How To Connect Xbox One Controller To Xbox Series X|S

If you just got a new Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, you might be in a rush to go out and buy more controllers for it. After all, game systems have almost all only come with one controller dating back to the Sega Genesis. However, even though the Series X|S follows suit, the Xbox One controller is fully compatible with both systems. You can use it not only for playing Xbox One games on the newer consoles, but also all Xbox Series X|S games, which is different from how the PS5 supports DualShock 4 controllers.

How to connect Xbox One controller to Xbox Series X|S

Xbox One controllers lack the share button in the center.
Xbox One controllers lack the share button in the center.

The controllers are so similar, in fact, that you won’t see one labeled “Xbox One” or “Xbox Series X” when you purchase a new controller. Instead, they’re labeled “Xbox Wireless Controller” and can be used across either generation.

Turn the controller on like you would if using it with Xbox One–press the Xbox button and it will start to flash. From there, press the pairing button on the console itself. The small, circular button is located right next to the front USB port on Xbox Series X and in a similar spot on the Series S.

Pair button location on both versions.
Pair button location on both versions.

Next, hold down the pairing button on the controller. It’s located on the top of the controller near the USB port, and you’ll see the Xbox button start to flash rapidly. Within a few seconds it should stay solid, meaning the controller is paired.

You can alternatively connect the controller via a USB cable (either USB-C or micro-USB, depending on the controller) to pair it with your system and reduce latency. This can be helpful if you’re playing fighting or sports games, and all you have to do is connect the cable to the USB port on your controller and the system.

A small warning

One problem we’ve encountered in the past can make pairing a controller a headache, and it oddly has nothing to do with the controller itself. If using certain faulty external hard drives (in our case, it was a Seagate model) some of the Xbox Series X’s functions will not work until it is removed. This includes pairing a controller, even if it previously worked without issue on the system. Should your controller suddenly disconnect upon startup and you’re using an external drive, try unplugging it first.

Before Psychonauts 2, Snag The Original Mind-Bending Platformer For Just $1

Ahead of the launch of Psychonauts 2, players can catch up on the game’s crude, mind-bending story by picking up Psychonauts for dirt cheap. The 2005 release is currently the cheapest a game will usually go before just being free, costing just $1.

The discount, in effect for the next five days, doesn’t apply to every platform Psychonauts is currently listed on. Customers can pick the game up for Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S on the Microsoft Store as well as for PC via Steam at its discounted price. On the PlayStation Store, however, Psychonauts still costs $10.

Now Playing: Psychonauts 2 – Summer 2021 Story Trailer

Of course, Psychonauts is also included with Xbox Game Pass, so if you’re already a subscriber, you can jump in and see what the game’s about right now. If you’re not currently signed up, you can get your first month for $1, so it’s an equally great way to get access to Psychonauts (and the library of 100+ other games). Plus, you’ll automatically have access to Psychonauts 2 when it launches August 25.

The Psychonauts virtual reality adventure Rhombus of Ruin is also heavily discounted until Psychonauts 2’s release. The game, which usually costs $20, is currently down to just $2. As a VR-only title, though, customers will need either a VIVE, Oculus, or other PC-compatible VR headset to play, and it can only be purchased on Steam.

Psychonauts 2, the long-awaited sequel to Psychonauts 1, was originally announced back in 2015 during that year’s Game Awards show. However, without a publisher to fund the game, developer Double Fine turned to a crowdfunding platform called Fig, asking players for a whopping $3.3 million. By the time the crowdfunding campaign had ended, more than 24,000 backers had given Double Fine over $3.8 million to make Psychonauts 2.

Likewise, Psychonauts 2 was meant to release in 2018. The game was delayed year after year until finally settling into its current 2021 release date. That date isn’t changing either, with Psychonauts 2 going gold on August 6.

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GTA Online’s Latest Update Adds Go-Karts With Guns

When it comes to Rockstar’s methodology for creating new vehicles for GTA Online, there seem to be two main themes: the developer will either make something go as fast as possible or attach guns to it. This week’s GTA Online update shows that Rockstar has gone with the latter, adding weaponized go-karts to the massively popular title.

Today’s update was shared via a post on the Rockstar Newswire, but we’ve detailed it below.

