Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker hits theatres on Friday, December 20. Critics have seen the final entry in the Skywalker saga and reviews are filing in. On top of our Rise of Skywalker review, we've compiled some other opinions on the J.J. Abrams-directed sequel to give you an idea of what to expect during your own viewing.Unfortunately, The Rise of Skywalker is being called a disappointment by many critics. On Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently sits in the mid to high 50s. There are plenty of glowing reviews for the film, but this saga conclusion largely left critics dissatisfied with J.J. Abrams' direction.Check below for some The Rise of Skywalker review excerpts, and head over to GameSpot sister site Metacritic for more information and opinions on the final mainline Star Wars entry. We've also got the answer to what you're no doubt wondering: Is The Mandalorian's Baby Yoda in Rise of Skywalker? Look for much more coverage in the coming days.Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of SkywalkerDirected By: J.J. AbramsWritten By: J.J. Abrams, Chris TerrioStarring: Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Oscar IsaacRelease Date: December 20 (United States)GameSpot"In the end, it all feels simply empty. 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. Star Wars deserved better." -- Michael Rougeau [Full review]A.V. Club"Yet if Abrams preaches the importance of creating your own destiny, and of not letting your lineage determine it, the plot of The Rise OfSkywalker betrays that message: By the end, everyone has fallen into their proper place in the grand mythology, like the holo-chess pieces on the Millennium Falcon. What's the point in introducing so many interesting new characters and then pushing them through the blueprints of old adventures? It leaves you pining for a Star Wars movie that charts its own path, until you remember such a movie exists already, and it’s being all but retconned before your eyes. Save the sympathy for that billion-dollar blockbuster." -- A.A. Dowd [Full review]Comic Book"Missed opportunities for ambitious storylines aside, it's hard to deny the effectiveness of much of the film. Whether it be Poe and Rey butting heads about the condition of the Millennium Falcon and Lando commenting on Chewbacca's height putting a smile on your face, Leia's attempts to instill wisdom on members of the Resistance igniting an emotional reaction due to the real-world loss of Fisher, or the conflict of following the path of who you want to be instead of being the person you're told you are evoking philosophical questions, The Rise of Skywalker offers audiences a worthy and, at times exceptional, conclusion to the end of a 40-year journey, though the various missed opportunities will surely stick with some audiences longer than the film's accomplishments." -- Patrick Cavanaugh [Full review]CNET"After the audacious but divisive Last Jedi, Rise of Skywalker will probably be a litmus test for fans. The breathless rush to tick every box on the wish list will leave some cold and others in floods of tears from the moment the opening fanfare blares. Whether it works for you or not, what's not in doubt is that this is an ending as huge as this momentous movie saga deserves." -- Richard Trenholm [Full review]The Guardian"But if you’re going to do a send-off this huge, there are a lot of goodbyes to say, and a lot of loose ends to tie up. The fact that The Rise of Skywalker manages most of them and within a vaguely coherent story is something of an achievement in itself. This vast, hulking Star Destroyer of a franchise has become too cumbersome to pull off any genuinely nimble maneuvers, but at the same time, it never falls out of the sky. Partly that's a simple matter of momentum, but it is also a question of faith. Over its long history, Star Wars has acquired a mythic grandeur few movie franchises can ever hope to match." -- Steve Rose [Full review]IGN"[Rise of Skywalker's] heartstring-tugging moments, technical impressiveness, and relentless action will likely be enough for those fans who just want to keep the visor down on their blast shield helmets and let the Force flow through them. But for those who need some consistency and logic to the story in this elaborately detailed fictional galaxy, there will likely be the bittersweet pang of accepting that this long-running saga couldn't quite stick the landing. But even at its most divisive and imperfect, the Star Wars franchise has offered much to embrace and celebrate. This finale to the Skywalker Saga is, if nothing else, a tribute to that legacy." -- Jim Vejvoda [Full review]IndieWire"Over 40 years later, 'Rise of Skywalker' operates as if the only cinematic tradition at its disposal hails from a galaxy far, far away. At one point, a major character suffers from amnesia; by the end, the movie aims to make audiences feel the same way so it can go through the motions. The opening crawl warns that 'the dead speak!' Indeed, the ensuing 142 minutes encapsulate a franchise eager to resurrect ideas that should have died long ago." -- Eric