Ubisoft has released the full patch notes for the latest update to The Division 2, Title Update 3. The major piece of content included in the update is Operation Dark Hours, The Division 2's first raid, but new features, apparel, and quality-of-life changes are included in Title Update 3 as well.Operation Dark Hours is an eight-player raid available for those who've reached World Tier 5 and defeated Tidal Basin. The raid sends you and your team up again the Black Tusks, who have taken over the Washington National Airport. "Teamwork, collaboration, and adaptation will be necessary to defeat the Black Tusk," The Division 2 community manager Johan LindholmMore wrote in the Title Update 3 patch notes. Operation Dark Hours is scheduled to go live tomorrow, May 16 at 9:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM BST.Ubisoft has announced that the first teams to complete Operation Dark Hours first will receive limited-time prizes. The very first team will have their team photo displayed in The Division 2's White House for all other players to see. Any team that completes the raid between May 16-23 will receive a cosmetic arm patch. If you can't pull together an eight-person team in time--which is a likely possibility considering the raid won't have matchmaking--you'll still be rewarded with a clan banner icon and a trophy just for completing the raid at any point in the future.For Year 1 Pass owners, Title Update 3 adds the first two Classified Assignment missions. Completing them allows you to hear the stories behind the fall of DC prior to the start of The Division 2's campaign and also unlock backpack trophies. Title Update 3 also includes The Division 2's second Apparel event, which adds new outfits, masks, emotes, and weapon skins to the game.The full patch notes for Title Update 3 can be viewed in the link above. We've gone ahead and listed the highlights below. The Division 2 is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.The Division 2 Title Update 3 Patch NotesCommendationsAdded new Commendations for Operation Dark Hours. Removed the following Commendations.28 Days Distinction - Record 672 hours (28 days) of time in-game.Distinguished Service Ribbon – For 30 consecutive days, on each day play for at least 1h and complete 1 mission.Supreme Response Distinction - For 7 consecutive days, on each day complete 4 main missions and rescue 5 civilians.Year One Merit - Play on 14 days per month, on a total of 12 months.Division Service Merit - For a total of 100 days, on each day play for at least 1hour and deliver 20 resources to control points.Developer comment: We removed these Commendations as we felt that they were not delivering a great experience for players. Often times you could miss out on your daily login or lose your streak with no error of your own. We’re adding different Commendations that still let you show off your dedication towards the game, without the login requirements. For those players that have already earned the above-mentioned Commendations they will remain visible as completed.Added a new vanity patch reward for all players as compensation for any lost time due to the above changes.Added five new Commendations Full Deck Distinction – Acquire all Snitch Cards.Distinguished Service Distinction – Complete 30 hours of service.Supreme Response Distinction – Complete all main missions and Strongholds on Hard difficulty (or above).Control Point Takeover Merit – Take over 50 Heroic Control Points.Invasion Service Merit – Complete 10 Invaded Strongholds.Changed Peacock Award to specifically use the ‘Jumping Jacks’ emote.Changed Mission Discovery Merit Commendations to track when a player collects loot from loot boxes, not opening the loot boxes. This will ensure that all players that are in a group can earn this Commendation when playing the respective missions.CraftingIncreased the base cap for Receiver Components and Protective Fabric crafting materials by 200, meaning that their caps now start at 350 and end at 600 with all material capacity perks.Inaya al-Khaliq in the Base of Operation is now a Crafting Vendor, she can be found next to the Crafting Bench in the White House. Added Specialized and Superior Skill Mod Blueprints to her stock.Added an extra weekly Blueprint to her stock.Moved crafting Blueprints from the Base of Operations vendor to her stock.Note: While Inaya will have a variety of Blueprints available, there are still other sources in the game like Settlements and Control Points.All exotic items upgraded through crafting will get the maximum Gear Score of the current crafting bench tier.GearBonus Armor granted on blue attributes gear significantly increased.Armor percent can now be found as Defense Attribute rolls.Health percent can now be found as Defense Attribute rolls.Gear sets Hard Wired Now grants Skill Damage instead of Shock Duration.Ongoing Directive Now grants special ammunition into any weapon, including the weapon currently equipped.Now grants special ammunition on any kill, not just weapon kills.True Patriot Decreased debuff cycle from 4 seconds to 2 seconds.Increased damage dealt to nearby targets when Full Flag is active to 50%.IconsThe Confidential Gear Set intel item now has a project icon to better reflect its use.LootLoot containers will now reset at a preset time of day. Control Point reward container will now also reset with this daily timer.Improved quality and quantity of Drone Helicopter loot.Slightly reduced the quality of items from Clan Caches.Cabinet loot containers now have a chance to contain Dark Zone keys.Increased ammunition drop chance from enemy NPCs to limit situations where players would run out of ammunition during prolonged fights on higher difficulty activities.Dark Zone contaminated loot does not drop below player's average Gear Score and will guarantee Gear Score 500 when the player has reached 500 Gear Score.Heroic difficulty Mission bosses, Stronghold bosses, Bounty bosses and Heroic Control Points reward containers will guarantee Gear Score 500 when the player has reached 500 Gear Score.Loot now skews more towards the top end of its allowed Gear Score, resulting in fewer items below a player's average Gear Score, and items that do drop below it will be closer to that average more often.Increased the rewards for daily Hard and Challenge mission Projects and they will guarantee Gear Score 500 when the player has reached 500 Gear Score.MissionsNew feature: Post Mission Activity Summary After completing missions, players may opt to look at an activity summary showcasing their performance in that activity and allowing an expanded look at a variety of detailed statistics.Bank Headquarters Reduced difficulty for solo players.Roosevelt Island Reduced difficulty for solo players.ModsHive users can now find +healing on the Experimental Blend mods.Hive users can now find +radius on the Network Firewall mods.New mods: Auxiliary Skill BatteryAuxiliary Skill Batteries fit in Skill mod slots and grant Skill Power.NPCUpdated RC Blade to fix various issues. Elite Medic's Pulse Grenade has been changed.No longer applies disrupt.Reduced Impact radius.The grenade impact radius should now be easier to see.Decreased damage of Veteran, Elite and