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Infinity Ward is set to reveal Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer during the Call of Duty Next event on September 15, but Activision has shared a new video to explain the changes coming to Call of Duty's Gunsmith feature this year.

Originally introduced in Modern Warfare 2019, Call of Duty's popular Gunsmith feature returns in Modern Warfare 2, allowing players to customize their guns with a variety of attachments tailored to their playstyle, but this new "Gunsmith 2.0" offers a new way for players to unlock attachments and build their loadout. The full video for the Gunsmith 2.0 can be viewed below.

While Call of Duty: Vanguard gave players a whopping 10 attachments to include in their custom gun build, Modern Warfare 2 is dialing back the limit on the attachments by only allowing players to equip five attachments. However, it also adds a whole new layer of complexity with the Gunsmith's new "Platform system."

The Gunsmith Platform feature is described as weapons grouped together to form a family of shared weapons. Weapons in the same platform will share unlocks, so players will be unlocking attachments for different weapons as they progress. Platforms even go beyond weapon class, for example, a family of weapons can include shared attachments across assault rifles, light machine guns, and the submachine guns class.

In addition to the expected weapon attachments like the optic, grip, and barrel, the new receiver attachment will also appear in the Gunsmith. As players use a weapon in-game, they'll unlock the new Receiver attachment. Once the receiver is unlocked for a gun, another weapon in the same Platform will be unlocked, including all the attachments the player unlocked with the previous weapon.

Destiny 2's Season of Plunder features a new style of quest that involves solving pirate riddles to hunt down buried treasure. You'll need to rank up the Star Chart seasonal vendor a fair bit before you begin getting into these, but once you do, you'll receive a Small Treasure Beacon, which kicks off a quest called Cryptic Quatrains I. (Completing the Small Treasure Beacon quest is one of the Week 2 seasonal challenges, giving you even more reason to complete it.) Here's how to complete it and the following quest, Cryptic Quatrains II, which begins once you reach Rank 10 and get the Medium Treasure Beacon, and Cryptic Quatrains III, which begins at Rank 16 and you get the Large Treasure Beacon.

How pirate riddles work

For better or worse, these riddles are mostly very obvious, although a few can get tricky. Each step of the quest will present you with a riddle, but certain words in each sentence will be highlighted in yellow--those words strongly hint at where you need to go and what you need to do.

If you're a PC gamer, you've probably enjoyed the chaotic scramble of Steam sales, or scrolling through your recommendations in search of your next favorite game. However, while most of us appreciate Steam--or at least tolerate it, given that it's an unavoidable part of the PC gaming landscape--Valve's venerable storefront can often seem a bit clunky compared to the more modern interfaces we use in our daily lives.

Though you can't fully erase Steam's peculiarities, there are a few ways to shape it more to your tastes. If you're tired of flat-black backgrounds and your game library presenting as an imposing wall of titles, you can add a little bit of customization. Many of these tricks are buried in Steam's somewhat-confusing options menu, but there are still a few tweaks that we'd recommend to make Steam look and feel better.

Categorizing your games

Steam's default game library display settings aren't to my taste. The list is too small, the game detail pane too big, and there's a lot of dark negative space that you have to scroll through to do anything. The good news is that this is by far the most customizable part of the Steam experience, and it doesn't take much effort to fix some of its more glaring flaws.

If you aren't using Steam's game collection function already, you really should. The collection feature lets you organize and sort your games into groups based on many different criteria, rather than the usual alphabetized list. This makes it easier to navigate through your library. It might seem like an insignificant feature, but it can have an outsized impact on your gaming time. To make a new collection on Steam, click the four boxes next to the Home tab, then click "create a new collection." You have two options: making a normal collection, or a dynamic collection. We're sticking to normal collections for now.

World of Warcraft Classic, which started with the "vanilla" version of Blizzard's MMO in 2019 and has progressed to the upcoming Wrath of the Lich King expansion, could continue on to the Cataclysm version of the game in the future, with a new Blizzard survey explicitly asking players for their thoughts and opinions on what they like and dislike about the game's 2010 expansion.

As reported by Wowhead, in addition to various questions about general gaming habits and preferred platforms, the survey dives deep into what players would specifically want to see from a Cataclysm Classic. The survey outlines all of the expansion's core features, asks players how interested they are in each one, and posits the possible removal of the controversial Looking For Raid feature that debuted as part of Cataclysm.

Other questions asked by the survey include whether players would want significant changes to Cataclysm or to keep it largely as it was in 2010, what reasons may prevent players from wanting to play Cataclysm Classic, and what expectations players might have in regards to what the next WoW Classic expansion will be after Wrath of the Lich King. There are apparently a few variations to the survey, with one question asking players to choose their favorite color and which then results in questions about a no changes version of Cataclysm Classic or one with significant changes.

Nintendo dropped a new trailer for next Zelda game, which included its finalized title and a release date. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is coming on May 12, 2023. But like any good trailer, it also gave fans plenty of fodder for hidden secrets and theories. We're here to break them all down for you.

