Monster Hunter World launched back in January to mostly positive reviews and huge sales, and now Capcom is hoping to drive its commercial success further with a decent price drop. The action role-playing game is now available for $40 in the United States. That price is only for a "limited time," Capcom said, though the company did not specify the duration of the offer.
A $20 discount on a game released five months ago may not sound all that great, but if you've been eying the game but didn't want to pay full price, this looks like one of the better offers around. The price drop applies to both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One editions.
In other news about Monster Hunter World, a new event quest called "A Whisper of White Mane" is went live this week. It wasn't the only new quest added this week, as another one of them challenges you to take down the Arch-Tempered Kirin; do this and you'll get new Kirin armor, which you can see in the Twitter image embed below.
⚡️ Arch-Tempered Kirin is about the strike the New World! ⚡️ Event Quest "A Whisper of White Mane" goes live tonight at 5pm PT / 1am BST ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/BIR3VUII23
⚡️ Several Event Quests are now live in #MHWorld, including the Arch-Tempered Kirin! ⚡️ Defeat this new challenge to unlock the Kirin γ armor! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/be4gA2v8yg
While E3 2018 proper does not begin until June 12, the event begins on June 9 with a press conference from Electronic Arts. Briefings from Microsoft, Bethesda, Ubisoft, Square Enix, Sony, and Nintendo will follow in the days thereafter; here is the full schedule.
A dysfunctional family isn't a particularly original source of horror, and Hereditary doesn't blow the genre open with some revolutionary new take. It's just gripping, white-knuckled, old school horror that never, over more than two hours, lets you get comfortable for long, despite the familiarity of its themes and tropes.
How do you deal with grief? It's different for everyone, and if you've never experienced a major loss, you can't really know how you'll respond. Some people blame themselves; others lash out at loved ones; some people close up and just try to keep it together. The reactions of the Graham family--Toni Collette's Annie, Gabriel Byrne's Steve, Alex Wolff's Peter, and Milly Shapiro's Charlie--run the gamut when Annie's mother (Peter and Charlie's grandmother) dies. The tragedy slowly unravels them, but it's not the only factor, and they're not free from blame themselves.
Hereditary takes its major cues from classic horror movies like The Shining and Rosemary's Baby. In terms of contemporaries, it has plenty in common with The Babadook. The Grahams' house, full of dark wood paneling and darker hallways, is impeccably designed for maximum claustrophobic horror. A treehouse glimpsed from bedroom windows, lit space heater red, resembles nothing more than a smoldering furnace, summoning thoughts of cremation. Like all great horror, Hereditary is full of tiny details, foreshadowing, and hints that give it a sense of inevitability. It will benefit from multiple viewings.
That's if you have the constitution. Hereditary isn't a gratuitous slasher or gore fest, but it will test your mettle nevertheless. Its structure is unpredictable for a horror movie; every time you think the build-up will finally give way to all-out terror, the movie instead dips into another tense lull. There's no slow build to a chaotic final act, because it's all build, and it never lets up.
Hereditary can feel slow at times, but it always snaps you back to attention. At one point in my screening, the woman sitting next to me screamed, "Oh, god, no!!" at the top her lungs--and that was in the first act. When it's over, there's no catharsis. You won't gratefully let out a huge breath you didn't know you were holding. You'll still be holding it as you leave the theater.
The horror doesn't come from jump scares, of which there are very few. It's more the sense of reality coming undone--of forces beyond control manipulating the characters into acts of self-destruction. Hereditary isn't overly concerned with its own metaphors, but it does leave things open to interpretation.
Nuanced performances from the leads sell every moment of it. Wolff turns in a very different performance than in last year's Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, while Milly Shapiro hides a lot of complexity behind her distinctive mask of a face. She plays a 13-year-old girl, but you're never quite sure how much she knows--whether she's in on the overarching plot, or simply another victim of it. Ann Dowd supports by doing what she does best--layering meaning and menace under things that sound benign on the surface, much as she does in The Handmaid's Tale. As the bereaved family matriarch, Collette plays out all possible versions of the story at once: Is this all really happening, or is it a grief-induced breakdown? Does she love her family, or hate them, or a little bit of both?
As the supernatural scares become more prominent, those questions get harder to answer. But it's a gradual shift. Afterward, you won't know quite how to process what you've just seen. But if you love great horror, you'll be dying to see it again.
Dead or Alive 6 is on its way. An announcement trailer dropped on the eve of E3 2018, showing off a few of the fighters, arenas, and new combos that will be included. The game is coming to Xbox One, PS4, and PC in early 2019. Dead or Alive 6 will be the first in the franchise to release exclusively on current generation hardware, and it shows.
The Dead or Alive franchise has always boasted impressive graphics, but Dead or Alive 6 appears to feature the most realistic visuals yet. The trailer for the game, which debuted on IGN, shows off how characters make different facial expressions in response to attacking, defending, dodging, or being hit. A more haggard look and bloody wounds appear on fighters who suffer a nasty combo, and delivering a flurry of blows will leave a combatant covered in sweat.
Visuals aren't the only aspect that's getting a makeover. Although Dead or Alive 6 features the same system of complex combat that appeals to fighting game veterans, it introduces two new mechanics to aid beginner players: Fatal Rush and Break Gauge. These new special combos let players pull off devastating attacks with very little practice. Mastering the perfect timing for these attacks will still prove challenging though, providing an extra incentive for more advanced players to learn the ins and outs of these new moves.
So far, only Kasumi, Hayate, Hayabusa, Helena, Jann Lee, and Zack have been confirmed for Dead or Alive 6. However, according to director and producer Yohei Shimbori, more familiar faces are on the way, as well as some brand new fighters that players haven't seen before.
The lineup of speakers for the E3 Coliseum event at E3 2018 has been revealed, and it contains some really big names. People speaking or presenting at the three-day event include Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima, The Last of Us: Part II director Neil Druckmann, Xbox boss Phil Spencer, Bethesda executive Todd Howard, Fortnite lead Donald Mustard, and EA Star Wars creative director Amy Hennig.
You can see the full descriptions for each panel here on the Coliseum website; a schedule for all three days can be seen below. One of the most high-profile panels is "The Making of Fallout 76," which will see Howard discuss the development of Bethesda's much-anticipated upcoming game. Additionally, Howard will answer questions from the audience. This takes place at 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET on Tuesday, June 12.
Outside of gaming, the big-name guests include Requiem for a Dream director Darren Aronofsky, actor Jack Black (who will inevitably say he wants to work on another Brutal Legend), Avengers: Infinity War co-director Joe Russo, Kong: Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts, and Lord of the Rings actor Elijah Wood. Kojima and Vogt-Roberts will appear on a panel together to presumably discuss the new Metal Gear Solid movie, which Vogt-Roberts is directing.
All E3 ticket-holders can get in to the talks and presentations on a first-come, first-served basis. The event is held at The Novo in LA Live, which is right next door to the Los Angeles Convention Center. The Coliseum runs June 12-14, and it is produced in partnership with E3 organizer the ESA.
The majority of the panels will be streamed on Twitch, Mixer, Twitter, and YouTube. GameSpot will have a lot of exclusive programming as well on our own stages, so keep checking back for lots more on E3 2018 in the days ahead.
E3 Coliseum 2018 Schedule
all times PT
Tuesday, June 12
10 AM - 11 AM -- Revenge of the NPC: Video Games' Influence on Westworld
11 AM - 11:45 AM -- The Last of Us Part II
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM -- Rage 2
12:15 PM - 12:45 PM -- Interactive Magic with Penn Jillette and Randy Pitchford
1 PM - 1:30 PM -- The Music of Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
1:30 PM - 2 PM -- Jason and Ted: Back to the Future of Gaming
Even though Sony's PS4 conference might be towards the end of the tidal wave of news from E3, there's still quite a lot to expect from this year's press briefing. Sony's conference is focusing around four different titles, but there's still sure to be some surprises along the way.
If you can't catch the livestream, which we're hosting here on GameSpot, you can catch all the updates as they happen in our liveblog on this page. We'll give you all the news and updates you need to know about, from the smaller announcements, to the big ones too, and talk everything Sony.
Sony's conference will begin Monday, June 11 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET (2 AM BST / 11 AM on June 12), so make sure to come back then to follow along as we liveblog and catch all the biggest reveals. When the show wraps up, we'll have a roundup of all the biggest headlines so you can catch up with all the news in one place.
For now, check out our hopes for the games we expect to see more of at this year's show.
The wave of E3 2018 briefings kick off Saturday with EA's big show in Hollywood. Called EA Play, the show is expected to bring big news on EA's biggest upcoming games like Battlefield V and Anthem, as well as the suite of EA Sports titles. Of course, we're also expecting surprise game reveals.
If you can't watch the livestream, which we're hosting here on GameSpot, you can follow along with all the news in our liveblog here on this page. We'll be giving you a blow-by-blow rundown of all the big announcements and everything else that EA shows off and talks about.
EA Play kicks off at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET on Saturday, June 9. So come back then to follow along with our liveblog and get all the big news about EA. After the show wraps up, we'll have a roundup of the big news stories so you can catch up with everything all in one place.
For now, you can check out GameSpot's breakdown of two of EA's biggest upcoming games: Battlefield 5 and Anthem.
E3 2018 is almost upon us, and with it comes a wide array of press briefings. This year a new publisher is entering the mix, as Square Enix has announced its very own presentation to highlight its upcoming library. Among those are franchise heavy hitters like Kingdom Hearts 3 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
We're hosting the livestream of the event here on GameSpot, but if you can't watch it for yourself, you can follow this liveblog instead. We'll make sure you're kept up-to-the-minute on all the big reveals and announcements, along with anything else Square Enix talks about.
Square Enix's presentation starts on Monday, June 11 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET. Come right back here at that time to follow along with our liveblog to get all the latest news from Square Enix. Once the show is finished, we'll also be rounding up all the news stories in one place for your reading convenience. Check out the full conference schedule to plan out when to check in for our other livestreams and liveblogs.
While we patiently wait, check out all we know about some of Square's biggest games.
Bethesda's E3 2018 briefing kicks off on Sunday, marking the third such presentation in a weekend chock full of them. We know that Rage 2 and Fallout 76 are on the docket. Both were announced just weeks before E3 and so far have been kept largely mysterious. Bethesda has promised its biggest showcase ever, though, so we expect to see more surprises in store.
We're hosting the livestream on GameSpot, but if you can't watch that you can follow along with all the news here on our liveblog. We'll keep you posted on all the big announcements and trailers as they're happening.
The Bethesda showcase starts at 6:30 PM PT / 9:30 PM ET on Sunday, June 10. Stop by then to follow along with the liveblog. If you miss out, we'll have a roundup summarizing all the announcements in one place to catch you up.
