Even though the first season of Krypton hasn't ended, Syfy has renewed the Superman prequel series. It will return for Season 2, most likely in 2019, to continue to the adventures of Superman's grandpa, Seg-El.
Its return helps in building out a solid roster of programming for Syfy. In addition to the second season of Krypton, the network has a final season of 12 Monkeys, another year of The Magicians, and new cycles of Happy and the anthology series Channel Zero on the way. In addition to those, adaptations of the comic book series Deadly Class and George R.R. Martin's novella Nightflyers will be debuting on the network.
One major component missing from Syfy's upcoming schedule, though, is The Expanse. It has been announced that the current third season will be its last on the network. Not all hope is lost, though. Amazon is currently in talks to revive the series on its Prime Video streaming service.
Krypton is set on Superman's home planet, two generations before it's destroyed, sending him to Earth. At the center of the series is Seg-El (Cameron Cuffe), Kal-El's grandfather. Along with Adam Strange (Shaun Sipos), he must decide whether to save his planet or let it die in order to ensure his grandson's destiny.
Less than two weeks have passed since Syfy pulled the plug on The Expanse and the series looks to already be rising from the dead--making it the second such canceled series this season. Syfy previously announced that the show's third season, which is currently airing, would be its last. Now it may be Amazon to the rescue.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Amazon is in talks to bring the series to its Prime Video streaming service. THR notes that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is a fan of the books The Expanse is based on and was not happy when the TV adaptation went to Syfy.
Though an agreement to move the show to Amazon Prime Video is not finalized, a Twitter account associated with the show's writers rooms has confirmed that talks are ongoing. "We're excited, but the deal's not closed...we're not quite through the woods yet," the account writes in a tweet that has since been deleted. "Keep up the fight Expansers & watch this [week's] episode LIVE with us on SyFy. [W]e'll be dancing in the streets right along with you as soon as we get anything official."
Should it be saved, The Expanse wouldn't be the only show revived by another entity after cancellation this year. Days after Fox canceled Brooklyn Nine-Nine, NBC announced it would revive the series. According to TVLine, Nine-Nine will return in 2019 for a 13-episode Season 6.
E3 2018 is fast approaching, which means excitement for big announcements is building. Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Bethesda, Ubisoft, and more will be bringing trailers and (hopefully) some surprises to the show, so now it's time for some speculation! Though not confirmed to appear during Nintendo's E3 2018 presentation, the upcoming Nintendo Switch Pokemon game is high on our wishlist this year. Here's everything we know about the game and everything we really want to see come June.
What We Know So Far
A new Pokemon game for Nintendo Switch was announced at E3 2017. Tsunekazu Ishihara, president and CEO of The Pokemon Company, appeared during Nintendo's presentation to tease the game. He called it "a core RPG Pokemon title" developed by Game Freak for Nintendo Switch, saying it might not release for over a year. Game Freak has developed all the main Pokemon RPGs; the spinoff games are made by other studios.
What's Confirmed For E3
Currently, it's not known whether the Pokemon Switch game will appear during Nintendo's E3 2018 presentation. Nintendo has previously stated that its briefing will focus more on games releasing soon, rather than those launching after 2018; however, this is the same structure as the 2017 presentation in which Pokemon Switch was announced, so there's room for some future-focused reveals.
What We Hope To See At E3
Because we know so little about this game, the least we can ask for is some basic details: what it's called, where it's set, and whether it introduces new Pokemon would be a good starting point. But one of the biggest questions is how this next generation of Pokemon will look on Switch, which means getting a proper trailer. 3D Pokemon games are relatively new--at least for the main RPGs--and because Switch is far more powerful than 3DS, there's more potential for some big changes to the look of the game.
If we're really going all-out with our wishlist, then we'd love it if the game were playable on the show floor--and in that case, why not get a release date or window for good measure? Maybe it's not exactly likely, but we can hope.
Fortnite's 4.2 content update is now available, and along with finally introducing jetpacks to the game, it marks the beginning of a new limited-time mode in Battle Royale. The second iteration of the Solid Gold event is now underway on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and iOS, and as before, the theme of the mode is Legendary weapons.
Every weapon that players find while playing Solid Gold v2 will be of the Legendary variety. Developer Epic has also adjusted the drop rates for each weapon. Now, players will have a high chance of finding the Hand Cannon and Suppressed Pistols as floor loot; the Assault Rifle, Minigun, and Sniper Rifle will appear most commonly in chests; and the Rocket and Grenade Launcher have the highest chance of appearing in supply drops.
On top of the adjusted weapon rates, Epic has also increased the drop rates of Chug Jugs, Slurp Juice, Shields, Launch Pads, Campfires, and all Special Grenades. Meanwhile, the drop rates of standard Grenades, Spike Traps, and Bandages have been decreased. Players will also get 50% extra stone and metal resources from farming.
As is commonly the case, Epic hasn't announced an exact end date for Solid Gold v2, but limited-time modes in Fortnite traditionally run for about a week. You can read more about the special event in the patch notes on the official Fortnite website.
On top of Solid Gold v2, another limited-time event is slated to start very soon in Fortnite: Battle Royale. Beginning Friday, May 25, players will be able to participate in Close Encounters, a new mode that revolves around "close quarters combat" using jetpacks and shotguns, which will be the only types of weapons that spawn in the mode. Additionally, the storm moves in more quickly than usual in Close Encounters, and each match typically lasts about 15 minutes.
The Mission Impossible series has proved to be one of the longest-running and most successful action franchises of all time. 22 years have passed since the original movie was released, and star Tom Cruise shows no signs of slowing down in his role as Ethan Hunt, with the sixth film releasing in July.
Following last week's new poster and trailer for Mission Impossible: Fallout, a new international trailer has landed. Unlike many promos for other territories that only reuse footage we've already seen, this one actually has plenty of new stuff in it, including some great moments of humor as well as amazing-looking action. It also continues the trend of making sure that the filmmakers get as much as value as possible out of the infamous moment when Cruise broke his ankle on set. Check it out below:
Mission Impossible: Fallout also stars Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Angela Bassett, Henry Cavill, and Alec Baldwin. It's directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who previously helmed 2015's Ghost Protocol. It hits theaters on July 27.
Alongside Cruise's accident, the other notorious story that emerged during the movie's production was Cavill's mustache. As the trailer shows, the Superman actor sports an impressively full 'tache for his role as CIA assassin August Walker, and the scheduling clash with his reshoots on Justice League meant that it had to be digitally removed for the DC movie.
In a recent interview with Empire, Cavill spoke about the controversy. "When we decided to go for the moustache, I certainly wasn't expecting all the events to unfold as they were going to unfold," he said: "I wasn't expecting Justice League reshoots to be as extensive as they were. As you will see when [Fallout] comes out, to have a fake moustache on would not have been a possibility."
