Tom Clancy's The Division 2 released less than two weeks ago on March 15, and the thrilling action-shooter has already earned high praise from us for its fantastic world-building, diverse enemies and combat, smooth multiplayer integration, and plethora of compelling endgame content. Luckily, if you haven't picked up The Division 2 already, its price has already been slashed at Newegg, where you can get a copy for PS4 or Xbox One for just $45 if you use the promo code EMCTWVA35. This offer is valid only through tomorrow, March 26, at 11 PM PT (or Wednesday, March 27, at 2 AM ET). However, the deal may sell out sooner based on availability, so act fast if you're interested.
The sequel to 2016's The Division, The Division 2 moves the game's setting from New York City to Washington, D.C. A smallpox epidemic has left the country decimated, and multiple violent factions have risen up to fight for power. You play as an agent from the Strategic Homeland Division fighting to protect civilians and restore order in the nation's capital. The game earned a 9/10 in GameSpot's The Division 2 review for its combat design and detailed, visually stunning world, despite the fact that critic Edmond Tran founds its overarching story a bit lacking.
"The ravaged environments continue to intrigue, and sometimes they're so stunning I find myself needing to take screenshots before I move on," wrote Tran. "It might not have much to say, but The Division 2 is a perpetual cycle of tension, relief, and reward that's difficult to stay away from."
During an entertainment-focused presentation, Apple announced a new game subscription service called Apple Arcade. The monthly subscription rate will give you a selection of roughly 100 exclusive games, with more to be added regularly. But it's one feature the service is lacking that acted as a direct answer to Google.
During the presentation, Apple specifically mentioned that Apple Arcade isn't a cloud-based streaming service. And since it isn't streaming, the company emphasized, you can download and play the games offline. This is in very direct contrast to Google's cloud-based Stadia game streaming platform, which the company said can't run offline.
Apple Arcade includes partners like Sega, Konami, Disney, Sumo Digital, and Cartoon Network. Any game included in Arcade will be updated with updates or DLC as part of your subscription cost. You can also pick up your games on other devices, and Apple promises more games will be added "all the time."
Apple Arcade will have its own tab on the App Store when it launches in 150 countries this fall. Apple didn't detail pricing options for the subscription. The company also used the presentation to announce its own TV streaming platform.
Digital Extremes' popular online shooter, Warframe, is celebrating its sixth anniversary this week with an assortment of freebies. On Wednesday, March 27, players across PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch will receive an exclusive Liset skin, along with all previous anniversary gifts, including last year's Dex Excalibur skin.
2018 turned out to be the biggest year yet for Warframe, Digital Extremes touted. Not only did the title receive more than 26 updates and 111 hotfixes over the course of the year, it made its Switch debut with an impressive port last November. The game's registered user base also saw an impressive increase, jumping from 38 million players last March to "nearly" 50 million as of this month.
The Profit Taker, the first big content update for Warframe's Fortuna expansion, launched in December 2018. Since then, Digital Extremes has rolled out the Operation: Buried Debts update, which introduced another new Warframe to the game--Hildryn--and made the first "phase" of melee combat changes.
Many more updates are in the pipeline for Warframe this year. Digital Extremes is currently at work remastering Plains of Eidolon and Gas City with "gameplay and graphical overhauls that renew both areas." The developer has also announced Railjack and The New World, two new "game-changing" updates on the way in the near future.
"There's really no other game on the Switch like Warframe," we said of the recent Switch port. "Though it's often been seen as the 'Destiny' before Destiny, it certainly goes out of its ways to offer up options and different adventures for players, all of which give off this unique flavor that makes it stand out online action games. It's one of those games that's gotten better with age, and with the amount of content that's still on the way, Warframe on Switch will likely be a solid gateway for those craving an involved action-RPG to dive into."
Apple has revealed a new game subscription service. Named Apple Arcade, the service is designed for mobile, desktop, and the living room. You can check out a brief overview trailer above.
Essentially, Apple proposes you pay a monthly subscription to get unlimited access to paid titles on the App Store. Partners include Sega, Konami, Disney, Sumo Digital, Cartoon Network, and more--more than 100 exclusive games will become part of the service. More games will be added "all the time," the company said. It will support games across iOS devices (both iPhones and iPads), MacOS, and Apple TV, and you'll be able to transfer your progress between these different platforms. In other words, you can move from playing something on your phone to your TV or laptop, for instance.
Apple went on to state that every game would be playable offline, while future game updates and DLC would be included at no extra cost. In addition, you can pick up on other devices right where you left off. Apple Arcade will have its own tab on the App Store, and the games will be free of ads and microtransactions.
Apple Arcade will be available in 150 countries "this fall," with pricing and more details to come. We got a brief look at a few of the games coming to the service, including Overland, Fantasian (from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi), and Beyond the Steel Sky (which is being worked on by Dave Gibbons of Watchmen fame).
