Ahead of Destiny 2's Season of Opulence scheduled to go live Tuesday, June 4 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET, Bungie has announced the newest raid coming to the looter-shooter.Titled Crown of Sorrow, the new six-player raid has Guardians investigating an infested Leviathan in search of riches beyond the Light's wildest imagination. Emperor Calus beckons you and any other willing Guardians to enter a new activity called the Menagerie, where you'll "carve your way through ever-changing paths and enemies" on the hunt for secret vaults. You can check out the official trailer below.The new Season of Opulence is the final piece of DLC in Destiny 2's Annual Pass. The DLC will introduce new weapons--like Pinnacle weapons, "high-powered, specially designed guns you can only get by completing arduous tasks in specific activities"--and items like the Chalice of Opulence, which sounds like a new introduction to the game's mechanics. While Season of Opulence may mark the end for Destiny 2's Annual Pass, Bungie took to Twitter to tease a livestream for Thursday, June 6 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET to discuss "the next chapter of Destiny 2."pic.twitter.com/1Y3LSoAsRM — Bungie (@Bungie) May 30, 2019Season of Opulence is available to owners of the Destiny 2 Annual Pass, which retails for $35 USD / $28 GBP / $50 AUD on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.Info from Gamespot.com

Fortnite's Week 4 challenges of Season 9 are now live on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices, which means players across all platforms have another chance to rack up Battle Stars and unlock more of this season's new skins and other cosmetic rewards. That also means you can now complete another one of this season's Utopia challenges if you manage to finish all seven tasks from a given week, which will lead you to another secret Fortbyte.Just as in previous seasons, completing a Utopia challenge will unlock a special loading screen, which will serve as your key to finding a free item hidden somewhere around the game's map. In the past, this item would be either a Battle Star (which levels your Battle Pass up by one tier) or a Banner (which could be used as a profile icon) depending on how many weekly sets of challenges you completed. Battle Stars are still up for grabs in Season 9, but this time, Epic has replaced the Banners with the aforementioned Fortbytes, which are new collectible to find throughout the season.There are 100 Fortbytes in total to collect, many of which are tied to their own challenges. Each one looks like a computer chip and unlocks a portion of a larger picture. However, the clue to finding a handful of these Fortbytes lies with the loading screens you unlock by completing Utopia challenges. That's the case for Fortbyte #91. Contrary to what you may expect, the clue isn't hidden within the loading screen itself, but rather its description, which reads, "Sandstorm and Scimitar race to the Keyboard King ATM and the winner always gets paid."As the description suggests, Fortbyte #91 is found in the ATM by Keyboard King, one of the stores located in Paradise Palms. Make your way to the area and smash the ATM in question to reveal the hidden Fortbyte. If you need help finding it, we've marked its exact location on the map below. You can also watch where we go to find the Fortbyte in the video at the top of this guide.While secret Battle Stars will only appear once you've completed their corresponding Utopia challenge, this Fortbyte is available to everyone who has purchased a Season 9 Battle Pass. If you fall into that category, you simply head to the right area and collected it even if you haven't completed Week 4's Utopia challenge and unlocked the aforementioned loading screen. If you do need help completing this season's challenges, however, you can find tips and guides in our complete Fortnite Season 9 challenges roundup.Epic recently rolled out Fortnite's 9.10 content update, which introduced another new weapon to the game: the Burst SMG, which comes in common, uncommon, and rare varieties. To make room for it, however, the developer vaulted the Suppressed Submachine Gun. That isn't the only thing of note to happen in Fortnite recently; players have also discovered a mysterious giant eyeball encased in ice beneath Polar Peak. It's unclear what this means, but many are speculating it could lead to some kind of community event.Info from Gamespot.com

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge has now opened at California's Disneyland, letting fans of the franchise visit a new planet where the resistance and the First Order are battling for control. Still, while Galaxy's Edge is firmly planted in the latest trilogy of Star Wars films, care has been taken by the creative minds behind the land to create as unique an experience as possible for everyone who crosses its threshold.According to Carrie Beck, vice president of the Lucasfilm story group, the crafting of that experience goes back to when the company first started developing Galaxy's Edge. "When we got to work at thinking about what was the type of place we wanted to go visit, or what the types of experiences were that we wanted to have participating in Star Wars, we thought a lot about how all of us as fans--how all of us as people who admire Star Wars--how we might want to interact with the Galaxy," she explained while on a panel during a media preview event. "You may want to see yourself as a Smuggler or a Scoundrel. You may want to see yourself as a Jedi, Sith, a Stormtrooper. You can find yourself being drawn to the dark side of the Force."In helping visitors find their own stories within Galaxy's Edge, the team realized the most integral piece of storytelling was the land itself. Galaxy's Edge is set on the outer rim planet of Batuu, consisting of a forest where the Resistance is camped out, and Black Spire Outpost, a settlement that is being invaded by the First Order."