From Battle Royale to The Hunger Games, the concept of people being hunted for sport by the rich or powerful is a familiar one. The latest movie to use this idea is The Hunt, which comes from Us and Purge producers Blumhouse Productions and Lost writer Damon Lindleoff, and stars GLOW's Betty Gilpin. The first trailer has been released.The trailer opens with Gilpin's character seemingly lost and confused about where she is. But as a violent payoff quickly reveals, she knows exactly what's going on--she is being hunted by some very dangerous people in a foreign country. The trailer also shows us the evil global elites behind this bloodthirsty sport, and how the hunted start fighting back. It looks very violent, exciting, and hugely entertaining--check the trailer out below.The Hunt also stars Emma Roberts (American Horror Story), Hilary Swank (Trust), Glen Howerton (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), and Ethan Suplee (The Santa Clarita Diet). It's directed by Craig Zobel, with a script by Lindleoff and his regular partner Nick Cuse. The pair previously worked on Lindleoff's acclaimed series The Leftovers, and have also collaborated on HBO's highly anticipated Watchmen show. The Hunt releases on September 27, 2019.The first trailer for Watchmen was revealed at San Diego Comic-Con earlier this month. The trailer revealed that the show will be a continuation of the story from the classic comic book rather than an adaptation. It is set to premiere on HBO in October.Info from Gamespot.com

If you happen to own Nintendo's new VR Kit, Captain Toad has an adventure for you. Nintendo Europe has announced that Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker has a free software update which uses the virtual reality goggles--and it's available now.Captain Toad's new mini VR adventure lets you view courses in 360 degrees and explore four courses in virtual reality. One lets you pan around the stage to better gauge what's around pillars and obstacles, while another puts you in a minecart to hunt for treasure. Check out the announcement trailer below.Go on a mini VR adventure with Captain Toad, #NintendoLabo style!Download the free software update for #CaptainToad: Treasure Tracker on #NintendoSwitch to try this new mode using the VR Goggles! pic.twitter.com/xRKT7hlnGn — Nintendo of Europe (@NintendoEurope) July 30, 2019Treasure Tracker isn't the only game with VR support. Nintendo America announced back in April 2019 that two of the company's most popular Switch games--The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey--would receive VR support for free as software updates.The VR Kit is part of Nintendo Labo, a sort of toys-to-life concept using cardboard to introduce new ways of interacting with the Nintendo Switch. Released throughout 2018, there are currently four Labo Kits available: Robot, Variety, Vehicle, and VR.Treasure Tracker landed on Nintendo 3DS and Switch in July 2018, almost four years after its initial December 2014 launch. In our Treasure Tracker Switch review, we said, "Despite a smattering of minor complaints, Captain Toad stands as a pint-sized version of Nintendo's stellar first party pedigree. It's among the best Mario spin-offs around and a delightful iteration on old ideas."Info from Gamespot.com

Season 10 of Fortnite: Battle Royale is fast approaching. The new season kicks off this Thursday, August 1, and in the lead up to it, developer Epic Games has been sharing cryptic images that seem to tease that some older content will be returning to the game. The studio has now released the third Season 10 teaser so far, and it looks like another skin from the past will be making a comeback--albeit with a twist.The teaser, which you can see below, showcases what appear to be two skins. The one on the right bears a clear resemblance to the Drift skin from Season 5, although it's colored differently, while the other is presumably a new skin being introduced in Season 10. "Twist time," the accompanying caption reads, which further hints at some kind of time warp theme for the season.Twist Time. 8.1.2019 pic.twitter.com/OeEs9AAIpO — Fortnite (@FortniteGame) July 30, 2019The first teaser image came with the caption "Think Back," and depicted Dusty Depot, which was famously destroyed by a giant meteor and became Dusty Divot at the start Season 4. The second, meanwhile, featured a mech with the caption "Look Forward." Interestingly, one of the symbols on the side of the mech matched that on The Visitor, a skin from back in Season 4, suggesting it may also return in some form in Season 10.Ahead of each seasonal changeover, Epic typically hosts some kind of world-changing event in Fortnite that sets the stage for the upcoming season. Earlier this month, a giant robot did battle with the monster that was lurking beneath Polar Peak. The robot managed to defeat the monster, whose skeleton can still be found on the island, but in the confrontation, the Vault in Loot Lake was damaged and appears to be growing increasingly unstable, which may be sets into motion whatever time-related event leads to Season 10.Before Season 10 officially arrives, there's still a little time left to complete any remaining challenges from Season 9, including those from the ongoing birthday event. If you need help completing any outstanding missions, we've collected all of our tips and guides for the trickier ones in our complete Season 9 challenges roundup. Epic has also released a handful of Overtime challenges to help you earn XP and unlock any remaining Season 9 Battle Pass rewards before the season comes to an end.Info from Gamespot.com

