DuckTales Remastered Being Removed From Digital Storefronts

The old adage “good things don’t last forever” could not be more accurate, as Capcom has announced that DuckTales Remastered will leave digital storefronts very soon. The classic platformer is scheduled to be delisted beginning Thursday, August 8.

In a blog post on Capcom’s official website, the publisher explains DuckTales Remastered will be “75% off on most platforms” before getting removed digitally. It will remain purchasable until August 8 at 5 PM PT (for Xbox 360 and Xbox One via backwards compatibility), August 9 at 8 AM PT (for PS3), and August 9 at 4:59 PM PT (for Wii U). PC doesn’t have a specified date, but DuckTales Remastered will be delisted at 4:59 PM PT on the platform.

Capcom notes that those who bought DuckTales Remastered digitally can redownload it even after its removal (unlike Konami’s P.T., which was totally removed from the PlayStation Store back in May 2015). Further, those who own physical versions can install and play as normal. DuckTales Remastered can be purchased physically for $10 USD (on the Wii U) or $15 USD (on the other platforms) at GameStop.

In our DuckTales Remastered review, we said, “WayForward Technologies focused on the wrong elements in their attempt to bring DuckTales to the modern era. Getting the cartoon voice actors to reprise their roles is kind of neat, but now there are way too many tedious story segments. Meanwhile, the action has been made worse because of the less responsive controls, and there haven’t been any elements added to make the simple combat and jumping more interesting. DuckTales Remastered will make you doubt happy memories from your childhood, or leave you baffled as to why people were nostalgic for such dull platforming in the first place.”

Team Rocket Boss Giovanni Makes First Appearance In Pokemon Go

The final Pokemon Go Fest of the summer is now underway in Yokohama, Japan. As part of the event, special Pokemon like Shiny Poliwag and hat-wearing Pikachu are spawning in the wild around the world, but players at the venue have spotted another unusual sight: Team Rocket Leader Giovanni.

It appears the enigmatic Team Rocket boss is photobombing pictures that are taken using Pokemon Go’s AR Snapshot function. A similar situation occurred during Chicago’s Pokemon Go Fest this past this past June. During that event, Team Rocket grunts would similarly appear in screenshots that players took at the venue.

As we know, the villainous team would make their proper debut in the game several weeks after Chicago’s Pokemon Go Fest, which suggests that Giovanni is likewise on his way to the game. What his exact role will be is still unclear, but it seems like a safe bet that players will somehow be able to challenge him to a battle.

Team Rocket grunts are still periodically appearing in Pokemon Go. The evil trainers can be found at certain PokeStops, and when the Photo Disc at one of these stops is spun, they’ll emerge from hiding and challenge players to a battle using their Shadow Pokemon. If players can defeat the Rocket grunt, they’ll have a chance to rescue one of their Shadow Pokemon, which can then be purified for various benefits. You can read more in our Team Rocket Shadow Pokemon guide.

Even if you aren’t able to attend Yokohama’s Pokemon Go Fest in-person, you still have a chance to take part in the festivities. As previously mentioned, Shiny Poliwag will appear in the wild around the world for the duration of the event, and each day you’ll have another chance to capture a Pikachu wearing a different hat. Niantic is also holding global challenges that all players can contribute to, with another chance to encounter the Legendary Suicune awaiting if the challenge goals can be met.

In addition to Pokemon Go Fest, a gift-themed event is now underway in Pokemon Go. As part of the event, you’ll have a chance to hatch a Shiny Bonsly from the Eggs you receive in gifts. Rayquaza has also returned to Raid Battles until September 2, and this time, you may encounter its Shiny form. If you need help taking the Legendary on, be sure to check out our Rayquaza guide.

Apex Legends Introducing “Solos” Limited-Time Mode

Apex Legends is changing the game for a limited time starting next week. The battle royale game has always been multiplayer-only, but for a while you can try to make a name for yourself all by yourself.

Respawn promoted the “Iron Crown Collection Event” on Twitter, teasing that the Solos mode will launch August 13 and end on August 27. A Reddit post from community manager Jay Frechette said that the team will be watching the community’s reaction and gauging feedback to the new mode.

“We’ll talk more about Solos when it’s live and you’ve had a chance to play it,” Frechette said. “For now we’re going to put it out there and see what happens and what kind of feedback we get.”

This would appear to be the fulfillment of a recent promise during an earnings call to “deliver one of the most fan-requested features” in an August event. At the time the community suspected it could be a solos mode. This event is coming in-between seasons, as Season 3 is set to launch sometime before the end of September. In the same earnings call, EA CEO Andrew Wilson said Season 3 is “shaping up to be even bigger” than Season 2.

We’re also expecting to see something else from Respawn in late September. The studio is planning to reveal a VR game at Oculus Connect, which is scheduled for September 25-26. Respawn has already said this isn’t its “premium” Titanfall game, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that this won’t be set in the Titanfall universe. It has had success in expanding the universe with Apex Legends, so the studio may be planning to do it again.

