Shortly after it began, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds's latest limited-time event, War Mode, has been shut down. Developer PUBG Corp. announced on Twitter that it had to end this weekend's special event early, as it was causing the game's recent server issues.
War Mode kicked off last night, May 3, and soon afterward, PUBG began to suffer from server instability. Earlier today, PUBG Corp. had to take the game offline for an hour to perform emergency maintenance; during the process, the developer discovered that the instability was a result of War Mode, and the event was subsequently shut down.
"Unfortunately, we've had to prematurely end this week's event mode, as it was found to be the cause of recent server instability," PUBG Corp. said. "Our engineers are working hard to ensure this problem doesn't occur in the future."
War Mode is essentially PUBG's version of Team Deathmatch. This instance of it pit 10 teams of five players against each other on Miramar, with the object being to be the first team to reach 200 points by killing and knocking down other players. Unlike a typical game of battle royale, players can respawn in War Mode, and the action is confined to a small, static safe zone.
War Mode was originally slated to run through May 6. PUBG Corp. hasn't yet said if and when the mode will return again to the rotation. It began soon after the release of PUBG's latest update, which introduced a new weapon (the SLR), another vehicle for Miramar, and a variety of new attachments and weapon balance changes.
Season 4 of Fortnite is officially underway, and with it, we've gotten a new Battle Pass. This works largely like those in the past, offering weekly challenges for players to complete in order to unlock new skins and rewards. Week 1 challenges are the usual mixture of easy and tricky objectives; here are the key locations and how to complete them all.
Two specific challenges stand out as ones with which you might need a guide. The first asks you to follow the treasure map found in Tomato Town. You can head there and pick up the map to get started or, as with previous instances of this objective type, go right to the treasure if you know where it is. This one is fairly easy--it's in Loot Lake. Head to where the 'E' in Lake is shown on the map, as seen in the image below, and you'll find the wrecked remains of a small boat just to the south of a small slab of land. Jump on the part sticking out of the water and you'll see the Battle Pass icon to collect, which is done by holding the same key or button you use to open chests.
The other difficult challenge is to search F-O-R-T-N-I-T-E letters; there's no real indication of what these are or where to start your hunt. Essentially, these work a lot like the aforementioned treasure map locations, only there are no in-game hints. You'll head to certain spots and find a hovering blue letter that must be "searched" like a chest to collect. No matter which order you go to the locations, you'll always find the letters in the order that spells out "Fortnite."
Some are in popular places to land--for instance, there's one at the top of the clocktower in Tilted Towers. Others aren't so easy, but luckily, there are more than eight locations total spread across the map. With the help of Reddit users Strantjanet and thesquatingdog, we've verified eight locations--the exact number you'll need to complete the challenge. Here's directions to find them along with a map showing additional letter locations.
F-O-R-T-N-I-T-E Letters Locations
Tilted Towers -- on top of the clocktower
Salty Springs -- just to the east, on top of the fire lookout tower
Flush Factory -- on top of the largest building in the unnamed area to the northeast; you'll have to destroy the glass ceiling to collect it
Snobby Shores -- in the northern most area, on top of a lightpole in front of a decrepit house
Anarchy Acres -- on top of the red barn
Pleasant Park -- on top of the roof in the middle, immediately north of the soccer field
Lonely Lodge -- in the unnamed area to the southeast, on top of the building
Risky Reels -- in the hole on the movie screen
Week 1's other challenges are much more straightforward and generally rely on a mixture of luck and being in the right location. You'll need to deal damage to opponents using sniper rifles, which is just a matter of finding such a gun and having good aim. You'll want to head to Haunted Hills and search for chests; hopefully, in the process, you'll also get your hands on a Port-a-Fort. If you do, be sure to use it before dying to complete another challenge.
The aforementioned Tomato Town map is one of three Hard-difficulty objectives. Another simply has you rack up eliminations at Flush Factory, so head there and take down some opponents. The third calls for you to get three pistol eliminations. Pistols aren't the greatest of weapons, so you may want to attempt both this and the Flush Factory challenge in the Solo playlist. That way, you don't have to worry about revives or competing with teammates for a kill.
Each of these challenges rewards you with Battle Stars to level up your Battle Pass and earn new skins and rewards. Additionally, once you've complete four of them, you'll receive a 5k XP bonus. Keep in mind, access to the weekly challenges requires the purchase of the Battle Pass for 950 V-Bucks. In addition to weekly challenge access and the ability to earn lots of skins and rewards, the Battle Pass also includes new Blockbuster and Carbide challenges, which involve reaching level milestones and completing all challenges in a given week.
Season 4, Week 1 Battle Pass Challenges
Deal damage with sniper rifles to opponents (500) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search chests in Haunted Hills (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Use a Port-a-Fort -- 5 Battle Stars
Search F-O-R-T-N-I-T-E letters -- 5 Battle Stars
Hard: Follow the treasure map found in Tomato Town -- 10 Battle Stars
Hard: Pistol eliminations (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
Hard: Eliminate opponents in Flush Factory -- 10 Battle Stars
The release of the second DLC expansion for Destiny 2, Warmind, is right around the corner, but it's what comes after that which is suddenly much more intriguing. Publisher Activision has teased that this fall will see the addition of a major new mode, although it's keeping specifics under wraps until E3 2018.
During a post-earnings conference call with investors, Activision president Coddy Johnson responded to a question about how Bungie plans to continue improving the game. He said Bungie recently hosted a group of Destiny 2 players at the studio to show them both Warmind and some of what's coming this fall. Johnson claimed the response was "very positive" to both what Warmind and the update roadmap are doing, but also to something in the fall update.
Without giving away any details, he said the addition is "an incredibly engaging new mode--one that introduces a whole new style of play for first-person shooter gaming generally and certainly for the shared-world shooter space that Destiny created. It's a really exciting development. It's one of the things we think will really speak to the community when it comes out in the fall."
Despite this tease, Johnson added that we won't be hearing more about it until after Warmind's release, once E3 rolls around. E3 takes place in LA from June 12-14, and we'll have all the details on whatever Bungie and Activision have to say.
Bungie has made a concerted effort of late to better inform players about what's coming to Destiny 2 next. It's outlined a roadmap going through this summer, but so far, we haven't heard anything about the expected fall expansion, which will be the game's third. The original Destiny also faced numerous complaints until the release of its third DLC, The Taken King, that really turned around the perception of the game. We'll find out if E3 if something similar may be in store for Destiny 2.