After months of being delayed, jetpacks have finally made their long-awaited debut in Fortnite: Battle Royale. The items arrive on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and iOS as part of the 4.2 content update, but despite their extended gestation period, they won't be around for very long.
Unlike most other items that Epic has recently added to Fortnite, jetpacks will only be available in the game for a limited time. The developer hasn't specified how long they'll appear, but you'll need to be pretty lucky to get your hands on one, as they're a Legendary item that can only be found in treasure chests.
Jetpacks are the first in a new line of items that Epic is introducing to the game: backpacks. Unlike the Back Bling cosmetics that were added earlier this year, backpacks take up an inventory slot like other weapons and items. Players can only pick one backpack up at a time; if you grab a second, it will replace the one you're already carrying. Your backpack will also automatically be destroyed once it is fully used up.
Jetpacks are activated by pressing jump while in the air; however, you will only be able to stay airborne for a limited time before you must recharge. Fortunately, the jetpack begins recharging automatically when it isn't being used. You will also not be able to enter Targeting Mode while flying.
Alongside the jetpacks, Epic has kicked off a new limited-time event in Battle Royale: Solid Gold v2. This marks the second iteration of the mode, and as before, the only weapons it features are of the Legendary variety. Another limited-time mode called Close Encounters is also scheduled to arrive in the game "soon" and revolves around "close quarters combat" using shotguns and jetpacks. You can learn more about the 4.2 content update in the patch notes on the Fortnite website.
A variety of new Pokemon will soon begin appearing in Pokemon Go. Developer Niantic announced that Alolan forms of classic Gen 1 monsters are on the way to the popular mobile game, and they'll begin popping up around the world just in time for summer.
"Whether your forecast calls for rain or shine, we're celebrating all around the world by introducing some special Pokemon from the tropical Alola region to Pokemon Go," Niantic said on the official Pokemon Go website. "Get ready for some of the Pokemon originally discovered in the Kanto region to appear in their Alolan forms!"
Niantic hasn't announced when players can expect the Alolan forms to debut in Pokemon Go, but the developer says they'll begin appearing in the game "in the coming weeks." Along with the announcement, the developer shared a new promotional image featuring silhouettes of the Alolan Pokemon, which you can take a look at below.
Alolan forms were first introduced in the series' seventh generation installments, Pokemon Sun and Moon. They are region-specific variants of certain Kanto Pokemon, which sport a much different appearance and elemental type when encountered in the tropical Alola region. 18 Gen 1 Pokemon have Alolan forms; you can see the full list of them, along with their new types, below.
Rattata (Dark/Normal)
Raticate (Dark/Normal)
Raichu (Electric/Psychic)
Sandshrew (Ice/Steel)
Sandslash (Ice/Steel)
Vulpix (Ice)
Ninetales (Ice/Fairy)
Diglett (Ground/Steel)
Dugtrio (Ground/Steel)
Meowth (Dark)
Persian (Dark)
Geodude (Rock/Electric)
Graveler (Rock/Electric)
Golem (Rock/Electric)
Grimer (Poison/Dark)
Muk (Poison/Dark)
Exeggutor (Grass/Dragon)
Marowak (Fire/Ghost)
Up until now, Pokemon Go has only featured monsters taken from the first three generations of the series, meaning that some Gen 7 Pokemon will be arriving before Gen 4 monsters have even been introduced in the game. Niantic hasn't said if any of the new Pokemon from Sun and Moon will likewise begin appearing in Go soon.
On top of the upcoming Alolan forms, Pokemon Go players around the world have a number of real-world events to look forward to this summer as part of Niantic's Summer Tour 2018. That begins next month with a Safari Zone event in Germany, with the second annual Pokemon Go Fest in Chicago following in July. Niantic will also host a special Safari Zone event in Yokosuka later this summer.
With Justice League failing at the box office and much uncertainty about the direction of the DC universe, DC fans haven't exactly had as happy a time as those of rivals Marvel. But there's plenty to look forward to, with Aquaman arriving in November and Shazam following in April. We now have a first official look at star Zachary Levi in costume.
To be strictly accurate, it's a picture of Levi standing in front of the Shazam poster, which the actor posted on Instagram. The poster was revealed at the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas and features Shazam enjoying a big soft drink, which supports director David F. Sandberg's earlier statements that the movie will have a more lighthearted tone than many of DC's movies. Check it out below:
Shazam also stars Asher Angel as the character's young alter ego, Billy Batson, and Mark Strong as the evil Doctor Sivana. The cast also includes Adam Brody (The OC, CHiPS), Grace Fulton (Annabelle: Creation), and Ross Butler (13 Reasons Why), and it hits theaters on April 5, 2019. A synopsis was released back in February.
In terms of future DC movies, Wonder Woman 2 arrives in November 2019. Beyond that, it was recently reported that the much-rumored Birds of Prey film was moving ahead and could start production in late 2018 or early 2019. The film will see Margot Robbie reprise her Suicide Squad role as Harley Quinn, and has been described by the actress as an "R-rated girl gang film."
DC also recently announced new streaming service DC Universe, which launches later this year. The service will feature an animated Harley Quinn show, as well an animated Young Justice series, plus live-action Titans and Swamp Thing shows.
Publisher Titan Comics has unveiled a new comic series based on Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed franchise. Titled Assassin's Creed: Conspiracies, the two-part, standalone mini-series debuts this summer and takes the franchise to an entirely new era: World War II.
Conspiracies follows the story of Eddie Gorm, a rookie member of the Assassin Brotherhood who must stop the Templars from unleashing an atomic weapon. Here's Titan's synopsis of the series: "In the depths of World War II, fresh Assassin Eddie Gorm uncovers Templar plans to create a devastating new weapon at the dawn of the atomic age."
Conspiracies is written by Guillaume Dorison, with artwork by Jean-Baptise Hostache. The series was previously published in French, making this the first time it will be available to an English audience. The first issue launches in stores and online on August 1. Ahead of its release, Titan has shared the cover and several pages of interior art, which you can take a look at it in the gallery below.
Conspiracies certainly isn't the first comic series inspired by Ubisoft's stealth-action franchise. Earlier this year, Titan released a comic adaptation of Assassin's Creed Origins. That four-part mini-series takes place after the events of the Assassin's Creed Origins game and features historical figures such as Cleopatra.
A variety of other major video game franchises have also received the comic treatment courtesy of Titan. The publisher has previously released comics based on Bloodborne, Wolfenstein, and most recently Dark Souls, with one inspired by Life Is Strange set to follow later this year.
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 whatever meager resources you could 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 has 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 locations housing 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 discovering stand-alone events that lead to some minor rewards. With a world size that's similar in scale to Horizon: Zero Dawn, the map encompassing six regions that you'll be able to 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 factions will be on the lookout for Deacon to take what he has--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 a number of 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.
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 finding yourself 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 traces 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 too bad of an influence 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 are 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 coming sometime in early 2019, there's some time for Days Gone to get itself into shape on the technical side of things, and hopefully show us a stronger sense of identity.
