Category: Gamespot

Fortnite, the newly released base-building survival game with a PUBG-style Battle Royale mode, has passed a new player milestone. The game has reached 7 million players, Epic announced on Twitter. This is 7 million overall, covering the base game and the Battle Royale mode, which was released as a free download separate from the game.

Epic also announced that two new features are now available in Battle Royale: Duos and Supply Drops. As its name suggests, the Duo system lets players get into Battle Royale alongside a partner. And as for Supply Drops, these fall from the sky in random locations and at random locations. They can “the best loot you can find,” but going after them could be tricky, as other players are looking to do the same.

We don’t know how the 7 million figure breaks down between Fortnite’s paid version and the free-to-play Battle Royale. What is clear is that Battle Royale itself started strong, reaching 1 million players on launch day. As for the base game, Epic announced in July that 500,000 people bought one of the game’s paid tiers just days after it launched.

Fortnite’s base game is available starting at $40 right now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC through the Founder’s Pack. In 2018, the game will adopt a free-to-play business model. As for Battle Royale, the game is completely free on all platforms.

Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode bears some similarities with PUBG in that it’s a 100-player, Hunger Games-style, fight to the death, last-player-standing, white-knuckle experience. PUBG developer Bluehole recently responded to Epic overall Fornite: Battle Royale, calling out the similarities and threatening “action” against Epic. Nothing has come to light as of yet, it seems, though it will be interesting to see what happens in the future.

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Nintendo has released a new trailer for Super Mario Odyssey. The company has described the new trailer as “cap-tivating” and we are big fans of this pun–good work Nintendo. As you’d expect, the video features everyone’s favourite portly plumber running around the game’s various cheery, colorful worlds, chucking his hat around with reckless abandon.

For those that haven’t been keeping up with Super Mario Odyssey, the game’s big new mechanic involves Mario throwing his iconic red hat, now called “Cappy,” on objects and enemies in the environment to take control of them. Frankly the implications this has are kind of disturbing, but let’s not dwell on that for too long.

Mario can also been seen sporting various cool new outfits, including an explorer outfit, a construction worker outfit, and, of course, his classic blue and red number. You can see all the Super Mario Odyssey outfits revealed so far here. There’s also a brief showcase of the game’s photo mode, which lets you output images in mobile phone format, for those that want him adorning their lock screens.

Finally, there’s a quick overview of the two-player mode, which allows another person to jump in and control Cappy. Check all that, and more, out in the video above.

Super Mario Odyssey launches on October 27. For more about how it’s shaping up, check out most recent impressions of the game. A new trailer recently broadcast during a Nintendo Direct showcased Mario shirtless (which you’ll see in the slides ahead)–and people had a lot to say about that.

Nintendo has also announced a Super Mario Odyssey Switch bundle that comes with a system, a copy of the game, red Joy-Cons, and a Switch carrying case with special markings on it.

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After a private beta, PS4‘s big 5.0 update is now available for everyone. In short, there are few huge features included in the update, but lots of small improvements that should improve the system’s functionality overall. The patch weighs in at 375 MB, and it’s mandatory to install–just turn your PS4 on and the update should begin downloading automatically.

Some of the enhancements center around streaming using the PS4’s built-in broadcasting capabilities. PS4 Pro users will be able to stream in 1080p and 60 FPS, provided their connection is strong enough, and PSVR users will be able to see new messages and comments coming through while broadcasting. PSVR is also adding 5.1ch and 7.1ch virtual surround sound support.

Next up, the PS4’s Friends List is being updated with greater management tools, such as the ability to set up separate lists of friends. You’ll be able to create a list of all the people you play Destiny with and send them all an invite, for example. This feature replaces the old Favorite Groups tab.

In another move to help reduce the amount of time spent in menus, the Quick Menu is being updated to have more options. For example, you’ll be able to check on download progress and see new party invites. You can also leave a party from within that menu and see your current Spotify playlist.

Notifications are also being improved when watching films and TV, as you can now disable messages and other notification pop-ups while watching media. You can also change how much of a message is displayed, as well as its color, when playing or watching any form of content.

