The Nintendo Eshop seems to get a nonstop stream of new indie Switch games each week, so it's no surprise developers often drop prices on their titles in an effort to stand out and drive sales. This week finds a whole bunch of Nintendo Switch games on sale on the Eshop, and most of them are indeed indies. Here are some of our picks for the best Switch game deals available now on the Nintendo Eshop.
Whatever genre you're into, you'll probably find a deal on something good this week. The Framed Collection ($6) is a puzzle game that has you re-arrange comic book panels to get the hero through pages of dangerous situations. Goetia, on sale for $5, is a gloomy point-and-click adventure in which you play as the ghost of a young woman trying to discover what led to the downfall of the house where she lived 40 years ago.
Air Mail lets you fly a plane through a colorful world to complete missions and collect items scattered around; it's discounted to $10. Oxenfree, which got a big price cut ($5, down from $20), is a creepy game about a group of teenagers on a weekend getaway.
Indies aren't the only games on sale this week. Capcom has dropped the price on Resident Evil Revelations and Resident Evil Revelations 2 to $14 each. Set between the events of previous games in the main series, these horror titles focus on side stories led by characters like Jill Valentine, and Chris and Claire Redfield.
You can find more of our picks below, or check out the full list of deals on the Eshop, including Switch, 3DS, and Wii U games.
Daybreak Games has announced that H1Z1 Battle Royale for PS4 is leaving open beta and launching as a free-to-play title August 7. The launch also adds new features and in-game content to H1Z1.
H1Z1 gets two new weapons when it officially launches on PS4. The RPG provides an additional explosive option for players who need to take out vehicles or groups of enemies. The SOCOM Sniper Rifle adds new layers of strategy to long-range combat and tactics with a 4x scope, fitting between the Scout Rifle and the M40. The game is getting a new vehicle as well, an ARV. It fits an entire squad of five players and comes equipped with a pop-out hatch for a sniper to take a shot.
H1Z1 is also getting its first Battle Pass. Battle Pass Season 1 unlocks additional content for players, with three tracks of rewards: free, premium, and PS Plus. Players unlock new cosmetic items and in-game monetary rewards for each track as they earn XP. Every player is automatically put into the free path, but you'll need to pay $5.49 to join the premium path and be a PS Plus member to get the PS Plus rewards. There are 30 rewards across all three paths in total.
For more cosmetics, two launch bundles add new outfits and skins. For $5, the Viper Starter Bundle includes a kung-fu-inspired outfit and mask. For $35, the Hardline Deluxe Bundle comes equipped with military-inspired cosmetics and items.
With the launch, Daybreak Games has also made a few updates to address balancing issues. We've listed the major ones below, but the full patch notes of changes coming to PS4's version of H1Z1 can be found on H1Z1's FAQ.
H1Z1 Battle Royale Changes
Balance Changes
The Hellfire will do less damage overall, and have an even stronger damage fall-off at distances beyond 50 meters
M40 headshots will be fatal, even through helmets
Crossbows with explosive arrows will do less splash damage
Tier Changes
The AR-15 will be moved to ground loot
Crossbows with explosive arrows will be moved into Green airdrops
The SOCOM will be found in Purple airdrops
The M40 and RPG will be found in Gold airdrops
H1Z1 is already out on PC, and is in open beta on PS4 until its official release on August 7. The game is scheduled to release on Xbox One as well, but no date has been announced.
FIFA 19's release date is fast approaching, but publisher EA is yet to reveal any substantial gameplay footage. However, a video has surfaced on the FIFA subreddit via user WhadaFack that shows the game in action for the first time. [Update: The video has now been pulled, though it may still be floating around online. EA hasn't said when we'll be officially seeing gameplay, but with its release coming up in September, we'd expect to see something before long.]
The video shows a Europa League match between Manchester City and Manchester United running on PS4. You can see the game's new features, such as the active touch system and new commentary team, as well as an updated set of menus and tactical options.
In addition, it seems Kick Off mode has been expanded with a new suite of options. The pre-match menu shows new features such as House Rules which allow you to enforce laws such as "Long Range" or "Headers and Volleys," while you can also choose to engage in a "Best Of" series or choose to make your match a Champions League or Europa League game. Finally, there's a prompt to change something dubbed "Advantage Settings."
With Gamescom just around the corner, more FIFA 19 news is expected soon. We already know it will feature the Champions League license for the first time in a decade after EA poached the official deal from rivals Konami and PES. There's plenty more coming to FIFA this year--for more, take a look at our feature on the 19 best new FIFA 19 features you might have missed.
FIFA 19 launches for PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, and Nintendo Switch on September 28. Its closest rival, PES 2019, comes out a month earlier, and it's also receiving a demo in early August. EA has not yet revealed when it will release a demo of FIFA 19.
Following a tantalizingly brief teaser trailer back in March, Nintendo formally unveiled its next Super Smash Bros. game at E3 2018. The new installment in the beloved fighting series arrives on Nintendo Switch later this year, and while there are still undoubtedly many details we don't yet know about it, Nintendo revealed a ton of information about the game during its June presentation, giving us a good idea of what to expect.
To catch you up on everything Nintendo has revealed about the game so far, we've compiled everything we know about Super Smash Bros. Ultimate below, from the game's release date and new characters to the many changes being made to its gameplay. We'll continue to update this list as new details emerge, so be sure to check back for the latest information on Nintendo's highly anticipated mascot fighter.
Prior to its official reveal at E3, there was much speculation over whether Super Smash Bros. Ultimate would be a new installment in the series or an expanded port of the Wii U entry, in the vein of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Nintendo cleared up any misconceptions during a Q&A session at this year's expo, confirming that Ultimate is indeed a brand-new title built for Nintendo Switch.
How Many New Characters Are There?
Nintendo has revealed three new fighters debuting in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Inkling, Ridley, and Daisy. The first two are brand-new additions to the series, and both boast their own unique movesets and play styles that draw from their respective franchises. Inkling can splatter opponents with ink and use a variety of weapons from Splatoon, such as Splat Bombs and the Splat Roller, while Ridley can spew fire and spear other combatants with his tail.
Unlike the other two newcomers, Daisy isn't an entirely new addition to the roster, but rather an Echo Fighter--a clone of an existing character, in the vein of Lucina and Dark Pit. Her moveset and play style are based on Princess Peach, although she boasts some different characteristics to set her apart. Beyond those three fighters, Nintendo hasn't revealed if any other new characters will appear in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, although it seems likely that a few surprises still remain in store for fans.
Which Characters Are Coming Back?
Everyone! Super Smash Bros. Ultimate features the largest roster in the series to date with 66 confirmed fighters (and presumably a couple of surprises still to be revealed). Every playable character who has ever appeared in a Smash Bros. game will return in Ultimate, including all of the DLC fighters released for the Wii U and 3DS installments--such as Bayonetta, Corrin, and Mewtwo--as well as third-party characters like Sonic, Cloud, and Street Fighter's Ryu.
The roster even encompasses characters who have previously only appeared in a single Super Smash Bros. game, including Pichu and Young Link (whose sole appearances were in 2001's Melee), and Wolf and Snake from 2008's Brawl. Longtime Metal Gear Solid voice actor David Hayter revealed he is reprising his role as the latter in Ultimate, and Snake's signature stage, Shadow Moses Island, has also been confirmed to return.
It's unclear just how many of these characters will be available from the outset; Nintendo teases that the starting roster could be as small as that of the first Super Smash Bros. for N64--eight characters--but an exact count has not been confirmed. However, the company says the conditions for unlocking characters have been streamlined this time around, and new fighters will be doled out frequently, giving players the feeling that they're constantly making progress.
How Many Stages Are There?
Nintendo hasn't revealed the full list of stages in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate yet, but the company says a "massive list" of them will return in the game. Among the many that have been confirmed thus far are Spirit Train and Tortimer Island from Super Smash Bros. for 3DS; Princess Peach's Castle and Great Bay from Melee; New Pork City and Frigate Orpheon from Brawl; and Mario Galaxy from Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. At least two new stages will be introduced in the game as well: Great Plateau Tower (based on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild), and Splatoon's Moray Towers. Every stage in the game will also have a Battlefield and Omega form.
What Else Is Different?
Aside from all of the new characters, stages, and items, Nintendo is making a ton of mechanical and balance changes in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Game director Masahiro Sakurai says the amount of tweaks in the game could number in the "tens of thousands," and they range from subtle visual upgrades--like Wii Fit Trainer's refined face--to reworked movesets and other dramatic overhauls.