[Batuu is] a place of some light routes that ships used to come and go," Beck said. "But it's been largely forgotten until we arrive here at the park and we get to discover it at the same time as the First Order and the Resistance are having their conflict here in the land, the day of our visit."And as this conflict unfolds, you should expect to come into contact with both sides of the fight. You may be asked to help out the Resistance in spreading messages or grilled for information by Stormtroopers. What you share--or don't--is up to you. But the key to it all is you aren't viewed as an outsider during your visit."I think what's really exciting is just to be able to have them react to you as if you're actually in Star Wars," Beck continued. "I think, one of the things that's so wonderful about the films themselves, is that they feel so real, right? And I think that there was always this dream, this wish to be able to be part of that story. And so, being here and being able to interact and to sort of bring that fantasy to the next level is very exciting."And as the story unfolds, visitors will see how Batuu connects to the larger canon of Star Wars. Already, there's a Marvel comic book about Batuu and Black Spire Outpost. What's more, the planet has been mentioned previously in the novel Thrawn: Alliances and is the focus of the upcoming canonical novel Galaxy's Edge: Black Spire. Black Spire Outpost was also referenced in the film Solo: A Star Wars Story."There have been adventures that we have crafted that take place or take [the] opportunity to locate here, in Batuu and Black Spire," Beck said. "And I think that's one of the great opportunities with a place that is fully new, is it allows the opportunity to layer in all of that narrative and give you that sense of discovery."And thanks to the setting of Galaxy's Edge, that sense of discovery can continue for years as the land is built to evolve. "We picked a spot that has yet to [be discovered] in the Star Wars galaxy," Black Spire Outpost project manager Brent Nikolin told GameSpot. "There's some references made in Solo and other places, but I think starting from a place that is nowhere but still uniquely Star Wars, you walk in here, you know it's Star Wars, right? But it's not a place that we've ever been before. [It] allows you some flexibility down the road to do different things."Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is open at Disneyland now. It opens at Florida's Walt Disney World Resort on August 29. Info from Gamespot.com

The season is finally over. PSG are champions (again), Juventus are champions (again), and Liverpool fans are crying (again, although for a much better reason this year). While there's more to look forward to in the world's biggest sport this summer--the Women's World Cup and UEFA Nations League are bound to be summer highlights--many football fans now have one major date in their diary: the release date of FIFA 20.FIFA 20's release date hasn't actually been revealed yet--the game hasn't even technically been announced--but it's a safe bet it will follow series tradition and fall toward the end of September. With that disclaimer out the way, let's take a look at everything we do know about the world's biggest soccer game, as well as what we'd like to see from FIFA at E3 2019.What We Know So FarEven though this year's game hasn't been revealed, developer EA has already shared some of FIFA 20's gameplay improvements. Top of the list is AI defending, with a larger emphasis and incentive placed on manual defending, as opposed to letting the computer defend for you. One of the ways EA plans to do this is by increasing the likelihood a manual tackle will propel the ball to a teammate. Automatic defending will see its overall efficacy reduced and reaction times slowed.Shooting is also being revamped, with attackers given greater accuracy during easy shooting scenarios, such as being clean through against the 'keeper. Goalkeepers' reaction times will be reduced in these situations to resolve the sometimes "superhuman" reactions players complained of. Additionally, the timing window for green timed shots is being reduced to two frames for all shots, and they'll also be "slightly less precise." EA did, however, reassure players that green timed shots will "still be more accurate than non-timed shots."Lots of work is being done on making passing and shooting more realistic, EA says, especially when it comes to difficult strikes. Volleys will be more variable and less accurate, for example, while 180° and first-time passes will result in "slower/weaker balls." To compensate, easy situation passes will now be more accurate. Two new passing options will also be introduced: the driven pass-and-go (which will replace the current manual pass button combo) and the dinked pass, which will cease to be an automatic, contextual pass variant and instead be user-controlled only.What's Confirmed For E3?EA has confirmed an E3 livestream discussing FIFA 20 will air on June 8 at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 7 PM BST (that's 4 AM AET on June 9). The stream, which is part of EA Play, will be hosted by esports