Unlike the recently announced Google Stadia, or PlayStation Now and Microsoft's xCloud, Apple's service is not cloud-based.
A new narrative action-adventure game will take a deeper look at the story of Gollum, the pitiful creature at the heart of the Lord of the Rings series. The Lord of the Rings - Gollum from Daedelic Entertainment is slated for 2021, with platforms to be determined.
The story will follow the life of Smeagol, aka Gollum, as he finds and becomes corrupted by the One Ring. It will follow the events of the novels, so we all know where he ends up (spoilers: in a volcano), but the story promises "new events and details related to Gollum's journey."
Right now it's due on PC, as well as whichever console platforms are "relevant" at the time. This appears to be the first of several planned partnerships between Daedelic and Middle-earth Enterprises.
"We tell Gollum's story from a perspective never seen before, in any storytelling medium, all the while staying true to the legendary books of J.R.R. Tolkien," says Daedalic CEO Carsten Fichtelmann in the announcement. "At a time when the games industry is undergoing structural changes and seeing new business models evolve, we are excited to realize a huge new production based on a story that has stayed fresh and relevant for more than 60 years."
Few game series have spanned multiple decades and left their mark as deeply on the industry as The Elder Scrolls, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year; its first title, The Elder Scrolls: Arena, debuted back in 1994. The Elder Scrolls series has produced multiple Game of the Year-winning titles, and as part of this week's anniversary celebration, Bethesda is giving away one of those Game of the Year winners for absolutely free: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
Morrowind is the third installment of The Elder Scrolls series and features a huge open-world that encourages free exploration rather than an emphasis on a linear plot. The game is set in the province of Morrowind on the island Vvardenfell, the land of the Dark Elves known as Dunmer. In GameSpot's Morrowind review, critic Greg Kasavin praised the game for its impressively detailed environments. "It's a beautiful-looking, sprawling, and completely open-ended game that allows you to play pretty much however you like as long as you're willing to fill in a few blanks using your imagination," he wrote.
While the series has since progressed to produce other acclaimed, best-selling games, like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Elder Scrolls VI is in the works, Morrowind remains an important chapter in the series and beloved by fans. In 2017, a Morrowind expansion was even added to Elder Scrolls Online, allowing players to revisit the mushroom-covered island of Vvardenfell. For the all-time low price of $0, you definitely don't want to miss the chance to experience this classic RPG.
The week-long celebration of Elder Scrolls continues with multiple other promotions this week, including a 50% off sale on all Elder Scrolls titles and add-ons (starting today) and a free play week for Elder Scrolls Online that starts this Thursday, March 28, and runs through April 4.
Apple has revealed its own video streaming service--sort of. Essentially, it's a new version of the existing Apple TV app that compiles existing streaming services into one place.
That means you can watch content from, for example, Amazon Prime Video, CBS All Access, and Hulu from one app. In addition, you can watch original content from Apple's own TV channels. However, Netflix shows and films do not form part of Apple TV.
The service was revealed at Apple's "show time" event in California, USA. The company stated the new TV app will come to Mac, Smart TVs, Amazon FireTV, the Apple TV device, iPhones, iPads, and more after the service itself begins in May.
Additionally, Apple revealed Apple TV+, a premium version of Apple TV that includes all of Apple's exclusive shows, as well as those from third-party services such as Prime Video and PlayStation Vue, also features exclusive shows. Some of those shows already announced include a reboot of Amazing Stories from Steven Spielberg's production company, as well as a new comedy from Jennifer Anniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carrell called The Morning Show. Oprah Winfrey is also working on multiple exclusive shows for Apple TV+.
Apple TV+ is coming "this fall" in "100+" countries. It's ad-free, and everything is downloadable and can be enjoyed offline.
Apple has been preparing for this moment for a while. Aside from its music streaming service, Apple Music, the company has also commissioned multiple original shows such as Planet of the Apps and See, as well as a standalone Carpool Karaoke series. For more, check out every Apple TV show and series announced so far.
Apple TV+ is also similar to another service revealed at the same event. Apple News+ is a new service whereby you pay one monthly fee--$10 in the US--to access dozens of other companies' magazines and newspapers. National Geographic, Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and "over 300" publications are included in the $10 subscription fee.
Elsewhere at Apple's latest event, the company revealed a new gaming subscription service named Apple Arcade, and confirmed it was releasing a new credit card named Apple Card.
With high-quality Genesis ports aplenty on PC and consoles, the most popular 16-bit Sega games are easier and cheaper to play today than ever. But if simply having access to some of your favorite Genesis games as digital downloads doesn't meet your personal standards, you can also go beyond and step into the expensive and complex world of vintage gaming with real cartridges and dedicated consoles.
