biteho.com

With Star Wars, EA has one of the most sought-after licenses in all of entertainment–and the company plans to take full advantage of it. In a “fireside chat,” EA executives spoke about how the company plans to “double down” on Star Wars after the huge success of Star Wars: Battlefront 1 and 2, Galaxy of Heroes, and Jedi Fallen Order more recently.

“Up is my hope–up and to the right,” EA CEO Andrew Wilson said about where he hopes the company will take Star Wars in the future. “We have a tremendous relationship with Disney. We have a tremendous relationship with Lucas. We have a longstanding relationship with them going all the way back to Star Wars The Old Republic that we launched in 2011.”

Wilson called out Star Wars: Battlefront 1 and 2 as top-performers from EA’s partnership with Disney on Star Wars. Those games have combined to sell around 35 million copies, he said. Wilson added that the mobile game Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes has enjoyed “extraordinary” success, and it continues to perform well. Additionally, Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order sold 10 million copies to stand out as another big success.

EA’s next big Star Wars game is Star Wars Squadrons. A dogfighting game, Squadrons is going after a smaller market than Battlefront or Jedi Fallen Order, Wilson said. EA CFO Blake Jorgensen said the company is not planning to disclose its sales projections for the title.

Even if Squadrons doesn’t sell as well as EA’s other Star Wars games, Wilson said he’s happy about the breadth of games that EA has created from its partnership with Disney and Lucas.

“We’ve had success in first-person shooters, in RPGs, in action adventure, in MMORPGs, in mobile, and I believe we’re going to have success with Squadrons as well,” Wilson said. “We’re going to double down on that partnership. Disney continues to be very very committed to the IP and to the canon.”

Wilson added: “We’ve got the combination of great IP, great development expertise and experience and success from us across genres, across platforms, across business models. And we’ve got new generations [of fans] coming to the IP all the time. So our expectation is we think there continues to be a really really strong opportunity in an around that relationship and that IP going forward.”

Jorgensen went on to say that EA is in a rare position where it’s been allowed to create entirely new characters and content for the Star Wars universe thanks to its strong creative partnership with Disney. For example, Jedi Fallen Order features a number of new characters that are canon, while Squadrons will take players to places in the Star Wars galaxy that have never been seen before.

EA’s history with Star Wars hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing, however, as Battlefront II was heavily criticized ahead of release for its use of microtransactions and loot boxes. In response, EA removed loot boxes from Battlefront II for its public release, and while microtransactions later returned, players could no longer use real money to buy loot boxes that could contain items that affected gameplay.

This controversy kicked off a renewed debate about loot boxes in video games–many politicians even took notice and lobbied to enact laws surrounding their implementation. That never came to be, but the ESRB now includes a notice about in-game purchases on video games sold in the US.

Looking ahead, EA may face more criticism in the coming years if it implements new betting systems like it has recently proposed.

The third campaign expansion for Borderlands 3, Bounty of Blood, is scheduled to release on June 25. In a GameSpot Play For All interview, Gearbox creative director Matt Cox revealed that this new DLC would break the pattern of seeing the return of a Borderlands character. You can watch the full interview in the video embedded below.

“We do have some freedom to try some new things with certain story moments,” Cox said. “And we’re keeping a lot of the story close to the chest because we built something that we think is pretty special–some surprises here and there. And I just want to say this: When I say surprises, I know a lot of people think, ‘Ah, returning characters are coming back, who is it?’ But I just want to be very clear that the only returning characters are the Vault Hunters themselves. The planet of Gehenna and all the characters we meet are all brand-new.”

Both of Borderlands 3’s first two campaign DLCs saw the return of fan-favorite Borderlands characters. In Mad Moxxi’s Heist of the Handsome Jack, you teamed up with Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel‘s Timothy and the Lovecraft-themed Love, Guns, and Tentacles reintroduced Borderlands 2‘s Gaige. Based on the teaser image for the fourth and final DLC expansion, it’s assumed DLC 4 will see us reunite with Borderlands 2’s Krieg, which would mean that Bounty of Blood will be the only campaign expansion not focused around a returning character.

“We have a lot of new characters in this DLC,” Cox said. “It’s a simple story overall–seek revenge on the Devil Riders–but having that focused of a plot allows the characters we build around it to have a lot more room to breathe and for us to get attached to them. So yeah…we did try to get a little bit more of a serious tone for the main story of Bounty of Blood, but it’s Borderlands so we still look for all of those opportunities for the traditional Borderlands humor. You’ll see a lot more of that in the side missions, but for the main plot, I think people are in for something pretty unique and fresh for Borderlands.”

GameSpot has officially kicked off Play For All–a celebration of all things gaming. Join us as we bring you the summer’s hottest news, previews, interviews, features, and videos, as well as raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts and Black Lives Matter with the help of our friends from around the gaming world. Check out the Play For All schedule for more.