Finally, Parental Control features are being overhauled in favor of what Sony calls “Family on PSN.” This replaces the old Master/Sub account system; instead, one user is deemed the Family Manager, and they can set up other accounts and appoint them as a Parent/Guardian, Adult, or Child. Parents or Guardians can restrict Child accounts in their “use of online features and communication with other players, set restrictions for games, restrict the use of the internet browser, and set spending limits for PlayStation Store.”

In the beta, Sony stated people setting up an Adult account for the first time would be charged $0.50 “to verify that you are an adult.” It’s unclear whether that requirement has been dropped, but it is not mentioned in the final update’s patch notes, which you can see below.

In other PlayStation news, Sony revealed a new PSVR model just yesterday. The updated version contains a streamlined cable layout and the ability to watch HDR content on your TV without having to disconnect the PSVR’s processor unit. No release date has been revealed for the new PSVR model, though the price will remain the same.

PS4 Update 5.0 Patch Notes

Main Features In Version 5.00 Update

• You can now add users of your PS4 as family members. This makes it easy to manage your child’s account information and to restrict PS4 features. To add family members, select (Settings) > [Parental Controls/Family Management].
  • As the family manager, you can set up your family.
  • Up to seven family members (including you) can be in your family and use online features.
  • Multiple adults can be in your family. The family manager can make other adults in the family parents or guardians. The family manager and family members who are parents or guardians can adjust parental controls for the children in your family.
  • You can configure parental control settings for each child. Using parental controls, you can restrict use of online features and communication with other players, set restrictions for games, restrict use of the Internet browser, and set spending limits for PlayStation Store.
  • You can configure parental controls anytime from your PC or smartphone.
• You can now follow anyone, not just verified accounts. Select (Follow) on a person’s profile screen, and their activities and broadcasts will appear in [What’s New]. You automatically follow your Friends, but you have the option to unfollow them.
  • Recommendations for who to follow are now offered based on the games you play. Select (Friends) > (Follow).
  • You can now choose who can follow you and who can see your follow list. Select (Settings) > [Account Management] > [Privacy Settings], and then configure each setting.
• (Custom Lists) has been added to (Friends). Create custom lists to easily organize your Friends and choose players to send messages or game invitations to.
• For certain broadcasts, (Communities) now appears on the (Live from PlayStation) viewing screen. To access the broadcaster’s community, select (Communities).
• You can now view (Notifications) on the quick menu.
• The following languages have been added as system languages.
  • Czech, Indonesian, Hungarian, Romanian, Vietnamese, Greek, Thai.
• When broadcasting PlayStation VR gameplay, you can now see spectator comments on your VR headset screen.

Other Features In Version 5.00

• For (Messages), screen layout has been improved, and the following features have been added.
  • You can now receive music that has been shared with you as a message. Select the message to play the music.
  • Messages containing a URL now display a preview.
• The following features have been added to the quick menu.
  • You can now select [Leave This Party] to leave the party.
  • You can now see albums and playlists for songs playing in Spotify.
  • A clock has been added.
• The following features have been added to (Settings) > [Notifications].
  • You can now disable pop-up notifications during video playback.
  • You can now choose the color of pop-up notifications.
  • You can now choose to show or hide message details in notifications.
• You can now choose to broadcast in 1080p (60 fps) when using Twitch on your PlayStation 4 Pro.
• You can now enjoy Blu-ray Disc and DVD content in virtual surround sound when you connect headphones to PlayStation VR.

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With the second season of one of Netflix’s most well-known shows, Stranger Things, releasing later this month, the streaming service has announced changes to its subscription prices in the United States. Some but not all of its subscription options are now more expensive for US customers.

The standard $10 per month option increases by $1 to $11, while the 4K-supporting $12 tier jumps up $2 to $14. At least for the time being, the basic $8 plan will remain at its current price. These prices are in effect for new customers as of today, while those who already subscribe will see the higher charges in an upcoming billing cycle, according to a Netflix statement shared with CNET.

“Starting Oct. 19, members will be notified at least 30 days in advance, based on billing cycle, on when they will see the price change,” the company said. “Members will be notified with an email and also see a notification within the service. The price change will roll out to members over the course of the next several months.”

It’s been two years since Netflix prices last increased in the US. At the time, the standard tier went from $9 to $10, while the $8 option remained at that price.

