Pokemon Sword & Shield Review
Pokemon Sword and Shield gives us but a glimpse of what a proper home console Pokemon could look like, and not much more.
Pokemon Sword and Shield gives us but a glimpse of what a proper home console Pokemon could look like, and not much more.
In the midst of Google Stadia‘s launch window, another cloud-based game streaming service is dropping its price for Black Friday 2019. The service is called Shadow, and it’s been around for a while. Shadow requires you to pay a subscription to access its data centers, which grant you your own virtual Windows 10 PC with high-end specs–you’re essentially renting a gaming PC and then streaming it to your device. While a year-long subscription comes out to $25 per month, Shadow’s price will drop down to $13 a month (one-year commitment) for Black Friday.
Since you’re accessing a remote, high-end desktop PC, you’ll be able to sign in to your own digital store accounts. Be it Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, or anywhere else, you’ll have access to their storefronts and your library. Google Stadia is a closed platform with its own store and titles, so you won’t be able to play any of the games you already own. However, Stadia doesn’t require a subscription if you’re okay with streaming your games in 1080p with stereo sound. An optional Stadia Pro membership is available for $10 a month and gets you 4K streaming, surround sound, free games, and special discounts.
You’ll also have access to the internet speeds of Shadow’s data centers to download content and game online, which is rated at about 800 Mbps down with 1ms latency–remember, you’re only using your internet connection to view your remote PC. Currently, Shadow’s specs are made up of the following:
With Shadow, you’ll be streaming a video feed of your virtual desktop, and like Stadia, data consumption and internet speed will be part of the equation. Shadow’s app is compatible with any Windows 7 / 8.1 / 10 or MacOS computer and certain Android and iOS versions (controlling Shadow between different platforms will vary).
The app lets you set your bit rate between 5 Mbps to 70 Mbps at 5 Mbps intervals, giving you some control over image quality and data usage. It’s recommended you have at least 15 Mbps down and connect via wired Ethernet or 5GHz Wi-Fi; Shadow consumes between 5 Mbps to 25 Mbps depending on settings and conditions.
Like many other cloud-based game streaming services, Shadow has its ups and downs–we reviewed the service and its separate set-top box earlier this year, so be sure to check out our Shadow Ghost and Shadow cloud gaming service review. For more on Black Friday 2019 sales this year, check out some the early and upcoming deals you can take advantage of.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/black-friday-2019-this-google-stadia-alternative-i/1100-6471571/
Blair Witch, which released for Xbox One and PC earlier this year, is making its way to PlayStation 4 soon with a handful of improvements. The game will release on December 3 as a digital title (with a physical release planned later), and come with the “Good Boy” pack, which will introduce some new cosmetic options for your trusty in-game dog, Bullet. The pack will also be made available for PC and Xbox One players, and include new skins for the dog, as well as new games for your in-game cellphone, new wallpapers, and new animations for Bullet.
This version will also contain “gameplay and technical enhancements,” although what that means, exactly, has not been specified. The announcement trailer below doesn’t give a lot of insight into how you play the game, instead focusing on the horrors of the woods. It also spotlights Bullet, who is the heart and soul of the game.
Blair Witch was first announced during Microsoft’s 2019 E3 presentation, so seeing it come to PlayStation 4 after such a short period of exclusivity is a surprise. The game, which is available on Xbox Game Pass, will retail for $29.90 on PS4. We gave Blair Witch a 5/10 in our review, with critic Alessandro Barbosa stating that “Blair Witch can’t maintain its initially frightening atmosphere and ends up losing it entirely by its conclusion.”
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-blair-witch-game-will-terrorize-ps4-players-so/1100-6471585/
After weeks of retailers releasing Black Friday ads to build anticipation for the event, GameStop has finally revealed its hand. With less than a week until Black Friday sales officially begin, GameStop has released a flyer for its “early deals,” which will be available for a full week.
Nintendo Switch offers are noticeably missing from GameStop’s first round of Black Friday deals. While we do expect to see Switch deals at GameStop during Black Friday, don’t anticipate any significant discounts on the new improved Switch model or the Switch Lite. Instead, most retailers are offering Nintendo’s official Black Friday 2019 bundle: the launch-model Switch (without improved battery life) with a digital copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for $300. According to Nintendo, GameStop should also have some first-party Switch games for $40 each and discounts on Switch accessories like the Poke Ball Plus.
