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Just a few days ago, we reported that video game retailer GameStop is giving out free Call of Duty: WWII figurines for those who pre-order the game from October 20-22. If you’re tempted to get a pre-order in to nab one, then you might want to see what these flesh eaters look like in the flesh (heh).
Over on Reddit, user ZLudecke shared a few pictures of the zombie figurine, and it looks kinda good for a freebie. Oh, and also, GameStop is giving away the figurine now.
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Like it or not, it seems the video game industry is now trending towards loot boxes, loot crates and the like in almost every game. While most of the items included are cosmetic, there are a few games that includes weapons or other game-changing items in them.
While most devs have been quite mum on the subject, which is understandable given the publishers that are funding their games can easily fire them for saying the wrong stuff, some have spoken out about it as well.
In a feature over at GamesIndustry where developers chime in on loot crates and microtransactions in games, former Bungie employee Niles Sankey who has worked on both Halo and Destiny, mentions that “developers have families to feed,” and “retirement to save for,” though adds that people should stop supporting companies who take part in “insincere” business practices.
Developers have retirement to save for and families to feed… If people don’t like loot crates and microtransactions, they shouldn’t support the game by purchasing them. And I’d suggest not buying games made by companies that have previously demonstrated insincere business practices.
I stopped developing investment heavy games and I no longer play them. In my opinion, there are better ways to spend your time and life. There are so many great non-addictive/investment games to play.. and there’s so much more to life than video games.
Sankey does have a point, no? If you don’t like it, don’t buy it. Simple, right? People should vote with their wallets, since whatever you say, no matter how many signatures a petition gets, if people keep on buying it, publishers will continue to capitalize on it.
The ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) has weighed in on loot crates too, and deemed them not a form of gambling, so expect them in more games in the future.
What do you think can the industry do to avoid the loot crate craze? Is this a fair trade off given Season Passes seem to be fading away?
Check out the full interview to see more developer responses, and how the $60 game pricing is one of the main culprits.
Source: GamesIndustry via WCCFTech
Microsoft recently rolled out the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update that added a host of new features, though there’s one that’s not really talked about but could be important for gamers.
Apparently, there’s a new anti-cheat system included in the update called “TruePlay.” Check out the official details from Microsoft.
TruePlay
TruePlay provides developers with a new set of tools to combat cheating within their PC games.
A game enrolled in TruePlay will run in a protected process, which mitigates a class of common attacks. Additionally, a Windows service will monitor gaming sessions for behaviors and manipulations that are common in cheating scenarios. These data will be collected, and alerts will be generated only when cheating behavior appears to be occurring. To ensure and protect customer privacy while preventing false positives, these data are only shared with developers after processing has determined cheating is likely to have occurred.
The TruePlay APIs for the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) allow limited interaction between games and the game monitoring system on Windows 10 PCs. These APIs are located in the <gamemonitor.h> header.
Some of the text might be alarming to some given it mentions how it “monitors” gaming sessions and the dreaded “data will be collected” bit, but Microsoft says the data will only be shared by developers only after it has determined that some form of cheating has happened.
Those who game on Win10 PCs and have tried TruePlay, what do you make of it so far? Good? Bad? Useless?
Source: PCGamer
One of the reasons why Call of Duty multiplayer is so engaging for many is the constant progression loop. Even once you’ve hit the level cap, there’s at least 10 levels of Prestige left. One of the rewards for “prestiging” is getting a new Prestige emblem that tells the online community how far along you are.
In Call of Duty: WWII, things won’t be so different. While the Prestige system is getting a slight revamp (which you can watch about in-depth in the video above), there’s still Prestige icons to collect. Over on Twitter, Sledgehammer Games boss Michael Condrey revealed our first look at a Prestige emblem in COD: WWII.
Two. Weeks. #CODWWII pic.twitter.com/x6PGw40q3s
— M.Condrey @CODWWII (@MichaelCondrey) October 20, 2017
Additionally, Condrey tweeted the same Prestige emblem tacked on a soldier’s helmet, which could indicate that Prestige icons can now be seen in your in-game avatar.
