Xbox Game Pass Officially Releasing For PC

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Microsoft has now formally announced that it is bringing its Netflix-style subscription service for games, Xbox Game Pass, to PC. Although it shares a name with the Xbox One service, the announcement makes clear that the PC library will be curated separately. The company calls it “a new experience that we are building together with the PC community.” More details will be shared during Microsoft’s E3 2019 press conference.

In the announcement from Xbox head Phil Spencer, Microsoft says the service will give subscribers access to a curated library of more than 100 PC games on Windows 10, representing publishers like Bethesda, Deep Silver, Devolver Digital, Paradox Interactive, and Sega. The company also committed to including new releases from Xbox Game Studios on the PC version of Game Pass on the day of release, just like the Xbox One service. The library will add new games every month. Game Pass members can also permanently purchase the games at up to a 20% discount in the Microsoft Store, and 10% off DLC.

One question the blog did not answer is whether current subscribers to Game Pass on Xbox One will also receive a subscription to the PC library as part of their existing fee, or whether it will require two separate subscriptions.

The announcement also noted two other key initiatives for PC players. The first is bringing Xbox Game Studios games to the Steam storefront, starting with Gears 5 and the Age of Empires games. The company also committed to supporting Win32 games on the Microsoft Store for Windows.

“These are just a few of our steps in a journey to contribute to gaming on Windows 10,” Spencer said. “We know that PC gamers want to see games, so I hope you’ll join us at our annual Xbox E3 2019 Briefing on Sunday, June 9 to hear more, including the amazing lineup of new games and offers coming to PC players.”

On Xbox One, the Game Pass service costs $10 / £8 / $11 AU per month for a similarly sized library of rotating games. It’s developed a healthy reputation for having a solid library, including some indies on day one. It recently outlined plans for late May and early June, which includes day-one access to Void Bastards and Outer Wilds.

As noted above, Microsoft will provide further details during its E3 press conference. It takes place on Sunday, June 9, at 1 PM PT.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-game-pass-officially-releasing-for-pc/1100-6467251/

Fortnite Week 4 Challenge List: Dance Inside Holographic Tomato Head, Legendary Weapon Eliminations, And More

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We’re now in Season 9, Week 4 of Fortnite, and there’s new challenges to be completed. As always, one set is available to everyone playing the wildly popular battle royale mode, while the second is exclusively available to those that have spent money (V-Bucks) to purchase a premium Battle Pass.

By completing the week’s challenges, which you can see in full below, you’ll earn Battle Stars. These level up your Battle Pass and, as it climbs in rank, you’ll unlock cosmetics that can be used to customize your character.

This week players will need to do damage using a Sniper Rifle, dance in various locations, and get kills using legendary weapons. If you’ve got a premium Battle Pass, you’ll also need to visit specific locations, destroy loot carriers, eliminate enemies in specific locations, and visit named locations.

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Free

  • Deal damage with Sniper Rifles to opponents (500) — 5 Battle Stars
  • Stage 1: Dance inside a holographic Tomato head (1) — 1 Battle Star
    • Stage 2: Dance inside a holographic Durr Burger head (1) — 2 Battle Stars
    • Stage 3: Dance on top of a giant Dumpling head (1) — 2 Battle Stars
  • Legendary weapon eliminations (3) — 10 Battle Stars

Premium

  • Destroy a Loot Carrier in different matches (3) — 5 Battle Stars
  • Stage 1: Land at Polar Peak (1) — 1 Battle Star
    • Land at Lazy Lagoon (1) — 1 Battle Star
    • Land at Salty Springs (1) — 1 Battle Star
    • Land at The Block (1) — 1 Battle Star
    • Land at Lonely Lodge (1) — 1 Battle Star
  • Eliminate opponents in Haunted Hills or Dusty Divot (3) — 10 Battle Stars
  • Visit different named locations in a single match (5) — 10 Battle Stars

Fortnite’s 9.10 patch launched on May 29 and introduced the Burst SMG, which is available in common, uncommon, and rare varieties. It can be found in chests and vending machines, and as floor loot. The Burst SMG has a 24-round magazine and uses light ammo. The Suppressed Submachine Gun was thrown into the Vault to make room for it, however.

