A new Reigns game is coming to Apple Arcade, and it's quite different from previous titles. While Reigns, Reigns: Her Majesty and Reigns: Game of Thrones have all placed you in a royal court, Reigns: Beyond sees you making decisions for an indie rock band that travels through space, recruiting aliens to play with them.The game, which will be exclusive to Apple's subscription service, with involve recruiting aliens for your band, managing ship resources, and making sure that your crew is kept in line. The Reigns series has always used a swipe left/swipe right control system to choose between options, like a dating app, and Beyond will feature the same controls.While the trailer above makes the game look very different from previous entries, screenshots released so far will look familiar to Reigns fans, in terms of both UI and art style. You can check those out below.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate update 9.0 is now live, and it brings the Minecraft DLC to the game. This means you can now play as Steve--who can be reskinned as Alex, a Zombie, or an Enderman--and play on the new level, Minecraft World.This DLC is available separately, or is available as part of the Fighters Pass Volume 2. Steve's moves and attacks were previously revealed, but now you can try them for yourself.A quick play suggests that Steve is a strong fit for Smash Bros., although learning the nuances of his attacks will take time. We can also confirm that the game's announcer says "Steve!" with immense enthusiasm when you choose him as a playable character (he sounds more subdued on "Alex".)Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Getting 1993's Doom running on unusual devices has become a fun meme, with the most recent example being a monochrome version of the classic FPS running on a pregnancy test. Now, thanks to Xbox Game Pass and its recent addition of Doom Eternal, it's possible to run the most recent Doom on even more devices--even a fridge.Now that game streaming has come to Xbox Game Pass via Cloud Gaming, you can run your games through Android devices. It's not just phones and tablets, either--one player has got the service up and running on their fancy smart fridge.In an Instagram post, Richard Mallard (Twisted420) showed off Doom Eternal running on his Samsung smart fridge. It's running through a Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, which has Smart View, allowing him to project the game through the fridge.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

As part of Microsoft's statement regarding backwards compatibility support for Xbox Series X, the company also shared a piece of news about cloud saves for Xbox 360.Starting soon, people who are still playing on Xbox 360 will be able to use cloud saves at no extra cost. Currently, cloud saves are locked behind the Xbox Live Gold paywall, but Microsoft is removing this fee in the lead-up to the next-gen launch. This is meant to help people feel more comfortable about upgrading to the Xbox Series X and S consoles.As announced previously, the Xbox Series X and S consoles will support thousands of Xbox games dating back to the original Xbox and covering Xbox 360 and Xbox One as well. Games purchased digitally on previous-generation hardware will automatically show up on Xbox Series X/S if you decide to buy either system, while you can also insert an OG Xbox, Xbox 360, or Xbox One disc into the Xbox Series X and then install the game to play that way. The Xbox Series S has no disc drive.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

When you hear the words "free-to-play," you probably think of very specific kinds of games: mobile time-killers, first-person shooters with loot boxes, MMORPGs. However, a story-driven, open-world action-RPG in a similar vein to Zelda: Breath of the Wild is probably not what springs to mind. But that's exactly what Genshin Impact aims to be. It delivers a large, lore-filled, graphically lush world with nuanced combat, character-building, exploration mechanics, and co-op crossplay across multiple platforms at the most appealing price point possible--free! And while it succeeds admirably for the most part, it stumbles in a few key ways that remind you that there's no such thing as a fully free-to-play game.Genshin Impact makes a great first impression. The anime-inspired visuals are inviting and colorful, and the fully voiced, nicely choreographed cutscenes give the game the feel of a premium product. It also gets you going with the gameplay very quickly; thanks to solid control design, you'll be running, swimming, climbing, dodging, gliding, fighting slimes, and slinging spells just a few minutes after the intro cutscenes wrap up. And once your first additional party member officially joins your posse, things start to get very interesting, as you'll start to learn the ins and outs of the elemental interactions that make Genshin Impact unique.Each character in Genshin Impact has one of seven elemental properties tied to them, which greatly affects what they can do