One of the most notable changes is the pace of the game. Combat in Ultimate feels speedier than in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, resulting in quicker and more intense matches. Moreover, Nintendo has introduced some new techniques, such as directional air dodges, and simplified other ones, like short hop attacks, improving the game's accessibility while also allowing for more skillful play. In keeping with this emphasis on speedier matches, players will dish out more damage in one-on-one battles, while those who excessively dodge will now be penalized with slowed dodge movement and a smaller window of invulnerability.
Most Final Smashes have also undergone some dramatic changes in Ultimate. Some existing specials, like Pikachu's Volt Tackle and Sonic's Super Sonic transformation, are now uncontrollable, lightning-fast attacks, while other characters have received new Final Smashes entirely. This time, Link fires a devastating Ancient Arrow, while Pit barrels through opponents in the Lightning Chariot. Nintendo says that nearly every Final Smash has been reworked in Ultimate to be more immediate, allowing players to get back into the fray more quickly.
Likewise, many returning characters have received significant overhauls in Ultimate, both in terms of their appearance and their movesets. Ganondorf, for instance, is modeled after his classic look in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and he now uses his sword for his smash attacks. Princess Zelda's new model is based on her appearance in A Link Between Worlds, and Link dons his Champion's Tunic from Breath of the Wild. Shulk can now choose Monado Arts directly rather than having to cycle through them, while Palutena's special attacks have been streamlined.
Can I Use GameCube Controllers?
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will support several different controller options, including the Switch Pro controller, a single Joy-Con, and many Smash fans' preferred gamepad, the GameCube controller. As was the case with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, the latter will be compatible with the console via a separate adapter. This peripheral plugs into the Switch dock and works with both standard wired GameCube controllers and the wireless WaveBird.
Those who already own the Wii U GameCube controller adapter will be able to use it with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on Switch. Nintendo will also release a new controller adapter later this year, along with a new line of Smash-branded wired GameCube controllers. Both are already available for pre-order from various retailers such as Amazon and GameStop; the adapter retails for $20, while the GameCube controllers run for $30 each.
Will It Work with Amiibo?
Nintendo confirmed Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be compatible with the existing range of Smash Bros. Amiibo, and data saved to those figures will carry over to the new game. The company has also announced it will produce several new Smash Bros. Amiibo. During E3 2018, Nintendo showcased figures of Ridley and Inkling, two of the new fighters making their debut in Ultimate. The third new fighter announced for the game thus far, Daisy, will likewise receive an Amiibo, although it wasn't on display at E3.
In addition to the new figures, Nintendo announced it will also produce Amiibo for returning characters. The company has specifically confirmed Wolf, Ice Climbers, and Pichu will receive Amiibo, although that will presumably apply to other returning fighters, such as Young Link and Snake, as well. The Ridley, Inkling, and Wolf figures will launch alongside Super Smash Bros. Ultimate this December and retail for $16 each. Reprints of many previous Smash Bros. Amiibo will also be available later this year for $13.
Will I Need to Pay to Play Online?
While online play on Nintendo Switch has been free up until now, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (and other online-enabled games like Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Pokemon Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee) will require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription once the premium service rolls out this September. Subscriptions will be available for one month (US $4 / £3.49 / AU $6), three months (US $8 / £7 / AU $12), and 12 months (US $20 / £18 / AU $30). Nintendo will also offer a Family Plan, which allows up to eight accounts to share one membership for US $35 / £31.49 / AU $55 a year.
Will There Be DLC?
Nintendo hasn't given any indication as to whether or not it will release additional content for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. However, the most recent installments in the series received an extensive amount of DLC following their release, from new stages and characters to a wide assortment of Mii Fighter costumes, and it seems likely that Ultimate will get a similar level of post-launch support, although nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
When's the Release Date?
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch later this year, on December 7.
Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 5 is now entering its third week, which means developer Epic Games has introduced another new set of challenges for players to complete on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile. As with previous weeks in Season 5, the challenges are split into two categories, with some being available to everyone while others are exclusive to Battle Pass owners.
On the free side, this week's challenges involve dealing 500 damage to opponents in a single match, using a launch pad, and following the treasure map found in Flush Factory. While the first two shouldn't give you much trouble, the third of the bunch will require a little bit of legwork. Flush Factory can be found in the southern part of the island and it's there that you'll find the treasure map.
However, you aren't actually required to get the map first. Instead you can skip this bit and go to quadrant F8 of the map, where you'll find a house on a hilltop. If you're looking at the house head-on, the Star you need to collect will be on the right of the path leading up to the house. Although gliding onto the spot from the Battle Bus is the easiest way to get to it, you can also build your way up. Take a look below to see the location on the map or watch the video above to see us do it.
For those with a Battle Pass, you'll need to search seven chests in Fatal Fields, shoot a Clay Pigeon at five different locations, eliminate five enemies in Haunted Hills, and then get three eliminations using an explosive weapon. You'll also get 5K worth of XP for doing completing all of these challenges. If you need help hunting them down, check out our Clay Pigeons location guide. You can also find all of Fortnite Season 5, Week 3's challenges, along with their rewards, below.
Click image to view in full screen
Fortnite Season 5, Week 3 Challenges
Free
Deal damage to opponents in a single match (500) -- 5 Battle Stars
Use a launch pad (1) -- 5 Battle Stars
Follow the treasure map found in Flush Factory (1) -- 10 Battle Stars
Battle Pass
Search chests in Fatal Fields (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Shoot a Clay Pigeon at different locations (5) -- 5 Battle Stars
Eliminate opponents in Haunted Hills (5) -- 10 Battle Stars
Explosive weapon eliminations -- 10 Battle Stars
In related news, Fortnite's SMG and Compact SMG have been nerfed, following feedback from the community. Epic Games has tweaked a number of attributes for both guns, including damage, range, fire rate, and accuracy. This, the developer says, brings it more in line with how it wants the guns to perform in-game.
Fortnite is also celebrating its 1st birthday with a set of challenges that will unlock a birthday-themed emote, spray, and bling. The first two challenges are relatively easy, requiring you to do a specified amount of damage and play a certain amount of matches. However, the third challenge is a little trickier. For this you'll need to find 10 cakes that have been scattered around the island and dance in front of them. To make things a little easier on yourself, check out our Fortnite Birthday Cake Location Guide to watch us do the entire challenge and also see a map of where all the cakes are.
Epic Games is also giving new Fortnite skins to those that have been playing the game from the very beginning. If you purchased the Founder's Pack when Fortnite's Save the World mode originally launched, you'll be prompted about the classic skins when you next boot up the game. These were promised to Founder's Pack owners when the Battle Royale mode first launched, and have finally been delivered around a year later.
It's July, which of course means we're already half way through 2018. Summer usually has a reputation for being a rather dry period for exciting games, but this month looks to have some interesting titles to keep you busy during the warm and sunny days. In the month of July, there's a surprising amount of remasters and re-releases looking to find new homes on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One--which includes Sonic Mania Plus and the cleverly named Red Faction: Guerilla Re-Mars-tered Edition. While remasters and ports are common, July certainly has them in healthy abundance.
Along with these remasters, we also have the first-time releases of Octopath Traveler and The Banner Saga 3, which should keep RPG and strategy fans engaged for quite sometime. For a more in-depth look at all the most notable games coming this year, check out our more detailed list of releases here.
Octopath Traveler (Nintendo Switch) -- July 13
Set for release on July 13 for the Switch, Octopath Traveler is Square-Enix's long-awaited return to classic 2D RPG gameplay that fans have been yearning for. With a visual style that recreates those familiar old-school graphics for the HD era, you'll band together a party of heroes, level up, and do battle with bandits and other monsters in a world of myth and mystery.
Sonic Mania Plus (Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One) -- July 17
Coming almost a year after the original release, Sonic Mania Plus plans to offer new and returning players alike the purest form of classic Sonic the Hedgehog gameplay. Coming to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One on July 17, Sega's next big return to traditional Sonic action will include new levels, more secrets, and two additional characters in the form of Mighty the Armadillo, and Ray the Flying Squirrel--both of whom have been long absent since their appearance in the arcade-only release of SegaSonic the Hedgehog.
The Banner Saga 3 (PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One) -- July 24
Starting out as a Kickstarter success story, The Banner Saga series has grown from crowdfunding hopeful to a game series with a passionate following. With the third installment now approaching its release, the developers behind the punishing RPG aim to give the main story a fitting conclusion, while also offering far more challenging battles and tough decisions to make in order to stay alive in the harsh environment.
