Microsoft has released some unique-looking Xbox One designs over the years, but this new one takes the cake errr cookie. Microsoft has partnered with the makers of Oreo to create an Xbox One X that looks like the splashed white-and-black look of a tasty Oreo cookie.You can win one of these new Xbox One X consoles through Oreo's "The Stuf Inside" sweepstakes. The contest is open only to people in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada. You can scan a participating Oreo package for a chance to win the custom Xbox One X. The full terms and conditions are available here on the Stuf Inside sweepstakes website.Milk goes well with cookies. So does winning. Scan your OREO cookie for a chance to win a custom @Oreo #Xbox One X. Play here: https://t.co/flTpNvFuQc pic.twitter.com/mh2yPv7WA5 — Xbox (@Xbox) March 4, 2019Back in September, Microsoft announced lots of custom Xbox One consoles that it was auctioning off for charity. The designs were designed and signed by people like Post Malone, Ludacris, Jack Black, Usain Bolt, and many other famous people. You can see them all here.Microsoft is rumoured to announce its next wave of Xbox consoles at E3 2019 in June, where the company also plans to show off Halo Infinite. Info from Gamespot.com

We've known for a while now that Game of Thrones Season 8 will have an epic battle scene, and now the producers have shared more details about it. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, episode director Miguel Sapochnik, who previously directed the Battle of the Bastards episode, confirmed this new episode will feature a battle between familiar living characters and the Night King and his army. The showdown has been teased since the show's beginning, and now it's finally coming.In the episode, which chronicles the Battle of Winterfell, familiar characters like Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, and Brienne of Tarth are outnumbered as they fight against the supernatural foes. According to EW, it's the "longest consecutive battle sequence ever committed to film." At 40 minutes, the Helm's Deep battle from The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers was the longest battle sequence that Sapochnik said he could find in cinema history.Co-executive producer Bryan Cogman spoke about the epic battle scene, calling it unprecedented for TV or film."What we have asked the production team and crew to do this year truly has never been done in television or in a movie," he explained. "This final face-off between the Army of the Dead and the army of the living is completely unprecedented and relentless and a mixture of genres even within the battle. There are sequences built within sequences built within sequences. [Showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss wrote] an amazing puzzle and Miguel came in and took it apart and put it together again. It's been exhausting but I think it will blow everybody away."Filming the episode took 11 weeks of night shoots. According to the report, up to 750 people worked all night for almost three months in sub-freezing temperatures and enduring cold rain, mud, and heavy wind.Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark, told EW that "nothing can prepare you for how physically draining" it was filming the battle scene. "It's night after night, and again and again, and it just doesn't stop," she said. "You can't get sick, and you have to look out for yourself because there's so much to do that nobody else can do… there are moments you're just broken as a human and just want to cry."The actor who plays Ser Jorah Mormont, Iain Glen, said filming the battle was the "most unpleasant experience I've had on Thrones.""A real test, really miserable. You get to sleep at seven in the morning and when you wake in the midday you're still so spent you can't really do anything, and then you're back," he added. "You have no life outside it. You have an absolute f**ked bunch of actors. But without getting too method [acting] about it, on screen it bleeds through to the reality of the Thrones world."The entire interview at EW is incredibly in depth and fascinating--check it out here.Game of Thrones Season 8 premieres on April 14 on HBO--you can see the latest footage here. While the main show is ending, a prequel series is in development.Info from Gamespot.com

In the cutthroat world of fighting games, Dead or Alive has consistently proven that it's a solid contender. From its arcade debut in 1996, the series has made a name for itself with striking visuals, fun and memorable characters, and engaging fighting action, carrying the series along through some of the genre's darkest days. Now, Dead or Alive finds itself in one of the most crowded markets the genre has ever seen. Dead or Alive 6 still has the chops to stand out after all this time--though it does slightly stumble along the way.When you first boot up Dead or Alive 6, you're greeted by a close-up of one of the game's many characters, staring you straight in the face as you navigate through the initial set of menus. It's an early glimpse at DoA6's graphical prowess, as you get to see one of the cast members before they step into the ring and turn into a bruised and battered brawler. The way the fighters themselves sustain visual damage during a fight is quite impressive. There's