The Curse of La Llorona, the latest film by horror super-producer James Wan, just made its world premiere at SXSW. It centers on the Latin American folktale of The Weeping Woman, the ghost of a woman who drowned her own kids before killing herself, doomed to roam the Earth looking for more children to bring to the afterlife. It’s an entertaining horror film with some good scares that unfortunately doesn’t live up to its potential. The biggest surprise of the film, however, is that it finally confirms what fans have speculated for a year--that The Curse of La Llorona is actually connected to the larger universe of the Conjuring franchise.At first glance this movie didn't seem like it fit with the Conjuring universe, which started in 2013 with the horror film The Conjuring. That film introduced us to Ed and Lorraine Warren, two paranormal investigators based on real people, who take on all sorts of scary threats. The first Conjuring also introduced a doll named Annabelle, who terrorized three young women, as well as the Warrens' daughter. Annabelle went on to star in her own spin-off Annabelle, before having her origin story told in Annabelle: Creation. The Conjuring 2 also introduced new threats like Valak, the demon nun, and The Crooked Man. Valak then got its own spin-off in The Nun, while another movie called The Crooked Man is still in development.In The Curse of La Llorona, a social worker named Anna (Linda Cardellini) in Los Angeles in the 1970s accidentally looses an evil entity known as La Llorona, who then goes after Anna’s children, forcing the family to confront an evil beyond their wildest imagination.The '70s setting is enough to tease fans of the franchise, as the events of the main Conjuring movies take place in 1971 and 1977, respectively. While the producers mentioned during a Q&A following the film’s premiere that they were inspired by police procedurals from the time, it's not far-fetched to believe that making this movie fit within the Conjuring timeline was another factor in the setting.While Warner Brothers and New Line Cinema never officially announced The Curse of La Llorona to be part of the Conjuring universe, another piece of information that was released officially a year ago had fans wildly speculating. The cast listing on IMDb included a little actor named Tony Amendola. His role? Father Perez. Those familiar with the Conjuring movies may remember Father Perez as the priest living in Pasadena in the '60s, who helps Mia and John Form battle with the possessed Annabelle doll in the first Annabelle spin-off. Last we saw Father Perez, his physical form was being taken over by the demon to trick Mia and take her baby’s soul, but by the end he was Perez alive and well, christening the Form’s child.When we meet Father Perez in The Curse of La Llorona, he’s working as a priest in Los Angeles. Anna contacts him to learn more about La Llorona herself, and he serves as the audience's introduction to the folktale and points Anna in the direction of Raymond Cruz’s curandero character.Director Michael Chaves says the movie was always meant to be a part of the Conjuring universe. "James [was] brought in as a producer very early on," the director told GameSpot. "The first script that I saw had Father Perez in it, and there was some debate on where to take that connection, but James was really excited about including this movie in the bigger Conjuring universe." When it comes to the lack of marketing for the film’s connection to the rest of the franchise, Chaves is glad they kept things a secret. "I wanted it to be a surprise," he said. "Secrets and surprises are so rare that it’s almost more infectious to try and keep a secret." Chaves also told GameSpot that other cameos and connections were discussed, and there is another scene that unfortunately got deleted, but may show up in the Blu-Ray.When it came to working alongside James Wan, Chaves was excited about the possibilities. "I am a crazy James Wan fan," Chaves said. "The craziest thing is being able to pitch scares to him, and having him say 'yeah'--it feels so satisfying."Linda Cardellini agrees and added that Wan is as big a fan of the genre as the audience. "He is a great collaborator," the actress told GameSpot. "He was around a lot and he loves and cares about these [horror] movies."The Curse of La Llorona hits theaters April 19. Info from Gamespot.com