Keep in mind GameStop has more deals going live next Wednesday, plus limited-time deals that will likely launch on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. We probably won’t know what those later deals are until they go live, but in the meantime, you’ll have access to some of GameStop’s best console deals starting this Sunday, November 24. Check out GameStop’s full Black Friday schedule below, and read on for the best Black Friday deals we know about so far.
GameStop’s early deals largely include the official deals from PlayStation and Xbox, such as the PS4 Slim holiday bundle with three console-exclusive games and the Xbox One X bundle for $350. Note that the following deals will be available at nearly all major retailers, so if something sells out at GameStop, you should check Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. The below prices will be available from November 24 to December 2 (or while supplies last). Please note that not all products shown below have listings yet, and we’ll include links when they’re live. As more of GameStop’s Black Friday deals are revealed, we’ll include those here.
PS4:
Xbox One:
This official PlayStation bundle includes three excellent, PS4-exclusive games–God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition, and The Last of Us Remastered–along with the base console for $200, an excellent deal for anyone buying a PS4 for the first time.
The powerful PS4 Pro is on sale for an excellent price during Black Friday, selling for $300 rather than $400. GameStop’s offer includes the stunning Glacier White model, which comes with a matching controller.
PS4 controllers will be $39 each at GameStop during Black Friday, the same price as at Walmart. Other stores will have them for $40 during Black Friday week, but colors available may vary between retailers. GameStop’s flyer includes the new Fall 2019 colors shown above, which normally go for $65 each.
The official PlayStation Black Friday offer for PS Plus is $45 for a yearly membership. That’s not quite as low as we’d hoped, but if you need to renew your membership (remember PS Plus subscriptions do stack), this is still a nice deal to snag.
This is the best PSVR deal we’ve seen in a long time. For $200, you’ll get the PSVR headset and PlayStation Camera along with five of the system’s best games.
This bundle is slightly pricier than other PSVR bundles during Black Friday, but that’s because it comes with two PlayStation Move motion controllers (which can cost as much as $100 a pack).
The discount on this PlayStation Gold wireless headset isn’t exceptional on its own, but if you’re a Fortnite fan, the included Neo Versa bundle is a nice perk that comes with the Epic Neo Versa Outfit, Epic Neo Phrenzy Back Bling, and 2,000 V-Bucks.
Get the newest Star Wars adventure on Xbox One with this Xbox One S bundle for only $200, available at many retailers including GameStop.
Quite a few Xbox One X bundles will be on sale for Black Friday, but this GameStop-exclusive, special-edition Xbox One X with NBA 2K20 has to be the prettiest with its paint splash design.
Not a fan of buying physical games? Then the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition was made for you, but please be aware there’s no disc drive, removing the option entirely to play physical games or Blu-ray discs. The bundle comes with three games: Sea of Thieves, Minecraft, and bonus content for Fortnite: Battle Royale–2,000 V-Bucks and the Legendary Rogue Spider Knight outfit. At just $150, the All-Digital Edition is a much more appealing offer for primarily digital gamers.
Multiple Xbox controllers will be on sale for $10 off during Black Friday, including the special-edition Gears 5 controller for $65 (previously $75) and other colors for $60 (previously $70 each). It’s worth noting Microsoft’s official Black Friday sale is advertising Xbox controllers for “up to $20 off,” so you may want to compare prices before grabbing one of these from GameStop.
This is fairly self-explanatory, but from November 24-27, GameStop stores will let you fill a bag with as many collectibles and apparel as you can and get 25% off the entire bag (which you have to buy on its own for $5). Games and hardware are excluded as well as clearance items.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamestop-black-friday-2019-deals-revealed-ps4-pro-/1100-6471559/
Black Friday 2019 hits next week, which means it’s time to start thinking about which stores will have deals on the things you’re shopping for this holiday season. A few stores have already announced their Black Friday deals, and Amazon has gotten a bit ahead of the competition with its Happy HoliDeals sale.
As with Prime Day, Amazon’s holiday deals page includes a mix of Lightning Deals–which are only available for a limited time–and longer-term deals that should be available throughout the duration of this first round of deals (or while supplies last). The early holiday sale runs through this Thursday, November 21. Then, starting Friday, November 22, Amazon’s Black Friday sale will officially begin. The week of deals will run right up until November 29, Black Friday itself.
