Respawn Revives Medal Of Honor With Above And Beyond

To coincide with the opening day of the Oculus Connect 6 convention, Respawn and Oculus have announced the development of Medal of Honor: Above And Beyond, a new first-person shooter for Oculus Rift.

The game will be set during World War II, and you’ll control an OSS agent who’s charged with subverting and fighting back against Nazis, at times in cooperation with French resistance forces. According to Oculus, Above and Beyond will be a AAA experience that will offer both multiplayer and single-player modes, with the campaign projected to last roughly 10-12 hours.

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Above and Beyond will also incorporate mini documentaries produced in cooperation with World War II veterans, which, according to Oculus, let you “sit with WWII veterans and survivors to hear their stories while witnessing first-hand the events and locations that have shaped our history.” Respawn’s Peter Hirschmann, who was the writer of the original Medal of Honor and is now directing of Above and Beyond, said “Interviewing veterans of WWII was an immense privilege and allowed us to ensure its respect and faithfulness to those who served. They’re helping us drive home the full emotional and historical weight of this subject matter with players in a way that really resonates.”

The Rift exclusive (a potential Oculus Quest port was shot down by Hirschmann in a recent meeting with GameSpot) Medal of Honor: Above And Beyond is currently scheduled to release sometime in 2020.

Stumptown: Cobie Smulders’ Private Eye Has the Superpower of Screwing Up

All September long, IGN is highlighting the best TV coming your way in the 2019-2020 season. Today we’re introducing ourselves to the cool, cunning Dex Parios, Private Eye. Played by How I Met Your Mother and the MCU’s Cobie Smulders, Dex tracks down crooks and busts open cases on ABC’s Stumptown, which premieres Wednesday, September 25. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Greg Rucka and Matthew Southworth, Stumptown follows Dex, an ex-solider, as she tries to get out in front of a gambling debt by agreeing to take on tricky P.I. jobs with no formal training. I spoke to Stumptown creator Jason Richman about why Smulders was perfect for the role of Dex and what type of changes he had to make to the source material. Plus, we’ve got an exclusive first look at the opening scene of the show translated into comic book form, plus a video of the scene itself for comparison.

Continue reading…

Fortnite Patch Notes For Today’s Update 10.40: Starry Suburbs, Double XP Weekend, And More

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Like clockwork, Epic has rolled out a new patch for Fortnite: Battle Royale. Today’s v10.40 update is now live on all platforms, and it introduces another new Rift Zone to the game, kicks off a new limited-time mode called Zone Wars, and makes a handful of weapon and item adjustments. Here’s a look at the patch notes.

First, a Rift Zone has transformed the dilapidated neighborhood near Pleasant Park into Starry Suburbs. Not only has the area received a makeover, shooting stars now also frequently land there. According to Epic, you can destroy these stars to get “powerful items,” including a “never-before-seen weapon.”

A new solo LTM called Zone Wars is also now underway. Epic describes it as “a simulation of the end-game scenario in Battle Royale–but with a condensed moving zone.” There’s also a new playlist called The Combine, which challenges you with reaching the end as quickly as you can while destroying targets.

Rounding out this week’s patch is an assortment of weapon tweaks. The Explosive Batarang from the Batman crossover event now has an audio visualizer icon for proximity beeping, and Shield Bubbles now bounce off other players when they’re thrown at them. The Bouncer trap has been unvaulted as well; you can find either in supply drops, Vending Machines, llamas, or as floor loot.

The patch also implements Epic’s previously announced matchmaking changes, so the game should now do a better job of matching you up with players of a similar skill level. As part of these matchmaking changes, Epic will be introducing bots to the game starting next season.

Finally, with Season 10 nearing its end, Epic is holding a double XP weekend in the game. From September 27-30, you’ll earn twice as much XP as normal for each match you play, helping you power through the last few tiers of the Battle Pass. If you need help mopping up any remaining challenges as well, be sure to check out our full Season 10 challenges guide.

You can see the patch notes for Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode below. Creative and Save the World modes have each also received some new content with this week’s update. You can read the full 10.40 patch notes on Epic’s website.

Fortnite: Battle Royale 10.40 Patch Notes

Table of Contents [hide]

Limited-Time Modes

Zone Wars

Team Type: Solo | Respawning: Off

A simulation of the end-game scenario in Battle Royale — but with a condensed moving zone! Eliminate the competition as you avoid the Storm closing in. Randomized spawns and inventory items make each round unique.

You can queue with up to 15 friends.

