Games

Dragon Quest XI S for Nintendo Switch will “take quite some time”

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Dragon Quest XI S for Nintendo Switch will "take quite some time" 1

Square Enix released a video yesterday featuring Hokuto Okamoto and Director Takeshi Uchikawa of Dragon Quest XI. The two key developers talk about the development of their next entry into the Dragon Quest series and localization of the game and explain again why the 3DS version of Dragon quest won’t be released in the West. Simply put: It doesn’t make business sense for Square.

Dragon Quest XI S will be released for Nintendo Switch and is still in the “midst of development” according to these key players in the development of the game. The Japanese version is undergoing the same status and they said to “expect the development to still take quite some time.” So if you’re waiting for the Switch version, don’t hold your breath.

You can view the dev team interview of Dragon Quest VI here:

 

PlayStation Experience 2018 won’t be happening – “Not enough PS exclusives”

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PlayStation Experience 2018 won't be happening - "Not enough PS exclusives" 2

Fans have been questioning for months now on the debacle of whether or not Sony will be hosting PlayStation Experience this year- the fan-powered event that takes place every year in December. As we edge towards the holidays, Sony still hasn’t announced anything regarding when the event would take place in 2018.

Sony’s Chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios, Shawn Layden, just confirmed that the PS Experience will be canceled for 2018. This was confirmed in this week’s episode of the PlayStation Blogcast (the official PS Blog)

Layden said he knows many fans will be upset over this news. He somewhat trotted on the idea that due to 2019 wouldn’t have an expansive lineup of PlayStation exclusive others than Days Gone and Dreams, so thus, Sony wouldn’t be able to make costs meet to host the event this year. He didn’t want to disappoint fans either by not having any solid lineup of games to show off.

PlayStation Experience may return again next year. This is just due to a coincidental poor lineup of exclusives.

Sony still has other games like Ghost of Tsushima, Death Standing, and The Last of Us Part II, but none of them are worthy to talk about during the event. Sony may attend Paris Games Week again this year, and we may hear something about their first-party lineup before the new year. Let’s get an awesome lineup for next year’s PS Experience.

Devil May Cry 5 will run at 4K and 60 frames per second

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Devil May Cry 5 will run at 4K and 60 frames per second 3

Devil May Cry 5‘s Matt Walker of Capcom just confirmed that the next-gen game will run at a smooth 4K 60FPS.

Many fans will be stoked. Running this visual glory at a smooth 60FPS for that silky-smooth and enjoyable experience would be amazing for fans of the long-running series. Now, it’s really coming this March 2019.

But the catch is that it really depends on what system you get the game on.

PS4 Pro owners won’t be able to play it native 4K. Capcom will be using the checkerboarding to upscale the resolution to 4K. But the 60FPS is true 60FPS. Combine that with upscaled 4K means a smooth, visually applying (just judging by the screenshots so far), and glorious gameplay experience. Whether or not DMC5 will offer a “performance” or “visuals” preference toggle is still unknown at this point in time. So basically, DMC5 will be PS4 Pro enhanced.

Xbox One owners have less information to go on at this point. It may get the same upscaled 4K, but the Xbox One X is already more than capable of running it at native 4K with 60FPS. At this point, we’ll have to only speculate that native 4K with 60 frames per second will be offered for the Xbox One X console, granted that the system has no issue handling the game.

PC players will likely get the naive 4K resolution with 60FPS (to no surprise).

Devil May Cry 5 rolls out March of 2019 for PC, Xbox One, and PS4.

Designing Spider-Man is much more difficult than you think

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The Spider-Man news just keeps coming.

Earlier yesterday, a “documentary” video featuring some developers from Marvel and Insomniac Games was released and the topic of discussion was how key people from both teams working together and approached the development of Spider-Man.

The web-slinging hero is one of the most well-known characters in fictional works through comics, TV shows, movies, books, and of course, video games. Creating him for a modern adoption is pretty difficult- much more than most people would think.

Bill Rosemann of Marvel Games says that making a Spider-Man game is a huge responsibility and uses the quote “with great power comes great responsibility.” Creating Spidey wasn’t easy as the team had to balance modern gameplay design while keeping true to the hero’s abilities. He wanted to make Spider-Man’s world accessible for new fans of the game or series and that’s something that Stan Lee tried to do when he was writing the original comic where Spider-Man was created.

Bryan Intihar from Insomniac Games says that the previous games from the Ulitmate Spider-Man series were important in game design because it proved that you could change the hero and his characters in many ways while remaining “true to what makes him special.” This is pretty cool to know how much they can toy around with the idea when they create a Spider-Man game.

If you’re not sick of hearing about Spider-Man news yet, check out the video below to see how the game was adapted to modern playstyles while keeping true to the original comic in some ways:

League of Legend’s Ezreal next in line for a rework

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League of Legend's Ezreal next in line for a rework 5

League of Legend’s Ezreal is next in line for a rework- following Nunu and Willump earlier this Summer. Ezreal will get a whole overhaul of his abilities to make him relevant and possibly “meta” again.

