Halo Infinite‘s next multiplayer beta will begin on September 24, Microsoft has announced. And everyone who registers for the Halo Insider program by September 13 and completes their profile will get in. As such, be sure to sign up for Halo Insider now before you forget.
As announced previously, this multiplayer beta will be very different from the first one. Not only is 343 inviting more people to play, the beta will feature Big Team Battle and 4v4 Arena Slayer with human-on-human matches instead of exclusively against AI. The next beta will also have the content from the first one, including Weapon Drills and bot matches.
Community director Brian Jarrard also confirmed that a “training mode” will be available in the next Halo Infinite multiplayer test. He also urged people to sign up for Halo Insider and opt in to the Halo Infinite test to help stress-test the game’s servers before launch.
Definitely! Much bigger target this time, I’m hoping every eligible Insider gets invited (if millions more suddenly sing up maaaaybe not, but that’s a good problem to have)
“We need everyone’s help, let’s see how hard we can push our services and infrastructure so things will fall down during the preview instead of in December,” Jarrard said on Twitter.
Unless millions of people suddenly sign up for Halo Insider, you should expect to receive an invite if your Halo Insider profile is fully complete, Jarrard said.
After a year-long delay, Halo Infinite is scheduled for release on December 8 across PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. In a big shift for the series, the multiplayer element is completely free-to-play, supported by cosmetic microtransactions and a battle pass.
And ICYMI: Bots will be back (with some improvements), Academy will return some updates and the addition of “training mode”, and there will be a much bigger focus on Arena PVP this time including a new map and some objective modes. BTB is also on the menu! (2/3)
For now, we urgently need as many Insiders signed up and ready to go by Sept. 13 since it takes a fair amount of time to work through all the other steps on our side. We’ll have more info to come, stay tuned! Thank you 🙌 (3/3)
God of War: Ragnarok, the sequel to 2018’s God of War, finally got a gameplay trailer today, showing Kratos and Atreus bickering as ever, and of course slashing their way through enemy hordes.
Revealed at today’s PlayStation Showcase event, it looks like a much more beautiful continuation of where the last game left off. It also gave us a look at both Thor and Freya, the game’s main antagonists. Mjölnir made an appearance, as well as enemies teleporting in via the Bifröst.
As discussed in the PlayStation after show, this version of Thor is much different from the one most people have grown used to from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is a much more burly, hedonistic version of the hero, closer to the original Norse legend than Chris Hemsworth’s hunky Australian.
Ragnarok is set a few years after the first game, and will deal with following the mystery of Atreus’ heritage.
After being announced last year with a short teaser that gave us basically no information about the game–or even its official, final title–God of War: Ragnarok was featured during Thursday’s PlayStation Showcase event with a new trailer. The new look at the game showed Kratos and Atreus venturing through the frozen lands of Fimbulwinter, the deadly winter ahead of the end of the world. It sounds like their goal is to locate the Norse god of war, Tyr.
The trailer also showed a whole bunch of returning characters from 2018’s God of War, as well as some new threats–including Thor, the god of Thunder, who looks like he’ll stand as an antagonist to Kratos and Atreus. There’s also the interpersonal relationship between Kratos and Atreus, who’s hoping to find out more about his identity as Loki following the events of God of War.
Click To Unmute
Size:
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
Now Playing: God of War Ragnarok | Playstation Showcase 2021
After the showcase, Sony Santa Monica also revealed that God of War 2018’s director, Cory Barlog, isn’t the director of God of War: Ragnarok. Instead, Eric Williams, who formerly worked as God of War’s combat and systems designer and who has worked on every game in the series, is taking on the director role. Barlog, who appeared on Sony’s after-showcase stream, said that he thought it was good for God of War to get a “fresh perspective” for each game, but didn’t reveal what else he might be working on.
Sony Santa Monica also said that this will be the end of the “Norse series” for God of War, suggesting that Kratos could find himself in other settings (and other mythologies) in the future.