— M.Condrey @CODWWII (@MichaelCondrey) October 20, 2017
If that’s the case, and I’m really hoping it is, Prestige icons visible in your character will join “sweetheart grips” as some of the new customization options available in COD: WWII.
In other COD: WWII news, we reported yesterday that a man was arrested for stealing early copies of the game at one of Sony’s distribution plants with intent to resell.
According to Kotaku, who spoke to three developer sources, what follows are the dates of three upcoming Steam Sales. They are all scheduled to take place during 2017, which means plenty of opportunity for heavy discounts!
Start saving your pennies for the following dates:
I’ll be honest with you: I still have games that I bought during 2012’s Steam Sale which I still haven’t played! Of course, that won’t stop me picking up some “must-have” deals that I simply can’t say no to!
Are there any games that you hope will drop in price? I’m hoping to see some big discounts on VR titles.
Remember to use your Wishlist to alert you to any discounts on your most sought after titles! And keep your eyes on MP1st for all of the deals as they come in!
In other PC gaming news, here’s how PC Fortnite players can go up against PS4 gamers, Respawn Entertainment is working on a VR “first-person combat game,” and the latest Path of Exile update is live.
Battle royale is so hot right now! Players have swarmed around games like PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Fortnite, eager to fight to the death on loot-filled islands. Something these two games don’t do, however, is support VR. This is the niche that Oneiric Entertainment wants to fill.
Take a look at some early Virtual Battlegrounds gameplay below:
https://youtu.be/tfNh0JAtSjo
Virtual Battlegrounds is an upcoming battle royale game built from the ground up for VR.
Development is community driven in this VR last-man-standing shooter set on a modern day island wasteland.
This is Pre-Alpha footage. The game may change significantly before release.
While it is a little stuttery, I can definitely see this being a hit if support is maintained. Battle royale games are already highly immersive, and so combining that with VR should make for a seriously intense experience.
If you can see the potential and want to play Virtual Battlegrounds for yourself, sign up for the open alpha here.
In other battle royale news, Fortnite players have found a way to force PS4 and PC cross-play, this PUBG clone actually looks impressive while running on mobile, and Crazy Justice bring battle royale to the Nintendo Switchis looking to .
Source: Oneiric Entertainment (YouTube)
After a short delay, the new Team Fortress 2 update “Jungle Inferno” will launch today, bringing the new official Mercenary Park map, five community maps, a range of cosmetic rewards and more to the game.
The update will also implement a huge number of gameplay tweaks and improvements.
Here’s the main content additions:
For the full (long, long, long) list of gameplay changes, head here.
Will you be diving into Team Fortress 2 for the Jungle Inferno update?
In other PC gaming news, here’s how PC Fortnite players can go up against PS4 gamers, Respawn Entertainment is working on a VR “first-person combat game,” and the latest Path of Exile update is live.
Source: Team Fortress (Official)
Towards the bottom of its Destiny 2 weekly update, Bungie made a quick mention that the next two Trials of the Nine events will be postponed.
As a follow-up to reported incidents of emote glitching in the Crucible, we are investigating a fix that we plan to deploy during the first week of November. In the meantime, the next two instances of Trials of the Nine will be postponed. Please stay tuned for updates. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
You can expect Trials of the Nine to return on November 3, providing there aren’t any further delays.
PC players about to dive into Destiny 2 for the first time should read up on the list of known PC issues. Potential solutions are also provided, and so could really aid those struggling to get the game to run.
Here’s the full list:
In other Destiny 2 news, update 1.0.5 is out now with patch notes, give the PC launch trailer a watch in glorious 4K 60fps, and the game’s director has discussed weapon perk rolls and the “high percentage of players” who have completed the game.
If you haven’t yet caught up on what Xur is offering this week, here’s his latest list of goods.
Source: Bungie (Official)
In Bungie’s Destiny 2 weekly update, Raid Challenges have been announced alongside helpful guides for the game’s PC launch, which is scheduled for October 24 at 10 a.m. PT through the Battle.net client.
