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Fortnite Season 3 Challenges: Aquaman, Homely Hills, And More

3 years 10 months ago

Season 3 of Fortnite: Chapter 2 is officially here. As is the case every time a new season begins, much has changed in Epic's popular battle royale shooter. The island has completely flooded, and there are new AI enemies called Marauders to contend with. Season 3 also introduces a new type of vehicle, cars--although those aren't actually available in the game yet.

A new season also means new challenges. Every week in Season 3, Epic will roll out a new batch of missions to complete while playing. Clearing these will net you XP to level up your Battle Pass, which in turn will unlock new skins and other cosmetic items. There's also a set of Aquaman challenges that will unlock a special Aquaman skin when completed.

If you need help completing this season's missions, we've rounded up all of our Fortnite Season 3 maps and guides below. We'll continue to update this list with additional maps and guides as Season 3 rolls on, so check back often for the latest tips.

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Kevin Knezevic

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Destiny 2's Patch Next Week Will Nerf Witherhoard (Somewhat)

3 years 10 months ago

Destiny 2 is getting an update next week to fix a number of problems, and while we don't know everything it might cover just yet, Bungie has provided a preview of the patch notes. One thing is clear: you won't be annihilating raid bosses with Witherhoard anymore.

Witherhoard is the new Exotic grenade launcher that was released with the new Season of Arrivals. It infects enemies you hit with it with blight, which damages them over time. Players quickly found that if they fired a bunch of Witherhoard grenades at various raid bosses, they could annihilate them in record time.

Today's patch drops the damage Witherhoard does on bosses such as Riven in the Last Wish raid and the Sanctified Mind in the Garden of Salvation raid. Here's a quick look at some of the other things Hotfix 2.9.0.2 will change when it hits the game next week.

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Phil Hornshaw

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The Story Behind Sonic The Hedgehog's Amazing Twitter Account

3 years 10 months ago

If you are a fan of social media and video games, you may have come into contact with the excellent Sonic the Hedgehog Twitter account. The account, which has over five million followers, offers some hilarious and informative Sonic content--from memes to official announcements and more. The individual running the account, Aaron Webber, is now moving on to greener pastures. But before he leaves his Sonic-shaped Twitter throne, Webber briefly discussed how the whole account came to be in the midst of Sonic's worst year ever.

Webber first began working at Sega in August 2008, eventually taking on the company's brand identity in the following October to help "grow and manage communities surrounding Sega games and properties" such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Phantasy Star. He left in June 2014 but returned in May 2015 as Sega's social media manager. This year, 2015, was "a tough spot" for Sonic's brand. Many of his titles during the 2010s--like Sonic Free Riders, Sonic: Lost World, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, and others--were either lukewarm releases or critical flops. According to Webber, "If things didn't turn around for Sonic, and soon, [he] was worried about what the future held."

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Jeremy Winslow

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Elgato Wave 3 Microphone Revealed: Price, Features, And More

3 years 10 months ago

Elgato revealed its first-ever microphones today, the Wave 1 and Wave 3. Both microphones are now available for purchase and feature some pretty impressive hardware and software. The Wave 3 is the company's new premium microphone, boasting double the max sample rate of the Wave 1 at 96kHz. Both microphones also come with digital mixing software, headphone monitoring, a USB-C connection, and more. The Wave 1 costs $130, while the Wave 3 costs $160. Both are available through Elgato's website.

Elgato Wave microphones

The Elgato Wave series features the company's proprietary Clipguard technology, which prevents your input levels from peaking. This helps if you're playing a game like Fortnite and start screaming when you clutch a Victory Royale--your audio levels jump when you raise your voice, causing most microphones to peak and the audio to become distorted.

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Mat Paget

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Dirt 5 Pre-Orders Live Now For Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PS4, And PC

3 years 10 months ago

Another next-gen game is up for pre-order: Dirt 5, the off-road racing game developed by Codemasters. Dirt 5 will release on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 9, 2020 along with PS5 and Xbox Series X later this year; it'll also release on Stadia in early 2021. The game was first shown off in Microsoft's May Inside Xbox presentation.

Dirt 5 supports Xbox Smart Delivery, which means you can pre-order the game now on Xbox One and it'll automatically be available to you on Series X for free. No such service has been announced for PS5 yet, so if you're hoping to play on that platform, you may want to hold off. However, the PS4 version is still up for pre-order if you want to play at launch.

