Square Enix has released a new trailer for Kingdom Hearts III, offering us another look at the Kingdom of Corona, a world based on Disney's Tangled. In the video, which you can watch above, Sora, Donald, and Goofy stumble upon the tower where Rapunzel is being held and help set her free. But before long the newly liberated princess finds herself face to face with a monster.
Flynn Rider is also there, but quickly opts to take a backseat in battles, saying that he can get Rapunzel back to the kingdom but will need Sora and his companions to handle combat, which they have quite a bit of experience with at this point. The quick gameplay showcase also provides another look the traversal ability Rapunzel has, which involves swinging using her hair.
Much of the celebrity voice talent that was attached to the Disney universes featured in Kingdom Hearts III are reprising their roles, as are key performers from previous Kingdom Hearts titles. Haley Joel Osment returns to voice Sora, while Zachary Levi will return as Flynn Rider and Donna Murphy will once again be Mother Gothel. For Frozen, Idina Menzel is voicing Elsa, Kristen Bell is Anna, Josh Gad is Olaf, and Jonathan Groff is Kristoff.
John Ratzenberger and Wallace Shawn will feature as Hamm and Rex from Toy Story, while Tate Donovan is back as Hercules from Hercules, and Kevin R. McNally as Gibbs from The Pirates of the Caribbean. Tony Anselmo and Bill Farmer, who have served as the official voices of Donald Duck and Goofy for over than 30 years each, will also reprise their roles.
Utada Hikaru, who has provided the vocal theme for previous mainline Kingdom Hearts titles, will once again lend her voice for the third game. This time, however, the soundtrack will also feature a collaborative track made with Skrillex. Kingdom Hearts 3 is set to release on January 29, 2019 on Xbox One and PS4.
Ghost Pokemon have been a common sight in Pokemon Go this past week thanks to the recent Halloween 2018 festivities, and soon one will be the star of its very own special event. Niantic has announced it is hosting a Gengar Day on Saturday, November 3, bringing the Shadow Pokemon to Raid Battles for a limited time. [Update: Gengar Day has arrived; be sure to check out the schedule below to see when the event is underway in your region.]
Like Pokemon Go's monthly Community Days, Gengar Day will be a brief event, only running for three hours. During that window of time, the Shadow Pokemon will appear as a Raid Battle at Gyms. These require a Raid Pass to join, but you'll be able to get five of them for free from a nearby Gym to help you participate.
Not only will Gengar spawn frequently at Gyms during the event, you'll also have a chance of coming across a Shiny one. You may not initially be able to tell it's a Shiny at first glance, however; unlike most other Pokemon, Gengar's Shiny variant is only subtly different from its standard form. It's still worth getting one, though, particularly if you plan on picking up Let's Go Pikachu or Let's Go Eevee for Nintendo Switch when they launch next month.
Shiny Mega Gengar artwork for Pokemon X/Y
Any Gen 1 Pokemon you catch in Pokemon Go can be transferred to the Switch titles, where you'll then be able to recapture them at a new facility called the Go Park. If you do manage to find and get a Shiny Gengar during the upcoming Gengar Day event, you'll want to bring it over to Let's Go; Gengar is one of the few Pokemon capable of Mega Evolving, and Shiny Mega Gengar (pictured above) is one of the coolest-looking Pokemon in the games. You can find the hours for each region's Gengar Day event below.
Pokemon Go's Halloween event is scheduled to end on November 1. It introduced a handful of new Ghost and Dark Pokemon to the game, along with the Gen 4 Legendary Pokemon Giratina, which will appear in Raid Battles until November 20. You'll also be able to encounter another Gen 4 Ghost Pokemon, Spiritomb, by completing a new Special Research questline.
Meanwhile, Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee launch for Nintendo Switch on November 16. As previously mentioned, players can transfer monster from Go to Let's Go, and doing so is the key to getting the new Mythical Pokemon Meltan, which we recently learned is able to evolve into a Pokemon called Melmetal. You can read more about the games in our hands-on impressions of Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee.
A final Nintendo Direct focused on the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate introduced a whole new mode, which pairs hand-in-hand with its revised way to include beloved characters from a wide variety of new and retro video games. The new "Spirits" system replaces Trophies, letting the company give power-up attributes to still artwork rather than attempt to render 3D models of every character it wishes to reference.
You earn Spirits by battling in Spirits Mode, and then they can be used to buff your character. The Spirits come in two varieties: Primary Spirits, which mostly have stat increases, and Support Spirits, which attach to Primary Spirits and imbue you with special skills or abilities. Spirits are ranked by rarity: Novice, Advanced, Ace, and Legend. They also come in three power types: Attack (Red), Grab (Green), and Shield (Blue), in a rock-paper-scissors circle of vulnerabilities.
The presentation showed dozens of Spirits rapid-fire style and with some attributes obscured by the various menus. While this list isn't complete, it shows several of the Spirits shown so far, with their special attributes, color affinity, and rarity. Check out the list to see just how deep Nintendo is reaching with its references.
Smash Bros. Ultimate releases on December 7. Check out our pre-order guide for more details.
Activision has announced a free companion app for Call of Duty, letting you keep track of social features, earn rewards, track your own stats and performance, and keep up with Call of Duty news. It will work with both Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and Call of Duty: WW2 when it launches for free soon on iOS and Android devices.
The friends feed will let you track your friends' accomplishments and battle stats and compare acheivements. You can also form a squad with up to 20 players and earn in-game exclusive rewards by completing squad goals. Those will consist of challenges like killing a certain number of zombies or winning a specified number of matches in a game mode. You can even bank your rewards toward real-world gear from Call of Duty licensees like KontrolFreek.
Connecting your in-game profile to the app will give you detailed stats of your own performance in Black Ops 4 and Call of Duty: WW2. You can get weekly "Action Reports" along with personalized recommendations on how to improve your game. The app will also show you heat maps to analyze your play.
Finally, the app will serve as an information hub for Call of Duty happenings, giving word on in-game events and patch notes.
"The release of the Call of Duty Companion App is part of our continued commitment to creating personalized services for players that enhances their gameplay and deepens their connection to the game, as well as other players," said engagement SVP Monte Lutz, in the announcement. "We're launching with compelling features that are tailor made for the Call of Duty community, and we'll continue to add new capabilities, including localization, a loadout editor and chat, that will give players the tools they need to get the most out of Call of Duty. We look forward to partnering with the community on developing the roadmap for future features."
The retail and auction site Ebay has announced a lengthy sale with some discounts on games and tech rotating daily. It lasts through November 11, and already features discounts on hardware, consoles, and recent game releases.
The current deals listed on the official site include a white Xbox One S 1 TB for $240 and a refurbished grey Nintendo Switch for $275. You can also pick up Red Dead Redemption 2 on Xbox One for $48, or Spider-Man for $50.
