Month: June 2020

With The Division 2‘s huge Title Update 10 now available, Ubisoft has paved the way for Season 2 of its looter-shooter to kick off on June 23. Although it will not be available right out of the gate, a new raid, dubbed Operation Iron Horse, is coming soon, and now we know exactly when: Its release date is set for June 30.

Ubisoft shared the news shortly after the release of the new patch. Iron Horse is the game’s second eight-player raid, and it will be available starting at 9 AM PT on June 30. It’s a free content update for anyone who owns The Division 2 and the Warlords of New York expansion. In order to participate in Iron Horse, you’ll need to reach level 40 if you own Warlords of New York. Those who only have the base game can access a level 30 version of Iron Horse, but that won’t be released until July 7.

Iron Horse tasks players with stopping the True Sons from manufacturing weapons intended to help them attack Washington DC. It’s set in a foundry and launches with a Normal difficulty mode. A Discovery difficulty option will be added “at a later date” and offer matchmaking for those who don’t have a group to play with.

Ubisoft calls Iron Horse “the ultimate challenge” for players, saying it’s used the lessons it learned from the Operation Dark Hours raid to make for a better experience. It promises “new puzzles and mechanics” and insists teamwork is essential, leading to a somewhat over-the-top description of what to expect: “Operation Iron Horse will feature thought-provoking battles against enemies and bosses, driving Agents to determine proper fight mechanics and work with their teammates to execute the right strategy in order to defeat their enemies.”

Of course, any high-end activity like a raid needs to come with worthwhile rewards, and while we don’t have a full list yet, Ubisoft did outline some of the Iron Horse loot:

• Ravenous exotic double-barrel rifle
• Regulus exotic revolver
• Foundry Bulwark gear set
• Future Initiative gear set
• Other unique rewards

Operation Iron Horse Race to World First

As an added incentive for the Race to World First competition, Ubisoft has announced a prize awaiting the first team to complete Operation Iron Horse on each platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Stadia. The group’s photo and names will be displayed in the White House for everyone to see.

The Division 2 Twitch Drops

No doubt to encourage fans to watch streams of the game and build up hype for the content, Ubisoft will be enabling Twitch Drops on June 30 at 8 AM PT. They will be available until July 2 at 5 AM PT and allow viewers to earn content from select Twitch streamers.

GameSpot has officially kicked off Play For All–a celebration of all things gaming. Join us as we bring you the summer’s hottest news, previews, interviews, features, and videos, as well as raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts and Black Lives Matter with the help of our friends from around the gaming world. Check out the Play For All schedule for more.

Based in Romania and Germany, CyberGhost has been running its virtual private network since 2011, and has racked up more than 36 million users along the way. And with a full slate of apps and support for hardware beyond just computers, it’s obvious why CyberGhost has become so popular. But reviewing a VPN is about how well it performs, not just whether it will simply work for gaming, Netflix, or on an Apple TV. We downloaded CyberGhost and put it through a battery of tests to see if it was 2020’s best VPN.

Design and Features

With a slick, agile app that tucks away nicely in the taskbar and unfurls with options when needed, CyberGhost offers an excellent desktop interface for power users and casual web surfers alike. Simply click the slider button to activate CyberGhost’s VPN, and you’re instantly connected to and protected by one of the service’s 6,300 servers located in more than 90 countries, worldwide.

Like other VPNs, CyberGhost organizes its servers by geography, but it also highlights servers that are particularly good for downloading and streaming video, too – a nice, under-publicized feature. The service also boasts 256-bit encryption, protection from sketchy public Wi-Fi hotspots, IP address-hiding, and log-free servers to preserve anonymity. Add atop that apps for desktop, mobile, and routers – you can use it on seven devices simultaneously – and CyberGhost appears to pack all the essentials a solid VPN needs.

Digging deeper, CyberGhost also offers advanced features that more sophisticated users will love. For instance, on CyberGhost’s desktop app, its “smart rules” will prompt the VPN to activate automatically when it’s connected to Wi-Fi, or automatically disconnect when the computer is on a trusted wireless network. CyberGhost also can compress data, like image files, to reduce your bandwidth usage, as well as force unprotected websites to filter through an https server instead.

