Game Informer

With a new generation comes new games and with new games comes the need for additional storage for some console players. Microsoft has revealed our first look at the 1TB additional storage that players can opt into for the Xbox Series X/S with a price point set at $219.99. 

The storage cards are confirmed to match the system's internal SSD speed, which has been a major point of excitement for both consoles coming out in November. There will be other sizes available as well in the future, though we don't have prices, or the exact options, at this time. 

Price comparison to previous generations

The reaction to the new storage price has been mixed. Some feel that the price point is too high, others feel that the 22 cents per gigabyte is not unfair. For perspective, a 32GB memory card for the PlayStation Vita retailed at $119.99 at launch, the Samsung Portable SSD T3 for PlayStation 4 cost $250 at launch and can retail for much higher if purchased today. The Samsung T3 was selected for compare because of its speed matching capability, though there were other harddrives that retailed around $99.99 for 128GB and higher. Xbox also had similarly priced harddrives for their Xbox One systems as well.

Nier: Automata has been a massive hit since release and with Tokyo Game Show going on now, the team over at Square Enix has revealed a new way fans can commemorate their love for this game. The new Nier: Automata statue hails from Prime 1 Studios, but it looks like it will definitely cost you.

As a huge collector myself, I've got several pieces from Prime 1. Their craftsmanship is beyond compare and their expert use of polystone and attention to detail makes for stunning pieces. The newest statue featuring 2B, 9S, and Pod and while it doesn't have a price tag at this time, the scale of this feature likely will put it at Prime's usual range of $800-$1,000 USD. That's not confirmed at this time, but that is the usual range they set for pieces of this scale. 

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With the tag of "coming soon,"  we'll be learning more about what this Nier: Automata statue will have to offer, when fans can get it, and how much it will make those wallets cry. 

Kirby is among Nintendo's most versatile characters thanks to his ability to copy movesets. While HAL's beloved pink puff has been been in Super Smash Bros. since the series' inception, Nintendo is bringing back the Kirby Fighters series, which debuted in 2014 on 3DS as a part of Kirby: Triple Deluxe. This standalone entry comes to Switch with a variety of new modes and features.

Kirby Fighters 2 lets you play in single-handed mode, where you try to get the best possible clear time in a series of solo battles, and multiplayer, where up to four players can battle it out locally on the same Switch, locally on the same network, or online through Nintendo Switch Online with customizable rulesets. Kirby Fighters 2 also delivers a story mode, where you fight alongside a human- or A.I.-controlled companion to scale the tower, choose from items to help between rounds, and defeat King Dedede and Meta Knight's challenges. The items offer buffs to stats, your health, and more. 

Earlier today, Larian Studios confirmed that there was a small one week delay with the Baldur's Gate 3 Early Access. The company softened the not so devastating blow by promising news about romances and companions. Well buckle up, friends, because we're talking warlock booty. 

The team took to the game's Steam blog to deliver the very important companion news, because it's 2020 and we are going to take any shred of happiness we can get. In the latest blog post, Larian talks about the companionship that will be found in the upcoming game, a gameplay feature that is very common in RPG adventures. 

Just like many other games of the same caliber, Baldur's Gate 3 will have companions that will like some of the things you do, disagree with others, and some will just really seem to dog on everything you do. Still, we do what we can for that digital tush, so the latest video about "love in the forgotten realms" digs a little deeper into building those meaningful in-game relationships: 

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It's been just over a month since EA Sports released UFC 4, and while it's a strong entry in the franchise with a wide-spanning roster of the most recognizable athletes in the world's biggest MMA promotion, there are a few noteworthy names missing from the roster. From recent signings and new breakout stars to old favorites who keep flirting with a comeback, these are the fighters I'd love to see added to the UFC 4 roster.

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1. Khamzat Chimaev

Without question, Chimaev has been one of the breakout stars of 2020. From his two dominant wins within a 10-day period in July on Fight Island to his massive one-punch knockout over UFC veteran Gerald Meerschaert, Khamzat Chimaev is on a rocket-like trajectory right now. Even though he's just now eyeing his fourth fight in the UFC, even UFC president Dana White is singing his praises, saying, "This guy is one of the most special fighters I've ever seen, if not the most special guy that I've ever come across."

