Epic Games has announced a new addition to Fortnite: Battle Royale. Called the Reboot Van, the feature allows you to bring back squadmates that have died in battle--similar to the respawn stations in Apex Legends.
As part of Fortnite's next update, Reboot Vans and Reboot Cards will be added to the battle royale game. Upon death, squadmates will drop their Reboot Card, which can be used at a Reboot Van to respawn them.
"After a squadmate has been eliminated, grab their dropped Reboot Card and any surviving squadmates can activate it at a van," Epic Games community manager Nathan Mooney said in a video detailing the new respawn feature, which can be watched below. "Once activated, you'll definitely know, as a beacon and audio cue will be set off, informing nearby players to the reboot in progress and how many players will be arriving. You're squad will appear, one by one, on top of the van--ready to jump back into the match."
Much like in Apex Legends, your teammates will respawn back into the match without their weapons or items. So, in order to be sure they aren't left completely helpless, it's in your best interest to have something on hand that you can drop for your revived allies. Upon respawning a player, the Reboot Van will temporarily deactivate, and only turn back online after a set period of time.
The idea of respawning in Fortnite was first addressed in an Epic Games Reddit AMA in February 2019. "We've been considering this mechanic for a while and have been exploring it," an Epic producer said. "[We] want to make sure we give it the time it needs and fully understand its impact on the game as a whole. Look for further updates during Season 8." Season 8 started shortly thereafter, on February 28, and introduced pirate-themed content into Fortnite. The new Legendary skin for Season 8, Ruin, has just been revealed, and it can be unlocked in Week 8 by completing the season's weekly challenges.
In our Fortnite review, Michael Higham gave the game an 8/10. The battle royale game is available on Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch, and mobile.
There are currently 27 playable characters confirmed for The Black Order. The roster has been mostly pulled from the line-up of heroes that compose the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Defenders, Inhumans, and X-Men. However, there are a few outliers as well, such as Deadpool and Venom.
The newest Marvel Ultimate Alliance game seems to be heavily inspired from the successes of recent Marvel movies. Although franchise veterans, such as Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Iron Man, return, they're joined by heroes never before seen in the series, like Falcon, Captain Marvel, Miles Morales, and Gwen Stacey. The main villains in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 are also Thanos and his Black Order--both of which played major roles in Avengers: Infinity War, and the former of which is the big bad in the upcoming Avengers: Endgame.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game series that explores stories that involve dozens of heroes and villains from across Marvel's comics. In the first game, Nick Fury calls upon Captain America, Spider-Man, Thor, and Wolverine to respond to an attack from Dr. Doom and the Masters of Evil, a battle that ends with the four heroes calling upon all their known allies to join together as one task force in order to track the villainous organization down. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 sees that team divided over the course of a story that borrows elements from both Marvel's Secret War and Civil War comic books. It hasn't been revealed whether Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 is a direct continuation of the series' overall story.
You know what's also been about 10 years in the making? Avengers Endgame, which celebrated its imminent release with a brand-new trailer that recounts the greatest moments of the MCU, from 2008's Iron Man to 2019's Captain Marvel. If you're as excited for Endgame as we are, be warned: spoilers for the movie have leaked. Stay vigilant.
Earlier this month, Nintendo announced that both Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will receive Labo VR support via free updates on April 25. The former will get a new VR mode that consists of a handful of mini-missions, while the latter will be playable almost entirely in VR. Now Nintendo has shared a few more details on how that'll work.
In a new post on the official Zelda website, Breath of the Wild technical director Takuhiro Dohta shed some more light on the game's upcoming Labo VR update. As previously confirmed, you'll be able to toggle the VR mode on or off at any time from the game's Options menu, even if you already have an existing save file. Once the option has been enabled, you'll need to insert the Switch console into the Labo VR Goggles to view the world of Hyrule in VR.
The game's controls and content will remain the same whether you play in 2D or 3D, but you'll be able to move the in-game camera by looking around with the VR Goggles (although this can also be toggled off from the Options menu). Dohta recommends trying the VR mode "when there's something interesting to see, like a location with a great view, a favorite character, or a favorite piece of equipment."
Dohta also shared some insight into how Breath of the Wild's VR update came to be. "The idea for this started when the Nintendo Labo development team gave us a demonstration of the VR Goggles for the first time," he wrote. "The experience was quite a surprise, and I started thinking that maybe we'd be able to do something with them in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
"First, we thought about lots of different things; locations that would be nice to see in VR, enemies that would be fun to fight… In the end, The Legend of Zelda development team reached the conclusion that, rather than change the game, we should let you play it as it is, and instead just make it so that you can use the VR Goggles to see whatever parts you want."
The Nintendo Labo VR kit is available now. The package is available in two configurations. The full suite costs $80, while the Starter Set--which comes with the Labo VR game card and the materials to build the VR Goggles and Blaster Toy-Cons--retails for $40. The remaining Toy-Cons can be purchased in $20 expansion sets. You can read more about the kit in our Labo VR review.
Destiny 2's newest event, the spring-themed Revelry, is here, and with it comes new loot to grab, along with another week to complete the Thunderlord quest. But if you're still working up to the new Power level cap of 700 in the Season of the Drifter, there's yet another Ascendant Challenge available to get you the Powerful gear you need. This week's challenge is the third of six that repeat in Forsaken. Here's where its portal is located and what to do inside.
If you've done an Ascendant Challenge (or several at this point) before, you'll have an idea of how this goes. Start out by buying the appropriate bounty from Petra in the Dreaming City. Alongside that, you'll need a Tincture of Queensfoil. Once you consume that, you get the Ascendance buff that allows you to see the Taken portal--after you've found it.
This particular portal is located in the Spire of Keres; you can see its location in the video above. Go through it to visit the Shattered Ruins in the Ascendant Plane, where are tasked with climbing a tower made of rocks without dying. Enemies will try to snipe you, and Taken rifts will try to boop you off the tower to your death. Be careful with where you move as you go toward the top; once you're there, kill the boss to complete the Ascendant Challenge.
