September has officially arrived, and with it comes a new slate of games for PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and even 3DS. While most of this year's big holiday releases are reserved for October and November, this month is still filled with some exciting new games across each platform. Along with marquee titles like Dragon Quest XI and Spider-Man, this month sees the official Xbox One release of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, while sports fans have the latest installments in NBA Live and FIFA to look forward to.
September is also home to a couple of major DLC releases. First is Destiny 2's Taken King-sized expansion, Forsaken, which introduces Gambit mode, new enemies, story missions, and a wealth of other content to the shooter. Switch's massive JRPG Xenoblade Chronicles 2 also receives its own sizable story expansion, Torna: The Golden Country, this month, which chronicles the downfall of the eponymous country 500 years before the events of the main game.
That's only scratching the surface of all the games September has to offer. You can see a list of the biggest releases for each platform this month below. For a broader look at all of the major titles coming throughout the rest of the year, be sure to check out our complete list of game release dates in 2018.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (PS4, PC) -- September 4
September kicks off with the release of Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age, the latest chapter in Square Enix's storied RPG franchise. This installment brings the series back to its roots following its detour into MMO territory with the Japan-exclusive Dragon Quest X, boasting a traditional turn-based battle system, a charming, ragtag cast of characters, and an endearing story, accentuated by new features like monster riding the Zone and Link systems.
Ratchet & Clank developer Insomniac's highly anticipated Spider-Man game arrives exclusively on PS4 on September 7. This interpretation of the comic book hero takes place in an original, standalone universe separate from the comic series and puts players in the shoes of a more experienced, confident Spider-Man as he defends New York from a cabal of some of his most iconic villains, including Electro, Rhino, Scorpion, and Silver Sable.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (PS4, Xbox One, PC) -- September 14
The third--and darkest--chapter in Lara Croft's rebooted origin story, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, releases on September 14. Picking up several months after Rise of the Tomb Raider, this installment sees Croft venturing through the jungles of Central and South America to stop a Mayan apocalypse she inadvertently triggered. During her journey, she'll visit Paititi, the largest hub area in a Tomb Raider game to date, and be able to employ more stealthy techniques to hunt the villainous Trinity.
Life Is Strange 2 - Episode 1 (PS4, Xbox One, PC) -- September 27
The first installment in Dontnod's next episodic adventure, Life Is Strange 2, arrives on September 27. Unlike the previous Life Is Strange and its prequel series, Before the Storm, Life Is Strange 2 follows brothers Sean and Daniel Diaz as they flee to Mexico following a life-changing encounter with the police. Dontnod promises the game will offer even more branching choices, and some of the decisions players make in the free spin-off, The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, will also carry over.
Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 6 is now live, and that means another Battle Pass is available for your upgrading pleasure. As usual, you can grab it for 950 V-Bucks (about $10 in the US), and Epic estimates it will take about 75-100 hours to unlock all of its goodies. This season gets spooky with some distinctly Halloween-themed loot as "Darkness Rises."
Buying into the Battle Pass lets you complete seasonal and weekly challenges to earn XP and gain cosmetic unlockables. Each Battle Pass has 100 levels to earn in all, so grinding out the highest tiers of rewards takes quite a while. As a shortcut, you can also buy additional tiers for 150 V-bucks each, or a bundle of the Battle Pass and 25 tiers for 2,800 V-Bucks ($25 in the US).
This season, you're competing for skins, back bling, and emotes that look an awful lot like Halloween costumes. Those include a robot llama DJ, a grinning fruit-head, Red Riding Hood, and a big bad wolfman. The level 100 reward is the Dire skin, which progressively transforms you into a werewolf as you level it up. You can check out our full rewards gallery for everything you could earn.
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This season also adds Pets that can follow you around the battlefield and dynamically react to whatever you're doing. So far there are three pets: Bonsey, a dog; Scales, a baby dragon; and Camo, a chameleon. These are also available as cosmetic rewards, so you can further customize your character to your liking.
To say that Red Dead Redemption 2 is highly anticipated is an exercise in understatement. The sequel to the critically acclaimed open-world western Red Dead Redemption is the first new title from Rockstar Games in five years, and part of the reason for that anticipation is likely due to the fact that at the time of writing, a month out from its full release, very few people have actually witnessed it in action.
A number of GameSpot staff members recently had the chance to see and play a near-final build of Red Dead Redemption 2. The one and a half-hour demo comprised of two story missions and a chance to goof around freely in the open world, and there's a lot to unpack about how the game looks and plays. Red Dead Redemption 2 feels familiar in many respects, but new systems have piqued our curiosity with their initial impression of intricacy and depth.
Warning: Everyone has a different tolerance for spoilers. We played two story missions during our time with the game, and while we will go into the details of these missions, we didn't think there were any major plot revelations. However, some relationships and cameos might come as a surprise to anyone who has been avoiding coverage of Red Dead Redemption 2. If you'd prefer to go into the game with zero story information at all, consider avoiding the following article. This will be the only spoiler warning.
It's 1899, and outlaw gangs are on the way out as America modernizes. An early story mission opened our demo session, with Rockstar staff at the controls, depicting protagonist Arthur Morgan and his gang leader Dutch Van der Linde tending to a bloodied and bandaged John Marston (told you there'd be spoilers) as they recuperate from a previous job gone south. Marston's recently injured appearance strongly suggests that we'll find out how he got his signature scars, though his wife, who enters with their son Jack, seems more annoyed than anything. The most senior gang members are eager to retreat and move camp to evade pursuers, but Dutch is adamant that some of the gang goes and pursues a train robbery he has a lead on.
As Arthur, Dutch, and a group of men sets off for the train heist on horseback, we're treated to what is now a staple of Rockstar open-world games: storytelling through character dialogue while traveling to a mission. However, Red Dead Redemption 2 features a new implementation of Rockstar's familiar cinematic camera mode to keep these moments interesting--the cinematic camera will now automatically trigger and frame the journey with a montage of shots that emphasize the landscape and traveling group. You can break out of it at any time, but it's a nice touch and an enjoyably filmic framing of what might have otherwise been a dull journey. As long as you hold X on PS4 or A on Xbox One to keep your horse on pace with the pack (like RDR1), you can just sit back and enjoy the naturally-flowing conversation and scenery. This feature can also be triggered manually during gameplay.
The gang rode down from a mountain that was covered in thick snow, with each wearing an appropriately warm outfit. Our Rockstar reps explained that the game's clothing options would be comprehensive--each character will have different sets to coincide with weather conditions, while customizations would allow layering and minor adjustments, like the option to roll up your sleeves. We weren't able to confirm whether particular sets of clothing would carry perks like the original game.
The rolling scenery we saw during this journey was impressive--snowy mountains gradually transitioned into a more temperate environment, with the snow noticeably thinning out and greenery starting to peek through as we descended in altitude. Spending time watching the horses, too, was impressive. Their manes flapped in the wind, their hoofs left imprints in the snow and dirt, and their animations looked natural as they turned and transitioned between speeds gallops.
As the gang pulled up to a ridge overlooking the railway ambush, it was already sunset. Arthur was asked to check up on fellow member Bill Williamson (who you'll likely be familiar with as the first major target in Red Dead Redemption) as he prepares TNT by the rail tracks. Williamson was depicted as a short-tempered simpleton back in the first game, and that remains true here. Our Rockstar representative mentioned that Red Dead Redemption 2 aims to act as both a prequel and companion piece to the first game, so Williamson's introduction at the beginning of both may suggest some broad parallels.
After moseying down to chat with the flustered Bill Williamson, you're asked to help by unspooling a length of wire and connecting it to a TNT detonator. The flow between cutscene, interactive moments, and canned animations appeared smooth here, and once the train arrived, some elegant editing helped heighten the moment, quickly cutting between the gang, the train, and the TNT. But, perhaps unsurprisingly, the TNT fails to go off. Williamson messed up. The tension between the gang members gets heated as they quickly fire off blame and run to intercept the train on foot. They reach a nearby overpass and hastily leap onto the roof of the speeding train, accompanied by a noticeably gripping score (Woody Jackson returns as the game's composer).
Arthur lands without any trouble, but his first course of action is to help those who haven't. A fellow gang member named Lenny hangs off the side of the train, and a short quicktime action is required to pull him up. From here, Lenny and Arthur made their way down off the roof and into the carriages, moving towards the front of the train. The first encounter with guards was handled stealthily, and used to showcase the game's new gang interactions--the option was given to let Lenny take out the guard, or we could simply head in and do it ourselves. Looting and picking up bodies are returning mechanics (though they have more detailed and involved animations), and as we moved through the densely decorated carriages we noticed that it was possible to search drawers for loot.
In the next carriage a gunfight occurred, and while Red Dead Redemption 2's shooting feels mechanically similar to the original, the look and communication of impact appears to have been heightened--screen shake was more pronounced with each shot, the sound of discharges was satisfying. It's also notable that in Red Dead Redemption 2 you can physically see all your weapons on Arthur's character model--you can hold only hold two sidearms and two long weapons (along with a knife, lasso, and throwables), and when switching from a rifle to a sidearm Arthur would simply hold his rifle in one hand while he aimed his pistol with the other. Dual wielding is also an option later in the game.
That detail was pitched as a holdover from Max Payne 3--Rockstar specified to us that Red Dead Redemption 2 was not just the result of one Rockstar Studio, but the company as a whole, each bringing their previous experience to contribute to their latest effort. Another holdover from Max Payne 3 was the dynamic kill cam that kicked in once you had eliminated the last remaining enemy, the look of which would vary depending on Arthur's overall honor in the game. Being ruthless will apparently make these kill cams gorier, and being honorable will make them appear more heroic in nature.
