Warcraft 3 ultimately led to World of Warcraft, but nearly 15 years of persistent lore and world-building in WoW has rendered some older material outdated. Blizzard plans to correct that in the upcoming Reforged remaster of Warcraft 3, by updating some older pieces to reflect the universe as it currently is."This is a Reforged edition. We're looking at the campaign itself, like The Culling in particular," Brian Sousa, Art Lead on Classic Games at Blizzard, told GameSpot. "We completely redesigned the map layout and made it look like Stratholme from World of Warcraft because people have been in Stratholme, people know the entryway to Stratholme, and the original didn't have any of that. It was a very different feel altogether. It had Greek columns, and it had like weird statues, and a river, and the zoo, and things that people wouldn't recognize if they were from World of Warcraft playing this game."That was one of the things. We're like, 'Well, this should look like Stratholme', so it had a complete redesign with that. As we go through more of the campaign, there's going to be more instances where we do pull on World of Warcraft for influence because they have the lore, they have grounded out all of these characters, all these locations, and they've put so much backstory into just everything. We have a huge library to pull from."This Reforged edition will include remodeled characters and animations, remastered maps, an upgraded UI, and 4K support. A "Spoils of War" edition also nets you bonuses in Blizzard's various other games like Hearthstone, Diablo 3, and Heroes of the Storm.Alongside Warcraft 3: Reforged, Blizzard took the opportunity at BlizzCon to announce a release window for WoW Classic. Like Reforged, it takes a game from Blizzard's classic library and remasters it for modern audiences, but this time it's turning back the clock on lots of the modern touches that have come to WoW over the last decade, to allow players to experience it the way it originally existed. It's coming in the summer of 2019, which will officially mark 15 years since WoW first released.Info from Gamespot.com

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will spend roughly a year after its launch adding more characters, stages, and music tracks via downloadable content. Don't waste time starting that letter campaign for Dixie Kong, though--director Masahiro Sakurai says the roster is already locked."Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s DLC line-up is now complete," Sakurai said in a tweet. "This time the selection was made entirely by Nintendo. I decide if we can create a fighter based on their selection, then come up with the plan."The phrasing does note that the selections were already made "this time," leaving the door open for another series of DLC content to follow that could include fan requests. The community has been vocal about some of their favorite characters, including Waluigi, Banjo-Kazooie, and others. Of course, he could have simply been contrasting this time with last time, meaning the last Smash Bros. game.Six downloadable characters are coming in all. The first, Piranha Plant, will be available for free for everyone who purchases and registers the game by January 31, 2019. He'll come later as a purchasable character. Five more fighters will be added in DLC packs that are bundled with an additional stage and some new music tracks. Those packs will cost $6 apiece, and a Fighter's Pass bundle will get you all of them for $25. Buying the Fighter's Pass will also get you an outfit based on Rex from Xenoblade Chronicles 2.The announcement of Piranha Plant and the DLC fighters came alongside the last two roster reveals in the main game: Ken and Incineroar. That announcement also debuted the final mode, Spirits, which has you take on a series of challenges to earn equippable character buffs. That Nintendo Direct mentioned that the DLC wasn't locked down yet, so the character selections may be very recent.Smash Bros. Ultimate releases on December 7 for Nintendo Switch.Info from Gamespot.com

Nintendo has said it plans to edit an animation in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate that features an offensive depiction of Native Americans. The company has said that the decades-old reference does not reflect its current values.The animation comes from Mr. Game & Watch, whose attacks are based on the LCD handheld games from Nintendo. Reset Era noticed the move, which comes from the 1982 cowboy game Fire Attack. That game had you defending a wooden fort from Native Americans wielding torches. The move was shown last week during the final Nintendo Direct presentation for Smash Bros. Ultimate.In a statement, Nintendo indicated it already had plans to remove the animation and that it appearing in the Direct was a simple oversight."Nintendo has been planning to distribute