Microsoft had a major showing at The Game Awards 2019: the official reveal of its next-gen console, Xbox Series X. But the studio had games to show off too, such as The Coalition's upcoming strategy game, Gears Tactics. A new trailer was revealed at The Game Awards, and the gameplay looks remarkably like an XCOM game.Though it was announced at E3 2018, The Game Awards represented our first real look at the game. The trailer for Gears Tactics shows that you'll send Gears into battle against a host of Locust creatures, suggesting it's set during the original Gears trilogy and the war against the Locust, rather than during the time period established in Gears of War 4 and Gears 5. Check out the trailer below.It's a different approach to that war than we're used to, but Gears Tactics isn't going to skimp on your opportunities to fight for Sera--according to the trailer, it packs a story campaign of 40 hours or more.It also looks like you can also expect to customize your Gears with various weapons and cosmetic items, so like in the main series, it seems like which weapons you give your Gears will affect their roles and abilities in battle. Gears Tactics is set to release on Xbox One and PC with Windows 10 and Steam, and will launch on Xbox Game Pass, on April 28, 2020. The Game Awards 2019 News The Game Awards Winners Revealed Here Goodbye, Project Scarlett, Hello Xbox Series X - Exclusive First Look And Interview Game Awards 2019 News: Next-Gen Xbox Series X, Hellblade 2, And More Apex Legends Is Getting A Mirage-Themed, Christmas Event Called Holo-Day Bash Xbox Series X: Everything We Just Learned About Microsoft's Next-Gen Console Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Game Awards Trailer Focuses On Cloud's Personality Info from Gamespot.com

At The Game Awards, a new trailer for the upcoming open-world MMO New World was revealed--Amazon's first large-scale online game--took to the stage to announce that the game will launch May 2020. Developed by Amazon Games Studios, formerly Double Helix Games, New World is set in a high-fantasy setting taking inspiration from the age of exploration in North America from the 17th century. Set on a mysterious island known as Aeternum, you play as settlers venturing to establish a foothold and uncover the mysteries of what happened in this strange land filled with undead monsters and relics of an ancient civilization.It's been a while since we last heard from New World. Earlier this year, we got the chance to get an early look at the game, which showcased much of the game's exploration, combat, and base-building mechanics. According to the developers in an interview before the reveal at The Game Awards, they wanted to retool mechanics of the game following an extended alpha test period. With its release coming to Amazon and on Steam, the developers want the game to be available to as many players possible.In familiar MMO fashion, you'll take your created character and venture forth into the land, exploring the different open-world regions at your leisure. While MMOs mostly have you take part in group-oriented tasks, you can tackle much of your adventures on your own, which includes taking on quests, exploring dungeons, and crafting goods. But if partner up with others, you can take part in large-scale conflicts with up to 100 players fighting on a battlefield or engaging in siege-combat. By forming companies with other players, you can build strongholds in different regions of Aeternum. The Game Awards 2019 News The Game Awards Winners Revealed Here Goodbye, Project Scarlett, Hello Xbox Series X - Exclusive First Look And Interview Game Awards 2019 News: Next-Gen Xbox Series X, Hellblade 2, And More Apex Legends Is Getting A Mirage-Themed, Christmas Event Called Holo-Day Bash Xbox Series X: Everything We Just Learned About Microsoft's Next-Gen Console Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Game Awards Trailer Focuses On Cloud's Personality In a press release, vice president of Amazon Games stated the following: “We want our players to feel the depth—and the danger—of New World from the moment they step onto the shores of Aeternum in May 2020. Our team has been working tirelessly to create a deep, immersive world that delivers challenges and surprises at every turn, and we’re so excited to reveal a bit more of it today.”It's also important to note that Amazon Games Studios has another MMO in the works, which will be set in the realm of Middle Earth. Announced last July, this Lord of the Rings MMO will be free-to-play and will be developed by Leyou Technologies and Athlon Games.For more on the latest reveals and award winners from The Game Awards, be sure to stick with GameSpot for more info as it comes.Info from Gamespot.com

