"But guys, you left about a two week gap between this poll and the last. What gives?!"

You're right and we sicerely apologize for the delay. Kenway's PC decided to go kaboom and my schedule has just been flooded. But we're here now!

Last week we asked you about your thoughts on the REQ packs.

Most of you seemed fine with it as long as it is balanced properly. A reply that stood out to me was made by Bnus who focussed more on the gameplay aspect of the matter.

 

 

 

I stated my answer back in the article but I love the REQ Packs and potential they have. I love the idea of variations on weapons and vehicles and what team combinations can happen. Its just a novel idea that I get to have a slightly faster but weaker warthog to use on an objective run or a higher zoom sniper to sit back from a farther range(these aren't confirmed cards just predictions.). All of it just changes the dynamic of the game when you and your team see an "speedyhog" it makes you react differently then a normal Hog and I like that. It adds a layer of procedural randomness into Warzone and keeps things fresh because you never know what variations the enemy team will throw at you and you're going to have to react differently according to the situation.

Thank you all for your responses! Now let's talk about this weeks topic.

Which is

We've finally got a bit of information about Forge in Halo 5 and so I want to know what you're hopes and dreams are as well as your biggest fear. And how do you all feel about Forge coming in 2 months later instead of at launch?

Let us know down below!

Thank you all for reading!

~UP & EK

Hunt the Truth is a popular audio series companion to Halo 5: Guardians that is now awaiting it's second season, but that waiting seems to be coming to a close. TIME.com magazine released an article confirming the series' continuation tomorrow, September 22nd. They also released some new information and a preview clip to tease us. The preview clip contains FERO talking about how the season will focus on her side of the story now, Petra seemingly out of the way. Ben and Petra are both confirmed to return along with a few new faces, one of them played by the legendary Mark Hamill (The Joker). Season 2 will also be shorter than Season 1 but with slightly longer episodes to fill in that gap. FERO's story is now beginning as she tries to expose the secrets of ONI and the events of the colonies to the rest of the world. Her identity is still a mystery, but we've learned that she's most certainly someone we should trust, at least partially. I cannot wait for more information and I will update when we find out.

View attachment: halo-hunt-the-truth-2.jpg

All images and information from TIME Magazine and 343 Industries.

Last week we asked you about if you'd like to see the lore be expanded outside of the game (in books, comics, etc.) or prefered it to stick with the games.

There were quite a few responses and most of you prefered it if the story was kept within the game, but didn't mind some of the side stories within other media. I think Axilus Prime explained it just right:

 

I primarily stick to the games and if there's any contradiction between games and supporting material, I go with the games every time. They are the main storytelling medium of Halo, after all, and are what Halo originally was and continues to be at its core.

 

That's not to say I'd steer clear of supporting material intentionally. I just haven't found any in bookstores here. I do watch official story videos like Forward Unto Dawn and Nightfall, and read other stuff off the wiki. Still, if there are contradictions, like I said, games take predecence.

 

So I say keep churning out supporting material. It's entertaining and expansive. If something goes wrong in it, it's not even a problem for me.

Thanks for all your responses! Now let's move on to this weeks topic.

This week we've gotten a more detailed explaination on requisition packs, or REQ Packs for short, from 343i where Mister Chief assured us that we shouldn't worry as much about them and that everything will be fine. So here's the question, how do you feel about the REQ system?

Let us know down below and keep it clean!

Thank you for reading!

~UP & EK

Greetings ladies and gentlemen of 343 Industries and beyond! My name is Hayley Kenway and on behalf of my partner Unease P34nut I'd like to welcome you to the first Official Weekly Site Poll! These used to be done every once a week by BeckoningZebra, Bnus, etc. As well, member CabooseTheAce is currently doing the Semi-Weekly Site Poll, so if you'd like to check that out, go do so! For now though, let's get down to business!

Lately, a plethora of Halo related outside content has been releasing and extended universe content is now more integrated into the main games. So taking this information into account, would you like to see more extended universe content in the Halo universe in the future, such as books, television shows, etc. Or, would you prefer we stick to the games and avoid all those complicated side stories? Let us know down below! Next week at this time, Unease P34nut will recap your tally and give the next entry. Thanks for reading!

