The Mass Effect franchise is currently in a state of suspended animation following the lackluster showing by the series' fourth game, Mass Effect Andromeda. But there's still a big Mass Effect following out there, and developer BioWare knows it--that's why it acknowledges November 7 each year as "N7 Day" with some messaging to fans to remind them of their experiences trying to save the Milky Way Galaxy from the Reaper threat.
And it seems like BioWare boss Casey Hudson just used the studio's N7 Day Twitter post to hint at the future of Mass Effect.
BioWare posted a short video on Twitter mostly made up of people from both the studio and the fan community talking about why they like Mass Effect. It also includes an announcement that the studio turned out a free update for Andromeda on Xbox One X that improves the game's graphics.
What might be the most interesting part is the ending, though, where Hudson makes a statement laden with innuendo: "It means coming into the studio every day, dreaming about what the next great Mass Effect game will be."
Then he stares right into the camera for a long moment as he sips from a Mass Effect mug with the famous Commander Shepard line, "I Should Go," stenciled on the side. What does it mean???
Maybe nothing. After all, it's not like BioWare or its owner, Electronic Arts, ever said Mass Effect was officially canceled--but single-player DLC for Mass Effect Andromeda never materialized, despite some clear setups for some in the story, after that game received a rough reception from both fans and critics. BioWare has been putting its efforts into Anthem, its open-world sci-fi multiplayer game, which is set to release in February.
It sure does seem like Hudson's lingering look at the camera is a meaningful wink to fans, letting them know that the Mass Effect series hasn't been killed off in a boardroom somewhere. And in a blog post in August, Hudson noted that BioWare knows fans want more Mass Effect (and more of its fantasy franchise, Dragon Age), and said the studio has people working on "secret projects," even though he wouldn't enumerate what they might be. So that meaningful look seems like a playful reminder to fans on N7 Day that BioWare hasn't forgotten about them.
There's one the big question of what Mass Effect might look like, post-Andromeda. Would BioWare maintain the course set by the fourth game, which spins off from the original trilogy and takes place in a whole new galaxy, or would that game's rough reception lead to a whole new course?
If Hudson is telling fans to keep the faith for the future of Mass Effect, though, it'll likely be a long time before we hear anything more about it, thanks in part to Anthem. In the meantime, fans might just have to watch BioWare communications for secret messages.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has three distinct multiplayer modes with very different play styles, so Activision and developer Treyarch are alternating with very focused updates. Last week's update focused mostly on the competitive multiplayer, and this week it's Blackout's turn. A new update rolling out tunes weapons and classes in the battle royale mode.
According to the patch notes, the Blightfather has been moved from IX to the Graveyard. This is called a temporary move, but you can take him on if you want to win some special rewards. The Character Missions in the Black Ops 4 Chaos Storyline have also been unlocked, and Character Mission quest item spawn rates have been increased.
Competitive multiplayer received a rotation of new playlists as well. The Featured playlist now includes Team Tactical Moshpit, Mercenary Chaos Moshpit, and Mercenary Hardcore Moshpit. For Zombies, the team says it's continuing to focus most of its efforts on stability. It promises an update on that progress soon.
The game is also hosting a 2X Tier Boost Weekend for Multiplayer and Blackout, plus 2X Nebulium Plasma in Zombies mode, starting on Friday, November 9. It will kick off at 10 AM PT and last through Monday, November 12 at 10 AM PT.
This comes just a few days after the last patch added Gun Game. You can check below for the full patch notes.
Blackout
Playlist Updates
Blightfather added to all playlists.
100-Player Quads added to the Featured playlist.
Maximum players in Solo and Duos playlists changed to 88.
Character Missions
Zombies Chaos Storyline Character Missions now available (Bruno, Diego, Scarlett, and Shaw).
Increased drop rates of Character Mission items.
Weapons (Blackout Only)
Submachine Guns
Increased muzzle velocity on all SMGs. This should provide more consistent gunfights when in SMG range, along with ensuring that SMGs perform as expected in their intended power band when compared to Assault Rifles in Blackout.
Spitfire
Reduced recoil.
Assault Rifles
Rampart 17
Reduced ADS sway.
Reduced recoil.
Tactical Rifles
Auger DMR
Increased re-center speed. We slowed down the re-center due to high performance in our Blackout beta, but have seen the AUGER slightly underperform since release.
Slightly increased muzzle velocity. This should make for more predictable shots when firing at a moving target within the Auger's intended ranges.
Swordfish
Tightened the spread pattern. This should allow more shots to land on target at range.
Light Machine Guns
While some players have found success with the LMGs in Blackout, they're still being passed over by the large majority of players. These changes should help make LMGs more manageable when providing cover fire or engaging targets at range.
Titan
Increased re-center speed.
Reduced re-center pattern offsets for more predictable recoil.
VKM 750
Increased re-center speed.
Reduced re-center pattern offsets.
Hades
Increased re-center speed.
Reduced re-center pattern offsets.
Equipment (Blackout Only)
9-Bang
Removed the 9-Bang from Blackout while we evaluate its place in the gameplay loop.
Concussion Grenade
Increased throw distance.
Increased stack count to 2.
Multiplayer
Playlist Updates
Added Team Tactical Moshpit to Featured Playlist (3v3 TDM, Kill Confirmed, and Search & Destroy).
Added Mercenary Chaos Moshpit to Featured category (6v6 TDM, Domination, Kill Confirmed, and Hardpoint, no parties allowed).
Added Mercenary Hardcore Moshpit to Featured category (Hardcore TDM, Domination, and Kill Confirmed, no parties allowed).
Gun Game and Control now in Featured category.
Gameplay
Resolved an exploit in Search & Destroy where players could change classes after the start of a round to regain Scorestreak progress from the previous round before death.
Resolved an issue in Heist where navigating the Buy Menu with the d-pad could display the description for the previously highlighted item.
Resolved an issue where meleeing friendly Razor Wire in Hardcore game modes would damage players, potentially causing the player who placed the Razor Wire to be kicked for friendly fire.
Miscellaneous
Corrected the description for "Fast Reflexes" Challenge to inform players of requirement to get 5 EKIA in a game shortly after switching weapons with Dexterity, Overkill, and Laser Sight.
Zombies
Stability
Resolved 2 specific crashes in the IX Main Quest.
Resolved a crash related to banner challenges in IX.
Resolved a crash that occurred when the Shield broke while the player had the Victorious Tortoise Perk active.
Gameplay
Resolved an issue where players could end up in a permanently downed state if they are revived as a self-revive is being completed.
Resolved an issue where picking up the Max Ammo power-up while Bandolier is active did not give additional ammo if the weapon was at its normal Max Ammo capacity.
Miscellaneous
Resolved UI issues caused by opening the Paintshop after personalizing a weapon in the Armory.
Resolved an issue where players could equip Talismans in Local Play.
Changed Aftertaste Elixir description to reflect its 5-minute duration.
Changed Arsenal Accelerator Elixir description to reflect its 2-minute duration.
General
Challenges
Resolved an issue where level-restricted Challenges could be locked again after Prestiging.
PC Version
General
Added Audio Presets to Options.
Resolved an issue where the rotation icon would appear when highlighting any items in the Black Market.
Zombies
Resolved an issue where players would be forcefully defeated when using the Fast Travel from Transverse Tunnel to reach the Cafeteria before opening its door in Blood of the Dead.
Resolved an issue where Warpaints could not be removed after being applied.
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.
BioWare has announced that the Xbox One version of Mass Effect: Andromeda is now X-enhanced. The patch enhances Andromeda on Xbox One X, offering better resolution and HDR support.
The new update is a part of 2018's N7 Day celebration. N7 Day is an annual celebration of Mass Effect games, comics, movies, and culture that occurs on November 7. BioWare usually uses the date to announce new updates or expansions for old Mass Effect games.
