There's something especially satisfying about pulling off a combo that gets you into the SSS ranking in Devil May Cry 5. Featuring a trio of badass devil hunters--returning favorites Dante and Nero, as well as newcomer V--you'll realize that they each bring a dazzling set of skills that show off a remarkable sense of style and energy in a fight. But there's a lot more to slaying demons than simply firing your gun or swinging your oversized, engine-powered sword. As an action game that possesses the depth of complex fighting games, you'll need to learn and understand the subtle mechanics and nuances of its main cast in order to leave an impression on Devil May Cry 5's enemies.In this guide, we're giving you the rundown on one of Devil May Cry 5's main protagonists--particularly the brash and hot-headed Nero. Whether it's getting a handle of the timing for his Exceed mechanic, or deciding which Devil Breakers you should use, Nero has plenty of options when it comes to taking down demons. If you're willing to take the time and learn how each character functions, you'll be able to get the elusive SSS ranking in no time.So with that, here's our breakdown on Nero in DMC5. Be sure to watch the gameplay video above at the 03:30 mark to see what SSS rank combat looks like for Nero. If you want to know more about Dante and newcomer V, head on over to our guides for those characters, as well as our walkthrough on how to find all the Secret Missions. For more info on Devil May Cry 5, read our full review.OverviewAs one of the more accessible characters, the charismatic and scrappy Nero features a move set that carries over a number of returning mechanics from DMC4, which includes his familiar long-range grapple moves. With a skill set that emphasizes timing and charging up attacks, Nero's playstyle is all about creating opportunities and executing primed up attacks with his Red Queen sword, Blue Rose revolver, and Devil Breakers. Devil Breakers are Nero's newest weapon, allowing him to bring in a customizable set of special arms into battle. This new mechanic can alter his normal attacks and introduce some exciting moves that can slow down time or give him additional projectile attacks.Nero is the most agile and acrobatic character in the game, and he possesses excellent evasive skills and prowess at fighting enemies in the air. With his Table Hopper ability, Nero can execute a series of jukes and careful dodges right when an enemy is about to attack, allowing him to move into their blind spot in incredibly slick fashion. Nero also has several attacks that allow him to stay in the air, including his Roulette and Calibur skills. If there's a good way to describe Nero, he's essentially the brawler of the trio, focusing on fast, heavy hits while being able to slip out with a dodge when he needs to.The Devil BreakersThe Devil Breakers are truly a game-changer for Nero when paired with his basic move set. These special arms allow you to pull off some very powerful, if a bit bizarre, actions for Nero, greatly expanding his repertoire of skills. For instance, the default breaker is the Overture, a close-range arm that conjures up a massive lighting fist that can also be turned into a remote bomb. Also, Gerbera's aerial burst attack--which doubles as a dodge--can be extremely effective when you want to keep yourself and the enemies in the air. Unfortunately, the breakers are very fragile and getting hit while using them will cause it to shatter. So you'll need to carefully pick which moment is best to use them.One of the main mechanical restrictions for the Devil Breakers, however, is that you can't freely switch off between the arms in your magazine. In order to shift over to your next arm, you'll have to break it yourself (creating a small explosion in the process) or use up the arm's charged attack. With this in mind, you'll want to customize your loadout to complement your particular playstyle and approach. Though Gerbera and Overture are always reliable to have, other worthwhile breakers to use are the Punch Line and the Tomboy. Punch Line is an extremely fast rocket arm that can target a single enemy and hit them multiple times, while the Tomboy overcharges Nero's sword and gun, greatly altering its attack pattern and strength.Combat TipsWhen playing as Nero, the best way to build up to the SSS ranking is to keep moving, evade enemy attacks, and rush in with fast hits on a constant basis. One of Nero's most technical combat skills to master is his Exceed mechanic. With his engine-powered sword, you'll be able to tap the left trigger to charge up his attacks for extra damage. Though you can hold and tap the trigger multiple times to build up energy, the more efficient way to get a charge is by tapping the Exceed button as you simultaneously swing your sword. If you can nail the timing, you'll be able to amplify its attack strength instantly. Mastering the timing can be extremely useful during a fight, as you can chain together multiple charged attacks together during a single combo. Unlocking the MAX-Act skill will allow you to fully charge the Red Queen to its limit with a well-timed tap of the Exceed button.Nero is also effective at bunching up enemies with his attacks. The Streak combat skill--a rush attack that drives Nero forward with his sword--is