A Breath of the Wild prequel, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity has been announced. It’ll be a mix of combat and puzzle solving, and you’ll be able to play as Zelda, Link, as well as the four champions: Mipha, Revali, Daruk, and Urbosa.
On top of today’s Age of Calamity announcement, Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma asked fans to “wait a bit longer” for Breath of the Wild 2 news. We last saw the game at E3 2019 when it was revealed.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 has added new DLC that supports military veterans.
A Call of Duty Endowment (CODE) United Pack is now available to buy in the game across PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and it includes seven unique customization items for the create-a-skater mode. 100% of net proceeds go to CODE.
The $5 DLC pack comes with various pieces of cosmetic gear for your skater, and each item was designed by the artist Ricardo Gonzalez, who runs the It’s A Living art shop.
The clothing for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 was inspired by tie-dye designs. There are also military camo outfits included in the bundle. The full contents are listed below, and you can see all of the gear in the images in the gallery above.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 United Pack:
As mentioned, proceeds from this DLC pack will go toward helping to place military veterans in jobs after they leave the service. The Endowment’s goal is to place 100,000 veterans in jobs by 2024.
The United Pack will be available until December 31, 2021, or once $500,000 is raised from it.
Pro Skater 1 and 2 launched on September 4 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. GameSpot’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 review scored the game a 9/10.
“Playing through the newly remade levels is immensely enjoyable, and that on its own is enough to call Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 a success,” reviewer Mat Paget said. “However, smart additions and an engaging challenge system make it an experience that’s more than just a brief skate through Tony Hawk’s past.”
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In Episode 4 of Lovecraft Country, Christina mysteriously shows up at Leti’s house. Tic, Leti and Montrose go to Boston to search for missing pages of a crucial text, with Hippolyta and Diana joining their roadtrip. Greg and Meg break down the plot points of Episode 4 and explain all of the Easter eggs and references to the Lovecraft Country novel, American history, literature and pop culture.
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom, the well-liked retro 2D platformer from 2018, is coming to next-gen. The game, which is already available on PC, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One, will come to PS5 and Xbox Series X. According to Gematsu, you’ll be able to upgrade for free if you own the game on the previous system in the same console family.
Developer FDG Entertainment announced the new next-gen version in a tweet today, promising 4K resolution and a framerate of up to 120FPS. Whether there are other visual upgrades remains to be seen, but it seems that the game might make use of some other new next-gen tech.
When asked if the game would make use of the haptic sensors in the PS5 DualSense controller, the developer replied “hm…probably ;)”. This isn’t, of course, a firm answer one way or the other, but it certainly seems possible.
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom earned an 8/10 in GameSpot’s review. “With a well-realized world filled to the brim with secrets and excellent platforming mechanics that always keeps things interesting, the Cursed Kingdom is a place you will want to discover every corner of,” wrote reviewer Alexander Pan.
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In an effort to improve representation and inclusion, the organizers of The Academy Awards have announced a big change to eligibility requirements for the highly coveted Best Picture category. Starting in 2024, to be eligible for Best Picture, a movie must meet two out of four standards regarding on-screen and behind-the-camera representation.
While there are four main standards, there are multiple potential criteria that a movie can reach to earn that standard. The first is Standard A. To reach this threshold, a movie must have at least one of the lead actors or a significant supporting actor from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group:
Standard A2 pertains to the ensemble cast. At least 30 percent of all actors in minor roles must be from at least two of these groups:
Standard A3 pertains to the storyline and subject matter of the film. This must focus on an underrepresented group such as women, a racial or ethnic group, LGBTQ+, or people with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Standard B pertains to behind-the-camera workers. And in this group, one criteria must be met regarding similar representation for underrepresented groups.
Standard C, meanwhile, pertains to the movie’s distribution or financing company. These companies must demonstrate that they have paid internships for people in underrepresented groups, while the companies must also show that they have training opportunities and skills development programs for underrepresented groups.
Standard D relates to representation in marketing, publicity, and distribution. The film studio must have multiple senior executives from underrepresented groups such as women and racial and ethnic groups, along with LGBTQ+ and people with disabilities.
These new rules only apply to the Best Picture category. Additionally, the 2022 Oscars and the 2023 Oscars will require studios to submit a “confidential” report about their inclusion standards, but it won’t be a requirement to meet the new thresholds until 2024.
You can see the full rundown of the new inclusivity requirements below, as posted by The Academy on its website.
The 93rd Academy Awards will be held in 2021, but they won’t occupy their traditional February spot on the calendar. Instead, Variety reports, the Oscars have been officially pushed back from February 28 to April 25, due to concerns over the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
For the 96th Oscars (2024), a film must meet TWO out of FOUR of the following standards to be deemed eligible:
STANDARD A: ON-SCREEN REPRESENTATION, THEMES AND NARRATIVES
To achieve Standard A, the film must meet ONE of the following criteria:
A1. Lead or significant supporting actors
At least one of the lead actors or significant supporting actors is from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group.