Take-Two CEO Called President Trump’s Comments “Disrespectful”

After the twin-shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas that left 31 people dead and many others injured over the weekend, President Donald Trump and other government officials have pointed the finger to video games as the cause for the mass shootings. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick disagrees, succinctly calling these politicians “disrespectful” in the wake of the mass shootings.

In an interview with Barron’s (via Business Insider), Zelnick called on government officials to address the “uniquely American” problem that is gun violence. “We’re just sickened and saddened by these senseless tragedies,” Zelnick said. “That said, blaming entertainment is irresponsible. Moreover, it is highly disrespectful to the victims and their families. The fact is entertainment is consumed world-wide…but gun violence is uniquely American. So we need to address the real issues.”

On Monday, August 5, President Trump asked for society to stop glorifying violence. He gave a speech suggesting that “the gruesome and grizzly video games that are now commonplace” are why mass shootings are becoming normalized.

The Entertainment Software Association (the organization behind E3) refuted President Trump’s statement, saying “numerous scientific studies have established that there is no causal connection between video games and violence.” The organization told GameSpot that “more than 165 million Americans enjoy video games, and billions of people play video games worldwide. Yet other societies, where video games are played as avidly, do not contend with the tragic levels of violence that occur in the US.”

Blaming entertainment–especially video games–as the cause for violent acts in society is not new. Back in the 1990s, former U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman spearheaded a campaign against titles like Grand Theft Auto and Mortal Kombat. At the time, Lieberman called on the regulation of violent video games, saying, “The player is rewarded for attacking a woman, pushing her to the ground, kicking her repeatedly and then ultimately killing her, shooting her over and over again. I call on the entertainment companies–they’ve got a right to do that, but they have a responsibility not to do it if we want to raise the next generation of our sons to treat women with respect.”

Disclosure: Strauss Zelnick was appointed to chairman of the CBS board of directors in 2018. CBS is the parent company of GameSpot and CBSi.

Trump Blames Video Games For Mass Shootings; Industry Responds

In the wake of two mass shootings over the weekend in the US, which together left more than 30 people dead and over 50 injured, President Trump has blamed social media, mental illness, and video games for the numbers of similar tragedies that have gripped the country in recent months and years.

“We must stop the glorification of violence in our society,” the president said. “This includes the gruesome and grisly video games that are now commonplace. It is too easy today for troubled youth to surround themselves with a culture that celebrates violence. We must stop or substantially reduce this, and it has to begin immediately.”

In response, industry body the Entertainment Software Association has disputed the claim that video games contribute to real-world violence. “As we shared at the White House video game meeting in March 2018, numerous scientific studies have established that there is no causal connection between video games and violence,” the organization told GameSpot. “More than 165 million Americans enjoy video games, and billions of people play video games worldwide. Yet other societies, where video games are played as avidly, do not contend with the tragic levels of violence that occur in the US.”

The shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio took place over the weekend. They killed 22 and nine people, respectively. Prior to his attack, which took place in a Walmart store, the suspected Texas shooter Patrick Crusius reportedly wrote: “Don’t attack heavily guarded areas to fulfill your super-soldier CoD fantasy. Attack low-security targets.”

Prior to Trump’s comments, the International Game Developers Association and its affiliated Foundation issued a joint statement distancing video games from the latest attacks. “Our deepest condolences and hearts go out to the victims and families affected by the tragic events in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas,” the two organizations wrote. “Society has endured too many senseless acts of violence and horrific mass shootings. Blaming video games distracts from the broader issues at hand. There is an overwhelming amount of research that finds there is no evidence linking video games to violence. Video games do not cause violence, and we support efforts to discontinue this misguided information.”

As CBS News points out, there have been more mass shootings than days in the US this year, leaving 8,796 people dead from gun wounds in 2019 alone. While Trump was quick to blame social media, mental illness, and video games, all three are found across the world with far fewer shooting incidents elsewhere. More firearms are found per resident in the US–where there are 1.2 guns per person–than in any other country.

Gears of War 5 Xbox One X Limited Edition Revealed

To celebrate the upcoming release of Gears 5, Microsoft has revealed a Gears 5 Limited Edition Xbox One X Bundle, a Kait Diaz Limited Edition Xbox Wireless Controller and Pro Charging Stand, a wireless keyboard and mouse and wireless headset from Razer, and a 2TB and 5TB Seagate Game Drive.

Gears 5 will be releasing on Xbox One and PC on September 10, 2019. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers and owners of the Gears 5 Ultimate Edition will be able to play four days early on September 6 and Microsoft is giving fans more reasons to get excited for the latest entry in the Gears franchise that began all the way back in 2006.

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Decay of Logos: The Very Zelda: Breath of the Wild-y Game Gets a Release Date, New Trailer

Decay of Logos, which will no doubt remind you of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild if you take a look at the new trailer above, will be out soon to allow you the chance to see if it plays as close to Breath of the Wild as it looks.

This one is, like Zelda, coming to Nintendo Switch, but unlike the first-party Nintendo classic, it’s heading elsewhere too. PS4 gets it first on August 27, followed by the Switch on the 29th, and then Xbox One and Steam on the 30th.

Check out the developer diary from Decay of Logos above, and if you missed our preview of it from last year, don’t miss that either!

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