"Alcatraz is a small island, and that means super fast-paced, frenetically fun fighting," Treyarch studio design director David Vonderhaar said in a video describing the new map--which can be watched in the tweet linked below. Treyarch producer Miles Leslie added, "And our Zombies players might recognize this, but we've handcrafted Alcatraz for the Blackout experience."
Alcatraz unlocked 🗝️ 'Map Briefings' gives an insider look at the new Blackout map, Alcatraz. Here's everything you need to know with #BlackOps4's Studio Design Director, David Vonderhaar, and Producer, Miles Leslie. pic.twitter.com/EuJiS1MtNS
"So as an island, we've got 40 players in a Quad configuration," Leslie continued. "So that's 10 teams battling it out, but the other big thing is respawns." The video goes on to explain that, when you die, you can respawn 30 seconds later and redeploy back into the game--but only up to five times.
Unlike the traditional battle royale method of deploying from a drop ship that travels in a straight line at the start of the match, in Alcatraz, you and your team deploy from portals stationed at random points above the island. There's no collapsing zone wall like on Blackout's original map either. Zombies seem to be more plentiful as well, roaming throughout the map as opposed to being contained to certain buildings and landmarks.
Alcatraz also borrows the Zombies mode's weapon wall feature--including predetermined locations where you can buy a firearm. "At these locations, you're guaranteed to find a new weapon every 30 seconds," Vonderhaar said.
As opposed to Blackout's horizontal-focused original map, Alcatraz is more vertical. The center of the island contains a massive landmark called the Cell Block, which provides ample opportunities for attacking, looting, and defending. Surrounding the Cell Block are numerous other landmarks, each one descending in elevation until you get to the island's coast. Alcatraz provides numerous opportunities for players to ascend or descend, from snaking paths to climbable cliffs. There's even a tram that provides a direct path for you and your team to go from Alcatraz's outskirts straight to the Cell Block.
Until April 30, Blackout is free on all platforms, allowing you to try out Black Ops 4's battle royale mode on both maps.
Rockstar has rolled out another content update for Red Dead Redemption 2's multiplayer component, Red Dead Online. This week, the developer has introduced a new Showdown mode called Up in Smoke, as well as a limited-time bonus on Ability Cards and an assortment of new clothing options to buy.
As its name suggests, the object of Up in Smoke is to blow up the opposing team's camp. Each player will begin the match with an explosive package that they'll need to deliver to the enemy's base. Every time the explosives are successfully delivered, a portion of the camp will be destroyed until one team's base has been completely razed.
In addition to the new Showdown mode, Rockstar is giving players a 30% XP boost on all Ability Cards this week in Red Dead Online, allowing you to level the cards up to a new tier faster. A new selection of clothing has also been added to the Wheeler, Rawson and Co. Catalogue. Starting this week, players will be able to purchase the following:
Winter Shotgun Coat
Benbow Jacket
Darned Stockings
Manteca Hat
Rockstar has been steadily releasing new content for Red Dead Online over the past few months. Last week, the developer introduced Target Races, which have players racing through a track while firing at targets along the way. Thanks to Rockstar's timed exclusivity agreement with Sony, PS4 players also received early access to Open Target Races.
There are more updates planned for Red Dead Online in the near future. Later this spring, Rockstar will release a big update that addresses griefing and makes other changes. The developer also has another Showdown mode called Plunder on the way, as well as new Land of Opportunities missions, additional Free Roam missions, and more.
The Iron Banner might have ended in Destiny 2, but there's still a lot of stuff to chase in the Jokers Wild expansion. With pinnacle weapons to chase, the allegiance mission to complete, Gambit Prime competitions to win, and the upcoming Revelry spring event, there are plenty of reasons to keep climbing toward the Power level cap. As always, a new weekly Ascendant Challenge can help you do that.
As players have come to expect, the Ascendant Challenge starts out with acquiring the corresponding bounty from Petra in the Dreaming City. You'll also need a Tincture of Queensfoil, a consumable item you can earn by taking part in certain activities in the Dreaming City (or you can outright buy one). Once you have both the bounty and a Tincture, you'll head to a Lost Sector, Aphelion's Rest, which is located in The Strand, just beneath the area where Petra is sometimes found. Using a Tincture will grant you a buff, Ascendance, that allows you to see a Taken portal. This one is located partway through the Lost Sector, atop a hill--it's hard to miss if you've used your Tincture.
Jumping into the portal takes you to the Ascendant Plane's Ouroborea. There, you'll have to explore the area to find four different blights. Enter the dome and destroy its core; you'll know you've done it when it disappears and the text "a seal breaks" pops up in the bottom-left corner. Once you've dealt with all the blights, you'll go back toward the center to destroy crystals (whose protective shield has been temporarily dropped). Just beware the knights who will chase you around as you do this--your best bet is to keep moving in a circle, which should let you destroy the crystals without allowing the knights to get too close.
Although the chest is unlikely to have much in the way of worthwhile rewards, finishing the Ascendant Challenge also completes the bounty you picked up from Petra. That rewards you with a piece of Powerful gear that is highly desirable and can increase your level, making this all worth the trouble, provided you're capable of getting it done. With The Black Armory expansion in full swing, players are back to the gear grind to get to the new level cap of 650.
Although this Ascendant Challenge is not a new one, there is a lot happening in Destiny 2 right now. Niobe Labs means the fourth of The Black Armory's new Forges to unlock, as well as a new step in the Mystery Box Exotic quest we've been tracking since the expansion released last month.
There are actually five new Exotic weapons in The Black Armory to find, four of which we know about (and one of which we can take a guess at). There's also a lot more happening in January and beyond: Bungie laid out its content calendar for the rest of Year 2, which is pretty extensive.
It's been a busy few weeks in the PlayStation Store, but now that the Great Indoors Sale has come to an end, the deal selection is slimming down quite a bit this week. That said, we're still here to fill you in on the game deals worth considering. Some of these discounts will be even greater if you're a PS Plus member (and if you are, be sure to check out April's free PS Plus games, which are now live).
While the Elder Scrolls 25th Anniversary Sale ended this morning, The Elder Scrolls Online is still marked down for another week--you can grab it for just $10 instead of $20. That purchase includes the base game and the Morrowind Chapter.
Battlefield V is 50% off for exactly one more day--you can get it for just $30 until tomorrow, April 3 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET. Battlefield V's free battle royale mode, Firestorm, released last week, so there's really no better time to pick up the game and see how Firestorm measures up against existing competitors in the battle royale scene.
This week's small batch of deals includes several pre-order discounts--we've limited our below list of deals to the games available now. Note that many of these deals end on different days (always at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET) rather than next Tuesday as usual. We'll update this story if other good deals are added throughout the week.
