With the rapid success of Fortnite and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, other developers are looking at the growing popularity of the battle royale sub-genre to find their next big hit. Bringing together dozens of players into an intense fight to determine who's number one, it's steadily become one of the hottest game modes in some time--with both PUBG and Fortnite having comfortable spots on Twitch's top streamed games. But as the sub-genre continues to make strides with online communities, with even celebrities joining in on the fun, many are wondering where the burgeoning game-mode can go from here.
In order to understand where the battle royale arms race is going next, it's important to start back from the beginning of the trend. To break down how we got to this point--from its early days as a player mod paying homage to popular films, to the juggernaut that it is today--here's our explainer on all thing battle royale, and what could be next for players.
What Is Battle Royale?
Battle Royale (2000) -- Takeshi Kitano explains 'BR' to the class.
To put it simply, battle royale is a large scale free-for-all deathmatch with the goal to be the last player alive. With only one life to live, you'll have to find any weapon you can--crowbars and frying pans included, depending on the game--while keeping focused as you stay one step ahead of the competition. Though most games that tackle the battle royale game type have their own gimmicks, the basic framework of a match is always the same: One big map, a large pool of players, randomized gear to find, and a slowly shrinking battle arena to force combatants into more tense confrontations. While players can expect some exciting encounters that can be satisfying in their own right, those are all moot if you don't reach the true goal. If you're not the last one standing, then you didn't win.
The origins and framework of the game type can be traced back to the cult-classic Japanese novel and film adaptation titled Battle Royale. Written by Koushun Takami, the story is set in a dystopian-future Japan where the government stages an annual 'Battle Royale' competition to keep the populace in check, while also stifling the growing unrest of the country's youth. A group of junior-high school students are transported to an abandoned island 10km in size, outfitted with bomb collars to prevent escape, and are forced to compete in a battle to the death with whatever items they can find. In order to push for more confrontations, forbidden zones gradually spring up across the island, forcing combatants closer together.
Despite the morbid premise, Battle Royale has a hyper-stylized approach to its portrayal of violence--often coupling schooltime drama with powderkeg situations out of a Quentin Tarantino film. Many of the film's more intense moments are a result of poor judgement, lack of equipment, or a general misplaced faith in the combatant's abilities--which usually make up the most common player deaths in battle royale games. Though the film was successful, even finding a passionate audience in the west, another novel and film series with a similar premise known as The Hunger Games found greater popularity. At the time of its release, many fans were inspired to implement their own take on the premise in their favorite games via player mods.
How Did Battle Royale Games Get Their Start?
PC gaming is where online multiplayer and unique game modes first found their footing, which would go on to influence countless other games--PC and console alike--in the coming years. On the surface, battle royale functions like a traditional game of multiplayer deathmatch, which found popularity within PC online multiplayer games during the '90s. With modding for PC games eventually becoming more accessible thanks to freely available developer tools and resourceful players, online communities were able to craft different types of experiences--even in titles that you would least expect. For instance, games like Counter-Strike and League of Legends started out as fan mods for Half-Life and WarCraft III--which were popular enough to warrant a response from the core developers themselves.
In an interview with GameSpot, Brendan Greene, the creator of PUBG, stated that player mods have had an immense impact on the state of gaming.
"The five biggest games in the last twenty years have come from mods," said Greene. "League [of Legends], CS: GO, Dota [2], they're all from mods, and I think it's because modding gives a freedom to take those risks and do something that people aren't asking for, but is something you want to play. That's what I wanted to do. I wanted to make a battle royale game that I wanted to play, and I think that freedom to create whatever you want is an advantage that modding gives people."
Around the time of the release of The Hunger Games during the the early 2010s, Minecraft became a popular game with players of all ages for its then-unmatched creation tools and worldbuilding. Focusing on the exploration of a procedurally generated world where you can craft items, build houses, collect resources, and battle creatures that lurk around, its creator Markus 'Notch' Persson rapidly found success after videos and social media impressions of the game went viral. As Minecraft grew in scope, its creation tools expanded further--allowing the community to include their own unique assets and scenarios into the game. Latching onto the popularity of The Hunger Games films, an older subset of players eventually made competitive focused mods known as Hunger Games--now called Survival Games. Just like in the film, players were forced into a death-battle against others--which was a change of pace from the game's usually mellow vibe.
Another game that also found a foothold in online multiplayer circles was a peculiar title known as DayZ, which started out as a custom mod for the tactical military shooter Arma II. DayZ creator Dean Hall wanted to make an online shooter and quasi-social experiment set within a bleak and relentless environment where resources were limited, and spontaneous alliances formed with others could fall apart at any moment. Also, there were zombies--lots of them. Eventually, DayZ was released as a standalone game, with Hall even joining the Arma devs at Bohemia Interactive soon after. As the open-world zombie shooter grew, its community began to experiment with new mods for the game. One such player in the online Arma community--going by the name PlayerUnknown--eventually released the DayZ Battle Royale mod in 2013. Not long after, other developers began to see potential in the budding popularity for the new free-for-all game mode.
H1Z1: From Zombies To Battle Royale
As the popularity of the Arma modding scene grew to include the City Life RPG and Invasion 1944 mods, the core games also saw increased success--with many players purchasing the game just so they could experience the community creations. Upon the release of Arma 3, PlayerUnknown--real name Brendan Greene--put out another mod that advanced his concept further, known as PlayerUnknown's Battle Royale. Soon after, he was approached by Sony Online Entertainment to work on a new title that would eventually become H1Z1. As a response to the massive success of DayZ, the developers created their own open-world zombie shooter focusing on survival against the odds. However, the developers wanted to include an official battle royale mode of Greene's design to complement the core game. Known as King of the Kill, 100 players would compete against each other to reach the top spot. The studio not only believed it would boost its player base, but also saw it as a potential esports hit.
Unfortunately, several setbacks kept the game in early access longer than expected. In 2015, Sony sold off the Sony Online Entertainment studio, which had both H1Z1 and a new EverQuest MMO in active development. While the MMO would later be shelved, the studio--rebranded as DayBreak Game Company--continued work on its online shooter. After a year of work as an independent studio, the developers split H1Z1 into two distinct modes, Just Survive and King of the Kill, which came in response to growing players trends in-game. While the original survival game with zombies--now known as H1Z1: Just Survive--had a following, the battle royale mode became more popular, prompting a pivot from the developers. These changes, along with other adjustments to the base game, resulted in some creative differences with Brendan Greene and the team, and the modder-turned-developer decided to part ways with DayBreak.
Today, H1Z1 still has an active community, even setting up several esports events for the top players to compete for cash prizes. Now out of early access and in open-beta on PS4, H1Z1 has been showing steady growth over the years, even featuring a number of experimental modes like Auto-Royale--a vehicle focused free-for-all--that switch up traditional gameplay. However, Brendan Greene's departure from DayBreak ended up paving the way for a game-changer in the battle royale sub-genre.
Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner: The Rise Of PUBG
After Greene left DayBreak, he was approached by producer Chang-Han Kim from South Korean developer Bluehole to collaborate on a new game centering around the battle royale experience. In keeping with the formula he created for the Arma mod, and sticking with his online community name, they started work on the game which would eventually become PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. Taking on the role of creative director for his first standalone title, Greene would work extensively with Bluehole on the game--which he believed would be the truest form of battle royale he had envisioned during his time making mods.
In the original version of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, a large group of players are brought to an 8x8km island known as Erangel--an abandoned Soviet Union military base--to fight it out and determine the last man standing. Players are transported to the island via cargo plane and can drop out and skydive to a spot of their choosing. Surrounding the players is an encroaching blue energy field, which gradually closed in around the island--forcing more players into conflict in the process. When the final player gets the last kill, they're greeted with the now infamous congratulatory message, "Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner."
