If you're curious about Jordan Peele's new The Twilight Zone TV series remake, you can watch the first episode for free. The show will be normally available exclusively through CBS All Access, but the first episode is currently live on the streaming service's YouTube channel for all to see.
The first episode of The Twilight Zone is titled "The Comedian," and it follows the tragic tale of Samir, a comedian struggling to connect with his audience with his humor. One day he's offered a solution: add a little bit of himself to his routine and he'll get the laughs he wants. However, once that part of his life has been turned into a joke, it will leave his life for good. Samir believes this warning is merely figurative, but as this is an episode of The Twilight Zone, of course it's anything but.
"The Comedian" premiered alongside "Nightmare at 30,000 Feet," which is itself a remake of one of the original The Twilight Zone's most memorable episodes, titled "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet." This new version of the classic episode replaces the story of a gremlin trying to take down an airplane--which only the protagonist and the audience can see--with one of a man frantically trying to prevent a plane crash he's learned about through a podcast that's seemingly from the future. "Nightmare at 30,000 Feet" is only available through CBS All Access right now.
The Twilight Zone comes from the mind of Jordan Peele, who also serves as the new series' host and narrator. His production company, Monkeypaw, is producing the show. Other cast members for the The Twilight Zone include Ike Barinholtz, John Cho, Lucinda Dryzek, Taissa Farmiga, Greg Kinnear, Luke Kirby, Sanaa Lathan, Kumail Nanjiani, Adam Scott, Rhea Seehorn, Alison Tolman, Jacob Tremblay, Jefferson White, Jonathan Whitesell, Jessica Williams, DeWanda Wise and Steven Yeun.
Although "The Comedian" represents The Twilight Zone's willingness to approach new subjects, the show will continue to remake episodes from the original series as well--just like "Nightmare at 30,000 Feet." A reimagined version of "The Wunderkind" is already confirmed, but the details have not yet been released for other episodes. Similar to the original series, each episode of The Twilight Zone is a contained narrative, which covers a supernatural or science fiction event that befalls an ordinary person after they've accidentally stumbled into a mysterious dimension that the show's narrator refers to as "not only of sight and sound, but of mind." Although many are designed to provide a moral lesson, others were just plain spooky.
When 2K released its latest installment of its wrestling series, WWE 2K19, there was an interesting challenge included in the game. If the player could beat an ultra-hard mode, they would have a chance to face WWE superstar AJ Styles in a one-on-one match, and if successful, they'd win $1 million. And the finals for the event will take place during Wrestlemania weekend.
On Friday, April 5, 2K and WWE will host the semifinals for the Million Dollar Challenge at Wrestlemania Axxess at Pier 12 in Brooklyn, New York. The finals will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and those who aren't in attendance will be able to at least watch the finale, which is taking place during the NXT Takeover: Brooklyn preshow. At 6:30 ET, it will be streamed on multiple platforms: Fox Sports digital platforms, WWE Network, WWE on YouTube, WWE 2K on Facebook and Twitter, on-demand after air on the USA Network.
During the event, WWE superstar Kofi Kingson, Big E, Paige, Ember Moon, and the Miz will be in attendance to coach the final four participants. The winner of the challengers will then take on AJ Styles one-on-one. If they win, they'll be awarded with $1 million. Gregory Davis from Jacksonville, Florida; Stephan T. Benson from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; David Hoey from Sydney, Australia; and Roman Droßard from Pfalzfeld, Germany are the final four that will compete in this tournament.
Head back to GameSpot during Wrestlemania week for coverage of the Million Dollar Challenge from the event, including interviews with competitors and WWE superstars as well as live results and a review of Wrestlemania.
Metro Exodus going exclusive to the Epic Games Store was a controversial move for publisher Deep Silver. Valve called the move "unfair to Steam customers," apologizing for the short window the company had to inform customers that Metro Exodus wouldn't be available through its platform. Despite this, Steam keys for the game were sold online, and it turns out that those keys were stolen--and have now been deactivated as a result.