What a wild 24 hours for the Clown Prince of Crime. Less than a day after Gotham revealed its final Joker look for the Fox show's upcoming series finale, the first poster for the upcoming Joker standalone film has arrived. Joaquin Phoenix plays the titular madman in Joker, from The Hangover director Todd Phillips.
The poster doesn't give away too much, other than a slight look at Phoenix in this movie's take on the iconic Joker makeup and a fair amount of blood smeared in, as he looks to the sky. In the film, Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck, a man that essentially dons the white paint and maniacal smile to become the Joker. We don't know much in the way of plot details yet, but a previous photo released by Phillips suggests Fleck may actually be a circus clown.
Thankfully, we should know more about the movie--and this version of the classic character--very soon. Along with the poster, Phillips promised that the first teaser trailer for the film would be released on Wednesday, April 3. So make sure you check back for that.
The poster's arrival comes at a very interesting time, as Phillips posted it the same morning that Avengers: Endgame tickets went on sale--and crashed many ticketing websites. If you need something tide you over until the Joker trailer is released, though, you can obsess over this new Endgame teaser.
Joker also stars Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Marc Maron, and Frances Conroy. It's currently scheduled for theaters on October 4.
Select AMC theaters (in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco) and the Alamo Drafthouse are planning marathon screenings of all 22 MCU movies. Altogether they clock in at almost 60 hours. That's two and a half days of noble superheroes, dastardly villains, witty quips, and whatever Thor: The Dark World was. Those who shell out for the massive marathon get to start watching Endgame slightly earlier than everyone else, at 5 PM on Thursday, April 25. Other screenings begin at 6 PM.
Endgame is the culmination of more than ten years of Marvel films. Marvel began seeding a large, interconnected universe with the release of Iron Man in 2008, and then started to hint at Thanos as a key villain as early as 2012's Avengers. Infinity War was the first part of the long-awaited story, and it didn't end happily for Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Endgame will conclude the arc, which Marvel recently dubbed the Infinity Saga.
The live-action movie adaptation of the classic manga and anime Akira has been in development for over a decade, but it seems that it's getting closer to actually happening. Thor: Ragnarok's Taika Waititi is currently attached, and it has been reported that the movie has been selected to receive tax credits from the California Film Commission.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Akira is one of 18 projects that will benefit from California Film Commission's Film & TV Tax Credit Program. The movie will be filmed entirely in California and as a result will receive $18.5 million in tax credits. THR states that it will shoot for an estimated 71 days.
Akira does not yet have a production start date and casting has not yet begun, but Warner is clearly continuing to move forward with it. The movie is set to be produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, through his Appian Way production company.
It was first reported that Waititi was involved with Akira in September 2017, and in April last year he spoke about his intentions for it. "I haven't really started to get my head around it yet," he admitted. "What I want to do is an adaptation of the books, 'cause a lot of people are like, 'Don't touch that film!' and I'm like, 'I'm not remaking the film, I want to go back to the book.'
"A lot of the people freaking out haven't even read the books, and there are six gigantic books to go through. It's so rich. But Akira is one of my favourite films. My mum took me to see it when I was 13 and it changed my life."
Waititi is the latest in a long line of filmmakers to be linked to the Akira remake. The likes of David Sandberg (Shazam), Daniel Espinosa (the upcoming Morbius), Justin Lin (Star Trek: Beyond), George Miller (Mad Max), and Jaume Collet-Serra (The Shallows) have all been attached at various stages over the years. In 2012, the film actually reached the pre-production stage before the Vancouver production offices were shut down by the studio.
The manga of Akira ran between 1982 and 1990 and is widely credited for popularising Japanese comic books internationally. Equally, the success of the 1989 movie version did much to introduce Western viewers to anime, and is now considered one of the finest sci-fi films ever made.
The eighth and final season of Game of Thrones finally starts this month, and HBO is keeping the promos coming. Following the two new teasers released earlier this week, we have another new video. It's titled "Aftermath," and it takes a more abstract and haunting approach than those more traditional trailers.
The video showcases the deserted snowswept streets of Winterfell. There are no characters or dialogue, but it does feature the possessions of key Game of Thrones characters, most buried in the show. These include Tyrion's Hand of the King pin, Arya's needle, Bran's wheelchair, Jaime's golden hand, Lyanna's feather, Dany's dragon chains, and Jon's Longclaw. What can it all mean? Check the trailer above and let us know in the comments below.
Game of Thrones Season 8 premieres on April 14, with the remaining five episodes coming each week until mid-May. While there are only six episodes, they combine for a total of 432 minutes of runtime, or around 7.2 hours. Here's a full breakdown of each episode's premiere date and runtime.
The full trailer for Game of Thrones Season 8 was released in March. It focuses on setting up the the epic battle against the Night King and his army of the dead at Winterfell--for more insight, check out GameSpot's trailer breakdown.
Game of Thrones is ending, but a prequel is on the way, with X-Men: First Class' Jane Goldman serving as a showrunner for a story developed with series creator George RR Martin. The show is expected to start filming early this summer.
We're in the endgame now. Avengers: Endgame's release is only few weeks out, and Marvel has kicked off ticket sales with a new trailer that's packed with new footage. With the opening of ticket sales has come confirmation of the film's runtime, and as rumored it will be the longest Marvel film to date.
Several theater chains list the runtime at 3 hours and 2 minutes. That makes it a good bit longer than the previously longest Marvel movie to date, Avengers: Infinity War, which came in at 2 hours and 36 minutes. Infinity War and Endgame are essentially a two-part story resolving the Thanos arc that has been teased throughout the MCU, so it makes sense that these two would be the biggest in the series. In other words, if you're currently purchasing tickets, find the theater with the comfiest seats and try not to drink too much water.
The new teaser shows the handful of remaining heroes, including the new addition of Captain Marvel, assembling to confront Thanos. It also notably shows Captain America and Iron Man reconciling, which has been a looming rift since the events of Captain America: Civil War. You can examine the video in-depth along with us in our "special look" trailer breakdown. There's quite a bit of new footage in there, although as always, we can't be sure about what's been included just to throw us off what's actually going to happen in the movie.
Avengers: Endgame will release on April 26, 2019, with some advance screenings set for April 25. Some theaters are even letting Marvel fans marathon through hours of MCU world-building with marathons of select or all of the movies to date. Watch the latest trailer above, and let us know what sticks out to you.
Tickets for the upcoming Marvel blockbuster Avengers: Endgame are now on sale, and we have a confirmed runtime. The movie hits theaters on April 26, and fans can pick up tickets for the opening weekend.
Marvel announced the ticket sale via Twitter, and accompanied it with a new trailer featuring a load of new footage from the film--check out our breakdown for all the details. The tweet also included a link to ticketing agency Fandango. However, there are reports that both Fandango and AMC's websites have been overwhelmed, with fans unable to load the ticket pages. The hashtag #AvengersEndgametickets was trending shortly after tickets went on sale.