To start, the stone carvings that make up the bulk of the trailer are littered with lore references. One of the creatures appears to be a Zonai, a prehistoric tribe that was referenced in Breath of the Wild but never expanded upon. We still don't know exactly what happened to them but it's possible that Tears of the Kingdom will shed more light on them. The wall carvings also show Bokoblins and Moblins waging war with a humanoid tribe, which will also probably be expanded on in the full game as we learn more about what happened to the world.

The trailer also made a point to show an arm, which fans have speculated is the same arm we saw in the very first trailer. There are glyphs that probably correspond to real language, but we don't know the matching symbols so we can't translate them just yet. And of course, there's an owl-like figure hovering above it all, surrounded by seven tears. Fans have speculated those could represent the seven sages, seven dungeons, or other important Zelda elements. The carvings also include possible references to a past incarnation of Zelda herself.

The most eye-catching part of the new trailer was probably the stone gliding beast, which Studio Ghibli fans might recognize as a reference to Nausicaa's glider. We're not sure if the glider is part of a cutscene or a game mechanic, but it's an intriguing tease. Then of course the trailer ends with the logo, which includes a depiction of the Master Sword, which looks corrupted. Fans have already speculated a great deal about the corrupted Master Sword, and this just adds more fuel to that particular fire.

Xbox's fall ID@Xbox showcase detailed a ton of games coming to the platform, many of which are slated for release through its Game Pass subscription service. In total, eleven games are coming to Xbox Game Pass, including two that you can play immediately.

For instant gratification you can go ahead and download Amazing Cultivation Simulator and You Suck at Parking right now. Cultivation Simulator is a strategy and management sim based on Chinese mythology, first released on PC in 2020. You Suck At Parking is just out today, and challenges you to skid to a perfect stop through wild acrobatic race tracks.

In the near future you can also download Metal: Hellsinger. The rhythm-based shooter is available now, but won't be on Game Pass until September 15. The dark and gothic 2D action game Moonscars from Humble Games is also coming relatively soon, on September 27.

And looking to the future, the showcase stream detailed several more games on the way. Those include the Norse survival game Valheim, the wacky sequel Turnip Boy Robs a Bank, and the Walking Dead: The Final Season. Other additions on the way are Big Con, Eville, Homestead Arcana, and Rainbow Billy. You can check out the full lineup of Game Pass games announced today, with release dates where available, below.

• Amazing Cultivation Simulator - available now
• You Suck at Parking - available now
• Metal: Hellsinger - coming September 15
• Moonscars - coming September 27
• Eville - coming October 11
• Turnip Boy Robs a Bank - 2023
• Homestead Arcana - 2023
• Big Con
• Rainbow Billy
• Valheim
• Walking Dead

Early access to the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II beta is kicking off for PlayStation players on September 16, while the open beta will become available to everyone on PlayStation and other platforms to follow throughout the next week. If you're wanting to jump in during the early access period but don't necessarily want to pre-order the game, you have another option--if you're an Xfinity customer, at least. The popular internet service provider has partnered with Call of Duty this go-around to offer one free Modern Warfare II open beta code to each customer, and scoring it isn't a particularly difficult task.

How to get a free Modern Warfare 2 beta code from Xfinity

In order to access this free Modern Warfare 2 beta code, you'll first need to ensure that you have some type of service through Xfinity, as you won't be able to just score the code without service. If you're already a customer, though, follow the instructions below to snag the code and gain access.

• Go to the Xfinity website and log in
• Click the "Rewards" tab in the upper-middle section of the home page
• Join the Rewards program if you haven't already
• Find the Modern Warfare 2 entry on the main Rewards page and click it
• Click "Get this reward" on the popup
• Follow the instructions to claim your code
• Go to the Activision website and sign up/sign in
• Follow the instructions there to turn the Xfinity code into a code for the platform of your choice

The code may not arrive right away, but instead may be emailed at a later time before the beta kicks off on your preferred platform, so be sure to use an email address you can still access.

Weird West's latest patch released on September 12, 2022 and adding an alternate aiming system, a permadeath mode, and some smaller fixes and additions.

The alternative aiming mode is an experimental feature, which can be toggled on and off in the options at any time. Though the default aiming works in a classic twin-stick shooter model, in this mode the camera controls are preserved while aiming.

Permadeath comes to Weird West in Nimpossible mode. In this mode, you cannot manually save, rather you must load the game from a dedicated auto-save slot. You can find and use Nimp Heads to resurrect throughout your journey. However, if you die when you don't have any, your playthrough is over and the auto-save is deleted.

There is also new story content exclusive to Nimpossible mode that fleshes out the lore around the resurrection mechanic. If you play Nimpossible, you can find two new travel encounters and a new side quest as part of the playthrough.

Other additions include a tracking of human kill count to assist players attempting a non-lethal playthrough, retuning of blunt weapons to prevent accidentally killing targets, and an additional level of slo-mo while aiming in the options menu.

You can find full details and video demonstrations of new features on Weird West's Steam page, as well as a complete list of the update's bug fixes.