Stranger Things: Season 2 is the biggest release on the service this month, but also coming up is another season of Voltron: Legendary Defender, The Hateful Eight, and a Patton Oswalt comedy special. You can see everything that’s releasing in our roundup of what’s new on Netflix in October.

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Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor was a surprise hit when it launched in 2014, and we even named it our Game of the Year. Three years later, its sequel, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, is about to launch.

It’s already been the subject of controversy: DLC honoring Michael Forgey, a developer who passed away last year, came under fire after there were indications that a portion of the profits wouldn’t go to Forgey’s widow and children. Publisher Warner Bros. later apologized and made the DLC free for everyone. Shadow of War’s microtransactions have also been criticized, as the first game didn’t include them.

Otherwise, however, Shadow of War seems to be going down well with critics. We awarded the open-world game a 7/10 in our review. “It tries to be larger than its predecessor … yet it leaves you wanting less,” wrote Justin Haywald. “But at its core, it’s a fun experience with brilliant moments that provide fascinating insight into some of the untold stories of Middle-earth.” Read more in our full Shadow of War review.

For more on the open-world game, check out its best trash-talking Orcs, the first eight minutes of Shadow of War gameplay, or our feature video on the struggle to bring The Lord of the Rings to video games. For more on the game’s critical reception, meanwhile, you can see our review roundup below, or take a look at our sister site Metacritic.

• Game: Middle-earth: Shadow of War
• Developer / Publisher: Monolith Productions / Warner Bros.
• Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
• Release date: October 10
• Price: US $60 / £43 / AU $100

GameSpot — 7/10

“And that addition sums up several of Shadow of War’s additions–things like the storefront and the menus and loot system don’t make the game terrible, it just would’ve been better without them. It tries to be larger than its predecessor, there are more abilities, more weapons, more Orcs, yet it leaves you wanting less. But at its core, it’s a fun experience with brilliant moments that provide fascinating insight into some of the untold stories of Middle-earth. I just wish it had known when to stop.” — Justin Haywald [Full review]

IGN — 9.0/10

“Similar to the way Batman: Arkham City built on the foundation of Arkham Asylum, Middle-earth: Shadow of War is bigger and more ambitious in scope than Shadow of Mordor, with great results. The way it expands the Nemesis system with far greater variety and fortress sieges makes even better use of the stand-out generated characters, and its battles with memorable uruk captains remain challenging all the way through the campaign and into the clever asynchronous multiplayer beyond.” — Dan Stapleton [Full review]

Polygon — 7.5/10

“If you can get past the microtransactions, Shadow Wars seems set to provide a much meatier extended playtime than Shadow of Mordor ever offered. But more than anything, that’s my biggest disappointment with Middle-earth: Shadow of War: Everything about it seems to come with a caveat, some small annoyance or two that you need to dig past to get to the still-very-fun game underneath.” — Philip Kollar & Chris Plante [Full review]

Game Informer — 9.5/10

“Shadow of War fulfills the promise of its predecessor, completing a dark and violent lost tale set within the world of The Lord of the Rings. I was initially frustrated by the liberties that Monolith takes with this beloved fiction (which are plentiful), but I eventually abandoned myself to the insanity, and fell down the rabbit hole into a superb fantasy adventure. Monolith captures the thrill of power with aplomb; the way it simultaneously speaks of its dangers and corrupting potential is the real magic.” — Matt Miller [Full review]

Eurogamer — No score

“Shadow of War ends up the very epitome of the difficult second album. A lot has been added in order to scale it up for a full blown sequel and much of it has been implemented with style and aplomb. As fun as the core is, however, it is often overshadowed by an onerous and self-indulgent story. What should be the game’s crowning feature is instead reduced to an undeserved supporting role, like an exquisitely carved plinth groaning under the weight of a gaudy bronze bust of an elven wraith who’s looking very, very serious indeed.” — Johnny Chiodini [Full review]

GamesRadar — 4.5/5

“For the most part, this is big spectacle and richly layered experience. The different regions are beautiful and varied to explore, while Sauron’s forces are alway entertaining to meet and beat. If there are moments that don’t quite click or things that fatigue a little it’s because of that scale. There’s almost an Assassin’s Creed 2 feel of map spatter to all the markers for towers, collectables, bits and so on. I’ve not 100%-ed it but you’re easily looking at a triple figure time should you try. This isn’t a game to get in for the weekend, it’s something to buy and cancel plans for the year.” — Leon Hurley [Full review]

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Overwatch‘s latest Public Test Realm update has introduced a pretty big change for Mercy on PC. Her Valkyrie ultimate ability has been tweaked so it doesn’t immediately reset Resurrection’s cooldown. It no longer has any effect on that skill’s cooldown timer, instead doubling Resurrection’s range.