Kohn [Full review]Variety"But in 'The Rise of Skywalker,' the fascism looms, for the first time, as something more real; it's what we're now facing. The film keeps repeating that though the forces of the First Order are actually outnumbered, those forces work to make the Resistance fighters feel isolated and alone, as if they had no power. And you'd better believe that's a pointed and timely statement. In its way, it's also a tip of the hat to George Lucas, who in the 'Star Wars' saga drew on the pop culture of the past to create a revolutionary new pop culture, and in doing so foresaw the future. Maybe more than he knew." -- Owen Gleiberman [Full review] Star Wars News Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Review - A Galactic Disappointment 40 Star Wars: Rise Of The Resistance Photos - See Disney World's New Ride The Mandalorian Episode 6: 13 Star Wars Easter Eggs And References You May Have Missed Star Wars Timeline: How To Watch It All In Order On Disney Plus Star Wars: Everything We Know About Every Movie And Show Announced So Far Info from Gamespot.com

Netflix is headed back to Eternia to explore the world and the lives of its inhabitants, and no, we're not talking about the Masters of the Universe: Revelation series of which Kevin Smith is the showrunner. Mattel TV and Netflix have announced another new series titled He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.A new CG animated series will be hitting the streaming service in the near future. The official synopsis for the series reads, "On the planet of Eternia, a young lost prince discovers the powers of Grayskull and transforms into He-Man, Master of the Universe! The classic battle between He-Man and evil Skeletor rages to new heights as both hero and villain forge new and mighty teams. A new generation of heroes fighting for the fate of us all. In the end, who will become Master of the Universe?"A new poster for the upcoming series was released, which you can check out below. It features the titular character holding up the Power Sword, completing his transformation from Prince Adam to the ever-powerful He-Man.He-Man coming soon to Netflix"Masters of the Universe is one of the most iconic global franchises of all time, with a 30-year history and a passionate fan base," explained Mattel's senior vice president of content distribution and business development Fred Soulie. "The entire team at Mattel is excited to introduce the world of He-Man to a new generation and, together with the talented team at Netflix, to reimagine the classic characters in a way that appeals to kids and families today, while also resonating with the fans who grew up with them." Netflix News What's New To Netflix This Week? Movies, TV, And Originals What's New On Netflix In January 2020 Best Things To Stream For December 2019 - Disney+, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video What's New To Netflix In December 2019? Movies, TV Shows, And Originals The newly-announced CG series will be executive produced by Adam Bonnett (Descendants), Christopher Keenan (Justice League, Batman Beyond), and Rob David (Masters of the Universe: Revelation, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Jeff Matsuda (The Batman, TMNT) and Susan Corbin (Voltron) will also serve as produces for the series, while animation will be provided by House of Cool and CGCG (Trollhunters).The new Masters of the Universe series is separate from the 2D anime series produced by Kevin Smith as well as the possible feature-length movie also rumored to be coming to Netflix as well.Info from Gamespot.com

Cadence of Hyrule, a rhythm-based Zelda spin-off, is still feeling the beat. The game has just received free DLC, Octavo's Ode, which is said to explore the "true intentions" of the villain Octavo and why he took over Hyrule.The new story content is available via a free update, so you don't need to head into the Eshop to download it from a list of content. Just update the game itself and Octavo's Ode will be playable. Octavo is the villain of the main campaign in Cadence of Hyrule, so this story looks to add more context to his evil ways.Cadence of Hyrule is a semi-sequel to Crypt of the Necrodancer, an indie action-RPG with a similar beat-based combat mechanic. Cadence of Hyrule was a surprise reveal for Nintendo Switch, and a rare instance of Nintendo lending out one of its most iconic franchises to an outside studio. The experiment worked as the game was well-received by most outlets--including GameSpot.In GameSpot's Cadence of Hyrule review, James O'Connor wrote, "Cadence of Hyrule is a fantastic Zelda game in its own right, even though it adopts the gameplay mechanics of another series. Beyond the aesthetics, it nails the satisfying sense of exploration and increasing power, and it revels in the joy of discovery, as all the best Zelda games do. It's an extremely successful melding of two great game series and an experience that makes you feel eager for Nintendo to do more interesting things with their major licenses."Info from Gamespot.com

