Month: January 2021

Indiana Jones Game Coming from Bethesda and Lucasfilm Games

MachineGames (Wolfenstein: The New Order and Wolfenstein: The New Colossus) and Bethesda are partnering with Lucasfilm Games on a standalone Indiana Jones game, to be executive produced by Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard.

Bethesda tweeted to say “A new Indiana Jones game with an original story is in development from our studio, @MachineGames, and will be executive produced by Todd Howard, in collaboration with @LucasfilmGames. It’ll be some time before we have more to reveal, but we’re very excited to share today’s news!”

An original post from Bethesda on Twitter includes a video that shows the word MachineGames, a Lucasfilm Games logo, and the iconic hat and whip. A StarWars.com post explains that the teaser “may hold some clues”, but does explain that the game will be set “at the height of the career of the famed adventurer.”

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/12/indiana-jones-bethesda-game-official-teaser”]

Aside from the company logos, the game will seemingly revolve in part around Vatican City, with a plane ticket to Rome dated for October 1937, and, as IGN’s Jordan Oloman points out, a map including the Sistine Chapel spead out on the desk.

No release date, genre, or platforms have been given at time of writing, but one thing is clear – MachineGames will have plenty of ideas for how Indie can dispatch Nazis.

With Bethesda soon to be owned by Microsoft, it’s not clear if this will be an Xbox exclusive (timed or full), but it seems very likely that the game would launch into Game Pass, with Microsoft looking for Bethesda games to be “first, better, or best” on Xbox platforms.

Lucasfilm Games was announced as a returning brand yesterday, which will seemingly cover games made by multiple developers “in the Star Wars galaxy and beyond” – this is clearly the “beyond” part. “Lucasfilm Games is now the official identity for all gaming titles from Lucasfilm,” read a statement, “a name that encompasses the company’s rich catalog of video games and its eye toward the future.”

Lucasfilm Games (later LucasArts) released multiple Indiana Jones games in its time as a developer, including adventure game classic Indiana Jones & the Fate of Atlantis – which we’ve called the greatest ever Indiana Jones game.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

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].

New Indiana Jones Game Coming From Wolfenstein Studio

Wolfenstein developer Machine Games is working on an Indiana Jones video game. The announcement came by way of a teaser video posted by publisher Bethesda. The game will tell an original, standalone story that focuses on Indiana Jones himself “at the height” of his career.

No further details about the game have been divulged yet, and Bethesda said you should expect the studio to stay quiet about the game for some time. For now, check out the mood teaser:

“A new Indiana Jones game with an original story is in development from our studio, Machine Games, and will be executive produced by Todd Howard, in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games,” Bethesda said in its announcement. “It’ll be some time before we have more to reveal, but we’re very excited to share today’s news!”

In its own statement, Disney said, “The game will tell a wholly original, standalone tale set at the height of the career of the famed adventurer.”

The announcement of this game comes just a day after Disney announced Lucasfilm Games, which is the new catch-all name for Disney’s gaming efforts connected to Lucasfilm properties.

There have been many Indiana Jones video games over the years, but none have released recently. The Lego Indiana Jones series in particular has been very successful.

The new Indiana Jones game will be a Microsoft title, it seems, as the Xbox company recently announced its intention to buy Bethesda and parent company ZeniMax for $7.5 billion. It’s early days for the Indiana Jones game, so there is no word yet on if it will be an Xbox-exclusive.

Nintendo Switch Controllers And Cases Available For Up To 50% Off At Amazon

PowerA’s wireless controllers are a great alternative to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. Every button can be remapped, and they also have back panel triggers to add more versatility. Unfortunately, these controllers don’t have rumble or NFC support for Amiibo. That said, they are still a solid option, especially at this price. You can snag a blue controller featuring Sobble or a white controller covered with cute Pokemon faces for $35.

Drew McIntyre’s Royal Rumble Opponent Confirmed

While he has still initiated quarantine after being tested positive for COVID-19, WWE Champion Drew McIntyre told his fans and the rest of the WWE Universe that he doesn’t have any symptoms so far and still willing to challenge anybody for his title.

Well, as hinted last week on Legends Night on Raw, WWE Hall of Famer and former WCW Champion Goldberg will challenge the Scotsman for his WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble. The WWE Championship is something that has eluded Goldberg for his entire career, and we could be looking at a new world champion come January 31.

Drew won the Royal Rumble event last year, followed by beating Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania to win his first world title in WWE. His run has been interesting considering there hasn’t been much live fanfare because of the pandemic, but it’s been seen as a positive run so far from fans and one of the strongest-looking champs in recent memory. Goldberg could be the challenge that Drew needs to really cement him “the guy” right now.

Goldberg doesn’t have a great track record at the Rumble. The two-time Universal Champion has only participated in one Royal Rumble and that was in 2004, coming in at entrant number 30 and lasting just two minutes before being eliminated by Kurt Angle.