for combat and exploration. While systems of strong and weak elements are extremely common in games, Genshin Impact takes things a step further, introducing unique and interesting ways for multiple elements to interact with objects and enemies. It starts with simple interactions: an object aligned with Dendro (nature) like a wood shield or structure burns with damaging flames when exposed to Pyro attacks, while pools of water can be frozen with Cryo element skills or used as a conduit for causing Electro damage in an area. Experimenting with other elemental combinations will yield more interesting results; setting an enemy on fire and following up with an Electro attack overloads them with energy and causes area damage, while using a windstorm can blow another source of elemental damage like Pyro or Hydro elsewhere while augmenting its strength.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

It looks like Level-5, developer of Yo-Kai Watch and Ni No Kuni, has basically shut down its North American operations, as reported by GamesIndustry.biz.According to multiple sources informed on the matter, both Level-5 International America and its subsidiary office Level-5 Abby started shuttering last year, including laying off the majority of each office's staff. The actual numbers on how many folks were impacted and how many remain are still unclear, but sources estimate about ten employees were laid off from Abby and a similar amount were let go from International America.Though sources say there was no explicit reason given for the layoffs, those connected to Abby reported that employees were given "every indication" that the studio would be shutting down, with a few employees lingering to finish up essential functions while the company wrapped its consolidation between the Japan office and Dentsu, an international branding and advertisement company.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Major spoilers for Netflix's The Haunting Of Bly Manor below.There's a moment in The Haunting Of Bly Manor that, for most people, probably didn't seem scary at all, at least not compared to the rest of the show. There are no ghosts, no one is in any mortal peril--it's not even set in a sweeping gothic manor somewhere in the English countryside. It's in an American suburb, in the middle of the day, and every single character in the scene is happy--all except one.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The surprise indie hit Among Us has racked impressive player counts over the past few weeks, and developer InnerSloth has indicated that it's working to implement new features and options for the multiplayer game. A fresh update to Among Us's beta branch has foreshadowed some of the changes coming, and they have considerable ramifications for both the imposters and the hapless crew.Though there aren't official patch notes as of yet, Among Us players have put together a decidedly unofficial list of new features on the game's subreddit. These include shifting the wires task to make it more accessible for colorblind players (by making each wire have its own shape rather than just a color to differentiate them). However, it also gives game hosts more options to transform the game experience, including the ability to make voting anonymous, as well as making the task bar appear only at certain times. Both of these changes theoretically make it easier for imposters to skate by without being detected, but it's up to the server creator to determine whether to use them or not.Several colorblind players have already expressed confusion as to the wires change, with the top comment of one post reading: "The colorblind support for wires is great but...I need help with the crew colors." This beta update is only available on PC, and you have to subscribe to the game's beta branch in order to access it.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Retro gamers of the world have long praised the output of Analogue, a retro gaming company that specializes in crafting FPGA-based versions of classic consoles like the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. In a tweet, the company teased a major announcement for October 16, leading fans to speculate about what they might unveil.pic.twitter.com/yvnC1xznrN — Analogue (@analogue) October 12, 2020Several observers pounced on the use of the squared exponent in the tweet, which they interpreted as a possible hint. One reply noted that the Nintendo 64 used a superscript in its logo. Another speculated that the "2" may refer to the TurboDuo, which used a superscript two in marketing materials. The TurboDuo is a version of the NEC PC Engine--a niche console popular with collectors-- which is better-known as the TurboGrafx in North America.Where have I seen that exponent before... pic.twitter.com/fMfKwaNsZw — Mark Noseworthy (@knowsworthy) October 12, 2020Oh yeah I see it now. pic.twitter.com/xBgnLnfJT2 — Doctor Boo (@DoctorP00) October 12, 2020Given that Analogue tends to focus on the 2D side of gaming--as well as the fact that there does not appear to exist a FPGA core for the N64, which is the technology that powers most of Analogue's consoles--the smart money is on some version of the PC Engine being announced on Friday. Hudson Soft released an official TurboGrafx-16 Mini back in May 2020, which included 57 total games, including well-known titles like Bonk's Adventure and Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. Sadly, Johnny Turbo could not be reached for comment.Info from Gamespot.com

