Next week is looking good for players of The Division, as developer Ubisoft has announced a big update to the game, scheduled for Monday, December 4. Update 1.8 will add a bunch of new content, from new game modes to a map expansion and more.
Two new modes are included in the patch: Resistance–a “PVE horde mode activity”–and Skirmish, which is a “4v4 PVP mode that emphasizes close-quarters combat and gunplay. The map expansion, meanwhile, comes over on the left-hand portion of Manhattan. It’s called West Side Pier, though we don’t yet know what the environment will contain.
Weapon hunters can look forward to three new exotic weapons–the Big Alejandro LMG, Devil and Heel MMR pair, and House SMG–and a new system called Gear Optimization allows you to “spend D-Tech to upgrade weapon/gear statistics to maximum.” Finally, the game’s Underground Agents are being revamped to add new Directives, Check Points, Hunters, and chances for classified gear, while “Rogue 2.0” will bring a “voluntary rogue toggle for PVP flagging” aimed at rebalancing the Dark Zone.
The update is scheduled for December 4, though Ubisoft says it will not include the in-progress Xbox One X patch. That is coming at a later date, the company says.
Ubisoft continues to support The Division, over 18 months after its launch. The game’s most recent big update added new customization options, Global Events, and a bunch of other improvements. You can read more about The Division’s 1.7 update here.
EA and DICE have detailed the contents of the new update for Star Wars Battlefront II, patch 1.03. It doesn’t do much in the way of introducing new features, instead focusing on resolving bugs and making other small tweaks. Perhaps most notably, it addresses complaints about the awards screen presented at the end of a round.
Previously, this screen recognized the player who earned a certain distinction–MVP, most kills, longest killstreak, and so on. Because of the specifics awards that it hands out, this oftentimes results in the screen being dominated by a single player (or sometimes two) who earned all five awards. Update 1.03 makes a change to simply acknowledge players by their score, which means more of them will be recognized.
Spawn points and the combat area on a number of maps have been adjusted, as have some specifics of how objectives can be captured. Most notably, Boba Fett can no longer hover high up in the air and make progress toward capturing an objective. Additionally, some collision issues have also been addressed on Jakku, Endor, and Kashyyyk. “This means that movement [is] now more fluent and no weird or invisible barriers are stopping your movement,” DICE said.
Other changes of note include a fix for the error when quitting games, an increase to reinforcements earned after each stage of a Galactic Assault match, and a reduction to the time needed to interact with objectives.
As promised, Bungie has delivered details on where Destiny 2 is headed. Since launch, there have been complaints from the hardcore fanbase about the lack of a real end-game and poor communication from Bungie, among other things. Today’s preview, which took the place of a canceled Curse of Osiris livestream, is meant to address much of this.
Stating that Bungie needs to be “more open,” director Luke Smith and project lead Chris Barrett stated that the studio plans to refocus its efforts on catering to players who want to enjoy the game long-term: “Going forward, Destiny 2’s post-launch game systems, features, and updates are being designed specifically to focus on and support players who want Destiny to be their hobby–the game they return to, and a game where friendships are made. We want Destiny to be a game that fits into your life, providing you with reasons to log in and play with your friends, clans, and families. We want Destiny to be a world you want to be a part of.”
Bungie outlined its plans for two updates coming next month that will start this process. The first of these comes on December 5, alongside Curse of Osiris, with another following on December 12. The studio’s stated goals for these patches are as follows: “Deepen rewards for advanced players; provide more player control over obtaining rewards; make Shards useful by adding things to use them for; provide general quality fixes wherever possible.”
