A new Fortnite update is set to introduce a new vehicle to the game--and it looks pretty wild. It's named The Baller, and it looks like the sort of thing a hamster would ride around in. [Update: Assuming that the new vehicle arrives as part of this week's patch, you can look for that on Tuesday. Epic has confirmed the release timing for update 8.10; downtime for its rollout will begin at 2 AM PT / 5 AM ET / 9 AM GMT on Tuesday, March 12. The company did not say exactly what will be included, but typically we see whatever is being teased through the News feed added.]The vehicle will come to PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile "soon," though we don't precisely know when; based on past teases, though, we can likely expect it as part of this week's patch. Details about The Baller are scarce at present--we don't know what kind of weaponry it will possess, for example, though it does appear to have a cannon of some description.It seems the vehicle itself might be a weapon, based on the short description shared through Fortnite's in-game News feed. It states, "Roll through the competition with the newest vehicle, The Baller!"Fortnite's Season 8 started just recently, introducing new skins and other cosmetics. A subsequent update has also introduced buried treasure maps. The new vehicle doesn't exactly fit in with the current season's pirate theme, although Epic tends to release a wide variety of skins and items, regardless of the general theme.Week 2 challenges for Fortnite Season 8 are now available. Among the trickiest of the season so far are those that task players with visiting the new Pirate Camps and finding a giant face in the desert, jungle, and snow. You can see the complete list of this season's objectives in our full Season 8 challenges guide.Info from Gamespot.com

Escape rooms seem to be all the rage, but what if the room you were "trapped" in was more than a typical puzzle box of clues and mysteries? What if it was actively trying to kill you? That's the plot to the Sony Pictures movie Escape Room, which will be available digitally on April 9 and on Blu-ray and DVD on April 23.Bonus materials will be available with both digital and physical copies of the movie upon release, which include deleted and alternate scenes. One of these deleted scenes is titled "Gaslight," which you can see for yourself above before it's released.In the scene, the police pull up to the building with Zoey Davis (Taylor Russell). The police get off an elevator and investigate the area where the deadly escape room once was. However, upon entering, Zoey sees that everything that was once in the room was completely stripped away. The escape room is nothing more than concrete walls with graffiti on them, leaving Zoey to defend her own sanity to the officers.In addition to the deleted scenes, there are four featurettes where director Adam Robitel and the cast discuss how the movie came together and how the actual Escape Room was built, without using any green screen magic and relying entirely on practical effects. Below, you'll find everything included in the bonus materials for the digital and physical copies of the movies.Escape Room bonus materials:Alternate Ending and openingDeleted Scenes:Ben Liquor StoreJason MotorcycleMirror FlashbackJason OfficeTechnician and ZoeyGaslightFeaturettes:“Games, Set, Match”“The Lone Survivors”“Would You Ever Part 1 & 2”Escape Room comes out digitally on April 9 and physically on April 23.Info from Gamespot.com

Halo Infinite appears primed to get its big debut at E3 2019, but it may be a very different kind of game. Comments from Kiki Wolfkill, the head of Halo trans-media at 343, has added more reason to believe that the studio is imagining this as an ongoing game or live service."We have to be able to change content quickly," Wolfkill said at Fortune's Brainstorm Design conference. "We can't afford to wait three years every time we drop a new product and have it be a black box because the games kids are playing are changing every week."The reference to a three-year development cycle as outdated, paired with the title of Halo Infinite itself, would seem to suggest that Microsoft and 343 are planning this entry as an ongoing game of some sort. That would also make sense alongside her reference of games that kids are playing currently. It sounds like a reference to games like Fortnite, which issues regular challenge updates and new equipment between its large seasonal updates.Wolfkill also referenced "having a set of rules that people can engage with and buy into for years to come."As the head of of trans-media, Wolfkill's focus is how to tell different kinds of Halo stories across a variety of media. That means she may not be directly involved in game development, but she probably is planning other media and storytelling that takes advantage of the story established in Halo Infinite. That could mean we see stories regularly updating in the game and continuing through other media, or criss-crossing through both.The studio recently had to respond to concerns about microtransactions, following a job posting. It has also specified that it will not have paid loot boxes.This news comes as Halo head of franchise development Frank O'Connor has recently confirmed that Halo Infinite will hit PC and Xbox One, rather than wait for the next generation of consoles. And given the popularity of battle royale, we've seen a good deal of speculation about Halo adopting the play format--though 343 is staying mum on the subject.Info from Gamespot.com

