Previously at E3 2017, CEO of The Pokémon Company Tsunekazu Ishihara announced the development of the next set of mainline games for Nintendo Switch. We've heard little about the project in the years since--until now. Nintendo finally lifted the veil over over the highly anticipated games during a recent Direct presentation. The next set of games is called Pokemon Sword and Shield and they look to be the most ambitious in the franchise yet.
To help you get caught up on everything you need to know, we've compiled all the essential details about the games, which includes the three new starters, the new region, and all the confirmed Pokemon so far. Be sure to check back often as we update this feature with even more new details and trailers.
Pokemon Sword and Shield are the latest games in the tenured monster-collecting RPG series. It signifies the beginning of the eighth generation, which is set in a new region named Galar. Like previous games, you play as a Pokemon trainer on an epic adventure across the region, encountering plenty of wild Pokemon to catch and rival trainers to battle.
They are both being being directed by Shigeru Ohmori, who's known primarily for directing Pokemon Sun and Moon, but also has credits with the series going as far as back as 2002's Pokemon Ruby and Saphire. For more about Pokemon Sword and Shield, we've rounded up the big takeaways from what we've seen so far to help you get a handle on what to expect.
Release Window
Pokemon fans won't have to wait so long for Sword and Shield. The games are scheduled to release late this year; though, a specific month hasn't been confirmed. If you're looking to purchase any of them, be sure to refer to our pre-order guide.
The New Galar Region
As usual for new Pokemon games, Sword and Shield introduces a new setting. The Galar region is loosely based on the United Kingdom; it's full of cottages, Victorian architecture, and even structures resembling iconic landmarks, like Big Ben and the London Eye. Check out the at the full map below for an overview of all the sights, including what appears to be elemental gyms.
Can you spot anything intriguing?
It's interesting to note that many of the environments showed stones with mysterious carvings. One hill in particular featured a carving of what could possible be a legendary Pokemon. It's possible we'll hear more about them in the coming months, assuming they do have some significance.
The Three Starters
Like previous Pokemon games, you're presented with a choice of three different Pokemon when you start your adventure. The three starter Pokemon are the following: a Grass-type named Grookey (left), a Fire-type named Scorbunny (middle), and a Water-type named Sobble (right).
No other new Pokemon have been revealed yet, but the new trailer offers a glimpse of several returning Pokemon, which include Lucario, Hoothoot, Pikachu, Zweilous, Wailer, and more. We've compiled all the confirmed previous generation Pokemon in Sword and Shield in our comprehensive gallery.
Screenshots
If the debut trailer above moved a bit too fast for your liking, we've compiled some high-quality screenshots of the more interesting sights that were showcased. Click from the gallery above for a closer look.
Fortnite's big 8.0 update is now live on all platforms, which means Season 8 of the popular battle royale game has officially begun. As teased, this season is themed around pirates, and the scurvy seadogs have brought with them a new cannon weapon. Epic has also made some big changes to the game's map; a volcano has erupted out of the island, and there are two new surrounding areas to explore.
Of course, a new season also means a new Battle Pass is available to purchase, and it comes with a ton of new cosmetic rewards to unlock. And that's nothing to say of the other tweaks Epic has made to the game. To help catch you up on all the changes, we've rounded up everything that's new in Season 8 of Fortnite below.
Fortnite 8.0 Update Patch Notes
The patch notes for Fortnite's 8.0 update are out now, and they detail a ton of changes to the game. On top of adding new areas to the island (more on that below), Epic has introduced a new weapon: the aforementioned Pirate Cannon. This can be used to destroy faraway structures or even fire players across the map.
Another major edition in the update is Party Assist, a new feature that allows every player in a party to contribute progress toward challenges. Epic has also copied one of Apex Legends' best features, adding a ping system of its own to Fortnite. Finally, the developer has brought back two LTMs--50v50 and Close Encounters--and vaulted a handful of Season 7's weapons.
Fortnite Season 8 Battle Pass And New Skins
As it does every season, Epic is offering a new Battle Pass for Fortnite. If you finished all of Season 7's extra Overtime challenges, you can claim the new pass for free, while everyone else can purchase it for its usual price of 950 V-Bucks.
Just as before, the Season 8 Battle Pass gives players access to a slate of exclusive challenges. Completing these will level the pass up, which in turn will unlock Season 8's new skins and other cosmetics. Purchasing the Battle Pass will also automatically give players the Blackheart and Hybrid skins, both of which can evolve into different styles.
Fortnite Season 8 Challenge Guides
As in previous seasons, Epic is giving players a variety of challenges to complete each week in Season 8. These are divided into two categories: those that are open to everyone, and those reserved for players who've purchased a Battle Pass.
Search chests at Retail Row or Junk Junction (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Stage 1 of 3: Deal damage with a Shotgun and an explosion weapon in a single match (2) -- 3 Battle Stars
Premium
Visit a giant face in the desert, jungle, and the snow (3) -- 5 Battle Stars
Use a Volcano Vent in a different matches (5) -- 5 Battle Stars
Get an elimination with a Shotgun, Assault Rifle, and Explosive Weapon (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
Deal damage to a vehicle driven by an opponent (200) -- 10 Battle Stars
Fortnite Season 8 Map Changes
Along with all the new items and cosmetics, Season 8 has brought some significant changes to Fortnite's map. The mysterious earthquakes that shook up the island toward the end of Season 7 have resulted in a giant volcano emerging toward the northeastern part of the map.
The volcano is ringed by a pool of lava that will harm players and cause them to bounce away if they come in contact with it, and there are new Volcanic Vents dotted the island; these expel gusts of air that can send players flying.
On top of that, two new areas have also appeared on the map. To the east of the volcano is Sunny Steps, which features Mayan-like pyramids. To the west is Lazy Lagoon, where a huge pirate ship is docked.
It's rare that first-party Nintendo games ever go on sale--after all, the demand is always high, and the company prides itself on producing higher quality games. Because of that, it's sort of a big deal when Nintendo games do get discounted, and right now, Walmart is answering all of our prayers by dropping the price on select first-party Nintendo games.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, and Splatoon 2 have had their price slashed by $15, so you can now pick them up for $45 rather than $60. For the same price, Walmart is also offering starter packs for Breath of the Wild and Splatoon 2, which include both the game and a guide. This is a pretty significant price drop, so act fast if you want to take advantage of this deal. Another perk: Walmart offers free two-day shipping, so you won't be waiting long before they arrive.
In case you've forgotten, Breath of the Wild was our Game of the Year in 2017 and completely reimagined the Zelda formula in a gorgeous, open-world setting. Super Mario Odyssey offers over a dozen colorful worlds to explore, and surprisingly, it's a fun couch co-op game when one player controls Mario and the other is spinning around as Cappy. Splatoon 2 landed on the Switch in mid-2017 and offers ink-slinging fun in both a single-player campaign and online multiplayer.
While not a first-party Nintendo game, Civilization VI is also selling for $45 right now. Civilization VI brought the classic turn-based strategy series to Switch for the first time, where players can build up their own empire by gathering resources and conquering other societies.
All four of these games are worth owning and it's unclear how long they'll be on sale, so if you've been on the fence about buying them, now's likely your best chance to snatch them up at a discount.
Destiny 2's next season kicks off on March 5, and with it comes new activities to complete as part of the game's Annual Pass offering. The Joker's Wild DLC that corresponds with Season 6, the Season of the Drifter, is adding a new version of the Gambit competitive mode called Gambit Prime, which ups the stakes on the mode first introduced with the Forsaken expansion.
Bungie ran down some of the details in a new blog post and vidoc that showcase some of what players can expect in Season 6. The story of the next season is focused on The Drifter, the mysterious character who runs Gambit, and the giant strange artifact he's been towing behind his ship since he showed up in Destiny 2. According to the vidoc, you might think of Gambit up to now as training for a heist. Gambit Prime is the heist, according to Bungie, and it feeds into another high-level activity called The Reckoning.
The Reckoning will be a tiered event that drops special loot, with the idea that you'll be collecting armor and weapons in The Reckoning, taking them back to Gambit Prime to earn better stuff there, and then using that stuff to head back to The Reckoning. The first tier of The Reckoning will be available at the start of the season on March 5, along with Gambit Prime's first new map, a Mars location called New Arcadia. According to Bungie's Destiny 2 roadmap, the second tier of The Reckoning unlocks on March 8, and the third and final tier will be available to players on March 15.
Although the vidoc wasn't very specific on how Gambit Prime will differ from regular Gambit, or what exactly The Reckoning will be, one interesting element of The Reckoning is that it's tied to The Nine. That's the strange, shadowy group mostly only hinted at in Destiny lore up until now, primarily through visits from the weekly Exotic weapons vendor and Emissary of the Nine, Xur. Previous info about Season 6 mentioned that Xur will soon offer bounties for players to complete. Those are now called Invitations of the Nine and will pop up on March 15 with The Reckoning's third tier. These are weekly bounties that offer Powerful rewards, but you can only complete one on each character per week, for nine weeks. There aren't many details as to what they'll entail, though.
As for new Gambit Prime maps, after New Arcadia, a Titan location called Deep Six will get added on March 12. There will also be three new Gambit weapons to earn in the activity, as well as new armor sets through Gambit Prime and The Reckoning.
As the vidoc notes, Bungie took a note from the first DLC release of its new Annual Pass, The Black Armory. When that season started, it came with a Power increase that required players to grind old activities in order to become strong enough to play the newly released content, something nobody playing Destiny 2 was very happy about. That won't happen in Joker's Wild--Bungie says top-level players will be able to jump right into the new Gambit Prime mode. A new set of bounties available from The Drifter, called Power Surge bounties, will also help anybody who's below 640 Power boost themselves up to close to last season's max level within an hour or two, Bungie says.
