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.
A convergence of sales is happening on the PlayStation Store this week. Sony has its regular weekly sale going on, plus a Totally Digital sale on download-only games. And to top it off, Ubisoft is running a publisher sale of its own. Taken all together, anyone on the lookout for PS4 game deals has plenty of options to choose from this week. As indicated below, PlayStation Plus subscribers get an extra discount on certain games. Let's dig in.
In the Ubisoft sale, just about every recent PS4 game from the publisher is available at a discount. Among them, you can get the racing game The Crew 2 for $48 ($42 with PS Plus). It lets you cruise across the US, switching between automobiles, boats, and planes on the fly. The all-American shooter Far Cry 5 is down to $42 ($35) this week. And a trio of Tom Clancy games gets a substantial discount as well, with The Division landing at $20 ($15), Ghost Recon: Wildlands at $26 ($20), and Rainbow Six Siege at $25 ($20).
It's worth noting that for most of these Ubisoft games, you can get nice deals on their bundles and special editions as well. So if you want packages that contain any of those games along with all of their DLC, you can see if they're in the full list here.
On the indie side of the sale, you can pick up the creepy puzzle platformer Inside for $8 ($6) or its predecessor Limbo for $4 ($3). The tough-as-nails platformer N++ is available for half off at $7.50 (no additional PS Plus discount on that one), and the rogue-lite action platformer Rogue Legacy is on sale for $7 ($5).
Many more games are on sale on the PlayStation Store between now and August 21, some of which you can find listed below. For even more, you can visit the PlayStation Store to find the complete list.
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 and more recently at QuakeCon 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.
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.
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.
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. But this time around, it has been updated to be more of a tool that allows you to spot out dangers in the environment.
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. But don't be discouraged by this, the CAMP blueprint system makes it easy for players to quickly rebuild their homes, and if they're privy to an incoming threat, they can pack their things and move to a new location.
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.
How Does Character Creation And Progression Work?
You'll have similar character creation tools as Fallout 4. However, you're free to change your appearance at any point. In addition, you can also utilize the game's new photo mode during the creation process to better see how your character looks, as well as snap some shots you can share on social media.
The SPECIAL system returns and it's a bit different. Like previous games, SPECIAL encompasses the following stats: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, Luck. You're given one point to put into any of those stats every time you level up. The first thing you do when you emerge from the vault is pick a SPECIAL and then you pick a perk in that particular SPECIAL. Essentially, every SPECIAL is a pool of points for your perks.
But unlike previous games, perks are now cards you can equip and unlock as you rank up in a given SPECIAL; though, you're free to swap cards out at any time if you want to alter your build. Each SPECIAL characteristic you develop has a perk card cap of 15. These perk cards can be enhanced further from one to five points to increase their power.
You can obtain additional perk cards via Perk Card Packs (four random cards), which you earn every two levels initially (1-10), and then every 5 after that. You can also pick one perk card per level, usually from your SPECIAL choice. There are hundreds of Perks cards you can unlock, so naturally SPECIAL ranks cap out after a while (you gain a rank up in a SPECIAL each time you level up). At level 50, you'll stop increasing SPECIAL ranks, but you'll still get card packs.
How Does PvP Work?
When you shoot someone you do a little bit of damage, which can be equated to lightly slapping them in order to challenge them to a duel. In response to this, the other player can choose to ignore or engage. If they engage in a battle with you, they'll start to take full damage. The one who is killed in this consenting PvP match has the option to seek revenge. Doing so gives that person the opportunity to get double the rewards granted they're successful.
If you'd rather choose to ignore a PvP match, there's no way to escape being killed--despite the small damage dealt to you during the initiation phases. However, if you are killed by a player under these circumstances, that player becomes a Wanted Murderer and will receive no rewards from having killed you.
A Wanted Murderer is marked on the map as a red star and a bounty is placed on their head. Players looking to cash in on this bounty aren't visible on the Murderer's map. If the murderer is killed, the money from that bounty is taken out their stock.
In order to give players time to properly acclimate to how Fallout 76 plays, PvP won't be available to players until level five. And if you perish from any PvP encounter, the only thing you'll lose is the junk you've been collecting, which can be reclaimed after death if not already picked up by other players. You can always store junk in stashes found around the world, so as to safeguard a portion of your stock. Armor and weapons are retained in your inventory after death.
Any Voice Chat?
It's possible to chat with your teammates and even strangers you discover out in the world. It's area-based so your ability to hear other plays will vary. But if you want nothing to do with strangers, it's possible to mute their voices entirely.
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.
Award-winning game developer The Chinese Room has been acquired by the Sumo Group. Founded by Dan Pinchbeck and Jessica Curry, The Chinese Room is best known for making narrative-driven indie titles like Everybody's Gone to the Rapture and Dear Esther, but the team also created games like Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs.
The Chinese Room is the fifth studio to join the Sumo Group under the Sumo Digital umbrella. Sumo Digital is currently developing Crackdown 3 for Microsoft, having previously worked on other Xbox exclusives such as the Forza Horizon franchise and Xbox Fitness.
Curry wished to remain independent and is leaving the studio to pursue other work as a composer, but Pinchbeck is staying on as The Chinese Room's new creative director. Sumo Group CEO Carl Cavers said, "I am really pleased that Dan has chosen to join Sumo Group. We believe Dan's renowned creative abilities will add real value to Sumo Group. The Chinese Room has an outstanding reputation and its acquisition will enhance and extend Sumo Digital's capabilities."
Pinchbeck is also excited about the acquisition, saying, "I'm thrilled to be joining Sumo Digital, a network of studios I've a huge amount of respect for. Sumo will provide the support and experience I'm looking for to take The Chinese Room to the next level. Our aim is to build on the reputation I'm proud to have earned, to create a truly world-class studio delivering bold, imaginative new games. We're already working on some really fantastic new concepts, alongside discussions with partners about some of the games we already have in the pipeline. The future for the studio is incredibly exciting and being part of the Sumo family is absolutely central to that."
It's almost time for Summerslam, the biggest WWE PPV of the season. It will be taking place Sunday, August 19 on the WWE Network. For the fourth year in a row, the event will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Most of WWE's championship titles will be up for grabs for the major event, including Roman Reigns taking on Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship.
Summerslam's main card will start at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT. In the past couple of years, the bigger WWE events, like Summerslam and Wrestlemania, have had longer Kickoff Shows, which are two hours long, so expect this Kickoff to start at 5 PM ET / 2 PM PT. As of this writing, WWE's scheduling for August 19 is not available, so we don't know for sure.
If you're interested in watching the event, but don't have the WWE Network, you can sign up for one month for free and cancel at any time without any contractual obligations. That means you can watch Summerslam for free and cancel right afterwards. However, if you like the service, it'll cost you $10 a month to continue using it. The WWE Network is available on gaming consoles, iOS, Android, Roku, Smart TVs, and more.
As of this writing, there are already eleven matches on the card, and there could possibly be more added, included a match for the Raw Tag Team Championship. If it happens, it will be announced the Monday before the event.
Aside from Reigns taking on Lesnar for the Universal Championship for the umpteenth time, there are some continuations of solid storylines as well as new rivalries that have some legs. Jeff Hardy will get his rematch against Shinsuke Nakamura for the United States Championship, and hopefully, Hardy learns to wear a cup to protect himself from low blows. Additionally, Ronda Rousey will get a chance to win the Raw Women's Championship from Alexa Bliss. Hopefully, if Rousey ends up winning, she will be a fighting champion and not absent like a certain champion on the men's roster has been for the past couple of years. The card is already pretty filled out, and we're still a couple weeks away from the show.
Summerslam match card:
Rusev & Lana vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas & Zelina Vega [KICKOFF MATCH]
The B-Team vs. The Revival [KICKOFF MATCH] (For the Raw Tag Team Championship)
Cedric Alexander (c) vs. Drew Gulak (For the Cruiserweight Championship)
Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Jeff Hardy (For the United States Championship)
Carmella (c) vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch (For the Smackdown Women's Championship)
Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz
Dolph Ziggler (c) vs. Seth Rollins (For the Intercontinental Championship)
Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens
The Bludgeon Brothers (c) vs. The New Day (For the Smackdown Tag Team Championship)
Finn Balor vs. Baron Corbin
Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Ronda Rousey (For the Raw Women's Championship)
AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe (For the WWE Championship)
Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns (For the Universal Championship)
Make sure to come back to GameSpot on Sunday, August 19 for live coverage of the event. Don't expect the demon from Hell, Kane, to be involved in this PPV in anyway though. He's currently transitioning into his new role as mayor.
Activision has announced the first beta session for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's Blackout mode. As was the case with this month's private multiplayer beta, the first Blackout test will be reserved exclusively for PS4 players and is scheduled to kick off on September 10.
Blackout is Black Ops 4's take on battle royale. Aside from a brief glimpse in the game's latest trailer, however, Activision hasn't shared many details about the mode yet. Likewise, the publisher didn't provide much information as to what the Blackout beta will entail, but the official Call of Duty Twitter account revealed that players will have three different options to play the mode: solos, duos, and quads.
To get access to the Blackout beta, you'll need to pre-order a copy of Black Ops 4. While the first session will only be available on PS4, Activision will host additional beta sessions for other platforms at a later date. Xbox One owners will likewise need to pre-order the game to participate in the Blackout beta, but PC players will be able to jump in even without reserving the title.
Black Ops 4's Blackout mode was first announced at E3 this past June. Developer Treyarch says it features the largest map the studio has ever created--approximately 1,500 times larger than Nuketown. The developer also revealed the mode draws heavily from previous Black Ops games and features ground, air, and sea vehicles--although last we heard, Treyarch was still undecided on Blackout's player count.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 releases for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 12. In addition to Blackout, the game will launch with an expanded Zombies mode. However, it won't feature a traditional single-player campaign; instead, players will be able to undertake a series of solo missions that focus on each of Specialist character.