Until then, take a look at GameSpot's breakdowns of the two games we know for certain will be there: Rage 2 and Fallout 76.
Microsoft's E3 2018 press conference takes place on Sunday, June 11, and if you can't watch the livestream or prefer news via text, we'll have a liveblog for you to follow along with. Come back to this page on Sunday to see a blow-by-blow breakdown of all the big news and reveals.
The Microsoft E3 2018 briefing begins at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET. We don't know how long it'll run for, but it's likely to be between 1-2 hours. Microsoft is trailing Sony when it comes to hardware sales and mindshare, so it will be interesting to see what surprises the company may have up its sleeve.
Microsoft has said it has a lot in store for E3 2018, but we don't know what to expect from the event itself. The Forza series rotates between Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon, so 2018 would be a Horizon year if that schedule continues. There are also rumours of a Xbox game-streaming service, while Halo fans are hoping to hear about what's next for Master Chief's journey. It wouldn't be an E3 press conference if there weren't surprises, too.
After the Xbox briefing wraps up, fans can visit the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles to play upcoming Xbox games. Microsoft will also have a presence at the Los Angeles Convention Center itself, but this will be primarily focused on Mixer.
GameSpot will be seeing and playing the upcoming Xbox games, and we'll report back with written and video news updates and previews as the show goes on.
Microsoft's press conferences follows EA's on Saturday. Later on Sunday, Bethesda will host its own show starting at 6:30 PM PT / 9:30 PM ET. Ubisoft and Sony follow on Monday, and then Nintendo on Tuesday. Here is the full E3 2018 press conference schedule.
The E3 show floor is open June 12-14. Keep checking back in the days ahead for lots more on E3 2018.
Creatures, Inc. is an often-overlooked arm of the Pokemon machine. The developer has worked on spin-off Pokemon games for years, starting with Pokemon Stadium in 1998 and most recently Detective Pikachu--as well as 3D Pokemon models for various games, including Super Smash Bros. But the company is also responsible for much of the Pokemon Trading Card Game, which consistently sees new series and expansions after over 20 years.
We recently had a chance to tour Creatures Inc.'s Tokyo, Japan office to learn about the process of creating Pokemon cards. During our tour, we spoke to Atsushi Nagashima, game director for the TCG, and Mitsuhiro Arita, a longtime freelance illustrator responsible for over 500 Pokemon cards--including the infamous holographic Charizard card--about how cards are conceived and then illustrated. We also talked to Satoru Inoue, the test room lead at Creatures, about how cards are playtested and how balance problems and broken cards are addressed by the team.
There are three main parts to making a new Pokemon card: coming up with the idea for the card, commissioning art, and testing the card with the current TCG rules. This involves a team of game designers, over 70 artists, and 19 playtesters working full time to create and execute new card series and expansions.
Step One: Pick A Pokemon
According to Nagashima, the most important thing when coming up with a new set of cards is variety. There needs to be a mix of art styles and types of cards; some need to have strong competitive potential, while others need to be appealing to collectors. But the first step to creating a new set is deciding which Pokemon to use.
"Near the beginning of a new series [based on the latest video games], we really try to take care to stay true to the video games that we're basing the card series on--for example, the Pokemon that were featured heavily in that video game or had a big role in the story, we'll make sure they're kind of at the center of the set we're making," Nagashima said. "But once we're kind of mid-way through the series, we start focusing more on play environment overall…and decide which Pokemon to put in based on that."
A lot of those choices come down to what the game needs to feel more balanced and what Pokemon suit those needs, Nagashima said. But the team also considers which Pokemon don't get a lot of love in the games or anime, the ones kids might find cool, or even Pokemon they themselves like.
"One of my favorites is Darkrai, and I think you'll notice that there's a lot of strong Darkrai cards," he said, laughing.
Nagashima at the Creatures office.
There are also background stories and themes for each expansion, though that's not really communicated to players. "In the [XY Breakthrough expansion], the theme we had for that was two parallel worlds. They both featured Mewtwo, so there was a Mewtwo that was in this advanced world...and there was a Mewtwo that was more old-fashioned," Nagashima explained. "These two parallel worlds collide and then the world goes into chaos and is destroyed as a result of that."
According to Nagashima, one of the team's biggest challenges is maintaining the spirit of certain characters and Pokemon while putting their own spin on things. Because the card game is closely tied to the video game, it can also be tricky to translate certain game mechanics into ones that work in the TCG--like Mega Evolution, for example.
"In the trading card game, you have your basic [Pokemon]. You evolve it to Stage 1 and [then Stage 2], so there are two steps to get to your final evolution in general. If we added another step on top of that, you just wouldn't have enough room in your 60-card deck to really make that feasible," Nagashima said. "So we took the approach of only having Mega Evolutions for cards that were already really strong--so there was already an EX card and then that would evolve to the Mega-EX. We tried to reduce the number of steps in that way."
Ultimately, Nagashima says, the TCG team is always trying to keep things fresh and varied while still paying attention to the competitive meta, and it's a complex balancing act even from the beginning.
Step Two: Illustrations
Once the team has decided on the kind of card they need and who (or what) will be on it, it's time to get the art process started. Creatures currently works with 73 different illustrators and artists to ensure sets are varied. One of the most prolific of them is Mitsuhiro Arita, who's been working on the TCG since the beginning and has illustrated 537 cards to date.
Above: Arita at the Creatures office. Slideshow: Mewtwo-GX, Giovanni's Scheme, and the Lurantis card, all mentioned below.
Arita showed us his workspace at the Creatures office, part of a pod of desks set up for freelance artists to work on confidential designs. Each desk is configured based on the artists' home offices, usually with tablets for digital art and coloring. He walked us through his illustration process for a recent Lurantis card, paying special attention to dynamic shading and bright background colors to capture the spirit of the Pokemon.
Creatures sends the artists details about the card: what the Pokemon is, the kinds of moves it will have, and any important background information, especially when the Pokemon in question is in a game that hasn't come out yet. This also applies to Trainer cards, and even the vaguest instructions influence the art; for example, Arita received instructions for a Giovanni card with an "imposing" feel, so he gave it a more classical painting style rather than a cartoony one. For holographic cards, Arita will usually specify which parts of his art should shimmer, though the final holo design is a collaboration with Creatures staff.
In the Red and Green days, Arita and the other artists only had the in-game sprites and limited official artwork to work off of when creating cards. Still, he's responsible for some of the most iconic cards from the original series, including holographic Charizard and the original fat Pikachu. In a binder filled with all his designs so far, the first few pages could have been any Pokemon-obsessed kid's collection in the late '90s.
"Specifically this Charizard and that Pikachu are some of the most memorable cards for I think a lot of people who played the game originally, and I always thought that I'd probably never be able to draw cards that people would like better than those two," Arita said. But a Mewtwo-GX card he recently designed is his new favorite, and he says he's been getting good feedback on it.
Unexpectedly, the same artist is unlikely to work on every Pokemon in an evolutionary line. In the original card series, Arita illustrated Bulbasaur and Venusaur but not Ivysaur (which was done by Pokemon artist Ken Sugimori). While there are some cases where a consistent style is called for across an evolutionary line--like these adorable Tepig family cards--they're usually usually split up between artists, presumably for variety or time efficiency.
Efficiency especially is key, since many of the cards go into the testing phase even before the art is finished.
Step Three: Full-Time Playtesting
At Creatures, there's a special room dedicated to testing the card game. It's in the back of the small office, and it's filled only with tables, chairs, and drawers upon drawers filled with years of Pokemon cards. Seven hours a day, five days a week, 19 playtesters play the TCG to see how new cards fare. (The odd number doesn't seem to be a problem, apparently.)
Because they're mostly testing cards that haven't been released yet, the playtesters have to work with what they have. Work-in-progress cards are actually stickers put on old cards so they can still be played in normal decks; if the illustrations aren't finalized, these stickers will use generic art of the Pokemon (or whatever the card subject is) with the complete moves, name of the card, and suggested effects, HP, and damage.
According to test room lead Satoru Inoue, those smaller adjustments happen "extremely often," while they'll usually see at most two or three drastic revisions before cards are finalized. Nagashima noted that competitive players will sometimes use released cards in completely unexpected ways, in which case the card has to be banned--he specifically called out Lysandre's Trump Card, which was banned in 2015 for making games severely imbalanced.
Even with all the playtesting, competitive players regularly surprise the team. Nagashima cited Shintaro Ito's Mega Audino deck, which won him the 2016 Pokemon World Championships in the Masters Division, as a recent example--he didn't expect the card to be nearly as viable as it was.
Inoue, Nagashima, and Arita in the Creatures lobby.
Nagashima's favorite strategy, though, is one he himself was heavily involved in designing: the infamous Night March deck, which dominated much of the competitive scene in 2016 and won the US Nationals that year.
"I was only making it with the assumption that it would maybe make it to the finals, but not take the entire thing!"
Walking back through the office at the end of the tour, nearly every desk is filled with Pokemon toys and merch. It's very clear: From the design and art to the test room, the most important thing for Creatures' TCG team is loving Pokemon.
Ubisoft's E3 2018 press conference takes place on Monday, June 11. It will be held at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, and we'll bring you a livestream so you can watch the entire event. If you can't watch or prefer to get updates in text form, we are also liveblogging the show right here.
The event kicks off on Monday at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET / 9 PM BST / (6 AM AEST June 12), so come back then to this page to see our blow-by-blow coverage of the event.
Ubisoft's E3 2018 briefing will bring news on The Division 2, Beyond Good and Evil 2 and Transference, and we'll have another glimpse at the toys-to-life game Starlink: Battle for Atlas. Skull & Bones will make an appearance too, even though the pirate sim game has been delayed. We are also expecting some surprises; potentially a new Splinter Cell. Ubisoft is also working on an Avatar game with James Cameron, so we might see some of that at E3.
Ubisoft's conference takes place the Monday before the show floor opens, but it's far from the only event planned. The week is jam-packed with presentations from the likes of EA, Microsoft, Sony, Bethesda, Square Enix, Nintendo, and more. Be sure to check out our full E3 2018 schedule to keep track and plan your watching.
With E3 2018 right around the corner, we want to continue the annual tradition of making predictions; educated ones of course. Speculation is fun when it comes gaming's biggest show and we always appreciate pleasant surprises, so we corralled the GameSpot team to throw some ideas out there. This time, we're looking at Microsoft's press conference and what could be in store for Xbox One owners.
As we get closer to the show, developers and publishers slowly tease or reveal plans for E3, but Microsoft has played its cards closer to its chest than most. We can expect more about Crackdown 3, since it's one of the biggest 2018 games in Microsoft's rotation. It's been hit with several delays, but with the game scheduled to launch this year, more details and a definitive release date would make sense. A new entry in the Halo franchise is a possibility given the last mainline entry was in 2015. Perhaps another Gears of War? Based on series cadence, Forza Horizon 4 seems likely--unless you're Walmart Canada who's thinking ahead to Forza Horizon(s) 5. Those wouldn't really come as surprises, though. We're here to stretch the imagination, grounded in some sort of reality.
