Happy Death Day was one of last year's biggest horror surprises--a smart, funny, scary slasher riff on Groundhog Day, about a woman who found herself trapped in a daily loop in which she was killed by a masked psycho. The sequel is titled Happy Death Day 2U and it arrives in February next year. The first trailer has now been released.
Jessica Rothe returns as unlucky student Tree, who seemingly broke the loop at the end of the first movie when she killed her murderous rival Lori. Unfortunately as the trailer reveals, the loop has restarted, with Lori somehow alive within it and out for revenge. It looks like another hugely entertaining mix of laughs and scares--check it out below:
Happy Death Day 2U is written and directed by Christopher B. Landon, who also helmed the first movie. It also stars Israel Broussard (Fear the Walking Dead), Suraj Sharma (Homeland), and Ruby Modine (Shameless). It's produced once more by Blumhouse Films (Get Out, The Purge movies) and hits theaters on February 14, 2019.
In a recent interview with Collider, Rothe spoke about how Happy Death Day 2U isn't just a standard horror sequel. "Chris has done this incredible thing where the sequel elevates the movie from being a horror movie into a Back to the Future type of genre film," she said. "The sequel joins us right from where we left off, it explains a lot of things in the first one that didn't get explained, and it elevates everything.
"I was really pleased to know that we weren't just gonna be pushing all the buttons that people loved the first time, over and over again, 'cause I think that gets old."
With the release of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse nearly upon us, the reviews are in. The movie is Sony's first feature-length animated Spidey adventure, and it features no fewer than six different versions of the wall-crawler. It's produced by The Lego Movie's Phil Lord and Chris Miller, with a screenplay by Lord, and the voicecast includes Shameik Moore (The Get Down) as Miles Morales and Jake Johnson (Jurassic World) as Peter Parker, plus Hailee Steinfeld (Bumblebee), Nicolas Cage (Mandy), Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan), and Mahershala Ali (Luke Cage).
Sony's last movie to feature characters from Spider-Man comic books was Venom, which was met with very mixed reviews. However, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has so far received an extremely positive reaction--it currently stands at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 82% on Metacritic. And of course, Venom went on to be a huge box office success, so there's every expectation that Into the Spider-Verse will also be a big hit, especially as it arrives in theaters just before the Holidays, on December 14. So let's take a look at the reviews...
GameSpot -- no score
"Its heart is pretty simple. Anyone, anywhere, has the power to be as heroic and as special as Spider-Man. It may seem a bit saccharine, typed out in so many words, but it's a message that superhero comics--that Spider-Man comics specifically--have been touting for ages, and something that's been long overdue for a big screen debut. It probably wouldn't work if Into The Spider-Verse weren't just so funny, self aware, and bleeding-edge modern--but it is, and it does. The end result is an instant animated classic, and, with any luck, the first of many of its kind." -- Michael Rougeau [Full review]
Collider -- A
"I had high hopes for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and the movie surpassed them. Having seen three different iterations of Spider-Man in the past 16 years, I assumed that Spider-Verse would be backed into a corner with its only cards to play being Miles Morales instead of Peter Parker and animation instead of live-action. Instead, it has surpassed the other Spider-Man movies by breaking down the character without ever losing sight of an entertaining, lovely story. If you feel like you've seen all the Spider-Man you can handle, just wait. You haven't seen anything yet." -- Matt Goldberg [Full review]
AV Club -- B+
"In the end it plays more like a celebration of both insane comics continuity and the mutable nature of superhero identification. Characters endlessly derived from a single superhero power-set can be hackneyed, but when the movie bands a bunch of those characters together with a lead Spidey of black and Latino heritage, it's making a convincing case for how familiar superheroes can refresh themselves when new faces take up the mantle. For that matter, it makes a cleverly self-serving case for an animated spin-off of a much-adapted character. This is the seventh Spider-Man feature film in 16 years, but this universe has rarely felt so fresh." -- Jesse Hassenger [Full review]
The Hollywood Reporter -- no score
"It helps to be well-versed in Spider-Man lore to fully appreciate Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, a free-wheeling, fast-and-loose, strikingly animated addition to one of the biggest library of films in the Marvel collection. Faced with the challenge of how to further expand the franchise without sating both the character and fans, Marvel and Sony have borrowed from the comics to introduce a fresh origin story that both references the past and swings into a new, thoroughly multicultural and multi-Spidified future." -- Todd McCarthy [Full review]
Den of Geek -- 5/5
"That Miles Morales can share the screen with one of the most recognizable icons in all of pop culture and still clearly be the hero of his own story is impressive, and a testament to the obvious love that went into crafting both the character and his world. Delivering that kind of emotion in a movie this big and brash is no small task. It's the kind of achievement that brings to mind the adjectives usually attached to one of Peter Parker's comic books. Amazing. Spectacular. Sensational." -- Mike Cecchini [Full review]
Uproxx -- A
"I love this movie and I love that it exists. I love that Sony took a risk on a (yes) somewhat complicated premise and turned it into something unique and funny and daring (and weird). I don't always love the concept of "rooting" for movies to be financially successful, but I do hope Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse succeeds and sets off, not just a few more of these Miles Morales Spider-Man films, but also a whole plethora of studio-backed animated superhero films that can take real chances. This animated movie has more heart and emotion than most live actions films of this genre." -- Mike Ryan [Full review]
Screenrant -- 4.5/5
"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse offers nearly two-hours of stunning and altogether captivating animation that's beautifully rendered to bring the superhero origin story of Miles Morales - and the Spider-Verse - to life in a never-before-seen manner. Although the threads left hanging for a potential sequel may be somewhat more fascinating than the fairly by-the-numbers origin story of Miles, the multiverse does provide a unique twist on Miles' coming-of-age hero tale from awkward teenager to self-confident superhero." -- Molly Freeman [Full review]
The Wrap -- no score
"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse represents some of the best superhero storytelling on the market. The frenetic animation and freewheeling story offer audiences a sense of boundless dynamism. It's not the first time a director has attempted to incorporate comic book iconography into a feature-film adaptation, but it's the most appealing. Watching Into the Spider-Verse evokes feelings of sitting cross-legged on the floor of your bedroom, eating cookies and immersing yourself in outrageous, mostly inviting new worlds." -- William Bibbiani [Full review]
Insider -- A
"Despite a wordy tongue twister of a title, Into the Spider-Verse feels like a comic-book come to life. Sony's vibrant, hilarious holiday movie is gorgeous to look at, is incredibly self-aware, and delivers the big screen debut of a few new Spideys that will become household names." -- Kirsten Acuna [Full review]
With the holidays just around the corner, Nintendo has announced a new seasonal event for Splatoon 2. Much like October's Splatoween, the upcoming Frosty Fest will be a special global event that encompasses a holiday-inspired Splatfest, themed stage decorations, and some new winter headgear.
The Frosty Fest is scheduled to begin at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET on January 4. Unlike most other Splatfests, which typically only last for 24 hours, this event will run for an extra day, concluding at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET on January 6. Fittingly, the theme this time asks players who they prefer to spend the holidays with: friends or family?
As was the case during the Splatoween event, Inkopolis will be decked out with holiday decorations during the Frosty Fest. Nintendo is also introducing four new pieces of holiday headgear for your Inkling: New Year's Glasses DX, Twisty Headband, Festive Party Cone, and the Eel-Cake Hat. These are yours to keep even after the event ends. You can take a look at them below.
As was the case with the Splatoween headgear, you won't be able to purchase these from Splatoon 2's in-game store. Rather, they'll be available through the Splatoon 2 News channel on your Nintendo Switch's News feed. Nintendo will post an article about the headgear in late December. Toward the end of it will be an option to launch Splatoon 2; click it and you'll claim the headgear. If you own a physical copy of Splatoon 2, you'll need to have the game card inserted in order to launch the game this way.
Before that, Nintendo will roll out a new update for Splatoon 2. Version 4.3.0 arrives on Wednesday, December 5, and introduces eight new weapons to the game, including the Ballpoint Splatling Nouveau, Nautilus 79, Custom Explosher, Bloblobber Deco, and four more as-yet-unrevealed Kensa Collection weapons.
On top of that, the Version 4.3.0 update will add two new gear abilities. The first, Bomb Defense Up DX, combines the Bomb Defense Up and Cold-Blooded abilities into one. Bomb Defense Up DX will replace those two abilities on any piece of gear you already own. The other new ability is Main Power Up, which improves the effectiveness of your main weapon. Its benefits will vary by weapon; for instance, it increases the shot accuracy of the Splattershot when you're firing while jumping. You can see some other examples below.