The final major event of Year 2 of Destiny 2 is now live, as is a new update. Patch 2.5.2 is out now and coincides with the start of Solstice of Heroes 2019, which features a limited-time mode and a variety of cosmetics (including sparrows, emotes, and ghosts, among other things). Here's what's new in the update itself and a look at the full patch notes.While the update's release marks the start of a big event, the patch itself doesn't feature much in the way of significant new features. Instead, it largely deals with fixing or improving a variety of areas of the game, starting with Lord of Wolves. The Exotic has been dominant of late in Crucible, so much so that Bungie will be rewarding players with an emblem if they took part in Iron Banner while it was left unchecked. But this patch should mark the end of that, as the shotgun's effective range has been reduced, and shotgun scavenger perks will now provide the weapon with less ammo when it's in Release the Wolves mode.Solstice of Heroes 2019 guide to EAZ and armorThe Triumph Hall sees some adjustments, including making the Emperor's Gladiator and Scoundrel in Uniform triumphs less difficult to complete. Rather than requiring a full set of Leviathan gear, you'll now earn progress based on how many pieces you have equipped, bringing it in line with other, similar triumphs. Additionally, Bungie has addressed a glitch that allowed players to farm tributes by using alternate characters; those who did this to obtain the Bad Juju catalyst or emote will no longer have access to those things until they fulfill the requirements the proper way.Iron Banner may have just wrapped up, but Bungie has made some changes to it, too, making it easier to complete the quest steps involving grenade and sword kills. Likewise, the Menagerie has been updated so that its Heroic version is now guaranteed to drop a sword for players after their first completion. Subsequent completions have a 25% chance to drop a sword.Various other nagging issues have also been resolved, and you can see everything that's changed in the patch notes below. Note that the new content--including the European Aerial Zone mode and various cosmetics and Solstice armor--aren't mentioned here, but all of those are now available for you to check out and obtain for a limited time.Destiny 2 Update 2.5.2 Patch NotesSandboxWeaponsLord of Wolves Reduced the amount of ammo that Shotgun Scavenger perks can give to Lord of Wolves when it is in the Release the Wolves stateDecreased the effective range on Lord of Wolves This decrease is more aggressive when the weapon is in the Release the Wolves statePerks Fixed an issue that allowed the Feeding Frenzy perk to be applied to any weaponArmorFixed an issue where the cloth component of the Iron Symmachy Cloak wasn’t rendering correctlyFixed an issue where the cloth component of the Terra Concord Mark wasn’t rendering correctlyFixed a bug where the Titan Exotic leg armor Peregrine Greaves glowed 130x too bright when wearers were at maximum velocityWhile our intention was for this Exotic to help Titans destroy opponents with 130x efficiency, we did not intend for its glow to burn out the corneas of the userInvestmentTribute HallTriumphs The Tribute Hall Triumphs “The Emperor’s Gladiator” and “The Scoundrel in Uniform” no longer require you to equip a full set of Leviathan gear to progressPlayers will now earn more points based on the number of gear pieces worn, similar to other TriumphsTributes Players will no longer be able to place the Tribute Hall introductory tribute on an alternate character to gain credit for a large number of tributes placedPlayers who accessed the catalyst or emote rewards through this method will have those items relocked until they place enough unique tributes to meet the actual unlock requirementsIron BannerIron Banner pursuit objective values have been adjusted Reduced the grenade kills required by 50%Ally grenade kills are now worth as much as your ownReduced the Sword kills required by 25%Ally Sword kills are now worth as much as your ownFixed an issue where players were unable to equip Season 3 Iron Banner ornaments on their Season 7 armorThe Wolf’s Favor will no longer drop from daily and weekly Iron Banner challengesFixed an issue where the Triumph “Efrideet’s Gift” was not unlocking for players who earned enough Iron Banner rank-up packages during Season 7 This fix is retroactive; it will get players up to speed who have met the requirementsMenagerie / ChaliceHeroic Menagerie now drops a Sword for first-time completion (100%) Subsequent completions have a moderate chance to drop a Sword (25%)Fixed an issue where the Triumph “Drink Deep” would not unlock for some players who claimed the Masterwork slot on the Chalice of OpulenceFixed an issue where players could become stuck in the Season of Opulence intro quest by unlocking the first rune slot on the Chalice before completing the Lost Sector The Conflux and being on the correct quest stepImperials and runes can no longer be earned by idling through matches of Crucible and GambitTruth QuestReplaced the step of the Truth quest chain requiring the bounty “Corsair Down” with a step requiring completion of three patrols in the Dreaming CityFixed a bug where players could become blocked from earning Truth if they opened the Ascendant chest in the strike “Warden of Nothing” before being on the appropriate quest stepGeneralFixed an issue where completion notifications would not appear after players completed bountiesThis will also fix an issue where players would sometimes not spawn during a Crucible matchInfo from Gamespot.com