There's one more big event coming in Joker's Wild that Destiny 2 fans are likely to be waiting for: the quest to get Thorn, one of the best-loved (and most-hated) guns in Destiny 1. That starts on March 12, but sounds like it'll be lengthy and include time gates the way previous Exotic weapons quests have. It sounds like that quest will also require you to pick sides between the Drifter and the Guardian-governing group called the Vanguard. Once you make that choice for a specific character, you're stuck with it, apparently.
While the Gambit-related content in Season of the Drifter is locked behind the Annual Pass, there are a few new bits of content for those who haven't ponied up for the DLC. Season 6 will see new high-level Pinnacle weapons to earn in the Crucible and from Vanguard strikes. There are also two new events coming: a spring event called The Revelry, which sounds to be similar to the Valentine's Day-themed Crimson Days, holiday-themed event The Dawning, and Halloween-themed Festival of the Lost events. Another weeklong event, called Arc Week, will also be free to all players. Those events will start in April and bleed into May.
This week's Best Buy deals are available through March 2, and there's plenty to choose from whether you're an avid PS4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch gamer. Since only a few days are left in this sale, let's take a look at what games and bundles are most worth your money.
One of the more eye-catching deals is an Xbox One X Fallout 76 bundle that's selling for $400--a pretty sweet deal considering the console on its own has been priced at $500 in the past. While Fallout 76 underwhelmed many long-time fans of the series, this bundle is an excellent chance to snag one of the most powerful consoles on the market for $100 cheaper--and if you're a Fallout fan who, despite the negative reception, is still curious to give 76 a shot, then you'll have that perk as well.
There are also several other Xbox One bundles discounted at Best Buy right now--most notably, this Xbox One S Fortnite bundle that includes the Eon cosmetic set, 2,000 V-Bucks, and a one-month trial for both Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold. It's available for $250, down from $300. FYI, Fortnite Season 8 just started, so it's a good time to get in on the action.
It's a good time to pick up Red Dead Redemption 2, the critically acclaimed, open-world Western that's so good, we named it Game of the Year for 2018. Red Dead 2's standard edition is $20 off for both PS4 and Xbox One, selling for $40. Unsurprisingly, this is currently the best-selling deal in this week's Best Buy sale.
If you have a Nintendo Switch, a Pro Controller is absolutely worth the upgrade, even though they're pricey. Luckily, Best Buy has Switch Pro Controllers discounted from $70 down to $57, so here's a great excuse to snag one and drastically improve your Switch-playing experience.
See more discounted games (plus a few price drops) from this week's Best Buy sale below. And remember: these offers are only available through Saturday; a new batch of deals will be posted on Sunday.
When it comes to designing new controllers for classic game consoles, 8BitDo is one of the best. For a lot of Super Nintendo players, the company's line of wireless SN30 controllers are an excellent alternative to original SNES controllers. They come in the same form factor as Nintendo's original 1990 design, and barring any signal interference, they essentially feel the same in action--and if you opt for the Bluetooth versions, you can even translate that experience over to your PC or Nintendo Switch games. Similarly, the 8BitDo Bluetooth adapters let you use a range of controllers, including a DualShock 4, on your Super Nintendo.
Ahead of Analogue's high-end Sega Genesis clone console, the Mega Sg, 8BitDo has just released its new line of Sega Genesis controllers and adapters. Available in both black and white color schemes, the M30 controller sports a distinct design that's also slightly more compact compared to the Sega-made originals. In addition to the standard d-pad, six face buttons, and Start button, there's a shoulder button on each side. Three buttons below the Start button in the middle serve varying functions based on the device the controller is paired to--this includes enabling turbo functionality on the fly via a simple button combination.
A rare example of a third-party controller that looks better than the original model.
Third-party controllers rarely look as good as 8BitDo's, and the M30 is one of the most attractive to date. Beyond the actual shape, the range of materials used gives a premium feel to each individual component--the d-pad being particular pleasing, with its matte finish and just a hint of grip. The top row of buttons wobble the tiniest bit, but it's ultimately a non-issue. The M30's mass is evenly distributed as well, making it a very comfortable to hold for extended periods of time.
All of this would be moot if the M30 exhibited latency issues, but in the handful of hours spent playing fighting games, platformers, and arcade shooters--all exacting genres--the Bluetooth version I tested never skipped a beat. When compared side by side to a wired controller it is possible to notice the slightest amount of input delay in some games, but that's typical of wireless controllers in general and it's such a minor distinction that it quickly becomes a non-issue once you're focused on the game at hand. Though the pairing process for each supported device is slightly different, it's all laid out concisely and clearly in the included one-page manual. Due to the six-button design on the face of the controller, it's easy to imagine the M30 becoming your portable retro controller of choice.
There is so much about the M30 worth admiring, but it's not perfect out of the box. To give a bit of background: In a small number of cases, certain Genesis games fail to play appropriately when a six-button controller is connected to the console. Capcom's co-op arcade shooter Forgotten Worlds triggers a game over screen immediately after the opening dialogue, and Golden Axe 2 will oddly map the directional inputs to the X, Y, and Z buttons, disabling the d-pad altogether. Sunset Riders, a port of a popular co-op arcade game from Konami, won't let you select the 2-Player mode when two six-button controllers are in use. At present, these are issues that exist when playing with the M30 as well.
The original six-button controller by Sega features a Mode button on its top edge that was used to bypass some of these glitches, but there doesn't seem to be a baked-in equivalent for the M30. There's nothing in the manual regarding this setting and 8BitDo has yet to respond to my inquiry for a solution. The two shoulder buttons currently replicate the C and Z buttons, but plugged into a PC, it's clear that they are in fact distinct inputs, meaning they can be remapped however 8BitDo wishes. Assuming there isn't some secret functionality that I've overlooked, it would be great to see a combo of these, or other buttons, used to replicate the functionality of a dedicated Mode button.
The original six-button controller by Sega features a Mode button on its top edge that was used to bypass glitches in some games, but the M30 requires a slightly less obvious approach--holding down the "-" button for three seconds when playing games like Forgotten Worlds, Sunset Riders, and Golden Axe II--a few of the more popular games plagued by the six-button controller bugs. This wasn't clear to us at first because there's nothing in the M30 manual regarding this toggle, but it is detailed on the back of the Bluetooth receiver's box.
$20 Bluetooth Genesis Adapter
Depending on your situation, you may want to consider the 2.4 Ghz M30 over the Bluetooth version. The Bluetooth M30 controller costs $30 and can be used with your PC, Mac, or Nintendo Switch on its own, but to use it with a Genesis, you will need to buy the $20 Bluetooth adapter. Simply using the Bluetooth adapter on its own, you can play Genesis games with a DualShock 4, Switch Pro Controller, or Xbox One controller. If, at the end of the day the only thing you care about is using the M30 on your Genesis, the 2.4 Ghz version and the bundled dedicated wireless adapter will only set you back $25.
The M30 isn't the only modern wireless Genesis controller; I also own Krikzz's excellent controller and its dedicated wireless adapter, but at $72 on Amazon, the higher price tag is difficult to ignore--at least it has a dedicated Mode button. The few incompatible Genesis games aside, 8BitDo's $50 bluetooth controller and adapter pairing both left a great impression during my tests. The M30 is a reliable and comfortable controller with enough inputs that you'll appreciate having it available to use on multiple systems, let alone working on the Genesis at such a competitive price point.
Editor's note: 8BitDo provided the M30 Bluetooth controller and the Bluetooth adapter for review.
Update: 8BitDo clarified the confusion regarding the controller's 6- and 3-button mode switch after publication of this article. GameSpot has adjusted the article and regrets the error. - Feb. 28, 10:00 AM PT
Apex Legends reviews have praised the game for a number of features, but one specific detail people like is the battle royale game's ping system, which allows players great versatility when communicating. Fortnite's Season 8 update, which is fresh out of Epic Games' oven, has introduced a remarkably similar feature.
Fortnite: Battle Royale players can press middle mouse button on PC or left bumper, L1, or L on Xbox One, PS4, and Switch, respectively to mark various points of interest for teammates. Similar to Apex Legends' system, pressing that button once will simply create a ping towards a location, item, or weapon, while double tapping it will produce a red icon indicating an enemy nearby.
Epic could have been working on this since before Apex Legends' launch, of course, but the timing--the feature making its way to Fortnite just weeks after Apex's release--would be a remarkable coincidence.
Fortnite's Season 8 began just recently, which brings with it gameplay changes and tweaks, as well as a brand new Battle Pass. For those not familiar, the Battle Pass allows players to unlock cosmetics and customization features, provided they play Fortnite to accrue experience and level it up. The Battle Pass has over 100 levels, which means over 100 rewards.
Fortnite's weekly challenges are back. Not a lot has changed in terms of what they offer or how to complete them, but since they're such a critical part of the overall Fortnite gameplay experience, it's worth taking the time to understand them and what they offer. The weekly challenges are intricately linked to the Battle Pass and the cosmetics that become available through that. Completing challenges awards a player with Battle Stars, which in turn level up the pass and push it through higher tiers. As it ascends through the tiers, more cosmetic unlocks become available to a player.
Season 8 has a brand new Battle Pass, which is available for 950 V-Bucks (1,000 V-Bucks are available for roughly $10/£10 in the in-game store). The Battle Pass has over 100 tiers, which means there's over 100 cosmetics to be unlocked. You can see of them in our Fortnite Season 8 Battle Pass unlocks gallery. You'll get two of the coolest skins--Blackheart and Hybrid--for simply purchasing the Battle Pass. These two particular skins evolve as you accrue experience and level them up. You can see all the new Fortnite Season 8 skins here.
