Kotaro Uchikoshi is the mind behind the wild series of puzzle-adventure-mystery games known as Zero Escape (999, Virtue's Last Reward, and Zero Time Dilemma), and fans of his imaginative direction should keep an eye on his upcoming game AI: The Somnium Files. But Uchikoshi-san is doing things a little differently this time around. A character in the game, Iris Sagan, has become a virtual idol and streamer/influencer in the real world under the stage name A-set--and he's helping produce and promote her.When the team at publisher/developer Spike Chunsoft reached out and offered an opportunity to interview Uchikoshi-san and Iris (or A-set), I wondered how this would fly with my managing editor Peter Brown. But me being a huge fan of virtual idols such as Hatsune Miku and the vocaloid family, Haruka Sawamura of Yakuza fame, and Rise Kujikawa of Persona, I couldn't say no and Pete knew this was a job that only I could do.We tried to get more details on AI: The Somnium Files itself, which will have players taking on the role of detective Kaname Date to investigate a series of murders--but those efforts proved fruitless as some questions were declined. While we wish there were more talk about for the game, our interview doesn't disappoint. Well, we'll let you be the judge.AI: The Somnium Files is set to release sometime this year on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The following interview was conducted via email correspondence with translation from Spike Chunsoft.What's your opinion on the Zero Escape games? Which is the best?A-set: They're all good! I still remember beating each one, it was like, mind-blowing! My brain felt so fuzzy after that I had to disconnect from social media for a few days just to process them. I know people say that the second is the best one, but I honestly think they're all awesome! But as for which one is my favorite? It's too hard to pick one! It's like trying to pick my favorite Alien or Indiana Jones movie. Except those had more than three...never mind!What are you doing to keep surprising Zero Escape / Danganronpa fans who've seen so many wild things happen already?A-set: I don't have any surprises planned... But I'm up for any ideas! My fans mean everything to me, so if anyone has any requests, you can always find me on Twitter, @Lemniscate_Aset!Uchikoshi: Hm, let me think. Isn't surprising yourself more important than surprising others? And to do that, every night before I go to sleep I down three gallons of tequila. Trust me, if you do that, you'll forget everything that happened that day. Which means that when you wake up the next morning, every idea you have, even if it's an old one, will seem fresh and exciting!The tag-team itself: Iris Sagan/A-set (left), and Kotaro Uchikoshi (right)Is AI: The Somnium Files something you would stream?A-set: That would be amazing, I'd love that! Will Spike Chunsoft let me? *laughs*Best girl and best boy in the Danganronpa series?A-set: Best girl: Junko. Best boy: Nagito.Is a full-length record in the works?A-set: Of course I'd like to make one, but I'm still new to the scene. Right now, I just want to focus on promoting [the song] "Invincible Rainbow Arrow."Best Hatsune Miku song or vocaloid song?A-set: "Sand Planet"!Are there any idols that you look up to yourself?A-set: When I was young, Rihanna and Ke$ha were big. Lady Gaga also brought this fun, art-pop style that I enjoyed. I wanted to put some of that influence into my music. Start with poppy, catchy tunes and maybe eventually grow into something else. Ariana Grande is also putting out great stuff right now, but her vocal style is pretty different than mine, so... As for personal idols? The Powerpuff Girls!How is it working with Uchikoshi-san?A-set: Intimidating, but kinda weird.How is it working with A-set?Uchikoshi: Intimidating, but kinda weird.Iris made her first appearance at Anime Expo 2018 during a panel for AI: The Somnium FilesWhy promote a virtual idol now? How is this leading into something bigger?Uchikoshi: First of all, A-set is not a "virtual" idol. She's a real idol with a real flesh-and-blood body. She just seems "virtual" because her presence is mostly online. I'm an old friend of Mr. Okiura, the president of Lemniscate, A-set's agency. He introduced me to her. He was pushing A-set, saying, "This is our agency's hottest new net idol!" To be honest, I was totally mesmerized by her dancing. I told him, "Well then, how about I produce her?" That's how it went. "Something bigger?" I don't know exactly what you mean, but it would be amazing to see her become something bigger. So please, support A-set, everyone!What do you say to those who are skeptical of virtual idols? How do you help open their minds to the idea?A-set: Well, I wouldn't know much about that. I'm a real idol, not virtual. But anyway, I put my heart and soul into everything that I do. I know that, if you just give me a chance, I can make my way into your heart and soul! *laughs*Uchikoshi: When you get home, fill your bathtub with hot water, sink in, and then chug three gallons of tequila. If you do, your neocortex will go numb and you'll be more willing to accept idols like A-set. If your pupils dilate, so will your heart. Please give it a try. Info from Gamespot.com

