It appears The Last of Us Part II is getting two new gameplay updates that might persuade you to dive back into Naughty Dog's dark and dreary sequel. New trophies for the game have hinted at the return of the Grounded difficulty, as well as a new permadeath mode.Grounded difficulty should be familiar if you played the first game in this series. It was also added as free post-launch content, giving players the ultimate test in the unrelenting post-apocalypse Joel and Ellie had to navigate. It removed your HUD, disabled the useful listen mode that let you track enemies through wall, and made enemies deadlier while also making ammunition scarcer.Given the identical name, it's likely this new difficulty mode will flip the same switches in this year's sequel. The trophies also hint at a permadeath mode, which is self-explanatory; die once, and your game is over. The trophy references completing this on any difficulty, which means it won't be tied to any single one. That should make it slightly more manageable, especially with how forgiving the game can be below hard.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Hulu subscribers who are currently on the $6 per month plan (with ads) can now save money by purchasing an annual subscription. The streaming service has rolled out a $60 per year annual plan, which saves you $12 overall over the course of a year. While not a huge savings, at $5 per month, Hulu's ad-supported plan will continue to be the most budget-friendly streaming subscription around.Unfortunately, this offer is only available to current subscribers at this time. If you're new to Hulu and thinking of signing up because of this deal, you'll only be able to sign up for the more expensive month-by-month plan right now. However, Hulu is planning on offering this deal to new subscribers in the coming months.Additionally, an annual plan discount isn't available for ad-free Hulu subscribers or those with the Live TV package. Ad-free Hulu subscriptions cost $11 per month ($132 per year), which is now more than double the cost of the ad-supported annual subscription. Meanwhile, Hulu + Live TV costs $45 per month, which is still a great deal for those who have cut the cord.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Since its announcement in 2018, the Disney+ Rogue One prequel series has been slowly coming together--which is all you can ask for this year considering the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, a new actor is joining the ranks alongside star Diego Luna who is reprising his role of Cassian Andor.Adria Arjona, whose previous works include 6 Underground, Amazon's Good Omens, and Pacific Rim: Uprising, has joined the ranks of the upcoming series according to a report from Deadline. Who Arjona is playing is unknown at this time, and Disney has yet to comment on the report.While it's still in pre-production, the Rogue One prequel show has been filling out its cast list during the course of the year. Genevieve O'Reilly (Mon Mothma in Rogue One) and Denise Gough (the voice of Yennefer in The Witcher 2: The Wild Hunt) have signed on for the series, although like Arjona, Gough's role is also unknown.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The Peacock streaming service has released the best look yet at its upcoming Saved by the Bell revival series, inviting viewers back to Bayside High. In the trailer, plenty of new characters are seen, along with some very familiar faces.In the trailer alone, adult versions of Slater (Mario Lopez) and Jessie (Elizabeth Berkley) are introduced, reminiscing about their past at this high school they can't seem to escape. Meanwhile, The Max's magician/waiter Max (Ed Alonzo) is seen once again serving customers at the incredibly '80s burger joint that somehow looks exactly the way it did when Saved by the Bell first premiered.Among the new characters seen in the teaser are Mac Morris (Mitchell Hoog), the son of Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) and Kelly Kapowski (Tiffani Thiessen). Gosselaar will reprise his role on the show, and is convinced Thiessen will be doing the same. What's more, the revival will reveal that Zack has gone on to become the governor of California.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The much-anticipated, major wave of content for the Square Enix MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV has been fully detailed in the latest 5.3 patch notes update. FFXIV 5.3 caps off the epic storyline that came in the latest expansion, Shadowbringers, with what looks to be a wild, emotional conclusion; we talked about it a bit in our previous FFXIV 5.3 story, which you should check out. Here, we'll go into more of the intricate, newly detailed tweaks like classes/jobs and questlines.Astrologian is getting the most work of all the jobs, such as reducing the MP consumption of the actions Helios, Benefic II, Aspected Helios, Aspected Benefic, and Combust II. While Lightspeed's effect of reducing MP cost has been removed, Draw and Sleeve Draw will have a new additional effect of restoring 8% of maximum MP. The action Sleeve Draw has also been reworked entirely, as well as other changes to the Horoscope and Natural Sect actions.Marauders/Warriors also get some notable buffs, like increasing Storm's Eye duration and giving Inner Release, Berserk, and Mythril Tempest the effect of extending the Storm's Eye timer. Additional changes to cooldown timers and potency numbers for Gunbreaker, Pugilist/Monk, Summoner, Scholar, Machinist, and Bard are included.