During the announcement video for the new update, BioWare also teased the next Mass Effect game. After Andromeda's less than stellar launch, BioWare put work on the Mass Effect series on hiatus, and hasn't revealed concrete details about what the next game in the franchise might look like. However, earlier in the year, BioWare general manager Casey Hudson revealed that work on something new had begun.
"Our Star Wars: The Old Republic team is hard at work on some amazing plans for the coming year, with new features and surprises that I think makes it the game's most exciting year yet," wrote Hudson in a blog post. "And yes--we hear loud and clear the interest in BioWare doing more Dragon Age and Mass Effect, so rest assured that we have some teams hidden away working on some secret stuff that I think you'll really like--we're just not ready to talk about any of it for a little while…"
In our Mass Effect: Andromeda review, Scott Butterworth gave the game a 6/10, writing, "The game can't escape its shortcomings, but patient explorers can still find a few stars shining in the darkness."
Mass Effect: Andromeda is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Along with online play and cloud saves, the Nintendo Switch Online service gives subscribers access to a library of classic NES games, which Nintendo plans to regularly expand with more titles each month. October's update brought NES Open, Super Dodge Ball, and Solomon's Key to the service, and now another batch of NES games is set to arrive next week.
Nintendo is rolling out three more NES games for Nintendo Switch Online on Wednesday, November 14. This month's additions include Konami's top-down shoot-'em-up TwinBee, the platformer Mighty Bomb Jack, and Nintendo's classic sci-fi adventure, Metroid. You can take a look at each game in the trailer below.
On top of the three titles Nintendo added to the NES library last month, October's update included an additional surprise: a special save data of The Legend of Zelda that gives players access to Link's entire arsenal of weapons and a ton of Rupees from the outset. The company has teased that more "fun new entry points into fan-favorite games" are on the way, so next week's batch of games may also include a similar surprise.
All of the NES games on Switch support online play, though in the case of traditionally single-player titles like Metroid, that comes in the form of screen sharing and "passing" control of the game back and forth. If you need help figuring out how to set up a session, we've outlined how to play Switch's NES games online. Switch Online subscribers can also pre-order a set of NES-style Joy-Con controllers, which are scheduled to start shipping out in mid-December.
Though Black Friday 2018 isn't here just yet, we've already caught wind of a number of planned deals. One of which we've highlighted here is for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, the current game in the long-running series. In addition to featuring the traditional multiplayer and zombies modes, Treyarch's newest entry debuted the franchise's first jump into the battle royale craze with Blackout, which is among the game's most well-received offerings.
The listings for these deals come from a recent Target ad showcasing upcoming sales, including Assassin's Creed Odyssey, God of War, Madden 19, and Soul Calibur VI. As of the time of this post, these Black Friday deals are not yet available, so going to these sites now will only show the current retail price. However, once Black Friday rolls around, you'll be able to claim these titles at a discounted price.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is no doubt one of the more experimental entries in recent years, yet it still offered a satisfying package to dive into. While last year's World War II was well received, Black Ops 4 offered a larger focus on giving players new ways to experience COD gameplay across its key gameplay pillars, which includes multiplayer, zombies--featuring multiple storylines and levels--the new Blackout battle royale game type, and a light story mode focusing on each of the playable Specialists.
Reviews editor Kallie Plagge gave the game an 8 in our review of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and stated: "Black Ops 4 isn't short on content, and its three main modes are substantial. Multiplayer introduces more tactical mechanics without forcing you into them, and it largely strikes a good balance. Zombies has multiple deep, secret-filled maps to explore, though its returning characters don't hold up and prove distracting. Finally, Blackout pushes Call of Duty in an entirely new direction, making use of aspects from both multiplayer and Zombies for a take on the battle royale genre that stands on its own. Sure, there isn't a traditional single-player campaign, but with the depth and breadth of what is there, Black Ops 4 doesn't need it."
Here are the links to the deals you can find on Target, and we'll update this post with any other deals that come in from other retailers. If you're at all curious about World War II, there is also a planned Target deal for Call of Duty: WWII as well for $25. Again, these deals won't go live till Black Friday, which takes place on November 23. Be sure to check back with GameSpot and other deals going live sometime later.
Everyone knows the biggest shopping day of the year is Black Friday, and this year's monster sales event lands on November 23 (although some deals will be available on Thanksgiving Day). It's the time when all the biggest retailers drop prices on items of all kinds--from video games and movies to TVs and furniture--in an effort to make a killing as the holiday shopping season begins.
Just like with any situation that can put a hefty strain on your bank account, it's best to go into Black Friday prepared. We've already covered what to expect from Black Friday 2018, but below we've compiled some of the smartest ways to save as much money as possible on the things you want, while still being financially responsible.
1. Make a List Beforehand
Once the deals start to appear, it's easy to get swept up in the hype and go on a spending spree. When that happens, though, it's all too easy to end up with a pile of items you don't actually need. If you make a list of all of the items you really want before the Black Friday deals start to appear, you'll be better prepared to stick to the list and let the inessential deals pass you by, no matter how good the prices are.
2. Check the Ads
Nearly all of the big retailers that participate in Black Friday--with the exception of Amazon--release Black Friday ads a week or two before the big event. You can find these pretty easily on their websites. Take a look at the ads and make a plan for which items you want to buy, and where. Because stock can run out fast on the best deals, prioritize your purchases and plan what you want to buy and when it will be available.
3. Make a Budget
Getting great deals is a positive thing, but overextending yourself financially is not. If money is tight, a central part of your Black Friday planning should be making a budget and pledging to stick to it. Budgeting might not be the most fun or glamorous thing to do, but will help you out enormously in the long run.
4. Use Social Media
For real-time updates on when Black Friday sales go live, your best resource is social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. You can follow GameSpot Deals on Twitter to find bargains on video games, consoles, and accessories. Another great resource is SlickDeals, a sale-tracking site that surfaces the best deals in just about every product category (it has a Twitter account as well).
5. Comparison Shop
If you see a deal you want, it's always a good idea to check the item's price at other retailers before you buy. The only potential issue on Black Friday is missing out on highly sought-after items because you spent too much time looking elsewhere. So unless the deal you're considering is a doorbuster, you don't have anything to lose by exercising due diligence and comparing prices.
6. Check Price History
Unfortunately, not all of the deals you'll see on Black Friday represent top-of-the-line savings. To make sure the item you're about to buy is a good deal, it's wise to check a price history tracker like Camelcamelcamel. There, you can see how low the price has dropped in the past and how often it fluctuates, which can help you determine if now is a good time to buy.
7. Don't Get Bummed If You See a Better Deal Later
Once Black Friday rolls around, you'll see deals popping up left and right. Doorbusters will go in and out of stock, Amazon's Lightning Deals will flicker into existence before vanishing, and surprise deals will arrive at random. If you make a purchase and then see a better deal later, don't be too upset.
For one thing, you might be able to return the item you paid a higher price for. Just make sure to look at the retailer's return policy before buying at the lower price, because you might have to pay a restocking fee or cover the cost of return shipping. At that point, the better deal might not actually save you money once all is said and done.
Those are our Black Friday shopping tips. Let us know in the comments if you have tips of your own.
WWE's next major event is Survivor Series. The fall PPV pits superstars from both Raw and Smackdown, which is one of the two times during the year you get to see this--with the other being Money in the Bank. All of the champions from both shows will compete against each other, and both Raw and Smackdown will have three different traditional Survivor Series elimination matches as well.
The PPV comes to the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on Sunday, November 18 with the main card starting at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT and a Kickoff Show most likely starting two hours prior. The schedule for the day of the event is not up, but major WWE events like Summerslam, Royal Rumble, and Wrestlemania tend to have a longer pre-show. You can watch both the Kickoff and main card for yourself on traditional PPV through your TV provider or on the WWE Network.
