Assassin’s Creed Unity Could Aid In Notre Dame Restoration

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The historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris caught flame Monday evening, collapsing its spire and severely damaging parts of the building including its roof. Now as the government looks toward restoration, it may tap an unexpected source: Assassin’s Creed Unity.

CBS News reports that restorers may need to utilize the expertise of a Vassar College architecture historian and the artist team for Ubisoft’s 2014 video game. The detailed models could help provide a functional understanding of the building’s measurements and specifications that isn’t possible with still photographs.

Unity is set during the French Revolution, and was noted for its accurate rendering of 1700s Paris. The Verge reports that level artist Caroline Miousse spent roughly two years modeling Notre Dame Cathedral, saying about 80% of her work on the game was that landmark alone.

Notre Dame is a cathedral that has undergone multiple expansions and restorations over the centuries, and Miousse’s recreation is modeled as closely as possible to the structure as it was at the time–at least, for the most part. The team found that playtesters missed the spires, so Miousse added them to the cathedral despite the fact that they weren’t actually added until later.

For its part, Ubisoft said on Twitter it is not currently involved in any reconstruction efforts, but is “more than happy to lend our expertise in any way we can.” The company is helping out in another way, however. It has committed more than $500,000 to reconstruction efforts, and made Assassin’s Creed Unity free for a limited time in honor of the cathedral.

“Video games can enable us to explore places in ways we never could have otherwise imagined,” the company said. “We hope, with this small gesture, we can provide everyone an opportunity to appreciate our virtual homage to this monumental piece of architecture.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassins-creed-unity-could-aid-in-notre-dame-rest/1100-6466337/

Pokemon Go May Community Day’s First Details Announced

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Pokemon Go‘s April Community Day may have only recently ended, but Niantic is already looking ahead to next month’s event. The developer has now shared the first details for May’s Community Day, which is scheduled to take place around the globe on Sunday, May 19.

As usual, next month’s Community Day will run for three hours, from 3-6 PM local time. During that window, players will be able to earn triple the usual amount of Stardust for every Pokemon they catch, and any Lure Modules that are used will remain active for three hours.

The featured Pokemon this time around will be another Gen 3 starter: Torchic. Throughout the Community Day, the Fire-type Pokemon will spawn in the wild more frequently than it normally does, making it much easier to add some to your collection. Going by previous Community Days, you’ll likely also have your first chance to capture a Shiny Torchic.

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Finally, if you manage to fully evolve a Torchic into Blaziken up to an hour after the Community Day ends, it’ll learn a special, as-yet-unannounced event-exclusive move. Niantic typically reveals what the special move is the week of the event. You can find more details about next month’s Community Day on the official Pokemon website.

In the meantime, there are a few other big events going on now in Pokemon Go. First, the Legendary Eon Pokemon Latios returned for a special week-long Raid that’s scheduled to end on April 22. Niantic is also holding the annual Eggstravaganza event until April 23, which gives you more chances to hatch baby Pokemon and even capture a Shiny Buneary.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-go-may-community-days-first-details-announ/1100-6466332/

BoxBoy + BoxGirl Demo Now Available For Nintendo Switch

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The puzzle gem BoxBoy is coming to Nintendo Switch next week, with a newly cooperative adventure called BoxBoy + BoxGirl. If you’re new or just want to brush up on your boxing skills before the release, you can now try a demo for the game.

The demo includes both single- and multiplayer modes, showing you the ropes of the game mechanics and a handful of early puzzles. The “Tale for Two” multiplayer mode is recommended for two players, but you can take on the challenges solo if you wish by swapping back and forth between Qbby and Qucy.

BoxBoy + BoxGirl also introduces another new playable character, Qudy. The rectangular hero creates boxes that are extra-long or tall, which adds a new layer of complexity to the challenges. As usual, efficient puzzle solving will earn you medals you can use to unlock outfits, items, and accessories. The game also introduces a new timed balloon challenge mode.

