While Blizzard is spending a lot of time and energy on Overwatch 2, the studio is not yet finished supporting the original game.
Overwatch game director Aaron Keller, who recently took over for Jeff Kaplan, said during a Reddit AMA (via Rock Paper Shotgun) that fans of the original Overwatch have “several exciting things” to look forward to. One of these is a “large feature” that should be announced before long. When it will be added to the game, however, is another story.
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“We have several exciting things coming to Overwatch. As far as rough estimates go–one large feature will be announced somewhere in the timeframe between soon and really soon,” Keller said.
That’s all Keller had to say on the subject, so we can only guess as to what this “large feature” might be. This isn’t the first time that Keller has suggested more might be in store for Overwatch. As part of the five-year anniversary video for Overwatch, Keller said, “Looking ahead, we’re so excited to expand this universe within Overwatch and Overwatch 2.”
In other news about Overwatch 1, Blizzard’s technical director John Lafleur mentioned that Blizzard does not plan to release a 120 FPS patch for Overwatch 1 on PlayStation 5. This would take away valuable time and resources from Overwatch 2.
“We don’t have any plans to do so, at the moment. We would have to invest a non-trivial amount of time to upgrade original Overwatch to recognize and separately treat the PS5 (it involves changing the platform SDK),” Lafleur said. “Instead, we’re taking that time to focus on making OW2 the best we can on the next gen consoles.”
One of the big changes for Overwatch 2 is that it’s dropping the team size from 6v6 to 5v5. The 5v5 structure will consist of one tank, two support, and two DPS players per team. That’s a major change from the 6v6 matches of the original game. But with Overwatch and Overwatch 2’s multiplayer being compatible with one another, Blizzard confirmed to GameSpot that this change will also be introduced to the original game. However, that change won’t happen until Overwatch 2 releases, whenever that might be.
Batman’s war on crime has largely been kept within the borders of Gotham City, but this September will see the Dark Knight go global in Batman: The World.
Unlike older globe-trotting events that had a familiar international taste such as Batman Incorporated or Tom Taylor and Andy Kubert’s current Batman: The Dark Knight mini-series, Batman: The World will feature creative teams across the globe creating short stories that take place in their home countries.
Writer Brian Azzarello and artist Lee Bermejo, who previously collaborated on Batman: Damned and Joker, will kick off the 184-page anthology and set Batman on an international crime-fighting path.
“In the story titled Global City, Batman reflects on his time in Gotham, protecting his city and its inhabitants from all manner of threats,” DC’s synopsis reads. “But when he looks beyond the bridges, alleys, and skyscrapers, the Dark Knight realizes that the call for justice knows no borders, as there are wrongs to be righted everywhere.”
Joining Azzarello and Bermejo are the following creative teams:
Mathieu Gabella (writer)/Thierry Martin (artist) – France
Paco Roca (writer/artist) – Spain
Alessandro Bilotta (writer)/Nicola Mari (artist) – Italy
Benjamin von Eckartsberg (writer)/Thomas von Kummant (artist) – Germany
Alberto Chimal (writer)/Rulo Valdés (artist) – Mexico
Carlos Estefan (writer)/Pedro Mauro (Artist) – Brazil
Inpyo Jeon (writer)/Jae-kwang Park, Kim Jung Gi (artists) – Korea)
Xu Xiaodong, Lu Xiaotong (writers)/Qiu Kun, Yi Nan (artists) – China
Kirill Kutuzov, Egor Prutov (writers)/Natalia Zaidova (artist) – Russia
Okadaya Yuichi (writer/artist) – Japan
On top of all that, each international version of Batman: The World will also feature its own unique cover art by the local creative team, which you can see in the gallery below:
If you’d prefer to watch a new Batman adventure, the world’s greatest detective is finally getting a new solo animated series titled Batman: Caped Crusader, which features the creative team of JJ Abrams, Bruce Timm, and Matt Reeves.
A new video from PlayStation Access has given some key glimpses into the new features coming in Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade’s Episode Intermission DLC. Players can expect more of what made Final Fantasy VII Remake so memorable, like its updated renditions of classic songs and frantic semi-turn-based combat, along with some new mechanics.
Combat with Yuffie has already been detailed by director Tetsuya Nomura in an interview on the PlayStation Blog, but today’s video on Intergrade goes a bit deeper. Since players will only have access to Yuffie in Episode Intermission, she’s been made as versatile as possible. The ninja can switch between short and long-range attacks using her oversized shuriken and buff herself with any of the four major elements in the game thanks to her ninjitsu abilities. Players will also be able to access a new summon in Intergrade, Ramuh, the god of lightning.