Like most other multiplayer games on Switch, Splatoon 2 requires a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to play online with other players. If you sign up for a 12-month subscription--either individually or as part of a family plan--you'll receive two exclusive pieces of gear for the game: the Online Jersey and Online Squidkid V Shoes, both of which are based on the uniform worn by the winning team of the Splatoon 2 World Championship.
Getting in the holiday spirit isn't the easiest thing for some people. If you could use a little help, Sony has a boost for you this weekend. The PlayStation company is running a flash sale on PSN, dropping prices on PS4 games of all kinds in both the US and UK. Let's look at some of the highlights you can get between now and December 3.
On the US PlayStation Store, you can save a bunch of cash on the Assassin's Creed series. The Ezio Collection, which bundles together Assassin's Creed 2, Brotherhood, and Revelations, is on sale for $15. The London-set installment, Syndicate, is on sale for $15 as well, and the side-scrolling Assassin's Creed Chronicles Trilogy is down to $7.50.
One of the best deals in the sale is Gravity Rush 2 for just $6. Strategy game fans can grab XCOM 2 for $15. Anyone with an interest in twisted visual novels can pick up the Zero Escape games for cheap: the first two are bundled together in Zero Escape: The Nonary Games ($15), while the third, Zero Time Dilemma, is on sale for $12.
PSVR owners are well served this weekend too, with the boxing game Creed: Rise to Glory down to $9 and the realistic flying sim Ultrawings on sale for $7.50.
Red Dead Redemption 2's online component, Red Dead Online, is now live to all players after a staggered rollout. If you're playing the game on PS4, you're entitled to some exclusive items that are not yet available on Xbox One. Here's how to claim them.
Before being able to get any of the items, you'll first need to play through the opening tutorial section of Red Dead Online, which takes around 45 minutes or so. Once you've officially entered free roam, you're given access to things like the catalog, and it's at this point you can claim your freebies, as outlined on the PlayStation Blog.
The easiest of the bunch to grab is the Grizzlies Outlaw outfit. Simply open your satchel by holding left on the D-pad, go to the Outfits section, and you can add it to your collection. Once you own it, you can change into it (or any other clothing you own) by heading to your camp and accessing the wardrobe.
The other freebies require you to go to a particular location. For the High Roller Double-Action Revolver, you'll have to head to a Fence (which you can spot on the map), where it can be claimed.
And finally, you'll head to a stable to grab both the Red Chestnut Arabian horse and the Alligator Skin Ranch Cutter saddle. You start out in Red Dead Online with only a single slot for a horse, so if you want to grab the new horse immediately, you'll need to ditch your starter steed to claim this one. This horse has better stats than the starter one, while the saddle provides bonuses to the health and stamina Cores of the horse you equip it on.
All of this is separate from the exclusive goodies available in Red Dead Redemption 2's single-player mode. While we've become accustomed to timed exclusives like these lasting for long stretches--some Destiny content has been PS4-only for 1-2 years--the exclusivity period here lasts only 30 days. If you pre-ordered the game or bought a special edition, you may have other bonus content to claim in Online.
Although Red Dead Online is now available to all owners of Red Dead 2, it is still in beta form. Rockstar promises many updates to come, and one thing we know is coming is the ability to buy in-game gold with real-world money.
The Nintendo Switch console doesn't go on sale often, so when it does it's a big deal. Right now, Ant Online (via Ebay) is selling a Nintendo Switch with red and blue Joy-Cons for $270. That saves you $30 off the normal retail price. It's not clear how long this deal will last, so if you want to grab a Switch for yourself or someone on your gift list this year, hop on it fast.
It all adds up to a well-rounded system you can plug into your TV to play when you're at home, or throw into a bag when you're on the go. For more suggestions, check out our holiday gift guide for Switch games and accessories.
This Ebay deal comes shortly after Nintendo announced it had a record-breaking Black Friday weekend in the US, selling $250 million worth of products, including Switch hardware and games like Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee and Super Mario Party.
You may soon have the chance to try out the new Destiny-esque action game from BioWare, Anthem. EA has announced an upcoming closed alpha, and sign-ups for it are now live ahead of the test kicking off next week.
As outlined on EA's website, the test will be quite brief--it'll run from December 8-9, though it'll be available on all three of the game's platforms: PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The test will not be available for the entirety of the two days, as there will instead by "multiple sessions" spread across the weekend.
In terms of the alpha's purpose, EA explains, "It's an opportunity for you to check out Anthem but we'll also be adjusting things like matchmaking and server load on the fly. These Community Playtests are more limited than what we want to share in the pre-launch demos. All of these factors combined mean that we're making access to our Playtests limited, which is where the 'closed' part of the name comes from."
Sign-ups are now live, and you can register your interest here. You aren't guaranteed access just by signing up, and you'll need a PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold membership on PS4 and Xbox One, respectively. When registering your interest, you'll need to pick the specific platforms and time windows you're hoping to participate in.
Participants will be bound by a non-disclosure agreement. That means, barring any leaks, you shouldn't expect to see players sharing any thoughts, screenshots, or videos from the alpha test.
If you don't get in, this won't mark your only chance to try the game before launch. EA and BioWare have plans to offer an Anthem demo next year, and EA/Origin Access members will presumably get their usual limited early access to the game as well. Its full release is set for February 22.
Following a gradual rollout over the course of the week, Red Dead Redemption 2's online multiplayer mode, Red Dead Online, is now available to all PS4 and Xbox One players. It had previously been restricted to just those with a premium version of the game or who had played shortly after launch.
While Red Dead Online is now freely accessible for all owners of Red Dead 2, Rockstar maintains that this is still a beta. Before launch, it warned of potential issues that players might encounter, and sure enough, there have been a variety of problems (of the serious and not-so-serious variety) that have popped up this week, including frequent disconnects for some.
Red Dead Online is, as the name suggests, an online game, though you're free to engage with it on your own. It features new story missions set before the events of the single-player campaign that can be played solo or with others. It also features a variety of co-op and PvP modes, including Red Dead's own battle royale mode.
Rockstar says to expect "lots more updates to the Red Dead Online beta in the coming weeks and months." It hasn't shared much about what to expect in terms of future updates to the game, though Grand Theft Auto V's extensive array of free GTA Online expansions suggests there's plenty in store.
One thing we do know that's coming is the ability to buy gold, a rare in-game currency, with real-world money. Gold can be earned by playing, and it's used to buy certain weapons and other items, as well as a shortcut to lower your Honor level.
This is not an instant win. No purchase necessary. Competition ends at 2:00 PM PT on November 30, 2018, in which 80 winners will be chosen at random and emailed a code.
Enter below:
You'll receive these in-game goodies for your favorite Blizzard games:
Overwatch® - 5 Epic and 5 Legendary Skins - Kick start your collection with this select set of 5 epic and 5 legendary skins, including Okami Hanzo, Shrike Ana, and Mystery Man McCree, and customize the appearance of some of your favorite Overwatch heroes.
Overwatch® - Hero Skins - Pay homage to the original Overwatch strike force by wearing the vintage skins Blackwatch Reyes or Strike-Commander Morrison. Explore other heroes' origins with Overgrown Bastion, Security Chief Pharah, and even Slipstream Tracer!
Heroes of the Storm - Tracer Hero - Jump into the Nexus with Tracer and surprise your enemies in the blink of an eye.
World of Warcraft® - Baby Winston Pet - Adorably cuddly and highly intellectual, the Baby Winston pet will be at your side as you fight your way through Azeroth.
Diablo® III - Mercy's Wings - Slay demonic forces throughout the High Heavens and Burning Hells as you don Mercy's wings. All of Sanctuary will know of your allegiance to Overwatch!
StarCraft® II In-game Portraits and a Hearthstone® Card Back! - With portraits of Tracer, Reaper, Pharah, Winston, Bastion, and Soldier: 76, you're sure to become a champion of the Koprulu Sector. You can also battle it out in Hearthstone with an Overwatch-themed card back fit for a hero!
Epic Games' plans to allow players to merge their Fortnite accounts--V-Bucks and all--across multiple platforms have been delayed. Originally due out by the end of the month, Epic has confirmed that the account merging feature won't be available in 2018.
Epic shared the news on Fortnite's website, saying the ability to merge accounts will not go live until "early next year." It didn't explain what exactly was causing the hold-up, only citing "ongoing technical concerns."
"We want to make sure that this process is thoroughly tested and working properly before releasing it to those of you currently looking to transfer purchases from other accounts to your primary account," it said. "We'll be sure to update you as we get closer to the release of the feature, which will include a web page on launch to help guide you through the flow!"