During the pre-launch periods, player count was estimated to have reached over 80,000 players, giving the game substantial momentum heading into its official release. With its growing fanbase, which began referring to the game as PUBG, Battlegrounds eventually launched on March 19, 2017 in early access on PC. It quickly reached the top spot of Steam's best-sellers list, and shortly after its launch, the developers also landed a timed console exclusive deal with Microsoft for Xbox One. In September 2017, after several million copies of the game were sold, Bluehole rebranded the core development team working on the game as PUBG Corporation, with Chang-Han Kim acting as CEO.
By the end of 2017, PUBG was a massive success, with a peak player count in December reaching over 3 million active users on Steam. Battlegrounds would go on to break several records on Steam, even taking in a higher monthly revenue than both Overwatch and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive during its first month. As of March 2018, PUBG sold over 40 million copies across all platforms and even received a free-to-play mobile version. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds was one of the most talked about titles of 2017--even earning Game of the Year nominations from several press outlets. During its first year, PUBG Corporation released two full maps for the game, with another map that's smaller in scale--the 4x4 map Savage--currently in beta. Moreover, the developers are also experimenting with a more traditional deathmatch mode offering more diversity in content, while also supporting the Xbox One release--which recently hit over 5 million players.
Seeing the success PUBG had, many other developers began to shift their focus to align with the popularity of the genre--even if it meant retooling their existing games into something entirely different.
The Rebirth Of Fortnite
Revealed in 2011, Epic Games' Fortnite was a passion project for many of its core developers, which included Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski. As a Horde-mode zombie-shooter with a focus on base building, Fortnite was primarily about surviving against increasingly challenging waves of enemies. With co-op play in mind, the original mode--now known as Save The World--took players across several maps leveling up their characters and acquiring new loot. Though the developers were excited about its potential, the development of the game was rather troubled, with the team having issues nailing the core gameplay and mechanics. After several years of retooling and refining its gameplay systems, Fortnite was released in early access on July 25, 2017 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
The timing of Fortnite's launch coincided with the growing popularity of PUBG, which the developers were also playing at the time. During a GDC 2018 talk about their unorthodox approach to launching the game, Ed Zobrist--head of publishing for Epic Games--stated that they quickly wanted to come up with an alternate mode to complement Fortnite's main campaign. By shifting Unreal Tournament's development team to focus on Fortnite: Battle Royale, they were able to release the new game mode on September 26, 2017--two months after the base game's early access launch. To offer the game to as many players as they could, the new mode was free-to-play, while the PVE content was only playable by purchasing the base package of the game for early access--which will eventually be available for free to all players once it leaves early access. This decision would go on to change Fortnite in a drastic way.
In Fortnite: Battle Royale, the general pace is quicker, and with a smaller map, engagements with other players are quite common. Featuring a more stylized design and aesthetic, the general feel and shooting mechanics are more arcade-like when compared to PUBG's realistic shooting-style, in keeping with its roots in military-style action games. Instead of a cargo plane, players are brought to the island by a flying party bus, with music thumping in the background as players descend onto the island. From here, players can get into the same sorts of engagement you'd expect from battle royale games. However, the big difference between Fortnite and PUBG is the inclusion of the building mechanic.
Just like in the Save The World mode, players can break down objects in the environment for resources to build structures, such as walls and staircases. This allows players to create defensive structures to shield themselves from attacks or reach places around the map that are impossible on-foot. While you can get through much of a game without having to build, the final battles within the top 20 showcase the speed and complexity of building. A basic understanding of structure creation, and the dexterity required to keep up with others, becomes a must for survival toward the end of matches.
Though Fortnite saw a massive influx of new players during its first few months, Battle Royale hit its stride during early 2018. In many ways, Fortnite is a more accessible game when compared to its direct competitor, PUBG. Not only in terms of aesthetics and content, which feature a more stylized and cartoony art style, but also in that it's a free-to-play game--which is in contrast to PUBG's $29.99 price tag. Fortnite's approach to microtransactions have also earned some praise. With the Battle Pass and V-Bucks (premium currency), you can gain access to skins and other cosmetics that don't impact gameplay. Over the course of leveling up and unlocking new tiers, you can upgrade certain skins--giving them them new looks in the process. You're never locked out of the core experience with Fortnite: Battle Royale. Though each season requires players to purchase a new pass to unlock the next set of challenges and unlockables, it's never forced upon players. Epic has also been quick to address feedback concerning aspects of the game, along with adding in a plethora of new content--making the game feel like it's in constant growth.
Currently, Fortnite: Battle Royale is one of the most popular games in the world, with many in-jokes and references invading real-life. Its mobile release also saw huge success, finding a dedicated audience of players that seek to take its style of battle royale on-the-go. Along with professional athletes performing victory dances and actions based on the game, famous rap artist Drake spent several hours playing with popular Twitch streamer N1nja, with the likes of Travis Scott and former MegaUpload owner KimDotCom joining in their game. And in another bizarre case, Epic collaborated with Marvel Entertainment to launch an Avengers: Infinity War tie-in event where players can pick up the Infinity Gauntlet and take control of Thanos himself. To say Fortnite has found new success with its pivot to battle royale would be a massive understatement. The grand majority of players in Fornite are there for the PvP mode, viewing it as the main game over the PvE mode--which is something that's tucked away behind a (temporary) paywall.
What was once a game that struggled to piece itself together over the years, it's now become a game that many seek to imitate. And because of the sudden and monumental success that Fortnite had with its pivot, it's now open season on the sub-genre, with other developers attempting to find their own fortune with the concept.
The Future of Battle Royale, And The New Competition
With the battle royale sub-genre offering players a chance to test their mettle against a large player pool, not many games can offer that same type of thrills and satisfaction when making a good run of it. But just in 2018, we've seen several games looking to chase the same hype surrounding the game mode, including The Darwin Project, S.O.S., Paladins: Battlegrounds, and Radical Heights--which recently saw the closing of developer Boss Key Productions. In a stranger case, the developers behind the loot-oriented action-RPG game Path of Exile included a free April Fools update featuring a new battle royale game mode, which ended up being surprise hit according to their developer blog. Though it only took a day for the creators to make, over 27,000 games were played in its first 31 hours online. Due to the surprise success, the developers are looking to implement the mode as a part of their seasonal content.
In May, Treyarch and Activision revealed the long-rumored battle royale mode for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 titled Blackout, which aims to celebrate the history of the sub-series while offering the largest-scale combat the franchise has seen yet. Shortly after, EA and DICE revealed Battlefield V. Though they didn't reveal their own take on battle royale, the developers shared their thoughts on the battle royale craze, stating that it would be a good fit for the Battlefield series. Whether any of the upcoming games will see the same monumental success of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds or Fortnite remains to be seen, but still, there's definitely a drive from developers to experiment and create something a bit different with their existing games.
There's a solid chance that battle royale will likely be a normalized game mode for many online shooters moving forward. One thing is for certain--the landscape of the battle royale sub-genre will look very different by year's end. With so many battle royale games on the way, and with Fornite's spot becoming more secure by the day, other developers will seek to introduce another battle royale hit to shift the paradigm once again. For PUBG's Greene, he welcomes the coming changes and titles adopting the game type, while all adding in their own unique take on it.
"That's what I always thought of the mode when I first invented it, in that it could be that [basic] mode eventually like capture the flag or king of the hill--it's that type of game mode, and I think it's flexible enough to be that," said Greene. "It's great to see the genre grow in the way it has. There's [a lot of] new and interesting spins coming out, like The Darwin Project just released the Director Mode, so it's so great to see those different takes on a very simple concept."
For more on the future of the battle royale genre, be sure to check back with GameSpot to learn all about the newest games looking to jump into the fray.
Fortnite's latest limited-time mode has been temporarily postponed. Shortly after the Close Encounters event began, Epic Games announced on Twitter that an issue had been discovered and the mode was being disabled across all platforms--PS4, Xbox One, PC, and iOS--while the developer investigated it. [Update: Close Encounters is now live.]
