Borderlands 3 had the biggest launch in the publisher’s history. 2K Games announced that within its first five days of launch it sold 50% more than Borderlands 2, making it the fastest selling 2K game. It also set a record as the highest-selling 2K game on PC within a five-day window, despite being an Epic Games Store exclusive. Plus the new sales pushed the franchise as a whole over $1 billion. It’s only the second franchise for 2K to ever achieve that billion mark.

But that’s not all. 2K also said Borderlands 3 got the highest percentage of digital sales at more than 70%, the highest pre-order sales to date for any 2K game, and broke Epic Games Store pre-order records. It was also a popular spectator game, claiming the top position on Twitch for the most-watched game on launch day.

Gearbox recently detailed the first free content coming to Borderlands 3, the Halloween-themed Bloody Harvest. At the same time, game director Paul Sage said the company has no plans to add more playable characters, in part because the studio used active skills and mods to differentiate the classes more than in prior games.

Borderlands 3 is the latest in the long-running series with a nearly endless supply of guns. You can check out some of the best Borderlands 3 guns we’ve found, or claim some Shift Codes to unlock great gear for yourself.

In GameSpot’s Borderlands 3 review, Jordan Ramee wrote, “If you’ve never been a fan of the franchise, it’s unlikely Borderlands 3 does enough things differently to change your mind, as the game best excels at continuing what the series has always done: deliver a humorous tall tale of misfits looting and shooting their way to heroism.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-3-marks-fastest-selling-2k-game-ever/1100-6470015/

Sony has committed to making the next PlayStation more green. In a note on the PlayStation Blog, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan committed to the UN’s Playing for the Planet alliance. The UN Environment Committee initiative intends to partner with the video game industry to help make it more sustainable.

Ryan promised that the “next generation PlayStation console” will be able to suspend gameplay with a lower power consumption. One million PS5 users enabling the feature would save enough electricity to power about 1,000 homes. He said the company will also be conducting a carbon footprint assessment for its gaming services and looking into energy efficient measures at data centers.

Sony will also be working on a variety of messaging initiatives, starting with making sure to inform consumers on energy-saving features in their consoles. It will be providing reference info for developers who want to make games that revolve around sustainability. Finally, it’s looking into PS VR applications that could help raise awareness about climate issues.

The company also boasts that it has already been revising its production to become more energy efficient. Revisions to the PlayStation 4 have already saved an estimated 16 million metric tons of carbon emissions. Sony estimates that the total number will rise to 29 million metric tons over the next ten years, which for comparison is equivalent to the entire nation of Denmark in 2017.

“There is an undeniable opportunity for leaders in the games industry to take a stand and support the UN Environment team by communicating the importance of preserving natural resources for generations to come,” Ryan said. “At PlayStation, we believe games have the power to ignite social change through educating people, evoking emotions, and inspiring hope. We could not be more proud to be part of the Playing for the Planet Alliance and the commitments announced. We look forward to seeing what the industry can achieve together.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps5-will-be-better-for-the-environment/1100-6470014/

Nintendo’s Switch exclusive The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening has debuted at the top of the UK’s physical sales chart, according to sales monitor Chart-Track. The game’s impressive launch week means last week’s No.1, Borderlands 3, slips to No.2 for the week ending September 21.

It’s a busy week for new releases, but save for Link’s Awakening, none manage to break into the top 10. Truck Driver is the most successful in No.11, while the new Switch version of Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch launches at No.23. Finally, the remastered PS4 edition of the same game is just behind at No.26.

But it’s the new Zelda game that is this week’s big winner, and it was a hit with critics, too. The Link’s Awakening reviews were universally positive and included an 8/10 from GameSpot in our own verdict.

“Though the remake has a couple of blemishes, it’s still an easy game to recommend,” wrote our reviewer, Peter Brown. “People speak of Link’s Awakening as the secret best Zelda game. That’s a tough call to make, but it’s definitely one of the best. If you haven’t touched a classic Zelda game in a while, Link’s Awakening will almost instantly transport you back to the ’90s. It’s simple, in many ways, but the orchestrated journey still conveys a sense of adventure, and this new version is without question the best way to experience it. And more than anything else, it will put a smile on your face. Remakes are a dime a dozen nowadays and often easy to overlook. Don’t make that mistake with Link’s Awakening.” You can read more in our full Zelda: Link’s Awakening review.

Take a look at the full top 10 sales chart for this week below, courtesy of UKIE and GfK Chart-Track. Note this table does not include digital sales data, and so should not be considered representative of all UK game sales.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
2. Borderlands 3
3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
4. Gears 5
5. PES 2020
6. The Division 2
7. Grand Theft Auto V
8. Spyro Reignited Trilogy
9. Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled
10. NBA 2K20

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/top-10-uk-games-chart-zelda-links-awakening-dethro/1100-6470012/

It appears Batman: Arkham Origins developer WB Games Montreal is teasing its new game. The studio tweeted today, September 22, for the first time in more than four years, with what looks to be a cryptic teaser for a new project.

The tweet celebrates the 80th anniversary of Batman’s first comic book appearance back in 1939 with a video that shows the Bat-Signal projected onto a building. But there is more to it. The video also contains flashes, at :03 and :21, of mysterious symbols that you can see below.

People are speculating that at least one of the symbols is in reference to the secret society, the Court of Owls, that exists in the Batman universe. Intriguingly, a WB Games Montreal developer tweeted in November 2018 a picture of a developer wearing a t-shirt with owl imagery on it. The tweet appears to be in reference to an upcoming, unannounced project.

