Nintendo Switch owners looking for something new to play on the console have a bunch of options to choose from now. A total of 17 games arrive on the Eshop this week, including the first Switch release from Fable creator Peter Molyneux's studio, 22Cans.
Headlining this week's releases is The Trail: Frontier Challenge, a stylish and leisurely adventure game by 22Cans. The Trail puts players in the role of a pioneer who embarks on a journey across an uncharted country. Players can choose a profession, craft items, and trade their wares with other players at campfires.
The Trail: Frontier Challenge
This week also sees the return of a couple of dormant franchises, although they may not be quite what fans were hoping for. First is Scribblenauts Showdown, a multiplayer-centric entry in the Scribblenauts series. It was released earlier this week alongside Fear Effect Sedna, a new sequel to the cult classic PS1 game Fear Effect. However, both games feature different gameplay than their predecessors; Scribblenauts trades level-based puzzles for multiplayer mini-games, while Fear Effect Sedna is a real-time tactical game set in isometric environments.
Other new Switch games out this week include the latest ACA Neo Geo game, Real Bout Fatal Fury; the action-platformer Bleed 2; the retro shoot-'em-up Steredenn: Binary Stars; the 8-bit roguelike Bit Dungeon Plus; and the RPG Earthlock. A handful of titles are also set to arrive in the Eshop on March 9, including platformer/roguelike Flinthook and the puzzler TurtlePop: Journey to Freedom. You can find the full list of this week's new Switch releases below.
Nintendo is airing a new Direct presentation tonight, March 8, which is set to focus on new and upcoming games for both Switch and 3DS. While Nintendo hasn't revealed which titles it will show off during the broadcast, one that the company confirmed we'll learn more about is Mario Tennis Aces, which is slated to release for Switch this spring.
Following a great deal of speculation and apparent confirmation that 2018's Call of Duty entry would be a new Black Ops game, Activision has made it official. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is in development and will be released later this year --though it'll be out sooner than we're accustomed to.
Black Ops 4 is headed to PS4, Xbox One, and PC; there's no word on a Switch version, as some had hoped. It will be released on Friday, October 12, almost a full month sooner than the early November release window that new Call of Duty games typically occupy. As previously confirmed, this year's game is being developed by Treyarch, the studio responsible for the entire Black Ops series.
Unfortunately, beyond those basic details, Activision hasn't shared anything further about the game. Instead, a special event will be hosted on May 17 where Activision will reveal the game publicly. It's unclear if we'll get any other official details prior to that date.
It was reported earlier this year that 2018's game would be Black Ops 4. Activision rotates between Call of Duty studios on a three-year cycle, and given the sub-series' popularity and the fact that 2018 marks three years since the previous Black Ops game's launch, the news made sense. Subsequently, NBA star James Harden was recently spotted wearing a hat that appeared to feature a modified version of the Black Ops III logo, only with four symbols (roman numerals be damned). That logo turned out to be real, as you can see above. Black Ops 3, meanwhile, received a surprise update with new content, leading some to wonder if it was meant to tease the possibility of a sequel.
We'll report back as Activision shares more details on Black Ops 4. In the meantime, let us know what you hope to see from it in the comments below.
After Mobile World Congress 18 last week, there's been a lot of talk about 5G lately, but what is 5G? In short, it will supercede the current 4G LTE standard and represents the fifth generation wireless system. 5G (Not to be confused with 5GHz Wi-Fi) sets out to offer significantly faster mobile Internet speeds.
How Fast Is 5G?
Once it's implemented, the goal is to allow download speeds up to 10 gigabits per second. That's really fast. To give you a frame of reference, 4G LTE typically tops off at around 50 megabits. This makes 5G theoretically up to 200 times faster. Depending on where you are, you're not likely to consistently reach those top speeds, however. 5G is aiming for a minimum speed of 100 Mbps, which is still roughly twice as fast as 4G LTE running at peak performance.
Other Benefits Besides Speed
Beyond speed, 5G purports to offer additional benefits. Lower latency is chief among them. 5G is targeting a five millisecond response time, which could tie in nicely with emerging self-driving car technology and could theoretically enable streaming VR content over a mobile internet connection. VR requires a low latency signal to mitigate judder, which could cause motion sickness.
5G also aims to offer better coverage than 4G LTE. The goal is to cover 1,000,000 devices per square kilometer so that it will prevent signal degradation in crowded areas like concerts and sports stadiums.
In addition, 5G supports beamforming, which is a technology that can prioritize bandwidth to designated traffic-heavy areas.
Proponents assert that 5G could facilitate new technological innovations, much in the way that 4G LTE allowed for the existence of transportation apps like Uber, which required faster, better connection than 3G could offer.
Obstacles
5G is currently rolling out its infrastructure. Several companies like Intel, Qualcomm, Samsung, and more are leading the charge to make that happen. These companies are experimenting with 5G now. AT&T revealed in February that Atlanta, Dallas, and Waco, Texas will receive 5G access by the end of the year. Intel asserts that "worldwide subscriptions could reach more than 2.6 billion by 2025."
Update: Ubisoft has officially confirmed a sequel to The Division, aptly titled The Division 2. In a livestream, the company revealed the game and confirmed it's being developed by the same primary studios as the first entry, including Massive Entertainment, Red Storm, and Ubisoft Reflections. You'll be able to transfer some progress from the original game to Division 2, though how that will work is not yet clear. No more details have been discussed; the company says a full reveal is coming at E3 2018. We'll report back as more details are shared. The original story follows.
Two years to the day after the first game was released, Ubisoft appears prepared to announce The Division 2. Details on the game are scant at this point, but we do know it's apparently in development at the same studio as the first game, Massive Entertainment.
News of the game first leaked through stock website 4-Traders, which published a blog post from creative director Julian Gerighty. While seemingly dubious on its own, an image showing The Division 2's logo has been discovered on Ubisoft's own website.
