Though it's still freezing outside, Sony's holiday season heated up the competition, selling more than 90 million PS4s as of December 31. In addition to being the fourth best-selling console of all time--currently behind the Wii, PlayStation, and PlayStation 2--Sony has announced that Insomniac Games' Spider-Man has sold 9 million units digitally and physically as of November 25. To shed more light on the rest of the company's stellar holiday season, Sony has released an official list of its top downloads for December 2018.
Leading the pack of PlayStation 4 games is PUBG Corporation's battle royale title PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, which launched on December 7. Following that is Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 which has its own battle royale mode, Blackout. In third is Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto V, a game that released during the last console generation and is still, ostensibly, making the studio a lot of money.
Moving over to PlayStation VR, it's Beat Games' Beat Saber on top. Second to the lightsaber rhythm game is Owlchemy Labs'Job Simulator, a game that released nearly three years ago. Placing in third is SIE London Studio's PlayStation VR Worlds, a compilation of games Sony released alongside the company's virtual reality headset back in October 2016.
On the free-to-play side of the PlayStation Store is, of course, Epic Games' Fortnite--no surprise there. Taking the second spot is Crytek Kiev's Warface. Following in third is yet another battle royale game, Daybreak Game Company's H1Z1: Battle Royale.
Ubisoft has announced the PC version of The Division 2 will release solely on the Ubisoft Store and Epic Games Store. So, unlike the original The Division, Ubisoft's upcoming third-person shooter is skipping out on releasing on Steam.
This won't be the only Ubisoft title that Epic steals away from Steam either. In a blog post, Epic revealed that it is partnering with Ubisoft "on additional select titles." Those games have not yet been announced, but Epic did tease that information would come out "during the coming year." Epic and Ubisoft's partnership might set a new precedent for major developers picking one PC game store over others, changing the PC gaming landscape to more closely reflect the scramble for first-party exclusives seen on consoles.
Ubisoft previously released the system requirements for the PC version of The Division 2, revealing the different specifications you'll need to run the game at bare minimum, recommended, high, and elite performance. Each performance type requirement is listed below.
Less than one day after announcing its initial roster, All Elite Wrestling is creating some major waves in the world of professional wrestling, even causing some interesting changes within WWE. As GameSpot previously reported, former WWE superstar Chris Jericho signed with AEW, essentially making the new company his United States wrestling home.
Almost immediately, WWE responded by moving the four-time World Champion's biography to the alumni section of its website. The most notable change came a couple hours later, though, when Smackdown Live went on the air. At the beginning of the broadcast, the WWE signature video package played, but Jericho's face was mysteriously absent.
Jericho has appeared in numerous signature videos over the years and was still present when the short introductory clip that proclaims WWE is "then, now, and forever" the night before on Raw. However, as of the January 8 episode of Smackdown, he's been replaced by The Bar members Sheamus and Cesaro. The change was first noted by a Twitter user.
The move makes sense on WWE's part, as this is the first time since his debut for the company in 1996 that he's signed to a group that could be seen as competition in the United States market. Thus far, his only real non-WWE wrestling appearances have been for New Japan Pro Wrestling and as part of his own Rock and Wrestling Rager at Sea cruise.
Now that he's, in his own words, signed to AEW "for the long haul," WWE distancing themselves from him and instead promoting an act they have under contract is logical. However, it just goes to show how interesting professional wrestling is becoming.
Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks, who launched AEW with Jacksonville Jaguars owners Tony Khan and Shahid Khan, have repeatedly said they want to change the world of professional wrestling. While overtaking WWE and becoming the biggest pro wrestling company on the planet might be impossible, with names like Jericho on the roster and the promise of an equal scale of pay for male and female performers, they're certainly giving it their all.
What remains to be seen is how the product will be presented. While the first major show--Double of Nothing on May 25--has been announced, AEW has yet to mention whether they have any sort of deal in place to distribute regular programming. Of course, the company could always go the same route Cody and the Bucks have used in the past. Their All In pay-per-view was available via streaming, with a pre-show that aired on WGN America.
Ubisoft's upcoming open-world action RPG, The Division 2, is coming to PC alongside the PS4 and Xbox One versions, and with its release approaching, the company has revealed the level of hardware you'll need to play it on computer. The PC specs cover a wide range of hardware depending on the type of experience you're shooting for.
At the low end is the Minimum tier, which would have the game running at 1080p and 30 FPS. For that, you'll need either an Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD FX-6350 paired with 8 GB of RAM and either an Nvidia GeForce GTX 670 or AMD Radeon R9 270 with 2 GB of VRAM.
Jumping up to the high end, the Elite tier--4K and 60 FPS--calls for much more expensive components, as you'd expect. You'll need a Core i9-7900X or Ryzen 7 2700X, 16 GB of RAM, and a brand-new video card--an RTX 2080 Ti or Radeon VII with 11 GB of VRAM. You can get a rundown on four different sets of specs below.
The trailer above showcases some of the PC-specific features that are available. Aside from the aforementioned 4K support, you can have an uncapped frame rate or use ultrawide monitors or multi-monitor setups.
The Division 2's release date is set for March 15, and you can read more about its launch in our pre-order guide. Alongside news of the specs, we've just learned the PC version of The Division 2 will be skipping Steam in favor of launching through the Epic Games store. By pre-ordering this (or the console versions), you'll gain access to a private beta ahead of the game's release.