an update for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate that removes the feather from the silhouette of Mr. Game & Watch," a Nintendo spokesperson said. "The original game on which this depiction of the character is based was released more than three decades ago and does not represent our company values today."We sincerely apologise that this change was not noticed in our marketing material and are continuing our work to make Super Smash Bros. Ultimate an experience that is both welcoming and fun for everyone."This wouldn't be the first time Nintendo edited Fire Attack to comport with the times. When it released the Game & Watch Gallery 4 for Game Boy, it removed the feather from the Mr. Game & Watch character so he would no longer appear to be a Native American stereotype. That same treatment is likely here.Smash Bros. Ultimate releases on December 7, and Nintendo is planning a lengthy post-launch period of extra characters, stages, and music as downloadable content. Game director Masahiro Sakurai recently said those DLC plans are already set.Info from Gamespot.com

At Microsoft's X018 conference, the company finally announced a release date for Crackdown 3. The anticipated open-world sequel will come to Xbox One and PCs on February 15, 2019. As a first-party published game, it will be available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers on release day.The presentation also took the wraps off of the new Crackdown 3 multiplayer mode, Wrecking Zone. The new mode pits two teams of five against each other in the midst of destructible arenas. An extended gameplay presentation of Wrecking Zone showed off the team combat.To mark the occasion, Microsoft is also releasing the original 2007 game Crackdown as a free backwards compatible download through November 30. You can pick it up through the Xbox Store complete with Xbox One X enhancements.Crackdown 3 has had a shaky road to release. Originally slated for 2016, it shifted to 2017 with big promises of a transformative multiplayer experience. It was then delayed again to 2018, and at E3 this year Microsoft announced yet one more delay. It was expected to lead Microsoft's fall line-up this year, so without it Forza Horizon 4 has been the biggest first-party release on Xbox One. Most recently, Xbox boss Phil Spencer indicated it needed more time.Info from Gamespot.com

If you've pre-ordered Fallout 76, you can start downloading it to be ready for release next week. Bethesda gave word that the install is ready to go, along with instructions on what to do with that beta file you may still have laying around. [Update: Fallout 76 pre-loading is now live on PS4 and PC in addition to Xbox One.]According to a series of tweets, the pre-load is available on Xbox One and will follow for PlayStation 4 and PC soon. If you have the console versions of the beta installed, you can delete them and your progress will still carry over to the full game. If you have the beta on PC, you'll receive a small update that will prepare your game file for launch.The beta came in several waves, and Bethesda has already outlined some fixes and responses to pieces of feedback it received. The company plans to make this a live game, and kicked off the beta with an open letter cautioning that it will be filled with bugs--radioactive and otherwise. The team plans to work on improving it long-term, and keeping the servers running "forever."Though this is Fallout's first foray into an online, connected world, it can be played very similarly to one of the series' single-player adventures. Of course, there are drawbacks to that kind of isolated landscape for those who do want to make it a social experience. One big remaining question that won't be answered until launch is how its cosmetic DLC will work, given that we've seen some items for sale but have no idea yet how the in-game currency translates to real dollars.Fallout 76 is coming November 14. Check out our pre-order guide for more details.Info from Gamespot.com

Alongside a release date for Crackdown 3, Microsoft took time at its X018 stage presentation to show off the first look at its open world game's new multiplayer mode. The Wrecking Zone mode takes place inside a custom, destructible arena and has you wreak havoc.Presented as a training exercise for Agents, Wrecking Zone pits two teams of five against each other. An extended gameplay demonstration showed the teams smashing their ways through walls and crumbling the floor beneath them. The brief show detailed two maps, called Blackout Zone and Nova Station, along with two modes, Territories and Agent Station. It was co-developed by Sumo Digital, Elbow Rocket, and Certain Affinity.Crackdown 3 is now slated for a February 15, 2019 release, after multiple delays. As a first-party game it will be available for Xbox Game Pass subscribers on the day of release. Plus it's a Play Anywhere game, so you can purchase it on Xbox One and play on PC, or vice-versa.As part of the promotion now that a release date has been announced, Microsoft is giving away the original 2007 Crackdown as a free backwards compatible download through November 30.Info from Gamespot.com

