Ubisoft has announced an unexpected and wacky pizza-themed promotional activity for the upcoming launch of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. The company has partnered with Totino’s to give away in-game extras for people who buy the company’s pizza-related products.
Right now in the United States, Totino’s products like its pizza rolls and party pizza packs come with codes that you can unlock for things like temporary XP boosts and weapons. Here’s how it works and what you get:
First on-pack code redemption unlocks an XP Boost.
Second on-pack code redemption unlocks a Horn of Aries Sickle Sword.
Third on-pack code redemption unlocks a Bighorn Bow.
Every on-pack code redemption thereafter (up to 12 total purchases) unlocks an additional XP Boost.
Walmart shoppers get something more. Totino’s products sold at Walmart come with a fourth item that you apparently can’t get anywhere else: the Ram Axe heavy weapon. But you have to be really hungry. This weapon is only available in the 120-count pizza rolls pack.
Additionally, the specially marked Totino’s boxes come with codes that you can enter on this pizza-themed Assassin’s Creed website for a chance to win prizes like an Xbox One X, a copy of Odyssey, and other Assassin’s Creed swag.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey launches on October 5 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It is also releasing on Nintendo Switch, but only as a streaming title in Japan.
It’s 2018, so it is almost expected that the Next Big Game You’re Looking Forward To will have some form of microtransactions. It was no surprise at all when a job ad at Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries basically confirmed that the Xbox One and PC game will feature them. As a longtime Halo fan, the way in which 343 responded to those news reports has been frustrating and disappointing. It’s time the studio addresses Halo Infinite’s microtransactions more directly.
The job advertisement for an Online Experience Design Director includes language that, with the frustratingly little context 343 has given, is understandably concerning to fans. For example, the job post states that the person will be charged with overseeing the team that designs and delivers a “AAA player investment experience.” The term “investment experience,” along with the job ad specifically stating that this is “including but not limited to microtransactions,” has led to predictable worries. A successful candidate will also have a “comprehensive understanding of player psychology and what drives them to return to an experience.”
This all amounts to read as if 343 is hiring someone to exploit player psychology to get people to spend more money. Optics are important, and this doesn’t look good, even if it’s not an accurate or fair characterization of what is going on. And it’s also just one piece of the situation.
Microtransactions are not inherently bad or problematic. Games like Fortnite and Overwatch only sell cosmetic items that do not impact gameplay, and these systems are generally well-received by fans while being incredibly lucrative for the developers and publishers. The wording in the Halo job states that Halo Infinite’s microtransactions will include methods for fans to “express their passion” for Halo, which sure sounds like a reference to cosmetics. Microtransactions for cosmetics is generally accepted and enjoyed across the industry, and it’s exciting to think about how this could apply in the Halo universe.
Except, because 343 has yet to share any specifics about Halo Infinite’s microtransactions, fans are assuming a worst-case scenario where you can pay to get items that give you an upper hand–and this makes sense given the history of the franchise. Halo 5‘s microtransaction-filled Req system allows players to spend real money to purchase items that affect gameplay, and that system–while lucrative for Microsoft–didn’t sit well with all Halo fans. Outside of the Halo franchise, Star Wars: Battlefront II‘s controversial microtransaction and loot box system is a clear example of a bad actor that rightly and seriously soured the terms and rallied the negative discussion surrounding it. It is not fair to say a microtransaction system is innately damaging and dangerous, but the Battlefront II situation and other bad eggs are still front of mind for many; concerns about pay-to-win are understandable and justified. So it’s all the more frustrating and sad that 343 is not being more proactive about stomping down these concerns about Halo Infinite. But it does make sense in some regards.
Chris Lee, the head of FPS games at 343, has said the studio is still finalizing its plans for microtransactions for Halo Infinite, and that is a valid and understandable thing. The game is likely still a long time off, and business models are constantly changing and evolving. 343 taking the time it needs to evaluate different models and dig into the subtleties and nuances of each is a positive. And while some of the wording in the Online Experience Design Director job may come across as potentially problematic, the existence of such a position is a reflection of where the industry stands today as it relates to the increasing popularity of the games-as-a-service model. Not only that, but 343 has said it will hold pre-release testing phases for Halo Infinite to gather feedback from fans to make a better game. It remains to be seen if a microtransaction system will be part of the “flighting” tests for Halo Infinite, but that would be a smart move to get feedback directly from fans about what they like and what they don’t.