The recently revealed Alien: Blackout mobile game has been given a release date. The iOS and Android title will launch on the App Store and Google Play on January 24.
The game is seemingly a spin-off of Creative Assembly's 2014 title Alien: Isolation. In Blackout, Amanda Ripley once again faces a fight to survive aboard a Weyland-Yutani space station infested with aliens.
"The terror of Alien is brought to life in Alien: Blackout," reads co-developer D3 Go's website. "Try to stay alive while trapped aboard a crippled Weyland-Yutani space station carrying a deadly Xenomorph as it tirelessly hunts you and the crew.
"Outsmart the perfect hunter by making perilous choices. Players must rely on the damaged controls of the space station or risk sacrificing crew members to avoid deadly contact, permanently altering the outcome of the game."
Players will be tasked with surviving seven levels by guiding Ripley's crew through "increasingly challenging tasks using only the station's emergency system." Contending with a limited power supply, survival will require players to effectively operate a holographic map, surveillance cameras, and motion trackers to stay hidden and out of the Xenomorph's clutches.
In addition, more stories starring Amanda Ripley, the daughter of the original films' protagonist, Ellen Ripley, may be on the way soon. Amanda was the player character in Isolation, which took place 15 years after the events of the original 1979 film. In that game, Amanda went with a Weyland-Yutani team to Sevastopol Station, a distant space station in the process of being decommissioned, after the flight recorder was recovered from Ellen's destroyed ship, the Nostromo. While Amanda eventually got hold of the recorder, she also went through the same ordeal as her mother, when an alien began picking off the people of Sevastopol one by one. Alien: Blackout appears to pick up the story from there, with Amanda trying to fend off another alien in a place called Mendel Station while still pursuing answers about what happened to Ellen.
The tweets from Alien Anthology teasing the new game use the hashtags #AmandaRipley and #ReadPlayWatch, suggesting there's more to do with Amanda's story than just play it. In fact, the latest tweet emphasizes the "watch" part of the hashtag with capitalized letters, unlike other messages from the same account.
A few Kansas City fans were treated to the biggest game of Mario Kart you've ever seen. A sports reporter for local station KCTV5 was doing helicopter shots of the Kansas City Royals' Kauffman stadium when he noticed a massive game being played on the stadium's enormous screen.
The reporter, Tom Martin, later updated by amplifying a reply from the Royals Charities account. That reply stated that it was part of an associates fundraiser, and teasing that a video game party could come as an auction sometime this year. In the video, you can clearly see Mario racing through Mario Kart Stadium, the first track in the Mushroom Cup of Mario Kart 8.
we sent our helicopter out to get aerials of Arrowhead Stadium and on its way there it noticed a game of Mario Kart had broken out on the Crown Vision board at Kauffman Stadium?? 😂 pic.twitter.com/rOy0icieVi
The high-definition scoreboard at Kauffman stadium is nicknamed "Crown Vision," and comes in at 84 feet wide by 105 feet tall. It is one of the largest HD LED displays in the world. Of course, those dimensions aren't exactly similar to that of your TV, so the game looks a little off in the footage.
As for the choice of game, Mario Kart 8 is apropos. Not only does the footage show off a race inside a stadium, but the game itself is well-regarded and was one of the first Wii U ports to make the trip to Nintendo Switch. That Switch port received a positive review of its own, for some of its small tweaks to an already great foundation.
"Even if you didn't really care about Battle Mode, the smallest changes in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe refine an already great racing game," critic Kallie Plagge said in GameSpot's review. "But the huge overhaul to the original's afterthought of a Battle Mode is a chaotic, varied opportunity to play very differently than in Grand Prix mode and well worth reinvesting yourself in Mario Kart 8 on Switch."
Metro Exodus is set to arrive on PS4, Xbox One, and PC next month, and like many of today's biggest releases, it'll be available in both standard and deluxe editions. Ahead of its launch, publisher Deep Silver has announced another special collector's version of the game, but this one will be so rare that you won't be able to buy it anywhere.
Dubbed the Artyom Custom Edition, the package comes with a copy of the Metro Exodus Aurora edition, as well as a variety of physical items based on the ones protagonist Artyom uses in the game, including a functional Nixie watch, gas mask, working bullet lighter, and leather map. The package is also housed in a steel ammo crate and comes with a letter of authenticity signed by Metro author Dmitry Glukhovsky.
Only 10 of the Metro Exodus Artyom Custom Edition have been produced, one of which was gifted to game developer 4A Games. Deep Silver says the remaining nine will be given away to fans through a series of promotions. These will be revealed on the game's official website.
If you're looking to upgrade to a 4K console, Microsoft also recently announced a new Metro Saga bundle, which comes with 1TB Xbox One X, one-month trials of both Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold, and digital copies of Metro Exodus as well as its two predecessors, Metro 2033 Redux and Metro: Last Light Redux. The bundle releases in February and retails for $499.
Metro Exodus launches on February 15, one week earlier than it was originally scheduled to. The game is set several years after Last Light and follows Artyom and his companions as they trek across a post-nuclear-war Russia. You can read more about the game's various editions in our Metro Exodus pre-order guide.