Account merging was first announced back in September. With the game now supported on so many platforms--PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, and Android--it would allow you to combine various things into a single, unified account. This would include both things you've purchased (Battle Royale cosmetics, V-Bucks, and early access to Save the World mode) as well as lifetime win stats.
As of September, it's possible to link your Fortnite accounts to a single Epic account, ensuring that purchases made after the link is set up are shared across accounts. The current process is slightly complex, as you need to determine which account you want to treat as your primary one.
Epic previously delayed Save the World out of 2018. The PvE mode, which was the original concept for Fortnite before Battle Royale exploded onto the scene, is still in early access. It's now due out as a free-to-play release for all players sometime next year. In the meantime, Battle Royale players have Week 10 challenges to complete, and Season 7 is drawing near.
It's been an exciting week for Destiny 2 players, as not only did it mark the start of Season 5 with a new update, but we learned about much of the content coming in Black Armory and in the coming months. The weekend has now arrived, which means a new visit from the mysterious merchant Xur. He has an array of Exotic items for sale; here's what he has and where to find him.
Finding Xur is no different in the new season than it has been over the past 15 months. This week, Xur is located on Nessus. Head to the Watcher's Grave landing zone, hop on your Sparrow, and head straight and to the left. You'll quickly see a giant tree; make your way to the base and climb the branch outward to find Xur.
Bungie has revealed new Exotics coming to the game, so does that mean Xur's wares are more exciting than usual? If you're asking that question, you probably already know the answer--nope. It's another slate of Year One Exotics, with one weapon and one piece of armor each for Titans, Warlocks, and Hunters.
The weapon is Riskrunner, the fun submachine gun that causes chain lightning to damage enemies. Hunters get the gauntlets Young Ahamkara's Spine (giving you enhanced tripmines when causing ability damage). Warlocks get the Karnstein Armlets gauntlets (melee kills restore health). And Titans get the Armamentarium chest armor (providing an extra grenade charge). Yes, this means both Warlocks and Titans actually have the same items for sale as last week, though Year Two versions of armor do at least have the chance to sport different perks.
Xur also has the Fated Engram for sale, which is expensive but guarantees to decrypt into a Year One Exotic you don't already own.
You have until the weekly reset on Tuesday, December 4 to visit Xur. That day is a big one for the game, as it marks the release of The Black Armory, the first of three expansions releasing as part of the Annual Pass. It introduces the aforementioned new Exotics, a new Raid, and other new content, but it doesn't feature a new campaign. It does, however, increase the Power level cap to 650 (up from the current 600 max).
Niantic kicked off the first-ever Pokemon Go Community Day this past January, and since then, the developer has hosted a new one every month in 2018. These special events give players a chance to head outdoors and earn bonuses, capture rare Pokemon, and even learn event-exclusive moves that they wouldn't typically be able to get. For the final Community Day of the year, however, the developer is doing something a little different.
Rather than holding December's Community Day on a single day, as it has for most previous events, Niantic is closing out the year with a big Community Day weekend celebration. The event kicks off this Friday, November 30, and runs through Sunday, December 2, during which time you'll have another chance to get some previously featured Pokemon and special attacks. To help you prepare, we've rounded up everything you need to know about December 2018's Community Day below.
What Is The Featured Pokemon?
Every Community Day, Niantic designates one particular Pokemon as that month's featured monster, which means that for the duration of the event it will appear in the wild much more frequently than it normally does. While each previous Community Day has only starred one featured Pokemon, Niantic is bringing all of them back at the same time for December's. Throughout the entire weekend, you'll be able to find increased spawns of Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Dratini, Beldum, and all of the other featured Pokemon from previous Community Days.
Moreover, this weekend's event will give you another opportunity to learn all of the special moves that were available during previous Community Days. These attacks normally cannot be learned in Pokemon Go any other way, making them particularly desirable; for instance, during January's Community Day, players could get a Pikachu that knows Surf. In order to learn these special attacks, you typically need to evolve a featured Pokemon into its final form before the Community Day ends. You can read more about all of the previous Community Day moves and how to get them in the guides below.
While Community Days typically only run for three hours and have varying schedules depending on your region, December's event will be available throughout the entire weekend. The festivities begin at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET on November 30 and conclude at 11 PM PT on December 2 (2 AM ET on December 3). You'll have that entire window of time to catch the aforementioned featured Pokemon and obtain their event-exclusive moves.
What Other Bonuses Are There?
On top of increased Pokemon spawns, Niantic also offers other in-game bonuses during every Community Day. December's event is no exception. However, unlike the featured Pokemon spawns, which will be available throughout the entire weekend, you'll only be able to take advantage of the other Community Day bonuses during a specific three-hour window of time.
The date and time these bonuses will be available will vary depending on what part of the world you live in; you can find the schedule for each region below. However, the bonuses themselves will be consistent across regions. This time, you'll be able to earn double the normal amount of XP and Stardust for capturing Pokemon. Niantic is also doubling Incubator effectiveness during the designated times, allowing you to hatch Pokemon Eggs more easily.
PvP battles are finally on the way to Pokemon Go. Developer Niantic had previously teased that the highly requested feature was in the works, although it hadn't provided any details on when they would arrive or how they would operate. Now, the official Pokemon Go Twitter account has shared a new screenshot that gives us our first glimpse at them.
The image, which you can see below, should look immediately familiar to anyone who has played a mainline Pokemon game. It shows a rival player standing at the opposite end of a battle arena, with a designated spot for each trainer's Pokemon in the middle of the field.
Unfortunately, Niantic hasn't shared any more details about PvP battles beyond that screenshot, so we don't know how they'll be initiated or whether they'll use the same combat system as Gym and Raid Battles, which have you tapping the screen quickly to power up Charged attacks. It appears we won't have to wait too long to learn more, however, as Niantic says the feature will be added to the game "soon."
Niantic has been working on a number of new features for Pokemon Go this year. Earlier this summer, the developer rolled out friends lists and trading, while this month saw the arrival of Adventure Sync, a feature that allows the game to track your walking distance even when idle. Niantic is also testing a PokeStop nomination system, although that is currently only available to high-level players in certain parts of the world.
Pokemon Go's next Community Day kicks off on November 30. This time, the event runs through the entire weekend and brings back all of the featured Pokemon and special moves from previous Community Days. Niantic is also rolling out a new set of Field Research on December 1, which likewise brings back previously featured Pokemon and some popular tasks.
This week, Rockstar Games launched the beta for Red Dead Online, the hotly anticipated multiplayer mode for Red Dead Redemption 2 on PS4 and Xbox One. Much like in the original game, players will be able to take part in missions, themed events, and take out rival players as they explore the massive open world at their leisure. This time, however, Red Dead Online is taking more cues from Grand Theft Auto V's online mode, allowing you to create your own character and build up their influence as they rub shoulders with some of Red Dead's most well-known individuals.
With the beta, players will get an early look at what to expect from the online experience of Red Dead 2. Unlike the main story, the entire map is available to explore early on, allowing you to freely move about once you've gotten your feet wet. During our time spent exploring and taking part in a variety of events, we had a number of takeaways of how Red Dead Online functions as a whole, which we've detailed here in this feature. In addition to some familiar faces making a return, we've also gotten a better look at the new character progression system, which is a big change from the main story. There was certainly a lot to take in with how Red Dead Online works, be sure to share your thoughts below on what stuck out for you with the new mode.
Rockstar has been gradually rolling more players into the beta over the course of this week. As of Friday, all players players will be able to dive in and experience the online mode. If you want to see when you can play, check out our rundown on the Red Dead Online release schedule.
For more on Red Dead Online, be sure to keep up with our continuing coverage. And if you're still playing the main story, be sure to check out our guide on the hidden weapons in the game, along with some other strange events and easter eggs that are worth keeping an eye out for.
It's Set Before The Main Story
Taking place sometime before the events of Red Dead Redemption 2's story--just prior to the disastrous Blackwater heist that forced the Van der Linde gang on the run--you'll play as a newly incarcerated prisoner in Sisika Penitentiary. After creating your character, you'll quickly dive into the lengthy tutorial detailing the new systems--such as the new ability cards, multiplayer, and co-op, you'll also get to know some of the new characters exclusive to the online mode. Once you've set up your own camp, you're free to take part in a number of activities, which include horse racing, co-op missions, and of course competitive gunfights with rivals. By setting the online mode's story before the main game's plot, it will allow newcomers and those that haven't finished the main story to dive into the different setting spoiler-free.
