S.O.P.H.I.A.

The Walt Disney Company has announced it's acquiring a $1.5bn USD stake in Epic Games as it launches a multi-year partnership to create an "expansive and open games and entertainment universe connected to Fortnite".

This new Unreal Engine-powered "persistent universe" will "interoperate" with Fortnite to offer a "multitude of opportunities for consumers to play, watch, shop and engage with content, characters and stories" from across Disney's vast IP portfolio.

Explicit mention is made of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Avatar, with users able to "create their own stories and experiences, express their fandom in a distinctly Disney way, and share content with each other in ways that they love."

Read more

View the full article

Epic Games and The Walt Disney Company have announced a new collaboration that will result in the joint creation of an all-new games and entertainment universe. Alongside the partnership, The Walt Disney Company is investing $1.5 billion to acquire an equity stake in Epic Games. 

The multi-year project aims to create an all-new universe that spans the various Disney properties, including Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, Avatar, and more. Disney says players will be able to create their own stories and experiences, share content, and express their fandom in experiences powered by Unreal Engine.

"Our exciting relationship with Epic Games will bring together Disney's beloved brands and franchises with the hugely popular Fortnite in a transformational new games and entertainment universe," Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a press release. "This marks Disney's biggest entry ever into the world of games and offers significant opportunities for growth and expansion. We can't wait for fans to experience the Disney stories and worlds they love in groundbreaking new ways."

You can see the announcement trailer below.

The news comes four and a half months after Epic Games laid off more than 800 employees and about two months after Epic Games launched Lego Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Festival. This is far from the first time Disney properties have appeared inside Fortnite, as one of the first collaborations came from Avengers: Infinity War, with Thanos appearing in the battle royale title. Since then, characters across Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney have appeared in the popular title. Epic's Unreal Engine has been used in games like Kingdom Hearts 3 and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, park technology like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, and in various Star Wars and Marvel film and TV projects.

"Disney was one of the first companies to believe in the potential of bringing their worlds together with ours in Fortnite, and they use Unreal Engine across their portfolio," Epic Games founder and CEO Tim Sweeney said in the announcement press release. "Now we're collaborating on something entirely new to build a persistent, open, and interoperable ecosystem that will bring together the Disney and Fortnite communities."

Epic Games is the owner of other development studios including Rocket League developer Psyonix, Fall Guys developer Mediatonic, and Rock Band studio Harmonix. Currently, Sweeney is the majority owner of Epic Games, with Tencent, Sony, and Danish investment management company Kirkbi A/S owning stakes in the company. As Disney notes in its press release, the $1.5 billion investment to acquire an equity stake in Epic Games is subject to regulatory approvals.

What do you think will come out of this collaboration? After so many collaborations between the two companies, where can the partnership go from here? Sound off in the comments below!

View the full article

If you're a fan of The Sims and Sims-like experiences, it’s quite an exciting time; The Sims 5, or whatever it’ll be called, is slowly fomenting over at EA, then there’s the imminent release of Paradox’s Life By You following a number of delays, and even the charmingly lo-fi Tiny Life for old-school Sims fans. Perhaps the game that’s generated the most excitement since its unveiling back in 2019 is Paralives, and after a long old wait - and five years of crowdfunding support - developer Paralives Studio has announced it'll be entering early access next year.

That bit of information comes via Paralives new live mode gameplay video - live mode in Sims parlance is the bit where digital chracters actively go about their daily business, as opposed to the customisation-focused build mode - which focuses of the life of Anisa as she moves into a new apartment and begins to get to know the neighbourhood and her new neighbours.

There's a look at how a Para's personality can be created - initially by raising or lowering their physique, mind, creativity, and charisma attributes, as well as adding a "vibe", social perk, talent, and through various lifestyle toggles - and after that it's time to go outside.

Read more

View the full article

Gearbox publishing and Blackbird Interactive have announced that Homeworld 3's release date has been pushed to May 13. Its early access period will now begin on May 10.

"We also recently gathered a dedicated group of players from outside our organization to play through the full game," Gearbox said in a statement. "This resulted in additional insights and perspective that will be incorporated to make Homeworld 3 the best experience possible."

Homeworld 3 initially had a crowdfunding campaign but it was halted when Gearbox was acquired by Embracer Group. Its first gameplay trailer was shown off at Gamescom 2022 and the game was initially slated for Q4 2022, but was soon delayed to the first half of 2023. It was then delayed again to February 2024, and once again to March 2024. Now, the game has been delayed for another time to May.

