At EA's press conference at E3 2018, Anthem took centerstage as the publisher highlighted the action RPG in a short gameplay video. Now, we're getting a full look at the game's Scar and Villainy mission, as BioWare has released a 20 minute video of its E3 gameplay demo, complete with commentary from Anthem's lead producer Ben Irving. Check it out above.
In Anthem, you play as a Freelancer with access to Javelins, mech exosuits that come with different abilities and loadouts. In the gameplay demo, you can see a team of Freelancers; the leader plays a Colossus, a tank-like character that packs a punch, another player chooses a fast-moving Ranger, and the final player picks a Colossus with a different loadout, focused on close combat.
As the demo starts, you get to see the game's reactive world on display; flying through a waterfall, for example, will cool the jets on your jetpack. As the players traverse the world, flying, running, and swimming, they battle waves of enemy Scars, eventually entering a Stronghold, a dungeon of sorts with big enemies and bigger rewards. Meanwhile, the game's co-op gameplay is shown off; another player joins in mid-mission, and Irving emphasises Anthem's design as a cooperative game that provides big payoffs for playing together.
Finally, the demo ends with the team fighting a fierce Swarm Tyrant. We'll no doubt see more of the game over the next few months, before its release on February 22, 2019. Check out GameSpot's full E3 2018 impressions of Anthem to see everything we know about the game so far, and check out our Anthem pre-order guide for all the details.
Fans of the popular anime My Hero Academia are getting good news; we now know when Bandai Namco's upcoming game, based on the series, will release in the West. Although the company hasn't released many details about the game, My Hero One's Justice, it's set for release on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 26. Check out the release date reveal trailer above.
The new trailer shows just a sliver of gameplay, which Bandai Namco describes as an arena brawler where you can choose between hero and villain on a path to justice. It says you'll be able to utilize Quirks (special moves) and call on up to two sidekicks to activate powerful attacks, where "your environments are at your disposal in total field destruction." This includes vertical battle, as you're able to scale buildings and walls during fights.
The game will let players play as tons of characters from the anime/manga series, including Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugo, Tomura Shigaraki, All Might, and many more. Each of them will have "explosive attacks" related to their Quirks. Pre-orders of the game aren't live yet but will be coming soon.
It wasn't initially clear if the game would be coming to the West at all or whether it would be released in Japan only. The series' previous game, My Hero Academia: Battle for All, launched in 2016 on 3DS but never got a Western release. A lengthier trailer for the game was released at E3 2018.
Fortnite's Season 4 is coming to an end this week, and that means you better act fast if you want to earn the remaining Battle Pass rewards. The final seven Week 10 challenges were rolled out for players on all platforms last week, and you'll have until July 12 before they, along with all other Season 4 challenges, disappear.
There are a couple tricky tasks in this week's set of challenges, one of which simply asks players to search between movie titles. For that, you'll have to head northeast of Junk Junction to a cluster of buildings (including a movie studio). That's where you'll find the Battle Star, and you can see detailed directions for finding it in the video above. There's another challenge in the area that asks you to search seven chests in Junk Junction. You don't need to complete it in a single match, so you can repeatedly drop there at the start of a round and open chests until you reach seven. Another challenge has you search a chest, Ammo Box, and Supply Drop.
While the other tasks are fairly straightforward, you might have a tough time with the skydive through 20 floating rings challenge. The rings appear at three different elevations (denoted by different colors), so you'll potentially only be able to rack up three of them at a time. Fortunately, you can have your glider out to ensure you easily dive through the center of the rings (also shown in the video above), so all you'll need to do is play enough rounds and you'll be able to complete the challenge. For more details on how to beat this and the other challenges, check out our full guide to Week 10 challenges.
On July 12, Fortnite's new season, Season 5, will begin, bringing with it new challenges, rewards, and more. You can check out the full list of Week 10 challenges below, and if you still need to clear this season's tasks, check out our full Season 4 challenge guide.
Fortnite Season 4, Week 10 Challenges
Search Chests in Junk Junction (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Deal damage to opponents' structures (5,000) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search a Chest, Ammo Box, & Supply Box in a single match -- 5 Battle Stars
Skydive through floating Rings (20) -- 5 Battle Stars
Hard: Search between movie titles -- 10 Battle Stars
It has not been an easy road for Dead Island 2. The game was first announced in 2014, but since then it lost its initial developer and faced considerable delays. Despite that, the game's publisher, Deep Silver, is assuring fans that the game is still in development and will definitely still release.
On Deep Silver's Dead Island Twitter account, the company has been responding to many tweets, asking if the game is still in the works. While it hasn't shared much more information (and nothing on a possible release date), it has said repeatedly that the game is still in the works and to watch the Twitter account for more details at a later date.
Dead Island 2 was supposed to release in 2016 (after facing delays that pushed the release window back a year). Unlike the original Dead Island, which was developed by Techland (which went on to create Dying Light), it was being developed by Yager. In 2015, Yager and publisher Deep Silver parted ways due to a "difference of vision" for the game, and Yager later filed for insolvency after the game deal dissolved. The game was seemingly shelved for many months, until Deep Silver announced a new developer was on board to make the game.
Sumo Digital, the UK studio behind Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed and LittleBigPlanet 3, took over production in March 2016. "We're looking forward to exceeding fan expectation," the company said at the time. "[We have] an ambitious design that we're confident will take bone-crunching, visceral, zombie action to a whole new level."
Prior to its change of developers, publisher Deep Silver shared some details about the game. It will feature melee combat and role-playing elements like the original Dead Island, but also "never-before-seen" handcrafted weapons. The game will be set in California, with locations like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and Venice Beach in LA playing backdrop to the action.
Deep Silver also said there will be "seamless" multiplayer for up to eight players, where you can "cooperate, compete, or simply coexist." The game will also feature a handful of dedicated classes that offer unique gameplay, including the action-focused Berserker and the stealth Hunter.
Ant-Man and the Wasp opened in most theaters this weekend, taking the top spot in North America and around the world by a landslide. The latest box office figures show it opened in 4,206 theaters in the US and Canada and collected $76 million in ticket sales, easily beating out Incredibles 2 (in second place) and Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom (in third place); The First Purge, which opened on Tuesday, brought in $17 million in ticket sales from 3,031 theaters.
International box office figures place Ant-Man and the Wasp at #1, too. It brought in $85 million overseas, placing the total box office open for the film at a massive $161 million. It shouldn't come as any surprise; all 20 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have opened at #1 and the franchise has brought in a total $17 billion in global sales, reports Variety.
The numbers place the sequel way ahead of original Ant-Man. Its North American debut brought in $57 million back in 2015. The film directly picks up the story of Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), and his daughter Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) following Scott's involvement in Captain America: Civil War. It takes place before the events of Infinity War, and you can learn more about the film's timeline in the video above (and check out its after-credits scene).
Scott's two years of house arrest are almost up, but Hope drags Ant-Man back into a life of illegal heroism in a plot to save her mother, Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet van Dyne, from the "quantum realm" in which she's been stranded for 30 years. In GameSpot Universe's Ant-Man and the Wasp review, Michael Rougeau called the film fun, silly, self aware, and creative. "Filled with pseudo-science gobbledigook, crazy action, and multiple villains all vying for screen time, it's one of the most comic-booky MCU movies yet," he said. "The fates of all our favorite heroes after Avengers: Infinity War may still be up in the air, but in the meantime, Ant-Man and the Wasp is a welcome distraction."
Earlier this month it was reported that the fifth movie in the Indiana Jones franchise might miss its 2020 release slot due to a potential production delay. Now it looks as if the movie has moved back a year and will be released in July 2021.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Indiana Jones 5 will now hit theaters on July 9, 2021. The movie was originally set to begin production in the UK in April next year ahead of a Summer 2020 release. However, Solo: A Star Wars Story co-writer Jonathan Kasdan has joined the movie, to work on the script with Jurassic Park's David Koepp, pushing the shoot date back. Kasdan is the son of Lawrence Kasdan, who co-wrote the the first Indy movie, 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Indiana Jones 5 will be directed by Steven Spielberg, who helmed all the previous films, with Harrison Ford reprising his role as the iconic archaeologist. Last year, Koepp provided a few clues as to the direction of the next Indy movie. He said that the film will follow "some precious artifact that they're all looking for," and confirmed that Indy's son Mutt, played by Shia LaBeouf in 2008's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, will not return.
In addition, Ford has spoken about why he was returning to the role of the iconic archeologist for the fifth time. "The opportunity to work with Steven again on this character which has brought pleasure to so many," he said. "Not to mention me. It's great fun to play this character. It's great fun to work with Steven, I'm looking forward to it."
Although Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was considered a disappointment by many fans, it still grossed more than $786 million worldwide. Altogether, the series has brought in nearly $2 billion at the global box office across all four releases.
