Month: December 2019

We’re still nearly a year away from the release of PlayStation 5, but retailers are getting eager to lock in your PS5 purchase. To that end, Best Buy (in the US) and Game (in the UK) have put up email sign-up pages so you can be notified when PS5 preorders officially go live — whenever that may be.

Don’t be surprised if you see more of these pages appear at retailer websites in the coming months, either. A lot of money changes hands when a new console comes out, and all PS5 retailers will want you to buy from them.

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Jordan Vogt-Roberts, director of the upcoming Metal Gear Solid movie, took to Twitter on Tuesday to draw some pretty compelling visual connections between Marvel’s Black Widow movie and Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

 Vogt-Roberts began with possibly the most obvious parallel, Black Widow’s white jumpsuit we see in the first trailer for the movie.

“Honest question,” Vogt-Roberts writes. “I’m firm believer of parallel thinking, but…Is there any BLACK WIDOW pre the release of METAL GEAR SOLID 3 in 2004 that establishes this white suit? It sure reminds me of a certain patriot who saved the world.”

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The Division 2 is getting a big new update that, among other things, gives the post-apocalyptic shooter a wintry makeover, complete with Santa hats and a weapon that shoots snowballs.

Title update 6.1 launches on December 10 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and the winter-themed event is called Situation: Snowball. As part of the update, a number of the game’s enemies are now wearing red Santa hats, and taking them down will reward you with a special weapon that shoots snowballs. You can see the hat and the snowball gun in the image below.

The Division 2’s wintry update is almost here

Ubisoft is also releasing new winter-themed apparel through the “Silent Night Cache.” This includes 35 items of clothing to collect over time. Players who log in between December 10 and January 7 will receive one key, while those who own the Year One pass will get a further three keys to help with their progress toward unlocking all the new items.

In the spirit of the holidays, Ubisoft has also introduced a new gifting option for apparel. The Silent Night and other caches can be purchased with the real-money in-game currency and then sent to friends through the game. Additionally, everyone who logs in to The Division 2 during the Situation: Snowball event will get their own red Santa hat to wear.

The Division 2’s 6.1 update also introduces a new Hardcore Mode, which makes death permanent in the campaign. Ubisoft recommended that players work together in co-op for their best chance to survive. The Hardcore Mode is described as a “beta,” so aspects of it could change in the future.

With the holiday season just getting underway, Nintendo Switch sales are already taking off, with over 800,000 Switches sold in the U.S. over the Thanksgiving holiday. Undoubtedly due to Black Friday and Cyber Monday Nintendo deals, total Switch sales in the Americas have now reached 17.5 million.

Thanksgiving week marks the best week of sales ever for the Nintendo Switch in the U.S. The increase in sales was likely due, in part, to the recent release of the Switch Lite, which is smaller than the original Switch and cannot be docked.

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Black Friday sales and Cyber Monday deals may be over, but that doesn’t mean the savings have to stop. Right now you can head over to Dell.com and get this excellent Alienware AW3418DW 34″ curved gaming monitor for $750 less than normal retail price, meaning instead of $1349, you can bring it home for just $599.

Deal: Alienware 34-inch Monitor for $599

• Get it at Dell for $599

This Alienware 34″ curved gaming monitor has 4 USB ports, one HDMI port, and one DisplayPort connection. While it normally sells for $1349, you can knock $750 off that price and snag it for just $599 at Dell, and shipping is free.

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Uncut Gems opens in limited theatrical release Dec. 13 and in wider release on Dec. 25.

You never know when Adam Sandler is going to emerge from lowbrow comedies set in tropical locales to really, really make something. But when he does, he sure collaborates with some fascinating artists. From Paul Thomas Anderson to Noah Baumbach to, now, Josh and Benny Safdie, directing brothers who have slowly but surely emerged into the larger cinematic conversation by making small but very effective, stylish films about what many would consider “real New Yorkers,” when Sandler gets serious, he also gets experimental. Just as the Safdies’ last film, Good Time, gave rise to career-best work from Robert Pattinson, Uncut Gems shows us an Adam Sandler we’ve never seen before.

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Capcom is back with another huge update for Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. Arriving for free tomorrow on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the action-RPG’s 12.01 update will add new weapon trees, a plethora of adjustments and tweaks, the Stygian Zinogre monster, and more.