It's not a huge surprise that Ubisoft would decide to continue with The Division. Although the original was criticized by many at launch, Ubisoft and Massive have diligently worked to address complaints in the two ensuing years. The 1.8 update released this past December, in particular, was lauded as a highlight for its sweeping improvements--all of which came for free. The game has also received a pair of paid DLC expansions.
Alongside news of a sequel, Ubisoft has also announced that support is not ending for the first game. New global events are on the way as part of future title updates, as is an Xbox One X patch to provide 4K support--that's coming in April. In June, the game will also receive something called Crests, which are achievements that will unlock rewards in The Division 2.
There's no word on platforms or other details yet, but it seems like a safe assumption that The Division 2 will release for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. We'll report back as more information is shared.
Movies often miss their mark when it comes to predicting the future. I mean, where are our flying cars? I was promised flying cars. Having said that, there are several visionary films like Minority Report and 2001: A Space Odyssey that have managed to predict some aspects of technological innovation accurately. From predicting VR to self-driving cars, here's a list of movies that were ahead of their time.
Robots - The Grim Game (1919)
The first robot made its debut on film before the term "robot" was even coined. In the Harry Houdini black-and-white silent film The Grim Game, we see a humanoid-looking "automaton" named Q.
We've since had numerous robots throughout history, but one relatively recent one that caught the attention of many is Sophia. The human-looking robot was developed by Hong-Kong company Hanson Robotics. She was activated in 2015 and is capable of speech coupled with 62 different facial expressions. The Saudi Arabian government thought she was so lifelike that they made her an honorary citizen in 2017.
Tablet - 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
2001: A Space Odyssey is a sci-fi classic that predicted numerous technological innovations. In the 1968 film, we see protagonist Dr. Dave Bowman watching videos on a tablet as he's eating a meal aboard a space station.
Apple began popularizing the tablet form factor when it initially released the iPad in 2010. Now we have several computing tablets from Google, Samsung, Microsoft, and more.
AI Voice Assistant - 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
2001: A Space Odyssey also brought us HAL 9000, one of the greatest characters in sci-fi history. The AI assistant was capable of speech, facial recognition, and more. Oh, and it was hellbent on killing humans.
Apple famously released its own voice assistant in 2011 with the launch of Siri on iPhones. Now we have Android's OK Google voice assistant and Amazon Alexa. The verdict is still out on whether these AI assistants will try to end us.
Digital Billboards - Blade Runner (1982)
The 1982 sci-fi film Blade Runner is greatly revered for its evocative, neon-infused dystopian depiction of the future. Massive digital billboards playing videos were prominent throughout the movie's cyberpunk world.
Flashforward to today and you have neon digital billboards offering video playback littered in areas such as Times Square in New York and Dotonbori in Japan.
Military Robots - Short Circuit (1986)
In the 1986 movie Short Circuit, a tech company prototypes robots for the U.S. military and ends up creating "Johnny 5."
Now there are companies like Boston Dynamics that are designing robots for the U.S. military. Recently, the tech company released a video that went viral, which showcased a man trying to hold back a dog-like robot from opening a door. Despite some tugging from the man, which lead to minor robo dismemberment, the robot persisted until it accomplished its mission. Cool, or creepy?
Augmented Reality (AR) - RoboCop (1987)
After being shot up, police officer Alex J. Murphy finds himself on the brink of death in RoboCop. He's saved when the government revives what's left of him and augments his body with machinery. Among his enhancements is a visor that augments his vision. It displays grids, which help bolster his aim and provides additional info like mission objectives and video feeds.
Today we have augmented reality glasses like Google Glass and AR visors like HoloLens and Magic Leap that are in development.
Self-Lacing Shoes - Back to the Future Part II (1989)
Nike actually started working on the shoes in 2005, but the battery technology wasn't ready at the time and it required bulky motors. As mobile technology improved, Nike resumed work on the shoes in 2012 before releasing them in 2016.
Hoverboard - Back to the Future Part II (1989)
Just about everybody wanted a hoverboard after Marty Mcfly rode one in Back to the Future Part II. Well, we have them now, kind of. Tech company Hendo successfully funded its Hoverboard Kickstater by raising over $500,000 through the crowd funding site. It works, too. I've tried it. The only caveat, and it's a major one, is that it uses Maglev technology and thus requires a conductive metal floor. So unless you have access to a copper skate park, you probably won't get to ride one any time soon.
Self-Driving Cars - Total Recall (1990)
In Total Recall, Arnold Schwarzenegger's character rides in a self-driving Johnny Cab. The sci-fi taxi featured a talking robot driver. While that's not a thing you can do today, self-driving cars are very real. Google has been testing them since 2009, and as of June 2016, the tech giant's self-driving vehicles drove over 1.7 million miles. Many companies such as Nvidia, Tesla, and Uber are now working on self-driving car technology aimed at the mass-market.
VR Headset - The Lawnmower Man (1992)
In the 1992 film The Lawnmower Man, Dr. Lawrence Angelo (played by Pierce Brosnan) experiments on a simple-minded gardener named Jobe Smith (played by Jeff Fahey) by strapping him to a virtual reality headset. The VR contraption dramatically improves Smith's cognitive abilities. It also inadvertently gives him telepathic powers. An evil mastermind subplot ensues.
While we've yet to discover telepathic capabilities, we do have VR headsets like the Oculus Rift, PSVR, and HTC Vive. In addition to gaming, VR headsets are also helping autistic people developer better social skills and are assisting patients overcome psychological issues like PTSD.
In the 2002-released movie Minority Report, actor Tom Cruise waves his hands and fingers in the air to control a gesture-based UI. Roughly eight years later in 2010, Microsoft would release the Kinect with an infrared projector that would allow the Xbox 360 to track user limbs in three-dimensional space. More advanced, subsequent devices like the Leap Motion and Microsoft's very own second-generation Kinect would later add higher-fidelity finger tracking.
