Since its early access launch in December, the Xbox One version of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds has featured only a single map. The second map, the desert-themed Miramar, will finally make its debut on console this week, but only as part of a limited-time test.
Miramar will be available for play by anyone who owns PUBG on Xbox One, but it won't be accessible through the main client. Instead, if you've bought the game, you'll be able to download the Miramar test server client from the Xbox Store, where it's labeled as PUBG Test Server. Players are warned that this is an early test and that, as such, "some aspects may not function as expected."
Just as importantly, there are some caveats about how and when you can play. Test periods will be held during six- and 12-hour windows over the course of five days, and it will only be run on North American servers, with third-person perspective as the only option. "We might make adjustments to this depending on how the test goes," the developers warned in a post on the official forums.
The test server client should now be available for download. You can see the exact time that servers will be online below.
Amazon is running a great Deal of the Day promotion on board games. You can save up to 40% on select games, ranging from adult fare like Pandemic and Werewolf to classic family board games like Cranium. Read on for our picks of the best games available at the best prices--but hurry up, because this deal of the day is only good today, Monday, April 23.
If you're just getting started with the relatively recent board game craze, you might want to start with some of the games that kicked it off in the first place. One early example is Carcassonne, which is on sale for $20. It's a game about assembling a medieval landscape one tile at a time. It might sound terribly boring, but somehow the rules and competitive aspect make it way more enthralling than it has any right to be. Another great starter game is 7 Wonders, which has you and your friends try to develop a city into a global powerhouse and construct an architectural wonder. It's on sale for $28.
Perhaps a worldwide plague is more in your wheelhouse. In that case, you and a group of friends can work together to stop an apocalyptic illness in Pandemic, on sale now for $30. Forbidden Island is also a co-op game, and it's on sale for $9. In this one, you and your friends are trying to collect hidden treasure on an island before the tide rises. Can everyone find a treasure and make it to the escape helicopter in time?
Co-op board games aren't for everyone. Some people are more into guile and deception. In that case, try Ultimate Werewolf, a game in which you and a group of friends try to suss out which players are secretly werewolves or vampires. Meanwhile, the people assigned to be creatures of the night try to convince their friends they're normal villagers. It's on sale for $10.
Fans of more traditional board games have plenty of options in this Amazon sale as well. Battleship with Planes, which adds a slight twist to the seafaring classic, is $13. Cranium lets you and your friends show off their artistic side, with often hilarious results. Whichever games you choose, make sure to buy them before the end of the day.
PUBG Corp. and Tencent have released a new update for the mobile version of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. Update 0.4.0 is now available to download on both iOS and Android, and it's a fairly big one, introducing an assortment of gameplay adjustments and a couple of new modes.
One of the new features arriving in the update is Arcade, a 28-player mode that can be joined either solo or with friends. Each match in Arcade mode randomly chooses one of six possible variations, which put some sort of twist on the gameplay; one variation, for instance, limits the weapon selection to a specific type, while another grants players access to all weapons and items.
In addition to Arcade, the developers have added a Training Grounds mode to PUBG Mobile. This is only available solo and lets players practice with weapons and items before jumping into a match with others. You can see a screenshot of the Training Grounds below.
Beyond the new modes, the update makes a variety of gameplay adjustments. A follow function has been added to the mobile version, which can be used before parachuting and after landing on the map. Additionally, players now have the option to enable automatic door opening in the settings. The developers have also added new animations when your character is attacked and defeated.
There are numerous other tweaks in the new update, which you can read about in the full patch notes below. In related news, Tencent has also announced it will begin banning cheaters in mobile version of PUBG. Players who are found "using software or additional hardware to gain an unfair advantage" will be banned from the game "effective immediately."
PUBG Mobile Update 0.4.0 Patch Notes
Arcade Mode
28 player mode, with each match taking on one of 6 variations.
6 variations: Shotguns, Sniper Rifles, Pistols, all weapons, melee only, and item heaven.
Training Grounds
Try out items, weapons, and practice your shooting skills.
Combat Optimization
Follow function has been added, can be used before parachuting and after landing.
Automatic door opening can now be enabled in settings.