After a teaser trailer late last year, Pokemon Go developer Niantic has revealed more about its next AR game, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Co-developed by WB Games under the Portkey Games label, Wizards Unite takes Pokemon Go's foundation and puts a wizarding world spin on it. But where Pokemon Go is largely about collecting, Wizards Unite is focused on immersing you in its world, from a voice-acted story to involved RPG-like skill trees.We recently went to Niantic's San Francisco office to learn more about Wizards Unite, which included a hands-on demo of the game. The Pokemon Go parallels are front and center; instead of PokeStops, for example, Wizards Unite has greenhouses and inns where you can get various items. The map works the same way, but to fit the theme, crooked buildings dot the map as owls fly overhead. It also includes some of the quality-of-life features that Pokemon Go got over time: AR Plus, a photo mode, and at least the promise of better battery life optimization.Because this is Harry Potter, though, there's a hefty story behind all of this, and that's where the differences begin. Wizards Unite is set in the present day, many years after the events of The Deathly Hallows, and centers around a "calamity" that has put the wizarding world at risk. In short, everything important to the wizarding world has been scattered, and--in accordance with the International Statute of Secrecy, a law designed to protect the wizarding world from Muggles--you are recruited to the Statute of Secrecy Task Force to keep the secrets of magic contained.In practice, this means going out and finding traces of magic in order to contain them. In true Harry Potter fashion, they have cute names: Foundables are the scattered items, and Confoundables are whatever is trapping a Foundable and putting it in danger. You tap the traces like you would a Pokemon and enter an AR-optional encounter; we saw Harry Potter (the Foundable) being targeted by a dementor (the Confoundable), Harry's Nimbus trapped in ice, and Buckbeak the hippogriff in chains, for example. In order to free them, you have to trace a glyph on the screen to cast the appropriate spell.Spells also come into play in combat, which really sets Wizards Unite apart from Pokemon Go. Combat isn't complicated, but it is involved. Attacks are turn-based but on timers, so you need to trace your offensive or defensive spells quickly and accurately to do the most damage and keep yourself healthy. You can find traces around the world that lead to these fights, but there are also dungeon-like "fortresses" where groups of up to five can take on harder combat challenges against all manner of dark wizards or creatures for various rewards (though what those rewards are isn't set in stone yet).Spells and combat are really just scratching the surface. In many ways, Wizards Unite is more like a typical RPG than like Pokemon Go. You brew potions using ingredients you find as you walk around, which vary based on location, weather, time of day, and even lunar phase. You listen to voice-acted characters--both existing and new, though the existing ones are voiced by soundalikes--give you story details and tips. You collect parts of a much larger, long-term story as you play. You swap between professions, like Auror or Professor, and level up within each one's lengthy skill tree to improve things like your spellcasting ability. You place Portkeys to turn wherever you are into a wizarding world location for a short amount of time, using the AR features to view places like Ollivanders in 360 degrees.Everything that Wizards Unite has going on is overwhelming to list out on paper, but in practice it was actually not too hard to follow. In the short demo we played, we managed to see bits and pieces of everything. For Harry Potter fans, at least, it isn't too difficult to understand what's happening, despite how much is going on. But whether this makes Wizards Unite the kind of game you open up every time you walk somewhere--to the point that you walk more so you can play--remains to be seen.Harry Potter: Wizards Unite launches later in 2019. Pre-registration is now available for some.Info from Gamespot.com