~HK & UP

Fallout 4 is an upcoming RPG open-world action game created by the profoundly popular studio known as Bethesda, the game has been widely anticipated and may secure a victory as Game of the Year when it releases. As reported on IGN.com, the Bethesda Game Studios twitter page tweeted that they recently finished recording all lines of dialog in the final game, and that the number was quite shocking. Over 111,000 lines have been recorded, 13,000 of those being credited to the main male and female voice actors. This is more lines than contained in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 3 if the two were combined, which is astonishing! As to what the dialog will be and how it will all pertain to the story and side-missions remains a mystery, and that's exactly how Pete Hines, vice president of Marketing and PR, says the company wants it. Fallout 4 releases on November 10th, 2015 for the Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

View attachment: fallout_4_vault_1.jpg

All images and information sourced by Bethesda and IGN.

For Xbox one, Gold members can get The Deer God and Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition this month. The Deer God will be available to download for free starting today September 1st until September 30th. Tomb Raider will be free to download from September 16th right through until October 15th.

For Xbox 360, Gold members can get Battlestations Pacifc and Crysis 3 this month. Battlestations Pacific is available to download today and will be free until September 15th. Then on September 16th Crysis 3 takes over as the second free game for Xbox 360, which will be available to download until September 30th.

So that wraps up this months Games with Gold, do you like what's on offer? What will you be downloading? Leave a comment and let us know.

Source: majornelson.com

This fall is home to a plethora of highly anticipated games, one of these being Rise of the Tomb Raider, the sequel to 2012's reboot of the franchise, which was recently acquired by Microsoft for a timed exclusive release on Xbox. As reported by GameSpot.com, Square Enix announced a Collector's Edition of the game for Xbox One, priced at $150 in the US and £110 in the UK. This edition comes in a wooden box styled crate, and includes a standard copy of the game, along with a steel-case to put it in, as well as Lara's jade necklace, a replica of her in-game journal, and the highlight of it all, a 12" statue of Lara Croft with her bow and hiking equipment. You can currently pre-order this edition from the Square Enix and Tomb Raider stores for Xbox One, no Xbox 360 edition currently announced. The game releases November 10th, 2015 for the Xbox consoles, and will follow on PC and PS4 next year.

View attachment: 2928265-rottr_beautyshot_v_final_pegi_not_approved_1440589598.jpg

All images and information sourced from Square Enix, Crystal Dynamics, and GameSpot.

Batman: Arkham Knight, the final chapter in the franchise created by Rocksteady, recently released on current generation consoles and PC, with the PC version hosting a plethora of massive issues forcing the game to be pulled from Steam entirely. Since then, Rocksteady reports through IGN.com that they have been working hard to patch the game and are making great progress. They revealed an interim patch will be releasing within the next two weeks if all goes according to plan, and that it is currently being tested. A representative stated, "We are happy to confirm that we are now putting the first interim patch into testing. If all goes well, we expect to issue the patch in the next few weeks. We’ll be sure to report back in the next two weeks on how the testing is coming along." The update will include performance fixes, enhanced game settings, etc. The full list of fixes can be read in the article linked above, but it is unlikely this will be the final patch considering Rocksteady's list of other lower priority issues. Batman: Arkham Knight is available for purchase now on Xbox One and PS4, and can still be bought physically for PC.

View attachment: BAK_Sshot130.jpg

All images and information provided by Rocksteady and IGN.

Grand Theft Auto is a massively popular franchise created and published by Rockstar Games. The series recently reached a milestone that very few other titles will ever see, 220 million units shipped with all games combined. IGN.com reported the sales numbers, stating that shockingly, Grand Theft Auto V made up quite a hefty number in that. Grand Theft Auto V actually sold 54 million of those total copies, representing about 1/4 of the total. It was also confirmed that Red Dead Redemption, the highly popular western also made by Rockstar Games, had sold-in 14 million units to-date. Grand Theft Auto V is available for sale right now, currently, no future paid content for the game has been detailed by Rockstar.