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Jenae Sitzes

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Two New Horizon Forbidden West Screens Released, And Holy Crap

3 years 10 months ago

Following Sony's PS5 reveal event that focused mostly on next-gen games, developers have begun promoting their games in earnest. That includes Guerrilla Games, which released a new pair of screenshots for the upcoming PS5 exclusive Horizon Forbidden West. And gosh they're pretty.

Both shots say they were captured on PS5. This doesn't necessarily mean gameplay, because developers often squeeze extra juice out of a system for cutscenes. The game also isn't due until 2021, so the environments and lighting still have plenty of time and could change before release. Still, it's a nice view of the world.

The first screenshot shows the remains of a downed passenger jet that has been reclaimed by nature, with some pterodactyl-like machines flying nearby, and the second shows the protagonist Aloy looking out over a dry landscape.

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Steve Watts

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EA's Positive Play Charter Aims To Defeat Toxic Behavior

3 years 10 months ago

EA has outlined its Positive Play Charter, a set of guidelines for users across all EA games, services, and platforms. This effort is to quell toxic behavior in the wake of the killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests that followed.

The charter outlines the guidelines that players must follow while playing EA games. The four pillars are to treat others as they would like to be treated, keep things fair, share clean content, and follow local laws. The charter also outlines the consequences of not following the guidelines.

Players found violating the guidelines or EA's user agreement may have access restricted or revoked from specific services or receive a short-term ban from all services. Those with repeat or severe offenses will have their EA account terminated, meaning they will lose their username and access to the account.

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James Carr

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Mysterious Crash Bandicoot Teaser Puzzles Have Been Sent Out

3 years 10 months ago

Publisher Activision has, out of the blue, sent members of the press--including us here at GameSpot--a mysterious Crash Bandicoot-themed, 200-piece puzzle for reasons unknown. The message on the front of the bright orange box simply reads, "A little something to help you pass the time," signed by "Your Favorite Bandicoot."

The puzzle, which you can check out below, illustrates a very creepy-looking mask. Though possibly unfamiliar to some, it's the same mysterious mask that showed up in Sony's November 2019 "It's Time To Play" promotional video, which had a bunch of different PlayStation icons--from Crash himself to Kratos--just walking about the real world.

But what is it that you do, mysterious mask?

In the promotional video, the mask appears during a sequence in which Crash and other franchise familiars--including Doctor Neo Cortex and Coco Bandicoot--are racing through a packing facility. While Activision has not explicitly said anything, the puzzle, mask, and promotional video all could point toward another entry in the storied Crash series.

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Jeremy Winslow

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Pokemon Sword And Shield DLC: How To Claim Your Early Purchase Bonus

3 years 10 months ago

The Isle of Armor, the first expansion for Pokemon Sword and Shield, is now live. The DLC is bundled together with the upcoming Crown Tundra as part of the Sword and Shield Expansion Pass, and if you purchase the pass before August 31, you're entitled to an extra bonus: trainer items based on Leon's cap and tights. Here's how to claim them.

Upon booting up your copy of Sword or Shield after installing the DLC update, you'll automatically receive the Armor Pass, which is how you access the Isle of Armor. However, you won't automatically receive your bonus trainer items; to claim those, you'll need to open the menu and select Mystery Gift.

Once you're on the Mystery Gift screen, you'll need to go through the following steps to download the bonus items:

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Kevin Knezevic

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Cyberpunk 2077 Delayed To November

3 years 10 months ago

Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red's upcoming RPG, has been delayed once again. Its new release date is set for November 19 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, two months after the previously scheduled September 17 date.

In a statement posted to Twitter, the developer explained that the game is not yet ready for launch, although it is complete in terms of content and gameplay. The additional development time will be used to balance mechanics and fix bugs.

"Those of you who are familiar with the way we make games know that we won't ship something which is not ready," CDPR wrote. "'Ready when it's done' is not just a phrase we say because it sounds right, it's something we live by even when we know we'll take the heat for it.

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Chris Pereira

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Square Enix Games Have Returned To GeForce Now--But Not All Of Them

3 years 10 months ago

Select Square Enix games have now made their way back to Nvidia's cloud gaming service GeForce Now, including entries in the Tomb Raider and Deus Ex series. However, some games that were previously available for the platform have not yet returned, including Final Fantasy XV, Nier: Automata, and the Arkham series.