It's been known for a long time that the upcoming eighth season of Game of Thrones will be much shorter than previous ones, comprising only six episodes. There was some suggestion that each episode would be extra long, possibly movie-length. We now have confirmation on the running times for Episodes 1 and 2, and it seems that both will be of regular duration.The running times were revealed on HBO's schedule, and were spotted by fan site Winter is Coming. Episode 1, which premieres on April 14, will be 54 minutes, while Episode 2 the following week is 58 minutes. Game of Thrones' episode lengths always vary, but these are very much in line with the sub-60 minute running time of previous seasons.However, fans expecting some epic-length episodes shouldn't be too disappointed. There's every reason to expect that the remaining four episode will be much longer. In January, Entertainment Weekly reported on a leaked report from a TV conference in France. The report stated that while Episode 1 and 2 would be around 60 minutes each, the next four will be approximately 80.In any case, expectations are high for Season 8. Last week, the full trailer for the season was released, which focused on setting up the the epic battle against the Night King and his army of the dead at Winterfell.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

Doom has already had a big-screen adaptation, starring none other than Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. That 2005 movie was panned and essentially disavowed by Johnson, but now another movie is on the way: Doom Annihilation.This film is not destined for the multiplex, though. It's a direct-to-video movie, not connected to the other film, written and directed by Tony Giglio (who was also behind the direct-to-video movie S.W.A.T.: Under Siege). It follows the lore of Doom relatively closely, as a group of Marines respond to a distress call from a Martian moon base, only to discover it crawling with demons. Chaos ensues.It's a concept that lends itself to camp. Check out the brief teaser-trailer below for a look at the marines, a demon or two, and some hellish dialogue.It's worth noting that Bethesda and its parent company ZeniMax, which is currently at work on the upcoming Doom Eternal, don't hold any film rights to the franchise. The official Doom account tweeted that it is not involved.We're not involved with the movie. https://t.co/Du3wHSHk44 — DOOM (@DOOM) March 11, 2019That makes Doom Annihilation separate from the story of the 2015 Doom reboot and the upcoming Doom Eternal. For more, check out 25 years of Doom.Info from Gamespot.com

After months of silence, Niantic and Warner Bros. have revealed some new details on their upcoming Harry Potter mobile game, Wizards Unite. The title is scheduled to launch for Android and iOS devices later this year, but some prospective wizards are able to sign up for it right now.Pre-registration for Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is now open for Android users on Google Play, giving those who are interested in the title a chance to sign-up and potentially receive early access. Pre-registration is not yet available on the App Store, but the developers tell iOS players to "stay tuned for more updates" on that front.Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is a Pokemon Go-like take on J.K. Rowling's beloved series. As a member of Statute of Secrecy Task Force, players must explore the real world and locate Foundables--important people and items in the wizarding world--and dispel the Confoundable magic that's trapping them.While the basic premise of Wizards Unite is similar to Pokemon Go, there are numerous elements that set it apart from Niantic's hit Pokemon game. As we learned during our recent hands-on session with the title, Wizards Unite bears many similarities to a traditional RPG. The game places a bigger emphasis on story, with voice-acted characters, and features RPG elements like skill trees and potion brewing.Niantic and Warner Bros. still haven't announced a release date for Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. The game was originally scheduled to launch in 2018 but was delayed into this year. You can read more about the title on the official Harry Potter: Wizards Unite website.Info from Gamespot.com

WWE's Fastlane is a bit of a troublesome PPV. The show is limited in what it can do, since the biggest wrestling event of the year, Wrestlemania, is right around the corner. However, no matter what the results for the show were, Fastlane had a few important moments you know before heading into this week's WWE programming.We're taking a look at the PPV as a whole and getting down to the nitty gritty of what really matters. If you're looking for something a bit more in-depth, we have a full review of every match from Fastlane for you to check out as well. Here's what you need to know about Fastlane.The World's Greatest Tag Team Is No MoreAfter The Usos defeated Shane McMahon and The Miz in a battle for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship, the two celebrated at ringside with Miz's ever-present father. However, Shane turned on the Miz, beating him up and putting him in a choke. Shane also got in the face of Miz's father, grabbing his head. It's safe to say that this tag team is done, and Shane will face Miz at Wrestlemania.Full review of the matchThe Shield Is BackThe Shield reunion against Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, and Baron Corbin was a greatest hits match, and an incredible amount of fun. Storywise, nothing really remarkable happened here though. The good guys