It's been a big week for Fortnite. Epic Games released the big 4.0 update, marking the beginning of Season 4 and introducing some significant changes. The most obvious involves the huge crater on the map created by the comet that landed, but the Battle Royale island actually has a lot more going on than meets the eye at first. As players have spent more time exploring, hidden underground bases--seemingly tied to superheroes and villains--have been discovered around the map.
The lead up to Season 4's debut suggested that the comet would finally crash and that we would get a superhero-themed season. Some of the skins match up with that, but the newly modified island itself seems to hold additional pieces of the puzzle. Pull your attention away from Dusty Divot and Risky Reels and you'll find other new areas that aren't labeled on the in-game map, as you can see in the video above.
Take, for instance, the unnamed area just southeast of Lonely Lodge. If you head up to the roof of the house, you'll find one of the letters to seek out for Week 1's challenges. But it's underground that holds the more intriguing discovery. Either by breaking through a floor at the (apparent) bottom level of the staircase or by building ramps off the edge of the cliff, you can find an underground base, as shown in this video posted on Reddit by TopiKoodaa.
Down there, you'll find computers, security cameras, a locker room, and more, along with a logo on a wall for an as-of-yet undetermined group. Over in Salty Springs, as shown by Reddit user __Kaneda__, there's a similar but smaller secret room to be found through a hole hidden behind a staircase.
Even more elaborate is what's located just northeast of Snobby Shores. Ascend toward the house up on a mountain, and you'll find a giant missile sticking out of a silo, as shown in Philendrium's video. Jump in, and you'll find more computers, cars, and security cameras, as well as another logo. It all looks a bit like a Bond villain's lair.
Potential superhero/villain bases aside, there's also something much different in another area of the map. As shown in Qpaniic's screenshot, there's a destroyed building with what looks like a huge dinosaur track in its place. With one of Season 4's themes seemingly being moviemaking, it's possible this is just meant to be part of a set. Still, considering that players tried to interpret Morse code messages from controller vibrations in trying to crack the mystery of the comet, this is sure to spur some new theories about what awaits in Season 4 or 5.
For the time being, none of these new areas ultimately have a major impact on the way Battle Royale plays, but it's still fun to see the island evolve. The underground bases also tease the possibility of some ongoing story that may play out over the course of the season. That's purely speculation at this point, but after how things played out with the comet, figuring out what's next and going along for the ride will be half the fun for Fortnite fans.
There's no denying that the way viewers consume entertainment has changed over the last few years. With the biggest film franchises composing cinematic universes and streaming video allowing for hours-long binges on-demand, the way things are watched has evolved and continues to do so. It begs the question though, is this something the audience wants or is it conditioning them to expect it?
In the mind of Avengers: Infinity War co-director Joe Russo, it's the former. Speaking to Variety, he says, "I think all of this--Netflix, Marvel, Star Wars, this massive moment of disruption we're in--is really a function of audiences craving new kinds of storytelling." The co-director continues, "I think we had a really nice run for 100 years of two-hour, two-dimensional storytelling, but I think over the next decade, decade-and-a-half, you're going to see a radical shift in how stories are told."
And there are plenty of new storytelling avenues for those audiences to experience. As the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe maintain their streak of breaking box office records, Netflix continues to release massive batches of original TV shows and movies. Are both appealing to what audiences want, though?
Clearly, it's hard to argue that the MCU's method of building a universe of superheroes over a decade is working and audiences are reacting positively. Netflix, on the other hand, is a bit more of a mystery.
The streaming service has said before it was planning a total of 700 original shows in 2018 and has been releasing them in loads every month, premiering full seasons all at once for audiences to binge. Much of the content never makes it to the public conversation, though. While audiences devour new seasons of Stranger Things and the Marvel shows, there's a long list of originals that never seem to attract attention. For instance, did you watch Seven Seconds? It premiered on Netflix in February and has already been canceled.
Then, of course, there's the argument many seem to have about practically every Netflix show: Why are there so many episodes? A typical season on the service runs 13 episodes, yet a lot of the shows seem to begin running out of steam around eight installments in. Perhaps that wouldn't be the case if the shows were airing weekly, rather than being dumped all at once. Still, it's hard to look at even its Marvel offerings and think about how much stronger they'd be if they were shorter.
Netflix has undoubtedly changed the way TV is watched, for better or worse. "Binge" watching shows has become common, thanks in large part to the streamer--though it's YouTube that should really be credited for beginning the shift. Is it a good one, though? That's up to the individuals tuning in. As the MCU continues to grow bigger, it will be interesting to see if more of Netflix's massive programming library begins to find traction with an audience, rather than just their top-tier programming.
Today is May the 4th, also known as Star Wars Day. So it's no surprise that retailers of all kinds would like to encourage you to buy all things Star Wars today. To that end, many of them have dropped prices on Star Wars gear ranging from video games to toys and collectibles. We've combed through the sales and found some of the best deals around. Let's dig in.
Star Wars Games
For starters, tons of Star Wars video games are on sale today. You can find our full roundup here, or you can scope out a deal on Star Wars Battlefront II below. The game has received quite a few tweaks and updates since launch.
Best Buy -- PS4 | Xbox One -- $35 ($28 with Gamers Club Unlocked membership)
Looking beyond video games, many of the Star Wars movies are on sale as well. For starters, you can finally pre-order tickets to see Solo: A Star Wars Story in theaters. It comes out May 25, but your best bet at securing seats is to buy tickets now. Here are some of your options.
In terms of the movies you can buy and watch at home, Amazon has some of the best prices around on Star Wars Blu-ray movies. Some of these also come with the films on DVD as well as digital copies you can watch anytime without getting off the couch.
Legos are fun for people of all ages, and you can find plenty of Star Wars Lego sets of your favorite Star Wars characters, vehicles, and locations on sale today. To celebrate Star Wars day, Lego is running a May the 4th Be With You sale. If you buy $75 worth of qualifying Lego Star Wars items, you'll get a free mini BB-8 Lego set. Sale items include:
All kinds of retailers are celebrating Star Wars Day with sales. You can save up to 80% off Star Wars gear at Think Geek. All kinds of Star Wars characters can be made to your exact specifications at Build-a-Bear at a discounted rate. Even Kohl's is having a sale on Star Wars items.
Pokemon Go players only have a few more days to catch the game's latest Legendaries. The twin Eon Pokemon Latios and Latias will only be available in their respective regions until Tuesday, May 8, making this your last chance to add one to your collection if you still haven't.
Both Legendaries have been available in the game since April 2, but up until now, each one has been confined to specific regions. Latios could only be found in North America, South America, and Africa, while Latias would only appear across Europe and Asia.