Unfortunately, Amazon is keeping things vague in terms of the actual deals that will be offered, and the retailer’s press release mentions only discounts rather than actual sale prices. We already knew Amazon will be offering Nintendo’s official deals, including the Switch console bundle (older model) with a digital copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for $300. We also know Amazon will have select Switch games for up to 30% off and Joy-Cons for a lower price than its competitors. The announcement also confirms Amazon will have the holiday PS4 and Xbox One console bundles; otherwise, the retailer is only teasing discounts on gaming laptops and monitors, the Oculus Rift S, Bose headphones, and other tech as well as numerous other deals across other categories.
Amazon’s Black Friday 2019 schedule
As Amazon’s HoliDeals sale nears its send, the pickings are slim, but the below deals (and plenty more) are still live now until November 22 or until they sell out.
Video game deals
Entertainment deals
After the first round of deals has ended on November 22 (or while supplies last), another batch of deals will be posted in the week leading up to Black Friday itself on November 29. In addition to the official gaming console bundles and accessories from Xbox, Nintendo, and PS4, the online retailer has confirmed a wide range of Amazon devices will be on sale starting with several tablets on November 22, including the Fire HD 10 Tablet for $100 ($50 off) and the Kindle Paperwhite for $85 ($45 off). We’ve included the full list of device deals and pricing below, but please note these prices will not be live until their respective sale date.
Another official PlayStation offer, the PS4 Slim holiday bundle is a great way to get your hands on some of the system’s best games. The 1TB console will $200 and comes bundled with Marvel’s Spider-Man, Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition, and God of War. It’ll be available at Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and other retailers.
No, we haven’t entered a time machine and gone back to Black Friday 2018. Nintendo is offering the same Nintendo Switch holiday bundle that was available last year. For $300, you can get the Switch and a digital copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The potential snag with this bundle? It’s the launch model Switch, which means you won’t get the upgraded battery that comes with the newer Switch model released a few months back. That said, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an incredible game that normally sells for about $50.
Nintendo’s pricey Joy-Con controllers will be down to $60 on Black Friday at many retailers, but if Amazon’s press release is correct, each pair of Joy-Cons will be available for $53.60, a full 33% off rather than 25%. It appears that only the original gray or neon red and blue Joy-Cons will be eligible for this awesome deal. Nevertheless, if you’re gifting a Switch this holiday or want to have some multiplayer fun at your holiday party, you shouldn’t pass up this deal.
Starting November 22, Amazon is kicking off its first wave of Black Friday deals with the Fire HD 8 tablet for $50. Don’t expect a tablet with the power of an iPad, but if you want something to read e-books, watch Netflix, or any other media-based thing, then the Fire HD 8 can handle it. It’s equipped with 1.5 GB of RAM and comes in 16 GB and 32 GB storage options.
The Kids Edition of the Fire HD 8 bundles the tablet with a kid-proof case and a year’s subscription to Free Time Unlimited, which gives its users access to more than a thousand books, movies, TV shows, apps, and games suitable for children. It goes on sale for $80 on November 22.
The Fire 7 tablet is Amazon’s seven-inch tablet, both cheaper and less powerful than the Fire HD 8. It’s equipped with 1 GB of RAM and comes in 16 GB and 32 GB storage options. It’ll be available for $30 starting November 22.
Like the Fire 8 Kids Edition, this bundle includes the Fire 7 tablet, a protective case, and a 12-month subscription to Free Time Unlimited. The subscription gives your kid unlimited access to a ton of child-friendly books, movies, shows, apps, and games. You’ll be able to pick it up for $60 on November 22.
The Fire HD 10 tablet is Amazon’s ten-inch–and most powerful–tablet. It’s equipped with a 1080p screen and 2GB RAM. It comes in 32 GB and 64 GB storage options but also features upgradeable storage via microSD. You can grab it for $100 starting November 22.
The Kindle Paperwhite is Amazon’s most popular e-reader, with a screen that looks more similar to paper than a tablet. It has weeks of battery life and comes in 8 GB and 32 GB storage options. Starting November 22, you can grab it for $85.
This bundle packages the Echo Show 5 with the Ring Video Doorbell Pro. The Echo Show 5 is Amazon’s compact smart display, similar in size to an alarm clock but with features like video calling, music and video playback, and Alexa voice control. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro, on the other hand, is a camera-equipped doorbell that you can put on the front of your house. It gives you video access to your front door with motion alerts sent directly to your phone, tablet, or PC. You can pick up the bundled pair for $190 on November 22.
