Category: Gamespot

Each week we search and gather up the coolest comic book art you won’t see in actual comics. The reason you won’t is because professional artists often draw sketches for fun or commissions and post them on their websites, blogs, and Tumblrs. Some artists even arrange commissions through their sites so be sure to check them out. This is a way to see the artists working on one book draw characters from other comics or publishers.

Ryan Stegman posted some warm-ups this week on his Tumblr.

Mike McKone posted some commissions on his Twitter.

Kevin Wada posted some recent commissions on his Tumblr this week.

Dustin Nguyen posted new sketches on his Tumblr.

Skottie Young posted new art on his Tumblr. He usually puts them up for sale here.

Marcio Takara posted some new sketches on his Tumblr.

Denis Medri posted new pics on his Deviant Art page.

Agnes Garbowska posted a couple recent commissions on her Tumblr.

Yildiray Cinar posted new art on his Instagram.

Tom Raney posted new sketches on his Twitter page.

Mike Henderson posted a couple new pics on his Instagram. He has original art for sale here.

Chris Giarrusso posted new art on his website. He puts them up for sale right away.

Brett Booth posted a couple new sketches on his Twitter.

Jim Cheung posted new art on his Instagram.

Franco posted new sketches and Daily Doodles on his Instagram. You can buy original art here.

Francesco Francavilla posted a tribute to Prince on his Tumblr.

Todd Nauck also posted a tribute to Prince along with recent commissions on his Tumblr.

Francavilla, Nauck, and Nguyen weren’t the only ones posting awesome sketches of Prince. In fact, you can check out more by Cameron Stewart, Bill Sienkiewicz, J. Scott Campbell, and more here.

That’s it for this week. Let us know which ones you really dug.

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In its end-of-the-week blog post today, Halo 5: Guardians developer 343 Industries announced that the Xbox One shooter is getting even more advanced controller settings, while it also shared more images of the game’s upcoming Infection mode.

343 senior sandbox engineer David Pashute explained that the new controller option will be to allow players to adjust the horizontal and vertical look sensitivities independently. “Pressing ‘A’ on the look sensitivity setting will cause it to expand and show the two new fields just below: Horizontal and Vertical Look sensitivity,” he said.

As you can see, the two new settings don’t match up numerically. This is not a bug, Pashute explains.

“Don’t be alarmed, there is nothing wrong and nothing has changed,” he said. “Your current settings will be exactly the same as before the update, it just reflects the under-the-hood adjustments that we made to the ratios for Halo 5 in order to accommodate a number of factors, e.g. a reduction in aim assist and an increase in verticality.”

If the vertical and horizontal look sensitivity settings do match up, the look sensitivity will more closely match that of past Halo games.

Additionally: “If you change the new settings to a ratio combination that does not match the defaults we created for launch, then the main look sensitivity setting will be displayed as ‘Custom,’” Pashute said.

Another thing to note that is that look sensitivities now support half-steps. Using Pashute’s example, if you could not determine if you were a 3 or a 4, now you can choose 3.5. If you experiment with these settings and want to revert back, you can do that by adjusting the main look sensitivity slider.

The new look sensitivity options, which add to the existing advanced options that came out earlier, will be available through Halo 5’s Memories of Reach update, which is scheduled to arrive in May.

As for the new Infection images, 343 shared screens of the new map variants called Malignant (Overgrowth), Nerve Center (Plaza), and what appears to be a new one titled R.I.P.TIDE. You can see these maps in the gallery below. 343 added that Infection will include fan-made maps, too.

Infection, featured in Halo 3 and Halo: Reach, is a zombie-themed mode in which one player, as the zombie, tries to “infect” everyone else. It was announced for Halo 5 earlier this month, but a release date has not yet been announced. Other fan-favorite modes that have been added to Halo 5 since launch have included Grifball and Firefight (known as Warzone Firefight this time around).

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If you’re at PAX East this year and you need to catch a ride in an Uber, there’s a chance that an Overwatch character might deliver you to your destination. Attendees can catch a ride in one of the vehicles by choosing “Uberwatch” from the ride-sharing app when selecting a vehicle. According to a post on the official Uber site, the available vehicles include:

• Tracer: Lamborghini Aventador
• Soldier 76: Ford F650 Supertruck
• D.va: Polaris Slingshot

Check out official shots from the blog post below as well as a few from our editors in Boston.

