With Season 7 of Fortnite winding down and a new season on the horizon, strange phenomena have once again begun occurring in the hit battle royale game. Epic Games typically heralds the arrival of each new season with some kind of world-changing event, so this isn't entirely surprising. This time, however, the developer is literally shaking things up, as players have begun to experience earthquakes while playing.Following the release of game's 7.30 update, dataminers discovered audio files indicating some sort of earthquake event would occur in the game (via Fortnite Insider). It appears the tremors have started, as players on Twitter and Reddit are posting clips of the map spontaneously quaking in the middle of a match.EARHQUAKE FOOTAGE:FORTNITE IS NOW HAVING EARTHQUAKES. pic.twitter.com/WPB1AKwn4k — Sphex (@sphexgames2) February 5, 2019The aforementioned audio files were labeled as "small," "med," and "lrg," suggesting the tremors players are experiencing in the game will only continue to grow in strength as we approach Season 8. As for what they could mean for the new season, that remains anyone's guess at this point, although it'll likely result in some portion of the map being dramatically transformed.Season 7 of Fortnite is set to end on February 28 according to Epic's website, which means you only have a little time left to complete any outstanding challenges and unlock this season's skins and other rewards. If you need help mopping up any remaining tasks, you can find tips and guides in our complete Season 7 challenges roundup.In other Fortnite news, Epic recently rolled out the game's 7.30 content update, which introduced another new item to the game: Bottle Rockets. The developer also tweaked environmental campfires so they can be lit to restore health and kicked off another limited-time mode.Info from Gamespot.com

Epic's previously announced account merging system for Fortnite has gone live. Players who have multiple Fortnite accounts across platforms are now able to unify them--and all of their previously earned skins, V-Bucks, and other items--under one Epic Account.The tool can be found on Epic's website, but the actual process of merging accounts is fairly complex. First, you'll need to designate one account as Primary and the other as Secondary; you can read how to do that here. One of the accounts must also have been used on PS4 and the other on Xbox One or Nintendo Switch before September 28, 2018.After you've designated a Primary and Secondary account to merge together, your Secondary account will be disabled, and all of the cosmetics and V-Bucks it contained will be held for two weeks before finally being transferred over to your Primary account. You can read additional details about the process on Epic's website.Epic first announced its plans to let Fortnite players merge their console accounts together last September, after Sony finally allowed the PS4 version of the game to support cross-play with other consoles. The tool was originally scheduled to launch back in November, but Epic ultimately delayed it to early 2019 due to "ongoing technical concerns.""We want to make sure that this process is thoroughly tested and working properly before releasing it to those of you currently looking to transfer purchases from other accounts to your primary account," the company said at the time.The account merging system arrives just as Season 7 of Battle Royale is winding down. Ahead of Season 8, players have begun to experience earthquakes in the game during matches, suggesting some big world-changing event will happen before the new season kicks off. In the meantime, you can peruse our complete Season 7 challenges guide for tips on how to finish any remaining challenges you may have.Info from Gamespot.com

For a long time now, Take-Two has teased an upcoming game from one of 2K's "biggest and most beloved franchises," and it may soon be time that we find out what it is. As part of its earnings report, Take-Two reaffirmed that this unannounced game remains on track to release during the company's fiscal year 2020. More interestingly, Take-Two said 2K will have "more to share" on the game in the coming months.During the call, an analyst asked about the game, and CEO Strauss Zelnick said the company expects the game to "stay on track" following its previous delay. He added that the company has "very high expectations" for the game, whatever it may be.This unannounced game was previously scheduled to launch during fiscal year 2019, which runs April 2018 through March 2019. However, it was later delayed to fiscal year 2020, which covers April 2019 through March 2020, so that's when you can expect this new sequel from 2K.Take-Two CFO Lainie Goldstein said the company has modelled some marketing spend for the new game during the current fiscal year, so that suggests the title may be announced before April 2019.Speculation has suggested that the game may be Borderlands 3, or whatever the next title in the series ends up being called. Regardless, a new Borderlands is known to be in development. Another possibility is the new BioShock game that is reportedly in development. Back in April 2018, Kotaku reported that a top-secret new BioShock game was in the works at a studio in Novato, California.It's also possible that the delayed game is something else entirely, though it is expected to be a sequel given that Take-Two said it is an instalment in one of its "biggest franchises."In other Take-Two news, the company recently opened a new 2K studio in Silicon Valley that's headed up by Michael Condrey, who worked on Dead Space and multiple Call of Duty games.Info from Gamespot.com