Radiant Silvergun, the classic 1998 shoot-'em-up from developer Treasure, is currently no longer available for purchase via the North American Nintendo Switch eShop, despite the game having been announced and released yesterday.

The Switch port made its debut as part of the most recent Nintendo Direct, after which the game was made available for purchase. However, that only lasted for a few hours in North America, with Radiant Silvergun having been seemingly pulled from the storefront shortly after the direct.

Publisher Live Wire put out a statement on Twitter confirming the game's removal, but didn't offer any details exactly as to why it was removed or when it will potentially return. We reached out to Nintendo to potentially learn more, but were pointed back towards Live Wire for more information. Radiant Silvergun is still available for purchase on the European and Japanese eShops.

AFC Richmond, the fictional football team from Apple's Ted Lasso TV series, might be featured in EA's upcoming FIFA 23. For a period of time, the FIFA ratings website apparently contained an entry for AFC Richmond, as you can see in the image below that was posted on the Ted Lasso subreddit (via CharlieIntel).

The person who discovered the listing pointed out that EA acted quickly to remove it, along with all associated imagery and details. This doesn't seem like a bug or a mistake, but we'll have to wait to find out for sure.

Apple is reported to have signed a licensing partnership with the Premier League, which also has a deal with EA for the FIFA series. As such, AFC Richmond coming to FIFA 23 might not be such an out-there idea.

FIFA 23 officially launches on September 30, with early access starting September 27, so it should be just a matter of time before we find out if AFC Richmond is indeed coming to FIFA 23.

Ted Lasso recently won Best Comedy Series at the 2022 Emmys. The show stars Jason Sudeikis and is coming back for a third season, but a release date hasn't been announced yet.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage was finally revealed during Ubisoft Forward 2022, and it's hoping to take the franchise back to its roots in 2023. You’ll get to explore the streets of Baghdad as Basim Ibn, a member of an organization that serves as the backbone for the Assassin’s Brotherhood, and unlike recent entries, there’s no branching skill tree or various dialogue options in sight. The condensed experience is bound to pique the interest of longtime fans, and you’ll be glad to know that preorders for Assassin’s Creed Mirage are now live--and there’s even a bit of bonus content for those who reserve an early copy.

Ubisoft formally took the wraps off of "Project Infinity" at its Ubisoft Forward event, explaining how the ambitious project will function as the hub for all things Assassin's Creed once it launches. To that end, some of the new individual Assassin's Creed games announced during the showcase will be a part of Project Infinity.

"Infinity is not a game, per se. It's going to be the single entry point for our fans into the Assassin's Creed franchise into the future," said executive producer Marc-Alexis Côté. "Infinity is going to be a hub that will unite all our different experiences and our players, together in meaningful ways."

Côté said that means that the hub will serve all kinds of Assassin's Creed experiences, including ones that have fallen by the wayside over the years. He said the team is looking into how it will bring back multiplayer experiences, for example, which have been absent from the franchise since Black Flag in 2013. Côté says those experiences may be accessible in the Infinity hub, though he didn't make any promises of specific releases.

We do know of a few releases planned for the Infinity hub, though. Project Red, an Assassin's Creed game set during feudal Japan, as well as Project Hexe, which appears to take place during the Holy Roman Empire's witch trials, will both be a part of Project Infinity.

Côté said Project Red will be the company's "next premium flagship title" and another entry in the open-world RPG style of Assassin's Creed games. It's being developed by Ubisoft Quebec, the studio behind Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and directed by Jonathan Dumont. "It will let players explore one of their most awaited settings ever on the franchise, feudal Japan, and they'll live a very powerful shinobi fantasy," he said.

During the Future of Assassin's Creed portion of the September 2022 Ubisoft Forward, four brand new Assassin's Creed games were revealed. Ubisoft is working on two mobile games and two console/PC games for its Assassin's Creed franchise.

Project Jade seems to be the game that's furthest along, given that it had a trailer that featured actual in-game assets. Set in China, Project Jade is going to release for mobile devices.

Unfortunately, it won't see the return of fan-favorite Shao Jun, an Assassin who operated during the Ming dynasty and is the protagonist of Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China. Instead, the game will feature a new protagonist that fans will be able to fully customize.

The other announced Assassin's Creed mobile game is likely not nearly as far along in development, as it currently doesn't even have a name yet. Ubisoft is making the new game in a partnership with Netflix, and the mobile title will launch exclusively on the streaming platform.

The two larger Assassin's Creed projects are currently codenamed Red and Hexe. Both projects will be a part of Assassin's Creed Infinity, with Project Red coming after Assassin's Creed Mirage (which is scheduled to launch sometime in 2023) and then Project Hexe after that.

Project Red is an Assassin's Creed game set in feudal Japan and sees you play as a shinobi that seemingly joins the ranks of the Assassin Brotherhood. Japan has been a long-requested setting for an Assassin's Creed game.

