks as creepy as you'd expect from a game about an extremist cult.
It's enough to even evoke some horror-film vibes, especially as you attempt to arrest the cult's leader, referred to as "The Father," but it all goes wrong. The beginning of the game is mostly cutscenes, but you can still get a good idea of the tone that Far Cry 5 wants to set.
Fortnite: Battle Royale is full of ways to customize your character, and recently developer Epic added a couple of new options. A new skin and glider are available now across PS4, Xbox One, PC, and iOS.
The new Highland Warrior is a character that looks like a cross between an armored soldier and mountaineer, and her outfit has some interesting ornamentation and chain mail. It also comes with a new Back Bling, the Buckler, which any character can equip. It'll cost you 1500 V-Bucks to buy.
Charge into the eye of the ⛈️ with the new Highland Warrior Outfit and Storm Sigil Glider.
The Storm Sigil, meanwhile, is a cool-looking glider that has some similarities to the Highland Warrior design. It costs 500 V-Bucks. You can see both the glider and the outfit above.
Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is an ambitious games with some very different components. First and foremost, it's a somewhat traditional RPG, although it more heavily emphasizes real-time combat than its predecessor. The game also features some real-time strategy elements and, somewhat in the vein of classic Suikoden games, the ability to manage your kingdom.
You'll initially start out with a small castle, but over time, your land expands and will become home to numerous characters and buildings. There are aspects of this which involve managing resources and dealing with cooldown timers, while completing certain side quests allows you to recruit new citizens. Although the game doesn't force too much of this upon you, there are certain points in the story that do require your kingdom to meet certain thresholds.
In the video above, we run through some tips on how to best manage the various elements of your empire. One useful, if obvious, piece of advice is to check in routinely--you can collect money and supplies that accumulate, but there is a cap; don't check in often enough, and the excess will go to waste. On a similar note, expanding your coffers will give you some additional wiggle room before your kingdom's gold stockpile hits the cap.
We also go through the different types of buildings and the benefits that each provides (such as increasing your Influence, allowing you to expand your kingdom, construct new buildings, and so on). You'll get a sense for all the basics that you need in order to succeed.
Bandai Namco's anticipated RPG Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom has finally arrived, and like its beloved predecessor, it's a sprawling adventure packed with things to do. Not only does the game completely revamp the series' battle system, it also introduces real-time strategy battles and kingdom-building elements, making it one of the most ambitious RPGs of the year thus far.
With so many different components to master, Ni No Kuni II may feel overwhelming, even if you're already familiar with the original Ni No Kuni. Fortunately, the game isn't overly complex, and with a little attention and planning, you'll be able to weather its challenges and unite the world like a true king.
In the video above, we share some helpful tips to aid you on your journey in Ni No Kuni II. Like other RPGs, it features an abundance of weapons and armor to equip, which the game conveniently sorts by stats, so you'll need to remember to periodically check the Equipment screen to make sure you have the best gear equipped. Likewise, you won't want to ignore side quests; not only do these reward you items and money, they often allow you to recruit a new citizen to your growing kingdom.
Ni No Kuni II is available now for PS4 and PC. GameSpot awarded it an 8/10 in our Ni No Kuni II review. Critic Peter Brown said the game "compels you to care and put your best foot forward" and features "something worthwhile around every corner, and usually something pretty to admire along the way." You can read what other critics have to say about the title in our Ni No Kuni II review roundup.
There was a wealth of amazing games to play in 2017. However, it seems 2018 is primed with its own roster of exciting new games, including big-budget adventures like Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War, Sea of Thieves, Kingdom Hearts III, Crackdown 3, and a whole lot more. To help you keep track of all the games coming out, we've compiled all the release dates for 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.
The first two DLC characters for Dragon Ball FighterZ are on the way very soon. Broly and Bardock arrive in the latest Dragon Ball fighting game next week, and while we've already seen a glimpse of them in their respective trailers, we got a chance to take a closer look at the new fighters ahead of their release.
The Legendary Super Saiyan Broly is one of the most physically imposing characters in the Dragon Ball series, even towering above the burly Nappa. While his overwhelming size makes him one of the slower characters in the game, he compensates with his immense strength and long reach. You can see some of that power on display in the video above as we unleash a few of Broly's Supers and demonstrate why he's such a formidable opponent to go up against.
Bardock, meanwhile, lacks the sheer size of Broly, but he overwhelms opponents with his relentless attacks. While he may look physically similar to his son, Goku, Bardock's battle style is radically different, emphasizing rush attacks and close-range fighting over energy blasts. He can also transform into a Super Saiyan to deliver a devastating combo, as you can see in the video below, in which we show off some of his Supers.