Extreme go-karting

Kart Krash throws players and heavily armed go-karts into an arena
Kart Krash throws players and heavily armed go-karts into an arena

The main addition to GTA Online this week is Kart Krash: Full Auto, a new adversary mode. As the game’s name implies, players are given weaponized go-karts and tasked with taking out any other tiny vehicles they see. As a bit of extra incentive, anyone playing a game of Kart Krash: Full Auto this week will earn twice the usual cash and XP, regardless of how they place.

Big wheels

Players can test drive the Karin Sultan RS Classic, Pfister Growler, and Vulcar Warrener HKR this week
Players can test drive the Karin Sultan RS Classic, Pfister Growler, and Vulcar Warrener HKR this week

Players who don’t care for anything that can’t hit 200 MPH still have something to look forward to this week in GTA Online. The game is getting yet another new car, the Pfister Growler, which can be purchased from Legendary Motorsport. Additionally, LS Car Meet members that place in the top five of 10 LS Car Meet Series Races will drive away with a Vapid Dominator GTT.

LS Car Meet members that want to try out some new wheels before committing to anything can take a couple of new cars for a spin this week too. The unreleased Karin Sultan RS Classic, Pfister Growler, and the Vulcar Warrener HKR are all available for test drives.

Back to basics

Players can earn twice the cash and XP from returning cars on the Exotic Export list or by robbing their local stores

Players looking to get back to their thieving roots can walk away with a little extra scratch this week. Auto Shop owners can return cars on the Exotic Exports list for twice the cash and XP, and the same goes for anyone that decides to hold up their local liquor store or snack shop.

Discounts on new rides

This week’s list of discounts in GTA Online forgo the usual price drop for property and instead focus on vehicles. Here’s what players can get for cheap this week in GTA Online:

  • Karin Futo GTX – 30% off
  • Dinka Veto Classic -30% off
  • BF Weevil – 40% off
  • HVY Nightshark – 40% off
  • Kosatka submarine – 30% off
  • Pegassi Toreador – 30% off
  • Sea Sparrow – 30% off

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NHL 22 Revealed With New Engine, X-Factor Abilities, And Auston Matthews On The Cover

EA Sports has officially announced NHL 22, and it delivers some notable changes over last year’s game as it properly makes the jump to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S for the first time. Auston Matthews is on the cover once again, following his appearance on the cover for NHL 20.

The biggest thing to know about NHL 22, which releases in October, is that it runs on EA’s Frostbite engine, which also powers the Madden and FIFA sports franchises, along with DICE’s Battlefield series. The other topline takeaway is that NHL 22 introduces new X-Factor abilities that were popularized in the Madden series to introduce a new layer of strategy on the ice.

EA is saving deep dives on NHL 22’s Franchise, Be A Pro, and HUT modes for later, while we’ll also have to wait to hear more about what’s new for updates to stick controls. This initial announcement is all about high level details, and this starts with X-Factor abilities.

X-Factors

Inspired by Madden, X-Factor abilities are meant to elevate the superstars of hockey and add a new meta to the game. These are broken down into two buckets: Zone abilities and Superstar abilities. Zone abilities are what defines a player; they are unique skills based on what they are known for, and they are limited to one per player. Superstar abilities, meanwhile, are less powerful and one player can be assigned multiple abilities.

For example, Matthews’ “Shock & Awe” Zone ability is meant to represent his skill and style on the ice. Matthews is known for disguising his shots with his trademark curl and drag shot. When he’s using the Shock & Awe ability, opponents must recognize this and counter it, because it’s almost guaranteed to give Matthews a good scoring chance. Now, the goalie or defender might be in a good position to stop Matthews in this scenario, and he won’t score, but the idea is about giving players an edge on the ice to give themselves the best possible chance to score.

The ice, in particular, shines running on Frostbite
The ice, in particular, shines running on Frostbite

Gallery

“How do we enable the players to feel different, and have a Matthews or McDavid or insert superstar name X, Y, Z, and how do we bring them to life? Avid hockey fans may or may not know all the players on different teams and around the league. That’s just the reality. Whereas with the NBA, it’s a very superstar-driven league,” producer Clement Kwong tells GameSpot. “So [with NHL 22], we wanted the opportunity to tell those stories in our game, and for players to learn more about other superstars around the league.”

The top 50 players in NHL 22 will have Zone abilities, EA says. As for Superstar abilities, more than 100 players in NHL 22 will have these based on their on-ice skills. Some examples include “Make It Snappy,” which gives the player a great snap shot in stride; “Seeing Eye,” which makes it easier to shoot through screens; and “Third Eye,” which helps players complete passes. Another one is called “Tape to Tape,” and it’s also meant to increase the likelihood of completing a pass; and “Puck on a String,” which gives your player better stick handling attributes. These extend to goalies, too, as superstar goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning has an ability called “Contortionist” that gives him better save range and recovery to make flashy saves.

