Video game companies are rallying together to try to save the planet. The United Nations Environment Program has announced a new “Playing for the Planet Alliance,” which sees 21 major game companies–including Sony and Microsoft–work together to share best practices for becoming more environmentally friendly. The companies are also quickly putting their words into action, as Sony’s PlayStation 5 will be more environmentally friendly as part of the initiative, while Microsoft is launching a pilot program to make 825,000 carbon neutral Xbox consoles.

In total, the efforts undertaken by the 21 game companies is estimated to result in a “30 million ton reduction of CO2 emissions by 2030.” Additionally, “millions” of trees will be planted, while game companies will enact practices to do better in the areas of “energy management, packaging, and device recycling.” A press release from the UN also mentions how some future games will be designed specifically with new “green nudges.” It’s unclear what this means, however.

The participating companies and platforms include Sony, Microsoft, Google Stadia, Rovio, Supercell, Sybo, Ubisoft, and Wildworks. Nintendo is the only major platform-holder that is missing.

Nintendo does, however, already operate an Environment Committee at the company’s headquarters in Japan, while each of its overseas subsidiaries have their own committees that look into environmental impact in their regions.

“The video games industry has the ability to engage, inspire and captivate the imaginations of billions of people across the world. This makes them a hugely important partner in addressing the climate emergency,” United Nations Environment Program executive director Inger Andersen said in a statement. “We are encouraged by the commitment of these gaming companies, which shows recognition that we all must play our role in the global effort to lower carbon emissions and effect real change towards sustainability.”

As for the carbon neutral Xbox, Microsoft says it will produce 825,000 of the consoles, though it’s unclear what version of the system this might be. Whatever the case, these will be the “first gaming consoles to be carbon neutral.” This is only a test program, Microsoft said, but the company is also looking to see “what we can do to further reduce and neutralize carbon across devices in the future.”

Microsoft’s business operations have been carbon neutral since 2012, so the new effort on a carbon neutral Xbox is an extension of that program.

The United Nations Environment Program said in its statement that it is possible for educational games to reach the masses, even if it hasn’t happened yet. In response to this, the UN said some of its Alliance members will host “design-jams” where developers will explore ideas to make games that are both fun and educational regarding environmental impact.

Here is what some of the member companies will do to help save the planet:

• Sony — The PS5 will have a “low power” suspend mode, which is one part of Sony’s plan to have more energy effience technology overall. Sony will also “assess and report” their carbon footprint.
• Microsoft — The company will make 825,000 Xbox consoles that are carbon neutral as part of a pilot program. These will be the first game consoles in history to have no carbon impact on the earth. Additionally, Microsoft is releasing a “Built the Better World” program in Minecraft to help people learn more about what they can do to help the cause.
• Google Stadia — There will be a Sustainable Game Development guide for developers to help them implement “green nudges” into the gameplay; but again, it’s unclear what this means.
• Supercell (Clash of Clans) — Will work on carbon impact initiatives to help offset the carbon impact of players charging their mobile devices.
• Wild Works (Animal Jam) — The studio will “integrate restoration elements” in their games. They will also plant trees around world.
• Green Man Gaming — Will also plant trees.
• Ubisoft — The company will launch in-game “green themes” in unspecified titles, and will also look to source materials from “eco-friendly” factories.
• Sports Interactive (Football Manager) — Will starting using a recycling alternative for future Football Manager games that will eliminate 20 tons of plastic packaging.
• Creative Mobile — Their game ZooCraft will transition to becoming a “conservation-focused game”
• Reliance Games (Little Singham) — The studio will offer in-game events across India.
• iDreamSky — The studio will put “green nudges” in their games.
• E-Line Media (Never Alone), Strange Loop (Eco), and Internet of Elephants (Safari Central) — The companies will “share their expertise of making high impact environmentally oriented games into the Alliance.”
• Twitch — The company says it will use their streaming service to “spread this message [about climate change] to the global gaming community.”
• Niantic (Pokemon Go) — Will “engage their community to act around sustainability issues.”

