HBO has released a new teaser for the upcoming eighth and final season of the network's acclaimed fantasy drama Game of Thrones. Disappointingly, the video doesn't actually contain any new footage. Instead, it serves more as a mood piece, featuring a a frosty direwolf and a frozen dragon, along with a burning lion. You can put the pieces together and probably theorise as to what that may mean.You can check out the full teaser below.Game of Thrones Season 8 is set to premiere in April 2019, and the final season will have a number of "surprises and shocking moments." What we do already know is that the season will mirror the beginning of Season 1 in some capacity.In addition to the final season, HBO is producing a reunion special featuring Sean Bean and other former and current Game of Thrones cast members.While Game of Thrones is ending, HBO is producing a spin-off that begins production in 2019. Naomi Watts is set to play one of the leads, while more casting details have also come to light.Info from Gamespot.com

Microtransactions are nothing new in the gaming world, but in 2018, the controversial business practice underwent a number of changes and evolutions from what we've seen in the past. As part of GameSpot's year-end features, we're looking at the current state of microtransactions in video games, including how they've been used in the big games of 2018, what's different, better, and worse than before, and other relevant topics.Going back to 2017 is important to set the stage for what happened in 2018. At the end of 2017, Electronic Arts launched Star Wars: Battlefront II, a sequel to its massively successful multiplayer game from 2015. The game looked gorgeous and, in a move that fans generally enjoyed, it introduced a single-player campaign after the earlier title left it out due it part so it could launch alongside Star Wars: The Force Awakens and piggyback on the hype. Things did not go to plan for EA, as much of the conversation surrounding Battlefront II focused on its use of microtransactions. Specifically, people took issue with how the game allowed players to spend real money on loot boxes that could contain items that affect gameplay.It wasn't as direct as paying for specific weapons or other game-affecting upgrades, but paying for the chance to get something that gave players the upper hand on the battlefield understandably rubbed some players the wrong way. And it also brought up concerns that Battlefront II was, in essence, a form of gambling (more on that later). In response to an avalanche of criticism and concern stemming from the game's early access, pre-release play period, EA removed all forms of microtransactions from Battlefront II on the eve of the game's public launch.Microtransactions were reinstated months later, but in a very different way. In their new and current form, players can only spend money on cosmetic items; that is, skins and other items that have no bearing on how a player performs on the battlefield. Although EA changed course, the high-profile nature of Battlefront II--it's a Star Wars game, after all--led to a ripple effect that heated up in 2018 and affected the future output from EA and other publishers. Thanks to the Disney/Star Wars connection, the discussion around loot boxes extended beyond gaming circles and into mainstream media coverage around the world. In turn, this meant that basically every company that implements microtransactions in their games faced an increased level of scrutiny, and one can hope this led to more pro-consumer tactics as it relates to MTX.Lawmakers from the United States and around the world took aim at Battlefront II (and other titles), with politicians calling paid-for loot boxes a form of gambling and seeking to create a legal precedent that could stop the business practice from spreading and holding offending companies accountable. Proposals for new laws relating to loot boxes were put forth in places like Hawaii, where state senator Chris Lee proposed a bill that would limit the sale of video games with "gambling-like mechanisms" to people under the age of 21. Lee, who worked with other politicians from other states in America, said he believed the legislation could have a snowball effect and spread to other parts of the country that enact their own similar laws. Nothing ever came of this bill, which is no surprise given that only around 4 percent of bills ever become law. Internationally, Belgium's Gambling Commission declared that some video game loot boxes amounted to illegal gambling. In the wake of this decision, Blizzard yanked loot boxes from Overwatch in the country. EA reportedly defied Belgium's Gambling Commission, refusing to take action, a move that could lead to further legal action down the road.EA, as well industry groups like the ESRB, ESA, and IGDA, have publicly come out to say loot boxes are not a form of gambling, while regulators in New Zealand and France also stated this year that loot boxes in video games do not constitute gambling. In Australia, a recent Senate inquiry called for a "comprehensive review" of loot box mechanics to determine what action to take. Another major development came in November when the United States Federal Trade Commission said it agreed to the idea of investigating loot boxes at the request of Democratic senator Maggie Hassan.What will be done about loot boxes in the future? Trade groups like the ESA and IGDA believe the industry should self-regulate when it comes to loot boxes. Politicians, meanwhile, will argue that laws are necessary to ensure that something is being done to protect young people from falling into dangerous gambling habits. Self-regulation may be a good idea in theory, but actual laws or regulations would put more pressure on developers and publishers.Those who believe loot boxes are a form of gambling come to that conclusion by asserting that, like a slot machine, people are encouraged to pay real money for the chance to get something they want. Some video games, like Overwatch, disclose odds, but only in some regions such as China. For its part, Blizzard believes its loot box system is not problematic because the items contained within its loot boxes are cosmetic only.Parent company Activision Blizzard is likely happy to keep things the way they are, as the company pulled in $4 billion from microtransactions in 2017 alone. This figure covers all of Activision's business units, including Candy Crush giant King, but Overwatch certainly