Nintendo showed off a ton of games during its annual Nindies Spring Showcase on Wednesday. The nearly 30-minute-long broadcast was packed with reveals and announcements, giving us our first look at more than a dozen indie titles coming to Switch this year--including a few that are available now.
Nintendo bookended the showcase with two big announcements. First, the company revealed that Microsoft's acclaimed platformer Cuphead will arrive on Switch on April 18, and it'll add Xbox Live integration down the line, allowing players to unlock Achievements even when they play on the hybrid console. Nintendo later closed out the presentation with the first trailer for Cadence of Hyrule, a Zelda-themed Crypt of the NecroDancer crossover coming to Switch this spring.
There were plenty of other announcements in between, from the retro-style Stranger Things 3 game to Blaster Master Zero 2, and nearly every title featured during the showcase was accompanied by a new trailer. If you missed the presentation, you can watch all of the new trailers from it below. You can also catch a replay of the entire broadcast here, and if it inspires you to pick up some indie games, Nintendo is holding a big sale right now in the Eshop.
Cuphead
Cadence of Hyrule - Crypt Of The NecroDancer Ft. The Legend Of Zelda
As the Epic Store grows in influence, we're seeing a number of games--including Hades and the PC releases for Metro Exodus and The Division 2--release as exclusives on the new online marketplace. Another game launching as an Epic Store exclusive is The Cycle, coming from Yager Entertainment--the same developers behind Spec Ops: The Line and 2018's multiplayer combat-sim Dreadnought. With the full rollout planned later this year, The Cycle will be Yager's first self-published game, it blends PvE gameplay with the pace of an online shooter.
The developers explained why they felt the game was such a good fit for the Epic Store, crediting the success of Fortnite and flexibility of the Unreal Engine for online games. As a live game, Yager has plans to work on The Cycle for the long-term, adding in new content and features over its lifetime.
"We wanted to have a different type of relationship with the community than what we'd had before on Dreadnought," said Jonathan Lindsay, Executive Producer at Yager Entertainment. "There's been a lot of lessons learned from that, on a technical level, and also, we've gotten a lot of benefit out of the lessons we've learned from Epic on Fortnite, since they've worked on the Unreal Engine. The engine itself is really great for a live game and it supports that format really well."
The Cycle is a PvPvE game (player-versus-player-versus-environment) that blends together different genres for a somewhat unorthodox approach to an online shooter. Landing on the hostile alien world Fortuna III, your character will have to explore the surface of the planet and collect resources to craft new gear to survive. In addition to fighting off the local wildlife, you'll need to complete a number of contracts from your chosen faction in order to gain enough credits to call in better gear. However, you'll also come across other players who are doing the same.
When reading that particular premise, it sounds like a game trying to take a crack at the battle royale genre. Though it features a very similar setup, complete with a map that has themed areas, The Cycle is not a battle royale game. Along with contending with dangerous alien creatures and tackling new missions thrown in during a match, you'll need to actively collect materials to haul back to the extraction point. You're certainly free to shoot other players on sight and try to take some of their resources, but you might be better off trying to form a squad with other players you can meet in the world.
The end goal is to make it to the extraction with your set of resources by the end of the match, but unlike other online shooters, multiple players can come away with a win. Resources kept with you during extraction can be used to craft new upgrades for your gear. These upgrades are persistent, allowing to you flesh out your character and loadouts, letting you bring a slightly more prepared character into the next game. However, you'll still start fresh in every match, and you'll need to collect credits to call-in the more high-end gear you've acquired.
The developers at Yager Entertainment state that The Cycle will be a community-driven game, with feedback collected from players helping to inform what comes next for the online game. At the end of this month, from March 28-30, a new alpha test will open up for players who sign up for access on the official site, allowing newcomers to check out what the online shooter has in store.
Google's announcement of its streaming platform Stadia was being carefully watched not just by gamers and press, but also by competitors. Microsoft's Xbox division, which appears primed to be a major competitor to Google in the game streaming business, reportedly feels encouraged by the news.
An internal email from Xbox head Phil Spencer was published by Thurrott. While Spencer concedes that he was impressed by how well Google leveraged its various technologies, he also suggested that Google's approach validates the current course for his division. The tone of the email strongly suggests that Xbox is planning its own streaming service, and that we'll see it unveiled at E3 2019.
Microsoft has already indicated that it is working on a streaming solution with the announcement of Project xCloud, which will begin public tests this year. Most recently we saw it in action playing Forza Horizon 4. Google unveiled its streaming solution first, but Microsoft has similar infrastructure tools and an established gaming brand in Xbox.
Spencer also alludes specifically to E3, saying that will be Xbox's turn to "go big." This phrasing rings a bell, as he also used it when declaring that the company would be appearing at E3 after news broke that Sony would be dropping out of the show.
We just wrapped up watching the Google announcement of Stadia as team here at GDC. Their announcement is validation of the path we embarked on two years ago..
Today we saw a big tech competitor enter the gaming market, and frame the necessary ingredients for success as Content, Community and Cloud. There were no big surprises in their announcement although I was impressed by their leveraging of YouTube, the use of Google Assistant and the new WiFi controller.
But I want get back to us, there has been really good work to get us to the position where we are poised to compete for 2 billion gamers across the planet. Google went big today and we have a couple of months until E3 when we will go big.
We have to stay agile and continue to build with our customer at the center. We have the content, community, cloud team and strategy, and as I've been saying for a while, it's all about execution. This is even more true today.
Following today's Nindies Showcase, which announced new indie games for the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo is continuing its celebration of indie games with a massive Switch eshop sale, which just went live. The US-only sale includes discounts up to 30% off on some of the Nintendo Switch's best indie games.
The eshop sale on select indie games runs now until March 27 at 8:59 AM PT / 11:59 AM ET, so pick up these amazing titles for yourself while this offer lasts. And while you're already in the eshop, check out the new indie games announced in today's Showcase that are available to purchase now, such as Nuclear Throne and Blaster Master Zero II.
French developer Quantic Dreams today announced a big change. Some of the studio's most popular games, including Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, and Detroit: Become Human, are coming to PC. They'll debut first on the Epic Games Store, with a one-year exclusivity window before launching on other, unspecified PC stores, Quantic said in a press release.
This is a big deal, considering these games were previously not only exclusive to console, but only the PlayStation family. And in the case of Detroit, it was released as a PS4 exclusive back in May 2018, less than a year ago.
"We are so grateful for twelve fantastic years of collaboration with Sony Interactive Entertainment and all they have allowed us to create and produce," Quantic Dream co-CEO Guillaume de Fondaumiere said in a statement. "With this new partnership with Epic, we can now expand our products to a wider fan base and allow PC players to enjoy our titles."
Quantic's earlier titles, including The Nomad Soul and Fahrenheit, were released on PC, along with additional console platforms in some cases.
"We are extremely excited for the Epic Games Store to host such a well-known and established video game studio like Quantic Dream," Epic Games' Steve Allison said in a statement. "Their games have truly pioneered the genre of interactive storytelling, and with their expansion onto other platforms we are truly honored they chose to take that first step with Epic Games."
Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, and Detroit: Become Human will launch on the Epic Games store later this year. However, Quantic didn't provide specific release dates or pricing details.
Quantic is going through big changes. Though it was never owned by Sony, the company exclusively released its games on Sony machines since 2010 with Heavy Rain. Now, the company is working on a new IP that will come to multiple platforms, while it's taken on NetEase as a minority stakeholder to help fund its "future technologies."
NetEase, a Chinese internet company, is itself making moves lately. The company also invested $100 million into Bungie to develop non-Destiny games. The company also poured $30 million in Second Dinner, a small team founded by Hearthstone developers who are making a Marvel game.
Looking to Quantic's future, studio boss David Cage said the company aims to become a "global, multi-franchise company" that retains its independence, and raising the money from NetEase will help it achieve that. "We want to keep developing original games in the genre we pioneered, but also expand our audience by being present on all platforms," he said.
As for the Epic Games Store, it's attracted a number of developers since its launch in 2018. Unlike other PC game stores, the Epic Games Store gives developers 88 percent of revenue, while keeping only 12 percent.
On Wednesday, Nintendo hosted its annual Nindies Spring Showcase. Running for nearly 30 minutes, the Direct-style video presentation provided us with a look at a bunch of new games headed to Nintendo Switch this year, including a couple that are available right now.
Among the highlights of the event was word that Cuphead, previously an Xbox One and PC exclusive, is headed to Switch. We also learned of a Zelda-themed successor to Crypt of the NecroDancer called Cadence of Hyrule. Below, you'll find a roundup of all the games and news from the event, along with many of the best new trailers. For more, check out our coverage of the new Switch game sale that's now live on the Eshop in the US.
