Phantasy Star Online 2 Comes To Steam Next Week, Full PC System Requirements Revealed

Publisher Sega has officially announced that the online action-RPG Phantasy Star Online 2 will make its way to Steam on August 5. You can download the game for free from the digital distributor.

Alongside launching on Steam, Sega confirmed that the first big content update for Phantasy Star Online 2 will arrive on the same day. The free update, titled Episode 4, will roll out on August 5 for Windows 10 PC and Xbox One. It brings with it a host of additional content, including a new planet, more enemies, an increased level cap, and more. In the meantime, you can check out PSO2’s Steam system requirements below:

Phantasy Star Online 2 Steam System Requirements

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 10 64bit
  • Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 and above
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 7800GT AMD Radeon HD2900XT (or a Graphics Card of the same caliber and above)
  • DirectX: Version 9.0
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Storage: 80 GB available space
  • Additional Notes – Monitor Resolution: 1280 × 720 and above, Disk Drive 80GB and above (NTFS Format)

“It is our goal to bring Phantasy Star Online 2 to as many players as we can,” PSO2 Team North America’s head of marketing, Fred White, said in a press release. “We have heard the requests for a Steam launch, and we are excited to announce that soon Steam users in 36 countries on six continents will be able to experience PSO2 on their platform of choice, including popular features like Steam Achievements and Remote Play. The Steam Store page for PSO2 opens today.”

Sega recently announced a brand-new expansion for Phantasy Star Online 2 that will launch in 2021 on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Titled New Genesis, the free DLC will overhaul that current PS02 experience with a new graphics engine, revamped combat, and more. Though New Genesis is a massive update for Phantasy Star Online 2, developer Online R&D and Sega have confirmed that the expansion will coexist with the main game.

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Halo Infinite – Everything You Need To Know

The latest game in the long running Halo franchise has made its gameplay debut at Xbox’s July Games Showcase. We got 8 full minutes of gameplay along with a brand new trailer and plenty of interviews with developer 343.

In this video we compile all the details we know about the game into one super video for your convenience. We breakdown all the story details, such as the game’s main villain, War Chief Escharum, who is the leader of the Banished. We dive into how the game is structured and what exactly the upgrade tab on the menu is for. And of course we tally up all the new and returning weapons you’ll get your hands on.

Halo Infinite is set to be a launch title for Microsoft’s brand new Xbox Series X later this fall. It will also be playable on the Xbox One line of consoles as well as PC. Yes, even steam. Make sure to come back to GameSpot for even more news on Halo Infinite.

Universal Movies Now Only Need to be In AMC Theaters for 17 Days Before Going VOD

Universal Pictures and AMC Theaters have reached a deal that shortens the time between when a movie premieres in theaters to when it’s able to move to other platforms like digital VOD. The new deal makes it so that Universal can move its films after just three weeks in theaters.

Traditionally, movie distributors and cinemas agreed to let a movie run in theaters for 90 days before getting the option to make films available in homes. As reported by The New York Times, the new deal shortens this time considerably to just 17 days. After which films have the option to be distributed via premium video-on-demand services.

Universal will also be able to control whether a film plays in theaters longer than 17 days, meaning it can choose to keep movies like Fast and Furious and Jurassic World in theaters for longer if need be.

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“The partnership we’ve forged with AMC is driven by our collective desire to ensure a thriving future for the film distribution ecosystem and to meet consumer demand with flexibility and optionality,” says Universal Filmed Entertainment Group chairman Donna Langley in a statement.

AMC and Universal previously were in a dispute just a few months ago. The theater chain announced it would no longer show Universal Pictures releases in cinemas after Universal released the animated film Trolls World Tour on VOD while theaters were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This new agreement overturns AMC’s decision.

Theaters have been left particularly vulnerable to the pandemic as social distancing rules become the norm. Highly anticipated films like Tenet have been delayed repeatedly, and will now premiere first in international theaters where Covid curves have been flattened, before premiering in the U.S. This deal has potentially seismic implications for other movie distributors as the film industry continues to find a way forward during the pandemic.

