Disney To Sell One Of Its Last Big Gaming Studios, Report Says

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Entertainment giant Disney is reportedly taking another big step away from in-house game development. According to sources speaking to financial publication Bloomberg, Disney is planning to sell the game developer/publisher FoxNext, which it picked up through the acquisition of Fox earlier this year.

The site reports that different Disney executives, including direct-to-consumer boss Kevin Mayer, considered keeping FoxNext. However, Disney CEO Bob Iger reportedly shut that down, and it was ultimately decided to sell FoxNext. Officially, Disney had no comment.

FoxNext was founded in 2017 with the aim of handling Fox’s video game, virtual reality, augmented reality, and theme park endeavors. In 2018, FoxNext announced it was working on a new Alien shooter with a team made up of people who worked on BioShock, Borderlands, and Star Trek: Online.

In terms of games that FoxNext has already released, the company worked with Aftershock Studios on the mobile game Marvel Strike Force; it was released in March 2018. Earlier in 2019, FoxNext announced it created an program to fund the development of indie games; the first of these was the gravity-based puzzle game Etherborn.

If Disney does decide to sell FoxNext, that would be little surprise given that the House of Mouse has been moving away from internal game development for a long time already. In 2016, Disney shut down the Disney Infinity toys-to-life series and closed developer Avalanche Software in the process.

Before that, Disney closed down Tron Evolution studio Propaganda Games, which was working on Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned before its cancellation. Disney also owned the game developer Black Rock Studios that made the excellent racing games Pure and Split/Second before it shut down that studio, too. Disney also developed the Epic Mickey video games with Warren Spector’s Junction Point Studios, but the company ended the franchise and closed the developer in 2013.

Bungie founder Alex Seropian was heading up Disney’s gaming business before he left to form a mobile game studio called Industrial Toys that EA later acquired.

During an earnings call earlier this year, Iger talked about Disney’s rocky history with game development and publishing.

“Over the years we’ve tried our hand in self-publishing, we’ve bought companies, we’ve sold companies, we’ve bought developers, we’ve closed developers. And we’ve found over the years that we haven’t been particularly good at the self-publishing side, but we’ve been great at the licensing side which obviously doesn’t require that much allocation of capital,” Iger said.

One of Disney’s video game licensees is EA, which signed a 10-year deal with the company to make Star Wars games. Iger said these licensing arrangements have been a positive for EA on the video game side, and you can expect them to continue in the future.

There is no word as of yet regarding potential buyers for FoxNext, if Disney is indeed selling the company. Keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/disney-to-sell-one-of-its-last-big-gaming-studios-/1100-6469766/

This Xbox One Games Sale Includes A Bunch Of Absolute Bangers

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The Xbox One‘s latest set of game deals is a good one, with the likes of Red Dead Redemption 2 and Resident Evil 2 headlining the lot. In fact, many games from the Resident Evil series are discounted, and if you’re a Gold subscriber there are even more deals for you to choose from.

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Red Dead Redemption 2 is currently $36 USD / $48 CAD / £36 for Xbox Live Gold subscribers. Unfortunately, there is no discount for non-subscribers. Battlefield 5, on the other hand, is discounted to $19.80 USD / $26.40 CAD / £19.80 for everyone. The Resident Evil series’ deals are also available to all. Resident Evil 2 leads with the discounted price of $36 USD / $48 CAD / £36.

Xbox is also holding a Double Discounts with Gold and Ultimate sale. All of the games included in this sale are discounted for regular Xbox users, but if you’re subscribed to Gold or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you’ll be able to save up to 50% more until September 16. This includes games like Cuphead, Rocket League, and Overcooked. You can see all of our favourite deals in the list below. All of the prices shown include the extra discount for Gold members.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/this-xbox-one-games-sale-includes-a-bunch-of-absol/1100-6469763/

PS4’s Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare Beta Now Available To Preload

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Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare reboot arrives in a little over a month, but players will soon have a chance to try it out ahead of its release. Activision is hosting a Modern Warfare open beta beginning this week on PS4, and if you’re eager to jump in, the beta client is now available to preload on Sony’s console.