After several years of waiting, Capcom has finally debuted its remake of classic survival-horror game Resident Evil 2. If you only watched its E3 2018 reveal trailer, chances are you have some questions regarding how it plays and how faithful it is to the 1998 original. There are still plenty of details that we don't know, but Capcom has at least offered some clarity on its most curious changes.
To ensure you're kept up to date on everything there is to know about Resident Evil 2 remake, we've compiled all the information we have on the game so far: how it came to be, why its camera is from the third-person over-the-shoulder perspective, its collector's edition, and more.
While not explicitly titled "Resident Evil 2 Remake," the game is in fact a total remake of the classic survival-horror game, and not a remastered version of the PS1 original with touched-up graphics--much in the same vein as 2002's Resident Evil remake. You once again control rookie cop Leon Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield, who must escape Raccoon City after its citizens are transformed into zombies by a virus two months after the events of the first Resident Evil.
The project came to be after Capcom producer Yoshiaki "H" Hirabayashi took to Facebook on July 30, 2015 to ask the Resident Evil community if they'd be interested in a remake. The request was met with enthusiastic support, which prompted Hirabayashi to pitch the idea to his boss sometime later. The result of the pitch meeting was confirmed the following August when the game was formally announced by Hirabayashi in a special message to fans.
How It Plays
The Resident Evil 2 remake plays from a third-person over-the-shoulder perspective, similar to Resident Evil 4. If you're worried this deviates too far from the original's fixed-camera system, don't let this get you down: the remake still emphasizes survival-horror above all else. You're not given the same amount of power that the more action-oriented games in the series offer you.
The new aiming style feels like a modernized version of the aiming from classic Resident Evil games that allows you to move and pick out where you want your shots to land.
This manifests itself in combat. When you aim, the cardinal markers on your reticle slowly move until they're closed in on the center, allowing you to fire a more precise shot. But when you move, the reticle resets and takes time to close in again. Shots take time to line up and you need to stand still to get them just right; you can't instantly fire from the hip and expect to hit your target. It's a small change, but it completely alters your sense of control. The new aiming style feels like a modernized version of the aiming from classic Resident Evil games that allows you to move and pick out where you want your shots to land.
Progression also remains largely the same as the original Resident Evil 2. You're still solving puzzles, tracking down keys, gathering resources, and putting them back into item boxes for later use. But there's more freedom to explore and discover secrets at your own pace and in varying orders--which is a welcome change of pace from the more constricted adventure game-like progression of the original. You're constantly investigating new pathways and gaining new items that might help you open up the way to your objective.
In the same way Resident Evil 7 felt like a classic Resident Evil game played from the first-person perspective, the Resident Evil 2 remake feels the same--but from an over-the-shoulder perspective.
Why The Third-Person Camera Perspective?
As stated, Resident Evil 2 remake will play from a third-person over-the-shoulder view. Hirabayashi told GameSpot that he and his team chose the perspective because they wanted the experience of playing the game to be "intimately terrifying in nature, to [have] up-close and personal zombie encounters that you can only get with that kind of view." He commented further that the perspective was also chosen to open up new possibilities for the series' classic puzzle-solving.
Based on our time spent playing the game at E3 2018, the third-person perspective plays well with the labyrinthian corridors of the police department, making exploration feel unsettling and claustrophobic. We're curious how it'll be effectively used in the latter portions of the game.
How Faithfully Does It Recreate The Original?
Currently, all we have to go in terms of judging the game's faithfulness is the Racoon City Police Department--the primary location of the first playable demo at E3. The remake appears to closely recreate many of the area's iconic rooms and corridors, while adding in new details to give it a more modern flair. Some rooms have been slightly rearranged, but the overall structure of the police station remains largely the same--at least from the first floor. Some areas are much darker than in the original too, forcing Leon to brandish a flashlight in order to safely navigate the environment. Also, there are no longer any loading screen doors, so say goodbye to your old-school escape techniques, zombies will now follow you from room to room whether you like it or not.
Leon is still the rookie cop with a heart of gold that we all remember, yet his naivety and sense of honor is reframed and more subtly reflected in his line delivery. Commanding officer Marvin Branagh appears to be a more substantial character who still warns Leon of the dangers ahead, but who seems to have a larger presence, remaining in the main hall after gifting you with a survival knife (and not a keycard).
Story events seem to be remixed as well. The beats we've seen so far are incredibly similar, with Leon reaching the police station, but the story progresses slightly differently. For example, you're forced to explore the Eastern side of the police station first before encountering Marvin, instead of meeting up with him first to unlock the doors to both the Western and Eastern sections.
How Will The Leon/Claire Campaigns Work?
One of the most unique aspects of the original Resident Evil 2 was how it separated its campaign; you had the option to start the game as either Leon or Claire. And depending on who you finished the campaign with, you could then start a new one from the other character's perspective. This closely tied into the Zapping System, where each of the two playable characters are confronted with different storylines and puzzles depending on the order you choose to play their scenarios. You had the option of starting the "A" scenario with either of the two protagonists and then completing their subsequent "B" scenario, resulting in a total of four different scenarios.
It appears that the remake won't use the Zapping System, but will instead offer a total of two completely separate campaigns starring Leon and Claire. It's unclear if your actions in either of the two campaigns will impact the other.
Will There Be VR Support?
Resident Evil 7 was one of the earliest big-budget games you could play entirely with a VR headset, so folks have been asking if Resident Evil 2 remake will receive the same treatment. Producers Tsuyoshi Kanda and Yoshiaki Hirabayashi confirmed that it was decided the game would not be playable in VR due to the third-person over-the-shoulder view.
Any Other Fancy New Features?
Similar to Resident Evil remake, whenever you're grabbed, you can instantly stab a zombie to push them away and avoid damage. Interestingly, your knife will remain in the body of the zombie until you pick it back up. We're curious what would happen if you left the knife in the zombie and carried on, as there also seem to be puzzles that involve using your knife. Are you forced to backtrack and retrieve it? Or are there multiple combat knives you can find? Time will tell.
As you explore the RPD, you'll get your hands on wooden boards that you can use to barricade doors and windows from zombies and other bioweapon threats. If the absence of loading screen doors hurts your sense of safety, then these new wooden boards can serve as a decent--albeit temporary--replacement.
Lastly, a gunpowder crafting mechanic is present, which allows you to create much-needed ammo from scratch. If it's anything like past games, you'll likely be relying on it to create the fancier ammo types needed to swiftly take down strong opponents.
What's In The Collector's Edition?
The collector's edition includes the already announced deluxe edition of the game, which is Resident Evil 2 with a special packaging design and an extra DLC pack. This includes two outfits for Leon and three for Claire, the Albert model of the Samurai Edge weapon, and a code to listen to the original music while playing the game, rather than the remaster's soundtrack.
The collector's edition also adds a 12-inch statue of Leon, a 32-page art book, a digital version of a 25-song soundtrack, and a Racoon City Police Department poster celebrating its conversion from museum to police station. It's all collected in an R.P.D. themed box. The collector's edition is a GameStop exclusive that can only be purchased in North American regions. It's priced at $200 in the U.S. and $240 in Canada.
What's The Release Date?
Resident Evil 2 remake will release on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on January 25, 2019. That's not too far away, but gosh doesn't it just feel like an eternity?
After the amazing gaming year that was 2017, many wondered how well 2018 would turn out. Fortunately for everyone, it has been great. The first half of the year has yielded a wealth of fantastic games, and there's more on the horizon. Upcoming games for the rest of this 2018 include slew of hotly anticipated new games, like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Red Dead Redemption 2, Spider-Man, and a whole lot more. To help you keep track of all the games coming out and what has already released, we've compiled a list of all the noteworthy release dates for the biggest ones confirmed to come out in 2018 so far.
Game release dates change all the time and new ones arrive every month. Be sure to bookmark this page, as we'll be updating this article with more release dates or any potential changes to any of the dates below. And if you're eager to figure out the release dates from games next year, you can also reference our feature on the game release dates of 2019.
Below you can find a list of the biggest games that don't have explicit release dates but are confirmed to release sometime this year. There are also games listed that we expect to launch in 2018. We'll be moving each of these games into the release date sections above as soon as official dates are announced.
Only a couple years after Fallout 4's release, Bethesda surprised fans by officially announcing Fallout 76, the next entry in its beloved post-apocalyptic RPG franchise. The new game was revealed in a trailer after a series of teases, and Bethesda discussed it in more detail at E3 2018. While there's still so much we do not yet know about Bethesda's upcoming game, the company has offered some clarity on Fallout 76's most curious features and additions to the Fallout formula.
