Category: Games

The reason we picked April 8th as the day to have the powdered/coifed Rex Manning visit Empire is because Kurt was found on the 8th of April, the day the music of the 90s lost its mascot.#RexManningDay

— Ethan Embry (@EmbryEthan) April 8, 2018

A major update for Borderlands 3 and its Director’s Cut add-on goes live today at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET, and it introduces many new changes to the game. The main pieces of new content to the Director’s Cut include the new raid boss Hemovorous and a series of murder mysteries investigated by Ava.

In addition to these fresh adventures, Director’s Cut owners can now take advantage of a new progression system known as Vault Cards. Vault Cards allow players to unlock themed cosmetics and scaled gear based on completing daily and weekly challenges. The update also adds gear to the Designer’s Cut, as well as cosmetic packs for those who own Season Pass 2. The Director’s Cut and Designer’s Cut are included in Season Pass 2, which is a $30 paid DLC.

In terms of base game content, the update introduces Maurice’s Black Market Vending Machine, a hidden vendor who sells legendary loot, and whose location changes every week. Additionally, players can look out for Crazy Earl’s Reroll Machine, which allows you to reroll an existing anointment on any piece of gear. This patch makes many wide-ranging changes to the game, so check out the full patch notes below for all the details.

Where To Buy Borderlands 3 Season Pass 2

In other Borderlands news, we recently learned that Dutch actor Olivier Richters will play the leader of the “psycho bandits” in the film based on the hit series. Franchise developer Gearbox was recently sold to the Embracer Group, which the company says will allow it to develop new intellectual properties.

Borderlands April 8 Update Patch Notes

New Content included in Director’s Cut:

Added support for the new Raid Boss: Hemovorous the Invincible

• Hemovorous has made her lair behind a previously sealed door on Pandora, and Director’s Cut is your chance to go toe-to-pincer with this monstrous enemy!
• To take on Hemovorous, players will need to complete the main story campaign and own the Director’s Cut content. You will receive the raid mission from inside Claptrap’s closet on Sanctuary III. It will cost 500 Eridium for your group to open the door, giving you the opportunity for new loot if you succeed.

Added support for Ava’s Murder Mysteries

• Ava is convinced she has a lead on some potentially supernatural slayings and has decided to document her findings in serialized podcast form. Consider yourself her gun-toting co-host as you investigate strange happenings on Pandora, Promethea, Eden-6, and Nekrotafeyo in search of answers (and loot) with the help of some familiar faces.

Added Behind-the-Scenes Content

• A new menu option is available to Director’s Cut owners! Explore a gallery full of concept art, storyboards, lost maps, and footage from throughout the game’s development—including a very special animatic for Maya that wasn’t able to make it to Borderlands 3.

Added support for Vault Cards and their rewards, and implements the first Vault Card of three

• Vault Cards are a new challenge-based progression system in Borderlands 3 that will unlock a bevy of themed cosmetics plus some supremely powerful gear that scales to your level.
• The Vault Cards will have three Daily Challenges and one multi-tiered Weekly Challenge each.
• The Daily Challenges will reset at 9:00 AM PT every day and the Weekly Challenges will reset at 9:00 AM PT every Thursday

New Content for Designer’s Cut & Season Pass 2:

• Added four new pieces of gear to Arms Race for players with the Designer’s Cut
• Added the Disciples of the Vault cosmetic packs for players with Season Pass 2

Each character-specific Disciples of the Vault pack includes a one-of-a-kind Vault Hunter Body and matching Head, which you can mix and match with any other customization options you have in your collection.

New Base Game Content

Added support for the Maurice’s Black Market Vending Machine

• Maurice’s Black Market Vending Machine is offering different top-tier Legendary loot that will be hiding in a new location each week (excluding DLC maps)
• This vending machine will relocate at 9:00 AM PT every Thursday

Added support for Crazy Earl’s Reroll Machine

• For 250 Eridium, you will be able to reroll an existing Anointment on any piece of gear—but beware: you can’t take it back once you’ve rerolled your Anointment!
• This machine will be permanently located near Crazy Earl on Sanctuary III

Opened the Diamond Armory on Sanctuary III

• Located under the Bridge on Sanctuary III, the Diamond Armory opens a whole room of loot
• The room is activated with the use of a Diamond Key, which are rare rewards that can be obtained through Vault Cards!