The two Pokemon will remain in their current locations until May 8, at which point they will swap regions. From that date forward, players in Europe and Asia will be able to catch Latios, while Latias will be available in North America, South America, and Africa. The Legendaries will remain in those regions until they leave the game on June 5.
Like most other Legendaries, Latios and Latios can only be found as a Raid Battle at Gyms, meaning players will first need to team up with other trainers to defeat the Pokemon before earning a chance to capture them. Both Legendaries are Dragon- and Psychic-types, making them particularly susceptible to Dark and Fairy Pokemon like Tyranitar and Mawile.
In addition to Latios and Latias, players also have a chance to capture the Legendary bird Pokemon Zapdos. Niantic recently rolled out a new batch of Field Research quests that revolve around Flying- and Electric-types. If players manage to complete enough of the quests to earn seven stamps, they will be rewarded with an encounter with Zapdos.
Pokemon Go players also still have a few more days to take advantage of the ongoing Battle Showdown event. From now until May 14, Fighting-type Pokemon will spawn more frequently, and players will earn double XP for participating in Gym and Raid Battles. Shortly after that ends, Niantic will host the next Pokemon Go Community Day on May 19, which features the popular starter Pokemon Charmander.
Season 4 of Fortnite: Battle Royale is underway. In addition to taking part in matches like normal, that also means there are special challenges to complete. Beyond the regular Starter and weekly challenges, Season 4 also presents some additional ones: Blockbuster and Carbide. Here's everything you need to know and details on all of the challenges revealed so far.
All Fortnite players on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and mobile are eligible to complete the Starter challenges. These are relatively run-of-the-mill and offer different rewards, including Battle Stars and various minor cosmetics. The Battle Stars allow you to rank up the Battle Pass, which is where the vast majority of Season 4 skins and rewards are located, such as the coveted Omega skin pictured below. However, the free tier has a very limited number of goodies on offer. You'll need to purchase the full Season 4 Battle Pass for 950 V-Bucks to be able to obtain all of the rewards as you level up.
Purchasing the Battle Pass also entitles you to all of the weekly challenges. Another set of these opens up each week during the season and can be completed anytime between now and when Season 4 ends on July 9.
Some of the rewards available in Season 4
That's how things have worked in past seasons, but Season 4 also has new types of challenges. Blockbusters involve completing all of the challenges from a given week. Doing so earns you an additional reward on top of what you'd get from finishing those challenges anyway. The first Blockbuster challenge you finish pays out a loading screen, which serves as a clue that directs you to an in-game location where you can get a free Battle Pass tier. To find that, though, you'll have to actually complete all of the challenges from a week.
Also new in Season 4 are Carbide challenges. One of the rewards you immediately get for buying the Battle Pass is the Carbide skin. As you reach certain level milestones during Season 4, you'll complete Carbide challenges, which unlock different "styles" that let you customize the look of the Carbide skin. Completing three Carbide challenges also nets you a matching pickaxe.
Below, you'll find a complete list of all Season 4 challenges to be revealed so far, along with links to our maps and guides that will help you complete them all.
Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 4 Challenges
Starter
Outlive opponents (1,000) -- 5 Battle Stars
Play matches with friends (10) -- 5 Battle Stars
Deal damage to opponents (5,000) -- 5 Battle Stars
Land at different Named Locations (10) -- 5 Battle Stars
Play matches (50) -- Ace of spades cosmetic item
Play matches with at least one elimination (10) -- concept art
Hard: Win a match -- #1 cosmetic item
Reward: 5k XP (after completing four challenges)
Blockbuster
Complete all challenges in a week -- #1 loading screen
Complete all challenges in 2 different weeks -- #2 reward
Complete all challenges in 3 different weeks -- #3 reward
Complete all challenges in 4 different weeks -- #4 reward
Complete all challenges in 5 different weeks -- #5 reward
Complete all challenges in 6 different weeks -- #6 reward
Complete all challenges in 7 different weeks -- #7 reward
Reward: unknown (after complete seven challenges)
Carbide
Reach Season Level 10 -- Carbide chest cosmetic
Reach Season Level 20 -- Carbide legs cosmetic
Reach Season Level 30 -- Carbide arm cosmetic
Reach Season Level 40 -- Carbide helmet cosmetic
Reach Season Level 65 -- Carbide cosmetic
Reward: Carbide pickaxe (after completing three challenges)
Week 1
Deal damage with sniper rifles to opponents (500) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search chests in Haunted Hills (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Use a Port-a-Fort -- 5 Battle Stars
Search F-O-R-T-N-I-T-E letters -- 5 Battle Stars
Hard: Follow the treasure map found in Tomato Town -- 10 Battle Stars
Hard: Pistol eliminations (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
Hard: Eliminate opponents in Flush Factory -- 10 Battle Stars
While it isn't known whether Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will appear in any more of the main Fast and Furious movie series, we are definitely getting at least two more movies in the blockbuster franchise. Fast 9 and 10 are due for release in 2020 and 2021 respectively, and star and producer Vin Diesel has now confirmed that director Justin Lin will return to helm them.
While it was rumored last year that Lin, who has made four films in the series, including Fast 5 and 6, would return to the franchise, this is the first confirmation from anyone connected with the movie. Diesel appeared on NBC's Today and was asked if Fast & Furious 9 would go even bigger in scale than last year's The Fate of The Furious.
"It does get bigger," he said, via ScreenRant. "I just got off the phone with Justin Lin, who is directing Fast 9 and 10, and I can't tell you how excited he is!" In addition, Diesel also hinted at a new location for the next movie. "We haven't been to Africa, and we are long overdue."
Fast & Furious 9 was originally set for a 2019 release, but last October, it was pushed by an entire year to April 10, 2020. Fans will however get the spin-off movie next year, which is set to focus on the characters Hobbs and Shaw, played by Johnson and Jason Statham.
In a recent interview, Johnson admitted he didn't know if he'd be back for any more films in the main series. This follows reports last year of a feud with co-star Vin Diesel. "Vin and I had a few discussions, including an important face-to-face in my trailer," Johnson admitted. "And what I came to realize is that we have a fundamental difference in philosophies on how we approach moviemaking and collaborating. It took me some time, but I'm grateful for that clarity. Whether we work together again or not."
Following the hilarious new IMAX posters for the upcoming superhero sequel Deadpool 2, we have an even stranger bit of promotion. It's a music video, featuring none other than Canadian singing superstar Céline Dion, performing her new song 'Ashes.'