Riot Games revealed a small glimpse of overhauled Ezreal in action by releasing a new teaser trailer showing off the flashy new abilities, with his “W” being the biggest new change compared to the previous Ezreal reworks. Ezreal also got a new look with a stylistic approach to his character model. Otherwise, he looks pretty much the same as before.

The trailer also presents the variety of skins for Ezreal and how they’ll look after the rework.

At the moment, there’s no specific release date as to when the overhaul will be complete. Following this trailer, there should be a new Champion Spotlight with a detailed look at his changes after the overhaul is complete.

Patch 1.06 is now live for Marvel’s Spider-Man – What’s new?

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Patch 1.06 is now live for Marvel's Spider-Man - What's new? 6

Marvel’s Spider-Man gets a new patch on the PS4 today. Insomniac Games has released patch version 1.06 and the download went live earlier today.

The patch varies in size, but the full patch notes are available on Reddit (and for your convenience, listed below). The game is still going strong in sales, especially in the UK, and there will be continual updates for the web-slinging hero and new DLC rolls out next month.

Here are the full patch notes:

New Features
-Added the option to invert the camera horizontally

Fixes & Updates
-Addressed an issue where the game could on load of a save game
-Addressed an issue where players could get stuck inside the Empire State Building spire
-Addressed various issues with Research Stations locking incorrectly
-Addressed an issue where puzzles would be locked out in the lab after investigating an audio recorder.
-Addressed a progression stopper when completing Demon Bases and quitting out of the end
-Addressed a progression stopper when knocking Mr. Negative out of the arena during his boss fight.
-Addressed a progression stopper during point launch tutorial
-Further improved stability
-Addressed various UI issues
-Addressed various animation pop issues
-Addressed various additional issues

Spider-Man was released this month and has been shattering records on the PS4- being the fastest-selling PS4 game of all time and beat out all other games for the PS4’s history. There have also been rumors of more Marvel games coming out due to the success of Spider-Man. This could be the beginning of something awesome.

Anyway, patch 1.06 went live today. Sign in and download the update and get your sling on!

Capcom announces Capcom Connect; Giving away codes for Street Fighter IV

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Capcom announces Capcom Connect; Giving away codes for Street Fighter IV 7

Capcom has announced a new weekly live stream called Capcom Connect, which will take place on Capcom Fighters Twitch channel every Tuesday starting at 8 PM PT. The show’s all about Street Fighter with news, updates, matches between pros and local players, and code giveaways.

Capcom Connect will be hosted in partnership with the Esports Arena in Oakland, California. The stream will be broadcasted mainly to allow Capcom to connect with the Street Fighter community, ranging from professional esport players to casual fans who watch streams.

The show will cover news about the Capcom Pro Tour tournaments, announcements, fan art, cosplay, pro interviews, and matchups between pro and local talent all over the nation and possibly globally also.

Viewers will get a free chance to redeem codes for Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition by tweeting to Capcom FIghters by using a unique hashtag identifier before 8:15 PM PT on September 25th- the show’s premiere day. The codes are currently reserved for North American viewers.

Telltale may be releasing more episodes for The Walking Dead: The Final Season

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Telltale may be releasing more episodes for The Walking Dead: The Final Season 8

Last week’s news about Telltale shutting down its studio upset many fans who’ve experienced their narrative, cinematic, and storyline-driven works of art. One main concern was whether or not fans will be getting a continued work on their latest project The Walking Dead: The Final Season. Rumors were surfaced that the game would be abandoned from multiple reports, including Melissa Hutchison, Clementine’s VA.

A few hours ago, Telltale Games released a new statement and wrote that the game may end up getting a conclusion after all. Even though the studio will be shut down, multiple partners have approached the company offering help to allow them to finish their latest project that’s on the brink of a shutdown. Telltale said they hope to release episodes three and four later on in the coming future- or as they wrote, “in some form.”

This doesn’t mean that the final two episodes are confirmed. But it’s news for many who are looking for some confirmation that the company still has some hope for finishing their final project. Telltale said they’ll release more info soon.

Right now, The Walking Dead: The Final Season is still scheduled for release tomorrow on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Dark Souls Remastered trailer for Nintendo Switch released

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Dark Souls Remastered for the Nintendo Switch is coming. And guess what? It’s gonna be a relaxing game. Heh.

Nintendo has released a new trailer showing off the new game before it’s launch next month on the Switch. The trailer shows off some of the classic ARPG action we’ve all grown to adore (and hate) about the Dark Souls series with a humorous tale of “keeping calm” while trying to reduce the urge to rage quit and toss your handheld across the room:

https://youtu.be/9sjv8es_gv0

The Switch edition will be a remastered edition of Dark Souls which was released earlier in 2018 on consoles and PC. The Switch version has been delayed just before its launch to later this year. Even with the delay, the game is still planned and confirmed with only a few weeks away from its release next month.

Finally, Nintendo fans will get to be able to experience the meditative and relaxing gameplay that is Dark Souls!

Switch owners will get some goodies like being able to use a new amiibo figure based on Solaire of Astora.

Dark Souls Remastered will release on October 19th for the Nintendo Switch. It’s currently available for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Possibly more Marvel Games coming after Spider-Man’s success

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Marvel’s Spider-Man is still the hottest selling game in the UK right now, and has been crowned as the fastest selling PlayStation first-party title of all time and has shattered records within Marvel and PlayStation games as a whole. And from internet critics all over the interwebs.