Personally, I want 343 and other studios to make games that are engaging enough to keep me coming back. I loved how all of Halo 5’s multiplayer DLC maps were free and that the game received heaps of new content and continues to do so years later with new updates and playlist changes. As a result, I am incredibly excited to see where 343 goes with the “sustain” element of Halo Infinite, but it’s all a mystery so far, and the developer’s silence about microtransactions specifically is less than encouraging. At the same time, it’s also worth mentioning that the references to microtransactions and leveraging player psychology make up only a small portion of the job description for the Online Experience Design Director. 343 is looking to hire an imaginative and creative person who designs and delivers systems that are fun and engaging. While some parts of this may include microtransactions, it doesn’t necessarily mean that 343 sees Halo fans as dollar signs. 343 wants to make Halo Infinite a game worth coming back to.
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HALO: Infinite – Announcement Trailer | E3 2018
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Lee, 343’s FPS boss, has already come out to say Halo Infinite won’t have paid-for loot boxes. That’s good to hear, and also not very surprising. While microtransaction systems are popular and prevalent across the games industry overall, loot box mechanics are rightly on the back foot in public perception due to their association with gambling. 343 is making a smart move in distancing itself from loot boxes at the very least. But the news of Halo Infinite avoiding paid-for loot boxes is buried under the lingering question of how microtransactions will work.
Lee, along with community manager Brian Jarrard–who has been working on Halo for more than a decade at Bungie and now 343–have told fans not to worry and not to read too far into the wording in the job advertisement. Job advertisements are not written to be read by players–they’re intentionally written to contain language to attract a candidate with the relevant skills and experience. In that way, the terms “player psychology” and “microtransactions” are fitting and appropriate. But in the eye of public perception, they border on icky.
I would like to see 343 release a statement that discusses the developer’s plans for microtransactions in Halo Infinite. The studio has already gone to great lengths in the area of transparency with its fans through things like its honest and frank words about Halo: The Master Chief Collection‘s struggles. 343’s commitment to owning up to its mistakes and speaking frankly to fans has paid off; the four-year-old game remains popular today–it’s easy to find a match in its numerous playlists–and it’s likely growing bigger still now that it’s in the Xbox Game Pass library. A formal statement from 343 about Halo Infinite’s microtransactions would go a long way to help keep 343 in the good graces of its millions of fans the world over.
The statement does not need to contain specifics, and I wouldn’t expect it to, but it should offer language that lets fans know what 343’s plans are at a high level to help assure them Halo Infinite won’t be a pay to win experience. Microsoft has plenty of legitimate reasons to keep its specific plans secret for now–they might not be final, they don’t want competitors to know–but speaking to and engaging with fans in a meaningful dialogue about an issue as important as extra monetization beyond the purchase price is critically important in terms of perception. Vague and unbinding quotes from studio heads on Twitter telling fans to “keep the faith” and trust 343 blindly is not enough when fans have many reasonable and understandable reasons to be concerned.
Perception is reality, so until 343 tells fans what to expect from Halo Infinite’s microtransactions, the developer should expect fans to envision a worst-case scenario.
GameSpot contacted 343 Industries about Halo: Infinite’s microtransactions. The company never responded.
The latest trailer for Bumblebee has arrived. The movie is the first spin-off from the Transformers series, and it focuses on the early adventures of the much-loved Volkswagen Beetle Autobot. It stars Hailee Steinfeld and WWE star John Cena and hits theaters in December.
The new trailer is a lot more plot-focused than the previous teaser, released back in June. It’s set in California in the 1980s, with Steinfeld playing a young woman who finds Bumblebee in a trash heap. The pair start to bond, but of course there is in danger in shape of Decepticons, who are looking to destroy Bumblebee. Along the way we see appearances from other classic Transformers–all in their original ’80s designs–plus Cena as a gruff Government agent. Check it out above.
Bumblebee also stars Jorge Lendeborg (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Jason Drucker (Diary of Wimpy Kid), Ricardo Hoyos (The Belko Experiment), and Gracie Dzienny (Chasing Life). It’s directed by Travis Knight, who previously helmed the Oscar-nominated animated movie Kubo And The Two Strings. It is released on December 21.
