February is quickly approaching, which means it's almost time for another Pokemon Go Community Day. Developer Niantic has now shared the first details about next month's event, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, February 16, and will feature another Gen 2 Pokemon: the Ice- and Ground-type Swinub.Throughout the event, Swinub will spawn much more frequently in the wild than it normally does. Based on previous Community Days, players will also presumably have a chance of encountering a Shiny Swinub during the event, and any Swinub that evolves into its final form--Mamoswine--up to an hour after the Community Day ends will learn a special move, although Niantic has not yet confirmed what that will be.Mamoswine was one of the many new evolved forms first introduced in the Pokemon series' fourth-generation titles, so to get it in Go, you'll need to have a Sinnoh Stone--a new evolutionary item in the mobile game. One of the ways these can be obtained is through Trainer Battles, and during the Community Day, Niantic says you'll have a chance to earn up to five Sinnoh Stones by battling other players. You'll also receive five rewards per day from Trainer Battles during the Community Day weekend.On top of that, you'll receive triple the normal amount of Stardust for capturing Pokemon during February's Community Day. Finally, any Lure Modules that you use during the event will also remain active for three hours, rather than their usual 30-minute duration. You can read more about the event on the Pokemon Go website.As usual, February's Community Day will only run for three hours, and it'll take place at different times depending on where you live. You can find the hours for each region below.Pokemon Go February 2019 Community Day HoursThe Americas and Greenland11 AM - 2 PM PT2 PM - 5 PM ETEurope, Middle East, and Africa10 AM - 1 PM UTCAsia-Pacific12 PM - 3 PM JST (February 17)Info from Gamespot.com

The NPD Group's analysis of the video games industry in 2018 is one that tells quite a story. Rockstar Games' Red Dead Redemption 2 was the No. 1 selling game of the year--but it was another huge, record-breaking year for Nintendo as well, thanks in large part to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.According to a release from NPD analyst Mat Piscatella, the games industry sold $7.1 billion in console, portable, and PC games in 2018, a 7% increase over 2017 and the highest total since 2012, which saw $7.5 billion in sales. October's Red Dead Redemption 2 led the list of best-selling games for year, followed by Call of Duty: Black Ops IV in second, NBA 2K19 in third, Madden NFL 19 in fourth, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in fifth. Marvel's Spider-Man, Far Cry 5, God of War, Monster Hunter: World, and Assassin's Creed: Odyssey made up the rest of the top 10, in order. NPD's report does not include individual sales numbers.While Red Dead racking up the most sales of the year is indicative of the huge following enjoyed by Rockstar, the story of Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. might be even more impressive. Piscatella writes that Smash Bros. set the record for launch month sales for an exclusive title in December 2018, eclipsing Halo: Reach's launch all the way back in 2010. With just one month worth of sales, Smash Bros. managed to take fifth on NPD's list for 2018--and the analysis firm notes that its figures don't include digital sales of the game, which it currently doesn't track. That means Smash Bros. smashed Reach's record, and eclipsed other major releases, based on physical sales alone.And while Red Dead Redemption 2 took the top spot for game sales, that position isn't without caveat: NPD doesn't currently track PC digital game sales for Black Ops 4. Piscatella took to Twitter to make note the lack of PC digital numbers, saying it "made all the difference to the rankings."The race to the best-seller position in Software was very close. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 digital sales on PC are not currently tracked by The NPD Group and made all the difference to the rankings. — Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) January 22, 2019Smash Bros. wasn't the only console exclusive to have a huge year in 2018. Sony charted twice with two big games that were only released on its PlayStation 4: God of War, from Sony Santa Monica, at No. 8 for the year, and Marvel's Spider-Man, from Insomniac Games, at No. 6. Piscatella wrote that Spider-Man was the best-selling superhero game in more than a decade, since Spider-Man: The Movie 2 grabbed the No. 5 sales spot back in 2004.Meanwhile, the rest of the Top 20 list for 2018 has some interesting additions. Rockstar's latest entry in another monolithic series, Grand Theft Auto V, managed to be the eleventh best-selling game in 2018, despite releasing in 2013. Nintendo charted with three of its older games for Switch (2018's best selling system): Mario Kart 8 Deluxe came in at No. 12 for the year, Super Mario Odyssey was No. 15, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was No. 17. All three games came out in 2017. Those big hits helped Nintendo become the publisher to generate the highest software revenue of 2018--a title the company hasn't enjoyed since 2009.The full rankings lists for December and all of 2018 are below, ranked by dollar sales. You might also check out GameSpot's choices for Best Games of 2018 to see how they stack up with NPD's top sellers.2018 Top 20 Games* indicates digital sales are not included.