Broly and Bardock both arrive in Dragon Ball FighterZ on March 28, alongside the Comentators Voice Pack. Everyone who has purchased the FighterZ Pass will receive the two characters at launch for no additional cost. Players will also be able to buy the Saiyans individually, although Bandai Namco hasn't announced pricing details for the two DLC characters yet.
The night is dark and full of terrors in Hearthstone's next expansion, The Witchwood. Our first look at the next set of new cards coming to the game was in a Blair Witch-style reveal video, but as a pre-cursor to more card reveals happening throughout the coming weeks, Blizzard's Dave Kozack and Dean Ayala dropped by the GameSpot office to discuss Witchwood's development.
And for even more Hearthstone talk, check out the video above, where we play through the Kobolds and Catacombs Dungeon Run along with mission designer Dave Kozack while discussing the upcoming Monster Hunter mode. We learned a very valuable lesson in this (embarrassingly unsuccessful) run: never underestimate your opponent.
GameSpot: From a top level, Witchwood of course fits very well in the Hearthstone/World of Warcraft theme, but why is now the time to bring in an expansion like Witchwood?
Dave Kozack: We like to mix it up; sometimes we'll do very serious expansions. I'd say Knights of the Frozen Throne was a pretty hardcore serious expansion. Our heroes were turning into Death Knights, whereas Kobolds and Catacombs was a little wackier, a little more light-hearted. And so, with Witchwood, we wanted to offset it with a different tone. It's dark and creepy, but a fun kind of creepy. And it's mostly about just giving people something every time, something different that you don't expect, so we have a lot of fun with Witchwood. It's scary, but it's not "jump scare" scary. It's just weird, fun, Halloween-ish spooky stuff.
It seems very fitting that it's the inaugural expansion for the Year of the Raven. Does the raven itself hint at other things that we'll see this year, or is that kind of just coincidence?
DK: It's a little bit of a crossover. We like when the new year lets you know a little bit about the first set, and Raven definitely fits this set but not necessarily the other ones. We'll see.
How does that yearly animal rotation work? Is there a point when this is gonna come full circle, or is it just a random, "We have no idea where this is going"?
DK: Yeah, well, we make it up as we go. That's actually, literally what happens. We kind of tended toward magical creatures like the Kraken. I guess the Mammoth is not a magical creature, although the way we depicted it was kind of magical looking. But with the Year of the Raven, a raven is a bird that you can find in real life, but it does have all these creepy associations. So it did feel kind of magical to us, and we felt it really fit our first expansion.
Year of the Raven implies that that zodiac would swing around, but it's not like we're gonna re-release old sets again. Or maybe we will! That would be a twist! [laughs]
But we do like being able to refer to groups of sets as, the year of the "blank." It feels really cool, and people can look back fondly on the Year of the Mammoth as the year of Un'Goro and Kobolds and Catacombs. Now, they can look forward to Year of the Raven and all the weird things that will happen.
Slightly technical question, but for the new even and odd decks, are zero cost cards even, odd, or both?
Dean Ayala: I love getting to answer this question because we actually have a PHD in Mathematics that works on our team named Peter Whalen, and I asked him myself. He said that zero is even. But it always annoys him when I call him out as a PhD in Math.
Also with this expansion we'll have a new, not Dungeon Run but a Monster Hunt. Was that something that's been planned from the beginning?
DK: We always want to have new, single-player content associated with each expansion. So when we were building the Dungeon Run, we were also keeping an eye ahead to whether we could use that format elsewhere in other circumstances. And in this case, being a bounty hunter hunting monsters in the woods fit really well with the theme, so we were able to use it again.
We also had a really good feeling about Dungeon Run while we were developing it; every time we would playtest it, people would go nuts. People wouldn't want to stop playing. So we were like, "Hey, we're onto something here." It fit thematically, so we could do it again here, and we ended up having a lot of fun with it, but that doesn't mean that every expansion will have something just like that. We'll keep mixing it up. We like to surprise people. But in this case, it fit really well, and once we started building bosses and creating it, it felt like a really good fit.
And this will have four new heroes that you go through it with?
DK: Yeah, it ends up feeling very different because of the new heroes and that was fun.
And they'll have their own hero powers as well?
...if you look at every card and you're like, "Hmm, that's balanced"...that's not the most exciting reaction.
DK: Right. They'll use the class cards from one of the Hearthstone classes, but they'll have a unique hero power. We'll talk more about that in a couple of weeks after Witchwood comes out. We have a couple of weeks before the Monster Hunt releases and then we'll be talking about Monster Hunt and all the details of that.
For the Witchwood reveal, it was fun to end it with you guys all running away from a super OP card. Do you think the audience is gonna react like that when they actually see the card?