Full list of Playing for the Planet Alliance members:

• Creative Mobile
• E-Line Media
• Google Stadia
• Green Man Gaming
• iDreamSky
• Internet of Elephants
• Microsoft
• Niantic Inc
• Pixelberry
• Reliance Games
• Rovio
• Space Ape
• Sports Interactive
• Supercell
• Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Strange Loop
• Sybo
• Twitch
• Ubisoft
• WildWorks
• Playmob

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-to-be-first-carbon-neutral-game-console-with-/1100-6470034/

Altered Forme Giratina has returned once again in Pokemon Go. Following Mewtwo’s departure from the game, the Legendary Renegade Pokemon is making an encore appearance around the world in five-star Raid Battles, giving you another opportunity to add one to your collection. That’s not all; this time around, you’ll also have a chance of encountering a Shiny Giratina for the first time.

As is generally the case with Legendaries, Giratina will only be around in Pokemon Go for a few weeks, so you’ll need to make the most of your time if you’re hoping to catch one. To help you out, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know to challenge Giratina below, from battle tips to how to catch a Shiny one and more.

What’s The Difference Between Altered Forme And Origin Forme Giratina?

In the mainline Pokemon games, Giratina is able to assume two different forms. When players first encounter the Legendary in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, it is in its Altered Forme–the variant returning to Raid Battles right now. This form has six legends, black wings, and emphasizes defensive stats.

Giratina’s Origin Forme, meanwhile, is the appearance it takes when in the Distortion World–the parallel realm from which the Legendary monster hails in Pokemon lore. Origin Forme Giratina has a serpentine body and more offense-oriented stats. In the mainline series, players are able to manually change Giratina’s form by equipping it with an item called the Griseous Orb; in Pokemon Go, however, Altered and Origin Forme Giratina are treated as two distinct Pokemon, so you’ll need to catch them separately.

How To Catch Giratina

As is the case with most other Legendary Pokemon, before you can catch Giratina, you’ll first need to defeat it in a Raid Battle. If you’re near a Gym where a Giratina Raid is taking place, you’ll need to physically head to that location and team up with several other players to battle it–Legendary Pokemon have too high a CP for you to challenge them solo. You’ll also need to have a Raid Pass to challenge Giratina, but you can receive one for free by spinning the Photo Disc at a Gym.

Once you’ve joined a Raid, you and your teammates will have a limited amount of time to defeat Giratina. It’s the only Pokemon so far that’s a Dragon- and Ghost-type, both of which are susceptible to their own types. Giratina is also weak to Ice, Dark, and Fairy Pokemon, so you should considering bringing along monsters like Mamoswine, Weavile, Tyranitar, Gardevoir, and Granbull to have the best chance.

If you can successfully beat Giratina, everyone who participated in the Raid will receive a handful of Premier Balls, along with several other prizes. You can only use the Premier Balls to capture the Legendary, so you’ll need to make every throw count. Feeding it a Golden Razz Berry before each throw will make Giratina a little easier to catch. Study its movement pattern before throwing and with a little luck, Giratina will be yours.

How To Find Shiny Giratina

Shiny Pokemon are rare in Pokemon Go, and unfortunately, there’s no sure-fire way to ensure you encounter a Shiny Giratina. You won’t be able to tell whether the Legendary is Shiny or not until you get to the catching phase, so your best chance to find one is to participate in as many Giratina Raids as you can. Fortunately, you’ll be able to tell right away if you’ve encountered a Shiny one; it’ll have silver horns, blue tips on its wings, and a peach-colored body.

How Long Will Giratina Be Available?

Altered Forme Giratina will appear in Raids for just under a month, from September 23 – October 17. You’ll have until 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET / 9 PM BST on that day to encounter it. Your best chance of finding a Giratina Raid, however, will be on September 25, when Niantic holds a Legendary Raid Hour featuring the Renegade Pokemon from 6-7 PM local time. During that hour, there will be more Giratina Raids occurring at Gyms.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-go-giratina-counters-shiny-altered-forme-g/1100-6470022/

After publisher EA shared details of the new planet headed to Star Wars Battlefront II, developer DICE has outlined what else will join Felucia when it debuts in the game’s upcoming Cooperation update, which is set to launch on September 25 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

In an EA blog post, DICE confirmed that Star Wars Battlefront II will get a new playable character, two additional game modes, and a new look for Luke Skywalker alongside the release of Felucia this Wednesday.