Every week, Epic Games will refresh the challenges, so you'll need to keep coming back to get the necessary Battle Stars needed to upgrade the pass and unlock items. We'll be regularly updating this article with the challenges as they become available. Additionally, any guides that we create to help players complete the challenges will be found here, so think of this article as your Fortnite Season 8 challenges super-guide.
Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 8 Challenges
Week 1
Free
Visit all Pirate Camps (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search chests at Retail Row or Junk Junction (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Stage 1 of 3: Deal damage with a Shotgun and an explosion weapon in a single match (2) -- 3 Battle Stars
Premium
Visit a giant face in the desert, jungle, and the snow (3) -- 5 Battle Stars
Use a Volcano Vent in a different matches (5) -- 5 Battle Stars
Get an elimination with a Shotgun, Assault Rifle, and Explosive Weapon (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
Deal damage to a vehicle driven by an opponent (200) -- 10 Battle Stars
Reward: 4K XP (after completing four challenges, only for Battle Pass owners)
Are you running out of new things to watch on Hulu? If so, how? March is almost here, and that means a whole bunch of new content for you to take in. From movies you know and love to brand-new Hulu originals, there is something for you.
March 1 is when Hulu has a massive dump of movies, some of which you may have seen and others that may have passed you by, and there are a lot of films dropping you'll want to watch. If you're a Batman fan, then you're in for a treat. Both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are coming to Hulu. Once again, you can watch Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker in the Batman sequel, and it's still--to this day--the best Batman movie.
If you're looking for something a bit more light-hearted, then how about a gentleman talking out of his butt? Both Ace Ventura movies hit the service on March 1, so you can watch Jim Carrey search for animals and make references to The Crying Game. If you want something a tad less silly, but need a Jim Carrey fix, Yes Man also hits the service that day. It's Liar Liar but Carrey's character has to say "Yes" to everything.
While there is a lot coming to Hulu in March, there is also a lot leaving. On March 31, Hulu waves goodbye to Hollywood classics like Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. Jokes aside, a bunch of Stephan King movies are leaving, so you may want to check them out before it's too late: Pet Semetary, Graveyard Shift, Silver Bullet, and Thinner.
If you're looking for more arrivals from your favorite streaming services, check out what Netflix and Amazon have coming in March. And below, you'll find what's coming to Hulu.
Coming to Hulu in March
Available March 1
Drifters: Complete Season 1 (Funimation)
Into The Dark: Treehouse: Episode 6 Premiere (Hulu Original)
Rick Steves' Europe: Complete Season 10 (PBS)
8 Heads in a Duffel Bag (1997)
Abduction (2011)
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)
Alex & Emma (2003)
American Beauty (1999)
An American Haunting (2006)
Astro Boy (2010)
Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction (2006)
Batman Begins (2005)
Black Sheep (1996)
Blast from the Past (1999)
Boomerang (1992)
Breakheart Pass (1975)
Bruce Almighty (2003)
Bushwhacked (1995)
The Chumscrubber (2005)
The Cider House Rules (1999)
The Crying Game (1992)
The Dark Knight (2008)
Death at a Funeral (2007)
Deuces Wild (2002)
Dirty Work (1998)
The Dogs of War (1981)
Double Jeopardy (1999)
Easy Rider (1969)
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Fire in the Sky (1993)
The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)
He Named Me Malala (2015)
Heaven's Gate (1981)
I, Dolours (2018)
The Ice Storm (1997)
Impostor (2001)
Inventing the Abbotts (1996)
Ironweed (1987)
It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown (1976)
JFK (1991)
Jumanji (1995)
Legally Blondes (2009)
Lego Batman: DC Super Heroes Unite (2013)
Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash (2018)
The Mighty Quinn (1989)
Nacho Libre (2006)
Not Another Teen Movie (2001)
Office Space (1999)
Open Season (2006)
Open Season 2 (2009)
Open Season 3 (2011)
Open Season: Scared Silly (2016)
Ouija House (2018)
Ouija Séance: The Final Game (2018)
Perfect Creature (2005)
The Piano (1993)
The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984)
Rambo III (1988)
Reasonable Doubt (2014)
Red Corner (1997)
Red Dragon (2002)
Regarding Henry (1991)
Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993)
Return of the Living Dead 4: Necropolis (2006)
Return of the Living Dead 5: Rave to the Grave (2007)
River's Edge (1987)
S.F.W. (1995)
Saved! (2004)
Shaolin Warrior (2013)
Small Soldiers (1998)
Summer Catch (2001)
Tapeheads (1988)
Toys (1992)
Tristan & Isolde (2003)
Two Weeks Notice (2002)
Vice (2015)
W. (2008)
Waterworld (1995)
What a Girl Wants (2003)
What Lies Beneath (2000)
What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001)
Witness (1985)
Yes Man (2008)
Available March 4
American Idol: Season 2 Premiere (ABC)
Cosmos: Possible Worlds: Series Premiere (FOX)
Good Girls: Season 2 Premiere (NBC)
Available March 5
A Frozen Christmas 3 (2018)
The Closet ("Le Placard") (2001)
Where Hands Touch (2018)
Available March 6
MasterChef Junior: Season 7 Premiere (FOX)
Mental Samurai: Series Premiere (FOX)
Available March 7
Dudes (1987)
Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979)
Suburbia (1983)
Available March 8
A.P. Bio: Season 2 Premiere (NBC)
For The People: Season 2 Premiere (ABC)
Hang Ups: Complete Season 1 (Fremantle)
I Can Only Imagine (2018)
Available March 9
Keeping Up with the Kardashians: Complete Season 15 (E!)
Available March 10
Black Clover: Complete Season 1 (Dubbed) (Funimation)
Middle Men (2009)
Available March 11
The Party's Just Beginning (2018)
Available March 12
Acrimony (2018)
Trigger (2018)
Available March 13
Free Solo (2018)
Available March 14
Shoplifters (2018)
Available March 15
Shrill: Complete Season 1 Premiere (Hulu Original)
Like Water for Chocolate (1992)
No Way Out (2018)
The Fog (2005)
Wings of the Dove (1997)
Available March 16
Tea with the Dames (2018)
Available March 17
Divide and Conquer (2018)
Available March 18
Assassination Nation (2018)
Available March 19
Fear the Walking Dead: Complete Season 4 (AMC)
Juda: Complete Season 1 (Banijay)
The Fix: Series Premiere (ABC)
A Frozen New Year's (2018)
Available March 20
The Act: Series Premiere (Hulu Original)
The Village: Series Premiere (NBC)
Girl Most Likely (2013)
Available March 21
Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists: Series Premiere (Freeform)
The Last Race (2018)
Available March 22
Cardinal: Complete Season 3 (CTV)
Available March 24
Catfish: Season 7, Episodes 1-28 (MTV)
Available March 26
Dr. K's Exotic Animal E.R.: Season 7 Premiere (National Geographic)
FortniteSeason 8, Week 1's challenges are live now. Among them are a couple that will be tricky, primarily because the new world event has changed the way the island looks and introduced new areas. The first of these difficult challenges is available to everyone and asks players to visit the new Pirate Camps. The other, however, is exclusive to those that have paid for a Battle Pass and involves visiting three giant faces that are hidden around the map.
Specifically, these faces can be found in the desert, the jungle, and the snow. Now, the areas of the map these correspond to are fairly obvious, given that the Fortnite island is split up into distinct biomes. However, each of these locations are pretty big, so you could end up aimlessly running around looking for them. Fear not! We've done the challenge and have put together a map that shows you exactly where to go. Take a look at it below. Remember that you don't have to do anything special when you get there, simply gaze in wonder at it for a brief period and then move on.
Giant Face In Desert, Jungle, Snow Locations
East of Sunny Steps
South of Paradise Palms
South east of Happy Hamlet
If you haven't already seen it, make sure to read the Fortnite update 8.0's full patch notes. This has all the information you need on the new weapon that has been added as well as those that have been vaulted. There's also details on the limited time modes and a new feature that lets players group up with friends to complete challenges together. We also have a Battle Pass explainer, if you need a bit more information on how you can unlock the skins and other cosmetics. You can also take a look at the cool new skins for Season 8, as well as all the other cosmetics in our Fortnite Season 8 Battle Pass cosmetics gallery.
The final season of Game of Thrones is now just over two months away, and while a full trailer is yet to be released, HBO is definitely increasing its marketing in the build-up. Following the new footage from Season 8 that was revealed during the Oscars this week, a series of new characters have been released.
Like the character images revealed earlier this month, they don't exactly tell us what to expect from the new season, but they're still pretty stylish. There's 20 of them in total, and show all the main cast sitting on the show's iconic Iron Throne. Check them out below:
In terms of what we do know about Season 8, this week's new footage showed Daenerys's lethal Unsullied army of eunuchs arriving at Winterfell, along with her dragon Drogon. A cryptic first teaser was released in January, and while that didn't contain any actual footage, it did hint at the fates of members of the Stark family.
We also know the big battle in the new season is the largest in the entire series, and that creator George RR Martin won't have a cameo in Season 8, despite showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff asking him to appear. It premieres on HBO on April 14.
Although Game of Thrones is nearing the end, there is a prequel spin-off on the way. X-Men: First Class' Jane Goldman will serve as showrunner and has developed the story with Martin. This week it was revealed that the show will start filming early this summer.
While it's yet to receive an official title, Martin suggested last year that it would be called The Long Night. He subsequently walked that back, perhaps due to pressure from HBO that didn't want that name shared yet. In any event, it does provide some insight into what to expect. It is expected to premiere in 2020 or 2021.