Getting Genesis games is easy enough (budget depending), but picking the right console is a more complicated task than you might realize at first. Until now, your choices were limited to Sega's classic consoles and cheaply made third-party clones, but even Sega's own hardware has issues that any serious Genesis fan should consider. From inaccurate audio to video interference, practically every model suffers from its own mix of shortcomings.
This frustrating scenario is why the arrival of the $189 (plus shipping) Mega Sg from Analogue is practically a dream come true for the weary Genesis shopper. It's not the "perfect" Genesis, but it arguably qualifies as the "best" off-the-shelf Genesis, with a wide variety of useful and entertaining options to play with, and none of the usual issues that commonly plague other consoles. It's restricted to use on modern flat-screen displays, and won't work with your Menacer light gun or the 32x add-on, but the level of quality both inside and out more than makes up for these caveats.
The Mega Sg comes with a Master System cartridge adapter, HDMI cable, Micro USB cable, power adapter, and a Sega CD spacer mat.
The Mega Sg is a Micro USB-powered, region-free Genesis console that connects to your TV via HDMI, supporting multiple resolutions from 480p to 1080p, with an optional 3.5mm analog stereo audio port on the front of the system (similar to the original "Model 1" Genesis.) There are no controllers included in the box, but it supports original controllers and modern alternatives, such as the co-promoted M30 from 8BitDo.
Pop off a door on the side, and the Mega Sg can be connected to both models of Sega CD hardware. It also works with Master System game converters, but to simplify the process Analogue has included a sleek adapter of its own, and will eventually release cartridge adapters for Game Gear, Mark III, Sega MyCard, SG-1000, and SC-3000 games. Traditionally troublesome games, like Sonic and Knuckles (in combination with Sonic 2 or 3), Virtua Racing, and the most popular flash carts, are all supported. And with built-in cheat code functionality, you don't need to worry about dusting off your Game Genie to tinker with your favorite games.
One of the special features packed into the Mega Sg is Ultracore, a licensed release of a canceled Genesis game formerly known as Hardcore, developed by Digital Illusions (now known as DICE). Despite being ready for release, it was canceled by Psygnosis in 1994 purportedly due to the publisher's shrinking faith in the Genesis' popularity. It's a beautifully animated technical showpiece that packs a challenge, and it's a shame to think it's taken 25 years to see the light of day. It's both an interesting slice of gaming history and a strong pack-in for the Mega Sg.
At the core of the Mega Sg is an FPGA chip (Altera Cyclone V), an increasingly common solution for retro gaming hardware that, when programmed correctly, can accurately mirror the functionality and behavior of original hardware. Analogue employs FPGA engineer Kevin Horton to design its hardware emulation cores, and "Kevtris" (Horton's popularized handle online) is widely regarded to be the best in the biz. For the Mega Sg, like the Super Nt and Nt Mini before it, Kevtris not only aims to recreate the best possible configuration of original hardware, but to also implement settings that allow you to manipulate various aspects of the audio and video output in ways that no other Genesis console can offer.
8BitDo M30 shown for scale (the Mega Sg does not come with its own controller)
For its clear and authentic sound alone, the Mega Sg is a worthwhile purchase if you take your Genesis experience seriously. The system's library is home to countless soundtracks and sound effects that deserve nothing less than the best-case hardware configuration, and because the Mega Sg's FPGA setup replicates the famed Yamaha YM2612 FM Synthesizer from the original system, you don't have to fear its audio output--something you can't say for most other Genesis consoles and clones that output harsh, muffled, or distorted audio. There's a good chance you've never heard the original Genesis at its best even if you were following along in the '90s.
To have an accurate, reliable, and clean sounding Genesis in the Mega Sg solves one of the biggest headaches of shopping for a console. It's not the only solution, however. Experts in the hobbyist console modding scene have devised solutions of their own to improve the poor audio quality in later Model 1, Model 2, and Model 3 Genesis consoles. When compared to a Triple-Bypass amplified Model 2 Genesis by ear, the Mega Sg sounds like it uses a slightly narrower frequency range--an anecdotal observation, to be sure. The margin seems slim, however, but it's worth noting that there are other ways to get a great-sounding Genesis if you know where to look and what to do.