It's going to be a big evening to determine which show is the dominant brand. As of this writing, there are seven matches on the card with more than a week before the event airs. Of course, we'll see Raw's Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar, take on Smackdown's WWE Champion, AJ Styles. Lesnar recently won the vacated title after a battle with Braun Strowman at Crown Jewel. This is the exact same match fans got at Survivor Series in 2017. Additionally, another former UFC fighter will also be defending her title. Raw Women's Champion Ronda Rousey takes on Smackdown Women's Champion Becky Lynch.
Below, you'll find the match card for Survivor Series, but keep in mind that many of these matches are not finalized. The traditional 5-on-5 elimination matches are coming together, and below the main match card, we've listed out the competitors booked for each match, so far.
Survivor Series Match Card:
Universal Champion Brock Lesnar vs. WWE Champion AJ Styles
Raw Women's Champion Ronda Rousey vs. SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch
Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins vs. United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura
Women's Survivor Series Match*
Men's Survivor Series Match*
Tag Team Survivor Series Match*
Raw Tag Team Champions AOP vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Bar
*=Not finalized
Women's Survivor Series Teams
Raw:
No one confirmed yet
Smackdown:
Sonya Deville
Carmella
Asuka
Naomi
Tag Team Survivor Series Teams
Raw:
No one confirmed yet
Smackdown:
The Usos
The New Day (Unknown which two of the three members will be involved.
Men's Survivor Series Teams
Raw:
Drew McIntyre
Dolph Ziggler
Braun Strowman
Smackdown:
Shane McMahon
Daniel Bryan
The Miz
Samoa Joe
Rey Mysterio
Make sure to come back to GameSpot on Sunday, November 18 for live coverage and a review of Survivor Series.
It's nearing Thanksgiving, and that means the infamous Black Friday is right around the corner. It's a day where a sea of people invade retail stores like White Walkers trying to get past The Wall. Kohl's--a story primarily known as a clothing retailer--has a few deals that may be up your alley, including gaming. From TVs to a ton of smart home products and smart watches, Kohl's giant Black Friday circular has a plethora of items available on the shopping holiday.
Many of these deals are available online and in store, but the doorbuster deals begin online at 1:01 AM ET on Thursday, November 22 and in stores at 5 PM, locally, the same day, but check with your participating local Kohl's store in case its hours vary. The standard Black Friday deals begin online at 1:01 AM ET on Monday, November 19 and in stores at 5 PM local time on November 22.
While there are plenty of items discounted for the event, Kohl's is also offering $15 Kohl's Cash for every $50 you spend, which can be redeemed between November 24-December 5. You can save 15% more online when you use promo code CHEERFUL at checkout. Additionally, there is a barcode in the circular that has the same effect but it can only be used in stores, at checkout.
Kohl's isn't offering much in the way of televisions, but it does have a couple deals. There is a 49" LG 4K Smart TV for $330 (originally $450), and a 58" Samsung 4K Smart TV for $550 (originally $900). Supplies will be limited for both of these doorbuster sales, so it's first come, first served, and coupons do not apply to either of these televisions.
If you're looking to smarten up your house, Kohl's has multiple products on sale, all of which are doorbusters, so you'll have to act fast if you want them. Both the Nest Thermostat and Nest Video Doorbell will be on sale for $180 each. Kohl's has plenty of smart speakers as well. The Amazon Echo ($70), Echo Dot ($24), and Echo Spot ($90) will all be part of the doorbuster deals.
Check out some of the best Black Friday deals from Kohl's below. It's still early, and more may be added to the Black Friday list, so we'll keep you updated if there are any changes.
Don't look now, but Black Friday is barreling toward us like a freight train--a freight train that's full of deals. For 2018, Black Friday takes place on November 23, and while that might still be a few weeks from now, it's not too early to start planning. If you're in the market for a PS4 console, accessories, or games--whether it's a gift for someone else or a gift for yourself--you likely won't find lower prices at any other time of year. We've gathered all of the PlayStation 4 deals announced so far into one place so you can get the best deal on whatever it is you're looking for. We'll keep this article updated as more retailers announce their Black Friday plans, so check back later; for now, the big ad we've gotten is from Target.
When it comes to PS4 consoles, the best deal announced so far is from Target, whose doorbuster deal will get you a PlayStation 4 Slim 1TB and Spider-Man as a pack-in game for $200. That's a great deal, seeing as the console normally costs around $300 and Spider-Man costs $60. Alternately, you can get PlayStation 4 Slim 500 GB from Sam's Club for $229, but you'll need a membership.
In terms of accessories, another doorbuster Target will offer is a PlayStation VR bundle that comes with a camera, Move controllers, Creed: Rise to Glory, and Superhot VR, all for $250. Also, both Target and Kohl's will have DualShock 4 controllers available for $40.
They don't call it the Wasteland for nothing in the Fallout series. The series' nuclear war-ravaged world is complete with things like mutated creatures, radiation-soaked zombies, and plenty of other frightening creatures that hunt anybody foolish enough to go wandering around. But despite the hardships of the post-apocalypse, the Fallout series has also always had its survivors, whether they're farmers learning to cultivate an irradiated world, organizations hoping to rebuild society, or warlords trying to rule whatever's left.
Fallout 76 takes a different approach. Rather than the usual single-player RPG that finds players leaving an underground Vault to explore the Wasteland and meet the people who live in it, Fallout 76 removes NPCs and replaces them with other players.
The result is a Fallout game that feels a bit strange. Through about eight hours in various sessions of the Fallout 76 beta, it's been hard to shake a feeling of loneliness while playing a game devoid of characters. Even though you're surrounded by other players from the start, there's a feeling that West Virginia is already dead, and you're picking clean its corpse.
The creepy feeling comes early in the game, after you leave Vault 76, where you've waited out the first 20 years of nuclear fallout. Your job as one of Vault-Tec's best and brightest is to rebuild the world. You're a little late doing that at the start of the game, thanks to over-partying the night before the Vault opens. As a result, the main quest at the beginning of the game has you following the Vault's former Overseer as she travels the world hoping to find and take control of three remaining nuclear missile silos--ostensibly to keep those weapons from ever being used again.
Tracking the Overseer's path through the Wasteland takes you the town of Flatwoods near the Vault, where you learn about some folks trying to make the post-apocalypse a better place: the Responders. This group, mostly consisting of former first-responders like paramedics and firefighters, roam the Wasteland looking to help people, and have set up several communities for that purpose. When you arrive in their town, you take part in an automated process to join up as a volunteer. It's a tutorial that has you wandering around town, trying to find the people who can teach you to cook, clean your water, and perform other essential survival tasks. The state of the town makes what you're going to find a foregone conclusion, though, and before long you confirm that none of the nice people of Flatwoods has survived.
Your Responder volunteer training continues apace, thanks to audio diaries left behind by the Responders who didn't make it, and which give you a sense of the lives they lived as they fought to survive their new world. Before long, you intercept a Responder radio signal that directs you to their headquarters at Morgantown, a larger city with an airport. The signal is pretty desperate: the Responders are expecting an attack by zombie-like people called the Scorched, and they need all hands on deck in order to repel it.
Spoiler alert: They didn't.
Fallout 76's lack of NPCs turns its setting into a ghost world, with the player arriving just after the worst has already happened. Stumble on the cabin of an old moonshiner and you might find evidence of his existence, but not the man himself. Head over to Grafton, a town where the mayor is broadcasting a radio signal asking for assistance, and you find the humans are dead and a computer is running the show. The world of West Virginia was full of people before--it just isn't anymore.
Contrast that with previous Fallout games and it becomes clear why Fallout 76 just feels a bit off. In past games, pretty much the first thing players do is stumble into post-apocalyptic civilization, where the people of the Wasteland aren't just eking out lives for themselves, but often thriving. One of the first people you meet in Megaton, the first town in Fallout 3, is its sheriff, which shows that the settlement isn't just a bunch of people barely hanging on, but one that has laws, and someone to enforce them. Places like Diamond City in Fallout 4, or the Strip in New Vegas, show just how strong civilization can become. These aren't just places where you pick up quests, they're evidence that Wasteland life continues. They make the world feel substantial and lived-in, and they give your actions in that world stakes.
