Thanks to the sheer ubiquity of Red Dead Redemption 2, video game fans are seeing a lot of cowboy imagery these days. But you don't need to buy Rockstar's open-world blockbuster to indulge your inner cattleman. Between now and November 17, anyone with an Amazon/Twitch Prime account can pick up some free cowboy-themed loot for the PC version of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds.
To get your PUBG freebies, head over to Twitch and click on the crown-shaped icon at the top. That opens a dropdown menu with all of the free items you have available. Among them is the PUBG Gunslinger's Crate. This loot set contains five gunslinger outfit items and two weapon skins (Engraved R45 and Engraved S686). As usual, the items don't affect gameplay, but they sure do make you look stylish.
To make the items appear in your game, you'll need to open PUBG and sign in, then click the Twitch "Glitch" icon in the upper right corner of the lobby screen. There, you can link your PUBG account to Twitch, after which you'll find the loot in your inventory.
Other recent Twitch Prime freebies include a monthly set of free PC games, a Golden Loot Box for Overwatch, colorful outfits in Rainbow Six Siege, as well as freebies for Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Warframe. All of the free items are available for a limited time, so make sure you collect the ones you want before they vanish forever.
Following the latest leak, Niantic has confirmed Pokemon Go's annual Halloween event is coming back for another year. The event is now underway for a limited time and introduces a handful of new Gen 4 Pokemon to the game, as well as the first Gen 4 Legendary.
As in previous years, Niantic is debuting a couple of new Ghost- and Dark-type Pokemon during the Halloween event. This time around, players will have their first chance to catch Drifloon, Stunky, and their evolved forms Drifblim and Skuntank. The studio is also offering new trainer hats, shirts, and backpacks inspired by Ghost Pokemon through the in-game store, including a Gengar backpack and Drifloon cap.
On top of that, Niantic is kicking off a new Special Research questline. Whereas previous Special Research quests led to encounters with the Mythical Pokemon Mew and Celebi, this new one revolves around Spiritomb--another Ghost Pokemon introduced in Gen 4. Niantic is also rolling out new Field Research tasks that focus on Ghost and Dark Pokemon. Finally, just as in past years, players will earn double the normal amount of Candy for capturing Pokemon during the Halloween event.
Perhaps most notably, the first Gen 4 Legendary Pokemon is set to debut in Pokemon Go. Coinciding with the start of the Halloween event, Pokemon Platinum's cover monster, Giratina, will appear around the world as a Raid Battle at Gyms until November 20, giving players roughly a month to add one to their collection. Giratina is dual Ghost/Dragon Pokemon, so you'll want to bring along a powerful Dark- or Dragon-type to challenge it.
Pokemon Go's Halloween event is slated to run until November 1. Meanwhile, the game's next Community Day is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 10, although Niantic hasn't announced any further details as of yet.
The battle royale mode for Battlefield V will come next March, DICE has announced. A post on the official site detailed the post-launch roadmap, and announced that the "Firestorm" Battle Royale mode will come in March 2019.
That's the third chapter of its planned content, to follow Chapter 1 (Overture) and Chapter 2 (Lightning Strikes). Overture will bring the tank-focused Panzerstorm map, a new War Story called The Last Tiger, and new vehicle customization features. It's coming roughly two weeks after launch. Then sometime between January and March, Lightning Strikes will add Combined Arms and Squad Conquest.
Firestorm will support up to 64 players, divided into teams of four. It gets its name from a ring of fire that will close throughout the match, as players scrounge for weapons and fight to be the last team remaining. It's being developed by Criterion rather than DICE. We still don't know much about Firestorm on the whole, considering it wasn't part of the beta.
Battle royale modes are popping up in more games recently. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Battlefield's chief competitor in the military shooter genre, launched with its own battle royale mode called Blackout.
Battlefield V arrives on PS4, Xbox One, and PC in a little less than a month, and it'll offer a variety of different modes for players to dive into right from the outset. That certainly won't be the extent of the content it'll receive, however; developer EA DICE will roll out a regular stream of updates for the shooter as part of its "Tides of War" live service, and now we have a much better idea of what that will entail.
DICE has outlined its post-launch roadmap for Battlefield V on the game's official website. In contrast to Battlefield 1, which initially required players to purchase a Premium Pass to receive its expansions, all future maps, modes, and other content for Battlefield V will be free for all players.
The first "chapter" of this post-release content, dubbed Overture, is slated to arrive in December, roughly two weeks after the game's launch. It will introduce the tank-focused Panzerstorm map and an additional War Story titled The Last Tiger. On top of that, DICE will implement vehicle customization and the first iteration of the game's Practice Range, as well as weekly events.
The second chapter of Tides of War, Lightning Strikes, will launch January-March. It adds the cooperative mode Combined Arms, in which you and up to three other players take on Combat Strike missions across several maps. Additionally, Lightning Strikes brings the new Squad Conquest mode, a revamped Rush mode, and another assortment of weekly events and rewards to the game.
The third chapter of DICE's post-launch content is dubbed Trial by Fire, and it is scheduled to kick off in March. It's biggest addition to the game is Firestorm, Battlefield V's battle royale-style mode. It supports up to 64 players divided into teams of four, and like other battle royale games, pits them on a gradually shrinking map in a struggle to be the last team remaining. Trial by Fire will also add a new Greece map and more weekly events and rewards.