According to an update on the game's official Steam page, these keys for Metro Exodus on Valve's platform will no longer work. "These keys have been obtained illegally from the factory where physical key printing had taken place prior to the announcement of exclusivity with Epic Games," publisher Deep Silver wrote. "Due to the criminal nature of these keys, all unlicensed keys have been deactivated and activation/download of Metro Exodus without the executable file is no longer possible."
Further, Metro Exodus will be removed from your games library if you got one of these illegal Steam keys. "In addition, the software will be removed from the Steam library of any players using an unauthorized code. The keys being sold on this platform are stolen goods, and are therefore illegal."
So what's Deep Silver's recommendation after the company removes the game from your games library? "If you have been affected we strongly recommend you contact the seller who sold you the unlicensed key and demand a refund," it said.
Deep Silver says only two distributors were legally authorized to sell Metro Exodus on PC at launch: Humble Bundle and the Razer store. While the game's currently exclusive to the Epic Games Store, Metro Exodus will be sold on Steam after February 14, 2020.
Metro Exodus recently received a New Game Plus in the Ranger Update, a 6GB update that adds a host of new features and various tweaks. In addition to New Game Plus, the Ranger Update comes with a fourth controller sensitivity preset, platform-specific improvements and additions, addresses numerous bugs and crashes, and adds full Ukrainian localization. The Ranger Update is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Borderlands 3 had weeks of build-up for a PAX East announcement that put a proverbial ring on it, officially announcing the anticipated loot-shooter. But like a Russian nesting doll, that was yet another teaser, for more details to come on April 3. Those details may have leaked, with a social media post that appears to have dropped the release date.
The official Borderlands account tweeted (and subsequently deleted) word that the game is coming on September 13, and teased a Gold Weapon Skins Pack for pre-orders. The tweet is still visible through Archive.org, so we can say with certainty that it did exist at one point. Another tweet made a second mention of a Gold Weapons Skins pack, and yet another contained a video ad that showed the Epic Store logo. This suggests the game may be the latest to see an exclusive release there, rather than on Steam.
It is April 1, mind, so these accidental leaks may not be accidental at all, and instead a bit of playful high-level trolling. Still, this at least makes a September 13 release date, and exclusivity on the Epic Store, distinct possibilities. We'll probably know for sure once the official reveal event comes on April 3.
For better or worse, the initial reveal trailer left us a bit underwhelmed, so the event later will give Gearbox a chance to show off the game in detail. So far we only know what we could glean from the initial trailers, so check out everything we know.
April Fools' Day is here, and like many other developers, Niantic is celebrating with a special event in Pokemon Go. Last year, the developer memorably replaced the game's 3D Pokemon models with 8-bit sprites, but this year, it's giving players another chance to capture a Pikachu wearing Ash Ketchum's signature hat from the Pokemon anime series.
Throughout the day, you'll be able to come across a hat-wearing Pikachu when you take pictures using the new Go Snapshot feature. Like Smeargle, the Pikachu--or even Ash himself--will potentially photobomb the pictures you take; if that happens, back out of the mode and the Pikachu will appear in the wild, giving you an opportunity to catch it.
This marks the first time in more than a year that Ash's hat Pikachu has been available in Pokemon Go. Niantic first introduced it as part of the game's anniversary event, although there have been numerous other hat-wearing Pikachu since, such as a Santa hat Pikachu during the game's annual winter event.
This also marks your final chance to catch Giratina in its Altered Forme. The Legendary Gen 4 Pokemon returned to Raid Battles last week following Dialga's departure. Starting 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET, Giratina will transform into its Origin Forme--the more serpent-like appearance it takes in Pokemon Platinum--until it leaves Raid Battles on April 29. You can find tips on how to catch Giratina here.
Niantic is also kicking off a Bug Out event on April 2, during which Bug-type Pokemon will appear more frequently and Incenses will last twice as long as normal. Following that, the developer is hosting this month's Pokemon Go Community Day on April 13. The featured Pokemon this time will be Bagon, the base form of the popular Dragon Pokemon Salamence.
One of the best games released in 2018 just dropped to its lowest price ever: Assassin's Creed: Odyssey is now selling for just $20 at Amazon and Best Buy. The game originally sold for $60, so if you haven't picked up Odyssey yet, the open-world RPG is an incredible purchase at only $20.