To ensure you're kept up to date on everything there is to know about Fallout 76, we've compiled all the information we have on the game so far: the platforms it's on, its online functionality, its anti-griefing features, and where the game falls in the series' timeline.
Fallout 76 is a prequel to all of the previous Fallout games. Set in 2102, you play an inhabitant of Vault 76 who emerges from the shelter 25 years after the bombs fell on America. Your task is simple: explore what remains of post-apocalyptic America and rebuild civilization.
Longtime fans will likely recognize Vault 76; although it's not a place we've visited before, this isn't the series' first mention of it. Both Fallout 3 and 4 reference it and, according to the Fallout Wikia, this West Virginia-based vault was occupied by 500 of of America's best and brightest minds. Unlike the more grotesque experimental vaults in the Fallout universe, Vault 76 is a control vault intended to be opened 20 or so years after a nuclear war. But if the Vault was supposed to open 20 years after the bombs fell, why have 25 years gone by? The story likely has a few surprises in store.
Fallout 76 uses the Creation Engine, the same engine used to make Fallout 4, but it will purportedly feature much more graphical detail than its predecessor. Game director Todd Howard has said that Fallout 76 has new rendering and lighting technology, which allows for "16 times" the detail.
Is It An Online Survival Game?
Fallout 76 is a much different sort of game from its predecessors. It's "entirely online," but don't worry, you'll be able to play it solo too. According to Bethesda, the idea to take this approach to open-world survival came four years ago, when it started to work on building a multiplayer Fallout experience. Howard described the game's approach to survival as "softcore," which means death doesn't equal loss of progression.
You can form a party with up to three other players. You won't be able to manage your placement in servers when you login, as you'll automatically be inserted into a session with others upon booting up the game. Of course, you also have the option simply join alongside your friends and play together.
Howard commented that Fallout 76 will have dedicated servers that will support the game "now and for years to come." At launch, there will only be public servers, but Bethesda plans to introduce private servers that will allow players to invite friends to play in order to prevent undesirable behavior. According Bethesda Senior Vice President Pete Hines, it will actually be incredibly difficult to participate in ill-behavior. For instance, the game's PvP works more like issuing a challenge to somebody, preventing folks from pushing any attempts at griefing too far.
Some classic mechanics from past games will be changing to accommodate the shift to online play. For example, V.A.T.S has been reconfigured to work in real time, while still allowing players to target specific enemy body parts.
How Big Is The World?
According to Howard, Fallout 76's world is four times the size of Fallout 4. There are six different regions to explore, and each has its own unique style, risks, and rewards. Confirmed areas include the West Virginia State Capitol, The Greenbrier, Woodburn Circle, New River Gorge Bridge, and Camden Park. Contained within each area is a variety of new creatures to encounter, some of which are based on West Virginian folklore.
What Can You Do?
Like previous games, players will spend the majority of their time exploring and completing quests. However, Fallout 76 will not feature any human non-player characters, as all surviving humans will be controlled by active players. Instead, the game will use combination of robot NPCs, collectible recordings, and environmental storytelling in order to give players what they need to piece together quests and the story at large.
Given the game's premise of rebuilding the world, there will be base-building elements similar to Fallout 4. You will be able to set up a bases anywhere using an item called the Construction and Assembly Mobile Platform, or CAMP. These can be placed down in the world and allow you to construct an impromptu camp. At E3, we got to see the player laying down walls and decorating the base with pool tables, toilets, and other household objects. As the "mobile platform" part of the name implies, your CAMP can also be picked up and relocated, allowing you to move your base anywhere in the world.
While you can help build the world, you can also destroy it. If you have the necessary nuclear launch codes, it's actually possible to access a missile silo to fire a nuke at any point on the map. Doing so irradiates the chosen area, but it also allows for the opportunity to discover rare weapons, gear, and items. Be wary; nuking an area also causes more powerful enemies to show up, making it more difficult to survive.
As an online experience, player choice is said to be incredibly important, going as far as giving players the freedom to choose who are the heroes and who are the villains. Early footage showcased multiple players engaging in combat and participating in friendly activities, which seems to indicate that players have the freedom to choose their paths in the world of Fallout 76.
Who's Developing It?
Bethesda Game Studios, the Maryland-based developer responsible for the Elder Scrolls series and both Fallout 3 and Fallout 4, is at work on the game. In addition, Bethesda Game Studios Austin--formerly BattleCry Studios--assisted in fine-tuning the Creation Engine to support multiplayer functionality.
When's the Beta?
Falout 76's beta will be available exclusively to those who preorder the game. Bethesda said that it will begin selecting participants from the pool of pre-orders in early October. The plan is to start small and expand over time. Xbox One owners have a slight leg up on the beta compared to other platforms. For more details, you can check out Bethesda's Fallout 76 FAQ for more details on how to redeem your code.
Release Date
Fallout 76 is being developed for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and is currently scheduled to be released on November 14. Unfortunately, there's no word about a Nintendo Switch release, which didn't seem out of the question after the Skyrim re-release made it to that platform.
Destiny 2: Forsaken is coming in September, taking the Guardians back to the Reef with an all-new story focused on taking down Uldren and his Barons. Activision and Bungie have released a new trailer showing off all the new gear you can use to lay waste to your foes.
Weapon highlights include the double-rocket launcher Two-Tailed Fox, the Trinity Ghoul bow to set off electrical storms, One Thousand Voices that creates an exploding beam, and more. That's not all, though. You'll also get a handy assortment of new gadgets and traversal tools like a double-dodge, the ability to slide to deflect projectiles, and a new sword that doubles as a throwing projectile.
The expansion starts with a prison break for the popular character Cayde-6, and ultimately leads up to his probable death. That makes sense, as Nathan Fillion is stepping away from the role. We can expect loads of new gear, along with new Super abilities, a new faction, a new Raid, a Collections feature for tracking all your items, and a Gambit multiplayer mode that's PvPvE.
Forsaken will launch on September 4. It will cost $40 by itself, or you can pay $70 for the Annual Pass. For more details, check out our pre-order guide.
The Year of Legendary Pokemon rolls on with another pair of free Legendaries for Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. Next month, The Pokemon Company is giving away two powerful monsters that originally appeared in Pokemon Black and White versions: Tornadus and Thundurus.
Continuing the trend of previous distributions, the Legendaries will be given out in different ways depending upon your region. US residents can pick up a free download code for the Pokemon at the electronics section of Target from July 13-28; those in Europe can download the Legendaries over the Nintendo Network via Mystery Gift from July 6-22; and players in Canada will receive a code in the Pokemon Trainer Club newsletter.
As before, the Legendaries can be redeemed in any seventh-generation Pokemon game, although the one you receive will differ depending on which version you have. In Sun and Ultra Sun, players will get the Electric-type Thundurus, while those with Moon and Ultra Moon will receive the Flying-type Tornadus. The Pokemon will also come at different levels and know different moves depending upon the game. You can see the moveset for each Legendary below.
Pokemon Ultra Sun
Thundurus -- Level 100 (w/Gold Bottle Cap)
Thunderbolt
Focus Blast
Grass Knot
Nasty Plot
Pokemon Sun
Thundurus -- Level 60
Discharge
Crunch
Charge
Nasty Plot
Pokemon Ultra Moon
Tornadus -- Level 100 (w/Gold Bottle Cap)
Hurricane
Heat Wave
Grass Knot
Tailwind
Pokemon Moon
Tornadus -- Level 60
Air Slash
Crunch
Tailwind
Rain Dance
The code you receive can be redeemed via the Mystery Gift feature from the games' main menu. After selecting it, choose the option to receive your gift with a code/password, input the code, and the Pokemon will be downloaded to your game. (Players in Europe must choose the option to receive their gift via the internet to download their Legendaries.) You'll then be able to pick your Pokemon up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center.
Since February, The Pokemon Company has been giving away free Legendaries for the seventh-gen Pokemon games. Following the Tornadus and Thundurus distribution, players will be able to get the Hoenn Legendaries Groudon and Kyogre in August. In the meantime, you can see all of the free Pokemon available for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon right now.
Hello Games has deployed another hotfix for No Man's Sky. After appearing earlier on the Experimental Branch, this latest patch has been rolled out to the live game on PC (with other platforms following soon) and addresses a number of other bugs that have cropped up in the wake of the big Next update, most notably an issue that would apparently wipe players' save data.
Following the Next update, many players have discovered that their save data would display their playtime correctly but load from the beginning of the game, apparently erasing their data. PC players have figured out their own workaround to this issue and detailed it on Reddit, but the new 1.51 patch should resolve the issue for all players.
