Author: Trafficblast

343 Industries has been slowly releasing each Halo game in the Master Chief Collection on PC over the past few months, and it’s now Halo 4’s turn. According to a new trailer, Halo 4 will arrive on PC as part of the MCC on November 17.

This completes the original remit of the Master Chief Collection, at least according to 343. The studio has said repeatedly that the divisive Halo 5 will not be added to the collection. A recent announcement from 343 emphasized that Halo 4 is the “last title we have planned for the collection.”

Halo 4 was the first Halo game not to be developed by original studio Bungie. The MCC version of the game is visually enhanced and features new armor customization compared to the original game. It also includes the co-op mode Spartan Ops, which was introduced as a new feature in Halo 4, along with the traditional campaign and multiplayer modes. According to 343, the campaign is “totally remastered,” which presumably refers to the visual improvements. If you’re planning to play the MCC on console, it will receive optimizations for the Xbox Series X and Series S as well.

Besides 4, the MCC includes Halo 1, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo: Reach, and Halo 3: ODST, most of which are playable on PC for the first time thanks to the collection. Halo Infinite–a spiritual reboot of the franchise–was originally scheduled to launch with the Xbox Series X this month, but was delayed to 2021 following negate fan reaction to pre-release materials. Several staffers have left the project recently, which usually doesn’t bode well for a game’s success.

Update: A new PS5 FAQ covers the current issues with storing PS5 games on an external USB hard drive, saying a future update could allow that process.

“No, players cannot transfer PS5 games to a USB drive,” reads the answer to a question titled ‘Can I store or play PS5 games from a USB drive?’. “PS5 games must be stored on the console’s internal ultra-high speed SSD for gameplay. Explorations for allowing players to store (but not play) PS5 games on a USB drive in a future update are underway.”

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PlayStation 5 currently doesn’t allow you to install, store or play next-gen games anywhere other than its internal SSD.

As noted by Digital Foundry, next-gen games can’t be played from an external drive, and the console currently offers no options to move your PS5 games into external storage. When the internal SSD is filled, the only option given is to delete games to free up space.

It’s concerning given that the console comes with a relatively slim 667GB of usable storage space, and doesn’t support SSD external storage (which could presumably play next-gen games) at launch. No window has been given for when an update will allow SSD storage.

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Xbox Series X also cannot play next-gen games on anything other than its internal SSD and (expensive) approved external drive – but unlike PS5 it does offer the option to store games on external hard drives and transfer them back to the SSD without a lengthy download process. PS5 does allow PS4 games to be moved between internal and external storage.

For more on PS5, we also have news on why PS5 doesn’t seem to have custom themes, what its new Activity Cards are for, how the Create button differs from the PS4 Share button, and you can read our full PS5 console review. And if you’re interested in the PS5’s launch lineup, check out our Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales review and our Astro’s Playroom review.

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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].

 

It’s been a long time coming, but the wait is nearly over: Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S arrive on Tuesday, November 10. The initial wave of preorders has come and gone, but Microsoft will be providing more units on launch day. Below, you’ll find everything you need to know to have the best chance of securing an Xbox Series X or Series S at launch. As new information comes out about which retailers will get new stock and when, we’ll add it below.

And in case you haven’t yet, check out our Xbox Series X review and Xbox Series S review to see what we think of the new next-gen hardware.

Where to Buy Xbox Series X

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Where to Buy Xbox Series S

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Where to Find Xbox Series X in Stock Online at Launch

More Xbox Series X|S stock is expected to be available on launch day. As for your options to purchase a console online, here is the concrete data we’ve seen so far:

Walmart – Walmart announced it will have Xbox Series X in stock online at walmart.com at 12 PM ET on November 10.

So far, that’s all we know for sure. That said, it’s unlikely Walmart is the only place Microsoft is sending a batch of new systems at launch. It’s a safe bet other retailers will offer additional stock of the new consoles as well–they just haven’t announced it yet. If/when announcements arrive, we’ll update the bullet point “list” above.

In the meantime, if you want to manually check to see if the console is in stock anywhere, use the above links to visit the listing pages.

