A League of Legends shooter is in development. Riot Games today announced a brand-new take on the competitive shooter, and it looks a lot like Overwatch. The company also confirmed that it is working on a fighting game in the League of Legends universe.The game, which is in development under the working title Project A, is described as a character-based tactical shooter. Riot says it has assembled a veteran team to work on the title, which will offer players more creativity and expression than other titles in the market.The studio also said it is aware of concerns about ping rates and cheating, and it has been working since day one to make sure the game takes these matters seriously. Additionally, Riot said it is invested in the League of Legends shooter for the long haul.Riot will be going dark on the League of Legends shooter until 2020, so don't expect any news for some time.As for the League of Legends fighting game, it appears to be in a very early stage of development. It's being worked on under the working title Project L, and Riot has been working on it for a "little while," the studio says. Like the shooter game, Riot plans to stay heads down and work on the project for some time before talking more about it.Finally, Riot announced a new League of Legends animated series called Arcane which will debut in 2020. You can check out the series announcement trailer below. Info from Gamespot.com

Riot Games, the developer of one of the world's most popular games in League of Legends, has announced its next game. "Legends of Runeterra" is a free-to-play strategy card game that takes place in the League of Legends universe. It's aiming to launch in 2020 for PC and mJust like Blizzard's popular CCG Hearthstone features characters from its source material (Warcraft), Legends of Runeterra (LoR) will include League of Legends characters in its card decks. Each has "their own style and strategic advantage," Riot said."LoR's gameplay is built around dynamic, alternating combat that demands players use their skill, creativity, and cleverness to succeed," Riot said.Players can spend real money to acquire cards in LoR or they can grind to acquire them through gameplay. "Shards" are earned through gameplay while "Coins" can be purchased with real money at any time.To unlock new cards and content in LoR, players can complete quests to earn experience that in turn unlocks new cards. The game has numerous different "regions," and players can determine which region to pursue, and each has different cards to unlock.Each week, LoR will add new chests to unlock from what's called the Vault. "The Vault levels up as you play and upgrades the chests inside, which increases the number of cards you get from each. Individually, both the cards and chests have a chance to upgrade into something even better, and at level 10 and above, you're guaranteed a champion," Riot said.LoR also features cards called "wildcards." These are rare cards that can be turned into any card you want. A "limited" number of these wildcards will be available in the store each week."We know that sometimes you just want a guaranteed way to get specific cards. So instead of waiting for the right drop, you can unlock cards for your collection using the Shards you’ve earned or the wildcards you’ve acquired through play or purchase," Riot said."In Legends of Runeterra, you will never pay for randomized packs, and you have a bunch of different ways to get the cards you actually want and build multiple decks for both casual duels and the competitive meta," the company added.Riot could seemingly make more money by offering wildcards for purchase all the time. However, the company said it is limiting their ability to "ensure you always have something you're looking forward to unlocking, and that you're constantly discovering new cards and strategies."Riot added: "Slowing down how quickly the entire set of cards can be unlocked is one method for helping us accomplish that goal. There's a lot more to it than that, so expect to see an article soon that dives deep into how card acquisition will work in LoR.""We're all huge card game fans on the LoR team, so we know the issues with the genre: things like excessive cost, over-the-top randomness, and seeing the same decks over and over," executive producer Jeff Jew said in a statement. "We've spent a lot of time thinking about what we'd do differently, and now we have a chance to shake up the genre by keeping what's great, improving what's not, and adding some new twists of our own.""We've been hard at work making the best card game we can imagine--one that we hope players everywhere will love," he added. "We're pretty excited to show players what we've got so far, and we can’t wait to hear what they think!"Riot is promising to update LoR frequently with new content and gameplay balance changes.Pre-registration for LoR is available right now. Everyone who pre-registers will get a chance to play the game ahead of its official release, while they'll also get the "Poro pet chroma" at release.Riot is letting people play LoR immediately, as those who pre-register can play a "preview patch" now through October 21. A second preview patch will be available in November.Riot, which is owned by Chinese internet company Tencent, has been in the headlines over the past year regarding gender discrimination claims against the studio. California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing is currently investigating the company. Info from Gamespot.com

