Destiny 2's Season of Opulence kicks off on Tuesday, June 4, marking the final new content under its current annual pass subscription. What happens in Destiny 2 after that? There's been a lot of speculation from players, but it looks like we're about to find out.
On Twitter, Bungie teased what is seemingly a livestream set to take place at 10 AM PT on Thursday, June 6, to discuss "the next chapter of Destiny 2." Let the speculation begin, since we have no idea what that next chapter might be.
It's been clear to Destiny 2 players keeping up with the annual pass--the second since the release of Destiny 2--that Bungie is building its story in a particular direction. The endgame content that came with the Forsaken expansion, concerning the besieged Dreaming City, has slowly unfolded over the last two seasons, hinting that secret enemies are executing plans of which we've only seen the edges and margins. That conflict might come to a head in the Season of Opulence, but that seems unlikely since the next content drop returns players to the Leviathan, the scene of Destiny 2's first raid, and concerns a different group of characters.
The Dreaming City situation doesn't seem primed to wrap up anytime soon, and that suggests there's more content coming for Destiny 2 before the release of the seemingly inevitable Destiny 3. A third year of Destiny 2 content is in line with what a lot of players have been expecting, and it would make sense for Bungie to hold back a new Destiny title to correspond with the start of a new console generation.
The timing of the announcement also seems remarkable. Breaking with the usual pattern, Bungie is releasing Destiny 2's new raid, Crown of Sorrows, with the start of the Season of Opulence, rather than waiting a few days for players to gear up for it. Bungie's announcement about Destiny 2's future takes place two days later, which would give the game's top raid teams all the time they'll need to finish Crown of Sorrows--and discover whatever story implications it presents. Fans on Reddit are already expecting that whatever happens on the Crown of Sorrows will point players back to the Dreadnaught, a Destiny 1 location that leaks and speculation have suggested would be the setting for the game's next expansion.
It's also worth remembering that the Season of Opulence marks the last of the announced Destiny 2 content from before Bungie's split with publisher Activision. Whatever comes next, it'll be the first Destiny content Bungie creates purely on its own. With the way Destiny's story has been going of late, suggesting the approach of more evil aliens and the possibility that some heroes could fall to darkness, there's a lot the developer could explore.
Ahead of its E3 2019 showcase, additional details about Marvel's Avengers have leaked via the E3 Coliseum website. Those details have since been removed from the site, but they revealed Square Enix's upcoming Marvel superhero game will feature both solo and co-op play.
The description for the Marvel's Avengers Showcase once read, according to PC Gamer, "Embrace your powers and join key members of the development team at Crystal Dynamics and the creative team at Marvel Games as they talk exclusively about the upcoming Marvel's Avengers. This is the defining Avengers gaming experience: an epic action-adventure that combines cinematic storytelling with continuous single-player and co-operative gameplay. Moderated by Andrea Rene, assemble in teams up to four players, master extraordinary abilities, customize your heroes to fit your playstyle, and combine powers to defend an ever-expanding world under constant threat."
Now, the showcase's description has been trimmed down to read, "Join Crystal Dynamics and Marvel Games for a Panel about Marvel's The Avengers."
Announced via a January 2017 teaser trailer (seen above) as The Avengers Project, Marvel's Avengers will finally have an official reveal during Square Enix's E3 2019 press conference, scheduled for June 10 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET / 2 AM BST. There's very little information about the game currently available, although we do know Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics and Deus Ex studio Eidos Montreal are behind it. The original teaser seemed to imply the game's story would focus on the Avengers reassembling after the "time of heroes" has long since passed.
In the teaser trailer, we see Captain America's vibranium shield, Iron Man's repulsor gauntlet, Thor's Mjolnir hammer, and Bruce Banner's cracked glasses--suggesting the game could focus on the first team of Avengers (though nothing pointing to the other two original Avengers, Ant-Man/Giant-Man and Wasp is shown). Because of how damaged the shield, gauntlet, hammer, and glasses in the trailer are, the video could also be hinting that Marvel's Avengers takes place in the aftermath of the original team's defeat and see the rise of a new generation of heroes.
Arabia Nights-inspired dungeon crawler, City of Brass, had a fairly positive reception at launch, with our own reviewer scoring it a 7/10 almost two years ago. Free is an enticing proposition, though. As part of Epic Games' free game promotion, the first-person dungeon crawler is now available on the Epic Games Store.
City of Brass is free to download right now and will remain so until Thursday, June 6. The game is currently available everywhere--Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One--for $19.99 USD, but downloading the game through the Epic Games Store will add it to your library for that sweet free price.
City of Brass comes from Uppercut Games, a studio composed of artists, designers, and programmers who had a hand in BioShock and BioShock 2. In the rogue-lite adventure game, you fight your way through Arabia Nights-inspired city streets, uncovering hidden treasures and sacred weapons, battling whatever ghosts and ghouls you may encounter in a bid to survive a little longer. With a scimitar in one hand and a whip in another, it's effectively Bioshock but in a different setting. "We are drawing inspiration from BioShock in terms of the mechanics," Uppercut founder Ed Orman told GameSpot. "We're developing a combinative approach to the game systems, encouraging players to see how the systems interact with each other. In particular, the combo of whip and swordplay into this, allowing the player to manipulate and then hurt enemies."
In our City of Brass review, we said, "While its repetitive scenery and uneven presentation are noticeable tarnishes on its sheen, the satisfying combat and well-balanced difficulty curve will keep you going back for more."
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is making a bunch of changes to the Call of Duty formula with its reimagining of Infinity Ward's 2007 classic. The studio is going for "continuity and consistency" across all Modern Warfare's game modes, meaning guns will feel the same in multiplayer as in single-player, and character progression will carry over between those modes. And for the first time, a Call of Duty game will feature cross-play between consoles and PC when it launches on October 25.
Infinity Ward made the announcement in a press release that dropped alongside its first Modern Warfare trailer. It also noted that Modern Warfare will not have the traditional "season pass," which players usually buy to receive new maps over the course of the year after a Call of Duty game's release. Instead, all post-release maps for the game will be free to all players.
Both features should go a long way to helping keep the Call of Duty player base together, without limiting them to only playing with people on the same platform and who own the same maps that they do. In general, there should be a whole lot more people to play against. It may also make the Call of Duty esports scene a little more welcoming, as players will be able to compete on their preferred platforms.
The studio showed off Modern Warfare to journalists in the week before announcing the game, giving a sense of the single-player campaign and the technology that's going into the game. Along with reimagining the story, Infinity Ward said it's working to make Modern Warfare "more relevant" to the current world, and drew inspiration for the game's story from real-world conflicts and documentaries about them, as well as recent Hollywood movies.
The next Call of Duty game has been revealed. As you may have guessed from the numerous leaks and rumors, it's titled Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Additionally, publisher Activision has revealed the game's release date of October 25 and some exciting details regarding both cross-play and the typical season pass offered with CoD games.
Modern Warfare is a reboot of the 2007 game--not a remake, but a reimagining, developer Infinity Ward says. The new game is not set in the same universe as the existing trilogy--Infinity Ward says that world had left little room to raise the stakes further--but it does feature some familiar faces. Captain Price is back, for example, but with what appears to be a new voice actor.
As was previously confirmed, this year's Call of Duty will include a single-player campaign. It seems as though the story will concern Russian interactions with the Middle East, while enemies will include an ultranationalist group helping to execute terrorist attacks in major cities such as London.
Modern Warfare will of course include a multiplayer mode, but Infinity Ward hasn't yet revealed much more detail on that portion of the game. It did say, however, that your progression in the campaign will carry over to multiplayer, meaning you'll always be working towards unlocking new killstreaks, perks, and weapons. And as noted above, the game will feature cross-play across all platforms. Additionally, Activision will not be selling the standard season pass that locks off new, post-launch multiplayer maps.
The original game launched for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC back in 2007, and went on to be one of the most influential games of the 21st century. It was later remastered in 2016, though that is entirely separate to this upcoming reboot.
Infinity Ward is returning to its most famous and beloved entry into its Call of Duty franchise: Call of Duty Modern Warfare. But unlike 2016's remaster of the 2007 classic, this year's version is a reimagining of the original game. Infinity Ward is updating its past work to be relevant to our current, real world, and from the sounds of things, it isn't shying away from the implications that idea brings to the biggest first-person shooter franchise in video games. (Infinity Ward is also making some major changes to how Call of Duty multiplayer works, introducing cross-play between PS4, Xbox One, and PC players, and doing away with the traditional season pass.)
Before its announcement that Modern Warfare was on its way, Infinity Ward invited journalists to its studio last week to get an early look at the title before its announcement. There, studio narrative director Taylor Kurosaki and single player director Jacob Minkoff explained this new game as a more mature, authentic, and relevant Call of Duty game that's not a superhero caricature, but a down-to-earth representation of the realities of being a soldier. It's taking scenarios that are "ripped from the headlines." Among the stated goals for the game's campaign: "Create an emotional connection through the realities of war," and "Push the boundaries of the medium."
Both Kurosaki and Minkoff formerly worked at Naughty Dog, a studio known for the narrative focus of its games, and in short, they're looking to make a Call of Duty that's about more than just shooting various enemies as they pop out of cover. It's not the first time the franchise has tried to tell deep, affecting stories about war that might make players ask themselves questions about the power fantasy about being a soldier. But Modern Warfare does appear to be the most ambitious.
Big-budget video game franchises often struggle to commit to themes, messages, and ideas--especially controversial or political ones. GameSpot sat down with Kurosaki to talk about what Infinity Ward is trying to achieve with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, why it decided to reboot the game, and what kind of story it's looking to tell.
GameSpot: In re-imagining the story of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare to be relevant in the world today, what does that mean to you? What are you pulling from? In the presentation, you used the phrase "ripped from the headlines" a lot--what does that mean in terms of Call of Duty?