And if the girl in the D.va get up looks familiar, that’s because it’s professional cosplayer VampyBitme

For even more Overwatch, check out our ongoing, in-depth series where we go behind-the-scenes to learn more about the game’s origins, what it used to be, and what Blizzard hopes it becomes.

• Part 1: The Fall of Titan
• Part 2: The Return of the ’90s Shooter

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New comments from leading chip-maker AMD seem to back up the reports and rumors about new consoles, teasing multiple new systems are coming as early as this year. Speaking during its latest earnings briefing, AMD CEO Lisa Su referenced three “design wins” for the company’s Semi-Custom unit.

The PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Wii U all use some form of AMD technology. Su told investors and analysts during a briefing that the three “design wins” are pegged to bring in $1.5 billion for AMD in the next few years, suggesting they are substantial offerings.

In her comments, reported by Gi.biz, Su made clear that “not all of the designs” will come to bear in calendar year 2016. The release dates for the rumored PS4.5 and NX have not been announced, while Microsoft’s vague comments about new Xbox One hardware also did not come with an suggestions of release timing.

“In addition [to the new design wins] we have our current game console business as well,” Su said. “So when you look at the aggregate of that, we do expect to start ramping that new business in the second half of the year. But we also expect the seasonal uplift of our traditional game console business. So that’s adding to what we expect will be a strong year for Semi-Custom overall.”

Investors asked Su to share more details regarding the purpose and nature of the new designs, but she did not give anything away. “I don’t believe that we’ve gone through any detail about what those wins are. So I would prefer to let that come out as our customers are ready to launch,” she said.

The NX is rumored to be a console/mobile hybrid, so it may be that two of AMD’s “design wins” are accounted for by the NX–one for the console and one for the mobile device, if that is indeed how the system works.

For more on this story, head to Gi.biz.

The leaked PS4.5 specifications that emerged this week specifically mentioned AMD technology. We have yet to see anything that details the guts of the NX or whatever new hardware Microsoft may be working on.

For its part, Nintendo has said it will begin to discuss the NX this year, while Microsoft is reportedly experimenting with a “variety” of Xbox devices. Microsoft also recently said it plans to discuss things “beyond” Xbox One and Windows 10 in the coming weeks and months.

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Square Enix has detailed a Hitman patch that will be available shortly before episode two of the game launches. The list of improvements includes the ability to reconnect to the game’s servers after a disconnect, tweaks to challenge rewards, and a significant reduction in the game’s loading times.

The publisher has also revealed a number of PC-specific improvements that are being made as part of this update, as well as all the new content and features that will arrive alongside the second episode. Take a look below for the full patch notes.

Pre-Sapienza Patch Details

• Reconnect Option: If a player is playing in online mode and gets disconnected during gameplay, they will have the option to immediately reconnect and resume play without losing any progress, instead of returning to the main menu. [Available now on PC. Available in a future update for PS4 & Xbox One.]
• Immediate Challenge Awards: Challenges are now awarded and saved immediately upon completion, rather than when completing a mission. [Available now on PC. Available in a future update for PS4 & Xbox One.]
• Loading Times: Significant improvements to load and restart times across all locations. (Reduced by approximately 50% on PS4 and Xbox One)
• Challenge Verbosity Settings: Players can now choose between three options for how challenge descriptions are displayed in the game menu.
  • Full: All Challenge information is shown.
  • Minimal: Only the image and name of the Challenge are shown
  • Off: Only the image of the Challenge is shown.
• Weapon HUD Settings: Added three options for displaying the holstered/equipped weapon icon.
  • Full: Show weapon HUD for equipped and holstered weapon.
  • Minimal: Show weapon HUD only for equipped weapon.
  • Off: Don’t show weapon HUD.
• Immediate Intel: Added an option for players to access the intel menu immediately after finding new intel.
• Dropped Items: Disguises, weapons, and items that are dropped are now shown on the in-game map.
• Holstering animation: Added an animation for 47 holstering a small item, such as a pistol.
• Escalation Contracts Improvements
  • The list of complications and objectives are now viewable during gameplay and the planning phase.
  • Players can now easily see from the in-game menu how many stages of each Escalation Contract they have completed. (e.g 3/5)
• General improvements to stability

