Best Black Friday 2020 Deals On Games With Free PS5 Upgrades

With Black Friday 2020 now in full swing, a lot of impressive deals on games have gone live, and a number of them are for PS4 games that have free PS5 upgrades. Brand-new games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Watch Dogs Legion see nice discounts at major retailers like GameStop and Best Buy during the Black Friday sale week, while a number of PlayStation exclusives and sports games also get some sweet deals.

All of the games listed below allow users to upgrade to the PS5 version for free. Some of these upgrades provide higher resolutions, more stable frame rates, or even special graphics features. Ghost of Tsushima and Days Gone got some impressive PS5-compatibility patches, which up both titles’ frame rates to run at a solid 60 FPS.

If you’re looking for more, check out the best PS5 and PS4 game deals for Black Friday 2020. The sale week also brings a number of excellent PS5 and PS4 accessory deals as well as great deals on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Xbox games, and Nintendo Switch games.

$30 (was $60) | Available now

Watch Dogs: Legion allows you to play as nearly every character you meet in its open world. As you complete missions and do side activities, you’ll come across characters who need your help. Completing their specific mission gives you the option to recruit and play as them. It’s a unique feature that works well and makes for an engaging experience. Its Black Friday deal is available now, bringing its price down to $30 not even a month after it released.

$40 (was $60) | Available now

Ghost of Tsushima tasks you with fighting against the invading Mongol army. Not only will you take up your katana and fight like a samurai, but you’ll also sneak around enemy bases and use techniques befitting of a ninja. Ghost of Tsushima also saw a PS5 update that improves its performance in High Resolution mode–it now runs at 60fps. Its Black Friday deal is live now at multiple retailers.

$13 (was $20) | Available now

Mortal Kombat 11 caps off the modern trilogy’s story by bringing back many of the series’ most iconic characters. Time travel plays a big part, so you’ll see fun match-ups like Scorpion’s older and forgiving human form fighting against his hate-filled younger self. There’s also a wide range of online modes, including ranked matches and the Towers of Time. There are a lot of different MK11 editions available during Black Friday. Right now, you can snag Mortal Kombat’s standard edition for $13 or the Aftermath Kollection for $25. Aftermath includes a story expansion as well as the first eight DLC characters.

$27 (was $60) | Available now

FIFA 21 continues the series’ trademark soccer gameplay while adding new modes to the street soccer experience, Volta Football; new features like Agile Dribbling; and Ultimate Team co-op. FIFA 21’s next-gen update comes out December 4, but you snag the soccer game for only $27 at GameStop right now. If that offer ends, Walmart will have it for $28 starting Wednesday evening.

$27 (was $60) | Available now

Madden NFL 21 is more of the same when it comes to EA’s football series, but this year, it has a new mode called The Yard. The Yard offers shorter matches of backyard football that bring more variety than your typical Madden match. Like FIFA 21, the next-gen update comes out December 4, but you can save some money right now with GameStop’s $27 Black Friday deal. As with FIFA 21, Walmart will also have it for $28 starting Wednesday.

$20 (was $40) | Available now

Days Gone drops you in the middle of a zombie apocalypse set in the Pacific Northwest. You’ll fight both zombies and other survivors as you drive your motorbike around the map looking for resources and completing missions. Days Gone was also updated to run at 4K and 60fps on the PS5, making it the definitive way to play the game. You can buy Days Gone for only $20 right now.

$10 (was $20) | Available now

After five years, Borderlands 3 marked the return of the looter-shooter franchise, adding even more guns and crazy powers to use on your enemies. Over the game’s first year, Borderlands 3 added DLC that introduced new worlds to explore, guns to shoot, and characters to meet. Its Black Friday deal is live now.

$48 (was $60) | Available Wednesday

Valhalla is the latest game in the Assassin’s Creed series, and like previous entries, it puts players into a vast open world full of places to explore and baddies to kill. This time, you play as a Viking named Eivor as you lead your clan to England in search of a new home. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will be $48 at GameStop when its sale starts at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET on Wednesday.

Xbox App Could Be Coming To Your TV Next Year

Microsoft has been setting its sights on expanding the definition of “Xbox” for some time, and its next step could make the platform widely available on any smart TV. Xbox head Phil Spencer said recently that Xbox will become a TV app sometime in the next 12 months.