Like other VPN services, CyberGhost publishes a regular transparency report, but it’s more promotional than it is reassuring. For instance, CyberGhost’s report isn’t conducted by a third party, and it doesn’t discuss stress or vulnerability-testing, like other services do. Instead CyberGhost’s drills down on DMCA complaints – which are about the VPN’s users violating copyright, a popular use for masking your identity online – or police requests for IP addresses. Really, these numbers aren’t about transparency so much as promotion for how popular the service is.

CyberGhost also offers an array of tech to protect other hardware on your network, from routers to gaming consoles. On the desktop, CyberGhost can protect Windows, Mac, and Linux machines. On mobile, like many other VPNs, it has apps for iOS and Android. Despite advertising that it has apps for streaming boxes and gaming consoles, that’s only true for Amazon Fire TV and Android TV. To make CyberGhost work with smart TVs, Apple TV, Xbox, and PlayStation it simply requires a change in DNS settings. But CyberGhost’s from-server-to-settings holistic approach to VPNs makes it a well thought out service.

Performance

On its web site, CyberGhost bills itself as “the perfect balance between speed and privacy.” Our head-to-head comparisons, however, raise questions about what, exactly that balance looks like. For download speed tests, CyberGhost could not keep up with the competition, performing in the bottom third of the services we evaluated. But it wasn’t all bad – in upload and latency tests, CyberGhost was solidly in the middle of the pack.

CyberGhost’s upload and download speeds were measured using an average of its scores taken in the afternoon and evening using the SpeedOf.Me speedtest. To evaluate CyberGhost’s performance, we pinged the servers of several popular video games – Fortnite, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive – while logged into the VPN, averaging the response times to measure the latency. Then, to see if CyberGhost is the best VPN for gaming, we played the games while logged into one of its servers. Similarly, to see if CyberGhost was the best VPN for Netflix, we streamed some movies while using the service.

Firing up Fortnite while using CyberGhost was a fairly uneventful experience – the game connected to a fast server, found a party to join, rendered all the elements, and let us off to the races. Even with middling download speed, the third-person shooter held up well, likely because of its low latency response to Fortnite’s server and its better-than-average upload performance. Counter-Strike worked similarly well, and League of Legends, which CyberGhost scored top marks with in ping testing, worked flawlessly, as expected.

Streaming video with Netflix while using CyberGhost worked perfectly fine, connecting domestically or internationally and streaming content seamlessly. The average download speed of around 28mbps was more than enough to keep pace with the fast-paced action movie Extraction, which suffered from a bit of blurring and motion artifacts, but enough to excuse because it’s a streaming movie, not a Blu-Ray.

Purchasing Guide

Like most VPNs, CyberGhost offers an array of pricing options. CyberGhost’s month-to-month VPN service costs $12.99. A one-year CyberGhost subscription runs $71.88 per year, which breaks down to $5.99 per month. If you pay $88.56 for a two year subscription to CyberGhost, the per-month cost goes down to $3.69. But the three-year CyberGhost subscription is the service’s best value, pencilling out to just $2.75 per month, after you plunk down the $99 fee upfront. These rates put CyberGhost solidly in the middle of the pack – it’s month-to-month price is high, but its three-year cost is steeply discounted, making it a better long-term investment than a stopgap.

Square Enix has announced Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, a rhythm game coming to Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One later this year.

The announcement trailer shows Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory in action, and it looks to feature character designs and gameplay that is similar in form to Square Enix’s Final Fantasy Theatrhythm.

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The Japanese trailer showcases not only Sora, Donald, and Goofy, but Riku, Kairi, Hercules, Aladdin, and other fan favorite characters from the Kingdom Hearts franchise.

Square Enix Japan also shared a Kingdom Hearts 2020 trailer that gives another look at Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, as well as live performances of Kingdom Hearts music, a new look at the mobile title Dark Road, a Kingdom Hearts 3 soundtrack, and new Kingdom Hearts Second Memory figures.

The Kingdom Hearts 2020 trailer also shows a glimpse of what Square Enix is calling “Kingdom Hearts series 2nd Phase,” which has Kingdom Hearts 3: Re:Mind, Kingdom Hearts Dark Road, and Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory. There are also two empty spaces, which could be a new entry, re-releases on Nintendo Switch, next-gen ports, or really anything.