Beat Saber now has a new Green Day music DLC pack that adds six tracks from the band's career. The DLC was announced during The Game Awards, where Green Day also performed.After opening with their 1994 hit Welcome to Paradise, the band played Father of All..., the titular song from their upcoming album, while footage of the song being played in Beat Saber was projected behind them. Beat Saber DLC was announced immediately after, bringing six songs-- a mix iconic hits and new singles from Father of All..., their upcoming album due in February--to all platforms. The Game Awards 2019 News The Game Awards Winners Revealed Here Goodbye, Project Scarlett, Hello Xbox Series X - Exclusive First Look And Interview Game Awards 2019 News: Next-Gen Xbox Series X, Hellblade 2, And More Apex Legends Is Getting A Mirage-Themed, Christmas Event Called Holo-Day Bash Xbox Series X: Everything We Just Learned About Microsoft's Next-Gen Console Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Game Awards Trailer Focuses On Cloud's Personality It'll feature the following six songs:Fire, Ready, AimFather of All…American IdiotHolidayBoulevard of Broken DreamsMinorityThe pack will release on December 13 at 12:01am PST.Beat Saber developer Beat Games was recently bought by Facebook. In November, DLC featuring music from Rocket League was released.Info from Gamespot.com

Another Riot Forge game was announced at The Game Awards, Convergence: A League of Legends Story. Convergence is a single-player, action platformer that allows you to manipulate time as Ekko--a League of Legends' character who's nicknamed the Boy Who Shattered Time.As his nickname suggests, all of Ekko's abilities in League of Legends allow him to control time in some capacity, whether that's speeding up his own time to increase his speed or creating alternate timelines to slow down enemies in alternate realities.The other Riot Forge game announced is Ruined King: League of Legends Story, which focuses on multiple characters. Storywise, Ruined King takes place after League of Legends' Burning Tides event. We don't know much else about the game, other than that it's in development for consoles and PC and, according to Airship Syndicate CEO Joe Madureira, it will feature a "new take on turn-based combat that's really cool."Riot Forge is the relatively new venture into video game publishing for Riot Games, the developer behind League of Legends. The purpose of Riot Forge is to find and partner with third-party studios to develop new single-player, story-driven games that are set in the Runeterra universe, the setting of League of Legends. Ruined King and Convergence are the first two games announced by the new publisher. The Game Awards 2019 News The Game Awards Winners Revealed Here Goodbye, Project Scarlett, Hello Xbox Series X - Exclusive First Look And Interview Game Awards 2019 News: Next-Gen Xbox Series X, Hellblade 2, And More Apex Legends Is Getting A Mirage-Themed, Christmas Event Called Holo-Day Bash Xbox Series X: Everything We Just Learned About Microsoft's Next-Gen Console Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Game Awards Trailer Focuses On Cloud's Personality Info from Gamespot.com

Surgeon Simulator is getting a sequel. Surgeon Simulator 2 has been announced at The Game Awards 2019, alongside a fun trailer of a patient's face being thrown between an assembly line of surgeons.The game is due out in 2020, and you can watch the trailer below. It seems to be hinting at co-op surgery.You can register for updates on the game's official site, which promises that "this electrifying sequel injects a delirious dose of adrenaline straight into the heart of the original, cranking everything up to a whole new level." It also drops another multiplayer hint: "expect a handful (or four?) of surprises along the way!"In fact, digging a little further, the press section of the site promises co-op play and an expanded set of mechanics. "Surgery will, of course, remain at the heart of the experience, but as the trailer suggests, Surgeon Simulator 2 will be a vastly expanded offering promising true co-operation, at the very least."Platforms have not been announced at this time.Info from Gamespot.com

The Game Awards 2019 has brought an exciting announcement for fans of The Wolf Among Us, the 2013 graphic novel adventure developed by Telltale Games. The studio, which shut down in 2018 and was revived by a company called LCG Entertainment this year, has partnered with AdHoc Studio to develop a new installment of the episodic adventure, The Wolf Among Us 2, which will be available on consoles and the Epic Games Store. The game is still in pre-production, so no release date has been confirmed at this time.To celebrate the announcement, the Epic Games Store is currently offering The Wolf Among Us for free now through December 19. If you never experienced The Wolf Among Us when it first released or want to relive the adventure, this is an excellent chance to pick it up. As with all of Epic's weekly free games, all you need is a free Epic account to add it to your library, and it'll be yours to keep forever. While you're at it, you can also snag prison escape sim The Escapists for free this week as well.The Wolf Among Us is a classic of the narrative-driven episodic game genre and a must-play for fans of story-heavy adventures. Played from a third-person perspective, The Wolf Among Us is set in a world where fairytale characters live disguised as humans in a community called Fabletown. The game follows Bigby Wolf, the sheriff of Fabletown, who is investigating a murder. While investigating and interrogating other characters, you'll make decisions that will influence the course of events. The game's cast includes classic characters like Snow White and Mr. Toad, but the story ties them all together in fresh and unexpected ways.The game earned an 8/10 in GameSpot's The Wolf Among Us review of episode 1. "This premise may seem weird--corny, even--but like the comics that inspired it, The Wolf Among Us maintains a steady noir tone that permeates the experience, only occasionally allowing humor to bubble to the surface," wrote Kevin VanOrd."There are nods to the world's inherent ridiculousness; Bigby's preferred brand of smokes is Huff'n'Puff, for instance, and you get a glimpse of a shop called the Glass Slipper Shoe Store. But while you'd think that the sight of a porky pig sliding out of an oversized easy chair would be good for a laugh, I was instead struck by the hog's weariness as he shifted his tired bones into gear and slumped in the corner. 