Fallout 76 makes its approach a little more uncanny by constantly supplying audio diaries and information about those lost souls in whose wakes you follow. A group of audio tapes left by the Responders called Survivor Stories gives the characters just enough backstory to make their absences more haunting. Your path following the Overseer is similarly replete with bits of character-building audio, as your leader visits the important places from her pre-Vault life and talks about her memories. All these tiny stories are well-written and well-acted, which makes them stand out even more. There was life in the Wasteland in Fallout 76--we just missed it.
Adding other players to Fallout 76 at the expense of NPCs is a trade that sacrifices something essential about the Fallout games. The series has always been both somber and satirical in equal measure, but at its heart it was at least a little bit hopeful. The world didn't end when the nukes fell, it just changed.
Filling the Wasteland of Fallout 76 with players doesn't make it feel any less dead. We might build camps and buildings, but it's likely we'll all eventually put on party hats and aviator sunglasses, flash goofy emotes at each other, and try to murder each other. There's a transitory lightness to the multiplayer side of games like this that no amount of audio logs can overcome.
Without characters, Fallout 76 has no narrative balance against the people just screwing around in the Wasteland, and therefore, nothing to make the world feel substantial. It's sad, because the fascinating, engrossing stories of the people who once populated Fallout's West Virginia are there. They're just not around to make you care anymore.
We're still a ways off from the last season of Game of Thrones, slated to air sometime in early 2019, but some info about the show's last six episodes is finally starting to come out. Specifically, we know how the final battle for Westeros against the White Walkers will begin: with the Mother of Dragons arriving in the North.
Entertainment Weekly released a long cover feature full of tidbits about the final season, and while HBO has been extremely protective of spoilers and secrets, showrunners DB Weiss and David Benioff did give a few hints about what we can expect. Up first is the beginning of the final season, in which at least a few of the leaders of Westeros converge on Winterfell, the seat of House Stark and the fortress that's the centerpiece of humanity's defense against the Night King's undead army.
The opening of Season 8 will mirror that of Season 1, with Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) riding to Winterfell with her armies in preparation for the arrival of the Army of the Dead. It's a deliberate call all the way back to the first episode in 2011, when King Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) rode to Winterfell to ask his old friend, Ned Stark (Sean Bean), to return to King's Landing as his Hand of the King. That request kicked off years of warfare and led to many tragic deaths, and given that this is Game of Thrones, it's definitely not unreasonable to expect Daenerys's arrival could result in the same.
"It's about all of these disparate characters coming together to face a common enemy, dealing with their own past, and defining the person they want to be in the face of certain death," co-executive producer Bryan Cogman told EW. "It's an incredibly emotional, haunting, bittersweet final season, and I think it honors very much what George set out to do--which is flipping this kind of story on its head."
Season 8 in general will be about characters we've been following throughout the show finally meeting each other, and the results of those interactions, and potential conflicts. Game of Thrones has always had the threat of the White Walkers looming in the distance, but the show is really about the characters and politics of Westeros and their endless battles for power. Those dynamics still exist in Season 8; for one thing, Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), the Lady of Winterfell, is not super happy that her brother Jon Snow (Kit Harington) bent the knee to Daenerys last season.
Regardless of whether the humans work out their differences--there's still the treacherous Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) down south in King's Landing, likely plotting something awful--the dead are coming. EW's report also discusses the massive battle that will inevitably take place in Winterfell, noting that one episode is going to be wall-to-wall action in Winterfell. According to Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister, the battle in Season 8 makes the massive Battle of the Bastards at Winterfell in Season 6 "look like a theme park." In fact, the epic scale of Season 8 once led Benioff and Weiss to speculate about releasing it as three standalone movies instead of a season of TV.
Other than the broad strokes, the rest of what might happen in Season 8 is still largely unknown. There might be a few clues in the recently released Game of Thrones tie-in game, Reigns: Game of Thrones, but we're stuck speculating until the show's 2019 release. Game of Thrones won't end there, though--the show's first prequel, set thousands of years before the current series, is now casting.
The latest update for Fortnite has arrived, and it introduces a variety of new content on the Battle Royale and Save the World sides of the game. Update 6.22 is out now, and Epic Games has shared the full patch notes that cover all the additions and changes, including some new limited-time modes and a weapon. Here's what's new.
The new gun is the Heavy AR, which was announced through the in-game news feed recently. It comes in Rare, Epic, and Legendary forms, and you'll find it in chests, vending machines, and supply drops, and as floor loot. Another notable item-related change is a significant decrease in the drop rate of the recently added balloons.
The first of the new LTMs is Team Terror. It pits two teams of 32 against each other with the goal of wiping out the opposing side. The wrinkle is that Cube Monsters, the enemies that players had to contend with during the recent Fortnitemares event, will also attack you. Of course, they can drop some nice loot, so it might make sense to deal with them before enemy players.
The second LTM is the returning Blitz. This takes the basic Battle Royale gameplay and speeds things up, as the storm circle begins closing in right from the start of the match. It will also close in more frequently than usual, leading to matches that should last no longer than 15 minutes. To further speed things up, there's more loot to find around the map.
You can check out the patch notes for the Fortnite: Battle Royale below. Head to the Fortnite website to see what's new with the Save the World mode--that includes a continuation of the co-op mode's Fortnitemares event.
Epic Games also recently announced a partnership with the NFL to bring football skins to Fortnite. These will be based on real-world jerseys, and although they're featured on Epic's patch notes page for this update, they're set to arrive later this week. The outfits will be available for purchase from Fortnite's in-game shop, but Epic hasn't announced pricing details yet. All 32 NFL teams will be represented, and Epic says you'll also be able to customize your jersey with any number from 0-99. The skins will be available in the store beginning at 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET on November 9.
Fortnite: Battle Royale Update 6.22 Patch Notes
Limited-Time Event: Team Terror
Summary
Monsters have invadsed the Battle Royale island! Two teams will battle it out as Cube Monsters monsters join the fight. Defeat the other team to earn a Victory Royale.
Mode Details
Two teams of 32 players. Eliminate the other team to win.
Monster spawners are scattered throughout the map and also appear each time the storm closes in to a new circle.
Monsters can drop weapons or ammo when destroyed. Gold monsters and monster spawners drop Legendary items when destroyed.
Farming resources increased 75% over default.
Increased floor loot spawn likelihood by 15%.
Floor loot spawns double ammo.
Ammo boxes spawn triple ammo.
Chests spawn double ammo & consumables.
Supply drops spawn double ammo, and an extra consumable, resource drop and trap.
Limited-Time Event: Blitz!
Summary
Blitz is a faster-paced version of Battle Royale. The match begins with the storm moving towards the island, and the delay between each circle is shorter than normal, creating matches that are 15 minutes long or less. The map also has extra loot and resources. Profile Stats count in this mode, so fight hard for the Victory Royale!
Mode Details
The storm is already moving in at the beginning of the match, choose your landing spot carefully!
Wait time between storms is significantly shorter than usual; maximum match length is 15 minutes.
Increased chances of treasure chests spawning from 50-70% to 80-90%.
Increased chances of ammo boxes spawning from 65-80% to 85-95%.
Reduced empty floor loot spawn chance from 21.5% to 3.55%
Resource harvesting amounts increased by 50%.
Increased materials found on the ground from 30 to 60 per instance.
Increased number, spawn rate & the descent speed of Supply Drops.
Increased number of llamas spawned by 4x.
Removed shopping carts.
Weapons + Items
Heavy Assault Rifle
Can be found in floor loot, chests, Vending Machines, and Supply Drops
Available in Rare, Epic and Legendary Variants
Deals 44 / 46 / 48 damage
3.75 Fire Rate
Has a magazine size of 25
The Pumpkin Launcher has been reverted back to the standard Rocket Launcher.
We've reduced the spawn rate of Balloons from 12.2% to 2.3%.
Gameplay
Storm max damage cap changed back to 8 damage from 10 damage.
