Author: Trafficblast

After a long hiatus, Capcom is bringing the Devil May Cry series back to its core storyline and set of characters in serious style. Set for a worldwide release on March 8, 2019 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, Devil May Cry 5 is the next major entry in the series, bringing back a sense of style and action that the series helped popularize since its debut in 2001. With multiple playable characters, new weapons systems, and a surprising number of callbacks to previous games, DMC5 looks to be the game that many long-time fans have been waiting for.

Though we’re still a few months away, we’re still in the dark regarding the new game and what it’s setting out to do with its current outing. Ever since its first reveal back at E3 2018, there was a lot to take in, so we’ve broken things down to a few key points. Here’s everything we know about Capcom’s upcoming return to stylish-action with Devil May Cry 5.

What Is Devil May Cry 5?

Devil May Cry 5 is an upcoming action-adventure game. Developed by Capcom, the long-running DMC series has always been about fast, stylish action while using a variety of unique weapons. Over the last 16 years, the series has gone on to inspire a particular brand of action gameplay, where fast-paced action and challenging battles go hand-in-hand. With every game, the stakes and scope of the series has grown, and DMC5 looks to the most detailed and elaborate entry yet.

DMC5 seeks to continue that tradition of stylish action by telling the next major story in the series. With three playable characters–Dante, Nero, and the newcomer V–you’ll go through a main story slashing and shooting demons and other monsters. Running on the RE Engine, the same framework powering Resident Evil 7 and the Resident Evil 2 remake, the game will feature the most detailed and richly realized visuals the series has seen yet. According to the developers, DMC5 will be the biggest game in the series, and seeks to incorporate a number of new features and innovations into the core gameplay.

When Does It Release And How Can I Catch Up?

DMC5’s release date on PC, PS4, and Xbox One is set for March 8, 2019. If you want to catch up and play the previous games, you can check out the DMC HD Collection compiling the first three games on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Also, DMC4 Special Edition is available on the same platforms and offers a revised take on the game with a total of five unique characters to play as. DmC: Definitive Edition, an update of Ninja Theory’s reboot, is also an excellent entry in the series. If you’re interested in checking that out, the Definitive Edition is available on PS4 and Xbox One (no PC release, unfortunately).

The Reveal Trailer

After years of rumors and speculation, Devil May Cry 5 made its debut during Microsoft’s E3 2018 press conference. The trailer began with an enigmatic voice-over talking over widespread carnage and bloodshed as a result of a demonic invasion. Afterward, we finally saw the return of Nero, riding around in his mobile headquarters with a neon blue Devil May Cry logo on the side. The trailer ended with a tease of Dante riding along on an strange, demonic motorcycle–giving a familiar smirk to the viewer.

Can I Start With This Game?

Though this game references storylines and characters from across the 17 year history, it’s totally possible to jump straight into DMC5. Just like with previous games, there will be digest material to help you get up to speed. But more importantly, the game will work as a standalone title, and won’t require you to know every single character and their relationships. With that said, the game’s plot will make more of an impact if you’re familiar with the series.

What’s New In DMC5?

Though many details about DMC5 are still under wraps, the game focuses on offering the same thrilling moments of action–with some added twists. In addition to new weapons and tweaks to existing characters, DMC5 will also feature a new training level called the Void mode. In this practice area, which can be pulled up in between missions, you’ll be sucked into a space that allows you to experiment with the different moves and weapons you have available for the three playable characters. Pulling from Capcom’s wealth of experience from fighting games, you can apply a whole set of options to your sparring partner–adjusting AI, attack damage, and other options–allowing you to get a feel for what your character can do.

How Does Nero Play?

Returning from DMC4, Nero is one of the main leads in DMC5. However, some things have changed since his first appearance that was quickly apparent from watching the debut trailer. For starters, his primary moveset is largely the same, using his Blue Rose revolver and Red Queen sword in tandem, which can charged up for extra damage. However, the Devil Bringer from the previous game–allowing him to yank and grapple enemies from afar–is gone, and he’ll now have to rely on the new Devil Breaker system.