Your reward is a chest that may not have anything special inside, but you'll also complete the bounty you picked up from Petra. This offers a piece of Powerful gear, making it a task worth tackling. With the recently released Black Armory expansion, the Power cap for characters has been raised to 650, so it's definitely worth revisiting the Ascendant Challenge as you grind up to those new heights.
As noted above, the prerequisite for doing an Ascendant Challenge--aside from access to the Dreaming City, which only comes after finishing the Forsaken campaign--is a Tincture of Queensfoil. These can be obtained through chests and Public Events in the Dreaming City, but that's not the only means.
The video above details a location you can go to trade 50 Baryon Boughs, the planetary material you earn in the Dreaming City, for a Tincture of Queensfoil. If you're desperate to get your hands on one to try the Ascendant Challenge, follow our video guide to help you find your way to the spot where you can trade with Huginn.
The Season of the Drifter brings two new activities--Gambit Prime, a tougher version of the Gambit competitive mode we've seen since Forsaken, and The Reckoning, a new pinnacle-level activity related to the Drifter. It also seems set to expand on the Drifter's story and what we saw in the last new activity in Destiny 2, The Draw. Stay tuned for more guides and coverage as we dig into the new content this week.
Ten days before the theatrical release of Avengers: Endgame in the US, the movie has leaked online. And because of this, the Marvel subreddit has gone on lockdown, for now.
This lockdown is temporary until moderators can figure out a way to sift through potential reveals about Marvel's next movie. After the lockdown, in the coming week, all posts will be heavily monitored to make sure those who don't want to be subjected to Endgame spoilers can be free of them all while still being able to use the Marvel subreddit.
A moderator of the Marvel forum posted late Monday night, a mere hour after the news broke, that everything in the subreddit is locked for now. "For precautionary purposes of course," the moderator explained on /r/Marvel. "Also, spoilers are bad. We strive to keep this community spoiler-free, and due to recent events, we must take these measures to ensure that. Until we are more satisfied with our filter's ability to weed out the influx of new spoilers, all posts will be subject to approval. This shouldn't last too long. If your post is removed, is NOT a spoiler, and not approved within a reasonable time, message one of the mods and we will help you out. Also feel free to message us if you have any other questions concerning this."
While anticipation builds for the latest movie, Marvel has been releasing numerous TV spots before the April 26 opening in the US. While most people don't know for sure what will happen during the movie, there is a really fun theory floating around the internet about Ant-Man involving Thanos' butt. As for what the future holds for the MCU, we're not sure, but we do have a good idea of what movies are coming out for Phase 4.
WWE is in the midst of its annual Superstar Shakeup, where wrestlers from the Raw and Smackdown rosters are moved around. Monday's episode of Raw saw 17 people come from Smackdown, 205 Live, and NXT to the red brand. However, things will be heating up on the April 16 episode of Smackdown for part two of the Superstar Shakeup.
The chairman of the board Vince McMahon will be appearing on the Tuesday night show to "reveal the biggest acquisition in Smackdown Live History," according to a press release. While many WWE fans think this could mean Roman Reigns will jump over to the blue brand or maybe even Brock Lesnar (we hope not) could WWE be reaching for someone even bigger?
Considering that Smackdown Live will be making the network jump to Fox this October, WWE could try and pull someone from the realm of sports to come to the Tuesday night show. Yes, Brock Lesnar was in the UFC, but considering how long he's been with WWE as a part-time competitor, that's not really exciting news.
That's why we're thinking WWE is getting someone from the NFL: Rob Gronkowski. The former New England Patriots' tight end is a familiar face with WWE fans. He's appeared at NXT tapings and at a Wrestlemania to cheer on his friend Mojo Rawley. Gronkowski announced his retirement from the NFL back in March, and whether you love him or hate him, he's a good fit for the company, and a huge name in sports.
However, we'll have to wait and see tonight to hear what McMahon has to say and who is coming over to Smackdown when the show airs tonight on USA at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT.
Although the first trailer for the upcoming reboot of the classic '80s horror Child's Play was released back in February, there was one thing missing--footage of Chucky himself. Last month it was revealed that Star Wars and Batman legend Mark Hamill will be providing the voice of Chucky, and now the first full image of the iconic killer doll has been released.
Chucky is shrouded in darkness, but it's an effective image. There isn't a huge difference between the new Chucky and the classic version familiar to fans of the long-running series; this one is perhaps a bit more sinister-looking, and is even a little reminiscent of Michael Myers' mask from the Halloween movies. But it's unmistakably Chucky and he's carrying a very large knife. Check it out below.
Child's Play hits theaters on June 21 and stars Aubrey Plaza (Legion) and Brian Tyree Henry (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), plus Gabriel Bateman (Light's Out) as the kid who ends up in possession of the evil doll. It's directed by Lars Klevberg, who has also helmed the upcoming horror Polaroid. Hamill's role as Chucky was revealed at the WonderCon convention, where fans also got a look at some more footage from the movie.
Confusingly for fans, there's also an unconnected Child's Play TV show being developed for SyFy, simply titled Chucky. It's produced by series creator Don Mancini, and follows on from the 2017 movie The Cult of Chucky.
The franchise kicked off in 1988 with Child's Play, which was followed by two direct sequels in 1990 and 1991. The series took a more overt comic turn with 1998's The Bride of Chucky and three subsequent films. Mancini wrote every film in the series until that point and directed the last three, but has nothing to do with the new movie.
We're less than a month out from the release of John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, the latest installment in the action thriller series starring Keanu Reeves as the deadly hitman. If you're planning to see the movie but haven't thought about buying your tickets yet, today would be a great day to do so: Several theaters are offering a free digital download of John Wick or John Wick: Chapter 2 in SD or HD formats when you pre-purchase your ticket to see Chapter 3. This deal is US-only.
Available at AMC, Fandango, Regal, and Atom Tickets, the offer is running for only the next day or two for most theaters, so don't wait to claim this deal. There's a limit of one code per account, regardless of number of tickets purchased. Once you purchase, you'll receive a digital code via email (the date for this email varies by theater) with specific instructions on where to redeem the movie you chose. Fandando's code, for example, will only be available to redeem on FandangoNow, while Atom's code is available to redeem on iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, FandangoNow, and Steam.
