Key Points:Borderlands 3 adds a celebrity voice actor with Ice-T.The Law & Order actor plays the character BALEX, who is an AI trapped inside the body of a teddy bear. Ice-T first teased a role in Borderlands 3 back in March.The Borderlands 3 release date is September 13 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. As rumored, the actor, rapper, and heavy metal band co-founder Ice-T is voicing a character in Borderlands 3. Ice-T plays the character BALEX, an AI who is trapped inside of a teddy bear.It's all very strange, which is in keeping with the over-the-top and humorous themes of Borderlands 3. Check out the video above to see the section of Ice-T in Borderlands 3.Ice-T is a longtime fan of the Borderlands franchise. Back in March, he himself started an internet rumor that he would voice a character in Borderlands 3. The game's official Twitter account posted a joking reply, so it just a matter of time before this all became official as it now has.It's not immediately clear how prominent a character BALEX is to Borderlands 3's story. GameSpot played a demo recently that introduced BALEX and saw players helping him take down his ex-wife, another AI.One of the Borderlands franchise's most recognizable characters, Claptrap, is now voiced by Jim Foronda (Dragon Ball Z Kai) after the original actor, David Eddings, left Gearbox amid a bitter dispute with his former employer.Ice-T has been in the Law & Order: SVU cast in a recurring role since 2000. He also co-founded the heavy metal band Body Count.SOMETIMES the Rumors are TRUE! Borderlands 3 is gonna be CRAZY! Why??? @Borderlands pic.twitter.com/GiwUD8yk09 — ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) August 14, 2019 He frequently tweets about his passion for gaming. He plays Destiny 2 on rainy days; he explores the world of Far Cry 5 while waiting in his SVU dressing room; and he believes the console wars are stupid. At E3 2011, Ice-T appeared alongside Cliff Bleszinski to hype Gears of War 3 and premiere a new song titled, you guessed it--"The Gears of War."Borderlands 3 launches on September 13 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. The PC edition is exclusive to the Epic Games Store until April 2020.For lots more on Borderlands 3, check out GameSpot's brand-new preview, "Why You Might Want To Play Borderlands 3 More Than Once."Info from Gamespot.com

Update: Epic has now confirmed it will roll back on its decision to release the familiar-looking dog skin in Fortnite. In a statement to GameSpot, an Epic Games spokesperson said: "We should not have released the Gunner Pet and apologize for doing so."Within the next couple of days, all purchases of Gunner will be refunded for the full amount of 1000 V-bucks as well as an additional 200 V-bucks and the Pet will be removed from the Locker. Anyone who purchased Gunner and refunds it prior to this make-good will instead receive 200 V-bucks and an additional refund token that can be put towards any eligible items that were purchased within the past 30 days."Original story follows.Epic has always made a big deal out of the fact that the cosmetic items contained in Fortnite's Battle Pass are exclusive to the pass and will never be sold separately. This provides an extra incentive for Battle Pass owners to keep coming back and playing every day, knowing that they only have one season to unlock every unique item available.So it's disappointing that today's Fortnite shop update has arrived with a very familiar-looking pooch. Season 6 of the Battle Pass introduced pets to Fortnite as a type of back bling, including everything from dogs to dragons and chameleons. Bonesy was one of these pets--a small dog with a scarf--and had various styles throughout season 6, all more elaborate than this new store item.Gunner, as the new pet is called, is a simple reskin of Bonesy. He has a slightly lighter shade of fur, is wearing a mask, and has a small skull logo on his scarf, but that's about it. Epic isn't fooling anyone.Reddit user PhantomRacer32 made the following comparison to highlight the similarities or lack thereof:Back in June, fans claimed Epic had already reneged on its self-imposed rule by selling a beachwear version of season 5 Battle Pass character Drift. However, the model had a new hairstyle, a completely new set of clothes, new accessories, and a separate back bling item, so it was somewhat justifiable. The same cannot be said of Gunner.The Fortnite Battle Pass costs 950 in-game V-Bucks. The cheapest V-Bucks bundle you can purchase is 1000 for $9.99 / £7.99, leaving you with a few leftovers to spend. By comparison, Gunner costs a flat 1000 V-Bucks--more than a Battle Pass--for a barely noticeable reskin.It sets a worrying precedent moving forward if Epic decides to sell previous Battle Pass cosmetics separately with only slight tweaks.Fortnite Season X CoverageFortnite Season 10 Battle Pass: Skins, Price, How It Works, And MoreFortnite Season 10 Battle Pass Rewards: Skins, Emotes, Back Bling, Pets, And MoreFortnite Season 10 Update Notes: BRUTE Mech, Rift Zones, And MoreFortnite Season 10: Big Changes To How Daily & Weekly Challenges WorkFortnite Season 10 Map Changes: Rift Zones, Comet, Skeleton, And MoreFortnite 10.00 Content Update: Titled Town, Automatic Sniper Rifle, And MoreInfo from Gamespot.com

