The scene sees Rey, Finn, Poe, C-3PO, BB-8, Chewbacca, and brand-new droid Dio spying the wreckage, while the voice of Luke Skywalker says, "No one's really gone." The screen then cuts to black, and the laugh of Sheev Palpatine, aka Darth Sidious, can be heard.
Although nothing has been confirmed, what Rey and company most likely discover is the partial remains of the second Death Star--last seen exploding at the end of Return of the Jedi. And although Luke's words are seemingly meant to be reassurance for Rey, they can also be interpreted as a warning that the Force allows all manner of beings to remain even after they've died. Considering this line is spoken while looking out at the wreckage of what appears to be the second Death Star, the final resting place of Darth Sidious, and immediately followed by the laugh of said Sith Lord, it's implied that Palpatine might not be really gone after all. His body may have died, but his evil endures.
Of course there's another theory: Sidious never really died, and the laugh we hear is from the man himself. Sidious' master Darth Plagueis used the dark side of the Force to both prolong his life and mask his presence from the Jedi. We know Sidious mastered the latter before he killed his master--it's how he managed to hide his true nature from the Jedi Council for so long--so he might have also learned the former too. And much like his first apprentice, Darth Maul, who was seemingly killed by Obi-Wan, perhaps Sidious isn't really dead. He's just been in hiding for years, biding his time to take revenge and using the Force to both mask his presence and extend his natural life.
At Star Wars Celebration we learned the next entry in the Star Wars movie series will be called "The Rise of Skywalker," and got an exciting teaser trailer that confirms the return of an iconic series villain. During the panel, which was chaired by noted Star Wars fan Stephen Colbert, director J.J. Abrams and multiple members of the cast provided information on the movie and their characters.
Asked about when The Rise of Skywalker takes place in relation to The Last Jedi, Abrams confirmed that some time had passed since then. "The movie doesn't pick up immediately after. Some time has gone by," Abrams explained. "In this movie, and you can tell by that picture [shown at the start of the panel], this is an adventure that the group goes on together. I think one of the great things about the movie--and getting to work on it--is the dynamic between the characters."
The picture that Abrams is referring to can be seen above and depicts Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie, BB-8, and C-3PO standing in a jungle environment in front of the Millennium Falcon. This, according to Abrams, speaks to one of the big themes of the movie, the idea of these characters that have been thrown together under the banner of the Resistance going on an epic journey together.
For longtime fans of Star Wars, it may come as a comfort to learn that Abrams opted to stick close to the series' tradition of shooting in real locations, to give the places fans will be taken to during the film a sense of authenticity. "As with The Force Awakens, despite this being an epic space adventure on many worlds and places, [we built] exterior and interior sets ... [we went to] locations around England and Jordan. We did everything we could to have it in-camera. We tried to keep it as real and as physical as possible--it was better for the actors and the movie."
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is set to hit cinema screens on December 19. It stars Daisy Ridley as Rey, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata, and Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux. New cast members include Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, and Keri Russell.
A number of Star Wars veterans including Mark Hamill as Luke, Billy Dee Williams as Lando, and Carrie Fisher as Leia, will also be part of the story. Fisher died before production began, but will appear in footage originally shot for 2017's The Last Jedi. Discussing this, Abrams said the team discussed how they would move on and came to the realization that "it was impossible," which is why they used cut footage.
"The miracle of having scenes from Force Awakens that went unused, and looking at them and seeing that they could be used, is the idea of saying, 'Well, what if we could write scenes around her?' The crazy thing is, emotionally, every day it hits me that she's not here, but it's surreal because we're working with her. Leia lives in this film in a way that is kind of mindblowing to me."
Star Wars Celebration will continue throughout the weekend, and we're expecting to learn more about Respawn's Jedi Fallen Order and the Disney+ series, The Mandalorian. Make sure to keep an eye on GameSpot, where we'll have all the news as it breaks. You can also use our Star Wars Celebration roundup to stay on top of everything.
The Nintendo Switch may cost only $300, but the pricing of its accessories is no joke. The Pro Controller, which is an essential upgrade for the best Switch experience, can cost a whopping $70 on its own. It's an excellent controller that's worth the investment, but for those on a tight budget, there's an alternative option that'll save you some cash and add a little color to your gaming setup: PowerA's officially licensed controllers for the Switch.
PowerA has been making third-party controllers for years and has released wired Switch Pro Controllers in the past, but the company recently started producing enhanced wireless controllers with Bluetooth connectivity that sell for $20 less than the first-party controllers.
The enhanced wireless controllers cost $50 and come with two AA batteries that provide up to 30 hours of gameplay. The officially licensed controllers have a similar ergonomic design to the first-party Pro Controllers, and they come in a range of stunning designs, with some featuring iconic Nintendo characters like Zelda, Link, and Mario. There's no rumble or NFC reader, but the wireless controllers do have motion controls. PowerA also still sells wired Switch Pro Controllers for just $30, and those are available in various designs as well. You can buy some of PowerA's Switch controllers on Amazon for slightly cheaper; others you can buy directly from PowerA's website.
While we haven't had a chance to review the enhanced wireless controllers, we tried out PowerA's wired controllers when they first released in 2017 and found them to be a great, affordable alternative to the first-party Pro Controllers.
"I can't say enough about how smooth the analog sticks are. They're effortless to use and consistent in terms of resistance. It's definitely a huge improvement over using the Joy-Cons," said Michael Higham in our video review (above). "We tend to think that cheaper controllers means a cheaper build, but aside from the wired limitations and the lack of motion controls, PowerA's controllers are the best option when you factor in price, and if you don't mind being plugged in all the time."
With wireless Bluetooth capabilities and motion controls, PowerA's new enhanced controllers will provide a gaming experience that's truly comparable to the first-party Pro Controllers (and still at a discount). And $50 (or less) for a licensed wireless controller designed for the newest console on the market? Can't argue with that.