BoxBoy was first introduced in 2015 by HAL Laboratories on the Nintendo 3DS. It was designed to look simple and monochromatic, similar to a Game Boy game. This is the series’ first entry on the Nintendo Switch, and the first time the cast of characters has come into their own as playable. It will be available on April 26 for $10.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/boxboy-boxgirl-demo-now-available-for-nintendo-swi/1100-6466334/

Ubisoft Donates Over $500K To Notre Dame Restoration; Assassin’s Creed Unity Now Free To Play

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The world watched in horror as fire engulfed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris Monday evening, spreading through the top floor of its attic and eventually collapsing the church’s iconic spire. Across the globe, people have expressed their support for the French people, and already millions of dollars have been donated to the cathedral’s restoration efforts. Ubisoft is the latest company to pledge its support; the French video game company announced today it will donate €500,000 (about $565,000) to aid the restoration and reconstruction efforts for Notre Dame.

In addition, Ubisoft is giving away Assassin’s Creed Unity for free–you can download it for PC (Uplay) at no cost now through April 25 at 3 AM (your local time). Once you download the game, it’ll be yours to keep forever in your Uplay games library.

Ubisoft has a special connection to Notre Dame and the city of Paris–the setting was virtually recreated to a precise level of detail in Assassin’s Creed Unity. In fact, the virtual rendition of Notre Dame is so accurate that it may serve as an important piece of historical media. Assassin’s Creed Unity level artist Caroline Miousse told The Verge in a 2014 interview that she spent two years recreating the cathedral from the inside out. “I made some other stuff in the game, but 80 percent of my time was spent on the Notre Dame,” she said.

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Assassin’s Creed Unity provides a unique opportunity, especially for those who have never been to Paris, to experience Notre Dame first-hand in its original glory, so be sure to pick up the game while it’s free for the next week.

“Video games can enable us to explore places in ways we never could have otherwise imagined,” Ubisoft wrote in its blog post. “We hope, with this small gesture, we can provide everyone an opportunity to appreciate our virtual homage to this monumental piece of architecture.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-donates-over-500k-to-notre-dame-restoratio/1100-6466327/

Big PUBG Update Adds Rainbow Six Siege-Style Weapon Charms And Full Weapon Progression

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PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has received a new PC patch on its test server, and it adds a feature that will be familiar to anyone who’s played Rainbow Six Siege. Update 28, as developer PUBG Corp. calls it, introduces weapon charms as part of a wider weapon progression system that will be making its way to live servers “very soon.”

The progression system, which is called Weapon Mastery, allows players to level up weapons by doing well with each gun. You can level up each weapon individually to a maximum rank of 100. Weapon XP is awarded for dealing damage, getting headshots, and, of course, killing opponents. Extra XP will be gained if your kill counts as a Defeat, a new term PUBG Corp. says includes “knockdowns, killing the last member of a team, and killing solo players.” The amount of XP awarded will also scale depending on how late in a match you performed the action.

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Leveling up a weapon can grant you three reward types that cannot be obtained through any other avenue. The first is the aforementioned charms, which appear to work in a very similar way to Rainbow Six Siege’s equivalents. “Charms are keychain-like trinkets that attach to the left side on the barrel of each weapon,” PUBG Corp. says. “You can equip and see which charms you have unlocked from inside the Mastery tab. We’re launching with 20 unique charms that must be earned on a per weapon basis and it’s a safe bet that there are more on the way.”

The second type of reward is emblems, which you’ll gain when you rank a gun up to level 10, 20, 30, and so on up to 100. While these don’t appear to do much at present, PUBG Corp. says it “will be exploring ways for you to show off your emblems to other players” over the next few months.

Weapon Mastery’s final reward type is medals, a “way of highlighting the awesome accomplishments you perform.” Examples include one called Double, which is awarded when you kill two enemies in quick succession, and another named Frenzy that you’ll get when you get five kills with the same weapon in a single match.

You can read more about Weapon Mastery, which is separate to the battle pass system, on PUBG Corp.’s blog. Alternatively, check out the full list of patch notes for update 28 below, via PUBG Corp.

PUBG Update 28 Patch Notes

New Feature: Weapon Mastery

Weapon Mastery has been added, a new feature that allows players to check their gun stats and earn rewards based on their skills!