Square Enix was one of several publishers to pull its games from the service earlier this year when it became apparent that players could access their Steam purchases through Nvidia's cloud server without the permission of the rights holders. Nvidia has now implemented an opt-in program where publishers like Square Enix must give their explicit permission for their games to stay on the service. The deadline to opt into the program was May 31.

Activision Blizzard and Bethesda were among the largest publishers to pull their games from the service, along with notable indies like The Long Dark. Unlike Google Stadia, which requires players to separately purchase each game on the service, GeForce Now pulls games from the user's library on other storefronts, primarily Steam. These two services represent diametrically-opposed approaches to the future of cloud gaming, and it's unclear if one will eventually win out.

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Steven T. Wright

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The Last Of Us 2 Downtown Seattle Complete Guide - Where To Find Everything

3 years 10 months ago

Warning: This guide minimizes spoilers to help keep the story fresh for you, even if you need help tracking down all the collectibles and items hidden throughout The Last of Us Part 2. However, if you want to know nothing about the game before playing, you should stop reading now.

Like Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, The Last of Us Part 2 also has an open-ended area to explore where you can take your time gathering resources and uncovering secrets in optional locations. To ensure you get the most out this section, we've detailed below everything you can find, so you don't miss a thing!

There's tons of more coverage of The Last of Us Part 2 for your enjoyment now that the game is out, including the first part of this walkthrough. You can check out the rest of the walkthrough, as well as a suite of other guides in our huge The Last of Us Part II guide roundup--which also includes some essential tips you should know. If you're curious about how the game stacks up, check out our The Last of Us Part II review.

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Matt Espineli

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The Last Of Us 2 Walkthrough - Part 2: Seattle Day 1 - Downtown (Spoiler-Free)

3 years 10 months ago

Warning: We've done everything we can to minimize spoilers in this walkthrough so you can enjoy the game even if you need help finding collectibles. However, if you want to know nothing about the game before playing, you should stop reading now.

Our full, spoiler-free walkthrough for The Last of Us Part 2 continues with Part 2, covering Seattle Day 1. We'll help you find every collectible, story item, weapon, and upgrade--without spoiling the story or any encounters. Find everything you need to know below, covering Seattle Day 1.

There's tons of more coverage of The Last of Us Part 2 for your enjoyment now that the game is out. For more parts of the walkthrough, be sure to check the list below. We'll be publishing more parts throughout the next 12 hours, so we recommend bookmarking our The Last of Us Part II guide roundup, which we'll keep updated with the latest walkthroughs and guides as they get posted. Be mindful of the spoiler block text in the list below, as the names for Parts 6 through 9 can be considered spoilers for early players.

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Phil Hornshaw

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The Last Of Us 2 Walkthrough - Part 3: Seattle Day 1 - Capitol Hill (Spoiler-Free)

3 years 10 months ago

Warning: We've done everything we can to minimize spoilers in this walkthrough so you can enjoy the game even if you need help finding collectibles. However, if you want to know nothing about the game before playing, you should stop reading now.

This is the third part of our expansive, spoiler-free walkthrough for The Last of Us Part 2 below. We'll help you find every collectible, story item, weapon, and upgrade--without spoiling the story or any encounters. Find everything you need to know below, covering the rest of Seattle Day 1, starting just after the Eastbrook Elementary portion.

There's tons of more coverage of The Last of Us Part 2 for your enjoyment now that the game is out. For more parts of the walkthrough, be sure to check the list below. We'll be publishing more parts throughout the next 12 hours, so we recommend bookmarking our The Last of Us Part II guide roundup, which we'll keep updated with the latest walkthroughs and guides as they get posted. Be mindful of the spoiler block text in the list below, as the names for Parts 6 through 9 can be considered spoilers for early players.

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Phil Hornshaw

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Summer Game Fest Will Host Developer Showcase Next Week

3 years 10 months ago

Summer Game Fest has announced that it is hosting its first Developer Showcase on June 22, starting at 7:30 AM PT / 10:30 AM ET. The showcase will begin with a live performance of Outer Wilds' soundtrack before diving into AAA and indie game reveals at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET.