Marvel’s Avengers has been confirmed for PS5 and Xbox Series X with a free upgrade program, meaning that Iron Man and the gang will be making the jump to next-gen. Some further details about the PlayStation 5 version have come to light, and we now have a better idea of what benefits will be offered by this upgrade.

On the PlayStation Blog, and in a press release we received, various upgrades have been discussed. Next-gen versions will get faster load times, higher resolution, and superior textures, and Crystal Dynamics has also promised that the PS5 version will make use of the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback and the system’s spatial audio.

PS5 users will also be able to choose between two different modes: Enhanced Graphics Mode and High Framerate Mode. This means you can either play the game in 60FPS with a dynamic 4k resolution, or boost the graphics for “the highest image quality possible.” The system’s SSD will also allow for much faster texture load-in.

The PlayStation Blog post goes on to list other features. “The new (PS5) GPU allows us to increase our texture resolution, push a higher level of detail farther from the player, enhance our ambient occlusion, improve our anisotropic filtering and add a variety of new graphics features such as stochastic screen-space reflections with contact-aware sharpening.”

The press release we were sent promised that details on Xbox Series X and PC specific features will be shared at a later date.

Marvel’s Avengers will launch on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on September 4–here’s our preorder guide. The PS5 and Xbox Series X release dates are unclear, as we’re not yet sure of either console’s release date.

Pokemon has a long history of wonderful spin-off games, but Pokemon Snap is perhaps the most beloved of them all. For years, fans of the 1999 Pokemon photography game have longed for a remake on Nintendo Switch, but out of the blue, Nintendo has given us something better: a true sequel. Literally titled New Pokemon Snap, the upcoming Switch game is being developed by Bandai Namco and features stunning modern graphics. No release date has been announced, but the trailer labeled it as “coming soon,” and Nintendo promised more details are coming soon as well. If you already know New Pokemon Snap is a day one purchase for you, the game is available to pre-order now.

Like its N64 predecessor, New Pokemon Snap will have you explore various Pokemon environments by traveling in a cart on a set rail path. You’ll take photos of Pokemon in their wild environment for research, adding them to your Photodex. In the old game, these photos were then rated by Professor Oak, and you’d score more points for capturing a Pokemon in a special pose, which often required certain items or accessories that you’d earn over time.

While the original game only featured Gen 1 Pokemon, the sequel will add Pokemon from newer generations, and we’re sure to see all-new environments as well. Pokemon Snap is a natural fit for the Switch’s motion controls as well, so we expect to learn more about how that will work within the game when Nintendo reveals more details.

Check out where you can pre-order New Pokemon Snap below. When Nintendo releases more information about the game, including a release date, we’ll include those details here.

As with many first-party Nintendo games, only one edition of New Pokemon Snap is available, and no pre-order bonuses have been announced. The game’s physical version is available to pre-order for $60. The Eshop has a placeholder listing, but you can’t pre-order the game digitally just yet.

Developer Ready at Dawn (The Order: 1886, Lone Echo) has been acquired by Facebook. The studio will now operate under Facebook’s Oculus Studios banner, where it will continue to develop “VR content for gamers.”

“Nearly 17 years ago, we embarked on a journey to build a game studio,” wrote Ready at Dawn co-founder Ru Weerasuriya on Twitter. “Along the way, we innovated on genres, experiences, games and platforms. Today, we’re excited to join the Facebook family as we open a new chapter in our story and continue to pursue our passions.”

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=lone-echo-screens&captions=true”]

According to an Oculus blog post, Ready at Dawn caught the attention of Facebook with its 2017 VR hit Lone Echo and its “signature zero-g continuous locomotion system and full-body IK (inverse kinematics),” which Oculus says “re-wrote the playbook for VR movement mechanics.”

The acquisition is not expected to cause layoffs, according to Facebook, as “the entire Ready At Dawn team will be joining the Oculus Studios team.” Facebook also stressed Ready at Dawn will continue to operate independently, “with the full support of Facebook and the Oculus Studios team behind them.”

Ready at Dawn is currently developing Lone Echo II, which is expected to be released sometime in 2020.

This is Facebook’s third studio acquisition since November: Beat Saber developer Beat Games and Asgard’s Wrath developer Sanzaru Games previously joined Oculus Studios.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/08/01/lone-echo-review”]

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Jordan is a freelance writer for IGN.

Pokemon Sword and Shield‘s Isle of Armor expansion has arrived. The centerpiece of the DLC is a new storyline centered around the Legendary Pokemon Kubfu, but that’s not all there is to do on the island; there’s also a lengthy sidequest that involves tracking down Alolan Diglett.

Shortly after you arrive on the Isle of Armor, you’ll meet a hiker who asks you to search for his missing Alolan Diglett. These are hidden in the ground all around the various areas of the Isle of Armor. You’ll need keep your eyes peeled to find them, as the Diglett can be pretty tricky to spot, but you’ll know when you’ve found one when you see their three little hairs sticking out of the ground.