Red Dead's take on bullet time, Dead Eye, also returns. If you're familiar with it, it works as you'd expect, only it now has five discrete levels. The first three provide the same abilities as the first game: time slowdown, automatic target painting, and manual target painting. We were told that one of the new abilities is highlighting critical hit areas on enemies, something that would be useful for clean hunting kills, but whether this ability has two different stages is unclear--there may be an additional dead eye ability we haven't learned of yet.
Once Arthur and Lenny reached the locomotive engine Arthur was ambushed by the train engineer. Here, we transitioned into a fist fight. Rockstar reps explained that the melee combat system had been expanded, but it was hard to break down the mechanics during this brief encounter. We saw some grappling, blocks, and a range of punches before Arthur finished the engineer off and pulled the brakes on the train. It was night by this point.
The gang regrouped by the side of the train and after some verbal warnings, all unleashed a hail of bullets into the side of the train's armored carriage in a brief hip-fire tutorial. Arthur and another gang member moved to blow the door up--the animation of them casually tossing a stick of dynamite looked noticeably natural--and they proceeded to ransack the inside of the carriage for valuable goods. Here, we were shown the ability to pick up and inspect loot, as well as other environmental narrative objects like notes. This all happens in-world, with the game's camera cutting to a first-person perspective as Arthur's hands physically manipulated things.
Once the gang was done looting, Dutch and the rest headed back to camp, leaving Arthur to decide what to do with the hostages they had taken while emptying the carriage. Rockstar explained that like the first game, you would have a range of choices here, and your decision would affect your honor meter. No decision was made in our demo session.
We grabbed the controls for the next portion of the demo, where we were dropped into a free-roam area during broad daylight. It was located in a more temperate part of the world, New Hanover to be exact, and we started overlooking a vista where we were able to spot the mountains from the previous segment far in the distance. We learned a lot about the game's new features from messing around during this portion by visiting towns, taking a closer look at the camp, and trying to discover in as much as possible. There was enough in there to make us feel overwhelmed, and wonder about how much we had yet to see.
We've compiled all of our nitty-gritty observations of the game's mechanics in a separate article, so if you're interested in learning about all the new thing features and systems in Red Dead Redemption 2, make sure you spend some time reading through this companion piece: Red Dead Redemption 2: All The New Features
As night fell again, we started to ride back to the Van der Linde camp, pushing the boundaries of our horse (who will completely collapse, tumble, and throw you off if you try and get it to trot down a steep slope), acting like buffoons (holding up on the d-pad with your gun unholstered will let you fire warning shots in the air, scaring off animals and people) and whistling non stop (Arthur will whistle for as long as you hold the button, and will eventually run out of breath).
The next mission was initiated from camp, where Dutch, Bill Williamson, and Arthur attend to a captured member of a rival gang, Keiran of The Driscolls, who is tied up to a tree. In an attempt to coerce him to reveal the location of his gang's whereabouts, Bill Williamson prepares red-hot boltcutters of some description and threatens to basically cut Keiran's testicles off. Rockstar games are no strangers to torture but this cutscene, though tense, was played for laughs more than anything. Keiran folds and agrees to help the three Van der Linde men.
After a long ride out to a location within a forest, the four men approach the rival camp quietly. A nearby patrol stops to let one of its members relieve himself, and again we were given the option to send in Bill to take care of things or do it ourselves. Unfortunately, our stealth takedowns attracted too much attention from the rest of the patrol, and we quickly took cover in the trees and used a mix of pistols, rifles, and our bow to thin out the defending force. Red Dead Redemption 2 still features a similar kind of auto-aim assistance to the previous game, whereby zooming in with the left shoulder button will snap your cursor to an enemy--helpful because we found bodies hard to make out amongst the forests' dense foliage, and we didn't have a scoped weapon. We were reminded again how familiar shooting felt to Red Dead Redemption, but it was nonetheless still satisfying to confidently line up a string of headshots with the bow using Dead Eye.
Once we had taken out the majority, the rest of the gang fled. After some brief time spent looting bodies and experimenting with the environmental systems--dumping a corpse onto a fire will cause it to catch alight, though we didn't have time to test the effects of fire on grass and trees--we moved to the house in the middle of the camp. A cutscene triggered where Arthur is knocked on his feet by a hidden opponent, and Kieren, the Driscoll member, switches allegiances and saves Arthur. The result is that the gang reluctantly welcomes Kieren into the gang as a Van der Linde member, and Rockstar told us that this would be a common scenario. Gang members will both come and go, some as part of the story, and some as part of the choices you make as Arthur.
A lot of work has obviously been poured into the game's world, animation and cinematic presentation, in an attempt to create an experience that looks to impress you at every stage. It's little surprising how superficially familiar Red Dead Redemption 2 feels at first--this absolutely plays like a Rockstar Games title. But that's not a bad thing, and there's a lot to be said for the sheer amount of new, intricate systems which apply to the world, your weapons, your horse, Arthur himself, and how all of that can interact. We've only had the briefest of glimpses at the laundry list of genuine additions, but the level of depth that they suggest is certainly an incredibly enticing prospect, and we can't wait to experiment with them further.
If you'd like to learn even more about our experiences with Red Dead Redemption 2 so far, be sure to also take a look at our companion article dedicated to the game's new mechanics:Red Dead Redemption 2: All The New Features
The latest episode of American Horror Story Apocalypse, "Forbidden Fruit," will likely go down as having one of the all time great vomit scenes in history. If you haven't watched the episode yet, go away, because we're going to spoil the heck out of it.
We're used to characters dying on American Horror Story, but usually more than half the characters on the show don't all die in a single scene--and never so spectacularly as they did in "Forbidden Fruit." As Wilhemina and her robot pal Ms. Mead hatched the plan to poison the shipment of apples, we as viewers assumed that some person or force would intervene. It would be insane to throw away all the build-up and character development of Apocalypse's first three episodes, we thought. Apparently we forgot what show we were watching.
When the moment finally came, it made all that wasted potential worth it. Watching most of the cast of American Horror Story spew vomit and blood all over themselves, their environment, and their companions was disgusting, horrifying, and uproarious all at once. In fact, it perfectly encapsulated those qualities--the notes that AHS usually hits when the show is at its best.
We had to know more about the puke scene, so we chatted with actor Kyle Allen, who until recently played Timothy on American Horror Story Apocalypse. We touched on what it was like to shoot, what the puke was made of, and whether this is a turning point for the season.
GameSpot: So are you dead dead, or are you American Horror Story dead, if you know what I mean?
Kyle Allen: Oh, man, I have no idea. No one has told me anything. So I'm going about my day as a dead man.
So you're waiting by the phone to maybe get that call, "Hey, we need you back."
Not because I'm desperate, but because I have my phone in my pocket.
Sure. I guess waiting by the phone is an antiquated expression at this point, right? We're all waiting by our phones all the time.
Yeah, that is pretty much the existence of modern society.
So, were you an American Horror Story fan before this role?
Yes, it was a love hate relationship. I don't do well with scary, disturbing, or horrifying stuff, but it was so good that I got through a handful of seasons. But yeah, I didn't really do well in Hotel or Murder House, but I got through all of Coven and Freak Show. And those ones were my favorite.
Would you consider those the less scary seasons?
I think there was more to distract me from how anxiety ridden I was watching it, because they got "the force" and they can push each other around and do weird spells, and that guy's a zombie, she's a voodoo queen. There's an interesting angle to it and how they chose to navigate that. It's like a really messed up Hogwarts for six people. Those sorts of things allowed me to forget more terrifying aspects of it.
Yeah, that's one thing that the show does really well, is there are moments that are terrifying, and there are moments that are goofy fun, right?
Yeah, exactly.
How does it feel as a person who is, I guess, maybe squeamish around horror, or not a huge horror fan, how does it feel shooting this stuff?
It's a blast to make. It's really fun. It's not scary at all to make in production. It's really fun. I understand why people make these movies, because it's a really good time to do. Not as much fun for me to watch, way more fun to do.
What's it like being on the set that we've been in for the first few episodes? Because it seems so claustrophobic and crazy while you're watching it. What does it feel like?
It's amazing. It's such an incredible set. I walk around in between takes. I really enjoy it. I think it doesn't feel as claustrophobic, because most sets, when you're on a soundstage, feel way more claustrophobic than that, because the sets aren't as grand and spacious as that is. You're usually in much smaller rooms and corridors and stuff, so I feel like it's quite possible to get way more claustrophobic on a different set, where that one actually has way more room.
But they have fog machines that are pumping at all hours of the day, and everything's lit by actual fire and candlelight. They've got some artificial lighting, but most of the lighting you see is from the actual fire from the candles, or the fire pit. And so, for 12 hours a day, sometimes more, you will be in a foggy candlelit bunker, and you feel reality slipping away.
Yeah, I don't know. That does sound scary.
Yeah, it's not bad. It's just people start getting real loopy. You're not sure what time it is, or what it looks like outside, because you have the same lighting all day.
Like the actual characters on the show.
Yeah, which is great. You didn't have to act that part. You were actually stuck in the bunker for 12 hours a day.
So, your character was easily the most, or one of the two most, normal people there. Did you feel from the beginning like the two of you were destined for some gruesome death? Normal people, or average people, don't tend to survive very long in this show.
Yes, so I figured. Also contractually, you know how many episodes you're gonna do, so you're like, "All right, yeah, it's coming."
That's funny, so did that affect the way that you played the character? Did you try to play him more tragic, or did you try to just go scene by scene?
Honestly, I was just trying to be like, "How would this person swallow these absolutely astronomically insane circumstances?" And that was just my main focus.
So, how is that? How did the way that the character handled it differ from how would you handle it, you know?
I'm not sure. I didn't quite walk myself through it. I tried to create him from scratch, because if I go into how I would do it, I'm really weird, so it wouldn't make any sense.
I feel like, as the audience watching it, you can't help but imagine, "How would I deal with this situation?"