Errors on AMC's website were commonplace, and for a period of time the website (and app) seemed to be completely unusable. This prompted the rare public tweet from AMC's guest services Twitter account, which stated, "We want everyone to be able to grab their Avengers: Endgame tickets, but it looks like we've gotten Thanos' snap. We're working on getting things back up and running, and in the meantime, please keep trying our website and our partner sites!"
Avengers: Endgame is, unsurprisingly, set to be one of the biggest movies of the year. While we haven't seen any official predictions as to how well it will do, it seems likely that it will open at least as well as last year's Avengers: Infinity War, which scored $257 million in its first three days in the US.
In addition, Endgame will open in China two days before the US, further boosting its potential global box office. In recent years, China has become an increasingly important market for big-budget Hollywood movies. For those in select US markets, you might be able to attend a nearly 60-hour MCU marathon.
Avengers: Endgame is directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, and stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Brie Larson, Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, and Josh Brolin. You can check out the previous Endgame trailer here, and then read GameSpot's trailer breakdown.
Fortnite has updated with another weapon and the return of a popular limited-time mode, along with some bug fixes. The patch notes for Content Update 8.20 comes just after a hotfix to address issues that were introduced in the initial 8.20 patch in late March.
The big new draw for many players will be the new Boom Bow weapon. As you might expect, it's a bow with shotgun shells on its arrow tips, so those will explode upon impact. For that reason it uses shotgun ammo, and holding fire to increase your draw strength will increase both the arrow's speed and the damage from impact. Explosive damage will be consistently set at 100 regardless. Save The World mode gets its own new weapon as well, the Cannonade Launcher.
The update also marks the return of the Sniper Shootout LTM. This mode limits weapons to sniper rifles only, and reduces Floor Loot spawners by 50% and deactivates reviving "Down But Not Out" teammates in Duos and Squads.
The new update also introduces some bug fixes for Arena. It fixes issues with divisions in Duos, including players being unable to queue and some players not being properly promoted, and some players being charged the incorrect Bus Fare. Creative Mode has lots of its own additions too.
In this limited time mode, players will do battle using sniper rifles.
May the best aim win!
Mode Details
Only weapon drops are Sniper Rifles.
Floor Loot spawners reduced by 50%
Reviving "Down But Not Out" teammates in Duos & Squads is deactivated - be careful peeking!
Weapons + Items
Boom Bow
Fires Arrows with a Shotgun Shell tip, which explode on impact.
Uses Shotgun Ammo
The longer you hold the fire keybind down, the stronger the shot! This increases both projectile speed and direct impact damage.
Explosive damage is consistent regardless of the power of the shot.
The Boom Bow will achieve maximum power after 1.6 seconds of charging.
A direct hit will deal both the direct hit damage and the explosion damage to the enemy player it impacts.
Direct hit
Base damage 15
Headshot Multiplier: 2x
Explosion
100 damage
Peppers
Increased duration from 10 seconds to 20 seconds
Increased movement speed bonus from 20% to 40%
Events
Bug Fixes
Arena
Fixed an issue that caused players to be unable to queue for Duos when the party leader was in a lower division.
Fixed an issue which caused players to not be promoted to the next division while playing in Duos with a player in a higher division.
Note: Hype was still being earned correctly, this was a visual issue only.
Fixed an issue where players in Duos were charged Bus Fare based on the party leaders division, rather than their own.
Creative
What's New?
Geometric Galleries Use this new set of Galleries to add even more unique shapes to your creations!
Weapons + Items
Boom Bow
Fires Arrows with a Shotgun Shell tip, which explode on impact.
Uses Shotgun Ammo
The longer you hold the fire keybind down, the stronger the shot! This increases both projectile speed and direct impact damage.
Explosive damage is consistent regardless of the power of the shot.
The Boom Bow will achieve maximum power after 1.6 seconds of charging.
A direct hit will deal both the direct hit damage and the explosion damage to the enemy player it impacts.
Direct hit
Base damage 15
Headshot Multiplier: 2x
Explosion
100 damage
Prefabs
Non-Right Square Pyramid Gallery Large
Non-Right Triangular Pyramid Gallery Large
Right Triangular Prism Gallery Large
Seven Point Cube Gallery Large
Square Pyramid Gallery Large
Triangular Prism Gallery Large
Upright Triangular Prism Gallery Large
Save The World
What's New?
Cannonade Launcher
Loud Noises! Heroes and Husks will have a blast with this new Rapid Rocket Launcher
Weapons + Items
Cannonade Launcher
A chaotic, rapid-fire, automatic launcher that shoots small explosive rounds.
Available in the Weekly Store from April 3 at 8 PM Eastern Time until April 10 at 8 PM Eastern Time.
V8.20.1 Resolved Issues
On March 29 we released a client update to fix some issues that appeared in the v8.20 update. Find all the details on which issues were resolved below!
Battle Royale
Fixed an issue where spectator numbers would not update, even after the spectator had left the game.
Fixed an issue that caused players to be unable to queue in the correct division level in the Arena game mode when the party leader was in a lower division.
Fixed an issue which caused the Poison Dart Trap to be hidden behind certain wall assets.
Fixed an issue where trap placement on walls would be blocked if a stair structure was attached to the wall.
Fixed an issue that prevented players from getting removed from the Baller when hit by a Boogie Bomb.
Fixed an issue preventing friend invites from displaying in the social panel.
Creative
Fixed an issue where Creature Spawners wouldn't activate within the correct range after it has been resized.
Fixed an issue where the Phone Tool would emit two beams rather than one after copying multiple times.
Fixed an issue that prevented non-damaging traps (Ice Block, Bouncers, etc) from functioning if the Game was not started.
Fixed an issue where any Baller vehicle that was placed on an Island prior to v8.20 could not use the boost.
Fixed an issue that prevented vehicles from being damaged by Music Sequencer when damage was turned on.
Save the World
Re-enabled the X Marks the Spot sub-objective.
Fixed an issue where the X Marks the Spot objective was removing items from player inventories.
Fixed an issue that was causing B.A.S.E to incorrectly hover over player built structures.
Avengers: Endgame is now only a few weeks from release, and finally tickets have gone on sale. To coincide with that, Marvel has shared a few new IMAX posters and, more notably, a new "special look" teaser trailer. Despite running for less than a minute total, it's packed with new footage and gives us the best idea yet of what to expect from the movie.
The teaser shows that the remaining heroes will come together to confront Thanos. It certainly doesn't look like it's going to be an easy mission but the remaining heroes look determined--as Black Widows says: "We owe it to everyone not in this room to try." It also looks like Steve and Tony have settled their past differences, but Thanos--who hasn't been featured prominently in past trailers--doesn't seem very worried about their challenge. We also get a few more glimpses of Captain Marvel, as well as Tony having apparently made it back to Earth, where he reunites with Pepper Potts. Check the video out above and then head to our trailer breakdown that takes a close look at each of the key moments.
