Released in October 2018, Assassin's Creed Odyssey brought players to Ancient Greece and gave them an engaging story with compelling characters and choices, two unique protagonists to choose from, and a massive open-world to explore. Odyssey is a worthy follow-up to 2017's Assassin's Creed Origins, and fortunately for anyone who doesn't already own it, the game is drastically cheaper now than it was in October.You can buy Assassin's Creed Odyssey's standard edition at its lowest price at GameStop, where it's listed for $20. That's a full $40 price drop from its $60 launch price. On GameStop, both PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game are only $20 as part of the retailer's "Tax Refun" sale, which has huge discounts on games, consoles, and accessories right now. GameStop's "Tax Refun" sale runs through March 5, so this incredible deal won't be around for much longer.With its expansive map and a strong narrative that's heavily impacted by player choice, Assassin's Creed Odyssey was one of the biggest game releases of last year, and GameSpot's Alessandro Fillari gave it an 8 in his Assassin's Creed Odyssey review."Assassin's Creed Odyssey's ambition is admirable, which is reflected in its rich attention to detail for the era and its approach to handling the multi-faceted narrative with strong protagonists at the lead," he wrote. "While its large-scale campaign--clocking in at over 50 hours--can occasionally be tiresome, and some features don't quite make the impact they should, Odyssey makes great strides in its massive and dynamic world, and it's a joy to venture out and leave your mark on its ever-changing setting."Buy Assassin's Creed Odyssey at GameStop -- $20 (PS4, Xbox One) through March 5Info from Gamespot.com

Netflix has responded to film legend Steven Spielberg's comments about the Oscars that drummed up a lot of debate and controversy recently. In a statement that doesn't mention Spielberg or the Oscars by name, Netflix listed some of the reasons why the streaming network's role in the distribution of film is important."We love cinema," the statement starts off by saying. It then lists off some of the ways Netflix's unique distribution model that bypasses theatres helps the film industry overall."Access for people who can't always afford, or live in towns without, theatres. Letting everyone, everywhere enjoy releases at the same time," it said. "Giving filmmakers more ways to share art.""These things are not mutually exclusive."Netflix's statement came after Spielberg reportedly plans to request a change to the Oscars eligibility rules that would block movies that air exclusively on streaming services or only come to theatres for a limited time from winning an Oscar. Under the proposed new rules, such films could qualify for an Emmy but not an Oscar. This has understandably generated a lot of debate and discussion.Spielberg's comments follow a big Oscars season for Netflix. The Alfonso Cuaron drama Roma, which is exclusive to Netflix, won three Oscars at the recent 91st Academy Awards.We love cinema. Here are some things we also love:-Access for people who can't always afford, or live in towns without, theaters -Letting everyone, everywhere enjoy releases at the same time-Giving filmmakers more ways to share art These things are not mutually exclusive. — Netflix Film (@NetflixFilm) March 4, 2019Spielberg's production company, Amblin, told IndieWire in a statement, "Steven feels strongly about the difference between the streaming and theatrical situation."Spielberg will reportedly lobby the Academy to make changes as part of the upcoming Academy Board of Governors meeting in April. We'll report back when more details become available.Last April, Spielberg said Netflix movies should not qualify for the Oscars and that platforms like Netflix represent a "clear and present danger" to traditional film. Spielberg has been nominated for 17 Oscars, and he's won three.Info from Gamespot.com

Ever since the first poster for the upcoming Sonic The Hedgehog movie was released back in December, there has been much speculation about what the iconic character will look like on the big screen. While everyone knows how the video game version appears, the posters so far suggest that Sonic will have a more humanoid appearance than we are used to. Now images of what could be the full movie Sonic have leaked.The images were reportedly posted by advertising agency Hamagami/Carroll, and appear to be part of a branding guide for the movie. The pictures show Sonic in various action-packed poses, and while his legs are a little less muscular than the early pictures suggested, there are a couple of noticeable changes to his appearance.Sonic's iconic white gloves have now become furry hands, and his sneakers aren't the red-and-white-striped design we're used to seeing him in. The images have now been removed from the agency site, and there has been no comment from Paramount about whether they are legit or not. Nevertheless, they still exist in other places--check out the image below, and the rest over at Polygon.Sonic the Hedgehog releases on November 8. It's set to star Westworld's James Marsden, with comedian Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic and Jim Carrey as the evil Dr. Robotnik. It's directed by Jeff Fowler, who is making his feature debut, but won an Oscar in 2005 for his animated short Gopher Broke. It's produced by Deadpool director Tim Miller.2016 marked the 25th anniversary of the Sonic franchise. The latest instalments in the series were Sonic Mania and Sonic Forces, both of which were released in 2017. A new Sonic racing game, Team Sonic Racing, is due out this year.Info from Gamespot.com

With Captain Marvel hitting theaters this Friday, March 8, reviews for the final MCU movie before Avengers: Endgame arrives are finally in. Read on to find out what we thought!In the MCU, timing is everything. Black Panther appearing just before Infinity War last year whetted fans' appetites for more Wakanda, making the Avengers' arrival there a cheer-worthy moment. Seeing Ant-Man and the Wasp a few months later provided a pleasant palette cleanser to wash the taste of misery from our mouths. Now, with mere weeks to go before the current phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe concludes with Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel--despite being a good movie in its own right--feels like a forced cul-de-sac we have to drive impatiently around to get where we really want to go.To be clear: Captain Marvel is not a bad movie. It's just being released at the wrong time.On its own, Captain Marvel is a more than worthy chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Brie Larson shines as Carol Danvers, a Kree operative who finds herself stranded on 1990s Earth after a battle with the rival alien Skrulls goes awry. Danvers has amnesia, but on Earth she begins to piece together her past, with help from a digitally de-aged Samuel L. Jackson as a younger, still-two-eyed Nick Fury.Captain Marvel is funny, but