Fortnite Chapter 2 Patch Makes Leveling Up Much Easier

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Chapter 2 of Fortnite officially kicked off last week, and it brought a wealth of changes to the popular battle royale game, including how players can level up their Battle Pass. While developer Epic claimed these changes made leveling up easier this season, many players found the opposite to be true, although it appears those issues have now been rectified.

Fortnite’s v11.01 update is now live, and while Epic has once again elected not to release patch notes, players on Reddit have discovered that the amount of XP you can earn for completing certain tasks has been greatly increased. Previously, you would be able to earn 24,000 XP from Fortnite’s daily punch cards, but that number has now been upped to 96,000 following the update, while weekly challenges give out 520,000 XP instead of 140,000.

Not only does this mean leveling up the Chapter 2 Battle Pass should be much easier moving forward, it gives players a much greater chance to hit tier 100 before the season ends. That’s good news all around, as Chapter 2, Season 1 is scheduled to end on December 12 according to Epic’s website, which would make it a little shorter than a typical season.

This time, in addition to completing challenges, you can earn XP and medals for doing certain actions while you play, like eliminating opponents, harvesting materials, and more. You can even earn an achievement for being eliminated by the Mythic Goldfish–an exceedingly rare one-hit-kill item that you can fish up.

With Halloween just around the corner, Epic has brought the popular Skull Trooper and Skull Ranger skins back to Fortnite’s in-game shop for a limited time. Meanwhile, the next set of Chapter 2 challenges is scheduled to drop on October 24. If you need help completing any of the missions available so far, be sure to check out our full Fortnite Chapter 2 challenges roundup.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fortnite-chapter-2-patch-makes-leveling-up-much-ea/1100-6470788/

War Video Games “Romanticize” War In An Unhealthy Way, Medal Of Honor Recipient Says

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Dakota Meyer, a former United States Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor for saving lives and sustaining injuries in a 2009 military operation in Afghanistan, has spoken up about how war video games “romanticize” war in an unhealthy way.

Meyer said war video games may encourage people to think it’s fun or exciting to kick down doors and kill people. These are the real-life nightmares that keep him awake at night.

“Suffering has become normal for people. It’s become entertainment,” Meyer said on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. “Video games about war … war has now been romanticized. It’s been romanticized that it’s this cool image … I hear people say I just want to go kick in doors and shoot people in the face. Well, you’ve probably never done it then. We’ve got kids playing video games of the stuff that keeps me awake at night. And it’s like, at what point do we start humanizing these things?”

Meyer went on to say that people are becoming desensitized to human suffering due in part to the increasingly graphic nature of video games and other entertainment.

“There is nothing cool about taking another human’s life,” Meyer said. “When you’re playing video games, and it’s like, ‘Oh I got this many kills.’ These kids are just watching this screen over and over, and the more graphic it gets, the [more desensitized we become] to another human being’s suffering.”

“We’ve pushed ourselves away form being empathetic to, hey, these are real people. These are real people’s lives,” he added.

Also during the podcast, Meyer said video games like Grand Theft Auto, which allow people to kill anyone or run people down with your car, are problematic. “How does anything positive come from that?” he said.

Meyer earned his Medal of Honor for disregarding orders and charging into a killing zone where, over the course of six hours, he saved 12 fellow soldiers. He has said the September 9, 2009 ambush was the “worst day in my life.”

Meyer was awarded his Medal of Honor at the White House in 2011. President Barack Obama remarked at the time, “You did your duty above and beyond, and you kept the faith with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps you love.”

The next big military shooter to release is Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. The game’s campaign is being led by a team of former Naughty Dog developers. The game appears to be taking steps to better represent a soldier’s experience. For example, Modern Warfare’s campaign puts an emphasis on encouraging players to identify threats.

If you cause a lot of collateral damage, you will see a fail screen. “The game sort of has its own version of, ‘You just got court marshaled and arrested,'” narrative director Taylor Kurosaki told Game Informer.

“We have pretty complex heuristics where we’re basically trying to determine, are you, the player, acting like a proper soldier? Or are you kind of being a psychopath and not playing by the rules?”

The new Modern Warfare, which is a soft reboot of sorts of the 2007 game, launches on October 25 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Not all war video games are seen as glorifying battle, death, and suffering. The 2012 shooter Spec Ops: The Line tells a war story that asks the player to consider the horrific realities of war.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/war-video-games-romanticize-war-in-an-unhealthy-wa/1100-6470790/

Destiny 2 Launches Charity Event That Gets You In-Game Prizes

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There’s plenty happening in Destiny 2, including a just-released Exotic bow quest. But now, there’s another event that will let players loot and shoot for a good cause. Taking place on October 24 through November 10, players in Destiny 2 can participate in Games2Give, Bungie’s annual charity event for streamers and viewers alike to help those in need. Viewers who donate to streamers taking part in the event will also earn some special unlocks for your Guardian and Ghost.