Asked what’s stopping the company from putting Xbox on TVs, Spencer told The Verge, “I think you’re going to see that in the next 12 months. I don’t think anything is going to stop us from doing that.”

Spencer didn’t speak specifically about the functionality of an Xbox TV app, but the question was in the context of streaming games, which Microsoft has already started with its xCloud technology on mobile devices. The Xbox TV app would presumably use the same basic tech, scaled for use on TVs. Spencer went on to say the tech would have to work well if, for example, his kids wanted to play the same game on multiple TVs.

And while Spencer did acknowledge that this would lead to a big hardware change, he pushed back on the idea that streaming would herald the end of home consoles.

“I just push back a little bit on–this is not exactly what you said–that when streaming comes, all the consoles go away, or all my local devices that play video games go away,” Spencer said. “I’m not quite as sold on that. I think we just have to be nimble and watching what players want.”

Currently the streaming option is available as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which also offers a subscription of downloadable games on PC and Xbox consoles. Game streaming is only available on Android devices for the time being, but Microsoft is reportedly looking into a browser app solution to run it on iOS devices.

Now Playing: Xbox Series X Video Review

Fortnite Crew Is A $12 Subscription With Battle Pass Access And Monthly V-Bucks

As rumored, Fortnite developer Epic Games is introducing a new monthly subscription for the popular battle royale game. The subscription is called Fortnite Crew, and it will cost $12 USD a month and give players access to the game’s current Battle Pass, extra V-Bucks each month, and other perks.

Fortnite Crew launches alongside the start of Chapter 2, Season 5 on December 2, Epic announced on the PlayStation Blog. As the studio explains, the subscription gives players access to the game’s current Battle Pass, even if your subscription lapses before the season ends. Those who sign up for Fortnite Crew after they’ve already purchased a Battle Pass will have the 950 V-Bucks refunded to their account.

In addition to Battle Pass access, Fortnite Crew gives subscribers 1,000 V-Bucks each month, on top of any V-Bucks you can earn while leveling up that season’s Battle Pass. Additionally, Epic will gift subscribers an exclusive Fortnite Crew Pack each month, which will contain a new skin and “at least one” matching glider, pickaxe, or emote. You’ll keep these exclusive cosmetics even if you don’t re-up your subscription.

The first Fortnite Crew Pack will feature a skin for Galaxia, the “empress of the cosmos.” The outfit will come with one additional style, a Cosmic Llamacorn Pickaxe, and Fractured World Back Bling. Epic says players will be able to subscribe to Fortnite Crew directly from Fortnite’s in-game shop or the Battle Pass purchase screen after Chapter 2, Season 5 goes live.

In the meantime, Fortnite players have been busy trying to predict how Season 4 will end, and it appears the season will wrap up with an epic battle against Galactus. The supervillain will arrive in the game as part of a special season-ending event on December 1. The event begins at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET, but Epic recommends players log into the game about an hour before the scheduled start time; the playlist will appear about 30 minutes prior to the event.

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Hitman 3 Will Run At 4K 60fps On PS5 And Xbox Series X, New Chongqing Level Revealed

Hitman 3 is shaping up to be a graphical showcase on PC, with ray tracing features set to arrive after the game launches next year. On next-gen consoles you can also expect a visual upgrade, as developer IO Interactive has confirmed that Hitman 3 will run in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with HDR support included on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

The news was shared as part of the reveal of a new level, Chongqing, a Chinese transportation hub packed full of shops and food stands that are illuminated in the constant glow of neon lighting.

The Glacier engine powering Hitman 3 is now also capable of rendering up to 300 non-playable characters in a single location at once, and water effects such as rain drops hitting Agent 47 and making his clothes wet, will also be used to create a more subtle layer of immersion.

Other locations from the previous two Hitman games will also benefit from the rendering, animation, and AI technology, as IO Interactive said that all stages can be imported into Hitman 3 to complete the World of Assassination trilogy.

Hitman 3 launches on January 20, 2021 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia. Two other stages that you’ll be able to ply Agent 47’s deadly trade in are a Dubai skyscraper and Thornbridge Manor within England’s Dartmoor region, where players will have to work their way through a reverse murder mystery.