DICE teases that more new maps, weapons, vehicles, and other content is also on the way; details on those will be revealed later. Battlefield V launches for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 20. Those who pick it up within the first week will receive two free bonus items in the game. Those with an EA Access subscription will also be able to play up to 10 hours of the game early beginning November 9.
Epic Games has rolled out Fortnitemares, a spooky, Halloween-themed Fortnite event that is now available in both the Battle Royale and Save The World modes. In the former, players will have a new set of challenges to complete (with more still to come as the event continues), and in return will receive loot and cool new cosmetics, including a special skin.
"During Fortnitemares, you'll face off against Cube Monsters in a whole new way of playing Battle Royale," Epic explains. "There are new weapons to fight back against these creepy creatures, like the Six Shooter and Fiend Hunter Crossbow. Take out the Cube Fiends and Fragments to pick up loot, and survive against enemy players."
As part of the event, the new Deadfire Outfit is available and is described as a "new type of reactive outfit" that changes as you progress in a match. This, Epic says, will let players "show off [their] skills in style." The changes to the outfit are dependent on the damage you deal to your enemies and also how long you're able to stay alive. The skin also comes with the Shackled Stone Back Bling and the Dark Shard pickaxe is also available in the store. These are also reactive cosmetics.
In terms of challenges, Fortnitemare will gift players with cosmetics for completing them. However, Epic is planning to refresh the challenges and the rewards "every few days." Those that stick it through and complete the final set of challenges will get the Dark Engine glide, which you can see below, along with the Deadfire skin and the first batch of Fortnitemare challenges. The most difficult of this first batch of challenges involves dancing with gargoyles--the location of which are not provided in-game.
Click image to view in full screen
Fortnitemares Challenges (Set 1)
Destroy Cube Monsters (200) -- 500 XP
Deal damage with Assault Rifles or Pistols to Cube Monsters (5,000) -- 500 XP
Visit a Corrupted Area in different matches (7) -- 500 XP
Dance at different Gargoyles (5) -- 500 XP
In Save The World, meanwhile, Hexsylvania has returned. Players will be able to check out "multiple sets of story quests and earn new rewards as you fight the fright alongside your friends." You can learn more about these on Epic's website.
Epic Games has also detailed the contents of Fortnite update 6.20 which, along with giving players Fortnitemares, adds the new Six Shooter weapon to the game. It also gives players the ability to redeploy Gliders after they've landed on the Island. This feature is something Epic is testing, so it's available in all Battle Royale game modes.
In time for Halloween, Epic Games is giving Fortnite a spooky makeover. The Fortnitemares event introduces an element of player versus environment to the game by spawning Cube Monsters, which are effectively mindless zombie-like creatures for players to gun down. Alongside this, there's an interesting new kind of skin available.
Fortnitemare's Deadfire Outfit is described by Epic as a "new type of reactive outfit." This first of its kind skin is more dynamic than the usual ones and actually changes depending on the way you play. As explained in the Fortnite blog, the look of the outfit will change depending on the damage you deal to enemies--both players and the new AI-controlled Cube Monsters. Along with that, the way it looks will shift based on how long you last in a match. Take a look at the three different variants below.
Alongside this skin, Epic has also introduced the Shackled Stone Back Bling to go along with it, and the Dark Shard pickaxe can also be found in the in-game store. Both of these items are called "reactive cosmetics." The Deadfire skin is available for 2,000 V-Bucks, while the Dark Shard harvesting tool costs 1,200 V-Bucks.
The Fortnitemares event is now live, and there are a unique set of challenges available. You can see all the new Fortnitemare challenges here. Epic has also release the patch notes for Fortnite update 6.20. This is a rather sizeable update that, along with giving players Fortnitemares, adds the new Six Shooter weapon to the game. Players also have the ability to redeploy Gliders after they've landed on the Island. This is being tested out by Epic, so it's available in all game modes.
Epic has launched a major update for Fortnite that includes Fortnitemares, a new Halloween-themed event. This features Save the World and Battle Royale components, and in the latter mode, there is a new set of challenges to complete with separate rewards from the standard weekly challenges. Among the first batch is one asking you to dance with gargoyles; below, you'll find a guide on where to go and the locations for all the gargoyles you'll need.
This challenge asks you to dance in front of five different gargoyles. The trouble is, these are spread all over the Island, so you may end up wasting time running into dead-ends. Luckily, we've managed to find them and can give you their exact locations to save you the time and effort. You thankfully don't need to dance in front of all five in a single match, so you can leisurely take care of these across multiple games. Just don't be surprised if players are camping on these spots, looking for easy kills.
Below you'll find a map with the exact locations of the Gargoyles as well as a list of where the gargoyles are. You can also watch the video above to see us complete the challenge.
Fortnitemare Day 1 Gargoyle Locations
Viking Village: Head inside the large building atop the hill.
North of Flush Factory on top of the mountain
West of Lazy Links in the mine that's shaped like an umbrella
Haunted Hills inside the Gothic Castle, in the main hall
Between Wailing Woods and Risky Reels on the hill
Tomato Temple: In the lower courtyard
Retail Row: In the store with the Battle Bus above it
Unlike normal weekly challenges, completing these Fortnitemares challenges won't unlock Battle Stars for you to level your Battle Pass up. Instead you'll get experience points and specific rewards such as an emoticon, spray, contrail, and glider. Additionally, Epic is rolling out new challenges every two days, and to get that glider you'll need to complete all of them.