^ indicates PC digital sales are not included.All PlatformsRed Dead Redemption IICall of Duty: Black Ops 4^NBA 2K19Madden NFL 19^Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*Marvel's Spider-ManFar Cry 5God of War 2018Monster Hunter: WorldAssassin's Creed: OdysseyGrand Theft Auto VMario Kart 8*FIFA 19^Battlefield V^Super Mario Odyssey*Call of Duty: WWII^Dragon Ball: FighterzThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*Super Mario Party*Pokemon: Lets Go Pikachu*December 2018 Top 20 GamesAll PlatformsSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate*Red Dead Redemption IICall of Duty: Black Ops 4^Battlefield V^NBA 2K19Mario Kart 8*Madden NFL 19^Super Mario Party*Pokemon: Lets Go Pikachu*Marvel's Spider-ManAssassin's Creed: OdysseyPokemon: Lets Go Eevee*Super Mario Odyssey*The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*Just Cause 4FIFA 19^Grand Theft Auto VMinecraft#Spyro Reignited Trilogy^Fallout 76*Xbox OneRed Dead Redemption IICall of Duty: Black Ops 4Battlefield VMadden NFL 19NBA 2K19Forza Horizon 4Assassin's Creed: OdysseyJust Cause 4Grand Theft Auto VFIFA 19PlayStation 4Red Dead Redemption IICall of Duty: Black Ops 4Marvel's Spider-ManNBA 2K19Battlefield VMadden NFL 19Just Cause 4FIFA 19Assassin's Creed: OdysseySpyro Reignited TrilogyNintendo SwitchSuper Smash Bros. UltimateMario Kart 8Super Mario PartyPokemon: Lets Go PikachuPokemon: Lets Go EeveeSuper Mario OdysseyThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildSplatoon 2MinecraftJust Dance 2019Nintendo 3DSLuigi's MansionMario Kart 7Pokemon: Ultra MoonPokemon: Ultra SunSuper Smash Bros.Super Mario 3D LandMinecraftDetective PikachuMario Party: The Top 100New Super Mario Bros. 2Info from Gamespot.com

Follow its launch on PC and mobile last month, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds' newest map, Vikendi, has now arrived on consoles. PUBG Corp. has released a new update for the battle royale game on PS4 and Xbox One, bringing the aforementioned snow map to both platforms, along with the Vikendi Survivor Pass and other new content.Vikendi is the fourth map to arrive in PUBG to date. Beyond its snow-covered terrain, its most distinctive feature is its size. Unlike the other maps in the game, Vikendi is 6x6 km large, making it smaller than both Erangel and Miramar, but larger than the 4x4 Sanhok.Vikendi also comes with an exclusive vehicle: the snowmobile. It can seat two players and is better suited to the map's snowy landscape than PUBG's other vehicles, but it doesn't perform as well over other kinds of terrain. PUBG Corp. has also added two new weapons: the Skorpion, which is available on all maps, and the G36C, which only appears on Vikendi.Arriving alongside Vikendi is the Vikendi Survivor Pass. Much like Fortnite's Battle Pass, it gives players a variety of challenges to complete over 10 weeks. Doing these challenges will level the pass up, which in turn will unlock cosmetics and other rewards.Rounding out the update are an assortment of tweaks and fixes for the game on both PS4 and Xbox One. Among other things, PUBG Corp. has revamped the parachute system and made various performance improvements. You can find the full patch notes on the PUBG website.Info from Gamespot.com

It was another huge year for Nintendo in 2018, with the company's Switch raking in the most sales of any console for the year in the U.S. According to a report from analyst firm The NPD Group, Nintendo helped lead an 8% increase in hardware sales, pushing the overall total to $5.1 billion.Nintendo wasn't the only console maker seeing gains in 2018, though. Analyst Mat Piscatella wrote in NPD's press release on its report that Sony's PlayStation 4, Microsoft's Xbox One, and other plug-n-play devices all saw sales gains in 2018 over where they landed in 2017. NPD did not reveal any sales totals or dollar amounts in its report.The Switch was inarguably the winner in hardware according to NPD, though, especially in December. In 2018, Nintendo made more money on console hardware than any company had since Sony took 2015 with the PS4. Nintendo's December 2018 Switch sales were higher for that month than any year since 2009--the year Nintendo had another huge December with sales of its Wii console.Nintendo's big win was reflected in software sales, as well. It had seven of the 20 top-selling games of 2018, which includes December's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which came fifth in sales for the year.Another big factor in hardware sales, according to NPD: Fortnite. The firm doesn't track software numbers for the free-to-play game, but Piscatella took to Twitter to remark on Fortnite's impact on the industry.But really, the real story of 2018 is Fortnite. Its impact across Hardware, Accessories and Game Cards cannot be overstated. And even though we don't track Fortnite software in this tracking, its impact on Software overall was absolutely massive and has changed the industry. — Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) January 22, 2019Apparently, Fortnite has players buying lots of new gamepads and headsets. Piscatella wrote in his release that 2018 saw a 33% increase in sales of accessories and game cards in 2018, up to an all-time high of $4.5 billion. "The DualShock 4 Black, Switch Pro Controller and the Xbox One S Wireless Controller White were the three best-selling accessories of 2018 in dollar spend," he wrote, with headsets also contributing.A huge part of that spending took place in December 2018, when consumers spent $1 billion on accessories and game cards--an increase of 29% over December 2017. The big seller in December: the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.NPD also ran down the best-selling software of 2018 and for December, with Red Dead Redemption 2 coming in first for the year.Info from Gamespot.com