PC Specific Pre-Sapienza Patch Details

• Recommended Settings: The Game Launcher will recommend graphic settings based on player hardware.
• Windowed Mode: The Game Launcher now allows players to change their resolution in Windowed Mode. (Useful for streamers)
• Audio Levels: Audio levels during cutscenes and briefing videos now match the in-game audio.
• Key Bindings: Fixed minor issues with inconsistent key bindings

Sapienza Patch Details

• New Destination: Sapienza
  • New Story mission: World of Tomorrow
  • New suit for Sapienza: Italian Suit
  • 7 new trophies/achievements
  • New ‘The Sarajevo Six’ Contract. Target 2: The Enforcer. (PS4 Exclusive)
  • 75+ Sapienza-specific challenges
  • 10 new Opportunities for ‘World of Tomorrow’
  • 20 levels of Sapienza Mastery, with the following unlocks:
    • 8 new Sapienza starting locations
    • (+1 starting location unlocked via a challenge)
    • 8 new Sapienza Agency Pickup locations
    • 6 new weapon/gear unlocks
• Live Content for Sapienza will include: New Escalation Contracts, Elusive Targets, and New Featured Contracts (Contracts Mode)
• Native Ambient Audio: Added an audio layer for Sapienza that will play native ambient dialogue in crowded areas.
• ‘Hide in Plain Sight’ Options: The Sapienza location includes more options for Agent 47 to ‘blend in’ whilst wearing his suit.
  • Opportunities System Improvements–Persistent reveals: When a player has ‘revealed’ an Opportunity once using the pop-up tracker, they are not required to do so when they encounter the opportunity on future playthroughs.
  • Fail Categories: Added categories to explain why an opportunity was failed. Note: The above Opportunity improvements are only implemented in Sapienza. Opportunities in the ICA Facility and Paris destinations are not affected.

Sapienza launches on April 26. The location was originally going to be included with Hitman at launch, but when the decision was made to switch to an episodic release model, Sapienza was pushed to April. The episode after Sapienza is set in Morocco and is coming in May.

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Developer Blizzard has revealed the final set of new Hearthstone cards coming to its Whispers of the Old Gods expansion, just days ahead of its release date.

On Thursday, Blizzard hosted a special livestream which showcased the remaining cards set to launch with the update. In total, Whispers of the Old Gods will come with nine class legendaries (one for each), 14 neutral Legendaries, four of which are the Old Gods, and a remaining 111 minions, spells, weapons, and uncollectable cards.

Below you will find a list of all the new cards, from all the class cards to Legendaries and Old God cards. Click on the thumbnail of an image to open a full-screen gallery.

Whispers of the Old Gods will launch on April 26 across North America for PC, Mac, iOS and Android devices. In Europe and Asia, the latest card collection will ship one day later, on April 27.

The expansion will launch during a time of major changes to Hearthstone. A new mode, called Standard, will be introduced and phase out old cards. Click here for the Best Hearthstone Cards Leaving Standard.

Blizzard has also revealed how players can collect ten free Whispers of the Old Gods packs. During the first week of the expansion’s release, if players win two games in Standard mode they will be given five free packs, while winning seven games will net payers another five free card packs.

Meanwhile, those who log in to the expansion during launch week will receive three free cards, including the Old God C’Thun.

Along with the introduction of Standard mode, Blizzard has also announced twelve long-awaited Hearthstone card nerfs, which can be found below.

Druid Card Nerfs

• Ancient of Lore –– Reduced the number of cards drawn from 2 to 1
• Force of Nature — Lowered mana cost by 1, removes Charge and makes summoned Treants not die after single turn.
• Keeper of the Grove — Stats have been changed from 2/4 to 2/2

Silence & Removal Nerfs

• Ironbeak Owl –– Increased mana cost from 2 to 3
• Big Game Hunter — Increased mana cost from 3 to 5
• Hunter’s Mark — Increased mana cost from 0 to 1
• Blade Flurry — Increased mana cost from 2 to 4, and will now only affect minions

Neutral Minion Nerfs

• Knife Juggler — Reduced attack from 3 to 2
• Leper Gnome — Reduced attack from 2 to 1
• Arcane Golem — Removed Charge, will still cost 3 mana, but its baseline stats have changed to 4 /4
• Molten Giant — Increased mana cost to 25
• Master of Disguise — Will now only grant Stealth until next turn

Gallery: All New Whispers of the Old Gods Cards

Druid

Click on the thumbnail of an image to open a full-screen gallery.

