Google Stadia, the nascent streaming service, is bulking up its game development pipeline. The company has announced it's acquired Typhoon Studios, the independent game studio founded by Assassin's Creed III and Far Cry 4 director Alex Hutchinson.Google's gaming executive Jade Raymond--who herself was instrumental in the creation of the Assassin's Creed franchise--announced the acquisition on Google's blog. "Typhoon Studios has built an incredible team of industry veterans who are committed to the player experience," she said.Typhoon will become part of the Stadia Games and Entertainment studio located in Montreal. Sebastien Puel, who also formerly worked at Ubisoft on the Assassin's Creed series, heads up the Stadia team in Montreal. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.Typhoon is currently working on Journey to the Savage Planet for release on January 28, 2020, and Raymond said the team will continue development as they become part of the Stadia team. The game was already announced for PS4, Xbox One, and PC with 505 Games as the publisher.Journey to the Savage Planet will go ahead as a multiplatform release, but Hutchinson said on Twitter that Typhoon will make Stadia-exclusive games in the future.Typhoon's other founder, Reid Schneider, also worked at Ubisoft from 1998-2002 before moving to Electronic Arts and later Warner Bros.Google Stadia launched in November with one exclusive game, Gylt. In addition to additional exclusives from Typhoon, Google is making more exclusives from its own internal game development teams.Info from Gamespot.com

If you're excited for the upcoming Resident Evil 3 and want to pick it up on PC, then there's a pretty awesome deal on a pre-order. Green Man Gaming has Resident Evil 3 for 25% off with a special promo code: 25RE3. For more information on all versions, check out our Resident Evil 3 pre-order guide that includes information on the popular Collector's edition. Pre-order Resident Evil 3 (PC) All you need to do to claim this PC deal is head over to Green Man Gaming, add Resident Evil 3 to your cart, and use promo code 25RE3 during checkout. You'll get Resident Evil 3 for $45 instead of $60. Codes aren't available to redeem on Steam at the moment, but Green Man Gaming will send you an email once they arrive. This deal is valid everywhere Green Man Gaming operates, which includes the US, Canada, and UK.Resident Evil 3 is set to release for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on April 4. It's focused on Jill Valentine's attempt to escape Raccoon City and the terrifying Nemesis, a monster that's hunting down all STARS members who could possibly bring the evil corporation Umbrella to its knees. The original was slightly more action-oriented than the original Resident Evil 2, so it'll be interesting to see how that translates to Capcom's new remake framework.If you're interested in getting any of the other Resident Evil games on PC at a discount, there are a ton of others on Green Man Gaming. We've collected some of the best, and you can see them in the list below.Resident Evil 0 HD Remaster -- $6.40 ($20)Resident Evil HD Remaster -- $6.40 ($20)Resident Evil 4 -- $4 ($20)Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition -- $6 ($30)Resident Evil 6 -- $6 ($30)Resident Evil 7 -- $12 ($30)Resident Evil 7: Gold Edition -- $20 ($50)Resident Evil Revelations -- $5.52 ($30)Resident Evil Revelations 2: Deluxe Edition -- $12 ($30)In related news, there are quite a few other winter sales going on as well. Steam and Epic Games recently kicked off their holiday sales, the Xbox One's winter sale is underway right now, and GOG has a bunch of deals worth checking out as well. Best Christmas Deals This Huge Winter Game Sale Includes Resident Evil 2, DMC 5 For $18 Each 10 Free Nintendo Switch Games Are Up For Grabs--Here's How To Get Them Best Buy: Nintendo Switch, 4K TVs, And More Featured In Pre-Christmas Sale Switch, Xbox One X, PS4 Pro, And More Featured In Walmart's Holiday Sale 19 Last-Minute Christmas Gift Ideas For Gamers And Techies Info from Gamespot.com

Kill la Kill the Game: IF has a new update on Nintendo Switch that brings a bevy of changes to the 3D brawler, including the introduction of fan-favorite Mako Mankanshoku. The patch also addresses various bugs, implements a bunch of balance adjustments and changes, and much more.This new Kill la Kill patch first launched on PC and PlayStation 4 in November 2019. That update, version 1.05, features many of the same adjustments and tweaks as this newly-released Nintendo Switch update.Kill la Kill: IF's Switch update adds Mako to the game's roster for free. The plucky high schooler uses her two-star Goku Uniform in battle, which allows her to power-up over the course of a match. She's just as fearless in the game as she is in the anime. Check out Mako Mankanshoku's character introduction trailer below.We gave the game a 7/10 in our Kill la Kill the Game: IF review, saying, "Kill la Kill IF is clearly designed for fans of Kill la Kill who are looking for more ways to enjoy the characters, music, and battles of the anime series."Check below for a breakdown of Kill la Kill the Game: IF's latest patch.Full Kill la Kill the Game: IF Patch NotesNew ContentsAdded new playable character, Mako Mankanshoku.