The song features on the movie's soundtrack, and musically it's a classic power ballad of the type Dion is known for, most famously her blockbuster song from Titanic. In the video she's assisted by Deadpool himself, performing a deeply moving dance routine while Celine belts out the tune. Check it out below--just make sure you stick around for the post-song exchange between Dion and Deadpool:
Deadpool 2 hits theaters on May 18. It stars Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, Josh Brolin as Cable, and Zazie Beetz as Domino, plus TJ Miller, Morena Baccarin, Brianna Hildebrand, and Julian Dennison. It's directed by David Leitch (John Wick, Atomic Blonde). The final trailer was released last month. And of course, this isn't the only musical performance that we've seen Deadpool engage in this week.
In related news, Reynolds recently revealed that he wasn't sure if there would be a Deadpool 3. A movie focusing on the superhero team X-Force has been in development for some time, and the actor explained that he thought that would be the next film to feature the Merc with a Mouth. "It's an odd thing to say but I don't think there will be a Deadpool 3," he told Starnews Korea, via Slashfilm. "I think going forward it would be an X-Force movie, which would be his team, so to speak."
A new distribution is now underway for Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. From May 4-27, players will be able to add one of the Legendary Pokemon from the Kalos region, Xerneas and Yveltal, to their teams via a free download code.
To claim the download code, players will need to head to a participating retailer and pick one up near the register. In the US, the code will be available from GameStop; UK and Ireland residents can get one from Game stores; and players in Canada and Australia will find the code at EB Games.
The download code can be used in any seventh generation Pokemon title. To redeem it, select Mystery Gift from the games' main menu, then choose the option to receive your gift via a code/password. Input the code and the game will begin downloading your Legendary. You can then pick it up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center.
The Legendary you receive depends on which version you're playing. Those with Sun or Ultra Sun will get the Dark/Flying-type Yveltal, while players with Moon or Ultra Moon will get the Fairy-type Xerneas. If you redeem the code in either of the Ultra games, the Legendary will also come equipped with a Gold Bottle Cap, which can be exchanged to Hyper Train a Pokemon.
Additionally, the Legendaries will come at a higher level if you redeem the code in either of the Ultra games. They'll also know a different moveset depending on the version you're playing. You can take a look at the attacks they'll come with in each game below.
Pokemon Ultra Sun
Yveltal -- Level 100
Oblivion Wing
Dark Pulse
Heat Wave
Tailwind
Pokemon Sun
Yveltal -- Level 60
Oblivion Wing
Dark Pulse
Phantom Force
Psychic
Pokemon Ultra Moon
Xerneas -- Level 100
Geomancy
Focus Blast
Grass Knot
Moonblast
Pokemon Moon
Xerneas -- Level 60
Geomancy
Horn Leech
Night Slash
Moonblast
The Pokemon Company is giving away different Legendaries every month in 2018 as part of its Year of Legendary Pokemon promotion. In June, players will be able to get another Legendary from Pokemon X and Y: Zygarde. What makes this Pokemon special is that it will be its shiny variant. Until then, you can see all of the free Pokemon up for grabs right now.
Humble Bundle has launched its latest collection of games you can get at an enormous discount in the US. It's called the Humble CryEngine Bundle, and as you can probably guess, it contains games built on the CryEngine. What games are those? We'll dive in below, but note that the deal ends on May 15.
As usual, you can pay what you want for this Humble Bundle, and the bundles comes in three tiers. To get the first tier, you only need to spend $1. To get the games in the first two tiers, you have to spend the average amount people have spent on the bundle. That varies over time, but the number tends to go up the longer the bundle is available. And finally, to get the games in the third tier, you have to spend at least $15.
The top-billed games in the bundle, which you'll only get if you spend $15 or more, are the military-focused games Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 and Homefront: The Revolution. Both games received 5/10 in their GameSpot reviews, so you may want to exercise caution before buying them. Then again, if you've been curious about either one, getting them as part of this extremely discounted bundle is the way to go.
In addition to those games, each tier comes with game asset files, which may be appealing to any game developers out there. Also, Humble Bundle buyers can decide how much of their money goes to charity. This month's featured charity is Extra Life.
Fortnite is one of the biggest, most popular games on Earth right now--it's so big that it's even impacting the established juggernaut Activision. Management said on an earnings call today that the popular free-to-play game, and other battle royale games, has taken away something away (potentially money or players) from Activision properties in the short term. "We have seen some near-term impact from Battle Royale," Activision Blizzard management said during a Q&A this afternoon.
The publisher did not say how much of an impact Fortnite and other battle royale games have had on Activision Blizzard's bottom line or which of its games were most affected. However, it is noteworthy that management would say this at all.
Also during the call, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said Fortnite is helping gaming overall become more popular and mainstream. Activision Publishing president Coddy Johnson added that the battle royale mode is "contributing to innovation within the industry," going on to say it is helping bring new, younger games to video games. He added that it is "really encouraging" to see Fortnite and other battle royale games do well on mobile. This may inform what Activision Blizzard does in the future with its own mobile games, the publisher said.
Perhaps the bigger takeaway here is that Activision Blizzard, as suspected, might be looking to get in on the Battle Royale movement in some manner.
"When we see people innovate in an interesting and impactful way, we are very quick to figure out how to capture inspiration from innovation," Kotick said. "When we see things that appeal to our audiences, we are very good at being inspired by those."
Some have suggested that the popularity of Fortnite and other free-to-play games is in some way eroding the traditional $60 business model. Johnson said the video game industry, like other industries, is big enough to support multiple business models.
"We think that in a growing industry like ours there is room for multiple business models to succeed in parallel," Johnson said, pointing out that video streaming sites like the subscription-based Netflix and (mostly) free YouTube co-exist in harmony. He added that Activision Blizzard's own portfolio of games is diversified with free-to-play and paid games alike, along with other revenue streams from things like add-on content and microtransactions.
"We do think $60 games will continue to be an important part of that equation," Johnson said.
The most important thing when creating content is to ensure that the "value proposition" is in a good place; that is to say, that the content in question is perceived to be valuable enough for people to feel compelled to buy it and satisfied with their purchase. This is Activision Blizzard's "north star," Johnson said.
One of Activision's next big new releases is Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, which comes out in early October for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. There have been rumours online that this game will include a Battle Royale mode, but Activision has made no announcements yet. The company plans to formally unveil the game during an event on May 17.