EA has announced Apex Legends Season 1, titled Wild Frontier, will launch tomorrow alongside the battle royale game's first battle pass and new playable character, Octane. And, much like Fortnite, you can earn enough in-game currency by completing the battle pass to buy the next one for Season 2.The Season 1 battle pass costs 950 Apex Coins. You can also buy a bundle for 2,800 Apex Coins that includes the battle pass and gives you a head start by advancing you through 25 levels of battle pass progression (and unlocking the corresponding rewards). The pass itself includes a variety of rewards--such as weapon skins, stat trackers, Legend voice lines, and Apex Coin and XP drops--with rewards unlocked by earning XP. You can actually earn 1,000 Apex Coins in total through the battle pass, which, EA notes in a blog post, can be "put towards unlocking the next Battle Pass." Alternatively, you could put it toward unlocking a character, such as the new Legend, Octane.EA hasn't announced just how long that will take, though. The battle pass FAQ states the Apex Coin rewards are unlocked at levels 7, 11, 17, 21, 31, 37, 41, 47, 57, 63, 67, 87, and 97. The FAQ doesn't list how large the reward is at each level, but considering the battle pass contains 100 levels, you probably need to complete most of it--reaching level 87 or 97--to earn the necessary Apex Coins to buy the pass for Season 2. By comparison, Fortnite's battle pass, which seems to have served as the inspiration for this, takes anywhere from 75-150 hours to complete by Epic's estimates.Whatever the case, the battle pass essentially gives players a second set of rewards to earn alongside those you get by leveling up your player profile. Whether or not you buy Octane or Apex Legends' new battle pass, Season 1 lets you unlock some rewards for free: 18 new stat trackers, five Apex Packs, and a new skin for Octane. Although your battle pass level is separate from your player level, they are both increased by playing matches and earning XP. There are no Fortnite-style challenge to complete, although Respawn has suggested that future seasons may work differently and that it's open to feedback from players.Octane, the ninth and newest Legend to join Respawn's battle royale game, also releases tomorrow. Octane is not a part of the battle pass though, and you'll need to buy him with additional Legend Tokens or Apex Coins. Much like Mirage and Caustic, Octane will cost 12,000 Legend Tokens or 750 Apex Coins. If you're playing Apex Legends on PC or Xbox One, you might have a cheaper option for picking up Octane or the battle pass. Origin Access and EA Access, respectively, provide subscribers with 1,000 free Apex Coins in addition to a few other rewards. As such, if you aren't already a member, you can subscribe for one month and get that bonus for less money than you'd spend on 1,000 Apex Coins.Apex Legends is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. In our Apex Legends review, Phil Hornshaw gave the game a 9/10, writing, "Apex Legends is a mix of smart shooter ideas that makes for a competitive, team-based game that gets at all the best parts of battle royale while addressing a lot of the weaknesses. Respawn's intense focus on team play makes Apex more than just a worthy addition to the genre; it's an indicator of where battle royale should go in the future."Info from Gamespot.com

The latest confirmed DLC characters for Arc System Works' Dragon Ball FighterZ were Jiren and Videl, both of which launched at the end of January 2019. The trailer for the game's FighterZ Pass 2, which both Jiren and Videl are part of, revealed an additional four slots for unannounced characters. We've now learned that Kid Goku, from the non-canon Dragon Ball GT series, is the game's next fighter.According to a post by Gematsu, Kid Goku will be playable via paid DLC. Of course, as with other post-launch characters, Kid Goku can be purchased via in-game currency, though the amount's currently unknown. Similarly, the price for Kid Goku has yet to be revealed, but it's safe to assume he'll cost $4.99 USD, the same price as every other DLC character available.The post outlines some of Kid Goku's moves. His special, Super Kamehameha, transforms him into Super Saiyan 3 when "there are two or fewer overall team members remaining." It's unclear if this transformation is permanent or temporary though. He also comes equipped with a couple of Meteor specials like Super Spirit Bomb and a second hidden attack, as well as Power Pole and Reverse Kamehameha. Unfortunately, there isn't a confirmed release date for Kid Goku yet.In our Dragon Ball FighterZ review, we said the game's "complex and distinct enough to be enjoyed by fighting game competitors, but there's no question that it's been designed to tap into the hearts of Dragon Ball's most dedicated fans," saying it has "bottled the essence of what makes the series' characters, animation, and sense of humor so beloved and reconfigured it into something new."Dragon Ball FighterZ is available now for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One.Info from Gamespot.com

