Six more games are coming to Xbox Game Pass over the next two weeks. Two are arriving tomorrow, another two later this week, and the last two will launch on the games-based subscription service next week.
Among all six of the Xbox One games, the most notable additions are Dead Cells, Creature in the Well, and Gears 5. That isn’t to say the others are bad–all the titles being added are good. But Dead Cells is one of GameSpot’s best games of 2018 and both Creature in the Well and Gears 5 are brand-new games launching on Game Pass the day they release.
In GameSpot’s Gears 5 review in progress, Phil Hornshaw wrote, “Gears 5 is very much a return of those best elements of Gears of War, but with a focus on making the game feel somewhat more adaptive to your particular ways of playing. Whether you want campaign or co-op, Competitive or Quickplay, there’s an option for you in Gears 5, and plenty of stuff to reward you for time spent and skill gained. Gears 5 might suffer from some of the same storytelling missteps as its predecessors, and it might not venture far out of the past, but the new ideas it brings to the series are all good reasons for fans to return.”
The embargo for Creature in the Well isn’t up yet, so you’ll have to wait until tomorrow for GameSpot’s review on Flight School Studio’s “pinbrawler,” though you can watch us play through the first few areas in the top-down hack-and-slash dungeon crawler with creative director Adam Volker as he explains how the studio created a The Legend of Zelda-like game with pinball-inspired mechanics.
Unfortunately, Game Pass is losing out on a few titles this September as well. We’ve listed the games leaving the service below.
Pokemon Masters, the new Pokemon mobile game from DeNA, officially arrived on iOS and Android last week, but the title is already off to a strong start. Following its launch, mobile analytics company Sensor Tower reported Masters was the No. 1 free App Store game in 27 countries, and now The Pokemon Company has confirmed the title has hit an impressive milestone.
The official Pokemon Masters Twitter account revealed that the game has reached 10 million downloads worldwide in only four days. For comparison, Niantic’s hit Pokemon Go reached that milestone in a week, although that game was initially only available in the US, Australia, and New Zealand, so Masters has the benefit of being available to a much wider audience from the outset.
Thanks to your tremendous support, Pokémon Masters has reached 10 million downloads worldwide! We hope you are enjoying Pasio so far, and we look forward to sharing more adventures with all of you. pic.twitter.com/6DnwRMluoX
In other Pokemon Masters news, the game’s first story event is now underway. These events will happen periodically and focus on specific Sync Pairs. The first story event is dubbed Reach for the Top, and it teams you up with Blue and his Pidgeot as they take on other trainers from the Kanto region. To coincide with the event, Blue and Pidgeot are also featured in the Sync Pair Scout. The Reach for the Top event will run through September 29.
Pokemon Masters is set in an island region called Pasio, where famous Pokemon trainers and their partner Pokemon have gathered for a Pokemon Masters League tournament. Unlike most traditional Pokemon games, you aren’t able to catch your own Pokemon in Masters; rather, you recruit other Sync Pairs and form teams with them to take part in three-on-three real-time battles.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.
You don’t need us to tell you that gaming is an expensive hobby. From console and the games to the monthly memberships, you can easily rack up the costs just by trying to stay on top of all the latest releases. Luckily, we’re here to help. We’re constantly covering various deals on a daily basis, but over the course of the month, we’ll round up all the best discounts available right now. And for the purposes of this article, we’re focusing on all things PlayStation: PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim deals, PlayStation Plus markdowns, PS4 games on sale, discounted PS4 accessories, and other PlayStation products like the PS Classic.
Whether you’re picking up a PS4 for the first time, upgrading to the Pro, or just browsing for some new games or accessories, we’ve got you covered. Check out the best PS4 and other PlayStation deals available so far in September below.
These days, the PS4 Pro generally wavers between $350 and $400 (usually closer to $400), but Google Express currently has the console for $350 via seller AntOnline. To make the deal even better, you can take another 20% off your first order with promo code SEPTSAVE19, slashing $20 off the price and bringing it down to $330 plus any tax. That promo code is available now through September 29.
The PlayStation Classic launched in December 2018 at $100, which is easy to forget since it now regularly sells for $40 or less at most retailers. As part of GameStop’s Labor Day sale heralding in the launch of its new website, the games retailer began offering the PS Classic for $20, and even though the larger sale is now over, the mini retro console is still discounted.
Remedy’s latest action-adventure, Control, released on August 27 on PS4 and Xbox One, and you can grab this brand-new release for only $38.24 at Amazon. The retail giant is price-matching a deal at Target, which is offering the game for the same price if you pick it up in stores. Target’s deal is only available through September 7, so it’s likely Amazon’s deal won’t last too long either.
Looking for some other new PS4 games to add to your library? Take a gander at the best deals we’ve found below. Note that Amazon is offering an additional discount for some of these games that drops the price lower during checkout–that usually indicates the retailer is price-matching another store.