Raid Challenges
Raid Challenges will be added to Destiny 2 starting on October 31. They will add an optional objective to a different raid encounter each week. Complete the challenge and you’ll receive a new emblem, as well as a guaranteed raid drop for that encounter.
Details of what Raid Challenges will actually entail have not yet been made clear, and it seems like part of the difficulty will be working out each week’s task.
“We won’t be giving you any hints on how to complete these challenges, but we will let you know when you fail with an in-game message. Your Director will tell you what is at stake each week.”
PC Players
PC players joining the fight will likely be eager to know when the Nighfall, Raid and other activities will be available to play. Happily, Bungie has now provided a detailed launch calendar.
If you’re wondering how the game will perform on PC, and which graphics options are the most taxing, give this Nvidia guide a go.
D2 Graphics Guide: In this guide you can examine the impact of each of these graphics settings through screenshots and interactive comparisons, learn how they affect performance, see recommendations for performance-improving tweaks, and get recommendations for GPUs capable of producing the highest-quality experiences in Destiny 2 on the PC.
Prestige Raid Winners
Following the controversial congratulations given to Clan Redeem after they were first to complete the Prestige Raid with the use of an exploit, Bungie has now revealed the top three clans, to allow the community to “make your own decision as to who should be celebrated.”
Clan Redeem
Clans Hand of Faith/PRORAIDER/Add Control/ZFORCE NATION
Clan ihavealife
In other Destiny 2 news, update 1.0.5 is out now with patch notes, give the PC launch trailer a watch in glorious 4K 60fps, and the game’s director has discussed weapon perk rolls and the “high percentage of players” who have completed the game.
If you haven’t yet caught up on what Xur is offering this week, here’s his latest list of goods.
Source: Bungie (Official)
While Fortnite has no shortage of players, some people might only have a PlayStation 4 to play it on, or just a PC. What if you’re on console and you specifically want to play against PC? Well, there’s a specific way of doing that.
Reddit use Vinnipinni posted a mini tutorial on how Fortnite PS4 and PC cross-play can be started.
Me and my friend just found out a way to play Fortnite Batle Royale together. It’s actually pretty easy. You just have to add each other on your epic games friendlist and then the PC player can join your party.
Steps:
*1. Link your PS4 Account with an Epic Games Account.
*2. Add each other on the Epic Games friendlist. It is not possible through the game on PS4, so I just gave my friend my account data and he added him on my account through the epic games launcher. You could download the launcher yourself or maybe (not 100% sure) add him in paragon. That might work aswell.
*3. Start Fortnite. Your friends should then see you on his friendlist and should be able to join you through the ingame menu.
The ingame part works just fine. No lags or anything. You should maybe get into teamspeak, discord or whatever you like to communicate. The PC player won’t show up on the ingame friednslist of the PS4, so PC can only join PS4, not vice versa.
According to user eddy5791, it’s important to note that if you team up with PC players, you will be put in a PC server. So, bear in mind that you’ll be going up against keyboard and mouse players before doing so. The PS4 version of Fortnite does support KB/M support, so you can try and play on an even field if you so wish.
In other Fortnite news, don’t forget to check out the latest patch notes for the title update that was released yesterday. We also ran a video where we list down the reasons how PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds can learn from Fortnite as well.
Update:
Additional tweets from Luzarius confirm that he was indeed making negative criticisms. I’ve added them to the piece below.
Original story:
While many would agree that Janina Gavankar has proven herself to be a capable actor with a suitably intimidating look and presence — both during the EA E3 conference and in the various single-player trailers and coverage we’ve seen — others seem displeased about her portrayal of Star Wars Battlefront II‘s main character, Iden Versio.
@luzariuslive on Twitter has voiced his disapproval of Gavankar’s character, focusing his criticism on her face. He wants to be able to change it.
Unfortunately for Luzarius, there isn’t going to be any tweaking of Iden’s character model. Gavankar herself responded with this tweet:
What do you think of Iden Versio? There’s a lot of pressure on her as a Star Wars hero, and so it’s expected that Gavankar’s performance and appearance would be heavily scrutinized. With that said, let’s try and be nice about it!
