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Starfield is "critically important" for Xbox Game Pass, according to Microsoft's Jerret West. He told GI.biz that there is "no question" that Starfield will play a role in driving new subscribers to Game Pass, though the company also expects standard purchases to be strong as well.
"[Starfield] certainly will drive Game Pass subscriptions [and] it will certainly drive a lot of base game purchases, because it really does come down to just the purchase preference," West said.
West, a former Netflix executive, went on to say that a big game like Starfield might bring people into the Game Pass fold and then once they're subscribed, they might play more games in the catalog and spend more time on the Xbox platform overall. That's the aim for a subscription service like Game Pass, he said.
"There is no question that Starfield is critically important for something like Game Pass because it attracts new consumers," West said. "But really what sustains a subscriptions business is when you attract consumers and then also engage them. And these types of games, Vampire Survivors, Dungeons of Hinterberg, Jusant, Pentiment, these are the games where people play and find joy, and they discover them in a subscription model where they might not want to pay $60, $70 or something like that. So, it plays a vital role in discovery of new types of IP, but also in driving more engagement for the subscription as well."
Starfield becomes playable today, August 31, for people who buy the $100 Premium edition or those who purchase the $35 upgrade. Anyone hoping to take advantage of the $1 Game Pass trial offer is out of luck, as Microsoft quietly erased the offer just ahead of Starfield's release.
Starfield reviews will begin to appear on the internet at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET today, August 31, and the game will be playable starting today at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET. The game's standard edition unlocks on September 6.
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The Borderlands franchise holds a peculiar place within the history of the gaming industry, kickstarting a genre that has gone on to become a different kind of beast. After all, though the concept of combining both RPG and first-person shooter mechanics was first seen in 2007's Hellgate: London, the loot-shooter genre owes its popularity to 2009's Borderlands. And yet, today, many of the most popular loot-shooters are also live-service games (like Destiny 2 and Warframe). Borderlands is not, having never adopted that format. It instead has multiple sequels--some of which diverge from the original game and don't feature any looting or shooting.
Like these other live-service game franchises, however, character-driven storytelling has been one of the main unifying pillars of Borderlands, which has been supported by a writer's room. "Gearbox is casually unique in the sense that we maintain a writer's room," Gearbox Entertainment associate director of narrative properties April Johnson told me. "So we don't just plunk you to work on a project and say, 'Okay, enjoy the two of you doing this--we have multiple things that we are working on, so we won't Voltron up as a full unit until later.'"
Having a constant writer's room is a strategy you usually see in story-driven live-service games where maintaining a narrative vision over multiple years--over a decade in the case of some games like Destiny--is important. It's not often seen in AAA franchises that feature several sequels and recruit a new set of writers from project to project. Gearbox Entertainment is not wholly unique in this strategy within the gaming industry, but it is a rare exception and the team points to this as one of the reasons for how the studio has managed to curate a specific narrative voice across all its projects.
"It's a huge commitment from Gearbox as an entity," Johnson said. "And [Gearbox Entertainment managing director of narrative properties] Lin Joyce and myself are the sort of impresarios of narrative here at Gearbox where it's so vital to have these creative spaces where you could feel safe to be like, 'Hey, I kind of got a little adventurous with this. What do we think?' And [having a place] where you can say like, 'Okay, what if we did this or what if we did this,' and having punch-up buddies and having a place to get rowdy in the best way--we're very proud of it, and we're deeply committed to a writer's room experience."
Formulating this creative narrative vision for the franchise was created post-Borderlands 2. "I joined the narrative team probably just a couple seconds after the narrative team was really formalized at Gearbox," Gearbox Entertainment writer Dante Silva told me. "It was kind of a bit of a Wild West in the era of Borderlands 1 and 2. And luckily we had some of the rootinest, tootinest cowboys handling the narrative, who kicked ass, took names, and made these amazing stories. But when we started formalizing that structure, it really helped us make a lot of the vaguer pillars of our narrative more concrete, more crystalline, and allowed us to have a longer view narratively. We also got to expand our team. So one of the fantastic things that's happened in the post-Borderlands 2 era is that we can take that wider view, we can have a broader top-down approach to things. We can have this really diverse team making a really amazing and rich cast that we can dive into at any point and feel supported and structured and clear and consistent throughout. It doesn't have to be just all in one person's brain in this seething storm."
Gearbox Entertainment points to those early days as part of the inspiration for how the team tackles storytelling in Borderlands now. "Initially, we spent a lot more time building the universe than worrying about the story, and the earliest attempts at storytelling and figuring out what that would be, it just didn't work," Gearbox Entertainment founder Randy Pitchford told me. "I remember, at one point, a couple of the guys went in the tank, and wrote a script, and it was written all over the place... I felt like a ****, but I had to just shoot it in the head, and, ultimately, I think the turning point was saying, 'Look, we were awesome at universe building, and that led to characters and themes, but the storytelling in Borderlands, the original game, is pretty simple.'"
"We now have, I feel, much better lenses through which to examine our characters," Silva said. "We can look much deeper, and in terms of the overarching narrative--especially with all our transmedia stuff--we can explore these stories much more clearly to a much more distant degree than we once could. Things had to be a lot more self-contained, I think, previously."
Johnson added: "And one of the things that kind of every writer, starting with Mikey Newman, all the way through to Dante and Lin Joyce and Sam Winkler, that we've ever had has been pretty spectacular at writing characters and we write them so well and people fall so in love with them. We have to bring them back. So one of the things that we've been able to do--as the narrative department became more than just the lead writer and the creative director holed away in the closet and, instead, became this narrative writer's room--is have more voices and more people holding the container of the story as well as understand how to work with cross disciplines. For example, our mission designers and narrative [team] work so closely together that when the games are released, those things are so layered on top of each other that you cannot tell one from the other--the narrative is given to you through gameplay, it's given to you through the mission."
"That was really hard to do with the first game," Pitchford said. "In fact, it was so hard that we failed [at first], and the whole reason why there's a Marcus intro [in Borderlands 1] is a patch because before that existed, new players were like, 'What in the f**k is going on? What are the stakes? I don't understand anything,' and so we created that intro with Marcus literally at the last minute to put some context into the universe and the backdrop."
Still, the first Borderlands introduced many of the franchise's more successful storytelling staples, especially when it came to tying storytelling and gameplay as closely together as possible. Though roleplaying games had been utilizing these strategies for years--using hundreds of weapons, collectibles, and loot to personalize characters beyond the playable protagonist and provide insight into the lore of a world--this was not a popular practice in first-person shooters prior to Borderlands. "I was talking to [former Gearbox writer Mikey Neumann] the other day, and he reminded me that the first sort of mini-boss in Borderlands 1 is Nine-Toes, and when you kill him and you get his loot, it's a gun called The Clipper, and it's a pistol--the first one that has a blade on it," Pitchford said. "And then you're like, 'Oh, he's called Nine-Toes because he dropped his gun, and the blade chopped one of his toes off,' and the only way to come to that conclusion is by looting him, and looking at the loot, and reading the flavor text, and putting two and two together yourself, and there's a whole story there, and that's that integration of the world, and the loot, and the gameplay itself, and the characters, and their experience."
When first coming up with the pitch for Borderlands, Pitchford sought inspiration from 1987's NetHack, an open-source single-player roguelike entirely portrayed through text art. "That was where [Borderlands] started," he said. "Internally, just to make it simple, we'd say, 'Halo meets Diablo.' In the back of my mind, however, [Borderlands] was 'Wolfenstein meets NetHack.'"
In Pitchford's mind, NetHack was fun but lacked the storytelling chops of games like Diablo, which featured actual character models, cutscenes, and lore. But if you added those improvements made by Diablo and then included a compelling, skill-focused gameplay loop centered around first-person shooters, you had a winning formula.
"We benefited a lot from when we helped Bungie with Halo," Pitchford said. "We brought Halo to the PC, and we wrote the code that allowed Halo to be played on the internet for the first time, and we did a lot of content for it, too, but we used Bungie's engine and their system, and we learned a lot, and benefited from their approach to data-driven [design]. It's kind of poetic justice that Bungie, in turn, benefited so much from Borderlands as they made Destiny, and yeah, that's what it's all about--we're all just building on the shoulders of the giants who were before us... I think there's room for more, and I'm, frankly, surprised that more folks haven't been inspired by Borderlands more directly, but it's hard. I think a couple of folks have tried, and it's not easy. You can't just see that something's worked, and try to copy it. That's why Bungie is so successful, because they're game makers, and they understand game design, so they can take some things, but also put their own spin on it, and make something new and remix it again, all while understanding fundamentally why it works for the psychology of the gamer. And that's really what the difference is, those that are just copying, and trying to do their best, versus those that are actually bringing something cool to the world."
But at the center of it all, the Borderlands games had to keep character-driven storytelling and the player's narrative experience as the focus. The team believed that this principle would unify the Borderlands franchise, keeping players invested in the series even when it broached genres beyond the looter-shooter and mediums beyond video games. That's where Tales from the Borderlands and, subsequently, New Tales from the Borderlands come in. In Pitchford's eyes, if Gearbox Entertainment had succeeded in making character-driven storytelling the main draw of Borderlands, then more stories in that franchise that didn't feature first-person shooting or hundreds of items to loot should still sell and be well-received.