dirt, torn clothing, and flying sweat--even some of the heavier hits leave a little bit of blood, transforming every match into a fierce brawl. Thankfully, if you find these effects distasteful or distracting, there's also the option to turn them off. Combined with the flashy character costumes and colorful, elaborate arenas, DoA6 is a game with a distinct visual flair.But the game's appeal is more than surface-level. DoA6 delivers solid, satisfying combat with its own twists. New to the franchise is a Break Gauge that fills as you deal or receive damage with your blows--a mechanic that's been seen in many other fighting games. There are a few things you can do with this shiny new gauge, thanks to a newly added "special" button that puts it to use: An offensive sidestep into an attack by pressing up or down in tandem with the special button, do a "Break Hold" universal hold counterattack by pressing back and the special button. Finally, you can execute a powerful "Break Blow" by either pressing towards the opponent and the special, or automatically at the end of a four-hit special button auto-combo, assuming the Break Gauge is full. These Break Blows are incredibly flashy, packing a serious punch both in lifebar and visual damage to the opponent. It's hard not to feel a bit demoralized when you're watching your fighter get physically wrecked by a secret ninja skill or a fist to an extremely vulnerable face--but it's super rewarding to push that same humiliation onto your foe.The Break Gauge is a great addition to the game, as it's easy to understand and doesn't require a lot of execution beyond knowing when to use each special technique. All of these techniques are useful; the sidestep attacks can screw up somebody fishing for you to mess up a hold counter, the Break Hold can take some of the guesswork out of hold counters (and counter an opponent's Break Blow), and Break Blows just look cool and satisfying as hell… well, provided you can land them.But the Break Blows aren't the only flashy thing about DoA6's combat. The series is known for having some pretty wild combat arenas, and DoA6's lush battlefields might be some of the craziest yet. They include a dilapidated theme park overrun by dinosaurs, a moss-encrusted battleship being assaulted by an angry kraken, and a multi-car pile-up with some very volatile vehicles that might go kaboom when someone touches them. These stages are littered with specific danger zones that both play an amusing cinematic and deal extra combat damage to an enemy when you send them flying into one with a well-placed blow. In some cases, you can even pull off unique combos with the aid of danger zones; the aforementioned dinosaur stage features an angry pterodactyl mama who will hoist a fighter into the air before dropping them again, setting them up for a big juggle combo. Alas, while the really nutty stages are quite memorable, most are a lot more sedate, and the stage selection as a whole feels somewhat lacking.DoA6 also offers plenty of minor tweaks to the moment-to-moment gameplay, and options to make the game more beginner-friendly (such as simplifying the game's hold counterattack system inputs), but the most important thing is that the fighting just feels good. The rock-paper-scissors element of the holds-throws-attacks balance works nicely into gameplay with smooth animation that feeds into a seamless flow of combat. Every character offers something unique in terms of their fighting style, but once you have the basics down, it's not too hard to learn another character if you're not feeling who you're currently playing with. And while I'm not terribly fond of the designs of the two new characters (street brawler Diego is terribly generic, and blue-haired anime teen scientist NiCO looks like she belongs in a different game entirely), they both bring something new to the table in terms of their combat abilities.Where DoA6 falters, however, is in its single-player content. Story Mode isn't too bad; the cinematics mostly use the in-game graphics engine, further showcasing DoA6's strong visuals, and the game wisely has an optional tutorial feature that teaches you basic strings for each character you'll assume control of so you're not thrust into blind combat. However, the weird multi-timeline presentation is a mess both in terms of interface and storytelling, leading to a confusing series of events that oscillates wildly between serious drama and goofy comedy.Then there's the other big single-player mode, DOA Quest: a series of themed battles that offer in-game rewards, like parts for new character costumes and in-game money used to purchase and view extra story content. By completing sub-objectives in these battles-- like landing a specific attack a certain number of times or beating a quest within a time limit--you earn additional rewards and unlock more quests to attempt.DoA6 also offers plenty of minor tweaks to the moment-to-moment gameplay, and options to make the game more beginner-friendly, but the most important thing is that the fighting just feels good.DOA Quest isn't a bad idea on its own, but the game's grindy, frustrating unlock system turns a fine little challenge mode into an absolute chore. The main thing you'll want to use DOA Quest (and other single-player modes like Arcade Mode) for is