In terms of extras, the Mega Sg provides a great variety of audio options. Some are designed to help balance out audio and tune it to your liking, while others exist solely to provide a means of reshaping the sound of Genesis soundtracks and sound effects, if only for the fun of it. The Mega Sg's audio settings include:
Headphone output volume controls and support for high-impedance headphones
Audio channel volume controls for both FM and PSG sound chips
Channel panning controls
-3db output cut (useful for audio equipment that fails to recognize a full-volume signal)
Cartridge audio enable and volume controls (only activate to hear FM soundtracks for Master System games via the Power Base Mini FM or Mega Everdrive v2/X7--disable in other scenarios)
Swap left & right stereo channels
Ladder effect depth, to simulate audio crossover distortion
YM2612 High-Quality mode (utilize full 14-bit audio waveforms rather than the traditional 9-bit range)
YM2612 Waveform modulation (choose from over 30 variations to the standard sine wave used by the original genesis FM synthesizer)
You don't need to understand all of the above to jump in and start tinkering with the audio to see what happens. You can't break anything, and it's easy to reset the Mega Sg's settings back to their default state if you wind up changing too many options. Having this freedom and control at your fingertips is something that no other Genesis console can offer, elevating the value of the Mega Sg for the knowledgeable and curious user alike. For a more thorough description of the Mega Sg's various technical settings, you can refer to the official Mega Sg Reference Manual.
On the video side, the Mega Sg gives you control over the following options:
Screen size, with fine height and width controls when Advanced Mode is enabled)
Scalers, to smooth out pixel edges (HQ2x, HQ3x, HQ4x, Scale 2x, Scale 3x, X-Ray)
Horizontal and vertical pixel interpolation, to account for odd pixel scaling resulting from uneven screen size settings
Normal and hybrid scanlines
Frame buffering, to balance performance, speed accuracy, and screen tearing
Dithering simulation, to replicate pseudo transparencies
Screen masking, to eliminate colored borders around the game screen
Red, green, and blue color value sliders
Adjusting the look of the Mega Sg's video output can be useful, with the most valuable video settings pertaining to adjusting the dimensions and aspect ratio to suit the game and display at hand. You don't need to change settings every time you switch games, but it's great to have the option should you feel the need to dial in the "right" settings.
All of this would mean little if the Mega Sg had any issues actually playing games, but put simply, it ran every one of the dozens of Genesis, Sega CD, and Master System games I tested with no obvious flaws. They not only looked gorgeous and sounded awesome, but with essentially no perceptible input lag (be sure to use your TV's Game mode!), everything played well too.
The Mega Sg on top of a Sega CD Model 1, using the included spacer mat.
When a Genesis just works as intended, as the Mega Sg does, games take on a new light. With the audio intact and clearly presented, you get a better sense of the nuanced compositions running behind the scenes and suffer none of the infamous crunch and grind that comes from lesser systems. I've had a similar experience with my aforementioned Genesis 2, but it took a lot of effort and money to get there. I had to buy a video scaler from overseas (the Open Source Scan Converter), purchase custom SCART cables and PCBs, and ultimately take the risk of modifying my console to install the amplifier mod. It's an inelegant solution that I enjoyed pursuing, but the Mega Sg is my new preferred way to play Genesis games on a flat-screen display, relegating my souped up Model 2 for use on CRTs.
Having spent so much time describing what the Mega Sg is capable of, it's worth also mentioning that it is a compact and wonderfully made console. It has heft, is built from solid materials that are pleasing to the touch, and bears an original design that looks like a proper reimagining of Sega's 16-bit hardware aesthetic. And just in case you're considering a Mega Sg for its Sega CD support, rest assured that an included mat will support Analogue's little console and protect your vintage CD unit--though there's nothing that can account for the conspicuous difference in scale between the two devices.
So while roughly $200 is a lot to spend on a console to play Genesis games, right now, the Mega Sg is the easiest way to get them up and running on a modern TV without sacrificing audio or video quality--the support for Master System and Sega CD games is the icing on the cake. Some people will always prefer to go the route of using emulators, and others may only want to play with original hardware and stick to aftermarket mods. But if you are open to the idea of a third-party Genesis console, and you want the peace of mind knowing that it looks and sounds better than the best original console from Sega, there's no better option on the market than the Mega Sg.
Editor's note: Analogue provided GameSpot with a complimentary Mega Sg for review.
For months, WWE fans have been wondering if and when women would main event Wrestlemania. And with the tremendous build towards Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair at the PPV, surely, Wrestlemania 35 would be the place this momentous bout would happen. Now WWE has revealed a new poster for Mania, and it's official. The Raw Women's Championship match will main event the PPV.
As you can see below, the Wrestlemania poster spotlights the feud, which has been the highlight of all WWE story lines since a few weeks before Survivor Series back in November. Right before that PPV, Lynch and the other women of Smackdown attacked the women of Raw, Lynch got her nose broken. Completely bloodied, she taunted from the stands. It was the biggest moment of 2018 for WWE.
Since then, Lynch's storyline has been a rollercoaster ride. She's been suspended, injured, beaten up people with crutches, and gotten beaten by other people with those same crutches. It was all leading to a match with Rousey at Mania, and of course, Flair got involved, so now it's a triple threat.