New Super Mario Bros. U was a somewhat unappreciated Wii U launch title, but with its Switch remaster nearly out in the wild, will the platformer find a new lease on life? Is it a worthy addition to the Switch's growing catalogue of exclusive games? Will Mario finally save Princess Peach? The answers to all these questions and more can be found in our review roundup below.
Our own New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe review says "Deluxe is well worth playing, especially if you didn't get a chance to play NSMBU on Wii U." Be sure to check out the full review, or check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic for a wider view of critics' views on the game.
Game: New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Developer / Publisher: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Release date: January 11
Price: US $60 / £50 / AU $80
GameSpot -- 7/10
"Despite its aging formula, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is still a great entry in the series, with its typically tight platforming and both accessibility and depth to spare. While it can feel a bit stale for those who have been round the Mushroom Kingdom one too many times before, Deluxe is well worth playing, especially if you didn't get a chance to play NSMBU on Wii U." -- Oscar Dayus [Full review]
GamesRadar+ -- 4.5/5
"If you get into a habit of doing that quick save, it's not too inconvenient and it's such a small niggle for a game that is so utterly wonderful. With New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe the year of Nintendo Switch games is off to an incredibly strong start." -- Sam Loveridge [Full review]
Game Informer -- 8.5/10
"With so many stages to explore and master, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a terrific way to experience this game again or for the first time. Toadette is a good addition for less-experienced players, and she makes some of the star coins easier to reach. While I'm disappointed that this release doesn't include more additions to the original package, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is still a great game at its core." -- Brian Shea [Full review]
IGN -- 8.0/10
"New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a broadly approachable and feature-rich platforming game. Toadette is a welcome addition to the roster for those after a more forgiving way to tackle some of the more challenging levels, and the inclusion of the New Super Luigi U mode extends its lifespan substantially. While there are a number of other Nintendo Switch games within the genre that outdo New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe in various different ways, it nonetheless remains a highly enjoyable platforming package as a whole." -- Tristan Ogilvie [Full review]
The Guardian -- 3/5
"The further you delve into New Super Mario Bros U, the more rewarding it becomes. Its final worlds hold some of its best levels, and there are plenty of fun secrets to enliven the second or third attempt at a level. But it's hard to summon the motivation to devote that much time to it. It's typically well-made and enjoyable, but next to the best of the Mario series, it's unmemorable." -- Keza MacDonald [Full review]
The most famous dinosaur in the Mushroom Kingdom is gearing up to star in a new game on Nintendo Switch. It's Yoshi's Crafted World, a colorful platformer that's set to release on March 29. But you don't have to wait that long to lock down your copy. You can already pre-order Yoshi's Crafted World from a number of retailers. Here's what to expect from the game and where you can find it.
Yoshi's Crafted World kicks off when Kamek and Baby Bowser try to steal a powerful gem-infused stone. Unfortunately for them, the gems become scattered across the land, leaving Yoshi to collect them. Thus begins your adventure through a world made from craft items like cardboard, paper cups, and construction paper.
Each level is strewn with collectibles like coins and Poochy Pups, and can be flipped around and played through backwards once you reach the end. As you play, you'll collect costumes you can dress Yoshi in to add a layer of protection. A second player can join in for couch co-op using a second Joy-Con, and the game has a Mellow mode that makes it easier to play for young kids and newcomers.
No Pre-Order Bonus or Special Editions
So far, no retailers have announced any pre-order bonuses for Yoshi's Crafted World. And unlike many games these days, no special editions seem to be planned, either. That might be a bummer for collectors, but at least it makes it easy to choose which version to buy.
At the time of this writing, Amazon has the best pre-order price for Yoshi's Crafted World, but you can also find it at several other retailers.
Ready at Dawn, the studio behind The Order: 1886 and the God of War PSP games, is staffing up in preparation for development on a new triple-A game. According to the announcement released on its Twitter, it's seeking a wide variety of positions across design, engineering, and programming.
The RAD careers page lists two separate projects these positions could be working on: continuing to support Lone Echo for its ongoing partnership with Oculus Rift, and "a new AAA third-person action console title, based on a brand new original IP."
The replies from fans to its tweet are largely hoping for a sequel to The Order, but the mention of an entirely new IP makes that unlikely. The Order: 1886 took place in a steampunk Victorian London and centered around the legendary Knights of the Round Table. While it got some credit for its world-building, reviews were mixed on GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
"It is, at best, perfectly playable, and lovely to look at and listen to," critic Kevin VanOrd said in GameSpot's review. "But it is also the face of mediocrity and missed opportunities. A bad game can make a case for itself. A boring one is harder to forgive."
Lone Echo, by comparison, was much better received. The virtual reality project was an Oculus exclusive, but it received generally positive reviews on Metacritic as a VR showpiece.
GameStop was once a total juggernaut in the video game space, but thanks to the rise in digital game sales and other factors, it's been relatively tough sledding for the company of late. Last June, the company announced that it was exploring the option to sell itself to another company, and now it appears a deal might be coming soon.
The Wall Street Journal reports that at least two companies are bidding for GameStop, and a deal to buy the retailer could become public by the middle of February. Citing a person familiar with GameStop, WSJ reported that private equity companies Sycamore Partners and Apollo Global Management are interested in buying GameStop.
