Dauntless, the free-to-play Monster Hunter-like action RPG from Phoenix Labs, has gotten an official release date. The game was originally slated to launch for PS4 and Xbox One in April 2019, but it is now hitting both consoles--along with the Epic Games Store--next week, on May 21.
Launching alongside the game is the Season 5 Hunt Pass, dubbed Hidden Blades. Similar to Fortnite's seasonal Battle Pass, Dauntless's Hunt Pass gives holders a chance to unlock special cosmetic items and other rewards. With this season's pass, the Shattered Isles will receive a makeover for the Moon Blossom Festival, and there will be an assortment of ninja-themed gear to earn.
In addition to the new Hunt Pass content, Dauntless is launching next week with all of the features and gameplay improvements that Phoenix Labs introduced recently as part of the game's open beta. Among those is the Mastery system, which the developer says "offers a new way for Slayers to hone their skills, earn experience, unlock achievements, and acquire new rewards." The game's campaign has also received a "massive rework."
Finally, players who begin their Dauntless journey next week will have the option of picking up a new Arcslayer Pack. This bundle comes with a new set of mech-inspired armor, premium currency, and a handful of consumable items to help you out on a hunt. With the game's official launch looming, Phoenix Labs will soon be retiring the open beta's Ramsguard packs, so if you've yet to pick those up, this is your last chance to do so.
Dauntless is also coming to Switch and mobile devices, although no release date for those platforms has been announced yet. In the meantime, you can watch us take down one of the game's many behemoths in the video above. You can also read what Phoenix Labs has to say on why Dauntless is coming to the Epic Store instead of Steam.
Join GameSpot as we celebrate gaming history and give recognition to the most influential games of the 21st century. These aren't the best games, and they aren't necessarily games that you need to rush out and play today, but there's no question that they left an indelible impact on game developers, players, and in some cases, society at large.
There's no denying that Nintendo's current identity is deeply tied to the lasting influence and legacy of the Wii. The innovative motion-control-centric console broke down the restrictive barriers on games with a novelty done right, successfully opening the medium's floodgates to new audiences. But the Wii would not be the smash hit it was if not for its massively popular pack-in, Wii Sports. A mini-game collection that emphasized simplicity and accessibility above all else, Wii Sports wasn't about blowing your mind with spectacular high-definition graphics, nor was it keen on being the revolutionary next step in game design. Like the Wii, it focused on one thing: reaching people who had not played video games before. Wii Sports single-handedly drove the success of the motion-control trend while expanding the game industry's demographic reach. But more importantly, it set the trajectory for how the industry would approach accessibility.
It's hard to imagine what Nintendo would be like today without the success of the Wii. During the generation prior, the GameCube garnered positive reception but proved to be one of Nintendo's weakest-performing in sales. Dwindling third-party support, limited online support, and lack of DVD functionality also created a significant disparity between the console and its competitors. Despite Nintendo's historical influence on the industry, the company was struggling to maintain market relevance for the first time since rising to prominence in the '80s. This made the Wii's humble processing power and emphasis on motion-controls all the riskier. In a volatile industry where competitors were constantly trying to one-up the power of each other's boxes, the Wii felt like an all-or-nothing play.
Based on the technical specifications of the Wii and where the games industry was going in the mid-2000s, it looked like the console was going to end up an ambitious yet short-lived footnote in history. And perhaps it would've been if not for Wii Sports. Like the console, it exemplified a philosophy of accessibility that set itself apart from the more complex multiplayer shooters and cinematic adventures both Microsoft and Sony were offering. Wii Sports was easy to understand, basing its motion-controlled mini-games around universally popular sports like tennis, bowling, baseball, and golf. Each game was instantly intuitive where simply observing how the Wii remote's motion-sensing tech worked was enough to get in on the action. Importing user-created Mii avatars into the proceedings further elevated the inclusive charm of playing alongside family and friends.
Wii Sports was great fun, but it wasn't the most mechanically complex game out there. Critics were quick to point out how the collection felt more proof-of-concept than anything else. The late Ryan Davis, former GameSpot editor and Giant Bomb co-founder, said in his review: "Though there's still kind of a tech-demo feel to Wii Sports, it's a fun, unique package you'll enjoy so long as you don't expect too much detail from it." IGN's Matt Cassamasina shared a similar sentiment. "Play it for an hour with friends and you'll love it, but the title sacrifices incredible depth and visuals for an immediately accessible experience."
It's true that Wii Sports lacked nuance but its elegant simplicity was more than enough to excite a massive audience both young and old, experienced and inexperienced--the exact demographic Nintendo was looking to attract. Almost immediately after Wii and Wii Sports hit stores, you'd hear stories of parents, who never once expressed interest in games, asking if their kids could set them up to play Wii Sports. The universal appeal spoke for itself, and thanks to a marketing campaign that showcased just that, hundreds of people were lining up to purchase a Wii for Wii Sports alone. The game's impact even stretched outside the living room in subsequent years; it was used to help the elderly exercise in senior homes, it helped patients recovering in physical therapy, and it even served as a training tool in medical schools to improve surgeon hand-eye coordination during laparoscopic procedures.
Though there were several experiences on the Wii that contributed to its cultural and financial success, it was Wii Sports that became synonymous with the console. The game sparked an oversaturated market of imitators from various developers, which unfortunately served to the console's detriment. If you entered a games store during that time, you were often met by a sea of Wii Sports clones. None would capture the magic of Nintendo's pack-in, but it certainly didn't stop publishers from trying--even Sony and Microsoft. The Wii's success by way of Wii Sports was unprecedented, which naturally influenced both industry giants to produce their own unique lines of accessible hardware and Wii Sports-like mini-game collections. Sony had its more advanced motion-tracking PlayStation Move controllers, while Microsoft removed controllers from the equation entirely with the Kinect, a webcam-style (though much more advanced) peripheral that made your body the controller. Where both offered intriguing new takes on motion-control tech and design, neither would make the same impact.
No matter which console you're playing, the legacy of Wii and Wii Sports is present and lasting.
The popularity of Wii and Wii Sports was lightning in a bottle, a pioneering accomplishment that would set the stage for games moving forward. That prosperity reverberated across the industry, emphasizing design that could appeal to a wider market. The Wii recultivated and expanded the audience for games, resulting in an even greater demand for experiences that anyone could pick up and play. Not all companies would strive for the simplicity exhibited by Wii Sports, and subsequent experiments and iterations varied in quality, but the hunger that Nintendo inspired in developers and publishers to pursue game design with universal appeal remained.