Taylor Kurosaki: Sure, well, the original game was ripped from the headlines. But it was ripped from the headlines of 2007. And now, here we are 12 years later, and the world has further changed. I would say that compared to 2007, the [Operation Iraqi Freedom] or whatever it was, that was kind of traditional warfare. Those were guys in tanks, fighting other guys in tanks and Jeeps, and this side wore this uniform and this other side wore a different uniform, and this side flew this flag, and the other side flew the other flag.
Today, modern warfare means that the war isn't just over there. That the war is everywhere. It's in our own backyards. It's in places that can suddenly become a battlefield at a moment's notice. It's about enemies who don't wear uniforms. It's about civilian collateral damage kind of being, unfortunately, part of the equation. When we set out to make this game, we asked ourselves a very literal question. We just said, 'What do the words modern warfare mean in 2019?' Not what does the game name mean, but those words as just words: modern warfare. And for us, it meant that a busy city center could be the site of a terrorist attack. That a residential compound could be the safe house of a terror cell, that commandos have to go into and eliminate the cell. It means that it's not only sort of John Wayne-style American G.I.s, but it's also local militias and freedom fighters. Where families are hit by airstrikes and people have to pick up the pieces by picking up arms and fighting for their own independence. That, to us, was the definition of modern warfare and if we didn't have all of those elements in this game, we wouldn't be doing justice to that name.
And every character in this game goes through that journey where they ask themselves, 'How far am I willing to go in order to achieve my own greater good?'"
Are there any particular real-world events that you're actually pulling from?
Sure. I mean, it's important to say that we are not trying to be sensationalist. We are not kind of making carbon copies of specific events that we see in the news. It's more about the situations. It's more about the themes. If anything, the kinds of things that we are inspired by are current-day war stories. Films like Lone Survivor or The Hurt Locker or American Sniper or even Sicario. These are all films that have come out since Modern Warfare 3. These are all films about protagonists trying to achieve whatever they define as their own version of the greater good by navigating a very complex world where there is no black and white, only the gray in between. Those are the kinds of things that we are inspired by.
And every character in this game goes through that journey where they ask themselves, "How far am I willing to go in order to achieve my own greater good?" And the answer for each and every character is different, and it depends on their own perspective. And we wouldn't be kind of utilizing the platform of game making if only the story was about that, but the gameplay was just kind of generic shooter gameplay. That not only do these characters have to ask themselves, "How far am I willing to go?" But the player that's playing this game has to ask themselves, "How far am I willing to go?" That's the true kind of magic of storytelling and games is that players get to occupy the shoes of these characters. They get to be in their skin and we get to put them in tough situations that mimic the kind of tough situations that those characters are put in.
It seems like a tough balancing act: trying to make the game fun while dealing with these heavy concepts, and trying not to sensationalize them. How do you make sure you're getting across what you're trying to get across, without just leaving the player to be like, "yeah this is great, shooting people down, whatever"?
Well, if you were a soldier and you actually deployed into a theater of war and you shot down a bunch of innocent civilians, you would be arrested and court marshaled, right?
Right.
The game kind of does the same thing. The game does not allow you to get away with going rogue. You have a command structure that you have to follow and orders that you have to follow and if you try to just be a bad apple, the game is going to smack you down for that.
Now, that's not to say that mistakes aren't made. I mean, that's a theme that we've gotten from our military consultants. They've said over and over again that the true story behind being like a Navy SEAL or a Tier 1 operator of that nature is that we, as the public, we expect these guys to go into these very, very difficult situations where the difference between life and death is a split second and the difference between determining what's a threat and what's not a threat is a split second. And they are asked to be perfect. Trying to prosecute situations that are not perfect, inherently. And so they do their best.
And when you're playing this game, I'm assuming that you're going to be doing your best, too. Because it's a hard game with a lot consequence, right? There are stakes. There's lethality. You just kind of blindly jump into a room and you're not checking your corners and you're not being mindful and being strategic about how you enter and how you slice the pie, as they say, and you're going to get owned pretty quick--which is what real war is about. So, yes, it is a fine line to walk. But we want to make something that's different. We want to make something that pushes the medium forward. This is a very young industry that we're in, the games industry. And advancements are made by leaps and bounds quickly. And so why not be at the forefront of making, of pushing the medium forward? If you're going to just play it safe and throw a fastball, then what's the point of doing it? What's the point of doing all this work?
And you know, frankly, some of the best narratives happen when not only the characters are confronted with a certain challenge, but the players are too. And also the developers. So we are also kind of finding our line as we go, as well. So, putting ourselves in the shoes of not only the characters and the players during the production of this game. I mean, that's a challenge as well and it's definitely one that we're up for.
You mentioned that the game kind of kicks back at you if you're going rogue. That's an old Call of Duty thing, where if you shoot your allies or civilians, you fail out of the mission. Is it that sort of thing again, or is there something more to it?
Well, there is more to it, again. Like I said, the Navy SEALs that we talked to, they say, "Look. We're expected to be perfect in imperfect situations. And it's impossible to always be perfect." So, no, the game doesn't have a zero tolerance policy. The game understands that you are trying to keep yourself alive, you're trying to keep your squadmates alive, and more importantly, you're trying to make sure you reach mission success. Because that's your goal. And if mistakes are made on the path to reaching mission success, sure, your allies, your squadmates are going to call you out for it. But everyone makes mistakes. So the game, it's not necessarily going to hard-fail you if you make a judgment call, like in the heat of the moment, and maybe upon further review it turns out you were wrong--but only honest mistakes.
Right. And that's just a tough thing to do with a game. And with a game of this fidelity, it can be disturbing.
Part of making this thing relevant to this world that we live in is, we all see things on the news. We see a terror attack, or we see a long, drawn-out war, or these kinds of things where there are civilians caught in the middle. And the difference is, when you play Modern Warfare, when you play this Modern Warfare, you get to suit up with Captain Price and some of his old comrades. And you get to go out there and you actually get to make a difference. We feel like it's actually very empowering for our players to be able to not be sort of paralyzed by what they see out there, but actually say, "I'm going to be one of those guys that has the wherewithal to suit up and go out there and give it my best shot to try to bring about some meaningful change."
You mentioned the idea of the game world reacting to your actions. Just how reactive is it?
It means that you can reach mission success and make a big difference, like you've saved a bunch of people. Or you can reach mission success and unfortunately, there have been heavier losses than there otherwise could have been. So again, hopefully, if we're doing our jobs right, you're going to feel that sense of urgency to make as much of a difference as you possibly can, without crossing your line. And that goes for Captain Price, that goes for the player characters, and that goes for Farah Kareem and her brother Hadir, who are the leaders of this freedom fighter militia.
...The Navy SEALs that we talked to, they say, 'Look. We're expected to be perfect in imperfect situations. And it's impossible to always be perfect.'"
So does that affect how the narrative plays out? Is there any sort of player choice and branching story?
There are choices you can make in this game that do affect the narrative in some ways. But this is not totally like a Choose Your Own Adventure. This is a high-quality, incredibly polished Sicario that you can play. And you cannot have that kind of fidelity and that kind of depth of storytelling and situations if at every turn there are four more permutations of where the narrative can go. This is a classically told story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. But you can affect how things play out sort of in the middle. And of course, just in terms of combat, right? Do you use night vision goggles? Do you use suppressed weapons or do you go loud? Do you creep into rooms cautiously or do you kick the door down, or do you shotgun the door and put a hole in it and throw a flashbang in? These are all of the kind of strategic choices that our players make at all times, tactically, in this really complex battlefield.
A lot of big games have been criticized, especially recently, for almost getting into realistic situations and politics, and then skirting away and not wanting to offend one group or another. Are you thinking about that with this story, and how are you dealing with it?
We're not talking out of both sides of our mouths. We are making a game that is heavily inspired by the world that we live in today and the situations that we see in the world today. Now, like I said earlier, we are not one-to-one reproducing real-world events because I think that would be really unseemly. And we're also not a one-to-one, in some cases, reproducing what are very, very complex conflicts world and trying to boil them down in a way that would be understandable over the duration of the campaign.
So for example, we are inspired heavily by some of the events in Iraq, and in Syria, and with the Arab Spring and even with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. There are a lot of similar themes about colonialism and about superpowers exerting their influence in regions through proxy allies and about militias that rise up and terrorist groups. But the one thing that we've done is--we've not specifically said, our main theater of war in our game takes place in a country where we're calling Urzikstan. And that is absolutely by design. And it's not because we want to circumvent someone saying like "Oh, this is a game about Syria," or "This is a game about Iraq." But if we called a country by the real name of a country that exists today, then we would undoubtedly be giving short shrift to these incredibly complex situations that we are in some ways simplifying so that they're more easily grockable.
And again, the themes are what's important here. It's not the sort of slavish dedication to the specific events of all these disparate countries. It's about themes that you see over and over again in these situations. We want to capture the essence of those themes and of those characters thrown into conflict and how they overcome adversity. And so inventing our own country that sort of encapsulates some of these situations down into this more understandable way is the way that we wanted to go. Again, we don't have the runway to have a war where there's 17 different factions and all this 200 years of history and things like that so that's our method for that, is that we can still handle these sort of heady subjects that are delicate without disrespecting the citizens of those war torn states.
More than a decade after the release of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, developer Infinity Ward is returning to the game that made its franchise into an industry-dominating juggernaut. This year's Call of Duty is, again, Modern Warfare--but it's not a remake of the game that kicked off the trilogy in 2007. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019 is a reimagining of the first game and brings with it some stark changes.
Infinity Ward revealed details about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's single-player campaign to journalists last week at its studio in California. During a lengthy presentation, developers explained that this isn't a continuation of the Modern Warfare trilogy, because, in that world, there wasn't much room to raise the stakes; Russia invaded the U.S., nuclear weapons exploded, and the series' major characters had fought through it all (with some even dying along the way). Instead, Infinity Ward wanted to revisit some of Modern Warfare's concepts without being beholden to the world the original trilogy created.