Homeworld 3 is the latest entry in a long running franchise that debuted in 1999. Its last two entries are Homeworld Mobile and the prequel Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak. Homeworld 3 will be available on PC.

View the full article

Epic Games and The Walt Disney Company have announced that they will create an interconnected universe somehow tied to Fortnite that will include content from Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and more. The exact nature of the relationship between the companies and what these new projects look like remains to be seen, but as part of it, Disney has invested $1.5 billion for a stake in Epic Games.

Within this "new persistent universe," players will be able to create experiences using Disney's own properties and share that content as well. “Our exciting new relationship with Epic Games will bring together Disney’s beloved brands and franchises with the hugely popular Fortnite in a transformational new games and entertainment universe,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger in a statement." He explains that this is Disney's biggest investment into the games industry thus far.

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney added, "Disney was one of the first companies to believe in the potential of bringing their worlds together with ours in Fortnite, and they use Unreal Engine across their portfolio. Now we’re collaborating on something entirely new to build a persistent, open and interoperable ecosystem that will bring together the Disney and Fortnite communities."

Historically, Disney did have its own internal game development studios, although those--including the beloved LucasArts--were slowly shut down over time. The company moved in the direction of outsourcing game development, such as its long-standing relationship with EA to develop Star Wars game, which has subsequently expanded to include publishers like Ubisoft.

Disney was a previous investor in Epic Games when Fortnite exploded in popularity back in 2018. The two companies have also collaborated before by putting content from Marvel and Star Wars into Fortnite.

View the full article

After getting pushed into 2024, we have a release date for the game's next big update. New Game +, new suits, and other upgrades are on March 7. Along with those vague content promises, Insomniac also says it will have a proper list of new features in the future.

OUR NEXT UPDATE IS COMING MARCH 7

Our title update for Marvel's #SpiderMan2PS5 arrives next month and adds highly requested features like New Game+, new suits, and more!

Watch our social media for a complete list of features closer to release. #BeGreaterTogether pic.twitter.com/qhncOPkUXY

— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) February 7, 2024

For more on Marvel's Spider-Man 2, you can read our review here.

View the full article

Season 2 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is live, adding the new Ninja vest perk for customized loadouts. This new perk is geared towards stealth and the resupply of lethal throwing equipment, but first you'll need to unlock it.

What is the Ninja vest

The Ninja vest is a new perk that can be equipped in your custom loadout to eliminate footstep sounds, provide immunity to movement reduction effects, and provide additional supply of lethal throwing equipment.

Activision says this perk does not stack with the stealth effects of the Covert Sneakers boot perk. However, this means if you use the Ninja vest for stealth, you're free to select a different type of sneaker, such as the Lightweight Boots or Tactical Pads for movement buffs.

How to unlock the Ninja vest perk

The vest is added to MW3's Armory Unlocks menu, and you'll need to complete five daily challenges to unlock it.

There are only three daily challenges per mode per day. To unlock the vest on day one, you'll either need to play a mix of multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone, or you can complete all three daily challenges from a single mode to unlock a bonus challenge to earn additional armory unlock points. The dailies you get will be random across all the modes, but they are usually pretty straightforward.

Once you've earned five armory unlock points from your daily challenges, the Ninja vest will be unlocked in the Vest section of the perk menu found in Create-a-Class.

Season 1 Reloaded recently added new guns to Modern Warfare 3. If you haven't unlocked them yet, here are the full guides for unlocking the TAQ Evolvere LMG and the HRM-9 submachine gun.

View the full article

Neowiz has revealed that a free update for Lies of P will arrive on February 14. It's Lies of P's collaboration with Koei Tecmo's Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.

A new trailer for the update was released and it shows off a new exclusive Azure Dragon Crescent Glaive weapon for the protagonist. The protagonist will also receive the Armor of the Honorable piece of equipment as well as the Bandana of the Honorable costume.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Complete Edition is also available starting today, and it has all three story DLC expansions, including Battle of Zhongyuan, Conqueror of Jiangdong, and Upheaval in Jingxiang. This edition also contains the equipment and stages from its collaborations with Naraka Bladepoint, Lies of P, and Nioh 2.

Both Lies of P and Wo Long Fallen Dynasty are available for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. They're also currently playable through Xbox Game Pass. Back in September 2023, Lies of P Director Ji Won Choi teased that more DLC could be coming and also confirmed that a sequel is in development.