*Playable in all versus modes and Gallery mode.Balance ChangesAdjusted the actions of each character.Fixed a bug where displayed damage values weren't added for some moves.Character Balance ChangesUniversal Balance changes Fixed a bug where SP gauge spenders could sometimes be used even when the SP gauge was not quite full enough.Fixed a bug where in training mode, enemies hit by certain attacks would go through damage animations after their position was reset.Fixed camera issues in training mode and tutorial modeRyuko Matoi (Single-blade) Long-range dashLong-range ground attackGround breakAir break Fixed a bug where if the target's limit value was 0, further attacks would not change the limit value.Time up defeat Character size adjusted.Satsuki Kiryuin (Single-blade) Long-range ground attackLong-range airGround breakGround break attack Fixed a bug where if the target's limit value was 0, further attacks would not change the limit value.Long-range ground attack Added 25 to the limit value when the limit value was 200 or less with Ketsui Lv1 or higher. In addition,attacks other than mash cancels can now be chained under the circumstances above.Close-range ground 1 vert Adjusted the timing for long-range cancels.Close-range air attack Adjusted Ketsui Lv 1 and higher movement and close-range attack collision detection.Close-range special Fixed a bug where characters would move toward the center of the stage before the last attack after hit animations.Time up defeat Character size adjusted.Ira Gamagoor Close-range special (Whip throw finish) Fixed a bug where if the target's limit value was 0, an attack would not change the limit value.Time up defeat Character size adjusted.Uzu Sanageyama Action camera Adjusted camera behavior when Sanageyama is close to the screen.Break attack Fixed a bug where pursuit dash inputs were not registered during guard breaks and counter hits.Close-range air 1 The cancel route into a break was changed into a dash break.Fixed the cancel route during counter hits so that it is the same as during normal hits.Nonon Jakuzure Concussion shot Changed the timing so that when equipped, the shot fires at the start the action when performing a pursuit dash.Added horizontal tracking when the equipped shot is fired.Ground breakLong-range specialLong-range superSpecial break Fixed a bug where if the target's limit value was 0, further attacks would not change the limit value.Time up defeat Character size adjusted.Houka Inumuta Close-range ground cloak 2Close-range ground cloak 3Close-range air cloak Fixed a bug where if the target's limit value was 0, further attacks would not change the limit value.Long-range ground cloak 1Long-range ground cloak 2Long-range air cloak Fixed a bug where bunshin attacks would not activate when the target blocks the cube.Fixed an animation but with bunshin attacks.Air cloak break Adjusted behavior for close-range air attacks after pursuit hits.Special breakSuper break Damage is now displayed along with hit count during demo animations.Ragyo Kiryuin Special breakSuper break Fixed a bug where if the target's limit value was 0, further attacks would not change the limit value.Time up defeat Character size adjusted.Nui Harime Close-range air 2Dash break Fixed a bug where if the target's limit value was 0, further attacks would not change the limit value.Ryuko Matoi (Dual-wield) Close-range ground form 2Long-range ground form 1Long-range ground form 1Long-range air formLong-range special 2Long-range special 3 Fixed a bug where if the target's limit value was 0, further attacks would not change the limit value.Satsuki Kiryuin (Dual-wield) Air breakLong-range special Fixed a bug where if the target's limit value was 0, further attacks would not change the limit value.Air step cancel Fixed a bug where an update to increase attack power by 50% was not implemented correctly.Time up defeat Character size adjusted.Nudist Beach D.T.R Close-range ground 2 horizClose-range air 2 Fixed a bug where if the target's limit value was 0, further attacks would not change the limit value.All long-range attacks Additional damage from accumulated sticky shots now increases the combo count.The amount of accumulated sticky shots to deal additional damage adds up each time.However, at Ketsui Lv1 or higher, this count is reset.The amount of sticky shot hits are counted separately for Ketsui Lv0 and Ketsui Lv1 and higher.Close-range super Accumulated sticky shot hits are now reset after the animation is complete.Info from Gamespot.com