Named NPCs.Greatly decreased melee damage of all Tank NPCs.Moderately decreased melee damage of all non-Tank NPCs.Decreased Thrower NPC’s accuracy with grenades. They are no longer professional baseball pitchers or cricket fielders.Slightly decreased damage of Elite/Named War Hound.Civilian Control Point Officers now wear pants.Civilian Control Point Officers now wear protective body armor. Safety first.Civilians with fully upgraded Settlements now wear combat harnesses and have slightly more health.Upgrading a Settlement now slightly increased Civilians' damage.NPCs will now be slightly less defensive while in cover and being aimed at by a player.Decreased likelihood of NPCs using ladders in combat.Decreased likelihood of NPCs using special navigation out of combat.Civilian NPCs will now stay further away from players in cover, lessening the chance of them taking a player’s preferred cover location. We get it, you're very protective of your favorite cover spot.Civilian Hostages are now more protective of their lives.Fixed issue with many explosives causing extreme amounts of threat, confusing NPCs.Fixed various sliding issues with NPCs following recovery from a Status Effect.Enemy NPCs should no longer be able to stagger players with a melee attack if the player has a Ballistic Shield equipped.Drone Helicopter Increased health.Increased damage.Improved movement.Decreased Outcast Suicide vest explosion radius.Lowered NPC damage and health above normal difficulty.Increased variety of NPCs at higher difficulty levels.Open WorldImplemented various UI and audio improvements to Living World activities.Control Points Control Point difficulty is now more clearly communicated, using regular difficulty names in addition to Alert Level.Approaching enemy patrols and convoys are now signaled more clearly during Control Point Takeover.The Civilian Officer will now revive downed players during Control Point takeover and judge you silently.Players can now select the civilian takeover icon on the map as a respawn option during Control Point takeover. The option is disabled after the enemy leader joins the fight.Players can now fast travel to civilian convoys and takeover squads from the map.Black Tusk now send War Hound Convoys carrying gear and weapons to Tidal Basin when the mission is available.Info from Gamespot.com

Ubisoft is planning to increase the pace of its content updates for its upcoming slate of games. Asked if content drops are rapid enough to compete with Fortnite during an investor Q&A, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said the company is ramping up its efforts. He specifically named Rainbow Six Siege and the upcoming Ghost Recon Breakpoint as examples, but signaled this is a broader strategy going forward."It is something we have been working on in the last 24 months. Our teams are getting organized to come more regularly with content and lots of our games are going to come with drops of content and events on a more regular basis," Guillemot said. "Rainbow Six is increasing its content drop speed a lot already and you will see that this year. Ghost Recon Breakpoint will see content drops on a regular basis because they will also have the PVP, the co-op, and the campaign."So you can expect all the products, and not only Rainbow Six, having content drops regularly. It’s the new trend now in the industry and those drops are making lots of people come back to the games and also spend money in them."Guillemot didn't go into further detail, but that may be that some of Ubisoft's release plans are still under wraps. The financial statements and investor call also revealed three more triple-A games are in development, all releasing by March 31, 2020. Those are said to represent a broad range of game types, as Ubisoft said they're each "unique experiences." Ubisoft also announced that its pirate ship combat game, Skull and Bones, is delayed past the March of 2020 and won't be shown at E3.Rainbow Six Siege is known for making a dramatic turnaround with live content after a somewhat rocky launch. Ghost Recon Breakpoint appears to be adopting the strategy of regular content updates as well, after Wildlands continued introducing special episodes long after launch. Even single-player games like Assassin's Creed Odyssey have become notable for their wealth of post-launch content.Ubisoft has been shifting towards a live game model for some time, and Guillemot's comments didn't necessarily commit to updating with the frequency of Fortnite. The studio behind Apex Legends, a battle royale competitor with Fortnite, has explicitly stated it isn't aiming for weekly content drops to maintain a healthy studio culture. It isn't clear exactly how frequent Ubisoft intends to update its games, but it will be some degree more than the current pace of Siege.Info from Gamespot.com

The long-awaited conclusion to Game of Thrones is just a few days away. Season 8, Episode 6 premieres this Sunday, May 19, marking the end of both this abbreviated season and the show overall. Following the preview trailer that debuted right after Episode 5, HBO has now released photos from the next episode--but they're a bit different than usual. Spoilers ahead.HBO is usually quite reticent to spoil the upcoming episode with its previews; these aren't exactly modern movie trailers giving away major story beats and moments. The brief Episode 6 teaser kept the specifics to a real minimum, and now the preview photos are doing the same. They don't give away anything that wasn't already in the trailer, and just as notably, HBO has only shared a mere two images, which is far less than we typically see. Clearly, the network wants whatever is coming to be a surprise (although this does nothing to deal with the possibility of leaks, which have been a problem all season long).The first of the two photos features Tyrion, who can be seen standing amongst the rubble in King's Landing. He doesn't look particularly pleased, just as you'd expect; he put his support behind Daenerys and believed in her, and he even put his life at risk to free Jaime in the hopes of preventing a massacre of innocents in the city. Dany opted to go Mad Queen instead, and now Tyrion is faced with having to live with this reality that Varys tried to stop.The second photo matches up with a shot from the preview trailer. Dany, standing victorious on the edges of the burning city, faces away from us with her back to the camera as her army stands in formation all around her. If there was any question about how many troops she had remaining after Episode 3's battle, it looks like she's doing just fine in that regard.Her troops appear to be in full support of her, and we know from the preview trailer that the Dothraki in particular seem pleased with the outcome of the battle. But we still haven't seen Dany's face in Episode 6, or really, since she made her fateful decision to destroy the city. Seeing if she has any remorse will have to wait for this Sunday, though it's too late to undo her actions. Queen of the Ashes might be the best she can hope for at this point.In the meantime, we have Episode 6 theories about where things in the finale and an Episode 5 breakdown. But with the way things have already played out, we know Game of Thrones exists in its darkest timeline.Info from Gamespot.com