'Happily ever after' is a myth, even for fables, and The Wolf Among Us takes every opportunity to weigh down every reference to the delightful tales of our childhoods with emotional bricks." Get The Wolf Among Us free on Epic The Game Awards 2019 News The Game Awards Winners Revealed Here Goodbye, Project Scarlett, Hello Xbox Series X - Exclusive First Look And Interview Game Awards 2019 News: Next-Gen Xbox Series X, Hellblade 2, And More Apex Legends Is Getting A Mirage-Themed, Christmas Event Called Holo-Day Bash Xbox Series X: Everything We Just Learned About Microsoft's Next-Gen Console Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Game Awards Trailer Focuses On Cloud's Personality Info from Gamespot.com

The Game Awards 2019 took place on Thursday evening in Los Angeles, celebrating the year's biggest and best games. Below, we've rounded up all of the award winners in each category, but it's Bloodborne developer From Software that took home the overall Game of the Year award for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.The other nominees were Control, Death Stranding, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Resident Evil 2, and The Outer Worlds. Sekiro also won Best Action/Adventure game for 2019.The acclaimed PC RPG Disco Elysium was also a big winner at The Game Awards. It was nominated for four awards and won them all--including Best Narrative Game, Best Independent Game, Best RPG, and Fresh Indie Game.You can see the full list of categories, nominees, and winners below. Meanwhile, our own Best Of 2019 awards are ongoing, and Sekiro and Dico Elysium are among the nominees for our Game of the Year award.The Game Awards 2019 broadcast also brought with it a lot of news, including the reveal of Microsoft's Xbox Series X. This is the company's next-generation console previously known as Project Scarlett. The system goes on sale in Holiday 2020 with Halo Infinite releasing as a launch title. The Game Awards 2019 News The Game Awards Winners Revealed Here Goodbye, Project Scarlett, Hello Xbox Series X - Exclusive First Look And Interview Game Awards 2019 News: Next-Gen Xbox Series X, Hellblade 2, And More Apex Legends Is Getting A Mirage-Themed, Christmas Event Called Holo-Day Bash Xbox Series X: Everything We Just Learned About Microsoft's Next-Gen Console Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Game Awards Trailer Focuses On Cloud's Personality The Game Awards 2019 Categories And WinnersGame of The YearControl (Remedy/505 Games)Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/SIE)Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Bandai-Namco/Sora/Nintendo)Resident Evil 2 (Capcom/Capcom)Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (From Software/Activision)The Outer Worlds (Obsidian/Private Division)Best Game DirectionControl (Remedy/505 Games)Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/SIE)Resident Evil 2 (Capcom/Capcom)Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (From Software/Activision)Outer Wilds (Mobius Digital/Annapurna)Best NarrativeA Plague Tale: Innocence (Asobo/Focus Home)Control (Remedy/505)Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/SIE)Disco Elysium (ZA/UM)The Outer Worlds (Obsidian/Private Division)Best Art DirectionControl (Remedy/505)Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/SIE)Gris (Nomada Studio/Devolver)Sayonara Wild Hearts (Simogo/Annapurna)Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (From Software/Activision)The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Grezzo/Nintendo)Best Score/MusicCadence of Hyrule (Brace Yourself Games/Nintendo)Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/SIE)Devil May Cry 5 (Capcom)Kingdom Hearts III (Square Enix)Sayonara Wild Hearts (Simogo/Annapurna)Best Audio DesignCall of Duty: Modern Warfare (Infinity Ward/Activision)Control (Remedy/505)Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/SIE)Gears 5 (The Coalition/Xbox Game Studios)Resident Evil 2 (Capcom)Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (From Software/Activision)Best PerformanceAshly Burch as Parvati Holcomb, The Outer WorldsCourtney Hope as Jesse Faden, ControlLaura Bailey as Kait Diaz, Gears 5Mads Mikkelsen as Cliff, Death StrandingMatthew Porretta as Dr. Casper Darling, ControlNorman Reedus as Sam Porter Bridges, Death StrandingGames for ImpactConcrete Genie (Pixelopus/SIE)Gris (Nomada Studio/Devolver)Kind Words (Popcannibal)Life is Strange 2 (Dontnod/Square Enix)Sea of Solitude (Jo-Mei Games/EA)Best Ongoing GameApex Legends (Respawn)Destiny 2 (Bungie)Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)Fortnite (Epic Games)Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)Best Independent GameBaba Is You (Hempuli)Disco Elysium (ZA/UM)Katana ZERO (Askiisoft/Devoler Digital)Outer Wilds (Mobius Digital/Annapurna)Untitled Goose Game (House House/Panic)Best Mobile GameCall of Duty: Mobile (TiMi Studios/Activision)Grindstone (Capybara Games)Sayonara Wild Hearts (Simogo/Annapurna)Sky: Children of Light (Thatgamecompany)What the Golf? (Tribland)Best Community SupportApex Legends (Respawn/EA)Destiny 2 (Bungie)Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)Fortnite (Epic Games)Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)Best VR/AR GameAsgard's Wrath (Sanzaru Games/Oculus Studios)Blood & Truth (SIE London Studio/SIE)Beat Saber (Beat Games)No Man's Sky (Hello Games)Trover Saves the Universe (Squanch Games)Best Action GameApex Legends (Respawn/EA)Astral Chain (Platinum Games/Nintendo)Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (Infinity Ward/Activision)Devil May Cry 5 (Capcom/Capcom)Gears 5 (The Coalition/Xbox Game Studios)Metro Exodus (4A Games/Deep Silver)Best Action/Adventure GameBorderlands 3 (Gearbox/2K)Control (Remedy/505 Games)Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/SIE)Resident Evil 2 (Capcom)The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Grezzo/Nintendo)Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (From Software/Activision)Best RPGDisco Elysium (ZA/UM)Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)Kingdom Hearts III (Square Enix)Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (Capcom)The Outer Worlds (Obsidian/Private Division)Best Fighting GameDead or Alive 6 (Team Ninja/Koei Tecmo)Jump Force (Spike Chunsoft/Bandai Namco)Mortal Kombat 11 (NetherRealm/WBIE)Samurai Showdown (SNK/Athlon)Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Bandai Namco/Sora/Nintendo)Best Family GameLuigi's Mansion 3 (Next Level Games/Nintendo)Ring Fit Adventure (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)Super Mario Maker 2 (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Bandai Namco/Sora/Nintendo)Yoshi's Crafted World (Good-Feel/Nintendo)Best Strategy GameAge of Wonders: Planetfall (Triumph Studios/Paradox)Anno 1800 (Blue Byte/Ubisoft)Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Intelligent Systems/Koei Tecmo/Nintendo)Total War: Three Kingdoms (Creative Assembly/Sega)Tropico 6 (Limbic Entertainment/Kalypso Media)Wargroove (Chucklefish)Best Sports/Racing GameCrash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (Beenox/Activision)DiRT Rally 2.0 (Codemasters)eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 (PES Productions/Konami)F1 2019 (Codemasters)FIFA 20 (EA Sports)Best Multiplayer GameApex Legends (Respawn/EA)Borderlands 3 (Gearbox/2K)Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (Infinity Ward/Activision)Tetris 99 (Arika/Nintendo)Tom Clancy's The Division 2 (Massive Entertainment/Ubisoft)Fresh Indie GameZA/UM for Disco ElysiumNomada Studio for GrisDeadToast Entertainment for My Friend PedroMobius Digital for Outer WildsMega Crit for Slay the SpireHouse House for Untitled Goose GameContent Creator of the YearJack "Courage" DunlopBenjamin "Dr. Lupo" LupoSoleil "Ewok" WheelerDavid "Grefg" MartínezMichael "Shroud" GrzesiekBest Esports GameCounter-Strike: Global Offensive (Valve)DOTA2 (Valve)Fortnite (Epic Games)League of Legends (Riot Games)Overwatch (Blizzard)Best Esports PlayerKyle "Bugha" Giersdorf (Immortals, Fortnite)Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok (SK Telecom, League of Legends)Luka "Perkz" Perkovic (G2 Esports, League of Legends)Oleksandr "S1mple" Kostyliev (Natus Vincere, CSGO)Jay "Sinatraa" Won (SF Shock, Overwatch)Best Esports TeamAstralis (CS:GO)G2 Esports (LOL)OG (DOTA2)San Francisco Shock (OWL)Team Liquid (CS:GO)Best Esports Event2019 Overwatch League Grand FinalsEVO 2019Fortnite World CupIEM Katowice 2019League of Legends World Championship 2019The International 2019Best Esports CoachEric ‘adreN’ Hoag (Team Liquid, CS:GO)Nu-ri ‘Cain’ Jang (Team Liquid, LOL)Fabian ‘GrabbZ’ Lohmann (G2 Esports, LOL)Kim ‘Kkoma’ Jeong-gyun (SK Telecom T1, LOL)Titouan ‘Sockshka’ Merloz (OG, DOTA2)Danny ‘Zonic’ Sørensen (Astralis, CSGO)Best Esports HostEefje "Sjokz" DepoortereAlex "Machine" RichardsonPaul "Redeye" ChalonerAlex "Goldenboy" MendezDuan "Candice" Yu-ShuangInfo from Gamespot.com

Microsoft has revealed that Ori and the Will of the Wisps will have a Collector's edition for the Xbox One version when it launches on February 11. The Will of the Wisps releases for PC the same day, but it won't have a physical version.The Collector's edition includes a game disc, an art book, the Piano Collections soundtrack on CD, a golden feather Steelbook-brand case, and an MP3 download of the original soundtrack. The digital soundtrack's download must be redeemed by February 11, 2021. Unfortunately, no price has been announced. We'll keep an eye out for that and when pre-orders go live and update this article with the proper links.Ori and the Will of the Wisps comes on a physical disc, but Microsoft says you will need up to 30 GB of storage--though this is subject to change. Will of the Wisps will feature 4K Ultra HD support on Xbox One X, in addition to HDR on both the Xbox One S and X.Ori and the Will of the Wisps is also coming to Xbox Game Pass for console and PC on day one, so if you're a subscriber, you won't need to pay anything extra to enjoy the game. It hits both Xbox One and PC on February 11. For more information on Microsoft's subscription service, check out our Xbox Game Pass guide.Info from Gamespot.com

