Following its surprise announcement earlier this week, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate‘s big 3.0 update is now live. The patch adds a wealth of new content and features to the acclaimed Switch fighting game, including a new playable character and Stage Builder mode, plus a long list of balance tweaks for various fighters.

Headlining the update is Persona 5’s Joker, who is now available as a DLC character. Joker comes alongside a brand-new stage, Mementos, as well as nearly a dozen music tracks lifted from the Persona series and a handful of Persona Spirits. Additionally, an assortment of Persona- and Sonic-inspired Mii Fighter costumes are available for purchase. The costumes run for $0.75 each, while the Joker Fighter Pack costs $6. Joker is also included as part of Smash Ultimate’s $25 Fighters Pass.

The aforementioned Stage Builder, meanwhile, is available free for everyone, and it allows player to create and share their own Smash Ultimate levels. Nintendo has also added a video editor. This feature gives players the ability to combine their saved video clips and adds subtitles, sound effects, and more. The videos can likewise be shared with other players through the new Smash World hub in the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app.

Rounding out the update is a litany of gameplay adjustments. Among other things, several of Diddy Kong’s attacks have been buffed, and now all characters will be penalized more for continuous dodging. You can see the full list of character tweaks on Nintendo’s support website, while the general patch notes for the 3.0 update can be found here.

Nintendo still has four more unannounced DLC characters on the way for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as well as a few more Amiibo figures. Three of them–Pichu, Pokemon Trainer, and Isabelle–will hit retailers starting July 26. Figures of Squirtle, Ivysaur, Snake, and Simon Belmont are also on the way this year, although no release date has been announced yet.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/smash-bros-ultimate-30-update-out-now-here-are-the/1100-6466353/

Ever since its reveal last year, developer id Software has been very clear about Rage 2 being the game that the original should have been. Co-developed with Avalanche Studios, the sequel has been toted as a true open-world game compared to its predecessor’s attempt at one, leaning heavily on hectic gameplay within a vast and dynamic environment. Though Rage 2 is all about blending together the fast, punchy corridor-shooter action that id software is known for with Avalanche’s sense of scale and breadth of content from their world-exploring games, our last few impressions didn’t give us the opportunity to see those aspects really come together.

However, we recently got to play two hours of the final game ahead of its May 14 release. While exploring the setting at our leisure, we got more of a clearer picture of how Rage 2 injects id Software’s old-school design within the framework of a modern open-world game. We also spoke with id studio director with id Software studio director Tim Willits about the making of the sequel to the 2011 post-apocalyptic open-world shooter, and how it’s introduced them to some new rethink their familiar design philosophies.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and readability.

When you think back to the original game after playing this one, they’re pretty night and day by comparison. Rage 2 feels like it’s entirely its own thing.

Yes, it is. Firstly, I like to say that Rage 2 delivers on all that Rage 1 promised. I’ve joked that the biggest lesson I’ve learned from Rage is don’t make an open world game without an open world technology, which is what we did with our id Tech 5 engine for the original. But you’re right, it’s kinda like we’re launching a new franchise. It’s very exciting. We often get people asking, “Well, do I need to have played the first one?” And I’m like, “No. Don’t worry about it. We got you covered.” You can just jump in and play. Don’t be nervous by the 2.

After playing about two hours of this game, I do have to say that it felt more comfortable with being an id-shooter in an open world. Whereas the original felt like it was trying brute force its way into that mold.

I’m glad you noticed that. It was the number one thing we set out to do with this game. When we were started pitching the game internally, I made this presentation and one slide had said “Rage 2.” People were like, “okay, Rage 2, that’s cool,” and then the next slide was the Id logo and the Avalanche logo, and when people saw that they were like, yeah, that’s cool! And then everything from there just made sense.

It seems like Avalanche coming on was very instrumental in helping id Software transition its particular gameplay into the open world.

Well, the great thing about working with the Avalanche team is they not only bring the Apex Engine technology, which is awesome, but they also bring that experience. They’ve been making open-world action games for a long time, so they just think about things differently. How we tell the story, how we write the dialogue, and how we approach the missions, those things really leveraged on a lot of their expertise. We have some amazing technology, but just for this style of game, we found that it was better to work with a company that had the experience with their own [open-world] tech and gameplay. Working with Avalanche on this game was kind of a match made in heaven.