It's the season of sales as retailers compete to offer the best deals for last-minute Christmas shoppers, and Amazon is offering some of the best holiday deals across not only gaming and tech but books, movies, and more. For fans of manga (or someone shopping for a manga fan this month), there's a particularly good sale at Amazon worth checking out. For a limited time, you can take advantage of a buy two, get one free promotion on manga, many of which are already discounted.First, let's clear up the confusing messaging on Amazon's store page for this sale. The limited-time offer is advertised as "buy three items, get one item free," but what they mean is that you need to add three items to your cart, and the cheapest item will be free.There are over 180 volumes of different manga series included in the sale, including some of the biggest series of recent years: My Hero Academia, Dragon Ball Super, One Punch Man, and more. Dr. Stone and The Promised Neverland, popular titles that represent how the shonen demographic is changing, are included as well. While you may not be able to pick up all the volumes of a given series, this is a nice chance to snag that volume you're missing or grab Volume 1 for a new manga you've been meaning to check out.It's worth noting Barnes & Noble is having a similar buy two, get one free sale on manga with many of the same deals, so check that out as well if you're missing any particular volume.See some of our picks below, and check out the full buy two, get one free sale on manga and books at Amazon. We've included the link for Volume 1 in our picks below (except where otherwise noted), but keep in mind you can also find additional volumes on sale for most of these. And if you're Christmas shopping, check out our best gift ideas for anime fans for more inspiration. See the full buy 2, get 1 free sale at Amazon Best manga deals at AmazonAttack on Titan Vol. 29 -- $10.50Boruto: Naruto Next Generations -- $10Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -- $8.68 ($10)Dragon Ball: A Visual History -- $24.88 ($35)Dr. Stone -- $10Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest -- $9.29 ($11)Fruits Basket Collector's Edition -- $19.62The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past -- $18.53 ($20)My Hero Academia -- $8.36 ($10)One-Punch Man -- $10The Promised Neverland -- $8 ($10)Sailor Moon -- $9.29 ($11)Tokyo Ghoul -- $10.42 ($13)Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition) -- $19.27 ($28)Your Name (light novel) -- $17.43 ($20) 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

With Xbox Series X--the official name of Project Scarlett--Microsoft is aiming to eliminate load times. To that end, the Xbox Series X is getting a significant hardware upgrade in comparison to the Xbox One."It's really about giving the developers the tools and the capabilities to use the hardware in the most efficient way possible," Xbox partner director of program management Jason Ronald told GameSpot in an exclusive interview. "A good example of that is on the [solid-state drive] side--we've basically reached the limit of [what's] possible with the traditional rotational drive. We're basically at the upper bounds of the raw performance we can get there. So we've invested in MVME SSDs and we're also giving developers a lot of new capabilities on top of that to try to virtually eliminate load times." 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 Ronald continued: "You know, whether that's a level-based game and I'm going from level one to level two, or if you think about a massive open-world game and actually want to fast-travel or teleport from one end of the world to the other, I shouldn't have to [have] this loading experience [that takes] me out of the immersion, and that's all possible with some of the investments we've made on the I/O side."Xbox Series X cuts down on latency too, which should benefit those who play competitive games--especially shooters and fighting games, where every frame can matter. "We partnered with HDMI Forum to bring gaming-centric features into the living room," Ronald said. "Things like 120Hz support, things like variable refresh rate, which has been available in the PC space for a while but it's never really been available in the living room--things like 8k capability."Faster load times and less latency will affect more than fast-traveling around large open worlds and playing competitive fighting games. Similar to the PS4's Dualshock 4, the Xbox Series X controller will have a share button that allows you to capture screenshots and record gameplay, which, according to Ronald, you'll be able to "instantly" publish. You'll apparently be able to run multiple games simultaneously too--allowing you to quickly hop back and forth between what you're playing without needing to wait for each one to load from scratch, not unlike what you're able to do with a single game on Xbox One or PS4 today."Those are things that we can do with the platform level to make the gaming experience just better," Ronald said. "It's really about ensuring there's less waiting and more time playing because that's ultimately what we all want to do." Info from Gamespot.com