Like previous Assassin's Creed games, Odyssey takes players back to a historical setting--this time around, it's Ancient Greece. You'll choose between two characters--Alexios or Kassandra--and play as a mercenary descended from Spartan king Leonidas I. During the epic adventure, you'll find lost family members, take down an evil cult, and complete various side quests. Your choices will have a heavy impact on many events, including premature character deaths. The main story itself has nine different possible endings.
If you're a fan of gorgeous open-world games like The Witcher 3 or Horizon Zero Dawn, you'll enjoy becoming immersed in Odyssey's diverse and hyper-detailed locations around Greece. Odyssey's map is double the size of Origins', so you can easily sink dozens of hours into exploring its world, if you care to.
"Assassin's Creed Odyssey's ambition is admirable, which is reflected in its rich attention to detail for the era and its approach to handling the multi-faceted narrative with strong protagonists at the lead," wrote Alessandro Fillari in GameSpot's Assassin's Creed Odyssey review, where it scored an 8/10. "While its large-scale campaign--clocking in at over 50 hours--can occasionally be tiresome, and some features don't quite make the impact they should, Odyssey makes great strides in its massive and dynamic world, and it's a joy to venture out and leave your mark on its ever-changing setting."
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is introducing a new map for its battle royale mode, Blackout. The map will be available first on PS4 from April 2. The new map will be slightly smaller than the standard Blackout map that shipped with the game, but it's based on an iconic location known for its tourism and Nic Cage movie alike: Alcatraz.
Lock it down 🔒 Take no prisoners on the new Blackout map, Alcatraz, available tomorrow on PS4, other platforms to follow. #BlackOps4pic.twitter.com/jN1xTeNZwS
Alcatraz the island prison off the coast of San Francisco. The real one closed in 1963 and since then has been a popular tourist destination, and frequently used in pop culture. Black Ops 4's version will bring close quarters combat to the island, as players fight for survival outside among buildings and watchtowers and inside through cells and tight corridors. Check out the video above to see it.
Blackout is one of three modes in Black Ops 4, alongside competitive multiplayer and the cooperative Zombies mode. This year's Call of Duty entry opted to forgo the series' usual single-player campaign mode. Activision has been steadily issuing updates to its modes, most recently adding the St. Patty's-themed Shamrock and Awe update with new cosmetics and other goodies.
Before that it made some quality-of-life updates like an update to its standard map and a Hardcore game mode. This came with an update that made various changes to the multiplayer and Zombies mode too. Operation Grand Heist was the spring's big content update, adding a new Specialist, weapons, a Gauntlet mode, and a lot more.
Last week, Microsoft revealed the April lineup for Games With Gold, which are free to download for Xbox Live Gold members, and the first of those games are available starting today. In addition to Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 (Xbox One), which has been available since March 16 and will be free for another two weeks, two new games are up for grabs: The Technomancer (Xbox One) and Star Wars Battlefront II (Xbox 360, Xbox One). Star Wars Battlefront II will disappear after April 15, while The Technomancer will be available for download all month long.
The Technomancer is an action RPG released in 2016 that's set 200 years after humans have colonized Mars. The Xbox One game has an in-depth crafting system, multiple fighting styles, skill trees, and a huge world to explore. Plus, don't miss this chance to get Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2--the light-hearted shooter expands upon the first Garden Warfare with new modes, characters, and more solo content. Then, on Xbox 360, you've got Star Wars Battlefront II, which released in 2005 on the original Xbox. The team-based shooter introduced new space combat maps, new classes, and Jedi as playable characters, but otherwise sticks to the Battlefront series' tried-and-true formula.
Starting halfway through the month on April 16, two more games will become available: Outcast: Second Contact (Xbox One) and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 (Xbox 360, Xbox One). Ghost Recon will be free through the end of the month, while Outcast will stick around until May 15.
Sony has revised the refund and cancellation policies for pre-orders and purchases through the PlayStation Store. Under the new policies, you can refund pre-orders and purchases, under certain criteria.