A sequel to 2014's animated smash The Lego Movie has been in the works for several years, with its original 2018 release pushed back to February next year and two other Lego movies appearing the meantime. But the movie's title has now been announced, together with a teaser poster.
The film will be titled The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. The title and poster was revealed by the movie's official Twitter account--the poster is just the logo, but it's a suitably colourful, brick-based design. Check it out below:
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part will be directed by Mike Mitchell, who previous helmed the hugely successful Trolls. He is actually the third director to be attached to the project, following Chris McKay, who instead made The Lego Batman Movie, and Rob Schrab, who exited the movie due to "creative differences."
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who directed the first film, are producing and co-writing. While plot details aren't known at this stage, last year McKay gave a few hints about it, and revealed that the film would follow directly on from the first movie and involve issues of gender. "[It looks at] what's different and similar about gender, when a boy plays vs. how a girl plays," he said, via Collider. "What kinds of stories are there? Chris and Phil are super f***ing smart and really thoughtful and sensitive writers. The kinds of questions and the interesting ideas that they're getting into with this movie.
"It's going to be like the first Lego Movie was, where it's about something else that's really profound. I'm really excited about where the movie is gonna go because it's about these things that are actual notions that people have that might even be unconscious biases, where people don't even realize that that's the way they're looking at the world."
The Lego Movie made more than $469 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. The film boasted an impressive lineup of voice actors, including Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell, Liam Neeson, and Morgan Freeman.
While Marvel's plans beyond next May's still-untitled fourth Avengers movie are largely unknown, we do know that the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming will arrive a couple of months later. Tom Holland will return as Spidey, and it has now been reported that Jake Gyllenhaal is in talks to play the movie's villain.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gyllenhaal is in negotiations to appear as the classic Marvel supervillain Mysterio. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, and is closely associated with Spider-Man, first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #13 back in 1964. He has also appeared as a major villain in Daredevil comics.
Gyllenhaal is best known for roles in movies such as Donnie Darko, Prisoners, Brokeback Mountain, and Nightcrawler. Although the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel will be his first superhero movie, there were rumors last year that he was being lined to take over the role of Batman from Ben Affleck in the DC universe. However, he subsequently denied this was the case. Gyllenhaal was also close to being cast in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 back in 2004, after star Tobey Maguire attempted to negotiate a higher salary for himself.
Spider-Man: Homecoming 2 hits theaters on July 5, 2019, with Jon Watts returning as director. Although no further casting or plot details are known, last year Marvel boss Kevin Feige did talk about how the movie will kickstart the next phase of the MCU after Avengers 4.
"So much happens in [the third and fourth Avengers movies], as you can imagine, and so much is affected by it, that we felt what better person to hold your hand and lead you into the next incarnation of the MCU, in a grounded, realistic manner, than Peter Parker?" Feige said. "So, coming out two months after Untitled Avengers, [that's what] much of what the next Spider-Man film will be about."
The upcoming action sequel John Wick: Chapter 3 is currently in production, and last week the first teaser was released to celebrate its arrival in a year's time. Keanu Reeves is obviously returning as the reluctant assassin, and now various members of the supporting cast have been revealed by the movie's official Twitter account.
Three of the announcements will be no surprise to fans of the previous two movies. Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, and Laurence Fishburne are set to reprise their roles as Winston, Charon, and the Bowery King respectively. McShane and Reddick have been in the series since 2014's John Wick, while Fishburne joined for John Wick: Chapter 2 in 2017.
There are also five new names in the cast. Halle Berry (Catwoman, X-Men) will play a character called Sofia, with Asia Kate Dillon (Orange is the New Black) as The Adjudicator, Mark Dacascos (Cradle 2 the Grave) as Zero, Jason Mantzoukas (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Good Place) as Tick Tock Man, and Angelica Huston (Isle of Dogs) as The Director. We don't know exactly who these new characters are, but let's face it, they all have seriously cool names.
John Wick: Chapter 3 is directed by Chad Stahelski, who helmed Chapter 2 and co-directed the first movie. Last year, Stahelski spoke about his plans for John Wick: Chapter 3. "We want, not so much to go bigger on the third one, but to show you more of the intricacies of the world," he said. "I feel like there are all these different subtleties that I skipped over in part 2, that I'd like to go back to [with part 3] and show you the inner workings of different parts of New York."
Development of the long-rumored John Wick TV spin-off The Continental was also confirmed by Starz in January. The channel's president Chris Albrecht said that the show will "include the thunderous fight sequences and intensely staged shootouts between professional assassins and their targets that fans have come to expect in the John Wick movie franchise as well as introducing some new, darkly compelling characters who inhabit this underground world." The Continental does not yet have a premiere date.
We Happy Few, the BioShock-inspired game that entered Early Access back in 2016, is finally coming out this year, but its road to release may be rockier in Australia. The game was refused classification in the country under the Games 1 (a) clause. Here is the official wording, pulled from the Classification Board's website (via Kotaku):
"Reason: Games 1(a)The computer game is classified RC in accordance with the National Classification Code, Computer Games Table, 1. (a) as computer games that 'depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified.'"
Neither developer Compulsion Games nor publisher Gearbox Software (which is handling the physical edition) has yet to respond to this refusal notice in Australia; keep checking back for more.
The game is set in an alternate-history version of 1960s England in the fictional town of Wellington Wells. Players take on the role of characters who refuse to take their mind-altering happy pills and must find a way to escape from the town without being caught by its citizens. Players can get Early Access to the title right now on PC and Xbox One for $51. Compulsion released a new update for it today dubbed "Life in Technicolour," which adds new Joy effects and improves other aspects of the game like UI and AI.
We Happy Few joins Saints Row IV, State of Decay, Hotline Miami 2, and South Park: Stick of Truth in being initially refused classification by the Australian Classification Board. Modified versions of some of those games were subsequently submitted to the board and granted ratings, the highest of which is the R18+ adult rating for video games.
Today during Sony's Corporate Strategy Meeting, PlayStation boss John Kodera said the PlayStation 4 is entering the end of its lifecycle. While this could have a negative impact on Sony's gaming division overall, it probably won't because revenue from subscription services such as PlayStation Plus may help offset any decline in hardware sales, Wall Street Journal reporter Takashi Mochizuki quoted Kodera as saying. Importantly, Sony is not discontinuing the PS4 now or anytime soon, of course. The system is expected to continue to sell well, as new, exclusive games for it like The Last of Us: Part II, Spider-Man, and others come out.
As some further important context, Kodera was talking to investors and analysts about the health and viability of the PS4 as a platform. Earlier this year, Sony said it expected to sell 16 million PS4s during the year, compared to 19 million during the year prior, so Kodera was more than likely attempting to contextualize and explain the downturn in sales and what that all means. And the wording about the PS4 entering the end of its lifecycle may mean the system still has many years left of viability, only that the console is not rising as fast as it once did as it relates to sales. And of course, that is expected, given the system was released almost a half-decade ago.