"[Tales from the Borderlands] feels like a totally authentic Borderlands game, because what it did is lean into the characters and the universe and the storytelling, and, in fact, that's why I was excited for it," Pitchford said. "We were talking to the Telltale guys, and we did a collaboration with Poker Night--there are Borderlands characters in Poker Night--and I wanted to expand Borderlands into transmedia, and so, to me, Tales from the Borderlands was a test case, and if it worked, it would prove that the universe and characters are rich enough to carry an audience's attention, and entertain, and if that's true, then I could make a movie."
He added: "[Tales from the Borderlands] was a proof point that the value of Borderlands wasn't only because of the gameplay, the game design, the shooting and looting; it was also because of the characters, and the universe, and that was a really, really important proof point for me because the universe and characters had to be important--if the universe and characters had no meaning, we could be fine with just more NetHack. We don't need the characters and graphics backdrop. We could be fine just with the equal sign being the walls and the pound sign being the door and the ampersand sign being the hero, and it's fun because the game design is the only thing of value. But we know that's not true. We know that there's value in more than just the game design. We know that the story and universe and characters have value, too. So to prove that it's enough to carry a product was key, and with that proof point in hand, I had all the confidence in the world to start working on Borderlands as a transmedia property."
To that end, Gearbox understands that the Borderlands franchise will be 14 years old as of this October. That's a lot of story to catch up on if you want to experience all of it ahead of the release of the movie and future Borderlands projects that are in store. So, on September 1, Gearbox is releasing Borderlands Collection: Pandora's Box. The collection includes the whole Borderlands gaming experience up to this point--Borderlands, Borderlands 2, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, Tales from the Borderlands, Borderlands 3, and New Tales from the Borderlands--alongside all of their post-launch expansions.
"To be able to come back to all the back catalog games and remaster them to work on the current generation of hardware, and to take a pass at the rendering, and the lighting, and all of that, it's awesome," Pitchford said. "Because, to me, Borderlands 1 kind of looked like s**t, and now, it looks beautiful, and so it's really great to be able to revisit and experience those things again, and I think this is a perfect time to do it because we've got this moment here when there's all this great stuff coming. ...Before we distract you with a whole bunch of crazy new **** that's happening, before this movie comes out, and before the next wave of our franchise plan will start to manifest, you can get all of [Borderlands]. You can experience all of this stuff in the best possible way, better than the way we first experienced it when it first came out and I think that's beautiful, and I'm so grateful that our publishing partner, 2K, believes in that, and supports that thesis, and I'm so stoked that the team at Gearbox has so much love for what we've done."
Borderlands Collection: Pandora's Box will launch for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC. Following that, Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition is coming to Switch on October 6.
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John Wick director Chad Stahelski has given an update on the two video game movie projects he's attached to, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six and Ghost of Tsushima, as part of a conversation about how video games impact his creative process--even if he doesn't actually play games himself.
In an interview for Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast, Stahelski discussed how video games have inspired his work--especially when it comes to John Wick's creative and aesthetic fight scenes. Stahelski is quick to admit that he's not a gamer, he doesn't own any games, and he "wouldn't know how to turn a PlayStation on." Instead, he consumes games like you might expect someone in the film industry to--by watching someone else play them and enjoying the narrative.
When asked about the status of the two video game movies he's attached to, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six and Ghost of Tsushima, Stahelski unfortunately reveals that "we're in a bit of a conundrum right now with developing [Rainbow Six]," but reiterates that he would love to work with Michael B. Jordan on the project.
In perhaps more heartening news, Stahelski calls the Ghost of Tsushima movie "one of my biggest passion projects." The adaptation comes with its own challenges, however, with Stahelski explaining, "this is one of the most beautiful video games ever made, so it's a challenge to not do less than the guys over at Sucker Punch have done."
In approaching the movie, the director says he would like to use an all-Asian cast, and not just resort to filming entirely in English. "It's a fantastic story. It's an incredible myth that ties in some very, very specific Japanese mythology, but at the same time it's a story that I think transcends any kind of nationality."
Neither of these films appear to be in active development at present, however, with Stahelski saying he would like one of the video game projects, or Highlander 2, as his next project.
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As part of its half-yearly financial results, CD Projekt Red has revealed new details about the state of the next game in the Witcher franchise, known internally as Polaris, which was first announced early last year. As picked up by Video Games Chronicle, The Witcher 4 now has over 250 developers working on it.
While CD Projekt's presentation to investors was strongly focused on Cyberpunk 2077, with the ambitious Phantom Liberty expansion due out in September, we got a glimpse of how development is going thanks to the company's breakdown of how its workforce is currently engaged.
The Phantom Liberty team is currently the largest at around 300 people, though the Polaris team has grown to almost 260 developers as of the end of July. A major change is in store once Phantom Liberty releases on September 26, with CD Projekt CEO Adam Kiciński saying, "after releasing Phantom Liberty, we will transfer a big part of the team to Polaris.”
Not much is yet known about the next mainline Witcher game, though CD Projekt said when it was announced that it would be the start of "a new saga" for the franchise. Despite the size of the game's development team, we shouldn't expect it to release until 2025 at the earliest, and even that release window seems ambitious for a game of this scope.
While Polaris is intended as the next main game in the series, CD Projekt has a number of other Witcher-related games in the works, including spin-off Project Sirius, which is being developed by Flame in the Flood developer The Molasses Flood. Also in the works are a main sequel for Cyberpunk 2077, and a brand new IP currently known only as Project Hadar.
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While rumors abound about Nintendo's next new console, it looks like the company is preparing to unveil a new edition of its existing OLED Switch model. Reportedly set to be announced as part of the upcoming Super Mario Bros. Wonder livestream, the next OLED Switch is set to be a "Mario Red Edition" console with red Joy-Cons and a red docking station.
The news comes from prominent leaker Billbil-kun, who is known for regularly leaking the PS Plus lineup, as well as revealing other major game leaks. Reporting in French for Dealabs, Billbil-kun says "there’s a high likelihood that this console will be announced during the [Mario Wonder] presentation," as translated by hotukdeals.
EXCLUSIVE
— billbil-kun (@billbil_kun) August 30, 2023
UPCOMING RELEASE
While some people still speculate about Switch 2 to increase views, check out in my last report all 100% legit details we have about a new edition of Nintendo Switch OLED
Nintendo Switch OLED Mario Red Editionhttps://t.co/6e2h1ytn7ZThe leaker says they managed to obtain visuals of the new edition console, but can't release them, and instead describes the console's visuals. Despite the reported name of "Mario Red," no Mario-themed decals or decorations are expected--it's simply a red console. Both the Joy-Cons are said to be red, with a red docking station. Billbil-kun also says "certain elements on the back of the console may also be red, such as the volume control buttons." The red tone is reportedly the same red used for the Switch's standard Neon Red & Blue Joy-Cons.
Other than the color, the Mario Edition console is expected to be the same as the standard OLED Switch, down to the price.
We don't have long to wait to see if the Mario Edition OLED Switch turns up in Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct, with the livestream starting at 10 AM PT on August 31. Check out all the details here.
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After a short preview for the character debuted at EVO earlier this month, Capcom has pulled back the curtain on A.K.I., the next downloadable fighter for Street Fighter 6. The slithering master of poisons will become the 20th member of the game's roster on September 27.
A.K.I. uses sharp claws on her fingers to slash at opponents, and she can contort her body like a snake in order to slither along the ground and avoid high attacks. She can also grab opponents in this serpent-like state, turning herself into a boa constrictor in order to inflict massive damage.
Capcom has also shared information about some of the special moves seen in her debut trailer, which are as follows:
- Serpent Lash: A.K.I. shoots her nails forward in a chain-like shape, which will inflict poison on contact. If the move strikes an already-poisoned character, an explosion called Toxic Blossom will trigger and allow for follow-up attacks.
- Nightshade Pulse: A.K.I. creates a bubble projectile which poisons on contact. A follow-up move, Nightshade Chaser, lets her pop the bubble before it makes contact, which increases its area of effect.
- Orchid Spring: A.K.I. creates a poisoned puddle on the ground in front of her, which poisons opponents who step in it.
- Sinister Slide: A.K.I. lays on the ground and slides her body around the stage like a snake. Her low position allows her to avoid attacks and find opportunities for quick follow-ups.
- Claws of Ya Zi: Her Level 3 Super Art and the final attack shown in the trailer, A.K.I. pokes multiple areas on the opponent's body with her claws, which injects a poison that eventually explodes.
To celebrate A.K.I.'s arrival, a new Fighting Pass will be available beginning September 1. This pass will include multiple A.K.I.-themed cosmetics and items which players can add to their custom avatars in both World Tour and Battle Hub modes.
Street Fighter 6 is available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.
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We shouldn't have to wait too much longer for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. The highly anticipated sequel is currently slated to launch exclusively on PS5 in early 2024, though an exact date hasn't been revealed. Square Enix announced the release window during a PlayStation Showcase earlier this year. If you were a big fan of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, you probably won't want to miss Rebirth. Preorders are now live at Best Buy.
There's still a lot we don't know beyond the release date. At this time, only a standard edition for $70 is available to preorder. That said, it's highly likely that you'll eventually have multiple editions to choose from.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth preorder bonuses
We also don't know know what you'll get with your preorder. It's safe to assume that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth preorders will come with in-game bonuses.
It's also possible major retailers will have exclusive physical bonuses, too. We'll update this article as soon as retailer-specific bonuses are announced. One retailer to keep an eye on is Best Buy, where you can often get exclusive steelbook cases.
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Despite being a long-time turn-based RPG fan and one of the many, many people who will tell you at length why you should play the Persona series, it wasn't until earlier this year that I played through the entirety of Persona 3. However, this wasn't for lack of wanting to.