Bug Fixes
Players hit by a Boogie Bomb while holding Balloons will no longer have physics issues. They will now properly drop the Balloons.
We're another week into Season 6 of Fortnite, which means a new set of challenges is now available to complete on your platform of choice, whether that be PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, or mobile. As usual, Week 6's challenges are broken up into two categories--Free and Battle Pass--and consist of some fairly straightforward tasks. However, there is one that may give you a bit of trouble if you don't know where to look, so we've put together this handy guide on finding the sheet music and pianos in Pleasant Park.
One of the Hard-level challenges for Battle Pass owners in Week 6 is to find sheet music in Pleasant Park. This itself is simple enough; you'll see a stand with the sheet music in one of the houses in the area, and you'll need to collect it to unlock the next step of this four-stage challenge. Once you've found the sheet music, you'll need to play it on two giant piano keyboards scattered around the island.
You won't need to travel very far to make it to the first piano; it can be found on the hill just to the west of Pleasant Park, fairly close to where the sheet music was located. Once you've made it to the piano, you'll need to jump on the keys in the right order to move on to the next step. Fortunately, you'll see a stand with the sheet music near the keyboard, so all you need to do is follow the order written on it to complete this step. However, you'll need to be alone in the area before you can play the music, as other players who also try to use the same piano will interrupt your progress.
Once you've completed this step, you'll be tasked with collecting another piece of sheet music, this one located in a building in Retail Row. After you've found it, you'll need to head just east of the area to find the second piano. Just as before, play the keys in the right order and you'll complete the challenge. For a closer look at exactly where you need to go, you can watch us complete the challenge in the video at the top of this guide.
With that done, you'll be one step closer to unlocking the new Season 6 cosmetics and rewards. The other challenges from Week 6 are all fairly straightforward. Most require you to either eliminate opponents with a particular weapon or place the new Chiller trap in different matches, all of which can be accomplished with a little persistence. You can see the full list of Week 6 challenges below. For tips on previous missions, be sure to check out our complete Fortnite Season 6 challenge roundup.
Fortnite Season 6, Week 6 Challenges
Free
Place Chillers in different matches (3) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search a Chest in different Named Locations (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Shotgun Eliminations (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
Battle Pass
Land at Shifty Shafts (Part 1 of 5) -- 1 Battle Star
Deal damage with a pickaxe to opponents (250) -- 5 Battle Stars
Find the Sheet Music in Pleasant Park (Part 1 of 4) -- 2 Battle Stars
Elimination with a Common weapon (Part 1 of 5) -- 2 Battle Stars
I think it's fair to say that the most important news out of BlizzCon was the reveal of BOB, a companion of Overwatch's new hero, Ashe. BOB (Big Omnic Bodyguard/Butler) was one of a number of individuals in the Reunion animated short that looked as if they could be a new playable character, a fact that Blizzard itself even acknowledged during the opening ceremony. Soon after that video premiered, Blizzard announced that it was Ashe who would be Hero 29, and that BOB (and his little hat) would instead serve as her Ultimate ability. BOB could have taken the news badly, but he's just happy to be here.
Ashe is now live on the PTR, and Twitch user ESL_OneAmongstMany has done us all a favor by jumping into the game and waving at dear BOB. As you'd expect from such a lovable, instantly classic character, he doesn't ignore the gesture. Have a look:
Yes, when you wave at BOB, he waves back. We've verified this discovery and frankly, it's the sort of thing that should vault Overwatch into the Game of the Year conversation despite it having launched in 2016. BOB just might not be able to make the awards because I assume he'll be too busy starring in his own franchise of films that shame everything up to and including Citizen Kane.
As for Ashe, you can get a full breakdown of her abilities from BlizzCon. If you own Overwatch on PC, you can jump into the PTR now to try her (and BOB) for yourself before they hit the live game on PC, PS4, and Xbox One sometime in the near future. Blizzard hasn't yet announced an exact release date, but the one thing we know for sure is that BOB is already perfect.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will spend roughly a year after its launch adding more characters, stages, and music tracks via downloadable content. Don't waste time starting that letter campaign for Dixie Kong, though--director Masahiro Sakurai says the roster is already locked.
"Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's DLC line-up is now complete," Sakurai said in a tweet. "This time the selection was made entirely by Nintendo. I decide if we can create a fighter based on their selection, then come up with the plan."
The phrasing does note that the selections were already made "this time," leaving the door open for another series of DLC content to follow that could include fan requests. The community has been vocal about some of their favorite characters, including Waluigi, Banjo-Kazooie, and others. Of course, he could have simply been contrasting this time with last time, meaning the last Smash Bros. game.
Six downloadable characters are coming in all. The first, Piranha Plant, will be available for free for everyone who purchases and registers the game by January 31, 2019. He'll come later as a purchasable character. Five more fighters will be added in DLC packs that are bundled with an additional stage and some new music tracks. Those packs will cost $6 apiece, and a Fighter's Pass bundle will get you all of them for $25. Buying the Fighter's Pass will also get you an outfit based on Rex from Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
The announcement of Piranha Plant and the DLC fighters came alongside the last two roster reveals in the main game: Ken and Incineroar. That announcement also debuted the final mode, Spirits, which has you take on a series of challenges to earn equippable character buffs. That Nintendo Direct mentioned that the DLC wasn't locked down yet, so the character selections may be very recent.
Smash Bros. Ultimate releases on December 7 for Nintendo Switch.
November has begun, and that means it's almost time to spend the day gorging yourself on turkey, making sure to avoid the family you're forced to hang out with. What better way to avoid forced conversation than sitting around the television, watching Netflix, together? Netflix has revealed what is coming to its service for the full month of November 2018, as well as what is leaving the subscription service. You can also check out the video above for some recommendations.
Kicking off the month, Netflix brought a slew of movies on Thursday, November 1. If you haven't seen it yet, you'll need to watch From Dusk Till Dawn. The 1996 action/horror film is by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino and follows two criminals on the run who take a family in an RV hostage. They all end up at a strip club in Mexico that's filled with vampires. Also now on the service is Cape Fear, Marvel's Doctor Strange, and Sixteen Candles.
If Netflix's originals are more up your alley, then you're in luck, as there are 46 movies and series coming in November. Most notable is the return of House of Cards, for Season 6, which will be its final season. This time around, Kevin Spacey won't be involved after sexual abuse allegations came out against the House of Cards star. The final season will follow Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) as the President of the United States, which was revealed in the first trailer.
There are plenty of other original series to get excited about as well. Mystery Science Theater 3000 returns for another season to make fun of some terrible, old movies, coming November 22. Also, She-Ra--He-Man's superpowered cousin--is getting a fun and bubbly reboot on November 16. Along with a new collection of The Great British Baking Show on November 9, you'll have a ton to watch.
The full the list for Netflix is below, and make sure to check out what's coming to Hulu and Amazon for the month of November as well.
Everything coming to Netflix in November
Avail. 11/1/18
Angela's Christmas-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Bring It On: In It to Win It
Cape Fear
Children of Men
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Cloverfield
Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
Doctor Strange
Fair Game - Director's Cut
Follow This: Part 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
From Dusk Till Dawn
Good Will Hunting
Jet Li's Fearless
Julie & Julia
Katt Williams: The Pimp Chronicles: Pt. 1
National Lampoon's Animal House
Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow
Planet Hulk
Scary Movie 2
Scary Movie 3
Sex and the City: The Movie
Sixteen Candles
Stink!