Both companies declined to comment when approached by WSJ, and GameStop itself refused to elaborate on acquisition discussions.
Sycamore, which raised a further $4.75 billion USD in capital last July, specialises in consumer and retail investment, so going after GameStop makes sense.
Apollo, meanwhile, is a firm that prides itself of making investments in companies that have fallen out of favour--and this would also cover GameStop in theory. Apollo Equity co-president and lead partner Scott Kleinman says Apollo is looking for investment opportunities that "others are unable or willing to figure out."
An example of a company Apollo might go after would include one that has missed earnings for a few quarters, or a company that the market has given up on, or a company that operates in sector that has fallen out of favour. In periods of transition, some investors pull back, but Kleinman says Apollo is an investor with "conviction."
Longtime GameStop CEO Paul Raines died in March 2018 at the age of 53. He was replaced by Michael Mauler, who himself left after just three months for "personal reasons." Shane Kim, the former boss of Xbox during the Xbox 360 days, is GameStop's current CEO.
One of the benefits of subscribing to Nintendo Switch Online is that you get access to a library of classic NES games to play as much as you want. Nintendo is adding two (or three, depending on where you live) to the service in January, and now they've been announced.
The NES library for Switch Online subscribers launched with 20 big-name games, including Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Dr. Mario, Ice Climber, Metroid, and Donkey Kong.
Nintendo Switch Online costs $4 USD/month or $8 USD for three months. A 12-month subscription goes for $20 USD, while a Family Membership for up to eight Nintendo Account members costs $35 USD for a year. New subscribers can sign up with a seven-day free trial. In addition to free NES games, subscribers get access to cloud saves, online player for many titles such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Mario Kart 8 Ultimate.
Nintendo has announced the release dates for two upcoming exclusives games. First, the adorable-looking Yoshi's Crafted World will launch for Nintendo Switch on March 29. Another game with a handcrafted style, Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn, is due out on March 8 for 3DS, Nintendo announced.
You play as Yoshi, of course, in Yoshi's Crafted World, with the goal of solving puzzles, collecting eggs and throwing them, and jumping around to make it through levels. Stages can be played backward for another challenge, while the game also supports two-player co-op.
Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn, meanwhile, is an "enhanced" edition of Kirby's Epic Yarn from the Wii. As its name suggests, Kirby is brought to a universe where everything is made of cloth and yarn, and the objective is to use the yarn to defeat enemies and solve puzzles.
All of the stages from the Wii version are included in the 3DS edition, while the game also boasts new features like "Ravel" abilities and new mini-games. There is also a new "Devilish" mode that makes each stage more challenging.
In other Nintendo news, some Nintendo Switch and 3DS games are now available through the Humble Store in the United States.
After Marvel Games changed its social handle to "Marvel G4mes," the company has now further teased a Fantastic Four-related announcement for one of its games.
During a livestream today, Marvel boss Ryan Penagos teased that "something fantastic" is coming to Insomniac's Spider-Man game for PS4. "I can't tell you anything more right now...but you'll want to keep an eye out for this. It's going to be amazing and fantastic," he said, according to IGN. Developer Insomniac playfully teased the announcement with the eyes emoji, so it looks like an announcement may be coming soon.
So what is this all about? Nothing is certain at this stage, but one possibility is that Insomniac is adding a new suit to Spider-Man on PS4. Spider-Man was a member of the Fantastic Four, sort of, as part of the spin-off group Future Foundation.
Some of the previously released Spider-Man PS4 DLC outfits have included the Spider-Clan outfit from Marvel's Mangaverse, Spider-UK from Edge of Spider-Verse, and his look from the Sam Raimi movies.
In other Spider-Man PS4 news, Sony just recently announced that the game reached 9 million in sales as of November 25.
We'll report back with more details on the new Spider-Man PS4 Fantastic Four news as soon as it's announced. What are you hoping to see? Let us know in the comments below!
It's finally happening. Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks officially announced they were launching their own wrestling company--All Elite Wrestling--on January 1. Now, after an AEW rally held in Jacksonville, Florida, those involved with the new company have shared many more details, including several names that will make up the roster of the show.
The biggest announcement was the signing of four-time WWE World Champion Chris Jericho, who proclaimed he's "all in on All Elite Wrestling." Jericho, who most recently appeared at New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 13 on January 4, was last seen on WWE programming in April 2018 during the Greatest Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
Joining Jericho on the AEW is another former WWE superstar, Pac, who wrestled for the company as Neville. The two-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion interrupted "Hangman" Adam Page during the rally, leading to the two arguing over who will be the first All Elite Wrestling World Champion. Pac was with WWE between 2012 and 2017.
The rest of the roster is made up of some of the biggest names in independent wrestling. Beyond Cody, Page, and the Young Bucks, All Elite has signed "The Bad Boy" Joey Janela, Penelope Ford, Frankie Kazarian, Scorpio Sky, Christopher Daniels, Dr. Britt Baker DMD, and Maxwell Jacob Friedman. Interestingly, it was announced that not only would AEW have a women's division when it launched, but that female talent would be paid on a scale equal to what male talent is paid.
At this point, there's no word on whether Kenny Omega will join his friends in The Elite as part of AEW. He and "The Villain" Marty Scurll are the only two members of The Elite that, as of now, are not officially tied to the new company.