The next WWE PPV is days away. Money in the Bank is coming on Sunday, May 19. The MITB match card is stacked, featuring numerous title defenses and two eight-superstar ladder matches where the winner receives a title match contract. There are numerous ways to watch this event, and we're breaking them down for you.This year's event takes place at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and the main card begins at 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET / 12 AM BST (May 20) / 9 AM AET (May 20), with a Kickoff Show starting one hour prior on WWE's YouTube page. Normally, there is at least one match on pre-show, so you'll probably want to watch.There are two ways to watch. The first is the traditional route, ordering the event through your local cable or satellite provider. This is the pricier way to go. DirectTV has the event listed at $55, and other providers will be around the same price for the PPV. Considering some areas of the United States don't have access to high-speed internet, this is the only route for them to go.If you are lucky enough to live in a part of the world with high speed internet, you can watch MITB on the WWE Network. The streaming service costs $10 and gives users access to live events and thousands of hours or content including matches and original programming. However, if you're new to the service, you can sign up for one month free. You can watch MITB for free, then cancel afterwards if you like, and your total spent to watch this WWE would be zero.The WWE Network is available a variety of ways. You can use your gaming consoles, streaming devices, your computer, or certain smart TVs to access the service. Check out the full list of ways to watch the WWE Network below, but keep in mind you will have to download a WWE app to your device to access the service.Consoles:PlayStation 3PlayStation 4Xbox 360Xbox OneCompatible Devices:Mobile DevicesAmazon Kindle FireAndroid DevicesApple iPhones & iPadsComputers ‐ PC & MacWindows 10 DevicesSmart TVs:LG Smart TVPanasonic Life+Screen Smart TVSamsung Smart TVSony Internet-Connected TVStreaming Devices:Amazon Fire TVApple TVGoogle ChromecastRokuSamsung Blu-ray PlayerSony Blu-ray PlayerTiVoMake sure to come back to GameSpot on May 19 for live coverage and a review of the show. For more on MITB, check out our predictions for the event, 13 Facts About The Match, and Every Money In The Bank Winner.Info from Gamespot.com

While Apex Legends is free-to-play for all PS4 owners, including those without PlayStation Plus, those who are subscribed to Sony's premium membership program can get additional perks at no cost. A new Apex Legends Play Pack is available now in the PlayStation Store, and it's exclusive to PS Plus members.The newest Play Pack includes new customizations for Lifeline and Mirage, namely two characters skins and two banners. It also comes with two weapon skins for the Eva-8 and R-99. To claim the Play Pack bonuses on PS4, just go to the Apex Legends store page, click into the Add-Ons section, and add the Play Pack to your cart. You can "complete the purchase" for free, and afterward, you'll be able to find the new skins and banners when customizing your Legend.Get the free Apex Legends PlayStation Plus Play Pack »Apex Legends released just over three months ago and quickly climbed to 50 million players, a huge milestone for the free-to-play battle royale game. EA recently confirmed Apex Legends is coming to mobile, and more info about future plans for Apex will be unveiled during EA's pre-E3 show in June, including the upcoming Season 2 Battle Pass.And speaking of free things, be sure to check out May's PS Plus free PS4 games, which subscribers can download and keep as long as they claim the titles this month.Info from Gamespot.com

The battle between the Epic Store and Steam continues to grow hotter, with a plethora of developers choosing the former over the latter because of the 88/12% revenue split and exclusivity deals with Epic. While enticing to some, Terraria developer Re-Logic has vowed not to make its games Epic Store exclusives.According to a tweet by Re-Logic's vice president Whitney Spinks, nothing the indie studio develops will ever be exclusive to the Epic Store. Spinks goes so far as to say the studio won't "sell our souls" but is sympathetic to those who opt for the guaranteed cash from an exclusivity deal. Whether this Since there seems to be confusion- No Re-Logic title will ever be an Epic Store exclusive. There is no amount of money we could be offered to sell our souls. — Whitney Spinks (@Cennxx) May 14, 2019Spinks was responding to concerns from Terraria players about the studio making an appearance at the PC Gaming Show at this year's E3, which is scheduled for Monday, June 10 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET. Because the Epic Store is involved with the PC Gaming Show, fans thought either Terraria or whatever Re-Logic is working on next may get the Epic Store exclusivity treatment. Spinks has otherwise dispelled this by saying, "There is no amount of money we could be offered to sell our souls."This news is in stark contrast to the multitude of games skipping Steam. Big titles, such as Detroit: Become Human (as well as other Quantic Dream games Beyond: Two Souls and Heavy Rain) and Metro Exodus, have chosen to forgo Steam for the Epic Store. Ubisoft's recently-released The Division 2 and newly-announced Ghost Recon Breakpoint are opting for Epic Store exclusivity. Even Mike Bithell, developer of Thomas Was Alone and Volume, is placing John Wick Hex on the Epic Store exclusively.Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said that if Steam changes its revenue shares, the Epic Store will alter its exclusivity policy. "If Steam committed to a permanent 88% revenue share for all developers and publishers without major strings attached," he said, "Epic would hastily organize a retreat from exclusives (while honoring our partner commitments) and consider putting our own games on Steam."Info from Gamespot.com

