This year’s mainline Call of Duty title is rumored to be Modern Warfare 4, but it’s not the only new Call of Duty game coming this year. Activision is releasing Call of Duty Mobile, and the company has now revealed the title’s Battle Royale mode. In a blog post, Activision said the mode is similar in structure to Black Ops 4‘s Blackout mode and other battle royale games in that players are dropped onto a “colossal map” and must fight until only one player–or one team–remains alive.
It does share some similarities with Blackout, but it stands alone with its own unique elements as well, Activision said. The high points are as following:
Up to 100 players supported
Solo, Duo, and four-player teams are being tested currently
There are six classes, each with their own unique ability and skill
You can revive teammates, who drop back into the map from a cargo plane after healing
You can play in first- or third-person, though this is locked in before a match begins, and players will be matched together with those using the same camera perspective.
The map features locations from past CoD games including Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops, and Black Ops II.
Vehicles are supported, including ATV, Light Helicopter, SUV, and Tactical Raft.
Call of Duty Mobile is only still in the “early” stages of development and testing, so things could change. That being said, Activision released some work-in-progress images; see them in the gallery below.
Defender: With the ability to place a deformable Transform Shield, this class also is Reinforced, raising resistance to all damage except bullets.
Mechanic: Able to call an EMP Drone to create electro-magnetic interference on hostile forces, this class also features the Engineer ability, granting augmented sight to vehicles, hostile traps, and other equipment.
Scout: Utilizing the Sensor Dart that can view hostile positions in the immediate area of the radar map, this class also benefits from the Tracker ability; allowing you to see fresh footprints of hostiles.
Clown: A master of distraction and friend of the undead, this class has a Toy Bomb to detonate, summoning zombies that only attack hostiles near to them; due in part to the Clown having the Anti-Zombieability, which reduces the zombies’ aggression distance.
Medic: This class can place a Medical Station that continuously heals the Medic and associated allies in the immediate vicinity. In addition, the Master Healer ability allows a Medic to heal more quickly, and reduces the time it takes to revive teammates.
Ninja: Lastly, this clandestine class has a Grapple Gun that fires a hook, allowing you to propel yourself up and onto target buildings or across the landscape at speed. Movement is quiet too, due to this class having the Dead Silence ability.
In terms of reviving, players who die drop a dog tag. Players can pick up the dog tag and press a button to revive their fallen teammate. It takes some time, and it must be completed fully before a player gets respawned via a cargo plane drop.
The full blog post has all the important details you need to know, so head to Activision’s website to read all about Call of Duty Mobile’s battle royale mode.
Call of Duty Mobile is developed by Tencent’s Timi studio. It will release around the world, and the first, small-scale beta recently began in India. Another beta is coming to Australia “soon,” with more regions to be supported later on.
E3 2019 is right around the corner. One of the biggest games at the show is Halo: Infinite, which is Microsoft’s ambitious new instalment in its long-running sci-fi blockbuster series.
It’s been almost four years since the release of Halo 5: Guardians, so it is high time that Microsoft begins to talk about and show off the next entry in the popular shooter series. Here’s what we know about the Xbox One and PC game, as well as what we’d hope to see from an E3 reveal.
What We Know So Far
Halo Infinite was officially announced a year ago at Microsoft’s E3 2018 briefing. Microsoft showcased an impressing-looking trailer not for the game itself, but rather, its brand-new engine, Slipspace. While it didn’t contain any gameplay, and we know nothing about the story, the trailer got Halo fans hyped for the long-awaited sequel to 2015’s Halo 5: Guardians.
While story details are being kept under wraps for now, Microsoft did confirm that Halo Infinite will tell a story that focuses more on Master Chief than Halo 5 did. As fans may recall, that title strayed from the franchise’s hero with a storyline that touched on another character, Agent Locke, and even had players fight as him for some parts of the campaign.
Putting more of an emphasis on Master Chief is the smart call by Microsoft, demonstrating a commitment to getting the story right this time around with Halo Infinite. Microsoft has acknowledged that Halo 5’s story was a letdown, so fans will be eager to see how the story grows and improves this time. For what it’s worth, Microsoft is telling fans to think of Halo Infinite as Halo 6 instead of some other kind of spin-off or other form of franchise extension beyond the main storyline. It is a “spiritual reboot” of the franchise, according to 343 studio boss Bonnie Ross.
