Destiny 2's weekly reset has arrived, marking some notable changes. For those who have reached Forsaken's endgame area, the Dreaming City, the rotation of weekly missions has reset to where it was at the start of a three-week cycle. But another aspect of the Dreaming City, the Ascendant Challenge, has rotated again to a new iteration of the event. Here's where to find it and what to do.
Like in past weeks, the Ascendant Challenge involves using a specific item (a Tincture of Queensfoil) to receive the Ascendance buff. This allows you to see a Taken portal that sends you to the Ascendant Plane to do a mission of sorts. But the portal's location and your objective has been different each week, and that's true for Week 5. Before starting, though, be sure to grab the corresponding bounty from Petra.
This week's portal is found inside a Lost Sector (Bay of Drowned Wishes) located right near Dreaming City's landing zone in Divalian Mists. You'll move to the midway point of the Lost Sector, killing things until a little before you reach a door that's locked. (You can skip the enemies, but killing them will likely be easier.) If you've used your Tincture of Queensfoil, you'll see the portal and can jump through to reach the Ascendant Plane location, Agonarch Abyss.
Unfortunately, there's a good deal of platforming involved here. You'll make your way down to a temple where a large tree is. Blight balls spawn in that slow your movement, and you'll have to deal with a pair of wizards who spawn in additional Thrall enemies. Take out the wizards and you're all done.
The chest that you can then open is, as always, nothing special. But finishing the Ascendant Challenge completes the bounty from Petra, which nets you a piece of Powerful gear.
When you speak to Petra, you'll notice she acknowledges that things have returned to the way they were three weeks ago. She's again offering the first of the three story missions where you rescue her associates. Meanwhile, Bungie has announced there are changes coming for Exotics, Masterwork Cores, and Iron Banner.
The new trailer for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse prominently features six alternate versions of the Spider-Men/Spider-Women that make up the vast web of the Spider-Verse. However, there are brief snippets of other notable Spidey timelines and stories, including an Easter egg to 2018's Marvel's Spider-Man.
If you pause the trailer at 1:39, you'll see display cases for certain spider suits in the background. Over Aunt May's shoulder, you'll spy the Advanced Suit that Peter Parker wears in Marvel's Spider-Man, marked with its trademark white spider design. It comes as no huge surprise to see a reference to Marvel's Spider-Man in the upcoming Into the Spider-Verse movie, as Insomniac's Spider-Man--confirmed to be a part of Earth 1048--is recruited by Superior Spider-Man to participate in Spider-Verse's sequel story, Spider-Geddon.
Into the Spider-Verse's previous trailer already showcased one of the Peter Parkers (probably Earth 616, but it hasn't been confirmed) as well as Miles Morales, the Ultimate Spider-Man from Earth 1610, and Gwen Stacy's Spider-Ghost, the Spider-Woman of Earth-65. This new trailer introduced three more spiders: Earth-14512's SP//dr, Earth-90214's Spider-Man Noir, and Earth-8311's Spider-Ham.
SP//dr is the superhero codename for Peni Parker, a nine-year-old girl who lets a radioactive spider bite her so she can bond with a spider-like mech suit her deceased father used to pilot, a responsibility her Uncle Ben and Aunt May inform her that only she can do. Spider-Man Noir is another Peter Parker, but from an alternate universe where the present day is 1933 during the Great Depression. Spider-Ham is the alias of Peter Porker, a spider who's bitten by his adoptive Aunt May Porker, a pig, after she's accidentally irradiated. He transforms into a pig as well, but discovers he retains all the abilities he had as a spider.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sees Miles Morales meeting several of the spiders from alternative dimensions, including Peter Parker who offers to train the fledgling Spider-Man. The web-slingers of the Spider-Verse must band together to stop their clashing dimensions from destroying Miles' reality, as well as return the members of their respective rogues gallery to the correct universes. The movie debuts in U.S. theaters on December 14.
The wildly successful Witcher game series may have carved out a serious fanbase on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and other consoles, but it all began with a book series by Polish author Andrzey Sapkowski. Now, Sapkowski says he hasn't been fairly compensated for developer CD Projekt Red's use of his story, and he's asking for a considerable amount of money to make up for it.
Sapkowski's lawyers have given CD Projekt Red a legal demand for payment for $16 million (£12.4 million). While the studio says it "legitimately and legally acquired" the rights to use The Witcher's story, Sapkowski insists he's entitled more because of the Polish Act on Copyright and Related Rights. Sapkowski's lawyers say it "may be invoked when the compensation remitted to the author is too low given the benefits obtained in association with the use of that author's work." Essentially, because The Witcher is so successful (now even spawning an upcoming TV show starring Henry Cavill), Sapkowski feels he's legally entitled to more compensation than he received.
While it's not a lawsuit (yet), there is indication Sapkowski could turn this into one if CD Projekt Red doesn't come through. Meanwhile, the company said on its website that it was committed to keeping good relations with the authors of works that have inspired its creations. "Consequently, the Board will go to great lengths to ensure amicable resolution of this dispute; however, any such resolution must be respectful of previously expressed intents of both parties, as well as existing contracts," the studio added, also suggesting the $16 million sum is simply too much money.
There are no further details at this point, but be sure to follow GameSpot for any updates. In other Witcher news, a spin-off RPG called Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales will be coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC via GOG later this month. The new game focuses on Meve, a queen of Lyria and Rivia, who is forced to go to war because of an impending Nilfgaardian invasion. The title is being described as a narrative-driven game with puzzles and card battle mechanics, similar to Gwent, and was was first announced as the single-player component for Gwent. It launches on October 23.
In terms of scale, scope, gameplay systems, and interactivity, Red Dead Redemption 2 feels like it's shaping up to be more of an in-depth role-playing game than the open-world action game we expected. And just like with most RPGs, there's a whole bunch of stats to consider when thinking about your character. In addition to a traditional health meter, Red Dead Redemption 2 protagonist Arthur Morgan's well being is governed by Cores, which take some explaining to get your head around.
Although health, stamina, and Deadeye meters are separate from Cores, how they perform depends on the state of a corresponding Core. For example, the health Core dictates how quickly health regenerates, and likewise for stamina. If you're low on health but the corresponding health Core is has been maintained well, the rate at which you generate health will be increased.
To keep your individual cores in good shape, you'll need to level up the strength, grit, dexterity, and instinct attributes. Leveling up Cores is reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which reflected the way CJ behaved on the character itself; if you ate too much junk food, you'd gain weight, or if you spent a lot of time sprinting around the city, you'd have better stamina. Similarly, in Red Dead Redemption 2 there are activities that you'll do simply by playing the game which, over time, will improve your Core. Running, for example, once again improves your stamina, while taking damage and then restoring health will build your Health core.
This is one of the many ways that Red Dead Redemption 2 aims to provide a more compelling role-playing gameplay experience. Another is affording players the opportunity to interact with people in more meaningful ways. As Arthur Morgan, you'll be able to speak to the various inhabitants and pick the manner you approach a situation. You can choose to be courteous and upstanding, or threatening and confrontational. The way you conduct yourself will have consequence, Rockstar says, and the reputation you build could impact how future events play out.
You can read see more Red Dead Redemption 2 gameplay in the two gameplay trailers. The first is a broad look at the overall experience, while the second is a showcase of some of the action you can get into. If you want to know more about the horses and the benefit of building your bond with them, we've got a breakdown of that too. You can also check out our conversation above about the game's opening hours.
Red Dead Redemption 2 has a confirmed release date of October 26 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The online mode, called Red Dead Online, will launch in November 2018--one month after Redemption 2 itself releases--as a public beta.
A new analysis claims to confirm that violent video games do have a direct causal link to physical aggression. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, studied more than 17,000 adolescents from age nine to 19, between the years of 2010 and 2017. It concluded that playing violent games does lead to increased physical aggression over time.