a move to push enemies together, but the Exceed-variant of the move will turn it into multiple hits. With a set of enemies bunched up together, you can use one of his Devil Breakers to damage the stunned group. In this instance, Punch Line's normal attack is a solid move, but the Gerbera's special--either the ground attack or the aerial variant--are great choices to use when the enemies are bunched up or when you're fighting in tight spaces.Nero is extremely proficient in rush-down tactics, but for some extra finesse, he can also use some of his unique taunts--which just so happen to have some advantages in combat. Taunting is normally a good way to build up style ranking, but some of Nero's taunt actions can even charge energy for his sword and gun. In addition to this, Nero is the only character in the game that has an aerial taunt--which is a surprisingly effective way to dodge attacks and get some extra airtime. By taking advantage of Nero's multi-functional arms, his aerial tactics, and his great speed and rush-down potential, you'll be able to work your way up to SSS rank in no time at all. Info from Gamespot.com

Microsoft has revealed a new Xbox One controller colour, and it's definitely unique. The Phantom White Special Edition is described as "the optimal blend of luxury and sci-fi, embodying a new slant on technical beauty," and the description goes on from there."This controller reflects a sense of mystery with rich, neutral colors that fade away to reveal the technology inside," reads another line from one of the best product descriptions I have read in a long time. Here's what all of those words mean:The Phantom White Special Edition Xbox One controllerThe new pad launches at retailers around the world starting on April 2, priced at $70 USD. This is the second in Microsoft's Phantom Series following the Phantom Black controller.Looking further out, Microsoft will reportedly launch a disc-free Xbox One in May, with the company then shifting its attention to next-generation consoles at E3.Info from Gamespot.com

Fortnite's 8.10 patch is now available across PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. Headlining this week's update is the new Baller vehicle, but the patch also makes numerous other changes to the game, including to a handful of outfits.With the 8.10 update, developer Epic has given a makeover to a few of the game's older skins. "We've seen you being vocal about wanting to see the face behind the masks of some of our helmeted outfits, so we've done a pass on previous outfits," the developer explained in its latest blog post.Specifically, six skins have been updated with this week's patch: Scarlet Defender, Elite Agent, Renegade Raider, Waypoint, Overtaker, and Whiteout. Epic says that it'll be "working on more outfit styles and other broad stroke improvements" to Fortnite's art in the future.That isn't the extent of the cosmetic changes update 8.10 has made; Epic has also implemented custom animations for numerous consumable items, including the Chug Jug and Slurp Juice. The developer says it will work on making visual improvements to the game's lighting, the day/night cycle, wraps, and more.Along with the aforementioned Baller, update 8.10 also made some big cross-play changes. Following the patch, PS4 and Xbox One players will now be grouped in the same matchmaking pool by default, while Switch and mobile players will be grouped together. You can read more about this and other changes in the full 8.10 patch notes.Info from Gamespot.com

It looks like Borderlands developer Gearbox might announce its next game very soon. The studio posted a teaser image on Twitter today that many are taking to be a sign that Borderlands 3 will be announced at PAX East later this month.The teaser image shows a highway sign for Boston, Mass. and date March 28, while the background looks visually similar to the style of the Borderlands series. The top right of the highway sign shows the bottom half of the number three. PAX East takes place in Boston, and the "3" might be a signal that this is all in reference to Borderlands 3.👀 pic.twitter.com/pGGEpIi0V9 — Gearbox Official (@GearboxOfficial) March 12, 2019March 28 is the same day that Gearbox is holding a panel at PAX East's biggest hall. Among other things, the panel promises "never-before-seen reveals, exclusives, and surprises." Fore those who cannot attend, the event will be streamed live.Gearbox's next title is expected to be published by 2K, whose parent company Take-Two has been talking about a "highly anticipated" sequel for a long time now, despite it never being officially announced. Speculation has suggested that the game may be Borderlands 3, or whatever the next title in the series ends up being called. Regardless, a new Borderlands is known to be in development.Gearbox's latest new game was 2016's Battleborn, which, despite being the company's "biggest investment ever," was not as successful as Take-Two wanted. Gearbox has stopped updating the game, but its servers remain online. Info from Gamespot.com