There are 150 Alolan Diglett in total to find, and you’ll receive a reward each time you hit a particular milestone. These rewards typically come in the form of Alolan Pokemon, but you can also get one of the Gen 7 starters and a Kantonian Slowpoke for your troubles. You can see all the rewards and the number of Diglett you need to find to get them, courtesy of Serebii, below:

No. of Alolan Diglett	Reward
5	Alolan Meowth
10	Kantonian Slowpoke
20	Alolan Vulpix
30	Alolan Sandshrew
40	Alolan Raichu
50	Alolan Marowak
75	Alolan Exeggutor
100	Rowlet (if you started with Grookey); Litten (if you started with Scorbunny); or Popplio (if you started with Sobble)
150	Alolan Diglett

The Isle of Armor also introduces a few other new features to Sword and Shield, including a way to teach Pokemon to Gigantamax. If you feed a compatible Pokemon a dish called Max Soup, the Pokemon will gain the ability to Gigantamax, but you’ll first need to find Max Mushrooms to make it. If you need help, check out our guide on how to teach Pokemon to Gigantamax.

If you purchase the Sword and Shield Expansion Pass before August 31, you’ll also be entitled to a special early purchase bonus: trainer items based on Leon’s cap and tights. Here’s how to claim them. Just make sure you buy the right Expansion Pass for your game.

Gearbox is offering an in-game Borderlands 3 face mask to players who donate to Direct Relief to provide aid to medical workers responding to COVID-19 through a partnership with the international humanitarian organization.

Anyone that donates $5 or more through Gearbox’s merchandise website will receive a shift code that unlocks the Antisocial head cosmetic for Borderlands 3. The donations go directly to Direct Relief to provide aid and personal protection equipment to medical professionals.

“This campaign and these contributions are coming at a critical time in the pandemic,” Thomas Tighe, president and CEO of Direct Relief said. “While states are opening, we continue to see surges in the spread of Coronavirus and there is still a need to provide PPE for frontline healthcare workers. Direct Relief is deeply grateful to Gearbox for its partnership.”

Borderlands 3’s third DLC, Bounty of Blood, launches on June 25 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The DLC features all new characters and a western-style revenge tale.

GameSpot has officially kicked off Play For All–a celebration of all things gaming. Join us as we bring you the summer’s hottest news, previews, interviews, features, and videos, as well as raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts and Black Lives Matter with the help of our friends from around the gaming world. Check out the Play For All schedule for more.

The Lost Treasure Collection Event goes live in Apex Legends on June 23. The limited-time event will implement an update as well, which includes reworks for both Lifeline and Octane. Instead of buffing and nerfing both legends’ abilities, Respawn is outright changing several aspects of their abilities–similarly to how Mirage was reworked at the start of Season 5: Fortune’s Favor.

One of the original eight legends, Lifeline’s abilities are being reworked to make her into a more effective combat medic. Since launch, Lifeline has been a character who can transition back and forth between a healer and a fighter. These new changes allow her to do both at once.

Lifeline’s original passive ability, Combat Medic, is being replaced with Combat Revive. So Lifeline will no longer be able to revive and heal more quickly; instead, she can now use her D.O.C. drone to revive allies while she continues fighting or revives someone else. That’s a pretty substantial adjustment for the character–it makes Lifeline the go-to healer again, as her original passive has become somewhat obsolete in the wake of buffs to Gibraltar.

Octane’s changes aren’t nearly as major, but they also further differentiate the legend from his peers. An aggressive attacker who specializes in pushing on enemy teams like Bangalore and Revenant, Octane has long suffered from being easily slowed down by certain items or legend abilities. It’s also fairly easy to punish an Octane because even though his abilities encourage a reckless playstyle that overwhelms an enemy, there’s no way to counter a squad that’s prepared. These changes should fix that.

You can now double jump in mid-air off an Octane Launch Pad. This allows Octane to do something that no other legend can: give him and his teammates the agency to change direction in mid-air. Loba and Pathfinder can do this for themselves, but neither can provide a way for their teammates to do the same. This provides new avenues of attack for squads that want to aggressively push on another team–it will also make it harder to snipe an Octane and his team out of mid-air. Octane is also now officially the fastest legend. His Stim sprinting speed is increasing 10 percent and while stimmed up, the adrenaline junkie won’t be affected by weapons or abilities that impair movement. Once he gets going, he won’t stop until killed or the Stim runs out.

I also want to apologize to @sashabankswwe for my unacceptable comments. She’s an amazing person who didn’t deserve to be the brunt of my offensive remarks. I spoke with her earlier & she helped me learn a gigantic lesson & I thank her for that. Once again, I’m sincerely sorry.

— sammy guevara (@sammyguevara) June 22, 2020