The Star Wars Episode IX panel at Star Wars Celebration brought some big revelations, including a title for the upcoming film: The Rise of Skywalker. But the biggest surprise may have come at the end of the first teaser-trailer, with a none-too-subtle implication at the return of Emperor Sheev Palpatine.
The teaser-trailer shows a series of action scenes, with voice-over from Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) seeming to pass the Jedi legacy on to Rey. "We've passed on all we know," he says. "A thousand generations live in you now. We'll always be with you. No one's ever really gone."
But that hopeful final line immediately turns sinister, with audio of Palpatine's identifiable cackle. As if to confirm the return of the Emperor, actor Ian McDiarmid briefly appeared on-stage as well. This pairs with some hints the cast and director JJ Abrams had dropped during the QA session of the panel, when they mentioned that the heroes gather together to take on the greatest evil in the galaxy.
Luke Skywalker passed away in the previous film, The Last Jedi, so presumably any advice he lends to Rey in this one will be as a Force Ghost. It's unknown how Palpatine is returning, but in the now non-canonical Expanded Universe fiction, the character was known for cloning himself to be functionally immortal. Star Wars: Battlefront 2, which is canon under the new Disney continuity, did suggest that the Emperor had contingency plans in place in the event of his death.
The title of the hugely-anticipated next Star Wars film has been revealed: The movie is called Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker. The title was revealed during a panel discussion at the franchise's annual Star Wars Celebration convention, which is currently underway in Chicago. Alongside this, Lucasfilm shared the movie's first poster, which you can see below--rather than featuring the broad cast of characters, it simply consists of the logo on the traditional space backdrop.
One of the biggest bits of information we learned from the Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker teaser trailer was that Ian McDiarmid would return and reprise his role as Emperor Sheev Palpatine/Darth Sidious. Despite his death at the end of Return of the Jedi, he'll apparently be back in some capacity; we hear him laugh at the end of the trailer, and McDiarmid himself appeared on stage at Celebration to reaffirm that it was indeed him.
At the end of The Last Jedi, Supreme Leader Snoke, who had been positioned as the main antagonist in The Force Awakens, was defeated, leaving fans wondering who would replace him as the big bad. While many expected Kylo Ren to fill the role, the return of Palpatine indicates Kylo's role in the movie could be more ambiguous, which makes sense given the internal struggle the previous movies have depicted him as having.
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker hits theaters on December 19. The film stars Daisy Ridley as Rey, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata, and Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux. New cast members include Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, and Keri Russell.
The film will also see appearances from a number of Star Wars veterans including Mark Hamill as Luke, Billy Dee Williams as Lando, and Carrie Fisher as Leia. Fisher died before production began, but will appear in footage originally shot for 2017's The Last Jedi.
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker isn't the only new Star Wars release that fans have to look forward to this year. It has also been confirmed that the live-action TV show The Mandalorian will be available on the streaming service Disney+ when it launches on November 12.
Star Wars Celebration also promises news and reveals for the new Star Wars game Jedi Fallen Order from the developers of Apex Legends and Titanfall. Go to GameSpot sister site CNET to see a full rundown of what to expect from the show.
Star Wars: Episode IX is still shrouded in mystery, but the panel at Star Wars Celebration started to unwrap some of the first details. One moment focused on British actress Naomi Ackie, who shared some of the first details about her character.
The character is named Jannah, and a still showed her in full costume. She mentioned offhand that she crosses paths with the rest of the protagonists, who are said to be on an adventure together, but didn't share more details.
Ackie also addressed the rumors that she would be playing Lando's daughter. Sort of. Asked about the suggestion, she declined to give a straight answer, but did say, "Lando is a very charming man, he could have children all over the universe."
Lando Calrissian himself, Billy Dee Williams, also appeared on stage accompanied by an image of his character's return. He had his own interview moments on the panel, including one in which he defended Lando's shady decision-making in Empire Strikes Back. Ultimately, he says, it's okay because nobody died.
In early March, PlayStation's Great Indoors Sale knocked the price of one-year PS Plus member down to $45 (it usually sells for $60), and while that sale has long since ended, anyone who didn't stock up on another PS Plus subscription has another chance to get it for that price. Right now, a one-year PS Plus membership is discounted to $50 at Newegg, and if you use the promo code EMCTYUV58, another $5 will be slashed from the price, marking it down to $45.
As a reminder, you can stack PS Plus subscriptions, so even if you're already a member, here's a great chance to renew your subscription at a discount. Newegg is limiting this deal to two per customer, but you'll still walk away paying $90 for two one-year subscriptions instead of $120 (or $45 instead of $60, if you opt for just one). A PS Plus membership not only extends to PS4, PS3, and Vita systems, but will most likely roll over to PlayStation's next-generation console, too.
The deal ends Sunday, so act fast, especially if your PS Plus subscription is scheduled to expire soon.
PS Plus is PlayStation's premium monthly subscription that grants access to online multiplayer, free monthly PS4 games, and exclusive discounts. April's games for PS Plus members include science-fiction RPG The Surge and open-world survival game Conan Exiles, both of which are free to download for the rest of the month. Another new perk of PS Plus: Sony recently rolled out the PSN ID change feature, and while the first time you change your ID is free, subsequent changes carry a $10 fee--except for PS Plus members, who will only have to pay $5 each time.
Niantic has a couple of big events lined up for Pokemon Go next week, from a special Latios Raid to the return of the annual Eggstravaganza. Before that, however, the developer is holding April's Community Day. The monthly event returns this Saturday, April 13, giving players around the world another chance to earn bonuses and capture some rare Pokemon--including a new Shiny.
Just like previous months, April's Community Day will only run for three hours, during which you'll be able to find increased spawns of this month's featured Pokemon. While the duration period is always the same, the particulars of each Community Day--such as what time it starts and what other bonuses you'll be able to earn--typically vary month by month, so we've rounded up all the important details you need to know about this month's event below.
What Is The Featured Pokemon?