At San Diego Comic-Con last month, Star Trek: Discovery showrunner Alex Kurzman confirmed that Mr. Spock is set to appear in the upcoming second season of the show. It has now been confirmed by Variety that the iconic Vulcan will be played by Ethan Peck.
Peck is the third actor to play Spock, following Leonard Nimoy in the original '60s series and Star Trek movies throughout the 1980s, and Zachary Quinto, who played the character in the recent reboot films. Peck has appeared in a wide variety of TV shows over the years, including Gossip Girl, 10 Things I Hate About You, That '70s Show, and Madame Secretary. Discovery is set a decade before the original series, and the main character played by Sonequa Martin-Green, Michael Burnham, is Spock's foster sister.
In a statement, Kurzman spoke about the decision to cast Peck in the role. "Through 52 years of television and film, a parallel universe and a mirror universe, Mr. Spock remains the only member of the original bridge crew to span every era of Star Trek," he said. "The great Leonard Nimoy, then the brilliant Zachary Quinto, brought incomparable humanity to a character forever torn between logic and emotion.
"We searched for months for an actor who would, like them, bring his own interpretation to the role. An actor who would, like them, effortlessly embody Spock's greatest qualities, beyond obvious logic: empathy, intuition, compassion, confusion, and yearning. Ethan Peck walked into the room inhabiting all of these qualities, aware of his daunting responsibility to Leonard, Zack, and the fans, and ready to confront the challenge in the service of protecting and expanding on Spock's legacy. In that spirit, we're thrilled to welcome him to the family."
Spock isn't the only classic Trek character set to appear in the next season of Discovery. In April, it was announced that Inhumans star Anson Mount will play Captain Christopher Pike, the predecessor of James T. Kirk at the helm of the USS Enterprise. The arrival of Pike was first teased in the Season 1 finale when the USS Discovery came face-to-face with the famous Star Trek vessel.
The first trailer for Discovery Season 2 was revealed at SDCC, and the show will premiere in January 2019. Ahead of that there will be four short films called "Short Treks" that will begin releasing from September. Each of these films will be 10-15 minutes in length, and focus on specific characters. Characters such as Sylvia Tilly, Harry Mudd, and Saru will be featured in them.
In related news, it was recently announced that Star Trek: The Next Generation star Patrick Stewart will reprise the role of Jean-Luc Picard in another upcoming series. The show will "tells the story of the next chapter in Picard's life," and, like Discovery, will air on CBS All Access. However, the next Star Trek movie is in doubt, following the reports of a pay dispute between the studio and stars Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth.
Last week, it was announced that the role of Batwoman in The CW's DC shows will be played by The Meg and John Wick: Chapter 2 star Ruby Rose. Rose will make her debut as the character in this fall's crossover between the four shows in the network's Arrow-verse, before headlining a standalone Batwoman show in 2019. However, the star has now quit Twitter because of the backlash she has suffered as a result.
As reported by Variety, Rose has become the target of trolls who have expressed their displeasure at her casting. The current incarnation of Batwoman--aka Kate Cane--first appeared in DC comics in 2006 and is an openly gay character. Rose herself is an out lesbian and has described opinions that she wasn't right for the role as "ridiculous."
Before deleting her account, she wrote: "Where on Earth did 'Ruby is not a lesbian therefore she can't be Batwoman' come from--has to be the funniest most ridiculous thing I've ever read. I came out at 12? And have for the past 5 years had to deal with 'she's too gay' how do y'all flip it like that? I didn't change. I wish we would all support each other and our journeys."
The actress signed off by stating that she was taking a "break from Twitter to focus all my energy on my next 2 projects. If you need me, I'll be on my Bat Phone."
Rose is the latest star who has been forced to quit social media as a result of targeted abuse. In June, Star Wars: The Last Jedi star Kelly Marie Tran abandoned her Instagram account, and was soon followed by Stranger Things' Millie Bobbie Brown, who similarly left Twitter.
Rose will appear in the The CW's annual crossover this fall, which will incorporate The Flash, Supergirl, Arrow, and Legends of Tomorrow. The Batwoman show is expected to premiere in the fall of 2019, and will be executively produced by The Vampire Diaries showrunner Caroline Dries.
Rose is also one of the stars of The Meg, the shark thriller which is currently at the top of US box office. The movie opened last Friday and made a massive $44 million in its first weekend, which was twice the predicted opening gross.
As we reported last week, August is often one of the quietest months at the box office, with the big Hollywood blockbusters already released and the more prestigious awards-oriented movies still a couple of months away. As late as the middle of last week, it looked like this would be the case for August 2018, with the month's biggest new release--the shark thrillerThe Meg-- only predicted to pull in around $20 million over its first three days.
However, in one of the biggest box office surprises of the year, The Meg has powered its way to an estimated $44 million opening weekend, more than double what industry experts predicted. The results ensure that the Jason Statham-starring film took the No.1 slot on the box office chart, and sets it well on the way to recouping its reported $130 million production budget. The movie, which is a Chinese co-production, also made $96.8 million internationally in its first three days.
The week's other new releases were the horror movie Slender Man, and Spike Lee's comedy drama BlacKkKLansman. Slender Man has been met with some terrible reviews, but entered the chart at No.4 with an estimated $11 million, which was, again, more than double the estimate. BlacKkKLansman, conversely, has received rave reviews but was released on far fewer screens, and enjoyed a decent $10.8 million opening weekend to enter at No.5.
Elsewhere, the hugely successful Mission Impossible: Fallout and the family sequel Christopher Robin slipped to No.2 and 3 respectively. The bottom half of the chart consisted mostly of titles that have stuck around for a few weeks, including Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, and Ant-Man and the Wasp.
You can see the full Top 10 list for the August 10-12 US box office below, as compiled by Box Office Mojo.
US/Canada Box Office For August 10-12:
The Meg – $44.5 million
Mission Impossible: Fallout – $20.0 million
Disney's Christopher Robin – $12.4 million
Slender Man – $11.3 million
BlacKkKlansman – $10.8 million
The Spy Who Dumped Me – $6.6 million
Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again – $5.8 million
The Equalizer 2 – $5.5 million
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation – $5.1 million
A movie based on Naughty Dog's Uncharted games has been in the works for many years, but it seems that it's getting close actually happening. Following last year's news that Spider-Man star Tom Holland will play a young Nathan Drake, we have an update from director Shawn Levy.
Levy is also a producer of Stranger Things and in an interview about that Netflix hit, was asked about the status of other upcoming projects, including the Uncharted movie. "As of right now, the closest to the starting line is Uncharted in that it's a massive title," he told The Playlist. "We now have a very good script and we have our star in Tom Holland. That is now subject to schedule and additional casting. But I would say as of right now, that seems to be the most near horizon. And it's a movie I'm very excited about."
Levy was announced as director of the Uncharted film back in October 2016, while Holland has been attached since May last year. More recently, Naughty Dog's creative lead Neil Druckmann spoke about the decision to hire Levy, and what fans could expect from the movie. He stated that Levy really "gets it" and "understands where we're at," and that the film wouldn't be a direct adaptation of any of the four main Uncharted games.
"We used to just be excited--oh my god, movies are looking at us," he explained. "There could be an Uncharted movie on the screen, and then as more time passes on, we're not excited by a direct adaptation of the story we told, because we feel we've already told that story very well cinematically, so I don't know what else you could bring to it."
In related news, an Uncharted fan film was released last month, with Nathan Fillion as Drake. The Firefly star has been suggested as a potential Drake by fans for years, but with the movie clearly opting for a much younger version of the character, this short film at least gives us a chance to see what Fillion can deliver in the role.
Six years after the hit animated arcade game comedy Wreck-It Ralph hit theaters, the follow-up finally arrives in November. As the title suggests, Ralph Breaks the Internet sees Ralph and Vanellope explore the wild world of the web, and a new trailer has been released.
The latest promo is notable for introducing the character of Shank, the leather-clad star of the violent racing game Slaughter Race, voiced by Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot. Elsewhere we have more funny footage from the assorted Disney princesses that featured in the last trailer, including some hilariously incomprehensible dialogue from Brave's Merida. Check it out above.
Ralph Breaks the Internet is released on November 21. John C. Reilly (Ralph), Sarah Silverman (Vanellope), and Jane Lynch (Calhoun) reprise their roles from the first movie, and the cast also includes Taraji P. Henson, Alan Tudyk, and James Corden. It's directed by Zootopia's Rich Moore and Phil Johnston.
In a recent interview with insidethemagic.net, the directors spoke about introducing characters from other famous Disney movies and franchises, including Star Wars, Marvel, Frozen, and Pocahontas. "We don't want it to feel like a Disney advertisement or anything like that, so we made sure that it's integral to the story and natural for the characters to be there," Johnston said. "And then we have a little fun making fun of ourselves. That's the balance we strike of satire, and we're trying to say something without being mean about it. I think the internet really opens the door for that kind of thing."
"I think the internet has that kind of sense of humor to it," Moore added. "It's so self-referential. It's layer upon layer of self-references, so to our point of view, it's an appropriate kind of story and location that you can have humor like this. If it wasn't there it would feel a little strange, because so much of the humor of the internet comes from that direction, I think."
Amazon is running some fantastic video game deals. Better yet, many of the discounts are on Nintendo Switch games that don't go on sale very often, so if you have a Switch it's definitely worth looking at these deals to see if you want to add any of the games to your collection. But seeing as Amazon doesn't have regular weekly sales, it's anyone's guess how long the discounts will last.
Let's start with the heavy-hitters. Anyone who hasn't picked up Super Mario Odyssey or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild can do so now for $45 each. As you probably know, those are must-own games for anyone with a Switch, and now they're 25% off. Nintendo games are famous for staying full price long after release, so this is a great time to get them.