This trailer's release coincides with another bit of notable news: Tickets are now on sale for the movie, although technical issues have hampered the ordering process at places like AMC and Fandango. That also confirms that the film's runtime will be three hours and two minutes long, making it--as expected--the longest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date.
Avengers: Endgame releases on April 26, 2019. It's directed once more by Joe and Anthony Russo, and stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Brie Larsson, Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, and Josh Brolin. You can check out the previous Endgame trailer here, and then read GameSpot's trailer breakdown.
Endgame will be followed by Spider-Man: Far From Home in July, with Tom Holland's Spider-Man and Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury both returning, along with a variety of characters from Homecoming.
Atlus, the developer of the critically acclaimed Persona 5, has announced it will be revealing something related to the title on April 25. A website confirming the date of the reveal has appeared online, but there's no indication as to what the studio will be talking about. However, the website intriguingly has "P5S" in its URL.
Atlus has already announced a new version of the RPG for PS4 called Persona 5 The Royal, but this has its own website with "P5R" in the URL. This suggests that P5S is something separate from the PS4's Persona 5 The Royale. Much of the speculation for what it could be has been around a Nintendo Switch version of Persona 5, and the "S" in the URL no doubt fuels that fire.
Thus far, Persona 5 has only been released on PlayStation hardware. Alongside the PS4 version, however, there's a PS3 version, which could be suitable for porting to the Switch. Additionally, Atlus and Nintendo are already working together to bring Joker, the protagonist of Persona 5, to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as DLC.
In February, Nintendo confirmed it is working on update 3.0 for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but didn't say what it'll include. Nintendo added that Joker would be available for the game before the end of April. With this in mind, the use of "1 More" on the website could also be significant. In Persona 5 the phrase is used when a player is given an opportunity to make an extra move as a bonus. Either way, we'll find out later this month.
Persona 5 originally launched in March, 2017 and received a 9/10 from GameSpot. In her Persona 5 review, Lucy James said, "Within Persona 5 is a complex set of interconnected gameplay mechanics, and in almost every aspect Atlus has executed on its vision exceptionally, barring the pacing issues towards the end."
She continued: "It's stuffed to bursting point with gameplay ideas and presentation flourishes--there's an overwhelming level of artistry in every part of Persona 5, making it a truly standout entry in the series. It's a refined, effortlessly stylish RPG that will be talked about for years to come."
Following the launch of Assassin's Creed III Remastered last month, it appears publisher Ubisoft has delisted the original game from PC retailers such as Steam and Uplay. The game's Steam page is still visible, but states, "At the request of the publisher, Assassin's Creed III is no longer available for sale on Steam."
Assassin's Creed III Remastered is of course available for purchase for $40 / £34 / AU $60, but unlike the original version this does not include the game's multiplayer portion. GameSpot has reached out to Ubisoft to confirm why the original version was removed.
It should be noted the delisting does not prevent existing owners of Assassin's Creed III from downloading or playing the game--it merely prevents anyone else from purchasing it. Assassin's Creed III Remastered, meanwhile, is included in the season pass for Assassin's Creed Odyssey.
After launching on PS4, Xbox One, and PC at the end of March, Assassin's Creed III Remastered is making its way to Nintendo Switch on May 21. The original game, meanwhile, was first released for PS3, Xbox 360, PC, and Wii U in 2012. We awarded it an 8.5/10 in our Assassin's Creed III review; critic Kevin VanOrd said it "expands the series' gameplay in enjoyable and sensible ways."
He added: "Assassin's Creed III is a big game that gives you a lot to do, some of which is fleshed out relatively well, and some of which isn't. It is not, however, content to rest on the series' laurels. It takes chances with its opening, with its story, and with its characters.
One of the Devil May Cry series' most intense gameplay modes has finally been released for Devil May Cry 5. Out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One as a free update, Bloody Palace is a survival mode that pits you against waves of enemies within a 101-floor dungeon. As a returning gameplay mode, first seen in Devil May Cry 2, the Bloody Palace is a lengthy challenge that aims to put your skills with the game's trio of playable characters to the test.
To unlock the Bloody Palace, you'll first need to complete the game on Human or Devil Hunter mode. After the end credits, entry into the new mode can be found in the main menu. In similar fashion to previous games, you'll fight through a long set of increasingly tough encounters against common foes and bosses. As you reach the higher floors, the difficulty will increase, resulting in enemies dealing higher damage and the elite foes showing up more often. If you come to a defeat, you will have to start from the beginning and work your way back up. In addition to facing off against groups of enemies that are in greater numbers than in the main game, some characters will also fight certain bosses that they never encountered against in the main story--such as Nero doing battle with Cavaliere Angelo.
When first starting the Bloody Palace mode, keep in mind that the current moves and skill-sets of your characters will be taken into account. So it's in your best interest to make sure that Dante, Nero, and V have the best moves unlocked. Also, certain weapons and devil breakers won't be useable for balance purposes. For instance, Nero's DLC devil breakers and Dante's Cavaliere-R cannot be used in the Bloody Palace mode due to maintaining proper balance. If you're able to complete the Bloody Palace, you'll acquire a massive sum of red orbs and a new taunt for your chosen character to use.
The thing that makes Bloody Palace so enjoyable is that it allows you to cut loose without any restrictions or filler from the main missions. Not only is it a great way to experiment with Dante, Nero, and V's abilities, it's also a stellar test for your skills. Just when you think you've made great strides in the gauntlet mode, allowing you to feel a bit more comfortable--even if for a moment--you'll come to an encounter that will have you rethink how best overcome the battle. It's incredibly satisfying getting the better of a massive group of demons, unleashing your top skills and chaining together smoking, slick maneuvers with ease.
Along with Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry 5 has been another title that Capcom has found solid success with. Recently at GDC 2019, DMC5 director Hideaki Itsuno revealed that the game had sold well over 2 million copies, earning its spot as the fastest selling game in the series. In GameSpot's review, editor Matt Espineli gave the game a 9/10 and stated:
"DMC5 thrives on the stylistic and mechanical prowess of its predecessors. It sticks to tradition above all else, pursuing a few ambitious new ideas along the way, but mostly maintaining the series' focus on intricate fighting systems and campy bravado. Rarely does the game stumble, consistently leveraging its spectacle and mechanical depth to push aside any small frustrations. All the while, the story exudes a charismatic charm that keeps you constantly intrigued as you're refining your skills. DMC5 proves the series can still be brilliant and imaginative without compromising its longest-held traditions."