USA Today reports that the meta-analysis reviewed 24 studies from multiple countries, including the USA, Canada, Germany, and Japan. It suggested that the youths who played violent games had an increased risk of violent behavior. Jay Hull, the lead author of the study, said the impact was "relatively small but statistically reliable." His own prior study found that playing violent games roughly doubles the risk of being sent to the principal's office for fighting, and it was included in the meta-analysis.
"A lot of people ask, do these games really cause these kids to behave aggressively? I would say that is one possibility," he said. "The other possibility is that it's a really bad sign. If your kids are playing these games, either these games are having a warping effect on right and wrong or they have a warped sense of right or wrong and that's why they are attracted to these games. Either way you should be concerned about it."
In a statement, the Entertainment Software Association--the industry lobbying group that organizes E3--rejected the findings.
"The US Supreme Court, leading medical professionals, including the US Surgeon General, and study after study already concluded definitively that there is no link between video games and violence," an ESA spokesperson told GameSpot. "The truth is that violent crime has decreased dramatically since the early 1990s, while video games have increased steadily in popularity and use. It is also highly questionable to interpose ethnic characteristics in this research. The same video games played in the US are enjoyed by gamers all over the world and there is no similar international trend of violent crime like the authors claim."
The criteria being used may explain some of the dispute between the study and the ESA. An American Psychological Association task force found in 2015 that violent video games increased aggression, but didn't have enough evidence to conclude that it causes an increase in criminal violence. The study suggests that the increase in violent behavior may be relegated to schoolyard fights, without necessarily then going on to cause an increase in criminal behaviors.
Tuesday has brought with it the latest weekly reset in Destiny 2. That means players have numerous new opportunities to obtain some Powerful gear, along with a refresh of certain fixed activities--including the Dreaming City mission rotation. (Having taken part in the new Raid, we've also recently published our full Destiny 2: Forsaken review.)
At least so far, this week isn't as big as last week, which saw new Exotic weapons become available and a new Crucible mode called Breakthrough debut. Further change is on the horizon, however. Bungie previously detailed its roadmap to continue rolling out new content, and more recently it detailed plans to change or improve Masterwork Cores, Exotic duplicate drop rates, and Iron Banner bounties and rewards. In terms of what to expect this week, here's the full rundown.
Ascendant Challenge
For players who have advanced far enough in Forsaken, you may be ready for a high-end activity. The Ascendant Challenge is just the ticket, providing a difficult mission of sorts to take part in for some Powerful gear--provided you can find where to go. This time, you'll enter the challenge through a portal located in the Bay of Drowne. This takes you to the Agonarch Abyss, where you'll be platforming (probably to your death at least a few times).
Before starting, you'll need to pick up the bounty from Petra and to secure a Tincture of Queensfoil, a consumable item that provides the Ascendant buff that allows you to see and travel through a Taken portal to enter the Ascendant Plane.
Spider Bounty -- Wanted: Gravetide Summoner
The set of bounties available from Spider have rotated yet again. One of these in particular is worth grabbing, though you'll need five Ghost Fragments to purchase it. Completing the bounty, Wanted: Gravetide Summoner, will reward you with Powerful gear. Yes, this is a repeat of last week, but it's found in a slightly different spot, meaning you're doing a different Lost Sector.
As always, this provides you with an Adventure to do. This one is located on Titan, right next to the Siren's Watch landing zone (rather than The Rig last week).
Nightfall
Another avenue to Powerful gear is the Nightfall Strike. Taking part in the Nightfall allows you to pick from three different Strikes; this week's choices include Lake of Shadows, Tree of Probabilities, and The Arms Dealer. The corresponding bounties for Powerful gear, as usual, ask you to complete a Nightfall and to complete one with a score above 100,000.
Eververse
Tess at Eververse has new weekly bounties, the most expensive of which is Crucible Crux, but it also rewards you with the most Bright Dust based on what you spend on the bounty. This requires you to complete matches in the Crucible, with wins netting you extra progress.
Tess has also cycled in a new wave of items to get your hands on. Most important to grab is the Rise to the Challenge bounty. This only asks you to complete a challenge to receive a Prismatic Facet. This item allows you to activate the Prismatic Matrix, which is just an overly complex term for what is basically a chest with 10 cosmetic rewards inside. The Matrix's items rotate each week; here's what's available right now:
Sanctified Vigilance Shell (Exotic Ghost shell)
Transcendent Geometry (Exotic Warlock ornament for Vesper of Radius)
Aim to Misbehave (Exotic ornament for Malfeasance)
Dragonfly Regalia Greaves (Legendary Titan leg armor)
Smooth Dance (Legendary emote)
Where Stars Collide (Legendary ship)
Endymion Cavalcade (Legendary vehicle)
Mappa Mundarum (Legendary vehicle)
Jeweled Projection (Legendary Ghost projection)
Petra
Petra is the most important vendor and NPC in Forsaken, providing you with bounties in the Dreaming City. She continues to move around the area and this week can be found back in The Strand. She has multiple bounties offering Powerful gear, as well as Gateway Between Worlds, which rewards you with an Offering to the Oracle (which is now an easy ticket to a Seed of Light and third subclass tree).
Additionally, she's again offering a bounty to do the mission Broken Courier; this marks the first reset of the rotation of Dreaming City missions she has. If your Power level wasn't high enough to try this out in September, here's your opportunity to do what you missed. Petra actually has some dialogue to acknowledge that things are back to the way they were three weeks ago.
Clan Bounties
At the Tower, head over to Hawthorne to grab your daily and weekly clan bounties. On the weekly side, this week has you doing the following with clanmates: complete Blind Well at Tier 3 or higher; clear three waves of Escalation Protocol; and do three Heroic Adventures. As per usual, completing enough clan bounties before the weekly reset will net you some Powerful gear, as will completing the standard weekly clan objectives. The weekly Raid challenge has you complete the Which Witch challenge for Powerful gear.
Vanguard Strikes
For standard Strikes, the weekly challenge is to complete three while using the same Light element as a team member. The modifiers for Strikes have rotated, and here's what you can expect to encounter right now:
Arc Singe -- Arc damage increased
Grounded -- Damage taken while airborne increased
Grenadier -- Grenades deal more damage and recharge faster
Daily Heroic Story Missions
Five story missions have been swapped in for you to tackle as part of the daily Heroic story missions activity. Complete your choice of three before the next weekly reset to net a piece of Powerful gear. The modifiers are the same as Strikes, as outlined above. Here are the mission options:
Fury -- 280 Power level
Chosen -- 280 Power level
The Gateway -- 310 Power level
Last Call -- 500 Power level
High Plains Blues -- 500 Power level
Gambit
Gambit was already one of Forsaken's best additions, and it took on greater importance last week as it became a mandatory step in the questline to obtain the Exotic hand cannon Malfeasance. You'll sometimes encounter a special boss in place of the Primeval; defeat that to get an item called Seething Heart that will set you on the difficult path toward unlocking the gun.
For this week, The Drifter is offering a weekly bounty, On the Grind, that asks you to earn points in Gambit. Points are earned by defeating enemies and guardians, and by banking Motes. The reward is a piece of Powerful gear.
Flashpoint
The Flashpoint is not tied directly to the weekly reset, but it has nonetheless been shuffled. At the time of this writing, it can be found on Mercury. Complete Public Events, Lost Sectors, and Heroic Adventures in the zone to fill a meter and earn a piece of Powerful gear.
From all that we've seen of Red Dead Redemption 2 thus far, it's evident Rockstar Games has crafted a detailed and reactive world to explore in its much anticipated western sequel. Not only will the non-playable characters you encounter snitch on your crimes if they see you engaging in some shady activities, you'll be able to interact with strangers you come across in various other ways, which can have some unexpected consequences.