Truth be told, I played Rage 2 previously at other conventions, and it was difficult getting a sense of the world and scale of the game. The previous demos tended to focus more on enclosed encounters–which seemed more in-line with traditional id shooters, rather than an open world game.

Yeah, it’s not the same experience getting to dive into this game at your own pace versus playing a 20-minute chunk at a show. At E3 last year, we had the Eden’s Gate complex, which is very classic id Software style-level. It was fun, it was cool, but you are right–We stuck you in a box, and obviously, this game is not a box. We wanted people to believe that we had that id-style combat in this world, so we really focused on proving that first, which is one of our biggest milestones in the project. We really had to figure out how it felt to play, what the endgame content was like, and what the weapons were like. Are they loud enough, powerful enough, fast enough? So it was definitely a hurdle we needed to jump over early.

But I’m glad you were able to play a big part in the game just now. You know, it’s funny, now, when you play the game, you’ll get that Eden’s Gate mission, and you’ll be like, “this is so small compared to everything else I saw”. When you play through it normally, you’ll just blast through it. It’s such a different feeling when you actually get to see it the world.

This game will also see some interesting updates after launch which will affect the state of the world. In a recent trailer, there were some references to in-world event that has you fight mutants for a TV program.

Yes! So, we’ll have events and we can churn in activities on the occasion. But you do not need to always be online for this game. So was a little bit of confusion recently, but if you are connected to the internet, you can participate in these live events. If you’re not, then just play the base game and have fun. We can make these cool events happen that will kinda keep people engaged as we can deliver them more content in the future.

So Rage 2 six to seven month from now will potentially be a different game than the one we’ve got at launch?

Yes, that’s the plan! Hopefully, people will stay with it. I do think we have a good plan. We have some cool beats that we’ll talk about after the game launches, and what the framework looks like moving forward. When you play the full game, you can see that there’s room for things to expand, and we will continually layer things in to keep people engaged.

It seems like the idea of the evolving game or a games-as-a-service title is becoming more commonplace now. Is Rage 2 in that similar school of thought?

No, it will just be a supported game. I don’t know, it’s so hard to–like someone needs to come up with a perfect definition of what a “games-as-a-service” game actually is. Many people have different ideas of that, and I may have confused people originally when I started talking about this. What we’re planning on doing is creating some updates and content for this game after we launch. So, we monitor the game, we monitor the players, we act in the community, we’re gonna support it, we’re gonna update it. It’s not like a subscription or a free-to-play game. But it will be supported.

Though previous id Software shooters have seen updates after launch, this game seems more about expanding the world itself and the content therein. This seems to be new territory for you all.

That’s true, but it’s honestly the direction that the industry is moving toward. Fans spend so much time with our games, and people want to know that the thing that they enjoy is being supported and that the developers stand behind it, and that they will continue to improve the experience. If you’re gonna dedicate so much of your time, when there are so many other things to do, you want that commitment from the other side. So that’s what we are gonna try to do, which is something that’s new for us, so hopefully, it’ll work.

Though the game itself is very modern in its focus, it still feels very old-school in its design. And we see that in its focus on offering cheat codes, which seems to be a rarity in today’s age.

We don’t take ourselves too seriously all the time, and those cheat codes should be pretty fun. The game shines when players just sit down and do what they want to do. I really believe, the more time you spend with the game, the more enjoyable it is. If you rush through it, you’re not gonna have as much fun as the person that spends twice as long. So, I would encourage people to take their time, experiment with the powers and upgrades, because there’s a lot. It’s definitely rewarding for people who spend the time.

There’s one cheat in particular called “Git Gud”, which kills all enemies in one hit once activated. It seems to be a reference to online game challenge culture. Do you have a particular stance on how you want your games to be designed in terms of difficulty and the barrier for entry?