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Crusader Kings 3’s Latest Patch Lets You Create Your Own Ruler

The latest update for Crusader Kings III reintroduces an old fan favourite from Crusader Kings II in the shape of the Ruler Designer. This character creator not only lets you customize your monarch’s appearance, with sliders for age, weight, hair, and so on, but also the various traits and skills that will help shape your playthrough.

Developer Paradox Interactive has shared a video with content creator Roll1D2 showing off some of the tools at your disposal when it comes to creating your own ruler. There’s a clear emphasis on the amount of freedom you have, with the option to play as either a man or woman with any in-game culture, sexual orientation, and religion.

Achievements are disabled if you decide to stack your king or queen with too many skills, but these can be counterbalanced with negative traits that deduct from your limited pool of customization points. You’re free to go wild and give yourself as many advantages as possible, but creating a multi-faceted character is the way to go in an emergent grand strategy game like Crusader Kings III.

The Ruler Designer is part of today’s 1.2 update, which also features a comprehensive list of fixes and improvements, including balance changes, tweaks to the AI and interface, and many many more.

You can check out the full patch notes here.

Paradox’s latest earned a score of 8/10 in GameSpot’s Crusader Kings III review, with critic David Wildgoose saying, “It doesn’t always work perfectly, and at times it really makes you work for it, but there’s something amazing in that any of it works at all. Strategy games can tell interesting stories as their empires rise and fall, but their procedural narratives are rarely as affecting and poignant as they are here.”

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Hitman 3 Will Feature Ray Tracing After Launch

Hitman 3 developer IO Interactive has announced that Agent 47’s upcoming adventure will feature ray tracing on PC. The feature won’t be available at launch, but is due to arrive sometime later in 2021.

The announcement was made in a blog post discussing the studio’s new partnership with Intel. IO says that this deal will allow it to provide the best possible performance and optimization for Hitman 3 on PC, particularly for those playing on high-end machines with 8-plus core CPUs. Aside from the addition of ray tracing, those with 8-core CPUs will see denser crowds in the game’s Dubai level, while Dartmoor will feature more complex destructibility.

There’s no word on whether ray tracing is also coming to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions of the game, nor does IO delve into any specifics on how the feature will be implemented. It’s safe to assume, however, that it will use some combination of real-time reflections, global illumination, and hyper-realistic shadows.

IO has promised more details on Hitman 3’s PC release in the next few weeks, but before then, the developer has revealed the game’s next location, Chongqing, and revealed that the game will run in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with HDR support on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5. AI enhancements made for the third game will also be implemented into the levels from Hitman and Hitman 2.

Hitman 3 is due out on January 20, 2021 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia. A cloud version is also coming to Nintendo Switch but its release date hasn’t been announced yet.

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Scalpers Snag Thousands Of PS5s At UK Launch

The PlayStation 5 launched in the UK and Europe on November 19 and quickly succumbed to the same stock shortages that plagued the US launch a week earlier. If you’re having a hard time finding Sony’s next-gen console, it turns out scalpers may be partly to blame for the current shortage.

That’s according to a report from Business Insider, which claims that one organized scalper group, called CrepChiefNotify, snapped up around 3,500 PS5s in the UK. The group boasts thousands of paying members, with subscriptions starting at £29.99 and rising to £399.99. Subscribing to the group grants members access to various bots, allowing them to join in with the scalping and make a profit on their investment.

During the PS5’s launch, these bots notified members when the console was in stock and allowed them to skip queues or waiting times, oftentimes purchasing the sought-after hardware faster than any human possibly could. The group managed to snag 2,472 consoles on November 19, on top of the “just under 1,000” preorders that were made in September.

As of this writing, there are over 3,800 PS5 listings on eBay, with most of them being sold for double the asking price. Organised scalping is nothing new, of course, and the group in question started out by using the technology to purchase and resell sneakers such as Yeezys. Anytime there’s huge demand for a product, scalpers will be there to exploit it, but this is seemingly the first time such a coordinated effort has been focused on a new console launch.

If you’re still trying to get a PS5, we’ve got you covered with all the details on upcoming restocks.

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Mortal Kombat 11 Adds 1995 Movie Skins In New DLC

The 1995 Mortal Kombat movie had a lasting impact on the video game series, with series co-creator Ed Boon teasing a new look at upcoming skins for Mortal Kombat 11 that references the cult classic film. Those have now been revealed in a new trailer, and the skins are now available as part of the MK Movie Skin Pack. It’s priced at $6 / £5.