it's not a full on comedy like Thor: Ragnarok or the Ant-Man movies. Larson appeals mostly thanks to her versatility and her general attitude; the actress seems right at home in this character, whether she's locked in close combat with a Skrull, "borrowing" a motorcycle and a Nine Inch Nails t-shirt to go incognito on the road, or piloting a spacecraft with a cat on her lap. Captain Marvel rests entirely on Larson's shoulders, as even Jackson plays support to the movie's namesake, and Larson bears the weight effortlessly. The heroine is going to seem right at home among the Avengers when she inevitably shows up in Endgame.Captain Marvel expands the scope of the MCU significantly; just as Guardians of the Galaxy added a whole universe and Doctor Strange introduced magic to the world, CM brings a long running Marvel comics conflict to the silver screen: the war between the Kree and the Skrulls. We previously met the Kree in the form of Lee Pace's Guardians villain Ronan the Accuser (as well as in the ABC show Agents of SHIELD), but Captain Marvel fleshes them out considerably, introducing their home world, leadership, culture, and beliefs. Not all Kree are fanatics like Ronan, it turns out, although the movie doesn't spend quite enough time establishing most of its Kree characters, besides Jude Law's Yon-Rogg.On the other side are the Skrulls, a race of shapeshifters who've played a huge role in Marvel comics over the years, including an overarching storyline called Secret Invasion in which Skrulls spent years impersonating many of the universe's greatest heroes as part of a grand scheme. With their introduction to the cinematic universe in Captain Marvel, there's been understandably huge amounts of speculation about who might be a secret Skrull--impersonating other characters to create plot twists is basically the Skrulls' entire purpose over in the comics. But--without spoiling anything in Captain Marvel--with the way things play out in this movie, one of the Avengers turning out to be a Skrull in disguise actually doesn't seem very likely anymore. And that's part of the problem: Most of the elements introduced in Captain Marvel seem like set-up for future Captain Marvel movies, not for immediately looming events. And if Captain Marvel isn't set-up for Endgame, then why are we watching it right now?Yes, Captain Marvel debuts its titular hero, who--based on Infinity War's post-credits scene--will likely play a pivotal role in Endgame. But Carol would have been better served with an MCU introduction similar to T'Challa's or Peter Parker's--i.e. if we met her in the ensemble film (in this case, Endgame), then explored her origins in a standalone movie later. Instead, I spent long stretches of Captain Marvel worriedly tapping my foot in anticipation of the credits scenes, hoping for a hint of what will come next.That's a shame, because there's plenty to love about this movie. Captain Marvel uses its 1990s setting smartly, but without bashing viewers over the head with too many nostalgia-baiting references (Carol does crash-land through a Blockbuster's roof, which, come on--that's hilarious). The soundtrack is great, with songs from Nirvana, Hole, and more '90s grunge bands that still hold up today.Jackson and Clark Gregg play younger versions of their present day characters, Fury and Coulson, which winds up being a lot of fun, especially when the movie plays with our expectations around certain events (why does Fury wear that eyepatch? I won't tell--yet). The digital de-aging in this movie is a bit freaky, but it's also maybe the best the technique has ever looked--much better than the uncanny valley of the de-aged Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer in Ant-Man and the Wasp. Ben Mendelsohn really chews on his scenes as the Skrull Talos, doing a weird accent that somehow works despite its incongruity. Lashana Lynch plays Maria Rambeau as the perfect sidekick to Danvers, one who's blatantly set up to be the next Rhodey, Falcon, or Valkyrie, and hopefully one day take the spotlight herself (although the 25-year time jump from Captain Marvel to the present would present some challenges should Marvel choose that route).Captain Marvel hits all the right notes, but it feels like it was released at the wrong time. There's too much anticipation and dread right now to fully enjoy this heroic cul-de-sac. It doesn't quite set up the twists you might want it to, and its many expansions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe feel like fodder for future movies, not the impending Endgame itself. Carol Danvers would have been better served with an explosive entrance in Endgame, then her own standalone to kick off the MCU's next phase. Right now this movie is an obligatory addendum to the Avengers story, when it deserved to be an essential opening chapter.When the dust settles (or coalesces, as it were) after Endgame, we'll probably be glad for all this set-up to what will inevitably come after. For now, at least Captain Marvel has finally arrived.The GoodThe BadBrie Larson is a fantastic Captain MarvelFeels out of place in the MCU timelineFun in the '90s settingLots of set-up that likely won't pay off until after EndgameGreatly expands the MCU with Kree, Skrulls, and more Great supporting cast Solid mix of action and humor Info from Gamespot.com

The full trailer for Game of Thrones Season 8 is here. After several months of build-up via teasers, images, and posters, we finally have a good look at what to expect from the last season of HBO's long-running fantasy hit.The trailer is all about setting up the epic battle against the Night King and his army of the dead at Winterfell. Most of the main characters feature, including Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, and Arya Stark, together with a taste of the epic battles that we've been promised this season. Check it out above.Although Game of Thrones is nearing the end, there is a prequel spin-off on the way. X-Men: First Class' Jane Goldman will serve as showrunner and has developed the story with creator George RR Martin. This week it was revealed that the show will start filming early this summer.While it's yet to receive an official title, Martin suggested last year that it would be called The Long Night. He subsequently walked that back, perhaps due to pressure from HBO that didn't want that name shared yet. In any event, it does provide some insight into what to expect. It is expected to premiere in 2020 or 2021.Info from Gamespot.com

