Author: Trafficblast

SecretLabs Gaming Chairs On Sale for Black Friday

Black Friday is here, although some of the best Black Friday deals this year started well before today. For instance, SecretLabs has been offering deals on its high-end gaming chair line-up for a few days now. The good news is you haven’t missed out on your chance to save. The better news is the selection is pretty great. You want a Batman chair? Good news: it’s on sale.

Gaming Chair Black Friday Deal: SecretLabs

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Not only is it a good time to get a deal on a gaming chair, it’s a great time to upgrade your computer with Black Friday PC and laptop deals.

 

People Are Camping Outside GameStop For A Chance To Buy A PS5 Or Xbox Series X

One of the most sought-after items this festive season could be a next-gen console, as stock of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X has been extremely limited.

From online retailers the consoles have sold out almost instantly, but physical stock available at GameStop stores did arrive in time for Black Friday. The only way to guarantee a purchase of one of the new consoles was to wait in line early, and for some dedicated gamers that meant securing their spot several hours — and in some cases days — before their local shop was ready to open up.

People have literally camped outside some GameStop shops:

While other people even went so far as to bring their beds with them as they braved the frigid winter air:

Sony faced “unprecedented” demand for the PS5 when it was released, with stock selling out almost as soon as it arrived and creating the “largest console launch ever” for the company. Over in the UK, the experience of buying a PS5 was soured by an army of bots that instantly snapped up any available units, allowing scalpers to resell the consoles at a massively marked-up price.

While the PlayStation 5’s launch has been bolstered by a strong lineup of games such as Demon’s Souls, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and Astro’s Playroom, the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles also make for a tempting purchase thanks partly to the incredible value of the Xbox Game Pass subscription service and its selection of games.

You can check out our Xbox Black Friday order guide for the best deals on the console and games for it, or if you prefer a Sony device our PS5 order guide will also have you covered with stock alerts that’ll keep you informed of when you can start camping out to grab one of the consoles for yourself.

Now Playing: PlayStation 5 Video Review

Unto The End Is Launching on Xbox Game Pass in December

Unto the End, a cinematic 2D platformer about a father’s desperate journey home, is coming to Xbox Game Pass on PC and Xbox One. Published by Big Sugar and developed by 2 Ton Studios, Unto the End is set to hit PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Stadia on December 9, with the Nintendo Switch version launching a little later on December 17.

According to the game’s press release and Steam page, Unto the End’s one-of-a-kind combat is focused on skill and mastery, as you embark on a challenging adventure through dark caves and sparse open fields. Its sword fights are designed to be demanding but fair, where improvisation and observation are key to your survival. Each encounter has been carefully crafted and will see you square off against intelligent opponents that have their own motivations and place in the world.

“Unto The End has been the focus of our day to day for the past few years and it’s been fantastic to have such a great response to the game already,” said Stephen Danton, one half of the husband and wife development team. “But now we’re looking forward to Unto launching and everyone having a chance to experience the world and adventure we’ve created.”

If you don’t have Xbox Game Pass or want to extend your current subscription, both GameStop and Best Buy are offering discounts on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate as part of Black Friday.

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Controversial Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Aiming to Acquire SNK

The crown prince of Saudi Arabia – through his youth-focused MiSK charity – has purchased 33.3% of SNK, the developer behind King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, Metal Slug and more. MiSK has announced its intent to buy a total of 51% of shares, and take majority ownership.

It’s a move that’s already causing controversy, given that the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has previously been directly implicated in the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, accused of sending an assassination hit squad into Canada, and is the de facto leader of a country repeatedly lambasted for multiple human rights abuses.

The 33.3% of SNK shares were bought for approximately $216 million, valuing the full company at around £648 million.

Announced by the MiSK organisation today, the move to acquire an SNK majority is described as a means of “empowering Saudi men and women through building economic partnerships, as part of the institution’s updated strategy to maximize the impact on youth empowerment.” MiSK has previously worked with SNK on video game and animation projects, creating training programs for aspiring Saudi game developers.

When asked for comment by IGN, SNK refused, aside from pointing to its stock transfer agreement.

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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].

Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Gets Black Friday Deal For Xbox Series X

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is the latest installment of Activision’s flagship FPS franchise. It features a brand-new campaign, suite of multiplayer modes, and the iconic Zombies co-op mode. The Xbox Series X/Xbox One Cross-Gen Bundle of Black Ops Cold War is on sale for $60 this Black Friday at Newegg. This is the first deal we’ve seen since the game launched earlier this month.

Newegg’s deal knocks $10 off the price of the Cross-Gen Bundle. This deal is only available for the digital version of the bundle, which means Xbox Series X and Series S users can take advantage of it. It’s worth noting that $70 is the standard price for the Xbox Series X version of Black Ops Cold War, so it’s definitely worth snagging this deal if you have a Series X or are planning to get one soon. To get the discount, you have to enter promo code EMCGGFN37 at checkout.

COD: Black Ops Cold War Cross-Gen Bundle

$60 with promo code EMCGGFN37

See at Newegg

“It’s overall a fun action-movie story that absolutely delivers on the quintessential Black Ops twists and turns, but it ultimately walks back its more interesting and relevant questions–though I was completely invested in the story for the entire duration,” reviews editor Kallie Plagge wrote in GameSpot’s Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War review.

Our Black Friday 2020 coverage will continue through the weekend and into Cyber Monday, so stay tuned for more deals! And if you’re looking for even more savings, check out our round up of the best Black Friday gaming deals, including the best deals for PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series X, and Nintendo Switch.

GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.

MechWarrior 5 Steam Release Delayed To 2021 To Avoid Cyberpunk 2077 Clash

Originally an Epic Games Store timed exclusive, Mechwarrior 5: Mercenaries would have been available on other PC digital distribution platforms from December 10, but developer Piranha Games has decided to delay the game’s launch to 2021.

The date coincides with possibly the biggest game of 2020, Cyberpunk 2077, and the studio has admitted that it doesn’t want its own release eclipsed by developer CD Projekt Red’s long-in-development game.

“Any developer wants their titles to get as much attention as possible, and obviously sharing a release date with Cyberpunk was less than optimal,” the studio said in a statement. “Day one sales and marketing are so important to a successful product launch, and we believe that rescheduling our release date will allow MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries to have the opportunity and attention it deserve.”

Mechwarrior 5: Mercenaries and its Hero of the Sphere DLC will instead arrive in Spring 2021 on Steam, GOG, EGS, Microsoft Store, and Xbox consoles. Piranha Games will make use of its largest marketing initiative to date to drive as much attention as possible towards its game.

The positive side-effect to this delay is that the studio will be able to further polish Mechwarriors 5, adding more improvements, quality of life features, and fine-tuning the single-player experience further.

Cyberpunk 2077 launches on PC, Stadia, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S / Series X next month.

While recent Night City Wire episodes have shown what the game will look like on Sony and Microsoft’s new consoles through backwards compatibility, a full-fledged next-gen upgrade will be available next year for free. Check out our Cyberpunk 2077 preorder guide to learn more about the game.

Now Playing: Cyberpunk 2077: YOUR Questions Answered!

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Big Final Fantasy XIV Event Set For February 2021: Possible New Expansion Reveal

During the latest Final Fantasy XIV producer livestream, which outlined the wave of content coming for the 5.4 update, it was revealed that a major event is planned for February next year: the FFXIV Announcement Showcase. While it was not explicitly stated what would be at the event, it’s likely to include the first reveal of FFXIV’s next expansion.

The FFXIV Announcement Showcase will be a live broadcast taking place on February 5, 2021 starting at 5:30 PM PT / 8:30 PM ET (February 6, 1:30 AM GST), and it will include live Japanese-to-English interpretation and English audio. This will be part of a larger 14-hour livestream, which will be in Japanese only.

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Not much else was said about the event itself, although you can expect it to be the opportunity for Square Enix to show off the upcoming expansion for FFXIV. The MMORPG has been on a schedule that delivers one expansion every two years and five major content updates in between that link story events across the expansions. The latest one, Shadowbringers, launched in July 2019 and was met with wide critical acclaim–and the reveal for it took place on November 2018. The previous two expansions, Stormblood and Heavensward, launched in 2017 and 2015, respectively.