Legends of Runeterra is a brand new digital card game based on the League of Legends universe, and from our time with it during PAX Aus 2019, it actually feels like it has some interesting new takes on the genre. Here's how it works.Naturally, Legends of Runeterra is based around Champions, many of whom will be familiar to League of Legends fans. Champions and other cards are associated with six of the major regions of Runeterra (Demacia, Noxus, Ionia, Piltover & Zaun, Freljord, and the Shadow Isles), which represent the idea of classes or colours, in other card games. But the game features plenty of aspects that will be familiar to players of other digital card games, too. GAME FLOWYour mana pool increases steadily each turn, much like Hearthstone, which sets the pace of play. Mana allows you to play things like creature and champion cards, which have the typical attack and defense stats as well as other abilities or buffs which decide how they'll fair in battle. You want to be able to attack your opponent's Nexus (which every MOBA-fan should hopefully be familiar with) bringing its health to 0 to win the game. Games tend to last for about 15 to 20 minutes.However, where Legends of Runeterra separates from other examples of the genre is in the finer details on how you can do Nexus damage. Spells, for instance, can do direct damage but they use a different mana pool from your character cards and can almost always be countered. Some spells will be fast or slow, and they queue up in the middle of the battlefield according to their order.All cards are played out in turns, which is not something I'm used to seeing in digital card games. These spell turns are segmented into rounds, where one player will be on the offensive and the other defends. There are multiple turns in these rounds, where each player has a chance to play their characters and spells until the actual attack. This adds some interesting strategy--you can bait another person out by slowly adding to your arsenal, rather than playing everything at once. Then, the attack actually happens and unless a status on the card says otherwise, it's blockers choice. CHAMPIONSThe champion cards have objectives on them, which allow you to level up those cards and become more powerful so long as they aren't taken out during the battle. You can choose to use one champion to build your decks around or add more--which is limited depending on the game style--and the idea is to create a synergistic playstyle. This aspect feels reminiscent of Magic The Gathering and the choices it offers in mixing colours for new playstyles.For example, a champion may level up after you've dealt a certain amount of damage to enemies and another may require you to have targeted a set number of enemies. Having both of these cards in the same deck would allow you to level them up and gain their heightened abilities at the same time, without wasting any resources. Perhaps stacking this deck with cheap cards so you can target enemies faster would help you level up even faster to gain an advantage. On the other hand, having different objectives might also offer more flexibility, so deciding how you build decks to achieve your own goals looks like it will add several layers or potential strategy to games.For fans of the lore behind League of Legends, there's also the promise of plenty of new narrative content. Fresh stories will also play out through Legends of Runeterra with plans to introduce new characters and champions as the game builds, which will also allow for new cards and playstyles. Legends of Runeterr and League of Legends share the same universe, so it's not some weird spinoff where everyone's just playing cards in a tavern. META AND MICROTRANSACTIONSLegends of Runeterra all plays quite well, and as someone who's quite familiar with different digital card games, I was able to pick it up quickly after a few rounds in the tutorial. It has the same drag and drop style you'll likely be familiar with, and getting into it is just a matter of learning all the new terms, quirks, and cards. The game definitely struck me as the kind that's simple on the surface, but with extra complexity stashed away in the deck-building meta, if that's your jam.The good, and somewhat surprising news is that when it comes to deckbuilding, there appear to be no purchasable random card packs. Legends of Runeterra is still a free-to-play game, however, and though you can't spend your hard-earned real money on random cards, you can instead pay a set price for "wild cards." These differ in cost based on rarity, but are a straight swap for whichever card you want in that tier. Even then, this system is limited to a certain number of purchases per week, and I was assured by Riot representatives that it's not the kind of game you can pay-to-win.Instead, the only way to get a substantial amount of cards is by playing, but it does look like these can be somewhat unpredictable. You can complete quests and level up to unlock cards from your chosen region, which can be changed at any time. Playing will also level up your weekly vault, which contains more chests full of more random cards. But the ability to pick and choose what you want to do to unlock cards was emphasised as a way to give players at least some agency over how they play the game.The idea appears to be that those who put the time in--regardless of what they do--will have the most cards and diverse decks, while still giving players on the other end of the spectrum the ability to obtain specific cards with a level of certainty. There did seem to be a fair amount of cards available from the onset, at least in the build we played, but how this system fares for more casual players is something we need to wait and see.You'll also be able to use real money on cosmetics, and Legends of Runeterra is an intensely visual game. The card art is stunningly detailed and the board is very Hearthstone-like, featuring little interactive touches. Cards animate when played and sometimes even emoji-style stickers will pop on the screen. When champion cards level up, they'll take over the whole screen to play an animation and even attacking seems a bit more extra than most other digital card games. I could still tell what was happening most of the time, so the flair doesn't feel like it gets in the way but, it is a visual feast. ONGOING SUPPORTWhile not being presented as an esport yet, Riot has promised regular monthly balance updates to keep the meta shifting, as well as a ranked system currently in development. The general synopsis seems bent against the level of randomness that can often be present in card games, so Legends of Runeterra could be quite competitive in a very different way to what we're used to seeing in the genre.If you're curious about Legends of Runeterra, the good news is you can pre-register for your chance to play it now, and unlock the exclusive Moonstruck Poro Guardian at launch. The announcement comes as a part of the League of Legends 10th anniversary celebration and you'll find a selection of folks with access streaming the game live as we speak. In a month's time, there will be a five-day preview where more people who pre-registered will be allowed in, and then a larger closed beta in 2020 before launch on PC and Mobile platforms sometime during that year. Info from Gamespot.com