Since its release in early February, Apex Legends has already exploded in popularity with player counts in the millions, and the free-to-play battle royale game from Respawn is about to hit its next milestone: the release of its first season and optional battle pass. Season 1: Wild Frontier will release March 19 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET, and you'll be able to pick up its battle pass immediately. Everyone who plays during the first season will also be able to unlock the Wild Frontier skin, five Apex packs, and 18 Wild Frontier stat trackers for free.The standard battle pass will cost you 950 Apex Coins. There's also a battle pass bundle available for 2,800 Apex coins, which instantly unlocks your next 25 levels of rewards. However, if the regular battle pass is enough for you, there's a way to get it for way cheaper: by signing up for one month of EA Access (Xbox One) or Origin Basic Access (PC), which each cost only $5 per month. There's currently no equivalent option for PS4.These gaming subscription services give you unlimited access to growing collections of games, discounts on purchases, and early trial access to upcoming games. And if you're a member who plays Apex Legends between now and June 30, you'll also receive a few extra perks: an exclusive Flatline Epic weapon skin, a special Banner Badge, and 1,000 Apex coins (roughly $10). You can probably see where we're going with this: A one-month membership to either service essentially gets you 1,000 Apex Coins for the price of $5, which is a 50% discount. Once you sign up for the one-month membership (which normally costs around $10), you'll automatically have enough Apex Coins to purchase the standard battle pass (with 50 coins to spare).At that point, you can decide whether or not you want to continue with the service, but you'll be able to dive into Apex Legends' new season and start earning rewards with your battle pass immediately.Respawn's year 1 roadmap revealed Apex Legends will have four seasons this year, and in addition to a few free rewards, each season's battle pass includes new weapons, exclusive loot (like weapon skins), and at least one new playable character. The battle passes work the same way as Fortnite's: Every time you level up, you'll unlock more rewards, which you'll permanently keep even after the season is over. Each battle pass has roughly 100 rewards as well as 1,000 Apex Coins you can earn in total. And yes, that in-game currency can be used to buy Season 2's battle pass when it releases this summer.Sign up for EA Access »Sign up for Origin Access »Info from Gamespot.com

Google is preparing to make its way into the world of video games with a special presentation at the Game Developers Conference. The presentation will take place on March 19 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 5 PM GMT, and Google promises it will reveal its "vision for the future of gaming."Google will be streaming the entire presentation through its own YouTube video platform, so you can come right back here at showtime to see it all firsthand.The company released a teaser video that showed vignettes of different common game genres, suggesting big plans for its own platform. Whatever it is, we'll be rounding up all the Google gaming news in one place for you.The announcement may be related to Project Stream, a cloud gaming platform from Google. It partnered with Ubisoft last year to offer Assassin's Creed Odyssey to play through Chrome browsers for free to testers. Google has been rumored to be working on a "Project Yeti," which is thought to be its equivalent of a console. The company also recently hired former Ubisoft and EA studio head Jade Raymond, suggesting she could be playing a role in the company's gaming plans.To learn more about cloud gaming ahead of Google's announcement, check out GameSpot's primer on how cloud gaming works and what it could mean for the future and some of the companies investing most heavily in the tech.Info from Gamespot.com