Where to Find an Xbox Series X in the UK

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Where to Find an Xbox Series S in the UK

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Follow IGN Deals on Twitter

For the most up-to-the-second information about where you can find Xbox Series X|S in stock at any given time, you’ll want to follow IGN Deals on Twitter. Since stock of these consoles is likely to sell out shortly after it goes live, your best bet is to follow our deals team on Twitter, where we’ll post links as soon as stock becomes available.

Where to Buy Xbox Series X in Physical Stores at Launch

Based on what we’ve heard so far, it seems unlikely that you’ll be able to go into a store and buy an Xbox Series X|S at launch or even for a while after that.

Target has suggested it will have Xbox Series X in stock at brick-and-mortar locations, but it sounds like you’ll have to order it online for pickup or as a Drive Up order.

Best Buy has also announced you won’t be able to walk in and buy next-gen consoles in stores “this year.” Instead, you’ll be able to order them online when they become available and select pickup at checkout.

For its part, Sony announced that brick-and-mortar retailers will not offer PS5 at launch for anyone who didn’t preorder it online and choose to pick up at a local store. Microsoft hasn’t made any similar sweeping statements, but details about where to find an Xbox Series X|S at a local retail store are scant at the moment. We’ll update here if that changes.

More Xbox Series X|S May Be Available for Black Friday

According to Best Buy’s Black Friday ad, it will have “limited quantities” of Xbox Series X and S available online only on Black Friday, which falls on November 27 this year.

Other retailers may follow suit and open up more stock of Xbox Series X|S on Black Friday or during the lead-up to the sale event.

How Much Does Xbox Series X|S Cost?

Xbox Series X costs $499.99. The less powerful and disc-drive-less Xbox Series S retails for $299.99.

Xbox Series X Games Available for Preorder

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Halo Infinite was originally planned as an Xbox Series X|S launch title, but it has been delayed into 2021. That said, you’ll have plenty of games to play on November 10, including Gears Tactics, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Watch Dogs: Legion, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and more.

Remember nearly every single game you could play on Xbox One, including backwards-compatible titles dating back to the original Xbox, will be playable on the Series X and Series S right out of the box.

Xbox Series X Accessories Available for Preorder

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Accessories can help you get the most out of your new console, but not all accessories are created equal. The most useful accessory for anyone who wants to add a player two is going to be an extra controller. These new Xbox Series X|S controllers have a few new tweaks, but aren’t a giant leap beyond Xbox One controllers. And it’s worth noting that any Xbox One controllers you have lying around will work just fine on the Series X and S. For more details about the new controller, check out our Xbox Series X controller review.

One problem rearing its head for anyone with a lot of games is storage space. Xbox Series X and S can load games super fast, thanks to their onboard solid state drives, but SSDs being expensive, they come with limited storage space. The Series X comes with 1TB, while the Series S has 512GB, which turns out to be only 364GB of usable storage thanks to the OS. That’s going to fill up fast for a lot of people. Fortunately, you can buy an official Seagate storage expansion card to get an extra 1TB of fast-loading storage. Unfortunately, it costs $219.99. It is what it is.

Beyond that, you can pick up things like a rechargeable battery pack, charging stand, and media remote, but none of these are absolutely necessary, especially at launch.

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Chris Reed is a commerce editor and bonafide deals expert at IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.

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Halo 4 will launch on PC as part of the Master Chief Collection with a ‘fully remastered campaign’ on November 17.

A trailer titled ‘Wake Up, John’ just dropped over on the Halo YouTube channel, which you can check out below. This addition will complete The Master Chief Collection on PC, which will then offer every game in the mainline series aside from Halo 5: Guardians.

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The description for that trailer on YouTube reads: “Now optimized for PC, experience the fully remastered campaign to embark against new foes, dust off some orbital drops in Spartan Ops, or dive right back into the multiplayer.”

Of course, you can already access every Halo game via The Master Chief Collection on Xbox consoles. The console version of Halo: The Master Chief Collection will be receiving an update on November 17 to coincide with this news, optimising the collection for Series X and Series S and offering 120 FPS in both campaign and multiplayer modes.

It’s time to dust off the ol’ Needler.

