It's time for the biggest party of the summer, and no, we're not talking about Uncle Clark's backyard BBQ--where the Zima flows like water. We're talking about the WWE PPV Summerslam, where superstars spend an August weekend slamming each other onto mats, surrounded by thousands of people staring at them.On Sunday, August 11, Summerslam comes to the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario. It's WWE's biggest event of the summer, so the card is pretty stacked, and it's going to be a long show. Depending on where you live, the show is going to start at a reasonable hour or in the middle of the night.Summerslam Start Times:4PM PT6 PM C7 PM ET12 AM BST (August 12)9 AM AEST (August 12)As with most WWE events, a Kickoff Show starts the evening, and for Summerslam, the pre-show should begin two-hours prior. While none have been announced yet, there will probably be two matches on the Kickoff, and more than likely, the Cruiserweight Championship match will be booked there. As of this writing, there are nine matches on the card, and only five of them are for championships--which is a few less title matches than you normally see on a PPV.How To Watch:There are a couple ways to watch Summerslam, and the first is to buy it through your cable or satellite provider, but that's going to be a costly endeavor. Luckily, the WWE Network exists, a streaming service to watch WWE programming and live events. If you're a new subscriber, you can sign up for one month for free, and if the service isn't to your liking or particular tastes--or you just want Summerslam for free--you can cancel at any time.As for the show itself, there are a few key matches to focus in on during the evening. First, Goldberg returns to take on Dolph Ziggler because why not? Goldberg's last match with the Undertaker went super-well, so let's double down (End sarcasm). More importantly, Trish Stratus returns to take on Charlotte Flair, in what's going to more than likely be an amazing match, as Stratus is still a great competitor in the ring. The highlights of the evening will be AJ Styles vs. Ricochet and the in-ring debut of Bray Wyatt as "The Fiend." Also, Shane McMahon is involved in another PPV, and while that's a bit annoying to see him in another major storyline, at least we get to see Kevin Owens destroy him. And yes, there are plenty of higher-profile championship matches on this card, but I feel like the mid-card will be the best part of Summerslam.Below, you'll find the full match card for Summerslam, which is subject to change.Summerslam Match Card:Goldberg vs. Dolph ZigglerTrish Stratus vs. Charlotte FlairAJ Styles (c) vs. Ricochet (United States Championship)Finn Bálor vs. “The Fiend” Bray WyattKevin Owens vs. Shane McMahonBayley (c) vs. Ember Moon (Smackdown Women's Championship)Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Randy Orton (WWE Championship)Becky Lynch (c) vs. Natalya (Submission Match for the Raw Women's Championship)Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Seth Rollins (Universal Championship)Make sure to come back to GameSpot on Sunday, August 11 for live coverage of the show.Info from Gamespot.com

If you thought the first season of DC Universe's Titans packed in a lot of superhero action, you haven't seen anything yet. The first look at Season 2, which was previously shown at DC Universe's San Diego Comic-Con panel, has debuted online and there's a lot to take in.After starting with a recap of the significant events of Season 1, the video looks at what--and who--is to come. It offers the first look at new heroes like Aqualad (Drew Van Acker) and Ravager (Chelsea T. Zhang), as well as a suited-up Wonder Girl (Conor Leslie) and Superboy (Joshua Orpin), who was first seen at the tail end of Season 1. For those keeping track, the trailer also includes the first appearance of Bruce Wayne (Iain Glen) on the series. While Batman was seen briefly in Season 1, viewers were never shown his face.The final reveal of the trailer gives a big hint at a villain for the season, with the arrival of Deathstroke (Esai Morales). In the comics and animated adaptations of Teen Titans, Deathstroke/Slade Wilson has been a constant nemesis of the team of heroes, and it's exciting to see the DC Universe series leaning in that direction.Returning from Season 1 are Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites), Rachel Roth (Teagan Croft), Koriand' r (Anna Diop), Dawn Granger (Minka Kelly), and Hank Hall (Alan Ritchson). At a glance, there doesn't seem to be any new footage of Gar (Ryan Potter), otherwise known as Beast Boy, in the trailer. We're still betting on plenty of Beast Boy action this season, though.Titans Season 2 premieres Friday, September 6.Info from Gamespot.com

We're a week into Destiny 2's Solstice of Heroes event, the last seasonal event before the launch of the Shadowkeep expansion on October 1. There's a lot to do, but with Year Two quickly drawing to a close, now's the time to push your characters up to the Power level cap of 750. As always, a new weekly Ascendant Challenge can help you do that.As players have come to expect, the Ascendant Challenge starts out with acquiring the corresponding bounty from Petra in the Dreaming City. You'll also need a Tincture of Queensfoil, a consumable item you can earn by taking part in certain activities in the Dreaming City (or you can outright buy one). Once you have both the bounty and a Tincture, you'll head to a Lost Sector, Aphelion's Rest, which is located in The Strand, just beneath the area where Petra is sometimes found. Using a Tincture will grant you a buff, Ascendance, that allows you to see a Taken portal. This one is located partway through the Lost Sector, atop a hill--it's hard to miss if you've used your Tincture.Jumping into the portal takes you to the Ascendant Plane's Ouroborea. There, you'll have to explore the area to find four different blights. Enter the dome and destroy its core; you'll know you've done it when it disappears and the text "a seal breaks" pops up in the bottom-left corner. Once you've dealt with all the blights, you'll go back toward the center to destroy crystals (whose protective shield has been temporarily dropped). Just beware the knights who will chase you around as you do this--your best bet is to keep moving in a circle, which should let you destroy the crystals without allowing the knights to get too close.Although the chest is unlikely to have much in the way of worthwhile rewards, finishing the Ascendant Challenge also completes the bounty you picked up from Petra. That rewards you with a piece of Powerful gear that is highly desirable and can increase your level, making this all worth the trouble, provided you're capable of getting it done. With The Black Armory expansion in full swing, players are back to the gear grind to get to the new level cap of 650.Although this Ascendant Challenge is not a new one, there is a lot happening in Destiny 2 right now. Niobe Labs means the fourth of The Black Armory's new Forges to unlock, as well as a new step in the Mystery Box Exotic quest we've been tracking since the expansion released last month.There are actually five new Exotic weapons in The Black Armory to find, four of which we know about (and one of which we can take a guess at). There's also a lot more happening in January and beyond: Bungie laid out its content calendar for the rest of Year 2, which is pretty extensive.Info from Gamespot.com