The Galactic Republic’s Clone Commando is equipped with the DC-17m Repeating Blaster Rifle that has an Anti-Armor Attachment. Commando’s also have a repulsor mounted to their left arm that releases a powerful shockwave capable of knocking enemies off their feet. Their Battle Focus Ability replenishes health when dealing damage to enemies at the same time, while also giving neaby allies a damage reduction buff.

Playing offline against AI-controlled enemies makes an appearance in Star Wars Battlefront II in the form of Instant Action. In tow with this new game mode is Co-Op, a mode similar to Instant Action that lets you team up with three other players to battle the AI. Both are expected to launch on Clone Wars-era maps.

Finally, Luke Skywalker will get the new Farmboy attire set, the clothing he wore when first introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Between October 11-18, Star Wars Battlefront II will hold a special in-game challenge to eliminate 150 AI enemies in Co-Op. Doing set nets you Farmboy Luke Skywalker. Also between the same timeframe, Darth Maul’s “KENOBI!” emote will be a reward for those who capture 15 command posts in a Capital Supremacy match on Felucia.

While details are still under wraps, DICE did confirm that more content is coming to Star Wars Battlefront II later this year. With Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker landing in theatres this winter, DICE said it has “content tied” to the holiday’s highly-anticipated Star Wars triology conclusion.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-wars-battlefront-2-cooperation-update-release/1100-6470027/

Games are expensive, and a lot of good ones have released recently, including The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening and Control. On top of that, we’ve seen quite a few great titles this year that you may have missed out on. If you’re finally ready to throw down on some games, then Amazon has a pretty decent deal: spend $100, save $10. It’s not mind-blowing, but hey, $10 is $10. You could buy a whole sandwich with that.

We’ve gathered a selection of the best games, but the promotion also includes an assortment of controllers and accessories. If you’ve been in the market for some Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons or a DualShock 4, then this might be a good opportunity to grab one and save a little extra money. We’ve tested a lot of the available options, so be sure to look below for our recommendations.

You can check out all of the deals at Amazon. The promotion is for a limited time, and there’s no word on when it will end, so be sure to take advantage of it soon if you’re interested.

The best games

The best controllers and accessories

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/zelda-links-awakening-is-included-in-the-latest-am/1100-6470026/

It’s been three years since Pokemon Go burst onto mobile devices, and while the days of seeing players stopping traffic to catch rare Pokemon may be over, the game continues to be a huge success. Last month in particular was a big one for the title; market research company SuperData reports it was Pokemon Go’s best month since 2016.

According to SuperData, Pokemon Go generated $176 million during August 2019. Not only did that mark “its highest point since peaking in 2016,” it also made Go the top-earning game for the month on mobile devices, dislodging the usual No. 1 title, Honour of Kings.

August is typically Pokemon Go’s strongest month of the year in terms of revenue, and SuperData attributes last month’s huge earnings in part to the numerous events Niantic held in the game. The developer has been gradually ramping up the cadence of in-game events occurring in Go; August alone saw the debut of both Shiny Rayquaza and Jirachi, the return of the Water Festival, a gift-giving event, and more.

It doesn’t appear Pokemon Go will be slowing down anytime soon. Between the rollout of the game’s Ultra Bonuses and the debut of Gen 5 Pokemon and the new Unova Stone, September was an equally busy month for the game in terms of events. Before the month ends, the Legendary Pokemon Giratina is also returning for another stint in Raid Battles.

Meanwhile, Pokemon Go’s next Community Day is set for Saturday, October 12. The event will take place early in the day–from 11 AM to 2 PM local time–and will feature the Gen 3 Ground Pokemon Trapinch. You’ll also be able to earn three times the usual amount of XP for catching Pokemon during October’s Community Day.

from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-go-just-had-its-best-month-since-2016/1100-6470018/