  • New Progression System
    • Weapon Mastery is a new progression system where players can increase levels by gaining weapon XP based on players’ weapon use.
    • It operates all the time without being affected by seasons.
    • Weapon Mastery offers 100 levels for players to achieve per weapon.
    • In the lobby, players can check their weapon use information, last match results, and the rewards they acquired thus far through the newly created Mastery tab.
  • Weapon Mastery Rewards
    • There are three types of Weapon Mastery rewards. These rewards can only be acquired through Mastery achievement.
      • Charms
      • Charms are accessories that can be equipped to weapons.
      • New charm can achieved at every five levels of progression per weapon.
      • Charms can be used with any weapon skins.
        • Acquired charms can be equipped/unlocked in the rewards page. Equipped charms can be seen in-game.
      • Charms cannot be traded, sold, or exchanged for BP.
    • Medals
      • Medals highlight awesome accomplishments players perform with their weapons.
      • Each medal can be earned multiple times. There is even a counter that tracks how many medals have been achieved.
    • Tier Emblems
      • Players can earn emblems equivalent to their level brackets achieved per each weapon.
      • Up to 10 tiers can be achieved.
  • How to earn Weapon XP
    • Weapon XP for is earned when one or more of the following elements is satisfied during a match.
      • Damage
      • Headshots
      • Defeats
        • Defeats is a new term used for tracking actions that includes knockdowns, killing the last member of a team and killing solo players.
        • You can acquire extra weapon XP based on distance of defeats.
      • When earning Weapon XP, the amount received will increase based on how long you survived.
    • Defeats follow the existing judgment rules for DBNO/Kills currently used in the game.
      • Additional information:
      • Weapon Mastery does not count friendly fire/team damage.
      • Weapon Mastery does not count downs caused by road kills or environmental factors (blue zone, red zone, fall damage, or drowning).
      • Weapon Mastery does not count throwables or melee damage.
    • There is a maximum limit on each weapon that can be getting weapon XP.

Gameplay

A second round of Erangel loot rebalances has been made, as well as improvements to some sounds and effects related to gameplay.

Erangel 2nd Loot Rebalance

As we have spoken previously in our Dev Letter: Erangel Loot Rebalance, we are constantly analyzing player feedback, play patterns and other data. With this update, we’re implementing a second round of changes to improve the player looting experience on Erangel.

  • The total amount of items spawned in Erangel has been increased by approximately 28%.
  • Increased the overall amount of items spawned, especially the spawn rates of those higher priority items.
    • Spawn rate of AR has been increased by approx 64%.
    • Spawn rate of DMR has been increased by approx 114%.
    • Spawn rate of SR has been increased by approx 177%.
    • Spawn rates of equipment and armor have been slightly increased, especially level 2.
    • Spawn rates of healing items have been slightly increased.

Erangel Blue Zone Rebalance Test (Test Server Only)

  • During this test server phase, we’ll be testing some changes to the blue zone on Erangel. At this stage, these changes are purely experimental and we’re looking for feedback to understand how players feel about the direction of the changes.
  • There is no expected date or certainty that these changes will come to live servers, but we greatly appreciate and are looking forward to your feedback as we experiment with the blue zone changes specifically on the test server this week.

SR Damage Multiplier Changes

  • Decreased the damage modifier of SR shots to the torso from 150% to 130%.
  • Decreased the base damage of the AWM from 120 to 105.
    • The AWM will no-longer kill full health players wearing a level 2 vest in one shot with these changes.

Sound Improvements

  • We’ve now added more sounds for item interactions.
    • Previously items were looted, dropped, equipped and unequipped, some items had the same sound effects regardless of the characteristics of each item. Sounds will now vary more between items.
  • Added vehicle suspension sounds.
    • Sounds of moving vehicles’ suspension working can now be heard.
    • Different sounds will be played in different situations. Vehicles moving on rough terrain or when landing from a jump will make unique sounds.
    • Suspension sound volume is different between TPP and FPP.

Smoke Grenade Improvement

  • Smoke grenades are now more accurately synchronized across all players and observers.
    • Previously, smoke grenade duration for the viewer would start when coming into viewable range (1 km) of the smoke grenade. Smoke grenade plumes will now end at the same time for all players/observers.

Vehicles Effects Improvement

  • Added vehicle lighting effects.
    • Vehicle headlights, tail lights and dashboard are turned on when the vehicle’s engine starts.
    • The lights are only local visual effects and will not illuminate the surrounding areas.

Open/Close Doors Animation Improvement

  • Improved the algorithm to determine when vehicles are blocking doors, preventing them from opening or closing.