  • Zone Wars: Colosseum
    • Created by Jesgran.
    • Become the ultimate gladiator in a Colosseum-like island. This open-style island demands quick building.
  • Zone Wars: Desert
    • Created by JotaPeGame.
    • Make your way through a small desert town to the final circle. A diverse set of weapons and mobility allow for unique gameplay and lots of replayability.
  • Zone Wars: Downhill River
    • Created by Enigma.
    • Stay out of the storm as you move downhill through a river in this original-style Zone Wars island. Community launch pads and a consistent Storm path allow for familiarity after a few rounds.
  • Zone Wars: Vortex
    • Created by Zeroyahero.
    • This island puts a unique twist on Zone Wars with its mountainous terrain to traverse. The elevation change from zone to zone can be quite drastic!

Weapons & Items

  • Explosive Batarang
    • Added an audio visualizer icon for proximity beeping.
  • Shield Bubble
    • Shield Bubbles will bounce off other players when thrown at them.
  • Unvaulted
    • Bouncer
      • Rare trap.
      • Drops in stacks of 3.
      • Found from Supply Drops, Vending Machines, Llamas, and Floor Loot.
      • Can be placed on floors, walls, or ramps/stairs.
      • Provides a jump boost in a direction perpendicular to its placement.
  • Enabled the Batman Grapnel Gun and Explosive Batarang in Arena and Tournament playlists.

Bug Fixes

  • Resolved an issue in which the Health bars of vehicles would not display.
  • When a Junk Rift object hits a player wearing a Bush, it will no longer damage the player instead of the Bush.
  • Using a Grapnel Gun to enter a Rift Zone will no longer prevent players from moving around while skydiving.
  • Resolved an issue in which players could deploy a Glider while in prop form.
  • Being in prop form no longer prevents players from being affected by the Explosive Batarang’s homing.
  • Explosive Batarangs will no longer float in the air after the object they are on is destroyed.
  • Resolved an issue in which the Zapper Trap would not deploy at the location of the placement preview.
  • Shield Bubbles attached to a Supply Drop will no longer disappear after the Supply Drop is destroyed.
  • Shield Bubbles can no longer prevent fall damage.
  • Shield Bubbles can no longer become stuck in the air.
  • Resolved an issue in which Shield Bubbles would not attach to a vehicle when thrown by a player riding the vehicle.

Gameplay

  • Double XP Weekend!
    • Make this weekend double the fun. From Friday, September 27 at 9 AM ET to Monday, September 30 at 9 AM ET, you’ll earn double the XP for the matches you play.
  • Matchmaking
    • We’ve introduced improved matchmaking logic to core modes.
      • Players are now more likely to match with those of similar skill.
      • As players get better, so should their opponents.
      • We will slowly roll this out to core modes in all regions as we test and monitor how it performs.
      • Please see our blog post for more details.
  • New Sensitivity and Aim Assist settings on controllers.
    • For the details of these, please refer to our blog post.
    • Note: When using the new Aim Assist settings, crosshairs turn red while pointed at a target that is within effective range, which is anytime before damage drop-off is applied.
  • The Combine
    • This new playlist is a great way to get familiar with the controller setting improvements mentioned above!
      • Though The Combine is useful for this purpose, it can also be played using “Legacy” controls, mouse + keyboard, or touch.
    • The goal in this playlist is to reach the end as fast as possible while eliminating all targets along the way.
      • There are leaderboards that allow you to compete for the fastest time with friends or other players.
        • Each leaderboard provides options to sort times by your preferred input device.
  • Starry Suburbs
    • A Rift Zone has brought back the ruined neighborhood near Pleasant Park. However, the Rift Zone has given it a homeowners’ association — it’s a nice place to live now!
      • The neighborhood is actually so nice that shooting stars make it their destination. Crush the stars to access powerful items, including a never-before-seen weapon!
  • Moisty Palms
    • Players can now use the crouch input to exit prop form.
  • Hitmarkers no longer display on teammates.
  • Removed the Reset Camera control bind.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed an issue where players could use infinite sprays while in a Rift Zone.
  • The building piece choice no longer resets to the wall option when players using a controller have the Reset Building option turned off.

Audio

Bug Fixes

  • Resolved an issue in which the sound of a Chest would continue after a player opened the Chest.
  • The “Where is Matt” Emote music no longer restarts after every loop.

UI

  • The Controls Help option, a menu option meant only for mobile platforms, is no longer present on other platforms.
  • The Building Edit option is now located in the Building section of the Input settings rather than the Misc section.

Bug Fixes

  • Match stats no longer clip off-screen during a Victory Royale celebration.

Replay

Bug Fixes

  • The “You are in the Storm” warning no longer displays multiple times when switching spectated players.
  • The Shield Bubble’s sound effects no longer behave improperly when players scrub a replay.

