Nintendo Is Publishing The Stretchers, A New Game from Little Nightmares Dev; And It’s Out Now

Surprise, surprise, Nintendo has stealth released a new game from Little Nightmares developer Tarsier. Called The Stretchers, this whimsical puzzler tasks you with ferrying patients to the hospital in a race against the clock.

The gameplay looks like a curious mix between Crazy Taxi and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, as you control two medics in charge of scooping up “dizzy” patients on a stretcher and navigating to an ambulance so you can dump them in the back and set off, crashing through fences, walls, and into other vehicles. Let’s just say they’re not the safest ambulance drivers.

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The Stretchers is clearly designed with co-op in mind; the Switch’s two Joy-Con’s providing easy access to local multiplayer. But it can be played solo as well, which is where the Brothers vibes come from.

It hasn’t yet appeared on the US eShop, but The Stretchers is available now on the UK Nintendo Switch eShop for £17.99.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-is-publishing-the-stretchers-a-new-game-f/1100-6471304/

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare Update 1.07 Is Out Now; Here Are The Full Patch Notes

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare‘s biggest patch yet is out now. The free 8-10GB update adds a host of new content to the game and addresses many of the community’s biggest complaints regarding the multiplayer portion of the hit first-person shooter.

Krovnik Farmland, the third Ground War map, has been added to the frenetic mode’s playlist. There’s also a new 6v6 map called Shoot House that’s now included in the regular multiplayer rotation. If you want an immediate taste of it, however, there’s currently a 24/7 Shoot House playlist that includes Team Deathmatch, Domination, Kill Confirmed, and Headquarters on the brand new map. The Hardpoint game mode has also been added to the regular rotation after appearing in numerous CoD games before. Both teams must rush to a “hardpoint” on the map and repel the enemy team to begin earning points. It’s similar to Headquarters, but respawning is unlimited.

In terms of balance changes, claymores have been nerfed considerably. Shooting an enemy claymore is now non-lethal when at full health, and the range at which they trigger, and their damage width, have both been reduced as well. Equipping the E.O.D. perk nullifies their effectiveness even further, clamping explosive damage to a non-lethal amount if you’re at full health.

There has also been a number of audio changes so your position isn’t constantly given away. Footsteps, for example, have been altered so that they don’t dominate the battlefield. Walls and other geometry are now much more effective at blocking sounds, and the footstep volume at distances has been lowered as well. Infinity Ward says its working on another large footstep change in its next update, too, which will make crouch and ADS movement significantly quieter.

Battle chatter has been adjusted so that operators aren’t quite as talkative as before. Enemies will no longer hear when they’ve been called out by the opposition, and enemy callouts have also been tweaked so that they’re never from your operator, only from teammates. The triggers for these callouts are less frequent now, too.

Riots shields are also less of a nuisance now. The shield will now properly go on the wearer’s back when they’re using a throwing knife or thermite. Explosive splash damage is also more consistent, so taking out anyone using a riot shield should be slightly easier.

When it comes to weapons, two of the community’s biggest complaints have been addressed. Both the 725 shotgun and the M4A1 assault rifle have been nerfed. Both have had their damage range reduced, and the latter has had a slight recoil increase. Assault rifles, in general, have seen an increase in their hip fire spread to reduce their effectiveness up close, while movement and ADS speed has been increased when using an SMG. Pistols have an increased damage range as well.

The update also introduces a slew of bug fixes. You can see the full patch notes below.

Update 1.07 Full Patch Notes

  • Backend fixes to prevent crashes and improve stability across all platforms, include dev errors, and various performance fixes.

  • Fix for a few bugs where some streaks and Field Upgrades were able to be flown out of bounds without penalty. General out of bound fixes were also added.

  • Fix for a bug where a player being killed by an enemy with a Variable Zoom Scope would not see the zoom function in the killcam

  • Fix for the Semtex warning audio being heard at the same volume whether in a building or outside

  • In Headquarters, players were able to place a Tac Insert and respawn when their team owned the point. This has been fixed.

