One of the matches with the longest storyline buildups for Wrestlemania 34 is Shane McMahon's feud with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Now, with Daniel Bryan cleared to wrestle, he can join in the fight at Mania, which takes place at 7 PM ET 4 PM PT on April 8. This year's event takes place in the Big Easy, New Orleans at the Superdome, and you can catch the action on PPV and live streaming through the WWE Network, with a Kickoff show starting two hours prior to the main card.
While Zayn and Owens have spent most of their time in WWE as enemies, they became united as they found a common enemy in Shane McMahon. Owens saved Zayn from McMahon's death-defying dive at Hell in a Cell, and the two have been a pain in the Smackdown commissioner's behind for months. However, Bryan always had their backs, as--like them--he's an "indie guy."
Bryan found himself on the duo's bad side after being cleared to wrestle in a WWE ring again. He needed to punish Zayn and Owens after their brutal attack on Shane. Bryan fired them and then found himself getting beaten to a pulp, including taking his first powerbomb in years. Now, Bryan finds himself in an alliance with McMahon, and if they beat Owens and Zayn, the two will be fired from Smackdown.
The tag team match, which will more than likely feature Shane McMahon jumping off something tall, will take place sometime during Wrestlemania 34, and we're guessing it will be in the middle of the show. Make sure to come back here right after the match concludes as GameSpot will have a full recap.
Also, you can check out our live coverage of the event, which starts right when the Kickoff show does at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT.
Is anyone ready for Asuka? Charlotte certainly wasn't when she and partner Bobby Roode lost to the Empress of Tomorrow and Miz on the Mixed-Match Challenge. At WWE's Wrestlemania 34, the two will get a rematch, but this time, it will be one on one. WWE's biggest event of the year comes to PPV and the WWE Network Sunday at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT, with the Kickoff Show starting two hours earlier--live streaming on the Network and YouTube. It all takes place in New Orleans at the Superdome.
It's been a huge year of firsts for the Women's division the past 12 months. We saw the first women's Hell in a Cell, Money in the Bank, and Royal Rumble matches, all of which lived up to the hype. And 2018's Royal Rumble is where Asuka's journey to Wrestlemania began. In January, Asuka became the last survivor of the first-ever women's Royal Rumble match. With that win came a guaranteed title match at Wrestlemania for the championship of her choosing.
At Fastlane in March, Charlotte successfully defended her Smackdown Women's Championship against Ruby Riott, but her victory celebration was short-lived, as Asuka came to the ring to make a declaration that she was challenging Charlotte at Wrestlemania. The buildup has revolved primarily around Asuka's winning streak, which surpassed Goldberg's WCW run long ago. Because of the streak and the hype, we predicted Asuka to win, but it's going to be one tough battle.
Charlotte and Asuka's battle will happen at Wrestlemania 34, and while there hasn't been a card lineup announcement, we have a strong feeling this match will be towards the tail end of the PPV. Make sure to come right back here after the match as GameSpot will have a full recap of.
In addition, you can check out our live coverage of the event, which starts right when the Kickoff Show does at 5 PM ET / 2 PM PT.
There are two things that seem abundantly clear about the fight for the WWE Universal Championship taking place at Wrestlemania 34 this Sunday, April 8 (broadcast on PPV and the WWE Network from 5 PM ET/2 PM PT). The first is that Roman Reigns, he who has been anointed for years now as the present and future king of all WWE, will again win the strap at wrestling's biggest event, sending The Beast Brock Lesnar packing (or at least away for a little bit to rejoin the UFC). And the other thing we know for sure? That this will be the reaction of the live crowd at the Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday night: Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
But is that what will really happen? The outcome seems the easiest to pick out of all the matches at Wrestlemania 34, given the WWE's insistent years-long push of the Reigns character combined with all the real-world noise being made about Brock Lesnar's impending return to the ultra violence of the UFC. The build-up, too, seems tailor-made for a Reigns victory. At the start of the feud, Reigns played on Brock's part-time status in the WWE and was actually receiving cheers from the crowd after several fiery promos calling out Lesnar as someone who didn't care about the belt or performing for the WWE universe. In recent weeks, the focus shifted to Brock continually kicking the living s*** out of Reigns in episode after episode of Raw. WWE's angle was clear--in this feud, Reigns is the passionate, outmatched babyface you need to root for.
What if, however, it doesn't go the way we're all assuming? The build-up to this year's Reigns-Lesnar match feels similar to the lead-in to Wrestlemania 31, and that bout ended up being one of the best, most surprising Wrestlemania main events thanks to Seth Rollins' exciting cash-in of his Money In The Bank contract. Will the WWE--knowing the seeming inevitability of a Reigns win--play on all of our expectations and have something ready to surprise?
Look, the answer is probably no, and we're calling a Reigns win (as we explain in our predictions for all of the Wrestlemania 34 matches). But we can hope and we can dream, so join us as we cover Wrestlemania this Sunday, starting at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT with the Kickoff Show. Wrestlemania itself doesn't start until 7 PM ET/4 PM PT, and where this match ends up on the broadcast remains a mystery (although it'll likely be one of the last few matches, if not the main event).
Although professional ass-kicker Ronda Rousey only officially signed to the WWE at the start of 2018, the build up to this upcoming match at Wrestlemania 34 started years ago at Wrestlemania 31. At that show, special guest The Rock (or Dwayne Johnson as he's known outside the squared circle) was interrupted mid-promo by Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, with Steph slapping The Rock right across his big dumb chiseled face. Luckily, Rousey was standing in the front row as a regular old audience member, and The Rock invited her into the ring, where she proceeded to get physical (ie placing Steph in an arm bar). And now, after years of will-she-won't-she speculation about joining the WWE, Rousey is finally set to show the world what she can do inside a wrestling ring in front of a packed house at the Superdome in New Orleans (which you can see on PPV and the WWE Network on April 8 at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT).
As a complete wrestling newbie (well, the sports entertainment type at any rate), Rousey is being thrown into a mixed tag-team match for her first bout. This gives her and the WWE the chance to hide her rookie status by pairing her with some experienced stars (Triple H and Kurt Angle) who'll do the bulk of the actual wrestling, leaving Rousey for some basic moves and the occasional big spots. Rousey has so far been visibly uneven in her promos leading up to Wrestlemania 34, but as a legitimate badass in real life, her area of excellence should be inside the ring, where her years of UFC physical dominance have a chance to shine.
In terms of narrative, this bout is built on the age-old trope WWE has been running since the Attitude Era--tough, take-no-s*** wrestler takes on the corrupt establishment. On the establishment/management side is Steph and Trips, reprising their roles as the overbearing Authority. On the take-no-s*** side is Rousey and current Raw GM Kurt Angle. The rationale as to why someone in middle management like Angle is so willing to put the hurt on his bosses is kinda muddled, but this match is really less about the story leading up to it as it is about the story coming out of it. Rousey is being positioned as a big deal and has the potential to become a dominant WWE star in the same way Brock Lesnar dominated after his own return from the UFC. Will Sunday's match at Wrestlemania 34 be the start of a long reign, or the first signs of an implosion in the grand Rousey experiment?
Whatever the quality of that actual match, GameSpot is tipping Rousey and Angle to walk away with the W. After all, Rousey can't lose in her first match, right? We'll be covering the entire show at it happens this Sunday, April 8, starting from 5 PM ET/2 PM PT (which is when the kickoff show begins, with Wrestlemania 34 itself kicking off at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT), so make sure to check back with our thoughts on this bout after it happens.
One of WWE's biggest Wrestlemania's biggest matches in 2018 is one that it apparently doesn't plan to formally announce before the event. The company has been building to a confrontation between John Cena and The Undertaker for some time, yet with Wrestlemania 34 less than a day away, their matchup still isn't officially on the card.
Undertaker and Cena are both Wrestlemania mainstays, although their roles in the company--particularly Undertaker--have been reduced from years past. Undertaker shared a cryptic message on Raw back in January, during which he rambled and listed off opponents he faced. He hasn't been seen on TV since.
Cena, meanwhile, has had to take up the mantle of carrying the entire promotion of the match. With nothing else going on, he challenged Undertaker to a Wrestlemania match back in February. Since then, he's routinely come out to cut one-sided promos which have gone nowhere, due to the lack of any response from his desired opponent.
WWE is a scripted business, and Cena hasn't been spending time on TV for no reason. WWE's own website has covered the possibility of such a match. With the company not as reliant on advanced pay-per-views buys as it once was, and Wrestlemania not needing any additional star power to attract viewers, it seems this will manifest itself as a "surprise" match during the event. It could potentially be Undertaker's final match, so we expect him to win.