An American man has set a new record for the biggest video game collection. Antonio Monteiro has more than 20,000 games games in his home collection, which as you might have guessed is absolutely massive; it spans multiple rooms.
His library of games includes the complete North American collections for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Original Xbox, Xbox 360, Wii U, GameCub, Wii, Dream Cast, Sega Genesis, and others. He also has more than 1,000 Nintendo DS games.
Check out the video above to see Monterio's collection from his home in Richmond, Texas. According to the Guiness Book of World Records, Monteiro's collection is so massive that it took him eight days to count all the games to submit for the world record.
The game that started it all? Golden Axe. Monteiro thanked his mom and dad for buying him the game and helping kick off his interest and enthusiasm in video game collection. His favourite? Castlevania IV.
It looks like there might be some news about No More Heroes at E3 this year. Developer Goichi Suda, known as Suda51, said in a new interview that some news about the Travis Touchdown series could be on tap for the big-time gaming show in June.
The ending to the recent No More Heroes spinoff Travis Strikes Again very strongly suggested that a new No More Heroes game was in development. Asked by Siliconera about the ending, Suda replied with a laugh, "I wonder what that was myself."
"It might be Travis messing around. [Laughs] I hope around E3 time I'll have something cool to announce."
The No More Heroes series started with 2007's No More Heroes for Nintendo Wii. It was followed up by No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle, which was also released on Wii. The spinoff Travis Strikes Again came out in 2018 for Nintendo Switch. All of the games were published by Ubisoft in North America. During the Game Developers Conference in March, Suda tweeted a caption-free picture of the Ubisoft logo, for whatever that means.
The first trailer for the new zombie comedy The Dead Don't Die has arrived, and it's pretty great. Of course the zombie movie genre is well-trodden territory, but the cast of this new film from filmmaker Jim Jarmusch is what may set it apart.
The film stars a long list of huge names, including Bill Murry, Adam Driver, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Tilda Swinton, Danny Glover, Rosie Perez, and Caleb Landry Jones, along with singers Iggy Pop, RZA, Selena Gomez, and Tom Waits.
From the looks of the new trailer, it seems The Dead Don't Die will poke fun at zombie movies and break the fourth wall, and it'll be interesting to see what such a strong ensemble cast can deliver. The movie's description says it features the "greatest zombie cast ever disassembled."
The Dead Don't Die hits theatres on June 14. Jarmusch, who previously made Dead Man starring Johnny Depp, is writing and directing The Dead Don't Die.
Barring any last-minute changes, Halo: The Master Chief Collection may finally begin its release for PC in April. Community director Brian Jarrard said on Twitter that the current plan, which could change, is for the first beta tests--or "flights" in the Halo parlance--should begin for Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Halo: Reach sometime in April.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection is coming to PC in stages, beginning with Halo: Reach (which is also releasing for Xbox One) and continuing chronologically from there--Halo: CE, Halo 2, Halo 3, and then Halo 4. The titles will be released first as "flights," with the aim of testing each title with a limited group of people first before rolling out publicly for everyone. You can sign up for the free Halo Insider program here for a chance to try out the games early.
Halo: Reach is coming to both PC and Xbox One, and it will see a "flight" release first--on each platform--before coming out for everyone, Jarrard said in another tweet. He said he's not sure if the beta test for Halo: Reach will begin first on PC or Xbox One.
Happy April! If all goes according to plan, this is the month we start the first Reach/MCC flights. ✈️ 🤞
On PC, each title within the Halo: The Master Chief Collection will be sold individually, but the "flights" are free, if you get in. And in a big change for the series, Halo: The Master Chief Collection will be available through Steam.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection originally launched in November 2014 for Xbox One. It faced serious and significant server issues at launch that made the title basically unplayable for some. Microsoft improved the experience significantly over time, and today the title is mostly stable and highly populated with players thanks in part to its inclusion with Xbox Game Pass.
Do you plan to check out Halo: The Master Chief Collection on PC? Let us know in the comments below!
It's now April, which means the beginning of the end for Game of Thrones is near. As part of its onslaught of promotional activity for the final season, HBO has released a pair of promotional videos for Game of Thrones Season 8.
The first is titled "Together," and it features brief motivational speeches from both Tyrion and Jon, as we see preparations for a battle at Winterfell. The second is called "Survival," and it also features dragons flying over Winterfell and really hammers home that this is the end.
The promos contain some footage we've seen before, but also some new shots that tease the epic conclusion to the fantasy drama. Watch them both below.
Game of Thrones Season 8 premieres on April 14, with the remaining five episodes coming each week until mid-May. While there are only six episodes, they combine for a total of 432 minutes of runtime, or around 7.2 hours. Here's a full breakdown of each episode's premiere date and runtime.
The full trailer for Game of Thrones Season 8 was released in March. It focuses on setting up the the epic battle against the Night King and his army of the dead at Winterfell--for more insight, check out GameSpot's trailer breakdown.
Game of Thrones is ending, but a prequel is on the way, with X-Men: First Class' Jane Goldman serving as a showrunner for a story developed with series creator George RR Martin. The show is expected to start filming early this summer, but only pilot episodes have been ordered at this stage, so it's unknown if the program will get picked up to series.
Bethesda has announced that Rage 2 comes with a special cheat code when you pre-order the game. You can watch the effects of the code, called He's On Fire, in the trailer above.
First things first, this doesn't seem to be an April Fool's Day joke. For the He's On Fire trailer's YouTube video, Bethesda comments, "And yes… it's real." According to Polygon, a Bethesda representative assured "this is 100% real, it is not a prank." If you're looking for April Fool's Day jokes, though, we've collected a bunch of this year's pranks.
Inputting the code for He's On Fire allows you to play through the entirety of Rage 2 with Tim Kitzrow--who's probably best known in the gaming community for voicing the announcer in the NBA Jam franchise--providing play-by-play commentary on your actions. The trailer for He's On Fire suggests the commentary is pretty responsive for whatever you're doing in the game. You'll be able to expect classic lines from NBA Jam, such as "from downtown" and "boomshakalaka," but there are new Rage 2-themed ones as well, like "you just sliced her head right off" and "tang, tang boomerang."
The trailer does not provide any indication for how many lines have been recorded, nor if Kitzrow provides commentary for actions done outside of battle. So what could be a pretty funny, clever idea might actually end up being pretty annoying. We'll just have to wait and see.
Rage 2 is the surprise sequel that no one expected to ever be announced. The game is being made by Just Cause 3's Avalanche Studios with joint-development support from id Software. Like its predecessor, Rage 2 gives you a large assortment of firearms and weapons to use in your fight across the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Earth. Rage 2 also sees the return of the first game's fascination with murderous cars and trucks, but puts a greater emphasis on vehicular warfare.