commentator Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez. EA says it will demonstrate some of the gameplay improvements mentioned above, "as well as some other surprises we're excited to talk about."What We Hope To See At E3FIFA 19 felt great, and the addition of the officially licensed Champions League made for a slicker product. However, career mode was left sorely lacking. No major new features were added to the mode, with very few changes at all from the year prior. With that in mind, we'd love career mode to see a radical overhaul. Give us a proper scouting system, stadium developments, opposition reports, and a way to actually converse with players outside of contract negotiations. Talking of which, the option to pay for new players in installments is long overdue.Elsewhere, the Ultimate Team community is gasping for more on what FIFA 20 will have in store for FUT, and from a selfish point of view, I'd love to see the English National League introduced. The license for England's fifth tier would surely come relatively cheaply, and its addition would add another layer of authenticity to an already very lifelike ecosystem.Info from Gamespot.com

Since Pokemon Go's first Legendary Lunch Hour back in March, Niantic has experimented with hosting hour-long Raid events at different times of the day, and now more are coming this month. The developer has announced it is holding a Legendary Raid Hour each week in June, giving players more chances to participate in Raid Battles and catch Legendary Pokemon.The Legendary Raid Hour will take place every Wednesday this month from 6-7 PM local time. During that time, five-star Raids featuring the game's current Legendary Pokemon will occur more often than usual. Niantic recently announced it will bring three Legendaries back over the next few weeks, and you'll have extra chances to catch two of these thanks to the Legendary Raid Hours.The Psychic-type Cresselia is the current Legendary Pokemon; it'll be available until June 18. From June 18-27, the Water-type Kyogre will return to Raids, and from June 27 to July 10, its counterpart Groudon will make an encore appearance. This time around, players will also have a chance to encounter Shiny versions of each Legendary Pokemon when they return to Raids. You can read more details on the Pokemon Go website.Shortly after this month's first Legendary Raid Hour, Niantic will be holding Pokemon Go's next Community Day on Saturday, June 8. The featured Pokemon this month will be Slakoth, the adorable sloth from Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. If you can evolve it into its final form, Slaking, up to an hour after the Community Day ends, it'll learn an event-exclusive move. On top of that, Eggs will hatch at a quarter of their usual distance during this month's Community Day.The Pokemon Go Adventure Week event is also returning soon. From June 4-11, more Rock Pokemon such as Geodude, Rhyhorn, Omanyte, and Aron will spawn in the wild, and Rock-types like Onix will appear as Raid bosses. Players will also have a chance of finding Shiny versions of Onix, Lileep, and Anorith, as well as earning extra Candy and XP during the event.Info from Gamespot.com

It appears one of Assassin's Creed publisher Ubisoft's big E3 2019 surprises has leaked ahead of the show. Amazon UK posted a product page for Watch Dogs Legion, which is apparently set in London. The listing was originally spotted by and reported on by The Nerd Mag. The game's supposed product description states that the game will riff on current events."Watch Dogs Legion is set in a near-future, dystopian version of London. It's a post-Brexit world in which society, politics, and technology have changed and altered London's fortunes," it says.The product description then gets a little odd and potentially suspect. It states, "London makes total sense for WD," which is a kind of phrasing we wouldn't expect from a major publisher. Additionally, the product description spells the world surveillance as "surveillce."Something might be off with the product description, but the London setting had been rumored for many months already, while Kotaku's Jason Schreier reported today that Watch Dogs Legion is indeed the title of the game and London is its setting.Perhaps the most interesting part of Watch Dogs Legion is who the main character is: anyone. The product description states, "Play as anyone, Every individual you meet in the open world, has a full set of animations, voice over, character traits and visuals that are generated & guided by gameplay systems."Kotaku reports that it's also heard this about Watch Dogs 3, and that some parts of the game will play out different based on the NPC you choose to play. The system underpinning this is apparently very ambitious, so much so that it's led to at least one delay.The first Watch Dogs was set in Chicago, with Watch Dogs 2 moving to San Francisco.Watch Dogs Legion is not the first Ubisoft game to leak before E3 this year. Recently, a roller derby game called Roller Champions is also reportedly set for a reveal at Ubisoft's show.Watch Dogs Legion and Roller Champions could be two of Ubisoft's three unannounced games scheduled to release between January and March 2020. Ubisoft didn't confirm any details for what the three games are, other than all three would be full-priced releases and all be different genres (a specific phrase used was "unique experiences").There is no word yet as to when specifically Watch Dogs Legion will release or what platforms it'll be on. A spokesperson for Ubisoft told GameSpot that the company does not comment on rumors. Info from Gamespot.com