Microsoft, founded by Bill Gates, was--and still is--a hardware and software developer and distributor. Largely known for its Microsoft Suite of tools, the company ventured into the nascent gaming scene in 2001 with its Xbox home console. While it went on to sell a total of 24 million worldwide, former Microsoft senior vice president Don Mattrick apparently didn't fully believe in the hardware.According to a tweet posted by original Xbox creator Seamus Blackley, Mattrick "nearly blocked" Blackley "from addressing the company" when he visited EA Canada (where Mattrick was working at the time) to talk about the first Xbox. Blackley, who was hired by Microsoft in February 1999, saw Sony's PlayStation introduction in the same year and came up with a console proposal for Microsoft: the original Xbox.I’ve never talked about this before, but the irony of Don Mattrick as Xbox Chief was huge for me: when I first came to EA Canada to present the idea of a Microsoft console, he nearly blocked me from addressing the company because he didn’t believe it was possible. It was tense. pic.twitter.com/3pqRq4rGBL — Seamus Blackley (@SeamusBlackley) March 4, 2019While Bill Gates approved the idea, Mattrick didn't seem to buy in. As tweeted by Blackley, Mattrick "didn't believe it was possible" and "it was tense," Blackley explained. He didn't go into further detail, other than replying "Yes" to a Twitter user praising Phil Spencer, who is currently heading up Microsoft's Xbox division. Mattrick had a storied history in the games industry. After kicking his career off in the '80s, he began gaining traction in the early 2000s after joining Electronic Arts as the company's president of worldwide studios. Mattrick left EA in February 2007 to join Microsoft as one of the top bosses of the Xbox division. It was a notable move considering what he apparently said about Xbox years prior. At Xbox, Mattrick served as senior vice president, overseeing the Xbox 360 and PC divisions. He remained at Microsoft, jumping between roles throughout his tenure, until July 2013, two months after the company's Xbox One reveal. In the same month, Mattrick left Microsoft and joined Zynga as the company's CEO, where he stayed until his swift resignation from the San Francisco-based mobile game developer in April 2015.Phil Spencer, who started at as an intern at Microsoft in 1988, gained his first prominent role at Microsoft as the general manager of Microsoft Game Studios EMEA. After working there for nearly 30 years, Spencer became Microsoft's executive vice president of gaming in 2017.Info from Gamespot.com

THQ Nordic's parent company has issued another apology for the publisher's decision to hold an 'ask me anything' session on infamous message board 8chan last week. The website is known for hosting threads relating to subjects such as child pornography and white supremacy, so THQ Nordic's AMA there drew criticism from across the industry."This letter is to offer my sincerest apologies and regret for THQ Nordic GmbH Vienna's interaction with the controversial website 8chan last Tuesday, February 26," said the company's group CEO, Lars Wingefors. "I condemn all unethical content this website stands for. Even if no one within the THQ Nordic Group would ever endorse such content, I realize simply appearing there gave an implicit impression that we did."As co-founder and group CEO of [parent company] THQ Nordic AB, I take full responsibility for all of THQ Nordic GmbH's actions and communications. I have spent the past several days conducting an internal investigation into this matter. I assure you that every member of the organization has learned from this past week's events. I take this matter very seriously and we will take appropriate action to make sure we have the right policies and systems in place to avoid similar mistakes in the future."The statement follows an earlier apology from the company's PR and marketing director, Philipp Brock, during which he was forced to say he "does not condone child pornography, white supremacy, or racism in any shape or form."THQ Nordic first announced the AMA in a tweet, saying "we're doing an 8chan AMA and we have no idea why. Come join us!" After industry figures criticized the company for this move, it then replied to its initial tweet and stated "the opportunity was here and we took it, we got apporached [sic] in a very friendly and polite manner and were assured, said person (shoutout to Mark) will take care of the nasty stuff. So, here we are." The tweets have since been deleted.8chan content was blocked from appearing in Google searches in 2015. Google also warned 8chan contains "suspected child abuse content." Since then, 8chan has become embroiled in various controversies surrounding gamergate, swatting, racism, and white supremacism.THQ Nordic was formed in 2011 after Nordic Games acquired much of the intellectual property of the now-defunct publisher THQ. More recently it has acquired Goat Simulator developer Coffee Stain, the TimeSplitters series, and the Alone in the Dark and Act of War franchises. Info from Gamespot.com

Nintendo Switch's upcoming mech action game, Dameon X Machina, received a free demo last month following February's big Nintendo Direct presentation, but you won't be able to download it for much longer. Nintendo has confirmed the demo is leaving the Eshop on March 10.The Protoype Missions demo, as it's dubbed, gives players a chance to test out the game's controls and mech customization options. It features four separate missions followed by a boss battle. Afterward, select players will receive a survey to provide their feedback directly to the development team.If you've yet to, you can grab the Daemon X Machina: Prototype Missions demo either from the Switch Eshop or Nintendo's website. The full game is still slated to release this summer and is directed by Kenichiro Tsukuda, who previously worked on the Armored Core series.In Daemon X Machina, players pilot high-powered mech suits called Arsenals, which can be outfitted with a variety of different weapons. Players will need to use their Arsenals to take on missions and defend humanity against armies of rouge AI-controlled robots. Nintendo says the game will also support local and online multiplayer.Daemon X Machina wasn't the only Switch game to receive a free demo following last month's Nintendo Direct; a demo of Yoshi's Crafted World is also available to download from the Eshop. The full game is scheduled to launch on March 29.Info from Gamespot.com

After an intriguing tease in a post-credits sequence of Avengers: Infinity War, Captain Marvel has finally arrived. One of the most powerful characters in Marvel continuity is one of only two MCU films serving as a bridge between Infinity War and the conclusion against the murderous Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. As a result, fans have high expectations of Carol Danvers, both as a trump card to tip the scales in the heroes' favor, and as the first female-led superhero film in the Marvel universe.The results are mixed. Reviews agree that Captain Marvel is a fun and enjoyable movie, but it has less of a clear identity than some other movies in the MCU. Our own Captain Marvel review from Michael Rougeau suggests that the issue is timing, and how the film's placement between the two halves of the biggest Avengers story yet does it a disservice."Captain Marvel feels like a forced cul-de-sac we have to drive impatiently around to get where we really want to go," he wrote. "To be clear: Captain Marvel is not a bad movie. It's just being released at