Category: Games

Activision and Bungie broke up recently, with Bungie getting the rights to Destiny and announcing it will self-publish the sci-fi series going forward. Now, for the first time Destiny’s franchise director, Luke Smith, is speaking out about the breakup and what it means. OK, so Smith did already respond with a fiery tweet, but this is his first full statement on the matter.

Speaking on behalf of the Destiny team, Smith started off his note by thanking Activision for supporting Bungie and the Destiny franchise over the years. Bungie and Activision locked down a 10-year publishing deal back in 2010 for a game that we now know is Destiny. The first game was released in 2014 with a sequel arriving in 2017, in addition to numerous expansions. Activision was behind Destiny and Bungie in a big way, even if the relationship isn’t continuing. Smith also thanked Destiny support studios High Moon and Vicarious Visions, the latter of which continues to work on a new piece of content for Destiny 2. Smith teased that Vicarious Visions is “currently readying their Destiny swan song with content that will appear in the upcoming Season of [Redacted].”

After this, however, it remains to be seen if Bungie will enlist the help of other outside studios to work on new Destiny content or if Bungie will develop everything in-house. We also don’t know what this move means for High Moon and Vicarious Visions; it’s possible that the studios, which are owned by Activision, will shift to other projects within the publisher.

On a short-term basis, Smith said Bungie is committed to releasing all of the Annual Pass content for Destiny 2 that it promised to deliver. Smith also said Destiny 2’s recent Black Armory release was a learning experience of sorts for Bungie.

“We’ve learned a lot from Black Armory that we will apply to future releases, most notably that we’d like the beginning experiences of content drops to be a better point of convergence for the playerbase,” he said. “In Black Armory, we set the Power requirement for the first forge too high, and that meant it wasn’t a great chance to jump into some new content. We want to find the line between new content that many players can play, and aspirational content for players to progress toward. We’re exploring improvements to catch-up mechanics for players in upcoming seasons.”

On a longer timeline, Smith said Destiny fans can rest assured that Bungie is “committed to Destiny.” Now that Activision is out of the picture, Bungie controls its destiny (sorry).

“We created the universe and we hold its future entirely in our hands,” Smith said. “The vast majority of the team is hard at work envisioning future experiences, enemies, and ways to play the Guardian you’ve been building since 2014. We’re going to keep doing that.”

Without the help of an established, global publishing leader like Activision, it sounds like Bungie is moving fast to determine the best way forward.

“We’re thinking about what it means to be truly independent, what it means to self-publish, and crucially, what Destiny’s future can now look like for our players,” Smith said. “It was a busy Fall, and it is going to be a busy year. When I look ahead and think about Destiny and where it could go, I see a bright future, with roots in a memorable past. Not everything has been lost in the dark corners of time. See you soon.”

On the immediate horizon for Destiny are changes to Super Abilities, and fine-tuning for weapon balance in the forthcoming 2.1.4 update. A number of changes for the Black Armory are also planned for the next update; head to Bungie’s website to see a full rundown of the changes.

Destiny 3 is expected to launch in 2020, according to an analyst, who also said Bungie likely paid Activision a fee to end its publishing arrangement. In addition to more Destiny content, Bungie recently raised $100 million from Chinese internet company NetEase for non-Destiny projects, so it seems the studio is keeping itself very busy these days.

The NFL has announced who will sing the national anthem at Super Bowl LIII next month. The “Empress of Soul,” Gladys Knight, will sing the tune, following Pink last year.

Knight won seven Grammy awards and is known for songs like “Midnight Train to Georgia” and “That’s What Friends Are For.” Knight hails from Atlanta, Georgia, the site of this year’s Super Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz stadium. The NFL interviewed Knight about her singing the anthem this year, and she says she hopes the anthem carries even more weight this year given the controversy and discussion about racial inequality and Colin Kaepernick.

Knight expanded in an interview with Variety, telling the site that she’s saddened by the current climate and how the anthem is entangled in it.