Pause time between picking up multiple items has been adjusted.
The teammate elimination icon now disappears after some time.
Adjusted sound effects for footsteps, UI, vehicles, and entering /exiting the Blue Zone.
Jumping is no longer affected by sprinting.
The crosshair is no longer blocked by the camera when standing next to a wall.
4X and 8X issues with choppiness have been resolved.
New animations for being attacked and defeated have been added.
Improved firing animations.
Leaning improvements: movement and animation speed increased, "Lean & Open Scope" and "Lean & Fire" have been added.
Enhanced combat experience: shake/vibration improved, button feedback improved, animations while being attacked have been improved and randomized.
Camera perspective now switches after death to the player who delivered the killing blow.
Vehicle Improvements
Motorcycles now have flipping tricks
Added Nitrous Oxide engine to cars.
Previously used vehicles are now be marked on the minimap.
Voice Chat Optimization
Fixed an issue that caused voice chat to stop working after creating a group.
Fixed crashing issues that have been reported by some players.
Improved Bluetooth headset issues in iOS (optimization on this is on-going).
Fixed an issue occurring with Android phones, that was not properly displaying an error when the game did not have access to a microphone.
Voice chat is now supported by more devices.
UI Improvements
Added a new background, Dusk
Players can now swap between a 2 column and 3 column view when opening crates.
Added 3D touch firing options for iOS.
Results screen: added a performance chart, daily reward limits are now shown.
In-game Shop
Rank 1 coupons now available.
Items & cheats now available.
New outfits now available (region-specific outfit will be available soon!)
Duplicate outfits can now be destroyed for currency to purchase new items.
There's a whole other Infinity War going on at Marvel Comics, and it concerns the co-creator of the supervillain Thanos, Jim Starlin. Starlin, who also helped create the Infinity Gauntlet and Guardians of the Galaxy characters Drax the Destroyer and Gamora--all of which factor into Avengers: Infinity War--is currently at odds with the comic book publisher. It seems the two sides had a falling out in December 2017, the latest bump in a very long road between the two.
This time, though, it sounds serious. Speaking to Vulture about his long career with the comic giant, Starlin says "I'm not working for them anymore and this time, I think that it's for good." At the heart of the problem is the Mad Titan himself, Thanos. In December, Starlin revealed that Marvel was going in a different direction with the character. At the time, he told Cosmic Book News, "Thanos is the property of Marvel Entertainment, and with the movies on the horizon, Big Purple is about to enter the rarified classification of being a cultural icon, a character bigger than the comic books, writers, and artists that birthed him. Marvel Editorial has made it clear they want fresh takes on the Titan, so who am I to argue with them?"
Interestingly, part of the problem also seems to stem from the fact that there were two Thanos comic book projects in the works--one of which he was involved in--that shared a similar plot. Speaking to Syfy Wire in February, he explained, "What I took exception to was I accidentally found out what the plot was to the Thanos ongoing that was going to appear before the graphic novels that Alan Davis and I were working on that an editor of that book started--on his own volition--telling me what the plot was, and I went, 'Well that's the exact same plot that we have for the Thanos story arc and the graphic novels.'"
Still, while Starlin and Marvel Comics may not be on the best of terms, the same can't be said of his relationship with Marvel Studios. While he wrote on Facebook in January 2017 that he wasn't making much from the film studio for using characters he helped create, Vulture reports that he has reached an agreement with them.
Now, as Marvel prepares to show the world the newest Avengers movie, Starlin is in Hollywood and ready to walk the carpet before seeing the film--he's even documenting the experience on his Facebook page. Avengers: Infinity War is in theaters on April 27.
God of War has only just launched, but Sony's next PS4 exclusive is already on the horizon. Detroit: Become Human's release date is a month away, and soon you'll be able to give the game a try for free.
A demo of the game is live now in some territories--Australia and New Zealand, at least--with Europe and the Americas to follow on Tuesday, April 24. The demo contains the first scene of the game, Hostage, which stars android detective Connor.
Additionally, Amazon Echo users in the US can ask Alexa about things happening on screen while playing the demo. Simply start your enquiry with, "Alexa, ask Cyberlife..." to learn more about Become Human's world. For example, you can ask about the game's characters or hear about alternate endings from Hostage.