Compulsion Games isn't worried about losing creative freedom under Microsoft's banner as part of Xbox Game Studios. The development team behind We Happy Few actually asserts that the Microsoft acquisition has afforded them the chance to more easily focus on the studio's future."That's actually removed a lot of the focus from finding where we're going to find the next paycheck to actually concentrating on what is it that we need to make great games," founder and creative director Guillaume Provost said in The Cost of Joy, a documentary recounting the history of Compulsion Games. "I can be more forward-looking to what we actually need in order to actually succeed. And [there's] a huge difference from having a big backer like Microsoft that's allowing us our creative space and our creative freedom, from being an independent developer that's starving all the time and looking for money. Build the team not just for the next game, but for the next series of games.""Trying to maintain creativity inside an organization like Microsoft is not as hard as people think it is," producer Sam Abbott said. "It's really just about having a leadership group inside Microsoft that understands the value of creativity and creative games." Community developer Naila Hadjas added, "We have been told to keep making really weird, just different things. So, on the creative standpoint, it's just been all positive."Microsoft's decision to acquire Compulsion Games as a first-party studio was one the We Happy Few developers did not anticipate. "I don't think that ever crossed our mind," Abbot said. "We're spending a lot of time figuring out, do we think that we can raise the standards of quality of the games we're building--can we become a real first-party studio?" Hadjas thinks they are up to the task, citing the team's history with Gearbox as an example of Compulsion Games efficiently working with a larger studio. "Working with Gearbox prepared us to work with Microsoft in a lot of ways because we let them into our world and we learned to be very concise and precise with our feedback back and forth," she said.With the recent release of the We All Fall Down expansion, Compulsion Games has officially wrapped up We Happy Few. The game launched to mixed reviews--including ours here on GameSpot, where Alessandro Barbosa wrote, "[We Happy Few's] entire gameplay loop is underpinned by boring quests and long stretches of inaction. And even when it forces you to interact with its world beyond just walking to waypoints, combat, stealth, and otherwise fascinating societies fail to impose the right balance of challenge and tension."Despite the rough start, Compulsion Games' continued support for We Happy Few is commendable, and the bug fixes, updates, and DLC expansions have created a much better, more cohesive experience overall. With the game now complete, Compulsion Games is probably hard at work on an upcoming Xbox first-party title--which, based on the timing, is likely to release for Microsoft's next-gen console, Xbox Series X, which is scheduled to launch during the holiday season in 2020. Info from Gamespot.com

At long last, the Skywalker Saga has reached its conclusion--for now, at least. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is in theaters and fans are getting the opportunity to see how director JJ Abrams wrapped up a long-running story that was first started by George Lucas 42 years ago. In GameSpot's review of The Rise of Skywalker, Michael Rougeau wrote of the movie, "It should never be so clear to audiences that something in the filmmaking process has gone so terribly wrong--that the people who made the first film in a trilogy apparently didn't bother to sketch out a plan for the second and third, and that the movies' directors had visions for the series' future that were so fundamentally at odds."But how does it end? With so much at stake--and so many characters to wrap up--The Rise of Skywalker had a lot of ground to cover. Warning: The following contains major spoilers for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. If you haven't seen the movie and don't want any twists, turns, or surprises spoiled for you, do the smart thing and look away now. This is not the story you're looking for.If you want to know how each major character in the film ended their individual stories in The Rise of Skywalker, we have you covered. As for the ending of the film itself, there's quite a bit to unpack. The broad strokes are that the First Order and the Sith were ultimately defeated by Rey, who was revealed to be the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine.In a final showdown in the Sith temple on the planet Exegol, Rey used both Luke's lightsaber (his first, which originally belonged to Anakin), as well as Leia's--because it was revealed she also trained to be a Jedi--to deflect Palpatine's Force lightning, shooting it right back at him. In destroying him, though, she sacrificed her own life energy and died.That didn't last for long, naturally. After shedding his Kylo Ren moniker and the dark side of the Force, Ben Solo came to her aid and used their connection through the Force--which this movie decided is called a "Force dyad"--to give his life energy to her. She woke up long enough to kiss him, before he keeled over and died.Thus ended the battle of the Jedi and the Sith until the next time a movie about Jedi fighting Sith is released. The Rise of Skywalker didn't end there, though. Following the death of Palpatine and the destruction of the Sith temple, Poe Dameron commanded the resistance and its allies in eliminating the armada of star destroyers the Emperor had created, bringing an end to the First Order once and for all.After the Battle of Exegol, the resistance celebrated in their forest camp, as everyone realized they'd somehow actually won the war. This is the last time we see most of the franchise's major characters. It's Rey alone