Chapter 3 continues the story of John Wick as he fights his way out of New York City after the events of the previous film, when he killed Italian crime lord Santino D'Antonio. With a $14 million global contract on his head, John has been banned from all Continental services and must now escape the city with the help of his friend and fellow assassin, Sofia (played by Halle Berry).
Buy tickets for John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum:
Offer ends April 18 at midnight PT / 3 AM ET; purchase must be made through Fandango VIP account (which is free to create); code must be redeemed on FandangoNow
Offer valid through April 16; must be subscribed to receive Regal Crown Club emails; digital code arrives within five days of your purchased showtime with redemption instructions
The team behind The Game Awards have announced a new live show to be held at Gamescom 2019. Gamescom: Opening Night Live will air from Cologne, Germany, and it will include "announcements from major game publishers and independent developers, world premieres of new game footage and special guest appearances from the stars of the gaming industry."
The show will be hosted and produced by Geoff Keighley, along with The Game Awards producer Kimmie H. Kim. It will air in front of a live audience and be streamed worldwide on August 19 from 8 PM CEST / 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 7 PM BST (4 AM AET on August 20).
The TGAs have continued to become a bigger part of the gaming calendar since their introduction in 2014. The ceremonies typically include new trailers for existing and as-yet-unannounced games, and they tend to have a rather more relaxed nature than comparable award ceremonies in other industries. They are perhaps best known for A Way Out creator Josef Fares' "f** the Oscars" outburst in 2017.
Gamescom, meanwhile, has been running since 2009 and has become the world's biggest video games convention. Over 370,000 people attend each year in Cologne's Koelnmesse.
After a lackluster Raw After Mania, WWE's Monday night programming got back on track with the first night of the Superstar Shakeup. During the two-night event, superstars could be shifted from their shows. What was once a Smackdown superstar could have a new life on Raw, and vice versa.
There were plenty of changes during the evening, including three major tag teams headed to WWE's Monday night programming, and two major NXT additions, but the thing that had everyone talking about wasn't AJ Styles crossing over. It was the dumbest name change in WWE yet. And this just wasn't another case of WWE dropping a first or last name.
The Viking Experience
Before we get into this debacle, that is the first and only time I'll be writing that team name. I feel the same way about it that I do about Sasha Banks and Bayley's tag team name. Yes, I'm being a dumb, stubborn wrestling fan. I'm aware of my own idiocy here. However, there is a lot going on, and we're going to break it down. War Machine became War Raiders when Hanson and Rowe were signed to NXT. When War Raiders was called up for the Superstar Shakeup, not only was their tag team name changed to the aforementioned title which sounds like a ride at Disney World's Epcot, but their individual names were as well. Hanson is now Ivar and Rowe is now Erik.
According to Mick Foley, who doesn't work with WWE currently but has for decades in the past and understands the company's inner-workings, he said in a tweet, "Anything with the word 'war' in it is just not going to fly in WWE in 2019." By that logic, which is fair, why not just go with The Raiders? Yeah, it's not great either, but it still acknowledges the past without completely turning them into a 1993 gimmick. The two built a bigger fanbase and made a name for themselves in NXT under the name War Raiders. If we really want to get to the root of this, WWE may have changed the tag team name and individual names to sever ties with their past in Ring of Honor and New Japan. However, the name change is silly. It's like calling The Bar "The Foreign Villain Experience," The Shield "The Walking Through The Crowd Experience," or Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev "Pot Luck Dinner." I could do this all day.
Sanity Is Dead
Smackdown never gave Sanity a chance, and now, the stable is all but gone after Eric Young was moved to Raw this week. He didn't get a match, though. He was briefly mentioned by the commentary team as part of the Superstar Shakeup. Everything about this points to Sanity being over with, as it was yet another NXT callup that was dead when it hit the water on the main roster.
Former NXT Call-Ups Have A Home
Remember when WWE had a bunch of NXT superstars get called up but they were just jumping between shows randomly? Well, they all seem to have a home now, on Raw. Lars Sullivan, Lacey Evans, EC3, Aleister Black, and Ricochet were all officially added to the Monday night show on April 15. At least Smackdown will get Johnny Gargano, and hopefully Tommaso Ciampa when he's healed up.
Smackdown's Tag Division Is Gutted
Currently, there are 10 tag teams on Raw. I could actually say 11, but I'm not sure if Fandango is still out because of surgery. Smackdown is left with three very solid teams (New Day, Hardy Boyz, and The Bar), three that never appear on television (The Good Brothers, The Colons, and Sanity), and one comedy act (Nakamura & Rusev). The Usos are the heart and soul of that show--no offense to New Day, whom I love. Smackdown has to start elevating their underutilized teams that already exist rather than overwork whoever they get during the Superstar Shakeup tomorrow, which will more than likely be The Fashion Police (my dream) and The Revival.
Those Weird Puppet Vignettes Are Still Happening
What is going on here? Everything about this screams Bray Wyatt, but a weird, watered-down, almost comedic version of that. It's a vulture puppet in a box. Well, we got a new one this week, and it's a bunch of dolls on a dark soundstage, and one of them is in a rocking chair. Does WWE need another wrestler on the roster? If this is Bray Wyatt, then what point is this trying to get across?
While there are a ton of whiny complaints in here, I am excited to see how all of this plays out. However, the first day of this can be hard to watch, as Smackdown is my preferred WWE show, and having to wait to see what happens while Raw's roster is stuffed to the gills can be tough. Below, you'll find the full list for wrestlers who were moved to Raw. Another surprise we haven't discussed is Cedric Alexander coming over from 205 Live. Does this mean WWE is slowly going to get rid of the show?
Full Raw Superstar Shakeup List
The Miz
Jimmy Uso
Jey Uso
Eric Young
Andrade
Zelina Vega
Lars Sullivan
Naomi
Lacey Evans
EC3
Cedric Alexander
Aleister Black
Ricochet
Rey Mysterio
Erik (Rowe)
Ivar (Hanson)
AJ Styles
Come back tomorrow for a full recap of Smackdown's Superstar Shakeup.