I really like what I've seen of Assassin's Creed Mirage so far. Though Assassin's Creed's shift into open-world action-RPGs has resulted in plenty of good ideas coming to the series, it's created a trilogy of games that oftentimes feel disconnected from what came before. I love Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, but all three, to various extents, put the Assassin's Creed experience into too big of a setting or overshadow all the cool real-world history with a less-impressive supernatural flair.

In comparison, Mirage looks a lot more like the series' earlier games. You play as Basim Ibn Ishaq, a young street thief in Baghdad who is inducted into the Hidden Ones (the precursor to the Assassin Brotherhood) and is tasked with hunting down members of the Order of the Ancients (the precursor to the Templar Order). Unlike the more recent Assassin's Creed games, in Mirage you can't pick between two playable characters, and there aren't dialogue options throughout the story. There's no giant, branching skill tree of abilities to parse, and the scope of the game more closely resembles the medium-sized Assassin's Creed games.

"[Mirage] is going to be a condensed experience," Assassin's Creed Mirage art director Jean-Luc Sala told me. "It's a more focused game. The size of it is something like a Rogue or a Revelations, just to give you an idea of the scope."

It's been a long journey to reach the end of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, but protagonist Eivor's adventure will finally conclude. Aptly named The Last Chapter, Valhalla's final narrative expansion launches in late 2022.

The Last Chapter sees Eivor come to understand that her time with the people of Ravensthorpe has come to an end, and that it is time for her to say goodbye to her family and friends and seek out new adventures in distant lands. She will do so with the memories of Odin at her side, who appears alongside Eivor in the trailer for The Last Chapter.

If you've played Valhalla, you already know where Eivor's final resting place is. Modern-day protagonist Layla uses the DNA extracted from Eivor's remains to relive the viking's memories. What isn't clear, however, is how Eivor came to be where they end up and why they felt the need to leave their people in the first place.

Assassin's Creed Mirage protagonist Basim also makes an appearance in the trailer for The Last Chapter, voicing his intrigue for how Eivor grapples with the memories of her past life as Odin, referring to themselves and Odin as two different people. He mentions that such a sensation is unfamiliar to him, implying that he may not see himself and Loki as two different people.

"The Last Chapter is a free quest arc which nicely ties up some of the storylines established throughout the game," Ubisoft Montreal game director Gareth Glover said during the Ubisoft Forward. "We'll see Eivor reunite with some key characters, including some influential historical ones."

Following the official reveal of Assassin's Creed Mirage, Ubisoft has released a cinematic trailer for the upcoming game during its September Ubisoft Forward games showcase. The trailer depicts the journey of protagonist Basim Ibn Ishaq from young street thief to master assassin.

In the trailer, we see that Basim was inducted into the Hidden Ones (the precursors to the Assassin Brotherhood) by Roshan. Roshan goes on to be Basim's mentor, training him as a Hidden One within the partially built fortress of Alamut, a structure that long-time Assassin's Creed fans have heard about but never seen.

For those unfamiliar, Alamut will one day serve as the template for Masyaf, the castle seen in the first Assassin's Creed. It is also the place that original Assassin's Creed protagonist Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad retreats to after Abbas betrays him and his family. In the setting of Mirage, which takes place 20 years prior to Assassin's Creed Valhalla and a full century before the Hidden Ones become the Assassin Brotherhood, Alamut is where we see Basim cut off his left ring finger and officially become a Hidden One.

The trailer ends with an incredible sequence in which Basim hunts down a member of the Order of the Ancients (the precursors to the Templar Order), successfully assassinating them after utilizing some clever social stealth and cool-looking parkour moves. He moves with all the grace, speed, and lethality of a bird of prey.

Overall, Mirage looks to be a bit more of a grounded Assassin's Creed in comparison to the past few titles. That said, the trailer does end with Basim having a horrifying vision, implying the more supernatural elements aren't entirely going away with this new game.

After more than two years as a PC exclusive, Trackmania is coming to new platforms, Ubisoft announced as part of its Ubisoft Forward event. The latest game in the long-running series, simply called Trackmania, is headed to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Stadia, and Luna in early 2023, and with two key features in tow.

Although an exact release date was not announced, we do know that Trackmania will offer both cross-play and cross-progression. That means any progress you've already made will be able to come with you to new platforms (or will stick with you back and forth across platforms, should you decide to play on more than one). And you'll also be able to play against other players regardless of what system they're on, which should help to bolster the size of the playerbase.

Trackmania was released in July 2020 as a free-to-play game on PC, effectively functioning as a remake of Trackmania Nations. That free-to-play model was the source of some criticism at launch due to both its overall complexity--there were multiple paid subscription tiers--and the way in which access to user-generated content, a key element of the series, was paywalled. The franchise centers primarily around time trials, in which you compete with others to set the best time on a track, which is often filled with jumps, loops, and high-speed turns.

As Netflix continues to build out its gaming division, the company is beefing up its library of mobile titles with games from Ubisoft.

As part of Ubisoft Forward today, the publisher announced that it is releasing multiple titles for Netflix Games, including Valiant Hearts 2 (January 2023), Mighty Quest 2 (2023), and a new Assassin's Creed title (no date). There will be no ads or in-app purchases for any of these games.

