The release date for the Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War PS4 beta appears to have leaked, with early access for PS4 players starting on October 8.
As reported by CoD Tracker, details about the Black Ops Cold War beta have been found on the in-game storefronts for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: WW2. This post on the Black Ops Cold War subreddit has all the details, noting that “early access to the Open Beta begins on October 8, first on PS4.” The leak also confirms that the PS4 version of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War “plays on PS5 via backwards compatibility when it launches.”
According to the PS4 Black Ops Cold War reveal trailer, the exclusivity agreement for the beta gives PS4 players access “at least 5 days earlier than any other format,” so if this leak is legitimate, it suggests that Xbox and PC players will get the beta on the 13th of September, or perhaps later that week.
According to the listing, those who pre-order any digital edition of the game will get access, and will also receive a Frank Woods operator and assault rifle Weapon Blueprint “for immediate use in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Warzone.”
For too long gamers have had to buy multiple gaming headsets if they own more than one gaming console, but the new Astro A20 Gen 2 promises to solve that, being the first headset to work with both the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
As with buying any previous Astro gaming headset, you’ll still have to pledge your allegiance to one system by first buying an either green- or blue- tinted wireless gaming headset. However, if you want to use that same headset for the other platform, all you need to do is buy a second wireless dongle designed for your desired console.
Not only can you pair the Astro A20 Gen 2 with either console, doing so will unlock system-specific features. When paired with the PS5, the Astro A20 Gen 2 gains an enhanced surround sound mode via the system’s Spatial Audio feature.
Aside from those platform-specific features, the Astro A20 Gen 2 looks like a solid wireless gaming headset on paper. It is rated for up to 50 feet of wireless range and more than 15 hours of battery life, plus you can recharge it over USB-C.
The Astro A20 Gen 2 wireless gaming headset will retail for $119.99, while the Astro A20 Gen 2 USB Transmitter you’ll need to pair to a second console costs just $19.99. The headset and transmitter are slated to arrive this October – both are available for preorder now.
Bringing your old Astro Gaming headset to the PS5
On top of announcing a new wireless gaming headset, Astro also announced a new HDMI Adapter for anyone looking to port an old Astro gaming headset to the PS5.
Now this solution is only necessary if your headset required optical audio in to work, which is the majority of Astro Gaming’s older lineup including the A10, A20 Gen 1, A50, and any headset that connected through the MixAmp Pro TR Gen 3 and Gen 4.
The Astro HDMI Adapter itself works as a video pass-through that includes an Optical Audio Out port. Astro also promises this adapter won’t introduce any lag or affect the PS5’s ability to put out a 4K 120Hz gaming experience at all.
The Astro HDMI Adapter will also release this October for $39.99. Registered Astro users can submit their serial number and email address to receive a $15 discount on Astro’s website.
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].
Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam
When Call Of Duty League posted a gif congratulating Dallas Empire for their victory in the CDL Champs event, eagle-eyed fans noticed a new addition to the map. As picked up by Charlie Intel, the next season update to Call Of Duty: Warzone may include a big addition by way of subway stations.
The current season added a train that circles the map–currently it allows players to climb aboard and find loot, as well as providing a fun setting for skirmishes, but Infinity Ward says there are further plans for the train.
If the subway is set to be a season 6 addition, we can expect to see it in a month or so, when the new season is likely to kick off. It remains to be seen what they might add from a gameplay perspective, though–if that’s what we’re seeing in these screens.
Amazon has just announced Highfire, a TV adaptation of Eoin Colfer’s novel set to star and be produced by the one and only Nic Cage. As reported by THR, Cage’s dragon is the lead character–a vodka-drinking shut-in living in the Louisiana bayou. Did we mention he’s a dragon?
Published earlier this year by Eoin Colfer of Artemis Fowl fame (itself the subject of a less than successful live-action adaptation by Disney), Highfire imagines a world where dragons once ruled the world, and still persist through to the modern day–albeit in a less than majestic form.
Lord Highfire, once the ruler of all dragons, now spends his time drinking vodka and watching TV in his shack in Honey Island Swamp. He gets dragged out of this seclusion by Squib, a teenager mixed up with the local mob. Colfer’s first adult novel, Highfire has been generally praised for its offbeat concept and unique mix of crime and modern fantasy.