Amazon is gearing up for Prime Day, a major sale event for Prime members. Prime Day doesn't officially begin until July 16, but a number of deals are already available right now. If you're a gamer, the best deal by far is the truckload of PC games Twitch (owned by Amazon) is giving away for free between now and July 18. All told, 21 free games will be available for Prime members in July.
The availability windows vary depending on the game, but today you can download 10 games for free. Make sure to grab them quickly, because one game goes away every day this week. Yesterday, for instance, was the last day to download Q.U.B.E. 2. But even if you've missed out on some of the free games, many more lie ahead.
The latest free game is Deponia Doomsday, a humorous point-and-click adventure game that involves puzzles and time travel. It's free until July 16. The other free games include Battle Chef Brigade, which is only available through July 10. It mixes side-scrolling brawling with match-three puzzling.
Also free is Gonner, a challenging procedurally-generated platformer that will be available until June 12. Then there's Hue, a side-scrolling puzzle platformer that has you change the color of the background to navigate past obstacles. It's available for free until July 15. The deal lasting the longest is a free SNK bundle that includes Metal Slug 3, The Last Blade 2, and Twinkle Star Sprites; it's available through August 2.
To get those and more free games, you'll first have to link your Twitch and Amazon Prime accounts. Next, head to Twitch.tv and click the crown icon next to the search bar. That opens a drop-down menu where you'll find your free games, along with any other freebies you haven't collected yet. Just note you'll need the Twitch desktop app to access the games.
Even more free games are coming in the days ahead, including Tacoma, Broken Age, and Brutal Legend. You can find the full schedule and descriptions of each game here.
The Predator is the latest movie in the long-running sci-fi action series and is set to hit theaters in September. The trailers for the movie made it clear that alien hunters of the title have been given something of an upgrade in terms of their distinctive armor, and the latest image from the movie has given us a good look at the new Predator.
The image comes via Empire, and it reveals the the lean, mean armor that the creature will be wearing in the film. Presumably this will come in handy when it has to face the Super Predator, the giant hybrid revealed in the most recent trailer. Check it image out below:
The Predator is directed by Shane Black, who previously helmed Iron Man 3 and the crime comedy The Nice Guys, as well as writing the original Lethal Weapon. It stars Boyd Holbrook (Narcos, Logan), Olivia Munn (X-Men: Apocalypse), Trevante Rhodes (Moonlight), Keegan-Michael Key (Keanu, Key & Peele), Sterling K. Brown (The People v. OJ Simpson), and Jacob Tremblay (Room).
In an interview with Empire, Black explained that it was necessary to make the Predator a scary adversary once more. "The challenge became to make it frightening," he said. "'Cause upon that hinged everything--whether you bought our heroes going up against him and felt a real threat for them. We had to invent a scenario in which the Predators were mysterious and scary again."
Black also provided a few details about the reshoots that recently took place, and explained that the main change was the time of day. "The first time we shot the third act it was daytime," he said. "It's all this spooky stuff but then its bright sunlight. It just didn't work. So I said 'Ummm, can we do this again at night?'"
Fortnite Season 5 is just around the corner, and Epic has been steadily hinting at a historical or time travel theme this time around. Those clues are slowly getting more explicit, and the latest teaser image appears to be at it again--perhaps even showing an upcoming piece of equipment in the process.
The teaser image dropped on Twitter shows a stylized axe similar to Viking and Scandinavian hatchets. We can probably expect to see the axe make an appearance in Fortnite proper. The same image appeared in today's in-game updates menu, with the phrase "Worlds Collide."
For days, Fortnite has been home to strange time-bending shenanigans. After a missile launch appeared to open rifts in the map, strange historical objects have been phasing into existence. The effect goes both ways, too, as some items that have disappeared from the Fortnite map have popped up in unexpected places in the real world. Or sometimes, llamas. All of that has led to speculation of a time-travel theme for Season 5, which this latest tease seems to imply as well.
Fortnite Season 5 is scheduled to begin on Thursday, July 12, at 1 AM PDT / 4 AM EDT / 9 AM BST / 6 PM AET, so you have precious little time left to finish the Season 4 challenges. You can also take that time to finish your fan film for a screening and a bunch of V-Bucks.
Following its launch on PS4 and Xbox One earlier this year, Capcom has announced the PC release date for Monster Hunter World, and it's coming earlier than expected. The online action-RPG was originally slated to arrive on Steam sometime this fall, but Capcom has now revealed that it will hit the digital storefront next month, on August 9.
Players who pre-purchase Monster Hunter World on Steam ahead of its launch will receive a pair of bonus items: the Origin armor set and the Fair Wind Charm. In addition to the standard version, the game will also be available in a Digital Deluxe edition, which contains the same assortment of customization items found in the console equivalent. This includes a set of Samurai armor, three gestures (Zen, Ninja Star, and Sumo Slap), two sticker sets, and a new face paint and hairstyle option.
Capcom says that updates made in the console versions of Monster Hunter World will be "gradually applied" to the PC edition. The game will also follow a different Event Quest schedule than the console versions, so Capcom advises fans to regularly check the game's official Twitter account and website for the latest updates.
In addition to the release date announcement, Capcom has shared a new trailer for Monster Hunter World, which you can watch above. The publisher has also confirmed that the PC version will support 4K and 60 FPS. You can find the minimum and recommended specs on the game's Steam page.
Monster Hunter World launched for PS4 and Xbox One on January 26. It has been a resounding commercial success for Capcom, setting a new launch record for the series and becoming the publisher's best-selling game ever. The game also received a positive reception from critics. GameSpot awarded it an 8/10 in our Monster Hunter World review and called it "a meaningful evolution for the series at large."
Idea Factory, the developer of the Hyperdimension Neptunia series, has announced a new title for PS4. During a panel at Anime Expo, the publisher unveiled the genre-changing RPG Death End Re;Quest, which will launch physically and digitally for Sony's console in North America and Europe in 2019.
Death End Re;Quest tells the story of video game programmer Arata Mizunashi and his colleague, Shina Ninomiya. Following Shina's mysterious disappearance, Arata discovers that she's actually trapped in an MMORPG they developed together called World's Odyssey, and the only way for her to escape is to complete the game and unlock its perfect ending--a feat that only has a 1% success rate.
Players will need to jump between the real and virtual worlds in Death End in order to unravel the mystery of World's Odyssey and help Shina escape. The game features a turn-based battle system, but it's most distinctive feature is the ability to change the game into a completely different genre during battle, such as a first-person shooter or a fighting game. Players will need to switch between different genres to gain an advantage over enemies and bosses.
Additionally, players will be able to utilize "Bug Skills" while exploring dungeons to discover otherwise inaccessible areas and bypass certain environmental obstacles, such as gliding over a pit of lava. Players will also be able to summon some of the bosses they've previously defeated into battle to help take on even more challenging foes.
Idea Factory hasn't pinned down an exact release date for Death End Re;Quest yet, but the game is slated to arrive early next year. In the meantime, you can watch its announcement trailer and check out a handful of screenshots from the title above.
Niantic's phenomenally popular mobile game Pokemon Go is celebrating its second anniversary this month, and the developer is commemorating the occasion in a number of ways. First, series mascot Pikachu and its pre-evolved form, Pichu, will appear much more frequently from July 6-31, and players will even have a chance to catch a special version of the Electric mouse for a limited time.
Throughout the remainder of July, a "summer style" Pikachu will also appear in the wild. Like the various hat-wearing Pikachu that were available during certain in-game events, this Pikachu only differs in appearance, sporting a straw hat and sunglasses. Additionally, players who have a gold Pikachu Fan medal will be able to purchase special items for their avatar, including a t-shirt and Pikachu ears.
Finally, Niantic has revealed that the Mythical Pokemon Celebi will soon make its debut in Pokemon Go. As was the case with Mew, Celebi will be the subject of a new Special Research quest. The developer hasn't announced when the Celebi Special Research quest will kick off, only noting that it will be available "in the near future." You can read more about Pokemon Go's second anniversary celebration on the game's official website.
In the meantime, players will soon have another chance to capture the Legendary bird Articuno. As a reward for completing enough Global Challenges during the recent Safari Zone event in Dortmund, Articuno is returning to Raid Battles for a very limited time this Saturday, July 7. The Pokemon will only be available during a three-hour window of time, and players will have a chance to encounter its Shiny form.
The following day, July 8, Niantic will host the next Pokemon Go Community Day. This month's featured Pokemon is Squirtle; the classic starter will appear much more frequently for the duration of the event, and players who complete Field Research tasks will have a chance of finding a special Squirtle wearing sunglasses. Any Wartortle that evolves before the Community Day event will also learn the powerful Water attack Hyrdo Cannon.
The second week of July has arrived, and so have some new titles. We're here to give you the skinny on everything new coming to Netflix this week, spanning both movies and TV shows (including some Netflix Originals).
There are a ton of Netflix originals coming out in July, and this week is no exception. For movies, a new film called How It Ends which follows a man trying to survive a mysterious apocalyptic event, so that he can travel to Seattle and save his girlfriend.
