Pokemon Go‘s June Community Day is set for Sunday, June 6. The featured Pokemon this time around is one that players have long been requesting: Gible, the pre-evolved form of Garchomp. Gible will appear in the wild more frequently throughout the event, and there will be a few other bonuses to take advantage of. To help get you up to speed, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about Pokemon Go’s June 2021 Community Day below.
June 2021 Featured Pokemon: Gible
June’s feature Pokemon, Gible
June’s featured monster is the Land Shark Pokemon Gible. Throughout the event, Gible will appear in the wild much more frequently than normal, giving you more opportunities to catch it and stock up on Gible Candy.
On top of that, Shiny Gible will also be available during the event. This variant has blue skin and a yellow belly. Like other Shiny Pokemon, however, Shiny Gible will be fairly rare, but you’ll increase your chances of encountering one by using an Incense.
June’s Community Day Move: Earth Power
If you’re able to evolve Gabite (Gible’s evolved form) into Garchomp during June’s Community Day or up to two hours after the event ends, your Pokemon will automatically know the Ground-type Charged Attack Earth Power. This is currently the only way Garchomp can learn this move in Pokemon Go.
June’s Community Day Hours
June’s Community Day will run for six hours, from 11 AM to 5 PM local time. This means you’ll have until 7 PM local time to evolve Gible into a Garchomp that knows Earth Power.
June Community Day Bonuses
On top of increased Gible spawns, Niantic is offering an exclusive Special Research story during June’s Community Day. The story is called Just a Nibble, and it provides more chances to catch the Land Shark Pokemon and earn other bonuses. To access the Special Research story, you’ll need to purchase a virtual ticket from Pokemon Go’s in-game shop for $1 USD.
In addition to that, Niantic is also selling a special item bundle during June’s Community Day. The bundle costs 1,280 PokeCoins and includes the following items:
50 Ultra Balls
5 Incense
5 Lucky Eggs
1 Elite Charged TM
Finally, Niantic is activating a few bonuses during June’s Community Day. First, any Incense that you use during the event will last for three hours rather one. On top of that, you’ll earn triple the normal amount of XP when you catch a Pokemon.
Netflix’s Knives Out 2 is adding yet another big name to its cast. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kate Hudson is coming aboard, joining other new cast members like Kathryn Hahn, Dave Bautista, Janelle Monae, Edward Norton, and Leslie Odom Jr.
Daniel Craig’s detective character, Benoit Blanc, is returning as well. The sequel is set to film this summer in Greece, but a release date and plot details are being kept under wraps. Presumably it’ll be another murder mystery, with Blanc returning to help solve the mystery.
Knives Out 1 director Rian Johnson is coming back to write and direct the sequel. He’s producing the movie as well, alongside Ram Bergman, who also worked on the original. According to a report, Johnson, Bergman, and Craig will be paid $100 million each.
Netflix acquired Knives Out 2 and 3 for a reported $465 million. The original movie was made by MRC for a theatrical release, but Netflix cut a deal with Johnson and Bergman for the sequels to come to the streaming platform.
The Suicide Squad director James Gunn has teased an epic action sequence for the upcoming film featuring Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn. Gunn told The Associated Press (via ScreenRant) that The Suicide Squad features the “biggest action scene I’ve ever done” for a movie, and Robbie shines as Harley in this sequence, whatever it is.
“Physically, she is a pure athlete and is able to do these stunts in such a graceful, magnificent, beautiful way,” he said. “And so I wrote the biggest action scene I’ve ever done all around Harley, and it was so fun to create just on every level from working with the stunt guys all the way through to working with her. It’s probably my favorite four minutes of film I’ve ever shot before.”
Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in The Suicide Squad
In a follow-up tweet, Gunn continued to praise Robbie for what she achieved during the scene. “Not only the most fun I’ve ever had on set, and the most impressed I ever was with a performer, it’s probably the coolest action sequence I’ve ever shot,” he said.
Gunn didn’t elaborate on this scene or offer any kind of tease for what to expect, so we’ll have to wait a little longer to find out what it’s all about. Gunn has pulled off some very elaborate and impressive action sequences before with the Guardians of the Galaxy series, so it’s intriguing to think about how he may up the ante with The Suicide Squad.
Also on Twitter, Gunn addressed the fact that any character could die in The Suicide Squad. He clarified that the actors who play character who do die were informed when they got the script. “Anyone who was getting killed in The Suicide Squad knew it upon getting the script or for new actors upon being offered the role,” he said.