We were introduced to The Division 2's new Expeditions feature during Ubsioft's E3 2019 press conference. The first of a three-part episode series, titled Episode 1: DC Outskirts - Expeditions, went live last week for those who own a Year One Pass. Now, Ubisoft has announced that Episode 1 is available to all The Division 2 owners.Episode 1 adds two new main missions and a new Expeditions experience, which introduces weekly, exploration-driven challenges. You will travel to two new settings: Manning National Zoo and Camp White Oak. The former will see you "explore 11 different biomes to confront the leader of the Outcasts," while the latter will have you "hunt down a traitor." You will also head to Kenly College, where you can earn rewards by "exploring, investigating, and solving puzzles to uncover the fate of a lost convoy."According to a press release, this wide-spread launch of Episode 1 comes with a care package. The care package, available now through Tuesday, August 13 for free, contains three pieces of equipment and more. What the contents are specifically hasn't been clarified, but you can access the package by going into your mailbox in the stash.Expeditions are free events split into three different wings that release weekly. The first, which takes you to Kenly College, will give you access to an exclusive treasure room with a new exotic weapon (Diamondback Rifle), exotic gear (BTSU Datagloves), and two more weapons (Stoner LMB and Carbine 7) for finishing all three wings.Info from Gamespot.com

Snapshot Games has announced that Phoenix Point has been delayed. Instead of releasing on September 3, the XCOM-like strategy game is now scheduled to launch in December."While the development team is working hard, and Phoenix Point is shaping up really well, we now know we're going to need more time to get it to meet our very high standards," Snapshot Games wrote in a backer update. "As you probably know, Snapshot has a commitment to keep crunch to a minimum--and that is a commitment we take very seriously."This is the third time Phoenix Point has been delayed; the game was first scheduled for 2018 before being pushed back to July 2019 and then again to September. In response to the delay, Snapshot Games is offering a reward to backers who have been patiently waiting. "We know this is a significant delay," the developer wrote. "The good news is that Backer Build 5 will be releasing on our original launch date, September 3, 2019, meaning backers and early-access buyers will be able to play a much more robust version of Phoenix Point very soon."First announced in 2016, Phoenix Point is designed by XCOM creator Julian Gollop. An E3 2019 demo of the game revealed just how much Phoenix Point is the spiritual successor to the strategy franchise, featuring a similar story and virtually the same mechanics. Phoenix Point expands on the formula, however, with additional features--such as enemies that mutate and adapt to player strategy, AI-controlled factions that compete with the player's goals, and brand-new combat tactics. The game takes place on Earth in 2047 and sees you take command of the last remaining base standing against a Lovecraft-inspired alien threat.Phoenix Point will release on PC, launching with a one-year exclusivity deal with the Epic Games Store.Info from Gamespot.com

The new trailer for American Horror Story: 1984 is here. As the title suggests, the ninth season of the hit horror anthology series is influenced by horror movies of the 1980s, and it's set to premiere on September 18 on FX.While the trailer doesn't reveal much about the story--or stories--of the new season, it definitely captures the '80s slasher movie vibe. It opens with a group of partying teens heading down the highway towards Camp Redwood--unfortunately there's a knife-wielding killer hanging onto the underside of their truck. We then get various shots of the camp, and another nasty surprise for a sunbathing teen. It's got a cool '80s soundtrack and faux film scratch marks to evoke the era--check it out below.This trailer follows the cast announcement teaser that was released earlier this month. The cast of the new series includes Emma Roberts, Cody Fern, Gus Kenworthy, Billie Lourd, Matthew Morrison, Angelica Ross, DeRon Horton, and Zach Villa. There was also this first promo which teased the series's slasher movie influences.While Roberts, Lourd, Fern, and Grossman have all appeared in previous seasons of the show, one series regular who won't feature much--or possibly at all--is Sarah Paulson. As reported by Variety, Paulson won't have "a significant role" in Season 9, and the most we can expect to see her in is a cameo.For more American Horror Story coverage on GameSpot, check out our look at how the previous 8 seasons are connected.Info from Gamespot.com