View the full article

Mojang is testing out features that will be introduced in Minecraft's 1.21 update. The latest patch introduces Wind Charges, which allow players to channel their inner Air Bender, and Vaults, which reward them with items.

Thanks to a Minecraft blog post, we know that Wind Charges can be used in various ways. Players can use them as offensive items to launch items as projectiles at enemies at enemies and send nearby mobs flying. But it can also be used as a means of transportation, and players can use this to charge their jump. Unfortunately, Wind Charges cannot be crafted. The only way to get one is by killing Breezes.

But if players want to find Vaults, they must explore Trial Chambers. Unlike random chests found in caves, they'll have items for every player regardless of whether they've been looted. All they need to do is get a Trial Key, and after completing the Trials, they'll be guaranteed loot from the Vault. But it's worth mentioning the Trial Key can only be used once.

Players can participate in these tests by enabling Minecraft Java Edition snapshots and previews/betas for Bedrock players. Currently, the Wind Charges are only available for Java players, but they'll be coming soon to those on Bedrock.

For more Minecraft news, check out our story on how players can escape Godzilla's wrath in the latest DLC.

View the full article

Dozens of physical games are on clearance at Best Buy right now, dropping prices on select Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch titles by up to 50%.

One of the best deals is for the limited-edition Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection for Xbox Series X, which you can grab for just $76 (normally $150). This version includes unique box art and tons of collectible goodies like an acrylic diorama, enamel pin set, trading cards, cloth poster, and 180-page art book. This is an amazing deal for any TMNT fan, even if you don't own an Xbox and just want the collectibles.

Many of Best Buy's other video game clearance deals are for Xbox titles like Mass Effect: Legendary Edition on Xbox One for $10 (was $20) and Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate Edition on Xbox Series X for $16 (down from $30).

However, there are plenty of noteworthy PlayStation discounts like the PS5 version of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War for $25 (normally $70), Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 on PS5 for $26 (was $50) and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition on PS4 for $21 (was $40). Meanwhile, Nintendo Switch players can grab games like Bayonetta 3 and Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes for $31 each (both normally $60).

Check the list below for a list of our favorite deals in the sale, or browse all the games discounted at Best Buy's online store. Be sure to grab any that catch your eye because once these games are sold out, they're gone for good.

Best Buy Video Game Clearance Sale

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection (Xbox Series X) -- $74 ($150)
• Evil West (Xbox One/Series X) -- $31 ($60)
• FFIA 23 (Xbox Series X) -- $18 ($30)
• Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate Edition (Xbox One/Series X) -- $16 ($30)
• Human Fall Flat - Anniversary Edition (Xbox Series X) -- $16 ($30)
• Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (Xbox One) -- $10 ($20)
• Star Wars: Squadrons (Xbox One) -- $10 ($20)
• Bayonetta 3 (Nintendo Switch) -- $31 ($60)
• Fire Emblem: Three Hopes (Nintendo Switch) -- $31 ($60)
• Two Point Campus: Enrollment Edition (Nintendo Switch) -- $21 ($40)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (PS5) -- $35 ($70)
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 (PS5) -- $26 ($50)
• Syberia: The World Before - 20 Year Limited Edition (PS5) -- $26 ($50)
• Shantae: Half-Genie Hero (PS5) -- $18 ($35)
• Mary Skelter Finale (PS4) -- $26 ($50)
• Panzer Dragoon Remake (PS4) -- $21 ($40)

• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition (PS4) -- $21 ($40)

View the full article

The Steam Deck rules, but anyone who's spent time with Valve's handheld gaming PC knows the battery can drain in just a couple hours when playing graphically intensive games. Luckily, there are third-party devices out there like the Baseus portable charger that can extend your playtime. Usually, the USB power bank costs $100, but you can grab it for just $56 at Amazon right now.

The Baseus Portable Charger features a 30,000mAh power bank and 65W battery, which can add several more hours of battery life to your devices. To charge your Steam Deck while playing, you need a 45W battery pack (at minimum), so this particular charger has no problem with that.

The brick includes four standard USB-A outputs and one USB-C output for fast charging on supported devices. The USB-C port also acts as an input you can use to fill up the charger's battery. There are input ports for USB Micro and IP. It also has an LED screen that displays the current battery level.