What's been exceptionally wild about this feud is the back and forth between Lynch and Rousey on Twitter. Sometimes, it's a bit brutal, and Rousey loves angering wrestling fans on the social media site. The rivalry--on Twitter and off of it--has been the most popular thing in WWE, so making this match the main event makes perfect sense.
Make sure to come back to GameSpot on Sunday, April 7 for live coverage of Wrestlemania and a review of the show.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice takes top spot in the UK all format physical sales chart in its debut week. Sales monitor Chart-Track says the top of the chart was "close" this week, as From Software's new game forces last week's No.1, The Division 2, down to No.2 for the week ending March 23.
Elsewhere the chart is full of familiar faces. FIFA 19 finishes at No.3, while Rockstar's huge open-world games Grand Theft Auto V (No.4) and Red Dead Redemption 2 (No.5) round out the top five. Battlefield V re-enters the top 40 at No.18, likely boosted by the impending launch of its battle royale mode, Firestorm. Aside from Sekiro, no brand-new titles enter the chart this week.
Sekiro has also enjoyed a strong critical reception, including a 9/10 in GameSpot's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice review-in-progress. "Sekiro marries From Software's unique brand of gameplay with stealth action to deliver an experience that is as challenging as it is gratifying," wrote Tamoor Hussain.
You can read the full top 10 sales chart for this week below, courtesy of UKIE and GfK Chart-Track. Note this table does not include digital sales data, and so should not be considered representative of all UK game sales.
Spider-Man: Far From Home will hit cinema screens on July 5 and actor Tom Holland has now revealed a few new posters for the movie. Holland, who plays Peter Parker and his web-slinging alter-ego, posted the images on Instagram. They're suitably dynamic for a character that spends his time running around rooftops and leaping from perilous heights, but the real draw is a look at the slick new suit that Spidey is going to be wearing in Far From Home.
The most immediate difference from the outfit he wore during Spider-Man: Homecoming is the black coloring, which is a departure from the blue that traditionally complements Spidey's red costume. During the last trailer, the character is shown wearing a kind of stealth suit which he uses to get around undetected at night--presumably at the behest of Nick Fury. This new outfit looks to be a blend of his iconic costume and that stealth suit.
In Spider-Man: Far From Home, Peter Parker goes on a European vacation to get away from the madness of his vigilante lifestyle. However, things quickly escalate after Nick Fury appears and a strange villain--Mysterio, who is played by Jake Gyllenhaal--begins tearing up a city.
The trailer was littered with clues and interesting hints at what could be going on, so make sure to take a look at our comprehensive Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer breakdown, and you can read about everything else we know about the movie here.
Spider-Man: Far From Home is directed by Jon Watts, who also directed Homecoming. The movie follows Captain Marvel, which is out now, and Avengers: Endgame, which arrives in July. Following the launch of Captain Marvel a new trailer for Endgame was released and includes the Kree warrior. It also provides small insights into what could go down when the Avengers take on Thanos once again.
Apple is preparing to make its entry into streaming content with its Show Time event, but in an uncharacteristic move the company started up its stream early. The result has been a whole bunch of slightly odd teases leading up to the event. [Update: The event is ongoing, but already we've learned about Apple Arcade, which is a game subscription service that will let you pay a fee to access a variety of premium games on iOS, MacOS, and Apple TV. We also learned about Apple TV+, an Apple credit card, Apple News+, and more.
CNET reports that the stream featured a 1980s VCR aesthetic and had occasional interruptions by celebrities. Those include a call from Chris Evans (who plays Captain America in the Marvel films), a recitation of Emily Dickinson poetry, Sara Bareilles singing "I'll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me," and finally, an overlay of Apple's CarPlay navigation. That appears to be tracking a path between Hollywood and Apple's headquarters in Cupertino.
The shenanigans appear to be over for the time being, but it was certainly an unconventional way for Apple to start building up the hype for its big debut. Reports suggest that Apple's streaming service has the involvement of big names like Oprah and Stephen Spielberg, and that it may have conducted talks with other big content providers like HBO and Showtime to be part of the service. Netflix is reportedly not taking part in these talks, positioning itself as a competitor for Apple. The payment model and what the service would include are still under wraps.
For more on the event, check out everything we know. You can watch the show live today, March 25, at the following times to see Apple go all Hollywood yourself.
The latest entry in SNK's classic fighting game series, Samurai Shodown, will launch for PS4, Xbox One, and Switch in June, publisher Athlon Games has announced. The PC version, meanwhile, will launch at a later, as of yet undisclosed time.
At launch, there will be a number of modes available to the player. Alongside the prerequisite story, online, and offline versus modes, there will also be a new asynchronous mode called "Dojo." While SNK didn't delve into the specifics of how it'll work, it did say that Dojo will use deep machine learning to create custom computer-controlled opponents. These AI fighters will learn from how a player behaves in online and offline modes, and battle against the player with this behavior in mind.