contributed as well. It's not just Activision Blizzard that makes buckets of money from microtransactions. Every major publisher has posted year-over-year gains in the money it makes from selling extra content, whether that be beyond the initial sale price for full-price games or as optional add-ons in free-to-play titles. In 2018 (and years prior) it was more newsworthy and noteworthy when a major game did not feature a MTX system of some sort.The evidence seems to suggest that microtransactions, or recurring consumer spending, or whatever you want to call it, is only going to increase in the time to come. For example, Take-Two, the parent publisher of games like Red Dead Redemption, GTA, Borderlands, NBA 2K, and others, reiterated this year that it wants microtransactions in every game it makes. (This apparently does not extend to Take-Two's indie publishing label, Private Division, as Obsidian's new game won't have any microtransactions).Another high-profile microtransaction story this year came from Microsoft and Halo developer 343 Industries. 343 is hiring an "online experience designer" who will, among other things, use psychology to encourage players to spend more time in Halo Infinite--and spend more money. Going back to Activision, management at the company recently said that it is looking at how it can put more microtransactions in Destiny 2 after the game's Forsaken expansion failed to sell up to the company's expectations, though developer Bungie has said it's not disappointed with Forsaken's performance.While loot boxes as a form of microtransactions may be fading away, publishers are constantly looking into how they can keep players engaged with their games--and spending money--over a longer period of time. One trend in 2018 that became even more popular was letting players spend money on cosmetic items, and some of this growth might have been driven by the overwhelming success of Fortnite. Epic's battle royale game features a store where players can spend real money on all manner of things from tomato head skins to Oktoberfest-themed gliders to, more recently, NFL jersey skins. None of these items affect gameplay, and instead act as another way for fans to express themselves.From a business perspective, these types of add-ons are likely very margin-rich, and as such, quite lucrative. Another wrinkle that Fortnite executes so well is how its skins and other cosmetic items are only available for a short period of time, creating a feeling of scarcity regardless of whether or not it's true. The game effectively tells you, "Here's a cool skin; buy it now or you may never have another chance." There is even a countdown timer that informs players when skins and other items are set to rotate out of the store. In reality, skins and other cosmetic items are often re-circulated at a later date, but Epic doesn't give much heads up. In turn, this encourages players to keep coming back to see what's new. It's a smart system, and it seems to be paying off for Epic.Part of the reason so many people feel uneasy about microtransactions is because of the speculation and reports that some games are purposefully designed to push players towards spending more money on microtransactions. In 2018, this trend continued. NBA 2K19 and NBA Live 19 were criticised for their microtransaction elements, specifically how some of the game's modes can feel like a grind if you don't pay up. The Ultimate Team modes in EA's Madden and FIFA franchises have been criticised for years about this, and in 2018, EA CFO Blake Jorgensen revealed in an earnings call what many had always suspected. He confirmed that FIFA 19 was designed to steer players towards the microtransaction-filled Ultimate Team mode. "We know the game is designed to ultimately steer [players] into Ultimate Team," Jorgensen said during an earnings call in October.Microtransactions in video games are here to stay, but (messaging issues aside) it appears EA is keen to avoid making the same mistake twice, with other publishers taking note, too. At E3 this year, DICE developers spoke frankly about Battlefront II's failings as it relates to microtransactions. And when other DICE developers got on stage to talk about Battlefield 5, the studio opened by proclaiming the game won't feature any loot boxes. Not only that, but the game launched in November without any form of microtransactions whatsoever. Cosmetic microtransactions are coming to the World War II shooter sometime after launch, with the aim of giving players the opportunity to dress up their soldier and weapons in unique and personalised ways. This seems to be the middle-ground EA is content with, as BioWare has said its 2019 game Anthem won't have loot boxes but will instead feature cosmetic-only microtransactions. It's not the same for every publisher and game. For example, Blizzard's popular hero shooter Overwatch has used loot boxes since launch to drive extra revenue, and former Blizzard executive Mike Morhaime spoke frequently and passionately about how loot boxes are here to stay. Flipping back again, Microsoft's racing game Forza Motorsport 7 released an update this year to remove loot boxes (though microtransactions are still featured in the store).Another big-time example of microtransactions in video games this year was Assassin's Creed: Odyssey. While the franchise has implemented microtransactions in some capacity for many years already, Odyssey was the first entry to allow players to pay a fee--$10 USD--to get a permanent double XP boost. This allows players to effectively level twice as fast, and some argued the $10 XP boost was the game's best feature. That's up for debate, but what's clear is the game was a big hit--and microtransactions played a part. Ubisoft disclosed that Odyssey's launch was the most successful Assassin's Creed release in half a decade thanks in part to the extra revenue that the game's microtransactions brought in.Some say it is icky for big-budget, AAA games to ask for more money beyond the initial sale price, which can be $60 USD or more depending on where you live and what you're after. Publishers will say microtransactions are completely optional, and because they do not impact gameplay--or, if they do, are limited to single-player--they don't affect balance or the general integrity of the game. Being able to craft a character that is uniquely you is part of the appeal of many games today. The issue for many is that games now offer the ability to buy content