At Microsoft's X018 conference, the company announced the first big expansion for Forza Horizon 4. The DLC is called Fortune Island, and it's set to launch on December 13. It keeps you racing through the UK but takes you to some northern British Isles with particularly craggy mountainsides and dangerous weather like lightning storms. The new setting isn't without its peaceful charms, though, as you'll be able to witness the aurora borealis.Naturally, Fortune Island will come alongside a new set of cars to drive as well. The game has already started rolling out the five custom-built Ford vehicles from the GymkhanaTEN video series. Car Pass members can already grab the 1977 Ford GymkhanaTEN, F-150 Hoonitruck, and the 1993 Ford Escort Cosworth Group A. Later this month they can also get the 1965 Ford Hoonicorn Mustang V2 and the 2017 Ford Fiesta RS, followed by the 2016 Ford GymkhanaTEN Focus RS RX in December.Fortune Island is part of the expansions bundle for $35, which is available for Ultimate Edition owners at no additional cost. If you're a Game Pass subscriber, you've already gotten access to Forza Horizon 4 as part of your subscription, and you can get the expansions as a bundle or individually for 10% off.Setting the expansion in the rocky north should prove a challenge for experienced racers, especially given the game's marquee feature of changing seasons. GameSpot's Forza Horizon 4 review found the seasons had a real impact on gameplay, and contributed to a diversity of race types."Everything you do in Horizon feels valuable, no matter how big or small--from the basic thrills of speeding a fast car down a gorgeous mountain highway to spending time tinkering with your favorite ride to manage seasonal road conditions to just hanging out with friends and strangers online and goofing off in friendly games," said critic Edmond Tran. "The charm of the Horizon series is as palpable as ever, a winning, all-inclusive recipe that celebrates the joy of driving above all else."Info from Gamespot.com

Microsoft announced even more backwards compatible games coming to the Xbox One at its X018 conference. On November 13, the service will add three more games: the full trilogy of Final Fantasy XIII titles with Xbox One X enhancements. Plus Civilization Revolution, which is already available via backwards compatibility, will be getting some Xbox One X upgrades as well. [Update: The latest batch of backwards compatible games is now live on Xbox One.]The original Final Fantasy XIII was Square Enix's big tentpole title in its marquee franchise. For its two sequels--Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII--the studio focused more singularly on the central character of Lightning and blended in some action game mechanics. While FFXIII's narrative was built to stand alone, XIII-2 and Lightning Returns are part of a matched set, with a cliffhanger that neatly leads from one into the other.Civilization Revolution took the sim aspects of the popular strategy series and simplified them for a more quick and casual experience. That helps the interface work a little better on consoles, but the game has hit tons of other platforms including mobile devices.As always, once these go live on the service, if you already own these games you can insert the disc to start the download, or find the digital version in your Games section on the dashboard. The number of games on Xbox One is big and constantly growing, so check out our full list of backwards compatible games to see if any of your nostalgic favorites are already available.Info from Gamespot.com

Timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the armistice treaty signed on November 11, 1918 that ended World War I, 11-11: Memories Retold follows the stories of two men swept up in terrible events (mostly) beyond their control over the course of two years on the Western Front. A collaboration between Aardman, the animation studio best known for the Wallace & Gromit TV series and films, and DigixArt, a fledgling French game development team, it's a visually striking adventure game that foregrounds its occasionally moving, occasionally ludicrous narrative atop a layer of light puzzling and collectible gathering.The intertwining story sees you play as both Harry (voiced by Elijah Wood), a young photographer from Canada who finds himself in France shooting film--not foe--for propaganda purposes at the invitation of a British major, and Kurt (Sebastian Koch), an older German electrical engineer who enlists when he receives word that his son's unit