Starting November 24, Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K will be available for $25. It gives you access to a bunch of apps, such as Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video, all streamable in 4K. The Alexa Voice Remote lets you control your media with your voice.
On November 24, you’ll also be able to pick up the regular Fire TV Stick for $20. This gives you the same access to all of your favorite apps but in 1080p instead of 4K. It also comes with an Alexa Voice Remote, so you’ll be able to speak to your Fire TV Stick without fumbling with the buttons.
The Fire TV Cube gives you everything the Fire TV Stick 4K does, in addition to complete smart home control, Alexa voice assistant, and a built-in speaker. Starting November 24, you’ll be able to grab it for $90.
Starting November 27, you’ll be able to pick up Amazon’s three-pack security camera pack for $185. With its cloud storage, these cameras can store hundreds of clips for up to a year. The cameras also feature two-way audio and two years of battery life.
The Ring Indoor Cam pack comes with two cameras for the interior of your house. Starting November 27 for $100, you can equip your home with two Ring Indoor cameras that feature two-way audio, motion alerts, and Alexa support.
For $5, you can pair an Amazon Smart Plug with the purchase of an Echo Dot, Echo Dot with Clock, Echo, Echo Show 5, or Echo Studio. The Amazon Smart Plug gives you the ability to control whatever you plug into it with Alexa smart home control. This deal starts on November 27.
The Echo Dot with clock is Amazon’s compact Alexa speaker that comes with a clock, so you don’t have to ask for the time whenever you need it. Starting November 28, you can pick it up for $35.
The Echo Dot without the clock comes with all the Alexa features you need in a compact form factor. Ask for music, the news, weather, traffic, and more, thanks to the thousands of skills you can have your Echo Dot learn.
Amazon’s Echo Auto puts an Alexa speaker into your car. Even more compact than the Echo Dot, equip your vehicle with all of the Alexa skills and features you can enjoy at home. The auto smart speaker goes for $30 on November 28.
The Echo is a slightly-less compact speaker with better speakers, so if you’re looking to use it more seriously as a music player, this could be a good choice for you. On November 28, its price goes down to $60.
The Echo Show 5 is Amazon’s compact smart display that works as an alarm clock, video caller, music and video player, and much more. It goes on sale for $50 on November 28.
The Echo Show is Amazon’s smart display with a bigger screen and better sound. The screen comes in at 10-inches with speakers that feature Dolby processing. You can pick one up for $150 starting November 28.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/amazon-black-friday-2019-deals-ps4-bundles-joy-con/1100-6471095/
Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass subscription service, which recently got a huge bump in titles at this year’s X019 event, becomes an ever better deal with each passing year. It offers a huge library of games for Xbox One and/or PC for a monthly fee, similar to Netflix. Microsoft’s recently made the deal even better with some great discounts on the service, and with Black Friday coming up soon, we’ll probably see even better deals on Game Pass, Game Pass Ultimate, and Xbox Live Gold over the next couple of weeks.
For those unfamiliar with the Xbox One’s subscription services, you can find more details on Game Pass for Xbox One and PC, Xbox Live Gold, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at the bottom of this article. As a reminder, these subscriptions stack, so even if you’re already a member and don’t need to renew quite yet, you can save yourself some money in the long-term by buying these subscriptions while they’re cheap.
Plus, catch up on more of Black Friday 2019’s best Xbox One deals so far, including great discounts on games as well as console bundles and accessories.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate normally costs $15 a month, which adds up to $45 over three months, but this offer gets you a full three for only $1. This is the best deal we’ve seen for new subscribers to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate so far, and it’s available right now for a limited time.
Starting November 28, Best Buy is selling three months of Xbox Live Gold for $15, a full $10 off its normal price of $25.
Best Buy will have three-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions for $25 each on November 28. If you happen to miss out on the “buy three months, get three months free” deal at Walmart, then this is the next best thing–buy two, and you’ll have a six-month subscription for $50 (only $5 more).
Xbox Game Pass for Console provides access to over 200 Xbox One games. New games are added to the service every month, and users get special discounts on the ones that are leaving just in case players want to keep them. In addition to all this, first-party Xbox One games always launch on Game Pass day one–this has included games like Gears 5, The Outer Worlds, and Forza Horizon 4. It costs $10 a month to join Game Pass for Xbox One.