This year's MLB The Show 18 includes some cool new features like custom batting stances, rain delays, and three-inning games. But what's new for the game's iconic Road to the Show mode? Developer Sony San Diego stopped by the GameSpot offices recently to show off the RPG-like mode where you build a character and take them through the ranks to the big leagues.
As you'll see in the video, one big part of what's new this year is that you do not start off as a highly touted player. Instead, you're a later-round draft pick who has more to prove. Also new this year how you'll start Road to the Show--by choosing an archetype. One example is "Wizard," which is someone who is speedy and good on defense, but lacks power at the plate.
Community manager Ramone Russell also walks us through some more specific changes, including how you can no longer be a 99 in every category. This is a move towards further realism, as some players may just never be able to max out in a certain part of their game. We also learned that former MLB player Mark DeRosa joins the commentating lineup this year.
What's also new for Road to the Show this year is something that's not there: microtransactions. Sony has completely removed them. It is unclear if this move comes as a reaction to the industry-wide conversation happening about mictotransactions or something Sony had been planning on its own.
Whatever the case, microtransactions are not completely removed from MLB The Show 18. Sony is expected to continue to allow players to buy Stubs for real money in the game's Ultimate Team-like Diamond Dynasty mode. Sony has been doing this for many years now.
We spent more than 30 minutes talking to Russell about MLB The Show 18's new Road to the Show mode, so be sure to watch the full video to get all the details. MLB The Show 18 launches on March 27 for PlayStation 4; pre-ordering lets you play starting on March 23.
New week, new Netflix! The streaming service is adding a bunch of film and TV show titles for members to binge, including one of its most anticipated titles of 2018--the next entry in the streamer's Marvel Cinematic Universe collection.
March 8, otherwise known as International Women's Day, will see the Season 2 debut of Marvel's Jessica Jones. The series features the return of Krysten Ritter as the titular hero after she last appeared in Marvel's Defenders. According to GameSpot's review of the new season, the story being told is definitely a slow burn. While the premiere episode may not be as exciting as some were hoping for, there will be plenty of momentum in the installments that follow.
Another new arrival on Netflix is F the Prom starring Riverdale's Madelaine Petsch. That film is joined by new episodes of David Letterman's My Next Guest Needs No Introduction and The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale, as well as Netflix originals The Outsider, Nailed It, Ladies First, and Bad Guys: Vile City.
The upcoming Avengers: Infinity War promises to be the biggest Marvel movie to date. The film arrives in May and is set to feature every major hero that has appeared in the MCU so far. Now Entertainment Weekly has revealed the entire superpowered line-up of characters, via a series of cover images.
The are no fewer than 15 covers in all. While all the characters will be familiar to Marvel fans, they do reveal some new looks that have so far only been hinted at via promotional artwork. There's Iron Man's new winged armor, which according to EW "serve as rocket boosters into deep space." The Winter Soldier has a new arm, Thor has an eyepatch and darker armor, and Captain America's shield has been replaced by very cool protective gauntlets (and he has a beard). Check them out over at EW, and in the teaser below:
An official synopsis for Avengers: Infinity War has also been released. It reads: "An unprecedented cinematic journey ten years in the making and spanning the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios' Avengers: Infinity War brings to the screen the ultimate, deadliest showdown of all time. The Avengers and their superhero allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe."
Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on May 4. It is directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, who helmed the last two Captain America movies, and will follow it up with next year's currently untitled Avengers 4.
In related news, Captain America star Chris Evans recently seemed to confirm that the rumored Black Widow movie is in development at Marvel. Evans was asked about the success of Black Panther, and said, "There's nothing they can't do, man. I'm sure it's going to have the exact same effect when Captain Marvel comes out, and then the Black Widow movie comes out. Marvel just has the winning recipe."
The Witcher protagonist Geralt of Rivia could cameo in another game being released in 2018, according to a tease from CD Projekt RED community lead Marcin Momot, who hinted at the possibility on Twitter.
He asked: "What if Geralt was going to step out of [The Witcher] for the very first time to make an appearance in one of the upcoming games later this year?" Of course, this isn't confirmation, but it'd be quite the bait for him to mention it only for it not to happen.
There are some interesting possibilities for where Geralt could appear, but one that immediately sticks out is Bandai Namco's SoulCalibur VI, which is expected to launch later this year. Bandai Namco has a working relationship with CD Projekt Red, having distributed The Witcher 3 in Europe and The Witcher 2 in Australia.
The SoulCalibur series has previously included guest characters from a wide-range of franchises, including Star Wars and The Legend of Zelda, so Geralt wouldn't exactly feel out of place in the arena-based fighting game. There are other games that he's well suited to, most notably Monster Hunter: World or the PC release of Final Fantasy XV.
Following the huge success of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CD Projekt Red has moved on to working on its next title, CyberPunk 2077. There's been very little news about the title since it was originally announced in 2012, but CD Projekt Red has confirmed it will be attending E3 2018, sparking speculation that the game will be shown there.
"The president wants to continue the conversation on every different area that we can to help promote school safety," she said. "I'm not going to get ahead of the discussion that they're going to have tomorrow but we think it is an important discussion to have and one that the President looks forward to."
Pressed about whether or not Trump believes video games are too violent, Sanders said she , "It certainly is something that should be looked at and something that we want to have the conversation about." The video game segment starts at around 12:25 in the video above.