Both Amazon and Best Buy are now selling the new and improved Nintendo Switch model, with the latter currently advertising $25 extra trade-in credit for those looking to purchase the updated console.The star of the show for the updated Switch model is longer battery life. Nintendo's official estimate puts the new model's battery life between 4.5 and 9 hours, depending on the game you're playing. This is an improvement over the original Switch, which lasted for between 2.5 and 6.5 hours, and the 3 to 7 hours offered by the upcoming Switch Lite.Early tests run by a Hong Kong YouTube channel called MeeMeGame Channel, shows the new Switch lasting for five hours and 36 minutes while playing launch title The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Another test shows the recently released Fire Emblem: Three Houses running for two hours in portable mode, with 60% of the battery life still remaining. Kevin Kenson, another YouTube creator, had previously confirmed that the new Switch model has an updated screen model number, which would explain why his tests revealed that the screen is both brighter and closer to true white balance in tone. This would also fit Sharp's announcement that its IGZO display would be used by Nintendo's consoles in the future.Beyond this, the updated Switch model's Tegra X1 processor also runs cooler, which in turn keeps your Switch from heating up as much. It's worth mentioning that despite these improvements, the new Switch model isn't a comparable upgrade to the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, so there aren't any increases in performance other than a longer-lasting battery.If you have one of the older Switch models and don't want to purchase the new one outright from either Amazon or Best Buy, GameStop stores are currently running an offer where you can trade in the launch model for $225, up from the usual $200, as part of a limited-time deal. This brings the $300 Switch revision to $75, netting you a tasty saving. This offer is valid until September 15.If you'd rather trade in your old launch model for the upcoming Switch Lite, you can use your $225 trade credit towards a pre-order for that instead. The Switch Lite costs $200 and releases on September 20, five days after this trade-in promotion ends, so you'll need to live without your precious Switch for a few days.For more Nintendo Switch news, stay on GameSpot:An FCC Filing Points Towards A Wireless SNES Controller For Nintendo SwitchNew Green Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons Available For Pre-Order NowThe Switch Lite Is Officially Open For Pre-Order (US)That Adorable Disney Switch Is Available To Pre-Order--And Ships To The US And UKNintendo Switch Lite FAQ: Price, Hardware Differences, Release Date, Battery Life, Specs, And ColorsNintendo Switch Lite: What We KnowSome links to supporting retailers are automatically made into affiliate links, and GameSpot may receive a small share of those sales. Info from Gamespot.com

After a two-year break, Need for Speed is back with a new entry in the long-running racing series. Developer Ghost Games, responsible for 2017's Need for Speed Payback, is back at the starting line with Need for Speed Heat, which will launch on November 8 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.Need for Speed Heat takes you to Palm City, a "brand-new open world where street racers have gathered to make their names known," according to a press release. On the streets of Palm City, you will compete in Speedhunters Showdowns to earn cash to customize and upgrade your rides. But be careful during nightfall, as rogue cops patroling the darkened streets eagerly look for racers to knock down a few pegs. Need for Speed Heat is said to feature "expressive customization, authentic urban car culture, and an immersive narrative." Check out the announcement trailer below.Pre-orders for Need for Speed Heat are available now. Reserving the standard edition nets you a special edition Mitsubishi Evolution X, while banking on the Deluxe Edition gives you three special edition cars: a BMW i8 Coupe, Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport, and Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe. In addition to those, the Deluxe Edition contains exclusive character clothing and extra in-game currency. A 10 percent discount is awarded to those who pre-order through Need for Speed Payback's in-game menu.Need for Speed Heat is set to launch on November 8, but those with EA Acess and Origin Access Basic (or Origin Access Premier on PC) get 10 hours of game time beginning on November 5.Grab Need for Speed Heat on PCGrab Need for Speed Heat on PS4Grab Need for Speed Heat on Xbox OneSome links to supporting retailers are automatically made into affiliate links, and GameSpot may receive a small share of those sales.Info from Gamespot.com