Crafted by series newcomer Nico, who works as a shopkeeper in their mobile headquarters, you’ll be able to purchase upgrades and new items from her–including new Devil Breakers. Essentially, Devil Breakers are disposable arms that offer Nero different skills and modifiers to his moveset. For instance, the Gerbera arm will allow Nero to fire off projectile lasers, the Tomboy will amplify Nero’s sword and gun strength (at the cost of disabling lock-on), and the Buster Arm will function similarly to his original Devil Bringer. There is a tradeoff to having these weapons, unfortunately. The arms are extremely fragile and will break once you’ve taken enough damage from enemies or if you want to switch over to another weapon–destroying the equipped arm. However, there are plenty of arms scattered around the levels, allowing to find a new one fairly easily.

Where Does DMC5 Fit In The Series Timeline?

Devil May Cry 5 is a direct sequel to the events of DMC4, which saw Nero and Dante face off against Sanctus and the Order of Sparda. While the previous games only seldom referenced past events, opting to keep things more in the moment, DMC5 will have some direct callbacks to past games–even explaining who crafted some of Dante’s iconic weapons. Interestingly enough, Devil May Cry 2 will also play into the canon despite having been largely dismissed by fans and the developers in past years. Here’s the current chronological order for the series.

DMC5 is a continuation of the story prior to Ninja Theory’s reboot. Though DmC: Devil May Cry ended at a point that hinted at a another game, the upcoming DMC title is a direct sequel to 2008’s Devil May Cry 4. There are no plans to continue on with Ninja Theory’s reboot.

The Gamescom 2018 Trailer

In this new trailer, we got to see more of Nero in action–including his time-stopping devil breaker Ragtime–while also getting a peak at Dante’s new weapons and moveset. During the debut trailer, we got a tease at Dante riding a motorcycle, which is a constant throughout the series, but this video showed that it also serves a new weapon for him, called the Cavaliere-B. The weaponized motorcycle turns into two large chainsaws, allowing him to combo back and forth into the vehicle and weapon forms.

How Does Dante Play?

The original devil hunter makes a comeback, and he’s exactly how you remember him from previous games. With the largest arsenal of weapons, Dante will be able to swap between a variety of swords, gauntlets, and other firearms on the fly–all while taking advantage of his signature devil trigger, which greatly amplifies his core damage and restores any lost health. After defeating major bosses throughout the game, Dante will acquire a new weapon for him to take advantage of, adding another deadly tool to his set.

One of the newer innovations for Dante is the option to customize specific loadouts for his weapons. In the pre-mission menu, you can pick and choose which weapons you want to bring with you in mission. If you want to come in fully armed–with up to four melee and firearms each–then you can do so. But if you’re feeling more traditional and want to stick with one melee and firearm, you can do that too.

Are There Microtransactions?

During TGS 2018, we learned from our demo that DMC5 will feature a form of microtransactions for players to take advantage of. Using a similar method from Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition, these purchases will only allow you access to Red Orbs–DMC’s currency–and they won’t throw the game’s balance out of whack, according to Capcom. Many of the major abilities and upgrades you can find are tied to the story, thus requiring you to earn access to them.

The TGS 2018 Trailer

In the most recent trailer, we saw Dante and Nero revealing more of their respective movesets and weapons. The original devil hunter also shows off a brand-new weapon known as the Balrog. This close-range, brawler-focused weapon features two distinct fighting modes channeling punches and kicks. At the end of the trailer, we also got another tease of the elusive third playable character referred to as V.

How Does V Play?

So far, we don’t have much information to go on regarding how V will play. However, series director Hideaki Itsuno has stated that V is very different compared to Dante and Nero. In the only firm bit of info we have, the enigmatic character is able to control demons in combat for his own ends. We’ll have more information regarding how V plays in the months before the game’s launch.

Is There A Special Edition?

Capcom plans to offer deluxe editions of Devil May Cry 5 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The Digital Deluxe Edition (priced at $80) comes with the full game, four unique Devil Breakers for Nero–including Mega Man’s mega-buster–DLC song packs, and alternate color-schemes for characters and weapons. The US will also get a special Collector’s Edition ($150) that comes with the Deluxe version, an artbook, enamel pins, a bumper sticker, and special model of the Nico’s motorhome. You can read more about these in our DMC5 pre-order guide.