Steam has revealed the system requirements for Capcom's Resident Evil 3 Remake. While the recommended requirements remain unknown, we've gathered the minimum specs necessary to run the game on PC.Turns out RE3 Remake's minimum PC specs are not too dissimilar from Resident Evil 2 Remake. If your machine had no problem running that game, then you should experience the same kind of performance since the two remakes share nearly identical requirements. It remains unclear whether the same can be said for the recommended requirements though, as those have yet to be published for RE3 Remake.Resident Evil 3 Remake Minimum System RequirementsRequires a 64-bit processor and operating systemOS: WINDOWS® 7, 8.1, 10 (64-BIT Required)Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-4460 or AMD FX™-6300 or betterMemory: 8 GB RAMGraphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 760 or AMD Radeon™ R7 260x with 2GB Video RAMDirectX: Version 11RE3 Remake leaked ahead of its official reveal during Sony's last State of Play for the year. Capcom showed off a few trailers following the game's announcement. We've also compiled a list of everything we know about the forthcoming remake, including a cameo and tie-in achievement in RE2 Remake.Resident Evil 3 Remake is now available to pre-order ahead of its April 3, 2020 release on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Doing so nets you some bonuses, including an exclusive Classic Costume Pack for Jill and Carlos. The remake will also include Project Resistance, a 4v1 asymmetrical online multiplayer experience.Info from Gamespot.com

As Christmas nears, retailers continue to roll out last-minute deals to entice shoppers who may not have checked everyone off their lists just yet. Barnes and Noble is one of those retailers, and you'll want to take notice if you're shopping for comic book reader. Graphic novels published by DC, Marvel, and Image Comics are buy two, get one free through December 30.Considering the sale includes books from three of the largest graphic novel publishers, there's obviously a lot to choose from. For those just getting into graphic novels, Alan Moore's groundbreaking Watchmen is a great place to start, especially with the excellent HBO series just reaching its conclusion.Marvel fans can enjoy a wide-ranging selection of books starring some of the most popular superheroes. For instance, you can grab Saladin Ahmed's Miles Morales: Spider-Man Vol. 1, which would make a great gift for fans of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Phase three of the MCU wrapped earlier this year, but you can relive the Infinity Saga in The Infinity Gauntlet, which tells a different story of the struggle with Thanos.There's also a number of Barnes and Noble-exclusive editions, including Batman: Damned, Superman: Year One, and DCeased, which chronicles the apocalypse in the DC universe.You can browse all of the Marvel, DC, and Image graphic novels in the buy two, get one free sale at Barnes and Noble. We've also handpicked some of our favorites below. For series, we've linked to volume one unless otherwise noted.Manga fans will also want to check out the buy two, get one free sale at Barnes and Noble, which is running until January 20. Amazon also has its own manga B2G1 free sale, which is live for a limited time. See all graphic novel deals at Barnes and Noble Best graphic novel deals at Barnes and Noble Batman: Damned -- $27 ($30)Batman: The Killing Joke -- $16.19 ($18)The Batman Who Laughs -- $27 ($30)Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet -- $15.29 ($17)Captain America by Ta-Nehsi Coates -- $16.19 ($18)Civil War -- $24.48Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe -- $13.55 ($15)DCeased -- $27.80 ($30)Fables: The Deluxe Edition -- $29.95Heroes in Crisis -- $27 ($30)The Infinity Gauntlet -- $22.49 ($24.49)The Magic Order -- $14.12 ($20)Miles Morales: Spider-Man -- $16.19 ($18)Monstress (signed copy) -- $45 ($50)Saga: Compendium One -- $54 ($60)Spider-Gwen: Greater Power -- $16.19 ($18)The Walking Dead Compendium -- $40.79 ($60)Watchmen -- $18.74 ($25)V for Vendetta -- $18 ($20)Y: the Last Man -- $18.91 ($20) 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

With only days before Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters, there are so many questions about how the Skywalker Saga will end. There are so many mysteries when it comes to how director JJ Abrams will wrap up the nine-movie franchise.One of those mysteries, thanks to Disney+'s The Mandalorian, is no doubt whether or not lovable scamp Baby Yoda will appear in the film. As the titular Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) finds himself in the middle of a surprising number of fights, battles, and near-death scenarios, the real breakout star of the series is the toy green puppet that looks an awful lot like the late Jedi Master we all know and love.Given that The Mandalorian is set after Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, it's entirely possible that Baby Yoda could appear, even in a cameo role. What's more, given that he was born the same year as Anakin Skywalker, it seems perfectly