There were several announcements made during The Game Awards 2019, one of which included a reveal trailer for a licensed game from the Fast And Furious movie franchise. The game is called Fast And Furious: Crossroads and it looks to be a mix of races, car chases, action, and drama. Character models have the likeness of some of its characters such as Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez).The game will be coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in May 2020. It's being developed by Slightly Mad Studios--the team that worked on the Project Cars series and a few Need For Speed games--and published by Bandai Namco. You can check out the trailer below to see Fast And Furious: Crossroads in action.Earlier this month, it was reported that Slightly Mad Studios was rumored to be working on an "unannounced Hollywood title" and had been since 2017. This would be it.Info from Gamespot.com

EA Motive was created in 2015 with ex-Ubisoft Toronto head Jade Raymond leading the studio. Since then, EA Motive has been at work on an unnamed Star Wars title and most recently helped DICE on the development of Star Wars Battlefront 2. In October of last year, however, Raymond left the studio to join Google, with another ex-Ubisoft veteran, former Ubisoft Quebec managing director Patrick Klaus, taking over the role.In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Klaus says EA Motive is working on "a very unique Star Wars experience," as well as developing its own IP. Raymond had previously said in an interview with Game Informer that Motive's Star Wars game was planning to use a lot of the material produced by Visceral Games for its Star Wars title, with an added pivot to more "player agency." Visceral was, of course, developing another Star Wars game with Uncharted director Amy Hennig leading the project. EA closed Visceral's doors in October 2017, and Hennig left the company shortly thereafter. It remains to be seen whether Motive is still using any of the work produced by Visceral. "[The studio's identity] is being built right now," Klaus says. "And we're doing a lot of work internally in order to identify our DNA, who we are, and what we do. We're in the process of communicating that internally and making sure the teams buy into it, that they're fully committed to where we're going and they understand why. And then I think the identity externally gets proven when we release games, and when we release successful games." EA's Star Wars output has been on the low end since the company signed an exclusive 10-year licencing deal with the franchise back in 2013. DICE has developed two Star Wars Battlefront titles, and Respawn recently released Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, but multiple Star Wars games have been cancelled by EA since 2013, so hopefully Motive's unique Star Wars experience will eventually see the light of day.Info from Gamespot.com

Though Hollow Knight: Silksong is still a while away, developer Team Cherry has provided a brief update on the game's progress. The action-platformer continues to grow larger in scope than the studio's breakout hit, 2017's Hollow Knight.Team Cherry confirmed Silksong's enemy count has increased from 150 to, as of right now, 165. As the team is "[still] building this (very large) game," it's safe to assume 165 isn't the final count for the number of opponents in Silksong. However, the studio did share artwork for the latest set of combatants, an unnamed boss trio that "works closely together [to cover] for each other’s weaknesses."The studio has refrained from saying too much about these enemies but assured that it isn't "just randomly building things without an end in [sight]." Team Cherry is mindful of how Silksong's story unfolds, with the intent to create "a vast, surprising new world" that matches or succeeds the original game's.Team Cherry also shared two new songs from game composer Christopher Larkin, who returns to score Silksong after his work on Hollow Knight. The two tracks, "Bonebottom" and "Lace," will be part of the official Hollow Knight: Silksong soundtrack, which will launch at the same time as the game. You can listen to a sample of the soundtrack on Larkin's official Bandcamp page.Hollow Knight: Silksong was revealed during E3 2019, where Team Cherry showed off some gameplay for the upcoming sequel. While a release date is still unknown, the game is in development for Nintendo Switch and PC.Info from Gamespot.com