has gone missing. Their tales are connected, of course, and at key moments in each chapter your control will switch from Harry to Kurt and back again, often multiple times. Later, there are even scenes in which you are free to switch between them, and a third character, whenever you wish.Each man's journey plays out across a France (and bits of Germany and Canada) that is rendered like an oil-on-canvas painting, the thick individual brush strokes and contrasting colours an obvious nod to the Impressionist style that was still en vogue in the early 20th century. It feels like each scene is being painted in real-time as you walk around, as the brush strokes flicker in a manner suggesting an artist constantly reapplying paint on canvas. From the crackling ember reds of a battlefield to the dappled whites and yellows of an idyllic farmstead, the unique art direction succeeds in setting the emotional tone of each scene. The overall effect is quite startling and very often beautiful.What you're actually doing inside each scene is rather more conventional. Harry and Kurt walk--and occasionally crouch or run--around a series of mostly small locations, talking to people and picking up dozens of collectibles. Helpfully, you always have a specific objective to accomplish; in Harry's case it's typically whatever task Major Barrett has ordered him to perform while Kurt's pursuit of his son's whereabouts is often derailed by the whims of his own superiors. Regardless, most objectives are easily completed by simply walking to the desired destination, interacting with a certain object or talking to the right person. Sometimes there's even a box to push out of the way or a couple of levers and dials to fiddle with, but absolutely none of it is in any way taxing.This is for the best, perhaps. At least, it means the story takes center stage and you're not in any danger of getting stuck on a puzzle and finding yourself unable to see that story to its conclusion. More than that, though, it also works because the story 11-11 tells is genuinely good. Sure, it's a romanticised version of World War I that doesn't really confront the senseless brutality of trench warfare or the sheer scale of human loss and suffering that resulted--there's but one scene where you don a gas mask, for example, and when Harry is finally called upon to go "over the top" he's more focused on getting a few good pictures than whether he'll survive the mad dash into no man's land. But the story works because Harry and Kurt are convincing characters whose flaws and motivations remain all too real no matter what the war throws at them. The plot may contrive to see the lives of the two men intersect in unlikely fashion, but they themselves are utterly believable and empathetic until the very end.Further, the story works because you are given choices to make at critical junctures. Each choice feels weighty and full of consequence. I didn't replay scenes to see how things could have played out differently--and perhaps the rippling effects are minimal--but I didn't want to. What matters is that the import of the decisions I made was felt in the moment I made them, and ultimately I was more than satisfied with how my version of the story ended.Where the story undermines itself, however, is in its pacing. Or, to be more accurate, in how certain pieces of the story are locked behind collectibles, the search for which sees you get bogged down in scouring every area for hidden documents and items rather than keeping the plot ticking over. Not to mention that it's quite silly when Kurt's ordered to quickly fix a radio during an attack while you're thinking, “Hang on, let me just check if there's anything I've missed down the other end of this trench….” You can ignore the collectibles, but you'll also be missing out on story content.When it comes together, whether in moments of high drama and urgent choices or in the quiet interludes that follow, 11-11 draws you deep into the lives of these men. When it misses the mark, whether through an implausible coincidence, a throwaway puzzle or tedious collectible, it can push you away and cause the surrounding narrative beats to fall flat. It's uneven, yes, but there's undoubtedly more good than bad, and there are poignant scenes, tense moments and breathtaking images that will resonate long after the end credits have rolled.Info from Gamespot.com