Halo is best known for its multiplayer mode, but unfortunately no details are available at this stage beyond the news from years ago that it will feature local split-screen (huzzah!). Microsoft has said the new Slipspace Engine is capable of supporting numerous different modes, including battle royale (though that mode is not currently in development). You can expect Halo Infinite to bring back its classic team-based multiplayer, but with the Halo franchise generally understood to not as popular or strong as it once was, Microsoft will need to deliver something new and compelling in the multiplayer department to reignite interest in the aging series. Halo 5’s massive-scale, MOBA-style Warzone mode was a refreshing take on the Halo formula, and fans will be looking to see Halo Infinite innovate even further on the multiplayer side.
Another big thing to know about Halo Infinite is that it is coming to Xbox One (or the Xbox One family of consoles; more on that later) as well as PC. That’s notable because the Halo FPS series hasn’t been on PC since 2004’s Halo 2. Halo: The Master Chief Collection is coming this year to PC, so PC players are getting a double-dose of Halo goodness after all the years.
It is also worth noting that Halo Infinite isn’t being developed by 343 Industries alone. The studio has recruited SkyBox labs to help; the Vancouver-based studio also worked on Halo 5: Forge for Windows 10 and did the work on Halo 5’s Xbox One X enhancements.
Last year’s trailer for the Slipspace Engine was an exciting first look at what Halo Infinite could be, but Microsoft has yet to share any details on what the game actually is or what it looks like. It is time, at E3 2019, for Microsoft to release new details and gameplay footage for Halo Infinite. What’s the story going to be? What will multiplayer offer? How will the team expand on Forge? What is the big new hook to get people excited to return to the aging sci-fi series? We are hoping Microsoft answers these questions and more, even if the company is only willing to talk at a high level.
There is also the matter of the rumored next-generation Xbox and what Halo’s place is on it. The latest rumor is that Halo Infinite will be a launch title for the new Xbox in 2020, while also supporting the current model as well as a cross-generation title. No Halo game since Halo 1 has released as a launch title for a new Xbox, so it would be a big deal, and it makes sense for Microsoft to release Halo Infinite as a launch title for the next Xbox to help sales start strong.
Diminished as its role in the industry might have become, the Electronic Entertainment Expo–better known as E3–remains a major showcase for the games industry. It’s undeniably in a state of upheaval, as an increasing number of companies either have distanced themselves from it (such as Electronic Arts, which opts to hold its EA Play event nearby in the days leading up to E3 proper) or removed themselves entirely (such as Sony, which will seemingly go without any kind of big event or press conference this June). Nevertheless, E3 2019 will still have a number of major press conferences from companies like Microsoft and Bethesda, and the show floor remains home to many major publishers. But how did we get to this point?
In the ’90s, gaming was without a major event of its own; in place of such a thing, developers had a presence at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). But May 1995 saw the debut of gaming’s own industry trade show in the form of E3. It was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, a site that has served as the home for the vast majority of the show’s existence. Until recent years, E3 has been closed completely to the public, serving instead as a meeting place for members of the industry and press, along with retailers. That distinction was reflected in its attendance: Even at its peak, E3 paled in comparison to the sheer size of something like Germany’s Gamescom, which is open to the public.
Press conferences held in the days prior to E3 have long served as the preeminent place for making announcements and revealing games. E3 has been home to the unveiling of major games and hardware over the past two decades. Despite the existence of other major events, like Gamescom and the Tokyo Game Show, it’s traditionally been E3 that publishers save their biggest news for.
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But the last decade-plus has proven to be challenging, as the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the industry’s trade association that organizes E3, tries to figure out exactly what the show should be. From 2007-2008, it downsized the event significantly to what was known as the E3 Media and Business Summit. 2009 saw the event revert back to something closer to its former self, and more recent years have seen an increasing amount of access granted to members of the public, who had previously been unable to attend. To some degree, it’s muddled the purpose of the show; E3 is in something of an awkward middle ground now where it’s expected to simultaneously fulfill its prior role and serve as a fan event. Whereas a show like Gamescom has a day open only to industry members and the press, E3 does not. Instead, it has a few hours during the first two of its three days where the doors are not open to the public. Meanwhile, for members of the public that do attend, the reality often amounts to standing in very long lines and watching the press conferences online like those at home. It’s not really ideal for anyone.
