Author: dpugh007

Sea of Thieves developer Rare has announced another beta for its upcoming multiplayer pirate game. This beta will be the final one before the game’s release date in a few weeks and is open to everyone on Xbox One and PC. It’s live now and runs until March 11 at 2 AM PT / 5 AM ET / 10 AM GMT / 9 PM AEST.

During a developer update about the final beta, executive producer Joe Neate explained that the studio wants to have a greater number of players trying the game out than before, and in order to do so it has opened up the trial to everyone. Additionally, a number of new features have been included in the new beta.

The first of them is the Merchant Alliance, which is a faction that tasks players with capturing animals in exchange for rewards. Another new feature being tested in the beta is Skeleton Forts, which creates the opportunity for forts in the world to be occupied by skeletons. These special forts offer greater rewards for those who clear them out, but they’re signified by large clouds hovering above them that are visible to all players. Naturally, this means you may have to battle other players as well as skeletons for riches.

Neate emphasised that there could be issues with the beta as the studio is testing the game and its features, and inviting a much larger amount of people to put the game’s servers through its paces. If problems do arise, Rare says it may put temporary blocks on new players coming in to even out the experience. The services team will also be working on-the-fly to resolve any other issues that come up.

The Sea of Thieves release date is March 20. It will be one of the first big tests of Microsoft’s ambitious Game Pass expansion, which gives subscribers access to a suite of games including all first-party titles on day-and-date of release. While you’re waiting to explore the briny deep, check out 10 reasons we’re excited and why we think it has such potential.

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Nintendo’s latest Nintendo Direct presentation brought a great deal of news. The company had only promised new details on its upcoming Mario-themed sports game, Mario Tennis Aces, but it delivered much more. The March 2018 event brought word on new 3DS games, which include a Luigi’s Mansion remake, a port of Captain Toad, and a WarioWare “Best Of” collection. If you’re eager to watch the presentation yourself, you can watch it in its entirety below. But if you want a quick rundown of all the news and the big reveals, you’re in the right place. Here’s everything Nintendo revealed during today’s presentation, from Super Smash Bros. for Switch to a Dark Souls Amiibo figure.

3DS NEWS

Warioware Gold | August 3

Similar to Mario Party: The Top 100, WarioWare is getting a similar collection that bundles up 300 microgames in a single package. Titled WarioWare Gold, there are both new and classic mini-games included, that each make use of the 3DS’ touchscreen, mic, more.

Dillon’s Dead Heat Breakers | May 24

The latest entry in the Dillon’s Rolling Western series allows its titular character to team up with your Mii, who can join your team as gunners. A demo for the game will be available on May 10.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story + Bowser Jr.’s Journey | TBA 2019

A remake of the critically-acclaimed Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story is coming in 2019. New features include allowing you to switch between the brothers to platform inside Bowser and then control Bowser outside to explore the overworld.

Luigi’s Mansion 3DS Remake | TBA 2018

A remake of GameCube classic is set to release on 3DS. New features include a mansion map displayed on bottom screen and a new Boss Rush mode.

SWITCH NEWS

Okami HD Switch | Summer 2018

The Okami HD remaster is heading to Switch. It allows you to use touch screen controls in handheld mode to control the Celestial Brush. Likewise, Joy-Con motion controls can be used in TV/tabletop modes. It launches digital only this summer.

Dark Souls Amiibo And Network Test Beta | May 25

The big surprise to close out January’s Nintendo Direct Mini presentation was a Switch version of Dark Souls Remastered. The latest Nintendo Direct event has now brought further Dark Souls news for Nintendo fans. Alongside the game itself, an Amiibo figure based on Dark Souls is on the way. A network test beta is also scheduled to occur sometime before launch.

Sushi Striker: The Way of the Sushido | June 8

Sushi Striker: The Way of the Sushido is a fast-paced action game where you match colored plates and types of sushi to hurl tall stacks of plates at your opponent. It features an online multiplayer mode. In addition, it is set to launch on Switch and 3DS.

Ocotopath Traveler | July 13

The Nintendo Direct introduced two more characters in the upcoming RPG, Octopath Traveler: a merchant named Tressa, and an apothecary named Alfyn. A special edition was also revealed, which includes a map, pop-up book, CD, and a replica coin based on in-game currency.

Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes | TBA 2018

The much-awaited No More Heroes sequel was showcased during the Nintendo Direct presentation. It sports seven different game type and a co-op multiplayer mode where you share Joy-Con controllers.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker | July 13

The incredibly adorable puzzler, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is finally coming to Switch. It included an added Super Mario Odyssey-themed level modeled after that game’s New Donk City location. You can also play with a friend–each using one joy-con–where one controls Toad and the other can shoot turnips to attack enemies. A 3DS version that features duel-screen and touch screen support is also set to release.

Undertale | TBA

A port of indie darling Undertale is headed to Switch at an unconfirmed date.