It looks like developer Epic Games is also teasing an upcoming event, as players noticed a giant eye on the island. The eyeball can be found beneath Polar Peak, and will watch you and follow your movements if you’re close enough. It could be that this monster will eventually break out and stomp around the game world.

If you need a hand completing challenges from previous weeks in the season, take a look at our complete Fortnite Season 9 challenge guide. We’re updating that with guides on a weekly basis, so you’ll find the methods for how to complete the trickiest challenges in there.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fortnite-week-4-challenge-list-dance-inside-hologr/1100-6467248/

E3 2019 Kinda Funny Showcase: What Time Is It On And How To Watch

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E3 is fast approaching, and many of the game industry’s biggest publishers are preparing to make a splash with surprise announcements and flashy stage shows. But not all of the presentations are from publishers and game studios. Kinda Funny Games, the media company founded in 2015, will be holding its own Kinda Funny Games Showcase, slotting itself between the presentations for Ubisoft and Square Enix.

What Time Does Kinda Funny Showcase Start?

As announced in a tweet from company co-founder Greg Miller, the Kinda Funny Games Showcase at E3 will begin on Monday, June 10 at 4:30 PM PT / 7:30 PM ET (12:30 AM BST / 9:30 AM AET on June 11). The Kinda Funny crew will be broadcasting out of Los Angeles, as the industry event kicks off in earnest the very next day.

Where To Watch

Like most Kinda Funny streams and podcasts, you can watch it live through its YouTube channel. Or just bookmark this page and watch it right here on GameSpot.

What To Expect

Kinda Funny is an entertainment company, not a publisher, so many of the bigger studios will be saving their showstopping announcements for their own press conferences. However, the comedy company has shown a track record for securing some neat reveals and exclusives of their own.

At the Kinda Funny Showcase in December 2018, the presentation included an extended look at Judgment from the Yakuza studio, a release date for the conclusion of Telltale’s The Walking Dead, and extended looks at indie games like Vane and Super Meat Boy Forever. We can probably expect similarly-sized announcements for this showcase. All of that will be couched in the company’s signature style, which should make it a nice break from the sometimes gaudy presentations of the rest of E3.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2019-kinda-funny-showcase-what-time-is-it-on-an/1100-6467232/

That Pretty Good Ghostbusters Game Is Being Remastered

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2009’s Ghostbusters: The Video Game is being remastered for the PlayStation 4. A trailer for the game has been released and confirms that it is being developed by Saber Interactive, which recently worked on World War Z and NBA 2K Playgrounds. The PS4 game is set to launch in 2019.

The trailer states that Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered will feature high-resolution visuals, but there’s no further information on any additional bells and whistles that may be included. It also seems that the original cast will once again be voicing their characters. In the game, players take control of a new member of the team, but work alongside the core cast of the movie franchise.

Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, who wrote the original movies, were involved in the creation of the game’s script, and this helped give it authenticity. In GameSpot’s original Ghostbusters: The Video Game review, Kevin VanOrd said, “If you’re a fan of the films, or just like a little bit of supernatural fun, there’s no need to glance about furtively when picking up your copy. Instead, hold your head high, confident that you’ve spent your money on a fun game worthy of its beloved license.

“The production values nail the Ghostbusters vibe. The sound effects in particular are fantastic, from eerie whispers in hotel hallways and groans of bosses to the whooshes and slurps of pulling a ghost into a trap. And while the game isn’t amazing from a technical perspective, a vibrant color palette and detailed ghost designs make the story come alive.”

A new Ghostbusters film is also in production and expected to release in 2020. It is set in the world of the of the original Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989). Jason Reitman (Up In The Air, Juno), the son of original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman, is writing and directing the movie.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/that-pretty-good-ghostbusters-game-is-being-remast/1100-6467247/

Enter To Win* A Logitech PC Gaming Bundle!

