June 2020

If last week’s dose of Cyberpunk 2077 RTX goodness wasn’t quite enough for you, Nvidia have released some more ray traced screenshots of the game’s fancy lighting effects in action. The images don’t give much away in terms of the specific ray tracing effects being used in each shot, or what each scene looks like without ray tracing switched on, but if you like shiny floors and glowing strips of neon, you’re definitely in for a treat.

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Today has brought the first of Fallout 76‘s Seasons, introducing one of those there season pass dealios with new items to unlock by levelling it up. Running until mid-September, Season One’s pass is themed about a Captain Cosmos board game, with 100 levels of rewards including sci-fi outfits, skins, building blocks, and an actual useful item or two. Today’s update also added Public Teams so you can easily group up with strangers around the world.

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Netherite

is a new material in Minecraft, added in 1.16 (the Nether Update). Netherite is tricky to get your hands on, but once you’ve smelted some Netherite Ingots you can make tools and armor that are even stronger than diamond. Read our below Minecraft Netherite guide to find out where to get Netherite, how to craft with it, and how much better Netherite tools are than their diamond equivalents.

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Streaming is more important than ever. As huge numbers of people stay home during the global pandemic, many have turned to the plethora of services for a much-needed escape. At the start of each month, most streaming services do a little shuffle, adding new movies and taking some off, and we’re here to help with your…

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Min Min ruined my Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and I’m completely fine with it.

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Ubisoft has detailed some of the actions it will take to address the rampant abuse allegations that have rocked the company. ...

The Nintendo Switch is still probably still the hottest console platform for small and medium-sized indies looking to launch on multiple platforms - but what are people getting wrong about it? ...

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne's previously delayed fourth major content update - which pits hunters against formidable elemental-shifting black dragon Alatreon - finally has a release date, and will be making its way to Xbox One, PS4, and PC next Thursday, 9th July.

Alatreon - whose arrival in Iceborne was teased at the start of the year, when Capcom hinted that players could look forward to the return of a "fan-favourite" creature as part its 2020 development roadmap - originally debuted in Monster Hunter 3, and was set to make its mark on Iceborne, complete with craftable weapons and armour, in May.

However, Capcom was ultimately forced to delay Alatreon's arrival due to "coronavirus related impacts on production", which, it noted, would also affect voiceover production, meaning the update's Italian, Spanish, and French voice work will be replaced with "simplified recordings".

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Marvel’s Avengers may be more Destiny than you think

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Boys State will be in theaters July 31 and on Apple TV Plus August 14

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Digital subscribers of Game Informer can now read our enormous cover story on one of the most anticipated games of the year: Cyberpunk 2077. Following today's cover reveal, our digital issue is now live to subscribers on web browsers, iPad/iPhone, and Android devices. Individual issues will be available for purchase later today. You can download the apps to view the issue by following this link. All of these digital options are included in a standard subscription.

The issue launches later this week on our third-party subscription apps including Kindle and Nook.

Not a digital subscriber yet? Convert your existing print subscription here or start a new subscription here.

In case you missed it yesterday, part of the Call of Duty: Warzone Season 4 package is 200-person quads (That's 50 teams!).

Activision and Call of Duty have pushed out a new trailer to highlight all the action. You can try the new Warzone experience... well, right now! It's live! Or you can just war vicariously through the trailer below. 

Read our Call of Duty: Warzone review here.

Fortnite: Save the World hasn't felt like a typical Early Access game for a long time, but now it's official: Epic Games is stripping the kinda silly Early Access label from the premium game and slowing its pipeline of new content. "The legacy Early Access label will also be removed from Battle Royale and Creative game modes, a holdover from our initial Save the World launch," Epic said today.

To be clear, the free-to-play battle royale game – Fortnite as the majority of players know it – will continue uninterrupted. It's business as usual. On the other hand, Fortnite: Save the World – the co-op PvE campaign from 2017 – is shifting to a seasonal rotation for existing content with "a handful of new quests and Heroes coming in at a slower pace." Surprisingly, it will "remain a premium experience."

In 2020, Epic is hoping to give Fortnite: Save the World longer legs with Ventures. They're pitched as seasonal excursions with "continued progression," "levels to climb," and "unique modifiers to tackle."

"Conquering the challenges in Ventures will earn you seasonal experience which impacts the level of difficulty you encounter, weapons you find, and the seasonal rewards that you earn," the developer said in a blog post. "Reaching higher seasonal Ventures levels unlocks Supercharger materials that can raise the level of items in your main collection – beyond their current cap."