Video game "crunch"--or the process of overworking developers towards the end of a game's production or in the lead up to milestone reviews--has been a hot button issue for many years, but particularly in 2019.Gearbox Software, the developer of Borderlands 3, recently spoke with VG247 about the studio's policy on crunch, and why they don't do it."We are not a crunch studio," multiplayer producer Chris Burke said. "We don’t do the thing where we say, 'Hey, everyone's going to be working 10 hours, or 12 hours a day,' or whatever. We don’t do that.""It is hard to completely avoid it, because you’ve got people--Okay, I'm going to name drop a guy, he's probably going to be pissed. We have a guy, Brad Sierzega. He is one of our level artists for the game, so if you like the way Promethea looks, you can thank Brad Sierzega. He is a guy who knows that every second he puts in the game improves the game. I can’t actually even stop him.""On the one side, you've heard the horror stories of devs who've driven their people into the ground. And then, there are other stories, where it's like, 'Man, you guys have to calm down, it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. And you can't just burn yourself up right now,'" Burke continued.More and more developers and studios have spoken out about crunch this year. Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser claimed that some employees were working 100-hour weeks on Red Dead Redemption 2, the closure of Telltale Games unearthed some painful truths, MachineGames admitted it's trying to eliminate crunch, Massive Entertainment talked to us about it, and top Bethesda devs spoke out on why crunch is bad. Crunch has always existed in video game development, but with more developers speaking out and the public becoming more aware, it seems to be a slightly less frequent issue at least.Borderlands 3 launches on September 13 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.Why You Might Want To Play Borderlands 3 More Than OnceBorderlands 3 Adds Ice-T As The Voice Of An AI Who Is Trapped Inside A Teddy BearYou Won't Be Able To Preload Borderlands 3 On The Epic Games StoreInfo from Gamespot.com

Key Points:The world's biggest gaming conference, Gamescom, takes place next week in Germany.Microsoft is coming to the show with its next Inside Xbox briefing.There will be "nearly a dozen" new game trailers and "big news," including the reveal of Ghost Recon: Breakpoint's multiplayer mode. Gears 5's Horde Mode will be revealed as wellGoogle Stadia and Geoff Keighley also have press conferences scheduled for GamescomOne of the world's biggest gaming shows, Gamescom, takes place next week in Germany, and Microsoft is among the big companies attending the event. Microsoft has now announced more details about its plans for the show, one part of which is an Inside Xbox episode that promises news and more.The new Inside Xbox episode is scheduled to premiere on Monday, August 19, at 5 PM local time in Germany. That works out to 8 AM PT and 11 AM ET. For viewers in Australia, well, it's not an ideal time--1 AM. The broadcast airs on Mixer, Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.As for the content of the Inside Xbox event, Microsoft is premiering Gears 5's Horde mode, while the company will also show "nearly a dozen" brand-new trailers for other games. On top of that, there will be "big news and reveals" for a number of games and expansions, including Ghost Recon: Breakpoint (the multiplayer reveal), Destiny 2: Shadowkeep, Wasteland 3, Empire of Sin, Greedfall, The Surge 2, Vigor, Metro Exodus, and Blair Witch. There will also be news about Xbox Game Pass and the return of Microsoft's X0 event in London later this year.What's more, Microsoft is promising news about "new accessories," as well as a series of other surprises.Those who travel to Cologne, Germany for Gamescom can watch the Inside Xbox broadcast live at the Gloria Theater. It's not clear if this is a live episode or if people will simply sit in a theatre and watch the broadcast. Whatever the case, entry is on a first-come, first-served basis; you must be 18 years or older to attend.Additionally, Microsoft is holding an event called Xbox Open Doors, where people can attend every night of the show from 5-10 PM local time August 21-23 to play games and more. More details will be shared on Xbox Dach's Twitter and Facebook accounts.In addition to Xbox, there is an Opening Night press conference hosted by Geoff Keighley scheduled for August 19. Publishers like 2K, Activision, EA, and others have signed on, so you can expect news or trailers for their upcoming games, while Keighley's close friend Hideo Kojima will be on hand to provide an "exclusive" preview of Death Stranding.Google Stadia also has a press conference of its own scheduled for August 19. This is the company's Nintendo Direct-style pre-recorded Stadia Connect briefing where the company is expected to reveal more details about the streaming service.Gamescom 2019 Press Conference ScheduleMonday, August 19Inside Xbox -- 5 PM CEST, 8 AM PT, 11 AM ETGoogle Stadia Connect -- 7 PM CEST, 10 AM PT, 1 PM ETOpening Night Live Conference -- 8 PM CEST, 11 AM PT, 2 PM ETRead next: Phil Spencer Is Exactly Who You Think He Is Info from Gamespot.com

