Halo Infinite Adds A Co-Developer

Halo Infinite will be a joint development from 343 Industries and SkyBox Labs, it was announced today. The Vancouver-based SkyBox Labs has a long history of working with 343, as it worked on Halo 5: Forge for Windows 10 and did the work on Halo 5‘s Xbox One X enhancements. It sounds like SkyBox’s efforts for Halo Infinite will be more substantial.

In a news release, SkyBox said it will work alongside 343 on “features across the game including AI, gameplay, networking, and cutting-edge graphics features.”

Halo FPS studio head Chris Lee said in a statement that SkyBox is doing “great work” already on Halo Infinite. SkyBox co-founder Steven Silvester said in a statement that the studio is energised by Halo Infinite’s new art style and the game’s new engine, SlipSpace.

SkyBox said in its statement that “most” of the team’s 100-plus developers are working on Halo Infinite. The studio has been growing of late, while the team continues to grow, as it’s currently hiring across a number of different disciplines.

Halo Infinite was announced at E3 2018 with a trailer for the game’s engine, SlipSpace, but we have yet to see any of the game itself. The game’s new art style is meant to hearken back to the original Halo game. Microsoft has said Halo Infinite returns to the franchise’s roots, and is “bigger and bolder” than any previous Halo title.

In other Halo news, a new arcade game called Halo: Fireteam Raven is out now–and it’s pretty great.

For Honor’s Next Content Season Gets a Release Date and New Details

For Honor’s next season, Season VII: Storm and Fury, is launching August 2 on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One families.

Storm and Fury brings with it a brand new map, major Hero reworks, and an updated Ranking System. The new map, Secluded Keep, is described as a highly disputed outpost that was once the personal retreat of a pious Lord surrounded by water. The new map will be available in Tribute, Skirmish, Elimination, Brawl and Duel.

The Warden and Valkyrie will receive “major gameplay updates” to improve their versatility and efficiency, based on feedback from players.  Two new divisions in the Ranking System – Master and Grand Master – will also be introduced, and are described by Ubisoft as divisions “reserved for the fiercest warriors”. A new Ranking Leaderboard will allow players to monitor their progress, and players will also be able to join Ranked Duel matches outside Tournaments. Tournaments will now be triggered on rotation.

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Nintendo Issuing Lawsuits, The Pokemon Controversy, Blade Strangers, and More! – NVC Ep 417

Weeelcooome to episode 417 of our weekly Nintendo show and podcast, Nintendo Voice Chat. This week, the NVC crew discusses Nintendo’s initiative to take down emulator websites, Pokemon director Junichi Masuda’s controversial quote on catching Pokemon, and much more!

As always, you can watch NVC here on IGN and on our YouTube channel (subscribe and hit that bell! It gives fairies wings!) or listen to it on your commute in audio format. If you enjoy the show, share it with other Nintendo fans, leave us a comment, and give us a thumbs up or leave us a review! If you prefer audio over video, please subscribe to NVC on iTunes or your podcast service of choice. You can also download and listen to the latest episode of NVC Right Here.

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NHL Open Beta Hits PS4 And Xbox One, Lets You Try New Pond Hockey Mode And More

NHL 19 doesn’t officially launch until the middle of September, but you can play a part of it right now on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One thanks to an open beta that just began.

The free open beta lets you try out the game’s brand-new pond hockey mode, NHL Ones, as well as Threes drop-in, EASHL Drop-In, and Clubs modes. What’s more, the beta supports online versus play with all 31 NHL teams.

The beta also lets players check out “The World of Chel,” which is the next evolution of the EA Sports Hockey League mode. What’s new this time is that there is a “unified progression and customization system for created players.” In the beta, you can customise your skater with 15 unique traits and 21 different specialisations. Goalies can be customised with six traits and nine specialisations. What’s more, the beta lets you check out “hundreds” of customisation items such as hoodies and parkas to wear outside on the pond.

What’s more, the NHL 19 beta lets you check out the game’s “Real Player Motion” technology, which EA says will help offer the “most realistic skating experience in series history.”

The NHL 19 open beta runs through August 2, and it’s available on PS4 and Xbox One. You can send in feedback to EA Sports here in this forum. The file size is 20.77 GB on Xbox One.

NHL 19 launches on September 14, but the more expensive Ultimate and Legend editions launch on September 11. EA Access subscribers, meanwhile, can play a 10-hour trial for the full game starting on September 6.

P.K. Subban is on the cover of NHL 19, and he was also the inspiration for the game’s painful-looking hit physics.