It's May 4, which means you might hear someone make a clever Star wars reference like, "May the fourth be with you." That silly pun has turned today into the pop culture holiday Star Wars Day, and to celebrate, video game retailers have dropped prices on all kinds of Star Wars games. To help you find the best deals on games from a galaxy far away, we've rounded up all the biggest sales below. In the words of a wise Jedi: Save money, you will.
The biggest, newest Star Wars game is still Star Wars Battlefront II, which has gotten some major progression changes. If you feel like giving it a try, you'll be pleased to know most retailers currently have physical copies of it on sale. Here are those deals:
For PC gamers, the sales range from new hits all the way back to classic Star Wars games from decades ago. In Steam's Star Wars game sale, you can get a full-on avalanche of Star Wars games by buying the Star Wars Complete Collection for $76 (down from $273). Steam also has Star Wars games divided into various bundles, like the X-Wing series ($12) and the Jedi Knight collection ($9), or you can buy any game individually. The Humble Store and GOG are running Star Wars sales of their own, with similar sale prices.
There's a good chance you've played--or at least been intrigued by--The Witcher 3. There's also a good chance you missed out on Geralt of Rivia's first outing. Now's the perfect time to right that wrong by grabbing a free copy of the game that started it all. Right now, GOG is handing out free copies of The Witcher: Enhanced Edition to anyone who plays games on PC.
Since there's no such thing as a free lunch, you will have to jump through a hoop or two before you can hit that download button. For starters, you have to install Gwent: The Witcher Card Game. It's free to play, so that's not a huge deal. And if you've dabbled in the card-playing mini-game in The Witcher 3, you'll know it's an enjoyable pastime on its own. You can download it here.
Once you've installed Gwent, click here to access your free copy of The Witcher: Enhanced Edition. Note that to get your free game, you must also subscribe you to the GOG.com newsletter (you can unsubscribe any time). You also get a free Gwent Card Keg, which will come in handy if you plan to continue playing Gwent.
Now you can install your copy of The Witcher: Enhanced Edition and play the game that kickstarted Geralt's monster hunting career when it launched in 2007. In GameSpot's Witcher review, Brett Todd wrote, "Memorable story, immersive combat, fascinating characters--what's not to like? A few fit-and-finish issues mean that The Witcher isn't quite an all-time classic RPG. Regardless, it's awfully, awfully close, warts and all, and it provides a new benchmark for future developers that are looking to lift their games out of the done-to-death elf-and-orc ghetto."
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Dragon Age II still has many fans seven years after its release, and now players will get another chance to play as the game is now part of the Xbox Backwards Compatibility program. Starting today, you'll be able to buy a digital copy of the game on Xbox One or, if you have the Xbox 360 disc already, pop it in your Xbox One and start playing for free.
Dragon Age II came out in 2011 and is a complex role-playing game with expansive questing, twisting narratives, and lots of adventure in an vast fantasy world. It has many of the hallmarks of the traditional fantasy RPG; you fight dragons, level up your skills, and assemble your party. Much like Mass Effect 2, which was also developed by BioWare and came out the year before, you choose how you respond to events in the game by using a dialogue wheel. Some interactions greatly affect gameplay and plot down the road.
In GameSpot's Dragon Age II review, Kevin VanOrd gave the game an 8/10 and said it had a wonderful combo of great writing, voice acting, player choice, and fun, fast-paced combat. "Here is a game in which decisions have consequences that ripple outward, producing effects you may not have seen coming," he wrote. "What makes them more effective is that there is not always a clearly bad or good path to take--not in this world in which greed and anger course through the veins of so many, regardless of their affiliation...[It] makes a strong impression, pulling you through with the promise of another fun quest, another character to meet, and another beast to slay."
As mentioned, if you own a physical copy of Dragon Age II, you can simply pop it into your Xbox One and begin playing. Alternatively, if you own the title digitally, you'll find it waiting in the Ready to Download section of the My Games and Apps menu. You can also purchase a digital copy of Dragon Age II from the Xbox Store for US $20 / £15 / AU $49.95.
In other news, Microsoft has announced that the Xbox Backwards Compatibility program is super popular, with users logging nearly 1 billion hours playing Xbox and Xbox 360 games on their Xbox Ones and around half of all Xbox One owners having tried the feature.
Nintendo's iconic simian Donkey Kong makes his Switch debut this week with Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, which launches for the hybrid console on May 4. Originally released for Wii U in 2014, Tropical Freeze is the second DK game from Metroid Prime developer Retro Studios, following 2010's Donkey Kong Country Returns.
Like its predecessor, Tropical Freeze is a side-scrolling platformer in the vein of Rare's beloved SNES trilogy. This time around, Donkey and Diddy are joined by the returning Dixie Kong. The game also marks the first playable appearance of Cranky Kong, who can use his cane to pogo-bounce on enemies.
On top of the same content found in the original Wii U release, the Switch version of Tropical Freeze boasts a new Funky Mode, which gives players control over another playable character: Funky Kong. Funky's unique abilities help make the game's challenging levels more accessible, as he can double jump, float through the air, roll infinitely, and resist spikes thanks to his surfboard.
Ahead of its Switch release, other outlets have begun publishing their reviews of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. As always, we've rounded up a sample of them below to see how well the game holds up. For a broader look at what critics think about the Switch version of Tropical Freeze, be sure to check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
Game: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Developer: Retro Studios
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release date: May 4
Price: $60 / £50
GameSpot -- 9/10
"Tropical Freeze isn't a heavy-hitter from Nintendo in the same way Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey are, but it's a fantastic platformer that's bursting with creativity and expertly designed challenges. It's tuned just right--always tough but rarely frustrating--to ensure that even the most common moments feel great. If you missed out when the game first debuted back in 2014, give it a shot today. It easily stands the test of time." -- Peter Brown [Full review]
IGN -- 9/10
"Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze's addition of Funky Mode makes it more accessible without reducing the formidable platforming difficulty to a walk in the park. There's still a lot of challenge, even with the extra help Donkey's Funky uncle affords. But the Switch version manages to take just enough of an edge off a punishing game to let the fun platforming outshine its difficulty." -- Seth G. Macy [Full review]
Game Informer -- 9.25/10
"The Switch version reaffirms that Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a fantastic platformer. Having a new character to control and a handheld version of the game is great for previous owners, but the real audience is those who missed the original release." -- Kyle Hilliard [Full review]
GamesRadar+ -- 4.5/5
"Although this is ultimately a better looking version of the Wii U classic with Funky Mode thrown in for added fun, the Switch version of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is proof that even Wii U games can age like fine wine. This is a beautiful, smooth experience when taken out and about on the Switch, and only gets better when you whack it on the big screen. You've got no excuse to miss out this time around on Tropical Freeze." -- Lucas Sullivan, Sam Loveridge [Full review]
EGM Now -- 9/10
"Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze makes another strong case for the argument that Nintendo needs to port every single one of its Wii U games to the Switch. DK's latest adventure is one of the most clever, joyful platforming experiences I've had in a while, and it adds just enough newness to the series to keep the formula engaging without going overboard. There might not be enough (or anything) to convince Wii U owners to play it again, but long-lost Nintendo fans who came back for the Switch have another must-play game to add to their growing libraries." -- Michael Goroff [Full review]
Eurogamer -- Recommended
"Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, with its challenge and its craft, its energy and its ingenuity, feels like nothing less than a display of pure mastery over the 2D action genre. That might not be as exciting as when Retro Studios brought Samus Aran into the third dimension with Metroid Prime, but it's an achievement that in its own way is just as remarkable. More remarkable still is how Tropical Freeze sits comfortably alongside the greats of Nintendo, that venerable master of the 2D action genre." -- Martin Robinson [Full review]
Fortnite's Season 4 update has arrived on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and mobile, and it makes some big changes, particularly to Battle Royale. On top of introducing a slate of new skins and rewards to collect, along with comet-induced changes to the map, Epic has removed another weapon from the game for the foreseeable future.