We've tested the Baseus Portable Charger before and confirmed it can charge the Steam Deck while playing. To recharge the pack, we've used the Steam Deck AC adapter. Unlike many battery packs, this pack can charge from zero to 100 in around an hour with fast charging. You can also use it to charge your Windows laptop, MacBook, iOS or Android devices, and other portable gaming devices like the Nintendo Switch or ROG Ally.

While you can use the Baseus Portable Charger out of the box with any of the many devices it supports, it can somewhat reduce portability, especially for the the Steam Deck. You probably don't want an external battery charger hanging from your system while playing. Luckily, you can use third-party peripherals like the JSAUX Steam Deck ModCase to easily strap the Baseus power bank to your Steam Deck. The $30 kit includes a detachable silicone strap, metal kickstand, and protective cases for the front and back of the Steam Deck. The front case is particularly handy for docked mode, as it prevents dust buildup. The ModCase also doubles as a Steam Deck grip.

If you're not sure about the Baseus Portable Charger--or the deal sells out--there are actually a few alternatives at Amazon that are also on sale, like this Antank 45W magnetic powerbank, which is $45 when you use the included coupon (was $50). This one isn't as powerful as Baseus', but it is designed specifically for Steam Deck (though it works with other devices) and comes with a removable mount to attach the pack to your Deck.

There's a similar coupon deal that drops UGREEN's 100W charger to just $64 (normally $80). This one is probably overkill for the Steam Deck, and is more suited for power-hungry laptops, but it's on sale for a great price. It is worth noting that it has a capacity of 20,000mAh, so it doesn't hold as much juice as the Baseus.

While any of those charging bricks are solid options, there are also deals on a few Anker power banks for anyone who wants to stick with familiar, high-performing brands. You can snag Anker's 65W portable charger for $54 (was $80)--it has a capacity of 24,000mAh--or this 60W alternative with an AC adapter for $80 (was $130).

View the full article

Microsoft's recent announcement of 1,900 layoffs within its Xbox division, including Activision Blizzard employees who joined Microsoft with the buyout, has prompted the United States government to call Microsoft out. The US' Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said in a memo (via The Verge) that the layoff plan "contradicts" how Microsoft represented itself in its proceedings to get the deal done in the first place.

Microsoft's $74.5 billion deal to buy Activision Blizzard is already done, but the FTC said it is trying to temporarily pause the buyout pending the FTC's judgment of it on antitrust merits.

"Microsoft's recently reported plan to eliminate 1,900 jobs in its video game division, including in its newly acquired Activision unit, contradicts the foregoing representations it made to this court," FTC counsel Imad D. Abyad said.

In its own announcement detailing the layoffs, Microsoft said it was making cuts in "areas of overlap" that existed between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard. The FTC said this is "inconsistent with Microsoft's suggestion to this court that the two companies will operate independently post-merger."

Microsoft's recent round of 1,900 layoffs impacted developers and staff from across Activision Blizzard, as well as roles that existed within Microsoft. The Xbox team at Microsoft had around 22,000 employees prior to the cuts.

GameSpot has contacted Microsoft in an attempt to get more details.

In other Xbox news, it's been reported that Microsoft is considering bringing some of its games, including Starfield, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Gears of War, to PlayStation and Nintendo. This is not yet confirmed, but the company has said it will share more details soon.

View the full article

Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring today.

It’s important we note that some updates made to these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.

Details can be found below!

System Update Details

• OS Version: XB_FLT_2408GE\26050.1507.240204-2200
• Available: 2 p.m. PT – February 7, 2024
• Mandatory: 3 a.m. PT – February 8, 2024

Fixes Included

Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:

Profile

• Fixes to address an issue where users were unable to ‘Like’ posts in the recent activity section on the welcome page when viewing the full profile.
• Fixes to improve navigation of recent activity with a keyboard.

Rewards

• Fixed an issue where the Rewards catalog was difficult to read when using Light Theme.

System

• Various stability and performance fixes.
• Various updates to properly reflect local languages across the console.
  • Note: Users participating in Preview may see “odd” text across the console. To learn more visit: What’s This? Learn More About Pseudo-Loc in Preview.

Known Issues

While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.