Anthem may have had a rocky launch, but EA and BioWare have remained committed to providing its promised post-launch content, including its first big world event, Cataclysm. The studio hadn't committed to a time-frame for the world event, but now it has been released alongside a large patch loaded with tweaks and balance changes.The biggest change is the addition of new story missions in the endgame Cataclysm event. Cataclysm missions are available from the Expedition screen if you've completed the Incursion mission in the main story. It introduces modifiers to take on special missions, a new seasonal store with seasonal currency, and leaderboards.Other significant changes include Inversions, which modify how your Javelin interacts with the environment and enemies, and changes to the Luck and Alliance system, along with loads of weapon balancing, bug fixes, and more. On the whole the changes seem geared at providing more variety and a repeatable loot grind for endgame players. A companion Guild App has also launched on iOS and Google Play.EA's CEO Andrew Wilson recently opened up about some of Anthem's launch struggles, but maintained that the game could grow into something special. Check out the full patch notes below.Anthem 1.3.0 Patch NotesNew Story Missions - Track Dr. Harken and unravel the mystery of the Cataclysm. Available to all players who have completed the “Incursion” mission in the main storyline. Cataclysm - Battle Vara Brom and her forces in a dangerous new game mode that evolves over time. Teamwork is heavily encouraged as you battle against the dangerous environment and time itself, unlock secrets, and master the Cataclysm to earn all new rewards and rank up the leaderboard. The Cataclysm is available on the Start of Expedition screen for all players who have completed the “Incursion” mission.Inversions - Sets of gameplay modifiers that impact how you face the challenges of the Cataclysm.Leaderboards - Finishing content in the Cataclysm mode adds to your score. Your score is updated to the leaderboard at the end of your run.Seasonal Currency - Complete challenges and content to earn Minor and Major Crystals. Spend that currency on the rewards in the Seasonal Store.Seasonal Store - A new store that features time-limited rewards for purchase with the seasonal currency.Guild App - The Anthem guild app is now available for download. Create, join, and chat with guild members in-app. View your guild from the game to squad up and explore the world of Anthem together.Download on Apple iOS Download on Google PlayAlliance System Changes - The Alliance System now includes Guild members in addition to Friends when calculating Social Rewards. (You’ll be able to create, join and chat with guild members in a new guild mobile app.)Inversions - With patch 1.3.0 we’ve introduced a new system called Inversions, which changes the way your Javelin interacts with the environment to various degrees. Some Inversions will hinder you, some will help. Ultimately, they should fundamentally change your experience within the Cataclysm and encourage some diversification to your playstyle. Here is a full list of the Inversions you can expect (two inversions will be active each week during the duration of the Cataclysm event):Ultimate Boost Ultimate meter from kills is increased.Turbo Gear Gear recharge rate is increased.Lightning Rod Close-range kills chain lightning to nearby enemies.Close Encounters Shotguns and Machine Pistols deal increased damage.Precision Operator Snipers and Marksman Rifles deal increased damage.Immunity Pack Ammo pickups grant brief immunity to damage.On the Edge At low armor, damage dealt increases.Soldier's Reward Killing an enemy restores a small amount of shields.From the Skies Heat build-up while hovering is decreased.Air Support Defeating an enemy while hovering grants increased damage while on the ground for a short time; stacks up to 5 times.Broken Magazine Weapons have no spare ammo, but enemies drop ammo more often.Running on Empty Firing the last shot in a weapon's clip increases all damage for a short time.Luck ChangeLuck has been removed from all items and replaced with bonus armor. As a result, drop rates from Easy through Grandmaster 1 difficulty modes will be as if they had previously equipped maximum Luck before the update. Legendary and Masterwork drop rates in Grandmaster 2 and Grandmaster 3 difficulties have increased for all players, including those who equipped maximum Luck previously.Legendary Contract Chest ChangeStronghold Chests have been added to the end of each Legendary Contract.WeaponsUpdate 1.3.0 and the Cataclysm introduces us to some new powerful sources of energy for creatures in the world, gear, and of course weapons. As part of the Cataclysm we wanted to amp up our in-game weapons and add some unique spin to their behaviors and gameplay mechanics - With that in mind, we’ve introduced three new classes of weapons with three new Masterwork/Legendary only variants:Pulse Accelerators use seal technology to generate destructive energy. “Bad Omen” - Charges to fire a burst of energy projectiles.“Rain Maker” - Fires an energy burst that explodes into smaller projectiles.“Grave Digger” - Fires an increasingly powerful stream of energy.Volt Casters use seal technology to focus ambient electricity “Jarra’s Wrath” - Blasts a short-range lightning arc.“Lightning Rod” - Calls down lightning on a specific location.“Flashfire” - Fires a lightning attack that jumps from enemy to enemy.Blade Slingers charge a circular projectile with dynamic force. “Razorwing” - Launches a heavy blade that bounces between targets.“Riza’s Ripper” - Fires a barbed blade that inflicts ongoing shrapnel damage.“Shard Storm” - Launches experimental crystal projectiles across the immediate area.Added new Match Consumables for Pulse Accelerators, Volt Casters and Blade Slingers.Difficulty Changes:We’ve reduced the amount of health for non-boss enemies inside Grandmaster 2 by 50%, and Stronghold bosses by 65%.Reduced the amount of shields for all enemies inside Grandmaster 2 by 35%.Reduced the amount of health for non-boss enemies instead Grandmaster 3 by 50%, and Stronghold bosses by 75%.Reduced the amount of shields for all enemies by 20%.NOTE: These health changes do not affect our "Apex" creatures, as they had previously been adjusted.GearWith this update, we’re starting to introduce additional Masterworks for each of the gear slots on each Javelin to better improve end-game build diversity and introduce new mechanics.Colossus:“Again and Again” - Upgraded Siege Artillery Combo Effect: Explosive. Detonates another explosion briefly after the first.“Venom Storm” - Upgraded Burst Mortar Combo Effect: Explosive. Fires a volley of acidic rounds.Interceptor: “Tesilar Trap” - Upgraded Cluster Mine Deploys a bundle of proximity mines. Mines deal electric damage and electrify targets.“Spectre's Flash” - Upgraded Wraith Strike Projects ghost to target. Detonates Aura Combos.Ranger:“Relentless Pursuit” - Upgraded Pulse Blast Combo Effect: Impact. Hitting an enemy causes Energy Pulse to bounce to additional enemies.“Arctic Tomb” - Upgrade Frost Grenade Freezes target in place. Defeating frozen enemies will also freeze nearby enemies.Storm: “Steam Vent” - Upgraded Glacial Spear Combo Effect: Chain. Deals both ice and fire damage.