logical that he would have a tie to the bigger story of Star Wars.Does he pop up in the new movie, though? Unfortunately for fans of adorable puppets that also have magical powers, the answer is no. Baby Yoda is nowhere to be seen in the new film, which isn't exactly a surprise. After all, the show was filmed at the same time as the movie in different locations. Star Wars News Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Review - A Galactic Disappointment 40 Star Wars: Rise Of The Resistance Photos - See Disney World's New Ride The Mandalorian Episode 6: 13 Star Wars Easter Eggs And References You May Have Missed Star Wars Timeline: How To Watch It All In Order On Disney Plus Star Wars: Everything We Know About Every Movie And Show Announced So Far That said, it's entirely possible Baby Yoda--or other characters from The Mandalorian--could show up in future Star Wars films. At this point, we don't know what the next movies in the franchise will be about. All that's clear is that a second season of The Mandalorian is shooting now, while the animated series Clone Wars is returning, and an Obi-Wan Kenobi standalone series is being developed.Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is in theaters Friday. In his review of Episode IX, GameSpot's Michael Rougeau said the movie feels "empty." "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," he wrote.Info from Gamespot.com

Infinity Ward has released the full patch notes for the December 18 update for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. The update is pretty big, adding several new pieces of content and implementing numerous balance changes and bug fixes.In terms of what's new, the update adds three maps to the multiplayer rotation: Shipment, Vacant, and Winter Docks (the latter being a winter-themed variation of the Docks map). Long-time Call of Duty fans will recognize Shipment and Vacant as remakes of the same two maps from 2007's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. With the addition of these new maps, both Vacant and Shipment have been rotated into the 24/7 multiplayer playlist. Cranked mode has also been rotated in, as has Gunfight.The new update also adds a new Operator to Modern Warfare, Nikto. A former Russian FSB undercover agent, Nikto is an Allegiance Operator. Thanks to the update, you can also now jump into Special Operation Strongbox and classic Special Operations Disinform and Bomb Squad.The full patch notes for this update are long, too long to cover in any meaningful depth. Instead, the remaining bug fixes and balancing changes are outlined in bullet list form below. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC--if you haven't tried it, you may want to as the game has set new records as the most-played Call of Duty title this console generation. 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 Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare December 18 Update Patch NotesWhat's NewNew Operator: NiktoNew Maps ShipmentVacantWinter Docks (Winter themed Docks 2v2 map)Playlist Update Vacant and Shipment 24/7CrankedGunfight is backNew Special Operation! "Strongbox"New Classic Special Operation Missions! "Disinform" and "Bomb Squad"GeneralFix for a bug that could players to be stuck in a "Update requires restart" loopFix for a bug where creating a custom mode could prevent access to private match game mode optionsFix for players disconnecting and experiencing the "TURTLE" error codeFix for a bug where the green new notification icon was not clearing off the screen even though there weren’t any new items to viewImplemented fixes for various exploits and boosting techniquesFix for some players experiencing a drift while using an Xbox controllerFixed two bugs that could cause players to accidentally use multiple XP tokens due to a delay between clicking the button and confirmation on our endFixed an issue where Care Packages could fall through the roof of various buildings in PortFixed a bug where players were unable to swap Field Upgrades after selecting Field Upgrade ProAttempting to deploy the Weapon Drop Field Upgrade at the beginning of a round-based mode would result in the Field Upgrade becoming unusable until the player respawns. This has been fixedFixed a bug where all tablet-based killstreaks/Field Upgrades have a zoomed-in view when using on Aniyah PalaceMade some slight UI adjustments to the base and officer rank progression screens to both have similar designsFix for watches not appearing in modes with preset loadoutsAdded a new menu that allows players to launch a specific TrialFixed a bug that caused keybinds to reset to their default valuesFriend Request & Party Invite Notifications option will be set to Enabled by default after the patch. Players can disable that option through the Account tab of the Options menuImplemented several settings for the Auto-Sprint option (Always Sprint, Always Super Sprint)Added an Auto Move Forward feature for Keyboard and Mouse as well as Controller For Keyboard and Mouse, a keybind can be added in the Options menu via the advanced section of Move ForwardFor Controller, when this