Yeah, gosh, I don't know--that sense of confusion and chaos that brings to your mind. You're like, "God, what would you do?" You have no idea what's going on, or how severe it is, or who's lying, or who's serious, or if you can trust these people. It's this constant state of confusion, which is what I led with. With Timothy, you're dealing with so many factors at any given moment, he's like, just trying to deal, man. Just trying to have a good day.
Were you surprised by this episode, as I think people watching, and I definitely was? American Horror Story kills characters a lot, but it usually doesn't kill all the characters in one scene in the third episode.
Yeah, I think I just dropped the script on the floor and was like, dang. We spent all the time discussing theories and stuff, and you're like, "Oh, that's what happened? What is going on?" Because all of our theories, these people needed to not be dead, and now they are. You're like, "I have no clue what's happening."
I was trying to come up with specific questions about the vomit scene, but I just want to know everything about that scene. Could you just tell me what it was like?
Yeah, it was a big old day. We rehearsed it first without blood and the guts and the effects and stuff. And then we all discussed how we were gonna die, and in what way. Like, "You do this, and you fall here. And then you do this, and then fall here." So Ashley [Santos] and I, we came up with ours, like, collapsing into her. And then I got to flop on the couch and roll on the floor as she realizes she's done it. And then each person and group of people all found their own spectacular way to die. And the vomit--I didn't have any vomit, which was great. But the vomit was made out of lime juice, bananas, and apple, and they just blended that together, and that's what people--you just take a mouthful of it, and then you start the scene and those people go crazy and they vomit all over each other. I didn't have any vomit. I was supposed to throw up blood in Ashley's face, which she was psyched for and I felt terrible about.
And you actually spat blood in her face?
That's correct. That is what happened. I think we did it three times. The first time I guess I didn't do it correctly. They wanted a spray, like a mist. And I was like, "OK, I can do that." And so we had to do that two different times, so that we got the close ups of that, and then, yeah, I fall on the floor, and then I got--I remember getting a bunch of fake blood in my eyes, burning really bad. And then they had to add the blood coming out of the eyes and the ears as well as the foaming at the mouth. So that was added in after we collapsed on the ground. So we had to wait as they were setting all this stuff, and I had a pool of blood over my eye, and both of my eyes were glued shut with dried blood, so I had no idea what was going on. People were just like, "Just go, move." But it was awesome. It was really to fun flop on the floor all day and pretend to die. It's like what you do when you're playing around, your friend points a finger gun at you and you get to die horrifically. It's a great way to spend your day.
The dunking for apples, which was done, I think, a different day, that was really fun too. It was also really sad, because we had all these beautiful costumes that they made, and we just destroyed them with vomit and blood. Evan [Peters] had this thing, this tube, so it shot out of his mouth all over the place.
Jesus.
It was gnarly.
Yeah, it was.
And then everyone is just falling over and dying.
I guess people's reactions are real too. When you're spitting blood in someone's face, and they flinch and shut their eyes, it's because you're really spitting blood in their face.
Yeah. No, it's a very real reaction from Ashley, because that is what was occurring.
It seemed like this episode was a turning point for this season. I don't know if you know anything about going forward, but it seems that way. I don't know if you could say anything about that.
I agree with you. It does seem that way. And I think that's a fair assumption, that the introduction of the characters from past seasons and everything that's been going on, has been on a certain theme. And now, definitely it's not going where we thought it was going, and I think that's a very cool thing that the writers did. Yeah, I genuinely don't know what happens moving forward.
So, you'll just be watching week to week with the rest of us.
Yeah, I'll see what's up.
Thanks Kyle!
American Horror Story Apocalypse airs Wednesdays on FX.
As is to be expected from a new project that Rockstar has been working on for years, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an incredibly dense open-world game that's jam-packed full of details. We recently got to go hands-on with the high-anticipated sequel, and while playing we discovered numerous mechanics and details that go above and beyond those from the original Red Dead Redemption. While the game features improvements to pre-existing mechanics, there are light survival systems this time around. These require you to pay attention to things like your body temperature, gun maintenance, and meat expiration. As fans of the original, all of these new details are surprising and unexpected. But what has us the most enthused about it all is how these mechanics are likely to foster tons of ridiculous shenanigans in the game's world--especially once Red Dead Online releases.
We got to experience many of the new systems at work--most of which you can read about in our comprehensive feature compiling them all. But there were some fascinating standouts we wanted to highlight that we feel will contribute to some of the game's most memorable and entertaining moment-to-moment experiences. Included in this feature are nine of the most unexpected mechanics and details in Red Dead Redemption 2.
If you haven't already seen our Red Dead Redemption 2 preview covering the story missions we saw, make sure to read it for our in-depth impressions on the game. Though, if you want to get caught up with everything there is to know about Red Dead Redemption 2, check out our roundup of everything we've learned about RDR2. In the meantime, what details are you most excited to experience in Red Dead Redemption 2? Let us know in the comments below.
Clothes Make The Outlaw
The game's clothing customization options are comprehensive--each character will have different sets to coincide with hot and cold weather conditions. The type of clothes you wear will affect Arthur's performance. For example, if you wear a weighty jacket during a hot summer day, your running stamina will take a big hit.
Other customizations will allow layering and minor adjustments, like the option to roll up your sleeves or tuck your pants into your boots. Whatever you end up choosing, you're free to craft Arthur into the high plains drifter you want him to be.
You Can Fire Warning Shots And Whistle For Fun
By having your gun unholstered and holding Up on the d-pad, you can fire warning shots into the air. This is handy for intimidating people, scaring off animals, or generally being a rowdy buffoon while you're riding around.
Speaking of possible buffoonery, you can even whistle at people to get their attention or call your horse. And if you keep holding down the button, you can keep whistling until Arthur runs out of breath. Imagine combining both warning shots and whistling; you'll become the countryside menace you've always dreamed of being.
Your Guns Can Degrade And Jam
You need to take care of your weapons in Red Dead Redemption 2. You have the option to clean them, which is incredibly important to do regularly because guns can jam mid-fire due to disrepair and environmental conditions. You don't want to be caught with a rusted gun--lest you seek to dig yourself an early grave.
Hunted Materials Can Rot And Be Damaged
The components you acquire from hunting all have an expiration date. If you're not careful, time will eventually take its toll and both the fresh pelt and carcass you've acquired will start to rot and attract vermin, reducing its value and making you generally unpleasant to be around. Not only that, but if you use a firearm to kill an animal as opposed to an arrow or knife, its pelt will be damaged and will sell for less at local stores.
Cleaning, Grooming, And Feeding Yourself
Speaking of unpleasantness, NPCs will react not just to the stink of your rotting deer corpse, but also if you haven't taken a bath in a while. Arthur needs to get clean and change his clothes every once in a while, since townsfolk may refuse to talk or serve him based on his appearance--having blood on your jacket doesn't attract the best reactions.
Time also has an effect on Arthur's hair, which actually grow longer. Customizing Arthur's haircut and facial hair styling is also dependent on length since you're allowed to cut things shorter, but won't have access to options that require more hair--a more realistic take on customization compared to GTA V. Of course, you're welcome to not pay attention to grooming. In fact, you can totally rock the mountain man look by just letting Arthur's hair and facial hair grow to its max.
Arthur will need to eat to keep his health and stamina meters up, but will also lose and gain weight depending on his food intake. He'll have to stay active in order to keep in top shape.
You Will Get A Camera
We started a side quest during our time with Red Dead Redemption 2, and the mission giver handed Arthur a camera. This camera could be used at any time via your inventory, and yes, the first thing we did was take a selfie.
These aren't arm-out handheld selfies, though. The mode is titled "self-portrait" and will frame Arthur's whole body as if the camera were set up on a tripod. You'll be able to adjust expressions and poses, too--expect to see a whole bunch of self-portraits depicting Arthur squatting in front of various things on Twitter once the game releases.
You Can Lose Your Hat
If you're not careful, you can easily lose your hat in the midst of a shootout. If you drop your hat, you need to physically pick it back up to get back to looking like a proper outlaw. Though, if you ride away from your hat, it'll appear as an icon on the map. However, it will reappear back on your horse if you go too far away. Alternatively, Arthur can swap his hat for any other one that just happens to fall off someone else's head. Sometimes you just have to adjust your style on the go.
There's A Killcam That Changes Depending On Your Honor
When you take out the final opponent during a gunfight, a killcam will frame that final blow a la Max Payne 3. This will change depending on Arthur's moral standing: If you've been a naughty cowboy, these kill cams will be gorier. If you've been upstanding and honorable, they'll be framed in a more heroic fashion like those from the classic film Westerns of old.
You Can Break Enemy's Weapons
Speaking of heroic behavior: if you want to go the more non-lethal route, it's possible to shoot weapons out of enemy hands. Not only that, but you can even shoot at their weapons and break them. This seems like a handy technique if you're looking to be an outlaw with a heart of gold as opposed to a straight-up cold-blooded killer.
Horse Dressage And Drifting Techniques
Horses are an important part of Red Dead Redemption 2, but it seems like they're far more capable creatures than they've ever been in previous games. During our hands-on, we were able to rear our horse on its hind legs, perform drifts to change direction quickly (apologies to equestrian enthusiasts), and move our horse precisely by performing dressage techniques.
Sentai Filmworks has announced its anime release schedule for January 2019. It's a little bare-boned--with only three Blu-rays--but all three series are held in pretty high regard. If you're looking for something to watch a little sooner, we've compiled a guide of the Netflix, Amazon, Crunchyroll, Funimation, and HiDive anime that you should watch, including Sentai Filmworks' new Bloom Into You series.
You might not have heard of the first title, Rocket Girls, which is an underrated 2007 anime based off of a 1995 light novel. This 12-episode series is primarily about Morita Yukari, a high school girl who wants to find out what happened to her father after he disappeared. Her journey takes her to the Solomon Islands, where the native Space Association is trying to build a big enough rocket to send an adult into space, with zero success. Yukari's tiny frame makes her ideal for flying in one of the SSA's smaller, more reliable rockets so she agrees to undergo the training to be one of the association's astronauts in return for help in finding her father. This anime is more than just a female version of Space Brothers, and hits on story lines and themes similar to A Place Further Than The Universe. Rocket Girls releases on January 15, 2019, and you can pre-order it for $26 USD.