The TV adaptation is being led by Davey Holmes (Get Shorty, Shameless), who is set to executive produce alongside Cage. This isn’t the only Nic Cage TV extravaganza we can expect to see on our screens soon–he is also signed on to play Tiger King’s titular Joe Exotic in a dramatized series based on the Netflix documentary’s outrageous subject.
Click To Unmute
Size:
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
EA has now reiterated that launch is just the beginning for the game. “Madden NFL is a live service and longtime players know that launch is just the start of the annual Madden journey,” EA said in a blog post.
To that end, Title Update 2 came out with the game’s official release on August 28, and it includes fixes for Face of the Franchise and Ultimate Team, among other areas of the game. EA is planning another, more substantial update to be released in September closer to the start of the NFL season. This patch sounds like it will provide fixes for some of Madden 21’s more annoying and frustrating bugs.
“Bugs vary in frequency for our players (some are common; others are rare), but we recognize when one is experienced, it can be frustrating,” EA said. “As an example, we’ve seen one bug where field art is not showing up for a small number of players that has been difficult for us to reproduce. However, we have a fix for it coming in the next update.”
There are many fixes in the September update, which is planned for release on or around September 10, including fixes for pass-rushing issues, improvements for defensive coverage and tackling, and several stability improvements, among many other things. You can see the full patch notes for the August 28 launch day update and the one coming in September down below.
Resolved an issue in Face of the Franchise Legacy where the Player Archetype players chosen in certain sequences did not follow them into the NFL
A number of soft-locks were fixed
Resolved a very rare issue where the user’s avatar skin tone wasn’t always carrying over into NFL scenes
Resolved a rare issue where there was no season game in one of the storylines
Fixed a rare visual bug where the coach’s head texture wasn’t loading correctly
Madden Ultimate Team
Fixed an issue where users were experiencing long load-times when entering or leaving sub-menus
Superstar KO
Replaced a placeholder model for a coach in Superstar KO: Backyard Heroes
Content Updates
Buffalo Bills stadium name updated
Washington team rebranding elements
Addressed an issue with uniform geometry
General Stability Fixes (Crashes/Desyncs)
Upcoming Title Update #3
Here is a look at what the team is working on for inclusion in title update #3: Please note that we are still working through testing and going through certification, so we don’t have an exact release date to share with you at this time, but as noted above, we are targeting the update to go live around the start of the NFL season, on September 10.
Gameplay Updates:
Pass Rush
Fix to an issue preventing defenders in contain from staying in contain when being blocked by a running back in the backfield. The rusher will keep their contain behavior when blocked by any blocker on the line or in the backfield
Fix to an issue causing the initial pass-rush move of contain players to take them to the inside gap instead of their assigned outside gap.
Addition of logic to support QB Contain vs. play-action passing plays
Fix to ‘On-Field Trainer’ issues related to pass rush
Addition of logic so that defenders without the Strip Specialist Ability will no longer cause fumbles on QBs standing in the Pocket with Normal Sack animations on Competitive game-style only. Only defenders with the Strip Specialist ability will be able to force a fumble on a QB standing in the Pocket on Competitive.