According to the store cancellation policy, you can cancel a digital purchase within 14 days of purchasing it and receive a refund, as long as you haven't begun to download it or stream it already. If you have started to use it, the content must be "faulty" to obtain a refund. Pre-orders can be cancelled and refunded anytime before release, or within 14 days after payment was taken for your pre-order even if the release date has passed, with the same restrictions. Finally, the same policy will apply to season passes and promotional bundles.
The site notes that this only applies to consumables ordered directly through the PlayStation Store, since purchasing through a game itself delivers the content immediately and therefore isn't eligible for refund. It also suggests turning off automatic downloads if you think you may need a refund on a pre-order, since automatically downloading it when it's available will make you ineligible as well.
Subscription services like PlayStation Plus, PlayStation Now, and Spotify Premium can be refunded within 14 days, even if the subscription has started, but the refund amount could be pro-rata for the time you've already had it.
We recently heard reports that Sony was giving refunds to some players who had purchased Anthem on PS4, following a crashing bug. That would be permissible under the defective part of this clearer policy. Those refunds were given through contacting support, which is the method advised in the cancellation policy page.
Finally, the day we've been looking forward to since at least last night is here. April Fools' Day is back for more hoaxes, jokes, and wind-ups, and we're collecting all the best gaming-themed ones for you right here. We'll be updating this article throughout the day as we spot more fakes, so be sure to check back later, too.
However, it's not all jokes and japes on April Fools' Day: r/Games has closed down for April Fools' Day, but it is for a good reason. You can, however, share your favorite gags in the comments below.
Square Enix has developed a version of Final Fantasy superboss Omega as smart home assistant. I'll stick with Alexa, thanks.
The Anthem Subreddit Rebrands
The Anthem subreddit has undergone a makeover today, and it now looks like another familiar game.
Corsair Game Launcher Launcher
We are proud to announce our new, easy-to-use software that will change the way you manage all your games. Introducing the CORSAIR Game Launcher. #CORSAIRLauncherpic.twitter.com/HiZ5oNhZ7k
Corsair has combined all your game launchers into one Game Launcher Launcher, complete with its own digital currency that allows you to buy digital currency.
Street Fighter Shoot-'em-Up
Street Fighter's G now has his own mobile game, in the style of a shoot-'em-up. All sense has been lost.
A New Yakuza Game
This is a bit of a cruel tease, isn't it? It's a new Yakuza game that takes the series' signature combat and turns it into a turn-based RPG, with, according to our internal Yakuza expert, what looks like "weird magic stuff."
Sniper Elite: Love in Your Sights
You thought we were done with announcements? Surprise, we've got one more! Presenting Sniper Elite: Love In Your Sights, a whirlwind wartime romance. Get your coat Karl, you've pulled...the trigger. Coming 20-never. pic.twitter.com/T9iXjK7ipo
Sniper Elite: Love in Your Sights is a new game from Rebellion that turns the long-running sniper series into a romantic visual novel. Because of course.
Payday Royale
Yet another battle royale game gets announced; this time it's one set in the Payday universe.
Rainbow Six Siege's Rainbow Is Magic
So this is a weird one. Ubisoft has announced a time-limited event named Rainbow is Magic for Rainbow Six Siege. I say it's weird because, well, it's real.
Bethesda joins the fun with this glimpse of what a Bob Ross show would look like if Bob Ross was also in Doom.
Google Maps Adds A New Game
Google Maps has enjoyed many April Fools' jokes over the years, and for 2019 it's made a transport-themed edition of the classic game Snake.
Harada Enters The Tekken 7 Fight
A new champion is about to enter the King of Iron Fist Tournament! By popular demand, #TEKKEN 7's very own Director @Harada_TEKKEN will step into the ring for some epic showdowns. Can you guess who he will side with in the war to settle the Mishima feud? pic.twitter.com/gPPRqmsYvd
Something a little different now, and Tekken 7 director Katsuhiro Harada is fed up of merely directing games; now he wants to be in them as well. I wouldn't mess with him.