Netflix's gaming boss, Mike Verdu, appeared in a video during Ubisoft Forward. But he did not share any concrete details on Ubisoft's upcoming games for Netflix.

Netflix is aiming to have a library of 50+ titles available for subscribers by the end of 2022, and partnering with studios like Ubisoft seems to be a way to help the company get there.

In addition to partnering with big studios like Ubisoft, Netflix has kept busy buying up game studios, including Boss Fight Entertainment, Next Games, and Night School Studio.

Additionally, Netflix and Ubisoft are working together on a live-action TV series, which was originally announced in 2020.

Earlier this year, Ubisoft revealed that its massively-popular tactical shooter, Rainbow Six Siege, is coming to mobile. During September 10's Ubisoft Forward, the studio offered fans a closer look at the upcoming mobile game--as well as information on how they can sign up to play it during it's closed beta starting on September 12.

Announced earlier this year, Rainbow Six Mobile is an upcoming free-to-play shooter that adapts Rainbow Six Siege for mobile devices. For those looking to see how it fares against the console version, Android users in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the Philippines, Singapore, and India are invited to sign up for a chance to join the closed beta on Google Play.

If selected, players will be able to test out Rainbow Six Mobile's new progression and Operator unlock systems--complete with a free battle pass and daily challenges and a new map: The Clubhouse. The closed beta will feature 16 Operators (including Ash, Sledge, and Hibana), as well as content from previous test phases such as the Bomb and Secure Area game modes and the Bank and Border maps.

The Division Resurgence is opening registrations for its next phase of testing. As announced during the Ubisoft Forward presentation, you can register to try out the upcoming beta test for the mobile Division game now. The beta will begin Sunday, September 12.

The next test for Resurgence will let you try the competitive Conflict PVP mode, as well as the first time you can try the Dark Zone on mobile. You can register through the official site at thedivisionresurgence.com

The Division Resurgence recently completed its first alpha test and received positive feedback for its MMO hooks and a more open-ended structure that lets you meet players in the world. It takes place between the first and second game on the timeline, and lets you revisit New York City with locations like Liberty Island and Times Square. We also got a more detailed look at the game during GameSpot Swipe, our mobile showcase.

The Ubisoft Forward presentation also gave more details on the upcoming seasons of The Division 2 content, as well as a new look at The Division: Heartland.

As part of the Ubisoft Forward event today, Ubisoft shared more details on its popular shooter series, The Division, including the free-to-play game The Division: Heartland.

A new trailer shows off more of Heartland, which takes place in middle America, in a fictional place called Silver Creek. Among other things, it has a Storm Operations mode, which sees 45 players team up to fight rogue agents, known as The Vultures, according to a leak. Another mode is called Excursion Operations, which calls upon players to venture out into the dangerous battlefield to collect gear, the report said.

Ubisoft's official description for Heartland says the game takes place in a "quiet hamlet that has been ravaged by the Dollar Flu and become a hotbed of Division activity thanks to the secrets it hides."

Heartland is set to release in 2022-2023 on console and PC, but PC players can sign up now for a chance to try the game in its next testing phase ahead of release.

Ubisoft also announced more content for The Division 2. Season 10: Price of Power launches on September 13, and it adds a new mission calling on players to track down a character named general Peter Anderson.

A mobile game, The Division: Resurgence, is also in development, alongside a Netflix movie based on the video game.

Ubisoft detailed its plans for the next season of The Division during its Ubisoft Forward presentation. Season 10, titled Price Power, will launch on September 13 and continue the ongoing story of the Division 2.

In Price Power, you'll take part in a new Manhunt quest to track down General Peter Anderson, a True Sons leader who is trying to ally with the Black Tusk. Those two foes would make a formidable team, so you're looking to interrupt his plans before he can form an alliance. As always the new season will include new outfits and other loot rewards.

At the end of 2022, Season 11 will launch with new Manhunt targets. The presentation teased a new ally as well as new activities, with more details to come later this year. Finally, Ubisoft teased that it is working on The Division Year 5, with a commitment to more long-term support.

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope's release date is fast-approaching. The second installment in the zany strategy series will be arriving on October 20. Once again, it's exclusive to Switch, and it looks to offer another hilarious--yet tactical--adventure. Preorders are now open, with select retailers offering enticing preorder bonuses. Here’s what you need to know before preordering Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope.

Today during Ubisoft Forward, the publisher released a new trailer and shared new details on its long-in-development swashbuckling pirate game Skull and Bones.

The trailer shows off more of Skull and Bones' world that is set during the golden age of piracy. It also touches upon a new feature surrounding smuggling networks, which are in-game trading networks for players to help build their infamy and renown in the pirate world. The trailer also spotlights Skull and Bones' ship-building and customization options, which look to be pretty extensive.

Players can only unlock the smuggling networks when they have "earned the right to know."

