During its CES 2019 press conference focused on virtual reality, HTC made a series of announcements revealing what's next for the company. It capped off the event with the reveal of the Vive Cosmos, its next VR headset.You can get a quick look at the headset in the video below; the goal of Cosmos appears to be addressing some of the flaws that most VR headsets have faced to this point. HTC claims it provides "absolute comfort" and "easy set up." Additionally, it offers the Vive experience without the use of any external tracking devices. Cosmos is usable both at home or on the go, according to HTC.Unfortunately, little else was shared about Cosmos, including a release date or price point. The video does say it's "coming soon," and we know Vive Day, April 5, will mark the release of another of HTC's announcements from today, Viveport Infinity. Whether Cosmos is coming quite that soon or not remains to be seen.We’d like to give you a first look at VIVE COSMOS, the newest VR headset from VIVE. #HTCVIVECOSMOS #HTCVIVE #VIVEPORT pic.twitter.com/oP00jXoevU — HTC VIVE (@htcvive) January 7, 2019Without getting into specifics--really, nothing at all was shared about the device--HTC teased that there are hidden aspects to Cosmos not apparent from the announcement. "There's so much more to Vive Cosmos," HTC said in a tweet, "[and] we'll be sharing more details soon on this exciting new VR kit."In another development at CES, HTC announced the Vive Pro Eye, an enterprise-focused headset that offers eye-tracking, negating the need for the use of handheld controllers. That, too, is currently without a release date or exact price.Info from Gamespot.com

HTC Vive users will be able to experience their virtual reality headset in a new way thanks to Vive Reality System, a reinvention of the headset's core software that creates a world around the user, allowing them to engage with the software in a more immersive way. Vive Reality System was announced during CES 2019 and conjures memories of PlayStation Home, a virtual world social world that Sony launched on PS3.Like PlayStation Home, Vive Reality System is very much focused on social interactions and all that entails. This means that users will be able to connect with each other and partake in activities such as watching videos, playing games, and "other creative experiences," according to HTC.We also wanted to rethink how users interact in VR, so we are announcing the VIVE Reality System, a re-imagination of VIVE core software to bring more custom and meaningful VR experiences to our audience. Here’s a glimpse of it in action. #HTCVIVE #HTCVIVEREALITYSYSTEM pic.twitter.com/rnS1CfWEbD — HTC VIVE (@htcvive) January 7, 2019It seems many of the interactions users will have will be through a "Lens," which effectively gives them a window into other virtual worlds and applications running on the hardware. These can be thought of as pop-up windows for applications, much like those used on personal computers or mobile devices, except in a completely virtual world.What HTC showed of Vive Reality System at CES was described as a "glimpse" at it, which means it'll likely show more in the coming weeks and months. The company did not announce when Vive Reality System will launch.Following the announcement of Vive Reality System, HTC finished up its press conference by revealing Vive Cosmos, the newest VR headset in its stable. Vive Cosmos will offer "comfort, easy setup, and will require no external tracking," according to HTC. It will also allow users to experience VR at home and on-the-go. HTC has promised to reveal more about Vive Cosmos soon.We’d like to give you a first look at VIVE COSMOS, the newest VR headset from VIVE. #HTCVIVECOSMOS #HTCVIVE #VIVEPORT pic.twitter.com/oP00jXoevU — HTC VIVE (@htcvive) January 7, 2019During the presentation HTC also showed off the Vive Pro Eye, a new enterprise-focused version of the headset that features native eye tracking technology. This, HTC says, will deliver "greater accessibility, gaze-oriented menu navigation" and effectively eliminate the need to use controllers to get around the interface.In terms of gaming, it announced Viveport Infinity, a subscription service that, for a monthly fee, will grant members access to a library of games. For more on CES you can check out GameSpot's hub and also head over to CNET for comprehensive coverage of everything going on at the show.Info from Gamespot.com