Nintendo's reputation shifted in the industry thanks to the Wii and Wii Sports. Both challenged people's perception of games and who could play them. While the company's equally popular DS handheld was also influential in this regard, the innovation of the Wii fully cemented Nintendo as a creative force well-capable of producing brilliant unorthodox games and hardware. It's why audiences barely batted an eye when Nintendo announced that the Switch would be a similarly underpowered console and that it would focus on portable play. Nintendo proved with the Wii that it's not all about graphical fidelity and technical power, but about what games can do and how you can play them. On the other hand, Wii Sports' innovative approach to motion-controls as a natural extension of your will appears today in VR, a platform that's directly continuing from where the Wii left off. No matter which console you're playing, the legacy of Wii and Wii Sports is present and lasting.
In the 13 years since the launch of Wii Sports, we continue to reap the benefits of Nintendo's gamble. Without that industry shaking success, the much-loved company would likely be a very different entity than it is today. Nintendo's subsequent attempts at iterating upon the formula of Wii Sports never quite received the same fervor, but it did little to discourage the company from reaching into the same outside-the-box thinking that inspired the pack-in. It's clear now more than ever that Nintendo is a company that continues to attract both new and old audiences with its accessibility and creativity; a quality that truly sets it apart from the technical, more traditional leanings of its competitors. But this reputation would not exist if not for that little white box and the infectious sports mini-game collection it came with.
Oddworld: New N Tasty was a chance for the creators of the classic series to start fresh with a remake of Abe's Odyssey, and now Oddworld: Soulstorm is looking to be a completely expanded do-over of its sequel, Abe's Exoddus, which takes elements from the original but totally pushes it to new limits.
Soulstorm picks up right after New N Tasty, and follows Abe and his newly freed Mudokons as they search for a new home. The refugees discover a mysterious strange brew in the wilderness, making for an all-new set of challenges to overcome. The upcoming game features an expanded story and scope from the original, completely new and remixed cutscenes, and far more advanced combat with a crafting system and more mobility options.
Oddworld Inhabitants, the studio leading the effort, says this is a chance for it to do right by the series. The original Abe's Exoddus was rushed through in just nine months, and it believes Soulstorm will allow it to flesh out the ideas it had years ago in a more polished package. Oddworld Inhabitants is getting assists from several studios across North America, the UK, and Australia.
"After we had the success of New N Tasty, we decided it was good to take our shot," said Oddworld series creator Lorne Lanning during a recent chat about Soulstorm. "Do or die. Put it all on red and see if we could re-do the second part as it was originally intended. A completely fresh remake that would reboot the [Oddworld] quintology back to its original big vision--the one we probably weren't smart enough to execute it at that time, but maybe we are now. That became Soulstorm."
To ring in the announcement, Oddworld released a new trailer for Soulstorm, detailing both the legacy of Abe and of his series. You can get a glimpse of the elevated graphical fidelity of the game's presentation, as well as what the expanded combat options look like in action.
"Despite the ads, and occasional frustrations from the fiddly analogue movement, this is a remake that feels as though it was crafted with love and respect," Daniel Hindes wrote in GameSpot's review of Oddworld: New N Tasty. "With clever puzzles near identical to the original game, and beautiful environments brought to life with new visuals and a dynamic camera, New 'n' Tasty satiated me, even though I'm an Oddworld veteran and know each solution and secret area like the back of my (scarred) hand."
If you've been paying attention to what's going on in May with Netflix, then you're probably aware that the past month has made a pretty big shift towards Netflix original content. With Disney+ looming on the horizon, Netflix is losing some of its movies and TV series; however, there are still plenty of original shows and movies to check out.
This week, there are a couple of original series you may want to check out. First is Season 3 of Nailed It. The cooking competition show has at-home cooks, who are terrible at the craft, trying to recreate artist deserts and failing miserably. Then, we all laugh at how bad their cakes or whatever look and go about our days. Nailed It: Season 3 comes to Netflix on Friday.
Also arriving Friday is Season 2 of The Rain. The Danish series takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where rain clouds carry a virus that has wiped out humanity in Scandinavia. The show follows two children who are trying to find their scientist father who left them in a bunker five years prior to avoid the virus.
Below, you'll find this week's releases for everything on Netflix. If you're interested in more hot content from streaming services, check out the May releases for Hulu, Shudder, and Amazon Prime Video.
Coming to Netflix this week:
May 12
Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj: Volume 3 -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
May 13
Malibu Rescue -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
May 14
revisions -- NETFLIX ANIME
Still LAUGH-IN: The Stars Celebrate -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The latest season of Star Trek: Discovery might have come to an end, but fans won't have to wait long for the next show in the long-running sci-fi franchise. The currently-untitled series focusing on iconic Next Generation character Jean-Luc Picard arrives on CBS All-Access in the Fall, and it has been announced that the show will be released internationally by Amazon Prime Video.
The news comes via Picard actor Patrick Stewart himself, who took to Twitter to make the announcement. Stewart states that the show will be available outside the US and Canada on Prime Video. Sadly, the actor didn't reveal the title of the show--or when exactly it will be released--but presumably that will all be confirmed in the coming months. Check it out below.
Each episode of the Picard show will be released onto Prime Video 24 hours after its broadcast on CBS All-Access. In Canada, the show will be available on Space. Outside the US, all other Star Trek shows--including Discovery and older series such as The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and the Original Series--are currently available on Netflix.
While we don't yet know when we will see the Picard series, a few details have been released about it. The show will be set after the dissolution of the Romulan Empire, and according to Star Trek producer Alex Kurtzman, it will be a "more meditative" show than Discovery. "The mandate was to make it a more psychological show," he told the LA Times. "A character study about this man in his emeritus years. There are so few shows that allow a significantly older protagonist to be the driver...It'll be very different than Discovery. It'll be slower, more meditative. It speaks to the rainbow of colors we're playing with in all these different shows."
There are also several other Star Trek shows on the way. It was recently reported that an animated series aimed at a younger audience was in development at Nickelodeon. In addition, a Discovery spin-off starring Michelle Yeoh as Terran Emperor and Section 31 agent Philippa Georgiou is in the works, while Discovery itself has also been renewed for a third season. In addition, a series aimed at a more mature audience titled Lower Decks is on the way from Rick and Morty head writer Mike McMahan. For more Star Trek, check out GameSpot's guide to all the Easter Eggs in Discovery Season 2.
Disclosure: CBS Interactive is the parent company of GameSpot.
Almost nine years after its predecessor launched, Rage 2 is nearly here--releasing tomorrow on May 14 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. Now that the review embargo has lifted on the game, we know whether Rage 2 is any good.
In GameSpot's Rage 2 review, Michael Higham awarded the game a 6/10. He said the game contains a "variety of clever, destructive abilities [that] make combat a blast," but also an "underwhelming narrative and bland characters." Thanks to Rage 2's DLC roadmap, we know the game is getting some interesting Twitch features in the future, so hopefully that fleshes out the game a little bit.