Each Community Day, Niantic designates one "featured" Pokemon that'll serve as the star of the event. Throughout the Community Day, the featured Pokemon will spawn more frequently in the wild than it normally does, making it a good opportunity to stock up on them. On top of that, Community Days typically offer players their first opportunity to catch the Shiny version of that month's featured Pokemon, and the monster can learn a special move if it fully evolves by the end of the event.
The featured Pokemon for April's Community Day is Bagon, the first form of the fan-favorite Dragon Pokemon Salamence. Throughout the event, Bagon will be much more common than it normally is, and you'll have your first chance to capture a Shiny Bagon. Moreover, if you manage to evolve Bagon all the way into Salamence up to an hour after the event ends, it'll automatically know the powerful Dragon-type attack Outrage.
What Time Does It Start?
Up until last month, Niantic traditionally held each Community Day during a specific window of time, which varied depending upon your region; in North America, for instance, the event would always run from 11 AM - 2 PM PT, while Europe's Community Day would take place from 10 AM - 1 PM UTC.
Beginning in March, however, Niantic changed the schedule for Community Days. Rather than holding the event during specific times in each region, it will now take place everywhere from 3-6 PM local time. This should make it much easier to remember when the Community Day is happening, as you no longer need to convert the event hours to your time zone.
What Other Bonuses Are There?
Along with increased Pokemon spawns, Niantic offers a few other bonuses during each month's Community Day as an extra incentive to go out and participate in the event. This month, you'll earn triple the usual amount of XP for capturing Pokemon throughout the Community Day. Additionally, Lure Modules--which typically only last 30 minutes--will remain active for three hours when used during the event.
Star Wars Celebration is finally here, and there are several noteworthy panels poised to announce details about upcoming games, movies, and TV shows. This expansive event looking at everything happening in the Star Wars Universe is scheduled for the full weekend, so we'll keep updating this hub of information with additional announcements as they occur.
The panel for Star Wars: Episode IX kicked things off, revealing both the Episode IX trailer and title: The Rise of Skywalker. Beyond that, we know about panels for TV shows The Mandalorian and The Clone Wars animated series. Respawn is also set to have an official reveal for its scheduled Star Wars video game, Jedi Fallen Order. The full schedule is available for anyone to see, and many of the panels will be live streamed. So if you can't make it out to Chicago this weekend, you can still follow along online.
Star Wars Celebration is an annual event for fans of the stories told a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away. Although there are several exhibits, panels, and viewings that celebrate the Star Wars universe's vibrant past, most of the event is devoted to teasing tidbits of the franchise's future, whether that's new movies, television shows, books, or comics.
One significant piece of news that came out just before the start of Celebration, aside from what we learned about Disney+, concerns the post-Episode IX Star Wars movies. According to Disney boss Robert Iger, there will be "a bit of a hiatus" after that movie. Subsequent films are already in development, but it seems like the recent, rapid-fire pace of new movies will slow down somewhat as Lucasfilm focuses on its Disney+ shows.
There are two major panels at Star Wars Celebration this year. The first is devoted to Episode IX and is occurring today at 11 AM CDT, which works out to 12 PM ET, 9 AM PT, 5 PM GMT, and 4 AM AEDT in Australia on Saturday. The second is scheduled for the reveal of Respawn's upcoming Star Wars game, Jedi Fallen Order, and happens on Saturday at 1:30 PM CDT, which works out to 2:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM PT, 7:30 PM GMT, and 6:30 AM AEDT in Australia on Sunday.
You can watch the Episode IX panel here. That has now concluded, having consisted of a lengthy discussion with the cast and crew, hosted by Stephen Colbert. The end of the panel delivered the major goods: the title and trailer.
Star Wars: Episode IX had been without a name, but with its release now just eight months away, the Celebration panel delivered the goods on this newest adventure. The latest movie in the Star Wars saga is officially called The Rise of Skywalker, and we got the first trailer showcasing all of the returning characters from the current trilogy, as well as fan favorites from the original trilogy like Lando Calrissian. Perhaps most notably, there was voiceover from Luke Skywalker suggesting that no one ever completely disappears, which set the stage for the trailer to close out with the iconic laughter of the Galactic Empire's sinister leader, Emperor Palpatine. It appears ol' Sheev is making a comeback of some sort, as reinforced when actor Ian McDiarmid appeared on stage at Celebration and demanded (in the Emperor's voice) that the trailer be rolled a second time.
Completing the third Star Wars trilogy that started with J.J. Abrams' The Force Awakens, Episode IX is scheduled to release on December 20, 2019. Initially, Jurassic World's Colin Trevorrow was directing the final major act of Rey, Finn, and Poe's story, but Disney fired him over creative differences. Abrams was brought on as his replacement.
Little is known about the plotline for Episode IX. The Last Jedi dismissed several of the more notable plotlines surrounding the characters from The Force Awakens--such as the importance of Snoke and Captain Phasma, as well as the identity of Rey's parents. However, The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson has said he'd be okay if Abrams chooses to retcon Rey's parentage in Episode IX. The new trailer, however, raises many interesting questions. With Palpatine's laughter closing off the trailer, does that mean the Empire of the original trilogy is back along with the evil Sith lord? Is that the ruin of the Death Star we see in the ocean of that unknown planet? How exactly does Lando come back to pilot the Millennium Falcon (the ship he famously lost to Han Solo? What role will that cute new droid that's with BB-8 play? And after so many adventures, how will the saga of the Skywalker lineage finally end?
Episode IX's New Character
British actress Naomi Ackie was among the actors to come on stage during the Episode IX panel. She revealed she'll be playing a new character Jannah, who might be the daughter of Lando (whom we also got a look at in costume).
Jedi Fallen Order
Like Episode IX, little has been confirmed about Respawn's Jedi Fallen Order. A brief teaser of a broken lightsaber's glowing hilt accompanied by the message "Don't stand out" has been released, and, during E3 2018, Respawn boss Vince Zampella announced Jedi Fallen Order would take place after Revenge of the Sith. The game puts players into the boots of a Jedi padawan that escapes Order 66, and will release during 2019's holiday season. Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords writer Chris Avellone has also announced he's finished his portion of Jedi Fallen Order.