Familiar Faces Return
While exploring the online world, you'll come across many new characters in your travels who won't be seen outside of Red Dead Online. However, some missions will not only have you cross paths with some returning characters from Red Dead 2, but also those from the previous game. In one early mission, your character will meet up with the Davies brothers, who helped Arthur Morgan flip stolen horses during the main story. In RDO, they assist you with purchasing horses and supplies, and will even offer up a free upgrade from your default steed. In another, more surprising appearance, players will meet up with Bonnie MacFarlane, a returning character from the original game who is notably absent from Red Dead 2's single-player story. Just like in GTA Online, you'll see different sides of some returning characters, as they task you with helping them out with various missions.
There's A Battle Royale Mode
Similar to Red Dead 1's online mode, there are a variety of gameplay modes to dive into. In addition to free-roam, letting you loose in the open world, there's also a suite multiplayer modes called the Showdown Series. By selecting this option, you can join different multiplayer modes, including team-deathmatch, capture the territory, and free-for-all. However, Red Dead Online is also taking cues from the biggest trend in recent years, allowing you to take part in the open world western's take on the popular battle royale game-mode. Known as Make It Count, this mode puts 32 players together in a large-scale skirmish to see who's the top outlaw. Armed with a bow and arrow, and along with a knife, you'll have to use your wits and quick reflexes to stay one step ahead of the others, all while the field of battle shrinks down. Here's a list of the multiplayer modes on-hand in RDO.
Shootout & Team Shootout: Classic gunfight modes with unlimited lives. Compete to rack up the most kills before the timer runs out. Sudden death will trigger in the event of a tie: whoever gets the first kill wins.
Make it Count: A true test of resourcefulness in two game modes: use nothing but a bow and a handful of arrows or throwing knives to be the last one standing. With a gradually shrinking player area, there's nowhere to run.
Most Wanted: A tactical race to the top. Every kill pushes you up the scoreboard, but watch out: the closer to the top you are, the more points everyone else gets for killing you.
Hostile Territory: Work in teams to control the land. Capture a territory to start racking up points: the team with most points wins - or you can win outright by capturing every territory.
Name your Weapon: Demonstrate your personal specialty in this free-for-all or team based match: the trickier the weapon you use to land the killing blow, the more points you get.
Character Growth Works A Bit Differently
In Red Dead Redemption 2's campaign, the Cores systems divide Arthur's attributes across three different areas: Health Stamina, and Dead Eye. To upgrade these areas, you simply have to perform actions associated to each area, which included hunting, fist-fighting, shooting, and sprinting long distances. While the basic concept of Cores carry over to Red Dead Online, actual character growth is very different. During character creation, you'll be able to form the basis of your character's stats--letting you put points into whichever attributes you prefer. Your character will gradually rank up after gaining enough experience points and acquire Ability Vouchers to unlock new perks--including the perk A Moment To Recuperate, which allows health regen during Dead Eye. With up to four perks available to you, one focused on Dead Eye, and the others offering passive traits that help you and your teammates, you'll be able to gradually mold your character into the style of outlaw you wish.
The New Economy
Over the course of your journey moving up the outlaw ladder in New Hanover and New Austin, you'll slowly acquire more funds to purchase better gear and resources. Many of the systems and the economy from the base game carry over, but with the online mode, there have been some changes to make things a bit more balanced. In addition to access being restricted by your level, many of the items are much more expensive compared to the single-player mode. Along with earning cold, hard cash money from fallen enemies, completing missions, and looting chests, you'll also acquire gold, which is used to purchase premium items. Unsurprisingly, many of the more elite items in Online will require gold, which can be found on your own, or purchased with real money (though this option is not yet available).
There's much more to see and find in Red Dead Online, and we're still learning more about what the mode has to offer. Be sure to check out our roundup of all the details in RDO.
For those who are Amazon Prime subscribers, they've got a slew of new movies and TV series coming to its video service for the month of December. There are plenty of films from the past few years you'll want to watch, classic movies you need to see, and ones from your youth. Cowabunga.
Speaking of weird slang from the late-80s, early-90s, you can relive your childhood through the 1990 live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which is a whole lot darker than you remember. TMNT comes to Amazon on December 1, the same day as the classic Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day and the Jim Henson classic The Dark Crystal.
December 1 is the main day to focus on for Amazon, with classic films A Clockwork Orange and A Fistful of Dollars coming as well. One day you'll want to mark on your calendars is December 27 when one of the year's best horror movies--Hereditary--comes to Amazon, and you'll want to watch it.
On the side of Amazon originals, the second season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel arrives on December 5, while a new original called LOL: Last One Laughing hits the service on December 14. Finally, Niko and the Sword of Light: Season 2 comes to Amazon at the end of the month on December 28.
Check out the full list for everything coming to Amazon below and make sure to also check out what's coming to Netflix in December.
Coming to Amazon Prime Video in December
December 1
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
A Fistful of Dollars (Per un pugno di dollari) (1964)
All the President's Men (1976)
Bad Girls from Mars (1990)
Because I Said So (2007)
Bestseller (2015)
Beverly Hills Vamp (1989)
Blue Hill Avenue (2001)
Boogie Nights (1997)
Bright Lights, Big City (1988)
Event Horizon (1997)
Gargoyle (2004)
Groundhog Day (1993)
Happily N'Ever After (2006)
Happily N'Ever After 2 (2009)
Hitman's Run (1999)
King of the Mountain (1981)
Line of Duty (2013)
Livin' by the Gun (2011)
Margin Call (2011)
Mars Attacks! (1996)
Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994)
Ordinary People (1980)
Promised Land (2012)
Silent Tongue (1993)
Sleepover (2004)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
The Black Stallion (1979)
The Dark Crystal (1982)
The Firm (1993)
The Game (1997)
The Godson (1998)
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991)
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
Trucks (1997)
Ulee's Gold (1997)
Valkyrie (2008)
War (2007)
Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins (2008)
Wild Wild West (1999)
Windtalkers (2002)
December 5
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Original series), Season 2
December 7
Killers (2010)
Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010)
December 8
Before I Fall (2017)
Collide (2016)
December 14
LOL: Last One Laughing (Prime Original series), Season 1
December 15
4 Blocks, Season 2
Life of Crime, Mini-series
December 16
Evan Almighty (2007)
December 19
A Most Wanted Man (2014)
December 21
Life Itself (Prime Original movie)
Vanity Fair (Prime Original series), Season 1
December 25
Iron Man 2 (2010)
December 27
Hereditary (2018)
December 28
Niko and the Sword of Light (Prime Original series), Season 2
A new Red Dead Redemption 2 update released earlier this week added Red Dead Online to the game. The mode is officially live and has been expanding to include more players. As of today, November 30, it opens to all owners of Red Dead 2.
Rockstar has finally revealed when Red Dead Redemption 2's online multiplayer mode will launch: it will initially debut tomorrow, November 27. But in order to prevent Red Dead Online's servers from collapsing due to high demand, Rockstar will have a gradual rollout that starts exclusively with owners of the game's Ultimate edition (which, as luck would have it, is still on sale for Cyber Monday).
When you're able to play the beta depends on the version of the game you have or when you actually started playing the game. The first group of people that will be able to play the game are those that purchased the Ultimate Edition. Anyone who has that version will be able to jump into the beta from November 27 at 8:30 AM ET / 5:30 AM PST / 1:30 PM GMT / 12:30 AM AEDT (November 28).
The next group of people to be given access is anyone who played the game on October 26 (that's Red Dead Redemption 2's launch day). If you're one of those people, you can head online on Wednesday, November 28. If you played the game between October 26 and October 29--according to Rockstar's data--you'll be able to join the fun from November 29.
Finally, public access to Red Dead Online will be available to anyone that owns Red Dead Redemption 2 from November 30. This rollout method will help Rockstar "ease into the beta and to mitigate major issues." The studio is being very candid about potential performance issues, saying that the beta is "the first step in what will be a continually expanding and dynamic world."
As such, Rockstar is expecting the "inevitable turbulence of launching any online experience of this size and scale" and it is asking the Red Dead Redemption 2 community to report any issues and share their feedback so that Rockstar can shape the experience with them in mind. You can find out more about Red Dead Online here.
Red Dead Online Start Dates And Times
Tuesday, November 27: All Red Dead Redemption 2: Ultimate Edition owners from November 27 at 8:30 AM ET / 5:30 AM PST / 1:30 PM GMT / 12:30 AM AEDT (November 28)
Wednesday, November 28: All players who played Red Dead Redemption 2 on October 26th according to Rockstar's data
Thursday, November 29: All players who played Red Dead Redemption 2 between October 26th to October 29th according to our data
Friday, November 30: All players who own Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 earned a 9/10 in GameSpot's review, with Kallie Plagge saying it "is an excellent prequel, but it's also an emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right, and it's a world that is hard to leave when it's done."