You can read a selection of other critics' verdicts below. Alternatively, for a wider view on critical opinion, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
GameSpot -- 6/10
"Rage 2 is at its best when you're given the chance to keep up a gratifying momentum in combat, but struggles to set up the scenarios its combat deserves. It's satisfying in the way clearing out an open-world checklist is, especially because powers are such a joy to use. The disappointment comes from the fact that those activities are rudimentary in nature and the decent ones end well before you get your fill." -- Michael Higham [Full review]
Shacknews -- 5/10
"As much as I wanted Rage 2 to work, it just doesn't deliver the best that it could from the two top-notch studios working on it. Right now, I can't rightfully recommend picking it up at full price, as I just don't feel there's enough content here to warrant what they're asking. The developers do have a lot of plans to continue creating content in the future, though, so maybe we'll see a game worth returning to after a few months. For now, Rage 2 feels like the final shrill beep on the ECG before the flatline hits. The last flutter of life the series had to offer, squandered away." -- Josh Hawkins [Full Review]
PC Gamer -- Review-In-Progress
"Rage 2 is a really good videogame, but an inconsistent one. The combat is sensational and some of the story mission set-pieces are brilliantly constructed. But then it falls flat when it comes to world-building and creating a compelling sense of place; something the original game, for all its flaws, did pretty well. But when you're in the thick of a firefight, chaining power combos, unloading that sublime shotgun into those cocky wasteland bandits, you won't give a damn. I need to play a little more before I stick a final score on the end, but overall I'm pleasantly surprised by Rage 2. Avalanche has done a stellar job giving this largely forgotten series an exciting new lease of life." -- Andy Kelly [Full Review-In-Progress]
"In Rage 2, you move fast and kill faster. It's the synthesis between id Software's 2016 reboot of Doom and Avalanche Studios' Mad Max, bringing together some of the best ideas from both. Moment-to-moment play on foot is fantastic with each weapon and ability just opening up your options for destruction. Driving could be improved and it's a little on the shorter side, but Rage 2 is a damned good time." -- Mike Williams [Full review]
VG24/7 -- No score
"The interplay between the AI, your abilities, the physics of the world, and your guns is some of the best I've seen, and I never thought I would be saying anything like that about a sequel to Brown Shooter: Apocalypse. There's much more to this than its kooky, pink-hued marketing campaign. If you sleep on it, you're sleeping on one of the best--if not the best--single-player FPS games of this generation." -- Kirk McKeand [Full review]
GamesRadar+ -- 3/5
"Rage 2's core combat feels so much like Doom in an open world, and it wouldn't surprise me if that's exactly what this was--developer id Software testing the waters for such a concept. But were that concept ever to be made real, it will need to be executed much better than this. The Rage 2 roadmap has already been revealed, showcasing world events and wasteland challenges in an effort to follow in the footsteps of successful games like Destiny 2 and The Division 2, but the difference is that this is a single player game. Anyone who purchases this game on launch is undoubtedly expecting a full release, rather than a relatively empty world that will be later populated with content under the guise of the 'Games as a Service' industry trend. There is no reason for so much content to be time-gated. Were everything that is planned to arrive in the coming months, there's a chance that Rage 2 could have felt like a more complete package at launch--a game that has content to complement its excellent weapons and core action. Sadly, that isn't the case and the result is a sequel hasn't impressed me all that much at all, but it won't be laid to rest until the roadmap comes to a close for a game many people will have grown bored of." -- Ford James [Full review]
IGN -- 8.0/10
"With its large open world and vast array of upgrades to earn, Rage 2 feels very much like an antidote for Far Cry fans who have overdosed on that particular style and want a new take on the large-scale shooter-RPG idea. Though Avalanche hasn't quite figured out what makes a world feel alive and dynamic or how to make good use of its vehicles, it absolutely nails the moment-to-moment combat thanks to a Doom-inspired energetic pace that few shooters manage to pull off. Combined with a steady stream of great weapons, abilities, and upgrades, its firefights are constantly reinvigorated even as mission objectives become repetitive." -- Dan Stapleton [Full review]
Sony's PS4 exclusive Days Gone has finished top of the UK physical games chart for the week ending May 11, according to sales monitor Chart-Track. Bend Studio's post-apocalyptic title has now finished top of the all-format chart for three weeks in a row.
In another quiet week for new releases, much of the chart paints a familiar picture. The top six are entirely unchanged, with Mortal Kombat 11 and FIFA 19 remaining in No.2 and No.3, respectively. The only new entry in the top 40 is the Nintendo Switch version of Saints Row: The Third - The Full Package, which debuts at No.15.
Days Gone's continued chart success comes despite a mixed critical reception, including a 5/10 from GameSpot. "I did a lot of things in Days Gone," said Kallie Plagge in our Days Gone review. "I burned every single Freaker nest; I cleared every ambush camp; I maxed out my bike; I took out a few optional hordes just because. Like Deacon with Sarah, I kept going because I hoped to find something, to follow a thread to a possibly fascinating or satisfying or impactful conclusion. But at the end of it all, I'd only gotten scraps."
You can read the full top 10 sales chart for this week below, courtesy of UKIE and GfK Chart-Track. Note this table does not include digital sales data, and so should not be considered representative of all UK game sales.
Bethesda's Rage 2 is out this week, and the long-awaited title's release is just the beginning. Bethesda has released new details on the post-apocalyptic sequel's content calendar for 2019, and there's a lot of extra content coming.
As the graphic explains, all World Events are free, as is the Day 30 update, some weapon skins, cheat codes, Wasteland challenges, and the One Wheeler vehicle. The rest of the content is paid. The two biggest pieces of content seem to be Expansion 1: Rise of the Ghosts, and the untitled Expansion 2, which are set to launch in August and later in the Fall respectively. The two expansions add a variety of newness like new story content, more weapons, vehicles, and locations. You can check out the full content calendar below to see what's coming.
You can get Rage 2 and all the extra DLC in the Rage 2: Deluxe Edition, which costs $80 USD £70 / $130 AUD.
Rage 2 is developed by Avalanche Studios in Sweden. Id Software, the developer of the original Rage, is also assisting in the game's development. The game launches on May 14 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Rage 2 is set 30 years after the events of the first Rage, which was released in 2011 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The Earth has started to recover after being ravaged by a global catastrophe, and plant and animal life have begun springing up around the planet, making it more colourful.
OPINION: When I first saw Kano in Mortal Kombat 1, I hated him. I bloody hated him. He had a bullshit knife projectile, an even more bullshit cannonball roll. And I mean, just look at the guy--he sported a bright white gi, a dumb bandolier (for what?), and a cheap-looking metal mask. I hated the sight of him, especially because he was the one Obviously Bad Guy in the original roster. He was also just straight up the least interesting character. In a game with ninjas and magical projectiles, Kano was just a boring goon with a knife; a waste of space.