Microsoft is changing things up a bit this year by moving its E3 press conference and show presence to its own Microsoft Theatre at LA Live, which is right across from the LA Convention Center. Microsoft executive Mike Nichols said it'll be the company's biggest show yet. As to what that means, we'll find out on June 11 at 1PM PT. For now, read our predictions, and if you want more sweet speculation, check out what we're predicting from Sony and Nintendo for E3 2018.
Halo 6 Will Be Announced
It has been nearly three years since the release of Halo 5: Guardians, so if we are to believe that Halo is on a three-year release pattern (Halo 5 came out three years after Halo 4), Halo 6 could launch in fall 2018. In any case, the time is right for Master Chief to return to battle. Halo 5 was a big success with the advancements it made to multiplayer and Forge and a story that, while underwhelming in parts for not entirely paying off, showed us a new and intriguing side of Master Chief.
Halo is one of Microsoft's oldest and best-known franchises, and it's time for Microsoft to try something new with Halo 6. I don't know what that might look like, and it would be a bit sad and uninspired of Microsoft to simply try to cash-in on the battle royale trend. Instead, I want to see something new and unexpected from Halo at E3 this year. We already know the game will have split-screen, which is great because Halo 5 didn't. But I want to see Microsoft completely blow fans away with story and gameplay advancements. | Eddie Makuch
A New Blue Dragon Is On The Way
Blue Dragon was a little JRPG exclusive on Xbox 360 that released worldwide in 2007, made by Japanese developers Mistwalker and Artoon. With the the help of Microsoft's publishing arm, Blue Dragon brought something the console was short on: Japanese games. Famed artist Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball, Chrono Trigger) also put his distinct touch on the game with character designs and artwork. Although it was a fairly by-the-numbers RPG and didn't do much to push the genre forward, it was still an enjoyable game that diversified the Xbox 360 library.
Support for Japanese game-makers on the Xbox platform hasn't really improved since then, especially after the cancellation of Scalebound; the PS4 has this aspect locked down with franchises like Yakuza, Persona, and Nier. However, earlier this year, head of Xbox Phil Spencer said in response to a Tweet about whether or not JRPGs would be highlighted at E3 2018, "As of now, yes. Things can change but like last year I wanted to make sure we supported our Japanese publishers on our stage and this year we are working to do the same. It's important to us."
Microsoft still holds the Blue Dragon name and it's one of the few existing franchises of Japanese origin that the Xbox can boast. It'd be exciting to see a revival on the Xbox One and if Mistwalker would be on board to develop it. | Michael Higham
Platinum Games Has Something In The Works For Xbox
The cancellation of Scalebound was extremely disappointing for Xbox One owners since it had been touted for a long time as a top-tier exclusive. Also, the fact that Platinum Games was working on it made many believe it would live up to the hype, given the developer's track record (Bayonetta, Vanquish). Hideki Kamiya, the director behind Devil May Cry and Okami, was leading the charge, too.
But as believers in Platinum's work, we'd like to think that there's something that can be salvaged. It'd be a shame for everything from Scalebound to go to waste. Also, Xbox boss Phil Spencer stated that Microsoft wants to support Japanese games and do so this year at E3. Based on the critical reception of Nier Automata, which released for PS4 and PC, it'd be big for Microsoft to have its own Platinum hit. | Michael Higham
Crackdown 3 Will Have A Battle Royale-like Mode
Alright, we know it's easy to name any game and say it's going to have a Battle Royale mode. It's been the topic of conversation since PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds blew up and Fortnite: Battle Royale became the biggest topic in all of games. We're even seeing big name franchises like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto adopt elements of the genre and we're constantly thinking about who's next to do so. It could be Crackdown 3.
Microsoft is flexing Crackdown 3 as a super-destructive multiplayer experience where skyscrapers, city streets, and anything in the environment can be obliterated--this could be how it separates itself from competitors. Considering that Crackdown takes place within an open-world structure, it seems that the playground for battle royale is already set. Xbox boss Phil Spencer stated that Microsoft won't be making its own standalone battle royale game, which makes sense given that PUBG is a console exclusive on the Xbox platform. But that doesn't rule out having a mode in an existing game, and of all of Microsoft's IPs, Crackdown appears to have the makings for a last-person-standing deathmatch where the entire environment can be blown to smithereens. | Michael Higham
Xbox Streaming Service Revealed
There have been rumblings and rumors of an Xbox game-streaming service for years now, and I think E3 2018 will be the year it gets officially announced. Given the expansion of reliable internet, the marketplace is better-suited now for a streaming service to work. It wouldn't be available for everyone, everywhere, but the market has unquestionably grown and become more capable and dependable in recent years.
Microsoft would be following in Sony's footsteps, as the company already has PlayStation Now. It is exciting to think about what Microsoft--which already owns data centers around the world--could do in the streaming space. It is especially interesting given that game sizes today are trending bigger and bigger, which makes streaming--which requires no installs--an attractive proposition for some. Pricing will be important, and it would be great to see Microsoft create a "Netflix for gaming" type service where you pay a monthly fee and play all the games you want. | Eddie Makuch
Perfect Dark 2 Is Rare's Next Game
Rare just launched Sea of Thieves not too long ago and it looks like the game will have continual post-launch support and content updates moving forward. However, Rare's next big thing could be the return of Perfect Dark. The franchise began on the Nintendo 64 in 2000 as the follow-up to the classic Goldeneye 007, and made a comeback in 2005 with Perfect Dark Zero as an Xbox 360 exclusive after Microsoft acquired Rare. Now it's been 13 years since an entry in the sci-fi FPS series and now would be as good a time as any for another one.
Not only would we want to play as Joanna Dark in a new conspiracy-laden single-player campaign, we'd love to see what Perfect Dark multiplayer can be this generation. Laptop machine guns that turn into turrets and strange alien pistols you can dual-wield still seems like a whole lot of fun. This is more of a pipe dream than something we're realistically expecting. | Michael Higham
E3 2018 is nearly upon us, and anticipation for this year's gaming extravaganza continues to grow with each passing day. Many developers and publishers have already given fans a peek into their plans for the big showcase in the weeks leading up to it, but there is still much we don't know about this year's event. That holds especially true for Nintendo, which has been characteristically quiet about its E3 lineup.
While the company has already confirmed that it will feature the Switch installment of Super Smash Bros. prominently during its E3 presentation and on the expo showfloor, it hasn't revealed any other titles that it will show off. We know for sure that Splatoon 2 will have a presence at E3 during Nintendo's esports competition, and we'll likely see more of some of the games Nintendo announced at last year's expo, such as Metroid Prime 4, Yoshi for Switch, and the highly anticipated Pokemon Switch RPG.
That, however, is all conjecture at this point. Judging by past years, Nintendo will likely have a ton of surprises in store for this year's E3, though just what those could be is anyone's guess. Will this be the year the company finally announces Animal Crossing for Switch? Will any other high-profile Wii U games make the switch to the newer hybrid console? Or will we see another dormant Nintendo franchise make an unexpected return?
Ahead of the expo, we've put together some of our biggest predictions for Nintendo's E3 2018 showcase. We'll find out whether any of our theories come true when Nintendo broadcasts its E3 presentation on June 12, but in the meantime, read on to see what the GameSpot staff think the company will reveal at this year's show. You can also read our biggest predictions for both Sony and Microsoft's E3 conferences.
Animal Crossing Switch Will Be Announced
At last year's E3, Nintendo brought out quite a few of its big franchises: Metroid, Yoshi, Kirby, and Pokemon. Later on, Super Smash Bros. for Switch was announced. We're getting a new Fire Emblem, and we already have Zelda and Mario on Switch. What's missing? Only the greatest and best animal-themed life (and also debt) simulator out there!
The last main game in the Animal Crossing series, New Leaf, is five years old. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp launched on mobile phones late last year, and if anything, it was a nice holdover--a way to reignite passion for the series without ever being satisfying enough to make you forget what could be. And what could be is a new-and-improved, full-fledged, and portable Animal Crossing game on the Switch... hopefully with the decorating mechanics of Happy Home Designer.
I'm of course hoping for a proper trailer, but I'll bet on an announcement in the style of last year's Metroid Prime 4 and Pokemon reveals. That's not too much to ask, and if 2017 is anything to go by, it's enough to generate hype and therefore enough to warrant the metaphorical E3 stage. | Kallie Plagge
First Gameplay Trailer Of Bayonetta 3 And A Port Of The Wonderful 101
Nintendo surprised everyone when it revealed Bayonetta 3 at The Game Awards late last year. As one of Platinum Games' most renowned franchises, a new entry in the series was highly requested. However, we've heard little about the game since its initial trailer. Given Nintendo's consistent track record of revealing games and announcing new details soon after, it's likely we'll hear more about Bayonetta 3 during this year's Direct presentation. While it's not likely we'll get a full gameplay demonstration, we're at least thinking that Nintendo will show a trailer featuring story and combat. In addition, Nintendo will probably confirm a potential release window.
Aside from new details on Bayonetta 3, we're hoping Nintendo also unveils a Switch port of The Wonderful 101, another game made by Platinum released exclusively for Wii U. It would make for a great complementary announcement to go alongside Bayonetta 3. According to a May 2018 interview with The Wonderful 101 director Hideki Kamiya, the team at Platinum actually has ideas for a possible port and has made internal documents on how it would do it. The Wonderful 101 may not be the developer's most well-known game, but it's still a fantastic action-adventure well worth playing. Plus, it seems more than likely at this point, seeing as a re-release would certainly fit Nintendo's recent push to bring more Wii U games to Switch. We're keeping our fingers crossed! | Matt Espineli
Persona 5 Comes To Switch
Atlus took our hearts with Persona 5, which released in 2016 for Japan and in 2017 worldwide on PS4 and PS3, but what if more people get to experience this wonderful, heartfelt RPG on Switch? Given that Shin Megami Tensei V (the franchise Persona spun off from) is coming and Atlus already puts out plenty of games for Nintendo platforms, a port of Persona 5 isn't far-fetched. Even the dungeon-crawler Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth was a 3DS exclusive, and a sequel starring the Phantom Thieves, Persona Q2, is in the works for the old handheld. A Persona 5 Switch port is a prediction worth betting on.