These Superstar abilities will be front and center in NHL 22, starting at the main menu, and spanning each game mode. The idea, Kwong tells GameSpot, is to help the average hockey fan learn more about players on other teams and what skills they are known for. Superstar and Zone abilities will also be the focus of new broadcast commentary, with the commentary team breaking the fourth wall and discussing them. The name of the specific ability will also pop up when you score.

In Franchise mode, the addition of X-Factors will add to the scouting meta, EA says, because players will want to consider the specific skillset of players and factor that into the overall line chemistry to draft the best team possible. In Be A Pro mode, the story will include X-Factors, too, as players will earn new abilities as they progress and become a better player. In Hockey Ultimate Team, there will be a new class of cards for players who have Zone and X-Factor abilities, which EA says could result in a meaningful gameplay impact.

Next-Gen Visuals

Another major new advancement for NHL 22 is its new engine, Frostbite, which promises to help make the game look better compared to previous editions that ran on Ignite. All indoor and outdoor venues have been touched up to make environments and atmosphere appear more realistic. Additionally, player models are improved in the area of facial hair specifically. As you can see in the trailer, Matthews’ iconic mustache and stubble comes through better than last year. Ice hockey players are known for having great hair, or flow in the hockey lingo, and while NHL 22 delivers some improvements here, it’s more foundational work for what’s to come in future releases.

“Step one was using the new shaders and lighting for realistically lit hair. The next step in the future is probably individual animation of hair,” Kwong said. “Where you can really get the player, whether they’re skating indoors or outdoors, with the flow and seeing that animated, we haven’t quite gone there yet, but we’ve taken the first step of introducing more realistic hair lighting. And as part of the global head upgrade, we’ve also upgraded all of the facial hair shading. So the playoff beards, the handlebars, just to name a few, those get upgraded as well.”

A first look inside the Seattle Kraken's new arena
A first look inside the Seattle Kraken’s new arena

Environments in NHL 22 now use deferred lighting, while all 32 arenas and outdoor areas have been rebuilt and relit. Another major improvement is that the ice looks crisper and more realistic, with the logos and emblems under the ice now looking more like they are under the ice instead of plastered on top. For outdoor environments, there are enhanced particle and visual effects, and based on a video GameSpot saw, it does look much better.

Players on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S are getting a better experience based on the power of the new machines, but EA stressed that all platforms will see a substantial improvement in graphics. Producer Sean Ramjagsingh said the team understands that new consoles have been hard to come by due in part to the ongoing semiconductor shortage, so it was important for the team to make NHL 22 on PS4/Xbox One a first-rate experience as well. Here is a breakdown of the differences between console platforms when it comes to visuals.

All Platforms

  • Deferred lighting everywhere
  • Improved VFX
  • Post FX
  • Particle FX
  • Ice improvements
  • Shadows
  • Dynamic Ambient Occlusion

Next-Gen Only

  • Dynamic lighting + enhanced shadows
  • Microdetails
  • Enhanced effects

Player likenesses for more than 100 skaters has been improved to better reflect how players actually look in the last NHL season. Skin and eye shading is improved as well. Additionally, the upgrades apply to jerseys and equipment, too–every fabric and stitch should look better, EA says, while the new dynamic lighting aims to help jerseys have more texture and depth.

Erik Karlsson in NHL 22

Gallery

In terms of what EA called “microdetails,” every jersey, pant, and sock is now rendered in a higher resolution so that each stitch is visible. Not only that, but the cloth on jerseys will more accurately respond to player movement and the environment, and overall, player models should look more authentic and true to life. Similar to the overall graphics and presentation boost mentioned above, NHL 22 will shine the brightest on next-gen platforms when it comes to these kinds of microdetails. Here is a breakdown:

All Platforms

  • Overhauled player likeness
  • Uniform improvements
  • Hair shader upgrades
  • Eye shading and eye animation upgrades
  • Enhanced procedural awareness
  • Improved skin shading
  • Cloth animation

Next Gen

  • Facial animation on all heads
  • Micro detail on gear
  • Higher fidelity cloth simulation
  • Dynamic lighting on cloth and characters.