The ESA, which lobbies for video games and organizes E3 every year, is attending the meeting with Trump at the White House. The organization is one of the biggest and most powerful gaming groups in America, and its members include companies like Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, EA, Ubisoft, and others. According to Kotaku's sources, the meeting has "remained unorganized" since it was announced last week. When Sanders first announced that Trump would meet with people from the video game industry, the ESA said it had not received an invite. But earlier this week, the ESA confirmed that it will attend the meeting to discuss video games, the industry's established ratings systems, and other pertinent information. The ESA is expected to defend video games and point out that studies have shown there is no link between violent video games and violent behavior.
Trump's brother, Robert Trump, sits on the board of directors at Zenimax, which owns Fallout and Elder Scrolls publisher Bethesda. Leslie Moonves, the president of GameSpot parent company CBS, is also a member of Zenimax's board of directors. According to Kotaku, Robert Trump will attend the White House meeting. The Washington Post reported today that ZeniMax CEO Robert Altman will also attend the meeting, as will Take-Two president Strauss Zelnick. Michael Gallagher, the CEO of the ESA, will also reportedly attend. On the other side, Parents Television Council founder Brent Bozell and Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) will be there, the Post reported. Following the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012, both urged the government to look at violent media instead of gun restrictions alone.
Additionally, Trump invited Martha Roby (R-AL) to the meeting on Thursday. The Post added that Trump also asked Republican Senator Marco Rubio to come, but he couldn't make it due to a scheduling conflict. It is unclear if Trump invited any Democrats to the meeting.
"As we continue to work towards creating school safety programs that protect all children, the president will be meeting with video game industry leaders and Members of Congress to discuss violent video-game exposure and the correlation to aggression and desensitization in children," a White House spokesperson told The Washington Post. "This meeting will be the first of many with industry leaders to discuss this important issue."
There is no word yet about if the meeting will be televised, if reporters will be able to sit in, or if the White House will share the notes from the meeting. The meeting will take place in the Roosevelt Room, starting at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET. We will report back with more details as they become available.
This won't be the first time the ESA has attended a meeting at the White House regarding video games. Following the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012, then-Vice President Joe Biden met with members of the video game industry executives such as then-EA CEO John Riccitiello to discuss the link between violent video games and gun violence as part of a wider task force into gun control measures. Gallagher, the ESA president, was also at this meeting.
In addition to this month's free Legendaries for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, players can claim three more rare Pokemon right now for no charge, provided you have a Pokemon Bank account on 3DS. The Pokemon Company is giving away the final evolved forms of the Alola starters--Decidueye, Incineroar, and Primarina--as a free bonus for using Pokemon Bank, and these are a little different from the ones you can get in-game.
Unlike typical Alola starters, each of these Pokemon comes with their Hidden Abilities, which cannot normally be obtained in the games. Decidueye's Hidden Ability is Long Reach, which allows it to use moves without making contact; Incineroar's is Intimidate, which lowers your opponent's Attack stat on entering the battle; and Primarina has Liquid Voice, which turns all sound-based moves into Water-type attacks.
The free starters can be downloaded in any seventh-generation Pokemon game (Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon or Sun and Moon). After inserting your game of choice into the 3DS, access the Pokemon Bank app and you'll receive a notification that the gifts are available. You must then turn the game on and pick the starters up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center.
Pokemon Bank is a premium cloud storage service that allows players to store and move Pokemon between all sixth- and seventh-generation 3DS Pokemon games. The service carries an annual fee of $5 / £4.49. Fifth-generation Pokemon can also be transferred to Pokemon Bank via a companion app called Pokemon Transporter.
Pokemon fans have a lot of free Pokemon to look forward to this year as part of the Year of Legendary Pokemon celebration. Each month in 2018, The Pokemon Company will give away a free Legendary for the seventh-generation Pokemon games. March's freebies are Regigigas and Heatran. Players in Europe can download the Legendaries right now via Mystery Gift, but those in the US will receive their codes in the March Pokemon Trainer Club newsletter, which you needed to sign up for by March 1.
The zombie survival game-turned-battle royale H1Z1 is now free to play just one week after its official release. After three years in early access, version 1.0 of the game launched for PC on February 28 for $20 / £15 alongside a new car combat mode called Auto Royale. Those who purchased the game will receive in-game items as a consolation, but can also receive refunds in accordance to Steam's refund policy.
The day prior to switching to a free to play model, H1Z1's peak concurrent player count on Steam was around 7,000 total. According to SteamCharts.com, the peak player count in the last 30 days was around 15,000 users; its best month came in July 2017, when the game peaked at 150,000 players with an average of 86,000 players. This didn't bode well for the game considering its main competitor, Playerunknown's Battlegrounds, has reached well over one million concurrent users every month since September 2017.
H1Z1 contains microtransactions for cosmetic items only. Its in-game currency called skulls are used to purchase these items, which can be obtained by playing the game and completing challenges. With the free to play move, purchasable Bronze, Silver, and limited edition Gold battle royale packs are available. Anyone who bought H1Z1 will receive an "appreciation pack" which contains the following items:
Gasrunner Hoodie
Bloom Survivor T-Shirt
Splinter Camo ARV
10 Victory Crates
10,000 Skulls
In addition to being free, developer Daybreak Games is also pushing its new H1Z1 Pro League (H1PL); it's an esports league with 15 professional teams that includes Cloud9, CLG, TSM, Echo Fox, and others. The first event will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 21.
H1Z1 general manager Anthony Castoro made the following statement in regards to dropping its price entirely and the H1PL launch:
"We are very excited to announce that H1Z1 will be free to play starting today. Not only does this decision allow us to share our version of Battle Royale and Auto Royale with even more players, but it signifies the next step in making H1Z1 a must-watch esport. The Pro League is going to redefine esports when it kicks off in Las Vegas this April, and whether a person is an aspiring pro athlete or just wants to play with friends, we want everyone to have the chance to play the most competitive battle royale game."
For more on H1Z1, be sure to check out the replay of our livestream where we take the Auto Royale mode for a test drive and emerge victorious. You can also get more details on the game mode itself in our previous story.