April's Inside Xbox live stream is scheduled for today at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET / 10:00 PM BST. The show will cover pre-E3 announcements, as well as news for Game Pass and several upcoming Xbox One games. You'll be able to watch the stream on Twitch, YouTube, and here on GameSpot, where we'll also be delivering all the latest news as it's announced.
The April Inside Xbox live stream is scheduled to be an hour long, and "will explore some exciting Xbox Game Pass news," Xbox Wire editor-in-chief Will Tuttle wrote in a blog post. The show will also provide further details for the upcoming anniversary update for Sea of Thieves and footage of the beta for Warhammer: Chaosbane. An exclusive look at Rage 2 will also occur during the live stream, followed by "several surprises" for other games.
Rage 2 seems to be the focus of the live stream, as watching the show on Mixer while logged into your Microsoft account will unlock a Rage 2-themed avatar item. So far, most of the gameplay trailer for Rage 2 have focused on the game's fast-paced combat--which incorporates destructive powers to make you feel like an unstoppable superhero. However, there haven't been too many examples of the game's driving components--which is surprising given developer Avalanche Studios' work on Mad Max.
Prey and The Golf Club 2 arrive on Game Pass on April 11, Monster Hunter World and The Walking Dead: A New Frontier on April 18, Life is Strange 2: Episode 2 on April 24, and Resident Evil 5 on April 25. Earlier this month, Michonne, Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite, and Minecraft joined Xbox Game Pass.
While there are many more Marvel movies to come, the release of Avengers: Endgame next week brings to a close the 22-film arc that started way back in 2008 with Iron Man. A new Endgame promo has been released that focuses on this incredible legacy.
The trailer showcases on each hero, showing us moments from their earlier movies--films featured include Captain America: The First Avenger, Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Ant-Man, and Spider-Man: Homecoming. The trailer ends with footage from Endgame itself, and there's a little bit of new stuff in there. For fans who have followed the MCU over the past 11 years it's a thrilling montage. Check it out above.
This is the second Endgame teaser to be released so far this week--there's also a short TV spot featuring new footage of Captain Marvel's new suit. It follows a teaser that focuses on the team's mission, and the first full clip from the movie. To get ready for Endgame, you might also want to check out our guide to the best order to rewatch the MCU movies. But be warned--it also looks like the ending to the movie has leaked online, so you might want to be careful while searching for Endgame information.
Avengers: Endgame releases on April 26, 2019. It stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Brie Larson, Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Danai Gurira, Paul Rudd, and Josh Brolin. Tickets went on sale last week, and so far presales have far exceeded those for Captain Marvel, Infinity War, Aquaman, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi combined.
E3 2019 is less than two months away, and Microsoft has been teasing that this year's event will be a big one for Xbox. With the show quickly approaching, the company has now announced the date and time of its annual E3 briefing, and like past years, it's set for the Sunday just before the expo proper begins.
This year's E3 Xbox One briefing takes place on Sunday, June 9, at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET. Beyond that, Microsoft hasn't shared any further details about the presentation, but Major Nelson touted that this year's show will be the company's "biggest E3 presence ever" between the briefing and its various fan events. As usual, the presentation will be broadcast online via Mixer, Microsoft's website, and other streaming platforms.
Ever since Sony confirmed it won't have a presence at this year's E3--the first time it's skipped the show since entering the console space in the mid-'90s--Microsoft has been teasing that it has big plans for the event. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer said the company's showing at this year's expo will be "as big" as it's ever been for Xbox.
"There was some news about E3 back in the fall," Spencer said, presumably referencing Sony's decision to skip the show. "We had a discussion internally about, 'Should we go big?' 'Should we save some money?' 'What does that mean?' We decided, no [we're not going to save money], we're going to do our thing. We're going to go and be as big at E3 as we've ever been. I love that opportunity."
Spencer also teased that Microsoft plans to talk about the future of Xbox and what the Xbox brand means. The company reportedly has multiple new consoles in the works, including two different next-gen systems and a disc-less Xbox One. We'll also likely hear more about Microsoft's Project xCloud service, which will allow users to stream games to phones and other devices.
In the meantime, Microsoft is broadcast a new episode of Inside Xbox today, April 16. The stream begins at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET and will cover pre-E3 announcements, plus news about Game Pass and several upcoming Xbox games. You can watch the Inside Xbox stream right here on GameSpot.
Capcom's arcade library is getting a tribute in the form of a mini-console chock full of classic games. The Capcom Home Arcade is a plug-and-play system built into an arcade stick shaped like the Capcom logo, and it comes loaded with coin-op games from the '80s and '90s--particularly the fighters and beat-em-ups Capcom was known for. It's being manufactured by Koch Media with licensing from Capcom.
The stick measures roughly 22x74x11cm, so it's a sizable piece of hardware. Each of the games are produced from original CPS1 and CPS2 ROMs, and FB Alpha has been tapped to provide the emulation. It also includes wifi so that you can connect to a global leaderboard to upload your scores. The Capcom Home Arcade is coming on October 25, 2019.
A US price hasn't been listed yet, but the Capcom Europe store lists it for 230 euro. That converts to about $260 USD, so you can probably expect it to be in that range. That's about 1,000 quarters, so start saving and checking under couch cushions now.
Death Stranding could be making the jump to PlayStation 5, according to a new report. Wired state that PS5 (and PS4) lead system architect Mark Cerny implied the upcoming PlayStation 4 game might instead release on both that console and the next-generation PlayStation.
While talking about PS5's backwards compatibility, Cerny says the transition from PS4 to next-gen will be "gentle," with many games launching on both platforms. When Wired asked how Death Stranding fits in to all this, Cerny reportedly smiled and didn't reply, before a spokesperson merely repeated the game would come to PS4. GameSpot has contacted Sony for more information on whether Death Stranding will come to PS4, PS5, or both.
The much-anticipated game is the next project from Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima. It's an open-world action title that includes an optional online multiplayer component. Revealed at E3 2016, Death Stranding has become a game of much interest to fans of both PlayStation and Kojima himself, but we're no closer to knowing even a vague release window.