that, in the past, might have been included on the disc right out of the gate. Publishers might counter that the price of games has not gone up, despite inflation and rising development costs.Whatever the case, regulatory bodies and other industry groups are taking notice of the discussion and enacting some changes in response. The Entertainment Software Rating Board this year announced that it would introduce a new label on some games with microtransaction systems. The overall goal is to inform consumers--and in particular, parents--about which games offer a way to spend additional real-world money from right within the game itself, but whether or not this has any actual impact remains to be seen.The ESRB's new label, which will read "In-Game Purchases," is located near the rating category (E for Everyone, M for Mature, etc.) but will not be housed inside the same box as content descriptors (Sexual Content, Comic Mischief, etc.). What's more, the ESRB launched a new website intended to inform parents about the ESRB's ratings system, how in-game purchases work, and how to use parental tools to control what and how children play games. Disappointingly, the new label will offer no specifics about the type of in-game purchases available so as to avoid overwhelming parents with too much information, the ESRB says.Another notable development this year in the world of microtransactions came from the Entertainment Software Association, which lobbies on behalf of the video game industry and runs E3 every year. Generating some amount of controversy, the organisation said it would rather see self-regulation by video game groups like the ESRB than the kind of government-mandated changes that the lawmakers are proposing. This reaction is understandable. Any law that would, even in some small way, limit the sale of video games is not something that the ESA would so easily or willingly get behind. The IGDA's Jen MacLean echoed the ESA's sentiment in her own statement where she called on the industry to address the loot box controversy to avoid government intervention.2018 was a fast-moving and news-filled year when it came to microtransactions, and it is reasonable to expect that microtransaction systems will remain in all of the major franchises, and ramp up. Every major publisher in video games is investing in microtransaction systems, and they'll remain attractive to them because they consistently deliver a steady stream of revenue at a high margin. One of the key elements in this discussion is how microtransaction systems are delivered, and while publishers like EA, Ubisoft, and others are saying the right things when it comes to their implementation, what happens in practice as we move into 2019, remains to be seen. Info from Gamespot.com

Valve's popular tactical shooter, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, has gone free-to-play. Alongside the release of the new Danger Zone battle royale mode, the publisher announced that Steam users can now download and play CS: GO at no cost, while all existing players are automatically upgraded to Prime Status.As an added perk, those who've been updated to Prime Status are entitled to a free weapon skin for a limited time: the Souvenir MP5-SD | Lab Rat. In order to get it, you'll need to earn 250 XP in the aforementioned Danger Zone, which can be done by killing enemies, completing objectives, and surviving. New players can also choose to upgrade to Prime Status for $15.Much like Fortnite and other battle royale games, Danger Zone drops players onto a shrinking map, with the goal being to be the last one remaining. Valve describes it as a "fast-paced battle royale game mode built on CS:GO's tactical gameplay," and it features some elements not commonly found in other games of its kind, like the ability earn money by completing contracts, opening safes, and carrying hostages to a rescue zone.Another area where Danger Zone differs from other battle royale games is its player count. Rather than supporting 100 players, Danger Zone's cap is limited to either 16 players when jumping in solo or 18 when playing as a two- or three-person squad. Given this smaller player count, Danger Zone matches are also much shorter than those in other battle royale games, typically lasting around 10 minutes by Valve's estimate.Danger Zone is available now as a free update for CS: GO. The mode will be installed automatically when players login to the game.Info from Gamespot.com

The 2018 Game Awards are taking place this evening in Los Angeles, and we're expecting a lot of news. Show organiser Geoff Keighley is promising 10 or more new game announcements, along with updates on games that have already been announced. Here in this post we'll round up all the biggest news from the show so you can get a quick overview of the main announcements.We already know the next Far Cry game, rumoured to be the post-apocalyptic Far Cry New Dawn, will be announced at the event, while the next RPG from Fallout: New Vegas studio Obsidian will also be shown at the awards event. A new Alien game, Alien: Blackout, is also rumoured to be revealed at the awards show, while we're expecting some big Fortnite news as well.This post will be updated throughout the evening as all the big news drops. We'll also have a rundown of the all the award winners; for now, you can see a breakdown of the nominees here.Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black OrderA new Nintendo Switch game coming in 2019, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, is on the way exclusively for Nintendo's hybrid system. The game features a "huge cast" of Marvel characters from The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and other franchises. It has a cel-shaded look, and appears to be a beat-em-up. Oh, also Thanos is in the game.Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 Announced As Switch Exclusive At The Game AwardsJourney To The Savage PlanetTyphoon Studio, the new team made up of developers who worked on Assassin's Creed and Batman: Arkham Asylum, announced a new game, Journey to the Savage Planet. Coming in 2019, the game is an up-beat adventure game focusing on the exploration of a hostile alien planet with little to no resources. Though the concept is prime material for another battle-royale or survival game, the developers state that it's purely an adventure game. We're still a bit in the dark about what to expect from the game, but the developers stated in a press release what the game's essence is all about.Former Far Cry Devs Reveal New Adventure Game, Journey To The Savage PlanetThe Stanley ParableA new version of the thought-provoking narrative game The Stanley Parable is coming in 2019 for console. The game is called The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe, and it comes with more content.Meta-Narrative Game The Stanley Parable Comes To Consoles With New ContentFar Cry: New DawnFollowing the recent tease of a new Far Cry game, Ubisoft unveiled a spin-off of sorts to Far Cry 5. Set years after the end of that game in a post-apocalyptic version of its setting, Hope County, Far Cry: New Dawn pits you against a band of hostile survivors. It launches in early 2019 for $40, and yes, the dog can finally ride in your car.HadesThe next game from Transistor and Bastion developer Supergiant Games was revealed during The Game Awards. It's called Hades, and it's available right now in early access on the just-launched Epic Games Store. The game is presented from a top-down perspective, just like Bastion and Transistor.Supergiant Games Announces Hades, Available Now In Early Access On The Epic Games StoreScavengersA new survival/shooter/competition game, Scavengers is in development at Midwinter, a new studio founded by former Halo developer Josh Holmes. In the game, teams have to work together to survive, while also competing to win. Playtesting begins in 2019. You can sign up here.Crash Team Racing RemasterCrash Bandicoot made a big comeback in 2017 with the N-Sane Trilogy, a collection of remasters of the first three games. Seeing as that game sold incredibly well, it shouldn't be any surprise that publisher Activision has decided to remaster the last remaining Naughty Dog-developed Crash game, CTR: Crash Team Racing. Rebranded Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled, the classic PS1 kart racer is being brought into the modern age with updated graphics, online play, and customization options. The remaster is being handled by Beenox, a studio primarily known for its work on the Spider-Man and Call of Duty games. Expect to play it in June 21, 2019.Far Cry 5Following the recent tease of a new Far Cry game, Ubisoft unveiled a spin-off of sorts to Far Cry 5. Set years after the end of that game in a post-apocalyptic version of its setting, Hope County, Far Cry: New Dawn pits you against a band of hostile survivors. It launches in early 2019 for $40, and yes, the dog can finally ride in your car.Far Cry: New Dawn Takes You To A Post-Apocalyptic Far Cry 5Far Cry: New Dawn Fixes FC5's Greatest Flaw: The Dog Rides In Your CarThe Outer WorldsFallout: New Vegas and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II developer Obsidian announced a new game, The Outer Worlds, during The Game Awards. It's a single-player RPG set in a sci-fi world, and it looks really intriguing. The game is being published by Grand Theft Auto parent company Take-Two's new indie label, Private Division. This relationship remains intact despite Obsidian getting acquired by Microsoft recently. Info from Gamespot.com

In addition to hosting 10 or more new game announcements, The Game Awards is also an awards show. It's right there in the name, after all. There are numerous categories, including Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, Best Score/Music, Best Performance, and of course, Game of the Year.Game of the Year nominees this year are Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Celeste, God of War, Marvel's Spider-Man, Monster Hunter World, and Red Dead Redemption 2.Overall, God of War and Red Dead Redemption 2 lead the way with eight nominations each. You can see the full rundown of categories and nominees below. Throughout the evening we'll put the winners in bold; Game of the Year is expected to be announced last.You can watch The Game Awards 2018 right here on GameSpot.2018 Game Awards NomineesGame of the YearAssassin’s Creed Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)Celeste (Matt Makes Games)God of War (Sony Santa Monica / SIE)Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / SIE)Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)Best Ongoing GameDestiny 2 (Bungie / Activision)Fortnite (Epic Games)No Man’s Sky (Hello Games)Overwatch (Blizzard)Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft)Best Game DirectionA Way Out (Hazelight Studios / EA)Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / SIE)God of War (Sony Santa Monica / SIE)Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / SIE)Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)Best NarrativeDetroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream / SIE)God of War (Sony Santa Monica / SIE)Life is Strange 2: Episode 1 (Dontnod Entertainment / Square Enix)Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / SIE)Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)Best Art DirectionAssassin’s Creed Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)God of War (Sony Santa Monica / SIE)Octopath Traveler (Square Enix / Acquire / Nintendo)Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)Return of the Obra Din (3909 LLC)Best Score/MusicCeleste (Lena Raine)God of War (Bear McCreary)Marvel’s Spider-Man (John Paesano)Ni No Kuni II (Joe Hisaishi)Octopath Traveler (Yasunori Nishiki)Red Dead Redemption 2 (Woody Jackson)Best Audio DesignCall of Duty: Black Ops 4 (Treyarch Studios / Activision)Forza Horizon 4 (Playground Games / Turn 10 Studios / Microsoft Studios)God of War (Sony Santa Monica / SIE)Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / SIE)Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)Best PerformanceBryan Dechart as Connor, Detroit: Become HumanChristopher Judge as Kratos, God of WarMelissanthi Mahut as Kassandra, Assassin’s Creed OdysseyRoger Clark as Arthur Morgan, Red Dead Redemption 2Yuri Lowenthal as Peter Parker, Marvel’s Spider-ManGames for Impact11-11 Memories Retold (Digixart / Aardman Animations / BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment)Celeste (Matt Makes Games)Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)Life is Strange 2: Episode 1 (Dontnod Entertainment / Square Enix)The Missing: JJ Macfield and the Island of Memories (White Owls / Arc System Works)Best Independent GameCeleste (Matt Makes Games)Dead Cells (Motion Twin)Into the Breach (Subset Games)Return of the Obra Dinn (3909 LLC)The Messenger (Sabotage Studio)Best Mobile GameDonut County (Ben Esposito / Annapurna