Back in 2016, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said Microsoft was committed to bringing more of its games to Steam--and with releases like Sunset Overdrive, Quantum Break, Ori and the Blind Forest, and others, the company has indeed ramped up.Microsoft is going even bigger now with the news today that it's launching Halo on Steam. The Master Chief Collection, a huge package that includes Halo 1-4, along with ODST and Halo: Reach, will be available on Steam beginning later this year.Microsoft has never released a Halo FPS game on Steam, so this is a big deal (Halo Wars: Definitive Edition is on Steam). Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2 were released on PC through Microsoft's own store, while Halo 5: Forge also made its way to PC, but not through Steam.Speaking generally about Steam back in 2016, Spencer said it's a "massive force" in the gaming industry--and a positive one."I look at Valve as an important [independent software vendor] for us on Windows. They are a critical part of gaming's success on Windows," he said. "I don't think Valve's hurt by not having our first-party games in their store right now. They're doing incredible well. We will ship games on Steam again."Halo: The Master Chief Collection is releasing on Steam in a unique way. Microsoft will release each game individually, beginning with Halo: Reach and continuing in chronological order from there. The games will be available for individual purchase as they become available, though specific pricing details have not been announced.The game is also launching on PC through the Microsoft Store.Info from Gamespot.com

Tom Clancy's The Division 2 is currently available to play for those who purchased the Gold and Ultimate editions of the game. Because of the online nature of the game, GameSpot's access privileges to The Division 2 are the same as those who have those editions, so we're playing and experiencing concurrently to those players.Below you'll find some day-one impressions from me, who'll be writing the final review. I plan to have a scored review-in-progress once I've completed the campaign and a final review once I've seen a substantial amount of what The Division 2 has to offer with its endgame content, including specializations, invaded missions, PvP, and the Dark Zones. We appreciate your patience as we dig deep into this huge game.I've only been to Washington DC once in my life, and it was a short visit. I spent the better part of the day wandering the National Mall before calling it a night and moving on the next day. I've now spent about the same amount of time in Massive Entertainment's version of Washington DC, spending most of the first full day of The Division 2's life getting my bearings on the world and steadily plugging away at the game's campaign and side activities. But in both cases, my feelings about the place is the same: I really want to spend more time there.The Division 2 goes like this: Months after the events of the first Division, chaos and disorder still plague what is left of the US, especially in the nation's capital. Important personnel and agencies have withdrawn as the city is upturned by armed groups with malicious intent, while remaining civilians band together and struggle to survive and establish self-sufficiency. As a secret sleeper agent of the Strategic Homeland Division, you've been tasked with aiding Washington's civilian militia to regain a hold on law, order, and society.It's all a bit overwhelming at first, even for someone who played a lot of The Division. Several smaller things have been added to the sequel, which translates to a barrage of mission and tutorial popups for the first few hours. It's also tough to initially get your head around the convoluted UI. But once you get a handle on the flow of progression, it doesn't take long to get completely sucked in.What strikes me most about The Division 2 is how much its world feels like a thoroughly cohesive, living place. Settlements, the hubs where you craft, shop, and track your progression, are believably buzzing with activity. After establishing your own base of operations at the White House, the first settlement you unlock is a multi-leveled community built around the rooftop of Washington's National Theatre and its surrounding buildings. At first, it's a little frustrating trying to make your way around it and track down the services you need--there's a lot of seemingly unimportant spaces you have to traverse. But those spaces go a long way in pushing this settlement into seeming like something that could feasibly work in real life, player convenience be damned. There are dedicated areas for the logistics of the settlement, NPCs seemingly doing a variety of chores, and generally a messy, makeshift nature to it all that feels genuinely thrown together and at risk of falling into disarray at the slightest breeze. It's charming.After completing roughly a third of the story missions, the plot of the game so far seems to be a relatively straightforward goal of increasing the militia's capacity to fight back against aggressors by rescuing key personnel and property. You'll do this by going into various Washington landmarks and gunning down a lot of people in main and side missions, helping individuals out in open-world activities, and gathering resources, all of which contribute to various settlement "projects" aimed at upgrading civilian operations.Mechanically, this means you can craft better gear and get access to more kinds of vendors, but narratively, it means you get to see civilian