These AI characters will be shareable, and Samurai Shodown players will also be able to download versions of other players that are online. Ghosts will be available to fight in one-on-one battles, as well as a unique Ironman Challenge that pits a player against 100 AI fighters in a row. The potential here is interesting, especially when it comes to teaching how to play the game.
Samurai Shodown is a weapon-based fighter set in the late 18th century. Despite not being a numbered entry, it takes place in the existing timeline, set before Samurai Shodown V and prior to the events of the original game. At a recent preview event, the game's developers explained that this placement in the timeline allowed SNK to bring back familiar faces while also introducing new characters. In total there will be 13 characters that longtime fans will recognize, including Haohmaru, Galford, and Earthquake. Additional characters will also be made available through DLC after the games launch.
Unlike many other fighting games, Samurai Showdown doesn't focus on lengthy and flashy combos, and is instead oriented by single, well-timed strikes that deal devastating damage. As a result, high-level play is based on reading the opponent, manipulating their movements, and reacting to exploit openings. While the barrier to entry is low, the ceiling for mastery has traditionally been very high.
In the trailer above, you can see some of Samurai Shodown's characters and get a feel for how lethal the gameplay can be. It's also a good look at the game's eye-catching visual style, which mixes 3D models with painterly backgrounds and a cel shading effect.
Sony has announced its own streaming presentation. The first such "State of Play" showcase will debut today, March 25, and promises a series of game reveals, trailers, news, and more for PS4 and PSVR.
You'll be able to watch the stream in its entirety right here on GameSpot. Sony suggested in its announcement that this will be the first of many streaming presentations that it airs throughout the year, and that new ones will be coming regularly. Nintendo and Microsoft both hold similar presentations, called Nintendo Direct and Inside Xbox, respectively.
Though Sony hasn't detailed which games it will be showing off, it has several upcoming titles that could be part of the showcase. The Last of Us 2, Ghost of Tsushima, Dreams, Days Gone, and Death Stranding are all in the pipeline, and Sony is likely to pepper in some indies and VR exclusives as well. The company announced it will be skipping E3 this year, so a series of smaller presentations may be part of its way to fill the gap. Shawn Layden pointedly said that "the world has changed, but E3 hasn't necessarily changed with it."
Microsoft is holding a similar presentation, focused strictly on indies, on March 26. Check for the State of Play showtimes below, and then synchronize your watches and set your bookmarks to come back here and watch the show. You can see start times in various time zones below.
Sony PlayStation March 25 State of Play Livestream Start Time
Fortnite will soon gain a new limited-time mode, according to the in-game news feed. The Floor is Lava is coming soon to the battle royale game on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile.
Not much more is known about the LTM as yet. The mode's description states, "Get to high ground or build above the lava that's overtaking the island," while an attached label says the mode is "coming soon," but there's no more clues as to precisely when you'll be able to play it.
It's possible the mode will launch with the upcoming v8.20 update. The most recent update, v8.11, added the Flint-Knock Pistol, One Shot LTM, and more--here's hoping the next patch is similarly bountiful.
Jordan Peele's new horror movie Us proved that the success of his 2017 debut Get Out was no fluke. Peele's latest slice of social scares has opened at the top of the US box office with an estimated $70 million from its first three days. Not only does this hugely eclipse Get Out's $33 million opening, it makes it the third-biggest R-rated horror debut of all time, behind only last year's Halloween reboot ($77 million) and 2016's Stephen King adaptation It ($123 million).
The achievements of Peele's movie don't stop there. One notable thing about Us is that it is an entirely original film, whereas both Halloween and It were based on pre-existing material. As a result, Us scored the second largest opening ever for a live-action, original picture--second only to the most successful film of all time, James Cameron's Avatar. In this era of seemingly endless remakes, sequels, and shared universes, this is a notable achievement.
Elsewhere in the box office chart, the Marvel movie Captain Marvel dropped to second place with an estimated $35 million weekend gross. So far the film has taken $321 million domestically, bringing its worldwide total to $910 million. It currently stands as the seventh-biggest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe worldwide--although the impending release of Avengers: Endgame will almost certainly drop it down a place.
The next four places on the box office chart saw last week's top five drop one place each--namely, Wonder Park, Five Feet Apart, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, and Tyler Perry's A Madea Family Funeral. The only new title in the Top 10 is Gloria Bell, starring Julianne Moore. The acclaimed drama expanded its release to 670 theaters, and rose from No.18 to No.7.
You can see the full Top 10 list for March 22-24 US box office below, as compiled by Box Office Mojo.