These new skins won’t be just cosmetic either, as the actors who portrayed the characters will also return to reprise their roles from the movie. In September, dataminers uncovered voice samples from actors Christopher Lambert, Linden Ashby, and Bridgette Wilson as Raiden, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade respectively. You can behold the new look and sound for each of these characters in the new trailer.

The first homage to the Paul W.S. Anderson-directed movie arrived shortly after Mortal Kombat 11’s launch, as Shang Tsung was added to the game as the first DLC character. Actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, who played the villainous sorcerer in the film, returned to the role and provided his voice and likeness for Tsung.

Mortal Kombat 11 recently made its way to PS5, Xbox Series X, and Series S, in a new Ultimate package that features enhanced visuals on next-gen systems, new characters, and “Kross Generation” technology that allows for kombat across multiple consoles. A new Mortal Kombat movie is also in development and includes a diverse cast of actors.

The movie is the biggest production ever to take place in South Australia, and features includes Joe Taslim (Sub-Zero), Ludi Lin (Liu Kang), Tadanobu Asano (Raiden), Sisi Stringer (Mileena), Josh Lawson (Kano), Jessica McNamee (Sonya Blade), and Hiroyuki Sanada (Scorpion).

Now Playing: Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate Mileena Gameplay Trailer

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Thor: Love And Thunder Has “Avengers 5 Feel,” Big Ensemble Cast

While COVID-related delays have put the Marvel Cinematic Universe on pause during 2020, with Black Widow getting pushed back over a year from May 2020 to May 2021, big things are in store for Marvel fans once theatres start opening back up. Though there are a heap of films and TV shows currently in the works, it looks like Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder may be the next big Marvel movie to look out for.

In a general MCU update posted by Variety, insider gossip claims that Thor: Love And Thunder is building up to “an Avengers 5 feel” thanks to a sprawling ensemble cast. The film is set to shoot in Sydney, Australia in January, with many of the cast including Christian Bale and Natalie Portman having already arrived to start preparing for the shoot.

Love and Thunder has also suffered setbacks during 2020. Originally scheduled to begin filming in Sydney in March, the shoot was first delayed due to the catastrophic Australian bushfires, and later delayed again due to COVID-19.

Director Taika Waititi has shared a few details on the story of Love and Thunder, teasing an “insane” and “romantic” story back in July while working on the film’s script.

It will feature Chris Hemsworth returning as Thor, as well as Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, but this time wielding Thor’s hammer. Chris Pratt will also be making an appearance while Christian Bale has been cast as the villain, who’s currently unnamed.

Now Playing: Black Widow (2020) – Official Final Trailer

A Heap Of New Details On Amazon’s Lord Of The Rings MMO Have Been Revealed

As part of the acquisition of Leyou by gaming giant Tencent, a number of documents relating to Leyou’s collaboration with Amazon on a Lord Of The Rings MMO have been made public. The documents reveal some juicy new details about a project which, thus far, has been quite secretive.

The documents include a licensing agreement for the Tolkien property, which also makes mention of Lord of the Rings Online, an existing MMO that Amazon’s product will launch in direct competition with. The licensing agreement shows Leyou agreeing to pay over $8 million simply to secure the license for the Middle-earth game.

The documents also include a co-development agreement with Amazon, which involves the broader e-commerce company rather than specifying the gaming-specific Amazon Studios branch.

An amendment to the licensing agreement also includes a production schedule, which shows a rough timeline for the game–though notably the amendment was made prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning the schedule may have changed since.

It points to January 11, 2021 as a due date for a “draft of complete game lore and narrative,” with a playable prototype then due in June of 2021. It’s clearly still early days for the game’s development, with the public not likely to get their hands on it until an open beta in September 2022, or an open beta in January 2023.

This schedule is for the PC, with subheadings for a PS4 and Xbox One launch both saying the aim is to have the content complete and playable within six months of the PC open beta, and a full launch within twelve months of the beta. There is no mention of PS5 or Xbox Series X/S.

It’s no surprise there’s such a wait still to go on this game–MMOs are a big undertaking to make, and Amazon is no doubt hoping to drum up hype for the Middle-earth-themed game with its similarly huge Lord of the Rings TV show in the works.

Now Playing: Amazon Is Developing A Free-To-Play Lord Of The Rings MMORPG – GS News Update

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