Apple Arcade Adds Five More Games, Including RPG From Threes Dev

Apple promised 100 games for Apple Arcade during its launch window, and the service has been slowly building to that number with regular weekly releases. This week brings another six games, including the latest release from Threes developer Asher Vollmer.

The new releases this week include UFO on Tape: First Contact, Sociable Soccer, Discolored, Marble It Up: Mayhem, and Guildlings. That last game is the game from Vollmer and Sirvo Studios, promising a YA novel-like setting of fantasy turn-based combat against a magical realist environment.

UFO on Tape has you speed through environments with your phone camera looking for evidence of aliens. Sociable Soccer is part soccer, part management sim, while Discolored is a puzzle adventure that has you restoring the color to a black-and-white world. Finally, Marble It Up has you roll a marble through intricate levels brimming with ramps and obstacles.

Apple Arcade is Apple’s gaming subscription service, promising all-you-can-eat games for $5 per month, without in-app purchases or F2P hooks. If you need more recommendations, check out some of our favorite picks on the service. Meanwhile if you’re an Android user, you can check out the similarly priced Google Play Pass.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/apple-arcade-adds-five-more-games-including-rpg-fr/1100-6471317/

Black Friday 2019’s Best PS4 Game Deals: Control, Resident Evil 2, Borderlands 3, And More

While it hasn’t been as stellar of a year for PS4 exclusives as recent years, plenty of great games have released for Sony’s powerhouse platform, which recently became the second best-selling console ever. Black Friday and Cyber Monday will give PS4 users (and those with PS4 owners on their shopping lists) a wide selection of games to buy at heavily discounted prices.

Where to find the best PS4 game deals

Black Friday retailer ads usually start releasing in early November, a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Target’s Black Friday ad was the first among major retailers to release this year; Best Buy’s Black Friday ad released soon after. Both sales offer a wide assortment of PS4 game deals. Expect similarly robust sales from Walmart, GameStop, and Amazon to be announced soon. You should also keep an eye on the PlayStation Store, as Sony usually offers its own deals on digital games throughout Black Friday weekend.

We’ll keep adding to the list below as more Black Friday retailer ads appear online. For now, we’re off to a great start, as Target’s and Best Buy’s ads feature a ton of awesome PS4 games, including numerous 2019 hits for the lowest prices we’ve seen. While specific start times will vary by retailer, all of these game discounts will be available starting Thanksgiving Day.

For more Black Friday 2019 PS4 deals, be sure to check out our guide to the best PS4 console and accessory deals, which include an excellent PS4 Slim bundle, a five-game PSVR mega pack, DualShock 4 controller discounts, and more.

Best Black Friday 2019 PS4 game deals

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/black-friday-2019s-best-ps4-game-deals-control-res/1100-6470858/

Ninja Thinks Fortnite Streamers Caught Cheating Deserve Special Treatment

Popular streamer Ninja has provided his thoughts on FaZe Jarvis Khattri’s permanent Fortnite ban, saying the punishment was too harsh for the pro gamer who was caught using aimbot cheats.

In a livestream compilation published on YouTube, Tyler “Ninja” Blevins said Jarvis is a “stupid kid making a stupid decision” but felt that a permanent ban is “just silly.” According to Ninja, content creators and regular players should be handled differently by companies seeking to dish out punishment.

“There’s a difference between a content creator who has millions of subscribers, hundreds of thousands of followers, who gets banned from literally what makes him money and some kid who is a piece of s*** who has absolutely zero following, has zero money that comes from gaming, and hacks,” Ninja said. “You ban that kid, nothing happens to him. Nothing happens. ‘Oh no, he can’t cheat anymore.’ You ban Jarvis… It’s different. The stakes are different, it should be handled a little bit differently.

“Just look at the situation. It needs to be handled different because it’s different. A content creator cheating who’s entire life is about the game he’s playing and some random who has no YouTube channel, no Twitter account–he doesn’t even care, he just cheats. He hacks to hack. You ban one, you ruin his life. You ban the other, he makes another account and keeps cheating. It’s different. It has to be handled differently.”

Ninja said Jarvis’ punishment is deserved and that he doesn’t “feel bad for him” considering the circumstances but thinks companies not having “a little bit of favoritism for [their] content creators is a just kind of silly … Without your content creators as well, though, it has a negative impact on your game.”