“Going to a new engine was a multi-year project,” Kwong said. “We knew the new consoles were coming so we actually started Frostbite even during the early days of NHL 21. Getting the game up and running was the first priority and the second priority was not losing any of our key features.”

Kwong also acknowledged that the ongoing semiconductor shortages that are impacting the supply of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S played a role in EA’s decision to make the PS4/Xbox One edition of the game as good as it could be instead of leaving it behind.

“Where do we think these consoles are going to land? How do we think this pandemic is going affect supply chain?” Kwong said he remembers thinking early on in the development of NHL 22. “And nobody really knew but what we did know from the last console transition was that plenty of our players still have their console hardware and are still enjoying the game [there]. And from other titles, they’re jumping back to the game on the previous console because more friends are playing, so for social reasons. We knew that was going to be the likely case, and we didn’t want to leave anybody behind for any reason.

“So that was the key factor in driving the product decision in terms of having parity across Gen 4 and Gen 5, and obviously on the higher end where there is a premium benefit for playing on the Gen 5 hardware, to push the limits and drive further immersion.”

New AR Presentation

In a bid to present more information to players in a non-obtrusive way, NHL 22 has a new “augmented reality” style of motion graphics that float in space over the ice or are attached to character models. Modern TV broadcasts are doing this already, but EA’s game appears to be going further based on what we’ve seen so far. For example, during a faceoff, you’ll see the circle divided in two, with key information for each player displayed in a color corresponding to their team. When you get a penalty, the infraction, name of the player, and duration of the penalty will be displayed over the glass in the box itself.

World of Chel Updates

Perhaps the biggest change coming to World of Chel, which is NHL’s social hub of sorts, is that your custom character can now use X-Factor abilities. They get one default Zone ability to begin with, with more unlocked over time as you progress. Additionally, the user experience had a lot of friction with last year’s game, and NHL 22 aims to streamline the experience to help you get into games faster. For example, the matchmaking lobby, or “dressing room” as it’s called, will now be constantly running in the background so you don’t need to leave the hub to matchmake.

More To Come

As mentioned earlier, EA Sports plans to announce more details about NHL 22 in the days and weeks ahead leading up to launch. Today’s announcement was meant to provide the high-level takeaways for what to expect this year, while follow-up breakdowns will focus on specific improvements on things like gameplay, Be A Pro, and more.

Release Date

NHL 22 launches worldwide on October 15. There is the standard edition and the X-Factor Edition, which comes with dual entitlement to the game across generations of consoles. The premium edition also unlocks three days early (October 12) and comes with HUT packs.

Vizio MQ6 Quantum Review

How much do you expect out of a television that costs $680 for 65-inches and $580 for 55-inches? If it supports 4K and comes with important game-mode features like auto low latency (ALLM) and variable refresh rate (in this case AMD Freesync), what else does it need? Those are the questions you’re going to have to answer for yourself when considering the Vizio MQ6 Quantum television.

Even for its extremely competitive pricing, I still have certain expectations when it comes to gaming performance and overall features. I want good color reproduction, HDMI 2.1, and a good range of viewing angles. The MQ6 has those. I also expect support for up to 120Hz, solid HDR performance, and decent black levels. The MQ6 doesn’t deliver those.

It feels like a television that may have made one too many concessions in order to meet a price tier Vizio really wanted to be in.

As a result, the television offers a mixed feature set that will only appeal to a specific subset of customers looking for a gaming television. It’s not a bad overall television, but many gamers – especially those who also expect it to be a great movie-watching television – will be disappointed by its offerings and performance nonetheless.

Vizio MQ6 – Design and Features

Vizio has been absolutely slaying it in recent years when it comes to the look of its displays, and the MQ6 is no exception. For the purposes of this review, we had the 55-inch model. From the front, this is a very pretty television. The top, left, and right bezels are thin and nearly nonexistent while the bottom features a sleek one-inch-tall bump that frames the screen nicely, and is home to the Vizio logo in the lower right hand corner.

The feet are made of plastic, and while they didn’t feel great out of the box, once they’re on the television and the whole setup is on a media console, they look the part.

The backside of the television, which few will often see, is rather thick of a modern 2021 television, but it’s not what I would call “ugly.” It’s fine, and at least it’s not just a large, rounded bulge that seems to be the default for most manufacturers. The power cable is permanently affixed to the back of the TV on the left side (when facing the MQ6) while the three HDMI 2.1 cables (one of which supports eARC) are on the right side.