During our most recent hands-on session with Red Dead Redemption 2, we were traveling leisurely down a dirt path that led to a crossroads. There, we encountered an older gentleman on the side of the road affixing a horseshoe to his horse. As we passed him, the game presented several different interaction prompts, giving us the option to Callout or Antagonize him. We chose to greet him, and in return, he stopped what he was doing and greeted us back.
However, our casual interaction had a completely unintended result. As he was returning our greeting, his horse was suddenly spooked and kicked the old man in the head, killing him instantly. The horse then ran away down the path as we went over to inspect the man's body. Even when Arthur Morgan has the best of intentions, it seems interacting with strangers can turn deadly.
Later in the demo, we encountered a Mexican gunslinger shooting bottles off of a railroad bridge. We approached him, and he revealed that he crossed the border to find the "best marksman in America." The man then challenged us to see who could shoot the most bottles off of the bridge in half a minute, with each of us wagering $5 or $10. We agreed to wager $5, and when the challenge ended, we saw that he has shot one more bottle than we were able to.
The man then asked if we'd like to double down on the wager. We declined, and just as we were about to leave, he reminded us that we had yet to pay him. It seems the game doesn't automatically deduct the money from your wallet when you accept these kinds of challenges; rather, you have to manually interact with the man to give him the money. We were then presented with the option to either pay him or refuse. Naturally, we chose the latter, and the man responded by firing at us.
There are numerous other ways the world in Red Dead Redemption 2 will react to you. As previously mentioned, characters who witness your misdeeds will be able to rat you out to the law unless you're able to intimidate them otherwise, and some characters will even begin avoiding you if you don't keep up with Arthur's personal hygiene.
Red Dead Redemption 2 releases for PS4 and Xbox One later this month, on October 26. The game will be available in various editions; you can learn more about what each one contains in our Red Dead Redemption 2 pre-order guide. Later in November, Rockstar will release Red Dead Redemption 2's online mode as a beta for those who've purchased the game, much like it released GTA Online one month after Grand Theft Auto V launched.
Although fans will have to wait until next July for the next dose of live-action Spider-Man, his animated counterpart hits theaters in December. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is a feature-length animated movie in which Spidey encounters many different versions of himself and has to save reality against the evil Kingpin.
While the previous trailer showed us three Spideys--Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and Gwen Stacey--the latest reveals that there are no fewer than six within the Multiverse of the title. There's also the 1940s hero Spider-Man Noir, Peni Parker (aka SP//dr), and, er Spider-Ham. It's fast-moving, funny, spectacularly animated, and looks like a must-see this Christmas. Check it out above.
Into The Spider-Verse is produced by The Lego Movie's Phil Lord and Chris Miller, with a screenplay by Lord. The voice cast includes Shameik Moore (The Get Down) as Miles, Jake Johnson (Jurassic World) as Peter, Hailee Steinfeld (Bumblebee) as Gwen, plus Nicolas Cage (Mandy), Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan), and Mahershala Ali (Luke Cage).
In a recent interview, Miller spoke about the movie's distinctive visuals. "This is a new, unique experience, and we are pushing the medium," he said, via Indiewire. "We're getting away with so much with this movie. It's a pretty wild style." Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse hits theaters on December 14.
In related news, the first images of the villain in next year's live-action Marvel sequel Spider-Man: Far From Home were revealed this week. Jake Gyllenhall will play Mysterio, and new pictures show him on set in the Czech Republic.
Thanks to Cross Buy, you can play five of the six games on PS4. These include the online multiplayer game Friday the 13th, in which one player controls serial killer Jason Voorhees, who's tasked with hunting down hapless teens in various environments from the film series. The other players control the potential victims, who must escape with their lives to win. Laser League is also an online multiplayer game for PS4, but with considerably less gore.
The PS3 puzzle game The Bridge is also playable on PS4, as are the two Vita games, the dual-stick shooter Rocketbirds 2: Evolution and the throwback adventure 2064: Read Only Memories. The one game that's not available on PS4 is the PS3 game Master Reboot, a first-person adventure game that's set in a digital afterlife. All of these titles will be available for free until November 6, when November's PS Plus games arrive.
One additional game is also free for PS Plus members this month. It's Knowledge is Power, a trivia party game that supports up to six players who must enter their answers using the PlayLink app on a phone or tablet.
Epic Games has done a fantastic job of ensuring that Fortnite keeps its fans engaged by consistently releasing fresh content to unlock or take part in, as well as giving aspects of the gameplay new twists. That continues with the release of the latest major update, which kicked off Season 6.
For this season, there's a whole bunch of new cosmetics items to unlock (including skins and pets), but also plenty of gameplay opportunities to discover, ranging from bouncing around on Loot Lake to turning into ghosts by using the Shadow Stone (which were disabled due to a bug). Those are just a couple of examples, but below you'll find a complete breakdown of everything new to Fortnite from the Season 6 update. Expect for things to develop further, as we've already seen that the new Floating Island is on the move.
Fortnite Update 6 Full Patch Notes
Fortnite Season 6 launched alongside patch 6.0, which introduces a number of new features, changes, and tweaks. In addition to the Battle Pass refresh, which delivers over 100 new cosmetic items to unlock, there's Pets, location overhauls, weapons and items put in to the vault, and more. Check out the full Fortnite 6.0 patch notes for all the details.
New Map Locations
The island on which Fortnite's battle royale takes place has undergone multiple changes across the various seasons thus far, and Season 6 is no different. Epic Games has confirmed that there are at least four new locations to check out: Floating Island, Corrupted Areas, Corn Fields, and Haunted Castle. Players have been directed to "drop in and find the rest in-game," indicating there are further secrets to be found on the island.
Battle Pass Skins And Other Rewards
With over 100 new cosmetic items to unlock as part of the Battle Pass for Season 6, Fortnite players are going to have a busy time grinding challenges and racking up kills in Battle Royale. To give everyone a target to strive for, we've put together a complete gallery of every reward in the Battle Pass, so you can see all the skins, bling, sprays, emotes, banner icons, and music added in the season.
Cool New Evolving Skins
Click image to view in full screen
We've got a specific article where you can have a look at the new skins. Although all the skins are cool, there's two specifically that are particularly worthy of attention. The first is a Legendary skin called Calamity, which levels up and transforms a female character from a standard model wearing a cowboy hat, shorts, and a t-shirt to someone straight out of Bloodborne. Similarly, the Dire legendary outfit takes a male character and transforms him into a werewolf, clearly inspired by the movie Teen Wolf.
Battle Pass Details
Here's everything you need to know about Fortnite Season 6's Battle Pass. Although players can complete challenges and unlock some rewards without having to pay money, to make the most of Fortnite Season 6 you'll need to purchase a Battle Pass, which is available in-game for 950 V-Bucks.
Pets
The other big new addition is Pets. There are currently three of them, and they'll hang with in your time in the game. There's three Pets in total right now, and you can see them here. Naturally, they're very cute, but they also react to the world around them, growling when you enter combat and looking terrified if you jump from crazy heights, which is a nice touch.
For Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar Games is touting a more dynamic game world that pays close attention to your behaviour and reacts accordingly. However, it's not just monitoring whether you're being nice to the people around you and abstaining from robbing banks and holding up trains; it's also considering how you look and smell.
Being an outlaw is dirty work. All that robbing, killing, and generally getting up to no good gets the sweat glands pumping and wild west body funk going. And since it can be difficult for cowboys and outlaws to find some time for self-care, it's also easy to let your body hair get a bit out of hand. However, in Red Dead Redemption 2, it's important to ensure that Arthur Morgan is kept prim and proper. If you don't bathe regularly and shave, other members of the Van der Linde gang will call you out on it, even going so far as to take you to one side and stage an intervention. Characters in the world will also react to your poor personal hygiene, opting to give you a wide berth if you're stinking up the streets.