2. Amanda Ribas

Another one of the biggest up-and-coming stars in the UFC, Amanda Ribas has proven that she belongs in the contender conversation after making her debut last June. After showcasing her Brazilian jiu-jitsu with a submission win over Emily Whitmire in her debut, Ribas rattled off two dominant decision wins over Mackenzie Dern and Randa Markos before her biggest victory in a lightning-quick submission win over the ever-popular Paige VanZant. 

Microsoft shook the gaming world earlier this week when the company revealed that they spent 7.5 billion dollars to acquire ZeniMax and all of its properties. With an impressive lineup of acquisitions already under its belt, CEO Satya Nadella says that Microsoft is far from done—just don't expect any announcements at this year's Tokyo Game Show. 

ZeniMax Media is the parent company to some major studios including id Software, Arkane, and Bethesda. This was a huge move for the company at large as those studios join the ranks of previous acquisitions announced prior. For those excited to see Microsoft putting themselves into a position for more exclusives, or at very least more resources, Nadella confirmed to CNET that more acquisitions are certainly a goal.

"You can't wake up one day and say, 'Let me build a game studio.' The idea of having content is so we can reach larger communities." 

In the same interview, Xbox head Phil Spencer added, "Content is just the incredible ingredient to our platform that we continue to invest in. This doubles the size of our creative organization." 

After this week's big reveal, many were wondering if Microsoft's presence at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show would hold any more surprises. Let that breath out, boo, because they aren't going to be making any major power moves there, as confirmed in this Twitter post. 

Let's be real here for a moment: Xbox's social media game has been on fire lately. The latest social post is less of a 'turning a bad leak into a meme' situation and more of a not so subtle announcement preluding an actual announcement. If the most recent teaser isn't some weird coincidence, then it looks like Doom Eternal is the next major game to make its way to Xbox Game Pass. 

The most recent Xbox tweet was a screengrab of an email talking about a [REDACTED] big game coming to Xbox Game Pass. The associating caption was pretty witty, we'll give them that, saying: "Melissa said not to drop hints so we're not dropping hints. There are absolutely no hints in this screenshot. Don't bother looking for them. There are none." 

So clearly there was a big one and it didn't take long before fellow Twitter users got cracking: 

I can actually confirm, by reducing exposure I got this:

This plus the "Look Below" in the Initials is an awesome way to tease something hahahahahah

Doom Eternal is practically confirmed pic.twitter.com/WviUU8FDtX

When the Xbox Series X was initially revealed, many marveled at how large it appeared to be. If you're anything like me, ever since the Xbox Series X was shown off, you've been trying to figure out exactly how it will fit on your entertainment stand. Standing nearly a foot tall and possessing 6 inches of depth and width, it definitely presents a unique challenge for those of us who have horizontal slots in their entertainment stand.

This isn't the first time this problem has presented itself; the Nintendo Switch also made me get creative with my entertainment stand since its top-loading dock didn't play nice with the traditional stand I own. The creative solution I came to with the Switch was to put the dock behind my television. That way, it had a place to sit and connect with my TV, but it didn't block the screen. With the Xbox Series X looking more like a PC tower than any console before it, I might have to resort to similar tactics.

With many confirmations recently about select titles getting free next gen upgrades, many were wondering if Marvel's Spider-Man would also get the same treatment. Sony has clarified some of the confusion regarding next gen upgrades. 

At this time, there are no plans for free PS5 upgrades for PS4 Marvel's Spider-Man owners in order to get the Remastered version. Marvel's Spider-Man is backwards compatible and that the PS4 launch version (not the upgraded version) will be playable on PS5. 

In a recent statement provided by Sony to Kotaku, the company clarified that the Remastered edition is included in the Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition. PS4 Miles Morales purchases do get a free PS5 upgrade, but that doesn't apply to the base game. 

Here is the full statement: 

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Remastered is an enhanced version of Marvel’s Spider-Man, and is included as part of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition for the PlayStation 5. In addition, players who purchase Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales on PlayStation 4 can upgrade at no additional cost to the PS5 version of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and can take advantage of a paid-upgrade to download Marvel’s Spider-Man: Remastered.