So I’m a bit more old-school, I like to get thrown into a new mission and told to find the red key somewhere in the level. But in a game that’s this big and open, we do need to help players when they feel like they need some help and we do need to kinda direct them [with the GPS]. As for difficulty, we have several different difficulty settings, of course. If you want that extra challenge then you can play the Nightmare difficulty. You really have to strategize and play smart, it’s so tough. But yeah, if you’re a pretty hardcore player, I’d encourage you to play it on hard, not normal.

The openness that we have is the nature of this game, nothing is really off-limits. We may point you in the right direction, but we don’t really scale the difficulty of the enemies. So if you find an area that’s too tough, you can just come back to it when you have more upgrades and more abilities, and you can just tear through it. We give you that opportunity. With the open world nature of the game, I do believe that it allows for more accessibility than some of our other games. We tend to make intense games at id, and sometimes people accuse us of being a little too hardcore. But even though this game’s fast and can be tough, because it can change based on what you do and how you play it, I actually think it’s more accessible than any of our others games.

I think what’s especially noticeable about this game compared to the original is that it has a lot more personality.

Yeah, the first one sold well and people enjoyed it, but I definitely feel that we are firing on all the cylinders with the sequel. We have the right personality, we have the right developers, we have the right tech, we have the right style. It’s a good time, also, for this type of game. Because it is a little bit more unique than a lot of the other, kind of, post-apocalyptic games. And yes, you are absolutely correct. We really tried to make the game fun. So, if people play it, and their friend says, “Well, what do you think of Rage 2?” If they say, “That was fun!”, then I’m happy.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/rage-2-dev-on-creating-an-evolving-single-player-g/1100-6466345/

Sega has revealed 10 more games coming to its Mega Drive Mini (known as the Genesis Mini in the US). The lineup of classic titles includes Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Earthworm Jim, and more beloved games.

Fans will be pleased to see both Caste of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck included with Sega’s miniature console. The device also comes with Streets of Rage 2, Contra: Hard Corps, and Shinobi 3.

A further 20 games are to be revealed over the coming months. We already knew Ecco the Dolphin, Sonic the Hedgehog, Castlevania: Bloodlines and more were to be pre-installed on the console, which will come with 40 games in total. You can read all 20 games revealed so far at the bottom of this article.

The Mega Drive Mini / Genesis Mini launches worldwide on September 19, costing $80 / £70 / AU $140. It’s based on the Model 1 version of the original console, except approximately 55% smaller. The box contains the console, a power adapter, two replica three-button USB controllers, one USB to micro-USB power cable, and one HDMI lead.

The game ports that are on the Genesis Mini were handled by M2, a team that is well known for its work on emulation and re-releases. M2 previously worked on Sega Ages and Sega 3D Classics Collection.

Releasing Mini versions of classic consoles has become something of a trend recently. Nintendo led the way with the NES Classic and the SNES Classic, both of which were received well by critics and went on to be hot commercial items. Sony followed suite with the PlayStation Classic, which wasn’t received as warmly.

Sega Mega Drive Mini / Genesis Mini Games Lineup (So Far)

1. Sonic the Hedgehog
2. Ecco the Dolphin
3. Castlevania: Bloodlines
4. Space Harrier 2
5. Shining Force
6. Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
7. ToeJam & Earl
8. Comix Zone
9. Altered Beast
10. Gunstar Heroes
11. Castle of Illusion
12. World of Illusion
13. Thunder Force III
14. Super Fantasy Zone
15. Shinobi III
16. Streets of Rage 2
17. Earthworm Jim
18. Sonic the Hedgehog 2
19. Contra: Hard Corps
20. Landstalker

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sega-genesis-mega-drive-mini-includes-sonic-2-eart/1100-6466352/

Developer Treyarch continues to expand Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 with updates, and there’s a new one available now on PS4, Xbox One, PC that adds a map variant for free. There’s also two new modes on the way and plenty more.

The new map variant is named Arsenal Sandstorm. As you might deduce from the name, it’s a version of Arsenal that has been overtaken by a dangerous desert storm, and it’s available for free for all players now.

PS4 players have a new mode called Deathmatch Domination to enjoy. Treyarch describes it as a “first-of-its-kind mode for the Black Ops series” in which teams can increase their score by capturing objective points and by killing enemies. It’s essentially a cross between Team Deathmatch and Domination, then.