Bill Rosemann, Creative Director at Marvel Games, recently responded to a tweet from GameSpot that discussed why Spider-Man selling well was an important factor. Rosemann built upon the thought of the game being “the Iron Man of Marvel video games.” This quite originally was said by Bryan Inthihar, Creative Director over at Insomniac Games. The quote was said during an interview with Kinda Funny Games:

The point is that now this quote really solidifies a new beginning of Marvel console games, a for how Iron Man was one of the first comic book movies that unleashed the Marvel universe to the general population. This will likely be the start of a plethora of quality, first-party, titles based on comic book superheroes from the Marvel brand. But what hero is up next Who knows? It’s all pure speculation at this point. But with its success so far, the fans have spoken and more Marvel games are likely on the way. Fans are stoked about this tweet.

Marvel’s Spider-Man is available exclusively for the PS4. Just about 3.4M players have already experienced the game. This speaks “volumes” already. (Pun not intended.)

Battlefield V Open Beta: Stats, details, changes

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Battlefield V developer DICE has posted a new report with some details from the Battlefield V Open Beta test. Statistics and various fascinating tidbits were organized into an infographic that spanned the duration of the event.

Some interesting details:

  • 36% of players chose to play as Assault (most popular)
  • 14% of players chose to play as Support (least popular)
  • 23,000,000 buddy revives were made
  • 80,000,000 fortifications were constructed
  • 143,139 snowmen were built
  • Tens of millions of hours were played

DICE also went ahead and listed a plethora of changes that’ll be adjusted for the full game’s release on November 20th. Some notable changes are improving player visibility, respawn timers, time to kill, vehicle options, systemic vehicle damage, pilot/gunner visibility.

Daniel Berlin, DICE’s Design Director, tweeted about some other game changes that’ll be adjusted:

DICE has also released a video where they discuss and talk about everything they’ve gathered from the beta in a “dev talk” video:

Battlefield V launches on the 20th of November for PC, Xbox One, and PS4.

Devil May Cry 5 PC system requirements released

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Devil May Cry 5 PC system requirements released 12

Capcom released some details about the PC system requirements for their newest AAA title Devil May Cry 5. The system requirements were posted on the game’s store page on Steam. From this, we can gather some details on how demanding (and visually impressive) the game will be.

DMC5 is using a new game engine to render, so players will need a modern PC to run the game smoothly. If you want the best of the best, you’ll need a very beefy PC in order to maximize the game’s settings. Surprisingly enough, the game is only a mere 35GB in space, which is relatively small compared to how demanding the reqreuiments are.

Here are the Devil May Cry 5 PC minimum system requirements:

  • OS: WINDOWS® 7 (64-BIT Required)
  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-4770 3.4GHz or better
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX760 or better
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 35 GB available space
  • Additional Notes: *Controllers recommended *Internet connection required for game activation.

And the recommended system requirements:

  • OS: WINDOWS® 7 (64-BIT Required)
  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-4770 3.4GHz or better
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX960 or better
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 35 GB available space
  • Additional Notes: *Controllers recommended *Internet connection required for game activation.

Judging from the posted specs, most gamers will be okay with a current or previous generation graphics card. However, the game does require an Intel i7 CPU, which is pretty much the top-of-the-line processor that’s widely available. Even though the i9 is out, it’s not practical given its steep price point and non-adapted technology.

The i7 is affordable enough but is still top tier compared to its i5 and i3 counterparts. Enthusiasts can argue about specs, cores, and cache sizes, but generally, the i7 is superior due to the sheer number of cores available compared to the i5 and i3. Modern games and applications can utilize multiple (or all) cores that the i7 offers.

DMC5 is a CPU-demanding game from the looks of it so far. You can get more details about the game here on Steam.

Telltale Games shutting down (confirmed)

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Earlier today, we reported that Telltale Games was rumored to be shutting down based on a post from Kevin Bruner, a co-founder of the company. Telltale Games specializes in the narrative, story-driven games such as The Walking Dead, Minecraft: Story Mode, Tales from the Borderlands, and The Wolf Among Us.

Now, Telltale has gone out and confirmed that the company will be shutting down after its final project: The Walking Dead: The Final Season. An official statement reports that the studio has faced financial obstacles in a year “marked by insurmountable challenges” and thus will “being a majority studio closure.” Telltale mentions that the majority of the company’s staff were fired today as a result of the shutdown with only a skeletal staff remaining to finish their last project.

CEO Pete Hawley explains:

“It’s been an incredibly difficult year for Telltale as we worked to set the company on a new course” and that the company “ran out of time to get there.”

Hawley says that even though the company is struggling, they’ve released some of their best content this year and “received a tremendous amount of positive feedback.” He hopes that the staff will spread their “brand of storytelling across the games industry.”

Telltale then said the further info is available regarding their current and other projects will be released in the coming weeks. The statement can be seen on their official Twitter account @telltalegames:

They’ll be releasing more information for the fans who were expecting other titles and wondering what will happen to them soon. For now, it just seems like Telltale will be telling its last tale due to low sales.