Total War: Three Kingdoms - Mobile Mode
Announcing a new gameplay mode for Total War: THREE KINGDOMS - Mobile Mode! This simulates the extreme mobile graphics experience that fans have been crying out for – so take a look at what this new addition has to offer here: https://t.co/gL4LIHzRgQpic.twitter.com/x24Yv3YYK7
Okay, this one's pretty good. Creative Assembly has unveiled a new mode for Total War: Three Kingdoms that turns the game into an old mobile game you might have played on your Nokia 3310.
VelocOlli
Super excited to announce a partnership with our besties @Roll_7, bringing our two beloved IPs together in one universe! All the twitchy fun you love from both worlds, brought together in fluid style by Kai riding a Hoverboard! #olliolli#velocity#velocollie Coming 2020. pic.twitter.com/2JaTOPiWjd
A crossover of two great indie series, VelocOlli will see you control Velocity's Kai as she rides an Olli Olli hoverboard. It's launching in 2020, apparently.
Elgato Green Screen Spray
Introducing the next step in the evolution of content creation... Elgato Green Screen Spray. Make anything disappear with the power of chroma key. pic.twitter.com/oLM4JlxZtT
Elgato now allows streamers to make everything invisible to their viewers with their new Green Screen Spray. You can even make yourself disappear!
New Hitman 2 Elusive Target
New Elusive Target incoming: The Duck will be in Saint-Nazaire (a new, time limited location!) starting April 1, for 10 days. More info here: https://t.co/nwXBA09ojL Head over to the official ET #19 Thread on Reddit: https://t.co/Re34Z1NwzX (thank you - u/nik2296 ) pic.twitter.com/LtidjKt1V1
Marvel: Contest of Champions is getting a new character soon, and developer Kabam has given us a first look at her. Except, it hasn't, because she's invisible. Let's hope that bug gets fixed by the time Invisible Woman makes it into the game.
— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) April 1, 2019
I unashamedly love this Twitter account, and right on cue Sonic the Hedgehog himself has got in on the April Fools' Day action with Sonic Royale. It's an action-PvP-MMO-Survival-ARPG-FPS-Dating sim and I would 100% play this, Sega.
It's a somewhat busy time for new game releases, and one of those new titles claims top spot in the UK physical sales chart this week. Nintendo's new Switch platformer Yoshi's Crafted World was the best-selling game in the UK for the week ending March 30, according to sales monitor Chart-Track.
Crafted World becomes the first Yoshi game ever to get to No.1 in the UK, though it was a close battle this week--the Switch exclusive beat The Division 2 by just 63 copies, according to GamesIndustry.biz. Below those two games is last week's No.1, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which falls two places to No.3.
Yoshi's new game has enjoyed a positive critical reception, including an 8/10 in GameSpot's Yoshi's Crafted World review. "Yoshi's Crafted World is at its best when it's relaxing and pleasant," wrote Kallie Plagge. "The 2D-to-3D level design keeps you curious while the go-at-your-own-pace approach keeps the pressure off and leaves you to appreciate the small, imaginative details. Its most interesting ideas never evolve past their first introductions and are frequently confined to one or two levels, but individually, those levels both reward your curiosity and your willingness to slow down and look at what's around you--and it's those simple pleasures that provide the most joy."
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.
The Outer Worlds is one of 2019's most anticipated games, and developer Obsidian Entertainment showed off a lot more of it at the gaming convention PAX East over the weekend.
During a panel, developers from Obsidian gave a 20-minute walkthrough demo of the game. It's a fantastic, deep-dive look at the game, and hearing directly from the developers provides an even better understanding of what you're seeing and the thinking behind various elements. The video showcases a number of unique and beautiful environments, as well as a series of weapons and numerous characters. Take a look for yourself in the video below from YouTube channel MrRedRivers.
The Outer Worlds is in development for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Even though Microsoft owns Obsidian, the title will still be released on competing systems such as PlayStation 4. One noteworthy detail about the PC edition is it'll be released on the Epic Store and Windows Store first, before coming to Steam a year later.
Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky, who worked on the original Fallout, are heading up the team making The Outer Worlds. The game is showing a lot of promise, and as mentioned, it's set for release sometime in 2019.