"To achieve that, you'll have to grow your Infamy and eventually unlock your own pirate lair--known as The Helm--which becomes the base of your smuggling operations," Ubisoft said. "This is where you'll be able to manufacture high-value goods like Rum and Opium before selling them to whoever's got the deepest pockets. From here, you'll also have more leeway to choose your own contracts, rather than be at the mercy of other pirate kingpins."

In terms of customization, players will be able to tinker with how their ships maneuver, how powerful they are, and what perks they might have. The Sambuk ship, for example, helps players do more damage with fired weapons. The Brig, meanwhile, can deal more damage when it's anchored. Every ship can be outfitted with its own weapons, ammo, armor, furniture, and cosmetic items. Check out the video below to learn more.

In terms of weaponry, Ubisoft said players will need to strategically decide how to outfit their ships to have the most success in the high seas.

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope--the sequel to Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle--is slated to release exclusively on Nintendo Switch on October 20 and will feature plenty of new characters and a new, intergalactic story. But if that's not enough to pique your interest, Ubisoft has also unveiled a DLC roadmap for the upcoming strategy game featuring plenty of new characters and additional content.

Announced during September 10's Ubisoft Forward, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope will have three additional DLC updates post-launch. Included in the third and final one of these updates is Rayman, the popular platformer character.

In addition, Ubisoft also shared a first look at the land of Terra Flora--a lush locale filled with waterfalls, a volcano, and train tracks spiraling around--as well as an extended gameplay trailer featuring a battle against Wiggler. In the trailer, Ubisoft delved into the unique abilities Sparks provide combat. These include providing heroes with temporary invisibility, luring out enemies, and unleashing environmental attacks.

Be sure to check out GameSpot's complete roundup of everything announced.

Just about every week brings something new to Destiny 2, whether it's story beats, new activities, or interesting new combinations of elements that let players devastate each other in the Crucible. Iron Banter is our weekly look at what's going on in the world of Destiny and a rundown of what's drawing our attention across the solar system.

With a couple of weeks to spend in the King's Fall raid, it's fair to say that it's an excellent addition to Destiny 2. Though a lot of players will find King's Fall familiar from its original release back in 2015, the whole experience feels slightly tighter and cleaner. King's Fall was always a great raid, and this feels like the best version of it.

I also want to thank Bungie for obviously taking my previous complaints about Exotic drops to heart, since the King's Fall Exotic, Touch of Malice, dropped for me on only my fourth run. In fact, it seems like someone at the developer might have thrown an RNG switch on my behalf on Thursday, because damn.

Friday 'Nite is a weekly Fortnite column in which Mark Delaney takes a closer look at current events in the wide world of Fortnite, with a special emphasis on the game's plot, characters, and lore.

According to all in-game signs, we have just a matter of days before Fortnite Chapter 3, Season 4 debuts. Though it seems this season will end without an in-game event (or even a summer concert), that doesn't mean the update will quietly appear on PC and console download queues next weekend. It seems several official teasers for Fortnite's new season have leaked online. Here's what we know so far about the new Fortnite Paradise leaks.

Fortnite Paradise

Each season of Fortnite is given a subtitle along with its numbered designation. Chapter 3, Season 4 looks to be named Paradise, according to a recent run of TikTok videos that have been shared by fans. The person or people who found the Fortnite Paradise teasers are known to share Fortnite leaks on the messaging app Telegram. This account, known as @FortniteNews, previously discovered Operation Sky Fire, the summer 2021 cinematic event that ended Chapter 2, Season 7, before it was revealed by Epic.

During the Disney and Marvel D23 Games Showcase, Niantic closed out the show with the announcement of a new game based in the Marvel Universe. The trailer for the game showed players out in the real world responding to a portal in the sky by holding a phone and using Doctor Strange's abilities, Cyclops' eye beams, and calling Thor's hammer. The camera then zoomed out to show more players firing off various plasma and laser attacks in a public park.

The implication of the trailer is that it will be a competitive augmented reality game with players fighting one another out in the real world, but it also featured the "Not actual gameplay" qualifier on the bottom of the screen, so it's hard to say what the gameplay will be. It's safe to assume, however, given it is a Niantic game, that it will rely on GPS data and will share some mechanics with Pokemon Go.

In a press release for the game Niantic writes, "Players can create their own unique Super Hero identity and origin story. Players will need to patrol their neighborhoods to foil crimes, complete Super Hero missions, and thwart interdimensional threats. As players level up, they will unlock equipment and abilities, and will team up with Marvel Super Heroes such as Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America and others to battle iconic Super Villains and save the Multiverse from cosmic and earthbound threats."

During 2022's Disney & Marvel Games Showcase, we got a new gameplay trailer for Marvel's Midnight Suns. The trailer ended with the surprise reveal that Midnight Suns is no longer delayed until 2023--it's now coming out on December 2 of this year for PC, Xbox Series S|X, and PS5. The release date for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch versions of the game will be shared at a later date, according to 2K.