Solstice of Heroes 2019 is live in Destiny 2, marking the final big event to take place before the Shadowkeep expansion arrives in September. This year's event again centers around obtaining and upgrading a series of Solstice armor for Titans, Hunters, and Warlocks, but it also involves partaking in a brand-new mode called the European Aerial Zone. We're still digging into everything the event has to offer following the release of the new update, but based on our experience so far, we have some tips on how to quickly upgrade your armor, how to get the most out of your EAZ runs, and how elemental orbs and buffs work.Understanding The EAZAs the name suggests, the European Aerial Zone features a lot in common with the European Dead Zone, at least in terms of visuals. The "aerial" part of the name comes in when you look at how the area is laid out--this is the most vertically oriented area in Destiny. The area has small groups of floating islands surrounding the outside, but the landmass is primarily composed of familiar EDZ elements. However, the ruined cityscape has you going through buildings and ascending to rooftops quite frequently. It's a much different way of navigating the world than we're accustomed to, and you'll want to do what you can to familiarize yourself with the general layout. It's easy to get lost and generally waste time, and speed is the name of the game.A run through the EAZ consists of a few rounds:Kill as many minibosses you can within the time limitKill the bossUnlock the chests within the time limitYou'll want to focus on the miniboss targets throughout the first section; it's easy to get distracted by small skirmishes that don't matter. Having your team of three split up and take out as many minibosses as possible seemingly dictates the number of chests that open once you kill the boss. The boss fights are relatively straightforward encounters (although there is some potential wrinkle where a Prismatic Taken spawns during this stage, though we're not entirely sure how that plays out yet).Once you've slain the boss, a chest will appear nearby. Once you open that, a countdown will begin before a series of chests spawn around the map. Just before they appear, you'll briefly see their locations on your HUD--make sure to look around and make note of the general direction of each one. Once the chests actually spawn, you'll have to get close to them in order to see them pop up on your HUD again. As with the minibosses, spreading out to cover more ground is your best bet, because you only have a limited time to open as many chests as possible. Any player who opens the chest earns the rewards for everyone in the group, so you don't need to worry about hitting up each one yourself.Solstice Packages And Key FragmentsYou should earn a Solstice Package from each EAZ run, along with a series of key fragments. The packages seem to consist of a variety of random gear and items, including planetary materials and armor. You'll need 15 key fragments in order to open a package. While you can earn key fragments from the EAZ, there are other ways to earn them, including completing patrols, public events, and Solstice bounties.Upgrading Solstice ArmorEarly in your adventures in Solstice of Heroes, Eva Levante at the Tower will grant you a set of green-tier armor (dubbed the Drained version). Each one has a series of objectives attached to it (seen by hovering over it in your inventory), and you'll need to complete all of these in order to upgrade the set to the next level of rarity.These objectives run the gamut--some are tied to running through the EAZ and opening the aforementioned chests, while others ask you to generate elemental orbs (more on those below), complete public events on a specific planet, kill opposing players, or open those Solstice Packages. The specific objectives vary by class.The key thing to be aware of with these is that you need to have the armor equipped in order to register progress. If you're eager to do this as quickly as possible, pay attention to the objectives that overlap. You may need to complete Crucible or Gambit matches while also needing to collect Void orbs in those modes, so you'll want to ensure you're equipped correctly to make that happen.How Elemental Orbs And Empowerment Buffs WorkOne of the core parts of Solstice of Heroes is the element of the day, and the accompanying elemental orbs that can be generated. Throughout the event, a specific element will be chosen each day--Arc, Void, or Solar--and as you earn elemental kills (meaning final blows with an elemental weapon or ability), corresponding orbs will be dropped on the ground. Pick up 30 of these, and you'll receive a temporary buff, Empowerment, that grants you a different effect. Here's how Bungie describes each of them:Solar Elemental BuffEquip your Solar subclass and weapons to generate Solar orbs. Then, collect them to wield their Solar elemental power. While empowered, Guardians emit a burning wave of energy that damages anything around them.Void Elemental BuffEquip your Void subclass and weapons to generate Void orbs. Then, collect them to wield their Void elemental power. Crouch while empowered to become invisible and gain Truesight plus enhanced ability regeneration.Arc Elemental BuffEquip your Arc subclass and weapons to generate Arc orbs. Then, collect them to wield their Arc elemental power. While empowered, Guardians move with enhanced speed and deal greater melee and Sword damage.Once your Empowerment buff activates, your stack of orbs--designated in the bottom left of the screen by "Elemental Charge" followed by the number you've collected--will be consumed. However, you can begin picking up orbs while Empowerment is active.As noted above, these orbs are also tied to the Solstice armor objectives. You can luckily create whatever type of orb you need for these objectives regardless of the daily element, but if you're looking to collect orbs, you'll need to be fast. Unlike Orbs of Light, these elemental orbs disappear fairly quickly.Also bear in mind that all of this is true across the game. While the elemental buffs aren't available in Gambit Prime or Competitive playlists, they are present everywhere else. As such, you don't have to rely on the EAZ to generate the orbs you need for armor objectives. In fact, based on what we've seen so far, your best bet for rapidly acquiring orbs might be Heroic public events, particularly those in confined spaces.Solstice has only gotten underway, and we'll report back with more information as we further learn how everything works. This is all now live for all Destiny 2 players, as is a slate of event-specific items that can be bought from the Eververse store.Info from Gamespot.com