the wrong time."Check out more from GameSpot's review, along with a sampling of other reviews, below. For even more on Captain Marvel, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.GameSpot -- No Score"Captain Marvel hits all the right notes, but it feels like it was released at the wrong time. There's too much anticipation and dread right now to fully enjoy this heroic cul-de-sac. It doesn't quite set up the twists you might want it to, and its many expansions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe feel like fodder for future movies, not the impending Endgame itself. Carol Danvers would have been better served with an explosive entrance in Endgame, then her own standalone to kick off the MCU's next phase. Right now this movie is an obligatory addendum to the Avengers story, when it deserved to be an essential opening chapter." -- Michael Rougeau [Full review]Chicago Sun-Times -- 3.5/5"Amidst all the scenes with intergalactic warships and fireball-flinging, co-directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck wisely find plenty of room to take the foot off the accelerator and cede center stage to Larson, Jackson and the rest of the greatly talented cast. It’s a real treat to see Carol Danvers find her footing and her wings, so to speak, while at the same time Nick Fury is taking the first steps toward becoming Nick Fury." -- Richard Roeper [Full review]Den of Geek -- 3.5/5"Captain Marvel continues to prove just how good the MCU is at expanding its universe in new ways that still feel integral to the larger world. Experiencing the film's final moments is not unlike the experience of watching the final moments of Rogue One, so cleverly does the film weave its way into existing canon, informing what has already happened in the franchise (and what will eventually happen in the world of the MCU) in emotionally-resonant ways. After Captain Marvel, the MCU feels more complete." -- Kayti Burt [Full review]The Guardian -- 3/5"I wanted a clearer, more central story for Captain Marvel’s emergence on to the stage, and in subsequent films – if she isn’t simply to get lost in the ensemble mix – there should more of Larson’s own wit and style and, indeed, plausible mastery of martial arts. In any case, Captain Marvel is an entertaining new part of the saga." -- Peter Bradshaw [Full review]We Got This Covered -- 3/5"Captain Marvel is a recorded mixtape of familiar MCU beats that sets Carol Danvers up for success, but as a period standalone, struggles to be anything we haven't yet seen from superhero cinema." -- Matt Donato [Full review]Collider -- B-"Taken on its own merits, Captain Marvel comes up short as a superhero origin story. By trying to find a fresh approach, the screenplay deprives its lead character of an arc and some of her humanity. The film itself lacks the energy and vision of Black Panther or even Captain America: The First Avenger. But when it comes to making you root for its superhero and eager to see her in more Marvel movies, Captain Marvel passes with flying colors." -- Matt Goldberg [Full review]New York Post -- 1.5/5"What’s said to be Marvel’s most powerful superhero ever is served Melatonin by Larson. There is precious little texture or detail, ups and downs, or emotions of any kind in her performance. The character, even when kicking ass, is a total bore. The film’s best moments are provided by Jackson and a hilarious cat." -- Johnny Oleksinski [Full review]Variety -- No Score"It's a prequel that casts its gaze way forward. Yet in its sturdy and standard-issue way, it invests Carol Danvers with a heroic majesty and heft that moves her, as a presence, right to the forefront of the series." -- Owen Gleiberman [Full review]Info from Gamespot.com

The latest weekly refresh of Destiny 2 brings the release of the next content expansion in the game's Annual Pass, Joker's Wild. That means there's a new season--the Season of the Drifter--new activities, and new loot. It also means the Power level cap has been raised, requiring even more grinding to get up to max level--and another Ascendant Challenge is now available to help you earn Powerful gear to climb toward the new cap. This week's challenge is the third of six that repeat in Forsaken. Here's where its portal is located and what to do inside.If you've done an Ascendant Challenge (or several at this point) before, you'll have an idea of how this goes. Start out by buying the appropriate bounty from Petra in the Dreaming City. Alongside that, you'll need a Tincture of Queensfoil. Once you consume that, you get the Ascendance buff that allows you to see the Taken portal--after you've found it.This particular portal is located in the Spire of Keres; you can see its location in the video above. Go through it to visit the Shattered Ruins in the Ascendant Plane, where are tasked with climbing a tower made of rocks without dying. Enemies will try to snipe you, and Taken rifts will try to boop you off the tower to your death. Be careful with where you move as you go toward the top; once you're there, kill the boss to complete the Ascendant Challenge.Your reward is a chest that may not have anything special inside, but you'll also complete the bounty you picked up from Petra. This offers a piece of Powerful gear, making it a task worth tackling. With the recently released Black Armory expansion, the Power cap for characters has been raised to 650, so it's definitely worth revisiting the Ascendant Challenge as you grind up to those new heights.As noted above, the prerequisite for doing an Ascendant Challenge--aside from access to the Dreaming City, which only comes after finishing the Forsaken campaign--is a Tincture of Queensfoil. These can be obtained through chests and Public Events in the Dreaming City, but that's not the only means.The video above details a location you can go to trade 50 Baryon Boughs, the planetary material you earn in the Dreaming City, for a Tincture of Queensfoil. If you're desperate to get your hands on one to try the Ascendant Challenge, follow our video guide to help you find your way to the spot where you can trade with Huginn.The Season of the Drifter brings two new activities--Gambit Prime, a tougher version of the Gambit competitive mode we've seen since Forsaken, and The Reckoning, a new pinnacle-level activity related to the Drifter. It also seems set to expand on the Drifter's story and what we saw in the last new activity in Destiny 2, The Draw. Stay tuned for more guides and coverage as we dig into the new content this week.Info from Gamespot.com