One week after its official launch, BioWare is planning major revisions to the loot drops in its latest game, Anthem. In a lengthy post on Reddit, the studio summarized the pieces of feedback it has received from the community, as well as what an imminent update will do about them.
BioWare identified a few key takeaways from its first week. Players feel inscriptions are too random and not useful for the item they're attached to, which leads to repeatedly seeking different masterwork items to find one with a good matching inscription. This has led to requests for more masterwork drops, or more useful inscriptions.
In response, the studio plans to do both. In an update set to drop February 28 or March 1, inscriptions for items will better match the items they're on, and masterworks will come more readily. The better inscriptions will only apply to newly found items, not ones already in your Vault. Crafting materials for a masterwork will reduce from 25 embers to 15, letting players craft them more easily. Finally, uncommon (white) and common (green) drops will be removed from level 30 drop tables entirely.
On the whole, these changes seem aimed at getting players better loot faster and easier. That should help ease one of the common complaints about the game, that getting the best gear in the post-game can turn into a grind. Coming just one week after launch, it also shows that BioWare is willing to be pretty nimble with its updates. You can check out the full outline from the developer below.
BioWare's take on the loot shooter has received mixed reviews on GameSpot sister site Metacritic, and in our own Anthem review.
"Anthem has good ideas, but it struggles significantly with the execution. It's a co-op game that works best with no one talking; it buries genuinely interesting character moments and puts its most incomprehensible story bits at the forefront; its combat is exciting until you get to the boss fights and find your wings have been clipped," wrote critic Kallie Plagge. "Even the simple, exhilarating act of flying is frequently interrupted by the limitations of your javelin, and you never quite shake that feeling of disappointment--of knowing, throughout the good parts of Anthem, that you'll inevitably come crashing back down."
Many inscriptions are not useful to the item they are attached to
Due to this, players need to get many masterworks of the same item to find a "good one"
Players want the frequency of masterwork drops to increase to help with the above OR…
They want us to change how masterwork inscriptions work so that they are more "useful"
Plan for changes to go live on February 28th or March 1st (central US time)
Inscriptions are now better for the items they are on
This applies to new items earned in Anthem (not existing ones in your Vault)
If an inscription applies only to the item it is on (gear icon), it will be useful to that item. Otherwise the inscription will provide a Javelin wide benefit
For example, an Assault Rifle will not have an item specific +pistol damage inscription. It may have a +electric damage suit wide inscription (cool for a lightning build)
Some more information below
Removed uncommon (white) and common (green) items from level 30 drop tables
This was a highly requested change and we agree, so that's that.
Reduced the crafting materials needed to craft a masterwork from 25 masterwork embers to 15 masterwork embers
As you salvage or harvest, you should be able to craft more masterwork items to get the inscriptions you are looking for
Now that inscriptions are more relevant to their item, this should yield better results for players
Additional inscription change details
Current: There are a large pool of inscription options available to roll on items, the inscription pools are generic (e.g. Weapons)
Every masterwork item has 4 inscriptions – Major Primary, Minor Primary, Major Secondary, Minor Secondary
Change: Each item type now has a specific set of inscription options for each of their inscription pools. The pools are smaller and are targeted to the specific item type
E.g. there used to be a Weapon pool, now there is an Assault Rifle pool and the assault rifle pool has 4 pools for each of the inscription types listed above
Primary inscriptions are focused on damage or survivability
Any item specific inscriptions (gear icon) will always benefit the item they are on
Javelin wide inscriptions (suit icon) will benefit damage or survivability across the whole Javelin
Secondary inscriptions focus on utility and can be targeted to the item (gear icon) or the entire javelin (suit icon)
The new season of Fortnite has officially started, which means new challenges to do. The way it works hasn't changed from previous season--though developer Epic Games has overhauled the interface so it looks slick and modern. As always, you'll need to complete challenges to unlock Battle Stars, which level up the Battle Pass and give you new cosmetics. Among Season 8, Week 1's challenges is one which asks players to visit all the Pirate Camps.
These camps are new for the season, as they have just appeared alongside the arrival of the pirates. This means you'll need to spend some time running around the island trying to locate them. All you need to do is visit one to progress towards completing the challenge, but there's a total of seven, so it could take some time and effort.
To speed things up for you, however, we've put together a quick guide that will direct you to exactly where these camps are located. Simply use the map below, head to the marked locations, and you'll be done in no time. The fastest way to do it is to jump off the Battle Bus and land at one location, get yourself killed, and then repeat.
We've put together an image gallery that shows off all the cosmetics in the Fortnite Season 8 Battle Pass. Epic Games previously estimated that it will take players between 75 and 150 hours to unlock all the new cosmetics in a Battle Pass, so we suggest taking a loot to see what's included before committing, and doing that will also help you prioritize.
After seven mainline games in the Yakuza franchise, and having grown so close to series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu and his rollercoaster of a life, stepping into his hometown of Kamurocho without him didn't feel right. But Ryu ga Gotoku Studios' new game, Judgment, thrusts you back into the red-light district as Takayuki Yagami, a lawyer-turned-private eye, whose detective sensibilities spin a fresh perspective on a place we've seen so many times. And after two hours of hands-on with the localized version, I've come to appreciate seeing a familiar town in a new light, not to mention investigating the ongoing drama of Kamurocho's criminal underworld.
It takes some time to adjust and accept Yagami, especially when I pass by the old Serena bar and Millenium Tower, or stop by the Sega Arcade in Theater Square and Don Quijote off Nakamichi street. These are the spots I've been to countless times as Kiryu, and a sense of nostalgia hit me as I was playing. However, the book's been closed on the Dragon of Dojima and with a heavy introduction to Yagami's own tumultuous life and how he ties into the overarching Yakuza narrative, I can't help but buy into what Judgment is trying to do.
Takayuki Yagami (left), Masaharu Kaito (right), two misfits from opposite ends of justice whose circumstances have them caught in the middle.
New Stories From An Old City
In many ways, it's the same old seedy Kamurocho--modeled after Kabukicho in Shinjuku, Tokyo--mainly because it's literally the same map and assets from Yakuza X. Low-level goons trying to flex, shady types looking to swindle you, and thugs ready to fight fill the streets. But that's only the backdrop to Yagami's story. In a flashback, it's established that he'd been a lawyer with Genda Law Firm in Kamurocho, and successfully defended one Shinpei Okubo, who Yagami seems to have a personal connection with. After being found not guilty, Okubo subsequently stabs his girlfriend and burns down their apartment; this is as it appears in the introductory cutscene, but knowing Yakuza games, there's certainly more to this particular story.
Fast-forward three years later, Yagami left the life of a lawyer to work as a private investigator, trading in his suit for a sweet pair of skinny jeans and slick leather jacket, if he's not in disguise. He stays close to his former associates at Genda Law who remain integral to the story, even taking on jobs for his old boss. Old cohorts aside, Yagami works alongside his partner Masaharu Kaito--the beefy, well-dressed right-hand-man who can hold his own against mobs of bad guys. He's also ex-yakuza and was previously booted from the Tojo Clan for reasons currently unknown. Two misfits from opposite ends of justice whose circumstances have them caught in the middle.
Even the central drama pulls from what we already know; the Kansai-based Omi Alliance encroaches on the Tojo Clan's turf yet again, but Omi goons are found murdered throughout Kamurocho, inexplicably with their eyes gouged out. Thus, the first chapter titled "Three Blind Mice" gets you involved in one of Judgement's deeper mysteries. It leads to another web of characters who all seem to be building up to have roles in a larger conspiracy, setting the pieces for a potential plot twist down the road. One of them being Kyohei Hamura, a captain in the Tojo Clan's Matsugane Family, who's suspected of committing one of the said murders--and Yagami must help defend him.
I didn't get to see the conclusion to this particular story thread, but I picked up some interesting bits along the way that painted a clearer picture of where Yagami fits in. He's presented as a stand-up fellow and doesn't appear to have any burning desire or motivation to help either side in this endless gang war, but does some basic (and shady) debt collecting for the Matsugane family to make ends meet. But Prior to Hamura's arrest, it's said that patriarch Matsugane had paid for Yagami's law school tuition to defend Okubo in return; the aforementioned incident three years ago. As I inched closer to the truth in this early chapter and wondered how Yagami will handle the truth, the more complicated pieces started to fall in place.
With all the narrative juggling you'll be doing and Yagami's dynamic role as a veteran investigator and hardened fighter, it's a sensibility that also pours into Judgment's gameplay.
You Can't Fight Your Way Through Every Problem
Compared to most Yakuza games, Judgment's main story has you doing a bit more than beating dudes to a pulp before reaching an often respectful resolution. The opening hours give you a taste of the different phases of a typical mission. In one phase, you'll follow a suspect in one of those tailing sequences where you fail if you get too close or stray too far from the target. In another, you'll examine your immediate surroundings to gather evidence within a confined location for a case you're investigating. At other times, you'll engage in chases on foot a la Yakuza 3, 4, and 5 where you pursue a suspect and avoid obstacles to catch them before they escape. There's also a phrase of talking to bystanders at key locations to hopefully obtain witness accounts that bring you closer to solving the case at hand.
On their own, these in-between sequences haven't been all that great yet, and if anything, simply break up the pace of what we've come to expect. One thing that seems to stand above the rest is the addition of a more dynamic dialogue tree. These don't necessarily influence the story's outcomes the same way many modern RPGs do, but they put you in position to lead conversations and play at least a small part in digging out information and piecing evidence. By nature of taking the role of an investigator, you're more inquisitive about the surrounding environment and the people within it. So much so that you can form bonds with some characters; we're hoping for Persona-style social links, but we'll have to wait to see how far this'll take us.