This first set of challenge sis available now, and you can get the details on all of them in our Fortnitemares challenges roundup. There are four challenges in total in this set; three of them are fairly straightforward, with the gargoyle one above being the outlier.
Fortnitemare also introduced a cool new skin type that reacts to the way you play the game. If you haven't already checked it out, you can see the Outlander Outfit and find out what sets it apart from other skins. In addition to this skin, Epic has also introduced the Shackled Stone Back Bling and the Dark Shard pickaxe. Both of these items are also called "reactive cosmetics." The Deadfire skin is available for 2,000 V-Bucks, while the Dark Shard harvesting tool costs 1,200 V-Bucks.
Fortnitemare was introduced as part of the Fortnite update 6.20 update, which also includes a new weapon: the Six Shooter. Epic is also testing the ability to re-deploy gliders after you've landed, so you can do that in the Battle Royale's various game modes now too.
Compared to earlier entries in the series, Fallout 76 is very different kind of game. It's the series' first online game, with a far more in-depth focus on survival and crafting. This new approach on the familiar post-apocalyptic RPG's mechanics will take some time getting used to--and players will be doing that together in a shared world. In the beta for Fallout 76 on Xbox One--with PC and PS4 coming next week--those who've pre-ordered will get an early chance to dive into Bethesda's experimental take on the Fallout experience, with all of their progress carried over into the final game.
In this feature, we've come up with several tips and a short list of things to do during your first few hours exploring the ruins of West Virginia. As the earliest game in the Fallout timeline, set only 25 years after the bombs fell, the inhabitants of Vault 76 will explore a world that's still in disarray after the nuclear apocalypse. Though the setting of West Virginia was largely spared from the bombs, radiation and chaos have seeped into the valley, irreparably altering wildlife, and unearthing creatures that many thought to be legend.
The first of Fallout 76's betas is now behind us, but Bethesda has already announced when the next test will take place. Expect plenty more between now and the full game's release date on November 14.
We recently went hands-on with Fallout 76, and came away with a number of interesting observations. While the main hook is the focus on surviving a violent, irradiated world full of other players online, the familiar aspects of the Fallout experience are alive and well in 76--there are even some surprises for the eagle-eyed fans to uncover. With that, here's a quick survival guide to help you overcome the odds.
For more info on Fallout 76, be sure to check out footage from the first 50 minutes of the game, and along with our chat with Pete Hines about the current state of the game, and what lies ahead.
Explore The Vault
Instead of being rushed out the Vault door like in other Fallout games, with hostile Vault-tec security or irradiated radroaches nipping at your heels, you're afforded the chance to calmly prepare yourself for the expedition on the surface. After creating your character and taking a quick photo of yourself for you nametag, you'll grab your new pip-boy and get to explore the vault at your leisure--and even interact with other players starting out as well.
Once you leave your room, be sure to examine every point of interest on your way up to the entrance. These stops will get you stocked up with new items and supplies, which includes a starting set of Perk Cards, purified water, and the all important C.A.M.P device--allowing you to build structures in the outside world. Around the Vault, you'll find various holotapes that tell you more about the residents of the bunker, which includes the vault Overseer who's gone missing. Once you're ready, make your way towards the exit of the Vault. Though rest assured, if at any time you want to return, the Vault's door will always be open to you--even allowing for fast travel at no cost.
Stick With The Beginning Story Missions
Once outside, you'll start the early missions of the main story. In an interesting approach that's different from past Fallout games, many of the tutorial segments take place in the open world. In a more trial-by-fire approach, you'll gradually learn more about the many systems at work while collecting a set of new weapons and supplies. Despite being given some basic survival items from the bunker, you're still an unprepared Vault Dweller in a new world, and you'll need to get new supplies fast in order to survive.
Though you may have the urge to get started on your adventure and explore on your own, it's really in your best interest to take on the early missions in the main quest. Right outside the Vault door is a Mr. Gusty robot, who will let you know where to go next in your quest to find the Overseer. Within the first 10 minutes of stepping outside, you'll acquire new weapons, armor, and get used to the more nuanced mechanics in Fallout 76. This will go a long way in helping you get your feet wet in the open world, and you'll still come across many side events and opportunities to take on.
Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Building your character up from scratch is one of the hallmarks of the Fallout series, and 76 is no different. However, the early hours of Fallout 76 are not as generous as other games in the series, and it'll take time to gradually build up to the more familiar archetypes of previous games. But before you reach that point, you'll need to understand that you'll often have to work with what you have at your disposal--even if it's mostly scraps of items and word-down weapons that have seen better days. It's important for you to get out of your comfort zone and try out new methods and solutions for survival that you wouldn't normally take on in other games.
Rethink What Makes You SPECIAL
Given the more survivalist nature of Fallout 76, you'll have to be constantly on your toes and adapt to any situation that comes you way. The systems at work in-game allows for more flexibility, letting you refocus your character's strengths at anytime. Once you start leveling up, you'll be able to allocate SPECIAL points and gain new Perk Cards for your character. While all the SPECIAL points you invest are set in stone, the new perks you can set on your deck can be swapped out at any time.