Update: Nintendo's broadcast has wrapped up, but you can rewatch the entire thing below. It ran for just under 17 minutes and revealed a variety of new games, such as SteamWorld Quest, along with release dates for ones we already knew about, like the Advance Wars-esque strategy game Wargroove (February 1). We also learned that three games--Goat Simulator: The GOATY, When Ski Lifts Go Wrong, and Unruly Heroes are all out now on the Switch Eshop. The original story follows.Nintendo's Direct-style Indie Highlights presentation is happening today, bringing fresh news on all the independent games coming to Switch in 2019. The broadcast is scheduled to begin at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET / 2 PM GMT (1 AM AET on January 24), and you can watch it right here on GameSpot above.Nintendo hasn't revealed how long the indie highlight stream will be, but the company's previous indie-focused presentations have typically run for about 20 minutes. Likewise, Nintendo has not discussed which games will be shown off, but we already know of a number of indie games coming to Switch this year, including Windjammers 2 and Inti Creates' Dragon Marked for Death.The indie highlights broadcast marks the first presentation Nintendo is airing in 2019. The company typically streams a big Nintendo Direct sometime in January to outline some of its new releases in the first part of the year, but so far no proper Direct presentation has been scheduled for this month.Nintendo's previous indie presentations have carried a "Nindies" label, and have given us a glimpse of some great games, such as TowerFall: Ascension, Into the Breach, and Transistor. Here's hoping we get to see some similarly stellar games today.Info from Gamespot.com

During an indie showcase, Nintendo debuted a new game from Image & Form coming first to Nintendo Switch. SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech is a card-RPG hybrid set to hit this year, first on Switch and then on other unannounced platforms.The brief look at gameplay shows a traditional RPG battle interface, but with cards lining the bottom to serve as attacks. A treasure chest gives off loads of loot in the form of cards, and a closer look shows names like Intimidating Shout, Hot Iron, and Kilovolt. The announcement boasts a selection of more than 100 cards and the series' wacky humor.The look of the game is obviously inspired by fantasy tropes, including armored knights, swords, and even a mechanized dragon. Image & Form noted that a fantasy RPG has been among its top requests from fans. The SteamWorld series has become known for applying its steampunk aesthetic to different settings and genres. So far it's explored an Old West motif in the two SteamWorld Dig games and SteamWorld Tower Defense, and a sci-fi space setting in SteamWorld Heist. This adds a third genre to the series' flexible rotation.The latest in the series is SteamWorld Dig 2, an action-platformer with shades of the classic Dig Dug. Like in the first game, you ventured further underground finding valuable loot for upgrades, while unlocking mysteries of a high-tech civilization."Dig 2 manages to not only be an exceptional successor, but a great adventure in its own right," critic Matt Espineli wrote in GameSpot's review. "Where the first game was a diamond in the rough, Dig 2 is a polished jewel." Info from Gamespot.com

Although the second season of The Punisher only hit Netflix last week, the future of the show remains uncertain. Three of Netflix's other Marvel shows have been cancelled in last few months, and it remains a possibility that The Punisher might join them. However, showrunner Steve Lightfoot is already speaking about potential next projects, including revisiting another much-loved Marvel character.In an interview with comicbook.com, Lightfoot revealed he is interested in making a show about Blade, the vampire hunter who previously featured in two movies starring Wesley Snipes. "I have no idea who owns it, but I've always loved the Blade character," he said. "I think that would be a great one to come back with. I thought those movies were great and I love that mythology. I'm a big horror fan, and as a fan of that it would be a fun one to play around with."This isn't the first time in recent months that there have been rumors of a potential Blade revival. In August, Snipes himself told The Huffington Post that he would be interested in returning to the role. "There's always a possibility, you know. It's in Marvel's hands," he said. "They're controlling the pace and the flow with that. Conversations have been good. They see the value in it. We see the value in it. I'm still in shape enough and fit enough to handle the role. We'll see how it goes. I don't really know what's going to happen to it yet."Blade was released in 1998, and was followed by Guillermo Del Toro's Blade 2 in 2002, and Blade 3 in 2004. There was also short-lived spin-off TV show in 2006.As for The Punisher, Lightfoot spoke about the future of the show and remained hopeful that Season 3 might happen. "Because I'm so fully involved in the show, usually what happens for me is I finish the last one," he said. "I've got a really good idea about what would be next. I've got a very good idea about what Season 3 is, I've got an idea for it I'm really excited about, which Marvel know about and they're also excited about. We just obviously hope we get the chance to go make it."Info from Gamespot.com

