Author: Trafficblast

The highly-anticipated Borderlands 3 is out next week, launching on September 13 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via the Epic Games Store. Developer Gearbox Software and publisher 2K Games have kept things fairly simple for the looter shooter’s release, and we have all of the details on pre-loading, pre-order bonuses, and when exactly you can start playing.

What time does Borderlands 3 unlock in my region?

Gearbox is doing what it calls a “rolling midnight” release on consoles. You can expect to start playing Borderlands 3 as the clock strikes 12 am on September 13 no matter where you live, with the one exception being in North America. The game launches at midnight Eastern time across the entire region, so those on the west coast will be able to start playing on September 12 at 9 pm PDT.

The situation is a bit different on PC, as Borderlands 3 unlocks at 12:00 am BST (British Summer Time) no matter where you’re located, which translates to 4 pm PDT and 7 pm EST.

When does preloading start?

You’ll be able to start preloading 48 hours before Borderlands 3 releases in your region, no matter what platform you’re playing on. This is positive news after Epic Games Chief Tim Sweeney previously said that the Epic Games Store–where Borderlands 3 is exclusive for the first six months–wouldn’t support preloading.

What are the PC system requirements for Borderlands 3?

If you’re planning on picking up the PC version of Borderlands 3, the specs are fairly reasonable. On the low end, Gearbox only calls for an AMD FX-8350 or Intel i5-3570, along with an AMD Radeon HD 7970 or Nvidia GeForce GTX 680. More significantly, the game will require 75 GB of storage space to go along with that hardware.

On the high end, the recommended specs require an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel i7-4770, with an AMD Radeon RX 590 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB, and 16GB of RAM.

Are there any pre-order bonuses?

If you pre-order Borderlands 3, you’ll be given a weapon trinket and gold weapon skins for all guns in the game. There’s also a free PS4 theme if you pre-order on the PlayStation Store, and UK players who pre-order at Game will receive a free Psycho mask (which is a physical item), while stocks last.

If you purchase Borderlands 3 on PC, it comes with a free Fortnite Psycho Bundle Pack until Dec 31, 2020. This bundle includes a Psycho Bandit outfit, Claptrap pet, and Psycho Buzz Axes for Fortnite, and applies to any version of Borderlands 3 available on the Epic Games Store.

How many versions of Borderlands 3 are there, and what’s included in each one?

There are four versions of Borderlands 3 to choose from. The standard edition just includes the game and any pre-order bonuses. You can pre-order it at the links below:

PS4

Xbox One

PC

The Deluxe Edition features more goodies than the vanilla standard version, coming with a Retro Cosmetic Pack, Neon Cosmetic Pack, Gearbox Cosmetic Pack, and Toy Box Weapon Pack. There are also XP and Loot Drop Boost Mods included.

PS4

Xbox One

PC

The Super Deluxe Edition includes everything that’s part of the Deluxe Edition, plus access to Borderlands 3’s season pass and a steelbook case. It will be available initially for $100, but the price will increase to $120 from September 17. In the UK, the Super Deluxe Edition will be exclusive to Game, and the price will increase from £90 to £105 for console and £100 for PC starting September 17.

PS4

Xbox One

PC

Finally, the Diamond Loot Chest Collector’s Edition comes with everything included in the Super Deluxe Edition, along with a plethora of physical collectibles. There’s a Diamond Loot Chest replica, a Sanctuary 3 snap model, 10 character figurines, five character art lithographs, four Vault Key keychains, and a cloth map of the galaxy.

PS4

Xbox One

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CD Projekt Red has finally come around to the idea of featuring multiplayer in Cyberpunk 2077. As far back as 2014, the studio said the game was “definitely not a multiplayer shooter,” before producer Richard Borzymowski told GameSpot in an interview at Gamescom earlier this year that CD Projekt Red was “exploring multiplayer modes.” A tweet from the company’s official Twitter account has now announced that multiplayer is officially in the works for Cyberpunk 2077, though you shouldn’t expect it to be available on release day.

“The plan for now is to deliver Cyberpunk 2077 in April, then follow up with DLCs (free!) and single-player content, and–once we’re done–invite you for some multiplayer action,” the second part of the tweet says.

At this early stage, there’s no indication of what multiplayer will entail, so it will be interesting to see how CD Projekt Red goes about incorporating it into an open-world RPG. This will also mark the first time the studio has developed a multiplayer game aside from Gwent: The Witcher Card Game, but Cyberpunk 2077 will be an altogether different beast–unless this ends up being another CCG.

Cyberpunk 2077 launches for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on April 16, 2020.

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Throne of Eldraine is Magic: The Gathering’s fairy tale-themed 82nd expansion, and Wizards of the Coast is currently counting down to a major announcement, showing off new cards for the first time at every step along the way. And we’re a part of that countdown – just 5 stops from the end – and we’re going to reveal four brand new cards to you: ‘Syr Konrad, the Grim’, ‘Smitten Swordmaster’, ‘Order of Midnight’ and ‘Foulmire Knight’.