During the most recent PlayStation 5 showcase, Santa Monica and Sony revealed our first tease about the now-confirmed God of War sequel centering around Ragnarok. Though the reveal was a simple tease, fans wasted no time in trying to find deeper meanings with the fleeting trailer. 

One fan took to Reddit to share their "obvious" discovery that the runes spell out Ragnarok, and the responding thread was filled with exciting conjectures based off of the screengrab.

Might be obvious, but the runes in the title card for the God of War reveal spell 'Ragnarok' from r/GamingDetails

Given the relation of Ragnarok's history to the previous God of War's narrative, fans began to wonder if the lore supports that perhaps Kratos himself caused the events at Ragnarok. Bringing in death and destruction to gods and forever changing the history of man, Ragnarok is in a unique position to truly make the story that this franchise is known for even more impactful and gutterally felt.

Redditors also commenting on the thread saying that they think this means Freya will have a much more prominent role in the upcoming God of War game, something that was definitely insinuated in past events.

Spoilers: 

Blizzard co-founder Mike Morhaime (who also served as president and CEO) officially left the company last year. Today, Morhaime revealed that he is reuniting with many of his Blizzard peers in a new gaming venture: a company called Dreamhaven. 

According to the announcement, Dreamhaven will "create and publish original games for players around the world." To accomplish that goal, the company has established two development studios called Moonshot Games and Secret Door. Both of them are led by an impressive list of industry veterans with extensive experience at Blizzard, including games like World of Warcraft, Starcraft II, and Hearthstone.  

You can read more about the staff and each studio's goals in Dreamhaven's announcement. Even though no actual games have been announced yet, this is certainly an exciting development – especially for fans of Blizzard's previous work.

The bad news? Baldur's Gate III Early Access has been delayed. The good news is that the pushback isn't by a lot. The new Early Access release date for Baldur's Gate III is October 6, and Larian Studios is pulling our romance strings to make it all better. 

The studio took to Twitter to give us the bad new first, only to end on a more positive note that to make up for the delay, they will be revealing more about the companions later today. I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for romance in RPGs, so consider me intrigued. 

As for the delay, it wasn't wholly unexpected. Larian Studios has stated in the past that this game is their biggest venture yet. Pair that with COVID-19 and work from home orders, and delays are almost expected at this point. 

In a recent statement provided by the team to fans, Larian said the following: 

The Game Awards 2020 ceremony is doing things a little differently this year in light of COVID-19. Not only is it still happening, but it's going to be taking place in three different places this year instead. London, Los Angeles, and Tokyo will be airing a special Game Awards showcase in stunning 4K UHD quality. 

The show will be filmed in-studio at all three locations, though there will be no audience for safety concerns. This multi-city approach will be streaming across more than 45 global video platforms for the audience to enjoy in addition to live co-streamers to help keep things interesting. 

“In 2020, video games have connected and comforted us more than ever, and that makes the 2020 edition of The Game Awards our most important show ever,” said Geoff Keighley in a recent press statement. “Our team is working hard to deliver an innovative and thoughtful program that celebrates excellence, previews the future, and amplifies important voices that are shaping the future of this medium.”

New locations, new setup, and even a new award. This year's Game Awards showcase will now offer the Innovation in Accessibility award that aims to recognize developers that push for more features in the name of accessibility. 

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No Man's Sky has changed so much since its launch back in 2016 and the team over at Hello Games is nowhere close to being done making this space adventure even better. A new update is now live bringing with it new sky patterns, more landscapes, UI changes, and so much more! 

The new No Man's Sky update has a new trailer celebrating all of the recent changes, which you can watch at the top of the article. From the addition of new planets unlocking "millions of untouched new worlds to explore" and new "dramatic" landscapes for players to become familiar with, there is a lot more to discover with the latest update. 

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In what is one of the biggest acquisitions in the recent history of video games, Microsoft has spent 7.5 billion (that’s right, a B) dollars in a move to acquire Bethesda Game Studios, the little publishing company responsible for the likes of Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, and more. The move comes after months of speculation as to who one of the biggest game makers in the world would target to add to its growing stable of studios. It also acts as an olive branch to those who have been spurned by the Xbox One’s lack of exclusive titles and are looking for a reason to come back into the Microsoft ecosystem.

