New Xbox One Games Available For Free Play Days This Weekend

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Another weekend means another set of Xbox One games to play for free as part of Microsoft’s Free Play Days. This crop of titles is geared towards adrenaline junkies with Contra: Rogue Corps and Nascar Heat 4 both being available for Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.

Xbox’s director of programming, Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb, announced on Twitter that the two games are available from today, November 14, to Sunday, November 17. All you need is an active Xbox Live Gold or Game Pass Ultimate membership to download and play them for free.

Additionally, Contra: Rogue Corps and Nascar Heat 4 are on sale alongside their Free Play Days offering. Both the Standard and Gold Editions of Nascar Heat 4 are on sale for 20 percent off, while Contra: Rogue Corps gets its priced slashed by 25 percent.

Nascar Heat 4 is the latest entry in the simulation racing franchise based on the 2019 Nascar circuit. The game was developed by Monster Games and launched on September 13 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Nascar Heat 4 has garnered a fairly lukewarm reception and received generally middling reviews since its release.

Contra: Rogue Corps also launched in September and is the latest entry in Konami’s mainline Contra series since 2007’s Contra 4. The game made its way to Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on September 24. Rogue Corps has been pretty divisive since launch and received relatively negative reviews across all platforms.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-xbox-one-games-available-for-free-play-days-th/1100-6471458/

Mortal Kombat 11 Sindel Gameplay Trailer Is Brutal And Hair-Raising

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Another fighter for Mortal Kombat 11 is koming, and she’s a real hair-raising pick. Sindel, the Queen of Outworld, has been showcased in a new gameplay trailer. She’ll be joining the fray on November 26 as early access to owners of the Kombat Pack.

Sindel is most known for using her flowing mane as a weapon and for her sonic scream, and both of those are showcased in this trailer. Her hair grows and grapples to smack and grab opponents, and it’s a part of her Fatal Blows as well. The coup de grace comes from her Fatality, wherein she holds an opponent with her silver locks while screaming at them. And if that doesn’t sound so bad, you haven’t seen her scream.

Sindel is the fourth of six DLC fighters included in the Kombat Pack, which was formally announced this summer. She’ll join Shang Tsung and Nightwolf as the three representatives of classic MK characters. The other three, inspired by movies and comic books, include the already-released T-800 Terminator, The Joker, and Spawn. Those final two will release in January and March, respectively.

Mortal Kombat 11 is available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, but NetherRealm is preparing to add one more platform to that list. It’s one of only 12 launch games for Google Stadia, which Google says were “carefully chosen.” Given that the list also includes Samurai Shodown and rhythm games Thumper and Just Dance 2020, it seems likely Google chose games it felt could address concerns of latency in its streaming platform.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-11-sindel-gameplay-trailer-is-brutal/1100-6471455/

Fortnite Hidden I Location: Where To Search Hidden I In Hide And Seek Loading Screen

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Week 6 of Fortnite Chapter 2 has arrived, which means there’s another set of challenges to complete in the hit battle royale game. This week’s batch is called Hide and Seek, and as usual, clearing eight of the tasks will unlock a special loading screen that features a hidden letter you’ll need to find for a later challenge. This time, you’re asked to search the hidden I. If you’re not sure where it is, we’ve put together the map and guide below to help you out.

Where Is The Hidden I Location?

As previously mentioned, the location of the letter I is hidden in the Hide and Seek loading screen that you’ll unlock after completing eight of this week’s challenges. The screen depicts a pair of characters hiding out inside a barn, with the I tucked away on a raised walkway near an open window.

The barn is the big giveaway, as it confirms the I is hidden at Frenzy Farm, one of the new named locations on Fortnite Chapter 2’s map. Since it’s such a prominent area, you can find Frenzy Farm easily just by looking at a map, but if you need a bit more direction, we’ve marked the barn’s location below.

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How To Complete The Challenge

Now that you know the letter I is hidden at Frenzy Farm, make your way to the area and find the barn depicted in the Hide and Seek loading screen–it’s located in the northern part of the area. Head inside and make your way up to the third floor–the I will appear near the open window, just as in the loading screen. Interact with the letter when prompted to collect it and complete the challenge.