Interactive)Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)Fortnite (Epic Games)PUBG MOBILE (Lightspeed & Quantum / Tencent Games)Reigns: Game of Thrones (Nerial / Developer Digital)Best VR/AR GameASTRO BOT Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio / SIE)Beat Saber (Beat Games)Firewall Zero Hour (First Contact Entertainment / SIE)Moss (Polyarc Games)Tetris Effect (Resonair / Enhance, Inc)Best Action GameCall of Duty: Black Ops 4 (Treyarch / Activision)Dead Cells (Motion Twin)Destiny 2: Forsaken (Bungie / Activision)Far Cry 5 (Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft)Mega Man 11 (Capcom)Best Action/Adventure GameAssassin’s Creed Odyssey (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)God of War (Sony Santa Monica / SIE)Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games / SIE)Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games)Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Eidos Montreal / Crystal Dynamics / Square Enix)Best Role-Playing GameDragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (Square Enix / Square Enix)Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (Level 5 / BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment)Octopath Traveler (Square Enix / Acquire / Nintendo)Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire (Obsidian Entertainment / Versus Evil)Best Fighting GameBlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle (Arc System Works)Dragon Ball FighterZ (Arc System Works / BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment)Soul Calibur VI (Bandai Namco Studios / BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment)Street Fighter V Arcade (Dimps / Capcom)Best Family GameMario Tennis Aces (Camelot Software Planning / Nintendo)Nintendo Labo (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)Overcooked 2 (Ghost Town Games / Team 17)Starlink: Battle for Atlas (Ubisoft Toronto / Ubisoft)Super Mario Party (NDCube / Nintendo)Best Strategy GameBattletech (Harebrained Schemes / Paradox InteractiveFrostpunk (11 bit studios)Into the Breach (Subset Games)The Banner Saga 3 (Stoic Studio / Versus Evil)Valkyria Chronicles 4 (Sega CS3 / Sega)Best Sports/Racing GameFIFA 19 (EA Vancouver / EA Sports)Forza Horizon 4 (Playground Games / Turn 10 Studios / Microsoft Studios)Mario Tennis Aces (Camelot Software Planning / Nintendo)NBA 2K19 (Visual Concepts / 2K Sports)Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 (PES Productions / Konami)Best Multiplayer GameCall of Duty: Black Ops 4 (Treyarch / Activision)Destiny 2: Forsaken (Bungie / Activision)Fortnite (Epic Games)Monster Hunter: World (Capcom)Sea of Thieves (Rare / Microsoft Studios)Best Student GameCombat 2018 (Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences – Norway)Dash Quasar (UC Santa Cruz)JERA (Digipen Bilbao, Spain)LIFF (ISTART Digital – France)RE: Charge (MIT)Best Debut Indie GameDonut County (Ben Esposito / Annapurna Interactive)Florence (Mountains / Annapurna Interactive)Moss (Polyarc Games)The Messenger (Sabotage Studio)Yoku’s Island Express (Villa Gorilla)Best Esports GameCSGODOTA2FortniteLeague of LegendsOverwatchBest Esports PlayerDominique "SonicFox" McLean (Echo Fox)Hajime "Tokido" TaniguchiJian "Uzi" Zi-Hao (Royal Never Give Up)Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev (Natus Vincere)Sung-hyeon "JJoNak" Bang (New York Excelsior)Best Esports TeamAstralis (CSGO)Cloud9 (LOL)Fnatic (LOL)London Spitfire (OWL)OG (DOTA2)Best Esports CoachBok "Reapered" Han-gyu (Cloud9)Cristian "ppasarel" Bănăseanu (OG)Danny "zonic" Sørensen (Astralis)Dylan Falco (Fnatic)Jakob "YamatoCannon" Mebdi (Team Vitality)Janko “YNk” Paunovic (MiBR)Best Esports EventELEAGUE Major: Boston 2018EVO 2018League of Legends World ChampionshipOverwatch League Grand FinalsThe International 2018Best Esports HostAlex "Goldenboy" MendezAlex “Machine” RichardsonAndersBlumeEefje “Sjokz” DepoorterePaul “RedEye” ChalonerBest Esports MomentC9 Comeback Win In Triple OT vs FAZE (ELEAGUE)KT vs IG Base Race (LOL Worlds)G2 Beating RNG (LOL Worlds)OG’s Massive Upset of LGD (DOTA 2 Finals)SonicFox Side Switch Against Go1 in DBZ (EVO)Content Creator of the YearDr. LupoMythNinjaPokimaneWillyrexInfo from Gamespot.com

Some of the biggest questions about Anthem, BioWare's shared-world sci-fi shooter, revolve around its story. Few details about the scenario of the studio's first new IP in 10 years--which takes place on a strange planet that's home to huge creatures and players who wear Iron Man-like super suits called Javelins--have been made public. Ahead of The Game Awards 2018, Anthem director John Warner and lead producer Mike Gamble briefed the press about what we can expect to see from the story of the game and how BioWare's well-loved approach to storytelling will play a role.Anthem takes place on a world whose name BioWare hasn't revealed, which is the home of a force called the Anthem of Creation. The Anthem is pretty nebulous as well--"It's not explainable through technology or even human understanding," Gamble told GameSpot--but it's a ridiculously powerful force for both creation and destruction, and it makes the world a pretty dangerous place.The Anthem of Creation is mostly intangible, like gravity, Gamble explained. The force was used in the past by some kind of precursor race, called the Shapers, which used it to literally make the game's world. For some reason, they quit about halfway through and disappeared, although they left behind their tools for the humans of the world to find.Nobody quite knows how to use it, but Shaper technology has been scavenged and retrofitted to create other things, such as Javelins. Loose Shaper tech also interacts with the Anthem at random intervals to create Shaper Storms in the world, which, as Gamble put it, "tear the fabric of reality"--and new stuff might pop out of those tears, changing the world of Anthem at any time. Giant creatures and even other peoples, like the insectile and vicious Scars you'll fight in the game, are the kinds of things that come through tears.The chaos of the Anthem of Creation has created a volatile world where civilization has been somewhat strained, and people largely live in walled cities and semi-safe locations. The danger of the Anthem has also limited the development of technology and automation. There are no factories in Anthem; most everything is made by hand.Most of the game takes place in Fort Tarsis, a frontier town and your base of operations, and Bastion, the