Additional details are expected to be revealed during the Jedi Fallen Order panel during Star Wars Celebration. "Join the head of Respawn Entertainment, Vince Zampella, and Game Director, Stig Asmussen, along with many special guests, to be the first to learn about this holiday's highly anticipated action adventure game, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order," the panel description reads. "Hear how Respawn and Lucasfilm collaborated on this original Star Wars story, following a young Padawan's journey in the Dark Times following Order 66. And of course, we'll have a few surprises in store."
The Clone Wars Animated Series
Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series is getting a surprise seventh season, which sees the reunion of Anakin Skywalker and his padawan learner, Ahsoka Tano, after she left the Jedi Order at the end of Season 5.
Based on the Season 7 San Diego Comic-Con trailer--which can be seen above--the show's return picks up mere moments before the start of Revenge of the Sith. Anakin and Obi-Wan are called in to take a hologram call, only to see that it's Ahsoka and Mandalorian warrior Bo-Katan Kryze. In the novel Ahsoka, we learn that Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka reunite on Mandalore after Ahsoka leaves the Jedi Order--just prior to the former two being called away to save Chancellor Palpatine from being kidnapped by General Grievous. However, before then, the three, along with Clone Captain Rex and Commander Cody, go on to fight in one last battle: the Siege of Mandalore.
The Mandalorian
The Mandalorian is one of the TV series to launch with Disney+, the company's new streaming service. The series takes place prior to the events of The Force Awakens, and a panel during Star Wars Celebration is scheduled to reveal additional details.
The first season consists of eight episodes and showrunner Jon Favreau believes it will serve as a good entry point for those unfamiliar with Star Wars. "Since we're starting with new characters in a new time period, it's a great way to bring new fans in," he said.
Anticipation is sky-high for Star Wars: Episode IX, which releases in December and will complete the current trilogy that kicked off with 2015's The Force Awakens. But fans will have to wait for the next movie in the franchise, with Disney boss Bob Iger revealing that Star Wars on the big screen will soon be going on "hiatus."
In an interview with Bloomberg to mark the launch of the annual Star Wars Celebration this weekend, Iger stated that the studio plans to take some time off after Episode IX hits theaters. "We have not announced any specific plans for movies thereafter," he said. "There are movies in development, but we have not announced them. We will take a pause, some time, and reset, because the Skywalker saga comes to an end with this ninth movie. There will be other Stars Wars movies, but there will be a bit of a hiatus."
At a panel during Star Wars Celebration, the cast and director JJ Abrams shared more details on this final installment of the Skywalker saga. The title will be The Rise of Skywalker, and it appears to bring the franchise full circle: the Emperor is back. You can check out the first teaser-trailer here to see it all for yourself.
Iger told Bloomberg that the studio plans to focus on Star Wars TV projects for the time being. It has been confirmed that the live-action TV show The Mandalorian will be available on the streaming service Disney+ when it launches in November. In addition, there is a series focused on the Rogue One character Cassian Andor in the works, plus a new season of the animated show The Clones Wars.
Episode IX will be the fifth Star Wars movie to be released in four years. While The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and Rogue One were big box office hits, last year's Solo: A Star Wars Story was the first commercial failure in the series. After the movie only grossed $392 million worldwide, there were reports that Disney's plans for more spin-off movies had been cancelled.
In terms of the Star Wars movies that we know about, there are separate trilogies in development from Last Jedi director Rian Johnson and Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss. It was recently rumored that Benioff and Weiss's films will be set in the Old Republic, several thousand years before the events of the current movies.
For more on Star Wars Celebration, go to GameSpot sister site CNET to see a full rundown of what to expect from the show.
It becomes apparent why setting expectations is important to him the moment I get my hands on Ancestors. It's an ambitious idea that is incredibly interesting but is realized with mechanics that I found myself unexpectedly tangled up in. In that respect, it has a distinctly indie feel to it.
At its heart, Ancestors is a survival game, but one that ties almost everything you do to the development of your ape avatar. It wants to inspire curiosity and experimentation in a natural way, and to that end is devoid of any sort of quest system. The exception is the opening, where I was tasked with finding an adorable young ape that was stranded in the wild and bringing it back to my shrewdness (fun fact: A group of apes is called a shrewdness, as I learned while writing this). I did this by using my natural senses, hitting a button to focus my hearing and then honing in on soundwaves coming from a distant tree.
Although the game doesn't make a big deal of it, there's a line that it throws up during the intro that serves as the drive behind the gameplay. It challenges you to defy science and evolve faster than the rate history states apes transformed at. Doing this involves indulging that curiosity and exposing your ape to the unfamiliar as much as possible. This, in turn, leads to it learning and growing. Items and objects in the environment initially have a black fog around them, indicating they are unfamiliar and should be examined. I picked up tree branches to figure out what they are, explored surroundings to develop a familiarity with the world around me, and leapt around to advance motor skills.
In doing so, I was rewarded with Neuronal Energy. When resting at Sleep Spots I was able to access the ape's mind and build neural pathways that improved my capabilities and unlocked new ones. After picking up enough things, my ape realized it could hold things in two hands, and then switch between them. With ample use of my visual and aural instincts, which are represented in-game by a kind of special overlay that highlight points and objects of interest, the range at which I could see and hear things could be extended.
Seeking out the unknown, learning, and evolving as a species is the core of Ancestors' gameplay loop, but there are additional considerations. Perhaps the most important is growing in number. Out in the wild there are other apes that can be found and added to your shrewdness. With more apes, the opportunity to procreate arises, which is also a key part of advancing ape-kind. You can approach other apes and groom them to build a relationship, and once it's intimate enough, you're able to mate and have children--provided you grab a few comfy leaves and put together a makeshift bed to get it on in.