More evidence for the Court of Owls connection came from Batman comics writer Scott Snyder. He tweeted, and then deleted, a post that specifically mentioned the Court of Owls. He used the hashtag #bewarethecourtofowls” in his since-deleted post. You can see a screen-cap of his tweet below.

WB Games Montreal has numerous open positions posted on its jobs website, one of which mentions the studio is working on a “AAA unannounced game.” The studio is massive, as it currently employs more than 300 people and continues to staff up.

In 2016, Kotaku reported that WB Games Montreal canceled a Suicide Squad game and shifted focus to a new Batman game starring Damian Wayne. This could be the new title that WB Games Montreal is teasing, as Damian Wayne was featured in the 2012 comic “Night of Owls” that focuses on Batman’s fight against the Court of Owls. Nothing is confirmed, however.

In 2018, WB Games Montreal senior designer Osama Dorias said on the Humans of Gaming podcast that the studio was working on a “couple projects” connected to the DC universe. One of these games is a “major console game, open world, DC universe,” Dorias said.

Meanwhile, Batman: Arkham Knight studio Rocksteady is also working on a new project, though it has not been announced.

People are speculating that a forthcoming Batman game reveal could happen at the PlayStation State of Play event this week, though nothing at all has lent any credence to this.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/batman-arkham-origins-dev-posts-cryptic-teaser-see/1100-6470005/

New Releases has had a few extra-long episodes in September, and this week we’ve put together another one. September has a double dose of Dark Souls-inspired games with Code Vein and The Surge 2, plus the intense run-and-gun action of Contra: Rogue Corps. Nintendo fans can also get their fill with Mario Kart Tour on mobile devices, plus Nintendo Switch ports of Dragon Quest 11 and Ori and the Blind Forest. Footballers can also take a crack at FIFA 20 this week.

The Surge 2 — September 24

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

One of two games inspired by From Software coming this week, The Surge 2 is set in a more vertical city than the original, giving you different spaces to explore as you hack away at enemies and bosses. “Hack” is definitely the keyword here, as the limb-targeting system is still very much a big component of combat.

More Coverage:

• The Surge 2 – 13 Minutes Of Exclusive Gameplay

• The Surge 2 Does Combat Better Than Its Predecessor In (Almost) Every Way

Contra: Rogue Corps — September 24

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch

Rogue Corps might be set seven years after Contra III: The Alien Wars, but it’s full of the crazy run-and-gun action you’d expect from the series. You can save the Damned City as a cyborg, assassin, alien, or scientist panda as you play solo or with friends in local and online co-op. Each of those four rogues has their own special abilities too.

More Coverage:

• Contra: Rogue Corps – High-Octane Co-op Gameplay | Gamescom 2019

• Contra Rogue Corps Reveal Trailer | Nintendo Direct E3 2019

Mario Kart Tour — September 25

Available on: iOS, Android

Mario Kart Tour might be a mobile game, but it still sports a lot of the same courses, characters, items, and custom kart options you’d expect from the series. However, it also includes new courses based on real-world locations like the Eiffel Tower. What’s more, Mario Kart Tour is free to download.

More Coverage:

• Mario Kart Tour Release Date Revealed, Courses Based On Real-World Locations Shown Off

• Mario Kart Tour Closed Beta Reveals First Details, Raises F2P Concerns

Code Vein — September 27

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Code Vein is the other Souls-like game launching this week, and it’s earned the nickname “anime Dark Souls.” Code Vein sets itself apart by letting you customize your character with abilities called Gifts and switch your class on the fly via Blood Codes. You’ll be taking on tough enemies and bosses of course, but thankfully you can battle alongside AI companions and other players online.

More Coverage:

• A Free Code Vein Demo For PS4 And Xbox One Is Available Now

• Code Vein Combat And Blade Bearer Boss Battle Gameplay | E3 2019

Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes of An Elusive Age – Definitive Edition — September 27

Available on: Switch

If you’ve been waiting to play Dragon Quest XI on the go, now’s the time. This definitive version of the game lets you switch between modern and 16-bit graphics, which also toggles the soundtrack between symphonic and synthesized. This version also includes new stories and a harder difficulty level called Draconian Quest.

More Coverage:

• Dragon Quest XI: Echoes Of An Elusive Age Review – Back To The Good-Old Days

• Dragon Quest 11 2D Gameplay On Nintendo Switch | PAX West 2019

Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition — September 27

Available on: Switch

Nintendo Switch is also getting a port of Ori and the Blind Forest this week. Once a Microsoft exclusive, this modern Metroidvania puts you in control of the guardian spirit of the forest. The Definitive Edition is that same game, but with new areas to explore and additional difficulty options.

More Coverage:

• Ori and the Blind Forest Review

• Ori And The Blind Forest Running On Nintendo Switch | PAX West 2019

FIFA 20 — September 27

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch

FIFA 20 sports new dribbling, tackling, aiming and shooting mechanics, but the biggest addition is Volta football. This takes the soccer match away from big stadiums in favor of smaller games on side streets, which totally changes the pace of the game. But don’t worry, Career mode and Ultimate Team are still very much a part of the action.

More Coverage:

• FIFA 20 Review In Progress – Forza FIFA

• FIFA 20 – Story Mode Cinematics And 4v4 Volta Gameplay

September is coming to a close soon, but October has its own lineup of video games on the horizon. Next week, New Releases will take a top-level look at the new month, which is home to shooters like Destiny 2‘s Shadowkeep expansion, Ghost Recon Breakpoint, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/top-new-game-releases-on-switch-ps4-xbox-one-and-p/1100-6469986/