  • Fix for various collision issues across maps

  • Added UI that shows when XP events are active in playlists menus

  • Sprint and Tactical Sprint speeds are now back to speeds in Beta

  • Fix for a bug where the progress of the bomb defusal can be seen by the team that planted the bomb

  • Fix for a bug that revealed players to UAVs when they fired their weapons, even if they had Ghost and a silencer equipped

  • Fixed an issue where if multiple Personal Radars were active on a team, and are both marking the same enemy, only one player would see the enemy on their minimap.

RIOT SHIELD:

Fixed an issue where the throwing knife and Thermite weren’t causing the shield to go on the player’s back when thrown. We’ve also fixed the issue where explosive splash damage wasn’t working consistently. We’ll continue to tune the Riot Shield in future updates.

CLAYMORES:

Detonating an enemy claymore with bullets is now non-lethal when at full health. We’ve also reduced the trigger and damage radius and also reduced the damage width to better match the trigger width.

BATTLE CHATTER:

Removed the ability for enemies to hear when they’ve been called out by the opposing team. We also adjusted the enemy callouts so they are never from your Operator. Enemy callouts now use a more restricted cone at the hip and even more restricted in ADS when calculating whether or not to trigger. We’ll continue to monitor this and make additional tweaks to Battle Chatter in future updates.

MOUNTING:

Slight increase to recoil while mounting.

PERKS:

E.O.D. now clamps damage to a non-lethal amount, assuming the player is at full health

LIGHTING:

Continued updates to player visibility in dark windows and dark areas.

FOOTSTEPS:

We’ve increased the occlusion percentage to filter footstep sounds behind geometry and adjusted the footstep volume at a distance. We have another large footstep change coming in the next update which will make crouch and ADS movement significantly quieter. Stay tuned!

CHALLENGES/PROGRESSION/RANK

Daily Challenges and Active Missions are getting a full sweep of testing and fixes. We’ll have more updates to these systems in future updates.

  • Fix for a bug where the Infiltrator challenge was not tracking properly

  • Fix for launchers not giving XP when shooting down killstreaks

  • Fix for a bug where planting or defusing 5 bombs in Cyber Attack or SnD was not tracking properly

  • Camo challenge for “Kills After a Reload” didn’t give the player enough time to acquire a kill, so time has been increased

  • Fix for a bug where your XP require to reach the next rank was higher than the value needed

  • 725 Shotgun: Increase to ADS and Hip Spread, reduced damage range

  • M4A1 Assault Rifle: Reduced damage range, small recoil increase

  • Assault Rifles: Increased hip spread to reduce effectiveness up close, less damage at long range for full auto 5.56 rifles

  • SMGs: Increased move speed, increased ADS move speed, small reduction in sprint out time

  • UZI SMG: Increased damage range

  • MG34 LMG: Increased hip spread, damage range reduction, small ADS slow down

  • M91 LMG: Increased hip spread, small damage range reduction

  • PKM: Increased hip spread, medium damage range reduction

  • Pistols: Increased move speed, reduced sprint out time, increased damage range

  • Crouch and Prone no longer adjust recoil

CALL OF DUTY LEAGUE

Updated rulesets for CDL competitive modes in private match

CYBER ATTACK

Fix for a bug where a player could use lose their primary weapon and would be unable to see their viewmodel after being revived by a teammate

GROUND WAR

  • Fix for a bug where players would sometimes be unable to pick a spawn location

  • Fix for a bug where a Tac Insert could cause players to spawn on the enemy home base

  • Pick up Intel!–In the Operations, explore Verdansk to find additional backstory information of Verdansk and the Operators.

  • Fix for scoreboards displaying incorrect data

  • XP adjustments and general backend fixes

  • Various fixes for out of bounds and parachute exploits

  • Respawn timer no longer stays on screen after teammates are revived from bleedout

  • Fix for issue where the Munitions were not usable after respawning via Gunship

  • Fix for losing your weapons when picking up the core

  • Achievements can now be unlocked in CP

  • Fix for issue where players could spawn with their weapons in the downed state

  • Picked up Munitions no longer carry over from match to match. Only the Munitions you purchase with points will.