unlocking character costumes and customization options, of which there are many. However, you'll soon discover that when you earn points that go towards unlocking new outfits, you have absolutely no say in where they will go. You could earn 300 costume points in a quest featuring Zack, for example, and those points you earn would go towards unlocking a random costume for Hayabusa instead--meaning you invested time and effort to earn partial rewards for a character you potentially don't care about. This happens a lot. To add insult to injury, even when you do get enough points to open up a costume for a character, you still have to pay earned in-game money to actually buy and wear it. It's an extremely ill-thought-out grind that sucks all of the reward out of playing single-player.Provided you're not absolutely attached to using a specific customization in battle, versus play against another human is far more satisfying than the neverending solo grind. Local versus mode works just fine, but most people will probably gravitate towards online play. While there aren't many options for online head-to-head--just Ranked and the promise of a future Lobby mode--what is there works well, and given a good connection, online play feels smooth and enjoyable. One particularly brilliant feature is the ability to see if your potential online match is using a wi-fi or a wired connection. It lets you avoid a lot of potential lag-spike headaches, as wired connections are ideal for head-to-head fighting games like this.Despite some missteps, DoA6 is a fun, engaging fighter with great-feeling, easy-to-pick-up combat, a strong sense of visual style, and a lot of personality. If you're looking for a new fighting game to learn the ins and outs of--or perhaps a nice entry into the 3D side of fighting games--DoA6 is a fighter of choice.Info from Gamespot.com

Kill la Kill The Game: IF was revealed at Anime Expo 2018 with an impressive yet brief trailer that showed series protagonist Ryuko Matoi going up against series antagonist Satsuki Kiryuin. Publisher Arc System Works and developer APLUS have kept relatively quiet about the game, but thanks to a new Twitter post, we've now learned that the 3D fighter is heading to Europe and will be available on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.According to the official Twitter account for PQube Games--the UK-based publisher responsible for distributing games like Guilty Gear, Cat Quest, and others--the forthcoming fighter based on Kazuki Nakashima's 2013 anime will land in Europe "later this year, with a new story from the original writer." This likely means Nakashima's contributing to the "untold story" the Anime Expo 2018 trailer teased.ANNOUNCEMENT! We're very proud to say that we will be partnering with Arc System Works to release KILL la KILL - IF in Europe on PS4 and Switch! The game is coming out later this year, with a new story from the original writer, digitally and physically! #killlakill #killlakillif pic.twitter.com/JJEX3NvY4A — PQube Games (@PQubeGames) March 1, 2019 In a news post published at the end of February 2018, Arc System Works unveiled new characters, game modes, and screenshots. Kill la Kill The Game: IF will feature Free VS matches (where you can play against a CPU or a friend locally), Player Matches (where you can play online without affecting your ranking), Ranked Matches (where you can play online for the top leaderboard spot and bragging rights), a tutorial and training mode, and a Challenge Mode with several challenges (including survival, hundred enemies, endless, and more). Furthermore, four new characters, including Houka Inumuta and Nonon Jakuzure, will appear in the game.Kill la Kill The Game: IF is scheduled to release sometime in 2019 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.Info from Gamespot.com

The newest Power Rangers console game, Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, was announced toward the beginning of 2019. While information about the fighter has been scarce, a new trailer has revealed that a villain from the universe, Lord Drakkon, will be in the game.Lord Drakkon is an older, much crueler version of Tommy Oliver from an alternate reality. He rules over his Earth with an iron fist. Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid's take on Lord Drakkon seems to fit the description quite well. You can watch him in action in the new trailer below. The barely-minute-long trailer sees Zordon warning the Rangers of "a great threat" named Lord Drakkon. After that, we see Drakkon battling the Green, Red, and Yellow Rangers, showing off some of the simple and more complex juggle strings he can perform in the game. We're left with a final message from Zordon: "Lord Drakkon will attempt to conquer existence." It's unclear whether Drakkon will be playable, but it's safe to assume he'll be an antagonist in the game nonetheless. It's also unclear how many villains will appear in Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, but we've learned that there are at least 11 more characters whose identities have yet to be revealed.Back in January 2019, the official Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid Twitter account unveiled the game with a 50-second teaser trailer. According to replies to the tweet, Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid is not a port of Power Rangers: Legacy Wars, a mobile fighter also developed by San Francisco-based developer nWay. Additionally, the game is reported to feature "a completely brand new battle mechanic [that was built from the ground up], including different movesets from each character that we plan on adding to our game."Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid launches for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One sometime in spring 2019.Info from Gamespot.com