As you increase in power from leveling up and acquiring new gear, you'll be able to flesh out your character in more interesting ways. Players that often favor firearms and explosives may find themselves in a position where they'll have to double down on melee weapons and hacking, and many of the perks you find will offer up some interesting buffs to make builds that were made on the fly seem worthwhile.
Group Up
Just outside of Vault 76, you'll encounter other players who have also started their journey. While you're totally free to explore on your own and take on whatever challenges that come from being a lone wanderer in West Virginia, there are many benefits to exploring in a group. When in a group, you and your squad can communicate with each other through voice-chat--though only in short-range--which will allow you to coordinate quests and how you'll clear our some of the more challenging locations housing Scorched, Ghouls, and Super Mutants. Though this is totally doable on your own, getting a group can lessen the hassle and spare some precious resources that you would end up spending on your own.
Grouping up in a Fallout game is still a new concept, so it's better to get a feel for it sooner rather than later. To team up with others, walk over to another player and invite them into a party. If they accept the invite, you'll partner up instantly. Up to four people can work together, with each member getting their own share of the loot. However, if you want to splinter off from the group and do your own thing, you're free to do so. If you've put a lot of distance between you and your group and want to return to them, you can open up the map and fast travel to a party member, allowing you to great distances without much hassle.
Always Be Collecting
Scavenging for junk items and gear is a normal part of your journey in the post-apocalyptic wasteland. While the cheap desk fans, baseballs, and plastic cups may not seem so valuable, breaking them down to basic materials can lead to crafting new weapons, armor, and support items. The screws from a desk fan for instance can be used to craft higher-end weapon and armor upgrades your paltry starting weapons, which will help even the odds when things get tough. Moreover, items can be gathered from the game world itself, including downed tree logs, which offer wood.
However, it's important not to get too greedy when exploring and junking all these items. With the deeper survival mechanics in place, every item you have in your inventory has a set weight. And with all those items added up, you'll likely find yourself overencumbered at the worst possible time. If you can't find a workbench to scrap items, you can always stay on the lookout for stash boxes, which are often located in residential areas, red rocket stations, or can be built with the C.A.M.P.. Despite this being an online game, you're not racing against others to scavenge the nearby ruins for junk. Every player will get their own haul of items, and you're never left empty handed after seeing another squad of vault dwellers rummage through a place.
Get Crafting and Stay Healthy
While there are plenty of supplies and new weapons to find in the field, these tools won't be in that great of a condition and you're much better off not leaving things to chance. The gear you create and modify with your own hands with the resources are what make the difference between surviving a shootout with Mole Miners or finding yourself face-first in the dirt.
Once you have those materials, it's best to start investing them into better items and supplies. Along with the weapon and armor workbenches, you'll need to utilize the cooking and chem stations to craft food, clean water, and healing items in order to stay healthy. While you certainly able to eat whatever stale food or use worn down weapons and armor, it all has to be done with caution. Poor weapons will breakdown fast, and dirty water and rotten food can lead to diseases and sickness for your characters--including the particularly nasty case of Radworms.
Take In The Sights
Starting out in the Western portion of the map, set in the Appalachian region, you're in a prime spot to branch out into the other parts of the West Virginian wilderness. Your map is one of the most valuable resources you have, which highlights many of the major attractions in the area--akin to an amusement park guide. But in between those major points of interests, there are many different areas that house valuable loot, interesting story details, and some usual monsters to fight. Moreover, you'll often find events and side-missions while exploring, which can open up some interesting diversions.
While the entire map is free to explore at the beginning, it would be best not to branch out too far into other regions. Here are some interesting locations that you can explore in the early hours of Fallout 76, all located in reasonable distance from the Vault
- Top of the World Ski Lodge: Located in the center of the map on top of a mountain, making it one of the highest spots in game. Resembling an old-school, gimmicky resort, this ski-lodge now houses bloatflies and Super Mutants. When exploring this site, you'll also be able to find one of the game's more unusual melee weapons known as the Ski Sword.
- The Greenbrier Resort: Found just south of the ski lodge, this resort is an extremely ritzy location that feels more like a time capsule than a ruin. With an army of Protectrons maintaining the grounds and keeping nasty foes out, the resort is in surprisingly good condition having survived more than twenty years of no activity. While exploring the inside, you will find mobs feral ghouls, all of whom have kept their attachment to the posh lifestyle of their past lives.
- Horizon's Rest: Located just west of the Top of the World ski lodge, this ruined plane has been converted into a multi-level living quarters for survivors. However, the owners have since abandoned it, leaving behind an armory filled with weapons, ammo, and armor for anyone who's able to find the clues to unlock it.
Challenge Another Player
Once you reach level 5, Fallout 76's player vs player gameplay will open up. Despite every character coming from the same Vault, where they shared safety and comfort from the outside elements, all previous friendships formed in the bunker are tossed by the wayside. While you're not committed to taking part in PVP, you may come across a relentless player who's got their eye on you. When another person attacks you, they will only deal chip damage to your character--a small fraction of their actual attack power. However, it does add up over time, and they can kill you if you've lost enough health--or if they just happen to catch you after a nasty scrape with some monsters.