In hardware and tech, the deals list a Samsung 50" LED 4K TV with HDR for $420, and an AMD Ryzen 7 1700X Desktop Processor 8-Core for $170. The main page has a full section for PC accessories and another for laptops and tablets with lots of offerings on display--particularly Chromebooks and monitors. A Microsoft Surface Go is only discounted ten bucks to $540, but comes with a $50 Xbox gift card.
According to the promotion, we can expect more game deals next Monday, November 5, with the theme "Game Time." Those include a Neon Red/Blue Nintendo Switch, HyperX Cloud II Red Gaming Headset for $60, and HP 27" Edge to Edge HD Gaming Monitor for $140.
Other deals are smaller but notable. A few models of Apple iPhones are discounted by $20 today, and the Apple Watch Series 4 will be discounted by $10 on November 7. If you're a gadget enthusiast, you may want to check back on November 3 for deals like a Remo smart security camera for $150, or the Ecobee Smart Thermostat for $200.
These discounts appear primed to let users get a jump on Black Friday, which is certain to have a wealth of its own deals incoming as well. We've already seen Target's and more are on the way.
The latest Super Smash Bros. Ultimate presentation was chock full of new announcements, including word of a special dedicated service coming next year. Dubbed "Smash World," the free service will let you post and watch videos of your glory moments.
Game director Masahiro Sakurai teased that the service will boast other unnamed features as well, and that it will be given regular updates throughout its lifespan. The brief glimpse at the UI shown during the presentation had a large array of video captures appearing on a mobile device.
Smash World isn't the only extra coming to Smash Bros. in 2019. The presentation also revealed plans for DLC characters, stages, and music to come throughout the year. There will be five packs in all--each of which grants one character, one stage, and some music tracks--for $6 apiece. Nintendo is also offering a Fighter Pass for $25. In addition to those five characters, Piranha Plant is being added as a playable character, and he'll(?) be free for anyone who registers their copy of the game by January 31, 2019.
Today's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate presentation filled out the rest of the roster and revealed all of the fighters that will be in the game upon release. But more are coming, as the presentation also noted that more fighters will be added post-launch as DLC.
Each fighter pack will include one fighter, one stage, and multiple music tracks, for $6. Nintendo is planning to release five packs, and you can purchase a bundle "Fighters Pass" for $25 that will include all five fighters, five stages, and all the music tracks. Nintendo noted that it hasn't begun active development on the fighters yet so it may take up to a year to complete the full Fighter's Pass. Purchasing the Fighter's Pass will also get you an outfit based on Rex from Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
Another piece of post-launch content is coming for free. Piranha Plant will be available for free for early purchasers. If you buy Super Smash Bros. Ultimate digitally or register your physical copy by January 31, 2019, you'll get the fighter at no cost around February 2019. It will be available for purchase separately sometime later.
Today's presentation revealed the final two roster characters: Ken and Incineroar. It also took the wraps off the final mode, Spirits, which allows you to take part in special challenges to earn equippable buffs for your characters. This also serves as the story for the game, as Nintendo teased that there will be a plot explanation for the characters being turned into apparitions. You can read about every announcement and watch the highlights of the Direct in our news round-up.
Smash Bros. Ultimate launches on December 7. Check out our pre-order guide for more details.
During its Nintendo Direct for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the company had a wide variety of news to share concerning characters, DLC, and more. Significantly, it also outlined the last remaining mode: Spirits. The mode presents special challenges that will give you equippable "Spirits" to enhance your own characters.
Each fighter can equip one Primary Spirit, which enhances stats. Some Primary Spirits will also have slots to equip Support Spirits with additional skills. Sometimes to pass a Spirit challenge you'll need to equip a Spirit with a special ability that is suited for the stage hazards or enemy types. You can also combine cores to summon new Spirits, train them in the Gym, or send them off on quests to find treasure.
Spirits will come in four rarity levels: Novice, Advanced, Aces, and Legend. They also have three different types of abilities in a rock-paper-scissors pattern. Attack is strong against Grab, Grab is strong against Shield, and Shield is strong against Attack.
Nintendo showed off several examples of Spirit battles, like a Guts Man challenge with a large opponent, or the Able Sisters that come equipped with a drill. But, you'll get lower rewards for unbalanced fights, so try to keep your power level similar to your opponent.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate promises the biggest roster of the series so far, featuring every character that has ever appeared playable in a Smash game along with a few new additions. Today was the final Smash Bros. Nintendo Direct, so we've now seen the full lineup of characters--that is, until Nintendo begins revealed the Smash Ultimate DLC. You can see everything else announced during the Direct in our news round-up.
A Fallout 76 bug caused some PC users to accidentally delete the entire game, prompting Bethesda to extend the beta as a make-good. After warning users not to click any buttons on the client, it told them to allow the beta game file to redownload. The company later took responsibility for the bug and announced the extension.
Eurogamer reports that the bug only impacted PC users, but those affected had to redownload the entire 50 GB beta file. That could lead to long wait times and ISP data restrictions, so the company was compelled to issue a mea culpa. It will now run on November 2 from 11 AM to 8 PM PT. The tweet notes this extension is for everyone, so users on the PS4 and Xbox One get a little extra benefit without having been impacted by the bug.
We know some users have been forced to redownload the #Fallout76 B.E.T.A. and not everyone will be able to enjoy the game tonight. To make good, we'll be extending the B.E.T.A. for everyone on Thursday, November 1, 2pm to 11pm ET.
Several test dates were already planned for next week: November 1 from 11 AM to 4 PM PT, November 3 from 2 PM to 6 PM PT, and November 4 from 11 AM to 6 PM PT. You'll be able to keep your progress from the beta into the full game, so read up on all the upcoming beta times and how you can still get in before the game launches in our beta guide.
If you're already exploring the wastes and looking for some advice, check out our guide for some beginner survival tips and what you should check out first. Fallout 76 launches for PC, PS4, and Xbox One on November 14.
The Resident Evil 2 remake is right around the corner, and Capcom is playing into your survival horror nostalgia with a little treat for long-time fans. The company announced that the classic costumes for Leon and Claire will be unlockable in the game for free.
That means Leon's "Classic Police Costume" and Claire's "Classic Jacket Costume" will be available for all players. As some eagle-eyed fans have noted, Claire's is slightly different than her original look, which had black sleeves and a high neck from the shirt worn under her jacket. As an homage, though, it's recognizable.
This comes just after a new trailer revealed exclusive costumes that you can get by purchasing one of the game's Deluxe and Collector's Editions. Those included a Military and Elza Walker outfit for Claire, and the Arklay Sheriff costume for Leon. Both also have a Noir costume for that smoky old-school look. All of those are included in both the Deluxe and Collector's Editions, which come with a few different goodies. The Deluxe includes an exclusive pistol and additional music options, while the CE has all that plus some physical items: a 12-inch Leon statue, art book, and RPD renovation blueprints.
We have a treat for you! As a thanks for your undying support, we're providing all Resident Evil 2 players with a piece of nostalgia: Leon and Claire's classic costumes will be unlockable in-game, for free.#RE2pic.twitter.com/szuvgxGnl6
The Resident Evil 2 remake is coming on January 25, 2019 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. While the remake is striving to stay true to the mood and tone of the original, it's taking some big liberties. The controls and camera are more akin to later Resident Evil games, making for a uniquely fresh take on the classic.