Ebay has announced another sales promotion revolving around Black Friday, but this one boasts that it's better than Black Friday. The promotion centers on a full week of beating competitor prices for the retail holiday across several items. The promotion runs November 12-18, and the prices go into effect at 5 AM PT each day. [Update: It's now Tuesday, meaning another of the new deals from Ebay is now live, including the Xbox One controller deal that beats what we've seen during Black Friday.]The deal for today, Monday, for example is a Samsung 32" Smart LED HD TV for $175, beating the advertised Target deal of $179. Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 13, it's offering an Xbox One wireless controller for $35, undercutting Walmart's price of $39. The deals will also include NBA 2K19 for $27 (vs $30 at Target) and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 for $44 (vs $45 at Target). Apple AirPods are going for $149.Naturally, these game and tech deals come alongside several other discounts on other items, from coffee makers to boots to watches. Ebay is also offering free shipping on these deals, and a "Best Price Guarantee" that will give 110% the price difference on competitors. You can check out the full line-up at the Ebay deal site.Black Friday is traditionally the Friday immediately following the Thanksgiving holiday, but as retailers compete for customers the discounts have begun expanding to the weeks before and after as well. It's a good time to grab cheap games and hardware, so check out our Black Friday deals roundups for all the best prices.Info from Gamespot.com

Many would-be mascots have come down the pike over the years, trying to capture just the slightest hint of Mario-level stardom. Spyro the Dragon never quite got there, but he did manage to star in some of the most charming and accessible platformers of the PlayStation era, and the Reignited Trilogy is a grand testament to the little guy's staying power.The trilogy includes the first three--and best--titles in the series: Spyro the Dragon, Ripto's Rage (also known as Gateway to Glimmer in Europe and Australia), and Year of the Dragon. His adventures are simple but delightfully cartoonish fare. The first game has him traveling through the five dragon realms freeing his bigger, badder brethren from Gnasty Gnorc. The second has Spyro attempting to take a vacation after his previous adventure, but winding up getting dragged into a realm being invaded by effete warlock Ripto. The third has him facing off against the evil Sorceress, who has stolen over 100 dragon eggs with the help of her rabbit apprentice, Bianca. Ignore the graphical overhaul, and these are very much the games that released the first time around on PS1. The fact that they stand up so well mechanically against more recent games is the most pleasant surprise of the package. Movement and attacks are one-button affairs, and the simplicity works in the collection's favor. If there's a learning curve to be found, it's in the fact that it's all too easy to use Spyro's charge attack too recklessly, sending him flying off cliffs or missing the enemy he's aiming for by inches.Thankfully, Spyro’s moveset need not do much heavy lifting, especially in the first game. Every area has a number of crystallized dragons to find, and once enough of them have been freed, you take a balloon off to the next dragon realm, and repeat until you reach Gnorc's trashy fortress. There's some minor puzzle solving, and an enormous amount of treasure to be found, and that’s about it. If anything, the first game's biggest weakness is that there's so much other stuff to collect, between the hundreds of gems, hidden treasure chests, and dragon eggs stolen by hidden--and super annoying--Egg Thieves, but only freeing the dragons really matters in terms of progress.The sequels are much better in that regard. Each stage has its own little tale of animated hijinks that plays out, from a tribe of Himalayan telepaths being terrorized by a Yeti, to my personal favorite, helping superspy moppets Hansel and Gretel stealth their way into a heavily guarded fortress of nomadic lizards so they can use their psychic powers and take over. There's a slew of unique challenges within each stage for you to do, usually involving super-powered versions of Spyro's current abilities or sequences where you have to take to the skies and firebomb specific objects for gems. The third game brings new playable characters into the fray, all with their own specific movesets and bonus stages, giving you a very good reason to run around collecting shiny stuff to unlock it all. The linear repetition of the first game never rears its head again for the rest of the collection.As mentioned, it speaks well of the originals that the Reignited Trilogy doesn't change a thing mechanically and all three games are still a joy to play. The audio has gotten a bit of remixing and reworking but remains fairly true to the original soundtrack, which can be switched to on the fly. But the Reignited Trilogy goes above and beyond here, giving all three games an impressive visual overhaul, essentially making all three games close to a Dreamworks animation. More than just new lush-looking foliage, skin and scale textures, and warm, blissful lighting, hundreds of tiny new details are here, giving