Survivor Pass 3: Wild Card

After the launch of the Survivor Pass 3: Wild Card, we’ve been continuously collecting and analyzing mission result data. Additionally, we’ve been actively reviewing players feedback regarding specific mission difficulty. We have chosen to adjust and remove some missions which players found too difficult to complete.

  • Daily Missions: Decreased the difficulty of 16 missions and deleted 4 missions which were too difficult.
  • Weekly Missions: Decreased the difficulty of 16 missions and deleted 6 missions which were too difficult.
  • Challenge Missions: Decreased the difficulty of 5 missions.

UI/UX

Store UI Overhaul

  • Added Zoom in/out feature to item previews.
    • Use mouse scroll to zoom in/out of the part where the mouse cursor is pointing.
    • When zooming on the character, character UI is shown on the bottom right.
      • You can zoom in to 4 different parts (Head, Torso, Lower body, Feet).
      • Zoomed in parts are highlighted in the character UI.
      • Click on different parts of the character model to select a view of that part (Head, Torso, Lower body, Feet).
    • Horizontal rotations are now enabled in weapon and equipment previews.
    • Release the mouse button during weapon or equipment preview to reset the camera view.

Team UI Overhaul

  • Teammates boost gauges are now in the team UI visible while playing to enhance team play.

Changes in Display Mode Settings

  • When using full screen mode, the window mode will be changed to full screen (windowed) while in the lobby to prevent specific crashing caused by typing. In-game will remain full screen.
    • Full screen: In-game: Full screen / Lobby: Full screen(windowed).
    • Full screen (Windowed): In-game: full screen (windowed) / Lobby: Full screen (windowed).
    • Windowed: In-game: Windowed / Lobby: Windowed.

Survivor Title Season 3 Overview UI Improvements

  • Season reward chart now shows 4 stages of rewards instead of 3.
  • Additional UI has been added which shows points required for the next title.

Performance

  • Optimized performance to decrease the time it takes to load into matches.

Custom match

Observer Feature Improvements

  • Kill message improvements
    • To prevent confusion and distinguish individual messages from team messages, the existing individual multi-kill messages (RAMPAGE / EXECUTIONER / MASTERFUL / CONQUERING) have been removed to focus on the number of kills.
    • Team Multi-kill messages will remain the same.
    • The images for team multi-kill messages are now each shown with a separate image.

Added timer UI for Smoke Grenades

  • To show the remaining time for the smoke grenades, each smoke will now have a timer UI showing the remaining smoke plume duration.
  • The smoke timer lasts for about 40 seconds starting from the moment the smoke grenade plumes.
  • When the timer hits approx. 20% remaining, the UI turns red and the icon shakes.
    • When the timer hits 10% remaining, the icon shakes x2 as hard.
  • The timer UI disappears when the spectator is farther than 100 m.
  • The transparency of the UI changes depending on the distance.

Restored Kick Player Function

  • Observers can find the KICK button by right-clicking a player’s name on the player list. Click the left mouse on kick button to remove the player from the game.
    • Players can be kicked in the middle of a game.

Replay System

  • In the replay feature, click right mouse button to toggle the REPORT button. Click the left mouse button again to report a player.
  • The replay feature version has been updated. Existing replays recorded prior to this update are no longer playable.

Skins & Items

  • The PUBG 2nd Anniversary Cap will no longer be available after April 24th (KST) / April 23th(PDT).
    • This is a free 2nd anniversary item, so don’t forget to redeem it within the availability period!
  • Item sales for FACEIT Global Summit Hoodies and Mask will end on April 24th( KST) / April 23th (PDT).
    • 25% of the item’s revenue goes to the teams participating in FACEIT Global Summit, support the teams by purchasing these items!

Bug Fixes

World

  • Fixed an issue with some barbed wire fences blocking bullets.
  • Fixed an issue where players are unable to pick up items that are placed under broken barbed wire fences.