who figures into the final scene of the film.Some time after the battle and celebration, she found herself at the moisture farm Luke Skywalker grew up at on Tatooine. There, in the sand, she buried the lightsabers of Luke and Leia--her mentors--putting their spirits to rest. She also revealed a lightsaber of her own, powered by a yellow Kyber crystal. It's clear that Rey is not giving up on the way of the Jedi.At that point, a woman passed by, asking who she was. Rey offered a simple response as the final two words of the Skywalker Saga. "Rey Skywalker," she told the stranger.With that moment, Skywalker has officially risen. While Rey's bloodline may have a strong connection to the dark side of the Force, she chooses to align herself with those who taught her about the Force in the first place--the Skywalker twins.Now that you've been able to watch Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, don't forget to check out our massive compilation of Easter eggs from the film, as well as a look at the latest episode of The Mandalorian--the live-action Star Wars TV show on Disney+.Info from Gamespot.com

The holidays are nearly upon us, and Microsoft has revealed a slate of last-minute deals, in addition to the Xbox One's winter sale. Many of these discounts closely mirror what the Xbox One company had during Black Friday, so if you missed out, Microsoft is giving you a second chance.That means Xbox One X and S bundles are discounted by $150 and $100 respectively. However, now the Xbox One X bundles include a second controller at no additional charge. You can also grab an extra Xbox One controller for $10 off or get free engraving for a custom Xbox One Design Lab controller. Microsoft is also still offering its awesome Xbox Game Pass Ultimate deal, where new subscribers can get their first three months for $1. The subscription also includes one month of EA Access, three months of Discord Nitro, and six months of Spotify Premium--however, you do need to be a new Spotify subscriber to take advantage of that bonus.Of course, Microsoft has also discounted some of the best games from Xbox Game Studios. You can see those below or check out the full Xbox One winter sale. There are discounts on some of the best games of 2019, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, A Plague Tale: Innocence, and Resident Evil 2, in addition to Mortal Kombat 11, The Division 2, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.Forza Horizon 4 -- $36 ($60)Gears 5 -- $30 ($60)Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice -- $15 ($30)Sea of Thieves: Anniversary Edition -- $25 ($50)Xbox One dealsXbox One X console bundles - $350.Xbox One X bundles with free second controller | $350 ($500)The Xbox One X bundle deals are exactly the same as they were during Black Friday. However, these deals are slightly better, as they include a second free controller. You can grab any Xbox One X bundle for $350 from Microsoft, including the limited edition Gears 5 console, the special edition Hyperspace Xbox One X, and more.Gears 5 Limited Edition Xbox One X bundleNBA 2K20 Hyperspace Special Edition Xbox One X bundleStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Xbox One X bundle See all Xbox One X deals at Microsoft Xbox One S bundles - starting at $150.Xbox One S bundles | up to $100 offUnfortunately, the Xbox One S bundles do not include a second controller, but at $100 off, they're still a great deal. This includes both the All-Digital edition and Xbox One S consoles with disc drives.Gears 5 Xbox One S bundle -- $200 ($300)Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Xbox One S bundle -- $200 ($300)NBA 2K20 Xbox One S bundle -- $200 ($300)Xbox One S All-Digital Edition bundle -- $150 ($250) See all Xbox One S deals at Microsoft Xbox One controllers - Starting at $50Xbox One Wireless Controllers | $10 offThe Xbox One wireless controllers deal isn't quite as good as the Black Friday $20 off, but it's still a solid discount that's worth taking advantage of if you need an extra pad before the holidays. This deal applies to every single first-party controller available on Microsoft's website, except the Xbox One Elite options. Unfortunately, stock is limited, so the controller you're looking for may be sold out.Sport Blue Special Edition -- $60 ($70)Midnight Forces II Special Edition -- $50 ($60)Night Ops Camo Special Edition -- $60 ($70) See all Xbox One controller deals at Microsoft The Xbox One Design Lab lets you customize a controller by changing its color and adding rubber grips for an additional fee.Get free engraving with your Xbox One Design Lab controllerThere's currently no discount on Xbox One Design Lab controllers, but Microsoft is offering free engraving with every purchase--a $10 value. Xbox One Design Lab lets you customize the colour of every single part of the controller, and the engraving option lets you adorn it with any message you like. Make a Design Lab controller at Microsoft Info from Gamespot.com