As previously mentioned, the 1.51 patch is currently only available on PC, but it will be rolling out soon to PS4 and Xbox One. Designer Sean Murray explained on Twitter that due to Sony and Microsoft's certification process, updates for the PS4 and Xbox One versions will arrive slightly slower than for PC.
You can find the full patch notes for No Man's Sky's 1.51 update, courtesy of the game's official website, below. This is the second hotfix patch Hello Games has deployed since the launch of the Next update. The previous one arrived on July 25 and addressed a variety of bugs and other technical issues, including one that stopped exosuit technology from converting into obsolete technology.
No Man's Sky's Next update arrived earlier this week and introduced a ton of significant changes to the game, including multiplayer, expanded base building, visual improvements, and the ability to command freighters. Hello Games says it will continue supporting the game with weekly missions and events, the first of which are slated to kick off next week.
No Man's Sky 1.51 Patch Notes
Fixed an issue where players who saved after partially repairing some items of technology would be unable to load that savegame. Please note that if the game has not been resaved, then progress has not been lost and will be recovered.
Fixed a crash caused by memory corruption
Fixed a crash in the animation system
Fixed a crash when saving on a freighter
Fixed a crash when fleet expeditions end without their capital ship present
Fixed a number of memory leaks
Fixed an issue where warping in multiplayer could cause players to spawn on a planet rather than in space
Fixed an issue where freighter bases would be in the wrong position
Fixed an issue where the build menu could crash if there was nothing available to build
Fixed an issue where players would be unable to warp during the antimatter stage of the tutorial
Fixed an issue where the mission destination would be incorrectly reported as in another system at the Hermetic Seal phase of the tutorial
Fixed an issue where upgrade modules installed in the main Exosuit inventory would not be saved correctly.
Fixed an issue where portable refiners placed near each other would share inventories
Fixed an issue where the cockpit of some ships would continually open and close
Fixed an issue where new controls were missing from the controls page
The start of Comic-Con 2018 has brought with it the first trailer for the DC Universe original series Titans--a live-action take on Teen Titans--and it's most definitely not what you were expecting. Without the constraints of network TV, DC is going dark with this show.
How dark? As you can see in the teaser trailer below, Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites) doesn't have the same hangups with killing bad guys that his mentor Bruce Wayne did. In the midst of crashing skulls and snapping necks, he offers a simple "F*** Batman," when told the Dark Knight would handle things differently.
As the trailer shows, Dick has grown up to become a police officer. As an adult, he'll become the leader of the Titans, which should be interesting given he will be enforcing the laws in two very different ways.
The trailer also gives looks at the rest of the Titans, including Raven (Teagan Croft), Beast Boy (Ryan Potter), and Starfire (Anna Diop). And for those worried about the costume photos that show Beast Boy without green skin, which you can see below, the trailer makes it clear that his skin definitely has the same pigmentation fans have come to expect.
Titans represents a few things for the future of DC on TV. For one, the graphic violence on display in the trailer is a far cry from the sanitized-for-TV fights on The CW. Beyond that, though, it shows that DC Entertainment is committed to making its new streaming service stand out.
Speaking to a group of reporters during a demo of DC Universe, DC Entertainment Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee said that the 10-episode first season of Titans would launch with the service. From there, the goal is to debut a new episode of original content--Young Justice: Outsiders, Doom Patrol, Swamp Thing, etc.--every week, 52 weeks a year.
A launch date has not been announced for the DC Universe streaming service just yet. However, it's expected to launch in the fall. In the meantime, watch that trailer a few dozen more times and get ready to watch the Titans bust some skulls.
The new movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has a huge amount of buzz thanks to its unique art style and starring role for the beloved Miles Morales. At San Diego Comic-Con 2018, Sony showed off some exclusive footage that went beyond the trailers we've already seen.
In the footage, Miles has apparently just gotten his powers, and seems mostly confused by them. At school, he gets his hand tangled in Gwen Stacy's hair, and wonders whether his strange new abilities are the result of finally hitting puberty. Later, the clip revealed that in Miles' universe, Peter Parker is dead. Miles is visiting Parker's grave in a makeshift Spider-Man outfit when he's approached from behind by an older Peter Parker, voiced by Jake Johnson. Miles quickly figures out that the other Peter is from an alternate dimension, and requests that he teach him how to be Spider-Man.
Finally, the footage showed Spider-Gwen, who introduces herself to the other two as "from another, another dimension." And three more Spider-Mans debuted: Spider-Man Noir, voiced by Nic Cage; Penny Parker, with her mech-like robot SPDR, voiced by Kimiko Glenn; and Spider-Ham, a cartoonish, costumed pig voiced by comedian John Mulaney.
Sony showed the footage during the studio's panel in Hall H, SDCC's largest venue. Moderated by Jessica Chobot, the panel included actors Shameik Moore (Miles Morales), Jake Johnson (Peter Parker), and Hailee Steinfeld (Gwen Stacy), directors Rodney Rothman, Peter Ramsey, and Bob Persichetti, and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
"He's a black Spider-Man, black and Mexican, I think that that's very powerful and iconic," Moore said of his character Miles Morales.
In the movie, Morales intersects with Spider-Men from alternate universes, including an older, jaded Peter Parker.
"It's Peter Parker at 40, it's Peter Parker with a bad back..and who's not sure if he still wants to be Spider-Man, and what it means to be Spider-Man after the excitement of being Spider-Man," Johnson said during the panel. "That just got really heavy, folks. But that's Peter Parker. It's chubby Peter Parker."
Hailee Steinfeld, who plays Gwen Stacy, said she's excited to play a female superhero.
"I get to play a female superhero, which was pretty cool--and not just any female superhero, but the first Spider-Woman," she said. "That was so exciting to me, and the fact that she really is the toughest and the coolest and the smartest and the most capable one in the room, and she knows it."
Lord and Miller said they insisted on a Miles story when Sony approached them to make an animated Spider-Man movie. "This story's been told a lot of times. We love Miles Morales," Lord said. "We thought this was an amazing way to tell the Spider-Man story."
"The thought of this movie was, 'What if these different stories intersected? What would it do, how would it shake them up, and what would happen if these people met?'" Lord said.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse hits theaters December 14.
August is almost here, which means Xbox Live Gold members will have a new set of free Xbox One and Xbox 360 games to download. We now know what those games will be, thanks to a post on Microsoft's Xbox Wire. The games going free in August will be Forza Horizon 2 and For Honor on Xbox One and Dead Space 3 and Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two for Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 games are backwards compatible, so they'll also be playable on Xbox One.
On the Xbox One side of things, you'll be able to download Forza Horizon 2 between August 1-31. It's an open-world racing game from 2014 that mixes realistic driving mechanics with some of the more arcade-style ideas of series like Burnout. For Honor is a melee combat game that pits characters from three factions against each other: Samurai, Knights, and Vikings. A fourth faction will be added in a free update this fall, along with a robust new Breach mode. For Honor will be free August 16-September 15.
On Xbox 360, Dead Space 3 sees the horror series' protagonist Isaac Clarke joined for the first time by a companion, Sgt. John Carver. The entire game, which focuses on alien dismemberment, is playable in online co-op mode. It will be free August 1-15. The final free Xbox 360 game in August is Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, a co-op game that has you save the Wasteland using a magic paintbrush. It's free August 16-31.
If you're reading this before August 1, it's not too late to grab some of July's free Games With Gold. Right now, Xbox Live Gold subscribers can download Assault Android Cactus and Death Squared for Xbox One, and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction for Xbox 360 and Xbox One.
August 2018 Games With Gold
Xbox One
Forza Horizon 2 (August 1-31)
For Honor (August 16-September 15)
Xbox 360
Dead Space 3 (August 1-15)
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (August 16-31)
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part portion of Warner Bros.' massive Hall H panel at Comic-Con 2018 opened with a LEGO version of Aisha Tyler moderating a pre-recorded panel with LEGO Batman, LEGO Aquaman (both versions--the classic orange-suited one and the Jason Momoa Justice League version), plus Lego Movie stars Emmet (Chris Pratt) and Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks).
The unfinished, exclusive LEGO Movie 2 footage shown gave attendees a new glimpse at the now-apocalyptic LEGO world--basically, it's Mad Max with LEGOs. "Everything was awesome. Now, everything is bleak," Wyldstyle says. Of course, Emmet quickly breaks the mood by cheerily showing up with coffee. In the footage, the movie's new villain, General Mayhem, kidnaps Wyldstyle. LEGO Harley Quinn points out that rescuing her is a "suicide mission," a tongue-in-cheek reference to Suicide Squad.