General

  • Fixed the issue with center screen DBNO and kill messages being delayed.
  • Fixed the issue with interaction UI remaining in spectator screen when is killed during interaction UI activated.
  • Fixed the issue with certain maneuver could prevent motorcycles from flipping.
  • Fixed the issue which a vehicle could constantly move when system menu was opened.
  • Fixed an issue with different UAZ model variants having different maximum speeds.
  • Fixed the awkward character movement when using an emote and rotating the mouse in FPP view.
  • Fixed the issue with a frag grenade ground burn mark textures overlapping the player character’s model
  • Fixed an issue where only one side of footsteps is output in certain situations.
  • Fixed an issue which would remove player’s hair completely when equipping caps.
  • Fixed a visual issue when punk knuckle gloves were equipped.
  • Fixed a visual issue preventing belts from being visible when wearing a fur coat.
  • Fixed an issue where character’s hair and face overlap when a female character equips specific hair styles and caps.
  • Fixed a visual issue with shadows displaying incorrectly when swimming in FPP.
  • Fixed a replay issue causing explosion effects to continue when moving through the timeline.
  • Fixed an issue where players are unable to revive their teammates if casting UI freezes at 0 while reviving.
  • Fixed an issue when using a scope and the character moves backward, the scope shakes.
  • Fixed certain limb animations not playing while vaulting.
  • Fixed an issue preventing the correct crosshair from being displayed after holstering a sidearm.
  • Fixed an issue with Shirt (Plaid) icon not matching the in-game asset.
  • Fixed a bug which prevented footsteps from being heard while walking over mud or water while wearing Harley Quinn Daddy’s Lil’ Monster Outfit

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/big-pubg-update-adds-rainbow-six-siege-style-weapo/1100-6466329/

Loot Boxes Removed From Rocket League In Belgium, The Netherlands

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Rocket League has issued a patch removing loot boxes in two countries, in order to abide by local laws forbidding the practice. With the 1.61 patch, players in both Belgium and the Netherlands are no longer able to open crates with earned keys “due to government regulations.”

Last year in response to concerns raised by games like Star Wars Battlefront 2, both countries declared that loot boxes constitute gambling and are therefore illegal. The governments of the countries determined that the practice could entice minors to gamble. In January, EA removed FIFA Points in Belgium for the same reason.

Some countries have outlawed the practice, but it’s far from settled across the board. New Zealand and France have both determined that loot boxes are not gambling, and investigations are still ongoing in the United States and Australia. That has left the practice inconsistent, as in the case of Rocket League and FIFA, where developers allow the microtransactions in some countries but not others.

In February, a US Senator wrote a letter to the Federal Trade Commission criticizing the practice as predatory. Shortly after, the FTC announced a public workshop but declined to comment if it was conducting any formal investigation.

Last year, the ESRB responded to the growing concerns by announcing new labeling tools to more clearly identify games with loot boxes and similar microtransaction schemes.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/loot-boxes-removed-from-rocket-league-in-belgium-t/1100-6466328/

Pre-Orders For Xbox One S All-Digital Edition Available Now (US, UK)

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News of an all-digital Xbox One S leaked earlier this month, and Microsoft officially unveiled the new console Tuesday during an Inside Xbox stream. The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition, which has no disc drive, will release on May 7, and you’ll be able to pick it up for $250 (£200) –about $50 cheaper than the standard Xbox One S at full price.

The digital Xbox One S comes pre-installed with three games developed by Microsoft–Minecraft, Forza Horizon 3, and Sea of Thieves. The new console is identical in functionality to the regular Xbox One S–the only difference is the lack of a disc drive, so there’s no ability to play game discs, DVDs, and other disc-based media. The digital Xbox One S will still be able to play 4K content from Netflix, Amazon, and other streaming sites.

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If you’re excited to pick it up on Day 1, save yourself some time and pre-order the new console today. The following retailers have opened pre-orders for the new Xbox One S:

(US):

PRE-ORDER AT MICROSOFT STORE »

PRE-ORDER AT AMAZON »

PRE-ORDER AT WALMART »

PRE-ORDER AT BEST BUY »

(UK):

PRE-ORDER AT MICROSOFT STORE »

PRE-ORDER AT AMAZON »

The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition has been a long time coming; Microsoft has reportedly wanted to launch an all-digital console since 2013. Some gamers still prefer to own a physical disc–and the other Xbox One consoles still exist to serve this audience–but this new console is aimed at those who are ready to go completely digital and want a (slightly) cheaper option. “The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition was created for those who prefer to find and play their games digitally and are looking for the most affordable way to play Xbox games,” said Xbox executive Jeff Gattis.