He didn't get any better in the following 26 years, suffering from some questionable redesigns, like the one where he started wearing a lock of Sonya Blade's hair around his neck like a creep. In Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe, instead of being a man of Japanese-American descent, Kano was retconned to be Australian, a supposed nod to the misinterpreted accent of Trevor Goddard's (RIP) cockney version of Kano in the 1995 Mortal Kombat film. This was an interesting decision, but not one that fundamentally changed how unexciting Kano was.
Can't spell Kano without "No."
UNTIL NOW. In Mortal Kombat 11, a game filled to the brim with objectively top-notch character redesigns, Kano is suddenly ALL ABOUT his Australianness. It's a great move, the perfect move, and what's more, this redesign is executed in an unprecedented, brilliant way. In fact, MK11's Kano is the best and most authentic Australian character in any video game, ever. Yes, even more Australian than Roger, the playable kangaroo in Tekken.
There's a depth to his character that goes beyond an imagined upbringing and accent that elevates him far above just a caricature. You can see it in the way he carries himself. The humorous Australianisms, throwaway swears, and casual "mates" that drop naturally into his quips. His more relaxed personality and grounded appearance--he looks like a dad you might meet at a beach BBQ, downing beers with his belly hanging out, embarrassing you in front of your friends with his 70s pornstar moustache and misguided, chauvinistic jokes.
Every little detail about Kano in Mortal Kombat 11 is in service of fleshing out his new, amazing personality--no longer just a Crime Dude with a knife, he personifies the mischievous, rowdy, and give-no-shits nature of the best and worst Australian society has to offer (often associated with being a "larrikin," a dated but idealised embodiment of these tropes).
It's rounded out with a stellar voiceover job by JB Blanc, who I was convinced was a native Aussie until I looked him up (he played Gustavo Fring's personal surgeon in Breaking Bad!), which sounds genuine without being over-the-top and cartoonish like say, Junkrat in Overwatch (though I love him too). Kano in Mortal Kombat 11 is endlessly entertaining to me--he is the world citizen's Johnny Cage.
I bloody love Kano now. I love how well he represents my country. I love how you can learn so much about Australian culture by simply observing and studying Kano. In fact, I love the details about his character so much that I spent far too much time ignoring my regular work and compiling this handy dossier of Kano-isms to teach you about Australia. Hey look, you've read this far, might as well keep on learning with...
KANO: A CULTURAL GLOSSARY
KNIVES
Kano's primary weapons of choice are his signature knives. Now, the obvious connection you might be drawing here is the well-weathered Crocodile Dundee quote ("That's not a knife...") but there's a more modern line to be drawn--Australia's strict gun laws. It is incredibly difficult to own any kind of firearm in this country unless you have a very good and specific reason, as it damn well should be. Kano doesn't have the luxury of bringing goddamn firearms into a fighting tournament like literally all the American fighters, so I imagine he just had to get really good with whatever he could obtain from the shops easily. Sure, he's supposed to be an inter-dimensional arms dealer or something, but according to Baraka in Mortal Kombat 11, all the guns he provided to the Tarkatans were busted anyway so who the hell knows?
BEERS
On top of a seemingly infinite supply of knives to throw, Kano also has a seemingly infinite supply of beer to drink. And he drinks. A lot. There's an intro animation where he drinks a beer. There's an outro animation where he drinks a beer. There's a between-rounds animation where he drinks a beer while spacing himself out for the next round. One of Kano's fatalities has him sculling (quickly drinking) a beer, glassing (hitting) his opponent with the bottle, and then waltzing with their corpse like the fun-loving guy he is.
Drinking is Kano's most endearing new character trait to me, because of how true to character it is--Australians love to drink. We have one of the highest rates of alcohol consumption in the world. It is a central part of our cultural identity. It's part of our day-to-day. Pubs are places you take your families for lunch. Our oldest living former prime minister is famous for inhalingbeerslikethebest of us, and even has a brew named in his honor. Hell, I had a couple of beers at lunch before writing this. Drinking defines our best times and our worst times--having a laugh, and having a brawl. Kano's drinking behaviors exemplify both.
PISSING
Kano's default intro animation sees him pissing on the floor before a fight ("Bloke's gotta mark his territory"). It doesn't matter if it's outside in the dirt, in a robotics lab, or on a nice glossy stage. His brutality victory animation also sees him piss on the floor. I mean, I get it--a person who drinks as much as Kano is going to need to piss a lot, and honestly, when you're camping or driving through the rural areas of Australia you'd be forgiven for pissing on the side of the road or by a tree--only about 0.2% of Australia's land mass is urbanised (though 90% of the population occupies that 0.2%, it's wild). Hell, even after a big night of drinking I could understand if you needed to piss in an alley or something, even though it's legally a punishable offence here.
But Kano's pissing habits are more likely an indicator of his disregard for the self-seriousness of Mortal Kombat's pageantry, which is definitely an Australian attitude to take. And I just want to make it clear that we don't all piss on the street at every opportunity, okay?
SHIRT, NONE
Kano doesn't wear a shirt in his MK11 default costume. He definitely isn't the most toned fighter on the roster, though he does alright ("Over 50 and still a rippa!"). But it's a dad-bod flaunt more than anything, and like most dads, he's probably reached an age where he doesn't give a shit anyway. Especially when you're in Outer Realm and it's hot. It's hot in Australia, too. Our summers regularly hit over 40 degrees Celcius (104 Fahrenheit), even higher with climate change, so it's not a big deal to see people walk around without shirts. You do what you gotta do, and Kano is a practical guy.
KANO, THE NAME
I have no idea where series creators Ed Boon and John Tobias actually got the name "Kano" from. My best guess, via Google, is that "Kano" is a Japanese name that loosely translates to "masculine power", and given that his original nationality was Japanese-American, I guess that checks out. It still checks out in Mortal Kombat 11--Kano is a pretty manly middle-aged white man, after all. But man, Kano works so well as an Aussie-as-hell Australian name.
We like to truncate long words in Australia, but not only that, we like to add an "O" to the end of words, too. Avocado? Avo. Liquor store? Bottle-O. Gas (service) station? Servo. Afternoon? Arvo. I could go on forever. With Kano's retconned nationality, I could 100% believe that "Kano" is just an Australian nickname for something longer. What could that be? Kane? Kayden? Caleb? It could be anything. But it works--"Yea mate, Kano's (Kayden's) gone to the servo (gas station) to pick up some durries (cigarettes)".
SHITS, NONE GIVEN (See also: SELF-DEPRECIATION)
There was a thing in entertainment news recently, where middle-aged American actress Anjelica Houston threw shade at the middle-aged cast of Poms for, what I can gather, doing what she thought was a dumb middle-aged movie idea. Jacqui Weaver, a beloved middle-aged Australian actress who is part of the Poms cast, publically retorted in a separate interview, seemingly without any regard for social etiquette or self-preservation, saying simply, "She can go f*** herself."