Toby Fox, the indie developer behind the hit Undertale, has released a special treat for Halloween. His latest game, titled Deltarune, has released for free through its official site. You can download it now for PC or Mac.
Fox began teasing the game yesterday. "For those who completed Undertale, it's really important that you check [the Undertale Twitter account] 24 hours from now," Fox said. "I want to make something new, and it all begins with your feedback."
That teaser could imply a direct connection between Undertale and Deltarune, or possibly just a hunch that anyone interested in Fox's work would also like to check out whatever else he has up his sleeve. Notably, "Deltarune" is an anagram of Undertale. Undertale is chock full of secrets and mysteries, some of which remain unexplained. The fan community pores over details and clues looking to unlock its mysteries, and this latest game may help fill in some gaps. It appears to be more of a proof-of-concept than a full finished game, which Fox suggested with his comment about feedback.
Undertale recently released on Nintendo Switch, joining the PC and PlayStation Vita releases. It became a critical hit for subverting RPG tropes with a unique combat system, and for allowing wide flexibility in how you deal with enemies.
"Without spoiling the many ways it will screw with your expectations, it isn't possible to truly capture how wonderful Undertale is," said critic Tyler Hicks in GameSpot's Undertale review. "You wouldn't know it with a passing glance, but it's one of the most progressive and innovative RPGs to come in a long time, breaking down tradition for the sake of invention, with great success."
Nintendo has released its latest round of global sales data as of September 30, and once again its slate of first-party games ran the field. While the top five Nintendo Switch games all continued their steady success and remained in place relative to each other, the bottom half of the list was scrambled by some newcomers that have joined the list.
The biggest change is from Mario Tennis Aces, which rocketed to number six on the list with 2.16 million copies, after debuting in the number ten spot as of June 30. Kirby Star Allies, which cracked the list in March figures, has now tied Arms for the number seven slot at 2.1 million. The re-release of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze also made the list with 1.67 million.
On the 3DS the list is less dynamic. All ten games have retained their exact positions as the system puts out fewer new releases, and the pace of new purchases appears to have slowed as well. Between March and September, for example, Pokemon X/Y sold an additional 50,000 copies. That's steady success for a franchise that has already sold in the tens of millions, but the system is definitely starting to show its age. Check below for the full list.
Nintendo Switch
Super Mario Odyssey -- 12.17 million
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe -- 11.71 million
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild -- 10.28 million
Splatoon 2 -- 7.47 million
1-2 Switch -- 2.64 million
Mario Tennis Aces -- 2.16 million
Arms -- 2.10 million
Kirby Star Allies -- 2.10 million
Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze -- 1.67 million
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 -- 1.53 million
3DS
Mario Kart 7 -- 17.04 million
Pokemon X/Y -- 16.29 million
Pokemon Sun/Moon -- 16.10 million
Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire -- 14.06 million
The Game of Thrones prequel has found its star. Naomi Watts has been cast as the lead character in the prequel pilot for HBO, Variety reports. This series takes place thousands of years before Game of Thrones, and Watts' character is said to be "a charismatic socialite hiding a dark secret." [Update: Following Watts, HBO has added another person to the Game of Thrones prequel cast.]
The pilot was penned by Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass) and is aiming to begin filming in early 2019. It was the winning pitch out of five, though HBO hasn't ruled out using one of the other scripts for some purpose. This series "chronicles the world's descent from the Golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour."
Watts' involvement adds serious star power to the pilot, though if this is the Westeros we know, she may not see the series through to its conclusion. The first season of Game of Thrones starred Sean Bean as Ned Stark, who ostensibly seemed to be the main character of the series. But in a rug-pulling that set the tone for the entire series, he was executed before the very first season was finished. We'll have to see how far Watts makes it.
Watts is known for her roles in Mulholland Drive, The Ring, and King Kong. She's currently signed on to play Gretchen Carlson in a Showtime limited series about Roger Ailes, and most recently appeared in the revival of Twin Peaks.
The Game of Thrones prequel is one of several spin-off series HBO has planned to help fill the gap once the series goes off the air. Its final season has already wrapped and will air next year. The new mobile game, Reigns: Game of Thrones, may even contain some Season 8 hints.
Sony has raised its earnings outlook, thanks largely to the success of its PlayStation business. The company raised its profit outlook for the current fiscal year to 870 billion yen ($7.72 billion), an increase from the prior forecast of 670 billion yen ($5.9 billion). It also raised its revenue forecast to 8.7 trillion yen, from 8.6 trillion.
Bloomberg reports that the revised forecasts are largely the result of success in the PlayStation division. Between the record success of Spider-Man and several third-party games, PS4 is helping stabilize the company as its smartphone business faces uncertainty. This comes just after Sony previously lifted its forecast in July due to the success of God of War.
Analysts predict sales of third-party games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will help bolster it as well. Rockstar's own sales figures announced today suggest Red Dead 2 is the hit they expect. Fortnite also helped boost the brand, since spending on in-game items increased over the summer while kids were home from school, and that revenue is shared with Sony.
Damian Thong, an analyst with Macquarie Group said this will be "the best year for the PlayStation for first party games and overall profitability of the platform."
Game and network service sales were up 116.9 billion yen ($1 billion), and the company has now reached a total of 34.3 million PlayStation Plus users as of the end of the quarter on September 30. Operating profit for PlayStation alone rose 65% from a year ago, and sales for the September quarter rose 27%. PlayStation isn't the only part of the business helping Sony's bottom line, though. Roughly half of the increase is reportedly due to Sony's purchase of EMI Music Publishing.
It seemed likely that Red Dead Redemption 2 would be a hit, but Rockstar claims it has surpassed even lofty expectations. The company announced that it achieved $725 million during its opening weekend, making it one of the biggest launches of all time--not just in video games, but in terms of all entertainment.
In the announcement, Rockstar boasted that this is the "single biggest opening weekend in the history of entertainment," outpacing movies like Avengers: Infinity War which made $257 million in its opening weekend. (Of course, movie tickets cost significantly less than a new game at $60-100.)
This puts it in second-place for sales in its first three days to another Rockstar game, Grand Theft Auto V, which achieved $1 billion. But since those first three days started on a Tuesday, it isn't an opening weekend, which is the spin Rockstar is using to boast about Red Dead. Take-Two previously said it expected Red Dead to fall short of GTA5 sales. Other achievements from the big launch include several records for digital sales on PlayStation Network: the most pre-orders, biggest day-one full game sales, and most sales in the first three days.
If you're one of those millions who picked up Red Dead 2 already, check out our tips for beginners and read all about what to do with your legendary bear pelt. If you're still on the fence or deciding on a platform, read up on which console performs better, and check out GameSpot's Red Dead Redemption 2 review. "Red Dead Redemption 2 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," wrote critic Kallie Plagge.