GameStop has rolled out its latest set of weekly deals, and this time it's heavily marking down recent Ubisoft games. Far Cry 5, The Crew 2, Just Dance 2019, and Assassin's Creed Odyssey are all discounted. In fact, at $15, the price for Far Cry 5 is even lower than the recent Ubisoft franchise sale on Xbox One. The older but still going strong Rainbow Six Siege is also reduced, if you've been looking for an opportunity to hop into one of Ubisoft's most successful live games.In non-Ubisoft deals, Hitman 2 and Battlefield 5 are both going for $30, and Just Cause 4 has already been reduced to $40. If you're more in a sporting mood you can pick up FIFA 19 and NHL 19 for $40, or NBA Live 19 and WWE 2K19 for $30.Other deals include cheap prices on deluxe editions, so you can get a game plus its bonus content for a song. Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 Deluxe Edition is $30, and Valkyria Chronicles 4 Memoirs from Battle Edition for Nintendo Switch is $60, down from a whopping $100. Sometimes waiting pays off.The weekly circular ad also touts a 2 for $20 deal on pre-owned games under $15, which includes some big names you may have missed like Black Ops 3 and Mortal Kombat X. And of course the retailer is touting that there's still time to pre-order Kingdom Hearts 3 and receive a fabric poster as a bonus. The store is also offering 25% off Kingdom Hearts collectibles.Check below for the highlights or read the weekly circular. Offers in the circular are valid through January 29, while the Ubisoft deals may expire earlier.Assassin's Creed Odyssey - $25Battlefield 5 - $30Far Cry 5 - $15FIFA 19 - $40Hitman 2 - $30Just Cause 4 - $40Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 Deluxe - $30NBA Live 19 - $30NHL 19 - $40Rainbow Six Seige - $15The Crew 2 - $15Valkyria Chronicles 4 Memoirs from Battle Edition (Switch) - $60WWE 2K19 - $30Info from Gamespot.com

January is almost over and February will be here soon, and that means Netflix subscribers have a whole new slew of movies, TV, and originals to choose from. Sadly, it also means a bunch of stuff is leaving the service as well. Starting on February 1, subscribers will find plenty of new content to binge as Netflix starts dropping new stuff.Starting on the first of the month, Netflix will release the first three American Pie movies. The early-00s series was the most successful comedic franchise during that time. In addition, Jaws, Jaws 2, Jaws 3, and Jaws: The Revenge will be available, so you can cuddle up to that special someone to watch a great white shark eat a bunch of beach-goers--and some people at an underwater aquarium.As far as original programming goes, there are a couple of key dates to keep in mind. On Valentine's Day (February 14), comedic actor Ken Jeong drops his first comedy special, "You Complete Me, Ho." Jeong returns to stand-up in this special and looks back on how he was a doctor and transitioned into comedy. Additionally, on February 15, The Umbrella Academy comes to the service. Based on the comic book series of the same name, the show follows sibilings who are reunited after their father's death and learn they have extraordinary powers.Sadly, there are a few great selections leaving the service in February, so you'll want to watch them soon before they disappear. Black Dynamite, Clerks, Children of Men, The Big Lebowski, and Shaun of the Dead all leave Netflix on February 1, and later in the month, you can say goodbye to Cabin Fever (2/2) and Piranha (2/20).Below, you'll find everything coming and leaving Netflix for February. Make sure to check back to GameSpot with weekly updates for newly arriving shows and see what's in store for Hulu and Amazon Prime as well.Coming In FebruaryAvail. 2/1/19About a BoyAmerican PieAmerican Pie 2American WeddingAs Good as It GetsBilly ElliotDear Ex-- NETFLIX FILMFinal DestinationFree Rein: Valentine's Day-- NETFLIX ORIGINALHairsprayHostelJawsJaws 2Jaws 3Jaws: The RevengePersonal ShopperPretty in PinkRussian Doll-- NETFLIX ORIGINALSiempre bruja-- NETFLIX ORIGINALThe Edge of SeventeenTrue: Happy Hearts Day-- NETFLIX ORIGINALVelvet Buzzsaw-- NETFLIX FILMAvail. 2/2/19Bordertown: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINALRomance is a Bonus Book (Streaming Every Saturday)-- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 2/3/19Disney's Beverly Hills ChihuahuaAvail. 2/5/19Ray Romano: Right Here, Around the Corner-- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 2/6/19The SoloistAvail. 