Persona 3 has become notorious for its lack of availability on modern consoles. Prior to its portable version being released on PC and Switch earlier this year, players would need to own either a PSP, PS Vita, or PlayStation 2 to experience its somber story. And even then, the Portable version is not quite the entire package. While it does contain a substantial amount of new content--including a new protagonist choice and the ability to fully control your party in combat--some concessions were made. To better fit the hardware it was ported over to, for example, the game traded in its 3D environments for a visual novel-style approach.
Considering these facts, it becomes clear why Persona 3 Reload is such a hugely anticipated title. Reload is an opportunity for a new audience to finally experience Persona 3, complete with updated environments and character models, modern trimmings, and several quality-of-life changes. It does come with a few frustrating omissions (such as the game's female protagonist) that keep it from being the definitive edition many hoped for. But it is hard to see it as anything other than the best chance to experience the game's emotionally resonant story, sloppy-yet-sincere relationship mechanics, and intense gameplay. After loving my time spent with Persona 3 Portable earlier this year, I went into a preview event for Persona 3 Reload with excitement and high expectations. Fortunately, what I saw delivered.
The staircase leading up to Tartarus' entrance. I played through two separate demos, each of which took about 15 minutes to complete. These sections featured two unique scenarios, both focused on combat rather than braving the perils of high school and navigating relationships. Unfortunately, this means we'll have to wait just a bit longer to preview any changes there--and to start shamelessly complimenting Akihiko on his right hook, but I digress.
In the first demo, I was tasked with doing some good ol'-fashioned dungeon crawling alongside Yuakri and Junpei, which are essentially P3's version of Yosuke and Chie or Ryuji and Ann. This played out much like any other Persona game and consisted largely of me scouting out floors, picking up items, and attempting to land surprise attacks on enemies denoted by small glowing dots on my minimap. Compared to the second demo, this one wasn't quite as exhilarating, but that's not to say I didn't notice several exciting upgrades and details during my time with it.
Most notable were the changes made to Persona 3's combat. Whereas Persona 3 featured AI-controlled party members (which, as you can imagine, didn't always work out for the best), Reload follows Persona 3 Portable's suit and allows the player to take control of the entire party. This level of control makes for significantly less tedious (and frustrating) battles. Additionally, Persona 5's modern, smooth, and dynamic combat shines through in Reload, which now features its own version of 5's Baton Pass system. Attack animations and victory screens are also far more stylized and fluid, with waves of blue and punches of brighter accent colors making the game quite the visual treat.
The game's protagonist awaits a command in battle. And while Persona 3's Tartarus remains firmly in place as the game's one-and-only dungeon (think Persona 5's Mementos, but with more mystique and direct plot relevance), Atlus did take into account how elaborate Persona 5's dungeons are and seemingly tried to fix the disparity between the two. The floors I explored featured a nightmare-ish version of Gekkoukan High School and felt a bit larger and more detailed than those in P3 and P3P. Additionally, I got a chance to hear a few of the new voice actors--all of which sounded great--and melt into the game's groovy, hip-hop soundtrack. It's worth mentioning that this also includes new tracks from Lotus Juice, the Japanese rapper who worked alongside composer Shoji Meguro and vocalist Yumi Kawamura on the original (and incredibly good) soundtrack.
The second demo, titled "Full Moon," offered up a more high-octane experience. Set on the game's first full moon (the time frame when the game's malevolent powers-that-be are most active), this section featured a stress-inducing, timed battle aboard a racing monorail. After battling my way up the train, I was met by a sprawling woman both inspired by and named after the High Priestess tarot card, and promptly entered the game's first boss battle. While not particularly challenging, she served as a nice reminder of how tricky these battles do eventually become, and made me even more excited for my inevitable playthrough next year.
Apart from the game's combat changes, this section played out nearly identically to how it does in Persona 3, albeit with this new, intense green lighting that added to how eerie the situation was. I am also thrilled to report that "Deep Breath Deep Breath" is still a fantastic battle track that somehow triumphs at being both creepy and a total banger.
The monorail's High Priestess Overall, Persona 3 Reload most pleasantly surprised me in its commitment to enhancing the artistry of the original game rather than emulating the series' most recent title. This might sound obvious--it is a remake, after all--but, as I was playing, I found myself extremely appreciative of how Atlus preserved Persona 3's sleek and simple interface when they could have implemented the same level of flash and flourish seen in Persona 5. Sure, the visual upgrades and modern trimmings and mechanics are there, but these upgrades approach the game on its own terms. Persona 3's depth, darkness, and distinct identity is still reflected in every element of its visuals. You can see it in the pervasive vacancy of Tartarus, and in the game's deep color palette, composed of blues ranging from azure to midnight.
Thirty minutes is far too short of a time to determine the merit of a 60+ hour game--particularly when that game is a remake of an incredibly beloved and impactful title. That said, my time spent with the game made me confident that Reload will mostly be the definitive edition Persona 3 fans have been looking for. It remains to be seen if relationships will be handled with a bit more tact this go around, and some missing features--such as the lack of the game's female protagonist--do slightly sour things. However, Reload seems successful in narrowing the gap between 3 and its successors, and most importantly, will get people playing what is perhaps the Persona series' most poignant entry.
Persona 3 Reload is slated to release on February 2, 2024 for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
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Bethesda Game Studios' space RPG Starfield is only a couple of days away, and players have already figured out how you can make your character before it officially launches. That way, you won't have to spend countless hours at launch deciding on what you want your background and stats to be.
This is all possible because of a build planner made by Nukes & Dragons (via GamesRadar) that details all of the skill trees and stats. The planner also includes the various backgrounds you can pick from, which help define how other NPCs will view you.
If you visit the builder, you can start investing points into a series of categories, which include the following: Physical, Social, Combat, Science, and Tech. As shown in previews, each one of these skill trees has various perks you can pick from. For example, in the Social tree, you can unlock a perk called Commerce, which allows you to buy at a discount and sell items for more money.
It's also worth pointing out that the builder is still under development, and everything that's displayed is based on "available information that may be incorrect or incomplete." In addition, the build planner will be updated in just a few days, and "the data and mechanics will be verified after the game's release."
For more Starfield news, be sure to check out our story on how it's launching alongside an incredibly rare real-life astronomical event and how Imagine Dragons made an official song for the game.
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Costo has a limited-time bundle deal that includes the Backbone One PlayStation Edition for iPhone and a $25 PlayStation gift card for $100. The Backbone One retails for $100 on its own, so you're getting PSN credit for free with this offer. This deal only applies to the iPhone version (sorry, Android players) and is available online to all customers. You do not need a Costco membership to get the deal.
The Backbone One is GameSpot's pick for the best iPhone controller. Like other controllers of this kind, your phone slots into the grip and immediately pairs with the controller. The Backbone One PlayStation edition uses the PlayStation button labels and layout, making it the perfect way to play games via your PS5 or PS4's remote play feature.
It basically turns your iPhone into a portable gaming handheld similar to Sony's recently announced PlayStation Portal. Except, y'know, way cheaper.
Don't get too hung up on the PlayStation branding, either. Unlike the Portal, the Backbone One also works with non-PlayStation games--meaning your Backbone-equipped iPhone can play Xbox or Steam games via remote play, other cloud streaming apps like Game Pass or Amazon Luna, and App Store games with controller support.
We're not sure how long this Backbone One deal will be available, so grab the bundle at Costco's online store before it sells out. The $25 PSN credit will be delivered via email after using the Backbone App to set up your controller.
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Season 5 Reloaded is live in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone, and now data miners are already digging through the game files for hints of possible operator bundles and events coming in the future. Leakers are referencing operator skins for iconic characters such as Spawn, Skeletor, Ash Williams from the Evil Dead, and more.
Known Call of Duty leaker Task Force Leakers 141 on Twitter has detailed several possible bundles found in the game files, and these could be coming sometime in Season 5 Reloaded or during the sixth and final season of Modern Warfare 2.
In a series of tweets, leaks were revealed for operator bundles for Skeletor from the Masters of the Universe franchise, Spawn, Ash Williams from the Evil Dead, Alucard from Hellsing, and a classic Captain Price skin based on his look in Call of Duty 2.
SPAWN & SKELETOR CONFIRMED !!!!!! #MWII #MWIII pic.twitter.com/OvZ4Tp1ok1
— Task Force Leakers Network (@leakers141) August 30, 2023If the leaks reveal to be true, these skins will be following Call of Duty's recent crossovers with Tomb Raider, The Boys television series, and more. Snoop Dogg, Nicki Minaj, and 21 Savage also have operator skins currently available in Call of Duty. Activision has announced the plan to make most content from Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone available in Modern Warfare 3, and you can find all the Carry Forward details here.
Additionally, the game files also suggest a Ghost Hunter event is coming with a zombies theme for multiplayer and ghosts for Warzone. This leak falls in line with past Call of Duty games, with Halloween events being featured in multiplayer and battle royale.
For more on Season 5 Reloaded, make sure to check out the full patch notes for the big update. Here we highlight all the announcements about Modern Warfare 3, including campaign details, multiplayer maps, Zombies, and more.
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Season 5 Reloaded is live in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone. This midseason update adds a brand-new Faction Showdown weapon camo event, allowing you to get some new camos to customize your weapons and vehicles.
There are two parts to the challenge this season: weapon camos and vehicle skins. Both parts of the event challenge are available from now until the end of the season, and completing the challenges will reward you with camos that can only be earned during this limited-time event.