If this happens, you have several options at your disposal; you can fast-travel away from them, block them, or even try to engage them in a fight. The later option can go a number of different ways, especially if you're up against a stronger player, but it lead to interesting results--the winner takes any junk items that their opponent had upon their defeat. Since this is a first for the series, you may want to try out player combat as early as you can to get a feel for it. While you can usually avoid PVP, there may come a situation where dueling could work out for you, especially if they're an underleveled annoyance. However, it's usually in your best interest to keep fights clean. If you ambush others and take them out with chip damage--with the other player not fighting back--you'll be marked as a murderer and left with a large target on your back for others to see.
Take Your Time
To put it bluntly, Fallout 76 features the largest map of the series--there is no way you'll experience many of the game's more defining events during the early hours. With so much ground to cover, it's a good thing to take your time and soak up all the details during the beginning of your journey. While many players will be eager to dive into the questline dealing with the nukes, which Bethesda have been teasing since the game's reveal, this is an event that will take several hours to work up to. Moreover, many of these quests will require high-end gear, such as power armor and high end, as it puts you face to face with some of the game's most dangerous monsters, including 76's new elite foe known as the Scorchbeast.
Once you've amassed an arsenal of weapons, supplies, and strengthened your character to a point where you can handle many of the tougher challenges, you'll be able to venture out into West Virginia's more notorious areas, which includes the Savage Divide and The Mire. But you're better off taking things slow, and enjoying yourself until that time comes.
Fortnite's Halloween event this year has kicked off in style with "Fortnitemares," an ongoing world event that offers special challenges and spooky cosmetic items. The event is going on across both the Battle Royale and Save the World modes, so no matter which flavor of Fortnite you prefer you can find something to do.
What Is It?
Fortnitemares is an ongoing world event lasting from October 23-November 26, introduced in the patch update 6.20. It offers exclusive cosmetic items and special world events with new enemies, including lots to do across its two modes.
In a special playlist in the the PvP mode Battle Royale, you'll face off against cube monsters that operate very similarly to the Save the World zombie-like creatures. The mysterious Cube spawned this legion of AI cube monsters, which will attack you if you get too close. Defeating them can get you some random loot and shield power. This is notably the first time the PvP mode has been invaded by AI enemies. Completing special challenges, some of which focus on defeating these AI enemies, can earn you a whole new type of cosmetic items and some special gear.
Separately, in the PvE Save the World mode, Hexsylvania returns with new story quests. Just logging onto Save the World during the Fortnitemares event will earn you some skins. Save the World isn't going free-to-play this year as previously planned, but founder's packs are currently half-priced.
Fortnitemares Battle Royale Challenges
Fortnitemare challenges are set to alternate every few days through the end of the event period, so you'll have to check back often to maximize your rewards. Currently the first set of challenges is live. Many are self-explanatory, but click below for more detailed guides on more complex challenges.
Destroy Cube Monsters (200) -- 500 XP
Deal damage with Assault Rifles or Pistols to Cube Monsters (5,000) -- 500 XP
Visit a Corrupted Area in different matches (7) -- 500 XP
The biggest new addition to Fortnitemares are the permanent rewards, including a whole new type of cosmetic. The centerpiece is the new Deadfire skin, a "reactive skin" that changes based upon your play in a given match that will cost you 2,000 V-Bucks. It's joined by the Shackled Stone Back Bling and Dark Shard pickaxe (1,200 V-Bucks), which are both "reactive cosmetics."
Alongside this skin, Epic has also introduced the Shackled Stone Back Bling to go along with it, and the Dark Shard pickaxe can also be found in the in-game store. Both of these items are called "reactive cosmetics." The Deadfire skin is available for 2,000 V-Bucks, while the Dark Shard harvesting tool costs 1,200 V-Bucks.
The 6.20 update also added a new Six Shooter weapon, and the ability to redeploy Gliders.
Each Wednesday, GameStop drops prices on a whole new set of games, accessories, and collectibles. This week's sale is now live, featuring some attractive deals on all kinds of games for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, plus some trade-in bonuses and a collectible sale. Let's take a look at the deals you can find between now and October 30.
First and foremost, GameStop's weekly ad would like to remind you that Red Dead Redemption 2 arrives on PS4 and Xbox One on October 26. It's not on sale, but you can head to your local GameStop at 9 PM the previous day and pick it up then. If you hurry home, you might be able to play it before the digital version becomes available shortly after midnight. And if you buy RDR2 starting October 26, you can save $100 on any Xbox One console--including the GameStop-exclusive white Xbox One X that comes with Fallout 76.
If you can find four pre-owned games you want that are $9.99 or under, you'll get all four for $20. All statues and figures are 25% off this week. And if you're looking to upgrade to an Xbox One X, you can get a nice credit bonus by trading in a current-gen console.
Fallout 76 had its first beta test on October 23. The test was only four hours long and exclusive to Xbox One, but Bethesda tweeted out that it was an "amazing start" for the game. You can watch GameSpot video publisher Ben Janca and video producer Jean-Luc Seipke play through the Xbox One beta in the video above.
All in all, everything went pretty well considering it was a beta test. Ben's game crashed once at the start, and Jean-Luc faced some troublesome issues when trying to join a party. There were some minor performance issues, but that could have been a result of the stream. More worrying were the severe frame rate drops whenever there was more than two players fighting together and the noticeable lag when facing multiple enemies.