 

Telltale Games on its final chapter – Possible shutdown imminent

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Telltale Games’ co-founder Kevin Bruner released a report earlier today where one of the studio’s co-founders has officially confirmed that the future for the studio behind epic, narrative-driven, emotional games such as The Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead may be ending its final chapter- in other words, Telltale Games may be shutting down.

Kevin Bruner, the former co-founder of the company, posted a personal statement on his blog titled “Telltale closure” and goes over some of the issues the company has undergone, including huge layoffs and is in the thoughts of shutting down. Bruner said that the news comes from various sources that they’re shutting down due to financial struggles in the past few years. Bruner says:

“[He was] saddened at the loss of a studio that green-lit crazy ideas that no one else would consider [and] sometimes it seemed like we had more than we could handle but we stuck together and forged ahead”

Bruner is no longer working for the studio, but he cites very different visions between him and the company’s Board of Directors. He left over a year ago but notest hat he and the Board had different ideas for the direction to take the company and he also filed a lawsuit against Telltale seeking damages for his removal from the Board.

Sources say that the lawsuit is still ongoing between Bruner and Telltale, but his statement does cite various sources that Telltale is about to shut down with only a small staff remaining on the drawing board and is facing major financial struggles.

No official word has been reported from the official company at this time. Stay tuned for updates.

Devil May Cry 5 new key art, pricing, and Deluxe Edition goodies revealed

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Capcom is surviving its Devil May Cry fans. After the DMC5 trailer was released earlier yesterday, Capcom then went on to reveal some major details regarding the Deluxe Edition of the upcoming entry into the long-running series.

For starters, a new piece of key art was shown off for the Deluxe Edition of Devil May Cry 5. The art looks similar to the standard key art- it contains Dante, Nero, and the newly revealed V all standing next to each other with Nico and the Devil May Cry van in the background. This is some pretty awesome key art and gives that “badassery” the game deserves.

The Deluxe Edition will contain a few extra goodies, namely the following (taken from the Microsoft Store page):

  • Devil Breaker weapons: Gerbera GP01, Pasta Breaker, Sweet Surrender, Mega Buster
  • Dante weapon: Cavaliere R
  • Battle music: 3 tracks each from Devil May Cry, Devil May Cry 2, Devil May Cry 3, and Devil May Cry 4
  • Alternative voices: Style Rank Announcers, Title Calls
  • Live Action Cutscenes

And for pre-orders, players will receive:

  • Alt Hero Colors (Nero, Dante)
  • Alt Heroine Colors (Nico, Lady, Trish)
  • Buster Arm Early Access (new weapon for Nero)
  • 100,000 Red Orbs

The Deluxe Edition retails for $69.99, which is just a measly $10 more than the base game price at $59.99. Hey- it’s cheap for a Deluxe Edition compared to other AAA titles. Fans will likely opt for the Deluxe Edition for the extras. The physical version of Devil May Cry 5 isn’t available for pre-order yet but will be available soon considering that it’s already available for digital retail.

DMC5 is scheduled for release on March 8th, 2019 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Stay tuned for updates.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown: Pre-order goodies, pricing, season pass, and Deluxe Edition revealed

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Bandai Namco Entertainment finally revealed the pre-order goodies player will receive for pre-ordering Ace Combat 7: Skies Uknown. Fans of the game who have been long-time players will be delighted with the special exclusives that are included with this next-gen aircraft dogfighting simulator title.

Producer Kazutoki Kono was giving a presentation about this reveal at Bandai Namco Entertainments HQ in Tokyo. He noted the following points:

  • All players who pre-order Ace Combat 7 on PS4, Xbox One, or via Steam for PC will get the special, limited edition F4-E Phantom II aircraft and three special exclusive aircraft skins to deck it out.
  • PS4 players will also get a free digital copy of Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
  • Xbox One players will get a free digital copy of Ace Combat 6: Fires of the Liberation.

Kono then goes over the pricing and editions for Ace Combat 7:

  • The Deluxe Edition includes the base game, season pass content, eight emblems, and will retail at $84.99.
  • The season pass itself will include three planets, three levels, and a special music player (sound test) and retails for $24.99. Players can buy each item individually at $4.99 also.

Regardless, pre-orders will get their respective goodies whether or not players choose o buy the Deluxe Edition or basic season pass. If you buy it on PS4, you’ll receive Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War, which is regarded as one of the best Ace Combat games ever. Ace Combat 6: Fires of the Liberation is also a strong competitor and is on-par with AC5. Players can argue all day over which is the better Ace Combat game. But they’ll be getting one or the other for free- as long as they’re on a console.

Bandai Namco also released a new trailer showing off some of the visuals and adrenaline-fueled gameplay. The game will be released on January 18th, 2019 for PS4 and Xbox One. PC players will get the game on February 1st via Steam. Ace Combat 7: Skies Uknown is the latest entry into the long-running Ace Combat series and features a new VR mode, fast-paced strategic gameplay, and amazing graphics.