Further out, Fortnite: Save the World "will no longer be able to support all upcoming Fortnite Battle Royale cosmetic purchases," which tells you everything you need to know about the game's future and Epic's priorities. For what it's worth, Save the World was supported far longer than I had expected.

In typical Nintendo fashion, multiple first-party games updated around midnight, Eastern time, yesterday.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate got Min Min and a new balance patch, and Pokemon Home/Pokemon Sword and Shield got their own updates as well. But while Smash fans were able to get in smoothly and try out the new character, Pokemon fans were greeted with error screens.

The update was small, but impactful. That Shiny Zeraora everyone wanted? It was finally available for every eligible player. The problem is that it crashed the servers to Home because so many people were trying to redeem it at once, but things have since been fixed: if you're just waking up, congrats! You shouldn't have any problems getting in.

In case you're totally lost, you can find full instructions below on how to nab that new legendary.

Sega has released details regarding the next classic title headed to Nintendo Switch as part of its "Sega Ages" retro range. This time, the publisher is taking a break from its iconic run of arcade actioners and platformers, with the release of Technosoft's tactical warmonger Herzog Zwei.

Originally released for the Sega Mega Drive in 1989, Herzog Zwei is an early entry in the real-time strategy genre, even predating Westwood Studios' legendary Dune II by several years. Herzog Zwei tasks players with micro-managing a battlefield in a futuristic universe, purchasing ground units and building attack formations, while portioning out finite amounts of fuel and ammunition in order to keep your mech army active and alert. Ensuring careful placement of units, issuing smart orders, capturing outposts for resources and ensuring the reparation of damaged troops, players can win the day for either the Government or the Revolution - Herzog Zwei's endlessly warring factions.

You can check out the original release below, courtesy of YouTuber 10min Gameplay.

When Magic: The Gathering Arena ushers in a new set, generally the powers that be provide a promo code that you can redeem for three packs of said set. The new code is actually already live now (PlayM21), but a few are cycling out as of today (the end of June 30).

For reference, those three codes are "PlayRavnica," "Play Allegiance" and "PlayWarSpark," which will net you packs of Guilds of Ravnica, Ravnica Allegiance and War of the Spark respectively. "PlayM20," "PlayEldraine," "PlayTheros" and "PlayIkoria" are also still available to claim, and will be for some time.

As a reminder, all three of those sets will rotate out of standard (the main form of competitive play) in the fourth quarter, in addition to Core Set 2020. Instead, Throne of Eldraine, Theros: Beyond Death, Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, Core Set 2021 and Zendikar Rising (due in September) will remain active going forward.

July 22 is bound to be the biggest day of the year for Dreams since launch. That's when Media Molecule is releasing a free update to add PlayStation VR support including "tutorials, how-tos, and kits to get you started when creating with the PS VR system plus new content to play." The wait was worth it.

The studio says that creating with PlayStation Move controllers will feel like an immersive, "very one-to-one experience" in VR – but creators don't need to be in virtual reality to make VR content in Dreams.

In terms of discoverability and searches, the game's "creative community will be able to specify if their content is playable in VR or not, and [user-generated content] in Dreams will ask for a comfort rating from players, so you'll be able to see what games are the best experience in VR."

The July 22 update also promises "a full slate of accessibility features including comfort mode, vignette strength, static sky, and more to make the experience of playing and creating as great as possible."

I can't stress enough how exciting this is as a PlayStation VR-owning Dreams player. The possibilities are staggering, and while PS VR is still getting notable new games in 2020, Dreams will have legs.

I'm ready to paint some happy little clouds.

PS VR support comes to Dreams on July 22 [PlayStation Blog]

Today the developers behind the upcoming indie live simulator Paralives released a new trailer. 

The video focuses on the cycle between day and night in the game, which will also include seasonal variations like longer days in the summer.

We also see how it’ll be possible to mod the game to do wacky stuff like adding a second star in the solar system or replace the sun with a dog face.

You can check it out below.

Paralives is coming to PC via Steam and doesn’t have an announced release date just yet. If you want to see more, you can take a look at character (or “parafolk”) creation.

If you’re unfamiliar with the game, here’s how its developer describes it.

Features

• Advanced build tools
• An open world neighborhood
• Fully customizable buildings and furniture
• Advanced character creator
• Complex personalities and character AI
• Cars, bikes, and boats
• Pets, seasons, and a lot of fun!

Description

The second round of the Smash Ultimate Fighter’s Pass has kicked off today with the inclusion of Min Min from ARMS. I’ve gotten the opportunity to play a couple of matches with her online and man, she is a lot of fun to fight with and she can hit players from very far away, like comically far.

