With their tight mechanics and tons of challengingly satisfying gameplay, developer Roll7's OlliOlli titles have garnered a place in the hearts of skateboarding game fans. OlliOlli World very pointedly doesn't fix what isn't broken, and at first blush, it might just kind of feel like "more OlliOlli." What's notable about the third game in the series, however, is that it feels like it's improving on Roll7's ideas in every way, from art style to course design. In a sense, this may well be OlliOlli's final form.We got a chance to play about an hour of OlliOlli World with an early build of the game. Fans of the skating franchise should know that, despite the updated art style, bigger levels, and big Super Mario World-style overworld map, OlliOlli World is still pretty true to the earlier titles. Side-scrolling courses are filled with opportunities to do tons of different tricks as you jump, grind, and ramp through the level. Flicking and rolling combinations on the analog sticks, utilizing patterns similar to fighting games, allows you to do tricks, and building combinations amps up your score. That's the underlying mechanical loop of the series, and here, OlliOlli's DNA hasn't really changed all that much.What Roll7 has done is improve on that DNA pretty significantly, though. Throughout the first two areas you can access, you'll play through courses that feel very similar to the OlliOlli levels of the past two games. You skate from one side to the other, landing all the tricks you can to build your score by the end. But everything about each of these levels feels bigger and more involved, from their layouts and included elements, to the broader context of the game.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

It's getting close to football season again, which means the next iteration of Madden is right around the corner. EA has announced that Madden NFL 2022 will release on August 20 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC, Stadia, and mobile. There will be not one, but two cover athletes: Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes. If you already know you want to hit the gridiron in a couple months, Madden NFL 2022 preorders are live now, and there are multiple editions and preorder bonuses up for grabs.Madden NFL 22 preorder bonusesIf you preorder the standard edition of Madden NFL 22 for any platform, you'll receive the following bonuses:20 Staff Points for FranchiseStarting level of 10 in Face of the Franchise and The YardTom Brady Gear CapsuleChoice of 1 out of 32 NFL Stars for Ultimate TeamMVP and Dynasty editions come with additional perks that are outlined below. If you preorder a physical copy of any edition at Best Buy, you'll also get a Funko Pop ($10 value). Presumably, the Pop figure will be either Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Five Nights at Freddys creator Scott Cawthon has announced that he is retiring from video games to focus on his family, while promising that the series will continue under new leadership. He also backs away from game development amid criticism by some about his political donations to Republicans."I've had a blessed, fulfilling, and rich career," Cawthon wrote in an update on his website. "I've been shown great kindness and I've tried to show great kindness in return. I've tried to make some good games (let the debate ensue), and I've witnessed the creation of possibly the most creative and talented fanbase on the planet."Now that he's in his mid-40s, Cawthon said he has grown eager to return to some of the things in life he was able to pursue before FNAF became such a big success. "I miss making games for my kids, I miss doing it just for fun, and I miss making RPGs even though I stink at it," he said. "All of this to say that I am retiring. I have been shown tremendous love and support over the last week, a lot of which has come from the LGBTQ community. The kindness shown to me has been surreal."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Tetris Effect: Connected, an expanded version of Tetris Effect which adds multiple new multiplayer modes, is finally coming to PlayStation 4 in July, and it will include cross-play across all platforms as well as support for PlayStation VR.The game was previously an Xbox console exclusive, releasing the same day as the Xbox Series X|S. It also came to Game Pass the same day. Tetris Effect: Connected will be a free update to all current Tetris Effect owners on PS4.Via the PlayStation Blog, the game is native on PS4, but it can also be played on PlayStation 5 via backwards compatibility. The entire game can be played in PlayStation VR, much like the original Tetris Effect.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Pokemon Home's previously announced June update is now live, and The Pokemon Company is giving away a free Bulbasaur and Squirtle to all users to commemorate it. What makes these Pokemon special is that they both have the Gigantamax factor, which means they'll be able to Gigantamax in Sword and Shield after they've evolved into Venusaur and Blastoise.To claim the free Pokemon in Pokemon Home, you'll first need to download and install the new 1.4.0 update on mobile. Once that is complete, you'll receive a notification that you've received new Mystery Gifts upon starting up the app. You'll have until June 30 to claim the free Pokemon.If you aren't a Pokemon Home user, you can also claim the free Bulbasaur and Squirtle in Pokemon Sword and Shield. To do so, open the Mystery Gift menu, select Get a Mystery Gift, and then choose Get via internet.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The embargo for social media reactions on Marvel's long awaited and highly delayed Black Widow movie has lifted and the tweets of critics are rolling in. The movie, originally scheduled to release in 2020, finally shifted to a simultaneous Disney+ Premiere Access and theatrical release after being repeatedly bumped off the schedule. Was the wait worth it? According to many reactions--yes.Early response to Black Widow seems extremely positive, specifically nodding to Florence Pugh who makes her MCU debut as Yelena Belova, another Black Widow agent who sees Natasha as something of a sister.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