Defensive Coverage
Fix to an issue when using motion in a Twins/Slot formation vs. Nickel/Dime/Dollar defenses, defenders inappropriately swap assignments, leaving the receiver uncovered
Addition of logic to Cover 4 Quarters to better handle plays like PA Crossers
Fix to an issue preventing defenders in press-alignment from backpedaling appropriately
Fix to an alignment issue when flipping Nickel 2-4-5 SS Reno Zone
Tackling
Fix to some tackling issues sometimes preventing tackle animations from triggering vs. Juke and Jurdle moves
Fix to an issue causing a receiver to warp up off the ground into a tackle during a possession catch
Fix to an issue causing the QB to not react after throwing an INT while being hit by a defender
Fix to an issue allowing ball carriers to fake-out defenders behind them when using the Spin Move
Throw Out of Sack
Addition of new logic for when a defender is hitting a QB on his throwing arm the QB will no longer be able to throw the ball. The QB will be forced to tuck the ball or the ball will be fumbled
Increase to the fumble chance for QBs throwing out of a sack that are hit significantly before they have started their forward arm movement. The greater the Defender’s Tackle vs Quarterback’s Strength rating discrepancy is in favor of the defender, the higher the fumble chance
Fix to a throw out of Sack animation where the ball was not getting released by the Quarterback
DEV NOTE: Our goal with the Throw Out Of Sack Improvements was to provide more balance to this new feature that has a significant impact on Gameplay. There is more risk to trying to throw the ball every time a defender is close to the passer. Now it is upon the user to make sure they have started the pass in time or else a defender will be able to force a fumble when they are hit before the arm has started going forward. We have also ensured that when you do start the pass in time, you get the ball off appropriately with the correct distance and accuracy
Blocking
Fix to an issue preventing the left tackle from blocking the correct defender when running HB Zone Weak plays against Nickel 3-3-5
Fix to an issue with graphical distortion occasionally being displayed over blocker-resistance bars
General Fixes
Tuning to RAC-catch win-chances to reduce frequency of low-rated coverage defenders getting catch-knockouts vs. higher-rated receivers
Fix to an issue where Hitting RT/R2 + A/X at the snap would sometimes result in the Quarterback instantly throwing to the A/X Receiver
Tuning to give user control a little sooner after an interception
Fix to an issue causing Quarterbacks to use drastic turns on subtle movements
Fix to the run-speed for ball carriers on Triple Option and Speed Option, allowing sprint speed earlier
Tuning some celebration animation issues to clean up some minor hitching
Tuning to QB’s front elbow when inside the pocket to improve visual quality
Madden Ultimate Team Updates:
Improvements to the speed in the menus of Madden Ultimate Team and returning from game modes
Improvements the speed when interacting with your players and items including upgrades
Address an issue where items in the lineup screen would initially show as 50/50
Numerous miscellaneous improvements to MUT Menu UI
Face of the Franchise Updates:
General stability improvements
Fix to an issue with users selecting “Let Fate Decide” option when getting drafted
Fix to an issue with the user’s difficulty setting reverting to Rookie after every game
Franchise Updates:
Tuning X-Factor abilities for users who select the “Active Roster” option when starting a new Franchise save.
The next franchise update blog will be released around the start of the NFL season and will outline current plans and target timing for the first of three planned franchise mode updates for Madden NFL 21
The Yard Updates:
Addition of “Frienderboards” to The Yard
These are leaderboards populated by your friends list that will display the Highest Score per event
Addition of a pop-up to remind those playing VS CPU events that they need a full group to play
When a user is offensive captain, control will now default to the QB even if their CAP is in another position group
Fix to an issue where location icons may not appear
Fix to an issue where full list of house rules may not appear
Fix to an issue where users may erroneously see “Finding Teammates” after leaving a session
Fix to an issue where Coach Cam always showed a CAP as being QB #12.
Fix to the pass leading for the Slot receiver’s Drag Wheel Route in Crossfire
Fix to a minor camera issue where the view was blocked by objects
Fix to an issue allowing an extra play after a fumble that went out of bounds on the last play of the game
Fix to an ‘On-Field Trainer’ issue displaying “Flick” above the ball carrier after catching a pass
Online stability improvements
General menu and interface improvements
Click To Unmute
Size:
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves are back as Bill and Ted after 30 years with Bill & Ted Face The Music. Check out our review of the new movie, now available in select theaters and on digital release.
Bill & Ted Face the Music is the first film in the series since 1991’s Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. Face the Music has been in the works for over a decade, but even with that much development, the prospect of revisiting this franchise after so long is a scary one. Can it live up to the hype? Will it be a worthy entry into the existing canon? Could these 30-year-old characters even resonate in the modern day?
Thankfully, the answer to all three of those questions is a resounding yes. Bill & Ted Face the Music is practically everything you could have asked for, and more. Find out why in Chris E. Hayner’s review, in the video above.
