Acclaimed Apple Arcade Game Grindstone Is Now On PC

When Apple Arcade launched in September 2019 with a suite of games, many players praised Grindstone in particular. This week the cartoony puzzle game finally launched released on PC.

Grindstone is, for now, an Epic Games Store exclusive. While it’ll normally cost $20, it’s currently on a launch discount and is listed for $15. In addition, as a part of Epic’s Mega Sale, you can grab a $10 credit for use on a single title, which would bring Grindstone’s price down to $5.

Now Playing: Grindstone Trailer

Developed by Capy, who also made Below and Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery, Grindstone tasks players with navigating a character through maze-like levels arranged on grids. Players must hack through chains of same-colored enemies and avoid traps.

In addition to being available on Apple Arcade and PC, it’s also on Switch. Capy has consistently released significant updates for the game that add new levels and challenges. The latest update, called Fortune Grind, introduces a wheel of fortune to the Daily Grind mode that adds modifiers to each run. The Epic Store version is up-to-date with the other versions and includes Fortune Grind.

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Halo 3’s Latest New Map Is Now Live For Testers In Master Chief Collection

Halo 3’s latest new map, called Edge, has now been added to the Master Chief Collection, although it’s currently only available to participants in the game’s testing program. Edge follows the addition of Waterfall last month, which was the first new map for Halo 3 in almost 12 years.

Developer 343 Industries posted on Twitter that if you’re a member of the Halo Insider Program, the Season 7 test flight is now live and enables you to try out Edge. It’ll be playable in Social Matchmaking in the Master Chief Collection. In addition, this test flight also includes a handful of visual improvements for Halo: Combat Evolved.

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Waterfall and Edge technically aren’t brand new–they’re actually remakes of maps that originally appeared in Halo: Online, the short-lived title that was only available in Russia. The story behind Halo: Online is somewhat strange; it was created by Saber Interactive, which led development on the Halo: Combat Evolved remake (and which was recently acquired by the Embracer Group). It only lasted about a year before being canceled, but a thriving fan community managed to resurrect it for a while through mods.

The decision by 343 Industries to bring these maps back is part of a broader effort to keep the Master Chief Collection fresh and to give players new content to look forward to. The studio also teased that additional maps may be added in the future–check out GameSpot’s interview with 343 Industries for much more.

In addition to Edge and the Halo: CE visual upgrades, Season 7 also includes new skins for Elites and Energy Swords in Halo 3.

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Destiny 2’s Vault Of Glass Raid Brings Back Vex Mythoclast, One Of Destiny 1’s Best Guns

The announcement that Bungie was bringing back Destiny‘s first raid, the Vault of Glass, in Destiny 2 immediately brought to mind another throwback from the game’s past: Vex Mythoclast. The Destiny 1 gun was accessible through the Vault in its original form, and was one of the coolest weapons in that game. There’s good news coming with the reopening of the Vault when it launches on May 22: Vex Mythoclast is coming with it.

Though we don’t know too many official details of what to expect with Bungie’s revamped take on the Vault of Glass–it will be different, in some ways at least, from the D1 version–dataminers and hints in Destiny 2 have given clues as to what players might get out of it. The details about Vex Mythoclast have been mined and are currently available on sites like the eminently helpful light.gg, which suggests that it’ll be the raid Exotic available if you complete the Vault.

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If you’re not familiar, Vex Mythoclast is a powerful Solar fusion rifle, but one that uses Primary ammo. That means it’s a lot easier to keep Mythoclast loaded and firing. The Destiny 2 version has two firing modes. The standard mode sounds like it will work as a mix between a standard scout rifle and a linear fusion rifle, shooting straight laser bursts with each trigger pull. The alternate fire mode will be available after you build up “Overcharge” by killing enemies, which will then allow you to charge up a powerful linear fusion rifle shot. According to the light.gg rundown, Mythoclast also packs ludicrous aim assistance–that little bit of special sauce that makes some guns more adept at hitting headshots than others.