In a blog post on its official site, Bungie stated that all proceeds from this charity event would go straight to Bungie Foundation’s iPads for Kids Program and the Children’s Miracle Network. Viewers who donate will earn limited-time rewards for your characters. For instance, the $10 donation will give you the new Mist Blossom emblem, while sending in $50 will let you snag the Exotic Ghost shell known as the Gilded Shell. Donating $100 will get you both previously mentioned rewards along with a submission into a larger prize pool for a set of rare physical prizes. This set includes the Destiny 2 soundtrack on vinyl, two Guardian figurines, and a real model of the Ghost’s Gilded Shell.

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For those interested in streaming, there are several prizes you can get on your own, which include the rewards above, along with a VoltEdge TX70 Wireless Headset, and a VIP trip to visit Bungie’s development studio. On October 29, Bungie and several content creators will take part in a special 24-hour livestream. During this event, the group of fans and developers and developers will take part in several daring challenges and activities to raise more funds for Games2Give.

Overall interest in Destiny 2 has increased in a big way following the re-launch as a free-to-play game and the release of the expansion Shadowkeep. In Phil Hornshaw’s review, he stated: “Returning to the moon is full of spooky fun, and while Shadowkeep might not be as huge as Forsaken, it still provides some impressive additions to the world that will take time to fully explore. More meaningful choices in Shadowkeep are pushing me to think beyond just packing my most powerful guns and shooting everything in my path. These are improvements that represent a giant leap forward for Destiny 2.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-2-launches-charity-event-that-gets-you-in-/1100-6470786/

Nintendo Shows Off Luigi’s Mansion 3’s New ScreamPark Mode

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Luigi’s Mansion 3 arrives on Nintendo Switch next week, and in addition to the main story, the game features two distinct multiplayer modes: the returning ScareScraper from Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, and a new mode dubbed ScreamPark. Ahead of the game’s release, Nintendo has shared a lengthy video showing off the latter.

Unlike ScareScraper, which has players working cooperatively to clear floors of a tower, ScreamPark is a local, head-to-head party mode that pits two teams against each other in different mini-games. The video below starts off with Ghost Hunt, which has the teams vying to vacuum up the most ghosts within the time limit, but it also gives us our first look at a mini-game called Cannon Barrage, where the object is to load a cannon and fire it at rotating targets.

Both ScreamPark and ScareScraper support up to eight players, but the latter is playable either locally or online. Nintendo had previously confirmed that Luigi’s Mansion 3 will receive paid DLC, which will add “new content” to both ScareScraper and ScreamPark modes. However, the company has not yet announced what that content will be or when players can expect it to release.

Luigi’s Mansion 3 releases for Switch, fittingly, on October 31. You can check out some gameplay footage from the first eight floors of the game above. We also had a chance to interview producer Kensuke Tanabe at E3 2019 about potential single-player DLC and whether Luigi will ever stop being a coward.

Ahead of Luigi’s Mansion 3’s release, Tetris 99 is holding a new Maximus Cup event that features an unlockable Luigi’s Mansion theme. The cowardly plumber has also finally made his debut in Mario Kart Tour alongside the game’s Halloween Tour event, which also introduces King Boo, a Halloween-themed Rosalina, and more.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-shows-off-luigis-mansion-3s-new-screampar/1100-6470787/

Pokemon Go Teases New Team Rocket Special Research

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Team Rocket made their long-awaited debut in Pokemon Go earlier this summer, but the villainous organization isn’t done making mischief in the game. We recently got our first look at three mysterious new Team Rocket characters, and now, Professor Willow has made a discovery that’s tied to the team.

On the official Pokemon Go website, developer Niantic published a “report” by Professor Willow about strange metallic objects Team Rocket Grunts have been leaving behind. It’s unclear what the purpose of these “mysterious components” is, but the report surmises that the devices are used to take over PokeStops and may even be able to track down their whereabouts:

“I had a hunch that the Team Go Rocket Grunts were using some sort of device to take over PokeStops and collect resources. Based on what I know so far, these Mysterious Components I’ve found seem to be able to serve that purpose. But considering how advanced this technology is, there must be another use for it. I’ve been working on something in my lab with the help of the team leaders, and I think we might be able to use these components to track down where Team Go Rocket is hiding.”