Respawn is kicking off the first season of its new battle royale game, Apex Legends, tomorrow on March 19 with the release of the Season 1 Battle Pass. That's also the day when the game's newest playable Legend, Octane, will arrive--but you'll need to purchase him separately if you're hoping to try him out.Despite being promoted heavily alongside Apex Legends' Season 1 Battle Pass, Respawn has confirmed that Octane will not be included as part of it. Rather, like Mirage and Caustic, he'll be sold through the in-game store for 12,000 Legend Tokens or 750 Apex Coins. The former currency can be earned through gameplay, while the latter is purchased using real-world money. However, you can get some free Apex Coins by signing up for EA/Origin Access.Ahead of Octane's release, Respawn has shared some more details about the new Legend on the PlayStation Blog. Outfitted with metal legs after blowing his off during a "record-breaking gauntlet speed-run," Octane is a thrill-seeker who uses "death-defying moves." With his Adrenaline Junkie ability, Octane is able to exchange health for speed, and his Ultimate--Launch Pad--can send the squad flying through the air.While this marks the first time Octane has officially been confirmed, players have known about him for several weeks now. The character's existence had been previously been leaked, most credibly when an image of him appeared on the Origin website. Respawn also teased his impending arrival by placing his jump pads in the game near Market.Like Fortnite's Battle Pass, the Apex Legends Season 1 Pass costs 950 Apex Coins (roughly $10). Through it, players will be able to unlock 100 tiers of cosmetic rewards, including character and weapon skins, banner frames, and more. You'll also be able to earn enough Apex Coins to pay for Season 2's Battle Pass. You can read more about how the Apex Legends Battle Pass works here.Info from Gamespot.com

The Transformers film franchise is in a bit of a predicament now. In the five straight movies about the giant robots that transform into various things led by Michael Bay and his eye for explosions, the movies have grossed millions upon millions of dollars, but critical and audience opinions have gotten worse with nearly every installment. However, Travis Knight's Bumblebee blew expectations away and gave the franchise its first certified fresh rating. The problem? While Bumblebee was well-liked, the film failed to impress at the box office, ending up as the least grossing film in the series.Yet Paramount still wants to move forward with more Autobots and Decepticons, and it was reported earlier this week that the studio is moving ahead with sequels to both Bumblebee and the main Transformers series. We spoke with producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura about the new Stephen King adaptation Pet Sematary at SXSW, and he revealed that the new film in the main Transformers series will be a little different than expected."The main Transformers movie we are working on is a reboot, and I will say that the Bumblebee sequel will be more directly linked to the timeline that we set up," Di Bonaventura told GameSpot.While it may come as a surprise to most fans, the timeline for the Transformers franchise has been all over the place, especially after Transformers: The Last Knight, which introduced an order of humans protecting the secret of Transformers who've lived among us for centuries, as well as a Transformer the size of the Earth.While Bumblebee didn't really connect to the other Transformers movies, it basically served as a prequel to the franchise. Thus, it complicated things further when Optimus Prime appears on Earth decades before his supposed first trip here in the very first Transformers movie.So what is the release plan? Di Bonaventura doesn't seem to know, and he prefers it that way. "I think Paramount should just pick the best script and release that first," the producer said. "I don't think there is a plan in terms of what movie comes out first, and I always think you should just go with the best script first instead of planning a franchise based on release dates."He went on to say that the Bumblebee sequel will be bigger than the previous one, despite the spin-off having had the smallest budget in the franchise. "It is going to bring Bumblebee into a bigger adventure," Di Bonaventura said. "What was fun about the first one was that we didn’t have to be beholden to the other Transformers movies."Check out GameSpot's full Bumblebee review here.Info from Gamespot.com