The game sees you play as Sam Bridges, an employee for a mysterious organization who embarks on a journey to reunite a shattered world filled with dangerous invisible enemies of unknown origin. His profession seems to be that of a delivery man of sorts, but the nature of the parcels he delivers remains unexplained. For more, check out everything we know about Death Stranding.
Sony has started to detail its plans for the next generation of PlayStation, which isn't technically named yet but probably will ultimately be the PlayStation 5. One of the biggest changes is to its storage solution, which is going from a standard optical harddrive to a customized solid-state drive. But what does that mean?
SSDs are common in laptops and mobile phones, but less often used in hardware that remains in one place like a desktop computer or video game console. Optical harddrives have been used throughout console history, but SSDs offer a few key advantages. The difference is similar to the one between portable storage like CDs versus thumb drives, and there's good reason that one has all but replaced the other for most people.
The major advantage, as detailed in the reveal interview, comes to load times. Hardware architect Mark Cerny used Marvel's Spider-Man as an example. The fast travel loading screen took roughly 15 seconds on a PS4 Pro, but less than one second on a dev kit for the PS5. Given that the new hardware will be backwards compatible with older games, that means your load times will likely be reduced across the board when you upgrade.
Faster loading can also mean faster rendering, so games known for speed can push more architecture and textures at a faster rate. Spider-Man was used as the example here too, as the camera was sped up to show how the city could render more quickly.
The lack of moving parts in a solid-state drive also generally means less intense need for cooling. Current console owners know that particularly hardware-intensive parts of games can result in the fan spinning up at high speed, making for a distracting whirring sound. The PS5 is still a long way off and we haven't seen it in action, but it's likely that the SSD will require less cooling and therefore reduce fan noise.
Mark Cerny, who was lead system architect for the PS4, says the next-generation PlayStation (which is still not technically named "PlayStation 5") uses a similar architecture to its predecessor, allowing for the feature. It will use physical discs as well, and Cerny expects some games to be released across both consoles.
However, the PS4 games will run a bit faster on PS5, thanks to the inclusion of a solid-state drive (SSD). As an example, Cerny compared the load times for fast travel in Spider-Man. The PS4 Pro load took roughly 15 seconds, but the same sequence took less than one second on the PS5 dev kit. So if you upgrade your hardware, you'll probably have a nice smoother experience in some respects.
We still don't know exactly how far away the next-generation PlayStation might be. Last year the head of PlayStation, John Kodera, suggested the new system was still three years away. That would mean it's still two years away now, so either Sony is preparing a long ramp to launch or the timetable has been accelerated considerably.
Judgment, the new game from Ryu ga Gotoku Studios (creators of the Yakuza franchise), recently went through a tumultuous time due to legal troubles of an actor who lent his likeness and voice to a major character. Pierre Taki, who played the high-ranking yakuza Kyohei Hamura, was arrested for suspicion of cocaine use in March 2019. The game was subsequently pulled off shelves and digital storefronts in Japan, and the state of the worldwide release was in limbo.
Soon after the controversy hit, it was confirmed that Judgment would be made available again in Japan in the future and still hit its intended Western launch date of June 25, 2019 with the necessary changes. And now, the new character model for Hamura has been revealed. Sega has confirmed that it's using an original character model as opposed to another actor's likeness--you can see a comparison between the two models in the image below.
The new, original character model for Hamura (left), Pierre Taki as Hamura (right)
In the video above, you can watch Hamura's introductory cutscene in Judgment featuring the character's new look; however, the clip has English voice acting which remains unchanged. Sega stated that it's in the process of recording the new Japanese voice work and will be shown in the near future, but it's not ready to say who the actor is yet. There is also currently no word on when the game will go back on sale in Japan. The worldwide release of Judgment will feature dual audio with English and Japanese voiceovers and EFIGS (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish) subtitles, which is a first for a game in the Yakuza universe.
As mentioned in previous stories, Japan has very strict drug laws with severe consequences, especially as it relates to one's public image. Not only was Taki removed from Judgment by Sega, all screenshots, trailers, and social media via official channels were deleted. Sales of Disney's Frozen were also halted since he plays the jolly snowman Olaf in the Japanese dub. Disney is looking for a replacement to voice Olaf in the Japanese release of Frozen 2 as well.
Earlier this year, I got hands-on with Judgment and came away impressed with its narrative-focused action-adventure crime drama, similar to that of the Yakuza games. While the game takes place in the same world as the Yakuza series (even using Kamurocho as the central location), Judgment flips the script by having you play as a private detective named Takayuki Yagami. You'll investigate the on-going turf war between the Tojo Clan and Omi Alliance and a deeper mystery about a series of murders that hit close to home.
Sony has revealed some information about its highly anticipated next-generation PlayStation. In an interview with Wired, Mark Cerny, who was lead system architect for the PlayStation 4 and is currently working on its successor, divulged details on the components that will power the next-gen system and teased some of the breakthroughs it is making.
In the interview, Cerny didn't name the console, though conventional thinking states it will probably be PlayStation 5. The next-gen PlayStation is partially based on PS4 architecture, which means that it is backwards compatible. Cerny also revealed that it is not an all-digital device, and will accept physical discs. Wired's article describes the transition from PS4 to PS5, as indicated by Cerny, as a "gentle one," adding that numerous games will be released for both PS4 and the next-gen console.
Housed in the console will be an AMD chip that has a CPU based on the third-generation Ryzen. It'll have eight cores of the seven-nanometer Zen 2 microchip. Although the console will support 8K, displaying at this resolution will be dependant on TVs catching up.
The graphics, meanwhile, will be driven by a custom version of Radeon's Navi line. This graphics chip will support ray tracing, something which is starting to become popular in movies and video games. Although it is traditionally thought of as a lighting technique, Cerny says that there are implications beyond creating realistic environments.
"If you wanted to run tests to see if the player can hear certain audio sources or if the enemies can hear the players' footsteps, ray tracing is useful for that," he explained. "It's all the same thing as taking a ray through the environment."