Prior to the beta's launch, Bethesda released a statement that acknowledged Fallout 76 still has plenty of bug fixes and troubleshooting sessions in its future. "Given what we're doing with 76, we know we're opening everyone up to all new spectacular issues none of us have encountered," Bethesda wrote. "Some we're aware of, such as areas where performance needs to improve with lots of players." The letter also thanked players for their continued support.
Another Fallout 76 beta--again for Xbox One--is scheduled for October 27 and there's one for Xbox One, PS4, and PC scheduled for October 30. To be a part of either beta, you'll need to pre-order the game. However, even if you do pre-order Fallout 76, you might not get access to every upcoming test as Bethesda is inviting concentrated chunks of players to different betas. Fallout 76 releases on November 14 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
We may long for the days of NBA Jam or NBA Street and their brands of over-the-top basketball, but the closest modern equivalent is NBA 2K Playgrounds 2. Coming off of last year's game, Playgrounds 2 continues the two-on-two ridiculousness in an arcade style that's incredibly easy to pick up and play. Anything goes on the court where there aren't fouls or rules against goaltending, and double-front-flip dunks with a 12-foot vertical leap are standard. It's certainly fun to go back-and-forth with opponents to light up the scoreboard, but even all that flash has its limitations; the game hits one note that gets old rather quickly.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 keeps things simple by only giving you the essentials for balling up. Aside from shooting, passing, and crossover dribbles on offense, holding sprint turns normal shots into high-flying dunks. Alley-oops come in handy for throwing down on unsuspecting defenders thanks to easy execution. And if defenders are pressing hard, throwing your elbows provides an option for creating space. Although this style of basketball thrives off of offensive showmanship, defense still plays a big role in winning. Shoving and stealing can effectively create turnovers, and you need to be smart about when to use these as they take up your endurance meter and leave you vulnerable. You also have opportunities to disrupt dunks that seem like they'd be easy buckets just by getting in the paint and trying to block. It's a basic toolset that takes little time to get familiar with.
To keep games interesting, teams build up a meter that unleashes court-altering power-ups called Lottery Picks. The Lottery Pick meter recharges when you do anything that fills the stat sheet, and once it's full, you get a random power-up. There are nine in total, which range from double points for dunks or three-pointers for a limited time to freezing the opposing basket that'll take a few shots to break. This system can seem unfair at times, but there's no denying it's fun to run wild with the infinite stamina power for a short period, for example. If anything, it adds a bit of variety to a very basic game.
There's a decent foundation that Playgrounds 2 works with, but it doesn't quite come together as seamlessly as you'd hope. Uncontested dunks bounce out of the rim more often than they should because it's subject to the shot-percentage meter--you can be on a fastbreak and still miss. Shooting open threes with the likes of Steph Curry or Ray Allen still a large window of failure. As a result, the shot meter calculation often feels at odds with this style of basketball game. Playgrounds 2 suffers from a simple, yet damaging flaw--the shot-timing meter is displayed at the bottom of the screen. For a game that's built around fast and flashy action, relegating the most important element for scoring to a position away from what's happening on court is a big misstep. Instead of watching those sweet dunks unfold, you end up shifting attention to the meter to make sure the shot goes down. This also prevents you from seeing what develops on the court during key moments, like anticipating blocks and reacting to them.
Playgrounds 2 is at its best when playing competitive games with either an AI-controlled teammate or a real player against others. Online matches can take a while to find, but games get going quickly once matchmaking is set. And thanks to the fast pace of games, action is always just a few moments away. The game keeps track of your overall record, and you'll earn in-game currency whether you win or lose. There's also an online version of the three-point contest and a two-player cooperative mode that pits your team against the AI, but neither inspires much competition.
A few options exist for playing offline, like local multiplayer in exhibition mode and the new NBA season mode. The latter will have you play a condensed 14-game season with an NBA team, and you pick two players from the roster for each game. If you get seeded in conference standings, you'll move on to the playoffs. And if you win the championship, you'll unlock a historical player for the team you played as. Since there is a tangible reward for winning it all, playoff matches provide some challenge and tension. It's all a bit unceremonious; you play one season and it ends, and you just start another separate season. And with the starting roster you're given at the outset, it can be frustrating to grind away as players with lower stat ratings.
You can bypass most of the grind by using Golden Bucks, an in-game currency that can be earned at a fairly slow rate or bought with real money (which undermines the point of the NBA season mode, too). If you don't want to unlock the full roster through microtransactions, you'll have to get card packs using Golden Bucks or another in-game currency called Baller Bucks. Packs get you random players on the roster or cosmetics to dress up players. While the system gives you something to work for, it still feels somewhat exploitative. At the very least, player progression incentivizes using different players since they individually earn XP--leveling them up to silver and gold rank boosts their overall stats.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 tries to capture the more lighthearted side of basketball culture but doesn't bring with it a discernible sense of personality. NBA players are designed with big heads and exaggerated features to coincide with the ridiculous arcade approach. But it comes off as just absurd, and not in a charming sense--instead, most player models look like badly drawn caricatures by an amateur street artist. Courts don't inspire much of a basketball atmosphere either, with nonsensical locations and crowds that look like old Xbox 360 avatars. Seeing Playgrounds 2 in action is like watching expressionless bobbleheads floundering about in silly animations.