The English Patient
The Judgement-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
Transcendence
Vaya
Avail. 11/2/18
Brainchild-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
House of Cards: Season 6-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
ReMastered: Tricky Dick & The Man in Black-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Holiday Calendar-- NETFLIX FILM
The Other Side of the Wind-- NETFLIX FILM
They'll Love Me When I'm Dead-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Trolls: The Beat Goes On!: Season 4-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/3/18
Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil
Avail. 11/4/18
Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj (Streaming Every Sunday, begins October 28)-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/5/18
Homecoming: Season 1
John Leguizamo's Latin History for Morons-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/7/18
Into the Forest
Avail. 11/8/18
The Sea of Trees
Avail. 11/9/18
Beat Bugs: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
La Reina del Flow-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Medal of Honor-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Outlaw King-- NETFLIX FILM
Spirit Riding Free: Season 7-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Super Drags-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Great British Baking Show: Collection 6-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Treehouse Detectives: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Westside-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/12/18
Green Room
Avail. 11/13/18
Loudon Wainwright III: Surviving Twin-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Oh My Ghost-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Warrior-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/15/18
May The Devil Take You-- NETFLIX FILM
The Crew-- NETFLIX FILM
Avail. 11/16/18
Cam-- NETFLIX FILM
Narcos: Mexico-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Ponysitters Club: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Prince of Peoria-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs-- NETFLIX FILM
The Break-Up
The Kominsky Method-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Princess Switch-- NETFLIX FILM
Avail. 11/18/18
The Pixar Story
Avail. 11/19/18
The Last Kingdom: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/20/18
Kulipari: Dream Walker-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Motown Magic-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Sabrina-- NETFLIX FILM
The Final Table-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Trevor Noah: Son of Patricia-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/21/18
The Tribe-- NETFLIX FILM
Avail. 11/22/18
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Gauntlet-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Christmas Chronicles-- NETFLIX FILM
Avail. 11/23/18
Frontier: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Fugitiva-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Sick Note-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Sick Note: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
To Build or Not to Build: Season 2
Avail. 11/25/18
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Best Gift Ever
Avail. 11/27/18
Bumping Mics with Jeff Ross & Dave Attel-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Avail. 11/29/18
Pocoyo: Season 4
Avail. 11/30/18
1983-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding-- NETFLIX FILM
Baby-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Death by Magic-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
F is for Family: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Happy as Lazzaro-- NETFLIX FILM
Rajma Chawal-- NETFLIX FILM
Spy Kids: Mission Critical: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The World Is Yours-- NETFLIX FILM
Tiempo compartido-- NETFLIX FILM
Leaving Netflix in November
Leaving 11/1/18
Amelie
Crossfire
Cruel Intentions
Cruel Intentions 2
Cruel Intentions 3
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park III
Oculus
Phenomenon
Run to me
Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball
Steel Magnolias
The Invasion
The Land Before Time
The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure
The Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving
Fortnite has opened up a new set of limited-time challenges in honor of everyone's favorite sentient otherworldly cube, though it might already be too late to qualify for them. Your reward for completing the event is a Kevin the Cube to call your own, nicknamed Lil' Kev, as a new piece of back bling.
The event takes place in two phases. First, you had to log on prior to 1 PM ET on November 5 to unlock the Lil' Kev challenge pack--in other words, if you didn't get in before that deadline, you have no way to obtain these challenges and the accompany back bling. Provided you did get online, doing so provides you with a set of three challenges, which themselves are pretty simple. You'll have until November 11 at 1 PM ET to finish them to earn the back bling.
Unlike Fortnite's weekly challenges, which are usually catered toward some specific seasonal content, these challenges will be naturally obtained if you play some Fortnite over the coming week. You'll get completion simply by playing matches, earning XP, and outliving opponents. You'll need to play a minimum of 15 games to complete all three.
If you're still looking to complete this season's Battle Pass and earn your Season 6 rewards, check out our challenges guide. You can tote a new weapon into battle soon, since Epic has been teasing the addition of a new heavy assault rifle to the game that could drop any time. And if you're a Kevin fan that somehow missed the big world event over the weekend, check out our recap. The cube has been busy making all sorts of weirdness happen in the world.
It's a new week, so of course the PlayStation Store has a new batch of deals available that can save you a heap of cash on some terrific PS4, PS3, and PS Vita games. Additionally, last week's Double Discount Sale continues, meaning PS Plus members get extra savings on many of the on-sale items. Just make sure to secure your purchases by November 13, when these deals go away.
But before you go on a spending spree, you might want to take a peek at our PS4 Black Friday roundup, which will be consistently updated with the best deals on PS4 consoles, bundles, games, and accessories. Some big savings have already been announced, so check there to start planning your Black Friday shopping spree.
Back on the PlayStation Store, you can create your own deadly theme park in Jurassic World Evolution for $51 (or $42 with PS Plus); just try to keep the dinosaurs in their pens. With Battlefield V launching later this month, you might want to grab the previous installment, Battlefield 1, for $24 ($8). And if a trippy version of Tetris sounds like your kind of thing, the you can pre-order Tetris Effect on sale for $36 before its release on November 9 (you can play it in PSVR, too).
If you want to drop in on the Japanese crime world, you can pick up Yakuza 0 for $18 ($16) or Yakuza 6: The Song of Life for $45 ($30). Perhaps you're looking to build a real-life skill. If so, for $21 ($12) you can get Rocksmith 2014 Remastered and learn how to play guitar. Or you can just build a digital metropolis in Cities: Skylines for $30 ($20).
You'll find more selections below, and you can check out all of this week's deals here.
With Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee set to arrive on Nintendo Switch in a little over a week, The Pokemon Company is ramping up excitement for their release with another new trailer. While the last one gave us our first glimpse at Lavender Town, this video showcases some of the challenging trainers who stand in your way of becoming a Pokemon Master. Mild spoilers follow.
The trailer begins with a look at Sabrina, the Psychic-type Gym Leader of Saffron City. We also get a glimpse of the leader of the villainous Team Rocket, Giovanni, as well as a quick look at the Elite Four--the four powerful trainers who await you at the Pokemon League. You'll only be able to challenge the Elite Four after you've collected all eight Gym badges in the Kanto region, and you'll need to defeat them in succession in order to become the champion.
Most notably, the new trailer also reveals that Red and Blue--the protagonist and rival of the original Red, Blue, and Yellow versions--will appear in Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee. From the looks of it, you'll be able to battle them during your adventure, though whether they use their original Pokemon lineup remains to be seen. Red and Blue aren't the only callbacks to the original Gen 1 games, either; at the end of the trailer, you can see a brief glimpse of the female trainer who appeared alongside them in the titles' original artwork.
As The Pokemon Company recently revealed, your adventure doesn't end once you've defeated the Elite Four. After you've become the Pokemon League Champion, powerful new Master Trainers will appear around the region. Each one specializes in one particular Pokemon, and you'll need to battle them using that same Pokemon in order to claim their title.
Believe it or not, Black Friday 2018 is right around the corner--two weeks from this Friday, in fact. The end of the year is approaching, and the holiday season brings with it the biggest shopping day on the calendar in the United States, family time be damned.
Even with a couple weeks to go before Black Friday--it takes place on November 23--we've already begun to get a look at the deals that will be available. Most notably, we've gotten Target's ad early, giving us a look at what will be on sale across games, tech, and entertainment. Sam's Club is also have a pre-Black Friday sale that has some nice deals for game fans.
As always, tracking what's on sale and where can be an overwhelming task, as can determining what the best deals are. We'll be doing our best to help you stay on top of this so you can make the most of Black Friday (and Cyber Monday immediately after that) without having to drown in a sea of circulars and hastily scrawled post-it notes. Below, you'll find our complete coverage of the event; be sure to check back as more ads are revealed in the lead up to the big day.
Platforms
PS4
All PS4 Deals
If you're looking for all things related to PS4, we've collected every deal announced so far for the platform--including consoles, accessories, and games--in one story. Among the highlights is a $200 PS4 bundle that comes with Marvel's Spider-Man at Target.
For a look at all things Xbox One, we've put together a roundup of every announced deal related to the system. That includes deals on consoles, games, and accessories. One of the best offers we've seen so far is a $400 Xbox One X bundle with a whopping $120 in Kohl's Cash from (you guessed it) Kohl's.
Target was the first big store out of the gate to release its Black Friday ad early, and it included a ton of stuff of interest to game fans. You'll find a PS4 with Spider-Man for $200, among other things.