Also of note, this presentation didn't include all of the day's Nintendo Switch news. Separately, during Epic's GDC keynote, publisher Funcom and developer The Bearded Ladies announced that XCOM-like game Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden will release for Switch on June 25. It will launch alongside a new DLC expansion.
Cadence of Hyrule - Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring the Legend of Zelda
Brace Yourself Games is making this spin-off follow-up to its 2015 indie hit. Cadence of Hyrule takes the familiar rhythm gameplay from Crypt of the NecroDancer, but this time Cadence finds herself in the land of Hyrule, assisted by Nintendo's Link and Zelda. It's coming this spring.
The acclaimed 2D action game Cuphead, noted for its gorgeous 1930s cartoon-style visuals and brutal difficulty, is officially coming to Switch. Notably, the Studio MDHR-developed game was previously an Xbox One and PC exclusive. The showcase specifically shouted out Nintendo's "friends at Microsoft" for helping to make this port possible. The game releases on April 18.
The retro Netflix show is getting a game to match, with this co-op action game that sports a 16-bit style. In Stranger Things 3: The Game, you can fight your way through Hawkins and the latest threats from the Upside Down as one of 12 playable characters. It will release alongside the Season 3 of the show (which just got a new trailer) on July 4.
Red Lantern
Red Lantern is set against the harrowing backdrop of the real-life Alaskan Iditarod race. As the Musher for a team of five sled dogs, you'll have to contend with bears, frostbite, and catching food to survive as you navigate the wilderness and make your way back home. It's coming this year.
Rad
Double Fine is teaming up with publisher Bandai Namco for an action roguelike called Rad. A post-apocalyptic wasteland is crawling with monsters and mutants, but you'll develop your own mutations to unlock new powers and attacks as well. It's coming this summer.
Katana Zero
Devolver Digital's stylish action-platformer Katana Zero arrives in the Switch Eshop on April 18. As an assassin known enigmatically as "The Dragon," you'll cut your way through side-scrolling levels, using your precognitive powers to see into the future and manipulate time. You'll need to tread carefully, however, as a single hit from an enemy will be enough to bring you down--but even if you fall in battle, you'll rewind to the beginning of the level and get another chance.
Nuclear Throne
Vlambeer's Nuclear Throne is out today for Switch. The roguelike-style shooter first launched for PS4, PS Vita, and PC in 2015, but is now available for download on Nintendo's hybrid console.
Super Crate Box
Another Vlambeer game coming to Switch is Super Crate Box, which releases in April. It's a single-screen action game in which you fight off an endless horde of enemies and collect weapon crates in an attempt to set a high score. On Switch, there will be exclusive multiplayer modes for two players, with co-op and competitive options available.
Vlambeer Arcade with Ultrabugs
Whereas the previous two Vlambeer games are existing ones, the third is something new and different. Vlambeer Arcade will serve as a collection of "bite-sized games" that will expand over time. The first of these games it will include is Ultrabugs, an action game in which you kill enemies using a spaceship but then have to deal with the additional enemies those spawn when defeated. Vlambeer Arcade is slated to launch with Ultrabugs later this year.
My Friend Pedro
My Friend Pedro is a quirky balletic action game that has you running and gunning and pirouetting through a series of gangsters, with the help of a talking banana named Pedro. The game from Devolver Digital and developer Deadtoast is coming this June.
Creature in the Well
Blaster Master Zero 2
Blaster Master Zero II is another of the games that is already available for download from the Switch Eshop. It's a sequel to the 2017 3DS platformer Blaster Master Zero, itself a remake of the NES's 1988 title Blaster Master.
Pine
Described as a primeval fantasy, Pine stages a war between anthropomorphized moose, foxes, and alligators. Five different factions do battle across six biomes, and you'll have to harvest and craft your wares to take on the other tribes. It launches in August.
Bloodroots
Bloodroots is a top-down action game built around pulling off combos and using every tool in the environment to your advantage. The fast-paced revenge tale launches this summer.
Overland
The squad-based survival game Overland is coming to Switch this fall. The procedurally generated levels will get increasingly hazardous as you make your way westward, in a post-apocalyptic roadtrip.
Darkwood
Darkwood is a survival-horror game played from a top-down perspective. It doesn't feature a single linear path and is said to not rely on jump scares to terrify you. The game is set in a European forest where evil is abound, and you're forced to fight back by injecting an "essence" from mutated plants into your blood to obtain new powers. It releases in May.
Neo Cab
Neo Cab is a narrative-driven survival game from Fellow Traveler and Chance Agency that puts you in the shows of Lina, the last human rideshare driver in a city driven by automation. You'll need to pick up fares and control your emotions while searching for your missing friend. It's coming this summer.
Swimsanity
Swimsanity is a side-scrolling multiplayer shooter that is set underwater. You can play with a total of four players (or bots) through online and local multiplayer in co-op and competitive game modes. Based on what we saw, the game has a vaguely Castle Crashers-like vibe to it. It releases this summer.
On Sunday, April 7, Wrestlemania comes to PPV and the WWE Network. It is the biggest event of the year for WWE, and the company considers the show its Super Bowl. The 35th edition of Mania will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The big show will kick off at 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET / 12 AM BST (April 8), with a Kickoff Show starting two hours prior.
If you're looking to attend Wrestlemania 35, tickets are still available, including ringside seats, believe it or not. On the Ticketmaster site, the cheapest you can get seats is $457 each, and there's almost a whole row available in one of the sections. However, if you're looking to be as close to the action as possible, you can get yourself into the third row, behind commentary for $6,507. Additionally, there are still seats available near the entrance ramp which range between $2,100-$6,000. Wrestlemania ain't cheap, but it is WWE's biggest event of the year.
The match card for the show is still coming together, and as of this writing, there are 10 matches on the card, including two battle royals which will more than likely take place on the Kickoff Show. While the women's battle royal has yet to be confirmed, reports state it will be in the upcoming weeks. It's probably going to be a very long show, so make sure you have a very comfortable seat for the event.
Here is the collection of our biggest stories revolving around Wrestlemania for you to check out. We'll be updating these daily, so you'll want to come back. And make sure to head back to GameSpot on Sunday, April 7 for live coverage of the event and a review of the PPV.
It's been nearly 30 years since Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey hit theaters, but it's finally time for Bill S. Preston, Esq. and Ted Theodore Logan to rock once again in Bill & Ted Face the Music. In a new video featuring franchise stars Keanu Reeves (Ted) and Alex Winter (Bill), the duo revealed when they expect filming to begin, as well as when the third movie will land in theaters.
"We want to say thank you to you, the fans, because it looks like we might actually make a movie this summer," Reeves teased. Winter added, "It is all because of you guys, so we owe you a huge debt of gratitude. So thank you."
The duo then offered a signature "Be excellent" to fans of the Bill and Ted movies, before a title card promised Bill & Ted Face the Music would be in theaters in Summer 2020. This news is the latest stop on a long road to get the film made. As far back as 2010, Reeves was open about the possibility of a third film, though it never came to pass.
Then, in May 2018, it was announced that the sequel was officially happening, with a script from original writers Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon, as well as Galaxy Quest director Dean Parisot signing on to helm. "We couldn't be more excited to get the whole band back together again. Chris and Ed wrote an amazing script, and with Dean at the helm we've got a dream team," Reeves and Winter said at the time.
Still, in the aftermath of that announcement, little was said about the movie. Now, though, it looks as though the time is finally right for the return of Bill and Ted.
As for what the plot of the film will be, it was revealed by Solomon in January 2018 that the story finds Bill and Ted in modern day, as middle-aged family men that go back in time to revisit their younger selves. This will be done by using footage from the original film. No casting has been announced for Face the Music at this point. However, it's been made clear that the role of Rufus, originally played by the late George Carlin, will not be recast.
And now the waiting game begins. Bill & Ted Face the Music will in theaters next year.
Red Dead Redemption 2 released to a wave of positive praise. However, its online mode, Red Dead Online, hasn't been met with the same positive reception. With outlaws incessantly griefing players out in the Wild Wild West, Rockstar Games has tasked itself with addressing the problem in a new update releasing later this spring.
Alongside the release of a new game update, a blog post on the official Rockstar website details some of the additions and changes coming to the game. Keeping in line with anti-griefing methods implemented in February, Red Dead Online will add a hostility system. Players who defend themselves against attackers won't receive a bounty or an increase in their hostility meter as long as they don't initiate the gunfight. If you happen to gun down your griefer, your hostility meter won't increase. The hostility meter won't affect Free Roam events and missions, Showdowns, Races, and other structured events either.