Game Freak is best known for its work on Nintendo's Pokemon franchise, but the studio has made several other games as well, such as the Metroidvania-inspired Giga Wrecker. An expanded version of the game, titled Giga Wrecker Alt, is scheduled to release later this year, and it's also launching on Xbox One, PS4, and Switch.Giga Wrecker is a 2D action adventure platformer that first released on PC in 2017. You control Reika Rekkeiji, a teenage girl who struggles to survive on a future Earth, one that's been nearly destroyed by powerful robots. Reika becomes humanity's only hope after she's grafted with cybernetic parts that allow her to reshape debris into different forms, including weapons and tools. As Reika, you must journey across a devastated world in search of the robots' leaders--that take the form of various bosses--in order to defeat them and grow stronger. As Reika learns new attacks, she'll acquire additional means of navigating the world as well, which allows her to traverse to previously unreachable areas.The expanded version of the game, Giga Wrecker Alt, adds new puzzle stages for you to complete in the game's campaign. Alt also implements features that allow you to change the type of experience you can have. For example, for players who want a harder combat experience, you can turn on Giga Wrecker Alt's new Ironman mode. "Simply put, the enemies are much stronger and...players will be able to enjoy the challenge of a really tough fight against the bosses," Game Freak lead game designer Hiroto Ito and director Masayuki Onoue said in a joint statement to GameSpot. "That being said, in terms of the puzzles, we've ensured that the balance of thinking about the solution and solving them and playing the game is maintained."If you want to remove the challenge of the game's puzzles entirely and focus on just combat, Alt offers a new companion character that will help you get through the brain twisters and back to the action. "This companion character will aid you by providing hints on some of the puzzles stages but it's optional so you could simply play the game with no hints whatsoever," Ito and Onoue said. "In terms of the story, this character is an escapee from the robot army that Reika is fighting against. In fact, there's a deep connection between this character and with Reika, but you'll have to play the game to find out more."Conversely, for those who want more puzzles, Giga Wrecker Alt features new content in that regard as well. "In the Steam version we had about 100 stages and quite a lot of players tended to clear them in about 10 hours," Ito and Onoue said. "We've added 20 puzzle stages which would make it about one to two hours on top of that so I think the total play time would be something in the region of 11-12 hours. In these extra stages, there are hidden sub-events that allow the player to discover the story in more depth. If all the sub-events are seen, the story towards the end changes, allowing the player to see a different ending."Giga Wrecker was first conceived as a part of Game Freak's Gear Project, an in-house initiative that allows individual developers to pitch their game ideas to executives. When accepted, these games are typically worked on in-between Pokemon releases. In Giga Wrecker's case, Ito and Onoue pointed to "the mechanics of using the physics engine to destroy things and incorporating that with playing with the various topography" as the deciding factor for following through on its pitch. After the pitch was accepted, the game took about a year to complete, releasing between Pokemon Sun/Moon and Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon.According to Giga Wrecker Alt's publisher Rising Star Games, the game will release digitally on Xbox One, PS4, and Switch all on the same day, with further details announced "in the coming weeks." Giga Wrecker Alt will also release physically on Switch and PS4 via a partnership with Limited Run Games. Game Freak has no sequels for Giga Wrecker planned "at the moment" but the studio will monitor the reactions to Alt and "consider that possibility for the future."Info from Gamespot.com