Amazon's big-budget Lord of the Rings TV show has cast another one of its lead roles. According to Variety, His Dark Materials star Morfydd Clark has signed on to play a young Galadriel.Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett played an older Galadriel in the Peter Jackson-directed Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies.Clark is also known for her roles on Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Crawl. In 2020, she will star in the BBC's Dracula minisieres and The Personal History of David Copperfield with Dev Patel.Clark is just the latest to join Amazon's Lord of the Rings show. Other actors that will reportedly feature in the program include Maxim Baldry, Joseph Mawle, Markella Kavenagh, and Ema Horvath. Will Poulter, who starred in the Maze Runner series and Netflix's Bandersnatch, was lined up for a role before exiting the project. Amazon has yet to officially confirm any casting details for the show, however.Production on the untitled Lord of the Rings show is currently underway in New Zealand. According to reports, Amazon is pausing production of the Lord of the Rings TV show in New Zealand for about 4-5 months to give the writing team time to map out the recently announced Season 2.The new Lord of the Rings show is being written by JD Payne and Patrick McKay, with former Game of Thrones series producer Bryan Cogman also joining the team. Jurassic World: Forbidden Kingdom director JA Bayona is set to direct the first two episodes of Season 1.The Amazon show is set in the Second Age, but plot details are being kept under wraps for now. The Second Age was when the Elven city of Rivendell was developed, and when the first battle where men, elves, and dwarves fought together for the first time against Sauron.In other news, a new Lord of the Rings video game focused on Gollum is in development at Daedalic Entertainment, while a new Lord of the Rings MMO Is coming from Amazon. Info from Gamespot.com

We Happy Few was an experiment for developer Compulsion Games, and not an entirely successful one. The studio is open-eyed about its weaknesses, though, and talking openly about how it could apply the lessons learned to future projects."Things feel like they're gonna get a lot easier for us to succeed," Compulsion founder Guillame Provost told US Gamer. "If we don't make something much better than the last game, then something is uber-wrong with my direction for the studio."He said part of that also involves learning from colleagues at other studios and exploring best practices across developers."Our animation director, our technical director, our game designers are all kind of starting to plug into all the game directors and their peers at all the other studios," he said. "We're not going to all start making games that look like each other as a result, but we're going to be able to leverage each other's knowledge and experiences better."Finally, he suggested the studio thinking about what to do next, saying "there's a hunger in the studio to apply all the knowledge that we've acquired to a new universe."We Happy Few released its final piece of episodic story last month, prompting the studio to look back with a making-of documentary on the way. The initial reviews were poor, including GameSpot's own 4/10 review."There's a clear lack of direction that We Happy Few is never able to shake, which wastes its intriguing setting," Alessandro Barbosa wrote. "It does manage to weave each of its three stories cohesively into a larger tale, but it's also one that's never critical enough to earn the right to repeat "happiness is a choice" any chance it can. There are just too many hurdles to overcome to enjoy We Happy Few, and not enough Joy in the world to cast them aside."Info from Gamespot.com

A Quiet Place was one of the surprise hits of 2018--directed by actor John Krasinski and made on a modest budget of $20 million, it picked up rave reviews and grossed more than $340 million worldwide. Inevitably, a sequel is on the way--A Quiet Place Part II hits theaters in March, and the trailer is expected very soon. Ahead of that we have a first teaser.Not surprisingly the teaser is short, but it definitely sets the mood for the movie. We see main character Evelyn Abbott (Emily Blunt) and her two kids (Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe) creeping slowly down a woodland path. As in the first film, they need to keep completely silent so as not to get picked off by a monster--and they've got a map, so they've got a destination in mind. Check it out below:#AQuietPlace Part II. Trailer coming New Year's Day. pic.twitter.com/LrQtf6KZhI — Paramount Pictures (@ParamountPics) December 18, 2019The full trailer will be released on January 1. A Quiet Place Part II also stars Cillian Murphy, who reportedly plays "a man with mysterious intentions who joins the family unit," plus Djimon Hounsou. While Krasinski isn't acting in the movie, he has directed it once more.For now, we don't know too many details about the plot of A Quiet Place: Part II. However, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Krasinski did suggest that the movie might have a more expansive scope than the claustrophobic original. "I had this very small idea, and what it was is that this is a world you can play in," he said. "[It] isn't just a character to remake or a group of characters or a story. It's actually a world, which is a whole different, very unique experience."For more, check out GameSpot's guide to the biggest horror movies to watch in 2020.Info from Gamespot.com