  • When respawning via the Gunship, you will no longer be given the Tank role

  • Selecting an Allegiance Operator or Allegiance as a favorite faction will now properly assign the voice of the correct operator

  • Operation Headhunter: Fix for a bug where players are not able to lock missiles onto the final boss helicopter

  • Operation Crosswind: Adjusted stealth for gameplay

  • Operation Paladin:

    • Fix for a bug where there was no UI or indicator of where to go or how to finish the objective after defending the 3rd arms crate

    • Fix for a bug where the default weapon was different than the weapon a player would hold if they were placed in Last Stand

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-update-107-is-out-now-/1100-6471303/

Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers – Sophia Introduction Trailer

Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers - Sophia Introduction Trailer

The spotlight now goes to the brand-new character.

source /news/9165-persona-5-scramble-the-phantom-strikers-sophia-introduction-trailer

Monster Rancher port for Nintendo Switch launches digitally in Japan on December 19

Monster Rancher port for Nintendo Switch launches digitally in Japan on December 19

You will be able to experience the nostalgia next month if you have a Japanese Nintendo account.

source /news/9164-monster-rancher-port-for-nintendo-switch-launches-digitally-in-japan-on-december-19

Nioh 2 introduces Shibata Katsuie, Maeda Toshiie, and Hachisuka Koroku with new screenshots

Nioh 2 introduces Shibata Katsuie, Maeda Toshiie, and Hachisuka Koroku with new screenshots

These characters also appeared in the open beta demo.

source /news/9163-nioh-2-introduces-shibata-katsuie-maeda-toshiie-and-hachisuka-koroku-with-new-screenshots

SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays demo is now available for PlayStation 4 and Switch in Asia

SD Gundam G Generation Cross Rays demo is now available for PlayStation 4 and Switch in Asia

An English version of the demo also exists, and you can transfer the save data to the full game.

source /news/9161-sd-gundam-g-generation-cross-rays-demo-is-now-available-for-playstation-4-and-switch-in-asia

NHL 20, Which Is An Ice Hockey Game, Adds Football And Basketball Players

In a completely unexpected move, EA’s NHL 20 has added three new athletes, none of whom actually play professional ice hockey. Through a partnership with apparel company Adidas, EA has brought professional basketball player Kyle Lowry, along with NFL players Adam Thielen and Juju Smith-Schuster, into the newest hockey game.

The players are available as playable characters in NHL 20’s pond hockey mode, NHL Ones. They’re also available in the Hockey Ultimate Team mode and the World of Chel mode.

Lowry, Thielen, and Smith-Schuster also have their own unique apparel in NHL 20, including hoodies, jerseys, and skates, that players can unlock in NHL 20. This apparel can also be purchased in real life from adidas.com.

In Hockey Ultimate Team mode, players can take on each athlete’s Squad Battle challenge to earn their home jersey. These run for a period of one week, beginning now with Thielen’s challenge, then Smith-Schuster’s from November 14-20, and finally Lowry’s from November 21-27.

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Go to the NHL 20 website to get all the details about this special crossover promotion. This campaign is part of NHL 20’s ambition to appeal to new players and try new things. The game also has plans to introduce celebrity commentators at some point in the future.

NHL 20 released in September for PS4 and Xbox One. GameSpot’s NHL 20 review scored the game a 9/10, praising its controls and presentation in particular.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nhl-20-which-is-an-ice-hockey-game-adds-football-a/1100-6471298/

Five Free Games You Can Play This Weekend On PC And Xbox One

It’s a big weekend for free play days–there are five separate games available to play for free over the weekend running from November 8 until November 11. If you want to test something new out, here’s what’s available.

The Elder Scrolls Online currently has a free trial period, which is running until November 13 on PC, Xbox One, and PS4 (you’ll need Xbox Live Gold to access the trial on Xbox One). You can test the game out for free, and then if you decide to jump in after that you can continue your progress without needing to start over.

If you’re after something completely different, you can jump onto Steam and try American Truck Simulator for the next three days. If you like it, you can grab the full game with a 75% discount until November 15 and keep driving down the game’s recreated American highways. The game’s user reviews average out as “very positive”; play it and see why.