region around it. You play as a Freelancer, basically a heroic adventurer willing to head out into the dangerous non-walled city area in your Javelin to complete jobs, fight bad guys, save civilians, and destroy Shaper artifacts that are causing a ruckus. Freelancers used to be part of the Legion of Dawn, a bigger order of heroes led by General Tarsis (for whom the fort is named), before it weakened and splintered into different groups, like Freelancers and the Sentinels, which are basically Javelin-wearing cops who protect cities.Humans haven't been able to figure out the Anthem of Creation, but that doesn't mean they're not trying. As revealed in BioWare's trailer at The Game Awards 2018, the primary villain at the game's release, a spooky guy called the Monitor, is hoping to take control of the force. He's one of the leaders of the Dominion, another splinter group of the Legion of Dawn, which favors peace and stability through authoritarian control. The Monitor thinks he can end a lot of suffering by taking control of the Anthem, and he seems willing to dish out a ton of additional suffering, Thanos-style, in order to make his dream a reality.As Warner explained it, there's Anthem's main plot, which will have an ending when the game releases in February. But the setting also allows for the developers to add new stories to the game as well."I really want people to look at our story through two lenses," Warner said. "One is the story of the struggle against the Monitor and the Dominion, and then there's the story of the world conflict, and this is why I love this world," Warner said. "I love this setting because it is a setting of endless adventure and it is a conflict that will never be resolved. Some Freelancer someday will not find the off switch and turn off the Anthem of Creation."A BioWare Approach To A Shared WorldWhen it comes to BioWare stories, players have a lot of expectations. The studio is best known for games like Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, all of which are RPGs where player choices can have serious effects on how their tales unfold. Anthem will also have some of these choices, although they'll be much less impactful than the universe-rocking decisions you made in Mass Effect. Instead, you'll largely see your impact on the game world reflected in Fort Tarsis.When it comes to how Anthem will tell its tale, you'll have two different kinds of experiences. Out in the world, flying in your Javelin, the story will largely be told through gameplay as you and your friends blast enemies and complete objectives. You'll be supported by the non-player members of your Freelancer team, including a Cipher, who uses the Anthem of Creation to power technology that can communicate with you over long distances."When you're on a mission, generally, whether you're by yourself or with your friends, you won't be stopping to pick up lot of collectibles," Gamble explained. "We don't really push those missions. The reason is, if you and I are playing and you know, we're facing challenge together, we don't want you going off and reading a codex entry or looking for collectibles while I'm getting my ass handed to me."You can, however, go look for those things in free play mode, which allows you to explore the world of Anthem alone or with friends, but without specific missions to keep you busy, he said."So free play, you're not tethered to anyone unless you want to be and you can go explore," Gamble explained. "There's landmarks to be found. There's environmental storytelling in there. There's collectibles, as with all kind of open world-style games, there's codex entries that you will collect in the world. So it's all that kind of stuff."The majority of the rest of the story will take place in Tarsis. The rest of the world of Anthem might be shared with other players, but Fort Tarsis is more a single-player location. You'll spend time there talking to other characters, taking on missions, collecting things, and generally getting Anthem's story when it's not coming over your radio or requiring you to blow up a giant creature.And since you'll be interacting with people in Tarsis, that's where you'll see your effects on the story. But they might be as small as how someone treats you, Gamble said."To set expectations, it's not like half of Tarsis blows up or half of Tarsis doesn't blow up," he said. "In a place where it's a frontier town and you have a lot of people who are just kind of mulling about doing their own thing, your actions will have an impact on certain people and what they say. But you're not, you know, the great hope of Tarsis and what you decide won't affect the fates of the entire town or something like that. But it will change and you will see it change."Case in point, when you start the game, Tarsis is more of a ghost town. There's not much going on, it's kind of run down, they're already under threat of attack all the time. You as a hero start to change that to turn that around, and then by the end of the game, if you've done a certain amount of stuff, you'll see Tarsis evolving that way."The Hero's Journey (For A Lot Of Heroes)Though the press briefing only scratched the surface, Anthem seems to have plenty of lore. There are multiple factions players will deal with, including the Sentinels, the more spiritual Arcanists, and the clandestine secret agents of the Corvus, as well as the characters that represent them. There's also a lot of history and lore to uncover, much of which isn't spelled out--like the identity of the Shapers and what their deal might be.Gamble and Warner said most of the story in Anthem is more forward-looking, though, and focused on the player and their Freelancer team as they venture into the world. As Warner put it, the focus of the storytelling approach in Anthem is on the monomyth, or hero's journey, as described by Joseph Campbell. Of course, it's tougher to tell that story in a shared world, where every player is the star of their own hero's journey."I think that telling the hero's journey without the chosen one, giving you the agency to be the hero, means we have to set things up in a way that will allow you the freedom to tell your own heroic story, that will allow you to identify an associate with the things that are important to you, whether that's factions in the world or even how you equipment and personalize your Javelin," Warner said. "I think all of those things kind of fold into it, and then it's our job of course as writers to tell a story of heroic proportions that involves mythic elements. But it's really setting the table, and hopefully we've set the table well enough where you'll feel things that resonate with you and keep you coming back." Info from Gamespot.com