Mobile

  • Added a 2x multiplier for the Edit/Building sensitivity settings.
  • Clarified Look Acceleration Strength tool tip.
  • Toggle Targeting is set to on by default.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed a crash when exiting the Battle Bus on lower-end iOS devices.
  • Fixed a crash when switching to Presets with Custom Fire selected in the Fire Mode selection screen.
  • The Fire Mode button in the Settings menu will reflect the currently selected Fire Mode.
  • Scoped Assault Rifle crosshair now loads on first ADS.
  • Players will be able to edit or destroy a floor piece when placed in a 1×1 pre-structured building.
  • Players won’t be shot through player-built stairs when crouched beneath them.
  • Friend Requests menu won’t display duplicate confirmations.
  • Players will now be able to lock in place as a prop in Moisty Palms without HUD Layout alteration.
  • Vending Machines will grant the currently displayed item using the dedicated button.
  • The Edit with Touch function will now reset when pressing Reset in the settings.
  • Push-to-Talk button won’t display a white square when pushed.
  • Blueprint will be visible when deploying a Prefab or Gallery with the Retro filter active.
  • Selecting Block and Report won’t result in a duplicate blocked user in the Blocked list.
  • We’ve made graphical improvements to the following:
    • Bunnymoon Outfit
    • Axiom Outfit
    • Neo Versa Outfit
    • Infinity Outfit cape
    • Outfits with Jonesy as base model
    • Standard Issue Back Bling
    • Full Tilt Emote
    • Barrels in Dusty Divot
    • Floating Island

Recap

  • From server on September 19
    • Improved Storm logic to better avoid Final Storm Circles occurring at the POIs specified in the v10.31 Patch Notes.
  • From hotfix on September 19
    • Reduced the dance duration of Taco Time by half.
  • From server on September 20
    • Resolved an issue involving the “Deal combined damage with your squad or duo” Team Spirit objective not tracking progress in Team Rumble.

PlayStation Launches Online Store For PS4 Consoles, Accessories, And More

PS4 owners are used to buying digital games directly from PlayStation, but now Sony wants you to come to PlayStation for all your PS4 needs. Today, the company launched its own online store where you’ll be able to buy PS4 consoles, accessories, and more. So far, it’s exclusive to fans in the United States.

The PlayStation Store will sell PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim consoles, DualShock 4 controllers, PlayStation VR headsets and accessories, and console bundles, in addition to physical games and PlayStation Plus subscriptions. The collection of games available will be expanded over time, but you can currently pick up some of PS4’s best games including:

  • Astro Bot: Rescue Mission
  • Blood & Truth
  • Bloodborne
  • Days Gone
  • God of War 3 Remastered
  • Horizon Zero Dawn
  • Marvel’s Spider-Man: Game of the Year Edition
  • MLB The Show 19
  • Quantic Dream Collection
  • Ratchet & Clank
  • The Last of Us Remastered
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

If you’re a PlayStation Plus member, you’ll be eligible for free one-day express shipping, which is a nice perk.

There’s also a limited-time promotion available now through October 31: You can get a PS4 Slim and 12-month PS Plus subscription for $340 and a PS4 Pro bundled with PS Plus for $430. But before you take advantage of either offer, check out our roundup of the best PS4 deals this month, as the same PS4 Pro with PS Plus bundle is available for $380 at Newegg right now. You can also get a PS4 Slim for $240 at Google Express–even if you picked up a full-price PS Plus subscription on top of that, it’d still be cheaper than this bundle at the PlayStation Store.

The timing is certainly conspicuous, coming on the heels of its release date announcement for The Last of Us Part 2, which will launch exclusively on PS4 in February. Anticipation is also building for the next-generation PlayStation console, which Sony will now be able to sell directly from the PlayStation online store. Since the Xbox Store has long sold consoles, accessories, and other Xbox gear directly to gamers, it was only a matter of time before PlayStation moved in this direction as well.

Jurassic World 3 Features Major Roles For Jurassic Park Cast

The past and present will collide in the next Jurassic World movie. Laura Dern, Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum will appear in Jurassic World 3 and will reprise their iconic roles from the first film.

At a Collider event, director Colin Trevorrow had a screening for Battle at Big Rock, which follows Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (directed by J.A. Bayona), featuring dinosaurs running amok in the real world. Dern was in attendance, and she spoke to the audience in attendance to reveal that she, Neill, and Goldblum would be attending the event.

“I’m so excited to have you share this news, and be here with all of you,” Dern explained in a video from Collider. “I love dinosaurs. I love that you love them like we do, and it’s not asking too much, if I’m going to get to join this party again, I would hate not to bring my friends Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum. Is that ok with you?”

Trevorrow reconfirmed the news and reiterated they would all be in major roles in the upcoming 2021 movie he is directing. The director has spoken a few times about the upcoming film, including saying that the next movie will be more of a science thriller, like Jurassic Park. What better way to capture the magic of the first film than to bring on the original cast?

The June 11, 2021 release date for Jurassic World 3 was announced well before Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom even hit theaters last year. While there is still two years before we see the next installment of dinosaurs smashing their way through the real world, Trevorrow’s short-film Battle at Big Rock is free to watch right now, and it’s one of the best things to come out of the Jurassic Park franchise.