Wrestlemania takes place on April 8 at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT on PPV and the WWE Network, live from New Orleans' Superdome. It'll be preceded by a Kickoff Show, making for a jam-packed evening of wrestling action.
For a broader look at Wrestlemania 34, stay up to date with our live coverage throughout the event. We also have a look at other rumors involving the event and some suggestions for when you can take a bathroom break (spoilers: Undertaker's entrance is a good bet).
The Road to Wrestlemania is long, tough, and tiring, and not just for WWE superstars. GameSpot has been keeping you up to date with everything revolving around WWE's biggest event in 2018, Wrestlemania 34. This year's edition is coming to you from the Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday, April at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT. Believe it or not, there are still tickets available for the event, with the cheapest going for $50 and the most expensive costing $7,350.
This year's card is extremely stacked, with 14 matches--including Cena/Undertaker--happening over the course of seven hours. One of the biggest pieces of news to come out of the lead-up to Mania is Daniel Bryan being cleared to return to wrestling, which led to him teaming with Shane McMahon to take on Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. In addition, John Cena has been begging Undertaker for a match at Wrestlemania 34 for the past month, and no match has been confirmed yet, but it's totally still going to happen, right?
Here's a collection of our biggest stories revolving around Wrestlemania to get you pumped up for the April 8 event on the WWE Network. Make sure to come back to GameSpot for live coverage of Wrestlemania and individual full match recaps right after they air on Sunday.
If you're planning on watching Wrestlemania 34 on Sunday, April 8, you might want to make sure you have comfortable seat, food on hand, and a bedpan ready because this is going to be one long show. Last year's show--including the preshow--was rumored to run for six and a half hours and actually ran for over seven. This year's Wrestlemania 34 is on track to run just as long, if not longer.
According to the upcoming schedule on the WWE Network, Wrestlemania's Kickoff Show will start at 5 PM ET and run for two hours. Then, at 7 PM ET, Wrestlemania will begin and is slotted to run until 12 AM ET. In total, that's 7 hours, but since WWE Network obviously controls its own programming and a replay of the event is scheduled to follow, Mania going over the seven hour mark shouldn't be a problem if the time is needed.
The "Big Four" of WWE PPVs--Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, Summerslam, and Survivor Series--all tend to be longer shows, with each of them lasting at least six hours, including the preshows. Mania always pushes the envelope in terms of the amount of time it wants to keep you glued to the television.
While Wrestlemania 33 was the longest WWE event to date, 2018's PPV will surely top that. As of this writing, there are 13 confirmed matches on the card, with at least one more expected to be added this week: John Cena vs. Undertaker. Even though this is going to be a long event, it should move pretty quickly to fit in all these matches.
This year's event will be held in New Orleans at the Superdome, and in addition to Mania itself, WWE will air an NXT Takeover on Saturday and the Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday. It will be a jam-packed weekend, but we have you covered. Make sure to keep checking back with GameSpot during the week for more Mania news and predictions, and come back Sunday for live coverage of the event.
WWE's biggest PPV of the year, Wrestlemania 34, is quickly approaching, and this year's event is going to be jam-packed. As of this writing, there are 13 matches on the card with at least two more to be added between now and Sunday, April 8 when Wrestlemania comes to the WWE Network and PPV.
New Orleans will host this year's event at the Superdome, and already, there have been some huge surprises going in, like Smackdown general manager Daniel Bryan being cleared to wrestle at the show. In addition, actor Macaulay Culkin answered Rusev's open challenge for Wrestlemania, and while that sounds like a blast, we don't think anything will come out of it, but you never know.
Wrestlemania 34 starts at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT, with a Kickoff Show more than likely starting two hours prior--WWE has not announced specifics for the Kickoff yet. Last year's event went for six and a half hours, so hopefully, you are watching the event somewhere really comfortable.
Obviously, there is still a match that will be added to the card--John Cena vs. Undertaker. However, we're only delivering the 100% confirmed matches for the upcoming event. Aside from this potential (but basically guaranteed) match, there could be even more surprises, if some of the WWE rumors floating around the 'net come true.
The real-time strategy genre has been a long-standing staple of PC games, continually challenging its players to flex their skills through the years. Whether it's executing an optimal build order, maintaining an efficient flow of resources, micromanaging armies, or countering enemy strategies, there's always plenty to handle in an RTS. In the early years, the likes of Dune II, Warcraft, and Command & Conquer were regarded as the standard bearers. And as great as those games were, nothing had quite the cultural impact as StarCraft.
Leading up to its release, developer Blizzard had already established itself as a force in strategy games with Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, the sequel Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness. But in March 1998, Blizzard traded the fantasy setting for a science-fiction theme, taking us to space when it released the original StarCraft. Not unlike Warcraft, deep and intricate lore served as the foundation for the world of StarCraft. Humans, known as Terran, had their own complicated internal politics as they became mired in an ever-evolving conflict with the insect-like Zerg and the psionic humanoid Protoss--two species created by the ancient Xel'Naga. Through animated cutscenes and in-mission dialogue, StarCraft's single-player campaign delivered compelling characters.
While the lore worked as a strong hook and characterized each faction to great effect, StarCraft's longevity lies within its timeless gameplay.
We grew to despise Arcturus Mengsk and sympathize with Jim Raynor, or get caught up in the complex arc of Sarah Kerrigan. Tassadar's sacrifice remains a powerful and iconic moment for those of us who became invested in fate of the Protoss and Kerrigan's consequent ascension as the new leader of the Zerg swarm. Blizzard embedded personality and a web of relationships to envelop you into the Starcraft lore. While it worked as a strong hook and characterized each faction to great effect, StarCraft's longevity lies within its timeless gameplay--this is a 20-year old RTS with a wide player-base after all.
StarCraft wasn't perfect on day one; post-launch support with continuous patching was the key to cementing its legacy. The expansion pack Brood War was also a crucial piece to the franchise's competitive sustainability. It has reached its peak in terms of finding the best balance to the point that long-time players don't want it to be touched, and it goes to show how fragile the RTS balancing act can be. But even to this day, the game is still receiving quality of life improvements. What made StarCraft so rewarding was how open-ended its gameplay could be. Although every unit and structure among the three factions served a specific purpose, players were constantly coming up with creative strategies to keep opponents on their toes. Jumping into Battle.net, scrolling through the server browser, and not knowing if you were competing against someone way out of your league made for adrenaline rushes the moment you sent your workers to gather minerals. Every multiplayer match was a fast-paced and thrilling battle of minds.
No matter what race you play, after scouting your opponent's position, you have so many possibilities with build order. As Terran, would you go full mech with a gang of siege tanks against another Terran or roll out an army of firebats against a Zerg opponent? How would you react the moment you saw them building towards air units? Do you have the means to get turrets up before it's too late? You might also be trying to manage a one barracks fast expansion, keeping an eye on SCVs doing their job, or not getting supply blocked which would delay your build order. These are a few of the things that run through your mind in any match, and given the pace of StarCraft, it can get out of hand quickly. That's just coming from the perspective of a Terran player.
It's always fun to toy with opponents using a flock of mutalisks, yet nothing is quite as satisfying as pulling off a late-game ultralisk-zergling push with the defiler's dark swarm ability.
Playing as Protoss, with pylons dictating both base layout and unit supply, is whole other aspect to handle. A simple 12 nexus fast expand or two gateway observer opening is pretty standard, but those plans have to be backed up with the right number of zealots and dragoons, so your micromanaging skills better be on point. Any long-time StarCraft player is all too familiar with the infamous zergling rush, but the nasty Zerg swarm has its own twist on buildings and roster of devastating units. It's always fun to toy with opponents using a flock of mutalisks, yet nothing is quite as satisfying as pulling off a late-game ultralisk-zergling push with the defiler's dark swarm ability. Keep in mind that many of these strategies are contingent upon your enemy's build order, so hopefully you're in the habit of keeping an eye on them and adapting to situations. We're only scratching the surface here, which is a testament to how deep StarCraft goes and why it remains relevant.
StarCraft's complexities result in what feels like a hectic match of speed chess. High APM (actions per minute) isn't just an in-joke among StarCraft players, it's indicative of whether or not you're playing efficiently enough and spending every second wisely. The game is daunting, especially for newcomers at this point, but StarCraft's biggest accomplishment is in how it fine-tuned and found the right balance between asymmetrical factions with dynamic unit composition. Just walking through different strategies should bring back memories of the myriad of permutations these matches can take on.