Ubisoft has announced a wild and wacky limited-time event for its swordfighting game For Honor, timed to coincide with April Fools' day, which has seen a variety of fake announcements--along with a few that do genuinely exist.
For Honor is one of the latter examples: From now until April 1 at 9 PM PT / midnight ET, players can face off against a new type of enemy: Rabbids. The cute and loveable creatures are in the game now as part of a 24-hour limited-time event. Everyone who participates gets a melee pack, on top of the reward of taking part in such a weird activity. This is no April Fools' joke, either, as you can see plenty of people fighting against Rabbids in YouTube videos. And here is a screenshot that Ubisoft provided:
The new Rabbids-themed event is part of For Honor's Year 3 content updates; Year 3 is known as the Year of the Harbinger. One of its most notable additions was a new fighter, The Black Prior. Looking ahead, Ubisoft said it will release even more Year 3 content, which includes seasonal events.
While this is a real thing that is happening, there are sure to be numerous fake-outs and more from the world of video games as part of April Fools' Day that continue to pop up, so try to be careful out there.
Matthew McConaughey is one of the biggest names in Hollywood, but not everything he touches turns to gold. The actor's newest film, The Beach Bum, opened this weekend--and it seems like it may be a flop. The stoner comedy featuring McConaughey in the lead role made $1.8 million at 1,100 theatres across the United States and Canada.
That works out to an average of $1,636 per theatre, according to Entertainment Weekly. It's a career-worst opening for McConaughey when you look at wide releases, or films that opened at more than 1,000 screens. His previous low wide release was 2017's Gold, which made made $3.4 million from 2,166 screens, according to The Wrap.
The Beach Bum was directed by Harmony Korine, who previously directed the more successful 2012 film Spring Breakers. The Beach Bum also features Snoop Dogg, Zac Efron, Jonah Hill, Martin Lawrence, and Isla Fisher.
McConaughey won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club.
As for movies that did make big money this past weekend, Disney's Dumbo was No. 1, with Jordan Peele's Us coming in at No. 2. You can see the full Top 10 report here.
Disney's latest live-action adaptation of an an animated classic didn't have the strong start that the company might have wanted. The movie opened to a huge figure this weekend, taking in an estimated $45 million in the US and Canada this weekend to stand easily at No. 1, but it didn't make as much money as people expected it to.
EW reports that it was projected to bank between $50 million and $58 million for its domestic opening-weekend. At $45 million, it's substantially below other recent live-action Disney movies such as Beauty and the Beast ($174.8 million), The Jungle Book ($103.3 million), and Cinderella ($67.9 million). Dumbo, however, is not nearly as big or recognisable a franchise as Disney's other marquee series, so it was never likely to make as much as those films.
Dumbo was directed by Hollywood legend Tim Burton, and it cost around $170 million to make. It features a star-studded cast with the likes of Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Eva Green, and Colin Farrell, who act alongside the big-eared baby elephant Dumbo.
The next Disney live-action re-imaginings are Aladdin (May) and The Lion King (July). Even if Dumbo isn't the biggest success, Disney is expected to have a massive year at the box office. It already released Captain Marvel from its Marvel division in March, while Avengers: Endgame is coming in late April. In between Aladdin and The Lion King is Toy Story 4 in June, while Frozen 2 arrives in November and Star Wars: Episode IX comes out in December.
In other box office news from this weekend, the new stoner comedy The Beach Bum starring Matthew McConaughey opened this weekend and made just $1.8 million. That is the worst opening for McConaughey in his film career.
March 29-31 US/Canada Box Office
Dumbo -- $45 million
Us -- $33.6 million
Captain Marvel -- $20.5 million
Five Feet Apart -- $6.3 million
Unplanned -- $6.1 million
Wonder Park -- $4.9 million
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World -- $4.2 million
Reddit's r/Games, one of the biggest gaming communities on the internet, is closed today for April Fools' Day. In a message posted on the popular subreddit today, mods explained that they're taking things "a little more seriously" this year, and that means closing down /r/Games for the day.