The game itself comes out on May 25 and tells the story of a group of androids coming to terms with their newfound sentience. You control three separate characters and can guide them in their journey by making decisions along the way, in a similar way to some of Quantic Dream's previous games. For more, check out some Detroit: Become Human gameplay or read our interview with director David Cage.
By Anonymous on Apr 23, 2018 11:16 pm We've learned more about The Witcher Netflix series, in addition to some pretty significant plans to change PUBG's weapons and strongest helmet. All that and more in today's GameSpot Daily.
Westworld Season 2 is finally here, and based on the premiere episode, it seems like it's taking a very different approach than Season 1 did. Think back to the show's very first episode: Remember how much time it spent just on Dolores and Teddy's story? In contrast, Season 2, Episode 1, "Journey Into Night," is a runaway train that can't be stopped.
Besides the opening chat between BernArnold and Dolores, Westworld's Season 2 premiere was a direct continuation of the Season 1 finale. The party is over, and Delos has brought in the big guns to clean up Ford's mess. The episode flits between the immediate aftermath of the Season 1 finale's cocktail party, including the following day, and events that take place around two weeks later, after Bernard wakes up on the beach. And boy, does it cover a lot of ground.
Stubbs is alive. Delos is taking control back. Dolores and Maeve are on the warpath. The Man in Black (AKA Bill) has a new game to play. The hosts are all dead. Wait, the hosts are all dead? What in the worlds is going on?
"Journey Into Night" covered more ground in its hour and 10 minutes than any two episodes of Season 1, or so it seemed tonight--especially if you haven't watched the first season in a while. Just look at all the new things we learned in the Season 2 premiere--was there a single episode during Season 1 that threw this much new information at us? Season 1 was all atmosphere and worldbuilding for long stretches, and this premiere seemed far more concerned with plot and set-up for the rest of Season 2. Catching up with all these characters again was fun, but it would have been nice if the episode gave us a little more breathing room.
There's one moment in this premiere that exemplified that change of pace better than any other: When some random Delos guy accosts the Man in Black and casually calls him "Bill." All of Westworld Season 1 was spent deliberately, conspicuously not calling Ed Harris's character by his name. Westworld in a post-first season era has no time for that level of subtlety--at least not yet. The Man in Black is William is Bill. Try to keep up.
Famously, Westworld Season 2 was always going to be about "chaos." When Sizemore, the writer from last season who this time around is even more simpering and pathetic, entered the control room, he was shocked: "No one's in control." It seems that will indeed be the theme in Westworld Season 2. Even Gustaf Skarsgård's new character, Karl Strand, is struggling to regain control. This is the Delos big gun they sent in after nearly two weeks of non-communication with the park, and he spends the whole episode playing catch-up. He knows about as much as we do: The rancher's daughter is on the warpath, tigers and who knows what else are wandering between parks, and s*** is f***ed up.
But "Journey Into Night" felt more like a mid-season episode than a premiere. It mostly just moved the plot forward; Bill has a new game to play, Maeve is searching for her daughter with Hector and Sizemore in tow, Dolores and Teddy are seeking an exit, Bernard and Charlotte need to find Abernathy, and eventually, everyone's going to wind up dead in a lake. The episode moved those pieces into place, but it didn't really feel like the soft reset that it could have been.
Maybe it's better to jump straight to it after so long away--Season 1 aired in 2016, after all--but then again, we still haven't seen the much-teased Shogun World. How cool would it have been if Season 2 had started fresh with a new setting and characters, then tied it all back to the main plot next week?
There are, of course, some brand new mysteries for Season 2, such as Bill's new game, finding "the Door." And given everything going wrong with Bernard--the "critical failure" causing him to suffer time displacement, face blindness, loss of motor function, etc.--our boy is clearly not going to be a reliable narrator this time around (not that he ever was).
That, more than anything, seems like a tool Westworld Season 2 will gleefully use to keep us guessing--and to deny us any real ability to predict the full picture in advance. What have we already glimpsed in "Journey Into Night" that, by the end of the season, we'll look back on in a new light?