This is the sixth hidden letter of the season thus far, with only two more remaining until you can spell out the word “FORTNITE” and unlock this season’s special skin. If you need help finding any of the previous letters, you can find all of our maps and guides in our ongoing Fortnite Chapter 2 challenges roundup.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fortnite-hidden-i-location-where-to-search-hidden-/1100-6471444/

Pokemon Go November Events Include New Shiny And Legendary Pokemon

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Pokemon Go‘s Team Rocket event is winding down, but Niantic has plenty of other activities planned for the hit Pokemon mobile game this month. The developer has outlined several new events scheduled to take place throughout the rest of November, and they include a friend celebration, as well as the debut of another new Legendary Pokemon.

First, Niantic is hosting a Supereffective Week event from November 19-26. During that time, Pokemon that will be effective against Team Rocket and other trainers will appear more often in the wild, Raid Battles, and Field Research tasks. On top of that, you’ll have your first chance to find and catch a Shiny Tentacool. You’ll also receive two times the normal amount of Stardust from trainer battles, and PokeStops will distribute more Potions and Revives.

Following Supereffective Week, the Legendary Pokemon Terrakion will make its debut in five-star Raid Battles, replacing the current Legendary, Cobalion. Terrakion is also a part of the Swords of Justice trio. It’s a dual Rock/Fighting-type, which means you’ll want to bring along Grass, Ground, Water, Fighting, or Psychic Pokemon when challenging it. Terrakion will appear in Raids until December 17.

Finally, Niantic is capping off the month with the first ever Friend Fest. The event kicks off on November 27 and runs until December 2. During that time, you’ll encounter “family-themed Pokemon” such as Nidoran and their evolutions more often in the wild and through Field Research tasks. Trading Pokemon with friends will also require half the usual amount of Stardust, and you’ll be able to make two special trades per day. You can read more details about all the November events on the official Pokemon Go website.

Of course, before these events roll around, Niantic is hosting November’s Community Day. That takes place this Saturday, November 16–the day after Pokemon Sword and Shield launch for Nintendo Switch. The featured Pokemon for this month’s event is Chimchar, the Fire-type starter from Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. Not only will you have your first chance to catch a Shiny Chimchar during the Community Day, eggs will hatch at a quarter of their normal distance during the event.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-go-november-events-include-new-shiny-and-l/1100-6471441/

The Witcher 3 Is Coming To Xbox Game Pass According To A Leak

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If an advertisement that recently appeared on Twitch is any indication, it looks like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is on its way to Xbox Game Pass. If that’s the case, you’ll soon be able to play GameSpot’s 2015 Game of the Year for as little as $1.

Reddit user tombonez initially spotted the ad for Xbox Game Pass on Twitch. The sizzle reel showcases The Witcher 3’s inclusion along with titles currently available on the service such as Gears 5 and The Outer Worlds. With Microsoft set to announce Game Pass news during X019 later today, it stands to reason that The Witcher 3 will be part of the festivities.

Aside from winning Game of the Year in 2015, The Witcher 3 also received one of GameSpot’s elusive 10/10 review scores. A Netflix Witcher series is also on the way and has already been renewed for a second season.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-witcher-3-is-coming-to-xbox-game-pass-accordin/1100-6471442/

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Update 1.14 Is Now Live; Here Are The Full Patch Notes

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Red Dead Redemption 2‘s biggest PC update so far is now available to download. As promised, update 1.14 implements fixes for the stuttering issue caused by certain configurations of Nvidia GPUs and four- and six-core CPUs. Rockstar has also issued a workaround while it collaborates with Nvidia to permanently solve the issue, along with introducing a host of other fixes.

The temporary workaround for the stuttering problem uses a command line to slightly re-balance and ease the load on the CPU. If you’ve run into the problem yourself, Rockstar has a support page explaining how to add the command and potentially fix the issue for the time being.

The update also brings a plethora of improvements to graphics, performance, stability, control, UI, and general bug fixes. The full patch notes can be found below:

Update 1.14 Full Patch Notes

Graphics & Performance Fixes

  • Added an additional launch argument (-cpuLoadRebalancing) to rebalance workload on the CPU cores and avoid hitting an edge-case in certain NVIDIA graphics card drivers that causes significant stalls on 4-core and 6-core CPUs
  • Added improvements for performance and stability on graphics cards with 4GB of VRAM or less when using Vulkan
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in audio stuttering and sound drops on some CPUs when using Vulkan
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in graphics problems when using Fullscreen mode on systems with multiple displays
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in the game becoming stuck in Windowed Borderless mode instead of Fullscreen mode if the game lost focus or certain graphics settings were changed under DirectX 12
  • Fixed issues that resulted in the incorrect detection of devices and problems switching between SDR and HDR modes. Players who previously encountered these issues should enable HDR through the Windows Display Settings prior to launching the game
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in the game launching in a window larger than the maximum resolution of the attached display when using Windowed display mode
  • Improved the auto-detection of system hardware so that the recommended default graphics settings will provide higher performance
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in the game setting a default graphics preset that was unsupported by the amount of available VRAM on some graphics cards, preventing the game from launching
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in VRAM usage estimation for pending settings changes to be slightly different to the actual usage once the settings were applied
  • Added a separate option to enable tessellation on tree models within the Graphics settings menu
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in reduced performance when switching between different graphics settings presets without restarting the system
  • Fixed an issue that affected the brightness of Photo Mode images that were captured in HDR after editing them using the Social Club menu
  • Fixed issues with some full-screen effects and Photo Mode filters when using a display aspect ratio other than 16:9
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in graphics artifacts in mirror reflections when using Multisample Anti-Aliasing (MSAA)
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in graphics artifacts on the Pause Menu Map when using Multisample Anti-Aliasing (MSAA )
  • Fixed issues with rendering and lighting that occurred with some waterfalls
  • Fixed issues with rendering that occurred with a Story Mode character
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in flickering graphics artifacts on some systems using multiple graphics cards
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in graphical corruption during the theater shows in Saint Denis
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in graphics artifacts to appear when rendering some light reflections
  • Fixed an issue that affected the rendering of the Pause Menu background after changing the display resolution
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in reduced world detail at long distance when using items that allow zooming, such as scopes and binoculars
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in rendering issues with shadows on some parts of the terrain
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in graphics artifacts that could occur with some hair/fur rendering when using Multisample Anti-Aliasing (MSAA)
  • Improved the performance rendering some in-game particle effects
  • Improved the performance rendering of trails when in snowy areas of the game
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in the partial rendering of the Pause Menu while some graphics settings were active

Stability Fixes

  • Fixed issues that resulted in crashes during game startup and logo screen
  • Fixed issues that resulted in crashes when changing graphics settings or switching back and forth between presets
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in crashes during the initial boot of the game in the Windowed display mode
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in a crash when switching between Windowed and Fullscreen display modes on some graphics cards
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in a crash when the game window lost focus or as a result of using Alt+Tab
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in a crash when attempting to load an autosave on some systems
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in a crash when repeatedly transitioning between Story Mode and Red Dead Online
  • Fixed issues that resulted in crashes when attempting to quit the game
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in a crash on some systems when connecting and disconnecting input devices with the game running
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in a crash when attempting to switch weapons in Story Mode
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in a crash when opening the HDR Calibration screen with some combinations of graphics cards and displays
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in a crash when using the mouse to switch between categories in the Satchel menu
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in the game freezing when applying remapped keyboard inputs through the Settings menu
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in an infinite loading screen when exiting the Settings menu and returning to the Landing Page
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in a crash when playing Story Mode while offline
  • Fixed crashes and stability issues that resulted in the error “Red Dead Redemption 2 exited unexpectedly” during gameplay
  • Fixed an issue with attempting to join another player’s Red Dead Online session with a different control scheme or lock-on type that resulted in networking issues
  • Fixed an issue that prevented the Red Dead Redemption 2 desktop shortcut from correctly launching the game

Control & User Interface Fixes

  • Improved mouse support in some Store menus
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in a black screen during the initial boot of the game rather than the loading bar
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to equip emotes in Red Dead Online while using the mouse
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in the Map in the Pause Menu being cut off when changing the game resolution
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in player overhead displays to appear in the incorrect position on displays other than 16:9 aspect ratio in Red Dead Online
  • Fixed an issue that prevented some keyboard inputs from being remapped
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in some incorrect text and warning screens to appear when remapping keyboard inputs
  • Fixed issues that resulted in problems with scrolling in parts of the user interface
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in some menus not displaying input controls, including Safe Zone and Brightness Calibration screens
  • Fixed issues with keyboard text input when using some languages
  • Fixed issues that resulted in the red selection highlight disappearing while browsing through menus
  • Fixed issues that resulted in problems with mouse selection, or erratic cursor movement when browsing some menus
  • Fixed an issue with keyboard navigation of the Pause Map after selecting a blip/icon.
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to complete some actions while inspecting weapons
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in save game information to be missing from the Load Game menu
  • Fixed issues with text input of non-Latin characters and added support for more input methods
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in the Pause Map moving position after placing a waypoint
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in difficulty aiming with a mouse, especially at low DPI settings
  • Fixed issues that resulted in incorrectly sized, overlapping or misaligned user interface elements under different display resolutions
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in the loss of previous selections when navigating back and forth between menus
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in redundant options in the Keyboard and Mouse submenu of the Controls menu