You can listen to Ninja’s full thoughts in the video below, alongside some Fortnite gameplay from various other streamers like KingRichard and Shroud.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ninja-thinks-fortnite-streamers-caught-cheating-de/1100-6471315/

Where Is Xur Today? Destiny 2 Xur Location For Exotic Armor And Weapons (Nov. 8-12)

The last few weeks of the Season of the Undying have seen a bunch of new Exotic weapons added to Destiny 2. If you’re willing to work through a bunch of puzzles and delve into the Pit of Heresy, you can get Xenophage, a new Exotic machine gun. There are also quests to complete to snag the Heavy ammo bow Leviathan’s Breath, the Deathbringer rocket launcher, and Divinity, a trace rifle you’ll need to brave the Garden of Salvation raid to unlock. But if you’re tired of working hard for your Exotics, good news: Xur is back this weekend and he’s got a few you can purchase without a lengthy Exotic quest to hassle you.

Here’s where to find Xur and what he’s carrying this weekend.

Xur Location

You’ll find Xur hanging out in the EDZ on Earth this week. Spawn in at Winding Cove, then head north toward the cliff at the edge of the area. Climb up to the crashed Fallen drop ship to find Xur standing at on the cliff’s edge.

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What Is Xur Selling?

Most everything Xur is offering this week is from Destiny 2’s first year, which means if you’ve been playing for a while, you likely have all the armor on offer. The one Year Two item he’s got in his bag is Cerberus +1, an auto rifle from the Forsaken expansion that’s great for dumping a lot of ammo on a target in a short amount of time.

If Xur’s wares aren’t compelling, you can always roll the dice on the expensive Fated Engram he brings with you. This gives you a single Exotic from the limited pool of ones you haven’t already earned, for the price of 97 Legendary shards. If there’s something you’re missing from your collection, it’s a good deal, but be sure to purchase it on the character who’s missing the Exotic, and note that you can only get one per week, so choose wisely which of your characters makes the buy. If you’re a PC or Xbox One player taking advantage of cross-save, you can now potentially get Wavesplitter from the Fated Engram as well.

Xur Item Lineup (Nov. 1-5)

  • Cerberus +1 (Exotic pulse rifle)
  • Transversive Steps (Exotic Warlock leg armor)
  • Frost-EE5 (Exotic Hunter leg armor)
  • Eternal Warrior (Exotic Titan helmet)

Cerberus +1

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Xur’s weapon offering this week is the Forsaken auto rifle Cerberus+1. Instead of one barrel, it packs four, and all of them spray ammo at the same time when you fire it–making it a little more like a shotgun than an assault rifle. Aiming down the sights concentrates the spread of projectiles a little more, but it’s a spray-and-pray kind of weapon, so keep that in mind while using it.

Transversive Steps (Warlock)

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If you want to be a speedier Warlock, Transversive Steps can help. The boots increase your sprint speed overall, and sprinting for a short while will automatically reload your currently equipped weapon. That’s handy for keeping on the move in the Crucible and during this week’s Iron Banner event.

Stats:

  • Mobility: 17
  • Resilience: 2
  • Recovery: 7
  • Discipline: 6
  • Intellect: 10
  • Strength: 6
  • Total: 48

Frost-EE5 (Hunter)

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For a Hunter looking for a good default, all-situations Exotic, it’s tough to go wrong with the Frost-EE5 boots. They increase your sprint speed for a short time after you dodge, and also reduce the cooldowns of all your abilities while you’re sprinting.

Stats:

  • Mobility: 18
  • Resilience: 2
  • Recovery: 6
  • Discipline: 6
  • Intellect: 6
  • Strength: 10
  • Total: 48

Eternal Warrior (Titan)

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For Titans, Xur has Eternal Warrior, a helmet that pairs well with your Arc subclass. The helmet creates an overshield when you activate Fists of Havoc. That makes it pretty useful in PvP to help you make sure you get the most out of your Super against other players.

Stats:

  • Mobility: 6
  • Resilience: 12
  • Recovery: 6
  • Discipline: 6
  • Intellect: 12
  • Strength: 6
  • Total: 48

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/where-is-xur-today-destiny-2-xur-location-for-exot/1100-6471314/

Divinity: Original Sin 2 Gets Free DLC On All Platforms, New Friend Feature On Switch

The massive RPG Divinity: Original Sin 2 somehow squeezed onto Nintendo Switch, and now it’s getting even bigger. Larian Studios has announced a free DLC drop across all platforms, along with a new social feature for Nintendo’s console-handheld hybrid.