A special steelbook Blu-ray of Land of the Lustrous releases the following week. Plenty of people missed out on Lustrous because the series released on Amazon Video when the streaming service was still charging an exorbitant fee to watch anime. Which is a shame, because Lustrous is one of 2017's best anime. Lustrous is a retelling of the 2012 manga about a race of sentient jewels who must defend themselves from lunar invaders that want to turn the gems into jewelry. The story stars Phosphophyllite, who goes by Phos, the jewel with the weakest hardness. Phos cannot fight, even though they want to, as they shatter easily so they're assigned to writing an encyclopedia. The task leads Phos down a path of revelation as they learn the secrets behind the gems. Land of the Lustrous Steelbook Edition releases on January 22, 2019, and you can pre-order it for $52 USD.
Finally, at the end of the month, the premium box set of Girls' Last Tour releases. Based on the 2014 manga, Girls' Last Tour is a dystopian slice-of-life about two young girls, Chito and Yuuri, who drive around in a military vehicle in search of food and other survival materials. Chito is rather serious and enjoys reading while Yuuri is easy-going and loves to eat. Girls' Last Tour will remind you of stories like The Road for switching between being cute and being very depressing. The Girls' Last Tour Premium Box Set releases on January 29, 2019, and you can pre-order it for $98 USD.
The follow-up to Rockstar Games' classic western game Red Dead Redemption is fast approaching. Set 12 years before the events of the original game, Red Dead Redemption 2 will explore an expansive region of the American wilderness, with Dutch Van der Linde's gang on the run from lawmen during the last years of the wild west. Experiencing Rockstar's take on the open-world western from a new perspective, you'll uncover the history of the Van Der Linde gang, which has a young John Marston in its thralls.
We got the opportunity to play Red Dead Redemption 2, and suffice to say, it's shaping up to be one of the most detailed open world games we've ever played. You can find out more in our preview below where you can read about our experiences completing story missions and exploring the game's world. There's also plenty of details below on the game's narrative and all of its trailers. With its release date of October 26 approaching, we're beginning to learn a lot more about the base game, as well as its Red Dead Online mode.
Set 12 years before the main events of the original game, the prequel focuses on the outlaw life of the Van der Linde gang, led by Red Dead Redemption's main antagonists. After a robbery in Blackwater (one of the original game's major towns) goes bad--the gang finds themselves on the run. Dutch, his right-hand man Arthur Morgan, and several members of the gang have to contend with a life on-the-run while confrontations with rival gangs and the law make their situation grow more desperate.
Rockstar also released a description of the plot:
America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him.
The First Reveal
Debuting on October 20, 2016, the first trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 was a bit of a mood piece that showcased many locales in the game, while also portraying the somber tone of the main narrative. In this trailer, we saw several towns and locales, many of which are teeming with life and activity--such as ranchers rustling up some cattle, huntsmen bringing back their haul, and a group of citizens hanging out in the general store.
Who Are We Playing As?
Though the central character of Red Dead Redemption, John Marston, plays some role in the story--the main protagonist of the prequel is Arthur Morgan. As Dutch's right-hand man and enforcer for the gang, he'll handle much of the daily duties of keeping the gang in-check--which includes a young and less-experienced John Marston. When it comes to keeping the gang and its community afloat, Morgan is quite handy with picking up various jobs to ensure everyone is well fed and in good spirits. But as the story progresses, he'll begin to question his own resolve for Dutch's way of life, and whether he still has a place in the gang.
The Second Trailer
On September 28, 2017, the second trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 debuted. In the new footage, we got to see more of Arthur Morgan and how ruthless he can be while on the job. During some of the story cutscenes, Morgan will use coercion and physical threats to collect money and information, all for the "benefit" of the community. For more info on this particular trailer, check out our detailed breakdown.
Who's In Dutch's Gang?
In Red Dead Redemption 2, we'll see Dutch's gang and its key players in their prime. While the original game had John hunt down and kill the remaining members of the gang, we'll see many of the familiar faces in relatively happier times. From the most recent trailer, we see Dutch Van der Linde, Arthur Morgan, Bill Williamson, Javier Esquela, Sadie Adler, Charles Smith, Micah Bell, Hosea Matthews, and of course John Marston in the roster. We'll also interact with other characters who would have a key role in the gang and in the lives of both Arthur Morgan and John Marston.
The Third Trailer
In the new footage released on May 2, we saw a deeper look into the game's narrative and how the gang functions. Along with the familiar activities like hunting, heists, and side-quests with the region's citizens, rob trains and banks, and take in shows at theaters. For the most part, the trailer focuses on the many connections you'll have with the members of the gang, as well as how your choices will affect them. For more info on the third trailer, check out our detailed breakdown.
First Gameplay Trailer
On August 9, Rockstar unveiled Red Dead Redemption 2's first gameplay trailer. The new footage revealed that the core mechanics from the original game were still intact, but almost everything had received a facelift. Wildlife is smarter and lives within its own ecosystem. Arthur Morgan can interact with the people around him in ways John Marston never could.
What's New In Red Dead Redemption 2?
While the sequel is largely in the same vein as its predecessor, focusing on exploration, hunting, shoot-outs, heists, and other side-activities where you'll interact with a number of unique characters--Red Dead Redemption 2 features a far more expansive world to dive into. We got our first good look at this world and how we'll be playing through in Read Dead Redemption 2's first gameplay trailer below.
The honor system from the original game makes a return, but now with far more detailed tracking. Along with the average citizen, members of your community will react to how well or how poorly you treat them. As the lead enforcer, Morgan will have to handle a ton of responsibilities, such as resource gathering, procuring funds, and making sure everyone in the community is happy.
There are a ton of new mechanics in Red Dead Redemption 2. For details on every new feature in the game so far, check out our comprehensive list of all the new features we've discovered so far.
How It Plays: Our In-Depth Preview
We recently got a hands-on with a near final-build of Red Dead Redemption 2. It plays much like its predecessor, but with a bevy of new features and systems that enhance its storytelling, combat, and overall progression. We got to experience two story missions, as well as a chance to goof around freely in the open world. There's a lot to unpack about how the upcoming sequel looks and feels, so be sure to read our in-depth preview detailing our impressions about how it plays.
How Will Online Multiplayer Work?
Currently, Rockstar hasn't shared any info on how the online play will function. The original Red Dead Redemption featured online free-for-all and team deathmatch style gameplay in the open world, along with several co-op themed missions. While it's safe to assume that these sorts of missions will return, another long-lingering rumor is the appearance of a battle royale mode. Rockstar has recently confirmed that a public beta for the online mode is scheduled for a month after the game's launch.
How Can I Play RDR2? When Is Its Release Date?
Red Dead Redemption 2 is set for release on October 26 for PS4 and Xbox One. There are also plans for a collector's edition of the game called the Special Edition. Priced at $80, the package includes a copy of the game along with special missions, weapons and a physical map of the game world for players to own. There are also two additional packs for Red Dead Redemption 2 for premium prices, The Ultimate Edition and The Collector's Box--both priced at $100. While The Ultimate Edition has all items from the special edition--including additional DLC items to acquire--The Collector's Box does not include any digital items. Instead, it offers special playing cards, artwork, a bandit's bandana, a physical map of the game world, and a collector's coin in the set.
Though the original Red Dead Redemption never found its way to the PC, there's been some rumors that its sequel might. A mention of Red Dead Redemption 2's appearance on PC found its way online, but it has since been scrubbed.
PS4 Pro Bundle
Although the system itself doesn't sport a unique design, there will be a Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Pro bundle. Priced at $400 in the US, you're essentially getting a copy of the game for free. However, this doesn't include any of the aforementioned special editions; it's just a standard edition version of the game. The bundle is available for pre-order now.
It's time to say goodbye to 2018's summer anime, like Planet With and My Hero Academia Season 3. The fall anime season begins in October, and a bunch of new series and movies will begin airing on Netflix, Amazon, Crunchyroll, Funimation, and HiDive. With all the new anime, we've outlined what we think you need to add to your watch list.
Bloom Into You is a must watch. This love story between two high school girls also addresses the pressures of living with low self-worth and the struggles of understanding asexual love. Despite the heaviness of the story's drama, there are both brief snippets of hilarity and quiet moments of internal resilience that draw you into the changing dynamic between the second-year student council president who can't escape her dead sister's shadow and the young first-year who dreams of falling in love but doesn't feel attraction for anyone. Bloom Into You is debuting exclusively on HiDive (in both Japanese and English dub) and premiers on October 5. This fall, HiDive is also airing episodes of the English dub of Princess Principal, one of the best anime from 2017.
You should also add Crunchyroll's Goblin Slayer to your queue--especially if you're a fan of Dark Souls. Goblin Slayer is a dark fantasy about an inexperienced priestess, called Priestess, who's saved by a male adventurer named Goblin Slayer after her entire party is gruesomely butchered in front of her. Goblin Slayer is a bloody story that repeatedly offers up scenes where its characters are left with eyes full of despair, but it's not without its charm. The series begins airing on October 6.
Other anime to look out for are That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime and SSSS Gridman. The former launches on October 1, with the original Japanese version on Crunchyroll and the English dub on Funimation. The latter comes out on Funimation on October 6. Slime is an isekai--a story where a normal person is transported to another world--that's about pretty much exactly what the name implies, and Studio Trigger's Gridman is an anime remake of Gridman the Hyper Agent, a series about three kids creating a video game superhero. Golden Kamuy and Netflix's Castlevania also return with second seasons this fall, the former on October 8 and the latter on October 26.