During CES 2019, HTC announced Viveport Infinity. Infinity is the first subscription model for Viveport that allows you to have unlimited access to the service's catalog of games.The current Viveport subscription models are for a three-month, six-month, and 12-month plan which each allow you to play a total of 15, 30, and 60 games respectively. For each plan, you're allowed to play five new games every month. These plans essentially create a figurative time limit to completing titles, but they also offer a way to play through a collection of Vive and Oculus VR games for a fraction of the full retail price.HTC has not yet announced a price point for Viveport Infinity, although it may be more than the current USD 12-month subscription plan--which costs $80 USD in total. Infinity is scheduled to release on Vive Day, April 5.Viveport offers dozens of games. Some are VR versions of older games, such as Fruit Ninja VR, but there are plenty of original titles as well, like Transpose, Zomday, and Vestige. New titles are added on a fairly regular basis, and games can be individually purchased as well--allowing you to keep them forever.During CES, HTC also announced Vive Pro Eye, which is a business-focused headset that tracks your eyes, allowing you to control your system without the need for a controller. HTC also introduced Vive Reality, which is a virtual space for people to interact in, as well as watch videos, play games, and create experiences together. The company also announced Vive Cosmos, another new headset, that's capable of playing VR on the go.Info from Gamespot.com

Alien fans might be getting more than just a new mobile game in 2019. A new tweet from the Alien Anthology Twitter account, which represents 21st Century Fox's franchise, suggest the company means to expand on the story started in 2014's Alien: Isolation in more ways than one.The Alien Anthology account tweeted that more news is on its way for the franchise, specifically concerning Amanda Ripley, the daughter of series protagonist Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver). That followed the announcement that Amanda would star in a new mobile game called Alien: Blackout, which is due out on Google Play and the iTunes App Store on January 24.Dear Alien fans, there is still more to come... very soon. #ReadPlayWATCH #AmandaRipley— Alien (@AlienAnthology) January 7, 2019Amanda was the player character in Isolation, which took place 15 years after the events of the original 1979 film. In that game, Amanda went with a Weyland-Yutani team to Sevastopol Station, a distant space station in the process of being decommissioned, after the flight recorder was recovered from Ellen's destroyed ship, the Nostromo. While Amanda eventually got hold of the recorder, she also went through the same thing as her mother, when an alien began picking off the people of Sevastopol one by one. Alien: Blackout seems to pick up the story from there, with Amanda trying to fend off another alien in a place called Mendel Station while still pursuing answers about what happened to Ellen.The tweets from Alien Anthology teasing the new game also use the hashtags #AmandaRipley and #ReadPlayWatch, which suggests there's more to do with Amanda's story than just play it. In fact, the latest tweet emphasizes the "watch" part of the hashtag with capitalized letters, unlike the other tweets.Just what "watch" might mean (or "read," for that matter) is anybody's guess at this point. The Alien franchise has long been more than just movies, expanding into comics and novels as well as games. The franchise has seen something of a resurgence recently with the release of two prequel movies, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, but it's not clear whether there will be a follow-up to director Ridley Scott's Covenant. Amanda's story provides another avenue that it seems the franchise is set to explore, in some form or another. Still, while fans might have hoped for a full sequel to Alien: Isolation rather than a mobile game, at least it seems that Amanda Ripley isn't being totally discarded from the Alien story.Info from Gamespot.com