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled has a new Grand Prix coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Starting early this August, you will go back in time to race with and against baby versions of both Crash and Coco on prehistoric tracks reminiscent of the Stone Age.Back N. Time is the second piece of free DLC for the kart racing game. Running from Friday, August 2 at 7 AM PT / 9 AM CST / 10 AM ET / 3 PM BST to Sunday, August 25, this Grand Prix gives you access to a plethora of unlockables. These include a new track (the Prehistoric Playground), three new characters, additional karts (like the Probulot 2000 kart from Crash Tag Team Racing), and more, as well as customization items and alternative skins for characters and karts.A blog post by publisher Activision says there are "18 new items to earn through your Nitro Gauge," a tier system that unlocks rewards with the Nitro Points you earn in-game. Back N. Time is available to download for free for anyone who owns the game and has an internet connection. The official Crash Bandicoot YouTube channel also published a video with game announcers Chick and Stew giving a brief rundown of what you can expect in the Back N. Time Grand Prix. Check out the announcement video below.In our Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled review, we said, "When the nostalgia fades, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled remains fun and engaging enough to keep you racing on with a smile on your face for much longer yet. It's good to have Crash back."Info from Gamespot.com

Nintendo has released its earnings report for the first quarter of the fiscal year 2019, which covers the period from April to June 30. Not only did the company move another 2.13 million Switch consoles worldwide during that time frame, bringing the system's lifetime total close to 37 million, it also launched one of the system's most anticipated releases this year, Super Mario Maker 2, and the game is off to an impressive start.According to Nintendo's earnings report, Super Mario Maker 2 sold 2.42 million units worldwide during the fiscal quarter. What makes this especially impressive is that the game launched right at the end of the quarter, on June 28, so it managed to move more than 2 million copies in only three days of availability.Mario Maker 2 wasn't the only Nintendo game that performed well during the recent fiscal quarter. The company's best-selling Switch title, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, shifted another 1.2 million units worldwide, bringing its lifetime sales up to 17.89 million. The star-studded mascot fighter Super Smash Bros. Ultimate also continues to perform well; the game now sits at 14.73 million units and will likely soon overtake Super Mario Odyssey as Switch's second-best-selling game. You can see Nintendo's revised top 10 Switch best-sellers list here.Nintendo recently increased the number of levels players can upload in Super Mario Maker 2. Prior to the update, players could only share a maximum of 32 courses on the game's online Course World hub, but that limit has now been doubled. Nintendo says it will increase the level upload limit one more time in the future. The company will also release an update that allows players to play online with friends, although it hasn't yet announced when that update will go live. You can read more about the game in our Super Mario Maker 2 review.Nintendo is releasing a cheaper, portable-focused version of the Switch--dubbed the Nintendo Switch Lite--this September. This iteration of the console removes some of the system's features, such as its detachable Joy-Cons and ability to connect to a television, to better suite handheld play. Meanwhile, the base Nintendo Switch is also receiving a modest revision, with much longer battery life. The revised Switch will cost the same as the original model ($300 USD) and will launch in the US sometime in mid-August.Info from Gamespot.com

The Sega Mega Drive Mini, expected to arrive worldwide on September 19, has been delayed in Europe and the Middle East. Sega Europe now says the mini redux will launch on October 4, two weeks later.In a tweet posted on Monday, July 29, Sega Europe said "unavoidable logistical challenges" are what is causing the short delay. Whatever these challenges are only affect Europe and the Middle East, as the Sega America Twitter account has not responded to the news.Unfortunately due to unavoidable logistical challenges, the European and Middle Eastern release of the Mega Drive Mini will be delayed by two weeks, to October 4th 2019. We appreciate your patience. — SEGA Europe (@SEGA_Europe) July 29, 2019A Sega spokesperson told Eurogamer that "Customers in those regions are still able to pre-order from participating retailers and those who have already pre-ordered will only have to wait an extra two weeks for their little box full of retro magic." The spokesperson further said that Sega is "committed to a successful launch for consumers in all territories, [while ensuring] we can meet demand and fulfill all the individual pre-orders and retail orders in Europe and the Middle East at the same time."The Sega Mega Drive Mini, which is available now for pre-order, contains a handful of classic and obscure games from the 16-bit era. These games include Comix Zone, Earthworm Jim, Golden