Overall, the Vizio MQ6 features a very simple design that looks really nice.

Vizio MQ6 – Remote

Voice control finally comes to Vizio, and the wait was worth it. Vizio’s implementation of voice control into a remote that looks very similar to last year’s designs is a welcome addition, and in testing it worked great and very rarely misunderstood me. Voice control makes browsing YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, and other streaming services so much easier than the previous method of manually punching in letters with the navigation buttons. Once you move to voice control, you never want to go back.

The new voice control button slides between the back and closed captioning buttons and above the volume rocker, which makes it easy to find at just below dead center on the remote.

I personally like Vizio’s remote because it doesn’t waste space with unnecessary buttons and functions. While some people like the larger remotes with lots of classic inputs, I find that 99 percent of the time, I just need volume, voice control, and navigation buttons. Everything else is superfluous.

Vizio includes six pre-installed shortcut buttons which may change over time, but IGN’s review unit featured Peacock, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Crackle, and Tubi.

Vizio MQ6 – Software and Interface

Vizio wonderfully overhauled Smartcast last year and the platform is still great. The interface is snappy and there are a ton of streaming apps to choose from. One note for those who have never used Smartcast before: there is no “marketplace” to download apps. Everything the TV can have is pre-installed, so if you don’t see a service listed, it isn’t supported on the platform.

While Smartcast does come loaded with most of the apps customers will be looking for, it still doesn’t have everything. Missing last year and still missing in 2021 are either Cruncyroll or Funimation, the top anime streaming apps. This is not going to be a big deal for many people, but if you are trying to stay caught up on One Piece or rewatch Naruto, you’ll have to find another way to get it on screen. Luckily, the MQ6 does support Airplay and Google Cast.

Vizio MQ6 – Picture Quality

While the MQ6 looks nice and has great features, the picture quality is where that $680 price for 65 inches starts to show itself. You can only get so much for that low of a price.

The color is pretty good (Vizio promises 75% of P3 color gamut which is great for a TV of this price) and that is likely due to the use of Quantum dots on this panel, which is what the “Q” stands for in the television’s name. Color tonality also seems improved, as there was not any issue with the lean towards magenta that the P-Series Quantum from last year had. The color isn’t going to win any awards, but most customers looking for a TV in this tier will be overjoyed with the quality.

But as solid as the color reproduction is, there are other issues.

First, Vizio doesn’t publish how many local dimming zones the MQ6 has, instead just referring to it as a “full array” backlight. In practice, there do not appear to be very many of them and they also appear rather large, as the television has some serious halo issues. You won’t notice it too much when playing video games, but if you are ever watching anything in ultra wide format with captions, you’re going to see a halo of light around those bright white letters. To illustrate, just looking at the “no input detected” screen should give you an idea of how bad the situation is on the MQ6.

Second, it does have some light stuttering that is usually easy to ignore, but it can be seen in slow-panning shots in low frame rate footage (like the 24 frames per second that is common in Hollywood films). I didn’t notice it much at all in gaming, gratefully. The panel does have a hard time with moire, though. Moire is a “wavy” visual phenomenon that occurs when there are closely-packed vertical lines in an image, the MQ6 will show them to some degree in any setting I tried. The television’s default picture mode will make them unbearable, but once you turn down the artificial sharpening and move from Standard to Calibrated modes, the moire is a lot less obtrusive. Still, it’s there.

Third, the black levels aren’t great which means overall contrast is what I would call “middling.” It’s not by any means bad, but you will notice that scenes that should be deep black will shade more towards very dark grey or even have a bit of a blue hue to them, which can lead to a bit of a washed out look. That said, this is actually ok for competitive games where you don’t want shadows to be completely lost and I found games like Apex Legends to actually benefit from this. Coming from a monitor that I specifically tune to have weaker contrast so that I get a more even look at a scene, the MQ6 looks a bit better actually. For movies though, especially those in Dolby Vision or other HDR modes, it’s not the best.

That brings up the fourth issue: dynamic range. Especially in gaming on the PlayStation 5, the MQ6 absolutely struggled to properly display a range of lighting conditions in a single scene. Specifically in The Last of Us Part II, which I tested in the new 4K at 60 frames per second mode on the PlayStation 5, the strong mix of bright sunlight shining down through a dark forest or the shadows of a destroyed building looked akin to trying to immediately adjust your eyes in bright sunlight after sitting in a dark closet for half an hour. This issue was present both with HDR on and off.