The stream will feature plenty of games, some of which have already been announced--The Artful Escape, Black Book, Drake Hollow, The Eternal Cylinder, Foregone, Haunted Garage, Knuckle Sandwich, Panzer Paladin, Sea of Stars, Skate Story, Spinch, Starbase, The Night is Grey, and Ynglet.

Summer Game Fest has also confirmed exclusive debuts from developers Longhand Electric and thatgamecompany. Longhand Electric is currently working on Overlook Trail so we may see a new trailer for that, but thatgamecompany hasn't revealed what it's working on following Journey and Sky: Children of the Light. According to a press release, the livestream will also see "a surprise AAA reveal."

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Jordan Ramée

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PS5's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Is Comparable To Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Says Insomniac

3 years 10 months ago

Spider-Man: Miles Morales was revealed during Sony's PS5 event last week, and has since been at the center of some confusion concerning its size and scope. While developer Insomniac Games did confirm that it would be standalone, the studio has now compared its size to that of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.

The Lost Legacy was similarly standalone, but a much smaller adventure when compared to the rest of the mainline Uncharted entries. It was, however, substantially larger than another PlayStation-exclusive standalone spin-off, with Infamous: First Light only lasting a handful of hours. In a post on the PlayStation Blog, creative director Brian Horton says that players can look forward to a full story arc with Miles, including new villains and set-pieces.

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Alessandro Barbosa

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Making History In Humankind Makes 4X Approachable

3 years 10 months ago

The nature of 4X strategy games can often make them unwieldy and hard to understand for players who aren't immersed in the genre. Part of that is the scope--in most 4X games (the genre name standing for explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate), you're growing and managing a whole civilization, often throughout its entire history. That's your mandate in Amplitude Studios' upcoming title Humankind, too, but one of the more remarkable things about the game is how it guides you through the process of creating a civilization that'll make its mark on history.

Humankind will remind players of other similar titles, most notably the Civilization series, in that you play humans rising from early nomadic societies to explorers of outer space. You'll do all the usual 4X stuff--raise cities, gather resources, research new technologies, and build armies to either protect yourself from other civilizations or conquer them. But unlike other 4X games, Humankind includes a system that provides you with constant, short-term goals that keep you on track at any given moment, while also helping you get a big picture idea of how you want to build your society.

We recently got a chance to play about four hours of Humankind, starting in one of its earliest eras of history. It gave us a sense of the game's city building, resource management, and combat, although a lot of systems--diplomacy, religion, trade--aren't in the game yet. As any 4X game, it maintains the complexity that fans of the genre expect when it comes to planning and developing their civilizations, but Humankind also feels more approachable than most, thanks to a specific system called "Fame."

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Phil Hornshaw

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Get AirPods When You Buy A MacBook Or iPad With Apple's New Back-To-School Deal

3 years 10 months ago

Apple tends to be one of the more popular back-to-school brands whether you're in the market for a new laptop, iPad, or even earbuds for listening to music in between classes. Both educators and students can take advantage of a pretty great back-to-school promotion at Apple right now. When you buy select MacBooks, iMacs, or iPads, you'll get a $159 credit to use toward a new pair of AirPods, Apple's premium Bluetooth earbuds. The promotion runs all summer long until September 29.

Apple's back to school AirPods promotion

Since the base AirPods cost $159, you're essentially getting them for free. However, you can put that $159 credit toward the more expensive models. AirPods with Wireless Charging Case will cost you just $40, while the AirPods Pro will set you back $90, down from their high $249 price. When checking out, you'll simply need to choose which model AirPods you want, as shown above.

This deal applies to most new Apple products with the exception of the iPhone. Naturally, the deal feels even better if you're buying a lower-priced laptop or tablet like the MacBook Air or iPad Air.

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Steven Petite

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The Last Of Us 2 Walkthrough - Part 1: Jackson (Spoiler-Free)

3 years 10 months ago

Warning: We've done everything we can to minimize spoilers in this walkthrough so you can enjoy the game even if you need help finding collectibles. However, if you want to know nothing about the game before playing, you should stop reading now.

Like its predecessor, The Last of Us Part 2 will have you scavenging through its post-apocalyptic world to craft weapons and supplies, protect yourself against enemies, and uncover the story of the people who've come and gone before you. There's a lot to uncover in The Last of Us that will expand on the story, give you new fighting capabilities and weapons, and unlock Trophies.