The PS4 launched in November 2013, so it makes sense that the console would be entering the final stages of its lifecycle now given historical trends of consoles. The system has sold more than 79 million units by Sony's latest count, which puts it just below the PS3 which reached 80 million units in 2013.
Sony's Game & Network Services segment, which houses the PlayStation business, is expected to remain a juggernaut for Sony, with PSN hitting 80 million monthly active users (which is up from 70 million this time last year). Additionally, Sony said it will look to add more PS Plus subscribers going forward, which will help Sony make more money on a regular basis. On top of that, Sony said it wants to create more first-party exclusives, while it's also looking at "harnessing growth opportunities" in the area of "add-on content."
Overall, Sony predicted a downturn in profit for the Game & Network Services division for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021. For that year, Sony expects its Game & Network Services unit to bring in between 130 billion and 170 billion yen in profit, which compares to 190 billion yen for the current fiscal year.
Intriguingly, Kodera also said during the meeting that the period covering now through March 2021 would be a time when PlayStation will "crouch down once" to stand taller in the future. It's not immediately clear what he meant by this, however, but there is already speculation that a PlayStation 5 console is coming. PlayStation executive Shawn Layden recently confirmed that Sony's E3 2018 briefing will not include any hardware announcements, however.
Also during the event, Kodera said PlayStation VR as a platform is growing, but not at a level that reaches what was projected. That's not the only PlayStation business that is not having the easiest time, as PlayStation Vue--Sony's TV streaming service--is running into tough competition that is having a negative impact, apparently. Kodera said PlayStation VR and PlayStation Vue can still grow, but not necessarily at the rate they would like to see.
PS chief Kodera: PS4 is entering final phase of its life cycle, which would have negative impact to the unit, but recurring revenue via membership services etc should cushion some of that.
SIE chief Kodera: Beefing up first-party titles wouldn't just mean more new IPs. Strategy includes franchising successful IPs and refreshing existing IPs.
SIE head Kodera told analysts and investors that the period until March 2021 would be when PlayStation to "crouch down once" to grow further in the future. hmmmmmm.
SIE head Kodera: PSVR growing, but industry's growth is below market expectations. PS Vue is facing harder-than-expected competitions. Vue and PSVR would aim for further growth with realistic outlook.
Earlier this year, NPD analyst Matt Piscatella told GamingBolt that the PS4 should have another strong year of sales in 2019, though not as good as 2018. He added that the next PlayStation console probably won't be released until 2020 or later.
Presumably to celebrate the upcoming reveal of Battlefield V, EA giving away one of the expansion packs for 2016's Battlefield 1. The game's In the Name of the Tsar expansion, which includes a new army and six more maps, is now free on Xbox One and PS4.
In the Name of the Tsar, which was originally released in September 2017, adds the Russian army, six multiplayer maps, 11 new weapons, and new vehicles like the Putilov Garford armored car, among other things. It normally sells for $15 by itself, so this is a pretty nice deal.
It's not just Battlefield 1 that has free DLC available now; EA is also giving away Battlefield 4's Final Stand expansion so be sure to grab that, too.
Electronic Arts was once a big-time player in the world of licensed golf games, but those days now appear to be over. Independent developer HB Studios announced today that it has reached an agreement with the PGA Tour to add officially licensed courses to The Golf Club 19.
The PS4, Xbox One, and PC game will have a Career Mode that begins with players progressing as a real player would. This includes going through Q-School, then the Web.com tour, and eventually to the PGA Tour--including the FedExCup Playoffs. A press release explains that sponsorships will be unlocked through career mode, so the licensing may apply to more than just courses. Those courses include: TPC Summerlin, TPC Scottsdale, TPC Sawgrass, TPC Southwind, TPC Deere Run, and TPC Boston. More courses may be added as DLC later on.
The deal between HB Studios and the PGA Tour appears to only cover courses and potentially sponsors, but not players themselves. The financial terms of the licensing agreement were not disclosed. The deal was brokered by CAA Sports, which is the sports division of the mega-talent agency.
The first Golf Club game launched in 2014, with a sequel arriving in 2017. Those games were praised in particular for their course-creation tools, but as mentioned, they lacked a wider appeal due to how they did not have the PGA Tour license. The third game is coming out in August.
The PGA Tour's licensing director Matt Iofredo told GolfChannel.com that the tour enjoyed a "long-term successful partnership" with EA, adding that the split was amicable. He told the site that video games are a good way to help grow golf as a sport, and that's why he's happy to see the PGA Tour's licensing deal go to a new company.
"The hope is that you start playing the video game and it piques your interest in golf in general and then maybe you want to attend an event, maybe you want to tune in on TV or one of the digital platforms, or maybe you want to go out to a driving range and hit balls and eventually go play," Iofredo said.
EA once enjoyed a lot of success in the licensed golf game market, thanks in part to Tiger Woods. But after losing Woods, the franchise went on a mini hiatus before getting resurrected in 2015 with a new game called Rory McIlroy PGA Tour. The game received generally poor reviews, and EA never released another major licensed home console game. Rory McIlroy PGA Tour will be removed from digital marketplaces this week, presumably due to its expired licensing deal.
We've learned a little more about Bethesda's upcoming shooter sequel Rage 2, which is a joint development from id Software and Just Cause studio Avalanche Studios. Someone asked Avalanche boss Christofer Sundberg on Twitter what engine the game will use, and Sundberg responded by confirming it's Avalanche's internal engine that is under the hood.
This was surprising to some, given that the first Rage ran on id Software's own idTech engine. Someone else on Twitter asked Sundberg if Rage 2 would use a combination of Avalanche's engine and the next evolution of idTech, but he did not respond to this.
Avalanche's internal engine sounds very sophisticated and, in the context of Just Cause 3, it allowed for some pretty incredible open-world activities and wackiness to happen. You can watch this YouTube video to see and hear Just Cause 3 developers talk about the Avalanche engine and how it helped make the game bigger and better.
Rage 2 is being billed as a "carnival of carnage ...That's right, this is a f***ing AAAAAA game."
Bethesda has not yet confirmed a release date for Rage 2; it simply says the game is coming in Spring 2019. The sequel is set after an asteroid kills 80% of the world's population: "Ruthless and bloodthirsty gangs roam the open roads and the tyrannical Authority seek to rule with an iron fist." You play as Walker, "the last Ranger of the wasteland and a threat to [The Authority's] power." Your character is robbed of his home and left for dead, but you must now "rage for justice and freedom."
Bethesda stated we'll see new Rage 2 gameplay at the company's E3 press conference, which is set for 6:30 PM PT / 9:30 PM ET on June 10. The company recently teased that the showcase might be its longest one ever, although beyond Rage 2, we know little else about what will be included.