Of course we're going to continue theorizing, sleuthing, and combing through every frame of each new episode. But with its new breakneck speed and the show's increased potential for obfuscation thanks to Bernard's robo-dementia, for once the cadence of Westworld's reveals might actually outpace us. Season 2 is stampeding to the beat of its own drum, and we're just going to have to try and keep up.
Westworld Season 2 is finally here, as the premiere episode, "Journey Into Night," has aired on HBO. And while Season 1 left us with plenty of questions, Season 2 has already begun filling in some of the blanks.
If you've already watched the episode, check out our Westworld Season 2, Episode 1 review. Then click through to find out all the new things we learned in the Season 2 premiere.
With all this new information, there are bound to be plenty of new Westworld Season 2 theories as well, so let us know in the comments below what you think is coming. Will Dolores escape the park? Will Delos regain control? Could Bernard possibly be a less reliable narrator? Tell us what you think.
1. Stubbs is fine.
This should surprise nobody, but Luke Hemsworth's character, the security head Stubbs, seems just fine. Given how we last saw him in Season 1--getting jumped by the Ghost Nation warriors--there's some backstory that needs to be filled in here.
2. Some time has passed.
Somehow, almost two weeks have gone by between the Season 1 finale and Bernard waking up on the beach. No doubt we're going to spend big chunks of Season 2 catching up.
3. The hosts have physical, synthetic "brains."
This is a massive change from Season 1: The modern hosts apparently have these white plastic "brains" inside their skulls. They're hidden underneath skin, bone, and a layer of brain-like tissue, likely so guests are more convinced when they blow a host's brains out. But they're in there, even though we somehow never caught a glimpse of one during Season 1.
4. The hosts need their brain fluid to function.
This goes hand in hand with the brains revelation: The milky, coconut water-like fluid in the hosts' heads is apparently some kind of vital conductor, based on Bernard's reaction as his continuously leaks out.
5. Bernard now knows that he's a host.
It's often unclear on Westworld which version of a character we're watching. For example, in the opening scene--the conversation with Dolores--was that Bernard or Arnold? However, one thing we know after this episode is that Bernard is now aware he's a host, at least in the scenes that take place after the Season 1 finale.
6. Dolores is on a rampage.
Dolores shot Ford in the back of the head at the end of Season 1, but that didn't necessarily mean that she was bound for a murderous rampage in Season 2. Of course, that's exactly what happened. Does anyone feel bad for these Delos execs?
7. Westworld is on an island.
"Have them sign an NDA and then please escort them off my f***ing island." We learn this in the conversation between the new character Karl Strand (played by Gustaf Skarsgård) and the military officials. Speaking of which...
8. The island is somewhere in Asia.
Based on the look of these uniforms, the island now owned by Delos was previously part of China.
9. There are more executives at Delos.
The bloodbath at the end of Westworld Season 1 didn't spell the end of Delos entirely--although many delos higher-ups were in attendance, it seems Delos's board and executives weren't totally wiped out. Great--more targets for Dolores.
10. The Man in Black goes by "Bill" now.
This was a fun little nod. Westworld Season 1 expended lots of effort to ensure no character said the Man in Black's name out loud. With that mystery wrapped up, we can just call him "Bill" now.
11. Charlotte has a secret lab.
When she and Bernard have nowhere else to go, Charlotte reveals that she knows the location of one of Westworld's secret exits, complete with a manual override hidden under a rock. Whether this is just one of many, or Charlotte's own personal getaway, is yet unclear.
12. The hosts are connected by an internal "mesh network."
This was another big revelation: According to Bernard, all the hosts in the park(s) are connected by something he calls a "mesh network." The network's purpose is to allow hosts to subconsciously communicate so they can, for example, be aware of one another's narratives and avoid crossing streams or creating plot holes. Bernard's going to use the network to find Abernathy.
13. Ford appears to really be dead.
If seeing maggots crawling out of Ford's face isn't the show telling us "quit your theorizing, he's not coming back," I don't know what would be.