Remember the J-horror craze of the early 2000s? When American remakes of The Grudge and The Ring terrorized the world? Well, one of those franchises is coming back--but not in the way you might think.The Grudge, or Ju-On as it is known in Japan, is a franchise that started in 2000 and spawned eight Japanese sequels, an American remake series, short films, a video game, and more.Hollywood’s relationship with the franchise started in 2004's The Grudge, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. The film was a remake of the Japanese supernatural horror film Ju-On: The Grudge, the third installment in the franchise. Gellar plays an exchange student in Japan who finds herself the victim of a curse. The Japanese films deal with a curse created in a house in Tokyo, where a woman who was murdered by a jealous husband is turned into a ghost because she died with a deep rage, so she haunts the location, killing anyone who encounters the curse.A new English-language movie was announced with writer Jeff Buhler penning the script around 2014. During an interview at SXSW promoting his newest film, Pet Sematary, GameSpot spoke with Buhler on his approach to the famous Japanese ghost story."My original pitch to Sam Raimi was to forget about the original story and not revisit the same old ghosts," Buhler said. "We have seen the story of Kayako and Toshio being told so many times over [in] so many films both in Japan and the US, as well as the short films."He went on to explain exactly what he would change from the mythology, and GameSpot can exclusively reveal that Buhler's script moved the story away from Japan into more familiar territory."The phenomenon of a grudge, which happens when someone dies in a violent rage, could happen anywhere," Buhler told GameSpot. "It could happen again, and it's probably happening somewhere right now. So the idea was to take what we've seen happening in Japan, and ask what would happen if that cycle were to happen in our own backyard? We wanted to start a new cycle of ghosts in a completely new setting."This certainly makes sense considering the largely non-Asian cast, which includes star Lin Shaye, as well as Andrea Riseborough, Demian Bichir, Betty Gilpin, William Sadler, Jacki Weaver, Frankie Faison, and John Cho. The only issue is that we don't exactly know how much of that script is in the movie, as Buhler told us that the film's director, Nicolas Pesce (The Eyes of My Mother), did some writing of his own."I pitched my idea to Sam Raimi, and then Nicolas Pesce came in and did a huge amount of work on his own script and directed the movie," Buhler said. While Buhler wouldn't say whether Pesce completely discarded his script or just added to it, he said he's seen the film. And we sure are excited for the possibility of a new mythology in the franchise.The Grudge is slated to hit theaters January 3, 2020.Info from Gamespot.com

The mission to get Showtime's Halo TV show made is as epic a quest as anything seen in the Halo video games. After Showtime formally announced it was ordering the project to series in the summer of 2018, the series is slowly inching closer and closer to becoming a reality.First, it was announced that Rise of the Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt would helm multiple episodes, while Kyle Killen (Awake) served as showrunner. Then Wyatt dropped out before production got underway, citing scheduling issues. In his place, Showtime announced in February that Black Mirror alum Otto Bathurst would step in as director and executive producer of the series.Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the project has added a co-showrunner. Steve Kane (The Last Ship) will reportedly work with Killen to bring the show to life. While Killen is believed to be spearheading writing and producing the series in the United States, it's believed Kane will spend a fair amount of the production on-set in Budapest, where Halo will film.At this point, casting and a start date for production have not been announced. However, we do know some things about the Halo series. Most importantly--for fans of the video game franchise, anyway--Master Chief will be a key figure in the series. However, it's yet to be revealed if viewers will ever see his face.In the games, Chief is never seen without his helmet, leaving his true identity a mystery. When asked last August, Showtime's president of programming Gary Levine told GameSpot, "It is a key question and an important part of our series is all I'll say."There is no premiere date set for Showtime's Halo series.Info from Gamespot.com