Rare has announced a new update cadence for Sea of Thieves, promising new content on a regular monthly schedule. The studio says that updates will begin dropping on the second Wednesday of every month, giving the community a more predictable schedule to clear their calendar and take to the high seas.The new schedule starts with this month's update, Dark Relics. It features spooky skeletons stealing dangerous artifacts, which you can trade for gold and rep. Plus the update includes special challenges for pirate legends, Reaper's Mark chests with special loot, grappling hooks for your dinghies, and more. Check out the trailer below to see it all in action.Sea of Thieves had a rough launch with middling reviews, but Rare has continued to add more content on a regular basis with free updates. Those included a big anniversary update and a ship that paid homage to the Halo series.As a first-party game from Microsoft, Sea of Thieves was included with Xbox Game Pass at launch, and it's still available through the subscription service if you want to give these latest updates a whirl. One third-party developer recently revealed that, somewhat counter-intuitively, being included on Game Pass appears to have dramatically boosted its sales. For more on Microsoft's strategy surrounding Game Pass as it heads into the next generation, check out our in-depth interview with Xbox head Phil Spencer.Info from Gamespot.com

The classic platforming franchise Bubble Bobble is coming back. Bubble Bobble 4 Friends recreates the old bubble-based challenge with co-op for up to four players, exclusively on Nintendo Switch. It will hit Europe on November 19, followed by a North American release sometime in early 2020.A brief trailer shows off the new 4-player co-op, along with a revised art style--think the classic Bubble Bobble, with some bright Pac Man Championship Edition-like visual flourishes. It even pays homage to fellow Taito series Space Invaders with a stage showing the familiar pixel-art aliens.Bubble Bobble was an arcade game first, later ported to consoles, and from the inception it always had a co-op element as players controlled Bob and Bub. This updated version shows a player select screen with those two (Bubblun and Bobblun) along with a yellow dragon (Cucurun) and a pink dragon (Cororon). The select screen also shows the players picking their skills (in this case all of them set to "Thunder Bubble").Info from Gamespot.com

After showcasing the hot-blooded Misako in a recent character spotlight, developer WayForward Technologies has shone a light on River City Girls' second playable character, the cute and bubbly Kyoko. And she's ready to batter the boys and girls who touch her precious boyfriend Riki.Kyoko's character spotlight shows the breadth of her moveset, which includes a plethora of kicks reminiscent of One Piece's Sanji or Street Fighter's Chun-Li. Similar to Misako, Kyoko's moveset is customizable with an assortment of moves from crescent moon kicks to WWE-style back throws. There seems to be some light RPG mechanics as you collect money to spend on upgrading your waifu.We had an opportunity to play River City Girls at Anime Expo 2019, calling it one of the better anime-like games we're watching closely this year. The beat-em-up features retro-inspired graphics that call back to previous Kunio-kun games like River City Ransom and River City: Tokyo Rumble. Instead of focusing on series mainstays Kunio and Riki, though, River City Girls modernizes its formula by putting girl power at the forefront, making the protagonists' girlfriends the stars of the story.River City Girls is set to launch on September 5 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.Info from Gamespot.com

Epic has rolled out another new update for Fortnite: Battle Royale. Following a slight delay, patch 10.10 is now live across PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices, and it brings back another classic area of the island and makes some welcome changes to the game's overpowered mech suits. Here are the patch notes.First, a Rift Zone has caused Mega Mall to revert to Retail Row. This time, however, the shopping center is overrun by zombie-like Fiends, making it a dangerous place to visit. This is the second area of the island to be transformed by a Rift Zone this season thus far; last week, Neo Tilted was turned into the Wild West-themed Tilted Town.In addition to Retail Row's return, Epic is kicking off a new limited-time mode called World Run. This Squads mode divides 16 players up into four teams, and the group that collects 30 coins the fastest will be declared the winner. Meanwhile, the legendary Infinity Blade has been unvaulted for the Sword Fight Squads and Duos LTM, although this time its environmental damage has been significantly reduced.Finally, Epic has made an assortment of balance tweaks, most notably to the new B.R.U.T.E mechs, which fans have criticized as being overpowered since they were introduced at the start of the season. Now, a targeting laser has been added, giving both teammates and opponents a much clearer idea of where the mech is aiming. The mechs will also spawn less frequently in certain modes.You can read what else has changed in Fortnite's Battle Royale mode below, while the full patch notes can be found on Epic's website.Fortnite: Battle Royale v10.10 Patch NotesWhat's New?Retail RowA Rift Zone has turned Mega Mall back into Retail Row, and prices have dropped significantly. These discounts come at the cost of increased danger — bargain-crazed Fiends are spawning in the Rift Zone, and they want the shopping center all to themselves.Limited-Time ModesWorld