The Outer Worlds was released back in October to critical praise. Since its launch, however, numerous players have reported a bug where the game thinks one of your companions is dead, causing you to fail certain quests. Update 1.2 for The Outer Worlds has now rolled out on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC (and you can see the full patch notes below), thankfully fixing the strange bug, but Obsidian's QA lead Taylor Swope has revealed just how difficult it was to solve.We released patch 1.2 of #TheOuterWorlds today, and it includes a fix for the dreaded "the game thinks my companions are dead" bug, which I believe I spent more time investigating than I have for any other individual bug in my career (1/18) — Taylor Swope (@_taylorswope) December 12, 2019In an 18-tweet thread on Twitter, Swope explained the fascinating process of trying to figure out how and why the bug was occurring. "The gist of the bug was that, for some players, a companion quest would be marked as Failed in the quest log, with the reasoning that the companion was dead--despite the fact that the companion was very much alive and well," he said. "This was perplexing because (outside of SuperNova mode) companions can't die."There were one or two cases before launch where this issue seemed to happen, but no one in QA ever managed to reproduce it and despite our best efforts we couldn't learn anything concrete about it. One reason it was so hard to pin down is that it was impossible to tell when the bug actually happened--all of the cases we had were essentially 'hey something bad happened in the last ten hours and now my quest is broken.'"This led to an investigation where Swope had to figure out the location of every script and line of code that could possibly make the game think that a companion was dead. After plenty of searching, the logical culprit ended up being the player's ship. Companions can die when they're in a party, and the only time they're present but not in a party is when they're on the ship. They might be "undamageable" on the ship, but as Swope and his team discovered, undamageable doesn't mean "invulnerable." Companion's can't take damage from attacks but can still get hurt by other things.Fall damage was one suspect, but there's nowhere on the ship that's high enough to result in a lethal fall. "I looked into tons of theories, including 'maybe their height data is preserved when fast travelling from other maps' and 'maybe a physics interaction between two companions causes one to rapidly accelerate upwards,'" Swope explained. "My personal fav was 'what if a companion is standing right where a cow spawns in during a random event and they're launched into space.' Was genuinely bummed when that theory didn't pan out."With The Outer Worlds now out in the wild, players started reporting their companion quests failing. While it certainly wasn't ideal that this turned out to be a real issue instead of a weird fluke, it did mean that there were thousands of eyeballs on the game. "Eventually, an offhand comment in one user's review mentioned seeing a weird bug where a companion was 'climbing nothing', and this comment led me to figuring the whole thing out."The system for NPCs interacting with the environment in The Outer Worlds is called "furniture." Sometimes this is literal, but it also covers everything from using a terminal to leaning on a wall. "Somewhere deep in the complex beast that is the furniture system, we had code that disabled all NPCs from starting new furniture interactions if the player was in a conversation. The problem was that using a ladder is considered two different furniture interactions: one for getting on the ladder and starting to climb, and one to stop climbing and get off."Thus leading to the hilarious cause of this particularly tricky bug:So, if someone started climbing a ladder and the player entered a conversation before they stopped, they wouldn't be able to exit the ladder, and, well…. (18/18) pic.twitter.com/xcduTy4d12 — Taylor Swope (@_taylorswope) December 12, 2019Players are now reporting that their companion quests are no longer broken, thanks to the work of Swope and the rest of Obsidian's QA team. Below are the full patch notes for everything else included in update 1.2The Outer Worlds Update 1.2 full patch notesTop Community Requests:Updated the "Large Text Mode" setting to apply to ExaminablesAdded "Chromatic Aberration" setting to all platformsAdded "Controller Aiming Sensitivity" setting to all platformsAdded "Head Bobbing" setting to all platformsAdded "Field of View" setting to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 platformsFixed weapons unholstering when interacting with the environmentFixed additional cases of companion quests being marked as Botched incorrectlyAudio:Fixed multiple characters from talking over each other when the player diesFixed audio cutting out when scrolling on the mapFixed NPCs continuing to have dialog after they have diedCompanions:Fixed some of Felix's belongings appearing on the Unreliable even when he wasn't recruitedFixed Vicar Max being available as a companion even if he was killed in EdgewaterFixed consumable durations not being affected by Max's "Tuned In" Perk and the "Beverage Service Technician" AptitudeFixed enemies not always animating correctly when hit by Max's companion abilityFixed companion Perks being reset when the player respecsAdded a notification for when companions gain Perks from questsFixed companions calling the player's attacks ineffective, even if they were dealing appropriate damageFixed lit areas of companions' armor being unlit after they were knocked outFixed companion outlines not appearing after changing their armorDesign:Fixed the "Battle Hardened" Perk not stacking correctly with the Inspiration 40 Skill unlockFixed the