This most recent Live Letter From The Producer contained details on FFXIV patch 5.4, which launched on December 8. This update includes the continuation of the main story questline, the last phase of the Eden raid series, and the next Sorrow of Werlyt quest that pits you against Emerald Weapon in a boss fight. Major changes are also coming to the Monk job as well as other features such as Triple Triad and Explorer mode for dungeons. Subsequent updates will make changes and additions to the Ishgardian Restoration content and Bozjan Southern Front quests.

For more on what’s coming to Square Enix’s MMORPG, read up on FFXIV 5.4’s details or check out the official site. If you plan on getting into the game, be sure to use my FFXIV starter’s guide as you jump into the extensive FFXIV free trial that includes the entire base game and first expansion.

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Best Black Friday Microphone Deals For Streaming And Working From Home

This year has been a weird one, with most people stuck working from home during the current pandemic. This has pushed many toward Zoom calls or even streaming on Twitch to interact with friends and family. With Black Friday 2020 in full swing, there is a selection of great microphone deals that offer the audio you need to sound great in your Twitch stream, work meeting, or even your weekly family chat. And if you’ve been keeping your eyes open for the Elgato Wave 3, it’s back in stock–though it does not have a special Black Friday deal.

The vast majority of these microphones work by connecting them to your PC via USB. These include models like the JLab Audio Talk USB microphone for $70 and the Maono USB microphone kit for $50. However, some of these microphones can even be connected to your iPhone or Android, such as the Shure MV5 microphone for $79 and the Shure MV88 microphone for $219. Whatever you need a microphone for, there’s sure to be a great Black Friday deal on the right one.

If you’re looking for more Black Friday recommendations, check out the best Black Friday webcam deals as well as the best gaming monitor deals available right now. A webcam will help complete your Zoom call presence, and if you’re a Twitch streamer, you’ll need a great monitor for your game while you use your second display for chat and stream management.

$70 (was $100)

The JLab Audio Talk USB microphone is an excellent way to record your voice, whether you’re starting out with streaming video games or need to talk to your family or colleagues during a Zoom session. It includes a 6.5ft USB cable, tripod stand, and four directional pattern modes that can make your microphone sound better in different situations–whether you’re by yourself, podcasting with another person, or playing music.

$79 (was $99)

The Shure MV5 is a great USB microphone that can also be used with your iPhone or iPad via Lightning cable. This makes it easy to take Zoom calls on your phone and still have great sound–or record anything else when you’re out and about.

$149 (was $199)

The Shure MV51 USB microphone is another great microphone from Shure that lets you connect to desktop via USB or your iOS device via Lightning cable. In addition to the variety in connections, it also has a number of preset modes for different recording situations–these include options for speech, singing, and acoustic instruments.

$159 (was $160)

The Elgato Wave 3 USB microphone is one of the best streaming microphones you can buy today, and while it’s only discounted by $1 during Black Friday–we’re guessing that Best Buy is simply price-matching Amazon’s slightly lower price–it’s still a microphone you should seriously consider buying. It boasts impressive audio and features easy on-board controls that let you adjust your mic volume, headset volume, and audio mix.

$34.41 (was $50)

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly streaming or desk setup, then this Neewer XLR microphone kit is worth taking a look at. Neewer makes quality products, and this kit holds a 4.2/5 on Amazon with over 1,800 reviews. It comes with an XLR microphone, XLR cable, a power interface, and a cable that you can plug into the 3.5mm microphone jack in your PC’s sound card. It’s worth pointing out that this microphone can’t be connected via USB.

$49.71 (was $62)

If you’re looking for a kit that comes with a USB microphone, then this one from Maono is the one to snag during Black Friday. It comes with a boom arm, pop filter, wind sock, and USB microphone. All you do is plug it into a USB 2.0 port, and you’re good to go.

$219 (was $250)

If you don’t have a PC and you want great quality audio, the Shure MV88 is worth looking at. It can connect to any Android, iPhone, or iPad device via USB-C or Lightning cable. It also comes with a tripod, which makes it perfect for meetings and calls with family and friends.