Teams of 20, as it's officially titled, pits five teams against each other, with each team containing--as you may have guessed--20 players. Take a look at a trailer for the new mode above. In addition, the update introduces a new skin, called Burnout. Take a look at that below.
For Save the World players, developer Epic has introduced a set of new items called Hoverboard Boost Pads, which "send the Hoverboard flying." There's also a new Hero available: Wukong, a Mythic version of the Lunar New Year Berserker Soldier. Elsewhere, the update fixes a bunch of bugs and introduces more small tweaks; take a look at the full patch notes in the list below.
Iron Man and Jungle Book director Jon Favreau will write and produce a live-action Star Wars TV show. Lucasfilm has confirmed that Favreau, who also plays Happy Hogan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will oversee the new show. It will premiere on Disney's upcoming streaming platform.
Although the show has no confirmed release date, the streaming channel is expected to launch in 2019. A new Star Wars series was first announced in November, and last month Disney boss Bob Iger revealed that there were "several" shows in development.
In a statement, Favreau said, "If you told me at 11 years old that I would be getting to tell stories in the Star Wars universe, I wouldn't have believed you. I can't wait to embark upon this exciting adventure."
According to Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy, Favreau will bring "the perfect mix of producing and writing talent, combined with a fluency in the Star Wars universe. This series will allow Jon the chance to work with a diverse group of writers and directors and give Lucasfilm the opportunity to build a robust talent base."
This won't be Favreau's first time working in the Star Wars universe. He provided the voice for Pre Vizsla in the animated series The Clone Wars and will voice an alien in the upcoming spin-off movie Solo: A Star Wars Story. He directed the first two Iron Man movies, the hugely successful remake of the The Jungle Book, and is set to helm the live-action version of The Lion King for Disney.
A Star Wars live-action show was in development for several years prior to Disney's purchase of Lucasfilm in 2012. Star Wars creator George Lucas was planning a series called Underworld that was to take place between Episode III and Episode IV, and reportedly 50 scripts were written before the Disney deal canceled the project.
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon launched for 3DS back in November, marking the mainline series' swan song on Nintendo's dual-screen handheld. As it did for the original Sun and Moon versions, The Pokemon Company is continuing to support the pair in the months following their release with free items and Pokemon. The company has a lot of giveaways lined up for 2018, which it has dubbed the Year of Legendary Pokemon, though those certainly won't be the only freebies players can expect to find this year.
We've rounded up all of the free distributions currently running for Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon below, many of which are also open to Sun and Moon players. We'll be updating this list as more giveaways are announced, so check back often to see what free items and Pokemon you can get. In the meantime, you can learn more about the latest Pokemon games in our rundown of everything new in Pokemon Ultra Sun And Ultra Moon. We also break down the differences between Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, if you're still unsure of which version to pick up.
Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon Free Gifts
Regigigas/Heatran -- Mar. 1
The Year of Legendary Pokemon continues with another pair of Legendaries originally from Pokemon Diamond and Pearl: Regigigas and Heatran. As before, the Pokemon you receive will depend on which seventh generation title you're playing: Sun and Ultra Sun players will get Regigigas, while those with a copy of Moon or Ultra Moon will receive Heatran. Unlike the Dialga and Palkia distribution, The Pokemon Company is giving away the download code for Regigigas and Heatran in the March Pokemon Trainer Club newsletter, so you'll need to create a free Trainer Club Account here and opt-in to the newsletter before March 1 in order to get the code.
Magearna
Unlike most other gift Pokemon, the Mythical Steel/Fairy-type, Magearna, is not available through the Mystery Gift feature, but via a QR code, which is compatible with Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon. After defeating the Elite Four and completing the main story, you can use the QR Scanner to scan the code below. Once you've done that, visit the Antiques shop in Hau'oli City and pick your Magearna up from the deliveryman waiting there.
Celebi -- Ends Sep. 21
Players who purchase either Pokemon Gold or Silver from the 3DS Eshop by September 21, 2018 will receive a bonus download code for the Mythical Pokemon Celebi. The code can be redeemed in Pokemon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, or Ultra Moon. We've outlined the steps you need to take to find and redeem the code here.
Gifts That Are No Longer Available
Dialga/Palkia -- DONE
Kicking off the Year of Legendary Pokemon are the Space and Time Pokemon, Palkia and Dialga. The two are being distributed in the US at GameStop from February 2-28, while UK residents can pick them up from participating Game stores. The Legendary you receive will depend on which version you have: players with either Sun or Ultra Sun receive Palkia, while those playing either Moon or Ultra Moon get Dialga. You'll need to redeem your download code by May 23 to claim the Legendaries.
The real March madness is how much binging you'll be doing with everything new coming to Netflix. The streaming service is going all out with its March additions, including a ton of new originals, along with more movies, TV shows, and specials.
While there are over 50 originals being added to the streamer in March, there are two you need to pay very special attention to. Firstly, the new season of Marvel's Jessica Jones. Krysten Ritter is back as the whiskey-drinking hero, along with co-stars Rachael Taylor (Trish) and Carrie-Anne Moss (Jeri Hogarth). Notably, David Tennant will also reprise his role as the evil Killgrave in a guest appearance. The new season of Jessica Jones arrives on March 8--International Women's Day.
The other major original to keep an eye out for is the return of Santa Clarita Diet--the horror comedy zombie series starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant. The first photos from the new season were released recently, showing new characters moving into the neighborhood and more undead insanity. New episodes of Santa Clarita Diet arrive on March 23.
As for movies, the Cruel Intentions trilogy--yes, it's actually a trilogy--will begin streaming in March. Other new titles include Adventureland, Jackass: Number Two, Wet Hot American Summer, and Let Me In.