There are some returning elements, though. Captain Price is again a principal character in this new story, for instance. It seems as though this game will also concern Russian interactions with the Middle East, while enemies will include an ultranationalist group helping to execute terrorist attacks in major cities such as London. Apart from broad strokes, though, we don't know much more about the story.
Studio narrative director Taylor Kurosaki and single player director Jacob Minkoff, who both came to Infinity Ward from the narrative-focused developer Naughty Dog, said they mean for this Modern Warfare to be more "gritty" and "mature," with more relevance to today's world.
"The world we live in right now is more complex than the world was in 2007, or 2009, or even 2011," Kurosaki said during the presentation. "Even now the world that we live in, the battlefield is less defined than it's ever been, and because it's less defined and because enemies no longer really wear uniforms a lot of the time, that means that civilian collateral damage is a greater part of the equation more so now than it's ever been. So what does that mean? It means we're creating circumstances where, as storytellers, we are taking these characters, and we are putting them into complex situations with a lot of pressure on them, and how they respond to that pressure reveals their true nature."
The morally gray areas of fighting a war are what Infinity Ward is looking to explore with Modern Warfare, Kurosaki said, as well as how soldiers respond to them and where they draw the lines separating what they are and aren't willing to do. The team is pulling influences from Hollywood films that tell similar war stories, like The Hurt Locker, Lone Survivor, and American Sniper, and documentaries such as Last Men in Aleppo, Minkoff said.
The world we live in right now is more complex than the world was in 2007, or 2009, or even 2011."
The game will deal with scenarios that are "ripped from the headlines" to make the game more relevant in our current world. That doesn't mean that Modern Warfare will recreate real events, Kurosaki clarified, but Infinity Ward's research for the game has included ongoing conflicts such as the Syrian civil war and the continuing U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. As Minkoff noted, "one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist," and Modern Warfare will also put you alongside "regular people taking up arms to fight for their homes."
To that end, Modern Warfare will explore different kinds of conflict in its gameplay. There'll be the more traditional Call of Duty approach, in which players embody Tier 1 Operator-type soldiers, such as U.S. Delta Force troops and those in Bravo 6, Captain Price's British SAS team. But you'll also fight alongside rebels, apparently in the fictional Middle Eastern country Urzikstan. Rebels won't have the same quality of gear at their disposal as Tier 1 Operators, but they'll have greater numbers, improvised weapons, a better knowledge of their warzones, and guerrilla tactics. The two different types of warfare will create a variety of gameplay situations, depending on whether you're playing as a Tier 1 soldier or a rebel in a given scenario, and whether you're facing off against Tier 1 soldiers or rebels.
Telling A Modern War Story
Modern Warfare won't have a branching narrative, Kurosaki said, but it will allow for player choices that will have an impact on the world of the game. Those choices include how you approach combat situations, like whether you go loud or quiet, or kick down a door versus pushing through it carefully. But your effect on the game world will also be deeper depending on how things play out on missions.
"It means that you can reach mission success and make a big difference, like you've saved a bunch of people," Kurosaki explained in an interview with GameSpot. "Or you can reach mission success, and unfortunately, there have been heavier losses than there otherwise could have been. So again, hopefully, if we're doing our jobs right, you're going to feel that sense of urgency to sort of make as much of a difference as you possibly can without crossing your line."
During the presentation, Infinity Ward showed two brief portions of missions from the game. The first started with police in London responding to the threat of a terrorist attack. Before the police could stop it, the terrorists detonated a bomb and then began attacking people on the street. The mission cut away to a later moment when Captain Price and Bravo 6 had used intelligence the police discovered to track down the terrorist cell responsible for the attack, locating them in a nearby London townhouse. As a member of the squad, the player's job was to sweep through the house and take down the terrorists. Price and his team carefully knocked out lights, then moved through, room by room, using night vision goggles to ambush the surprised enemies. It was a tense mission as terrorists opened fire blindly in the darkness, amplified by the possibility of civilians in the house; a baby crying on an upper floor reminded players to check their targets carefully.
It's also a level that showcases Infinity Ward's push for greater authenticity in the game, for better or worse. Several times, enemies were ripped with bullets, writhing in pain on the ground or choking on blood, before soldiers finished them with headshots. More than one room included people who initially seemed like noncombatants before they went for weapons and the player killed them. The strength of the character models and animations could make those moments intense and disturbing, Infinity Ward said its approach in that regard is "'Jaws,' not 'Saw,'" emphasizing a push toward realism that would impact players without being gross-out gory.
The mission ended with Price and the player character finding an unarmed woman in an attic room, attempting to take her alive, but shooting her before she could reach a detonator for an unseen bomb. Price also discovered intel about the location of someone called The Wolf, who seems to be one of the major villains of Modern Warfare, although we learned nothing else about him.
The second mission in the presentation took place 20 years before the rest of the events of the game and concerned two children, Farah and Hadir, and emphasized the intensity of what Infinity Ward is trying to convey with the game. Players took on the role of Farah, but the mission started with her awakening under a pile of rubble after being trapped during a bombing, her mother lying dead beside her. The player managed to bang on a piece of metal using a chunk of brick, alerting rescuers of her presence. A second later, they'd cut her free and returned her to her father.
As Farah's father started to look for her brother, Hadir, another bomb ripped through the city center, sending a shockwave through the crowd and scattering people. Trucks began to roll up on nearby streets, filled with Russian soldiers who started firing indiscriminately into crowds of fleeing civilians. Farah and her father managed to slip past the soldiers and return to their home, where they found Hadir, just as more Russian bombs started blanketing the city in deadly gas.
...If we're doing our jobs right, you're going to feel that sense of urgency to sort of make as much of a difference as you possibly can without crossing your line."
Before the family could leave with a gas mask that would protect them, one of the Russian soldiers invading the city burst through their front door and killed Farah and Hadir's father. Most of the rest of the level found the two kids hiding from the soldier as he searched the house for them. The player, as Farah, had to sneak through the house to find a screwdriver to use as a weapon against the soldier. After a harrowing fight in which Farah stabbed the soldier repeatedly with the screwdriver, the kids managed to kill him with his rifle.
With both their parents dead, Farah and Hadir took the soldier's gas mask, then headed back outside, sneaking past the Russian soldiers and stepping over the gasping bodies of people, goats, and the occasional dog in an attempt to escape.
Farah and Hadir finally reached some small farms on the outskirts of town where more soldiers were executing people and taking children away--seemingly to force them to become child soldiers. The mission ended with Farah and Hadir coordinating to distract two Russian soldiers so Farah could reach a gun and use it to kill them.
Kurosaki and Minkoff said Farah and Hadir are rebel leaders players would fight alongside in the game's present, so the mission about their childhood served as backstory showing what led them to their cause. It scene also suggested that some brand of Russian troops were among the enemies in Modern Warfare, as they were in the original game.
A Technological Upgrade
Bringing Modern Warfare into the modern era is more than an update for the game's story. The game features two major changes on the multiplayer side from previous games--first and foremost, it'll sport cross-play between PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC players. That means when you log into a multiplayer game, you'll face opponents (and team with friends) regardless of the platform on which they purchased the game.
Modern Warfare also does away with the traditional Call of Duty season pass. Usually, players purchase the season pass and receive periodic map packs that expand the scope of multiplayer. Infinity Ward is working to keep the Call of Duty player base together by doing away with the barrier that crops up between people who buy into the new maps and people who don't. Instead, all additional multiplayer maps will be free to all players.
Infinity Ward has done a lot for the game on the technical side, as well. Modern Warfare uses a new, purpose-built engine specifically made for the game, which is significantly increasing its production values.
One of the most interesting changes Infinity Ward is making is in how the game deals with elements like night vision and infrared goggles. In the original Modern Warfare, as developers noted, night vision goggles were little more than a green tint added to the game's existing visuals. In the rebooted Modern Warfare, developers added additional light spectra to the engine that work much in the same way as real-world lighting. That means when you pull on your night vision goggles, you see things as illuminated by infrared light sources in the game world, giving the view mode a much more realistic look and feel.
Sound has also gotten an overhaul. Modern Warfare uses ray tracing to create realistic echoes for all sounds, whether they be shots from various guns ripping down a city street, or a grenade's explosion reverberating in a tight subway staircase. You'll also notice more realistic sounds created by interactions between objects, like shell casings popping out of your gun and bouncing off objects.
One man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist."
In addition to an upgraded presentation, Modern Warfare is also giving an overhaul to the formula for how Call of Duty games play. Infinity Ward said current games in the franchise have started to become more like three separate, siloed game experiences in a single package; multiplayer modes have a different feel and progression from the single player mode or the popular Zombies mode. With Modern Warfare, Infinity Ward said it's going for "continuity and consistency" across all modes. Weapons will feel and handle the same whether you're in single or multiplayer. Progressing your character, unlocking killstreaks, and increasing your levels with different guns will track across all modes, so you won't feel penalized for preferring single player over multiplayer or vice versa.
Though Infinity Ward didn't give journalists a chance to actually play the single-player mode of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, it made clear the developer is trying to push itself--and in some ways, to return it to the groundbreaking place it found itself in back in 2007. The studio said it wants to "push the envelope" of what the medium of video games is capable of delivering, and include things into the game "only Modern Warfare would have the guts to show."
We've only seen the edges of what exactly that entails. From the way Infinity Ward is talking about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, though, the studio seems intent on redefining the franchise. We'll have to wait until October 25 when the game releases to see just how successful that redefinition might be.
Dying Light 2 was announced almost exactly a year ago at E3 2018. The first game was a blast, so the news that a sequel was on the way was received warmly by many.