"While Red Dead Redemption was mostly focused on John Marston's story, Red Dead 2 is about the entire Van der Linde gang--as a community, as an idea, and as the death rattle of the Wild West. It is about Arthur, too, but as the lens through which you view the gang, his very personal, very messy story supports a larger tale." Read our full Red Dead Redemption 2 review for a more in-depth analysis of the game.
Tis the holiday season, or at least it will be very soon, and that usually means streaming services pump out some classic holiday movies. However, Netflix's new arrivals in December feels a little light on holiday fair, but at least the family can curl up next to the fire to spend the morning watching Friday After Next. Here are the new movies, TV shows, and originals hitting Netflix in December 2018.
December may be a bit light on theatrically-released movies coming to the service for the final month of the year, but it has plenty of Netflix original films and series revolving around the holidays to keep you happy. On December 7, Nailed It! returns for a holiday special, where cooks around the world try their best to recreate beautiful-looking baked deserts and always fail miserably. Sabrina returns on December 14 for Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: A Midwinter's Tale.
In addition, there are a few non-holiday specials to keep your eye on as well. Andy Serkis' Jungle Book adaptation Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle heads to Netflix on December 7, which was announced it would be coming to the streaming service during the summer. December 14 is a big day for Netflix originals, and aside from Sabrina, Netflix will be revealing new seasons of Fuller House, Voltron, Inside the World's Toughest Prisons, and Travelers.
Netflix also has a nice present for you on December 25, Christmas day. Avengers: Infinity War is coming to the service, so you and your family can come together to watch Thanos try to snap everyone out of existence. That same day, Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations: Season 11 will be released as well.
Sadly, there are plenty of movies leaving Netflix in December as well. On December 1, all of Sons of Anarchy will be removed, along with Groundhog Day, Hellraiser, and Cabin Fever. There are a few more notable titles to watch before they leave Netflix like Battle Royale (December 10), Moana (December 20), and Troy (December 30).
Below you'll find everything coming to and leaving Netflix for the month of December.
Coming In December
Available 12/1/18
8 Mile
Astro Boy
Battle-- NETFLIX FILM
Bride of Chucky
Christine
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Crossroads: One Two Jaga-- NETFLIX FILM
Friday
Friday After Next
Hellboy
Man vs Wild with Sunny Leone: Season 1
Meet Joe Black
Memories of the Alhambra (Streaming Every Saturday)-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
My Bloody Valentine
Next Friday
Reindeer Games
Seven Pounds
Shaun of the Dead
Terminator Salvation
The Big Lebowski
The Great British Baking Show: Masterclass: Season 5 Masterclasses
The Last Dragon
The Man Who Knew Too Little
12/2/18
The Lobster
12/3/18
Blue Planet II: Season 1
Hero Mask-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Sound of Your Heart: Reboot Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
12/4/18
District 9
12/6/18
Happy!: Season 1
12/7/18
5 Star Christmas-- NETFLIX FILM
Bad Blood-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Dogs of Berlin-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Dumplin'-- NETFLIX FILM
Free Rein: The Twelve Neighs of Christmas-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle-- NETFLIX FILM
Nailed It! Holiday!-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Neo Yokio: Pink Christmas-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Pine Gap-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
ReMastered: Who Killed Jam Master Jay?-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Super Monsters and the Wish Star-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The American Meme-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Hook Up Plan (Plan Coeur)-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Ranch: Part 6-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
12/9/18
Sin senos sí hay paraíso: Season 3
12/10/18
Michael Jackson's This Is It
12/11/18
Vir Das: Losing It-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
12/12/18
Back Street Girls: Gokudols-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Out of Many, One-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
12/13/18
Wanted: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
12/14/18
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: A Midwinter's Tale-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Cuckoo: Season 4-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Dance & Sing with True: Songs-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Fuller House: Season 4-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Inside the Real Narcos-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Inside the World's Toughest Prisons: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL Colombia, Costa Rica, Romania and Norway.
Prince of Peoria: A Christmas Moose Miracle-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
ROMA-- NETFLIX FILM
Sunderland Til I Die-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Fix-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Innocent Man-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Protector-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Tidelands-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Travelers: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Voltron: Legendary Defender: Season 8-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
12/16/18
Baby Mama
Kill the Messenger
One Day
Springsteen on Broadway-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Theory of Everything
12/18/18
Baki-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Ellen DeGeneres: Relatable-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Terrace House: Opening New Doors: Part 5-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
12/21/18
3Below: Tales of Arcadia-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
7 Days Out-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Back With the Ex-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Bad Seeds-- NETFLIX FILM
Bird Box-- NETFLIX FILM
Derry Girls-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Diablero-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Greenleaf: Season 3
LAST HOPE: Part 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Perfume-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Sirius the Jaeger-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Struggle: The Life and Lost Art of Szukalski-- NETFLIX FILM
Tales by Light: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Casketeers-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Wolf (BÖRÜ)-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
12/24/18
Hi Score Girl-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Magicians: Season 3
12/25/18
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown: Season 11
Marvel Studios' Avengers: Infinity War
12/26/18
Alexa & Katie: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
YOU
12/28/18
Instant Hotel-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
La noche de 12 años-- NETFLIX FILM
Selection Day-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
When Angels Sleep-- NETFLIX FILM
Yummy Mummies-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
12/30/18
The Autopsy of Jane Doe
12/31/18
The Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons Learned From a Mythical Man
Coming in December
Watership Down: Limited Series-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Leaving In December
Leaving 12/1/18
Cabin Fever
Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever
Groundhog Day
Happily N'Ever After
Happily N'Ever After 2: Snow White
Hellbound: Hellraiser II
Hellraiser
Sons of Anarchy: Seasons 1-7
Spider-Man 3
Spy Hard
Stephen King's Children of the Corn
Swept Under
The Covenant
The Game
Leaving 12/4/18
Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch
Air Bud: Spikes Back
Air Bud: World Pup
Air Buddies
Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales
Spooky Buddies
Tarzan & Jane
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue
The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos
The Search for Santa Paws
Tinker Bell
Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure
Leaving 12/7/18
Trolls
Leaving 12/10/18
Battle Royale
Battle Royale 2
Teeth
Leaving 12/15/18
Step Up 2: The Streets
Leaving 12/16/18
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Leaving 12/17/18
Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2
Leaving 12/19/18
Ip Man: The Final Fight
Leaving 12/20/18
Disney's Moana
Food, Inc.
I Give It a Year
Leaving 12/22/18
Spotlight
Leaving 12/25/18
Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
The Year of Legendary Pokemon may be over, but The Pokemon Company still has a few more freebies in store for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon players. Last year, it gave away several special Pikachu wearing Ash's hat to commemorate the release of the series' 20th animated film, Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You, and now you'll have another chance to add them to your collection. [Update: The Ash's Pikachu giveaway is scheduled to end today, making this your last opportunity to claim the free Pokemon if you haven't yet.]
From November 9-30, The Pokemon Company is distributing five Pikachu via Mystery Gift, each of which is sporting one of the various hats Ash Ketchum has worn throughout the anime series. Additionally, each Pikachu comes at a different level and knows a slightly different moveset that reflects the attacks it used at that point in the series.
While you could only claim one of the Pikachu the last time they were available, you'll be able to download all five this time around. To do so, you'll need to input the appropriate code via the Mystery Gift feature, which can be accessed from Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon's main menu. You can find the codes and other details on each Pikachu below.
Once you've selected Mystery Gift, you'll need to choose the option to receive your gift with a code/password in order to get the Pikachu. Connect to the internet when prompted and enter the code of the Pikachu you want, and the Pokemon will download into your game. You'll then need to pick it up from the deliveryman waiting by the desk inside any Pokemon Center.
In addition to Ash's Pikachu, Pokemon fans still have time to claim the last free Legendaries of 2018: Lugia and Ho-Oh. These are being distributed from November 2-25 via a download code, which you can pick up from a participating GameStop store. You can see all the other Pokemon giveaways going on now in our roundup of all the free Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
Blade Runner 2049 may not have been a big box office success, but it was an ambitious, visually stunning movie that was very well received by critics. And while a third movie might not be happening any time soon, it has been reported that an anime series based on the films is in development.
According to Variety, the show will be titled Blade Runner: Black Lotus, and will consist of 13 30-minute episodes. The show will take place in 2032--so between the original movie and the sequel--and will "include some established characters from the Blade Runner universe."