As far as shows, Drug Lords is getting a second season, and The Epic Tales Of Captain Underpants is coming out. There are also a few stand-up specials, like Keven Hart's Let Me Explain, and a new special from Jim Jeffries called This Is Me Now, coming to Netflix this week.
Stay tuned or check out our complete July list to hear about even more movies, TV shows, and originals coming to Netflix. If you'd like to know about everything coming to Netflix this week, check out the full list below.
Arriving to Netflix the week of July 8
July 9
Lockup: Extended Stay: Collection 1
July 10
Drug Lords: Season 2-- Netflix Original
July 12
Gone Baby Gone
July 13
How It Ends--Netflix Original Film
Jim Jefferies: This Is Me Now-- Netflix Original
Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain
Sugar Rush-- Netflix Original
The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants-- Netflix Original
July 15
Bonusfamiljen: Season 2-- Netflix Original
Going for Gold
The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale: Part 2-- Netflix Original
Season 4 of Fortnite: Battle Royale is winding to a close, but Season 5 is just around the corner. The phenomenally popular battle royale game kicks off its new season very soon, and developer Epic Games has been teasing that some big changes are in store for the title--although the studio has shared very few concrete details about those will be, leaving players to speculate what the future. It doesn't tell us much, but Epic has revealed the first teaser images for Season 5, which you can see below--the first shows what appears to be a kitsune mask with a rift or crack in front of it, while the other shows a nordic, God of War-esque axe with the same crack.
Still, while there are still many questions surrounding Season 5 of Fortnite: Battle Royale, there are a few things we can expect, such as a new Battle Pass and rewards (skins!) to unlock--not to mention some potential map changes in the aftermath of the recent rocket launch. With Season 5 quickly approaching, we've rounded up everything we know about the new season below, from when it starts to why rifts have begun forming around the island and more. Be sure to check back for further updates as more details and leaks emerge in the run up to the new season; already, we've seen a real-world aspect to all of this pop up, as well as the appearance of new, anachronistic items around the map.
When Does Season 5 Start?
In only a few days. Epic confirmed on Reddit that Season 5 of Fortnite: Battle Royale will kick off on Thursday, July 12--immediately after Season 4 concludes. The new season will be preceded by a round of server maintenance, with the game's 5.0 update scheduled to roll out on all platforms (PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and iOS) at 1 AM PT / 4 AM ET / 9 AM BST / 6 PM AET.
Will There Be a New Battle Pass?
Yes. As before, Epic will offer a Battle Pass for Season 5 of Fortnite: Battle Royale. While the developer has yet to reveal any details about the new Battle Pass, including how much it will cost, each previous Battle Pass could be purchased for 950 V-Bucks (Fortnite's in-game currency). V-Bucks, in turn, can be bought with either real money or earned by reaching certain reward tiers of the Battle Pass (or through playing Fortnite's paid Save the World mode).
The Battle Pass gives players access to additional content, such as new skins, emotes, and other rewards. These can be unlocked by completing weekly challenges and leveling the Battle Pass up. Epic hasn't revealed how many reward tiers will be available with the Season 5 Battle Pass, although Season 4's featured 100 tiers--30 more than the previous Battle Pass. If Epic's previous estimations still hold true, it should take between 75-100 hours of play time to unlock all of the Battle Pass's rewards. Players can also purchase tiers to level the Battle Pass up faster.
What's New With Season 5's Map?
Epic has been characteristically silent about what new elements it plans to introduce to Fortnite: Battle Royale in Season 5, although the developer has been laying the groundwork for some major changes for the game in the run up to the new season. The most notable sign that something big is afoot is the recent rocket launch; after various warning signals began popping up in the game, the mysterious rocket in the Evil Lair finally took off on June 30, causing a giant rift to appear in the sky over the island.
Since the launch, the nature of the rift has remained a mystery, and more have begun cropping up in various areas around the map. In the days that followed the event, additional rifts have appeared at Lonely Lodge, Retail Row, Tomato Town, and other locations. Moreover, the rifts seem to be growing in size and consuming nearby objects; the rift at Lonely Lodge, for instance, was barely visible when it first materialized, but it has since expanded and even swallowed up the sign outside the building.
Just what these strange rifts mean for the future of Fortnite remain to be seen, but as was the case in the lead up to Season 4, they presumably herald some sort of big, impending change for the landscape. Prior to the start of Season 4, a comet suddenly appeared in the sky over the island. The comet remained in the air for several weeks until it eventually crashed into Dusty Depot at the start of Season 4, transforming it into Dusty Divot and introducing some brand-new elements to the map, such as gravity-defying Hop Rocks.
Season 5 may feature either a time-travel or Wild West theme; new objects have begun appearing around the map. That includes a stagecoach that popped up out of nowhere. It's anyone's guess as to what could be next, but we have some ideas for new Fortnite maps.
What New Season 5 Skins And Cosmetics Have Leaked?
Each season of Fortnite: Battle Royale brings an assortment of new items to unlock, and we can expect Epic to continue that trend by introducing a slew of new skins, emotes, and other cosmetic rewards to earn through the aforementioned Season 5 Battle Pass. The developer has yet to formally reveal any of the new items coming next season, although we've gotten a glimpse at some new contrails on the way to the game. The Fortnite: Battle Royale Leaks Twitter account has discovered several new trails in the game's code, including ones called Stars & Stripes, Glitchin', and Ice. These will presumably be available through the Season 5 Battle Pass.
Are Fortnite Objects Showing Up in Real Life?
It seems that way. Greasy Grove's Durr Burger is among the things to be sucked out of Fortnite's world by a rift, only for it to appear in the middle of a desert in California. That in turn led to a phone number players could call, and that's led to the discovery of coordinates for... Greasy Grove. It all remains very mysterious, but Epic is clearly going all-out with its teases for whatever is happening next in the game.
What's Going On With Playground Mode?
Like other limited-time modes in Fortnite, the sandbox-style Playground mode won't be available to play in Battle Royale for long. After finally arriving in the game recently following a series of delays, Epic has confirmed the mode is scheduled to leave the rotation on the same day that Season 5 begins: July 12. However, the developer says that it will use the feedback it gathered from players to further refine Playground mode and bring it back to the game in the future, although it hasn't revealed when that will be.
How Long Do I Have to Finish Season 4 Challenges?
Not much longer now. All of Season 4's weekly challenges will be available until the start of the new season on July 12, giving you only a few more days to level your Season 4 Battle Pass up and unlock any remaining rewards you've yet to earn.
Epic rolled out 10 weeks' worth of challenges throughout Season 4, the final set of which arrived on July 5. Each batch of challenges consists of seven different tasks for players to complete while playing Fortnite: Battle Royale, which can run the gamut from eliminating other players to opening a certain number of chests or following a series of cryptic clues to a specific location. Completing all of the challenges in a given week unlocks a corresponding Blockbuster challenge, while reaching certain level miletones unlocks a Carbide challenge and reward. You can see how to complete the latest set of tasks in our Week 10 challenges guide.
Despite the fact they're rolled out weekly, you have until the end of the season to complete any of the challenges. Doing so will level your Battle Pass and unlock rewards. There are a huge assortment to earn in Season 4, including sprays, loading screens, gliders, and the coveted Omega skin; you can see them all in our gallery of Season 4 Battle Pass rewards. If you need help clearing any remaining challenges, be sure to consult GameSpot's complete Season 4 challenges guide. If you're in a big hurry, we also have a guide detailing which challenges to do first and how to level up quickly.
What About Save the World Mode?
Like Battle Royale, Fortnite's Save the World mode is also set to receive some significant new content following the game's 5.0 update. Shortly after the update rolls out, Epic will kick off the first act of the Canny Valley campaign, which will take players "through the arid parts of the Fortnite world, with many new and unique places to explore."
According to Epic, the Canny Valley campaign will resolve many lingering questions about Dr. Vinderman and other characters. The developer says it will also re-introduce the Challenge the Horde mode with the 5.0 update, and this time it will feature reworked combat, mini-bosses, and new rewards. Save the World remains in paid early access, although it will eventually be playable for free to everyone, as with Battle Royale.
Epic Games is just about to launch the next big evolution of Fortnite: Battle Royale, as Season 5 is right around the corner. The new season starts on July 12, which is also the cut-off date for Season 4 and its challenges. That means if you bought Season 4's Battle Pass and haven't already completed all of its many objectives--maybe you're a newer player on Nintendo Switch--you have extremely limited time to get them done and earn this season's skins and rewards before they disappear. Here are some tips on which challenges to tackle first and how to maximize the time you have left.
In choosing what challenges to do with your limited time, it's best to account for how long they take, how difficult they are, and what the rewards are. You receive five Battle Stars for completing most challenges, or 10 for those that Epic labels as "Hard." Despite that designation, Hard-difficulty challenges can actually be quite easy. While one asks you to win a match--a tough task for many players--there are others that you should target first if you're willing to use a guide. Considering you're reading this and have little time left, that probably counts you. And if you're not, you may want to have a look at what skins and cosmetics are only up for grabs until the end of the season.