In fact, audio is one the main improvements Cerny is keen to talk about. The AMD chip will enable 3D audio, and this, according to Cerny, is key to immersing players deeper. This naturally led to discussions of PlayStation VR, and while Cerny didn't confirm whether a new version of Sony's headset will be released, the existing one will be supported.
"I won't go into the details of our VR strategy ... beyond saying that VR is very important to us and that the current PSVR headset is compatible with the new console," he confirmed.
Another key leap the next PlayStation will make comes through its hard drive. According to Cerny, developers let Sony know that what they want solid-state drives in the new hardware, as opposed to the slower equivalents used in current consoles. These SSDs are relatively prevalent now in laptops, and what Sony is bringing to the next PlayStation is described as being specialized for the hardware.
Cerny demonstrated the change an SSD introduces to gaming by comparing a load sequence from Insomniac's Spider-Man on a standard PS4 Pro and a dev kit of the next-gen PlayStation. On the former, it was around 15 seconds, while on the latter it was 0.8 seconds. This, Cerny added, has implications on how the world can be rendered too, which in turn impacts how quickly Spidey can move through the world. On the new hardware, the camera moves through the city much quicker, as the hardware is capable of keeping up with rendering requirements.
Discussing the SSD, Cerny said "the raw read speed is important, but so are the details of the I/O [input-output] mechanisms and the software stack that we put on top of them. I got a PlayStation 4 Pro and then I put in a SSD that cost as much as the PlayStation 4 Pro—it might be one-third faster."
Cerny didn't provide any details on any of the services or a broader overview of PlayStation's vision for the next-generation of gaming, instead focusing on the nitty-gritty of its hardware. It is currently unclear when the console will be fully unveiled. Traditionally, Sony would has debuted its new PlayStations at E3, but the company will not have its usual press conference this year. This leaves PlayStation Experience, one of its new Nintendo Direct-like State of Play streams, or a standalone PS5 announcement event as possibilities--that is assuming it plans to reveal the PlayStation 5 this year.
It is also unclear when Sony plans to launch the PS5. In May 2018, Sony's head of PlayStation, John Kodera, said the new PlayStation was three years off. "We will use the next three years to prepare the next step," he said, "to crouch down so that we can jump higher in the future."
While Sony's plans are still largely unclear, Microsoft's are starting to come into focus. The company is set to have an E3 press conference this year, and head of Xbox Phil Spencer said it is going to go "as big at E3 as we've ever been." In 2018, Microsoft confirmed that a new Xbox was in development, and it is expected that we'll see this next-generation console at E3 2019. More immediately, it has been suggested that an all-digital Xbox One S will be announced soon. As the name indicates, this new console would not accept physical discs and designed around downloading and streaming.
With the arrival of M. Night Shyamalan's Glass on Blu-ray, fans of the story that started with 2000's Unbreakable are being given even more context about the world created by the writer/director. The physical release of the film comes with a slew of special features, including a selection of deleted scenes like the one we're debuting here.
In this scene, as Shyamalan explained, the Beast personality of Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy) is shown to be perhaps more powerful than anyone would have expected, but in a very different way. "Really, the Beast I saw as an evangelist and his flock are the broken," the director said. "So he doesn't look at the patients as less than. He looks at them as [a] 'Rise up!' kind of a thing. When they seem him, they see a god. They see the version of him that Kevin Wendell Crumb sees, and all of the personalities see. They see a seven-foot creature that's half-man/half-beast, that's bigger than life. They're astonished when they see him. They see his energy."
This particular cut moment is set during the Beast's escape from the hospital, as he encounters a number of the patients who revere him. Instead of attacking them, though, he gives each of them a quiet moment to be near him--something they all seem to crave. "It was meant to show him in his glory, kind of blessing everyone like an evangelist," Shyamalan said.
And it's in the final seconds of this scene that the Beast breaks into almost a laugh of relief. There's nothing insidious of evil about it, really. He's with his people, those that understand and embrace this side of him. While Glass is most likely the end of Shyamalan's superhero trilogy, it's hard to see this side of the Beast character and not wonder what it could have meant for the future of the franchise.
Glass is available on 4K, Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital. In addition to deleted scenes and an alternate opening to the film, the special features include a conversation between Shyamalan and McAvoy, as well as a series of bonus featurettes that are only available on the Blu-ray and 4K versions.
During Star Wars: Episode 9 - The Rise of Skywalker's first trailer, there's an unmistakable tease for series villain Emperor Palpatine, whose laugh can be heard right at the end. In addition, the character's actor, Ian McDiarmid, made a cameo on stage at Star Wars Celebration following the trailer, instructing crew to roll the video again--and he did so in character as Palpatine. However, McDiarmid has since stated the Emperor is definitely dead.
According to Polygon, McDiarmid told fans during a separate panel interview that he only showed up on stage because he "happened to be in the area." He continued: "so I thought I should just drop in for a laugh."
He later recalled conversations he had with Star Wars creator George Lucas regarding Palpatine's fate. McDiarmid said: "'Is he...?' And before I could even finish the sentence, [Lucas replied] 'Dead, yes.' 'Well, couldn't he perhaps...' 'No. He's dead.' 'Well, wouldn't it be interesting if...?' 'Forget it.'"
However, while Lucas created the series and directed four of its first six films, he no longer owns or controls the franchise, which now belongs to Disney. It's since been well documented that Episodes 7, 8, and 9 do not follow what Lucas had planned, so it's possible the franchise's new owner may find a way to resurrect Palpatine in a late twist. There's also Palpatine's own hints to Anakin that there are ways to cheat death, and plenty of other ways the Emperor could return from the grave.
We're now just over a week from the release of Avengers: Endgame. The movie will see the culmination of 10 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is eagerly awaited by fans left hanging by the traumatic events of last years Avengers: Infinity War. We've had plenty of promotional videos over the last couple of weeks, and now a new TV spot has been released.
It's a very short teaser, but like all the videos released so far, does include some new footage. In this case we have Rocket making fun of those Avengers who aren't quite as used to space travel as he is, plus a new shot of Captain Marvel blasting through the air in an upgraded suit. Check it out above.