Halo Infinite, the long-awaited follow-up to 2015's Halo 5: Guardians, will be at E3 2019. 343 Industries boss Bonnie Ross told IGN that the game director Chris Lee will discuss more details on the game at the big-time June show that is now just 100 days away. Little is known about what Lee will speak about, but Ross did confirm to IGN that one of the things he'll talk about is what the franchise's new SlipSpace engine is capable of from a technical standpoint.Halo Infinite was announced at E3 2018 by way of a trailer not for the game, but for the new engine (watch it again in the video embed above). The trailer was grand, showcasing massive landscapes and gorgeous vistas. It was only a technical demonstration of what the game could be, and not necessarily what it will be.It's no surprise that the game will be at E3, and we're excited to finally learn more about what kind of game Halo Infinite actually is. Given the game has "Infinite" in the title, Microsoft seems to be going big. Ross also recently discussed how Halo 4's multiplayer struggled and Halo 5's story didn't resonate with everyone, so she's hoping that Halo Infinite can be the best of both worlds. Time will tell.In February, noted Microsoft insider Brad Sams reported that Microsoft will announce two new Xbox consoles at E3 2019. The report also claims that Halo Infinite will be a launch title for the next wave of Xbox hardware; this is notable because it would be the first time since 2001's Halo: Combat Evolved that a Halo game would be a launch title for new Xbox hardware.The report also claims Halo Infinite will have RPG mechanics of some kind. For its part, Microsoft is referring to Halo Infinite as a "spiritual reboot" of the series. There is also a report that claims Microsoft will release Halo Infinite's multiplayer and single-player separately.Halo Infinite is in development for Xbox One and PC, and that's notable because fans have been calling for more Halo on PC for a very long time now.E3 2019 takes place June 11-13, and as mentioned, it's now only 100 days away. What are you hoping to see from Halo Infinite at E3 this year? Let us know in the comments below!Info from Gamespot.com

A Metal Gear Solid movie from Kong: Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts is in the works, but basically nothing is known about the cast or story at this stage. It's still early days for the film, but now one big-name actor has come forward to say he wants to star in it.Oscar Isaac, who is known for portraying the pilot Poe Dameron in the new Star Wars movies, told IGN that he wants to play Snake in the upcoming film. "I'm throwing my hat in for that one," he said. Isaac also talked about why he thinks video game movies have struggled in the past."With the video game thing, I think the trick will be how do you replicate the feeling of what it feels like to play a video game. I think where it goes wrong often is with the plots," he said.The Metal Gear movie has been in the works for a long time. Vogt-Roberts teased the film's script in 2018, saying it will blow your mind in a way that many things associated with series creator Hideo Kojima do. "We just turned in the script, and I think it's one of the best scripts I've ever read," he said. "It's one of the coolest, weirdest, most Kojima things. If I wasn't involved in it, I would still look at that script and [say], 'Holy sh**.'"Jurassic World and Star Wars: Episode IX writer Derek Connolly was announced (via Variety) as the writer for the Metal Gear movie in November 2017. He and Vogt-Roberts have a history together, as Connolly co-wrote Kong: Skull Island, which Vogt-Roberts directed.The Metal Gear video game franchise celebrated its 31st anniversary in 2018. The latest entry in the series was the poorly received Metal Gear Survive. Kojima no longer works at Konami, but instead starting his own studio that's working on Death Stranding now. Info from Gamespot.com

Nintendo has shared some intriguing new information about its workforce in Japan. As spotted by analyst Daniel Ahmad, the Nintendo of Japan recruitment page contains some statistics about the people who work for Nintendo of Japan, including their average age, salary, length of employment, and more.Nintendo of Japan employees more than 2,000 people, and their average age is 38.6. On average, a Nintendo of Japan employee makes $80,000 per year, and has worked at Nintendo for 13.5 years. Also notable is 7hrs, 45mins, which is the average length of a work day for a Nintendo of Japan employee.Not sure if new info but noticed this after the update on the Nintendo (NCL) recruitment page. Stats for Japan only-No of Employees - 2,271Avg age - 38.6Avg length of employment - 13.5 yrsAvg work day - 7hrs, 45minsAvg annual salary - $80,000https://t.co/e0qKxJzqAK