The Simpsons, which is already one of the longest-running TV shows in history, is coming back for even more seasons. It was confirmed today that Fox renewed the show for Seasons 31 and 32.This will take the show up to an unthinkable 713 episodes. According to Deadline, Fox also signed deals with the cast members for Seasons 31 and 32, though terms were not disclosed.We've got some eeeeeexcellllent news... #TheSimpsons has been renewed for Seasons 31 and 32! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/UfijjrLZXa — The Simpsons (@TheSimpsons) February 6, 2019For its current 30th season, The Simpsons continues to be a ratings success. As of January 20, individual episodes were reaching an audience of 7.5 million viewers on average across all platforms. Fans might agree that the quality of the show has declined in recent years, but it's clear the show and wider franchise remains wildly popular.The Simpsons' multi-decade run hasn't been without issues and controversy. Comedian Hari Kondabolu's 2017 documentary, The Problem With Apu, explores Apu as a character and focuses on him as a stereotype. Series creator Matt Groening responded to the controversy by saying "people love to pretend they're offended." Outside of the TV series, The Simpsons Movie was released in 2007 and there is talk about another one. There are also Simpsons theme park attractions and a multitude of merchandise like Duff beer.In other news, Disney is buying many of 20th Century Fox's assets, and that means the company will assume ownership of The Simpsons going forward. Info from Gamespot.com

On the same day that The Academy officially confirmed there will be no single host for the Oscars this year, actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has come forward to say he was initially the Academy's first choice to host the awards show. Writing on Twitter, The Rock said he wanted to make this year's Oscars broadcast the "most fun and entertaining Oscars ever."However, The Rock's busy filming schedule prevented him from being able to be the host. Specifically, he's away filming the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle sequel. "Academy and I were super bummed but maybe one day down the road," The Rock said.Ah mahalo dude, I was their first choice to host this year, and my goal was to make it the most fun and entertaining Oscars ever. We all tried hard, but couldn’t make it work since I’m shooting Jumanji. Academy and I were super bummed but maybe one day down the road 🥃 https://t.co/eiiMuBNOzb — Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) February 6, 2019In December, The Academy announced comedian/actor and The Rock's Jumanji co-star Kevin Hart would host the 91st Oscars. However, there was controversy around some of his old tweets, and this eventually culminated in Hart stepping down.Instead of a single host, the Oscars will feature numerous presenters, including Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jennifer Lopez, Whoopi Goldberg, and Brie Larson, among others.The Oscars air on ABC, and the network's entertainment boss, Karey Burke, said at a Television Critics Association event this week that the show will start with a "very exciting opener." As relayed by The Hollywood Reporter, she also confirmed that the goal is to keep the show to three hours, which is good news considering last year's event was almost as long as Gone With The Wind.The 91st Oscars take place Sunday, February 24. Black Panther and Bohemian Rhapsody are among the Best Picture nominees; you can see all the categories and nominees here. Info from Gamespot.com

GameSpot and Ubisoft want Australian readers to join us during the private beta for Tom Clancy's Division 2 this weekend! It begins this Friday on February 8 at 8pm AEST.Two main missions are playable, along with five side missions and additional activities in the open world. One of three new Dark Zones will show off The Division 2's brand of PvPvE action, while you can sample the more organized PvP gameplay in a Conflict game mode named Skirmish.Additionally, one slice of endgame content is included in the beta: an Invaded mission will unlock on February 9 at 8pm AEST. The test period will cap players' progress at level 30.To get access to the code, all you need to do is fill out the form below and follow one of our social media accounts! Along with your access rights, you will be able to invite up to 3 Uplay friends to the Beta. IMPORTANT: This code will only be valid for the first 1000 people who redeem it. Once its allocation is exhausted it will cease to work.For more info on The Division 2, including how the new Dark Zones work and how Ubisoft is planning on providing a surprising endgame, you can check out our features and articles on here on GameSpot.Info from Gamespot.com