Crash Bandicoot: N-Sane Trilogy | July 10

Following its release on PlayStation 4 last year, Activision’s Crash Bandicoot remaster is coming to Nintendo Switch.

Little Nightmares: Complete Edition | May 18

The well-received horror puzzler is coming to Switch this Mary. It includes all past DLC, as well as a special mask you can unlock by scanning in the Pac-Man Amiibo.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole | April 24

South Park: The Fractured But Whole is headed to Nintendo Switch. You’ll be able to buy all of the game’s DLC as well, either as individual downloads or through a DLC pack.

ARMS US & Canada Online Open Tournament

Arms players can compete in an online open tournament starting now going through March 18. The top eight players from these preliminary rounds will move onto an online finals on March 31.

Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition | May 18

Fans of Wii U-exclusive Hyrule Warriors will finally be able to get their hands on the upcoming Switch edition of the game this May. The game consists of all existing content released for the game, including DLC maps, characters, and missions. Two-player local multiplayer is supported, and you can play with a friend by each using a single Joy-Con.

Mario Tennis Aces | June 22

Nintendo shared more information on Mario Tennis Aces during today’s Nintendo Direct presentation. We learned a ton of new details about the upcoming Switch sports game, including when it’ll release around: June 22.

Splatoon 2 Ver. 3.0 | April 2018

A new update for Splatoon 2 is coming in late April. There will be new gear, stages, playable Octolings, and more. An paid DLC expansion is also set to release this summer, and it includes new single-player levels.

Super Smash Bros. (Switch) | TBA 2018

Super Smash Bros. is coming to Nintendo Switch, which Nintendo announced by way of a cool teaser trailer. And you won’t have to wait all that long for it: it’s coming later this year.

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Epic Games has announced that its Battle Royale game, Fortnite, will be updated to support “cross-play, cross-progression, and cross-purchase” between the Xbox One, PC, Mac, and iOS versions of the game. Furthermore, support for these features will be added to the Android versions “in the next few months.”

“Contrary to what may have been implied, Microsoft has long been a leading voice in supporting cross-platform play, connecting players across PC, mobile and all consoles,” reads a post on the Epic Games website. “We’ve been working together with them over the last several months to make this possible, and will bring this functionality to Fortnite players on Xbox right along with other platforms.”

It continues: “With each new platform we support and every update we ship, we strive to bring Fortnite to more people, and make it easier to play together with friends. And, as always, cross-play is opt in.”

Fortnite has been available on Xbox One and PC for some time now, but mobile versions of Fortnite were announced on March 10. According to Epic, Fortnite mobile is “the same 100-player game you know from Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, and Mac” with the “same gameplay, same map, same content, same weekly updates.”

The announcement follows previous confirmation that, thanks to a partnership with Sony, Fortnite will support cross-play and cross-progression between PS4, PC, Mac, iOS, and (eventually) Android. Sign-ups for Fortnite’s mobile version will open on March 12 and there will be an invite-only test on iOS and Android “in the next few months.”

Those that are selected to participate will receive an invite by email shortly after signing up. More invites will be sent out over the coming months, so if you don’t get in right away, there will be more opportunities later. If you do get in, you’ll also get codes to share with friends.

PUBG, which is considered as the main inspiration for Fortnite: Battle Royale, also has a mobile edition–but it’s only available in China and it does not support cross-play. PUBG is also not available on PS4, which could explain Sony’s apparent eagerness to partner with Epic for Fortnite: Battle Royale.

Although the Xbox One and PS4 versions of Fortnite can’t currently connect, we do know it is possible. In fact, it happened for a weekend, but the functionality was turned off and chalked up to an error.

Fortnite has gained ground on PUBG in a big way recently, which could spell trouble for the latter. Check out the video above to see GameSpot’s Mike Mahardy, Michael Higham, Nick Margherita, and Jake Dekker discuss the current state of PUBG and whether it needs to evolve to stay competitive with Fortnite.

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Though a previous teaser for the upcoming YouTube Red series Cobra Kai showed that original Karate Kid villain Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) grew up to become quite a jerk, the latest trailer for the show reveals why that might be the case–and it’s Daniel’s (Ralph Macchio) fault.

In the latest trailer, it’s revealed that life has worked out pretty well for the former student of Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita). He has a wife, a beautiful home, and what looks like a job selling luxury cars. Life has been less kind for his former nemesis, who is now reopening the Cobra Kai Dojo. “The guy thinks he can bring Cobra Kai back to the valley? Not on my watch,” Daniel tells his wife.

While that may seem to paint Daniel as some kind of hero, things take a major turn quickly as a scruffy and unkempt Johnny is put down by the former karate champion and his friend. “This is the guy whose ass you kicked?” the friend asks. Daniel quickly shoots back, “If you want to get technical, I kicked his face.”