In the past, Mythoclast was only available if you completed the hard mode version of the Vault of Glass. In Destiny 2, there are two possibilities for how you’ll come by Vex Mythoclast: either through an Exotic quest, as in the Garden of Salvation, or from random drops, as in the Deep Stone Crypt. In Garden, you can get the Divinity trace rifle only if you and your squad complete a bunch of steps, both outside and inside the raid. The result is that Divinity is a guaranteed drop so long as you solve the puzzles scattered through the raid along the way. With Deep Stone Crypt, the Eyes of Tomorrow rocket launcher is only attainable if it randomly drops for you after completing the raid’s final encounter. The chances are low, but they grow with each subsequent completion of the raid. Hazarding a guess, it seems a lot more likely that Vex Mythoclast will come from a random drop than from completing a Garden-like set of puzzles.

Early looks at the Vault through datamining reveal a few other choice items that seem to be coming from the raid. One is an Exotic catalyst for Vex Mythoclast, which will amp its stats and may even give it an additional high-level perk. You’ll also find a few other Destiny 1 favorites, like the sniper rifle Praedyth’s Revenge, the hand cannon Fatebringer, the scout rifle Vision of Confluence, the shotgun Found Verdict, the rocket launcher Hezen Vengeance, and the machine gun Corrective Measure.

The Vault of Glass goes live at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET on Saturday, May 22. Stay tuned for more coverage and guides for handling the raid once we’re able to dive in and take down Atheon ourselves.

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The Witcher’s Henry Cavill To Star In Highlander Reboot – Report

The Witcher’s Henry Cavill may star in an upcoming reboot of Highlander from John Wick director Chad Stahelski. Sources told Deadline that Cavill “may have his eyes on” the role.

The new version of Highlander is coming from Lionsgate, the movie studio behind John Wick, The Expendables, and The Hunger Games, among others.

1986’s original Highlander featured Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Christopher Lambert playing immortal characters fighting against each other. The movie is also known for popularizing the phrase, “There can be only one.”

Numerous sequels were developed and a TV show ran for six seasons in the ’90s.

According to Deadline, Lionsgate has been developing the Highlander reboot film for some time. Actor Ryan Reynolds and director Justin Lin (Fast & Furious) were said to be circling the project over the years. There is no word yet on who else may star in the new Highlander or when it could release. Plot details, too, are unknown at this stage.

In addition to the new Highlander movie, Stahelski is lined up to direct the movie adaptation of the Sucker Punch video game, Ghost of Tsushima. As for Cavill, he’s set to appear as Geralt again in the upcoming second season of Netflix’s The Witcher, which is expected to premiere later this year.

Victoria 3 Officially Announced A Decade After Previous Game

Confirming speculation dating back several months–and hopes and dreams dating back far longer–Paradox Interactive officially announced Victoria 3 during PDXCON Remixed on May 21. The long-awaited grand strategy game was a surprise announcement for the end of the show, and it will cover a 100-year period and allow for you to play as almost any of the world’s countries at that stage in history.

Set between 1836 and 1936, Victoria 3 sees the world undergoing a massive transformation, with the Industrial Revolution creating a world at the end of that timeline that barely resembles the one at the beginning. In traditional Victoria fashion, the focus of the game is on internal bureaucracy and management, with about 50 different trade goods, a whole bunch of different factions and interest groups vying for influence, a customizable law system, and three technology trees that can shape your society in a myriad of ways.

Victoria 3 fashions itself as a “society simulator” and its famous “pops” system returns, giving different populations of people their own characteristics, interests, and numbers within your nation. This can determine their influence and how important it is to please them when making decisions. The Capitalist pop in Prussia, for example, was shown during a media pre-briefing demonstration. They can come into conflict with worker groups based on decisions you make, such as whether to have public options for things like healthcare and require pension plans. Other interest groups care about even higher-level decisions, such as retaining a monarchy or moving to a more representative system.

Markets and internal conflict play a huge role in Victoria 3
Markets and internal conflict play a huge role in Victoria 3

Your own power can be affected by these systems, as well. Universal suffrage is pretty much always considered a good thing, but are you willing to implement it in the game? Your edicts and lawmaking power will be severely limited, though you’ll probably feel like a just leader.