A year on, we're yet to hear too much more about the second in the series. However, with E3 2019 just around the corner, we're bound for more Dying Light 2 news. With that in mind, let's take a look at what we do know, and what we'd like to see this June.
What We Know So Far
Developer Techland revealed last year that Dying Light 2 is set 15 years after the events of Dying Light, in a "modern dark age." Humanity has been devastated in the war against the Infected, and now surviving factions of human beings are vying for control of what may be the last city on earth. How you interact with those factions and whom you choose to align yourself with will have considerable long-term impacts on the physical world around you (like in the image below, which shows the same city district after making two different decisions). Of course, you'll be doing all this while battling hordes of zombies, too.
Dying Light 2 will also be much larger than the original game; the city you inhabit is four times the size of all the levels in Dying Light. Like in that title, parkour plays a large role in getting around (and staying alive).
A release date has not been announced for Dying Light 2--all we know is that it's coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC in 2019.
What's Confirmed For E3?
Techland has confirmed it's bringing Dying Light 2 to E3 2019, though it hasn't offered much in the way of clues. "We can't wait to show you the latest look at our most ambitious project to date," it said in a tweet. The game was announced on Microsoft's stage last year, so it's possible it could end up being shown off there again. Microsoft's E3 2019 press conference starts on June 9 at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET / 9 PM BST (6 AM AET on June 10).
What We Hope To See At E3
It's been over four years since the first game launched for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, so we're thirsty for more from Dying Light's universe. Given we've seen little of the game since its reveal a year ago, more gameplay footage is a must. We'd also like more detail on the world-shifting mechanic Techland has previously spoken about. The differences look dramatic, but how much nuance does a system like that contain? And how much will it really affect your playing experience?
Further, we'd love to hear more about these multiplayer "surprises." If it's not battle royale, what is it? Is it standard deathmatch-type games? A shared open world? Only time will tell.
Of course, the biggest question on fans'--and our--lips is when will we get to play Dying Light 2? Techland has been hit with layoffs in recent months, though the company says development of Dying Light 2 is not affected. If that's the case, the game should still be on course for its 2019 release--just tell us when, Techland!
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is the upcoming prequel to the classic 1982 fantasy movie The Dark Crystal. The series has been in the works for a couple of years and finally hits Netflix on August 30. The first trailer has now been released.
Like the movie, which was co-directed by the late Muppets creator Jim Henson, the new show uses puppetry to create the world of the Dark Crystal. It looks visually stunning, and the trailer is packed with the weird creatures and striking set design that will be instantly recognisable to fans of the film. It looks like it'll have the same mix of thrilling adventure and dark fantasy too--check the trailer out below, and the poster at the end of this story.
Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance will run for 10 episodes. It has an impressive voicecast, which includes Taron Egerton, Anya Taylor-Jo, Nathalie Emmanuel, Mark Hamill, Jason Isaacs, Keegan-Michael Key, Simon Pegg, Andy Samberg, Helena Bonham Carter, Natalie Dormer, Eddie Izzard, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mark Strong, and Alicia Vikander.
The official synopsis reads: "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance tells a new epic story, set many years before the events of the movie, and realized using classic puppetry with cutting edge visual effects. The world of Thra is dying. The Crystal of Truth is at the heart of Thra, a source of untold power. But it is damaged, corrupted by the evil Skeksis, and a sickness spreads across the land. When three Gelfling uncover the horrific truth behind the power of the Skeksis, an adventure unfolds as the fires of rebellion are lit and an epic battle for the planet begins."
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Louis Leterrier spoke about the challenges involved with using puppetry rather than the CGI you'd expect for a show like this in 2019. "I was not fighting against anyone, I was fighting against common sense and practicality," he said. "It's so so complicated to build a puppet, hire puppeteers, all that stuff. We chose the long, hardest road and we're very thankful [we did]. It looks absolutely stunning."
E3 2019 is fast approaching and in under two weeks time, we'll be inundated with press conferences, new game announcements, gameplay videos, and everything else that makes the annual event so exciting. Historically, much of the excitement has been focused on the big three: Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. However, in recent years publishers have also wowed attendees and those watching it all unfold via the internet. Bethesda is one of those publishers, generating buzz with Fallout, Doom, Wolfenstein, and The Elder Scrolls related announcements. This year, the company is once again holding its own press conference, and we're expecting it to be pretty exciting.
Bethesda is set to host its press conference on Sunday, June 9. For those who aren't in Los Angeles, California and able to attend in-person, the press conference will be streamed online and, of course, here on GameSpot. We'll also have the breaking news as it happens. If you plan on watching, take a look below for a breakdown of everything you need to know.
What Time Does Bethesda's Press Conference Livestream Start
Bethesda's E3 2019 press conference will take place on June 9, before the show officially opens. It is expected to begin the livestream at 5:30 PM PT / 8:30 PM ET for those in America. However, if you're in the UK, you'll have to stay up into the early hours of Monday, June 10, as it starts at 1:30 AM in the BST timezone. Those in Australia, meanwhile, will be able to catch the show at the more reasonable time of 10:30 AM AEST on June 10.
Where To Watch
Bethesda will be streaming its press conference on its Twitch and YouTube channels. You'll also be able to catch the livestream on GameSpot's various channels. We'll have our expert analysis before and after the stream as part of our pre- and post-shows. Make sure to bookmark the links below, and you'll be able to see all of our E3 2019 coverage using them.
It'll come as no surprise to learn that Bethesda has been pretty quiet about what it plans to show at its E3 2019 press conference. Thus far, all it has confirmed is that Doom Eternal will have a presence, which makes perfect sense given that it is scheduled to be released this year. Bethesda got the Doom train rolling this year at GDC, specifically during the Google Stadia reveal, where it showed plenty of gameplay. It was a rather fast and furious showcase of all the new abilities the Doom Slayer has, from the Meat Hook used to grapple around environments to retractable arm-blades to slice up enemies. Hopefully, id Software will take to the stage to give us a more in-depth look at it all and explore how it will fit into the chaotic rhythm of gameplay. With any luck, we'll get a release date too.
Beyond that, we know that Wolfenstein: Youngblood is in development and is another Bethesda title that should be released later this year. It takes place 19 years after Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus and has Jessica and Sophia Blazkowicz, the twin daughters of B.J. Blazkowicz, as the central protagonists. The duo head to Paris to try and find their missing father, and kill some Nazis along the way. In a series first, Youngblood will allow co-operative play, and we haven't seen much of how that will work, so we've got our fingers crossed for hot co-op play deets.
The Elder Scrolls Online continues to be a game that Bethesda is supporting, so there's sure to be some time dedicated to giving players of the game insight into what's on the way. Bethesda has ensured that the game feels fresh through DLC updates, so we wouldn't be surprised to see more of that, but fans will no doubt also want to know about tweaks and overhauls that may be planned, and E3 2019 is an ideal place to reveal those.
The same can be said for Elder Scrolls Blades, the mobile Elder Scrolls title that was recently released. Since the game is still in its infancy, Bethesda will want to draw as much attention as possible to the game and convince viewers to pick up the game and get involved. Given the number of eyes that will be on them during the press conference, expect a hard sell on Elder Scrolls Blades at some point.
The final safe bet is Rage 2, which is out now but set to receive DLC that we'll probably get our first glimpse at during E3. Bethesda does like to surprise us, however, so maybe there's more. We're hoping that Arkane, the team behind Dishonored and Prey, has something to show. While it is working on Youngblood alongside MachineGames, we'd love to see the studio debut a new game of its own.
Make sure to check out GameSpot's full coverage of E3 2019 for the latest breaking news. You can also see what other publishers and companies are doing in our full E3 2019 schedule.
Xbox Live Gold members get a slate of free games every month alongside their usual perks of online multiplayer and game discounts. The lineup for June has just been revealed, and it brings a lot to look forward to for members.
Available June 1: Beginning on the first of the month you can pick up EA Sports NHL 19 for Xbox One, the most recent installment of the long-running hockey franchise. With a slate of new game modes and improved skating mechanics, you can cool down your summer on the ice. That day will also bring Portal: Still Alive, the Xbox 360 port of the renowned first-person puzzle platformer. Thanks to backwards compatibility, of course, you can play it on your Xbox One as well.
Available June 16: Then, on June 16, two more games join the rotation. The indie fighting game Rivals of Aether for Xbox One will be available as a free download. It takes place in a fantasy setting where fighters harness the elemental powers of fire, water, air, and earth. That day will also bring Earth Defense Force 2017 for Xbox 360, letting you squash bugs till your heart's content. It's also available to play on Xbox One through backwards compatibility.
Dying Light 2 developer Techland has announced a partnership with Square Enix. The two companies are teaming up to distribute the open-world zombie game in the Americas when it launches later this year. In addition to the partnership, Techland teases we'll get another look at the game in just a few weeks at E3 2019.
"This partnership represents an incredible opportunity for both companies to bring Modern Dark Ages to audiences across Americas," Techland head of marketing Ed Lin said in a press release. "Our partnership kicks off this year at E3 and we are looking forward to a great campaign that showcases the fan favorite Dying Light DNA in the expansive and savage world of the infected."
While it hasn't been explicitly confirmed, Techland's comments about the partnership beginning at E3 presumably means Dying Light 2 will be a part of Square Enix's E3 press conference, which takes place on Monday, June 10, at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET (2 AM BST on June 11). This year's press conference is shaping up to be a big one for Square Enix. While we don't yet know the company's full E3 lineup, it has previously said that it will showcase more of the Final Fantasy VII Remake in June, presumably during its E3 presentation. Square Enix has also confirmed it'll officially unveil its mysterious Marvel's Avengers game at E3 2019.
Dying Light 2 was officially unveiled at E3 2018. The game is set 15 years after its predecessor and takes place in a "modern dark age," where the remnants of humanity are vying for control of what may be the last city on earth. Techland describes the title as a "narrative sandbox," and the decisions you make as you play will shape the world around you. Like the first game, Dying Light 2 will also support multiplayer, but Techland says it won't have a battle royale mode.