Priority One: Treasure Maps and Search Between
Among the recurring challenges Epic offers are ones that ask you to search between vaguely described objects and ones that have you follow a treasure map. The "search between" ones can be difficult if you don't play a lot or pay little attention to the map, but they simply involve going to a specific point and collecting a floating Battle Star. That means you can simply look at a map and parachute down to that point at the start of a match and almost guarantee yourself a quick and easy 10 Battle Stars.
Likewise, the treasure maps may sound daunting, but they aren't with a guide. While you're free to go to the location that's named--Haunted Hills, Pleasant Park, and so on--that's merely busywork if you have a guide. Those maps give you some hint of where to head on the island, and as with the "search between" challenges, you can just look up a map, see where you ultimately have to go, and head there at the very beginning of a match. It's as quick as these challenges get, they're worth 10 Battle Stars each, and you should be able to consistently get them done before anyone is able to kill you.
All 10 weeks in Season 4 had one of these two challenge types. You can check our guides through the links below for a map and instructions on how to reach each location.
While they may not yield 10 Battle Stars like the aforementioned challenges, there are a number of others that can be accomplished quickly and easily in a single life. For instance, you can consume seven Hop Rocks, which are a new type of item added at the start of Season 4 that lets you temporarily jump higher. These are found in a variety of locations, but landing at Dusty Divot at the start of a match will provide you with an abundance of Hop Rocks to consume; just wander the perimeter of the base set up there and you'll the find purple rocks all over the place. This has the benefit of taking care of another object that asks you to consume Hop Rocks, Apples, or Mushrooms, which are all fairly new consumable items found around the map.
One objective that requires more than a single match to complete but is worth considering as you do these others is Week 10's skydive through floating rings. You'll need to go through 20 total, and you can reasonably go through three each time you drop. As you make your way to Dusty Divot (or wherever you're headed), consider pulling your glider and hitting some rings on the journey from the battle bus.
Week 2: Consume Hop Rocks (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Week 7: Consume Hop Rocks, Apples, or Mushrooms (2) -- 5 Battle Stars
Having taken care of the quicker objectives, there are some that aren't necessarily difficult, but they do involve some legwork. You can score goals on pitches, search hungry gnomes, search rubber duckies, and so on. These don't require completion during a single match, which is good news, because they're generally scattered around the map. As such, your best bet for maximizing your time is to drop in, knock one part of the challenge out, and then focus on something else.
Whereas those things are always found in fixed locations, vending machines and shopping carts are not. Vending machines tend to spawn in certain locations, so if you gather up enough materials, you can head to one of those and buy an item to get credit for using it (you'll need to do so three times). And if you spot a shopping cart, just grab hold of it for a moment to knock out that challenge. You can check out maps and tips for these through the links below.
Also Consider: Stack Your Objectives And Gather Your Friends
All of the above challenges are your best bets for quickly leveling up your Battle Pass. Once you've done those, there are still plenty of others to level you up even further and get the most desirable rewards. To do so efficiently, take a close look at what challenges you have available and see which ones overlap. You can work on pistol eliminations and dealing damage to opponents with pistols at the same time, for instance. And if you can do so at one of the locations where you're specifically asked to get eliminations, all the better. Alternatively, head somewhere you need to open chests (remember to check attics) and then rack up some kills to take care of chest, damage, and elimination challenges at the same time.
Additionally, if you've got any friends who play, now is the time to party up. One of the Starter challenges anyone can do (Battle Pass or not) involves playing 10 matches with friends; that only requires you to join a match together. Provided you can get three friends to join in, you can head to the building near Loot Lake to dance and raise the disco ball--something that might be difficult to do in a public game otherwise.
Blizzard has announced the next expansion for Hearthstone, coming next month. The Boomsday Project introduces a host of new mechanics and card types, and you can get a first look at a few of the cards that have been revealed so far to get a taste for this expansion's flavor.
The Boomsday Project revolves all around Dr. Boom and his cadre of mad scientist friends cooking up strange inventions and spells. The first and foremost is the introduction of class-based Legendary spells, which promise powerful effects. These appear to be paired with the class Legendary minions, each said to be a mad scientist Dr. Boom recruited to tinker with science and sorcery.
Another spell type, Projects, offer symmetrical effects for both players. New Omega cards give big bonus effects if you wait to play them until you have 10 Mana crystals. And the new Magnetic keyword lets you merge two Mech minions together, combining their attack, health, and any special effects.
Click image to view new cards
The first five card reveals provide a look at each of these mechanics, along with the Shaman Legendary minion Electra Stormsurge. Check them out above. The Boomsday Project launches August 7. A pre-order bundle offers 50 packs for $50 with a special card back, and a separate $80 bundle bumps that up to 80 packs and throws in the Mecha-Jaraxxus alternate Warlock hero.
Hearthstone's new expansion is slated for release next month, and it marks the return of one of the most legendary original characters to come out of Blizzard's collectible card game. The Boomsday Project launches on August 7, and it places the wild Dr. Boom in a starring role. It will feature 135 new cards, new card types and keywords, and a distinct focus on Mechs.
The biggest new addition comes in the form of Legendary spells, which promise much bigger impacts than ordinary spells. Hearthstone began with only Legendary minions but has expanded the Legendary feature to Quests, Heroes, and Weapons, so Spells are the last remaining card type. The announcement teased that each spell is the product of some mad scientist recruited by Dr. Boom, so those are likely to make appearances as class Legendary minions that synergize with their signature spells.
A new keyword is being introduced as well. Mechs will come with the "Magnetic" keyword, letting you merge them together to combine their attack, health, and abilities. This appears similar to the Hunter "Deathstalker" hero power with Beasts.
Finally, two new card types are being introduced without special keywords. "Projects" are spells that benefit both players, meant to challenge you to build your deck strategically so you can take better advantage of the benefits. Omega cards get a big bonus if you play it once you have 10 Mana crystals, encouraging you to save some otherwise early minions for the late game.
Click image to view new cards.
A single-player component will follow two weeks after the launch of the expansion. On August 21, The Puzzle Lab will open. Unlike the boss challenge or dungeon-crawling single-player portions from previous expansions, this round will focus on different puzzle types: Lethal puzzles, which challenge you to find the winning play, and Survival puzzles, which require you to stay alive against overwhelming odds.
Logging in during the launch event will net you a free random class Legendary and three Boomsday Project card packs. You can also purchase a 50-pack bundle for $50 that includes a free golden class Legendary and a Mecha-Jaraxxus card back. A separate 80-pack bundle for $80 will also include the Mecha-Jaraxxus Warlock Hero (above). The announcement notes that each can only be purchased once per account, which would seem to indicate that you could buy both if you want 130 packs for a better price than average.
The battle royale of battle royales continues, as another take on the popular genre has touched down. The Culling 2 is the sequel to 2016's title, which boasts itself as the first built-from-scratch battle royale game. It's available on Steam, PS4, and Xbox One now for $20.
The sequel promises 20 square kilometers of map space and a wide variety of firearms to join the first game's melee combat. It sets the match size at 50 players, unlike many other 100-player battle royales, for a more intimate murder experience. The official Twitter account noted that Xbox users may be experiencing some lobby issues, which they're working to resolve.
At a lower price, The Culling 2 might tempt budget-conscious buyers, but it has plenty of competition. PUBG is still wildly popular on Steam, and more popular games are jumping onto the trend. The upcoming Battlefield 5 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 have both announced their own battle royale modes, and even non-shooters like Sea of Thieves are reportedly looking into the mode. Plus, of course, Fortnite continues to be extremely popular at the low price of free, so any competitors will have to carve out their own niche to distinguish themselves from the competition.
Nearly six years since he last sat behind the wheel, Sega's iconic hedgehog returns to the driver's seat in a brand-new kart racer, Team Sonic Racing. Developed by Sumo Digital, the same studio behind the acclaimed Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and its predecessor, Team Sonic Racing looks and feels similar to previous installments in the series, but it also makes some dramatic changes that set it apart from other Sonic racing games.
The most apparent difference between Team Sonic Racing and past titles is its roster. Whereas both Transformed and the original Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing featured characters drawn from Sega's vast stable of franchises, including Shenmue's Ryo (who humorously raced in a forklift), Team Sonic Racing pares the roster down to racers taken strictly from the Sonic universe. Sega says this was a decision made to focus on crafting a pure Sonic racing game, and Sumo's previous expertise made it the perfect studio to handle the project. But while the lack of playable characters from other franchises is disappointing, Sega teases that Team Sonic Racing will still feature a wide selection of characters, including some who may not have appeared in a Sonic game in a long time.