One element that does not play a very large role in Victoria 3? War. The game does allow you to battle it out with other countries as you try to expand or retain territory, but it emphasizes and encourages diplomatic options known as “Diplomatic Plays.” These see you engaging with another country in order to do everything from annex and area to form an alliance, and depending on your own power and your standing with neighboring countries, the other party may simply agree to your demands. Underestimate them, however, and they could bring other allies into the fold that outnumber your forces and put you in a dangerous position.

Victoria 3 certainly looks like it will take up a whole bunch of your time if you really sink your teeth into its systems. It has been more than 10 years since Victoria 2 launched, so anticipation and expectations are both sure to be very high.

PUBG Mobile’s Titans: Last Stand Event Features Epic Godzilla vs Kong Battle

Godzilla and King Kong are not finished with PUBG Mobile yet, as PUBG developer Krafton Inc has teased a Titans: Last Stand event coming May 25.

The 20-second teaser trailer shows Godzilla and Kong facing off, with Mechagodzilla appearing to fight them both. The event will “introduce players to a never before seen chapter of the Godzilla vs. Kong story that can only be experienced in-game as part of the Version 1.4 update” according to the official press release, and it will run until the end of the PUBG Mobile/Godzilla vs Kong crossover event on June 8.

No details have emerged on whether or not players will have an influence on the coming kaiju battle. However, there are a few brief snippets of a player shooting a minigun from a helicopter in the trailer, implying the event will be interactive to a degree.

PUBG Mobile’s partnership with Godzilla vs Kong began in early May 2021, with the Version 1.4 update adding the two giants–along with Mechagodzilla–to the battle royale. The monsters would appear at random times and destroy parts of the environment, giving players in the area access to extra loot and monstrous NPCs. The event coincides with the release of Legendary Pictures’ Godzilla vs Kong in theaters and on HBO Max.

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Prison Architect: Second Chances Announced, Focused On Helping Inmates

The management simulator Prison Architect is getting its fifth expansion, Second Chances, and it’s all focused on creating a more positive and rehabilitating system for convicts that results in reduced sentences and a lower chance of them ending up behind bars.

Announced during PDXCON Remixed on May 21, Prison Architect: Second Chances adds a whole bunch of new tools to help you identify inmates with a high probability of returning to prison and take steps to improve their situation. To determine which people you should focus your attention on, you can see a few different statistics, including whether or not the person has family and if they have committed multiple crimes.

Helping the prison population can be done via a variety of actions, such as providing higher-paying jobs in the prison–including ones that promote furthering education–reducing sentences based on behavior, running animal therapy programs, and even bringing back reformed prisoners to run group workshops.

Keeping former prisoners from returning is at the heart of the expansion.
Keeping former prisoners from returning is at the heart of the expansion.

The prison can receive fines based on reoffending prisoners, further encouraging you to make sure that those who serve their sentence are prepared for the outside world and will not return again. Situations like the prisoner’s age or family can play a role, but these are not as important in Prison Architect as the factors you have control over. Each time they do return, it will usually be even harder to ensure they don’t get convicted again after serving their new sentence.

Prison Architect: Second Chances is just one of the announcements to come out of PDXCON Remixed, which also includes Crusader Kings 3: Royal Court, and it’s out for PC, Xbox One, and PS4 on June 16, followed by Nintendo Switch on June 29.

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Overwatch 2 Details: New Maps, Hero Changes, And HUD Adjustments

Overwatch 2‘s “What’s Next” livestream contained a ton of new information about the in-development sequel, including a reduction to team sizes. Peppered throughout the two-hour presentation were other details around new maps and modes, as well as adjustments to some heroes, which have been rounded up down below to help you keep track of the latest news.

New Maps And An Added Mode

During the “What’s Next” livestream, the Overwatch team unveiled a total of five maps coming to Overwatch and Overwatch 2. These maps take players around the world, from New York City’s Grand Central Station to the Colosseum in Rome. Even Lucio’s home of Rio de Janeiro makes an appearance as an Escort map, where players can visit his club Sinestesia.

Interestingly, the New York City location (also an Escort map) features two references to former game director Jeff Kaplan. Check the maps out below.