US Box Office For August March 22-24
Us – $70.2 million
Captain Marvel – $35 million
Wonder Park – $9 million
Five Feet Apart – $8.7 million
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World – $6.5 million
Tyler Perry's A Madea Family Funeral – $4.5 million
Season 1 of Apex Legends launched on March 20 and, alongside the first wave of cosmetic items for players to grind out as part of the Battle Pass, developer Respawn Entertainment also introduced a new character called Octane. While most assumed that Respawn was planning to release one character per season, it seems that isn't the case and another Legend will be made available before Season 1 is over.
That's according to a listing for the Apex Legends Season 1 Battle Pass on the PlayStation Store, which references a second new character and a weapon. "Two new characters will launch over the course of the season," it reads. "But in the meantime, look out for a new weapon set to launch as the season progresses. Best of all, each new Legend and weapon will launch with a full set of cosmetics to unlock. Two new items will be introduced during the season that will offer something new and innovative to the strategic mix."
The first of those characters is Octane, who was not part of the Battle Pass itself but instead a separate purchase. He can be bought just like the two premium characters who were not unlocked by default with the game's launch, Mirage and Caustic.
Thus far, the only new weapon introduced is the Havoc assault rifle, which became available in February, prior to the start of Season 1. Currently, there are no further details on what the new weapon is. Although the same can be said for the second new character, dataminers may have given us some indication of who's next. They found the names of a number of characters in Apex Legends' code and among them was Octane, indicating that Respawn may be picking from this pool of Legends. The name Wattson was also discovered and could be the other new Season 1 character, but it remains to be seen if that will be the case.
Following the datamining leak, Respawn took to Reddit to advise the Apex community not to believe everything they see. "There's lots of stuff that has been datamined from Apex since launch and is swirling around the Internet," said community manager Jay Frechette. "We know this stuff is fun to dig up and speculate about, but you should not treat any of that info as a source of truth.
"There's stuff in there that is very old, or things we've tried in the past and cut--remember our design process is to prototype and play lots of ideas--and some of it may be things we're still building for Apex Legends. Finding this stuff by no means confirms that it'll ever come out. At best you should treat any posts about this as a rumor and the real info will come from us when we're ready to show off what's coming next."
Naoki Yoshida is currently very busy with his work on Final Fantasy XIV Online, but, in a dream scenario, what kind of game would he like to make?
Speaking to GameSpot at the Square Enix offices in Shinjuku today, Yoshida said he'd like to take on the battle royale genre with a project of his own. He teased that he has "some ideas" to innovate on games like Fortnite and Apex Legends, though he didn't share any specifics.
Yoshida also said he'd like to make another MMO someday that may not be set in the Final Fantasy universe. He'd like to make that game before he dies. And while on the subject of dream projects, Yoshida said he hopes to play Diablo 4 before he leaves this world.
"I would like to make a battle royale game. I have some ideas to do that," Yoshida told GameSpot through a translator. "I have some ideas to make that type of game fun. As an online game designer, I would like to make an MMORPG from scratch without any limitations or restrictions. Removing all those kind of restrictions, I would like to make one MMORPG that fits the current trend before I die. I would also like [to play] Diablo 4."
A Final Fantasy battle royale game would truly be something new and different, but Yoshida didn't say if his idea for a battle royale game would be in the Final Fantasy universe. Similarly, it's exciting to think about what Yoshida could do in the MMO space with a blank canvas.
But again, he's only dreaming here. Yoshida has no plans to work on anything except Final Fantasy XIV Online for now. Whatever the case, it's almost always intriguing to hear what "dream projects" developers have in mind, and this is no different for Yoshida.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Nintendo will launch not one but two new Nintendo Switch models in 2019. One of these would feature improved hardware, while the other would be a pared-down version intended to sell at a cheaper price point.
One of these new Switch models will sport "enhanced" features, and it's designed for "avid" gamers. However, its specs won't match that of Xbox One X or PS4 Pro, WSJ said.
The other system is described as a "cheaper option for casual gamers that Nintendo sees as a successor to its aging hand-held 3DS device..."
According to WSJ, Nintendo is planning to announce the new Switch consoles at E3 2019 in June, and then launch them " a few months later," in time for the holiday season. A Nintendo representative declined to comment when approached by WSJ.
A source explained to WSJ that the new consoles might not be what you expect. "You would be wrong to think the enhanced version is similar to what Sony did with PS4 Pro and the other is just a cheap alternative that looks very similar to some past hand-held machines, say, Sony's PlayStation Vita," the source said.
Intriguingly, the report goes on to claim that the lower-cost Switch model is doing away with things like controller vibration in an effort to cut costs. The report doesn't include any mention of price points for either console. The existing Switch is currently priced at $300 in the US.
And in another change, WSJ reports that Nintendo is working with Sharp on the displays for the new Switch models. The company reportedly bid to make the displays for the original Switch consoles but lost out.