Following the announcement of Halo: Fireteam Raven, a cool-looking Halo arcade, some fans wondered if Microsoft's efforts on that game took away resources from the next core Halo game. Now, Halo community manager Brian Jarrard has spoken up to confirm that Fireteam Raven has "zero impact" on the team inside 343 Industries working on Halo 6, or whatever it ends up being called. Jarrard clarified that Fireteam Raven is being made by arcade companies Raw Thrills and Play Mechanix. And while 343 is creatively involved in the process, the actual work sounds like it is being done almost completely outside of 343.
"Just like the Halo books or toys aren't being created instead of the next Halo game," Jarrad said. "Plenty to go around." He went on to say that he's aware that Halo fans are thirsting for more information on the next "real" Halo game. Jarrard said he is perplexed by the "blind outrage" some Halo fans are expressing over Fireteam Raven.
PSA: Fireteam Raven has zero impact on the 343 development team which has already been working on the next console game. H:FR is built by an external arcade developer. Just like the Halo books or toys aren't being created _instead of_ the next Halo game. Plenty to go around 😉
I get that ppl are just super eager for any info on the next "real" game, but I don't get the blind outrage at a totally separate cool thing that a lot of ppl will enjoy 🤨 Hmm that makes me sound old.
Given it's been almost three years since the release of Halo 5 (there was a three-year gap between Halo 4 and Halo 5), it seems like the time is right for Microsoft to announce Halo 6 soon. If Microsoft is planning to do that, E3 2018 could be the venue for that reveal.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection might not have gotten off to the best start at launch in November 2014. But it has rebounded well since then, thanks in part to Microsoft's commitment to improving the game with regular updates, and its player population remains good enough to find matches easily. Microsoft's updates for Halo: MCC continue with one of its biggest yet later this year that makes significant changes and improvements. In addition to that, Microsoft is updating the game to add enhancements for people playing on Xbox One X.
Halo community manager Brian Jarrard spoke about this update recently. He said on the latest Inside Xbox episode that the work-in-progress version that the studio is testing now looks "gorgeous and stunning." He added, "The first thing Xbox One X owners will notice is the visual enhancements. Now with Xbox One X, we have a full visual enhancement suite, including HDR support." You can watch the full clip below from Inside Xbox.
And regarding the wider MCC update, Jarrard pointed out that the changes that speed up matchmaking times and improve the UI will be available for everyone, not just those on Xbox One X. The developer also listed off some upcoming features the studio is working on for Halo: MCC, including "legitimate" LAN support, an "intelligent delivery system" that allows you to install only the parts of Halo: MCC that you want (see a work-in-progress image below), and the ability to install other language packages. He added that a custom gamer browser will also be added, while developer 343 Industries has "bigger ideas" that it will implement later. Microsoft is allowing some members of the public to test these upcoming features.
Sal my friend, we have you covered. Here's a little work-in-progress glimpse of how the new MCC Intelligent Delivery feature is coming together: pic.twitter.com/If6DRatnV9
Halo: MCC is a huge package that comes with Halo: C2, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, and Halo 4. As part of its effort to make up for the game's launch struggles, Microsoft added Halo 3: ODST's campaign to the package for free.
Microsoft hasn't announced a sales figure for Halo: MCC, but total Halo franchise sales jumped from 60 million to 65 million after the game's release, so it's likely moved millions of copies. The fact that the game still has an active player base and it's not hard to find matches also suggests the game sold well.
Epic is going big on professional competitive Fortnite play. The developer announced today that it will provide $100 million (!!!!!) in funding for Fortnite prize pools in the 2018-2019 season. In a brief blog post, Epic said it wants Fortnite competitive play to be "more inclusive" and focused on "the joy of playing and watching the game."
"We're getting behind competitive play in a big way, but our approach will be different," Epic said. "We plan to be more inclusive, and focused on the joy of playing and watching the game."
More details on the structure of tournaments and eligible platforms will be announced "in the weeks ahead," so keep checking back with GameSpot for more.
This is a really big deal, in part because the $100 million prize is more than double the $38 million in total prize money that Valve's Dota 2 paid out in 2017 across all of its tournaments, according to E-Sports Earnings (via CNBC). The International, which is Valve's massive Dota 2 event, paid out the biggest prize pool in gaming history last year with almost $25 million for the single event. For another point of comparison, the inaugural Overwatch League tournament will pay out a total of $3.5 million in prize money for its entire season.
Fortnite brings in more than $1 million every single day from its mobile version alone, according to SensorTower; Epic makes even more money from the console and PC editions. The game is free, but players can spend real money on cosmetics (which do not impact gameplay whatsoever).
In other Fortnite news, Epic is finally adding jetpacks to the game tomorrow as part of an update. Content update 4.2 arrives shortly after the end of Fortnite's latest limited-time mode, Solo Showdown. Unlike other special events in the game, Solo Showdown was a competition in which players competed to earn a spot on the rankings board based on their score, with the top 100 players taking home a prize of V-Bucks. The standings can be found of Fortnite's official blog.
Treyarch is planning some interesting changes to the familiar Call of Duty formula with Black Ops 4. While every game in the long-running FPS series has had their own spin on things over the years, this year's game is looking to buck some trends that has already made the community stand up and take notice. There was a lot to take in from the May 17 reveal event, so here's a more detailed breakdown of what's coming up for Blacks Ops 4, and we want to see at E3 2018.
What We Know So Far
For starters, the long-rumored removal of the traditional single-player campaign turned out to be true. In its place are a series of solo missions set between Black Ops 2 and 3 centering around the game's Specialist characters. These Specialists also make an appearance in the multiplayer mode, where they have a more tactical purpose than in Black Ops 3. While Treyarch's previous game featured a number of acrobatic moments of finesse and speed, the next game in the sub-series is much more grounded, opting for a more tactical approach focusing more on maintaining flow of combat. Moreover, Black Ops 4 also introduces some hero-shooter elements by placing a greater emphasis on the Specialist characters and their gear sets, requiring players to be more mindful who they pick and how they can fit into the makeup of the current team.
Moving on to the Zombies mode, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, Treyarch is expanding on the horde-based shooter with even more weirdness. Set on three distinct maps; an Ancient Roman gladiator arena of The IX, the sinking Titanic in Voyage of Despair, and a remake of past Zombies maps in Blood of the Dead--featuring the original Zombies mode cast--there are plans to offer more variety in the off-the-wall game mode. Added to this are several customizable options and gametypes which can add buffs to zombies and player-characters, timed challenges on the global leaderboards, and for the first time in series history, bot support.
However, the biggest addition to Black Ops 4 is the brand new battle royale mode known as Blackout. It's described as something of a celebration of the Black Ops series where you can play as characters from the previous games and use any weapon throughout the Black Ops series--including the exploding RC car. In familiar battle royale style, you'll have to fight against others online to be the last person standing. Treyarch has not revealed the number of players in each Blackout match.