Audio

• We have received reports of users experiencing intermittent issues with audio across the dashboard, games, and apps. If you have experienced issues, be sure you have the latest firmware updates for your TV and other equipment. If you’re unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance.
  • Note: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware updates, please submit feedback via Report a Problem immediately with the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”. Be sure to include as much information as possible:
    • When did the issue start?
    • Did you lose audio just in the game/app or system audio as well?
    • Does changing the audio format resolve the issue? If yes, what was the format before and after?
    • Does rebooting resolve the issue?
    • What does your setup include? Equipment, layout, etc.
    • And any additional information you can provide to reproduce the problem.

Game Card

• Some users are reporting an unexpected black screen when opening the game card or selecting “Show in Microsoft Store” after it has opened, and we are investigating.

Games

• We are investigating user reports of some titles experiencing unexpected display or graphical issues.

Networking

• We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to their network as expected on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.
  • Workaround: Wait a minute for the connection to establish. If your console still hasn’t connected, restart your Xbox from the Power Center or the guide. Learn more here: How to restart or power cycle your Xbox console.

As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.

If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.

When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.

Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.

For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!

The post Xbox Insider Release Notes – Alpha Skip-Ahead (2408.240204-2200) appeared first on Xbox Wire.

View the full article

Fortnite's JokeNite is bringing comedians together for players to vote and watch on an exclusive island. JokeNite--a new comedy show within the game--is produced by Trevor Noah. Noah has written, hosted, and produced more than 1,000 episodes of The Daily Show among different comedy standup specials for more than a decade.

At the start of the show, the audience will vote on who among four comedians they want to see, but if nobody votes, there will be a Mega-Medley that will show a small portion of each comedian's set. JokeNite starts today and will feature small sets from Matthew Broussard, Scott Seiss, Marcia Belsky, and Preacher Lawson.

You can also turn on the JokeNite's TV Mode, which will recreate the visual stylings of a standup comedy special. To access JokeNite, you will need to enter the Island Code: 6296-7829-6524, or find the island in Epic's Picks section on the Discover tab.

Be sure to check out our guide on where to get a cardboard box for Fortnite's Metal Gear Solid quest. This Metal Gear Solid quest will end on March 8, 2024, before the game’s next season.

View the full article

To mark 1.5 million early access players, you can now suggest and boost features for Enshrouded via an official forum. Developer Keen Games has released a tips-and-tricks video for those getting started on their journey into Embervale.

On the Enshrouded feedback board, you can suggest features and fixes, discuss ideas, and upvote the things you want to see in the game. Ranking on the board does not equate to development or priority, but Keen Games promises to be paying attention.

As for the video, some of the tips are fairly obvious: Enemies grant XP, bosses grant more XP, you can level up various attributes, and you can always reset your progress to try new builds. Upgrading your equipment is essential to exploration, but you'll need to find specific NPCs to upgrade your class' gear.

In the second half of the video, it introduces more obscure tricks. Every tree you chop down has a chance of dropping resin, but trees with brown leaves are guaranteed to drop up to three resins per tree. It can be hard to forage flax, so the video recommends growing it yourself. You'll need water to farm, which you can pick up from enemies or wells out in the world.

The game's title comes from area cloaked in shroud. To safely traverse these zones, you'll need to level up your Flame. This unlocks areas and boosts attributes globally for all players in your world. This allows new players to hop into the game more quickly. Finally, the video advises you to keep old gear and weapons, and it can help your friends join in even if you are a high-level player.

Enshrouded has proven to be a big hit, with over a million players on Steam. A console version and an early access roadmap for Enshrouded are on the horizon. If you are looking for more hints, check out the Enshrouded guide hub.

View the full article

Season 2 of the Halo TV series premieres on February 8, and if you're a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, you might be able to watch the first few episodes for free.

Game Pass Ultimate subscribers who have never had a Paramount+ subscription before can now get a 30-day free trial to the subscription service. If this sounds familiar, it's because Microsoft offered the same deal for Season 1 in 2022.

If you fit the criteria, you can grab the free trial through the Perks tab on your Xbox console, through the Xbox app on Windows PC, or via the Game Pass mobile app on iOS and Android.

This offer is only available in the US, and as mentioned, it's only for new subscribers to Paramount+. The offer will be available to claim until April 7, and you have until May 10 to redeem.

The first two episodes of Halo Season 2 premiere on February 8, and the remaining six will roll out each Thursday until the season wraps up on March 21. That's not long enough to use your 30-day trial to watch the full season if you start on February 8, so you may have to subscribe to keep watching.

If you're already a Paramount+ subscriber, or if you've subscribed in the past and can't use this deal, you can get three months of Game Pass Ultimate now for $45.