Developing…

Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 21. Have you gotten your dad anything? If not, the good news is there are some sales happening at Amazon on gifts with powerful Dad-energy. The better news is there’s nothing stopping you from picking up one of these deals for yourself, if you’re so inclined. You don’t even need to be a dad! You just need to have an appreciation for a cool watch or a comfortable chair.

Father’s Day Watch Deal

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The Citizen Eco-Drive Blue Angels World Chronograph Atomic Timekeeping Watch is something of a mouthful, but it has so many cool features the logic behind its long name becomes apparent pretty quickly. This is watch looks pretty awesome, and your dad will be stoked to wear it when he goes to the Dad Club to talk to the other dads about dad stuff. I’m just going to go out on a limb here, but I bet this watch makes all the other dads furiously envious. That’s like a second, bonus gift, the sort of thing you can’t put a price-tag on.

I’m going to be honest, this watch is tempting me to buy it for myself. I don’t know if it’s my own inner dad-energy or the techie in me, but I really like it. Not having to worry about changing the battery or even make sure the time is set properly is extremely appealing.

Father’s Day Massage Chair Deal

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• Get the deal – $724.75 (save $2174.25)

This massage chair is another great gift idea for anyone, basically. In fact, it’s one of the most popular deals we’ve featured on IGN in a long time. Everyone is psyched on this massage chair, and with good reason: who wouldn’t want to spend their free time have their troubles kneaded away by the loving touch of a robotic chair?

The chair deal is so popular its backordered 6-10 days. You can place your order now to ensure you get it at the sale price (make sure you enter the code PKDSGENJ at checkout to see the massive discount). It won’t arrive in time for Father’s Day, but if you’re ordering one for yourself, no biggie.

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Seth Macy is Executive Editor, IGN Commerce, and just wants to be your friend. Find him on Twitter @sethmacy. 

Star Wars: Squadrons’ creative director has confirmed that the PC version of the game will support flight sim joysticks and throttles.

In a reply on Twitter, Ian S. Frazier made clear that the newly-announced will support everything up to a full HOTAS (hands-on throttle and stick) set-up, for those who want a more immersive cockpit experience.

Well hey, double checked and apparently I AM allowed to tell you that without being tackled by PR!

Yes, we fully support joystick on PC, including full HOTAS rigs with a throttle. 🙂

— Ian S. Frazier (@tibermoon) June 16, 2020

Formally announced yesterday, Star Wars: Squadrons will include a story mode set after the events of Return of the Jedi (with both Empire and New Republic playable pilots), as well as 5v5 multiplayer dogfights and fleet battles.

It will be released on PS4, Xbox One, PC (with VR support on PS4 and PC) on October 2. We’ll see the first gameplay later this week, at EA Play Live on June 18 (which you can watch as part of IGN’s Summer of Gaming).

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

PGA Tour 2K21 has gotten a Career Mode trailer and revealed new details about its custom character-led campaign.

After creating a custom player-character, you’ll be able to start your career and work yourself up through the Korn Ferry developmental tour, through the PGA Tour, and eventually take on cover star Justin Thomas to claim the FedEx Cup.

You can check out the new trailer below:

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Customisation is a major focus, with appearances, haircuts and (some occasioanally questionable) clothing all alterable for male and female golfers. Clothing and golfing gear will be available from Adidas, Polo Ralph Lauren, Malbon Golf, Callaway Golf, Bridgestone Golf, TaylorMade Golf and more.

PGA Tour 2K21 will be released on August 21 for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Stadia, and PC via Steam. It’s being made by HB Studios, which has transformed its series, The Golf Club, into PGA Tour after 2K acquired the license from EA. The game will feature 15 PGA Tour courses, as well as a custom course designer.

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

EA has revealed some of the new modes and mechanics coming in Madden 21, as well as screenshots, and its cover art featuring Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Madden 21 will see the return of last year’s Face of the Franchise mode, now subtitled Rise to Fame. Pitched as a “documentary career campaign”, Face of the Franchise: Rise to Fame will let players create a high school quarterback and play through their rise through the footballing ranks, taking in high school, college, NFL Combine, NFL Draft and the league itself. Out of the high school section, you can choose to pivot to running back or wide receiver.