pic.twitter.com/Z0LTFEQ6I4 — Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) March 1, 2019As mentioned, this information only pertains to Nintendo of Japan. The Mario maker has subsidiaries in other places around the world, including Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe, among other locations. Recruitment statistics do not appear to be available for those places.In other Nintendo corporate news, Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime recently announced that he is retiring in April."Thank you for your never-ending support, and for your passionate love of Nintendo. And personally, for giving me a Mushroom Kingdom full of incredible memories that I will never forget, ever.In another piece of news, the Nintendo Switch was released two years ago today, on March 3, 2017. The console has been a huge success; Nintendo has sold more than 32 million Switch units as of December 31, 2018, which is a massive improvement over the Wii U.Today marks two years of making memories with friends and family while gaming your way with #NintendoSwitch! What games are you playing today? #MyWayToPlay pic.twitter.com/IZFHpgu8bu — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) March 3, 2019 Info from Gamespot.com

Uncharted director Amy Henig was hired by EA to work on a new Star Wars game at Dead Space studio Visceral. It was an exciting proposition, but it wasn't meant to be. Visceral was closed and Hennig moved on. Now, Hennig is speaking about the matter.Asked to reflect on her time at EA and working on Star Wars, Hennig told VentureBeat that the game faced a number of challenges. Starting off, Visceral as a developer was "very expensive" to run in part because it was in the middle of the San Francisco Bay Area. "It's very hard to support compared to studios that cost a third of the price in places where there are tax credits. That's a hard sell. That was a constant drumbeat, feeling like you had to justify the existence of a Visceral," she said.Visceral's Star Wars title was to be a third-person "cinematic traversal action game," Hennig said, and this led to the next problem. Making that type of game using an engine built for FPS games--EA's Frostbite engine--was "a hurdle," she said."But we knew going in that that was the goal. We were going to put this functionality into Frostbite. A lot of the team was hired to do Battlefield, and so that was a bit of a cultural shift, to make this different kind of game," she said. "Normally you cache for the project you're making rather than trying to--it's hard to convert the people you have if that's not their type of game."The game was "very far" into development, Hennig said. Another challenge that came up was the game's shift in direction. Responding to market trends and player feedback, EA decided to "pivot" the design to make it a title that players could "come back to and enjoy for a long time to come," which suggested it was becoming more multiplayer-focused.Hennig, who has extensive expertise with single-player games like Uncharted, acknowledged that the game was trying to include "other modes and extensibility" to make the title more than a purely linear game, but it never worked out."I think that where EA is at right now, they're looking more at games as a service, the live service model. More open world stuff, trying to crack that nut, versus this more finite crafted experience," she explained. We were trying to make sure that we built in other modes and extensibility and all that stuff. But the fundamental spine of the thing was more like Uncharted than one of these open world, live service games. That's a big gap to cross."I don't know how you get from here to there. And then to try to push something that may not quite fit into the portfolio as it is today, and try to do it at this really expensive studio--it was a bit of an uphill battle. All of that stuff is publicly known."Hennig admitted that she understands EA's decision to go a different way."It was something we were struggling with the whole time. Does this make sense? Is this something EA really wants to do? I certainly regret the fact that there's a lot of good game there that I would love to see the light of day. A lot of people would. One never knows what might happen," she said.The Visceral Star Wars game was reportedly rebooted, with EA Vancouver put to work on the title. EA Vancouver supposedly used some of the assets from Visceral's game, but transitioned the title to become an open-world experience. This game was canceled in January.Also in the VentureBeat story, Hennig talked about how a game like the first Uncharted might not be made today, when multiplayer and online connectivity are so prevalent. "I don't think a game like the first Uncharted, even though it was the foundational footprint for that series, would be a viable pitch today. The idea of a finite eight-ish-hour experience that has no second modes, no online-- the only replayability was the fact that you could unlock cheats and stuff like that. No multiplayer, nothing. That doesn't fly anymore. Now you have to have a lot of hours of gameplay. Eight would never cut it. Usually some sort of online mode. And of course you see where things are pushing, toward live services and battle royale and games as a service."Incorporating these online elements "play less nicely with story," Hennig said. "They're less conducive to traditional storytelling. That has a shape and an arc and a destination, an end. A game that is a live service, that continues, does not."The entire VentureBeat interview is thoroughly fascinating and absolutely worth your time to read top to bottom. Go read it here.While Visceral/EA Vancouver's Star Wars game may no longer be happening, EA is reportedly working on a smaller-scale Star Wars title that can be released sooner. Additionally, Apex Legends developer Respawn is working on a third-person Star Wars action game called Jedi: Fallen Order; it'll be revealed in April.Info from Gamespot.com