As for the AEW's first show, it was announced by Cody and The Bucks that the sequel to their All In event--Double or Nothing--will take place on May 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. That particular venue has a history of hosting professional wrestling as the home of WCW's Halloween Havoc pay-per-view between 1996 and 2000, as well as many episodes of WCW Monday Nitro.
The arrival of AW comes at a very interesting time for professional wrestling. While WWE remains the undeniable leader in sports entertainment, independent wrestling is perhaps more popular than it's ever been, with many indie wrestlers stating that it's now possible to make a good living without signing to WWE--something that was unthinkable at one point. Now with Ring of Honor and NJPW running a show together at Madison Square Garden, the longtime "home arena" of WWE, and AEW heading to the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the wrestling landscape is definitely changing.
Starting off, the second episode of the Legacy of the First Blade DLC, Shadow Heritage, will launch on January 15. In this new expansion, players will "investigate a blockade initiated by the Order of the Ancients around the port city in Achaia."
The description goes on: "You'll discover a group of stranded citizens whose lives are being threatened by a fierce naval commander, the Tempest, who is in charge of the blockade. Steal the Tempest's top secret weapon, help the citizens escape, and destroy the blockade once and for all...with your ship! An epic maritime battle awaits you at the Aegean Sea."
To play Shadow Heritage, you need to finish the first episode, Hunted, complete the Naxos questline from chapter 7 of the main story, and hit level 28 or higher.
The Legacy of the First Blade DLC is paid, but Odyssey's Lost Tales of Greece DLC is free, and it continues in January with the Daughters of Lalaia expansion. In the Daughters of Lalai content, you'll travel to a village left defenseless after all the men left for battle. Players will train the townspeople to prepare them for "incoming danger."
The other new Lost Tales of Greece content is called Poet's Legacy, and it introduces players to Greece's "most scandalous poet."
"During this questline you'll learn that she isn't quite what she seems as you become increasingly involved in her risqué performances," Ubisoft said.
Additionally, Odyssey is adding a new mythical creature, a cyclops named Bright One. Players who defeat the beast will get his weapon, the Hammer of Hephaistos. You can find the Bright One on Arges; this is a challenging quest, so Ubisoft recommends that you're at least level 50 before facing off.
The new Athena gear
Additionally, Ubisoft Club members can bring Aya from Assassin's Creed Origins to their ship in January, while a bunch of new items are coming to the game as well. The Dionysos Character Pack adds a new gear set, a big cow mount, and a "legendary dagger." The Athena Pack is also on the way, and it adds some snazzy new gear; you can see it in the image embedded above.
In addition to all the new content, Ubisoft said it continues to work on more title updates for Odyssey that add new features. One of these is new Mercenary tiers--two more are coming to the game, and they should be extra challenging. Defeat them and you'll earn "new benefits worthy of a demigod," Ubisoft said. Additionally, a new vendor is coming to Odyssey that will allow players to view and purchase new engravings, upgrade them, and also perform the engravings themselves on gear you already own. The new shop, Hephaistos's Workshop, is located int he Myson Cave in the Malis region.
Finally, Ubisoft is addressing enemy scaling. With the new title update on January 10, players can select an enemy-scaling system that suits their playstyle. The options (which aren't available when in Nightmare difficulty mode) include:
Heavy – All enemies remain at your level.
Normal – No change in the difficulty settings.
Light – Content is around two levels below your level.
Very Light – Content is around four levels below your level.
Treyarch has released a Reddit post that details new updates for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. One update has already gone live, adding new featured Multiplayer playlists. The rest are scheduled throughout January and mostly patch Zombies and Blackout.
The January 8 update adds Endurance Chaos Moshpit to the Featured playlist. It also puts Mercenary Capture Moshpit, Mercenary Hardcore Moshpit, Deathmatch Moshpit, and Map Pack Moshpit into the Featured category.
Treyarch will add League Play to Black Ops 4 later this month. The new feature transforms competitive multiplayer into something more along the lines of what's seen in professional matches with skill-based matchmaking putting participants into 50-player groupings. League Play events will typically last for three days, much like a tournament, with unranked scrimmage matches taking place in between each event for you to sharpen your skills.
There are also scheduled plans for implementing new Zombies features and content as well. Gauntlets is launching first in Voyage of Despair sometime next week, and three new Elixirs are coming to the PS4 version of the game. Treyarch also teased new details about the major changes coming to Zombies mode this year will be shared next week during a "very Zombies-specific date."
Also next week, Treyarch will release an update on consoles that makes it easier to loot in Blackout. You'll be able click through your inventory, instead of having to move a pointer, and more easily select the item you want to pick up off the ground if you're near multiple weapons and equipment.
All the changes that are currently live in Black Ops 4 are listed in the full patch notes below. Black Ops 4 is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4 January Update
Multiplayer
Featured Playlists
Added Endurance Chaos Moshpit as Featured Playlist.
6v6 with higher score limits.
Team Deathmatch with 150 score limit, 15 minute time limit.
Domination with 200 score round limit, 400 score match limit.
Hardpoint with 500 score limit, 10 minute time limit.
Kill Confirmed with 150 score limit, 15 minute time limit.