The final season of Arrow has officially begun, and it is already having major ramifications for the upcoming Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event. Warning: The following contains spoilers from the Season 8 premiere of Arrow, titled "Starling City.".At the conclusion of the episode, it was revealed that Earth 2 had been wiped from existence as Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Diggle (David Ramsey) were preparing to leave and return home. While they made it out, along with Laurel (Katie Cassidy Rodgers), this development has thrown a wrench into the Arrow-verse."It does indicate that Crisis [on Infinite Earths] is starting earlier than we thought," Arrow executive producer Beth Schwartz revealed during a press Q&A for the episode. While viewers had been led to believe that the majority of the Crisis would occur during the crossover, with the early season episodes of Arrow, Supergirl, The Flash, and Batwoman setting the stage for what was to come, that's all out the window now.Instead, with the destruction of Earth 2, the Crisis has begun. That, paired with the revelation that the Monitor expects The Flash (Grant Gustin) to die during the event, makes for an interesting couple of months leading up to the crossover. What remains a mystery, though, is how the loss of Earth 2 will play out in upcoming episodes of the various shows. The Flash fans, especially, are going to be wondering what this means for Harry (Tom Cavanagh), a fan-favorite version of Harrison Wells that resides in the alternate universe.Whatever the case, the Season 8 premiere of Arrow did its job. "We don't have that many episodes, so we wanted to start big and we wanted to introduce the upcoming Crisis immediately because that is what this season is about and what Oliver is struggling with the entire time," Schwartz explained.That said, don't expect a planet to get obliterated in every episode this season. Schwartz confirmed that the remaining episodes of Season 8, outside of the crossover, will take place entirely on Earth 1. However, they will see Oliver on the road."In our upcoming episodes we visit places that we've gone to in our previous seasons, so they'll take place in different locations," Schwartz said. "I think we only have maybe one or two episodes actually in Star City."Now viewers will have to wait to find out exactly where Arrow is headed. If old locations are being revisited, though, don't be surprised if Oliver winds up on Lian Yu to say one last goodbye to his favorite island.Arrow airs Tuesdays on The CW.Info from Gamespot.com

The dichotomy of beauty and violence has always been a driving theme in The Witcher series. The Northern Realms' gorgeous vistas are dotted with war-torn battlefields, kindness--no matter how fleeting it may be--is often juxtaposed with savagery, and even the warmest characters have a cold and calculated side to them. That neverending tug-of-war is ever-present in The Witcher 3, even when its stripped-down visuals may obscure some of that beauty.Everything is here in the Nintendo Switch version--The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, its two expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, and all of its DLC. The main game alone offers dozens of superb quests filled with interesting characters, fantastic twists, and rewarding combat encounters. As Kevin VanOrd said in GameSpot's original review, "Excellence abounds at every turn in this open-world role-playing game." The same is mostly true for the Nintendo Switch version.As you'd expect, the visuals have been pared down significantly. The textures are muddied, the draw-distances are reined in, and the resolution has taken a hit. These issues are exacerbated during docked play. While it technically runs at a higher frame rate and resolution docked, these visual issues are all the more noticeable when projected onto a larger screen.The standard Nintendo Switch's 6.2-inch screen does a great job of hiding the blemishes. Even though it's running at a lower resolution, the smaller screen gives it a much crisper look, so the poor textures and pop-in are less apparent. If you do plan on playing it in handheld mode, you can, thankfully, adjust the size of the HUD to make things easier to read.C'mon, this is what you're really here forFor returning players, the visual downgrade may require some getting used to. However, focusing solely on The Witcher 3's visuals does this port a disservice. Four years later, the game is still massive in scope, and seeing the battle-scarred swamps of Velen, jagged peaks of Skellige, and sprawling countryside of Toussaint on a technically inferior platform is still a sight to behold.More importantly, the grittier look of the Switch port doesn't affect The Witcher 3's core gameplay. The combat and exploration may be smoother on a PC, Xbox One X, or PS4 Pro, but I found performance to be consistent throughout a wide variety of combat encounters and locales. After nearly 30 hours, I haven't experienced any significant frame rate dips. Even the swamps in Velen--an area notorious for causing frame rate issues on PS4 and Xbox One--are comparable to the rest of the experience on Switch. According to developer CD Projekt Red, the frame rate should range between 24 and 30 frames per second. In populated areas like Novigrad, the frame rate dipped to the lower end of