settlements like the theatre gradually grow and become more livable, vibrant places. This could be in the form of more lights at night so it's not so gloomy. The empty spaces might turn into gardens and rec areas where you can see people growing and serving food for others. The kids running around might get a dedicated place to play board and video games (they really love For Honor, apparently), all because you went out into the world, scavenged a bunch of materials, and brought them back for this specific purpose. The majority of these small improvements are ultimately superficial and non-functional, but the focus on them is a big factor in your own personal sense of growth, progress, and motivation.Out in the open world, enemy gangs can be found wandering the streets, getting into scrapes, looting places, and generally trying to survive in their own right. Friendly NPC patrols also roam the streets and have real objectives of their own, which you can follow and assist them in. They're optional vectors to help you engage in the world, but their ability to act of their own accord helps make the world intriguing. The Division 2 also seamlessly integrates mission areas in the open-world map, regularly requiring you to traverse the streets to get to them. The game typically dumps a ton of missions on you at one time, encouraging you to spend more time in the world and return to settlements only when you've achieved a significant amount. Safe havens, the city streets, and the game's activities are contiguous, which emphasizes the feeling of a sprawling world and a prolonged passage of time, and makes returning to settlements all the more pleasant. The Washington DC of The Division 2 feels like a very material one so far, one that I'm eager to explore.Of course, The Division 2 isn't just about building communities, it's a game about shooting a lot of people with a lot of different guns. The game's combat continues to revolve around RPG-style traits and damage numbers when calculating the result of a bullet hitting an enemy, but it's notable that the time to take down a human enemy doesn't feel as far-fetched as it did in the original Division. It can still take a couple of headshots to take down an unarmored opponent, but unless I'm using a weapon whose power level is unsuitable to the mission, enemies don't feel like they can withstand an unreasonable amount of damage so far.Instead, The Division 2 creates more difficult challenges with more elaborately armored opponents. There are certain enemy types who are visibly more protected than most, and these archetypes can definitely soak up a lot of damage. But there are new combat options implemented to help you deal with them, which demand that you be strategic: Focusing fire on a particular segment of an enemy's armor will eventually break it, opening up a weak spot for higher levels of damage. That means even if you're up against a heavily protected elite enemy, you can crack open their helmet with some diligence, and they can then go down with a few well-placed headshots.Even after roughly ten hours, I'm still enjoying going up against the variety of enemy archetypes, which, combined with The Division's focus on relentless gunfire and cover-based shooting, makes the game's conflicts tense. There are a good mix of opponents to really keep you focused on what's happening--each faction has soldiers dedicated to rushing your position, keeping you suppressed with sniper fire and flushing you out of cover, among other things. Soldiers will frequently attempt to flank you while your attention is diverted, and you can do the same to them.Combat skills also add a fantastic vector of strategy to things--there are eight major skills in total, each with a few interesting variants in function and behavior. You'll eventually be able to unlock everything, so experimentation and being flexible enough to balance your loadouts between skills and the types of guns you're carrying is encouraged. As to the guns themselves, I've already come across an impressive variety of different weapons with distinct feels in the way they handle. I typically have a favored style of character build, but I'm encouraged to try out new weapons and skills as I come across them, and I think about how they might be used in tandem with everything else."Encouraging" is generally how I feel about The Division 2 at this point in time. It's got a fantastic sense of place and progression, and the combat scenarios and skills continue to be interesting. There's a lot of love, especially among the minor improvements--the small design decisions that make the act of finding and equipping loot so snappy and convenient, or the smart integration of per-mission multiplayer matchmaking that even lets you call upon other players in the middle of a mission. I haven't personally hit any server issues or major bugs, just some humorous oddities, like a floating iPad entertaining two excited children.But it's only been a day, and I've only played for about ten hours. I've finished 27% of the primary missions and my character is level 12 out of a possible 30. A lot of my observations here might not be particularly groundbreaking if you spent a large amount of time with the original The Division or The Division 2 beta, but there's still a lot of the campaign left to see, and an allegedly enormous endgame. It's important that I take the time to get to that point and see everything for myself, and I'm eager to see whether The Division 2 will still have the chops to keep me hooked when I hit the level cap and stop having a story to chase. Back to sightseeing, for now.Info from Gamespot.com