Rockstar acknowledges not every cowboy's an outlaw. "Some players just want to immerse themselves in the world, riding, hunting, and fishing in peace," the post reads. To this effect, the developers are including two modes of play: Offensive and Defensive. Offensive play lets players interact with the world however they see fit, like the current Free Roam mode. Defensive play is, according to Rockstar, "a more evolved version of the Passive Mode concept," giving players access to the entire open world while de-emphasizing conflict.
Choosing to play in Defensive changes some of the game's mechanics. For example, Defensive players can't be lassoed, but if you, in Defensive play, lasso a player, you'll be removed from the playstyle with a "significant Hostility level increase." Further, you won't be able to lock-on to players in Defensive play. But in the same token, players can't lock-on to you either. Sounds like a fair trade-off for those looking to bask in the world a little longer.
Additionally, this Red Dead Online update will bring about new A Land of Opportunities missions, more Free Roam missions, an introduction to dynamic events (ambushes, resues, etc.), and more. And another Red Dead Redemption classic weapon, the LeMat Revolver, will make its way to the game with this update.
In our Red Dead Redemption 2 review, we called the game "an excellent prequel, but it's also an emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right, and it's a world that is hard to leave when it's done."
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
In case you haven't heard: The Epic Games Store is giving away a free PC game every two weeks this year to celebrate its first 12 months in business, and all you have to do is create a free Epic account to claim it. For the past two weeks, Epic members have enjoyed free access to Slime Rancher, a charming game about collecting slimes and running a farm--but starting tomorrow, Slime Rancher will be replaced by Oxenfree, a supernatural mystery game from Night School Studio. Oxenfree will be available for free from March 21 to April 4--and once you claim the game during that time period, it's yours to keep forever. You don't even have to install it.
Oxenfree is a story-driven adventure where you play as a teenage girl named Alex on a weekend trip with her friends to an island. After they accidentally trigger the release of a supernatural force, Alex and her friends must find a way to set things right and escape with their lives. Alex has free rein to explore the whole island, and the main gameplay centers around dialogue bubbles that appear above her head as she talks--at any given time, you have multiple dialogue choices to pick from, or you can choose to say nothing at all. Player choices have a significant impact and multiple endings are possible.
"The rabbit hole of influence goes deep in Oxenfree--from playing matchmaker among Alex's friends to destroying or strengthening her own relationships with them--and it's entertaining to repeat it all in an effort to learn what could be," wrote Alexa Ray Corriea in GameSpot's Oxenfree review. The game received an 8/10 for its amazing dialogue, unpredictable story, fantastic soundtrack, and deep influence of player choice.
Oxenfree generally sells for $20 on PC, so don't miss this chance to pick it up for 100% off. And if you fall in love with its style and story, keep an eye out for the next game from Night School Studio, Afterparty, which is set to release this year.
Nintendo's Direct-style Nindies stream brought a bunch of new game announcements for Nintendo Switch. Titles such as Cuphead, Neo Cab, and Cadence of Hyrule were all revealed and look exciting. However, many of the games unveiled during the stream are available to purchase right now, so let's take a look at those.
First up, Vlambeer's Nuclear Throne is out today for Switch. The roguelike first launched for PS4, PS Vita, and PC in 2015, but will be available for download today on Nintendo's hybrid console.
Blaster Master Zero II, meanwhile, is another of those that'll be available to download in the next few hours from the Switch Eshop. It's a sequel to the 2017 3DS platformer Blaster Master Zero, itself a remake of the NES's 1988 title Blaster Master.
Additionally, there were two games featured that aren't launching until later in the year but that you can pre-purchase right now. Those are Katana Zero, a 2D side-scrolling combat game; and Cuphead, a port of the previously Xbox One- and PC-exclusive platformer. Finally, a sale begins today on many existing indie Switch games, including Donut County, Inside, Moonlighter, and many more.
Some of the most exciting news to come from the direct was the announcement of a new Zelda game--sort of. It's technically a new Crypt of the NecroDancer game, but it features Link and Princess Zelda herself. The game is titled (take a deep breath) Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer feat. The Legend of Zelda, and it's coming to Switch this spring.
OPINION: If the reality of what Google is promising with Stadia is accurate, then we're looking at the future of video games.
Yes, that could read a little hyperbolic given that outside of the Project Stream beta last year (successful as it was), we're not exactly sure just how well Stadia will cope with fluctuating latency in widespread, real-world conditions. And no, we're not saying that Google and specifically Stadia is the one and only future for games. But Stadia's promise--a hardware agnostic world for consumers that can deliver the best gaming has to offer on whatever device you happen to have in front of you (as long as you have a decent internet connection)--feels like where we're all headed. And while we've had other companies try to deliver on this, Google seems uniquely positioned to actually make it work.
That promise is certainly intoxicating. A new gaming platform, delivered completely online and with all the processing handled in the cloud, is revolutionary for consumers in a few ways. It removes a lot of the friction we normally associate with playing games: having to spend hundreds of dollars on console or speccing up a PC to run the latest and greatest; having to buy physical discs or download gigabyte upon gigabyte of data to local drives; or being surprised by hefty patches or updates when all you want to do is play.
Will Doom Eternal's performance on Stadia be on par with consoles and PCS?
And of course, there's the convenience. You can watch Netflix on your TV or PC at home, and then continue watching on your phone on your way to work. You can do the same with music on Spotify, switching from device to device seamlessly. If you want to play The Division 2, however, you're stuck to the screen your console or PC is tethered to. Even the most convenient gaming console ever--the Nintendo Switch--is "locked" to one device. A service like Stadia makes playing games more accessible than ever.
It will also seemingly have a major impact on how games are made. Google made a big song and dance at its GDC reveal event about all the ways Stadia could help developers create games, the biggest of which is the added power that a cloud-based development platform can offer. Google is saying game development no longer needs to be tied to finite processing and hardware specs, or that only one "instance" of Stadia infrastructure is what design should be pegged to. Imagine a scenario where the world's best game makers weren't constrained by the processing power of one unchanging piece of hardware? How will that impact the types of games we'll all be playing in the future? "As a developer, you're used to being forced to tone down your creative ambitions that are limited by the hardware, but our vision with Stadia is the processing resources available will scale up to match your imagination. In this new generation, the data center is your platform," Stadia's head of engineering Maj Baker said during the Stadia briefing.
Of course, all of this dazzling potential could be undone if Stadia doesn't provide a smooth, seamless gaming experience when it launches later this year. The bane of online game streaming--high latency leading to lag--is a problem Google claims to have answered thanks to a combination of its geographically widespread data centers and other infrastructure solutions, but just how well it has solved this won't be known for sure until the service is released. Will this only be a viable alternative to a PC or console if you live somewhere like San Francisco or New York? What if you're in a remote location? And location isn't the only thing standing in the way of Stadia's widespread success. If you're one of the millions on fixed data caps every month, is this service viable for you (especially with the 8K video Google is saying is coming down the line)? And of course, there will always be those who prefer a physical device to game on, either because of the visual fidelity, the want to fully control one's gaming environment, and the fact that owning a game on a disc you can hold in your hand is simply more... tangible.
But even if you're someone who thinks a platform like Stadia isn't for you, what is undeniable is the promise of a purely online, hardware agnostic platform is a massive disruption to not only the way we play games, but to the video games industry as a whole. If Stadia works as well as advertised, then the future of games is no longer tied to hardware. It's all about connectivity.
Nintendo's "Nindies" showcase ended with a surprise crossover. The rhythm game Crypt of the NecroDancer is getting a new spin-off featuring characters and enemies from The Legend of Zelda called Cadence of Hyrule. It's launching on Nintendo Switch this spring.
The game is being developed by Brace Yourself games, the studio behind the original Crypt of the NecroDancer. The art style has been revised heavily, appearing similar to games like The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap, and it features both Link and Zelda has playable characters. Link can be seen doing his signature spin attack, while Zelda wields magical attacks.
Crypt of the NecroDancer was a rhythm-based roguelike released in 2015, and received a positive reception for its clever twist of a genre mash-up. The original game is available for $20 on the Nintendo Switch through the Eshop.
"Regardless of your musical tastes, Crypt of the NecroDancer takes a proven but basic recipe and improves it with a seemingly simple twist," wrote Britton Peele in GameSpot's review. "It would have been a fine roguelike game without its musical side, but the rhythm mechanic makes it a truly special experience."
For more on all of the indie games announced during today's Nindies showcase, check out our wrap-up.
Nintendo kicked off today's Nindies Spring Showcase with a big announcement: Cuphead is coming to Nintendo Switch next month. The acclaimed platformer arrives in the Switch Eshop on April 18, but you can pre-purchase it from the digital store today, March 20.
Nintendo specifically thanked its "friends at Microsoft" for helping it bring Cuphead to Switch. The game first launched for Xbox One and PC as a Microsoft exclusive in 2017, garnering critical acclaim for its challenging run-and-gun gameplay and beautiful hand-drawn visuals, which evoke the style of classic 1930s cartoons.