beat up the bad guys. However, the team is super-over with the WWE Universe, so we can expect this team to have a big match at Wrestlemania, even though Dean Ambrose is still allegedly leaving the company in April.Full review of the matchA Wild Ronda Rousey AppearsBecky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair wasn't much of an actual match. Lynch was hopping around on a bum leg, and Flair spent most of the almost nine minute match taunting her. However, Ronda Rousey ran down to the ring and punched Lynch in the face, giving The Man the win by DQ. So now, Lynch has been added to the Raw Women's Championship match at Wrestlemania, and it will be a triple threat. You can expect to learn more about this development on the March 11 episode of Raw.Full review of the matchKofi Kingston's Wild RideThe Kofi Kingston story is becoming a mess. We learned during the Kickoff Show that Vince McMahon wanted to talk to Kingston. During the main card, it was revealed that McMahon was going to put Kingston in the WWE Championship match, and it would become a triple threat. Here is where things get weird. Kingston got to the ring, and then it was revealed it was going to be a handicap match against The Bar. Obviously, Kingston was decimated, but it got even weirder later on when the WWE Championship match was about to begin. It was still a triple threat match, but Kingston wasn't involved. Mustafa Ali was revealed to be the third competitor. We're positive Kingston will still be in the Wrestlemania match, but with Kevin Owens and Mustafa Ali in the mix now, and McMahon doing anything he can to screw up Kingston's momentum. Who knows?Full review of the handicap matchFull review of the WWE Championship matchInfo from Gamespot.com

The start of a new week means we'll have a brand-new batch of game deals at Best Buy--but this isn't just any old week. Sunday, March 10--also known as Mario Day--kicked off a week of celebration for Nintendo's lovable mustached plumber, and as a result, several retailers are running major discounts on Mario games all week. That includes Best Buy, where you can save 50% on a select Mario game when you buy a Nintendo Switch. Best Buy has four games left to choose from as part of this deal: Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Tennis Aces, and Super Mario Party. This deal is only available through Saturday while supplies last, so if you've been planning to buy a Switch, now's a good time to pick one up.For those who already own a Switch, you can still get Mario games at a discount this week. Like other retailers, Best Buy is selling digital downloads for various Mario games for just $40; however, the codes seem to be unavailable as of this time. We'll update this post if that changes.Don't worry, it's not all about Mario this week; in fact, quite a few big games are on sale at Best Buy right now. Red Dead fans will be pleased to see that Red Dead Redemption: Game of the Year Edition is just $10, and Red Dead Redemption II is still marked down to $40. Meanwhile, Borderlands: The Handsome Collection is on sale for $15, BioShock: The Collection is down to $20, and Just Cause 4: Day 1 Edition is selling for just $40. Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Online Edition is available for just $20, and Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience is just $15.See our full list of picks from this week's Best Buy game sale below, and browse the full catalog of options on Best Buy's website. As always, these deals are available now through Saturday, March 16.Shop Best Buy's weekly game deals:BioShock: The Collection -- $20 (PS4, Xbox One)Borderlands: The Handsome Collection -- $15 (PS4, Xbox One)FIFA 19 -- $30 (PS4, Xbox One)Fire Emblem Warriors -- $45 (Switch)For Honor: Marching Fire Edition -- $20 (PS4, Xbox One)Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Online Edition -- $20 (PS4, Xbox One)Just Cause 4: Day 1 Edition -- $40 (PS4, Xbox One)Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience -- $15 (PS4)Nintendo Switch With 50% Off One Mario Game -- $330Red Dead Redemption: Game of the Year Edition -- $10 (Xbox One/Xbox 360)Red Dead Redemption II -- $40 (PS4, Xbox One)Tom Clancy's The Division -- $20 (PS4, Xbox One)The Sims 4 Plus Cats and Dogs Bundle -- $30 (PS4)Star Wars Battlefront -- $15 (PS4)Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido -- $40 (Switch) Info from Gamespot.com