No firm release date has been announced yet, but Dying Light 2 is slated to launch for PS4, Xbox One, and PC later this year. Developer Techland recently announced a round of layoffs, although the studio says these will not affect Dying Light 2's development.
Crunchyroll has announced, starting June 6, that it will be co-publishing Grand Summoners, a tap-battle gacha RPG. Starting that same day, Grand Summoners will host a crossover event with popular 2018 anime Goblin Slayer, adding characters from the anime to the game.
"Crunchyroll has been an essential partner of GoodSmile Company and NextNinja in creating a worldwide audience for Grand Summoners since early 2018, Grand Summoners producer Masayuki Yamagishi said in a press release. "Crunchyroll has a unique, deep understanding and respect for Japanese anime and games. Their commitment to understanding the joys and challenges of Grand Summoners often far exceeds our expectations--and is the foundation for our partnership."
The Goblin Slayer crossover event begins June 6 and continues until July 31. During the limited-time event, you'll be able to unlock and play with three major characters from Goblin Slayer--the titular hero, High Elf Archer, and Priestess--in raids and in-game battles. This crossover follows on the heels of several popular anime-themed events within Grand Summoners, including That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Golden Kamuy, and Kill la Kill.
After launching to controversy, Goblin Slayer went on to become one of the most popular Fall 2018 anime series. The series follows a group of adventures, each named for the party role they embody, who journey through a fantasy world. The show focuses on Goblin Slayer, a mysterious masked knight who only ever hunts goblins and refuses to aid in other tasks. After saving an inexperienced adventurer named Priestess, Goblin Slayer finds a companion who supports him on his quest and also helps him open up more to others.
If you're looking to catch up on the anime before the crossover event, you can find the original Japanese version on Crunchyroll and the English dub on Funimation. A new Goblin Slayer OVA is set to release in Japanese theaters in 2020, and will supposedly come to the west at some point.
The first trailer for Rambo: Last Blood is here. The fifth movie in the long-running action series stars Sylvester Stallone as former soldier and mercenary John Rambo who is called back into his old life for one last mission.
The trailer doesn't really give much about the story away, but it delivers everything that fans of the series will expect. Namely, Stallone shooting, stabbing, and blowing up lots of people, this time in Mexico, while his voiceover tells us that "death is coming" for his enemies. Check it out above.
Rambo: Last Blood hits theaters on September 20 and is directed by Adrian Grunberg, who previously made the Mel Gibson thriller Get the Gringo. The movie also stars Spanish star Paz Vega (Spanglish, The OA) as a reporter who teams up with Rambo to rescue her sister from a drug cartel.
The Rambo series kicked off in 1982 with First Blood and was followed by two sequels in 1985 and 1988. The most recent movie was 2008's Rambo, which Stallone directed and made $113 million worldwide.
Season 9, Week 4's challenges are now available in Fortnite, and among them is one that'll require a little bit of detective work. The challenge in question is part of the free set, so everyone will be able to do it, and it tasks players with seeking out three specific landmarks--the holographic tomato head, holographic Durr Burger head, and the dumpling head--and dancing near them.
These three challenges have to be done in order. The first of these is the holographic tomato head, which you'll be able to spot by heading over to the Mega Mall. If you're not familiar with it, don't worry, it's situated where Retail Row used to be, but after the time skip event of Season 9, it's now become a mall. It's fairly obvious to see, which is unsurprising since it's a giant tomato with a face on it, but the easiest way to get to it is to drop near it and float down. Once you're there, do a little dance, and you're good.
The second stage of the challenge involves dancing inside a holographic Durr Burger head. This is located at another semi-new area: Neo Tilted. This is basically a futuristic version of Tilted Towers, so you should know exactly where to go. This one is trickier to reach, however, so we recommend stocking up on resources and building your way up to it. Then bust a move and it's on to the next one.
Finally, the multi-stage challenge ends with a dance on top of a dumpling head. For this you'll need to head to Lucky Landing and take a look at the top of one of the pagoda-like buildings. On the tallest building, you'll spot the angry looking dumpling on the roof. Get up there and bring some light into its life with a jig. Take a look below for a list of the locations.
Holographic Tomato head: Can be found at the Mega Mall
Holographic Durr Burger head: Can be found floating above Neo Tilted
Dumpling head: Can be found on top of a building at Lucky Landing
With that done, you can focus on completing other challenges from the week and previous weeks too. We've got a comprehensive Fortnite Season 9 challenge guide that is being updated on a weekly basis. If you find yourself stuck or want to know the quickest way to get the most difficult challenges done, that guide will be valuable.
Looking further ahead, it seems Epic Games is teasing another event. Players found a giant eye beneath Polar Peak. It watches you and follows your movements, and can reportedly move a little bit too. It's only a matter of time before it breaks free and causes chaos, we reckon.
Microsoft has now formally announced that it is bringing its Netflix-style subscription service for games, Xbox Game Pass, to PC. Although it shares a name with the Xbox One service, the announcement makes clear that the PC library will be curated separately. The company calls it "a new experience that we are building together with the PC community." More details will be shared during Microsoft's E3 2019press conference.
In the announcement from Xbox head Phil Spencer, Microsoft says the service will give subscribers access to a curated library of more than 100 PC games on Windows 10, representing publishers like Bethesda, Deep Silver, Devolver Digital, Paradox Interactive, and Sega. The company also committed to including new releases from Xbox Game Studios on the PC version of Game Pass on the day of release, just like the Xbox One service. The library will add new games every month. Game Pass members can also permanently purchase the games at up to a 20% discount in the Microsoft Store, and 10% off DLC.
One question the blog did not answer is whether current subscribers to Game Pass on Xbox One will also receive a subscription to the PC library as part of their existing fee, or whether it will require two separate subscriptions.
The announcement also noted two other key initiatives for PC players. The first is bringing Xbox Game Studios games to the Steam storefront, starting with Gears 5 and the Age of Empires games. The company also committed to supporting Win32 games on the Microsoft Store for Windows.
"These are just a few of our steps in a journey to contribute to gaming on Windows 10," Spencer said. "We know that PC gamers want to see games, so I hope you'll join us at our annual Xbox E3 2019 Briefing on Sunday, June 9 to hear more, including the amazing lineup of new games and offers coming to PC players."
On Xbox One, the Game Pass service costs $10 / £8 / $11 AU per month for a similarly sized library of rotating games. It's developed a healthy reputation for having a solid library, including some indies on day one. It recently outlined plans for late May and early June, which includes day-one access to Void Bastards and Outer Wilds.
As noted above, Microsoft will provide further details during its E3 press conference. It takes place on Sunday, June 9, at 1 PM PT.
We're now in Season 9, Week 4 of Fortnite, and there are new challenges to be completed. As always, one set is available to everyone playing the wildly popular battle royale mode, while the second is exclusively available to those that have spent money (V-Bucks) to purchase a premium Battle Pass. Here's what's on tap for this week and what you have to do to complete them.
By completing the week's challenges, which you can see in full below, you'll earn Battle Stars. These level up your Battle Pass and, as it climbs in rank, you'll unlock cosmetics that can be used to customize your character.
This week players will need to do damage using a Sniper Rifle, dance in various locations (inside of a tomato head, inside a holographic Durr Burger head, and on top of a giant dumpling head), and get kills using legendary weapons. The least straightforward of these is the dancing one, since you'll need to know the map well enough to understand what those descriptions refer to. You can check out our guide for assistance on figuring out where to go.
If you've got a premium Battle Pass, you'll also have access to four additional challenges. They ask you to land at specific named locations (which is as simple as heading to one at the start of a match five different times), destroy loot carriers, eliminate enemies in specific locations, and visit named locations. The latter needs to be done in a single match, but these can be any named locations, so it shouldn't be too difficult as long as you avoid combat.
Free
Deal damage with Sniper Rifles to opponents (500) -- 5 Battle Stars
Stage 1: Dance inside a holographic Tomato head (1) -- 1 Battle Star
Stage 2: Dance inside a holographic Durr Burger head (1) -- 2 Battle Stars
Stage 3: Dance on top of a giant Dumpling head (1) -- 2 Battle Stars
Destroy a Loot Carrier in different matches (3) -- 5 Battle Stars
Stage 1: Land at Polar Peak (1) -- 1 Battle Star
Land at Lazy Lagoon (1) -- 1 Battle Star
Land at Salty Springs (1) -- 1 Battle Star
Land at The Block (1) -- 1 Battle Star
Land at Lonely Lodge (1) -- 1 Battle Star
Eliminate opponents in Haunted Hills or Dusty Divot (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
Visit different named locations in a single match (5) -- 10 Battle Stars
Fortnite's 9.10 patch launched on May 29 and introduced the Burst SMG, which is available in common, uncommon, and rare varieties. It can be found in chests and vending machines, and as floor loot. The Burst SMG has a 24-round magazine and uses light ammo. The Suppressed Submachine Gun was thrown into the Vault to make room for it, however.
It looks like developer Epic Games is also teasing an upcoming event, as players noticed a giant eye on the island. The eyeball can be found beneath Polar Peak, and will watch you and follow your movements if you're close enough. It could be that this monster will eventually break out and stomp around the game world.
If you need a hand completing challenges from previous weeks in the season, take a look at our complete Fortnite Season 9 challenge guide. We're updating that with guides on a weekly basis, so you'll find the methods for how to complete the trickiest challenges in there.
Dark Phoenix is the latest--and possibly last--movie in the current series of X-Men movies. It was originally set to be released in November 2018, but has been delayed following reshoots and finally arrives next month. Star James McEvoy has now revealed one of the reason for the reshoots.