Halo Season 2 brings back Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief, and Schreiber has spent some of his interviews promoting Season 2 by talking about his issues with Season 1, like when Master Chief had sex.

View the full article

Season 2 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is live, but the update doesn't include any new content for Zombies mode, and now a popular Zombies content creator announced Treyarch doesn't plan to add any new perks or enemies types.

MrDalekJD, who is widely known for Zombies content, has revealed that Treyarch confirmed in a Season 2 creator call that the studio doesn't have any plans to add new enemy types or additional perks to Zombies.

Players also shouldn't expect to gain any additional storage for their perks and other acquisition items. When discussing a potential stash size increase to let players store more loot, MrDalekJD says, "They have heard the feedback and demand for more size, but the Stash was designed for you to make calculated decisions on the limited items you can store. No ETA on if any changes are coming to the stash size."

All of this feels like bad news piled on top of the recent announcement that all Season 2 content for Zombies would arrive with the midseason update. This midseason content will include a brand-new story mission, which MrDalekJD says Treyarch confirmed will have a similar rift-style Easter egg as Season 1, and that players will need to discover and complete the quest steps to re-enter this new Dark Aether Rift.

Additionally, MrDalekJD says the developer announced there will be normal and hardcore versions, and the hardcore Easter egg is how you unlock the new schematics that will also arrive with the midseason update. These schematics include the key to the Blood Burner bike, the V-R11 Wonder Weapon, and Mags of Holding.

Today's launch of Season 2 made very few changes to Zombies, with the most significant update in the patch notes being major buffs to the Ray Gun Wonder Weapon.

This new season brings a fresh battle pass, more guns, and a crossover with The Walking Dead. Make sure to check out all of the highlights for Season 2 of Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone.

View the full article

The second season of the epic hit series Halo will premiere February 8, with two all-new episodes, on Paramount+. Starting today, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members, who are new to Paramount+, can experience all of the action with a 30-day trial to Paramount+ via Perks.* In addition to Halo, viewers can stream A Mountain of Entertainment on the service, including exclusive originals, big movies and more.

In season two, Master Chief John-117 (Pablo Schreiber) leads his team of elite Spartans against the alien threat known as the Covenant. In the wake of a shocking event on a desolate planet, John cannot shake the feeling that his war is about to change and risks everything to prove what no one else will believe – that the Covenant is preparing to attack humanity’s greatest stronghold. With the galaxy on the brink, John embarks on a journey to find the key to humankind’s salvation, or its extinction, the Halo.

Eligible Ultimate members may claim the 30-day subscription trial through the Perks gallery on their Xbox console, on the Xbox app on Windows PCs or through the Xbox Game Pass mobile app on iOS and Android. Once the Perk is claimed, members will be directed to the Paramount+ site to activate their trial. The Paramount+ app is also available to download and use on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One consoles and Windows PCs in select regions.

*For Game Pass Ultimate members in the U.S.

Valid for new Paramount+ subscribers only. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers get a 30-day free trial when you subscribe to a Paramount+ monthly Essential or Paramount+ with Showtime plan. Claim by 4/7/24. Redeem by 5/10/24 (U.S. only). After trial, your subscription auto-renews and your payment method is charged based on selected plan’s regular price (+tax), as applicable unless canceled. Cancel any time on your account page, effective at the end of bill cycle. No refunds. 18+ T&Cs apply, see pplus.legal/subscription. Only 1 offer per account. Other restrictions may apply.

For Game Pass Ultimate members in other eligible countries

Valid for new Paramount+ subscribers only. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers get a 30-day free trial when you subscribe to a Paramount+ monthly Standard plan (available in AR, AU, AT, BR, CA, CL, CO, FR, DE, IE, IT, MX, CH, and GB only). Claim by 4/7/24. Redeem by 5/10/24. After trial, your subscription auto-renews and your payment method is charged based on selected plan’s regular price (+tax as applicable), unless canceled. Cancel any time on your account page, effective at end of bill cycle. No refunds. 18+ T&Cs apply, see pplus.legal/subscription. Only 1 offer per account. Other restrictions may apply.

The post Celebrate The Premiere of Halo Season 2 on Paramount+ with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate appeared first on Xbox Wire.

View the full article

Three years into the current generation of gaming, consoles can still be an expensive investment. At $500, an Xbox Series X is an investment, but right now you can save almost $200 on this console at Woot. The retailer is selling refurbished units for $310 each, but available stock will likely sell out very quickly. Each customer can buy a maximum of two consoles.