Close Encounters was slated to be the second new limited-time mode in Fortnite: Battle Royale this week, following on the heels of Solid Gold v2, which began with the release of the 4.2 content update. In contrast to Solid Gold, Close Encounters mode focuses on "close quarters combat" and only features shotguns and the newly added jetpacks.
Epic hasn't provided any further details on the unspecified issue it discovered in Close Encounters, only noting that the mode has been taken out of the rotation while it works to address the problem. Likewise, the developer didn't announce a time frame for when Close Encounters will return in the game.
In the meantime, players can still take part in the aforementioned Solid Gold v2, which will still be available in the rotation for a limited time. Like the previous iteration of the mode, every weapon that drops in Solid Gold is of the Legendary variety, and certain items like the Chug Jug, Launchpad, and Special Grenades spawn more frequently.
On top of jetpacks, Epic recently added a new set of weekly challenges for Battle Pass owners; you can check out our guide on how to complete the Week 4 challenges. Additionally, the developer recently outlined some of the new features and content on the way to Fortnite, including a Playground mode that has respawns and friendly fire. Fortnite will also have a presence at E3 2018.
E3 2018 is approaching, and expectations for the big event are growing higher by the day. While it's looking like Microsoft, Nintendo, and several other publishers will have some compelling content for E3, a lot of eyes are on Sony. Recently, the company revealed that it'll have four major games to show at E3: Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima, Spider-Man, and The Last of Us: Part II. In addition to these titles, it'll also highlight several third-party games coming to the platform, but no new hardware will be shown.
Sony in particular has had a stellar showing at E3 in the last few years, revealing games like the Final Fantasy VII: Remake, God of War, Resident Evil 7, and Days Gone--some of which are still awaiting their release. On top of this, the publisher has also managed to secure impressive third-party exclusives, which includes content for Destiny 2 and Call of Duty. Because of this, there's been a lot of anticipation and speculation regarding what Sony could have in store for its press conference this year.
Here are our big predictions for what could be coming to the PS4, and what types of games have a chance of making a showing.
Kojima Will Debut Death Stranding's Gameplay, Confusing Everyone Even Further
Three trailers in and we're pretty desperate to hear more about what Death Stranding is actually about. So far we've only gotten vague details about the story and how it'll play. While the surreal imagery of previous trailers have piqued people's' curiosity, we can't imagine that another teaser will do Death Stranding any favors. Intrigue can only take a game so far; we need something more substantial.
We're thinking Kojima will take the stage once again at this year's Sony press conference to go into explicit detail about Death Stranding, as well as show off actual gameplay footage. We'd love to see an in-depth demonstration of the life/death and timefall mechanics that Kojima discussed late last year. At the very least, we're can see Kojima will giving the audience more of a sense of how it'll feel to actually play the game, as well as what its combat and UI looks like.
Death Stranding has garnered massive interest due to the sense of mystery that veils its story and gameplay. We're hoping that Kojima and Sony will provide some answers to the questions that its initial trailers gave us. | Matt Espineli
A New Remaster Of A Classic Playstation Game Will Be Announced
We know that Sony is going to put a big focus on four games at its E3 2018 press conference, but if the last few years are anything to go by, remakes and remastered versions of classic PlayStation games are almost a sure bet as well. Like, a sure, sure bet. At E3 2014, we got The Last of Us Remastered. The next year at E3 2015, the Final Fantasy VII Remake was finally announced, and at PSX we got Rez: Infinite. E3 2016: Crash Bandicoot remaster. PSX 2016: Parappa the Rapper, Loco Roco, Patapon, and Wipeout all had remasters announced. At PSX 2017, we also saw the reveal of MediEvil Remastered, another revival of a classic PS1 series.
Finally, the recent remake for Shadow of the Colossus, announced at E3 2017 was released this year and earned critical acclaim. The studio behind the title, Bluepoint Games, is already at work on another remake. So chances are very good that we'll hear about that project, or at least another remastered re-release. Is it going to be Ico? Ape Escape? Syphon Filter? The Getaway? The Bouncer? TOKYO JUNGLE? Ah look, they'll probably get to them all eventually anyway. | Edmond Tran
The Last Of Us: Part II Will Get A Release Date
The Last of Us was one of Sony's most critically acclaimed titles from the previous generation, and many fans have been anxiously awaiting more info about the sequel. Though we've seen two trailers showcasing The Last of Us: Part II's new visuals and darker tone, Naughty Dog has avoided sharing too much about the continuation of Ellie and Joel's story. However, Sony has confirmed that Part II will be one of the four major titles that the publisher will focus on during this year's E3.
Sony has been on a roll as of late with their slate of exclusives like God of War and Horizon: Zero Dawn, both selling beyond expectations and earning wide praise. And while The Last of Us: Part II is expected to attract that same attention, Sony would do well to go beyond just presenting the gameplay demo and leaving fans hanging. To make Naughty Dog's return to its bleak and emotionally draining world all the more exciting, we predict that Sony will also reveal the game's release date. The timing seems just right for Naughty Dog's next game to show the beginning signs of its release, and E3 2018 would be the perfect place to do it. | Alessandro Fillari
From Software Will Debut A New IP
At The Game Awards in 2017, From Software debuted a 30-second teaser trailer, giving us an incredibly brief hint at its next project. While a lot of people were naturally excited to assume it's new Dark Souls or Bloodborne game, a closer look suggests something completely different, at least thematically. The visuals we got showed a bony-looking contraption in front of a scroll of Japanese calligraphy. The device is cast in iron and wrapped in bloody string that's slowly pulled taut. This is accompanied by audio of rain, the sound of a shakuhachi (Japanese flute), and a taiko drum.
From Software has a few feudal Japan-themed franchises in its roster--most prominently, the stealth-action series Tenchu, hack-and-slash game Otogi, and the survival horror game Kuon--but it's also entirely possible that it'll launch a new title altogether. After all, Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne were all new properties spawned in the last decade which caused huge waves, and we wouldn't put it past From Software to do it all again. | Edmond Tran
Sony Will Reveal Red Dead Redemption 2 Exclusive Content For PS4
All the way back in 2016, PlayStation and Rockstar Games announced that some Red Dead Redemption 2 online content would be made available first on PS4. In the almost two years since then, we have not heard a peep about what form this content may take or how long it'll be exclusive to PS4 players. We think that we'll finally learn more about this during Sony's E3 2018 briefing. Rockstar does not usually do much of anything at E3 on its own. However, the company announced GTA V's PS4 edition on Sony's stage back in 2014, so there is precedent of Rockstar making announcements through Sony at E3.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is going to be one of the biggest games of 2018, and an announcement about exclusive content would be a big win for Sony to potentially help drive people to pick up the PS4 edition. This content will be for Red Dead Redemption 2's online mode (which we also don't know anything about), so it would be exciting to see a new trailer for the game at E3 that shows off how Rockstar is building upon the gargantuan success of GTA Online for the new Western. | Eddie Makuch
Another Surprise Exclusive For PS4 Will Be Announced
Sony's PlayStation press conferences have been really fun to watch in the past few years, and part of the reason is because it always throws curveballs at us. Announcements and surprises of brand-new things it managed to keep secret--things we had no idea were coming and no idea we wanted. The announcement of Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima, Insomniac's Spider-Man, Bend Studio's Days Gone, Kojima Productions' Death Stranding, Resident Evil 7, and Shenmue 3 were all things that caught us unaware. We know that Sony's E3 2018 press conference is going to put a big focus on four games, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have something else up its sleeve too. | Edmond Tran
Battlefield 5 is causing quite the commotion. With the reveal of the WWII period shooter, EA and DICE revealed the character on the front cover is a woman and multiplayer will feature playable female characters for the first time. DICE boss Oskar Gabrielson took to Twitter to defend the decision.
Over the last couple of days since the reveal, a number of Battlefield's fans have been up in arms about the female character heading the game's cover art. Hashtags like "#notmybattlefield," have aimed to call for more "historical accuracy" in the game. Many have claimed EA and DICE are pandering to minority audiences with this creative decision, rather than accurately representing history.