In terms of other Transformers movies, the future of the franchise remains uncertain. When Bumblebee was first announced, it was supposed to be the first in an ongoing spin-off universe of Transformers movies. However, last year’s Transformers: The Last Knight was a financial disappointment compared to the previous four films. As a result, the Transformers movie originally scheduled for 2019 was removed entirely from Paramount’s schedules.
This follows the rumors back in February this year that Habsro, the toy manufacturer which owns the rights to Transformers, is planning to reboot the whole franchise. It was also reported that a new agreement with Paramount means that Hasbro will have greater control over the property, including greenlighting movie projects.
We’re weeks away from the launch of Red Dead Redemption 2, and Rockstar is ramping up with a steady stream of new details. Today the studio outlined the wide variety of fauna to be found in the Old West, which can be hunted, skinned, and sold in your spare time between missions.
The official blog shows several species, including deer, coyotes, wolves, vultures, eagles, alligators, bears, fish, gila monsters, and various horses. Hunting and fishing will provide you with food, crafting materials, and income. Your choice of weapon will impact the value of the meat or pelt, with the bow being your best bet for a clean kill. You can then skin and butcher the animal yourself or take it with you. If you leave an animal out for too long scavengers will come to take your kill before you can use it.
To get around, you’ll rely on your own animal companion, a trusty horse. There are 19 breeds of horse in all, and they can be captured and broken or bought from stables. Keeping your horse groomed and fed will contribute to its ratings for attributes like stamina and handling. Horses also have 59 different styles of coat, and you can customize your saddles, horns, stirrups, and spurs.
Rockstar and Sony also announced a special PS4 Pro bundle that includes Red Dead Redemption 2, essentially at no additional charge. For more details check out our pre-order guide.
It’s safe to say Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the most-anticipated games of the year. If you’re planning to buy it and you’ve been meaning to pick up a PS4 Pro, you can do both at once with the Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Pro Bundle. And if you do, you’ll save $60, because the bundle effectively makes the game free. The Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Pro Bundle launches on October 26 and retails for $400. We have all the information that you need to pre-order it below.
The bundle comes with a 1 TB black PlayStation 4 console, a DualShock 4 controller, and a physical copy of Red Dead Redemption 2. If you play it hooked up to a 4K HDR television, the game will display with enhanced graphics and a wider range of color. The graphics will even look better on non-4K HD TV, as long as you turn on Supersampling Mode in the PS4 Pro’s settings.
Here’s where you can pre-order the Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Pro Bundle right now.
Pre-Order Red Dead Redemption 2 PS4 Pro Bundle
The only potential drawback is that this bundle doesn’t include any of the special editions of the game. For more information about pricing and what comes with the numerous editions, visit our Red Dead Redemption 2 pre-order guide.
Set in 1899, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel to the original Red Dead Redemption. Instead of focusing on John Marston, the previous game’s protagonist, it follows Arthur Morgan, another member of the Van Der Linde gang as they go on a cross-country crime spree with the law nipping at their heels.
Press and other industry types get to explore Tokyo Game Show in advance before the doors open to the public on the weekend, yet there’s a good excuse to brave the crowds on Saturday morning even if you’ve played everything on your list: the cosplay stage at the edge of the convention center. It’s then and there that a wave of cosplayers turn up to represent their favorite characters from games and beyond, and it’s always impressive to see who turns up.
This year was no different, and it was awesome to see such a strong turnout despite the unfavorable heat and humidity. We’ve collected a bunch of our favorite appearances from the event, and when possible, given credit and provided links so you can find out more about past and future appearances from specific cosplayers.
First up is a trio of cosplayers representing Persona 4. From left to right, we’ve got Naoto Shirogane (Twitter: @cha_cofee), Chie Satonaka (Twitter: @libra_hope), and Yukiko Amagi (Twitter: @y_kanata5).
When you’re done checking out these photos, take a chance to make sure you’re all caught up on the new trailers for some of the biggest games at TGS. Capcom has new videos for both Resident Evil 2 and Devil May Cry 5. We got the chance to play new demos for both games, and though our RE2 coverage will hit down the road, we’ve got a pair of videos on DMC5 ready to roll. Take a look at 20 minutes of S-Rank gameplay, and then hear our thoughts on Nero’s new Devil Breaker system (and the latest iteration of the original silver-haired demon hunter, Dante).