We've found everything there is to find in The Last of Us Part 2, and compiled it here in an extensive walkthrough. But while we'll tell you where to find everything in the game, we won't spoil the story or give you too much information. Scavenging for most materials and dealing with enemies is up to you, and we'll skip talking about areas or encounters that don't include things you could miss in order to avoid spoilers. We'll also try to avoid revealing any scares or other surprises along the way.

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Phil Hornshaw

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The Last Of Us 2 Walkthrough, Guides, And Beginner's Tips (Spoiler-Free)

3 years 10 months ago

The Last of Us Part 2 is finally out (in some regions), offering a follow-up story to one of gaming's more well-known cliffhanger endings. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to Naughty Dog's latest post-apocalyptic epic just yet, but if you're here, chances are you want to prepare yourself for what lies ahead as the global launch approaches. Lucky for you, we've got some essential beginner's tips below to get versed on as you wait. Not only that, but we even have a full spoiler-free walkthrough that we'll be posting piece by piece, alongside a suite of guides covering all the game's collectibles.

We ended up Platinuming The Last of Us Part 2 during our time spent playing it, so we've literally accomplished and collected everything you can get. Suffice to say, our coverage is comprehensive, so you'll need not look any further than what we've got in this roundup of our spoiler-free walkthrough and guides. As mentioned, we'll be posting everything throughout the day, so check below to see everything we've got rounded up and even when it'll be published.

And don't worry, we won't be discussing or showing off any sort of story spoilers. We've made sure to clearly mark our articles with spoiler tags to ensure you get the most out your time in The Last of Us Part 2.

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Jacob Dekker

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Minecraft Dungeons Patch 1.2.0.0 Is Rich With Bug Fixes

3 years 10 months ago

Minecraft Dungeons has just received a big patch, and it's focused on squashing bugs and getting the game into good shape. Update 1.2.0.0 brings with it a long list of fixes, including some console-specific changes.

For now, the update is only available on PS4 and Switch, despite Mojang Studios being owned by Microsoft. When the update hits PC and Xbox One, it will also feature fixes specific to those platforms. This patch has arrived ahead of the game's first DLC launch in July, which will add three new missions to Minecraft Dungeons.

The full list of changes is below--they're all fixes, so don't expect any major new content. If you are dealing with issues not on this list, the freshly-named Mojang Studios encourages players to submit a bug report.

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James O'Connor

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Sony Has Trademarked A Telling New Slogan For PS5 DualSense Controller

3 years 10 months ago

Sony has filed for a new trademark in the US, and it's one that will seemingly be connected to the PlayStation 5's new controller, the DualSense. The trademark filing is for the phrase "Heighten Your Senses"--surely a reference to the DualSense's haptic feedback.

Indeed, the application notes note that this trademark from Sony is related to "controllers for game consoles; game controllers for computer games." It likely relates to how the DualSense controller will try to make you "feel" the actions your character is performing more. For instance, you'll feel the tension of your bow in The Pathless, to give one example.

Like the PS4 DualShock, the DualSense will also feature a light bar and in-built speakers, so it'll technically engage your senses of sight and sound, too.

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James O'Connor

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Words With Friends Now Has An Alexa Spin-Off Called Word Pop

3 years 10 months ago

Words with Friends 2 players with an Alexa now have a new spin-off game to try, and it's quite different from the game they're used to. While the classic Words with Friends experience is essentially Scrabble with a few bells and whistles, Word Pop challenges you to take six letters and rearrange them into as many words as you can in one minute.

The game, which is available now on the Echo, Echo Show, and Echo Dot, is controlled by your voice, so you spell out the words as you spot them. You'll earn points depending on how many words you get, and how long the words you spell are.

You can see how it works in the trailer below, which shows the importance of good spelling.

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James O'Connor

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Sony Says It Wasn't Trying To Be "Misleading" With PS5 Spider-Man: Miles Morales Reveal

3 years 10 months ago

PlayStation's top boss has said that the company was not trying to be "misleading" with how it announced Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The game's announcement trailer during the recent PS5 showcase positioned the game as an all-new Spider-Man title starring Miles Morales, but a PlayStation executive later referred to it as a "expansion" to the PS4 Spider-Man game. Developer Insomniac Games subsequently stated that Spider-Man: Miles Morales would be a standalone game.