Determination 100 Skill Unlock not applying to both companionsFixed the "Precision" Perk not applying to companions in some casesFixed the Determination 40 Skill unlock not applying to both companions in some casesFixed the SuperNova Hunger debuff not applying in certain situationsFixed description text for the Ambidextrine status effectFixed duration for the Ambidextrine status effectFixed the "Steady Hand" Perk stacking incorrectlyFixed non-drug consumables not stacking correctlyFixed automechanicals being susceptible to the Poison debuffFixed the Burn status effect from Mantipillar attacks lasting forever in some casesFixed the "Bleed" and "Sugary Drink" status effects not working with one anotherFixed the "Leader" status effect missing a description when applied to a companionFixed the Inspiration 80 skill unlock stacking incorrectlyFixed the "Caffeine Drink" status effect not applying when the "Permanent Concussion" Flaw was activeFixed the effects of the "Robophobia" Flaw not clearing in certain conditionsFixed "Pack Mule" Perks not applying while on the UnreliableFixed the "Revenge" Perk not increasing damageFixed misleading text in the description of Thinking Cap-let itemsFixed "Adelaide's Gardening Shears" not applying the Bleed effect on targetsFixed the Prismatic Hammer not benefiting from several melee Skills and PerksFixed the Prismatic Hammer not benefiting from Critical HitsIncreased damage of HandgunsQuests:Fixed "A Family Matter" not updating properly if Tucker Needham was killed in Stellar BayFixed "The Amateur Alchemist" not progressing if the player intimidated VaughnFixed an optional objective in "BOLT With His Name" being blocked if the player exited a terminal at a specific pointFixed "Comes Now the Power" not updating properly if the Deserters returned to Edgewater under specific conditionsFixed "The Doom That Came To Roseway" being blocked if Anton left Roseway before getting his research backFixed "Friendship's Due" not updating correctly if the player spoke to Harlow without meeting specific requirementsFixed "Friendship's Due" not updating correctly if the player killed Trask before speaking to HarlowFixed "Solution Vital" not updating properly if Captain Irion's medical automechanical was killedFixed Dr. Chartrand attacking the player after she agrees to help themFixed issues with manti-creature spawning during Nyoka's companion quest if the player left the area and returned in the middle of the fightSettings:Fixed the "Look Up" and "Look Down" keybindings being swappedAdded "Foliage" graphics setting for PC platformAdded "Enable Cinematic Kill Camera" settingUI:Fixed player response nodes being numbered when using a gamepadUpdated Vendor UI to show carry weight and encumbrance limitUpdated item tooltips to better indicate Pristine itemsAdded item sorting options to the Companion and Workbench screensAdded SuperNova survival meters to the Consumables screenFixed the companion damage bonus from the Inspiration skill not appearing correctly in the UIFixed two-handed melee weapons not showing the correct DPS valueFixed plus signs appearing next to Skills that cannot directly gain pointsFixed quest objectives disappearing from the Quest Tracker after certain quest updatesFixed the "Sublight Sniper Rifle" unique Dead-Eye not being marked as uniqueFixed the Vendor screen from becoming misaligned when selling many items at onceFixed the effects of the "Paranoid" Flaw not displaying correctlyFixed encumbrance limit not updating correctly when applying a Backpack armor modFixed certain lootable NPC corpses not highlighting correctlyFixed the "Compare" option incorrectly being available on the Companion screenFixed the effects of the "Adrena-Time Crash" debuff not displaying correctlyFixed Adreno not being automatically equipped to the Emergency Medical InhalerFixed the "Leader" status effect missing from the playerUpdated description of "Field of View" setting and moved it to the Graphics screenFixed a missing button icon in the Quick Melee tutorialGeneral:Fixed a crash involving mind-controlled enemiesFixed a soft lock when trying to interact with the Meditative Aid after attacking the hermitUpdated description of "Everybody Likes Me" and "Destroyer of Worlds" Achievements/Trophies to reduce confusionFixed the player's weapon becoming invisible when trying to attack while using the inhaler with the weapon holsteredFixed facial animations not playing in certain conditionsFixed NPCs continuing to climb beyond the end of a ladder on the Unreliable if the player started a conversation while they were climbingFixed not being able to open the Ledger if the player has unspent Skill points and two NPCs are conversingFixed Raptidon Collosi being able to knock targets hundreds of metersFixed Julius Moreau missing voice-over on a line of dialogFixed not being able to hit enemies with ranged weapons from point-blank rangeFixed various issues when trying to fire a ranged weapon and use quick-melee simultaneouslyFixed modded Flamethrowers being able to damage targets through wallsFixed Raptidon Matriarch being invulnerable to Flamethrower damage during certain animationsFixed beam weapons being able to lock on to underground targetsFixed the reload animation playing too fast when exiting Tactical Time DilationFixed a missing