Ubisoft has released a new trailer for one of its two new Operators coming to Rainbow Six Siege in Operation Phantom Sight. The new trailer (which can be watched above) showcases Danish Jægerkorpset Operator Nøkk and teases her unique gadget ability.The trailer begins with identifying Nøkk as an Attacker before cutting to an underground location. Though the video occasionally glitches out, the shimmering outline of a person can be seen. It appears as if Nøkk has some form of cloaking technology, which makes her nearly invisible save for a Predator-like outline. Later on in the video, Nøkk stops moving and completely disappears, which may imply that she can go fully invisible while going prone or remaining motionless. The trailer ends with a close-up of Nøkk, but her hood shrouds her face from view.In a blog post, Ubisoft revealed additional details surrounding Nøkk and announced Operation Phantom Sight's full reveal will occur May 19, during the Pro League Finals in Milan (which takes place May 18-19). "[Nøkk's] gadget is just the icing on the cake for an already dangerous operative," the post reads. "The HEL, which she worked on to improve with specialist Grace 'Dokkaebi' Nam, makes Nøkk nothing short of a ghost, and leaves her opponents looking over their shoulders."Ubisoft first teased Operation Phantom Sight's new Operators with a tweet (seen below) that showcased one sneaking up on the other. We now know the one doing the sneaking is Nøkk, and the yellow glow in her hand is her HEL gadget. The image of the two Operators is structured like a yin-yang symbol, with Nøkk shrouded in darkness and the other Operator looking towards the light. So perhaps, just as Nøkk is someone who uses her glowing yellow gadget to hide in the shadows, the other Operator use his glowing blue gadget to bring attention to--illuminate, if you will--the position of Operators geared towards stealth.Look carefully... what do you see? pic.twitter.com/Twzquc6HBR — Rainbow Six Siege (@Rainbow6Game) May 13, 2019In Rainbow Six Siege's latest update, Ubisoft reversed the effects of friendly fire. The hope is that the update curbs the game's team-killing problem. Thanks to the update, shooting an ally will now cause all the damage you deal to be inflicted on yourself. The effects aren't immediate, so accidentally shooting a teammate won't net you any punishment. However, continuing to shoot a teammate will cause the reverse friendly fire to take effect. The update affects all primary and secondary weapons, as well as direct hits from most unique Operator weapons and gadgets. Explosives are affected too, although there are several exceptions. It's not the final version of the system, according to Ubisoft, and patches are already planned for the next season as part of Ubisoft's new policy to push out game updates more regularly.Rainbow Six: Siege is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.Info from Gamespot.com

The third Guardians of the Galaxy movie isn't coming out anytime soon. It doesn't even have a release date. However, we know for sure that writer/director James Gunn is back on board after being fired and rehired by Disney's Marvel Studios. Before he heads back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though, Gunn is making The Suicide Squad for DC Entertainment.Still, that doesn't mean he's not thinking about what's to come of the Guardians. In an interview with Deadline that explores his firing, Gunn shares what sounds like the aspect of Guardians Vol. 3 he's most excited about, and that's Rocket's (Bradley Cooper) story."I relate to Rocket and I feel compassion for Rocket, but I also feel like his story has not been completed," he explained. "He has an arc that started in the first movie, continued into the second and goes through Infinity War and Endgame, and then I was set to really finish that arc in Guardians 3. That was a big loss to me—not being able to finish that story—-though I was comforted by the fact that they were still planning to use my script."While the Guardians movies--and much of their roles in the larger MCU--have been among the most comedic moments in the franchise, these characters also haven't shied away from telling serious and sometimes heartbreaking stories. Whether it's Gamora's (Zoe Saldana) relationship with her father and sister, or Drax (Dave Bautista) mourning the deaths of his family at the hands of Thanos (Josh Brolin), there's plenty to feel for in those movies. And while Rocket is, perhaps, the funniest piece of the puzzle, his story has also been a harrowing one.Beginning with his genetic enhancement, which is called being "torn apart and put back together over and over again and turned into some little monster," the character has been a tragic one. And his relationship with Groot (Vin Diesel) makes him an incredibly sympathetic figure.While Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) losing Peter Parker (Tom Holland) in Avengers: Infinity War was seen as the movie's most emotional moment, Rocket watching Groot turn to dust and blow away, at which he offered a mortified "No..." is heart-wrenching.Given that Gunn wrote the script for Vol. 3 before he was fired, he's clearly known where Rocket would end up for some time. Now it'll be interesting to see what resolution looks like for a character that has been put through so much.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 does not have a release date. However, there is a slew of Marvel dates on the upcoming Disney slate of films.Info from Gamespot.com

The Division 2's Title Update 3 is now live on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Not only has the patch brought new features, apparel, and other tweaks to the loot shooter, it'll kick off the game's first Raid, Operation Dark Hours, tomorrow, May 16. However, it appears you'll need to manually squad up with other players if you're hoping to tackle it.During the latest State of the Game stream, Ubisoft confirmed that the Operation Dark Hours Raid will not feature matchmaking, contrary to what it has said in the past. Community developer Hamish Bode read a prepared statement about the topic: "We decided to not include matchmaking, as we don't think this would make a good gameplay experience for random groups. The Raid will test your ability to communicate well, have a good build set up, and will require great teamwork to beat encounters."The publisher shared additional details about how Raid groups are formed on the official Division 2 website. The overall eight-player team is comprised of two traditional four-player parties. Moreover, the player who creates the Raid group will be the leader, which means that player is the only one who can initiate the Raid. You don't need to have a full eight-player team to begin the Raid, but Ubisoft notes the challenge will not scale to your team's size. All players will also need to be at least level 30 and have reached World Tier 5 to participate.Operation Dark Hours goes live at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 5 PM BST. The first team to complete the Raid will earn a special reward: their team photo and names will be displayed in The Division 2's White House. Those who complete the Raid by May 23 will receive a commemorative Arm Patch, while everyone who clears it after that date will earn a clan banner icon and a trophy in their clan space.In addition to Operation Dark Hours, Title Update 3 has added two new Classified Assignment missions for Year 1 Pass owner. It also introduced an assortment of new outfits, masks, emotes, weapon skins, and more to the game. You can find the full Title Update 3 patch notes on the Division 2 website.Info from Gamespot.com