Xbox One and PC players aren’t totally left out. While they can’t enjoy Deathmatch Domination just yet, they do now get to play Infected, which was previously only available to PS4 players and is now live on all platforms. The mode involves infected players running around attempting to pass on their disease to survivors in order to turn them to the infected side.

The remainder of the update is primarily made up of balance tweaks–most notably to the Rampart 17 and KN-57 assault rifles–and stability enhancements. You can read the full patch notes below, via Treyarch.

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4 April 17 Update — Patch Notes

Free Arsenal Sandstorm Map

As we put the finishing touches on three additional Multiplayer maps launching with our next Operation later this month for Black Ops Pass holders, we’re excited to release our newest alternate-weather map free for all players: Arsenal Sandstorm.

Hot on the heels of Contraband Hurricane, Arsenal Sandstorm is our most intricate map makeover yet in Black Ops 4. Players will need to adapt their playstyles to waves of sand sweeping across the environment, with limited visibility throughout the facility encouraging shorter-ranged engagements. We’re excited to see how player strategies will evolve on Arsenal Sandstorm, now in rotation on all platforms.

Deathmatch Domination Debuts on PS4

If you’ve ever wished your team could play the objective in Domination even if they’re just there for the streaks, we’ve got great news. Introducing Deathmatch Domination on PS4, a first-of-its-kind mode for the Black Ops series. In this new take on Domination, teams now have two ways to earn points toward the score limit: by capturing objectives, and by earning kills throughout the match. No matter how you play, you’ll be playing for the team. Get out there and let us know what you think in the comments.

Infected Now Live on All Platforms

Infected is now live in Multiplayer on all platforms! We’ve also made some improvements to gameplay and stability, including the addition of 10 seconds to the game clock instead of 30 when a Survivor becomes infected, to help keep matches from running longer than intended. Check out the patch notes below for what’s new, and if you’re an Infected newbie, be sure to get familiar with the preset Survivor classes so you’re ready to hit the ground running… for your life.

We’ve also made additional updates across all modes since our last community update, including weapon tuning to the Rampart and KN-57, an extension to the final Collapse timing in Blackout’s Alcatraz map, and more. Read on for the full list of what’s new.

Summary

• Free Arsenal Sandstorm Multiplayer map in rotation today on all platforms.

• Deathmatch Domination added as Featured Playlist in Multiplayer on PS4.

• Infected added as Featured Playlist in Multiplayer on Xbox One and PC.

• Barebones Moshpit, Stockpile, Mercenary Deathmatch Moshpit (consoles), and Half-Off Heist (Xbox One) added to Featured category in Multiplayer.

• Weapon tuning for Rampart and KN-57 in Multiplayer, Blackout, and Zombies.

• Alcatraz final Collapse time increased from 60 seconds to 120 seconds.

• PC curated playlists updated, including new Lone Wolf playlist.

• Gameplay and stability improvements added for Infected.

All Platforms

Multiplayer

• Maps

  • Arsenal Sandstorm

    • Free alternate-weather version of Arsenal in rotation today on all platforms.

• Game Modes

  • Infected

    • When a Survivor becomes infected, 10 seconds will now be added to the game clock instead of 30.

    • General stability fixes for Infected.

• Weapon Tuning

  • Rampart 17

    • Increased ADS-in speed.

  • KN-57

    • Slightly reduced recoil.

    • Increased ADS-in speed.

    • Quickdraw: Increased ADS-in speed.

World League Hub

• Statistics

  • Choosing Fresh Start will no longer clear World League Hub stats.

Blackout

• Alcatraz

  • Increased the final Collapse time from 60 seconds to 120 seconds.

• Weapon Tuning

  • Rampart 17

    • Increased ADS-in speed.

  • KN-57

    • Slightly reduced recoil.

Zombies

• Weapon Tuning

  • Rampart 17

    • Increased ADS-in speed.

  • KN-57

    • Slightly reduced recoil.

    • Increased ADS-in speed.

    • Quickdraw: Increased ADS-in speed.

PS4

Multiplayer

• Game Modes

  • Deathmatch Domination

    • Added as new Featured Playlist on PS4.