that range. Given the slower pace of The Witcher 3, I never found these dips to be an issue, even in the heat of combat.The Witcher 3's visual prowess may have been a selling point for some in 2015, but the Nintendo Switch version is a reminder that there is far more to this adventure than a pretty picture. Even today, there are few games that can rival the storytelling and worldbuilding on display here. Nothing is as simple as it seems, and every thread you pull on reveals enticing new details about this world and its characters.The Nintendo Switch version is a reminder that there is far more to this adventure than a pretty pictureThe vast web of decisions and consequences is just as impressive as it was in 2015. While it may not be apparent on your first playthrough, your actions--both big and small--can have serious repercussions, even if you were trying to do the right thing. What's more impressive is how well fleshed-out each of these paths are and how they ebb and flow through main quests and side quests. While many outcomes are bittersweet by design, none feel underdeveloped.Where The Witcher 3 continues to shine is in its many deeply human stories. While the political aspects of the main story give context to the world and the characters that inhabit it, it's the interactions Geralt has with its denizens that gives weight to the experience. There are no good guys or bad guys. There are just people fighting to find hope in an oppressive world. Many of the quests provoke questions like: Would you hurt others for those you love? Can even the most vile of men be forgiven? How far can fear drive someone?The superb storytelling continues in the game's two expansions. Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. While not necessary to the main narrative, these two expansions are thoughtful addendums to Geralt's story. Blood and Wine in particular is a heartfelt send-off for the storied series. If you're jumping back into the game and just want to experience these, you can skip to them right when you load it up for the first time.Although the Nintendo Switch might not be the best platform to play The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, it's still a fantastic experience that shouldn't be missed. If you are looking to replay The Witcher 3 and bask in its detail and beauty, the Switch port may not quite scratch that itch. However, what makes this game excellent isn't its graphics, but the powerful stories it tells, and those are as vivid as ever on Switch. Info from Gamespot.com

One of the founders of Devolver Digital, the boutique publisher behind games like Hotline Miami and Genital Jousting, is eager to see Sony and Microsoft launch their next-generation platforms. Speaking to GameSpot at PAX Australia, Graeme Struthers said he's excited about the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Project Scarlett in 2020 in part because those systems are expected to be attractive to all developers big and small.This wasn't always the case, as Struthers--who has been with the company since he co-founded it in 2009---pointed out that the PS3/Xbox 360 generation wasn't the most inviting for indie developers."It's great," Struthers said of the upcoming release of the PS5 and next Xbox. "The previous generation, the one we're coming to the end of, was the one for companies like ourselves--we were allowed in. Previously it was pretty hard to be on PS3 and Xbox 360. For next-gen, we're in at the start. given the same opportunities as anybody else, which is great."While Struthers is indeed excited about the potential for the PS5 and next Xbox to grow the gaming category overall, the executive observed that the new consoles seem to be more iterative in nature instead of dramatically different or improved versions of their predecessors."I think it is ever harder to tell the differences [between new consoles] but it's also cool that they're both coming in with a new generation [of consoles] because it means they are going to invest more money in this space, which will create more users," he said. "It's good for everyone. And to have Nintendo in such good, vibrant health as well, you've got three console platforms and Apple Arcade to mull over and Steam and Epic."Devolver releases some of its games on consoles, but the company has always been and continues to be a PC-first and PC-focused publisher.Struthers isn't the first gaming industry executive to speak in this way about the next generation of consoles. Atsushi Inaba, the head of Bayonetta developer Platinum Games, said in an earlier interview that the PS5 and Project Scarlett are "more of the same."Sony just recently officially confirmed that its new console will be called the PlayStation 5. The company also began to discuss its plans for a next-generation controller.Microsoft, on the other hand, hasn't shared much about its new Xbox. The console continues to be known only as Project Scarlett. What we do know, however, is that it will work with any Xbox One and Xbox One controllers you may already own, while the backwards compatibility support also extends to Xbox 360 and Original Xbox games. Microsoft will release Halo Infinite as a launch title for the new console.One of Devolver's biggest upcoming releases is the wacky, weird, and wonderful-looking sorta-battle royale game Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout for PC and PS4 that's due to launch in 2020.GameSpot's conversation with Struthers spanned numerous other topics, including secrecy in the video game industry, why subscription plans like Apple Arcade, Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, and others might hurt independent games, censorship in Australia, the origins of Devolver's absurd E3 press conferences, and more. GameSpot will publish more from the interview in the time ahead, so keep checking back for more.For more on the next generation of consoles, check out the stories linked below:PS5 Vs. Xbox Scarlett Comparison: How The Next-Gen Consoles Are DifferentAll The Games We Think Are Coming To PS5 And Xbox ScarlettNext-Gen Xbox Scarlett Won't Just Have Prettier Graphics Info from Gamespot.com