In an interview with Yahoo Movies, McEvoy explained that the entire ending of the movie had to be reworked in order to avoid similarities to another superhero movie. "The end [of Dark Phoenix] changed a hell of a lot," he said. "The finale had to change. There was a lot of overlap and parallels with another superhero movie that came out… a while ago. And we had no idea that we were... we were basically trawling through the source material it seems."
Although McEvoy declined to state which rival comic book film had the similar ending, he gave some hints when he spoke about the location for the original ending.
"The story ended in space in a much more significant way," he revealed. "We actually shifted that to be back on Earth [for the reshoot], most notably, so that we can involve our main characters and see them come together. We wanted the family to be the thing that motivated Jean to finally embrace her identity, and finally, to allow love to be what allows her to transcend and evolve.
"But in the first iteration, they weren't present when she's going through a lot of the third act stuff. So we rejigged it so that we could dramatize the degree to which this divided family had come back together for her… that she could witness that, and, and bring [Jessica] Chastain into that sequence."
While there have been several superhero films released since Dark Phoenix started production in 2017, it's worth bearing in mind that Captain Marvel is the only one that had a significant part set in space.
Since Dark Phoenix was shot, Disney has bought all of Fox's entertainment assets, including the rights to the X-Men, as well as the Fantastic Four. While the studio has not announced its plans for these franchises, it has been confirmed that Marvel studios head Kevin Feige will be in charge of the properties and it is likely they will be incorporated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe at a later date.
Dark Phoenix also stars Sophie Turner, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Tye Sheridan, Olivia Munn, Alexandra Shipp, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. It's directed by Simon Kinberg and releases on June 5.
2009's Ghostbusters: The Video Game is being remastered for the PlayStation 4. A trailer for the game has been released and confirms that it is being developed by Saber Interactive, which recently worked on World War Z and NBA 2K Playgrounds. The PS4 game is set to launch in 2019.
The trailer states that Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered will feature high-resolution visuals, but there's no further information on any additional bells and whistles that may be included. It also seems that the original cast will once again be voicing their characters. In the game, players take control of a new member of the team, but work alongside the core cast of the movie franchise.
Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, who wrote the original movies, were involved in the creation of the game's script, and this helped give it authenticity. In GameSpot's original Ghostbusters: The Video Game review, Kevin VanOrd said, "If you're a fan of the films, or just like a little bit of supernatural fun, there's no need to glance about furtively when picking up your copy. Instead, hold your head high, confident that you've spent your money on a fun game worthy of its beloved license.
"The production values nail the Ghostbusters vibe. The sound effects in particular are fantastic, from eerie whispers in hotel hallways and groans of bosses to the whooshes and slurps of pulling a ghost into a trap. And while the game isn't amazing from a technical perspective, a vibrant color palette and detailed ghost designs make the story come alive."
A new Ghostbusters film is also in production and expected to release in 2020. It is set in the world of the of the original Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989). Jason Reitman (Up In The Air, Juno), the son of original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman, is writing and directing the movie.
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Make sure you check out Logitech's grads promotion to take advantage of their 20% off discount for this graduation season. Good luck, everyone!
Following the announcement from Netflix that it would consider no longer filming in Georgia if the state's abortion law takes effect, Disney has now also weighed in.
CEO Bob Iger told Reuters that Disney would likely pull out of its operations in Georgia if the law goes into effect in 2020 as scheduled. He said it would be "very difficult" to keep filming there if that happens. "I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard," he said.
"I don't see how it's practical for us to continue to shoot there" if the law takes effect, Iger said. Disney filmed some of its biggest movies in Georgia, including Black Panther, Avengers: Endgame, and other Marvel box office juggernauts.
Iger also mentioned that it's expected that Georgia's abortion law will be challenged in court. "Right now we are watching it very carefully," Iger said.
Netflix boss Ted Sarandos said earlier this week that the streaming giant behind shows like Stranger Things and Ozark would "rethink" its operations in Georgia if the abortion law takes effect.
Georgia is a popular place for film and TV productions, with a reported 455 productions taking place there in 2018 alone. The state is popular due to the tax credits that it provides, among other things.
While Netflix and Disney are holding off until more details come to light, The Handmaid's Tale director Reed Morano said recently that she would not film a new show in Georgia due to the abortion law. The Kristen Wiig comedy Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar also recently announced it wouldn't film in Georgia as planned due to the law.
Blizzard is currently working on a lot of games; in fact, the studio has more titles in production currently than it ever has in its entire history. The company might not be willing to reveal the new projects just yet, but Blizzard's CEO J. Allen Brack has now teased that you could see a new Overwatch game outside of the existing shooter.
He told Game Informer that Overwatch, like Blizzard's other franchises, could extend beyond the initial title into new areas. He mentioned that Warcraft originally started as a RTS before becoming an MMO with World of Warcraft, and also a mobile card game with Hearthstone. You might also see Overwatch extend to new categories, he teased.
"We've talked about how we've got more games in development than ever before. More games in development than in the entire history of the company," Brack said. "We also think that there are a lot of different types of games that can exist within the IPs that we have. If we think about the Overwatch IP for example, we think about the Overwatch IP as being extremely large and extremely all-encompassing. Overwatch, the game people experience today, is just being a very small part of what that IP could be."
Blizzard doesn't always release all of the games that it works on. For example, Blizzard developed a game called Warcraft Adventures but it was canceled before release.
"We think that a lot of these franchises have the ability to have lots of different types of games, lots of different types of experiences," Brack said.
Brack also acknowledged that Blizzard is looking to create brand-new franchises as well. The company doesn't do that often. When it was released in 2016, Overwatch was Blizzard's first new IP since Diablo about 18 years prior.
"That's a long time to go without creating a new franchise," Brack acknowledged. "So we want to create more games in our franchises and we do want to think about new franchises as well."
Creative Assembly's new strategy game Total War: Three Kingdoms is off to a hot start. The game sold more than 1 million copies in its first week to become the studio's fastest-selling strategy game ever. The game is the current No. 1 strategy game on Steam in terms of concurrent players with more than 160,000 peak concurrent players today.
Creative Assembly's chief product officer Rob Bartholomew said in a statement that the response to Three Kingdoms "exceeded all expectations"
"We're seeing a lot of 'best Total War ever' comments out there. We're very proud," he added.
Three Kingdoms is the first Total War game set in China; it takes place in 190 CE. The game was originally scheduled to launch in March, but Creative Assembly delayed it to May to fix bugs, add polish, and make sure the localization was done right.
"This is the most ambitious that Total War has ever been, from the variety of different ways that you can enjoy the game to the sheer scope of the stories that they've weaved around each unique character's playable experience," reviewer Ginny Woo said. "Three Kingdoms feels like the rightful evolution of the series, pulling from its roots in historical military tactics to come up with an engrossing modern strategy game that is always a delight, even in its less well-oiled moments."
With Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge about to open to the public at Disneyland, fans planning to visit the planet of Batuu are also likely planning to part ways with a lot of their money. Galaxy's Edge is loaded with new and exclusive merchandise that you won't be able to find anywhere else (much of which you can take a peek at in our image gallery from visiting the park), ranging in price from a few dollars to a few hundred--and beyond, as we're about to explain.
For those with plenty of cash to burn, there are some very high-end items for you to browse. During a media preview event, GameSpot found the most expensive piece of merchandise for sale in the new land. For the low, low price of only $25,000, you can have your own custom R-series droid.
Whether you want a perfect replica of R2-D2 or some splashes of color, the design of the droid is up to you, if you're willing to pay enough. You can customize the droid's paint job and parts--to an extent that wasn't clear yet during our sneak peek. You can even choose whether your droid will appear scuffed up and used, or shiny like it just arrived from the factory. The droid is functional, including sounds and lights, and controllable via remote. If you decide to pony up, it will be about 90 days from the time of order to your custom droid arriving at your front door, according to Disney.
Of course, there are also options for those that don't want to spend quite that much.
You can also build your own smaller droids for $100, or purchase one that's been pre-built, with the price depending on the droid in question. Speaking to GameSpot, Disneyland Resort Merchandise Strategy Manager Summer Bloomfield said that prices on droids start at $10.
Honestly, though, everyone should get the $25,000 option and then R2 units can rule the galaxy. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens at Disneyland on May 31, with Walt Disney World's arriving on August 29.
The upcoming expansion to Square Enix's MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV, called Shadowbringers, will introduce a wide variety of changes to the core gameplay as well as a slew of new content. And one of the most intriguing additions will be an entire raid dedicated to Nier Automata. It's called YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse, and it'll be a lot more than the typical crossover event, although not much has been detailed yet.
However, I had a chance to speak with FFXIV director and lead producer Naoki Yoshida during a preview event for Shadowbringers, and asked about where the idea came from, if there are any details he could tease, and how much Nier's creator Yoko Taro is involved in the raid's creation.
Key art for the upcoming Nier Automata crossover raid in Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers.
Yoshida-san stated that the crossover was driven by player feedback, and elaborated, "When Nier Automata was released, a lot of people were saying, 'We want 9S or 2B gear in FFXIV!' Of course, if we're just simply having attire or an outfit implemented into FFXIV, it's simple, it's quick, but I'm sure it wouldn't be fun from a gameplay perspective."
I think it leans more towards Nier's gameplay rather than FFXIV's battle mechanics. - Naoki Yoshida
He continued, "Why not have Yoko-san come on board and create content that sort of meshes FFXIV and Nier together? And as a reward, you can get the gear and costumes. I feel that it would make for a lot more interesting gameplay, had we had his participation. We approached Yoko-san and asked him, 'Would you be interested in doing such a project?' He was happy to be on board."
Yoko-san's involvement is very significant, as if he is creating a whole game. Over the course of the next two years, we will continue to work with him and the team to bring content. - Naoki Yoshida
In terms of information on the content, Yoshida-san mentioned that he can't give many details. But he did say that this raid will have a unique Nier Automata flavor, more so than you might expect.