In the patch notes for Fortnite's v4.0 update, Epic revealed that it has taken the crossbow out of rotation, meaning players will no longer be able to find it as loot during matches. The crossbow was first introduced to Battle Royale back in February as part of Fortnite's 2.4.2 update, but now it joins a small handful of weapons in the Vault, effectively removing it entirely from the game.
Epic didn't specify why it has taken the crossbow out from Battle Royale, but weapons are typically moved into the Vault to make room for new additions or when they aren't working out quite as the developer intended. Such was the case with the recently added Guided Missile, which was removed from Battle Royale last month shortly after it was introduced as fans felt it was overpowered.
While the crossbow can no longer be found in Battle Royale, that doesn't necessarily mean it won't return to the game at some point in the future. Epic has previously said that Vaulted weapons could be reintroduced to the game "when the timing is right," although the developer hasn't hinted at when the crossbow could potentially make a comeback.
In the crossbow's stead, Epic has added 100 new rewards tiers to Battle Royale as part of the Season 4 Battle Pass, which can be purchased for 950 V-Bucks. You can see everything available in our Season 4 rewards roundup. Additionally, Fortnite's comet has finally crashed after looming mysteriously in the sky for weeks, leveling a portion of Dusty Depot to create Dusty Divot.
It's a new week, and that means another fresh set of digital gaming deals on Xbox One and Xbox 360. Microsoft's Major Nelson announced all of these deals on his blog today, and we're rounding up some of the notable offers here in this post for you to consider.
Moving to Xbox 360, there are some nice deals to be had on backwards-compatible Call of Duty games, including Modern Warfare ($15), Black Ops ($15), and Black Ops II ($16.50). The acclaimed Original Xbox game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, which also plays on Xbox One with backwards compatibility, is marked down to $10.50, while another backwards-compatible Star Wars game, The Force Unleashed II, can be had for $15.
These are just a small sampling of this week's Xbox One and Xbox 360 deals. Go to Major Nelson's blog to see a complete rundown of offers, some of which require an Xbox Live Gold membership. The offers are good through May 7.
Each month, Amazon and Twitch give away free digital items to Amazon Prime members with Twitch accounts. This month, not only can you download six free games between now and May 31, but you can also get some free Heroes of the Storm loot as well.
Up for grabs in May are a Glitch-steed mount and five Rare Loot Chests. The contents of the chests are random, but each one is guaranteed to contain at least one rare item. Loot Chests in Heroes of the Storm contain a randomized assortment of things like heroes, sprays, skins, voice lines, banners, and announcers.
This month's rewards aren't quite as valuable as last month's, which gave Twitch Prime members five free Legendary Loot Chests, but the mount is a nice addition. Next month's offerings don't include a steed but will include five Rare Loot Chests.
To snag the free items, first make sure to link your Amazon Prime account with your Twitch account. Then link your Twitch account to your Blizzard account. Once you've done that, you can claim your rewards by heading to Twitch and clicking the crown-shaped Prime Loot icon next to the search bar. That opens the drop-down menu where you'll find your items waiting for you.
Heroes of the Storm is a popular free-to-play MOBA that pits two teams of five Blizzard heroes against each another. Each hero has unique abilities that can help their team destroy the opponent's base. In GameSpot's Heroes of the Storm review, Tyler Hicks gave the game a 9/10, calling it "a must-play for both MOBA players and Blizzard enthusiasts... [It's] a fantastic casual-competitive game that offers untold hours of enjoyment."
We've already known that this year's new Call of Duty game will indeed be Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, as many had speculated, but up until now, Activision has only shared brief tidbits about the anticipated shooter. The publisher will formally pull back the curtain on Black Ops 4 during a special event later this month, and now we have more details on when that will occur.
Activision has begun sending out invitations to its Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Community Reveal Event, which takes place on May 17. The invites don't divulge any information on exactly what the publisher will talk about during the event, but it does reveal that the keynote conference begins at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET.
Outside of the brief teaser trailer above, Activision hasn't announced many concrete details about Black Ops 4, making the Reveal Event the first public showing of the game. We do know it is once again being developed by Treyarch, the studio behind previous entries in the Black Ops series. We also know that it will release for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 12, almost a full month ahead of when Call of Duty games typically launch.
Avengers: Infinity War has been in theaters for less than a week, but the next Marvel movie is only two months from release. Ant-Man and the Wasp is released in July, and following a poster, the new trailer is here.
There has been some speculation about when exactly in the MCU timelineAnt-Man and the Wasp takes place, but this new trailer doesn't provide any clues; in fact, the only other Marvel movie it references is the first Ant-Man. But it's a lot of fun, with Paul Rudd back as Scott Lang and Evangeline Lilly getting joint-billing as Hope Pym, aka the Wasp. There's plenty of outlandish action involving both Ant-Man and Giant-Man (Lang's other, somewhat taller, identity), while Lilly's Wasp looks like she will be a great foil to Lang. Check it out above.
In addition, Michael Douglas returns as Hank Pym, while Michael Peña (The Martian, Fury) is back as Lang's criminal pal Luis. New cast members include Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne, and Randall Park (The Interview, Trainwreck) as SHIELD agent Jimmy Woo.