Custom maps and modes were born out of the StarCraft community and spawned surprising, sometimes lighthearted, ways to play. Playing countless 4v4 matches on the map BGH and developing strategies specifically for it provides a unique sort of fun, especially since you had access to unlimited resources. But the creativity of user-made UMS maps speaks to the community's imagination, whether these were missions with predetermined scenarios based on other games or silly modes like cat-and-mouse.
Admittedly, it's jarring to play an RTS where you only control up to 12 units at a time, can't assign multiple buildings to a hotkey, and must micromanage workers--but even these limitations are part of the fragile balance that has held StarCraft together for all these years.
At its heart, though, StarCraft (Brood War, in particular) is a competitive game and has thrived in the professional competitive gaming scene, almost solely in South Korea. It's a cultural phenomenon there, and the franchise's current production lead Tim Morten said, "It really was that catalyst, that example of what esports could be in terms of popularity and drawing people in. There were people who didn't even play the game but just enjoyed watching the events, which made superstars out of the players." As of now, a total value of $7.43 million USD has been awarded as prize money with $6.81 million of that coming from South Korean competitions; 92 of the top 100 players are Korean.
This long legacy lives on as Blizzard modernized the original game with StarCraft Remastered in 2017. Native 4K widescreen support, high resolution textures, and redone artwork truly gave it the proper treatment from a visual perspective. Players can seamlessly swap between the new and old graphics for a burst of nostalgia, and regardless of which version you play, everyone is matched in the same Battle.net servers. Matchmaking and player rankings are icing on the cake when it comes to ushering a two-decade old game into a new era. However, it did not touch a single gameplay element. Admittedly, it's jarring to play an RTS where you only control up to 12 units at a time, can't assign multiple buildings to a hotkey, and must micromanage workers--but even these limitations are part of the fragile balance that has held StarCraft together for all these years.
Real-time strategy isn't the prominent genre it once was, yet StarCraft stays installed on so many of our PCs and has a thriving online community. It goes without saying that games have dramatically evolved since 1998, but personality, balance, and the systems in place have helped StarCraft transcend generations.
It's been almost three months since Capcom unleashed Monster Hunter: World into the wild, and it's been breaking sales records and winning over new fans ever since. But even with all its success the work for the development team in Japan hasn't stopped there, with a swathe of new monsters landing in the New World for players to hunt as well as the PC version still hard in the works. But despite being busy, Monster Hunter: World's director Yuya Tokuda took some time out of his schedule to answer a few questions about the series, its impact and where it might be going in the future.
GameSpot: The Monster Hunter series has been very popular in Japan for many years, and now with Monster Hunter: World you have a game that's been hitting big all over the world. Does that success change the way you think about the series moving forward in terms of accessibility?
Yuya Kokuda: Each game has its own targets and goals and we work towards them, and accessibility and ease of play was a big focus for us on World. Moving forward with the series I want to make sure we continue to focus on accessibility but not at the expense of depth--I don't ever want players to feel like we've moved backward.
What were the main conclusions you made when setting out to make Monster Hunt World a more accessible game?
I wanted to evolve the three key pillars of Monster Hunter: action, multiplayer and the gameplay loop. But I wanted to make sure all players could get far enough to fully appreciate those things, so I knew we had to take a look at which parts of the game were hard to understand or too difficult, and revise them--again, without losing depth--or remove them as needed. The controls were a particularly big challenge, as were difficult-to-understand game systems and the challenge of how to tutorialise them. The difficulty curve was also something that needed work to make it more accommodating [for] new players while providing a satisfying challenge to veterans.
Obviously, you wanted Monster Hunter: World to be successful, but did you ever expect it to become the best-selling game in Capcom's history? Does its success surprise you?
I was confident in the game's quality, but the quality is never a guarantee of success. Once I saw gamers enjoying the game at events like Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show, and during the beta test on PlayStation 4 at the end of last year, I started to get a good feeling about our chances of doing well. I have to say though, I was still surprised by just how quickly the game sold so many copies!
Despite being more approachable to new players than other games in the series, Monster Hunter: World still feels like it's full of mystery just waiting to be uncovered. There is a lot of information in the game waiting to be naturally discovered through the course of play. How important was it to you to retain some of that mystery for new players? Was that a difficult thing to balance?
It was very tricky. At its heart the game is about exploration and discovery--you learn how to hunt monsters and you also get to the bottom of the mystery in the storyline. Showing off too much of either would potentially rob players of the joy of discovering these things for themselves, and the sense of achievement and growth they get during the game. I also wanted players to share this kind of information with each other using multiplayer to communicate. I think overall we achieved a good balance, and you can see that in the many players uploading and streaming their own best gameplay moments and discoveries. But there has been a limit on how much information sharing players can carry out in multiplayer, leaving some to perhaps give up on progressing in the game as they don't know enough. That's something I want to keep in mind for the future so we can better plan for that.
The last few years have seen a rise in popularity of games with complex and detailed combat systems, like Monster Hunter: World and From Software's Souls series. Do you think the success of those games and games like them has, in any way, helped prepare Western audiences for Monster Hunter: World?
I think that has been one aspect, yes. The game has some similarities in terms of depth to games like The Witcher 3 and Horizon Zero Dawn. Also, games which ask the player to do a certain amount of grinding, like Destiny, are popular in the west, so I think the growth of that segment of the gaming population is also a factor. I love all of these games including the Souls series, by the way.
What was the thing that excited you most about moving Monster Hunter to the powerful consoles?
Being able to use the hardware capabilities to realise the monsters as part of a greater ecosystem. This was what attracted me to joining Capcom 14 years ago, and when I first saw the prototype with monsters fighting each other, I felt a surge of emotion at seeing what I've always wanted to create as I've worked on the series finally happen!
Monster Hunter has had a good history on Nintendo consoles, and a lot of fans are asking for Monster Hunter: World to come to Nintendo Switch. Former Sony executive Adam Boyes has even offered to help port the game with his company Iron Galaxy. Is a Nintendo Switch version of Monster Hunter: World something you have considered?
(Capcom was unwilling to provide an answer to this question)
Past Monster Hunter games have usually had an 'Ultimate' edition released as a separate game. Do you plan to continue the 'Ultimate' trend with Monster Hunter World?
We're focused on supporting the game as it exists now with ongoing post-launch updates and DLC. We'll regularly be adding new content and features through updates, and are working on new quests as well. We just released our first major title update which saw the return of classic monster Deviljho, which all Monster Hunter: World players can play for free. There's plenty more in the works, so stay tuned for more news!
Do you have any advice for any future Japanese or Capcom development teams about how to approach more accessible or Western-styled game design?
Every game, team or company has its own strengths and its own creative concepts, so I don't think they could just do things the way we did. Japanese games are back in vogue in the west these last few years, and I think the ones that succeed are offering a unique experience you can't get anywhere else. It's important for developers to understand what kind of play style Western gamers have, but first of all, they need to work on polishing up the best parts of their game to make it more appealing.
There has been a lot of player feedback online about the game's multiplayer, which some people feel isn't as player friendly as it could be. What have you learned from that feedback and are there any plans to change how it works in the future, either through patches or in future versions?
User feedback is obviously a really important thing to us, as it helps us learn a lot. We often discover new bugs or issues with gameplay that couldn't have occurred to us, and we've tried to respond to feedback as quickly as we can. We made the game as user-friendly as we could within the constraints of development schedule and budget, but we knew there was more we could have done, so we've tried to work out what we can improve through updates, what we can alleviate with messaging, and what we should do better with for future titles.
Speaking of future versions, you have the PC version still in development which I know a bunch of people are looking forward too. What plans have you got for it?
We're working on it right now--it's fundamentally the same game as the console versions, with the addition of PC-optimised mouse and keyboard controls. Some players might be worried if the game's action will work well on PC controls, but during the test phases, I've found them to be really great! The game hits PC this autumn so hang tight, PC players!
Is there any word on G Rank?
There's nothing I can share with you at this time.
What's your favourite Monster from Monster Hunter: World?
Nergigante and Xeno'jiiva. Nergigante because it's an action-focused monster who you want to take on again and again when you've made a new weapon or got to grips with new moves. And Xeno'jiiva because its visuals are so beautiful--the way the lighting effects look. Combined with its theme music and the experience of fighting it, I think it's a great and fitting end to the player's journey of exploration in the New World!
Killing Floor: Incursion is coming to PSVR. The VR title released last year on Oculus Rift and Vive, but jump from PC to PS4 on May 1.
PSVR players will have access to an exclusive level, "The Crucible." Stepping away from the realism, this level has a certain Tron-like aesthetic. John Gibson tells PlayStation Blog this bonus level started out as a development arena for holdout mode.