The Suicide Squad opens in theaters and on HBO Max on August 6. Warner Bros. has a lot of belief in The Suicide Squad, it seems, as the company is planning to expand the universe further with a spinoff show for John Cena’s Peacemaker.
In other news, The Suicide Squad was recently given an R rating for, among other things, “graphic nudity,” but we don’t know yet who will be naked.
In what could wind up being the best news of the week (or year), Disney has confirmed that Hocus Pocus 2, a sequel to the 1993 film starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as a trio of witches, is actually happening. What’s more, the actresses will reprise their roles as the Sanderson sisters once again for the film, which will debut on Disney+ in 2022.
The film is set to begin production this fall with Anne Fletcher (The Proposal) stepping in as director. The original film’s director Adam Shankman will produce. In a press release from Disney, Fletcher is pretty adamant that there’s never been a better time to revisit the franchise. “Now more than ever, people need to laugh,” she said. “We should be laughing every day, and there is so much fun to be had with these three unbelievable women playing delicious characters from such a beloved film. I am so grateful to be able to play a part in bringing these witches back to life, and to be working with my friends at Disney again makes it all the more special. This is a movie for everyone, from the fans who grew up with the first film to the next generation of viewers, and I can’t wait to get started.”
While the actresses who portray the Sanderson sisters will be back, Disney hasn’t confirmed any other casting or returning characters. However, Thora Birch, who played the young Danni Dennison, recently teased on Twitter that she may be involved. “2020 will be ‘Mah-velous,” she wrote with a GIF of Midler’s Winifred.
As for what the new film is about, you can probably guess the plot. A synopsis from Disney reads, “In Hocus Pocus 2, three young women accidentally bring the Sanderson Sisters back to modern-day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on the world.”
Perhaps that’s how they can get Birch into the film. Who better to teach the new characters how to handle the Sandersons than someone who’s already done it? There’s no word on whether she would be joined by her co-stars from the film, Omzi Katz (Max) or Vinessa Shaw (Allison).
Now they just need to throw a talking cat into the mix, much like the original’s Thackery Binx, and everything will feel just right.
Production on the first season of the upcoming TV series Wheel of Time has wrapped. And with this, Amazon Studios announced that Season 2 has been greenlit.
Co-produced by Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television, The Wheel of Time is based on the best-selling novels by Robert Jordan. The series follows a world where magic exists, but only a few women have the ability to use it.
“The belief Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television have shown in The Wheel of Time has been incredible to see throughout the entire process of making this show,” said showrunner and executive producer Rafe Judkins. “This property is one I’ve loved since I was a teenager, and seeing it brought to life with the resources to make it truly worthy of what’s on the page is something I can’t wait for the other fans of the books to see. And Season 2 just keeps expanding the world we built in Season 1.”
We got our first look Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred, who is a member of Aes Sedai, which is a female magical organization. They call the White Tower their home. Prior to this, a promo arrived in February, which you can see below.
“The Wheel of Time is a beloved series of fantasy novels from Robert Jordan, renowned for the rich world and diverse characters he created,” said Co-Head of Television at Amazon Studios Vernon Sanders. “The approach Rafe and his team have taken with this project is a testament to Amazon Studios commitment to deliver something special for the devoted fans around the world. In partnership with the team at Sony Pictures Television, we wanted our Prime Video customers to be delighted that a second season is already in the works so that they would know that the journey would continue.”
While Season 1 had wrapped, it’s still unknown when The Wheel of Time will debut.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword arrives on Switch in July, and as Nintendo revealed this week, the game is launching alongside an elaborate new Amiibo depicting Zelda with her trusty Loftwing. This figure is much more detailed than many of the previous ones the company has released, and it carries a much steeper price tag than usual as a result. The higher asking price normally wouldn’t ruffle consumer feathers considering that Amiibo are often more appealing to core players and enthusiast collectors, but it’s the functionality the figure offers that makes it feel like a particularly egregious money grab.
As Nintendo explained, the Zelda & Loftwing Amiibo effectively allows you to quick travel between the surface world and the sky. Scan the figure while you’re on the surface, and you can return to the sky from anywhere, even while exploring a dungeon. Scan the figure again while in the sky, and you’ll return to the same point on the surface.