Midnight Suns sees the Avengers teaming up with their more supernatural peers--like Ghost Rider, Blade, and Magik--in order to take on Lilith, Mother of Demons, who has been awakened from her eternal sleep by Hydra. The superhero team will also align themselves with Lilith's daughter, the Hunter.

Following the new gameplay trailer, the showcase also revealed that a collection of animated shorts will be released ahead of Midnight Suns' launch. These shorts will detail the stories of the 13 heroes you'll be able to play as prior to their team-up in Midnight Suns. The first of these shorts will debut on October 31.

"In Marvel's Midnight Suns, we knew we had a really cool opportunity to dive deep into the dark side of Marvel and introduce some supernatural heroes that may be new to many Marvel fans," Firaxis Games creative director Jake Solomon said. "Prequel Shorts sheds light on the events leading up the game and really brings the world of Marvel's Midnight Suns to life."

Midnight Suns is scheduled to launch for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Switch, and PC.

Marvel Strike Force, the free-to-play turn-based mobile game, is getting an influx of Hulk content very soon. A new trailer for the game, shown during the D23 Disney and Marvel Games Showcase, showed Hulk, She-Hulk, Red Hulk, and more. After the trailer concluded, Disney revealed that Red Hulk will be coming to the game on September 13.

Red Hulk, sometimes also known as Rulk, is a Hulk nemesis. He is a form taken by Bruce Banner's father-in-law, United States Army General Thunderbolt Ross. It's unclear (but safe to assume) that this will be the case with the Red Hulk seen in the trailer. How he will fucntion in the game is not yet clear as the trailer was a pre-rendered, non-gameplay affair.

Disney Dreamlight Valley is getting a Toy Story expansion later this year. As part of the Disney & Marvel Games showcase, Disney announced that Woody and Buzz from Toy Story are coming to the life-sim adventure game this fall.

Additionally, there will be Toy Story-inspired styles to dress up your character with. Players can also take Buzz and Woody out into the world and have them interact with Scar from Lion King and Ursula from The Little Mermaid, along with other iconic Disney characters.

Disney Dreamlight Valley is available now for those who purchase a founder's pack (or have Xbox Game Pass) ahead of the game's public release in 2023. The game is available across PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One, with iOS and Switch versions coming later.

For more, check out GameSpot's extended coverage of Disney Dreamlight Valley.

The Disney universe kart racer Speedstorm got a fresh trailer at the Disney Marvel games showcase event. The cinematic trailer showed us Mickey Mouse, Mulan, Captain Jack Sparrow, and Sully from Monsters Inc, all donning their racing gear with custom karts.

The trailer made sure to show little touches of personality from each of its characters. Jack Sparrow uses a gear-shifter shaped like a sword hilt, while Mulan has a dragon rocket built into her car. It also teased that a Monster Inc. track is coming soon. The trailer suggests some acrobatic kart moves, with ramps that can raise you over other parts of the track.

The brief look at the Monsters Inc. track also showed some of the game in action, with a behind-the-tailpipe perspective you'd expect from a kart-racer. It also seemed to indicate even more Monsters Inc. characters will be included, like Randall, Celia, and of course, Mike Wazowski.

Disney and developer Gameloft have not given a release date for Speedstorm, which was previously only set for Summer 2022.

Gargoyles, the '90s-era ABC cartoon that spun off into a video game, is unexpectedly coming back into the limelight with Gargoyles Remastered. The game was revealed briefly during the Disney and Marvel Games Showcase, though no new imagery was shown.

In fact, virtually no details on the game were shared at all, beyond the game existing in the first place. It seems we'll need to wait some time more to find out what platforms it'll hit, when it'll hit them, or what it even looks like--a modern remastered video game can mean many different things depending on the project.

For now, Gargoyles fans--or fans or retro 2D games, can look forward to learning more about this surprise game announcement, though the lack of details would indicate you'll be waiting past the new year.

Marvel Snap, the Marvel-based card battler, will release on October 18. The game is currently in beta, but publisher Nuverse and developer Second Dinner announced during the Disney and Marvel games showcase that the full release is coming next month to PC, iOS, and Android.

A new trailer gives an overview of the game. So far during the beta test, the game has gone through three seasons with regular content updates. The game will be free-to-play, but you can pre-register through the official site.

Developer Second Dinner was formed by former Hearthstone developers who know their way around a CCG. The focus of Marvel Snap, though, is quick play sessions that last about three minutes each. Matches focus on controlling two out of three randomly selected locations. It also uses a unique bluffing mechanic--the titular "snap"--in which you can challenge your opponent to raise the stakes and get more winnings.

Announced during the Disney and Marvel Games showcase, Disney Illusion Island is a co-op platformer launching exclusively on Nintendo Switch. The 2D platformer stars Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy, as they travel the land of Monoth.

Each character appears to have their own unique platforming ability, like Goofy floating with a giant condiment bottle and Donald Duck being able to swim underwater. The game can be played in up to four player co-op, with each player controlling one of the different characters. The four characters must travel to three different biomes across Monoth to find three mystical books and save the world from disaster.

Disney Illusion Island is set to launch on Nintendo Switch sometime in 2023.