collision issue in Amber HeightsFixed a spot in the Byzantium Tunnels that allowed the player to fall out of the mapFixed not unlocking the Cascadia landing pad fast travel point in certain circumstancesFixed collision issue in Edgewater junkyardFixed grass showing through the floor in FallbrookFixed low-resolution blood textures in LabyrinthFixed a temporary asset being visible in MonarchFixed collision issues in MonarchFixed flickering geometry in Stellar BayFixed rare cases of characters falling through the world as it was loadingFixed "Hemlock's Eyepatch" unique item being weightlessFixed rare instances of player response options not being available after loading a saveFixed an issue resulting in duplicate items appearingFixed consumable durations not updating correctly after saving and loadingUpdated credits to correct a title, added two focus tester names, and added a developer that was uncreditedFixed instances of missing text when playing in non-English languagesFixed German localization issuesFixed Japanese localization issuesFixed various text errorsInfo from Gamespot.com

Death Stranding was one of the few 2019 games to not receive a Black Friday or Cyber Monday discount at any major retailer. Since it released just a few weeks before the big shopping weekend, that's not all too surprising. But if you've held out for the past month looking for a discount, you're about to be rewarded. Starting this Sunday, December 15, participating retailers will have Death Stranding for $40 as part of Sony's last-minute holiday sale.Target is one of those participating retailers, and it will also have more than 30 other games for $40 that normally retail for $60. Target hasn't revealed the full list, but we know ten of the discounted games already:Death Stranding -- $40 ($60)The Outer Worlds -- $40 ($60)Borderlands 3 -- $40 ($60)Need for Speed Heat -- $40 ($60)FIFA 20 -- $40 ($60)Madden NFL 20 -- $40 ($60)NHL 20 -- $40 ($60)Ghost Recon Breakpoint -- $40 ($60)NBA 2K20 -- $40 ($60)Red Dead Redemption 2 -- $40 ($60)Death Stranding and The Outer Worlds were finalists for Game of the Year at The Game Awards. The top prize was ultimately claimed by Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.Target is also offering $10 discounts on Mario vs. Sonic at the Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville, and Just Dance 2020.Select games will be 50% off, including Kingdom Hearts 3 ($15), Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle ($20), and Marvel's Spider-Man Game of the Year Edition ($20). See all weekly deals at Target Target's weekly deals are good both in-store and online. If you're looking for more great holiday deals, both Best Buy and Walmart are running 12 Days of Deals sales. Info from Gamespot.com

The animation studio that fixed Sonic for his big-screen debut has announced it is closing its doors. The Vancouver studio Moving Picture Company (MPC) sent word to employees on Wednesday that it would be immediately closing its doors, citing "increasing external market pressures" in the area. CBC reports that the studio employed more than 800 artists, but it's unknown how large the studio was as of the time of closure. The studio was brought in to animate the revised Sonic the Hedgehog after the look in the first movie trailer was widely panned. The company's work also included The Lion King, Watchmen, and Call of the Wild. It won an Academy Award for its work on Life of Pi.The email to employees said, "This decision has not been taken lightly."Sonic the Hedgehog is coming on February 14, 2020, having been delayed from its original November release date to work on the redesign. It stars Ben Schwartz voicing Sonic, Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik, and James Marsden as a state trooper who befriends the blue hedgehog.Info from Gamespot.com

Death Stranding is one of our best games of 2019 nominees, but there's always room for improvement. One common criticism among many players, including Smash Bros director Masahiro Sakurai, is the itty-bitty text size. Kojima Productions promised a fix incoming, and now that patch is available. You can read the full patch notes below.The 1.07 patch includes general bug fixes, but the major update is to the text size. You can change it using the Options menu in the title screen. Firsthand accounts of the change, like the one below, seem positive on the revision.They've fixed the text size and it's so much better now #PS4share pic.twitter.com/IqGVFd9Qgo — Nibel (@Nibellion) December 13, 2019The UI issue was one of the most consistent complaints, even among fans of the game. This patch was also announced to fix a griefing issue that allowed players to block progress with vehicles.Death Stranding received a 9/10 in GameSpot's review, with particular praise for its practical and emotional payoffs for putting in the work to build infrastructure in the post-apocalyptic world.GameSpot's Game of the Year will be announced on December 17. Until then, check out all of our Best of 2019 coverage.Death Stranding Version 1.07 UpdateMultiple problems fixedAdjustment of the text size The text size can be changed from the "Options" menu on the Title Screen.Updated save data version Save data created in version 1.07 cannot be used with an earlier version.Info from Gamespot.com