Microsoft's newly announced next-generation console, Xbox Series X, had its formal unveiling during The Game Awards. As it turns out, the console's name is actually only "Xbox."A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed this to Business Insider. The "Series X" is meant to mark the fact that Microsoft may release additional next-generation Xbox SKUs in the future."The name we're carrying forward to the next generation is simply Xbox," a spokesperson said. "And at The Game Awards you saw that name come to life through the Xbox Series X. Similar to what fans have seen with previous generations, the name 'Xbox Series X' allows room for additional consoles in the future."One of the rumours floating around is that Microsoft is also working on a less-power, disc-free version of the new Xbox under the codename "Lockhart." However, Microsoft refused to be drawn into commenting on additional versions of the console coming down the line later."We're excited to offer fans a glimpse at the next generation of gaming with Xbox Series X," the spokesperson said. "But beyond that, we have nothing further to share."In our recent interview with Xbox boss Phil Spencer, he acknowledged that the new naming convention opens the door for additional versions of the system. "Obviously," Spencer said, "in the name 'Series X', it gives us freedom to do other things with that name so that we can create descriptors when we need to."The console releases in Holiday 2020 with Halo Infinite as a launch title. Series X's price hasn't been announced yet. For more on the Xbox Series X, check out everything we learned. Xbox Series X News Xbox Series X Price: Everything Microsoft Has Said About How Much It Will Cost Xbox Series X: Everything We Just Learned About Microsoft's Next-Gen Console Xbox Series X Exclusive Details: Say Hello To Microsoft's Next-Gen Console Inside The New Xbox Controller For The Series X Console Why You Can't Pre-Order Xbox Series X Yet Xbox Series X: Release Date, Specs, Price, And Everything We Know Info from Gamespot.com

2019 is coming to a close and it's time to reflect on the year that was. Nintendo has come up with a customizable way to go down memory lane, with a personalized Year in Review that compiles a ton of your play stats in a nice little package.The Switch Year in Review starts by going over when you began playing Switch, which isn't necessarily 2019. Then it transitions into statistics like your most played games this year, total hours and number of games played, your most heavily played days and months, and even the number of Gold Points you earned throughout the year. At the bottom it lets you download PDFs of different sets of stats, and then recommends a few games based on your play history.Steve Watts' most played gamesIt's a nifty tool for remembering the games that stood out to you over the year. Of course, it's also littered with advertisements for other games or hardware, like the Switch Lite and Ring Fit Adventure. Those ads don't seem based on your play history, as it displays ads for games that are already owned.For more on the last year in Nintendo Switch, check out our picks for the Best Switch Games of 2019. And be sure to read up on all of our Best of 2019 coverage, including our Game of the Year award winner, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Info from Gamespot.com

Rainbow Six Siege has turned into a long-term success for Ubisoft, and now the company is rearranging its leadership for future development. In an update called Passing the Torch, the team stressed that Siege is sticking around long-term, with new leadership mentored under the pair who steered it since launch.Those two game directors, Xavier Marquis and Alexandre Remy, are leaving to pursue other projects at Ubisoft. But before going, they trained a group of Siege developers to step into leadership roles as the new core team and had the new team in charge under their supervision for several weeks. Game director Leroy Athanassoff will be leading the project going forward.In a video, Marquis and Remy explained that their moves to steer Siege from launch to the game as it stands today was a transitional project, but now that it's running smoothly and continuously, they feel comfortable stepping back and appreciating it as fans. But that doesn't mean the game is going into maintenance mode, as Athanassoff commented on his own vision for the future of the project."This upcoming core team will cover all aspects of the game, the full scope of everything special about Siege. This is going to be one of the strengths of this core team. We will start expanding the 'game universes.' If you look at player experience, we need to stop thinking about exclusive features and start implementing inclusive features. What I mean, is that we need to deliver content that will impact every player and the whole community."The most recent seasonal update to Rainbow Six Siege was Shifting Tides, which added two more operators. The studio is also planning to bring the game to PS5 and Xbox Series X, and a separate team is currently working on Rainbow Six Quarantine, a PvE spin-off. Rainbow Six Siege News Rainbow Six Siege Development Team Changing To New Leadership Rainbow Six Siege Shifting Tides Update Is Live; Two New Operators Added Info from Gamespot.com