On top of that, Microsoft announced that Cuphead on Switch will support Xbox Live, allowing you to unlock Achievements when you play the game on Nintendo's console. In a blog post on the Xbox website, the company explained it is working with developer Studio MDHR on implementing Xbox Live features into the Switch version later this year as a post-launch update. This follows Microsoft's previous announcement that it plans to expand Xbox Live to Switch, iOS, and Android.
GameSpot awarded Cuphead an 8/10 when it first launched on Xbox One. "Cuphead has been a longtime coming, and it's great to see that it lives up to its initial promises," critic Peter Brown wrote in GameSpot's Cuphead review. "It's beautiful to look at, and with a pitch-perfect soundtrack, it flawlessly captures the era its developers so clearly revere. It's also an intense action game that pulls no punches."
An expansion for Cuphead titled The Delicious Last Course was announced during Microsoft's E3 2018 presentation. The expansion is slated to arrive sometime this year and will introduce new challenges, bosses, and another playable character, Ms. Chalice.
That certainly wasn't the only announcement to come out of the Nindies Spring Showcase; Nintendo also unveiled Cadence of Hyrule, a Zelda-themed Crypt of the NecroDancer crossover coming to Switch this spring.
As part of its presentation at the Game Developers Conference, Epic Games announced a massive grant program, and it's thanks to the popularity of Fortnite. The Epic MegaGrants program will award shares of $100 million over the course of five years to aspiring game developers, educators, and other professionals using the Unreal Engine and open-source tools.
This is the next stage in Epic's grants program, which started in 2015 with a $5 million pool. That funding has expanded significantly, which Epic chalks up to "Fortnite's unbelievable success."
The grants will be awarded ranging from $5,000 to $500,000. Those who receive grants will still own their IP and be allowed to publish. Epic says that these grants have no strings attached, which means you don't need to sign any kind of exclusivity arrangement to receive them. There is no firm deadline for grant applications.
Specifically, Epic is looking for grant recipients across five categories: game developers, media and entertainment, enterprise, education, and tools and open-source development. Each application should focus on how you plan to use Unreal Engine 4 in your work, curriculum, or research. You can check out the official site for more details.
"At Epic we succeed when developers succeed," said CEO Tim Sweeney in the announcement. "With Epic MegaGrants we're reinvesting in all areas of the Unreal Engine development community and also committing to accelerate the open sourcing of content, tools, and knowledge."
Oculus has revealed its next PC-based VR headset called the Rift S as part of GDC 2019. The most notable improvement is the inclusion of built-in sensors for inside-out tracking; this means you no longer need to set up external sensors if you use a Rift S. Additional details on Oculus Quest have also been announced as well, which is the company's upcoming standalone headset.
The built-in sensors make up what's called Oculus Insight and it's capable of free-roaming room scale VR gaming. The Rift S features five separate sensors on the headset while the Quest has four. Rift S also comes with a bump in visual quality--it'll have a total resolution of 2560x1440 (1280x1440 per eye) on a fast-switch LCD display. However, refresh rate has been slightly dropped down, going from 90 Hz to 80 Hz. Oculus stated that this was done to offset the increase in resolution in order to maintain the same required PC hardware specifications to run Oculus games properly.
As for the Quest's specs, it's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor with storage options starting at 64 GB. Oculus states that the headset's resolution is 1600x1440 per eye on an OLED display with an overall refresh rate of 72 Hz.
Oculus Quest (left), Oculus Rift S (right)
Other notable improvements that come with the Oculus Rift S include the new head strap. It takes on a similar design to the PlayStation VR with a ring-like headband that's simply adjusted with a dial on the back. There is integrated audio on the headset so separate audio devices aren't necessary, but a 3.5mm audio jack still allows you to use your own headphones.
Oculus made it clear that the Rift S is not a "Rift 2" and instead a much better version of the original since it'll play all of the same games and live on the same ecosystem. The Quest's game library will differ due to the lower specs of the standalone headset; however, all Quest games will be playable on the Rift. More than 50 games will be available for Quest on launch day.
The Rift S and Quest headsets will launch sometime in Spring 2019 for $400.
Night School Studio's Afterparty captures the same colorful graphic novel art style--complete with speech balloons--as the developer's first game, Oxenfree. Its hilarious writing is brought to life through an excellent assortment of voice actors as well. However, the simpler mechanics in Oxenfree have become more complex in Afterparty, and the world feels larger and more alive. The writing, though still humorous, is definitely intended for a more mature audience as well.
During GDC 2019, I had the opportunity to talk to Night School co-founders Sean Krankel and Adam Hines, as well as see 20 minutes-or-so of gameplay from early in Afterparty's story. You can read my interview with Krankel and Hines below.
Gameplay wise, Afterparty handles a lot like Oxenfree, with the major mechanics at your control being walking around and choosing dialogue options during conversations. Afterparty does shake up the formula a bit with mini activities, like beer pong, sprinkled throughout and a system where getting drunk opens up new dialogue options--such as angrily insulting someone or flirting. You also have access to hell's version of Twitter, called Bicker, which gives you insight into what people are thinking or feeling.
Afterparty is currently scheduled for a 2019 release on Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Switch. The game launches day one on Xbox One Game Pass.
Note: edits were made to the interview in order to make certain parts of it easier to read.
Night School Studios GDC 2019 Interview
So one of the best parts about Oxenfree was that--even though it wasn't a short game by any means--it was short enough that you could easily play through it a few times and get the different endings. Is that going to be the same for Afterparty?
Sean Krankel: [Afterparty is] a lot bigger, but a single play through probably is six to seven hours in this one. But you're gonna miss stuff no matter what, whereas in Oxenfree it was a very set sort of linear story that the player was given a lot of agency how they push and pull. This is also like, "Well, if I miss this, I can't go back and do this."
That was a decision we made pretty early on where we were like, do we do the thing where you get right up to the end of the game and then you're like, "I'm gonna 100 percent everything and then go through the door," you know? Or do we want to be like no, it's a crazy night out and you're gonna miss stuff. And yeah, you don't know. It's hard to tell what's gonna happen next.
It's been a much crazier spaghetti of writing for [Adam] because now, even just on those dialogue options, like instead of three options now there's six or seven potentially at literally any time you can talk, right? So the script is way bigger than Oxenfree was. But that's more to give players just more agency over how it changes.
As for replayability, that was something we didn't expect as much of when Oxenfree shipped, was that people were getting back to us, saying, "Okay, on my third play through, blah blah blah." And we're like oh my god, we don't even do anything to reward you! So we're baking more into this to support that type of play style.
So will there only be one or two different endings? Because it sounds like there's a lot of different choices you'll be making, which I imagine means exponentially more endings this time around in comparison to Oxenfree.
Adam Hines: I don't want to spoil things. But yeah, basically a little more than a handful of like giant, massive versions of the endings, and then within each version there's a lot of who's there and who's not there, and who's your pal and who's not your pal, and who have you pissed off.
What was the decision process behind two playable protagonists? Because you can kind of argue that Alex and her step-brother Jonas are both the protagonists of Oxenfree, but you're very much just in control of Alex for pretty much the entire game.
Krankel: We talked about that for a while in the beginning, and ultimately where we landed was we're making a playable buddy adventure type of a thing, right? And it was like, you wouldn't want to be just Ted; you'd want to be Billy and Ted. So we kinda just kept leaning into that, going like how can we make the player feel like they're in one of those movies. And controlling these two characters very early on was a thing that we were like yes, that's a new innovation that we can try to put a stake in the ground for.
And because of that, we really tried to also then craft the story around that, around players' expectations of that. So in the beginning, where it was fairly seamless about how you're bouncing between the two, we're gonna throw stuff at them as characters that will test their friendship as well. So it's stuff that, you know, just from a player expectation perspective we wanted to fulfill, but it's also stuff that for us as the creators we can really then play with and subvert expectations because they do think they're just attached at the hip, and things can change in friendships.
And what's the inspiration behind going a more supernatural route, as opposed to sci-fi, this time?
Hines: I think just a break. Even though Oxenfree did feel very supernatural, and otherworldly, and I can think of things throughout that game that can't possibly happen in real life, we wanted the story to feel at least like there's some sort of plausible sounding scientific explanation for everything that occurs. And then in Afterparty, since we knew it was gonna be primarily a comedy and just have more of a zany Simpsons, Rick and Morty, BoJack Horseman tone, we just kinda wanted our tool chest to be as big as possible. So yeah, we just wanted to be able to kinda throw whatever we wanted in there.