For a brief period on Friday, March 8, a bug in Anthem was causing players to receive above average amounts of Masterwork and Legendary items. However, the issue was quickly rectified with a rather large update, Patch 1.0.3, which reinstated Anthem's grind. As you can probably surmise, Anthem's playerbase is not happy about the bug being patched.According to Kotaku, when the bug was first discovered, players went to Reddit to ask BioWare to keep the changes in the game. The bug might have stuck around for a bit longer too, but Patch 1.0.3--which was originally scheduled to go live March 9--surprisingly went up a day early. "We're dropping the new [Anthem] patch ahead of schedule so you can all benefit from the updates and fixes, including improved stability on all platforms," EA said in a tweet. And unfortunately for those who were enjoying the increased drop rate for Masterwork and Legendary items, the update just happened to patch the bug as well.Patch 1.0.3 was not created to address the bug, though, and actually fixes many notable problems in Anthem. The update removes respawn restrictions in the game, allowing you to return to the fight in Critical Path, Agents, and non-end game missions after 10 seconds, and to Legendary contracts and other end game missions after 30 seconds. Common and Uncommon items drops also no longer appear for players who are level 30. Audio improvements have been implemented as well, which should fix instances where the game's audio randomly cuts out completely. Patch 1.0.3 improves stability across all platforms too--designed to address any possible console crashing issues like the one that was plaguing PS4.Neither BioWare nor EA have followed up on whether the loot drop rate will again be increased to the same level as it was on March 8. The full patch notes for Anthem's most recent update can be found on EA's website. The highlights are outlined below.Anthem 1.0.3 Patch NotesGeneral Fixes and ImprovementsFixed a number of issues that were blocking players from accessing the ForgeAll missions should now properly end when all conditions have been metThe inbox now properly displays information on PC (the inbox is found in the newsfeed)Fixed an issue that would cause players to be unable to interact with NPCs in Fort TarsisThe vault is no longer accessible from the Forge. This change was made to improve performanceFixed an issue that would cause the game to hang when entering menus while on an expeditionTitans will no longer respawn on missions after they are defeated. Example: if players defeat 2 out of 3 titans and then wipe on the third, the first two will not reappear when players respawn during a missionServer shutdown messages should now appear less oftenThe ability to Quickplay into a Stronghold has been added back to the gameMouse button 4 is no longer bound to the back button for PC playersCrashes that occurred while selecting certain conversation options when interacting with an NPC have been fixedPlayers should no longer get stuck at the end of the Tomb of General Tarsis missionPlayers should now run into less issues during Quickplay missions. Additional improvements to Quickplay will be coming in future updatesPlayers should no longer get stuck behind fogwalls on missions or in strongholds as oftenPlayers should now receive credit for the There Be Giants challenge when they are downed and when the event is activeImproved the audio when defeating creatures to provide better feedbackChanged wording for server shutdown messaging to better indicate that it is just the players server shutting down, not the entire game serverPlayers may now launch an expedition from anywhere within the launch bay and Fort Tarsis.PS4 led lights will now change based on the javelin being usedIt should now be harder for players to get stun locked by certain enemy compositionsThe values on max flight time inscriptions have been increasedThe appearance of the N7 vinyl on Legion of Dawn armor has been improvedHaluk will now properly face players during certain dialogue scenesThe message "Open the Cortex to track the legionnaire Challenges" will no longer pop up after completing the appropriate challengesStrongholdsThe quality of loot from Stronghold chests has been improved, no more common and uncommon dropsFixed an issue that would cause players to get stuck at the entrance to the sewers in the Temple of the Scar StrongholdCreature UpdatesTitans: We have made several balance changes to all variations of Titans Reduced overall damage mitigation from 100% to between 70% and 75% depending on the damage type.Increased the time that weakpoints are exposed.Fixed an issue that prevented effects from applying and thus preventing combos.Increased the damage the Titan takes from weakpoint hits.Lesser Titan's weakpoint's have been changed to always be active.Improved the collision on the ring and seeking projectile attacks. This should make them easier to dodge.Decreased the radius of the seeking projectile attack.Decreased the damage done by the self-destruct ability.Frozen Scar Enforcers and Scrappers can no longer move or attack while frozenThe Monitor's health has been greatly reduced in the Heart of Rage Stronghold.Force Players will be less likely to be repeatedly staggered by heavy attacks.Adjusted the force applied by some creature attacks down which will lower the frequency of player’s being staggered.Damage and Item Scaling ChangesAdjusted the damage scaling of secondary damage sources. These now scale with Average Item Power. This will allow these damage sources to better scale in the Grandmaster Difficulties. This will increase the scaling of the following: Melee DamageCombo DamageUltimate DamageStatus EffectsItem Procs (e.g. Proc from Yvenia’s Thunder)Item Power scaling has changed to better reflect the actual power of the item based