Paramount has announced that it's halting preproduction on the sequel to the World War Z movie. The sequel was originally scheduled to go into production this year.According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film was put on hold over budgetary issues, and it's currently unknown whether the movie will resume development at some point or simply be canned completely. This isn't the first problem the second World War Z movie has faced. Originally directed by J.A. Bayona and scheduled for 2017, the movie lost its director in 2016 and it took a year to secure another one in David Fincher--who Brad Pitt really wanted. Shooting was continuously pushed and rescheduled throughout the following year, before finally settling on a planned production date in spring/early-summer 2019.2013's World War Z is a movie adaption, starring Brad Pitt, of Max Brooks' 2006 novel of the same name. The novel is a collection of accounts from various people of different social, religious, and political backgrounds that survived a zombie apocalypse that occurred 17 years prior to the narrative's present day events. As opposed to a recollection of past events from multiple perspectives, the World War Z movie takes place during the zombie apocalypse from one perspective, and tells a more action-focused story about one man's efforts to find a means for humanity to survive the plague.Despite the differences, the movie was mostly well-received. However, it too faced considerable production difficulties. The film went massively over-budget and was consistently behind schedule in terms of development, resulting in the release being delayed by several months. Nevertheless, the movie still managed to made $540 million worldwide, making it the most successful zombie movie of all time.Info from Gamespot.com

Lawmakers from Pennsylvania have put forth a bill that proposes a 10% excise tax on violent video games. House Bill 109 seeks to impose the so-called "sin tax" on games sold at retail that are rated by the ESRB as M for Mature or Adults-Only. The money would go into a fund called the "Digital Protection for School Safety Account" that aims to enhance security measures at schools in the wake of the school shootings in Parkland, Florida and Newtown, Connecticut.State representative Chris Quinn, a republican, initially put forth the bill in 2018, but it never made it out of committee during the 2018 legislative session. The new version is similarly worded.The 10 percent tax would be in addition to applicable state and local taxes. The sales tax rate in Pennsylvania is 6%, which means a standard $60 game costs around $64. With the extra 10 percent tax on violent games, the cost of an M-rated game like Red Dead Redemption 2 would make the game end up costing about $70.Explaining the bill last year, Quinn said violent video games might be an element in the rise of school shootings in America. "One factor that may be contributing to the rise in, and intensity of, school violence is the material kids see, and act out, in video games," he said.Quinn cited the National Center for Health Research's statement that studies demonstrate a link between violent video games and increases in aggressive thoughts and behaviors. Quinn's comments conveniently leave out the same statement's disclaimer that other factors like mental illness, access to weapons, and adverse environments should be considered as other risk factors. Not only that, but the National Center for Health Research's own reporting states that studies have not shown that aggression leads to increased instances of deadly violence or criminal activity.Expectedly, the Entertainment Software Association, which lobbies on behalf of the video game industry, is taking a hard line against this bill. In a statement to Variety, the ESA the bill is a violation of the US Constitution."Numerous authorities--including scientists, medical professionals, government agencies, and the US Supreme Court--found that video games do not cause violence," it said. "We encourage Pennsylvania legislators to work with us to raise awareness about parental controls and the ESRB video game rating system, which are effective tools to ensure parents maintain control over the video games played in their home."After the Sandy Hook shooting, a lawmaker from Connecticut proposed a similar tax in 2013. Also that year, a state representative from Missouri proposed a sales tax on games rated M and above. In both cases, the funds would have gone towards mental health programs. However, the bills never became law.Info from Gamespot.com