Timed perfectly with the release of the digital Xbox One S is a promotion for Xbox Game Pass, the subscription service that grants unlimited access to more than 100 Xbox One and Xbox 360 digital games. Microsoft is currently offering three months of Xbox Game Pass for just $1, and that deal will be available until May 13 at 12 AM PT / 3 AM ET / 7 AM GMT / 5 PM AET.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pre-orders-for-xbox-one-s-all-digital-edition-avai/1100-6466305/

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s Fate Of Atlantis Story Starts Soon

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Assassin’s Creed Odyssey already borrowed some mythical beasts and other iconography for the main campaign, but it’s preparing to double down with much more with the release of its second major story expansion. The Fate of Atlantis DLC will come in three parts, and the first one is set to drop on April 23. The second and third episodes, called Torment of Hades and Judgement of Atlantis respectively, are both due in mid-2019.

This first episode is titled Fields of Elysium, and will take place in the Greek afterlife. You’ll journey to Elysium itself, interact with Greek gods, and battle mythical beasts. The trailer even shows a glimpse of Cerberus. Notably, the advanced beings who have been steering major events in the Assassin’s Creed series have shared names with the Greek gods, so this could shed more light on the larger story running throughout the series. Plus, of course, you can get new pieces of legendary loot.

The Fate of Atlantis will also introduce new Ability enhancements, letting you modify your existing abilities for a more customized playstyle. This first episode will start with Ares Bull Charge, Might of Artemis, Kronos Time Warp, and Ares Madness–all abilities named after the pantheon of gods.

If you’ve already played the main game, you’ll need to have completed the Between New Worlds and the Heir of Memories quest lines, with a character at level 28 or above, to access the DLC. If you’d rather just skip straight to the new story, you can use a shortcut to Fate of Atlantis and start at level 52 with preset Abilities. But if you use that option, you won’t be able to carry your progress to the main game or obtain achievements.

This trilogy of episodes is the second large-scale expansion for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. The first one, Legacy of the First Blade, caused some controversy, prompting an apology and some changes from Ubisoft. Alongside Assassin’s Creed 3 Remastered and Liberation Remastered, these two episodes compose the full season pass, which is available for $40. The Fate of Atlantis story arc by itself can be purchased for $25.

The expansive post-launch support for Odyssey is part of Ubisoft’s plan to make the series act more like its live games, with long tails and regularly updated events. That means no new Assassin’s Creed is planned for 2019, but the next game reportedly set during the Viking Age is likely aiming for 2020. That one is said to be code-named Assassin’s Creed Kingdom, which may not be the final title.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassins-creed-odysseys-fate-of-atlantis-story-st/1100-6466324/

Overwatch Goes Free-To-Play For Limited Time

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Overwatch is currently free-to-play to celebrate the start of its latest limited-time Archives event, Storm Rising. If you don’t already own the shooter, you can try it for free on PC, PS4, or Xbox One from now through April 23.

The free trial includes every hero, including the new medic character Baptiste, along with all 27 maps. Blizzard says you’ll be able to “level up, earn Loot Boxes, unlock a variety of different customization options for their heroes, and keep any progress made during the trial when they then purchase the game on the same Blizzard or console account.”

Conveniently, the full version is on sale until April 29. From the Blizzard Shop you can grab Overwatch’s standard PC edition for 24% off or the legendary PC edition for 51% off. Alternatively you can upgrade your standard edition to a legendary edition, which includes some bonus skins, for 78% off the usual price. For console players, the Xbox and PlayStation Stores are discounting the legendary edition to around $20 / £17 / AU $33, while participating retailers have also cut the price of Overwatch’s game of the year edition.

This is all to tie in with Storm Rising, Overwatch’s latest PvE event. Blizzard’s description of the mode states: “The clock is ticking as Tracer, Genji, Winston, and Mercy travel to Cuba to head off a stormfront and chase down the Omnic Talon boss Maximilien in the all-new Overwatch Archives replayable mission, Storm Rising.”

In addition, the Archives event’s previous modes, Uprising and Retribution, are back for a limited time, while more than 160 new cosmetics are available in total. The pair of modes, along with Storm Rising, are available until May 6.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/overwatch-goes-free-to-play-for-limited-time/1100-6466323/