Added Mercenary Capture Moshpit, Mercenary Hardcore Moshpit, Deathmatch Moshpit, and Map Pack Moshpit to Featured category.
Stability
Improved stability with Torque's Barricade and its effects on enemy players.
Improved stability with the Mantis Scorestreak, particularly when firing rockets.
Improved stability when killing Strike Team members as they rappel out of the helicopter.
Zombies
Miscellaneous
Dead of the Night
Addressed an issue that occasionally prevented a gravestone marker from appearing during the Main Quest.
Addressed an issue that could prevent progression of the Stake Knife quest.
Addressed an issue where players were able to pick up the Savage Impaler while their Special Weapon was in use.
Addressed a rare stability issue involving the clock step in the Pack-A-Punch Quest.
IX
Addressed an issue that could prevent progression of the bull head portion of the Main Quest.
Stability
Improved stability when multiple Sentries are active.
The new live-action Barbie moving starring Margot Robbie in the title role is now finally official. Movie giant Warner Bros. and toy company Mattel have announced a partnership for the film, and also confirmed that Robbie will be a producer on the film.
According to Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich, the new Barbie movie will "bring Barbie to life on screen in a fresh and relevant way for today's audiences."
He added that the new Barbie movie is the first in a new partnership with Mattel's new film division, Mattel Films, which suggests some of the iconic toy company's other brands may get spun into films someday. Barbie is arguably Mattel's biggest brand, but the company also owns the American Girl Doll, Hot Wheels, Hot Wheels, Thomas the Tank Engine, and Fisher Price brands, among many others.
Mattel's share price has plummeted over the past year, and the company also cut more than 2,000 jobs in an effort to improve its profitability, according to CNBC.
Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz said in his own statement that the company is trying to become an "IP-driven, high performing toy company," and the new film division is one part of this. The new Mattel Films division is led by Robbie Brenner, who shared the Best Picture Oscar nomination for Dallas Buyers Club.
As for Robbie, who earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her leading role in I, Tonya, said she is "honoured" to be playing Barbie in the new film.
"Playing with Barbie promotes confidence, curiosity and communication throughout a child's journey to self-discovery. Over the brand's almost 60 years, Barbie has empowered kids to imagine themselves in aspirational roles from a princess to president," she said.
According to Variety, the story is along the lines of Enchanted and Big, in that the main character finds herself kicked out of Barbieland and thrust into the real world.
Amy Schumer was originally lined up to play Barbie in the movie when it was set up at Sony. Before the studio changeover, it was expected to open in Summer 2018, but the date has been pushed. Reports now say that Barbie is slated for a May 8, 2020 release date.
Sony's PlayStation 4-exclusive God of War launched in April behind rapt praise from critics and commercial success. Some fans might have expected DLC to follow, but that never happened. It remains to be seen if the action game will ever receive any additional content, but what we do know is that game director Cory Barlog pitched a DLC idea that was too ambitious. As a result, this expansion, at least in the way Barlog imagined it, may never see the light of day.
"I had a really fun idea for a DLC that I only regret because I would love to have done that," Barlog told Kinda Funny. "But it was too ambitious."
"It would [have] ended up being its own thing," Barlog said of the mystery God of War DLC. "Rightfully so, everybody said, 'Dude, this is crazy, this isn't DLC, this is a little too big."
One of the only regrets that Barlog said he still has about God of War is that the team wasn't able to release the Photo Mode and New Game+ options at launch. Instead, these were released through free updates after the game was released. The New Game+ mode did add some new armor and customisation items, but it might not have been the proper expansion some fans would have wanted.
At CES 2019, Samsung unveiled its new 75-inch MicroLED TV. Despite its size, this is actually the smallest MicroLED TV that supports 4K resolution. Even though both OLED and LCD technology are already pushing 8K resolution, CNET's coverage of CES reports that Samsung plans on further developing its MicroLED technology so that it can rival the two older display types by the end of 2019.
Samsung first showcased this MicroLED TV technology at CES 2018, showcasing how the screens were composed of millions of individual LEDs. Individuals screens could be combined to create massive displays, which the company calls The Wall TV. Previously, the smallest size for The Wall--that could support 4K--was 146 inches. The company could go larger and still support 4K though, and it proved that this year with the reveal of a larger 219-inch version of The Wall too.
According to CNET, Samsung is taking advantage of the new-generation display's thinner panels to make plans for selling MicroLED TVs to US consumers in 2019. The panels have previously been 80mm, which is more appropriate for industrial use. However, they've recently been shrunk down to 30mm. Samsung will announce the TVs' release date and prices at a later time.
Just because Samsung plans on promoting MicroLED, does not mean the company plans on abandoning its OLED and LCD TVs. At CES 2019, Samsung revealed a new 98-inch 8K QLED resolution TV. Relying on 33 million pixels, the television is about the size of an average living room. For context, if you were to play Red Dead Redemption 2 on this TV, it would probably display a nearby horse close to a believable real-life size. No price has been announced for this TV either, but Samsung sold last year's 85-inch 8K QLED TV for $15,000 USD, so you may want to expect at least that price.
Game streaming accessory maker Elgato debuted two more products aimed at streamers at CES. The first is a piece of software that makes it easier to stream mobile games, while the other is an accessory to increase the production value for streaming personalities.
