The Epic Games Store has locked down yet another timed exclusive PC release. Developer Mobius Digital has confirmed that its crowdfunded sci-fi game Outer Wilds will be released on PC through the Epic Games Store as a timed exclusive. In an update to its page on the crowdfunding site Fig, Mobius said the game will come to “additional platforms” later.

The game is also coming to console on Xbox One through a partnership with Xbox.

Mobius said it is is aware that fans want Outer Worlds on Steam (and other systems). The studio said fans can “rest assured” that their feedback is heard. The overall goal is to “bring the game to your preferred platform as quickly as possible.”

Regarding its deals with Xbox and Epic, as well as publisher Annapurna Interactive, Mobius said these deals have allowed the studio to “keep our small studio running long enough to ship the game at the level of quality that it is today.” The team added: “Each of these partnerships has enabled us to make the game better and more accessible for everyone who will play it.”

Some backers are not happy about the Epic Games Store exclusivity. A number of people wrote in the Fig comments to voice their displeasure over the announcement.

Outer Wilds is just the latest title that Epic has scooped up as a timed exclusive. Just last week, Epic announced a deal with Ubisoft to bring Ghost Recon: Breakpoint to the Epic Games Store as a timed exclusive (it will also be available on Ubisoft’s Uplay, but not Steam at launch).

The games Metro: Exodus and The Division 2 launched on the Epic Games Store as timed exclusives, while upcoming titles like Borderlands 3, The Outer Worlds, and Control also have deals in place. Valve’s Steam marketplace has historically dominated the PC gaming space, and it still does, but Epic is trying to take a piece of the pie by spending money on exclusives. Epic also offers a seemingly attractive package where it offers publishers/developers an 88 percent of game sale revenue compared to what is believed to be 70 percent on Steam.

Epic’s decision to buy exclusives has frustrated some fans, so it will be interesting to see how the company deals with the public relations factor of the situation. All of this has been made possible thanks to the unthinkable global success of Fortnite and all the money it’s brought in.

Mobius raised more than $126,000 in 2015 to develop Outer Wilds.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/epic-games-store-picks-up-another-pc-timed-exclusi/1100-6466834/

While the PS4 and Xbox One may be approaching the end of their life cycles, the Nintendo Switch is still very much just getting started. Nintendo’s hybrid console burst onto the market two years ago and has been riding a wave of momentum ever since. As of March 31, the system has sold more than 34 million units worldwide, already overtaking the Nintendo 64’s lifetime sales and putting it on pace with those of the company’s most successful home console, the Wii.

Despite the system’s impressive sales, reports have begun to circulate that Nintendo is already working on new iterations of the Switch that will supposedly launch later this year. Nintendo, for its part, has neither confirmed nor denied the rumors, so whether such models exist is still conjecture at this point. That said, Nintendo has a long history of refreshing its consoles every few years, particularly its handhelds, and there’s enough evidence to suggest the company will take the same approach with the Switch. With that in mind, let’s take a look at everything we know so far about these rumored new Switch models.

How Many New Switch Models Are Coming?

This past March, the Wall Street Journal reported that two new Nintendo Switch models would be released in 2019: a less expensive iteration with pared down features, and an “enhanced” version targeted at “avid” gamers. The following month, Japanese newspaper Nikkei published its own report about a lower-cost Switch, saying that a less expensive version of the system is coming this fall. Nikkei’s story didn’t touch on the “enhanced” Switch model mentioned in the Wall Street Journal’s report, but it did claim that development on a “next-generation” version of the system would begin following the less expensive model.

Lending further weight to the rumor, Bloomberg also published a report in April claiming that a cheaper Switch would be released this year. According to the publication, the system will launch as soon as the end of June. However, Bloomberg’s report noted that the more powerful Switch model mentioned by the Wall Street Journal was “not in the works;” rather, the current Switch would get some kind of “modest upgrade” this year, although what that entails was not specified. While that likely rules out the possibility of an “enhanced” version of the system being released any time soon, there seems to be enough evidence that a cheaper model is on the way sometime this year.

What Has Nintendo Said About The New Switch?

Nintendo typically has a policy of not commenting on rumors or speculation, but the company has made general statements in response to the reports about potential new Switch models. During an earnings call last month, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said, “As a general rule, we’re always working on new hardware and we will announce it when we are able to sell it.” While not an outright denial, Furukawa’s response is carefully worded and doesn’t rule out the possibility that a new iteration of the Switch could be coming this year.

Will The New Switch Be At E3 2019?

While new game consoles are traditionally unveiled at E3, it doesn’t appear that will be the case with the rumored new Switch. Despite not outright denying the existence of a cheaper model, Nintendo president Furukawa categorically dispelled rumors that a new system would be revealed at the annual trade show, saying the company has “no plans to announce [new hardware] at this year’s E3 in June.” Still, while Furukawa may have put the breaks on an E3 reveal, his comments leave open the possibility that Nintendo could announce a Switch revision sometime before or after the expo.

How Will The New Switch Be Different?

While nothing has been confirmed yet, the Wall Street Journal reports the new, less expensive Switch model would be positioned as a “cheaper option for casual gamers.” In order to cut costs, Nintendo would reportedly remove certain features, such as controller vibration. Nikkei claims the cheaper Switch is being “designed for portable use,” although the system would still be compatible with a dock and playable on a television.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Nintendo is viewing the new Switch as a “successor” to its 3DS line, which the company has in recent years marketed as a budget-priced handheld aimed at children. This would seem to further support Nikkei’s claim that the system is being designed primarily for handheld play. The reported timing of the system’s release would make sense as well, as Nintendo has a number of Switch games on the way this year that will assuredly be big hits among children, including Pokemon Sword and Shield and a new Animal Crossing.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/everything-we-know-about-nintendos-new-switch-mode/1100-6466830/

For a limited time, Pokemon fans in the US will be able to add a special Pokemon to their collections in Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee. The Pokemon Company is giving away a free Shiny Pikachu or Shiny Eevee for the Switch games from May 11 to June 23 at participating Target stores around the country, but this time around, the process to claim one is a little different than usual.

