Author: Trafficblast

There are always more games on the horizon, and now Microsoft has teased what’s coming next for its portfolio. In a blog post, Microsoft offered what it called a “hot tease” of what fans can expect in the time ahead.

Starting with 2019 games, Xbox fans have titles like Crackdown 3, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Gears 5, and Minecraft: Dungeons to look forward to. Of note, all of these games–and all future first-party titles from Microsoft–are included with the price of an Xbox Game Pass membership.

“2019 is shaping up nicely for Xbox, PC and mobile gamers alike,” Microsoft said.

Also in 2019 Microsoft will release a significant new update for Sea of Thieves, called The Arena, which adds a competitive mode.

In addition to all of these games and the new Sea of Thieves expansion, Microsoft teased future releases from its studios around the world. Microsoft said delivering “new Microsoft technologies” is one part of the company’s ambition going forward.

“And we can’t wait to show you what all the Microsoft Studios development teams are working on. We’re focused on implementing new Microsoft technologies, delivering content for new platforms and services like Xbox Game Pass, and creating exclusive games that turn players into loyal Xbox fans,” Microsoft said. “We are committed to expanding the Microsoft Studios franchises players already love and investing in new, exclusive content for every type of gamer. We’re excited to see the teams maximize their potential at Microsoft and can’t wait for what the future has in store.”

Last year, Microsoft invested in its future by acquiring six studios and creating an all-new one. At E3, Microsoft announced that it acquired Playground Games (Forza Horizon), Compulsion Games (We Happy Few), Ninja Theory (Hellblade), and Undead Labs (State of Decay). At Microsoft’s X018 event in Mexico City, Microsoft announced the acquisition of Obsidian Entertainment (Fallout: New Vegas) and inXile Entertainment (Wasteland 3). As for new studio, The Initiative is based in the Los Angeles area, and it’s staffed by Red Dead Redemption’s writer/designer and many other big names.

Outside of games, Microsoft is working on a game-streaming service that will let you play console-level Halo on your phone, while the company is also making a Halo TV show and a Gears of War movie. Additionally, Microsoft is working on multiple new Xbox consoles.

What games and technologies are you hoping to see from Microsoft in 2019? Let us know in the comments below!

Nintendo has revealed the most-played Nintendo Switch games of 2018 in Europe, and the title at the top of the list probably will not surprise you.

The news feed on the console in Europe reveals the most-played Switch game of the past year was Epic’s free-to-play battle royale game, Fortnite. Rounding out the top five were all Nintendo-made games: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The only reason Super Smash Bros. Ultimate isn’t near the top is probably because it only just launched in December. Nintendo didn’t share any numbers about specific play-time hours, so we don’t know the gaps between the different games.

Still, it’s not all that surprising that Fortnite is No. 1 given the game’s immense global popularity. As mentioned, this chart is only for Europe. It doesn’t appear that Nintendo published similar most-played lists in the US or other parts of the world.

NintendoEverything first reported this news. The top 20 most-played games for Nintendo Switch in Europe can be seen at the bottom of this post.

NPD analyst Mat Piscatella responded to the news, saying he expects Fortnite’s massive success to have an impact on the wider industry in 2019. Specifically, he said the way in which the game’s massive success propelled gains for hardware and microtransaction spending in 2018 may be hard to replicate, especially in the first half of 2019.

Most-Played Switch Games Of 2018 In Europe

1. Fortnite
2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
3. Super Mario Odyssey
4. Splatoon 2
5. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
6. FIFA 18
7. Minecraft
8. Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu
9. Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee
10. Xenoblade Chronicles 2
11. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
12. Rocket League
13. Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
14. Pokemon Quest
15. Stardew Valley
16. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
17. Octopath Traveler
18. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
19. Paladins
20. Super Mario Party

The Final Destination horror movie franchise is getting a reboot. According to The Hollywood Reporter, film company New Line has started working on a new Final Destination movie, with Saw writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan attached to write the story.

The new movie is described by THR as a “re-imagining” of the Final Destination series, but plot details are under wraps for now.

The first Final Destination premiered in 2000, starring Devon Sawa and Ali Larter. It was a huge hit, making $112 million globally against a budget of only $23 million. Unsurprisingly, New Line went on to make four sequels, which together have made nearly $700 million worldwide.

In the first Final Destination, a group of teenagers are about to get on an airplane, when one of their friends has a vision that the plane goes down and they all die. They get off the plane, only to watch it go up in flames after take off. Because they were supposed to die, the force of Death goes after them, killing them off one by one in horrific, gruesome fashion.

This same setup is used in the four sequels, though the circumstances are changed. It is a highly repeatable formula, which must have made studio executives happy. Presumably the new movie will be similar in structure and tone, but nothing has been announced as of yet.

There is no word yet on when the new Final Destination movie might come to theatres. We also don’t know who will star in it or who may direct. Keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest.

The most recent entry, Final Destination 5, was released in 2014.

Melton and Dunstan were announced as the writers of a God of War movie for Sony, but that was back in 2012, and things could have changed since then.