Would you like to hear a Tale of Terror or a Sky-Story? Relay some Salon-Stewed Gossip or pass on a Savage Secret? The names given to the various forms of currency exchanged across Sunless Skies give you a good idea of what sort of game it is. This is a world where words flow like water and stories hydrate whole planets. Where a turn of phrase is just as likely to unlock a door as the turn of a key.Sunless Skies is a narrative-heavy adventure where every dramatic event is conveyed through beautifully written text. A delicate, customizable layer of "rogue-lite" action and survival encases a beating heart of vivid location descriptions, verbal flights of fancy, and giddy, spiraling story paths. Developer Failbetter Games has cleverly built upon the foundation of Sunless Sea, designing a sequel that improves core mechanics and spins its world into imaginative new orbits while easing the avenue of entry for new players. You're welcome here as long as you love words.The British Empire, headed by Empress Victoria, has boarded its steam-powered engines and, improbably, made for the stars. There, amid the floating drifts of rock snaking across the sky, it has founded New Albion and, by remaking the Sun, it hopes to start again. It's an eccentric vision of outer space as alien territory where polar winds blow through ice-crusted canyons, hive-shaped asteroids drip honey, and myriad fungal spores glitter like stars. You play the captain of Her Majesty's Locomotive, the Orphean, newly inherited after the untimely death of the previous captain, and your ambition is to travel the stars seeking fame, fortune, or the truth.Dotted around the New Wilderness, which is composed of four maps you may travel between once you've earned the appropriate permits, are dozens of busy ports and isolated homesteads. You pilot the Orphean between them, revealing new points of interest on the top-down 2D map and working to ensure you've packed enough fuel and supplies to make it to your destination. While docked you can repair and re-supply your engine, purchase any available upgrades, and visit the bazaar to claim prospects and earn additional revenue through trade.Once that admin is out of the way, you can take your time to explore. Each port is well-stocked with fascinating locations and idiosyncratic characters. Buy a ticket to Polmear & Plenty's Circus and enjoy a show where the clowns can't juggle and the trapeze artist has lost their partner. Encounter an Inadvisably Big Dog at Port Prosper while seeking to aid the establishment Stove-pipes in their civil war against the revolutionary Tacketies. Travel to Hybras in search of a lost filmmaker and discover an entire colony of seniors has mysteriously vanished. There's a new captivating story to be found every step of the way.As you follow each new narrative thread you're called upon to make choices and meet certain requirements. You might find a dying captain whose engine ran aground. Do you: end his suffering, return him home for one last glimpse of London, or escort him and try to complete his final, failed mission? There's something odd about that Repentant Devil you picked up at the previous port, but you'll need to track down some tea before he'll open up to you and reveal his true motivations. The decisions you make can see you gain or lose favor with a host of rival factions as you chart a course through the political struggles of this new frontier.Every time you are presented with a path of action or choice to make, it's always clear how you have unlocked it. Some are based on having the correct items, purchased at a port or found in an earlier part of the story, while others provide a percentage chance of success depending on one of your character's core attributes. Actions you cannot yet take are grayed out but visible, allowing you to note that you need to find another Vision of the Heavens to make that selection or come back later once you've increased your Hearts attribute and boosted those odds in your favor. It's a clever setup in that you always have the information you need about your immediate options and enough of a nudge towards how to open up new sets of paths.Between ports, however, things can slow down. Exploring an uncharted region of the map can be tense, especially as you venture into the outskirts and encounter some of the more dangerous enemies. It's also never less than beautiful to look at. But combat is simplistic and, much of the time, completely avoidable anyway. And while puttering the often long distances between points of interest, there's not a great deal to do beyond pinging your bat scout to identify random resource deposits and just watching the maze-like scenery wash by.Popping up from time to time, and helping to enliven long journeys, are incidents involving the various officers you've recruited on board and your crew. Like the cast of a Mass Effect, each named officer--and like everyone in this world they all sport wonderfully evocative titles like The Incautious Driver or The Incognito Princess--has their own storyline to follow and they serve up some of the best questlines in the entire game. You'll want to check in with them whenever you can and prioritize their next steps.There's also the ever-lurking concern of the "Terror" itself. As with Sunless Sea, Sunless Skies leans into elements of horror, in particular a kind of horror that draws on the ineffable mystery of the cosmos. Despite reaching the stars in our iron engines, no matter the expertise of all our Phlegmatic Researchers and Romantic Ornithologists, we don't have all the answers. So as you explore the darkest corners of space, and run headlong into the inexplicable, the Terror accumulates. Untreated, the Terror will send your crew, and ultimately you, into madness. But not before you've wasted supplies in a futile effort to placate their fears or lost crew members to horrific accidents.You can die, of course, at which point you reroll as a new captain and inherit (most of) what could be salvaged of the Orphean. Certain character traits can be "passed on" as it were, a nod to your predecessors' achievements, and any banked goods can be retrieved at a major port. However, in what at first feels like a jarring rebuff, all story progress is reset upon death, leading to the retreading of narrative beats and character interactions. But, in combination, the freedom you have to explore the world, the small random elements it throws up, and the sheer speed at which you can breeze through any previously encountered scenario mean such repetition is ultimately only of minor concern.There are small flaws, but each is balanced out. Travel can be dull, yet the passing scenery and shifting soundtrack are never so. Combat isn't interesting, but the decision to fight or flee carries weight, and the choices you make when scavenging through the wreckage can feel momentous. Repeating a quest can feel tedious, but this time you're wiser and, hopefully, better prepared.At its best, Sunless Skies is a triumph. Its writers have crafted a world of endless wonder where seemingly anything is possible. At heart, it's a text adventure that conjures the imagination to send you on a journey as spectacular and memorable as any big-budget graphical blockbuster. Info from Gamespot.com