“Eternal Squall” - Upgraded Lightning Strike Combo Effect: Chain. Leaves a field that deals electric damage for a short time.Support ItemsWith update 1.3.0 you can finally complete the full set of Masterwork or Legendary gear. No more single lingering Epic Support Gear items ruining your complete collection! With this update, we’ve introduced two new Masterwork Support Gear pieces for each Javelin - centered around teamwork and buffing your allies as you fight your way through the Cataclysm.Colossus:“Berserker's Cry” - Upgraded Battle Cry Forces enemies to attack the Colossus, and reduces enemy resistance to damage. Additionally increases melee ability.“Surging Shield” - Upgraded Shield Pulse Fortified effect reduces incoming damage. Additionally regenerates shields through damage while the effect persists.Interceptor:“Voice of Courage” - Upgraded Rally Cry Breaks you and allies free of all status effects. Additionally revives downed squad-mates who are nearby.“Slayer's Furor” - Upgraded Target Beacon Locks onto a target, reducing their resistances and jumping to another target if defeated. Also immediately marks additional enemies around the target.Ranger:“Vanguard's Rampart” - Upgraded Bulwark Point Deploys a spherical shield. Additionally provides temporary charges for you and your allies’ Grenades, Ordnance Launchers, Assault Systems, and Blast Seals.“Tarsis' Last Stand” - Upgraded Muster Point Deploys a field that augments allies inside, increasing gun damage. In addition to gun damage, all damage is increased while inside the muster point.Storm:“Howling Veil” - Upgraded Wind Wall Creates a wall of wind to block projectiles. Additionally, enemies take damage when they hit the wall.“Anthem's Grace” - Upgraded Quickening Field Zone of power increases gear recharge rate. Additionally increases gear damage while in the field.Melee ItemsWith this update, we added a significant level of build diversity by changing one of the main ways that Javelins prime and detonate combos. To do this, we are introducing new melee gear pieces that are equippable, have stats, and change the way you play. This will allow you to assemble new gear combinations not previously possible. We’ve also introduced new Masterwork and Legendary versions of these items.With this change we have also fundamentally changed the way that melee damage scales. Previously, melee damage started at a base value and then automatically increased in power based on the average gear score of the player. This had the effect of emulating an item of the average rarity and level for players, plus some average assumed inscription bonuses (and Masterwork effects if they are the appropriate level). Now that melee is it’s own actual item, it no longer uses this automatic scaling, but uses actual real scaling for the item and the bonuses that occur on that item. This means that if players want to get their melee damage back to what it was, they need to get a melee weapon of the appropriate rarity with similar inscription rolls. However, because Melee is an actual item now, there is a much higher ceiling potential than there previously was, as our “assumed” inscription bonuses were in the middle of the possible bonus range. Some important additional notes: We now include both melee damage bonus and weapon damage bonus as modifying melee weapon damage (not melee gear piece damage for Interceptors), so there are more total damage sources that boost your melee than previously existed. This should result in higher additive bonuses than were previously applied, which will help offset some of the lowered base damage.In addition (based on PTS feedback and iteration), we have increased the base damage value of all melee gear by 50%. Increasing the base value is a multiplicative change.Colossus:Seismic Glove Heavy glove that can be smashed into the ground, causing damage in a large area.“Earthshaker” - Upgraded Seismic Glove Heavy glove that can be smashed into the ground, causing damage in a large area. Sends out a shockwave that damages enemies in front of you.Inferno Glove Flaming glove that can be smashed into the ground, burning enemies in a large area.“Meteor Smash” - Upgraded Inferno Glove Flaming glove that can be smashed into the ground, burning enemies in a large area. Cracks the earth, igniting flames around your feet that burn nearby enemies.Interceptor:“Twin Blades” Double-bladed daggers that allow for fast attacks which can be chained together.“Blades of Warding” - Upgraded Twin Blades Double-bladed daggers that allow for fast attacks which can be chained together. Hitting an enemy grants 10% increased damage resistance for 10 seconds. Stacks to 5.Venomous Blades Double-bladed daggers that poison their target.“Deathstalker Blades” - Upgraded Venomous Blades Double-bladed daggers that poison their target. Deals additional damage against enemies below 50% health.Ranger:Shock Mace Electrically charged mace that shocks enemies.“Transmuting Volt” - Upgraded Shock Mace Electrically charged mace that shocks enemies. Hitting an enemy adds 3 Ultimate charges.Seismic Mace Heavy hitting mace that deals high damage.“Rampager” - Upgraded Seismic Mace Heavy-hitting mace that deals high damage. Hitting an enemy grants 10% increased damage for 10 seconds. Stacks to 5.Storm:Explosive Strike Hits enemies with an explosive strike, dealing high damage.“Searing Blast” - Upgraded Explosive Strike Hits enemies with an explosive strike, dealing high damage. Sends out a fireball that seeks enemies.Shocking Strike Hits enemies with an electrically charged strike, shocking them.“Lightning Surge” - Upgraded Shocking Strike Hits enemies with an electrically charged strike, shocking them. Hitting an enemy restores 40% shields.BUG FIXESGeneral Fixes & Improvements:Fixed a number of challenges that had the incorrect descriptions.The door into the final boss room of The Sunken has been raised slightly in order to provide an easier step up to the frame around it once the door is closed.Updated visual effects to improve visibility of Masterwork and Legendary loot drops.The following legendary missions will now count for progress towards "Daily: Legendary Missions": Legendary: Mysterious BeginningsLegendary: Dear DiaryLegendary: Vanishing ActFixed an issue to allow players to replay Mysterious Beginnings from the End of Expedition screen.Marelda’s conversation will now properly complete without ending abruptly.Telling Dax to use cartography skills will now be properly recognized.Forge Fixes & Improvements: For example: Instead of saying, "reduces recoil by -20%," (an unintentional double negative produced by directly displaying the value from the underlying gameplay system), we will now say "reduces recoil by 20%."Fixed a number of issues that could cause a crash when in the forge.Fixed a crash that could happen when swapping gear in the forge.Fixed an issue where renaming a loadout changed equipped armor parts.Fixed an issue where the gear score in the forge would be incorrect after swapping a piece of gear.Removed the loading screen when leaving the forge at end of expedition. (Should now fade to black briefly).Fixed the stats on some gear that were appearing incorrectly.Fixed an issue that could cause the pilot’s javelin to not appear correctly after making appearance changes.Fixed an issue that would cause a pilot’s javelin to not appear correctly in the launch bay.Fix issue with being able to equip the wrong gear on javelins.Edited a number of