Those you actively engage with may have different dialogue options that treat your disheveled Arthur in a less than kind way. In one of our Red Dead Redemption 2 hands-on sessions this aspect of the game manifested perfectly after an unexpected shootout. We wandered into a nearby camp and, unbeknownst to us, it belonged to a gang we'd robbed earlier. Of course, all hell broke loose, and before long we were covered in blood and dirt. Once we'd managed to get to safety, we found that it was quite tricky getting help because people we were attempting to flag down weren't keen to stop and chat with a man covered in filth and sinew.
On the flip side, putting some care and attention into your hygiene means life is a little peachier for Arthur Morgan. Eventually we managed to make it into town and convinced an understandably apprehensive hotel owner to let us have a bath. After giving ourselves a good scrub, greasing back Arthur's hair, and trimming his beard, a walk through a bar resulted in one patron calling us "pretty boy." That patron was a mean-looking thug so we got out of there real quick, not wanting to ruin our fresh and clean look.
Naturally, this aspect of the game and its world seems like it's going to feed nicely into role-playing. Those who want to craft an Arthur Morgan that is wild, dangerous, and feared may want to let his personal hygiene go down the toilet, while the folks that want the slick, clean, fresh-faced outlaw that is respected can spend time and effort maintaining him.
There are numerous other role-playing hooks in Red Dead Redemption 2, most notably in the way character attributes work. In addition to having health, stamina, and Deadeye meters, the game has "Cores" which govern the way these stats work.
Red Dead Redemption 2 will launch on October 26 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Red Dead Online, meanwhile, will arrive a month later in November 2018. It will be available as a public beta and Rockstar has warned users to expect "teething problems." For more on Red Dead Redemption 2 and our impressions based on the first five hours, check out the video above.
The Red Dead Redemption 2 reveals are coming in thick and fast in the lead up to release. In September we finally got hands-on with the game, learned more about Red Dead Redemption 2's online mode, and received confirmation that the game is going to require a healthy portion of your hard drive space. Now, developer Rockstar Games has released another gameplay trailer to keep the train rolling.
The video, which is being referred to as "Gameplay Video Part 2" shows how the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 throws players into adventures in a way that feels natural. These range from the grand events such as robbing trains and getting up to no good, to having smaller personal moments with members of your gang or random inhabitants of the world. In the video we're also shown more of how the new Dead Eye system works. Interestingly, the special ability now progresses in stages and allows players to paint targets and see critical points, as well as slow time down to aim. We also get a look at some first-person gameplay.
There's also a look at customization and the various smaller activities you can engage in, whether that's dressing up, eating, keeping facial hair in check, bathing, or playing games. Of course, you can also duel, go bounty hunting--but through all this, your behavior is being tracked and will have consequences. Check out the gameplay trailer above, as well as our discussion of the opening hours of the game.
The first gameplay trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 made its debut in August and it delivered an in-depth look at the game. We got a little more acquainted with the harsh American landscape Red Dead Redemption 2 is set in, with peeks at the untamed swamplands, sweeping deserts, livestock towns, and cities in the midst of transformation. According to Rockstar, players will be able to travel around these distinct areas seamlessly, and each will serve up a plethora of missions and activities to engage with.
Other key aspects of the game it showed off included your relationship with other members of the Van der Linde gang, how players will be able to interact with characters outside of the gang, and horses, which now have personalities and, depending on their breed, will behave differently.
We have in-depth coverage Red Dead Redemption 2 gameplay from our hands-on time with the game, which allowed us to dig into some of the many gameplay systems and explore some of the depth that the world provides us. We came away pretty impressed with the level of detail in the world and discussed this in our preview video. Since playing the game, Rockstar has released more screenshots and details on gameplay mechanics such as hunting and fishing.
Red Dead Redemption 2 launches on October 26 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It will be available in a number of special editions, and get the details on all of them in our Red Dead Redemption pre-order guide. A PS4 Pro bundle will also be available.
Red Dead Redemption 2's online mode, meanwhile, will launch as a beta in November. As with all betas, Rockstar has warned players to expect "teething problems" as the mode may not roll out as smoothly as it intends it to.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse unabashedly pays homage to its comic book roots with a veritable league of Spider-people from dimensions crossing paths. The first trailer showed us the traditional Spider-Man and Miles Morales, with a brief glimpse of Gwen Stacy's "Spider-Gwen," but the new trailer showed off no less than six Spideys. Who are all these people?
First, a word about the Marvel multiverse. Marvel has established different continuities for its characters. To organize them, it has a "Multiverse," with different numbers corresponding to different realities. The main continuity in Marvel comics is Earth-616, which includes the vast majority of Marvel comics over the years. Other universes might be full of zombies or cross over with DC comics. Even our own actual reality, where superheroes and villains don't exist, is given a number in the Multiverse.
The Spider-beings from the Into the Spider-Verse trailer hail from several different dimensions, or versions of Earth. Some are minor variations on established continuity, while others are wild or comedic departures.
Spider-Man (Earth-616)
This is the main Marvel continuity, and the one occupied by Peter Parker, the traditionally recognized Spider-Man. In Into the Spider-Verse, Parker is an experienced superhero played by Jake Johnson.
Miles Morales (Earth-1610)
Miles Morales first occupied the Ultimate continuity, which had its own Ultimate versions of X-Men, Fantastic Four, and even Peter Parker's Spider-Man. However, in the Ultimate continuity, a young boy named Miles Morales was bitten by an experimental spider engineered to imitate Spider-Man's powers. Soon after, Peter Parker died protecting the city, inspiring Miles Morales to follow in his footsteps. He has similar powers as well as some unique ones like a cloaking ability. In the film he's played by Shameik Moore.
Spider-Gwen (Earth-65)
Spider-Gwen occupies an alternate reality in which Gwen Stacy was bitten by a radioactive spider instead of Peter Parker. She became Spider-Woman, aka The Ghost Spider. In her own twist on the tragic backstory, her best friend Peter Parker himself became this universe's version of the Lizard, and she accidentally killed him during a battle. She is played by Hailee Steinfeld.
Spider-Man Noir (Earth-90214)
This alternative take on the character is still Peter Parker, but set in the 1920s and 1930s. In this darker take on the character, Parker gains his superpowers in a very similar manner to the main continuity, and uses them to take down a crime boss named The Goblin. The primary differences are his costume and the setting. He's played by Nicolas Cage.
Spider-Ham (Earth-8311)
Hailing from a universe in which the recognized heroes are anthropomorphized animals, the pig Peter was given superpowers through an accident with his caretaker, May Porker. He's surrounded by similar animal parodies like Hulk-Bunny, Ducktor Doom, and Deerdevil. Spider-Ham is played by John Mulaney.
Peni Parker (Earth-14512)
A distinctly anime take on the iconic character, Peni Parker is a schoolgirl whose father piloted a robot known as the SP//dr. Pilots are chosen by a sentient spider that forms a mental link with the mech pilots. Peni takes control of piloting the SP//dr after her father dies. She is played by Kimiko Glenn.
Oh, One More Thing
Six Spider-persons seems like plenty, but this trailer squeezed in one more cameo appearance. Marvel's Spider-Man, the recent PlayStation 4 game, has its own continuity that so far hasn't been given a numbered designation. That didn't keep the producers from paying homage with a small glimpse of his suit, appearing in the background between Peter and Aunt May in one scene.
Forza Horizon 4's release date has arrived--the game is now available for Xbox One and PC. The new driving game is set in Great Britain and lets you race around a shared open world with other drivers. In a twist for the series, it features seasons that change each week for all players. For more information, you can read our Forza Horizon 4 review (spoilers: we liked it).
While it's too late to still take advantage of the pre-order bonuses outlined below, you may be wondering which version of the game to purchase. Below, we've outlined the various ways you can buy the game and how much it costs.
Forza Horizon 4 Pre-Order Bonuses
Each retailer has an exclusive car you got for pre-ordering. Pre-order from Amazon, and you received the 2016 Porsche 911 GT3RS. Best Buy pre-orders came with a 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. GameStop pre-orders included the 2017 Aston Martin DB11 and crew neck t-shirt.