The new Gift Bag DLC is called Order & Magic, and it’s available for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch. You can pick up your “gift bag” in the menu and enable or disable it as you wish, along with the two prior gift bags, Beauty Salon and Song of Nature. Among them are buffs to characters and gear, and a nice quality-of-life feature that keeps you from having to swap characters while bargain-hunting at shops.

The Order & Magic bag includes:

  • Pet Power – This enhancement to the summoning class lets you cast infusion spells on all summons, rather than just your own Incarnate.
  • Combat Randomiser – One or more enemies will receive special statuses to create more variety in combat
  • Nine Lives (Black Cat+) – Transforms the Black Cat into a follower, and adds a whistle to your inventory in case the cat gets lost
  • Improved Organization – A collection of special bags for better inventory management, and an automatic organizing function
  • Sourcerous Sundries – Major hubs will house a vendor with exotic artifacts to upgrade gear to your current level
  • Hagglers – The reputation and skill of your whole party used for haggling

Along with those improvements, the Switch version will now let you invite friends to your game. You can invite friends and if they accept, they’ll join your party wherever you are in progress. And of course, the game has cross-save support on Steam and Switch, letting you start on one and then play on the other. This also means that if you enable the Order & Magic features on one platform, it will roll over to your save on the other.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is one of only 16 games to ever receive a 10/10 from GameSpot. The Divinity: Original Sin 2 review has been updated for both the Definitive Edition and Nintendo Switch port.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/divinity-original-sin-2-gets-free-dlc-on-all-platf/1100-6471309/

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Players Discover A Hidden Character Of Sorts

In typical fashion, Red Dead Redemption 2‘s recent release on PC has already seen modders unearth some hidden oddities by accessing the PC port’s game files, whether it’s a mod that lets you fly across the map as an eagle, or one that lets you take control of a sheep. However, one player discovered something far more spooky than Bovidae-related hijinks.

On the Red Dead Redemption subreddit, user DaniMoz discovered that you can use mods to play as Princess Isabeau Katharina Zinsmeister (or IKZ for short). “IKZ is in the game files, using mods to play as her. This is what she looks like,” DaniMoz posted. For those unaware, IKZ is a character in Red Dead Redemption 2 who’s been missing for 15 years by the time Arthur Morgan shows up. She never appears in the game.

There are posters throughout the map offering a reward from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg for her safe return, and some trunks with her initials imprinted on them have even been spotted at the fence in Van Horn Trading Post. There’s also an NPC near Elysian Hall who informs the player he’s looking for the missing princess, but she’s never been found.

The posters state that IKZ disappeared at the age of five during a royal visit to the United States in June 1884. Players have picked up on the fact that the poster describes her as having blonde hair and birthmarks on her right hand and left cheek, with some trying to find her using these distinct features as a general guide–along with the estimation that she’s probably around 20 years of age during Red Dead Redemption 2’s main story.

By using the Lenny’s Simple Trainer mod, you can access her character model by typing “CS_PrincessIsabeau” into the “models” line in the Ist.ini file of the mod. Eurogamer notes that she does have birthmarks on her right hand and right cheek, which differs from the poster saying she has one on her left cheek. Other than this, her appearance seems to match what was described. Why her character model is hidden within the game’s files is a mystery, however. Perhaps Rockstar was planning on using her in a quest that was eventually scrapped, or maybe she was hidden somewhere on the map this whole time. She was probably hanging out with Gavin, to be fair.

If you fancy picking the game up yourself, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a worthy PC port, for the most part.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/red-dead-redemption-2-pc-players-discover-a-hidden/1100-6471313/

Pokemon Go Team Rocket Event Now Live, Adds Shiny Meowth

Pokemon Go‘s new Team Rocket bosses have finally made their debut in the game, and it seems their appearance has had an effect on wild Pokemon. For a limited time, monsters commonly used by Team Rocket will appear in the wild much more often than normal, and you’ll have your first chance to catch a new Shiny Pokemon.

From now until 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET on November 14, Pokemon such as Ekans, Koffing, and Meowth will spawn frequently in the wild, and Pokemon “significant to Team Go Rocket and the Team Go Rocket Boss, Giovanni” will appear in Raids. On top of that, you now have your first opportunity to encounter Shiny Meowth either in the wild or in Raids.