Normally $40, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is on sale for $35. It may be another Wii U re-release on Switch, but that doesn't lessen this puzzle game's charm and low-key brilliance. You play as the titular character (who can't even jump) as you try to unlock the secrets of increasingly complicated levels. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Mario Tennis Aces are also $45 each. Hack-and-slash fans can pick up Fire Emblem Warriors for just $36.
In non-Switch news, the PS4 exclusive God of War is also down to $45. It's one of the best games of the year, and now's a good time to play it before the avalanche of fall PS4 games begins. You can also grab the recent action-RPG Vampyr for $40.
There's not much in the way of Xbox One games on sale on Amazon, but you can check out the big weekly sale on the Microsoft Store.
The Xbox One's backwards compatibility feature, introduced in November 2015, lets you play original Xbox and Xbox 360 games on the current-gen console. But what games are available? We've rounded them all up--and we'll continue to update this post as new games are made available to the extensive list. More are added regularly, although new original Xbox games will be less common. [Updated August 14 with two more games.]
Xbox One Backwards Compatibility Lineup:
Xbox
New titles are bolded
Black
Blinx: The Time Sweeper
BloodRayne 2
Breakdown
Conker: Live & Reloaded
Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge
Dead to Rights
Destroy All Humans
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Full Spectrum Warrior
Fuzion Frenzy
Grabbed by the Ghoulies
Hunter: The Reckoning
Jade Empire
The King of Fighters Neowave
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction
MX Unleashed
Ninja Gaiden Black
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Panzer Elite Action: Fields of Glory (Europe only)
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Psychonauts
Red Faction II
Sid Meier's Pirates
SSX 3
Star Wars Battlefront
Star Wars Battlefront II
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Star Wars: Republic Commando
Xbox 360
New titles are bolded
0 Day Attack on Earth
3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures
A Kingdom for Keflings
A World of Keflings
Aegis Wing
Age of Booty
Alan Wake
Alan Wake's American Nightmare
Alice: Madness Returns
Alien Hominid HD
Altered Beast
Anomaly Warzone Earth
Arkanoid Live
Army of Two
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Assassin's Creed III
Assassin's Creed III: Liberation HD
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
Assassin's Creed Revelations
Assassin's Creed Rogue
Assault Heroes 2
Asteroids & Deluxe
AstroPop
Aqua
Axel & Pixel (not available for purchase)
Babel Rising
Band of Bugs
Banjo Kazooie: Nuts n Bolts
Banjo Tooie
Banjo Kazooie
Batman: Arkham Origins
Battlefield: Bad Company
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Battlefield 3
Battlefield 1943
BattleBlock Theater
Battlestations: Midway
Bayonetta
Beat'n Groovy
Bejeweled 2
Bejeweled 3
Bellator: MMA Onslaught
Beyond Good & Evil HD
Bionic Commando Rearmed 2
BioShock
BioShock 2
BioShock Infinite
Bloodforge
Blood Knights
Blood of the Werewolf
BloodRayne: Betrayal
Blue Dragon
Bomberman Live: Battlefest
Boom Boom Rocket
Borderlands
Borderlands 2
Bound by Flame
Braid
Brain Challenge
Bullet Soul
Bullet Soul: Infinite Burst
Bully: Scholarship Edition
Burnout Paradise
Burnout Revenge
Cabela's Alaskan Adventures
Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2013
Cabela's Hunting Expeditions
Cabela's Survival: Shadows of Katmai
Call of Duty 2
Call of Duty 3
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Call of Duty: World at War
Call of Juarez Gunslinger
Capcom Arcade Cabinet
Carcassonne
Cars: Mater-National Championship
Cars 2
Castle Crashers
Castlestorm
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Catherine
The Cave
Centipede & Millipede
Child of Light
Civilization: Revolution
Clannad
Commanders: Attack of the Genos
Comic Jumper
Comix Zone
Condemned
Contra
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Crackdown
Crazy Taxi
Crystal Quest
Crystal Defenders
Cyber Troopers Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram
The Darkness II
Dark Souls
Dark Void
Darksiders
Darksiders II
Daytona USA
de Blob 2
Dead Rising 2: Case West
Dead Rising 2: Case Zero
Dead Space
Dead Space 2
Dead Space 3
Dead Space Ignition
Deadfall Adventures
Deadliest Warrior: Legends
Deadliest Warrior: The Game
Deadly Premonition
Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue
Defense Grid
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut
Dig Dug
Dirt 3
Dirt Showdown
Discs of Tron
Disney Bolt
Disney Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
Divinity II
Domino Master
Doom
Doom II
Doom 3: BFG Edition
Doritos Crash Course
Double Dragon: Neon
Dragon Age: Origins
Dragon Age II
Dragon's Lair
Driver: San Franciso
DuckTales Remastered
Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project
Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara
Dungeon Siege III
E4: Every Extend Extra Extreme
Earthworm Jim HD
Earth Defense Force 2017
Earth Defense Force 2025 -- added August 7
Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon
Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Encleverment Experiment
Escape Dead Island
F1 2014
Fable Anniversary
Fable Heroes
Fable II
Fable II Pub Games
Fable III
Faery: Legends of Avalon
Fallout 3
Fallout: New Vegas
Far Cry 2
Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon
Feeding Frenzy
Feeding Frenzy 2
Fight Night Champion
Fighting Vipers
Final Fight: Double Impact
Flashback
Flock
Forza Horizon
Fret Nice
Frogger
Frogger 2
FunTown Mahjong
Galaga
Galaga Legions
Galaga Legions DX
Garou: Mark of the Wolves
Gatling Gears
Gears of War
Gears of War 2
Gears of War 3
Gears of War: Judgment
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime
Gin Rummy
Girl Fight
Goat Simulator
Golden Axe
Go! Go! Break Steady
Golf: Tee It Up
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grid 2
Grid Autosport
Gripshift
Guardian Heroes
Gunstar Heroes
Guwange
Gyromancer
Gyruss
Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax
Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo 3
Halo 3: ODST Campaign Edition
Halo 4
Halo: Reach
Halo: Spartan Assault
Halo Wars
Hard Corps: Uprising
Hardwood Backgammon
Hardwood Hearts
Hardwood Spades
Harms Way
Haunted House
Heavy Weapon
Hexic 2
Hexic HD
Hitman: Absolution
Hitman: Blood Money
Hydro Thunder
I Am Alive
Ikaruga
Ilomilo
Injustice: Gods Among Us + disc-only Ultimate Edition
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Interpol: The Trail of Dr. Chaos
Iron Brigade
Jeremy McGrath's Offroad
Jet Set Radio
Jetpac Refuelled
Jewel Quest
Joe Danger Special Edition
Joe Danger 2: The Movie
Joust
Joy Ride Turbo
Juju
Jurassic Park: The Game
Just Cause 2
Kameo
Kane & Lynch 2
Killer Is Dead
The King of Fighters '98
The King of Fighters 2002
KOF Sky Stage
Lazy Raiders
Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Dead 2
Lego Batman
Lego Indiana Jones
Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues
Lego Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
Limbo
Lode Runner
Lost Odyssey
Lumines Live!
Luxor 2
Mad Tracks
Mafia II
Magic: The Gathering 2012
Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death
Mars: War Logs
Mass Effect
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 3
Matt Hazard: Blood, Bath, and Beyond
The Maw
Medal of Honor: Airborne
Meet the Robinsons
Mega Man 9
Mega Man 10
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker HD Edition
Metal Slug 3
Metal Slug XX
Midnight Club: Los Angeles
Midway Arcade Origins
Might & Magic Clash of Heroes
Military Madness
Mirror's Edge
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom
Missile Command
Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine
Monday Night Combat
Monkey Island: SE
Monkey Island 2: SE
Monopoly Deal
Moon Diver
Motocross Madness
Ms. Splosion Man
Ms Pac-Man
Mutant Blobs Attack
Mutant Storm Empire
Mutant Storm Reloaded
MX vs. ATV Reflex
N+
NBA Jam: On Fire Edition
Neogeo Battle Coliseum
Nights Into Dreams
Of Orcs and Men
Omega Five
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
Operation Flashpoint: Red River
The Orange Box
Overlord
Overlord II
Outland
Pac-Man
Pac-Man C.E
Pac-Man CE DX+
Pac-Man Museum
Peggle
Peggle 2
Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark Zero
Persona 4 Arena
Phantasy Star II
Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds
Pinball FX
Planets Under Attack
Plants vs. Zombies
Poker Smash
Portal: Still Alive
Portal 2
Prince of Persia
Prince of Persia (2008) -- added August 7
Prey
Pure
Putty Squad
Puzzle Quest
Puzzle Quest 2
Puzzle Quest: Galactrix
QIX++ Puzzlegeddon
Rage
Raiden IV
Raskulls
Rayman 3 HD
Rayman Legends
Rayman Origins
Red Dead Redemption
Red Faction: Armageddon
Red Faction: Battlegrounds
RoboBlitz
Rocket Knight
Rockstar's Table Tennis
R-Type Dimensions
Runner 2
Sacred 3
Sacred Citadel
Saints Row
Saints Row 2
Saints Row: The Third
Saints Row IV
Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell
Sam & Max: Beyond Time & Space
Sam & Max Save the World
Samurai Shodown II
Scarygirl
Scrap Metal
ScreamRide
Sega Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd & Co.
Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World
Sega Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage
Sega Vintage Collection: ToeJam & Earl
Sensible World of Soccer
Shadow Assault/Tenchu
Shadow Complex
Shadowrun
Shadows of the Damned
Shank 2
Shinobi
Shred Nebula
Shotest Shogi
Silent Hill: Downpour
Silent Hill HD Collection -- added July 24
Silent Hill: Homecoming -- added July 24
Sine Mora -- added August 7
Skate 3
Skullgirls
Skydive
Slender: The Arrival
Small Arms
Sniper Elite V2
Soltrio Solitaire
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic Adventure
Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic CD
Sonic The Fighters
Sonic Generations
Sonic The Hedgehog
Sonic The Hedgehog 2
Sonic The Hedgehog 3
Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode II
Soulcalibur
Soulcalibur II
South Park: The Stick of Truth
Space Ark
Space Giraffe
Space Invaders Infinity Gene
Spec Ops: The Line
Spelunky
The Splatters
Split/Second
Splosion Man
SSX
Stacking
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
Steins; Gate 比翼恋理のだーりん (Japan only)
Steins; Gate (オリジナル版) (Japan only)
Steins; Gate 線形拘束のフェノグラム (Japan-only, requires game disc)
Strania
Street Fighter IV
Stuntman: Ignition
Super Contra
Super Meat Boy
Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition
Supreme Commander 2
Syberia
Tecmo Bowl Throwback
Tekken 6
Tekken Tag Tournament 2
Texas Hold 'Em
Ticket to Ride
TimeShift
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist -- added July 31
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent -- added July 31
Tomb Raider: Anniversary -- added August 14
Tomb Raider: Legend -- added August 14
Tomb Raider: Underworld
Torchlight
Tour de France 2009
Tour de France 2011
Toy Soldiers
Toy Soldiers Cold War
Toy Story 3
Toybox Turbos
Tower Bloxx Deluxe
Trials HD
Trine 2
Tron: Evolution
Ugly Americans: Apocalypsegeddon
Unbound Saga
Undertow
Vanquish
Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
Viva Piñata
Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise
The Walking Dead: A Telltale Games Series
The Walking Dead: Season 2 - A Telltale Games Series
The Walking Dead: Michonne - A Telltale Miniseries
Microsoft has added another pair of Xbox 360 games to Xbox One's growing backwards compatible library. Ahead of the release of Shadow of the Tomb Raider next month, players can now revisit two of Lara Croft's last-gen adventures on Xbox One: Tomb Raider Legend and Tomb Raider Anniversary.
Originally released in 2006, Tomb Raider Legend was Crystal Dynamics' first attempt to reboot the series. This installment sees Lara Croft on a quest to find an ancient relic tied to her mother's death, which ultimately takes her on a world-spanning adventure to recover fragments of a magical sword. We called the game "a good return to the roots of the series" in our original Tomb Raider Legend review and awarded it a 7.8/10.
Tomb Raider Anniversary, meanwhile, originally arrived the following year, in 2007. It's a remake of the original Tomb Raider, using the continuity and engine established by Legend to reimagine the PS1 classic. "Nothing in Tomb Raider Anniversary has been regurgitated verbatim--everything is bigger and better," we observed in our original Tomb Raider Anniversary review. "The environments are larger and more detailed, while existing puzzles have been elaborated upon, often to an incredible degree."
If you still own a physical copy of either title, you can pop the disc into your Xbox One, which will initiate a download and allow you to play on the console. Alternately, if you've previously purchased either game digitally, it'll appear automatically in the Ready to Download section of the My Games and Apps menu. Both games are also discounted as part of this week's sale in the Microsoft Store.
Since Xbox One's backwards compatibility feature was first introduced in 2015, the console has amassed an impressive library of BC games. More than 400 Xbox 360 titles are playable on the current-gen console, as are more than 30 original Xbox games. You can see everything that's available in our full list of backwards compatible games. You can also find recommendations for which ones to play in our best Xbox One backwards compatible games gallery.
Patrick Soderlund, EA's chief design officer, is one of its most recognizable executives; from taking the stage at E3 to bearing the brunt of the company's recent lootbox controversy, he has been a major public face for one of the world's largest gaming companies. Now, EA has announced Soderlund is leaving the company and "will begin a new chapter later this year."
Soderlund was formerly the head of DICE, until EA acquired the company in 2006. He has played a key role in developing the Battlefield and Star Wars Battlefront franchises, and is credited with helping spearhead the Frostbite engine, which continues to be used by many of EA's games. "From his early vision for Frostbite, which has now become a cornerstone for our technology strategy, to being a champion for Players First experiences, Patrick has always ensured we put creative at the center of everything we do," said CEO Andrew Wilson in a note announcing Soderlund's departure.
"He has also been unwavering in his commitment to building our pipeline of amazing new games to come, and his fingerprints will be on the experiences that we bring to players well into the future."
The move comes just before Battlefield V releases, a franchise no doubt close to Soderlund's heart, and after a year of controversy surrounding Star Wars Battlefront II. When the game released in November 2017, there was a considerable backlash to the game's lootboxes and progression system, with many accusing EA of making it 'pay-to-win.' Soderlund spoke openly about the controversy after the company pulled in-game transactions altogether, saying EA learned a lesson it wouldn't forget. The game failed to meet sales targets, and Star Wars Battlefront II later reintroduced loot boxes, but for cosmetic items only.
Soderlund leaving will prompt some internal shakeup in the company, as well. "A few teams will move within our organization with this change. The SEED team led by Johan Andersson will join our studios group to continue driving advanced design and innovation at the leading edge of games," said WIlson.
"We're deepening our focus on user experience, and welcoming Jason Wozencroft to our studios to lead a strong, unified UX approach for our games and services. And with new games and content playing a vital role in our networked future, the EA Originals and EA Partners teams led by Rob Letts will join our Strategic Growth group." Wilson also highlighted the company's focus on its subscriptions services, saying EA is pushing forward to offer access to "more great games and content through our industry-leading subscription services."
There's no word yet as to what we'll see next from Patrick Soderlund as he takes on this "new chapter" later this year.
Dead Cells is already a critical hit, and some eagle-eyed fans have noticed a handful of Easter eggs that pay homage to several other recent games. The pixel-art backgrounds contain framed artwork with several iconic characters and items from around the industry.
As spotted by Twitter user Third Editions, the portraits on the wall show 2B and 9S from Nier Automata, the undead from Dark Souls, the sword from Transistor, and the face of Hollow Knight. These portraits are scattered around, so there may be even more portraits yet to be uncovered.
Dead Cells was developed by a small indie team, and some of its influences, from games like Dark Souls, are readily apparent. It's run-based, which means that you'll die frequently as you learn enemy patterns and slowly build up permanent boosts. These inclusions could be a way of acknowledging those influences, or simply a hat-tip to fellow developers the team respects.
Dead Cells has received an aggregate score of 92 on GameSpot sister site Metacritic. In GameSpot's Dead Cells review, Daniel Starkey said, "Dead Cells is a phenomenal effort to blend together some very disparate genres into a tight, cohesive whole. It's one of the better examples of how to remix ideas without losing their individual strengths."
MoviePass users who have canceled their memberships may want to double-check on the status of that cancelation. Users are reportedly being opted back into their subscriptions after agreeing to a new set of terms and conditions.
According to Vox, users who cancel their MoviePass subscription but then tap the "I Accept" button when they launch the app will have their account renewed. This effectively nullifies the cancellation request, and MoviePass doesn't inform you that your account has been reinstated. Only in the follow-up email after tapping "I Accept" does MoviePass spell this out, writing, "If you had previously requested cancellation prior to opting-in, your opt-in to the new plan will take priority and your account will not be canceled." And unfortunately, this isn't the first instance of cancelations gone awry. Previously, some users had reported being charged even after canceling their accounts.
On MoviePass' new plan updates page, the company details what this new subscription is that's taking priority over an account cancellation request. Beginning on August 15, the new MoviePass subscription--whether the user intended to opt-in or not--will allow them to see up to three standard movies for $9.95 a month, with a $2 to $5 discount on additional tickets purchased within the billing cycle. This is a drastic change from the unlimited movies MoviePass first offered. And if the user is on the $7.95 capped plan, they'll be prompted to opt-in to MoviePass' new $9.95 plan--or cancel their account.
In addition to MoviePass' new subscription model, the company has revealed that Peak Pricing and Ticket Verification will be suspended under this new plan, but subscribers may still be subject to ticket verification until they opt-in.
MoviePass has run into quite a few problems recently. From not allowing subscribers to seeMission Impossible: Fallout to running out of money to inflating prices for big movies--Peak Pricing, as it's called--the company can't seem to catch a break. And this debacle will only make matters worse. All of this has caused the stock price of its parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics, to drop, currently trading at only 5.3 cents per share.
While WWE fans know all the facts, what are the rumors rumbling along the internet? What are industry insiders or that random crazy person on Twitter saying? It's time, once again, to take a look at what could happen at WWE's next PPV. Where are you going to be on Sunday, August 19? Will you be out in the sun, enjoying a beverage by the beach or will you be inside all day watching a WWE PPV? If you're a wrestling fan, chances are you'll be watching Summerslam on the WWE Network.
For the fourth year in a row, the WWE event will be taking place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The show will start at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT with a Kickoff Show starting two hours prior on the WWE Network. This year's event is going to be jam-packed, as there are 12 matches already on the card, and there's a good possibility--if the rumors are correct--there will be even more, which will really screw up our predictions.
And there are plenty of rumors about the show, including the fact that the current card isn't the final card. Here are the Summerslam rumors from industry insiders, but keep in mind that these are just rumors and not confirmations. We'll keep you updated with any more rumors as the week continues.
Longest PPV Ever
This will be one of the longest PPV of the year. Currently, on the WWE Network, the service has 6.5 hours blocked off for Summerslam and the Kickoff show. It could easily run longer than that though, especially if WWE keeps adding matches to the card. Earlier this year, Wrestlemania 34 came in at a little more than 7 hours in total.
Walk With Elias
Although it hasn't been booked yet, you can expect to see a last minute booking of Elias vs. Bobby Lashley, most likely on the Kickoff Show. WWE has been building to a match between the two for weeks and the Kickoff is the only place it fits.