View attachment: gtav_details09122014_014.jpg

All images and information supplied by Rockstar Games and IGN.

Destiny is a sci-fi FPS with MMO elements created by Bungie and published by Activision. The game's newest expansion, The Taken King, which is coming this fall, will have a few goodies in store for the loyal players who have stuck around. On Bungie.net, a Weekly Update showcased a video which contained each of the VIP rewards, accessible to fans who have either reached light level 30, or purchased both prior DLCs. You must also own The Taken King by February 2016 to obtain any of the VIP rewards. The Founder's Pack, as it is labelled, will have it's contents easily obtainable through the multitude of vendors in the Tower. The rewards include a tan/white Ghost Shell called the Brave Ghost Shell, a mostly black striped shader called the Old Guard shader, a black Sparrow called the S-34 Ravensteel, and finally a legendary emblem called Be Brave. Another emblem, Moments of Triumph, is also currently obtainable and requires a host of Year One activities to have been completed by the launch of the major expansion. As said above, if you have previously played Destiny and either reached level 30 or bought both DLCs, you will be entitled to the rewards contained in the Founder's Pack once The Taken King drops on September 15th.

View attachment: ttkyearonerewards.png

All images and information obtained from Bungie and Activision.

Bethesda is a well known video game publisher famed for numerous titles such as Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Wolfenstein, DOOM, Dishonored, and many more. With the recent announcement of Fallout 4's imminent launch, Pete Hines from Bethesda's marketing team stated to IGN.com that the company has a lot on their plate, so an Elder Scrolls sequel is not likely to happen any time soon. Hines continued, stating that the company usually focuses on one title at a time and considering the weight of Fallout 4 and it's upcoming mod and DLC support, it isn't wise to siphon off resources to begin developing a new Elder Scrolls. Also taking into account the time it took to create Fallout 4, it seems like we may not see another Elder Scrolls game for a while. The latest Elder Scrolls spin-off, Elder Scrolls Online, recently released an add-on known as the Imperial City to expand the game's content, with more content on the way. Fallout 4 releases in November 2015 on Xbox One, PS4, and PC with mod support on all platforms.

View attachment: fallout_skyrim_mashup.jpg

All information sourced from Bethesda, IGN, and DualShockers. Image is a fan creation.

Konami is a major game development and publishing company that is famous for multiple legendary titles like Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, and Castlevania. Lately, the company has come under fire for multiple business decisions such as the confrontations with Hideo Kojima, it's mobile game focus, and mistreatment of both its franchisees and employees. A new report from GameSpot.com showcases employee abuse in the company. Insider reports show that staff of Konami are not allowed to use personal emails, and require emails using a collection of numbers and letters, being changed every few months. Even worse, lunch breaks are tied to cards, and when an employer goes past this time, they are publically ousted and shamed in the company. Cameras are also littered around the building to monitor employee activity and assure they are doing their required jobs. Employees who are not seen as fit to expectation will be forced other trivial work, such as cleaning and security guard duty. Along with the information of employee abuse, other development details were listed, such as the monetary amount being poured into this year's Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, and the cancellation of two other franchises. Konami has not responded as of yet to the allocations.

View attachment: mgsv.jpg

All images and information from Konami and GameSpot.

As you all know Microsoft announced backwards compatibility for Xbox 360 games on the Xbox One at this years E3 event. Since then the number of 360 titles that have finally became playable has grown, but bear in mind non preview members cannot have access to this feature until the third quarter of the year.

Here is the current list of all the Xbox 360 games that are playable on the Xbox One to date:

• A Kingdom of Keflings

• A World of Keflings

• Alien Hominid

• Banjo-Kazooie

• Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

• Banjo-Tooie

• BattleBlock Theater

• Defense Grid: The Awakening

• Gears of War

• Hexic HD

• Jetpac Refuelled

• Kameo

• Mass Effect

• N+

• Perfect Dark

• Perfect Dark Zero

• Shadow Complex

• Small Arms

• Super Meat Boy

• Toy Soldiers

• Toy Soldiers Cold War

• Viva Pinata

• Viva Pinata Trouble in Paradise​

Other titles such as Gears of War 2, 3 and Judgment and Fallout 3 are confirmed to be included later down the line. Also looking at the image above it is safe to assume those other titles will be added to the list. Again backwards compatibility is only accessible for preview members and will made available to everyone this fall. You can let Microsoft know what games you'd like to see on the list by heading over to xbox.uservoice.com.