Most importantly, the clip introduced us to Rex Dangervest, a new character also voiced by Chris Pratt, who among his many jobs is a "raptor trainer," a cute little Jurassic World joke. The two characters show the dual sides of Pratt, who, as the actor pointed out during the panel, started his career as the hapless Andy on Parks and Rec and is now a superhero and action movie star.
Unlike the first LEGO Movie, which was directed by Chris Miller and Phil Lord, the follow-up will be helmed by Mike Mitchell. It's set five years after the first film and, along with those mentioned above, the cast consists of Jonah Hill (Green Lantern), Will Arnett (Batman), Channing Tatum (Superman), and Stephanie Beatriz (Sweet Mayhem). It releases on February 8, 2019.
DC movies weren't the only thing Warner Bros. showed off during its massive Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2018. The studio also brought the latest Harry Potter universe film, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and showed off some brand new footage with the cast in attendance to answer fans' burning questions.
The new Fantastic Beasts 2 trailer began with a welcome look at Jude Law's young Dumbledore walking the halls of Hogwarts, and teaching a young Newt Scamander in Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Newt reveals that his biggest fear is "having to work in an office."
Johnny Depp's Grindelwald was a big focus, advocating in the trailer for wizards coming out of the shadows. On a foggy bridge, Dumbledore tells Newt that he can't go after Grindelwald himself--it has to be Newt. The special effects look amazing, from Newt's furry, dangerous creatures to a glimpse at a showdown between Newt and Grindelwald. "Mr. Scamander, do you think Dumbledore will mourn for you?" Grindelwald asks.
The trailer ended with a surprising meeting with Nicolas Flamel, a famous alchemist central to the backstory of the Harry Potter books. Thankfully, Warner Bros. released the trailer online shortly after it debuted at the panel, so you can see it for yourself above.
As a final surprise, Johnny Depp appeared onstage in full Grindelwald costume and character, delivering a speech about the inferior "No-maj" people.
At the panel's start, a larger-than-life video of Newt Scamander welcomed attendees to Paris, the movie's setting, from the inside of his carrying case. As his giant face uttered the spell "Lumos," the bracelets given to attendees as they entered lit up with the Deathly Hallows logo. Eddie Redmayne took the stage shortly afterward to thunderous applause. The rest of the cast joined him onstage shortly afterward.
"There's an awful lot at stake. It's very much a 'Whose side are you on?' story," Jude Law said during the panel. He said the wizarding world and the human world will be pitched against each other, but wizards will fight wizards as well--and that Fantastic Beasts 2 will go to darker places than we've seen in the Harry Potter universe before.
Later in the panel, asked what she would do with her own magic powers, actress Zoë Kravitz quickly answered she'd "impeach Trump," eliciting laughter and cheers from Hall H's enormous crowd. Prompted by moderator Aisha Tyler, actor Dan Fogler even created the spell on the spot: "Impeachious Maximus," he invented, after ruminating on it for a moment.
A Venom movie without Spider-Man seems like a dicy gamble, but the footage Sony debuted exclusively during Comic-Con 2018 had fans excited nonetheless. It didn't hurt that they teased an eventual crossover with Tom Holland's Spider-Man, although it didn't sound like something that will happen any time soon.
In the clip, Tom Hardy's character Eddie Brock struggles to get the Symbiote under his control. He tries meditating, but there's footage of more violent scenes interspersed as he attempts to clear his mind. "You cannot change the past. But in the present moment, you are in total control," a voiceover says, but clearly that's not the case.
The footage showed Riz Ahmed's character, Dr. Carlton Drake, demonstrating the Symbiote's effect on an unwilling patient/victim. He's intent on forcing humanity to evolve. In another scene, Eddie races down the street on a motorcycle while the Symbiote erupts from his body, attacking nearby cars. Eddie speaks to the Symbiote, which can project words directly into Eddie's mind, or appear as a CG Venom head protruding from Eddie's body. In another scene, the two appear to have melded and reached some sort of balance; the Symbiote face peels partially away from Eddie's, and the two proclaim together, "We are Venom."
During the Sony movies panel in San Diego Comic-Con's Hall H, Tom Hardy said Venom will stick closely to the storyline in the Lethal Protector comics. "[Eddie] is an anti-hero, so he'll figure on a goal, and he'll do whatever he has to do to get to that goal," he said. Earlier at SDCC, Hardy revealed why he took the role.
Ahmed said during the panel that Carlton Drake is a "genius billionaire inventor" who is trying to answer the question of "what does the future of humanity look like" with the Earth on the brink of ecological collapse.
Another Symbiote appeared in the footage as well, and director Ruben Fleischer explained afterward that as fans suspected, it was Riot--an adversary of Venom's who is a "stronger and more powerful" Symbiote. He also has the ability to jump between hosts. "In our movie, you never know quite where Riot's going to turn up," Fleischer said.
Fans were expecting a little bit more, but Fleischer only teased that "there may or may not be other villains in the movie," saying he didn't want to give too much away.
However, moderator Jessica Chobot got one more small tease for fans, asking Fleischer and Hardy whether this cinematic incarnation will ever face off with Spider-Man, knowing that's what fans really want.
"I have to think that the studio's thinking the same way and that at some point down the road they're going to run into each other's paths," Fleischer said.
"What, me? Go toe-to-toe with Tom Holland? I'll have a go, yeah," Hardy added. "He's an awesome actor and I'd love to work with him, and I love Spider-Man. Who knows?"
Bandai Namco has shared new details on its DLC plans for Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom. The publisher will release three packs of additional content for the RPG over the next few months, the first of which is scheduled to arrive in August.
The Adventure Pack DLC launches on August 9 and will be available for free for everyone who owns the game. It adds an assortment of new challenges aimed at "experienced players." Along with new floors for the Faraway Forest Cave, the DLC introduces two new bosses to battle--Blackhart and Zeta--and additional quests that will be unlocked after completing the main story. Players will also be able to get new costumes and other rewards.
The remaining two DLC packs will be reserved for those who purchased Ni No Kuni 2's $20 season pass. The first is slated to arrive this winter and will introduce an "enigmatic" new dungeon that features progressively more challenging enemies as players delve deeper into it. The second expansion is expected to release in early 2019 and will add new story content. Additional details on these DLC packs will be shared later.
The most recent update for Ni No Kuni 2 arrived back in June. Along with an assortment of bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements, it introduced two new difficulty options, Hard and Extreme, both of which feature a higher quality equipment and item drops than the standard Normal mode.
Ni No Kuni 2 is available for PS4 and PC. GameSpot awarded it an 8/10 in our Ni No Kuni 2 review. Critic Peter Brown wrote, "It's chock full of excellent battles and surprising moments that make for a far more memorable experience than you initially expect and leaves you impressed by your own accomplishments. If you didn't play the first game, don't let this one pass you by too."
WWE and 2K have revealed the WWE 2K19 Wooooo Edition, a premium collector's edition of the upcoming wrestling game themed around WWE Hall of Famer and wrestling legend Ric Flair. This edition of the game will be available in limited quantities for PS4 and Xbox One, and it comes packaged with a variety of digital and physical content, including exclusive playable characters and memorabilia.
The Wooooo Edition is housed in a special collector's box featuring a portrait of the Nature Boy himself. It comes with a physical copy of the WWE 2K19 Deluxe Edition, which includes the game's season pass; both pre-order exclusive playable characters (Rey Mysterio and Ronda Rousey); an exclusive arena (Starrcade 1983); and several other playable '80s WWE Hall of Famers.
On top of that, those who purchase the collector's edition will receive an assortment of physical collectibles, including a replica WWE Hall of Fame ring; a plaque featuring a piece of one of Ric Flair's signature robes; several limited-edition cards for WWE SuperCard; and a Nature Boy Funko Pop. You can see the full contents of the collector's edition below:
WWE 2K19 Deluxe Edition
WWE 2K19 Season Pass
Exclusive playable WWE Hall of Famers: "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Dusty Rhodes, and Ricky Steamboat
Exclusive playable characters: Macho Man Randy Savage (WrestleMania VIII) and Undertaker (2002)
Exclusive playable arena: Starrcade 1983
Exclusive in-game attire: Ric Flair (WrestleMania 24 robe) and Charlotte Flair (WrestleMania 32 robe)
Access to WWE 2K19 pre-order content: Rey Mysterio and Ronda Rousey
WWE SuperCard limited-edition AJ Styles card
Exclusive premium packaging
WWE Hall of Fame replica ring
Nature Boy Funko Pop figure
Commemorative plaque featuring a fabric piece from Ric Flair's pink or purple robe
WWE SuperCard limited-edition Ric Flair and Charlotte Flair cards
The WWE 2K19 Wooooo Edition will retail for $130. 2K says only 30,000 copies of this version will be released worldwide, so those interested in picking it up should act quickly before it sells out. You can learn more in our WWE 2K19 pre-order guide.