CoD: Black Ops 4’s Blackout mode will have at least 100 players (possibly 115)

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CoD: Black Ops 4's Blackout mode will have at least 100 players (possibly 115) 17

The beta test period for Black Ops 4′s Blackout mode has officially ended. From more player feedback and game optimization, Treyarch has raised the player count to 100. Before, it started at 80. During the beta, it was raised to 88. Now, it’s finally at 100 players.

For the battle royale genre, 100 players is the norm. Treyarch understands that this is the sweet spot to be competitive with other popular battle royale games like Fortnite, so having 100 players will at least get their foot in the door, whether or not they plan to challenge the top dogs in the battle royale world.

After all, Blackout is just a piece of the pie for Black Ops 4 and isn’t the core gameplay. The game is still largely a tactical shooter with the Blackout mode being an alternative, experimental mode.

Treyarch seems to be happy with this number, especially on consoles where performance is an issue. They said they experiment with 115 players but didn’t confirm whether or not this will make the cut when the game launches officially next month. The beta was extended for an extra two hour period of time beyond its original scheduled time.

A few other changes were made before the beta was over.

For starters, the damage players receive from being outside the collapse in the map saw an increase. The Cargo plane will be harder to shoot down for airdrops- it’ll have increased HP and not take damage from regular bullets. The wingsuit also underwent some changes, as it can’t gain altitude at fast speeds and steep dives now and increased the time it takes to pull up from one.

Other fixes like players getting stuck, multiplay players spawning in the same location, collision detection, and killcam issues were also fixed. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 releases next month on the 12th of October.

Nintendo Switch Online goes live tonight. But, maintenance first.

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Nintendo Switch Online goes live tonight. But, maintenance first. 18

Nintendo Switch Online will finally go live tonight- the 18th of September. After many long waits and a much-overdue service, players will be able to upload their game saves to the cloud, play classic NES titles, and finally- play games online. With some exceptions, of course.

Nintendo’s official date for the launch of Nintendo Switch Online is today, however, it won’t go live until about three hours of Nintendo eShop maintenance. Just the final frontier before the service goes live to the public. A post on their support site says that the eShop maintenance will take place from 5 PM to 8 PM PST.

Afterward, players can then purchase membership plans from the eShop or Nintendo’s site. MyNintendo Gold Coins can be used to make a purchase for both the Individual and Family membership subscriptions.

You can check out a full list of features that Switch Online will offer here. One thing worth mentioning is that Nintendo cloud saves won’t be compatible with all games. This means some games will continue to be saved locally on your console.

Pricing starts at $3.99 a month, $7.99 for three months, $19.99 for a year, or $34.99 for a plan that covers between 2-7 people (Family Plan). There will also be a free trial that lasts one week for players who want to try it out before making the purchase.

Darkstalkers Costume DLC bundle coming to Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition

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Capcom has announced earlier today that they’ll be using the theme of the Darkstalkers universe in an upcoming costume DLC bundle for their Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition title.

Given that they’ve been teasing Darkstalkers fans long enough, they’ll shed a small sliver of light by including costumes into their newest fighting title. It’ll include six costumes that replicate some characters in Darkstalkers using their Street Fighter counterparts. Urien is Donovan, Chun-Li is Morrigan, Juri is Lili, Ed is Demitri, and the weirdest combo is Menat getting Felicia and Khaibit.

The DLC costumes pack will retail for $14.99 and rolls out September 25th. Capcom released a trailer showing off the new costume counterparts, which you can check out below. Fans of the Darkstalkers series will be gleeful no doubt.

Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition is currently available for purchase on PS4 and PC.

Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition “Internet Download Required” rumors debunked

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Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition "Internet Download Required" rumors debunked 20

Bandai Namco Entertainment recently announced that they’ll be releasing Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition on consoles and PC. This isn’t a remake, but rather a remaster of one of the best Tales games ever made- on par with Tales of the Abyss and Tales of Symphonia.  The Definitive Edition comes with new content and exclusives that will be only available in the remaster.

Just earlier today, they announced new premium and anniversary editions of the game for North America and Europe releases.

However, rumors started surfacing around the web from folks who noticed that the Nintendo Switch version had something “strange” about the box art for the North American Anniversary Bundle.

The speculation was that the Switch box art appears to have small disclaimer warning players that the game will require additional, mandatory download. These warnings appear on other Switch games like LA Noire and NBA 2K18 which read “Internet download and microSD card required” or a similar disclaimer.

What this means for the players is that they’ll have to get an external drive in order to download and play the game since it’s too large to fit onto the Switch’s cartridge. Cover art and game preservationists both also cringe at the fact that the game has a huge warning label over the box art.

After several Twitter users sent questions to the official Tales of Vesperia Twitter account, they replied that the EU Switch version won’t need an additional download as it’ll be sold on a 16GB Switch cartridge. If publishers use the larger carts, there won’t be a need for an SD card.

Soon after this confusion spread about, Bandai then clarified that the box art they released earlier today isn’t the final version and that the physical versions of the game across all regions will ship on a standard 16GB cartridge and won’t require any additional downloads in order to play the game. Fans were relieved.

Diablo III Eternal Collection on the Switch: New video and release date

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Diablo III Eternal Collection will be released on the Nintendo Switch on November 2nd, 2018. Blizzard released a press release and a recent announcement video confirming the game’s release.

