Month: May 2019

Halo: The Master Chief Collection‘s PC beta was supposed to begin in April, but that never happened. Now, developer 343 Industries says the beta should start in June, beginning with Halo: Reach.

People who join Microsoft’s Halo Insider program will get to play first. The June date was confirmed in a livestream event where community director Brian Jarrard and other team members showed off live gameplay for one of Reach’s missions.

Jarrard also revealed that 343 is bringing Halo: The Master Chief Collection to E3 2019 where attendees will be able to check out one mission from Halo: Reach, Tip of the Spear. The first beta test for Reach, or “flight,” will arrive sometime before or after E3.

Jarrard said he’s not happy with this scenario of bringing the game to E3 before the general public. Bringing Halo: The Master Chief Collection to E3 before the Insider beta process begins is “not ideal,” he said. “We don’t like that scenario.”

The full livestream video is a great watch for fans looking for more information on how Halo: Reach will play on PC–go watch it here. In the video, developers talk about how they’re working hard to ensure Halo: Reach (and the other titles within Halo: The Master Chief Collection) feels like a native PC game. They also discuss PC-specific features like button-mapping, the FOV slider, higher resolutions, and the new progression system.

Not only that, but 343 talked about how the team has no plans for split-screen or mods support for Halo: Reach on PC at launch, though these features could be added later if fans really want it. 343 also talked about how games within Halo: The Master Chief Collection will have anti-cheat measures.

In addition to this video, 343 has released a gargantuan, nearly 7,000-word blog post that covers these topics in more in huge depth–check it out here.

Halo: Reach is also coming to Xbox One, but 343 has not yet said when it’ll be out. What we do know is that it will be tested first by Halo Insiders before rolling out to everyone.

You can sign up for the free Halo Insider program for a chance to get into the beta tests. The tests will start small before expanding to additional users over time.

In other Halo news, Microsoft is reportedly going to share more details on Halo Infinite at E3 2019 next month. For more, check out GameSpot’s breakdown of what we know about Halo Infinite so far and what we want to see at E3 2019.

E3 2019 is less than two weeks away, and like a number of other publishers, Ubisoft is giving fans a glimpse at some of the new and upcoming titles it has in development just ahead of the show. This year, the company will once again host its E3 press conference on the eve of the expo–Monday, June 10–in Los Angeles, California, but those who aren’t able to attend in-person will be able to livestream it from the comfort of home. If you plan on tuning in, here’s everything you need to know about what time it starts and where you can watch it.

What Time Does Ubisoft’s Press Conference Livestream Start?

This year, Ubisoft is holding its E3 2019 press conference on Monday, June 10. The company is kicking its livestream off at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET, while the conference proper is scheduled to begin at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET. For those across the pond in the UK, that means you’ll need to tune in at 9 PM BST, while fans in Australia will need to wake up at 6 AM AEST on June 11 in order to catch the presentation.

Where To Watch

Ubisoft is streaming its E3 2019 presentation on its own Twitch and YouTube channels, but you’ll also be able to watch it right here on GameSpot. We’ll be hosting the stream on-site and across our various social media channels, so you can bookmark the links below and tune in come June 10.

What To Expect

Ubisoft is keeping its E3 2019 lineup largely close to its chest, although the company has confirmed a handful of games that’ll have a presence at this year’s show, including the newly announced Ghost Recon game, Breakpoint. Ubisoft officially unveiled the title during a world premiere livestream event earlier this month, and it appears it’ll be a focal point of the company’s E3 presentation.

Ubisoft has also confirmed that it’ll provide updates on some of its live service games. In particular, the company has teased we’ll get some more news about Rainbow Six Siege, For Honor, and Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, the latter of which recently released back in March. We’ve already gotten a glimpse at Siege’s next season of DLC, Operation Phantom Sight, although we don’t yet know when that will arrive; perhaps Ubisoft will announce a date during its press conference. Likewise, we know The Division 2’s first post-launch episode, D.C. Outskirts: Expeditions, is slated to release sometime this summer, so we may get more details about that during the E3 presentation.

Beyond those specific titles, Ubisoft has hinted there will be other “game updates” during its E3 2019 press conference, as well as some kind of “celebrity showdown.” On top of all that, the company teases there will be “one or two more things,” suggesting it has a couple of surprises up its sleeve. Ubisoft has previously said it will release three unannounced triple-A games by March 31, 2020, so we’ll presumably get a look at those during the presentation. A Ubisoft-developed roller derby game recently leaked ahead of E3 and could be one of the three unannounced titles, but Ubisoft hasn’t officially commented on it.

One title we know for certain won’t be at the show, however, is Skull & Bones. The pirate game was slated to launch during Ubisoft’s fiscal year 2019-2020, but it has now been delayed until sometime after that period, and Ubisoft confirmed it won’t appear during its E3 2019 presentation.

Ubisoft certainly isn’t the only company with big plans for this year’s E3. Be sure to check out our full E3 2019 press conference schedule for more details on what Microsoft, Nintendo, Bethesda, and other publishers have planned for this year’s expo.

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Borderlands 3 is scheduled to appear at E3 2019, and the show is right around the corner. The game is hotly anticipated, which is no surprise given the seven-year wait for a new mainline Borderlands game. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and Tales From The Borderlands may have helped, but neither is a full-fledged sequel to 2012’s popular Borderlands 2.

We’ve already spent quite a bit of time with Borderlands 3, playing early levels of the game during Gearbox preview events. Based on what we’ve seen, we’re reasonably impressed. We played through Chapter 6, an early-game chapter that takes place on one of Borderlands 3’s new planets, Promethea. The core concept of Borderlands as a streamlined first-person loot shooter is still present, but Borderlands 3 feels like a different game. The diverse environments create new strategies during combat, and several quality-of-life changes (like a map that tells you where you’ve been) push you to explore and look for new weapons more so than previous titles.