But then too, just the fact that you're in hell means it's gonna be a magical, fantastic experience. So making things have any kind of scientific reasoning just definitely went out the window with that choice.
Krankel: It just evolved. This is similar to what happened with Oxenfree too, where creating a story game like this from the ground up means that the mechanics can really inform aspects of the story and vice versa. And like Oxenfree's story, so much of it was born from us initially just going like we want a game where you can communicate and move. Like that was it. We were like okay, well, how big of a game should we make? And then it's like okay, well how big is the cast, and what's the setting? And then suddenly that starts to inform and inspire certain things.
And we were looking at, you know, like Papers, Please and thinking about how economic and efficient that game is, and the storytelling that can be done with a lot of characters from various walks of life but in a single settings. And so we thought a bar was like a fun version of that, instead of the DMV or something.
And so then we were like okay, well a bar's cool, and then we thought well you're probably gonna be a bartender. So we spent a lot of time doing that, and then we're like you don't want to be the bartender; you want to be partying. So then that evolved into how about a game about going on a crazy pub crawl?
So hell was not part of any of it during that phase. It was more like just over the top pub crawl. And then one day we were walking through a massive cemetery called Forest Lawn across the street from our office, which is where, I don't know, like every actor from 1930 'til now is buried. So we're walking through these giant graves and we're like, "What if it's Satan? That'd be funny!" And then we were like, "That's stupid," and then we moved on, and then a week later we were like, "No, that's pretty good."
And then that really became that final glue throughout all of it because hell afforded us the opportunity to have something that is familiar enough to most people but that we can define our own version of hell. So it's not the pitchfork, orange fire, heavy metal hell; it's like our own weird party version of hell. So yeah, it really just kind of all came together based on little micro-decisions.
So even though Afterparty uses the same style of dialogue that Oxenfree did where you can interrupt people or just kind of wait it out and let your dialogue go away, it's more of a comedy. And one of the big things about comedy is timing, so how did you write in jokes?
Hines: That aspect, yeah, it's tough. It's just tough because we'll watch people play and I'm like "No no no no, stay there. Please don't run away."
Honestly, it's a lot of getting just the dialogue to overlap in the exact right way and kind of having the joke's needs not be based on button presses. Because if that happened, it would just be impossible. No one's gonna talk exactly how you wanted to when you design it. So it's just a matter of making sure that the jokes and the comedy kinda come within their own little controlled timing-wise beats, but then the strings that get you there are completely defined by what the player wants to do.
We really want this game to feel like you're creating the comedy. Like the jokes wouldn't be a thing unless you walked over there and do something. It's just a lot of trial and error trying to get the timing right.
Can we expect any sort of Oxenfree Easter eggs in Afterparty? You don't have to spoil what they are.
Krankel: That's funny you ask that because literally last week we were talking about this, right? And we won't say what they are, if they will be there, but probably.
Hines: Oh, there is gonna be an Oxenfree Easter egg! Oh, yes.
Krankel: We don't know what it'll be, but yeah. It's the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Does the social media feature play into Afterparty mechanically at any point? Will you need to kind of know what people are thinking based off their social media?
Krankel: Sometimes quest relevant information will come out, for sure.
Hines: They're kind of an evolution in a way of how in Oxenfree when you'll be talking to somebody and a little icon would appear above their heads, meaning that their opinion of you or the other characters has changed in some way. And we liked it in Oxenfree, but that was kind of an, not an esoteric, but kind of an oblique system that not everyone fully understood.
So with this bigger system, we're kind of able to be much more explicit with exactly what the characters are thinking about at any given time. And it's just a very natural fit for the game, so it's been working really well in terms of both like a feedback loop, in terms of what characters that even aren't on screen are thinking about or doing at the same time, while also giving you like quest info or hints. Because you can access that Bicker feed like in the map screen whenever you want, and so there's a linear feed, just like a real timeline that you can see what everybody has said.
Krankel: To Adam's point, one of the challenges with any story game is making it feel like the rest of the world is moving on without the player. A lot of what we wanted to do here was make it feel like the whole world is going on without you, while some of the impact that you can have is just based on spatially where you are; not what you're saying, but where you decide to be or what you've done in a specific location.
And so Bicker lets us know what's going on on a whole other island without having to actually be there. So it's like efficient, and fun, and everybody's feed will be different, so it's pretty cool. There's a ton of different posts.
For Afterparty, is it just Milo and Lola or will their partnership grow into a group?
Hines: It's very focused on Milo and Lola, and one of the big themes, if not the big theme, is what friendship is. And particularly a close friendship that lasts as long as it has for them, and what can go wrong, and what can go right, and the resentment that can build. But also at the same time, it's about getting new friends, so you throughout the game you'll encounter characters that kind of pop up more and kind of become a part of your journey in a way.
So yeah, it's definitely not just constrained to Milo and Lola. They're the focus, but much like any kind of wild night out, you'll see people at one bar, then see them again, you'll join up for a bit, and then maybe they'll disappear for a while. We really wanted to replicate the experience of one really long night out amongst multiple bars where you're running into your old friends and things.
Another batch of deals is now live in the Xbox Live store, including a new publisher sale, controller discounts, and price cuts on dozens of great games. Last week, Square Enix ran a publisher sale in the PlayStation Store, and this week, that sale jumps over to the Xbox Store, where you can find 70 games from some of its best series marked down.
Released less than two months ago, Kingdom Hearts III is already discounted at $45. Life Is Strange fans, this is a great time to pick up the complete first season if you're looking to own it on Xbox One, as it's only $4. You can also grab the complete season of Life Is Strange: Before the Storm for only $5.10 and the first episode of Life Is Strange 2 for $4.
Final Fantasy XV is also marked down this week--you can grab the Royal edition for just $25 and the season pass for only $7.50. Released in 2016, the JRPG received an 8/10 in GameSpot's Final Fantasy XV review. "It would be hard for anyone to deny that Final Fantasy XV is a fascinating game after giving it a chance," wrote critic Peter Brown. "Where its characters fail to impress, Final Fantasy XV's beautiful world and exciting challenges save the day."
Other notable deals include Battlefield V for just $30, a 50% price cut for the first-person shooter. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is on sale for only $4.50. Octahedron, an action-packed platformer with a killer electronic soundtrack, is down to $6.50.
If you're in the market for a new wireless Xbox controller, many of those controllers are on sale for $10 off, including the Phantom Black Special Edition, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Limited Edition, and the Sport White Special Edition, among others. The gorgeous Phantom White Special Edition was announced just this week and is also available for pre-order. Click through below to see the controllers on sale right now.
The first trailer for Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has been released. The latest movie from the revered director of Pulp Fiction and Django Unchained arrives in July and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie.
The trailer doesn't reveal many plot details, but it does establish the late '60s setting and main characters. We see DiCaprio as action star Rick Dalton, being interviewed alongside his long-time stunt double Cliff Booth, played by Pitt. There are shots of Robbie as Sharon Tate, the actress who was murdered by the Manson family in 1969, plus lots of cool period detail. Oh, and a very funny appearance from martial arts star Bruce Lee (played here by Mike Moh). Check it out above.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood hits theaters on July 26 and features probably the most ridiculously star-studded cast of the year (outside of Avengers Endgame of course). It also includes Al Pacino, Dakota Fanning, James Marsden, Scoot McNairy, Damian Lewis, Emile Hirsch, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Lena Dunham, plus Luke Perry, who shot a role before his death earlier this month.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Tarantino spoke about the origins of the film. "I've been working on this script for five years, as well as living in Los Angeles County most of my life, including in 1969, when I was seven years old," he said. "I'm very excited to tell this story of an LA and a Hollywood that don't exist anymore. And I couldn't be happier about the dynamic teaming of DiCaprio and Pitt as Rick and Cliff."
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is Tarantino's ninth movie as director. In 2016 he stated that he would quit directing after his tenth movie, but we don't know if this is still the case. In addition, there were rumors last year that he was working a new Star Trek movie, but with the future of that entire franchise on the big screen uncertain, there has been no further news about this.
During its "State of Unreal" presentation at the Game Developers Conference, Epic Games announced several new exclusives coming to the Epic Games Store. Those include big upcoming titles from Take-Two Interactive, the back-catalog from Quantic Dream, and more.
Take-Two's Private Division label will bring The Outer Worlds to Epic's storefront along with the Windows 10 store first, with Steam following a year after. Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey from Panache Digital Games will be an Epic exclusive as well, though the terms weren't disclosed.
Additionally, Quantic Dream will be bringing its back-catalog of Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, and Detroit: Become Human to PC for the first time through the Epic Games Store. Following the arrangement for The Division 2, Ubisoft has extended its agreement with Epic to release its PC games through the Epic Games Store. Ubisoft has also agreed to offer some unspecified games through Epic's free games program.