It was an unquestionably confusing series of events, and neither Sony nor Insomniac have fully detailed what kind of game Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be. But for Jim Ryan, he is stressing that the game is something PlayStation fans should feel excited about.

"I can safely say that we would not effectively lead the next-gen portion of the show with something that was either trivial or misleading," Ryan told GameSpot sister site CNET.

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Eddie Makuch

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Wasteland 3 Interview: Brian Fargo Tells GameSpot About Offering Meaningful Choices

3 years 10 months ago

GameSpot has officially kicked off Play For All--a celebration of all things gaming--and we were recently joined by Brian Fargo to talk about his long career and his upcoming title, Wasteland 3. Fargo talks about numerous topics with editor Michael Higham in the video below, and gives us a few interesting insights into the upcoming third Wasteland game.

Fargo reflects on the long road between Wasteland 1 and 2, and tells us that Wasteland 3 players won't need to have played the first two to understand what is happening. However, fans familiar with the series will get several Easter eggs and returning characters. "There's a lot of inside humor, there are things that only you would get," he says. "There are some parts that will feel more meaningful," and some characters return from both previous games, he explains--but it's not necessary to have played them.

Fargo talks about the importance of choice and consequence in the game. "We think that true consequence, meaningful consequence, is what makes these worlds super immersive," Fargo says, explaining that they "leaned into" this aspect of the game harder than ever for Wasteland 3. He says your choices might pay off "10 hours later, 20 hours later" during the game.

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James O'Connor

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Yaga Receives "Bad Faith" Update After Community Feedback

3 years 10 months ago

Yaga, the Slavic folktale-inspired RPG from Breadcrumbs Interactive, has now received a new update. After community feedback on issues including player frustrations and quality-of-life additions, the studio launched its latest patch called "Bad Faith," available now on PlayStation 4.

This Bad Faith update is the most comprehensive update that Yaga has released to date. Since the game's launch in October 2019 on PlayStation 4, the community has been vocal in providing feedback to the RPG's developers. Recently, the team released a statement on the PlayStation Blog addressing the Bad Faith update, the future of the title, and what changes have been made since launch.

Bad Faith makes a number of changes to the core gameplay systems in Yaga. One of the update's main changes is to the Bad Luck System, which essentially means that the player is subject to a state called Bad Luck which made gameplay more difficult. In Bad Faith, Bad Luck is now a status than can be cleared by NPCs, and using it to its full potential will reward the player with Good Luck and bonuses going forward.

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Ginny Woo

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Here's The Xbox Series X Boot-Up Sound - "A Choir Of Gaming Angels"

3 years 10 months ago

Microsoft has posted what appears to be the Xbox Series X's boot-up sound. If it sounds familiar, that's because it's the same startup sound that was featured in an Xbox video from May.

Microsoft shared the new Xbox sound using Twitter's new voice notes feature. It's a calming noise, and it's quite different--and much longer--than the regular Xbox One's boot-up sound. In a follow-up tweet, the Xbox account said of the startup sound, "It's like a choir of gaming angels singing in your ears."

The Xbox Series X is scheduled for release this holiday. There are a number of key particulars about the console still to be unveiled, perhaps the biggest of which is its price. Here at GameSpot, we predicted what we think the console will cost, but Microsoft has yet to make an official announcement.

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Eddie Makuch

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Minecraft: The Nether Update Has A Release Date, And It's Close

3 years 10 months ago

Minecraft is gearing up for its next major update, the Nether Update, which will add new biomes to the previously rather samey Nether. A release date has been announced, and Minecraft users on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and mobile will be able to download it from June 23.

This update will also be made available in the Java edition on the same day, if that's your preference.

The official Minecraft page is bringing up an error message on its Nether page at the time of writing, but Rock Paper Shotgun has all the details. This update adds four new Nether biomes, called Soulsand Valley, Crimson Forest, Warped Forest, and Basalt Deltas. They'll include new enemies and unique spawn rates depending on where you are.

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James O'Connor

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EA Sports UFC 4 Leaked Ahead The Company's Big Show, Coming To PS5 And Xbox Series X

3 years 10 months ago

It appears one of EA's announcements from this week's EA Play Live has leaked ahead of time. EA is now inviting people to join a beta test program for EA Sports UFC 4, the next instalment in its UFC series that has not been officially announced yet.