The popularity of Fortnite is something truly remarkable. It has long since eclipsed that of its inspiration, PUBG, growing into a cultural sensation that transcends the typical confines of what's possible for a video game. Its massive success (and that of PUBG) has prompted numerous other companies to try their hand at the battle royale genre. 2019 has brought notable new competition in the form of Apex Legends, an excellent take on the genre from Titanfall developer Respawn Entertainment. Epic Games wants you to know Fortnite is doing just fine, though.With much being made about the player figures Apex has amassed since its release--more than 25 million players and a peak concurrent count of 2 million in its first week--there has been speculation that this success will surely cut into that of Fortnite. Seemingly in response to this, Epic has released some updated figures of its own, revealing Fortnite had its best day ever in terms of peak concurrent players (meaning the number of players online simultaneously) earlier this month.During the DJ Marshmello concert on February 2, Fortnite had 10.7 million players, the game's biggest day ever. It followed that up more recently with 7.6 million players on February 16, which Epic says was the game's best non-event day ever.This would all suggest that Fortnite is not struggling due to Apex. Certainly, numerous other game companies have--in the interest of alleviating investors' fears--stated that Fortnite is growing the market, rather than simply stealing players from other games. They'd likely claim the same is true of Apex, which will continue to grow with its first-ever Battle Pass in March and the recently added Havoc gun.That said, there is a caveat to keep in mind. Epic recently announced that you can earn the upcoming Season 8 Battle Pass for free by completing new Overtime challenges right now. Some saw this move as an attempt to stop bleeding players drawn to Apex by giving them the opportunity to avoid having to drop about $10 (or spending previously earned V-Bucks) to gain access to exclusive challenges and rewards during Season 8. That record day on February 16 was the first Saturday during which the Overtime challenges were available, and it seems fair to assume the Battle Pass freebie played a major role in that big day.Whatever the rationale behind giving away the Battle Pass for free, it seems clear that it's having the intended effect. And however big Apex may grow, don't expect Fortnite to go anywhere in the near future.Info from Gamespot.com

GameStop has announced another "Pro Day" sale, with special deals and discounts reserved exclusively for its reward members. In the same announcement, the shop also announced this year's "tax sale," running for the week just after Pro Day, in case that tax refund is burning a hole in your pocket.Pro Day will take place on Saturday, February 23. It includes $100 off a Fallout 76 Xbox One X 1TB bundle, $50 off Xbox One S bundles, and a download code for Gears of War 4 with any Xbox One. You can also snag some good prices on software like Assassin's Creed Odyssey ($20), Black Ops 4 ($30), and Battlefield 5 ($25). There's also a buy-two-get-one-free offer on used PS4 and Xbox One games. Plus accessories, Xbox Live memberships, and collectibles will be discounted.The Tax Sale, which lasts February 24 through March 5, has similar deals on Xbox One hardware, and some of the same software deals. You can pick up Red Dead Redemption 2 and Fallout 76 for $40, alongside some of the deals that Pro members had access to before.Check out the list of promoted deals below.Pro Day (2/23)Save $100 on new Xbox One X 1TB Fallout 76 bundleSave $50 on new Xbox One S BundleFree full-game download of Gears of War 4 with purchase of any new Xbox One consoleAssassin’s Creed Odyssey: $19.99Call of Duty: Black Ops IIII: $29.99NBA 2K19: $24.99Madden NFL 19: $19.99Battlefield V: $24.99WWE 2K19: $24.99Just Cause 4: $39.99Save up to $60 on select headsetsSave $10 on Xbox wireless controllerSave $10 on 3-month or 6-month Xbox Live Gold membershipGet 3 months of Xbox Live FREE with purchase of 6-month of Xbox Live40% off board games and puzzles30% off apparel and apparel accessories, collector boxes and all lighting25% off select toy collectibles$10 T-shirts (excludes clearance)Buy 2 Get 1 Free on pre-owned Xbox One and PlayStation 4 games (coupon valid 2/25 – 3/3 and will be in visible in Active Offers on 2/25. Must be PowerUp Rewards Member)Get 10% more credit when you trade games and accessoriesGet an extra 10% off pre-owned games and accessoriesTax Sale (2/24-3/5)Save $100 on new Xbox One X 1TB Fallout 76 bundleSave $50 on new Xbox One S Bundle (plus Battlefield V deluxe edition bundle)Save $10 on 3-month or 6-month Xbox Live Gold membershipRed Dead Redemption 2: $39.99Call of Duty: Black Ops IIII: $39.99Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: $19.99NBA 2K19: $29.99Madden NFL 19: $24.99Battlefield V: $29.99Fallout 76: $39.99Just Cause 4: $39.99Save $10 on select Xbox One wireless controllersSave 20% off on SCUF performance accessories when you purchase any new Xbox One Elite Controller or PS4 SCUF Vantage ControllerSave up to $20 on select headsetsBuy 1 Get 1 50% off all POP! vinyl figuresBuy 1 Get 1 50% off all apparel and apparel accessoriesBlind Bags: Buy 2 get 1 free60% off clearance toys and apparel25% off all statues and action figures25% off all Pokémon toys and plushInfo from Gamespot.com

Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb has announced four more games are now backwards compatible on Xbox One. The first three are all a part of the Lost Planet series, while the fourth is a Resident Evil game.All three of the mainline Lost Planet games--Lost Planet: Extreme Condition, Lost Planet 2, and Lost Planet 3--are now backwards compatible, as is the gold edition of the first game, titled Lost Planet: Colonies. Resident Evil Code: Veronica X, an extended cut version of a game that originally released on Dreamcast, is also now backwards compatible.Published by Capcom, the Lost Planet franchise consists of a series of shooters that follow the struggles of different protagonists that all live on a planet that's in the midst of an ice age. Gameplay evolves throughout the series, but each title primarily focuses on survival in the harsh environment, as well as shootouts with alien creatures or soldiers from corporations hell bent on controlling the planet. At the time of its release in 2007, we enjoyed Lost Planet: Extreme Condition--calling it "a great action game because it focuses on tense, thrilling battles." We weren't quite as fond of Lost Planet 2 or its sequel, criticizing the former for its "broken, tedious, or downright frustrating" missions and the latter for struggling to maintain the series' identity.Resident Evil Code: Veronica X continues the series' survival horror gameplay, following the story of siblings Chris and Claire Redfield after the events of Resident Evil 2. In our Resident Evil Code: Veronica X review, Joe Fielder gave the game a 9/10, praising it for its visuals and soundtrack while also commending the storytelling in spite of some cheesy moments.To play any of these four games on Xbox One, you'll either need to own their respective physical Xbox 360 copy or buy their digital versions from the Xbox Live marketplace. We've outlined the full list of Xbox One backwards compatible games, and also highlighted some of our favorites.Info from Gamespot.com

Reggie Fils-Aime, the longtime president and COO of Nintendo of America, will retire this spring, he and the company announced in a joint statement on Thursday. Taking over his role will be the company's current senior vice president of sales and marketing, Doug Bowser, a man whose name requires a "yes, really" after every mention.Fils-Aime has been in this role for more than a decade, having gotten the job in May 2006 following a three-year stint as the executive VP of sales and marketing. He has effectively served as the company's face in North American territories for much of his tenure as president; he's often seen in Nintendo Direct streams and was often the primary presenter back when the company did live E3 media briefings. Fils-Aime stood out both due to his Terminator-like stature and meme-friendly antics, like when he danced in an attempt to convince a western audience to take notice of Yo-Kai Watch."Nintendo owns a part of my heart forever," Fils-Aime said in a press release revealing his departure. "It's a part that is filled with gratitude--for the incredibly talented people I've worked with, for the opportunity to represent such a wonderful brand, and most of all, to feel like a member of the world's most positive and enduring gamer community. As I look forward to departing in both good health and good humor, this is not 'game over' for me, but instead 'leveling up' to more time with my wife, family and friends."In addition to that message, Nintendo shared a video from Fils-Aime on Twitter in which he thanks fans for their support. "I wanted to reach out directly to you, the Nintendo community, because there's one thing I really want to say: thank you," Fils-Aime said. "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 addition to this, there's also been an outpouring of well-wishes on Twitter from various members of the games industry.Nintendo fans, Reggie has a message for all of you. Please take a look. pic.twitter.com/EAhaEl5oEJ — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 21, 2019"I really appreciate everything Reggie has done for Nintendo," said Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa. "Inside and outside our company, Reggie is known as an exceptional leader. We are grateful that he is leaving the business in good shape with strong momentum. While we will miss him and we wish him the very best in his retirement, we