Ant-Man and The Wasp is directed by Peyton Reed. It hits theaters on July 6 in the US, with the UK release set for August 3. Reed helmed the first film, taking over from Edgar Wright, who had worked on the movie for many years but left shortly before production began. Last year, Wright revealed that he has never seen the final film.
In an interview with Modern Myth Media last year, Reed spoke about his plans for the sequel. "For me, as a comic nerd, I have always thought of Ant-Man and Wasp as a team," he said. "That's a lot of what the second movie is really about--how they work together, and what their personal and professional relationships are like.
"To show her finally fully formed in this movie is really exciting. We really get to introduce this character into that universe. To me she's not a supporting character in this movie. It's every bit as much her movie as it is Scott Lang's."
The new God of War on PS4 features a wide array of additions to the series, from a new combat system and weapon to an AI companion and a much different narrative focus. It also features some light RPG elements, including gear that you can collect and equip. There are a ton of items to be had, but a handful in particular are tied to what appears to be a pretty obvious reference to Marvel's smash-hit new movie, Avengers: Infinity War.
Infinity War centers around the villain Thanos and his pursuit of the six Infinity Stones, which he plans to insert into the Infinity Gauntlet, granting him god-like powers. While lacking the same level of overwhelming control over the universe, Kratos can get his hands on some Infinity Gauntlet and Stone-inspired items during his travels.
The Infinity Gauntlet takes the form of a talisman known as the Shattered Gauntlet of Ages, which appears to have first been discovered by Reddit user moxxxxxi. Its description states, "An ancient relic of Hel deemed too powerful to remain whole, fragments of its former strength lie scattered throughout the realms..."
Additionally, there are enchantments--gems that can be inserted into an item to provide a buff--that reference the Infinity Stones. Here are the names of all six and the Infinity Stones they appear to be connected to:
Andvari's Soul -- Soul Stone
Asgard's Shard of Existence -- Reality Stone
Eye of the Outer Realm -- Space Stone
Ivaldi's Corrupted Mind -- Mind Stone
Muspelheim Eye of Power -- Power Stone
Njord's Temporal Stone -- Time Stone
When the Shattered Gauntlet of Ages is fully upgraded, it can hold up to three enchantments (rather than six, like the Infinity Gauntlet, presumably because that would be far too powerful for gameplay purposes). On its own, it's somewhat unremarkable, but if you slot in three of the enchantments listed above, the talisman gains the ability to shoot a Thanos-y purple beam at enemies. It's a more elaborate effect than what happens when you have other enchantments slotted into the item. There are some very light God of War spoilers ahead.
In order to get your hands on the gauntlet, you'll need to complete the quest Family Business, which you'll get from the dwarf Sindri. Toward the end of the quest, when you find the remains of the dead men on the boat, a Traveler will attack you. Defeat it, and you'll get the talisman.
The video above showcases the gauntlet in action and highlights what you need to do to obtain each of the six enchantments (although, again, you'll only be able to insert three of them into the gauntlet at a time). Here's a quick rundown:
Andvari's Soul -- complete Brok's Deus Ex Malachite favor
Asgard's Shard of Existence -- defeat Valkyrie Rota in Helheim
Eye of the Outer Realm -- found in Hidden Chamber of Odin in Helheim (you only have one chance to get this)
Ivaldi's Corrupted Mind -- defeat Valkyrie Olrun in Alfheim
Muspelheim Eye of Power -- purchase at the Muspelheim shop
Microsoft's anticipated zombie game State of Decay 2 launches for Xbox One and PC later this month, but some players will be able to try it a little early. Developer Undead Labs has opened registration for State of Decay 2's technical beta, giving select players a chance to jump into a slice of the open-world survival game ahead of its release.
As is typically the case with closed betas, space is limited, and not everyone who registers will be selected to participate. Xbox One sign-ups have already filled up, but PC players can still apply for access to the beta on the game's official website. However, everyone will need to have an Xbox Live account to participate, regardless of your platform.
State of Decay 2 launches for Xbox One and PC on May 22. The game will be released in two versions: the Standard Edition retails for $30, while the Ultimate Edition costs $50. The latter includes a free Xbox One copy of State of Decay: Year One Survival Edition and grants players early access to the game on May 18. Microsoft is also offering a $70 Collector's Edition, although that doesn't contain a copy of the game.
State of Decay 2 is one of the most-anticipated Microsoft exclusives of 2018. Like Sea of Thieves, it will also be available on Xbox One's Game Pass service on the same day it officially releases, as part of Microsoft's new initiative to offer first-party titles on Game Pass at launch.
As promised, Rockstar Games has delivered the first new trailer for its much-anticipated Red Dead Redemption 2--the first in more than six months. Much like the previous ones, this primarily focuses on teasing the game's narrative rather than showcasing significant gameplay, and while we're left to guess what most of it means, there is one reveal of note.
John Marston, the protagonist of Red Dead Redemption, will play a role in RDR2. This game sees you assume the role of Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang. But during the course of the trailer, there's a quick shot of a bearded man being held by the neck with some cuts on his nose and right cheek. Yes, there seems to be no doubt that John Marston--another Van der Linde gang member--is back, and we'll apparently find out how he got those scars of his.
Beyond that brief moment, there's no further time spent with Marston, so we don't yet know how significant of a role he'll play. RDR2 is a prequel, and we know based on our breakdown of a previous trailer that a number of familiar faces will also show up. But this is the first indication that Marston himself will be included in some capacity.
Whereas RDR took place in 1911, RDR2 is set in 1899. And although the trailer itself doesn't fill in many details about what the story involves, an accompanying description from Rockstar sets up what's going on. "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," it reads. "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."
Following some previous delays, RDR2 is set to release on October 26 for PS4 and Xbox One. Rockstar and parent company Take-Two insist it won't be delayed again. There's still no word on a PC version.
PS4's ambitious God of War reboot has been a huge critical success, and it's likewise turning out to be a commercial one too. Despite its brief time on the market, Sony has revealed that God of War has already hit a major sales milestone.
In a post on PlayStation Blog, Sony announced that God of War managed to sell 3.1 million copies worldwide in its first three days of availability. That makes it not only PS4's fastest-selling exclusive game, but also the fast-selling title in the series' history in the UK.
Shannon Studstill, the head of developer Sony Santa Monica, shared a personal message with fans on achieving the milestone. "I would like to personally thank the millions of fans around the world who decided to embark on Kratos' latest adventure with us," Studstill said. "We look forward to hearing more about how fans are creating new memories of their favorite God of War gameplay moments that will be remembered for a long time."