In Incursion, you'll play as a Horzine security forces soldier who gets wounded in a battle with the Zeds. To keep your brain stable while your body heals you're placed in a simulation. Emma Rose, a Horzine officer, is your guide through the simulation. Normally this would be simple, but a virus is sending hordes of genetically engineered monsters at you. Die one to many times and you could go insane.
Killing Floor: Incursion is the first time the Killing Floor universe has been put into a full-fledged, multi-hour VR game, so The Crucible isn't just a standalone experience, but an additional level to the full game. If you haven't had a chance to see the campaign in action, check out the gameplay trailer here.
The developers have not detailed what kind of PS4 Pro support is available. As Incursion is its own title and not DLC, it should not require any previous Killing Floor game to operate.
We're just days away from WWE's biggest event of the year, Wrestlemania. The company's most important PPV of the year will also be the largest in terms of the number of matches on the card, and one of the battles with the most hype behind it is John Cena vs. Undertaker, even though the match has yet to be officially announced. The biggest question on everyone's minds is, "Who is going to win?"
In addition to Cena beating down Taker, we ran some more simulations in WWE 2K18 for as many matches as we could. However, some wrestlers, like Mustafa Ali and Ronda Rousey, were not in the game, and there was no way to run a three-team tag team match, so those were skipped.
The lead up to this year's real-life event has been crazy. From Daniel Bryan being cleared for a return to the ring, to Shane McMahon fighting in the event--even though he's been hospitalized--to Macaulay Culkin challenging Rusev, the buildup may be more exciting than the actual PPV itself. That's saying a lot, since there are quite a few huge matches on the show that have the potential to be legendary. This is especially true for both Smackdown championship matches featuring Royal Rumble winners: Asuka vs. Charlotte (c) and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. AJ Styles (c).
Wrestlemania 34 comes to PPV and the WWE Network on Sunday April 8 at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT. The Kickoff Show will start at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT on the WWE Network and streamed live on YouTube, with the second hour appearing on the USA Network. You don't have to watch through YouTube or on USA Network, as there are multiple ways to watch Wrestlemania 34 this year, which includes on your consoles. It's going to be a long show, with at least seven hours slotted on the Network for the show to run.
If you're interested in more on Wrestlemania--including live coverage of the event itself--stay tuned to GameSpot in the upcoming week, leading into Wrestlemania 34.
Wrestlemania 34 is filled with matches that could serve as the main event of the show. However, to me, there are two matches that stand above the rest in terms of anticipation, buildup, and potential to be instant classics: AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Charlotte vs. Asuka. And while Styles/Nakamura will be fantastic, it's Charlotte/Asuka that will take the proverbial cake.
The rivalry between the two is new, as the match is built entirely around a Royal Rumble win, but both women's journeys to the top is just as important. Here is how Asuka and Charlotte got to the main WWE roster and into this Wrestlemania match.
Asuka travelled back and forth between Japan and the United States, beginning in 2004 under the ring name Kana. Most notably, she wrestled for Shimmer, although she never won a title at the promotion. In August 2015, she signed with the WWE and changed her name to Asuka. Early on, she was unstoppable and put on some stellar performances, with her battle against Emma at NXT Takeover: London being the first of many in WWE. In April 2016, Asuka won the NXT Women's Championship and held onto it until August 24, 2017, when she had to relinquish it due to injury. She did not lose the title once, and her reign lasted an astonishing 510 days. While Asuka was--and still is--undefeated in singles competition, she did suffer three losses and five no-contests in tag and four-way matches. Otherwise, she has been undefeated for two and a half years, racking up 250 wins without a loss.
Since coming to Raw, she remains undefeated, and she won the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble match on January 28. New rules for Rumble winners went into effect this past year, as the lone survivors of each match got to choose who they wanted to fight in a title match at Wrestlemania. It didn't matter what show the superstar was on. After making the WWE Universe wait, Asuka announced on March 11, at the Fastlane PPV, that she was challenging Charlotte for her belt.
Charlotte Flair, the daughter of two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, had a very different journey on her way to becoming the Smackdown Women's Champion. While she had a few appearances in the final years of WCW--as a teenager--she got her true in-ring start in NXT in 2012. In May 2014, Charlotte won the NXT Women's Championship after beating Natalya. She was a heel during this time and a member of the BFFs along with Sasha Banks and Summer Rae. She dropped the title in January 2015 to Sasha Banks in a four-way match featuring the other Four Horsewomen Bayley and Becky Lynch. This was a golden era for women's wrestling in NXT.
Later in July, Charlotte was called up to Raw along with Banks and Lynch as part of the Women's Revolution. She was the Diva's Champion for a short stint, and then became the first WWE Women's Champion at Wrestlemania 32, which later became the Raw Women's Championship after the brand split. Eventually, Charlotte headed to Smackdown and won the Tuesday night show's championship as well. She will be the only superstar to hold every women's championship in the modern era: NXT, Diva, WWE, Raw, and Smackdown. No one else will ever achieve that again, as the Diva's title will thankfully never return.
That brings us to Wrestlemania 34 on April 8. Asuka chose Charlotte as her opponent, and there could not be a better matchup for the women currently in the division. They are polar opposites with their styles, as Charlotte is an American-trained athlete, who works much more like an '80s or '90s star with some modern-day pizazz thrown in. Asuka utilizes more kicks and punches and works with a stiffer Japanese style of wrestling--or "Strong Style" if you prefer. What the two do have in common is the use of submission wrestling and a "never give up" attitude. Charlotte is strategic and cunning, and Asuka is controlled chaos.
What we really have to weigh here is Asuka's streak. Is Wrestlemania the perfect place for her to get her first single's loss since coming to WWE? Yes. Is the time now? I don't think so. Even when you ignore the rumors that Asuka's win will set up a year-long run as champion, only to lose to Ronda Rousey at Wrestlemania 35--which I really hope isn't true--Asuka and her streak are still new to the WWE Universe. Sure, NXT fans have been seeing her for a few years, but she's only been on Raw for six months now. She's still new to the average fan of WWE's programming. There is still a lot of time to build up just how dominant Asuka is, to really put Goldberg's WCW streak to shame--which Asuka broke almost a year ago, prompting a congratulations from Goldberg.
The whole match shouldn't be about making Asuka look like a dominating force and Charlotte simply putting her over though. It's going to be a battle, as both women are two of the best competitors WWE has to offer currently. Expect this match to be longer, filled with ups and downs, and for Charlotte to look just as tough as Asuka. This should be a clean, straightforward match with no shenanigans or controversial endings. It doesn't need it.
It's apparent that Asuka will beat Charlotte and win the Smackdown Women's Championship, but what could that mean for Charlotte? Will she continue to feud with Asuka or jump ship to Raw during the rumored Superstar Draft happening at Backlash? If she does make the jump, she'll more than likely take on Ronda Rousey before the former UFC fighter starts her slow build to the aforementioned story with Asuka. Regardless of future storylines, we're in for an exciting match at Wrestlemania.
If you're interested in more breakdowns of upcoming Wrestlemania matches, check out all our predictions here and stay tuned to GameSpot for more Wrestlemania coverage.
Roman Reigns is going to beat Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 34. This much we know, with near 100% certainty. Sorry to disappoint you.
There will be contrarian predictions over the next two weeks, but those predictions will be wrong. There will be no Seth Rollins plot swerve. There will be no eleventh-hour booking change by Vince McMahon. Lesnar won the WWE Universal title from Goldberg at Wrestlemania 33, and since then, he has defeated every other conceivable threat to his dominance. He defeated Samoa Joe. He defeated Braun Strowman. Reigns is the only viable opponent left. Reigns vs. Lesnar is a rematch of the two men's Wrestlemania 31 main event, which creates narrative closure to their feud. It would be impossible to duplicate the same level of excitement on a smaller stage.
Reigns is also winning because the WWE writers painted themselves into a figurative corner. Brock Lesnar, according to the storyline, is a spoiled, entitled champion who doesn't care about the fans, blows off scheduled appearances, and coasts on the hard work of younger, hungrier, full-time wrestlers. Roman Reigns, meanwhile, is the man who loves the fans and sacrifices his health and happiness to put smiles on their faces. WWE has sold fans on the following premise: that so long as Lesnar is champion, Monday Night Raw is worse off for it. To have Lesnar beat Reigns is a tacit admission that the show will continue to be bad.