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Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

AMC Theaters And Universal Come To A Deal For On-Demand Movies

While movie theater chains continue to push back re-opening dates because of the COVID-19 pandemic, AMC Theatres and Universal Pictures–who had a spat back in April after Universal released Trolls: World Tour on-demand–are coming to an agreement on the future of movie releases. The plan involves a compromise between theatrical and home digital releases of new movies.

With AMC now looking to reopen its movie theaters in mid-August, the chain has come to an agreement with Universal on the distribution of profits for digital rentals, according to Variety. Now, Universal will have the ability to release on-demand for a roughly $20 rental fee–much like Invisible Man and The Hunt did earlier this year. The studio cannot sell or rent the movies for lower fees until three months after the films release in theaters. And AMC will get a cut of the money made this way. However, the specifics of the terms were not disclosed.

Variety notes that while movies from major franchises like Jurassic World and Fast & Furious could appear on-demand for a premium price, these blockbusters are more likely to have long runs in theaters, so it would be a much longer wait until the three-month rental period could begin. Smaller and mid-level films that normally wouldn’t have a long theater run could be rented at a cheaper price much sooner.

Specifics regarding what Universal movies could be coming to an on-demand service were not revealed at this time.

“Focusing on the long-term health of our industry, we would note that just as restaurants have thrived even though every home has a kitchen, AMC is highly confident that moviegoers will come to our theatres in huge numbers in a post-pandemic world,” AMC’s CEO Adam Aron said in a statement. “As people enjoy getting out of their homes, we believe the mystical escape and magical communal experience offered at our theatres will always be a compelling draw, including as it does our big screens, big sound and big seats not to mention the alluring aroma of our perfectly prepared popcorn.”

While AMC is the largest theater chain, what does that mean for all the other movie theaters around the globe? Details of the deal only state AMC and Universal are working together. At this time, it’s unknown how other theaters and movie studios could fit into this scenario in the future.

“The theatrical experience continues to be the cornerstone of our business,” said Donna Langley, chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group. “The partnership we’ve forged with AMC is driven by our collective desire to ensure a thriving future for the film distribution ecosystem and to meet consumer demand with flexibility and optionality.”

Watch Tomorrow’s Marvel’s Avengers Second War Table Livestream Right Here

The second War Table livestream for Marvel’s Avengers is scheduled to go live on July 29 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET, publisher Square Enix announced. During the broadcast, the team will discuss the content featured in the upcoming beta.

There’s no word on how long the livestream will last. However, the game’s official Twitter account confirmed that alongside discussions about Marvel’s Avengers’ imminent beta, the War Table presentation may include some surprises. There’s no clarification on what these surprises might entail, though.

Additionally, the livestream is said to feature discussions about post-launch plans for Marvel’s Avengers, but neither Crystal Dynamics, co-developer Eidos-Montreal, nor Square Enix have clarified this statement.

In any case, you can watch the second Marvel’s Avengers War Table livestream right here or on the game’s official website.

Marvel’s Avengers’ beta will kick-off on August 7 for those who pre-ordered on PlayStation 4. The following week–August 14–those who pre-ordered on PC and Xbox One (as well as all PS4 owners) will get their hands on the beta. Everyone else will get to check the beta out on August 21 before the game launches on September 4. You can check out our Marvel’s Avengers pre-order guide to learn about what else you can get for buying early alongside beta access.

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Every Item From Pascal’s Mermaid Set In Animal Crossing: New Horizons

In this video, we show off the entire mermaid set that you can get from Pascal when you give him scallops that you find when deep seas diving. All of Pascal’s mermaid furniture will come in the form of a DIY recipe that can be crafted with shells that you find on your beach and pearls that you find at the bottom of the sea. Beside the furniture, Pascal will also give you two types of mermaid dresses, shoes, and a tiara. You will even have a chance of getting a pearl from Pascal, too. Pascal will show up on your island at least once a day when you catch a scallop from the ocean. He doesn’t always arrive on the first scallop of the day, so don’t stop diving until you see him! Below is the full list of mermaid items and if you comment your favorite, you could win all of the furniture in the mermaid set!