Judgment's added layer of investigation breaks up the pace and makes you think of story events a bit differently.
When it's time to throw down, the series' tried-and-true beat 'em up combat resurfaces, using a near identical control scheme. Yagami plays reminiscent of the footloose financier Shun Akiyama (playable in Yakuza 4 and 5), who relies more on agile kicks and acrobatics than haymakers and brutal throws. His high-flying fighting style also feeds into the EX Actions (formerly Heat Actions) in which you'll see Yagami wall-jumping to deliver a devastating knee or follow up a roundhouse with a swinging double kick through a doorway. Although I was only able to mess with the demo's available EX Actions, scrolling through the upgrades menu reveals even more stylish attacks--I get the feeling that Judgment's humorous side may shine here (I mean, we saw Yagami kickflip a skateboard to kick a dude in the face in a previous trailer). Yagami gives off an air of parkour-influenced swagger as opposed to Kiryu's traditional absurd brutality that I, and I suspect many others, will be onboard for.
Downtime And Minigames
As expected, minigames are found around the corners of the sandbox of Kamurocho, mainly at the Club Sega right in the heart of Kamurocho's Theater Square. 'Kamuro of the Dead' delivers a light gun-style experience that throws back to House of the Dead and sparked thoughts of the ridiculous spinoff Yakuza: Dead Souls. And the smaller things like the dart boards and UFO Catcher crane game are still around. But the adorable plushies you pluck out of it serve a slightly bigger purpose: you can now decorate your office space with them. Yagami lives in his office and sleep on the couch as if he (like his fighting style) was pulled straight of the Akiyama template. And in this office, you can put your own flair on it with cute stuffed cats, office plants, and Super Monkey Ball monkeys--a nod to director Toshihiro Nagoshi's pre-Yakuza claim to fame.
You'll still find Club Sega down by Theater Square with plenty of arcade games to play!
Sadly, karaoke isn't present in Judgment. The rhythm-based minigame that brought so many beautiful and hilarious moments throughout the Yakuza series was said to not be a great fit for Judgment and its characters. It'd also be pretty difficult getting new Yagami's voice actors Greg Chun (English) and Takuya Kimura (Japanese) to sing karaoke songs in the voice over booths in a way that makes sense for both languages.
A New Watermark For The Series' Localization
For the first time in Ryu ga Gotoku Studios' history, its game will feature dual audio; you'll have the option for the English or Japanese voice track with separate subtitles for each. It's a new challenge for Sega's localization team that's been renowned for its stellar work on bringing the current generation of Yakuza games to the West with their original spirit in tact. While I find the Japanese voice work to be the best fit, the English voices left me pleasantly surprised, especially with the extra effort made to animate proper lip-syncing for a separate script.
Prominent anime and video game voice actors were brought on for Judgment; alongside Greg Chun in the lead role are Matthew Mercer, Max Mittelman, Yuri Lowenthal, Cherami Leigh, and SungWon "ProZD" Cho to name a few. Having spent some time with the English track, I began to ease into it and found myself brought into the story all the same. Having this option opens the door for those who've always wanted a dubbed version.
Saori Shirosaki works at Genda Law, and isn't one for words, but will gladly scarf down dorayaki.
Awaiting Judgment
Judgment is tempered in a way that fits what the game is going for. No longer are you navigating the ranks of a yakuza clan or sorting out your own family drama while taking breaks to hit the dance floor or belt out a few songs at the karaoke bar. I'll miss that, it's what made Yakuza's story and characters full of life. The masterful fluctuation between absurdity and melodrama takes a back seat, at least that's how it appears.
There are a lot of new faces, and keeping track of who's who comes part-and-parcel, and even with just two hours with the game, there's still plenty of detail I haven't laid out here. But if I've learned anything from seven Yakuza entries, it's that Ryu ga Gotoku Studios makes good on the details it throws into its games. Judgment provides a fresh perspective of a familiar setting. It may not be a Yakuza game by name, but the spirit seems to still be there. You can investigate Kamurocho's latest crimes as Takayuki Yagami in Summer 2019 when Judgment launches exclusively for PlayStation 4.
The transition from one season to the next is rarely a smooth one in the world of Fortnite, as developer Epic Games likes to make significant changes that turns everything that veteran players know on its head. Epic does this through large-scale world events that both develop Fortnite's lore and also rework the island that players spend all their time on. Season 8, which is now live, is no exception.
As Season 7 was coming to a close, players reported earthquakes and, eventually, cracks began forming on the island. Now, it has been revealed that an incredibly powerful figure--the Prisoner--being held captive by the Ice King has now escaped. Alongside this enigmatic figure finding his freedom, a volcano has emerged on the island and ninjas have appeared. If the Ice King's Ice Fiends and strange fire ninjas wasn't enough, pirates have also arrived on the island. Each of these factions have their eyes on a treasure, and as the weeks progress, the struggle to acquire said treasure will no doubt get messy.
All of this has changed the Fortnite island in significant ways. When looking at the map, it's most noticeable in the northwest corner, where the new volcano can be seen, with a pool of lava surround it. That lava isn't just for show, as touching it will do one point of damage and also bounce the player away. That might not sound like a lot, but when a skirmish gets heated, backing into some lava when your health is low could be the difference between a Victory Royale and coming in second place.
Another new gameplay element are Volcanic Vents. These have appeared around the map and shoot out air that can be used to aid traversal. If you or a vehicle you're in gets caught up in an air stream coming out of a vent, you'll be launched into the sky. They work very similar to how the jump pads used to, so they essentially function as a replacement.
Around the volcano, two new areas have also appeared. Sunny Steps is to the east and has a distinct Mayan aesthetic, with pyramid structures that look like temples. It's also nestled in the jungle and surrounded by greenery. With the sun beaming down over it, the area looks quite idyllic, though we anticipate it won't be long before it's home to chaotic skirmishes.
To the west of the volcano is Lazy Lagoon, which is an area themed after the new pirates that have arrived on the island. A huge pirate ship can be found docked there, and we expect the challenges coming over the next few weeks will have us boarding the ship regularly. Already, a Week 1 challenge sends you to track down pirate camps.
But the changes aren't just constrained to the island, as the spawn island, where players gather before boarding the Battle Bus has also changed. It now has a little more of jungle theme, while also having some touches to remind players that there's pirates out there now. You can take a look at the map, as well as the new locations in the images above.
Epic Games has released the Fortnite update 8.0 patch notes, so you can see everything that's changed and added for the new season. The new Battle Pass is also available, and we have a comprehensive Fortnite Season 8 Battle Pass cosmetics guide, which has images of every unlock available, so you can check it out before purchasing a pass or figure out what you want to focus on getting. The highlight are the new skins, including the banana from one of the teaser.
Season 8 of Fortnite has begun with the release of the huge 8.0 patch, and along with it comes a new Battle Pass for purchase (or for free, if you earned it last season through Overtime challenges). As part of, there are tons of new Season 8 Battle Pass rewards, the most exciting of which are, as always, new skins to customize your character with. Fortnite typically has some of the coolest skins around and Season 8 maintains that high standard. We've put together a selection of images so you can take a look at the outfits below--and yes, the banana from the teaser images is one of them, and it's somehow much creepier than expected.
Two of the coolest skins in Season 8 are unlocked simply by purchasing the Battle Pass. This is available in the in-game store for 950 V-Bucks. If you don't have V-Bucks, which is Fortnite's in-game currency, you'll have to spend some real money to get some; in the US, 1,000 V-Bucks go for $10. The two outfits you instantly unlock for buying a Battle Pass are Blackheart and Hybrid, both of which tie into Season 8's theme of pirates and ninjas.
Blackheart is described as "the dreaded captain of the stormy season" and is part of the Scallywags set. This is one of the evolving styles of skins, which means it can be levelled up. As you do so, Blackheart goes from being a young, good looking, roguish pirate to an older bearded one that has clearly been on some unusual adventures, and then finally a skeleton that is glowing with various colors of energy.
Hybrid, meanwhile, is part of the Brood set. These characters emerged from the volcano, after a powerful figure escaped imprisonment at the hands of the Ice King. The outfit description simply reads, "Become the dragon." Like Blackheart, Hybrid's outfit can be levelled up, and it goes from a traditional ninja look to something more lizard-like. Across the evolutions, more of the beast version slowly becomes visible, tearing through the shinobi outfit before fully transforming into the dragon.
Beyond those two skins, there's Peely, the aforementioned banana that ripens over time; Ember, which is a flame-wielder; and Master Key, who better not be vying for the title of Master of Unlocking. There is only one Master of Unlocking, and it's Jill Valentine.
The quickest way to get these skins is to have a Battle Pass and complete challenges. If you're unfamiliar with either of these, you can take a look at our Fortnite Season 8 Battle Pass explainer for more information on what that is, how you can get one, the rewards you'll get, and how you can make the most of having one.
We're now in the first week of Fortnite Season 8, and with the big new patch comes a new set of weekly challenges. If you're new to the game, here's a quick breakdown: complete challenges to earn experience, which levels up your Battle Pass and, as you ascend through the Battle Pass tiers, will grant you access to exclusive cosmetic unlocks. As always, challenges are split into two categories. There's one set that is available to anyone playing the game, and a second set that is only available to players that have spent V-Bucks on a Battle Pass (which allows you to earn even more skins, V-Bucks, and other rewards).