"Survive the elements, teach your family, and build a home," the game says. However, for the two hours I played, simply surviving was such a challenge that I was barely able to even think about teaching or building. Ancestors holds out on a lot of information, so I found myself frantically trying to figure things out before my ape died and I was given control of another one to, effectively, start over. At one point something in the jungle cut me, I'm not sure if it was a narrow miss with a bird of prey that got the jump on me as I was scoping out the jungle from atop a tree, or if it was the needles of a bush I was trying to investigate, but either way I could see blood leaking out of me. The clock was ticking and the game offered no indication of what to do to stop the bleeding beyond finding something with clotting properties. My first thought was to grab a leaf, use my new ability to run my hand along it and strip off the leaves, and then try to apply it to myself. However, after I did this, there was no indication that I had some new material I could use. Ancestors doesn't have an inventory system and my hands were empty, so I clearly had the wrong idea. Except, I had the right idea. The leaf residue was in my hand, but that just wasn't made clear to me. Had I known that, I would have sought out a rock to break it down and apply the clotting material to my wound.
Ancestors holds out on a lot of information, so I found myself frantically trying to figure things out before my ape died and I was given control of another one to, effectively, start over
This is representative of the overall obtuse nature of Ancestors and, according to its developers, this is by design. Ancestors is a game about trial and error, experimenting to find out what works. After all, that's what the apes are doing, so why should it be any different for you? There are solutions to the questions you want to be answered, and once you come upon them the knowledge fundamentally changes how you perceive the world around you, the tools available to you, and your chances of surviving. If the developers were to lay out all the answers, there would be no challenge. And without the satisfaction of figuring out how to solve a problem, it'd become a hollow experience.
Their reasoning makes sense and, on occasion, it worked. At one point I consumed berries to stave off starvation and found myself poisoned. I looked around and, not seeing any obvious plant remedy, I decided to just see if drinking lots of water would help wash it out of my system. Lo and behold, the poison indicator drained quicker as I hydrated myself and I became poison-free. But for every situation where it clicks, there's one where just a little bit of guidance would have been helpful. Having made a spear by stripping branches, I used the action button and my ape stabbed into the ground. Naturally, I thought this would be perfect for fishing, so I walked into a nearby stream to try and gather some food but walked away empty handed. It wasn't until much later, when I found a fishing spot, that I realized that there are specific locations that yield fish.
"That line, and I had multiple discussions with the team and the other game designers, where it was like, 'What is too much and what is not enough?'" he said. "You're right, we're always on the line. I was asked before, 'Could you tell us what's the solution for bleeding?' If I tell you, it's over. It's not like there are 48 different solutions to bleeding. There's one or two, and if I tell you the one there's only one left.
"If you did it, then you know it's difficult, but as soon as you find a solution the game world will change. Because suddenly you see opportunities that you didn't see at first. We did a playtest in November, and there was a guy who came in, and he told me he had an epiphany while playing it. He said, 'At first I thought there was nothing, then I pick up something, I transformed it, and I went holy f**k, there's everything. Everything is already there, and it's neat.'
"Once you understand the rule set, and you know how to get rid of your bleeding, or your broken bones and whatnot, you'll start to go on the other side of the fence, of like okay, now I get it. Then from the second to second struggling, you'll go to the minute to minute, then hour to hour. Then it's a different fun."
"There's a part of me says, yes, you may feel frustrated because you feel like it won't let you play the game the way you may want it. I saw all of you just went in the jungle crazy running, and this is where a little bit I'm like, 'Okay, that's your choice, not mine. I didn't say to you go in the jungle and run. You went, and because there is you can have a lot of fun and pleasure not exploring that far.
"But also take your time, don't rush it. This is where I say [your character is] not like the other video game characters out there where it's all about you can do it, you're superior. No, you're that little prey at first. Take your time, slow down, stop. Then our job is to make sure you understand, well, this is the pace of this game.
"But you're totally right, though. It is a fine line, and sometimes we're not on the right side. It's about balancing at the end of the day. But it is a game about that, about you as a gamer, can you go through your own evolution of play? Maybe in a way that will let me survive."
The teaser trailer for Star Wars Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker is here. The first look at the hugely-anticipated next Star Wars film was revealed at the franchise's annual Celebration convention, along with its title. It was introduced at the end of a panel discussion by director JJ Abrams and Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy.
The trailer opens with Rey (Daisy Ridley) in the desert, a lightsaber in her hand, as she stares down a First Order fighter coming right at her. We hear Luke Skywalker's (Mark Hamill) voice tell her, "We've passed on all we know. A thousand generations live in your now, but this is your fight." She then runs at it, leaping to attack.
The teaser also shows brief glimpses of many characters, from Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) cutting down foes with his lightsaber to Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) laughing while piloting the Millennium Falcon. The short tease also includes footage of Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher)'s role in the film, which looks to include a touching moment with Rey. Though Fisher died before production of the film began, unused footage from Star Wars: The Force Awakens is incorporated to complete her story.
The final image of the trailer sees Rey and her friends together, as Luke's voice is heard once more, saying, "We'll always be with you. No one's ever really gone." Then, creepily, Emperor Palpatine's (Ian McDiarmid) laugh is heard cackling as the title is shown. Check out the teaser above. McDiarmid even appeared on stage at Celebration following the debut of the trailer to demand it be shown again.
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on December 19. Abrams returned to direct after helming 2015's The Force Awakens, although he wasn't the first choice of director. Jurassic World's Colin Trevorrow was initially hired, but he left the movie in September 2017.
The film stars Daisy Ridley as Rey, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata, and Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux. New cast members include Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, and Keri Russell. The film will also see appearances from a number of Star Wars veterans including Mark Hamill as Luke, Billy Dee Williams as Lando, and Carrie Fisher as Leia. Fisher died before production began, but will appear in footage originally shot for 2017's The Last Jedi.
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker isn't the only new Star Wars release that fans have to look forward to this year. It has also been confirmed that the live-action TV show The Mandalorian will be available on the streaming service Disney+ when it launches on November 12.