Apex Legends' Wild Frontier Battle Pass arrives on March 19, marking the start of the game's first season. Just as in Fortnite, the Battle Pass costs 950 Apex Coins--roughly $10--and allows you to unlock a wide range of skins, cosmetics, and other rewards as you level it up throughout the season. Even if you don't want to shell out money for it, however, you'll be able to unlock some items for free.As EA confirmed on the Apex Legends website, all players will be able to earn a handful of free rewards during Season 1. These include one Wild Frontier Legend skin, five Apex Packs, and 18 Wild Frontier stat trackers. If you do decide to spring for a Battle Pass partway through the season, you'll also retroactively unlock any items you would have earned, so you won't need to worry about missing out on the rewards.Of course, those who do purchase the Battle Pass will have access to even more goodies. Respawn is offering 100 tiers of rewards to unlock throughout the season, ranging from character and weapon skins to XP boosts, banner frames, and other cosmetic items. You'll also earn up to 1,000 Apex Coins through the Battle Pass, which would allow you to get Season 2's pass for free.If you want to get a head start on the rewards, EA is also selling a Battle Pass bundle for 2,800 Apex Coins, which will automatically unlock the first 25 tiers. You can also get some free Apex Coins by signing up for EA/Origin Access, effectively giving you a discount on the Battle Pass. You can read more about how the Apex Legends Battle Pass works here.Alongside the Season 1 Battle Pass, Respawn is releasing Apex Legends' newest playable character, Octane, on March 19. However, he's not included as part of the Battle Pass, but rather needs to be purchased separately from Legends' in-game store. Like Mirage and Caustic, he can be unlocked for 12,000 Legend Tokens or 750 Apex Coins.Info from Gamespot.com

It's no secret the Game of Thrones universe will continue despite the fantasy drama's final season approaching. While the current show will end after Season 8, a prequel is in the works. There are some big names already attached to the project, and the cast has now grown one name larger.According to Entertainment Weekly, English actress Miranda Richardson (Harry Potter's Rita Skeeter, Belle, Testament of Youth) is reported to join the cast in what's said to be a series regular role. No other information regarding her character has been revealed.In addition to Richardson, the Game of Thrones prequel will star Denise Gough (Juliet, Naked, Robin Hood), Jamie Campbell Bower (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, The Twilight Saga), Ivanno Jeremiah (Black Mirror, Doctor Who), Naomi Ackie (Doctor Who, Lady Macbeth), Naomi Watts (The Divergent Series, Vice), Sheila Atim (Harlots, Twelfth Night), and more. Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, Kingsman) is spearheading the project in collaboration with series author George R.R. Martin.The prequel is rumored to be titled The Long Night, based on previous comments made by Martin, but that has not been officially announced. The synopsis for the show reads, "Taking place thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series chronicles the world's descent from the golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour. And only one thing is for sure: from the horrifying secrets of Westeros's history to the true origin of the white walkers, the mysteries of the East to the Starks of legend... it's not the story we think we know."Apart from this, very little's known about the prequel. Martin did say it would be different from the main series. "Westeros is a very different place. There’s no King’s Landing. There’s no Iron Throne. There are no Targaryens," he told EW. "Valyria has hardly begun to rise yet with its dragons and the great empire that it built. We’re dealing with a different and older world and hopefully that will be part of the fun of the series."Info from Gamespot.com

With matches for this year's Wrestlemania not finalized, everyone is wondering what the final card for the show is going to look like. And that's when the rumors start pouring in. What surprises can we expect and what are industry insiders talking about?Looking through the biggest rumors so far, there are a lot of questions about who Kurt Angle and John Cena will face at the biggest show of the year, and not so much talk about The Undertaker--probably because he's being booked at Starrcast, the companion event for AEW's Double or Nothing, in May. Here's the hottest rumors right now. And we'll make sure to keep you updated on how all of these pan out.The Demon At Mania? (Probably not)Could Finn Balor show up to Wrestlemania as "The Demon?" That's what everyone's talking about after a Wrestlemania, which you can see in the alleged WWE advert above. However, it's fanmade. It comes from MStudio on Instagram, a graphic designer. Trust me, I'd love to see The Demon make his return to the ring as well, but this poster is not confirmation in any way of