Veteran Elder Scrolls composer Jeremy Soule is "currently not involved" with The Elder Scrolls VI. Responding to questions from fans, Soule said on Facebook that he "would never turn [his] back on [The Elder Scrolls]," but at this stage he is not lined up to do the music.It sounds like it is still very early days for The Elder Scrolls VI, so it might be the case that Bethesda hasn't yet approached any composers to do the music for the game."While I've not said much about this out of courtesy to Bethesda, I would never turn my back on TES, and I believe that my involvement would hinge on a creative decision on their part and where they want to take the franchise," Soule said. "To confirm, I am currently not involved with TES VI."Soule composed the music for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, while he also contributed to the score for The Elder Scrolls Online. So it makes sense that fans would be wondering if he would also do the music for The Elder Scrolls VI.Outside of The Elder Scrolls series, Soule did the music for the Guild Wars series and multiple Harry Potter games, as well as BioWare's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. In November, Soule said he would like to work on the music for Amazon's Lord of the Rings show.The Elder Scrolls VI was announced at E3 2018 alongside another new Bethesda game, the single-player RPG Starfield. That game is coming first, and then The Elder Scrolls VI, but Bethesda hasn't announced any release dates."[The Elder Scrolls VI] is big and it's ambitious, but also … the most important thing to underscore is that the timeline between products that you get from BGS is not any different than it has been historically just because we've talked about two games after Fallout 76," Bethesda boss Pete Hines told GameSpot."I try really hard to manage people's expectations. It's not like 'Fallout 76 this year, Starfield next year, and then TES6 the year after.' The timeline isn't any different. What's different is just trying to be transparent and say, 'Don't freak out, the next thing we're doing is single-player [in Starfield], [and] we are making TES6."The Elder Scrolls VI may be so far off that it won't launch until a new wave of consoles is released, though nothing is certain at this stage.Info from Gamespot.com

CES 2019 is underway, giving us a glimpse at some of the new tech products that are on the way in the coming year and beyond. HTC was the latest company to host its CES press conference, and it made a number of big announcements during the event, from revealing a new Viveport subscription model that offers unlimited access to VR games to unveiling its next VR headset, the Vive Cosmos.If you weren't able to follow along with the press conference, we've rounded up all of the major news from HTC's CES 2019 event below so you can catch up on the company's biggest announcements.Vive Pro EyeHTC kicked off its press conference by announcing the Vive Pro Eye. Described as "an evolution in the enterprise VR space," the headset is geared more toward business than gaming and integrates eye tracking natively to give users "greater accessibility, gaze-oriented menu navigation." No release date or pricing details have been announced. [Full story]Viveport InfinityHTC announced it is launching a new model of its Viveport subscription streaming service, dubbed Infinity. As its name suggests, the service will offer subscribers unlimited access to the Viveport catalog for a monthly fee. Infinity is scheduled to launch on Vive Day, April 5, although no pricing details have been announced yet. [Full story]Vive Reality SystemViveport Infinity wasn't the only VR service HTC announced during its press conference. The company also revealed the Vive Reality System, a "reimagining of Vive core software" reminiscent of the PlayStation Home social space. Users will be able to to connect with each other and watch videos, play games, and do "other creative experiences" together. No launch details were announced. [Full story]Vive CosmosHTC capped off its CES 2019 press conference by unveiling the Vive Cosmos, the company's next VR headset. While very few concrete details were announced, it appears the goal of Cosmos is to address some of the flaws most VR headsets have faced. HTC also says the Cosmos will provide "absolute comfort" and be "easy set up." As with its other announcements, no release date or price point were shared, although the headset's reveal trailer teases it's "coming soon." [Full story]Info from Gamespot.com

It just got more expensive to visit Disneyland in California. As it regularly does, Disney recently raised ticket prices, and this time the hike comes not long before the opening of the new Star Wars area, Galaxy's Edge, this summer.According to The Los Angeles Times, the cheapest ticket to get into Disneyland now costs more than $100, while daily parking prices are increasing from $20 to $25. In 2016, Disneyland launched a demand-based pricing scheme that offers lower prices on days that are less in demand and higher prices for popular days like weekends and holidays.A one-day, one-park ticket for Disneyland or California Adventure for a "low-demand" day is now $104, which is up from $97. The same ticket for a regular-demand day is jumping from $117 to $129. And the daily ticket price of a high-demand day is now $149, and that's up from $135.Prices are also increasing for annual passes, while access to the MaxPass app that lets you digitally reserve seats on rides is now $15 instead of $10.According to The Los Angeles Times, Disneyland raises ticket prices every year in part to help keep crowds at manageable levels. However, demand has remained strong, and even more visitors are expected at Disneyland when Galaxy's Edge opens in June.Disney CEO Bob Iger told Barron's that Disney is trying to be "much smarter" as it relates to the pricing strategy for its parks. "To try to spread attendance and reduce attendance in the peak periods so we can improve guest satisfaction. Crowding is an issue," he said.A similar park is opening at Disney World in Florida in Fall 2019; it's not immediately clear if daily ticket prices are increasing at Disney World as well.Disneyland's Galaxy's Edge is a massive 14-acre park featuring a number of new rides, including one that lets you pilot the Millennium Falcon. Another ride lets you join the Resistance and fight the First Order, including Kylo Ren.Info from Gamespot.com