During the latest Inside Xbox livestream, Microsoft's Project xCloud tech was shown off in action. Project xCloud allows games to be streamed directly to devices via hardware in remote data centers, letting you play games through a sufficiently high-speed internet connection. Specifically, Forza Horizon 4 was shown running on an Android-based phone connected wirelessly to an Xbox One controller.Xbox's head of gaming cloud Kareem Choudhry said that public trials for Project xCloud will begin this year, though a specific timing window was not given. Not much else was said in terms of details, but Microsoft dug into the tech a bit last year with a video discussing how the tech works. At E3 2018, head of Xbox Phil Spencer made mention of game streaming during the company's keynote presentation, and stressed that the tech will deliver "console-quality gaming on any device."Cloud-based gaming is a fairly new and complex technology, and it's a good thing we have you covered; be sure to check out our detailed explainer on everything you need to know about cloud gaming.Play the games you want, on the devices you want, whenever you want. Project xCloud has big plans, and they're kicking off this year. #InsideXbox pic.twitter.com/kyoXSjDc4W — Xbox (@Xbox) March 12, 2019Recently, I reviewed the cloud-based streaming service called Shadow and its set-top box Shadow Ghost. The service gives you access to a powerful gaming PC and streams the video feed of that PC to any device that can run the Shadow application. While it had some issues, Shadow worked especially well for non-competitive gaming experiences.Inside Xbox had a few other big stories. Halo: The Master Chief Collection is set to launch on PC through a gradual rollout starting later this year with each game in the package sold separately. Halo: Reach will be the first of the series' lineup to hit the PC. Reach will also come to the Xbox One version of the collection with multiplayer available for existing owners; the campaign and Firefight mode will be separate paid DLC. Xbox Game Pass subscribers will be able to access all of the additional content when the update comes.Info from Gamespot.com

Halo: Reach is finally coming to Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and now Microsoft has clarified how you'll get access to it on Xbox One and PC.On Xbox One, the game's multiplayer content--include Forge and Theatre--will be free for everyone who owns the game. The game's campaign and Firefight mode, however, are getting bundled together in a "premium digital add-on" that you'll have to buy. Pricing was not disclosed, however.Xbox Game Pass subscribers have the easiest path to getting all of Halo: Reach's components. Members will receive "the entirety of Halo: Reach," according to Microsoft. The word "entirety" suggests there will not be an extra cost for Game Pass members.Halo: Reach is also coming to the newly announced PC version of Halo: MCC, and its release structure is a little different. According to Microsoft's news release, the game's "campaign, multiplayer, and Firefight [will be] available for purchase..."It's not clear if Reach's campaign, multiplayer, and Firefight will be bundled together in one package or each sold as individual elements. Microsoft has said it will share many more details about Halo: MCC's release on PC in the time ahead, so all should become clear eventually.For more on recent Halo news, check out the stories linked below:Microsoft Bringing Halo To Steam, And That's A Big DealHalo: The Master Chief Collection Is Coming To PC, Each Game To Be Sold SeparatelyHalo Infinite Could Adopt Games As Service StructureInfo from Gamespot.com

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is coming to PC, and Microsoft is getting help from a pair of external studios to bring the collection to Steam and the Microsoft Store. In a blog post, developer 343 Industries said bringing Halo: MCC to PC is a "monumental undertaking," and to get help, it's hired Ruffian Games and Splash Damage.Another factor at play here is that the "bulk" of 343 developers are now working on Halo Infinite, so the team is turning to outside studios to spread the development load."Bringing all these classic games together and integrating the huge matrix of features and experiences PC gamers and Halo fans deserve and expect is a monumental undertaking," 343 said. "It's no secret that the bulk of the team of 343 Industries is hard at work realizing the future of the franchise with Halo Infinite so the same amazing Publishing Team who diligently brought all the recent improvements and updates to MCC over the last year has invited a few friends to help us achieve victory. The experienced and passionate folks at Splash Damage and Ruffian are partnering with us to help make this dream a reality."Splash Damage CEO Richard Jolly said in a statement that it is a "tremendous honor" to work on Halo. He noted that Splash Damage has been making multiplayer games for nearly