The full list of anime series and movies that have been confirmed to premier this fall on Amazon, Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hidive, and Netflix are listed below. We'll update the list if additional titles are announced.
Fall 2018 Anime Release Date Schedule (U.S.)
Amazon
October 5
Boarding School Juliet
So Many Colors In The Future What A Wonderful World
October 11
Le Cirque de Karakuri
Crunchyroll
October 1
That Time I Go Reincarnated as a Slime
October 3
RErideD: Derrida, who leaps through time
October 4
Zombieland Saga
October 5
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Part 5: Golden Wind
October 6
Goblin Slayer
Radiant
Sword Art Online: Alicization
October 7
Ulysses: Jeanne d'Arc and the Alchemist Knight
October 8
Golden Kamuy (Season 2)
October 12
Senran Kagura Shinovi Master
Funimation
October 1
Space Battleship Tiramisu Zwei (Season 2)
That Time I Go Reincarnated as a Slime
October 6
Ace Attorney (Season 2)
SSSS Gridman
October 8
Golden Kamuy (Season 2)
October 9
Tokyo Ghoul:re (Season 2)
HiDive
October 1
The Girl in Twilight
October 5
Bloom Into You
Netflix
October 3
Violet Evergarden: Special
October 15
The Seven Deadly Sins: Revival of The Commandments
October 26
Castlevania (Season 2)
October 30
Fate/EXTRA Last Encore: Illustrias Geocentrism Theory
October is nearly upon us. Once the calendar page turns, Xbox Live Gold subscribers will no longer be able to download September's Games With Gold. That would be a shame, because missing out on free Xbox One and Xbox 360 games is never a good idea. The titles going away on Monday, October 1, are Prison Architect and Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World.
Prison Architect is a sim game for Xbox One that puts you in charge of the building and running of a maximum security facility. Don't let the game's cutesy art style fool you: this is a deep management game with lots of overlapping systems. It also gets surprisingly dark, as prisoners can do things like murder each other and launch full-scale riots if you don't keep them happy. Good luck with that.
Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World is a compilation of three platform/adventure games from the '80s and '90s. It includes the arcade version of Wonder Boy in Monster Land, plus ports of the Genesis versions of Wonder Boy in Monster World and Monster World IV, the latter of which made its way outside of Japan for the first time with the release of this collection on Xbox 360.
Also available for now Xbox Live Gold members is Livelock, a top-down shooter you can play alone or with friends. It's free to download until October 15.
The release of Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 6 means that there's a brand-new Battle Pass, which in turn offers a whole bunch of new cosmetic goodies for players to work towards unlocking. Of these, arguably the most coveted will be the skins and outfits--and Season 6 has more than a few cool ones to check out and try to get your hands on.
Two of these skins are Legendary tier and have a cool touch where they evolve through different stages, becoming more detailed as they go along. The first is the Calamity skin, which begins as a female character rocking a cowboy hat, a white tank top, and some shorts. However, as the skin evolves she gets a bandana, a coat, and eventually a long coat (making her look like a Bloodborne hunter), which is then adorned with neon purple trim.
The second Legendary outfit is called Dire, which is unlocked by reaching the max rank of level 100 with the paid Battle Pass. The male character starts off fairly simple, wearing some jeans, a red zip-up jumper, a biker coat and a red headband. However, the iterations on the skin go full Teen Wolf, as he grows a snout, fur, sharp teeth, eventually becoming a full on werewolf complete with shredded clothes, talons, and a 'tude.
Click image to view in full screen
The other skins are also pretty neat. DJ Yonder is Fortnite's llama if it was a member of Daft Punk; Giddy-Up has your character looking like it's riding on a llama; Fable is inspired by Little Red Riding Hood; Dusk has a vampiric theme; and Nightshade features a well-dressed jack-o'-lantern. You can take a look at those skins above.
There's plenty more beyond skins to unlock as part of the Season 6 Battle Pass, however, and the other emotes, back blings, contrails, sprays, and banner icons are all very cool. You can see everything in our gallery of all the Fortnite Season 6 Battle Pass rewards.
The first week of challenges is also upon us and, as always, we've got a breakdown of what you'll need to do here. The hardest challenge for Week 1 can be found in the paid Battle Pass tier and involves finding seven Streetlight Spotlights and then dancing beneath them. We've put together a map of where we found them, and a video, so you can use these to get it done too. Check out our Fortnite Season 6 Week 1 challenge guide for more details.
Change continues to come to Destiny 2 following the release of Forsaken, but the one thing you can count on is a weekly appearance from Xur. The mysterious merchant has arrived once again with a slate of Exotic gear for sale--here's what he has this week, as well as where you can find him on the map.
Visiting Xur this week is pretty easy--he's located at the Tower. Head over to the hangar (go left when you first spawn) and you'll find him hanging out on a set of stairs just behind where Dead Orbit and Future War Cult are situated. You can see where he is on the map below.
As for Exotics, he has one piece of armor for each class and one weapon, as per usual. The weapon is the very fun-to-use auto rifle Sweet Business, which features a magazine size of 99 and essentially operates like a chaingun. Titans get the chest armor Hallowfire Heart, which boosts Solar ability recharge rates. Warlocks get the Winter's Guile gauntlets, which increase melee damage temporarily when you get a melee kill. And Hunters get the Aeon Swift gauntlets, which provide various benefits to nearby teammates when you roll (particularly if they're always wearing an Aeon item).
Here's the full lineup and prices:
Sweet Business (Exotic auto rifle) -- 29 Legendary Shards
Aeon Swift (Exotic Hunter gauntlets) -- 23 Legendary Shards
Alongside these items, you can pick up a Five of Swords challenge card for adding modifiers to the Nightfall. Or you can grab the expensive Fated Engram; this costs 97 Legendary Shards but guarantees to decrypt into a Year One Exotic you don't already own.
Welcome changes are on the way to Destiny 2, particularly regarding Exotics. Bungie says it plans to reduce the likelihood of Exotics dropping as duplicates of those you already own. Additionally, it's going to add new ways to acquire Masterwork Cores (needed to infuse items and upgrade them) and provide more Powerful gear through future Iron Banner events.
This was a big week for the game, as a number of new activities came online. Breakthrough was released for Crucible, while a dungeon debuted alongside a pair of new Exotic questlines, including one for Malfeasance.
Desert Knights returns to the Xbox One version of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds for the second weekend in a row. This time, the limited-time event features group queuing and incorporates new rules.
According to a blog post on PUBG's website, the second iteration of Desert Knights still takes place on Miramar. However, this time the event features 24 players instead of 20, and everyone is divided into three groups of eight. You'll drop with level three vests, helmets, and backpacks already equipped, as well as a care package weapon, first aid kit, random sidearm, and two grenades.
Knocking out or killing opponents nets your team three points, and the first team to reach 150 points--or has the highest score by the end of the time limit--wins the match. Matches have been extended from 12 minutes to 15. Unlike in PUBG's normal battle royale, if you die in Desert Knights, you'll eventually respawn. Killed players are thrown back into the plane 30 seconds after their death and have to try and safely drop back onto the battlefield. There are only a few safe zones on Miramar during Desert Knights, which are mapped out in the image below.
Several of PUBG's normal features are disabled during Desert Knights. No care packages will drop on the battlefield during a Desert Knights match, and the red zone won't appear either. Dynamic weather is turned off, so you'll always play on Miramar during sunrise. There's no friendly fire in Desert Knights either.
Desert Knights is already live on Xbox One, and will continue throughout the weekend. The event ends September 30, 7 PM PDT / September 31, 4 AM CEST. PUBG will reiterate and improve the event each week based on community feedback.
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is available on Xbox One and PC, and there are rumors the game is coming to PS4 as well.
Along with the start of Fortnite Season 6, Epic's hugely popular battle royale game continues to add new outfits and gear to buy. The latest featured items, which are only available for 48 hours, including Oktoberfest-themed skins, gliders, and gear.
One of the outfits is the Epic-level Ludwig skin which comes with the Clockworks back bling for 1,500 V-Bucks. Also new is the Epic-level Heidi outfit and Pretzel Protector back bling for 1,500 V-Bucks. The new glider is the Rare-level Oktoberfeast that has pretzels, cheese, and sausages on it for 800 V-Bucks. Finally, the Uncommon-level Axcordion axe is also now available to purchase for 500 V-Bucks. You can see all the new skins and gear in the gallery below; click each image to bring up a full-size version.
Fortnite Season 6 started today, September 27, and there are a lot of new cosmetics and other new items to get your hands on with the Battle Pass, such as Pets. You can see everything in our Season 6 rewards gallery. You can also find guides on how to complete the latest challenges in our Season 6 challenge roundup.
Additionally, Fortnite's map has seen some changes as part of the big new update. Check out GameSpot's coverage here to see everything that's new and changed. In other news, Fortnite now supports cross-play between PlayStation 4 and Xbox One--yes, really, it finally happened.
Ubisoft has announced the test server for the PC version of Rainbow Six Siege is once again live. You can log into the test server to try out and provide feedback for several gameplay changes and bug fixes coming to Siege.
One of the more noteworthy changes is adding the option to enable or disable mouse scrolling inputs for weapon swapping. The mechanic has been in plenty of other competitive first-person shooters, and the PC Siege fanbase has been asking for Ubisoft to implement the feature since the game's release.
The PC test server also updates Glaz's OTs-03 so that it can no longer penetrate Castle's barricades. A toggle has been added to both Montagne and Pulse's special abilities too. The final gameplay update affects deployable shields. You will no longer be able to block other players from vaulting through a window by placing a shield next to it.
For the full patch notes, you can read Ubisoft's blog post on Reddit. Below, we've listed the bug fixes that are live on the test server right now.
The test server is only live on the PC version of Rainbow Six Siege, but the game is also available for Xbox One and PS4.