Persona 5 doesn't rely on graphical horsepower to capture its bold, lavish style either, so there isn't a need to scale back visual fidelity--as noted above, there's even a PS3 version. Admittedly, this isn't a game that's exactly suited to play in short bursts; long stretches of narrative with dialogue and sprawling palaces make up a large portion of it and carry a lot of weight in terms of storytelling. But it'd be fun to take care of your daily tasks as a student on the go. Think about it: you can ride the subway to work while playing a game where you can ride the subway to work. Or you can do more exciting things like take the Big Bang Burger challenge or hang out with best girl Makoto Niijima after class.
Also, Persona 5 is one of the best games of this generation because of how it fuses music, art direction, character development, and its story's themes into a cohesive RPG that's an absolute joy to play. | Michael Higham
Another Past Bethesda Game Gets The Switch Treatment
We have Switch ports for Doom (2016) and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is on the way. Bethesda seems to love bringing its big franchises to Nintendo's console-handheld hybrid, and it's definitely not out of the realm of possibility that another one could be on the way. Maybe Doom worked well enough and Skyrim was a welcome addition to the Switch library--so, maybe Fallout 3? This year marks a decade since the release of Fallout 3, and we're thinking it'd be a nice way to celebrate by breathing some new life into the game. It was the first Fallout game to adopt the first-person RPG style and it worked incredibly well, and built off of what Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion did two years prior.
Oh, what about Oblivion? Bethesda open worlds have evolved quite a bit since its initial release, but if Oblivion's systems were tweaked and the graphics were polished a bit, that'd be neat to play portably. Fallout: New Vegas is certainly a standout in Bethesda's repertoire thanks for Obsidian Entertainment's ability to nail down what makes an RPG great, but we'd say it's less likely given New Vegas' slightly narrower appeal. Fallout 4 might be asking the Switch a bit much from a technical standpoint, but we wouldn't mind a proper Switch version. What if we take a turn for the immersive sim? Having a fully fledged immersive sim like Dishonored would be wonderful and open a fairly niche genre to a new audience. All of these sound like sweet ideas; let's bet on this one! | Michael Higham
Fortnite Comes To Switch
Fortnite: Battle Royale is a video game phenomenon unlike anything we've seen in recent years. Upwards of 45 million people have played this construction-infused last-person-standing survival shooter. Whether you like Fortnite or not, there's no denying its wild success and impact on games at large. While it might not be a perfect match, given that Fortnite is solely an online multiplayer experience, having the biggest free-to-play shooter on Nintendo Switch could further expand Fortnite's already impressive reach.
The game has been thriving on all the other major platforms and, hell, it was even ported to iOS--getting the game to run smooth should be a non-issue. With Nintendo ready to roll out its subscription-based online ecosystem in September, Fortnite could be the big hit that'd help push the service. Even the horde-based cooperative mode Save The World would be an incredible fit for local multiplayer. Seems like it would be a win-win for both Epic and Nintendo. [Update: A leak suggests Fortnite is coming to Switch.] | Michael Higham
Mother 3
At this point, I don't really believe Mother 3 is going to be announced. Nintendo still has to roll out some kind of plan for how it's handling classic titles. And even if it's an a la carte menu of game releases at premium prices, Nintendo isn't going to roll out that service with Mother 3. It'll start with EarthBound.
But...what if? Just maybe, there's a chance that this year, 2018, will finally be the E3 when my yearly ill-fated prediction comes true and finally, FINALLY, it happens. The stage lights dim. A single spotlight comes up, highlighting Reggie Fils-Aime. He stares at the camera; he stares through the camera, straight into my heart. A single tear rolls down his cheek. A tear of happiness as a smile flashes across his face and he says, "I'm sorry we kept you waiting." Then the Mother 3 logo lights up behind him.
A guy can dream, can't he? | Justin Haywald
The N64 Classic Is Revealed
After the monstrous success of the NES Classic, then the SNES Classic, is there any doubt that Nintendo will continue riding this nostalgia train as far as it can go? The next station is E3, and the lone passenger is the N64.
With its distinctive three-pronged controllers and rounded boxy design, the N64 has an instantly recognizable style that collectors will clamor for just from a design perspective. But it's the games that will make this console impossible to find come the holidays. Ocarina of Time, Mario Kart 64, and the progenitor of a legend: the original Super Smash Bros.
The mini console is definitely coming, the only real question is: will it include GoldenEye? | Justin Haywald
E3 2018 is approaching, and expectations for the big event are growing higher by the day. While it's looking like Microsoft, Nintendo, and several other publishers will have some compelling content for E3, a lot of eyes are on Sony. Recently, the company revealed that it'll have four major games to show at E3: Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima, Spider-Man, and The Last of Us: Part II. In addition to these titles, it'll also highlight several third-party games coming to the platform, but no new hardware will be shown.
Sony in particular has had a stellar showing at E3 in the last few years, revealing games like the Final Fantasy VII: Remake, God of War, Resident Evil 7, and Days Gone--some of which are still awaiting their release. On top of this, the publisher has also managed to secure impressive third-party exclusives, which includes content for Destiny 2 and Call of Duty. Because of this, there's been a lot of anticipation and speculation regarding what Sony could have in store for its press conference this year.
Here are our big predictions for what could be coming to the PS4, and what types of games have a chance of making a showing.
Kojima Will Debut Death Stranding's Gameplay, Confusing Everyone Even Further
Three trailers in and we're pretty desperate to hear more about what Death Stranding is actually about. So far we've only gotten vague details about the story and how it'll play. While the surreal imagery of previous trailers have piqued people's' curiosity, we can't imagine that another teaser will do Death Stranding any favors. Intrigue can only take a game so far; we need something more substantial.
We're thinking Kojima will take the stage once again at this year's Sony press conference to go into explicit detail about Death Stranding, as well as show off actual gameplay footage. We'd love to see an in-depth demonstration of the life/death and timefall mechanics that Kojima discussed late last year. At the very least, we're can see Kojima will giving the audience more of a sense of how it'll feel to actually play the game, as well as what its combat and UI looks like.
Death Stranding has garnered massive interest due to the sense of mystery that veils its story and gameplay. We're hoping that Kojima and Sony will provide some answers to the questions that its initial trailers gave us. | Matt Espineli
A New Remaster Of A Classic Playstation Game Will Be Announced
We know that Sony is going to put a big focus on four games at its E3 2018 press conference, but if the last few years are anything to go by, remakes and remastered versions of classic PlayStation games are almost a sure bet as well. Like, a sure, sure bet. At E3 2014, we got The Last of Us Remastered. The next year at E3 2015, the Final Fantasy VII Remake was finally announced, and at PSX we got Rez: Infinite. E3 2016: Crash Bandicoot remaster. PSX 2016: Parappa the Rapper, Loco Roco, Patapon, and Wipeout all had remasters announced. At PSX 2017, we also saw the reveal of MediEvil Remastered, another revival of a classic PS1 series.
Finally, the recent remake for Shadow of the Colossus, announced at E3 2017 was released this year and earned critical acclaim. The studio behind the title, Bluepoint Games, is already at work on another remake. So chances are very good that we'll hear about that project, or at least another remastered re-release. Is it going to be Ico? Ape Escape? Syphon Filter? The Getaway? The Bouncer? TOKYO JUNGLE? Ah look, they'll probably get to them all eventually anyway. | Edmond Tran
The Last Of Us: Part II Will Get A Release Date
The Last of Us was one of Sony's most critically acclaimed titles from the previous generation, and many fans have been anxiously awaiting more info about the sequel. Though we've seen two trailers showcasing The Last of Us: Part II's new visuals and darker tone, Naughty Dog has avoided sharing too much about the continuation of Ellie and Joel's story. However, Sony has confirmed that Part II will be one of the four major titles that the publisher will focus on during this year's E3.
Sony has been on a roll as of late with their slate of exclusives like God of War and Horizon: Zero Dawn, both selling beyond expectations and earning wide praise. And while The Last of Us: Part II is expected to attract that same attention, Sony would do well to go beyond just presenting the gameplay demo and leaving fans hanging. To make Naughty Dog's return to its bleak and emotionally draining world all the more exciting, we predict that Sony will also reveal the game's release date. The timing seems just right for Naughty Dog's next game to show the beginning signs of its release, and E3 2018 would be the perfect place to do it. | Alessandro Fillari
From Software Will Debut A New IP
At The Game Awards in 2017, From Software debuted a 30-second teaser trailer, giving us an incredibly brief hint at its next project. While a lot of people were naturally excited to assume it's new Dark Souls or Bloodborne game, a closer look suggests something completely different, at least thematically. The visuals we got showed a bony-looking contraption in front of a scroll of Japanese calligraphy. The device is cast in iron and wrapped in bloody string that's slowly pulled taut. This is accompanied by audio of rain, the sound of a shakuhachi (Japanese flute), and a taiko drum.
From Software has a few feudal Japan-themed franchises in its roster--most prominently, the stealth-action series Tenchu, hack-and-slash game Otogi, and the survival horror game Kuon--but it's also entirely possible that it'll launch a new title altogether. After all, Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne were all new properties spawned in the last decade which caused huge waves, and we wouldn't put it past From Software to do it all again. | Edmond Tran
Sony Will Reveal Red Dead Redemption 2 Exclusive Content For PS4
All the way back in 2016, PlayStation and Rockstar Games announced that some Red Dead Redemption 2 online content would be made available first on PS4. In the almost two years since then, we have not heard a peep about what form this content may take or how long it'll be exclusive to PS4 players. We think that we'll finally learn more about this during Sony's E3 2018 briefing. Rockstar does not usually do much of anything at E3 on its own. However, the company announced GTA V's PS4 edition on Sony's stage back in 2014, so there is precedent of Rockstar making announcements through Sony at E3.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is going to be one of the biggest games of 2018, and an announcement about exclusive content would be a big win for Sony to potentially help drive people to pick up the PS4 edition. This content will be for Red Dead Redemption 2's online mode (which we also don't know anything about), so it would be exciting to see a new trailer for the game at E3 that shows off how Rockstar is building upon the gargantuan success of GTA Online for the new Western. | Eddie Makuch
Another Surprise Exclusive For PS4 Will Be Announced
Sony's PlayStation press conferences have been really fun to watch in the past few years, and part of the reason is because it always throws curveballs at us. Announcements and surprises of brand-new things it managed to keep secret--things we had no idea were coming and no idea we wanted. The announcement of Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima, Insomniac's Spider-Man, Bend Studio's Days Gone, Kojima Productions' Death Stranding, Resident Evil 7, and Shenmue 3 were all things that caught us unaware. We know that Sony's E3 2018 press conference is going to put a big focus on four games, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have something else up its sleeve too. | Edmond Tran
E3 2018 is right around the corner, and that means a ton of video game news, announcements, and reveals are almost upon us. Several of the show's biggest games--Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Battlefield V, Rage 2--have been announced in the weeks leading up to the event, but that doesn't mean E3 itself won't have some surprises in store for us. According to the rumor mill, there's quite a lot that could happen.