As you may recall, WSJ was the first to initially report that Nintendo would release a new Switch revision in 2019. At the time, there was only talk about a single revision, and it was unclear exactly what form it would take. One thing that has remained consistent that this would be a mid-generation refresh that plays the same games, rather than a new generation of hardware.
Given E3 is now just a few months away, you can expect even more reports, rumours, and speculation about new hardware to continue to ramp up.
The announcement was met with some amount of criticism, as it was revealed that Hrothgar is locked to male characters while the other new race, Viera, is locked to female characters.
Game director Naoki Yoshida responded to the drama in an interview with GameSpot today. He said the team hasn't had enough time yet to consider all the feedback considering the announcement of Hothgar is so recent.
"We have to identify what they're coming from, so we can respond correctly," Yoshida said about concerned fans. "We want to review all the feedback that players gave. The bottom line is that the addition of a race takes quite a lot of cost; it's really quite an undertaking."
Yoshida added that in Final Fantasy XII, which is where Viera is from, the male Viera do not show themselves in public, so Final Fantasy XIV Online is staying loyal to the lore with only offering a female option. Yoshida explained that the male-only Hrothgar is Square Enix's effort to offer a new male-only race in response to Viera being female-only.
I asked Yoshida if Square Enix would considering allowing more gender options for Hrothgar and Viera in the future, but it appears the studio wants to consider feedback first before making any announcements. Yoshida also said to GameSpot that, due in part to the high complexity and challenge of creating new races and balancing them, Hrothgar might be the final new race added to Final Fantasy XIV Online.
The new Shadowbringers expansion launches on July 2. Final Fantasy XIV is available for PS4 and PC, but Yoshida also recently teased that it could launch on Xbox and Nintendo platforms.
We sat down with Yoshida as part of the Final Fantasy Fan Fest. For more, check out GameSpot's recent stories linked below.
Square Enix's long-running MMO Final Fantasy XIV Online is currently only available on PlayStation 4 and PC, but the title could eventually come to Xbox and Nintendo platforms.
Speaking to GameSpot from the Square Enix Japan offices today in Shinjuku, game director Naoki Yoshida said versions of the game are possible for Xbox and Nintendo systems. In fact, he said discussions with Microsoft and Nintendo, as well as Google, are currently underway.
As he's said in previous interviews, Yoshida stressed with GameSpot that Final Fantasy XIV needs to support cross-play to have its playerbases united and offer the best experience. That's currently possible on PS4 and PC, but not with other systems, which has presumably kept the game off Xbox and Nintendo systems so far. However, now that Sony, as well as Nintendo, is beginning to allow cross-play with competing platforms for games like Fortnite and Rocket League, it seems more likely than ever that Final Fantasy XIV comes to new platforms.
Nothing is certain at this stage, and Yoshida wouldn't be drawn too far into a speculative conversation about where Final Fantasy XIV may be released someday.
Yoshida poses in a meeting room at Square Enix's offices in Japan.
"Talks with platform-holders has been going on. The fundamental philosophy with Final Fantasy XIV is we want it on labels with cross-platform play with any devices, hardware possible," Yoshida said through a translator. "So as long as the regulations with the counterpart hardware companies ... we can actually pass that, then the possibility, the chance is quite high [of Final Fantasy XIV coming to Xbox and Nintendo systems].
"So we are talking with Nintendo, Microsoft, and Google, of course; we cannot say anything at the moment because we are still in negotiations, but once we have details we can make an announcement; we can bring the news to everyone. We are currently negotiating will all those platforms."
In our nearly hour-long interview with Yoshida, he repeatedly mentioned that Square Enix wants Final Fantasy XIV Online to reach as many people as possible. It already has more than 14 million registered players, and launching the game on Xbox and Nintendo systems would only increase the game's footprint further still. Also in the interview, I asked Yoshida if Square Enix might consider dropping the game's monthly subscription fee in favour of a free-to-play business model in an effort to help the game reach even more players.
It's not likely to happen. Final Fantasy XIV Online is currently free up to level 35, and that's as "free-to-play" as the game is likely to be for the foreseeable future.
"F2P is not a bad model. F2P in general in games, players try it, and then just go. For Final Fantasy XIV, our basic game design is we want players to spend a little bit of time and because the game gets interesting [over time]. If we shift to F2P with the current game design, then either the community or the game itself would break. So it's not going to be good. If we were to move to a F2P model, we should have to completely rehash, recreate the game design from scratch. Changing simply to FP2 now is not a good game design decision. It's not a good direction."
GameSpot's wide-ranging interview with Yoshida covered a number of other topics, including the controversial new race, Hrothgar, coming in the Shadowbringers expansion, as well as the new raid boss designed by Tetsuya Nomura, and even Yoshida's stance on battle royale. Keep checking back with GameSpot for more.
We sat down with Yoshida as part of the Final Fantasy Fan Fest. For more, check out GameSpot's recent stories linked below.
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