UPDATE 8/14/18: Elias now has a spot on the Summerslam card where he will perform. We expect Lashley to interrupt.
Asuka Didn't Quit
Asuka might be added to the triple threat match for the Smackdown Women's Championship. There have been rumors that she quit the company recently, but those have been put to rest as she'll appear on Smackdown on August 14. (via Slicewrestling)
Return Of The Lunatic Fringe?
Could Dean Ambrose return at Summerslam? He's been on the injured list for quite some time, but he's apparently coming back to WWE sometime soon, possibly just in time for Summerslam. That could mean Seth Rollins could have someone by his side while fighting off Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre. (via PWInsider)
UPDATE 8/14/18: Amborse returned on the August 13 episode of Raw and is back by Seth Rollins' side.
Spicing Up The IC Title Match
Apparently, the only potential match change being mentioned by name right now is Rollins vs. Ziggler for the Intercontinental Championship. Could McIntyre and maybe even Ambrose be added to this bout? (via WrestleVotes)
UPDATE 8/14/18: In WWE's promotional images for Summerslam, both Drew McIntyre and Dean Ambrose appear. More than likely, both men will just be in their friends' corners for the match.
More Changes Coming To The Card
Because fans have said the summer event lacks excitement, there is a plan to change the card a bit leading up to Summerlsam. Multiple matches will be affected. (via Cagesideseats)
Daniel Bryan Isn't Going Anywhere
There has been a lot of talk about whether Daniel Bryan will renew his contract with WWE in September. However, with Daniel Bryan being the focus of 2K's next WWE game, it seems likely that Bryan will be working with the company for at least another year.
In GameSpot's interview, Bryan said, "I just don't want things that aren't creatively fulfilling, so I don't care what you do, as long it doesn't put me in this mental funk, where I just feel like, "Oh man, I can't believe I have to do this today." But anything other than that, usually I'm just happy to be back wrestling."
While talking to Bryan, his face lit up while talking about in-ring wrestling and being cleared by doctors in WWE. And he and Miz may not see eye-to-eye on a lot of things in ring or out, but he seems very happy with his current feud with him.
Make sure to come back to GameSpot on Sunday, August 19 for live coverage of Summerslam.
Fortnite has launched on Android devices. The beta launched exclusively on Samsung devices last week, and now it's available on other Android platforms. However, you'll have to jump through a few hoops before you can jump from the battle bus.
Epic is using a special Fortnite Installer on the company's website, so you're not going to find what you're looking for in the Google Play Store like other mobile games. Searching for "Fortnite" or "Fortnite Battle Royale" won't get you anywhere. What type of Android device you're using will determine where and how you install the game.
Things are a bit easier for you if you've got a Samsung device. If you have a Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, S8, S8 Plus, S9, S9 Plus, Note 8, Note 9, Tab S3, or Tab S4 then go to Game Launcher. From there, search for Fortnite and download the installer. That's it. You can also download the game straight from Epic's website.
It's with other Android devices where things get tricky. First, you'll need to check Epic's list of compatible devices. If your device is eligible, you can sign up on the Fortnite Android beta waiting list with your email. Eventually, you'll get to the front of the queue and get an email invitation to the beta. Log in with your Epic account to connect your Xbox Live, PSN, or PC Battle Pass progress.
After that, you'll need to wait again. Epic reports it should only take a few days for you to get your official invite to the Fortnite beta. When your invitation is registered, you'll be able to download the Fortnite Installer. Once that's on your device, you'll be able to download the Fortnite app to your phone or tablet.
When the download is done, wait for Fortnite to boot up and log into your Epic account. From there, you'll be able to start playing. You're advised to keep the Fortnite Installer even after you've started playing, as the installer is what keeps the game updated with new patches, not the actual game app.
If you'd rather avoid waiting for your invite to the beta, you can delay trying to install Fortnite until the game's official Android launch. The app still won't be available in the Google Play store when it does release. You'll either have to download the game through Samsung's Game Launcher or from Epic's website.
Fortnite is available on Xbox One, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices.
Doom Eternal's gameplay debut at QuakeCon 2018 managed to hit all the right notes while highlighting the carnage of a one-man war against the forces of Hell. The follow-up to Doom (2016) manages to make its predecessor look tame by comparison, with a set of new abilities and weapons, along with an expanded traversal system through a grappling hook attached to a shotgun. With the return of the Doom Slayer--a reimagined take on the enigmatic yet equally dull DoomGuy of the original games--the developers want players to feel even more immersed in the role of the silent and imposing protagonist.
One of the biggest surprises is the new Invasion mode to complement another robust campaign, bringing enemy players into a traditional single-player experience. To go with greater focus on unique content, Doom Eternal will drop its predecessor's SnapMap mode, in favor of new DLC focusing on the exploits of the Doom Slayer. In our talk with creative director Hugo Martin and executive producer Marty Stratton, they spoke about how much the game has changed since its 2016 predecessor, and why its new features will make it more exciting than ever.
Since its unveiling at E3 2018, the reception for Doom Eternal has been very positive. Do you have any reactions to the overall response from E3 and from QuakeCon as well?
Hugo Martin: It's been amazing. We're really excited to be able to give them something to look forward to. We've been working on it really hard and we're just very excited to share it with the fans and to see their reaction; it's very validating.
Marty Stratton: Yeah, we basically started on the game from a pre-production perspective right after we finished Doom that released in 2016. As a team we've been working on it for a couple years now so both the tease at E3, the CG teaser at E3, and then certainly [Friday] with the fans here has been amazing. They give us so much passion and energy and enthusiasm, and we had our entire team in the audience so they got to feel it as well. We did it in 2014 at QuakeCon kind of revealed the game to a crowd there, and doing it again like that this year at this QuakeCon was tremendous, it was awesome.
Looking back, were you surprised to see just how much people enjoyed Doom 2016?
Martin: I mean we believed in it. Internally, we all loved it and we knew it was fun to play, so I wasn't surprised. I was just relieved to see that it had caught on with people. I was surprised to see just how far and how much some of the stuff caught on, to what degree it caught on, whether it's lore or just subtle mechanic things or just the tone, just a lot of things you spend time on and you see more and more people recognize it. That was really satisfying.
Despite the protagonist being silent, and the groundwork laid by the original games being somewhat bare, the last game had a lot of personality to it. Can you talk about how you plan to not only expand the lore of the Doom Slayer, but also the world itself?
Martin: It's definitely a continuation of what we started in 2016. We laid the groundwork for a lot of this stuff and we hope to answer a lot of the questions that we put in players' minds in 2016, and then maybe leave them with some new ones so we have somewhere to go. We want to take fans to some really interesting locations beyond just Hell and Mars. So we're going to Earth this time and there are a few other places that we haven't revealed yet, but we showed some concept art that I think hints heavily towards some really epic locations. But at the end of the day, it's about killing really cool demons with awesome guns in fantastic locations. We want to make sure that that universe is full of that stuff.
Stratton: I feel like our team has really started to hit a stride with this [game]. When you get better at something you're able to expose more to people through the experience and I think that's what's kind of hitting the mark now with this stuff. And honestly we're just [at the] tip of the iceberg and I hope we just continue to plow forward for years getting better and better and being able to give the fans more and more of what they want.
One thing that was unexpected was the new Invasion mode. It's got vibes similar to Dark Souls, where other players will encroach upon your solo space at surprising moments. Can you talk about the initial ideas for that and how it fits into the ideal Doom experience?
Martin: For the invasions, as we showed in the gameplay video, it seemed like the best way to do it and stay within ourselves as a Doom game. It's really fun. We're only teasing it because obviously there's a bunch of other stuff related to it, but we can say that it will take incidental combat areas, take all you know about them, and make it really interesting. If your game hasn't been invaded and you walk down a hall, it's no big deal, it's just a hall with a couple zombies, whatever. But if you walk down that hall and you know you have invaders in your game it's gonna make that experience really thrilling 'cause you don't know where they are, you don't know what they're gonna do, or when they're gonna attack. It sort of makes the 'Doom dance' social. Overall, it's good for the game and it's fun for the invader and the person being invaded.
There's clearly a lot more focus on mobility in Doom Eternal. With the grappling hook and new dashing mechanic, it seems like you're going all in with the new movement style. What was the motivation for that?
Martin: I think we wanted to make sure that the incidental combat areas, which are the spaces in between the large combat arenas, would be more interesting in Doom Eternal. But when you take those abilities into combat, you start to take those moves and combine them together into what we call traversal combos, and you're gonna do some really cool things. You can cover a lot of ground with a monkey bar swing, a double jump, two dashes, and a grapple hook--and then you add wall climbing to that and I think it's going to make for some really interesting traversals. It has an impact on the way the levels are designed; they're designed maybe not so two-dimensional and flat, and now we can do a lot more different things that we couldn't do before. We've provided ourselves with the tools to be able to make some really compelling spaces.
Staying on the move and in the air seems a lot more challenging and engaging this time around. But at the same, it ties into player expression during combat.
Stratton: That's the game. It feels good to stay in the air as long as you can. We give you a bunch of these things to allow you to do that. It happens. It's just intuitive, you feel like you want to do it, so we provide you with the chance to do it.
Martin: Yeah, in fact that second gameplay video we put out has a player on mouse and keyboard, and he's one of our better players in the office. He plays so well. He'll leave a Pain Elemental flying around so that he can use it, 'cause you can only grapple [or] meat hook to demons. The grappling hook is not a world grapple, like you can't grapple onto the side of a building. You have to grapple to a demon, so he leaves a demon flying around so that he can use it as a grapple point to get wherever he wants in the space. It creates more opportunities, more things to think about as you're playing the game. More opportunities to kind of improv your way through the fight choreography.
Usually when you make sequels, you gotta go bigger. So when you look at Doom Eternal, did you face any challenges to not only not over do it as a sequel, but also to keep things consistent with what people expect from Doom?