Even better, we’ve got Senior Magic Product Architect, Gavin Verhey to run down the benefits of each card we’re unveiling, and how you might be using them in the very near future. But, if you’re a seasoned player, you’ll immediately notice that these cards look a little different. That’s down to a new mechanic in Throne of Eldraine:

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Gaming laptops have been keeping on pace with the fastest gaming monitors with 120Hz, 144Hz, and 240Hz displays. However, for the first time, gaming laptop displays are outpacing dedicated gaming screens as the new Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 features a 300Hz display.

That’s really fast refresh rate, and it’ll be the fastest one available on the market when the 17-inch gaming laptop releases later this October.

Just a quick recap: a display’s refresh rate is tied directly to how quickly it can show new frames of animation, making gameplay look and feel smoother. The faster your display is, the less blurring you see from fast-moving objects and your sweeping motions. While testing out the Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701, I saw a constantly flowing stream of crisp images that would even put a 240Hz gaming monitor to shame.

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Mojang has unveiled an official DuckTales-themed DLC for Minecraft, which includes skins and new quests.

Available in the Minecraft Marketplace Store, the mash-up pack is the latest Disney property to enter the Minecraft universe after Pirates of the Caribbean and Toy Story previously got the block treatment.

According to the official announcement on Minecraft’s website, the DLC includes “the show’s most iconic locations – from the city of Duckburg and the halls of McDuck Manor, to legendary locations like the Pyramid of Toth-Ra or heights of Mount Neverrest. Solve a mystery or rewrite history as Huey, Dewey, Louie, Webby, or any of the other 30 characters available.”

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CD Projekt Red has confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 will get a multiplayer mode sometime post-launch, putting to bed years of reports that it’s been in research and development.

Cyberpunk 2077 will launch in April with a single-player campaign only, but the studio announced on Twitter that a multiplayer mode will be added further down the line.

“As we’re getting closer to launching ‘single player’ Cyberpunk 2077 in Apr. 2020, we’d like to confirm that multiplayer’s in the works,” it said.

“The plan for now is to deliver Cyberpunk 2077 in April, then follow up with DLCs (free!) and single player content, and — once we’re done — invite you for some multiplayer action.”

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Even eight years after its initial release, there’s still nothing quite like the fever dream that is Catherine. It remains an excellent fusion of thrilling block pushing puzzle mechanics and an exciting love story about the deathly consequences of infidelity.

Catherine: Full Body is a complete re-release of the 2011 PS3 classic with a slew of added extras including online versus, a handful of new endings, a new remix mode, and most substantially, a completely new character named Rin that gets stitched into the story, adding a few hours of new gameplay and cutscenes. These extras aren’t quite enough to justify a full $60 price tag for returning customers, but for those that missed out on Catherine’s twisted tale of love and deceit, Full Body is a temptation worth giving into.

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The latest chapter of Doomsday Clock sheds light on the fates of two iconic Watchmen characters.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Doomsday Clock #11!

While Doomsday Clock features a number of familiar characters from the original Watchmen (including Doctor Manhattan, Ozymandias, The Comedian and new character Reggie Long taking up the mantle of Rorschach), two characters have been conspicuous in their absence. Whatever happened to Nite Owl and Silk Spectre? Issue #11 finally answers that question.

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Gears 5 is the latest entry in Microsoft’s long-running series of cover shooters. Developer The Coalition has shaken things up a bit this time, though, introducing an RPG-like progression system to its story campaign, along with some wide-open areas that change the series’ traditionally linear approach. A free Battle Pass-like system, expansive progression, and hero shooter-inspired characters also bring the multiplayer portion of Gears 5 in line with modern shooters.

The fundamentals of Gears of War are still here, however, as you hunker down behind cover, shoot at gooey reptilian monsters with a variety of guns, and carefully time your active reloads to get the most out of all that firepower. Critics appear to agree that this is one of the high points for the 13-year-old series. In GameSpot’s review in progress, Phil Hornshaw says the new ideas it brings to the series are all good reasons for fans to return.

Many other outlets have published their Gears 5 reviews as well, so we’ve gathered a smattering of them below to give a view from around the industry. For an even broader look, check out GameSpot’s sister site Metacritic.

• Game: Gears 5
• Platforms: Xbox One, Windows PC
• Developer: The Coalition
• Release date: September 10
• Price: $60 / £49.99 / $99.95 AUD

If you plan on purchasing Gears 5, Microsoft is currently offering a one-month Xbox Game Pass subscription for only $1 USD as part of an introductory rate for new subscribers only. Xbox Game Pass for Xbox One costs $10 USD / £8/ $10.95 AUD per month. Gears 5 is included in the service at no extra cost. Alternatively, you can sign up for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $2 USD / £2 / $2 AUD for the first two months, and then $15 USD/ £11 / $15.95 AUD per month thereafter. Ultimate comes with Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold.