are also pleased to have such an able successor ready to step into that role. Doug Bowser and the rest of the team will ensure a seamless transition and continued momentum for Nintendo."Fils-Aime will officially step down on April 15, at which point Bowser will assume the title of president of Nintendo of America. Prior to his current position at Nintendo, he worked for EA. When he was first hired at Nintendo, he tweeted an image offering his thanks but--with a nod toward his surname--Mario and Luigi plushes discreetly tied up in the background.And now a message from our new Vice President of Sales, Doug Bowser. http://t.co/Qb6GYxgRrC pic.twitter.com/OEWu8dxUr0 — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) May 20, 2015Bowser also had a comment to share in the press release regarding Fils-Aime's retirement. "It has been my great fortune to work with and be mentored by Reggie for four years at Nintendo of America," he said, before going on to menacingly promise, "And rest assured, we will continue to build on his work to evolve and expand our brand, furthering Nintendo's global mission of creating smiles. There are millions more of those to come."Info from Gamespot.com

Reggie Fils-Aime, the affable president of Nintendo of America, announced that he'll be retiring in April. The shadow of Fils-Aime looms large--in part because he is just very physically large--but mostly because he was well-known as an friendly figure and public face, not just for Nintendo but for the video games industry as a whole.As a result, his retirement is bittersweet, and the industry is gathering to let him know he'll be missed. Several industry leaders have stepped forward to issue congratulations and thanks on Twitter, including his ostensible competitors like Phil Spencer from Microsoft."All the best to Reggie Fils-Aime on the next phase of his life and career," said Spencer. "Great leader, industry partner and friend."Others have thanked him for his contributions, shared endearing anecdotes, or otherwise wished him well. As of April 15, the role of Nintendo of America president will go to current sales VP Doug Bowser, who definitely hasn't heard anyone else tell him your very creative "Bowser" joke yet. Fils-Aime has also released a heartwarming message of his own on Twitter.Check below for a sampling of reactions from around the industry.I’ll miss seeing you at all of the industry events Reggie. Thanks for all you’ve done over the years. Congrats on the new gig @thetruebowser https://t.co/Rb1do2NAJ2 — Larry Hryb (@majornelson) February 21, 2019Here's a picture of Reggie playing Super Meat Boy on Wii. He said "I'm buying this with my own Wii points, I'm serious guys". Pretty sure he ended up with it on WiiU and Switch. Happy retirement my dude! @NintendoAmerica pic.twitter.com/O3DaAc0WuY — Team Meat (@SuperMeatBoy) February 21, 2019Enjoy a well deserved rest, my friend. Thanks for everything you did for gaming.I am super jealous. Please sleep in and do as little as possible so I can live vicariously through your retirement. ❤️ https://t.co/vhXMVqGSas — Cory Barlog 🎮 (@corybarlog) February 21, 2019Can't believe I'm writing this: Reggie Fils-Aime is retiring from Nintendo. One of our industry's finest leaders and a dear friend. He's always believed in me. Thank you Reggie. — Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) February 21, 2019One time I was backstage of an awards show about to present and Reggie looked at me and said, “You look uncomfortable.”I was. I was uncomfortable. Have fun in retirement Reggie! May you never be uncomfortable. pic.twitter.com/tcXs7OP4Pk — Robert Bowling (@fourzerotwo) February 21, 2019If Reggie ran for President of the US, I'd vote for him. https://t.co/rOxs4awT9v — Dalibor 🍔 (@DaliDimovski) February 21, 2019Thanks for everything, Reggie! — Devolver Digital (@devolverdigital) February 21, 2019Many of you know I am a huge fan of Nintendo (since a kid!). Over the last 15 years Reggie Fils-Aime has done a great job. I'm sad to see him retire, but also happy for him to spend more time with his family. Thank you for great entertainment. https://t.co/BJaHDdfSdx — Mike Ybarra (@XboxQwik) February 21, 2019Didn't see this coming, but glad that Nintendo is in good hands! @thetruebowser I hope you're ready for even more memes! https://t.co/ctiWMQ6tEM — Matt (@mattmagician) February 21, 2019I am going to miss this person as one of the faces of our industry https://t.co/aMBjPW2cpH — Rami Ismail (@tha_rami) February 21, 2019 Info from Gamespot.com