In other Star Wars Battlefront news, the single-player campaign is to last 5-7 hours, a Nintendo Switch version of the game might happen, and new Battlefront II PS4 bundles have been announced.
Star Wars Battlefront II is set to launch November 17 on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Source: @Janina Twitter via Reddit
While the main draw in Star Wars Battlefront II might be the mulitplayer component (which we’ve liked what we’ve played so far), the single-player portion of the game looks to be well worth the time as well.
Now, though, we know exactly how much time you need to spend to get through it! According to Press-Start AU, the Battlefront II single-player campaign will take 5-7 hours to complete. Speaking to Motive Studio’s David Robillard, the Producer mentions that they don’t want to be “drawn out.”
We thought that around 5-7, maybe 8 hours is probably a good amount of time…we wanted to stay very driven towards the Star Wars fantasy that the players are going to experience and not have it be drawn out.
The 5-7 hour mark seems to be the average for first-person shooters in the past few years, and should be the good enough for those who want a break from the multiplayer action.
Speaking of the single-player, don’t forget to check out our top five video where we list down the reasons why it’s a must-play (and yes, we got our hands on an early build).
Star Wars Battlefront II ships out this November 17 on the PS4, Xbox One and PC (a Nintendo Switch version might happen but most likely won’t).
Source: Press-Start AU
The EU PlayStation Store Flash Sale October 20 list is up! And as the headline states, Destiny 2 can be had for a discounted price, along with other titles. Remember, these deals end on October 23, so make sure to pull the trigger now before the sale lapses.
Check out the complete EU PS Store Flash sale list below along with how big each discount is:
That’s not a bad deal for Destiny 2, no? Speaking of which, the latest wares from Xur are now up on Destiny 2, which you can view right here.
There’s a very good chance that Sony will roll out a US PS Store Flash Sale later today, and if so, we’ll be sure to report on it.
Source: EU PlayStation Blog
It’s Friday, which means it’s time for a Destiny 2 Xur location and items post!
Xur appears to players in the wilds of Destiny 2. His location changes every week, so players should watch out for where he’ll appear next.
This weekend, players can spend 29 Legendary Shards on the Sweet Business auto rifle.
Hunters can grab the Raiden Flux chest armor for 23 Legendary Shards.
Titans can pick up the Doom Fang Pauldron gauntlets for 23 Legendary Shards.
Warlocks can purchase the Winter’s Guile gauntlets for 23 Legendary Shards.
The Destiny 2 Xur location for this week is on Titan, near The Rig landing zone.
In other Destiny 2 news, update 1.0.5 is out now with patch notes, give the PC launch trailer a watch in glorious 4K 60fps, and the game’s director has discussed weapon perk rolls and the “high percentage of players” who have completed the game.
If you haven’t yet caught up on the weekly reset, here’s the new Milestones, Nightfall Strike, Eververse items, and more.
Will you buying anything off Xur this weekend? Let us know!
Those looking forward to getting Need for Speed Payback digitally, we now know how big the NFS Payback file size is! According to a Microsoft Store listing, Need for Speed Payback will be a reasonable 17GB! Bear in mind that this doesn’t include day-one updates and other stuff the developers throw in at launch.
Check out the official product description straight from the store listing.
Need for Speed™, one of the world’s bestselling video game franchises, returns with a vengeance in the new action-driving blockbuster, Need for Speed Payback.
Set in the underworld of Fortune Valley, you and your crew were divided by betrayal and reunited by revenge to take down The House, a nefarious cartel that rules the city’s casinos, criminals and cops. In this corrupt gambler’s paradise, the stakes are high and The House always wins. Play a varied and challenging world of events as Tyler; the Racer, Mac; the Showman and Jess; the Wheelman. Each driver must take on races, missions and challenges to earn the respect of the Valley’s underground and compete in the ultimate race to finally take down The House.