First, let me be clear about one thing. Player choice and female playable characters are here to stay. pic.twitter.com/fvi9riUZDM
His statement continues, "We want Battlefield V to represent all those who were a part of the greatest drama in human history, and give players choice to choose and customize the characters they play with."
"Our commitment as a studio is to do everything we can to create games that are inclusive and diverse. We always set out to push boundaries and deliver unexpected experiences. But above all, our games must be fun!"
Battlefield has never been about telling a true-to-life moment in history. Battlefield exists as a work of historical fiction inspired by true events and people. Gabrielson's statement continues, stating "The Battlefield sandbox has always been about playing the way you want. Like attempting to fit three players on a galloping horse, with flamethrowers. With BFV you also get the chance to play as who you want. This is #everyonesbattlefield."
Women existing and playing major roles in this game isn't a rewriting of history in any way--women actually did fight in WWII. Some notable ones are Lyudmila Pavlichenko, was a Russian sniper with 309 confirmed kills, making her the deadliest sniper in history; Wanda Gertz, a Polish solider who posed as a man, began her career in WWI, and eventually led an all-female battalion; and Elieen Nearne, a British spy who was dropped into France to create a network called "Wizard"--she was caught by the Gestapo, tortured, and sent to Ravensbruck, and later escaped during a transfer to another labor camp.
When Battlefield 1 released in 2016, a black man, representing a Harlem Hellfighter, was placed on the cover and featured in the campaign beside a Muslim woman. A similar outburst from the community also occurred, as the game was accused of "black-washing" history.
Not only is the character on the standard edition of Battlefield 5 a woman, but there appears to be another female protagonist in the game's screenshots who is also disabled. Her left arm is amputated, replaced with an era-appropriate prosthetic. As of this moment, we don't know who or what she is supposed to be representing, or if she's the same woman on the cover.
We're more than likely to learn more about her role at E3 in just a few weeks, and what other minorities will be represented in the game from its campaign to its multiplayer. Check out all biggest changes to Battlefield 5, and our behind-closed-doors look at the game. Battlefield 5 releases on Xbox One, PS4, and PC October 16.
Treyarch has big plans for the next entry in the Black Ops series. Along with revamped multiplayer, an expanded Zombies mode, and a series of solo missions centered around the Specialist characters, the developer plans to bring the battle royale craze to Call of Duty. During yesterday's Black Ops 4 reveal event, we got to play over an hour of multiplayer. We also spoke with studio design director David Vonderhaar about Treyarch's influence on the Call of Duty series and how the team is looking to make big changes with the next game.
Set between Black Ops 2 and 3, this fourth entry in the series re-examines the pace of combat, rebalancing many of the more established perks and weapons, while also slowing things down to offer a team-oriented and consistent combat loop. One of the biggest changes in Black Ops 4 is the move back to more traditional infantry-based multiplayer gameplay. Gone are the thruster-packs and wall-running antics of the future soldiers, and in their place is a more tactical take on engagement.
However, many of the more established features from the previous Black Ops games are still present. Along with the Pick 10 system, which allows you to customize your build with weapons, perks, and attachments, the Specialists from Black Ops 3 also make a return. In Black Ops 4, the Specialists--who include Ruin, Seraph, and Battery--and their dynamic with the other members of the team are far more important to winning matches, and there are many cases where the team will use their unique skills in tandem. My team used Recon's Vision Pulse ability to highlight all the enemies in a room, for example, and then relied on Ajax's riot shield to clear it out. This emphasis on teamwork and how to balance it with Call of Duty's gameplay took time to figure out, Vonderhaar said.
"It's really hard to make a tactical game if your character's not [on the ground], so that was the main motivation for us when looking at Black Ops 4. We looked at the thrust-packing and wall-running from the last game... but for the experience we wanted to make, it made the most sense to make things a little bit slower--and slower by Black Ops standards is not slow at all! To give it a more tactical experience, it was really about the [removal of] health regeneration and keeping you on the ground."
The general flow and movement of Black Ops 4 feels far more in line with Black Ops 2.
One thing I appreciated about playing Black Ops 4 is that the Specialists have a much stronger presence in-game. Compared to Black Ops 3, the unique characters were mostly about their special abilities, which were only activated every so often during a fight. But with each character having access to a particular set of gear in BO4, their place in the general flow of battle is much more identifiable. This goes great with the more tactical approach the game is going for, with players having to be a bit more reliant on their squad while also being more aware of which Specialists are on the other team. During our few games, I was more cognisant of which characters were in use by the enemy squad and how to best counter their skills. This was a nice change of pace from most other COD multiplayer games, where both sides just spam the same tactics ad nauseam.
While skilled players are still capable of taking on multiple enemies at once, there are a few changes in Black Ops 4 that they'll have to get used to first. Though players actually have more health than in previous COD games, Black Ops 4 also removes health regeneration in favor of a new healing button. This makes healing a conscious decision, as opposed to running for cover and waiting for the damage to pass over, that can also lead to some hairy moments where you have to pick a good time to heal. Also, the mini-map will only show a set distance ahead of you--meaning you're largely blind when navigating much of the map.
The more tactical flow of matches took some time for me to get used to, which meant a few failed games of multiplayer. Despite these changes, Black Ops 4's multiplayer still runs at an extremely brisk pace. The general flow and movement of Black Ops 4 feels far more in line with Black Ops 2, which was a favorite among fans. There were a number of thrilling moments during my matches in Hardpoint, Domination, and the new game type Control, which forces the teams to fight for specific territory with only a limited number of lives. Seeing the team gel together, as opposed to just running off and trying to be the hero, was exciting to be a part of.
One of the new game types in Black Ops 4 is the long-rumored battle royale mode called Blackout. Set on a large map, where players can take control of characters and use any weapon from the Black Ops games, Treyarch aims to make a battle royale mode that is consistent with the style and tone of the series. While the team hasn't shared any more info regarding the specifics of player count--which according to Vonderhaar is still being decided--they're confident they're introducing a new take on the game mode that will feel unique to Call of Duty and to other games of the sub-genre.
"We love those types of games internally, and our fans love those types of games as well," said Vonderhaar. "I think there's a strong opportunity to create something special for the series, and specifically for Black Ops fans. There's a unique way to do that for Treyarch, and for Call of Duty. If we didn't believe that, then we wouldn't do it. This is a unique battle royale-experience for the Black Ops series... All we really want with [Blackout] is for Black Ops fans to have an experience to call their own. We're going to do it the Black Ops way."'
The new pace of combat felt fresh, and I'm already looking forward to getting into a few more matches with the Specialists, along with diving into the new battle royale mode.
Treyarch plans to launch Black Ops 4 on October 12 for PC as a Battle.net exclusive alongside a simultaneous console release on PS4 and Xbox One. Going hands-on with it took some adjustment--who knew that we'd be so used to using jetpacks and exo-suits--but these changes felt welcome after few matches. The new pace of combat felt fresh, and I'm already looking forward to getting into a few more matches with the Specialists, along with diving into the new battle royale mode.
Days Gone goes out of its way to make it feel like you're in an oppressive and bleak setting. With many scattered survivors, bandits lurking in the streets and dense forests, and undead roaming among the remains of civilization--the zombie-apocalypse is a constant struggle to survive in. And the only thing keeping you going are the meager resources you can scrape together, and a motorcycle that's seen far better days. Coming from Bend Studio, the same developers behind the Syphon Filter series and Uncharted: Golden Abyss, the upcoming open-world game is a massive departure for its creators, which shows some solid signs of ambition.
We recently got to check out the early hours of the PS4 exclusive, and saw some promise in the large open-world of this zombie shooter. You take on the role of Deacon, a motorcycle-riding drifter who's lived through two years of the apocalypse and counting--the game literally has a counter that shows how many days have passed since the outbreak. As he travels deeper into the wilds of the Pacific Northwest, he'll encounter bandits, gangs, dangerous wild-animals, and other ruthless factions seeking to claim what's left of the world, all the while finding out just how far the infection has spread.