This teaser follows a TV spot that was released week--that one focused on the team's mission. In addition, the first full clip was recently released, while this longer trailer was packed with new footage. To get ready for Endgame, you might want to watch our guide to the best order to rewatch the MCU movies. It also looks like the ending to the movie has leaked online, so you might want to be careful while searching for Endgame information.
Avengers: Endgame releases on April 26, 2019. It stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Brie Larsson, Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Danai Gurira, Paul Rudd, and Josh Brolin. So far presales for tickets have far exceeded those for Captain Marvel, Infinity War, Aquaman, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi combined.
LittleBigPlanet creator Media Molecule has long been teasing its ambitious new game, Dreams, and now PS4 players finally get the chance to play it. The game has launched in early access in some territories, with others getting the early edition of the game in the next few hours.
The version available for download is named Dreams Creator Early Access, as it's designed to get creators inducted in order for Media Molecule to gather data on how users interact with its game, as well as feedback on how it can improve the experience. "The core of Dreams--the creation bit--is ready," studio director Siobhan Reddy explained last month. "There is so much we want to do with and add to Dreams--but to start, we want players to be able to see their creations on their own TV screen and be able to have all the tools they need to make games or stories or art or music accessible from their couch.
"[Early access] won't feature everything that the full release will have (our story mode being a big piece of that) but you'll get our full toolset for creating, our interactive tutorials and arcade games, templates and additional content created by Media Molecule and access to what you, the Community, made during our Dreams Creator Beta. You'll also be getting the first hands-on with new features and content as we add them."
Dreams' early access version costs $30 / £25 / $40, and this will also grant you access to the full version once that launches. Your creations will also carry over to the final version, though we're no closer to knowing when that might come out. Be warned, however, that this early access version is a limited release, meaning Sony may take it off sale once a certain number of copies have been sold so Media Molecule can adequately listen and respond to player feedback.
JP Games is starting in high-profile fashion. The studio is developing The Pegasus Dream Tour, which is the official video game for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. JP Games is developing the game with the International Paralympic Committee.
"I wish to thank everyone involved, who helped me up to this point and make this announcement today. You'll be able to enjoy the game when the timing's right in 2020. So stay tuned," Tabata said in a post on Facebook.
The Pegasus Dream Tour is officially described as a "completely new sports role-playing game where players participate in a virtual Paralympic Games that takes place inside a fantasy metropolis known as Pegasus City."
Players control characters who have special abilities known as "Xtra power." The game is being made for "various platforms," including smartphones.
International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons said in a statement, "We are eager to explore innovative ways to engage with new and younger global audiences. We believe this game will help boost interest in the Paralympic Games and make it easier for people all over the world to enjoy and experience the heated atmosphere, passion, and excitement of the event."
He added: "The sport at the Paralympics is outstanding and helps transform attitudes towards persons with disabilities like no other event. I am really excited to see and play this game and see how the outstanding abilities of Para athletes are represented."
As for Tabata, he said, "This is not just an ordinary video game about sports. JP Games is going to represent fully the wonders that are unique to Paralympic sports in this brand-new role-playing game--a genre we excel in. With this video game, we want to contribute to the future growth of the Paralympic Games, not just as a sporting event, but as entertainment as well, with contents that we hope will have lasting value in the future."
It appears the ending to the highly anticipated superhero movie Avengers: Endgame has leaked online ahead of its theatrical release at the end of the month. As a result, it might be a good idea to mute Avengers-related hashtags on Twitter and just to be generally extra mindful of social media if you want to go into the theatre without knowing what happens at the end.
Endgame hits cinemas in Australia on April 24 and comes to the United States on April 26, so the leak comes about 10 days before the film's release. Spoilers are always a concern, but the profile is higher with Endgame considering the dramatic conclusion to Infinity War where Thanos snapped his fingers and wiped out half of the galaxy.
Endgame is believed to wrap up more than 10 years worth of Marvel Cinematic Universe storytelling that began back in 2008 with the original Iron Man. The film marks the end of the MCU Phase 3. Marvel is expected to provide the first details on Phase 4 after the release of Spider-Man: Far From Home in July, so keep checking back for that.
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Brie Larson, Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Danai Gurira, Paul Rudd, and Josh Brolin star in Endgame. Tickets went on sale last week, and so far presales have far exceeded those for Captain Marvel, Infinity War, Aquaman, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi combined.
Disney+ will launch on November 12, the company announced today. It'll cost $7/month or $70 for 12 months (which works out to around $5.83 per month). The price and release date is only confirmed for the United States at this stage. This was described by management as the "initial price point," which suggests it could rise in the future.
Notably, $7 USD per month is below competitor Netflix and other streaming services.
Disney+ will launch first in the United States and then "rapidly expand globally." Disney's plan is to release the service in "nearly all" major regions globally within the next two years. However, pricing for other markets was not announced.
In Year 1, Disney+ will offer more than 25 episodic series, including the new Star Wars show The Mandalorian, which will be available at launch, or at least the first episode. There will also be more than 10 new movies/specials for Disney+ in the first year. In terms of back catalog content, Disney+ will have around 7,500 episodes of shows, along with more than 100 recent movies and more than 400 library titles.
Netflix is expecting to get between 60 million and 90 million people to sign up for Disney+ by the end of Fiscal Year 2024. Around 1/3 of subscribers are expected to come from the United States, with 2/3 coming from international markets.
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.
Players who missed their first chance to catch Latios in Pokemon Go now have another opportunity to add the Legendary monster to their collection. The Eon Pokemon has returned to Raid Battles around the globe as part of a special week-long Raid event, and this time around, you may even come across its Shiny form.
Latios will appear in Gyms as a Raid Boss from now until 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET on April 22. Just as before, you'll first need to team up with other players in-person and battle the Legendary Pokemon before you can earn a chance to capture it. Like its twin Latias, Latios is a dual Dragon/Psychic Pokemon, making it weak to Ghost- and Dark-types like Gengar and Tyranitar, as well as other Dragon Pokemon like Giratina and Salamence.