Woot says that these are Grade-A Refurbished models, which means that they'll be in full working condition and show minimal signs of use, and you'll get a 90-day warranty on your purchase. If you've got a modern TV, the Xbox Series X provides a stunning 4K gaming experience, as the internal hardware offers 12 teraflops of raw graphic processing power that many games have taken advantage of over the years to look their best.

At the top of the graphical charts, there are even games capable of running at 120 frames-per-second on the Xbox Series X, but generally, you'll get a superb 4K output.

The big draw here is the focus on playing your games quickly and with minimal loading screens. The Xbox Series X offers Quick Resume, which allows you to suspend your games and switch between them on the fly. The console also benefits from Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft's regularly updated first- and third-party games catalog. For only $17 per month, you gain access to hundreds of games, including some brand-new releases.

View the full article

Blizzard has shared a trailer for Overwatch 2 Season 9: Champions, which includes a tease for a Cowboy Bebop crossover. Season 9 also brings an overhaul to the competitive mode, along with an eldritch horror-inspired battle pass.

Overwatch 2 Season 9: Champions arrives on February 13, bringing a complete overhaul to competitive mode, including a true rank reset for all players. The main changes come from the ranks themselves and how they are tracked match-to-match. You no longer need to hit certain milestones to see your rank change, instead getting an update after every match. There are also more ranks now, including a new highest tier, Champion. While the trailer doesn't mention it specifically, Season 9 is also when new gameplay changes will be introduced, including adding passive healing for tanks and damage heroes.

The new battle pass will feature eldritch horror inspired skins, like a Cthulhu Torbjörn and the Mythic Ancient Caller Moira skin. The trailer didn't show everything in the new battle pass, but there are typically between six to eight skins included in the premium version. The Cosmic Crisis event mode will also kick off on February 13.

The end of the Season 9: Champions trailer also teased a Cowboy Bebop crossover event coming sometime during the season. While none of the cosmetics were shown and nothing was stated, the opening theme song from the show was played, effectively confirming that it's coming. Cassidy's legs were also shown in the trailer, implying that he might get Spike's iconic outfit from the show.

The trailer also confirmed some of the new cosmetics dropping during the season. New weapon skins, like the Los Muertos collection and Jade weapons, are coming during Season 9. The Hanzo Cupid skin will return for Valentine's day, along with a new Reaper skin. Overwatch 2 Season 9: Champions arrives on February 13.

View the full article

Twenty-five years later, a remake of Final Fantasy 8 looks unlikely, but that hasn't stopped the game's director from suggesting a big change to one of its defining features if Square Enix ever decided to resurrect it.

Speaking to IGN, Yoshinori Kitase explained that he'd rework Final Fantasy 8's Junction system in a remake, as he believed that it was a "difficult system" for people to understand at the time.

"I think you may remember we had the Junction system in Final Fantasy 8," Kitase said. "And the thing about that system was the enemies leveled up in line with what the player’s level was. And obviously you had to then use the Junction system and how you customize that to overcome the challenge there. And I think it was a very difficult system for some people to get into. Depending on player skills, sometimes they just didn't work out the best way of doing it. So I think I'd want to return to that and really rework the battle system on [Final Fantasy 8] and make it something where that level of difficulty and approachability for some fans was a lot better balanced. So I think that's the thing I'd look at most if I was going to look at remaking it."

Final Fantasy 8's Junction system was a wild departure from Final Fantasy 7's focus on Materia, as with the right build and stock of spells, players could create specialized characters. This fit with the game's cast being comprised primarily of teenage mercenaries, as characters could inflict status ailments, absorb elemental damage, and deal devastating amounts of damage if their magic was properly junctioned.

But as Kitase explained, a remake of Final Fantasy 8 would be a monumental undertaking as those classic PS1 JRPGs offered a significant amount of content. "It's such a massive investment of time and effort that we really have to think very hard about taking on any kind of project like that."

Meanwhile, the second chapter in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, is almost here. Launching on February 29 for PS5, a Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo is now available to download. This is only a taste of things to come, and as we discovered during a recent hands-on event, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is much bigger than its predecessor.

View the full article

Marvel's Spider-Man 2's much anticipated New Game Plus mode will arrive next month - on 7th March - which means soon we can all swing back around and go for another spin with Peter and Miles.