Black Lotus is a joint venture between Alcon Television Group, who own the rights to Blade Runner, Adult Swim, and anime streaming platform Crunchroll. Adult Swim will distribute the English dubbed version of the series worldwide (excluding Asia), while subscribers to Crunchyroll will be able to stream the show there.
Blade Runner: Black Lotus will be directed Shinji Aramaki and Kenji Kamiyama, who have recently worked on a reboot of the anime classic Ghost in the Shell, and will be produced by Shinichiro Watanabe, director of Cowboy Bebop. This isn't Watanabe's first time working within the Blade Runner universe, as he wrote and directed Blade Runner Black Out 2022, the prequel short film released to promote Blade Runner 2049 last year.
In a statement, Adult Swim creative director Jason DeMarco said: "I first saw Blade Runner in 1982, at age 11. It has remained one of the defining films of my life. To be able to explore more of this universe, with the incredible talent we have on board, is a dream come true."
Blade Runner: Black Lotus does not currently have a premiere date.
The Elder Scrolls Blades has been delayed. The first mobile installment in Bethesda's long-running RPG series was originally slated to hit iOS and Android devices sometime this fall, but according to the series' official Twitter account, it will now arrive in early 2019.
Bethesda hasn't shared any further details on the game's new release window, nor did it provide a reason for the delay. However, the company says that players are still able to pre-register for The Elder Scrolls Blades on its website. Doing this will grant you early access to the game ahead of its launch, although we likewise don't yet know when this early access period will begin.
First announced during Bethesda's E3 2018 presentation, The Elder Scrolls Blades is billed as a "pure Elder Scrolls game" with "console-quality graphics." Unlike recent console installments such as Skyrim, Blades doesn't feature an open world--although Bethesda says one could be added down the line. The game contains PvP and town-building elements, as well as the same kind of combat as previous Elder Scrolls games.
Blades was also one of the games showcased during Apple's 2018 keynote address back in September. During the presentation, Bethesda's Todd Howard took the stage to demonstrate how the game will run on the new iPhone XS. Howard also noted the advantages the XS's OLED screen and other hardware improvements offer.
Blades will be free to download and play when it launches for iOS and Android. It also isn't the only Elder Scrolls project Bethesda is currently working on; the company also announced the next proper installment in the series, The Elder Scrolls VI, is in development, although that might not launch until the next generation of consoles.
Treyarch has released another update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. This latest patch makes an assortment of tweaks and fixes across game modes on all platforms, including another round of stability improvements for Zombies, a new multiplayer playlist for PS4, and more.
First, Treyarch has introduced the Safeguard playlist to the PS4 version of Black Ops 4. This mode has two teams vying to escort a robot into enemy territory while preventing the opposing side from doing the same. On top of that, the studio has added three other new Featured playlists on all platforms: Hardcore Nuketown, Mercenary Objective Moshpit, and Chaos Hardpoint.
Along with the new playlists, Treyarch has added nighttime versions of two popular maps to the game. Seaside Sunset and Firing Range Night are available now for free for all players in the multiplayer map rotation and will remain in the game "indefinitely."
For the battle royale-style Blackout mode, Treyarch has added a new weapon: the Bowie Knife. It can be found in equipment stashes or as drops from Zombies, and it allows for "stealthy 1-hit kills" according to the patch notes the developer shared on Reddit. Additionally, the Blightfather event is available once again on PS4, and Treyarch has introduced Character Missions to unlock Dempsey, Nikolai, Takeo, and Richtofen.
Rounding out the update are more stability improvements and crash fixes for Zombies modes. These apply to all maps, as well as a few specific to IX. Treyarch teases that there will be "some exciting additions to Zombies in the coming weeks." You can read the full patch notes for the update below and on Reddit.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4 November 27 Update Patch Notes
Summary
Multiplayer
Safeguard playlist (PS4).
Seaside Sunset and Firing Range Night MP maps.
Hardcore Nuketown, Chaos Hardpoint, and Mercenary Objective Moshpit playlists.
Exploit/bug fixes for Nuketown and Summit.
Blackout
Zombies Origins Character Missions (PS4).
Blightfather Event with lower health in Solos and Duos (PS4).
Bowie Knife now available on all platforms.
Zombies
Stability fixes across all maps.
General
Specialist HQ and After Action Report improvements.
All Platforms
Multiplayer
Playlists
Featured Playlist changed to Safeguard (PS4) / Hardcore Mercenary Moshpit (Xbox One and PC).
Hardcore Nuketown added to Featured category.
Chaos Hardpoint added to Featured category.
Hardpoints spawn in a random order
Score increases with each teammate on the Hardpoint
Score limit increased to 1000
6v6
Mercenary Objective Moshpit added to Featured category.
Added Seaside Sunset and Firing Range Night to all playlists.
Closed exploits in Nuketown that allowed Ruin to grapple outside of the map.
Resolved an issue where the scoreboard would flash on screen after ending a game on Nuketown.
Resolved an issue on Summit that allowed Care Packages deployed on a ramp in the eastern part of the map to float.
Create-a-Class
Resolved an issue that removed an attachment from weapons with maximum attachments and a Clan Tag or Kill Counter equipped.
Challenges
Tactical Mask Challenge now properly tracks kills while an enemy Counter UAV is active.
Blackout
Weapons
Bowie Knife now available in Equipment Stashes, as a random drop from killing Zombies, and as a randomized item spawn in Zombies-themed locations on all platforms.
Character Missions
Zombies Origins Character Missions (Dempsey, Nikolai, Takeo, Richtofen) now available to find and complete (PS4).
Playlists
Blightfather event enabled in all playlists (PS4).
Reduced the health of the Blightfather in Solo and Duo playlists.
Zombies
Gameplay
IX
Resolved an issue where sliding under a Blade Trap without taking damage would not contribute to another player's challenge.
Stability
General
Fixed a crash that could occur occasionally when using Anywhere But Here.
Fixed a rare crash that could occur when a player disconnected while another player was downed.
Fixed a rare crash that could occur when a player disconnected during Fast Travel.
IX
Fixed a crash that could occur when killing enemies with traps in IX.
Fixed additional crashes related to a player helping another with challenges in IX.
General
Specialist Headquarters
Improved Torque tutorial mission scripting.
After Action Report
After Action Report in Multiplayer and Blackout will now display all earned Tier Rewards and allow the player to scroll through the Tier Rewards menu.
Maybe you need a gift for the Nintendo Switch owner in your life. Maybe you've grown tired of playing Switch games exclusively on a screen. In either case, Nintendo Labo could be a perfect solution. These build-it-yourself cardboard kits bring a whole new dimension to gaming on the Switch. And right now, Walmart has the Nintendo Labo Variety Kit on sale for $45, down from $70. Nice.
Nintendo Labo is a series of cardboard toys you assemble yourself by following the animated directions in the Switch game that comes in the package. Once your cardboard creations are assembled, you can use them as controllers in the mini-games also included on the Switch cartridge.
The Variety Kit comes with five cardboard projects for you to assemble and use to interact with the game:
Two Toy-Con RC Cars
Toy-Con Fishing Rod
Toy-Con House
Toy-Con Motorbike
Toy-Con Piano
As for how fun it is to build and play, you can check out our Nintendo Labo Variety Kit review. In it, Kallie Plagge wrote, "[T]here's a surprising amount of depth to what you can do with the kit's stack of cardboard sheets and cutesy software. It's a remarkable educational tool and an opportunity to see your creations come to life, and that's something very special, even if the games themselves don't stand out."
If that sounds like something you or someone on your gift list would enjoy, hop on this deal quickly, because it's unclear when the price will go back up to normal. And if you'd rather try out the Labo Vehicle Kit, Amazon has it on sale for $10 off, bringing the price down to $60.
Red Dead Online launches this week, with Red Dead Redemption 2 Ultimate Edition owners and those who played the game on day one being granted access to the multiplayer mode. But what awaits them when they take their gunslinging ways online? Rockstar has addressed that question, delivering details on what players can expect.
Rockstar describes Red Dead Online as a "continually expanding experience" and, as such, it intends to make additions and updates throughout the beta period. However, beginning right away, players will be able to form a Posse, establish a camp, and take on story-based cooperative missions. There are also strangers awaiting them in the open-world, free roaming challenges, activities such as fishing, and some good old-fashioned exploration.
As players undertake these activities they'll rack up experience that contributes towards rank and bonuses. Over time, items can be unlocked and character attributes can be improved. There are also 12 categories that players can earn distinctions in, such as combat, hunting, sharpshooting, and survivalist.