Destiny 2 Pre-Loading Now On Steam, Even For Free Players

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Destiny 2‘s break with Activision also means a break with its Battle.net launcher, so the game is finally coming to Steam. The release will accompany the launch of the Shadowkeep expansion on October 1, but in the meantime you can get your dropship ready by pre-loading the game now on PC.

Bungie announced the pre-loading on Twitter and said to stay tuned for more info on exact launch info. The game’s community manager added that you need to do a fresh install even if you already have the game on Battle.net, so you should make a new directory and don’t copy over any of the files.

Destiny 2 will also be free-to-play with its New Light version, so you can download the game on Steam for free even if you’re brand new to it. You can even pre-load the F2P version. If you already own additional content, that will migrate over too. Transferring to Steam requires a few extra steps, so read up on our tips for getting ready for Shadowkeep’s release for more on what you should be doing over the next week to prepare.

Shadowkeep is the latest big expansion to Destiny 2 since Forsaken, and includes a new loot crafting system, some new story threads to follow, and a ton of new features.

Mario Kart Tour Is Out Now But You Can’t Play It

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Nintendo’s next major mobile game, Mario Kart Tour, is officially available right now–but there is a catch. While the game can be downloaded on iOS and Google Play, it’s not playable just yet.

The game is currently undergoing maintenance ahead of its official launch. The game should, it seems, become playable in the early morning hours of Wednesday, September 25.

Mario Kart Tour is the first official Mario Kart game for mobile devices. It is among Nintendo’s most recognisable and popular franchises, and therefore it stands to be a huge hit given its mass appeal.

The game is “free-to-start,” but players can spend more money on microtransactions to unlock various extras. The game features a number of real-world locations for courses, in addition to a variety of courses from throughout the series’ history; we’ve gotten glimpses at Rainbow Road and Choco Island from the SNES game, as well as Dino Dino Jungle from Double Dash. The game also features 30 racers, who you’ll be able to unlock via a gacha mechanic.

Mario Kart Tour is free to download and features microtransactions. To play the game, you’ll need to have a Nintendo Account. You can create one of those for free on Nintendo’s website. For more details on Mario Kart Tour and its first event, check out the video above.

Fleabag Creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge Signs New Deal With Amazon For $20 Million Per Year

Phoebe Waller-Bridge won big at the Emmys on Sunday. Her show Fleabag won Best Comedy Series and she herself took home awards for best writing in a comedy series and outstanding lead actress. She’s now signed a huge new deal with Amazon, which she was already working with for Fleabag, to make more original TV content for the network.

According to Variety, Waller-Bridge will make and produce new shows for Amazon Studios; these programs will air only on Amazon Prime Video. Sources told the site that Amazon is paying Waller-Bridge around $20 million USD per year under the deal.

“I’m insanely excited to be continuing my relationship with Amazon,” Waller-Bridge said. “Working with the team on Fleabag was the creative partnership dreams are made of. It really feels like home. I can’t wait to get going!”

Amazon Studios boss Jennifer Salke said in a statement that Waller-Bridge is “clever, brilliant, generous, and a virtuoso” across writing, acting, and producing.

“Fleabag has been a gift to our Prime Video customers and we are excited for what comes next from this brilliant mind to dazzle and delight our global audience,” Salke said.

Fleabag won a total of six Emmy awards for its second and final season, making it among the most decorated shows of the event.

Waller-Bridge was also hired to contribute to the script for the new James Bond movie, No Time To Die. According to reports, 007 actor Daniel Craig specifically requested for her help.

Top 10 Best-Selling PS4 Games And Exclusives Of All Time (US Only)

Sony’s PlayStation 4 is the best-selling console this generation with more than 100 million units shipped, but what are the platform’s best-selling games?

NPD Group analyst Mat Piscatella released a list of the top 10 best-selling PS4 games and exclusives, and, just like on Xbox One, Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V is No. 1 on the “all games” chart for dollar sales (physical and digital) through August 2019 in the USA.

Rockstar’s newest game, Red Dead Redemption II, is No. 2 on the list, with Call of Duty titles making up the rest of the top five. In total, Call of Duty games represented four of the top 10 titles.

Sony’s own Spider-Man game was No. 6, which is an impressive result given it is ahead of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (though that game did perform worse than expected). Another Sony-made game, God of War, landed at No. 8. By comparison, no first-party Microsoft games made the Top 10 list for Xbox One.

Moving to exclusives, Spider-Man was the top-seller, with God of War, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, and Bloodborne rounding out the Top 5. You can see the full Top 10 list below.

In other news, Sony held its latest State of Play event today where it showed off a stunning new trailer for The Last of Us: Part II and confirmed a release date for February 2020.

For more game sales charts, check out the story below.