Red Dead Redemption 2 hearkens back to a simpler time when America's paper money wasn't yet inflated. Ten dollars was a lot of money back then! But with one weird trick you can render the game economy functionally meaningless by roping in thousands of dollars in seconds.
As detailed by Raz on YouTube, you can exploit a glitch to trick the game into thinking you haven't picked up a gold bar, even as it repeatedly gets added to your inventory. It basically boils down to finding the sheriff's office in the ruined town of Limpany. As detailed in the video, the desk in this office has a gold bar, but you can break it by saving your game just as Arthur bends down to pick it up and then reloading the save. That puts several duplicates of the gold bar in the desk overlapping, so you can pick up 30 of them at a time. That sells for a cash value of $15,000, which basically makes you the Old West version of a lottery winner.
When we tested this for ourselves, we used a slightly different method. Instead of bending down and saving, we simply saved after opening the lockbox, but before taking either of the two items--a gold bar and a pamphlet. Traveling back to the lockbox revealed only the gold bar without the pamphlet. It's crucial to hold the Take button so that Arthur picks up gold bars continuously. Also, be sure to load up the correct save, because in another of our tests, hitting the wrong one seems to have broken the glitch from then on.
Of course, be warned that like any bug, taking advantage of this could have unforeseen consequences, so use at your own risk. If you do want to take advantage, keep in mind that exploits like this tend to be patched or hotfixed relatively quickly to secure the integrity of the game. If you want to ill-got some gains, you'd better be hasty.
Red Dead Redemption 2 might come to PC after all. The recently released mobile companion app appears to have some code buried deep in it that references PC settings, graphics options, and even a reference to a VR device.
Rockstar Intel reports that the companion app includes files that reference graphics options, temporal anti-aliasing, water reflection resolution, and shadow and particle quality. Some files appear to say "PcVersion" and one mentions Oculus, presumably a reference to the line of VR devices. Other pieces of the code could hint at a desktop version of the companion app, but it would be odd to have such deep graphics settings for an app that mostly serves as an interactive map and strategy guide hub.
So far, Rockstar has said mum on the possibility of a PC port, but there remains some reason to believe one will come eventually. Grand Theft Auto V was the most recent release from the company, and it released those console versions without a PC version before announcing the port much later. Then again, the first Red Dead Redemption never came to PC despite years of fan requests, so it's certainly not set in stone. These companion app leaks are the most concrete indication we've seen so far, and they're still anything but certain.
If you do want to jump aboard the wagon train without waiting for an uncertain PC port, but you still want to get the best possible performance, a recent analysis concluded that the Xbox One X is the way to go. PS4 Pro came in second, followed by a standard PS4, and finally, the Xbox One S. And there's currently a pretty good deal that will net you both Red Dead 2 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider for a cool $70.
If you have already picked up a copy, read up on our list of all the cheat codes we've found so far, or just learn how to fish like a proper frontiersman.
September was the start of the busy fall season for video game releases, but the top grossing game wasn't even released this year. Research company SuperData has released its top-grossing games worldwide for the month, and found that Destiny 2 beat out all of them on consoles. It won out over notable competition like Spider-Man and Fortnite.
Obviously, this wasn't just players spontaneously picking up last year's loot-shooter. Destiny 2 had the Forsaken launch near the beginning of the month, so that likely carried it through. It also has the Eververse store, the cosmetic shop that has been ongoing and isn't comparable to anything offered in Spider-Man. Plus as of the time Forsaken launched, players needed to purchase old DLC to start playing it, which likely helped. Bungie and Activision have since changed that requirement.
Still, beating the competition is no small feat. Spidey broke both internal Sony and industry-wide NPD sales records. Fortnite has been an ongoing massive hit, with momentum continuing from month to month thanks to changing seasons and special events. Fortnite may have done even better in the sales charts, in fact, but Season 6 launched near the end of the month of September and so it didn't have a full month of players re-upping their Battle Passes or purchasing other cosmetic rewards.
Destiny 2 is also on PC, which didn't make the list. Plus Fortnite, which is available just about everywhere, is relatively low on the PC list and didn't make the cut at all on mobile.
Sandwiched between Spider-Man at #2 and Fortnite at #4 is FIFA 19. The soccer franchise is a big annual release for EA Sports, and it includes the popular (and lucrative) Ultimate Team feature. Other top-earners on console for the month include NBA 2K19 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
SuperData Top Grossing Console Games September 2018
Red Dead Redemption 2 has released, and along with it comes the mobile companion app. The app links up with your copy of the game and helps you keep track of your location with an interactive map, along with a handful of other features so you can take the Old West with you around in your pocket.
The map lets you set waypoints and track your position in real-time. Aside from that handy widget, you can also view the game journal, shop for clothing, check your game progress, and read the game manual. It also links up with Rockstar's Social Club. The app itself is free on both iOS and Android, but both versions offer a $10 in-app purchase of the official strategy guide. The social club integration may be a boon to your gang of outlaws when Red Dead Online launches in November.
Perhaps most significantly, the companion app's code includes references to PC, according to Rockstar Intel. Whether this signals the development of Red Dead 2 for PC remains to be seen, but it does provide those hoping for that to happen with some small reason to get excited.
If you're a no-good scoundrel in need of more creative methods of getting ahead in the world, check out our full list of known cheats. And keep in mind some of those side missions have a time limit and can expire if you don't get to them quickly enough.
To get started on the right foot, check out our list of essential tips for beginners, and refresh yourself on the story from the first game. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a massive and ambitious game, and as noted in our review, it stands on its own even without knowing the details of John Marston's story.
"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," wrote critic Kallie Plagge. "Some frustrating systems and a predictable mission structure end up serving that story well, though it does take patience to get through them and understand why. Red Dead Redemption 2 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."
Red Dead Redemption 2's release has come for both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Those who prefer to play games on PC may be rewarded with their patience eventually, but as of now we have no indication that Red Dead 2 will ever come to PC. That doesn't mean there is no hope at all, though.
So far the studio has given no official indication of a PC port incoming. There was some hope when a programmer seemingly outed a PC version online, but it remains unclear if that was merely a mistake. [Update: The latest glimmer of hope for PC fans comes via Rockstar Intel, which reports that the Red Dead 2 companion app includes references to PC in its code. It's possible these don't mean anything or are being misinterpreted, but it does bear noting.]
The most recent Rockstar game, Grand Theft Auto V, did make the jump to PC after its initial console release. Following its original release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2013, Rockstar released upgraded Playstation 4 and Xbox One ports the following year, and then a PC port in 2015. Those later ports were widely lauded for their improved technical underpinnings, and the PC version has enjoyed an active mod community.
Red Dead Redemption 2 appears very similar to GTAV in key ways. It's a technical powerhouse that's already pushing the current console generation to its limit. While the Xbox One X came out ahead in a performance analysis, both it and the high-end PS4 Pro were said to be hitting the upper limits of their processing power. We may be on the verge of another console generation to debut in the next few years, so a port to those with some added bells and whistles could make sense. And if that happens, a PC port would be likely as well. Plus Red Dead 2 is already receiving positive reviews and helping Take-Two's stock price, so another shot in the arm from a port would be welcome for the company.