How to earn Season 5 Reloaded weapon camos
Season 5 Reloaded event camos The Faction Showdown challenges will earn you two unique and universal weapon camos. The first weapon camo you'll unlock is the Eddies camo, but you'll need to unlock it for every weapon class to earn the additional mastery camo.
- Assault Rifles: Get 250 operator kills with an assault rifle
- Battle Rifles: Get 40 operator kills while prone with a battle rifle
- Marksman Rifles: Get 40 operator kills while using a suppressed marksman rifle
- Launchers: Get 75 enemy kills using launchers
- LMGs: Get 30 operator longshot kills using an LMG
- Melee: Get 30 enemy kills using melee weapons
- Handguns: Get 50 enemy headshot kills with a handgun
- Shotguns: Get 3 operator kills without dying 10 times using a shotgun
- SMGs: Get 100 operator headshot kills with an SMG
- Sniper Rifles: Get 50 operator headshot kills with a sniper rifle
Each of these challenges must be done while using a weapon from its related category--meaning for the launcher challenge, you must get 75 operator kills with any of the rocket launchers, and the shotgun challenge must be completed using a shotgun of your choice.
Completing all 10 event weapon challenges unlocks the mastery camo, and an event-themed weapon charm.
How to earn Season 5 Reloaded vehicle camos
Providing a new type of challenge this season, Season 5 Reloaded includes a set of vehicle-based challenges that will unlock new camos for your ride.
- JLTV: Get 30 enemy kills by running them over with the vehicle
- Armored Truck (DMZ Only): Ram 5 enemy vehicles at high speed
- ATV: Stay in the air while in the vehicle for 5 seconds
- Heavy Tank: Get 20 operator kills with either turret
- Hatchback: Get 10 operator kills while leaning out of the vehicle
- Light Helo: Refuel your helicopter at 10 different gas stations
- PWC: Visit 5 POIs while driving the vehicle
- Armored Patrol Boat: Get 20 enemy kills with the boat turret
- Dirt Bike: Perform 20 air tricks with the dirt bike
- MRAP: Get 30 operator kills using the turrets on the MRAP
Unlike the weapon camo challenges, you only need to complete six of the 12 available challenges to unlock the mastery rewards, which include a new weapon blueprint, a loading screen, and an emblem. However, if you want the event camo for all of your vehicles, you will need to complete each vehicle's challenge.
General tips
It's important to note the wording for each challenge. The challenges specifying "operator" mean you can only get credit for the kills on human opponents as AI enemies won't count for the challenge.
However, challenges that specify "enemies" will count AI opponents, meaning these will be fastest in Invasion mode or Warzone 2's DMZ, where there is an abundance of AI opponents to eliminate.
You'll also want to choose your map and mode wisely for these. The many weapon camo challenges requiring operator kills will be best completed on a small map playlist like Shipment, while longshots will need to be on maps a bit larger than Shipment, so you'll want to pick one of the standard playlists.
For the MRAP vehicle challenge, this can be completed in DMZ, but the easiest way to score kills with them will be Warzone's new Armored Royale LTM. Other vehicle challenges such as the Heavy Tank and Hatchback challenges will likely be faster in a mode like multiplayer's Ground War, where your opponents are more abundant.
The Faction Showdown weapon camo event will be available until the end of the season, so you have until September 26 to earn the rewards.
If you're looking to get your hands on an MRAP for use in DMZ, make sure to check out our full guide on how to access the MRAP key.
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Season 5 Reloaded is live in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone, bringing a new multiplayer map, a new Warzone Resurgence map, and Lara Croft as a playable operator. This midseason update also adds three new weapons, and here we'll guide you through unlocking each of them: the pickaxe, 9mm Daemon pistol, and the Lachmann Shroud submachine gun.
How to unlock the pickaxe
pickaxe melee weapon The Pickaxe is a new way to take down your opponents with stealth. The pickaxe and other Season 5 Reloaded weapons can be unlocked for free with an in-game challenge or purchased in a store bundle.
Unlock challenge: Get 15 operator kills with melee weapons
This is pretty straightforward and can be completed in MP or Warzone. The quickest way to complete this challenge is on a small map playlist like Shipment 24/7. If you're attempting this in battle royale, you'll want to pick a respawn mode like Plunder or Resurgence. The wording here also specifies "operator" kills, so AI opponents on Invasion or DMZ won't count here.
How to unlock the 9mm Daemon
9mm Daemon pistol The 9mm Daemon is described as a 9mm tactical pistol with a semi-automatic fire rate, and the weapon can be used as a dual-wield option.
Unlock challenge: Get 15 operator headshot kills with pistols
Choose your favorite pistol and aim for the head. The quickest way to complete this challenge is on a small map playlist like Shipment 24/7. If you're attempting this in battle royale, you'll want to pick a respawn mode like Plunder or Resurgence. The wording here also specifies "operator" kills, so AI opponents on Invasion or DMZ won't count here.
How to unlock the Lachmann Shroud
Lachmann Shroud submachine gun The Lachmann Shroud is described as a submachine gun built for stealth with an integrated suppressor. This gun can be fired in burst and semi-auto fire modes.
In order to unlock the weapon challenge for the Lachmann Shroud, you must first unlock the pickaxe and the 9mm Daemon.
Unlock challenge: Once the prerequisites have been met, you must then get 30 operator hip fire kills with submachine guns.
Just pick your preferred submachine gun and fire without aiming down sights. The wording here also specifies "operator" kills, so AI opponents on Invasion or DMZ won't count here.
How to unlock Season 5 Reloaded weapons in DMZ
Unlock challenge: Extract the weapon from DMZ.
The pickaxe, 9mm Daemon, and the Lachmann Shroud can also be unlocked through a successful DMZ extraction. If a friend has any of these new weapons already, just have them set the weapon to their custom loadout and invite them to play with you. They can drop the weapon for you to pick up at the start of the match, and then you just need to successfully exfil with the weapon. You might even get lucky and loot an enemy player who has one of the new items equipped. This DMZ unlock method works for any weapon in the game.
Store bundles
The pickaxe and the 9mm Daemon will both be bundled with the upcoming Lara Croft operator bundle. Her Tomb Raider bundle is set to arrive on September 9, and will also include the Croft Manner finishing move, vehicle skin, loading screen, and more. If priced the same as previous crossover bundles, it will likely cost 2,400 CoD Points ($20) to purchase.
A bundle for the Lachmann Shroud hasn't been revealed yet, but will likely arrive later in the season.
If you're looking for new weapon builds to try, make sure to check out our recommended loadout guide for Warzone.
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The good news: The Elder Scrolls VI is no longer in pre-production and has moved into early stages of development. The bad news: More information about the next entry in Bethesda's fantasy RPG series is still years away.
That's according to Bethesda head of publishing Pete Hines, who in an interview with Spanish gaming news site Vandal (and translated by GameSpot) said that currently "everybody in all our studios" are focusing on making Starfield, which releases on September 6 for those who aren't paying to play early, the "best it can be."
However, he made it clear there are some developers currently working on The Elder Scrolls VI, but that fans shouldn't expect to hear news anytime soon about the game anytime soon. He said over time, more information will be revealed and that news about the game won't come until "a few years after" Starfield's launch.
"So no, don't expect to hear anything about The Elder Scrolls VI anytime soon," Hines said. "For now, Starfield is our focus, and it will continue to be our priority for some time until we speak about anything else."
Hines, when asked if The Elder Scrolls VI is still in the concept and pre-production phase, clarified that the game is now in early stages of development. The game was first announced via a teaser trailer in 2018.
"No," Hines said. "It's in development, but it's in early development."
It sounds like players anticipating more information about the next single-player adventure set in Tamriel will simply have to wait to learn more, but here's everything we know about The Elder Scrolls VI so far. In the meantime, The Elder Scrolls Online still regularly receives expansions, with its latest, Necrom, having released earlier this summer. In a FTC hearing as part of Microsoft's ongoing acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said The Elder Scrolls VI is still "five-plus years away" and that he's not even sure what platforms the game might ship on.
Thankfully, there should be plenty of RPG goodness in Starfield to tide fans over. Bethesda's space RPG is currently available to preload on Xbox and Steam. Ahead of launch, more information about the game has been shared, like how Starfield almost had a voiced protagonist and how its story revolves around religion and the nature of the universe. A recent leaker responsible for sharing the first 45 minutes of Starfield ahead of launch now faces felony theft charges.
In another recent interview, Hines said Starfield "doesn't really get going" until the main quest is finished, and defended Starfield's minimalist start screen on social media when a former Blizzard developer claimed the screen demonstrated a lack of passion on the part of Bethesda developers.
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Every Super in Destiny 2 has a unique form and function, but when it comes to Warlocks, the Well of Radiance is an essential ultimate ability that has overshadowed some of the other powers wielded by the space wizard. Talk of a Well of Radiance nerf has long been a hot topic in Destiny 2, and when The Final Shape expansion launches next year, that ability might finally get toned down so that other Supers--including the new Solar option--can be viable choices.
Speaking to PC Gamer, game director Joe Blackburn spoke about how Solar Warlocks will need to choose between running the healing and empowering Well of Radiance or choosing Song of Flame, a new Super that overcharges their abilities while buffing allies with Scorch for their Solar weapons.
"I'm confident right now that the new Solar Super is very good," Blackburn said. "I'm not confident that without Well of Radiance changes it doesn't just become that you need two Warlocks and one of them is going to run Well and the other is going to run this Super. We've had to do this before with things like Divinity and auto-reloading. At some point, you're like 'Hey, this Super provides utility that a lot of people like, but we are handcuffing a bunch of our players too. So what's the version of this where we can say 'Okay, the time for everyone feeling like they have to run this is over'? We know that we have to make some changes before The Final Shape raid."