Final Fantasy XIV 5.4: Release, Trailer, Story, Raid Content, And Changes Revealed

Final Fantasy XIV keeps on rolling with patch 5.4 launching on December 8 this year. The update for Square Enix’s MMORPG comes with a ton of new content and gameplay changes, and a heavy-hitting trailer teases where its several story branches are going (you can watch below). The new content reveal came via the normally scheduled Live Letter From The Producer stream, which was presented in Japanese by director/producer Naoki Yoshida and community manager Toshio Murouchi.

Keep in mind that spoilers for FFXIV: Shadowbringers and the recent 5.3 storyline are part of the reveal trailer and new main story details.

The trailer opens with voice lines from the new main villain Fandaniel and a shot of what looks like an upcoming boss-type Primal. It’s followed by a shot of all the members of the main cast–the Scions of the Seventh Dawn–brought together with Lyse back in the mix, stating that most of the Garlean Empire’s capital has been destroyed. Shots from new cutscenes in the Sorrow of Werlyt sidequest are shown alongside Emerald Weapon–the new Trial boss fight within the questline–and lines from Nero talking to Cid about his expertise with technology exceeding that of the ancient Allagans.

There is also a tease of the latest instanced dungeon that comes with the main story quest, as you can see members of the Scions such as G’raha Tia, Alisaie, and Y’shtola fighting alongside each other against a boss. The older Master Matoya makes another appearance, too, which will play into that new dungeon called Matoya’s Relict. More content for the Bozjan Southern Front was shown in the trailer as well.

What’s more is that the main story seems to have mysterious towers, with beaming red energy, propped up across Eorzea–these appear in La Noscea and Gyr Abania, two separate regions of the map. Merlwyb seems to get directly involved and even fights alongside you at some point, and there’s an appearance from yet another villainous Ascian though for reasons yet to be revealed. G’raha Tia looks to be a centerpiece given his involvement in the new dungeon and main quest cutscenes. Lastly, we also catch glimpses of new raid bosses in the Eden series, which will conclude the raid’s storyline between Ryne and Gaia.

Emerald Weapon boss fight preview, screenshot via the r/FFXIV Discord server.
Emerald Weapon boss fight preview, screenshot via the r/FFXIV Discord server.

In the FFXIV 5.4 update stream, Yoshida-san played a bit of one fight in the new four-part Eden’s Promise raid chapter. This fight takes you back to the Cloud of Darkness from A Realm Reborn’s alliance raid and plays the battle theme from Final Fantasy VIII. The fourth boss in this raid is designed by Tetsuya Nomura (Kingdom Hearts and several Final Fantasies), and is a completely original creation. Players will need to have completed the previous Eden raids and the 5.3 main story in order access these new raids.

A new Unreal Trial was shown on stream as well–this time it’s against Titan from The Navel instance. And we got a preview of the actual Emerald Weapon fight and saw some of its attacks–it’s said to be a two phase fight, both of which will be vastly different from each other (similar to the Ruby Weapon fight).

Many changes were revealed for the Monk job, which seems to be a significant overhaul that tweaks its core mechanics (see screenshot below). Several other updates come with patch 5.4–Triple Triad gets refined with some rule changes and improved card management, completed dungeons will now have an Explorer mode free of enemies, and treasure hunting updates are in The Shifting Oubilette of Lyhe Ghiah.

Preview of changes coming to the Monk job.
Preview of changes coming to the Monk job.

While 5.4 brings a plethora of changes and pushes multiple storylines forward, subsequent updates were also detailed. Ishgard Restoration changes and its final chapter are coming in patch 5.41, and another set of updates, including a large-scale dungeon called Delubrum Reginae, are set for the Bozjan Southern Front in the subsequent 5.45 update.

FFXIV patch 5.4 is set to launch on December 8–you can get all the details of the update on the official Square Enix page or through the Live Letter stream. This will also mark the end of the Yo-kai Watch event, so you can still collect themed gear until then. The FFXIV Announcement Showcase was revealed and will take place on February 5, 2021 at 5:30 PM PT / 8:30 PM ET.

If you need to catch up on the game, be sure to read my breakdown of FFXIV 5.3 and why it was an emotionally satisfying conclusion to the Shadowbringers expansion. If you’re thinking about getting into the game, you can use my FFXIV beginner’s guide to get started on the right foot, which should come in handy, since the entirety of FFXIV: A Realm Reborn and the Heavensward expansion are playable for free.

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