“I understand that Mr. Kaepernick is protesting two things, and they are police violence and injustice,” she said. “It is unfortunate that our National Anthem has been dragged into this debate when the distinctive senses of the National Anthem and fighting for justice should each stand alone.

“I am here today and on Sunday, Feb. 3 to give the Anthem back its voice, to stand for that historic choice of words, the way it unites us when we hear it and to free it from the same prejudices and struggles I have fought long and hard for all my life, from walking back hallways, from marching with our social leaders, from using my voice for good–I have been in the forefront of this battle longer than most of those voicing their opinions to win the right to sing our country’s Anthem on a stage as large as the Super Bowl LIII.”

She added: “I pray that this National Anthem will bring us all together in a way never before witnessed and we can move forward and untangle these truths which mean so much to all of us.”

In other Super Bowl LIII news, it was recently confirmed that Maroon 5 will headline the halftime show, with Big Boi and Travis Scott also set to appearing as supporting acts. Jay-Z, Cardi B, and Rihanna said no to performing at the Super Bowl as a show of solidarity with Kaepernick. Kaepernick made headlines when he kneeled during the National Anthem in protest of the racial inequality in the United States, and he hasn’t played professionally since 2017.

Scott told Billboard that he only agreed to performing at the Super Bowl if the football league agreed to make a donation to an organisation fighting for social justice. Scott himself donated $500,000 to Dream Corps.

Super Bowl LIII takes place on Sunday, February 3, from Atlanta, Georgia. You can watch the game on TV or stream it through CBSSports.com.

For more on Super Bowl LIII, check out CBS Sports’ Super Bowl hub. You can also stream more CBS content through the new CBS All Access streaming package.

GameSpot and CBS are sister companies.

Sam Elliott’s next movie The Man Who Killed Hitler And Then Bigfoot is coming out soon, and now it’s received a new trailer. As the title suggests, the movie stars Elliot as the man who killed Hitler during World War II but couldn’t tell anyone about it. Decades later, the governments of the United States and Canada call on him to take down another foe: Bigfoot.

In this timeline, Bigfoot carries a disease capable of wiping out humanity. Elliott’s character, Calvin Barr, is finally coming to terms with his life when he’s called back to fight the beast.

“Bigfoot has been living deep in the Canadian wilderness and carrying a deadly plague that is now threatening to spread to the general population. Relying on the same skills that he honed during the war, Calvin must set out to save the free world yet again,” reads a line from the movie’s official description.

The Man Who Killed Hitler And Then Bigfoot also stars Aiden Turner (The Hobbit trilogy), Caitlin FitzGerald (Masters of Sex), Larry Miller (10 Things I Hate About You), and Ron Livingston (Office Space). The film was written and directed by Robert Krzykowski; this is his feature debut. Douglas Trumbull, a multi-Oscar winning effects legend who worked on Blade Runner, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, worked on the film’s visual effects.

The film originally premiered at the Fantasia film festival in 2018. It comes to theatres and digital stores on February 8.

Elliott has been acting since the ’60s. He’s perhaps best known for his roles in the films Roadhouse and The Big Lebowski. More recently, he starred in A Star Is Born with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

It’s been a very big day for Mortal Kombat 11, and things aren’t slowing down yet. Embedded in this post (above and below) are some new gameplay videos for the much-anticipated fighting game showing off Sub-Zero, Raiden, Sonya, and more.

The Sonya vs. Raiden match below is particularly impressive to watch, as it’s a fight between the professional players SonicFox and Rewind. Check it out below.

In addition to the characters, NetherRealm shared some details about Mortal Kombat 11’s story, which takes place after the events of 2015’s Mortal Kombat X. The developer also demonstrated some of the gruesome new fatalities in the game.

Mortal Kombat 11 is on the way for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. The game is slated to launch on April 23, and those who pre-order it will get a bonus character: Shao Kahn. Reserving the game for either PS4 and Xbox One will also get you access to an upcoming beta, which is scheduled to take place on March 28.

For lots more on Mortal Kombat 11, check out the stories linked below.