It's fun to jump in for a few games and rack up points through extravagant slam dunks with your favorite players from the past and present. However, the novelty of arcade-style basketball wears thin quickly in NBA 2K Playgrounds 2. There isn't much to keep you coming back once you've had your fill, and the nagging gameplay flaws hold back the experience. The game lacks a distinct personality, and that's a missed opportunity for any basketball game, let alone one that tries so hard to have one.
Epic has detailed the contents of Fortnite's 6.20 update, complete with patch notes and it's quite a substantial one. The big ticket item in today's update is the launch of "Fortnitemares," the game's Halloween-themed event. This coincides with the release of new Halloween skins and challenges, as well as a makeover for the rocket launcher as the Pumpkin Rocket Launcher. [Update: After being disabled due to technical issues, Fortnitemares is back online.]
"Explore all of the tasty treats, exciting appearances, and new looks," Epic Games says about the event. "During Fortnitemares, you'll face off against Cube Monsters in a whole new way of playing Battle Royale. There are new weapons to fight back against these creepy creatures, like the Six Shooter and Fiend Hunter Crossbow.
"Take out the Cube Fiends and Fragments to pick up loot, and survive against enemy players." Interestingly, Fortnitemares seems to blur the line between the Battle Royale mode and Save The World mode by giving players zombie-like enemies to fend off.
The other major additions to Fortnite's Battle Royale mode is the Six Shooter, a new weapon. This uses Medium ammo and can be shot more quickly from the hip, or more slowly (with added precision) by aiming down sights. The aforementioned Fiend Hunter Crossbow is a limited-time item tied to the event.
Also new in Battle Royale is the ability to redeploy Gliders. Epic has said it is currently testing this functionality in all Battle Royale game modes, but only for a limited time. In Playground, there's a new pirate ship minigame as well as "other fun additions" alongside changes to the Spiky Stadium. Take a look at the full Fortnite update 6.20 patch notes below, courtesy of Epic.
Season 6 of Fortnite has been pretty dark and spooky throughout thanks to the "Darkness Rises" theme. Because of this, many of the new skins and cosmetics are quite creepy, like the Dire Wolf skin that evolves as you level it up. For more Halloween events in video games, check out our Halloween roundup.
General
Social
The Social List has been completely redesigned. This is the first of many steps toward improving the social experience within Fortnite. Expect more frequent updates and improvements to this experience over the coming weeks.
The main Social List has received new art, animations, and flow.
The Social List button has moved to the left side of the screen and can now be directly accessed with a controller.
Controller and Touch support has been improved.
Party Finder has been removed
All previous Party Finder functionality has moved to the new Social List.
Places that used to open Party Finder now open the new Social List.
Known Issues
The Fortnitemares cinematic video will not play on the Nintendo Switch platform.
Battle Royale
Limited Time Event: Fortnitemares
The Cube strikes back, bringing Fortnitemares to Battle Royale! Drop in and discover what the Cube has unleashed.
Cube Fragments spawn Cube Monsters! Drop in and discover the different types.
Large Cube Fragments are found near corrupted areas of the island.
Small Cube Fragments are created randomly throughout the match.
Cube Fiends, Brutes, and Fragments all have a chance to drop loot.
Defeating a Cube Fiend or Brute will grant a small amount of shield.
Fiend Hunter Crossbow added. Fortnitemare Limited time weapon.
Available in Epic variant.
40 base damage
1.8 shots per second.
4x damage against Fiends
Seven Arrow magazine size, unlimited ammo.
Can be found from floor loot, chests and Vending Machines.
Playground
New Port-A grenades are now available in Vending Machines at the southern edge of Loot Lake. The Port-A-Challenge set includes the Building Challenge, Obstacle Course, and Firing Range minigames. There's four of each type with varying difficulty.
The Spiky Stadium makes a return with a brand new respawn system and Vending Machines to provide all the necessary grenades. Finally, there's the Port-A-Pirateship mini-game. This grenade spawns a re-creation of the minigame shown off by SXVXN!
Port-A-Challenge
Obstacle Course
Collect the tokens and avoid the obstacles while honing your building skills.
Building Challenge
Build the structure as fast as possible.
Firing Range
Take out as many dummies as you can within the time limit.
Spiky Stadium v2
Once inside the new Spiky Stadium, players will respawn at designated spawn points inside the playspace.
Vending machines provide grenades and Traps to allow you to customize your play.
Port-A-Pirateship
A re-creation of the minigame shown off by SXVXN.
Spawns two large wooden Pirate ships.
The minigame will split players into two teams, with the goal of destroying the other team's ship.
Port-A-Pirateship Ironclad Edition
Spawns two large metal Pirate ships.
Grenades and Rockets are provided for maximum destruction
New Vending Machines have been added across the map to provide more Traps and weapons.
A new respawn button has been added to the in-game player menu.
Weapons + Items
Six Shooter added.
Available in Uncommon, Rare and Epic variants.
34 / 36 / 38 base damage.
Shoot from the hip for faster fire rate, or trade rate of fire for precision by aiming down the sight
Uses Medium Ammo.
Can be found from floor loot, chests and Vending Machines.
The Rocket Launcher is now the Pumpkin Rocket Launcher.