September 22 marks the day that Xbox Series X preorders went live. It also marks the day that Xbox One X sales saw a dramatic increase. Coincidence? Maybe, or it could all be a hilariously unfortunate misunderstanding. 

A post from Andrew Alerts has gone viral on Twitter, an industry insider with a specialty tracking seller trends and founder of Nintendeal. In his tweet, he cited a drastic spike in Amazon Xbox One X system sales with the associated tagline asking "how many people bought an Xbox One X instead of an Xbox Series X."

Microsoft got themselves in a weird spot with the Xbox naming situation

Xbox
Xbox 360
Xbox One
Xbox One X

Then what do you do? You can't go Xbox 2/Two because Sony has PlayStation 5 and 2 is less than 5. That matters a lot when non-gamer parents are buying consoles for kids.

A massive report began circulating yesterday regarding an alleged Call of Duty hack that left over 500,000 Activision accounts exposed. Activision responded initially saying how people can protect their account if they are worried, but they are saying the initial reports were "not accurate."

Activision took to Twitter to address player concerns over account vulnerabilities. "Reports suggesting Activision Call of Duty accounts have been compromised are not accurate," reads the publicly posted statement. "We investigate all privacy concerns. As always, we recommend that players take precautions to protect their Activision accounts, as well as any online accounts, at all times."

It continued saying that any changes or updates made to accounts would be reflected in a confirming email. For anyone that may have received an email of change with no changes actually made, it is recommended to make the appropriate changes to established account information, including a change of password. 

We here at Game Informer saw the reports yesterday and did not receive word back from Activision before the company's statement went live. It was because of that, and the missing trail of proof, that we opted not to cover this story when it first went viral. Now with official acknowledgment from Activision, players can make the appropriate steps needed moving forward. 

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If you found that your account has been tampered with, please feel free to drop a comment in the section below and don't forget to change your information ASAP if you haven't already. 

As reported by GameSpot, Arkane Studios is looking for new personnel to work on an unannounced game. The list of the various roles range from tools programmer to graphics engineer. The acclaimed developers behind Prey, Dishonored, and Deathloop were recently acquired by Microsoft in a massive business move that could potentially provide Xbox's next-gen gamers with a plethora of rpg experiences.

While we all wait for more news about this mysterious AAA project, be sure to check out our Answers To Deathloop's Biggest Questions. 

[Source: GameSpot]

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A new Destiny 2 trailer is here ahead of the Beyond Light expansion dropping this November. The latest look at the Bungie shooter gives us new insight into Europa while also reminding us how much of a little punk Variks is. 

For those that didn't play the first Destiny, Variks is a Fallen Vandal that was the sole survivor of the House of Judgement. He's got an interesting history, but his loyalty to Queen Mara Sov was unshakable. That being said, he was responsible for the prison break in Destiny 2: Forsaken, which ended up getting my homie Cayde-6 killed so to say I have a lot of salt over him is a massive understatement. 

The now leader of the House of Judgement acts as one of the narrators for the latest video, seen at the top of the article. The video also puts Exo Stranger back front and center, a returning favorite from the first game that was confirmed with the reveal trailer for the upcoming expansion. 

Between the new Stasis power and a new area to explore, Beyond Light is going to continue Destiny 2's winning streak in terms of DLC, a streak that really hit its stride with Forsaken and Shadowkeep. 

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Eric Barone (a.k.a. ConcernedApe), the creator of Stardew Valley, can be seen playing the theme of the Moonlight Jelly festival in a YouTube video that he uploaded earlier today. It's interesting to hear the song on an acoustic guitar, especially since the in-game version combines the ambient sounds of a number of instruments (including what sounds like a piano or xylophone?). 

Earlier this month, we talked to Barone about his approach to Stardew Valley's numerous free updates and how they keep the game alive. Read all about it here. 