Then again, Rockstar has been inconsistent with ports in general and PC support more specifically. The original Red Dead Redemption never made the trip to PC, and in fact is still only available on PS3 and Xbox 360--along with Xbox One, via backwards compatibility.
Red Dead Redemption 2 could come to PC in a matter of years, but for the time being, your best bet is to saddle up on the current generation of consoles. If you need some help recalling the events of the first game, check out our story recap. Your console decision may come down to performance--keeping in mind that Xbox One X performed the best in a test, but PS4 has exclusive content for 30 days.
Fortnite's Halloween event this year has kicked off in style with "Fortnitemares," an ongoing world event that offers special challenges and spooky cosmetic items. With the release of today's new update, the event is live across both the Battle Royale and Save the World modes, so no matter which flavor of Fortnite you prefer you can find something to do. Here's everything you need to know about the new event.
What Is It?
Fortnitemares is an ongoing event lasting from October 23-November 26, introduced in the patch update 6.20. It offers exclusive cosmetic items and special world events with new enemies, including lots to do across its two modes.
In a special playlist in the the PvP mode Battle Royale, you'll face off against cube monsters that operate very similarly to the Save the World zombie-like creatures. The mysterious Cube spawned this legion of AI cube monsters, which will attack you if you get too close. Defeating them can get you some random loot and shield power. This is notably the first time the PvP mode has been invaded by AI enemies. Completing special challenges, some of which focus on defeating these AI enemies, can earn you a whole new type of cosmetic items and some special gear. There's also a limited-time weapon you can use; you can read about all of this in the patch notes.
Separately, in the PvE Save the World mode, Hexsylvania returns with new story quests. Just logging onto Save the World during the Fortnitemares event will earn you some skins. Save the World isn't going free-to-play this year as previously planned, but founder's packs are currently half-priced.
Fortnitemares Battle Royale Challenges
Fortnitemare challenges are set to alternate every few days through the end of the event period, so you'll have to check back often to maximize your rewards. Currently the first set of challenges is live. Many are self-explanatory, but click below for more detailed guides on more complex challenges.
Destroy Cube Monsters (200) -- 500 XP
Deal damage with Assault Rifles or Pistols to Cube Monsters (5,000) -- 500 XP
Visit a Corrupted Area in different matches (7) -- 500 XP
The biggest new addition to Fortnitemares are the permanent rewards, including a whole new type of cosmetic. The centerpiece is the new Deadfire skin, a "reactive skin" that changes based upon your play in a given match that will cost you 2,000 V-Bucks. It's joined by the Shackled Stone Back Bling and Dark Shard pickaxe (1,200 V-Bucks), which are both "reactive cosmetics."
Alongside this skin, Epic has also introduced the Shackled Stone Back Bling to go along with it, and the Dark Shard pickaxe can also be found in the in-game store. Both of these items are called "reactive cosmetics." The Deadfire skin is available for 2,000 V-Bucks, while the Dark Shard harvesting tool costs 1,200 V-Bucks.
The 6.20 update also added a new Six Shooter weapon, and the ability to redeploy Gliders.
The beta for Fallout 76 continues, but as you read this, you likely can't actually play it. That's because Bethesda only has its servers available at certain times; trying to get in outside of these specific windows will yield a "login failed" error. Below, we've got all the details you need to know regarding exactly when you can play. At the time of this writing, the next test takes place on November 3 with a test that will be available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC. Read on for the full schedule (so far).
Fallout 76's debut test was available only on Xbox One for a four-hour window on October 23. That has since passed, with Bethesda deeming it an "amazing start." Additional test periods will continue to be available for a limited time. The purpose of this is to force players together at a specific time to stress test and put the game through its paces. Sessions will typically last 4-8 hours in a given day, and then the beta will be inoperable again until the next session. The process will repeat between now and the game's release date on November 14.
A beta code is available to anyone who pre-ordered the game across Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4. Pre-loading is available on all platforms. You'll receive a code with your physical pre-order to enter into the accounts page, or you'll be entered into the pool automatically if you pre-order a digital copy. Note that those codes don't grant you access. Rather, they put you into the potential pool of players to get a distribution code later, since Bethesda is rolling out the invites in waves.
Upcoming Fallout 76 Beta Times
November 3
US Pacific Time: 2 PM - 6 PM
US Eastern Time: 5 PM - 9 PM
UK GMT: 9 PM - 1 AM
Australia AEDT: 8 AM - 12 PM (November 4)
November 4
US Pacific Time: 11 AM - 6 PM
US Eastern Time: 2 PM - 9 PM
UK GMT: 6 PM - 10 PM
Australia AEDT: 5 AM - 12 PM (November 5)
Bethesda plans to let to keep your progress from the beta through to the full game. Pre-ordering also will get you 500 Atoms, the in-game currency, for purchasing cosmetic items in the shop. Fallout 76 is due out on November 14. For more details, check out our guide to everything we know.
Fallout 76 is a very different kind of Fallout game, with a new focus on multiplayer across a massive open world. Bethesda is putting it through its paces with a beta test releasing very soon, and you can join in to help explore the wastes and gather technical feedback before its official launch. However, while pre-ordering is your ticket to the beta, it won't necessarily get you in quickly. Here's everything to know about the beta.
When does the beta start?
The beta for Fallout 76 began on October 23 on Xbox One, and then expand to PC and PlayStation 4 the following week on October 30. Pre-loading for the Xbox One version is now available. Upcoming sessions are planned for October 27 and 28, as detailed in our Fallout 76 beta schedule guide.
Even if you've received a code, though, you may not necessarily be invited to the first wave. Bethesda plans to start small to stress test the game and expand slowly, so your actual start date may vary.
A separate pre-beta stress test also took place starting on October 13. That one was exclusive to Xbox One Insiders who have pre-ordered the game, and even then fulfilling those criteria only entered them into the pool of possible participants. Players of this stress test were under NDA and unlike the beta, game progress was not saved.
How long will the beta last?
Bethesda has not given a specific end-date for the beta, but it has explained that the servers won't be available 24/7 during the beta period. The studio says it will be running "targeted time frames" to force interested players together at the same time, which in turn will mark a better technical test. The game may be available for 4-8 hours on any given day, with Bethesda making adjustments and fixes during the off periods. This process will repeat until a few days before launch on November 14.
How do I get in?
The beta will be available exclusively for those who pre-order the game across PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Digital pre-orders will be entered into the pool automatically, while physical pre-orders will receive a code to enter into the accounts page once the beta has gone live on your platform of choice.
It's important to note that this code is not the beta code you enter to access the actual game download. Instead, the pre-order code is the one you enter into Bethesda's system to be put into the pool for code distribution. A separate code, which gives you access to the install, will follow at a later time as Bethesda rolls out its invites.
In the meantime, you can be sure you're prepared by creating a free Bethesda.net login. Also, make sure you have an active Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus membership if you're playing on either console, since those will be required to access the online-only game.