"We do feel that it's going to be very much in line with a Nier game and it'll bring out Yoko-san's sort of tastes very well. As well as the battle mechanics, I think it leans more towards Nier's gameplay rather than FFXIV's battle mechanics. He is writing the text and scenario script, and provided us with ideas for the boss design. And once we do come up with the visual sketches, he would review and check each piece that we bring to him."
Final Fantasy XIV director and lead producer Naoki Yoshida.
"Yoko-san's involvement is very significant, as if he is creating a whole game. Over the course of the next two years, we will continue to work with him and the team to bring content. We're really looking forward to continuing this relationship."
If you're not familiar with what raids are in MMORPGs, they're usually long, continuous PvE multiplayer missions with larger parties and varied challenges like difficult multi-step boss battles interspersed with high-stakes puzzles. YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse isn't expected to be available at the launch of Shadowbringers, as raids are typically rolled out through subsequent updates post-release over a year or two (as mentioned by Yoshida-san above) and require players to be at max level with high-level gear.
Nier Automata producer Yosuke Saito (left) and director Yoko Taro (right) during the crossover announcement.
FFXIV has already incorporated crossover events with Monster Hunter--which flipped the script on game mechanics to align closer with that series--and Final Fantasy XV that involved a questline starring Noctis. Another new raid called Eden is designed by longtime game designer and Kingdom Hearts director Tetsuya Nomura. And it seems like the MMORPG is going to great lengths to do even more for Nier Automata in the near future.
As for the new expansion, I did a breakdown of the biggest changes and additions coming to FFXIV with Shadowbringers and 5.0 update, which involves many gameplay overhauls along with new Jobs and Races. Shadowbringers launches for PC and PlayStation 4 on July 2, 2019.
After a period of silence, BioWare has released a new update for Anthem, its multiplayer-focused, loot shooter game. This new patch, Update 1.2.0, implements several quality-of-life changes in Anthem and also begins to set things up for the game's upcoming major content drop: the Cataclysm. Read on for a look at the patch notes.
The bigger news involves Cataclysm, and according to a blog post, publisher EA will be providing a "first look" at what the event entails during a livestream on May 30 at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET / 9 PM BST. EA did not provide exact details about what will be shown during the livestream. You can watch the show on either Twitch or Mixer. Notably, Anthem was not included in the schedule for EA's pre-E3 press conference of sorts, which this year takes the form of a series of game-focused livestreams.
Most of Update 1.2.0 is geared towards quality-of-life changes and bug fixes. However, the update makes improvements to Anthem's features, creatures, and javelins. The feature changes are minor. Three Emerald Abyss Legendary missions have been added for, for example, and you can now fast travel to striders while in Freeplay. For enemies, Dominion Storm, Frost Brutes, Scar Hunters, and Scar Grenadiers have all been nerfed or made slightly easier to identify and kill. Javelins see updates across the board, with the base damage of a dozen different Ranger, Colossus, Interceptor, and Storm Gears all getting damage boosts.
The full patch notes for Update 1.2.0 can be found on EA's website. Below, we've outlined all the bug fixes coming to the game. There are quite a few. Anthem is available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC. In our Anthem review, Kallie Plagge wrote, "Anthem has good ideas, but it struggles significantly with the execution. It's a co-op game that works best with no one talking; it buries genuinely interesting character moments and puts its most incomprehensible story bits at the forefront; its combat is exciting until you get to the boss fights and find your wings have been clipped. Even the simple, exhilarating act of flying is frequently interrupted by the limitations of your javelin, and you never quite shake that feeling of disappointment--of knowing, throughout the good parts of Anthem, that you'll inevitably come crashing back down."
Anthem Update 1.2.0 Bug Fixes
General
Fixed a bug where multiple status effects applied to creatures were not able to be detonated for combos.
Inventory slot count at End of Expedition now matches the Forge and Vault
Cortex Menu - Various bugs with navigation and opening/closing the cortex have been fixed.
Cortex Menu - Fixed issues where some entries could not be 'mark as read' or would be become unread
New items gained from an expedition will now properly show the new item icon
Reduced frequency and intensity of several weapon muzzle flashes and gear effects.
Colossus Components Reinforced Hull and Colossal Stock Augment have had several issues with their text descriptions fixed.
Fixed an issue where the Javelin's lower body would twist oddly when strafing and swapping weapons.
Resolved errors with the Conductive Lattice Interceptor Component not always providing correct stat bonuses.
The Recommended Power values were unintentionally reverted to their original values and have been fixed. The values should now read 425 for GM1, 575 for GM2, and 675 for GM3.
Strongholds
General – Fixed various issues where players could get stuck, get outside of the environment, and other art-related issues.
Heart of Rage - Fixed an issue where the Monitor's glaive would rotate oddly during his final animation.
Heart of Rage – Fixed an issue where you couldn't replay the Heart of Rage after selecting to play another mission at the end of expedition screen.
Heart of Rage – Fixed an issue where the door closed prematurely preventing players from progressing to the arena.
Heart of Rage – Fixed an issue where a player could be party gathered if hovering too close to the door of the second arena.
Heart of Rage – Fixed an issue where you would receive no loot if your entire party was downed during the final phase of the titan fight.
Heart of Rage – Fixed an issue where the Monitor encounter would break if too much damage was done before the final phase.
Sunken Cell – Fixed an issue where the Fury sometimes would collide with rotating pillar on entering the arena.
Sunken Cell - Fixed some issues where creatures were unable to path to the player correctly.
Sunken Cell – Fixed an issue where the flight suppression progress wasn't showing for some members of a squad.
Sunken Cell – Fixed an issue where Ash Brutes would be able to move while frozen.
Sunken Cell – Fixed some issues with the Spanish voice over conversations.
Temple of Scar – Fixed an issue where the player could stand inside the shield bubble of the final boss.
Temple of Scar – Fixed an issue where the player could be knocked into a cage and trapped in the boss arena.
Temple of Scar – Fixed an issue where rejoining a session at the final boss arena would cause the player to spawn outside of the arena and then get party gathered into the arena.
Tyrant Mine – Fixed an issue where the icon would appear twice on the Expedition map.
Tyrant Mine – Fixed an issue with text missing on the objective.
Missions and Legendary Missions
General: Fixed an issue where the Legendary Missions did not unlock after completing Return to the Heart of Rage.
General: Fixed an issue where a player could launch a legendary mission that was no longer available on the schedule and would spawn in with no content.
General: Fixed an issue where Legendary Missions would be locked until the next mission was available if you started a mission and didn't complete it.
Finding Old Friends – Legendary: Fixed an issue where disconnecting during the mission would cause the mission objectives to disappear and prevent the mission from progressing.
Finding Old Friends – Legendary: Fixed an issue where two objective markers were present at the same time.
Finding Old Friends (Original and Legendary): Fixed an issue where dying on the "Go to Strider" objective, the player would be respawned across the map.
Finding Old Friends: Fixed an issue where dialog wasn't playing for some players in a squad.
Finding Old Friends: Added missing summary text in the Journal entry for completed mission.
Finding Old Friends – Legendary: Fixed an issue where players that did not bring both pieces of Ursix meat to gain entry to see Princess Zhim stopped the mission from progressing.
Fortress of Dawn: Fixed an issue where players were able to control their EXO during the cinematics.
Incursion (Original and Legendary): Fixed an issue with party gather after leaving the interior of the cave.
Incursion (Original and Legendary): Fixed an issue with multiple objective markers appearing.
Legion of Dawn: Added missing outcome text in the Journal entry for completed mission.
Lost Arcanist – Legendary: Fixed an issue where the objective marker was using an incorrect icon.
Rescue Haluk – Legendary: Fixed an issue where the mission didn't progress until all party members arrived at the beginning location.
Rescue Haluk – Legendary: Fixed an issue where the move to the lower courtyard objective didn't appear until all party members reached a specific point.
Rescue Haluk: Fixed an issue where the summary did not appear in the Journal after completing the mission.
Matthias Contract – Arcanist Runes: Fixed an issue where no enemies were spawning on the last objective.
Yarrow – Tempting Target: Fixed an issue where the objective marker was missing.
Yarrow – Imposter: Fixed an issue with the text in the Journal when this mission was completed.
Fort Tarsis
Fixed an issue where Forge UI appeared during cinematic for Crafting the Dawn Shield.
Clarified the objective text for building and equipping the Dawn Shield.
Fixed visual issues with the curtains at the entrance to the bar in Fort Tarsis.
Adjusted the conversation with Sev in the introduction to the Sunken Cell stronghold to reflect that you've spoken with Sev previously.
Environment
Fixed various issues where players could get stuck, get outside of the environment, and other art-related issues.
Freeplay/World Events
Fixed an issue where scar hatches would sometimes appear and be enabled to enter in the middle of a world event instead of at the end.
Reputation rewards – Fixed an issue where reputation points were not being awarded for the Freelancer in Need world event and added reputation points for discovering caves you can enter.
Fixed issues with the Arcanist Korox Study world event where dying and respawning was sometimes causing the world event to break and not be able to complete.
Hideo Kojima's new PS4 game Death Stranding has added another celebrity to its cast. Nicolas Winding Refn, the Danish director of the Ryan Gosling movies Only God Forgives and Drive, will appear in Death Stranding as a character named "Heartman."
Winding Refn had his head, body, and facial expressions 3D-scanned into the game. He doesn't voice the character, however, as a different performer did that. That's the same for the Death Stranding character placed by Pan's Labyrinth director Guillermo del Toro.