Diablo III came out a few years ago, and with the recent talks about a new Diablo project in the works (or, rather multiple projects), fans got excited.

The Diablo III Eternal Collection takes all of the original game’s content, with the Reaper of Souls expansion and the Rise of the Necromancer content pack into one giant game. The Switch version will be getting its piece of the action in just about two months from now.

The game will be able to be played single or co-op with up to three of your buddies onto one Switch using Joy-Cons or Pro Controllers. The game will be able to be played docked or portable, or even both if you have friends at your place.

The game will include the full five-act campaigns and special random dungeons or Seasons mode to keep the game going. It was revealed in August of this year, but it was only a rumor.

Now, it’s confirmed.

This is the first Blizzard game on a console in 15 years. The Switch version will include some exclusives: a Cucco companion pet, a Triforce portrait frame, unique cosmetics, and even a Ganondorf transmogrification set. Diablo III Eternal Collection is currently available for pre-order on Nintendo’s eShop.

Nintendo Switch Online: Required check-ins and no grace period?

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Best indie games. Ever. Nintendo shows off their list.

Nintendo just released an online FAQ page with updated information about their Nintendo Switch Online service. After a rather vague description that was released on Nintendo Direct, a much more detailed page was created to make some necessary clarifications. But the wording is still subject to interpretation.

For starters, it turns out that players will lose their cloud saves if they choose not to renew their Switch Online subscription. While some games, like NES games, will be available offline, there will be an online check-in with a frequency of once per week. This seems to be required or else access will be blocked to the game. A “check-in” is possibly required in order to preserve this data.

Compared with other consoles, cloud saves on Xbox One are completely free. PS4 requires a PS Plus subscription but players have half a year for players to access it should they choose to subscribe again within that grace period. The Switch seems to be the worst of the bunch- it costs cash to save to the cloud and possibly has no grace period.

After my Nintendo Switch Online membership expires, will my online save data and my Nintendo Entertainment System™ – Nintendo Switch Online data be erased?

Save data stored via the Save Data Cloud backup is available for as long as you have an active Nintendo Switch Online membership.

Can NES – Nintendo Switch Online games be played offline?

Yes, these games can be played offline for up to 7 days as long as you have an active Nintendo Switch Online membership.

As for classic NES games, the FAQ states that players will have offline access to the classic titles for seven days if the subscription is active. But doesn’t clarify on what exactly will be required- a check-in? However, data will be saved locally unless the user chooses to do so manually. An online subscription is still required in order to play the games.

NES Classic controllers coming out exclusively for Switch Online subscribers

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Nintendo is coming out with a classics NES controller as part of the Nintendo Switch online service. The controllers are modeled after the original NES controllers and can be attached to the Switch. They have the same control scheme as the original controller and plug in to recharge just like the Joy-Cons.

With these controllers, you can “play the classics they’re meant to be played!”

This special controller is likely for the huge library of NES games that’ll be available for players as the online service will release a ton of classic games.

Each controller can be used separately for the co-op NES games. Shipments will begin in mid-December 2018 and will run you $59.99 USD for a pair. To order them, you’ll have to be on the lookout as they’ll be available for order as a special offer for online subscribers at a later date that’s yet to be announced.

Their sales page currently says “New offers will be added, so be sure to check back regularly” and that they’re “Exclusively for Nintendo Switch Online members.”

If you’re a fan of the NES classics, you’ll want to look into these controllers.

Image: Nintendo.

Marvel’s Spider Man is the fastest-selling game in the UK right now

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Marvel's Spider Man is the fastest-selling game in the UK right now 23

Spider-Man was released last Friday, but the game already is shattering records in 2018- given that the holiday season is still yet to come. In the United Kingdom, the game licensed by Marvel is the fastest-selling game so far in all of 2018.

GameIndustry.biz reports that Marvel’s Spider-Man surpassed many other titles in sales, including Far Cry 5, which is the fastest-selling game in the UK on the scale of the entire year. Not to mention Far Cry 5 came out on multiple platforms including the PC, Xbox One, and PS4. And this game is just a PS4-only title. This was the same case with LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, which is another Marvel-branded title.

Spider-Man also sold twice the amount of units that God of War sold during launch back a few months ago. Given that the game continues to sell, it could be the best-selling PS4 game of 2018- provided that it beats out other popular titles coming out soon for the holiday season like Fallout 76, just to name one.

The previous game to shatter records was Call of Duty: WWII back in 2017. Spider-Man beat it out in terms of sales volume over time. However, these records only count physical game purchases at UK retailers. Digital sales are a whole other story, which would easily inflate the number to even greater extents.

Regardless, Marvel’s Spider-Man is currently the hottest selling game- if anyone asks.

Image: PlayStation.

 

Gone Home for Nintendo Switch includes real, licensed SNES titles

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Gone Home for Nintendo Switch includes real, licensed SNES titles 24

Gone Home fans will remember that the emotional and atmospheric indie game had some various NES cartridges (carts) scattered around the house that you explore. In the mid-90s time period, you play as a female character discovering and uncovering the ties between her and her friend.

You’ll find fitting objects that take place within the same slice of time, including older furniture, toys, and appliances. The SNES cartridges were blank, with no specific Nintendo games used on them as there was no licensing granted to the developer Fullbright.