2/8/19¡Nailed It! México-- NETFLIX ORIGINALEl árbol de la sangre-- NETFLIX FILMHigh Flying Bird-- NETFLIX FILMKevin Hart's Guide to Black History-- NETFLIX ORIGINALOne Day at a Time: Season 3-- NETFLIX ORIGINALReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke-- NETFLIX ORIGINALThe Epic Tales of Captain Underpants: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINALUnauthorized Living-- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 2/9/19The Break: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 2/10/19Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj: Volume 2 (Streaming Every Sunday)-- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 2/11/19Flavorful Origins: Chaoshan Cuisine-- NETFLIX ORIGINALLittle WomenAvail. 2/14/19Dating Around-- NETFLIX ORIGINALKen Jeong: You Complete Me, Ho-- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 2/15/19Larry Charles' Dangerous World of Comedy-- NETFLIX ORIGINALThe Breaker Upperers-- NETFLIX FILMThe Dragon Prince: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINALThe Umbrella Academy-- NETFLIX ORIGINALYucatan-- NETFLIX FILMAvail. 2/16/19Black SeaStudio 54The 40-Year-Old VirginAvail. 2/21/19The Drug King-- NETFLIX FILMAvail. 2/22/19Chef's Table: Volume 6-- NETFLIX ORIGINALFirebrand-- NETFLIX FILMGO! Vive a tu manera-- NETFLIX ORIGINALPaddleton-- NETFLIX FILMParis Is Us (Paris est à nous)-- NETFLIX FILMRebellion: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINALSuburra: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINALThe Big Family Cooking Showdown: Season 2-- NETFLIX ORIGINALThe Photographer of Mauthausen-- NETFLIX FILMWorkin' Moms-- NETFLIX ORIGINALAvail. 2/25/19Dolphin Tale 2Avail. 2/26/19Our Idiot BrotherAvail. 2/27/19Unsolved: Tupac & BiggieAvail. 2/28/19Jeopardy!: Collection 2The ReboundLeaving In FebruaryLeaving 2/1/19Black DynamiteBride of ChuckyChildren of MenClerksDisney's The Princess Diaries 2: Royal EngagementElla EnchantedLara Croft: Tomb RaiderQueer as Folk: Seasons 1-4Queer as Folk: The Final SeasonShaun of the DeadThe Big LebowskiThe Bourne UltimatumWoman in GoldLeaving 2/2/19Cabin FeverLeaving 2/3/19SingLeaving 2/19/19Disney's Girl Meets World: Seasons 1-3Leaving 2/20/19PiranhaInfo from Gamespot.com

As part of Nintendo's "Nindies" showcase today, the company surprise-released a handful of games. Three of the games shown off during the presentation are available now through the Nintendo Eshop.When Ski Lifts Go Wrong ($15) is a physics-based construction puzzle game that has you building--what else--ski lifts. Once they're constructed you can set them free to become used by the customers, to often hilariously disastrous results. Goat Simulator: The GOATY ($30) is a bundle that includes several Goat Simulator expansions. Finally, Unruly Heroes ($20) is an action platformer with four heroes that can be swapped in solo play or cooperatively.The presentation had a few other surprises in store, including the announcement of SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech, a card-based RPG set in a fantasy steampunk world. It also finally revealed a release date for Wargroove, which is set for just around the corner on February 1.Other games featured during the showcase included Double Kick Heroes, Forager, Inmost, and CrossCode. Nintendo has made a name for its "Nindies" label, as the Nintendo Switch tends to get large updates loaded with indie games on a weekly basis.Info from Gamespot.com

As promised, Nintendo showcased a variety of new games on the way to Switch this year during its latest Indie Highlights video. In all, the company spotlighted nine new indie titles for the hybrid console, including a few surprise releases that are available to download right now.The biggest surprise of the presentation was the announcement of SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech, the newest game in Image & Form's genre-spanning series. Unlike the recent SteamWorld Dig 2, SteamWorld Quest is a steampunk-fantasy RPG in which players select cards to perform attacks. No release date has been announced, but the game is slated to arrive first on Switch later this year.Nintendo also announced a release date for Wargroove, the Advance Wars-style turn-based strategy game from Stardew Valley publisher Chucklefish. After suffering multiple delays, the title is finally scheduled to arrive on Switch on February 1, and those who have been eagerly awaiting its release can now pre-order it from the Eshop.While those two titles may still be on the horizon, a handful of new games are available to download now from the Switch Eshop, including the ridiculous Goat Simulator: The GOATY, the stylish 2D co-op sidescroller Unruly Heroes, and the Bridge Constructor-like construction game When Ski Lifts Go Wrong.Other titles we got a look at during the presentation included Chucklefish's atmospheric platformer, Inmost, the unique rhythm metal shooter Double Kick Heroes, and the 2D action RPG CrossCode. You can see the full list of games showcased during the Indie Highlights video and their release windows below.Wargroove - February 1, 2019Double Kick Heroes - Summer 2019When Ski Lifts Go Wrong -- Out nowForager -- Coming SoonGoat Simulator: The GOATY -- Out nowInmost -- 2019Unruly Heroes -- Out nowCrossCode -- 2019SteamWorld Quest -- 2019Info from Gamespot.com