In the December 5 update, new Armor Ornaments will be added for “some” existing armor. These will allow you to obtain a new look for your gear without affecting your Shaders or Mods. Armor sets will have a set of objectives to complete, and doing so will unlock Ornaments for your entire account. These sets will have Ornaments in Season 2, which begins on December 5:
Vanguard Faction Armor
Crucible Faction Armor
Trials of the Nine Armor
Iron Banner Armor
Dead Orbit Armor
Future War Cult Armor
New Monarchy Armor
Eater of Worlds Raid Lair Armor
Also on December 5, there will be changes to how mods are acquired from Banshee. Rare Mods can be dismantled for Gunsmith Materials and “have a chance to produce Legendary quality Mod Components.” Banshee will also sell specific Legendary Mods, including those for Kinetic weapons. The lineup will change daily, with the price being a combination of Legendary Shards and Mod Components. Additionally, Master Rahool will sell Legendary Engrams, which will be one way of obtaining Masterworks (more on those below). Reputation Tokens will now be obtained in greater quantities and in more ways, though the amount of reputation required to obtain an Engram will also increase.
The bigger changes come in the December 12 update. Bungie will introduce Masterworks versions of Legendary weapons; these track and display your kills with that weapon (and can be set to show Crucible kills or total kills), create Orbs when securing multi-kills, and have weapon stat bonuses that are “selected randomly from a small pool and are re-rollable.” That part is particularly important, as a common complaint is that weapon duplicates are effectively worthless in the current game.
Masterworks can be obtained through drops once you hit Power level 250, or Legendaries can be upgraded into them. To accomplish the latter, you can dismantle Masterworks to obtain materials that you’ll then use to enhance a Legendary you own. Bungie notes that weapons from the Raid and Trials of the Nine have a “very high chance” to drop as Masterworks. It also states that there are plans for Masterworks versions of other types of gear, and to add more ways for your kill counts to be displayed, such as on the Crucible kill screen.
The December 12 update also introduces the option to directly purchase Faction armor and weapons for Legendary Shards and Faction Tokens from “most” Faction vendors. The selection will always include each armor slot, while weapons will rotate weekly (for Factions that offer them). These different slots will be unlocked as you claim Engram rewards for each Faction–and any you’ve earned previously will count toward unlocking these.
Finally, Xur will have new items on offer weekly. Fated Engrams can be purchased for Legendary Shards and will decrypt into Exotics that you don’t already own, and there will be a new Three of Coins item for purchase with Legendary Shards. This Three of Coins will be easier to use than that of the first game; here, they’ll simply provide a boost to Exotic drop rates from all sources for four hours. Zavala and Shaxx will both sell some new items, and–in maybe the most welcome change of all–vendors will only have a notification icon when you actually have enough Tokens to obtain an Engram.
Bungie’s post also provided details on the recent Destiny 2 XP controversy, vowing to make further changes. It also reiterated its promise to communicate more effectively, stating, “Going forward, we plan to continue this dialog as openly and frequently as possible. This will be an ongoing process, but one that we are committed to.” The developer also released a podcast this week where it further discusses the state of Destiny 2. You can also check out some new Destiny 2 Curse of Osiris Crucible maps, or see the full list of announced changes in the December updates and beyond here.
The end of the month is in sight, so Microsoft has revealed the next batch of games that will be available for free to Xbox Live Gold subscribers. As usual, December’s Games With Gold lineup consists of four games spread across Xbox One and Xbox 360.
Some fans have already gotten a taste of Star Wars Battlefront II thanks to its early trial on EA/Origin Access, but today marks the game’s official release. While much of the conversation around it has centered on its controversial handling of microtransactions and fan backlash (which ultimately forced EA to temporarily drop them just prior to release), developer DICE has built on the previous Star Wars Battlefront in some notable ways with Battlefront II, one of which is its new campaign.
Unlike its predecessor, Battlefront II features a full-fledged single-player storyline that’s set between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. The campaign puts players in the role of Iden Versio, the commander of an Imperial special forces unit known as the Inferno Squad and the primary character you play as throughout the campaign’s 5-8-hour runtime.
Battlefront II’s campaign is a canonical part of the franchise, filling in important details that lead up to the rise of the First Order in The Force Awakens and dropping clues as to what could be in store the next Star Wars film, The Last Jedi. If you’re eager to see what happens in Battlefront II’s story without the need to play through the campaign, we’ve compiled all of its cutscenes and some gameplay clips together in the video above so you can watch the entire tale unfold as if it were its own Star Wars movie.