In addition to the three maps above, the Overwatch team revealed a brand-new mode: Push. In this mode, players compete for control over T.W.O., a giant robot that pushes a barricade meant to block a team’s spawn room. The objective is to get T.W.O. to push the barricade toward the enemy team’s spawn. The first to accomplish this task, or the first to get closest, wins the match; there are no draws in Push, according to the Overwatch team. Check out the two new Push maps, Rome and Toronto, below.

Character Changes And Abilities Updates

Several of the game’s heroes will receive some adjustments once Overwatch 2 drops. The Overwatch team detailed a few of these changes and outlined the characters that will be impacted, including Mei, Torbjörn, and Winston.

For Mei and Winston, both heroes will get updates to their abilities that tweaks their kits. Mei’s Endothermic Blaster, for example, still slows enemies and deals additional damage but no longer freezes them in place. Winston, meanwhile, has an alternative fire that shoots a longer-range bolt of lighting.

Torbjörn, on the other hand, gets an aesthetic change. He’s older, has more upgraded gear, and an adjusted outfit. This kind of visual change will affect all characters, as Overwatch 2 takes place some years after the first game.

One Other Detail To Note

Blizzard Entertainment shared a blog post in conjunction with the “What’s Next” livestream, calling attention to changes viewers might have missed. One such change has been made to the HUD and UI for characters like Mercy and Zenyatta to more clearly illustrate which hero is receiving healing.

Overwatch 2 currently doesn’t have a release date, and it seems we won’t get our hands on it until at least 2022. Check out our roundup of everything we know about the forthcoming hero shooter sequel.

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Prime Day 2021: How To Get Amazon Prime For Free To Shop The Deals

Amazon Prime Day has become one of the biggest sales events of the year, but unlike Black Friday, this sale is only available for Amazon Prime members. With Prime Day fast-approaching–it kicks off in June, though the official dates haven’t been announced yet–now’s a great time to pick up a membership if you don’t already have one. We’ve rounded up all of the details about Amazon Prime memberships and free trials below.

While you might be signing up for Prime just to shop during Prime Day, the membership cost after your free trial ends is worth it for many. Amazon Prime members get free one- to two-day shipping on thousands upon thousands of products, which is a major perk for those who like to shop online. You also get Prime Video, Amazon’s streaming service that’s loaded with great TV shows and movies. Gamers can snag free games and loot each month for popular games via Prime Gaming, too.

Amazon Prime free 30-day trial

If you’ve never been an Amazon Prime subscriber, the simplest thing you can do is simply sign up for a free trial. Amazon offers 30-day free trials to new members. We wouldn’t recommend grabbing the free trial just yet, though, as Amazon hasn’t announced the official dates for Prime Day. We do know the sales event will run in June, so once the new month begins you’re in the clear.

After your 30-day trial ends, you’ll be charged $119 for an annual membership or $13 per month–whichever billing option you choose when you sign up.

Amazon Prime Student free trial

Students with an active university email address can sign up for a free six-month Amazon Prime trial. After the six-month trial ends, students pay $59 per year for Amazon Prime benefits.

Amazon Household

If one of your family members has an Amazon Prime membership, you could ask to get added to their account. Amazon Household lets up to two adults and four kids share the benefits of Prime across multiple Amazon accounts for no extra charge. The catch here is that you have to agree to share payment methods, so there has to be a high level of trust between Amazon Household users.

Switch cell phone providers

Cell phone service providers often offer perks when you switch to select plans. If you’re looking for a new service provider, MetroPCS by T-Mobile has a great offer. New customers can get a free year of Amazon Prime when they get the $60 unlimited MetroPCS plan. That’s a solid price for unlimited service, too. Metro is a prepaid plan, so you aren’t locked into any contracts. The downside to Metro is that while it uses T-Mobile’s network, it doesn’t offer HD streaming and speeds can be a bit worse than those on traditional T-Mobile plans.

Use credit card reward points

While not exactly free, credit card reward points feel free. There are endless credit cards out there with cash back rewards, including the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature. This card, which can be used anywhere Visa is accepted, gives you 5% cash back on every purchase you make at Amazon. You can then use the rewards points to buy items on Amazon.