All Mermaid DIY Recipes

Mermaid bed

Mermaid rug

Mermaid lamp

Mermaid sofa

Mermaid wall

Mermaid chair

Mermaid shelf

Mermaid table

Mermaid closet

Mermaid screen

Mermaid vanity

Mermaid dresser

Mermaid flooring

Mermaid wall clock

All Mermaid Clothing

Mermaid tiara

Mermaid fishy dress (two colors)

Mermaid princess dress (two colors)

Mermaid shoes (two colors)

Apex Legends Season 6 May See World’s Edge Map Changes

Respawn has possibly started teasing upcoming content for Apex Legends Season 6, which I’d wager is scheduled to begin on August 11–provided the battle royale game sticks to the established pattern of new seasons immediately beginning when the previous one ends. Based on its battle pass, Season 5: Fortune’s Favor is scheduled to end on August 11 at 10 AM PT.

The new teaser is the recent addition of familiar-looking Hammond construction signs on World’s Edge. As noticed by Reddit user FrozenFroh, the signs specifically outline Drill Site as well as the small area just outside The Dome.

Similar signs first appeared on World’s Edge in the final weeks of Season 3: Meltdown, hinting at the construction of new structures at the start of Season 4: Assimilation. These new signs seem to imply that Season 6 will see Drill Site undergo some sort of transformation, as well as the placement of a brand-new landmark between The Dome and Sorting Factory.

However, in classic Apex Legends storytelling fashion, this teaser for Season 6 contradicts an implied hint that the upcoming season would see the addition of a third map to the battle royale game, not new changes to existing maps. Classic Respawn and its love of misdirection.

You see, prior to Season 4, a tweet hinted that the Apex Games would be moving to Olympus, a city on Octane and Lifeline’s home planet, Psamathe. The epilogue of Season 5’s Quest further supports this tease, with both Octane and Lifeline discussing how the Apex Games are moving to Olympus.

So will Season 6 see a third map added to Apex Legends or will World’s Edge get an updated layout? One of the teasers could be for content coming later down the line, like maybe the World’s Edge map changes won’t happen until mid-way through Season 6 or not until the start of Season 7. Or perhaps, we’re getting a new World’s Edge and brand-new third map at the start of Season 6.

If Season 6 introduces a third map, it will be interesting to see how Respawn plans on reconstructing its Ranked playlist. Starting in Season 4, Ranked has been divided into two halves, with one half of the season only taking place on Kings Canyon and the other on World’s Edge. So would a third map divide the next Ranked series into thirds or would one of the maps just not be included in Ranked for the season? Only time will tell.

For now, the only concrete information that Respawn has revealed about the upcoming season is that Season 6 will handle storytelling differently than Season 5 did.

Now Playing: Apex Legends Director On Switch Port, Crossplay, And Stance On Skill Based Matchmaking

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Metal Slug 2, SNK 40th Anniversary Edition, Tons More SNK Games Free With Twitch Prime

One of the secret-best benefits of having an Amazon Prime account, one I feel we don’t talk about enough, is how it automatically enrolls you in Twitch Prime. The best part of that membership, in my opinion, are the free games and in-game bonuses you get for being a member.

Right now, if you’re a Twitch Prime member, you can add a huge collection of classic SNK games to your library at no extra cost. And if you’re not an Amazon Prime member, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial to get a feel for it.

Amazon Prime Free Trial

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Here are the latest SNK games added to Twitch Prime:

  • Metal Slug 2
  • SNK 40th Anniversary Collection
  • Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad
  • Baseball Stars 2
  • Sengoku 3
  • Ironclad
  • King of the Monsters

The SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is a compilation of SNK game pre-dated its Neo Geo days, so you can add an additional 14 games to that list (and check out our SNK 40th Anniversary Collection review, too):

  • Alpha Mission
  • Athena
  • Crystalis
  • Guerrilla War
  • Ikari Warriors
  • Ikari Warriors II: Victory Road
  • Ikari III: The Rescue
  • Iron Tank
  • P.O.W.
  • Prehistoric Isle
  • Psycho Soldier
  • Street Smart
  • TNKIII
  • Vanguard

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Those games are on top of the following SNK games, which can still be claimed by Twitch Prime members:

  • Art of Fighting 2
  • Blazing Star
  • Fatal Fury Special
  • The King of Fighters 2000
  • The King of Fighters 2002
  • Pulstar
  • Samurai Shodown II

To claim the games, visit the Twitch Prime loot page and select the games you want (if you’re like me, you picked them all).

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