DK: It might be disappointing that it's a balanced and interesting card as opposed to one that just breaks the game outright. [laughs]
DA: We have internal core design values at Blizzard, and one of them is "make everything overpowered." You should be able to look at a lot of cards in Hearthstone, and our intention is to make you think, "Wow. That's a crazy powerful thing. I can't believe they're doing that." That's the reaction that we want to get. Sometimes that results in, "What are those balance designers thinking?" That is really the result that we want when people are seeing these cards for the first time, because if you look at every card and you're like, "Hmm, that's balanced"...that's not the most exciting reaction.
DK: You want to get a big reaction, yeah.
Obviously, it's important to keep the audience engaged, but for you guys as developers, is it solving problems that keeps you excited about working on a game that is getting older?
DA:For me, personally, the thing that keeps me excited to keep developing Hearthstone is that it's my favorite game; I play it all the time. That's not a shared experience with everyone that I think that makes games; not everyone gets to work on a game that is their favorite game. So I feel pretty lucky from that perspective. One of the reasons that I worked on Hearthstone is because I was playing all the time and had a pretty good understanding of card balance and that sort of thing, which is why I ended up here. And then three and a half years later, I'm still going home, waking up, playing Hearthstone, and thinking about it. The community is also really engaged. There's tons of people. You go on Reddit or forums, or read iOS reviews-
DK: Watch streams.
DA: Yeah, watch some streams, and tournaments, and everything. Everyone is so engaged and there's such a vibrant community to discuss and talk about things with that it's hard to not be motivated to come in and be psyched to work on whatever the next thing is.
DK: From my perspective as the lead mission designer, it's just such a great core game. The main Hearthstone rule set is so compelling. There are so many things you can do with it. The Dungeon Run is just one example, and then the Monster Hunt even plays with that formula a little bit more. That shows that even within the framework of Hearthstone, there's so much more that you can do. There are many things that you can explore. It's super exciting for us, so I feel like we're just scratching the surface.
How do you balance the desires of a community, which can be very vocal versus the data showing how people are actually playing. Specifically when those things diverge?
DK:Looking at the data is always important. There are three main points of feedback for us. There's internal feedback within Blizzard; we constantly test a game amongst ourselves. There's team-wide play tests every week, and we bring in other teams from Blizzard or watch teams down the hall. They play Hearthstone, bring them in and get their comments on it. There's the feedback we get from forums and elsewhere. That's just a small percentage, but they are vocal, they're talking about it. And then there's the data itself. You can sort of compare and contrast the three points of feedback across one another.
If players say something is overpowered, you can look at the data and ask, "Is it actually overpowered, or does it just feel overpowered not fun to play?" And you can tell. If you compare who's talking versus what the data says, you can sometimes tell, "Oh, this is more of a perception problem than an actual problem." Or it is a balance problem that we need to fix? You have to keep all that in mind.
And you can't please everybody. Hearthstone is a game that's meant to be enjoyed by casual players, meant to be enjoyed single-player and multiplayer. Everybody has a different take on it. And so, you want to keep in mind of where your audience is and make sure you are providing something for both audiences.
DA: I'd say something pretty similar--getting feedback from as many avenues as possible. I read Reddit and official forums. Reading iOS reviews is really funny because it's so different then basically all the other avenues that you see because you have people that experience the game in a different way and a lot of times connected at all. Sometimes it can be bit hive-mindey when you go on a forum where everyone sort of has a fairly similar or a very loud opinion.
And then we also have regional community teams who all send us feedback from players where there's a language barrier like in China whey they don't necessarily communicate with a lot of American media or European media. So getting feedback from all the different regions and what they're thinking about things is different a lot of the time. In terms of game balance, for me, perception is really the only metric that matters. It doesn't actually matter if something is over- or under-powered, it's how players experience and feel that. The data does a good job verifying what actually is going on and what kind of changes that we would need to make, but most of the time it's just trying to gauge it over the feedback and make changes based on that.
This interview has been edited for content and clarity.
Speaking in an interview with the Daily Star, Barlog was asked about the new God of War's one-shot cinematic technique, which presents its entire story in one, uninterrupted shot without cuts or fades. This, he said, was something that he originally pitched for Tomb Raider, though his efforts were unsuccessful.
"I wanted to do [the one-shot camera technique] and I had pitched it to Crystal Dynamics when I was there working on Tomb Raider and everyone was like, 'That's crazy, we don't want to do that,'" he explained.
The studio's resistance to the idea contributed to his decision to leave and return to Sony Santa Monica, where he directed God of War 2, wrote multiple other God of War titles, and is now directing the newest entry in the series for PS4.
"My reaction was like, 'Yeah, you know, I don't know if this is the best place for me anyway.' I was already starting to talk to people about new roles at Sony and then I think I realized [the new God of War] is the one I can do it on."