feature is enabled in the Options menu, it can be activated in game by pushing the movement stick forward twiceKeyboard and Mouse Improved navigation in the Store and Battle Pass menusAdded a Change Zoom/Toggle Hybrid Behavior gameplay option to change which keybind triggers the Change Zoom/Toggle HybridAudio Footsteps: reduced audible range of 3rd person footstepsIncreased occlusion on footstepsAdjusted various foley sounds that played at a larger range than footsteps during ADS/crouch movementsFix for air vehicles not occluding properlyGeneral occlusion adjustments to all air vehiclesFix for knife impact sounds missing from kill camsWeapons Adjusted hip spread for the .357 Snake Shot so it’s consistent regardless of stanceReduced flinch on the Kar98k, EBR-14, and MK2 CarbinePC Several fixes were implemented to prevent crashes and improve stabilitySpecial Operations: Survival Various exploit fixes Classic Special Operations: Fixed a bug where players were receiving inconsistent amounts of XPSpecial OpsFix for rank up UI splashes no working as intendedWhen using a Respawn Flare, no UI icon would appear on the minimap (Operation Harbinger)Fixed a bug where pistols were dealing too much damage against Juggernauts compared to other weapon classesIn Operation Crosswind, nearby enemies will not become alerted if a player uses a rocket launcher, causing the player to not break stealth. This has been fixedFixed a bug where players were able to go prone with the minigun if they get revived while having it equippedAdded the reward players could earn if completing an Operation within the playlist menuCall Of Duty LeagueReduced the lethality of non-car explosivesAdjustments to spawns for HardpointSearch and Destroy Fix for a bug where the defending team could see the bomb carrier objective iconWith the Weapon Pings on Minimap option is enabled, the bomb carrier would not show as a red dot on the minimap when shooting their weapon. This has been fixedCOD Caster Added an in-game data view to display various statsImplemented support for DominationInfo from Gamespot.com

The reviews for Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker are in. Unfortunately, it doesn't bode well for the ninth Star Wars film, as many critics felt disappointed with this conclusion. The same sentiment is echoed across the average scores on aggregators Rotten Tomatoes and GameSpot sister site Metacritic.Rise of Skywalker currently holds a 54 on Metacritic, with 50 published reviews factoring into the score at the time of writing. Of the 50 presently available, only 16 give the film a positive score of 63 or better. The 34 other reviews score the film negatively, handing it a rating of 60 or lower. Bookending the total number of reviews are two extremely positive (100) and two extremely negative (one 38 and one 30) ratings.Things don't look too different on Rotten Tomatoes, with Rise of Skywalker earning a 58%. Rotten Tomatoes includes far more reviews, with Rise of Skywalker receiving a whopping 145 entries. Of that number, 84 are considered "Fresh" while 61 are labeled "Rotten." The review aggregator's general consensus says the film "suffers from a frustrating lack of imagination, but concludes this beloved saga with fan-focused devotion."Rise of Skywalker is only rated higher than Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace on Metacritic, which scored a 51 since the time it released in 1999. The same is similar on Rotten Tomatoes, with Rise of Skywalker outscoring The Phantom Menace (53%) and the 2008 animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars (18%).We scored the film a 4/10 in our Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker review, saying, "In the end, it all feels simply empty. 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. Star Wars deserved better." Star Wars News Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Review - A Galactic Disappointment 40 Star Wars: Rise Of The Resistance Photos - See Disney World's New Ride The Mandalorian Episode 6: 13 Star Wars Easter Eggs And References You May Have Missed Star Wars Timeline: How To Watch It All In Order On Disney Plus Star Wars: Everything We Know About Every Movie And Show Announced So Far Info from Gamespot.com

Following the reveal of Microsoft's Xbox Series X, fans quickly noted that the design of the hardware itself lends itself to custom designs inspired by any number of games, brands, and products. Fans and brands alike created mock ups that showed what special editions might look like, and the results were promising.Now, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has responded on Twitter, saying that while Microsoft did not purposefully design the console with this in mind, he's happy about the opportunity for limited editions, wraps, and other custom creations."One thing we really like about the design is the ability to do do LE editions, wraps, custom etc. It wasn't a design criteria (that was all about the function of the console) but the result leaves a nice forward face for some creative opportunities," Spencer said.This is a taste of what's to come in 2020 from the @XboxPope Happy Christmas every one at @Halo #343industries the @Xbox #XboxSeriesX version, wishing you all the very best 2020 pic.twitter.com/0XPFvkzZdM — POPE (@XboxPope) December 18, 2019No official limited edition Series X consoles have been announced. The Halo Infinite mock-up above looks really nice, but it's too soon to say if Microsoft will go forward with anything like it. Microsoft also created a new Xbox controller featuring a Share button for the next-generation console.In other news, it was recently confirmed that the Xbox Series X name is referring to this super-powerful model alone; the actual name of the next-gen console is only "Xbox." Microsoft says this leaves open the possibility for the company to release other next-generation consoles with different names. One ongoing rumour is that Microsoft will also release a less-powerful, disc-free version of its next-generation console, though this has yet to be confirmed.For lots more on the Xbox Series X, check out GameSpot's extended interview feature, Xbox Series X Exclusive Details: Meet Microsoft's Next-Gen Console 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

The MMO Final Fantasy XIV has brought back its holiday Starlight Celebration event. It's live now and runs through Tuesday, December 31, consisting of quests and festive items. You can also obtain some of the previousy Starlight Celebration items in the seasonal shop. As usual with seasonal events, certain areas within home zones, like Gridania and Limsa Lominsa, will be decked with holiday decoration and festive tunes.According to the official site, you can find the NPC Amh Garanjy in Old Gridania to begin the level 15 seasonal quest "All I Want For Starlight." There are a number of seasonal items available including a Gobbue Wreath ready to devour your soul, Starlight Roll Cake, Choir Concert Advertisement, and Starlight de Chocobo Orchestrion Roll. The cutest may be the Saintly Barding, a festive bit of Chocobo armor that dresses your mount up in traditional Christmas colors, complete with a fluffy hood.Square Enix has steadily supported FFXIV over the years through expansions--most recently with the Shadowbringers expansion--since relaunching as A Realm Reborn in 2013. And a consistent stream of updates further support the game with the last major one being patch 5.1 that added a slew of content like the Nier Automata raid. It has been a success for Square Enix since then, and was even noted specifically as a top performer in the company's recent financial disclosures.You can read more on how Square Enix made Shadowbringers such a success, and catch up with our interview with FFXIV director and producer Naoki Yoshida.Info from Gamespot.com

The Game Awards 2019 was a big success. The show scored 45.2 million livestreams around the world, which is up 73 percent from the 26.2 million people who tuned in for 2018's show, organizers have announced.The numbers were announced in a tweet from The Game Awards, and it was also confirmed that the show will return in 2020. No dates were announced, but presumably it will be back in December 2020.The Game Awards, which are run by former GameSpot writer Geoff Keighley, began back in 2014 and have grown in viewership every year. Before that, Keighley organized the Spike Video Game Awards on traditional linear TV and then the VGX event in 2013 before the transition to The Game Awards.The numbers are in: #TheGameAwards delivered a record 45.2 Million livestreams this year, up 73% over last year's results. Thank you for watching and supporting video game's biggest night. We will see you in 2020! pic.twitter.com/gbVor2f92S — The Game Awards (@thegameawards) December 18, 2019Being a show on the internet, people had a lot to say--good and bad--about The Game Awards 2019. People criticized the show for having too many ads, but Keighley says he thinks the number of ads in 2019 was similar to 2018. He also pointed out that his team does not have final say in the ads that get shown, though he hopes this may change in the future.I'm pretty sure we had the same number of ads this year as in past years of TGA. But I guess it felt different to you? Appreciate the feedback, but we're not lucky enough to get to personally select and curate every ad the runs. Maybe one day. — Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) December 18, 2019Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice took home the overall Game of the Year award at the show this year, while Disco Elysium was also a big winner--it took home all four awards it was nominated for. In addition to awards, the event featured a lot of big news. The biggest and most unexpected announcement was the Xbox Series X, which is Microsoft's next-generation console coming in 2020.The bands Green Day and Chvrches performed at The Game Awards, while Grimes also played. The Game Awards How Xbox One X Empowered Microsoft To Create Xbox Series X The Game Awards: Gears Of War Strategy Game Gears Tactics Gets A Release Date, Trailer PS4 Exclusive Ghost Of Tsushima Release Window Revealed At The Game Awards Magic Legends, Action-MMO From Neverwinter Devs, Announced At Game Awards Apex Legends Is Getting A Mirage-Themed, Christmas Event Called Holo-Day Bash The Forest Sequel Sons Of The Forest Announced At The Game Awards Xbox Series X: Everything We Just Learned About Microsoft's Next-Gen Console Inside The New Xbox Controller For The Series X Console Warframe's Ship Combat Expansion Empyrean Is Out Now On PC Bravely Default 2 (Not To Be Confused With Bravely Second) Announced At The Game Awards Info from Gamespot.com