This is a visual only change.
Hand Cannon balance changes.
Increased damage to structures.
Epic - From 79 to 150
Legendary - From 83 to 157
Increased minimum long-range body shot damage.
Epic - From 30 to 50
Legendary - From 31 to 52
Increased minimum long-range head shot damage.
Epic - From 60 to 100
Legendary - From 62 to 104
Stink Bomb
Increased chance to find from floor loot by 0.2%
Increased chance to find from Chests by 1.7%
Gameplay
The Glider Redeploy functionality that's available in the Soaring Limited Time Modes can now be used in all game modes. Help us test this feature and let us know what you think.
When in mid-air and greater than 10m up, press Jump to deploy your glider.
Weapons now reload upon respawn in modes that keep the player's inventory.
Storm Changes
Wait time for phase 3 has been reduced from 120 seconds to 90 seconds.
Wait time for phase 5 has been reduced from 70 seconds to 50 seconds.
Late game moving circles will now immediately begin traveling to a new location after it reaches its current destination.
Storm's maximum damage has been reduced from 10 to 8.
Players will now take 2 damage per second while in the Down But Not Out state instead of 2 damage every 2 seconds.
Maximum time in the DBNO state reduced from 100 seconds to 50 seconds if no friendly player attempts to revive you.
Bug Fixes
Removing ability to rocket ride Quad Launcher rockets.
Fixes streaming issues on low-end iOS devices.
Audio
Added unique sounds when cycling through Traps.
Removed the in-air audio cue for Gliders that belong to friendly teammates.
Reduced volume of Dark Viking glider.
UI
Your name now always appears at the top of your squad list in-game.
Bug Fixes
When a Challenge bundle is delayed, it will now display as "Coming Soon" rather than "Unlocking in 0 seconds."
Chain quests in the Challenge bundles now show the current quest number in the chain over the total number of quests in the chain.
Example: 1/2, 2/3, etc.
Art + Animation
New variants added to the Musha and Hime Outfits that are part of the Bushido set.
No Challenges are needed to unlock these variants. If you own the Outfits they will be automatically unlocked.
Bug Fixes
Pets no longer get stuck floating in the air after their owner drives a vehicle off a jump.
Fixed Quadcrasher Jump Trick animation displays.
Changes in other players' aim and view directions are now smoother, both in-game and during replays.
Mobile
Better handling of larger memory Android devices (6 GB+)
Custom HUD Layout users can now toggle the visibility of buttons across Combat/Build modes.
Red - Hidden
Green - Visible
Blue - Does not affect visibility
Buttons will only be shown when they are relevant to the player, even when set to "visible".
Example: Buttons shown while holding a weapon will only be shown on screen while a weapon is being held.
The Combat/Build quickbar is now resizeable within Custom HUD Layout.
This includes extra buttons.
Players can now edit structures while in combat mode while holding any weapon.
Bug Fixes
The first weapon picked now properly equips automatically.
The beta for Fallout 76 has officially begun, but right this very moment, you can't actually play it. That's because Bethesda only has its servers available at certain times; trying to get in outside of these specific windows will yield a "login failed" error. Below, we've got all the details you need to know regarding exactly when you can play. At the time of this writing, the next test takes place on October 27 (October 28 for some regions), again only on Xbox One.
Fallout 76's debut test was available only on Xbox One for a four-hour window on October 23. That has since passed, with Bethesda deeming it an "amazing start." Additional test periods will continue to be available for a limited time. The purpose of this is to force players together at a specific time to stress test and put the game through its paces. Sessions will typically last 4-8 hours in a given day, and then the beta will be inoperable again until the next session. The process will repeat between now and the game's release date on November 14.
A beta code is available to anyone who pre-ordered the game across Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4. Pre-loading is only available on Xbox One for now, since the PC and PS4 betas will begin on October 30. You'll receive a code with your physical pre-order to enter into the accounts page, or you'll be entered into the pool automatically if you pre-order a digital copy. Note that those codes don't grant you access. Rather, they put you into the potential pool of players to get a distribution code later, since Bethesda is rolling out the invites in waves.
Upcoming Fallout 76 Beta Times
US Pacific Time: 2 PM - 4 PM (Saturday, October 27)
US Eastern Time: 5 PM - 7 PM (Saturday, October 27)
UK BST: 10 PM - 12 AM (Saturday, October 27)
Australia AEDT: 8 AM - 10 AM (Sunday, October 28)
Bethesda plans to let to keep your progress from the beta through to the full game. Pre-ordering also will get you 500 Atoms, the in-game currency, for purchasing cosmetic items in the shop. Fallout 76 is due out on November 14. For more details, check out our guide to everything we know.
Previous Fallout 76 Beta Times
US Pacific Time: 4 PM - 8 PM (Tuesday, October 23)
US Eastern Time: 7 PM - 11 PM (Tuesday, October 23)
UK BST: 12 AM - 4 AM (Wednesday, October 24)
Australia AEDT: 10 AM - 2 PM (Wednesday, October 24)
By Anonymous on Oct 24, 2018 10:49 pm Celebrating Fortnite's Halloween Event Fortnitemares by taking out other players and monsters all at the same time.
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Celebrating Fortnite's Halloween Event Fortnitemares by taking out other players and monsters all at the same time.
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