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Steam's summer sale has come and gone, but that doesn't mean the store is done offering notable discounts this season; in fact, the latest Steam sale offers steep discounts on some of the best indie games of recent years. The Tiny Teams Festival focuses on games made by small development teams, and in some cases, just one person. Don't take that to mean these games aren't worth your time, however--the sale includes some real bangers that you shouldn't miss out on. The following deals are available until August 15.The sale includes the acclaimed 2017 Metroidvania Hollow Knight, which is 50% off at $7.49 right now. If you've somehow missed out on Stardew Valley, which is available on every platform at this point, the Steam version is a few bucks off, selling for $12 right now. Speaking of farm sims, here's one you may not have heard of: The Stillness of the Wind is super cheap right now at $4.54. Only a few hours long, this dreamy, meditative game follows an old woman named Talma, who lives alone and quietly tends her farm while receiving increasingly disturbing letters from her family in the city.Best deals in Steam's Tiny Teams saleApe Out -- $7.49 ($15)Bad North: Jotunn Edition -- $7.49 ($15)Her Story --$5 ($10)Hollow Knight -- $7.49 ($15)Hypnospace Outlaw -- $14 ($20)Papers, Please -- $5 ($10)Return of the Obra Dinn -- $16 ($20)RimWorld -- $31.49 ($35)A Short Hike -- $5.59 ($8)Slay the Spire -- $12.49 ($25)Stardew Valley -- $12 ($15)The Stillness of the Wind -- $4.54 ($13)Super Daryl Deluxe -- $5 ($20)Yes, Your Grace -- $16 ($20)Other standouts include Devolver's Ape Out, which lets you experience what it would be like to be an angry gorilla who escapes its cage and smashes up a bunch of humans--it's down to $7.49 right now. There's also Slay the Spire, a fantastic roguelike deckbuilder that recently earned a 9/10 from GameSpot, on sale for $12.49. You can check out more of the best games on sale above and see the entire Tiny Teams Festival on Steam--there are quite a few gems available to snag at great prices right now.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Funko Pops based on popular PlayStation characters aren't as common as one might think, especially when you consider the fact that new Funko Pops practically release daily. PlayStation and Funko are adding to the growing collection with four new designs based on The Last of Us Part II, Ratchet & Clank, Twisted Metal, and Death Stranding. The Last of Us' new Joel Funko Pop joins the recently announced Ellie Pop, which releases later this month. All four new Pops are GameStop exclusives and release this fall. Ratchet and Clank 2-Pack $23 Ratchet and Clank are inseparable, so of course they come together as a two-pack for $23. This adorable set releases October 5. See at GameStop Death Stranding - Sam Porter Bridges $12 Norman Reedus has been turned into a Funko Pop before thanks to The Walking Dead, but his new Pop introduces the world to the smallest Pop character of all: BB. However, it's not the most realistic depiction of Sam Porter Bridges from Death Stranding, since he's only carrying one parcel. The Sam Porter Bridges Pop releases September 3 for $12. See at GameStop The Last of Us - Joel $12 Modeled after his appearance in The Last of Us Part II, this very serious Joel Pop has gray hair and carries a shotgun. It releases September 7 for $12. See at GameStop Twisted Metal - Sweet Tooth with Ice Cream Truck $30 Joining the Pop! Rides lineup, this Twisted Metal Funko Pop is much larger than the average figurine. It features Sweet Tooth with his iconic ice cream truck and releases October 5 for $30. See at GameStop Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Sony has announced that four PlayStation 4 controller colors are making a comeback. The Berry Blue, Red Camouflage, Rose Gold, and Steel Black DualShock 4 controllers will be purchasable again this month.These four colors will be available to buy in retail stores and on digital storefronts like Amazon and GameStop. Sony also shared a short video showcasing the returning colors, along with the many other DualShock 4 colors the company has released.While Sony didn't specify when they would be available to purchase, it seems the returning DualShock 4 controller colors are available on Amazon. Some, like the Steel Black controller, are available to ship now while others, such as the Red Camouflage color, will be restocked in mid-September. They'll each retail for about $65 USD.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Musician-oriented nonprofit Artist Rights Alliance has sent an open letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos calling him out on perceived willful ignorance over how music licensing on Twitch works, as reported by Variety. During an August House Judiciary Committee hearing, Bezos testified and claimed he didn't know if Twitch, which Amazon has owned for almost six years, allows users to stream unlicensed music during their broadcasts.The ARA has taken umbrage to this statement, as many musicians have been impacted by the pandemic and are in need of whatever revenue streams they can get. "For working songwriters and performers, fair royalties on a growing platform like Twitch can literally be a matter of life and death — the difference between having a place to live and homelessness and having access to health care or being uninsured," the letter states.