Just Cause 4 is also enjoying a free weekend on Steam. This is, specifically, the ‘Reloaded’ edition of Just Cause 4, which comes with a few extras: the ‘Skystriker’ Weaponized Wingsuit, the Black Hand Stealth Micro Jet, the Neon Racer Pack, the Deathstalker Scorpion Pack, and the Renegade Pack. The game is also on special, as are several bundles collecting the game and various pieces of DLC–test it out and see if you’d like to keep playing.

Two different iterations of Cities: Skylines are also free to play this weekend. The PC version can be found on Steam, and is also on sale with a 75% discount from now until November 12, for both its standard and deluxe edition versions. The Xbox One version is similarly on sale at 75% off, and free to play over the weekend. This version is also available on Xbox Game Pass for consoles.

Finally, the Xbox One version of The Surge is free to play this weekend. You can download it now and test it out over the weekend, and then–once again–buy it at a 75% discount. The Surge is also available on Xbox Game Pass for consoles, so subscribers can play it at no additional cost.

That should be enough to keep you busy over the weekend.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/five-free-games-you-can-play-this-weekend-on-pc-an/1100-6471297/

Activision Is Planning More Mobile Games, All Franchises Under Consideration

Activision is interested in ramping up its mobile game development. During an earnings call, Activision Blizzard president and chief operating officer Coddy Johnson said the company is looking at every one of its franchises to potentially bring to mobile.

He started off by reminding people that Activision Blizzard is already a company that is focused on mobile devices, with one-third of its total business coming from mobile. This is no doubt fueled in part by King, the mobile giant behind Candy Crush that Activision acquired in 2015.

“A third of our business is on mobile already. We have the largest mobile gaming presence in the west. So we want to build on that leadership position. We think it’s a foundation of strength to do that. [Mobile] is a massive opportunity, and we think not just for Call of Duty and not just for Diablo Immortal,” Johnson said.

The executive added that mobile devices are becoming more and more powerful, and this is helping Activision to adapt its traditional AAA franchises to smaller screens.

“The AAA kinds of games we make are ready to work on mobile because of the improving compute and graphics capability [of the mobile devices],” he said. “And honestly because of evolving player expectations. It’s now the case that many of the most successful global games are first-person action, strategy; those all align, as you might imagine, very well with our portfolio. [And] we have a growing ability to execute”

Johnson went on to say that Activision is uniquely positioned for success in the mobile market because it owns some of the biggest names in gaming. He pointed out that Call of Duty Mobile‘s recent release was enormously successful, with 100 million downloads, and this level of success might have only been possible because Call of Duty is such an established brand.

“We’re seeing that franchise familiarity and awareness matter–they matter fundamentally to the tune of hundreds of millions of people. When you reach out in the right way with franchises they’re willing to come in. So let’s the level of opportunity we see,” he said.

Johnson was asked directly if Activision might bring World of Warcraft or Overwatch to mobile, but he wouldn’t confirmed anything. However, he teased that Activision is considering “all of our franchises” for potential adaptation to the mobile market.

“In terms of what we’ll make, you might imagine we’re looking at all of our franchises. We want to do it where it makes sense,” he said.

Activision will consider releasing new mobile games under three main brackets. The first of these is a game that would “extend existing gameplay,” with Call of Duty Mobile as an example of that. Johnson pointed out that Call of Duty Mobile has maps, weapons, and characters from the console version, and similar adaptations could happen for other franchises. Johnson teased that Activision sees “a number of opportunities” to do this with other series.

Activision would also consider releasing mobile games that are “reimaginations” of a console/PC title. The card game Hearthstone–which exists in the Warcraft universe–was an example of this, Johnson said, and he teased that Activision has “a number of ideas like that” looking ahead. The third bracket is a “true cross-platform title” that is cross-compatible between console/PC and mobile right from the start, Johnson said.

Keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest on Activision’s plans for more mobile games. In other news, Activision announced that it made $700 million from microtransactions in the last quarter.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/activision-is-planning-more-mobile-games-all-franc/1100-6471296/