Star Wars Battlefront II is available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. In our Battlefront II review-in-progress, critic Alessandro Fillari said the game’s campaign “does a decent job of showing the internal strife within the Empire’s ranks,” though it ultimately “falls a bit short of making it a remarkable journey for its characters.”
Although 2019’s Star Wars: Episode IX will end the current trilogy of movies in the long-running sci-fi saga, we know there’s plenty more to come. As well the ongoing spinoff movies, Rian Johnson, who has directed next month’s The Last Jedi, is planning a brand new trilogy. Just don’t expect to see Rey actress Daisy Ridley in any of them.
Ridley, who first played the character in 2015’s The Force Awakens and stars in The Last Jedi, has told Rolling Stone that she plans to make Episode IX her final Star Wars movie–for now. “I am really, really excited to do the third thing and round it out, because ultimately, what I was signing on to was three films,” she said. “So in my head, it’s three films. I think it will feel like the right time to round it out.”
Ridley went to explain that if she did return to the franchise it wouldn’t be for 30 years–if we’re around long enough. “I honestly feel like the world may end in the next 30 years,” she said. “But if in 30 years we are not living underground in a series of interconnected cells… then sure. Maybe. But again, it’s like, who knows? Because the thing I thought was so amazing, was people really wanted it. And it was done by people who really love it.”
The Last Jedi hits theaters on December 15 and also stars John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, and Andy Serkis. There has been plenty of promotional activity for the movie over past couple of weeks, including a TV spot in which Chewie smacks a Porg, and another that focuses on Luke’s relationship with Rey.
The first trailer for Avengers: Infinity War has been released. The upcoming superhero epic brings together pretty much every hero from the last decade of Marvel movies in their fight against the evil Thanos. Check the trailer out above, and click here for a full trailer breakdown.
Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on May 4, 2018. It’s directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, who previous helmed Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War. It’s the first of two upcoming Avengers movies that the Russo brothers have directed, with the currently untitled Avengers 4 due in May 2019.
“There will be two distinct periods. Everything before Avengers 4 and everything after. I know it will not be in ways people are expecting,” he said. “We’re 22 movies in, and we’ve got another 20 movies on the docket that are completely different from anything that’s come before–intentionally.”
Hamill was recently spotted at JFK airport in New York, hunched over in a wheelchair, leading fans to speculation about his health. However, the actor has now confirmed that he is fit and well, and was using the wheelchair as part of a disguise to avoid unscrupulous autograph-hunters.
Hamill replied to the fan’s concerned tweet with, “HA! Arriving 5AM I tried the old ‘wheelchair trick’ JUST 2 avoid autograph $alesmen/Dealer$ who constantly badger me (& my family) 2 increase value of their items. All the better 2 gouge TRUE FANS later on Ebay #TheyCanGoForceThemselves #NoMoreAirportSignings.”
“When filming [the] scene I was assured my lightsaber swipe toward camera (creature not on set) would simply singe fur to scare him off,” Hamill tweeted. “[I was] horrified to later see amputation and unnecessary cruelty. Wampa was HUNGRY (not EVIL). Luke would never do this!”
Hamill will be seen in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which hits theaters on December 15. There has been plenty of promotional activity for the movie over past couple of weeks, including a TV spot in which Chewie smacks a Porg, and another that focuses on Luke’s relationship with Rey.
A teaser website has been live for the game for some time, but right now simply shows a grenade rolling out of a microwave and a countdown with four days left to go. However, Japanese manga publication Weekly Jump (translated by Gematsu) has confirmed the game exists. No other details have yet been revealed for the adaptation; we don’t yet know what kind of game it will be, when it will launch, or if it will come to other platforms. We will likely learn more when the game’s first trailer drops on December 16.
My Hero Academia started as a manga series in Japan in 2014. It has since been adapted into an anime, which along with the manga has been critically acclaimed. A third season of the anime is coming soon, with eight volumes of the manga already available.