Xbox Game Pass for PC provides access to over 150 PC games through the Xbox app on Windows 10. Like the console version, new games are added every month, and special discounts are available in case you want to keep any games on their way out. First-party Xbox One games launch on PC the same day as console, so you gain access to them as well. You can join Game Pass for PC at $1 for the first month, after which the price goes up to $5 a month.
Xbox Live Gold provides access to online multiplayer, exclusive discounts, and free monthly games. You can subscribe to Xbox Live Gold for $10 a month, $25 for 3 months, or $60 for a year.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate packages the benefits of Xbox Game Pass for Xbox One and PC with Xbox Live Gold. You can join Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $1 for your first month, after which the price goes up to $15 a month.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/black-friday-2019s-best-deals-on-xbox-game-pass-an/1100-6471291/
After a reveal during E3 2014 and a confirmation that development was still underway in July 2018, Deep Silver’s storied Dead Island 2 is still in the works. Koch Media CEO Klemens Kundratitz confirmed that the current developer, Dambuster Studios, will “give it all [their] power.”
In an interview with GamesIndustry.Biz, Kundratitz–whose Koch Media and Deep Silver subsidiaries were acquired by THQ Nordic in February 2018–said that questions about Dead Island 2 are his favorite. “[This is] my favorite question. Look, Dead Island is a very important brand for us and we’ve got to get it right,” Kundratitz said. “It’s just a testimony of our dedication to get[ting] it right.”
Since its inception, Dead Island 2 has passed through a few studios–original developer and Dying Light creator Techland in the beginning, Spec Ops: The Line maker Yager Developments in 2012, LittleBigPlanet 3 developer Sumo Digital in 2016, and Homefront: The Revolution creator Dambuster Studios earlier this year. Despite this tumultuous development cycle, Kundratitz is confident Dead Island 2 will deliver whenever it launches.
“It’s a great story to tell everyone that it’s on its third studio, but we like to be judged on the end result and we’re really confident that when it comes out it’s going to be a kick-ass zombie game,” Kundratitz said. “We’ll certainly give it all our power.”
Kundratitz didn’t specify when Dead Island 2 will release or what platforms the game will come to.
Original developer Techland was planning on continuing the Dead Island franchise with a direct sequel but, instead, chose to focus on a new project: Dying Light. The studio’s upcoming Dying Light 2 is slated to launch on June 30, 2020 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/dead-island-2s-long-development-is-a-good-sign-pub/1100-6471576/
Google Stadia launches today, and among the day one offerings is the Square Enix RPG Final Fantasy XV. The Stadia version actually comes with some extra bells and whistles, in the form of a new series of challenge modes.
As detailed in a tweet from the studio, the Stadia version includes all four DLC episodes, the Royal Pack and Comrades multiplayer, the Booster Pack, and the Holiday Pack. But the new content comes in the form of four new challenges, which the official page describes as a set of mini-games.
The four modes include the Challenge Rally driving mode, Expert Duel, Endless Magitech Armor, and Magna Flight. You can see brief clips of each mode in action in the video below.
#FinalFantasy XV is OUT NOW on @GoogleStadia!
The #Stadia version of #FFXV includes all the DLC Episodes, the Royal Pack & Comrades, as well as an opportunity to put yourself to the test and take on four brand-new Crazy Challenges!
Find out more here
👉 https://t.co/36ScuxBX7u pic.twitter.com/PaqKPLzGqN— FINAL FANTASY XV (@FFXVEN) November 19, 2019
Final Fantasy XV is priced at $40, but it’s only $30 if you’re a Stadia Pro member. You can check out the prices for the full launch lineup and plan your purchases accordingly. For the time being, Stadia is going out to purchasers of the Founder’s Edition, which includes a Pro membership for three months.
So far reviews of Stadia have been fairly mixed and negative, with many critics agreeing that the technology is promising but not quite up to snuff yet. GameSpot’s review-in-progress was similarly mixed.
“So far, Google’s tech has impressed me to the point where I would comfortably play most in a browser tab or on a phone without batting an eye, but then I consider that I will have to buy the vast majority of games, and I’m left in awe of the value Microsoft and Sony are offering, even if their overall services lack Stadia’s flexibility,” Peter Brown wrote. “For the moment, cloud gaming still feels like a decent alternative to the real thing, and I don’t think I’m ready to dedicate a full-price game purchase to a secondary platform.”