It's not all good news, though. With the arrivals come the departures. March will see all four Jaws films leave Netflix, as well as three seasons of Brickleberry and the Santa Clause trilogy.
God of War's release is now just over a month away, an occasion which marks the first big PS4 exclusive release of the year for Sony. More importantly, God of War is the first new game in the series to be released in five years. Sony plans to go all-out for the release, and as such, it has announced a PS4 Pro bundle that comes with a specially designed console and controller.
As pictured below, the console is primarily silver and grey, with some yellow and dark grey highlights. The top of the console is adorned with the skill tree from the game that's used to upgrade Kratos's new Leviathan Axe. On the front, you'll see runes that represent different realms from the game. The matching controller features a much simpler design with the same colors; the right grip includes the Huldra Brothers brand that's also seen on the Leviathan Axe, while touchpad has the God of War logo.
Both the system (which is otherwise a standard 1 TB PS4 Pro) and controller are available in the limited edition God of War PS4 Pro bundle. It also includes a physical copy of God of War and unspecified "digital content." It'll be released on the same day as the game, April 20, and will cost $400 in the US (the same price as a standard PS4 Pro) or $500 CAD. The bundle will also be available internationally, although specific pricing has not been shared.
As noted above, God of War is the first game in the series since 2013's God of War: Ascension. The new entry features a markedly different tone from past games, as it centers around Norse mythology (rather than Greek) and the story of Kratos and his son, Atreus. In addition to the base version, there are also more expensive special editions available, though you won't get those with the new PS4 Pro bundle.
Given how prevalent microtransactions have become in modern game releases, it isn't surprising to see more and more developers and publishers inserting them into their titles. A screenshot of the upcoming God of War for PS4 showing what appeared to be some kind of currency led some fans to speculate that it too will incorporate microtransactions. However, that doesn't appear to be the case according to game director Cory Barlog.
On Twitter, one fan asked Barlog if God of War would feature any kind of microtransactions. Barlog emphatically tweeted, "No freakin way!!!" in response. GameSpot reached out to Sony to get further clarification on if God of War would have any kind of premium in-game currency that can be bought with real-world money; the publisher replied with a statement from Barlog that read, "No. Not even a little."
God of War is one of the biggest PS4 exclusives of 2018. It's the first installment in the series since 2013's God of War: Ascension and strikes a markedly different tone than its predecessors, drawing inspiration from Norse mythology (rather than Greek) and revolving around the story of Kratos and his son, Atreus. It's also going to be much longer than previous God of War games, estimated to take 25-35 hours to complete.
God of War launches exclusively for PS4 on April 20. That same day, Sony is releasing a limited-edition God of War-themed PS4 Pro bundle. The bundle includes a 1 TB silver-and-grey PS4 Pro that's adorned with runes and the skill tree for Kratos's new Leviathan Axe from the new game. It also comes with a matching DualShock 4 controller and a physical copy of God of War with unspecified "digital content."
The Solid Gold limited-time mode may now be over, but Fortnite players don't have to wait very long to take part in the game's next special event. Epic is kicking off another limited-time mode for Battle Royale on PS4, Xbox One, and PC today, March 8, and this one promises to be one of the most competitive yet.
Battle Royale's next limited-time mode is called Teams of 20. As you could probably gather from its name, this new game mode still features 100 players total, similar to a typical match in Battle Royale, but this time they're divided up into five teams of 20. You can watch the brief announcement trailer for the new game mode above.
Teams of 20 is one of roughly five limited-time modes Epic teased would be coming to Fortnite: Battle Royale "in the next month or so." The developer had said it was planning to introduce game types that feature team sizes in between 50v50 and squads (which features four-player groups). Other limited-time modes that players can expect in the near future include a modified version of December's 50v50 event, as well as a Blitz Mode that features shorter match times than normal.
Teams of 20 marks the second limited-time mode of Fortnite: Battle Royale's Season 3, following the Solid Gold event that ran last week. Season 3 kicked off in February with the release of Fortnite's 3.0.0 patch and the new Battle Pass, which features 30 more rewards tiers than previous Battle Passes; you can take a look at all of the Season 3 Battle Pass rewards in our gallery. Among the new weapons Epic plans to introduce to Battle Royale this season are jetpacks, although those were temporarily delayed due to a "last minute design issue."
Ninja Theory's critically acclaimed action-adventure game, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, may be on the way to Xbox One. The game has, up until now, only been available on PS4 and PC, but the Taiwan Game Software Rating Information board (via Gematsu) recently posted a rating for an Xbox One version, potentially outing an upcoming port.
Lending further weight to a possible Xbox One version, a new rating for Hellblade has also appeared on the Australian Classification board. Ninja Theory hasn't officially announced that it will release the title on Microsoft's console, but the fact that new ratings for it have appeared on two separate ratings boards makes it seem likely that Xbox One owners will soon have a chance to experience the gripping adventure.
Hellblade first released for PS4 and PC in August 2017. The game puts players in the role of the eponymous Senua, a Celtic warrior who embarks on a vision quest to come to grips with the death of her family. GameSpot awarded it an 8 out of 10 in our Hellblade review and called the title "a spellbinding and sympathetic game about loss and redemption." Hellblade was also selected as one of GameSpot's top 10 games of 2017.
"Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a game that forces you out of your comfort zone, and for all the right reasons. Presenting a troubled young woman's tempestuous journey of self-discovery and redemption through her eyes, developer Ninja Theory's 'indie-AAA' experiment takes a lot of risks when telling its harrowing, introspective story about the often lonely struggles of suffering from past trauma," wrote GameSpot critic Alessandro Fillari.
This past weekend marked the first anniversary of the Nintendo Switch, but the celebration was dampened for many Switch owners when they discovered the system had begun seemingly resetting their play times. Fortunately, the issue appears to be temporary, and Nintendo has announced an update is on the way to resolve it.