WWE 2K19 launches for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 9. Unlike last year's installment, WWE 2K19 is skipping Nintendo Switch. On top of the aforementioned content, those who purchase either the Deluxe or collector's editions will get access to the game four days early, on October 5.
Season 5 of Fortnite: Battle Royale rolls on, and the latest batch of challenges is now available to complete for Battle Pass owners on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, and iOS. As usual, Week 2's challenges consist of seven different objectives, which run the gamut from eliminating a certain number of players to searching a specific area of the island. One of the potentially trickier tasks is to score a basket on five different hoops; here's where to find the basketball courts with those baskets and how to complete the challenge.
To complete this challenge, you will first need to have unlocked the basketball--one of the new toy items introduced in Season 5. The basketball is earned upon reaching tier 11 of the Season 5 Battle Pass. Fortunately, this can be accomplished fairly quickly, so if you own the Battle Pass and have been playing regularly, there's a good chance you already have the basketball. Once unlocked, you use the toy in the same way you would use an emote by assigning it to an emote slot before a match and pressing the corresponding key or button.
Provided you know where to look, completing this challenge is simply a matter of finding a basketball hoop, then using the basketball toy to sink a shot. There are at least nine hoops scattered across the island, and the challenge doesn't need to be completed within a single match, so the easiest way to reach your goal would be to land near one of the courts at the start of a game and sink a quick shot before having to deal with other players. You can see the location of each hoop below.
northeastern side of Greasy Grove
northwestern side of Tilted Towers
near the second-northernmost house in Snobby Shores
near the indoor soccer field in the unnamed area east of Snobby Shores
eastern side of Junk Junction
near a house on top of the mountain south of Salty Springs
southern side of Retail Row
in the picnic area just east of Retail Row
northeastern side of Paradise Palms
Be aware that you'll need to score a basket at five different locations to complete this challenge; only the first one you sink at a court will count toward your total, so you won't be able to take a shortcut by throwing the basketball into both hoops on the same court. Once you've scored five baskets, you'll be rewarded with five Battle Stars.
The other challenge that may trip you up this week is to search between an oasis, rock archway, and dinosaurs. The remaining tasks are all fairly straightforward, and they include searching chests in Loot Lake, dealing damage to opponents with Assault Rifles, and searching seven Ammo Boxes in a single match. You can see the full list of Week 2 Challenges below.
Completing challenges will rank up your Battle Pass, which in turn will unlock new skins, emotes, back blings, contrails, toys, and an assortment of other rewards during Season 5. You can see everything you can earn in our gallery of all the new Fortnite Season 5 Battle Pass rewards. For our complete Fortnite Season 5 coverage, be sure to check out the links at the bottom of this story.
Fortnite Season 5, Week 2 Challenges
Free
Deal damage with Assault Rifles to opponents (1000) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search seven Ammo Boxes in a single match (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Eliminate opponents in Paradise Palms (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
Battle Pass
Score a basket on different hoops (5)-- 5 Battle Stars
Search chests in Loot Lake (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search between an oasis, rock archway, and dinosaurs (1) -- 10 Battle Stars
Funko is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the anti-hero Venom, with a series of Pop figurines that "venomize" some popular characters from the Marvel universe. The lineup is coming in September, with plenty of store-exclusive Pops if you're set on getting a particular character.
Two classic Venom characters are being immortalized mid-transformation: Eddie Brock as Venom and Cletus Kasady as Carnage. A separate Carnage Pop exclusively at FYE shows him in his fully-suited state. Other Pops pay homage to various Avengers: the Hulk, Captain America, and Iron Man. Black Panther is a GameStop exclusive, Ghost Rider is exclusive to Walmart, and Loki is only available at Target.
Meanwhile, the Venom movie is preparing to hit theaters, but has raised some eyebrows for disassociating the character from Spider-Man. At SDCC, director Ruben Fleischer explained how they couldn't use the Spidey logo, but still wanted to give him a distinctive pattern for aesthetic purposes and to be able to track him during night scenes.
Tom Hardy (Mad Max: Fury Road) will play Eddie Brock and the anti-hero Venom. Also at Comic-Con, Fleischer suggested he'd like to see an eventual crossover with the MCU Spider-Man played by Tom Holland, which would be notable since Venom is being produced under the Sony umbrella. Hardy joked that he'd like to "have a go" against Spider-Man and to work with Holland. Venom releases October 5.
The live-action remake of Mulan has found a new villain. Jason Scott Lee has reportedly been tapped to play Bori Khan, a warrior on a quest of vengeance for his father's death, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Lee has a long history with Disney movies. He played Mowgli in the 1994 live-action The Jungle Book, Aladdin in the Arabian Nights TV series, and David in Lilo & Stitch and its sequel. More recently he has played a regular part on Hawaii Five-O.
The story behind Bori Khan implies that villains will have a bit more motivation this time around. In the original animated Mulan from 1998, the Hun leader Shan Yu led a villainous army intent on overthrowing the Chinese emperor, but they weren't given much on-camera motivation. This squares with other reports that this adaptation will have Gong Li playing a powerful witch as the primary villain, bringing a more supernatural element to the antagonist's side.
Mulan tells the story of a girl who disguises herself as a male soldier to join the army and protect her father, and saves China in the process. The title character will be played by Chinese actress Liu Yifei, and Jet Lee will play the emperor. It's set to release on March 27, 2020.
Season 5 of Fortnite: Battle Royale is fully underway on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and iOS. As before, the new season brings with it an assortment of new challenges to complete, as well as a variety of Battle Pass rewards to unlock. This time, however, Epic has made a few notable changes to the way certain Battle Pass challenges operate. Here's everything you need to know about the new Season 5 challenges and details on all of the ones available so far.
Once again, players who purchase the Season 5 Battle Pass will get a set of objectives to complete every week, which in turn will go toward leveling the Battle Pass up and unlocking new rewards. Unlike past seasons, however, weekly challenges are now divided into two categories, Free (which are available to all Fortnite players) and Battle Pass (which are reserved for those who've purchased the Pass). That means that even if you haven't bought the Battle Pass, you'll still be able to complete certain objectives and earn rewards.
If you do decide to pick up the Battle Pass partway through the season, you'll be also able to retroactively unlock any premium rewards you've earned based on the tier that you've already reached. However, one of the advantages of purchasing the Battle Pass early is bonus XP, which is awarded for playing in general and for playing in a party with friends. Since leveling up with XP translates into Battle Stars, you'll want to grab the Battle Pass as soon as you can and take advantage of these bonuses.
There are two other types of challenges to complete this season as well: Road Trip and Drift. The former are much like the Blockbuster challenges from Season 4; when you complete all of the challenges in a given week, you'll receive a special loading screen that points to the location of a hidden Battle Star. Drift challenges, on the other hand, task you with gaining a certain amount of XP. There are five Drift challenges to complete in total in Season 5, each of which reward you with a new style option for the Drift skin. If you manage to complete four out of the five Drift challenges, you'll also unlock the Rift Edge, an alternative for the pickaxe. For a limited time, you can also complete special anniversary challenges tied to Fortnite's birthday event.
You'll find a complete list of all Season 5 challenges available so far below, along with links to our maps and guides that will help you complete them all. You can see all of the new skins, cosmetics, emotes, sprays, and other items to unlock this season in our gallery of Fortnite Season 5 Battle Pass rewards.
Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 5 Challenges
Road Trip
Complete all challenges from any week -- loading screen
Complete all challenges from any 2 different weeks -- loading screen
Complete all challenges from any 3 different weeks -- loading screen
Complete all challenges from any 4 different weeks -- loading screen
Complete all challenges from any 5 different weeks -- loading screen
Complete all challenges from any 6 different weeks -- loading screen
Complete all challenges from any 7 different weeks -- loading screen
Reward: Mystery Legendary item (likely a skin)
Drift
Gain 10,000 XP -- Drift Stage 1 style
Gain 25,000 XP -- Drift Stage 2 style
Gain 50,000 XP -- Drift Stage 3 style
Gain 100,000 XP -- Drift Stage 4 style
Gain 200,000 XP -- Drift Stage 4 style
Reward: Rift Edge (Epic harvesting tool)
Fortnite 1st Birthday Challenges
Play matches (14) -- 5,000 XP
Deal damage to opponents (1000) -- Emote
Dance in front of different Birthday Cakes (10) -- Spray
Bandai Namco recently revealed the classic versions of Goku and Vegeta will be the next two DLC characters coming to Dragon Ball FighterZ. Ahead of their release next month, the publisher has shared a pair of new trailers, giving fans their first look at the two upcoming fighters in action.