Alongside its game offerings, Target's early Black Friday ad gave us a look at its many movies and TV shows that will be on sale, and it includes some great sub-$10 4K movies.
Black Friday is always a great opportunity to pick up a new TV for relatively cheap, and 4K TVs are among the variety of tech items you'll find discounted at Target.
Kohl's doesn't sell many games, but it oftentimes has some excellent deals come Black Friday. 2018 is no exception, as it might be the best place to buy an Xbox One X.
Kohl's might primarily be a clothes retailer, but it does sell a limited number of electronics, like TVs. These are discounted in addition to netting you some Kohl's Cash.
We should have a firm idea of everything that will be on sale well in advance of Black Friday, but while we wait for all of the ads to come in, we've previewed what to expect from this year's big day. That may help you determine if you should buy something now or wait for a possible deal later this month.
Anybody can walk into a story on Black Friday or browse to a retailer's website, but there are tips and tricks to best approaching it. We've put together a guide to help you make the most of all the big sales.
It's that magical time of year when Extra Life kicks off and you get to watch us and the rest of the streaming community play video games and goof off to earn donations for charities in need!
Once again GameSpot will be streaming for 72 hours straight, starting at 9:00 AM ET / 12:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM GMT on November 9 (that's 6:00 AM AEST on November 10 in Australia), with dedicated blocks for each of our three teams around the globe, in San Francisco, London, and Sydney. (See below for complete local listings.)
As in previous years we are collecting donations for the kids at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco, and while our goal is $15,000, we're always hoping to exceed expectations. Show up, turn up (with us), and give up your money for a good cause! In exchange for your donations, we will let you pick the games we play, what lengths we go to embarrass ourselves in front of a live audience, and everything in between.
If you're itchin' to donate today and don't want to wait for the stream to kick off, then head over to the GameSpot donation page at Extra Life. Otherwise, we'll be waiting for you around the clock once the stream gets rolling on Friday, on YouTube, Twitch, or right here on GameSpot.com.
Full Schedule
Pacific Time
San Francisco Team 12:00 PM PT, Friday Nov. 9 - 12:00 AM PT Sunday Nov. 11
UK Team 12:00 AM PT, Sunday Nov. 11 - 12:00 PM PT Nov. 12
Australia Team 12:00 PM PT, Sunday Nov. 12 - 12:00 PM PT Monday Nov. 13
Greenwich Mean Time
San Francisco Team 8:00 PM GMT, Friday Nov. 9 - 8:00 AM GMT Sunday Nov. 11
UK Team 8:00 AM GMT Sunday Nov. 11 - 8:00 PM GMT Sunday Nov. 12
Australia Team 8:00 PM GMT Sunday Nov. 12 - 8:00 PM GMT Monday Nov. 13
Australian Eastern Standard Time
San Francisco Team 6:00 AM AEST, Saturday Nov.10 - 6:00 PM AEST Sunday Nov. 11
UK Team 6:00 PM AEST, Sunday Nov. 11 - 6:00 AM AEST Monday Nov. 12 -- UK Team
Australia Team 6:00 AM AEST Monday Nov. 12 - 6:00 AM AEST Tuesday Nov. 13 -- Australian Team
GameSpot Extra Life 2017 - 36-Hour US Office Block
DC's streaming service DC Universe launched in September, offering a mix of original programming and classic superhero titles from the Warner Brothers vault. Flagship show Titans premiered last month, and it is set to be joined in 2019 by several other new titles. One of these will be a Swamp Thing series, and the lead actors have now been announced.
As reported by Variety, Swamp Thing will be played by two actors--Andy Bean (Agents of SHIELD, the upcoming It: Chapter 2) and Derek Mears. Bean will take on the role of Dr Alec Holland, the biologist who transforms into the elemental creature after working in the Louisiana swamp. The creature itself will be played by Derek Mears, who is best known for portraying the iconic killer Jason Vorhees in the 2009 reboot of Friday the 13th.
Swamp Thing doesn't yet have a premiere date, but we can expect it in 2019. In a recent interview, screenwriter Gary Dauberman provided some details about the show and confirmed that it will contain R-rated content. "We always set out to make Swamp Thing as hard R as we could and go graphic with the violence, with the adult themes and make it as scary as possible," he said. "Because we're doing it through the DC Universe streaming service, they really pushed us, although they didn't have to push hard, for us to go as extreme as we could. Fans of [the comic book] series will know it gets pretty weird and extreme and scary. We really wanted to live up to that standard that [Alan] Moore set up back in the '80s."
In addition, Dauberman assured fans that this Swamp Thing will be scary, as opposed to the rubbery creature in Wes Craven's 1981 movie and the previous TV version. "Swamp Thing himself looks incredible, what Justin Raleigh and the guys over at Fractured are doing with the suit," he said. "So it's going to look amazing and less of the 'man in suit' that you've seen in the movie and the other TV show."
Ubisoft is treating Assassin's Creed Odyssey as an ongoing live game, and that means regular updates. The studio has laid out its plans for November, and they include lots of new content along with quality-of-life tweaks.
The new Lost Tales of Greece series of questlines will kick off this month, starting with The Show Must Go On. In that quest, you'll play as an actor playing King Leonidas in the Battle of 300. The second Lost Tale of Greece, called Divine Intervention, will have you meeting a mysterious woman who puts you through a series of divine trials. You can start playing Lost Tales of Greece quests anytime once you've reached Episode 5. You can unlock rewards, and Ubisoft warns that you may want to keep a save before you take on a quest so that you can see the different outcomes.
Another mythical creature, Steropes the Cyclops, will be coming on November 13. You can take him on by finding the new quest called The Lightning Bringer. Defeating the Cyclops will get you a new Legendary Bow.
New Epic Events are on the way too, for players who have progressed to level 30. A new Odysseus Pack will add new gear, a new mount, and another weapon, while an Odysseus Naval Pack will include a new ship design, crew theme, and figurehead.
On top of all that, the level cap will be raised by 20 levels to a new cap of 70. If you've already progressed past level 50, any excess XP will automatically grant you new levels and ability points. A new customization option will let you add a visual layer on top of gear, so you can take a piece of fashionable kit and give it the stats of a better piece of gear.
Finally, you can now auto-craft regular arrows, and customize your gamepad settings. Balance updates for gear upgrades are also on the way, along with a toggle for your XP boosters.
Dontnod's beloved Life Is Strange is one of the many video game franchises getting the comic book treatment courtesy of Titan Comics. The first issue of Titan's four-part Life Is Strange series is set to arrive next week, but in the meantime, the publisher has given us our first glimpse at some of its artwork.
Like the original game, Titan's Life Is Strange comic follows main characters Max and Chloe shortly after the events of one of the title's "heart-breaking" endings. Here's the publisher's synopsis of the series: "This all-new emotional rollercoaster stars fan-favorites Max and Chloe, and picks up after one heart-breaking ending of the critically-acclaimed game! One year after Max fatefully chose Chloe over Arcadia Bay, timelines tangle around the pair in a literal fight against time!"
Life Is Strange is written by Emma Vieceli, with artwork by Claudia Leonardi. Ahead of its release, Titan has provided GameSpot with a handful of the comic's first lettered pages, as well as a few of its variant covers; you can read the excerpts from the upcoming issue by clicking through the gallery below.
Life Is Strange #1 goes on sale in brick-and-mortar and online comic stores on Wednesday, November 14. The issue runs 32 pages and retails for $4 USD. Titan hasn't yet announced when the remaining three issues of the series are slated to arrive, but you can see the publisher's release schedule on its website. You can also see some of the different covers for Life Is Strange #1 below.
As previously mentioned, Life Is Strange certainly isn't the only new video game comic from Titan. Last month, the publisher released Bloodborne: The Death of Sleep Vol. 1, a 112-page collection of the first four issues of Titan's Bloodborne series. That is on sale now for $17, while a fifth issue, titled Bloodborne: The Healing Thirst, launched in September. The publisher has also released a four-part comic based on Dark Souls called The Age of Fire, a "dramatic retelling of the Legends of Silver Knights" starring "all the main characters" from the game series.