GameStop has announced a major new perk coming to its PowerUp Rewards Pro subscription, giving early access to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S restocks to all members.The company first made the announcement via its Instagram and Facebook accounts, the post listing early access among other perks like 10,000 extra reward points and double points on all trade-ins. The post was followed by an email to members with the same information, though with a bit of fine print: new or returning memberships must be activated before Thursday, June 17 at 11:59 PM CST (9:59 PM PT / 12:59 AM ET on June 18). If you sign up before the deadline, make sure to turn on email and Twitter alerts to make sure you're ready for when GameStop announces more details for the early access restock.GameStop sent an email about Pro members getting early access to consoles. Pro sign up: https://t.co/0W39lNJitj #ad pic.twitter.com/AVWif63F0r — Wario64 (@Wario64) June 17, 2021GameStop did not announce any coming restocks on either the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S with the news, so it is unclear when PowerUp Rewards Pro members will first be able to take advantage of this new perk. GameStop has not restocked PS5s since May 26, while Xbox Series X consoles were available in-store on June 16. However, with the June 17 deadline for signing up to receive the early access, a restock seems imminent.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

As part of the Xbox Games Showcase Extended event on Thursday, Ninja Theory debuted new behind-the-scenes footage from Senua's Saga: Hellblade II.In the Hellblade II video, Ninja Theory's Tameem Antoniades shared that the team didn't want to make a simple sequel but instead something more ambitious. It's still early days, as Antoniades said Ninja Theory has created a "chunky slice" of the game so far and it will begin to develop the full game at some point in the future. Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Following the launch of the Xbox Series X|S, Microsoft is restarting the Xbox Design Lab program that allows fans to create their own custom controllers.As part of the Xbox Games Showcase Extended event, Microsoft said it needed to pause the program around the launch of the Xbox Series X|S, but now it's back. You can make your own custom Xbox Series X|S controller, and there is a good amount of choice. There are 18 different colors to choose from, three of which are new. You can set the colors for basically every part of the controller, down to the individual ABXY buttons.It’s back. Personalize your own next-gen controller with the revamped Xbox Design Lab: https://t.co/RdRSChsomr | #Xbox pic.twitter.com/O6JuFXhmol — Xbox (@Xbox) June 17, 2021Optional engraving is also available for an extra fee. Because they are custom-made, the controllers take as long as 28 days for manufacturing and shipping, according to Microsoft. The custom controllers cost $70 USD.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