Along with the increased Pokemon spawns, Team Rocket has added a couple of new Shadow Pokemon to their lineup as well. You can now encounter Shadow versions of Sandshrew, Bellsprout, Magnemite, Porygon, and Wobbuffet when taking on Team Rocket grunts, while the new Team Rocket leaders have access to Shadow Meowth, Scyther, and Sneasel. You can read more details about the Team Rocket event on the official Pokemon Go website.

The new Team Rocket bosses–Cliff, Arlo, and Sierra–can be encountered using a new item called the Rocket Radar, which you can assemble after collecting six mysterious components from Team Rocket grunts. Using the Rocket Radar, you can locate the hideout of one of the Rocket bosses and challenge them to a battle, and if you manage to defeat them, you can rescue one of their Shadow Pokemon.

The Team Rocket leaders arrived alongside a new Special Research questline, which culminates in an encounter with Team Rocket head honcho Giovanni. If you manage to defeat the evil trainer in battle, you’ll have a chance to rescue a Shadow Legendary Pokemon.

In other Pokemon Go news, the game’s first Gen 5 Legendary, Cobalion, is appearing in five-star Raids until November 26. Meanwhile, the game’s November Community Day takes place next Saturday, November 16. The featured Pokemon this month will be Chimchar, the Fire-type starter from Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, and if you can evolve it all the way into Infernape up to two hours after the Community Day ends, it’ll learn a special event-exclusive move.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-go-team-rocket-event-now-live-adds-shiny-m/1100-6471310/

Black Friday 2019: Best PS4 Console and Accessory Deals So Far

If you’re looking to buy a PlayStation 4, there’s no better time to get one than Black Friday weekend or Cyber Monday. Each year, Sony releases an affordable holiday bundle that’s typically carried at all of the major retailers. This year, that bundle happens to include three of the best PS4 exclusives to date. You can also pair that PS4 with a ridiculously awesome PSVR bundle this year. A growing number of retailers, including Target and Best Buy, have already released their Black Friday ads, so let’s take a look at the best PS4 console and accessory deals.

What you won’t see below, at least at this time, is the PlayStation 4 Pro. The more powerful PS4 console isn’t in Best Buy’s or Target’s ad. We’ll have to wait and see if the PS4 Pro will show up in other Black Friday sales.

Best Black Friday PS4 console deals

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PS4 Slim (1TB) with God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition, and The Last of Us Remastered | $200 ($300)

The 2019 PS4 Slim holiday bundle features God of War, The Last of Us Remastered, and Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition. That’s quite the haul of PlayStation exclusives. At $200, this is likely the best PS4 deal you’ll find this Black Friday. So far, we know it will be available at Target, Best Buy, and Belk. Look for it to be available at other retailers, too.


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PS4 Slim (1TB) Fortnite Neo Versa Bundle with $60 Kohl’s Cash | $200 ($300)

Make no mistake, the holiday bundle is definitely better than this one. But it’s also a safe bet that the holiday bundle will sell out quickly at a lot of retailers. Kohl’s has the Neo Versa bundle, which includes a few pieces of Fortnite DLC, for $200 as well. You’ll also get $60 Kohl’s Cash to sweeten the pot.


Best Black Friday PSVR deals

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PlayStation VR Mega Pack bundle with camera and five games | $200 ($300)

Talk about an awesome deal. For just $200, you get the PSVR headset, the PlayStation Camera, and five great VR games: Astro Bot: Rescue Mission, Everybody’s Golf VR, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR, Resident Evil 7 (playable in and out of VR), and PlayStation VR Worlds. Best Buy and Target will for sure have this bundle on Black Friday, but other retailers probably will, too.


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PSVR with camera, two Move controllers, and Everybody’s Golf/Blood & Truth | $250 ($300)

While the Mega Pack is the best bundle when it comes to games, this PSVR bundle includes two PlayStation Move motion controllers, the PlayStation Camera, and two games: Everybody’s Golf VR and the well-realized cinematic shooter Blood & Truth. It’s also an excellent deal at $250.


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PSVR with camera and Trover Saves the Universe/Five Night at Freddy’s | $200 ($300)

If the other two PSVR bundles sell out, this is your next best bet. For $200, you get the headset, PlayStation Camera, and a pair of games: Trover Saves the Universe and Five Night at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted.


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PlayStation VR Astro Bot and Moss Bundle with $60 Kohl’s Cash | $200 ($300)

This PSVR bundle could be viewed as a second option for some; for others, it may be the best available. The Astro Bot/Moss PSVR bundle was available on Black Friday last year. This year, Kohl’s will have it for $200, and you’ll also get $60 Kohl’s Cash.