Episode Intermission is also bringing more content back from the game’s original 1997 release. More music from the game, including the Wutai theme and Yuffie’s theme, are being remastered in new, orchestral renditions. The tower defense game mode Fort Condor is also making a return, although it’s largely been changed since appearing in the ’90s. Players will be able to deploy their units, which are broken down into three types, and activate abilities with them using ATB charges.
The city of Midgar itself is also getting some special attention. Yuffie’s story in Episode Intermission takes place at the same time as the main game, but players will be able to delve much deeper into Midgar. They’ll visit new places and meet new characters, as well as some familiar ones.
Traversing through Midgar will also be different. As a ninja, Yuffie can take advantage of some opportunities that someone with a massive 70-pound sword can’t. She can scramble across walls, swing across gaps, and slide down poles throughout the underbelly of the city.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is set to release for the PS5 on June 10. The game is currently available for preorder and comes with the full base game and the Episode Intermission DLC. If you already own Final Fantasy VII Remake, you can digitally upgrade to Intergrade for free, with the caveat that Yuffie’s episode will need to be purchased separately.
Nerf announced back in April that it would be collaborating with Roblox in order to create Roblox-inspired blasters. While these blasters aren’t hitting stores until the fall, GameSpot got their hands on most of the set.
At the time of this writing, I’m 39 years old. I haven’t had my fingers on the pulse of what’s hip in at least 15 years, and even back then, my taste in what’s “cool” was questionable. So when Hasbro sent over a set of Roblox Nerf blasters, I tried to find someone closer in age to Roblox’s target demographic. I landed on my three-year-old son, whose favorite things are a YouTube channel featuring two kids in Dubai playing with toys and watching all the Toy Story movies so often that he has the script memorized. While he’s unfamiliar with Roblox as well, he’s at least closer to the age of someone who would play it on a regular basis more than I am.
So armed with a three-year-old with a 10-minute attention span and a set of Nerf blasters inspired by the game Roblox, we dove into blasting darts across the house over the course of a week. Which blaster did my son love the most? Which blaster did I love the most? The answers you seek are below.
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Jail Break Armory ($20)
This blaster two-pack was a fan favorite for my three-year-old son, but only using one at a time, as the other blaster was destined to be handed off to me, as holding two of these blasters is too much for tiny hands. Upon looking at the package, all these products are aimed at children 8-years-old and up. Obviously, as a father, I have misjudged whether this was appropriate for my child to take part in. Anyway, this is a blaster two-pack, which comes with 10 elite darts.
I have been told that these “pews”–what my son calls Nerf blasters–are great for “getting bad guys.” According to him, the orange blaster is better out of the two for unknown reasons. Upon pressing him about it, he simply replied, “I like this one.”
The Nerf Blasters have a hammer you pull back in order to prime it to be fired. And unlike the blasters from my youth–primarily the Nerf Bow and Arrow–you don’t really want to be hit with one of the darts because they sting a tad.
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MM2 Shark Seeker ($25)
Fans of the song “Deepest Bluest (Shark’s Fin)” by LL Cool J from the movie Deep Blue Sea will surely love this shark-inspired Nerf blaster. It has a shark’s fin on the top, which you pull back to arm the blaster. What sets this one apart from the others in the line is that it uses Mega darts, which are a lot thicker than the others. The blaster holds three at a time, which is how many come with it.
While my son wasn’t a fan of “pewing” the “bad guys” with this blaster, he found me using it one of the most enjoyable things imaginable. My son quickly learned about leading a squad and delegation–two things that will undoubtedly come in handy in his adult years.
The thicker darts are where this blaster shines. They whistle when fired, which resulted in my son demanding the bad guys get pewed over and over again. This became my go-to blaster during the day, but only because my son demanded it.
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Adopt Me! Bees! ($30)
This is the most-bizarre name for a Nerf blaster I’ve ever seen. Are we adopting bees or is someone being adopted then bees are appearing? It’s quite obvious that I do not play Roblox and have very little understanding of what is going on in that game. Regardless, this is one of the most interesting ones in the Roblox series, as it’s a lever action blaster featuring a drum that holds eight darts, and yes, it comes with eight darts as well.
Although the colorful design and unique set-up were something I found wonderful for this particular blaster, my son could not have cared less. After I fired it a few times, he insisted I go back to the MM2 Shark Seeker. This was a little bit of a bummer, considering the fun design and how satisfying the lever action is to use. The fact my son blew this blaster off so quickly was a big disappointment to me.
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Arsenal Pulse Laser ($40)
This one is a hefty beast. It’s big. It’s motorized. The Arsenal Pulse Laser blaster comes with a clip that holds 10 darts, and of course, it needs four AA batteries in order to work at all. The blaster won’t work without power, which is a mild drawback–mainly because you need a screwdriver in order to get those pesky batteries in.