Rumors and leaks are par for the course, although last year was incredibly leak-heavy. 2018 has not yet proven to be quite as bad in that regard--save for the Walmart Canada incident--though there remains plenty of time for that to change (and it's certainly begun to). There have been rumors and reports about what we'll see at E3, and we've rounded up many of the biggest ones for you to peruse below. Some are much easier to believe than others, as is often the case. Compared with last year, though, it's going to be hard to top reports of a turn-based strategy game featuring Mario and Rabbids (although what was most surprising is the game turned out to be quite good).
This year's E3 unofficially gets underway with Electronic Arts' pre-E3 event, EA Play, on June 9. That will be followed by press conferences from numerous other companies, which is where the bulk of E3's news will be revealed. You can see the full E3 press conference schedule for more on when to expect news to roll in. In the meantime, check out all of the big rumors we've seen so far; we'll update this should any more arrive between now and E3.
E3 2018 Rumors
Crackdown 3 Delayed
The oft-delayed open-world action game Crackdown 3 had been slated for release sometime in 2018, but it's reportedly been pushed back yet again. As such, it's unclear how prominently it will be featured--if at all--during Microsoft's E3 press conference.
Publisher WB Games has teased an announcement of some sort is coming on June 7, ahead of E3. It doesn't provide any indication of what that will be for, but a teaser video shows a race car with the brand Hamsun on it--a reference to something from the first season of IO Interactive's Hitman. (IO and WB worked on a re-release of that game not long ago.) If that's not direct enough for you, a Reddit user discovered the source code for WB's website briefly hosted a link to an image file with a logo for something called Hitman 2. That seems pretty clear cut, but we should learn more on Thursday.
A Korean ratings board listing has revealed what could be an E3 surprise: A Nintendo Switch port of Fortnite. The listing doesn't specify which of the game's modes--Save the World or the phenomenally popular Battle Royale--will be included, but it's hard to imagine the latter would not make the cut.
While 4chan leaks are not especially reliable, a photo has surfaced that may in fact be real. It shows names for a variety of Nintendo Switch games that will apparently be advertised around the E3 show floor. This includes already-confirmed games like Mario Tennis Aces, but it also shows Fortnite (which, as noted above, looks to be real), Paladins, and Overcooked 2. Whereas Fortnite and Paladins would be ports of existing games, Overcooked 2 has not yet been announced--and it's possible that it could also come to PC, PS4, and Xbox One in addition to Switch, if it is indeed real.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
A new Assassin's Creed was among the games seemingly leaked by Walmart Canada. Although that retailer listing was very non-specific--it didn't include a subtitle or number--we've now heard what could be the title for such a game. According to JeuxVideo, which reportedly received a photo of a collectible keychain, the new game is called Assassin's Creed Odyssey. The keychain itself consists of a helmet resembling one from Ancient Greece, perhaps indicating that will be the setting for the new game.
Update: Ubisoft apparently didn't feel like having the rumors swirl until E3, so it's decided to confirm that Assassin's Creed Odyssey is real. It offered up a very brief, 300-ish clip and stated Odyssey is indeed the name, but beyond that, we'll have to wait for E3 for more details.
We know a new Borderlands is eventually coming, whether it's called Borderlands 3 or something else. Gearbox denies it'll be at E3, and publisher 2K recently delayed an unannounced game, which could be that Borderlands title. But it looks as if E3 might not be completely devoid of Borderlands news, as the Korean ratings board has listed Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. While not official by any means, ratings board leaks are often a reliable source. Given the timing, we might just hear about this project at E3.
Gears Of War 5, New Assassin's Creed, Just Cause 4, And More
Many of the expectations for E3 2018 were set in one go. Retailers have been known to leak things from time to time, but Walmart's Canadian website seemed to potentially spoil quite a lot with a single leak. Listings for numerous unannounced games went online in May, including Rage 2, a new Assassin's Creed, Gears of War 5, Dragon Quest 2, and Just Cause 4.
The sheer number, combined with some typos--such as Forza "Horizons" 5, rather than what would be the series' next game, Forza Horizon 4--made it all seem unlikely. However, Bethesda had an unusual response to the whole situation, and soon after we learned that Rage 2 is real (and since then, Lego DC Super-Villains). Two games from this list turning out to be legitimate doesn't mean the others are anything but placeholders or errors, but it does lend some credence to the possibility of them being real.
A New Splinter Cell Will Be Revealed
Another game mentioned in the Walmart Canada leak was something simply titled Splinter Cell. This might also turn out to be nothing but a placeholder, but Ubisoft itself has certainly set fans up to expect some kind of news related to the franchise before long. Following Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot's comments last year, the company released a Splinter Cell-themed update for Ghost Recon Wildlands earlier this year. That not only set up the potential plot for a new Splinter Cell, but it marked the return of beloved Sam Fisher voice Michael Ironside--and it doesn't seem like a stretch to think Ubisoft brought him in for more than just a small cameo.
This is less a rumor and more speculation, as fans believe we're nearing an announcement involving the Fallout franchise. Bethesda offered days of teases for Rage 2 before it was revealed, and, as of this writing, it's seemingly begun to do the same for Fallout. The company first tweeted a "please stand by" image similar to a screen we've seen in the series previously. Subsequently, it kicked off a livestream with the same image playing on a screen in the background, but with a Fallout Vault Boy figure in the foreground.
That's sparked speculation that we could see a new Fallout game or--perhaps more likely, given its Skyrim re-releases--a remastered version of Fallout 3 or 4, perhaps for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch. Bethesda has said this year's press conference could be its biggest ever; clearly it's got more than just Rage 2 and updates to The Elder Scrolls Online to talk about.
Update: Indeed, Fallout news has arrived. Bethesda Softworks has officially unveiled Fallout 76, a new game developed by Skyrim and Fallout dev Bethesda Game Studios. We don't know a ton at this point about how it will play, but Kotaku reports it will be have online-based survival elements. Bethesda said we'll be hearing more at E3; if that is the form the game takes, Bethesda is sure to provide some indication at E3.
Star Fox Is Getting A Racing Game Called Grand Prix
The Star Fox franchise hasn't seen much activity in recent years save for the Wii U game Star Fox Zero, but that may change in the near future. According to leaks published around the internet and a report from Eurogamer, Retro Studios--of Metroid Prime and Donkey Kong Country Returns fame--is at work on a racing game called Star Fox: Grand Prix. Reddit user DasVergeben claims it will feature elements of F-Zero and Diddy Kong Racing, with an adventure mode and hub world.
Cyberpunk 2077 (Or Another CD Projekt Red Game) Will Be There
We know CD Projekt Red, the developer of the Witcher series and the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, is attending E3. A listing on the official E3 website earlier this year suggested the studio would be there to show off an RPG, although that was later removed. The company has not yet announced its plans for the event--if it has anything to publicly show at all--but fans have their fingers crossed that Cyberpunk (or the studio's other triple-A RPG) will finally be revealed properly.
N64 Classic Edition Will Be Announced
While not E3-specific, there have been rumors about an N64 Classic Edition since the release of the NES Classic. With both that system and the subsequent SNES Classic proving to be huge successes, it would be no surprise to see Nintendo continue the trend by bringing a mini version of the Nintendo 64 to the market. Trademark filings have also suggested it's something Nintendo is at least considering, and Nintendo would be the ideal place to reveal its existence.
Predictions And Confirmed Games
For more on what might show up at E3, check out our predictions for each of the major platforms. You can also see all of the games that have been confirmed for the show through the links below.
E3 2018 is nearly upon us, meaning the world is getting ready to hear more about their most anticipated games for the rest of the year and beyond. Apart from further insights about the big games still to come this year--such as Battlefield V, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and Red Dead Redemption 2--E3 typically offers a chance for games publishers to announce new projects.
What does that mean? Rumors, of course--and often leaks, too. The internet never lets us down in this department, and with an event as big as E3 just around the corner, now is prime time for this stuff to get out (or be fabricated!). We already saw Walmart Canada leak a bunch of unannounced games--some real, some we're less sure about--but there may well be more leaks on the way before announcement season kicks off with EA Play.
Following that, many of the industry's major publishers will hold their own conferences and events, including Sony and its PlayStation media briefing. The PS4 press conference starts on June 11 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET (2 AM BST / 11 AM AET on June 12), and we already know we'll learn more about Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima, Spider-Man, and The Last of Us: Part II.
This year's E3 unofficially gets underway with EA's pre-E3 event, EA Play, on June 9. That will be followed by press conferences from numerous other companies, which is where the bulk of E3's news will be revealed. For now though, check out our roundup of all the rumors and leaks that pertain to the world of PlayStation.
E3 2018 Rumors For PS4
Hitman 2 Leaked
Publisher WB Games has teased an announcement of some sort is coming on June 7, ahead of E3. It doesn't provide any indication of what that will be for, but a teaser video shows a race car with the brand Hamsun on it--a reference to something from the first season of IO Interactive's Hitman. (IO and WB worked on a re-release of that game not long ago.) If that's not direct enough for you, a Reddit user discovered the source code for WB's website briefly hosted a link to an image file with a logo for something called Hitman 2. That seems pretty clear cut, but we should learn more on Thursday.
While 4chan leaks are not especially reliable, a photo has surfaced that may in fact be real. It shows names for a variety of Nintendo Switch games that will apparently be advertised around the E3 show floor. This includes already-confirmed games like Mario Tennis Aces, but it also shows Fortnite (which, as noted above, looks to be real), Paladins, and Overcooked 2. Whereas Fortnite and Paladins would be ports of existing games, Overcooked 2 has not yet been announced--and it's possible that it could also come to PC, PS4, and Xbox One in addition to Switch, if it is indeed real.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
A new Assassin's Creed was among the games seemingly leaked by Walmart Canada. Although that retailer listing was very non-specific--it didn't include a subtitle or number--we've now heard what could be the title for such a game. According to JeuxVideo, which reportedly received a photo of a collectible keychain, the new game is called Assassin's Creed Odyssey. The keychain itself consists of a helmet resembling one from Ancient Greece, perhaps indicating that will be the setting for the new game.
Update: Ubisoft apparently didn't feel like having the rumors swirl until E3, so it's decided to confirm that Assassin's Creed Odyssey is real. It offered up a very brief, 300-ish clip and stated Odyssey is indeed the name, but beyond that, we'll have to wait for E3 for more details.
Many of the expectations for E3 2018 were set in one go. Retailers have been known to leak things from time to time, but Walmart's Canadian website seemed to potentially spoil quite a lot with a single leak. Listings for numerous unannounced games went online in May, including Rage 2, a new Assassin's Creed, Dragon Quest 2, and Just Cause 4.