However, for the Gone Home Switch release, players will be delighted to see that real SNES carts have replaced the fake carts. Some classic and fan-favorites have now taken the spotlight, including Donkey Kong Country, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Super Mario Kart.

Developer Steve Gaynor of Fullbright recently posted on Twitter confirming the licensing gig Nintendo has granted them. They’re now able to use real SNES games from the 90s to put in the Switch version of Gone Home.

Although it doesn’t do much to change the core gameplay, it’s like an easter egg for those who care.

Gone Home has been released on the Nintendo Switch last week. It’s available through the Nintendo eShop now. Pretty awesome of Nintendo to cooperate with Fullbright.

Thanks to liamdohertee for the featured image on this post!

CoD: 4 Blackout Beta spawns hotfix; Increases player count

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CoD: 4 Blackout Beta spawns hotfix; Increases player count 25

Treyarch released a list of improvements they’ll be focusing on in the next patch. This was largely due to the community feedback they received on the first day of the Blackout Beta event. The developer has rolled out the first hotfix for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and it’s a pretty significant update.

For starters, they’ve increased the player count from 80 to 88 players. This follows Treyarch’s statement a few weeks ago that they’ll increase the player count based on how well the game runs. With this significant increase in player count, it shows that the game runs pretty smoothly even for a beta. Perhaps when the full game releases, it just may hit 100 players by launch day.

Item pick-up speed has also been adjusted. There’s no more stopping at an item just to stare it in order to pick it up. Now players can simply hold down the Square button while running over any item to snag it. This seems like something that should definitely improve quality of life experience and basic gameplay mechanics. Weapon reloading will be done independently without picking up an item by pressing the reload button.

Some game stat-tracking has also been improved.

Here’s the full list of changes:

  • General:

    • Changed Featured Playlist to DUOs.

    • Raised player cap to 88.

    • General stability and stat-tracking improvements.

    • Quick equip menu will automatically close if not used for 5 seconds.

  • Item Pickups

    • Increased the speed of picking up Items off of the ground – you will still be able to reload your weapon independently without picking an Item up by tapping the reload button.

  • Equipment

    • Reduced duration of Sensor Dart to 2 minutes

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey trailer shows off the “Power of Choice”

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Assassin's Creed Odyssey trailer shows off the "Power of Choice" 26

Ubifost released a new trailer of its next game in the Assassin’s Creed universe- Odyssey. The trailer is titled “Power of Choice” and showcases how player influences can affect the outcome of the game.

The trailer is a firsthand demo of how player choice plays a huge role in the game. Players can choose and customize everything from the character, dialogue choices, abilities, battle approaches, and even the armor style. If anything, this is the most open-ended Assassin’s Creed game to date. With the success of Origins, Odyssey takes a similar approach to player freedom and kicks it up a notch (or two).

Odyssey is scheduled for release for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 5th. Early access is available to those who purchase one of the special editions of the game, which can be pre-ordered right now from major retailers.

Here are some official selling points (taken from the Ubisoft product page):

  • LEGENDARY SPARTAN HERO – Embark on your journey from outcast to legendary Spartan hero.
  • ANCIENT GREECE AWAITS – Explore an entire country full of unexpected encounters in untamed environments and bustling ancient cities.
  • CHOOSE YOUR PATH – Your choices shape the world around you. Play in a living world that constantly reacts to your every decision.
  • FIGHT EPIC BATTLES – Charge into epic clashes between Sparta and Athens in battles pitting 150v150 soldiers against each other.
  • SAIL THE AEGEAN SEA – Recruit crewmembers and customize your ship as you explore and battle your way on the open seas.

The game will be available in a variety of different versions. The Gold Edition costs $99.99 and includes the base game, season pass, and the Secrets of Greece mission with 2-day early access.

The Digital Deluxe Edition costs $79.99 and includes the Deluxe Edition pass. Pre-orders get The Blind King mission and the Secrets of Greece mission.

The Ultimate Edition costs $119.99 and comes with the special missions, Deluxe Edition pass, and a 2-day earlier access.

There are also two special editions of the game. The first is the Spartan Edition, which retails at $159.99 and includes the following:

  • Early access starting on October 2.
  • Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey Gold Edition and additional digital content including: the Deluxe Edition Pack, the Season Pass, which will give players access to all upcoming major expansions, as well as the additional mission The Blind King.
  • By Ubicollectibles : The Spartan Leap statue (height 15.55 in)
  • The Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey Steelbook™.
  • A 64-page art book featuring the original designs and concept art from the Ubisoft Quebec artists.
  • An exclusive lithograph by Hugo Puzzuoli from Ubisoft Quebec.
  • A printed version of the game’s hand-drawn world map.
  • The selected game soundtrack.

The second is the Pantheon Collector’s Edition, which will cost $219.99 and includes:

  • Early access starting on October 2.
  • Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey Gold Edition and additional digital content including: the Deluxe Edition Pack, the Season Pass, which will give players access to all upcoming major expansions, as well as the additional mission The Blind King.
  • By Ubicollectibles : Two statues forming The Nemesis Diorama (height 39.5cm, width 65cm).
  • The Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey Steelbook™.
  • A 64-page art book featuring the original designs and concept art from the Ubisoft Quebec artists.
  • An exclusive lithograph by Hugo Puzzuoli from Ubisoft Quebec.
  • A printed version of the game’s hand-drawn world map.