Perhaps most interesting, however, is the title of the report, “Looming in the Shadows,” which is also the name of a new Special Research questline that was discovered in the game’s files by known dataminer Chrales. This suggests the mysterious components may be what ultimately leads to the aforementioned new Team Rocket members–Cliff, Arlo, and Sierra–debuting in the game. Not many details about the characters have been revealed so far, but they appear to be high-ranking members of the evil team, and they’re featured alongside Team Rocket boss Giovanni on Pokemon Go’s newest loading screen.

In the meantime, to coincide with Pokemon Go’s Halloween 2019 event, Team Rocket has expanded their lineup of Shadow Pokemon. You’ll now be able to catch Shadow versions of Electabuzz, Magmar, Beedrill, and more after defeating certain Team Rocket Grunts. Be sure to check out our Team Rocket guide for more details on how to catch and purify Shadow Pokemon.

Niantic has a number of Pokemon Go events lined up for the next few weeks, including the return of the Regi trio and the debut of Regigigas. The developer has also shared the first details for November’s Community Day. This month’s event takes place on November 16 and features the Fire-type starter Chimchar.

In other Pokemon Go news, Niantic recently announced it will add online battles to the game next year. The new Go Battle League feature is slated to roll out in early 2020 and will let players compete against other trainers around the world and rise in the online ranks. Niantic promises to share more details about the feature “soon.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-go-teases-new-team-rocket-special-research/1100-6470776/

Working On WWE 2K20 Was A “Freeing Experience” Without Yukes

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2K Games and Visual Concepts have spent the past few years working with Yukes to craft and evolve WWE’s wrestling game series. However, with WWE 2K20, Yukes was not involved, leaving Visual Concepts to lead the way, which puts them in a unique and freeing situation.

During a WWE 2K20 event recently, GameSpot spoke to Lynell Jinks, creative director of Visual Concepts, about the future ahead for the 2K series, which includes the work done on WWE 2K20, “I think freeing is the first feeling that you get,” Jinks explained to GameSpot. “When you realize that now that all the ideas that you had and wanted to pursue are now at your fingertips, that’s the first feeling you have. And the second one you have is the reality, where that sets in where you’re like, ‘Oh, now that it’s all ours, that means that we have to write tools and write systems, and actually understand how these things were really put together.’ Every system in the game, every piece of code, and every art asset had to go through our pipeline–had to go through us. And it was our responsibility to make sure that we understood everything that we’re putting in the game from front to back, right? And this is 20 years of just Yukes’ code, Yukes’ art, Yukes’ pipelines that we had to take apart and understand. Not only understand, but make it ours and try to make it better at the same time, or make it as good as it was.”

Jinks went on to say that there are a lot of smaller, newer additions to this year’s game, pushing limitations from previous incarnations. It does seem that, in many ways, Yukes was holding Visual Concepts back, not allowing certain areas in this gaming series to be explored, until now.

“I think where it speaks the loudest is what we did with originals,” Jinks continued, while discussing the new DLC package WWE Originals. “You look at it, what we do as developers, what we do as the creators of this game, and letting our creativity shine, and letting our passion, what we all sought after coming into the game industry, the games that we wanted to make. Just because we have this WWE license doesn’t mean that we have to be a sim all the time. It’s like, ‘No, there’s a place for both.’ You’re seeing it with NBA, see with The Neighborhood. You’re seeing it with a lot of other games it’s like, ‘You can have a sim but still be fun. You can still be creative, take this license, and provide people with a different experience and different characters.’ A spin on an existing character. That’s what we were doing.”

While there were some issues with the build GameSpot played at a recent 2K event, like horrifying glitches which have been popping up on various feeds today, the WWE Originals pack Bump in the Night was the best part of the new game, adding supernatural and arcade elements to your favorite WWE superstars. The “Bump in the Night” DLC arrives on October 28.

WWE 2K20 is available now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/working-on-wwe-2k20-was-a-freeing-experience-witho/1100-6470784/

Walmart Offers Double Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare Experience Points

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Walmart is looking to sway Call of Duty: Modern Warfare buyers ahead of the game’s October 25 launch on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One by offering three hours of double experience points.

In addition to receiving three hours of double experience for purchasing the game at its stores, Walmart is handing out MegaXP on select products in association with Modern Warfare, including Doritos, Mountain Dew, Game Fuel, and more. Each product comes with a double experience code and a chance to win double Modern Warfare experience for an entire year.

To get you geared up for the Modern Warfare reboot, Activision and PlayStation have released a free “Going Dark” PS4 theme. And PC players can score a discount on any edition of Modern Warfare.

Activision has outlined how both multiplayer and weapon progression work. While multiplayer progression sounds pretty straightforward, developer Infinity Ward added a new element to gaining levels. Weapon progression includes an assortment of attachments, camos, and perks to unlock.