However, Goldberg has a better history of coming in at the last second and winning a title to participate in Wrestlemania. He did that in 2017 against Kevin Owens at Fastlane as well as beating Bray Wyatt at Super Showdown last year–also in February.

While Drew is still keeping himself in quarantine, there are still three weeks until the event and anything could happen with the champ’s symptoms. We’re wishing him a speedy recovery.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order PS5/Xbox Series X Patch Out Now, Improves Frame Rate And More

After releasing next-gen patches for various other games in 2020, EA is setting its sights on Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, which has received an update on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The patch, which is available now on both platforms, improves the game’s frame rate on both next-gen machines and it delivers improved dynamic resolution ranges on Xbox. The Jedi Fallen Order also boosts the post-processing resolution on the new machines (except for the Series S).

As was the case for Star Wars: Squadrons with its own next-gen update, people playing on Xbox are getting more options. The Xbox Series X has Performance and Normal modes, while the PS5 does not.

On Xbox Series X’s Performance mode, the frame rate is improved to 60 FPS, while the dynamic resolution will be in the range of 1080p to 1440p. In normal mode on Xbox Series X, players can expect a postprocessing increase to 4K, with dynamic resolution in the range of 1512p to 2160p.

Xbox Series S, meanwhile, sees its frame rate for Jedi Fallen Order increased to 60 FPS.

On PS5, players can expect an increase in frame rate to 60 FPS, with postprocessing boosted to 1440p. People on Sony’s machine should also know that dynamic resolution is now disabled, making the game render at 1200p.

You can see the full specifics of the next-gen update below, as shared by EA on its website.

Jedi Fallen Order Next-Gen Update:

Console Specifics:

Xbox Series S

  • Framerate has been increased to 60 FPS (up from 45 FPS)

Xbox Series X Performance mode

  • Framerate has been increased to 60 FPS
  • Dynamic resolution added in the range of 1080p to 1440p

Xbox Series X Normal mode (non-performance mode)

  • Postprocessing has been increased to 4K
  • Dynamic resolution in the range of 1512p to 2160p

PlayStation 5

  • Framerate has been increased to 60 FPS (up from 45 FPS)
  • Postprocessing increased to 1440p
  • Dynamic resolution has been disabled and the game is rendering at 1200p (up from 810-1080p)

Now Playing: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Video Review

GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.

Twitter Saw A Record-Breaking Two Billion Gaming Tweets in 2020

2020 was a year where most people sought security and comfort at home, staving off boredom with video games and naturally tweeting about their experiences along the way. With a number of high-profile games, next-gen console launches, and some controversy along the way, Twitter saw record-breaking numbers about gaming on its platform.

According to the social media platform, the topic of video games resulted in an all-time high of more than 2 billion tweets throughout the year, a 75% increase from 2019’s numbers. Gaming was the sixth most-followed topic on Twitter and within that category, topics such as esports, Fortnite, and gaming influencers dominated various discussions. Twitter says that these were the ten most popular topics that users tweeted about:

No Caption Provided

Most-Followed Gaming Topics

  1. Gaming
  2. Gaming News
  3. Esports
  4. Gaming Influencers
  5. Playstation
  6. Fortnite
  7. Call of Duty
  8. Minecraft
  9. Animal Crossing
  10. Xbox

Japan was the country that tweeted most about gaming, followed by the US, Korea, and Brazil. As for the actual games, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was the most popular title to talk about on Twitter, while surprise entries such as Fate/Grand Order, Disney: Twisted-Wonderland, and Identity V also earned spots on the top ten list.

No Caption Provided

Most Tweeted About Video Games

  1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (@animalcrossing)
  2. Fate/Grand Order (@fgoproject)
  3. Disney: Twisted-Wonderland (@twst_jp)
  4. Final Fantasy (@FinalFantasy)
  5. Fortnite (@fortnitegame)
  6. Ensemble Stars! (@ensemble_stars)
  7. Knives Out (@game_knives_out)
  8. Genshin Impact (@GenshinImpact)
  9. Apex Legends (@PlayApex)
  10. Identity V (@IdentityVJP)

The 2020 Game Awards was the most tweeted about game event in 2020, while The Future of Gaming on PS5 Event, Tokyo Game Show 2020, Niconico Net Chokaigi 2020, and the Xbox Games Showcase filled out the rest of that list. When it came to video game personalities, content creator and G2 Esports presenter Ibai Garatea Llanos was the most popular person in video gaming to talk about. Seán McLoughlin–better known online as JackSepticEye–was the third most popular personality, followed closely by Richard “Ninja” Blevins in fourth place.

No Caption Provided

Most Tweeted About Gaming Personalities

  1. @ibaillanos
  2. @rubiu5
  3. @jack_septic_eye
  4. @ninja
  5. @pokimanelol
  6. @timthetatman
  7. @BadBoyHalo
  8. @technothepig
  9. @georgenotfound
  10. @Corpse_Husband

Esports had few surprises on Twitter. The social media’s records showed that FaZe Clan was the team that had the most Twitter attention, Mongraal garnered all the attention as the esports athlete that people couldn’t stop tweeting about, and League of Legends World 2020 beat EVO Japan 2020 to be the most talked-about gaming event of last year.