Run LTMTeam Type: Squads | Respawning: On16 Players.4 Teams.The team to collect 30 coins fastest wins. In the event that two teams collect the same amount of coins, the team that was faster will win.Weapons & ItemsUnvaulted only in the Sword Fight Squads and Duos LTMs: Infinity Blade Reduced the environmental damage from 10000 to 600.Increased the number of resource stacks contained in Chests in Tilted Town from 1 to 3.B.R.U.T.E. updates: Added a targeting laser that appears as players load and fire missiles. In addition to the B.R.U.T.E.’s gunner, this laser is visible to opponents and teammates.This is to help give clarity to all players on where a gunner is aiming their rockets before they’re fired.Improved visual and audio feedback during the self-destruct sequence.B.R.U.T.E.s can now be entered directly from glider mode.Updated B.R.U.T.E. spawn logic for large team respawn game modes. B.R.U.T.Es will now spawn intermittently throughout the match instead of waiting for Storm phases to end.B.R.U.T.E.s abandoned in the Storm will self-destruct after 30 seconds.B.R.U.T.E.s will reappear on the minimap after 15 seconds if no player is in either seat.On Saturday, August 10, we lowered the spawn rates of the B.R.U.T.E. per Storm circle in Arena and Tournament playlists. We will continue to monitor the impact of this change in advance of next weekend’s Champion Series event. Beginning of Match 21.5% chance that between 1-3 B.R.U.T.Es will spawn Previously was 100% chance that between 2-4 B.R.U.T.Es would spawnStorm 1 44% chance that between 1-4 B.R.U.T.Es will spawn Previously was 100% chance that between 2-4 B.R.U.T.Es would spawnStorm 2 40% chance that between 1-2 B.R.U.T.Es will spawn Previously was 100% chance that between 1-3 B.R.U.T.Es would spawnStorm 3 40% chance that between 1-2 B.R.U.T.Es will spawn Previously was 66% chance that 2 B.R.U.T.Es would spawnStorm 4 10% chance that 1 B.R.U.T.E will spawn Previously was 50% chance that 1 B.R.U.T.E would spawnStorm 5 3% chance that 1 B.R.U.T.E will spawn Previously was 10% chance that 1 B.R.U.T.E would spawnBug FixesFixed an issue in which opponents’ B.R.U.T.E.s would sometimes not be visible.B.R.U.T.E.s can no longer be used to traverse the map faster than intended.The turn rate of B.R.U.T.E.’s turret is no longer framerate-dependent.GameplayRetail Row A Rift Zone has replaced the Mega Mall POI with Retail Row. Retail Row now spawns hordes of Fiends who charge at players. Fiends may drop a weapon, consumable, or ammo upon being eliminated.Fiends cannot go outside the Retail Row Rift Zone.Chests and ammo containers will now open when destroyed. Known issue: Destroying a Chest or ammo container by destroying the object it is placed on will not open it. We plan to have this issue resolved in the v10.20 update.Bug FixesThe Week 1 and Week 2 Hidden Battle Stars can now be collected.Fixed an issue in which the Bush would reset its displayed equip timer if the player tried to activate it multiple times. (Players would still be able to equip the Bush at the intended time, but the displayed timer would be incorrect.)Fixed an issue in which Supply Drop smoke would not appear if the box was not in sight.Trees no longer turn into different kinds of trees upon being damaged. This includes snow-covered trees no longer turning into non-snow-covered trees.Fixed an issue in which Chests would sometimes already be broken or opened at the start of a match.The “Welcome to Tilted Town” message no longer loops when players enter/exit Titled Town. It also no longer overlaps Storm warnings.Walking over in-motion Bottle/Fancy Flip Toys no longer causes a camera issue.EventsPushed a fix on August 5 to address an Arena matchmaking issue causing players to be matched within a wider Hype range than intended. Because players are now matched within a narrower Hype range, some players may experience longer queue times. This is to ensure higher-quality matches.Info from Gamespot.com

Developer Epic Games recently released a new Pet named Gunner in Fortnite: Battle Royale, and fans quickly pointed out that the little doggo is basically a reskinned version of a previously released dog, Bonesy. Now, Epic has responded to the news, saying it made a mistake in releasing Gunner.The company will give out refunds to everyone who bought Gunner, and in an attempt to make up for the problem, Epic is also giving players who purchased Gunner 200 free V-bucks. What's more, Gunner is being erased from Fortnite entirely."We should not have released the Gunner Pet and apologize for doing so. Within the next couple of days, all purchases of Gunner will be refunded for the full amount of 1000 V-bucks as well as an additional 200 V-bucks and the Pet will be removed from the Locker," Epic said in a statement.Players who purchased Gunner and use Fortnite's in-game refund tools to get a refund will receive the 200 free V-bucks and an extra refund token.As comparison images show, Gunner was merely a simple reskin of Bonesy with a lighter shade of fur and some minor tweaks like a skull logo on his scarf. Adding to the controversy, Bonesy was originally exclusive to the Season 6 Battle Pass; Epic had pledged that items in Battle Passes would never be sold separately. So when Epic started selling Gunner, the Bonesy clone, people got upset that Epic seemed to be going back on its promise.Fortnite Season X CoverageFortnite Season 10 Battle Pass: Skins, Price, How It Works, And MoreFortnite Season 10 Battle Pass Rewards: Skins, Emotes, Back Bling, Pets, And MoreFortnite Season 10 Update Notes: BRUTE Mech, Rift Zones, And MoreFortnite Season 10: Big Changes To How Daily & Weekly Challenges WorkFortnite Season 10 Map Changes: Rift Zones, Comet, Skeleton, And MoreFortnite 10.00 Content Update: Titled Town, Automatic Sniper Rifle, And MoreInfo from Gamespot.com