More details about Venom 2 have come to light. According to Variety's Jeff Sneider, Sony is bringing back Venom 1 writer Kelly Marcel (Fifty Shades of Grey, Saving Mr. Banks) to write the screenplay for the sequel. She will also executively produce the film.Tom Hardy is set to return as Venom/Eddie Brock, with Woody Harrelson starring as the bad guy Carnage. Michelle Williams is also set to return as Anne Weying.According to Variety, Marcel is getting a "significant" payday for Venom 2, though a specific figure was not disclosed. Venom 1 was directed by Rubin Fleischer, but it's not confirmed yet if he's coming back for the sequel. He will be busy with Zombieland 2, and that could limit his availability for Venom 2.BREAKING: Kelly Marcel to write and executive produce the VENOM sequel which will bring back Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams and Woody Harrelson as Carnage. — Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) January 7, 2019Venom made more than $855 million worldwide, making it one of the biggest movies of 2018. It was tremendously commercially successful despite getting a very poor reception from critics. The film fared much better with audiences, however.No release date has been confirmed for Venom 2, but it's rumoured to premiere in October 2020. Info from Gamespot.com

The first footage of Game of Thrones Season 8 was released during the Golden Globes ceremony this week, and now we're getting even more insight into the final season. HBO chief executive officer Richard Plepler told Variety that the final six episodes are like six movies. He said he's seen the final episodes two times already, and though the CG work wasn't finished, he was still blown away."It's a spectacle. The guys have done six movies," he said. "The reaction I had while watching them was, 'I'm watching a movie,'" he said.Plepler said showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff knew the bar was already high, and they took things even further. "They've exceeded the bar. I've watched them twice without any CGI and I'm in awe. Everybody's in for an extraordinary treat of storytelling and of magical, magical production."Game of Thrones Season 8 premieres in April, and it is expected to be a thrilling, dramatic conclusion to the acclaimed HBO fantasy show. As mentioned, there are only six episodes, but each one could be as long as a movie. Not only that, but HBO shot what sounds like an incredibly epic battle sequence that took 55 nights to shoot.While the mainline Game of Thrones series is ending, HBO has a prequel series in the works, starring Naomi Watts and Josh Whitehouse. It's titled The Long Night.Info from Gamespot.com

Rockstar Games has announced job listings for new, unannounced titles, which the company has described as "next-generation" projects. Whatever the creators of Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto V have planned next, it looks like we won't see it until the release of whatever comes after Xbox One and PS4. First noticed by Gear Nuke, Rockstar India is hiring for technical artist positions, including a senior environment artist, to join a team tasked with creating "next-generation worlds for some exciting upcoming projects." The India branch is also hiring a vehicle artist, and the description sounds like it could be for something like GTA 6. Also, Rockstar New York is looking for a MoCap tools developer to help create and build "upon the next generation of MoCap tools and pipeline," as well as a technical face developer to "help research and develop new technology for future titles." Rockstar Toronto is also hiring for projects that use next-generation technology.For fans of Rockstar or people familiar with the process with which the company makes games, these announcements might not be a surprise. Rockstar spends many years developing new titles--the original Red Dead Redemption and its sequel released nearly a decade apart--and the company still hasn't finished with Red Dead Online. Both Microsoft and Sony have hinted at their next consoles possibly being announced by 2020 and released soon after, so Rockstar pushing out another game before the end of the Xbox One and PS4's lifecycles seems unlikely. It makes sense for the company to be looking ahead to whatever is next.Rockstar's last game, Red Dead Redemption 2, is our Game of the Year for 2018. When describing the title, our senior reviews editor Kallie Plagge wrote, "It's hard to shake the kind of connection you develop with Red Dead Redemption 2's world and characters. It's a game that can try your patience, for sure, but it simply wouldn't be the same if it didn't. It's an unforgettable experience that challenges your expectations as often as it meets or exceeds them, and there's no question that it's our Game of the Year."Info from Gamespot.com