Gameplay

• Updated the R.Y.N.A.H. to be able to roll with Anointments
• Updated Broken Hearts Day weapons to be able to roll with Anointments
• Updated Heavy damage Artifacts to properly increase Heavy weapon damage
• Updated Action Skill Active Anointments so that switching to an ASA-Anointed weapon while the Action Skill is active benefits from the Anointment
• Addressed a reported concern that all players would not hear the Eridian log in the medical bay after “The First Vault” mission
• Updated DLC2, DLC3, and DLC4 to properly scale with the player’s level in True Vault Hunter Mode
• Updated the Eridium Jars in Moxxi’s Heist of The Handsome Jackpot to appear correctly for all players
• Renamed the Operative’s “Critical Mass” Class Mod to its proper name: Spy

“Critical Mass” is a new class mod in Director’s Cut; the name was switched along the way somewhere and this change corrects that!

• Updated the HOT Spring Legendary grenade from the Designer’s Cut to show correct textures
• Addressed a reported issue that was causing downed players to stay in FFYL after being revived in Arms Race
• Addressed a reported issue that was causing skill points gained during Arms Race to not be granted properly
• Added an indicator that a player is spectating in Arms Race after dying
• Addressed noticeable hitching throughout the game when players were engaged in heavy battle
• Updated timed events to grant current event rewards if the player played the previous year
• Updated Captain Haunt to prevent him from staying invincible if his phylacteries (what a word) were destroyed too quickly. Players will not see this change until the Bloody Harvest returns!
• Added hotfixes to the game permanently

Vault Hunter Changes

• Updated Moze the Gunner’s Harmonious Havoc ability to award the proper amount of damage after entering FFYL
• Updated Amara the Siren’s Phasegrasp skill to correctly activate when doing damage in situations where it cannot grab enemies (like bosses)
• Updated the Siren’s Phaseflare Orb to activate properly when aiming at the ground, using an Action Skill, and switching weapons at the same time
• Modified the Siren’s Remnant skill projectile to have its own damage source
• Updated the Remnant skill to only allow gun and Action Skill damage to pass through in a Remnant Orb, to match the item card
• Updated FL4K the Beastmaster’s Cmdl3t class mod to trigger on bullet, melee, and skill damage
• Updated the Beastmaster’s ION Loader pet to follow moving enemies when using the Eye Laser Attack
• Updated the Beastmaster’s “Bad Astra” skin in the Quick Change to use the correct icon

Platform Specific Changes:

PC

• Updated the friends list on Epic versions of Borderlands 3 to not display friends that do not exist

Consoles

• Updated the edge detection for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X
• Addressed a reported issue in split-screen that was causing some art and text to crossover into the bottom screen
• Updated icons to display properly in the ECHOmap in split-screen
• Updated the Operative’s “Double Barrel” skill to show the full effect in split-screen

PlayStation

• Addressed a reported issue that was causing the “Tales from the Eridian Slab” and “Master of All You Survey” trophies to sometimes not unlock on PlayStation 5. Players that have completed these requirements should have the trophy awarded next time they play Borderlands 3 after updating
• Addressed a reported issue that was causing Guardian Rank to reset when transferring save data between PS4 and PS5
• Added a screen to obscure SHiFT menus on PlayStation 5 when streaming
• Addressed a reported issue that was causing some players to be unable to search for other players after starting matchmaking
• Addressed various system errors that would sometimes display when PlayStation 4 players had Slow HDD on
• Addressed a reported issue that was sometimes causing player character, level, and map location to not be shown in multiplayer

Xbox

• Addressed a reported issue that was causing some Xbox users to be unable to join their friend’s game from an invite while the game was not open
• Addressed a reported issue that was allowing some Xbox players to continue playing online without an active Xbox Gold subscription
• Improved server consolidation on Xbox

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.