Your car is at the centre of everything you do. Craft unique rides with deeper performance and visual customization than ever before. Push them to the limit when you narrowly escape the heat in epic cop battles. Go head-to-head with other racers on or off-road through canyons, deserts, mountains, and the city. Raise the stakes by putting down additional in-game currency on all events, challenges and missions that can multiply your winnings. But you could lose it all. Finally, for ultimate bragging rights, connect and compete via Autolog recommendations with your friends and, for the first time, with potential rivals. Your leaderboard will populate with other players of similar skill level so you can see how you rank around the world.
From insane heist missions to devastating car battles to jaw dropping set piece moments, Need for Speed™ Payback delivers an edge of your seat, adrenaline-fueled action-driving fantasy.
KEY FEATURES
• Scrap to Stock to Supercar: Your car is at the centre of everything you do in Need for Speed Payback. Endlessly fine-tune your performance through each of the five distinct car classes: Race, Drift, Off-Road, Drag, and Runner, to turn the tables on the competition in any race, mission, or challenge. Find abandoned derelict cars scattered throughout the world to build your perfect car from the ground up. Collect, win, or buy the hottest after-market parts and craft multiple cars into the perfect driving machines.• Live out an action-driving fantasy: Play through an explosive, action-packed adventure as three distinct playable characters united by one common goal: revenge. Tyler, Mac and Jess team up to even the score against all odds, and enter the ultimate race to take down The House. Battle cops with ever-increasing intensity, race against rivals across the city, and drive on and off-road through mountains, canyons, and desert.
•High stakes competition: Get on a roll and win big with all-new Risk vs Reward gameplay. The return of intense cop chases means the stakes have never been higher. Put your reputation on the line and challenge your friends or potential rivals via Autolog recommendations throughout the campaign events or go head-to-head in classic online leaderboards.
Conditions and restrictions apply. See www.ea.com/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-payback/disclaimers for details.
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There’s a story trailer that’s out that might remind you of a certain movie franchise, and you can check out the new features of the racing game here.
Need for Speed Payback races out on the PS4, Xbox One and PC this November 10.
Source: Microsoft Store via PlayStation LifeStyle
While Star Wars Battlefront II is set to launch this November on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, Nintendo’s console the Nintendo Switch won’t be part of the launch lineup. However, there is a super small chance the game can hit the portable-home console hybrid.
In an interview with GameSpot, Motive Studios (one of the three studios working on the game alongside DICE and Criterion) Producer David Robillard said EA might consider doing a Battlefront II Nintendo Switch version if they see “opportunities.”
This is something we’ll explore if we see opportunities there, but it is not something that’s on the books right now.
Further adding to the complication is that Nintendo Switch hasn’t had a game run on Frostbite yet. For those not familiar, Frostbite is the game enging developed by first-party studio DICE, and is used for almost all of EA’s titles. FIFA 18 on the Switch does not use Frostbite, even though the game’s PS4 and Xbox One versions do.
Would you want Star Wars Battlefront II on the Nintendo Switch? Given the console’s online platform isn’t as fleshed out as Sony’s or Microsoft’s, and Battlefront II’s main draw is multiplayer, I honestly don’t see it happening anytime soon.
In other Battefront II news, go check out our latest video where we list down the top five reasons why the single-player campaign is a must-play based on our recent hands-on.
Source: GameSpot
Those who’ve been thinking about purchasing the recently released Gran Turismo Sport and have issues with their ISP, or simply don’t have internet access, may want to rethink your purchase before throwing your wallet at the newest installment of the highly popular racer.
It was discovered that those who wish to play Gran Turismo Sport offline are going to experience a very bare bones product, as the only game mode that will be available for you will be Arcade mode, and your progress can’t be saved. This was mentioned in our post earlier today when GT Sport servers went down.
This means no access to campaign, buying new cars, access to your garage and many other features if you’re not connected to the game servers.
While, this may indeed be bad news for those without stable internet. It seems the reasoning behind this is due to Gran Turismo partnering up with FIA, an international organization that runs world motorsport. Who sees e-sports being an important part of the game and want to ensure the game is played on an even playing field by keeping saves ‘honest’.