Moreover, Team Sonic Racing eschews one of its predecessor's most distinctive features: vehicle transformations. Unlike in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, karts no longer change into a boat or a plane during the course of a race depending upon the terrain. Instead, Sumo says that players will be able to customize their vehicles before a race using a variety of unlockable parts, allowing them to tailor the karts' appearance and performance.
The biggest difference between Team Sonic Racing and its predecessors, however, is its focus on teamwork. While most racing games are, by their very nature, solo affairs, with each racer vying to be the first to cross the finish line, Team Sonic Racing's primary modes have players competing as teams of three. Players will be able to make a team out of any combination of characters, but in the demo we played, the teams were divided up according to their alliance; Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles were always paired together, while Shadow always teamed with Rouge and E-123 Omega, much like they did in Sonic Heroes. This similarity isn't coincidental; Sumo says it used Sonic Heroes as a reference for Team Sonic Racing's team mechanic, and it underpins every element in the new racer.
As in a typical racing game, each member of the team still competes individually, but their cumulative score at the end of the race will determine which team is the winner, much like Mario Kart 8's team races. On top of contributing toward the same score, players are able to work together with their teammates in a number of ways during a race, such as by giving each other items. This is particularly handy when one member of the team is lagging behind, as another can aid them by offering an item to potentially reverse their fortunes. Additionally, the leading member of the team will leave behind a trail on the racetrack, which will provide a speed boost to other team members who follow it.
Working cooperatively also feeds into the Ultimate meter, a shared gauge that gradually fills up as players perform different team actions during the course of the race, such as transferring item boxes to each other or taking down rival racers. Once the meter is full, it can be triggered to unleash a temporary boost of invincibility, allowing for some dramatic comebacks. This, too, depends largely upon cooperation between teammates; while any player can activate the Team Ultimate, it is more effective if all three members use it simultaneously. Its duration can also be extended by spinning out rival players, adding another element of cooperation and strategy to races.
This heavy emphasis on teamwork changes the dynamic of racing, as players need to consider not only their own standing during a race, but also their teammates'. Moreover, it affords players who don't normally perform well in a typical racing game the chance to contribute toward the team's success in other ways beyond trying to place in first. In addition to four-player local and 12-player online support, Team Sonic Racing will allow players to compete together using a mixture of the two options, which Sumo says is the ideal way to play the game.
Beyond its cooperative game modes, Team Sonic Racing also boasts a campaign in the form of Team Adventure mode. We didn't get a chance to try this out during our hands-on time with the game, but according to Sumo, Team Adventure will feature "light storytelling" that will introduce each of the game's characters and explain the reason why everyone is racing.
Despite trading many of the elements that made Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed such a beloved kart racer, Team Sonic Racing retains the look and feel of Sumo's previous Sonic racers, and its new focus on teamwork and cooperation is a promising hook that seems like it'll be especially well-suited for couch co-op. Sega hasn't announced a release date yet for Team Sonic Racing, but the game is slated to arrive for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC sometime this winter.
The release date and full specs for the upcoming home entertainment release of the Marvel blockbuster Avengers: Infinity Warhave been confirmed. Disney is releasing the movie in a variety of editions, both digital and physical, and comes packed with hours of bonus footage.
The movie will be available to own digitally on July 31, and this edition will include an exclusive 30-minute roundtable discussion with a variety of Marvel directors. It's a conversation between Anthony and Joe Russo (Infinity War), Jon Favreau (Iron Man), Joss Whedon (The Avengers), James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy), Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), Peyton Reed (Ant-Man), and Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok).
The rest of the content will appear on both the digital and physical editions, which hit shelves on August 14. Fans can choose the Multi-Screen Edition, which includes both the Blu-ray and a digital copy of the film, and the 4K Cinematic Universe Edition, which also includes 4K Ultra HD disc. In addition, some retailers will be selling a bundled version with the previous two Avengers movies. There will also be a standard DVD edition.
Here's the full list of bonus features:
Strange Alchemy (5:08)--Share the thrill of characters from across the MCU meeting for the first time--and discover why some were teamed up together.
The Mad Titan (6:34)--Explore the MCU's biggest, baddest villain, his trail of influence through the stories, and the existential threat he represents.
Beyond the Battle: Titan (9:36)--Dive into the climactic struggle on Thanos' ruined world, including the epic stunts and VFX, to uncover the source of its power.
Beyond the Battle: Wakanda (10:58)--Go behind the scenes to find out how the filmmakers pulled off the most massive and challenging battle Marvel had ever attempted.
Deleted and Extended Scenes (10:07) - Happy Knows Best (1:23)--Tony and Pepper spar over the details of their upcoming wedding--until a hassled Happy Hogan pulls up with an urgent request. - Hunt for the Mind Stone (1:24)--On a darkened street, Wanda Maximoff and the wounded Vision attempt to hide from Thanos' brutal allies. - The Guardians Get Their Groove Back (3:20)--As Peter Quill and Drax quarrel over their failed mission to Knowhere, Mantis interrupts with news. - A Father's Choice (4:00)--Thanos confronts Gamora with a vision from her past—and with lying to him about the Soul Stone. - Gag Reel (2:05)--Watch your favorite superheroes make super gaffes in this lighthearted collection of on-set antics.
Audio Commentary (approx. 149 min.) by Anthony and Joe Russo, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Avengers: Infinity War made $2.03 billion at the worldwide box office. It is by far the most successful movie in the MCU to date, although in the US it made slightly less than Black Panther. The next Avengers movie is set to hit theaters next May--we still don't know the title, despite rumors last week that it might been accidentally revealed.
Were you trying to decide whether to buy Deadpool 2 when it hits Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD? Thanks to this cool little bonus, the choice has been made. When the latest Deadpool calamity arrives in stores on August 21, Walmart is offering a very special Funko Pop keychain you'll want to get your hands on.
GameSpot can exclusively reveal that every copy of the Super Duper $@%!#& Cut of the film on Blu-Ray and 4K Ultra HD purchased at the store comes with a Ross Pool keychain, the Deadpool alter ego first introduced in a teaser for the sequel that channels painter Bob Ross as the Merc with a Mouth (Ryan Reynolds) paints happy trees. The miniature Pop keychain comes complete with Ross Pool's big hair, a paintbrush, and a palette loaded up with paint.
What is the Super Duper $@%!#& Cut of Deadpool 2, though? This version of the movie includes 15 minutes of new footage, and likely several more dirty words. Fans at San Diego Comic-Con will get the first chance to watch the Super Duper $@%!#& Cut when a premiere screening is held on Saturday, July 21 at the Horton Grand Theatre in San Diego, CA.
If you're obsessed with special features, there's plenty more to look forward to in the set, as well. There's an audio commentary featuring Reynolds and the movie's writers and director, as well as a series of featurettes looking at practically every aspect of the movie, along with more deleted and extended scenes. There's also something called "The Deadpool Prison Experiment," which we can only assume is going to be bizarre to watch.
Let's be honest, though. You're in it for the Funko Pop keychain of Ross Pool and we don't blame you. For that, you'll have to wait until Deadpool 2 hits stores on August 21 and that keychain will only be available at Walmart, with preorders now available.
While for the most part, Marvel Studios has been the undisputed leader of the comic book movie phenomenon, there is one piece of the puzzle where the MCU is lagging behind the DC universe: female representation. While Patty Jenkins is hard at work directing the second Wonder Woman movie, Marvel has yet to debut its first standalone movie about a female hero or feature a female director behind the camera.
That will change with Captain Marvel's release in 2019. Starring Brie Larson, the upcoming MCU entry will be co-directed by Anna Boden--she's co-directing with longtime collaborator Ryan Fleck--marking the first time a woman has been even partially at the helm in the MCU. According to Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, though, this is just the beginning. GameSpot sat down with the MCU boss to find out when to expect news of more women directors being hired for upcoming films.
"We've got announcements that we'll be making at some point revealing that," Feige tells GameSpot while promoting Ant-Man and the Wasp. That particular film is already a step forward for Marvel, as it's the first time a female hero has been included in the title of an MCU movie--and GameSpot's Ant-Man and the Wasp review makes it clear that she's the true star of the film.
While Feige doesn't say when the announcements about having more women behind-the-camera will come, chances are those developments will play a big role in the MCU after Avengers 4. Following that film, all that's been announced are sequels to Spider-Man: Homecoming and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
After those, though, Feige previously spoke to GameSpot about the importance of evolving its movies and characters to keep them fresh. Just as important to him, though, is the evolution of those making the movies.
"To me, it's always actions are much more important than words, and showcasing the types of movies we're making and the types of people making those movies," he says. "And I think we've learned beyond a doubt that when you surround yourselves with different types of people, and people who don't look like you, and people who haven't had the exact same experiences than you, creatively things start to get very interesting, and very new and unique."
In the meantime, if unique is what you're looking for, Ant-Man and the Wasp is about as far a departure from Avengers: Infinity War as you can get. The latest MCU adventure hits theaters on July 6.