Both base forms of Goku and Vegeta are modeled after their appearance from the Saiyan Saga in Dragon Ball Z. Goku sports his original training gi and flies in at the start of the match on his Flying Nimbus. His moveset is likewise taken primarily from this era of the series. Along with the Kamehameha, he can unleash the Spirit Bomb and use the Kaioken to amplify his power.
Vegeta, meanwhile, wears his iconic Saiyan armor, complete with his tail wrapper around his waist. He can unleash his signature Galick Gun attack, as well as the Galaxy Breaker--the move he used to kill his comrade Nappa in the series. You can watch Vegeta showcase these attacks in the video below.
Bandai Namco hasn't announced a release date or pricing details for Goku and Vegeta yet, but the pair are slated to arrive in August. Previous DLC characters like Vegito and Fused Zamasu could be purchased for $5 US / £4 / $7.55 AU each. The new fighters are also included in the Dragon Ball FighterZ season pass, which costs $35 US / £22 / $40.95 AU and gives players access to eight DLC characters upon their release.
Dragon Ball FighterZ is available now for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The game is also scheduled to release for Nintendo Switch on September 28. Before then, Bandai Namco will hold an open beta for the Switch version sometime in August. Players who pre-order the Switch version will also receive a digital Japanese copy of the rare Dragon Ball Z Super Famicom game, Super Butoden, as well as immediate access to Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Super Saiyan Blue Vegeta.
Dragon Ball FighterZ arrives on Nintendo Switch this September, but Switch owners will have a chance to try the acclaimed fighting game out before then. Bandai Namco has announced it will host an open beta for Dragon Ball FighterZ on Switch sometime in August.
No further details on the open beta have been revealed yet, so it's unclear how many fighters and modes will be available or what days the test will run, but Bandai Namco has confirmed the beta will be open to players in North America, Europe, and Japan. The open beta held for the PS4 and Xbox One versions ahead of their release featured 11 playable characters and a handful of different stages and modes, although it remains to be seen if the Switch beta will feature a similar lineup.
In addition to announcing the open beta, Bandai Namco has revealed that the Switch version of Dragon Ball FighterZ will launch with a couple of new local mulitplayer options, specifically an offline six-player Party Match mode and 2v2 and 1v1 matches. The publisher hasn't announced if these options will also be added to the PS4, Xbox One, and PC versions.
In other Dragon Ball FighterZ news, Bandai Namco recently unveiled the two newest DLC characters coming to the game: the base forms of Goku and Vegeta. Both characters are expected to release next month and are modeled after their appearances during the Saiyan Saga in Dragon Ball Z.
Rockstar Games has rolled out another batch of new content for Grand Theft Auto V. The massive After Hours update for GTA Online is now available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, bringing new vehicles, the ability to own and operate a nightclub, and more to the online mode.
Nightclubs are the update's biggest addition. Players can now partner with Tony Prince to open and manage their own club, from recruiting staff to choosing decor and promoting the venue. If your club becomes popular, you may even see GTA celebrities like Jimmy Boston and Lacey Jonas stop by.
The nightclubs also serve a more utilitarian purpose; every existing business players own can be managed from there. Each club also comes with a complimentary Vapid Speedo Custom, one of seven new vehicles added to GTA Online. The Vapid Speedo Custom can be upgraded with armor plating and a swivel-mounted machine gun. You can see the other new vehicles available in GTA Online below:
Dinka Jester Classic (Legendary Motorsport)
Ocelot Swinger (Legendary Motorsport)
Mammoth Patriot Stretch (Southern San Andreas Super Autos)
Festival Bus (Southern San Andreas Super Autos)
MTL Pounder Custom (Warstock)
Maibatsu Mule Custom (Warstock)
Players who log in to GTA Online through July 30 will receive a free Tony's Fun House t-shirt. Those who joined the "guest list" by logging in before July 2 will also receive their exclusive rewards, including GTA $350,000, Sessanta Nove Multi-Color and Pink & Green Camo liveries, and the Maisonette Los Santos t-shirt. Guest list members can also get 40% off of the new Maibatsu Mule Custom and MTL Pounder Custom.
Finally, a new assortment of in-game discounts are now available to peruse. Players can get 25% off of a variety of properties, businesses, and renovations in GTA Online through July 30. You can find the full list of discounted items below:
Hangars & Renovations
Hangar Workshop
Executive Offices & Renovations
Executive Garages & Renovations
Custom Auto Shop
Special Cargo Warehouses
Biker Clubhouses & Renovations
Custom Bike Shop
Biker Businesses
Bunkers & Renovations
You can read more about the After Hours update on Rockstar's official website.
No Man's Sky's big Next update is now available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The free update makes sweeping visual improvements and introduces a number of much-requested features to the ambitious sci-fi exploration game, including multiplayer, enhanced base building, a third-person perspective, and more.
Multiplayer is the most significant addition to No Man's Sky. Now, players are able to form a small team with friends or other random players and explore the universe together. Developer Hello Games says players are also able to fight with friends and foes in "epic space battles," as well as race exocraft together across planets.
As previously mentioned, base building has also been overhauled in the Next update. Now, players are able to own multiple bases, which can be constructed anywhere on a planet. The complexity and size limits of the bases you're able to build have also been "dramatically" increased, while "hundreds" of new base parts have been introduced to the game.
Additionally, the Next update introduces the ability to command freighters. Players can now assemble and upgrade a fleet of frigates, then send them out into the universe or use them to help explore a particular system. Players can also invite friends on board to embark on multiplayer missions together from the Galactic Commission Station.
Finally, the Next update overhauls nearly every facet of No Man's Sky's visuals. Hello Games says it has "dramatically improved planetary terrain generation, ground textures, water, and clouds." Ships, NPCs, and buildings have likewise received visual improvements, and the entire game is now playable from either a first-person or third-person perspective, both on-foot and in spaceships.
You can find the full patch notes for the update on the game's official website. Next is the fourth major update No Man's Sky has received since it first launched back in 2016, but it won't be the extent of the content coming to the title. Hello Games says it plans to continue supporting No Man's Sky with weekly missions and events, the first of which are slated to kick off next week.
Microsoft continues to roll out new backwards compatible games for Xbox One. Two more Xbox 360 titles are now playable on the current-gen console, and this time both are from Konami's Silent Hill series: Silent Hill HD Collection and Silent Hill: Homecoming.
Silent Hill HD Collection was originally released for Xbox 360 (as well as PS3) back in 2012. It includes high-definition remasters of Silent Hill 2 and 3, as well as the Born From a Wish bonus chapter for the former. GameSpot awarded the package a 7/10 in our original Silent Hill HD Collection review and called it "a convenient way for fans to experience the series' early years on modern hardware."
Silent Hill HD Collection
Silent Hill: Homecoming, meanwhile, is the sixth installment in the series. It was first released in 2008 and casts players in the role of Alex Shepard, a soldier returning home from war to find his brother missing and his hometown consumed by evil. GameSpot awarded it a 6.5/10 in our original review and said, "Silent Hill: Homecoming, while quite a departure from the psychological horror that fans are used to, is still a decent, occult-themed action game."
If you still own a physical copy of either title, you can simply pop the disc into your Xbox One and begin playing. Alternately, if you've previously purchased either of the games digitally, they will automatically appear in the Ready to Download section of Xbox One's My Games and Apps menu. Both titles are also available to download from the Microsoft Store.
Microsoft has been releasing a steady stream of new backwards compatible games for Xbox One since the feature was first introduced in 2015. More than 400 Xbox 360 games are now backwards compatible with the console, along with a selection of original Xbox games.
July is turning out to be an incredible month for video game deals. First we got Amazon Prime Day. Then came the (still ongoing) Xbox Ultimate Game Sale. And now the retail giant Best Buy has announced a major sale: Black Friday in July. The event officially begins July 27, but My Best Buy members can get early access to it right now--and you can join the My Best Buy program here for free. Supplies are limited during the sale, so your best chance of getting great deals is to check it out sooner rather than later.
The sale has discounted items in nearly all categories of products Best Buy sells. Tons of video games are on sale, including newer titles that haven't gotten many discounts yet, like the PS4 exclusives God of War and Detroit: Become Human, both of which are marked down to $50.
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