Star Wars Celebration also promises news and reveals for the new Star Wars game Jedi Fallen Order from the developers of Apex Legends and Titanfall. Go to GameSpot sister site CNET to see a full rundown of what to expect from the show.
Epic Games has nerfed Fortnite: Battle Royale's Baller vehicle. In a post on Reddit, the developer stated it has "deployed a hotfix reducing the health of The Baller from 300 to 200," meaning no title update is necessary for the change to take effect.
"In the 8.20 patch notes, we said we would add the ability to shoot through the glass of Ballers in a future update," Epic continued. "We've played with shooting through glass and it didn't feel like the right solution."
The Baller was first introduced last month, and allows players to ride around the map like a hamster in a wheel. Epic clearly felt the vehicle was overpowered, however, hence the reduction in health.
Wizards of the Coast is debuting a set of new cards coming to Magic the Gathering, both in its Arena digital version and the classic tabletop game. We have the exclusive reveal of one of the upcoming cards, Finale of Promise.
Finale of Promise is a versatile red card, allowing you to cast target cards from your graveyard. The strongest effect comes if the attribute is 10 or more, which then lets you copy the spells twice with new targets. You can check the full card text, and the artwork from illustrator Jaime Jones, below.
These cards are meant to signify major story moments in Magic lore, such as Niv-Mizzet being reborn.
Magic: The Gathering Arena is the latest digital incarnation of the classic collectible card game, built to be a faster-moving version of the game than previous video game adaptations. Wizards of the Coast also made it more easily expandable to keep up with its steady stream of new card additions, so that it could receive expansions and other additions right alongside the physical game.
It's the beginning of spring (or autumn in other parts of the world), and to celebrate, Microsoft has kicked off a huge sale for Xbox One and Xbox 360 games and related content.
The Spring Sale, as it's called, offers discounts up to 65% on more than 500 Xbox One and Xbox 360 digital games and extra content. As part of the sale, there are also 95 Xbox One games available for $10 or under. The deals are available online and in Microsoft stores, and they're also valid in Europe, Australia, and other parts of the world.
And to make things sweeter, Xbox Live Gold members can save even more (up to 10 percent extra), while new Xbox Live Gold members can sign up for only $1 and also receive 1,000 coins for Apex Legends. There's also a deal going on for the next month where new subscribers can get three months of Xbox Game Pass for only $1.
Some of the notable Xbox One game deals include Battlefield V for $36, Assassin's Creed Odyssey for $30, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 for $36, FIFA 19 for $24, Titanfall 2 Ultimate Edition for $7.50, Just Cause 4 for $30, Red Dead Redemption 2 for $45, Resident Evil 7 for $18, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition for $20.
In addition to games, some Xbox One consoles, like the Fallout 76 Xbox One X bundle, are $100 off, while the custom Xbox Design Lab controllers are $5 off. The Spring Sale will end Tuesday, April 23 at 3 AM PT / 6 AM ET / 10 AM GMT / 8 PM AET, so you'll have to act relatively quick to get in on the savings.
See some of the best deals below--keep in mind the discounts will be even greater for Gold members--and browse the full collection of deals in the Microsoft Store.
Although the Tomb Raider trilogy that began with 2013's Tomb Raider and ended with last year's Shadow of the Tomb Raider has wrapped up, it sounds like more Tomb Raider games could be on the way. Producer Jonathan Dahan told USGamer that he would be "extremely surprised" if the franchise ended with Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
"I'd be extremely surprised if we didn't see more of it," Dahan said. "We're not able to say anything about what's happening next, but I'd be very surprised if we didn't hear more about the franchise."
The Xbox One and PS4 launched in 2013, so that generation might soon be ending. For its part, retailer GameStop believes new consoles may be revealed soon.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider's latest expansion, The Grand Caiman, is out now. It introduces a "ferocious deity" that players must defeat to say the innocent San Juan villagers.
Where would you like to see the Tomb Raider series go next? Let us know in the comments below!
Battlefield V's battle royale mode, Firestorm, has introduced new way to play. Developer DICE today added Duos, which as its name suggests, lets you play with one other person.
Duos joins the exisiting Solo (1 player) and Squads (4 players) mode that are already available in Firestorm.
We're making our first introduction of Duo Mode to #Firestorm in order to gather your feedback, and improve the mode. It's available in game right now, through April 15th.
"It's our first time putting Duo out into the wild having started work on the mode much later in Firestorms development. We love it, and we think it's a great addition to the game, but we recognize best that we're better hearing that from you, and we'd appreciate your support in helping to make it a strong addition to Firestorm, and Battlefield V," DICE said in a forum post.
Duos will be available in Firestorm until 10 AM UTC on Monday, April 15. At that time, DICE will go over fan feedback and and its own telemetry, and later report back about what they saw and learned. It appears Duos is launching as part of a test of sorts.
In other Battlefield V news, the World War II shooter recently introduced a microtransaction system that allows players to purchase various cosmetic items--here's how it works.
Apex Legends developer Respawn is aware of the interest among fans in a Nintendo Switch version of the battle royale game, but it might not happen--or it might. Respawn isn't ready to say just yet. Project lead Drew McCoy told Wired that the studio is working on "a lot of things" right now, but there is nothing to announce yet about a Switch edition.
"If Switch was coming, we would tell you, and we would blast it across the world. We are hearing all the Switch players who say they want the game," he said. "I can't make any promises right now. We have a lot of things that we're working on, so stay tuned for anything in the future. But currently we don't have anything to announce."
McCoy's wording is interesting. He never outright says it won't happen, or even that there are no plans. He's saying that Respawn has nothing to announce right now. This is very far from a confirmation that Apex Legends is coming to Switch, however.
Apex Legends is available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
Switch players aren't without any battle royale games, of course, as Epic's Fortnite is available on the console. Tetris 99 is also on Switch, while Crazy Justice has been announced for Switch.