Valve has announced it's retiring the Video section from the Steam store. You'll keep any videos you've already purchased from Steam, though, so you don't have to worry about losing anything you've bought."In reviewing what Steam users actually watch, it became clear we should focus our effort on offering content that is either directly related to gaming or, is accessory content for games or software sold on Steam," Valve wrote in a blog post. "As part of this refocus, we have retired the Video section of the Steam Store menu with an expectation that video content is discovered via the associated game or software store page, or through search, user tags, recommendations, etc."As part of the company's renewed focus on gaming, in the next few weeks, Valve will be retiring "a number of non-gaming videos" which "will no longer be available for purchase." As stated above, you'll still have access to these videos provided you've bought them already. Otherwise, they'll be gone from the Steam Store for good.Steam's domination of the PC gaming marketplace has been challenged by the arrival of the Epic Games Store. Epic--creator of the popular battle royale game Fortnite--has managed to carve out a chunk of the PC gaming landscape by offering developers a larger cut of their profits in comparison to Steam. Already, Epic has managed to secure the exclusive distribution for the PC versions of several indie games, like Ashen and Journey, as well as some notable triple-A titles, such as Metro Exodus and The Division 2. Exodus, specifically, caused quite a bit of controversy, as its movement from Steam to Epic angered both Valve and fans of the Metro franchise.Metro Exodus launched to several positive reviews, including ours--Michael Higham gave it an 8/10. If you prefer consoles, the game is also available on Xbox One and PS4.Info from Gamespot.com

After more than 15 years with the company, Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aime is retiring this April. Shortly after the news broke, the company shared a heartfelt farewell message from Fils-Aime himself on Twitter."I wanted to reach out directly to you, the Nintendo community, because there's one thing I really want to say: thank you," Fils-Aime said in the video below. "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."From the first time I saw the nickname 'Regginator,' I realized that Nintendo fans share a unique sense of community, a bond that goes beyond just a love of video games. For these past 15 years, I've been honored to be included as part of your family."Nintendo fans, Reggie has a message for all of you. Please take a look. pic.twitter.com/EAhaEl5oEJ — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 21, 2019Fils-Aime also shared a few words about his successor, NOA senior VP of sales and marketing Doug Bowser, who'll be formally taking over his role on April 15. "Doug is a passionate and powerful leader, and a guy who in his youth probably spent too much time in front of a Donkey Kong arcade machine. Inside Nintendo, people already know him as a driving force, and you'll come to see that too."Fils-Aime joined the company partway through the GameCube era and has been its face in North American territories ever since, delivering press conferences and appearing in Nintendo Direct broadcasts. He'll perhaps best be remembered, however, for the countless memes he's inspired, from the time he danced to promote Yo-Kai Watch to his unintentionally iconic catchphrase.Following the news of Fils-Aime's retirement, many other industry figures, such as Microsoft's Phil Spencer, expressed their thanks and shared memories and anecdotes of the NOA president.Info from Gamespot.com

If you're looking for something new to play but aren't quite ready to plunk down some cash on a game, you'll have plenty of options to choose from this weekend. A number of titles are free to play for the next few days on PC and Xbox One, and PS4 and Xbox One owners will be able to try a special demo of Dead or Alive 6.PC players have the most choices this weekend, as four titles are holding free weekends on Steam. These include the sandbox games Boundless and TerraTech, the mech strategy game BattleTech, and the 3v3 competitive game Aftercharge. You'll be able to sample all four of these at no charge until Sunday, February 24, and each is also on sale in case you'd like to pick them up after the free period ends.On Xbox One, Xbox Live Gold members can try both Halo Wars: Definitive Edition and its sequel, Halo Wars 2, at no charge as part of Microsoft's ongoing Free Play Days promotion. The trial period likewise runs through February 24. You can download them either from Microsoft's website or the Gold member area on Xbox One, and both games are on sale for 50% off from the Microsoft Store.Beyond that, Team Ninja is holding a beta for its upcoming fighting game Dead or Alive 6 from February 22-24. The demo will be available on both PS4 and Xbox One, but you'll need to have either a PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold subscription to participate. You can read more details about the beta on the Dead or Alive 6 website.Separate from the free weekends, Epic is giving away another title for free through its storefront, the Epic Games Store. From now until March 7, PC players can claim a digital copy of the point-and-click adventure game Thimbleweed Park at no charge.Info from Gamespot.com