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's first DLC character, Piranha Plant, is coming very soon. The new fighter is slated to arrive this February, and unlike Persona 5's Joker, it won't be included as part of the game's Fighters Pass. However, early adopters will be able to receive the character free of charge--but your time to get it is running out.To receive Piranha Plant for free, you'll need to register your copy of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on My Nintendo by January 31. This was done automatically if you purchased the game digitally through the Switch Eshop, but if you picked up a physical copy, you'll need to register it by pressing the plus button while highlighting the game's icon in the Switch menu, then selecting the My Nintendo Rewards option.Once you've registered the game, you'll receive an email containing a download code for Piranha Plant to the address linked to your My Nintendo account within 10 days. Redeem the code in the Switch Eshop and Piranha Plant will automatically be added to your game once it launches. You'll have until 11:59 PM PT on June 30 to redeem the code. If you miss the cutoff date, Piranha Plant will also be offered as paid DLC separate from the Fighters Pass.Nintendo has still yet to announce exactly when Piranha Plant will arrive, but the character is scheduled to release sometime in February. We got a brief look at its unique fighting style during the final Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct last November. As in Mario's platforming games, it's able to spit poison and spiked balls at opponents, while its Final Smash summons Petey Piranha.Beyond Piranha Plant, Nintendo will release five other DLC characters for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the first of whom will be the aforementioned Joker. Each fighter will be released individually alongside a new stage and multiple music tracks for $6, but players can get all five at a discounted price through the $25 Fighters Pass.Info from Gamespot.com

BioWare has announced two demos for Anthem, and the first--the VIP demo--launches for select players this weekend. The second demo will be open for all, and will launch closer to Anthem's release date.Regardless of whether you plan on playing the VIP or free demo, you can pre-load the client right now. It's a 26GB download on consoles and 44GB on PC.The VIP demo is available for anyone who pre-orders Anthem or is an EA or Origin Access subscriber. You don't have to go it alone either, as getting access to the VIP demo nets you three free invites you can send to others. In order to refer a friend, just download the demo, install it, and launch. Then, go to the "refer a friend" tab to receive a unique link you can send to someone else.According to VG247, your friends don't even have to use the same system as you. An Xbox One player can send a free invite to someone to use on PS4 or PC, for example. However, Anthem does not support cross-system play. If you want to play with your friends, you'll need to tell them to use their free invite on the same system you're using.The VIP Anthem demo goes live on Friday, January 25 at 9AM PT / 10AM ET / 5PM UK. It ends Sunday, January 27 at 6PM PT / 9PM ET, which is January 28 at 2AM in the UK. The follow-up free demo will be February 1-3, and begin and end at the same times as the VIP demo. Anthem is an always online game, so you'll need an internet connection to play either demo, as well as Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus if you're planning on playing on Xbox One or PS4.Both Anthem demos are identical in content, so you won't miss out on much playing the second free one. You'll start at level 10 about halfway through Anthem's campaign, and have access to the Ranger with the choice to unlock another Javelin of your choice. Your character will be able to go up to level 15, and you'll be able to explore the world, as well as complete a story mission and a stronghold. Any progress you make in the VIP demo carries over into the free demo, but neither one will carry over into the main game. However, playing the VIP demo will unlock a free gift in the main game at launch.Anthem releases on February 22 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. If you have EA Access, you can play the Xbox One and PC version on February 15.Info from Gamespot.com

Mortal Kombat 11 went big by holding a kommunity reveal event and livestream to unveil the details of the next entry in this storied, brutal fighting game franchise. Several facets of the game were covered, which included new mechanics, a developing story, a brand new playable character, and a high-profile collaboration with UFC and WWE star Ronda Rousey. But behind the extravagant tongue-in-cheek gore and detailed combat system is series creator and long-time director Ed Boon. During the Mortal Kombat 11 reveal event, we had a moment to catch up with him to talk a little bit about the upcoming entry, how the NetherRealm team has evolved with Injustice and past MK games, and where the wild ideas for the gruesome fatalities come from.We have Mortal Kombat 11 covered from all angles, so if you aren't caught up, be sure to check out our compilation of all the fatalities so far from the seven playable characters from the event, the story trailer, the introduction of the new character Geras, and the stage presentation of breaking down a few new mechanics. The following interview has been edited for clarity and