Rainbow Six Siege Test Server Bug Fixes
Fixed - Mavericks blowtorch makes no sound on the first use on a wall.
Fixed - Clash is not able to use Observation Tool while shield is extended
Fixed - An LOD allows players on the Spitfire Courtyard roofs to see behind a corrugated steel wall through a 3rd floor window of Hereford Base
Fixed - Equipping a shield drops the fps by 10-20 on Hereford Base
Fixed - The FPS in Hereford Base Map Rework is unstable.
Fixed - Instead of disappearing when Echo's Yokai hover drone is disabled, the "Jump" button appears greyed out
Fixed - Maestro's gadget is vulnerable when placed on certain destructible surfaces and the surface is broken, specifically small pinstripe carpets
Fixed - Players can't pick up Rook's armor plates if the armor bag is deployed on a kettle in 3F Cigar Lounge in Kafe
Fixed - The Mouse Scrolling Wheel Functionality can't be disabled (*it can now be disabled)
Fixed - While prone, using melee and standing up will switch the knife animation to shield.
Fixed - End of round timer does not stop when initiating the defuser plant at the last moment
Fixed - If Buck mounts Tachanka's LMG Turret with the Skeleteton Key on and leaves, no interaction can be made with the turret afterwards
Fixed - The Bulletproof camera can't be access by pressing Secondary Gadget button while you are in prone stance
Fixed - The caster is able to mute the voice chat of the player during a match by pressing tab
One of the more notable features included in Switch Online is cloud storage, which allows you to both access and recover your game's save data even if your Switch is ever lost, stolen, or damaged. A Nintendo FAQ page created some concern that Switch Online would immediately delete your cloud storage if you ever stopped paying for the subscription, whether on purpose or not. Nintendo has now clarified that the FAQ statement is only partially true.
Switch Online will delete your cloud saves if Nintendo doesn't receive a subscription payment, but the action won't be taken immediately. According to a response made to IGN, cloud saves can be recovered up to six months after your subscription ends. You won't be able to access your saves once your subscription expires, but they'll remain on Nintendo's servers for 180 days before they're gone for good.
Bandai Namco is bringing a batch of VR games from Japan to the USA, including Mario Kart Arcade GP VR. The VR games will be available to play at a VR Zone Portal in Washington DC, for a limited time starting on October 1.
Mario Kart VR runs on the HTC Vive VR system, and lets you grab items out of the air to toss at your opponents, along with haptic feedback for all those bumps and hits. The VR Zone will also feature Argyle Shift, which puts you in the role of a futuristic test pilot on a mission to drop a mech into a combat zone, and Ski Rodeo, an alpine skiing game.
All three games will be available for a 6-month engagement at Union Station near the National Mall in DC. The games will cost $8 apiece to try. Bandai Namco hasn't announced further plans for other locations or dates, so if you're interested you may need to make plans to visit the nation's capital sooner rather than later.
We first got a look at Mario Kart GP VR last year, when it was exclusive to Japan and headed to London. The lower perspective is certainly a big change from traditional Mario Kart, so give it a look.
Microsoft has announced that Xbox One consoles will soon enable mouse and keyboard support. The company followed up with another announcement that it would be partnering with Razer to bring players additional mouse and keyboard options.
In the announcement, Microsoft added that mouse and keyboard support would be case-by-case with the choice of implementing it completely up the developers. No update is going to add mouse and keyboard support to every existing title on Xbox One. Developers will either need to patch in an update or include it in future games.
Warframe has already been confirmed as one of the first games on Xbox One to receive a patch that will allow you to play with a mouse and keyboard. Microsoft hasn't announced when the patch will be ready, just that it's arriving "in the coming weeks."
For now, mouse and keyboard functionality on Xbox One is only available for players who are a part of the Xbox Insider program. Xbox Insider allows you to test out new system updates for Xbox One consoles before they officially release for the public. Occasionally, Insiders will be able to test new features and games that are coming to Xbox One or Windows 10 PCs as well. You can head to Microsoft's website to join Xbox Insider.
Microsoft has also announced a global Xbox celebration event, called X018, will be taking place in Mexico City on November 10-11. There aren't many details about the event yet, but Microsoft said it will feature the "largest live Inside Xbox episode ever."
We're nearing the end of September, and while that might mean you're back into your school routine, there's still plenty to watch in your free time. Netflix is introducing a load of new movies, TV shows, and original series for when you have time for some weekend binge sessions. Here's the full rundown on what's new and leaving in September 2018. [Update: If you're looking ahead, we also now have the full list of new Netflix content for October.]
The big addition in September is Black Panther, the Marvel superhero movie that took the world by storm this past February. If you happened to miss out on this celebration of African culture--which we described as "a top tier Marvel movie with all the humor, style, action, passion, and fun that the MCU has come to embody" in our Black Panther review--then now's your chance. Other film highlights coming in September are Groundhog Day, Scarface, Bruce Almighty, The Breakfast Club, Lilo & Stitch, The Emperor's New Groove, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Netflix exclusive Next Gen.
The list of new TV shows isn't as impressively large, but there are a few stellar options being added. Both Bojack Horseman and Stranger Things are getting new seasons. If you like staying appraised of everything going on in the MCU, Iron Fist is also returning another season.
If animation is your thing, new anime series Dragon Pilot: Hisone and Masotan--about a rookie air force pilot who finds herself being chosen as the destined rider for an actual dragon--and animated series The Dragon Prince--which is created by the same folks behind Avatar: The Last Airbender--debut on Netflix this September.
Of the movies and TV shows being removed, Nolan's Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are the two noticeable standouts. They've unfortunately left the service already, but you can get a look at what you still have time to watch below.
Arriving in September
September 1
Unforgiven
10,000 B.C.
Another Cinderella Story
Assassins
August Rush
Bruce Almighty
Delirium
Fair Game
Groundhog Day
King Kong
La Catedral del Mar
Martian Child
Monkey Twins
Mr. Sunshine
Nacho Libre
Pearl Harbor
Scarface
Sisters
Spider-Man 3
Stephanie
Summer Catch
Sydney White
The Ant Bully
The Breakfast Club
The Cider House Rules
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Keeping Hours
The River Wild
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
Two Weeks Notice
September 2
Lilo & Stitch
The Emperor's New Groove
Maynard
Quantico: Season 3
September 3
A Taiwanese Tale of Two Cities
September 4
Black Panther
September 5
Van Helsing: Season 2
Wentworth: Season 6
September 6
Once Upon a Time: Season 7
September 7
Atypical: Season 2
Cable Girls: Season 3
City of Joy
Click
First and Last
Iron Fist: Season 2
Next Gen
Sierra Burgess Is A Loser
Stretch Armstrong & the Flex Fighters: Season 2
The Most Assassinated Woman in the World
September 10
Call the Midwife: Series 7
September 11
Daniel Sloss: Live Shows
The Resistance Banker
September 12
Blacklist: Season 5
Life
On My Skin
September 14
American Vandal: Season 2
Bleach
Boca Juniors Confidential
BoJack Horseman: Season 5
Car Masters: Rust to Riches
Ingobernable: Season 2
Last Hope
Norm Macdonald has a Show
Super Monsters Monster Party: Songs
The Angel
The Dragon Prince
The Land of Steady Habits
The World's Most Extraordinary Homes: Season 2 Part A
September 15
Inside The Freemasons: Season 1
September 16
Role Models
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
September 17
The VVitch
September 18
American Horror Story: Cult
D.L. Hughley: Contrarian
September 21
Battlefish
Dragon Pilot: Hisone and Masotan
Hilda
Maniac: Limited Series
Nappily Ever After
Quincy
The Good Cop
September 23
The Walking Dead: Season 8
September 25
A Wrinkle in Time
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
September 26
Norsemen: Season 2
The Hurricane Heist
September 28
Chef's Table: Volume 5
El Marginal: Season 2
Forest of Piano
Hold the Dark
Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father: Season 2
Lessons From A School Shooting: Notes from Dunblane
A new update for Star Wars Battlefront 2 has addressed some of the game's multiplayer concerns. The most notable change patches the Squad System, but the update addresses a few other concerns and also adds new content.
If you're playing with a group of friends, you will be automatically placed in a squad together. The new Squad System promises to load you back into your group more quickly after your soldier is killed. Upon death, you will be able to toggle between all your surviving squad members to decide who you want to respawn on. If you're playing solo, you'll just be thrown into a random squad, but you'll still be able to choose who you spawn on between each death. The new Squad System also allows you and a friend to play in private two vs. two Hero Showdown matches.
More Clone Wars-themed content has been added to Battlefront 2 as well. You can now change your Republic Army soldiers to appear as the Jedi Master Windu's 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps or Jedi Master Plo Koon's 104th "Wolf Pack" Battalion. The former was first seen in Star Wars The Clone Wars animated series, while the latter first appeared in Revenge of the Sith before also appearing in The Clone Wars. Wolf Pack's leader, Commander Wolffe, also appeared in Star Wars Rebels.
Additional details about changes to the Squad System and new Clone Wars content can be found on Battlefront 2's blog, including how the game will handle ping site connections going forward. We've outlined the major bug fixes included in the new update below.
Star Wars Battlefront 2 is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Battlefront 2 September Update Patch Notes
Features
Added ability to get into squads and spawn on squad members on Galactic Assault and Strike
Improved screen flow for quicker spawning in all modes where Squad Spawn is not present
Quality of Life
More dynamic change of characters shown on the Home and Career screens, due to implementation of backend ability to change those in a live environment
Implemented various stability fixes for the End of Round (EOR) Matchmaking
Improved the way the game client looks for an online game, by adding an automated Default option for the best Ping site, as well as simplifying the choice of sites in the menu.