More than two years after the game launched, Pokemon Go will finally give players the option to change their teams. Niantic has announced a new item called the Team Medallion, which will go on sale in the in-game shop beginning February 26 and allow users to switch their allegiance to another team one time.The Team Medallion will cost 1,000 PokeCoins, which makes it fairly pricey, as a bundle of 1,200 coins runs for $10 USD. There are a few caveats as to how it works as well. You can only purchase one Team Medallion every 365 days, so once you switch teams, you'll be locked into your choice for the next year.Shortly after players first begin Pokemon Go, they're asked to join one of three teams: Mystic, Instinct, and Valor, which are represented by the Legendary birds Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, respectively. Up until now, however, your choice has been permanent, so if you've been itching to switch sides, this will be your first opportunity to do so.The Team Medallion isn't the only new feature Niantic is introducing in Pokemon Go; the developer has also rolled out the recently announced Go Snapshot AR photo mode. This allows players to take photos of any Pokemon they have in storage and easily share them with friends and on social media.This weekend is a busy one for Pokemon Go players. From February 22-25, Niantic is bringing back the Gen 3 Legendary Pokemon Latias for a special Raid Weekend. On top of that, a new Limited Research event is scheduled to take place this Saturday, February 23, and it'll give players their first chance to catch the never-before-available Water Pokemon Clamperl.Info from Gamespot.com

Epic Games has announced the details of its Fortnite World Cup, including a whopping $100 million prize pool for the 2019 season. That chunk of money will be split among several prizes, with the largest single cash prize coming in at $3 million.First, there will be 10 weekly Online Open qualifiers running from April 13 to June 16. Every week the company will distribute $1 million broadly among the top players. Then, the top 100 Solo players and top 50 Duos teams will take part in the World Cup Finals in New York City from July 26-28. That event will distribute $30 million. Each player will win at least $50,000 and the Solo World Champion will win $3 million. Plus, $1 million in weekly tournaments will continue through the end of the year.Epic notes that to compete you need to be at least 13 years old, and players between 13-17 need a parent or guardian's permission. Players also need to be in good standing without any violations on their current or previous accounts.Recently Fortnite has gotten a new challenger in the battle royale space with the release of Apex Legends, which quickly grew an audience. Epic Games pointed out that Fortnite is still doing fine for itself too, setting a new record for peak concurrent players.Still, Fortnite appears to be shoring up its defenses against the new challenger. With Season 8 approaching, Epic announced that you can earn the Battle Pass for free by taking part in Overtime challenges. That was interpreted as a sign that the company is attempting to retain its users by giving them a reason to put their time into Fortnite. A major tournament with tons of cash on the line could also help entice players to stick around.Info from Gamespot.com

Netflix's trippy, sci-fi series about putting consciousnesses into different bodies will be returning to the streaming service in the near future. Altered Carbon Season 2 is now in production.In a recently released video, which you can see below, Netflix announced the cast for Season 2 and who they will be playing in the upcoming episodes. The short video gives nothing else away about Altered Carbon's next run.After a few clicks on the keyboard, the Psychasec inventory is opened, revealing the cast. Anthony Mackie (Captain America: Civil War) will play Takeshi Kovacs--played by Joel Kinnamon in Season 1--Simone Missick (Luke Cage) will play Trepp, Dina Shihabi (Jack Ryan) will play Dig 301, Torben Liebrecht will play Colonel Ivan Carrera, James Saito (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) will play Tanaseda Hideki, Renée Elise Goldsberry returns as Quellcrist Falconer, and Chris Conner returns as Poe.Everything in the video looks pretty normal, up until Poe's slide, where next to "Inventory" it reads "Error." In all the rest of the cast slides, that read "Unavailable." Additionally, instead of "Sleeve" and "Stack" above the actor and character's names, it reads "A.I" for both sections on Poe. This should give a few clues away considering where Season 1 left off.In GameSpot's Season 1 review, Mike Rougeau said, "Altered Carbon never shies from examining exactly how an invention like the cortical stack would change our reality, and this future society appears far different from our own. Yet in many ways, it's really exactly the same--which is more or less the prime directive of great science fiction."Season 2 of Altered Carbon is now in production with no set release date at this time.Info from Gamespot.com