    • Teams have two ways to earn points toward the round score limit: capturing objectives and earning kills.

    • Addressed an issue where Medals were not displaying properly.

• Featured Playlists

  • Barebones Moshpit, Infected, Stockpile, and Mercenary Deathmatch Moshpit join Deathmatch Domination in the Featured category this week.

Xbox One And PC

Multiplayer

Infected

• Infected added as Featured Playlist on PS4.

• Players are divided into two teams: Survivors vs. Infected, with one player randomly selected as the first Infected.

• Infected players hunt down the Survivors and attack them to spread their disease, converting their victims into members of the Infected team.

• Survivors choose from preset classes and kill/avoid the Infected throughout the match.

• Survivors win by having at least one surviving member when the timer runs out. Infected team wins by infecting every Survivor in the map before time runs out.

• Infected team can respawn an infinite number of times. Survivors have one life before they become Infected.

• Timer resets every time a Survivor falls victim to the Infected team, or when a Survivor becomes Infected via suicide.

• Preset classes for Survivors include:

  • Scrapper

    • Primary Weapon: Cordite w/ Laser Sight and Extended Mags

    • Secondary Weapon: Mozu w/ High Caliber

    • Equipment: Concussion

    • Perks: Gung-Ho, Lightweight, Dexterity

    • Wildcard: Perk 2 Gluttony

  • Impaler

    • Primary Weapon: VAPR-XKG w/ ELO and Bayonet

    • Secondary Weapon: Strife

    • Equipment: Molotov

    • Perks: Scavenger, Dexterity, Dead Silence

    • Wildcard: Primary Operator Mod

  • Lead Spitter

    • Primary Weapon: Titan w/ Reflex, Stock, and Quickdraw

    • Secondary Weapon: RK 7 Garrison

    • Equipment: Frag

    • Perks: Skulker, Dexterity, and Team Link

    • Wildcard: Perk 2 Greed

  • Perforator

    • Primary Weapon: ABR 223 w/ Suppressor, Quickdraw, and Extended Mags

    • Secondary Weapon: Strife

    • Equipment: Molotov

    • Perks: Scavenger, Skulker, and Dead Silence

    • Wildcard: Primary Gunfighter 1

  • Meat Bagger

    • Primary Weapon: Mozu w/ Speed Loader and Quickdraw

    • Secondary Weapon: MOG 12 w/ Quickdraw

    • Equipment: Concussion

    • Perks: Scavenger, Dexterity, and Team Link

    • Wildcard: Underkill

  • Headhunter

    • Primary Weapon: Paladin HB50 w/ High Caliber and Stabilizer

    • Secondary Weapon: MOG 12 w/ Long Barrel and Barrel Choke

    • Equipment: None

    • Perks: Dexterity, Skulker, and Tracker

    • Wildcard: Perk 2 Greed

Featured Playlists

• Xbox One

  • Infected, Barebones Moshpit, Stockpile, Mercenary Deathmatch Moshpit, and Half-Off Heist added to the Featured category this week.

• PC

  • Infected, Barebones Moshpit, and Stockpile added to the Featured category this week.

PC

Multiplayer

• Core Playlist Updates

  • Team Deathmatch

  • Search & Destroy

  • Mercenary Deathmatch Moshpit

    • Team Deathmatch

    • Kill Confirmed

  • Objective Moshpit

    • Control

    • Hardpoint

    • Domination

    • Safeguard

  • Lone Wolf Moshpit

    • Free For All

    • One In The Chamber

    • Gun Game

    • Heist

• Match Start Requirements

  • Reduced Mercenary Deathmatch Moshpit match start requirements from 10 players to 8.

  • Reduced Hardcore Deathmatch Moshpit match start requirements from 10 players to 8.

  • Reduced Objective Moshpit match start requirements from 8 players to 6.

  • Reduced Hardcore Objective Moshpit match start requirements from 8 players to 6.

Blackout

• Match Start Requirements

  • Reduced match start requirements from 100 players to 80 in current and future Blackout modes when applicable.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-black-ops-4-update-adds-free-map-and-/1100-6466347/