Next-generation consoles from Sony and Microsoft are on the way, and Bethesda boss Todd Howard has apparently seen them. That's no surprise given both of Bethesda's big upcoming games, Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI, are expected to launch on the new consoles. Howard has now offered some high-level thoughts on what to expect.Speaking to IGN, Howard said, "They're all ... [pause] ... How to not break NDAs? They are doing the right things."Throughout the entire interview, Howard spoke slowly and carefully as he seemed to run through his head what is public knowledge about the consoles and what hasn't been revealed yet.Whatever the case, Howard said he is "absolutely" confident about the direction the new consoles from Sony and Microsoft are headed."One of the big benefits of my position is I get to see stuff really early. I was one of the first people ever to see the Switch; that was one of the best hardware demos I have ever seen," Howard said. "The things [Sony and Microsoft are] doing are, in my mind--no one is screwing up at the starting line which some people have done before."Pressed for more details, Howard mentioned the vastly improved loading times on the PlayStation 5 that system architect Mark Cenry previously revealed (see the faster load times here). Overall, Howard said both Sony and Microsoft are "focused on the right things." Whatever those things are, they are suited to the kinds of games that Bethesda is making."Everybody is focused on the right things, and in particular, it helps the kind of games that we make tremendously," he said. "Everybody has learned their lessons in some good ways and some hard ways. And they are very very thoughtful about their audience and the developers. My view of it is it's going to be awesome across the board. Not just the systems but the business models."In regards to business models, Howard said the video game industry is finally growing and evolving and adapting to provide consumers with a variety of choices."Gaming is finally reaching the point that linear entertainment is," Howard said. "Movies, television, all that, where you're going to have games that are big tentpoles that people can buy for $60. That's kind of like going to the theater. You're going to have games you can play on a subscription service, you're going to have ones you can download on your phone, you're going to have ones you can play and they're maybe ad-supported. I think that's really, really healthy for the industry; obviously the players who want to consume it, but [also] the developers who say 'I just want to make an adventure game for this budget.' There's an audience for that. My worry before was hey, will all of that go away?"Howard further backed up his point by mentioning that traditional linear TV was generally overrun with lousy reality TV shows before streaming networks like Netflix and others came along and demonstrated that there could be a much bigger diversity in terms of the breadth and depth of content. Basically, something for everyone exists today in TVs and movies, and the same is now, finally, happening for games, Howard said.Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI are not coming to E3 2019, but Bethesda still has a press conference scheduled for less than a week from now on June 9 where it will talk about other things.As mentioned, Sony has already started talking about the PlayStation 5, while Microsoft is expected to formally announce one or two next-generation Xbox consoles during its own E3 2019 briefing.In other news, Howard recently discussed how Bethesda always thought Fallout 76 would have a tough launch and receive lower review scores.Info from Gamespot.com

Sarah Schachner will return to the Call of Duty series to do the music for this year's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare reboot. Schachner said on Twitter that she "couldn't be more thankful" to work on the game, and contribute again to the Call of Duty series.Schachner also did the music for Infinity Ward's 2016 game Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. Outside of the Call of Duty series, she also scored Assassin's Creed Origins and Anthem. She's also contributed to huge movies like Iron Man 3 and The Expendables 2. Well I guess it’s public now...I’m scoring Modern Warfare and couldn’t be more thankful to get to work with Infinity Ward again on such an amazing project. It’s def been hard to keep this one secret 😄 #CallofDutyModernWarfare pic.twitter.com/nJvVJ3A0AS — Sarah Schachner (@SarahSchachner) June 2, 2019 It's not a continuation of the Modern Warfare trilogy but rather a reboot of sorts of the 2007 game Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Captain Price is back as a main character, with some of the storylines involving Russia and the Middle East. "The world we live in right now is more complex than the world was in 2007, or 2009, or even 2011," narrative director Taylor Kurosaki said. "Even now the world that we live in, the battlefield is less defined than it's ever been, and because it's less defined and because enemies no longer really wear uniforms a lot of the time, that means that civilian collateral damage is a greater part of the equation more so now than it's ever been.""So what does that mean? It means we're creating circumstances where, as storytellers, we are taking these characters, and we are putting them into complex situations with a lot of pressure on them, and how they respond to that pressure reveals their true nature."In other news, it's been confirmed that the new Modern Warfare supports cross-play and that it will not have a season pass. For lots more, check out the story linked below.Everything We Know About Call Of Duty: Modern WarfareInfo from Gamespot.com