HBO has announced that Season 2 of His Dark Materials will debut on November 16. The show is based on the Philip Pullman trilogy of fantasy novels comprising Northern Lights (known as The Golden Compass in the US), The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. You can check out the recently released trailer for the upcoming season down below.According to a release, the second season "begins after Lord Asriel has opened a bridge to a new world, and, distraught over the death of her best friend, Lyra follows Asriel into the unknown." Further along in their journeys "in a strange and mysterious city [they] meet Will, a boy from our world who is also running from a troubled past. Lyra and Will learn their destinies are tied to reuniting Will with his father but find their path is constantly thwarted as a war begins to brew around them. Meanwhile, Mrs. Coulter searches for Lyra, determined to bring her home by any means necessary."Season 2 series regulars include Dafne Keen, Ruth Wilson, Amir Wilson, Ariyon Bakare, Andrew Scott, Will Keen, Ruta Gedmintas, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Joining the cast this season are Terence Stamp, Jade Anouka, and Simone Kirby.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

With Season 2 underway, a new skin is headed to Fall Guys on Wednesday, October 14 for PC and PlayStation 4. That's right, your little bean person can soon dress up as Sonic the Hedgehog.The Sonic the Hedgehog skin hits the in-game Fall Guys store this week, with each part costing five crowns to purchase. In other words, you need 10 crowns to dress like the Blue Bur.Gotta fall fast in Fall Guys.The entire set consists of a top modeled after Sonic's iconic blue hair and blue bottoms to match, replete with his traditional red running shoes.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The year is coming to a close, and while you may want to spend all of October watching the spookiest movies around--because of Halloween--there is plenty of much more light-hearted content coming to Netflix this month. In the upcoming week, there is a wide variety of different things for you to check out.Kicking off the week is Season 3 of Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts. This is sadly the final season of the Netflix show, but it's going out with a bang. "After dethroning Scarlemagne, Kipo and the Brunch Bunch face a more daunting foe: Dr. Emilia, who plots to eliminate mutekind to make the surface 'safe' for humans," reads the official description. "But Kipo has an optimistic vision of a world where mutes and humans get along with each other. To achieve that dream, she must lean on her friends and rise to a role she may not be ready for." The final season of Kipo arrives on Monday, October 12.You're probably at least somewhat familiar with the world of K-Pop. Whether you were one of the millions of people who listened to Psy's "Gangam Style" on repeat, someone who spends way too much time discussing BTS, or just wondering where CL got all those boom boxes, K-Pop has become a part of the global mainstream. On Wendesday, October 14 , the documentary Blackpink: Light Up the Sky arrives, following one of the biggest all-female groups to come out of K-Pop. Whether or not you are familiar with them, this documentary will give you a better understanding of what it takes to reach the level of stardom. Check out the trailer for Light Up the Sky above.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Microsoft is hosting an early holiday sale with discounts on the Surface Pro 7, gaming laptops, and select Xbox accessories. The sale is live now and runs through October 14, which aligns with Amazon Prime Day 2020. If you're looking for a new laptop this holiday, now's your chance to save up to $600. You can browse the full sale at the Microsoft Store and see some of the best deals below.Microsoft's early holiday sale is just one of the sales competing with Prime Day. Walmart's Big Save sale is live now and has a bunch of Nintendo Switch game deals. Target and Best Buy are also hosting sales this week. Prime Day 2020 officially starts at midnight PT / 3 AM ET, but select deals are already live. Also, make sure to take a peek at our guide to getting the best deals on Prime Day before the event begins. Surface Pro 7 Save up to $300 Microsoft is offering up to $300 off the Surface Pro 7, its flagship 2-in-1 device. The discount depends on the configuration you choose. For instance, the Intel Core i5 model with 16GB RAM and a 256GB SSD is on sale for $1,100, down from $1,400. Meanwhile, the