Pokemon Go developer Niantic has just launched its newest mobile game, Ingress Prime, on iOS and Android. To celebrate its release, the studio is holding a special event in Pokemon Go that gives players their first opportunity to catch two new Shiny Pokemon.
For a limited time, two Gen 1 monsters--Cubone and Ponyta--will appear much more frequently in the wild than they normally do. Not only that, but if you're lucky, you'll also have a chance to come across Shiny variants of each as you're playing. Shiny Cubone has a greener complexion than standard Cubone, while Shiny Ponyta has a blue fiery mane rather than a red one.
In addition to the new Shiny Pokemon, Niantic is also offering players a couple of free customization items for their trainers to commemorate the launch of Ingress Prime. Right now, you can get an Ingress Prime shirt for your avatar, as well as tops featuring the logos of The Enlightened and The Resistance--the two teams vying for supremacy in Niantic's new game.
In other Pokemon Go news, Niantic has revealed the special move players will be able to learn during this month's Community Day, which takes place this Saturday, November 10. During the event, the Gen 2 starter Pokemon Cyndaquil will appear much more frequently in the wild, and if you manage to evolve it into its final form, Typhlosion, up to an hour after the Community Day ends, it'll learn the powerful attack Blast Burn.
Niantic also recently rolled out a new update for Pokemon Go, which introduced the recently announced Adventure Sync. With this new feature, the game will keep track of the distance you've walked, even when it's idle, making it much easier to hatch Pokemon Eggs and discover Candy with your Buddy Pokemon.
Niantic, the studio behind the ever-popular Pokemon Go, has launched its newest sci-fi AR mobile game, Ingress Prime. The title is available to download for free on iOS and Android devices and builds upon the original Ingress with "cutting-edge location-based technology" and "an all-new interactive story."
As in Pokemon Go, Ingress Prime has players going to real-world locations, but rather than looking for monsters to catch and Gyms to take over, you'll be capturing Portals and collecting a resource known as Exotic Matter, or XM. Vying for control of these Portals are two warring sides known as The Enlightened and The Resistance, and once players complete the game's training segment, they'll need to choose a faction to side with.
According to Niantic, the story in Ingress Prime will evolve based on the outcome of the game's real-world Anomaly events, which have players from both factions working together "for a weekend of competition, exploration, and celebration." Niantic plans to host 12 "large-scale" Primary Anomaly events around the world, beginning with one in select cities later this month, on November 17.
To commemorate the launch of Ingress Prime, Pokemon Go players have a chance to catch two special Pokemon right now. For a limited time, Cubone and Ponyta will spawn in much greater numbers than usual, and you'll even be able to encounter Shiny variants of each. Pokemon Go players will also receive free Ingress Prime clothing items for their avatar.
Niantic recently rolled out a new update for Pokemon Go, bringing the recently announced Adventure Sync to most players. The new feature allows the game to track the distance you traveled even when it isn't opening, making it much easier to hatch Eggs. Meanwhile, Pokemon Go's next Community Day is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 10, and will feature one of the starter Pokemon from Gold and Silver, Cyndaquil.
Fortnite's 6.22 update has arrived, bringing a new weapon as well as two limited-time modes to the hit game. While the Fortnitemares event may now be over in Battle Royale, the Halloween spirit carries on in one of this week's LTMs, a brand-new mode dubbed Team Terror.
Much like other team-based LTMs, Team Terror pits two teams of players (in this case, 32 vs. 32) against each other in a battle to be the last side standing. What sets it apart from previous modes, however, is the presence of Cube Monsters, the zombie-like creatures that first appeared during the aforementioned Fortnitemares event. These will spawn around the island as the match rolls on, adding a PvE element to the LTM.
Destroying Cube Monsters will cause them to drop weapons or ammo, giving you an incentive to take down any you come across. Resource and loot drop rates have also been adjusted for the new LTM. The likelihood of floor loot spawning has been increased by 15%, and farming resources have been increased by 75%. You can find more details on Team Terror in Epic's patch notes.
In addition to Team Terror, Epic has brought back a previous LTM this week: Blitz. This is a much faster-paced version of a standard battle royale game; the match begins with the storm already closing in on the island, and the time between storm circles is much shorter than normal, so each match will last about 15 minutes at most. Loot is also much more plentiful in Blitz mode, further speeding the action up.
Beyond the new LTMs, the 6.22 update introduced a new gun to the game: the Heavy Assault Rifle. It's available in Rare, Epic, and Legendary variants and can be found as floor loot or in chests, vending machines, and supply drops. Epic has also reverted the Pumpkin Launcher back to the standard Rocket Launcher and reduced the spawn rate of the new balloons.
Fortnite may be free to download and play, but like many other such games, it also offers a variety of options for spending real-world money, if you're so inclined. Earlier this year, developer Epic began selling an Ace starter pack, but while that is no longer up for purchase, a new pack has taken its place and offers a similar value.
The Summit Striker starter pack is now available from Fortnite's in-game store on all platforms. It can only be purchased once per account, and like the aforementioned Ace pack, it costs $5 and comes with two new cosmetic items: the Summit Striker skin and the Top Notch back bling. You can see how both look in the image below.
In addition to the cosmetics, the Summit Striker starter pack comes with 600 V-Bucks, which you can use toward cosmetics and other in-game purchases. Typically, V-Bucks can only be acquired either by playing Fortnite's paid Save the World mode or purchasing them with money. However, the smallest increment you can buy gets you 1,000 V-Bucks for $10, which makes this starter pack a particularly good value, even if the included skin and back bling don't appeal to you.
Epic has offered several different starter bundles for Fortnite this year, starting with the apply titled Starter Pack that came with the Rogue Agent outfit and the Catalyst back bling. That was subsequently replaced by the Ace Pack, which included the Ace Outfit and Swag Bag back bling to tie into the High Stakes event that was going on at the time. If history is any indication, the Summit Striker pack won't be around for very long, so you'll want to grab it while you can if you're interested.
Epic recently rolled out Fortnite's 6.22 update. It introduced a new weapon to Battle Royale--the Heavy Assault Rifle--and marked the start of two limited-time modes: the returning Blitz mode, and the new Team Terror. Beyond that, a set of NFL skins will be added to Fortnite's in-game store starting November 9.
Fortnite dances have become a mainstay of sporting events since the title exploded in popularity, so it's only fitting to see a real-world sport invade the battle royale game. Developer Epic Games has announced it is partnering with the NFL to offer a new set of football skins in Fortnite based on real-world jerseys, and they're set to arrive later this week, following the new update.
Starting Friday, November 9, NFL outfits will be available for purchase from Fortnite's in-game store. Epic hasn't announced pricing details for the new skins, but you'll be able to choose between uniforms of all 32 teams in the NFL. Epic says you'll also be able to customize your jersey with any number from 0-99. The skins will be available in the store beginning at 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET.
The NFL outfits aren't the only new items on the way to the game this week. Fortnite's in-game News feed is teasing that a new weapon--the Heavy Assault Rifle--is "coming soon" to the title. Epic hasn't announced when the new gun will be added, but it will presumably arrive as part of this week's Fortnite patch.
A lot of other things have been transpiring in Fortnite recently, most notably the major world-changing one-time event that took place in the game on November 4. At the end of the Halloween-themed Fortnitemares event, the mysterious purple cube that has been a fixture of the game since it first appeared toward the end of Season 5 exploded, sending players to a strange realm of light.
Once players were transported back to the island, they noticed that the vortex that was in the middle of Loot Lake has now been replaced by a strange Stonehenge-like monument. Epic has also rolled out a set of Li'l Kev challenges--named after the community's nickname for the purple cube--that will give you the chance to unlock the new Li'l Kev back bling.
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