The MQ6 struggled to display highlight detail at the same time as shadow detail, which meant that either the highlights were totally blown out and devoid of detail, or the shadows became very dark as the television attempted to bring that detail back. While both occur, it’s more highlights that are a problem than shadows.

I think what’s worse than the loss of detail, though, is having to endure watching the MQ6 attempt to adjust its backlight in real time during a game. Whenever a mixed lighting scene appeared, the television would take a few seconds to adjust brightness in a scene – which involves over-brightening shadows and then toning them back right after as it tries to darken highlights and then bring them back to a correct exposure – which is immersion breaking and visually annoying as exposure levels would jump around as I tried to navigate an area.

I will say this issue was not present in every game I played and was most dominantly an issue in The Last of Us Part II. I tested this on other displays to make sure it wasn’t an issue with the game itself, but no other television or monitor exhibited this phenomenon.

Finally, the screen itself is very, very reflective which means it is a glare magnet. It’s also not particularly bright, so you’ll get the most mileage out of the MQ6 in a dark room.

It’s not all bad though, as the panel uniformity issues as well as poor viewing angles that I noted in last year’s P-Series Quantum model appears to at least be improved. The MQ6 panel has some minor uniformity issues (our unit had a darker lower left hand corner for example) and I found that while sitting dead-on straight to the television was always best, slightly angled viewing situations were not nearly as bad as they have been on past televisions. Extreme angles are still a no-no, but slight angles are tolerable.

Vizio MQ6 – Gaming Performance

While the MQ6 has three HDMI ports and all of them are HDMI 2.1, the panel’s limitation to 60 hertz means that the only benefits gamers will see involve ALLM and Freesync, though the benefits of variable refresh rate are curtailed by that frame rate cap.

As far as 60 frames per second gaming goes though, the MQ6 handles them like a champ. I tested Apex Legends, The Last of Us Part II, and Destiny II on the television and all of them felt snappy and responsive. Other than the HDR issues I note above, the MQ6 is great for those who don’t see the benefit of exceeding 60 frames per second gaming. Those folks are the ones who predominantly play single player games, and for them the MQ6 will work well.

Vizio MQ6 – Sound Quality

Most sound out of modern televisions is bad, but the MQ6 takes the cake here: sound quality is awful on this television. I always recommend getting some kind of external sound system and in this case it’s a must: this might be the worst sounding television I’ve reviewed in some time. Not only is audio totally bereft of any low-end, the overall EQ seems to be off. I don’t have much else to say: get a sound bar.

NHL 22 Announced For Next-Gen Consoles With a New Engine and Other Enhancements

NHL 22 will be skating on to the Xbox Series X/S and PS5 in October, EA announced today, marking the hockey sim’s debut on the new console generation. In so doing it will transition to the Frostbite Engine, joining Madden and FIFA on EA’s proprietary engine.

The engine update is a long time coming. Where FIFA transitioned to Frostbite in 2016, and Madden made the move the year after, NHL steadfastly stuck with the Ignite Engine introduced at the beginning of the PS4 and Xbox One generation. Doing so allowed it to avoid the myriad tech issues suffered by Madden and FIFA, but also left it looking noticeably dated.

Speaking with IGN, NHL producer Clement Kong says “now is really the time” to move to Frostbite now that the series is headed to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. He says the team is also conscious of avoiding the pitfalls that Madden and FIFA had to overcome.

“[Madden and FIFA] had big challenges going into Frostbite,” Kwong says. “Fortunately for us, even during work from home, Frostbite has been a multi-year project […] we’ve been integrating it very smoothly.”

He continues, “We want to prioritize not losing feature and being able to add features. So we’ve really had an eye on the lessons that we learned from the previous generation transition and falling into that trap.”

In moving to the Frostbite Engine, the NHL team is rebuilding all of the arenas around the new lighting engine, allowing for enhanced particle and visual effects on the ice and elsewhere. The character models are also being redone, which should be a relief to a fans tired of the caveman-like players populating many of the teams.

But while there will be enhancements across the board to the actual visuals, don’t expect big improvements to the animation or player interactions. “One thing that we didn’t show was procedural awareness: so eye tracking, being aware of where the puck is, facial animation… those are all new features specific to the PS5 and Xbox Series X,” Kwong says. “But in terms of overall gameplay animation, that hasn’t really changed yet. I would expect now that we’re on the Frostbite Engine now, we want to really drive that immersion and build on what we have.”