The headlining feature of the 12.01 patch is the inclusion of the Stygian Zinogre, a fanged wyvern found in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. Additionally, a tempered version of the Ruiner Nergigante monster is available to hunt. Of course, you’ll be able to craft weapons out of their fragments.

The 12.01 update also includes new weapon trees, armor pieces and sets, additional skills, and more. Further, you’ll get access to the Tundra Region, a new frost-covered cavern littered with frigid beasts and area-specific materials for you to hunt and gather.

Elsewhere in the patch, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne will get more Horizon Zero Dawn content later this month. The second collaboration quest will open up on December 13, with the third collaboration quest following just two weeks later on December 27. These events will be available until January 9, 2020.

Check below for the full patch notes on Monster Hunter World: Iceborne’s upcoming update.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Full Update 12.01 Patch Notes

Required Space

• PlayStation 4 (v. 12.01): About 2.1GB (only this update)
• Xbox One (v. 12.0.0.1): About 2.8GB (only this update)

General

• Added cutscene that unlocks the Tundra Region in the Guiding Lands.
• Added new weapon trees, armor, and skills.
• Added Stygian Zinogre (Stygian Zinogre will appear in a cutscene in the Guiding Lands, after finishing the story of Iceborne).
• A tempered version of Ruiner Nergigante will now appear in the game.

Action

• Removed the damage reaction from the startup of the sword & shield’s Claw Uppercut.
• The sword & shield’s Claw Uppercut can now soften a monster’s hide.
• Adjusted damage on the sword & shield’s Perfect Rush.
• Adjusted design on how other players are knocked back from explosions caused by the gunlance’s Wyrmstake Blast.
• Adjusted various dual blade actions.
• Instead of dropping slinger ammo, the dual blades’ Spinning Rising Slash will now wound parts easier.
• Fixed an issue where cluster bomb reload speed was normal or reload wouldn’t perform while aiming when using the heavy bowgun.
• Adjusted design on the hunting horn’s Extended Health Recovery so health could be regained even when taking damage over time.
• Adjusted how much ammo is used by the flinch shot when the Slinger Capacity skill is active.
• Adjusted the Frostcraft skill so that the insect glaive will no longer consume its gauge when performing a moving mounted attack.

System

• New decor can now be placed in your room in Seliana.
• New BGM can now be played in your room in Seliana.
• New designs for the Squad Card added.
• New Pendants added.
• Starter-friendly Defender weapon line added (forgeable at the Smithy).
• Starter-friendly Defender α armor set added (purchasable from the Armory).
• New feature added to upgrade armor to its maximum level automatically with the available armor spheres.
• When obtaining analyzed special tracks in the Guiding Lands or when analysis is finished, other players in your expedition will now obtain the same special tracks.
• The leader of the Guiding Lands expedition can now decrease specific region levels manually by speaking to the Handler.
• New layered armor added.
• New Weapon Pose added. Your hunter will perform different poses depending on the equipped weapon.

Miscellaneous

• Region Level Fix option available while in the Guiding Lands.
• Changed design so all ammo types are reloaded when exiting your tent with a bowgun equipped.
• Red, white, and, orange Kinsect extract can now be harvested from the training area’s wagon.
• Shining Wyvern Blade was renamed to Platinum Dawn. (This name was changed to match its appearance)
• Lowered the frequency of the Palico’s voice playback while in standby mode.
• The following decorations are now easier to obtain:
• Blaze Jewel+ 4, Stream Jewel+ 4, Frost Jewel+ 4, Bolt Jewel+ 4, Dragon Jewel+ 4, Venom Jewel+ 4, Paralyzer Jewel+ 4, Sleep Jewel+ 4, Blast Jewel+ 4

Bug Fixes and Balance Adjustments

Base/Facility

• Fixed an issue with the priority level of certain meals added to the canteen in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.
• Fixed an issue that wouldn’t allow you to create Rajang items obtained from the Guiding Lands at the Elder Melder.
• Fixed an issue where the music player in your room in Seliana wouldn’t appear.
• Fixed an issue where the game would freeze when displaying certain dual blades in the Equipment Display in Your Room in Seliana.
• Fixed an issue where when placing pets via the Housekeeper, specific steps would cause an error.
• Adjusted the conditions to unlock the BGM “The Invading Tyrant – Bazelgeuse” for the music player.
• Fixed an issue where after eating a meal at the Canteen, the time before your stamina is reduced isn’t reset.