The first Modern Warfare open beta session takes place on PS4 from September 14-16. However, if you’ve pre-ordered any edition of the game, you’ll be able to access the beta early on September 12 and 13. If you pre-ordered the game digitally, you can now grab the beta client from the PlayStation Store and preload it ahead of the first session; if you reserved a physical copy, you’ll receive a beta code via email. The client is a hefty download, weighing in at 27.52 GB.

The next Modern Warfare beta session begins on September 19. On that date, Xbox One and PC players who’ve pre-ordered the game (in addition to all PS4 players, whether or not you’ve pre-ordered it) will be able to participate in the beta. Finally, on September 21, the beta will expand to all PS4, Xbox One, and PC players until September 23.

The second beta session is notable because it gives players their first chance to try out cross-play in Modern Warfare. This year’s Call of Duty game is one of a small (but growing) handful of titles that support the feature, allowing players to play with each other across PS4, Xbox One, and PC. You can read more in our Modern Warfare beta roundup.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare launches on October 25. Unlike last year’s entry in the series, Black Ops 4, it will feature a traditional campaign; however, it probably won’t have a battle royale mode. If you’re interested in securing a copy, be sure to check out our Call of Duty: Modern Warfare pre-order guide.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Beta Details

PS4 Exclusive Beta Dates

  • September 12-23 (Early Access, PS4)
  • September 14-16 (Open beta, PS4)

Cross-Play Beta Dates

  • September 19-20 (Early access, PC and Xbox One; open beta, PS4)
  • September 21-23 (Open beta, PS4, Xbox One, and PC)

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4s-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-beta-now-availabl/1100-6469759/

All The New Games Apple Didn’t Tell You It Has For Arcade

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During Apple’s September showcase, the company announced the price and release date details for Apple Arcade. It also took some time to show off a handful of games coming to the subscription service. But curiously, the company left a lot more unmentioned, including some in big franchises and from notable publishers.

During the keynote, the company gave stage time to Frogger, Shinsekai Into The Depths, and Sayonara Wild Hearts from Konami, Capcom, and Annapurna, respectively. But then, a press release accompanying the keynote rattled off an additional 11 games that were nowhere to be seen during the presentation. Those include a new Chu-Chu Rocket puzzle game, a follow-up to Enter the Gungeon, another Shantae from WayForward, and a new game from the Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler team at Square Enix. You can see the full list with official descriptions below.

It’s not clear how Apple chose which games to highlight. The company may have chosen games that it felt would appeal to a wide audience tuning in for more general Apple hardware news. Still, the company devoted almost twice as much time to the iPhone 11 Pro camera alone, so it’s a puzzling choice not to show a larger chunk of the Apple Arcade lineup.

Apple Arcade is launching on September 19, and will cost $5 for a family plan. You can also sign up for a free trial month to test out the service.

  • Ballistic Baseball from Gameloft, is an action-packed arcade baseball game that captures the intense battle between pitcher and batter in live head-to-head multiplayer matches.
  • ChuChu Rocket! Universe explodes as Sega launches the beloved ChuChus into a universe of strange and wonderful planets with over 100 mind-bending puzzles.
  • In Exit the Gungeon from Devolver, players must escape a collapsing hell dungeon as increasingly perilous obstacles and opponents stand in their way.
  • Pac-Man Party Royale from Bandai Namco, is a brand-new arcade experience featuring a four-player Battle Mode where the last PAC-MAN standing wins
  • In Rayman Mini from Ubisoft, Rayman has been reduced to the size of an ant! Players use insects, mushrooms and plants to run through the world as quickly as possible or try over and over again to achieve the perfect score.
  • In Shantae and the Seven Sirens from WayForward, players explore a vast sunken city and battle the Seven Sirens in the Half-Genie’s most thrilling adventure yet.
  • Skate City from Snowman brings the heart and soul of street skating to life with multi-touch controls as city streets become the ultimate skater playground.
  • Steven Universe: Unleash the Light, is an original Cartoon Network game, co-written by Rebecca Sugar, where players pick their favorite characters, choose which Gems are in their party, unlock awesome new abilities and equip alternate costumes in the ultimate mobile role-playing game (RPG).
  • Super Impossible Road from Rogue Games, is a futuristic, high-speed racing game where players master hairpin turns on courses that twist and coil over beautiful galactic backdrops.
  • In The Enchanted World from Noodlecake, players help a young fairy piece together a magical world torn apart by dark forces.
  • Various Daylife from Square Enix, is a brand-new RPG from the creators of “Bravely Default” and “Octopath Traveler.” In the year 211 of the Imperial Era, players explore a newly discovered continent while living life to the fullest in the city of Erebia.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/all-the-new-games-apple-didnt-tell-you-it-has-for-/1100-6469762/