Whatever is happening in that scene, it’s clear that Johnny has seen better days, while Daniel is still gloating about something that happened over 30 years ago. Is that the kind of thing that makes you want to root for the titular Karate Kid?

With each tease, the premise of Cobra Kai becomes a bit more mysterious. Johnny may be relaunching the dojo that made him such a punk as a teenager–and carrying on many of its less-than-commendable traditions–but Daniel is no saint in this scenario.

Still, it’s hard not to feel a little excitement when Daniel suits up in his old Miyagi Dojo uniform once more and throw a kick. While it was previously revealed that he will be serving as a trainer to Johnny’s son, clearly there’s still some fight left in him. Perhaps Cobra Kai will build to another showdown between him and Johnny when it premieres on YouTube Red in the spring.

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Video game adaptations have a checkered history, which makes it easy to cast a skeptical eye on Tomb Raider, the latest take on the classic franchise. Even big-budget adaptations like Prince of Persia have fizzled, and other game adaptation are downright infamous.

In the above video, we take a closer look at all the elements that may set this one apart. As games have become more cinematic and told more personal stories, they’ve become a closer match for movies. Unlike the successful but campier Angelia Jolie films, this version of Tomb Raider is based on the gritty 2013 reboot. That makes this Lara a younger woman who finds herself out of her element and forced to survive against a hostile environment and even more hostile mercenaries.

To take on this role, the director tapped Alicia Vikander, most known for her roles in The Danish Girl and Ex Machina. Vikander talks about her training for the physicality of the role, which made liberal use of MMA fighters and giant mattresses. All that went into transforming the actress to believably take on the challenges her character was faced with. Finally, director Roar Uthuag gives his insights about how characterization is the key to avoiding the fate of so many other video game adaptations.

Our review is coming soon, but in the meantime, take a look at all that went into making this film–including a near shot-for-shot remake of one famous scene from the 2013 game. The movie will hit theaters on March 16.

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While it’s not exactly Call of Duty or Battlefield, the Far Cry series has become one of the biggest first-person shooter series in the industry. With its latest entry, Far Cry 5, set to release soon, we decided to look back at the franchise and how it got to where it is today.

In the video above, we run through the complete history of Far Cry. We start with the original, open-ended game from Crytek, the studio that would later go on to make the Crysis series. We look at the transition as Ubisoft Montreal took the reigns with the stellar Far Cry 2 and its many follow-ups–there have been quite a few Far Cry games, despite the fact that we’re technically only up to Far Cry 5.

In many ways, Far Cry 3 firmly established the formula that the series still follows today; it was also the first to latch onto the tower-climbing of Assassin’s Creed, introducing the climb-the-radio-tower mechanic used to unlock the in-game map. And who can forget Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, the bizarre spin-off that no one would have thought to ask for yet offered a brilliant, distilled Far Cry experience seeped in ’80s action movie cheese?

Watch the video above for a trip down memory lane. There’s not much longer to wait until the next entry in the series is here, as Far Cry 5 is due out on PC, PS4, and Xbox One on March 27. You can watch us chat about the somewhat confusing game in a recent video and read all about the confirmed DLC.

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Valve boss Gabe Newell has signaled an end to the company’s long hiatus. At a talk yesterday, the president said the company is “going to start shipping games again.” He also opened up about why the pace of its releases slowed down so much, and what’s changed since then.

The presentation (via PC Gamer) was centered mostly on Artifact, the Dota 2-themed card game announced last year. But he made sure to point out that it’s not the only game on Valve’s slate. He explicitly said that it’s “the first of several games” coming from the studio. Since the release of Dota 2, Valve’s gaming efforts have been focused mostly on supporting it and Team Fortress 2.

As for why Valve moved away from games, Newell frankly said he was concerned about PCs becoming more of a closed system. He said his investments into Vive were an effort to “offset” the impact of Microsoft and Facebook looking into OS and VR concepts that the company considered less open. The result has been a newly revised Valve that he says feels comfortable in hardware design as well as software. Newell hinted that may impact how they treat their game designs going forward.

“We’ve always been a little bit jealous of companies like Nintendo,” Newell said. “When Miyamoto is sitting down and thinking about the next version of Zelda or Mario, he’s thinking what is the controller going to look like, what sort of graphics and other capabilities. He can introduce new capabilities like motion input because he controls both of those things. And he can make the hardware look as good as possible because he’s designing the software at the same time that’s really going to take advantage of it. So that is something we’ve been jealous of, and that’s something that you’ll see us taking advantage of subsequently.”

As for the identity of these mystery projects, Newell was much more tight-lipped. He did say in a Reddit AMA in January that they’re working on a single-player game. He’s also mentioned three more VR games on the way. That’s four more in addition to Artifact, with a notable focus on custom hardware, so those could be the games he was referring to. Either way, though, it sounds like Valve is back in the games business.

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