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Devolver Digital's new game, Fall Guys, has racked up 2 million sales on PC since the title's release on August 4. A press release mentions that sales at this level make Fall Guys the "most successful launch ever" for both Devolver and developer Mediatonic.Previously, Devolver announced that Fall Guys reached 1.5 million players across PS4 (where the game is free with PS Plus) and PC (where it is paid). Historically, Sony does not like to announce player numbers for its PS Plus freebies, which may explain why we haven't heard a PS4 number."It has been overwhelming and humbling to watch the launch and reception of Fall Guys," Mediatonic's Paul Croft said in a release. "We're incredibly grateful to all of our players for their support and have big plans for the game in the future."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Gaming giant Activision Blizzard has made a big executive hire. The Call of Duty company announced that it has hired former Major League Baseball executive Tony Petitti to become the new president of sports and entertainment at Activision Blizzard, starting August 17.Petitti will oversee esports and consumer products for Activision Blizzard, as well as film and TV. Petitti was previously the deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of Major League Baseball. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said Petitti has the "perfect blend of skills" to help the publisher reach its ambitions for esports and entertainment.For his part, Petitti said, "It's clear to me the company has an incredible opportunity to connect players and fans in new and innovative ways, and I'm excited to be joining the company at such an important moment in its history."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Microsoft's Xbox game-streaming service, Project xCloud, launches for everyone in September, but the company will begin to allow people in for a new beta test on Android very soon.People who subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will be able to check out xCloud's beta on Android starting on August 11. To get ready, you can download the Xbox Game Pass beta app through the Google Play store. The beta servers will go live at 6 AM PT on August 11, a spokesperson for Microsoft told WindowsCentral.The beta test will be available in 22 countries--here's the full list.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Back in May, Microsoft announced a new series of Xbox events that would live under the umbrella of "Xbox 20/20." Plans have now changed, and Microsoft is doing away with the "Xbox 20/20" branding because it suggested that there would be a monthly Xbox event.Microsoft may still have Xbox news to share for the rest of the year, but it may not always come in the form of an Xbox-hosted digital event. "We're going to share that news in a variety of ways. It may sometimes be a dedicated show, YouTube videos, partnering with others, or sharing the latest via Xbox Wire. We want to stay flexible with how we connect with you," Microsoft said.The company said it made these changes after "reassessing" its programming for the balance of 2020. Microsoft also explained that it has "so much more" to share regarding the Xbox Series X, Halo Infinite, and streaming with xCloud and Xbox Game Pass. Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Ahead of the official launch of Hyper Scape on August 11, Ubisoft has released the patch notes for the update that's going live alongside the launch. Notably, the patch makes numerous balance changes to certain weapons and Hacks, and makes a nice adjustment to health regeneration. You can see the full patch notes below."Although we find having a slightly faster [time to kill] can be a good thing, we agree it should come more from balancing the Weapons rather than nerfing the Hacks," Ubisoft writes in the patch notes. "Overall, the v0.5 nerf on Hacks was too severe. Like many of you told us, we also firmly believe the unique pacing and gameplay provided by the Hacks is essential to Hyper Scape, and we do not intend to drift away from that."To that end, the Protocol V sniper rifle will once again be a one-shot kill and the Ball, Slam, Teleport, Reveal, Invisibility, Mine, Invincibility (previously called Armor), and Shockwave Hacks all getting lower cooldown times. Shockwave and Mine are also getting noticeable buffs to the damage they dish out. This all should encourage players to close the distance on opponents as quickly as possible and more readily rely on Hacks while in the midst of a fight, not just guns. And to make sure these close-range engagements are a little easier to manage, the time until health regen kicks in has been shortened from 10 seconds to 5.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

His days as a basketball playing theater kid in High School Musical are behind him. Now Zac Efron is returning to a Disney project with a decidedly more grown-up role. Efron will star in a remake of the 1987 comedy Three Men and a Baby.News of the remake, which will be produced to stream exclusively on Disney+, comes from The Hollywood Reporter. Efron will lead the cast, with Gordon Gray (The Way Back, Secretariat) producing the project.In the original film, the three men in question were played by Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson. The trio of friends find themselves taking care of an infant girl. It was followed in 1990 by the sequel Three Man and a Little Lady, in which the three men were still raising the girl, sharing a home with her mother.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com