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Per a press release, the game will also feature the following mechanical additions:

• “Improved ball-carrier mechanics for all out control in the running back and receiver positions.”
• “Enhanced D-Line mechanics that add new control to make the pass rush positions more responsive, and fun to play.”
• “Realistic Open-Field Tackling allows for clutch defensive stops.”
• “New player-controlled celebrations.”
• “Outside of all the new control players will have in-game, some of the biggest changes will arrive in the overall authenticity and presentation with new on field camera shots and improved player awareness of their positioning and surroundings on the field”

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The game will be released on August 28 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC via Origin and Steam – it will arrive on Google Stadia this winter. Those who pre-order the MVP Edition will get 3 days of early access to the game, a Lamar Jackson Elite Item and a number of other in-game items.

EA has also extended the offer to upgrade from the Xbox One or PS4 version of the game to an Xbox Series X or PS5 version – if you buy the current-gen version of the game before the release of Madden 22 next year, you’ll automatically be upgraded to the next-gen equivalent version, with extra enhancements for next-gen.

You can check out the game’s new style of cover art below – we’ve got the Standard Edition, Deluxe Edition and MVP Edition to show you:

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Madden 21 is on our ever-growing list of confirmed Xbox Series X games and PS5 games.

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter.

EA has announced that it has extended Madden NFL 21’s previously announced Dual Entitlement scheme to cover both PlayStation and Xbox machines, up until the release of Madden NFL 22.

Buying the game on Xbox One or PS4 will allow you to freely upgrade Madden 21 to its equivalent Xbox Series X or PS5 version when they’re released. EA has previously made clear that Madden 21 will “include new features unavailable to the prior generation.” This offer will remain ongoing until Madden 22’s release next year.

EA says that unspecified “offer exceptions apply”, and also mankes clear that, currently, physical discs can’t be used to gain upgrades on discless consoles – so a PS4 Madden 21 physical copy won’t allow you to upgrade on the new PS5 Digital Edition.

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While many Xbox Series X games (including Cyberpunk 2077) will benefit from the similar Xbox Smart Delivery scheme, very few games have made the same commitment for PS4-PS5 upgrades, with Destiny 2 one of the notable exceptions.

The game will be released on August 28 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC via Origin and Steam – it will arrive on Google Stadia this winter. No Xbox Series X or PS5 dates have been revealed, although EA says to watch EA Play Live on June 18 for more next-gen news – and you can do that along with us here as part of IGN’s Summer of Gaming.

Today also saw a new Madden 21 trailer released, and announcements of new modes and mechanics in the game.

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy has unveiled an official synopsis and first-look photos for Season 2 of the smash-hit superhero series.

The 12 images show the Hargreeves siblings adapting to life in 1960s Dallas after failing to stop the apocalypse in the Season 1 finale. They have met some new faces, including Texan housewife Sissy (Marin Ireland), a divorcee who is eager to rediscover life, Lila (Ritu Arya), “a chameleon” who is as brilliant or as she is insane, and Raymond (Yusuf Gatewood), a natural-born leader and devoted husband who carries himself with confidence.

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A further image shows a trio of merciless men (Tom Sinclair, Kris Holden-Ried, and Jason Bryden) standing in the shadows, hot on the trail of the time-travelling team.

The plot synopsis for the second season reads: “Five warned his family (so, so many times) that using his powers to escape from Vanya’s 2019 apocalypse was risky. Well, he was right – the time jump scatters the siblings in time in and around Dallas, Texas. Over a three year period. Starting in 1960. Some, having been stuck in the past for years, have built lives and moved on, certain they’re the only ones who survived. Five is the last to land, smack dab in the middle of a nuclear doomsday, which – spoiler alert! – turns out is a result of the group’s disruption of the timeline (déjà vu, anyone?). Now the Umbrella Academy must find a way to reunite, figure out what caused doomsday, put a stop to it, and return to the present timeline to stop that other apocalypse. All while being hunted by a trio of ruthless Swedish assassins. But seriously, no pressure or anything.”

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An adaptation of Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá’s comic book series of the same name, The Umbrella Academy follows the lives of a dysfunctional family of superheroes. It proved to be a huge hit for Netflix, which reported that 45 million households had watched the show, and quickly ordered a second season.

The Umbrella Academy Season 2 will be released on Netflix on July 31, 2020 with 10 hourlong episodes. If you’ve never watched The Umbrella Academy, you might want to read our explainer on the characters and team, and if you have, then you might need a refresher on Season 1’s ending.

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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.