Martin: I think as long as you have the right filters in place, everything was built around the simple question: how do we make the player feel aggressive or encourage them to become more aggressive? Anything that falls under that category will be successful, it will feel like Doom. It begins with the questions you ask yourself as a creative, if you're getting the wrong answers then you're probably asking yourself the wrong questions. If it was like, how do we make the Slayer feel more stealthy? Or how do we avoid enemy contact more easily? Those are the wrong questions to ask. It's just basically like the whole thing about Doom 2016, and why it felt refreshing. Nothing was holding you back, so combat is just about an expression of aggression.
Stratton: It's not even just about asking yourself those questions as a creative, it's about asking yourself those as a player. We spend a lot of time playing this game, and spent a lot of time playing Doom (2016). It's all about that playable experience, first and foremost. I think that's the first filter, from a gameplay perspective, from a player's perspective-- you ask yourself, "what do I want to do?"
Can you talk a little about that bridge scene in the second gameplay video? The Doom Slayer is walking in, and the people in the area are clearly afraid of him. It almost felt like an inverse of a scene from Halo with Master Chief, who's a largely stoic and noble space marine.
Martin: Yeah, it's just mostly to make the player feel strong. Definitely not Master Chief. I love Master Chief, absolutely. We're Halo fans, we love those games. Not to say anything negative about their game but we actually looked to scenes in films, like when RoboCop enters the police station for the first time or when The Terminator enters the area. We likened it to a tiger entering the room, like how would a bunch of scientists act if a huge tiger entered the room? You know what I mean? They'd all back up, and especially when he slowly comes up on that guard and kind of stares at him for a beat, you hope the tiger just keeps on walking and for everybody else he does, but then we've all seen that movie where the tiger stops at the one guy and kind of sniffs him and he's just terrified. That was kind of the touch stone there, to just make the player feels powerful and to tell that story.
You could see that there's an internal struggle going on within the UAC, not everybody's on board with this. Clearly Top Brass at the UAC is trying to bring about the demon apocalypse and not everybody is aware of this 'cause they're actually fighting against the demons. They know who The Slayer is based on their reactions, or at least they've heard of the legend of The Slayer. It's fun. We're glad that people liked it, it seems to have resonated with people. I think the best part is the story and the tone of that, and the way it makes the player feel is very consistent with the way they feel when they play the game. There's no disconnect between the story and gameplay moments. It's funny to call it our cinematic story moment. It is a walk down a hall but that's good, we're proud of that. It's very lean, but it resonated with people and mainly it's consistent with how you feel when you play.
Stratton: The fact that it's done in a video game medium, you're telling the story as only video games can--in a good way. Which is: you're in the helmet, it's not third person, it's not some fancy camera shot that you're seeing, you're not observing the Doom Slayer walk through that space, you are the Doom Slayer walking through that space and you see it through his eyes. You get the sense of power represented in you. It's why I'm such a fan of it too. You couldn't do that scene that way in a film and have it pulled off the same with that kind of first-person perspective. The fact that it's truly made for a video game, where a cinematic scene for a video game is told in a very consistent way is just the cool part of it. Definitely.
For more info from QuakeCon 2018, be sure to check out our coverage below on the latest from Fallout 76, Rage 2, and Doom Eternal.
Netflix will be updated with more TV series and movies throughout this week. This Friday, eight new Netflix originals are being added to the streaming service, just in time to unwind for the weekend.
The 100 Season 5 is a notable addition arriving on August 15. The fifth season continues The CW's post-apocalyptic science fiction drama of a group of teenaged criminals who are forced out of the space station they've lived in their entire lives to survive on Earth--a planet they've never known--to test whether the planet can once again support life. Seasons 1-4 are already on Netflix if you're looking to catch up on the show before the Season 6 premier in 2019.
Also on August 15, Netflix is getting the adorable comedy Adventures in Public School. This Canadian film tells the story of a socially awkward outcast who's been homeschooled by his overprotective mom his entire life. However, when he falls in love with a popular girl at the nearby state school, he decides to leave his sheltered life behind and enroll. The film is directed by Kyle Rideout, who's appeared as an actor in television series like DC's Legends of Tomorrow and Supernatural, and voiced characters in movies like The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Warcraft.
Among the eight new Netflix Originals, you'll definitely want to keep your eye on Disenchantment. Created by Matt Groening--who previously made both The Simpsons and Futurama--the animated series is a medieval fantasy about a rebellious princess and her adventures with an elf and her personal demon.
The rest of the series and movies being added to Netflix this week are outlined below. If you missed out on what came to Netflix last week, or just want to look ahead, read our complete list of everything arriving on the streaming service in August.
New Arrivals On Netflix August 12-18
August 13
Alexander: The Ultimate Cut
Splash and Bubbles: Season 2
The Nut Job
August 15
Adventures in Public School
Hostiles
The 100: Season 5
August 16
Evan Almighty
Wish I Was Here
August 17
Disenchantment-- Netflix Original
Magic for Humans-- Netflix Original
Pinky Malinky--Netflix Original
Spirit Riding Free: Season 6-- Netflix Original
Stay Here-- Netflix Original
The Motive-- Netflix Original Film
To All The Boys I've Loved Before-- Netflix Original Film
Microsoft has refreshed its weekly sale, which means a whole new set of games has gotten the discount treatment. Some of the deals require an Xbox Live Gold subscription (marked with an asterisk below), but most of them are available for everyone.
Another popular shooter got an enormous discount: Battlefield 1 is on sale for $6 / £5. Going all in on the game doesn't cost much more; you can get the game and all four expansions in Battlefield 1 Revolution for just $9 / £8. For an equally competitive online experience but without all the shooting, you can grab Rocket League for $12 / £10.
Xbox Live Gold members can pick up some killer games at nicely discounted rates as well. The lauded, largely overlooked racing game Onrush is on sale for $36 / £33. The "rhythm violence" game Thumper is down to $7 / £5. And if you could use some more Star Wars in your life, you can pick up Star Wars Battlefront II for just $9 / £9.
Also, a mountain-sized pile of season passes, add-ons, and DLC is on sale for all kinds of games, ranging from Far Cry 5 and Destiny 2 to Grand Theft Auto 5. You can find more of our picks below, or head over to Major Nelson's blog for the full list of this week's discounts on Xbox One and Xbox 360 games.
Arkane Studios rose to prominence with the release of Dishonored, a unique first-person stealth-action game renowned for its immersive world and flexible gameplay. Since then, the series has become one of the most acclaimed of the modern generation, but according to one of the studio's developers, it could be a while before we see a new installment.
Speaking to VG247, Arkane lead designer Ricardo Bare revealed that the Dishonored series is on a break for the moment. "I can't say definitively what might happen down the road, anything could happen, but [Dishonored] is resting for now," he said.
The latest Dishonored title was 2017's Death of the Outsider, a smaller standalone adventure set several months after Dishonored 2 that wrapped up the series' storyline. But while a new Dishonored game may not be in the pipeline for the foreseeable future, that doesn't mean the studio is moving away from that game's style of immersive worlds and emergent gameplay.
"The things that are important to us as a studio are coherent, deep world building and environmental storytelling--we're always going to craft spaces that you feel like you're visiting, whether it's Dunwall or Talos 1," Bare said. "It's just as important a character as the player or the people you meet. Then it's improvisational gameplay--giving players a bunch of cool abilities and tools, then saying, 'You figure it out, you be creative, you own the experience.'"
Bare didn't share any details as to what the studio is working on next, but he did suggest that multiplayer could play a role. "Being able to incorporate more online sharing or multiplayer type stuff, we totally might do that," he said. He also teased that future Arkane titles may not necessarily be in first-person, as most of the studio's games have been.
In addition to Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, Arkane released the first-person horror shooter Prey in 2017. The game recently received a new DLC expansion called Mooncrash. Arkane is also releasing an asymmetric, hide-and-seek mode for the game called Typhon Hunter later this year.
From Software has announced that the Nintendo Switch version of Dark Souls: Remastered will be available from October 19, 2018. The announcement was made on Twitter through the developer's official account. "Finally we hope you can look forward to playing Dark Souls wherever, whenever you wish," the message read.
The Switch version was originally scheduled to launch alongside the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Dark Souls: Remastered, but publisher Bandai Namco announced that it would be delayed. Alongside the game's delay, the release of the Solaire of Astora Amiibo was also postponed.
We have kept you waiting long enough, and now are pleased to announce that the Nintendo Switch version of DARK SOULS REMASTERED will be released on the 19th October, 2018. Finally we hope you can look forward to playing Dark Souls wherever, whenever you wish. pic.twitter.com/F8z8AjUIPA
Dark Souls: Remastered was originally revealed for Switch during a Nintendo Direct in January. The Switch version renders the game at 1080p resolution with 30 FPS when docked and played on the TV. Along with the main game, the package also features the critically acclaimed Artorias of the Abyss DLC. In terms of tweaks, the remaster delivers an improved framerate and resolution from the original. You can read about all the differences between the original Dark Souls and Dark Souls: Remastered here.
In GameSpot's original Dark Souls review, Kevin VanOrd awarded it a 9.5/10, describing it as "riveting."
"Dark Souls requires intense focus," he said. "This isn't a lighthearted romp in a bright and colorful fantasy world; it's a methodical journey into the frightening unknown. And that's what makes it so riveting. Some games try to scare you with bump-in-the-night shocks and far-off howls, but Dark Souls doesn't require such predictable methods of terror. Its terrors emanate from its very core, each step bringing you closer to another inevitable death.
"How amazing that such a terrible place could be so inviting. The game's world is so memorable, and its action so thrilling, that it might invade your thoughts even when you aren't playing, silently urging you to escape the real world and return to this far more treacherous one. Dark Souls doesn't just surpass other dungeon crawlers; it skewers them with a razor-sharp halberd and leaves behind their soulless corpses."