It's hard to argue that the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline can be a troubling one. Whether it's the small inconsistencies--when, exactly, is Spider-Man: Homecoming set--or the order or the films relative to their place in the timeline, there's always quite a bit to sift through. Warning: Spoilers for Avengers: Infinity War follow.
That's no different for the MCU's next release, Ant-Man and the Wasp. Though it's releasing after the game-changing events of Avengers: Infinity War, the new Marvel film is actually set before Thanos went on his finger-snapping rampage. In fact, Ant-Man and the Wasp serves as more of a sequel to Captain America: Civil War than just about anything else in the franchise.
So why slot a sequel to Civil War after the release of Infinity War? A big piece of the puzzle is it serves as a sort of palette cleanser for Marvel fans who watched so many of their favorite superheroes get turned to dust by Thanos. "I love that we come off of this cataclysmic event in Infinity War, and then have a self-contained, fun, clever, action-packed, emotional ride," Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige tells GameSpot.
For Peyton Reed, who directed Ant-Man and the Wasp, the movie's place in the timeline is similar to the first Ant-Man--which he also directed. "Us coming out after Infinity War absolutely mirrors the first movie coming out right after Age of Ultron," he says. "And it's, I'm sure, by design from Marvel, you know, and really kind of showcases their willingness to embrace wildly different tones in movies. But for me, I think it's great because we don't have any of the story burden of servicing, you know, Infinity Stones and stuff like that. We can just tell the story which, in the movie has really high stakes, but they're intensely personal stakes."
The idea of embracing different tones is one that's important to Feige and the team at Marvel Studios, as evidenced by the three MCU films released in 2018. "One of the big reasons we wanted to make this movie, and one of the big reasons we wanted the movie released in this order: Black Panther, Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, to show how different the tones can be, and that I've always said I always want to expand the definition not just of what a 'comic book' or 'superhero movie' could be, but now what a Marvel Studios movie could be, or what [the] MCU could be," he explains.
As Marvel looks to the future or what a movie in the MCU can be, Ant-Man and the Wasp hits theaters on July 6. For more on Ant-Man and the Wasp, don't forget to check out our review of the film, as well as Feige's thoughts on evolving the superhero franchise in the future. We also have details on the post-credits scenes.
Now, star Keanu Reeves is spilling even more about the movie--including its official title. Speaking to ComingSoon.net, Reeves says the title for the film is John Wick 3: Parabellum. Asked what Parabellum means, the actor explains, Prepare for war. It's part of that famous sentence, 'Si vis pacem, para bellum,' which translates as, 'If you want peace, prepare for war.'"
Given how John Wick: Chapter 2 ended with the titular assassin being pitted against the rest of the world's assassins after a $14 million bounty was put on his head. With that in mind, a war is exactly what Wick has set himself up for.
He won't be alone, though. As Reeves puts it, Berry's character Sofia might actually be an ally of his. "John Wick is fighting for his life and thinks that Halle Berry's character has some information for him," the actor says. "They have a past, and they get involved with The High Table, this kind of overlording entity."
Of course, Reeves remains purposefully vague about the details. After all, with nearly a year before the movie is released and not even a full trailer to see, there's plenty of time left to tease what's to come. John Wick 3: Parabellum arrives in theaters on May 16, 2019.
In the meantime, there's also a TV spin-off of the John Wick franchise in the works. The Continental, focused on the hotel for assassins from both films thus far, is being developed by Starz.
When you set foot in a Disney theme park, the goal is to escape normal life and spend the day in a strange and fun world. Whether it's Tomorrowland at Disneyland or Pandora: The World of Avatar at Disney World's Animal Kingdom, the creative teams behind these parks go out of their way to create something unique and cohesive.
Toy Story Land, the latest addition to Disney World located inside Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida, is no different. GameSpot had the opportunity to attend the new Pixar-inspired land's grand opening to see just what the Disney imagineering team had cooked up, and it seems no stone was left unturned when it comes to bringing the world of Toy Story to life.
Is it worth visiting, though? Let's take a look at what, exactly, Toy Story Land offers to see if it's worth factoring into your next vacation.
An Immersive Experience
The entire idea behind Toy Story Land is that every visitor is shrunken down to toy size as they explore Andy's backyard. The land isn't about recreating the Toy Story film, but rather bringing guests into a new story altogether. "You walk into Andy's backyard, where just moments ago, he has left [after] an enormous moment of play and what you get to do, your only mission here, [is to] go play, have fun," Walt Disney Imagineering creative director Ryan Wineinger tells GameSpot.
Whether it's Andy's massive footprints on the ground or the picket fence that surrounds the land as a barrier, the goal is to put you in the role of your favorite toy as you set out to explore. In fact, Toy Story Land even makes ample use of real-world brands, just as the movie did, to bridge Pixar's world with our own. "The reason in the original Toy Story film that Buzz and Woody and Bo Peep feel so real is because they're friends with Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head and other toys that are toys you played with as a child," Wineinger explains.
From merchandise carts that are giant Fisher-Price vehicles to arches over doorways that are made of Uno cards stacked up against each other, everything is made out of toys--including Tinker Toy barriers seen throughout the area. While there are plenty of hidden things to see, there are a number of incredibly obvious touches that make Toy Story Land feel so real.
The Rides
With 11 acres to fill, Toy Story Land includes one existing ride and two new ones. The first is the Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster, which is clearly inspired by Hot Wheels car tracks but with Woody's trusted ally Slinky Dog as the ride vehicle. The track spans most of the land, and while it's a thrilling trip--complete with two separate launch areas--it's a simple enough coaster that should appeal to riders of all ages (don't worry, you won't be going upside down at any point).
If you're a frequent visitor to Disney's California Adventure, the second new ride might look familiar. Alien Swirling Saucers is a rethemed take on Mater's Junkyard Jamboree from Cars Land. Instead of sliding around in tractors with Mater, Swirling Saucers drops you into the claw machine featured in Toy Story as the little green aliens plot their escape. It's a simple ride but an effective one that should keep visitors busy and a little dizzy.
Lastly, there's the existing ride. Toy Story Mania is a 4D attraction themed like a series of carnival midway games that first opened at Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2008. However, its entrance has been relocated to Toy Story Land with a brand-new queue design--all of the rides have themed queues--that is air-conditioned. If you're visiting a very hot and humid Florida in the summer, this queue might be the most exciting place to be.
What's For Lunch
Theme parks can cause you to work up an appetite. When you get hungry, Toy Story Land has Woody's Lunch Box. This is the primary eatery in the area and, like the rest of Toy Story Land, it has a cohesive theme. It looks as if Andy's lunchbox has been tipped over to let the food fall out.
Woody's Lunch Box has its own signature menu, all designed to remind you of the food your parents made for you as a child. From s'mores french toast sandwiches for breakfast to "totchos"--which are essentially tater tot nachos--there are plenty of choices. The true star of the entire thing, though, is the grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. Naturally, there's also an assortment of drinks and desserts to try. Make sure you try the cold brew coffee ice cream float when you sit down for lunch.
When The Sun Goes Down
Chances are Toy Story Land is going to be very busy for a while, so you might be trying to time your visit carefully. If that's the case, you should know there are two distinctly different experiences to be found: day and night. While you can get the full experience during daytime hours, the entire land comes alive in a different way once the sun goes down and the lights come on.
Practically all of Toy Story Land is lit by giant Christmas lights, which send colors everywhere. Beyond that, both Slinky Dog Dash and Alien Swirling Saucers are covered in copious amounts of lights, giving a very different ride experience. Swirling Saucers, for instance, also takes on a nightclub vibe as lights flash and swirl while music plays.
The Easter Egg Hunt
It's a land based on a Pixar movie. Of course there are Easter eggs. Have you seen a Pixar movie? There are nods hidden throughout to a variety of things, including other Disney properties. "As shepherds of the culture and folklore of the Pixar Animation franchises, we are doing what they do in their own films here as well," Wineinger teases. "When you take these toys and you make them larger than life around you, there is an impossible amount of detail to study and we encourage the guests [to] take your time and get to know all of these toys through the entirety of Andy's backyard, because you may not know what surprises are around the corner, or perhaps some fun little surprises that we've brought into this place."
While it's impossible to know how many surprises have been packed into the land, make sure to always keep your eyes open. In the Toy Story Mania queue, for instance, there's a giant Viewfinder disc. If you look closely, though, all of the images on the disc are from Disney's 1953 animated classic Peter Pan.
There really is so much to see and experience in the new Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios. With Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge on the way, as well as a new ride themed around Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Disney World isn't playing around when it comes to immersing guests into new places.
Now that Ant-Man and the Wasp is in theaters, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are getting to see just how powerful--and exciting--that superhero duo is when they work together. What comes next, though? It's a question that many have about nearly every aspect of the MCU, but one there is seemingly no answer for yet. Warning: The following includes spoilers for Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Ant-Man and the Wasp director Peyton Reed, though, has high hopes for the future of this particular piece of this crazy universe. While a sequel to Ant-Man and the Wasp has not been announced, he's certainly hoping to tell more of this story.