Blackburn's comment references Divinity, an Exotic trace rifle that weakens enemies but, more importantly, provides a large sphere for teammates to target to guarantee a precision hit. A polarizing weapon, some players called it a crutch that was too dominant in PvE activities as some fireteams insisted on several players having the weapon unlocked and equipped so that bosses could be made short work of. Bungie eventually decreased the debuff effect of Divinity in Season 19. Well of Radiance finds itself in a similar situation, as while there are several other Warlock Supers that are powerful to use, this Solar ability is simply too good to not have in a fireteam during high-level activities.
Well of Radiance has received several tweaks over the years, but for the most part, its core identity as a safe zone that Guardians can rush to when dealing with big threats has remained unchanged. In raids, it's not uncommon for a fireteam to have two Dawnblade Warlocks equipped with this Super and wearing an Exotic like Phoenix Protocol, allowing for a team to frequently rotate Warlocks in to cast the powerful ability.
The Final Shape launches in February 2024, and usually, Bungie applies sweeping changes to Destiny 2 on the eve of a new expansion. When Lightfall arrived, Well of Radiance was left untouched while Stormtrance, Daybreak, Nova Warp, and Chaos Reach were fine-tuned alongside several other subclass Supers.
Hunters and Titans will also receive new Supers in The Final Shape, with each one tying further into the core identity of these subclasses. Titans will have Twilight Arsenal, a ranged one-off Void Super in which the burly Guardians throw three consecutive huge Void axes to disintegrate enemies on hit. These axes can then be picked up and wielded by fireteam members, and even if they aren't used, the axes will start pulling enemies towards them to keep damaging them.
Hunters get a new Arc Super called Storm's Edge that allows them summon an electrified dagger that teleports them on impact and allows them to perform a powerful whirling strike for massive damage. Basically, they become Naruto's dad.
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The Pokemon Trading Card Game is once again expanding, this time with the arrival of Scarlet and Violet's Paradox Rift expansion on November 3. Several different formats are now up for preorder, including the massive Booster Box, value-oriented Booster Bundle, and the Elite Trainer Box (which could sell out). Booster Box or value-oriented Booster Bundle.
Paradox Rift isn't the only new Pokemon TCG set on the block, as the Pokemon TCG 151 Ultra-Premium Collection sets drop on September 22--with preorders also live at Best Buy. If you’re a My Best Buy Plus or Total member, you can save 10% on Pokemon cards, so consider signing up if you’re a frequent shopper and want to save a few bucks on your preorders.
Ready to check out all the new cards but unsure which product is right for you? Here’s a look at all the new Pokemon cards up for preorder.
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Anyone who has played a Call of Duty online match is surely familiar with disgusting, unsavory, and awful voice chat. Activision is taking steps to improve the online experience for everyone by partnering with Modulate to offer "real-time voice chat moderation" for a number of Call of Duty games, including this year's Modern Warfare III.
Voice chat in Modern Warfare III will use Modulate's AI-powered moderation system called ToxMod to identify and take action against all forms of toxic verbal speech. This is on top of Call of Duty's anti-toxicity team's own measures against text-based toxic chat and usernames. The Call of Duty series also has an in-game reporting system that players can use to help alert Activision to jerks in online spaces.
Activision chief technology officer Michael Vance said in a news release that there is "no place for disruptive behavior or harassment in games ever."
"Tackling disruptive voice chat particularly has long been an extraordinary challenge across gaming," Vance said. "This is a critical step forward to creating and maintaining a fun, fair and welcoming experience for all players."
A beta version of ToxMod will arrive in Modern Warfare II and Warzone today, August 30. The full release will be available in Modern Warfare III at launch on November 10 everywhere except Asia. At launch, ToxMod only works for English speech, but support for additional languages will follow.
Activision said its own anti-toxicity moderation systems for voice and text chat has taken action against more than 1 million accounts since Modern Warfare II launched in October 2022.
It's not just Activision that's trying to clean up its online games. Unity Technologies recently announced a tool called Safe Voice that aims to help fight mean jerks. Before that, Xbox announced and released a tool for players to capture toxic audio and send it to Microsoft.
Modern Warfare III launches on November 10, but there will be multiplayer betas ahead of launch. For more, check out the full Modern Warfare III multiplayer beta schedule and breakdown.
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Nintendo UK and Nintendo EU has announced that it will be delisting Fitness Boxing from the European Nintendo eShop after November 30. Strangely, they didn't provide any details on why it's doing so despite being the game's global publisher outside of Japan.
On the UK eShop, a notice was posted saying that the digital version of Fitness Boxing will no longer be purchasable after midnight on November 30. However, those who have already bought the game can continue to play it, redownload the software, and receive new updates after the date.
Of course, physical copies of Fitness Boxing will still be playable on the Nintendo Switch, but expect a price hike from third-party sellers as the November date approaches, as well as afterwards.
From 30/11/2023, at 23:59 (UK time), it will no longer be possible to purchase the digital version of #FitnessBoxing.
— Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) August 30, 2023
Visit the website for more information:https://t.co/U5o60iyMUYIt's unknown why Nintendo UK and Nintendo EU are pulling this game from the eShop, and there's no announcement from other regions such as Nintendo of America on doing the same thing. GameSpot has reached out to Nintendo of America for comment.
There is little precedent for a move like this from Nintendo, which typically only removes games it publishes from sales when an entire storefront closes--like the Wii U or 3DS eShops.
Perhaps the existence of the sequel, Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise, makes the first game obsolete. There are also a few other fitness games on Nintendo Switch like Ring Fit Adventure and Jump Rope Challenge.
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Looking for a solid VPN that won’t cost you a fortune? Then you might want to check out UltraVPN, which is currently running a special deal that lets you snag two years of service for just $2/month. The deal comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee along with 24/7 technical support, so you can shop easy knowing you're covered if it doesn’t fit your needs.
UltraVPN might not be as well-known as other companies, but its service is surprisingly robust. This includes unlimited data and bandwidth, a free password manager, 256-bit AES encryption, and more than 125 server locations (many of which are hosted throughout Europe, Southeast Asia, and North America.
Other notable features include a no-logs policy (meaning UltraVPN doesn’t track the traffic moving through its servers), support for up to 10 connections simultaneously, and a secure firewall for added security and privacy.
Signing up for the deal is simple. Just head over to the UltraVPN website, select the two-year deal, and finalize your purchase. Keep in mind you’ll be paying the full two years at checkout--but instead of paying the usual $311, you’ll only pay $48.
You can also pick up a single month of service for $12, but since the two-year deal comes with a generous money-back guarantee and around-the-clock tech support, you can always back out within the first month of the two-year deal if it’s not a good fit.
It’s unclear how long this 74% discount will stick around, so be sure to check it out soon if you’re interested.
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Sony's PlayStation Plus lineup of free games for September has been officially confirmed, and as leaked earlier this week, Saints Row headlines the new batch of games that'll be available starting September 5 through October 3. September's collection also includes Black Desert: Traveler Edition and Generation Zero. All PS Plus members across Essential, Extra, and Premium can claim them.
The price of every PlayStation Plus tier is also increasing starting September 6, with the six and 12-month subscriptions becoming noticeably more expensive.
Saints Row was originally released in 2022 and is a reboot of the franchise that is themed around the idea of self-made success, only with gratuitous violence and devastation instead of more legal methods of entrepreneurship.
Like the original games, it's set in an open-world environment in which you can unleash some explosive chaos, insurance fraud, and help solidify the Saints as the top gang in town. The game received lukewarm reviews when it first launched due to a variety of technical bugs and janky gameplay, but developer Volition has updated Saints Row with several substantial patches and content drops since then.
PlayStation plus September games "Combat is decent, and the story missions are enjoyable when at their most over-the-top, but there's too much bland filler in between," Richard Wakeling wrote in GameSpot's Saints Row review. "Rebooting the series made sense, yet in many ways, Saints Row is still stuck in the past and struggling to live up to its legacy."
Generation Zero is set in a dangerous version of 1980s Sweden, where players will have to battle and survive against deadly machine enemies. The game can be played alone or with up to three friends in online co-op, and by scavenging parts from fallen enemies, you can craft equipment, weapons and ammunition for the battles that lie ahead.
Black Desert is a fantasy MMORPG with fast-paced PvE combat, large-scale PvP siege wars, and multiple character classes to master, and the Traveler Edition throws in multiple add-ons for the base version of the game. PS Plus members who have already purchased any edition of Black Desert other than the Traveler Edition may redeem the standalone Traveler Item pack.
August's PS Plus games can still be claimed, and this is a particularly good selection that'll be available until September 4. PGA Tour 2K23, Dreams, and Death's Door were made available, giving PS Plus subscribers a selection of games excellent indie, sports, and unique game creation tools.
PlayStation Plus free games for September 2023
Available September 5-October 3
- Saints Row (PS5, PS4)
- Black Desert: Traveler Edition (PS4)
- Generation Zero (PS4)
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Sony has raised the price of every PlayStation Plus tier. The company has announced that, beginning September 6, 12-month subscriptions to the service will be more expensive.
Sony said it's charging more so it can continue to launch "high-quality games and value-added benefits to your PlayStation Plus subscription service."
The PS Plus Essential tier is going up to $80/year, with Extra rising to $135/year. PlayStation Plus Premium will be $160/year. You can see the full price breakdown below.