Further complicating the purpose of E3 have been various shifts in how the industry works. Free-to-play games, games as a service, and longer console generations, combined with companies’ ability to showcase their wares through events like PlayStation Experience and Nintendo Direct, have called into question whether an event like E3, conceived during a much different era of video games, continues to be the best use of resources.
Case in point: Sony, which has typically had one of the largest presences at E3 and was responsible for one of its most significant press conferences, has opted out of E3 2019 entirely. This move comes after Sony’s atypical 2018 showing, which was criticized by some for the fact that it focused almost exclusively on four upcoming PS4 games, rather than the much wider slate we’d usually see.
Explaining the rationale behind its decision not to attend E3 2019, Sony told GameSpot last year, “As the industry evolves, Sony Interactive Entertainment continues to look for inventive opportunities to engage the community. PlayStation fans mean the world to us and we always want to innovate, think differently and experiment with new ways to delight gamers. As a result, we have decided not to participate in E3 in 2019. We are exploring new and familiar ways to engage our community in 2019 and can’t wait to share our plans with you.”
Subsequently, Sony Worldwide Studios head Shawn Layden expanded even further on the diminished role E3 serves. “Now we have an event in February called Destination PlayStation, where we bring all retailers and third-party partners to come hear the story for the year,” he said. “They’re making purchasing discussions in February. June, now, is just too late to have a Christmas holiday discussion with retailers. So retail has really dropped off. And journalists now, with the internet and the fact that 24/7 there is game news, it’s lost its impact around that.”
“So the trade show became a trade show without a lot of trade activity. The world has changed, but E3 hasn’t necessarily changed with it,” he added.
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It remains to be seen what Sony’s plans for “new and familiar ways to engage” fans will look like. While it’s unusual for one of the three console manufacturers to not be at E3, some of the industry’s major publishers already sit it out. Rockstar doesn’t attend E3 in a public capacity, only having a presence during Microsoft or Sony press conferences when it has a game to showcase. Activision has already pulled out of E3 2019, though we do know that this year’s Call of Duty game will be discussed at the E3 Coliseum. This is a series of panels and discussions hosted by Geoff Keighley that anyone at E3 can attend. While it’s by no means equivalent to the various publishers’ press conferences, the Coliseum is home to some reveals and–as it’s open to fans at the show–feels like E3 continuing to try to figure out what it is in the modern day.
It’s not as if all of the major players have dropped out, however. Microsoft has pledged to “go big” at E3 2019. Nintendo will also be in there in a similar capacity to recent years, although it continues to use pre-recorded Nintendo Direct events rather than the live press conference it held in the past. Microsoft continues to go the live route, while EA has exited E3 and launched an event that takes place in the days prior. Other companies–including Bethesda and Square Enix–have stepped in to fill that gap with their own E3 briefings, alongside smaller publishers like Devolver. There’s also the possibility for Google, which is entering the industry with Stadia, to have an EA Play-style showcase around the time of E3, although it doesn’t appear that will come during E3 proper.
We don’t yet know what the future of E3 looks like. The ESA has faced its own issues, as detailed in a recent Variety report. Since that story was published, the group has named a new CEO, Stanley Pierre-Louis, who has spoken enthusiastically about E3. But he’ll be faced with addressing questions of whether the group that lobbies on behalf of the games industry in Washington should also be in charge of organizing a continually evolving trade show.
E3 could have been facing a significant change as soon as next year; E3 2019 had been the last show confirmed for the LACC, but that deal has since been extended to 2023, so we won’t see it moving to a different venue or city for at least a few more years. In the meantime, more companies could decide to drop out, as they decide the cost and trouble isn’t worth it–keep in mind, it’s not cheap to put on an E3 show, not to mention the impact it has on development as studios are forced to divert resources toward creating demos, trailers, and so on. And there are now more options than ever for sharing news, including the annual PSX and The Game Awards; Sony and Microsoft testing the waters with their own Nintendo Direct-style broadcasts throughout the year; and a new show in August from The Game Awards organizers called Gamescom: Opening Night Live. As a result, companies have more flexibility than ever to showcase their games when they’re ready to do so, rather than forcing an E3 demo or trailer out the door in June, regardless of when it would make the most sense to do so.