Best Black Friday PS4 accessory deals

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DualShock 4 wireless controller (all colors) | $40

Best Buy will have a ton of DualShock 4 controllers on sale. Every color the store has in stock–Electric Purple, Rose Gold, Red Camouflage, Magma, Crystal, etc.–will be discounted to $40, regardless of whether they are normally $60 or $65.


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PlayStation Gold Wireless Headsets | $70 ($100)

Sony’s PlayStation Gold wireless headsets will be $30 off on Black Friday at Best Buy. Gold headsets come in white, black, and rose gold.


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Logitech G29 Driving Force Racing Wheel | $200 ($400)

The Logitech G29 Driving Force Racing Wheel creates a more authentic and immersive experience while playing racing games. The highly-rated wheel is normally really pricey at $400. It’s on sale at Best Buy this Black Friday for $200.


from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/black-friday-2019-best-ps4-console-and-accessory-d/1100-6470964/

Hey Look, Death Stranding PC Has A Steam And Epic Store Pre-Order Page Already

Death Stranding is now available on PS4, marking the end of years of anticipation for Hideo Kojima’s first game following his split with Konami. If you’d rather explore the post-apocalypse on PC, though, the game is now available for pre-order on both Steam and the Epic Games Store.

The PC version isn’t coming until Summer 2020, and no exact release date has been set. While the PS4 version is being published by Sony, the PC version is being handled by 505 Games. The initial PC announcement didn’t detail which storefronts it would be available on, so with today’s pre-orders open we now know that it’s coming to Steam and EGS, if not more marketplaces.

If you are setting off on your journey today, be sure to check out our wide wealth of guides, including beginner’s tips. You also may want to keep a close eye on your save files for the game, which have a tendency to balloon on PS4. It’s a pretty long game, too, so be prepared to stay in the apocalypse for a while.

“Death Stranding is a hard game to absorb,” Kallie Plagge wrote in GameSpot’s review. “There are many intertwining threads to its plot, and silly names, corny moments, and heavy exposition belie an otherwise very simple message. That comes through much more clearly in the game’s more mundane moments, when you find a desperately-needed ladder left behind by another player or receive a letter from an NPC thanking you for your efforts. It’s positive without ignoring pain; in fact, it argues in both its story and its gameplay that adversity itself is what makes things worth doing and life worth living. It’s a game that requires patience, compassion, and love, and it’s also one we really need right now.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/hey-look-death-stranding-pc-has-a-steam-and-epic-s/1100-6471312/

New Smash Bros. Ultimate Freebie Available Now For Nintendo Switch Online Members

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate‘s latest DLC fighter, Terry Bogard from Fatal Fury, has finally arrived alongside the game’s 6.0 update, but that isn’t the only new content for the title this week. Nintendo is also offering another free Spirit Board Challenge Pack for Switch Online subscribers.

The Spirit Board Challenge Pack 3 is available now. Whereas previous packs contained items related exclusively to the game’s Spirit Board mode, this one comes with 5,000 Gold and three Classic Tickets, which will let you continue a Classic Mode run if you’re defeated without dropping its intensity.

You can grab the free pack by going into the Switch Eshop and selecting the Nintendo Switch Online option from the left sidebar–the pack will be listed under exclusive offers. Alternatively, you can select the Eshop icon from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s main menu and see the pack listed with the game’s other DLC.

As was the case with the previous two Spirit Board Challenge Packs, you can only claim this freebie if you have an active paid NSO subscription; you can’t grab it during a free trial to the service. Subscriptions are available for US $4 / £3.49 / AU $6 for one month, US $8 / £7 / AU $12 for three months, and US $20 / £18 / AU $30 for one year. Nintendo also offers an annual Family Membership that costs US $35 / £31.49 / AU $55 and covers up to eight Nintendo Accounts across multiple systems.

Terry Bogard, meanwhile, is the fourth DLC fighter to arrive as part of Smash Ultimate’s $25 Fighters Pass. One more as-yet-unrevealed DLC fighter is still on the way by February, but that isn’t the end of the game’s DLC; earlier this year, Nintendo confirmed it is working on even more DLC fighters for Smash, but it hasn’t shared any more details beyond that.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-smash-bros-ultimate-freebie-available-now-for-/1100-6471307/