Barlog added that he now has "a lot more creative support and faith with Sony," which he says is willing to support crazier ideas "regardless of how much of a leap off of a cliff it is." Despite this, the path to getting the one-shot in God of War wasn't easy, and it's only recently that people have understood why it was important.
"I've had a bee in my bonnet about the one-shot camera for quite a long time and you know, I got a lot of resistance," he said. "In the beginning, I had to fight the fight with everybody on the development team. And eventually, one by one, you win them over, you show them something, you explain how it's going to be. But, honestly, I think even then, they weren't convinced.
"In this last month, everybody's had a lot of free time. Bugs have to be reproduced and as most people are creating content, they are playing the game more. And I'm getting leads from various departments and animators and artists from the studio coming into my office and saying, 'Okay, I get it. Seeing the game as a whole makes sense, I see why you wanted this thing.'"
God of War's release date has been set for April 20. GameSpot recently played the game and you can hear about our impressions in this God of War gameplay preview. The series' iconic protagonist, Kratos, has also undergone some significant changes for his latest outing, and we talked to Barlog about that in an interview. You can watch him discuss Sony Santa Monica's new vision for Kratos in the video at the top of this page.
In Tomb Raider news, Square Enix recently confirmed that the next Lara Croft game will be Shadow of the Tomb Raider. The company also announced the Shadow of the Tomb Raider release date as September 14. It will come to PS4, Xbox One, and PC simultaneously, rather than being a timed exclusive to Xbox One like the previous game.
Ahh, mid-March, that wonderful time when spring is in the air and baseball fans are getting excited about the start of another Major League Baseball season. It's almost time. If you're thinking about picking up a baseball game this year, you might be wondering which one is right for you. To help you decide, we've put together a primer on this year's big baseball games covering what each one offers and everything else you need to know about them. Bear in mind that all of this information is based on what the game's respective publishers have said about each title. You may want to wait for reviews to pick up a game, but this should help you get started in thinking about what you want.
MLB The Show 18
What Is It? Sony's flagship sports franchise, MLB The Show, returns this year promising better visuals, smarter AI, custom batting stances, and more. With 2K's MLB 2K series canceled, Sony's 2018 game is the only one on the market that offers an authentic, simulation-style baseball experience instead of an arcade or management-centric take on the sport. This is a high-end, officially licensed baseball game with gorgeous graphics, involved (but not overly complicated) controls, and a level of customisation and depth that is unrivaled in the market.
Who's It For? This is the game you want if you're after a baseball experience that tries to be as close as possible to the real game.
What's New? Sony says that all major areas of baseball fundamentals have been improved for MLB The Show 18, including pitching, hitting, catching, throwing, and tagging. In all, Sony is promising more than 1,000 new gameplay animations, a revamped hitting engine with improved physics, and a player-tagging system that was completely re-written (Sony says not a single line of code from 2017's game remains). Also new for MLB The Show 18 are new dynamic crowd elements like Judge's Chambers, new Legend players (Babe Ruth!), and an expanded Road to the Show mode. Additionally, you can now customise your batting stance, while there are new home run celebrations as well. If a player hits a home run when it actually matters, like a game-winning dinger in the bottom of the ninth, the player will celebrate accordingly. In a step towards realism you didn't know you wanted, there will be rain delays in this year's game. Really. Also new for MLB The Show 18 are three-inning games, which are exactly what they sound like. Returning from last year is the Retro mode, which provides a simpler, two-button arcade-style take that aims to hearken back to older days and simpler times.
When's It Out And Where? MLB The Show 18 launches on March 27 exclusively for PS4. If you pre-order, you can start playing on March 23.
Who's On The Cover? Aaron Judge in the US/Marcus Stroman in Canada.
What's It Cost? MLB The Show is priced at $60 in the United States for the standard edition.
Super Mega Baseball 2
What Is It? 2014's Super Mega Baseball, a streamlined, arcade-style unlicensed baseball game, was a surprise hit. It was popular enough to get an Extra Innings Edition, and now a full-on sequel due out this spring.
Who's It For? Super Mega Baseball 2, like its predecessor, is a more casual and over-the-top take on baseball. The controls are simple (relative to MLB The Show) and it doesn't take as long to finish a game. If you're looking for a more casual, arcade take on baseball that you can finish in minutes, not hours, Super Mega Baseball 2 is one to consider.
What's New? The original Super Mega Baseball lacked online multiplayer support, and that was a bit of a bummer. Thankfully, online play is here for the sequel with support for co-op and head-to-head matches. Single-player of course returns as well. In terms of presentation, you'll immediately notice that the characters and environments look more realistic than they did in the first game. Players are now more realistically proportioned, though not to the level of MLB The Show. Stadiums look better as well, and light should react and reflect more realistically. The user interface has also been updated to look and work better.