Rockstar has released another update for Red Dead Redemption 2's multiplayer mode, Red Dead Online. This week's update brings back a well-known weapon from the first Red Dead Redemption and kicks off a new Free Roam event, Fool's Gold.In Fool's Gold, players vie over control of a ridiculous-looking suit of Golden Armor. The one wearing the armor will receive a defense boost and earn points for gunning down other players, while everyone else will compete to bring them down and take the armor for themselves.In addition to the Fool's Gold event, Rockstar has added a new gun to Red Dead Online: the Evans Repeater, one of the rifles John Marston wielded in the first Red Dead Redemption. Rockstar describes the gun as "a powerful long-range rifle" that is "deadly at medium and long distances." It can be purchased from Rawson, Wheeler & Co. or other gunsmiths.Finally, everyone who logs into Red Dead Online this week will receive a special "care package." This can be redeemed either at your camp's lockbox or one of the post offices dotting the game, and it contains an assortment of ammo and other helpful items. The full contents are as follows:60x High Velocity Pistol Ammo60x High Velocity Repeater Ammo2x Fire Bottles8x Fire Arrows2x Jolly Jack’s2x Potent Horse Medicine1x Lake LureRockstar still has many more updates planned for Red Dead Online. The developer will also introduce Target Races, which have players racing on horseback and shooting at targets. On top of that, the game will receive new fishing challenges as well as a trio of Showdown Modes--Up In Smoke, Spoils of War, and Plunder--in the near future.Info from Gamespot.com

A new week means another round of game deals on Xbox Live, and for the next six days, some pretty major titles are discounted on Xbox One. There's an EA publisher sale that just kicked off with huge discounts on some of its best titles, including Dragon Age: Inquisition, Battlefield V, and A Way Out.Dragon Age: Inquisition won over 130 Game of the Year awards in 2014, and in our review, GameSpot's Kevin VanOrd gave the game a 9 for its relatable cast of characters, compelling story, emphasis on player choice, and huge, diverse map to explore. You can pick up Dragon Age: Inquisition's Game of the Year Edition, which includes all DLC and add-ons, for only $10 (75% off!) this week.If you've been looking for a story-driven co-op game to play with a partner or friend, A Way Out is an intense, emotional adventure you won't soon forget. Through local or online co-op, you'll play as two prisoners who work together to break out of prison, and as you follow their unpredictable journey, you'll have to make difficult decisions that ultimately determine each of their fates. If you're playing with a friend online, they can play along for free by using the game's Friend Pass. A Way Out is just $18 (40% off) this week on Xbox One.Battlefield V doesn't stray far from the series' winning formula, and with the deluxe edition discounted at $40 (50%), the well-received shooter is worth picking up this week. Hit the court and become a basketball champion in NBA Live 19: All-Star Edition, which is just $6 (85% off). Cute, physics-based platformers Unravel and Unravel Two are on sale as a bundle for $9 (70%) as another great couch co-op option. And while we're talking about local multiplayer games: The Jackbox Party Quadpack, which features 20 hilarious party games from their first four party packs, is available for $75 (25% off).Check out more of our picks from Xbox Live's weekly sale below, and see the full list in the Microsoft store. These deals will expire March 12 at 3 AM PT / 6 AM ET / 12 PM BST.The best Xbox One weekly game deals (March 5 - 12)A Way Out -- $18 | £15The Banner Saga 3 -- $17.49 | £14Battlefield V - Deluxe Edition -- $40 | £40Battlefield World War Bundle -- $50 | £45Burnout Paradise Remastered -- $5 | £5Dragon Age: Inquisition - Game of the Year Edition -- $10 | £6.25Fe -- $5 | £4.50The Jackbox Party Quadpack -- $75 | £48.74Light and Dark Bundle (Valley and Slender: The Arrival) -- $22.49 | £18Mass Effect: Andromeda - Deluxe Recruit Edition -- $12 | £10.50NBA Live 19 - All-Star Edition -- $6 | £3.75Need for Speed Payback - Deluxe Edition -- $9.90 | £11.55The Sims 4 - Deluxe Party Edition -- $10 | £9Star Wars Battlefront II -- $6.25 | £5Star Wars Battlefront Ultimate Edition -- $5 | £5Surviving Mars -- $18 | £14.39Unravel Yarny Bundle (Unravel and Unravel Two) - $9 | £7.50Info from Gamespot.com

The Season of the Drifter has come to Destiny 2, kicking off the start of the second of three Annual Pass content expansions in 2019. Along with the new season, Bungie has dropped a big update for the game that makes a bunch of changes to Gambit mode--which is central to the new content--and looks like it nerfs a whole lot of weapons.As Bungie detailed on its blog, Update 2.2.0 rejiggers a lot of how Gambit works. First off, the third round of every Gambit match is now more of a sudden death affair, where the Primeval boss enemy spawns immediately instead of after a round of collecting motes, thus speeding things up considerably.The Taken blockers you can send against your foes in Gambit matches have been changed as well: gone are the Taken Phalanx, Knight, and Ogre. They've been replaced by a Taken Goblin as the small blocker, with less health than the Phalanx; a Taken Captain as the medium blocker, with more health than the Knight; and a Taken Knight as the large blocker, with more health than the Ogre. The update also lays the groundwork for Gambit private matches, which Bungie says are due to hit the game on April 2.There are a whole lot of other changes in the update, with a lot of them revolving around weapons. Shotguns have been tuned significantly, with Bungie trying to put a different emphasis on the guns, especially in Crucible. They now fire slower, even on full-auto mode, but do more damage. A number of guns, such as Whisper of the Worm, have had their ammo reserves tweaked and lowered, and several gun types, like Trace Rifles, have had their effectiveness against alien enemies increased to make the more useful in the player-vs.-environment parts of the game.Check out the full patch notes for Update 2.2.0 below.TowerThe Tower Annex Landing Zone is now available to all playersThe Drifter has relocated to the Annex in the TowerClansDaily clan bounties have been removedOnce again, clan XP in Season 6 can be earned simply by completing activitiesClan weekly bounties have been renamed to "Hawthorne's Bounties" to differentiate them from the raid challenges that are also in Hawthorne's inventoryThese Hawthorne Bounties are organized into 3 fixed categories: PvE, PvP, and raidRaid challenge bounties will continue to be available on Hawthorne for the Last Wish and Scourge of the Past raidsSome new clan perks have been added for Season 6, and some old clan perks have returned Level 2 Perk: Increased public event rewardsLevel 3 Perk: Completing a weekly Hawthorne bounty awards mod componentsLevel 4 Perk: Completing a clan vendor challenge awards enhancement coresLevel 5 Perk: Increases the drop rate of Crucible and strike catalysts when playing with clanmatesLevel 6 Perk: Unlocks an additional weekly bounty for HawthorneSandboxWeaponsShotguns Full Auto Trigger System rate-of-fire bonus reduced from 100% to 10%Full Auto Trigger System no longer increases Shotgun pellet spreadAll Shotguns received a damage multiplier in PvE, effectively doubling their damage (with the exception of Legend of Acrius)Reserve ammunition for Shotguns has been