Is the beta the full game?
The Fallout 76 beta is the full experience, and Bethesda says it is currently planning to allow players to carry progress over into the full game. However, console players will need to redownload the launch version, whereas PC players will not need to download a new version upon launch. The beta will be 45 GB.
How do I submit feedback?
Bethesda is inviting feedback across its variety of social media channels.
What else will I get for pre-ordering?
Aside from beta access, pre-ordering will get you 500 Atoms--Fallout 76's in-game currency. Atoms allow you to purchase cosmetic items from the shop. Bethesda has indicated that Atoms will be plentiful, but as we haven't seen the shop or prices yet, it's hard to say just how far 500 Atoms will go.
During BlizzCon 2018, Blizzard announced new Overwatch-themed toys and Lego sets. The products will be made available for purchase in 2019.
"Throughout 2018 our goal has been to give fans an abundance of new ways to express their affinity for their favorite Blizzard games, and it was exciting to be able to showcase our plans for 2019 and beyond today at BlizzCon," said Blizzard vice president of global consumer products Matthew Beecher. "We cherish these game worlds as much as our players do, and today's reveals helped put a spotlight on how far we've come, through our stellar partnerships, in developing toys and apparel that reflect that shared passion."
There are six Lego sets in total, with the cheapest starting at $15 USD and the most expensive being $90 USD. The sets are called Tracer vs. Widowmaker, Hanzo vs. Genji, Dorado Showdown, D.Va & Reinhardt, Bastion, and Watchpoint: Gibraltar. All together, the six sets add figures of Overwatch characters Tracer, Widowmaker, Hanzo, Genji, Soldier: 76, McCree, D.Va, Reinhardt, Pharah, Mercy, Reaper, and Winston to Lego's expanding line-up of block people. The Lego sets are scheduled for release in early 2019.
Blizzard is also releasing a Nerf gun shaped like McCree's Rival. The first figure in Blizzard's new Overwatch Ultimate Figure line, Mercy, was also shown and scheduled for 2019. The Nerf gun hits store shelves in January 2019, and the figure is currently aiming for a spring 2019 release.
Discord announced last week the launch of its Discord Store, a PC game-buying portal that'll include its own exclusive titles. The store, created by the company behind the gamer-centric voice and text chat app of the same name, will pack games from indie developers and at least one bigger publisher, along with a few titles that are exclusive to Discord's portal.
Previously available only to Canadian players, the new global Discord Store is all about curation. The company is hoping to put games in front of players that they're more likely to want to buy and play. That curation will be carried out by the Discord team, as well as through recommendations made by players' friends on the Discord service.
According to a press release from the company, the idea is to create something more akin to a local bookstore experience for the Discord Store. That's in contrast to Valve's massively popular Steam store, which might be better compared to a big box store, or even a whole mall. Where Steam provides players with a massive catalogue of just about every game out there, Discord is hoping a more personal approach will resonate with players.
Alongside the launch of the Discord Store is a new version of Discord's Nitro monthly subscription service. The current, $5 subscription is focused on things like controlling your Discord username and offering higher resolutions for Discord's screen sharing service. The new Nitro bumps the price to $9.99 and adds a gaming component: all-you-can-play access to a catalogue of about 60 titles from partner developers like Deep Silver and Double Fine Productions. The games players get access to through Nitro include This War of Mine, Metro: Last Light Redux, Soma, Wastelanders 2: Director's Cut, INSIDE, Galactic Civilizations III, and Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition.
The catalogues of the Discord Store and Nitro seem pretty confined at the moment, which means it's not likely to threaten Steam anytime soon. But Discord might be onto something with its focus on curation. Discovery of new games is a big problem on Steam both for players and developers, especially small ones whose games are lost in the flood of titles being released. One report had it that 21 games were released on Steam every day in 2017.
Discord claims some 150 million registers users across the globe for its app, so while its store sports fewer games, it's possible the smaller, more personal approach might be an answer for developers who have trouble cutting through the noise on larger portals. Both the Discord Store and Nitro service are available to users today.
When players finally complete the Haunted Forest event in Destiny 2's Halloween-themed Festival of the Lost, they're greeted by the usual: a loot chest that holds all their hard-earned winnings. The trouble is, the Haunted Forest has one last scare waiting just under the surface: the stone bridge players cross to reach the chest gives out beneath their feet almost as soon as they touch it, tossing the Guardians into a frightening, blood red pit below. Inside: an unkillable Hive Knight called The Invincible Nightmare.
It's a frightening twist to the horror-themed activity. Instead of getting your loot, you get stuck with a huge, axe-wielding monster, like that moment in every slasher movie when the killer inevitably isn't actually dead, and gets in one final scare. The trouble with the pit, though, is that at first blush, it seems to rob you of everything you fought for in the Haunted Forest, and makes it seem like there's no way to reach the reward chest.
The good news is, even if you don't open the chest at the end of the Haunted Forest, you still get your winnings. They're automatically sent to the Postmaster, just like the stuff from chests in just about any other activity. Once you've earned rewards in the Haunted Forest, they're yours, no matter what condition you're left in by the Invincible Nightmare.
Just because you fall into the Nightmare's pit doesn't mean you're stuck there, though. There's actually a secret escape out of the pit on one of the walls. Look up about midway to one side of the pit and you'll see a small indentation that marks a hole you players can leap through. It takes you out of the pit and onto the side of the bridge under which it hides. Following the narrow pathway from there allows you to climb back up onto the far side of the bridge and claim your loot chest, while also giving you a second to let your heart stop pounding.
It's also possible to avoid falling into the pit altogether, if you're quick. When the stones of the walkway give out beneath Guardians as they cross, they're pulled down thanks to a sort of suction, but it's possible to jump free with the right timing (or, at least, with the triple jump of the Hunter class). You can also stick to the side edges of the bridge and potentially avoid any tricky cobblestones altogether.
If Bungie is following the usual horror movie script with the Haunted Forest, the question now becomes one of how to kill the Invincible Nightmare, like the characters of a Friday the Thirteenth or Halloween movie might try to do. Like all good slasher movies, though, even if players successfully take the Nightmare down, we'll all still be wondering if it's really dead.
The newly released Daredevil Season 3 on Netflix has an unexpected tie to another story about a grizzled vigilante with a five o'clock shadow battling the forces of evil, while possibly grappling with his own dark side: Mass Effect 3. Fans noticed that a Netflix recap for the Daredevil story so far slips in what could be considered a Mass Effect Easter egg--one that instantly transports fans of the game back to that moment when the Reapers came close to wiping out Earth.
That Easter egg is "Leaving Earth," by composer Clint Mansell, from the early portion of Mass Effect 3. The song is a master class in the "sad piano music" category of songs from video game soundtracks. In the game, it plays as the Reapers arrive for their invasion of Earth, and the player character, Commander Shepard, is forced to evacuate. The plan to stop the threat requires Shepard to help the rest of the galaxy, but that forces the painful moment of leaving everyone still stuck on Earth to fend for themselves against giant killer robots. A kid gets blown up. It's sad.