each character and enemy more personality. There are a bunch of visual gags and quirks every character will run through if you leave them alone for a moment. The generic gruff dragons from the original are all unique creatures with their own personalities when imparting knowledge to Spyro, same for the dragon babies in Year of the Dragon, who each react like delightful, rambunctious toddlers when they hatch. The Spyro trilogy already felt timeless to play. Now, it’s much more dazzling to look at.The Reignited Trilogy is the best kind of collection that not only brings a beloved series up to current visual standards but also proves just how well-built the original titles were. Granted, the originals were done by a little studio called Insomniac, and it's not exactly surprising something that team did is a fine example of the genre. But the Reignited Trilogy's developer, Toys for Bob, deserves major kudos for bringing Insomniac's vision to life in the way we could've only dreamed in 1998.Info from Gamespot.com

The Mandalorian may have found its star. Pedro Pascal is reportedly set to head up the original Star Wars TV series, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Mandalorian is preparing to launch on Disney's upcoming subscription-based streaming service, Disney+, next year.Pascal is best known for his run on Game of Thrones as Oberyn Martell. He also starred in Kingsman: The Golden Circle and Netflix's Narcos.Disney confirmed The Mandalorian with its first official image and some very high-profile names set to direct individual episodes. Those include Taika Waititi (Thor Ragnarok), Bryce Dallas Howard (Solemates), Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), and Deborah Chow (Jessica Jones). It will join another planned series that will bring back Diego Luna to reprise his role as Cassian Andor from Rogue One.The Mandalorian takes place after Star Wars: Return of the Jedi but before the new episodic films. It's said to follow a lone gunfighter outrunning the law of the New Republic, after the legendary Mandalorians Jango and Boba Fett's time has passed.A film spin-off featuring the fan favorite character Boba Fett was said to be in the planning stages at Lucasfilm, but Solo: A Star Wars Story was a commercial disappointment and appears to have led the studio to reevaluate its plans. Disney head Bob Iger suggested that the sequels may have come "too much, too fast" and a shortly after reports circulated that the Boba Fett movie was officially put on hold. The Mandalorian still lets the studio tap one of its more iconic character designs, though.Info from Gamespot.com

The nominees have been announced for 2018's The Game Awards. This year Sony Santa Monica's God of War and Rockstar Games' Red Dead Redemption 2 are the two front-runners, locked neck-and-neck at eight nominations each including Game of the Year. Other GOTY contenders include Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Celeste, Spider-Man, and Monster Hunter: World.Fortnite snagged four nominations of its own including Best Ongoing Game, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Destiny 2: Forsaken, and Detroit: Become Human each got three nominations. Fans can vote for their favorites through the official site. The awards will air live on Thursday, December 6 at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT.As always the award show will feature exclusive world premieres and musical performances. You can purchase tickets here, starting at $70. The show is once again being organized and hosted by gaming industry veteran Geoff Keighley. Keighley will also produce a limited podcast series in partnership with Spotify to take a closer look at the best game music of the year.A total of 68 media partners, including GameSpot, are voting to decide the winners of the main categories. You can check out the full list of nominees below.Game 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 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 LegendsOverwatch Best 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

Those who have finished the first chapter of Spider-Man's The City That Never Sleeps story, called The Heist, know it ended with a cliffhanger. Sony and Insomniac have now teased the second part of that continuing story with Turf Wars, coming on November 20. It packs the next chapter of the story and three more DLC Spidey suits.After being spoken about in hushed tones in The Heist, the mob boss Hammerhead takes center stage in Turf Wars. Here he's continuing his war on the other crime families, and he's brought some heavy-duty equipment left by Sable's mercenaries after her appearance in the main campaign. Turf Wars will include new story missions, bases to complete, crimes, challenges and trophies.The DLC will also introduce another set of Spidey suits. This time they include the Spider-Armor MK-I suit, the Marvel Mangaverse Spider-Clan suit, and the comic version of the Iron Spider Armor. The comics Iron Spider looks a bit different than the one presented in Avengers: Infinity War, which already appeared in the game.Turf Wars is available for $10 individually, or as part of the season pass for $25. That will get you access to all three packs--The Heist, Turf Wars, and Silver Lining, which is due in December.Info from Gamespot.com