The first Aquaman movie doesn't hit theaters for another couple of weeks, but Warner Bros. is already reportedly planning a second one. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. executive Toby Emmerich has already started preliminary discussions about a sequel, though the report acknowledged that Warner Bros. hadn't hired a writer yet.Tracking estimates show that Aquaman is expected to make $65 million for its US opening later this month, beating Mary Poppins Returns and the Transformers spinoff Bumblebee, which open at the same time. This strong box office tracking is what supposedly gave Emmerich the confidence to get started on an Aquaman sequel before the first one is even out.The quote came as part of a wider story focusing on actress Amber Heard, who plays Mera in Aquaman. According to the report, she was paid a low-seven-figure salary for Aquaman, meaning she earned at least $1 million to appear in the movie. For the sequel, Heard--and presumably Aquaman actor Jason Momoa--will see bigger paydays, according The Hollywood Reporter.Aquaman is directed by James Wan, who previously helmed The Conjuring and Furious 7, and hits theaters on December 21, 2018.Info from Gamespot.com

Fortnite's big 7.00 update is now live, marking the start of Season 7 of the popular battle royale game. Developer Epic Games has introduced a wealth of new content to the title this season, from new pets, skins, and toys to a load of other cosmetics you can unlock through the Season 7 Battle Pass.Those certainly aren't the only new things in the game, however; Epic has also made some dramatic changes to Fortnite's map. As the developer has been teasing in the lead up to the season, the iceberg that appeared in the ocean near the end of Season 6 has collided into the island, creating a new arctic biome.As you can see in the image above, the entire lower western portion of the island has been overtaken by snow. The region is home to three new areas: Polar Peak, Frosty Flights, and the charming Happy Hamlet. Moreover, there are now ziplines around the map, which help you traverse various heights much more quickly.Perhaps the biggest addition in Season 7 thus far, however, is the X-4 Stormwing plane, Fortnite's first aerial vehicle. The plane can seat five players and features a mounted gun, allowing you to fire at opponents from the skies. It adds a fun new dimension to the game, especially when you're trying to take out other Stormwings, as you can watch us do in the video above.As usual, Epic will roll out new challenges for Fortnite on a weekly basis throughout Season 7. The first batch is now available and tasks players with dancing in forbidden locations and dancing on a crown of RVs, among other things. You can find tips for completing all the new challenges in our Fortnite Season 7 challenges roundup.Info from Gamespot.com

Bethesda is facing yet another public image stumble. The Fallout 76 and Elder Scrolls publisher today acknowledged a data breach that resulted in personal data for more than 100 people potentially being exposed. However, no credit card or password details were compromised.In a statement posted on Twitter, Bethesda admitted that its Customer Support website "experienced an error" on December 5 that resulted in Support tickets being able to be viewed by anyone. Bethesda says it pulled down the website immediately after it became aware of the issue. Those who could see the Support tickets of other players could only do so for 45 minutes.pic.twitter.com/RhjfVx8fJY — Bethesda Support (@BethesdaSupport) December 7, 2018Bethesda said fewer than 123 tickets were submitted during that "exposure window," as the publisher called it. These might have been "partially or fully viewed" during this time. Of the 123 tickets, no more than 65 of them contained personal data that might been exposed.And again, Bethesda said no account passwords or full credit card numbers were visible. As for what was exposed, Bethesda said real names, user names, contact details like email addresses, physical mailing addresses, and phone numbers might have been exposed. Other publicly visible information included proof of purchase receipts, the kind that Bethesda asked people to provide request a canvas bag in the Fallout 76 fiasco.This is just the latest piece of rough news for Bethesda. The studio's latest game, Fallout 76, had a rocky launch, and reviewers generally did not like the game. What's more, a law firm is investigating Bethesda over its Fallout 76 refund policy. Bethesda has acknowledged some "frustrating issues" surrounding the game and has committed to supporting it long-term. It has already laid out a roadmap of upcoming changes.Info from Gamespot.com

In a rare moment of cross-company unity, executives for all three major console manufacturers--Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony--appeared on stage together to kick off The Game Awards. The execs were Phil Spencer, Reggie Fils-Aime, and Shawn Layden, respectively. The three gave a brief shared speech about the importance of coming together to celebrate the medium, which you can read in full below.The Game Awards hosted its array of accolades, as well as several new announcements for all three consoles. Check out the list of award-winners and all the news out of the show.Layden: Tonight at The Game Awards, we come together as a community to celebrate video games--the most compelling and immersive form of entertainment in the world.Spencer: As an industry we are most powerful when we come together united by our common love of the art form of games.Fils-Aime: We join with the viewers and gamers around the globe to celebrate creativity, innovation, and the role that video games play in popular culture.Spencer: Together we will continue to invite new voices, creators, and players into our worlds, because when everybody plays, we all win.Layden: Because when we see the strength of the united gaming community, we remember that we've never seen a challenge that you can't defeat.Fils-Aime: We're united in our commitment to leading and pushing this industry forward with new games, new experiences, and new ways for everyone to play.Spencer: Good luck to all the nominees.Layden: And congratulations to all the winners.Fils-Aime: And enjoy the game awards.Info from Gamespot.com