After seven long months, World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is finally getting its first major content release with the arrival of patch 9.1, Chains of Domination, on June 29.The update, which was previewed at BlizzConline earlier this year, includes a new raid, the Sanctum of Domination, which will see players going toe-to-toe with Sylvanas Windrunner, who is currently serving as the right-hand-woman of the expansion's new big-bad, the Jailer. Players will also have a run-in with Kel'Thuzad, one of the Lich King's most faithful servants.As seen in a story trailer for the content update, Sylvanas has corrupted Anduin, leader of the Alliance, turning him into what essentially looks like Arthas 2.0. That should have some huge story implications moving forward. Sanctum of Domination's normal and heroic difficulties will go live July 5, one week after patch 9.1 releases. The first wing of the Raid Finder difficulty for Sanctum of Domination will go live July 13.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The first look at Season 3 of the HBO Max original series Titans, the live-action take on the Teen Titans comic book series, has arrived and things look dire. The third season of the show, which premieres August 12 on HBO Max, is largely set in Gotham City and, based on this short teaser, The Joker might be on his way.In the clip, Jason Todd is in his Robin suit when he finds a dead person with a permanent smile plastered on their face as a maniacal laugh is heard. Clearly, this is hinting at Joker, though there's been no confirmation that the clown prince of crime will actually pop up on the show. Interestingly, though, we also see someone being beaten with a crowbar--and a later show of a blood-soaked crowbar.This definitely hints at the death of Jason Todd, who was tortured and beaten to death by Joker in the comics. Still, even though the trailer is implying we'll see that in Season 3 of Titans, it's already been revealed that Jason will take on the Red Hood persona in the next batch of episodes, which in the comics is the mantle he takes on following his resurrection. It doesn't seem like Titans will be following that particular chain of events, however, so whether or not Jason is actually slated for the chopping block or just a really bad (but ultimately nonfatal) time remains to be seen.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

During its Xbox Games Showcase Extended, Microsoft revealed that A Plague Tale: Innocence will be getting an Xbox Series X|S upgrade on July 6. The upgrade enhances the game, making it optimized for the new generation of Xbox.This means that A Plague Tale: Innocence will get visual enhancements, playing in 4K resolution at 60fps. Though the trailer did not confirm whether it would be the case, we imagine the Series X|S enhancement will improve the load times for the game as well.Following the reveal, developer Asobo Studio revealed that these enhancements will come to the game when played on PlayStation 5 and the cloud-version on Switch as well.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

As promised, the first gameplay trailer for Sea of Thieves' new A Pirate's Life expansion has arrived, showing off more of the crossover with Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean series.The gameplay trailer shows Captain Jack Sparrow, Davy Jones, and other familiar characters from Disney's franchise inside Sea of Thieves. We also get a peek at some of the new locations you'll explore and some of the melee combat you can expect.Additionally, Rare announced a special showcase for A Pirate's Life coming up this Sunday, June 20, where it provide a deep dive look at the expansion. This will feature developers from Rare talking about their work on the series, while people from Disney will appear as well to discuss how the partnership came to be in the first place. The event begins at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET on June 20; keep checking back with GameSpot for more.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Mobile gaming fans looking for a new way to play should take note, as the Razer Raiju Mobile Controller is now available at its lowest price ever on Amazon.The controller--one of the best phone controllers for gaming right now--is on sale now for $50, a whopping 67% off of its normal $150 price. It's compatible with individual games as well as cloud gaming platforms like Google Stadia and Xbox Cloud Gaming. There are no extra coupons or rebates needed to activate the price, simply add it to your cart and checkout. Razer Raiju Mobile Controller $50 (was $150) The Razer Raiju is a great controller for Android owners who wish to get into mobile gaming. It features an ergonomic button layout, an adjustable phone mount to hold the phone while playing, and customizable configuration through a companion phone app. See at Amazon Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

While WWE recently put the spotlight on Cesaro briefly for a WWE Championship match against Roman Reigns at the Wrestlemania Backlash, many fans want to see the superstar utilized more as a main event player--and so do certain WWE Hall of Famers. In a video on Twitter to promo his appearance on Steve Austin's Broken Skull Sessions, WWE legend Mick Foley made his feelings on the subject clear."Vince, please. All we are saying is give Cesaro a chance," he pleaded while on his knees. "I just believe in that guy wholeheartedly. Give him a chance."There are endorsements ... and then there are endorsements from The Hardcore Legend.@RealMickFoley offers high praise for @WWECesaro, @BiancaBelairWWE, @SamiZayn and others in a round of Word Association with @steveaustinBSR. #BrokenSkullSessions pic.twitter.com/g0g8LNq4wb — WWE (@WWE) June 16, 2021Austin, who also appeared in the video, couldn't agree more. "Give him a chance," he echoed. Give him a gimmick. Just put a rocket ship on his back. No telling what the kid could do."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com