Redditor Sons-of-N7 pointed out that a portion the song appears in Netflix's recap for Daredevil Season 2, which is pretty fitting--it's a very "dark night of the soul" kind of song, and that was a very "dark night of the soul" season of Daredevil. Although to be fair, all the Daredevil seasons are like that.
If you're somehow unable to remember the very best track in the entirety of Mass Effect 3, here's a refresher. You might have heard it in other movies, TV shows, or commercials, as it gets licensed for other works fairly regularly.
The song even popped up in a Key and Peele sketch to punctuate a hilariously sad punchline (it's right at the end).
Mass Effect 3 isn't the only video game whose music popped up in Daredevil. Another Redditor, 5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_12_6) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/12.0 Safari/605.1.15","sr_id":4645555,"sr_name":"Daredevil","embed_id":30961916426,"embed_version":"0.1","embed_type":"comment","embed_control":true,"embed_host_url":"https://comicbook.com/gaming/2018/10/19/marvels-daredevil-has-spider-man-ps4-easter-egg/","comment_edited":false,"comment_deleted":false,"uuid":"df59c1dd-1d33-4f87-8d59-cfb6b7ea3019","embed_ts_created":"2018-10-19T13:35:59.530Z","redirect_url":"https://www.reddit.com/r/Daredevil/comments/9phg3z/lmao_the_recap_uses_mass_effect_3s_leaving_earth/e81xbm2/?utm_term=30961916426&utm_name=f02ca34c-6770-4b98-844c-fb9d0b6cd62d&utm_content=timestamp&utm_source=embed&utm_medium=comment_embed&context=3","redirect_type":"timestamp","redirect_dest":"www.reddit.com","redirect_thing_id":"30961916426"}&url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Daredevil/comments/9phg3z/lmao_the_recap_uses_mass_effect_3s_leaving_earth/e81xbm2/?utm_term=30961916426&utm_name=f02ca34c-6770-4b98-844c-fb9d0b6cd62d&utm_content=timestamp&utm_source=embed&utm_medium=comment_embed&context=3">ShieldRune5847, pointed out that a track from the recently released Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4 made it into the second episode of Daredevil Season 3. Turns out, Daredevil's composer, John Paesano, is pretty good at this Marvel thing--he also composed the music for Spider-Man.
If there's something Spider-Man PS4 needs, it's more puddles. With its latest update to Marvel's Spider-Man, developer Insomniac Games has made sure all players' versions of New York City are up to the internet's standard of dampness. The new update, which came just ahead of the release of Spider-Man's first round of downloadable content, The Heist, includes a new difficulty mode and a New Game Plus mode, as well as additional stickers for Spider-Man's Photo mode--specifically, puddles.
Insomniac User Interface and Experience Lead Gil Doron shared a shot of the new puddle capabilities on Twitter. It was also shared by Insomniac Community Manager James Stevenson, who cheekily wrote, "You can add your own puddles in Photo mode now with puddle stickers. You're welcome."
You can add your own puddles in photo mode now with puddle stickers. You're welcome. https://t.co/l0Jem6SWcL
The addition of puddle stickers allows players to add as many puddles as they like to the game, in a hilarious throwing of moist shade by Insomniac. The puddle gag is a reference to an internet controversy that pooled up before the September release of Spider-Man, when some Reddit users claimed one shot of the game included fewer puddles than were shown in the same scene at E3 2018.
The lack of puddles led to some players claiming Spider-Man had received a graphical downgrade as compared to the E3 demo, maybe to hide the limitations of the PS4, and they were not happy about it. The situation became, as some dubbed it, Puddle-gate. Insomniac answered back by saying the puddle sizes had been reduced, but there was no graphical downgrade. The Photo mode answer to the Puddle-gate question is undeniably better.
Apparently the controversy wasn't a wet blanket for too many players, since Spider-Man broke Sony's sales records in its first three days on store shelves.
As you explore Red Dead Redemption 2's vast open world, you'll come across a lot of interesting (and slightly disturbing) things. Sometimes it's a wailing snake-bite victim in need of assistance; other times, it's a creepy abandoned building with a story to tell. But there's one set of chance encounters more gruesome than the rest, and once you find the first, you'll be on the lookout for a very messed-up serial killer.
You'll likely find the first murder scene early in the game. While the other two murder victims are a bit of a ride from the opening areas, you can find them at any time as long as you can freely roam the map. For this guide, we've kept location spoilers to a minimum, and all the screenshots are from an early save with little unlocked--so no worries if you want to play detective for a bit before you really dig into the rest of the game. Of course, this does contain spoilers for the American Dreams Stranger Mission.
There are three murder scenes to be found, with a piece of a map hidden at each. In order to initiate the Stranger Mission itself, you first have to put the map back together. In general, you're looking for an area that sticks out in some way--maybe you see blood stains on the road or vultures in the distance. You can also zoom in on the map when you get close, since an X marking the corpse will appear and show you the way.
Murder 1: South of Valentine
The first murder scene is just outside of Valentine. Follow the railroad tracks going south out of town; you'll have to ride directly on the tracks at one point to get over a gap, and then you'll find the body under the next overpass. The "front" of the scene faces west. You'll find creepy words written in paint on the right, and to the left, the victim's severed head is stuck to a support beam. In its mouth is the first of three map pieces.
Murder 2: West of Shady Belle
The second crime scene can be found in the Scarlett Meadows region, which is a decent ride southeast of Valentine. It's just west of Shady Belle or a bit south of Rhodes, depending on your angle of approach. It's easiest to spot coming from Shady Belle; take the road west, go straight at the first fork, and keep going straight for a bit until you reach a second major fork. Turn right here, then go straight until you reach another fork in the road. The corpse will be strung up in a large tree to your left; on your map, it will be right around where the "S" in "meadows" is. Go around the back of the tree to find the severed head and map piece.
Murder 3: Southwest of Wallace Station
The final murder victim can be found strapped to a large rock just southwest of Wallace Station in the West Elizabeth region (it's west and a bit south of Valentine, across the river). Cross the stream and you'll see the rock up the hill, likely with vultures perched on top of it. The head and final map piece are on a smaller rock to the left.
Step 2: Locating the Killer
Once complete, the map will give you vague instructions on where to go and what to do when you get there. It shows a bridge with arrows leading into a forest, a dilapidated log cabin, and a code for a combination lock: 6-34-32. As any true crime fan knows, murderers usually kill in areas they know and perhaps live in, which is as good a place to start as any. (If you'd rather solve the mystery yourself from here on out, don't keep reading!)
As it turns out, it ends where it all began: Valentine, or technically southwest of Valentine at a place called Lucky's Cabin. If you're coming straight from the Wallace Station murder scene, cross the river and follow the main road northeast--this is the direction shown on the map, and you'll turn left just after you cross the bridge to reach the cabin. If you're instead coming from Valentine, just follow the road out of town to the west.