An Xbox executive has responded to Google Stadia, the new streaming service, claiming the platform may not have enough compelling content to get people to sign up. Xbox chief marketing officer Mike Nichols told The Telegraph Google may be technically capable of offering a enticing streaming service, but they "don't have the content."
"Emerging competitors like Google have a cloud infrastructure, a community with YouTube, but they don't have the content," Nichols said.
According to the site, Nichols also said Google might have a hard time with Stadia because it hasn't been involved in games for very long. That may be true, but Google brought on industry veteran Phil Harrison--who formerly held high-level positions at both Microsoft and Sony--to lead the Stadia team. Additionally, Google just hired Assassin's Creed producer Jade Raymond to head up Google's new internal game development studio, Stadia Games.
Google brought Bethesda to the Stadia reveal event to showcase Doom Eternal running on the cloud platform. Assassin's Creed Odyssey has also been shown running on Stadia with good results. Q Games' Dylan Cuthbert is also working on a game for Stadia, while Luz Sancho from Tequila Works also appeared on stage during the reveal event. That's a few partners, but some were hoping for more.
Harrison told Polygon that Google intentionally focused on announcing the Stadia platform and explaining its platform features during the reveal event instead of talking much about development partners. "Don't read too much into why so-and-so was there and why so-and-so wasn't there," Harrison said.
"We've had deep conversations over a number of years now. We've shipped over a hundred development kits already. We've got thousands of creatives already underway. So you'll see a pretty amazing lineup come June."
The reference to June might be teasing a bigger games lineup reveal at E3, but nothing is confirmed yet.
Microsoft itself is working on a game-streaming service under the working title xCloud. It enters public trials later this year. Going back to Nichols and The Telegraph interview, he said there might be a time in the future when streaming without local hardware is the best experience, but it's not there yet.
"You won't necessarily need a device over time, but you'll get the best experience with local processing power [available on a console or computer]," he explained.
Google's Stadia announcement came with a jab at traditional consoles like the ones Microsoft makes. The platform's website states "the future of gaming is not a box."
Microsoft released a statement to IGN regarding Nichols' comments and cloud gaming in general.
"It's a great time to be a gamer. At Xbox, we're putting players at the center of our vision for the future of gaming by delivering blockbuster content from Xbox Game Studios and our partners, growing the thriving Xbox community and giving them choice and opportunity in how they play across devices and through Project xCloud."
What do you think about cloud gaming? Let us know in the comments below! You can also read GameSpot's cloud gaming primer to find out everything you need to know.
All 30 seasons of The Simpsons will be available on Disney+ when the subscription service launches in November. Management said during an investor briefing today that Disney+ will become the exclusive subscription video on demand source for The Simpsons.
The Simpsons became a Disney property when Disney acquired Fox.
Disney also released a funny video showcasing The Simpsons family joining the Disney family. Notably, a painting of Fox executive Rupert Murdoch can be seen in the trash can.
Disney+ launches on November 12 in the United States. It costs $7/month or $70 a year. The service will launch first in the United States, with plans to release in other markets later.
Disney has finally what its new streaming service, Disney+, looks like. During the company's Investor Day presentation today, the company provided a first look at the UI--and it bears a strong resemblance to Netflix. Check out some images of the UI in the gallery below.
As you can see, there are tabs for Disney brands like Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and others. In terms of specific content, Disney back catalog shows and films will be available, alongside new original shows like a Falcon & Winter Soldier show from Marvel the Star Wars show The Mandalorian from Jon Favreau.
All content on Disney+ can be downloaded. The service will available on pretty much every screen you can imagine, including game consoles like PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Disney+ is just the latest paid subscription service from Disney. The company's ESPN division has its own streaming package called ESPN+, while Hulu, which Disney owns 60 percent of, is also a paid streaming catalog. During the investor briefing, Disney management said it will likely offer a bundle for all three, but specifics haven't been announced yet.
Disney+ launches in the US on November 12 for $7/month.
We're approaching the end of Fortnite Season 8, but there's still plenty to do before Season 9 of the hit battle royale game rolls around. Week 7's challenges are now live across PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile, giving players another assortment of tasks to complete. Clearing these will help level up your Battle Pass, which in turn will unlock some of this season's new cosmetic rewards.
If you're a seasoned Fortnite veteran by this point, you'll know there's a secondary reason to complete as many challenges as you can. If you finish all of the ones from a given week, you'll complete a related Discovery challenge, the reward for which is a special loading screen that contains a subtle clue leading you to a free Battle Star (which levels your Battle Pass up by one tier) or a Banner (which can be used as a profile icon) hiding somewhere around the game's map.
Complete seven weeks' worth of challenges this season and you'll earn the loading screen pictured below. This one features Luxe, the Legendary skin you can unlock at tier 100 of the Season 8 Battle Pass, plundering a treasure-filled cave. However, if you look closely at the left-hand side of the image (behind the words "Battle Royale"), you'll spot an unusual etching on the cave wall. This'll lead you to this week's free Battle Star.
The etching is actually an inverted rabbit, which means the Battle Star can be found on the giant wooden rabbit you needed to visit as part of one of Week 6's challenges. If you don't remember where the structure is located, it can be found in quadrant A4, between Haunted Hills and Snobby Shores. Glide there at the beginning of a match, then make your way onto the rabbit's back and the Battle Star will appear. Collect it as you would any other item and finish the match to level your Battle Pass up by one tier.
If you need more help finding the Battle Star, we've marked its location on the map below. We also show you exactly where you need to go in video at the top of this guide. Be aware, however, that the Battle Star won't appear unless you've completed seven weeks' worth of challenges, so you can't expect to just go to the right place and find it unless you've done all of the necessary steps. If there are still challenges you need to complete, you can find tips and guides for them in our full Season 8 challenges roundup.
Fortnite's Week 7 challenges follow closely behind the game's 8.30 update, which introduced a big new feature to the game: Reboot Vans. These vehicles allow you to revive a fallen teammate during a match after you've collected their Reboot Card. The patch also kicked off a limited-time Buccaneer's Bounty event, which features its own daily challenges to complete and special rewards to unlock. You can read the full patch notes for the 8.30 update on Epic's website.