Monsters

• Fixed an issue where Brachydios would get stuck on top of ledges in the special arena.
• Fixed an issue where during multiplayer, the explosions caused by Tempered Brachydios’ slime would not be synchronized between players.
• Fixed an issue where certain monsters would always be displayed during low-rank quests in the Ancient Forest even if they don’t appear in the quest itself.
• Tweaked the rewards upon breaking Zinogre’s head, along with adding rewards.
• Fixed an issue where Legiana would continue to walk instead of fly after an avalanche is triggered in area 4 of the Hoarfrost Reach.
• Fixed an issue where Nightshade Paolumu wouldn’t drop a shiny after a turf war with certain monsters.
• Fixed an issue where Velkhana wouldn’t sustain damage in its turf war with Ruiner Nergigante.
• Fixed an issue where stamina wouldn’t decrease while mounted on top of Gold Rathian.
• Fixed an issue where master rank Lunastra wouldn’t use its flare attack.
• Fixed an issue where Gold Rathian would take more time than usual to land after attacking with its hellfire breath.
• Fixed an issue where, in the Coral Highlands, Namielle would sometimes fall into an area it isn’t designated to go.
• Fixed an issue where certain attacks from monsters would hit twice.
• Fixed an issue where the clutch claw would work during certain monster actions even when it shouldn’t.
• Fixed an issue where the color of Seething Bazelgeuse’s scales wouldn’t correspond to its powered-up state.
• Fixed an issue where Namielle’s water pools wouldn’t react to the monster’s electric attacks.
• Fixed an issue where Gold Rathian would roar non-stop if led to a specific area of the Elder’s Recess.
• Fixed an issue in Ver. 11.50 where analyzed special tracks could be obtained while mining from Uragaan or Radobaan’s back in the Guiding Lands. We apologize for not notifying players of this earlier.
• Adjusted how long an elder dragon and certain monsters stay in the same area of the Guiding Lands.

Player

• Fixed an issue where the Long Sword’s Foresight Slash or Iai Slash or the Evasion Mantle would successfully trigger an evade when the monster is knocked down, even if no attack hitbox was present.
• Fixed an issue where Lunastra’s info in the Guiding Lands menu wouldn’t appear under certain conditions.
• Fixed an issue where if you don’t have the Surveyor Kit, and under certain conditions talked to the Lynian Researcher, the first tutorial for the Surveyor Set wouldn’t appear and you wouldn’t be able to obtain the item.
• Fixed an issue where in the Coral Highlands, monsters would get caught in environmental traps instead of being knocked down as a result of colliding with a wall from a clutch claw flinch shot.
• Fixed an issue where Health Boost skill increases wouldn’t display properly to other players during multiplayer.
• Fixed an issue where only the effect sound plays in certain situations after the heavy bowgun autoloads its ammo.
• Fixed an issue where icon colors would not display correctly when upgrading a weapon.
• Fixed an issue where the upgrade state of equipment wouldn’t be reflected when updating an equipment loadout.
• Fixed an issue where in specific situations, slinger ammo would get embedded into walls, etc., when performing a clutch claw weapon attack on a monster.
• Fixed an issue where the Master Gatherer skill effect wouldn’t activate when mining with the pickaxe.
• Fixed an issue where auto shoutouts would display unintentionally after using the clutch claw to slam a monster into a wall.
• Fixed an issue where the attack and control guide would not match after a backwards evade with the sword & shield.
• Fixed an issue where skills related to draw attacks would be consumed if the draw attack came into contact with Velkhana’s frost.
• Fixed an issue where a flinch shot would occur when grappled onto a monster, even though no button had been pressed.
• Fixed an issue where a critical hit effect would appear when wounding a monster’s hide after hitting it with the sword & shield’s Claw Uppercut.
• Made adjustments to the dual blades’ Spinning Rising Slash along with increasing some elemental scaling.
• Fixed an issue where players would still be inflicted with an elemental blight even when guarding certain monster attacks.
• Fixed an issue where the position of certain weapons while sheathed was inaccurate.
• Fixed an issue where, while searching under specific criteria, the 2nd page of SOS flares couldn’t be viewed.
• Fixed an issue where the effect for the charge blade’s Power Axe Mode would continue to display.
• Fixed an issue where player character behavior would become erratic if the player becomes zombified in mid-air while close to a ledge.
• Fixed an issue where some skin color on the player character would not display properly when the zombification status is removed.
• Fixed an issue where the default color for the Gastodon layered armor was unnatural.
• Fixed an issue where correct defense numbers were not being shown when defense-related skills are activated when forging or changing equipment.
• PS4 –Fixed an issue where, when holding down the Triangle button to continue to reload while aiming the Heavy Bowgun, the reload would not continue after reloading Cluster Bombs.
• Xbox One – Fixed an issue where, when holding down the Y button to continue to reload while aiming the Heavy Bowgun, the reload would not continue after reloading Cluster Bombs.
• Fixed an issue where Palico commands would change places in the item window after switching Palico gadgets.
• Fixed an issue where the hunter would not perform an action when a button is pressed after the player uses the left stick and a buffer input is recognized.