Red Dead Online begins in Sisika Penitentiary, where players will first get a horse, set up camp, find treasure, equip an Ability Card and, according to Rockstar, "meet some fateful characters with a larger story to tell; one that involves chasing truth, revenge, and honor."
The action-based honor system from the main game is also present in Red Dead Online, with your decisions and behaviour shaping how the world views your character. Depending on your alignment, the world around you will respond differently and Rockstar says "the nature of certain missions will reveal themselves to you based on your current honor states."
Rockstar has also provided details on the various Red Dead Online modes you can expect to see right away. The lineup includes one PvP mode that sounds a lot like battle royale.
As previously revealed, the Red Dead Online beta is now available for select players. As part of a gradual rollout, anyone with the Ultimate Edition or who played Red Dead Redemption 2 on its launch day given now have access. Those that played Red Dead Redemption 2 at any point between launch and October 29 will be able to jump into the beta from November 29. And then anyone who owns the game can check it out from November 30. This gradual rollout, Rockstar says, will help it "ease into the beta and to mitigate major issues."
Red Dead Online, the multiplayer mode for Red Dead Redemption 2, has started to roll out to select beta participants; it's expanded today and will continue building to a full launch later this week. If you pre-ordered or bought a special edition, you have some bonuses waiting for you in the online Wild West, but you may be unsure where to claim them.
For any bonuses, first you have to complete the Red Dead Online tutorial. From there, you can find your extras in a couple of different locations. To claim a horse, just sell the default one to make space and then pick up a new one from the stable. For guns and outfits, you can visit a store, or just consult the catalog that you carry with you wherever you go. The catalog is given to you during the tutorial.
Only Ultimate Edition players had access to Red Dead Online on Tuesday, but that has expanded now to include everyone who played the base game on launch day. After that, on November 29, the beta will open for anyone who played by October 29. Finally, on November 30 the mode will be widely available for anyone who owns any version of Red Dead Redemption 2. The initial launch began at 8:30 AM ET / 5:30 AM PST / 1:30 PM GMT / 12:30 AM AEDT, so we expect each phase to launch at that time on their respective days.
However, the launch didn't go off without a hitch. Rockstar Support dealt with an issue impacting Xbox One owners of the Ultimate Edition that prevented them from accessing the beta. In our own playtime, we've gotten into the game but suffered frequent errors that eject us. Rockstar has warned that this is very much a beta, and that issues are expected.
We're officially in the final week of Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 6. Week 10 challenges have been released, and while they cap off the season, they're not anything especially unusual. Among other things, you're tasked with visiting a camel and other objects, as well as completing vehicle timed trials. We've put together guides for these, but keep in mind that Season 7 is just around the corner, so you'll want to complete these challenges while you still can.
As Season 6 of Fortnite: Battle Royale rolls on, new challenges continue to roll out on all platforms--PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. Those feed into the latest Battle Pass, and as with previous seasons, you level that up by playing the game and completing challenges. Every week there will be a new set of tasks for players to complete that unlock Battle Stars and level up the Battle Pass to unlock goodies.
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)
Since the release of Destiny 2's Forsaken DLC in September, Bungie has done a better job than in the past of addressing complaints about content droughts. The weekly reset has routinely brought new content over the past few months, and it appears that the start of the new season and launch of the Black Armory DLC will see that continue in the coming weeks and beyond.
Alongside the newly released vidoc (watch it above) and a new update, Bungie has detailed much of the new content that's on the way. The Black Armory is the first piece of the Annual Pass, a set of paid expansions and content that will launch between now and August 2019. Season 5--Season of the Forge--officially begins today, November 27, with a bunch of new Exotics and items available now. The Black Armory itself launches on December 4, but that will be followed by a gradual rollout of more events and other happenings.
As part of Bungie's attempt to be more transparent about what to expect, it's released both a short-term and long-term calendar of new content. For Annual Pass owners, new Forges (part of the Black Armory DLC) will unlock throughout December, while the new Raid--Scourge of the Past--launches on December 7. A new Exotic quest called The Draw will be available starting on January 29; it's one of several new Exotics you can collect.
In terms of what all Destiny 2 players can access, The Dawning, the annual Christmas/holiday-themed event, begins on December 11. That's followed by another event, the Valentine's Day-themed Crimson Days, on February 5.
The long-term calendar highlights some other notable additions to come through August--and there's a ton to take in. This includes a "new Gambit experience," additional max Power level increases, Xur bounties, a new six-player matchmade activity, another new Raid, and more. While the schedule could still change, it seems clear that Destiny 2 players will have a lot to keep them busy in the year to come.
It's now Week 10, the last week of Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 6. What Epic Games has in store for the wildly popular battle royale title in Season 7 remains a mystery, but what we do know is that time is running out to get this season's Battle Stars, level up your Battle Pass, and unlock the cosmetic items attached to it. Once the season is over, it could be a long time before any of those items return, so if you've had your eye on a skin, bling, or harvester, it's now or never. Here's what to expect from Week 10 challenges.
Week 10's challenges are now available and, as always, come in two categories: free to everyone and exclusive to paid Battle Pass owners. In the free section, players will need to build 250 structures in exchange for five Battle Stars. Visiting a ship, a camel, and a crashed Battle Bus will also net you five Battle Stars (check out our guide for exact locations), while searching seven chests at either Tilted Towers or Paradise Palms will get you 10 Battle Stars.
In the paid Battle Pass section, meanwhile, you'll need to place Mounted Turrets in three different matches for five Battle Stars and complete three vehicle timed trials for 10 Battle Stars. This tier also has two multi-stage challenges. The first starts by landing at Lazy Links, while the second begins by getting a shotgun elimination. As you complete those, additional stages will reveal themselves. Take a look at the full list of challenges below.
Fortnite Season 6, Week 10 Challenges
Free
Build structures (250) -- 5 Battle Star
Visit a Viking ship, a camel, and a crashed Battle Bus (3) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search chests at Tilted Towers or Paradise Palms (7) -- 10 Battle Stars
Battle Pass
Place Mounted Turrets in different matches (3) -- 5 Battle Stars
Epic has launched Fortnite update 6.31 and, as part of it, a new feature that allows players to gift items to others. According to the studio this feature isn't going to be around for long, but it's described as an "initial gifting period," suggesting it could return in the future. The item shop currently allows players to buy cosmetics as a gift and then select someone on their friends list to send the item to.
In order to make use of the gifting feature, you'll need to have multi-factor authentication enabled, and you'll need to have been friends with a person for at least 48 hours before a gift can be sent to them. Gifts are limited to three in a 24-hour period and Epic will not refund any gift purchases. Fortnite's 6.31 update also added new shotgun variants and a fresh limited-time mode, among other things. You can get all the details in the full patch notes here.
Epic Games has launched Fortnite update 6.31 and has detailed the tweaks, changes, and new additions in the full patch notes. The headliners in the Battle Royale mode are the Team Rumble Limited Time Mode and two new rarities of the Pump Shotgun. For the Save the World mode, meanwhile, there's a new Constructor called Airheart, who arrives with a Rotating Omni-directional Sentry Integrated Exoskeleton (R.O.S.I.E). Here's what's new.
Team Rumble, as you may have guessed, involves two teams of 20 players battling each other, with the first to reach 100 eliminations crowned the victor. To spice things up players will respawn five seconds after they are killed and will keep their inventory when they re-join the battle. Furthermore, eliminated players spawn a random type of ammo and a random stack of either 120 Wood, 90 Stone, or 60 Metal materials when they're taken out.
The new Pump Shotguns are Epic and Legendary varieties. They do 105 / 110 maximum damage, respectively, and their introduction coincides with some differences to maximum damage and damage fall-off (compared to before, they'll do more damage up close but less from further away). These two types of Pump Shotgun can be found from floor loot, chests, Supply Drops, and Vending Machines. With this change, Epic has removed the Double Barrel Shotgun from floor loot, so expect the shotguns you find on the ground to be of the Pump variety more often.
Another weapon-related change of note involves Dynamite, which was recently added. It's now possible to pick up a Dynamite that's been thrown and chuck it elsewhere; this is done by using the interact button/key while nearly it.
Finally, Epic announced it has introduced a gifting feature for a limited time (except on iOS). This feature will at least initially only be available for a week, but it allows you to buy items from the store and send them to friends. Doing so has several requirements, as outlined by Epic:
Make sure you have Multi-factor authentication enabled on your account. If you're not sure how to get this setup then check out the instructions here.
You must have been friends with somebody for at least 48 hours before you can send a gift to them.
You will only be able to gift three times within a 24 hour period.