two decades; some of its recent projects include the multiplayer elements of Batman: Arkham Origins and Microsoft's own Gears of War 4.As for Ruffian Games, the studio made Crackdown 3's Wrecking Zone multiplayer mode, so it, too, already had an established relationship with Microsoft. "We love Halo and are mindblown to help bring this franchise back to PC," reads a statement from Ruffian Games. "343 has assembled an amazing team who're working hard to build the Halo PC experience fans deserve. It's a privilege to be along for the ride."Halo: MCC is coming to PC in a unique way. Microsoft is releasing each game individually, as a separate download and purchase, beginning with Halo: Reach and continuing chronologically through Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo 4. Halo 1 and 2 are the new, remastered Anniversary editions.Info from Gamespot.com

Video game industry veteran Jade Raymond, who produced the original Assassin's Creed before joining EA where she worked on Star Wars, has landed a new job at Google.Raymond announced on Twitter today that she's working at Google as a vice president. That's all she had to say on the matter, so it's unclear exactly what she's doing at Google.Google operates a gaming business with its Project Stream technology that is set to be formally unveiled next during the Game Developers Conference. Raymond would be at least Google's second high-profile gaming hire, following former PlayStation and Xbox boss Phil Harrison who joined Google as a VP in January 2018.I’m excited to finally be able to share that I have joined Google as VP! — Jade Raymond (@ibjade) March 12, 2019In her most recent position at EA, Raymond served as senior vice president group general manager of Motive Studios. In that role, Raymond was responsible for leading a new business unit and studio team centered on making new IP and action games. She was also responsible for leading the strategy around EA's new Star Wars games. She left EA in October 2018.Many video game industry higher-ups congratulated Raymond on her move to Google. Xbox boss Shannon Loftis said Google is lucky to have Raymond, while Capybara Games boss Nathan Vella enthuses, "Congrats, this is rad."As for Google's GDC event, the company plans to unveil its "vision for the future of gaming"--and it could be related to streaming. In 2018, Google partnered with Ubisoft to test its Project Stream technology that made Assassin's Creed Odyssey playable straight through a Google Chrome browser.For more on cloud gaming, check out GameSpot's primer that explains what cloud gaming is all about and how it could shake up the industry.In other news, recent rumors have circulated regarding Google's so-called "Project Yeti," which is said to be its own take on the home console. It would focus on streaming, and may even have its own exclusive games, but the price and details are unknown.Info from Gamespot.com

Google is set to make a big-time gaming announcement next week during the Game Developers Conference, and now the company has released a teaser video.Google plans to reveal its "vision for the future of gaming" during the March 19 event, and this teaser video may contain some initial clues. As you can see, it appears to reference a number of different game genres, including sports, racing, action, fantasy, and others. The suggestion could be that Google's new gaming platform would be a place for all of them.Whatever the case, we'll learn more soon. The event is scheduled for 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET on March 19. The event will be streamed live, and GameSpot will bring you all the news from the show as it happens.One part of Google's reveal might be related to Project Stream, the company's ambitious game-streaming platform. Last year, Google partnered with Ubisoft to make Assassin's Creed Odyssey playable in a browser. There are also rumors about Google's "Project Yeti," which could be the company's take on a home console.For more on cloud gaming, check out GameSpot's primer that explains what cloud gaming is all about and how it could shake up the industry.In other Google news, the company recently hired former Ubisoft and EA boss Jade Raymond as a new vice president. Given her background, it seems likely that she'll be contributing to Google's new gaming division, but nothing is certain yet.Info from Gamespot.com

Halo developer 343 Industries made some big Halo announcements today, and excited fans responded by sending pizza to the studio. Now, the developer has pleaded with fans to please stop sending pizza. Community manager Brian Jarrard wrote on Twitter that he and the studio are appreciative, but it's just too much pizza."The Halo community is awesome. We're excited, too! Please don't send any more pizzas to 343 Industries," Jarrard said. "The building receptionist isn't here, so it's getting logistically challenging and we really don't want to see food go to waste."The Halo community is awesome. We're excited, too! Please, don't send anymore pizzas to 343 Industries. The building receptionist isn't here so it's getting logistically challenging and we really don't want to see food to go waste. — Brian Jarrard (@ske7ch) March 13, 2019Why the pizza? Before all the big Halo reveals today, Jarrard tweeted the pizza emoji for some reason, and now people are running with it and flooding 343's offices with pizza.Here is a visual rundown of some of the pizzas that 343 received today:It has begun. Pizzas are actually showing up at the studio?! 