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PC gamer alert! We joined forces with Logitech to give away a prize bundle that includes a lightspeed wireless gaming mouse, a G935 headset, a gaming wheel and G613 keyboard for one lucky reader, just in time to play all the new titles that will be announced during E3 2019.

To enter this online giveaway you need to fill out the form below after reading our official rules and accepting our terms and conditions. Once you are done, you have the option of getting extra entries by following us across social media or visiting our site.

If you are having trouble viewing the form, please use this link.

Make sure you check out Logitech’s grads promotion to take advantage of their 20% off discount for this graduation season. Good luck, everyone!

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/enter-to-win-a-logitech-pc-gaming-bundle/1100-6467233/

Blizzard Teases More Overwatch Experiences In The Future

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Blizzard is currently working on a lot of games; in fact, the studio has more titles in production currently than it ever has in its entire history. The company might not be willing to reveal the new projects just yet, but Blizzard’s CEO J. Allen Brack has now teased that you could see a new Overwatch game outside of the existing shooter.

He told Game Informer that Overwatch, like Blizzard’s other franchises, could extend beyond the initial title into new areas. He mentioned that Warcraft originally started as a RTS before becoming an MMO with World of Warcraft, and also a mobile card game with Hearthstone. You might also see Overwatch extend to new categories, he teased.

“We’ve talked about how we’ve got more games in development than ever before. More games in development than in the entire history of the company,” Brack said. “We also think that there are a lot of different types of games that can exist within the IPs that we have. If we think about the Overwatch IP for example, we think about the Overwatch IP as being extremely large and extremely all-encompassing. Overwatch, the game people experience today, is just being a very small part of what that IP could be.”

Blizzard doesn’t always release all of the games that it works on. For example, Blizzard developed a game called Warcraft Adventures but it was canceled before release.

“We think that a lot of these franchises have the ability to have lots of different types of games, lots of different types of experiences,” Brack said.

Brack also acknowledged that Blizzard is looking to create brand-new franchises as well. The company doesn’t do that often. When it was released in 2016, Overwatch was Blizzard’s first new IP since Diablo about 18 years prior.

“That’s a long time to go without creating a new franchise,” Brack acknowledged. “So we want to create more games in our franchises and we do want to think about new franchises as well.”

J. Allen Brack took over as Blizzard’s new president after founder Mike Morhaime left the company last year.

Blizzard’s next big event is Blizzcon 2019 in November. There is no word on what Blizzard may show, but the company is surely hoping to have a better showing than in 2018 when the company unveiled the mobile game Diablo Immortal to a mixed reaction.

In other news, the Overwatch League’s commissioner recently left Blizzard to join Epic to work on Fortnite.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/blizzard-teases-more-overwatch-experiences-in-the-/1100-6467245/

Total War: Three Kingdoms Sells 1 Million Copies In A Week

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Creative Assembly’s new strategy game Total War: Three Kingdoms is off to a hot start. The game sold more than 1 million copies in its first week to become the studio’s fastest-selling strategy game ever. The game is the current No. 1 strategy game on Steam in terms of concurrent players with more than 160,000 peak concurrent players today.

Creative Assembly’s chief product officer Rob Bartholomew said in a statement that the response to Three Kingdoms “exceeded all expectations”

“We’re seeing a lot of ‘best Total War ever’ comments out there. We’re very proud,” he added.

Three Kingdoms is the first Total War game set in China; it takes place in 190 CE. The game was originally scheduled to launch in March, but Creative Assembly delayed it to May to fix bugs, add polish, and make sure the localization was done right.

GameSpot’s Total War: Three Kingdoms review scored the game an 8/10.