Intel Core i7 model with the same RAM/SSD is $200 off at $1,300. See at Microsoft Store Lenovo Legion 5 Gaming Laptop $899 (was $1,149) If you're in the market for a gaming laptop, the Lenovo Legion 5 is a solid mid-range option. It's equipped with a Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti graphics card, which is capable of playing most games at at least medium settings. It boasts an Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. The Legion 5 has a 15.6-inch full HD display and has impressive internal speakers along with Dolby Atmos headphone support. See at Microsoft Store Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop $2,000 (was $2,600) For those who desire peak performance, the Razer Blade 15 is one of the best gaming laptops around. With a Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q graphics card, the Razer Blade 15 is capable of running intensive games without a hitch at high settings. It's equipped with an Intel Core i7 processor that can boost to 5.10 GHz, 16GB of fast DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB SSD. You'll also get a PC copy of Marvel's Avengers along with exclusive skins for free. See at Microsoft Store Hyperkin Duke Wired Controller $49 (was $70) While the original Xbox controller was a bit of a head-scratcher in 2001, the "Duke" has gained a rather dedicated following. If you're one of its devoted fans, Hyperkin's updated version of the Duke is discounted to $49 at the Microsoft Store. Though that's still kind of pricey, the Duke normally goes for $70 and isn't discounted very often. The wired controller is authentic to the original while boasting modern flourishes like shoulder buttons. It's ideal for those with larger hands and is one of our favorite Xbox controllers. See at Microsoft Store Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Essentials Bundle $1,000 (was $1,300) The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 just released in August, and right now you can save on a pretty sweet bundle. The Note 20 Essentials Bundle comes with a PowerA Bluetooth controller, controller clip, and a 3-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate--everything you need to stream Xbox One games on your phone. You'll also get Samsung Galaxy earbuds and a 15-month family subscription to Microsoft 365. See at Microsoft Store Amazon Prime Day 2020 Amazon Prime Day Early Deals: Echo Dot, Fire TV, And More Huge Target Sale To Compete With Amazon Prime Day 2020 New Amazon Echo Devices, Cheaper Fire Stick, And More Announced Ahead Of Prime Day + Show More Amazon Prime Day 2020 Links (7) Amazon Prime Day Kicks Off On October 13, According To Report Amazon Prime Day 2020 Starts Tonight: Best Gaming Deals To Expect And More Amazon Prime Day 2020 Shortages May Occur Due To Coronavirus, Report Says Best Nintendo Switch Deals For Prime Day 2020: Games, Consoles, And More Best PS4 Deals For Prime Day 2020: PS4 Games, Consoles, And More Best Xbox One Deals For Prime Day 2020: Consoles, Games, And More Best VR Headset Deals (February 2020) Before Half-Life: Alyx's Release Date Info from Gamespot.com

Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2 publisher Rockstar Games has allegedly bought out Crackdown 3 co-developer Ruffian Games. The acquisition has resulted in the developer being rebranded as Rockstar Dundee.According to The Gamer, Rockstar Dundee has been assisting with the development of "unspecified titles" for Rockstar's games since 2019, when the company was looking for engineers. The studio started a similar hiring spree in August 2020, with all positions focusing on "projects with our partner Rockstar Games." There's no word on what these projects are.We've reached out to Rockstar Games for comment.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Watch Dogs: Legion is just a handful of weeks away, which means you're quickly running out of time to upgrade your PC if you plan to play the open-world hacking adventure with all its bells and whistles. If you've been lucky enough to snag an RTX 3080, you'll be pleased to know that Legion supports a full suite of ray-tracing options, which have now been added to the game's specs.The update specifications sheet details some of the options you can toggle for the best ray-traced experience based on your hardware. All three tiers of ray tracing make use of Nvidia's DLSS (Deep-Learning Super Sampling), which can render the game at a lower resolution and use AI to upscale it with impressive results. This lets less capable cards like the RTX 2060 run Watch Dogs: Legion with a modest suite of ray tracing effects, as you can see in the full sheet below.If you have one of the best cards on the market right now, Nvidia's new RTX 3080, you should be able to run Watch Dogs: Legion with all its ray-traced effects at their maximum at 4K. You'll have to settle for DLSS in performance mode with the additional high-resolution texture pack that adds in a whopping 20GB to the install size too.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com