Fortnite Season 10 concluded with a big in-game event that looks to be ushering in significant changes for the wildly popular battle royale title. Developer Epic Games has been teasing that "The End" was coming over the last few weeks, and we finally know exactly what that means.As expected, once the in-game countdown clocks struck zero, the new rocket the mysterious Visitor had built at Dusty Depot launched, creating a new rift in the sky. This set off a chain reaction. The other rifts around the island began pulsating, and multiple rockets emerged from them and zipped around the sky until they all converged and smashed into the "zero point" beneath the giant meteor, sucking the meteor into the rift.After a moment of stillness, another rift opened up in the sky, and one final rocket emerged and honed in on the zero point, setting off a massive shockwave that knocked players into the sky. The rocket was followed by the meteor, which also smashed into the zero point, creating a cyclone of energy that sucked players, the Battle Bus, and everything else in, leaving nothing but a black hole.It appears that series of events really did mark the end of the game--at least for now. Players who remain in the event playlist can do nothing but watch the black hole, and those who exit the game and try to log into a new match are unable to. Epic hasn't formally said anything about what transpired, but following the event, the official Fortnite Twitter account also updated its banner to a picture of the black hole. If you missed the event, you can watch a replay of it below.It remains to be seen what this all means for the future of Fortnite, but rumors about the new season and upcoming changes to the game were plentiful online and in the various gaming communities. Before Epic had even hinted at what was to come, there were reports of new locations and gameplay changes. One leak indicated that a new Fortnite map was indeed on the way. Fans also recently spotted an apparent leaked image for "Fortnite: Chapter 2" on the Italian App Store, suggesting the game will be rebranded following the end of Season 10.Ahead of the big Season 11 event, Epic issued the last set of Season 10 challenges, many of which paved the way for the new season. These involved finding recordings left behind by the mysterious Visitor. You can see the guides for the Visitor recordings and the other challenges from the season in our complete Fortnite Season 10 challenges roundup.Epic still hasn't announced when Season 11 of the game will officially begin, but we do know one thing the new season will bring: bots. As part of its recent matchmaking changes, Epic says it will introduce AI-controlled opponents to Fortnite beginning next season to help players hone their skills. You can catch up on everything else we know about Fortnite Season 11 so far in our roundup. Fortnite News Fortnite: Chapter 2 Trailer Leaks, Shows New Map, Boats, And More Fortnite's Season 11 The End Event Destroyed Everything With A Black Hole Fortnite Event Seems To Be Causing PSN Problems [Update] Fortnite Season 11: The End Event Date, New Map, And Everything We Know So Far Info from Gamespot.com

Pokemon Go's annual Halloween event is returning later this week, and developer Niantic has a lot in store for players this year. The festivities kick off this Thursday, October 17 and include the appearance of costumed Pokemon, the debut of a new Legendary, and some new trainer outfits--plus a chance to catch a new Shiny Pokemon.Beginning October 17, you'll be able to encounter Shiny Yamask in the wild. On top of that, Niantic is introducing a handful of new avatar items to the in-game shop, including a Cubone cap, a Mimikyu bag, and most importantly, a Pikachu onesie. Team Rocket will also be expanding its lineup of Shadow Pokemon. You'll have a chance to rescue Shadow versions of the following Pokemon:WeedleKakunaBeedrillElectabuzzMagmarSeedotNuzleafSableyeTrapinchCacneaShuppetDuskullThat's not all that awaits during this year's Halloween event. From October 17 to November 1, Ghost- and Dark-type Pokemon such as Gastly, and Murkrow will appear more frequently in the wild and in raids. You'll also have a chance to find special costume-wearing versions of Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle in raids, while Pikachu wearing a Mimikyu costume will appear in the wild. Specially themed Field and Special Research tasks will be available during the event as well.Niantic is also introducing a new Legendary to the game as part of this year's Halloween event. Following the departure of Altered Forme Giratina, the Pitch-Black Pokemon Darkrai will appear in five-star Raid Battles around the world. Finally, you'll earn twice the normal amount of Candy when you catch, transfer, and hatch Pokemon.This year's Pokemon Go Halloween event runs until 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET on November 1. You can read more about it on the official Pokemon Go website. Meanwhile, the game's next Community Day will take place on Saturday, November 16, although no other details have been announced just yet. Pokemon Go News Pokemon Go Teasing New Team Rocket Characters Pokemon Go Finally Adds Mime Jr. As Part Of A New Event Pokemon Go Giratina Guide - Counters, Shiny Giratina, And How To Catch Tips Pokemon Go October 2019 Community Day Announced, Features Trapinch Pokemon Go: How To Get Unova Stones And Evolve Gen 5 Pokemon Info from Gamespot.com