A Ubisoft support page outlining the company’s plans for PS4-to-PS5 game support may have inadvertently revealed that the PlayStation 5 won’t be backwards compatible with PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, or PlayStation games.
Mobile game Tom Clancy’s Elite Squad has changed its opening cinematic, after criticism that the logo of an anarchist group in the game looks similar to the Black Lives Matter logo.
Ubisoft’s Gods and Monsters is set to have a new name, and it may have been revealed ahead of the next Ubisoft Forward event.
Today is the last day to grab your Play For All merchandise from store.gamespot.com, with all the proceeds going to Black Lives Matter and Direct Relief.
Crusader Kings 3, Paradox Interactive’s newest addition to its medieval strategy RPG series, is out September 1. Ahead of the launch, we’ve rounded up a selection of reviews to help you decide if Crusader Kings 3 is worth it.
Critics generally praised Crusader Kings 3 highly. It has everything that players loved Crusader Kings 2 for: an imaginative and expansive strategy component, coupled with an in-depth and compelling RPG element.
David Wildgoose, in GameSpot’s Crusader Kings 3 review, gave the game a high score of 8/10. Wildgoose stated, “[T]he singular vision of Crusader Kings 3 [is] a grand strategy game that successfully operates across a bewildering scale, feeling vast and unknowable one moment yet awkwardly intimate the next. It’s a marvel of connectivity, effectively linking together complementary elements plucked from different genres–the role-playing game, the visual novel, the life simulation, the city-builder, the wargame–even if at times you can sense it straining at the seams.”
Game: Crusader Kings 3
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Developer: Paradox Interactive
Release date: September 1
Price: $50
GameSpot — 8/10
“In a sense, Crusader Kings 3 is all over the place. 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.” – David Wildgoose [Full Review]
IGN — 10/10
“Crusader Kings 3 is a superb strategy game, a great RPG, and a master class in how to take the best parts of existing systems and make them deeper and better. I have thousands of hours in the previous game, and I expect to spend at least that many in this third installment. All of the engrossingly flawed characters and stories of love, war, triumph, and loss that have already dynamically emerged from my playthroughs feel like just the beginning of something legendary. In fact, if I had to pick only one game to play for the rest of my life, the decision wouldn’t be that difficult. A new king of historical strategy has been crowned. Long live the king.” – T.J. Hafer [Full Review]
Kotaku — Unscored
“Crusader Kings III is an immense game, but also an immense achievement. There’s really nothing else quite like it. It’s a strategy game, and a good one at that, and like I’ve said if you only want to raise armies and conquer the world, this will let you do that and you’ll have a good time with it. But it’s so much more than that. It’s a strategy game with the lifeblood of an RPG coursing through its veins, and a character system that lets you truly live in the time rather than just look down on it from above.” – Luke Plunkett [Full Review]
PC Gamer — 94/100
“Crusader Kings 3 is always in motion, always jumping to new stories, so it never lets you get too settled. But it also never ventures far out of its comfort zone. Paradox hasn’t taken it in a different direction or made changes that will elicit any gasps. The stuff that made Crusader Kings 2 so enduring has been pushed to the front even more, while some of the bloat that accumulated over the better part of a decade has been chipped away. It’s a very sensible sequel. I know, I know—’sensible’ is not the most encouraging of words. Let me reassure you, then, that Crusader Kings 3 is incredible. It’s an irrepressible story engine that spits out a constant stream of compelling alt-histories, delightfully infuriating characters and social puzzles that I’ve become obsessed with unravelling.” – Fraser Brown [Full Review]
Rock Paper Shotgun — Unscored
“I like [Crusader Kings 3] a lot. I think there are some awkwardnesses still to be ironed out, but they’re offset by a strong suite of new ideas. I saw what might have resolved into the edges of CK3’s potential a little earlier than I wanted to, in a game of such colossal scope. But I also saw a much stronger starting point for growth than CK2 represented in 2012. It’s less overwrought than its predecessor, and certainly less mentally draining to play. But this felt more like the result of smart design choices than oversimplification. Tonally, it’s in just the same, marvellously dark spot. All in all, and as boring as it is to say, I think Crusader Kings 3 is a lot like Crusader Kings 2, but newer and tidier. And I’m very content with that indeed.” – Nate Crowley [Full Review]