As far as Amiibo functionality goes, this is an incredibly handy feature. Typically, the only way to return to the sky from the surface in the game is to interact with Loftwing statues, which are found in specific locations around the world. This means that if you need to head back to Skyloft–the floating island that Link and Zelda call home–to restock on supplies, for instance, you first need to hoof it to one of these statues to launch yourself into the air.
Those who have played the original Wii version of Skyward Sword will remember how frequently Link needs to travel between the surface world and the sky, so the functionality that the Zelda & Loftwing Amiibo offers is a genuine quality-of-life improvement. That’s why it’s so perplexing that Nintendo is locking such a useful feature behind an additional purchase–one that costs $25 no less. And that’s to say nothing of scalpers. Collector items like Amiibo are often snapped up quickly, so if the Zelda & Loftwing Amiibo sells out, it seems you’ll just have no way of using this functionality.
Click To Unmute
The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD | Nintendo Direct
Size:
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos.
This video has an invalid file format.
To be sure, the Zelda & Loftwing Amiibo’s premium price tag isn’t the crux of the issue. Nintendo has released even pricier figures than this in the past, including a $30 Detective Pikachu Amiibo and a deluxe-sized $40 Yarn Yoshi Amiibo for Yoshi’s Woolly World. Those, however, unlocked ancillary features in their respective games, so players didn’t miss out on anything for not picking them up. In Skyward Sword’s case, it’s not like the game will be unplayable without the Zelda & Loftwing Amiibo’s functionality, but the feature it offers outright improves the overall experience, and the only way to take advantage of it is to shell out.
Gating certain features behind Amiibo has always been a delicate balancing act that Nintendo has had to maintain since it first launched the NFC-based figure line in 2014. Tie something significant to Amiibo, and fans will perceive it as a forced additional purchase; tie something minor to them, however, and there will be little incentive to buy the figures. Up until now, Nintendo has maintained that balance by mostly offering superfluous benefits through the Amiibo. While some figures have been used cleverly (being able to summon Wolf Link as an AI companion in Zelda: Breath of the Wild remains one of my favorite uses), most would unlock optional perks, such as new Yoshi patterns in the aforementioned Yoshi’s Woolly World, or extra items in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.
The Zelda & Loftwing Amiibo, on the other hand, is the first I can think of to offer such a clear game-improving feature–one that wouldn’t be available otherwise if you didn’t own the figure. Past Amiibo have come close to approaching that line. For instance, tapping a Bowser Amiibo while playing Bowser’s Fury lets you summon Fury Bowser on command rather than having to wait for him to appear on his own, which made collecting some of the Cat Shines a bit quicker, but didn’t appreciably alter the experience. With the Zelda & Loftwing Amiibo, however, Nintendo is effectively asking fans to spend extra money to enjoy a major quality-of-life feature that could very well enhance what it’s like to play Skyward Sword as a whole. Considering this is the sort of improvement one would typically expect from a $60 remaster, it comes off as a way to wring more money out of fans, and it’s disappointing to see.
There are many different versions of the DC Universe, but few have made as big an impact on the pop culture scene as Injustice: Gods Among Us. The original 2013 video game has spawned an empire unto itself, with a sequel, mobile games and stacks upon stacks of companion comics.
The Injustice franchise is poised to grow even bigger in 2021 thanks to the news of an Injustice animated movie. If you need help making sense of this twisted superhero universe and why Superman is suddenly the bad guy, we’ve got the full breakdown. Here are the topics we cover in this piece:
The 2013 video game Injustice: Gods Among Us introduces a new branch of the DC multiverse. This world once resembled the traditional DCU we know and love, but fate takes a very dark turn on the day Superman is tricked into murdering his wife Lois and their unborn child. That tragedy pushes the Man of Steel over the edge. His obsession with ridding the world of evil leads him to become a despot. Only this world’s Batman and his underground Insurgency still oppose Superman’s One Earth Regime. And once it becomes clear no power on Earth can overthrow a tyrannical Superman, Batman turns to the Justice League of another Earth for aid.
That’s the premise fueling the original game, but the Injustice saga has only grown larger over the years. The plot continues in 2017’s Injustice 2, while DC’s Injustice comics flesh out this universe and the events leading up to both games. And now Injustice is even making the jump to film, with Warner Bros. confirming an animated Injustice movie.
Injustice and its sequel are both fighting games developed by NetherRealm Studios, the same team responsible for recent Mortal Kombat titles, and they follow the MK playbook in terms of gameplay and presentation. That raises an interesting question – how do you create a one-on-one combat game where powerful heroes like Superman and Wonder Woman are on equal footing with ordinary humans like Batman and Harley Quinn?