As we get closer to the end of 2019, 2K Games continues its annual tradition of releasing a WWE wrestling game. What's different about WWE 2K20 is that longtime developer Yukes has parted ways with the series, and Visual Concepts takes on the project in-house. During a 2K Games event in Las Vegas, we got hands-on with WWE 2K20 on an Xbox One X, including the first DLC pack "Bump in the Night." While the developer changeover affects certain aspects of the new WWE game, in our preview, it felt largely like 's familiar fare with some extra additions.Every year, 2K tries to do something new and big with the WWE series. WWE 2K19 revamped Showcase Mode, MyPlayer, and added a Tower Mode, and all of those additions are present in 2K20, but Visual Concepts is also working on making this series its own. Yes, you can play as a male and female wrestler in MyPlayer, but aside from that, 2K Games spent much of its time working on the smaller things for this year's installment--evidently, the evolution is going to be a slow process.Aside from aesthetic tweaks to menus, the most notable change in WWE 2K20 is the control scheme. Signature and finishing moves are no longer triggered by the Y button (on Xbox). Instead, they are mapped to X+A. After years of Y being the go-to button on Xbox for finishers, the change is a bit jarring and tough to get used to for the two-button combo to pull off these famous movies. Additionally, reversals have been remapped as well. Visual Concepts creative director Lynell Jinks told us that during the creation of the game they temporarily remapped some of the buttons, and it felt right so they left it. He explained there would be a learning curve, but it works out better in the end, as there won't be buttons that have multiple functions like in earlier incarnations. It took some time to get used to but it ended up being a welcome change.The controls themselves are a bit sticky and felt unresponsive at times, however. Reversals can be tasking to pull off, even though it's a single button press. The timing window seems smaller than in previous games, and the visual cue with it never seemed to line up with when you're supposed to try and perform one. However, the computer still has no problems pulling it off with no problem. At times, signature or finisher button presses wouldn't register. It was something that kept happening during a few singles matches and in one match during the WWE Originals mode. A few of the games we played became increasingly frustrating. This may have been an issue specific to the build of the game we personally played, as others at the event didn't seem to have an issue with this.It's also hit or miss with certain character models. "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt looked great, but Seth Rollins' model looked a bit plastic, and his beard seemed painted on. The plastic model issue was something we saw in MyCareer mode too, especially with Stephanie McMahon. We saw people in the audience during matches that looked better than her character model. This has also been a bit of an issue with the series since 2K took over and brought it to current generation consoles.However, at the same time, some textures have never looked better in the game. The ring mat has wear and tear to it, and it's not just a flat color. When lighting hits the ropes, there's a sheen to it and different lighting produces different types of shadows. These improvements may be small, in the grand scheme of things, but it helps create a more realistic atmosphere for the game as a whole.The newest addition to this year's game is easily the most engrossing. WWE Originals Mode--2K Games' DLC for this year--takes WWE superstars and adds a dash of fiction to gameplay and story--more so than traditional WWE programming. The first pack, which will be available at launch for free if you pre-ordered the game--otherwise, it's $15--introduces new arenas and wrestlers with a horror theme. This is an exciting addition to the series. There is nothing more fun that playing as Nikki Cross in a Hannibal Lecter mask fighting Last Girl Dana Brooke--complete in '80s sweatpants--in a swamp with a zombie audience and referee. The gameplay remains the same, but by leaning into the wackier side of wrestling there's an extra element of charm we've not had in the series before. Within the pack, there is a Story Mode, a Tower Mode, and tons of unlockable, like Rusev in a pilgrim suit, which is pretty much the coolest thing you'll ever see. Aside from the aesthetic additions you can unlock, the story mode featured Bray Wyatt on audio commentary.. The only downside to it was that it's DLC, and not included when you purchase the standalone game.The Four Horsewoman Showcase Mode was on par with last year's Daniel Bryan Showcase. If you enjoyed the documentary-style mode, then this year's event will be right up your alley. Seeing the women who are featured in the Showcase tell their stories to the audience brings a much-needed personal touch to the mode. Before last year's revamp, 2K's Showcase Mode, as a whole, fell flat as it lacked personality. There still isn't too much different from what we saw here compared to last year's game, sadly. You'll play through Sasha Banks, Charlotte, Bayley, and Becky Lynch's story, unlock arenas and more wrestlers, and get to relive some of their greatest matches.Creation mode is just as in-depth as it is every year but with an aesthetic facelift. Create-a-title was absent from the build we played, but we were told that it would be available in a future patch, as the mode needed to be re-coded and the dev team didn't want to rush it...Overall, from the build we played of WWE 2K20, it was quite hit and miss. The risks Visual Concepts is taking on new modes are welcome and, from early experiences, seem like they could prove fruitful. The creativity and ingenuity that went into these aspects should be a bigger highlight of the game than they actually are. WWE Originals Mode was the highlight of what we played, and the various other modes the 2K series offers continue to be serviceable.For fans, who have played iterative versions of this series for years now, Yukes parting ways with the franchise is exciting--fresh minds mean fresh ideas, after all. But there is a laundry list of items that need renovations alongside the introduction of new features and gameplay opportunities. Playing a preview of 2K20 has been a reminder that not all of this can be done within the space of a year. Info from Gamespot.com