In one of the biggest contracts in sports history, slugger Bryce Harper today signed a 13-year, $330 million contract with the MLB's Philadelphia Phillies. Harper was previously announced as the cover star of Sony's MLB The Show 19, but because he was a free agent then, the cover was only a placeholder that showed Harper in a nondescript hoodie. Now that he's signed his record-breaking deal, Sony has released the official cover art showing Harper in his Phillies garb.Breaking News: Harper, Phillies reach agreement:https://t.co/fCHLTdfb4J pic.twitter.com/PCYVTx5j2u — MLB The Show (@MLBTheShow) February 28, 2019Harper's deal, which has yet to be officially confirmed by the Phillies and is pending a physical, also includes a no-trade clause and no opt-out clause, so we could continue to see Harper playing for the Phillies until 2031. In the deal, Harper makes an average of $24.4 million per season. While massive, it doesn't even crack the top ten of the MLB's highest annual salary list.Under his new contract, Harper will make more than $150,000 per game and almost $45,000 every time he steps to the plate, according to numbers crunched by Darren Rovell.The Bryce Breakdown... pic.twitter.com/jfrjpDW4Kh — Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 28, 2019Harper spent his entire professional career as the right fielder for the Washington Nationals before signing with the Phillies today. The new cover for MLB The Show 19 with Harper in a Phillies uniform is just fine, but his beard looks weird.An #MLBTheShow exclusive! @BHarper3407 chose his colors with the @Phillies, now choose yours: https://t.co/c1vYWCZuaW pic.twitter.com/H5DxWMy7Cc — MLB The Show (@MLBTheShow) February 28, 2019MLB The Show 19, which launches on March 26, will be available in a Standard Edition ($60 USD) and a Gone Yard Edition ($100) that is exclusive to GameStop and EB Games. It comes with a New Era baseball snap back cap, a copy of the game, in-game extras, and more. A $100 Digital Deluxe edition will also be available; some of its extras include an allotment of Stubs, custom avatars, and more. An MVP Edition ($70), meanwhile, includes a series of digital extras and a steelbook case if you're picking up the physical edition. Everyone who pre-orders any edition of MLB The Show 19 gets extra in-game digital content.Info from Gamespot.com

Apex Legends is full of little tricks the game doesn't tell you about--so much so that we compiled them into a guide. Even with a full rundown of things you should know that aren't super obvious, there are lots of best practices that experienced and effective Apex Legends players know about that are easy for others to miss. One such thing everybody should know about is the way to extend your glide distance during jumps at the start of Apex Legends matches, something often referred to as "wave gliding."If you're not already using wave gliding, you absolutely should be. It's a trick that can help you extend your jumps by a few hundred meters, and make it possible to reach almost any area on the map from the drop ship. The trick is to balance the speed of your descent with the distance you want to cover: dropping at either too steep an angle or too gradual of one will keep you from getting those really long distances.Wave gliding gets its name from the technique of alternating between gliding as far as you can and diving toward the ground below. When you glide basically flat toward your destination, the friction reduces your speed--which means your total glide distance is reduced as well. You can pick up more speed by diving, and while you lose a little distance because of the steep incline, you get more back from increasing your speed when you flatten out.The good news is that balancing the dives and glides is pretty easy thanks to Apex Legends' HUD while dropping. On the left side of the screen, you'll see numbers that indicate your speed. Diving increases your speed significantly. The trick is to dive until your speed hits about 145, then level off and ride the burst until it falls to around 135. Dive again, pick up more speed, then level off again.Using the wave glide technique is very useful for getting to those tough-to-reach places like Relay or Slum Lakes, and getting to those distant locations is a great way to get some high-quality loot while being less likely to run into other players before you're ready. If you want to avoid conflict right out of the gate and get to your preferred jump locations, this is the way to do it.Check out our other guides for tips that can help you win in Apex Legends, including a list of myths we've busted, a rundown of the guns you should grab when you land, and info about how best to use all the characters.Info from Gamespot.com