What 360 games would you like to see compatible with the Xbox One?

Source: Gamespot

Check the schedule down here

XBOX GAMESCOM 2015 BRIEFING

Tuesday, August 4 at 4:00 PM CEST (7:00 AM PDT / 10:00 AM EDT)

XBOX DAILY: LIVE @ GAMESCOM

Wednesday, August 5 at 6:00 PM CEST (9:00 AM PDT / 12:00 PM EDT)

Thursday, August 6 at 6:00 PM CEST (9:00 AM PDT / 12:00 PM EDT)

GAMESCOM INVITATIONAL BY ESL

Friday, August 7 at 4:00 PM CEST (7:00 AM PDT / 10:00 AM EDT)

The tournament will be played on two maps by four invited teams (Epsilon Esports, Supremacy, CAZ.Esports and Optic Gaming). The first map is Empire that was featured in the beta and the second map will be the underwater map Fantom which was recently revealed. We'll be introduced to the new Fantom map and Empire (which has been altered since the beta) before the tournament start to get familiar.

The tournament will be casted by Bravo and Richard Simms.

Along with this news we get the announcement of the Halo 5: Guardians strategy guide. The strategy guide will come in 3 versions and will release along with the game.

• The first version will be the eGuide edition. It will feature detailed walkthrough for the entire single-player campaign, complete details on how to earn every Achievement, expert tips for all multiplayer maps. It will be available on mobile and will cost $9,99
  
• The second version will be the Standard edition guide. This will feature everything in the eGuide edition in a physical book and include an acces code for the eGuide. This one will cost $24,99
  
• The third version will be the Collectors edition guide. This version will feature everything in the Standard edition + bonus in-game DLC*. This edition will cost $34,99.
  

*DLC yet to be announced

Will you be up to watch the streams? And will you get your hands on of the Strategy guides?

Let us know down below!

Thank you for reading!

Source:

Halowaypoint

For Xbox One, the two free titles for August will be Metal Gear Sold V: Ground Zeroes and How to Survive: Storm Warning Addition. Metal Gear Solid V will be the first title for the Xbox One that will available to download for free, and it will be available from August 1st - 31st. Storm Warning will be available to download from August 16th - September 15th.

For Xbox 360, August's free titles will be Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light. Gold members can download Metro 2033 from August 1st - 15th and Metro: Last Light from August 16th - 31st.

Xbox One and Xbox 360 images are from majornelson.com

That's what's coming in August for Xbox Live Gold Members. Like what you see? Leave a comment below and tell us what you think.

Source: majornelson.com

Mafia II was an action-adventure game developed by 2K Czech and published by 2K themselves, the game released in 2010. Now, 5 years later, 2K has finally announced Mafia III, with a formal reveal coming August 5th at 5AM PST and 8AM EST at Gamescom, according to GameSpot.com. Interestingly, the developer has changed, with a newly formed studio called Hanger 13 leading the project. The image released teases the new location and shows what seems like the four main characters interrogating and inflicting pain on a person lying on the ground. In a statement, 2K said, "Mafia III is the next installment in the popular series known for immersing players into a world of organized crime through rich narrative storytelling and a beautifully crafted game world featuring period-accurate cars, music, and fashion." This comes after a slew of teases and rumors about a future project, ranging from rumors of Mafia III being a current gen launch game, to one of Mafia II's main voice actors teasing Mafia news in the near future.

View attachment: MafiaIII.png

All images and information sourced from GameSpot and 2K.