NetherRealm will hold its first livestream for Mortal Kombat 11, after having delayed the event due to severe and dangerous cold in the studio's home city of Chicago. As of this writing, it will start in just a few minutes, at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET, and we expect to see it drop more details on the upcoming fighting game. You can watch live through the video stream above. [Update: The Kombat Kast is still ongoing, but the big news out of this one is the reveal of Kabal as a playable character.]We're likely to get our first look at the recently announced Kano in action during the stream, possibly along with other character reveals and a new Fatality or two. NetherRealm could also use the opportunity to debut new skins or other cosmetic items, given that the sequel is offering deep customization options.Mortal Kombat 11 will launch with three editions: a $60 standard edition, $100 premium edition, and $300 Kollector's Edition. The most expensive version comes with a Scorpion mask for all your cosplay needs. Pre-ordering any version will get you Shao Kahn and beta access.Mortal Kombat 11 releases for Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Switch on April 23. For lots more, check out our interview with series creator Ed Boon. Check out all of the confirmed Mortal Kombat 11 characters and skins while we wait for more from today's stream.Info from Gamespot.com

It's time for another weekly reset in Destiny 2 has arrived, and that means a new Ascendant Challenge as the time loop in the Dreaming City resets yet again. We're back to the start of a three-week cycle as the Awoken continue to battle the curse. We're nearing the end of Season 5, but if you're still looking to reach the 650 level cap before the impending release of the next expansion, Joker's Wild, this is a great way to get there. Here's what you need to do and where to go to find the portal that can net you some Powerful gear.Like in past weeks, the Ascendant Challenge involves using a specific item (a Tincture of Queensfoil) to receive the Ascendance buff. This allows you to see a Taken portal that sends you to the Ascendant Plane to do a mission of sorts. But the portal's location and your objective has been different each week, and that's true for Week 5. Before starting, though, be sure to grab the corresponding bounty from Petra, as that's the key to earning a piece of Powerful gear.This week's portal is found inside a Lost Sector (Bay of Drowned Wishes) located right near Dreaming City's landing zone in Divalian Mists. You'll move to the midway point of the Lost Sector, killing things until a little before you reach a door that's locked. (You can skip the enemies, but killing them will likely be easier.) If you've used your Tincture of Queensfoil, you'll see the portal and can jump through to reach the Ascendant Plane location, Agonarch Abyss.Unfortunately, there's a good deal of platforming involved here. You'll make your way down to a temple where a large tree is. Blight balls spawn in that slow your movement, and you'll have to deal with a pair of wizards who spawn in additional Thrall enemies. Take out the wizards and you're all done. You can see this all in our video guide.The chest that you can then open is, as always, nothing special. But finishing the Ascendant Challenge completes the bounty from Petra, which nets you a piece of Powerful gear.There's still some time before the end of Season 5, the Season of the Forge. The next big event in the game is Crimson Days, the Valentine's Day-themed celebration that runs from February 13-20. As usual, it'll offer unique cosmetic rewards, as well as some duos-themed events to celebrate friendship and love, and a unique bow you can earn for fighting in the Crucible.Meanwhile, if you're still working on snagging Destiny 2's latest Exotic weapon, The Last Word, be sure to check out our guide to completing the steps fast. You might also want to get caught up on The Last Word's story, which continues into Season 6.Info from Gamespot.com