BioWare has released a new update for Anthem, its multiplayer-focused action RPG. The update addresses tethering issues that occurred when playing with others by increasing the time available to catch up to teammates. [Update: In addition to this update, BioWare has also rolled out hotfixes that reduce Masterwork crafting costs and removes the possibility of getting inscriptions that are useless for the item in question. The latter change doesn't change any existing items and will only affect loot drops received after the hot fix rolled out on Thursday. You can see the complete patch notes for these hot fixes and the tethering update below.]The tethering system keeps you from wandering too far away from your team and focused on completing the selected mission at hand. If you don't keep up with your teammates, a message will pop up that informs you that you will be teleported to your allies unless you return to the mission area. After Anthem launched, players complained the system wasn't forgiving enough and didn't provide an adequate amount of time for anyone to catch up to their teammates before being subjected to a loading screen--which also occasionally caused them to lose out on crucial in-game dialogue or cutscenes.The new update also implements changes to Strongholds. In the Swarm Tyrant encounter in the Tyrant Mine Stronghold, you and your squad will no longer be able to reset the battle by exiting to the main menu and rejoining the session. Also, you will no longer be able to reopen chests that have already been looted in Strongholds. For the full patch notes on the update, you can check out BioWare's post on Reddit.BioWare has another update planned for Anthem that is scheduled to launch either sometime tonight or tomorrow, March 1. This next update will affect loot in Anthem. Specifically, uncommon and common weapons and abilities no longer appear from level 30 drop tables, and crafting requirements for masterwork items and embers has decreased. Inscriptions on all masterwork items will also now exclusively apply to the weapon or ability it amplifies. So, for example, a masterwork pistol will only be inscribed with a special ability that amplifies pistols, and not shotguns or assault rifles. This update will only apply to new items that you find or craft however, so all weapons and abilities you've previously collected will not be affected.If you're still on the fence about picking up Anthem, be sure to check out our review of the game. If you're already playing, we have guides to help you out, which are outlined below.Anthem GuidesAnthem Is Best Played Solo, Sort OfEssential Tips To Know Before Starting AnthemThe Most Important Thing That Anthem Doesn't Tell YouCombo Guide: Best Tips For Javelin Detonators, Primers, And Special AbilitiesAnthem is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.Anthem February 28 Update Patch NotesThe tethering timer for missions has been increased. Players should now have more time to catch up to their Squad before seeing a countdown timer.The Swarm Tyrant encounter in the Tyrant Mine Stronghold can no longer be reset by the entire Squad exiting to the main menu and rejoining the session in progress.Players are no longer able to reopen chests that had already been looted in Strongholds.In addition to the above updates we have deployed the following hot fixes:Items will no longer have inscriptions on them that are not appropriate for that specific item. NOTE: This only applies to items obtained after the patch. Items obtained prior to the patch will still have the same inscriptions they had before.Masterwork crafting costs have been reduced from 25 -> 15 Masterwork Embers. The amount of plants, metal and parts required for crafting a Masterwork item have also been reduced.Info from Gamespot.com

Pokemon Sword and Shield were revealed this week as the next Pokemon games for Nintendo Switch. However, it seems the games were teased in 2018--just nobody noticed at the time.Pokemon director Junichi Masuda tweeted an image of himself back in October holding everyday objects posing as a sword and shield. Of course, it was unlikely anyone could have figured out at the time he was referring to the new Pokemon games, but it's still amusing to look back on this now-obvious clue.欧州任天堂で遊ぶ人(笑)#NintendoOfEurope #フランクフルト #リンク pic.twitter.com/aaudIhEg0t — 増田順一@GAME FREAK inc. (@Junichi_Masuda) October 5, 2018Pokemon Sword and Shield are to be released in "late 2019." The games are set in a new region named Galar, which looks to be similar in appearance to Britain. The three starter creatures were shown off in Nintendo's Pokemon Direct presentation; they are a grass monkey named Grookey, a fire bunny named Scorbunny, and a sad water lizard, Sobble. Gameplay was shown in the Direct but was not detailed extensively, though it seems like the new games will bring back random encounters, among other things. We've rounded up the big takeaways from what we've seen so far to help you get a handle on what to expect.For more on the generation eight Pokemon games, check out our thoughts on the strange symbols seen in the trailer. Alternatively, take a look at our list of all the Pokemon seen in Sword and Shield so far.Info from Gamespot.com