The franchise has already received one video game, titled My Hero Academia: Battle for All. This was released on 3DS in 2016, though never made it to the West. Let’s hope One’s Justice does make it out of Japan when it launches for Switch and PS4.
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon have been released for 3DS, and while the two games are largely based on the previous Sun and Moon versions, they set themselves apart from last year’s titles with a host of new content. Along with an expanded story that sheds more light on the mysterious Legendary Pokemon, Necrozma, the pair introduce a handful of new features and even Pokemon to the series.
If you’ve already played Sun or Moon and are unsure if the upcoming titles differ enough to warrant a return trip to Alola, we’ve rounded up all of the new Pokemon, moves, and features Nintendo has announced thus far to give you a better idea of what’s new in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. You can read more about the games in our Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon review. And if you’re unsure which version is right for you, we broke down the major differences between Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
New Pokemon
Ultra Beasts
In the original Sun and Moon versions, Ultra Beasts are powerful, unidentified Pokemon that traveled to the Alola region from other worlds through wormholes. Naturally, they once again play a major role in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and this time the games introduce a couple of new ones to the series.
At least three new Ultra Beasts appear in the titles: UB Burst, UB Assembly, and UB Adhesive. The former two are exclusive to a specific version. The jester-like UB Burst only appears in Ultra Sun and is a Fire/Ghost-type Pokemon that learns an exclusive move called Mind Blown. UB Assembly, meanwhile, is a defense-oriented Rock/Steel-type Pokemon that’s exclusive to Ultra Moon.
The third new Ultra Beast, UB Adhesive, is a Poison-type that is said to be able to understand humans if it spends enough time among them. It first appears with the Ultra Recon Squad, a mysterious new group of trainers that travels to Alola through a wormhole. Which members of the Ultra Recon Squad you encounter depends on the version you’re playing.
Dusk Mane / Dawn Wings Necrozma
While the mysterious Legendary Pokemon Necrozma appeared in the original Sun and Moon versions, it plays a much larger story role in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. Depending on which version you pick up, it merges with the games’ mascot Pokemon, Solgaleo or Lunala, to turn into its new Dusk Mane and Dawn Wings forms, respectively.
Along with taking on a new appearance and typing, Necrozma is able to use Solgaleo and Lunala’s signature attacks when it merges with the two Legendaries. Dusk Mane Necrozma is a Psychic/Steel-type and can unleash Sunsteel Strike, while Dawn Wings Necrozma is a Psychic/Ghost-type and can use Moongeist Beam. Both forms also have the ability Prism Armor, which reduces the damage Necrozma takes from super-effective attacks.
Dusk Form Lycanroc
Depending on which version you played, the Rock-type puppy Pokemon Rockruff would evolve into one of two possible forms in Sun and Moon; in the former game, Rockruff would become Midday Form Lycanroc, while in the latter it would evolve into Midnight Form Lycanroc. Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon introduce a third possible variant, this one called Dusk Form Lycanroc.
Like its name implies, Dusk Form Lycanroc is a cross between its Midday and Midnight forms. It has an orange and white coat and can learn both forms’ signature attacks, Accelerock and Counter. It also comes with a different ability, Tough Claws, which increases the power of attacks that make direct contact with an opponent. Dusk Form Lycanroc is exclusive to Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and so far, the only way to obtain one is to purchase either game by January 10; do that and you’ll receive a special Rockruff that evolves into Dusk Form Lycanroc as a free gift.
New Features
Team Rainbow Rocket
In addition to the Ultra Recon Squad, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon introduce another new villainous group called Team Rainbow Rocket. Nintendo hasn’t revealed many details about the team, but we know it is led by Team Rocket boss Giovanni and is made up of the leaders from every previous enemy team, including Archie and Maxie (Team Aqua/Magma from Ruby/Sapphire), Cyrus (Team Galactic from Diamond/Pearl), Ghetsis (Team Plasma from Black/White), and Lysandre (Team Flare from X/Y).