reevaluated to compensate for the increased damageReduced base damage for Shotguns across the board to align with their new rates of fire on a per sub-archetype basisRate-of-fire values have been tuned Aggressive Frame is now 55 RPM, up from 45 RPMPrecision Frame is now 65 RPM, up from 55 RPMLightweight Frame remains 80 RPM (tooltip erroneously stated 90 RPM previously)Rapid-Fire Frame is 140 RPM (including intrinsic full auto), down from 200 RPM (they were previously 100 RPM, but due to the intrinsic full auto, actually had 200 RPM)The Chaperone is now 70 RPM, up from 60 RPMTractor Cannon is 80 RPM (tooltip erroneously stated 84 RPM previously)Legend of Acrius is now 55 RPM, up from 45 RPMSubmachine Guns Base damage increased slightlyPrecision damage decreased slightlyMachine Guns Reduced the ammo bonus of Machine Gun Reserves perk by halfDamage reduced against boss and miniboss combatants by 21%Trace Rifles PvE damage increased by 30%Grenade Launchers PvE damage increased by 25%Reserve ammo increased on most Grenade LaunchersIn most cases, Grenade Launchers gained three rounds in reserves, but this amount may vary based on the perks you have (Field Prep, etc.)KNOWN ISSUE: Starting ammo in PvE was reduced, this will be fixed in a future patchMagazine perks and mods no longer affect ammo reservesThe Quick Access Sling mod can now be applied to any archetype; this change also allows it to be applied to the Mountaintop NOTE: This change also fixes the Militia's Birthright being able to slot the Backup Mag mod; this mod did not actually increase the magazine size on this weapon and was not intended to be applied to breech loaded Grenade LaunchersRocket Launchers PvE damage increased by 60–65%Cluster Bomb Damage reduced by 80%This lost damage was moved to the Rocket Launcher's main projectileLinear Fusion Rifles PvE damage increased by 10% (does not affect Sleeper Simulant)Reduced aim assistRemoved aim assist bonus from Combat Sights scopeFixed an issue where Queenbreaker had double the amount of aim assistTwo-Tailed Fox PvE damage increased by 26%One Thousand Voices PvE damage increased by 25%Wardcliff Coil PvE damage increased by 115% against boss combatants and scaling up to 160% against weaker combatantsBlack Talon PvE projectile damage increased by 15%Sleeper Simulant Reduced ammo reserves (from max 13 to max 9 without armor perks or Masterwork)Whisper of the Worm Reduced ammo reserves (from max 20 to max 9 without armor perks)Tyranny of Heaven The Tyranny of Heaven Bow can now drop with randomized perksGeneral Weapon and Perk FixesTrinity Ghoul Fixed an issue where Trinity Ghoul's Lightning Rod perk sometimes did not activate on precision killFixed an issue where the Arc effects from the Split Electron perk on Trinity Ghoul could be seen floating in third personImproved the resolution for the decals on Two-Tailed Fox's Cuddly Throwback ornament when seen in third personFixed an issue where the Last Word's Laconic ornament did not display properly in third personCleaned up the animation of rounds cycling in the magazine for the Dreaded Venture's Over and Done With ornamentRapid Hit Fixed an issue where Rapid Hit would activate twice on a Sniper Rifle precision killFixed an issue where the timer for Rapid Hit x5 would not extend after another precision hitSwords Fixed an issue where Whirlwind Blade could not reach 5 stacks with certain perk combinationsFixed an issue where Sword impact Masterwork damage was the same at tier 7 and tier 8Fixed an issue where certain perk, mod, and Masterwork combinations would cause Sword perks to not function on Stryker's Sure-HandBows Fixed an issue where Le Monarque would not always apply poison at longer distancesLe Monarque is now correctly on the Energy tab in the Collections screenHigh Tension String perk description updated to correctly reflect that it "greatly increases accuracy"Jotunn's Charge Shot perk description updated with instructions for what to hold to charge up the shotFixed an issue where Dragonfly Spec was not functioning correctly under certain latency conditionsFixed an issue impacting Izanagi's Burden scope where FX from abilities or invading in Gambit would block visibility while aimingThe Long Shadow Fixed an issue where the ATD Raptor scope did not highlight enemiesThis fix caused another issue where the ATB Long Range scope will highlight enemies as well; this will be fixed in a future updateFixed an issue where the random perk warning was not displayed on the tooltips for the random roll versions of Crimil's Dagger and the Hero's BurdenMemento Mori Fixed an issue where the Ace of Spades perk Memento Mori did not refresh when using the Hunter's Marksman Dodge abilityFixed an issue where Memento Mori was cancelled prematurely if the player sprintedNote: These fixes make it so that reloading Ace of Spades no longer wipes Memento Mori on reload, but you can still refresh Memento Mori when reloading after a killBreech-load Grenade Launchers now have their own icon in the kill feed and obituary to differentiate them from drum Grenade LaunchersTrench Barrel will now activate on close range Ball Lightning attacks that cause the biped to lungeAbilitiesTitan Reduced Titan's max speed that can be achieved via use of macros on PC (aka reduced the effectiveness of "Titan Skate")Tuned the amount of Super gained from Code of the Juggernaut so the Super could not be used indefinitelyThis now has diminishing returns (100% -> 30% energy back over the course of 15 kills)Warlock Fixed an issue where the Handheld Supernova did not properly render while invading in GambitArmorYear 2 armor will now drop with a random stat package HeavyRestorativeMobileOne-Eyed Mask Mark duration reduced from 15 seconds to 8 secondsHealth no longer restores automatically, but restores alongside overshieldCan no longer be triggered while in SuperKhepri's Horn Increased class energy gain from Solar damage kills from 10% to 15% and reduced the cooldown from 2 to 1 secondSolar blast groundfollow now returns a second groundfollow back toward the playerDamage from groundfollow increased from 80 to 100Damage from groundfollow is doubled in PvEVesper of Radius Damage increased from 70 to 100Damage is tripled in PvESealed Ahamkara's Grasp Now procs from smoke bomb damageUrsa Furiosa No longer counts self-damage to Void shield when calculating how much Super energy to give backAnteaus Wards Fixed an issue where improved slide was not consistently applying with Anteaus WardsAccessories FixesCloth will now correctly interact with "chopper" Sparrows (examples: Gray Hornet, Warrior's Steed)Fixed an issue with Burnout Sparrow that would cause the Guardian's hands to not always grip the handlebarsA shader from the Curse of Osiris expansion formerly named "Metallic Sunrise" has been renamed to "Mercurian Sunrise." This was to resolve a duplicate name issue with a Forsaken shader, the name of which remains "Metallic Sunrise"Fixed lens flare effects on several ship enginesRewardsGeneralPower cap raised to 700Powerful bounties may give only a maximum possible