Month: March 2018

Publisher Nicalis has announced a release date for Runner3, the upcoming installment in the acclaimed Bit.Trip series. The stylish rhythm/action game will launch for Nintendo Switch and PC on May 22, and players will have the option to pick it up either digitally or at retail for the former platform.

Like the previous two Bit.Trip Runner titles, Runner3 is an auto-runner that takes players through a variety of surreal levels. In addition to series mascot CommanderVideo, players will be able to play as CommandgirlVideo and “numerous friends [and] top-secret guest stars.” Nicalis has also confirmed that Mario voice actor Charles Martinet reprises his role as the narrator in Runner3. You can watch a new trailer for the game below.

Runner3 will be available both digitally from the Switch Eshop and as a physical release. Along with a game card, the packaged version includes a full-color instruction manual, a miniature sampler soundtrack, and a light-up CommanderVideo character strap. “More info about other platforms” will follow at a later time.

Runner3 was first officially showcased back in February 2017, during an indie-focused Nintendo Direct presentation. The game is being developed by Choice Provisions (formerly known as Gaijin Games), the studio behind the previous Bit.Trip titles.

Runner3’s predecessor, Runner2, was very highly regarded when it first released on Wii U. The game was awarded a 9/10 in GameSpot’s Runner2 review. Critic Chris Watters said it “ensnares your emotions with an artful cocktail of music and gameplay, sweeping you along in its rhythm and lighting up a smile on your face.”

This story has been updated.

While you shouldn’t get your hopes up for news on a new Witcher game or anything of the sort, some sort of news related to the series will apparently be shared on Thursday, March 15. A new tweet has teased an announcement will be made then, though it’s anyone’s guess as to what it will involve.

“Kaer Morhen’s old stones have witnessed many battles… Once more they’ll feel the sting of sparks as blades collide… Check back tomorrow,” the tweet reads. There’s no accompanying image or further details offered, including what time we can expect the announcement to come.

The Witcher’s spin-off card game, Gwent, is still without a release date, but what seems more likely is that this is related to the tease that Witcher protagonist Geralt will appear in a game releasing this year. Just recently, CD Projekt Red community lead Marcin Momot said, “What if Geralt was going to step out of [The Witcher] for the very first time to make an appearance in one of the upcoming games later this year?”

That news sparked speculation that Geralt could be a playable character in the upcoming SoulCalibur VI, a series that’s been known to include crossover characters from other franchises, like Zelda and Star Wars. The tweet’s reference to Kaer Morhen could be a hint that the Witcher location will serve as a stage in the fighting game. We also just got a look at new Monster Hunter World/Mega Man crossover content, and that seems like another possibility.

Given the latest tease came from the Witcher’s Twitter account, it seems probable that the news will be related to that franchise, and not CD Projekt Red’s upcoming Cyberpunk 2077. That game is still without a release date–or many details in general–although the developer will be at E3, leading some to hope the long-in-development title will finally be revealed.

Rainbow Six Siege has been around for more than two years now, and in that time, it’s gone from a competent shooter that had problems to one of the biggest multiplayer games around. Following the release of the most recent expansion, Operation Chimera, Siege hit its highest-ever concurrent player count on Steam, and Ubisoft now says it wants to continue supporting the game until it reaches 100 Operators, rather than make a sequel.

But how did we get to this stage? How did Ubisoft turn an innovative-but-flawed game into the behemoth it is today? Simply put, the company did so by persevering — with free downloadable content, an appropriate microtransaction model, and continual improvements. Just recently, for example, all of Rainbow Six Siege’s base Operators were made free, while a bunch of characters were buffed or nerfed. For more on the latest expansion, check out all the Rainbow Six Siege Outbreak pack weapon skins, uniforms, and cosmetics, or read how the newest Operators, Lion and Finka, affect Siege’s metagame. For now though, let’s look back at what Siege was, how it’s evolved, and where it stands today.

Based solely on watching WWE television, a casual fan could get the impression that the wrestlers (nevermind the setup crew and the WWE personnel) work one day, maybe two days per week. But that’s doesn’t include non-televised house shows, press engagements, promotional events, non-profit work, pre-taped video segments, and other miscellaneous micro-tasks. It doesn’t include workouts or rehearsals for the matches. It doesn’t include travel; even midcard and main event stars are typically responsible for their own travel, and drive themselves from town to town.

And while all this is happening, the wrestlers are taking a physical beating for their troubles. They have short careers, and if they don’t save or invest their money, they could end up broke and up to their necks in medical bills. There’s a reason professional wrestlers so frequently and sadly die young.

But there are some standout survivors among the fallen. Even the most severe addict or the most dire medical case can recover with the right support system, the proper treatment, and a little bit of luck. Here are seven WWE Superstars who did just that.

AMC’s next Walking Dead game will use location-based data and Google Maps to infest your real neighborhood with zombies. The Walking Dead: Our World is coming this spring/summer from Finnish developer Next Games.

The AR-based gameplay has you battling walkers wherever you happen to be, alongside characters from the AMC series like Rick, Daryl, and Michonne. The trailer shows off the first-person gameplay, like firing or swinging your weapon at approaching hordes. It will be playable at GDC next week, so we can expect more details soon.

“With Google Maps, we can count on providing the most up-to-date location data, meaning that when new buildings or roads are built, we’ll have them in our game,” said Next Games CEO Teemu Huuhtanen in the announcement. “This enables us to create an immersive experience, tied to the players’ location. Google Maps’ unrivaled amount of location data, covering world-famous landmarks, businesses and buildings, such as the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, the London Eye, Burj Khalifa and India Gate, makes exploring your surroundings a breathtaking experience.”

Pokemon Go demonstrated the potential for AR-based games, and some of the maps in Walking Dead: Our World certainly bear a resemblance. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite looks to be similarly riffing on Pokemon’s success, and will be coming later this year.