"Some Nintendo Switch owners' play activity info is displaying incorrectly, but play activity is still being recorded accurately in the background," Nintendo said on Twitter. "A future system update will resolve this issue [and] ensure play time data is correctly displayed. We apologize for the inconvenience."
The play time glitch was first reported just prior to the console's first birthday. Many early adopters had discovered that any titles they had started playing on the system's launch day, such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, now displayed that they were first played "0 days ago" in their Switch profile, leading many to fear that the system was only keeping track of users' play activity for one year.
Fan publication NF Magazine later reported on Twitter that play times aren't reset permanently, but rather disappear for 10 days--the same amount of time it normally takes for your play activity to show up in your Switch profile. After day 11, your play time would begin displaying again normally. This is certainly good news for players who enjoy having a record of how long they've spent playing each of their Switch games.
After a brief and confounding hiatus, Mario is back to being a plumber again. His official biography on the Japanese Nintendo site has been changed to reflect that he is, in fact, a plumber by trade.
In September, fans noticed that the bio said he "seems to have worked as a plumber a long time ago." This was presented in the context of noting Mario's Homer-Simpson-like revolving carousel of jobs, but it still implied that he had quit the plumbing profession altogether.
The newly updated bio, via Nintendo Everything, says, "His occupation is plumber. However, his activity is not confined to that area." The revision shows Nintendo is still making sure we know Mario is a real Renaissance man, but in a less jarring way than giving up his historical origins altogether. A recent update to Mario Odyssey has introduced a variety of new outfits like musician and knight. So suffice to say his interests are varied.
Still, only licensed plumbers are allowed to enter giant green pipes and depose reptilian monarchs. It's a union thing.
We may have a better idea of the future of Monster Hunter World very soon, as Capcom is planning a stream next week. It will take place in Japan next Wednesday at 4 AM PT / 7 AM ET.
Though the Japanese announcement doesn't specify the stream's focus, it does promise the "latest details" on Monster Hunter World, pointing to an impending announcement. This is marketed as a spring reveal stream, and we already know the studio is planning to release its first big content update this spring. That will introduce the insatiable beast Deviljho, but what else might be coming in that update is still under wraps. We've also seen speculation that the new monster is actually coming this Friday, in which case next week's stream might explain more of the roadmap going forward.
Capcom recently boasted that Monster Hunter World had fast become its best-selling game ever, though a closer look at the data produced some caveats. The company wasn't counting ports in the same pool with their predecessors, so games like Resident Evil 5 and RE6 actually beat it by a few million. Still, given that those numbers were compiled over the course of years and Monster Hunter has been out just over a month, it seems likely to take the trophy sooner or later.
2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens introduced an all-new bad guy, Supreme Leader Snoke, a CG character played by Andy Serkis. There was a certain level of mystery and intrigue surrounding the character, so some fans were let down in The Last Jedi when Rey and Kylo killed him. Does he have a backstory? What is it? We never got those answers from The Last Jedi.
Now, Serkis is talking more about the character, sharing some intriguing details in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly. He said Lucasfilm was intentionally mysterious with Snoke, adding that he had conversations with The Force Awakens director JJ Abrams and The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson about backstories for Snoke that explain where he came from. While fans may be happy to learn that Snoke does indeed have a backstory, the tough news is that we'll have to wait a while to learn more, if we ever do.
"I've been asked to not shed anything, should we want to bring him back in any way whether [in a] prequel or whatever," Serkis said. "I think there's something cool about that. It still does remain a mystery for people. I know that some people find it incredibly frustrating, but I think it allows for further exploration and layering at a further point."
In The Last Jedi, we saw Snoke up close--and he had many scars and other disfigurements. Serkis teased that Snoke has carried his injuries, sustained in earlier battles, "for a long time."
"It's a sort of decay as well. He's quite an old character, and those battle scars are affecting his recovery and his body's started to break down as well," Serkis said, adding that he believes Snoke is "a couple hundred years old."
Also in the interview, Serkis said he hopes Lucasfilm decides to bring back Snoke someday. But how? "Anything's possible in a Star Wars movie," Serkis said. "I'd be all up for it. I think there's a lot more to be had from the character for sure, but I'm not in discussions with anybody at all about it."
Rainbow Six Siege has set a new concurrent player record on PC, and that's immensely impressive given that the team-based shooter launched more than two years ago. Following the launch of Siege's new Operation Chimera update, the game hit a new all-time high for concurrent players: 176,856, according to Steam's own public player data.
SteamCharts data shows that Siege has grown substantially over the past few months. For comparison, the game's previous peak concurrent record was around 125,000 players in February this year, so the game has added around 50,000 concurrent players in a month. As PCGamer points out, this data only comes from Steam, not Ubisoft's Uplay service.
Siege was originally released in December 2015 for PC, as well as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Ubisoft recently announced that the game reached 27 million players across all platforms. This figure no doubt also counts free trial players, but it is impressive all the same.
Ubisoft has not shared any concurrent player data for the console versions of Siege, so we don't know how they compare to PC. Matches are generally easy to find, so the player populations are surely still good enough. Siege's ongoing popularity may explain why Ubisoft is not making Rainbow Six Siege 2 anytime soon, if it ever does.
For lots more on Siege, check out GameSpot's video above in which we talk to the developers about the game's lifetime goal of reaching 100 Operators. You can also check out the stories linked below to get the latest news on Operation Chimera, patch notes, issues, and more.
Update: Oculus has now released a software update that resolves the ongoing issues. You'll need to download a patch from the official website and have it "repair" your Oculus software. Full details on grabbing the file and how to use it are outlined here. The original story follows.
Oculus Rift headsets have stopped working as part of a huge, widespread technical snafu that the company is currently trying to fix. Rift users have been unable to boot up their headsets today due to an expired security certificate. The headsets are rendered basically useless now.