The sequel to Doom (2016), Doom Eternal is one of the most anticipated games of 2019, and it releases November 22. The shooter is already discounted to $49.94 on Amazon, and it’s protected by the store’s pre-order price guarantee, meaning if the price drops again between when you buy and the game ships, you’ll be charged the lowest amount. You also won’t be charged until the item ships and can cancel the pre-order for free anytime before it ships.
Check out more upcoming titles already seeing markdowns below.
The DualShock 4 wireless controller is crucial to any PS4 setup, and you’ll probably want more than one, both for convenience and for local multiplayer. This popular Magma Red version is on sale for only $43.98 at Amazon, down from $65.
See more DualShock 4 PS4 controllers of different colors on sale right now below.
PlayStation Plus is Sony’s premium membership for PS4 owners that grants them access to online multiplayer, exclusive discounts, and two free monthly PS4 games (which you keep for as long as you’re a PS Plus member). Year-long memberships usually sell for $60, so it’s always a big deal when the price drops below that level. Currently, the best deal on PS Plus is at Ebay, where you can get a 12-month subscription for $44.50. PS Plus subscriptions do stack, so if you’re already a member, you can always extend your membership for cheaper when you see a good deal.
PlayStation VR deals are usually few and far between, but one of the best PSVR bundles out there has a decent discount at Amazon right now. For $244.95 (about $20 off), you can get the system along with Astro Bot: Rescue Mission and Moss, two of its best titles. Amazon notes that this is a limited-time discount, so don’t wait if you’re interested. In the meantime, check out more of the best PlayStation VR deals right now below.
The highly-anticipated Borderlands 3 is out next week, launching on September 13 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via the Epic Games Store. Developer Gearbox Software and publisher 2K Games have kept things fairly simple for the looter shooter’s release, and we have all of the details on pre-loading, pre-order bonuses, and when exactly you can start playing.
What time does Borderlands 3 unlock in my region?
Gearbox is doing what it calls a “rolling midnight” release on consoles. You can expect to start playing Borderlands 3 as the clock strikes 12 am on September 13 no matter where you live, with the one exception being in North America. The game launches at midnight Eastern time across the entire region, so those on the west coast will be able to start playing on September 12 at 9 pm PDT.
The situation is a bit different on PC, as Borderlands 3 unlocks at 12:00 am BST (British Summer Time) no matter where you’re located, which translates to 4 pm PDT and 7 pm EST.
When does preloading start?
You’ll be able to start preloading 48 hours before Borderlands 3 releases in your region, no matter what platform you’re playing on. This is positive news after Epic Games Chief Tim Sweeney previously said that the Epic Games Store–where Borderlands 3 is exclusive for the first six months–wouldn’t support preloading.
What are the PC system requirements for Borderlands 3?
If you’re planning on picking up the PC version of Borderlands 3, the specs are fairly reasonable. On the low end, Gearbox only calls for an AMD FX-8350 or Intel i5-3570, along with an AMD Radeon HD 7970 or Nvidia GeForce GTX 680. More significantly, the game will require 75 GB of storage space to go along with that hardware.
On the high end, the recommended specs require an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel i7-4770, with an AMD Radeon RX 590 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB, and 16GB of RAM.
Are there any pre-order bonuses?
If you pre-order Borderlands 3, you’ll be given a weapon trinket and gold weapon skins for all guns in the game. There’s also a free PS4 theme if you pre-order on the PlayStation Store, and UK players who pre-order at Game will receive a free Psycho mask (which is a physical item), while stocks last.
If you purchase Borderlands 3 on PC, it comes with a free Fortnite Psycho Bundle Pack until Dec 31, 2020. This bundle includes a Psycho Bandit outfit, Claptrap pet, and Psycho Buzz Axes for Fortnite, and applies to any version of Borderlands 3 available on the Epic Games Store.
How many versions of Borderlands 3 are there, and what’s included in each one?
There are four versions of Borderlands 3 to choose from. The standard edition just includes the game and any pre-order bonuses. You can pre-order it at the links below:
PS4
Xbox One
PC
The Deluxe Edition features more goodies than the vanilla standard version, coming with a Retro Cosmetic Pack, Neon Cosmetic Pack, Gearbox Cosmetic Pack, and Toy Box Weapon Pack. There are also XP and Loot Drop Boost Mods included.
PS4
Xbox One
PC
The Super Deluxe Edition includes everything that’s part of the Deluxe Edition, plus access to Borderlands 3’s season pass and a steelbook case. It will be available initially for $100, but the price will increase to $120 from September 17. In the UK, the Super Deluxe Edition will be exclusive to Game, and the price will increase from £90 to £105 for console and £100 for PC starting September 17.