We know a huge amount of changes are coming to Destiny 2's gear systems in its upcoming Shadowkeep expansion. Armor in the expansion will be completely different as compared to its current system, offering more customization for character builds and cosmetic customization. Bungie is calling it Armor 2.0, and the studio just dropped a bunch of details about how it'll work.Bungie previewed the new armor system in a livestream that gave a close look at the gear you'll be chasing when Shadowkeep is released on October 1. First and foremost, all Legendary armor in the game you earn in Shadowkeep will be Armor 2.0, including old armor you can get from different locations around the solar system. Armor you earn while playing the game will now include new stats, each of which will determine how it affects your playstyle and abilities. These stats will determine whether you decide to keep and use a piece of armor or discard it, and whether you'll use that particular piece of armor for one character build or another.Armor StatsCurrently, armor carries three stat values: Mobility, Resilience, and Recovery. Starting with Armor 2.0, Bungie is reintroducing three more stats values to armor that we previously saw in Destiny 1: Intellect, Discipline, and Strength. Here's what each does:Mobility: Increases your movement speed and jump height.Resilience: Determines how much damage you can take--basically, your health.Recovery: Measures how quickly your shields recharge when you stop taking damage.Discipline: Increases the speed of your grenade ability cooldown.Intellect: Increases the speed of your Super cooldown.Strength: Increases the speed of your melee ability cooldown.Where the top three stats had values of one through 10 before Shadowkeep, all six values will now be measured out of 100. These numbers will be set when a piece of armor drops; basically, you'll be seeing the intrinsic capabilities of each piece of armor. So if a piece of armor has a very high Mobility stat, it'll make you move quicker and jump higher; if that's a stat you value and a piece of armor has a low Mobility stat, you'll probably want to toss it.Bungie also makes it clearer what these numbers mean with Armor 2.0. When you move your cursor over the marker for a stat on a piece of armor, you'll see its value, and also the effect it has on how you'll play. So for instance, mousing over your Discipline stat will tell you exactly how long your grenade cooldown will be. You'll be able to equip mods to armor to change some of those values just like you can in Destiny 2 now, allowing you to further customize your armor's capabilities.Adding Mods Each piece of armor also has another value, called Energy. This stat dictates how many mods you can equip to it. Each piece of armor can have an Energy value as high as 10; each armor mod also has a value, like 3 or 5. Your armor has three available mod slots, and adding a mod on an armor piece uses up some of its Energy, limiting what sort of mods you can add to an armor piece. So if your armor has 10 Energy, you can add, say, two mods that require 5 Energy each, or three mods that cost 3 Energy each.In Destiny 2 right now, you can only equip a mod to a piece of armor once; if you equip another mod in its place, the original is destroyed. That's no longer the case in Shadowkeep, allowing you to reuse your mods multiple times. That means you can customize your armor in more ways, pushing your Guardian toward a more unique build and playstyle.While Energy will be essential to your armor's modding capabilities, you'll have to level up your armor so it can reach its full potential. When you first get a new piece of armor, it'll only have an Energy value of 5. To raise it, you'll need to spend some currencies you'll earn in the game, in a system that sounds similar to Destiny 2's current Masterwork system. We don't know yet exactly what those currencies are or how you'll earn them, though.Moving Your Perks AroundProbably the biggest change from the current armor system in Destiny 2 is that armor won't carry perks anymore when it drops. Right now, every piece of armor has its specific stats, as well as a random set of special perks. These include things like an aim bonus for a particular weapon, like hand cannons, or a perk that increases the frequency of drops of certain ammo types. Since those perks are random, you're incentivized to keep armor with perks you like and discard armor with perks you don't--regardless of whether you like how that armor actually looks.Instead of random perks on armor, the mod system will pick up the slack. Perks that help with specific weapon handling or determine what kind of ammo you're likely to find will now be available as