However, this unfortunate news shouldn’t come to much surprise to people if you’ve been closely following the game closely. Due to Sony stating last month that they’ll be taking some precautions to ensure everyone is on a level playing field. By requiring GT Sport to have an active internet connection to access the majority of it’s functions. Though, no one would’ve guessed having an active connection will play such a huge part to the game period.
For those who will be purchasing Gran Turismo Sport, will this decision affect your purchase? Let us know in the comment section below.
Source: ArsTechnica
Remember when we posted last week that Titanfall 2 developer Respawn Entertainment is working on a VR game for the Oculus Rift? It seems there’s a little bit more detail revealed than originally though.
Over on Respawn’s site where the announcement was made, the second paragraph has a hidden hyperlink (the word “feel”) that when clicked, will lead you to this page. It’s morse code, and while I don’t know how to decipher it, fortunately the internet can. checking with this site, the translated code to text reads:
YOUAREAWESBTFORTRANSLATINGTHISMORSECODE.WELL,OK,ITISAFIRSTPERSONCOMBATGAME.BUTDON‘TTELLITYONE.
Compensating for errors, I think it reads: “You are awesome for translating this morse code. Well, OK, it is a first person combat but don’t tell it to anyone.”
Well, there you go. It’s a first-person combat game, though that might mean a lot of things. Hand-to-hand combat? Gunfights? Sword fights? Your guess is as good as mine at this point.
After finally providing some quality of life fixes to the Specter builds in Path Of Exile, Grinding Gear Games is yet again listening to the voices of the community.
The latest patch is set to simultaneously go live for the both the PC and Xbox One platforms for Path Of Exile, changes the way on how the Desecrate skill gem works. That sees this skill gem add the corpses of your currently summoned Specters to the Desecrate corpse pool. Thus, allowing you to summon more powerful versions of certain monsters.
Aside from this big quality of life improvement for Desecrate, below you can find the remaining fixes to the recently released patch:
Though, it should be noted that despite Grinding Gear Games improving the frame stability for the Shaper’s Realm. It seems to have the opposite affect. Since from my personal experience with the latest Xbox One patch, it seems as it’s almost impossible to load up any Shaper’s Realm maps. Or, the game simply crashes and sends you back to the home screen if you attempt to load it.
Aside from the new patch, the Xbox One playerbase can also look forward to purchasing three new microtranscations for the game. You can catch the preview of them below:
If these cosmetic items caught your eye, you should act quick. As after November 3rd they won’t be available for purchase again.
If you’re like me that steers clear of any plot points or details in single-player campaigns, then you might want to turn back now. Just know that there’s a scene in Call of Dut: WWII single-player that was changed for the Australian version of the game.
Now, for those still here, it seems Activision has asked the Classification Board of Australia to re-rate the game’s +R18 rating, which was still tagged as a +R18 game. So why the re-rate? Checking the Classification Board’s website, the difference between the two versions mention a “thread of sexual violence.”
According to the Classification Board, Activision submitted a modified version of COD: WWII, with the original containing , “a reference to sexual violence that is justified by context.” The scene that describes this can be read below.
In one section of the game, the player controls Rosseau, a female spy, as she infiltrates a German building. While inside, she witnesses a woman as she is dragged by a Nazi soldier into a closet, against her will, screaming, “You’re all pigs!”
Rosseau opes the closet door, as the soldier says, “Leave. This is none of your business.” The player is then given the option to kill the soldier or leave.
If the player chooses to leave, the player closes the door, as the soldier is heard unziping his fly and viewed advancing towards the woman. She screams, “Ah! Get away from me!” as Rosseau leaves.
It is implied that the soldier is going to sexually assault the woman, but at no time is the assault depicted.
Hot damn! It’s currently unknown whether other versions are also modified or not Hopefully, the scene above is tied into the campaign in a way that makes sense and not just for shock value.
Earlier today, we reported on a something less spoiler-ish but more dumbfounding. A man was arrested for stealing early copies of COD: WWII and trying to resell it. For multiplayer fans, check out this leaked list of game modes coming to the game at launch.
Source: Kotaku AU