We got to play two hours of Rage 2 at a press preview event, and enjoyed how the game makes you feel like an unstoppable superhero. Rage 2 is releasing on May 14, and is scheduled for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
One of the year's biggest gaming shows, E3 2019, returns to Los Angeles in June. While Sony and Electronic Arts are breaking from tradition and eschewing their own press conferences, the show is still expected to be packed with news and reveals. The show is still a few months off, but companies are already announcing, or beginning to announce, the first details on their events.
In this post we're rounding up all the important times and dates for E3 2019 leading up to the show in June.
While E3 2019 officially runs June 11-13, events related to it begin earlier. EA's EA Play event begins Friday, June 7. The first major press conference, from Bethesda, will be held on Sunday, June 9, with briefings from Microsoft and Nintendo expected to follow thereafter. You can see the full schedule so far below; we'll keep updating this post as more information comes to light.
Friday, June 7
Electronic Arts -- The EA Play event begins at the Hollywood Palladium. Attendees can play unreleased EA games and watch presentations. EA Play runs through June 11. [More details]
Saturday, June 8
Nintendo -- The Mario company is holding an eSports tournament in Los Angeles. The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate World Championship 2019 3v3 tournament and the Splatoon 2 World Championship 2019 tournament will be held on June 8. [More details]
Ubisoft -- The Assassin's Creed company will hold its briefing on June 10 at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET. Little is known about what Ubisoft will talk about, but one rumour is a Watch Dogs 3 reveal. [More details]
PC Gaming Show -- The PC-focused briefing is expected to return on June 10, though a specific time for it hasn't been announced yet. [More details]
Tuesday, June 11
Nintendo typically holds its pre-recorded Nintendo Direct E3 briefings on the Tuesday morning of E3 week, so if history holds, you can expect that to happen again. However, Nintendo hasn't made any official announcements about a Nintendo Direct E3 briefing as of yet.
June 11-13
E3 2019's show floor is open June 11-14. Like the two previous years, E3 2019 is selling tickets to the public. [More details]
Unknown
Microsoft's E3 2018 briefing shifted from its usual Monday timeslot to Sunday afternoon, but the company hasn't announced plans for 2019 yet. The company will be at E3, and it plans to "go big," according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer. Microsoft is expected to announce its new consoles and share more details about Halo Infinite during E3 2019 but nothing is confirmed at this stage.
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E3 2019 is the final year that E3 is confirmed to be held in Los Angeles. It's possible the show could move to a new location in 2020, but nothing has been announced as of yet. The ESA, which organises E3 every year, has asked the Los Angeles Convention Center to upgrade its facilities, or else it might try to look elsewhere for a new venue.
In a video celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Elder Scrolls series, it is seemingly confirmed that Shirley Curry, the grandmother who streams Elder Scrolls games on Twitch, will appear in The Elder Scrolls VI in some capacity. This follows a Change.org petition that called for Bethesda to put Curry in the game as an NPC, weapon, or location.
"This means a lot to me, because I would be extremely happy to know that somebody else was playing with my character in a future Elder Scrolls game," Curry says in the video.
Also in the video, Bethesda confirms it's using "photogrammetry" technology--whereby real pictures are scanned to make more realistic-looking assets--for its future games. This will allow future Bethesda titles to look more graphically impressive, Bethesda said. Specifically, the developer said the advancements it's making will allow the studio to "push our future tech for games to levels we have not done before." Photogrammetry is also used by DICE in franchises like Battlefield and Battlefront.
Bethesda also talked about the reaction to announcing The Elder Scrolls VI at E3 last year. "Watching the fan reaction videos for The Elder Scrolls VI and seeing people get emotional about it; it's a pretty incredible feeling," senior designer Jeff Browne says in the video.
"It's sort of an obsession to make the perfect Elder Scrolls game, so I don't think that's ever going to go away," art director Matt Carofano says.
The Elder Scrolls VI is currently in development, but it's not coming soon. It will release after Bethesda's first new IP in 25 years, Starfield, and even that game isn't coming soon. Starfield and Elder Scrolls VI may not release on the current generation of consoles.
The Wolfenstein series' first co-op experience is nearly here: Wolfenstein: Youngblood will release on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC on July 26, publisher Bethesda recently announced. Initially revealed at E3 2018, Youngblood is a tale of two sisters, Jess and Soph, who are searching for their lost father (and main series protagonist), BJ Blazkowicz. Their journey will take you through 1980s Paris and, as always, involve killing a lot of Nazis.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood's co-op experience can be played online with a friend or solo with an AI companion. The game's Deluxe edition comes with a particularly great perk: a Buddy Pass that allows you to partner up with a friend even if they don't own the game. While you can only play with one friend at a time, the pass can be reused as many times as you want. And anyone who plays Youngblood using a friend's Buddy Pass can choose to upgrade to the full game at any time. The only restriction for Buddy Pass players is that they won't be able to earn Achievements or Trophies while playing on console.
Besides the new co-op gameplay, Youngblood is bringing fresh elements to the series, including new abilities, weapon attachments, gadgets, and more. Plus, you'll have access to improved weapons from Wolfenstein II: New Colossus, along with brand-new weapons like the Maschinepistole and the Elektrokraftwerk.
Whether you're a long-term Wolfenstein fan or thinking about checking out the series for the first time, here's what you need to know about Youngblood's pre-order bonuses and two available editions.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood pre-order bonuses
There are some decent incentives for securing your copy of Wolfenstein: Youngblood early. If you order either the standard edition or the Deluxe edition, you'll get the Legacy Pack, which includes multiple weapons and outfits used by BJ Blazkowicz in previous Wolfenstein games.
New Colossus Jacket power suit skin
BJ's U.S. Army power suit skin
Old Blood Pipe
Old Blood Knife
WW2 Weapon Skin Set, for all ranged weapons
If you pre-order a digital download from the PlayStation Store, you'll also receive a Wolfenstein: Youngblood official static theme for free.
Pre-order Wolfenstein: Youngblood standard edition
If you decide to pre-order the standard edition of Youngblood, you'll receive the base game and Legacy Pack pre-order bonuses. To play online with a friend, both you and your partner will have to own the game. The standard edition is selling for $30, and it's only available as a digital download if you live in Europe, Australia, or New Zealand.
Along with the base game and Legacy Pack pre-order bonuses, the Deluxe edition comes with the Buddy Pass, letting you play with a friend who doesn't already own the game; and the Cyborg Skin Pack, a cosmetic set that includes shiny cyborg skins for the sisters' power suits, an armor-boosting pep signal, titanium skins for all weapons, and a titanium hatchet and knife. The Deluxe edition is selling for $40.
In what seems to be a mistake of setting a web page live a little too early, new details on Valve's own gaming VR headset, called the Index, have emerged. This includes the minimum and recommended PC hardware requirements, what comes in the packaging, and (apparently) a definitive release date.