Borderlands 3 keeps to tradition in other ways, for the better and worse. The game has a ton of new guns, all of which have been designed to act in a certain way depending on their manufacturer. Many even have alternate fire modes. Unfortunately, driving in Borderlands 3 is still not the best. Jumping in a vehicle is still the fastest way to get around, but they’re still too bouncy and difficult to control.

Gearbox has remained rather quiet about its Borderlands 3 plans for E3, but we’ve compiled what we know below.

What We Know So Far

When it comes to Borderlands 3, we know quite a bit about the game already. During a gameplay preview event, Gearbox revealed Borderlands 3 is scheduled to release for Xbox One, PS4, and PC on September 13. The developer also showcased the game’s new movement and loot mechanics, in-game hub, and visitable planets.

Borderlands 3 takes place after the events of Borderlands 2 and sees a new group of Vault Hunters–Zane, Amara, FL4K, and Moze–join the Crimson Raiders on a journey through space to stop the villainous Calypso Twins and their Children of the Vault cult. For the first time in the franchise, you’ll explore and fight on planets other than Pandora. Of the four Vault Hunters, we’ve only seen the skill trees for Zane and Amara so far. The former’s skill trees are stealth- and tech gadget-based, while Amara causes massive elemental damage as the team’s resident Siren.

Taking inspiration from modern first-person shooters like Titanfall 2, Borderlands 3 introduces both vaulting and sliding to the franchise. These new movements make Borderlands’ combat both faster and more vertical-focused. Enemies respond a bit more quickly than they have in the past, doing their best to surround you as opposed to rushing you from one direction.

There’s more freedom to Vault Hunter build creation as well, as each of the four new playable characters has three unique active skills as opposed to just one. This change makes it much easier to customize your Vault Hunter into your ideal build, making the game more enjoyable and rewarding for solo players in comparison to previous Borderlands titles. If you do play with others, Borderlands 3 introduces new loot features that cause unique weapons and shields to drop for each person.

What’s Confirmed For E3

Gearbox hasn’t revealed what it has planned for E3. We can wager a guess though. The skill trees for both FL4K and Moze have yet to be revealed, so Gearbox might use E3 to show at least one of them. We’ve only seen gameplay on two of Borderlands 3’s planets as well, so Gearbox could showcase FL4K or Moze on one of the other new locations.

There’s also unconfirmed speculation–first reported by PlayStation Lifestyle based on the word of a “trusted anonymous source”–that Gearbox will reveal a new Borderlands 2 DLC, titled Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary, during E3. The DLC is supposedly a bridge between the story of Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3, releasing sometime during E3 week. Again, this is all rumor and speculation, but it’s something to look out for during E3 2019.

Borderlands 3’s publisher, 2K/Take Two, does not have a press conference planned for E3 2019. However, Borderlands 3 could appear during Microsoft’s press conference, which is rumored to be one of the company’s most prominent E3 appearances yet.

What We Hope To See At E3

How Borderlands 3 plays has been detailed out reasonably well since the game’s reveal. However, we still know very little about the characters and stories of Borderlands. Gearbox has already dropped hints that Borderlands 3 might be one of the most critical games in the franchise from a story perspective but hasn’t revealed how.

Learning a bit more about the Calypso Twins’ motivations would be a good start. Their designs, mannerisms, and actions are based on “really annoying” streamers, but what the two have planned for the galaxy is still unknown. The presence of Handsome Jack can is felt throughout the Borderlands franchise, but the villain only worked because he had easily understood motivations. The Calypso Twins seem to be cheeky and evil for no reason at all. We’d love to hear more about the Sirens and how they’re so crucial to Borderlands 3’s story as well.

Also, the gaming landscape of the loot shooter has drastically changed since 2012’s Borderlands 2, so we hope to hear Gearbox address how it plans on supporting Borderlands 3 post-launch. Borderlands 3 could be like its predecessors and be a self-contained story campaign that’s updated with completely separate DLC expansions. However, it could also follow in the lead of games like Destiny 2 and The Division 2, and feature a story that is regularly expanded upon with many content drops–such as seasonal events, new areas, and raids.

Following the announcement from Netflix that it would consider no longer filming in Georgia if the state’s abortion law takes effect, Disney has now also weighed in.

CEO Bob Iger told Reuters that Disney would likely pull out of its operations in Georgia if the law goes into effect in 2020 as scheduled. He said it would be “very difficult” to keep filming there if that happens. “I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard,” he said.

“I don’t see how it’s practical for us to continue to shoot there” if the law takes effect, Iger said. Disney filmed some of its biggest movies in Georgia, including Black Panther, Avengers: Endgame, and other Marvel box office juggernauts.

Iger also mentioned that it’s expected that Georgia’s abortion law will be challenged in court. “Right now we are watching it very carefully,” Iger said.

Netflix boss Ted Sarandos said earlier this week that the streaming giant behind shows like Stranger Things and Ozark would “rethink” its operations in Georgia if the abortion law takes effect.

Georgia is a popular place for film and TV productions, with a reported 455 productions taking place there in 2018 alone. The state is popular due to the tax credits that it provides, among other things.

While Netflix and Disney are holding off until more details come to light, The Handmaid’s Tale director Reed Morano said recently that she would not film a new show in Georgia due to the abortion law. The Kristen Wiig comedy Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar also recently announced it wouldn’t film in Georgia as planned due to the law.

In addition, JJ Abrams and Jordan Peele said they would donate profits from a new HBO show filming in Georgia to organizations working to fight the Georgia abortion law.