item descriptions for clearer understanding.Enemy Fixes and Improvements: Enemy Valkyrie attacks should register damage more accurately.Fixed a number of animation issues that could occur to enemies in Temple of the Scar.Fixed an issue where the Furies wouldn’t spawn in the Heart of Rage Stronghold.High force gear now causes reactions on wyverns.Fixed an issue where damage was not registering when shooting weak spots on the Fury shield.Improved light intensity of Dominion grenades.Fixed an issue in which Outlaw Outrage was using the incorrect encounter markers.Javelin Fixes/Improvements: Damage dealt to nearby enemies when the Colossus lands from a tall height now scales correctly, so it maintains its usefulness at higher levels.The Storm can now cancel its air melee with a double jump, just like the other Javelins can.Players who are downed and then fall into water will now float in the water instead of sinking all the way to the bottomWe fixed animations for the Emote Military Salute to reduce character sliding.Colossus Specific Changes: The Colossus will now utilize the same base values of Armor and Shields as the rest of the javelins, but has an inherent multiplying factor on all base values that generates the larger Armor and Shield pools. This change will better allow the Colossus to utilize Universal components without sacrificing an extraordinary amount of defense to do so. Note: Because of this change, inside the forge, the base value of the Colossus specific components will go down significantly but the amount of armor added to the Colossus should remain roughly the same (since that lower base value is multiplied by the Colossus’s new inherent bonus).Base Colossus Components Armor and Shields 250/125 → 45/45Base Colossus Armor Components Armor and Shields 300/250 → 100/100MSW/LEG Colossus Components Armor and Shields 730/290 → 145/145MSW/LEG Colossus MaxArmor Components Armor and Shields 876/580 → 320/320Base Colossus Health and Shields 900/450 → 150/150Colossus now get a multiplicative bonus to Armor that increases all Armor granted by 475%.Colossus now get a multiplicative bonus to Shields that increase all Shield granted by 237.5%.General UI Fixes and Improvements: Fixed the squad list sometimes showing up instead of the friends list in the invite.Fixed an issue where the friends list would not show up when a player’s Origin status was set to invisible.Showing the Map in an expedition now centers it on the current player position.Fixed an issue where swapping “Extended Special Arms Magazine” was causing the players HUD to display ammo count incorrectly.Library and Cortex entries can now be properly marked as read and persist upon closing the UI.Weapons/Gear Fixes and Improvements: Death from Above muzzle fixed overexposed bright elements.The Colossus component “Reinforced Hull” has been renamed to “High-Capacity Munitions” to better reflect its functionality.The Colossus component “Grand Entrance” now triggers its explosion when falling from a shorter distance than before (the new distance is roughly equivalent to a double jump height).Armor and Shield Value Changes: Universal Components Armor and Shields 10/10 → 45/45 (Plus Rarity Shift)MSW/LEG Universal Components Armor and Shields 25/25 → 145/145 (Plus Rarity Shift)MSW/LEG Universal MaxArmor Component Health 150 → 320 (Plus Rarity Shift)MSW/LEG Universal MaxShield Component Health 150 → 320 (Plus Rarity Shift)Combo and Ultimate Bonus Changes: Masterwork properties that apply a duration-based bonus (such as the bonus from the 10,000 Suns gear piece that increases all damage for a brief time) will still apply its bonus to Combos and Ultimates.Combo and Ultimate damage will now only gain damage bonuses from inscriptions if that inscription is specifically the Combo or Ultimate damage bonus inscription. Inscription bonuses that apply to a larger set of items (like Elemental Damage, or all Global damage) will not apply their bonuses.Masterwork Proc Effects The damage value from Masterwork proc effects (such as Ralner’s Blaze or Thunderbolt of Yvenia) will now deal its damage based on the item level of the item that is proccing the effect, instead of the overall GearScore of the Javelin.The following guns will now properly display their primer or detonator effect: Primers:Ralner’s BlazeSentinel’s VengeanceSiege BreakerDetonators:Artinia’s GambitTruth of TarsisFixed an issue in which Cryo Glaive and Absolute Zero could not fire its multiple charges if it was in the process of recharging.Info from Gamespot.com

After the twin-shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas that left 31 people dead and many others injured over the weekend, President Donald Trump and other government officials have pointed the finger to video games as the cause for the mass shootings. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick disagrees, succinctly calling these politicians "disrespectful" in the wake of the mass shootings.In an interview with Barron's (via Business Insider), Zelnick called on government officials to address the "uniquely American" problem that is gun violence. “We’re just sickened and saddened by these senseless tragedies,” Zelnick said. “That said, blaming entertainment is irresponsible. Moreover, it is highly disrespectful to the victims and their families. The fact is entertainment is consumed world-wide…but gun violence is uniquely American. So we need to address the real issues.”On Monday, August 5, President Trump asked for society to stop glorifying violence. He gave a speech suggesting that "the gruesome and grizzly video games that are now commonplace" are why mass shootings are becoming normalized.The Entertainment Software Association (the organization behind E3) refuted President Trump's statement, saying "numerous scientific studies have established that there is no causal connection between video games and violence." The organization told GameSpot that "more than 165 million Americans enjoy video games, and billions of people play video games worldwide. Yet other societies, where video games are played as avidly, do not contend with the tragic levels of violence that occur in the US."Blaming entertainment--especially video games--as the cause for violent acts in society is not new. Back in the 1990s, former U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman spearheaded a campaign against titles like Grand Theft Auto and Mortal Kombat. At the time, Lieberman called on the regulation of violent video games, saying, "The player is rewarded for attacking a woman, pushing her to the ground, kicking her repeatedly and then ultimately killing her, shooting her over and over again. I call on the entertainment companies--they've got a right to do that, but they have a responsibility not to do it if we want to raise the next generation of our sons to treat women with respect."Disclosure: Strauss Zelnick was appointed to chairman of the CBS board of directors in 2018. CBS is the parent company of GameSpot and CBSi.Info from Gamespot.com