Also new for Super Mega Baseball 2 is deeper customisation across all major reasons; you now have more options available for your team and league--including things like uniforms--and your lineup. You now have one extra starting player, one extra bench player, one extra starting pitcher, and one extra relief pitcher. You can customise your players with all manner of elements such as tattoos and beards, while you can create your own custom team logo as well.
When's It Out And Where? Originally pegged to launch in 2017, Super Mega Baseball 2 is now due out in early 2018, though a specific date hasn't been announced yet. The game is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC.
Who's On The Cover? Remember when we said this was an unlicensed game?
What's It Cost? Pricing has not been announced, but Super Mega Baseball 2 is expected to be a budget-priced game in the range of $20-$40.
RBI Baseball 18
What Is It? Developed by MLB's own MLB Advanced Media division, R.B.I. Baseball 18 is an arcade-style licensed game with simplified controls.
Who's It For? If you're after a streamlined, simplified baseball game but still want recognisable names, faces, and ballparks, RBI Baseball 18 is one to consider.
What's New? Described as the most significant update to the R.B.I. Baseball series since it was revived in 2014, this year's game features tons of updates, changes, and additions. Starting off, there is a Franchise mode that lets you do things like make trades, sign free agents, and more, while a player progression system will let you create a character and lead them through all stages of the game, including ultimately retirement. Also new for RBI Baseball 18 is a Home Run Derby mode that supports local head-to-head play with another human or take on the computer. RBI Baseball 18 adds online multiplayer for ranked and unranked games. There will also be roster updates for the first time, so if a player gets traded in real life during the season, this will be reflected in the game.
Other new features include a soundtrack (featuring songs from more than a dozen popular artists) and MLB Legends for Franchise mode. These Legends are famous players who have since retired, including Ted Williams, Rod Carew, Nolan Ryan, Ozzie Smith, Jeff Bagwell, and Jorge Posada. Also new for RBI Baseball 18 are "completely redesigned" player models for more than 300 players, while there are "hundreds" of new animations--including player-specific ones--that should help the game feel more realistic. Finally, all 30 MLB ballparks got a makeover with things like new textures and enhanced lighting, as well as a crowd system that makes attendees look and react in a more lifelike way.
When's It Out And Where? RBI Baseball 18 launches in March for PS4, Xbox One, and Switch. A mobile version will be available for iOS and Android devices.
Who's On The Cover? Francisco Lindor is on the cover.
What's It Cost? RBI Baseball 18 will cost $30 on consoles.
Out of the Park Baseball 19
What Is It? Electronic Arts was once a big player in the licensed baseball video game space with its Triple Play and MVP Baseball franchises (and also, briefly, college baseball). Those games are out of rotation, but EA is publishing this year's Out of the Park Baseball 19 from developer Out of the Park Developments.
Who's It For? Critically, Out of the Park Baseball is a text-based, management-style game similar to Sega's Football Manager franchise. This game is nothing like the others. There is no traditional gameplay or stick skills. Instead, it's all about cultivating your baseball acumen and executing on a strategy as a manager. If you're interested in what it would be like to be a manager or a general manager, this is the game for you.
What's New? There are many new features for Out of the Park Baseball 19. Additionally, the developer says the stadiums have been had their looks "greatly improved," while player models should be better looking. Additionally, the simulated on-field players now perform all baseball actions--running, sliding, throwing, etc.--and they take more realistic routes to make a play on defense.
Additionally, the scouting report system has been "completely rewritten" to focus more on aspects that matter more, the developer says. On top of that, the AI is smarter this year. For the first time, computer-controlled players can perform things like double switches, better use of starting and closing pitchers during the playoffs, and more. Changes have also been made to the player-rating system to allow for a "more realistic and consistent" snapshot of MLB players. Some of the other new features in Out of the Park Baseball 19 include custom tournaments, the introduction of 800 custom team logos you can choose from for fictional leagues, a new stat for pitchers (RA9-WAR, which is Wins Above Replacement but based on runs allowed), and the option to delay the substitution of an injured player.
When's It Out And Where? Out of the Park Baseball 19 launches on March 22 exclusively for PC. If you pre-order, you get access on March 19.
Who's On The Cover? This ain't that kind of game.
What's It Cost? Out of the Park Baseball 19 costs $40, but if you pre-order you save 10 percent, knocking the price down to $36.
Another Hearthstone expansion is on its way next month, and Blizzard has announced a pretty big promotion to lay the groundwork for it. Starting on Monday, March 26, every daily quest you complete will grant you not just your usual gold reward, but also a card pack.
According to the official blog, you'll get a randomized reward pack from one of four expansions: Journey to Un'Goro, Knights of the Frozen Throne, Kobolds & Catacombs, or the upcoming Witchwood. The first three are all from the current season, so they won't rotate out of Standard in a few weeks like some older sets. The Witchwood packs will sit in your collection and can't be opened until the expansion launches.