You can read how the remaster was received in our Dark Souls: Remastered review round-up, which collects verdicts from a variety of publications to provide an overview of its reception.
WWE superstar Daniel Bryan has had a rollercoaster career during his time with the company. He's won multiple championships, but it was all taken away because of multiple injuries. However, Bryan is back fighting in the ring now, as he's been cleared by doctors, but there's a thorn in his side that's been a constant since he got to WWE: The Miz.
During a 2K event in Bryan's hometown of Aberdeen, Washington, the WWE superstar spoke to GameSpot about this longtime feud and his personal thoughts on his upcoming Summerslam opponent, while promoting WWE 2K19's new Daniel Bryan themed Showcase Mode, which is narrated by the superstar.
GameSpot: After you were called up from FCW, you were on NXT in 2010, in its original format, and The Miz was your mentor. What were your first impressions of him?
Daniel Bryan: I was honestly really looking forward to that because I thought it was a really unique dichotomy between the two of us, where here's [The Miz] who people don't respect as a wrestler, but he's great at the interview stuff, and great at getting under people's skin. And here I am, who I had a lot of respect from a wrestling standpoint from the fans, and even the wrestlers backstage, but I wasn't necessarily good at the character stuff.
So, we were complete opposites in how people viewed it. It's style versus substance. It's a very interesting thing. I thought, "Oh man, this is gonna make great television." Instead of making great television [with NXT], we did things like monkey bar challenges and who can drink a soda the fastest.
It's funny because to really highlight that I really tried to downplay... like, I had gear that was nicer, but I wore the most basic gear I could, with the idea being that we would tell the story that he's gonna try to flash me up, and I had gotten a good haircut, but I did it specifically in a bowl cut, with his idea in my mind that like, "Okay, yeah we're gonna be telling these great stories, where it's like he's gonna make me get a haircut that's like his." He had the faux hawk at the time, and I was like "Oh, this is gonna be great." And then no, they didn't do any of that, and I just looked like a nerd, and then they just started calling me a nerd. It's like, "Oh, this vegan, he's a nerd," and it's just like, "Oh gosh. Okay, well back to the drawing board."
As a mentor, you mentioned you guys were both polar opposites. Did he actually teach you anything when you were with him?
No, I mean he was busy at the time. You have to keep in mind he was super busy, so it was just like... our interactions were so limited, and a lot of times, he wasn't even there on the Tuesdays because he's somebody who works very hard. WWE has him do a lot of public appearances and media stuff. So, sometimes he wouldn't even be there on the Tuesdays.
But, I did kind of watch him and watch how he navigated the political minefield of WWE, which is very different from the independents. I watched that a little bit, but it's interesting because we both... I think because of our differences and how we view pro wrestling, we both kind of respected each other and disliked each other right off the bat.
So, it's like, "Okay, I respect that you've worked so hard at this, but dude, that's not important. Like, screw off, you think you're good because you can do this?" That's both of us. That's coming from both sides of us. But there was also [the fact that] we both wanted to make it as good as it could possibly be.
Afterwards, you were in Nexus, were released from WWE, but ultimately, won the United States Championship from The Miz. Within the realm of storylines, and storytelling, where do you feel was the breaking point for Daniel Bryan and The Miz?
Well, it's interesting. Because we're such polar opposites, and we do have a legitimate dislike of each other, and the people backstage kinda know that--that there's always been that tension--but I think the real breaking point to where people care about it so much now was the Talking Smack episode, and then furthering that, Miz starting to do my moves, really rubbing it in my face in a way that at the time nobody thought I was gonna get cleared again. So, there was no payoff to this. It's just heat, for heat, for heat's sake. So, I think that's where everything--where the current incarnation, where people are really excited to see that--I think that's where that comes from.
With Talking Smack, at that point in time you guys hadn't done too much work together in years, what were your thoughts with him coming on? Were you expecting anything big?
No, this is the thing. Miz and I know how to get under each other's skin, and he was very frustrated at the time because he was the Intercontinental Champion. I think at the time, he was gonna have a PPV match with Apollo Crews. They didn't even have anything on the show for two weeks before the PPV.
So, it's like he's got this program. It's super cold. He's frustrated. I'm the general manager, so he starts mouthing off about all this stuff, and that stuff, and then so I start going in on the stuff. It kinda gets under his skin, and then he has stuff that really gets under my skin, and so that's where the magic happens though, really, where people aren't sure what's real and what's not real, and that becomes an interesting point of contention, as far as people [saying], "Wow, these guys, they really dislike each other."
It's interesting because Maryse was there--who's his wife--and my wife was there just backstage that day, and she thought I had legitimately wanted to quit. I had asked for my release at that point because I'd been cleared by these other doctors, and WWE medical wouldn't clear me. So, he's bringing up things like, "If you love .. you're a coward because you've said... yada yada... why don't you go quit, and go do the independents?"
It's like, that really gets under my skin because it's like, I asked for my release, and they said "No." It's like, here I am stuck doing this GM thing, and this thing that I don't like, and it's like, "Okay, either I'm gonna punch this dude in the face, or I'm gonna walk off," so it's one of those things where people can see the realness in that, and I think that that's very powerful.
When we live in a time where the lines between reality and WWE programming are blurred. How did you feel about the reaction from the fans of WWE after that Talking Smack aired?
What I was hoping was that it would inspire them to look at my case more closely to clear me, and because that was happening--I don't remember around what time, August or September-ish of that year--I was thinking, "Maybe I can get them to look at my case again, and then main [event] for Wrestlemania, maybe I could be cleared for…" No. That's what I was thinking. I was thinking in terms of like, "Wow, this could really benefit." And [WWE creative] started using it a little bit on the show, and then what happened is people really wanted to see the match, and then they backed off of it because they had no plans of doing the match. So, that's when I realized like, "Oh, man. They're not gonna budge here."
But then you did get cleared.
Yup.
From a storyline perspective, when you were cleared, you immediately brought back The Miz back to Smackdown, when he was on Raw. What was going through your head during that time?
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So, I mean the idea is he comes back to Smackdown, and I get to punch him in the face.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but then all these obstacles get thrown in your way before that. So, all of a sudden Cass attacks me from behind, so you have address that, and then The Bludgeon Brothers attack me, and you have to address that. So, now we're finally at this place where there's nothing else in the way, and now you can get down to it, and do the face punching that I've been waiting for, for so long.
So, how did you feel recently when The Miz said you're not on his level anymore, or that he's above you?
So, there's various forms of truth to that in the sense of there was a PPV where I wrestled Big Cass, and he wrestled [Seth] Rollins, and by far, the much better [match] was Miz versus Rollins. It was a fantastic match, but Rollins was also in that match, and so, you can say that from that perspective. You have to acknowledge that he has done a lot of good stuff in the time that I've been gone, including one of the matches that was one of my favorite matches to watch from a fan's perspective was him versus Dolph Ziggler. I think it might have been... it was at a PPV, and it was Intercontinental Title versus Dolph's career, or something like that, but it was an incredible match.
He's done some stuff. In that regard, he has kind of a point. On the flip side, I don't think [Miz not being on Bryan's level] that's true, but there's times that it is... his promos are on a different level than mine are. That's just the reality. I've worked on my promos a lot, I've gotten a lot better over the last several years, but he has an innate ability in interviews to be... he's fantastic. So, it's hard for me to argue that point other than on a night after night basis. If you were to go to live events, or anything like that, and compare the Daniel Bryan match, and say like, "Who's better," I think most fans would say Daniel Bryan's better, but we just haven't seen a lot of that on TV yet.
Well, hopefully we will, because you have Summerslam coming up on next Sunday.
Yeah, but if that match is great then he's just gonna say it's because of him.
Are you hoping that this story in your career is closed at this point with The Miz, or is this something that you feel will have a lot of legs, and can continue?
So, I don't think in terms of those things because those things are a lot of times beyond my control. So, I focus on the variables that I can control, which is to put out the best performance as possible, and to me, I'm just interested in things that challenge me creatively, and to do things that I enjoy within wrestling. So, whether that's with Miz, or whether that's with A.J. Styles, or whether that's against Shinsuke Nakamura, or Samoa Joe, it doesn't really matter who as long as it's creatively fulfilling.
On the flip side of that, I just don't want things that aren't creatively fulfilling, so I don't care what you do, as long it doesn't put me in this mental funk, where I just feel like, "Oh man, I can't believe I have to do this today." But anything other than that, usually I'm just happy to be back wrestling.
2K Games has announced the return of Showcase Mode for WWE 2K19, but this time, it will be revamped with a heavier focus on creating something more recognizable to WWE fans, akin to the documentaries on the WWE Network. A key difference this time around is that Daniel Bryan narrates his own life story as players progress through the mode.
The traditional Showcase Mode has been absent from 2K's series since WWE 2K16, when players reenacted some of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's greatest moments. There was a DLC version of this mode in the 2017 edition revolving around Hall of Fame superstars, but it felt lacking compared to the previous years. With 2K19, the objective is to improve Showcase Mode while having Bryan tell his story in his own words in the single-player mode.
In total, there will be 11 historical matches you can play, and one more bonus or "surprise" match, for a total of 12 Daniel Bryan-centric bouts. This includes Bryan's first WWE match--as Bryan Danielson--against John Cena. Because this spans the entire course of Bryan's time in WWE, there will be 11 different models of him, each of which will have their own movesets and unique appearances. Additionally, there will be eight new entrances for Bryan and 11 victory scenes.
What makes this year's Showcase Mode unique is the presentation. "[W]e came up with the idea of having [Daniel Bryan narrate] it, but we wanted to do it in a cool way and we're heavily influenced by what the WWE does as far as their production with the W24 series or 365," explained WWE 2K19 creative director Lynell Jinks to GameSpot during a press event in Bryan's hometown of Aberdeen, Washington. "We're like, 'can we get [WWE's] production team to do this?' And they were like, 'Oh yeah. This sounds like an amazing idea. Yeah, let's do it.' It was greenlit and so we moved forward with it. And so we were like, the next hardest thing was to come up with the matches, right? That we felt best represented his career."