• Asian
• Hispanic/Latinx
• Black/African American
• Indigenous/Native American/Alaskan Native
• Middle Eastern/North African
• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
• Other underrepresented race or ethnicity
A2. General ensemble cast
At least 30% of all actors in secondary and more minor roles are from at least two of the following underrepresented groups:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing
A3. Main storyline/subject matter
The main storyline(s), theme or narrative of the film is centered on an underrepresented group(s).
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing
STANDARD B: CREATIVE LEADERSHIP AND PROJECT TEAM
To achieve Standard B, the film must meet ONE of the criteria below:
B1. Creative leadership and department heads
At least two of the following creative leadership positions and department heads—Casting Director, Cinematographer, Composer, Costume Designer, Director, Editor, Hairstylist, Makeup Artist, Producer, Production Designer, Set Decorator, Sound, VFX Supervisor, Writer—are from the following underrepresented groups:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing
At least one of those positions must belong to the following underrepresented racial or ethnic group:
• Asian
• Hispanic/Latinx
• Black/African American
• Indigenous/Native American/Alaskan Native
• Middle Eastern/North African
• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
• Other underrepresented race or ethnicity
B2. Other key roles
At least six other crew/team and technical positions (excluding Production Assistants) are from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. These positions include but are not limited to First AD, Gaffer, Script Supervisor, etc.
B3. Overall crew composition
At least 30% of the film’s crew is from the following underrepresented groups:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing
STANDARD C: INDUSTRY ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES
To achieve Standard C, the film must meet BOTH criteria below:
C1. Paid apprenticeship and internship opportunities
The film’s distribution or financing company has paid apprenticeships or internships that are from the following underrepresented groups and satisfy the criteria below:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing
The major studios/distributors are required to have substantive, ongoing paid apprenticeships/internships inclusive of underrepresented groups (must also include racial or ethnic groups) in most of the following departments: production/development, physical production, post-production, music, VFX, acquisitions, business affairs, distribution, marketing and publicity.
The mini-major or independent studios/distributors must have a minimum of two apprentices/interns from the above underrepresented groups (at least one from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group) in at least one of the following departments: production/development, physical production, post-production, music, VFX, acquisitions, business affairs, distribution, marketing and publicity.
C2. Training opportunities and skills development (crew)
The film’s production, distribution and/or financing company offers training and/or work opportunities for below-the-line skill development to people from the following underrepresented groups:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing
STANDARD D: AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
To achieve Standard D, the film must meet the criterion below:
D1. Representation in marketing, publicity, and distribution
The studio and/or film company has multiple in-house senior executives from among the following underrepresented groups (must include individuals from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups) on their marketing, publicity, and/or distribution teams.
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 is coming back, with a Complete Edition release coming to PC (via both Steam and Epic) and Switch. This version of the game will feature HD graphics, although it’s not necessarily a full remaster.
Both previous expansions, Soaked! and Wild!, will also be included, giving you more options for how you build up your park. The game will launch September 24, so you won’t have to wait long for it.
You can check out footage in the trailer below.
This isn’t the first time RollerCoaster Tycoon has spread its tracks on the Switch, though–RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures released in 2018 to mixed reviews.
In GameSpot’s original review of RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, the game received a 7.8/10 verdict. “Unfortunately, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 managed to ship with a number of glaring bugs that can make your park feel a bit lifeless, even when there are hundreds of peeps roaming about,” wrote reviewer Jason Ocampo–hopefully the new version is relatively bug-free.
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Complete Edition isn’t coming to Xbox or PlayStation, but if you want to build a theme park on those consoles, never fear–Planet Coaster is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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Three titles in the connected “World of Darkness” series, all set within tabletop RPG universes, will be shown off and discussed in-depth as part of a PAX Online panel. The panel, which will air on September 15 at 8 AM PDT/ 11 AM EDT 4:00 PM BST, will feature three games: Vampire: The Masquerade: Shadows of New York, Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest, and Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife.
The team has released a trailer for the panel, which you can watch below.
While Shadows of New York and Heart of the Forest are visual novels, Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife is a VR title, with supernatural horror elements and an array of powers that the player can tap into. It’ll be more of a stealth title.
During this panel, the developers will discuss the different approaches of each game, and how they work within the wider tabletop RPG world they’re based in. There will also be key giveaways for each developer’s previous games, so you can potentially win things by watching.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows of New York will actually be out before the panel happens–it releases on September 10 for PC, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One. GameSpot is currently working on a review.