The promotion starts on March 26 at 11:59 PM PT and lasts until April 9 at 11:59 PM PT. That's 14 free packs in all--potentially 16, if you let a couple of daily quests stack up in your quest log first. This is on top of the launch bonus, which will give players three more packs and one random Class Legendary. Meanwhile, you'll still be getting your normal gold rewards, which can be cashed in for packs or Arena runs on their own. One minor caveat from Blizzard is that the "Play a Friend" quest will be disabled during this period, likely since it already gives the gold reward to both participating players.
Blizzard has progressively gotten more generous with its freebies, as feedback has increasingly noted the high cost of entry for new players. The pre-order for Witchwood gives 70 packs instead of the usual 50, and the studio introduced a change last year that keeps players from opening duplicate Legendary cards. Currently it's giving away three Kobolds & Catacombs packs as part of a StarCraft anniversary promotion.
The promotion dates may hint at a Witchwood release date on or near April 10, as Blizzard has already said the set is launching in mid-April. A Hearthstone stream is also planned for Monday at 11 AM PT, which will reveal more cards from the new set. Check out our thoughts on some of the ones that have already been revealed.
If you're in the market for new games to play, you now have a chance to pick some up for cheap. GameStop has kicked off its Play Days sale, a limited-time event that offers some nice discounts on various titles and accessories for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
From now until April 1, customers will find deals on an assortment of games for each platform, including some that were just recently released, like Burnout Paradise Remastered, which is already on sale for $30. Additionally, Capcom's incredibly successful new game Monster Hunter World is available for $45, while the newly released Scribblenauts Showdown is $20.
In terms of hardware, all Xbox One wireless controllers are $10 off, and customers can save up to $10 off of select Switch accessories. While the Xbox One X itself isn't discounted, those who pick one up during the sale will get a digital copy of Sea of Thieves for free. A number of toys and collectibles are also on sale, including Pokemon TCG decks and packs. You can find the full list of deals during the Play Days event on GameStop's website.
Looking to add more games to your Xbox library? Xbox Live Gold members now have access to a few more freebies. The next slate of free Games With Gold titles for March 2018 are now available on Xbox One and Xbox 360, but only for a limited time.
On Xbox One, Superhot--the FPS where time only advances when you move--is free. And on Xbox 360, the puzzle game Quantum Conundrum from Portal designer Kim Swift drops to the low, low price of $0.00. The latter can also be played on Xbox One through backwards compatibility. A Games With Gold title from earlier this month, Trials of the Blood Dragon, remains available until the end of the month. Quantum Conundrum will also return to its regular price at that point, while Superhot will be free until April 15.
Claiming these games will add them to your library and allow you to play them for as long as you remain an Xbox Live Gold member. Both of these games originally arrived a bit earlier than expected, but they've now replaced two of the existing Games With Gold games.
You can download March 2018's free Games With Gold titles on your console or you can get the download process started by clicking these Xbox.com store links:
While it's not exactly Call of Duty or Battlefield, the Far Cry series has become one of the biggest first-person shooter series in the industry. With its latest entry, Far Cry 5, set to release very soon, we decided to look back at the franchise and how it got to where it is today.
In the video above, we run through the complete history of Far Cry. We start with the original, open-ended game from Crytek, the studio that would later go on to make the Crysis series. We look at the transition as Ubisoft Montreal took the reigns with the stellar Far Cry 2 and its many follow-ups--there have been quite a few Far Cry games, despite the fact that we're technically only up to Far Cry 5.
In many ways, Far Cry 3 firmly established the formula that the series still follows today; it was also the first to latch onto the tower-climbing of Assassin's Creed, introducing the climb-the-radio-tower mechanic used to unlock the in-game map. And who can forget Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, the bizarre spin-off that no one would have thought to ask for yet offered a brilliant, distilled Far Cry experience seeped in '80s action movie cheese?
Watch the video above for a trip down memory lane. There's not much longer to wait until the next entry in the series is here, as Far Cry 5 is due out on PC, PS4, and Xbox One on March 27. You can watch us chat about the somewhat confusing game in a recent video and read all about the confirmed DLC.
We're beginning to approach the end of the month, but the free PlayStation Plus games for March remain available. If you haven't claimed them yet, March offers a new batch of free games for PS Plus members to download. There are a total of six in all to grab, and while that's the same number we typically see, Cross-Buy ensures PS4 owners have a lot to download--including some great ones.
Alongside that, Ratchet & Clank is also free right now. This is the most recent entry in Insomniac's long-running platforming series, although it's technically not an original game. It's based in part on the animated film, which itself was based on the original Ratchet & Clank game.