With the rise of digital downloads and monthly subscriptions like Xbox Game Pass, physical game rentals may soon be going the way of Blockbuster. One of the biggest companies still doing physical rentals, Redbox, announced earlier this month that it will no longer offer game rentals at its kiosks, and physical game sales will only be available through the end of the year, according to CNET. Redbox will still offer movie rentals.In a recent tweet, Redbox customer service explained the decision was made after evaluating "changes in the industry," which led it to shift its full focus to physical movies, which is the bulk of its business anyway.Now, Redbox is clearing out its stock of games with a massive games sale with some of the best prices available online, including Marvel's Spider-Man for $10, Death Stranding for just $25, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare for $30. Most of the prices aren't immediately visible, as you'll need to enter your zip code first to see if it's in stock near you.Enter your zip code, and you'll be shown the deal price if it's in stock.Here are some of the best game deals we were able to verify. While Redbox shows Nintendo Switch games on its site, only PS4 and Xbox One games appear to be available. Keep in mind stock will vary based on your location, and you'll have to pick up the game at your local Redbox.Best game deals at RedboxAssassin's Creed Odyssey -- $15Borderlands 3 -- $18Call of Duty: Modern Warfare -- $30Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled -- $15Days Gone -- $20Death Stranding -- $25Devil May Cry 5 -- $12The Division 2 -- $10The Evil Within 2 -- $7Fallout 76 -- $8Far Cry New Dawn -- $13Gears 5 -- $18Injustice 2 -- $12Kingdom Hearts 3 -- $12Madden NFL 20 -- $15Marvel's Spider-Man -- $10Metro Exodus -- $13MLB The Show 19 -- $13Mortal Kombat 11 -- $18NBA 2K20 -- $15Resident Evil 2 -- $15Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order -- $25Wolfenstein: Youngblood -- $12 See all games on sale at Redbox 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

PC games have gotten a heck ton of different winter sales, including ones from GOG and Green Man Gaming, but now it's the Xbox One's turn. Microsoft has kicked off the Xbox One's digital holiday sale, which includes a lot of this year's best games, including recent releases like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Borderlands 3.Other discounted recent releases include Gears 5, Ghost Recon Breakpoint, and Need For Speed Heat. Some of GameSpot's best games of 2019 are also featured in the sale, such as A Plague Tale: Innocence, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Resident Evil 2.A lot of the winter sale's featured games are discounted even further for those with Xbox Live Gold subscriptions. Gold is included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which is also currently on sale--you can get six months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for only $40, the regular price for three months. The Division 2 is discounted to $18 for non-subscribers, while Gold members can grab it for $12. There are some really great Gold discounts, so be sure to check out the games you're interested in to see if you can get a better deal.We've collected some of the best deals available during the Xbox One's winter games sale. You can see those in the list below, and if you're interested, check out the full winter sale on the Xbox Games Store.Best Xbox One game dealsA Plague Tale: Innocence -- $30 ($50)Assassin's Creed Odyssey -- $19.79 ($60)Borderlands 3 -- $39 ($60)Call of Duty: Modern Warfare -- $45 ($60)Dead Cells -- $18.74 ($25)The Division 2 -- $18 ($60)Dragon Ball FighterZ -- $19.79 ($60)Far Cry New Dawn -- $20 ($40)FIFA 20 -- $36 ($60)Forza Horizon 4 -- $36 ($60)Gears 5 -- $30 ($60)Generation Zero -- $21 ($30)Ghost Recon Breakpoint -- $24 ($60)Hitman 2 -- $19.79 ($60)Jump Force -- $30 ($60)Madden NFL 20 -- $36 ($60)Mortal Kombat 11 -- $30 ($60)NBA 2K20 -- $30 ($60)Need For Speed Heat -- $39 ($60)No Man's Sky -- $25 ($50)Overwatch: Legendary Edition -- $24 ($60)Playerunknown's Battlegrounds -- $13 ($20)Rage 2 -- $24 ($60)Rainbow Six Siege Deluxe Edition -- $13.19 ($40)Red Dead Redemption 2 -- $36 ($60)Resident Evil 2 -- $19.79 ($60)Sea of Thieves: Anniversary Edition -- $25 ($50)Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice -- $45 ($60)Star Wars Battlefront 2 -- $15 ($25)Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order -- $54 ($60)Trials Rising -- $12.50 ($25)Void Bastards -- $24 ($30)The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt -- $12 ($40)World War Z -- $20 ($40)Info from Gamespot.com