Unlike previous installments in the series, PS4's God of War focuses on the story of Kratos and his son, Atreus. It also eschews the series' usual Greek mythological trappings for Norse ones and makes some radical changes to the combat system, most notably trading Kratos's Blades of Chaos for the new Leviathan Axe.
God of War launched on April 20 and was met with widespread critical acclaim. GameSpot awarded it a 9/10 in our God of War review and said, "Everything new it does is for the better, and everything it holds onto benefits as a result. Kratos is no longer a predictable brute. God of War is no longer an old-fashioned action series. With this reboot, it confidently walks a new path that will hopefully lead to more exciting adventures to come."
Comedian and late night TV host Conan O'Brien's "Clueless Gamer" segment is back with a new episode for Sony's newly released PlayStation 4 game God of War. O'Brien is joined by another funny person, Bill Hader, and they do a good job at making light of a serious game.
Part of the appeal is hearing the jokes as they unfold naturally, so we won't spoil anything for you. And it's worth noting that this video appears to only use footage from the start of the game, but if you haven't started God of War yet and want to go in clean, it may be best to avoid it.
In other God of War news, Sony announced today that the game sold 3.1 million copies in its first three days, which makes it the "fastest-selling first-party title on PS4" ever. The game was developed by Santa Monica Studios under the leadership and direction of Cory Barlog.
God of War launched on April 20 and was met with widespread critical acclaim. GameSpot awarded it a 9/10 in our God of War review and said, "Everything new it does is for the better, and everything it holds onto benefits as a result. Kratos is no longer a predictable brute. God of War is no longer an old-fashioned action series. With this reboot, it confidently walks a new path that will hopefully lead to more exciting adventures to come."
Fortnite Season 4 is officially underway, which means a new Battle Pass and accompanying weekly challenges are available. There are some new wrinkles for this season, but the challenges otherwise work as they have in the past. That said, there is a secret hiding in the Week 1 challenges that is worth tracking down if you're eager to level up and get your hands on the coveted Omega skin as quickly as possible.
Aside from the Battle Stars you earn, doing all seven Week 1 challenges completes the first leg of the Blockbuster challenges, netting you a loading screen called Quiet on the Set. This is part of your loadout, letting you customize what you see during the pre-match loading screen. Reddit user Bfor45 reports that the loading screen offers a very subtle hint about something hiding in the game world.
With moviemaking equipment added to the island in the new update, the image shows a scene being filmed near the prison. In the background, there's the very faint outline of a Battle Pass icon (you can see it below, above the tower just behind the alien's head). You can actually head to that location in-game during a match and find the icon (it's location is pointed out in the map below). Collect it, and it'll rank up your Battle Pass by one level. Take note, however, that you actually need to complete all Week 1 challenges for this to show up; you can't just head there without doing the legwork first. That also means you have to purchase the Season 4 Battle Pass to claim this.
Blockbuster challenges are one of two new categories of challenges for Season 4. Each Blockbuster involves completing all of the challenges in a given week, with each seemingly offering up a loading screen reward like the one mentioned above. Once you do all seven Blockbusters--which won't be possible until more sets of weekly challenges are available--you'll earn some unknown reward that looks as if it might be a special skin. At this point, we don't yet know if future Blockbuster rewards will also lead to secrets like this free Battle Pass tier.
Season 4 also offers up Carbide challenges. These are also pretty straightforward, with each one simply requiring you to reach a certain level during the season. They unlock different style options for the Carbide skin, which is granted to players as soon as they purchase the Battle Pass.
Blizzard has released the latest update for Overwatch, and it brings with it a substantial piece of new content. After its run on the PTR, Blizzard has released the game's next map, Rialto, on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
The new update comes just days after the launch of Competitive Play Season 10 in Overwatch. Despite this, it won't be available in Competitive Play until some unspecified later date. Blizzard says this is meant to "provide the community with plenty of time to learn how to play with the new map."
Provided you're playing in other modes, you can now dive into Rialto. Even if you don't dabble in the PTR, it might be familiar to you--a modified version of it was also used for the recent Retribution PvE mode. In its standard format, Rialto is an Escort map. It's set in Venice, Italy, albeit with some Overwatch twists--like the nefarious-looking secret chamber pictured in the images below.
Rialto comes as part of a broader update that also makes changes to a number of characters, as detailed in the patch notes. Most notably, it reworks Hanzo pretty significantly, implementing the changes seen on the PTR. His weapon has seen a tweak, while he gains two abilities and loses his old Scatter Arrow one, which was a contentious part of his kit.
"The goal of these Hanzo changes is to allow him to have new options and maintain his high damage output, while removing the frustration of fighting against the old Scatter Arrow," Blizzard explained. "Hanzo is now much more mobile with his new Lunge ability, and with the combination of the bow projectile speed increase and the new Storm Arrows ability he can now deal his high damage more consistently than ever before."
The PlayStation Store is flush with sales at the moment. In addition to the Golden Week sale and the Totally Digital sale--both of which last through May 8--it's also running a May the 4th sale to celebrate all things Star Wars. To that end, you can save a bunch of money on Star Wars games over on the PlayStation Store this week thanks to the . (PC players can find similar sales on Steam and Humble as well). To celebrate this sci-fi holiday, Sony has taken a lightsaber and sliced the prices of many Star Wars games in half.
On PlayStation 4, you can buy Star Wars Battlefront II for $36 (or $30 with PS Plus). This is as good of a deal as we've seen on this game, which features a single-player campaign and a robust set of multiplayer modes. For a more kid-friendly take on the series, you can buy Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens for $10, also half off.
Star Wars fans from the PS2 era may want to check out a couple of classics you can play now on PS4. Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter ($5) is a spacefaring game that takes place between Episodes I and II. Star Wars Bounty Hunter ($5) has you play as Jango Fett, who's on the trail of a dark Jedi. Both games feature 1080p upscaled graphics, along with Trophies, remote play, and most of the other bells and whistles that come with PS4 games. Or you can buy the Star Wars Throwback Pack, which includes both of those games plus Star Wars: Racer Revenge, for $12.
Or, to go back even further, you can spend $5 on Super Star Wars, an action platformer that originally launched on SNES. Additionally, all manner of Star Wars pinball games and tables are on sale this week. You can go with Pinball FX3 - Star Wars Pinball for $5, or go all in and get 10 tables in Star Wars Pinball Season 1 Bundle for $12.
A number of Star Wars PS3 and Vita/PSP games are also on sale, so check out the full list for more deals.
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