on its rarity. This is applied to all items retroactively. Players will see the Power of their items go up.Gameplay Bug FixesThe Ultimate ability bar will no longer appear full at the start of a mission when it isn’t actually fullWeapon recoil will now stop once an exo is looking straight upFixed a number of animation issues that could occur when the Colossus was using its shield.It should no longer be possible for the Interceptor to become Frozen while starting up their ultimateInterceptor Aura damage will now deal the correct type of damage based on the active auraPlayers can no longer equip abilities from one javelin to anotherThe Colossus can now use gear faster after being attacked by a heavy hit from enemiesThe Colossus can now shield charge through destructible objects such as explosive canisters or harvest nodesThe Colossus now recovers faster after crashing into wallsItem Balance UpdatesIncreased the base health of Wind Wall and Bulwark Point to provide better scaling in higher difficulties. The duration of these has been reduced to 20 seconds, down from 60 secondsBurst Mortar’s damage has been increased to 300, up from 145 and its cooldown has been reduced to 6 seconds, down from 10 seconds. Its description has also been fixed.Flak Cannon’s damage has been increased to 42, up from 30Battle Cry’s description has been updated to explain that it also reduces the resistances of affected targetsWraith Strike’s damage has been increased to 250, up from 200 and it will now apply elemental effect to targets based on the active aura Note: Description text for Wraith Strike will be updated in 1.0.4.Item Bug FixesWind Wall should no longer block or interfere with other player abilitiesRanger Grenadier Component will now correctly lower the cooldown of grenade abilitiesFixed an issue where certain weapons were not firing where the crosshairs were aimedThe Ice Blast ability for the Storm javelin now has the primer icon correctly displayedInscription Bug FixesThe Thruster Delay Recovery Inscription is now correctly applying a bonusThe Overheat Delay Recovery Inscription is now correctly applying a bonusThe Weapon Reload Bonus Inscription is now correctly applying a bonus Note: These will have non-updated text values until the next patch (1.0.4)Masterwork Item Balance UpdatesIncreased the base damage of the following Masterwork Weapons. Ralner's BlazeRolling CarnageCycle of PainThe Last StandGlorious ResultInsult and InjurySentinel VengeanceGnosta's BalmVassa's SurpriseSoothing TouchRenewed CourageArtinia's GambitMasterwork Item Bug FixesRalner's Blaze - Will no longer roll with incorrect inscriptionsAblative Shielding now provides the proper boost in shield and armorBadge of Devastation will now generate more ultimate charge when triggeredIt should no longer be possible to stack the effect from Gunslinger's Mark more than onceInfo from Gamespot.com

Epic has been the target of numerous lawsuits recently over its massively popular battle royale game, Fortnite. Last year, Backpack Kid, rapper 2 Milly, and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Alfonso Ribeiro all filed suits against the company alleging it stole their signature dance moves for the game's emotes, and now all three plaintiffs have dropped their claims--at least, temporarily.According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ribeiro has dropped his suit against Epic after the US Supreme Court unanimously decided that a person cannot file a copyright infringement claim until the US Copyright Office has granted or rejected a copyright application.Ribeiro attempted to copyright his famous Carlton dance after first bringing a suit against Epic back in December. However, the US Copyright Office declined to grant him one back in February because it was "a simple routine that is not registrable as a choreographic work."2 Milly, Backpack Kid, and "Orange Shirt Kid" all likewise dropped their suits against the company, although these dismals were similarly for "procedural" reasons. Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht, the firm that represents the plaintiffs, told THR, "We will continue to vigorously fight for our clients' rights against those who wrongly take their creations without permission and without compensation."Last month, Epic released a memorandum seeking to dismiss at least 2 Milly's lawsuit on the grounds that "no one can own a dance step." Epic's letter stated, "Copyright law is clear that individual dance steps and simple dance routines are not protected by copyright."Despite its ongoing litigation, Epic hasn't slowed down its content updates for Fortnite. The developer recently released the game's 8.01 update, which introduced new Buried Treasure maps, and it appears a strange new type of vehicle is coming to the game this week.Info from Gamespot.com