There's every reason to believe that Reigns vs. Lesnar will be fantastic. The last time they faced one another, Brock ended the evening with blood running down his face. Reigns didn't, but of the two men, he arguably got hurt more. Brock's moves were stiffer than usual that evening; a particularly vicious lariat sent Reigns crashing off the apron. Reigns took so many German suplexes that Lesnar improvised a meme--"Suplex City, b***h!"--around it.
The more WWE makes Reigns physically suffer, the more people cheer him instead of boo him. You can see the exact moment the tide shifts during Wrestlemania 31, when Reigns is rolling on the ground in pain, laughing like a long-haired, greased-up Tyler Durden. This past year, Strowman threw Reigns into tables, hurled him against an ambulance and shoved him into any hard, unforgiving surface nearest to them. The crowds ate it up. And most recently on the March 19 episode of Raw, Lesnar beat Reigns with a steel chair before tipping over his stretcher.
Beating Reigns to a pulp satisfies multiple audiences in multiple ways. His fans empathize with his pain. His haters love to see him suffer. And everyone loves a good beatdown. The YouTube videos of Reigns getting pulverized are some of the most watched videos on WWE's official channel.
Love him or hate him, one positive factor about Roman Reigns is indisputable: he is quite possibly the most durable man on the roster. The man can take a hard beating and keep coming back for more. Even his most venomous critics can concede that. Hurting Reigns to get him over isn't a viable long-term strategy--he'll have a truncated career if he keeps hurling himself into metal objects-- but it might work in the short term for Wrestlemania 34.
Reigns is winning on April 8, and he's going to earn the Universal Championship the hard way. Perhaps, that'll be enough for the majority of fans to finally get on board with him. Lesnar, meanwhile, may be on his way back to UFC soon.
If you're interested in more breakdowns of upcoming Wrestlemania matches, check out all our predictions here and stay tuned to GameSpot for more Wrestlemania coverage.
Wrestlemania is quickly approaching. The 34th annual installment of WWE's biggest event of the year takes place on Sunday, April 8, coming to the Superdome in New Orleans. The match card for the event is still being filled out, and there is room for a few more matches.
That being said, there are plenty of rumors drifting around the 'net about additional matches, future plans for wrestlers, and surprise returns of injured wrestlers. One longstanding rumor that came true this past week was Daniel Bryan being cleared to wrestling once again. What else could come true? We rounded up some of the most believable ones coming from wrestling insiders.
Take these rumors with a grain of salt as not all rumors end up coming true. We'll be updating piece throughout the upcoming weeks to let you know what's confirmed and what we heard wrong.
Daniel Bryan's Future
Daniel Bryan has to go in for medical testing after every match. While many are saying Daniel Bryan is the healthiest star in the company, part of the superstar's new agreement requires him to get a doctor's evaluation after every match. (via Cagesideseats) At Wrestlemania, he'll be teaming with Shane McMahon to take on Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. The stipulation for the bout is that should Owens and Zayn win, they get their jobs back on Smackdown Live.
Owens and Zayn Will Remain Fired
Should the duo lose their bout to Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon at Wrestlemania 34 and remain fires, they ay will be drafted by Raw. (via Ringsidenews)
Is AJ Styles Injured?
According to Styles himself, he is working through pain at the moment--as many WWE superstars do. However, he claims he is not injured and will be ready to shine at Wrestlemania when he defends the WWE Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura. (via IGN)
Will Cena/Taker actually happen?
After weeks of buildup, John Cena is heading into Wrestlemania without any actual confirmation that he will be fighting The Undertaker. He called the deadman out multiple times to no response at all and claims he is now going to Wrestlemania as a fan. According to a report, Undertaker has been training for the match for months and will be at Wrestlemania to confront Cena. Whether that means viewers will get the full match Sunday--or merely a challenge for Wrestlemania 35--remains to be seen. (via Cagesideseats)
Big Cass Will Return
Remember Big Cass? He's been injured since Summerslam last year, and apparently, Cass has been telling people his leg has healed up, and he's cleared to wrestle again. It's unclear if he'll be at Wrestlemania this year, even if it's just for a quick spot in the Andre The Giant Battle Royal or perhaps as Braun Strowman's mystery tag team partner. If not Wrestlemania, then Cass could return at Raw the next night. (via PWInsider)
WWE's Plans For Asuka
Get ready for a long Asuka run. She's a shoe-in to win the championship at Wrestlemania against Charlotte, and the plan is for her to defend it for a year, leading to Wrestlemania 35 where she takes on Ronda Rousey. (via WrestlingNews)
The Greatest Royal Rumble On WWE Network
The Greatest Royal Rumble, an event taking place on April 27 in Saudi Arabia, will air on the WWE Network. It will be broadcast live, beginning at 11 a.m. ET, and will include a kickoff show.
[UPDATE 3/26]WWE announced that John Cena will be taking on Triple H at the Greatest Royal Rumble, and both the Intercontinental and Raw Tag Team Championships will be on the line for the event. Also, Samoa Joe is advertised for the event. Does this mean he'll make his return at Wrestlemania, the Raw after Mania, or will this event be his first show back? Tickets for the event go on sale on March 31.
Hulkamania To Run Wild Again?
Hulk Hogan hasn't been a part of WWE since July 2015, but that could change. Hogan is allegedly in talks with WWE to make his return. As to what he would do in WWE is the real question. With Shane McMahon spending less time on tv and Daniel Bryan going back to wrestling, there are a couple of positions open on Smackdown for a new commissioner or general manager. At this time, WWE stated it does not have a contract with Hogan but it has confirmed it's spoken with him. (via PWInsider)
[UPDATE 3/26] There are plenty of rumors revolving around where Hulk Hogan will fit in WWE if he returns. He's is reportedly being considered to become Smackdown General Manager as Daniel Bryan will go back to wrestling full time. WWE has not released any additional statements regarding Hogan's status.
We'll learn if more of these rumors are true during Wrestlemania weekend, which takes place April 6-8.
On Sunday, April 8, WWE's biggest event of the year, Wrestlemania, will come to a screen near you. Like every year, there are plenty of ways to watch the PPV, from on your TV to your phone, and we have a breakdown for the easiest ways for you.
The best way to watch Wrestlemania 34, which will save you a ton of money, is through the WWE Network. Currently, you can get a month free to the network if you are a new subscriber, and you can cancel after Mania. If you enjoy the programming, you can continue with the WWE Network which offers events, original programming, and classic stuff from WWE, WCW, ECW, and more for $10 a month.
Cable or satellite subscribers can also purchase Wrestlemania through their respective services, as not everyone around the world has access to internet fast enough to live stream the event. However, the cost for Mania can be up to six times more expensive than the streaming service.
In addition to the ways you can watch the event at home, sports bars and restaurants like Buffalo Wild Wings play the events as well, but you'll have to check with your local spot as not all participate in the WWE event. Obviously, if you're going to a restaurant to watch a seven hour event, you'll be expected to buy food or drinks, so don't expect this to be a free trip.
If you are planning on staying home for the big event, the WWE Network is available multiple ways. It can be accessed through phones, tablets, or through your PC (both iOS and Windows 10 have apps available). Also, the network app is available on certain smart TVs as well as devices like Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast. You can watch the network using your Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, and PS4 by downloading the app through its stores. Sorry Nintendo Switch users, but the WWE Network is not available on the console yet.
Wrestlemania 34 starts on Sunday, April 8 at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT. There is a two-hour Kickoff Show starting at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT with you can watch on the WWE Network and on YouTube. In addition, the second hour of the Kickoff will air live on the USA Network. It's going to be a packed show, as there will be 14 matches on the card, so strap in for a really long day.
Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle will defeat Stephanie McMahon and Triple H at Wrestlemania 34by submission. The match will end with a memorable visual: Kurt Angle will lock Triple H into an Ankle Lock, Rousey will lock McMahon into an armbar, and both victims will scream and tap in the center of the ring at the same time. The photo and video footage of this submission will be blasted to every major news outlet in the world as the signature "Wrestlemania moment" of the evening.
WWE has run this story playbook multiple times over the past 20 years. It's the tale of the disgruntled employee vs. the sociopathic boss, epitomized in the late '90s when "Stone Cold" Steve Austin began feuding with the evil Mr. McMahon. And since then, the McMahon family--Vince, Stephanie, Shane, Linda, and now Triple H--have excelled at playing villainous authority figures, who use their money, influence, and corruption to keep the good guys down. Remember Stephanie vs. Brie Bella, Vince vs. The Rock, or the McMahon family vs. Daniel Bryan? The opponents change, but the basic storyline stays the same.
The key part of this classic storyline is its finish. The WWE fictional universe is, with rare exceptions, a just universe. When all is said and done, the villain gets his comeuppance--usually on a massive stage to maximize its impact.