Forza Horizon 4 Standard Edition
The standard edition of the game just comes with the game itself--but that's all many people want. Pre-ordering by October 2 got you the Formula Drift Car Pack.
This digital-only version of the game comes with the Formula Drift Car Pack and the Car Pass, which gets you two new cars per week for 21 weeks once the game launches.
The Ultimate Edition of Forza Horizon 4 came with early access, allowing you to play four days early. It also comes with the Car Pass, VIP Membership, Day One Car Pack (the James Bond cars), and two game expansions.
There has been no shortage of strange happenings in Fortnite recently, particularly in the weeks lead up to the start of Season 6. The infamous purple cube that appeared in the desert back in August sunk into Loot Lake at the end of Season 5, and it has since risen into the air, taking a giant chunk of land with it to kick off Season 6. Now that floating island is on the move, and it's having a dramatic effect on the landscape.
This past weekend, Fortnite's floating island began traveling around the map. It's unclear where it's heading, but it appears to be retracing the same path it first took as the cube back in Season 5, revisiting all of the runes it initially left in its wake. Shortly after it started moving, Fortnite Master reported that it made its way southwest of Pleasant Park, where it raised the chunk of land on which the rune rested into the air and created volcanic craters beneath it.
It remains to be seen what this portends for Fortnite this season, but the craters themselves don't seem to have any negative effects on players. Jumping into them will simply cause you to bounce out, as was the case when the cube plunged into Loot Lake and turned the entire body of water purple and bouncy.
We may not know why the floating island is traveling around the map, but it appears it will continue change as the season rolls on. Dataminers have discovered a folder called "CubeGrowth" within the game's files, which seems to suggest that the cube will increase in size, although Epic hasn't formally confirmed this.
Season 6 of Fortnite: Battle Royale is now underway on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile. In addition to some notable map changes, Epic released a new Battle Pass, which features an assortment of new cosmetic items--such as Pets--to get your hands on. You can see all of them in our Season 6 rewards gallery. You can also find tips on how to complete Fortnite's latest challenges in our Season 6 challenge roundup if you need help unlocking them.
Latios and Latias aren't the only Legendary Pokemon players can pick up for free this month. To celebrate the release of the newest Pokemon TCG expansion, Dragon Majesty, The Pokemon Company has announced it is giving away a free Poipole in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon--but as usual, the way to claim it will vary by region. [Update: The Shiny Poipole distribution is scheduled to end this week, on October 7, making this your last chance to claim a download code for one if you still haven't.]
Originally unveiled under the codename UB Adhesive, Poipole is one of the new Ultra Beasts introduced in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, meaning you'll need to own one of those two versions to receive it. What makes this particular Poipole special is that it's a Shiny; unlike most of the ones you're likely to encounter in the game, this one is white and gold rather than the usual purple.
In the US, the Shiny Poipole will be given away as a download code at GameStop stores from September 17 - October 7. In the UK, players will be able to pick up a code for the Pokemon at Smyths stores from September 17 - October 15. Poipole will be distributed throughout the rest of Europe in the September Pokemon Trainer Club newsletter.
Unlike most of the other Legendary Pokemon given away this year, this Poipole comes at level 40 and isn't carrying any held items. It also knows the moves Venom Drench, Nasty Plot, Poison Jab, and Dragon Pulse. It needs to know the latter move and level up in order to evolve into the Poison/Dragon Pokemon Naganadel.
The aforementioned Latios and Latias are this month's free gifts as part of the ongoing Year of Legendary Pokemon promotion. The pair are claimable in any seventh-generation Pokemon game, although the one you receive will depend on which version you own. You can read how to get them here. You can also see the other freebies available now in our roundup of all the free Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
After the major character shuffling of Season 3's premier, Lethal Weapon is wasting no time in putting Sean William Scott's Wesley Cole right into the heart of the action. He may not be a Riggs-level loose cannon just yet, but as we can see in this exclusive clip he's certainly ready to push the envelope.
Scott joined the cast after Clayne Crawford's Martin Riggs garnered the show some negative attention with allegations of abusive on-set behavior. Tensions continued to build after the initial reporting was made, resulting in arguments between Crawford and co-star Damon Wayans, who plays Roger Murtaugh in the show.
To see Crawford off, the Season 3 premier saw Riggs dying as the result of a fatal gunshot wound in the Season 2 finale. Scott's Cole, a new character introduced specifically designed to step into the void, is a veteran who joined the LAPD after a departure from the CIA. Cole and Murtaugh wound up meeting during the Season 3 premier after they both began chasing down the same criminal, a twist of fate that would eventually land them an assignment as partners.
Cole and Murtaugh's first major case together involves puzzling through the murder of a finance executive, and Cole is more than happy to use some "extreme" methods to get the job done. Or, well, he's more than happy to let his targets think he's using some extreme methods. We don't think torture-by-Popsicle really counts, but it's certainly a pretty cold-blooded psychological move.
Lethal Weapon Season 3, episode 2 "Need to Know" airs October 9 at 9PM on Fox.
Pokemon fans will soon have a chance to get their hands on October's free Legendary Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, but those aren't the only rare monsters up for grabs this month. To commemorate the release of the upcoming Lost Thunder expansion for Pokemon TCG, The Pokemon Company is also giving away a rare Mythical Pokemon for the 3DS games this month: the Thunderclap Pokemon Zeraora.
First revealed this past April, Zeraora is a fast, cat-like Electric-type monster debuting in the latest Pokemon movie, The Power of Us. This marks the first opportunity players will have to get their hands on one; like other Mythical Pokemon, Zeraora isn't obtainable within the actual games, so you'll want to add one to your collection while you can.
As usual, the way you'll be able to get Zeraora depends on where you live. In the US, players can pick up a download code for the Mythical Pokemon at GameStop stores from October 19 to November 19; in the UK, The Pokemon Company is distributing codes for Zeraora at Game stores from October 1 to November 15.
Unlike most of the other free Pokemon given out this year, you can only redeem the Zeraora code in either Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon. Regardless of which version you claim it in, the Pokemon comes at level 50 and is equipped with an Air Balloon, an item that negates Ground-type attacks until it is popped. It also knows the moves Plasma Fist, Thunder Punch, Close Combat, and Thunder.
To redeem your download code, first select Mystery Gift from the games' main menu, then choose the option to receive your gift via a code/password. Input your code and Zeraora will be downloaded into your game. You'll then need to pick it up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center.
In addition to Zeraora, The Pokemon Company will give away two Legendary Pokemon originally from the Black and White versions this month: Reshiram and Zekrom. More details on that distribution will be announced soon. In the meantime, you can see all the free Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon available right now.
Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 6 is officially live on all platforms. Along with its many other additions--map changes among them--that means a new Battle Pass is now available for purchase. As is standard, you can buy 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.
Click image to view in full screen
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.
Microsoft has announced the new additions to the Xbox Game Pass catalog for Xbox One for October, and they include some big-game titles. All subscribers will get to play seven more games in October, including the brand-new launch Forza Horizon 4 at launch on October 2. [Update: Forza Horizon 4 is out now on Game Pass, alongside the other new additions for October.]
Xbox Game Pass costs $10 USD/month, but you can get started with a free 14-day trial. Unlike Netflix, you download the games instead of streaming them, so you might need an additional storage solution if you're hoping to pick up a lot of Xbox Game Pass games.
In Red Dead Redemption 2 you play as Arthur Morgan, an outlaw cowboy on the run. He's part of a gang and, as all outlaw gangs are wont to do, they commit crimes. However, given that Rockstar has created a game world that reacts to your behaviour and presents the knock-on effects of your actions to you, getting away with no good is much harder than you'd think.
The people that inhabit Red Dead Redemption 2's wild west are always watching, and while some will turn a blind eye to your misbehaviours, others may feel compelled to do something about what they've seen. This means that if you break the law while people are around, they could narc on you. In our hands-on gameplay session we got a good example of this system in action.