A special collected edition of both Vampire: The Masquerade visual novels has also been announced for Switch, PS4, and PC. Both games, based on the 5th edition of Vampire: The Masquerade, will be included, along with an art book and a vinyl soundtrack. It’s due for release in spring 2021.
Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 is also coming out in 2021, if you want to dive even deeper into the Vampire: The Masquerade universe. It’s coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, and current-gen systems. That game is now available for pre-order. A Werewolf action game, Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Earthblood, is also in the works, and it’ll release in 2021 too.
Games are hard to make and, often, don’t always get released with their original vision intact. From a gameplay pivot here, to a character swap there, most go through some pretty big changes throughout their development. But then there are some games that change course completely.
BioShock originally began life as a very ambitious game about a cult deprogrammer, with an asymmetrical multiplayer mode that would see you play as a monster in another player’s story mode. Assassin’s Creed was originally a follow up to Prince of Persia: The Sands Of Time, and its name used to be Prince of Persia: Assassins, before the Prince was dropped completely.
There are countless more examples, and the video above explores 7 games that were something else entirely.
It’s a big day for The Sims 4, as the immensely popular life-management game has added its newest expansion, Journey to Batuu. The Star Wars add-on takes players to the planet of Batuu and brings characters like Rey and Kylo Ren to the game.
There are a variety of popular Star Wars locations you can visit, too, including Oga’s Cantina which plays music from the robot DJ R-3X. Players can also create their own lightsaber and build a droid of their own who will travel with them.
Throughout the expansion, players will meet up with other NPCs from The Resistance, the First Order, and various scoundrels, all of whom are trying to take control of the Black Spire Outpost.
“Players can pledge allegiance to the group of their choice and complete missions to earn their trust and some galactic credits along the way,” EA said in the description. “As Sims take on new challenges and critical missions, they’ll increase their reputation and unlock new rewards like starfighter access, new clothing, artifacts, and equipment, and eventually meet the leaders of the forces on Batuu.”
Players can choose to align with Rey and Vi Moradi in the Resistance or embrace the dark side with Kylo Ren and the First Order. Hondo Ohnaka, a character from Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, is the leader of the scoundrel faction.
What’s more, players can bring some of the Star Wars items with them back to their home worlds. Specifically, you can fight against others with your lightsaber, play sabacc with friends, or even bring your droid around with you.
The Journey to Batuu expansion is available for $20 across all platforms.
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Activision has detailed everything coming to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone this week on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. This includes a new Operator, playlist updates, the return of a massive battle royale mode, and more.
The newest Operator to join Modern Warfare is the famous Italian rapper Fabio Rovazzi, playing a sharpshooter named Morte who loves Spaghetti Westerns. In the Morte Operator Bundle, players get the brand-new character, his “Sentenza” skin, and two Legendary Blueprints. Alongside Morte’s bundle is the Devourer package, which includes a Legendary Assault Rifle Blueprint.
On the multiplayer side, Modern Warfare received a playlist update filled with party games. Dubbed the Party Mode Moshpit playlist, players can experience a curation of more casual game modes like Gun Game. An additional playlist, titled 2v2 Gunfight, is also live and features the standard version of the mode and Gunfight On-Site Procurement (OSP). The latter disables the loadout, instead forcing players to rely on weapons found at random spots around the map.
Further playlist updates include Standard Ground War replacing Boots on the Ground War and Demolition being moved from the Quick Play menu to the Feature Playlist spotlight. Meanwhile, Shoot the Ship hasn’t gone anywhere.
Warzone sees some changes this week as well, including the return of Warzone Rumble. The massive 50v50 mode is back and will feature an experience based around Verdansk Stadium. Additionally, classic Battle Royale and Plunder modes will rotate throughout the week; King Slayer Trios and Plunder: Blood Money has been removed, while Plunder Trios was added.
Developer Infinity Ward confirmed that, alongside the playlist updates across both Modern Warfare and Warzone on all platforms, vehicles have been readded to the battle royale title. Vehicles were previously removed because of a game-breaking bug, in which they caused server crashes and booted players from Warzone matches by driving them into specific out-of-bounds areas on the map.
Call of Duty Mobile gets a brand-new map this week–though it’s not “new” to long-time Call of Duty fans. Terminal, from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, will join the game’s map rotation. And at the same time, a cooperative, hoard-based game mode called Attack of the Undead will also go live.
In other Call of Duty news, the multiplayer reveal for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is scheduled to go live on Wednesday, September 9 at 10 AM PT. Details on how to get into the game’s beta have been sparse, but we’ve rounded up everything we know about it so far. And check out our Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War pre-order guide to learn about the editions and bonuses available, and how to get the next-gen version.
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