"I have fallen in love with these characters and I feel a certain ownership over the characters, you know, and if there are further stories to tell, which I think we all believe there are great stories to tell, I'd love to be involved with it," the director tells GameSpot. "There are just the things that we set up in this movie that you know are going to be paid off one way or another, and again, I can't spoil anything, but yeah, no, I'd love to do it."
When it comes to those spoilers Reed is talking about, of course he's alluding the fact that a mid-credits scene in the new movie sees Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), and Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) turned to ash as part of the Thanos finger snap in Avengers: Infinity War. For his part, Ant-Man is stuck in the Quantum Realm with seemingly no way to come back.
Those who have been keeping tabs on filming of the next Avengers movie know that Paul Rudd was spotted on the set of Avengers 4 in his Ant-Man suit, meaning the film does find a way to bring him into the fold. So clearly all hope isn't lost.
What's more, it's doesn't seem all that likely that Marvel would immediately kill off its first female superhero to have her name appear in a movie title. Given that there's another Spider-Man film, along with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3--even though those characters were all similarly turned to ash--you have to believe that there is life after Thanos, at least for some of those he wiped out. Hopefully, Hope, Janet, and Hank are among the faces resurrected.
Still, who knows if there will be another Ant-Man and the Wasp movie, or if they'll simply be integrated into future Avengers films. Whatever the case, this hopefully isn't the last fans have seen of either character, as they've become a breath of fresh air in what's lately been a dark and dire universe.
When MoviePass announced in August 2017 that it was changing its business model to a monthly subscription that cost $9.95 and allowed users to see a movie every day, the floodgates were officially open. Since then, the idea of a movie ticket subscription service has become the norm for those that like to see a lot of movies.
Now, though, there's competition. MoviePass isn't the only subscription service in the game anymore--and it might not even be the best, either. To find out which subscription service offers the best value, GameSpot put MoviePass, Sinemia, and AMC's Stubs A-List to the test.
MoviePass
The service that started it all. MoviePass was the first to offer a massive number of movie tickets for a low monthly price and has made quite a name for itself in the process. How can you not when charging $9.95 a month for a movie ticket every day?
What Works
If you go to the movies a lot, MoviePass is a great option. The ability to see up to 31 movies every month for a $10 flat rate is hard to beat--even if there aren't 31 movies released in any given month. In theory, you could stay up to date on every major release. Additionally, MoviePass offers in-app ticket purchases from select theaters, which is a nice perk.
What Doesn't Work
The theaters that offer in-app ticket purchases are rare. The only other option is to check into the theater when you arrive and buy your ticket on the spot. All tickets must be purchased the day of the screening, so you can't plan ahead too far. Another wrinkle is that premium formats (3D, IMAX, etc.) are not available with the service at this point.
Additionally, MoviePass has begun assessing upcharges--Peak Pricing--for "in-demand" movies. However, the company hasn't revealed how it will determine what is in demand or how much the upcharge will be in all cases. According to the company, the new charge will start at $2.
The biggest knock against MoviePass, though, is the service itself. The terms of the subscription keep changing. Over the last year, this service has not only begun restricting you from seeing a movie a second time but is also requiring users to submit photos of their ticket stubs and is tinkering with temporarily locking specific movies in certain locations. When attempting to buy a ticket to a screening of Red Sparrow back in March, the title was simply blocked out on the app. When I tweeted MoviePass to ask why, it quickly responded, "As we continue to enhance our service for everyone, certain inventory may not be available at all times." Of course, there was no warning that this would be happening.
AMC Stubs A-List
The newest player on the block is AMC's response to MoviePass. The world's largest movie theater chain has integrated a subscription service to its loyalty points system. AMC Stubs A-List offers three tickets each week for the monthly price of $19.95.
What Works
The most exciting thing about A-List is it's all contained within the AMC Theaters app--it's where you find the movies, buy the tickets, and have them scanned at the theater. With that in mind, it's also linked to your Stubs account. As a member, you get access to Stubs Premium, which allows you to collect points from concession purchases that earn you rewards.
The nicest perk of A-List, though, is access to premium formats. Not only can you watch movies repeatedly, but you have access to IMAX, 3D, Dolby, and AMC Prime screenings. There are no restrictions.
What Doesn't Work
The big problem with A-List is it only works at AMC theaters. While it is the world's largest theater chain, that doesn't mean everybody lives near one. If there's not an AMC in your neighborhood, you're out of luck.
Of course, there's also the fact that you're paying twice as much as MoviePass for less than half of the movies. However, this should only concern you if you know you'll be seeing more than three movies each week.
Sinemia
Sinemia is seemingly a dark horse that came out of nowhere. However, it's been around since 2014 with offerings in the UK, Canada, Turkey, and Australia. It made its presence known in the US market in May with four different pricing options:
$4.99 per month for 1 standard movie ticket
$6.99 per month for 2 standard movie tickets
$9.99 per month for 2 of any movie ticket (3D, 4D, IMAX)
$14.99 per month for 3 of any movie ticket (3D, 4D, IMAX)
What Works
The best thing about Sinemia is it allows you to purchase tickets to just about any movie theater. Those locked out on MoviePass typically aren't in Sinemia and it also works for the AMC theaters found in A-List. There are also a variety of plans to meet your moviegoing needs, provided you don't head to the theater multiple times each week.
For fans of premium format films, the top two plan options give access to IMAX, 3D, 4DX, and practically any other upcharge option a theater might offer--and it's all included in your monthly price.
What Doesn't Work
The biggest issue with Sinemia is the app itself. In trying to simplify the design, it's become a bit confusing. Want to buy a ticket to an upcoming film? Head to the planning tab. From there, though, you'll have to switch over to the Fandango app to find a theater and showtime.
After manually entering the information into the Sinemia app, a temporary credit card number will be unlocked that you can then transfer back over to the Fandango app--or Atom Tickets or MovieTickets.com--to purchase there. It can make for a difficult process.
There also doesn't seem to be a simple way within the app to find out how many tickets you have left. These are all problems that could be addressed in a redesign. Still, given that you're paying up to $15 each month for three tickets, it could make the hassle more than it's worth.
The Bottom Line
Truthfully, each of these subscriptions has some merit. Sinemia offers the least tickets, but access to premium theaters and formats. MoviePass offers the most tickets, but more restrictions and a constant state of flux when it comes to service rules. Meanwhile, AMC Stubs A-List offers a middle-of-the-road number of tickets for the highest price, but with surprisingly few restrictions outside of only being available at AMC theaters.
In the end, though, there is a clear winner. While it may be the newest on the scene, AMC Stubs A-List is exactly what I'm looking for when it comes to a movie ticket subscription. Everything is housed within the app, it's really easy to use, and IMAX, 3D, and other premium formats are offered--what's not to love?
That said, if you don't live near an AMC theater but still want to see tons of movies every month, MoviePass may be your best bet. However, if you're part of the 88% of MoviePass's audience that the company says sees two or fewer movies each month, check out Sinemia. It may not be the best-designed app, but it allows you to easily treat yourself to IMAX and 3D screenings.
Disclosure: Sinemia provided GameSpot with a trial subscription to evaluate the service for this story.
While Ant-Man and the Wasp follows the events of Captain America: Civil War, many fans expected it to at least address the end of Avengers: Infinity War. That film seemingly changed the Marvel Cinematic Universe forever, so ignoring it completely would have been awkward. Warning: The following contains spoilers for Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Still, nobody was quite sure how it would work in half of existence turning to dust when Thanos snapped his fingers. In the end, the moment happens during the post-credits scene, though it's unclear how long after the movie's climax this takes place. Originally, however, the handling of Infinity War was going to happen quite differently.
Speaking to GameSpot, Ant-Man and the Wasp director Peyton Reed says while he always knew he and the writers were going to have to integrate Infinity War into their story, it wasn't always in the post-credits scene. "We talked about it, you know, how we were going to introduce the ramifications of Infinity War in our movie, and along the way, we had a bunch of different ideas," he says. "Some were more bleak, and some were things happening in the background of this movie."
It's hard to imagine a scene more bleak than finding clouds of ash where Hank (Michael Douglas), Hope (Evangeline Lilly), and Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) once stood. Having to watch them actually realize what's happening, like fans did with Spider-Man in Infinity War, would have been too much.
However, it's interesting to think about how it could have fit elsewhere in the film. While a second post-credits scene shows a peek at the world in the aftermath of the actions of Thanos--with the Emergency Alert System taking over TV, while a giant ant plays drums--seeing that unfold in the middle of the movie instead of at the end might have been too much.
Ultimately, given the kind of movie Ant-Man and the Wasp is, chances are they made the right choice with how it played out on-screen. "We finally landed on this idea, you know, the version that you saw, and structurally, we all got really excited about it, to have the tone of Ant-Man or Ant-Man and the Wasp, and still be able to sort of acknowledge Infinity War in a way," Reed explains.