Destiny, created by Bungie Studios, was released in September 2014 to a mixed reception, and to follow two expansion packs, The Dark Below and House of Wolves, were also released to further extend the game's roster of activities and content. With the future in mind, Bungie has confirmed that your playable character will carry over through the years of Destiny games, this information relaying from GameSpot.com. Destiny's lead engineer, Luke Timmins, explained that, "We certainly take it seriously that Destiny is a ten-year thing. It's a long-term thing and with these adventures that we're adding my contract to you--and any player--is that your Guardian will always be there." With this in mind, they confirm that they want you to continue on the saga as your own character, but whether weapons, gear, and other items like that will transfer along with your personal Guardian is a mystery. It is also unknown if you'll be limited to transferring only one character to future games and major expansions. The next adventure in Destiny, The Taken King, will be released in September of 2015 and Bungie has confirmed that another game is in the works. Rumor also has it that two other expansions will follow The Taken King, but details about these are unknown.

View attachment: ttk.png

All information and images sourced from Bungie Studios, Activision, and Luke Timmins.

Official image for the collection:

 

 

 

 

List of games that come with the nuke:

• Fallout
  
• Fallout 2
  
• Fallout: Tactics
  
• Fallout 3 - Game Of The Year Edition
  
• Fallout: New Vegas - Ultimate Edition
  

The compilation releases in North America on September 29th, in Australia on October 1st, and in Europe on October 2nd (as Gamespot states). Gamespot claims it's 50$, but the price may vary from region to region.

An official Multiplayer Alpha for the 2016 Doom reboot will be made available for selected players from "The New Order Beta pool" on the PC, Xbox One, and Playstation 4 platforms.

Owners of the physical copy of Wolfenstein: The New Order will need a Doom Beta code to partake in the Alpha (it's unclear if Beta codes are packaged with new copies of the game, or are received when picking up a Pre-Ordered version). However, individuals who own a digital copy of Wolfenstein: The New Order can get in without needing a code, or any form of credentials.

The exact date of the Alpha is unclear, but it's certain that it will arrive in the "coming months", and before the Multiplayer Beta of next year. Anyone who Pre-Ordered Wolfensten: The New Order (regardless of platform) will be able to thrash in the Doom Multiplayer Beta ahead of the game's release in Spring of 2016.

Head here to redeem any Beta codes, and find out if you're eligible for the Doom Alpha & Beta.

Thanks for reading!

Gamespot elaborated on the announcement, and went on to post a detailed tutorial on how to start streaming:

• Go the to the Preferences area of the Settings menu on your Xbox One, and enable the "Allow game streaming to other devices" option.
  
• Make sure you have the newest Xbox app version installed on the Windows 10 device you're streaming to.
  
• Inside the Xbox app, go to the Connect menu and use "Add a device" to connect to your console.
  
• Connect a wired Xbox One or Xbox 360 controller to your device.
  
• Go to the Home menu, choose the game you want to play from the Recently Played section, and choose Play From Console.
  
• Alternatively, go to the the Game Streaming section of the Home menu, which allows you to control your Xbox One directly from your PC or tablet.
  
• A notification on your Xbox will appear after streaming has begun. The Xbox will continue to be on for however long you decide to play games on Windows 10.
  

The Windows 10 Xbox App also will receive new features in the coming days. Such as:

• Party Chat from Windows 10 to Xbox
  
• The Xbox app automatically adding games you own to your library: including games that are not from the Windows Store
  
• Home will be updated for easier access
  
• Customization of your Xbox Live profile, and Avatar
  
• Upload screenshots & game clips from your PC games to Xbox Live
  
• Create Xbox Live Gamertags without having one previously
  

Windows 10 launches first with individuals in the Windows Insider program with everyone else following suit on July 29th. Windows 10 can be used for free for an entire year after obtaining the OS.

Thanks for reading!

This news is a tremendous loss to Nintendo fans. A highly respect CEO who even cut his pay in 2014 after the Wii U's poor sales. He was a perfect fit for Nintendo.

"On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart I am a gamer." - Satoru Iwata GDC 2005

Even if you do not like Nintendo take a moment to appreciate that Iwata was not just a CEO. He loved games just as much as any of us and was never afraid to laugh or crack cheesy Nintendo jokes. He respected the industry a move few CEO's don't make.

Rest in peace Iwata.