In order to stay alive, you'll have to stay prepared and on the move, and Deacon's most valuable tool to do just that is his motorcycle. Not only is it his go-to mode of transport, but it also allows him to haul materials to various safe havens. During our session, we started out in one of the many safe-zones scattered around the world. In these areas, Deacon can meet up with several NPCs who can give him quests, trade resources, and upgrade much of his gear--including his bike. In familiar open-world fashion, you'll be able to explore the map and take on a number of side-missions from NPC characters, as well as minor encounters that lead to some minor rewards. With a world size that's similar in scale to Horizon: Zero Dawn, the map encompassing the six regions that you can explore will gradually become more diverse in layout and design, while also slowly growing more hostile.
I enjoyed the way Days Gone presents its world, but I couldn't get over how familiar it all felt. With the fantasy of the zombie apocalypse being a very common premise--survivors being pushed to their limits while dealing with life in a chaotic post-civilization where bandits and the undead are out to kill you--it was hard to find something really unique in Days Gone. It often traversed a very well-worn path in the hour I spent with the game. Moreover, the exploration was constantly bogged down by some noticeable performance drops and odd bugs throughout, most of which occurred during moments of heavy action.
Eventually, we found ourselves searching an abandoned laboratory facility operated by NERO--Days Gone's more sinister take on the CDC--which happened to be filled with the undead. While bandits and other hostile factions will be on the look out for other survivors--the larger threat to everyone are the numerous 'freakers' lurking about in the world. The freakers are essentially traditional zombie fodder, and can be easily taken out when only dealing with one at a time. However, they can be especially deadly in packs. In one of the game's more interesting moments, large swarms of freakers moved in unison like a ravenous wave shifting through the woods and streets of the world. Even when driving your bike at high-speed, they'll literally throw themselves at Deacon to knock him off--resulting in him getting swarmed by others when he's left scrambling.
In most cases, it's best to stick to the stealthy approach when entering areas swarming with bandits and zombies. Much like any other open-world action-game, Deacon has an assortment of skills that range from crafting, melee, long-range, and stealth. As he collects experience from quests and taking out enemies, he'll level up and gain skill-points to unlock new perks and buffs. These upgrades includes longer use of breakable melee weapons, improved aiming, and more efficient crafting skills for better rewards. With resources being so scarce, Deacon will have to scavenge supplies found out in the wilderness, and from derelict buildings and vehicles left on the side of the road. An ever helpful survivor-sense also allows him to hone in on points of interest in the immediate area, such as hidden caches and hostiles.
In recent times, the survival aspect has become a key pillar in many open-world games. Whether it's managing your character's intake of resources like food and water, or simply just trying to keep them in one piece while exploring the land and trying to make it back to safety. Days Gone tends to stay within that middle ground. Not too overbearing, but still placing you in situations where you're against a swarm of zombies with low ammo and healing. Deacon, while resourceful and capable of handling himself in a fight, isn't able to sustain himself for long out in the wild.
Days Gone shows a lot of potential when it comes to offering a large world to explore. There are some trace echoes of other Sony exclusive titles like The Last of Us and Horizon to be found in its presentation and environmental design, which aren't bad influences to have on this open-world title. Even though it was a brief demo that only scratched the surface of what we can expect in the final game, I was impressed with how much of content and sights there were to see. While you can follow the story missions pretty closely, there are a number of cool side-objectives and challenging moments to be found off the golden path--such as trying to sneak through a freaker-infested lumberyard, which went horribly wrong in my case and resulted in me having to high-tail it back to my bike.
But we still have some concerns about whether it can find a more meaningful way to distinguish itself, apart from some cool moments riding the motorcycle and the amazingly detailed zombie swarms. With a release in early 2019, there's still some time for Days Gone to get itself into shape on the technical side of things, and hopefully show us a stronger sense of its own identity.
Solo: A Star Wars Story's many, many Star Wars Easter eggs and references aren't limited to simple in-universe callbacks. There's even one moment late in the film that directly calls out, in a very meta way, the most infamous change George Lucas made in his widely despised remasters of the original Star Wars trilogy. We're talking, of course, about "Han shot first."
In Solo, Woody Harrelson's grizzled scoundrel Tobias Beckett repeatedly tells young Han not to trust anyone. After a predictable series of double crosses, the two face one another on the sand, in glorious old West showdown style. And this time, unlike in Lucas's "updated" version of A New Hope, Han absolutely, unequivocally shoots first.
It's a great payoff from an in-fiction story perspective. Han has been bright-eyed and bushy-tailed throughout Solo, and his naive optimism gets him into trouble more than once. Fans know that Han is significantly more jaded by the time we catch up with him ten years later in Episode IV. Taking Beckett's advice to heart and betraying his sort-of-mentor before Beckett can double cross him again is a big step on Han's path toward becoming the character we know.
But even more than that, the moment felt satisfying on a meta level--reassuring, even. George Lucas's history-altering change to the cantina scene, in which he added an extra blaster shot so that Han technically shoots Greedo in self defense, was an attempt to sand the rough edge off the character. Sure, he's a scoundrel and a villain. But he's not a killer--at least, not anymore.
That doctored scene, blasphemy though it might be, may well be the canonical version of events (depending who you ask). But even if it is, Solo's "Han shoots first" scene is a direct rebuttal: This is who Han Solo is. It's the executives and creatives at Disney acknowledging that the Han Solo fans have always preferred--the one who shoots first--is the real Han Solo, no matter what actor is playing him.
Solo's writers, Lawrence and Jonathan Kasdan, certainly see it that way.
"That was part of the reason I wanted to do it," Lawrence Kasdan, who also co-wrote The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, told GameSpot during a recent interview. "George [Lucas] really wrote that idea, and then he backed off that idea, and it bothered me enormously, since A New Hope is so important to me. And part of what I love about that scene in the cantina, which is one of the greatest scenes ever, was that it was realistic and hardboiled in the way I wanted it to be. So it's really bothered me."
The writer mentioned the "movement" among fans who consider Lucas's re-working of the scene to be "revisionist history," and he's definitely in agreement with them. He added that when his son, Jonathan Kasdan, came onboard to co-write Solo: A Star Wars Story with him, they knew it was one of the few things they would have to address.
"We didn't have a long checklist of things we were going to do," Lawrence Kasdan explained. "But that's one we wanted to do."
Jonathan Kasdan added that the character Tobias Beckett evolved into a perfect fit for that moment in the film.
"That's when we arrived on the idea of Beckett," he said. "It was one of those cathartic moments that you occasionally have when you're writing, where it gelled that [Han] would have this Long John Silver type relationship, this Neil McCauley [Robert De Niro's character in the 1995 crime movie Heat] mentor, and that that would be the person who would finally teach him this invaluable lesson that he'd carry with him his whole life. It seemed organic to the story we wanted to tell."
Say whatever else you want about Solo, but love it or hate it otherwise, this, at least, is awesome.
E3 is just around the corner, and for publishers like Sony that means big splashy presentations and surprising announcements. The annual PlayStation showcase is one of the highlights of E3, especially since the company has fine-tuned its presentation to deliver one trailer after another.
It's hard to say just how surprising this year's show will be, however. Sony has taken the unusual step of outlining its plans ahead of time, with a particular "deep dive" focus on four games: Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima, Spider-Man, and The Last of Us Part II. That covers the first-party line-up for the foreseeable future, and time will have to tell if Sony will devote any of its press conference to third-party games.
Sony's E3 press conference will begin on Monday, June 11 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET. You can check out our full press conference schedule for the rest of the line-up, and look below for all of the PS4 games confirmed to be at the show so far.
Solo: A Star Wars Story tells the tale of famed space scoundrel Han Solo--and we mean the whole story. This movie covers how Han met Chewie, how he met Lando, how he won the Millennium Falcon, how he completed the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs, where he got his iconic blaster, and even how he got his name. If that sounds like a lot of origin to cram into one movie, it's because it is. But those aren't the only Star Wars references in Solo--not by a long shot.