Twinfinite — 5/5
“Not only Crusader Kings 3 is one of the best RPGs I’ve ever played, but it’s also one of the best world simulators I can think of. It’s basically the Sims without the gibberish and with swords, on a much, much grander scale. Ultimately, the only really large issue I can identify in Paradox’s latest game is that it’s the supreme emperor of the “one more turn” syndrome (even if it doesn’t really have turns). If there is one title that has the potential to absolutely trash your sleeping schedule, it’s Crusader Kings 3.” – Giuseppe Nelva [Full Review]
Vice — Unscored
“Crusader Kings III is massively, powerfully alive. You can almost feel it pulsing when you play it. Often, deep into the third, fourth, fifth hour of play, I’d realize I wasn’t so much playing it as watching it develop. The streamlining of its user experience and the accessibility of the wealth of information it collates for each and every citizen of it’s stunning rendering of Europe, continental Asia and northern Africa has not just made this a game that’s legible to more kinds of players; it has opened up new dimensions in its sense of character.” – Gita Jackson [Full Review]
VG247 — 5/5
“Crusader Kings 3 is just as bonkers, unpredictable and enthralling as its predecessor. Random encounters have increased and you’re often faced with dilemmas, some straightforward choices and, on occasion, a simple notification that you’ve done something unexpected, like the aforementioned stabbing.” – Lauren Aitken [Full Review]
Click To Unmute
Size:
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries has shared some new details about the game’s story–specifically, the studio has revealed a new enemy character. Jega ‘Rdomnai is a member of The Banished, which is the evil faction of aliens in Halo Infinite. Here is how 343 summed up Jega in a post on Halo Waypoint:
“In hushed whispers throughout the ranks of the Banished, Jega ‘Rdomnai’s name is spoken of with care. The blademaster’s history is shrouded in rumor and half-truths. Some say he was an experiment, an affront to his own kind. Others make mention of a clandestine ambush gone wrong. Very few know the truth, fewer still speak of it. One thing is certain: he has hunted demons before, and as the first recruit welcomed into the Hand of Atriox, he will do so again.”
Concept art by David Heidhoff
Jega is further described as a “mysterious and battle-ravaged Sangheli warrior.” He is one of “several” new characters that players will meet in Halo Infinite, 343 said.
In addition to announcing Jega, 343 showed off more of Master Chief’s armor in Halo Infinite. Master Chief will wear the Gen 3 Mark VII armor, which looks familiar but features some new flourishes and upgrades.
“Though it does represent a generational leap for the Mjolnir platform for actively deployed Spartans, some elements tested with the GEN1 and GEN2 Mark VII remain in the prototype stage due to unreliability or cost factors, such as integration of Forerunner-derived nanomachine elements and full shield-shaping,” 343 said.
The famous Dr. Halsey created the newest version of the Mark VII armor, according to the Halo lore. The new suit features “breakthroughs in neural interfaces, shield emitters, fusion power, and armor formulation.”
The concept art of the Gen 3 Mark VII armor was done by Isaac Hannaford.
As a refresher, Halo Infinite’s campaign picks up after the events of Halo 5: Guardians, with a story focusing on Chief as he fights the Banished on Zeta Halo. The Banished’s leader is Escharum, who is, like Jega, a new character in the Halo universe. Another new character is the Pilot, who we first saw in the initial Halo Infinite teaser at E3 2018.
“We’re excited about a story that helps put players of all experiences on a similar playing field,” 343 said. “You are stepping into the Mk.VI [GEN3] Mjolnir of the Master Chief nearly six months after the UNSC met defeat at Zeta Halo. It’s up to you to discover what’s taken place in the past, and what it might mean for our future.”
Halo Infinite was originally expected to release this holiday as a launch title for the Xbox Series X, but, due in part to complications related to COVID-19 and working from home, Microsoft shifted the release date to 2021. Despite what you might have read on the internet, Halo Infinite is not abandoning Xbox One or getting delayed again to 2022.
Click To Unmute
Size:
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