Miscellaneous

• Fixed an issue where the directional button camera controls wouldn’t respond at times when using Item Control Settings Type 3 or Type 4.
• Fixed an issue where the Select Ammo/Coating entry in the long-range weapon control guide would not display when using Item Control Setting Type 2.
• [PS4] Fixed an issue where multiple actions would be performed at the same time when the player uses the Surveyor Kit, and the functionality of the L1/R1 buttons is switched in the Control Settings.
• [XBOX] Fixed an issue where multiple actions would be performed at the same time when the player uses the Surveyor Kit, and the functionality of the LB/RB buttons is switched in the Control Settings.
• Fixed an issue where characters could fall off the map in the Coral Highlands.
• Fixed an issue where the analysis gauge would disappear when the player obtained analysis in progress special tracks or analyzed special tracks.
• Fixed an issue where Molys would continue to dig into the ground.
• Fixed an issue where activation conditions for skills that raise elemental power wouldn’t display properly when inspecting other player’s equipment.
• Fixed an issue where the monster’s information wouldn’t sync properly between players when the monster is near death.
• Fixed erroneous information in the “A Man and his Shield – 5” and “The Boaboa Challenge – 6” treasure tip.
• Fixed an issue where multiple monster BGM would frequently switch and play during a quest.
• Fixed an issue where the order of the item pouch would unintentionally change upon closing the application.
• Fixed an issue where ranking information couldn’t be retrieved if a deleted player was registered in the rankings.
• Updated an error message that is displayed when saved data is damaged.
• Fixed an issue where portions of save data would be erased under certain conditions for users who have cleared the “Paean of Guidance” and “To the Guided, A Paean” quest.
• Other minute game balance tweaks and minor bugs fixes have been made.

Blizzard has announced a clarification for Overwatch‘s upcoming Patch 1.43. There’s been speculation that the patch will release this week, but Blizzard has confirmed that it is, in fact, scheduled for next week.

“We’ve been seeing quite a bit of misinformation being spread about our December patch (1.43),” Overwatch head Jeff Kaplan wrote in a blog post. “The patch is scheduled to go live next week. Short of some unforeseen circumstance causing a delay, we’re expecting to go live with the patch next week.”

Patch 1.43 will launch alongside Winter Wonderland, Overwatch’s annual winter holiday-themed limited-time event. “I’m guessing everyone is as excited as we are for the changes to go live as soon as possible along with Winter Wonderland,” Kaplan said.

Kaplan has admitted that players should come to expect fewer content updates for Overwatch as development on Overwatch 2 gets into full swing. Overwatch won’t have any new Archive events, for example.

Overwatch is getting somewhat of a unique sequel in Overwatch 2, as a majority of the content included in the new game (at least at launch) will also release in the original Overwatch. The two games will get the same new characters and maps and both games will feature multiplayer cross-play with each other. The content exclusive to Overwatch 2 will be all of the new Story Mode content–which doesn’t look like much at first but could possibly grow to a much more significant difference over time.

Currently, the only new playable character scheduled for Overwatch 2 is Sojourn, who’s been hinted at in the original game’s lore for quite a while now. Though they haven’t been confirmed, four additional characters have already been teased.