Valve has laid off a number of designers from its Artifact team, including Skaff Elias and lead designer Richard Garfield. Both were considered contractors under their consulting firm Three Donkeys. In an email exchange with Artifact fan site Artibuff, Garfield said the decision made sense."We weren't surprised by the layoff considering how rocky the launch was, the team was enthusiastic about the game and were confident that they had a good product but it became clear it wasn't going to be easy to get the game to where we wanted it," he said. "The layoff makes sense for a number of reasons."Garfield said that now that the game has released, a smaller team may be able to respond to feedback more nimbly, and the expertise from his own consulting firm is less valuable after having already been on the project for so long. But, he also said both he and Skaff have offered to continue giving feedback as the game goes forward."We enjoyed working with Valve and I was impressed with their relentless focus on the quality of the game and experience being offered to the player," he said.These layoffs do not necessarily mean that Valve's outlook for Artifact has changed in any significant way. Garfield's contracting company was brought on for its expertise in making collectible card games, as he's also the creator of the extremely popular Magic: The Gathering card game. Since the game is now released, Valve may have simply felt that he fulfilled his role. Still, Garfield openly mentioning the game's rocky launch, paired with its relatively low player count, could mean trouble for the game. GameSpot has contacted Valve, but has not received comment as of time of publishing.Artifact was conceptualized as a CCG set in the Dota 2 universe, so it borrows mechanics from that genre including distinct lanes of battle. Our review praised its unique take on card game mechanics, while warning that its pricing structure might turn off some players."Artifact is a capable reimagining of modern trading card games," critic Daniel Starkey wrote. "It plays quite a bit differently than just about any of its contemporaries--digital or not--and while the marketplace is volatile to say the least, there’s little evidence that the pricing is straight-up predatory. Just note, however, that the game is not free-to-play and be prepared to spend some additional bit of money coming in. It would be nice to see some more extensive options for those wanting to play by themselves or in non-competitive settings, but beyond that, Artifact is a great showing."Info from Gamespot.com

A new trailer for From Software's upcoming game, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, has been released. The video showcases more of the abilities the protagonist, The Wolf, will have at his disposal, as well as the fierce enemies and bosses he'll encounter. You can watch it above.The trailer begins with The Wolf facing off against a massive bull-like creature--its horns are a log tied to its head, and both ends are on fire. The bull crashes through and destroys every bit of the environment in its path, but just before it can crush The Wolf, his prey transforms into feathers swirling within a cloud of shadow and teleports out of the way. From there, the hunter becomes the hunted.The rest of the trailer depicts The Wolf's ongoing battle with the more human enemies found in Sekiro, and the shinobi takes them on with a mixture of stealth kills and acrobatic counters. The video also showcases some of the environments in the game, such as dilapidated fortresses and icy mountains. The trailer ends with an amazing sequence as The Wolf battles against a yeti-like creature, only to finally wear the beast down and decapitate it. Sekiro may not be another Dark Souls or Bloodborne, but From Software's new game is certainly going to be just as bloody and violent as the developer's previous titles.Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice may be From Software's most punishing take on death ever, with some of the most brutal dying mechanics the Dark Souls developer has ever made. That said, in Sekiro, unlike From Software's Soulsborne games, death is both an enemy and an ally. That's not the only difference, though. Unlike the protagonists of From Software's Soulsborne games, Sekiro's The Wolf will actually have a voice, allowing his story to be more of a Japanese drama. Bosses and minibosses are also quite different, with many needing strategies other than slashing and dodging to beat them. Sekiro's world--including the hub--is also a series of connected areas, so you won't need to fast travel to reach every part of the game. The game doesn't support multiplayer either, but as a result From Software is able to include a pause function in the upcoming title.Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is coming to Xbox One, PS4, and PC on March 22. The required PC specs for the game are actually quite low, so you won't need a high-end machine to run it. There are two editions of the game, both of which are available for pre-order.Info from Gamespot.com