Next weekend, the Fortnite battle bus will be added as the final reward in Rocket League's first event since its free-to-play update – Llama-Rama. If you're looking to get that new car body and hot-drop into the soccer arena, you'll have to check off a list of challenges first. The challenges, however, appear to be relatively easy to complete: most of them require players to don certain decals while winning a number of matches. For more clarity, you can find all of these challenges on the Epic Games site here. Check out the trailer for the Llama-Rama event below, then make sure to play next weekend and claim your rewards. 

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In earlier eras of gaming, a video game was much like other products — a physical item purchased with a purpose. You buy some shoes, you own the shoes. You buy a hammer, a shirt, a chair, a hat. Today, we see gaming taking its inspirations from an amalgamation of both the traditional entertainment industry and technology, a unique intersection where we're rapidly shifting to a service model while retaining the rock-star fun and freewheeling edge. In many ways, the shift to service over physical products seems inevitable in some Ozymandias from Watchmen "I already did it" way, as developments over the last few years indicate that we're already there. The future comes with some powerful advantages, and certainly a good share of concerns as well. Join me on a journey toward one possible future.

Every September 26 for the past seven years, The Last of Us fans joined Naughty Dog in celebrating an incredible PlayStation experience. This year, however, a key change is being made to the name of this annual celebration in light of COVID-19. 

Previously, this date was secured as Outbreak Day given the nature of infection within the game universe itself. With the number of deaths due to COVID-19 on a global scale with many areas still far from the point of containment, the team over at Naughty Dog wanted to make a change out of respect. 

No longer called Outbreak Day, every September 26 from here on out will be called The Last of Us Day. Short, sweet, to the point. No confusion on the game being celebrated, no correlation to real-life events that are still currently in progress. 

Naughty Dog took to Twitter to relay the change, saying that due to the nature of this year's events and the ongoing issues surrounding COVID-19, that they "didn't feel right continuing on under the Outbreak Day banner." 

The company added, "While the name and the date are rooted in the fiction of the game, September 26 means so much more than lore. It's about showing our appreciation to our fans." 

The next season of Call of Duty is slated to arrive on September 29. That's next Tuesday! Details on activities, modes, changes and the like are still under wraps, but we do know that both Nikolai and Farah are becoming Operators via the Season 6 Battle Pass.

As has become the standard, seasonal changes will happen both in traditional multiplayer and Call of Duty: Warzone. Get a taste of the upcoming action below in a new trailer showcasing the upcoming characters!

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The upcoming generation of hardware provides an opportunity for Microsoft and Sony to set themselves apart, and Xbox is capitalizing on that chance. By building its first-party library, emphasizing cross-generation convenience, and continuing to focus on Game Pass, Microsoft's Xbox Series X/S is an attractive gaming destination for many reasons. 

Of course, the main reason anyone buys a new console is to play games. If the Xbox Series X/S is how you're doing that this year, this list covers the games designed to show off the power of your brand-new hardware. Also, if you plan to get a PS5 instead of (or in addition to) an Xbox, be sure to check out list of PlayStation 5 games coming in 2020.

With Microsoft acquiring ZeniMax, the legendary RPG teams at Bethesda are among the newest additions to the Xbox the family. As a result, the Xbox brand has just secured some solid RPG experiences for the generation ahead (regardless of whether Bethesda's game are ultimately exclusives). But even beyond the likes of Fallout and Elder Scrolls, know that other exciting RPGs are in the works for the Xbox Series X/S. But when laying it all out, it's easy for a fan of the RPG genre to get excited about the future. 

When Obsidian Entertainment (another studio previously acquired by Microsoft) revealed Avowed earlier this year, immediately fans likened it to Skyrim due to the combat mechanics and the story's presentation. The reveal had many considering this title to be a major competition for Bethesda's Elder Scrolls series, a fact that is a little interesting considering Obsidian and Bethesda's prior history surrounding Fallout: New Vegas, as well as the comparisons between Obsidian's recent title The Outer Worlds and Bethesda's Fallout series. But there's room enough in the gaming landscape for multiple open-world fantasy RPGs. 

Now that Microsoft also owns Bethesda, it's a warm family reunion with Avowed now being released alongside the Elder Scrolls franchise, no longer in competition with each other as they are both now under the same overseeing umbrella.