PS4
Xbox One
PC
Finally, the Diamond Loot Chest Collector’s Edition comes with everything included in the Super Deluxe Edition, along with a plethora of physical collectibles. There’s a Diamond Loot Chest replica, a Sanctuary 3 snap model, 10 character figurines, five character art lithographs, four Vault Key keychains, and a cloth map of the galaxy.
CD Projekt Red has finally come around to the idea of featuring multiplayer in Cyberpunk 2077. As far back as 2014, the studio said the game was “definitely not a multiplayer shooter,” before producer Richard Borzymowski told GameSpot in an interview at Gamescom earlier this year that CD Projekt Red was “exploring multiplayer modes.” A tweet from the company’s official Twitter account has now announced that multiplayer is officially in the works for Cyberpunk 2077, though you shouldn’t expect it to be available on release day.
“The plan for now is to deliver Cyberpunk 2077 in April, then follow up with DLCs (free!) and single-player content, and–once we’re done–invite you for some multiplayer action,” the second part of the tweet says.
1/2 Until now, the only thing we said about multi was that it was in R&D. As we’re getting closer to launching ‘single player’ Cyberpunk 2077 in Apr. 2020, we’d like to confirm that multiplayer’s in the works! If you feel like lending us your skills apply: https://t.co/QQV6qsuvhkpic.twitter.com/GHbiS5N3DT
At this early stage, there’s no indication of what multiplayer will entail, so it will be interesting to see how CD Projekt Red goes about incorporating it into an open-world RPG. This will also mark the first time the studio has developed a multiplayer game aside from Gwent: The Witcher Card Game, but Cyberpunk 2077 will be an altogether different beast–unless this ends up being another CCG.
Cyberpunk 2077 launches for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on April 16, 2020.
Throne of Eldraine is Magic: The Gathering’s fairy tale-themed 82nd expansion, and Wizards of the Coast is currently counting down to a major announcement, showing off new cards for the first time at every step along the way. And we’re a part of that countdown – just 5 stops from the end – and we’re going to reveal four brand new cards to you: ‘Syr Konrad, the Grim’, ‘Smitten Swordmaster’, ‘Order of Midnight’ and ‘Foulmire Knight’.
Even better, we’ve got Senior Magic Product Architect, Gavin Verhey to run down the benefits of each card we’re unveiling, and how you might be using them in the very near future. But, if you’re a seasoned player, you’ll immediately notice that these cards look a little different. That’s down to a new mechanic in Throne of Eldraine:
Gaming laptops have been keeping on pace with the fastest gaming monitors with 120Hz, 144Hz, and 240Hz displays. However, for the first time, gaming laptop displays are outpacing dedicated gaming screens as the new Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 features a 300Hz display.
That’s really fast refresh rate, and it’ll be the fastest one available on the market when the 17-inch gaming laptop releases later this October.
Just a quick recap: a display’s refresh rate is tied directly to how quickly it can show new frames of animation, making gameplay look and feel smoother. The faster your display is, the less blurring you see from fast-moving objects and your sweeping motions. While testing out the Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701, I saw a constantly flowing stream of crisp images that would even put a 240Hz gaming monitor to shame.
Mojang has unveiled an official DuckTales-themed DLC for Minecraft, which includes skins and new quests.
Available in the Minecraft Marketplace Store, the mash-up pack is the latest Disney property to enter the Minecraft universe after Pirates of the Caribbean and Toy Story previously got the block treatment.
According to the official announcement on Minecraft’s website, the DLC includes “the show’s most iconic locations – from the city of Duckburg and the halls of McDuck Manor, to legendary locations like the Pyramid of Toth-Ra or heights of Mount Neverrest. Solve a mystery or rewrite history as Huey, Dewey, Louie, Webby, or any of the other 30 characters available.”
CD Projekt Red has confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 will get a multiplayer mode sometime post-launch, putting to bed years of reports that it’s been in research and development.
Cyberpunk 2077 will launch in April with a single-player campaign only, but the studio announced on Twitter that a multiplayer mode will be added further down the line.
“As we’re getting closer to launching ‘single player’ Cyberpunk 2077 in Apr. 2020, we’d like to confirm that multiplayer’s in the works,” it said.
“The plan for now is to deliver Cyberpunk 2077 in April, then follow up with DLCs (free!) and single player content, and — once we’re done — invite you for some multiplayer action.”
Even eight years after its initial release, there’s still nothing quite like the fever dream that is Catherine. It remains an excellent fusion of thrilling block pushing puzzle mechanics and an exciting love story about the deathly consequences of infidelity.
Catherine: Full Body is a complete re-release of the 2011 PS3 classic with a slew of added extras including online versus, a handful of new endings, a new remix mode, and most substantially, a completely new character named Rin that gets stitched into the story, adding a few hours of new gameplay and cutscenes. These extras aren’t quite enough to justify a full $60 price tag for returning customers, but for those that missed out on Catherine’s twisted tale of love and deceit, Full Body is a temptation worth giving into.