NHL 22 takes a page from Madden

NHL 22’s gameplay changes will mostly be down to X-Factors, which are the other new feature being introduced for this version. Madden fans know X-Factors well, as they’ve been a gameplay staple for a couple years now. They represent special abilities granted to superstars like Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who will also grace this year’s cover.

When Matthews meets the prerequisites for activating his “Zone” ability, he will be get access to perks like Shock & Awe, which can give him “exceptional power and accuracy shooting out of a deke.” Superstar players also have access to secondary abilities that impact puck pickups and deflections.

X-Factors were well-received when they were introduced in Madden 20, and EA is hoping some of that shine rubs off on NHL as well. They will go a long way toward differentiating the stars from the scrubs — a recurring problem for NHL over the years. Kwong says that the top 50 NHL players wlil have a Zone ability, including goalies.

Outside of Zone abilities and the move to the Frostbite Engine, NHL 22 will be updating the presentation, introducing AR elements that are intended to be eye-catching while keeping the game flowing. No three stars or players walking down the tunnel, but the NHL development team will consider those improvements as they “continue to expand on [NHL’s] visuals year over year.”

Kwong also revealed that World of Chel — NHL’s casual-focused outdoor mode — is NHL’s most-played feature, and NHL 22 would feature an “always-on dressing room” to make it easier to gather with friends. Not much else was revealed about franchise mode and Be a Pro save that they will include more scenarios and support for the Seattle Kraken, but that more info will shared soon.

However, NHL will not include GM Connected, the online league system that was cut in the move to the PS4 and Xbox One. “We took a really long, hard look at this feature, knowing that we’d have to prioritize the move to Frostbite,” Kwong says, saying that the feature is “on the list of long-term projects” and that “we know the community is asking for it.”

As for the previous generation version, Kwong says that there will be “full feature parity” between the last generation and current generation versions, with the Xbox One and PS4 version also moving to the Frostbite Engine. Similar to FIFA and Madden, NHL 22 will include a Dual Entitlement system, meaning PS4 and Xbox One owners who pre-order the more expensive “X-Factor Edition” will be able to update to the newer consoles for free. However, only Hockey Ultimate Team progress will be transferrable, with the various career modes being locked to whatever console you start them on.

NHL 22 will release October 15 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, and Xbox One.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN. Her only wish is for the Wild to lift the Stanley Cup at some point in her lifetime.

Harry Potter 8-Film Collector’s Edition in 4K Is Up for Preorder

A new collection of the Harry Potter movies in 4K is up for preorder, and it looks pretty great. Called the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Anniversary 8-Film Collector’s Edition (see it at Amazon), it’s a 17-disc behemoth that includes all eight films on both 4K UHD and Blu-ray. It also has a 32-page behind-the-scenes booklet and comes packaged in a box that looks like the Hogwarts Express.

Preorder Harry Potter Anniversary 4K Film Collection

The collector’s edition is meant to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first film in the series. (How’s that for a reminder that we’re all old and getting older?) In addition to the films and booklet, it comes with a replica of a Hogwarts Express ticket, and The Harry Potter Magical Movie Mode on Blu-ray.

The Harry Potter Magical Movie Mode is a new collection of “fun activities and curiosities.” It contains a Hogwarts Trivia Challenge that lets you prove your Wizarding World mastery, plus spell incantations, director’s commentary, and an in-depth look at the magical creatures and artifacts from the film.

This isn’t the first time the Harry Potter series has appeared in 4K (that would be this collection), but the new one has some cool extras you or someone on your gift list may appreciate.

Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.

Call Of Duty: Vanguard Dev Could Expand Beyond Call Of Duty Someday

Since its founding in 2009, Sledgehammer Games has exclusively developed Call of Duty games for parent company Activision, but it might not be that way forever. COO Andy Wilson (no relation to EA CEO Andrew Wilson) told VentureBeat that Call of Duty will remain the team’s main area of focus, but it might also explore other avenues.

“If you look at where we are right now, we’re obviously preparing to ship Vanguard. Clearly we’re also thinking about what comes next,” Wilson said. “The biggest thing for our team is that we want to constantly have interesting, exciting projects to work on. Obviously, Call of Duty is a huge pillar in the studio. It’s our primary focus, what we’re fully invested in right now. Whether there are other things in the future that we look at as well, we’ll take the time to think about all of those things. Culturally, we do that as well. We take the time to breathe occasionally and think about where we want to go.”