Movie Franchises That Got Their Groove Back

The long-held belief that sequels are the product of a creatively bankrupt studio system, blandly rehashing the original in an attempt to make an easy buck isn’t entirely untrue. Certainly many, if not most movie franchises get worse as time goes on, and the idea well runs dry. But the industry relies so much on movie franchises nowadays, and these films keep attracting better and better talent, so sometimes – only sometimes – a film series actually gets better as it goes along.

Maybe the original film wasn’t that good to begin with, or maybe it took a couple of tries to completely crack the formula. Or maybe the series started off great, lost its way and then – with the injection of new perspectives – gets really good again. Whatever the case may be, there are some movie franchises that improved with time. And as Mission: Impossible – Fallout hits theaters (a franchise that definitely fits the bill), we look at some other movie series that improved with time.

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Monster Hunter World PC Beta Gameplay Live

Monster Hunter World has been available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One since January, but PC players will finally have a chance to join the hunt soon. Capcom recently announced it is bringing the acclaimed co-op RPG to Steam next month, and we got a chance to try it out ahead of its release.

In the video above, you can watch us embark on a handful of quests in Monster Hunter World’s closed PC beta. We start off by playing around with the graphical settings to give you an idea of the range of options you’ll have on PC, then we set off to explore the world and hunt some Great Jagras and other monsters. Please note that this is still a beta, so the game may change before its final release.

Monster Hunter World launches on PC on August 9. Like the console versions before it, it will be available in both standard and Digital Deluxe editions. The latter comes with a handful of bonus items, including a set of Samurai armor, three gestures, two sticker sets, and a new facepaint and hairstyle option. Those who pre-order either version will also get a bonus Origin armor set and Fair Wind Charm.

Monster Hunter World has received a variety of updates since it first launched for PS4 and Xbox One. Capcom says these will be “gradually applied” to the PC version. The publisher also notes the game will follow a different Event Quest schedule, so PC players won’t have the same set of special quests to take on as console players.

If you’re planning on picking Monster Hunter World up on PC, you can find the minimum and recommended specs here. You can read more about the game in GameSpot’s original Monster Hunter World review.

Fortnite Season 5’s Road Trip Week One Secret Star Location

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Get Extra Cash For Trade-Ins At GameStop For A Limited Time In The US

If you’ve ever traded in a game at GameStop (or most other places), you probably got two offers: one for how much cash they’d give you for the game, and one for store credit. When it comes to trade-in values, cash always gets the short end of the stick. But between now and August 12, for any items you trade into GameStop, your cash offer will be boosted up to the same amount as the credit offer. If you like your currency to be usable anywhere, now is a good time to take the money and run.

How much you’ll get depends on the item you trade in. GameStop accepts trade-ins for games, consoles, accessories, and even electronics like phones, tablets, and smart home devices. You can use the search bar on this page to find out what your items are worth as a GameStop trade-in on any given day. (Amazon and Best Buy have similar pages you may want to check to ensure you get the best deal.)

As with any deal, there are some caveats to keep in mind here. The offer isn’t available in California, or at select stores in other states. You can find the list of ineligible stores here.

A separate GameStop deal that also lasts through August 12 guarantees you’ll get at least $20 credit for trade-ins on select games (assuming the game is in working condition). Unfortunately, this deal can’t be combined with the cash payout, but you can always put the credit toward any upcoming game you have your eye on.

Those deals are in addition the the regular weekly sale GameStop resets each Wednesday. You can find details for this week’s sale here.

Castle Rock Episodes 1 & 2 Breakdown | Easter Eggs & References, Story, Characters

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The 7 Greatest WWE Matches That Almost Happened

WWE’s stated mission is as follows: “Put smiles on people’s faces.” The WWE Universe is, by and large, a just universe. The bad guys lose (eventually). The good guys triumph (eventually). And if WWE books it properly, the biggest heel and the biggest babyface will clash on a grand stage. Nothing puts smiles on fans’ faces more than the spectacle of a dream match.

Wish fulfillment is a huge part of professional wrestling. Fans will wait for months, even years, to see an anticipated match, especially if it’s a cross-generational “passing of the torch.” But sometimes, even with all the time and all the compromise, there are matches that have never taken place. And many of them, owing to retirement, circumstance, or tragic death, never will.

Here are the 7 Greatest WWE Matches That Almost Happened. And if enjoyed this gallery, check out 27 WWE Movie Cameos and our up-to-date roster coverage of WWE 2K19.