The initial Valve Index announcement was made last week with an official Steam page that indicates a May 2019 release window. However, the seemingly leaked store page (which is no longer live) listed a release date of June 15. Note that this could either be a placeholder date or a mistake; or this could be the actual launch for the VR headset.
Update (April 1, 2019): GameSpot's sister site CNET reports that preorders will begin on May 1 and that Valve Index will launch with the company's new SteamVR Knuckles controllers.
Additionally, the minimum and recommended PC specs were shown and appear to be in line with the other PC-based VR headsets. You'll need at least a dual-core CPU with hyper-threading, 8GB of RAM, and a GTX 970 or RX 480 video card--Valve recommends a quad-core CPU and a GTX 1070 video card or better. You will also need DisplayPort 1.2 and USB ports (of course), though the recommended specs say that a USB 3.0 port is required for the headset pass-through camera.
A more detailed look at the Valve Index VR headset.
As for the packaged goods, the headset includes integrated headphones, two face pads (narrow and wide), a cleaning cloth, a power adapter, and tether for DisplayPort and USB connections. With the new image (seen above), you get a clearer view of the two front-facing cameras, which will be used as pass-through, indicated by the recommended specs list. The image also shows what could be two built-in sensors just above the cameras. A separate Steam page also went up for the Valve Index base station; no images were on the page though it simply said that this includes one SteamVR 2.0 base station, one "XX-foot" power cable, and a power adapter. This also had a release date of June 2019 listed. Pricing for Index remains to be a question, however, as neither the official announcement or leaked store page made any indication.
The Steam page with the details discussed above is no longer live, but you can see a screenshot of it below--it's mostly comprised of 'lorem ipsum' filler text. For more on what's coming for VR gaming in 2019, check out all the details we gathered about the Oculus Rift S and Oculus Quest coming this spring for $400 USD.
Ring of Honor wrestler and leader of The Kingdom Matt Taven has an epic challenge in front of him at ROH/NJPW G1 Supercard on Saturday, April 6 at Madison Square Garden. He'll be taking on World Champion Jay Lethal and Marty Scurll in a ladder match for the title.
Taven is confident in his ability and truly believes he is the champion to the point where he made his own title, which Jay Lethal destroyed with an axe. The two faced each other at the ROH 17th Anniversary show for the championship, which ended in a time limit draw. This is where Marty Scurll entered the picture, inserting himself into the main event.
Lethal and Taven's match was a classic, but the leader of the Kingdom knows he can beat the Ring of Honor World Championship in the ladder match. "For what he did in the 60 minute match against me, he sometimes will go for go for it all and risk it all," Taven told GameSpot. "You saw him try to drop that elbow while I was lying on the ladder, and I was able to get a get out of the way and let Jay Lethal crash and burn. And I think Jay Lethal might get caught up in the moment and try to go for something spectacular and set a goal for the win."
As for Scurll's involvement with the match, Taven isn't worried, even though The Kingdom lost the Six-Man Tag Team Championship to Scurll and Villain Enterprises at a recent Ring of Honor show. "For Marty, he's a little bit intimidated from the ladder," Taven continued. "You know, I can't remember a time when he was in this situation or had that kind of mean streak in his body. But I think that the fact that you're going to put a foreign object in that ring and let every competitor be able to use it is going to be Marty's detriment. I don't think he can be prepared for what I'm going to do to him with a ladder my hands."
Moving beyond Supercard, if Taven successfully beats his opponents, he plans on making some changes as a leader in the locker room. "First I replace that awful [Ring of Honor World Championship] belt and you know bring back some prestige to that title. I was walking around with the beautiful, glorious, spectacular title that Jay Lethal was just so jealous of that he had to bash it to pieces.
"[His original title] is with me. And what I do with it is my own business. But I was in no way going to try to duct tape it back together, make it look make-shift in any sort of way. That title was, you know, a prize for the to be admired. And when it gets redone, it'll give it its glory, but also continue the tradition of being the most prestigious title in wrestling. The original one is done, and I have it, but that's all I'm going to say about it. And you know, it lives in a very soft spot in my heart."
When Taven discusses bringing prestige back, he wants to be a celebrated champion, as he's accomplished more than most who have held the World Championship. "I've done nothing but put myself in the record book in ways that other people can't top you know," Taven explained. There's not many people say that they are--there's only one other person that can say they held titles in CMLL [Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre], New Japan, and Ring of Honor. I'll be one of two to hold all the Ring of Honor title and when I held that TV Title, I held it for the longest reign of anyone in history, and that's what I want to do with the world title.
"Now there's some prestigious names on that list and you know that they want to say that Jay Lethal has the most days as World Champion. I think that's crap because I've been the real World Champion for the last nine months and you can scrap that nine months right off his record. But, you know, to me Samoa Joe had the longest reign for Ring of Honor World Champion, and I would like to surpass that."
You can see if Taven will defeat Lethal and Scurll at ROH/NJPW G1 Supercard on Saturday, April 6 from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The event airs live at 7:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM PT on pay-per-view and streaming free for all HonorClub members. HonorClub content can be streamed via the ROH and FITE apps and at ROHHonorClub.com.
With the upcoming arrival of Dark Phoenix, the future of the X-Men film franchise is in a strange position. In the wake of Disney's purchase of 20th Century Fox, and the rights to the Marvel characters it controlled, it seems to be a foregone conclusion that the team of mutant superheroes would become part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
But what about the universe that's been built over the last 20 years through X-Men movies? If the continuity of this franchise ends, will fans get a sense of closure from Dark Phoenix? That's the question GameSpot posed to Dark Phoenix director Simon Kingberg and producer Hutch Parker at WonderCon, during a roundtable interview.
"When I first started talking with Hutch and the studio about the movie, and when I first started writing it, which was three plus years ago--it takes a long time to gestate a movie--long before there was any idea of a Disney acquisition of Fox, I felt as though, and we all did that, this was the culmination of this cycle of X-Men movies," Kingberg said. "Not necessarily the end, but the culmination. You've lived with this family for 20 years now in one form or another, and 10-plus years with the X-Men: First Class family. And that this story, which is the ultimate and most iconic X-Men story was sort of an opportunity to test that family more than they've been tested, break that family part like they've never been broken apart before, bring them back together, ultimately, in a new configuration. It would feel as though you had culminated where those characters could go within this cycle, and started something really quite new by the end of this movie, as you'll see. And so yeah, I think fans will feel closure, but not because of the merger. That's something that happened even after we were shooting, so the movie was in the can already."