In total, there are 15 Bryan interview packages and 20 video cutscenes to tie into the superstar's career. As you complete objectives, you unlock elements within the game from playable Bryan models to historic arenas like Velocity and Wrestlemania XXX.
There won't be any new gameplay mechanics added to this year's edition, so players shouldn't expect any curveballs while playing these matches. However, there have been some changes to address problematic areas in previous games.
While Bryan has spent lots of time outside of the ring as Smackdown's general manager, don't expect the gameplay to reflect that. Player won't be making classic decisions like, "Who will Bryan book this week?" However, it's still a part of Showcase Mode. "We allowed him to tell that story and what it was like coming back as a GM and what that meant to him... It's cool hearing in his own words, like how it kind of filled that gap for him a little bit," explained Jinks.
He went on to add that the difference between this and previous incarnations of Showcase Mode is that WWE 2K19 adds an emotional element to the storytelling because this is all in Daniel Bryan's words. While Bryan spent the past three years injured, in March 2018, he was cleared to wrestle. On August 19, at Summerslam, Daniel Bryan returns to his longtime feud with former mentor and rival, The Miz. Bryan discussed working with The Miz over the years to GameSpot during the press event.
Once again, there will be a gigantic roster for WWE 2K19, which comes out on October 9, 2018 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. 2K will be skipping out on Switch this year. WWE 2K19 also has a special edition featuring Ric Flair, called the "Woooooo Edition," which will cost $130.
We need to talk about Fortnite. Epic Games' world-conquering battle royale shooter has a problem. Whether you agree with this or not depends on whether you take umbrage with the meta infamously known as "Spray and Pray," which stems from various factors introduced in Season 5 that have altered the way the majority of firefights play out.
So let's start from the top. Fortnite's shooting mechanics are centered around a system known as "bloom," which affects each weapon's accuracy. Where you aim isn't the deciding factor in where your bullets will hit, as there's also a random element of luck involved. The shots you take will always land somewhere within your crosshair, with the size of each crosshair varying depending on whether you're aiming down sights, moving, standing, crouching, or jumping. First-shot accuracy (which guarantees your first shot is more accurate than the rest) is also something to take into consideration, but beyond that there isn't anything you can do to ensure each bullet successfully hits its target. Crouching and standing still helps, but you'll still have to pray to the RNG gods if you want your bullets to connect.
As you can imagine, bloom is already divisive on its own, with one alternative being PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds' utilisation of mechanics like weapon recoil and bullet drop--offering a more authentic and skill-based depiction of weapon firing. However, it's clear Epic implemented bloom to reduce the skill gap between dedicated players and newcomers--at least when it comes to straight-up firefights. This makes sense when you consider Fortnite is the most popular video game in the world right now, with its availability enticing people from all walks of life to hop into the fray. But recent changes have intensified bloom's impact in a much more negative way.
The two key factors to consider here are the increase in power for SMGs, as well as the nerfs to building and the amount of crafting materials you receive. The new P90 Compact SMG is, of course, the leading major here, with its large magazine and high fire-rate giving it a distinct advantage over most other weapons. But the P90s fellow SMG brethren aren't far behind either. With simple firefights regularly boiling down to a healthy dollop of luck, the rapid-firing SMGs reign supreme in the current Fortnite meta. Just hold down fire and pray for the best. More than anything, however, the emergence of SMGs as the be-all-and-end-all of weapons has made the nerfs to building even more pronounced.
Epic has tinkered with the health of buildings and the amount of materials you receive from knocking down trees, walls, fences, and so on. However, with fewer materials to work with, and less health for each structure you build, the general consensus is that building is gradually being nullified.
SMGs can easily tear through structures with little issue, forcing you to burn through resources just to keep out of the firing line
SMGs can easily tear through structures with little issue, forcing you to burn through resources just to keep out of the firing line. This has led to fights becoming much less dynamic and more predictable, while protracted battles of wits and proficiency are few and far between. There's a clear skill gap when it comes to building that might deter some, but it's also the fundamental aspect that makes Fortnite so unique. And it's being undermined by the SMG-heavy Spray and Pray meta.
One theory being bandied about is that Epic are nerfing building to make the game more welcoming for new and casual players, especially with Fortnite now available on smartphones. Again, this would make sense, but it also feels like a misguided move. Pro players and popular streamers have voiced their concerns about the current meta, along with the hordes of other dedicated players putting in the hours every day, and it's hard to argue with them. Getting good at building is tough, sure, but implementing a tutorial, or making Playground a constant fixture, would give people the opportunity to practice and improve their building skillset without Epic needing to quash its effectiveness.
It's always going to be difficult to please everyone, but deferring to those who have put in the time, money, and effort sounds like a solid strategy. Fortnite is constantly changing, and this meta won't last forever, but it could set a disappointing precedent if Epic sticks to this path going forward.
We're in the thick of Season 5 of Fortnite: Battle Royale on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and iOS. As with previous season, the latest one brings with it a selection of new challenges to complete on a weekly basis, as well as a variety of Battle Pass rewards to unlock for your troubles. 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 newest Season 5 challenges, details on all of the ones available so far, and exactly how to get them all done.
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
We're now into Season 5, Week 5 of Fortnite, which means there's a new selection of challenges for players to complete on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and iOS. As with previous weeks, the newest batch are split between challenges that are available to all players, and a small selection of additional ones that are only accessible to Battle Pass owners. Completing the challenges unlocks Battle Stars, which contribute towards leveling the Battle Pass up and unlocking fresh new items to customize your character with.
This week's challenges for the free tier involve searching for seven chests in Junk Junction and eliminating three opponents in a single match. On top of that, you'll need to use three Rift Portals. Since Rift Portals appear randomly, this one is going to involve spending some time running around searching for them, so we recommend getting on with the other challenges but keeping an eye out for rifts.
For Battle Pass-exclusive challenges, you'll have to deal 300 damage with a Clinger, Stink Bomb, or Grenade; hit a golf ball from tee to green on five different holes; and eliminate three opponents in Shifty Shafts. As with previous weeks, the trickiest of the bunch involves following a treasure map, which this time can be found in Snobby Shores.
As usual, you don't need to find the map to actually complete the hunt for the Battle Star, but if you want to see it, you can take a look below. The Battle Star is located on the roof of the northernmost crypt inside Haunted Hills. The quickest and easiest way to get yourself up there is to build structures until you're high enough to jump on. Take a look below to also see a map of the exact location where the star can be found.
Along with getting Battle Stars, completing any four challenges will get you 5,000 XP. Take a look below for a complete list of challenges.
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Fortnite Season 5, Week 5 Challenges
Free
Search Chests in Junk Junction (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Use Rift Portals (3) -- 5 Battle Stars
Eliminate opponents in a single match (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
Battle Pass
Deal damage to players with a Clinger, Stink Bomb, or Grenade (300) -- 5 Battle Stars
Hit a golf ball from tee to green on different holes (5) -- 5 Battle Stars
Follow the treasure map found in Snobby Shores (1) -- 10 Battle Stars
Eliminate opponents in Shifty Shafts (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
If you've kept up with all of the challenges in Season 5 thus far and manage to clear the latest set of objectives, you'll complete another Road Trip challenge and be rewarded with a special loading screen that points to the location of a free Battle Pass tier hidden around the island. This one can be found on top of a house surrounded by cacti, but it'll only appear if you've met the aforementioned requirements.
On August 8, developer Epic Games rolled out Fortnite's 5.20 update, introducing a number of new features to the game. Steady Storm became available as a limited-time mode and the double barrel shotgun was added to the game, making those that get their hands on it devastatingly powerful at close range. You can read the full Fortnite update 5.20 patch notes to see everything that was added and changed.
If you're still trying to do older challenges, take a look at the list of our previous Fortnite Season 5 coverage below, where you'll find guides for each week as well as all the important news surrounding the game, such as Epic's decision to go around the Google Play Store when releasing Fortnite for Android.
Season 5, Week 5 of Fortnite: Battle Royale is here, and with it comes a few new challenges to complete. One of those will require you to run around the game world in search of Rift Portals to use, which is much easier said than done. Rifts played a key part in the lead up to Season 5, transforming large areas of Fortnite's island. Interacting with them teleports you high into the air above the island, allowing you to plummet down to the ground or use the elevation to glide around.
The difficult part of this challenge is actually finding these portals, as they appear randomly. Generally, you'll have to run around and just keep your eyes open, so we recommend just getting on with the other challenges and staying alert. However, there is one extra tell to look out for: when a rift opens, you'll hear a booming sound that serves as an audio cue to alert players nearby that one has opened, so keep your headphones on and turned up.
If you've never seen a rift before, they look like blue tears in the fabric of reality. They're tricky to see during the daytime, since they can blend into the brilliant blue sky, so it's worth constantly scanning the sky above you.
Although there's no specific location to find the rifts, anecdotally we've found we run into them most in the new areas that were added to the game at the start of Season 5. As a result, we recommend taking regular trips to the desert biome at the bottom of the map and hanging around Snobby Shores too. We've also had some luck finding them in the vicinity of Tomato Town and Risky Reels, so give those a shot if you're struggling.
If you're still trying to complete the other challenges for Fortnite Season 5, Week 5, we've put together a guide on how to follow the Snobby Shores Treasure Map, which is the other more time-consuming quest. Those still catching up on previous weeks' challenges can also take a look below, where you'll find a guide for the entire season thus far, along with some recent news surrounding Fortnite. Alternatively, you can head over to our dedicated Fortnite Season 5 challenge guide.
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