You can register here for the closed beta. Those accepted into the program will be sent a code with download instructions to their email.

Sports writer Brian Mazique said in Fight Guys video that EA Sports UFC will be released on PS4 and Xbox One, as well as PS5 and Xbox Series X. Mazique also said that boxers Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will appear in the game. It wouldn't be the first instance of a boxer appearing in the MMA series, as the legendary Mike Tyson was in 2018's EA Sports UFC 3.

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Eddie Makuch

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No, Xbox Series X Won't Have A Big HDMI Sticker Plastered Onto It

3 years 10 months ago

Xbox Series X is due out before the end of 2020, and information about it continues to trickle in ahead of the deluge expected with the upcoming July showcase. Now, we've found out a little more about the system's exterior--more specifically, that it won't have a big ugly sticker on the front of it.

This news comes via a brief exchange between games/tech journalist Jez Corden and Xbox CEO Phil Spencer, in which Corden stated that a streamer, Robeytech, had confirmed that the Xbox Series X will feature a big safety sticker on the front that would explain HDMI usage and risks.

Spencer corrected him very simply and directly, writing "Oh no it won't!" You can see the exchange below.

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James O'Connor

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Halo 3 PC Beta Test Extended, More Invites Going Out

3 years 10 months ago

Halo 3's ongoing beta test on PC has been extended. 343 Industries has confirmed that the beta testing period, or "flight," will now end on June 26. It was previously scheduled to end on June 18.

Not only that, but 343 is looking to update the current flight with bug fixes, while the studio also plans to invite more Halo Insiders into the test. You can sign up for the free program here.

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Eddie Makuch

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Free Hearthstone Solo Adventure Available Today

3 years 10 months ago

Hearthstone has a new free five-chapter solo story, Trial by Felfire that is available now, as part of patch 17.4.1 and the Felfire Festival. This solo adventure comes after the release of the new Demon Hunter class, the first new class added since launch in 2014.

The adventure follows the story of Aranna Starseeker, who teams up with Illidian, the game's Demon Hunter, to take down the architect of the Rusted Legion, Mecha-Jaraxxus. The adventure awards a Rusted Legion card back.

A special bundle is also available for purchase, containing Aranna Starseeker Demon Hunter hero, a special card back, and 20 Ashes of Outlands--the most recent expansion--card packs for $20 USD.

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James Carr

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PS5's Horizon Forbidden West Has "Virtually No Loading Screens"

3 years 10 months ago

Sony's Horizon Zero Dawn sequel, Forbidden West, will make use of the PlayStation 5's SSD to help improve load times dramatically. According to game director Mathijs de Jonge, there will be "virtually no loading screens" in Forbidden West.

"With the PS5's SSD, there will be virtually no loading screens," he said in a new video from PlayStation. "In an open-world game like Horizon Forbidden West, if you open up the map and fast travel from one end to the other, restarting from a check-point will be super fast. And when you boot up the game, you're right there--in the action."

The PS5's SSD has been one of the console's most-discussed features so far. Developers have spoken at length about how it will help improve load times and how this will make for an overall better gaming experience.

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Eddie Makuch

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Twitch DMCAs Be Damned, DragonForce Will Let Anyone Stream Its Music

3 years 10 months ago

In the wake of Twitch DMCA takedowns, DragonForce has announced that its last three albums are available for all content creators on the streaming platform to use.

Earlier this month, a number of Twitch streamers were faced with unexpected DMCA notices on their content. The streaming platform took to Twitter to advise content creators to take down clips containing background music from 2017 to 2019 while it worked on dealing with the sudden influx of requests from copyright holders on its end.

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Ginny Woo

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Dungeons & Dragons PC Games Sale: Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, And More

3 years 10 months ago

Following news that Baldur's Gate 3 will launch in early access this August, a massive Dungeons & Dragons PC games sale is happening right now on Steam and GOG. Both sales feature steep discounts on classic computer role-playing games from the world of D&D, from Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 to Icewind Dale, Neverwinter Knights, and more.