However, if you’re looking for the ultimate way to experience Devil May Cry 5, then you may to check out the Japan-only Limited Edition. Cost upwards of $8600, this edition comes with the deluxe edition and a replica leather jacket modeled after Dante’s threads in-game. If you’re a die-hard fan that won’t miss spending several thousand dollars for video-game memorabilia, then you want to invest in this edition of the game.

Ubisoft has made a big-name hire at its Quebec office, the studio that most recently led development on Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. The Canadian developer has hired former EA veteran Mike Laidlaw, who worked at BioWare on the Dragon Age franchise and others.

Laidlaw takes on the role of creative director at Ubisoft Quebec, but Ubisoft did not say what he’ll be working on. In a blog post, Ubisoft acknowledged that Laidlaw had been consulting with Ubisoft Quebec on an “unannounced new project” for the past nine months, so it could be that Ubisoft has now brought him on full time for it.

Laidlaw was the creative director of BioWare’s Dragon Age franchise for eight years, most recently leading the team on 2014’s Dragon Age: Inquisition. He also worked on BioWare games like Mass Effect, Jade Empire, and Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mike into the Ubisoft Quebec family,” Ubisoft Quebec managing director Patrick Klaus said in a statement. Senior producer Jeff Skalski added, “We’re excited to have him onboard. He’s the perfect fit for our project and I can’t wait for everyone to experience the results.”

In his own statement published on LinkedIn, Laidlaw said his current project at Ubisoft Quebec is so compelling that it convinced him to move halfway across Canada from his former home in Edmonton to Quebec.

Laidlaw left BioWare in October 2017. He went on to contribute to the Kickstarter-funded RPG Waylanders, but he’s stepping back now that he’s joined Ubisoft. In his place, the Waylanders team has brought on former Telltale Games writer Emily Grace Buck to take over “many of the parts” that Laidlaw was contributing to.

Beyond hiring Laidlaw, Ubisoft Quebec is expanding in a major way. The studio recently opened a second office in the Saint-Roch neighbourhood, while it has also talked about its plans to hire 200 more people over time.

No new Dragon Age games have been announced, but just recently, BioWare teased that it might have some news to share very soon. This week, VentureBeat reported that Dragon Age 4 will be revealed at The Game Awards on Thursday evening, so keep checking back with GameSpot for more.

Season 7 of Fortnite is upon us. The new season kicks off on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile this Thursday, December 6. Ahead of that, developer Epic Games announced that it will be taking Fortnite servers offline early in the morning at 1 AM PT / 4 AM ET / 9 AM GMT as it rolls out the big Season 7 update.

Epic hasn’t provided an estimate for how long Thursday’s downtime will last, although previous maintenance periods have typically run a couple of hours. In any event, the new update looks like it’ll be a significant one, as Epic has been teasing that some major changes are in store for the hit battle royale game.

Just as it has every season, Epic will offer a new Battle Pass for purchase beginning Thursday, which gives you access to weekly challenges and can be leveled up to unlock new cosmetics and rewards. This time, Battle Pass holders will get another incentive; they’ll have early access to Fortnite Creative. The new mode will be available to everyone on December 13, but those who purchase the Season 7 Battle Pass will be able to jump in beginning December 6.

Beyond that, we don’t yet know what awaits in Season 7, although Epic has dropped some clues. The developer has been sharing teaser images each day leading up to the start of the season, confirming some sort of snow theme for the new season. The images have also depicted characters snowboarding and ziplining, while the latest featured a biplane hidden in the background, suggesting that an aerial vehicle may be on the way.

With Season 7 just around the corner, there’s only a little more time to finish any remaining challenges from Season 6 and unlock the final Battle Pass rewards. You can find tips and guides for all of the season’s tricker tasks in our complete Season 6 challenges roundup.

Authorities in Sweden raided the offices of Payday 2 and Overkill’s The Walking Dead developer/publisher Starbreeze today, detaining one person on insider trading charges. Multiple news outlets in Sweden reported today that the country’s Economic Crime Authority conducted a surprise raid of Starbreeze’s offices in Stockholm, seizing computers and other documents from the premises.