Fighting game Dead or Alive 6 won't launch on time. Developer Team Ninja and publisher Koei Tecmo announced today that the title has been delayed to March 1, 2019. It was previously scheduled to be released on February 15, so the delay is only a couple of weeks. Producer and director Yohei Shimbori said in a statement that the team needed more time to focus on polishing "balance, gameplay, and expressivity.""The title's development is already near complete; however, we would like to take more time to further polish its balance, gameplay, and expressivity," Shimbori said. "In return for your patience, we commit to bringing you the best Dead or Alive gaming experience."I am truly sorry for the inconvenience caused by the release delay of Dead or Alive 6."Dead or Alive 6 will launch for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. In other news, a tweet from the game's channel might be teasing that a demo for Dead or Alive 6 is in the works. The message states, "Perhaps the time has come to give our fighters a chance to TEST their skills." The mention of "test" might be in reference to a demo, but no official announcements have been made at this stage.We hope all the recent videos have gotten you hungry for some DOA action. Perhaps the time has come to give our fighters a chance to TEST their skills. Make sure to follow us here so you don’t miss any updates.. . . #DOA6 #DEADORALIVE6 pic.twitter.com/yXYEk8233N — DOATEC(DOA6)OFFICIAL (@DOATEC_OFFICIAL) January 5, 2019 Info from Gamespot.com

Sony provided a new sales update for the PlayStation 4 today, and things are going quite well, it seems. The console has sold 91.6 million units worldwide as of December 31, which includes 5.6 million units sold during the holiday season (November 19-December 31).Additionally, Sony announced that Spider-Man for PS4 has sold 9 million copies physically and digitally as of November 25. The Insomniac-developed PS4 exclusive launched in September, selling 3.3 million copies in its first three days to set a new sales record.Another big number was 50.7 million, which is the number of PS4 games (physical and digital) that were sold during the holiday season. This boosts the total number of PS4 games sold globally since the console launched in 2013 up to 876 million across physical and digital as of December 31.Sony also announced that the PlayStation Network had 90 million monthly "active" users as of the end of November 2018."I would like to express my deepest gratitude to our passionate community around the globe, and our partners, for helping us achieve these milestones," Sony Interactive Entertainment president John Kodera said in a statement."This year, we will bring more enhanced experiences to our fans along with a highly anticipated lineup of games that are only possible on PS4. As we look toward the next PS4 milestone, SIE will continue to evolve, and we will further expand the platform to deliver the best interactive entertainment experiences to the world."The PS4 is doing extremely well in the market, but it still has a lot of work to do to match the sales of the PlayStation 2. That console sold more than 150 million units.Back in May 2018, Sony said the PlayStation 4 was entering the end of its lifecycle. In October, the company for the first time acknowledged it might make a PlayStation 5. There are a number of exciting PlayStation 4-exclusive games in the works, including Death Stranding from Hideo Kojima and The Last of Us: Part II from Naughty Dog. Info from Gamespot.com

There's still no word on when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will start filming, but that's not stopping Dave Bautista from signing on for more work. The actor, who plays Drax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has joined the cast of the Dune reboot from director Denis Villeneuve.As reported by Variety, the former WWE superstar will star alongside Timothee Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson in the film. Villeneuve, who last directed Blade Runner 2049, is co-writing the script with Eric Roth and Jon Spaihts.Villeneuve's reboot will be the second time a Dune film has hit the big screen. Adapted from the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, the first film was released in 1984 from writer and director David Lynch. Prior to that, Alejandro Jodorowsky attempted to adapt the book to film, but the project was ultimately abandoned. The 2013 documentary Jodorowsky's Dune revisited the writer and director's failed venture and examined the impact it had on science fiction franchises like Alien and Star Wars.Dune is set in the future in space, following the fall of the Atreides family, who ruled the planet Arrakis. Chalamet will play Paul Atreides, who attempts to regain his family's place of nobility on the world, with Ferguson set to star as his mother. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bautista will play "Beast" Rabban, the nephew of a Baron that now controls the planet.There's no set release date for Dune just yet. However, Bautista will soon be back in theaters as Drax when Avengers: Endgame hits theaters on April 26.Info from Gamespot.com