Sony did not disclose if the one- and three-month PS Plus membership rates are going up as well, but the company said the 12-month prices will continue to represent a discount over purchasing by month or by quarter.
Existing 12-month subscribers will not see a price increase until their next renewal on or after November 6. Sony's announcement of higher PS Plus prices comes not long after Microsoft raised the price of Xbox Game Pass.
New PlayStation Plus prices
PlayStation Plus Essential 12-Month Subscription
- 80 USD | 72 Euro | 60 GBP | 6,800 Yen
PlayStation Plus Extra 12-Month Subscription
- 135 USD | 126 Euro | 99.99 GBP | 11,700 Yen
PlayStation Plus Premium 12-Month Subscription
- 160 USD | 152 Euro | 120 GBP | 13,900 Yen
Developing...
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Ahead of Call of Duty's Season 5 Reloaded update, Activision has released the patch notes for Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone. Season 5 Reloaded includes new maps, more DLC weapons, a new camo event, and more. Players can also expect major weapon balancing for multiplayer and Warzone, as well as a major POI change for Al Mazrah.
In addition to the new content announced for Season 5 Reloaded, which includes the DRC Zone 1 multiplayer map, another Warzone Resurgence map, and the 21 Savage operator bundle, the patch notes detail plenty of weapon tuning. Several weapons received buffs to damage range, including the ISO 45 submachine gun, Tempus Razorback assault rifle, and the FR Avancer assault rifle, but these changes are only applied to Modern Warfare 2.
On the Warzone side, the Chimera assault rifle received a significant buff with an increase to close damage, far damage, the head damage multiplier, and lower torso damage multiplier. The popular ISO Hemlock assault rifle was nerfed with decreases to both close-mid damage range and mid-damage range.
The landscape of Warzone's Al Mazrah map has also been changed. Following the bombing event of Shadow Siege, Zaya Observatory has been destroyed on the map. The observatory ruins can be explored.
On the DMZ side, new missions are provided for the Shadow Company faction. The drop rates were also increased for chemical mission items in Koschei Complex and Building 21, and the UI was adjusted to better indicate the location of safes.
The update also implements Call of Duty's new social features. One feature brings Warzone's "Play Again" option to multiplayer, which allows solo players or party hosts to choose to stick together with the same teammates for the next match. The other social feature is called Friend Recommender, which is a new, dynamic system that suggests new friends to play with.
For global bug fixes, the update corrects an issue that previously caused meleeing with a throwing knife equipped to down fully armored players in one hit. It also fixed an issue that could cause players to spawn in without a weapon equipped. Additionally, the patch notes detail a fix for an issue where incendiary ammunition did not properly unlock by leveling the Cronen Squall to level 19.
For the full list of weapon balancing and changes, you can find the full patch notes below, as shared by Activision.
Modern Warfare 2 will have one final season before the new game arrives. Make sure to check out all the major announcements for Modern Warfare 3, including the return of iconic maps, open-world Zombies mode, and more.
Weapon Balancing
» Handguns «
- FTAC Siege
- Increased close-mid distance damage range | MWII only
» Submachine Guns «
- Lachmann Sub
- Adjusted stats on FT Mobile Stock to increase mobility
- PDSW 258
- Minor adjustment to ironsights to better align with bullet trajectory
- ISO 45
- Increased damage range | MWII only
- Lachmann Sub
- Reduced close distance damage range | MWII only
» Assault Rifles «
- FR Avancer
- Increased damage range | MWII only
- Reduced hip spread
- Tempus Razorback
- Increased damage range | MWII only
- M16
- Increased close-mid distance damage range | MWII only
- Kastov 74u
- Reduced damage range | MWII only
- ISO Hemlock
- Reduced mid-far distance damage range | MWII only
» Battle Rifles «
- TAQ-V
- Increased damage range | MWII only
- Cronen Squall
- Increased damage range | MWII only
- SO-14
- Increased damage range | MWII only
- Lachman 762
- Increased damage range | MWII only
» Shotguns «
- Lockwood 300
- Reduced mid distance damage range | MWII only
- Slugs and HE slugs attachments:
- Increased damage range | MWII only
- Increased long range damage amount | MWII only
- Bryson 890
- Slightly reduced damage range | MWII only
- Slugs and HE slugs attachments:
- Increased damage range | MWII only
- Bryson 800
- Slightly reduced mid-distance damage range | MWII only
- Slugs and HE slugs:
- Increased damage range | MWII only
- Increased long range damage amount | MWII only
» Marksman Rifles «
- SA-B 50
- Increased ADS speed
- Increased ADS movement speed
- Increased damage range | MWII only
- Lockwood MK2
- Increased ADS speed
- Increased ADS movement speed
- SP-R 208
- Increased long-distance damage range | MWII only
- EBR 14
- Reduced damage range | MWII only
» Light Machine Guns «
- HCR 56
- Increased mid distance damage range | MWII only
- Rapp H
- Increased mid distance damage range | MWII only
» Sniper Rifles «
- Carrack .300
- Increased close range damage | MWII only
- Increased upper arm location damage | MWII only
- Increased long distance damage range | MWII only
- Increased ADS to hip transition speed
- Increased hip movement speed
- Increased sprint speed
- FJX Imperium
- Increased ADS speed
- Increased ADS movement speed
- Small reduction to hip spread
- Signal 50
- Reduced close distance damage range | MWII only
- SP-X 80
- Reduced damage range | MWII only
The following Weapon changes are reflected in Warzone only.
We are generally pleased with Weapon diversity and viability in Warzone. For example, the Submachine Gun category is very healthy, with a staggering six SMGs falling within a 10-percentage point difference in Kill Death Ratio at the highest skill levels. Among them, the Vaznev-9K, VEL 46, and at the top—perhaps surprisingly, the PDSW 528. While this is great news, we recognize that not all categories are enjoying that same level of competition. This update is focused on introducing further viability into the long-range engagement space. This update also includes a reduction in Launcher damage against Players. We will be monitoring their performance following the launch of Season 5 Reloaded and if they continue to be problematic anti-personnel Weapons, we will make further adjustments.
» Assault Rifles «
- Chimera | WZ Only
- Close damage increased
- Far damage increased
- Head damage multiplier increased
- Lower torso damage multiplier increased
- FR Avancer | WZ Only
- Close damage increased
- Far damage increased
- ISO Hemlock | WZ Only
- Close-mid damage range decreased
- Mid damage range decreased
- Lachmann-556 | WZ Only
- Head damage multiplier increased
- Neck damage multiplier increased
- Upper torso damage multiplier increased
- M13B | WZ Only
- All location damage multipliers increased
- M13C | WZ Only
- Close damage increased
- Mid damage increased
- All location damage multipliers increased
- M4 | WZ Only
- Close damage range increased
- Close-mid damage range increased
- STB 556 | WZ Only
- Head damage multiplier increased
- Tempus Razorback | WZ Only
- Close damage range increased
- Close-mid damage range increased
» Battle Rifles «
- Cronen Squall | WZ Only
- Head damage multiplier decreased
- Neck damage multiplier decreased
- Upper torso damage multiplier decreased
- Lower torso damage multiplier decreased
- Limb damage multipliers decreased
» Launchers «
- All Launchers have had their damage against Players decreased | WZ Only
» Light Machine Guns «
- RPK | WZ Only
- Close-mid damage decreased
- Close damage range decreased
- Headshot damage multiplier increased
- Sakin MG38 | WZ Only
- Neck damage multiplier decreased
- Upper torso damage multiplier decreased
- Limb damage multipliers decreased
» Marksman Rifles «
- Lockwood MK2 | WZ Only
- All location damage multipliers increased
» Shotguns «
- Bryson 800 | WZ Only
- Lower limb damage multipliers increased
- Bryson 890 | WZ Only
- Lower limb damage multipliers increased
» Submachine Guns «
- BAS-P | WZ Only
- Neck damage multipliers increased
- Upper torso damage multipliers increased
- Lower torso damage multipliers increased
- Limb damage multipliers increased
- Fennec 45 | WZ Only
- Neck damage multiplier increased
- Upper torso damage multiplier increased
- VEL 46 | WZ Only
- Limb damage multipliers increased
AUDIO
- In Season 05 Reloaded, we’ve introduced the same occlusion system that Core 6v6 Maps use for all Warzone Maps. Players should notice improved occlusion performance in those Maps.
SOCIAL
“Play Again” in Multiplayer
- After each match, all Players – or, specifically, solo Players and designated Party Leaders – on the same team can opt to stick together for the next match.
Friend Recommender
- Built for those looking to find new squadmates, Friend Recommender works in two ways:
- Suggesting Friends of Friends, a helpful feature for the whole squad to get connected with one another.
- A new, dynamic system that suggests new friends to play with.