Editor's note: As of November 13 at 6 am PT, the Pokemon Go-compatible features in the Let's Go games are not yet available. We will update this review in progress when those features, which include transferring Pokemon from Go to Let's Go, are live and we've had a chance to test them.Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee are gorgeous--albeit lean--reimaginings of one of the series' most beloved adventures. While some features fans have come to expect are missing--like abilities, breeding, and held items--Let's Go has an admirable amount of depth for a game aimed at a younger audience that has never played a Pokemon RPG. Both games may not have the same lasting appeal as previous entries, but revisiting Kanto and catching some of the series' most iconic creatures makes the journey worthwhile.Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee take you back to Kanto, the home of Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow. Not much has changed structurally, but the previously 8-bit region has been realized in vibrant detail. Revisiting some of the series' most memorable locations like Viridian Forest and Saffron City on a big screen is an absolute joy. Areas that were once composed of lines and simple shapes are now colorful forests and detailed cities. Pokemon both big and small roam the wilds, giving personality to the region--you can watch a tiny Horsea speed through the waves or a massive Onix slink through a dark cave. The catchy original soundtrack has also been remastered, and it sounds better than ever.Those familiar with the originals or their remakes, FireRed and LeafGreen, should have no trouble navigating the world. After you're introduced to your partner Pokemon (Pikachu or Eevee depending on the version you choose) you set out on an adventure to collect Gym badges, defeat the Elite Four, and put an end to Team Rocket. While there are a few surprises, the layout of the region and your progression through it is nearly identical to the originals. Fortunately, Let’s Go sheds some of Red, Blue, and Yellow's more archaic designs. For example, HMs--"hidden moves" that allowed you to get past certain obstacles--are replaced with "Secret Techniques" that fulfill the same purpose without taking up one of a Pokemon's move slots. As a result, you can focus on team composition and complementary move sets instead of figuring out how to divvy up HMs between your party Pokemon.Let's Go also does a much better job at guiding you through the world and story. After you made your way through Rock Tunnel in the originals, you had little direction through Lavender, Celadon, Fuschia, and Saffron and could do certain Gym battles and events out of order. It was easy to miss key items and wind up fighting Pokemon much stronger than your own, which led to frustrating backtracking with little idea of what to do next. While you still can complete certain beats out of order, Let's Go ensures you don't miss anything crucial. For example, after you beat Erika in Celadon City, a character gives you a key item that will let you enter Saffron City. Previously, you had to buy a drink from an inconspicuous vending machine on the roof of the department store and give it to a city guard, and if you failed to do so, you wouldn't be able to fight the sixth Gym Leader.One of Let's Go's most fundamental changes is how you catch Pokemon. Instead of the random encounters and wild Pokemon battles of previous mainline games, Let's Go adopts Pokemon Go's catching mechanics. Pokemon roam the wilds in real time, and you have to walk into one to initiate catching it. Then, rather than battling it to whittle down its health, you just have to throw a Poke Ball at it, and the timing and accuracy of your throw increases your chances of a successful catch.The new catching mechanics are a welcome change to the formula that breaks up the pace of traditional trainer and Gym battles. Although catching wild Pokemon doesn’t require as much strategy as it did before, the act of catching is far more engaging. You don't need to worry about accidentally defeating and therefore failing to catch a rare or one-time Pokemon, and if there's a Pokemon you don't want to catch, you simply avoid it. The absence of random encounters also makes traversing caves a lot less tedious. Yes, that means you can even avoid Zubats.Let's Go encourages you to catch Pokemon