This narrative of this match is built on a kernel of truth, as all great WWE matches are. At Elimination Chamber, Rousey came out to the ring to sign her WWE Raw contract. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were all smiles at their latest acquisition. And that's when Kurt Angle had to ruin everything.
The Olympic gold medalist let it all spill out in the ring. He said that Triple H wanted Rousey under his thumb. He recalled that backstage, Stephanie McMahon dismissed Rousey as washed up, boasting that even she could take her on. WWE had anticipated the inevitable backlash against Rousey and spun it into a storyline--a better strategy than waiting for the fans to start chanting, "Holly Holm!" And this way, Ronda could address the elephant in the room directly; Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were the stand-ins for every social media naysayer.
The match at Wrestlemania 34 will probably start off slowly; Angle and Triple H, both ring veterans, will work the majority of the match to create suspense and some back-and-forth drama. Rousey won't be in the ring for very long--she'll probably get the hot tag at the end to close things out--but at any point that she is in the ring, she'll be a house of fire. WWE is doing its best to recapture the old Rousey--the pre-Holm Rousey that teamed up with The Rock at Wrestlemania 31.
That's the Ronda Rousey that WWE wants for the foreseeable future. Because eventually, someone is going to break Asuka's neverending streak. And if Ember Moon doesn't get the honor of doing so (she should have already done it at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III, but life isn't fair), Rousey is the likeliest candidate. She'll be the Brock Lesnar of the women's division, but with more appearances and a better attitude.
Before she was handed back-to-back losses by Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, Ronda Rousey was the reigning "baddest woman on the planet"--the queen of one-round submissions. A bronze medalist of the Beijing Olympics, Rousey was an undefeated UFC champion in the bantamweight division. This, combined with her good looks, her take-no-prisoners scowl, and her signature arm bar, made her an MMA icon. Writers dedicated thousands of words to "what she meant" for women in sports and for women in general.
How, exactly did it all to go to hell? The told-you-so critics would have you believe she was always bad and always overrated, but that's a gross oversimplification. To put a slightly finer point on it, she wasn't well-rounded--she had incomparable grappling skills on the ground, but in a stand-up fight, trading punches and kicks, she was completely outclassed. MMA fighting evolves quickly, and today, the top fighters must be impeccable in multiple areas rather than prodigal in one.
Rousey believed her own hype. When she faced Holm and Nunes--a boxing champion and a hard-hitting specialist--Rousey tried to beat them at their own game, toe-to-toe, rather than leaning on her Olympic-level skills. It was pure, reckless hubris, and perhaps she didn't even know how outgunned she was. Her terrible coach, Edmond Tarverdyan, didn't teach her to strike properly or move her head, as many observers, including Rousey's own mother, noted.
Rousey admitted to suicidal thoughts after her loss to Holm. And professional wrestling is the perfect career for someone who is too psychologically fragile to handle the self-doubt that comes from real, crushing loss.
Rousey will never have the dread or burden of expectation that she had in the UFC. She'll be able to live the outsized myth that fans want to believe about her and that she wants to believe about herself. And Wrestlemania 34 will be the beginning of that myth making.
The Undertaker has been a staple of Wrestlemania since his first appearance at Wrestlemania VII, when he defeated Jimmy Snuka back in 1991. Since then, he has gone 23-2 in his Mania career with losses coming from Brock Lesnar in 2014 and Roman Reigns in 2017. Now, Undertaker will take on John Cena, and while the match has not been officially announced, there is no way WWE would build up this contest and not have it happen during the company's biggest PPV of the year. And when it finally happens--even though John Cena put his heart and soul into the build--Taker will come out on top.
This whole storyline began with the 25th anniversary of Raw, back in January, where Undertaker showed up and gave a cryptic and confusing segment about... well, we're still not sure. It came off more as the ramblings of a madman vaguely talking about himself with lots of metaphors. You can see it in its entirety in the video below.
That was the last time we saw Undertaker on television, and it didn't make any sense. What was the purpose? Did he want to fight someone at Wrestlemania or did he just want to say "hi" to his fans in the most confusing way possible? From Taker's side of this story, that's all we've gotten.
Meanwhile, John Cena came out on Raw back in February, a beaten man with low morale. He didn't have his own road to Wrestlemania, but he wanted to be on the show. So he cut a fantastic promo and challenged the Undertaker. The crowd went nuts, and even Cena haters could get behind the emotion he put behind his words.
But nothing happened. There was no response from Taker, and week after week, Cena came out and delivered some of the best promos of his career, only to be yelling at an invisible brick wall. In turn, his story quickly became stale and repetitive because there was no response, so all Cena could do was reiterate his message, every week.
Now, according to this story, Cena will be attending Wrestlemania as a fan--hopefully sitting in camera shot, the entire time, eating popcorn and holding a dumb sign--enjoy my interpretation of that below. However, considering how much WWE has pushed this storyline, including writing about it on the company's website, there is no way this match isn't happening. It will no doubt be intended as a "spur of the moment" match during the middle of Mania, possibly with Undertaker returning to his American Badass gimmick.
When this match actually happens, who is going to win? Considering how bizarre this storyline is, with John Cena acting like a bully, this match doesn't have a strong face or heel. It's just two characters in the middle of the road. Given how Undertaker went out last year, beaten down by Roman Reigns in what is one of Taker's worst Wrestlemania matches, I'm thinking Taker will go out on top.
Depending on Taker's level of fitness, John Cena can carry matches when needed, and he's great at making his opponents look better than they are in the ring. You can hate the character all you want, but Cena is a ring sergeant and knows how to put together a great match. It shouldn't be as long as last year's against Roman Reigns, where Taker seemed winded a few minutes in, but it also shouldn't be a squash match. John Cena still needs to look like he's a powerful force in the WWE for the next few years before he leaves the company for good. Don't expect a repeat of Cena/Lesnar from a couple of years ago.
What does this mean for the future of these wrestlers? Well, Undertaker will probably not return to the ring; however, I thought the same thing last year. John Cena will go back to being John Cena on whatever show he feels like appearing on. The match doesn't really mean anything for either character. It's just a match, but regardless of what WWE 2K18 predicted in the video above, this should be Taker's last match--and he's going out on top.
Without a doubt, Wrestlemania is the biggest--and longest--event of the year, which may come in at over seven hours this year. That's a lot of time spent glued to a television, and while the question posed above may seem silly to the average person who doesn't watch WWE programming, it's a serious concern to everyone getting ready to watch Wrestlemania 34 on Sunday, April 8. Unlike traditional sporting events--which have breaks in between quarters--or innings or theater--which has intermissions--wrestling PPVs are many times jam-packed with matches, 14 in this year's case, that go non-stop.
Before the women's revolution, many "diva's matches" were called "pee breaks" by WWE fans as said matches were short, full of nothing more than hair-pulling, and had ridiculous stipulations like Wrestlemania 22's Playboy Pillow Fight, which was exactly what it sounds like. Now, the women's roster is amazing, and they're putting on matches fans want to watch, as they're better than a whole lot of the men's matches.
So, that brings us back to the question at hand. As someone watching Wrestlemania 34, when do you have time to go to the bathroom? The card is stacked and every single match on it is one you're going to want to watch. This is a really exciting Wrestlemania. We've analyzed the incredibly large match card and decided there will be a few spots during the evening where you don't have to be glued in front of the TV.
Undertaker vs. John Cena
While the match hasn't been officially announced--but it will be tonight--Undertaker vs. John Cena is probably one of the less exciting matches on the card, as the build-up has been primarily John Cena yelling into the ether on Raw for the past few weeks. While this match will certainly be better than Taker's battle last year against Roman Reigns, as Cena can carry a match a bit better than The Big Dog, this will be your best time to hit the lavatory.
Undertaker's entrance alone will be long enough for you to head the the bathroom, grab yourself a drink and a few slices a pizza, and you won't miss a moment of the action. However, you'll probably miss Taker slowly riding a motorcycle to the ring while Limp Bizkit plays in the background, but is that a total loss? Bikertaker isn't confirmed, but it feels fitting for the story.
The Bar vs. Braun Strowman and Unnamed Partner
All of WWE's main titles are on the line at Wrestlemania, and with so many to watch, there has to be at least one that isn't as important as the others, and that one is for the Raw Tag Team Championships. Not to take anything away from The Bar or Braun Strowman, who has been doing some incredible things over the past year, but the match itself isn't a must watch in the grand scheme of things, since there are numerous other matches that hold much more importance.