Instead, part of what made him think about giving fans that culmination was the unlikelihood they'd be able to reunite the cast, many of whom have become in-demand stars, again after Dark Phoenix. "I also felt like, this was probably the last time we were going to get Michael [Fassbender] and James [McAvoy] and Jennifer [Lawrence], and Nicholas [Hoult], maybe, for these films," he continued. "And so there was this feeling of if, in fact, this is the last of this cycle, and it was an if, and it remains an if, then this is the right story to tell to do that."
For Parker, though, it's not just about a culmination of the current cycle of the franchise. Some of the closure, in his mind, is due to the creative team's reluctance to hold anything back. "There's a tendency when you're making movies that you know are part of a sequence of movies to hold back and to sort of play it safe to keep some powder dry for the next one. And, and I don't think these movies can afford that," the producer explained. "I think you have to kind of go into movies now, given how competitive landscape is, and play everything you've got. And that's part of what was behind certain decisions, maybe shocking traumatic ones of killing off characters, are seeing some of the philosophies run their course or emotional ideas be completed. So for me, there's a lot of closure just in that, just in feeling like it's not full of lots of dangling potential winks. It's really taking ideas and saying we're going to play them through and that's a bittersweet quality, but I also think it's part of what makes the movie feel more emotional and more substantive."
If anything, it's been clear from the beginning that this movie was laying it all out on the table, with the first trailer confirming the death of a major character. As for how fans will feel once the film concludes, that remains to be seen. Dark Phoenix arrives in theaters on June 7.
Google Maps has released a "new game" for April Fool's Day called Snake. The title is free-to-play, and doesn't require any sort of download. This new game does actually exist, unlike some other April Fools' Day jokes, and you can play it right now. The joke Google is making is that Snake--a game that's decades old--is somehow new.
Google's Snake is relatively simple. After booting it up, you select one of seven different locations--Cairo, São Paulo, London, Sydney, San Francisco, Tokyo, or the whole world. You then take control of a train that's constantly moving forward, which you can redirect with the arrow keys on your computer. Your goal is to pick up passengers and drop them off at city landmarks, all while avoiding driving into the ocean. As you pick up passengers, the train grows longer, making it easier for you to accidentally corner yourself.
According to GameSpot sister site CNET, a Google spokesperson said that Snake will remain available to play on Google Maps for about a week. This isn't the first time Google has made an old-school style game for April Fools' Day, as, back in 2015, a Pac-Man game was added to Google Maps. For more gaming-related April Fool's Day gags going on this year, check out our round-up.
The original Snake released on the Nokia 6110 back in 1997. In it, you did play as an actual snake. The mechanics and goals of the game are similar to Google Maps' title, only you were eating little dots as opposed to picking up passengers.
Google recently made a fairly large splash in the gaming industry with the announcement of Stadia, a cloud-based streaming service designed solely for video games. The service is scheduled to launch in the US, Canada, UK, and most of Europe within 2019. Both Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Doom Eternal have been confirmed for the platform. With Stadia, games can be streamed to any Google-connected device, whether that's a mobile phone, tablet, computer, or TV. We had the opportunity to try Stadia at GDC 2019, and though we weren't blown away, Google's service has potential.
With only two episodes left, Gotham has finally revealed its final version of its take on The Joker. After Jeremiah (Cameron Monaghan) got dumped into a vat of chemicals by Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz), fans waited eagerly to see what the outcome would be. Now, to celebrate April Fools' Day, Mr. J has delivered a couple of treats.
While this new poster and trailer stop short of flat-out calling the character Joker, something Gotham has shied away from doing since Jerome--the first iteration of the character--was introduced in Season 1, it's hard to deny it at this point. Still, the teaser trailer lists the character's name as J.
The teaser also shows what happened to Jeremiah after his Ace Chemicals bath. Horribly scarred, he's locked up in Arhkam Asylum and seems numb to the world as the song "I Feel Pretty" plays until something knocks him out of his stupor. "I feel something new," he says. "Something beautiful." The next show shows the character with his face painted white and The Joker's trademark red lipstick, while maniacal laughter echoes.
While this may be a shocking new look for the Jeremiah character, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Firstly, the series finale of Gotham will feature a 10-year time jump, which finds Bruce Wayne returning to the city as Batman. Additionally, Gotham executive producer John Stephens previously told GameSpot that the final evolution of this character would lean into the horror side of Joker.
"When you look at the Joker, and you break down elements of his personality, and you cleave off certain character traits," he explained. "Some of those character traits we gave to Jerome. Some of those character traits we gave to Jeremiah. But, there were still some leftover character traits that we said, we haven't used these elements yet. Specifically to me, horror or terror. I feel like there are elements of the Joker, some iterations of him, which he's not just a clown prince of crime, but he's actually a nightmare. And I feel like... some of those remain to be explored."
Gotham returns to Fox for its penultimate episode on Thursday, April 18. The series finale, which includes the introduction of Batman, follows one week later. Meanwhile, DC's Joker movie is moving ahead, and we just got a new look at its titular character ahead of a new trailer's debut.
Battle royale is everywhere, from Battlefield V to Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Even Tetris has been infected, with Tetris 99 offering the same every-player-for-themself design in the Tetris universe. While the genre's overflowing with a myriad of titles, the man who popularized it in the video game space, Brendan "PlayerUnknown" Greene, is moving on to something new.
Greene recently announced that his "new day-to-day focus will be heading up to a new division of PUBG Corp.: PUBG Special Projects." Green served as both the director and designer of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, and while he'll "remain as a consulting creative director on PUBG," he's leaving the project behind to concentrate on new initiatives for the company. He's also leaving PUBG Corp.'s headquarters in Seoul, which will continue to work on PUBG, and moving to the newly-established Amsterdam office where he'll put his attention "on building out an entirely new division to focus on research & game development."
In a new interview, Greene signaled that he's also done with the battle royale genre. "The last man standing concept is great, but I've done that," Greene said in a GamesIndustry.biz interview. "I don't really intend to make PUBG 2. I've done battle royale, it's time to try something else." Greene also doesn't have much interest in players killing each other anymore, either. "I think I've provided others with a good way of killing each other. But I want to explore some other things."
So what exactly is Greene doing now? According to GI.Biz, PUBG Corp. CEO Chang Han Kim approached Greene about taking the ideas in his head and "[turning them] into something that may be playable." Kim's allowing Greene to form a new team in a new location to create new things. The purpose of Special Projects, it seems, is to experiment. There are no in-depth details "because I don't have them yet," Greene said, but he does want to continue "[exploring] online experiences and how to connect people in ways that we haven't really done before."
Greene's considered the father of the battle royale gaming genre. With both H1Z1 and PUBG, Greene's proved that it's possible--albeit difficult--to strike gold twice. However, according to Greene, there's no pressure to strike gold again with Special Projects. "There is no deadline here, this is us with a few years to play," he said. "Gaming and the industry has become so hard this is a very lucky thing to have. We can genuinely explore and be curious for some time."
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