The second trailer for Hellboy is here. The movie is a reboot of Guillermo Del Toro's action fantasy series, based on Mike Mignola's comic books. Stranger Things star David Harbour plays the titular demonic hero, and the movie hits theaters in April.December's first trailer suggested that the film would be more comedic than many fans were expecting, but this new Red Band promo delivers the dark, violent goods. It's packed with gore, bad language, and apocalyptic action, and also reveals Milla Jovovich's evil Blood Queen for the first time. Which isn't to say it's not funny too--this Hellboy is still a wise-cracking badass. Check it out above.Hellboy releases on April 12, 2019. It also stars Ian McShane as Professor Broom, Sasha Lane as Alice Monaghan, and Daniel Dae Kim as Ben Daimo. Marshall is best known for his work on Game of Thrones and the recent Netflix show Lost in Space, plus movies like Doomsday and The Descent.In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Harbour explained that the movie isn't an origin story--as when the film starts, Hellboy is already working for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Development. "It's not an origin story, but it's his coming to terms with where he came from," he said. "He's been Hellboy for a long time, but there's a new turn of events at the start of the film, where people start to bring up the fact that he might bring about the end of the world, and it's really the first time he's heard anything like that. The question that comes up in the movie is where does he really belong?"Info from Gamespot.com

Dead or Alive 6's release date has finally arrived, and the fighting game is available now for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. All the talk in the lead up to launch was about how developer Team Ninja was toning down the series' traditional oversexualized look to help ease newcomers in to the franchise. But has Team Ninja followed up on that claim and, crucially, is the game any good?GameSpot's Dead or Alive 6 review-in-progress says it's a mixed bag but ultimately a good choice for those looking to get into fighting games. To help you get a wider view of critical opinion, we've roundup up a bunch of reviews for you below. You can also check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic for the full picture on Dead or Alive 6's critical reception.Game: Dead or Alive 6Developer / Publisher: Team Ninja / Koei TecmoRelease date: out nowPlatforms: PS4, Xbox One, PCPrice: $60 / £55 / AU $100GameSpot -- 7/10 (Review-In-Progress)"DoA6 is a fun, engaging fighter with great-feeling, easy-to-pick-up combat, a strong sense of visual style, and a lot of personality. If you're looking for a new fighting game to learn the ins and outs of--or perhaps a nice entry into the 3D side of fighting games--DoA6 is a fighter of choice." -- Heidi Kemps [Full review]Eurogamer -- No Score"Accessibility and tutorials cannot compensate for what is, ultimately, a fighting game that feels out of the loop and out of time. Dead or Alive 6 won't make a dent on the competitive fighting game community, and I can't see it expanding its modest fanbase, either. I can't help but struggle to understand those who get horny from this game when the internet in all its glory is a mobile phone tap away. I mean, there's sexier stuff made out of Source Filmmaker - probably involving the Dead or Alive girls - than is in this game. Dead or Alive 6 stumbles into 2019 like a drunken uncle staggers onto the dancefloor at a wedding: past it and likely to embarrass." -- Wesley Yin-Poole [Full review]IGN -- 8.0/10 (Review-In-Progress)"Dead or Alive 6 makes a strong case for the franchise's fundamental combat by making it easier to understand what sets it apart from other fighters, other than its infamous 'jiggle physics.' The story campaign is disjointed but it and the other training modes serve as effective instruction for getting new players up to speed for online combat quickly, and the new Break Hold and Break Blow moves give you a way out even when you seem locked into an endless juggle of doom." -- Mike Epstein [Full review]Trusted Reviews -- 3.5/5"Dead or Alive 6 is an enjoyable fighter, with a lot going for it. Koei Tecmo has looked back on the series' somewhat juvenile history and decided it’s time to grow up. Well, sort of. Sexualised fan-service is still here if you're willing to dig for it, and some of the character designs might rub you the wrong way, but it's far from a deal-breaker and no longer defines what DOA is all about. A robust combat system, plentiful characters and a meaningful progression system combine to create a worthwhile fighter that I'd recommend checking out. It certainly isn't the finest the genre has to offer, but it does more than enough to stand out." -- Jade King [Full review]US Gamer -- 3/5"Dead or Alive 6 carries much of the franchise's risque DNA, but shows a bit more initial restraint. The more revealing costumes are unlockable and the jiggle physics tend towards a bit more realism now. Combat remains accessible, but new moves like the Break Blow and evasion add new layers for DOA vets. Dead or Alive 6 could use a little more graphical polish and its netcode needs to be better, but it's a pretty good fighter all around." -- Mike Williams [Full review]Info from Gamespot.com