readability.Ed Boon tells us fatalities are born out of meetings with the NetherRealm team. They have quite the imagination.How do you and the team keep things fresh after so many years of Mortal Kombat?I think the big thing is we always want to introduce change. The last thing we want to do is take the last game and just kind of reskin it with better graphics, and then people play it and realize that it's the same game as before. So, we change things around. We change the story, we change the characters, we change the fighting mechanics. Every new Mortal Kombat introduces new elements that keep it fun.Walk us through the new mechanics and how they change the game in your eyes?In our last several games, we've had a meter in the bottom of the screen that the players would use. It was like their one resource for enhancing offensive moves, enhancing defensive moves, or saving it up for the big super move. And we split those three elements into two meters: one for offense and one defense. So, when you do an offensive move, you're not using any of the resource for your defensive move or your super move. That defensive move meter and the super move is now up with the health meter. When you get down to 30%, your fatal blow becomes available and that really changes the dynamic of the game that you're playing. It makes for a lot more fun and kind of [creates] tension in the fighting mechanics.Coming off of Injustice 2 in 2017, what are some of the lessons that you've learned and how have they carried into MK11?You know, in everything that we do, I think we look at what have we learned from each game, what can we take away, what do people like that we can apply? And I think the meter that players use, we had to kind of make the decision of: should I use it during gameplay or do I save it up for the big kind of super move thing? And when we looked at that and said, you know, we don't want people to never do super moves, the cool cinematic attacks. So, that was a lesson, and we kind of separated that, and it had just be a separate component of enhancing your moves versus doing a Fatal Blow. We're really excited about that change in our game.What else have you learned in terms of customization, gear, and maybe microtransactions?A lot. Like with Injustice, that was heavily focused on gear and changing gear. Players constantly getting rewards and stuff like that. And we're certainly trying to separate the visuals of what the gear looks like to what it actually does. Because with Injustice, they were kind of married together. You got a mask or something, it did A, B, and C. In Mortal Kombat 11, you just get the visual mask and then the player programs what it does. So it's really kind of separating the visual and the gameplay. That was one of the lessons that we learned from Injustice 2.Any comment on what microtransactions will look like in MK11?Yeah. Well, I guess you know, we absolutely divorced gameplay from any kind of advantages you could get. We really wanted to have it so you can't buy your way to a better character. And honestly, for this game, we're veering away from [that], we're not gonna have loot boxes or anything like that. So, that's big--it's more of an industry direction than it is a fighting game or Mortal Kombat direction. I think the loot boxes worked fine in Injustice because it didn't affect the gameplay and whatnot. But at the same time, we're just kind of steering away from it.Are there any other games that you look to for inspiration, fighting game or otherwise? When I play this new version of Sub-Zero, maybe I see little bit of Kratos in there with his frozen axe and Fatal Blow.Yeah, there absolutely has to be some kind of subliminal influence. In our discussions, we've probably said, "Oh, yeah, kind of like how Kratos does this," or maybe we're describing a move, "Oh, maybe how Ryu from Street Fighter does this." For the most part, we're trying to be as original or different as possible. But I think it's inevitable when you make 10 Mortal Kombats, you're going to draw influence from other games, movies, or TV shows.Do you anticipate any issues with YouTube cracking down on blood and gore, and the platform being used as a streaming service for the community?I'm not as familiar with the rules of YouTube and stuff like that, but I have seen some stuff of showing blood and gore if you're trying to monetize or advertise, then that'll definitely be conflicting with that. And I kind of understand it. You don't want Pampers advertising over a Mortal Kombat video! So, there is audience-appropriate content, so I certainly wouldn't object or say, "No, Pampers should advertise with Mortal Kombat!"Are there any thoughts about having a bloodless mode?We've had that actually for a number of our games, we've had a bloodless mode. Usually, somebody who buys a game called Mortal Kombat, that's had this history of whatever, they kind of know what they're getting. So it's kind of like, "let's make a G-rated version of The Godfather." People are gonna say it doesn't work.It's always tough to keep fighting games balanced. How do you appeal to a new player base making MK11 accessible while also sustaining a hardcore player base at the same time?Yeah, that's the million-dollar question and that's the challenge we're facing with every game we make. The right balance of accessibility so most people