What's Confirmed For E3
Activision is confirmed to make an appearance at E3 2018, showcasing both Destiny 2 and Black Ops 4. While they've been tight-lipped about what exactly they'll be showing at E3, we can expect to see more footage of the multiplayer mode based on their presence in previous years. it's fair to say that the game's multiplayer mode will be the focus, which should have stations set up for fans to play on the show floor.
What We Want To See At E3
While Treyarch revealed a great deal about the game during the May 17 event, we're in the dark about certain key details about the game. One big concern is the lack of a traditional COD campaign, which has been a hallmark of the series since its debut. If Treyarch is able to showcase the best of what solo missions can offer, it would go a long way to assuage community concerns. Call of Duty by tradition has always had a solid story campaign for players to dive into, which often offers the context for the setting of the core game and its multiplayer mode. While solo missions would be different from how the previous campaigns did things, potentially they can offer fans a quick way to experience a COD-style campaign with their favorite characters.
We'll likely see plenty of the multiplayer at E3 for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, but one thing that would be great to see is what the game will look like in the hands of skilled players. League play will make a return in the Black Ops 4, and seeing the game in action with some of the world's best players would be a solid way to reintroduce high-level play for the general audience. Since combat is tactical and emphasizes more teamwork this time around, having fans experience what top-tier Black Ops 4 gameplay looks like can go a long way in showcasing the new systems at work. It would also be a good opportunity to show how to utilize Specialist abilities effectively, while also being quite entertaining to watch.
During the reveal event, Treyarch also announced the upcoming beta later this year. E3 is a great place to reveal the date of the beta as well as what will be available for players to dive into. While the contents of the beta will most likely be focused on traditional multiplayer, it would be an exciting announcement at E3 to have the Blackout mode also playable in the beta. When you announce a new battle royale game, you're already going up against some of the biggest games in the industry. So Black Ops 4 will need to showcase something very special for Blackout if it wants to stand up against the likes of Fortnite and PUBG.
The new Star Wars movie, Solo: A Star Wars Story, focuses mainly on Han Solo, of course, but a lot of the discussion around the film lately has centered on Lando Calrissian. Actor Donald Glover plays Calrissian, and now he's addressed two major topics: Lando's sexuality in the film and whether or not he would be interested in playing the character in a standalone spinoff.
Writer Jonathan Kasdan told Huffington Post last week that he believes Calrissian is pansexual, and Glover seems to agree. "How can you not be pansexual in space?" he said in an interview on SiriusXM radio that you can see in the video embed below (via EW). "There are so many things to have sex with. I didn't think that was that weird. Yeah, he's coming on to everybody. I mean, yeah, whatever. It just didn't seem that weird to me 'cause I feel like if you're in space it's kind of like, the door is open! It's like, no, only guys or girls. No, it's anything. This thing is literally a blob. Are you a man or a woman? Like, who cares? Have good time out here."
Glover went on to say that he spoke with original Lando actor Billy Dee Williams, who helped inform the way Glover wanted to approach the character and his tendencies.
"One thing that Billy did say was, be charming," Glover said, as reported by EW. "He's eclectic. He likes different things. He's somebody who goes around and tries everything .... but I was like, he's a charming person so I feel like he doesn't have hard and fast boundaries about everything."
And regarding the rumors of a Lando-specific spinoff, Glover said he would definitely be up to play him again in a future film dedicated to the character. What makes characters like Lando and Han especially interesting, he said, is that less is known about them compared to the Skywalkers. And Lando is just a more fun character.
"This part of the universe without the… I feel like with the Skywalkers, it's hard, because it's almost like the Bible," he said. "There's a story that you have to tell, and the lineage of that family. I feel like out here its like, yeah, we're just like husters and gamblers and space pirates, essentially, so you can do a lot more and have a lot more fun. And I like those movies a lot. I like the comedy of them, the silliness and also the adventure. I think it would just be fun to do."
Recently, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy told the French magazine Premiere that a Lando-focused Star Wars spinoff could happen, but it might not be soon.
While Deadpool 2 may not technically exist in the main Marvel Cinematic Universe, it still happily employs the time honored tradition of the post-credits scene--with an extremely Wade Wilson twist tossed in for good measure, of course.
Don't pretend like you didn't come here for spoilers--there are a lot of those ahead.
As the dust clears in the final conflict between the X-Force and "Firefist," we see Negasonic Teenage Warhead and her girlfriend, Yukio, tinkering around with Cable's time travel tech, which, according to him, should be all but useless now, keeping him stranded in the present day. Apparently, however, the gadgets of the not-too-distant future are no match for the engineering prowess of the X-Men, because NTW and Yukio are able to fix the device and pass it over to Wade.
That's right: Deadpool can time travel now, and it goes pretty much exactly the way you'd expect.
The first stops in Wade's timeline-manipulation grand tour are well within the scope of his own movie. He immediately hops back to prevent the death of his girlfriend, Vanessa, by correcting his botched cream cheese spreader throw and nailing her would-be murderer right between the eyes. Next up is the rescue of Wade's favorite faux X-Force (fauX-Force?) member, Peter AKA Sugar Bear, the regular guy with no powers. Peter met his untimely and grisly demise the first time around after he became the unfortunate recipient of Zeitgeist's acid vomit, so Wade steps in just moments earlier, telling him to go home before he can put himself in more danger.
It's worth noting that he does not try and save the rest of the team. Sorry, Terry Crews fans.
After the great Peter rescue things start to take a far more meta twist as Wade begins to hopscotch through various other movies. His first stop is 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine and the infamous "first appearance" of Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool. "First appearance" gets scare quotes in this case because, as fans will quickly tell you, the Deadpool who appeared in Origins was basically anything but Deadpool--a mutilated science experiment, sure, but other than that? Not so much. Origins' Deadpool was a mouthless, shirtless, dead eyed foot soldier who had about ten minutes of screen time total, so present day Wade is here to clean up the mess. Deadpool is dead, long live Deadpool.
The final stop on his trip is even more meta. Wade roles up to the home of Ryan Reynolds in 2010, as he first lays eyes on the script for the disastrous Green Lantern live action movie where Reynolds starred as Hal Jordan, complete with CGI costume and digitally enhanced comic book muscles. Green Lantern has become infamous as one of the pinnacles of bad superhero movies. So naturally, it's the perfect target for Deadpool's self-aware gags. Wade shoots Reynolds in the head, "preventing" Green Lantern from ever existing in the first place. Case closed. No more jokes about green cartoon super suits to be found here, folks. As far as DP is concerned, it never happened. Time to move on.
Now, what does any of this mean? That's a great question. Obviously, especially in the case of the movie-hopping, some of these gags exist just to be gags. Deadpool killing a previous, inferior version of Deadpool simply provides some laughs for fans who have been paying attention these last nine years.