mods, so you can pick the specific perks you want for a piece of armor and equip them. Gone are the days of deleting a cool-looking piece of armor because it has bad perks; now you can just equip them as necessary.There's another caveat: elemental types. Right now, each piece of armor you get randomly comes with an alignment to one of Destiny's three energy types: Void, Arc, and Solar. Masterworking a piece of armor increases its resistance to that specific type of energy. Bungie is taking things a bit further in Armor 2.0, where each armor piece will also have a particular element. The elemental type relates to its Energy; if a piece of armor is aligned with Void energy, for instance, and you want to equip a mod to resist elemental attacks, you'll have to equip a Void version of that mod. Since your armor has Void Energy, you can't equip mods that require Arc Energy. It looks like most mods won't require a particular Energy type, but some will.ExoticsWhen Shadowkeep drops, all Exotic armor that drops in the game will be converted to Armor 2.0. That means any piece you get from playing the game will be ready to let you install your mods on it. Exotics from pre-Shadowkeep that you already own won't change. However, you won't be required to re-earn or re-find all your old Exotic armor in order to convert it to the new system. That's where Collections comes in.As is the case in Destiny 2 right now, you can use the Collections menu to get a new version of any Exotic you already own. When you pull an Exotic armor piece from Collections in Shadowkeep, it'll come out in its Armor 2.0 version. What the armor won't have is randomized stats, however--so if you want a set of St0mp-EE5 boots with higher Intellect or a Phoenix Protocol with better Mobility, you'll need to find new versions of those Exotics in the game.Cosmetic OrnamentsThe final piece of the Armor 2.0 puzzle is a new set of Universal Ornaments that let you change the appearance of a piece of armor. These basically give you the chance to reskin your armor without changing any of its other stats or mods, altering its look and nothing else. You'll be able to apply these ornaments to any applicable piece, so you can get exactly the look you want on your character. Those ornaments will come from the Eververse Store.Bungie didn't outline everything about Armor 2.0, and there are more new features and changes coming in Shadowkeep that Bungie hasn't detailed yet, as well. We should be getting more details soon, though: director Luke Smith teased on Twitter that the next part of his Director's Cut blog post on Bungie's website would include more Armor 2.0 information. He also said we can expect that next installment on August 15.Info from Gamespot.com

Spelunky 2 won't make it out of its development cave this year after all. Developer Derek Yu announced on Twitter that the follow-up to the original roguelike is just a little off the mark due to its level of complexity, and as a result the team needs more time to finish it."Development is still going well and we're not far off target, but the density and detail of the game is demanding more time," Yu said in a series of tweets. "As soon as we have a release date for Spelunky 2, we'll make sure everyone knows! We can't wait to show you more, although of course the best way is for you to experience it for yourself at launch. All the crazy stuff we're adding makes me buzz with excitement."Hey, Spelunky fans! Unfortunately, I don't think we're going to get to release Spelunky 2 this year. Development is still going well and we're not far off target, but the density and detail of the game is demanding more time.Thank you for your patience. pic.twitter.com/BJvsHUWAY0 — Derek Yu (@mossmouth) August 14, 2019In the tweets, Yu also apologized for the recent lack of updates, saying that it's sometimes hard to strike a balance between communication and development time. He also remarked that the team is adding more detail and contrast to the environmental art in response to feedback from the initial trailer.Spelunky 2 is an ambitious sequel, introducing new characters and online co-op to the first game's roguelike exploration. Yu developed the first game almost single-handedly, and he's still leading the effort for the sequel."Neither cooperative nor competitive modes are where Spelunky excels because the core of this game is designed around the exploits of a lone survivor in a hostile world. Spelunky doesn't extend a helping hand when you're down," Tom McShea wrote in GameSpot's Spelunky review. "It doesn't have mercy. And that stubbornness is one of the main reasons it's so hard to pull away from the game. When you finally conquer something that has been hounding you for hours, you feel like the best darn explorer on the planet, and that feeling overshadows all the hardships you overcame down the troubled path you traveled."Info from Gamespot.com