In the free section open to everyone, players will need to visit the new Pirate Camps, search chests in specific locations, and complete a multi-stage challenge that involves eliminating enemies with specific weapons. The Battle Pass challenges, meanwhile, task players with visiting landmarks (specifically, a giant face in the desert, jungle, and snow), using the new Volcano Vents in a number of different matches, weapon-specific eliminations, and dealing damage to vehicles. Take a look below for the full breakdown of Fortnite Season 8, Week 1's challenges.
Fortnite Season 8, Week 1 Challenges
Free
Visit all Pirate Camps (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search chests at Retail Row or Junk Junction (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Stage 1 of 3: Deal damage with a Shotgun and an explosion weapon in a single match (2) -- 3 Battle Stars
Premium
Visit a giant face in the desert, jungle, and the snow (3) -- 5 Battle Stars
Use a Volcano Vent in a different matches (5) -- 5 Battle Stars
Get an elimination with a Shotgun, Assault Rifle, and Explosive Weapon (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
Deal damage to a vehicle driven by an opponent (200) -- 10 Battle Stars
Completing the week's challenges may take longer than usual, as the map has changed quite significantly. Thanks to the appearance of giant volcano, new locations have emerged, lava has spilled across the map, and there's volcano vents scattered around them.
If you want to see what else is new to Season 8, take a look at the full Fortnite update 8.0 patch notes. This details the new cannon weapon, the limited time events, the weapons that have been vaulted, as well as a really handy new feature that will let players group up with friends to complete challenges together.
If you need a little more information on how unlocks work in Fortnite, check out our Battle Pass explainer, which will walk you through what a Battle Pass is, how you can get one, and the best way to use it.
Epic Games has successfully launched Season 8 of Fortnite, and there's a whole load of new content to enjoy. Importantly, however, a new world event has kicked off, and this will set the stage for everything that happens in Fortnite over the coming months.
"A monstrous volcano has appeared," Epic explains on the Fortnite website. "Freed from the Ice King's castle, the now-powerful Prisoner has brought fire and flame to Fortnite and its islands. Pirates, Ninjas, and a ship load of new fighters will tussle over treasure, battle with Pirate Cannons and uncover legendary loot."
That's right, finally, Pirates vs. Ninjas in Fortnite. Of course, the arrival of these new factions along with the appearance of a giant volcano has had a significant impact on the island itself. As a result, there are new locations on the map: Lazy Lagoon and Sunny Steps. On top of that, Volcanic Vents have appeared around the island, and the gusts of air that they fire out can be used to launch yourself and your vehicles into the sky.
Of course, Season 8 also brings with it a new Battle Pass, and you can learn exactly what that means in our Battle Pass explainer. The short of it is that there are 100 new tiers to level up the Battle Pass through, which means a whole bunch of new cosmetics to unlock and challenges to complete alongside them. Plenty for both avid Fortnite fans and newcomers to sink their teeth into.
You can see everything that's new, tweaked, and changed in the full Fortnite update 8.0 patch notes. Along with the world event, Epic has introduced a new cannon weapon, which can be used to destroy structures from a distance. Alternatively, a player can hop inside the cannon and fire themselves across the island, which is a very handy way to cover ground and catch an enemy by surprise.
Fortnite Season 8 is officially underway. As longtime fans of the wildly popular battle royale title will know, the new season breathes new life into the game by overhauling numerous aspects. For Season 8, developer Epic has changed the island on which all the action takes place, introduced new gameplay features, and made quality of life improvements. However, for dedicated Fortnite players the most exciting thing that Season 8 brings is a new Battle Pass.
For those that are jumping into Fortnite for the first time (hey, hello, welcome to the Fortnite party!), here's a quick overview of what the Battle Pass is, what it offers, and how you can best make use of it to enjoy the coming weeks and months of playing Fortnite.
How Does The Battle Pass Work?
The Battle Pass is effectively the means by which players unlock new cosmetic items such as skins, emotes, wraps, gliders, and back bling--basically anything cool you see on other players running around the island. This is done by playing Fortnite, taking out enemy players and scoring Victory Royales, and completing the weekly challenges. The Battle Stars you accrue while doing all this levels up the Battle Pass and, in turn, the cosmetics become available.
As with previous Battle Passes, there are over 100 levels to upgrade through. When you acquire a Battle Pass, you'll automatically get the Blackheart and Hybrid progressive skins. These outfits can be leveled up to evolve into different styles, which is a neat touch introduced in Season 7.
Everyone Gets Select Challenges For Free
You're not required to have a Battle Pass as, by default, everyone is able to unlock some cosmetics. However, with what is effectively the free version of the Battle Pass, it takes much longer to level up the Battle Pass and unlock these cosmetics. This is because a portion of the weekly challenges are exclusive to those that have spent V-Bucks on a Battle Pass. More challenges to do means more Battle Stars earned, which levels up the pass quicker and gets players those precious cosmetics. There are also some rewards that are exclusive to paid Battle Pass holders.
How Much Does A Battle Pass Cost?
The Battle Pass costs 950 V-Bucks from the in-game store. V-Bucks is a Fortnite-specific currency that you can purchase with real money. Those that completed the 13 free Overtime challenges during the Share the Love event towards the end of Season 7 are entitled to a Season 8 Battle Pass at no cost. If that's you, head to the Battle Pass tab to get it or upgrade to a Battle Bundle at a discount.
You Can Get Free V-Bucks
Although a Battle Pass costs 950 V-Bucks, you could argue that it pays for itself if you play Fortnite regularly. If you have a Battle Pass you'll also be rewarded with V-Bucks as you level it up--every six to 10 tiers, you'll be given 100 free V-Bucks. If you're dedicated throughout the season and manage to reach rank 58, you'll have earned 1,000 V-Bucks, which is more than you'll have spent on the Battle Pass in the first place.
There are additional V-Bucks to be earned beyond that, but you'll have to spend quite a bit of time to get it all. Fortnite developer Epic has previously estimated that earning every reward in the Battle Pass takes between 75 and 150 hours. Generally, however, if you play regularly and complete a lot of challenges, it shouldn't be too difficult to get value out of the pass.
Completing Challenges With Friends
One thing to note for Season 8 is the introduction of Party Assist, which should make completing the weekly challenges significantly easier. This new feature allows a player to group up with friends and, prior to starting a match, activate Party Assist so all the players can work towards challenge progress together.
What Are The Rewards?
When you purchase a Battle Pass, you'll immediately receive a few skins including the Blackheart and Hybird ones, both of which can be leveled up. As they are leveled up, their visual style evolves to look cooler. You'll also get an immediate XP bonus. You can see all the Season 8 skins here.
What's New In Season 8?
For Season 8, Epic has once again rolled out a cool new world event. This time around a huge volcano has appeared, introducing lava onto the island. At the same time a powerful figure has escaped the Ice King and pirates have shown up too. There's treasure to be found as well, and all of these factions are after it. The island looks different and new locations have appeared, so whether you're a seasoned Fortnite player or a newcomer, it should be exciting.
Epic had detailed everything new in its Fortnite update 8.0 patch notes. Along with more information on the world event, you can find out about the new cannon weapon, learn about the latest limited-time modes, and more in the notes.
Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most hotly anticipated games around right now, and publisher CD Projekt Red has now given us slightly more information to whet our appetites. The company has confirmed that its futuristic RPG will be at E3 this year.
CD Projekt Red did not elaborate on the news. It's possible we may find out a release date, which as yet has not been announced, or another extended gameplay video similar to the one released following Gamescom last year--you can watch that above. CD Projekt Red refused to be drawn on what to expect at E3 when contacted by GameSpot.
For those of you asking, yes, we will be at E3 this year.
Cyberpunk was revealed at E3 2018 after a six-year wait for more information following an initial announcement in 2012. It's loosely based on Mike Pondsmith's tabletop game Cyberpunk 2020, except set in a "dark future" of 2077 where advanced technologies have become both "the salvation and the curse of humanity." The game promises a nonlinear story designed for "mature" players and is set in the metropolis of Night City. According to CD Projekt Red, it will have some sandbox elements and a form of multiplayer.
Epic Games has released the big update to begin Fortnite Season 8, which brings with it gameplay changes and tweaks, new areas of the map, new weapons, and a brand-new Battle Pass, with more than 100 rewards (including new skins). Alongside all of this, Epic has shared the extensive patch notes detailing everything that's new and different in Fortnite.
The most notable change in Season 8 is to the Fortnite island. As with previous seasons, Epic likes to mix things up by introducing new themes and altering the play space. This time around pirates, ninjas, and creatures from within a newly emerged volcano are all set to tussle over some treasure. Along with the volcano, new locations for Season 8 include Sunny Steps and Lazy Lagoon.
Tying into the volcano, a big gameplay addition is that of lava, which will deal one damage per touch and will make the player bounce off the surface. There are also volcanic vents that shoot out gusts of hot air that players can use to launch themselves into the sky.
In terms of weapons, there's a new Pirate Cannon, which can be used to destroy structures from a distance. You can also get inside the barrel of the cannon and launch yourself across the map.
A variety of weapons and items have been vaulted, meaning they're no longer accessible for the time being. Those include the Sneaky Snowman, Chiller Grenade, X-4 Stormwing, Shopping Cart, and All Terrain Kart--that covers many of the game's vehicles. Specifically regarding assault rifles, drop rates have been adjusted to make the high-tier ones less common, although assault rifles in general will still be available at the same rates as before
Excitingly, Epic has also introduced Party Assist which, when enabled prior to a match, will allow daily or weekly challenges to be completed with the help of everyone in your party. In Season 8, daily quests will be automatically claimed and the reward will be delivered once they are done.
In terms of limited-time modes, there are two going on right now. The first is Close Encounters, which gives players jetpacks and shotguns. The other is 50v50, which pits two large teams against one another; that's perfect for the start of a season, as it's an easy way for new players to grasp the game's mechanics without having much pressure on them.