I asked my bestie, Nicolas, to be "HEARTMAN" in DS as special guest. We 3D scanned his head, body, and facial expressions to make his 3D model, but his acting and voice are done by a different performer, same as with Guillermo. 👍🌈🦀🐟🐋☔️ pic.twitter.com/wOGt0LfX89
The newest trailer for Death Stranding shows off what appears to be the final cast for the game. This includes Walking Dead actor Norman Reedus as Sam, James Bond actors Lea Seydoux and Madds Mikkelsen as Fragile and Cliff, respectively; The Leftovers actress Margaret Qualley plays Mama, while The Last of Us actor Troy Baker portrays Higgs. The Bionic Woman actress Lindsay Wagner plays Amelie, while del Toro plays Deadman.
Death Stranding launches for PS4 on November 8. Sony is publishing the game, and the company released a new synopsis today. It states:
"Death Stranding is a completely new type of action game, where the goal of the player is to reconnect isolated cities and a fragmented society. It is created so that all elements, including the story and gameplay, are bound together by the theme of the 'Strand' or connection.
"As Sam Porter Bridges, you will attempt to bridge the divides in society, and in doing create new bonds or 'Strands' with other players around the globe. Through your experience playing the game, I hope you'll come to understand the true importance of forging connections with others."
A recent report said Death Stranding could come to PS5, but that has not yet been announced. For now, it will be coming to PS4 only on November 8. Pre-orders are now live, and the game's various special editions--including a $200 collector's edition--has been unveiled
People who join Microsoft's Halo Insider program will get to play first. The June date was confirmed in a livestream event where community director Brian Jarrard and other team members showed off live gameplay for one of Reach's missions.
Jarrard also revealed that 343 is bringing Halo: The Master Chief Collection to E3 2019 where attendees will be able to check out one mission from Halo: Reach, Tip of the Spear. The first beta test for Reach, or "flight," will arrive sometime before or after E3.
Jarrard said he's not happy with this scenario of bringing the game to E3 before the general public. Bringing Halo: The Master Chief Collection to E3 before the Insider beta process begins is "not ideal," he said. "We don't like that scenario."
The full livestream video is a great watch for fans looking for more information on how Halo: Reach will play on PC--go watch it here. In the video, developers talk about how they're working hard to ensure Halo: Reach (and the other titles within Halo: The Master Chief Collection) feels like a native PC game. They also discuss PC-specific features like button-mapping, the FOV slider, higher resolutions, and the new progression system.
Not only that, but 343 talked about how the team has no plans for split-screen or mods support for Halo: Reach on PC at launch, though these features could be added later if fans really want it. 343 also talked about how games within Halo: The Master Chief Collection will have anti-cheat measures.
In addition to this video, 343 has released a gargantuan, nearly 7,000-word blog post that covers these topics in more in huge depth--check it out here.
Halo: Reach is also coming to Xbox One, but 343 has not yet said when it'll be out. What we do know is that it will be tested first by Halo Insiders before rolling out to everyone.
You can sign up for the free Halo Insider program for a chance to get into the beta tests. The tests will start small before expanding to additional users over time.
E3 2019 is less than two weeks away, and like a number of other publishers, Ubisoft is giving fans a glimpse at some of the new and upcoming titles it has in development just ahead of the show. This year, the company will once again host its E3 press conference on the eve of the expo--Monday, June 10--in Los Angeles, California, but those who aren't able to attend in-person will be able to livestream it from the comfort of home. If you plan on tuning in, here's everything you need to know about what time it starts and where you can watch it.
What Time Does Ubisoft's Press Conference Livestream Start?
This year, Ubisoft is holding its E3 2019 press conference on Monday, June10. The company is kicking its livestream off at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET, while the conference proper is scheduled to begin at 1 PM PT / 4 PMET. For those across the pond in the UK, that means you'll need to tune in at 9 PM BST, while fans in Australia will need to wake up at 6 AM AEST on June 11 in order to catch the presentation.
Where To Watch
Ubisoft is streaming its E3 2019 presentation on its own Twitch and YouTube channels, but you'll also be able to watch it right here on GameSpot. We'll be hosting the stream on-site and across our various social media channels, so you can bookmark the links below and tune in come June 10.
Ubisoft is keeping its E3 2019 lineup largely close to its chest, although the company has confirmed a handful of games that'll have a presence at this year's show, including the newly announced Ghost Recon game, Breakpoint. Ubisoft officially unveiled the title during a world premiere livestream event earlier this month, and it appears it'll be a focal point of the company's E3 presentation.
Ubisoft has also confirmed that it'll provide updates on some of its live service games. In particular, the company has teased we'll get some more news about Rainbow Six Siege, For Honor, and Tom Clancy's The Division 2, the latter of which recently released back in March. We've already gotten a glimpse at Siege's next season of DLC, Operation Phantom Sight, although we don't yet know when that will arrive; perhaps Ubisoft will announce a date during its press conference. Likewise, we know The Division 2's first post-launch episode, D.C. Outskirts: Expeditions, is slated to release sometime this summer, so we may get more details about that during the E3 presentation.
Beyond those specific titles, Ubisoft has hinted there will be other "game updates" during its E3 2019 press conference, as well as some kind of "celebrity showdown." On top of all that, the company teases there will be "one or two more things," suggesting it has a couple of surprises up its sleeve. Ubisoft has previously said it will release three unannounced triple-A games by March 31, 2020, so we'll presumably get a look at those during the presentation. A Ubisoft-developed roller derby game recently leaked ahead of E3 and could be one of the three unannounced titles, but Ubisoft hasn't officially commented on it.
One title we know for certain won't be at the show, however, is Skull & Bones. The pirate game was slated to launch during Ubisoft's fiscal year 2019-2020, but it has now been delayed until sometime after that period, and Ubisoft confirmed it won't appear during its E3 2019 presentation.
Ubisoft certainly isn't the only company with big plans for this year's E3. Be sure to check out our full E3 2019 press conference schedule for more details on what Microsoft, Nintendo, Bethesda, and other publishers have planned for this year's expo.
Borderlands 3 is scheduled to appear at E3 2019, and the show is right around the corner. The game is hotly anticipated, which is no surprise given the seven-year wait for a new mainline Borderlands game. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and Tales From The Borderlands may have helped, but neither is a full-fledged sequel to 2012's popular Borderlands 2.
We've already spent quite a bit of time with Borderlands 3, playing early levels of the game during Gearbox preview events. Based on what we've seen, we're reasonably impressed. We played through Chapter 6, an early-game chapter that takes place on one of Borderlands 3's new planets, Promethea. The core concept of Borderlands as a streamlined first-person loot shooter is still present, but Borderlands 3 feels like a different game. The diverse environments create new strategies during combat, and several quality-of-life changes (like a map that tells you where you've been) push you to explore and look for new weapons more so than previous titles.
Borderlands 3 keeps to tradition in other ways, for the better and worse. The game has a ton of new guns, all of which have been designed to act in a certain way depending on their manufacturer. Many even have alternate fire modes. Unfortunately, driving in Borderlands 3 is still not the best. Jumping in a vehicle is still the fastest way to get around, but they're still too bouncy and difficult to control.
Gearbox has remained rather quiet about its Borderlands 3 plans for E3, but we've compiled what we know below.
What We Know So Far
When it comes to Borderlands 3, we know quite a bit about the game already. During a gameplay preview event, Gearbox revealed Borderlands 3 is scheduled to release for Xbox One, PS4, and PC on September 13. The developer also showcased the game's new movement and loot mechanics, in-game hub, and visitable planets.
Borderlands 3 takes place after the events of Borderlands 2 and sees a new group of Vault Hunters--Zane, Amara, FL4K, and Moze--join the Crimson Raiders on a journey through space to stop the villainous Calypso Twins and their Children of the Vault cult. For the first time in the franchise, you'll explore and fight on planets other than Pandora. Of the four Vault Hunters, we've only seen the skill trees for Zane and Amara so far. The former's skill trees are stealth- and tech gadget-based, while Amara causes massive elemental damage as the team's resident Siren.
Taking inspiration from modern first-person shooters like Titanfall 2, Borderlands 3 introduces both vaulting and sliding to the franchise. These new movements make Borderlands' combat both faster and more vertical-focused. Enemies respond a bit more quickly than they have in the past, doing their best to surround you as opposed to rushing you from one direction.
There's more freedom to Vault Hunter build creation as well, as each of the four new playable characters has three unique active skills as opposed to just one. This change makes it much easier to customize your Vault Hunter into your ideal build, making the game more enjoyable and rewarding for solo players in comparison to previous Borderlands titles. If you do play with others, Borderlands 3 introduces new loot features that cause unique weapons and shields to drop for each person.
What's Confirmed For E3
Gearbox hasn't revealed what it has planned for E3. We can wager a guess though. The skill trees for both FL4K and Moze have yet to be revealed, so Gearbox might use E3 to show at least one of them. We've only seen gameplay on two of Borderlands 3's planets as well, so Gearbox could showcase FL4K or Moze on one of the other new locations.
There's also unconfirmed speculation--first reported by PlayStation Lifestyle based on the word of a "trusted anonymous source"--that Gearbox will reveal a new Borderlands 2 DLC, titled Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary, during E3. The DLC is supposedly a bridge between the story of Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3, releasing sometime during E3 week. Again, this is all rumor and speculation, but it's something to look out for during E3 2019.
How Borderlands 3 plays has been detailed out reasonably well since the game's reveal. However, we still know very little about the characters and stories of Borderlands. Gearbox has already dropped hints that Borderlands 3 might be one of the most critical games in the franchise from a story perspective but hasn't revealed how.
Also, the gaming landscape of the loot shooter has drastically changed since 2012's Borderlands 2, so we hope to hear Gearbox address how it plans on supporting Borderlands 3 post-launch. Borderlands 3 could be like its predecessors and be a self-contained story campaign that's updated with completely separate DLC expansions. However, it could also follow in the lead of games like Destiny 2 and The Division 2, and feature a story that is regularly expanded upon with many content drops--such as seasonal events, new areas, and raids.
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