Fully Optimized on Series X|S
120 FPS in Campaign & Multiplayer
Split-screen improvements & up to 4K on Series X
Available for free to existing owners or those with @XboxGamePass on November 17 pic.twitter.com/Ufusdsyd8C

— Xbox (@Xbox) October 20, 2020

Series X players will be able to experience Bungie and 343’s famous shooter series in up to 4K, with split-screen improvements to boot. The updated version of The Master Chief Collection will be free for those who already own it, and Xbox Game Pass subscribers will have the package included in their library on launch day.

In other Halo news, Halo Infinite project director Chris Lee recently left the project following the game’s delay into 2021.

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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Whether you live in a small apartment or a lavish estate, chances are you have some sort of home office area. Whether it’s a small corner of another room, a section of the couch, or a dedicated room of its own, it’s incredibly valuable to be comfortable and have everything you need close by.

One of the benefits of a home office is the ability to more freely customize it, adding items to make your work (and play) easier, more enjoyable, and perhaps most importantly, more comfortable.

Whether you add office plants and coffee cups or lavish chairs, there are tons of noticeable mental benefits that can come from upgrading your workspace. Additionally, things like digital assistants, webcams, wireless routers, headphones, and other similar items can make navigating the modern digital work environment more effortless and tension-free than it’s ever been.

With all of that in mind, we’ve assembled a list of great home office gifts just for you. Enjoy!

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Home Office Tech Gifts

Enable your workspace (or the space of someone you love) with this easy-to-use tech.

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Home Office Comfort Gifts

Make your workspace more comfortable with these gifts.

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Home Office Plant Gifts

Add some greenery to your workspace to help create a more relaxed, natural feel.

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Home Office Stocking Stuffer Gifts

The best home office gifts for $25 or less.

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The Best Gift Ideas for 2020

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Brian Barnett writes wiki guides, deals posts, features, and much more for IGN. You can get your fix of Brian’s antics on Twitter and Instagram (@Ribnax).

Medal of Honor has never been a simulation, nor a direct retelling of real-life World War II battles. It is a video game, through and through, but it has always tried to provide a reverence for and respect to history and the men that fought in the Second Great War, through the use of a Gallery that provides real-world context for the in-game fiction. Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, Respawn’s upcoming VR entry in the long-dormant first-person shooter franchise that’s due out on Oculus platforms on December 11, is taking its historical underpinnings to a new level. The Respawn team, led by original Medal of Honor developer Peter Hirschmann and Gallery director Anthony Giacchino, filmed 90 minutes worth of documentary footage with eight surviving WWII veterans. It will unlock in pieces as you progress through the game’s missions. I’ve seen some of the footage – you can and should absolutely watch an exclusive clip from the “Brothers in Arms” vignette at the top of this page as well as the Gallery trailer below – and the results are emotionally powerful, to say the least.

My grandfather was a Pearl Harbor survivor. Hirschmann’s served in WWII as well. Giacchino’s uncle, whom he lived with for four years in college, also fought. Giacchino said that he could hear his uncle calling out marching orders at night while he slept, in what we now understand as a symptom of PTSD. As such, this project is personal to them, and it affected me deeply even while watching just a small snippet of it. “It saddens me that any of the guys we have in [our Gallery videos]…” he began. “It saddens me to think of how many of those stories we’ll never know.”

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Giacchino said he was aware of the urgency of this project when they started shooting a few years ago, noting that there were 16 million Americans who served during WWII, and in 2020 there are approximately 300k-350k still alive, but they are dying at a rate of 500 per day. “I think it’s crucial that the people who are playing this game are exposed to these people,” he said. “That’s a selfless, heroic act to sit down and share your story and trust that it will be given the respect it deserves,” Hirschmann said. “That’s what Medal of Honor is all about. It’s about that authenticity, it’s not that jingoistic superheroes fighting. They were all young. They were human beings.”