While it remains to be seen if 2021 will surpass these numbers, the platform is already being used for something new, as you can now play Pokemon Red through Twitter user Constantin Lietard‘s account.

Hulu Launches $2 Subscription Offer For College Students

Streaming platform Hulu has announced a nice subscription deal for college students in the US. Students can subscribe to the ad-supported Hulu plan for only $2/month. For everyone else, this plan costs $6/month.

The new offer went live today in the US. Eligible students who are 18 or older can watch all of the Hulu content they want, for as long as they remain a student. The new pricing plan comes into effect just as new semesters at universities begin across the US.

The discounted rate also includes support for Hulu’s Watch Party feature which allows members to watch TV shows and movies together (virtually) at the same time.

Hulu uses a system called SheerID to verify enrollment in a college or university, so don’t think you’ll be able to game the system and score a cheaper subscription if you’re not a student. You can visit Hulu’s website to see the full terms and conditions of the offer. Note that you need to click on “Looking for our student discount?” at the bottom of the sign-up page to find the deal.

Hulu has a number of high-profile shows in its catalog, including Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Family Guy, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, as well as originals like Pen15 and Little Fires Everywhere.

In other streaming news, Netflix just announced that it will release a new movie every week, all year. You can see the full list of the 70 movies here.

Bowser’s Monstrous Form Is Unleashed In New Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury Trailer

The latest trailer for Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury has teased what the Switch-exclusive content of the Wii U port will contain, including a gigantic Bowser.

Super Mario 3D World is being ported to the Nintendo Switch like many other Wii U games before it, but Bowser’s Fury is an entirely new portion of the game that will seemingly introduce you to a large, open-ended level with numerous platforming challenges to explore.

At some point it seems Bowser and his uncontrollable new power arrives to spoil the party, forcing Mario to team up with Bowser Jr. To take him down. If you ever hope to see a colossal kaiju-like battle between Bowser and Cat Marion, this latest trailer has you covered.

It’s unclear what the scope and size of Bowser’s Fury is and just how expansive the level on show is, but it certainly looks more explorable than most of 3D World’s traditional stages.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury launches on 12 February for Nintendo Switch, alongside a brand new Mario-themed Switch console with a red base and multi-coloured JoyCon. You can get stock alerts for the new model with out handy Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury preorder guide.

GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.

Unboxing Microsoft’s 85″ Surface Hub Looks Like A Tough Job

One of the wilder gadgets that an office can use to conduct business with from anywhere on the planet is Microsoft’s Surface Hub 2S, a whiteboard-killer that has an absurd screen size of 85 inches.

More than just a massive panel for Zoom meetings though, the Surface Hub 2S has a 4K PixelSense touch and ink enabled screen, Microsoft Teams certified audio and video, and onboard sensors. It also has a hefty recommended retail price of $9,000 for the base model and $12,000 for the device with optional extras included.

That price tag doesn’t include an additional pair of hands either, as unboxing the gigantic display is a two-person job at a minimum:

Having been delayed in the past, Microsoft has confirmed that the Surface Hub 2S has begun shipping out to select clients across the world. If you’re looking for more news on upcoming technology, this is a good week to see what’s in store now that CES 2021 has kicked off in a digital-only format this year.

Plenty of virtual presentations and announcements will be made this week, so don’t forget to check out our CES 2021 hub for updates on all the latest news.

Special-Edition Mario Nintendo Switch Console Features A Red & Blue Paintjob

Nintendo dropped more details on Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, along with the announcement of a new special-edition Nintendo Switch console coming alongside the game. The Nintendo Switch – Mario Red & Blue Edition comes with a paint job to match the plucky plumber and sells for the same price as a standard Nintendo Switch console.

The Switch is all-red matched to Mario’s cap and shirt, with red Joy-Con controllers and blue Joy-Con grips to imitate his iconic suspender straps. As Nintendo notes in the announcement, this is the first time the Nintendo Switch itself has gotten a new color aside from the standard black that it has been from the beginning. (The Animal Crossing Switch had a special pattern on the back.) The system also includes a Mario-styled carrying case.

The Mario Red & Blue Edition is coming February 12, for $300. Check out our Super Mario 3D World preorder guide for more details.

No Caption Provided

That release date puts it right alongside Mario 3D World, which is sold separately. That game was originally released for the Wii U. The rerelease includes Bowser’s Fury content, along with online co-op. Nintendo will be releasing Cat Mario and Cat Peach Amiibo. Nintendo is marking this as part of the 35th-anniversary celebrations for Mario, which began last year with the release of Super Mario 35.

“We hope players enjoy pouncing their way through two great Mario adventures in Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, with lots of feline fun to be had whether playing solo or with family and friends,” said marketing VP Nick Chavez, in the announcement. “Along with the Nintendo Switch – Mario Red & Blue Edition system, we’re delighted to offer these new products that mark more than 35 years of Super Mario adventures.”