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/final-fantasy-xv-on-google-stadia-has-an-extra-fea/1100-6471574/
Black Friday 2019 takes place on November 29, but deals will be starting sooner than that. With about a week to go until sales begin, we’ve already seen what plenty of retailers will offer during from before Black Friday and through Cyber Monday, including offers on Nintendo Switch and its games. Nintendo is no different–the company has already shown off some of its official deals, but Nintendo’s Black Friday page says to “check back soon for more deals,” which means more deals are on the way in the lead-up to the Black Friday.
We’ll certainly be seeing an Eshop sale that will discount digital Switch games, presumably along with those for 3DS. In fact, Nintendo’s Black Friday Eshop sale has already been previewed for Europe and includes the expected discounts on a mix of first- and third-party games. Among them are Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Cadence of Hyrule, and Dragon Quest Builders 2, all of which will be 30% off.
Microsoft, Best Buy, and Target have also revealed the sales they’ll have ready for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so make sure to check those out if you’re shopping around.
In terms of Nintendo’s official lineup of deals, first up is an assortment of Nintendo Switch games. Normally sold for $60, the following games will be available for $40 (33% off) at Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart starting Wednesday, November 27:
While Nintendo’s page says these games will be available for $40, Target’s Black Friday ad claims the store will offer The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Tennis Aces, and Super Mario Odyssey for only $30 each as limited-time doorbuster deals. Also, please note that more games may be on sale as well, but the Nintendo website only confirms the above titles. Finally, if you prefer to buy games digitally, the Nintendo Eshop’s deals will likely be revealed at a later date.
Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers are also getting a discount during Black Friday. Normally sold for $80 a pair, you’ll be able to pick up a new pair of either gray or neon red and blue Joy-Cons for $60 (25% off). This offer will be available at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target starting Wednesday, November 27.
For those who play Pokemon Go or the Pokemon: Let’s Go Switch games, the Poke Ball Plus is a handy accessory for storing and catching Pokemon. It also comes with Mew, a mythical Pokemon that you can transfer into Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu or Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee. Normally sold for $50, the Poke Ball Plus will be on sale for just $20 (60% off) at Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart starting Thursday, November 28.
Finally, if you were hoping for a price drop on the Nintendo Switch itself, you might be out of luck. Nintendo is offering the Switch bundled with a free digital copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for its full price of $300. If you have a good memory, you might recall this is the exact same bundle offered during Black Friday 2018. The difference this year, however, is that an upgraded Switch model with better battery life has since been released, but this particular bundle includes the original model without that improvement.
That said, if you’re interested in Mario Kart and don’t mind forgoing the extra battery life, this is still a solid deal. While not included in Nintendo’s Black Friday game deals, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe usually goes for around $50 on Amazon and elsewhere, so you’re saving a good wad of cash on this bundle. The console deal will be available at Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart starting Thursday, November 28.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-switch-black-friday-2019-sales-deals-on-g/1100-6471253/
The phrase “the early bird gets the worm” has never been truer than it is on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. During the insanity of those sales, it’s not enough to know what the best deals will be–you also want to know exactly when those deals will be available so you can be among the first shoppers to claim an offer. Otherwise, you can almost definitely count on the best deals to be sold out by the time you look online or head to the store on Black Friday. And as the years have gone by, this has become increasingly complex; oftentimes, deals are going live hours or even days in advance of Black Friday itself. As such, you can’t just assume you’ll be early by heading to stores after finishing Thanksgiving dinner to pick up a PS4, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, or whatever other deal has caught your eye.
To help you form your Black Friday shopping plan and ensure you don’t miss out on the best doorbuster deals, we’ve gathered everything you need to know about the major retailers’ store hours and online start times for Black Friday below, including stores like Best Buy, Amazon, Target, GameStop, and Walmart. Many retailers have started offering deals already in early access sales. Look for the bulk of Black Friday deals to go live on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day; however, some deals won’t go live until Black Friday itself. Quite a few stores will open Thanksgiving evening, shut their doors later that night, and then re-open on Black Friday proper. However, you’ll definitely be waiting until Friday to do in-store shopping if you live in Rhode Island, Maine, or Massachusetts, where opening on Thanksgiving is illegal. Of course, you can always head online if heading to a store isn’t an option.
Please note that some stores haven’t released the exact time their deals will be live, only the date. We’ve included the information available below and will continue to update this story as more retailers announce their store hours and start times.