Apex Legends is changing the game for a limited time starting next week. The battle royale game has always been multiplayer-only, but for a while you can try to make a name for yourself all by yourself.Respawn promoted the "Iron Crown Collection Event" on Twitter, teasing that the Solos mode will launch August 13 and end on August 27. A Reddit post from community manager Jay Frechette said that the team will be watching the community's reaction and gauging feedback to the new mode."We'll talk more about Solos when it's live and you've had a chance to play it," Frechette said. "For now we're going to put it out there and see what happens and what kind of feedback we get."Next week, only one can reign. 👑The Iron Crown Collection Event featuring an all-new Solos limited time mode begins 8/13. pic.twitter.com/8tG4EhIqQf — Apex Legends (@PlayApex) August 6, 2019 This would appear to be the fulfillment of a recent promise during an earnings call to "deliver one of the most fan-requested features" in an August event. At the time the community suspected it could be a solos mode. This event is coming in-between seasons, as Season 3 is set to launch sometime before the end of September. In the same earnings call, EA CEO Andrew Wilson said Season 3 is "shaping up to be even bigger" than Season 2.We're also expecting to see something else from Respawn in late September. The studio is planning to reveal a VR game at Oculus Connect, which is scheduled for September 25-26. Respawn has already said this isn't its "premium" Titanfall game, but that doesn't necessarily mean that this won't be set in the Titanfall universe. It has had success in expanding the universe with Apex Legends, so the studio may be planning to do it again.Info from Gamespot.com

The final Pokemon Go Fest of the summer is now underway in Yokohama, Japan. As part of the event, special Pokemon like Shiny Poliwag and hat-wearing Pikachu are spawning in the wild around the world, but players at the venue have spotted another unusual sight: Team Rocket Leader Giovanni.It appears the enigmatic Team Rocket boss is photobombing pictures that are taken using Pokemon Go's AR Snapshot function. A similar situation occurred during Chicago's Pokemon Go Fest this past this past June. During that event, Team Rocket grunts would similarly appear in screenshots that players took at the venue.As we know, the villainous team would make their proper debut in the game several weeks after Chicago's Pokemon Go Fest, which suggests that Giovanni is likewise on his way to the game. What his exact role will be is still unclear, but it seems like a safe bet that players will somehow be able to challenge him to a battle.ファッ！？！？！？ pic.twitter.com/lVMEI37ZRr — やまだインスティンクト🐤⚡️ (@YAMADA_N_DoMo) August 6, 2019Team Rocket grunts are still periodically appearing in Pokemon Go. The evil trainers can be found at certain PokeStops, and when the Photo Disc at one of these stops is spun, they'll emerge from hiding and challenge players to a battle using their Shadow Pokemon. If players can defeat the Rocket grunt, they'll have a chance to rescue one of their Shadow Pokemon, which can then be purified for various benefits. You can read more in our Team Rocket Shadow Pokemon guide.Even if you aren't able to attend Yokohama's Pokemon Go Fest in-person, you still have a chance to take part in the festivities. As previously mentioned, Shiny Poliwag will appear in the wild around the world for the duration of the event, and each day you'll have another chance to capture a Pikachu wearing a different hat. Niantic is also holding global challenges that all players can contribute to, with another chance to encounter the Legendary Suicune awaiting if the challenge goals can be met.In addition to Pokemon Go Fest, a gift-themed event is now underway in Pokemon Go. As part of the event, you'll have a chance to hatch a Shiny Bonsly from the Eggs you receive in gifts. Rayquaza has also returned to Raid Battles until September 2, and this time, you may encounter its Shiny form. If you need help taking the Legendary on, be sure to check out our Rayquaza guide.Info from Gamespot.com

The old adage "good things don't last forever" could not be more accurate, as Capcom has announced that DuckTales Remastered will leave digital storefronts very soon. The classic platformer is scheduled to be delisted beginning Thursday, August 8.DuckTales: Remastered is leaving digital storefronts in a duck-blur starting August 8th.Life is like a hurricane, so get it on sale now or re-download it if you’ve previously purchased it. More details:💎 https://t.co/J51wy3NiY4 pic.twitter.com/HXiDtSsUx6 — Capcom USA (@CapcomUSA_) August 6, 2019In a blog post on Capcom's official website, the publisher explains DuckTales Remastered will be "75% off on most platforms" before getting removed digitally. It will remain purchasable until August 8 at 5 PM PT (for Xbox 360 and Xbox One via backwards compatibility), August 9 at 8 AM PT (for PS3), and August 9 at 4:59 PM PT (for Wii U). PC doesn't have a specified date, but DuckTales Remastered will be delisted at 4:59 PM PT on the platform.Capcom notes that those who bought DuckTales Remastered digitally can redownload it even after its removal (unlike Konami's P.T., which was totally removed from the PlayStation Store back in May 2015). Further, those who own physical versions can install and play as normal. DuckTales Remastered can be purchased physically for $10 USD (on the Wii U) or $15 USD (on the other platforms) at GameStop.In our DuckTales Remastered review, we said, "WayForward Technologies focused on the wrong elements in their attempt to bring DuckTales to the modern era. Getting the cartoon voice actors to reprise their roles is kind of neat, but now there are way too many tedious story segments. Meanwhile, the action has been made worse because of the less responsive controls, and there haven't been any elements added to make the simple combat and jumping more interesting. DuckTales Remastered will make you doubt happy memories from your childhood, or leave you baffled as to why people were nostalgic for such dull platforming in the first place."Info from Gamespot.com

While Andy Serkis was only just named director of the upcoming sequel to the Venom movie, lots of work is being done on the project already. Serkis appeared at the TCA press tour to discuss his upcoming turn as the Ghost of Christmas Past in FX's A Christmas Carol, and also took the time to speak briefly about the film."I'm right in the beginning stages, so I've got some very clear ideas about the journey, [and what] I'd like to see visually, and how we can take the characters into another direction," he explained.However, Serkis also revealed that Tom Hardy, who stars as the titular Venom, is hard at work on the film's story. "Tom was very involved with the writing--with [screenwriter] Kelly Marcel--of the new story," he said. "So it's very much centered around their take."For now, though, Serkis is simply looking forward to what's to come. "I'm excited to work with all the great actors who are involved. It's a fantastic franchise," he said. "I'm really honored to have been asked to direct it. And it feels like it's a very, again, very contemporary story. And it's I think it's going to be, hopefully, a story piece of cinema."Still, even with a massive project like Venom on the horizon, Serkis has no plans to stop acting altogether to focus on directing. "I love doing both. I absolutely love doing both," he admitted. "And man, it's a wonderful thing to be able to go from the intimacy of playing a single character and seeing the world through that character's point of view to stepping back and envisioning and being part of creating, you know, the whole picture."A release date for Venom 2 has not been officially announced.Info from Gamespot.com