It's nearly the end of the Season of the Forge, which means Destiny 2 is gearing up for new content. It also means there are a few last season-ending events to partake in before everything resets on March 5, including the Iron Banner this week and a Triple Infamy Gambit event starting on February 26. There are also just two more visits before the end of the season from Xur, Emissary of the Nine, from whom you can buy Exotic weapons and armor.You'll find Xur this week on Io, in the Giant's Scar region. From the transmat location, hop on your sparrow and head north. Follow the western edge of the area, where you'll find a cliff wall, and look for a cave cut within it. You'll find Xur within.The gun Xur offers this week is Graviton Lance, which is great if you're spending some time in the final Iron Banner of the season. The pulse rifle does particularly high damage with its second shot, and kills with Graviton Lance create an explosion that spits off Void projectiles that hit other enemies. It's also a highly accurate gun that does a lot of damage, which makes it great for hitting people at range in the Crucible.For Titans, Xur brings the Synthoceps gauntlets, which increase your melee lunge distance and give you additional melee and Super damage when you're surrounded. Hunters get the Orpheus Rig leg armor, which provides more shots for the Moebius Quiver version of the Shadowshot Super, and gives you back ability energy for every enemy you tether with it. Finally, Warlocks can pick up the Aeon Soul gauntlets, which gives allies class ability energy whenever you throw a grenade, with additional energy gains if those allies are also wearing Aeon Cult Exotic armor.Graviton Lance (Exotic pulse rifl) -- 29 Legendary ShardsOrpheus Rig (Exotic Hunter leg armor) -- 23 Legendary ShardsAeon Soul (Exotic Warlock gauntlets) -- 23 Legendary ShardsSynthoceps (Exotic Titan gauntlets) -- 23 Legendary ShardsAlso available from Xur is the Fated engram. This costs a whopping 97 Legendary shards but will decrypt into a Year One Exotic you don't already own (assuming you haven't collected them all). While pricey, it's a reliable way to fill out your Exotic collection. Additionally, Xur has the Five of Swords challenge card that lets you add modifiers to Nightfall Strikes.March 5 marks the beginning of the sixth season of Destiny 2, the Season of the Drifter. It'll include another Exotic weapon quest--teasers suggest it's for the Destiny 1 hand cannon Thorn--and seems likely to push forward the Drifter's story. That's quickly becoming one of the more interesting plot lines going on in Destiny 2 right now; read our lore catch-up to see why.Info from Gamespot.com

Nintendo has released a new update for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This patch, version 2.0.1, is a fairly minor one; it doesn't make any new balance adjustments to the game, but it does resolve an issue with one of its Challenges.Specifically, the patch fixes a bug that arose following the recent 2.0.0 update, which prevented players from completing an Adventure Challenge featuring King K. Rool, even if the conditions had been met. Once the update has been installed, load your Adventure save data and the issue will be resolved.The aforementioned 2.0.0 update made some big changes to the game, the most notable of which was the addition of Piranha Plant, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's first DLC character. Early adopters were able to receive the new fighter for free, but those who missed out on the offer have the option of purchasing it from the Eshop for $5.The next DLC character coming to the game is Persona 5's Joker. During the latest Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo revealed that he'll be joining the roster sometime before the end of April alongside Ultimate's 3.0.0 update. Joker is one of the five DLC characters included in the $25 Fighters Pass; the four others have yet to be revealed.In addition to the 2.0.1 update, a new Spirit Board event is now live in Ultimate. This week's event is called Kong Family Reunion, and it features a variety of characters from the Donkey Kong series, including the Legend-class Spirit Kaptain K. Rool.Info from Gamespot.com