The sheer number, combined with some typos--such as Forza "Horizons" 5, rather than what would be the series' next game, Forza Horizon 4--made it all seem unlikely. However, Bethesda had an unusual response to the whole situation, and soon after we learned that Rage 2 is real (and since then, Lego DC Super-Villains). Two games from this list turning out to be legitimate doesn't mean the others are anything but placeholders or errors, but it does lend some credence to the possibility of them being real.
Borderlands Getting PS4, Xbox One, PC Re-Release
We know a new Borderlands is eventually coming, whether it's called Borderlands 3 or something else. Gearbox denies it'll be at E3, and publisher 2K recently delayed an unannounced game, which could be that Borderlands title. But it looks as if E3 might not be completely devoid of Borderlands news, as the Korean ratings board has listed Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. While not official by any means, ratings board leaks are often a reliable source. Given the timing, we might just hear about this project at E3.
A New Splinter Cell Will Be Revealed
Another game mentioned in the Walmart Canada leak was something simply titled Splinter Cell. This might also turn out to be nothing but a placeholder, but Ubisoft itself has certainly set fans up to expect some kind of news related to the franchise before long. Following Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot's comments last year, the company released a Splinter Cell-themed update for Ghost Recon Wildlands earlier this year. That not only set up the potential plot for a new Splinter Cell, but it marked the return of beloved Sam Fisher voice Michael Ironside--and it doesn't seem like a stretch to think Ubisoft brought him in for more than just a small cameo.
Fallout 76 was revealed right before E3, and fans are understandably excited to dive back into the series' trademark post-apocalyptic wasteland. It might not be what you've come to expect from the open-world RPG franchise, however, as Kotaku's sources report it will be have online-based survival elements in a similar fashion to Rust or DayZ. Bethesda said we'll be hearing more at E3, so we'll surely find out more soon.
Cyberpunk 2077 (Or Another CD Projekt Red Game) Will Be There
We know CD Projekt Red, the developer of the Witcher series and the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, is attending E3. A listing on the official E3 website earlier this year suggested the studio would be there to show off an RPG, although that was later removed. The company has not yet announced its plans for the event--if it has anything to publicly show at all--but fans have their fingers crossed that Cyberpunk (or the studio's other triple-A RPG) will finally be revealed properly.
Predictions And Confirmed Games
For more on what might show up at E3, check out our predictions for each of the major platforms. You can also see all of the games that have been confirmed for the show through the links below.
The weeks and months leading up to E3 are rife with rumors and speculation, and this year has certainly been no different. We're still several days away from E3 2018, and a number of surprise announcements have been inadvertently revealed ahead of the show thanks to various leaks, with more seemingly trickling out by the day.
Even Nintendo's notoriously tight-lipped nature hasn't prevented rumors and leaks from spreading. Before Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee were formally unveiled, rumors had swirled that Switch's Pokemon RPG would be inspired by Pokemon Yellow and launch this November--both of which turned out to be true. Similarly, speculation has been rampant that the massively popular Fortnite would be revealed for Switch at E3. That would make for a truly surprising announcement, although its impact may have been diminished now, as a Switch version of Fortnite was listed by the Korean ratings board.
There are many other unsubstantiated reports still lingering around Switch. One of the most prominent says that Metroid Prime developer Retro Studios is working on a Star Fox game, although it won't be a rail shooter like traditional entries in the series; rather, rumor has it that the game is a racer in the vein of F-Zero and Diddy Kong Racing. A recent trademark filing has also led to rumors that Nintendo will announce an N64 Classic mini console.
It won't be much longer until we find out if there's any truth to these rumors. Nintendo's E3 presentation is scheduled to air at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET on June 12, just before the expo formally begins. We still don't have much clue as to what Nintendo will show off during its E3 briefing, but you can catch up on all of the games it has confirmed for Switch and 3DS. You can also read up on when and how to watch Nintendo's E3 conference.
Fortnite Coming To Nintendo Switch
A Korean ratings board listing has revealed what could be an E3 surprise: A Nintendo Switch port of Fortnite. The listing doesn't specify which of the game's modes--Save the World or the phenomenally popular Battle Royale--will be included, but it's hard to imagine the latter would not make the cut.
While 4chan leaks are not especially reliable, a photo has surfaced that may in fact be real. It shows names for a variety of Nintendo Switch games that will apparently be advertised around the E3 show floor. This includes already-confirmed games like Mario Tennis Aces, but it also shows Fortnite (which, as noted above, looks to be real), Paladins, and Overcooked 2. Whereas Fortnite and Paladins would be ports of existing games, Overcooked 2 has not yet been announced--and it's possible that it could also come to PC, PS4, and Xbox One in addition to Switch, if it is indeed real.
Star Fox Is Getting A Racing Game Called Grand Prix
The Star Fox franchise hasn't seen much activity in recent years save for the Wii U game Star Fox Zero, but that may change in the near future. According to leaks published around the internet and a report from Eurogamer, Retro Studios--of Metroid Prime and Donkey Kong Country Returns fame--is at work on a racing game called Star Fox: Grand Prix. Reddit user DasVergeben claims it will feature elements of F-Zero and Diddy Kong Racing, with an adventure mode and hub world.
N64 Classic Edition Will Be Announced
While not E3-specific, there have been rumors about an N64 Classic Edition since the release of the NES Classic. With both that system and the subsequent SNES Classic proving to be huge successes, it would be no surprise to see Nintendo continue the trend by bringing a mini version of the Nintendo 64 to the market. Trademark filings have also suggested it's something Nintendo is at least considering, and Nintendo would be the ideal place to reveal its existence.
E3 2018 is mere weeks away, which makes this prime time for rumors to take hold. Microsoft and the Xbox are especially rife with rumors, given that the company is keeping its plans so tightly under wraps. Unlike Sony which has already detailed its main focus and Nintendo which is sure to be featuring Smash Bros., we don't actually know much about what Microsoft has in store. This year, the Xbox is a black box.
That leaves plenty of room for rumor and speculation, so we've compiled some of the biggest rumors below. If you want to check out even more scuttlebutt leading up to E3, check out our full list of rumors. Or stay more grounded with our list of every confirmed Xbox game appearing at the show so far.
We'll know which of these rumors pan out once the press conferences debut. Microsoft's is scheduled for Sunday, June 10 at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET. Bookmark our full conference schedule to plan all your viewing parties.
E3 2018 Rumors
Crackdown 3 Delayed
The oft-delayed open-world action game Crackdown 3 had been slated for release sometime in 2018, but it's reportedly been pushed back yet again. As such, it's unclear how prominently it will be featured--if at all--during Microsoft's E3 press conference.
Publisher WB Games has teased an announcement of some sort is coming on June 7, ahead of E3. It doesn't provide any indication of what that will be for, but a teaser video shows a race car with the brand Hamsun on it--a reference to something from the first season of IO Interactive's Hitman. (IO and WB worked on a re-release of that game not long ago.) If that's not direct enough for you, a Reddit user discovered the source code for WB's website briefly hosted a link to an image file with a logo for something called Hitman 2. That seems pretty clear cut, but we should learn more on Thursday.
While 4chan leaks are not especially reliable, a photo has surfaced that may in fact be real. It shows names for a variety of Nintendo Switch games that will apparently be advertised around the E3 show floor. This includes already-confirmed games like Mario Tennis Aces, but it also shows Fortnite (which, as noted above, looks to be real), Paladins, and Overcooked 2. Whereas Fortnite and Paladins would be ports of existing games, Overcooked 2 has not yet been announced--and it's possible that it could also come to PC, PS4, and Xbox One in addition to Switch, if it is indeed real.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
A new Assassin's Creed was among the games seemingly leaked by Walmart Canada. Although that retailer listing was very non-specific--it didn't include a subtitle or number--we've now heard what could be the title for such a game. According to JeuxVideo, which reportedly received a photo of a collectible keychain, the new game is called Assassin's Creed Odyssey. The keychain itself consists of a helmet resembling one from Ancient Greece, perhaps indicating that will be the setting for the new game.
Update: Ubisoft apparently didn't feel like having the rumors swirl until E3, so it's decided to confirm that Assassin's Creed Odyssey is real. It offered up a very brief, 300-ish clip and stated Odyssey is indeed the name, but beyond that, we'll have to wait for E3 for more details.
We know a new Borderlands is eventually coming, whether it's called Borderlands 3 or something else. Gearbox denies it'll be at E3, and publisher 2K recently delayed an unannounced game, which could be that Borderlands title. But it looks as if E3 might not be completely devoid of Borderlands news, as the Korean ratings board has listed Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. While not official by any means, ratings board leaks are often a reliable source. Given the timing, we might just hear about this project at E3.
Gears Of War 5, New Assassin's Creed, Just Cause 4, And More
Many of the expectations for E3 2018 were set in one go. Retailers have been known to leak things from time to time, but Walmart's Canadian website seemed to potentially spoil quite a lot with a single leak. Listings for numerous unannounced games went online in May, including Rage 2, a new Assassin's Creed, Gears of War 5, Dragon Quest 2, and Just Cause 4.
The sheer number, combined with some typos--such as Forza "Horizons" 5, rather than what would be the series' next game, Forza Horizon 4--made it all seem unlikely. However, Bethesda had an unusual response to the whole situation, and soon after we learned that Rage 2 is real (and since then, Lego DC Super-Villains). Two games from this list turning out to be legitimate doesn't mean the others are anything but placeholders or errors, but it does lend some credence to the possibility of them being real.
A New Splinter Cell Will Be Revealed
Another game mentioned in the Walmart Canada leak was something simply titled Splinter Cell. This might also turn out to be nothing but a placeholder, but Ubisoft itself has certainly set fans up to expect some kind of news related to the franchise before long. Following Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot's comments last year, the company released a Splinter Cell-themed update for Ghost Recon Wildlands earlier this year. That not only set up the potential plot for a new Splinter Cell, but it marked the return of beloved Sam Fisher voice Michael Ironside--and it doesn't seem like a stretch to think Ubisoft brought him in for more than just a small cameo.
This is less a rumor and more speculation, as fans believe we're nearing an announcement involving the Fallout franchise. Bethesda offered days of teases for Rage 2 before it was revealed, and, as of this writing, it's seemingly begun to do the same for Fallout. The company first tweeted a "please stand by" image similar to a screen we've seen in the series previously. Subsequently, it kicked off a livestream with the same image playing on a screen in the background, but with a Fallout Vault Boy figure in the foreground.
That's sparked speculation that we could see a new Fallout game or--perhaps more likely, given its Skyrim re-releases--a remastered version of Fallout 3 or 4, perhaps for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch. Bethesda has said this year's press conference could be its biggest ever; clearly it's got more than just Rage 2 and updates to The Elder Scrolls Online to talk about.