Disney has released a new TV spot for The Lion King, and this one for the first trailer showcases Beyonce's character, Nala. The spot is called "Come Home," and it covers the sequence in the movie where Nala convinces Simba (Donald Glover) to return home to save Pride Rock."Simba, you have to take your place as king. We need you. Come home."In addition to teasing out some of the drama when Simba returns home, the new trailer briefly teases the playful and silly comedic duo of Timon and Pumbaa, who are voiced by Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen respectively.This new spot for The Lion King follows the release of lots of character posters that Disney put out last week. You can see the posters in the gallery below; click through to see them all.The Lion King opens in theatres on July 19. It is directed by Jon Favreau with a script from Jeff Nathanson, who previously wrote the Steven Spielberg movie Catch Me If You Can starring Leonardo DiCaprio.James Earl Jones returns in The Lion King as Mufasa, while Chiwetel Ejiofor voices Scar. Info from Gamespot.com

It's been almost four years since the release of Halo 5: Guardians in 2015, so Halo fans are understandably eager to learn more about the next entry in the sci-fi shooter series, Halo Infinite. Thankfully, it's expected that Microsoft is going to showcase the Xbox One and PC game during the Xbox E3 2019 briefing on June 10.Besides Minecraft, Halo is arguably Microsoft's biggest and best-known franchise. It has millions of dedicated fans and it is steeped in history and evolution. But it isn't a stretch to say it's fallen out of prominence and mindshare in the gaming world.Franchises like Call of Duty and Battlefield, along with newcomers Fortnite and Apex Legends, generate consistent buzz. Halo, on the other hand, is currently most prominently represented by Halo: The Master Chief Collection, a game that sputtered at launch and has left a sour taste in the mouths of many. Microsoft's commitment to supporting and improving upon the franchise's "black eye," as 343 has called it, has been impressive to see, but fans are interested in what's next for the series.Ahead of E3 2019, we're looking back at what we know so far about Halo Infinite and examining what the game must do to reinvigorate the franchise. If there is anything that Halo's campaigns have taught us over the years, it's that you should never bet against Master Chief. Tell A Better, More Coherent StoryHalo 5's story was generally considered to be a letdown, something many reviews noted, and a sentiment that even 343 Industries boss Bonnie Ross has admitted to (and this is to say nothing of the misleading marketing campaign). Whatever the case, it's good news to learn that Halo Infinite will place more of an emphasis on the franchise's hero and one of gaming's biggest names: Master Chief.As fans may recall, Halo 5 split up time between Master Chief and a new character named Agent Locke (voiced nicely by Mike Colter). Instead of splintering off to tell the stories of different side characters, re-focusing on Master Chief with Halo Infinite could be what the franchise needs to get back on track. Ross has described Halo Infinite as a "spiritual reboot" of the franchise. That wording suggests Halo Infinite could be akin to 2018's God of War. That game didn't tell an origin story for Kratos but it managed to retain the franchise's core tenets while also going deeper or wider in some brand-new narrative and gameplay areas.The Halo universe is a sprawling, rich tapestry on which to tell all kinds of different stories, and 343 needs to weave something unique and compelling with Halo Infinite after Halo 5's meandering and incoherent narrative. Microsoft no longer numbers its mainline Halo games, but even so, the company tells fans to think of Halo Infinite as Halo 6. That's important because at one point Microsoft said Halo 4,5, and 6 were part of the Reclaimer Trilogy. It's easier to understand why Halo 5's story was such a letdown because it had the tough task of being a bridge story that was actually good. However, Microsoft later canceled its plans for a strictly defined three-game trilogy. Now, the company wants fans to think of Master Chief's story as an ongoing "saga" that is not limited to any specific number of games. This gives Microsoft the freedom to redeem itself and, ahem, reclaim its former glory with a story that puts the focus back on Master Chief in new and interesting ways.Surprise Us With New Multiplayer InnovationsHalo 5 pushed the Halo multiplayer scene forward with its ambitious MOBA-style Warzone mode. Halo's multiplayer battlefield had never been so expansive, multi-layered, and engaging. It was a genuinely exciting and fresh take on the familiar Halo multiplayer formula. It felt like a bonafide strong step forward for the series, which has always been renowned for its multiplayer in particular. Microsoft needs to deliver a similarly novel multiplayer experience with Halo Infinite.There has been much discussion about Halo Infinite mimicing Call of Duty and Battlefield with a battle royale mode of its own, but 343 has said that may not happen (even if the game's engine is technically capable of delivering it). This may be for the best, as it would be more exciting to see Halo Infinite blaze its own trail rather than follow in the footsteps and trace the formula of an already-saturated