Like clockwork, Epic is rolling out another update for Fortnite. The developer has confirmed the game's 8.10 patch will drop on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices on Tuesday, March 12, with downtime set to begin at 2 AM PT / 5 AM ET / 9 AM GMT.As usual, Epic hasn't detailed what's coming in this week's update, although we did get a look at a new vehicle on the way to the game: the Baller. The vehicle was recently spotted in Fortnite's in-game News feed and bears a strong resemblance to a hamster ball, with what looks like a Grappler mounted to the front.Beyond that, details about the Baller are scarce at the moment, but its description teases that players will be able to use it to "roll through the competition." What makes the Baller particular notable, however, is that it marks the first new vehicle to arrive in Season 8.While Epic rolls out new weapons on a near-weekly basis, vehicles are a much more infrequent addition to the game, and they're typically not around for very long; the Stormwing plane, for instance, arrived at the start of Season 7 but has since been vaulted. The long-delayed Driftboards are still available, however, although it's not yet clear if they'll likewise be vaulted soon.Epic will share the full patch notes for Fortnite's 8.10 update on March 12, and a new set of weekly challenges is expected to arrive on March 14. In the meantime, you can find tips for the tasks that are already available in our complete Season 8 challenges guide.Info from Gamespot.com

Agent Coulson is a bit of an anomaly in the MCU as one of the few characters who straddle the line between the movie and TV sides of the universe--two worlds that don't always play well with one another. Captain Marvel gives us a chance to see the SHIELD back on the big screen for the first time since his "death" in The Avengers back in 2012.The death thing is a little complicated, though. While Coulson did genuinely die on screen in 2012's Avengers, he was resurrected by Fury over on Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, where he began leading a team of SHIELD agents in secret for five-plus seasons, all of which tangentially relate to the movies but never really intersect. Now, thanks to Captain Marvel, we know that not only did the core Avengers team know Coulson during his big screen days, but Carol Danvers did as well, if only briefly--which, begs the question, who on the film side of MCU actually knows Coulson is still alive?Well, Clark Gregg had some thoughts on the matter when we sat down with him to chat at the Captain Marvel press junket in Beverly Hills this March. "In my mind, Captain America doesn't know he's alive. It's bittersweet to me," he laughed. "We know that Nick Fury knows, obviously, we've seen him. And I feel like Tony Stark knows things--he just finds a way to know things--but I think the two of them have had a blunt conversation about it and decided not to share it further. And then we had Lady Sif promise not to tell Thor--but I don't know how much I believe that. And Maria Hill knows, she's spent time with him--but I think everyone else is just keeping it a secret."If this revelation ever did make the jump from Gregg's imagination into MCU canon somewhere down the line, it certainly wouldn't help Tony and Steve Rogers repair the burned bridges of their relationship, that much is for sure. And it would be interesting (and, let's be honest, hilarious) for Thor--a character who traditionally has struggled with knowing when and how to say things tactfully--to be brought into the conspiracy as well.Gregg's ideas about his character didn't stop there. With Coulson's appearance as a junior agent in SHIELD back in 1995, we were left wondering: how did he actually end up involved in the organization in the first place? What was his life like before?"Well we know his interest in superheroes started really young, with his Cap cards, and we know from his story on Agents of SHIELD that his father passed away early. [...] But, I like to think that before SHIELD, he worked in an elite, very secret branch of the Post Office," Gregg playfully explained. "I think his secret origin is getting a very serious package in the mail, and it all spiraled out from there--I mean, I just made that up, but it would be fun."Top secret postal service gig or no, it's clear that Coulson's story is anything but over. Since his debut back in the post credits scene of 2008's Iron Man, he's become one of the most beloved and recognized characters of the modern Marvel era, branching throughout the comics and live action adaptations--something which Gregg himself is very proud of, if a bit intimidated by. "Obviously, I feel a lot of ownership for the character. It's very porous between the two of us. When he's upset I get upset, but at the same time I am a little bit of passenger on a bus where the drivers change very often. I've tried to just keep the core thing that I like about him, which is his love of the game. He's got this love of humans and this love of the game. I would say he believes in the idea of SHIELD and heroes, which is a choice. He's come across a lot of people who don't, who haven't committed to a belief like that, and it doesn't seem to go so well for their soul. That's what I hope people recognize about him."You can catch Coulson's big screen return in Captain Marvel, and his modern day story on Agents of SHIELD as it head into its eighth season. Info from Gamespot.com