While in a marshy area, we gunned someone down and were immediately informed that there was a witness who had seen the whole thing. As we turned to locate this person, a lady screamed and began running away. Naturally, not wanting to spend the night behind bars or even six feet under, we gave chase to stop her. Once close enough to her we fired Arthur's gun into the air and she stopped in her tracks.
Using the game's new conversation options, we selected the "Threaten" option and she replied by saying she wouldn't tell anyone about what she'd seen. However, there was a boldness to her voice, and her tone and attitude presented her as someone who would do the right thing and tell on us at the next available opportunity. We chose to let her go and, as suspected, a few moments later the incident was reported. When we asked Rockstar if we could have guaranteed that she wouldn't report it, a representative said we could have doubled down on the threat to effectively convince her that we meant business and scare her into staying hush.
Ensuring that things don't escalate when you're engaging in criminal activity feels like it's going to take a fair amount of thought and careful planning. In addition to keeping in mind potential witnesses, there are also other small ways in which things can go awry if you're not careful. For example, if you're not wearing a bandana or covering your face in some other way, witnesses will also remember you and report you to the authorities.
Based on our time with the game, once things devolve into fisticuffs and gun fights it's much harder to de-escalate and return to a neutral state than in previous Rockstar games. In the Grand Theft Autos of old and the previous Red Dead Redemption, calming things down usually involved breaking line of sight from witnesses or lawmen to simply hide out until things blow over. However, since the world is more reactive, even doing that can be difficult in Red Dead Redemption 2. Something like bad hygiene can change the way people behave towards you, so you can bet that walking around covered in blood is going to make escaping a whole lot harder for Arthur Morgan.
Red Dead Redemption 2 releases on October 26 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. There will be a bunch of special editions, and you can get the details on all of them in our Red Dead Redemption 2 pre-order guide. One month after the game's launch, in November 2018, Red Dead Online will become available as a public beta.
Fortnite Season 6 is live and players on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android have a fresh Battle Pass to level up. This, as with previous seasons, is done by playing the game and completing challenges. Every week there will be a new set of tasks for players to complete.
Like in Season 5, weekly challenges are split into two categories. The first is a free set, which are available to all Fortnite players, while the second is for Battle Pass owners. To get a Battle Pass you'll need to cough up 950 V-Bucks in game. If you haven't bought the Battle Pass, you'll be able to complete certain objectives and earn some rewards, but some of the coolest unlocks are locked behind the paid Battle Pass, so if you plan on sinking lots of time into Fortnite, we recommend picking that up.
Although you can pick up a Battle Pass later and go back to unlock any premium rewards you've earned based on the tier that you've already reached, there is one major advantage in doing it at the start of the season. Namely that you'll get bonus XP, which is dished out for just playing the game either alone or with buddies. This XP levels you up and translates to Battle Stars that also level up your pass, so it may be a good idea to get in early if you can.
Alongside the standard challenges, there are also Hunting Party challenges for those who buy the Battle Pass. These operate similarly to the Blockbuster and Road Trip objectives of past seasons, where each one tasks you with completing all challenges from a single week during the season. The reward for each is a loading screen that reveals the location of a hidden Battle Pass tier you can then obtain. Additionally, by completing seven of these, you'll earn a Legendary skin that will remain a mystery for now.
Each week we'll have guides on the trickiest challenges to make things quicker and easier for you. However, this article will serve as a hub for all our guides so, as the season goes on, you'll be able to keep coming back here to get the latest guides as well as ones for previous weeks. This will be especially helpful if you decided to pick up a Battle Pass part of the way into the season. If you're wondering if it's worth the effort, you can take a look at all of Fortnite Season 6's new skins, cosmetics, emotes, sprays, and other items to unlock in this gallery of Fortnite Season 6 Battle Pass rewards.
Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 6 Challenges
Week 1
Free
Pickup 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
Reward: 5K XP (after completing four challenges, only for Battle Pass owners)
It's a new week, which means a whole new set of digital Xbox One games is on sale on the Microsoft Store. Most of the deals this week are on indie games, thanks to the Pixel Art Perfection sale that's running alongside the usual Spotlight and Deals with Gold sales. Let's take a look at what games you can save money on between now and October 8.
The best deal of the week won't cost you anything: In an effort to drum up excitement for next month's release of Battlefield V, Battlefield 1 owners can pick up the In the Name of the Tsar and They Shall Not Pass expansions for free. Another expansion that's on sale is Overcooked - The Lost Morsel--a particularly good buy if you grabbed Overcooked from October's Games With Gold and want more cooking craziness.
Also on sale is Destiny 2's Expansion Pass, which gives you both year-one expansions. You'll need those if you already own vanilla Destiny 2 and want to upgrade to Forsaken. Another blockbuster title that's on sale this week is Star Wars Battlefront II, which you can grab for $10 / £11.25. Star Wars Battlefront: Ultimate Edition is also on sale for $4.50 / £5.25.
Now for the indie games. Dead Cells has been getting a lot of buzz ever since its console release in August; it's on sale for $20 / £16. Samus won't be coming to Xbox anytime soon, but the Metroid-inspired game Axiom Verge is on sale this week for half off. You can also test your platforming reflexes with Slime-san: Superslime Edition for $10 / £8 or pick up the story-based game Three Fourths Home: Extended Edition for the low price of $3 / £2.40.
You'll find more picks below, and you can check out the full list of games on sale over on Major Nelson's blog.
Tom Hardy made waves recently surrounding Venom when he mentioned that some of his favorite scenes didn't make the cut. That led to some raised eyebrows about what exactly may have gone missing from the final feature film, but he recently took a moment to clarify his point, which was more about his favorite improvisations than any real story content.
"I think that's been misunderstood," Hardy told IGN. "The question was whether is there any scenes I was most excited to shoot, and I was like, there's a bunch of stuff that hasn't made the movie. I'm talking as an actor. What I'm saying is I had a lot of time improvising and a lot of freedom to play with Venom. So in honesty there's probably about seven hours or more of me playing as Venom and enjoying myself.
"Me and the other executive producers know full well it has nothing to do with what's in that story. Nevertheless, would I like to watch a seven-hour version of Venom? Yeah! But the truth is everything we want is in the story, everything I want is in the story, and more. The film is awesome, I'm excited, and I just want to shoot a sequel. Bottom line: don't get it twisted. As an actor, what we love doing, not everything is going to make it."
EXCLUSIVE: Tom Hardy clarifies his comments about the footage cut from Venom: "Everything I want is in it. And more." pic.twitter.com/IyOEo9oNmd
Hardy also recently commented on the movie's lack of Spider-Man, saying that finding a way to make the character look iconic and familiar without the spider logo was "the most challenging part." Venom opens in theaters October 5.
October might be the month most closely associated with horror movies, but it was a comedy that sits at the top of the box office chart as the month began. Night School stars Tiffany Haddish as a teacher dealing with an unruly class of night school students--including co-writer Kevin Hart--and it made an estimated $28 million in its opening weekend.
The No.2 slot went to another new entry--Warner's animated Yeti comedy Smallfoot, which features Channing Tatum, Zendaya, James Corden, and Danny DeVito in its voicecast. The movie's budget was far higher than that of Night School ($80 million compared to $29 million), so a $23 million opening weekend isn't as impressive, but as Box Office Mojo points out, this is in line with the studio's 2016 animated release Storks, which went on to make $193 million worldwide.
Last week's No.1, Eli Roth's spooky family movie The House with a Clock in its Walls, fell to No.3 and made an estimated $12.5 million. The only other new entry this week is the horror movie Hell Fest, which debuted at No.6 with a $5.07 million weekend take. Although it was outgrossed by The Nun in its fourth week, Hell Fest's production budget was only $5 million, so this was a solid result.