Hero Changes
Leia Organa
Fixed an issue where Leia's Alternate Fire ability could damage a player piloting the AT-ST
Vehicle Changes
U-Wing
Fixed an issue where the "Repair" ability would not properly activate
Lando's Millennium Falcon
Fixed an issue where the Tactical Jammer ability would have no effect on Lando's Millennium Falcon
Classes & Special Units Changes
Officer
Fixed an issue that would prevent the Disruption ability to trigger in sync with the animation
Heavy
Removed the ability of Ion Turrets to lock and fire on troopers, as requested by the community
Reduced the damage done by the Ion Torpedo for better balancing
Game Mode Changes
Galactic Assault
Implemented backend timers that allow tweaking of the objective duration on Galactic Assault in a live environment
Hero Starfighters
Added animations to further enhance the look and feel of the game mode's widget
Strike
Fixed a spelling issue in one of the objective texts
Map Changes
Jakku
Fixed an issue where heroes could hide or get stuck behind metal barriers on Jakku
Endor
Fixed an issue that would leave players stuck between tree and mountain assets
Takodana
Fixed an issue where the chicken near the East Turbolaser would not be fleeing from the player
General Changes
Added Ewok Hunt and Extraction-based challenges to the list of Daily Challenges
Removed Hero Showdown-based challenges "Perfect Together" and "Vader and Kylo", based on player feedback that they are too hard to achieve in an online environment
Fixed an issue where Iden's character and description text would be missing from the Campaign's spawn and customization screen
Fixed an issue where players would not be able to change their Clone Trooper appearances during the pre-round screens on games taking place on Kashyyyk and Kamino
Added additional UI effects when unlocking an Emote, Victory Pose or Appearance from the menu
Increased the maximum numbers of players in a group to 20, and the maximum number of players who can play together to 8
Fixed an issue where the button to get more Crystals would not show up in the Emotes and Victory Poses screens
Adjusted the "Saviour Kill" stat, so that it tracks relevant kills from the whole team and not just the squad members
This update will automatically disable CrossFire functionality for players with AMD Graphics Cards running on Windows 8 / 8.1, due to lack of support for multi-GPU with the specified operating system and GPU vendor.
Fixed an issue where the Resourceful Star Card wouldn't correctly lower the ability cooldown when used.
On September 18, Iron Banner returned to Destiny 2 for the first time since the launch of the Forsaken expansion. During Iron Banner's initial Forsaken run, Bungie monitored the mode, and the developer isn't completely content with what it's seen.
In a blog post, senior designer Jeremiah Pieschl wrote, "One of the goals we have for Iron Banner is that it's an opportunity for lower-Power players to catch up or reengage in their pursuit of Power. Based on [player] feedback and our analytics, we're not meeting that goal." In response, Bungie is rolling out two changes in Iron Banner, which the company hopes will level the playing field between high-Power and low-Power players.
The first change will reduce how much you'll have to do to complete a bounty in Iron Banner. The adjustments are listed out below.
Iron Banner Bounty Changes
Lightbearer: Super kills has been reduced to 20 from 25
Iron in the Blood: Match completions has been reduced to 15 from 30
Shine On: Orbs generated has been reduced to 50 from 100
Iron Victory: Match wins has been reduced to 7 from 10
To Be Precise: Precision kills has been reduced to 50 from 100
All in a Week's Work: Kills has been reduced to 150 from 250
The second change involves what you get from those bounties. During this recent run, only two of them offered Powerful gear; next time around, completing each bounty will net you a piece of Powerful gear, which should help to increase your Power level.
Bungie will continue to monitor Iron Banner going forward, specifically to make sure that the multiplayer mode's new direction makes sense. Previously, Destiny 2's Iron Banner normalized Power level for all players. Since the launch of Forsaken, Bungie has transformed Iron Banner into, as the developer describes it, "an arms race" where the only way to hold your own is to equip your highest level gear.
Destiny 2 is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. In our Destiny 2: Forsaken review-in-progress, Kallie gave the expansion an 8/10, writing "After being let down by Curse of Osiris and Warmind, I'm enjoying Destiny 2 again."
The first week of Fortnite Season 6 is here, so you have a whole new set of challenges to complete. The first three are free, with the remaining four locked behind the game's Battle Pass.
Despite it being a new season with several major changes, there isn't anything drastically new with what you'll have to do to complete all seven challenges. If you've been keeping up with Fortnite these past few months, then this week's challenges should all be fairly familiar. The first three free challenges will net you a total of 13 Battle Stars, and completing the four Battle Pass challenges rewards you with another 16.
We've listed the seven challenges and their respective rewards below.
Fortnite Season 6, Week 1 Challenges
Free
Pick up a Legendary Item in different matches (3) -- 5 Battle Stars
Regain health from a Cozy Campfire (15) -- 5 Battle Stars
Stage 1: Seach Chests (3) -- 3 Battle Stars
Battle Pass
Apply Shields (500) -- 5 Battle Stars
Stage 1: Land at Junk Junction (1) -- 1 Battle Star
Dance under different Streetlight Spotlights (7) -- 10 Battle Stars
Eliminate opponents in different Named Locations (5) -- 10 Battle Stars
The third Battle Pass challenge will probably take you the most time to complete just because you need to find the seven spotlights to dance under. Each spotlight is pretty easy to spot--look for streetlights that have a speaker playing music--but you'll still need to trek across the entire map to find them all.
Below is our map of the eight spotlights we've found, which should help speed up the process. Remember, you only need to dance under seven of them.
Fortnite is available on Xbox One, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS. Sony has relented on its previous stance against console cross-play with Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, so Fortnite now supports cross-play across all platforms.
Days away from the release of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Ubisoft has released the official launch trailer for the action RPG. For previous trailers, Ubisoft either created two variations to highlight the game's two protagonists--like the Gamescom cinematic trailer--or included both characters in one video. Not this time, though.
For the launch trailer, Ubisoft mostly focused on Alexios and his growth from a young child into a legendary Spartan warrior. The trailer flashes through the possible solutions that you'll be able to use to resolve the conflicts you'll face in Odyssey, such as using an arrow storm against approaching guards or showing compassion towards someone who's emotionally struggling.
We've already played the opening eight hours of Assassin's Creed Odyssey. We enjoyed experimenting with all of the new combat abilities and exploring Odyssey's vast open world. We were less impressed by the early examples of naval combat and thought the first romantic encounter in the game was a little creepy.
Like Assassin's Creed Origins, Odyssey delves into the earliest conflicts between the individuals that would eventually inspire both the Templar Order and Assassin Brotherhood. For the first time in the franchise, you have the choice between two characters to play as, Alexios and Kassandra. No matter who you choose, you'll be presented with the same overall story, dialogue choices, romantic options, and side quests. However, our time with the game has revealed that Alexios and Kassandra sometimes speak a little differently. Alexios, voiced by Michael Antonakos Alexios, is more gruff and to the point in his responses, while Kassandra, voiced by Melissanthu Mahut, speaks with a hint of playfulness.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey releases on October 5 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. Ubisoft has announced episodic post-launch content will release next year, including missions where you'll meet the first user of the hidden blade and uncover the mysterious behind the lost city of Atlantis.
Plenty of excellent TV shows, Original series, and movies have been added to Netflix this week. However, if nothing tickles your fancy, then you can start perusing through October's additions.
Fans of The Walking Dead can finally watch Season 8 on Netflix. First debuting on October 22, 2017, The Walking Dead: Season 8 continues the escalating conflict between series protagonist Rick Grimes--now leading the group of survivors in Alexandria--and another group, called the Saviors, who force other communities to pay tribute to them. Andrew Lincoln reprises his role as Rick, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays Negan, the dangerous leader of the Saviors. Season 8 marks the last full season of The Walking Dead that Lincoln will be a part of as he's scheduled to leave the show in Season 9.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is another excellent watch for the weekend. Don't worry, this is the first film in the franchise--the one that most fans agree to be the best. The movie stars Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, and features equally magnetic performances from Geoffrey Rush as Captain Hector Barbossa, Orlando Bloom as Will Turner, and Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann. Even if the follow-up films weren't as universally loved, The Curse of the Black Pearl is still regarded as a modern-day classic for its goofy humor, charming cast of characters, and well-written story about pirates struggling to remain relevant in the face of well-armed trading companies.
You can check out our full list of series, Originals, and movies coming to Netflix in September if you need to catch up on previous weeks. Below, we've outlined everything coming to the streaming service this week.
Netflix U.S. Releases (September 23 - September 29)
September 23
The Walking Dead: Season 8
September 25
A Wrinkle in Time
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
September 26
Norsemen: Season 2
The Hurricane Heist
September 28
Chef's Table: Volume 5
El Marginal: Season 2
Forest of Piano
Hold the Dark
Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father: Season 2
Lessons From A School Shooting: Notes from Dunblane
Fortnite Season 6 implements numerous big changes in the battle royale mode of the game, at least one of which is completely unintentional on Epic's part: new breast physics. We've reached out to Epic to clarify whether or not they're being completely patched out or simply subdued, but the company is not able to specify its plans right now.
[Update: It seems as if Epic has already taken action to remove this from the game. In a new tweet, it said, "We have disabled elements of our animation system. This means you may see visual issues with some outfits. Thank you for your patience while we work through these issues!"]
[Update 2: According to a tweet from Epic Games, an update has been released that contains fixes for "item and animation issues." There are no further details on what the patch does to items but the breast jiggle animation issue highlighted in the story below seems to have been resolved.]
We have just pushed out an update containing fixes for item and animation issues. This will not require downtime.
On Twitter, FaZe Agony pointed out that Season 6's Calamity avatar's breasts jiggle whenever she performs certain movements or dances. Epic has responded to the discovery with the announcement that these movements were not planned to be included in the game. "This is unintended, embarrassing, and it was careless for us to let this ship," said an Epic spokesperson. "We are working now to fix this as soon as possible."
The company did not announce a timetable for when an update might be rolling out, but it sounds like we can expect a hot fix patch soon. Epic has already released an update for Fortnite on Xbox One that fixes a bug that was making the game unplayable.