battle royale market.Warzone was fantastic, but it always felt to me like more of a foundation or canvas that could support something bigger and more exciting. In addition to whatever advancements Microsoft makes with Halo 5 in terms of a large-scale multiplayer experience, the game would also do well to ensure the hardcore Team Arena fans are satisfied as well.Halo 5's Team Arena also pushed things forward with a multitude of new abilities and weaponry, while the simple addition of clambering really changed how you could move around the map. The white-knuckle, fast-paced action of Halo Arena is where the series shines the brightest. Halo Infinite needs to keep this trend going and deliver something that pro players (Halo has a big competitive gaming scene) and the average player will enjoy in similar measure.Show Off What The Slipspace Engine Can DoThe first trailer for Halo Infinite that was released at E3 2018 was actually for the game's engine, Slipspace, not the game itself. Slipspace is Halo's next-generation engine, and it was reportedly developed at no small expense. According to one Microsoft insider, careers will be made or broken based on the success of Halo Infinite due in part to its reported $500 million budget spanning game development and engine costs. For its part, Microsoft declined to comment on the reports of Halo Infinite's budget. Whatever the case, a new game engine can unlock new gameplay opportunities, and it's exciting to think about what a new set of development tools might allow 343 to do in terms of gameplay and Halo Infinite's overall depth and fidelity. The Slipspace engine trailer showed off a sprawling landscape that invites players to imagine what could be possible. At E3, Microsoft needs to answer that question. Bringing The Game To PC Is A Big DealFor the first time since 2004's Halo 2, the mainline Halo series is returning to PC with Halo Infinite. This is a big deal because it opens up the Halo franchise to a much wider audience, including those who have never played Halo before (and people who will inevitably double-dip). Fans have been calling on Microsoft to bring Halo back to PC for years now, so it's good to see Microsoft listen to that feedback and take action. Microsoft is already laying the groundwork with Halo: The Master Chief Collection coming to PC beginning this month with Halo: Reach, and it'll have a multitude of PC features like custom frame rates, FOV slider, button-mapping, and more. But Halo Infinite will be the first main series game on PC in more than 15 years, and Microsoft needs to make sure it's a best-in-class, native PC game that doesn't feel like a port.Showcase Forge's Next EvolutionHalo's Forge mode is a treat, and it's gotten bigger and better with each new Halo game. Already a robust map and mode-making tool, Forge could up the ante further in Halo Infinite with a tool suite and functionality that allows creative people to do even more. Halo 5's Forge mode led to creations developed with a level of sophistication and depth that few could have imagined. I was never creative or capable enough to make the most out of Forge's toolset, but I appreciated the community's creations and I spent my fair share of time playing Halo: Beer Pong and Toilet Bowl Zombies. Forge was never better than it was in Halo 5, but the game doesn't make it exactly easy to find custom game modes and maps, and the matchmaking system for custom games left a lot to be desired. Forge could help Halo Infinite become a truly "infinite" game with endless gameplay opportunities, but it needs better, more user-friendly systems and functionality to truly shine. Split-Screen Is Back, And That's Good NewsIt seems like a simple thing, but Halo Infinite bringing back local split-screen is incredibly significant. Split-screen is one of the core pillars of Halo. Some of my fondest childhood memories are playing Halo with my friends and siblings after school. I am not alone in my appreciation for local split-screen; just look at the reaction to Halo 5's decision to drop the feature. Microsoft was roundly criticized. Microsoft's data may have indeed shown that fewer and fewer people play local co-op, but removing the feature entirely from Halo 5 was a bad look all the same.Split-screen always needed to return in Halo Infinite, and I'm happy it is. It may not be a feature that people make use of as often as they once did, but having the option to play split-screen is essential.Have A Responsible Microtransaction PlanHalo Infinite is a big new AAA game, so it comes as no surprise that it will have microtransactions. Microsoft confirmed as much a long time ago. Given that Halo 5's microtransactions proved to be so lucrative, it is no surprise the business practice is coming back for the new game. For Halo Infinite, Microsoft needs to communicate a microtransaction solution that doesn't come across as aggressive or anywhere near what could be considered pay-to-win. Microsoft would have surely seen what happened with Star Wars: Battlefront II and other recent examples of microtransactions gone wrong. Microsoft would do well to get ahead of the discussion and explain clearly and upfront how Halo Infinite will handle microtransactions. Until they do, fans may assume the worst. If Halo Infinite's microtransaction plan edges too close to "icky," fans can and should be encouraged to voice their concerns and leave feedback with Microsoft. Use Halo Infinite To Show Off The Power Of The Next XboxWith 2001's Halo: Combat Evolved, Microsoft took a bold risk and demonstrated how well an FPS could work on console. It was a tremendous success. Halo played a pivotal role in getting Microsoft's fledgling Xbox business off the ground, and the Halo series has pushed every new Xbox console since, the latest example being Halo 5's massive-scale MOBA-style Warzone mode. With Microsoft also expected to announce a next-generation console (or two) at E3 this year, Microsoft again has the chance to showcase the next evolution of what Halo can be. With a name like "Infinite," Microsoft needs to deliver something special. To sell a new console, Microsoft needs to demonstrate the hardware's new and impressive capabilities. Combining that announcement with a technical showcase of Halo Infinite could be a jaw-dropper at E3. Info from Gamespot.com