Elsewhere, the thriller A Simple Favor continued its strong run, making another $6 million and moving to No.4. In the bottom half of the Top 10, the hugely successful Crazy Rich Asians drops to No.7, while The Predator, White Boy Rick, and Peppermint make up the rest of the chart.
You can see the full Top 10 list for the September 28-30 US box office below, as compiled by Box Office Mojo.
US/Canada Box Office For September 28-30
Night School – $28.0 million
Smallfoot – $23.0 million
The House With A Clock In Its Walls – $12.51 million
Spider-Man: Far From Homeis the upcoming sequel to last year's Marvel blockbuster Spider-Man: Homecoming, and it's set to hit theaters in July next year. It has been rumored for several months that the film's villain is Mysterio, with Jake Gyllenhall playing the role. While Marvel has yet to officially announce this, new on-set images released suggest that Mysterio is indeed the movie's bad guy.
The pictures were taken on the Far From Home set in Liberec in the Czech Republic, and while they are not exactly close-ups, you can clearly see Gyllenhall in Mysterio's distinctive red-and-purple costume. Check it out below, with more over at comicbookmovie.
Spider-Man: Far From Home hits theaters on July 5, 2019. Tom Holland is back as Peter Parker, and the cast also includes Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Cobie Smulders, and Samuel L. Jackson. Homecoming's Jon Watts is returning as director.
While specific plot details are still under-wraps, we do know that the movie will start immediately after the events of Avengers 4, which arrives in May. Last year, Marvel boss Kevin Feige spoke about how the film will kickstart the next phase of the MCU. "So much happens in [the third and fourth Avengers movies], as you can imagine, and so much is affected by it, that we felt what better person to hold your hand and lead you into the next incarnation of the MCU, in a grounded, realistic manner, than Peter Parker?" Feige said. "So, coming out two months after Avengers 4, [that's what] much of what the next Spider-Man film will be about."
In related news, production also continues on Avengers 4. Last week, actor Benedict Wong released an intriguing behind-the-scene image that hints at one of the movie's possible villains.
One of the key areas of Red Dead Redemption 2's gameplay that Rockstar has focused on is how horses work. The bond with your steed is as important as your speed on the draw, and in the upcoming open-world western sequel there will be ample opportunity to ensure main character Arthur Morgan makes the most of his companion.
At a recent hands-on event, we got the opportunity to learn more about how horses work; specifically, how they can be developed. In Red Dead Redemption 2, players will be able to establish and cultivate bonds with their horses. There are a total of four levels a bond can progress through, and each new level provides better response from and control of your horse, in addition to new abilities.
At bond level two your horse will be able to pivot quicker and also do something akin to a skid. Naturally, this will make getting around much easier, and we foresee it being very useful for chase sequences or navigating tighter environments. We're also hoping that we'll be able to drift horses around corners because that would be ridiculous and pretty cool.
As the bond level grows, horses will become more resilient and dedicated to sticking by your side through thick and thin. Early on in the game, they can become spooked by gunfire and other dangerous things in the environment, but the longer you spend caring for it and investing in your relationship, the more fearless a horse becomes. Of course, the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 will throw up all kinds of dangers, and you'll need to ensure your horse is ready for them. In our gameplay demo our level three horse was sent galloping through a swampy area; however, the rattling of snakes and hissing of an alligator freaked it out--clearly it was in need of more training.
Another advantage to spending time bonding with your horses is, eventually, you'll be able to unlock dressage, allowing you to put on a little show for everyone around you. Perhaps a more useful perk, however, is the ability to call your horse over from a greater distance.
As touted in Red Dead Redemption 2's first gameplay trailer, new interactivity options mean that players will have a deeper level of engagement with the world around them. This extends to horses too, since you can calm them, groom them, and generally ensure they're healthy and happy. Horses function as transport, inventory storage, and also as a companion.
Rockstar released a second Red Dead Redemption 2 gameplay trailer on October 1, showing off more open-world action. It focused on how the game gets players into missions and activities in a way that feels natural, revealed more about the new Deadeye system, and showed off the first-person mode.
Red Dead Redemption 2's release date has been confirmed as October 26 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. A number of special editions will be available, and you can get details on all of them in our Red Dead Redemption pre-order guide. Red Dead Redemption 2's online mode is set to launch as a beta in November. Rockstar has warned players to expect "teething problems," as is typical of most betas.
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon launched for 3DS back in November, marking the mainline series' swan song on Nintendo's dual-screen handheld. As it did for the original Sun and Moon versions, The Pokemon Company is continuing to support the pair in the months following their release with free items and Pokemon. The company has a lot of giveaways lined up for 2018, which it has dubbed the Year of Legendary Pokemon, though those certainly won't be the only freebies players can expect to find this year.
We've rounded up all of the free distributions currently running for Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon below, many of which are also open to Sun and Moon players. We'll be updating this list as more giveaways are announced, so check back often to see what free items and Pokemon you can get. In the meantime, you can learn more about the latest Pokemon games in our rundown of everything new in Pokemon Ultra Sun And Ultra Moon. We also break down the differences between Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, if you're still unsure of which version to pick up.
Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon Free Gifts
Shiny Poipole -- Ends Oct. 7
To celebrate the release of Pokemon TCG's new Dragon Majesty expansion, The Pokemon Company is giving away a Shiny Poipole for a limited time. US players will be able to pick up a download code at GameStop stores from September 17 - October 7, while those in the UK can grab one at Smyths until October 15. Unlike a typical Poipole, this one is white and gold, and it already comes with Dragon Pulse, the move it needs to know in order to evolve into Naganadel.
Decidueye, Incineroar, and Primarina -- Ends Oct. 31
Players who have a Pokemon Bank account can receive the final forms of all three Alola starters--Decidueye, Incineroar, and Primarina--as a free bonus for using the cloud storage service. What sets these three Pokemon apart from the ones you can obtain in-game is that they each come with their Hidden Abilities, which aren't typically available through normal play. You'll receive a notification about the gifts the next time you access Pokemon Bank, and they can be picked up in your game of choice from the deliveryman waiting in any Pokemon Center.
Zeraora -- Ends Nov. 19
Players will have their first chance to get Zeraora, the new Mythical Pokemon debuting in Pokemon the Movie: The Power of Us, from October 19 - November 19. The Thunderclap Pokemon is being distributed via a download code at various retailers; those in the US can pick up a code at GameStop, while UK residents will be able to get one at Game stores. The Pokemon is level 50 and comes equipped with an Air Balloon, which allows it to avoid Ground-type attacks during battle until the balloon is popped.
Magearna
Unlike most other gift Pokemon, the Mythical Steel/Fairy-type, Magearna, is not available through the Mystery Gift feature, but via a QR code, which is compatible with Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon. After defeating the Elite Four and completing the main story, you can use the QR Scanner to scan the code below. Once you've done that, visit the Antiques shop in Hau'oli City and pick your Magearna up from the deliveryman waiting there.
Past Gifts
Dialga/Palkia -- DONE
Kicking off the Year of Legendary Pokemon are the Space and Time Pokemon, Palkia and Dialga. The two are being distributed in the US at GameStop from February 2-28, while UK residents can pick them up from participating Game stores. The Legendary you receive will depend on which version you have: players with either Sun or Ultra Sun receive Palkia, while those playing either Moon or Ultra Moon get Dialga. You'll need to redeem your download code by May 23 to claim the Legendaries.
Regigigas/Heatran -- DONE
The Year of Legendary Pokemon continues with another pair of Legendaries originally from Pokemon Diamond and Pearl: Regigigas and Heatran. As before, the Pokemon you receive will depend on which seventh generation title you're playing: Sun and Ultra Sun players will get Regigigas, while those with a copy of Moon or Ultra Moon will receive Heatran.
Unlike the Dialga and Palkia distribution, The Pokemon Company is giving away the download code for Regigigas and Heatran in the March Pokemon Trainer Club newsletter, so you'll need to create a free Trainer Club Account here and opt-in to the newsletter before March 1 in order to get the code.