The catch here is that you already have to be a Prime member to subscribe. That said, you do get a $100 Amazon gift card upon approval, which basically pays off the price of Prime immediately. The purchases you make on Prime Day will probably wind up paying off a decent chunk of future membership costs too, since you can use reward points to re-up your Prime membership. So, if you’re looking for a new credit card and plan on spending money at Amazon regularly, the Prime Rewards Visa Signature card is a good option.

Amazon also offers a standard Amazon Rewards Visa card for non-Prime members that features 3 percent back on purchases made at Amazon. You also get a $50 Amazon gift card when approved for this card. But if you’re looking for the best bang for your buck, you’ll want to go with the Signature version.

Select groups get discounts on Prime memberships

As mentioned above, some people are eligible for discounted Prime memberships directly through Amazon. College students pay $59 per year for Amazon Prime after their six-month free trial. Those on government assistance (EBT) can get Prime for $6 per month.

Best Amazon Prime Day Deals 2021: What We Expect To See

It’s that time of year again, folks: Amazon Prime Day 2021 is coming up sometime in June, and it’s sure to bring excellent deals on whatever you’re looking to buy this summer, whether you’re browsing for cheap games, a new headset, or splurging on a TV or laptop. When it comes to the best Prime Day deals, we always have an idea of what to expect, though naturally there’ll always be some surprises that pop up during the event itself. We’re here to break down the best Prime Day deals we can reasonably expect to see this year, including the type of gaming deals that’ll probably be on offer as well.

Keep in mind that everything mentioned here is speculatory–we’re basing our thoughts and predictions on previous years as well as the price tracker CamelCamelCamel, but don’t have any confirmed info regarding Amazon’s official plans for Prime Day 2021. Keep in mind other retailers will likely hold their own anti-Prime Day sales as well, which will either price-match Amazon’s prices or have their own exclusive offers.

Best Prime Day deals: What to expect

Amazon devices

There are certain products you can always expect to see on sale during Amazon Prime Day–namely, Amazon-branded tech and accessories. That includes Echo devices, Kindles, Fire TVs, tablets, Ring security devices, and more. Of course, Amazon runs Deals of the Day on its own products all the time, but Prime Day really is the best time of year to find them on sale–and, of course, get some holiday shopping done early.

Gaming

Of course, there’ll be hundreds, if not thousands of gaming deals to choose from as well. Prime Day 2021 will be the first major sale since the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, so it’ll be interesting to see what kind of deals are available for next-gen games and even accessories like the new Xbox Wireless Controller and first-party PS5 accessories. We’re already starting to see PS5 and Series X games get discounts in weekly sales, so it’s a safe bet that you’ll be able to pick up next-gen games for great prices during Prime Day. Generally, you can find PlayStation Hits like Bloodborne and God of War on sale for $10 during these sales as well (of course, PS5 owners get those games for free as part of the PlayStation Plus Collection). Accessory deals seem likely as well, so if you’ve been needing to pick up a new PS5 headset or Xbox controller, you’ll probably find some solid options during Prime Day.

However, don’t expect to see any PS5 or Xbox Series X console deals. The most we can hope for is a restock of either console, similar to what stores like Target, Walmart, and GameStop did for Black Friday last year. But until console shortages stabilize, don’t count on any discounts.

Nintendo Switch deals, on the other hand, will likely be out in full force. We’ve been seeing Switch games at great prices much more often recently, including a handful of first-party titles that were at $39 each for weeks around Mario Day. If you’re a new Switch owner, Prime Day will be an excellent time to pick up games that are normally $60 for cheap. In terms of Switch console deals, you never really know what you’re going to get, but it’s doubtful we’ll see any significant outright discounts. What’s more likely are Switch bundles that get you the console with a game or Switch Online. We may also see restocks of limited editions like the new Mario Red & Blue Edition or the Fortnite bundle.