Raiden: "Perhaps your life of sin and licentiousness"
Kano: *pause* "Yea that could be it."
CRIME
Okay, so despite his newfound endearing dad energy, Kano is still a dishonest dude by nature. He's a little bit of a sleaze:
Kano: "Want to taste Australia's best blood sausage?"
Skarlet: "I would rather taste your blood, Kano."
Kano: *pause* "Would you settle for me sausage?"
...and he's definitely still wickedly unscrupulous, often talking about making shady deals, cutting people open, and delivering heads in boxes. No doubt you've already drawn the "Australia is a criminal colony" conclusion, and look, that's fair. A lot of white Australians are descended from the convicts who arrived from England in the 18th century, but a lot has changed since then.
Today, Australia is a massively multicultural nation that is heavily comprised of immigrants and refugees (my family included) from all over the world--Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa--and we're also home to some of the world's oldest indigenous cultures. What I'm saying is that the English criminals we're often associated with are a part of our history rather than our identity. Kano is an exception, rather than a rule to our modern upstanding values. But then again, our current, mostly Anglo government regularly locks up refugee families and children in off-shore detention centres so hey maybe not.
And now, a crash course in Australian slang:
KANO'S FIGHT QUIPS: EXPLAINED
"On Ya Bike!"
F*** off, basically. You don't actually need to be referring to someone's physical bicycle for this to work.
"Best chuck a u-ey!"
A u-ey is usually in reference to a u-turn in a car, but also can be used to refer to a 180-degree turn. Again, Kano is basically telling someone to f*** off. Related: doing doughnut in a car is called a "dough-ey".
"Nice bit of tucker."
"Tucker" means food, but I know very few city people who use that term in casual conversation. Also, Kano eats a lizard while he says this, and I don't know any Australian who has ever eaten a lizard. Does a crocodile count? They taste like chicken.
"Don't be a bludger."
"Bludger" is slang for a lazy person. "Bludging" might also mean skipping out on school or procrastinating. You hear a lot about bludging in this country.
(To Cassie Cage) "You sound like a shithouse American tourist."
Basically what it sounds like. American tourists are shithouse.
(To Baraka) "That's a bonza attitude!"
"Bonza" means good!
(To Kano) "Whaddaya say we split some stubbies?"
A "stubby" is a term for a small-sized bottle of beer, as opposed to a "longneck", although the measurements for beer vary by region in Australia.
(To Scarlet) "Now your blood's worth bottling."
"You're very special", basically, but to be honest I have never heard anyone say this so someone at NetherRealm obviously just Googled "Australian slang" when they ran out of ideas.
(To Kotal) "Let's just give it a burl."
"Give it a go", basically. We had a former GameSpot employee who said this quite regularly, and for a long time I thought he was just making words up.
(To Jax) "We ain't here to f*** spiders"
A turn of phrase that means you came here for a specific reason. Not f***ing around, and not spider f***ing, naturally. That's gross.
(To Jax, when asked about his first crime) "I was an ankle biter, five or six."
Ankle biter is Australian slang for child. Australian children do not actually bite your ankles. Except for maybe that feral kid in Mad Max 2.
(To Johnny Cage) "Good luck with that, ya drongo."
"Drongo" is Australian slang for "idiot" or "stupid person".
(To Liu Kang) "Whatta bunch of dills."
"Dill" is also Australian slang for "idiot" or "stupid person".
(To Kabal) "Back off, you ungrateful yobbo."
"Yobbo" is also Australian slang for "idiot" or "stupid person" (we have heaps), but usually a rude or particularly unsophisticated one.
KANO'S MOVELIST NAMES: EXPLAINED
Spewin'
"Spewin'" is what you say if you can't believe something happened. I guess it also means "vomiting". The combo string that has this name involves Kano spitting (not vomiting) in his opponent's face so I think "Spewin'" probably refers to the act of surprise here.
Fair Suck Of The Sav
This is another one I have never heard anyone use seriously, but it basically means "to have a fair go", and the "sav" refers to a sausage, which is a little gross. We also call sausages sandwiches "sangas". They are our national food--a staple at hardware stores, school fetes, and at polling places during government elections.
Cut Snake
What happens when you cut a snake? It gets angry. "Cut snake means "angry". Don't cut a snake.
FIGJAM
This is incorrectly written out in lower case letters in Mortal Kombat 11, but it's actually an acronym for "F*** I'm Good, Just Ask Me", as immortalised in the hip-hop track of the same name by Australian group, Butterfingers.
Penal Colony
Australia was originally founded as a penal colony. Makes sense.
Face Like A Dropped Pie
Another kind of obvious turn of phrase--what happens when you drop a pie? It gets pretty ugly. Personal-sized meat pies are another iconic Australian food thing. Most people in the world think the idea of meat in a pie is gross. Those people are wrong.
KANO'S GEAR NAMES: A CRASH COURSE IN CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN ROCK
A number of Kano's equippable eye masks are actually classic Australia rock music references, and I was honestly giddy when I saw some of these mentioned. Not familiar with one of Australia's golden eras of music? Mortal Kombat 11 is a great place to start. Follow those YouTube links for a good time.
Hunter Kollector
Hunters & Collectors, more affectionately known as the "Hunnas", were an 80s pub rock band. Holy Grail is a karaoke classic I remember GameSpot's editor-in-chief belting out on the regular back in the day.
Mental and Everything
Mental As Anything were a laid-back 80s pop-rock band. They're great, I love them. The Nips Are Getting Bigger is one of their best songs, but it's definitely not the biggest. That accolade goes to...
Live It Up
Live It Up, which is Mental As Anything's biggest hit. This is an absolute classic. Listen to it now. I think it was in Crocodile Dundee? I haven't actually seen that movie, so I wouldn't know.
Midnight Oil Marauder
Another 80s group, Midnight Oil remain one of Australia's most successful political rock bands. Their frontman, Peter Garrett had a long stint as a government minister. He's also well known for his uh, unique dance moves.
Bed Burner
Beds Are Burning is Midnight Oil's most famous track, and probably one of the most iconic Australian rock songs of all time. It's a protest song that deals with the ever-present issues of indigenous land rights.
Cold Chiseled
Cold Chisel are yet another beloved 70s/80s Australian pub rock band fronted by Jimmy Barnes, who Americans might know better as the screaming cowboy in the sky in that one video. Their best song, another karaoke classic, is Khe Sanh, which tells the story of a returning Vietnam veteran.
Mister Dirty Deeds
Everyone knows AC/DC, right? Right. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is what this is a reference to. Good band, good song. Bon Scott was gone too soon.
Cruel Sensation
I want to say that this one is a reference to New Sensation, a song from Aussie 80s rock band INXS. But it could also be a reference to another 80's rock band, The Cruel Sea.