The Elgato Screen Link is PC/Mac software that makes your iPhone or iPad appear as an input source for streaming apps like OBS Studio, Streamlabs, XSplit, and Game Capture. You can sample it for free now through the official site, with a limitation of 15-minute streams and a max bitrate of 16 Mbps. A Pro version, said to be coming soon, will unlock unlimited streams and a 32 Mbps bitrate for $10.
The Key Light is a simple solution for streamer lighting, so that viewers can see your face nice and clearly. It's designed to attach to desks for streamers, and the interface lets you adjust the intensity and warmth of the light from your desktop. It's releasing on January 14 for $200.
Of course, much of the technology at CES has been targeted towards people who simply play games. Those have included new announcements like Viveport Infinity, an all-you-can-eat VR game service, new TVs from Samsung, and gaming laptops. You can check out all that and much more at all of our at CES 2019 coverage, and even more at GameSpot sister site CNET.
The first part of Final Fantasy XIV Stormblood's big 4.5 patch, A Requiem for Heroes, has arrived on PS4 and PC. The update introduces a load of new content to the MMO, including main story quests that set the stage for the game's forthcoming expansion, Shadowbringers.
Among the new content available now is the third and final raid in the Return to Ivalice Alliance series, which takes players to Orbonne Monastery. Square Enix says the raid also features content by Yasumi Matsuno, the original director of Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy Tactics. Additionally, the update introduces a new dungeon, the Ghimlyt Dark, which features a 90-minute time limit and can only be tackled by players who have a Disciple of War or Magic that is level 70.
On top of that, the first part of the 4.5 patch brings new minions, mounts, hairstyles, and emotes to the MMO. It also introduces a new "limited job" class, the Blue Mage, although that will go live next week, on January 15. Square Enix says the class will "provide a unique solo gameplay experience" and will be available to players who have completed A Realm Reborn's main scenario and have a character that's at least level 50.
You can find the full patch notes for the first part of the 4.5 update on the official Final Fantasy XIV website. Square Enix says the second and final part of the patch will release in late March and cap off the Stormblood storyline, although additional 4.5 content updates are also set to arrive. The Shadowbringers expansion, meanwhile, is slated to launch in early summer.
In addition to the new patch, Final Fantasy XIV is in the midst of its annual Heavensturn New Year event. The event will be live through January 15 and features special seasonal quests and rewards.
One of the biggest games announced for 2019 is Metro Exodus, an open-world shooter that's set in post-apocalyptic Russia. The third game in the Metro series, Exodus will be enhanced for Xbox One X, featuring 4K resolution and HDR graphics. To help get players acquainted (or reacquainted) with the series, Microsoft has announced it will release the Xbox One X Metro Saga Bundle on February 15.
The Xbox One X Metro Saga Bundle comes with a 1TB Xbox One X console, a controller, one-month trials for Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold, as well as digital copies of Metro 2033 Redux, Metro: Last Light Redux, and Metro Exodus. That's all you need to play through the entire Metro series from the beginning. Like most Xbox One X bundles, this one will retail for $499.
Metro 2033 is a shooter with survival elements that first launched in 2010. It was followed in 2013 by Metro: Last Light, a direct sequel. Both games were remastered for modern consoles in 2014 with the release of Metro Redux. The remastered versions are what appear in this Xbox One X bundle.
Both games received high scores from GameSpot, though they're not exactly light, happy fare. In our Metro Redux review, Kevin VanOrd wrote, "In both Metro: Last Light and in the refashioned Metro 2033, there is more dread in the deafening silence than there is in the retort of a shotgun. In the metro tunnels beneath Moscow, you scavenge for ammo to use as currency as well as munitions, burn away cobwebs with your lighter, and search for gas masks that allow you to breathe the perilous air should you approach the surface." For more information about the upcoming sequel, which launches on February 15, check out what to expect from Metro Exodus.
As for the Xbox One X, it's the most powerful version of Microsoft's current-gen console. It supports Ultra HD Blu-ray disc playback, 4K resolution, and HDR. For more information, read or watch our Xbox One X review.
You'll soon be able to buy a TV that can disappear from your living room, thanks to a new OLED TV LG is showing off at CES 2019. The rollable TV is based on a prototype the company showed off last year, and which can roll down into an unobtrusive piece of furniture when it's not being used.
As GameSpot sister site CNET reported, LG intends to make the new TV, which right now is called the Signature OLED TV R, available in the second half of 2019. When off, it rolls up into what looks like a small table, and cloth covers a Dolby Atmos sound system as part of the machine. When you turn the TV on, a sliding door on top moves out of the way to allow the screen to roll up.
The Signature's moving screen also supports at least one screen configuration beyond just "on" and "off." You can also set it to "line" mode, which raises part of the screen to display a home screen with information like weather and a clock, or to a 21:9 ratio mode to display ultra-widescreen movies without the letterbox bars. It can also just play music with no screen present.
LG says the only version of the rolling set available this year will be a 65-inch version. It hasn't said what it'll cost--but it seems likely the Signature OLED TV R will be pretty expensive. Still, the set sounds like it impressed the folks at CNET, and could be the first step toward what your future living room could look like.
There has been a lot of interesting stuff showed off at CES 2019 in Las Vegas this week, including huge new TVs from Samsung and LG, and a bunch of new virtual reality goodies from HTC. For all our CES coverage throughout the show, check out our CES hub page.