Update: Indeed, Fallout news has arrived. Bethesda Softworks has officially unveiled Fallout 76, a new game developed by Skyrim and Fallout dev Bethesda Game Studios. We don't know a ton at this point about how it will play, but Kotaku reports it will be have online-based survival elements. Bethesda said we'll be hearing more at E3; if that is the form the game takes, Bethesda is sure to provide some indication at E3.
Cyberpunk 2077 (Or Another CD Projekt Red Game) Will Be There
We know CD Projekt Red, the developer of the Witcher series and the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, is attending E3. A listing on the official E3 website earlier this year suggested the studio would be there to show off an RPG, although that was later removed. The company has not yet announced its plans for the event--if it has anything to publicly show at all--but fans have their fingers crossed that Cyberpunk (or the studio's other triple-A RPG) will finally be revealed properly.
Hitman 2 is official; publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment revealed the game during a pre-E3 stream on its site. We've learned a few details about the game. It will be a direct sequel to Hitman, but unlike the previous title, which featured regular updates to its story via live content, Hitman 2's story will be revealed all at once on the day of launch (though there will still be some additional DLC, like new locations, released over time). Check out the reveal trailer below.
Hitman 2 will feature "hyper-detailed sandboxes full of living, breathing environments." During the reveal stream, its developers hinted that interacting with environments and objects would play a bigger role and "everything in the environment can be deadly." It features multiple international locations, but it will highlight Miami and an in-progress motorsport race that form a key part of the game's story.
For the first time, this Hitman game will be a direct follow up to the previous one. The story will delve deeper into Agent 47's past, and get closer to Agent 47 and Diana's story than before. You embark on a mission to hunt the Shadow Client and unravel his militia for good, but after revelations about Agent 47, "nothing will ever be the same."
Hitman 2 will also bring co-op to the game. Sniper Assassin mode allows you to jump into the Hitman series with another player and work together to take down targets. The mode can also be played by a single player and is available now for those who pre-order the standard, Silver, Gold, or Collector's editions of Hitman 2. Get a look at Sniper Assassin mode in action in the video below.
The game releases on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 13 (Gold and Collector's editions get you into the game on November 9). Standard, Silver, and Gold editions of the game are available for pre-order now, with the Collection's Edition coming soon. For more of the latest news and updates, follow GameSpot's full E3 2018 coverage.
The Joker is the most famous supervillain in the world. His popularity and ubiquity have netted him a spot in pop culture canon that will never be stripped away, putting him firmly in the upper echelons with characters like Darth Vader and Jason Voorhees. You can distill him down to his most basic components: purple outfit, green hair, and giant, terrifying grin, and he'll still be recognized, even by a person who's never picked up a comic or sat down to watch a movie like The Dark Knight.
It's that status that made the announcement of a Joker solo movie pretty much inevitable. He's just too famous to not get the feature film treatment in this day and age--even though he really, really doesn't need it.
The thing that makes The Joker as popular as he is today is also the problem: He's a prism more than he is a character. His single most defining trait is his ability to transform into whatever Batman isn't, based on whatever the story may need--a nice little skill that makes him endlessly and impossibly elastic for both the needs of the narrative and, perhaps more importantly, the needs of his fans. No one's interpretation of The Joker is ever wrong, because no one's interpretation of The Joker is ever completely right.
That elasticity means that, as far as supporting characters are concerned, he's the total package. No matter how specialized and expansive Batman's rogues gallery becomes, the Joker is always going to be a step ahead of the rest just by virtue of his ability to fill any gaps in any lineup. But isolated by a spotlight? Things start to crumble fast. A prism without anything to refract is just another chunk of glass.
In a solo context, is the Joker a murderer with a fixation on clowns? Is he just another petty thief in Gotham City? A mob boss? An asylum escapee turned serial killer? A sociopathic but ultimately comical ne'er-do-well? Who knows? He's certainly been all of those things and then some across the last 60-some-odd years. And what about his origin story? Is he a two bit crook who suffered a chemical accident in a run in with Batman? A regular guy who snapped? A cosmic wraith who represents the greater force of entropy in the universe? No one can really say for sure. In many ways, he's all of those things--he specifically needs to be all of those things, because that's what keeps his clown car running.
The Joker isn't a character whose presence in a story demands answers to these questions. That's not what keeps him going. Instead, he thrives on prompting more questions. That's what makes him such perfect support for other characters' stories--while Batman will always represent concrete black-and-white and the absolute idealism of his vigilante code, the Joker will always represent the lack thereof. But stripped of that context and put under a microscope all his own, he becomes shapeless and void.
Of course, there's also the matter of the cliches at hand. Fans love to critique Batman movies for their endless repetition, gunshots and pearls hitting the ground in Crime Alley, but next to the origin story, the looming thread of the Joker has never not been present. From Romero to Ledger, live action Jokers have smeared their grease paint stained hands across Batman media for decades, with Leto's tattooed and "modern" interpretation just the latest entry in the pantheon.
We may have yet to get a full movie with a Joker who wears silver teeth and has the word "damaged" literally stamped on his forehead, but we already know who he is, the same way we've always known who he is. We've reached the point where the endless permutations of this endlessly permutatable character have started to deliver diminishing returns. Unlike Batman, who sustains repetition by consistency, The Joker keeps momentum by having none--he can't be observed for too long in any one state or he starts to overstay his welcome and lose his mystique.
Even a 90-minute popcorn crunching romp would just be too long to risk; it would require too many answers be given to unanswerable rhetoricals, would ask for too many mysteries to be solved, and would see too much close inspection of a character whose heart beats in the margins and on the periphery. Like trying to look at a bug under a magnifying glass and accidentally lighting it on fire, a Joker solo film will likely go down in superhero movie history as gratuitous at best and a nail in the coffin of a struggling film franchise at worst.
There are certainly ways to sneak past the complications of a Joker oriented outing that don't explicitly put him in focus--source material inspiration like Joker by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo that, essentially, show The Joker's presence in the city by way of his effect on bystanders. Ultimately pulling Batman into the mix might also be a good way to go. Peppering in elements from other Gotham-based stories like Gotham Central, which can zoom in on members of the GCPD, might also be a potential solution and a way to create a movie that Joker centric in name only.
Though maybe a nice catastrophic burial is the only way the Clown Prince of Crime will ever be allowed to rest away from movie theatres and reboots for the next couple decades--and in that case? Let's just get this over with.
After a recent interview, retired WWE superstar Shawn Michaels has wrestling fans excited about the possibility of having one more match. Is that likely, though?
During an interview with SkySports, Michaels explained, "I think it's one of those [things] that you would never say never about and if it was just for a one-off then it's something that I would take a look at." At 52 years old, though, he wanted fans to realize he wouldn't be the same performer--the same Mr. Wrestlemania--he was in his prime. Instead, he suggested a tag-team match, likely involving a D-Generation X reunion with Triple H, would be the best option for his return.
Still, Michaels even addressing the possibility of a return to the ring is massive news. It's enough to make you wonder if something is actually in the works. Of course, there's no one better to ask than the Heartbreak Kid, himself.
Speaking to GameSpot at WWE's first-ever Emmy Awards For Your Consideration event, the Hall of Famer says there are no actual plans for him to return to the ring. "I don't put a lot of thought into anything," he admits. "I say all sorts of dumb stuff."
Michaels continues, "I don't think about wrestling really ever, but then I do wrestling interviews and somebody asks, and then, of course, they put a scenario together and you go, 'Oh, that would be fun. That would be neat. That's something I'd be interested in.'"
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean a match isn't possible for the Heartbreak Kid. While there have been no serious discussions with WWE about a return, that could always change. "I guess I just comment on it because none of it ever gets real until it gets real and I guess I don't make any serious decisions until that point," he says. "And we're so far from that."
Whether another match comes to pass or not, the mark Michaels has left on the professional wrestling industry cannot be denied. And thankfully, he's still active today. Michaels serves as a trainer in WWE's NXT development system and most recently appeared on Raw 25, the 25th-anniversary celebration of Monday Night Raw--one of the programs WWE is submitting for Emmy Awards consideration. In the segment, he reunited once again with his brothers in DX, as well as Kliq member and fellow WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall.
Crackdown 3 has been delayed yet again. The open-world Xbox One and PC sandbox game is now coming in February 2019, which is close to three years after it was supposed to come out. Terry Crews, who has a role in the game, said on Twitter today, "Trust me, it'll be worth the wait..."
A Microsoft representative confirmed in a statement to WindowsCentral today that the decision to delay the game came down to Microsoft wanting to "deliver the experience [fans] deserve." Not only that, but it means Crackdown 3 won't have to go up against heavyweights like Red Dead Redemption, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and Battlefield V, all of which launch in October this year.
Microsoft will share more details on Crackdown 3 during the Xbox E3 2018 briefing this Sunday, June 10. Sources told WindowsCentral that Crackdown 3 is "coming along nicely," with Microsoft apparently hoping for Crackdown to become another tentpole franchise alongside Halo and Gears of War.
Crackdown 3 is in development at three different studios: Raegent Games, Sumo Digital, and Cloudgine. It's a $60 game, but Xbox Game Pass subscribers can get it for free at launch.
At San Diego Comic-Con last year, Microsoft released a new trailer that showed off actor Terry Crews' character, Commander Jaxon--check out the video embedded above.
Another batch of challenges are available in Fortnite: Battle Royale. Players who have purchased the Season 4 Battle Pass can complete a set of seven objectives for Week 6, including those that have you searching for a point near a playground, as well as Carbide and Omega posters that you have to spray over. Here's how to complete all of the Week 6 challenges.
First up are the posters. Week 6 challenges task you to spray over different Carbide or Omega posters. You'll find these scattered around the map, and you'll need to spray on top of seven of them total. There are more than twice as many on the island, and this doesn't need to be done in a single match. Spraying over a poster just involves holding the use button/key, just as you would to open a chest. You can consult the map below to see all of the poster locations that we've been able to confirm.
The other tricky challenge for this week is a Hard-difficulty one that has you search between a playground, campsite, and footprint. This might not be tough if you recognize some of these locations, but you can just check out the map below to see exactly where you have to go. Located in between these points, you'll find a Battle Star icon; just walk up to it and you can collect it to complete the challenge.
The remainder of Week 6 is relatively straightforward. You'll need to deal 1,000 damage with shotguns, which you'll most easily be able to do in close-quarters, indoor locations--heading to a place like Tilted Towers may be your best bet. Another calls for you to search three supply drops; these spawn more often in some alternate modes, so you may have more luck finding one by jumping into one of those. Searching chests in Loot Lake and eliminating opponents in Retail Row is as simple as repeatedly dropping at those locations at the start of a match until you've racked up your requisite numbers. If you can get your hands on an SMG while in Retail Row, you can also knock out another challenge--three SMG eliminations.