Axe, Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage 2. You can check out the full list of games below:Sonic the HedgehogEcco the DolphinCastlevania: The New GenerationSpace Harrier 2Shining ForceDr. Robotnik's Mean Bean MachineToeJam & EarlComix ZoneAltered BeastGunstar HeroesCastle of Illusion Starring Mickey MouseWorld of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald DuckThunder Force IIISuper Fantasy ZoneShinobi IIIStreets of Rage 2Earthworm JimSonic The Hedgehog 2ProbotectorLandstalkerMega Man®: The Wily WarsStreet Fighter II®: Special Champion EditionGhouls ‘n Ghosts®Alex Kidd in the Enchanted CastleStory of ThorGolden AxePhantasy Star IV: The End of the MillenniumSonic The Hedgehog SpinballVectormanWonder Boy in Monster WorldTetris®DariusRoad Rash IIStriderVirtua Fighter 2Alisia DragoonKid ChameleonMonster World IVEternal ChampionsColumnsDynamite HeaddyLight CrusaderInfo from Gamespot.com

Sigma has been revealed as the 31st Hero in Overwatch, and the gravity-controlling mad scientist is currently playable in the game's PC test server. With so many Heroes in Overwatch now, creating new ones has become a balancing act for Blizzard--one where brand-new mechanics must be weighed against the established lore of the game's narrative. Sigma is no different, having started out as one character that had to be changed to fulfill specific criteria: someone who further fleshed out Talon and also acted as an anchor tank."[Sigma's introduction] wasn't really reactionary to the meta," lead hero designer Geoff Goodman said in an interview with GameSpot. "We were looking to introduce a new barrier tank to the game, specifically an anchor tank that the team could rally around to push through chokes and take objectives. So a lot of the prototyping all began with him having a large barrier and being somewhat immobile, so he's not running off on his own. The teammates had to gather around him and make a push."Blizzard is always working on multiple Overwatch Heroes at once and adapting prototypes as the needs arise. So when it came time to introduce Hero 31, there already was an idea of what the team wanted to do next. "We knew, from a gameplay side, that we wanted this anchor tank, and even at an early point for him, we knew we wanted him to be part of Talon," Goodman said. "So, he literally was just 'Talon anchor tank' on paper for a good amount of time as we were prototyping."Though Talon is partially made up of former Overwatch team members and is currently the main antagonist in Overwatch's narrative, much of the organization still remains a mystery. It's a trend Blizzard was looking to change, and Hero 30 and 31 allowed the developer to do it. "[Talon is] an extremely important group in the Overwatch universe and while there are already some really prominent and beloved characters in our line-up who are in Talon, I think when you look at it, they're still a very small sub-section of the overall group," Goodman said. "As we're developing the universe, when we add new Heroes, we try and make sure that they call back to the core Overwatch story. So that's why Baptiste and also Sigma are very related to Talon, because we were thinking, 'Oh, this would be a good chance to be able to explore more of this world through them and see it through two new characters' eyes.' So with this two-pack of Heroes, you [learn] a little bit more about Talon and see Talon grow as a group as well."However, before Sigma was created, Blizzard looked to a previously established Overwatch character for Hero 31: Mauga, a Talon member introduced in the Overwatch comic that's focused on Baptiste and who's a former friend to Overwatch's 30th Hero. His willingness to embrace the murderous side of the organization that caused Baptiste to quit made him seem like a good way to explore Talon from another point-of-view. Plus, the dude is built like a truck, making him a prime candidate for the tank role in a video game. "Originally, [Hero 31] started as a different character that we later called Mauga," Goodman said. "[Baptiste and Mauga] were going to be together. However, we found it kind of difficult because, though we really liked Mauga, it was hard to imagine that guy as a slow-moving dude with a shield, marching with his team. That guy feels a little more like he'd be jumping in like Winston or Wrecking Ball and causing chaos. So somewhere sort of later in development, we decided to shift gears and go with a completely different character, and that's how Sigma formed."Once Blizzard decided to focus on a brand-new character instead of a previously established one, it opened up the possibility of exploring previously established technology and powers in a brand-new way. Both Orisa and Zarya have gravity abilities, for example, but no Overwatch Hero had been completely built around gravity-focused powers. "It was clear that once we shifted courses on this character, that we were going to double down on the gravity abilities," Goodman said. The idea of doing another scientist--we had some other ideas--came about pretty quickly too."Goodman added that Overwatch's story and gameplay are developed "hand-in-hand" so several of the add-on Heroes have had their design or backstory completely changed prior to their release, like Sigma, to better fit their abilities or vice versa. The prototype for Ana, for example, was an alchemist who operated as a close-range fighter with throwable potions that caused different splash effects. When it came time to implement the alchemist into the game, Blizzard chose to use the opportunity to add Ana as a playable Hero. As Ana had already been established