Subscriptions

Usually, Prime Day brings nice discounts on online gaming memberships, and because these subscriptions stack, you can stock up on Switch Online, Game Pass Ultimate, or PS Plus for cheap. Target had Game Pass 3-month subscriptions for just 20 bucks during Black Friday, one of the best deals we’ve seen, so keep an eye out for Prime Day Game Pass deals in the low $20 range. Meanwhile, PS Plus 12-month subscriptions tend to drop to $40 during sales like Prime Day, but you can actually find better deals on it year-round at sites like eBay and CDkeys, so we don’t suggest waiting until Prime Day to stock up on PS Plus. Switch Online is always a big question mark–discounts on it are rare, but it’s possible we’ll see it bundled with some other accessory like a Switch microSD card, as it was during Black Friday.

Usually, Prime Day brings nice offers on Amazon subscriptions as well. Last year, you could get a year of Audible for $100, six months of Kindle Unlimited for $30, and four months of Amazon Music Unlimited for $1. There’ll also be deals on Prime Video so you can buy or rent movies for cheap during Prime Day.

Lowest price yet: $27-$30

Switch game deals aren’t as rare as they used to be, and it’s now common to see older first-party Switch games on sale for $50, even $40 during promotions like Mario Day. During Black Friday, Switch games will drop to $30, some even as low as $27. During Prime Day 2021, we expect to see first-party Switch games on sale for between $30 and $40, especially Mario titles. Newer releases like New Pokemon Snap and Monster Hunter Rise are a toss-up, but we’ve seen them both on sale for $10 off at eBay recently.

Lowest price yet: $39

Despite the Xbox Series X launching just weeks before Black Friday 2020, the event brought steep discounts on the new Xbox Wireless Controller, with all colors dropping to $39. Stock was limited and sold out quickly, of course, but it’s not a stretch to predict we’ll see discounts on Xbox’s newer model controllers during Prime Day 2021. It’ll be a great chance to pick up a second pad, maybe even one of the new colors like Electric Volt or Pulse Red.

Lowest price: $40

One of Prime Day 2020’s best deals featured a bundle with a 12-month Switch Online family membership and SanDisk’s Nintendo-branded 128GB microSD card for $40 (down from $63). Since the listing is actually still live on Amazon (marked as “currently unavailable”), there’s a chance it’ll be brought back this year. In any case, it’s more likely we’ll see Switch Online bundled with an accessory rather than outright discounted.

Lowest price: $20

Xbox Game Pass is already one of the best deals in gaming, but any longtime subscriber knows you can get it for even cheaper if you hold out for big annual sales like Prime Day. Amazon has a history of dropping 3-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate memberships to $25 each, so we may see it around that price range during Prime Day; however, you’ll want to keep an eye on other retailers during that time, as they sometimes have better deals (Best Buy had 3-month codes for $23 during Black Friday; Target had them for $20). Remember that you can add more time to your Game Pass Ultimate membership up to 36 months. However, new subscribers should first take advantage of Microsoft’s current promotion offering your first three months for $1.

Lowest price: $29

Prepare for an onslaught of Amazon smart device deals during Prime Day 2021. The new spherical Echo Dot released last year fell to $29 last Prime Day, down from its usual $50 list price, and you can bet on seeing it for even cheaper this Prime Day. It has an understated design with three color options available to blend in with any home, and its sound quality is noticeably improved over the 3rd Gen model. With the Echo Dot, you can play music, hear the news and weather, set alarms, and more.

Lowest price: $25

You can bet on seeing one of the best streaming devices on sale for cheap during Prime Day 2021. The Fire TV Stick 4K is Amazon’s best streaming stick, letting you stream content in 4K Ultra HD at up to 60fps, with support for Dolby Vision, HDR 10, HLG, and HDR10+. It dropped to $25 during last Prime Day, which is a bonkers deal for this powerful little device.

We’ll have to wait until closer to Prime Day to get a better idea of the best Prime Day deals, but you can count on there being huge discounts on practically any category of tech you’re interested in, from gaming laptops and monitors to 4K TVs, tablets, SSDs, headsets, and more. We’ll be tracking all the best gaming and tech deals right here at GameSpot and on Twitter @GameSpotDeals, so stay tuned. In the meantime, be sure to catch up on all the latest Amazon Prime Day 2021 news, including how to get Amazon Prime for free to shop all the deals.