It's already June, which means E3 2019 is only a handful of days away. The Electronic Entertainment Expo is one of the biggest days in any gamer's calendar, and for Xbox One fans this year's show looks set to be a big one. Microsoft's E3 Xbox press conference will showcase 14 first-party games, and the company says it's "going big" at this year's show.What Time Does Microsoft's Press Conference Livestream Start?The Xbox showcase kicks off on Sunday, June 9. For those in the United States, that's 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET. For UK gamers, that's 9 PM BST, while Australian fans will need to wake up a little early to watch the conference at 6 AM AET on June 10.Where To WatchYou'll have a variety of options for watching Microsoft's E3 2019 briefing. The broadcast will air online on the company's Twitch, YouTube, and Mixer channels. GameSpot will also host a stream of the conference, so you can tune in right here to see all of Microsoft's announcements, or through our social media and streaming platforms below. Additionally, Xbox One owners can watch the briefing on their console using the Mixer app.GameSpotTwitchFacebookTwitterYouTubeWhat To ExpectAs for what's going to be shown, details are thin on the ground as yet. It's likely we'll get some form of update on Gears 5 and Halo Infinite, while Gears Pop and the new Battletoads game are possibilities. There are also rumors that Ninja Theory will be announcing a new sci-fi game scheduled for 2020 called Bleeding Edge, a fourth Fable game will be announced to be released in 2021, Ori and the Will of the Wisps will get a final trailer and release date, The Outer Worlds will get a new gameplay trailer and launch window (which has seemingly been confirmed via an Obsidian tweet), and Gears Tactics will get a new trailer and 2019 release date. Additionally, Microsoft is rumored to be revealing its new Xbox console, Scarlett.For more on the convention, check out the schedule of all the E3 2019 press conferences.Info from Gamespot.com

Big publishers like Microsoft, Ubisoft, and Nintendo might all be holding E3 2019 press conferences, but there's room for indie developers at E3 too. Publisher Devolver Digital, which publishes a range of quirky, smaller titles, is holding an E3 press conference, and if its past showcases are anything to go by, this is sure to be one of the more interesting briefings at E3.What Time Does Devolver's Press Conference Livestream Start?Devolver's E3 2019 press conference is scheduled to begin on Sunday, June 9 at 7 PM PT / 10 PM ET. For those in the UK, that's a late one, with a start time of 3 AM BST on June 10. Australian fans can enjoy a nice Devolver lunch at 12 PM AET, also on June 10.How To WatchUsually, publishers stream their conferences to every possible device and channel. However, it appears Devolver is broadcasting their E3 briefing via Twitch only. Of course, GameSpot will keep you up-to-date with all the big news, so don't fret if you can't watch along live.What To ExpectThe unexpected! Devolver has developed a reputation for wacky conferences--to suit their often wacky games. The show's host often makes jabs at video game industry trends and gaming culture in general--with tongue planted firmly in cheek, of course.Its slate of upcoming games includes My Friend Pedro, Sometimes Always Monsters, The Talos Principle 2, Serious Sam 4: Planet Badass, Metal Wolf Chaos XD, and more, so it's possible we'll see more of those. For more on the convention, check out the schedule of all the E3 2019 press conferences.Info from Gamespot.com

Fallout 76's poor release did damage to Bethesda's reputation and the Fallout brand overall, according to Todd Howard. He said in a new interview that the game, which launched in November 2018 to poor reviews and plenty of technical issues, created "some" damage to Bethesda's reputation and the perception of the Fallout brand."It would be naive to say it's had zero," Howard said in a candid interview with IGN.He went on to acknowledge that, due in part to the always-online, multiplayer focus of Fallout 76 being new ground for Bethesda, the team anticipated a rocky launch."We knew we were going to have a lot of bumps. That's a difficult development; a lot of new systems and things like that. 