In fact, Solo doubtless features more Star Wars Easter eggs, references, inside jokes, and callbacks than we could possibly spot ourselves. There's even one that Dryden Vos actor Paul Bettany was sworn to secrecy over--and we still have no idea what he's referring to.
That said, we did our best. Here's every Star Wars Easter egg and reference in Solo we've spotted so far. What's your favorite? Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below.
Han's golden dice were featured prominently hanging in the Millennium Falcon in the more recent Star Wars movies, and they were even present in the originals, though they were less of a focus. The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary originally stated that Han used the dice in the game of sabacc that won him the Falcon, but Solo revealed that he had the dice on a chain as a lucky charm even earlier than that.
2. The Imperial March
The famous Imperial March song is heard at the recruitment center on Corellia. It's a fun meta joke that shows the song was actually used by the Empire for propaganda purposes.
3. "So Low"
Did you think "Solo" was Han's natural last name? A fair assumption, maybe, but it turns out he actually got his name from an Empire recruiter on Corellia.
4. Chewie's Bandolier
Chewbacca gets his signature ammo bandolier in Solo, then apparently wears it for the rest of his life, for some reason.
5. Chewie's name
Han notes in Solo that "Chewbacca" is a mouthful, although it appears to be Woody Harrelson's character, Tobias Beckett, who actually gives the Wookie his famed nickname.
6. What's Old Is New
It's a small design touch, but the few non-hologram screens we see in Solo are what we today would consider "old." Like Rogue One, Solo keeps up the design from the original Star Wars movies, despite technology having advanced in the real world since then.
7. The VCX-100
The fictional ship that Han mentions in his first sabacc game with Lando (fictional in the sense that he doesn't have it) is a VCX-100 model. Fans will know of another famous VCX-100: the Ghost from Star Wars Rebels.
8. Teräs Käsi
Emilia Clarke's character, Qi'ra, is a formidable fighter thanks to her knowledge of the "Teräs Käsi" fighting style. Teräs Käsi has been mentioned in Star Wars before, most notably in the title of the 1997 PlayStation game Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi.
9. Bossk
Thandie Newton's character, Val, mentions a few other bounty hunters early in Solo. One is Bossk, a Trandoshan bounty hunter who's popped up in Star Wars before, including in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
10. Zan Sisters
Val also mentions "the Zan sisters," which is likely a reference to Zan and Zu Pike, twin sisters and masters of the Teräs Käsi fighting style who first appeared in the 1996 novel Shadows of the Empire.
11. "Han," Like "Pan"
When Han finally meets Lando, actor Donald Glover pronounces "Han" just like Billy D. Williams, the original Lando, did back in the day: like "pan." Han initially corrects him, but quickly lets it go, which apparently leads to Lando pronouncing his name wrong for the rest of their lives.
12. "I Know"
The moment when Han replies "I know" to Lando's "I hate you" is a reference to the famous scene in Empire Strikes Back when Han replies the same to Leia's "I love you."
13. Wizard Chess
We learn in Solo that the Millennium Falcon's Dejarik board was already installed by the time Han won the ship from Lando. In Star Wars, Dejarik is a popular two-player game in which teams of holographic creatures battled each other on a circular board.
14. That's Not C-3PO
C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels has appeared as the iconic golden droid in every live action Star Wars movie--until now. However, Daniels does have a cameo in Solo--just not as C-3PO. You can spot him during the droid rebellion on Kessel.
15. Recognize That Blaster?
Han gets his iconic blaster from Tobias Beckett, then apparently never upgrades to a less cobbled together gun for the rest of his life.
16. Who Killed Aurra Sing?
It's mentioned in Solo that Tobias Beckett infamously killed Aurra Sing, a character who first appeared in the background in Phantom Menace.
17. Warwick's Returning Character
Actor Warwick Davis has appeared previously in Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, The Force Awakens, Rogue One, The Last Jedi, and Star Wars Rebels. But we rarely see his face, as he often portrays an alien or droid. Solo, in which Davis plays the "pirate" Weazel, is one of the only exceptions--and it's even more notable because Davis played the same minor character in The Phantom Menace. He even gets a line in Solo.
18. The Gangster On Tatooine
The Tatooine gangster Tobias Beckett refers to toward the end of Solo is no doubt none other than Jabba the Hutt, who Han will go on to work for, and, later, owe money to.
19. A Good Bad Feeling
The line "I've got a bad feeling about this" is uttered in most Star Wars movies (all if you count droid speak). Solo plays with the line a bit when Han says, "I have a good feeling about this," before flying into the storm.
20. She's In The Ship
L3's melding with the Millennium Falcon may seem strange at first--does anyone remember the Falcon having an onboard AI? But it's actually a reference to a C-3PO line in Empire Strikes Back: "Sir, I don't know where your ship learned to communicate, but it has the most peculiar dialect," the protocol droid says. L3's marriage with the ship explains that quite neatly.
If that wasn't enough, the scene in Solo is punctuated by what we know to be the classic Falcon start-up noise, implying L3 herself may be the source of the iconic sound effect.
21. The Rebellion Begins
Han Solo may be a scoundrel, but he ultimately makes the right choice and hands the goods over to the "pirates" who've been hounding him throughout the movie. It's implied that these fighters form the seed of what will eventually become the Rebellion, indicating that Han was helping them from the very beginning, whether he intended to or not.
22. Han Shot First
The scene in which Han shoots Tobias Beckett is a direct reference to the scene George Lucas changed in A New Hope. In the original version, Han shot Greedo, but Lucas later altered it so that Greedo takes a shot at him. In Solo, we learn that Han really is the type of person who shoots first.
23. Benthic Two Tubes
As Reddit users pointed out, the extremely minor character Benthic Two Tubes from Rogue One appears in Solo, although he's simply named "Tubes" here.
24. The Kessel Run
The Kessel Run Han and the rest of Solo's characters heroically pull off was, of course, first mentioned in A New Hope. In Solo, we finally got to find out exactly what it is.
25. Holy S*** It's Darth Maul
The leader of Crimson Dawn turns out to be none other than Darth Maul, and if you're confused about that, don't worry--we got you covered.
26. Welcome To Dathomir
At the end of the movie, Maul tells Qi'ra to join him on Dathomir, a planet that's popped up multiple times throughout Star Wars history. The planet has a strong association with the dark side, implying Qi'ra is going full evil should we ever see her again.
27. Fair And Square
At the very end of the movie, Han points out to Lando that he won their sabacc rematch "fair and square," a reference to Lando's earlier cheating. It's also a reference to the original trilogy scene between Han and Lando, where Han once again uses the phrase.
By Anonymous on May 26, 2018 08:30 pm Looking for a new show to binge watch on Netflix? Emily has narrowed down the 8 best Netflix originals of 2018 so far!
With E3 2018 right around the corner, we want to continue the annual tradition of making predictions; educated ones of course. Speculation is fun when it comes gaming's biggest show and we always appreciate pleasant surprises, so we corralled the GameSpot team to throw some ideas out there. This time, we're looking at Microsoft's press conference and what could be in store for Xbox One owners.
As we get closer to the show, developers and publishers slowly tease or reveal plans for E3, but Microsoft has played its cards closer to its chest than most. We can expect more about Crackdown 3, since it's one of the biggest 2018 games in Microsoft's rotation. It's been hit with several delays, but with the game scheduled to launch this year, more details and a definitive release date would make sense. A new entry in the Halo franchise is a possibility given the last mainline entry was in 2015. Perhaps another Gears of War? Based on series cadence, Forza Horizon 4 seems likely--unless you're Walmart Canada who's thinking ahead to Forza Horizon(s) 5. Those wouldn't really come as surprises, though. We're here to stretch the imagination, grounded in some sort of reality.