more so than any other mainline Pokemon game, and it's better for it. Sure, catching every single species has always been the overarching goal, but I've never felt more inclined to complete my Pokedex. Catching Pokemon is the most efficient way to level up; with each successful catch your entire team is awarded a generous dose of experience. This alleviates the need to spend significant amounts of time grinding and makes it easier to experiment with different party compositions.Let's Go also introduces Catch Combos, which occur when you catch the same species of Pokemon multiple times in a row. As you build your combo, your chances of running into rare and powerful Pokemon increase. You can even find Pokemon you typically wouldn't find in the wild. Catching repeat Pokemon is both useful and satisfying--it's great knowing that luck is not the only factor involved when trying to catch a rare Pokemon, and it's very hard to stop when you're deep into a combo, knowing something good could spawn.However, the new catching mechanics don't come without issues. The Joy-Con motion controls are inaccurate at best and unpredictable at worst. Over the course of my journey, I never found a reliable way to throw a Poke Ball to the right or left. In most cases, I would just wait for the wild Pokemon to return to the center of the screen before throwing a Poke Ball, and even then, the ball wouldn't always go where I wanted it to.The Poke Ball Plus controller, an optional Poke Ball-shaped accessory, is a bit more precise, but because there are only two physical buttons on the controller, navigating menus and interacting with the world can be a pain. As novel as it is to see Kanto on a big screen, handheld mode is the best way to catch wild Pokemon. You can either use the Switch's gyroscope sensor or the left control stick to line up a throw. It's far more precise than the other methods, but you do have to consider the Pokemon’s size and distance.Despite changes that make the Pokemon experience more accessible than ever, Let's Go is surprisingly deep. It does an excellent job at easing new players into some of the more complex mechanics without being bogged down by tutorials. Each Pokemon still has six base stats and one of 25 natures, and the game seamlessly presents all that information to you. For example, whenever you switch Pokemon during a battle, you are shown its stats. You can get through the entire game without paying attention to a Pokemon's stats, but it's helpful to see that information presented clearly and often. Early on, you even get the ability to "judge" a Pokemon, which lets you see its base stats (also called IVs). While this may not be super useful for beginners, it's presented in a way that's easy to understand and it gives veterans the opportunity to check for Pokemon with good stats early on.Unfortunately, those invested in the competitive side won't have as much to sink their teeth into. The absence of abilities, held items, and breeding limits the potential for highly competitive play. You can farm for Pokemon with higher stats through the aforementioned catch combos, but even if you do manage to catch a Pokemon with the stats you want, you won't have much to do with it.If you do decide to build a competitive team, the online features are limited. You can trade and battle, and that's about it. There are no ranked battles, the Global Trade System is nonexistent, and there is no Wonder Trading. The barebones trading features may be disappointing at first, but given the smaller roster of Pokemon, I never felt that I needed the GTS or Wonder Trade to complete the Pokedex. However, the inability to matchmake and battle with other trainers online is a bit of a letdown.Despite changes that make the Pokemon experience more accessible than ever, Let's Go is surprisingly deep.Without the competitive mechanics fans are accustomed to and the limited Pokedex, it can be difficult to come back to Let's Go after the credits roll. While there certainly are reasons to revisit Kanto once you have finished the game, like completing the Pokedex and grinding for Pokemon with perfect stats, the pull isn't quite as strong. There aren't many surprises and what's there isn't all that enticing. The last thing I need to try is the Pokemon Go connectivity, which isn't available as of this writing.Despite these concessions, Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee are delightful reimaginings of the series' origins and a deep RPG in their own right. It makes a lot of smart improvements on the original Red, Blue and Yellow while holding on to what made them so special in the first place. Fans of the series might be let down by the lack of features they've come to expect, but Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee take the Pokemon formula in some exciting new directions.Info from Gamespot.com