Entei/Raikou -- DONE
The Johto Legendary dogs Entei and Raikou are April's free gift for Pokemon players. The Pokemon are being distributed in the US via a free download code from participating Target stores, and as before, the Legendary you receive depends on which version you're playing: those with Sun or Ultra Sun will get Entei, while Moon and Ultra Moon players will receive Raikou. In Europe, the Legendaries are being distributed as a free online Mystery Gift until April 25.
Xerneas/Yveltal -- DONE
Pokemon X and Y's cover monsters, Xerneas and Yveltal, are the free Legendary Pokemon available in May. From May 4-27, US players can snag a download code for the monsters at no charge from GameStop stores, while those in the UK can grab one from Game. As usual, the Legendary you receive depends on which version you're playing: Sun and Ultra Sun players will get Yveltal, while Moon and Ultra Moon players will end up with Xerneas.
Shiny Zygarde -- DONE
The Kalos Legendary Zygarde is June's free Pokemon. Regardless of which game you own, you'll get the Order Pokemon, although its moveset will differ depending upon which version you're playing. What makes this particular Zygarde special is that it's a Shiny. Players in the US can pick up a free download code for the Legendary at GameStop from June 1-24, while those in Europe and Australia can get it via Mystery Gift over the Nintendo Network.
Tornadus/Thundurus -- DONE
Tornadus and Thundurus from Pokemon Black and White are July's free Legendary Pokemon, and as usual, the one you receive will depend on which version you're playing. Those with a copy of Sun or Ultra Sun will get Thundurus, while players who have Moon or Ultra Moon will receive Tornadus. To get the Legendaries, US residents will need to pick up a free download code at Target stores from July 13-28, while players in Europe can download the Pokemon over the Nintendo Network via Mystery Gift.
Groudon/Kyogre -- DONE
The cover monsters of Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, Groudon and Kyogre, are the two free Legendaries available in August. In the US, the Pokemon are being distributed via a free download code, which can be picked up at a participating GameStop store from August 3-26. As with previous giveaways, the Legendary you receive depends on which version you own; those with Sun or Ultra Sun will get Kyogre, while players who have Moon or Ultra Moon will get Groudon.
Celebi -- DONE
Players who purchase either Pokemon Gold or Silver from the 3DS Eshop by September 21, 2018 will receive a bonus download code for the Mythical Pokemon Celebi. The code can be redeemed in Pokemon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, or Ultra Moon. We've outlined the steps you need to take to find and redeem the code here.
Latios/Latias -- DONE
September's freebies are the twin Eon Pokemon, Latios and Latias. Once again, the Legendaries are being distributed in the US at a specific retailer--this time Best Buy--from September 2-29, and the Pokemon you get depends on which version you own: Sun and Ultra Sun players will receive the more defensive Latias, while Moon and Ultra Moon players will get the more attack-oriented Latios. Players in Europe and Australia can download the Legendaries from the Nintendo Network until September 23.
Devolver Digital and developer Vile Monarch (the studio behind Oh...Sir: The Insult Simulator) have announced Weedcraft Inc., a new simulation game coming to PC via Steam in 2019. Billed as "the burgeoning legal pot industry's first fully fledged tycoon game," Weedcraft Inc. allows players to cultivate their own weed empire, from growing different strains of bud to distributing it and, ultimately, trying to change the country's perception of the plant.
As Devolver says, Weedcraft Inc. "explores the business of producing, breeding, and selling weed in America, delving deep into the financial, political and cultural aspects of the country's complex relationship with this troublesome and promising plant." The game puts players in the role of a business school dropout whose father recently passed away. When you return home, you learn that your brother, Clyde, had been growing marijuana for your father in your basement, and the two of you partner up to turn his supply into a business.
The actual process of growing and selling the weed is simple, but the game gradually introduces more layers of complexity as you progress. When you first begin, you'll only have a small workspace and one strain of weed, which you'll need to plant, water, and trim until you can harvest and sell it. As you amass more money, you'll be able to expand your basement to grow more strains at once. You'll also need to purchase new fixtures for your basement, such as an air filter and better light bulbs, and even tinker with the chemical balance of the soil you use in order to grow higher quality strains.
As your business expands, you'll be able to hire other characters to help you grow and sell your supply. Your activities will also earn the attention of rival dealers, who'll move into town and compete for your clientele. These rivals will typically sell a strain of weed that you don't have, and you'll need to decide the best approach to dealing with them; for instance, you can choose to befriend them or send one of your employees to steal their signature strain. Depending on your actions, your Shady or Decent meter will increase, which in turn will unlock new perks related to that branch of the skill tree.
Your activities will also attract the attention of the police, who'll periodically barge into your basement and even seize your supply if you're running your business flagrantly. Vile Monarch also says that you'll even be able to set up meetings with senators and other influential politicians when your profile grows, and you'll be able to work together to change or implement new marijuana laws.
Devolver hasn't announced a release date yet for Weedcraft Inc. In the meantime, you can see the game's announcement trailer and a handful of screenshots of the title above.
Toys-to-life games may have waned in popularity in recent years, but Ubisoft's upcoming space adventure, Starlink: Battle for Atlas, is built around a unique spin on the genre. Much like the now-canceled Lego Dimensions, Starlink's selling point is that it allows players to assemble vehicles from various parts and pilot them within the game. But where Lego Dimensions required you to put its accessories together before bringing them into the game world, Starlink allows you to outfit your ship with weapons and parts on the fly, making it feel much more immediate and satisfying than most previous toys-to-life games.
The customizable spaceships are clearly geared toward younger players, but as we discovered during our recent hands-on session with the game, they're also one of Starlink's biggest draws. In the video above, we discuss our impressions of Ubisoft's upcoming space game after playing it, particularly the way it integrates toys into the gameplay. Not only is it fun to instantly swap out different weapons as you play, it also has a tangible benefit. During your travels, you'll come upon enemies that are susceptible to certain types of weapons, such as flamethrowers and missile barrages. You can then snap on the one that would give you an advantage and take them on. This certainly isn't necessary, but it does provide a fun incentive to collect more parts and helps add another layer of strategy to encounters. If you prefer to avoid the clutter of physical accessories, Ubisoft says the spaceship weapons and parts will be obtainable as DLC add-ons as well.
We also discuss the inclusion of Star Fox characters in the Switch version of Starlink and how well Fox and company mesh with the title. According to Ubisoft, Nintendo first approached the company with the idea for the collaboration shortly after the game was unveiled back at E3 2017, and the two studios have been working closely together to ensure the Star Fox cast is represented as authentically as possible. Ubisoft says the characters are fully integrated into the game; players can play as Fox McCloud throughout the entire campaign, and the Star Fox crew appears in all of its cutscenes. The Switch version also includes a handful of Star Fox-focused missions not available on other platforms. In the video above, you can get a glimpse of how the Star Fox gang is introduced during Starlink's opening cutscene, as well as the first ensuing missions as Fox himself.
Fox and company feel right at home in Starlink given its emphasis on space battles, but the actual gameplay is more akin to No Man's Sky than it is to Star Fox's traditionally on-rails outings. While Starlink offers many opportunities to engage in dogfights in space and across a variety of planets teeming with diverse alien flora and fauna, the game places an equally heavy emphasis on exploration. You'll frequently come upon new mission requests as you fly around the alien worlds, and you can freely travel to different planets without any noticeable loading screens.
Starlink: Battle for Atlas launches for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on October 16. The Nintendo Switch starter pack costs $75 and includes a controller mount, a figure of Fox McCloud, and his Arwing, along with a copy of the game; a similar starter edition is available for PS4 and Xbox One, albeit with the hero Mason Rana and his starship. Additional starship packs run for $25, while weapon packs and pilot packs cost $10 and $8, respectively. You can read more about the game in our Starlink impressions from this past E3.
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