If you want to purchase Gears 5 for yourself, you can currently pre-order it on Amazon for $49.94 (a saving of $10.05). GameSpot also has you covered with all of the details on pre-order bonuses and what’s included in the Ultimate and Collector’s editions of the game.

Pre-order Gears 5 on Amazon

GameSpot review in progress — 7/10

“Gears 5 is very much a return of those best elements of Gears of War, but with a focus on making the game feel somewhat more adaptive to your particular ways of playing. Whether you want campaign or co-op, Competitive or Quickplay, there’s an option for you in Gears 5, and plenty of stuff to reward you for time spent and skill gained. Gears 5 might suffer from some of the same storytelling missteps as its predecessors, and it might not venture far out of the past, but the new ideas it brings to the series are all good reasons for fans to return.” — Phil Hornshaw [Full review]

GamesRadar — 4/5

“Gears 5 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it changes enough to keep its signature style of cover-based shooting from feeling monotonous. Going into this review, I was convinced Gears of War needed to change drastically or risk obsolescence. But the Coalition has found a different way forward, using new mechanics to polish the old, making the whole game shine.” — Mike Epstein [Full review]

USGamer — 3/5

“Gears 5 survives on its solid cover shooting gameplay and a campaign that isn’t afraid to pose difficult questions about problematic topics. But the largely stagnant Horde mode and general mess of an Escape mode really pull the sequel back from being a bold step forward.” — Hirun Cryer [Full review]

Game Informer — 8.5/10

“Gears 5 is exactly what it needs to be. This old war vet still packs a punch. The open-world exploration has issues, but that isn’t enough to steal away the thunder The Coalition expertly deploys on the battlefield. The campaign is a fun ride that concludes with a shocker moment and a hell of a setup for a sequel. I’m already looking forward to that follow-up.” — Andrew Reiner [Full review]

God Is A Geek — 10/10

“This game is to Gears of War and Xbox what 2018’s God of War was for Sony. It’s a bombastic yet heartfelt entry into a beloved series; it’s gorgeous, sounds great, plays brilliantly – it’s at once a showcase for the high-end hardware available, and for where Xbox could be heading with its next console and the games we’ll see on it. One thing that’s for sure, though, is that it’s for the fans. If you didn’t think you needed another Gears of War, you were wrong. Gears 5 stands tall as one of the best games of the year. A barnstorming success, and the essential first-party title the Xbox One desperately needed. Well played, The Coalition.” — Adam Cook [Full review]

Twinfinite — 4.5/5

“Gears 5 might well be up there as one of my favorite entries in the series alongside Gears 2. Having been a somewhat lapsed Gears multiplayer player, I’m excited to really sink my teeth into more of the Versus modes, play Horde with some friends, and truly get to grips with Escape’s map editor, as well as see what those far more talented than I am at level design come up with. With Gears 5, The Coalition took some risks, and it makes for one of the best entries in the series yet.” — Chris Jecks [Full review]

The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.

Nintendo is airing a new Nintendo Direct in just a few hours. The broadcast takes place later today, September 4, and promises to share a wealth of new details on games coming to Switch in 2019, including Luigi’s Mansion 3 and Pokemon Sword and Shield. If you’re eager to catch the presentation, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know below, from what time it starts to what you can expect.

What Time Does The Nintendo Direct Start?

• 3 PM PT
• 6 PM ET
• 11 PM BST
• 8 AM AEST (September 5)

How To Watch

As usual, Nintendo is broadcasting today’s Direct on its website, Twitch, and YouTube channels. We’ll also have an embed of the stream below, so you can bookmark this page and return when the broadcast begins to watch it right here.

What To Expect

Today’s Direct will run for roughly 40 minutes by Nintendo’s estimates–nearly as long as the company’s E3 presentation–so it appears it will be packed with news and reveals. Nintendo has already confirmed the broadcast will focus on Switch games coming this year, including Luigi’s Mansion 3 and Pokemon Sword and Shield, so we can expect to get another look at those games ahead of their release, but we’ll also presumably see more of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening before it launches later this month.

Beyond that, we may learn more about Super Smash Bros. Ultimate‘s next DLC character, Banjo-Kazooie. The bear and bird duo were announced back at E3 and are slated to release sometime this fall, so we’ll presumably learn more about them–and possibly even the next Smash Ultimate DLC fighter–during the Direct. It has also been some time since we’ve heard about Town, the new Switch RPG from Pokemon developer Game Freak. The game was announced during last September’s Nintendo Direct and had a 2019 release window; if it is indeed still coming this year, then we’ll get another look at it during today’s Direct.

The lengthy runtime also suggests there will be quite a few surprise announcements during the presentation, and it appears a few of them have leaked a little early. There is mounting evidence that Overwatch is coming to Switch, and two Assassin’s Creed games, Black Flag and Rogue, were recently spotted for Switch, so it seems likely those titles will be announced during the Direct.