Don’t be fooled by her flimsy ramen noodle appendages. Min Min is a total beast in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and her moveset (which straight-up comes from ARMS) will make you feel like you’re playing a 2D version of the Switch fighting game.

By pressing A and B repeatedly, you can extend Min Min’s two arms across the stage to deal damage to opponents and by using her down special, she can switch between three different arms.

The three of them have different ranges and power but my favorite, the Dragon, has the longest reach and if you keep holding the attack button, will let out a little burst of extra fire power to reach far enemies.

This arm is perfect for punishing players who are trying to crawl their way back to the stage and if you’re trying to hit someone who’s a bit lower than normal, try switching to the weak but stretchy arm, the Ramram.

The long-awaited ARMS fighter, Min Min, has made her way into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as part of the second Fighter’s Pass. And since her long-range attacks are definitely her biggest strength, Smash Ultimate fans are starting to realize just how powerful these ARMS of hers can be, which, of course, has led to memes.

Let’s take a look at some of these memes, shall we?

This first one was me when I first practicing with her and it may even be a new tactic of mine:

This is just perfect:

Infinity Ward has released a new trailer for Modern Warfare’s free-to-play battle royale mode, Warzone.

Following the launch of Modern Warfare’s Season 4 Reloaded early this morning, the trailer reiterates that now is the perfect time to jump into Warzone and see everything that is new.

The trailer focuses on Captain Price, who’s flying the plane above Verdansk as players drop onto the map to fight it out. Interspersed are helicopter battles, huge swathes of players running away from explosions, and looks at various finishing moves.

You can see the minigun, which players found a few weeks ago in Bunker 11, the Juggernaut suit which is due to come to Warzone as part of Season 4 Reloaded, and a whole host of new skin options.

As far as we can tell, there are no teases included in the trailer that hint to new features that are to come in the future, but let us know in the comments down below if you’ve spotted anything. You can see the trailer down below.

Most workplaces frown upon office relationships, but cozying up to your fellow investigators in Collar x Malice's is the way to succeed.

The post Collar x Malice Offers Workplace Romances While Fighting Crime appeared first on Siliconera.

The latest Ghost of Tsushima trailer gives people a chance to see a more dramatic look at the Sucker Punch game.

The post Latest Ghost of Tsushima Trailer Offers a Cinematic Look At the Game appeared first on Siliconera.

"We're seeing confusion about #MTX in Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time and want to be [gem emoji] clear. There are NO MICROTRANSACTIONS in the game. As a bonus, the Totally Tubular skins are included in all digital versions of the game."

In this era of constant updates, games leave closed beta on a regular basis. They don’t often re-enter it. However, like a groundhog emerging to un-see its own shadow, Amazon’s team-based shooter Crucible is no longer a fully released video game.

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On May 28, Daisy stood on a pink-and red-striped flag, a gray beret perched atop her magenta hair, waiting for her friends to fly into her island on Dodo Airlines. One by one, seven of them arrived and stood on the dock awaiting Daisy’s instructions. Meanwhile, at her parents’ home in the southern United States,…

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First off, let me apologize for how often I said the word “fascinating” in this episode. I really should cap the number of times I say a given adjective in one of these to three or so, but, well, I didn’t here. I shot this at about four in the morning, so I’ll call that my excuse. Luckily, though, it’s still about a …

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In this 2018 GDC session, Christopher Totten shows developers a process for creating their own critical approaches to the art of level design, and sharing those approaches with the world. ...

Amazon’s newest game is being unreleased

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Devs, critics, and fans butt heads over one of the year’s biggest games

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Media Molecule's impressively flexible PlayStation 4 creation tool Dreams will finally be getting PSVR support next month, starting on 22nd July.

Dreams' VR support will arrive as part of a free expansion Media Molecule is calling Inside The Box, which will include tutorials, kits, and everything users might potentially need to both create and play Dreams experiences from within VR.

According to a new post on the PlayStation Blog, Inside The Box gets things started with a new introduction called All Aboard VR, designed to walk through Dreams' new VR controls.

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Earlier this year, Bethesda announced it would be introducing a season-pass-style progression system to its online multiplayer nuke'-em-up Fallout 76, and those holding their breath in anticipation of its arrival can finally exhale: the inaugural Seasons update is out today.

Each Season presents Fallout 76 players with 100 progression levels to climb by earning S.C.O.R.E. points through Daily and Weekly challenges. A new reward is doled out at each rank, and Bethesda says these can include unique armour, C.A.M.P. items, weapon skins, Power Armour paints, photo frames, consumables, Perk Card Packs, Atoms, and more.