Most of Best Buy’s deals will be available starting on Thanksgiving, presumably in the morning for online shopping and later on at 5 PM for brick-and-mortar stores. However, pre-Black Friday deals are already live on Best Buy’s site.
Best Buy store hours
At GameStop, online deals will go live beginning at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET on Wednesday, November 27. For brick-and-mortar GameStop stores, doors will open quite early on Thanksgiving Day, starting at 3 PM this year.
GameStop store hours
GameStop’s Black Friday 2019 deals haven’t been announced yet.
While Amazon has opened a small (but growing) number of brick-and-mortar stores across the US, the bulk of its Black Friday discounts will be available on Amazon.com. Because Amazon is primarily an online store, it’s not waiting until the end of the month to start offering its Black Friday deals. Instead, Amazon launched its Happy HoliDeals sale on November 1 with discounts across gaming, tech, entertainment, and other categories. Then, starting on November 22, more deals will be available on Amazon, including a wide range of smart devices. Basically, Amazon will have deals going live all the time, so check back often.
On the Wednesday before Black Friday, Target will have some special access deals for RedCard and Circle members. Otherwise, online deals will become available to everyone Thanksgiving morning, with brick-and-mortar stores opening at 5 PM on Thanksgiving Day this year.
Target store hours
Walmart has quite a few early Black Friday deals that are available now, but its official pre-Black Friday sale begins November 22, with the full lineup of Black Friday deals becoming available on Wednesday, November 27. At Walmart stores, deals will become available to claim at 6 PM on Thanksgiving Day.
Walmart store hours
Microsoft announced its Xbox deals and start times during X019. Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold subscribers get early access to Microsoft’s Black Friday Xbox deals starting November 21. Subscribers can log in and start shopping from any Xbox or Windows 10 device. Starting November 24, Microsoft’s Black Friday deals will open up to everyone and will be available until December 2 (or while supplies last). In addition to Xbox deals, you’ll find some nice discounts on gaming laptops, monitors, headphones, and more during Black Friday.
While Amazon may be a go-to source for many people’s online shopping, Ebay has continued to surprise us with great gaming deals on a regular basis, especially when it comes to discounts on new games or subscription services like PS Plus. It also had some of the best deals around during Prime Day 2019, so be sure to keep your eye on Ebay during Black Friday this year.
Ebay is offering a series of “Black Friday Drops” every Friday leading up the major event. So far, they’ve offered nice discounts on expensive tech like the Apple Watch Series 5 and Bose SoundTouch 10 wireless speaker, and we even saw a great bundle with the Nintendo Switch Lite and Pokemon Sword and Shield. Each Black Friday Drop goes live at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET every Friday now through December 13. The spotlight deal for Black Friday itself, November 29, hasn’t yet been revealed.
For PC gamers, Steam’s Black Friday sale (or “Autumn Sale”) will be a huge opportunity to snag games on their wishlist at a discount. Unfortunately, Steam doesn’t release information about its sales ahead of time, and that likely won’t change for Black Friday 2019. That said, we have a pretty good idea when Steam’s Black Friday sale will start. According to a leak a few months ago, Steam’s Autumn sale will go live on November 26 and run until December 3. This is a bit later than in previous years, but considering Black Friday is also happening later this year, the November 26 start date is believable. It’s worth noting the leak also accurately predicted the dates for Steam’s Halloween sale last month.
Online store Newegg is another great source for tech and gaming deals year-round, and the website has been gearing up for Black Friday all month long. Newegg has opted to celebrate “Black November” rather than limiting its deals to Thanksgiving weekend, and you can already find great discounts on gaming laptops, desktops, graphics cards, and more.
If you’re someone who has a Costco membership, there are plenty of Black Friday gaming deals awaiting you this year. However, Costco will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, so there’s no beating the Black Friday rush if you plan to shop in stores. If you prefer to shop online, deals are already available, but some of the best deals will go live on Costco.com the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
Costco store hours
Kohl’s isn’t usually a store you think of for tech and gaming deals, but the brick-and-mortar retailer is stepping up its game with some solid deals this year, including a nice Nintendo Switch bundle. Plus, the store is offering $15 of Kohl’s Cash for every $50 you spend from November 25-29, an excellent deal if you shop there regularly. On top of that, select products are eligible for an additional 15% off both in stores and online with promo code THANKS15.
Kohl’s store hours
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/when-is-black-friday-2019-all-store-hours-start-ti/1100-6471354/
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