Martin Scorsese has been critical of big-budget blockbusters from the likes of Marvel, and he's recently doubled down on his sentiments. His new remarks are slightly softened, pointing out that he admires the craftsmanship. But he insists that it isn't cinema, and that movies are skewing audience expectations of what movies should be."It’s not cinema, it's something else," Scorsese said during a press conference, via THR. "We shouldn't be invaded by it. We need cinemas to step up and show films that are narrative films."The press conference was to promote his upcoming film with Robert De Niro, The Irishman. He made similar statements during BAFTA's David Lean lecture."Theaters have become amusement parks," he said. "That is all fine and good but don't invade everything else in that sense. That is fine and good for those who enjoy that type of film and, by the way, knowing what goes into them now, I admire what they do. It's not my kind of thing, it simply is not. It's creating another kind of audience that thinks cinema is that."Marvel films, now under the Disney juggernaut that also owns Star Wars, have become reliable box office hits. It has three of the top 10 box office totals of 2019, according to Box Office Mojo. The rest of the list is largely composed of similarly big-budget Disney movies like The Lion King, Aladdin, and Toy Story 4.The Irishman is set to hit Netflix in November. The first trailer debuted recently, and it looks to be a signature Scorsese mobster drama.Info from Gamespot.com

Stop me if you've heard this before, but this episode of New Releases has a bunch of exciting games for Nintendo Switch owners. The portable console is getting ports of Overwatch and The Witcher 3, plus some new experiences. The workout-focused Ring Fit Adventure and the cutesy RPG Little Town Hero both launch this week too. Meanwhile, PS4, Xbox One, and PC gamers can get their hands on Plants vs. Zombies: Battle For Neighborville.Overwatch: Legendary Edition -- October 15Available on: SwitchThis edition of Blizzard's hero shooter includes the main game and 15 bonus skins. Since new heroes are added to the game for free, you can jump right in and choose from 31 different tank, damage, and support characters. The Legendary Edition also includes three months of Nintendo Switch Online multiplayer for those who've yet to sign up for the service.More Coverage:Overwatch On Switch Is A Great Way To Revisit Blizzard's Online ShooterOverwatch Review The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition -- October 15Available on: SwitchThis version of The Witcher 3 includes Geralt's 2015 adventure plus all previously released DLC and two full expansions: Hearts of Stone and Blood & Wine. Altogether, that's potentially hundreds of hours of RPG questing and monster-slaying to dig into. Not bad for a port that came together in just 12 months.More Coverage:The Witcher 3 On Switch Is Available For Pre-Order Now--Here's Everything IncludedThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Review Little Town Hero -- October 16Available on: SwitchLittle Town Hero comes from Game Freak, best known for the Pokemon series. This RPG is set in a single town that the citizens never leave...until monsters start showing up. Little Town Hero's combat doesn't rely on grinding--it's all about strategizing at whatever power level you've currently reached. Also the soundtrack is composed by Undertale creator Toby Fox, so that's pretty rad.More Coverage:Pokemon Dev's Original Switch RPG Gets New TrailerNintendo Direct: Pokemon Dev's Switch RPG Gets Release DateRing Fit Adventure -- October 18Available on: SwitchRing Fit Adventure is a follow-up to Wii Fit, but with more ways to actually get you up and moving. Ring Fit includes an adventure mode, custom workout playlists, and minigames, all of which are played using the new Ring-Con peripheral and leg strap. Prepare for some serious sweat.More Coverage:Nintendo Switch's Ring Fit Adventure Feels Like Wii Fit With Stronger Gameplay HooksNintendo Switch's Ring Fit Is A Serious WorkoutPlants vs. Zombies: Battle For Neighborville -- October 18Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PCBattle for Neighborville is the latest in the Plants vs Zombies shooter series, once again pitting the fighting flora against the living dead. This entry includes three new classes for both the plants and zombies, plus a new team-up option that lets two troopers combine into a stronger unit. You can hop into competitive multiplayer modes or explore Neighborville itself in co-op.More Coverage:New Plants Vs. Zombies Game Available Now, Sort OfPlants vs Zombies: Founder's Edition | GameSpot LiveOctober has more remasters to come, including MediEvil next week. The next episode of New Releases will take a look at that re-release, plus some hotly anticipated new titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and The Outer Worlds.Info from Gamespot.com

FIFA 20's successful launch continues this week as it finishes top of the UK physical games chart for the third week in a row. Much of the chart remains the same for the week ending October 12, but there is a smattering of new releases.The highest of those new games is the rebooted Grid, which launches at No.5. Further down, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair enters the chart at No.31, while PS4 exclusive Concrete Genie debuts at No.35.We enjoyed the adventure game here at GameSpot, with critic Hope Corrigan awarding it a 7/10 in our Concrete Genie review. "Most of what Concrete Genie has to offer is fun and beautiful in a sort of childlike way," she wrote. "The game is not particularly difficult, and overcoming a puzzle or combat scenario isn't always satisfying. But it's ultimately still an endearing experience throughout. There's plenty of enjoyment to be found just from the act of exploring, and little hidden secrets along the way help make it worthwhile; I just wish Concrete Genie had more adventure waiting for me."Take a look at the full top 10 sales chart for this week below, courtesy of UKIE and GfK Chart-Track. Note this table does not include digital sales data, and so should not be considered representative of all UK game sales.FIFA 20Ghost Recon: BreakpointMario Kart 8 DeluxeGears 5GridMinecraftThe Legend of Zelda: Link's AwakeningBorderlands 3Grand Theft Auto VSea of ThievesInfo from Gamespot.com