There are plenty of goodies to be had for those hardcore fans of Assassin’s Creed and plenty to get excited about.

Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition – Release date and exclusive content

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Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition - Release date and exclusive content 27

Bandai Namco accounted the confirmed release date for the much-anticipated Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition.

The game will be launching on January 11, 2019, for the PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch.

Tales of Vesperia is a JRPG that features emotional plot twists and a winding storyline. The game is known for its cast of memorable characters and real-time combat system.

The Definitive Edition will be updated with full HD graphics, new music tracks, mini-games, bosses, and unreleased costume DLC. The game was first released back on the Xbox 360 and is considered to be one of the best Tales games released by Bandai Namco- of all time. Tales of Symphonia and Tales of the Abyss are other two contenders within the community.

The Definitive Edition isn’t a remake by any means. But it’s packed full of features and characters, events, and new content that was never released outside of its Japan release. The game will also feature higher resolution to match today’s modern console outputs.

Bandai Namco also announced an new Anniversary Bundle which includes some special, exclusive collectibles including Yuri Lowell, Patty Fleur, Flynn, Scifo, and Repede for PS4, Xbox One, and PC editions. The Anniversary Bundle is only available through the official store. Details are yet to be released other than some speculative rumors.

Here’s a product description of the game:

“A BELOVED TALE RETURNS! — The tale of a young hero on a quest for justice that captivated Tales fans returns to Xbox and makes its way for the first time to PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Steam!

EVERYTHING IN ONE EDITION! — Dive into the Definitive version of this game with updated full HD graphics, brand-new music tracks, exciting mini-games, bosses, and a collection of unreleased costume DLC!

THE PARTY GROWS STRONGER! — Yuri sets sail on his adventure with Estelle, a young noblewoman; Karol; a boy in pursuit of a guild to call his own; Rita, an eccentric scholar; Raven, a laid-back archer; Judith, a mysterious dragoon; and Repede, a pipe-smoking dog… and now two more playable characters join the fray!

FIGHT WITH FLAIR! — Assemble your favorite team and enjoy exciting real-time battles with all new Mystic Artes and skills!”

WWE 2K19: Lana shows disapproval with her character’s outfit

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WWE 2K19: Lana shows disapproval with her character's outfit 28

Lana, the WWE wrestler is finally available as a playable character in WWE 2K19. The issue is, the real actual Lana seemed to be somewhat unhappy with her character’s attire in-game.

In previous titles, she was only selectable as a manager. Now, she can actually be used a wrestler the ring which is pretty awesome. 2K Games announced that Lana will be playable for the first time ever since it’s pretty exciting news.

Lana’s character model wears an attire she never once wore inside the ring. It’s an attire she wore during a photoshoot when the WWE were partying Oscar-nominated shows/movies. Lana was parodying Margot Robbie’s “I, Tonya” based on the ice skater Tonya Harding. Lana then tweeted about it with disapproval and her rating score of 70:

This isn’t an issue because Lana and Lana fans will be able to change her attire in the game easily. 2K Games is just offering a preset costume, but the players will be able to use whatever they wish currently available in the skin pack.

2K Games may release an updated character attire before the game releases on October 9th for the PC, Xbox One, and PS4.

Xbox Australia unveils an extremely rare PUBG-themed grease-proof controller

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Xbox Australia unveils an extremely rare PUBG-themed grease-proof controller 29

The Australian branch of Xbox just unveiled a new PUBG-themed Xbox controller. But it’s not just another typical controller skinned with a game theme. This one is kinda special.

Too many times, I’m eating when I play games. Whether it’s during the loading screens, cutscenes, or even during mid-combat, I’ll take a bite of something and end up with some greasy or oily fingers. Occasionally, some of that food residue gets onto the controller, to which I’ll have to wipe off later. It’s not really an issue, but it does leave a nasty feeling to it.

This controller is said to be grease-proof. The solution to an issue all gamers have faced sometime or another. If it’s not grease, it’s probably sweat.

The PUBG controller features a gray/green design that’s glossy to the look. It’s line with a special coating that makes it grease-proof and any residue won’t collect on it. If it doesn’t, it’s easy to wipe off. This is something that’s actually useful for once, rather than those overpriced controllers that are just varying in colors and skins. This has an inherent functionality.

However, only 200 have been produced. And there’s no way to buy this thing. And you need to be in Australia. So it’s pretty limited if I had to say so.

Xbox One – Limited Edition Greaseproof Controller

Get ready to control the battleground with our limited edition Greaseproof controller celebrating the launch of PLAYERUNKOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS – Just reply below with your best ‘Winner Winner Chicken Dinner’ story for your chance to win 1 of 5 controllers. #Greaseproof

Posted by Xbox ANZ on Wednesday, September 5, 2018

However, if you don’t care about the theme and you just want the grease-proofing, you can get the two new black or grey/blue variations that were released a few weeks ago.