In terms of Batman villains, Ra's Al Ghul may not be as famous as someone like The Joker, but he's definitely no slouch. One of the few enemies to ever learn Bruce Wayne's identity, Ra's has been a near constant threat for decades, always toeing the precarious line between full-blown supervillain and deadly rival--a dynamic that makes him the perfect candidate for a featured role in DC's Year of The Villain event, which showcases some of the world's most iconic evildoers in a brand new light.Batman Vs. Ra's Al Ghul #1, courtesy of DC ComicsStarting this August, Ra's will star in a new six-issue miniseries written and drawn by his co-creator, comics legend Neal Adams. The story will focus on a Gotham City under siege by terrorists with Ra's apparently offering his "help" to the officers of the GCPD. Additionally, a mystery uncovered by Boston Brand, otherwise known as Deadman, leads Bruce straight into the sights of the Demon's Head himself.To help celebrate the launch of the mini-series, DC will also be re-releasing a "facsimile edition" of Batman #232, which will reprint Ra's now-iconic first appearance in "The Daughter Of The Demon" in its original format.Both Batman Vs. Ra's Al Ghul #1 and the Batman #232 facsimile edition hit shelves August 21. Info from Gamespot.com

In what can only be called tradition at this point, Steam's 2019 Summer Sale dates have leaked. The Steam Database Twitter account initially spotted the date on a Chinese Steam community page, SteamCN, and reportedly confirmed the date with multiple sources. If the leak is accurate, Steam's Summer Sale will go live on June 25 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 5 PM GMT (and June 26 at 3 AM AET) and last for about two weeks.In the past few years, start dates for the Summer Sale fell between June 21 and 23, so the reported 2019 date doesn't stray far from precedent.It's likely this year's sale will bring back the Steam trading cards and mini games of previous years. Last year's game was Summer Salien, a browser game where you traveled the galaxy to rescue games that had been abducted by aliens. You could earn XP and unlock new abilities, and defending certain planets gave you the chance to win the corresponding game for free.Steam has even more reason to pull out all the stops for this year's Summer Sale, as the Epic Games Store is apparently gearing up to hold its first big store-wide sale. News of the Epic Mega Sale first leaked on a Fortnite message board and was later confirmed by Epic Games, which tweeted that more details are coming soon. The Epic Games Store continues to pick up exclusive PC versions of major titles, such as The Division 2 and Borderlands 3, but there's no question Steam still has the greater volume and diversity of games that make its Summer Sale such a huge event for PC gamers.We'll update this piece as soon as Valve has confirmed dates for the Steam Summer Sale, but it's safe to assume it'll kick off near the end of June as usual. That leaves you some time to start prepping your wallet for one of the biggest game sales of the year. Info from Gamespot.com

Pokemon Go's Detective Pikachu event may be winding down, but the game's next Community Day is just around the corner. Niantic is bringing the monthly event back this Sunday, May 19, giving players around the world another chance to catch a rare Pokemon and even come away with a special event-exclusive move.Pokemon Go Community Days typically only run for three hours, but the specifics of each event--such as what time it begins and what bonuses you'll be able to earn--tend to vary month by month. To help you get ready for the event, we've rounded up all of the most important details about May 2019's Community Day below.What Is The Featured Pokemon?Niantic designates one "featured" Pokemon ahead of every Community Day. During the event, this Pokemon will spawn much more frequently in the wild than it normally does, and you'll even have a chance of coming across its Shiny variant. Moreover, if you're able to evolve the featured Pokemon into its final form by the end of the Community Day, it'll automatically know a special, event-exclusive move that it wouldn't otherwise be able to learn in Pokemon Go.For May's Community Day, the featured Pokemon is Torchic, the Fire-type starter from Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. Throughout the event, Torchic will be much easier to find in the wild than usual, and you'll have your first opportunity to catch a Shiny Torchic. On top of that, if you're able to evolve Torchic all the way into Blaziken up to an hour after the Community Day ends, it'll learn the powerful Fire attack Blast Burn. This applies to any Torchic you evolve, even those you've captured prior to the event.What Time Does It Start?For most of the time the event has been around, Niantic held each Community Day during a specific window of time, which varied depending upon your region; North America's event, for instance, would always run from 11 AM - 2 PM PT, while Europe's Community Day would take place from 10 AM - 1 PM UTC.Beginning this past March, however, Niantic changed the schedule for Community Days. Now, rather than holding the event during a different window of time in each region, it will take place everywhere from 3-6 PM local time. This should make it much easier to remember when the Community Day is happening in your area, as you no longer need to convert the event hours to your time zone.What Other Bonuses Are There?On top of increased Pokemon spawns, Niantic offers a couple of other bonuses as an extra incentive to participate in its Community Days. This month, you'll earn triple the normal amount of Stardust for capturing Pokemon during the event hours. Additionally, any Lure Modules you use will last three hours, rather than their usual 30 minutes.Info from Gamespot.com

The new big bad in Mortal Kombat is named Kronika, and she's causing a ruckus by messing with time and rewriting history. Characters are getting erased or colliding with their past selves, while alliances are reverting and new ones are being made--it's the kind of chaos that's ripe for conflict. Nothing that happened with Mortal Kombat before really matters anymore; the series is giving itself a clean slate, and not just with the lore in the story. NetherRealm's multifaceted fighting system has been streamlined, and comprehensive tutorials and practice functions are focussed on making sure no matter where you're coming from, you're well-equipped to dive deep into Mortal Kombat 11.It's hard not to get excited about the story mode in a NetherRealm game given the studio's history of crafting involved narratives, and Mortal Kombat 11 unsurprisingly delivers an entertaining and polished blockbuster-style cinematic experience with its tale of Kronika's time-bending antics. Combat is woven in with a number of cutscenes, though you'll probably spend more time watching well-choreographed action rather than participating. But the story is a great primer for some of the series' more popular characters nonetheless, and the joys of Kronika's time manipulation means that even if you're a passing fan and aren't up-to-date with all of the wacky stuff that's happened in the universe lately, you can still get a kick out of seeing classic versions of familiar faces, who are just as baffled as you about what's happened to their future selves since.Watching the character interactions between young and old selves are a highlight, and with the exception of a somewhat flat Sonya Blade, the solid performances are endearingly sincere with some unexpected moments of introspection. By the time it ended I was eager for more--more of Johnny Cage being embarrassed by his younger self, more of the bromance between Liu Kang and Kung Lao, the sappy dynamic between parents