Gamers have often done some pretty incredible things in order to raise money for charity and the latest endeavor features a "super rare" white  AVICII Invector Nintendo Switch Lite! The latest gaming-driven initiative is aiming to support mental health, an aspect of human life that is critical; even more so during these trying times. 

Safe In Our World is a charity organization that aims to help raise mental health awareness within the games industry and the world outside of it. This agency has consistently been a strong voice in advocacy for mental health and now it is offering an exclusively designed Nintendo Switch Lite for sale with 100 percent of the proceeds going to supporting their cause. 

The Switch system above not only supports mental health awareness, but also celebrates the launch of AVICII Invector on the hybid platform. AVICII Invector is a fast-paced rhythm-action game that allows players to harness their inner musical god. AVICII Invector has been met with outstanding reviews over on Steam, and now it is taking the Nintendo charts by storm as well. 

When the Halo: The Master Chief Collection made the jump over onto Steam, PC players were ecstatic to have another reason to dive into the Halo universe. Releasing the entire franchise through the Master Chief Collection has been a slow process, but it has been a process well worth it! For those that are fans of Halo 3: ODST, now is your time to shine because that is the latest addition to make its way over onto the Valve platform.

Even better than Halo 3: ODST's arrival is the other updates that come from Season 3 of the Master Chief Collection. Season 3 offers over 80 unlocks for the 50 tiers in addition to new weapon and visor skins for Halo 3, characters for ODST, and new nameplates. 

A new Challenge deck is also arriving for new weekly challenges as well as more tweaks to matchmaking with the following modes: 

• Recon Slayer (you’ll spawn with the Silenced SMG and the Automag, weapons on the map are replaced with their ODST counterpart where applicable)
• ODST Heroic Firefight
• ODST Firefight Arcade

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With Halo 3: ODST's arrival also comes with a few updates for this particular experience as well, including: 

By now, you've likely heard that Microsoft has acquired Bethesda alongside other ZeniMax properties. Moreso, Microsoft has confirmed that they will honor exclusivity deals with PlayStation for games like Deathloop and Ghostwire. That being said, it looks like Sony was in talks with Bethsesda for exclusive rights to their upcoming IP Starfield before the acquisition was finalized, at least according to recent reports. 

The latest report about one of the alternate timelines for Starfield comes from esteemed journalist and industry insider Imran Khan. According to a recent Twitter post from Khan, "The timing on this announcement is absolutely fascinating. The week after Sony solidifies their existing exclusivity with some Bethesda games but the day before Xbox opens up preorders."

The timing was genius, there is no denying that, but apparently the 7.5 billion dollar deal has an even greater impact than we originally thought. Khan followed up to his initial tweet saying that Sony was reportedly looking into a special deal with Bethesda's sci-fi new IP. "Sony had been negotiating timed exclusivity on Starfield as recently as a few months ago," he said. "Going to guess either those talks are done or the price suddenly went way, way up." 

Microsoft dropped a pretty penny to acquire Zenimax Media and its various subsidiary studios, including Bethesda, the developer and publisher behind industry-defining franchises like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. There are plenty of questions circulating about this massive business move, but it’s safe to speculate that the next generation of Xbox gaming will include a bevy of long-awaited titles, as well as unexpected surprises. Here are some prospective games – announced and unannounced – that we’re excited to see:

Blizzard has announced their dates for the all digital BlizzCon experience set for February 2021. With this year's celebration cancelled due to the continued presence of COVID-19, the Blizzard-specific convention had to make a stark pivot with many others like it. 

According to a recent BlizzCon update, the BlizzConline experience will take place from February 19-20, 2021. This online showcase is meant to replace the 2020 celebration that has been cancelled. 

So why such a stark difference from the usual timing for BlizzCon? According to Blizzard, "We still have a lot of planning to do, and it'll be some time before we're ready to share more details – but we wanted to provide a heads-up on how you can be a part of the online fun." 

Just like its real-life counterpart, BlizzConline will feature a community showcase that will allow fans to show off their talent and love for the many Blizzard franchises out there. March of the Murlocs also returns digitally where fans can don those Murloc onesies once more and send in a video to Blizzard to participate. 