"In recent times, it's come to our attention that what has been intended to be a forum for the potential spread of knowledge and involvement in video games has instead become a battleground of conflicting ideas," the mods explained. "Ordinarily, this isn't an issue; discussion by its very nature is certain to bring argument, but when that argument descends into vitriolic attacks between individuals on a regular basis with no chance at deescalation, that's when, put simply, something's got to give."
The mods went on to say that r/Games is becoming "increasingly responsible" for perpetuating the "combative and derogatory schools of thought" surrounding misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, and racism, among other things. "Now is the time to stymie the flow of regressive ideas and prevent them from ever becoming the norm," the mods said.
"Though certain memes (such as 'gamers rise up') surrounding gaming are largely viewed as a humorous interpretation of a mindset, at the core of the humor is a set of very serious issues that affect all gaming enthusiasts," they explained. "By showing disdain or outright rejecting minority and marginalized communities, we become more insular. In this, we lose out on the chance to not only show compassion to these people, but also the chance to grow our own community and diversify the demographics of those involved in it."
While the mods do take action against perpetrators by removing comments and banning bad actors, an underlying fundamental issue persists: "the notion that it's okay or acceptable to ridicule and demonize traditionally disenfranchised and marginalized members in the gaming community," the mods said. "This is not just an issue in r/Games or on Reddit alone; this is an issue deeply embedded in the ranging depths of the internet, frequently in communities that center around the discussion of games."
The mods went on to say that they continually see "condescending, dismissive, vindictive, and pessimistic attitudes" on r/Games, and they posted examples of some of the problematic comments and threads they witness regularly. "We must closely examine our own communities, in an effort to encourage acceptance and inclusion, to foster a healthy community in which we value empathy and respect."
While there are many deep issues, the mods said, there are also reasons to be optimistic.
"Though the industry as a whole has suffered a great deal of trials and tribulations, we also are fortunate enough to be at a point in time in which there seem to be a glut of fantastic games, from major AAA titles down to near-anonymous indie projects that come out of nowhere.
"So let's revel in what's available to us, and also appreciate the myriad of backgrounds that we as gamers come from. Our differences in experiences comprise the diversity in the content that we consume, and by allowing ourselves to appreciate those differences, we change our perspectives and interpretations; this applies not only in games, but life as a whole."
This April Fools' Day, the r/Games mods are asking people to consider contributing to charitable organisations that support LGBT+, women's health, POC, and other groups. You can see a full list of the charities and find out how to support them in this Reddit post.
r/Games is expected to re-open on April 2, and on that day, the mods will hold a discussion regarding the decision to close the subreddit.
All online servers for Sony's PlayStation 4 racing game Driveclub will be turned off next year, the company has announced. The shutdown will take place on March 31, 2020, and it applies to Driveclub, Driveclub VR, and Driveclub Bikes, Sony said in a statement.
The games will continue to be playable in its offline modes, and players can still earn Trophies, but Driveclub is a heavily multiplayer experience, so the game will lose a significant amount of functionality in March 2020.
Sony will stop selling all the Driveclub games and related DLC and season passes for each title on August 31, 2019. Paul Rustchynsky, the former head of Driveclub developer Evolution Studios, said on Twitter that Driveclub is being de-listed due to "licensing reasons." As for the server shutdown, he said that comes down to a "business decision."
To be clear the game, like most racing games, it is being delisted for licensing reasons. It's standard practice across the industry for ~5yr deals, so buy it before it's gone forever.
Well the servers are a different matter, the sale of the item is what gets restricted after the agreed terms expire. Servers will just be a business decision.
It's not just Driveclub that's losing online functionality. Sony's PlayStation 4/PlayStation VR title StarBlood Arena will have its online servers terminated on July 25, 2019. This game requires an online connection for everything, so it will be completely unplayable after that date.
Driveclub launched in October 2014, and it faced serious server issues at release. Despite that, the game reached 2 million copies sold as of October 2015, and the Sony-owned developer Evolution Studios continued to support it with numerous and significant updates over time, improving the experience.
Driveclub and StarBlood Arena will become the 19th and 20th PlayStation 4 games to have their servers switched off. Some of the other closed-down titles include Gran Turismo 6, MLB The Show 15, and Drawn to Death, among others--here's the full list.
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