Epic also boasted some sales numbers, including a direct comparison with its chief competitor, Steam. It claimed that Metro: Exodus sold more than twice as much in its first few weeks on the Epic Games Store than the previous game, Metro: Last Light, sold on Steam over the same period. Metro going Epic-exclusive after already having been listed on Steam was enough to prompt a rare response from Valve.
Epic also announced that Subnautica and Slime Rancher both exceeded 4.5 million downloads during their respective two-week periods in the free games program.
Apex Legends has gone from strength to strength in recent weeks as players embrace Respawn's battle royale game and its free-to-play model. Now, the game will hit another milestone with the release of its first season and optional battle pass. Season 1: Wild Frontier will release March 19 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 5 PM GMT, and you'll be able to pick up its battle pass immediately. Everyone who plays during the first season will also be able to unlock the Wild Frontier skin, five Apex packs, and 18 Wild Frontier stat trackers for free.
The standard battle pass will cost you 950 Apex Coins. There's also a battle pass bundle available for 2,800 Apex coins, which instantly unlocks your next 25 levels of rewards. However, if the regular battle pass is enough for you, there's a way to get it for way cheaper: by signing up for one month of EA Access (Xbox One) or Origin Basic Access (PC), which each cost only US $5 / £4 / AU $7 per month. There's currently no equivalent option for PS4.
These gaming subscription services give you unlimited access to growing collections of games, discounts on purchases, and early trial access to upcoming games. And if you're a member who plays Apex Legends between now and June 30, you'll also receive a few extra perks: an exclusive Flatline Epic weapon skin, a special Banner Badge, and 1,000 Apex coins (roughly $10 / £8). You can probably see where we're going with this: A one-month membership to either service essentially gets you 1,000 Apex Coins for the price of $5 / £4 / AU $7, which is a 50% discount. Once you sign up for the one-month membership (which normally costs around $10), you'll automatically have enough Apex Coins to purchase the standard battle pass (with 50 coins to spare).
At that point, you can decide whether or not you want to continue with the service, but you'll be able to dive into Apex Legends' new season and start earning rewards with your battle pass immediately.
Respawn's year 1 roadmap revealed Apex Legends will have four seasons this year, and in addition to a few free rewards, each season's battle pass includes new weapons, exclusive loot (like weapon skins), and at least one new playable character. The battle passes work the same way as Fortnite's: Every time you level up, you'll unlock more rewards, which you'll permanently keep even after the season is over. Each battle pass has roughly 100 rewards as well as 1,000 Apex Coins you can earn in total. And yes, that in-game currency can be used to buy Season 2's battle pass when it releases this summer.
Fortnite's updates keep on coming, and now we've got yet another patch to keep us entertained in our battle royale excursions. Version 8.11 is live now on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile, bringing with it a new weapon and another limited-time mode.
The new weapon is named the Flint-Knock Pistol, and it looks powerful. Developer Epic Games says the gun does up to 90 damage at close range, but it suffers from "significant damage falloff" at range and needs to be reloaded after every shot--a process that takes three seconds. The Flint-Knock Pistol uses Heavy Ammo and can be found in floor loot in Common and Uncommon rarities.
One Shot is Fortnite's latest LTM, meanwhile. This mode enables low gravity and restricts player health to just 50. Sniper Rifles and Hunting Rifles are the only weapons available, while Bandages are your only help if things go wrong.
Elsewhere, the Impulse Grenade has been unvaulted and seen its strength against vehicles increased by 344%. In fact, all explosive weapons have had their impulse strength against vehicles increased by 233%. Finally, The Baller's spawn rate has been halved and the Scoped Assault Rifle's base damage has increased to 27/26 from 24/23.
Read on below for the full Fortnite: Battle Royale patch notes, via Epic, or click here to read what's happening to Save the World and Creative modes with the 8.11 update.
Knocks back the shooter. Can also knock back the target if they're close enough.
The closer you are to the target, the farther they get knocked away.
The shooter can crouch to prevent the knockback.
Close range damage: 86/90
Significant damage falloff.
Must reload after each shot.
3 second reload time.
Uses Heavy Ammo.
Unvaulted the Impulse Grenade
Impulse strength against vehicles has been increased by 344%
Increased the impulse strength of explosive weapons against vehicles by 233%
Scoped Assault Rifle
Increased base damage from 24/23 to 27/26
Reduced the spawn rate of the Baller from 100% to 50%
Limited-Time Mode: One Shot
Summary
Low Gravity. Every player has 50 health. Snipers are the only weapon and Bandages are the only healing item. Jump high and aim well!
Mode Details
Gravity is set lower than normal.
The Storm wait time has been greatly reduced in all phases of the game.
The only weapons in this mode are Hunting Rifles and Sniper Rifles.
Semi-Auto Snipers and Bounce Pads have been removed from the Vault in this mode.
Players will spawn with 50 health, and can only heal if they find Bandages.
Events
Tournament Update: Gauntlet Solo Test Event & Gauntlet Duo Test Event
Added two additional extended sessions, which will run 24 hours a day.
3/19/2019 00:00 UTC until 3/23/2019 00:00 UTC
3/23/2019 00:00 UTC until 3/26/2019 00:00 UTC
New Tournament: Blackheart Cup (March 23rd & 24th) [$100,000 in Cash Prizes!]
Participation in this event requires players to have placed in the Top 3% (global) of any Gauntlet Test Event session prior to the start of the tournament.
The prize pool will be distributed across all server regions, with official rules and details released later this week.
Format:
March 23rd - Round One: All Eligible Players
March 24th - Round Two: Top 3000 Players from Round One
Participating in tournaments and the Gauntlet Test now requires a minimum account level of 15. The requirement was previously at level 10.
Audio
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue that caused The Baller's tow-hook "release" sound to trigger twice each time.
UI
Bug Fixes
The new style for the Whiteout Outfit can now be selected.
Event leaderboards no longer display everyone as being at rank #0.
Art And Animation
Adjusted lighting.
Increased lighting contrast in areas of shadow.
Increased color vibrancy.
Mobile
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where full-screen support was not working on Samsung S10 devices.
Fixed an issue preventing in-game surveys from appearing on mobile devices.
These random surveys were added in the v8.10 update but were not appearing on mobile devices. Be sure to leave us your feedback if you receive one after a match.
Fixed various mobile stability related issues.
We'll be monitoring their impact and continue investigating any additional issues. Let us know what you're experiencing on our social channels.
The first trailer for Stranger Things Season 3 is here. The hugely popular Netflix show will return in July--it's been nearly two years since Season 2 was released, so expectations are high for the new batch of episodes.
The trailer doesn't reveal any plot details, but does reintroduce us to all the main characters and establishes the new season's setting. As we already knew, Season 3 will be set during the summer vacation 1985 and the trailer shows that the kids will be hanging around the pool and the mall rather than at school. They're clearly growing up fast too, with the suggestion that their relationships will be tested. But this being Stranger Things, it's not all teen drama--there's a very big and scary new creature shown right near the end. Check it out above.
All the main cast are back for Season 3. So that's Finn Wolfhard (Mike), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Noah Schnapp (Will), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), and Sadie Sink (Max). There's also Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton as lovelorn teenagers Nancy and Jonathan, plus Winona Ryder as Will; Jonathan's mom Joyce; and, of course, David Harbour as everyone's favorite small-town cop Jim Hopper.
There are some new characters too. In keeping with the tradition of casting actors who became famous in the '80s (Ryder, Matthew Modine, Paul Reiser, Sean Astin), Princess Bride star Cary Elwes is joining as sleazy politician Mayor Kline. There's also the offspring of some '80s stars; Jake Busey, son of Point Break star Gary Busey, will play a journalist named Bruce, while Maya Thurman-Hawke (daughter of Uma and Ethan) is set to play a character named Robin.
Stranger Things Season 3 hits Netflix on July 4. For more, check out everything we know so far about the new season.
Konami has announced a new compilation pack series that bundles together a number of "iconic arcade games and classic console titles" into one package on modern systems. The Konami Anniversary Collection series, as it's called, is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
The first in the series is the Konami Anniversary Arcade Classics, which launches on April 20, as a digital-only title for $20 USD. The package comes with the following games:
Haunted Castle
A-Jax
Nemesis
Vulcan Venture
Life Force
Thunder Cross
Scramble
TwinBee
In addition to the games, the package includes an ebook that contains extras like interviews with developers, sketches, and design documents that have reportedly never been seen by the public before.
Following that will be the Castlevania Anniversary Collection and the Contra Anniversary Collection, both of which are due out in Summer 2019. The Castlevania bundle comes with Castlevania, Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge, Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, and Super Castlevania IV, along with four other titles and an ebook to be revealed later.