Along with this new mode, players can also expect some new suits for the two Spider-Men and "more" when the update goes live. What that more is, I do not know exactly, but developer Insomniac previously made mention of audio descriptions.

The Marvel's Spider-Man 2 team has promised it will share a complete list of upcoming features a bit closer to this update's release. We will, of course, keep you posted.

Read more

View the full article

Counter-Strike 2 just received its most significant update yet, adding the ever-popular Gun Game (aka Arms Race) along with a whole host of new customization options.

Arms Race has officially made its return in Counter-Strike 2, having been temporarily absent after Valve converted Counter-Strike: Global Offensive into the FPS sequel in September 2023. It's Gun Game as all shooter fans have come to love and expect: Race to get kills with each of the game's weapons, with the final game-winning kill forcing players to use a knife, or now, the Zeus stun gun.

Speaking of the Zeus, the weapon has finally received some love as of the Call to Arms update. The weapon now has a 30-second recharge in all game modes, received its first skin as part of the update's Kilowatt Case, and now supports custom tags and sticker placement. In regards to sticker placement, all weapons now support custom placement, meaning stickers are no longer limited to a few preset positions on each weapon. Each weapon additionally can support up to five stickers now, giving players more customization options than ever before.

Customization makes up the bulk of the update. The Kilowatt case is CS2's first weapon case and features 17 community-designed weapon skins and a new knife for players to collect. Other additions include the Ambush Sticker Capsule, which sports 21 community-designed stickers, and six new music kits for players to purchase should they so choose.

The rest of the update is relegated to bug fixes and a few small adjustments to reduce things like "peeker's advantage," which had been a complaint among top players in the game's community since launch. Other changes include the introduction of end-of-match defeat animations and a new "XP Overload" icon that accompanies player names and can stack week to week to show when someone has earned all their normal weekly XP.

Counter-Strike 2 continues to be a powerhouse for Valve and Steam, and is regularly one of the most-played, if not the most-played outright, Steam games on any given day by concurrent player count. Counter-Strike 2's release signaled the end of support for the shooter on older hardware and Macs, a move that affected less than 1% of the game's playerbase, according to Valve.

View the full article

Insomniac Games has announced that the next update for Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will arrive on March 7. In addition to its highly-requested New Game Plus mode, the update will also add new suits and features.

The studio said on Twitter that it would reveal a more complete list of changes and new features that comes with the update as March 7 gets closer. The update was initially set to come out in 2023, but back in December, Insomniac Games announced that it delay the update to early 2024. This included features such as audio descriptions, changing the time of day, and mission replay. Now, we have an actual date.

Despite not winning any awards at The Game Awards 2023, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is leading at the 2024 Dice Awards with nine nominations. The ceremony is set to take place on February 15.

In GameSpot's Marvel's Spider-Man 2 review, we said, "The story's exploration of loneliness is fantastic, creating gripping new narratives for the two heroes, Peter and Miles, as well as the two main villains, Kraven and Venom. Spider-Man 2 unites all four characters in a riveting narrative throughline you'll want to see all the way through and has the gameplay hooks to keep you engaged the whole ride."

View the full article

Activision has announced the next free trial event for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, and it's coming up soon. The timing of the event is not random, as it appears to be tied to the February 7 launch of the game's Season 2 update.

During the free trial period, players can try out nine multiplayer maps--including one of the new ones, Stash House--as well as the multiplayer modes Team Deathmatch, Hardpoint, Domination, Kill Confirmed, and Team Gun Game. The entire Modern Warfare Zombies mode is included with the free trial. For Call of Duty: Warzone fans, that game is free already so players can jump in now and check out the return of Fortune's Keep and more.

You can see everything included in the free trial weekend in the graphic below, as shared by Activison on its website.

The big Season 2 update adds a bunch of new multiplayer maps and weapons, as well as the newest DLC Operators, including Rick and Michonne from The Walking Dead. As mentioned, Warzone brings back Fortune's Keep, while Zombies gets another new story mission.

The full Season 2 patch notes also mention significant changes to health and weapon balancing. For more, check out the full Season 2 patch notes.

In other Call of Duty news, it recently came to light that Neversoft was working on a sci-fi Call of Duty game, but it was never released. Another major development for the franchise recently was Microsoft's decision to lay off 1,900 people from its Xbox division, including people who worked on the Call of Duty franchise.

View the full article