14. There's a new game for Bill to play.
Just in case you thought the Man in Black's--err, Bill's--fun would be over after he found the center of the maze, rest assured there's a new game for him to play in Westworld Season 2. This time it's Ford's game, and the stakes are real--exactly how he wanted.
15. There are at least six parks.
And at least one of them has tigers. Rawr!
16. The hosts are all dead.
Time is weird in this episode, but this seems to be the latest point we glimpse--around two weeks after the events of Season 1, and all the hosts are floating dead in a lake. Wonder who put them there?
17. And Bernard apparently killed them.
"I--I killed them. All of them." And with those words ends the first new episode of Westworld in almost two years. Can't wait for next week!
PS4's latest exclusive, God of War, launched last week to critical acclaim and now it appears to have gone down well with players, too. The Sony title has debuted at No.1 in the UK games chart for the week ending April 11, sending Far Cry 5 down to No.2.
Furthermore, God of War claimed the best week one UK sales of any game in the series, ousting the previous record-holder, God of War 3, which launched for PS3 in 2010. Below Far Cry 5, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life--another PS4 exclusive--finishes at No.3 in its debut week. Yakuza 6 breaks its own UK sales records: it becomes the highest-charting Yakuza game and broke the series' record for week one sales.
The rest of the physical games chart paints a familiar picture. Perennial favorite FIFA 18 finishes at No.4, with Nintendo's Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Odyssey following at No.5 and No.6, respectively. You can read the full top 10 sales chart below, courtesy of UKIE and Chart-Track. Note this table does not include digital sales data, and so should not be considered representative of all UK game sales.
After its launch last week, God of War became the highest-rated PS4 exclusive on Metacritic. Our own reviewer, Peter Brown, enjoyed it too, awarding the PS4 game a 9/10.
"In many ways God of War is what the series has always been," he wrote. "It's a spectacular action game with epic set pieces, big-budget production values, and hard-hitting combat that grows more feverish and impressive as you progress. What may surprise you is how mature its storytelling has become. Like Kratos, God of War recalls the past while acknowledging the need to improve. Everything new it does is for the better, and everything it holds onto benefits as a result. Kratos is no longer a predictable brute. God of War is no longer an old-fashioned action series. With this reboot, it confidently walks a new path that will hopefully lead to more exciting adventures to come." Read more in our full God of War review.
As has become the norm before the release of each set of weekly challenges in Fortnite: Battle Royale, the upcoming objectives have been leaked. We now have at least a sense for what the next challenges will ask you to do for Week 10--the final leg of Season 3--whether you're playing on PS4, Xbox One, PC, or mobile.
As discovered through Fortnite Tracker, which uncovers data hidden in the game's files, Week 10 involves the usual array of things to do. Some, like eliminating opponents, are tasks you'll likely do without going out of your way; others require you to spend some time in certain areas, such as searching chests in Fatal Fields. Others are a bit more specialized, like racking up headshots.
Week 10 will seemingly introduce a new game element. Following an early challenge that wanted you to land on certain targets, one in Week 10 asks you to skydive through floating rings. Another will have you scouring the map in search of a point between a "Stone Circle, Wooden Bridge, and a Red RV." We'll have a guide helping you with all of this once the challenges are live on Thursday, April 26.
Fortnite Week 10 Challenges
Search Chests in Fatal Fields (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Deal Headshot Damage to opponents (250) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search a Chest in different Named Locations (12) -- 5 Battle Stars
Skydive through floating Rings (10) -- 5 Battle Stars
Hard: Search between a Stone Circle, Wooden Bridge, and a Red RV -- 10 Battle Stars
Hard: Eliminate Opponents (10) -- 10 Battle Stars
Hard: Eliminate opponents in Pleasant Park (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
Weekly challenges, despite the name, are typically available for more than a week, although this is the final week of Season 3. Anyone who purchases the Battle Pass has the entirety of Season 3 to complete them. You can see all the Fortnite skins and rewards up for grabs with this Battle Pass to get an idea of what awaits if you dive in.
Whether or not you've purchased the Season 3 Battle Pass, you can log in to claim some free Battle Stars to help you earn some rewards: Epic Games recently granted some freebies to all players to make up for server issues. Meanwhile, it's removed the Guided Missile, which proved to be a contentious addition.