Although the change is only in the testing phase on the PTR right now, it could eventually come to all players on PC and PS4 / Xbox One, if developer Blizzard decides it’s successful. So far, the adjustment has received a mixed reception on the Overwatch forums, so it will be interesting if Mercy is changed again before any update gets a wider release.

The change comes just a few days before Overwatch’s Halloween event is due to start. New skins for McCree and Reaper are on the way as part of the event, which runs from October 10 through November 2 on all platforms.

Further specifics have not yet been announced, but along with new cosmetics, we may also see the return of Junkenstein’s Revenge. (That seems likely given that Junkrat’s Junkenstein skin is featured in the logo for this year’s event.) The co-op mode pits a team of four against waves of enemies in what amounts to Overwatch’s take on Horde mode. We’ll report back as Blizzard shares more details; for now, the developer has only said that the update introduces “spooky new content.”

In other Overwatch news, game director Jeff Kaplan recently discussed why it’s scary for developers to post online. Kaplan shared his thoughts in a thread where players–citing the lack of forum posts from Blizzard developers–questioned if the Overwatch team has enough people on it. According to Kaplan, the development team has grown from 70 at launch in May 2016 to just over 100 now. “Even though I wouldn’t say we’re necessarily a ‘small’ team as modern development standards go, we’re certainly not an overly large team either,” he said.

Kaplan admitted that the team has made mistakes but noted that Blizzard tries to speak directly with fans using their real names, rather than using aliases or communicating through community managers. “And if you’ll allow me to speak openly for a moment–it’s scary,” he said.

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Marvel and Netflix confirmed today that the new TV show The Punisher, a brutal and violent show featuring a gun-toting main character, has pulled out of New York Comic-Con in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting. In a joint statement, Netflix and Marvel said they are “stunned and saddened by this week’s senseless act in Las Vegas.”

“After careful consideration, Netflix and Marvel have decided it wouldn’t be appropriate for Marvel’s The Punisher to participate in New York Comic-Con,” the statement goes on (via Deadline). “Our thoughts continue to be with the victims and those affected by this tragedy.”

Firing from a 32nd-floor hotel room window on Sunday during a Vegas country music concert, a gunman killed at least 58 people and injured hundreds more in what was the deadliest shooting in modern American history.

The Punisher‘s presence at NYCC was to include a panel at Madison Square Garden featuring star John Bernthal and Marvel TV chief Jeph Loeb. There will be 13 episodes in The Punisher’s first season, though Netflix has yet to announce a premiere date.

New York Comic Con runs October 5-8 at the Javits Center in downtown New York.

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The new retro-inspired Stranger Things mobile game for iOS and Android ends with a never-before-scene from the upcoming second season. People on Reddit discovered that beating the game rewards you with a clip that appears to be from the Season 2 premiere. We see the kids–minus Eleven–are trick-or-treating, dressed as Exterminators, erhhm, Ghostbusters. They also joke about Three Musketeers candy bar, everyone hating on it except for Dustin, who places it in his top three favourites.

The video also shows the kids getting spooked by a new character dressed in a Michael Myers mask. You can watch the clips in the video embedded above.

The pixelated, retro-inspired side scroller puts you in the shoes of Hopper and the Stranger Things kids. You travel around Hawkins, Indiana and other locations from the show, dodging and battling enemies and solving puzzles to advance. Developer BonusXP says each character has their own unique abilities. For example, Lucas can nail anything with his Wrist Rocket and Nancy has an entire collection of bats to swing.

In addition to exploring and solving mysteries, you’re also tasked with collecting Eggos and Gnomes. While Stranger Things: The Game is completely free (with no microtransactions), collecting these items will unlock more of the game. You can also speed run levels to try to beat other players’ times on leaderboards and on social media.

As for the TV show, Stranger Things Season 2 premieres October 27 on Netflix. A third season has already been confirmed.

This story has been updated and corrected.

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