and children. But the story mode hits that perfect balance of being just enough and not overstaying its welcome. The plot conceits are regularly ridiculous, especially when family members and lovers get into fatal tiffs, but it's a delightfully bombastic and outlandish visual spectacle if nothing else.Mortal Kombat 11's eclectic roster includes a solid selection of the series' iconic fighters, along with some of the great additions from Mortal Kombat X, like gunslinger Erron Black and the grotesque insectoid D'Vorah. Three brand new characters do their best to help the lineup branch out--Geras is an imposing heavy with the ability to rewind and manipulate time, Cetrion is an elder god with flashy elemental projectiles, the Kollector has a wonderfully unsettling and bamboozling six-armed demonic design--and they all add an inspired diversity to the familiar roster of magical ninjas and military hard-asses. Character variations also help to keep things diverse. A returning concept from Mortal Kombat X, each character can select between different sets of special moves that alter their playstyle. You can now customize these loadouts in MK11, but only two predetermined movesets are acceptable for serious competitive play. Even so, it means there are a few things to consider when picking which fighter to use.Some key changes streamline the mechanics of MK11, resulting in a fighting system that feels more active and aggressive than its predecessors. The special meter system has been simplified, allowing for amplified maneuvers to be used at almost any time--gone is the idea of needing to hold back and save up two or three bars of a meter to perform a particular kind of technique. Separate meters for offensive and defensive techniques, along with rapid recharge rates, mean they can be used more liberally, too. "Fatal Blows" replace MKX's X-Ray techniques, serving as a last-ditch comeback mechanic that can be activated once per match when your health is nearly depleted, adding a heightened tension when things get down to the wire. Significant block damage discourages you from being overly defensive, while learning the perfect-timing demands of the "flawless block" system is encouraged to mitigate some damage and open up turnabout opportunities. Running and stamina meters have been removed and dash distances feel shorter, honing MK11's focus on always being within striking distance of your opponent. All of these tweaks mean there is rarely a low moment in a Mortal Kombat 11 fight.If you're new to the series, learning all those intricacies of the fighting system, special moves, and combo strings for characters can be intimidating. Fortunately, Mortal Kombat 11 does a lot to help onboard you to almost all of its concepts. Following the good work seen in Injustice 2, Mortal Kombat 11 features a comprehensive series of fantastic practical tutorials, with everything from teaching you basic attacks to more advanced lessons on managing the ebb and flow of a match, strategies on how to change or maintain the dynamic of a fight (like dealing with corners or projectile spam), and how to approach building your own combos. What's more, there are also a series of tutorials that succinctly break down expert-level concepts, such as one that shows you what frame data is and how it works in clear, visual terms. Not only that, there are lessons on how to interpret that information and use it in a practical scenario--it'll teach you what makes a move "safe" or "unsafe," how to create pressure in a fight, and even how to perform frame traps. It's an impressive resource that doesn't just give you a better understanding of Mortal Kombat 11's systems, but a deeper understanding of fighting game mechanics in general--knowledge that you can take to any other title.Character-specific tutorials exist, too, and are more than just a simple rundown of all available techniques. These helpful lessons focus on the most useful and practical abilities and combos for a particular character and give you suggestions on when to use them, the pros and cons of doing so, and what you could follow up with. Furthermore, the in-game move lists are incredibly comprehensive, providing all sorts of helpful data for each move's properties, so you can easily discern something like which of your character's moves has the quickest startup. It's valuable information and knowledge that NetherRealm has been building upon in its last few games and is presented at its best in MK11. Of course, if you're the kind of player that couldn't care less about the advanced stuff and just wants to jump in and see blood spilled, Mortal Kombat 11 can certainly be just as entertaining. Predetermined combo strings, flashy special moves, and humorously over-the-top barbarity means that the game is a joy to watch and participate in, whether the players are just messing around or taking it seriously.In addition to the game's story mode, MK11 sees the return of Klassic Towers, a more straightforward single-player mode where you fight a series of opponents before eventually facing big boss Kronika. But the real meat of the single-player offering is the Towers Of Time, MK11's version of the limited-time ladders seen in other NetherRealm games, which feature unique modifiers that can affect the playing field, combatants, and mechanics.When our review-in-progress was first published, the balance of difficulty seen in the Towers Of Time was in such a state that the odds were always stacked against you--negative environmental modifiers only affected you and not your opponent, AI difficulty was relentlessly high, opponents were more robust, and as a result the challenges often felt horribly cruel and unbalanced. The mode's focus on using "Konsumables," a variety of limited-use items that you can equip and activate during the fight, did little to even the playing field, and their method of attainment was too dependent on luck to even make them a reliable strategy in the first place. In fact, the drip-feed of rewards you received from completing towers were overall too meager (and random) at the game's release to justify the amount of effort they demanded.One week later, NetherRealm released a major patch (1.03) that acknowledged and adjusted a large number of variables related to the Towers of Time, reducing (and in some cases, eliminating) a number of unbalanced modifiers, normalizing the resilience and difficulty of AI opponents, and increasing the amount of rewards for completing activities across the board. That's fortunate, because the modifiers in the Towers of Time add genuinely interesting dynamics to MK11's already enjoyable fighting flow. One tower might pit you against a series of fighters who can poison you if they get a string of hits in, another might place a totem in the middle of the stages that electrocute whoever is standing closest. Other towers might team you up with two or three other online players to take down a particularly hardy "boss" fighter, letting you tag each other in, or perhaps assist the active fighter with Konsumables.These kinds of challenges are a welcome exercise that push you to consider different ways to approach a MK11 fight, forcing you to, say, become extra defensive