Borderlands 3 Will Be On Sale For $10 Off On Release Day (PS4, Xbox One)

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Borderlands 3 was first announced in April of this year, and now we’re just days from its official release date: September 13. The new first-person shooter from Gearbox Software will launch on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, with the latter version exclusive to the Epic Games Store until April 2020.

If you can’t wait to get your hands on Borderlands 3 this weekend, here’s a way to save yourself some money if you’re purchasing for PS4 or Xbox One. According to deals site Cheap Ass Gamer, Walmart stores will be selling Borderlands 3 for $49.94 rather than $60 on release, a growing trend we’ve seen with other recent games like Astral Chain and Fire Emblem: Three Houses. You’ll have to physically go to your nearest Walmart store to take advantage of this offer; it doesn’t appear to be available online.

Alternatively, Amazon and Best Buy shoppers can get $10 reward credit if they pre-order Borderlands 3. At Amazon, this offer is exclusive to Prime members, while Best Buy’s deal is available to My Best Buy members (you can sign up for free). Borderlands 3’s other pre-order bonuses include a gold weapon trinket and gold weapon skins for all guns in the game. You can read more about the game’s various editions and what they contain in our Borderlands 3 pre-order guide.

See Borderlands 3 at Amazon

See Borderlands 3 at Best Buy

The game earned an 8/10 in our Borderlands 3 review for its unique enemies and environments, new Vault Hunters bringing a variety of playstyles, and strategic weapon builds, although GameSpot’s Jordan Ramée did take issue with the game’s bullet-sponge bosses and disappointing villains. “Borderlands 3 has a few stumbling blocks when it comes to bosses, but these fights are overshadowed by the game’s rewarding gunplay and over-the-top humor,” he wrote.

“The game’s character-driven narrative acts as a satisfying finale for the loot-shooter franchise, and the new mechanics and features–especially the reworked skill trees and weapon manufacturer effects–give you plenty of agency in how you want to play through it. 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-will-be-on-sale-for-10-off-on-releas/1100-6469757/

Apex Legends Gets Two Physical Editions, Each Include Exclusive Legendary Skins

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EA has announced that Respawn’s Titanfall-themed battle royale game, Apex Legends, is getting two physical editions. One is themed after Bloodhound and the other after Lifeline, and both include exclusive content.

The Apex Legends Bloodhound Edition is themed after the devil, including a legendary skin for the recon character, called The Intimidator, that makes them look like a demon. The edition includes a demon-themed banner for Bloodhound that’s called Feeling Impish, a legendary Wrath Bringer skin for the Prowler submachine gun, and the Tormentor badge. If you’re feeling a bit more angelic, you can instead get the Apex Legends Lifeline Edition. This version includes a legendary skin for Lifeline called Guardian Angel (which looks really cool), a legendary Chooser of the Slain skin for the Flatline assault rifle, and a Lifeline Winged Guardian banner and Angel Struck badge.