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has dominated Robert Downey Jr.'s career over the past decade, but with that (presumably) behind him, the star is moving to other high profile projects. First out of the gate is Dolittle, the latest movie version of the classic children's stories. The first trailer has been released.The trailer doesn't really contain much in the way of plot, but it does present the magical world of Dr Dolittle who, as we all know, speaks to animals. Dolittle lives in a huge house with all his animal pals, which includes a gorilla, a duck, a stubborn parrot, who are voiced respectively by Rami Malek, Octavia Spencer, and Emma Thompson. Dolittle ends up on an epic ocean-based adventure, and while the trailer is largely dialogue-free, it reveals that Downey Jr. has made some interesting choices about his accent. Check the trailer out below.The animal voicecast for Dolittle also includes John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Tom Holland, Ralph Fiennes, and Selena Gomez, while Antonio Banderas and Michael Sheen are amongst the actors actually appearing in the film. It's directed by Stephen Gaghan, and releases on January 17, 2020.Dolittle was shot back in early 2018 under the title The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle and was scheduled for release in April 2019. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it had to undergo extensive reshoots, overseen by Wrath of the Titans director Jonathan Liebesman, forcing Universal to push the release back nine months. The movie is based on the stories by Hugh Lofting. In 1998, Eddie Murphy starred in a hugely successful adaptation, which was followed by four sequels.Dolittle is the second big-budget family adventure movie to get a new trailer in the past few days. On Friday, the first trailer for Jungle Cruise was released. The movie is based on Disney theme park ride and stars Dwayne Johnson.Info from Gamespot.com

We're a month away from the release of Pokemon Sword and Shield on Nintendo Switch. With the Gen 8 Pokemon RPGs looming on the horizon, fansite Serebii reports that download cards for the games have begun appearing in stores in Japan, and they reveal the titles' file size, as well as a couple more returning Pokemon.According to the download cards, Pokemon Sword and Shield will each weigh in at 10.3 GB. While that seems minuscule compared to many games on other platforms, that puts Sword and Shield among the largest first-party Switch titles. For comparison, last year's Pokemon games, Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee, are each 4.2 GB.Additionally, the download cards confirmed that the Gen 5 Psychic-type Gothita, as well as its evolved forms, will return in Sword and Shield, as will Sun and Moon's Fire/Dragon turtle, Turtonator. We still don't know how many Pokemon in total will be available in Sword and Shield--the games controversially won't feature every old monster--but more than 250 have been confirmed thus far. Pokemon Sword And Shield News Pokemon Sword And Shield Pre-Order Guide: Bonuses And Discounts Pokemon Sword & Shield Seemingly Reveal Galarian Ponyta Pokemon Sword & Shield: Here's Every Gen 8 Pokemon Revealed So Far [Update] Pokemon Sword Vs. Shield: What Are The Version Differences? Among those are a number of new Pokemon, including some Galar-exclusive variants. The most recent one we saw was Galarian Ponyta, which is exclusive to Pokemon Shield and looks like an adorable unicorn. Pokemon Sword, meanwhile, is getting a region-exclusive evolution of Farfetch'd called Sirfetch'd. You can see all the new Gen 8 Pokemon revealed so far in our gallery.Pokemon Sword and Shield launch for Nintendo Switch on November 15. You can read more about the games in our Pokemon Sword and Shield pre-order guide. Those aren't the only titles developer Game Freak has on the way to Switch soon. The studio is also releasing an original RPG called Little Town Hero on October 16. Game Freak recently released a battle system explainer for Little Town Hero.Info from Gamespot.com

Microsoft is introducing new text filtering options on Xbox One consoles, giving players more control over what kinds of messages they receive. The company says this is both to improve parental controls and reduce online harassment and bullying.According to the announcement, you'll be able to select a set of new automated text filters soon. Those will start with private messages, and then expand into other areas like profiles, Clubs, and your Activity Feed. The filters come in four settings--Friendly, Medium, Mature, and Unfiltered--but you'll be able to set those content levels individually for different message types, like those from Friends versus message requests from Internet randos."For example, we recognize that while some adults use profanity without any ill intent while gaming, parents with small children likely won't find this same experience acceptable," the announcement states. "Similarly, there are differences between the everyday speech you'd use with your friends and harmful insults that could negatively impact anyone. With this in mind, we've ensured our safety settings are configurable along a spectrum from most filtered to least filtered so you can choose what is best for you."When a message hits the filter, you'll see a message warning that potentially offensive content was sent, and you can click on the placeholder to change the settings. Adult accounts will be able to see the content that has been filtered out. Child accounts will be set to the highest filtering level by default, but parents can change it as needed.The text filters are going to Xbox Insiders now, and will begin populating among the larger community later this month. Once the feature is live for you, you can find it under Settings > General > Online safety & family > Message safety.Info from Gamespot.com