Writer Erik Wolpaw, who worked on a number of popular Valve games like Half-Life 2: Episode One and Episode Two, as well as Portal and the two Left 4 Dead games, is back working with the studio again. He confirmed to Polygon that he's returned to Valve as a contractor, not full time. His name was spotted in the credits for Valve's new Dota card game, Artifact, and Gabe Newell himself reportedly confirmed Wolpaw had returned.Wolpaw was at Valve since 2004 before initially leaving in 2017. After leaving Valve, Wolpaw worked with Double Fine on Psychonauts 2. He's now back working with Valve again, but it's not clear what he's contributing to besides Artifact.He told Polygon that he never really left Valve, as he's maintained his contractor agreement with Valve since he left the company in 2017. He's helping out with other writers Jay Pinkerton, Steve Jaros, and Sean Vanaman."I've had a contractor agreement with Valve since the day I stormed out and then immediately timidly stormed back in to ask could I please have my old job back and they said no and I was like good because I'm too busy to work for you anyway and they said but you can be a contractor and I said oh thank god okay I'll do that," Wolpaw explained."I’ve been helping Pinkerton and Jaros and Vanaman whenever they need it. It's been busier on that front lately, but I'm not currently a full time employee. My main gig is still delivering juice for my niece Jodi's vegan juice shop plus an unpaid internship playing Slay the Spire three hours a day."Artifact, which was released at the end of November 2018, was Valve's first new game in years. GameSpot's Artifact review scored the game an 8/10. It's exciting to see Valve releasing new games again, but fans are still probably very interested to hear about new Portal, Half-Life, and Left 4 Dead games.Wolpaw wrote reviews for GameSpot earlier on in his professional writing career.Info from Gamespot.com

Veteran actor Danny DeVito is joining the sequel to Jumanj: Welcome to the Jungle. Variety reported and actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson confirmed that DeVito will have a role in the film that's due out at the end of the year. The news about DeVito joining the sequel comes just days after it was reported that Awkwafina will also appear in the movie.Plot details are being kept under wraps for the Jumanji sequel, and this includes details on who DeVito will play. But it appears DeVito will be among the people who get sucked into the Jumanji video game and become someone new once inside the game.“The magic of Jumanji is who becomes who," The Rock told Variety. "And the idea of Danny DeVito joining our cast was too irresistible and something we knew we wanted to deliver to our audience this upcoming Christmas. Dwanta Claus loves everyone."He wants to play the game that plays you. Welcome @DannyDeVito to our JUMANJI cast! Can’t wait my friend. Oh the fun we will have, if... you just call out it’s name. #JUMANJI https://t.co/PJoTAqhHV1 — Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) January 5, 2019DeVito has been acting since the '70s, and he's still an in-demand actor. In addition to Jumanji 2, DeVito continues to star in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, while he's set to appear in two Disney movies this year: Dumbo and The One and Only Ivan. DeVito picked up a Best Picture Oscar nomination for his producing role for Erin Brockovich.All the major stars of the 2017 Jumanji movie--Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan--are all expected to come back for the sequel. What's more, director Jake Kasdan, who is the son of legendary Star Wars writer Lawrence Kasdan, is returning as well.Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle made $962 million worldwide, making it the fifth highest-grossing film of 2017, and a sure candidate for a sequel. In June 2018, The Rock confirmed that the sequel was officially underway. He said at the time, perhaps jokingly, that Kevin Hart's character will die in the first 15 seconds.Plot details are under wraps for the Jumanji sequel, but The Rock teased that Kasdan gave a "dynamite pitch" for the plot. The film hits theatres in December 2019.Info from Gamespot.com