as a sniper in Pharah, Soldier: 76, and Reaper's backstories, however, most of the alchemist's explosive concoctions became special bullets, with only one remaining potion-like: Ana's Biotic Grenade.Going forward, the creation of Heroes will be impacted by Overwatch's new Role Queue feature, though perhaps not as substantially as you might think. Blizzard has had plans for Role Queue for a while and has thus already been working within the parameters of its eventual launch. "We have been talking about Role Queue for a long time," Goodman said. "It took quite a while to implement it. I don't even remember when we first started talking about it or really committing to it." Sigma has always been designed with Role Queue in mind, for example, and changes to his character--like removing Accretion's secondary ability to form a rock-like version of Mei's Ice Wall--have been a result of balancing the character, not accounting for the new feature.Goodman did add that Role Queue's launch does currently eliminate the possibility of seeing a fourth class (beyond tank, damage, and support) in Overwatch, as introducing another class would mess with the balance Blizzard has been operating under with Role Queue in mind. However, there may be more hybrid Heroes--like Brigitte, who's support class but can use Barrier Shield and Shield Bash to technically act as a tank for her team--in the future.For now, the only way to play with Sigma is on Overwatch's PC test servers, but the Hero will be officially launching on all platforms soon enough. Overwatch is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.Info from Gamespot.com

If you're old enough to remember Rune, then you likely have fond memories of smashing mead filled cups on the floor after a hearty chug, or ripping off enemies' arms and beating them to death with it. The 2000s-era Viking-themed PC action-adventure from Human Head Studios stood apart from the dominant shooter market of the time, being one of the few PC games focused exclusively on melee combat. Alongside unflinching violence and an endearing use of Norse mythology, Rune manages to persevere in most people's memories as a notable gem from the turn of the century.A lot has changed in gaming since the first Rune, though. The scope of action-adventure games has dramatically expanded. Melee combat mechanics have evolved in countless ways. And Norse mythology-themed adventures are more prevalent now than ever before. It makes you wonder how the upcoming Rune II could even begin to make a dent against today's action franchise heavyweights. But the truth is it's not attempting to beat them at their own game. Retooled as an action-RPG with survival elements, Rune II's developers opted to iterate upon the original's rudimentary action and exploration in ways that are faithful yet still ambitious and distinct for its relatively modest scope.Set decades after the events of the first game, Rune II puts you in control of a new Viking warrior on a mission to defeat the trickster god Loki, who is manipulating the flow of time from afar to reset Ragnarok and create an infinite cycle of chaos. Naturally, it's your job to stop him, but you can only do so by working up the power to enter the Realm Gate that he's sealed himself behind.The primary goal in Rune II seems straightforward, but accomplishing it is more complicated and less linear than you might imagine. You start the game on an island with no weapons and armor. You're barely strong enough to hold your own in a fight, and everything wants to kill you. The game has you working from nothing, slowly scavenging the environment for resources to craft essential equipment, food, and lodging. All the while, you must actively explore the world in search of artifacts that can transport you to where Loki is hiding. You only need a handful to earn a chance to duel with the trickster god, but whether you're strong enough is another matter entirely. The developers weren't able to show me a Loki duel during our demo, but they told me that it's a challenging fight and that you need to be incredibly skilled if you're looking to conquer him on the first go.Speaking of fighting, Rune II retains the quick mouse and keyboard-driven combat of the original; though, it will have controller support at launch. While its adherence to this tradition makes encounters a little clumsy, there's still a degree of precision and strategy involved. Fights tend to be quick with overly aggressive enemies who push you to frequently bobbing and weaving trying to find openings. You possess an arsenal of attacks you can perform depending on the direction you're moving and swinging, which demanded skill to execute with proper intention in the heat of battle.The rhythm of combat and survival is more tense and hectic thanks to a countdown clock that ticks away as you play. The game can be broken down into periods called Ages, which each last about four hours. Every time Loki resets Ragnarok, a new age begins. Each affects the world in different ways to make your time spent fighting and exploring more inconvenient. For example, the Age of Frost increases the number of dangerous Frost Giants in the world, while the Age of Chaos causes enemy factions to fight against one another. Regardless, when an Age ends, you're instantly thrown into a fight against Loki whether you're ready or not.There's an inherent dynamism to Rune II's world, story, and systems that makes it stand apart from the original and other survival games like it.You do have support from the Norse Gods, such as Odin, Thor, or Hel. You're lead down a path to aligning yourself with one, which