As for what my son thought about this blaster, he was not a fan. First of all, it was too big for him. While he enjoyed a few moments walking through the house, holding this blaster–which made him look like a Marvel Comics character circa 1994–it was simply too big for him. This is when I came to the rescue, powered it up, and fired away at the supposed “bad guys” that had been hiding in front of our door. In turn, this scared my son, and he requested I stop using it because it was too loud for his liking.
While my son was away, I got some time in with the Arsenal Pulse Laser, practicing my shot on the area in front of my door where the “bad guys live.” It’s a lot of fun, but it would be great if you could pick up a second clip in order to be able to reload more quickly.
With most traditional reviews, you’d probably expect a score to pop up; however, when I asked my son to give a score for these blasters, he twisted the conversation to be about wanting a Shinsuke Nakamura action figure. He has all these Nerf blasters, pre-launch to play with, and all he can talk about is wanting more toys, preferably one of the King of Strong Style?
Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until this fall for these blasters to hit stores. They’ll be available to pre-order sometime in the near future, so keep your eye on Hasbro Pulse for more info as we get closer to the release date.
Developer carrotcake has announced The Garden Path, an upcoming slice-of-life sim where you play as a gardener. It looks really cute.
As seen in The Garden Path’s announcement trailer, the game sees you dutifully tend to a garden, make tea, fish, decorate your living space, and befriend both the assortment of travelers (who all have animal heads) that wander by and the inhabitants (who all have vegetable heads) that settle down around you.
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Though there are tasks to complete and errands to run, The Garden Path is designed to be a low-pressure experience. If you want to go for a five-hour binge, you can, but checking in on your garden for 20 minutes a few times each week works too.
Similar to Animal Crossing, The Garden Path is beholden to an internal clock. As time passes in the real-world, so too will it in the in-game world. So the seasons will change, your garden will grow, and new folks will appear for you to meet.
If The Garden Path’s hand-drawn storybook aesthetic and beautiful original soundtrack strikes a chord with you, you won’t have to wait too long to play it yourself. The Garden Path is scheduled to launch for PC later this year, with announcements for additional planned platforms coming later. You can wishlist The Garden Path on Steam.
In Amazon’s The Tomorrow War, the world is shocked when a militant group from the future arrives to deliver an urgent message: 30 in the future mankind is losing a war against a deadly alien species. Enter Chris Pratt as high school teacher Dan Forrester, who is drafted to lead soldiers from the present to fight tomorrow’s war.
The Amazon original movie also stars Yvonne Strahovski and J. K. Simmons as Dan’s estranged father, and GLOW’s Betty Gilpin as Dan’s wife, Emmy. Rounding out the cast are Sam Richardson (I Think You Should Leave), Edwin Hodge (For All Mankind), relative newcomer Jasmine Mathews, Ryan Kiera Armstrong (Anne With An E), and Keith Powers (Straight Out Of Compton). Check out the trailer below.
Chris McKay, usually known for his comedies, takes the helm as director, with Hollywood heavyweight David Goyer producing and Pratt himself is one of the executive producers.
Pratt has certainly been keeping busy with Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 still years away. After The Tomorrow War hits Amazon, the actor has another project with the streaming service that is a far cry from the PG-13 adventures he’s built his resume on. The Terminal List, a new TV series based on the Jack Carr novels, is Pratt’s next venture with Amazon and as we’ve seen so far, it’s going to be absolutely brutal.
Apex Legends‘ second Arenas Flash Event is live now, running for just one week through to June 1. A bunch of prizes are on offer for completing the challenges, with the most interesting of the lot being three brand new skins: the adorable Kawaii Voltage skin for Wattson, Bright Plumage for Bloodhound, and the Playing Koi skin for the EVA-8 shotgun.
The Flash event is the second so far for the new Arenas 3v3 mode, with an impressive prize track for players to make their way through over the course of the week. Players can complete Arenas-based challenges to earn points and redeem rewards along the prize track. The new event comes just after a recent update fixed the bug on Wattson’s fences, as well as adding penalties for players who leave an Arenas match before it’s finished.
Prove yourselves, Legends, and you will be rewarded.
Compete in the Arenas to earn points for the Arenas Flash Event through June 1 and claim prizes, like the Kawaii Voltage Wattson skin or Bright Plumage. Now, let us begin. pic.twitter.com/dxGtYXfygW
The biggest rewards on the prize track include the Playing Koi skin at 2000 points, Kawaii Voltage at 3000 points, and Bright Plumage at 5000 points as the penultimate event prize. Players can also earn up to 39 battle pass stars if they complete the full track, providing a nice boost to anyone who might be a bit behind on the current pass.
The second Arenas Flash event is live now in Apex Legends, running through to June 1.