Season 6 adds plenty of intended changes to Fortnite, though. There are several new skins, such as a Dire Werewolf, Calamity, and DJ Yonder. Seven new weekly challenges have also been added, with three being for free and another four locked behind paying for Battle Pass. New consumables, called Shadow Stones, allow you to gain the supernatural powers to become invisible or phase through solid objects when you use them, and they're found in the game's new corrupted areas.
Fortnite is available for Xbox One, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS. Sony has released a beta for console cross-play on PS4, making Fortnite the first video game to support online cross-play between Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo's consoles.
Paying for Nintendo Switch Online does more than allow you to play online. The subscription offers a few exclusive perks as well, including free access to classic NES games. The online service launched with 20 different NES titles, and nine more will be added before the end of 2018.
Most of Nintendo's largest franchises had their start on the NES, and several of those games will launch with Switch Online. Paying for Nintendo's online subscription nets you games like Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Super Mario Bros. You'll also get some of Nintendo's earliest sports games as well, including Soccer, Tennis, Ice Hockey, Pro Wrestling, and Baseball. The list of 20 games that launch with Switch Online can be found on Nintendo's website, and we've also outlined them below.
To help capture the experience of playing these classic titles, Nintendo is launching Switch Online member-exclusive Joy-Cons that are shaped like NES controllers. Each box comes with two controllers, as every NES title will support two-player co-op. In certain games where two player-controlled characters don't make sense, you can switch between who's controlling the game or the second player can use a hand-shaped cursor to point out hints and applaud certain actions. NES titles will also support Switch Online voice chat via Nintendo's smartphone app if you and your partner aren't in the same room.
Switch Online is now available alongside system update 6.0. Memberships can be purchased for one, three, and 12 month increments for $4 / £3.50, $8 / £7, and $20 / £18 respectively.
SoulCalibur VI, the next installment of Bandai Namco's long-running fighting game series, is set to release on October 19 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Like the previous games, this one pits weapon-wielding combatants against each other and sees the inclusion of many familiar faces for anyone who's played the previous games--or anyone who's played The Witcher, for that matter.
If you're ready to go all-in on SoulCalibur VI, you'll probably want to know about any pre-order bonuses, what comes with each edition of the game, and where you can get it. Below, we've gathered all of the information you need to make an informed pre-order decision. Let's get to it.
SoulCalibur VI Pre-Order Bonus
A few retailer-exclusive pre-order bonuses are available for the game. If you pre-order SoulCalibur VI from Best Buy, you'll receive a free 3.5-inch-tall mini figure of Talim (while supplies last). GameStop, meanwhile, is giving away the Ivy Valentine Figpin seen above. Finally, pre-ordering from the PlayStation Store gets you a free SoulCalibur VI PS4 theme.
Standard Edition
The standard edition contains the game itself, plus any applicable pre-order bonuses. The best deal at the time of this writing is at Newegg, where you'll save $10.
Physical versions of the deluxe edition come with the season pass, the soundtrack on CD, and a metal case with a built-in soundbox that can play four voiceover snippets. Digital versions cost $10 less but only contain the game and season pass.
The $150 collector's edition comes with even more items. You'll get everything included in the deluxe edition, plus a 120-page art book and a 12-inch collectible Sophitia figure, all packaged in a long collector's edition box.
One of the biggest changes added to Fortnite in Season 6 is the introduction of a new consumable called Shadow Stones. Using one allows you to transform into your Shadow Form, which gifts you with a couple of supernatural powers. [Update: Not long after they were added, Epic pulled Shadow Stones from the game entirely due to an unspecified bug. "Due to an issue with Shadow Stones, we're disabling them until we have a fix," the company said on Twitter. However, the bug has now been addressed and they've returned to the game.]
In Shadow Form, you won't be able to use weapons, but whenever you stand still, you'll go completely invisible. You'll still be slightly visible whenever you move in Shadow Form, and walking around leaves behind a Shadow Trail that people can easily follow. Running around isn't all that bad though, as you'll have increased movement speed and jump height, and you won't take fall damage.
The true fun comes in your other supernatural ability, Phase. Using Phase propels in whichever direction you're facing. If there's something in your way, like a rock or a wall, you'll pass right through it. With Phase, you'll be able to easily escape anyone who discovers your Shadow Trail, or scare someone with your ghostly apparition in an ambush.
Shadow Form only lasts up to 45 seconds--and can be ended early by holding down the Alt Fire button--so you'll have to figure out when's the best time to use a Shadow Stone after you've found one. Shadow Stones randomly spawn around the map, but can usually be discovered in corrupted areas.
Fortnite Season 6 also puts Impulse Grenade, Suppressed Submachine Gun, Light Machine Gun, Bouncer, and Remote Explosives into the Vault. Grapplers have been updated so that connecting to a moving object incorporates its momentum into your launch force, and the charge for Grapplers has been reduced from 15 to 10.
Fortnite is available for Xbox One, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS.
Epic kicked off Season 6 of its popular battle royale game, Fortnite, but as is to be expected with an update of this scale, things haven't gone completely smoothly. A number of issues have cropped up following the release of the game's 6.0 update, including one that rendered it pretty much unplayable on Xbox One. That has since been resolved, but another bug has been found, this one relating to Shadow Stones, one of the new items Epic introduced to the game this week. [Update: The issue with Shadow Stones has been resolved and they are once again available in Fortnite, but Epic has had to temporarily disable another item, the Port-a-Fortress, due to a separate problem.]
On Twitter, the developer announced that an issue has been discovered with the new consumable items. As a result, Epic has temporarily disabled the stones until it can roll out a fix. The studio didn't provide an estimate as to how long that would take, so it's unclear when players can expect the stones to return to the game.
Epic didn't elaborate what the issue relating to the Shadow Stones was, but it appears players have discovered an exploit that allows them to shoot their weapons while being invisible. Normally, when you consume a Shadow Stone, you'll turn into Shadow Form, which allows you to appear invisible to other players when standing still, but at the expense of being able to use your weapon.
The Shadow Stone isn't the only item Epic has removed from Fortnite; the developer also vaulted a handful of weapons with the start of Season 6. The Impulse Grenade, Suppressed Submachine Gun, Light Machine Gun, Bouncer, and the Remote Explosive are all no longer available in Battle Royale, although players can still find them in the sandbox-style Playground mode. The developer also made tweaks to several other weapons, including the recently added Grappler.
With Season 6 now underway, players can purchase another Battle Pass to level up and, in turn, unlock rewards, such as Pets, a new type of cosmetic item Epic introduced this season. You can see all of the new skins and cosmetics in our Season 6 rewards gallery. If you need help unlocking them, you can also find guides on how to complete Fortnite's latest challenges in our Season 6 challenge roundup.
WWE is a global brand, so at times, the company will travel overseas for shows. More recently, these international events have become major PPV, starting with The Greatest Royal Rumble back in April. On Saturday, October 6, WWE is headed down under to Australia for the Super Show-Down, and it is one packed card, but it's going to be airing in the states super early.
Taking place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia, Super Show-Down will air on the WWE Network at 10 AM BST / 5 AM ET / 2 AM PT. We are currently unsure if there will be a Kickoff Show, as the programming guide for October 6 is not available as of this writing. Nevertheless, for once, WWE fans in the UK will have a PPV not airing extremely late in the evening.
If you don't have the WWE Network but are interested in watching the show, you can sign up for one month free. This promotion is only available to new subscribers, but you're under no obligation to continue using the service. You can cancel anytime, so technically, you can watch Super Show-Down for free. If you choose to continue using the WWE Network, it costs $10 a month, but you get to livestream all WWE PPVs throughout the year, as well as classic PPVs, TV replays, and original series.
So what can you look forward to at Super Show-Down? Well, for the first time in forever, Roman Reigns isn't the main event. However, Undertaker vs. Triple H is, so that's something different. The match is billed as "last time ever," most likely because Undertaker is getting up there in age and isn't as great in the ring as he used to be.
In addition to that, there are nine more matches on the card, four of which are title matches. However, Ronda Rousey and the Raw Women's Championship are nowhere to be found on the card. But there's still time for another match to be added. Check out everything booked, so far, below.
Super Show-Down Match Card:
Cedric Alexander (c) vs. Buddy Murphy (Cruiserweight Championship)
Asuka & Naomi vs. The IIconics
The New Day (c) vs. The Bar (Smackdown Tag Team Championship)
Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz
John Cena & Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens & Elias
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Charlotte Flair (Smackdown Women's Championship)
Ronda Rousey & The Bella Twins vs. The Riott Squad
AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe (WWE Championship)
The Shield vs. Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, & Drew McIntyre
The Undertaker vs. Triple H
Super Show-Down Start Times
7 PM AET
10 AM BST
5 AM ET
4AM C
2 AM PT
Make sure to come back to GameSpot on the morning of Saturday, October 5 for coverage of the PPV. And next week, we'll have predictions as well as interviews with WWE superstars about the event.
The first-person perspective in Cyberpunk 2077 is a departure from The Witcher series, and some fans suspect there's more reason to it than CD Projekt Red has announced. After one floated a theory that it will be playable using VR devices, the studio shot the theory down.
"Currently we have no plans," the short statement read on Twitter. It was in response to a user who had asked about the first-person perspective being used to bring the game to VR.
The first-person perspective was controversial among fans when it debuted at E3 this year. CD Projekt Red has stood by the decision, citing it as necessary for immersion and to keep the HUD uncluttered. It has also said it will work on solutions to help the small number of players who cannot play first-person. Fans have continued looking for another reason, but VR isn't it.
The studio is, however, implementing a photo mode. That raises a question of how exactly it will be used, given the first-person perspective, and it could be a way to give partial control over a free-roaming camera--to line up the perfect photograph, at least. The studio is known for its ambitious projects, and Cyberpunk is no different. We'll see how it delivers when it releases on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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