Even with the in-universe stuff, it's pretty safe to assume that the continuity of Deadpool is a "Butterfly Effect" free zone. Wade saving Vanessa probably doesn't mean that the plot of Deadpool 2 never happened, saving Peter probably doesn't cause some sort of temporal ripple that means Cable never stuck around at the end, and so on. That type of consequence exists in movies like X-Men: Days of Future Past, but not here.
It's one of the benefits of being a character like Wade Wilson: You get to pick and choose what rules you want to follow and when. If anything sticks in a relevant, plot-enhancing way it'll likely be a continued role for Morena Baccarin, should she return for any sequels. And that's good enough for us.
Production has yet to begin on the Fast & Furious spin-off Hobbs and Shaw--starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Jason Statham--but some very interesting details about the movie have been revealed. Though the new film will be firmly planted in the Fast & Furious world, it sounds quite a bit different from the rest of the franchise's entries.
"We're diving into their world. I think we want to have our own take on the Fast universe," director David Leitch, who also helms Deadpool 2 tells Collider. "It will definitely have elements of the original DNA, but it is more drifting into Shaw's spy word and Dwayne's agent world and, obviously, we want to build on their relationship, their conflict, their banter. That chemistry that they have between them, that's sort of what's driving the movie."
That certainly sounds like a departure from the muscle car-heavy antic of the rest of the movies. Instead, Johnson, Statham, and Leitch seem to be teeing up a spy thriller loaded with adrenaline, explosions, and the rest of the Fast & Furious hallmarks. However, it also sounds like the movie is going back to basics.
"I think it's going to be a little bit more grounded because it's the beginning. It's an origin story, in a sense," the director says. "It's not an origin story, but we're starting a franchise. So we want it to be a little bit more grounded, a little bit more character-centric. We're going to set up the stakes for these guys and their relationship, but we're also going to have some great set pieces and some action that you'd expect from that type of franchise."
While Fate of the Furious, the eighth movie in the franchise, found Hobbs (Johnson) and Shaw (Statham) putting their troubled history behind them for the good of the team, it's good to know this spin-off won't simply assume they work together perfectly as a team now. Instead, it will build that sense of familiarity between them as they work together to fight... whatever it is they're going to fight. Beyond that, it sounds like some other faces from the Fast universe could appear in the movie.
"I don't really want to get into who would be in it and who wouldn't be in it," he says. "I think that's probably a little sensitive stuff right now. I think it would be a fun nod to have a couple of the characters come by and make their appearances. But I think we have a really strong point of view that we want to create our own characters for this world."
Fingers crossed that Vin Diesel shows up just to say the word "family," then quickly disappears. Whatever the case, chances are Tyrese Gibson won't be joining the cast. Hobbs and Shaw is in theaters on July 26, 2019.
A lot of us might still be playing God of War, but it's a new month, and that means new games are coming! There's a good mix for May, from highly anticipated ports to anime games, RPGs, and more. This includes Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on Switch at the beginning of the month and Dark Souls Remastered on PS4, Xbox One, and PC at the end. David Cage's PS4-exclusive narrative game, Detroit: Become Human, also comes out this month along with Destiny 2's latest DLC, Warmind.
Below, you'll find all the big games coming to Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC in May. For a full look at all of the major games coming to each platform throughout the rest of the year, check out our comprehensive 2018 game release date list.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Switch) -- May 4
One of the first games coming in May is Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, which first released in 2014 for the Wii U. The side-scrolling platformer delivers the Donkey Kong Country gameplay many have come to love, and the Switch version adds a new character: Funky Kong! Tropical Freeze is Retro Studios' second Donkey Kong Country game and gives you six worlds to explore.
Dark Souls Remastered (PS4, Xbox One, PC) -- May 25
Though it's been delayed on Nintendo Switch, Dark Souls Remastered is still coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC on May 25! Publisher Bandai Namco has said that on PS4 Pro, Xbox One X, and PC, the game runs in upscaled 4K resolution at 60 frames per second. It also makes some quality-of-life changes that both experienced players and newcomers may find helpful.
Another of May's biggest games is Detroit: Become Human, the latest from David Cage (Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls). In it, androids walk and work alongside humans, though many humans aren't happy about it. You switch between three different android characters, encountering difficult and emotional situations like abuse, murder, and discrimination.
Rockstar Games' follow-up to the seminal Red Dead Redemption is fast approaching. Set 12 years before the events of the original game, Red Dead Redemption II will explore an expansive region of the American wilderness, with Dutch Van der Linde's gang on the run from lawmen during the last years of the wild west. Experiencing Rockstar's take on the open-world western from a new perspective, you'll uncover the history of the Van Der Linde gang, which has a young John Marston in its thralls.
Despite the game releasing in only a few months on PS4 and Xbox One, we're still largely in the dark about what we can expect from the massive open-world game. Still, the recent trailers, screenshots, and info have given us plenty to talk about. Here's everything we know so far about Rockstar Games' upcoming open-world western.
How Can I Play RDR2?
Red Dead Redemption 2 is set for release on October 26 for PS4 and Xbox One. Unfortunately, there's still no word on a PC release--which the original game never saw a release for. There are also plans for a collector's edition of the game, which will be revealed at a later date.
Where Is RDR2 Set, And Is It A Prequel?
Set 12 years before the main events of original game, the prequel focuses on the outlaw life of the Van der Linde gang, led by Red Dead Redemption's main antagonists. After a robbery in Blackwater (one of the original game's major towns) goes bad--the gang finds themselves on the run. Dutch, his right-hand man Arthur Morgan, and several members of the gang will have to contend with life on-the-run while their situation grows more desperate after each confrontation with rival gangs and the law.
Rockstar also released a description of the plot:
America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him.
The First Reveal
Debuting on October 20, 2016, the first trailer for Red Dead Redemption II was a bit of a mood piece that showcased many locales in the game, while also displaying the somber tone of the main narrative. In this trailer, we saw several towns and locales, many of which are teeming with life and activity--such as ranchers rustling up some cattle, huntsmen bringing back their haul, and a group of citizens hanging out in the general store.
Who Are We Playing As?
Though the central character of Red Dead Redemption, John Marston, plays some role in the story--the main protagonist of the prequel is Arthur Morgan. As Dutch's right-hand man and enforcer for the gang, he'll handle much of the daily duties of keeping the gang in-check--which includes a young and less-experienced John Marston. When it comes to keeping the gang and its community afloat, Morgan is quite handy with picking up various jobs to ensure everyone is well fed and in good spirits. But as the story progresses, he'll begin to question his own resolve for Dutch's way of life, and whether he still has a place in the gang.
The Second Trailer
On September 28, 2017, the second trailer for Red Dead Redemption II debuted. In the new footage, we got to see more of Arthur Morgan and how ruthless he can be while on the job. During some of the story cutscenes, Morgan will use coercion and physical threats to collect money and information, all for the "benefit" of the community.