After GameStop raised over $500 million earlier this year by selling off some of its surprisingly valuable shares, it looks like the company has decided to invest some of that money back into a program involving NFTs. GameStop quietly launched the GameStop NFT homepage today, which prominently links to an Ethereum address, and also appears to involve a recruitment drive.
The page doesn’t include much information other than the Ethereum link, and GameStop doesn’t appear to have prepared a media release about the launch either. The page is headlined “change the game,” followed by a graphic reading: “Power to the players. Power to the creators. Power to the collectors.”
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The rest of the website is devoted to recruitment, with a callout to “exceptional engineers (solidity, react, python), designers, gamers, marketers, and community leaders,” to join the new NFT-focused team.
The Ethereum page hides a number of other tidbits, including a smart contract headed by the phrase “Game On Anon,” and a dedicated token called GME.
A small game has also been found hidden in the GameStop NFT homepage–titled “runner” in the page’s URL, it’s a simple re-skin of Google Chrome’s Dinosaur Game. The game features a number of references to the users of r/WallStreetBets, who have been credited with GameStop’s unexpected stock rally, including rocket ships, the moon, and the Snazzy Bananya–a GameStop exclusive plush toy that has become popular with WallStreetBets users. The hidden game is GameStop’s most overt acknowledgement of its unusual Reddit-based fanbase to date.
It’s unclear as yet what GameStop will be using NFTs for, though people have speculated that they could be used for selling used games or in-game items. The stealth reveal has had a positive impact on the company’s share price, however, pushing it above $200 for the first time since March. GameStop’s decsion to go with Ethereum may not be the best news for gamers, however, with Ethereum mining a contributing factor to ongoing parts shortages in the industry, as well as the rising costs of graphics cards across the board.
Dave Bautista is an in-demand actor thanks to his roles in movies like Guardians of the Galaxy and Army of the Dead, but the 52-year-old actor has a few dream roles he’s still chasing. Bautista revealed his dream roles in a new interview with Polygon.
“I’ve given a lot of thought to inspiration stories I could play, interesting stories I could play. And the one that seems to keep coming back to me is Ernest Hemingway. If I could play any character, I still think it would be him. I think I could do him justice,” Bautista said. “I think he’s so interesting, everything about his life and the way he lived, and also the way he died.”
Ernest Hemingway was an American author known as much for his influential stories like Old Man and the Sea and A Farewell to Arms as he was for his adventurous lifestyle, which included four marriages, driving an ambulance in World War I, covering the Spanish Civil War as a journalist, and two plane crashes on successive days in Africa, just to name a few. Hemingway died by suicide in 1961.
The actor has been more vocal about his other big dream role: DC villain Bane. Bautista reiterates his desire to play the villain, body builder and master strategist who wears a Mexican wrestling mask and pumps himself up with a fluorescent green super-steroid called Venom. Bautista confirmed last summer that he’s tried–and failed–to claim this role in future Batman movies.
Bautista also said back in 2018 that he wanted to bring video game series Gears of War to life with him as protagonist Marcus Fenix, and he confirmed just last week that he passed on a Fast & Furious role to lobby Universal about Gears of War.
“I had a meeting at Universal and they wanted to talk about Fast & Furious and I said, ‘I’m not interested. Let’s talk about Marcus Fenix.’ I think they were a little put off,” Bautista said.
Westeros is a massive, fleshed-out world full of stories to tell. With the main Game of Thrones story concluded, HBO is looking to mine George R.R. Martin’s fantasy universe of every story they can find. The latest Game of Thrones spinoff to see movement at the network is 10,000 Ships, which now has its writer according to a report from Deadline.
Amanda Segel will write the spinoff series for HBO according to the report. Segel previously wrote and produced on shows like Person of Interest, The Mist, Nikita, and The Good Wife. 10,000 Ships is set one thousand years before the events of the Game of Thrones television show and A Song of Ice and Fire novels. The story follows the journey by Nymeria (after whom Arya Stark’s direwolf is named) and the Rhoynars from Essos to Dorne following their defeat by the Valyrians.
If you’re a huge Game of Thrones fan and you haven’t heard of this one, don’t worry–HBO is getting pretty obscure here. Nymeria’s story is mentioned a few times during the novel series; the companion book The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones goes into more detail, but this is not a book you’ve missed out on somewhere or anything like that.
10,000 Ships is just one of a number of Game of Thrones stories in development at HBO. House of Dragons, set to debut in 2022, is already shooting, and will focus on House Targaryen 300 years before Daenerys fought to sit on the Iron Throne. The Tales of Dunk and Egg is also reportedly in development. This one is set just 90 years before the games began, and follows Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk) and Aegon Targaryen (Egg). HBO is reportedly also developing a series called 9 Voyages as well an animated series.