🍕🍕 @Gamecheat13 you’re too kind. #mcc pic.twitter.com/0hZgk80KDa — Brian Jarrard (@ske7ch) March 12, 2019MOAR. Unknown sender, but thank you. Seriously folks, we love the gesture but raise a slice and let’s celebrate together! (plz don’t send tons of pizzas 😝) pic.twitter.com/SsMtJI0nyo — Brian Jarrard (@ske7ch) March 12, 2019Annnnd another one. Thank you anonymous pizza donator. I think pineapple and jalapeño is a troll but it’s some on the teams favorite?! Please we don’t need more pizza. We good. pic.twitter.com/KVQKGCzl5F — Brian Jarrard (@ske7ch) March 12, 2019Some of Microsoft's announcements today included Halo: The Master Chief Collection for PC and Halo: Reach being added to the collection. Those are two things that fans have been requesting for a long time, so it's understandable that there would be significant excitement over the announcements.For more on all the big Halo and Xbox news today, check out this rundown that covers everything you need to know.Info from Gamespot.com

Microsoft held its latest Inside Xbox video broadcast today, and it was packed with news. In the space of just an hour, Microsoft made a series of big-time announcements, including Halo: The Master Chief Collection coming PC and adding Halo: Reach, the next big Xbox Game Pass game, a new Xbox One controller design/color, and more.We've rounded up all the big news in once place here to give you a quick look at all the big news announced during the Inside Xbox briefing. While the broadcast had a lot of big news, it didn't confirm the rumoured disc-free Xbox One or the rumoured launch of Xbox Game Pass for PC. Looks like we'll have to wait to learn more about those topics.With that out of the way, here is a rundown of all the big news from Microsoft's Inside Xbox stream:Halo: The Master Chief Collection For PCConfirming earlier rumours and reports, Microsoft officially confirmed that Halo: The Master Chief Collection is coming to PC. It'll launch later this year on Steam and the Microsoft Store, and the release structure is anything but traditional. Microsoft is releasing each title within the package individually for download and purchase, beginning with Halo: Reach. Microsoft hasn't confirmed pricing yet, but the entire package on Xbox One sells for $30, so somewhere in that are seems likely for PC. For more, check out these stories:Halo: The Master Chief Collection Is Coming To PC, Each Game To Be Sold Separately Within The PackageMicrosoft Bringing Halo To Steam, And That's A Big DealBringing Halo: MCC To PC Is A "Monumental Undertaking," So Microsoft Is Getting HelpHalo: Reach Coming To Halo: The Master Chief CollectionResponding to fans' requests, Microsoft announced that Bungie's 2010 game Halo: Reach, will join The Master Chief Collection at some point down the road. It'll be available on Xbox One and the newly announced PC edition. This includes the campaign and multiplayer elements, including Forge and Theatre, along with the fan-favourite Firefight mode. On Xbox One, the multiplayer (including Forge and Theatre) is free, while Microsoft will charge for the campaign and Firefight mode--pricing has yet to be divulged. Xbox Game Pass members, however, will seemingly get the entire package at no extra cost. It's less clear how it'll all work on PC, but campaign, multiplayer, and Firefight are coming. Take a look at the story linked below to find out everything we know so far.Halo: The Master Chief Collection Adding Halo: Reach, Including Firefight ModeHow Halo: Reach Will Be Added To Halo: MCC And What It CostsA New Xbox One ControllerThe Phantom White Special Edition controller was announced during the Inside Xbox briefing. The $70 USD controller goes on sale in April worldwide. Its described as blending "luxury and sci-fi," whatever that means. You can see it close up in the story linked below.New Xbox One Controller Revealed, Blends Luxury And Sci-FiMinecraft For Xbox Game PassOne of the biggest games on Earth, Minecraft, is coming to the Xbox Game Pass library on April 4. That's big news in its own right, as it expands the already-massive sandbox game's reach further still. It also becomes just the latest family-friendly title in the catalog.Microsoft's Biggest Game, Minecraft, Is Coming To Xbox Game PassA New Look At Project xCloudOne of the other big reveals during the Inside Xbox stream was a new look at Microsoft's ambitious game-streaming technology, Project xCloud. The game lets you stream titles directly to a device connected to the internet, which allows you to play high-end games on a low-spec device because the heavy lifting is happening in the cloud. Forza Horizon 4 was shown running on an Android-based phone connected wirelessly to an Xbox One controller. Microsoft also confirmed that public trials for xCloud--or whatever official name Microsoft decides to give the platform--will begin later this year.Xbox Shows Project xCloud In Action, Playing Forza Horizon 4 On A PhoneCloud Gaming Is The Next Big Thing; Here's All You Need To Know Info from Gamespot.com