With the pieced-together map, you'll be able to open the basement doors and see the horrors within. A white ? icon indicating a Stranger Mission should appear on the map around the cabin--if not, you might have an active mission you need to complete first. After taking a good look around the killer's hideout (use your lantern if you really want to see every grisly detail), head to the back and inspect the knife. This will trigger a cutscene, so all you need to do is follow the prompts.
Once you've hogtied and delivered the killer to the Sheriff's office in Valentine, he'll attack the Sheriff. Use Dead Eye to kill him and save the Sheriff for a reward, which will complete the American Dreams Stranger Mission. Hopefully Arthur isn't too creeped out.
Call of Duty is the first big shooter franchise to wade into the thickening fray that is the battle royale genre and attempt to dethrone its current kings: PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Fortnite. The new Blackout battle royale mode in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 makes a strong case for the franchise's ascendance in this genre, too. Blackout takes a lot of things that have become signature elements of battle royale, like last-player-standing matches, huge maps, randomized weapons, and careful gameplay, and tightens up the formula with the solid mechanics and polish for which the franchise has become famous.
That doesn't mean that Blackout has won the battle royale melee just for showing up, though. Yes, developer Treyarch has made a lot of great improvements to things players are used to seeing in PUBG, Fortnite, H1Z1, and others, but it's by no means perfect. Blackout relies heavily on players' existing knowledge of other battle royale games, for instance. It introduces a lot of new systems without giving much explanation about how they work, like other battle royale games, without acknowledging that with its huge audience, it's probably introducing many players to the genre for the first time. And it's still following the lead of the games that have come before it.
Blackout is a fun mode with a lot to love. The question is, can it last, especially as more and more developers chase the battle royale trend? Here are five ways that Treyarch could improve Blackout to help it become the last battle royale game standing.
Make It Easier For New Players To Learn The Game
The great thing about Call of Duty games, and one of the things that's helped make the franchise so enduring and popular, is that they're generally very easy to pick up and play. Hopping into a standard Deathmatch game in any Call of Duty doesn't require too much background knowledge for reasonably seasoned players. You don't need to know the pros and cons of every gun, for example, to be a solid fighter, because the game provides you with loadouts that make it easy to get a sense of what works for you and what doesn't.
By its very nature, the battle royale genre upends this thinking. It's inherently a more complex concept. Spending time trying out new equipment comes at the high price, since matches are longer and more involved. In any given game, you need to know where to deploy or try to deploy; what equipment you actually need to survive and to fight; what "circle collapses" are and how they work; and how to actually engage enemies. Yet Blackout gives very little information or explanation to new players about the mode and how it works. Call of Duty has the power to bring a huge number of people to the battle royale genre yet squanders it by chasing the audience of players who already play those kinds of games. It's a huge missed opportunity.
Make Blackout More Accessible For The Less Hardcore
Continuing the last point, the folks at Treyarch could stand to try to make Blackout clearer and more accessible beyond the first couple of matches. Most of the games in the battle royale genre can already be tough to break into and understand. Not only are there things new players have to learn basically with zero assistance when they start these games, but these games are full of intricate systems and mechanics whose uses and benefits aren't very clear, even when you've built up some experience in the game.
Blackout is already a little better than most games at getting you acclimated. Hovering the cursor over weapons and equipment on the inventory screen gives players some (very brief) insights into their types, uses, strengths, and weaknesses. But you'll learn little or nothing about things like just how useful adding grips to your gun can be, or what differences to expect between 5.56 and .45 ammo. Some players and streamers even take to Reddit and YouTube to figure out all the little details about how guns, armor, and equipment in these games work--and that level of dedication inherently leaves more casual players, who don't have the time to research bullet drop or recoil reduction, on the outs. Blackout has the opportunity to make a more inviting battle royale game that's easier to understand, no matter whether you play one match a week or 50.
Audio Needs An Overhaul
A key part of battle royale is sound, especially when playing solo. Players are alone on the a vast island in Blackout, with only their wits and whatever they can scavanage, and often they can rely only on their senses to locate other players and protect themselves. In most battle royale games, sound is more important than just about anything else, because hearing other players walking, driving vehicles, or fighting one another is often the only information you can get about where they are and whether you're in danger.
Blackout currently seems to have two problems with audio. First, the sound in Blackout can be frustrating when you're relying on it. Your own footsteps and actions are very loud, while sounds from other players can be excruciating to hear and pin down. This does make the Awareness perk, which boosts your ability to hear sounds from other players, a lot more valuable, but it shouldn't be quite so hard to hear who's sneaking up on you in the first place.
On top of that, other players have complained about issues in which sound doesn't always work correctly in Blackout, or comes out of the wrong speaker or headphone channel; a player might be approaching you from the left, but you're hearing it coming from the right, for instance. That's an element that needs to be fixed in Blackout if it's going to have longevity. Even without focusing on a major problem like that, though, audio could use some work in the future to make it more viable for players to use their senses to survive.
More Zombies!
Blackout sets itself apart from the rest of the battle royale genre with a lot of little Call of Duty-type elements--like the addition of undead enemies carried over from the Zombies mode. In certain areas, your sneaking and looting can be halted by zombies popping up and trying to murder you. Right now, though, you could play several matches of Blackout and never come across a zombie. Even if you did, you'd likely never really have a need to be afraid of them, since they're easily avoided and not especially dangerous. Zombies in Blackout are little more than a novelty, but they could be a lot more.
Just simply putting zombies in more locations would instantly create a totally different battle royale dynamic, creating a middle ground between existing battle royale and Call of Duty's Zombies mode. We saw something in this vein with the Blackout beta, in which Treyarch included a zombie boss character players could encounter, and take down, during matches. Treyarch could get even more creative with zombies; the developer could add them to popular locations that see the most players at the start of every match, while smaller, more hidden locations could be safer, changing up players' incentives when they first start a match. Or the number of zombies filling the map could be more reactive to where players die. Zombie populations could climb as the circle closes, or they could pick up speed and strength as it tightens, making being caught outside the circle even more harrowing than it already is.
There are a lot of possibilities to make zombies a bigger part of the Blackout experience, even if those possibilities are relegated to additional game type options separate from the standard Blackout competition.
Lead, Don't Follow
Blackout does a great job of taking the existing battle royale formula and improving upon it. Perks, weapon selection, improved mechanics, zombies, and streamlined gameplay are all great additions that make playing Blackout familiar yet different. But they all also feel like somewhat superfluous renovations to someone else's building. Blackout is very similar to the current top battle royale titles, and because of that, it feels like it's chasing the current leaders, rather than searching for a path of its own.
Blackout has identified some of the problems of other battle royale titles and fixed them, while also putting a bit of a Call of Duty spin on the whole idea. Going forward, however, Call of Duty needs to do more than just turn out a Call of Duty version of PUBG. What exact shape that might take is tough to guess at, but in a field that's quickly filling up with battle royale options, as well as copycats and knockoffs, it's going to take more than polish and improvements for Blackout to keep players invested long-term.
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