The Contra package will include Contra, Super Contra, Super C, Contra III: The Alien Wars, and at least four games to be revealed later, along with a bonus ebook.
Friends is one of the most iconic TV shows ever, and it's remained popular--and lucrative--thanks to its continued play on Netflix and other streaming sources. Given the current wave of reboots happening for TV shows, many are wondering if Friends might come back someday.
Creator Marta Kauffman said in a new interview that there are "several reasons" why there will be no Friends reunion, and if it were to happen, it would only disappoint.
"One, the show is about a time in your life when your friends are your family. It's not that time anymore. All we'd be doing is putting those six actors back together, but the heart of the show would be gone," she told Rolling Stone. "Two, I don't know what good it does us. The show is doing just fine, people love it. [A reunion] could only disappoint."
"The actors want a lot more money than we're willing to pay them," Greenblatt said.
The entire catalog of Friends is available on Netflix in the United States, and the streaming network reportedly paid $100 million to keep it there through the end of 2019.
Friends ran for 10 seasons from 1994 through 2004. Its May 2004 finale drew 52.5 million viewers in America, according to The New York Times. As of 2015, the show was bringing in $1 billion every year from syndication, with stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matthew Perry making $20 million a year from that based on their 2 percent share of syndication revenue, according to USA Today.
The first new Apex Legends hero is here. Respawn Entertainment has launched a new update for Apex, which kicks off the first season of new content, Wild Frontier, and its first battle pass. There are a lot of new things added with battle pass and the new season, but the biggest addition is definitely its new character: Octane. He changes up the game with a huge focus on speed--he's a character who benefits from moving fast to attack and flank enemies. And as with all the characters in Apex Legends, Octane also comes with a batch of cool skins.
Octane is an aggressive character, so if you're going to use him, expect to be in the fight a lot. He should operate similarly to Wraith, Bangalore, and Mirage, allowing you to close distance quickly with his speed abilities. It sounds like while Wraith and Mirage are positioned more as flanking characters who distract enemies, Octane operates more like Bangalore as a front-line fighter. His abilities should make him tougher to hit, and when you do take damage, you'll likely be able to deal with it more easily.
Like other characters, Octane packs three abilities: one passive, one activated by a button push, and one ultimate that takes a long time to charge up. Octane's active ability lets him boost his speed at the cost of his health, increasing his movement speed by 30% for six seconds. That allows you to jet around the battlefield, drawing fire or flanking enemies while being much tougher to hit. To counteract the fact that Octane is the only character who sacrifices his own health for his abilities, his passive ability slowly regenerates at a rate of one health point every two seconds. That should also help in tough battle situations if you're able to hide or get to safety, but you're short on healing items.
For an ultimate, Octane's ability should change a lot of battles. He can drop a launch pad on the ground that springs players through the air, allowing you to send your teammates flying in on enemy positions, or giving you a chance to bounce out of the battle and back to safety. The verticality is going to mean players will need to get used to looking up more when Octane is on the battlefield, since you never know when death might be descending from above.
Respawn Entertainment has dropped a new update for Apex Legends, and it's a hefty one. The patch brings the game's first season of new content, so it covers more than just the usual bug fixes and balance tweaks--although those are a big part of it is as well. The new update also adds both the Battle Pass and new character, Octane, as well as a much-anticipated fix to make some of Apex Legends' biggest characters more viable on the battlefield. Here's everything new and different in the patch notes.
Respawn released the patch notes for the Season 1: Wild Frontier update on the Apex Legends subreddit, and they give a little more detail on a few things, like how long Octane's abilities last, and included a bunch of quality-of-live improvements that are now part of the game as well. The new update throws in a number of bug fixes, like patching a spot in Gibraltar's shield that wasn't blocking bullets and fixing a problem in which Pathfinder's zip line wouldn't deploy if players used it while jumping. There are also various improvements that should make playing the game a bit easier for some people, like the ability to swap the functions of the left and right bumpers on controllers.
Arguably the biggest aspect of the patch is the hit box change, though. According to Respawn, the hit boxes for Gibraltar, Caustic, and Pathfinder have been changed "to better align with their shapes." These were announced previously, and the adjustment to character hit boxes should make big characters like Gibraltar, Caustic, and Pathfinder a lot more viable on the battlefield.
Hit boxes are invisible shapes assigned to characters that register when they've been hit--if you shoot a character but your bullet lands outside their hit box (hitting, say, a hand or a piece of clothing), the hit doesn't count and the character takes no damage. Caustic and Gibraltar, being the biggest characters in Apex Legends, had the biggest hit boxes, but they were also apparently not quite in line with the character players see on screen. The same is true of the robot Pathfinder, whose hit box previously extended into places that didn't look like they should count as a hit, such as the space between his metal legs. The change should make all three characters a little tougher to hit, and therefore, more players will be likely to choose them going forward.
Another notable addition in this patch is the new ability to report people you suspect might be cheating. Players using hacks have been a problem for Apex on PC, and Respawn said in its patch notes it has banned just shy of 500,000 players for cheating. That's a pretty big number, but considering Respawn says 50 million people have downloaded the game, there might still be a long way to go in cleaning up the cheater problem.
Finally, another aspect of note is improved crash reporting. PC crashes are still more commonplace than many would like, and this update aims to improve the way reports are generated. It also makes it easy for you to decide whether to share this report with Respawn and that there isn't any personal data being included when you do.
You can read the full patch notes below. The update--and accompanying new content, include Octane skins and the new Battle Pass skins--is now live on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Apex Legends Season 1 Update Patch Notes
Stability & Performance
We've got some fixes in this patch that will improve stability on PC but we know there are still issues out there we need to address. We also added crash reporting so we can better understand how to tackle the issues we haven't solved yet and address future ones.
Improved stability for various GPU configurations.
Capped PC FPS to 300 to balance improving stability but still letting you folks enjoy those sweet frames.
Addressed issue with PS4 crashes due to running out of memory.
Introducing better reporting when Apex crashes on PC without error message.
We really want to fix any crashes people happen to get on PC. We also respect our player's privacy. So, if the PC game crashes, it will write "apex_crash.txt" to your "Documents" folder. This tiny file is plain text, so you can easily see for yourself that it has no personal information. If you choose to share this file with us, it will tell us whether the crash was in Apex or in third party software. If the crash was in Apex, our programmers can use the information to find and fix it. If you experience a crash, please include this file when you report.
We protect your personal information.
You can easily see everything in the file yourself; we have no secrets.
You're in control of whether we ever see the file.
Added Report a Player feature for cheating and abuse on PC.
Players can now report cheaters they encounter in-game and it'll be sent directly to Easy Anti-Cheat. You can do this from either the spectate view after dying or when looking at your team's Banner Cards in the Squad tab.
We have lots of other work going on behind the scenes and this remains high priority for us. We won't be able to share many specifics of what we're doing but we'll strive to provide updates on progress for the things we can talk about.
As I'm finishing the notes this morning, 499,937 accounts and counting have been banned for cheating.
Speed hacking: We do currently have anti-speed hacking in Apex Legends, but it's not being as effective as intended due to a bug that we believe we've identified and will be addressing in our next server update. Will provide ETA for it when I have it. Working to get it out ASAP.
Added Report a Player for abuse on Consoles
You can report players from the spectate view after dying or when looking at your team's Banner Cards in the Squad tab.
Optimized skydiving to improve overall server performance.
Fixed bug where sometimes the client could crash when opening Apex Packs one right after the other.
Quality Of Life
Added "Swap LT/RT & LB/RB" / "Swap L1/R1 & L2/R2") toggle in the Controller Button Layout settings.
Lets you quickly swap what your bumpers & triggers are set to, with any controller preset.
Added "Sprint View Shake" setting under the Video tab.
Setting this to "Minimal" can be especially helpful for players susceptible to motion sickness.
Added "Trigger Deadzones" setting under the Controller tab.
Customize how far you want to pull the triggers before they register.
Added "Advanced Look Controls" settings submenu under the Controller tab.
Fine-tune specific aspects of the look controls for a custom feel; such as Deadzone, Response Curve, Target Compensation (aim assist), and more.
When you relinquish the Jumpmaster position to another player you will now hear your Legend's VO line in addition to the new Jumpmaster. The third player won't hear it though.
Pathfinder grapple: updated icon
Pathfinder grapple: added indicator near crosshair to show when player is in range of grapple-able geo
Improved mantling from a grapple point.
Pathfinder can now grapple ziplines.
We've added D-pad navigation as a convenience in most of the menus. Our hope is this will speed up browsing and improve accessibility.
UI improvements to the KO Shield
Shield bar drains to indicate the remaining health of the shield.
When you have a Gold KO Shield and are down, we've added an effect to the label that reminds you that you can self revive.