Respawn Entertainment is not taking the matter of Apex Legends cheaters lightly. For a game that is played exclusively online and brings together 60 players for each match, the potential for cheating ruining the experience is a real problem. Respawn has its banhammer out and ready to go however, as the developer confirmed in a Reddit post that as of March 8, it had banned more than 355,000 players on PC alone.Respawn uses the Easy-Anti-Cheat tools for the PC version of the battle royale game. It's working to some extent, but Respawn acknowledged that fighting against cheaters is an "ongoing war.""We'll need to continue to adapt to and be very vigilant about fighting [cheaters]," Respawn said. "We take cheating very seriously and care deeply about the health of Apex Legends for all players."Respawn added that it is working on new anti-cheat measures, but the developer doesn't plan to openly communicate its plans--and that's intentional."We're going to have to be pretty secretive about our plans," Respawn said. "Cheaters are crafty and we don't want them to see us coming."At a high level, Respawn said it has already begun communicating with anti-cheat experts within EA and outside of it. Not only that, but Respawn has begun to scale up its own internal anti-cheat team, while the studio also plans to introduce new reporting functionality for bad behaviour. With more than 50 million players already and its popularity only continuing to rise, it's no surprise that Apex Legends cheats have become increasingly commonplace.Also in the Reddit post, Respawn said it's aware of players spamming during character-select and then disconnecting. "We're keeping a lot of our strategy close to the chest so offenders don't have time to build workarounds before we implement changes," Respawn said about addressing this. "Solutions won't happen right away but we're on it."Additionally, Respawn said it's working on improving general stability and performance on PC, and to that end, it's releasing aapatch soon that will address some of the known crashes. AMD is visiting Respawn's offices soon to discuss best practices; Nvidia already came by to the studio.Respawn also said it's aware that people are asking for Apex Legends to allow players to re-connect to a match if they drop out. However, there are no plans for this because it "opens up a lot of risk" for abuse, while Respawn said the efforts that would be required to release such a feature would take away from other, more pressing matters. Finally, Respawn said in the post that it's aware of issues related to slow performance at the start of matches. The studio is looking into the matter, but it might not be a simple, quick fix."If this could be fixed by spending money on faster/more servers we would do it, but unfortunately there is no silver bullet on this one," Respawn said. "We're just rolling up our sleeves and digging in. We'll keep you updated on any progress we make."It appears this latest update from Respawn is related only to PC; given the closed nature of consoles, cheating by way of third-party software is generally less common on console than PC, though cheating does still happen on PS4 and Xbox One.In other Apex Legends news, the latest weapon balance patch is out out, dealing primarily with Peacekeeper and Wingman. Additionally, a future update will address hitbox concerns and make additional balance changes to certain characters. The game's first battle pass is due out sometime this month and may include a new character, although Respawn hasn't gone into great deal about what it'll consist of, exactly when it's releasing, or what it'll cost.Info from Gamespot.com

Avengers: Endgame--a movie that wraps up 10 years worth of MCU stories and concludes the ongoing Phase 3--is finally finished, it seems. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo tweeted recently that the movie is "locked," which seems to suggest that the editing process is finished.The last day of editing was March 8, it seems, as referenced in the tweet by the sundae bar that was apparently created for the editors to enjoy. The editors may be sad to see the ice cream go, but they're likely happy to have completed the project.Last day of editorial Sundae Bar. Picture is locked... pic.twitter.com/IzC1txDrii — Russo Brothers (@Russo_Brothers) March 8, 2019The last we heard, Endgame was expected to have a run time of around three hours long, making it the longest MCU film to date. That comment came while the editing process was still underway, so it's possible the film is shorter. Whatever the case, the directors say Disney/Marvel are OK with Endgame being so long."This is a culmination film of 22 movies, it's a lot of storytelling to work into it," the directors said. "Emotion is an intrinsic part of that to us. When you have to tell a really complicated story and you want strong emotional moments with the characters, it just requires a certain amount of real estate. This one, in particular, feels like three hours worth of real estate."For what it's worth, 2018's Avengers: Infinity War was already a very long movie--coming in at 2 hours and 40 minutes. Endgame hits theatres on April 26, following Captain Marvel that just opened in theatres to massive success. That has a post-credits scene that sets up Endgame, and we've also got a roundup of Captain Marvel's Easter eggs.Info from Gamespot.com