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Both physical versions of Apex Legends also include 1,000 Apex Coins–one of the three in-game currencies. Apex Coins can be used to buy a variety of items, though their main purpose is the purchase of new Legends if you don’t have enough Legend Tokens. The starting roster of Apex Legends only includes six characters. You need to purchase Caustic, Mirage, Octane, and Wattson–each of which cost 750 Apex Coins / 12,000 Legend Tokens. Apex Coins can also be used to purchase loot boxes (100 each), the seasonal battle pass (950 each season), battle pass levels (150 each), or items from the in-game store.

Apex Legends Bloodhound Edition and Lifeline Edition each go for $20. You can buy the physical version of the game for Xbox One, PS4, or PC. With the exception of the Apex Coins, all of the content in each physical edition is exclusive to their respective versions, so if you want those awesome-looking legendary skins you’ll need to buy a physical copy of Apex Legends. The physical editions are scheduled to release on October 18, which is probably around the time Apex Legends Season 3 begins–and likely when the hacker Crypto and anti-Titan Charge Rifle are added to the battle royale game.

In GameSpot’s Apex Legends review, Phil Hornshaw wrote, “Apex Legends is a mix of smart shooter ideas that makes for a competitive, team-based game that gets at all the best parts of battle royale while addressing a lot of the weaknesses. Respawn’s intense focus on team play makes Apex more than just a worthy addition to the genre; it’s an indicator of where battle royale should go in the future.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/apex-legends-gets-two-physical-editions-each-inclu/1100-6469758/

From The Makers Of Octopath Traveler And Bravely Default Comes Another Weirdly-Named RPG

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Apple’s September keynote revealed a wealth of new details about the company’s upcoming gaming subscription service, Apple Arcade. During the presentation, Apple announced Arcade’s pricing and showed off a couple of titles coming exclusively to the service, and we learned of a few others in a press release following the event–including one from Square Enix.

The publisher is releasing a new RPG on Apple Arcade called Various Daylife. Perhaps unsurprisingly given its strange title, the game is developed by the team behind Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler. Few details were revealed about the game, but here is the synopsis from Apple’s press release:

“Various Daylife, from Square Enix, is a brand-new RPG from the creators of Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler. In the year 211 of the Imperial Era, players explore a newly discovered continent while living life to the fullest in the city of Erebia.”

Square Enix’s new game Various Daylife

We don’t know much else about the game beyond that, but the press release also includes a screenshot of the game, which shows off what appears to be a traditional turn-based battle against a pack of wolf-like monsters. You can take a look at the screenshot above.

Apple Arcade launches later this month, on September 19. The service will cost $5 per month, but you’ll be able to try out one month for free. With the service, you’ll get unlimited access to more than 100 exclusive games, with additional titles joining the catalog every month, including new entries in a number of beloved series such as Shantae and the Seven Sirens, ChuChu Rocket Universe, and Exit the Gungeon. You can see all the confirmed games for Apple Arcade so far in our gallery.

A ton of other news came out from this month’s Apple keynote, including the reveal of the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro. You can catch up on all the biggest announcements from the presentation below.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/from-the-makers-of-octopath-traveler-and-bravely-d/1100-6469755/

PS Plus: Get A Year Of PlayStation Plus For $43

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PlayStation Plus is a necessity for most PS4 players these days. The premium membership is the only way to enjoy online multiplayer for many games, and it also grants subscribers access to exclusive discounts and two free PS4 games every month. While its regular price tag isn’t exactly cheap–a yearlong membership sells for $60–a limited-time deal at Newegg will let you snag 12 months of PS Plus for only $43. Whether you’re looking to renew, extend your membership, or try out PS Plus for the first time, this is an excellent opportunity to do so.

To claim the deal, just head over to Newegg. The listing still says $60, but just add the membership to your cart. During checkout, apply promo code EMCTEUT29 to see the $17 slashed off the price. You’ll receive your new PS Plus code via email. As a reminder, you can stack PS Plus memberships if you’d like to extend your current subscription at a discount, but there’s a limit of two codes per customer for this deal. This particular offer ends Monday, September 16.