Rather than just walking into the store and picking up a download code, you’ll first need to download a new phone app called Pokemon Pass, then use that to receive a code for the free Pokemon. This process may sound a little confusing, so we’ve outlined exactly how to get your free Shiny Pikachu or Eevee below.

What Is Pokemon Pass?

Pokemon Pass is a new mobile app that allows users to take advantage of special promotions and rewards. The app can be downloaded for free from Google Play or the App Store and is compatible with most Android and iOS phones. In order to use it, you’ll need to log in with a Pokemon Trainer Club account. If you don’t have one, you can create an account for free on the official Pokemon website.

How Do I Get My Free Pokemon?

Once you’ve installed the Pokemon Pass app and signed into your Pokemon Trainer Club account, head to a participating Target store and look for signs with QR codes on them in the toy and video game aisles where Pokemon merchandise can be found. Use the app to scan the QR code and you’ll receive a serial code, which you’ll then need to input into your copy of Let’s Go Pikachu or Eevee to complete the process.

Shiny Pikachu And Eevee

The Pokemon you receive will be the opposite of the version you own, so players with a copy of Let’s Go Pikachu will get a Shiny Eevee, while those with Let’s Go Eevee will get a Shiny Pikachu. Each Pokemon comes at level 10 and already has four moves in its arsenal. You can see their movesets below.

Pikachu

• Thunderbolt
• Double Kick
• Double Team
• Thunder

Eevee

• Double-Edge
• Iron Tail
• Helping Hand
• Facade

How Do I Redeem My Download Code?

After you’ve received your serial code from Target, fire up your copy of Let’s Go Pikachu or Eevee and choose Mystery Gift from the game’s main menu. Select the option to receive a gift with a code/password, then input your serial code to download the free Pokemon. Finally, open your save file and pick the Pokemon up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center.

Are There Any Other Freebies?

In addition to the free Shiny Pikachu and Eevee, you can use the Pokemon Pass to claim a couple of free photo stickers based on the Detective Pikachu movie. The Pokemon Company is also giving away a Detective Pikachu Psyduck promo card and movie poster between 10 AM-1 PM local time on May 11. Supplies will be limited, however, so you should show up early if you’re hoping to snag one.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/how-to-get-free-shiny-pikachu-eevee-for-pokemon-le/1100-6466779/

Although it’s still not enough to make a definitive confirmation, we now have another clue pointing to the next Call of Duty game being Modern Warfare 4. Or rather, five more clues.

The LinkedIn profiles for at least five former Infinity Ward developers show they are back with the Modern Warfare studio. Each of them has a history with the Modern Warfare series. Infinity Ward animation director Mark Grigsby worked on the first two Modern Warfare games, as did game designer Alex Roycewicz, multiplayer design director Geoff Smith, and studio art director Joel Emslie. Infinity Ward founder Zied Rieke–who left the company after working on all three Modern Warfare games–has returned as gameplay director.

All five men have had lasting impacts on Call of Duty. Grigsby helped define Call of Duty’s weapons, even creating the popular knife melee attack in Modern Warfare. Both Roycewicz and Smith designed some of the franchise’s most memorable multiplayer maps, such as Modern Warfare’s Overgrown and Wetwork. Emslie designed some of the more noteworthy characters and items in Call of Duty, such as Ghost and the ghillie suit. Rieke had a huge effect, being the one responsible for designing the original team deathmatch spawn logic in the first Call of Duty and the flashing regenerating health system in Call of Duty 2–both of which continued to be implemented in and influence many Call of Duty titles.

Prior to taking on their current roles at Infinity Ward, each of the five were contributing their talents to other games. Grigbsy, Roycewicz, Smith, and Emslie were all at Respawn, working together on Titanfall and Titanfall 2. Rieke was at Respawn during development of Titanfall, but then went on to found Darwin Game Studio in 2012 and then join Naughty Dog in 2013 before returning to Infinity Ward.

Infinity Ward is the developer behind 2007’s Modern Warfare, 2009’s Modern Warfare 2, and 2011’s Modern Warfare 3. It’s long been suspected Infinity Ward would be the next developer to release a Call of Duty title, as per the pattern of studios working on the franchise. That’s now been confirmed (the Call of Duty game the studio is working on is even already in a playable state).

Rumors that Modern Warfare 4 would be the next Call of Duty game first surfaced when Infinity Ward senior communication manager Ashton Williams dropped a hint pointing back to the series. However, neither Infinity Ward or Activision has provided more than hints as to whether the rumors are true.

Activision has normally unveiled the title of each Call of Duty game in May, so we might be getting some form of announcement soon and then further details and a gameplay reveal at E3 2019. We don’t know much about the new Call of Duty other than that it will include a traditional single-player campaign, unlike last year’s Black Ops 4. Activision has also confirmed the game will have a “huge expansive multiplayer world” and “fun co-op gameplay.” Given that Call of Duty has enjoyed a wealth of multiplayer modes in the past though, ranging from the objective-based Zombies to battle royale Blackout, these descriptions could mean anything.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-4-is-looking-more-and-/1100-6466826/