The story of Atreus and Kratos’ relationship as father and son was essential to the last God of War, and while the two found common ground in that game, they’re butting heads in this trailer. Atreus’ journey to find out more about his identity is apparently bringing him into more direct conflict with the gods of Asgard, but there’s another ticking clock: Ragnarok, the Norse end of the world. Atreus seems to think it might be possible to stop it, but Kratos seems reluctant to get involved and potentially risk his son’s safety.
We saw some other interesting tidbits in the trailer, including some big fights with huge creatures, what seem like some new powers for Atreus as he grows into his godly identity, and the spooky threats of Thor. Sony Santa Monica revealed that Ryan Hurst (Sons of Anarchy) is playing the role of Thor, and Richard Schiff (The Good Doctor, The West Wing) will play Norse god Odin.
Returning from the last game are Freya, who looks like she’s still pretty angry about what happened in the last game, Mimir, the severed head who offered advice and comedic relief last time out, and Brok and Sindri, the two Dwarven brothers who crafted armor for Kratos.
God of War: Ragnarok will be releasing on both PS4 and PS5. Originally planned for a 2021 release, the game is now arriving in 2022, just like Horizon: Forbidden West.
One of the biggest announcements at the PlayStation Showcase event is a remaster of Uncharted 4 and Lost Legacy for PS5 and PC. Called the Legacy of Thieves Collection, it bundles together the two games with a fresh coat of paint.
This marks the first time that the Uncharted series will make its way to PC, and the game joins a growing list of PlayStation first-party titles available for PC players. Details are scant right now about the extent of the remaster, but the reveal trailer certainly looks good. Chances are that it’ll include some of the graphical bells and whistles that the PS5 and PC are capable of rendering, such as ray tracing and faster load times.
Click To Unmute
Size:
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
Now Playing: Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection – PC And PS5 Announcement Trailer | Playstation Showcase 2021
While Uncharted 4 focuses on series protagonist Nathan Drake, The Lost Legacy is a smaller-scale spinoff game built on the same tech but featuring Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross as main characters. The original PS4 version is sold as a standalone title (currently on sale for $10 on the PlayStation Store).
PlayStation announced that the Uncharted 4/Lost Legacy remaster bundle will launch in early 2022. The PC version is being developed by Iron Galaxy and, according to the PlayStation Blog, will release “shortly after the PS5 version,” although no further specifics were shared for either version or what kind of improvements to expect.
Sony held its PlayStation Showcase on September 9, and it was one of the biggest gaming events the company has put on in quite a long time. Essentially taking the place of E3, this show gave us a look at upcoming games from a bunch of major series, as well as all-new experiences. If you thought Insomniac Games was resting for even a moment, you would be very wrong, and PC players weren’t left out of the fun, either.
These were the biggest games shown during PlayStation Showcase 2021.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake
Click To Unmute
Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Rebulic Remake Teaser Trailer | PlayStation Showcase 2021
Size:
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
The first game shown during the event was Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake, developed in partnership with Aspyr and Lucasfilm Games. Created specifically for PS5, the game trailer did not mention BioWare, making it unclear if the original studio will be involved with the project, which was initially only on the original Xbox.
Project Eve
Click To Unmute
Project Eve Trailer | Playstation Showcase 2021
Size:
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
Project Eve, a previously announced game looks like Nier had a baby with Bloodborne and Devil May Cry, was shown during the showcase with a Japanese-language trailer showing off some flashy combat from main character Eve and a floating drone-like companion. A slowdown mechanic when dodging attacks also resembles the Bayonetta games, and it looks to be fairly disturbing.
Forspoken
Click To Unmute
Forspoken Trailer | Playstation Showcase 2021
Size:
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
The next big action-adventure game from Luminous Productions and Square Enix, Forspoken’s latest trailer began with an emotional, character-driven moment like something out of Life is Strange before transitioning to a fantasy world through a magical portal. Vast plains with giant, spiky structures shooting out of ground are visible in the distance. The world is filled with dangerous enemies, including fire-breathing dragons, and you’ll be able to soar into the air and control objects with your mind as well as conjure melee spells out of thin air. The game is coming exclusively to PS5 in Spring 2022.