GLOBAL BUG FIXES
Adjustments
- Players are no longer able to activate killstreaks from driver or turret position of certain vehicles
Bug Fixes
- Fixed an issue where meleeing with a Throwing Knife equipped could down fully armored players in one hit
- Fixed an issue that could cause Players to spawn in without a weapon equipped
- Fixed an issue where GS Magna platinum challenges were not contributing to the polyatomic unlock progress
- Fixed an issue where Bipods were floating when mounted
- Fixed an issue where Players were prompted to Rejoin a match after being eliminated and disconnecting
- Fixed an issue where focused sniper kills wouldn’t track under some conditions
- Fixed an issue where the Platinum Challenge for the GS Magna would not count towards the Polyatomic Challenges unlock requirement
- Fixed an issue where the Platinum Challenge camo category does not track the completion of the Gold Camo Challenge for the Crossbow
- Fixed an issue where incendiary ammunition does not unlock by leveling the Cronen Squall to Level 19
- Fixed an issue where the Firing Range is not accessible through the Gunsmith menu when the Player is in a Raid or Private Match
- Fixed an issue where the challenge for the Akimbo FTAC Siege attachment does not show progress
- Fixed an issue where the Soul Sever death effect would not occur when equipped to the ISO Hemlock
- Fixed an issue where ascenders were sometimes missing sounds
- Fixed an issue where bullet sounds weren’t playing on water impacts
- Fixed an issue where hostage pickup sounds were sometimes doubled
MULTIPLAYER
MAPS
New Map
DRC — Zone 1 (Core 6v6)
- The Visitor Center adjacent to Building 21 will now welcome all kinds of combat. Focused on fast-paced combat and designed with several shortcuts and flanking routes, DRC — Zone 1 is built for frenetic action.
PLAYLIST
New Modes
Gunfight Snipers
- Leave the Secondaries, Lethals, and Tacticals at home — Gunfight Snipers is for the sharpshooting duos who believe themselves to be masters of Sniper and Marksman Rifles.
4v4 Faceoff
- Expanded by one Player per team, 4v4 Faceoff is for those seeking the fast-action gameplay of small-team cage matches, the ultimate compliment to Gunfight is back! Use your own Loadouts, forget Killstreaks, and play modes like Team Deathmatch and Kill Confirmed on all the Modern Warfare II Gunfight maps.
BUG FIXES
- Fixed an issue in Bounty where the HVT objective icons would not clear properly if a Player disconnected while being the HVT
- Fixed an issue in Knock Out where the announcer would state that the match timer had elapsed when there was still time on the clock
- Fixed an issue in Prisoner Rescue where the hostage would be stuck T-posing if the carrier was killed in an invalid drop location
- Fixed an issue where a placeholder was present after the Player was killed by APC cannon fire in Big Capture the Flag
- Fixed an issue that allowed Field Upgrades and Killstreaks to be used on 2v2 Maps across all game modes
- Fixed an issue that allow Field Upgrades to be used in Havoc Private Matches
- Fixed various collision issues across a number of Multiplayer maps
- Fixed a number of floating assets across a number of Multiplayer maps
- Added miscellaneous audio fixes across a number of Multiplayer maps
MWII RANKED PLAY
Season 05 Reminders
- MWII Ranked Play Rewards are eligible for Modern Warfare III Carry Forward.
- Learn more about Modern Warfare III Carry Forward at the Call of Duty Blog.
- Season 05 Win Rewards
- Throughout the Season 05, Players can earn the following rewards:
- 5 Wins: ‘Season 05 Competitor’ Weapon Sticker
- 10 Wins: Pro Re-Issue TAQ-56 Weapon Blueprint
- 25 Wins: ‘Big Brain Plays’ Weapon Charm
- 50 Wins: ‘Heating Up’ Large Weapon Decal
- 75 Wins: ‘MWII Ranked Play Season 05’ Loading Screen
- 100 Wins: ‘MWII Season 05 Ranked Veteran’ Weapon Camo
- End of Season Division Rewards
- At the end of each Season, Players will be awarded Skill Division rewards that represent their highest attained Division that Season.
- Skill Division Skins:
- Earn a Skill Division Skin for use with both CDL Male & Female Operators on both Factions to represent your highest Skill Division. Once the Skins from one Skill Division have been unlocked they can be permanently used in following Seasons and anywhere you play:
- Top 250: Unlock the ‘Top 250 Competitor’ Skin by finishing a Season in the Top 250 Skill Division. Players must be in the Division at the end of the Season to qualify for this reward.
- Gold - Iridescent: Earn the applicable ‘Gold Competitor’, ‘Platinum Competitor’, ‘Diamond Competitor’, ‘Crimson Competitor’, or ‘Iridescent Competitor’ Skin based on your highest Skill Division reached over the course of the Season.
- Seasonal Division Rewards
- Each Ranked Play Season features a unique set of Division Rewards awarded at the end of the Season to celebrate the Player’s highest Skill Division reached that Season.
- Rewards Update
- Starting in Season 05, players will continue to earn Emblems associated with their highest attained Division. Those who climb into Gold and above will obtain a new reward each season where we previously offered a Weapon Charm. For Season 05, we're kicking off this new reward rotation with Season Division Camos.
- The Season 05 rewards are as follows:
- Top 250: ‘Season 05 Top 250’ Animated Weapon Camo, Emblem, and Calling Card
- Players must be in the Top 250 Division at the end of the Season to qualify for these rewards.
- Iridescent: ‘Season 05 Iridescent’ Weapon Camo, Emblem, and Calling Card
- Crimson: ‘Season 05 Crimson’ Weapon Camo and Emblem
- Diamond: ‘Season 05 Diamond’ Weapon Camo and Emblem
- Platinum: ‘Season 05 Platinum’ Weapon Camo and Emblem
- Gold: ‘Season 05 Gold’ Weapon Camo and Emblem
- Silver: Emblem
- Bronze: Emblem
- Ranked Play First Place: The Player who finishes Season 05 in the #1 position on the Top 250 Leaderboard will receive a unique, one-of-a-kind Calling Card and Emblem for the ultimate bragging rights.
- Throughout the Season 05, Players can earn the following rewards:
WARZONE
MAPS
- Following the catastrophic events of Shadow Siege in Al Mazrah, Zaya Observatory has been destroyed.
BATTLE ROYALE, RESURGENCE, PLUNDER, LOCKDOWN
PLAYLIST
For regular updates about the Playlist and other Scheduled Events, check out the dedicated Warzone Trello Board.
MODES
- Armored Royale
- Making its return, a new version of Armored Royale will be available for Quads during Season 05 Reloaded.
- Every Squad is assigned to a powerful MRAP vehicle, which serves as their lifeline by enabling redeployment.
- Squads can also upgrade their MRAP for better offensive or defensive capabilities via Upgrade Station on the vehicle itself.
- Gas Stations are used to repair and refuel their MRAP often.
- Al Bagra Fortress Resurgence
- Players will now experience Resurgence within the boundaries of the Al Bagra Fortress point of interest in Al Mazrah and the immediate surroundings.
- Fort Resurgence will have its own playlist at launch, separate to the Resurgence rotation that contains Ashika Island and Vondel.
- Unhinged Solos
- From fragile alliances to grand betrayals, break the squad limit boundaries by using Assimilation to grow your squad up to 6 players!
- Squad Size: Solos
- Max Players: 100
- Assimilation: Up to 6 Players Per Squad
- From fragile alliances to grand betrayals, break the squad limit boundaries by using Assimilation to grow your squad up to 6 players!
GENERAL
Adjustments
- Adjusted audio mix for parachutes, including increasing the volume of incoming enemy parachutes.
- Killing a Player while performing a trick on the Dirt Bike will now reward combo points.
WARZONE RANKED PLAY
Matchmaking Improvements
- Reduced the time it takes for Warzone Ranked Play matches to start once players are in the Pre-Game Lobby. Players should find it quicker to Deploy in Ranked Play matches moving forward.
Match Ruleset Updates
- Restricted Weapons and Equipment
- Weapons
- RPG-7
- Strela-P
- Weapons
Reminder: Warzone Ranked Play competitive settings are a multi-team effort to deliver competitive and fair matches. Restrictions are updated based on data and feedback, and restricted items may return after undergoing balance changes or fixes.
Season 05 Reminders
- Final Placement SR was increased at the beginning of Season 05.
- SR (Skill Rating) & Divisions
- Final Placement SR
- SR earned for Placement Milestones has been increased.
- Updated Placement SR:
- Top 40: 15 (Up from 10)
- Top 30: 30 (Up from 20)
- Top 20: 45 (Up from 30)
- Top 10: 60 (Up from 40)
- Top 5: 80 (Up from 50)
- Top 3: 100 (Up from 60)
- Top 2: 125 (Up from 80)
- Victory: 150 (Up from 100)
- Updated Placement SR:
- SR earned for Placement Milestones has been increased.
- Final Placement SR
- SR (Skill Rating) & Divisions
This adjustment will help Placement Milestone SR feel more impactful throughout the match. Players will still need to earn high Kills and Assists in addition to high Placements to reach the highest Skill Divisions.
- Warzone Ranked Play Rewards are eligible for Modern Warfare III Carry Forward.
- Learn more about Modern Warfare III Carry Forward at the Call of Duty Blog.
- Season 05 Challenge Rewards
- Throughout the Season 05, Players can earn the following rewards:
- Placement Challenges
- Finish ‘Top 15’ 50 Times: ‘Popped Off’ Large Decal
- Finish ‘Top 5’ 25 Times: Pro Issue ISO Hemlock Weapon Blueprint
- Finish 1st Place: ‘Straight Dubs’ Weapon Charm
- Kill & Assist Challenges
- Get 25 Kills or Assists: ‘WZ Season 05 Competitor’ Sticker
- Get 250 Kills or Assists: ‘WZ Ranked Play Season 05’ Loading Screen
- Get 1000 Kills or Assists: ‘WZ Season 05 Ranked Veteran’ Camo
- Placement Challenges
- End of Season Division Rewards
- At the end of each Season, Players will be awarded Skill Division rewards that represent their highest attained Division that Season.