If video game consoles really are going to get more expensive in America due to Trump's tariffs, it might now take a little longer for it to happen. The United States Trade Representative announced this week that the proposed taxes on some electronics made in China, including video game consoles, is being delayed until December 15.In a statement, the USTR said it pushed the start date back from September 1 as part of the "public comment and hearing process." This is typically understood to be a time period when members of the public and experts weigh in on a particular topic.In this case, it appears the public comment and hearing process resulted in the committee deciding it needed extra time to make a final decision. One significant event related to video games that happened during that time was the joint letter from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo sent to the US government expressing their mutual opposition for the new taxes.Other products made in China whose proposed tax increase has also been delayed to December 15 include cell phones, laptops, and computer monitors, as well as some unspecific footwear, clothing, and toys.The USTR said it now plans to hold an "exclusion process" to determine if the products whose new tax rate have been delayed should be removed entirely from the list. The USTR said it will move quickly to release an official list into the Federal Register for items that will and will not be subject to the increased tariff rates.Trump's new tariffs for China, which were first proposed in May, would introduce a 25% take on all imports from the country. The importers pay the tax, so that means Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo would likely need to offset the costs with increased prices passed on to retailers and eventually consumers.For its part, Nintendo reportedly prepared itself for the tariffs by moving manufacturing out of China ahead of the launch of rumored new Switch models.Speaking to press today, Trump explained the delay, "We're doing this for Christmas season, just in case some of the tariffs would have an impact on US customers ..."After Trump's announcement of the tariff delay, the US market rallied. However, stocks later fell back to Earth.In the joint letter, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo pointed out that more than 96% of video game consoles imported to the US were made in China. If the console manufacturers move their production operations to the US or another country, this could cause "significant supply chain disruption" and increase costs "even beyond the cost of the proposed tariffs."In other news, Sony recently said it might have to raise the price of PlayStation consoles if the proposed tariffs go through. The topic is especially front-of-mind currently for game consoles, as Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony are all coming out with new hardware relatively soon. Nintendo's new Switch Lite launches in September, while Microsoft's Project Scarlett and Sony's all-but-confirmed PS5 are each expected to debut during Holiday 2020.Xbox boss Phil Spencer has said the price of the next-generation Scarlett console may depend on what happens with the tariffs. This is an ongoing story, so keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest.Info from Gamespot.com

Actor and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Killing Eve) was hired to contribute to the Bond 25 script, and now she has shared a little more insight into the "fantasy nightmare" of being James Bond. Not only that, but her reported pay for the movie has also been revealed.Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Waller-Bridge said she's been intrigued by how James Bond and the Killing Eve character Villanelle, who is an assassin, are similar. "They live a fantasy! But it's a life none of us would ever want, if we're honest. We don't want to go put a bullet in someone's head to sleep with people and have martinis," she said. "It's a kind of fantasy nightmare."Waller-Bridge is the fifth credited screenwriter for Bond 25; she joins director Cary Joji Fukunaga (True Detective, Beasts of No Nation), Scott Z. Burns (The Bourne Ultimatum, Contagion), and veteran James Bond writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade."A lot has been made of me coming on board because I'm a woman, and that's wonderful. But also I can't take credit for the movie that was written. It's Cary's movie," Waller-Bridge said.According to the report, Bond actor Daniel Craig personally requested that the producers hire Waller-Bridge to write "sharper dialogue" for Bond 25. The report states that she was paid $2 million USD for her contributions to the script.Also in the interview, Waller-Bridge was asked to respond to the rumors that Captain Marvel's Lashana Lynch is playing a new 007 in Bond 25. She didn't confirm anything one way or the other, but instead gave a teasing reply. "The whole thing has potential to birth new iconic characters all the time," she said.In a previous interview, Waller-Bridge said she wants to see the James Bond franchise move with the times. "There's been a lot of talk about whether or not [the Bond franchise] is relevant now because of who he is and the way he treats women," Waller-Bridge told Deadline. "I think that's bollocks. I think he's absolutely relevant now. It has just got to grow. It has just got to evolve, and the important thing is that the film treats the women properly. He doesn't have to. He needs to be true to this character."Bond 25, or whatever title is eventually given to the film, will release on April 3, 2020.Info from Gamespot.com