Check out the full Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 8 patch notes below. You can head to Epic's website to see what's new for the Creative and Save the World modes.
Fortnite Season 8 Battle Royale Update Patch Notes
Weapons + Items
Pirate Cannon
Push the Cannon into position, take aim, and fire! Alternatively, climb into the barrel and launch yourself!
The cannon will fire cannonballs or players a great distance. Cannonballs and players can plow through a number of objects before stopping with a bang, causing damage and knockback to nearby players.
Deals 100 Damage to enemies on a direct hit and 50 Damage to enemies within a small radius.
Found throughout the environment.
Vaulted
Sneaky Snowman
Chiller Grenade
X-4 Stormwing
Shopping Cart
All Terrain Kart
Updated Hunting Rifle Icon
Reduced the availability of high tier Assault Rifles
Total number of Assault Rifles available remains unchanged
Increased chance of receiving a Common quality assault rifle from 48.56% to 56.30%
Increased chance of receiving an Uncommon quality assault rifle from 26.83% to 28.15%
Reduced the chance of receiving a Rare quality assault rifle from 16.17% to 10.91%
Reduced the chance of receiving an Epic quality assault rifle from 7.02% to 3.52%
Reduced the chance of receiving a Legendary quality assault rifle from 1.82% to 1.13%
Bug Fixes
Supply Drops now properly appear on the map.
If the fire button is pressed while the shotgun cooldown is still active after swapping weapons then the shotgun will automatically fire once the cooldown is over.
Fixed Clingers causing damage through walls / floors when stuck to a player.
Fixed players accidentally sticking Remote Explosives onto themselves after applying a Consumable Bush.
Fixed Legendary/Epic Pump Shotgun pellet tracers and muzzle flash sometimes not replicating to other clients.
Fixed an issue where players couldn't use Auto-Run while using a Hoverboard with a gamepad.
Fixed items occasionally being invisible to some players.
Gameplay
Added Lava
Lava will deal 1 damage per touch and will cause players to bounce off the surface. Watch out!
Added Volcanic Vents
Volcanic Vents will boost players and vehicles into the sky in a gust of hot air!
Party Assist Added
Prior to a match, enable Party Assist on a Daily or Weekly challenge to complete it with the assistance of everyone in your party.
Party members are able to provide progress to the selected challenge in addition to yourself.
This functionality excludes "fill" players who are added into the party during matchmaking or teammates from large team modes such as Team Rumble.
Increased Infinite Dab duration from 11 hours to 12 hours in the lobby.
Cozy Campfire now glows while active when viewed through a Thermal Scope.
Starting in Season 8, daily quests will be automatically claimed once they've been completed.
Any Challenges that were ready to be collected will be auto completed and all rewards will be delivered. However, at this time there will be no in-game notification for you receiving these rewards.
Bug Fixes
Fixed a bug where the Lynx Outfit would jitter very badly when playing the original Wave emote in the lobby.
Fixed an issue where players were able to aim down sights while jumping.
Fixed an issue where weapons picked up would sometimes be incorrectly unloaded. This would happen if a player looted a weapon dropped by a player immediately after being eliminated.
Fixed Bush consumable not being destroyed if player takes damage from a great distance.
Fixed aim assist to work through windows.
Fixed an issue where players could stop themselves from getting on a Zipline by standing too far behind it and colliding into the ground as they try to enter.
Fixed an issue where the player couldn't pick up items dropped around the Zipline pole.
Fixed an issue where entering a vehicle while ziplining left the fall damage immunity visual effect on the player.
Fixed auto-pickup of items not working when first landing from skydiving.
Weapon auto-reloading no longer cancels emotes.
Fixed an equipped Trap being swapped after dropping a stack of items or after using the last item of a stack of consumables or explosives.
Fixed equipped traps being dropped when using hold to swap to pick up items.
Limited Time Mode: 50v50
Summary
Two teams of fifty players fight to the finish!
Mode Details
Each team has a bus, approaching the island from opposite directions. On the map, the friendly bus has a blue outline, enemy has red.
The map has a dotted line, which indicates the "battle lines" between the two teams. Crossing the line will make running into enemies more likely.
Farming materials increased 25% over default.
Chests & Ammo Crates spawn more often than usual, and carry extra ammo.
Limited Time Mode: Close Encounters
Summary
Close quarters combat with Shotguns & Jetpacks!
Mode Details
Players start with a Jetpack in their inventory.
The only guns in this mode are the various types of Shotguns.
The Storm moves in more quickly than normal mid to late game.
Audio
Above/below footstep improvements.
More distinct sound for above footsteps.
Tuned the distance at which above/below footsteps travel to be more realistic.
Improved footstep audio timings when the game simulation is under heavy load.
Set Down-But-Not-Out alert sound spatialization from the location of the downed player.
Added stereo sounds for all weapons for those carrying the weapon.
Added foley audio feedback when crouching and ADS'ing with a weapon.
Improved Rocket Launcher incoming audio. It now plays an additional warning layer if the rocket is coming towards you.
Added distant perspective to the enemy glider audio tell.
Improved damage/elimination audio feedback.
Added a new shield break sound.
Improved the "weak-point" hit sound when harvesting.
Bug Fixes
Fixed in-air wind audio restarting when eliminating an enemy while they're in mid-air.
Fixed sniper projectiles not playing impact audio.
Fixed "Hootenany" emote getting stuck on infinitely.
Added the ability to access the Patch Notes website from the News Screen.
Visual improvements made to squadmate names and indicators.
World Marker Improvements
World Markers are now visible in the world when placed close to you.
Double-clicking the World Marker hotkey will place a "danger" version of that marker. World Markers placed while aiming with a weapon will also place the danger version.
Added 2D UI indicators to the World Markers, making them easier to see through objects.
World Markers now have an off-screen indicator and display the distance your character is from them.
Placing a World Marker on an item will display that item's icon and rarity.
Placing World Markers remains on the same key for PC and console (KBM: Middle Mouse Button, Controller: D-Pad Left).
This button can be remapped to any button you want. Let us know on our social channels what works best for you!
Mobile also has a button that can be added to the HUD. Place this button by using the HUD Layout Tool.
Added filter tabs to the locker for animated loading screens and pets.
Added a card corner icon for certain types of animated cosmetics.
Bug Fixes
Fix cases where the Bad Network Indicator would appear at the beginning of the match due to slow loading conditions.
The Battle Pass / Battle Bundle purchase screen now shows your supported creator if one is set.
Fixed an issue where the team elimination count was sometimes inaccurate.
Fixed an issue where eliminations weren't properly counting when playing in Playgrounds.
Replay
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where scrubbing through a replay could cause the player's hero model to disappear in the lobby.
Fixed issue with cosmetic styles not displaying properly during replay playback.
Fixed elimination damage numbers being inaccurate in replays.
Fixed weapon firing animations sometimes playing twice in replays.
Mobile
Added more visual feedback when buttons are pressed.
Changed gliding/freefalling HUD visibility to be more consistent between mobile/other platforms.
Player are now able to toggle between crouch and standing states while in build and edit modes.
Bug Fixes
Fixed bug which caused the lobby background to disappear when closing the Report Player dialog.
Fixed an issue where trying to switch to build mode and tapping the quickbar at the same time would switch back to combat mode.
Fixed an issue where attempting to place a trap using a mobile controller made the player animate as if they were trying to open a door several times before the trap is placed.
Fixed players ability to un-crouch while gliding.
Fixed action button remaining on the UI during the Battle Bus phase.
The 'Resources' HUD setting now properly shows in-game after making changes on mobile devices.
Fixed an issue where using touch to edit a structure breaks the ability to continue crosshair editing until the button is pressed again.
Fixed an issue where dragging an item off the hotbar triggered a double click.
Fixed an issue where pick up and zip line activation icon's default position overlapped with the aiming icon.
Fixed controller art sometimes missing in the Controller Setting screen.
Jessica Chastain appeared on Jimmy Fallon's late night show tonight where she introduced a teaser for the new trailer for the upcoming superhero movie X-Men Dark Phoenix [Update: the full trailer is now also available]. You can watch it in the video embed here.
Dark Phoenix is directed by Simon Kinberg, who makes his directing debut after years as a writer and producer on X-Men movies. Sophie Turner returns to play Phoenix, while Chastain plays the main villain. In the interview with Fallon, Chastain teased that her character might kill someone.
"I get to beat up a lot of X-Men in the movie. Maybe kill some. It's an intense movie, but we had fun," she said.
Dark Phoenix and the other X-Men spin-off, New Mutants, are said to be the last X-Men films to be separate from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney is buying the majority of Fox's entertainment assets, so X-Men characters could become integrated into the MCU.
In a recent interview, Disney CEO Bob Iger stated that Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige could take charge of the X-Universe as well. "I think it only makes sense," Iger said. "I want to be careful here because of what's been communicated to the Fox folks, but I think they know. It only makes sense for Marvel to be supervised by one entity. There shouldn't be two Marvels."
Game of Thrones showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff invited author George R.R. Martin to come to Ireland to film a cameo for the upcoming eighth and final season--but he said no.
Martin explained to Entertainment Weekly that he had a very good reason for staying hunkered down at home in New Mexico--he was working on the sixth novel in A Song of Ice and Fire saga.
"David and Dan invited me to a cameo in one of the final episodes, which I was tempted to do," he explained. "But I didn't hink just for the sake of a cameo I could take the time to return to Belfast."
Martin also confirmed that he filmed a cameo in the pilot episode of Game of Thrones, but it was cut. "I was a guest at Dany's wedding. But that was when she was played by Tamzin Merchant, so all that footage got thrown out when we recast with Emilia Clarke."