this. Regardless, MStudio does some pretty fantastic work.Beth And NatalyaThe women's tag division is still a very new thing, and there are many people speculating that Beth Phoenix and Natalya will team up to take on champions Sasha Banks and Bayley for the titles. Phoenix has been involved in a social media battle with Nia Jax, after their recent brawl with each other at Fastlane. Does this mean Banks and Bayley will drop the titles before the event or will this be a triple threat because Nia Jax and Tamina have to be involved.Who Will Kurt Fight?Kurt Angle is having his final match at Wrestlemania 35, but who will he fight? Let's get to speculating! Many people believe he'll take on John Cena one more time, as Angle was Cena's first opponent on Smackdown. There is also talk of Shelton Benjamin and Angle duking it out, as they've been talking to each other on Twitter and Instagram about it. While both matches seem to be solid, the latter is the real winner because of Angle and Shelton's working relationship in the past.Dean Ambrose's Final MatchShield member Dean Ambrose has still not resigned with WWE, as far as we knew, so that means Wrestlemania 35 will likely be his final match with the company. According to Bleacher report, Ambrose may team with Roman Reigns to take on Drew McIntyre and Baron Corbin at the PPV. Meanwhile, the third member of The Shield, Roman Reigns, will be taking on Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship.We'll keep you updated on these rumors as the weeks progress, and make sure to come back to GameSpot on Sunday, April 7 for live coverage and review of Wrestlemania. Info from Gamespot.com

Google is expected to reveal some kind of gaming news at the Game Developers Conference on March 19. Exactly what that will be remains to be seen, although some kind of cloud gaming service and/or hardware has been the suspicion since the company first teased an announcement for GDC 2019.This being Google, it could be major news--cloud gaming is a big part of gaming's future, and a massive company getting involved has the potential to shake things up for the industry. With all of that in mind, we've rounded up some of the essential information regarding both Google's event and some things to know about cloud gaming. We'll update this once the news from Google, whatever it turns out to be, is announced.Google GDC Livestream And TimeProvided you're eager to find out what Google is up to as soon as possible, you'll be able to watch a Google keynote livestream of the event. It takes place on March 19 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 5 PM GMT (4 AM AET on March 20).As for what to expect, Google recently shared a teaser video showing off various environments. It also said the event would "unveil Google's vision for the future of gaming."Why Is Cloud Gaming A Big Deal?Cloud gaming isn't new by any means; PlayStation Now, for instance, has been around for a while. But we're finally reaching the point at which it stands to become a more significant component of how games are distributed. That doesn't necessarily mean cloud gaming will replace consoles and dedicated hardware, as it could be a matter of complementing those things. To get you up to speed, we've put together an explainer on why cloud gaming is the future.Jade Raymond Is (Probably) InvolvedJust ahead of GDC, Jade Raymond announced that she has joined Google as a vice president. We don't yet know exactly what Raymond--who is best known for her work as a producer on Assassin's Creed--will be doing, but it seems fair to assume that she'll be helping to spearhead whatever this "future of gaming" is that Google has in mind.Who's The Competition?As noted above, PlayStation Now already exists, and Microsoft just recently showcased its xCloud streaming technology, with Forza Horizon 4 being played on a phone. Microsoft also announced plans to begin public testing this year. To help you keep track of all this, we've assembled a list of the top companies in the cloud gaming space. Info from Gamespot.com