That's not it for PS4 owners, who will receive a total of five games this month thanks to Cross-Buy. Both games available on Vita, Claire: Extended Cut and Bombing Busters, are free on Plus, as is one of the two PS3 games, Mighty No. 9. PS3 owners also get their hands on Legend of Kay.
Overwatch's tribute to StarCraft is now available. A free Kerrigan skin for Widowmaker can be yours by simply logging into the game anytime between now and April 3. The skin gives Widowmaker a Terran makeover, outfitting her with the look of StarCraft's most famous Ghost–at least, before she became the Queen of Blades.
This is one of several cross-promotional goodies Blizzard has planned to celebrate StarCraft's 20th anniversary on March 31. Starting today you can also get portraits and decals by logging into StarCraft: Remastered and StarCraft 2, and a Battlecruiser pet in Diablo 3. Hearthstone got a StarCraft-themed Tavern Brawl on March 21, while Heroes of the Storm will sport anniversary portraits starting on March 27, and World of Warcraft will get its own StarCraft pets.
Blizzard started laying some groundwork for an anniversary celebration last year, with the announcement that the original would become free, accompanied by a relatively cheap 4K remastered version. StarCraft helped build the studio into the name it is today, so it only makes sense to roll out the red carpet when a big birthday comes around.
This comes hot on the heels of Overwatch's latest new character announcement: Brigette, a support-class and daughter of fellow support Torbjorn. She naturally came along with her own set of set of skins to customize as you like. She's currently only on the public test realm, but she'll be coming to PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on March 20.
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner is getting a remaster, and now Konami has confirmed when fans will be able to dive back into the cult PS2 shooter on current-gen machines. The remaster is coming to PS4 and PC in September 2018.
That represents a slight delay; Konami had previously stated the game would launch this spring. In addition, the company is launching VR versions of the game for PSVR and PC, though it's unclear which other headsets will support the game.
ZONE OF THE ENDERS: THE 2nd RUNNER M∀RS is coming September 2018! Become Jehuty in both fully remastered 4K and the newly created 1st person VR game-play! Check out the 4K technical comparison trailer and get ready to embrace an a whole new experience of this classic title! pic.twitter.com/PBUt8lO35P
"All visual and aural elements have been remastered for native 4K resolution, and the action has been similarly improved with the game experience being ported to VR," Konami said when the remaster was announced in September 2017. "As such, the new game retains the unique and beautiful visuals of the original title, but boasts textures in updated 4K while using surround sound techniques to offer layered and immersive audio effects."
This means, then, you can play it in third person--as with the game's first release--or in first person in VR. The 2nd Runner Mars, as the remaster is dubbed, also has new sound design, including "next-gen surround sound." Konami describes it as a way to "relive the odyssey from a new perspective." Players can also look forward to "brand new features," though these were not specifically detailed.
One of the more intriguing elements of Far Cry 5 is the story--which focuses on a cult called Eden's Gate in Montana, USA. The leader of the cult is Joseph Seed, a creepy and charismatic madman of sorts whose followers call him The Father. Actor Greg Bryk (Saw V, Netflix's Frontier) brings the character to life in the game (and the live-action short film), and from what we've seen and played so far, his performance is outstanding. He's chilling in how he believes his cause is the right one and will stop at nothing to get his way. The character is integral to the story, and Ubisoft knew it had to find the right person to play him to get the message across in the right away. As it turns out, Bryk was a late addition to the lineup, a fact that led to some amount of stress and scrutiny within Ubisoft. The game's executive producer, Dan Hay, thought the game might be in trouble.
Speaking to GameSpot, Hay said Ubisoft was able to build out the game's supporting cast with relative ease, but it struggled to find the right actor to play Seed. "We took a long time to find him. To be honest, it was a little bit scary because it went around in circles for a while. Everything hinges on finding the right guy," he said.
Greg Bryk as Joseph Seed in the Amazon series Eden's Gate
"We were doing all this work and building all these characters, and we … felt good about all these different characters. But we still hadn't found the Father," Hay explained. "We had good writing and everybody was feeling good about it. Things got pretty heated, and I was thinking, 'OK, are we in trouble?' Meanwhile, I'm trying to put on a brave face."
About a year and a half ago ("somewhere in the middle of development," Hay says), Hay was shown an audition tape that would change the course of Far Cry 5. Specifically, Bryk's audition made Hay believe in Seed's extreme cause and position and challenge his own thoughts. That's precisely the kind of compelling cult leader Ubisoft was looking for.
"Somebody pulled me aside and said, 'You gotta watch this.' So I went over to my desk and I loaded it up, and it was Greg," Hay said. "And I think part of me--it's interesting to breathe a sigh of relief at the same time as holding your breath. Because as soon as he started talking, I was riveted. I was like, 'Thank god we found him,' but at the same time, I was holding my breath because his performance was so good. I was in this loop of breathlessness.