Alan Wake Remastered
Click To Unmute
Alan Wake Remastered Trailer | Playstation Showcase 2021
Size:
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
Remedy’s cult-favorite third-person adventure series Alan Wake is back, this time published by Epic Games. A pre-rendered trailer for the game’s PlayStation debut was shown during the PlayStation Showcase, along with gameplay showing some impressive visual improvements compared to the Xbox 360 original. Alan Wake Remastered will be available on both PS4 and PS5 on October 5.
Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto V was shown off for PS5, with enhanced gameplay and “seamless character switching” that should be even quicker than the previous versions of the game. Grand Theft Auto Online will be free for a limited time to PS Plus subscribers, as well, with both arriving in March. It’s one of the most successful games of all time on PS5, and it’s going to sell like hotcakes once again.
GhostWire: Tokyo
Click To Unmute
Ghostwire Tokyo Trailer | Playstation Showcase 2021
Size:
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
Bethesda and Tango Gameworks showed off new footage of GhostWire: Tokyo during the event, including a look at a creepy Slenderman-like enemy and a masked, mysterious target talking about the “critical work” and “truth” that must be faced within the city. Though not a full-on survival horror game, it certainly seems like it will carry on the studio’s creepy legacy while also offering action-packed first-person combat against lots of different demonic monsters. No release date was given, but the game is expected in 2022.
Uncharted
Both Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy are being remastered, and not just for PS5. Both games are also coming to PC, and though they certainly looked plenty nice on PS4, they’re sure to get an extra dose of visual oomph on the more-powerful hardware. The main Uncharted series has never released on non-PlayStation platforms before, and this follows a few other big-name titles like Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone coming to PC.
Marvel: Wolverine
Insomniac Games isn’t done making Marvel games, and that extends beyond Spider-Man. A short teaser for Marvel: Wolverine was shown, and it’s coming to PS5. However, no gameplay was shown, nor did we get any indication of a release window or even a release year. Insomniac’s track record is certainly strong, though.
Gran Turismo 7
The Gran Turismo franchise has been on ice for a while, and it’s coming to PS5 with Gran Turismo 7. The game looks stunning, as we expected, but it’s also apparently going to feature some open-ended elements, similar to the Forza Horizon games. Icons for a variety of activities are visible on a big map, though on-track races still look to play a big role in the game. World circuits are also visible, meaning you won’t be limited to just one region, and cars’ interiors are rendered in impressive detail–even the tinting on the windshield.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Insomniac Games is certainly keeping itself busy, as another Spider-Man game is already on the way. Miles and Peter are seen battling baddies together before Venom appears from the shadows, his fangs barely visible. However, you’re going to have to wait quite a while to play the game, as it’s not going to release for PS5 until 2023. Given Insomniac’s plethora of projects, that’s not that unexpected.
God of War: Ragnarok
The sequel to one of the most acclaimed games of the last generation, God of War: Ragnarok (yes, that is the title) was featured with new in-engine footage during the presentation. Atreus and Kratos argue over whether it’s time for the boy to look for answers surrounding the pesky Loki himself, and we get a brief look at ice-sledding as well as the returning boat from the previous game. There appear to be more non-player characters to meet, andThor and his famous Mjolnir hammer will be making an appearance, as if there were any doubt.
Very little was shown during the brief teaser, other than a few brief, dark glimpses of writings on walls. The game — or, really, whatever this is — is set to hit the PS5 in November.
According to Sony, Kid A Mnesia Exhibition is “an upside-down digital/analogue universe created from original artwork and recordings to commemorate 21 years of Radiohead’s Kid A and Amnesiac.” Aside from that tiny bit of info, though, Radiohead fans will be left wondering about this new apparent interactive experience.