General / Miscellaneous

  • Improved the stability and result consistency of the in-game Benchmark Tool
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in players appearing underneath the world when in the lobby screen while playing some Red Dead Online content
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in incorrect performance of the ‘Tap and Hold Speed Control’ accessibility feature while using keyboard and mouse controls in First Person camera mode
  • Fixed an issue that resulted in camera stuttering when using the mouse to look around while sprinting
  • Fixed an issue that caused problems with the fishing minigame when running at high framerates

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/red-dead-redemption-2-pc-update-114-is-now-live-he/1100-6471439/

Bleeding Edge Release Date And Closed Beta Schedule Leaked

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Bleeding Edge, the upcoming team-based brawler from Hellblade developer Ninja Theory, will be released on March 24, 2020. At least that’s the case according to a Microsoft Store page that mistakingly went live a bit too early today.

The page has since been taken down, but True Achievements managed to spot it and grab all of the relevant details. Prior to the game’s release on March 24, the store page notes that there will be two closed betas for Xbox Game Pass members and those who pre-order. The first beta kicks off on February 14, with another following on March 13.

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Credit to Eurogamer for the screengrab.

Those who do pre-order or play Bleeding Edge on Xbox Game Pass before March 31 will also gain access to the Punk Pack, which contains three fighter skins for character’s Nidhoggr, Buttercup, and Zero Cool. The pack also includes a “Make Your Mark” in-game sticker pack, three bonus taunts, and Rioter’s Hoverboard.

Bleeding Edge was originally revealed during Microsoft’s E3 2019 press conference earlier this year. The online mechanically-enhanced brawler is an obvious departure from Ninja Theory’s previous work, which includes single-player action games like DmC: Devil May Cry and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.

X019 kicks off later today, so Bleeding Edge is likely to appear at the show with an official release date announcement. Keep your eyes peeled on GameSpot for all of the news from Microsoft’s show.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bleeding-edge-release-date-and-closed-beta-schedul/1100-6471436/

Google Details Stadia’s Missing Launch Features

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Those who pre-ordered Google Stadia‘s Founders Edition will be the first to log-in next week when the service kicks off on November 19. It doesn’t look like being smooth sailing for Google, however. The recently announced launch lineup has already been roundly criticised for an underwhelming scarcity of games (not to mention a lack of exclusives), and now the list of missing features at launch is also a growing concern.

In a Reddit AMA with Stadia’s Andrey Doronichev and Beri Lee, the pair of Google employees revealed that the company’s cloud-based games service would be rolling out next week with a host of missing features. For example, Stream Connect, State Share, and Crowd Play (all features based around multiplayer) won’t be available at launch. Stream Connect may arrive before the year’s end, but State Share and Crowd Play won’t be up and running until sometime in 2020.

PC Chrome gameplay won’t support 4K, HDR, or 5.1 surround sound on day one either. Stadia will be able to stream 4K/HDR/5.1 on Chromecast Ultra, but support on PCs won’t be added until 2020. The Stadia controller will only work wirelessly when using the Chromecast Ultra dongle, too, so if you want to play Stadia’s launch lineup on a PC, tablet, or phone, you’ll have to plug the controller in. On top of this, existing Chromecast Ultra devices won’t support Stadia until a firmware patch is released sometime after launch.

The achievement system is also missing, there won’t be a family sharing option until early 2020, and The Buddy Pass for Founders won’t arrive until two weeks after Founders have received their bundle. Controllers aren’t all being sent out at once either, so you may have to wait a few days after November 19 to receive yours, which means playing with a keyboard and mouse to begin with.

“Our approach to releasing features on Stadia is similar to how we run Google Search, YouTube, and other Google services: gradual rollout and continuous improvement, based on your feedback,” Doronichev said. “We always start with nailing the key user-journey and then proceed with releasing extra features. YouTube started with ‘watch video.’ For Stadia it’s ‘Play the Game on your biggest screen.’ New features will start popping as soon as one week after launch. I expect the first game with Stream Connect to launch by the end of the year. The games that support State Share and Crowd Play will be released next year. And of course, there are many more cool new platform features on the roadmap. We’re aiming to release new stuff weekly after 11/19.”