For more info on this particular trailer, check out our detailed breakdown.
Who's In Dutch's Gang?
In Red Dead Redemption II, we'll see Dutch's gang and its key players in their prime. While the original game had John hunt down and kill the remaining members of the gang, we'll see many the familiar faces in relatively happier times. From the most recent trailer, we see Dutch Van der Linde, Arthur Morgan, Bill Williamson, Javier Esquela, and of course John Marston in the roster. We'll also interact with other characters who would have a key role in the gang and in the lives of Arthur Morgan and John Marston.
What's New In Red Dead Redemption 2?
While the sequel is largely in the same vein as its predecessor, focusing on exploration, hunting, shoot-outs, heists, and other side-activities where you'll interact with a number of unique characters--Red Dead Redemption II features a far more expansive world to dive into. Rockstar has been tight-lipped about spilling any details. However, from what we've gleaned from trailers and official info, we can tell there's a greater focus on tracking the impact you have on the world. The honor system from the original game makes a return, but now with far more detailed tracking. Along with the average citizen, members of your community will also react to how well or how poorly you treat them. As the lead enforcer, Morgan will have to handle a ton of responsibilities, such as resource gathering, procuring funds, and making sure everyone in the community is happy.
How will online multiplayer work?
Currently, Rockstar hasn't shared any info on how the online play will function. The original Red Dead Redemption featured online free-for-all and team deathmatch style gameplay in the open world, along with several co-op themed missions. While it's safe to assume that these sorts of missions will return, another long-lingering rumor is the appearance of a battle royale mode. In the coming months before its release, we should expect to hear more about what Red Dead Redemption II will have when it comes to online.
The Third Trailer
In the new footage released on May 2, we saw a deeper look into the game's narrative and how the gang functions. Along with the familiar activities like hunting, heists, and side-quests with the region's citizens, rob trains and banks, and take in shows at theaters. For the most part, the trailer focuses on the many connections you'll have the members of the gang, and how your choices will affect them.
The History Of Red Dead - A look back on the history of the Red Dead series. From the early days a Gunsmoke spiritual sequel, to Rockstar Games' next successful open word game.
Epic is readying a new batch of content for Fortnite. Following last week's patch, the 4.2 content update arrives on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and iOS devices tomorrow, May 22, and it introduces the long-delayed jetpacks into Battle Royale mode.
The update is scheduled to roll out early in the morning at 5 AM PT / 8 AM ET / 1 PM BST. Like previous content drops, it won't be preceded by any server downtime. Epic hasn't detailed what the update will include, but it did tease that jetpacks will finally be making their way into the game. "Strap in and blast off with Jetpacks in the v4.2 Content Update," the developer wrote on Twitter.
We first heard that jetpacks would be added to Fortnite: Battle Royale back in February, when they were listed as "coming soon" in the game's New Updates section. Epic hadn't revealed any other details about the item at the time; their accompanying description only stated, "Take the fight to all new heights."
Prior to their release, however, Epic discovered a "last-minute design issue" with jetpacks, and as a result, the developer postponed them indefinitely. Since then, a number of new items have been introduced to Battle Royale, although Epic hasn't provided any further updates on when jetpacks would arrive until now.
While it may have taken a while for them to finally debut, it appears jetpacks won't be around in Fortnite for very long. In the New Updates section, Epic confirmed that jetpacks will only be available in the game for a limited time. The studio didn't explain why it is only offering jetpacks for such a short time or exactly how long they'll appear in the game.
Content update 4.2 arrives shortly after the end of Fortnite's latest limited-time mode, Solo Showdown. Unlike other special events in the game, Solo Showdown was a competition in which players competed to earn a spot on the rankings board based on their score, with the top 100 players taking home a prize of V-Bucks. The standings can be found of Fortnite's official blog.
E3 may not be the biggest video game trade show in terms of size and attendance, but it is far and away the year's most anticipated. The annual gaming showcase takes place in Los Angeles every June and has been home to some of the biggest and most exciting gaming news, from console reveals to tons of surprise game announcements (not to mention plenty of often-unintentional hilarity).
The Electronic Entertainment Expo has been around for more than two decades now, and in that time it has solidified itself as the preeminent video game trade show. Every major developer and publisher typically reserves its biggest reveals for E3; Sony announced the price and release date of the original PlayStation during the first-ever E3, and Microsoft unveiled its debut home console, the original Xbox, a few years later at the event. E3 is also where Nintendo dropped the very first trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, causing an entire theater to erupt in cheers.
Despite how deeply ingrained E3 has become in the gaming industry, the expo has undergone some dramatic changes in its 22-year history. While it was always intended as a venue for press and industry insiders to get their first look at the biggest upcoming titles and hardware, the ESA attempted to downsize the event in 2007, and the next couple of years featured much smaller--and decidedly less exciting--showings. E3 would revert back to its original scale in 2009 and continue to expand since, even opening its doors to the public for the first time last year.
With E3 2018 quickly approaching, we wanted to take a look back at the long history of the expo and how it has changed over the years. In the video above, you can watch us recount the history of E3, from its debut as the first dedicated video game trade show in 1995 through to last year's event. You can also relive some of the many unintentional memes the show has spawned over the past two decades, from giant enemy crabs to overcaffeinated spokespeople.
E3 2018 officially begins on June 12, but it will be preceded by several press conferences from the likes of Sony, Microsoft, EA, and Bethesda. You can find the full E3 2018 press conference schedule here. There will undoubtedly be a lot to see throughout the week-long event, so stay tuned to GameSpot for our complete coverage.
Chalk another one up for Netflix. The streaming service has landed two more high-profile names in producing deals. This time, it's former President Barack and Michelle Obama.
The news comes from The Hollywood Reporter, which says the duo have agreed to a multiyear deal with the streaming giant, which will see them produce a variety of original content, including scripted shows, documentaries, and movies. They join a number of other big names to sign with Netflix, including American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy and Shonda Rhimes, who has shows like Grey's Anatomy and Scandal to her name.
"One of the simple joys of our time in public service was getting to meet so many fascinating people from all walks of life, and to help them share their experiences with a wider audience," the president says in a statement. "That's why Michelle and I are so excited to partner with Netflix--we hope to cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples, and help them share their stories with the entire world."
The former first lady adds, "Barack and I have always believed in the power of storytelling to inspire us, to make us think differently about the world around us, and to help us open our minds and hearts to others. Netflix's unparalleled service is a natural fit for the kinds of stories we want to share, and we look forward to starting this exciting new partnership."
The exact terms of Netflix's deal with the Obamas have not been announced. However, it's worth THR's report that Murphy's agreement with the streamer is believed to be worth up to $300 million for the creator.
As for when to expect content from the Obamas to start arriving, chances are you'll have to wait a while. No shows or movies have been announced at this point. In the meantime, there are literally hundreds of Netflix originals for you to watch instead.
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