Power reward from the season in which they were acquired Powerful bounties completed in Season of the Forge may only reach a maximum Power reward of 650Iron Banner bounties from Season of the Forge have expired and been replacedEthereal Keys from the Last Wish raid now have a maximum stack size of 5All keys above the stack limit of 5 have been removedDestinationsDestination vendors no longer display a waypoint when holding enough materials for a reputation packageThis was done as players now use destination materials for infusionCrucibleUpdated Valor and Glory emblems to track only the current season's rank accomplishmentsPrevious seasons accomplishments have been added as Triumphs; all seasonal rank accomplishments will be tracked as Triumphs from here onVendorsShaxx Reprise seeded roll weapon for players to earn via Valor rankPlayers who acquired the original version will be able to earn this weapon with random rolls from engram decryption without earning the Valor rank.New emblem for players to earn from Triumph CompletionReprise shader for players to earn from Triumph CompletionPlayers who earned the original will not need to re-earn this shaderNew pinnacle weapon questFeatures Triumph completion step similar to Season 5's the Mountaintop questDrifter New seeded roll weapon for players to earn via Infamy rankNew emblem for players to earn from Triumph CompletionNew pinnacle weapon questFeatures Triumph completion step similar to Season 5's the Mountaintop questZavala Reprise seeded roll weapon for players to earn from Triumph CompletionPlayers who acquired the original version will be able to earn this weapon with random rolls from engram decryption without completing the TriumphNew emblem for players to earn from Triumph CompletionReprise shader for players to earn from Triumph CompletionPlayers who earned the original will not need to re-earn this shaderNew pinnacle weapon questFeatures Triumph completion step similar to Season 5's the Mountaintop questXûr Has the possibility of selling Forsaken ExoticsFated Engram does not have a chance for Forsaken Exotics; will be updated in a future patchBlack ArmoryLore items "The Black Armory Papers" are now guaranteed to drop upon successful completion of the Gofannon and Bergusia ForgesFixed an issue where Black Armory Obsidian Accelerator items were not showing up at the postmaster if player inventory was fullFixed an issue where Black Armory Obsidian Accelerator items were not stacking in player's inventory; max stack size is 5Fixed an issue where the Black Armory Key Mold quest was account bound, allowing only a single character to acquire it from Ada-1Fixed an issue where Dreaming City chests were not providing Glimmering Amethyst for the Black Armory Key Mold questFixed a bug where Spider would present an empty Lock and Key dialogue to players who've already completed it and obtained Izanagi's BurdenFixed an issue where the Black Armory Bow "The Spiteful Fang" was not awarding Black Armory Schematics when dismantledFixed an issue where Black Armory Rare weapon research frames were not counting toward Master Smith Triumph progressionFixed an issue where the Black Armory Devotee bounty was not progressing when using reforged Black Armory weaponsChallengesFixed an issue where some daily challenges did not properly stagger, which resulted in players sometimes not having a fresh daily challenge at resetCharacter BoostsFixed an issue where boosted characters were not getting their class-specific Swords correctly unlocked and available to pull from their CollectionFixed an issue where boosted characters were not getting their class-specific emblems correctly unlocked and available to pull from their CollectionGeneralFixed a bug where some players were in a bad state and blocked from obtaining Seeds of LightFixed a bug where player bipeds in the Tower would appear to stop loading gear ("Tron effect") if too many players had their Ghosts outFixed an issue where pulling shaders from the Collection took longer than intended; shaders will now take 1 second to reacquireUpdated the Sturm “Relics of the Golden Age” quest step; Exotic engrams that auto-decrypt now count toward this quest stepCollections / TriumphsFixed an issue where players who completed the Season 4 "Forged in Fire" badge collection were not getting the associated Triumph "Forged in Fire" unlockedFixed an issue where players who acquired the "Cold Wind Blowin'" Emblem from the Drifter during Season 4 couldn't reacquire the emblem from their CollectionFixed an issue where "The Eternal Return" emblem wasn't tracking Shattered Throne completionsFixed an issue with the requirements of the "Relic Rumble" Triumph Nightfall challenge to repair broken functionalityThe new requirement is: "Complete Nightfall strike 'The Corrupted' by defeating Sedia using no more than two Relics."Fixed an issue where the Dreaming City Triumph "Mint Condition" was not correctly unlocking for completing the Rift Generator public event with the relic never having dropped below 100%Fixed an issue where the Exotic Ghost Star Map shell was not tracking chests in the Dreaming CityFixed an issue where the "Senior Recruiter" Refer-a-Friend emblem was not correctly updating the number of referral completionsFixed an issue where the Collection Badge counter was incorrectly listing the total number of badges availableActivitiesGambitActivities hosted by the Drifter have been moved to their own sub-page on the Director called "Gambit"Added Gambit Private matches for all Forsaken owners Expect Gambit Prime Private matches on April 2, 2019Overhauled how invader spawn points are chosen while also significantly increasing the number of invader spawn points for each map Chances of spawning very near or in direct line of sight of an enemy Guardian has been greatly reducedChanged the third round of Gambit to a Primeval rush sudden death; this will speed up Gambit matches overall and add a change of pace to the final round The Primeval is immediately summonedPlayer Supers/grenades/ability/melee are immediately filled, so both teams are on an even playing fieldSuper/grenade/ability/melee regen are increased for the remainder of the roundThe Ascendant Primeval Servitor's (meatball) spawn rate is no longer tied to the curse cycle and has been greatly increasedIdle Protection: Players who remain dormant for too long will not receive end-of-match rewards or Infamy pointsMade adjustments to Blocker types by deposit tier Small Blocker = Taken Goblin with less health than the previous PhalanxMedium Blocker = Taken Captain with more health than the previous KnightLarge Blocker = Taken Knight with more health than the previous OgreGambit MatchmakingTeams are now always broken up when re-entering the matchmaking pool after a matchPreviously, when a match ended, players who did not return to orbit would be sent back to the matchmaking pool together; this is no longer the caseThis will greatly reduce the likelihood of re-matching against the same players and will give matchmaking an opportunity to find the