Author: Trafficblast

Rockstar is officially decoupling Red Dead Online from Red Dead Redemption 2. That means you’ll be able to buy the online multiplayer mode as a standalone product on both PC and consoles–it’s not going free-to-play.

This new standalone version of Red Dead Online launches on December 1 and will cost $20. However, for the first few months of availability–from launch until February 15, 2021–it will be 75% off, selling for just $5. As an online game, it requires a subscription to PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold if you’re playing on PS4/PS5 or Xbox One/Series X|S, respectively.

Red Dead Online will be sold through the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Rockstar Games Launcher, Steam, and Epic Games Store. It includes the full RDO experience, with no differences from what you’d get by owning Red Dead Redemption 2, meaning there’s nothing new to buy here if you’re an existing player. This standalone version will offer an option to purchase what’s called Red Dead Redemption 2: Story Mode, which includes the single-player campaign, although a price was not shared.

RDO will require 123GB of free space to install. There’s no word on specific enhancements if you’re playing on PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, although those platforms do support the game through backwards compatibility.

This is a notable release for Rockstar, given that GTA Online–which continues to be a massive success for the company–has not been available separately from Grand Theft Auto V. There is a standalone version of GTA Online on the way in 2021, but Red Dead will be the first of Rockstar’s games to be separated in this fashion.

Black Friday 2020 is almost here, and there will be plenty of great gaming deals to take advantage of during the big shopping event. Although it’s still rare to see Nintendo-published games go on sale, a number of them will be discounted at various retailers this year as part of their Black Friday sales, including New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is another enhanced Wii U port. This one packages Wii U launch game New Super Mario Bros. U together with its more challenging DLC expansion, New Super Luigi U. The collection also features a few other new elements, including a new playable character in Toadette, who can pick up an exclusive new power-up called the Super Crown to transform into the beginner-friendly Peachette.

“Despite its aging formula, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is still a great entry in the series, with its typically tight platforming and both accessibility and depth to spare,” we wrote in our New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe review. “While it can feel a bit stale for those who have been round the Mushroom Kingdom one too many times before, Deluxe is well worth playing, especially if you didn’t get a chance to play NSMBU on Wii U.”

A few other big first-party Switch games will also be on sale at various retailers this year. Luigi’s Mansion 3 and Super Mario Maker 2 will each be down to $30, while Fire Emblem: Three Houses will be on sale for only $27. There are also plenty of first- and third-party game deals to choose from in the Nintendo Switch eShop’s Black Friday sale.

We’ll be rounding up more Black Friday 2020 news and deals through Thanksgiving weekend, so be sure to check back often for the latest and best Black Friday savings. We’ve also put together roundups of the best Black Friday 2020 gaming deals, including the best deals for Nintendo Switch, PS4/PS5, and Xbox One/Series X.

• The Best Gaming Deals For Black Friday 2020 (Nintendo Switch, PS4/PS5, And Xbox One/Series X)
• Black Friday 2020: Thanksgiving Day Store Closings, Retailer Ads, And Deals To Expect
• Black Friday Ad Scans 2020: Best Deals At Walmart, Target, And More
• + Show More Black Friday 2020 Deals And News Links (5)
• Walmart Announces PS5, Xbox Series X Restock Date And Time For Black Friday
• PS5 And Xbox Series X Will Be Available In GameStop Stores On Black Friday
• Best Black Friday 2020 Nintendo Switch Deals: Games, Console Bundle, And More
• Best Black Friday 2020 PS5 And PS4 Deals: Games, PS Plus, And More
• Best Black Friday 2020 Xbox Series X And Xbox One Deals

EA has released the first details for the next-gen version of FIFA 21, coming to both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on December 4. Those who already own the current-gen version of FIFA 21 can upgrade to this new version for free by making use of EA’s Dual Entitlement.

EA promises a huge leap forward in visual quality for next-gen FIFA, with a new deferred lighting system called LiveLight Rendering allowing the developer to create ultra-realistic football environments. Aside from recreating the world’s biggest stadiums in more detail than ever before, LiveLight Rendering also combines with muscle flex and strand-based hair technology to bring the sport’s stars to life with the series’ most detailed player recreations yet.