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/google-details-stadias-missing-launch-features/1100-6471437/

Flash Deal: Xbox One X With Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Discounted To $310 (Refurbished)

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Black Friday 2019 is right around the corner, and with it comes quite a few deals on Xbox One X bundles. However, online retailer Woot has one of its own, and it’s available right now. For $310 USD, Woot is offering a “factory-reconditioned” Xbox One X with a standard-edition copy of Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, one day before Jedi Fallen Order’s release. The same bundle goes for $500 at full price. Please note that Woot only ships to the United States.

A Woot representative told GameSpot that a factory-reconditioned item is returned, inspected, and restored to working condition by the original manufacturer or a certified partner. Each factory-reconditioned item comes with the assigned manufacturer warranty or Woot’s own 90-day guarantee. If you’d prefer to have a brand-new console, this deal may not be for you, but if you’re just looking to pick up an Xbox One X without breaking the bank (knowing that the next-generation Xbox console is coming next year), you probably won’t find the console much cheaper than this, especially when paired with a brand-new AAA game.

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Xbox One X (Refurbished) with Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order | $310 ($500)

Here’s the catch: This flash deal will only be available for a short time. The bundle went on sale at midnight ET on November 14, and the deal will run for 24 hours or while supplies last.

If you’re holding out for a new console and can wait until Black Friday, you’ll be able to get the Xbox One X bundle with Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order (Deluxe Edition) for $350 from multiple retailers. Best Buy’s Black Friday sale includes the bundle with three months of Xbox Live Gold for that same price. That said, we expect the Black Friday offer will sell out fast, so be sure to snag that bundle quickly if you’ve got your eye on it.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order releases November 15 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. It’s developed by Apex Legends developer Respawn Entertainment and takes many cues from the Dark Souls series. We wrote about its thoughtful combat and Metroidvania inspirations in our Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order preview.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/flash-deal-xbox-one-x-with-star-wars-jedi-fallen-o/1100-6471427/

Path Of Exile’s Fan Convention Promises Lots Of News, Creators Of Diablo Will Also Attend

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The first-ever fan convention dedicated to Path of Exile, ExileCon, takes place this weekend in developer Grinding Gears’ home city of Auckland, New Zealand. It’s primed to be a big show for the Diablo-esque free-to-play action role-playing game, as the studio is promising announcements for the game’s next expansions and holding deep dive talks with developers.

The event kicks off with a keynote address on Saturday, November 16, featuring Grinding Gear Games’ founder Chris Wilson and technical director Jonathan Rogers, beginning at 10 AM NZDT / 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET. This event–which is probably where the big reveals will take place–will be streamed live on Twitch. GameSpot will be in attendance at the event to bring you all the big news.

ExileCon Day 1 rolls on with a panel at 11 AM NZDT featuring FX artist Ivan Leong, called “Creating Game Effects in Path of Exile.” There will also be panels on Day 1 focused on the upcoming 3.9.0 and 4.0.0 updates, and these will also be streamed live.

Day 2 (Sunday, November 17) will feature big panels as well. The founders of Blizzard North, the team that created the original Diablo, will be on hand for a group interview presentation. David Brevik, Max Shaefer, and Erich Schaefer will speak at the panel, which won’t be streamed. However, GameSpot plans to be in attendance. Day 2’s events also include panels about procedural world generation and another Q&A with the Grinding Gears’ founders.

You can see the full ExileCon schedule here. If you’re interested in attending, tickets are still on sale, starting at $180 USD.

Path of Exile was initially released on PC in 2013 before coming to Xbox One in 2017 and PS4 earlier this year. The game is free-to-play, supported by microtransactions.

In 2018, Grinding Gear was acquired by Chinese internet giant Tencent. That company also has a controlling interest in Riot Games (League of Legends) and Supercell (Clash of Clans). Tencent also owns 40 percent of Fortnite studio Epic Games and has a 5 percent stake in Activision Blizzard.

Disclosure: Grinding Gear Games is paying for GameSpot’s flight and accommodation to attend ExileCon.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/path-of-exiles-fan-convention-promises-lots-of-new/1100-6471433/