Hunter

Click on the thumbnail of an image to open a full-screen gallery.

Mage

Click on the thumbnail of an image to open a full-screen gallery.

Paladin

Click on the thumbnail of an image to open a full-screen gallery.

Priest

Rogue

Click on the thumbnail of an image to open a full-screen gallery.

(Toxin Cards)

Shaman

Click on the thumbnail of an image to open a full-screen gallery.

Warrior

Click on the thumbnail of an image to open a full-screen gallery.

Warlock

Neutral

Click on the thumbnail of an image to open a full-screen gallery.

Neutral Legendaries

Click on the thumbnail of an image to open a full-screen gallery.

Old Gods

Uncollectable

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Following the success of shows such as Arrow and The Flash, Warner is looking to produce another series based on its DC properties. It has been reported that cable channel SyFy is close to greenlighting a pilot for a Superman origin story called Krypton.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show is “nearing” a pick-up by the channel, which is also the home of such other sci-fi fantasy shows as 12 Monkeys, Z Nation, and Hunters.

Krypton has been developed by David S. Goyer, who co-wrote both Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Man of Steel for DC, as well as Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies and the Constantine TV show. The new series would focus upon Superman’s grandfather, and his attempts to bring peace to the Kryptonian home world.

In an interview with Collider last year, Goyer spoke about his plans for the show. “In terms of production value, you have to pick your moments,” he said. “Should we make the show, there will definitely be some big moments. It won’t be wall to wall visual effects every single moment, spectacle, in the way that the film will be, but we’ll also be digging into the characters and the culture a lot more.”

Unlike Marvel, DC’s various shows–which also include Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Gotham–do not all exist within the same universe, and are very much separate to its big screen offerings. It is unknown whether Krypton will bisect with any of the current shows, or if it will be a standalone series.

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The official website for Persona 5 has been updated with a countdown clock, sparking speculation that a release date for the eagerly-anticipated RPG could finally been announced. The countdown clock is scheduled to expire on May 5.

Although neither Persona developer Atlus nor its parent company Sega have said a release date will be announced, the game is scheduled for launch later this year but doesn’t have a specific date yet.

Persona 5 was originally expected to launch in 2015, but on September 17, Atlus revealed it had been delayed. The PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 title was given a vague summer 2016 window.

The game follows a ragtag group of high school students that feel like they don’t have a place in society, but are drawn together by a common goal after discovering the Isekai-Navi. Branding themselves the “Phantom Thieves of Hearts,” they use the Isekai-Navi to enter the hearts of people and steal their malicious intent.

Persona 5 director Katsura Hashino previously said Atlus is “going with a challenge that fuses together a juvenile school setting that is as large as life, together with a picaresque romance.”

“In the previous game, we wrote a story that involved having a justice group chase down a bad guy that could easily be feared by just about anyone,” he said.

“This time, it’s about a group of high school students that are being ‘chased’ by unexpected occurrences due to the justice they believe in. We’re writing [the story] to convey a thrilling everyday life in the shoes of these characters, that are as large as life, in this juvenile school setting.”

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Dark Horse has announced it will publish The Art of Metal Gear Solid V, giving fans a look at the “concept and deign behind the genre-defining science-fiction military action” game.

As detailed on the comic book publisher’s website, the art book will feature “hundreds of pieces of never-before-seen art.” A total of 400 Limited Edition versions of the book will also be available, packaged in a “tactical slipcase featuring an exclusive fine art print by superstar illustrator Ashley Wood.”

Wood previously provided the art for Metal Gear Solid Digital Graphic Novel on PSP, as well as Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops and Peace Walker.

The Art of Metal Gear Solid will be available from November 2. You can take a look at the cover for the book below.

Following his high-profile departure from Konami, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima has established his own studio. For his first game, he has partnered with Sony for a PlayStation and PC exclusive title. Announcing the deal, Kojima said he is “thrilled to embark on creating a new franchise.”

Konami, meanwhile, has discussed plans for a new entry in the Metal Gear series, but as of yet has not officially announced a game or released any concrete details.

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