Any gifts that are purchased are NOT refundable.
You can only gift an item that is currently available in the Item Shop.
Take a look at the full patch notes for Battle Royale below, and click here for more on the Save The World mode. Since the update's release, we've also gotten Week 10 challenges, including one that has you track down the location of a camel, among other things.
Limited Time Mode: Team Rumble
Summary
Two large teams fight for the Victory Royale in an action-packed mode where the first team to get 100 eliminations wins!
Mode Details
Two teams of 20 players.
Players will respawn after 5 seconds when eliminated, keeping their inventory.
Eliminated players spawn a random type of ammo upon elimination, as well as a random stack of either 120 Wood, 90 Stone, or 60 Metal materials.
Only Uncommon weapons (or better) are available.
The first team to 100 eliminations wins.
Weapons + Items
New Epic and Legendary Pump Shotgun
105 / 110 maximum damage
Available from floor loot, chests, Supply Drops, and Vending Machines.
Shotguns will now always apply at least 3 pellets worth of damage if only 1-2 pellets hit the target.
NOTE: Bonus pellets can never be critical hits.
Pump Shotgun maximum damage and fall-off changes.
Pump Shotgun maximum damage increased from 80 / 85 to 95 / 100
Pump shotguns will do higher damage in shorter range buckets but damage falls off quicker. This means you'll do more damage to closer targets but less damage to farther targets.
Added Stink Bombs to Supply Drops
Removed Double Barrel Shotguns from floor loot
Mounted Turret
Adjusted Mounted Turret collision to make it easier to land shots against anyone occupying it.
Removed the ability to repair the Mounted Turret
Fixed players being able to clip into turret barrels and get stuck.
Supply drops will automatically open if landing on a Mounted Turret
Drop rate reduced from 1.719% to 0.915%
Bug Fixes
The Mounted Turret can no longer fire through its own floor.
Fixed an issue with players not having an audio cue while gliding after respawning.
Fixed an issue with Chiller effects not applying properly to players' feet.
Gameplay
Reduced the in-air speed when using the Glider Redeploy feature in supported game modes.
Added functionality that allows the placement of map markers in the world without needing to go into the fullscreen map.
You'll be able to look at a position in the world and use the "Place Marker" keybind to place a map marker. This command will only be available by default while in Combat Mode.
This command is defaulted to Left on the D-pad for controllers and the Middle Mouse button for PC and Mac.
For Mobile players, this command will be bound to an optional button in the HUD Layout Tool.
Added the ability to pick up and throw back Dynamite with a lit fuse.
To throw the Dynamite with a lit fuse, get near it and use the interact key.
Bug Fixes
Increased the Dynamite explosion height against players from 192 units to 300 units.
This was done to prevent players from being able to jump over the explosion area on flat ground without taking damage.
Events
New Tournament: Alchemist Pop-Up Cup
Pop-Up Cups are tournaments testing temporary, Limited Time Modes. Alchemist will continue our testing of several gameplay adjustments and may differ day to day.
Initial Mode Settings:
A material cap of 500 Wood, 500 Stone, 500 Metal
Harvesting Rate Increased by 40%
+50 Health on Eliminations
Storm Surge
If a certain amount of players are remaining by the time the Storm finishes closing, a Storm Surge will activate. This periodically deals damage to players who have the least amount of damage dealt during the match.
Circle 1: 60 Players Remaining
Circle 2: 44 Players Remaining
Circle 3: 30 Players Remaining
Circle 4: 20 Players Remaining
Circle 5: 16 Players Remaining
Circle 6: 14 Players Remaining
Circle 7: 12 Players Remaining
Circle 8: 6 Players Remaining
Circle 9: 2 Players Remaining
Your highest score or pin during any event session will now be displayed on the tournament poster in the Events tab.
Pins will now reflect tournament colors on the Event Details screen.
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where players would receive points during warmup island which would be later removed.
Performance
Improvements to level streaming performance on Xbox One and Switch (improving building load times during skydiving)
Audio
Player in-air falling audio cue volume has been increased.
The Mounted Turret overheat audio loop volume has been reduced.
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where the Glider in-air audio cue wouldn't play for players who glide in after respawning.
Social
Bug Fixes
Fixed a crash on Nintendo Switch that occasionally occurred when logging in for the first time.
Art + Animation
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where player nameplates disappear after scrubbing a replay.
Mobile
Map Marker button added to the HUD Layout Tool
Fortnite is also having another crossover with Disney. While the last one resulted in Thanos appearing on the island, this time it's Ralph from Disney's Wreck-It Ralph movie series. He popped up recently in Fortnite as part of an unpublicised Easter egg, likely to help promote the new film Ralph Breaks The Internet.
Week 10 challenges for Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 6--now in its final week--have been revealed, and while they're all pretty straightforward, one will require you to have good knowledge of the island. For Week 10's free challenges, developer Epic Games wants players to visit a Viking ship, a camel, and a crashed Battle Bus. In return, they'll be awarded with five precious Battle Stars that can be put towards leveling up their Battle Pass and unlocking cosmetics. Here's where to find all three locations.
If you've played a lot of Fortnite, you should have a pretty good idea of where to find these landmarks on the island. However, if you need a helping hand, we're here to provide it. The Viking ship can be found on the southwest of the map at coordinates B6. It's huge, so if you glide over there you will not miss it. The camel, meanwhile, is near Lucky Landing at the coordinates G9. Again, another one that you can't miss. The Battle Bus is slightly trickier as it has moved recently. While it used to be around Shifty Shafts, it's now at the map grid E3, which is to the west of Lazy Links.
All you've got to do to finish the challenge is head to those locations. However, make sure you finish the game--win or lose--as if you quit out immediately it will not count. To make things a little easier we've put together a video of ourselves completing the challenge, which you can watch above. Below you'll find the exact locations of the three landmarks.
Fortnite Viking Ship, Camel, Crashed Battle Bus Locations
Viking Ship: Southwest at B6, on top of the snowy mountain
Camel: Northeast at G9, near Lucky Landing
Crashed Battle Bus: West of Lazy Links at E3
That's just one of the challenges for Season 6, Week 10, alongside vehicle timed trials and other things. As previously noted, this is the final week of challenges for the season, which means it's also the last week you can unlock the cosmetics tied to the Battle Pass for this season. Once it's over, there's no telling when they'll be available again, so it's worth spending some time finishing challenges from this week, and previous ones, so you can get everything you want.
It might seem daunting, but we've been putting together guides for all the hardest challenges week by week. If you use our Fortnite Season 6 complete challenge guide, you'll get everything done in no time. You'll want to act fast, as Fortnite Season 7 is just around the corner.
Season 6 of Fortnite: Battle Royale is winding down, and its final set of challenges of this season are now available for Week 10. Among them is one tasking you to complete vehicle timed trials. You'll need to do a total of three, but there's no indication of where the timed trials are located or how to go about completing this challenge. Here's where to go and what to do.
At a basic level, the vehicle timed trials are similar to the non-vehicle ones in the past; you go to a location (as outlined in the map and list below), start the trial, and race through markers as you make your way to the finish. The key difference here is that you'll first need to secure a vehicle; you aren't given one when you start the trial. You're able to try completing it on foot, but in our experience that isn't realistically possible.
Vehicle spawns are generally random in Fortnite, but you may have luck tracking down a golf cart at Lazy Links. Alternatively, a reliable spot we've found is just outside Junk Junction. To the east, just on the line separating C1 and C2, you can find a race track with four ATVs available. Conveniently, two of the timed trials are located fairly close by, so you should at least be able to easily use these ATVs (provided they do spawn in) to complete those.
However you obtain a vehicle, you'll next want to head to one of the timed trials locations. There are at least five on the map, including those near Lazy Links, Junk Junction, Flush Factory, and Dusty Divot. Once you start the timed trial, a series of flags will appear, and you'll need to make your way through each of them before time expires. The actual racing is relatively straightforward; you shouldn't have any trouble seeing the flags or where you need to go--the tricky bit is securing a vehicle and finding the timed trial itself.
Fortnite Vehicle Timed Trials Locations (Week 10)
northwest of Junk Junction, in the middle of B1
northwest of Lazy Links, in the bottom left of F2
east of Dusty Divot, in the middle of G5
east of Retail Row and south-southwest of Lonely Lodge, in the top-middle of I6
north-northeast of Flush Factory, in the upper right of D9
Alongside the other Week 10 challenges, such as the one that tasks you with visiting a camel and other objects, this represents the end of Season 6. Season 7 is just around the corner, although there's been no official word regarding what it will consist of or exactly when it will launch.
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