grants you special powers. The choice you make ultimately affects the story's outcome; however, the specifics towards how remains a mystery.There's an inherent dynamism to Rune II's world, story, and systems that makes it stand apart from the original and other survival games like it. An overarching foe you're continually building up your strength to defeat Loki only to fail repeatedly creates a loop that's fascinating to see. The cyclical structure also seems fertile ground for personal anecdotes of difficulty and hardship to share with others. Fortunately, the game will include online cooperative play, so even if you do spend hours bashing your head against the wall trying to survive and defeat Loki, you're welcome to with up to four friends.Rune II is an intriguing albeit unexpected sequel to the original that offers a compelling twist to the action-RPG formula. Despite the new structure, the game's fast-paced combat and wealth of Norse mythology seem likely to appease longtime fans. Make no mistake; this still feels like Rune. Though with nearly 20 years separating it from the first game, your recollection of that experience may be hazy. Still, Rune II seems enticing all the same and with a release set for sometime this Summer exclusively on the Epic Store, you won't have to wait long. Info from Gamespot.com

Sony announced this week that PlayStation 4 shipments have climbed to a staggering 100 million units life-to-date, but it wasn't all good news. The 3.2 million PS4 systems that Sony shipped in the April-June quarter was "slightly below" the company's internal expectations. The reason for the downturn?Sony said it was "primarily" due to the company's announcement of its next-generation console, the PlayStation 5.Sony has yet to officially announce its next-generation console, but PlayStation architect Mark Cerny started talking about the console and some of its specs earlier this year. After that, Sony demonstrated the console's much-faster loading times during a business meeting.It's a historical trend in the games business that console sales of an older system drop off to a degree when a new console is revealed. The thinking is that people hold off on buying a console when they know a newer one is coming. That seems to be what's happening with here with PS4 sales.As a result of the lower-than-expected PS4 sales, Sony said it has "revised downward" its forecast of PS4 sales during the current fiscal year ending March 2020. The company is cutting its projections by 1 million units, from 16 million to 15 million.15 million is still a massive shipment number for a console so late into its lifecycle. Sony said this ongoing success "demonstrates that the PS4 platform is still garnering support from many users."Sony is also projecting a downturn for game sales during the current fiscal year. The company is lowering its expectations to be flat year-over-year instead of increasing due to lower third-party game sales. Lower-than-expected revenue from free-to-play games was also called out. This may be in reference to Fortnite and other battle royale games that are slowing down when it comes to revenue.On the plus side, Sony said it expects its "network services" to generate more revenue in the current fiscal year. Overall, Sony said one of its major areas of focus during the fiscal year is on "preparing for the launch of the next-generation platform," in addition to growing the userbase the company already has.The PlayStation 5 is rumored to launch in holiday 2020, which is also when Microsoft's Project Scarlett next-generation system is confirmed to release. Info from Gamespot.com

PlayStation consoles might get more expensive for shoppers in the United States. During an earnings call today, Sony's chief financial officer Hiroki Totoki said it will need to increase the price of PlayStation consoles sold in America if President Trump's proposed tariffs on electronics made in China--including game consoles--do indeed go through.According to The Wall Street Journal, "most" of the components of PlayStation consoles are made in China. "We believe, and therefore have told the U.S. government, that higher tariffs would ultimately damage the U.S. economy," Totoki said.Earlier this year Trump announced a plan to increase tariffs from 10 percent to 25 percent on electronics made in China and shipped to the United States. These export tariffs are not finalized as of yet, and the US and China are coming back to the negotiation table this week.This new comment from Totoki comes after Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo jointly released a statement opposing Trump's tariffs. A 25 percent price increase in consoles to match the tariff cost would "likely put a new video game console out of reach for many American families who we expect to be in the market for a console this holiday season," the companies said in their letter.Nintendo is already reportedly preparing itself for the tariffs by moving manufacturing out of China for the new Switch consoles, including the Switch Lite.Microsoft, too, is working on a new console--Project Scarlett. Xbox boss Phil Spencer has said the price of that console may depend on what happens with the tariffs.Going back to Sony, the company announced that the PS4 shipped a further 3.2 million consoles in the April-June period, bringing the total number of PS4 shipments to 100 million. Sony is predicting a downturn in PS4 sales for the current fiscal year. It originally projected shipments of 16 million for the fiscal year ending March 2020, but now the company said it expects to ship 15 million.Info from Gamespot.com