The EA Sports GameCam, meanwhile, is a new gameplay camera inspired by the look and feel of TV broadcasts. This, combined with a series of new pre-match cinematics and Big Goal Moments designed to capture the pandemonium of game-winning goals, should add to the immersion and excitement of each match on next-gen FIFA 21.

Player movement has also been made more realistic with the inclusion of responsive Multi-Touch Animations. There are 700 new animation combinations that enhance the visual quality and responsiveness of linked animations, giving you more agility and control over the ball than in the past. Off-Ball Humanization adds another layer of detail as players display more human behaviour, such as wiping sweat from their face or regaining their breath after sprinting.

If you’re playing FIFA 21 on PS5, the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback will respond to what’s happening on the pitch. Powerful left-footed shots will coincide with vibrations on the left side of the controller, while crunching head-on tackles are met with intense feedback. The controller’s adaptive triggers also play a role, with trigger resistance increasing as your stamina drains so you can really feel the effect of a players’ tiredness as their fitness decreases.

Activity Cards are another PS5 exclusive, letting you jump to your favourite modes directly from the PlayStation home screen. EA also says it takes under two seconds to load a Kick-Off match on the next-gen console’s super-fast SSDs.

It’s worth noting that none of these features will be coming to the PC version of FIFA 21. In an interview with Eurogamer, executive producer Aaron McHardy explained the decision, saying that EA opted to keep the minimum specs down on PC in order to be more inclusive.

If you want to get the next-gen version of FIFA 21 for as little as $27, both the PS4 and Xbox One versions are on sale at GameStop this Black Friday. All you have to do is upgrade to the next-gen version for free when it launches on December 4.

Madden NFL 21 is also receiving a next-gen upgrade on the same date, and EA recently shared some details on what to expect when it launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

• The Best Gaming Deals For Black Friday 2020 (Nintendo Switch, PS4/PS5, And Xbox One/Series X)
• Black Friday 2020: Thanksgiving Day Store Closings, Retailer Ads, And Deals To Expect
• Black Friday Ad Scans 2020: Best Deals At Walmart, Target, And More
• + Show More Black Friday 2020 Deals And News Links (5)
• Walmart Announces PS5, Xbox Series X Restock Date And Time For Black Friday
• PS5 And Xbox Series X Will Be Available In GameStop Stores On Black Friday
• Best Black Friday 2020 Nintendo Switch Deals: Games, Console Bundle, And More
• Best Black Friday 2020 PS5 And PS4 Deals: Games, PS Plus, And More
• Best Black Friday 2020 Xbox Series X And Xbox One Deals

As rumored, Fortnite developer Epic Games is introducing a new monthly subscription for the popular battle royale game. The subscription is called Fortnite Crew, and it will cost $12 USD a month and give players access to the game’s current Battle Pass, extra V-Bucks each month, and other perks.

Fortnite Crew launches alongside the start of Chapter 2, Season 5 on December 2, Epic announced on the PlayStation Blog. As the studio explains, the subscription gives players access to the game’s current Battle Pass, even if your subscription lapses before the season ends. Those who sign up for Fortnite Crew after they’ve already purchased a Battle Pass will have the 950 V-Bucks refunded to their account.

In addition to Battle Pass access, Fortnite Crew gives subscribers 1,000 V-Bucks each month, on top of any V-Bucks you can earn while leveling up that season’s Battle Pass. Additionally, Epic will gift subscribers an exclusive Fortnite Crew Pack each month, which will contain a new skin and “at least one” matching glider, pickaxe, or emote. You’ll keep these exclusive cosmetics even if you don’t re-up your subscription.

The first Fortnite Crew Pack will feature a skin for Galaxia, the “empress of the cosmos.” The outfit will come with one additional style, a Cosmic Llamacorn Pickaxe, and Fractured World Back Bling. Epic says players will be able to subscribe to Fortnite Crew directly from Fortnite’s in-game shop or the Battle Pass purchase screen after Chapter 2, Season 5 goes live.