Kill.u.tonight
Similarly, I reckon this one is a reference to Need You Tonight by INXS. Another great song. That guitar riff! These are ALL great songs.
Eye Hooks
This gross reference is likely related to 70s glam-rock band Skyhooks. They had a bunch of hits, but Horror Movie is probably the one that skyrocketed them to success. They're basically Rocky Horror Picture Show, the band.
TL;DR
I've left out a bunch of things, and there are certainly a few Kano references in Mortal Kombat 11 that don't quite hit the mark. But man, going through all these Kano details makes me so proud to be an Australian, and so happy to see and play as a genuine Australian character. I'm so damn impressed by the effort, commitment, and execution of dad Kano. It definitely feels like there were some bonafide Australians (maybe Queenslanders? There are a higher amount of maroon [state colour] outfits and QLD location references) who worked hard to turn Kano into the lovable bogan (unrefined person) he is in Mortal Kombat 11. That, or some really dedicated Americans did a lot of in-depth research and managed to pull it off with measured grace.
Either way, good onya. Kano is the best Australian to ever appear in a video game, and everyone at NetherRealm who had a hand in his redesign or even so much as looked at Kano during development deserves a promotion. That would be bonza (good).
The topic of "crunch," or developers working long hours to complete milestones, has been much-discussed in the games industry over the years. Now, Swedish developer MachineGames, which develops the new Wolfenstein series for Bethesda, has commented on crunch.
In a recent Reddit AMA, production and tech boss John Jennings said the very nature of making games--and specifically "finding what's fun"--is not so simple to model for when it comes to development timelines. He suggested that periods of crunch do occur at MachineGames, but the studio is trying to eliminate crunch, even if that makes life for the studio's management more difficult.
"As you're a developer I'm sure you know that crunch is a difficult topic," Jennings said in response to a question from a fellow developer. "'Finding what's fun' in games is so hard to schedule and plan for. The labour laws in Sweden are very prescriptive about what's legal but crunch is also something that we're actively working at eliminating from our studio, and I say that genuinely, rather than as some trite PR answer."
"We've built a policy over the last 12 month[s] and we're putting in a lot of effort to stick to it, even if that makes life for us in management more difficult from a business perspective sometimes."
Jennings did not lay out any of the specifics regarding MachineGames' policy regarding crunch.
The next Wolfenstein title is Wolfenstein: Youngblood, which launches in July for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. A $30 USD budget-priced spinoff, the title lets you play as Soph or Jess Blazkowicz, who are B.J. Blazkowicz's twin daughters. There is also an optional co-op mode, which is new for the franchise.
Episode 6--the series finale--is the only episode left for Game of Thrones following Season 8 Episode 5, "The Bells." The ending of the epic tale has drawn ire from many fans, but there might soon be another version for them to devour instead. According to one Game of Thrones actor, the conclusion of George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy series "A Song of Ice and Fire," on which Game of Thrones is based, is already written and ready to be published.
As flagged on Reddit, Barristan Selmy actor Ian McElhinney made a claim during a panel in April at Epic Con in St. Petersburg, Russia, that will have book fans screaming: Supposedly, Martin has finished the last two books of the series, "The Winds of Winter" and "A Dream of Spring." He just hasn't published them yet due to a deal he struck.
"I don't know if you know more than me about this, but what I've been told is that George has already written books six and seven," McElhinney said. "And as far as he's concerned, there only are seven books. But he struck an agreement with David [Benioff] and Dan [Weiss], the showrunners of the series, that he would not publish the final two books until the series has completed. So all goes well, in another month or two, we might get books six and seven, and I'm intrigued to know how Barristan, for instance, ends up going through those final two books."
Martin is well-known for taking a long time to complete new entries in his epic--the first book in the series, "A Game of Thrones," was published all the way back in 1996, and the last entry to hit bookshelves, "A Dance of Dragons," didn't come out until 2011. That means it took 15 years for Martin to complete four books; it also means that since Season 1 of Game of Thrones, book fans have only had what's aired on HBO to hold them over as they waited for Martin to catch up.
In April, Martin told GameSpot sister site Entertainment Tonight that writing on "The Winds of Winter" has "been going very well lately," but he also reiterated his usual position on when to expect the new book: "It'll be done when it's done." So Martin hasn't hinted that he's sitting on two completed books, just waiting for Game of Thrones to end--but on the other hand, eight years is a long time, and it's definitely possible he could have completed at least one, or maybe even both, in that period, given how long the others took to write.
How the books might differ from the TV show is a question a lot of fans want answered. Martin has said he's known all along where the stories were going, and he told Benioff and Weiss what the major beats of the conclusion were years ago. But Martin also told Rolling Stone he wished the series had a few more seasons to wrap everything up, and there are plenty of examples of the show making changes or going in different directions from what's in the books. It's definitely possible things could wind up differently in "A Song of Ice and Fire"--or at least take a different path to the same place. After all, a lot of characters who have died on the show still live in the books, not the least of whom is Barristan Selmy.
While Season 8 might be at its end--Episode 6 airs this coming Sunday, May 19--there are potentially more Game of Thrones spin-off shows on the way. Martin recently said three of the five in development are "still moving forward nicely." One, which he previously said might be called The Long Night, starts shooting later this year, while the other two "remain in the script stage, but are edging closer."
Just one episode of Game of Thrones remains. Last night brought with it Episode 5, "The Bells," which saw the battle for King's Landing and the Iron Throne take place. It had some major developments for key characters on the show, while it wrapped up the arcs for others. You can read some backstory on the Mad King/Queen teases we've gotten previously, as well as the lead-up to Cleganebowl. Read on for our recap and review of the episode, and then check out some new theories and an Episode 6 preview trailer.
Game of Thrones is at its best when bad choices have consequences and effect logically follows cause. The Red Wedding was the result of a string of terrible decisions that ended with devastating tragedy, making for one of the show's most impactful events; compare that with Cersei's destruction of the Sept of Baelor (and an entire city block) with zero repercussions over the show's last couple of seasons, which made Game of Thrones' world feel smaller and less realistic in the end.
In a short-lived callback to this show's better seasons, Varys paid the price for his uncharacteristic carelessness in Season 8, Episode 5, "The Bells." Like almost every other character on this season of Game of Thrones, the Master of Whispers made bad decision after bad decision in the last couple of episodes. His scheming was remarkably un-Varys-like; "Hey, I'm thinking about doing some treason. Would you like to hear about it?" When Varys burned toward the start of this episode, it felt like just one more choice for Dany that really was no choice at all. But in retrospect, it stings more than most of the deaths this season because of what we learned by the episode's conclusion: Varys was right.