The news comes as Radiohead prepares to celebrate the 20th/21st anniversary of two acclaimed albums, 2000’s Kid A and 2001’s Amnesia, with an upcoming reissue, Kid A Mnesia, which will release on Nov. 5. The new reissue will feature both original LPs, in addition to outtakes and previously unreleased music on a third disc, according to Rolling Stone.
On Sept. 7, Radiohead wrote on Twitter that Kid A Mnesia is “a coming of age for Kid A & Amnesiac and it’s joined by a new album, Kid Amnesiae, a memory palace of half-remembered, half-forgotten sessions & unreleased material.”
In a surprise reveal, Insomniac has announced Spider-Man 2, continuing the story of Peter Parker and Miles Morales in its video game Spider-verse, coming exclusively to PlayStation 5 in 2023.
Revealed at today’s PlayStation Showcase event, Venom was teased as at least one of the big bads you’ll face in a trailer also showing Peter and Miles taking down criminals together.
“While pushing the capabilities of the [PS5] will be very exciting, we’re equally pumped to craft all-new stories for Peter and Miles in this sequel,” Insomniac’s Ryan Schneider said in a post on the PlayStation blog. “Just as in our previous Spider-Man games, we not only want to tell a great Super Hero story, but also deliver a compelling human story, one full of heart and humor that dives deep into the people behind the mask.”
Schneider goes on to say that much of the original development team is returning for the sequel, including Creative Director Bryan Intihar and Game Director Ryan Smith. He also confirmed that Yuri Lowenthal and Nadji Jeter will reprise their roles as Peter and Miles, respectively, and that Tony Todd will voice Venom.
Uncharted 4 and Uncharted: Lost Legacy are being remastered for PC and PS5 by Iron Galaxy.
Revealed at today’s PlayStation Showcase event, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection will feature enhanced versions of both of the Naughty Dog adventures release for PS4. You can see some of the screenshots from the next-gen remaster just below.
In a surprise reveal at today’s PlayStation Showcase, Spider-Man and Ratchet & Clank developer Insomniac Games revealed that it has a Wolverine game in development for PS5, seemingly titled simple Marvel’s Wolverine.
The reveal was done via a very brief teaser trailer, in which we see Wolverine in a cowboy hat sitting at a bar as a large man advances on him from behind. As the man gets closer, Wolverine extends his claws, revealing his identity.
Aside from that, the PlayStation blog stated that Marvel’s Wolverine is a “standalone game” and is being directed by Brian Horton and Cameron Christian, the latter of whom was a creative lead on Miles Morales. It’s still “very early” in development, but one hint to its story offered by the blog compared it to Spider-Man, in that “Both heroes feel deeply compelled to defend people who are less able to do so.”
That’s it for now. Insomniac’s been a busy place lately though, with the recent release of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, which we found to be a “stunner” and a “fantastic experience.” We similarly loved Marvel’s Spider-Man and Miles Morales, effectively solidifying Insomniac’s superb track record with these kinds of games. It also just announced today that it’s working on Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, exclusive to PS5. Though we don’t know what genre Wolverine will fall into, Insomniac has built some serious goodwill with Marvel titles already, so we’ll be looking forward to seeing more of this as it gets closer to release.
Unfortunately, there’s no release date or window forthcoming for Wolverine, and so far it seems like it might be a PlayStation exclusive, or even a PS5 exclusive, as the final title card stated it’s “In Development for PlayStation 5.”
Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt is coming to PlayStation 5 later this year. Announced at today’s PlayStation Showcase event, the free-to-play battle royale is coming before the end of 2021, but we don’t have an exact date yet.
More details were announced on the PlayStation Blog, including that the game will aim to hit 60 fps, and it will, “make full use of the DualSense controller.”
Bloodhunt is set in the World of Darkness universe. In Bloodhunt, players control vampires fighting off hunters by using supernatural powers. The game is out now in early access on Steam. Bloodhunt is the debut game from UK and Sweden-based developer Sharkmob. It was originally revealed in late 2020.
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.