Square Enix took the opportunity to show off new Kingdom Hearts III gameplay as well, this time focused on Big Hero 6’s setting, San Fransokyo, but there are plenty of quicker glimpses within at locales from Frozen, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Monsters Inc. to enjoy as well.
The big surprise was a new Death Stranding trailer. During a presentation by Hideo Kojima on the show floor, he also showed off a mysterious new character voiced by none other than Troy Baker. As with every Death Stranding reveal, we are given cool stuff to look at with the least amount of context possible. It’s weird, intriguing, and yet another piece of the messy puzzle that is Death Stranding’s protracted marketing.
We’re now in the final days of Fortnite Season 5, which means a whole new season and other big changes are just around the corner for the popular battle royale game. (Already, we’ve seen the cube meet its end.) That also means this is your last opportunity to complete Season 5 challenges and unlock any remaining Battle Pass rewards if you still haven’t on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile. [Update:Season 6 officially begins on September 27, but there are just hours left to complete Season 5 challenges. If you’re already done, enjoy the new Season 6 teaser.]
As it has done in previous seasons, Epic released 10 weekly batches of challenges for players to complete throughout Season 5. For this season, the tasks were divided up into two categories–Free and Battle Pass–so even those who haven’t purchased a Battle Pass, which was typically the only way to gain access to the challenges, could be able to complete some and earn rewards.
Season 5 is slated to run until September 25, meaning you have until then to finish up any remaining challenges. If you need help getting them done–or would just like some pointers on how to clear them as quickly as possible–we’ve assembled guides for each weekly set of missions in our complete Fortnite Season 5 challenge roundup. You can also see all of the items and cosmetics you can earn by completing the challenges in our Season 5 rewards gallery.
Week 10‘s challenges arrived on September 13, and as usual, they featured a mix of straightforward tasks (like dealing damage to opponents and consuming enough apples or mushrooms) as well as some slightly more involved ones. One of the trickier challenges has you searching for Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces in basements; we’ve put together a guide of their locations here. You can see the full list of Week 10 challenges below.
Epic recently rolled out Fortnite’s 5.40 content update, which introduced another new weapon to the game’s ever expanding arsenal: the Suppressed Assault Rifle, a new gun that lets you take out other players stealthily. The update also moved the Drum Gun into the vault.
The start of Season 6 of Epic’s phenomenally popular Fortnite: Battle Royale is just around the corner. The new season kicks off on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile later this week, but to help further build excitement for its release in the meantime, the studio has begun dropping teaser images to usher in its impending arrival. The first features…a llama. Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that.
As it did in the run up to Season 5, it appears Epic will share a series of teaser images leading up to the start of Season 6. The company tweeted the first one out on Monday, which presumably shows off a new DJ llama skin you’ll be able to get your hands on during Season 6; in the background, you can see the infamous purple cube. “All great parties need a DJ,” the tweet reads. It should be noted that Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode celebrates the first anniversary of its release very soon.
Epic hasn’t shared many details yet on what to expect from Season 6. The developer recently confirmed the new season officially begins on Thursday, September 27, but we don’t know much about it beyond that. One thing that is safe to assume, however, is that Epic will offer another new Battle Pass when the season does kick off. The developer has released a new Battle Pass at the start of every season thus far; these could be purchased for 950 V-Bucks and leveled up as you completed weekly challenges to acquire new cosmetics and other rewards.
Some strange things have also been happening in the game itself that signal some sort of major changes in store for Season 6. Last month, a purple cube materialized on the island after the desert was struck by a lightning bolt that emerged from the giant rift in the sky. The rift has since closed, and the cube began slowly rolling around the island until it made its way to Loot Lake and plunged in, turning the lake purple and bouncy.
It’s unclear what any of this means for the future of Fortnite, but every lingering question should be answered when Season 6 begins this Thursday. In the meantime, it’s your last chance to unlock any remaining Season 5 rewards. That season ends on Tuesday, September 25, so you have until then to complete Season 5 challenges. If you need help finishing them up, you can find tips for all 10 weeks in our Season 5 challenges roundup.