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It is said that the last entry in a film trilogy is usually the worst. For every The Dark Knight or Spider-Man 2, there’s a Spider-Man 3 or a The Godfather Part III. Once in a while, though, we get a War for the Planet of the Apes or a Toy Story 3, which encapsulate everything that audiences loved about the first two movies in a satisfying conclusion. Now, DreamWorks has a new winner on their hands with How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, a film that is not only as good as its predecessors but even surpasses them at certain points. It’s an action-packed film of epic proportions that will also bring a tear or two to your eyes.

While the story of the trilogy takes place in the span of six years, for audiences it’s been nine years since the first How To Train Your Dragon came out. Like with Harry Potter or Toy Story, audiences have grown up watching Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and Toothless for almost a decade, and the characters have come of age with us. Just as the wizarding world and the talking-toy world, The Hidden World teaches us that all things must come to a bittersweet end.

We are first reunited with Hiccup and his gang of Scottish-accented Vikings Astrid (America Ferrera), Snotlout (Jonah Hill), Ruffnut (Kristen Wiig), and Tuffnut (Justin Rupple, replacing T.J. Miller) as they raid a hunting ship in an attempt to rescue trapped dragons. It’s an action-packed scene that sets the stage for some epic set-pieces, but also the social commentary at the core of The Hidden World.

You see, Hiccup has now taken over the title of chieftain from his late father, Stoick (luckily, we still get to hear Gerard Butler’s performance via flashback) in the year since the previous installment. He also achieved his dream of a having humans and dragon living together in a harmonious utopia. The problem? There are too many dragons on the island of Berk, which is disrupting the peace and quiet Vikings are notoriously known for. Their exploits have also attracted too much attention to the village, and heavily increased the number of threats that may end their peaceful existence. This includes Grimmel the Grisly (F. Murray Abraham), a ruthless dragon hunter that wants to see the entire species dead and has a particular interest in Nightfuries like Toothless. While it’s understandable for the film to save time and focus on our heroes, one can’t help but wish they had spent a little more time developing Grimmel beyond being evil, even if F. Murray Abraham excels as it.

What does Hiccup do? Well, he decides Berk is not a place, but a people–maybe not those exact words, but the Thor: Ragnarok comparisons are too clear to ignore–and thinks they all should leave their home of seven generations in search of a mythical dragon paradise that may or may not exist. Before he gets there, he will have to face his biggest challenge yet: raging dragon hormones. As it turns out, the gang discovers a female Nightfury who is more than a mere distraction for Hiccup’s best friend, Toothless.

Toothless’ comedic attempts at wooing his newfound love interest is the highlight of the film. The Hidden World, once again written and directed by Dean DeBlois, finally realized that Toothless is due his time in the spotlight, so a good part of the film is devoted to the sweet yet humorous dragon courtship. There is no dialogue, only the dance of dragon hormones and all the ridiculous things Toothless thinks are part of their mating ritual. This is well contrasted with Hiccup’s disastrous obliviousness to everyone’s advice to finally settle down and make his relationship with Astrid (America Ferrera) into something permanent, despite her being as equally suited to rule Berk, as well as tactical planning and fighting, as he is. Unfortunately, the focus on the duo’s storylines means the rest of the ensemble gets somewhat pushed to the side, even if DeBlois tries to give each character a moment to shine — one particular highlight is Kristen Wiig’s performance as Ruffnut, who gets a rousing monologue about how annoying she is that will have entire theaters in stitches.

The Hidden World shows not only the changing physique of its characters and the maturity that comes with it (Hiccup grows a spectacular beard that will become the topic of many hot takes), but also how much its computer-generated visuals have evolved throughout the years. From the impressively detailed destruction by dragon fire, to the softness of the characters’ hair to the fluidity of the dragon dances, and especially the photo-realism of the action choreography, it is all quite exquisite.

Given that each installment in the trilogy has introduced us to a new and better-looking dragon world, it isn’t surprising that the titular hidden world is the most magnificent locale in the film. In an awe-inspiring scene that you’ll want to see multiple times to fully appreciate, the film showcases a Pandora-esque world filled with stunning landscapes with photorealistic waterfalls, caves, and forest that would make James Cameron jealous. It is no surprise to know that Oscar-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins (Blade Runner 2049) serves as the franchise’s visual consultant when the movie looks this good.