The bundle consists of five different types of Berries: Enigma, Micle, Custap, Jaboca, and Rowap. You'll receive 12 of each variety as part of the gift, which you can then equip to a Pokemon for use in battle or plant in Isle Aplenny of the Poke Pelago in order to grow more.
What makes these particular Berries special is that they can't otherwise be obtained in Sun and Moon or their Ultra counterparts, making this your first opportunity to get your hands on them in the seventh-generation titles. You can read about the effect each one has when it's equipped to a Pokemon below:
Enigma Berry: Restores some HP after being hit by a super-effective attack
Micle Berry: Raises accuracy one time when your Pokemon is in a pinch
Custap Berry: Allows your Pokemon to move first one time when in a pinch
Jaboca Berry: Opponent also takes damage when your Pokemon is hit with a physical attack
Rowap Berry: Opponent also takes damage when your Pokemon is hit with a special attack
To claim the Berries, you'll first need to select Mystery Gift from your game's main menu. Choose the option to receive your gift via the internet, and the Berries will be downloaded into your game. You'll then need to pick them up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center. The gift will be available until September 2.
In June 2018, From Software announced that its upcoming Souls-like action RPG, titled Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, would not have online multiplayer. The developer has now further clarified that, because Sekiro lacks this feature, it will allow you to pause your game.
With the exception of Dark Souls Remastered on Switch, no From Software Soulsborne game has allowed players to pause wherever they want since Demon Souls. For anyone who might think this will make Sekiro somehow easier in comparison to Dark Souls III or Bloodborne, don't worry. Sekiro is just as hard, if not much harder, than its predecessors. In an interview with Game Informer, From Software revealed that, without the option for online play, every environment and boss has been specifically catered to providing a challenging experience for a single person.
"When creating these playspaces, we don't have to take into consideration how players will operate with one another in these maps, or how they may exploit the playspace by cooperating or something like this," From Software marketing and communications manager Yasuhiro Kitao said. "So it allows us, again, to hone in on the player experience, and really capitalize on that lack of restriction that comes with creating a multiplayer-based game, and let our imagination run wild in these places."
Just because Sekiro is abandoning the online features of previous Soulsborne games--such as leaving notes, teaming up with other players, and invading--doesn't mean From Software is done with them entirely. "Of course, we at From, we love those online elements," Kitao said. "We love to create our own characters just as much as everyone else. We hope players are looking forward to something in the future where we might go back to that, but for now, Sekiro is very much its own thing." From Software hasn't yet announced what the future past Sekiro might be, but the company has revealed that it is already working on two unannounced games. There's a chance that one might be an Armored Core sequel.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice releases for Xbox One, PS4, and PC on March 22. The standard version of the game releases alongside a Collector's Edition, both of which are available for pre-order.
At CES 2019, Samsung revealed a new TV that is irresponsibly large. The television comes in at 98 inches and 8K QLED resolution, giving it more than 33 million pixels. Those who want to play Red Dead Redemption 2 with horses that appear actual size, the new model will go on sale this year.
However, it may prove a difficult sell. CNET reports that Samsung's line of 8K TVs offers upscaling, but for a TV that size you'd probably want native 8K. So far most programming isn't offered at such a high resolution.
Last year Samsung released the first 85-inch 8K QLED TV, which goes for a cool $15,000. No price has been given for this new 98-inch model. Samsung says sales of TVs with screens above 75 inches have more than doubled in the United States over the past year.
Samsung's super-sized TV is one type of showpiece for CES, as existing technologies get bigger and better. Meanwhile we're seeing a big uptick in the development of new technologies, including displays like VR headsets. We've also seen new announcements in gaming hardware like the Mad Box console and a slate of new gaming laptops from Nvidia. You can check our full coverage of CES 2019 for more details.
Sony Interactive Entertainment has acquired Audiokinetic, the creators of Wave Works Interactive Sound Engine (Wwise). Wwise is a piece of software specifically tailored for audio design in video games and other interactive media, and it's been used by dozens of both triple-A and indie developers in hundreds of games.
"A rich and all-encompassing audio experience is increasingly critical to the overall gameplay experience, further enhancing immersion and emotion for the player," said Sony Interactive president and CEO John Kodera. "Audiokinetic is a preeminent provider of audio solutions for the gaming industry, and we are confident that this acquisition will allow us to further grow the PlayStation platform and contribute to the broader gaming industry."
The acquisition is expected to close by the end of January, but Audiokinectic will continue to operate on its own. "It's our goal to support Audiokinetic's efforts to advance its audio technology while maintaining independence and platform neutrality," Kodera said.
Sony's PS4 had a fairly good year in 2018. The console continues to support some of the best first-party exclusives on the market--some of which are on sale right now. However, Sony made a few missteps with the console as well. The company stubbornly refused to reverse its position on cross-platform play with Xbox One and Switch until finally relenting with the success of Fortnite. PlayStation Now's potential continues to remain unfulfilled, and PlayStation Classic pales in comparison to what Nintendo delivered with its NES and SNES Classic consoles. Sony's acquisition of Audiokinectic suggests the company is looking for new avenues to improve its products, which points to a more promising future for whatever comes after PS4.
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