best possible matchInfamyPlayers can now earn Infamy points by completing Gambit Prime matches and bountiesIncreased the Infamy point rewards for Gambit matches by 25 pointsGambit HUD The HUD status bars now animate when returning from aim-down-sightsThe Invader Portal Ready icon and animation on the status bar has been updated to be more pronounced and understandable at a glanceTriumphs and Medals“Light vs. Light” can now be progressed by killing any Guardian (not just invaders) using a Super; this makes attaining Dredgen a less daunting taskThe "First to Block" medal can now trigger once per round, previously it could fire only once per matchGeneral FixesFixed an issue where post-invasion kills during Primeval phase weren't giving the invader credit for healing the PrimevalFixed an issue where VO lines indicating the high-value target was killed and that the high-value target got away will both play if the player kills the HVT just before it is removed from the arenaFixed an issue where players would get the "Half Banked" medal every time they deposit Motes after they reached 38 Motes depositedFixed an issue where the "Taking Turns" medal fires when 3 different players invade instead of 4Fixed an issue where a graphical error could be seen on a waterfall in Legion's FollyFixed an issue where occasionally Drifter would tell players back-to-back that the other team has summoned their PrimevalFixed an issue where, in a longer match after killing the Primeval, the Drifter reminded us that we needed to spawn our Primeval to winFixed an issue where the bounty "Block and Key" did not increment when a Large Blocker was sent that would summon the PrimevalUpdated security policy and functionality so players who have been banned from competitive activities cannot access Gambit playlistCrucibleFixed an issue where healing during Crucible matches was taking away from a player's overall damage on the PGCR screenLast WishSmashed an issue where players would encounter frequent guitar errorsEververseBright EngramThe season 5 Etched Bright Engram has been retired; in its place players can now obtain the new season 6 Notorious Bright EngramPrismatic MatrixThe Prismatic Matrix has been retired; additional information may be found in This Week at Bungie—2/28/2019UI/UXGeneralAdded a popup dialogue when opening bundles if you have a full inventory, noting that items will go to the postmaster if you proceed through the dialogueFixed an issue where Masterwork objective progress bars could display 100% when not yet completedFixed an issue where Legendary Masterwork items were not displayed as Masterworked when inspecting other playersFixed an issue where Masterwork UI did not scale to fill ultra-wide monitorsFixed an issue where the progress bar under Triumphs could sometimes show as complete when the Triumph was still in progressFixed an issue where transferring items using the Destiny app would consistently re-trigger Triumph notificationsInfo from Gamespot.com

Anthem has had a rocky launch, from middling reviews to bugs. The most severe of these problems has been crashing bugs on PS4, causing the entire system to shut down improperly. PlayStation 4 users have been vocal about the problem, and EA is aware of the issue. In the meantime, though, Sony is offering refunds to at least some affected users.Variety reports that several users on Reddit claimed they had been given refunds from Sony's support chat. The support center is said to only ask a series of account verification questions, since Sony is already aware of the pervasive crashing issue. Other users claim they were refused a refund, and Sony hasn't issued an official statement offering refunds.EA, meanwhile, is in the midst of gathering data about the crashing bug so that it can work on a fix. It has requested that impacted users submit information including your make of console, PSN ID, whether you submitted a crash report through the console itself, and any other details."We are currently in process of gathering information about the PS4 issues so we can determine the root cause," the company wrote in a blog post.This is the latest in a series of mishaps and missteps for Anthem. The VIP demo was buggy itself, reviews were less than stellar, and one update even broke the game. BioWare has laid out a lengthy post-launch roadmap for the coming months, including new missions, guilds, and a large-scale event called a "Catalyst." This is all being positioned as the first act in an ongoing story, so the studio appears to be in it for the long haul.Info from Gamespot.com

EA has announced it is aware that Anthem is causing certain issues for PS4 consoles. In an effort to fix the problem, the publisher is asking players to submit data reports."We are currently in process of gathering information about the PS4 issues so we can determine the root cause," EA wrote in a blog post. If you're playing Anthem on PS4 and the game has seemingly caused your console to crash, EA asks you submit information about which of the PS4 consoles you're using (original, Slim, or Pro), your PSN ID, details about your problem, and whether you reported the crash when your console prompted you to. If you'd rather not, some players--according to Variety--have discovered Sony is offering refunds (pretty much no questions asked) for people who bought Anthem on PS4.Anthem has had one of the roughest launches of any game in 2019. A VIP demo held mere weeks before the game's release was bug-ridden and caused problems for other EA games. Anthem then released to mediocre reviews, and even though BioWare pushed out several updates--including one that addressed the unpopular tethering system--the retail price of the game soon started dropping on Amazon. One of the updates--a hotfix patch designed to fix problems with Anthem's loot system--even broke the game for a while.Despite these setbacks, BioWare appears to remain committed to ensuring Anthem becomes a successful game. BioWare has maintained an active presence on Twitter and Reddit and responds to issues as they appear--although the developer has remained oddly silent in regards to the recent string of PS4 crashes. In order to address Anthem's lack of compelling endgame content, the developer has revealed a 90-day post-launch roadmap for the game, which includes new missions, guilds, and a large-scale event called The Catalyst.In our Anthem review, Kallie Plagge gave the game a 6/10, writing, "Anthem has good ideas, but it struggles significantly with the execution. It's a co-op game that works best with no one talking; it buries genuinely interesting character moments and puts its most incomprehensible story bits at the forefront; its combat is exciting until you get to the boss fights and find your wings have been clipped. Even the simple, exhilarating act of flying is frequently interrupted by the limitations of your javelin, and you never quite shake that feeling of disappointment--of knowing, throughout the good parts of Anthem, that you'll inevitably come crashing back down."Info from Gamespot.com