Now Avengers 4 just has to fix it all so fans can see more of Hank, Janet, and Hope in another movie. In the meantime, Ant-Man and the Wasp is in theaters now.
The Dead or Alive franchise is infamous for its efforts to oversexualize its female fighters. That reputation has been helped along by the Dead or Alive: Xtreme spin-offs, a collection of titles that put all the women in skimpy bikinis as they play beach volleyball and seaside party games. The main series has also been difficult for newcomers to jump into, as each game lacks the type of single-player campaign that would help a beginner acquaint themselves with the combo-heavy system of strikes, holds, and throws.
Team Ninja's last entry in the franchise, Dead or Alive 5, did make an initial effort to broaden its audience by choosing to clothe the fighters in slightly more modest attire and write in a science-fiction story. However, the game still launched with the franchise's well-known mechanic of choosing your preferred levels of "boob jiggle physics," and DLC expansions brought many of the series' racy and fetishized outfits back into the game. The story mode also expected a certain level of skill from players, and since the tutorial system was a grind-fest of memorizing button combos, it was still difficult to learn the nuances of the game.
Dead or Alive 6 is trying to do what its predecessor could not and de-emphasize the sex appeal of its female combatants while also making the gameplay more approachable. The exaggerated jiggle physics are gone, and new mechanics and a more cohesive story are being added to help make the game more accessible. We spoke with Yohei Shimbori, director of Dead or Alive, at E3 2018 to further discuss the franchise's new direction and what exactly Team Ninja has in store for Dead or Alive 6.
At E3 2018, the only female characters available were Kasumi and Helena. I immediately gravitated towards the former, who's been the primary protagonist for the franchise since the original 1996 game. Kasumi's facial structure looks a lot older in Dead or Alive 6, and her new body model is a physically fit teen and not the oversexed supermodel child it's been in the past. "The boobs are smaller as opposed to before because we wanted the girls to appear more human. We don't want to reshape them smaller or larger just on a whim," Shimbori said.
Kasumi's outfit has also undergone considerable changes. She's abandoned her loose-fitting kunoichi for an armored bodysuit. Though not as noticeable a transformation, Helena is also rocking a new, more combat-ready outfit. "They'll be back," Shimbori said, when asked if the fighters' original outfits would make a reappearance in the game. He and his team want to make strides towards removing sexual fanservice from Dead or Alive, but they acknowledge that certain mechanics and aspects of the franchise are too ingrained in the series' DNA to abandon completely.
That seemed to be the underlying theme to everything Team Ninja had to show off at E3--maintaining the roots of the Dead or Alive franchise while taking strides towards making this entry both more approachable and accessible. Most of the core Dead or Alive experience remains in Dead or Alive 6. If anything, the more extravagant aspects of the franchise have simply been toned down. For example, you won't be high kicking prepubescent girls into spinning helicopter blades during stage transitions, but new stage hazards, like bystanders who trip up fighters, maintain the constant need to simultaneously read the battlefield and your opponent.
The intensity of the combat has returned as well, made all the more brutal through a new system that realistically portrays the types of injuries fighters would sustain in an actual fight. A fast roundhouse kick to Kasumi's face left a visceral cut across her cheek, and getting repeatedly pummeled in the stomach left a noticeable dent in her body armor. "This is an intense fighting game. Female or male doesn't matter. They are going to get dirty. They are going to get damaged. Their faces are going to be injured. All kinds of things," Shimbori said.
I immediately wanted to know whether this new combat damage mechanic would be used for a new game mode. The injuries act as an easy indicator for figuring out how much damage your fighter is taking without even having to look at the UI, but Shimbori denied the existence of any type of mode where there wouldn't be a health bar. "We actually haven't thought about that, having that type of game mode," he laughed. He wanted to reiterate that this is still the same Dead or Alive, with the same recipe. The added mechanics and features are simply new flavors.
And it's true. Despite her new appearance, Kasumi handles pretty much exactly as I remember. The one exception was her new Fatal Rush and Break moves, which are both new to the franchise. Every fighter has their own, and players can unleash them after performing combos that fill up a special meter. With the click of a single button, fighters can lash out with a powerful strike, and continuing to do so engages a Fatal Rush that temporarily slows down time and dishes out some serious punishment. That same button can be used while in retreat to perform a Break Blow (counter) or Break Hold (parry) to immediately respond to an opponent's attack, regardless if it's delivered from high, mid-level, or low.
"Also, another reason: who doesn't love eSports?," Shimbori continued, in response to the inclusion of the new moves. "Spectators who watch the game can more easily pick up on DOA6's action. The new moves create slow motion effects that allow the combatants a moment to check out their competition, the audience to see if either contestant is nervous, and announcers to catch up to the action of the fight. These new moves are as much for the spectators as they are for the players."
But Shimbori doesn't just want more of the eSports community in on the action, he wants the casual gaming audience to enjoy Dead or Alive 6 too. So Team Ninja is really focusing on telling a cohesive single-player story for any who want to play the game solo. "For Dead or Alive 5, we made one continuous story," Shimbori said. "We're going to continue that story in Dead or Alive 6. DOA5 had a problem, though, in that people didn't completely understand what was happening. It wasn't always clear. We want to use DOA6 to clarify the storyline."
Dead or Alive 6 will continue to tell a science fiction, so the evil clones and cyborgs aren't going away. Shimbori and his team just want to put a little more reasoning behind the twists and turns in the story and broaden its appeal to Western audiences. "Timeline-wise, DOA6 starts immediately at the end of DOA5," Shimbori concluded. "It won't be seconds after, but DOA6 picks up the storyline right after DOA5."
Dead or Alive 6 is easier to get into than past DOA games and, despite being a multiplayer game, goes out of its way to make a space for those who want to play on their own. The sex appeal is no longer exaggerated either. Yet, in spite of all those changes, it's not difficult to see the old Dead or Alive beneath the surface of the series' sixth game. The triangle system of combat is still intact. Holds overcome strikes, which beat out throws, which can counter holds. The provocative outfits are still there for players who want them as well. Dead or Alive 6 does just enough for a newcomer to have a chance at dipping a toe in the franchise and not have to worry about memorizing convoluted control schemes, easily losing to a veteran while playing online, or being labeled a pervert.
Dead or Alive 6 is scheduled to launch for Xbox One, PS4, and PC in early 2019. So far, the only confirmed fighters are Kasumi, Helena Douglas, Hayate, Ryu Hayabusa, Zack, and Jann Lee.
Does a one-on-one wrestling match do nothing for you? Do you crave something more extreme, like superstars leaping off of ladders, hitting each other with kendo sticks, and suplexes onto thumbtacks? Well, you're in luck--minus the thumbtacks--as WWE's most hardcore PPV of the year, Extreme Rules, comes to the WWE Network on Sunday, July 15.
This year's over-the-top PPV will take place at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and those going to the event or watching from the comfort of their homes will be in store for a night of hard hits and unconventional items being used as weapons. For those not attending the live event, Extreme Rules begins at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT with a Kickoff Show starting one hour prior. Normally, one match takes place during the Kickoff, but as of this writing, nothing has been announced.
For the first time in a while, there's actually a few fun tag team matches happening at a major WWE event. Daniel Bryan and Kane reunited recently on Smackdown, and now, they have a chance to win the Smackdown Tag Championships from The Bludgeon Brothers. Additionally, it's brother (Bray Wyatt) against brother (Bo Dallas) as the champions The Deleters of Worlds take on The B Team (The "B" stands for "Best") for the Raw Tag Championships. There are seven championships on the line that evening, and the only major title that won't be defended is the Universal Championship--because Brock Lesnar never defends it. At the time of this writing, there are ten matches on the card. More than likely, at least one more will be added.
Strangely enough, as of this writing, there is only one Extreme Rules match for the PPV, and that's for the Raw Women's Championship. Surely, at least two more of these matches will get the extreme treatment before the PPV hits the airwaves.
Extreme Rules Match Card:
Braun Strowman vs Kevin Owens (Steel Cage Match)
Roman Reigns vs. Bobby Lashley
Finn Bálor vs. "Constable" Baron Corbin
Dolph Ziggler (c) vs. Seth Rollins (30-Minute Iron Man match for the Intercontinental Championship)
The Bludgeon Brothers (c) vs. Team Hell No (For the Smackdown Tag Championship)
Deleters of Worlds (c) vs. The B-Team (For the Raw Tag Championship)
Carmella (c) vs. Asuka (For the Smackdown Women's Championship)
Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Nia Jax (Extreme Rules match for the Raw Women's Championship)
Jeff Hardy (c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura (For the United States Championship)
AJ Styles (c) vs. Rusev (For the WWE Championship)
Make sure to come back to GameSpot on Sunday, July 15 for live coverage of WWE's Extreme Rules. For now, check out our predictions for the event.
Recent Articles:
You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website.
No comments:
Post a Comment