A community specialist for Hi-Rez Studios--maker of Smite and Paladins--as been let go from the company, following an arrest in an undercover sting to catch child predators. Tommy Cheung was one of multiple people arrested in "Operation Interception."In a press release, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation says it arrested 21 people between ages 20-55 who traveled near the Atlanta metro area with the intent of meeting a child for sex. It also seized 24 digital devices as evidence. It says the goal of the sting was "to arrest persons who communicate with children on-line, have sexually explicit conversations, and then travel to meet them for the purpose of having sex." Hi-Rez promptly released Cheung from its employment."On Monday, February 4th, we learned through local news that Thomas Cheung was arrested in an operation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations," Hi-Rez said in a statement to USGamer. "At this point, we know only what has been reported in the local news and by local law enforcement, and cannot comment on specifics of Mr. Cheung's case, other than to say that, as of today, Mr. Cheung is no longer employed by Hi-Rez Studios. As a parent, it is difficult to imagine more disturbing allegations than those laid out in the news reports. We commend the efforts of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations and other law enforcement to protect our state's children and to send a strong message that the behavior targeted in their Operation Interception will not be tolerated in Georgia."In addition, PC accessory manufacturer SteelSeries dropped its sponsorship of Cheung.SteelSeries is no longer supporting or sponsoring Thomas Cheung / Elvinelol. — SteelSeries (@SteelSeries) February 5, 2019 Info from Gamespot.com

If you're looking for some more free games to play, six new titles are being offered through PS Plus right now. Most are available for PS4, but several can be played on PS3 or PS Vita as well.For February, all PS Plus members can freely download Hitman - The Complete First Season, For Honor, Divekick, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Gunhouse, and Rogue Aces. Hitman, For Honor, Rogue Aces, and Gunhouse are available on PS4, while Metal Gear Solid and Divekick are for PS3. Rogue Aces, Gunhouse, and Divekick can also be downloaded for free on PS Vita.This is the last month that players can expect PS3 and Vita titles in the PS Plus line-up, but all Plus subscribers are getting an extra 100 GB of cloud storage in exchange. For this month, all PS4 titles will be available through March 5, while the PS3 and Vita games will stick around until March 8.If you enjoy Hitman 2, you may want to take advantage of this deal to download the first season of the 2016 game. After downloading 2016's Hitman, as well as its latest patch, go to its in-game store to redeem and download the Legacy Pack. Once that's installed, you can unlock Hitman's levels in Hitman 2, which keeps you from having to switch back and forth between the two titles when you're playing.Although it's not one of the games that's a part of PS Plus' line-up, Apex Legends just launched and it's a free-to-play battle royale game. You don't need a PS Plus subscription to play Apex, but if you have one, you'll unlock some free rewards in the game. With a subscription, you'll get two PlayStation-themed skins for the firearms Flatline and RE45, as well as cosmetic skins and banners for Gibraltar and Bloodhound.From the creators of Titanfall and Titanfall 2, Apex Legends offers a squad-focused, hero-based spin on the battle royale formula. Taking place in the Titanfall universe, Apex has you and two teammates pick from a roster of eight unique Legends--each with their own unique abilities--and face off against 19 other teams on a massive battleground. Despite the lack of the Titanfall series' staple wall-running mechanics and Titans, Apex is off to a strong start, having reached 1 million players within the first eight hours of its release. Our review of the game is on its way, but until then, check out our impressions if you're on the fence about picking up Apex.Info from Gamespot.com