Sledgehammer’s main office is in Foster City, California, but the studio has in recent years opened studios in Melbourne, Australia and Toronto, Canada. Wilson said Sledgehammer will continue to grow those teams in the years to come, adding that having three studios under one banner provides the overall team with “tons of opportunities.”

“We can focus on our craft and how we fine-tune that to work as effectively as possible, because there are so many upsides to it,” Wilson said. “We’ve not finished optimizing yet as we grow the team. The pandemic, with everyone working from home, that’s helped us focus on all of those things over the last year. The change and the future for Sledgehammer isn’t all just about the games. It’s about the way we make those games as well.”

Sledgehammer’s Melbourne team is doing engineering work to support Call of Duty, but exactly what the Toronto division is working on remains a mystery.

“We’ve not announced exactly what that team is working on as part of Sledgehammer yet, but I can tell you that we have a really exciting mandate for the team. We have numerous positions open, and we’ll keep adding to that over the next year,” Wilson said.

In total, Sledgehammer is closing in on having 500 employees worldwide soon, Wilson said. The Melbourne team has grown to more than 150, while the Toronto team is considerable smaller, with around 10 employees right now.

Sledgehammer’s first game was Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, which it co-developed alongside Infinity Ward after Activision fired studio heads Jason West and Vince Zampella. Their firing prompted other developers to jump ship, and Activision management brought in Sledgehammer to help finish the game that year.

Before that all went down, Sledgehammer was working on a third-person Call of Duty game set in Vietnam. The project was shelved so Sledgehammer could help with Modern Warfare 3.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is set for its big reveal today, August 19, as part of the Battle of Verdansk event in Warzone.

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Razer Kishi And Hammerhead Earbuds Bundle For iOS Is Super Cheap At Amazon

The Razer Kishi is our favorite mobile controller for both iOS and Android. The controller turns your mobile device into a Switch-like gaming machine, complete with two sticks, a D-pad, face buttons, and triggers. If you’re in the market for a mobile controller, Amazon has an excellent bundle deal that pairs the Razer Kishi with Razer’s Hammerhead True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds. Listed at $200, you can get this bundle for only $100 for iOS (and $106 for Android).

The Razer Kishi is compatible with a wide variety of phones and connects via the Lightning port (for iOS) or USB-C (for Android). For those who frequently play games on their mobile device, the Kishi offers a far more comfortable and conventional way to play than using a standard controller and mobile clip. The Kishi is particularly useful if you’re an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, as it has a great design for playing Game Pass games via Xbox Cloud Gaming. It’s also better if you game on the go, which is what mobile devices are for after all. The only downside to the Kishi is that you have to remove your phone case while using it.

The Hammerhead True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds are built for mobile gaming in mind. They have custom-tuned 13mm drivers that focus on small details in sounds and offer impactful bass. They have a water-resistant design and have a 30-foot range. The earbuds come with a charging case and last for up to 15 hours on a full charge. They are also touch-enabled and compatible with voice assistants.

Apple’s Sci-Fi Epic Foundation Gets Spectacular First Trailer

The full trailer for Foundation has been released. The lavish adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s sci-fi novel series premieres on Apple TV+ on September 24.

The show stars Jared Harris (The Terror, Mad Men) as Hari Seldon, a “psychohistorian” who establishes the institute of the title in order to save the Galactic Empire from destruction and preserve the future of civilization. This puts him into conflict with the Cleons, clones who rule the galaxy, who fear that Seldon might threaten their long and unrivaled reign. The show has been a long time coming–the first trailer arrived way back in June 2020–but the spectacular scale and epic visuals, combined with Asimov’s powerful and thoughtful storyline, make Foundation a must-watch for sci-fi fans. Check the trailer out below:

Foundation also stars Lou Llobell (Voyagers), Leah Harvey (Fighting with My Family), and Laura Birn (The Innocents). The showrunner is David S. Goyer, whose last show was the DC series Krypton. He’s also known for co-writing movies such as Man of Steel and Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies, as well as directing Blade 3.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Goyer spoke about some of the challenges of adapting Asimov’s books. “The story is supposed to span 1,000 years with all these massive time jumps–that’s hard to tell,” he said. “[But] without giving too much away, I figured out a way to have some of the characters extend their lifespans. About six characters will continue from season to season, from century to century. That way it becomes a half anthological, half continuing story.”

For more, check out GameSpot’s guide to the biggest upcoming shows of 2021.