Completing these challenges will reward you with varying numbers of Battle Stars, which rank up your Battle Pass and allow you to get your hands on new skins and cosmetics. For a rundown on everything this season, check out our Season 4 challenge guide.
Fortnite Week 6 Challenges
Search Supply Drops (3) -- 5 Battle Stars
Deal damage with Shotguns (1,000) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search Chests in Loot Lake (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Spray over different Carbide or Omega Posters (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Hard: Search between a Playground, Campsite, and Footprint -- 10 Battle Stars
Twin Mirror is a new story-driven adventure game coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It's being developed by Dontnod Entertainment, the studio behind Life is Strange and Vampyr, so it's no wonder the game will revolve around player choice as part of a branching narrative. The game has a dark tone and is described as a psychological thriller. Check out the reveal trailer above.
You play as Sam, who returns to his (desolate) hometown of Basswood, West Virginia to attend the funeral of his best friend. Sam is already having a pretty tough time; he's also recovering from a bad break-up. Things take a turn for the worst when he wakes up with no memory of the previous night and discovers a blood-stained shirt in his hotel room.
Sam needs to recall his memories and search for clues to discover the truth in a mysterious investigation. Much like Life is Strange, the game will confront many heavy themes; he must come to terms with heartbreak in a place where "the line between truth and deception is blurred."
E3 2018 could be a big one for Square Enix; with heavy hitters like Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Kingdom Hearts III, and a remake of Final Fantasy VII on the horizon, all eyes will be on the company's press conference. Square Enix's big event takes place on the Monday of E3; you'll be able to watch it right here on GameSpot, and on our Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook accounts.
In terms of E3 2018 showstoppers, Square Enix is likely to let Shadow of the Tomb Raider take center stage at its press conference. The game is the last entry in the Tomb Raider origin trilogy, and you'll once again play as Lara Croft. Developer Eidos Montreal says the game will be the darkest adventure Lara has been on yet, with far more drama and internal conflict than past games. It releases September 14 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and Eidos studio head David Anfossi has hinted there is an interesting and very surprising reveal coming soon for Tomb Raider fans.
Square Enix E3 2018 Press Conference Start Time
Monday, June 11
10 AM PT
1 PM ET
6 PM BST
3 AM AEST (June 12)
One of Square Enix's most anticipated games may (or may not) make an appearance during the press conference. The remake of Final Fantasy VII has been in the works for a few years, but it still doesn't have a release date, meaning it may still be too early for the developer to drop major details. So far, we know the original game will be transformed into a multi-game project with the remake, and we've seen a few exciting snippets of gameplay. Here's hoping for more.
Lastly, Kingdom Hearts fans will be holding out hope for some new info at E3 2018. While Kingdom Hearts III is technically not scheduled to appear, it has been in development for many years and is scheduled to release this year. Here's everything we know and everything we want to see at E3 from Kingdom Hearts III. Square Enix will likely also reveal some of its upcoming indies from its Square Enix Collective label.
The details of EA's press conference at E3 2018 are out, and that means we're getting closer to seeing all the big announcements from one of the world's biggest video game companies. You'll be able to watch the event, which should be packed with news about Battlefield V and Anthem, here on GameSpot, and on our Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook accounts.
Once again, EA's press conference is the first event of E3, taking place on the Saturday before everything gets underway in Los Angeles. The event actually kicks off three days of EA events; until June 11, EA Play takes place at a separate venue in Hollywood, featuring player events, featuring lots of demos and fan-centric content. Here's the exact schedule for EA's press conference:
EA E3 2018 Press Conference Start Time
Saturday, June 9
11 AM PT
2 PM ET
7 PM BST
4 AM AEST (June 10)
So far, we know EA will be dropping some news about Battlefield V, DICE's World War II first-person shooter. Here are all the Battlefield V details we have so far. The other big one, BioWare's Anthem, is still more of a mystery. Anthem will be an open-world action game with a very Destiny-esque feel. We know it will support co-op multiplayer that you will also be able to play it on your own, but there are still many questions left about gameplay and story (battle royale?). Here's everything we want from Anthem at E3.
We're also certain to hear more about EA's sports titles, as well, including Madden NFL 19, which has now been officially announced and will release on August 10 on PS4 and Xbox One. EA Play is open to the public, and if you'd like to attend you can pre-register for the show here.
E3 2018 is nearly upon us. The show formally kicks off on Tuesday, June 12, but as in recent years, many big-name publishers will host their own press conferences in the days leading up to the event. Nintendo's will once again take the form of a pre-recorded Direct-style video presentation, which is scheduled to air at 9 AM PT / 12 PM PT / 5 PM BST, just before E3 proper begins.
As usual, the company has been fairly secretive about its plans heading into this year's E3. Outside of confirming that Super Smash Bros. for Switch will play a prominent role both in its presentation and on the show floor, Nintendo hasn't announced any of the titles it plans on showcasing at the expo. However, we do know that the aforementioned video presentation won't be the extent of its plans for E3 2018.
Once again, Nintendo will follow its E3 briefing with a series of Treehouse Live streams, which will air each of the three days the expo runs. Additionally, Nintendo will host competitive esports tournaments for Super Smash Bros. Switch and Splatoon 2, the latter of which is set to receive a big, paid DLC expansion this summer. The Splatoon 2 World Championship begins on Monday, June 11, with the finals taking place on June 12. The Super Smash Bros. Invitational 2018 tournament will kick off shortly afterward and features well-known competitive Smash players from around the world.
Aside from that, however, we have little idea of what to expect from Nintendo at E3. The company has said that its presentation will focus primarily on games launching soon, so we'll get a much clearer idea of what its release schedule for Switch will be through the end of the year. It seems likely that we'll learn more about some of the titles that were announced at last year's E3, such as Metroid Prime 4 and Yoshi. We may also see more of the recently revealed Pokemon RPGs for Switch: Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eeevee.
Whatever the case, we won't have to wait much longer to find out. Nintendo will broadcast its E3 2018 presentation on its YouTube and Twitch channels. GameSpot will also host a stream of the briefing, so you can tune in right here on June 12 to follow along with all of Nintendo's big announcements.
Nintendo E3 2018 Press Conference Schedule
Tuesday, June 12
9 AM PT
12 PM ET
5 PM BST
2 AM AET (June 13)
Where To Livestream Nintendo's E3 2018 Press Conference
E3 2018 is just a few days away. The show proper begins on Tuesday, June 12 in Los Angeles, but as has become the norm, many games publishers--including Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, and others--are holding their own press conferences in the days leading up to the show itself.
Sony's E3 press conference is scheduled to begin on Monday, June 11 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET (2 AM BST / 11 AM on June 12). We know we'll be seeing more of upcoming PS4 games like Death Stranding, The Last of Us: Part II, Ghost of Tsushima, and Spider-Man, and there may be more announcements included too. However, Sony has already stated it won't be showing any new hardware at E3, so you can forget about PS5 for now.
For Death Stranding, Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios chairman Shawn Layden said the company has a "complete new report for everybody about what is happening around that title," while Ghost of Tsushima will also have a "deep dive." For Spider-Man there will be "a new drop," which is likely to be a new trailer. Finally, The Last of Us Part 2 will have "a full new scope and treatment to show progress on the game and give people a better understanding of where we're going with Part 2."
GameSpot will be streaming Sony's conference live on June 11 on Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook, while we'll also be at hand to provide in-depth coverage of the conference both before and after Sony's presentation. You can take a look at the full E3 2018 press conference schedule for more information on everything happening during that week.
Sony PlayStation E3 2018 Press Conference Schedule
Monday, June 11
6 PM PT
9 PM ET
2 AM BST (June 12)
11 AM AET (June 12)
Where To Livestream Sony's E3 2018 Press Conference
Ubisoft will be holding its E3 2018 press conference on Monday, June 11. It will be held at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, and the publisher will be holding both a pre-show and post-show stream to couch the event, where we'll be learning about the recently revealed Assassin's Creed Odyssey.
Ubisoft is one of the industry's major publishers, and we expect to see its E3 2018 games lineup shown off. So far, we know that this year's show will serve as the coming out party for The Division 2. Ubisoft announced the sequel with very few details and promised more to come at E3. We also expect to get another look at Beyond Good and Evil 2 and Transference, and we'll have another glimpse at the toys-to-life game Starlink: Battle for Atlas. Skull & Bones will make an appearance too, even though the pirate sim game has been pushed to the far seas of the 2019-2020 fiscal year.
GameSpot will be streaming and liveblogging this event along with each of the other press conferences, so you can keep it locked here to see it all along with our own commentary. Here's exactly when the Ubisoft conference is scheduled to begin:
1 PM PT
4 PM ET
9 PM BST
6 AM AET (June 12)
Ubisoft's conference takes place the Monday before the show floor opens, but it's far from the only event planned. The week is jam-packed with presentations from the likes of EA, Microsoft, Sony, Bethesda, Square Enix, Nintendo, and more. Be sure to check out our full E3 2018 schedule to keep track and plan your watching.
Where To Livestream Ubisoft's E3 2018 Press Conference
When Bethesda surprised fans with an extended announcement of Fallout 76 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, it also created a ton of hype for its upcoming E3 2018 press conference. The latest installment in the Fallout franchise's teaser trailer is just that, a tease, with many more details to come on the stage in Los Angeles. You'll be able to watch the event, which will also feature news on open-world shooter Rage 2, here on GameSpot, and on our Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook accounts.
Bethesda's marketing boss is promising the company's press conference won't be drawn out; the company is known for keeping things tight during previous E3s. Here's the exact schedule for Bethesda's press conference:
Bethesda E3 2018 Press Conference Start Time
Sunday, June 10
6:30 PM PT
9:30 PM ET
2:30 AM BST (June 11)
11:30 AM AEST (June 11)
There's still a lot to learn about Fallout 76. We know the game is set before the original Fallout, and that players will take on the role of a Vault Dweller in the underground bunker known as Vault 76. Bethesda was quick to state that we'd be seeing much more of the game on June 10. In recent years, the publisher has revealed a lot of games, including Fallout 4, Prey, and Wolfenstein II, during its E3 press conferences, so Fallout fans likely won't be disappointed. Here's everything we know and want to see from Fallout 76 this E3.
Rage 2 is Bethesda's other big game in the spotlight. Like the original Rage, it's an open-world shooter set in a post-apocalyptic environment with a very Mad Max vibe. We don't have much confirmed info about the game yet, other than that it'll release on PS4, Xbox One, and PC in 2019. The game is being developed by id Software, known for the first Rage game and the stellar 2016 remake of Doom, and Avalanche Studios, known for dense open-world games like Just Cause. Here's everything we know and want to see from Rage 2 at E3 2018.
Where To Livestream Bethesda's E3 2018 Press Conference
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