The Latios Raid isn't the only event Niantic is holding in Pokemon Go this week; the developer is also bringing back the annual Egg-themed Eggstravaganza event from April 16-23. During that week, you'll be able to hatch baby Pokemon like Pichu, Smoochum, and Magby from 2 km Eggs. Additionally, Incubators will be twice as effective as normal during the event, and you'll receive two times the usual amount of Candy for every Egg you hatch.
On top of those bonuses, Niantic will be distributing special Field Research tasks revolving around Eggs during the Eggstravaganza. The bunny Pokemon Buneary will also appear in the wild more frequently than usual throughout the event, and you'll have your first opportunity to catch a Shiny Buneary. More details about the event can be found on the Pokemon Go website.
Beyond those events, you still have some time to catch Origin Forme Giratina in Pokemon Go. The Legendary Renegade Pokemon will appear in Raid Battles until April 29. Niantic also recently rolled out a new Lucky Friends feature. Each day, you'll a chance to become Lucky Friends with a player you're Best Friends with, guaranteeing you both receive a Lucky Pokemon in one trade.
A new firmware update for Nintendo Switch has arrived, and it makes some big changes, the most notable of which are save transfers between Switch consoles and the ability to sort your games in various ways.
Starting with the save transfers, update 8.0.0 introduces the ability to transfer save data between Switch consoles. You can do this by heading to System Settings > Data Management > Transfer Your Save Save. One major thing to note is that once you transfer your save data, it's erased from the console it was originally on, known as the source system.
As for the sorting feature, this lets you sort by last played, time played, game name, and publisher.
Another notable addition in the update include the introducing of a "zoom" feature to get a closer look at things; you can use this by pressing the home button twice. Additionally, Nintendo has added 15 new player icons from Splatoon 2 and Yoshi's Crafted World.
A Sort Software feature is available after selecting to view All Software from the HOME Menu
Software can be sorted by time last played, total play time, software title, and software publisher
The All Software option displays when there are 13 or more software icons on the HOME Menu
A View All Available News option is available within News, allowing you to view all news items currently being distributed
Go to News > Channel List > View More
Select from 15 new icons from the Splatoon 2 and Yoshi's Crafted World games for your user
To edit your user icon, head to your My Page on the top left of the HOME Menu > Profile
A feature to Transfer Your Save Data is now available, allowing you to transfer your save data for individual games between your Nintendo Switch systems
Go to System Settings > Data Management > Transfer Your Save Data
Save data will not remain on your source system after the transfer process completes
A Zoom feature can be enabled from within System Settings
Go to System Settings > System to turn Zoom ON
Once enabled, you can use the Zoom feature by pressing the HOME Button twice
An option is available to prevent the system from waking from Sleep Mode when an AC adapter is disconnected
Go to System Settings > Sleep Mode > Wake When AC Adapter is Disconnected
This also applies when undocking your console
A VR Mode (3D Visuals) restriction is available within Parental Controls
This will also be available in the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app through a later update
Go to System Settings > Parental Controls
These settings can also be changed from within Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit
Hong Kong / Taiwan / South Korea is available for selection in Region
Go to System Settings > System > Region
The following names have been changed (functionality remains the same)
Save Data Cloud Backup > Save Data Cloud
Transfer Your User and Save Data > Transfer Your User Data
General system stability improvements to enhance the user's experience.
Game of Thrones Season 8 is one of the most-hyped seasons of TV in the history of the medium, so it's not a huge surprise that a lot of people tuned in to watch the season premiere. But just how many people watched Episode 1?
HBO has announced that Episode 1 drew 17.4 million viewers, which sets a new franchise record, eclipsing the 16.5 million people who tuned in to watch the Season 7 finale. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 11.8 million people watched on TV, while the rest tuned in from the digital streaming platform HBO Now. The true number of views for Episode 1 will climb much higher, as people who didn't watch right away catch up over the next few days.
It appears the return of Game of Thrones helped other HBO shows, as the the network's other Sunday night shows such as Barry (2.2 million viewers), Veep (1.5 million viewers), and Last Week Tonight (1.7 million viewers) all reached viewerships not seen in over a year.
It's been nearly a year since Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order was announced at E3 2018, but new details were finally revealed during a panel at this year's Star Wars Celebration in Chicago, where the first trailer was finally shown and a release date was confirmed: November 15, 2019. The game will release for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, with PC distribution limited to EA's Origin store.
Jedi Fallen Order is being developed by Respawn, the team behind Titanfall and Apex Legends. The game is solely single-player and story-driven, with no microtransactions. The story takes place after Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and follows a young Padawan named Cal Kestis (played by Gotham actor Cameron Monaghan) who is on the run from the Empire and its Inquisitors after Order 66 was issued, directing all Jedi to be hunted down and killed. Cal is working on completing his Jedi training while also dealing with the tragic events of his past. While no gameplay has been shown, we know the third-person action will include intense lightsaber battles, melee and Force abilities, platforming, and puzzle-solving.
More details will certainly be revealed as the release date draws closer, but in the meantime, you can catch up on all the confirmed details about Jedi Fallen Order with our guide. And if you're interested in pre-ordering the game, you'll find all the latest information about pre-order bonuses and the different editions below.
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order pre-order bonuses
As of right now, details on Jedi Fallen Order's official pre-order bonuses are vague, but we know that they'll include cosmetic equipment for your lightsaber and droid companion. As usual, the PlayStation Store is also giving away a free Jedi Fallen Order PS4 theme with pre-order purchases.
Meanwhile, My Best Buy members will receive $10 reward credit if they pre-order the game from Best Buy.
Pre-order Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order standard edition
The standard edition will include just the base game and any pre-order bonuses. You can pre-order it at the following retailers:
Pre-order Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order Deluxe edition
The Deluxe edition will include a director's cut with behind-the-scene features and additional cosmetic equipment, plus any applicable pre-order bonuses. It's only $10 more than the standard edition. You can pre-order it at the following retailers:
Pre-order Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order Black Series Figure Bundle
GameStop is offering a bundle that includes the game for either PS4 or Xbox One and an exclusive, six-inch Star Wars: Black Series action figure. There aren't many other details--and we'll update this guide when more info is revealed--but it's selling for $83.
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