ECA communications rep Niklas Ahlgren confirmed to GI.biz that the organisation conducted a raid of Starbreeze’s office. “This morning officals from the Swedish Economic Crime Authority raided the offices of Starbreeze in Stockholm. One person was arrested and items were seized,” Ahlgren said. “The raid is part of an ongoing investigation involving suspected insider trading.”

The identity of the detained person was not disclosed, nor are further specifics about the charges against this person.

For its part, Starbreeze released a statement confirming that the raid took place “due to suspicions of insider charges.” Starbreeze said the company as a whole is not under investigation, however. Starbreeze also said it is cooperating fully with the ECA in this matter, adding that this raid “does not affect” Starbreeze’s plans to restructure its business in the wake of troubling financial times for the company.

Earlier this month, Starbreeze filed for “reconstruction” with the Stockholm District Court as a means to help itself secure its future financial position, though whether or not that happens remains to be seen. During the reconstruction period, Starbreeze will continue to pay salaries to its employees, and overall, its operations will “continue as usual.”

As part of the reconstruction, Starbreeze CEO Bo Andersson resigned from the company, while other members of the Board of Directors also left.

At the end of November, Starbreeze acknowledged that sales of its latest major game, the poorly received shooter Overkill’s The Walking Dead were lower than expected. The game launched in November for PC, but its Xbox One and PS4 editions were delayed. As a result of this, Starbreeze will not be able to recognise the $10 million license fee this quarter that 505 Games is paying Starbreeze for the console edition, which it is publishing.

In the wake of these financial challenges, Starbreeze announced it was launching an internal review of its business operations with the aim of reducing costs and focusing more on the core pillars of its business. Starbreeze said it’s expecting to see “significant cost savings” as a result of the re-focus. However, Starbreeze shared no specifics on how it would go about cutting costs, or if this move would result in any job losses.

“We have initiated a review of our costs to ensure better alignment with our revenues. We are designing a program towards that end, naturally while keeping a careful eye on revenue development. We must focus on our core business and ensure delivery of the company’s important games,” Starbreeze said.

Developer David Goldfarb, Payday 2’s former game director, responded to the news in a statement on Twitter. He called the situation a “disaster,” noting that he suspects management is responsible for the tough times.

GameSpot’s review of Overkill’s The Walking Dead scored the zombie shooter a 3/10. It’s getting mostly low review scores across the board.

“From its restrictive mission structures, unbalanced difficulty and frustrating means of progression, The Walking Dead struggles to justify the time it requires from you,” Alessandro Barbosa wrote. “It’s a collection gameplay blueprints stacked upon one another without thoughtful consideration on how they might cohesively work together, wrapped up in a dull presentation and mundane combat that very rarely excites. The Walking Dead is a mess of scattered ideas and a lack of direction, and there’s no reason to make sense of it all.”

It may have begun in an entirely different era of filmmaking, but the Predator franchise is still going strong over 30 years later. The latest entry, simply called The Predator, finds a vicious alien on Earth’s soil with a few genetic upgrades. Now it’s up to a group of former soldiers to stop it. It’s a delightfully violent action flick that Rafael Motamayor called “a bloody, funny mess” in our Predator review. The movie is available now on digital and is coming to 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD on December 18.

If you’d like a copy of The Predator to call your own, you probably have a few questions. Among them: when does it come out, where can you buy it, and how much does it cost? We have answers to all of those queries below, so let’s dive in.

Digital

If you want to watch The Predator at home right now, you can do so buy purchasing a digital copy. But if you can wait a few days, most of the disc-based versions also come with a digital copy.

The Predator 4K Ultra HD

This version of The Predator comes with 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and digital versions of the film.

The Predator Blu-Ray

The Blu-ray edition of The Predator also includes a DVD and digital copy of the movie.

The Predator DVD

Unlike the pricier editions, the DVD version of The Predator just comes with a DVD version of The Predator.

Predator 4-Movie Collection

Those in the mood to marathon the series (or pick it up as a holiday gift for the action-horror movie fan in your life) can grab the 4-movie collection. It comes with the 1987 original film, its 1990 sequel, the 2010 film Predators, and this year’s The Predator.

Digital

4K UHD

Blu-ray