The cosplay exhibition and contests will also be returning with an entry deadline of January 4, 2021. Again, this is all online, but this allows fans to share their amazing cosplays (even for pets!) with Blizzard and the world. 

The Demon's Souls remake launches in less than two months. Players will soon be traveling back in time to the first incarnation of the modern "Souls-like," playing the game that would go on to create an entire subgenre of challenging dark fantasy titles. This time, it's Bluepoint Games' take on From Software's classic – an entry many Souls enthusiasts haven't even played since it is only available on PlayStation 3. In many ways, Demon's Souls was the evolution of concepts and ideas that had been present in From Software's King's Field series for many years. Now, the entire experience is back, exclusively on PlayStation 5.

Despite its release being incredibly soon as a PlayStation 5 launch title, there are many questions surrounding the game. Let's take a look at some of the misshaps and mysteries that could be interesting as we inch ever closer to stepping into the Boletarian Palace again.

With the next generation of consoles right around the corner, Xbox has announced its lineup of Xbox Series X/S accessories. While Xbox has touted far-reaching compatibility with both your existing games and accessories, the company is hopeful it is giving players reason to upgrade as the next-gen hardware nears.

It all starts with new controllers. The new Xbox Wireless Controller might look similar to the one you've been using with your Xbox One or PC for years now, but with a new hybrid d-pad and textured grips, as well as a button that allows you to capture screenshots and video clips with a quick press (or hold), it's not completely identical. The controller was previously revealed in black alongside the Series X, and white alongside the Series S, but Xbox today revealed a striking new Shock Blue color. 

If you're hoping to use the new Xbox Wireless Controller with your PC, Xbox also announced bundles to help you get going at your desk. You can choose between a bundle featuring the new controller and a Windows 10 wireless adapter or a bundle with the new controller and a USB-C cable. 

Big news today on the Bethesda front with the Microsoft acquisition now revealed, but it looks like that wasn't the only thing the studio had to share with fans this fine Monday. Todd Howard got a little mushy when talking about the move to Microsoft while also teasing a completely overhauled engine. 

A change in engine has been teased for years now and many fans have started to lose hope that it would ever happen. While many of the games under Bethesda's umbrella are beyond stellar, the overall look of many of them leaves little to be desired. That's not to say that graphics are the end-all-be-all of an experience, but a more modernized touch couldn't hurt. 

In a recent blog post over on the Bethesda website, Howard talked just a little bit about the cyclic console nature, the growth over this gen, and teased the "largest engine overhaul since Oblivion" for the new generation ahead: 

With each new console cycle, we evolved together. From bringing mods to consoles with Fallout 4, now over a billion downloads, to the latest technologies fueling Xbox Series X/S. These new systems are optimized for the vast worlds we love to create, with generational leaps not just in graphics, but CPU and data streaming as well. It’s led to our largest engine overhaul since Oblivion, with all new technologies powering our first new IP in 25 years, Starfield, as well as The Elder Scrolls VI. 

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Now that the alpha is over and done with, it's time for gamers on all platforms to have a chance to dive into Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. For those that are looking to get some hands-on time early, here is what you need to know about Cold War beta dates for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. 

The Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War beta will be divided between two specific weekends with the first stint being solely for PlayStation players. For your platform of choice, here are the beta dates for Cold War so you don't miss out: 

PlayStation exclusive beta

• PS4 Early Access (pre-orders): October 8-9
• PS4 Open Beta: October 10-12

Crossplay beta

• Xbox + PC Early Access + PS4 Open Beta: October 15-16
• All Platforms: October 17-19

For those that played the alpha, the beta will offer a few more additional features not yet played. In addition to the VIP Escort Mode, beta players will also be able to check out a new mode called Fireteam Dirty Bomb. 

For those that haven't checked out the alpha, the upcoming beta period is a good chance to jump into the highly divisive (Skill-based Match-making) SBMM conversation and thoughts on where the Black Ops franchise is going next. 

Today, Lucasfilm and Disney announced Mando Mondays, an event that debuts upcoming products inspired by The Mandalorian. The event kicks off on October 26. In line with the announcement, Hasbro has revealed some new figurines for its Black Series Credit Collection. Fans can pre-order popular characters from The Mandalorian show, like Cara Dune and the illustrious bounty hunter himself, right now through various online retailers. 

With Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales on the horizon, PlayStation fans planning on diving in on the PS5 are excited to see how the game runs on Sony's most upgraded technology. With more of a focus on digital than any generation prior, the news that the Marvel's Spider-Man: Remastered game won't have a physical release on PlayStation 5 isn't a huge loss, but something to be aware of regardless. 

With the PS5 launch of Miles Morales, the base game is getting a PS5 upgrade as well. With new improvements made to the title's performance and visuals, paired with Miles being front and center thanks to the continuing story, it's an exciting time to be a Marvel fan. That being said, for those that like physical releases or were planning to purchase as a gift, Insomniac Games has confirmed that a Marvel's Spider-Man: Remastered won't see a disc version and it won't offer save transfers. 

no plans to release physically

— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) September 20, 2020

In the above Twitter thread, the official Insomniac Games account confirmed no physical releases. When one person inquired about picking up where they left on with the PlayStation 4 version, the account replied: "Saves won't transfer from the original game to the Remaster."

Following the news that Bethesda is being acquired by Microsoft, VP Pete Hines weighed in on why this move was the right one for them to make. Hines also took the opportunity to assuage any fan concerns over Bethesda changing to fit into its new home.

Hines has been with Bethesda for just over 20 years. Since he joined the studio, Bethesda has undergone many changes, including evolutions of in-house leadership, new IPs, and shifting visions. He has also witnessed mind-numbing growth from Bethesda's humble beginnings. 

The news of the acquisition has been wholly seen as a positive within the gaming community, though there have been concerns about Bethesda's future with PlayStation. While a multiplatform release for Bethesda's biggest games are still a real possibility, as seen here with Phil Spencer's recent commentary, some have voiced concern over Bethesda changing too much. 

"The world, our industry, and our company has changed a lot in the 34 years since Bethesda Softworks was first founded," said Hines in a recent blog post. "Today, it changed again. And I know that brings up questions.

"But the key point is we’re still Bethesda. We’re still working on the same games we were yesterday, made by the same studios we’ve worked with for years, and those games will be published by us."

Earlier today, we reported the breaking news that Microsoft has acquired Bethesda and its parent company, ZeniMax. The news is an exciting grab for the company going into the new generation with the Xbox Series X, but many PlayStation fans are wondering what this means for their platform of choice going forward. 

According to a report from Bloomberg, Bethesda has been working closely with Sony pre-acquisition with games like Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo. Given that both of those games were marketed as limited-time PlayStation exclusives, the acquisition of the company by Microsoft could change things. 

Bloomberg's Dina Bass says that Microsoft's Phil Spencer told her that the company will honor the PlayStation timed-exclusivity but after that, other console launches outside of PC and Xbox will be reviewed on a "case-by-case basis."

Bethesda is behind some of the most beloved franchises in gaming, including The Elder Scrolls franchise and Doom. Given that many of those series, including the single-player focused Fallout games, have a wide fanbase of millions, it's unlikely that the company would pull access from Sony completely.

We are still awaiting confirmation as we've reached out for comment, but it's likely that Sony fans will still see The Elder Scrolls 6 on PlayStation 5 systems, but brand-new IPs like Starfield might remain an Xbox/PC-only deal.

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The first major patch for Marvel's Avengers from Square Enix is here and it is massive. With over 1000 fixes for issues players have reported since launch, the team went hard on making sure the quality of the Marvel game doesn't suffer long for release hiccups. 

Crystal Dynamics updated the game's official website to share everything included in the new patch. While this patch is mainly targeted to fixing reported bugs, the studio did also include a tease for future updates coming soon that will "integrate more quality-of-life adjustments and feedback-driven features/tuning."

For those playing on PC, the rapid crashing issue has been addressed as well as more stability and memory usage. Players can also adjust the game's visual settings, including disabling the motion blur effect. 

While the patch is massive, the fixes are pretty standard for online games: stuttering issues, freezing characters, glitching through a wall, ability bugs, skill glitches, mission issues, and so much more. Tweaks were also made to how characters function in-game, including the bugs reported with Captain America's mirror shield, which is one we've encountered quite a bit.