During The Game Awards 2018, Typhoon Studio--pulling together developers from Assassin's Creed and Batman: Arkham Asylum--revealed a brand-new game coming in 2019 known as Journey to the Savage Planet. In the trailer, we see footage of an derelict pod with a lone astronaut's body laying outside. In the distance is a bright and colorful alien world. In the background, a voice from the pod calls out to explore the new world.According to the developers, it's an up-beat adventure game focusing on the exploration of a hostile alien planet with little to no resources. Though the concept is prime material for another battle-royale or survival game, the developers state that it's purely an adventure game. We're still a bit in the dark about what to expect from the game, but the developers stated in a press release what the game's essence is all about."The core tenets of Typhoon are strong flavors, lots of intertwined systems, a penchant for bad jokes and a deep and abiding love of collaborative play,” said Alex Hutchinson, creative director and co-founder, Typhoon Studios. “Journey to the Savage Planet will encompass all of those things and more.”There's much more to see with The Game Award 2018, including all the latest reveals and roundup of all the winners.Info from Gamespot.com

Tonight at The Game Awards, it was announced that Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is on the way, and it will be released exclusively for Nintendo Switch. Like previous games in the series, The Black Order is a co-op beat-em-up, featuring veteran UItimate Alliance characters such as Wolverine and Hulk, but also welcoming newcomers like the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy.Perhaps the most surprising news of all: The Black Order is being developed by Team Ninja, the crew behind the Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden series. The trailer began with Nebula giving the Guardians of the Galaxy a talking to for dooming the universe.From that point it's a rapid showcase of the playable cast of characters, which includes Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Gamora, Star-Lord, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, and Spider-Man, among many others. In terms of villains, it looks like the big bad is Thanos, who is equipped with a fully gemmed out Infinity Gauntlet. However, there's a few other surprise villains including The Black Order and X-Men hounders the Sentinels.Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 has a cel-shaded style, which suits Marvel's characters nicely and brings to mind the recent Marvel Vs. Capcom fighting games. Previous Marvel Ultimate Alliance games had a huge cast, and although the trailer shown during The Game Awards certainly features a good selection of iconic Marvel heroes and villains, we've got our fingers crossed for more reveals in the future.The new game offers four-player multiplayer support, and players can drop in at any time. Multiplayer covers local and online support, and you can use a single Joy-Con controller to play.Info from Gamespot.com

During the Game Awards 2018 pre-show, a new edition of first-person "walking simulator" The Stanley Parable will be releasing sometime in 2019, called The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe. The thought-provoking meta-narrative game originally launched for PC back in 2013 and gained critical acclaim for its clever storytelling and often hilarious (and dark) moments.Along with a trailer that featured the original narrator Kevan Brighting breaking the fourth wall again, and cracking a joke about getting loads of money from a re-release, it was revealed that new content will be included in Ultra Deluxe. This means that new choices and new endings come with the updated version. The game will also be coming to consoles (though which platforms were not specified) and PC.The Stanley Parable has players walking through a series of rooms throughout a eerily empty office space while making observations about work culture and handling your personal life with a dash of dark humor. It also incorporates surrealist scenarios that are as bizarre as they are surprisingly creepy.You can read through our review of The Stanley Parable's original release in which author Carolyn Petit said the game is, "both a richly stimulating commentary on the nature of choice in games (and in other systems, too, like our workplaces and our families) and a game that offers some of the most enjoyable, surprising, and rewarding choices I've ever been confronted with in a game."Info from Gamespot.com

Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre developer Supergiant Games revealed a new game tonight, Hades, at The Game Awards. Not only was it a complete surprise, but Hades is also available right now on the newly opened Epic Games Store.Hades looks like a real-time action game where the player character will likely die, a lot, and form an ongoing relationship with Hades himself.If you want to try the game yourself, it's available right now for $20 on the Epic Games Store. Though we only learned a little from the trailer, the description on the store page says: "Defy the god of death as you hack and slash your way out of the Underworld in this rogue-like dungeon crawler from the creators of Bastion and Transistor."The Game Awards is giving us plenty of new announcements, with Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3--exclusive to the Switch--a console version of Stanley Parable, and much more. You can stay up to date with it all in our The Game Awards new roundup. Info from Gamespot.com

Epic teased that it would detail more about its new Epic Games Store during The Game Awards, and during the event it came out with its proverbial guns blazing. The store launched during the award show, alongside word that it would be giving away free games on a regular basis.As spotted on the storefront upon launch, its first two offerings are Subnautica and Super Meat Boy. A thumbnail points out that it will be swapping out the free game every two weeks through its partnerships with publishers.The Game Awards also showed off a trailer for a new game from Supergiant called Hades. The end of the trailer revealed that it is available already in early access, exclusively through the Epic Games Store. More Epic exclusives may be coming throughout the show.Developing...Info from Gamespot.com