Depending on who Strowman's partner is, and I'm guessing it will be comical more than anything else--hopefully, James Ellsworth--it seems like the match is to push Strowman as an unstoppable force while also showing The Bar can work well together, unless for some reason this match breaks them up, which is a different story altogether. The match is more of a headscratcher than anything else, so it's something you can miss a few minutes of, unless Strowman flips something over early on.
Cruiserweight Championship or Andre The Giant Battle Royal?
When it comes to the kickoff show, there are a whole lot of breaks in the first hour, since most of it will be commentators hyping up the matches. However, the second half, which will also air on the USA Network, will more than likely have three matches in it. We're guessing it will be the Women's Battle Royal, the Andre The Giant Battle Royal, and the Cruiserweight Championship. If so, that's going to be one amazing Kickoff show, but if you have to "go," you have a tough decision to make.
Without a doubt, missing the first-ever Women's Battle Royal wouldn't be a smart move, as there are going to be some great surprises during the match. That leaves you with the men's battle royal and Mustafi Ali vs. Cedric Alexander. If the stars of 205 Live aren't up your alley, you probably don't mind missing out on the match, even though Mustafi Ali is a joy to watch and deserves that title shot. Personally, the Andre The Giant Battle Royal will be fun, for sure, but the opening minutes aren't going to be anything crazy. You'll know almost everyone in the match, and there won't be any early surprises, aside from one or two NXT stars being included. For me, this match is the one that it's okay to miss a little of.
While we don't know when these matches will go on in the grand scheme of things, these three matches should be your best bet in order to get away from your TV for a few minutes, unless you're a diehard WWE fan and are planning on wearing adult diapers all evening. Make sure to stay tuned to GameSpot for the rest of the week for more Mania coverage and make sure to come back on Sunday for live coverage of the event.
After weeks of battles on 205 Live, it's finally time to crown a new cruiserweight champion, and there's no better place to do that than at Wrestlemania. The 34th edition of WWE's annual show hits PPV and the WWE Network today at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT, with the Kickoff show beginning two hours prior. 2018's Mania is coming live from the Superdome in New Orleans, and after a jam-packed Wrestlemania weekend, it's time for the big event, which starts with Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafi Ali for the Cruiserweight Championship on the Kickoff Show.
Back in January, 205 Live's champion, Enzo Amore, was fired from WWE after allegations of sexual assault. Because of this, the title was vacated, and WWE's cruiserweight programming was left without the face of its show. Instead of just declaring a brand-new champion, WWE found a way to build up towards Wrestlemania, creating quite a bit of anticipation for cruiserweight fans.
205 Live held a weekly tournament, which started on February 20, to determine which two stars would meet at Wrestlemania. After weeks of battles, Cedric Alexander and Mustafi Ali were the two men that came out on top. We originally predicted Mustafi Ali to win the match, as the superstar has yet to win the title but has that main event status.
Ali and Alexander will battle on Wrestlemania 34's Kickoff Show, which starts at 5 PM ET / 2 PM PT streaming live on the WWE Network and YouTube, with the second hour of the show also airing on USA. GameSpot will have a full recap, right here, immediately after the match.
To keep up with what's happening at Wrestlemania 34, make sure to check out our live coverage of the event, which begins when the Kickoff Show starts on the WWE Network.
A mainstay of Wrestlemania each year is the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, and 2018 will be no different. We know that Wrestlemania 34 will be home to one of these battle royal matches, and while it may not be a headlining aspect of the PPV, it could serve to set up a push for one of its competitors.
The full lineup of superstars set to be included in the event has not yet been confirmed, but recent editions of Raw and Smackdown have provided us with some of the names. Zack Ryder, Primo Colon, Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin, Mojo Rawley, Tye Dillinger, Tyler Breeze, and Fandango will be among those competing to come out on top. Dillinger was our early pick for the match's winner; although he hasn't been featured heavily as of late, he's a talented guy who could use a win here to kick off a new push.
While the winner might not be assured, those who have watched Wrestlemania before likely have an idea of what to expect from this match. It'll probably come early in the PPV, presumably during the Kickoff Show that begins at 5 PM ET / 2 PM PT on the WWE Network and YouTube. Hour 2 of the Kickoff Show will also broadcast on USA before Wrestlemania proper begins at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT on the WWE Network and PPV.
For much more on Wrestlemania 34, we'll have live coverage throughout the event. You can get prepared for what to expect with a look at rumors and the rundown of the entire card.
Wrestlemania 34 will be home to not just the usual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, but also the first-ever Women's Battle Royal. 2018's edition of Wrestlemania is due to take place on April 8 starting at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT, although it'll be preceded by a two-hour Kickoff Show. It's during this portion of the broadcast that you'll catch this particular match.
Although a full lineup of participants hasn't been announced, this has been a notable match in the lead up to Wrestlemania for a different reason. WWE originally intended to call this The Fabulous Moolah Memorial Battle Royal, playing on the name of the men's version. However, this quickly prompted complaints--although she was a significant name in women's wrestling, she's faced accusations of pimping out female wrestlers, racism, stealing money, and more. She passed away at the age of 84 in 2007.
In light of the controversy, WWE shifted gears and opted to rename the match without including a direct connection to any one individual. As a result, we have the simply titled Women's Battle Royal. It's one of four Wrestlemania matches featuring winners; there's also the Raw Women's Championship match between Alexa Bliss and Nia Jax, the Smackdown Women's Championship match between Charlotte and Asuka, and the mixed tag match featuring Ronda Rousey (partnered with Kurt angle) and Stephanie McMahon (with Triple H).
It's set to be a jam-packed evening of wrestling. The Women's Battle Royal will take place during the Kickoff show; you can look for that on the WWE Network and YouTube beginning at 5 PM ET / 2 PM PT. An hour later, USA will also broadcast a portion of the Kickoff Show before Wrestlemania itself gets underway.
At WWE's Wrestlemania 34, every major title is on the line over the course of the event. And if you watch most of WWE's programming, you know that's a whole lot of title matches. Smackdown's tag team division will have center stage during the company's premiere PPV, building on the long New Day/Usos rivalry, while adding a wild card: The Bludgeon Brothers. This year's Mania is taking place at the Superdome in New Orleans, and the show will air on PPV as well as live stream through the WWE Network starting at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT with a Kickoff Show beginning two hours earlier, which you can watch on the Network, and YouTube, with the USA Network airing the second hour of the Kickoff.
The Usos and New Day have had a long-standing rivalry on Smackdown over the past year. The titles have been passed back and forth, and the teams have put on some of the best tag matches in the company. However, this rivalry has really dominated the Tuesday night show's tag division, so there hasn't been any room for a new challenger, until now.
Former Wyatt Family members Luke Harper and Erick Rowan joined forced to form The Bludgeon Brothers. The duo made a name for themselves by showing up at the Fastlane PPV during a tag team title defense between The Usos and New Day and decimating the competitors, leaving Xavier Woods to be carried out on a stretcher. Now, The Usos and New Day have a chance at revenge in this triple-threat tag match for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship; however, since the titles are on the line, don't expect an alliance between the former rivals to last long.
This giant triple-threat tag match takes place on the main card of Wrestlemania 34, and we're expecting it to either be the first match of the evening or during the middle of the show, as it will be one that will really get the crowd pumped up. Make sure to head back here after the match ends as GameSpot will have a full recap.
Finally, you can check out our live coverage of the event, which starts right when the Kickoff Show does at 5 PM ET / 2 PM PT.
The Undertaker showing up or not to answer John Cena's challenge is not the only mystery heading into Wrestlemania 34 at New Orlean's Superdome on April 8 (the Kickoff Show begins at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT on PPV or the WWE Network). Braun Strowman--he of the ridiculous feats of strength and the annoying habit of attempting to continually murder his work colleagues through said strength feats--still doesn't have an official partner to take on The Bar (aka Cesaro and Sheamus) for the Raw Tag Team Championship.
Of course, Strowman being the monster nutjob that he is has previously proclaimed that he could take both members of The Bar himself, but Raw general manager Kurt Angle has officially decreed that a two-on-one match for a tag team title simply ain't happening.
Plenty of rumors have been swirling around who that mystery partner could be. Will it be one of the many mid-carders crowding the Raw locker room, or even a returning WWE superstar (we'd love for it to be Rey Mysterio, though injuries will likely prevent that). Whoever that partner ends up being, one thing is clear. Strowman showing off his power has become one of the best parts of the big man's gimmick, and you can bet the WWE won't let the single biggest event on the wrestling calendar go by without something ridiculous happening. Join us as we cover Wrestlemania 34 live this Sunday. As for who we're guessing will win this match, we're tipping The Bar to walk away with the belts (but be sure to check out who else we think will win at the show).