or keep a closer eye on your positioning. The variety of Konsumables--which have abilities that range from letting you call in another character to perform an assist attack, rain missiles down from the sky, or simply replenish your health--can give you extra tools to help keep a handle on the situation. But, in my experience after the 1.03 patch, using Konsumables isn't strictly necessary, so long as you're playing diligently.As they stand at the time of writing, the Towers of Time succeed in providing an endless, compelling palette of single-player content to tackle once you've completed the story mode. The difficulty curve and number of challenges you need to tackle are reasonable enough that achieving the prizes at the end of a tower, and the end of a whole island of towers, always feels within reach. What was previously a frustrating experience at launch is a compulsive one a week later. Even the demanding boss fight-style challenges only ask you to endure one round before showering you with the payouts on offer. They're enticing pools of goods, too--the aforementioned Konsumables, character cosmetics, and large denominations of the various currencies needed to open chests in the Krypt, MK11's third-person quasi-puzzle-adventure mode designed for unlocking even more collectibles.The Krypt in Mortal Kombat 11 is a completely reimagined recreation of Shang Tsung's island, the location of the very first Mortal Kombat game from 1992. Exploring the location, which involves finding items to open up paths to new areas, is an exciting experience in itself--there's a basic joy in simply taking in the visual splendor of certain locations, especially if you retain any memories of Mortal Kombat's stages (although it should be noted that the Nintendo Switch version is noticeably less visually splendorous). A mess of treasure chests litter the island, requiring one of three different currencies to open them, but the catch is that aside from chests that require "Hearts," the rewards you get seem to be completely randomized. Regardless of their asking price, chests have the capacity to furnish you with something exciting, like new costumes or brutality finishers for a specific character, or something as basic as a piece of concept art. It can be a bummer to come away from a Krypt session with nothing of value for your favourite fighter, but it's at least heartening to know that the game doesn't have any avenues to let you spend real-world money to open more chests, and that your pool of currencies will continue to grow at a steady, reasonable rate by simply playing the game.Now, it's pertinent to mention that Mortal Kombat 11 relies on a persistent online connection to keep track of progression in every single mode. Naturally, being offline means that you can't access the game's rotating Towers of Time, but it also means you won't get rewarded for playing the story mode or tutorials until you reconnect. In most cases, given the ever-connected nature of PCs, PS4s, and Xbox Ones, this aspect should rarely present any major issues, but it certainly can. There was one instance where game servers went down on all platforms, and I lost my progress on a Tower of Time. Losing progress can also be an issue if, for example, you duck out to your console's dashboard to share a video clip of a close victory, which will suspend your game and disconnect you from its servers. The always-online nature of the game can pose a much larger concern on Nintendo Switch, however, especially if you're looking to play the game in handheld mode away from a wireless connection. Even if you're content to simply hang out in practice mode or play a standard tower on the train, you'll be hounded by network error messages every step of the way.There are a range of online multiplayer modes, of course, including ranked and casual matchmaking, a king-of-the-hill mode, and forthcoming ranked seasons, as well as private options like lobbies and the ability to use practice mode with a friend. MK11 also features tools that help you have some control over your experience--in casual matches, you have the ability to see your opponent's win/loss ratio, your estimated chance of success, and information about each player's internet connection--and the game thankfully allows you to decline a match if you think you're going to have a bad time. I encountered no major issues with online play during the game's first week, and found matchups to be fairly even in most cases, meaning fights were often heart-poundingly close. The robust online options make it a worthwhile avenue to pick a fight without the modifiers of the Towers Of Time.MK11 isn't just a sequel for series fans and NetherRealm devotees, it's a gateway into the realm of fighting games for anyone who has a passing interest in watching ruthless warriors beat each other silly. Streamlined mechanics keep the act of fighting furiously exciting no matter what your skill level, and comprehensive tutorials encourage you to dig into the nitty-gritty. There's a diverse roster of interesting characters and playstyles, and the story mode is an entertaining romp. The randomization of Krypt rewards and the odd issue with the game's always-online nature can occasionally chip away at your patience, but Mortal Kombat 11 absolutely hits where it matters. Info from Gamespot.com

While you're still probably trying to get through all of Hulu's releases for May, the streaming service has already revealed it's upcoming offerings for June. So it's time to plan out your viewing schedule for next month, and by the looks of June's offerings, there is plenty of content to keep track of.Kicking off the first of June is a landslide of excellent movies to watch. Did you know there was a Legends of the Hidden Temple movie? Neither did I. Nickelodeon--the network that originally produced the game show--goes the Jumanji route for the latest adventure, and while it's very apparent this movie is geared towards children--ones that weren't even born when the show aired--it looks like a lot of fun.All of the original Friday the 13th movies hit the service that day--minus Jason X and Jason Goes To Hell. And if you're looking for more horror movies to check out, American Psycho hits Hulu that day, along with the 1989 Tom Hanks film The Burbs--which isn't a horror movie per se, but roll with me. If you can't find a movie to watch or rewatch on June 1, then you hate movies.Looking later in the month, the dystopian Hulu original Handmaid's Tale returns for a third season on June 5. The latest trailer, which you can see above, leans towards a growing rebellion within the country, and it's intense. Additionally, Syfy's 12 Monkeys sees the Hulu release of Season 4 on June 15. Below, you'll find everything coming to Hulu in June and below that, everything leaving the service on June 30.Not subscribed to Hulu? Get a one-month free trial today » Available June 1Ask Dr. Ruth: Documentary Premiere (Hulu Original)100 Things to do Before High School (2014)The 13th Warrior (1999)A Brilliant Young Mind (2015)Along Came a Spider (2001)American Loser (2007)American Psycho (2000)And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird! (1991)The Ant Bully (2006)Antitrust (2001)Battle Ground (2013)Behind Enemy Lines (2001)Best Player (2011)The Big Wedding (2013)The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (2010)Blaze You Out (2013)Body of Evidence (1993)Brown Sugar (2002)The Burbs (1989)Center Stage (2000)Cougars, Inc. (2011)The Crazies (2010)Dante’s Peak (1997)The Devil Wears Prada (2006)The Doors (1991)Dragonheart (1996)Dragonheart: A New Beginning (2000)Dysfunktional Family (2003)Emperor (2013)Eulogy (2004)Existenz (1999)F/X (1986)F/X 2 (1991)Flawless (1999)Fluke (1995)Free Money (1998)Friday the 13th (1980)Friday the 13th – Part II (1981)Friday the 13th – Part III (1982)Friday the 13th – Part IV: The Final Chapter (1984)Friday the 13th – Part V: A New Beginning (1985)Friday the 13th – Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)Friday the 13th – Part VII: The New Blood (1988)Friday the 13th – Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)Fun Size (2012)The Ghost Writer (2010)The Gift (2000)Godsend (2004)Hamlet (1990)Hart’s War (2002)Hitman (2007)Independence Day (1996)Italian for Beginners (2000)Jennifer 8 (1992)Jinxed (2013)Kindergarten Cop (1990)Kinky Boots (2005)Legends of the Hidden Temple (2016)Less Than Zero (1987)Liar, Liar Vampire (2015)The Letter (2012)The Lonely Man (1956)Lost and Delirious (2001)The Mighty (1998)Mission: Impossible (1996)Next Day Air (2009)Night of the Living Dead 3D (2006)Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection (2012)NYC Underground (2013)One Crazy Cruise (2015)Patriot Games (1992)Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)The People vs. George Lucas (2011)Point Break (1991)Poseidon (2006)Private Parts (1997)The Puffy Chair (2006)Reindeer Games (2000)Reservoir Dogs (1992)Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise (1987)Ride (2014)The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again (2016)Rounders (1998)Rufus (2016)Rufus 2 (2017)Rugrats Tales from the Crib: Snow White (2005)Rugrats Tales from the Crib: Three Jacks and a Beanstock (2006)The Secret of NIMH (1982)Semi-Pro (2008)Still Waiting (2009)Straw Dogs (2011)The Surrogate (1995)To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)Waiting… (2005)Wonderland (2003)Available June 3The Weekly: Series Premiere (Hulu Original)Vox Lux (2019)Available June 4District 9 (2009)Jackass 3 (2010)Available June 5The Handmaid’s Tale: Season 3 Premiere (Hulu Original)Available June 6Shakespeare in Love (1998)Available June 7Into The Dark: They Come Knocking: Episode 9 Premiere (Hulu Original)Available June 10Celebrity Family Feud: Season 5 Premiere (ABC)The $100,000 Pyramid: Season 4 Premiere (ABC)To Tell the Truth: Season 4 Premiere (ABC)Vice (2019)Available June 11So You Think You Can Dance: Season 16 Premiere (FOX)I Still See You (2019)Available June 13Card Sharks: Series Premiere (ABC)First Responders Live: Series Premiere (FOX)Match Game: Season 5 Premiere (ABC)Press Your Luck: Series Premiere (ABC)Available June 14No Strings Attached (2010)Available June 1512 Monkeys: Complete Season 4 (SyFy)A Walk on the Moon (1999)Highlander IV: Endgame (2000)Marvin’s Room (1996)Next Stop Wonderland (1998)Tadpole (2000)Available June 16The Riveras: Complete Season 3 (Telemundo)The Good Shepherd (2006)Available June 17Das Boot: Complete Season 1 (Sonar)Available June 18Grand Hotel: Series Premiere (ABC)Star vs. The Forces of Evil: Complete Season 4 (Disney XD)Available June 19Good Trouble: Season 2 Premiere (Freeform)Available June 21Family Food Fight: Series Premiere (ABC)Holey Moley: Series Premiere (ABC)Reef Break: Series Premiere (ABC)The Wall: Series Premiere (NBC)Spin the Wheel: Series Premiere (FOX)Out of the Blue (2019)Available June 24Hurley (2019)Juliet, Naked (2018)Available June 28Diane (2019)Available June 29The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018)Available June 30True Grit (2010)Here's what is leaving Hulu in June:June 301492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)20 Weeks (2017)27 Alien Encounters (2016)Akeelah and the Bee (2006)American Ghost Hunter (2010)American Meth (2008)Bakery in Brooklyn (2016)Barton Fink (1991)Beowulf (2007)Bible Conspiracies (2017)Big Fat Liar (2002)Blow (2001)Blown Away (1994)Bounce (2000)Christmas Crush (2013)Christmas in Wonderland (2007)Cold Mountain (2003)Cropsey (2009)Darkness (2002)Days of Thunder (1990)Dear Santa (2011)Double Team (1997)Dragonslayer (1981)Eastern Promises (2007)Easy Rider (1969)Everything Must Go (2011)Gamer (2009)Happy Feet (2006)Heaven’s Gate (1981)I Think I Love My Wife (2007)Jim Norton: Please Be Offended (2012)Jumanji (1995)Kill the Irishman (2011)Killer Legends (2014)Liberty Stands Still (2002)License to Drive (1988)Like Mike (2002)Paranormal Activity (2007)Penelope (2008)Primal Fear (1996)Project Nim (2011)Six Degrees of Separation (1993)Soldiers of the Damned (2015)Stories We Tell (2013)Sunshine Cleaning (2009)Surf’s Up (2007)Surf’s Up 2: Wave Mania (2017)Ultraviolet (2006)Undisputed (2002)Uninvited Guest (1999)Up in Smoke (1978)White Noise (2005)Yours, Mine & Ours (2005)Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)Some links to supporting retailers are automatically made into affiliate links, and GameSpot may receive a small share of those sales.Info from Gamespot.com

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is partnering with the University of Tokyo to launch Gunpla models into space for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Yes, during the 2020 Olympic Games, Gundam models are going to be watching over the athletes, transmitting supportive messages to the competitors as they orbit Earth."One small step for man, one giant leap for [the Tokyo 2020 Olympics]!" the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games tweeted. "We've partnered with the [University of Tokyo] and JAXA to launch the 'G-SATELLITE Go to Space' project. Carrying Gundam, this is the first time a satellite commissioned for the [Olympic Games] will orbit the earth!"According to Anime News Network, the satellite is scheduled to launch between March and April 2020 from the International Space Station's Japanese Experiment Module, and it will transmit messages back to Earth. The satellite will hold two models--an RX-78-2 Gundam and MS-06S Char's Zaku II. Both will be painted and made with special materials designed to withstand space, and their eyes will change between the five colors used in the rings symbolizing the Olympic Games. Cameras in the satellite will showcase the models' journey into orbit and continue to capture the two's space adventures.Gundam is one of the most recognizable parts of Japanese culture, as the franchise includes multiple TV series, movies, manga, novels, and video games, the earliest of which date back to April 1979. The franchise's impact is so large, it's influenced science fiction across the globe.In collaboration with Sunrise--the animation studio responsible for the Gundam anime--Legendary Pictures is creating a live-action Gundam movie. Brian K. Vaughan, who penned several Lost episodes and numerous Marvel and DC comic books and graphic novels, is both writing the movie's screenplay and serving as executive producer. A release date for the movie has not been announced yet.Info from Gamespot.com