Nintendo is broadcasting another Direct-style presentation this week, this one focusing on indie games. The annual spring Nindies Showcase airs on Wednesday, March 20, and it'll offer a glimpse at a number of indie titles on the way to Switch in the near future.The presentation is scheduled to begin at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 4 PM GMT. As usual, you'll be able to stream it on Nintendo's website, Twitch, and YouTube channels. You'll also be able to tune in right here on GameSpot when the time comes and watch the broadcast below.Nintendo hasn't shared any further details about this week's Nindies Showcase, so we don't yet know what games will be featured. However, the company has confirmed the presentation will run approximately 30 minutes--longer than most typical Nintendo Directs--which suggests it'll be packed with news and reveals.Nintendo of Europe aired its own indie-focused presentation back in January, which included the announcement of SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech, the newest game in Image & Form's acclaimed series. That presentation was also followed by the surprise release of several titles, including When Ski Lifts Go Wrong and Unruly Heroes.The Nindies Showcase follows a few weeks after Nintendo's big February Direct, which gave us our first glimpse at Super Mario Maker 2, a Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening remake, and more. Nintendo and The Pokemon Company also recently revealed Pokemon Sword and Shield, the series' upcoming "core" installments for Switch, during their own Pokemon-focused Direct at the end of February.Info from Gamespot.com

While large batches of PlayStation and Xbox games are discounted on a weekly basis, it's not as common to see hundreds of Steam games marked down at once. Luckily, Fanatical's spring sale is here to fill that gap and save PC gamers money on some of the best games on Steam. The retailer, which sells Steam keys that are officially licensed from game publishers, has been posting new game deals throughout the month, with the latest batch of deals going live today. Please note you must have a Steam account to take advantage of them.Even better: Fanatical is offering a coupon code that lets you take an additional 10% off the site price (with the exception of pre-orders, bundles, and Star deals). The promo code is FANATICAL10 and will help you save even more money on these discounted games.One of the most notable deals is Devil May Cry 5, the latest game in the hack-and-slash demon hunting series. Released less than two weeks ago, the Capcom title is discounted by 20% as part of Fanatical's sale, so you can grab a Steam key for it for just $48 (it's still $60 at all major retailers). Unfortunately, this is the one game you can't use the promo code on, but $12 off is still a hefty discount for a brand new, highly rated game.In GameSpot's Devil May Cry 5 review, the game received a 9/10. "Rarely does the game stumble, consistently leveraging its spectacle and mechanical depth to push aside any small frustrations," wrote GameSpot's Matt Espineli. "All the while, the story exudes a charismatic charm that keeps you constantly intrigued as you’re refining your skills."Tons of other great PC games are on sale over the next two weeks, including Civilization VI, which you can get for $16.20; Frostpunk, which is discounted at $15.20; the entire XCOM 2 collection, which is $31.50; and Yakuza 0, which is selling for $11.51.Shop Fanatical's spring sale »See some of our picks on the best Steam deals below, and take note of the day and time each deal ends. The below prices include the coupon code discount. Assassin's Creed Origins -- $16.20 (ends 3/31, 11 AM ET)Battletech -- $21.60 (ends 3/24, 4 AM ET)Batman: Arkham Knight - Premium Edition -- $9 (ends 3/26, 4 AM ET)Borderlands 2 - Game of the Year Edition -- $7.20 (ends 3/20, 8 PM ET)Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 -- $9 (ends 3/27, 4 AM ET)Cities: Skylines -- $6.74 (ends 3/26, 4 AM ET)Civilization VI -- $16.20 (ends 3/27, 4 AM ET)Civilization VI - Gold Edition -- $27.90 (ends 3/27, 4 AM ET)Darksiders II - Deathinitive Edition -- $6.74 (ends 3/26, 4 AM ET)Deadlight -- $0.94 (ends 4/2, 3 AM ET)Devil May Cry 5* -- $48 (ends 3/23, 4 AM ET)Frostpunk -- $15.20 (ends 3/31, 3 AM ET)Hitman 2 -- $56.70 (3/26, 4 AM ET)Jackbox Party Pack 5 -- $16.28 (ends 3/28, 4 AM ET)Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes -- $3.60 (ends 3/26, 4 AM ET)Middle-Earth: Shadow of War -- $14.84 (ends 3/26, 4 AM ET)Opus Magnum -- $12 (ends 4/2, 3 AM ET)Rome: Total War - Collection -- $3.74 (ends 3/29, 12 PM ET)Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun -- $14.40 (ends 4/2, 3 AM ET)Shenmue I & II -- $17 (ends 3/25, 12 PM ET)Two Point Hospital -- $19.68 (ends 3/25, 12 PM ET)Valkyria Chronicles -- $5.75 (ends 3/25, 12 PM ET)Valkyria Chronicles 4 -- $25.37 (ends 3/25, 12 PM ET)Vampyr -- $22.50 (ends 3/26, 4 AM ET)Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III -- $9 (ends 3/26, 4 PM ET)XCOM 2 - Collection -- $31.50 (ends 3/20, 7:59 PM ET)Yakuza 0 -- $11.51 (ends 3/25, 12 PM ET)*coupon code cannot be usedInfo from Gamespot.com