Microsoft is changing things up a bit this year by moving its E3 press conference and show presence to its own Microsoft Theatre at LA Live, which is right across from the LA Convention Center. Microsoft executive Mike Nichols said it'll be the company's biggest show yet. As to what that means, we'll find out on June 11 at 1PM PT. For now, read our predictions, and if you want more sweet speculation, check out what we're predicting from Sony and Nintendo for E3 2018.
Halo 6 Will Be Announced
It has been nearly three years since the release of Halo 5: Guardians, so if we are to believe that Halo is on a three-year release pattern (Halo 5 came out three years after Halo 4), Halo 6 could launch in fall 2018. In any case, the time is right for Master Chief to return to battle. Halo 5 was a big success with the advancements it made to multiplayer and Forge and a story that, while underwhelming in parts for not entirely paying off, showed us a new and intriguing side of Master Chief.
Halo is one of Microsoft's oldest and best-known franchises, and it's time for Microsoft to try something new with Halo 6. I don't know what that might look like, and it would be a bit sad and uninspired of Microsoft to simply try to cash-in on the battle royale trend. Instead, I want to see something new and unexpected from Halo at E3 this year. We already know the game will have split-screen, which is great because Halo 5 didn't. But I want to see Microsoft completely blow fans away with story and gameplay advancements. | Eddie Makuch
A New Blue Dragon Is On The Way
Blue Dragon was a little JRPG exclusive on Xbox 360 that released worldwide in 2007, made by Japanese developers Mistwalker and Artoon. With the the help of Microsoft's publishing arm, Blue Dragon brought something the console was short on: Japanese games. Famed artist Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball, Chrono Trigger) also put his distinct touch on the game with character designs and artwork. Although it was a fairly by-the-numbers RPG and didn't do much to push the genre forward, it was still an enjoyable game that diversified the Xbox 360 library.
Support for Japanese game-makers on the Xbox platform hasn't really improved since then, especially after the cancellation of Scalebound; the PS4 has this aspect locked down with franchises like Yakuza, Persona, and Nier. However, earlier this year, head of Xbox Phil Spencer said in response to a Tweet about whether or not JRPGs would be highlighted at E3 2018, "As of now, yes. Things can change but like last year I wanted to make sure we supported our Japanese publishers on our stage and this year we are working to do the same. It's important to us."
Microsoft still holds the Blue Dragon name and it's one of the few existing franchises of Japanese origin that the Xbox can boast. It'd be exciting to see a revival on the Xbox One and if Mistwalker would be on board to develop it. | Michael Higham
Platinum Games Has Something In The Works For Xbox
The cancellation of Scalebound was extremely disappointing for Xbox One owners since it had been touted for a long time as a top-tier exclusive. Also, the fact that Platinum Games was working on it made many believe it would live up to the hype, given the developer's track record (Bayonetta, Vanquish). Hideki Kamiya, the director behind Devil May Cry and Okami, was leading the charge, too.
But as believers in Platinum's work, we'd like to think that there's something that can be salvaged. It'd be a shame for everything from Scalebound to go to waste. Also, Xbox boss Phil Spencer stated that Microsoft wants to support Japanese games and do so this year at E3. Based on the critical reception of Nier Automata, which released for PS4 and PC, it'd be big for Microsoft to have its own Platinum hit. | Michael Higham
Crackdown 3 Will Have A Battle Royale-like Mode
Alright, we know it's easy to name any game and say it's going to have a Battle Royale mode. It's been the topic of conversation since PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds blew up and Fortnite: Battle Royale became the biggest topic in all of games. We're even seeing big name franchises like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto adopt elements of the genre and we're constantly thinking about who's next to do so. It could be Crackdown 3.
Microsoft is flexing Crackdown 3 as a super-destructive multiplayer experience where skyscrapers, city streets, and anything in the environment can be obliterated--this could be how it separates itself from competitors. Considering that Crackdown takes place within an open-world structure, it seems that the playground for battle royale is already set. Xbox boss Phil Spencer stated that Microsoft won't be making its own standalone battle royale game, which makes sense given that PUBG is a console exclusive on the Xbox platform. But that doesn't rule out having a mode in an existing game, and of all of Microsoft's IPs, Crackdown appears to have the makings for a last-person-standing deathmatch where the entire environment can be blown to smithereens. | Michael Higham
Xbox Streaming Service Revealed
There have been rumblings and rumors of an Xbox game-streaming service for years now, and I think E3 2018 will be the year it gets officially announced. Given the expansion of reliable internet, the marketplace is better-suited now for a streaming service to work. It wouldn't be available for everyone, everywhere, but the market has unquestionably grown and become more capable and dependable in recent years.
Microsoft would be following in Sony's footsteps, as the company already has PlayStation Now. It is exciting to think about what Microsoft--which already owns data centers around the world--could do in the streaming space. It is especially interesting given that game sizes today are trending bigger and bigger, which makes streaming--which requires no installs--an attractive proposition for some. Pricing will be important, and it would be great to see Microsoft create a "Netflix for gaming" type service where you pay a monthly fee and play all the games you want. | Eddie Makuch
Perfect Dark 2 Is Rare's Next Game
Rare just launched Sea of Thieves not too long ago and it looks like the game will have continual post-launch support and content updates moving forward. However, Rare's next big thing could be the return of Perfect Dark. The franchise began on the Nintendo 64 in 2000 as the follow-up to the classic Goldeneye 007, and made a comeback in 2005 with Perfect Dark Zero as an Xbox 360 exclusive after Microsoft acquired Rare. Now it's been 13 years since an entry in the sci-fi FPS series and now would be as good a time as any for another one.
Not only would we want to play as Joanna Dark in a new conspiracy-laden single-player campaign, we'd love to see what Perfect Dark multiplayer can be this generation. Laptop machine guns that turn into turrets and strange alien pistols you can dual-wield still seems like a whole lot of fun. This is more of a pipe dream than something we're realistically expecting. | Michael Higham
By Anonymous on May 26, 2018 06:30 pm From movie inspirations to the most popular game genre of 2018. From Minecraft to H1Z1, PUBG to Fortnite and even new announcements like Black Ops 4: Blackout, this is how battle royale came to be.
Bethesda is preparing for its big E3 stage show, and this year it does mean big. Marketing boss Pete Hines, who usually appears on-stage at its E3 presentations, suggested that this year's showcase may be its longest ever. Shortly after he did offer reassurances that we aren't in for a three-hour marathon event.
Still, Bethesda is one of the more mysterious companies at the yearly event, usually squirreling away a big surprise or two that no one saw coming. As a result, most of its plans are still under wraps. It has plenty of franchises to draw upon, from Elder Scrolls and Fallout to Wolfenstein and Doom, so the field is wide open for new franchise entries. The company also tends to hold announcements until they're nearly ready, sometimes debuting games at E3 that are already preparing to launch in the fall.
One of the least expected announcements has already been given, though. Rage 2, a sequel to the 2011 id Software title, is on its way. It was one of the most surprising outings from a veritable flood of Walmart Canada leaks, and Bethesda responded in a playful way that nearly confirmed it from the beginning. The company claims it had always planned to debut the trailer when it did, so presumably it has something else in store for the stage show. You can check out what we'd like to see from Rage 2.
Bethesda's stage presentation will take place Sunday, June 10 at 6:30 PM PT / 9:30 PM ET. You can check out the full conference schedule to plan your watching accordingly, and check the list below for all of the games Bethesda has confirmed for its presentation this year.
Movie sequels are rarely better than the original films, and this is especially true of the horror genre. Horror thrives on sequels, prequels, reboots, and remakes--it's not unusual for a popular franchise to reach double figures, with the basic formula endlessly recycled for maximum profit--but with increasingly unimpressive results.
However, there are a handful of horror movies that actually improve on the first films. Some of these were made by the same filmmakers, who used increased budgets to perfect their vision. Others were handed to new directors, who brought fresh, inventive visions to popular formulas. And then there were the accidents--cash-in, knock-off sequels that by some movie magic actually emerged as superior films.
So here are the 13 of the best horror sequels, movies that managed to improve on (for the most part) already impressive films to emerge as all-time classics.