If you have a Nintendo Switch, chances are you have the standard, grey dock that came with the console (unless you sprung for special editions like the Pikachu and Eevee console or the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate one). I had accepted my plain, boring dock as a fact of life--until I spotted these PDP Switch dock shields that light up with Pikachu, Mario, or Legend of Zelda-inspired designs. They're currently on sale for $15 and normally sell for $20, which is a great price considering these things are stunning.Legend of Zelda / Super Mario Odyssey Light-Up Dock Shield$15 ($20)See it at AmazonThere are two different dock shields available. One dock shield is Pokemon-themed, with a lightning-charged Pikachu on one side and a Poke Ball design on the other. The other dock shield is a Legend of Zelda / Super Mario Odyssey combo design--one side has a Sheikah crest pattern, and on the other side, you'll find a Mario Odyssey theme. Both dock shields have 17 different colors and light effects, such as Flash Mode, Strobe Mode, and Smooth Mode. The product itself comes with an electronic base (that holds and connects to the dock via USB) and two acrylic panels that display the artwork. Pokemon Light-Up Dock Shield$15 ($20)See it at AmazonAmazon's product pictures (shown above) don't really do it justice, so when you look at the listing, I recommend scrolling down to check out the photos customers have posted of the dock in action. The LED lights are vibrant and glow beautifully in a darkened room. There's also a color cycle mode where you can customize the light effects to your preference, as well as a plain "on" mode. You can also just leave the lights off and enjoy the design itself (but at that point, you might as well just get a simple dock cover that doesn't light up).With 4.7 out of 5 stars and over 300 reviews, it's clear this is one accessory Switch owners have put their stamp of approval on, and you're getting a great deal at $15. Check out the dock shields at Amazon if you're interested, and see some fan photos we spotted on Twitter below.Huge fan of the „Light Up Dock Shield“ for the Nintendo Switch docking station. It comes with a Pikachu shield and a Pokeball shield and you can choose between different light colours and light modi. Pretty cool. Plus: you can plug it into the USB jack of the dock 😍 pic.twitter.com/svOX9Im08U — 🍂🍁ItsNotAlice🍁🍂 (@itisnotalice) December 28, 2018ahhh so in love with my light up dock shield for my switch and the kitty paw thumbsticks. ♡ pic.twitter.com/BsCoylKMHN — — saira ♡ (@bbbambi_) June 15, 2019Light up Dock shield for the switch, obvious zelda plate and in purple 😍💜 love it #GamersUnite pic.twitter.com/f3Pgq4xFpV — 🎮 Kim 🎮 (@Wildestdream93) October 27, 2018 Info from Gamespot.com

Following its acquisition by Epic Games in May 2019, Rocket League developer Psyonix has starry plans for its vehicular soccer game. One of these plans includes the complete removal of "all paid, randomized crates" from the game later this year.Pysonix confirmed in a brief blog post that the current paid, randomized loot boxes will be replaced by a new system that "shows the exact items you’re buying in advance." The developer cited Fortnite's changes to V-Buck Llamas, which now display the contents before you buy them, as a point of reference. Pysonix said this decision reflects its "dedicat[ion] to creating the best possible experience for our players all over the world."There's no confirmation as to when this new system will be implemented. Pysonix said that the new system will come "later this year" and that information about it will be shared "in the coming months." Though paid, randomized crates will no longer be offered in Rocket League, Psyonix made it clear that Rocket Pass Premium, DLC Cars, and Esports Shop items will still be offered for direct purchase alongside the new system.Loot boxes, much like crunch, are a hot-button topic in the games industry--particularly among elected officials. In April 2019, Pysonix axed loot boxes in two European countries because of "government regulations." This follows a string of other games scrapping loot boxes, including Overwatch and Star Wars Battlefront II. Earlier this year, EA removed FIFA Points from FIFA in accordance with new laws in certain countries where the game thrives.Info from Gamespot.com

Disney has announced plans to reboot the Home Alone and Night at the Museum movie franchises--but a lot of the specifics are unknown at this stage. During an earnings call today, CEO Bob Iger confirmed that Disney will reboot Home Alone, Night at the Museum, Cheaper by the Dozen, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid for the new streaming service Disney+.These are all 20th Century Fox franchises that became Disney franchises when Disney bought the majority of Fox's entertainment assets for a staggering $71.3 billion."We're also focused on leveraging Fox’s vast library of great titles to further enrich the content mix on our [direct to consumer] platforms," Iger said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.Iger did not say if these will be movies or TV shows. The Night at the Museum series is the biggest of the bunch, bringing in $540 million in the US alone across multiple entries. The Home Alone series follows with $490 million in domestic box office receipts.Before Disney bought Fox, it was reported that Ryan Reynolds was making an R-rated version of Home Alone called Stoned Alone for Fox. In this movie, Reynolds misses his flight and then goes home and gets baked.He becomes paranoid when he hears someone breaking into his house. Someone actually is, and then Reynolds must defend his home while stoned. It sounds wonderful, but it's unknown if the project is still in motion now that Disney--a family friendly company--owns Fox.Disney+ launches in November, priced at $7 USD per month. Disney also today announced a value option that bundles Disney+ with ESPN+ and Hulu for $13/month USD.Info from Gamespot.com

In one of the biggest moves ever in the game-streaming world, Tyler Blevins AKA Ninja recently quit Twitch to stream exclusively on Microsoft's Mixer platform. His move to Mixer was immediately successful, it seems, as Ninja has racked up 1 million active subscribers in under a week.That makes him among the most popular streamers on Mixer; this is the kind of quick success that Microsoft was likely looking for when recruiting him to the platform. Ninja's rapid climb on Mixer was expected, given he tallied 100,000 subscribers in 24 hours.It's likely Microsoft paid Ninja to leave Twitch for Mixer, but no terms have been announced. Responding to the 1 million subscriber achievement, Ninja said, "Thank you for all the incredible support. I haven't felt this good in a long time."Today we hit 1,000,000 active subscribers on mixer ^-^ thank you for all the incredible support. I haven't felt this good in a long time. pic.twitter.com/kdLgBJk0Ud — Ninja (@Ninja) August 6, 2019Microsoft's signing of Ninja comes not long after the company laid off content creators and producers at Mixer and Inside Xbox, according to GameDaily.According to Ninja, nothing will change in terms of content on his streams for Mixer compared to Twitch. "It's the same me, just a different platform," he said. Intriguingly, Ninja also said he plans to "get back in touch with my roots" as it relates to streaming. That's noteworthy because Ninja started out as a popular Halo streamer before going on newer titles; he is most recently famous for streaming Fornite. Microsoft's next Halo game, Halo Infinite, launches in Holiday 2020.Ninja coming to Mixer could be part of Microsoft's plan to promote Halo Infinite, but nothing is confirmed at this stage.Info from Gamespot.com