We saw that the Ring indicator that appears when players are viewing the whole map wasn't accurately showing the player's position so we fixed that.
Character animations while taking damage now accurately reflect the direction the damage is coming from.
Fixed a bug where occluded sounds would sometimes sound unoccluded.
Patched up some issues with missing geo on Kings Canyon and fixed a few spots where players were getting stuck.
Fixed a script error that could happen when removing attachments on holstered weapons.
General polish to game UI fixing some grammar issues, improved navigation, and composition of elements.
Fixed PC users constantly switching weapons while scrolling through items in a Death Box.
Fixed issue where we were seeing server stability issues sometimes caused by purchasing items while matchmaking.
Fixed script errors that could occur during the skydive.
Reduced skybox fog.
Adjusted the code for Supply Bins so they are less likely to kill players. If you do still get killed by one please let us know!
Made it so push-to-talk is no longer on when a chat box is active.
LT/RT no longer switches between players in spectator mode while the map is open.
Updated the minimap to more accurately reflect the geo and points of interest on the main map.
Adding sound FX to the UI for the key binding menu.
Fixed issue where a player's name would not show up when they send a message that reached the character limit.
Fixed bug where sometimes the Champion screen resolution would be stretched in widescreen resolutions.
Fixed audio bug where sometimes the zipline sounds FX would keep playing after disembarking.
Added accessibility option to modify the subtitle size.
Improvements / fixes for color blind players:
Added better color blind support for Blood Hound's Threat Vision.
Colorblind colors per setting are now displayed in the settings menu.
Colorblind settings moved from Video Settings to Gameplay->Accessibility. They are now applied on the fly.
Enemy pings now use proper enemy color instead of only using red.
Audio:
Turned down volume when Wraith activates a portal.
Turned down the end sounds on the Peacekeeper charged shot.
Turned down the draw/holster sound slightly for thermite grenades.
Legend Hit Box Adjustments
Adjusted hit boxes for Gibraltar, Caustic, and Pathfinder to better align with their shapes.
Weapons
Fixed players being able to shortcut weapon swap by changing stance
Fixed players being able to shortcut Peacekeeper rechamber sequence
Fixed inaccurate auto ranging fullscreen (sniper) optics when base FOV is not set to default
Spitfire: fixed ADS view on Legendaries partially obscured by custom geo. (The Continuum, The Heavy Construct)
Fixed ADS view being blocked when using Caustic legendary skins with certain weapon/ optic combos
Digital threat optics: threat highlights are now more visible (slightly brighter; no longer affected by TSAA)
Fixed bug where Devotion audio sometimes wouldn't accurately reflect rate of fire.
Additional Bug Fixes
Fixed rare issue where a player could get stuck on the drop ship and be invulnerable.
Patched up the hole we found in Gibraltar's shield.
Fixed issue where Lifeline's revive shield wouldn't stay put while on a moving platform.
Fixed issue where sometimes players would get stuck in map geometry while skydiving from the dropship or Jump Towers.
Fixed bug where players could still shoot even after being downed.
Fixed bug where occasionally Lifeline's D.O.C. drone would stay connected to a player but not heal them.
Limited the amount of Lifeline's D.O.C. drones that can connect to a player to 2.
Fixed Pathfinder's zipline not deploying when jumping.
Fixed a bug with the HUD where sometimes the Heal Bar would stay up if the heal was cancelled right after it was started.
Fixed a bug where sometimes the audio would continue to play sound FX for the Knockdown Shield even after it's been destroyed.
Fixed issue where sometimes players could get disconnected when unplugging their controller during a game.
Fixed the exploit where you could do infinite wallclimb using Pathfinder's Grapple.
Fixed bug where sometimes you couldn't fire the Peacekeeper after riding a zip line.
Fixed issue where sometimes the skybox fog would not appear while spectating after you died.
Fixed bug where Banner Cards would show through walls occasionally when viewed through a very high FOV.
Fixed some odd light flickering that was happening on the ballon flags attached to Jump Towers.
Fixed bug where sometimes a player's Banner Card would not show up after character select.
Razer Chroma Support
Apex Legends will now detect Razer Chroma peripherals and supported devices will now play animated colors that react to things you do in the game! Some examples:
Red lights during banner transitions.
While skydiving colors will tune to the color of your smoke trail.
Disney's massive deal to buy the majority of Fox's assets and franchises--including The Simpsons, Family Guy, Deadpool, and X-Men--for around $71 billion has finally gone through. Fox and Disney announced in their own press releases that the acquisition is expected to become effective at 12:02 AM EST on March 20. [Update: it's a done deal]
"This is an extraordinary and historic moment for us--one that will create significant long-term value for our company and our shareholders," Disney CEO Robert Iger said in a statement. "Combining Disney's and 21st Century Fox's wealth of creative content and proven talent creates the preeminent global entertainment company, well positioned to lead in an incredibly dynamic and transformative era."
Disney said buying Fox's franchises will allow Disney to "provide more appealing high-quality content and entertainment options to meet growing consumer demand; increase its international footprint; and expand its direct-to-consumer offerings."
Some of the "direct-to-consumer offerings" Disney has in the pipeline include ESPN+, and Disney+, along with its continued investment in Hulu.
Here is a specific rundown of what Disney gets in its Fox acquisition:
Twentieth Century Fox
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Fox 2000 Pictures
Fox Family
Fox Animation
Twentieth Century Fox Television
FX Productions
Fox21
FX Networks
National Geographic Partners
Fox Networks Group International
Star India
Fox's interests in Hulu, Tata Sky, and Endemol Shine Group
After the buyout, Fox will still live on, but in a more limited capacity. Fox is creating a spinoff unit that will continue to operate the Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox Sports, and the Fox Televisions Stations Group, along with the cable networks FS1, FS2, Fox Deportes, and Big Ten Network.
Even before the Fox buyout, Disney was primed for a massive 2019 with movies alone. The company already released Captain Marvel from its Marvel division, while Avengers: Endgame is coming next month. Some of Disney's other major film releases in 2019 include Dumbo, Aladdin, Lion King, Frozen 2, and Star Wars: Episode IX.
According to Deadline, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood tells a Pulp Fiction-style story that features intersecting stories set in Los Angeles during 1969. DiCaprio plays Rick Dalton, who is the struggling former star of a Western TV show, while Pitt plays his stunt double Cliff Booth. Rick's neighbour is Sharon Tate.
In addition to DiCaprio, Pitt, and Robbie, the film features other huge names like Al Pacino, Kurt Russell, James Marsden, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Timothy Olyphant, Lena Dunham, Emile Hirsch, and Dakota Fanning. Bruce Dern came aboard the movie last year to play a part meant for Burt Reynolds who died in September 2018.
Luke Perry filmed scenes for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood before his death in March.
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, which is due in theatres on July 26, is Tarantino's ninth film, and it might be one of his final movies. In 2016 he said that he would quit directing after his tenth movie, but it remains to be the seen if this is still the case.
According to IndieWire, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood may make its world premiere at Cannes Film Festival in May.
Overwatch's new hero, Baptiste, is out now for everyone on PS4, Xbox One, and PC as part of a new update. Baptiste had been available on Overwatch's PTR for a while now, but he's finally available for everyone on all three platforms. Like Overwatch's other post-release characters, he's free.
Baptiste is Overwatch's 30th hero. A combat medic who serves as a support class in Blizzard's hero shooter, his primary weapon is the Biotic Launcher, which is a burst-fire rifle that fires three rounds at a time. His secondary fire heals allies.
He is also capable of jumping extra high thanks to his powerful Exo Boots. Additionally, Baptiste wields an "Immortality Field" that creates a field that keeps his allies alive, while he also has an "Amplification Matrix" that doubles damage and healing effects.
Baptiste is part of the latest update for Overwatch. Blizzard has released the full patch notes, and they tweak various parts of the game, including several of the game's other characters. One change that impacts many of them involves how armor is dealt with.
"The damage taken by armor from damage over time effects, such as Widowmaker's Venom Mine, and beam weapons, like Symmetra's Photon Projector, varied greatly," Blizzard explained. "Now it will be more consistent and predictable."
Here's how that's outlined in the patch notes:
Beam-type damage is now reduced by 20% when hitting armor
Mei: Primary Fire
Moira: Alternate Fire, Coalescence
Symmetra: Primary Fire, Sentry Turret
Winston: Primary Fire
Zarya: Primary Fire
Damage over time effects are no longer mitigated by armor
Ana: Primary Fire
Ashe: Dynamite
Hanzo: Dragonstrike
Mei: Blizzard
Moira: Biotic Orb
Widowmaker: Venom Mine
Zarya: Graviton Surge
Check out the video in the embed above to see Baptiste in action.
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