"This is an issue with our software certification that we're still actively working on," Oculus said on its website. "For security, we use a certificate to ensure that the software you receive actually comes from Oculus. That certificate has expired, and we're looking at a few different ways to resolve the issue."
In a follow-up post, Oculus said it is in the process of updating the certificate, but this is not so easy to do. "Unfortunately, pushing the update out to affected users has some added complexity, as the expired cert blocks our standard software update path," Oculus said. "We're working through the options now, and we expect to have more details to share later this evening."
According to Engadget, it might be possible to fix your Rift headset manually by tinkering with the system clock. However, this is no advisable, given it can have unintended negative effects. Oculus said in its support post that it recommends you wait until the company can release an official fix instead of trying to do so yourself and potentially making things worse.
"Our teams apologize for any inconvenience this may be causing you and appreciate your patience while we work on a resolution," Oculus said.
We'll report back as more details become available. Is your Rift headset not working or are you experiencing other issues right now? Let us know in the comments below!
Although it wasn't a box office success, the 2012's sci-fi action movie Dredd has gained a strong cult following over the past few years. There have been petitions from fans for a sequel, and last year it was reported that a TV show based on the character of Judge Dredd was in the works. Now actor Karl Urban (Star Trek, Thor: Ragnarok), who played Dredd in the movie, has revealed that writer Alex Garland actually directed the movie too.
Garland was the writer on Dredd, while Pete Travis was the credited director, but there have been rumors for some time that Garland also directed it. With Garland now an established director in his own right, Urban has confirmed that this was the case. "A huge part of the success of Dredd is in fact due to Alex Garland," he said. "What a lot of people don't realize is that Alex actually directed that movie. I just hope when people think of Alex Garland's filmography that Dredd is the first film that he made before Ex Machina. You think about it in those terms; it goes Dredd, Ex Machina, Annihilation."
After Dredd was released, the LA Times reported that Travis was prohibited from participating in the editing process, with Garland taking over the movie's post-production. Garland reportedly sought a co-directing credit at this stage, but ultimately Travis and Garland issued a joint statement that they had agreed on an "unorthodox collaboration" before production began.
Dredd only made $35 million from a production budget of $50 million, which canceled any sequel plans. However, last year it was announced that a new TV show titled Judge Dredd: Mega City One was in development. Urban explained that he was definitely on board if and when the show happens.
"The rights holders [producer Brian Jenkins and Rebellion CEO Jason Kingsley] are in their process of developing [it] and we've had many discussions and the ball's in their court," he said. "Hopefully, they get it together and are able to deliver more of what the audience wants. It would certainly be a privilege and a pleasure to be a part of it."
Judge Dredd was created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, and he first appeared in the second issue of the long-running British sci-fi comic 2000AD in 1977. The character has also appeared in a number of video games, including Judge Dredd and Judge Dredd: Dredd Vs Death. An earlier movie was released in 1995, starring Sylvester Stallone, but that was also a commercial failure.
It's a new week, and that means more deals on Xbox Live. Microsoft's Major Nelson has announced all of this week's Deals With Gold offers for Xbox One and Xbox 360, which include a special "Spotlight" sale on a bunch of Square Enix games.
Go to Major Nelson's blog to see a full rundown of this week's Xbox One and Xbox 360 deals, some of which require an Xbox Live Gold membership to save the most. The offers are good through March 12. The pricing and timing of these deals may vary depending on where you live.
As it so often does, Twitch is offering another batch of free in-game goodies to Amazon Prime members, this time for Epic's popular shooter Fortnite. Right now, those with a Prime account will be able to claim the Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack, which includes cosmetics and other items for both Battle Royale and Save the World modes.
The Twitch Prime Pack is redeemable on all platforms--PC, PS4, and Xbox One--and comes with two exclusive gliders and outfits for Battle Royale: the Havoc Outfit and Back Bling, plus the Sub Commander Outfit and Slipstream Glider. Additionally, users will receive four exclusive Twitch chat emoji and two heroes for Save the World: Havoc and Sub Commando Jonesy. You can take a look at some of the freebies below.
Twitch Prime regularly offers free items and games for Amazon Prime members, so anyone who's a subscriber to the premium service is able to take advantage of this offer. To grab the Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack, simply click on the Prime Loot icon at the top of Twitch's homepage or visit Epic's official website for more details about how to claim the free items.
The Twitch Prime Pack isn't the only freebie that Fortnite players can get right now. PS Plus subscribers can also download the PlayStation Plus Celebration Pack on PS4, which includes an exclusive glider and outfit. You can grab the pack here. Meanwhile, the next free game for Twitch Prime members is the original Devil May Cry, although that won't be available to claim until March 6 due to "unforeseen technical circumstances."
After a lengthy beta, PS4's latest system software update is now available to everyone. Version 5.50 is a mandatory update that weighs in at 460 MB, and it brings new organizational features, additional parental controls, and a new supersampling option for PS4 Pro.
Sony says that option will "improve image quality in some games when your PS4 Pro is connected to a TV with 2K resolution or lower," though it won't help if you have a standard PS4. The new parental controls, meanwhile, allow parents or guardians to monitor your child's playtime and set restrictions on that. You can also prevent your child from playing at certain hours of the day, such as late at night; in addition, you can view and manage these options from your phone or PC.
If you've ever been a PlayStation Plus subscriber, you'll now see a separate section in the Library app to keep all your PS Plus free games in one place. You can also now hide games and apps from the Purchased tab, if you wish to remove old betas, for example. In addition, PSVR games will now display a logo next to their Library icon to indicate they can played in VR. Finally, Notifications can now be deleted and you can now customise your background, team logo, or message thread cover picture with any image from a USB device. Take a look at the full patch notes above.
No comments:
Post a Comment