During a call with media and Disney investors to report on third-quarter earnings, CEO Bob Iger dropped some new information regarding the bundling and pricing of the upcoming Disney+ streaming platform. The service, set to go live on November 12, will be made available as a package deal for those who choose to go that route, for $12.99 a month. The bundle will include Disney+, ESPN+, and the ad-supported version of Hulu.Those who would rather keep their stream service subscriptions un-bundled will pay $6.99 a month for Disney+ alone.Everything We Know About The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Disney+'s First MCU ShowWhat Do We Know About WandaVision?Will The Disney+ MCU Shows Be Essential Viewing For Fans?Iger also mentioned that members of the Disney fan club, D23, will be offered the opportunity to subscribe to the Disney+ services first--a promotion that will likely be elaborated on at this month's upcoming D23 Expo in Anaheim, California.In addition to the bundle pricing, Iger spoke to the potential of new Disney+ projects, citing "reimaginings" of films like Home Alone, Night At The Museum, Diary Of A Whimpy Kid, and Cheaper By The Dozen as potentially on the docket for Disney+ down the line--though it is currently unclear just what was meant by "reimaginings."Are we on the precipice of a Disney+ specific Home Alone cinematic universe? Only time will tell.Info from Gamespot.com

Continuing the Madden franchise's recent tradition of story modes, Madden NFL 20 introduces a new narrative campaign. This new mode generally falls flat, but the pro football sim stands out on the field, with new additions that faithfully capture the essence of the NFL experience while making it fun to play again and again.The new story mode, QB1: Face of the Franchise, replaces the Longshot story mode that was featured in Madden 18 and 19. Unlike those campaigns, which featured a pre-set character, Madden 20's QB1 mode lets you create an entirely unique football star and guide him through the final stages of his collegiate career with the hopes of making an NFL starting roster, and, on a longer timeline, complete a journey to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at the Super Bowl.QB1's story picks up as you decide which college to attend and play for. However, the college football elements within Madden 20 are not anything significant. You select a school from 10 options, including heavyweights like Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, and Clemson. It's a treat to see fully licensed college football teams, complete with true-to-life jerseys, logos, stadiums, and marching band songs, but the gameplay experience in reality is limited to two games in the College Football Playoffs--and you can't play the college teams in quickplay later on.After winning the National Championship against all odds, you're off to the NFL Combine where your performance in front of scouts and GMs determines how high you go in the draft. There are some genuinely funny moments here with your aloof agent Les Moore, and interactions with him are some of the best character moments in the story mode. After making it to the NFL, the game then disappointingly becomes the standard Franchise mode, except your character has more backstory that acts as fuel to drive you to succeed on the field. That's the idea, at least; in practice, it leaves much to be desired.In part, that's because QB1's cinematic cutscenes and Telltale-style choices end once you get to the NFL. At that point, the narrative beats play out through text messages you receive from fans and other players from around the league. This delivery method makes conversations awkward and ultimately forgettable. There is one storyline in particular involving a sick child rooting for you that falls flat; it tries too hard to tug on your heartstrings, moody piano pieces and all, without earning any payoff. Without giving too much away, another major storyline in QB1 involves your college teammate and friend, and it ends abruptly, with the strong suggestion that the story will continue in Madden NFL 21. That's too bad, because this character, in the limited screen time he gets, is far more interesting than the cookie-cutter, run-of-the-mill one you create.In general, QB1 moves at such a fast pace that it doesn't allow for thoughtful character development. Not only that, but the story that QB1 does tell is hokey and clumsily unraveled. The story overall feels barebones and incomplete, with the entirety of the QB1 mode feeling like a half-baked idea in the end.Despite the lackluster story and the way it's delivered, QB1 succeeds in connecting you to your on-field performance and inspiring you to improve or play differently each week once you've made it to the NFL. The text message system, while not the best avenue for full conversation, is better utilized in delivering week-to-week objectives and challenges. You can complete these to earn XP, which you can then invest into your character in an RPG-lite-like system where you choose which aspects of your game you want to develop.As an example, I responded with some trash talk against one of the league's best cornerbacks, Richard Sherman, and my Game Day Goal, as it's called, was to achieve 400 yards or more of offense and a 60-yard pass--not an easy task with Sherman in the backfield. The system is dynamic and responsive to what happens on the field week-to-week, and this is a nice touch that provides a further level of connection to your character and their status in the league.Madden 20's standard Franchise mode, which is separate from the QB1 mode, gets a welcome update this year. Its implementation of the new Scenario Engine, which lets you interact with players and coaches through the aforementioned text-message system, is the best new feature for Franchise. Like with QB1, having weekly objectives that you decide on is a compelling way to keep you interested and engaged in a 16+ week season that can otherwise get monotonous and repetitive. However, Franchise mode overall doesn't get any other significant or meaningful updates this year, which might be a bummer for seasoned players wanting more.Perhaps the biggest and most exciting change for Madden 20 are the new X-Factor and Superstar abilities. 