By Anonymous on Apr 23, 2018 10:05 pm We try out the multiple scenarios in the latest demo for Detroit Become Human which is live on the Australian PSN.
Syfy is continuing to beef up its comic book offerings. Currently, the network is home to DC Comics drama Krypton, along with the adaptation of Grant Morrison's graphic novel Happy. Now Syfy is turning another property into a series--and it has enlisted some big names to make it a reality.
Joe and Anthony Russo, who directed the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War, will executive produce an adaptation of Deadly Class, based on the graphic novel by Rick Remender and Wes Craig. Set in the 1980s, the series will follow a homeless teenager "recruited into a storied elite private school where the world's top crime families send their next generations," a press release reads. That teen will then have to stick to his own moral code, as he struggles to survive the school.
The cast includes some very interesting and exciting names, as well. Benedict Wong (Avengers: Infinity War), Benjamin Wadsworth (Teen Wolf), and Lana Candor (X-Men: Apocalypse) will all star. Joining the Russos as executive producers are Remender, Miles Orion Feldsott (Bionic Woman), Mike Larocca (Spy), Adam Targum (Banshee), and Lee Toland Krieger (The Age of Adaline). Krieger also directed the pilot.
There's no word on when Deadly Class will premiere just yet, though it's not the only project Syfy has in the works. The network is also adapting George RR Martin novella Nightflyers, which is in production now.
If there's anything that never goes wrong even a little bit, it's video games being adapted into movies. Thankfully, it's a trend that doesn't seem to be slowing down as Deadpool 2 director David Leitch has signed on to add his own adaptation to the stack.
According to Variety, Leitch will direct The Division, based on the 2016 Tom Clancy video game. Already, Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain are signed on to star in the movie about a future in which New York City has been decimated by a virus. The story follows a group that attempts to save what's left of society and civilization.
While the idea could make for an interesting film, it's not as if video game adaptations have a great history in Hollywood. In fact, 2018 has already seen the arrival of two--Tomb Raider and Rampage. While Rampage has succeeded due to embracing how silly its concept is, Tomb Raider didn't fare so well at the box office. Of course, there's also Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Super Mario Bros., and numerous other bad video game adaptations--including Gyllenhaal's Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Can Leitch break the trend?
Whatever the case, it's another project for an already very busy man. It was recently announced that Leitch would direct Hobbs & Shaw, the Fast and the Furious spin-off starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Jason Statham. Deadpool 2, his next movie, hits theaters on May 18.
Spider-Man (Tom Holland) is getting a lot of upgrades for Avengers: Infinity War. Though it hasn't been revealed in trailers, the new Iron Spider suit Peter Parker wears in the movie has an interesting addition--and it was revealed thanks to a toy.
The Spider-Man collectible from Hot Toys is incredibly detailed and, in a sneak peek at it on Instagram, it looks like the new suit has something in common with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.). Both suits have palm repulsors. There's a couple of reasons this should come as no surprise. First and foremost, the Iron Spider suit in the comics features these. Additionally, Tony Stark designed Peter's new gear. Why wouldn't he include some of his favorite weaponry?
The repulsors, in addition to the mechanical arms that are also seen in the toy images, should make for some interesting new assets for Peter in the battle against Thanos (Josh Brolin). After all, if he can fire blasts of energy at his enemies, in addition to his webbing, Spider-Man will be a pretty useful ally.
That said, he's still a fledgling superhero, so chances are it will be a bumpy road as he gets used to his new abilities. That's what makes Spider-Man such a joy to watch. He's a kid who is still getting accustomed to what it means to be a hero, learning the ropes.
It just so happens that when it comes to Infinity War, those ropes are all that's holding together a universe than Thanos is desperate to destroy. Avengers: Infinity War is in theaters on April 27.
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We've learned more about The Witcher Netflix series, in addition to some pretty significant plans to change PUBG's weapons and strongest helmet. All that and more in today's GameSpot Daily.
We try out the multiple scenarios in the latest demo for Detroit Become Human which is live on the Australian PSN.
Check out the first 30 minutes of South Park's Nintendo Switch release.
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