Daenerys Targaryen has lived up to the worst parts of her family legacy, burning King's Landing to the ground, street by street, roasting tens of thousands of innocent people, apparently after the battle was all but won. The show and books foreshadowed this possibility countless times, so it isn't exactly out of nowhere. But by cramming Dany's actual transition from Good Queen to Mad Targaryen into just a handful of episodes, showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss have done the entire series and all its fans a disservice. Even though we knew this was a possibility, it was easy to root for Dany as she clawed her way up from nothing, overcoming abuse, rape, poverty, and countless other hardships to become the champion of the smallfolk, the freer of slaves--the Mother of Dragons and the Breaker of Chains.
The fact that all it took for Dany to break bad was the death of a few friends, the loss of two dragons, and some accidental competition from Jon Snow makes all our years rooting for Khaleesi feel a little bit gross in retrospect. Her madness was not buried as deep as we had wanted to believe; this bloodthirsty rampage was just a hair trigger away. But that doesn't feel like a deliberate choice made for the betterment of the narrative; instead, it's clearly the result of a series of shortcuts necessitated by these last two seasons' shortened lengths. Dany's transformation into the Mad Queen starts to feel better-earned if you imagine it taking gradual shape over a couple of full-length seasons (or books).
As it is, her actions in this episode don't really make sense. Why torch every street and pointlessly murder thousands of innocent people when she could fly straight to the Red Keep and melt Cersei, the woman who's actually wronged her? Even her father, the infamous Mad King Aerys, didn't go crazy overnight--his insanity was the end result of years of escalating paranoia and violence. Yeah, we know, every time a Targaryen is born, the gods flip a coin--but nobody ever said they flip a switch, and that's what we got this season on Game of Thrones.
Technically speaking, "The Bells" was a masterpiece of cinematic fantasy television. The Fall of King's Landing might be the best battle of the entire series--the polar opposite of Episode 3's poorly conceived, sloppily edited, largely nonsensical Battle of Winterfell (the fact that both episodes were written by Benioff and Weiss and directed by Miguel Sapochnik has to make you wonder how exactly "The Long Night" went so bad). Dany finally visited fire and blood upon her enemies--and the innocent, as well--and regardless of how unearned it was, it looked absolutely incredible. The brutality and terror of Dany's attack was immediate and shocking in every shot, whether from Jon's perspective as he tried helplessly to intervene, or Arya's as she simply tried to survive (and help a few others get out along the way).
And could anyone have possibly envisioned a better Cleganebowl? The Clegane brothers, Hound and Mountain, clashed in mortal combat (and it looked a lot like Mortal Kombat) with a dragon spewing fire from the sky in the background, high above King's Landing, the Red Keep coming down around their heads. Game of Thrones Season 8 has not been the cathartic flood of pay-offs for series-long arcs, foreshadowing, and predictions that many longtime fans deeply wanted, but the fight between Sandor and Gregor actually lived up to the hype. It was perfect, and much-needed, considering where several other character arcs wound up in the end.
Jaime going back to Cersei is, to put it mildly, a disappointment. Many fans are likely wondering what the point of his arc was, if it wasn't overcoming his worst instincts and becoming a better person. Everything Jaime has done, all the things he's been through, were for nothing? He experienced maybe the most significant growth of any character in the series just so he could backslide completely and go skulking back to Cersei to die with her in the end?
That seemed to be one of the main themes driving Game of Thrones' penultimate episode ever, and thus, driving the series as a whole: Even the best of us can't escape the worst parts of our instincts, our families, and ourselves. Tyrion made the same mistake--trusting his sister, against all odds--over and over, and it cost everything. The Hound went down with his brother--an ending I won't complain about--but thematically, one that could have been avoided. And, of course, there was Daenerys, who actually had a choice--a real choice!--and elected, in that moment, seemingly with the flip of a coin, to tread the darkest path imaginable.
Even with everything that's happened, it's not clear how Game of Thrones' final episode will wrap things up. Arya is the one island of hope in the fiery sea of nihilism and cynicism about human nature that Game of Thrones has become. She fought her darkest instincts, and chose life over revenge. If she drives a knife through Daenerys's heart in the end, it won't be because of a personal grudge, or to make way for Jon to seize power. It will be for the greater good, and an ending like that may be the best conclusion we can hope for at this point.
From time to time, the Xbox Game Pass library loses titles based on deals Microsoft had in place with publishers, and that's happening again this month. Six titles are leaving Xbox Game Pass on May 15, including two Xbox One games and four backwards-compatible Xbox 360 titles, according to True Achievements.
The official Xbox Game Pass FAQ page states that removed games will become unplayable (but not deleted from your hard drive) so if you're in the middle of any of the titles scheduled for removal, you may want to finish them now.
You can buy any of the expiring Xbox Game Pass titles outright for 20 percent off (or more), so that's also something to consider if you're eager to keep playing.
Season 8, Episode 5, the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones, "The Bells," aired last night on HBO. While the action and conclusion to various character arcs were the main focus, football fans had a little something extra to keep an eye out for. The episode appears to have featured a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo appearance by NFL superstar QB Aaron Rodgers.
Viewers think they spotted Rodgers as a Lannister archer or someone who got torched by a dragon. Here are some screencaps of the supposed cameo in question:
Rodgers himself confirmed a while back that he would appear in the fifth episode of Game of Thrones Season 8, so that might indeed be him. His team, the Green Bay Packers, hyped tonight's episode with a tweet of its own suggesting Rodgers would have a cameo.
Rodgers would be just the latest celebrity to have a cameo in Game of Thrones Season 8. Country music star Chris Stapleton and his bandmates played White Walkers in Episode 3. Showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff appeared in Episode 4 during the dinner scene.
Previous seasons of Game of Thrones have included cameos by musicians like Sigur Ros, members of Mastodon, and Ed Sheeran.
Season 8, Episode 5, the penultimate episode of HBO's Game of Thrones aired last night--and it was dramatic and arguably shocking. As it does for each episode, HBO has now released a cool behind-the-scenes mini-feature in which showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff break down all the key scenes and moments from Episode 5, which is titled "The Bells."
A lot happened in Episode 5, and it's very interesting to hear directly from Weiss and Benioff about the pivotal moments from the episode and how they might impact next week's series finale (for which we've already gotten Episode 6 preview trailer). You'll want to have seen Episode 5 before watching this breakdown. Here you go:
Among other things, the two discuss Dany's fateful Mad Queen decision, as well as Jon's morals and the reality of what unfolds in King's Landing, as his and Dany's army ravage the city's occupants. They also talk about finally delivering the long-awaited Cleganebowl, the culmination of Cersei and Jaime's storylines, and more.
Next week's Episode 6 is the 73rd and final episode of Game of Thrones. It is 80 minutes long, and given it is the final episode, we may finally learn who wins the throne. For more on Episode 5, check out GameSpot's review of Game of Thrones: "The Bells."
GameSpot and Sony Pictures Australia are excited to give readers the chance to win tickets to see the new superhero horror film from producer James Gunn, Brightburn, in cinemas.