Fallout 76's first Season is officially titled The Legendary Run and promises over 40 cosmetic items to unlock. There's a bit of a retro space theme for this one, influencing not just the presentation (the progression screen is done up to resemble a Captain Cosmos board game) but also the rewards too, as detailed on the Seasons webpage.

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Sea of Thieves' pirate life wasn't for me. I drank my weight in grog, dug up a few treasure chests, and screamed "fire the cannons!" way too much. I got into character and had some fun, yet retired my pegleg just a few days after the game launched in March 2018. I never envisioned going back to it.

I also didn't foresee the pandemic of 2020, which has pushed many of us to search for new ways to entertain ourselves from the safety of our own homes. Within the Reiner residence, my daughter and I are finding video games are a great way to pass the time. We sometimes play couch co-op on the same screen, but our favorite way to game is on two TVs in the same room that are connected to Xbox Live. Being able to move about a full screen independently is the way to go. You can't beat it.

In recent months, our gaming family has grown to include my girlfriend and her children. Between our two households, we can have four people online at once – it's amazing when we are all together laughing and enjoying each other's company. Depending on which children are playing, we are fed a steady diet of Minecraft, Roblox, and Farm Together (a wildly underappreciated co-op experience). Keeping everyone engaged and excited has been tough, as the kids' interests and attention spans are changing.

Shortly after the Switch launched, folks started to experience the dreaded "drift."

It was a seemingly innocuous issue at first, but quickly became more widespread, indicating a clear flaw in the Joy-Con design. For years fans requested that Nintendo do something about it but the publishing giant was silent: instead opting to fix impacted Joy-Con on an individual basis after pressured by users. Now, someone high up in the company is finally commenting on the fiasco publicly (rather than a vague "recent reports" faceless company statement) by way of an investor Q&A this month.

Directly commenting on the Joy-Con issue, Nintendo of Japan president Shintaro Furukawa noted that he "apologizes for any trouble" that the hardware has caused, but is prevented from speaking on the matter further due to a United states class-action lawsuit that is currently ongoing.

That lawsuit, filed in 2019, is still underway under arbitration after a Washington court denied Nintendo's dismissal. The main claims involve Nintendo obfuscation of how widespread the Joy-Con defect really was, on top of the contention with Nintendo charging many users with repairs for over two years. Since July of last year following the lawsuit, the company finally opted to repair defection Joy-Con for free.

General Meeting of Shareholders Q&A [Nintendo via Sephazon]

Harmonix's Fuser had had two discernible effects on me thus far. The one Harmonix is aiming for is me thinking "Wow, it'd be neat to hear some combination of these tracks mashed together." The other is me thinking "I want to hear that song right now." Am I listening to The Clash's Combat Rock as I write this? Reader, you know I am.

Fuser looks to capture the summer festival experience (which, ironically, certainly isn't happening this summer) by letting players remix parts of songs against one another. It seems like it's driven by the very impressive tech of DropMix. However, unlike most of Harmonix's most popular games, it won't require any additional peripherals apart from a standard controller.

Today, alongside the announcement that Fuser pre-orders are live, Harmonix revealed some more tracks on the final setlist. This puts us at 34 out of 100-ish. Here's the list thus far:

Nintendo is always experimenting with weird-yet-cute content, which definitely includes their latest creations: "Can YOU Guess that Game?"

Debuting on YouTube, "Episode 1" (hinting that there's more to come) is now live, which showcases three Nintendo games. Sequentially, Nintendo provides you with a look at an extremely pixelated screen, prompting you to "guess that game" before the timer runs out. The entire clip is under a minute long and a very fun way to spend about 60 seconds today if you're feeling down.

For those of you who don't want (or can't) watch the video, we clipped all three mystery games in image form so you can guess below. Good luck! I can see #3 tripping up people.

Batten down the hatches and hide away your cattle, as we are just under a month away from the launch of THQ Nordic's Destroy All Humans! This remake of the 2005 action title - built from the ground-up by Black Forest Games - will beam down on PS4, PC, and Xbox One in July.

A new video from THQ Nordic sees our ray-wielding hero Cryptosporidium 137 (you can call him "Crypto") visit the humble Americana of Santa Modesta, where he indulges in some human-zapping, restaurant-destroying and tank-obliterating mayhem. Whether on foot, donning a jetpack, or taking to the skies in his UFO, Crypto is making a healthy living making life unhealthy for the residents of '50s suburbia. And if all that wasn't enough, he can screw with your TV reception too. Little bastard.

Destroy All Humans! launches on PS4, PC, and Xbox One July 28.