Yes, you read that right. Microsoft has announced plans to bring Xbox Live to Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android, with more details coming in a GDC talk next month. The company says bringing the network to more consoles will "enable game developers to connect players between iOS, Android, and Switch in addition to Xbox and any game in the Microsoft Store on Windows PCs."Until the publisher reveals more at GDC, we're not entirely sure what the move will involve, precisely. What we do know is Microsoft wants us to take our Xbox profile, including our Achievement history, friends list, clubs we're in, and more, to every screen--even rival consoles.That ties into a wider recent Microsoft strategy to get its services on as many devices as possible. Gone are the days when it only wanted you to buy an Xbox One to be your "all-in-one" entertainment solution; now the company wants you to buy a Switch and play with your Xbox friends on it. Trying to pressure everyone into buying a Windows Phone didn't work--and was costly, thanks to the $6.2 billion (£4.7bn) acquisition of Nokia. Now, Microsoft Office runs on iOS, with a subscription fee for professional use. Instances like ex-CEO Steve Ballmer calling open-source OS Linux a "cancer" are in the past; instead, current chief executive Satya Nadella declares the company's "love" for Linux. It only makes sense for this platform-agnostic approach for Microsoft as a whole to involve Xbox. Sure enough, it's possible to play a huge selection of Xbox games on PC with Play Anywhere, and taking Xbox Live to other platforms seems a natural next step."I think if you get so focused just on hardware sales at this point, as gamers, we lose sight of what's going on around the console business," Xbox boss Phil Spencer told GameSpot in 2017. "Console's important. I love the console space, but it's part of the gaming business, it's not total."I look at those in aggregate, and so it's not actually about how many Xbox One Xs do I sell, or how many Ss do I sell, or even how many of one individual game that I sell. I look at, are we growing the number of people who have a relationship with Xbox in some way? [It] could be an Android customer in China playing Minecraft, but that's a person who's connected to our platform who's able to use Mixer, who's able to connect to Xbox Live, meet their friends online. That's really the metric for growth right now."Ultimately, the real metric for growth is money. Microsoft's latest financial report states the company's revenue has increased 12%. Profit has increased by 18%. The company's share prices have tripled in the five years since Nadalla took over and began implementing this collaborative strategy.In that sense, it seems an obvious move to bring Xbox Live to other consoles and to mobiles: it gets the Xbox brand to, potentially, an additional 2 billion devices by Microsoft's calculations. Nintendo in particular are the gateway to gaming for millions of children around the world--Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida once said the games industry "needs Nintendo to be very successful" for this very reason. Those children will soon possess not only a gateway, but a direct pathway to the Xbox ecosystem.Children will soon possess not only a gateway, but a direct pathway to the Xbox ecosystemBut there's an elephant in the room: Sony is, thus far, not mentioned anywhere in Microsoft's plans for Xbox Live expansion. Whether that's because the PlayStation-maker wasn't asked, or because it didn't agree with Microsoft's collaborative strategy, isn't clear. What is clear is that the Japanese company has been less willing when it comes to joining forces than its competitors: it resisted the temptation of cross-play, for example, for many years, saying the PS4 was the best place to play and that's the end of it. It finally succumbed to the pressure, but only in Fortnite at first, and only in beta form.What's odd is that Sony was once the frontrunner in this space: Portal 2 on PS3 allowed cross-play with PC players through Steam. More PlayStation games have allowed limited cross-play functionality since then, but only Fortnite and Rocket League allow full cross-play between PS4 and Xbox One. At least that's some sign of progress, though, and if Xbox Live on Switch is a success, more pressure will mount on Sony to follow suit and allow Microsoft's service on to PS4.When I was growing up, the thought of playing Call of Duty or FIFA with my other-console-owning friends was a mere dream. With Microsoft's plans to bring Xbox Live to competitors' consoles, that dream is a step closer to becoming reality."When you look at Twitch and you look at Steam, look at PUBG, look at Minecraft," says Spencer. "People on Minecraft on Switch are playing with people on an iPhone. They don't own a Windows machine or an Xbox, but they own our game, and they're using Xbox Live across multiple devices. That's what gaming in the future's about, right?"Info from Gamespot.com

Apex Legends is set in Respawn's Titanfall universe, but it's hard not to notice that it's conspicuously missing the titans themselves, not to mention Titanfall in its name. The studio confirmed that it isn't working on Titanfall 3, but that doesn't mean we've seen the last of its robot-based warfare.On Twitter, Respawn CEO Vince Zampella said the studio is working on new content and listening to player feedback for Apex, but also planning more Titanfall. "We are also working on more Titanfall for later in the year (yes, I said the T word)," he said. "We love being able to experiment in this crazy universe!"[Update: As part of EA's earnings, the company noted that among its ongoing and upcoming projects, it's excited to "to grow Apex Legends and related Titanfall experiences," though it didn't offer any further specifics on what the latter half of that is in reference to.]This doesn't necessarily mean a new mainline Titanfall game is coming. Given that the studio has already ruled out Titanfall 3, it seems more likely to be a smaller standalone project, or even continuing the fiction in some other form of media. EA has previously stated that Respawn will have multiple games coming out by the end of 2019.At the time, we knew of three Respawn games in development. Those included Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, a Titanfall game, and a VR title. It seems likely now that the Titanfall game was actually Apex. If so, that could mean this other Titanfall project is a VR game, which would make sense of Zampella referring to it as an experiment.Apex Legends is off to a fast start, hitting 1 million players in only eight hours. It's very different than we've come to expect from multiplayer in the Titanfall universe, though. It removes the ability to call in mechs, as well as the series' wall-running mechanic. Instead, the battle royale game puts you in squads of three, composed of characters with Overwatch-like hero abilities. If you're planning to dive into Apex, check out how to get free loot with paid subscription services, and read up on how the in-game economy works. Or for more practical tips, read up on the heroes themselves.Info from Gamespot.com