can enjoy the game and depth where the hardcore players can do it. So, we try to make the input start moves as broad and reaching as possible in terms of players who can do them, then also put nuances in the fighting where people can count frames and are able to kind of dissect the fight. And it is something that we work on every single game.Let's talk about Geras. MK has a long history with many of its characters that we've been playing for so long. How do you work in a new character? And also, how do you incorporate some very different mechanics? What was the inspiration behind bringing Geras into the mix?A lot of Geras came from the stories that were being written. This [new] character Kronika, she hates her minions and her allies, and we knew that we needed a character to be her ally. We started talking about a couple of the visual designs and features, and that's when Geras was born.With that kind of framework in mind, our designers thought, "Okay, what can we make him do in the game?" That's where they came up with things like, he can rewind time in the middle of the game. It's kind of like a multi-step process. In terms of in Geras, his original idea came from what the writers were doing for the story.We've seen NetherRealm games have an esports following and played at EVO. Any different type of push you'll be making with MK11? Are you doing anything specific for the fighting game community?Yes, well, as far as the fighting game community is concerned, in our last two games, Mortal Kombat X and Injustice 2, we've had Pro Series tournaments. There'll be qualifiers and there'll be a big tournament. Or we'll hold an event that's a tournament that involves prize money and all that. So we've been very heavily supporting our games long after launch, or as long as a year or more after launch.How did the Ronda Rousey collaboration come up? How did that happen?We have relationship with people in different industries, WWE, UFC, and there's always collaboration and discussion. At one point somebody said, "Wouldn't it be cool to have Ronda Rousey in a game?" We're like, "Yes, it would be cool. Let's make her Sonya." Sonya and Ronda just seemed like a perfect fit, perfect marriage. So that kind of felt like it was meant to be.Ronda comes with some baggage, so are there any concerns with past history in terms of who you collaborate with?I guess I'm not aware of it. Everything from our experience with her, she's just been awesome. She's an unbelievable partner to work with. She brought so much energy to the recording sessions and promotion, so she's been great.You've probably been asked this before, but we have to know, how keep do you topping yourselves in terms of fatalities?!Oh god! Well, the fatality process is...it's a meeting. There's a meeting and everybody who has an idea comes with them written down, and then we go, "Okay, it's your turn," and that person stands up and says, "Okay, now Scorpion starts off by doing this. And then he does this."And every once a while someone will go, "Oh man, that's kind of over the top, you know? I don't think we should...we kind of cross a line." And then, "Okay, well, how about he does..." And it's like a negotiation.The ones that kind of resonate with the group, and myself, we'll say "Okay, let's storyboard that one, see how it'll work." And then after we storyboard, we motion capture, get cameras on it, and then we add effects, sound effects, and everything.Do you or any of the team ever step back and think, "Oh boy, that's pretty messed up! I need to re-think some things real quick!"Well, the fatalities are an absolute work of the NetherRealm team, a sort of community of all the developers. So the ideas come from all over the place. It's not one person coming up with all the fatalities.Info from Gamespot.com

The video streaming service Hulu has announced plans to drop the price for its most popular subscription tier. Starting next month the ad-supported basic plan will drop to $6, down from $8. Its other pricing tiers will remain as they currently are.The Hulu site already lists the new price, so it'll already be effective for new subscribers. Existing subscribers will see the new price take effect as of February 26. The $6 tier is ad-supported but includes all of Hulu's on-demand programming from participating channel providers, as well as Hulu's slate of original content. A separate $12 tier removes the ads, while a significantly higher $45 tier includes live TV and is aimed at competing with cable subscriptions.This comes just days after Netflix announced that its own plans would be rising in price. The $8 plan, which was comparable to Hulu's ad-supported plan, will be raised to $9. Netflix's own most popular tier, which includes higher-quality streaming and device compatibility, rose from $11 to $13, while its 4K Ultra-HD plan went from $14 to $16. Netflix was reportedly planning to use the new prices to reinvest in its original programming.Hulu's decision may have had nothing to do with Netflix's, of course, but it's a clear sign of different approaches to increasingly fierce competition among streaming services. Each service is balancing the development of original programming with its pricing structures to find an ideal match. Meanwhile both services are set to get more competition soon, with the launch of Disney+.Info from Gamespot.com