Last year, fans of Marvel's Cinematic Universe watched as the Mad Titan Thanos obliterated half of all life in the known universe with a simple snap of his fingers. Among the casualties were numerous heroes and in just a few days time the mission to bring down Thanos and undo some of his devastating actions will begin. Avengers: Endgame hits cinemas worldwide on April 25 and will be the culmination of numerous storylines interwoven throughout multiple MCU movies.
Naturally, that means that for those who want to relive the journey--or even experience it for the first time--time is running out to get caught up, and doing so is a mammoth task. So, to make things a little bit easier we've put together a watch order that lays out the ideal path through the many MCU flicks, which will give you the best viewing experience you can have.
You may think that you can just go back and watch the MCU movies in the order they were released, but since they aren't chronological events can happen parallel to each other or reference each other. Because of that, there's a great deal of merit in watching them in the order suggested in the video above.
Additionally, we've factored in the Marvel One-Shots you should watch too. If you're not familiar with these, they are mini-movies usually included in the home release of a film on DVD, Blu-ray, or through digital platforms. Many of them aren't essential, but they do have some extra information and can provide little nuggets of context that color in the bigger picture some more. We've also put a list of the watch order below.
Pre-Avengers: Endgame MCU Watch Order
Captain America: The First Avenger
Marvel One Shot: Agent Carter
Captain Marvel
Iron Man
The Incredible Hulk
Iron Man 2
Marvel One Shot: A Funny Thing Happened on the way to Thor's Hammer
Thor
Marvel One Shot: The Consultant
The Avengers
Marvel One Shot: Item 47
Iron Man 3
Marvel One Shot: All Hail The King
Thor Dark World
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Ant-Man
Captain America: Civil War
Black Panther
Doctor Strange
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Thor: Ragnarok
Ant-Man and the Wasp (don't watch post-credits)
Avengers: Infinity War
Ant-Man and the Wasp Post-Credits Scene
Disney and Marvel has released another short teaser for Avengers: Endgame, and in this one we get a little more insight into how the team of heroes will be tackling the Thanos problem.
Searchlight Television has struck a deal with streaming giant Hulu for a limited, 6-10 episode series starring Saturday Night Live star Kate McKinnon. According to Deadline, the project is titled The Dropout, a limited series centered around the tumultuous career of Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes. The Dropout will use the podcast of the same name, launched in late January, as the basis for its context.
Theranos, founded in 2003, was a Palo Alto-based technology company specializing in blood tests before going under in September 2018 for wire fraud and conspiracy. Specifically, Theranos was accused of distributing blood tests with counterfeit results to consumers. Holmes--and the company's former COO and President, Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani--pled not guilty to nine counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and could face up to 20 years in prison.
McKinnon is set to play the disgraced Holmes and will serve as The Dropout's executive producer. ABC News's Rebecca Jarvis will also executive produce The Dropout alongside McKinnon. Additionally, Taylor Dunn and Victoria Thompson--who produce The Dropout podcast, hosted by Jarvis--will produce The Dropout limited series.
There's no word on when the series will film, who else will star in the series, or when the series will launch.
Mortal Kombat 11 is just a couple of weeks away, marking the latest entry in NetherRealm's signature fighting franchise. The studio has dabbled in other franchises like Injustice but is most closely identified with MK--NetherRealm's name and logo are even explicit references to the series. But creative director and franchise co-creator Ed Boon says he'd like to see the studio branch out.
"I think our studio has a number of good games in it that are completely unrelated to Mortal Kombat," Boon told Game Informer. "While we love making Mortal Kombat games, we would love to expand into other genres, other IP, other things like that, for sure."
Boon also suggested that the success of Mortal Kombat X is one major reason the studio hasn't moved on to another one of those ideas it has stored away. MKX notably sold 11 million copies, making it NetherRealm's best-selling game.
"One of the challenges of having your last game sell the most of any other game, is ... it's hard to just stop from there and say we're done," he said. "But certainly we could take a break from it and build up anticipation for a future title."
Mortal Kombat 11 is the third game in a refreshed series that began with MK9, which was packaged as simply Mortal Kombat. It was treated as a soft reboot of the series, and retold some of the same story beats from the original games. MK11, by comparison, is paying homage to the series' long legacy with a time travel plot that brings in alternate timelines and paradoxical variations on several characters. It's been implied that this game treats the entire series as canonical, including those that came before MK9, thanks to the existence of multiple universes.
It also uses the time travel element to introduce various cosmetic changes for characters, but Boon has ruled out the use of loot boxes. This is also the first main Mortal Kombat since the reboot to appear on Nintendo Switch, which appears to work surprisingly well. For more on Mortal Kombat 11, check out the full character roster so far and consult our preorder guide.
From Software's latest game, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, looks to be a hit. Publisher Activision has shared sales figures for the title so far, revealing that Sekiro has already sold over two million copies.
According to a post on Activision's official website, Sekiro sold two million copies across all platforms--PC, PS4, and Xbox One--in just 10 days. As the announcement highlights, the game holds a 90+ Metacritic review score average across all platforms.
The post further reveals that Sekiro was "the #1 viewed game on Twitch, [with] more than 631 million minutes watched [during] launch weekend." From there, it went to be viewed for over 1.1 billion minutes in one week.
Activision's VP of Product Management and Marketing, Michelle Fonseca, made note of the fans' enthusiasm for these impressive sales figures. "The fans have made Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice one of the most incredible game launches of 2019 thus far," Fonseca said. "The game has performed well on all platforms including PC and we're excited by the continued support from gamers and critics alike. It has been gratifying to see the enjoyment from fans when they overcome each challenge."
In our Sekiro review, we said the game "marries the developer's unique brand of gameplay with stealth action to deliver an experience that is as challenging as it is gratifying."
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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