“This is the most ambitious that Total War has ever been, from the variety of different ways that you can enjoy the game to the sheer scope of the stories that they’ve weaved around each unique character’s playable experience,” reviewer Ginny Woo said. “Three Kingdoms feels like the rightful evolution of the series, pulling from its roots in historical military tactics to come up with an engrossing modern strategy game that is always a delight, even in its less well-oiled moments.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/total-war-three-kingdoms-sells-1-million-copies-in/1100-6467244/

Nier Automata’s Yoko Taro Heavily Involved In FFXIV Shadowbringers Content, Naoki Yoshida Says

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The upcoming expansion to Square Enix’s MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV, called Shadowbringers, will introduce a wide variety of changes to the core gameplay as well as a slew of new content. And one of the most intriguing additions will be an entire raid dedicated to Nier Automata. It’s called YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse, and it’ll be a lot more than the typical crossover event, although not much has been detailed yet.

However, I had a chance to speak with FFXIV director and lead producer Naoki Yoshida during a preview event for Shadowbringers, and asked about where the idea came from, if there are any details he could tease, and how much Nier’s creator Yoko Taro is involved in the raid’s creation.

Key art for the upcoming Nier Automata crossover raid in Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers.

Yoshida-san stated that the crossover was driven by player feedback, and elaborated, “When Nier Automata was released, a lot of people were saying, ‘We want 9S or 2B gear in FFXIV!’ Of course, if we’re just simply having attire or an outfit implemented into FFXIV, it’s simple, it’s quick, but I’m sure it wouldn’t be fun from a gameplay perspective.”

I think it leans more towards Nier’s gameplay rather than FFXIV’s battle mechanics. – Naoki Yoshida

He continued, “Why not have Yoko-san come on board and create content that sort of meshes FFXIV and Nier together? And as a reward, you can get the gear and costumes. I feel that it would make for a lot more interesting gameplay, had we had his participation. We approached Yoko-san and asked him, ‘Would you be interested in doing such a project?’ He was happy to be on board.”

Yoko-san’s involvement is very significant, as if he is creating a whole game. Over the course of the next two years, we will continue to work with him and the team to bring content. – Naoki Yoshida

In terms of information on the content, Yoshida-san mentioned that he can’t give many details. But he did say that this raid will have a unique Nier Automata flavor, more so than you might expect.

“We do feel that it’s going to be very much in line with a Nier game and it’ll bring out Yoko-san’s sort of tastes very well. As well as the battle mechanics, I think it leans more towards Nier’s gameplay rather than FFXIV’s battle mechanics. He is writing the text and scenario script, and provided us with ideas for the boss design. And once we do come up with the visual sketches, he would review and check each piece that we bring to him.”

Final Fantasy XIV director and lead producer Naoki Yoshida.

“Yoko-san’s involvement is very significant, as if he is creating a whole game. Over the course of the next two years, we will continue to work with him and the team to bring content. We’re really looking forward to continuing this relationship.”

If you’re not familiar with what raids are in MMORPGs, they’re usually long, continuous PvE multiplayer missions with larger parties and varied challenges like difficult multi-step boss battles interspersed with high-stakes puzzles. YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse isn’t expected to be available at the launch of Shadowbringers, as raids are typically rolled out through subsequent updates post-release over a year or two (as mentioned by Yoshida-san above) and require players to be at max level with high-level gear.

Nier Automata producer Yosuke Saito (left) and director Yoko Taro (right) during the crossover announcement.

FFXIV has already incorporated crossover events with Monster Hunter–which flipped the script on game mechanics to align closer with that series–and Final Fantasy XV that involved a questline starring Noctis. Another new raid called Eden is designed by longtime game designer and Kingdom Hearts director Tetsuya Nomura. And it seems like the MMORPG is going to great lengths to do even more for Nier Automata in the near future.

As for the new expansion, I did a breakdown of the biggest changes and additions coming to FFXIV with Shadowbringers and 5.0 update, which involves many gameplay overhauls along with new Jobs and Races. Shadowbringers launches for PC and PlayStation 4 on July 2, 2019.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nier-automatas-yoko-taro-heavily-involved-in-ffxiv/1100-6467237/