Ray Liotta, who played Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese's classic mobster movie Goodfellas, is joining another gangster film. Liotta will play an unspecified role in the Sopranos prequel film The Many Saints of Newark, joining other cast members such as Alessandro Nivola, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, and Billy Magnussen, according to Deadline. Michael Gandolfini will play Tony Soprano, a role his late father portrayed in the HBO show.
The Many Saints of Newark is set in the '60s during the Newark race riots. Sopranos TV show creator David Chase co-wrote the script with another Sopranos veteran, Lawrence Konner. Game of Thrones and Thor: The Dark World director Alan Taylor is directing.
Liotta grew up in Newark in the '60s, and according to Deadline, the actor has a "personal connection to the story."
"David's talent is unmatched and the directing of Alan Taylor makes this even more exciting. I respect them both immensely and look forward to making this special project with New Line," Liotta told Deadline.
Nivola plays Dickie Moltisanti in The Many Saints of Newark. He is the father of Christopher Moltisanti, who was played by Michael Imperioli in the TV series.
In other mobster movie news, the eerie first teaser for Martin Scorsese's The Irishman starring Robert de Niro and Al Pacino has arrived--watch it here.
The upcoming Suicide Squad sequel has lost one of its biggest stars. Sources told Variety that Smith, who played Deadshot in the 2016 Oscar winning film, is not expected to return for the follow-up reportedly due in part to scheduling issues.
Smith and Warner Bros. reportedly parted ways amicably. It's also worth nothing that Smith was never even officially confirmed to return as Deadshot in Suicide Squad 2. According to the report, producers wanted Smith and Margot Robbie, who played Harley Quinn, to return for the sequel. No official casting announcements about Suicide Squad 2 have been made as of yet, however.
One item I forgot to add to story, sources say execs are now deciding whether they will recast the role or replace Deadshot with a different character from the DC universe to join the team in sequel
Suicide Squad might not have been a critical hit, but it made $746 million at the global box office, which basically guaranteed a sequel. As mentioned, it won an Oscar--for Makeup and Hairstyling.
The sequel is to be written and directed by James Gunn, who directed the Guardians of the Galaxy movies before Disney fired him. Production on Suicide Squad 2 is expected to begin this fall, and the movie has a release date of August 6, 2021.
In a recent interview, 343 Industries boss Bonnie Ross said Halo Infinite's sandbox multiplayer is potentially capable of delivering a battle royale experience as one of its modes. Nothing is confirmed at this stage, and that remains the case, according to Halo franchise manager Frank O'Connor.
He responded to someone on Twitter who said Ross's comments equated to a confirmation that Halo Infinite will have a battle royale mode. That's not the case.
"I don't know how you get from 'Sandbox is capable of' to 'basically confirmed,'" O'Connor said. "The sandbox is also capable of 1:1 Big Team Invisible Low G SWAT Vehicle Fiesta and I can tell you that's not happening because I've pitched it for five games straight now."
So there you have it, again.
It's also worth noting that Halo 5 already has numerous battle royale modes made by fans through Forge and published as Custom Games that you can play right now. Presumably Halo Infinite will bring back Forge mode, and players will be able to make whatever they want, including battle royale, if Microsoft doesn't make it an official game type as franchises like Call of Duty and Battlefield have.
What's particularly interesting now is how Ross specifically mentioned Apex Legends in her comments about battle royale. People would generally agree that Fortnite and Halo are not much alike, but Apex Legends is more of a core shooter like Halo. It makes sense that 343 would constantly evaluate industry trends. It would be surprising if they didn't.
It's not a big surprise, but now one research firm has put out a report about how much money Avengers: Endgame is predicted to make for its opening in April--and it is a lot.
Numbers from Research Exhibitor via Collider state that Endgame is lined up to make $282 million in the United States and Canada for its opening weekend to set a new opening-weekend record. For comparison, 2018's Infinity War made $258 million domestically on its opening weekend.
A massive opening weekend for Endgame is expected. Infinity War ended on an epic cliffhanger thanks to Thanos' snap, and the film itself is said to mark a conclusion of sorts to the overarching storyline that began 10 years ago.
One factor that could hurt Endgame's box office take is its length. The movie is currently sitting at around three hours, which makes it the longest MCU movie ever. That long of a runtime means theatres will be limited, to a degree, in the number of daily screenings they can accomodate.
The next Marvel movie is Captain Marvel, which hits theatres in March and is also expected to make lots and lots of money for its opening weekend. The film introduces Brie Larson's Captain Marvel to the MCU, and she'll play the role again in April's Endgame.
The news keeps getting worse for Overkill's The Walking Dead. After Walking Dead rights-owner Skybound announced it would terminate its agreement with Starbreeze for the co-op shooter due to the poor quality of the game, Starbreeze has now confirmed the PC edition will be removed from sale while the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions are now in question.
In a news release, Starbreeze said it was in communication with Skybound to try to find "a solution." In the meantime, Starbreeze said sales of the PC edition of Overkill's The Walking Dead will "likely be disabled," and should no agreement be met, the game would never return to Steam. Additionally, the PS4 and Xbox One versions "would not be released" if no new deal between Skybound and Starbreeze can be reached. It appears the game has already been removed from Steam.
Starbreeze added that Overkill's The Walking Dead generated sales of 34.1 million Swedish Krona, which comes out to around $3.7 million USD. However, "costs related to development of Overkill's The Walking Dead has so far exceeded revenue," Starbreeze admitted.
505 Games was announced as the publisher of Overkill's The Walking Dead for PS4 and Xbox One. Digital Bros, which owns 505 Games, said in a statement to GI.biz that it is "very sorry about the relationship between Skybound and Starbreeze." The statement doesn't outright confirm that the console editions have been canceled, however.
Skybound announced it would end its contract with Starbreeze because Overkill's The Walking Dead "did not meet our standards nor is it the quality that we were promised."
The statement added: "We are exceedingly sorry to our fans and share their disappointment in the game. We remain dedicated to providing our fans with the most premium quality content we can offer, and will continue to look for alternative video game options for the IP."
Why wait for whatever Ridley Scott has planned next to dive back into the Alien franchise after 2017's Alien: Covenant? A new digital series is is coming soon--very soon--and will take viewers into the world of the Alien: Isolation video game from 2014.
The new series, which will debut on IGN on February 28, will present the cut scenes from the game as "a new animation experience to add additional layers to the story of Ellen Ripley's daughter." To achieve that, Fox has partnered with Reverse Engineering Studios and DVgroup to develop new scenes that, when combined with newly shot-and-edited first-person footage from the game and existing cut scenes, will create a complete story.
The Isolation game is set between the original Alien film and its 1986 sequel Aliens. In it, Amanda Ripley--daughter of Sigourney Weaver's Ellen--searches for a hint of her mother's whereabouts on a space station and comes face-to-face with the same kind of alien creature that plagues the rest of the franchise.
A description of the series reads, "Fifteen years have passed since the deep-space freighter Nostromo disappeared with all hands. And for fifteen years, Amanda Ripley has scoured the known universe for information about her mother, Ellen Ripley, the Nostromo's warrant officer. When representatives from the Weyland-Yutani Corporation approach Amanda with news that the Nostromo's flight recorder has finally been found and brought to the space station Sevastopol, Amanda joins the Company's expedition to the remote outpost. But when Amanda reaches the station, she walks into a living nightmare: Sevastopol's inhabitants have been terrorized, hunted, and brought to the brink of annihilation. Now she and a band of unprepared--and perhaps untrustworthy--survivors will have to confront the same diabolical species that changed her mother's fate forever."
The Alien: Isolation digital series runs seven episodes, all of which will be released at 9 AM PT on February 28.
It has been rumoured for some time now that Mr. Robot star Rami Malek, who recently won an Oscar for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, would play the main villain in the upcoming 25th James Bond movie. Now, a report from Variety claims producers are still looking at Malek for the role, while the story also has other interesting casting details yet to be confirmed.
Starting with Malek, Variety's report says there is "renewed interest" in hiring Malek to play the villain. Previously it was thought that Malek may not be able to play the part due to scheduling conflicts related to shooting the final season of Mr. Robot. Producers have reportedly met with other actors to play the role, but Malek has always been the top choice, apparently. The report doesn't say what other actors may be in consideration for the role.
Outside of the villain casting, the Variety report says producers are searching to fill three more roles, two of which are expected to be played by women. One is a new MI6 agent and the other is a friend to James Bond not unlike Olga Kurylenko's character in Quantum of Solace. Variety reported that producers are going through "chemistry reads" with James Bond actor Daniel Craig to find the best actresses to play the roles. "These two characters will spend the most amount of time with him on screen," the report said.
Another role producers are looking for is an American CIA agent likened to Jeffrey Wright's character in previous movies. Billy Magnussen (Into the Woods, The Big Short) is reportedly the top choice to play the CIA agent. Magnussen recently appeared in Bond 25 writer-director Cary Fukunaga's Netflix show Maniac.
Also in the report it's claimed that Fukunaga submitted his latest draft at the start of 2019. It contained no significant changes, despite rumours of big changes, according to Variety. The site added that Craig and other producers were excited by Fukunaga's latest draft.
As for what we do know concretely about Bond 25, it's confirmed that Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, and Lea Seydoux are coming back to reprise their roles. The movie is scheduled to start shooting sometime this Spring and hit theatres in April 2020.
2015's Spectre is the latest James Bond film. It was a gigantic commercial success, making around $880 million worldwide at the box office. The upcoming 25th film will be the final one starring Craig as the British super-spy.
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