"After about a minute, he finished his monologue, which didn't feel like a monologue, it almost felt like a love letter," he added. "And I was just like, 'This is the guy.' We all think we're pretty smart and we think that it's hard to allow somebody to swim in our minds and take us away from our lives and go into theirs. I really had a hard time believe that someone was going to be able to convey that to me--to join their cult. He didn't do that. He didn't try. What he simply tried to do was challenge my assumptions that everything is OK. As soon as I believed that his opinion that everything was not okay and that it might be prudent to be prepared for the 1 percent chance that it wasn't going to be OK. I was like, 'OK, that sounds reasonable.'"
"Thank god, that was a close one," Hay recalls saying about casting Bryk. "That was more stress than I need at my age."
Are you in need of new shows and movies to binge? Thankfully, Netflix has your streaming fix thanks to a large number of new originals and a few films being added to the service over the course of the week.
The most notable title arriving on the streamer is the second season of Santa Clarita Diet, the dark zombie comedy starring Drew Barrymore as a member of the brain-eating undead community. The first season was a funny and bizarre trip into suburban life when you're a zombie, and Season 2 will likely continue the trend. The new episodes will see Joel McHale, Maggie Lawson, and Gerald McRaney join the cast in guest roles.
The first season of anime Sword Gai The Animation will also debut on the service this week, along with Netflix originals Alexa & Katie, Dinotrux Supercharged, The Mechanism, and Requiem. Additional titles for the week include In Search of Fellini, Conor McGregor: Notorious, and Red Trees.
Initially, the Nintendo Switch was not compatible with wireless headsets; if you wanted to use an audio device separate from the HDMI connection, you needed to use the 3.5mm jack atop the console itself. That changed with software version 4.0.0 when a few headsets began to work. The 5.0.0 update that released earlier this month expanded compatibility, and a handful of wireless USB headsets now work with the console. However, since it'll require a USB port for the dongle, these headsets will only work when the Switch is docked.
Not every wireless USB headset is guaranteed to work, though. This prompted us to test out the 30+ wireless headsets in our inventory to see what's compatible with Nintendo's new console. With the help of our sister site CNET, we compiled the following list.
Wireless Headsets Confirmed To Work With The Nintendo Switch
Logitech G533
Logitech G933
Plantronics Rig 800HS
Plantronics Rig 800LX
Sony PlayStation Gold Wireless (Stereo)
Sony PlayStation Gold Wireless (2018 reissue)
Sony PlayStation Platinum Wireless
SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless (set to PS4 mode)
SteelSeries Siberia 800
SteelSeries Siberia 840 (discontinued)
Turtle Beach Stealth 450
Turtle Beach Stealth 520
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 (PS4 model only)
Turtle Beach Stealth 700 (PS4 model only)
Turtle Beach Elite 800
Nintendo Switch with the Logitech G933 wireless headset connected via USB.A handful of the wireless USB headsets that work on the Nintendo Switch.
Wireless Headsets That Work, Under Certain Conditions
Astro A50 Gen 3 (only by plugging 3.5mm into the base station)
LucidSound LS30 (if you trick the dongle by plugging in a 3.5mm cable first)
LucidSound LS40 (if you trick the dongle by plugging in a 3.5mm cable first)
SteelSeries Arctis 7 (only by plugging 3.5mm into USB dongle)
Wireless Headsets That DO NOT Work
Astro A20
Astro A50 Gen 3 over USB
Asus Strix Wireless
Corsair Void Wireless
Corsair Void Pro Wireless
HyperX Cloud Flight
Razer Man O' War Wireless
Razer Thresher Ultimate Xbox
Razer Thresher Ultimate PS4
Razer Thresher 7.1 for PS4
Turtle Beach Stealth 420X
Anything that requires an Xbox One wireless adapter for other devices
Razer Thresher
Turtle Beach Stealth 600
Turtle Beach Stealth 700
Wireless Headsets Not Yet Tested
Astro A50 Gen 2
Astro A50 Gen 1
Corsair Gaming H2100 (does not work, according to Reddit user SeraphisQ)
Logitech G930
Plantronics Rig 800HD (will work, according to Reddit user Hylje5000)
Skullcandy Plyr1 and Plyr2
SteelSeries H Wireless
Turtle Beach Stealth 400
Turtle Beach Stealth 420X (does not work, according to Reddit user Pantoner)
Turtle Beach Stealth 500P (will work, according to Reddit user 3600CCH6WRX)
Turtle Beach Ear Force PX4
Razer Chimaera
Note that the Switch does not transmit audio through Bluetooth, which may change in the future, though latency is a big concern with Bluetooth audio. Of course, this is not a complete list of wireless USB headsets that are available. We'll be updating this list as we put more headsets to the test and when new ones come in.
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