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has reached new heights. Activision announced that the game has reached $1 billion in revenue worldwide, with players collectively spending more than 500 million hours in the game's multiplayer mode. In total, nearly 300 million matches have been played.Modern Warfare has now surpassed every other Call of Duty this console generation in terms of hours played, hours per player, and average daily players over its first 50 days.The current-generation Call of Duty games have included:Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013)Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014)Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015)Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered (2016)Call of Duty: WWII (2017)and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (2018)Of note, Activision's sell-through numbers for Modern Warfare include physical units sold at retail and digital copies, with performance accounted for by Activision's estimates and other data.Modern Warfare's development was a massive undertaking. Development was led by Infinity Ward, which created the Modern Warfare sub-brand, with other Activision-owned studios contributing as well, including Beenox, High Moon Studios, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, and Activision Shanghai.The first big Modern Warfare update kicked off earlier in December with the Season One update which introduced new DLC maps and modes, all of which are free--and even more content is coming soon.Additionally, the new Fortnite-style Battle Pass--which costs $10 USD--is available now. It's not immediately clear if Activision's $1 billion sales estimate for Modern Warfare includes revenue from the Battle Pass and Modern Warfare's other microtransactions. GameSpot has contacted Activision in an attempt to get more details. Call of Duty News Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Gets New Content This Week New Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare Update Out Now; Full Patch Notes Listed Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare's Microtransactions Are Up--Here's What You Can Buy Everything New In Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare's New Season One Update Info from Gamespot.com

Amazon's ongoing holiday sale is offering shoppers a wide selection of great last-minute deals to buy before Christmas. If you have a Star Wars fan on your shopping list, one of today's deals will be of particular interest. Star Wars toys, Funko Pops, books, and more are steeply discounted until 12 AM PT / 3 AM ET. Amazon's sale states that Star Wars products are up to 30% off, but a number of the toys and collectibles are well over 50% off.Some of the highlights of the sale include a Millennium Falcon toy with Han Solo action figure, which is discounted from $100 to $50. You can also save on Rise of Skywalker-themed Pops like Poe Dameron, which drops from $11 to $5.94. Poe's X-wing Starfighter is only $14.35 (was $23), and Kylo Ren's TIE Fighter is $12.50 (was $23).A big selection of Star Wars books for all ages are seeing pretty great discounts, too. Star Wars: The Last Jedi The Ultimate Guide, which includes interviews and behind-the-scenes looks, is down from $20 to $6.30. The core rulebook for the Edge of the Empire tabletop game is slashed from $60 to $30.60.You can browse the full selection of Star Wars products in the sale at Amazon and check out our picks below. For more awesome Star Wars products, check out our Star Wars gift guide. See all Star Wars deals at Amazon Best Star Wars deals at AmazonStar Wars Force Link 2.0 Kessel Run Millennium Falcon with Han Solo Millennium Falcon with Han Solo Figure | $50 ($100)Complete with sound/light effects and a rumble feature, this Millennium Falcon toy comes with a Han Solo figure. It's normally $100, but it's 50% off right now. See at Amazon Poe Dameron Funko PopPoe Dameron Funko Pop | $5.94 ($11)Stylized after his look in Rise of Skywalker, this Poe Dameron Funko Pop is almost 50% off. See at Amazon Poe Dameron X-wing StarfighterPoe Dameron X-wing Starfighter | $14.35 ($23)While you can't tell by the image, this X-wing is built using 21 easy-to-snap-on pieces. See at Amazon Kylo Ren TIE FighterKylo Ren TIE Fighter | $12.50 ($23)Kylo Ren's TIE Fighter also needs to be assembled with 20 pieces. Again, the pieces simply snap together, making an easy building process. See at Amazon Star Wars Armada Core SetStar Wars: Armada Core Set | $44.02 ($100)This two-player tactical board game comes with three miniature capital ships and 10 (unpainted) fighter squadrons. Armada is played using 130+ cards, and each game lasts roughly two hours. See at Amazon Star Wars Force Link Battle on CraitStar Wars Battle on Crait Four-Figure Set | $8.20 ($25)Inspired by the Battle on Crait in The Last Jedi, this four-figure set comes with Rose, Rey, a First Order Gunner, and First Order Walker Driver. Each figure is 3.75 inches. This is a steal at roughly two bucks a figure. See at Amazon Black Series Biker ScoutThe Black Series Archive Biker Scout Action Figure | $13 ($20)Hasbro's Black Series boasts some of the best Star Wars action figures around. This 6-inch Biker Scout features full articulation and is on sale for seven bucks off. See at Amazon Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook Star Wars: Edge of the Empire - Core Rulebook | $30.60 ($60)If you know someone who likes tabletop (or if you like it yourself), the Edge of the Empire core rulebook is available for an excellent price. The core rulebook teaches you the ins and outs of the Star Wars-themed tabletop RPG. See at Amazon Star Wars Is Baby Yoda In Star Wars 9: The Rise Of Skywalker? Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Review - A Galactic Disappointment The Mandalorian Schedule: When Does Episode 7 Release On Disney Plus? Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker – Read Critics' Reactions The Mandalorian Episode 6: 13 Star Wars Easter Eggs And References You May Have Missed What It's Like To Ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance At Galaxy's Edge Best Baby Yoda Toys, Funko Pops, Shirts, And More What's Coming To Disney Plus Mid-To-Late December? New Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Footage Will Debut Inside Fortnite Very Soon 40 Star Wars: Rise Of The Resistance Photos - See Disney World's New Ride Info from Gamespot.com

2020 is almost here, so we've asked GameSpot's staff to share which games they're looking forward to most in the new year. New consoles are going to dominate the headlines, but at the end of the day it's all about the games, and there are a ton of exciting ones to look forward to. When you're done reading this entry, follow along with all of our other end-of-the-year coverage collected in our Best of 2019 hub and our Most Anticipated of 2020 hub.The end of the decade has been very, very good for the Ryu Ga Gotoku series. Yakuza 0 set Western audiences on fire and brought a whole new generation of fans into this insane series. Yakuza Kiwami gave us a good remake of the first game, and Yakuza Kiwami 2 gave us a great remake of the best game in the series (I will be taking no comments on this matter). Yakuza 3, 4, and 5 have remastered releases on the PS4. Judgment, a spin-off game in the same universe, gave us some great new characters.But most importantly, we got Yakuza 6, which marked the final chapter in the story of Kazuma Kiryu, the series' mainstay protagonist for some 15 years. It was an emotional farewell, and if you asked me at the time, I could've given you a bunch of ideas about where I thought the series would go next.I could never have predicted this. No one could have ever predicted this.The next game in the Yakuza series will feature new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga--that much we knew for a long while. What completely blindsided us, however, was the fact that Yakuza 7, officially titled Yakuza: Like A Dragon in the West, would completely do away with the series' real-time action combat mechanics in favour of a team-based, menu-based, and turn-based RPG battle system.Discreetly revealed as part of a 2019 April Fool's Joke, the combat system of Yakuza: Like A Dragon partly ties into Ichiban's love for Japanese role-playing games like Dragon Quest--so much so that the team at RGG Studio got permission from Square Enix to explicitly name-check the series in its own game. Fights will still be initiated by encountering hostile people on the street, but will transition into a screen that will be familiar to any JRPG fan--you'll find a turn order meter, a command menu, and vital stats like HP and MP for each person in your team. You'll be able to take advantage of things like elemental and area-of-effect damage, partner attacks, some absolutely wild summons, positioning and environmental factors, and an elaborate job system that gives you access to different fighting styles.It's absolutely wild, but it… kinda works? The Yakuza series has always had its absurdist side, and Like A Dragon seems to be using its new, more carefree protagonist as a license to lean a little more into that. Ichiban's story is steeped in a melodramatic tale of crime and betrayal of course--we've seen glimpses of Chinese Triads, the Korean Mafia, and right-wing nationalist groups--but Ichi seems to have an energetic, boisterous and childlike naivety to him which really puts a different spin on the perspective we're used to seeing.It also means that the transition to the wackier side quests and activities of Like A Dragon probably won't be as jarring as it was with our beautiful serious boy, Kiryu--we've already seen things like kart racing, karaoke, hostess clubs, pachinko machines, trash collecting, and a minigame where you try not to fall asleep while watching a movie.2019's Judgment showed us that RGG Studio could drop Kiryu completely and still create a compelling story with lovable characters. Now, I'm very keen to see whether it can drop the core mechanics it's also been leaning on for 15 years and still fly high. With the Japanese release looming, we're getting a ton of new information that we're trying our best not to spoil ourselves with, but the hype is too real. Let's go, Ichiban!Info from Gamespot.com