What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister? With Brightburn, the visionary filmmaker of Guardians of the Galaxy and Slither presents a startling, subversive take on a radical new genre: superhero horror.
Elizabeth Banks and David Denman play a couple who adopt a child who crash-lands on earth. The boy, who is played by Jackson A. Dunn, is not a good boy. "Maybe adopting an alien baby you find in the woods isn't the best idea," advises director David Yarovesky.
Brightburn opens May 23 in Australia and then a day later on May 24 in the United States over the Memorial Day weekend. The movie is produced by Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn; his brother Brian Gunn and cousin Mark Gunn wrote the script.
There are a total of 10 double passes up for grabs! To be in the running, all you have to do is fill in the form below, and answer a simple trivia question. Good luck! Entries close on May 22, 2019.
HBO's popular fantasy show Game of Thrones is almost over. Following the penultimate episode that aired last night (read our review of Episode 5, "The Bells"), the network has now released a trailer for Episode 6, which is the very last one of the entire series. As the trailer above alludes to, the series finale is expected to be a dramatic conclusion to the show that began back in 2011. Episode 5 spoilers follow.
As is the norm for these preview trailers, there isn't a whole lot to glean from the footage. We see the reaction shots of characters like Arya and Tyrion (whether to last episode's carnage or something else is unclear), while the Dothraki seem quite happy with their victory. Daenerys, meanwhile, walks through her army, but we only see her from behind, leaving some question about her own reaction to the reality of what she's done. Has she truly embraced the Mad King (or Queen) in her, or will she express any regret over the countless innocents who she killed?
There are other matters to wrap up, too, including how Bronn and that crossbow go about trying to get Tyrion to make good on his promise. He's not seen in the trailer, but presumably the mercenary has to pop up at some point, even if it's to get roasted by Drogon.
Episode 6 is the 73rd and final episode of Game of Thrones. It's written and directed by Game of Thrones showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff. The episode is 80 minutes long, just like Episode 5.
While Game of Thrones is coming to an end, HBO is producing a two-hour documentary called The Last Watch that airs on May 26. In addition, HBO is working on multiple prequel spinoffs, one of which stars Naomi Watts and will begin filming later this year. According to author George R.R. Martin, three of the five prequel series are coming along well.
Meanwhile, the actor who played Barristan Selmy on the show claims that Martin has finished the last two A Song of Ice and Fire books, and that he had struck a deal with Benioff and Weiss to wait until the show was done to release them.
The Epic Games Store has locked down yet another timed exclusive PC release. Developer Mobius Digital has confirmed that its crowdfunded sci-fi game Outer Wilds will be released on PC through the Epic Games Store as a timed exclusive. In an update to its page on the crowdfunding site Fig, Mobius said the game will come to "additional platforms" later.
The game is also coming to console on Xbox One through a partnership with Xbox.
Mobius said it is is aware that fans want Outer Worlds on Steam (and other systems). The studio said fans can "rest assured" that their feedback is heard. The overall goal is to "bring the game to your preferred platform as quickly as possible."
Regarding its deals with Xbox and Epic, as well as publisher Annapurna Interactive, Mobius said these deals have allowed the studio to "keep our small studio running long enough to ship the game at the level of quality that it is today." The team added: "Each of these partnerships has enabled us to make the game better and more accessible for everyone who will play it."
Some backers are not happy about the Epic Games Store exclusivity. A number of people wrote in the Fig comments to voice their displeasure over the announcement.
Outer Wilds is just the latest title that Epic has scooped up as a timed exclusive. Just last week, Epic announced a deal with Ubisoft to bring Ghost Recon: Breakpoint to the Epic Games Store as a timed exclusive (it will also be available on Ubisoft's Uplay, but not Steam at launch).
The games Metro: Exodus and The Division 2 launched on the Epic Games Store as timed exclusives, while upcoming titles like Borderlands 3, The Outer Worlds, and Control also have deals in place. Valve's Steam marketplace has historically dominated the PC gaming space, and it still does, but Epic is trying to take a piece of the pie by spending money on exclusives. Epic also offers a seemingly attractive package where it offers publishers/developers an 88 percent of game sale revenue compared to what is believed to be 70 percent on Steam.
Epic's decision to buy exclusives has frustrated some fans, so it will be interesting to see how the company deals with the public relations factor of the situation. All of this has been made possible thanks to the unthinkable global success of Fortnite and all the money it's brought in.
One of Microsoft's newest internal development studios, The Initiative, continues to add to its already impressive lineup of talent. The company recently hired former Naughty Dog developer Robert Ryan as a senior systems designer for the studio's new, unannounced game.
Ryan joins a team at The Initiative that is already stacked with talent. God of War veteran Brian Westergaard is the director of production, Drew Murray (Sunset Overdrive, Resistance 3) is a lead designer, William Archbell (343 Industries) is the technical director, and Blake Fischer (Xbox) is director of world and narrative. Daniel Neuburger, who worked on Rise of the Tomb Raider, is The Initiative's game director. The Initiative also hired Rockstar Games veteran Tom Shepherd, while among the other high-profile hirings include Red Dead Redemption 1 writer/designer Christian Cantamessa.
The studio aims to stay "small," but the company's ambition is to "push boundaries," "challenge convention," and take risks as they make something "spectacular and unique."
The Initiative is just one of seven studios that Microsoft either set up or acquired in the past year. At E3 2018, Microsoft announced that it acquired Playground Games (Forza Horizon), Compulsion Games (We Happy Few), Ninja Theory (Hellblade), and Undead Labs (State of Decay). At Microsoft's X018 event in Mexico City, Microsoft announced the acquisition of Obsidian Entertainment (Fallout: New Vegas) and inXile Entertainment (Wasteland 3).
The latest box office report is in, and Pokemon and Avengers dominated. Pokemon: Detective Pikachu opened to a massive $58 million in the US and Canada this weekend, according to a box office report from Entertainment Weekly.
That is a tremendous result, and it's the biggest opening for a Pokemon movie of all time not adjusted for inflation. It was enormously successful, but it wasn't enough to take down Avengers: Endgame. The Marvel team-up pulled in $63 million in the US and Canada to stay at No. 1 for a third week running.
Endgame has now made $723.5 million domestically, which is only behind Avatar ($760.5 million) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($936.6 million). Worldwide, Endgame has now made $2.485.5 billion, which brings it even closer to reaching Avatar's all-time record of $2.78 billion.
The new movie about Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien also opened this weekend, and it landed at No. 9 with $2.2 million. As EW notes, the film did "modestly well" considering that it only screened at 1,495 locations in the US and Canada. Other new releases this weekend included the Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson comedy The Hustle (No. 3, $13.5 million), and the Diane Keaton movie Poms, which made $5.1 million to come in sixth place this weekend.
You can see the full box office report for May 10-12 below, as compiled by EW.
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