This week’s GTA Online update has plenty of worthwhile rewards for players of the GTA V multiplayer game. An iconic piece of rallying history, a daredevil’s signature suit, and big rewards were all detailed in the latest blog post from Rockstar Games, which you can read highlights of below.

Free Vehicle Giveaway

Head down to Southern San Andreas Super Autos any time this week from April 8-15, and you can pick up a Lampadati Tropos Rallye for free. As its name suggests, it’s a rally car first and a road vehicle second but it’ll still be an impressive addition to your garage with its rallycross pedigree.

Triple rewards on Hunting Pack, Freemode Challenges, and more

Players engaging in the Hunting Pack mode, which involves taking down a booby-trapped vehicle or keeping precious cargo out of harm’s way, can earn triple the usual cash and Reputation Points rewards this week. Freemode Challenges will also offer increased rewards across all sorts of various trials, such as the Longest Wheelie challenge, Vehicles Stolen challenge, and more until April 14.

Double rewards on Transform Races

Using cars, planes, trucks, jets, and jetpacks to score a first-place win in Transform races will pay out handsomely, with participants able to bag double the cash and Reputation Points this week.

Free Jock Cranley suits

Stuntman-turned-politician-turned-commentator Jock Cranley has a unique wardrobe, and if you’re looking to emulate his death-defying style then you can pick up official gold, silver, pink, and black jumpsuits for free.

On the Podium This Week: Blista Kanjo

Over at the Diamond Casino & Resort, a spin of the lucky wheel could see you drive off with a hot hatchback in the form of a Blista Kanjo. Other prizes include cash, RP, clothing, and more in case you aren’t fortunate enough to walk away with the Japanese classic.

Discounts

This week you can take 40% off the price of all high-end apartment properties, 50% off all Mark II weapon upgrades, and several discounts off of a variety of vehicles.

Gallery

• High-End Apartment properties – 40%
• Mark II weapon upgrades – 50%
• Grotti Cheetah Classic vehicle – 30%
• Vapid Winky vehicle – 30%
• HVY Insurgent vehicle – 40%
• HVY Insurgent pick-up vehicle – 40%
• Lampadati Casco vehicle – 40%
• Obey Omnis vehicle – 40%

Prime Gaming bonuses and benefits

Prime Gaming members will receive THE Kosatka submarine’s Sonar Station for free, $200,000 in GTA cash, 80% off the Annis Savestra, 35% off the Vapid Slamtruck and 40% off the Maibatsu Manchez Scout motorbike.

The Open Beta Test for the upcoming Resident Evil multiplayer game mode, RE: Verse, has been temporarily suspended due to matchmaking troubles.

【Regarding the RE:Verse OBT】 As we are still seeing issues with RE:Verse OBT matchmaking service, we have decided that until further notice to temporarily suspend the OBT to resolve the problem. We will continue to investigate, and we apologize for any inconvenience caused.

— Capcom Dev 1 (@dev1_official) April 8, 2021

Announced on Twitter, Capcom Development Division 1 explained that it is still seeing issues with the RE: Verse beta matchmaking service. The team is continuing to investigate the problem, but without an immediate solution the decision has been made to temporarily suspend the beta.

The beta will be suspended “until further notice”, with no new dates mentioned. It seems like we can only expect a rescheduled beta period for RE: Verse when the problem has been resolved and matchmaking is working.

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RE: Verse is the multiplayer component of the upcoming Resident Evil Village, and will allow players to take on the roles of classic Resident Evil characters in a deathmatch-like mode. The open beta test for RE: Verse was due to start on April 7, but matchmaking problems have meant players have struggled to get involved.

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Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Datamining of a recent Nintendo Switch update could suggest that the console will get a new dock for a 4K version of the console, and that it may see an update to allow for Bluetooth audio.