'Hey, we're going to try this new thing.' Anytime you're going to do something new like that, you know you're going to have your bumps; you know a lot of people might say, 'That's not the game we want from you.' But we still want to be somebody that's trying new things," Howard said. "That was a very difficult, difficult development on that game to get it where it was ...a lot of those difficulties ended up on the screen. We knew, hey look, this is not the type of game that people are used to from us and we're going to get some criticism on it. A lot of that--very well-deserved criticism."Howard went on to say that Bethesda never expected Fallout 76 to get the highest review scores. "Even from the beginning, [we thought], 'This is not going to be a high Metacritic game; that's not what this is, given what it is,'" Howard said.Fallout 76's score on GameSpot sister site Metacritic was 53 on PS4, 52 on PC, and 49 on Xbox One. The previous Fallout release, 2015's Fallout 4, had a Metacritic score in the high-80s across console and PC.Despite predicting technical issues and lower review scores, Howard said the team at Bethesda felt strongly about making an online, multiplayer Fallout game. He also said he expects Fallout 76 to improve over time, similar to the way in which Bethesda's MMO The Elder Scrolls Online sputtered at launch and has since grown to be one of the most popular MMOs on earth with more than 8.5 million players."It's not how you launch, it's what it becomes," Howard said about Fallout 76, going to tease that Bethesda has "some awesome stuff" to reveal at E3 in June.Though Fallout 76 was criticized, Howard pointed out that it was still a "huge release" and a chart-topper for sales. No sales numbers have been announced, however.Howard said Bethesda's main takeaway or lesson learned from Fallout 76 was that the developer should have kept the game in a testing phase for a longer period of time. The game might have benefitted from being in beta for "a number of months" before launching, he said."If there is one thing I would have done differently, [it would have been to] find a way to, at scale, let people be playing the game 24/7 before you say, 'Everybody in. Here you go. Pay us.'"Howard also clarified that Fallout 76 was developed not principally by the main team at Bethesda Game Studios in Maryland. Instead, the entire Bethesda team in Austin, Texas worked on Fallout 76, with support from teams in Dallas, Montreal, and home base in Rockville, Maryland where "a lot" of people contributed.Info from Gamespot.com

Robert Pattinson is the new Batman, and the upcoming 2021 film will be the first in a new trilogy. That's according to Deadline, which said he heard from sources that Warner Bros. is preparing three Batman movies under "The Batman" name.Matt Reeves, who directed Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes, is directing the three new Batman movies. The Batman 1 is scheduled for release on June 25, 2021, but no dates have been set for the two sequels. Apart from Pattinson, no other actors for The Batman have been announced, while story details are under wraps for now as well. Nicholas Hoult was reportedly the other front-runner to get the role of Batman before Warner Bros. decided on Pattinson.Pattinson is perhaps best known for his starring role in the Twilight series as Edward Cullen. Before that, Pattinson played Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. His latest movie was the black-and-white horror film The Lighthouse.Ben Affleck was originally set to star and direct The Batman. Affleck, who played Batman in Batman v. Superman and Justice League, stepped down as director in early 2017, and more recently confirmed that he was no longer involved at all, stating that he had "tried to direct a version of it, but couldn't crack it."In a recent interview, Reeves hinted at what fans could expect from the movie. "It's very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale," he said. "It's told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it's going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional."It's more Batman in his detective mode than we've seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He's supposed to be the world's greatest detective, and that's not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been."Info from Gamespot.com

Cuphead, the extra-challenging indie game from StudioMDHR, is coming to a new platform, but it's probably not the one you'd expect. The game is coming to Tesla's suite of electric vehicles.Tesla founder Elon Musk confirmed this in an interview with the Ride the Lightning podcast. The game is already up and running for Tesla's Model 3, Model S, and Model X, and Tesla worked with the game's developer, StudioMDHR, to get it running."Cuphead we've got working. It's a cool game. It's insanely difficult. It's sadistically difficult," Musk said.Cuphead runs on the Unity game engine, which Tesla has been working to port to Tesla's own operating system. Musk also said there is a dune buggy game in the works for Tesla.The game developer StudioMDHR confirmed to IGN that they're looking to launch Cuphead for Tesla cars this summer. The game only includes the Inkwell Isle One part of the game due in part to storage space considerations."When Tesla reached out to us to bring Cuphead to their vehicles, we were thrilled!" StudioMDHR's Maja Moldenhauer said. "Finding out that Mr. Musk was a fan of our game was extremely humbling and getting a chance to work with such an innovative company has been really exciting. We hope Cuphead can add some classic fun to such forward-thinking vehicles."You need a wired USB controller to play Cuphead in a Tesla; it does not support touchscreen controls.Cuphead is not Tesla's first in-car game. A number of Atari classics are already available, including Asteroids and Lunar Lander. In all cases, video games can only be played in Tesla cars when they're parked.Cuphead initially launched in 2017 for Xbox One and PC before launching for Nintendo Switch in April this year. The game has sold more than 3 million copies (but this doesn't count the Switch version). Info from Gamespot.com