13. Maniac Cop 2 (1990)
The first Maniac Cop was an engagingly grimy mix of slasher movie and cop thriller about psychotic undead police officer Matt Cordell causing all sorts of murderous mayhem on the streets on New York. The second movie saw director William Lustig return with a bigger budget, which he made the most of in this slam-bang sequel that far surpasses the original. It's as much an action movie as a horror flick, showcasing a series of increasingly wild stunts as Cordell continues his reign of terror. There's a particularly hair-raising car chase through the streets of NYC, in which an unfortunate woman is handcuffed to the outside of an out-of-control vehicle, plus an amazing final sequence where Cordell fights his way through a prison while on fire. It's also got a great cast of genre faces, including Evil Dead's Bruce Campbell, and a typically sharp script from horror veteran Larry Cohen (It's Alive, Q: The Winged Serpent).
12. Amityville II: The Possession (1982)
Based on the best-selling novel, The Amityville Horror was one of the most successful horror movies of the late 1970s. But unlike many classics of the era, it really hasn't held up very well--it's dated, slow, and distinctly low on scares. The follow-up is another matter however. Like pretty much every Amityville sequel that has followed (and there have been a lot), it has very little to do with the first movie, instead just using the title and haunted house concept. It's written by John Carpenter collaborator Tommy Lee Wallace and directed by Italian filmmaker Damiano Damiani, with Rocky's Burt Young starring as an abusive father whose family becomes the target of evil possession. Amityville II is a genuinely weird and disturbing film, with a variety of intense, gory, and taboo-breaking scenes that had to be cut for its original release and still pack a punch today.
11. V/H/S 2 (2013)
The V/H/S films are a series of found-footage anthology movies that use the concept of VHS tapes to tell a series of dark, scary tales from some of the genre's hottest young filmmakers. The first one was a mixed bag, and while V/H/S 2 still has its weaker sections, the quality is generally higher. The absolute standout is Safe Haven, directed by Timo Tjahjanto and Gareth Evans, who also helmed the acclaimed action movie The Raid and its sequel. This 20-minute masterclass in terror is about a documentary team who infiltrate an Indonesian cult; it starts sinister and goes absolutely insane, with some jaw-dropping, shocking imagery that lingers in the mind long after the end. The other segments are pretty good, but that part alone makes V/H/S 2 a must-see.
10. The Devil's Rejects (1985)
Rob Zombie was already a popular musician when he made his debut movie, 2003's House of a 1000 Corpses. The film was a big hit and there was no looking back for Zombie, who has gone on to make some of the darkest, most brutal films over the last 15 years. The Devil's Rejects was the sequel to 1000 Corpses, and it remains his best film. While that first movie was a ultra-stylised gorefest heavily influenced by Zombie's music videos, The Devil's Rejects has a '70s grindhouse aesthetic, taking influence from such classics as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes. This tale of a trio of depraved killers causing mayhem on the backroads of Texas expertly blends dark humour and intense horror, and expectations are high for the third part of the series--titled 3 From Hell--which is due later this year.
9. REC 2 (2009)
The endless wave of found footage horror movies that followed in the decade after The Blair Witch Project produced many cheap, terrible films. But there were some highlights, and 2007's Spanish zombie thriller REC was one of the best. Two years later, directors Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza returned with an even better follow-up. It starts immediately after the end of the first movie and mostly focuses on a heavily armed special forces team who attempt to take control of a zombie-infected tenement building. It's a blisteringly exciting experience heavily influenced by video games, as we are thrown straight into the mayhem via the cameras worn by the soldiers. Two more movies followed, but neither matched the sheer verve and intensity of this one.
8. Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)
Mike Flanagan has emerged as one of the most talented young horror filmmakers of recent years, with movies such as Oculus and the recent Stephen King adaptation Gerald's Game to his name. In 2016, he was given the task of writing and directing a follow-up to the extremely average, but commercially successful, supernatural possession chiller Ouija. Not only was Ouija: Origin of Evil a better film, it's a genuinely great horror movie. It's a prequel set in the late '60s that works as both a family drama and a scary movie; the influences are obvious--The Changeling, The Exorcist--but Flanagan delivers the scary goods.
7. Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter (1984)
While the original Friday the 13th set the formula for the slasher franchise, it was the fourth movie that perfected it. It was originally intended to be the last movie in the series (hence the subtitle), and director Jospeh Zito brings a level of craft not really seen elsewhere in the series. The plot is standard stuff--Jason vs teens by a lake--but the suspense, characterisation, acting, and gory effects are of a surprisingly high level. Zito wisely keeps Jason off-screen for much of the film, and the movie is notable for early roles from Back to the Future's Crispin Glover and The Lost Boys' Corey Feldman.
6. Bride of Chucky (1998)
The 1988 killer doll hit Child's Play spawned two very average sequels, before seemingly grinding to a halt in the early '90s. When the series returned in 1998, it followed the huge success of self-referential horrors such as Scream, and this was the approach that Bride of Chucky took. The result was a hilarious, over-the-top horror comedy, in which foul-mouthed possessed killer doll Chucky and his bride Tiffany (wonderfully voiced by Brad Dourif and Jennifer Tilly) leave a trail of murder and mayhem as they travel in the possession of a pair of unsuspecting newlyweds. Hong Kong director Ronnie Yu and writer/creator Don Mancini completely revitalised the franchise with this delicious slice of horror lunacy.
5. Blade II (2002)
Guillermo Del Toro wasn't even the first choice to direct the sequel to 1998 superhero vampire hit Blade, but when original director Stephen Norrington turned Blade II down, producers sought out the rising Mexican filmmaker. Del Toro proved to be a perfect choice, his love of the genre and skill at creating a dark, fantastical imagery resulting in a film that exceeded the original, and took the this dark superhero tale into undeniable horror territory. Wesley Snipes proves again that the half-vampire Blade was the role he was born to play, and Del Toro directs a consistently inventive movie, filled with amazing action and a dazzling visual style.
4. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
The original 1931 film Frankenstein is one of the most important horror films ever made, and its influence on the genre can't be overstated. However, the sequel, made four years later, is even better. By introducing the concept of the monster's mate, director James Whale added an extra level of drama and emotion to this classic story, with Elsa Lanchester and Boris Karloff making one of the screen's strangest, most iconic couples. Bride of Frankenstein proved that the genre was more than just monsters and scares and is rightfully remembered as one of the all-time great sequels.
3. The Purge: Election Year (2016)
The Purge movies have a great concept--on one night a year, all crime is legal, enabling the citizens of the United States to get all their destructive, murderous urges out in one crazed, bloody evening. But while the first two films in the hugely successful series were fun, they didn't fully exploit the potential of the the concept. The Purge: Election Year really does though, mixing horror, action, and social satire in a hugely satisfying way. The fourth movie--The First Purge--is out in July, so let's hope they continue to get even better.
2. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
How you do follow one of the greatest and most influential horror movies of all time? Easy: you make another one. George Romero created the modern zombie movie with his 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead, and a decade later directed this masterpiece of modern horror. Dawn of the Dead is both a biting satire of modern consumerism and a gloriously entertaining mix of action and horror, with buckets of inventive gore courtesy of make-up effects genius Tom Savini. It's thrilling, scary, hilarious, and super-smart, and it remains one of the most-loved horror movies of all time.
1. Evil Dead II (1987)
The 1982 classic The Evil Dead was such a wild, intense, scary, funny ride that it was hard to see how director Sam Raimi could possibly top it with the sequel. Raimi wisely took a complete left-turn with Evil Dead II, essentially remaking the first movie as an insane comedy, keeping the basic plot, but lowering the scare level and ramping up the energy, laughs, and gore. Bruce Campbell's brilliant performance as the hapless Ash made him the beloved genre star he remains today, and Raimi's wild, inventive directing style paved the way for his huge Hollywood success a decade later with the Spider-Man movies. Evil Dead II is pretty much the most fun you could ever have watching a horror movie.
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