Ultra Wormholes
Ultra Wormholes were an important story element in Sun and Moon, allowing the Ultra Beasts to arrive to Alola from other worlds. In Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, you’ll actually be able to travel through these wormholes atop either Solgaleo or Lunala and visit the worlds the Ultra Beasts come from. You’ll also be able to encounter other powerful Pokemon by traveling through Ultra Wormholes, including previous Legendaries such as Mewtwo and Ho-Oh, neither of which appeared in the original Sun and Moon versions.
Beyond encountering Legendary Pokemon, you’ll also use Ultra Wormholes to travel to a new area known as Ultra Megalopolis. Nintendo hasn’t revealed many details about the mysterious city, but it has been described as “a world that has had its light stolen by Necrozma” and will undoubtedly play an important role in the games’ story.
Battle Agency
Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon introduce several new areas to the Alola region, as well, one of which is a new battle facility called the Battle Agency. As in the Battle Tree, players can take part in a series of three-on-three Pokemon battles against a gauntlet of AI opponents; however, you can only take rental Pokemon into battle. The variety of Pokemon you can rent at the Battle Agency increases the more you use the games’ communications features with other players.
Move Tutors
The reward for winning battles in the Battle Tree and at other facilities across Alola is Battle Points, or BP, which can be spent on a range of rare, competitive battling items like Mega Stones. In Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, you’ll also be able to spend your BP on new moves for your Pokemon, including some that they cannot normally learn through leveling up or with TMs.
Rotom Dex
The Rotom Dex plays an expanded role in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. In the new games, you’ll be able to form a bond with your Rotom Dex the more you interact with it, which in turn will affect its personality. If you develop a strong enough bond with your Rotom Dex, you’ll unlock its own unique Z-Power, which allows you to use a second Z-Move during battle.
Your Rotom Dex also has a new feature called Roto Loto, a slot machine-style mini-game that you can play at any time to get new items. The items can have a variety of different effects; some increase the amount of experience or money you earn for a period of time, while another temporarily decreases the amount of time it takes for Pokemon eggs.
New Z-Moves
Mega Evolution was one of the most notable features introduced in Pokemon X and Y, but in Sun and Moon, it was largely replaced with Z-Moves. At the start of your journey, you’re given a Z-Ring, a special bracelet that allows your Pokemon to perform these ultra-powerful moves once per battle when it is equipped with a particular Z-Crystal.
Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon expand on this by introducing a handful of new Z-Moves to the mix, many of which are exclusive to a particular Pokemon. In the new games, the Pikachu lookalike Mimikyu can use a new Z-Move called Let’s Snuggle Forever when it’s equipped with Mimikium Z. All three forms of Lycanroc can also use an exclusive Z-Move, Splintered Stormshards, while the Fighting/Dragon-type Kommo-o gets its own signature Z-Move called Clangorous Soulblaze.
The Legendary cover Pokemon Solgaleo and Lunala get their own exclusive Z-Moves in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, as well, which can also be used by Necrozma when it takes on its two new forms. Solgaleo and Dusk Mane Necrozma can use the Steel-type attack Searing Sunraze Smash when equipped with Solganium Z; Lunala and Dawn Wings Necrozma can unleash the Ghost-type Z-Move Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom when they hold Lunalium Z.
Mantine Surf
Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon introduce a new mini-game called Mantine Surf. When you summon Mantine, you can use it to manually surf between the different islands of the Alola region. You can also perform a variety of tricks while surfing, which will increase your high score and reward you with BP.
Totem Stickers
Like last year’s games, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon eschew traditional gym battles for island trials–different challenges that culminate in a battle against a Totem Pokemon. What sets these monsters apart from regular Pokemon is their size; Totem Pokemon are much larger than normal ones and are surrounded by an aura that boosts their stats.
This time around, you’ll be able to add your own Totem-sized Pokemon to your team thanks to new Totem Stickers. These collectibles are hidden throughout the entire Alola region, and you’ll be able to get your own giant Pokemon depending on how many Stickers you collect. Some of the Totem-sized Pokemon are exclusive to a specific version; Ultra Sun players, for instance, can get a giant Lurantis, while those with Ultra Moon can get a Totem-sized Salazzle.