Only time will tell what future E3s will look like or how long it will continue to exist, but in the meantime, stick around GameSpot for in-depth coverage of whatever this year’s show brings, and check out the video above for a deep dive into the history of E3.
It’s nearly a year since Jamie Foxx and Jeremy Renner were announced as the stars of the Spawn movie reboot, and there have been very few updates about the project since. Now Todd McFarlane, who created the demonic anti-hero for a series of hugely popular comic books in the 1990s and is set to write and direct the movie, has spoken about the delays to the film.
In an interview with comicbook.com, McFarlane revealed that little has happened in the past year and script agreement between the film’s financiers was proving to be an issue. “[We’re in] about the same spot,” he said. “The money’s sitting on the sidelines ready to go. I just need to get everyone that wants to put in money to shake their heads to the same script.
“As you can imagine, everyone has a slightly different version of it in their head. You just go and trying to appease a handful of people while not giving in to what it is that I’m trying to do myself. Because if I have to change it too much, I’ll just walk away from it all.”
McFarlane’s Spawn movie has been in the works for several years. In 2017 it was reported that the film would be produced by horror specialists Blumhouse Films, and that the budget would only be around $10 million, in order for McFarlane to make the film he wants. Foxx was announced in the lead role in May last year, while Renner joined as Detective “Twitch” Williams in July.
While McFarlane has not been specific about the current script issues, it doesn’t exactly sound like he wants to make a crowd-pleasing comic book adventure. In an interview earlier this year, McFarlane explained that the movie would contain “no joy.” He added: “There’s gonna be no fun lines in it, and it’s just gonna be this dark, ugly two hours’ worth of movie, which is essentially what a lot of supernatural/horror movies are anyway.”
The Spawn comic book was first published in 1992 and was massively popular, with the first issue selling 1.7 million copies. However, the 1997 film adaptation received a negative critical reception and underperformed commercially.
Week 3’s challenges of Fortnite Season 9 are now live across PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile, giving you another chance to earn Battle Stars and unlock this season’s new Battle Pass rewards. Not only can you get your hands on some cool skins and other cosmetics by completing challenges, you’ll also unlock a special loading screen if you manage to finish all seven tasks from a given week. These loading screens typically contain a clue that leads you to a free item hidden somewhere around the map, like an extra Battle Star that will level your Battle Pass up by one tier.
You’ll be able to find one of these Battle Stars if you complete three weeks’ worth of challenges this season. This time, the Star will be hidden in Junk Junction, atop a pile of broken-down cars. Head to the area, make your way to the top of the car pile, and the Battle Star will appear. You can see exactly where it’s hidden in the video above. We’ve also put together a Week 3 secret Battle Star guide that has a map and more details explaining how to get this week’s freebie. Remember, though, this Battle Star will only appear if you’ve purchased a Season 9 Battle Pass and completed three full weeks’ worth of challenges.
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The fabled “Apple Tax” seems to have relaxed recently, particularly in the cases of the Apple Watch and the Apple Air Pods. Both items, in their various iterations, have seen discounted prices as of late.
On top of that, Amazon is offering savings on refurbished MacBook Pro models today, both the 256GB and the 512GB. They’re the Touch Bar-equipped versions, too, and they’re marked down from their already-lower “renewed” price.
Another new comic book day has come and gone. If you want to know what the biggest and most noteworthy comics of the week were, you’ve come to the right place.
Scroll down to hear about some of our favorite plot twists and new debuts, and to read our new reviews and editorials. And as always, be sure to let us know your favorite books in the comments below.
Warning: this article contains spoilers for Detective Comics #1004!
Star Wars Stories The Phantom Menace Made Possible
This past weekend marked the 20th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. It may be one of the more divisive Star Wars movies, but it also opened up a wealth of new storytelling opportunities for the franchise. We spotlighted some of the books and novels that only exist because Episode I made them possible.