If you want to go back to where Baldur's Gate began before the third game releases, the enhanced versions of both Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II are on sale for $10 each, down from their usual $20. These both include the original stories along with an added expansion, new adventures, new characters, native support for high-resolution widescreen displays, and hundreds of bug fixes and other improvements. Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear is also on sale for $10--this 2016 expansion added the first original content to the series in over 15 years and includes more than 25 hours of gameplay.

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Jenae Sitzes

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Game Of Thrones Digital Board Game Announced For Steam

3 years 10 months ago

Fortunately for those who don't have much extra space in their home for physical board games or other tabletop-loving friends to play with, many of the best board games tend to make their way to digital platforms, and one great strategy game is making its way to Steam this year. Publisher Asmodee Digital has announced A Game of Thrones: The Board Game - Digital Edition will launch in Q3 2020 on Steam for both PC and Mac. The asymmetrical strategy game is based on the physical board game of the same name and, of course, the fantasy series created by George R. R. Martin. The digital edition is now available to wishlist on Steam.

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Jenae Sitzes

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New Stadia Connect Livestream Coming Next Month

3 years 10 months ago

Massive tech giant Google has announced that another Stadia Connect is on the way. This livestream, set to air on July 14 at an undisclosed time, will feature a glimpse at "some of the games coming to Stadia later this year."

The company did not clarify what it intends to show during the upcoming Stadia Connect livestream. Still, you can stream it on Google's official Stadia YouTube channel. The last Stadia Connect showcase, which happened in April, revealed a handful of games that became available to Pro members in May. This included SteamWorld Heist, The Turing Test, and Zombie Army 4: Dead War.

Recently, Google started offering a cheaper way to get into the streaming-only platform by slashing the price of its Premier Edition. Instead of $120, the Premier Edition now retails for $100 and will still include the Chromecast Ultra and Stadia Controller for free. However, the free three-month trial for Stadia Pro is no longer part of the package.

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Jeremy Winslow

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Horizon Forbidden West Launching For PS5 In 2021

3 years 10 months ago

Horizon Forbidden West, the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn, was announced for PlayStation 5 recently, but had no mention of a release window. A new deep-dive into the sequel is more detailed, however, while also revealing that Guerrilla's latest game is set for launch in 2021.

Mathijs De Jong, game director on Forbidden West, explains in the video that the additional performance of the PS5 is allowing the team to create larger and more richly detailed worlds for you to explore, with a landmass that will expand from Utah to the western shores on San Francisco. The speed of the PS5's SSD will also allow for almost no loading, whether you're fast-travelling or reviving from an unfortunate death.

Aloy will also now be able to explore underwater, with various biomes to uncover. These areas go hand-in-hand with some new robotic foes you'll encounter, like the hulking Shell Snapper that guards marshes and swamps. New hostile tribes have also found ways to reprogram wildlife to follow their command, equipping already massive enemies, like the new Mammoth-like one, with additional weapons.

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Alessandro Barbosa

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Play Assassin's Creed Origins For Free On PC This Weekend

3 years 10 months ago

Ubisoft has announced that 2017's Assassin's Creed Origins will be free-to-play from July 19-21, with pre-loading available right now in preparation for the open-world action-RPG's free play weekend.

To play Assassin's Creed Origins for free this weekend, all you have to do is sign-up for a free Uplay account and visit the game's official Uplay store page to learn when it will be free to download and play. Any progress you make during the free-play weekend will be carried over to the full game should you decided to buy it. Origins is also 80% off on the Uplay store right now, going for $12 instead of the usual $60. You can check the system requirements below to see if your PC can run Origins through Uplay.

Full Assassin's Creed Origins PC System Requirements (Uplay)

Minimum:

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Jeremy Winslow

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3 Free D&D PC Games Available For Limited Time

3 years 10 months ago

There are a lot of free games you can claim right now and keep forever, and now GOG has a new one that's available for the next couple of days. Eye of the Beholder Trilogy can be snagged at no charge until June 19 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET. The Eye of the Beholder Trilogy is a series of real-time first-person RPGs based on Dungeons & Dragons.

The Eye of the Beholder Trilogy includes three classic games: the original Dungeons & Dragons: Eye of the Beholder, Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon, and Eye of the Beholder III: Assault on Myth Drannor. The original 1991 game was critically acclaimed, receiving high review scores across the board. Eye of the Beholder II released the same year and was similarly praised, while Eye of the Beholder III was not received as favourably when it released in 1993.

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Mat Paget

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