At Wrestlemania 34--which airs live from New Orleans on the WWE Network on April 8 at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT--Randy Orton, Bobby Roode, Jinder Mahal, and Rusev will compete in a Fatal 4-Way match for the United States Championship. It's high-profile attention for a midcard title, which is always good news.
For years, the midcard titles in WWE have been de-emphasized. The last time the WWE United States Championship meant something truly significant was back when Rusev held it headed into Wrestlemania 31. He was a Russian sympathizer, which contrasted well with John Cena's 'All-American' act. Then, Cena used the title to put over Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens in the US Open Challenge.
Currently, Orton is champion, and all four competitors have a history of putting on solid, though not spectacular matches. None of them have an extensive, personal feud with each other, which means they'll need to tell a really good story in the ring, without relying on outside context. One thing is for certain--it's a good thing that Rusev was a last-minute addition. His presence as a fan-favorite gives this match bigger stakes. Hopefully, he'll win it like we predicted.
GameSpot will be recapping the match right here. And keep checking GameSpot Universe for event coverage, which begins when the Kickoff Show streams on the WWE Network at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT.
The WWE Raw women's title will be contested at Wrestlemania 34, when current champion Alexa Bliss takes on challenger Nia Jax in 1-on-1 competition. The PPV live streams on the WWE Network from the Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans, beginning at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT.
Jax and Bliss' relationship has been an on-again off-again affair for a few months. Bliss believed that she could manipulate Jax to do her bidding. Jax, meanwhile, seemed to regard Bliss with a small degree of skepticism and has rarely fallen for her bait. The two women have come to blows a few times, most notably when Jax slammed Bliss with an electric chair drop after Bliss won the Raw women's title last year. But for the most part, they've had an uneasy truce.
But this March, their relationship took a nasty, never-turning-back turn, when Alexa Bliss was caught on a live mic backstabbing her friend and making fun of her intelligence, her looks, and her weight. Bliss, after being caught, has since doubled down on those remarks, setting the stage for an emotional showdown with a strong anti-bullying message. We believe that Nia Jax will win the title and give this feud a happy ending.
We will be recapping and reviewing the match on this page once it's complete. And check back on GameSpot Universe for our live coverage of the entire event, which begins at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT when the Kickoff Show goes live on the WWE Network.
At this early juncture in the Switch's life, few third-parties have supported the console as fully as Bethesda. On top of its widely acclaimed RPG, Skyrim, the publisher has brought Doom--one of the most brutal and visually intensive shooters of the current generation--to the hybrid console courtesy of developer Panic Button, which is also handling the upcoming Switch port of Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.
As with the Switch version of Doom before it, Panic Button has made some sacrifices to bring Wolfenstein II to Nintendo's hybrid console. The game is capped at 30 FPS, with a lower resolution and some muddier textures than the PS4, Xbox One, and PC versions. Despite this, the experience still remains very much intact. Some visual compromises aside, Wolfenstein II looks and feels like the same game that launched for other platforms last fall, and while it may not be quite as pretty as those versions, it's still one of the most visually impressive games coming to Nintendo's console.
We had a chance to go hands-on with the Switch version of Wolfenstein II at PAX East 2018. In the video above, you can watch us play through a portion of the game's second chapter in docked mode. Like the Switch version of Doom, Wolfenstein II will also support motion-controlled aiming using the controller's gyroscope; that option wasn't available for us to try during our hands-on session, but it will be available in the game from launch.
Bethesda still hasn't announced a release date for the Switch version of Wolfenstein II, but the game is slated to launch for the console sometime this year. The shooter was one of the most acclaimed games of 2017; GameSpot's Kallie Plagge awarded it a 9/10 in our Wolfenstein II review and said, "Despite some heavy-handed moments that feel like missteps in its message, satisfying Nazi-killing action bolsters its completely bonkers storyline in a way that only Wolfenstein can achieve."
It's the match many were hoping to see when two of the greatest wrestlers in the world finally joined the WWE in the last few years. AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura--who both built their names and reputation outside of Vince McMahon's promotion--have competed against each other only once before (an extremely well-received match at NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom 10). But their bout for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 34 this Sunday, April 8(the Kickoff Show begins at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT) marks the first time the two have wrestled each other in the WWE, and it's expected to be one of the best matches on a stacked card.
While the wrestling itself is expected to be great, the lead-up to the match on Sunday has been somewhat tepid. Nakamura won this year's Royal Rumble and promptly challenged AJ Styles for the WWE Championship. But rather than build from there, WWE decided to put doubt in the fans' minds, forcing Styles to defend his championship at the Fastlane PPV in March against five other wrestlers (including the then-directionless John Cena). But even after Styles retained, the on-screen build between the two has been listless, save for a couple of patronising head pats (first from Nakamura to Styles after an aborted Kinshasa, and then Styles to Nak after a cancelled Phenomenal Forearm).
So all we're left with is the in-ring action, which, if the pedigree of these two performers is any indication, is sure to be one of the standouts at this year's Wrestlemania (if we had to pick, we're saying Nakumara will walk away with belt).We'll be watching it live as it airs this Sunday, beginning at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT for the Kickoff Show on the WWE Network, before the big show itself starts two hours later at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT. Check back here immediately after the Styles/Nakamura match to read our views on just how well these two executed on the immense promise of this bout.
Nintendo consoles may not traditionally be known for their third-party support, but Switch has made some notable inroads in that area. The console has already received a number of titles that, just a few years ago, would have been unimaginable on a Nintendo platform, with a few other high-profile ports slated for this year--including the remastered version of From Software's brutally challenging RPG, Dark Souls.
Dark Souls Remastered arrives on Switch next month alongside other platforms, and while the Switch edition may not be quite as visually impressive as the other versions, the game is still a marked improvement over the original Xbox 360 and PS3 release. On Switch, Remastered supports 1080p when the console is docked, just as on a standard Xbox One or PS4 (or 720p in handheld mode), and it runs at 30 FPS whether you play it on the television or on the go.
We got our first hands-on opportunity with the Switch version of Dark Souls Remastered at PAX East 2018, and we came away impressed by how well the experience translates to Nintendo's hybrid system. In the video above, you can watch off-screen footage of us playing the opening portions of the game in handheld mode. Despite Switch's comparatively modest horsepower, Dark Souls Remastered looks and feels great on the console, and the fact that it's playable anywhere thanks to the system's portability is especially impressive.
Dark Souls Remastered releases for Switch on May 25. The game also launches alongside an exclusive Solaire of Astora Amiibo figure. Scanning the Amiibo allows players to perform the famous "praise the sun" emote in the game, although it remains to be seen if it has any other functionality besides that. If you're interested in the title, Switch owners will soon have a chance to try it out a little early; Nintendo will hold a network test for Dark Souls Remastered ahead of the game's launch. More details will be announced closer to the test.
In addition to Switch, Dark Souls Remastered is coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC on the same date. Each of those versions runs at 60 FPS, while PS4 Pro and Xbox One X owners will be able to play in upscaled 4K; the PC version, meanwhile, can run in native 4K. You can watch us play 30 minutes of Dark Souls Remastered on a PS4 Pro for a better idea of how the upcoming remaster looks on other consoles. Each version also features a number of quality-of-life improvements to make the experience a bit smoother for all players. You can read more about the title in our original Dark Souls review.
NOTE: As mentioned in the video, we did have some audio issues during capture. GameSpot apologizes for the inconvenience.
WWE has touched down in New Orleans for what promises to be an exciting, packed pay-per-view at the Mercedes Benz Superdome. And one of the matches to look forward to at Wrestlemania 34, which live streams on the WWE Network this Sunday, April 8, from 7 PM ET/4 PM PT, is the Intercontinental Championship match between The Miz, Seth Rollins, and Finn Balor.
In a weaker, less stacked year, this could have been the main event. Three world champions--one heel, one tweener, and one face--are involved in this Triple Threat. Rollins and Balor are superior wrestlers, but The Miz's character work and promos exceed theirs by far. The contrast of combat styles makes fights. Te combination of Rollins' hard style, Balor's light-footed indie mentality, and the Miz's traditional, slow-paced WWE style, is sure to make heads turn And don't be surprised if Rollins throws in some high-risk maneuvers to steal the show.
GameSpot predicts that The Miz will win the Intercontinental title, likely by capitalizing off someone else's hard work. But Rollins or Balor would be acceptable outcomes too.
GameSpot will be covering the entire show starting at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT, when the Kickoff Show streams live on the WWE Network. And check back on GameSpot Universe for an IC title update immediately following the match.
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