As part of the Disney & Marvel Games Showcase, Disney announced a new game, Tron: Identity, which is coming in 2023 to PC. It's developed by Bithell Games, the studio that previously made Thomas Was Alone and John Wick Hex.

Identity is a visual novel adventure following a detective program known as Query.

"Finding yourself in a world built on unstable foundations and filled with whispered knowledge, it's up to you to question suspects and investigate your surroundings to piece together the truth," reads a line from the game's description.

The decisions players make will "actively influence" how the story plays out. Players will interact with many different characters, and they can decide to work with them, spurn them, or derez them.

Below are are more details on Identity, as written by developer Bithell Games. Keep checking back with GameSpot for more from the Disney & Marvel Games Showcase.

As part of the Marvel Games showcase today during D23, Disney officially announced the next game from Uncharted director Amy Hennig and Skydance Media with a cinematic trailer. Somewhat weirdly, though, the announcement left off one key piece of information: the game's title.

As rumored, the new Marvel will take place during World War II and will feature a team-up between Captain America and Black Panther as they take on the forces of Hydra. The cinematic trailer swept through a snowy 1940s Paris and showed the two heroes together as they prepare to fight...someone.

The final image in the trailer revealed the game will star four heroes, not two, with the words "King," "Captain," "Soldier," and "Spy" playing over the footage--which gives a sense of the role of the other two characters. Director Amy Hennig and writer Marc Bernardin shared more details during the showcase, discussing the fact that the game follows a "very young" Captain America "during his formative years" and Wakandan King Azzuri, the grandfather of T'Challa, as well as two other characters: Gabriel Jones, a US soldier and the only Black member of the Howling Commandos, and Nanali, the founder of the Wakandan Spy Network.

The game also draws some inspiration from the "Flags of Our Fathers" comic book arc, which was published in 2010. The tagline "Four Heroes. Two worlds. One war" also suggests we'll see the game taking place in Wakanda as well as Europe. The showcase didn't provide too much else in the way of solid details, it sounds like this will be an action-adventure game, although Hennig also said "we're doing some different stuff." She also said the game would be structured somewhat similarly to a "binge-able serialized adventure," with a number of writers working on the game.

Humble's on a roll with its latest collections, and its new Starlight Bundle includes up to 17 PC games from the Star Wars, Marvel, Lego, and Aliens franchises, plus a few classic LucasArts adventure games for just $10. All of the games are Steam keys. Proceeds from the bundle go to the Starlight Children’s Foundation, a charity that provides video games, toys, and other entertainment for hospitalized children.

While the $10 Starlight Bundle includes 17 games total, other tiers are also available, including a $1 bundle with four games, and a 10-title tier that's priced at an average donation (around $8.25 at the moment). Regardless of which tier you go for, you’re getting many of the games for as much as 90% off their usual Steam prices, though you can always up your pledge to give more support to the Starlight Children’s Foundation. Humble lets you split your final transaction between Humble, the games’ publishers, and the charity while checking out.

As for which games you get, here’s a breakdown of each tier:

Uncharted: The Legacy of Thieves Collection will come to PC on October 19 with a special bonus in Fortnite for people who buy it on the Epic Games Store. This is according to the game's product page that was recently discovered by Wario64. The page has since been removed.

Everyone who pre-buys The Legacy of Thieves Collection for PC via the Epic Games Store by a certain date in September, according to the leak, will get a Fortnite glider in the shape of Sully's seaplane. The Uncharted-themed Fortnite glider will later arrive in the Fortnite in-game shop on November 17 for everyone else as a separate purchase.

This will be just the latest Uncharted crossover in Fortnite, following the Nathan Drake and Chloe Frazer outfits that were released earlier this year.

The Legacy of Thieves Collection, which dropped in January on PS5, includes Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. There is no multiplayer support, however.

In addition to the Epic Games Store, the Legacy of Thieves Collection will come to Steam. Its rumored October 19 release date was spotted months ago.

Energy in Disney Dreamlight Valley is a prevalent and important mechanic. Energy allows you to do almost every task or activity from mining, fishing, harvesting, watering crops, and more. If you do decide to play the game often, you will find yourself empty of energy regularly. This guide will detail the different ways to mitigate energy loss, so you can do all to your heart’s desire in Disney Dreamlight Valley.

Positioning

Watering crops is one of the main activities in Disney Dreamlight Valley. Many ingredients need to be planted beforehand and watered with the use of the watering can. If you tend too many crops at once or water dried flowers, it will start sapping away your energy pretty frequently.

When watering crops, you can position yourself to water up to eight crops at once maximum. It does take a bit of time to implement the method naturally, but will save you an immense amount of energy; especially early on in the game when your max energy is not high enough to do more than several activities without depleting the energy gauge. Since using the watering can will always use a certain amount of energy on use, you can up to eight crops with the same usage of energy that it would take to water just one.

Watering crops in this specific fashion will save you from constantly going back to your house to replenish energy or save you from munching down on ingredients that are better used elsewhere.