Modern Warfare will not feature loot boxes. Infinity Ward’s Joel Emslie said the studio is “definitely not working on any kind of supply drop or loot box system.” Instead, Activision confirmed Modern Warfare will use a Battle Pass system for its post-launch content.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/walmart-offers-double-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-/1100-6470783/

Twitch Is Going To Play The Outer Worlds Before Release

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You can play The Outer Wilds in just a few days, but before then you can watch Twitch play it. Obsidian Entertainment has announced that a Twitch Plays stream will be taking place through the developer’s official Twitch channel starting at 3 PM PT / 6 PM ET today, October 22.

The Outer Worlds is a massive RPG, so the collective Internet hive-brain will have plenty of decisions to make, for better or worse. Obsidian itself predicts the results will get “very messy,” but that’s at least half the fun.

Reviews for The Outer Worlds have been largely positive. It will be included with Xbox Game Pass for PC and Xbox One subscribers. If you plan to pick it up, be sure to check out when it will unlock in your area.

“I finished The Outer Worlds wanting more, eager to jump back into the world to see extra things,” wrote Edmond Tran in GameSpot’s review. “It’s not a short game, but it’s one packed with such a steady stream of wonderful characters to meet, interesting places to explore, and meaningful, multi-layered quests to solve, that it didn’t feel like there was any room to get tired of it. I wanted to rewind the clock and do everything in a completely different way. The Outer Worlds is consistently compelling throughout, and it’s a superb example of how to promote traditional RPG sensibilities in a sharp, modern experience.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/twitch-is-going-to-play-the-outer-worlds-before-re/1100-6470782/

The Outer Worlds Headlines New Xbox Game Pass Titles

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Xbox One owners who subscribe to either Game Pass for Console or Game Pass Ultimate will have a handful of titles to play as November shuffles in. Led by The Outer Worlds, this new crop of Xbox Game Pass titles include a bevy of experiences, from the indie to the expansive.

Headlining this assortment of Xbox Game Pass titles is Obsidian Entertainment’s Fallout: New Vegas spiritual successor The Outer Worlds, which launches on October 25. Reviews have started to flood in and the expansive first-person RPG is receiving near-universal praise amongst critics.

Arriving before The Outer Worlds is Lonely Mountains: Downhill and Secret Neighbor, both of which release on October 23. Bite-sized roguelite Minit hits the Xbox Game Pass vault on October 24, followed by Afterparty on October 29, Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars on October 31, and Subnautica on November 7.

Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Titles

  • Lonely Mountains: Downhill — October 23
  • Secret Neighbor — October 23
  • Minit — October 24
  • The Outer Worlds — October 25
  • Afterparty — October 29
  • Lego Star Wars III — October 31
  • Subnautica — November 7

Earlier this month, Xbox Game Pass received an impressive delivery of games to its vault. These include Dishonored 2, Fallout: New Vegas, Yooka-Laylee, and more.

In our Outer Worlds review, editor Edmond Tran awarded the game a 9/10, saying, “[The Outer Worlds is] not a short game, but it’s one packed with such a steady stream of wonderful characters to meet, interesting places to explore, and meaningful, multi-layered quests to solve, that it didn’t feel like there was any room to get tired of it. The Outer Worlds is consistently compelling throughout, and it’s a superb example of how to promote traditional RPG sensibilities in a sharp, modern experience.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-outer-worlds-headlines-new-xbox-game-pass-titl/1100-6470779/

Borderlands 3’s Next Event Starts Today, Rewards Twitch Viewing

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The newest event in Borderlands 3‘s anniversary celebration has kicked off, offering two paths to claim some extra rewards. This fourth week of the celebration is called “Mayhem on Twitch,” and as you might expect, that means you can snag goodies through Mayhem Mode, or by using the game’s Twitch extension.

The update has gone live through a micropatch, so you’ll need to head back to the main menu for a moment to verify before moving on. Once you’ve secured it, you’ll get an increased chance for Anointed gear in Mayhem Mode, along with extra XP gains and reduced values for penalty modifiers. Mayhem Mode is the post-game content that unlocks once you’ve finished the story campaign, which gives you access to better loot and harder difficulty mods.

You can also rack up some rewards through watching other people play Borderlands. The EchoCast Twitch extension has been tweaked to accelerate voting periods during Badass Viewer Events, marking a permanent change. On top of that, Rare Chest Events will have a 100% win rate for the event period rather than the usual 25% chance. To enable the EchoCast extension, you’ll have to link your Shift and Twitch accounts using the Shift profile page.

This event will last through October 29, and marks the penultimate part of the anniversary celebration. The final part will be a “Spooky Surprise” starting on October 29, and whatever that surprise is, it’s apparently separate from the Bloody Harvest event that starts later this week.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-3s-next-event-starts-today-rewards-twi/1100-6470780/