When it comes to the action, The Hidden World sits up there with Lord of the Rings and the third Pirates of the Caribbean (really) as being able to do epic-scale battles just as well as intimate, one-on-one fights. There is no giant dragon boss battle this time, and the film is all the better for it. The battle scenes are as thrilling as they look stunning, thanks to the film’s brilliant use of light and shadow, and John Powell’s powerful and spirited score.

The How to Train Your Dragon franchise has always found the right balance between action and emotion. The Hidden World strikes a bittersweet chord in exploring how adulthood inevitably leads to an exciting and uncertain future, but also how it means that some things, even dragons, must come to an end. Just as Hiccup, audiences will find it hard to say goodbye to one of the best and most consistent franchises in the last decade.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is in theaters on February 22.

BioWare released a new trailer for Anthem, its upcoming third-person shooter/action RPG. The video is the first part of a series devoted to explaining the gameplay mechanics and features of Anthem.

In this first part, BioWare discusses the upcoming game’s story, progression, and customization. The bulk of the video is devoted to the latter two topics, and discusses the different playstyles, loadouts, and abilities of Anthem’s four Javelins: Ranger, Interceptor, Colossus, and Storm.

You’ll start with the Ranger in Anthem, but you’ll have the chance to build all four Javelins–and multiple versions of them too–by the time you’re done with the game’s story. Ranger is built for precision play, relying on a variety of abilities and weapons to target specific enemies. Interceptor is fast and has the strongest melee attacks, allowing it to launch into battle and deal massive damage before ducking out of harm’s way. Colossus is best suited for the front lines, and can withstand devastating attacks with its heavy armor and massive shield. Finally, Storm’s elemental attacks makes it one of the most powerful Javelins, but it’s lack of armor ensures it remains a glass cannon.

Each Javelin can be customized to fulfill multiple roles. Ranger, for example, can be outfitted to survive on its own with a balanced assortment of weapons for solo play. However, if playing with a team, you could either customize the suit with tech that makes it your squad’s damage dealer or pick support abilities that ensures everyone remains alive.

BioWare ended the trailer promising that the next part in the series would offer details on “the expanding shared world of Anthem and its massive end game, including a look at [the game’s] strongholds.”

Anthem is scheduled to release on February 22 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. If you pre-order the game, you can play an exclusive VIP demo on January 25.

Having increased its number of subscribers and overall revenue for the latest quarter, Netflix is doing quite well as of late. But now the company says it could have done even better if it weren’t for a little game called Fortnite.

In the “Competition” section of a letter to investors today, Netflix succinctly said, “We compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO” as it relates to screen time.

Analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities thinks Netflix’s popularity measurement against Netflix was “downright idiotic.” Time is a finite commodity, and Pachter points out that Netflix also competes against school, work, and defecating.

Not everyone agrees with Pachter’s point, however, as Amazon Studios’ former head of strategy Matthew Ball argues that Fortnite’s huge popularity is impacting Netflix. He shared how he probably would have finished the new season of Narcos were it not for all the time he spent playing Fortnite. Looking at your own life, you can probably remember a time when your latest obsession–be it a video game or anything else–impacted how much time you spent with another activity. It’s impossible to confirm specifically how Fortnite is impacting Netflix viewing, but few games have ever been as popular as Fortnite, so there has surely been some effect.

For its part, Netflix acknowledged that there are “thousands of competitors” in the marketplace trying to entertain consumers, and Fortnite is just one of them. The company said it is not focused on responding to competitors but rather on improving the experience and value of the offering, which would theoretically get more people to sign up.

Netflix has 139 million subscribers by the network’s latest count. The company continues to pour money into new, original shows to help separate itself from the onslaught of new competitors in the streaming space. One of Netflix’s newest shows is Space Force from Steve Carell and other key minds behind The Office.