- Rewards Update
- Starting in Season 05, players will continue to earn Emblems associated with their highest attained Division. Those who climb into Gold and above will obtain a new reward each season where we previously offered a Weapon Charm. For Season 05, we're kicking off this new reward rotation with Season Division Camos.
- Seasonal Division Rewards
- Each Ranked Play Season will have a unique set of Division Rewards awarded at the end of the Season to celebrate the Player’s highest Skill Division reached that Season.
- The Season 05 rewards are as follows:
- Top 250: ‘WZ Season 05 Top 250’ Animated Weapon Camo, Emblem, and Calling Card
- Players must be in the Top 250 Division at the end of the Season to qualify for these rewards.
- Iridescent: ‘WZ Season 05 Iridescent’ Weapon Camo, Emblem, and Calling Card
- Crimson: ‘WZ Season 05 Crimson’ Weapon Camo and Emblem
- Diamond: ‘WZ Season 05 Diamond’ Weapon Camo and Emblem
- Platinum: ‘WZ Season 05 Platinum’ Weapon Camo and Emblem
- Gold: ‘WZ Season 05 Gold’ Weapon Camo and Emblem
- Silver: Emblem
- Bronze: Emblem
- Top 250: ‘WZ Season 05 Top 250’ Animated Weapon Camo, Emblem, and Calling Card
- Ranked Play First Place: The Player who finishes Season 05 in the #1 position on the Top 250 Leaderboard will receive a unique, one-of-a-kind Calling Card and Emblem for the ultimate bragging rights.
- Throughout the Season 05, Players can earn the following rewards:
BUG FIXES
- Fixed an issue causing the amount of Ammunition picked up to display incorrectly.
- Fixed an issue causing the Most Wanted contract UI widget to remain active after the target was eliminated.
- Fixed an issue allowing the Most Wanted target’s team to receive the reward if the contract was completed.
- Fixed an issue preventing some Players from using the Deployable Buy Station.
- Fixed an issue preventing Players from leaving the match during Exfil after finishing in 2nd place.
- Fixed an issue causing the Mortar Strike icon to appear on the Tac Map incorrectly.
- Fixed an issue allowing Players to capture a UAV Tower while inside a vehicle.
- Fixed an issue showing incorrect Vehicle icons on the killfeed.
DMZ
GAMEPLAY
New Missions
- Shadow Company Faction Mission tiers 3, 4, and 5 are now available.
Adjustments
Although it was mentioned in the Season 05 Reloaded Announcement Blog, the Host Leave Party feature will not be introduced in Season 05 Reloaded.
- Increased drop rates for chemical items in Koschei Complex and Building 21
- Adjusted the UI when revealing safes to better indicate the location
- Grab a Secure Backpack and explore the ruins of Zaya Observatory if you dare… a new Barter item is available at the closest Buy Station
BUG FIXES
- Missions that require Players to acquire a weapon or extract a specific weapon will now count progress when you acquire or extract a Blueprint (i.e. “Disarming Presence”)
- Fixed an exploit with the Gas Mask that would allow durability to be reset
- Fixed an issue where a Player couldn't Plea for Help as a solo after being interrogated
- Fixed an exploit that allow weapon duplication with Dead Drops
- Fixed an issue where the “Quid Pro Quo” mission was not working when the Vondel Castle was not an Active Combat Zone
- Fixed a number of issues with upgrades not correctly unlocking the later upgrades in their FOB progression
- Fixed a number of issues in mission descriptions
- Fixed a number of issues with some vehicle turrets not counting for missions that require killing from a vehicle
- Fixed a number of issues with missions requiring Players to extract with a full Backpack not working if the Player equips a Scavenger Backpack
- Fixed an issue where the “Ready to Rock” mission was not correctly tracking 3-plate carrier variants
- Fixed an issue where Players could enter vehicles while planting or defusing charges at a supply site
- Fixed a number of issues where caches for the Secure Supplies contract could end up in strongholds
- Fixed an issue where the objective icon would disappear when a new Player assimilates into your team during Secure Intel contracts
- Fixed a number of issues with missions that require the Player to kill enemies in radiation not correctly racking in Koschei Complex radiation
- Fixed an issue where Self-Revive kits could persist after death
- Fixed several issues preventing certain daily Urgent Missions from progressing
- Fixed an issue where taking a Self-Revive from a Self-Revive Box wasn’t counting towards mission progress
- Fixed an issue where certain notes with monetary value wouldn’t be unlocked when extracted
- Fixed an issue where Players who were not solo were incorrectly being given a Self-Revive from the solo Self-Revive Box
- Fixed an issue where sometimes upgrade progress wasn’t shown until the game is reset
- Fixed an issue where killing friendly Shadow Company members counted as killing an enemy
- Fixed an issue where cash values were being modified incorrectly after a Plea for Help revive
- Fixed an issue where the “Extract Weapons Case” Urgent Mission was not always counting correctly
- Fixed an issue where the revive camera behaved inconsistently in water
- Fixed a number of issues that could result from being revived by your team as you swapped teams
- Fixed an issue causing missing drill sounds in Building 21
- FTAC Siege
-
Developer Sabotage Studio is "speechless" after Sea of Stars sold over 100,000 copies on the game's launch day. That number is also impressive because the retro RPG is included in two prominent games subscription catalogs.
On Twitter/X, the official Sea of Stars account announced the sales milestone and thanked fans for the strong start. Keep in mind the RPG is available as a day-one release on PlayStation Plus for Extra and Premium subscribers as well as part of a recent wave of August titles for Xbox Game Pass.
Sea of Stars was originally announced in 2020 and launched with a Kickstarter campaign. The turn-based RPG comes from the same team behind The Messenger, a retro game that took inspiration from Ninja Gaiden and Super Metroid. In fact, Sea of Stars serves as a prequel to The Messenger even though they're in very different genres.
Reviews for Sea of Stars have been extremely positive, with writers pointing out similarities to classic RPGs like Chrono Trigger, Illusion of Gaia, and Super Mario RPG. That's not shabby company to keep.
Costing $35, Sea of Stars is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. The RPG follows Children of the Solstice--Valerie and Zale--who must work together to fight The Fleshmancer.
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Best Buy is slashing prices on a bunch of Arcade1Up cabinets right now, saving you up to $200 on select models. A bit of everything is included in the event--and if you’re a My Best Buy Plus or Total member, you can even check out an exclusive sale for the NFL Blitz Arcade Cabinet that discounts it to just $500 (down from $600).
Best Arcade1Up Deals
- Mortal Kombat 2 Countercade-- $160 ($
230) - Marvel Vs. Capcom Gaming Table -- $500 ($
700) - Midway Mortal Kombat Gaming Table -- $500 ($
700) - Williams Bally Attack From Mars Pinball Digital -- $650 ($
750) - Marvel Pinball Digital -- $650 ($
750) - Capcom Street Fighter 2 Legacy Stool -- $70 ($
90) - Midway Mortal Kombat 30th Anniversary Legacy Edition -- $400 ($
500) - Bandai Namco Pac-Mania Legacy Edition Arcade -- $400 ($
500) - Capcom Street Fighter 2: Champion Turbo Legacy Edition -- $400 ($
500) - Dragon’s Lair Arcade -- $550 ($
650) - NFL Blitz Arcade (My Best Buy Members Only) -- $500 ($
600)
If you’re not a My Best Buy member, you’ll have access to every other deal. One of the best is for the eye-catching Midway Mortal Kombat Gaming Table, as it’s seeing a $200 price cut. With two light-up control panels, 17-inch screen, and 12 built-in titles (including Mortal Kombat), it’s a great option for fans of both competitive and cooperative arcade games.
GalleryUnsure you have room for a full cabinet in your home? Then check out the Mortal Kombat 2 Countercade for $160 (down from $230).
Other great deals include Marvel Pinball Digital for $650 (down from $750), Dragon’s Lair Arcade for $550 (down from $650), and Bandai Namco Pac-Mania Legacy Edition Arcade for $400 (down from $500). There are plenty of other Arcade1Up items on sale right now, so make sure to take a close look at the list of deals.
Two new Arcade1Up cabinets will be available in September: Big Buck Hunter Pro Deluxe and Wheel of Fortune Casinocade. Both cabinets are available to preorder for $600 at Best Buy.
- Mortal Kombat 2 Countercade-- $160 ($
[GameSpot] - Spider-Man 2 On PS5 Apparently Requires 98GB Of Storage
in Gaming News Feeds
Posted
If you plan on playing Marvel's Spider-Man 2 when it comes out on October 20, make sure you have enough room to install it, because it'll take up at least 98GB of storage on your PlayStation 5.
The news comes from X (formerly Twitter), where one user posted a photo of the Spider-Man 2 limited edition PS5 and it reads:
"Marvel's Spider-Man 2 officially requires a minimum of 98GB per the official Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Limited Edition Console Bundle Retail Box #SpiderMan2PS5."
Shortly after that was tweeted, the community director of Insomniac Games, James Stevenson, responded with a GIF that seemingly confirmed that Marvel's Spider-Man 2 would take up a lot of storage.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a direct sequel to the original 2018 Spider-Man and 2020 Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. In the upcoming sequel, you can play as both Peter Parker and Miles Morales while fighting against various villains, including Kraven the Hunter, the Lizard, and Venom. Even though you'll have the freedom to play as both Spider-Men "with a simple button press," there'll be moments in the story where you'll forced to play as either Peter or Miles.
For more Spider-Man 2 news, be sure to check out our story on how a new accessibility option allows you to slow down time and our story on all of the costumes that have been revealed so far.
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