50 of the league's best players have been given these super abilities, and they revamp the fundamentals of Madden playmaking. X-Factor abilities are unlocked when you meet the qualifications to get "in the zone"--for some QBs, it's throwing for 5 or more yards in the air multiple times without making a mistake--while Superstar abilities are passive traits tied to your player that are always active.The new X-Factor abilities are truly game-changers, and they further emphasize the distinction between the average NFL player and elite athletes. For example, the Gambler X-Factor ability--which only Aaron Rodgers has--makes it impossible for AI defenders to intercept his passes. Similarly powerful X-Factor abilities are available for defenders as well, and that helps balance things out. Not only that, but X-Factor abilities can be lost quickly; a QB who takes a sack is immediately out of the zone, while dropped passes and fumbles also cancel out these abilities.These abilities, when combined with an elite player like Madden 20 cover star Patrick Mahomes (who has incredible baseline stats to begin with), become overly powerful in some instances. Mahomes' unique passive Superstar abilities give him immense speed and dexterity out of the pocket, on top of his already powerful and accurate arm. When teammate Travis Kelce unlocks his own X-Factor ability (which gives him a guaranteed aggressive catch on any single-man coverage), it becomes simply too easy to complete big plays down the field.Outside of that issue, the new X-Factor and Superstar abilities introduce a level of strategy that the Madden series has never seen. I found myself often weighing up whether I should pursue the X-Factor qualification conditions or choose lower-risk plays that are more likely to be successful. At pivotal stages, like in the fourth quarter or in a third-and-long situation, this level of risk/reward is heightened. Not only that, but with 50 X-Factor abilities spread across players on the 32 NFL teams, it encourages you to try new teams and strategies.Importantly, X-Factor abilities do not feel gimmicky or too overpowerful for the most part as they're difficult to unlock and have numerous counters. Stephon Gilmore of the New England Patriots, for example, has an X-Factor ability called Acrobat that allows him to perform a diving move where he makes an incredible pass breakup. Some pass-rushers, too, including Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams, can shred the defense and break the O-Line easily to sack the quarterback for a big loss. The saying "any given Sunday" is truer than ever in Madden 20 thanks to the X-Factor abilities.Overall, the on-field action in Madden this year is better than ever. The game provides more on-screen info than last year's iteration, making it easier to see things like decision-making specifics (such as average yards-per-play or yards given up) and which elite offensive and defensive players have X-Factor and Superstar abilities. This makes for an easy way to help you see the odds of having success with a play before the snap. The playbook menus (and menus overall, for that matter) are cleaned up and brighter, which helps you see important information at a glance.Also new this year are Run-Pass Options added to playbooks. These hybrid plays provide yet another way for play-callers to mix things up and keep defenders guessing. There are also numerous player-specific animations, including Aaron Rodgers' signature quick release and Patrick Mahomes' sidearm throw. This all works together to make Madden 20 closer than ever to replicating the look and feel of actual pro football. Nothing in the updated gameplay mechanics for Madden 20 is as substantial as the introduction of Real Player Motion from last year, but the controls in Madden are as good as they've ever been thanks to further refinement on last year's improvements and the introduction of some welcome tweaks and small changes. A subtle gameplay change for 2019 is that you can double press the receiver icon to pump fake; this small change makes it easier than ever to trick a defender into biting on a pass route, providing yet another level of depth and control.The core fundamentals that underpin Madden 20's gameplay feel more solid and dependable than ever. Mistakes like poor passes, missed tackles, and bad decision-making are yours and yours alone to own because the controls rarely, if ever, let you down.Also notable for Madden 20 is what's (generally) not there: bugs. After many hours with the game, I only experienced a handful of minor glitches, though your mileage may vary, and it's worth noting that you can continue to expect other oddities like out-of-place commentary and some sideline players executing the same animations all the time. I also experienced what felt like an unusually high number of facemask calls and injuries.Now in its third year using EA's Frostbite engine, Madden 20 also looks very good with its better-looking player models that have richer detail and more realistic flourishes (except for Greg Olsen; what happened there?). The Madden 20 game engine also provides gorgeous environmental effects like glistening sun rays peeking through the clouds and casting shadows on the field and snow effects that limit your vision and force you to suggest playing more conservatively to accommodate for the wintry conditions.The commentary team composed of Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis also return in Madden 20, and they are consistently a treat to listen to. Despite some lines being repeated from time to time (how many times do we have to hear that Julian Edelman was a quarterback in college or that Tom Brady was initially drafted to play baseball?), the pair deliver the right mixture of lines that keep you informed and engaged in equal measure. Madden 20's overall broadcast, presentation, and gameplay packages aim to replicate the real-life NFL experience, but it continues to be a shame that the voicelines--at least all the ones I heard in over 20 hours with Madden 20--do not comment on real-world NFL issues. As with previous years, the commentary will be updated regularly throughout the season.Among Madden 20's other modes is the fantasy team-building card-based Ultimate Team, and this continues to be the game's richest when it comes to the sheer multitude of challenges to complete. It remains a thrill to build a fantasy team and compete either against other fantasy AI teams or the world at large through online play.A subtle yet enjoyable change for MUT this year is how you can move from one challenge to the next without returning to the menu screen, which is great considering how many there are to complete. There is also a new "Mission" system that helps you select the right challenges to complete in order to acquire items for your deck. In years past, MUT could feel like a hard-to-parse system that you slogged through waywardly, but the new system gives you more direction, and as such it is more respectful of your time.Ultimate Team does have issues with microtransactions, however. At the very start, the tutorial instructs you to visit the store where you can make real-money purchases, which feels like an unnecessary nudge toward spending extra. As with past iterations of MUT, it can feel like a grind to get the cards you want, which in turn encourages you to consider spending money on microtransactions when you otherwise might not. That rubbed me the wrong way, but MUT overall is still an enjoyable and engaging mode that I expect to return to again and again.Madden NFL 20 is an improved version of the annualized professional football series that excels in some areas and leaves something to be desired in others. The new QB1 career mode--which includes a barebones NCAA football experience--overall feels like a half-baked idea that doesn't deliver anything meaningful or interesting. When it comes to the on-the-field action, however, the new X-Factor and Superstar abilities shake up the familiar gameplay formula to give seasoned players and newcomers alike a fresh way to scheme plays and orchestrate strategy on both sides of the ball. Info from Gamespot.com