Dataminer OatmealDome has pointed out that the Switch’s 12.0.0 update contains references to potentially unannounced features. While Nintendo’s patch notes only say that a save data backup bug has been fixed, fans looking through the update files have remarked on other changes.

OatmealDome initially spotted that the update seems to allow for the Switch’s dock to be updated itself – something that shouldn’t be necessary given how basic the components in the dock are. However, hexkyz on Twitter pointed out that the use of the term ‘crda’ in the firmware seems to stand for “Cradle Aula” – ‘Cradle’ being the internal term for the Switch dock, and ‘Aula’ being a purported codename for the much-rumoured 4K Switch upgrade.

OatmealDome also points to a new internal setting – ‘4kdp_preferred_over_usb30’ – that could relate to a 4K display port output, something that would only be needed in a Switch upgrade. While none of the above is certain, and firmware settings can be implemented without ever being used, the idea of a new dock and 4K output tallies with the idea of new, potentially more expensive Switch model.

[Nintendo Switch Firmware Update]

About my earlier tweet about update 12.0.0 being able to upgrade the dock firmware…

There is also this setting:

“is_crda_fw_update_supported”

“CrdA” = Cradle (Dock) for Aula. Aula is the codename for the new model.

(Thanks to @hexkyz!) https://t.co/USSPCbG20q pic.twitter.com/gwsOZdmg6b

— OatmealDome (@OatmealDome) April 6, 2021

Separately, the dataminer has shown off that the firmware update adds audio support to the Switch’s Bluetooth driver. Bluetooth audio has been a much requested feature since the Switch’s launch – allowing players to use wireless headsets rather than the 3.5mm jack – and its possible that update would finally allow it to work.

However, the dataminer makes clear that they’re not sure anything on the console uses it at this point and, as with the dock changes, it could end up never being utilised at all. It is possible, of course, that a Switch upgrade would add the feature however (and mainly-docked players like me would be very happy about that).

While impossible to confirm officially at this time, if Nintendo is working on a new Switch, it stands to reason that it would look to implement internal upgrades to support it ahead of release.

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Rumours of a so-called Switch Pro model have persisted for a long time, with Nintendo going as far as saying it wouldn’t announce a new model ‘anytime soon’, and analysts remaining conflicted on a 2021 release.

However, with the company reportedly expecting a second year of record sales, it may be that a new model is seen as a means to boosting software sales. We’ve also looked into whether a rumoured new chip will help the Switch keep up with PS5 and Xbox Series X.

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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].

Arkane and Bethesda have announced that Deathloop has been delayed once more, pushing the time-looping immersive sim back to September 2021.

In a video and written statement, game director Dinga Bakaba and art director Sebastien Mitton explained that Arkane has made the decision to delay Deathoop from May 21 to September 14, 2021.

pic.twitter.com/f0OWWxdUkt

— DEATHLOOP (@deathloop) April 8, 2021

“We’re committed to quality and preserving our team’s ambitions for Deathloop while ensuring the health and safety of everyone at Arkane,” reads the statement. “We’ll be using this extra time to accomplish our goal: create a fun, stylish, and mind-bending player experience.”

Originally, Deathloop was intended to release in the launch window of the PlayStation 5, and so was expected around November/December 2020. Arkane delayed the project to Q2 2021, settling on the May 21 date. But now we’ll have to wait a few more months, with September 14 being the new date.

As for the game release calendar, this moves Deathloop away from the upcoming Resident Evil Village and Mass Effect Legendary edition, so there’s now more space in your calendar for those.

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For more on Arkane’s fascinating new game, check out the full presentation on Deathloop from IGN Fan Fest earlier this year, where we learned that players will once again be able to use powers similar to those in Dishonored to succeed in their quest of breaking the time loop.

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Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Regé-Jean Page has spoken out after a report alleged that he was rejected from a role in Syfy’s Superman spin-off series Krypton because of his race.