In the meantime, Fortnite players have been busy trying to predict how Season 4 will end, and it appears the season will wrap up with an epic battle against Galactus. The supervillain will arrive in the game as part of a special season-ending event on December 1. The event begins at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET, but Epic recommends players log into the game about an hour before the scheduled start time; the playlist will appear about 30 minutes prior to the event.

Hitman 3 is shaping up to be a graphical showcase on PC, with ray tracing features set to arrive after the game launches next year. On next-gen consoles you can also expect a visual upgrade, as developer IO Interactive has confirmed that Hitman 3 will run in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with HDR support included on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

The news was shared as part of the reveal of a new level, Chongqing, a Chinese transportation hub packed full of shops and food stands that are illuminated in the constant glow of neon lighting.

The Glacier engine powering Hitman 3 is now also capable of rendering up to 300 non-playable characters in a single location at once, and water effects such as rain drops hitting Agent 47 and making his clothes wet, will also be used to create a more subtle layer of immersion.

Other locations from the previous two Hitman games will also benefit from the rendering, animation, and AI technology, as IO Interactive said that all stages can be imported into Hitman 3 to complete the World of Assassination trilogy.

Hitman 3 launches on January 20, 2021 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia. Two other stages that you’ll be able to ply Agent 47’s deadly trade in are a Dubai skyscraper and Thornbridge Manor within England’s Dartmoor region, where players will have to work their way through a reverse murder mystery.

Hitman 3 developer IO Interactive has announced that Agent 47’s upcoming adventure will feature ray tracing on PC. The feature won’t be available at launch, but is due to arrive sometime later in 2021.

The announcement was made in a blog post discussing the studio’s new partnership with Intel. IO says that this deal will allow it to provide the best possible performance and optimization for Hitman 3 on PC, particularly for those playing on high-end machines with 8-plus core CPUs. Aside from the addition of ray tracing, those with 8-core CPUs will see denser crowds in the game’s Dubai level, while Dartmoor will feature more complex destructibility.

There’s no word on whether ray tracing is also coming to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions of the game, nor does IO delve into any specifics on how the feature will be implemented. It’s safe to assume, however, that it will use some combination of real-time reflections, global illumination, and hyper-realistic shadows.

IO has promised more details on Hitman 3’s PC release in the next few weeks, but before then, the developer has revealed the game’s next location, Chongqing, and revealed that the game will run in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with HDR support on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5. AI enhancements made for the third game will also be implemented into the levels from Hitman and Hitman 2.

Hitman 3 is due out on January 20, 2021 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia. A cloud version is also coming to Nintendo Switch but its release date hasn’t been announced yet.

The latest update for Crusader Kings III reintroduces an old fan favourite from Crusader Kings II in the shape of the Ruler Designer. This character creator not only lets you customize your monarch’s appearance, with sliders for age, weight, hair, and so on, but also the various traits and skills that will help shape your playthrough.

Developer Paradox Interactive has shared a video with content creator Roll1D2 showing off some of the tools at your disposal when it comes to creating your own ruler. There’s a clear emphasis on the amount of freedom you have, with the option to play as either a man or woman with any in-game culture, sexual orientation, and religion.

Achievements are disabled if you decide to stack your king or queen with too many skills, but these can be counterbalanced with negative traits that deduct from your limited pool of customization points. You’re free to go wild and give yourself as many advantages as possible, but creating a multi-faceted character is the way to go in an emergent grand strategy game like Crusader Kings III.

The Ruler Designer is part of today’s 1.2 update, which also features a comprehensive list of fixes and improvements, including balance changes, tweaks to the AI and interface, and many many more.

You can check out the full patch notes here.

Paradox’s latest earned a score of 8/10 in GameSpot’s Crusader Kings III review, with critic David Wildgoose saying, “It doesn’t always work perfectly, and at times it really makes you work for it, but there’s something amazing in that any of it works at all. Strategy games can tell interesting stories as their empires rise and fall, but their procedural narratives are rarely as affecting and poignant as they are here.”