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Though the game and documentary projects are happening independently, Hirschmann went along for most of the shoots, and would report the film team’s progress back to the Respawn development team. But what makes Above and Beyond’s Gallery not just special but historically precious is that Giacchino didn’t just go interview these men. Respawn partnered with the veteran organization Honor Flight to actually bring some of the veterans they interviewed back to Europe, to the site of where they experienced something significant during the war. One veteran went back to the exact spot where his best friend was killed. Another was a glider pilot who crashed at a Normandy farm. And when he returned with the camera crew, a similarly aged Frenchman came out of the house and, completely unbeknownst to everyone involved in the production, it turned out that he witnessed the glider crash, and the two men shared the story from their respective perspectives. Whatever the viewer gets out of it – and if the clip I saw is any indication, you’ll be moved to tears – Hirschmann and Giacchino said those men got something even more significant out of it: closure.

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Unfortunately, one Gallery subject has already passed away since the filming. His name was Frank Hawkins. He served on a submarine in the Pacific. He became a stuntman in Hollywood after the war. “He’s like a real-life version of Brad Pitt’s character in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Hirschmann said. “He was tickled to be able to participate in this.” But others live on and have befriended the Respawn team. “David Marshall calls me like every three days,” Giacchino said of one of the Gallery’s eight subjects. “He was inspired to write his memoirs [after our interviews]. I’ve been helping him with a Google doc.” And at all of the historical sites Respawn visited with the veterans, they shot “history happened here” videos, where you can look around in 360 degrees in VR.

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The COVID-19 pandemic, sadly, affected Respawn’s plans to celebrate the completion of the Gallery videos with the veterans and their families earlier this year. “The plan was in the Spring we were going to do a big screening with all of them and their families and show everything to all of them,” Giacchino explained. “I hope that we’ll still do that when we’re able.” Hirschmann added, “Deep down they were [participating in this project] for their families. Sons and daughters were hearing stories they’d never heard before.” And yes, the Respawn team did give the families all of the footage, not just the final edit. “It’s been a joy to give those raw sit-down sessions to their families.”

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Speaking personally, the power of these veterans’ stories is something that I strongly feel should not be confined to a video game, especially a VR one at that, by the very nature of its platform, probably won’t reach an audience as large as a TV show, movie, or traditional game. Hirschmann acknowledged this, saying, “There will be a time,” referring to the march of technology, “when our game will be hard to play. The Gallery is timeless.” He noted that Giacchino’s Gallery vignettes have gone to some short-film festivals, such as Big Sky, for more mainstream attention. And he noted that the team is sorting through ways that you won’t need a VR headset or a gaming PC to watch it.

“The Gallery will forever be the thing that lives on, a hundred years from now.”

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Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Executive Editor of Previews. Follow him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan, catch him on Unlocked, and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.

As news of a ‘milestone’ COVID-19 vaccine was announced today, many games companies saw their stock price drop sharply, seemingly as a direct result of the news.

News of a Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine with an apparent 90% effectiveness began to spread at around 5am Pacific / 8am Eastern / 1pm UK today. ICO Partners CEO Thomas Bidaux then noted that, at around the same time, the stock of CD Projekt (Cyberpunk 2077) and Ubisoft (Assassin’s Creed, Watch Dogs) had dropped sharply over their earlier levels.

A COVID-19 vaccine is announced having good results.

Game companies stock drops. pic.twitter.com/YlyNhZPO2r

— Thomas Bidaux -Working From Home – (@icotom) November 9, 2020

The same effect seems to go for the likes of Take Two, Unity, EA, and Activision Blizzard. It must be noted that these drops aren’t as precipitous as the 1-day graphs make them look – when placed against most games companies’ yearly stock levels, the drop is far smaller than 2020’s overall gains.

It’s no secret that games companies have done well out of the COVID-19 pandemic. With more people at home than ever, sales of hardware, software, and games subscriptions have rocketed in the last several months. It’s been enough of an upshift that Sony has even seemingly changed its policy around creating games for PS4.

What will be interesting is to see whether this is an early sign of investors losing faith in the industry’s booming growth, or a blip based on today’s news. Vaccines’ continual development, and a return to more normal life across the world, will undoubtedly have an effect on people’s gaming routines (and thus their willingness to spend on the hobby), but there’s the chance that the huge uptake in games in recent months will see a longer-term boon for the industry.

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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].