A report from The Hollywood Reporter published on Tuesday alleged that Page had previously auditioned for the role of Superman’s grandfather in Krypton because, according to multiple sources, the creators of the show had expressed that they were “passionate about doing some nontraditional casting” for the show, which was later cancelled after just two seasons on the air.

After auditioning for the part, Page is said to have missed out on the role because former DC Films chairman Geoff Johns, who was overseeing the series at the time, allegedly “vetoed the idea,” with sources claiming that Johns had stated that Superman “could not have a black grandfather.” Reps for Johns have since weighed in on the report, denying that he ever made such a comment.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Page appeared to address the report that had circulated just one day earlier, as he shared a message that seemingly referenced the allegations. “Hearing about these conversations hurts no less now than it did back then,” he wrote. “The clarifications almost hurt more tbh. Still just doing my thing. Still we do the work. We still fly.”

A rep for Johns told E! News: “Geoff never said Superman can’t have a Black ancestor or be Black—there have been diverse versions of Superman throughout the comics for decades so he does and can be diverse. However, the expectation for Krypton was that it would initially be perceived as a possible prequel to Man of Steel by the fans and the lead was expected to invoke a young Henry Cavill.”

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While Cameron Cuffe ultimately landed the Seg-El role, Page went on to play Simon Bassett in Bridgerton, Netflix’s Regency era debutante drama. In IGN’s review of the series, Bridgerton was awarded a nine out of 10, with particular praise being given for the “impeccable” chemistry between Page’s mysterious and conflicted Basset and Phoebe Dynevor’s Daphne Bridgerton.

However, Page will not be returning for Bridgerton Season 2. Bridgerton’s official Twitter page shared a letter from Lady Whisteldown to announce the news last week. “We bid adieu to Rege-Jean Page, who so triumphantly played the Duke of Hastings,” the post read. “We’ll miss Simon’s presence onscreen, but he will always be a part of the Bridgerton family.”

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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Co-developers Dotemu, Lizardcube, and Guard Crush Games have announced that Streets of Rage 4 is to receive a new game mode, characters, and customisation options across two DLC packages; a paid-for pack and a free update.

The paid-for Mr. X Nightmare DLC adds three new playable characters and a survival mode. All three characters have yet to be revealed, but the DLC announcement trailer reveals that Estel Aguirre, who was an enemy character in Street of Rage 4’s campaign, will now be a playable fighter. As for the new survival mode, the developers promise challenges and special tests of skills. As with the DLC characters, an air of mystery has been left over the details, so we’ll have to wait to find out more.

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This premium DLC pack also includes the ability to customise the fighting style of each character, allowing players to choose new moves. During levels, players will also find new weapons and enemies to contend with.

A separate, free update will also introduce the New Mania+ difficulty level to offer a “brutal challenge” for experienced players, while a new training system will help people perfect combos. It also adds new colour palette options for characters.

Dotemu has not announced a release date for either the paid-for DLC or free update, only going as far as to say they will be available later this year.

If Streets of Rage 4 hasn’t caught your eye so far, be sure to check out our review. And if you’re already a fan, check out how to unlock every retro level.

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Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

SpongeBob collectable memes first became a thing in 2019 to some fanfare, and subsequently, rapidly fell out of stock, becoming unavailable for quite some time. Well, if you missed out then, you’re in luck. Most figures are now available, and there are even some brand new entries to check out.

Among the new figures is Tired SpongeBob, priced at $19.99 and now in stock and available at Amazon. Other figures available include Handsome Squidward, Surprised Patrick, and Mocking SpongeBob. Dabbing Squidward IRL figure is another new figure in 2021, but is currently out of stock at the time of writing, disappointing we know.

New SpongeBob Collectables Meme Figures Now Available

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We’ll keep a keen eye out for the Dabbing Squidward IRL figure, as it seems like it could end up being the most popular out of the whole bunch. For live updates on collectable stock, next-gen consoles, and more, check out @IGNDeals on Twitter.

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Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. Send him awesome gaming screenshots @robertliam21 on Twitter.

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