Get 12 months of PS Plus for $43 at Newegg

This month’s PS Plus free games are Batman: Arkham Knight and Darksiders III. PlayStation Plus members can claim both games free from the PlayStation Store now through September 30. In the meantime, be sure to check out more of the best PS4 deals available this month, including a PS4 Pro bundle with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and For Honor: Marching Fire Edition for $400.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps-plus-get-a-year-of-playstation-plus-for-43/1100-6469754/

Apple iPhone 11 And 11 Pro Details, Prices, And Release Date Revealed

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Apple had a wealth of announcements to share during its Apple September event. Along with revealing new details about the Apple Arcade and Apple TV+ services, the company showcased the next generation of its flagship products, including the new iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max.

The standard iPhone 11 features a 6.1 inch liquid retina display and true tone display, as well as Dolby Atmos support. The phone also has a dual camera system, with 12mp wide and ultra wide cameras, and 120-degree field of view. The iPhone 11 will come in six colors: red, black, yellow, white, purple, and green.

Apple briefly touched on other aspects of the phone as well. In terms of battery life, the company says the iPhone 11 will last one hour longer than the iPhone XR, and it features an A13 bionic CPU chip. As far as pricing goes, the iPhone 11 will retail for $699.

That isn’t the only new iPhone on the way, however. Apple also unveiled the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max–higher end models with better specs. While the standard iPhone 11 comes with two cameras, the Pro boasts three. It comes in four colors–midnight green, space gray, silver, and gold–and is made from surgical grade stainless steel. It is also 15% more energy efficient.

Regarding battery life, the iPhone 11 Pro lasts four hours longer than the iPhone XS, while the Pro Max lasts up to five hours longer than the XS Max. The phones also come with a fast charge adaptor right out of the box. Of course, with better specs comes a heftier price tag. The 11 Pro costs $999, while the 11 Pro Max is $1099. You’ll be able to pre-order the phones beginning this Friday, September 13, and they’ll begin shipping out on September 20.

Apple’s September event is still ongoing, and it was packed with announcements. Among other things, the company also gave viewers their first look at the seventh-generation iPad. You can catch up on all the biggest news from the event below.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/apple-iphone-11-and-11-pro-details-prices-and-rele/1100-6469751/

Apple iPad 7th Generation: Everything We Know About The New Models

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The Apple Event took place today, and along with multiple announcements about its Apple Arcade gaming service and Apple TV+ streaming service, the new generation of iPads was revealed. Apple outlined the specs and capabilities, and the starting price of the new line of tablets.

The new 7th generation iPad pricing begins at $329 USD and will be available starting September 30. The iPad Mini starts at $399 and features a 7.9-inch display, while the slimmer iPad Air has a 10.5-inch screen goes for $499. At the top of the line, there will be the iPad Pro that has the option for an 11-inch or 12.9-inch screen and starts at $800.

First off, the new iPad (base model) will have a 10.2-inch retina display with nearly 3.5 million pixels–it’ll be able to output 2.5 times the brightness, have a viewing angle that’s 3.7 times a wider, and pack 3.3 times the pixel density from the previous generation. Apple’s A10 Fusion chip still powers the base model iPad, which is the SOC (CPU and GPU) in the previous iPads and the iPhone 7 line. All other iPad models (Mini, Air, and Pro) are powered by the stronger A12 Bionic chip (A12X on the Pro). See all the 7th generation iPad details below.

ModelDisplayChipStorage (Max)Starting Price (USD)
iPad10.2″ retinaA10 Fusion128 GB$329
iPad Mini7.9″ retinaA12 Bionic256 GB$399
iPad Air10.5″ retinaA12 Bionic256 GB$499
iPad Pro11″ or 12.9″ liquid retinaA12X Bionic1 TB$799

The home screen has been redesigned for the new OS, called iPadOS. There was also a demonstration on how there will be deeper integration with Apple Pencil. To improve usability, a floating keyboard will be featured on the side for one-handed typing and more of the screen is visible. These iPads will feature a smart connector so you can connect the smart keyboard, which folds into a cover.

For all our coverage of the Apple Event, be sure to read through our stories below.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/apple-ipad-7th-generation-everything-we-know-about/1100-6469750/