The answer comes in the form of a pill. In this world, both Superman and Batman’s factions make use of a nanotech pill derived from Kryptonian DNA. The pill temporarily bestows incredible strength, allowing an otherwise ordinary person to trade blows with Superman and keep pace with the Flash. One Injustice comic even shows an empowered Alfred Pennyworth beating up Superman. Unfortunately, when Superman has a literal army of super-strong stormtroopers, that means the deck is even more stacked against Team Batman.
In the Injustice games, that pill is basically a convenient MacGuffin designed to justify the various character face-offs. But the pill is integral to the plot of the Injustice comics, as it becomes a linchpin of Batman’s early resistance plans.
The Plot of the Injustice Games
The first Injustice game takes place five years after the original tragedy that sent Superman down his dark path. Over the course of the game, players learn Superman’s downfall was Joker’s doing. The Clown Prince of Crime creates a complex illusion that tricks Superman into murdering a pregnant Lois Lane and setting off a nuclear weapon that destroys Metropolis. A grief-stricken Superman retaliates by doing what Batman never could and killing Joker. While few blame Superman for losing his cool, this act of murder starts a chain reaction of events that culminates with Superman becoming a global dictator. In his quest to stomp out evil by any means necessary, Superman becomes the greatest threat to world peace.
Injustice is not unlike Marvel’s Civil War in that the world’s heroes are divided down the middle over a terrible tragedy. Some, like Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman and Shazam, lend their support to Superman’s cause. Even villains like Black Adam and Sinestro align with Superman, showing a newfound respect for his zero tolerance approach toward crime. Others, like Black Canary, Batwoman and even Harley Quinn side with Batman. In this world, Lex Luthor is Superman’s close friend rather than bitter enemy, but Lex ultimately reveals himself to be a mole working with Batman. Other heroes are torn between conflicting loyalties, including both Flash and Shazam.
The first game revolves around Batman’s desperate, last-ditch plan to topple the Regime by recruiting the Justice League of another universe. That plan is further complicated when Joker is accidentally brought into the Injustice universe alongside these heroes. Needless to say, Superman is less than thrilled to see the man who ruined his life gallivanting around Gotham City again.
The tragedy that destroyed the Justice League.
Ultimately, these new recruits prove to be just the added muscle Batman needs to finally defeat and overthrow Superman. The game ends with the regular Justice League (and Joker) returning to their world and Superman being imprisoned inside a cell bathed in power-dampening red solar radiation.
2017’s Injustice 2 picks up five years after the events of the first game, in a time where Batman and his allies are attempting to rebuild the world. They face a new threat from Gorilla Grodd’s supervillain alliance, The Society, only to learn Grodd is an agent of Brainiac. Brainiac hijacks Batman’s new surveillance satellite Brother Eye and begins shrinking and bottling Earth’s cities for his collection. Batman has no choice but to join forces with his former Regime enemies (including Superman himself) to stop this existential threat to humanity.
The sequel also heavily focuses on new characters like Supergirl (who in this universe recently arrived on Earth and was mentored by Black Adam), Blue Beetle and Doctor Fate. The climax sees a united Batman and Superman defeat Brainiac, but both New Metropolis and Coast City are destroyed when Superman attempts to restore them to full size. The game ends with the player making a choice. Siding with Superman and the Regime results in Brainiac being killed and Superman returning to his throne. Siding with Batman and the Insurgency (presumably the canonical ending) leads to Brainiac’s life being spared and a de-powered Superman being banished into the Phantom Zone.
How the Injustice Comics Fit In
While the main Injustice storyline is chronicled in the two games, DC Comics has greatly fleshed out this alternate universe via a series of prequel books. The original Injustice comic is split into five volumes, each of which chronicles one year of time leading up to the events of the original game. Injustice: Year One shows Joker’s plot against Superman in greater depth and then explores the origins of Superman and Batman’s warring factions of heroes. Later volumes tend to focus on the role various DC power players like the Green Lantern Corps, the Greek gods and the supernatural community play in Superman’s rise to power.
The Injustice comics have earned plenty of critical acclaim on their own, in large part due to their more character-based approach and their emphasis on fleshing out the many heroes involved in this conflict. Harley Quinn’s gradual redemption is a major focal point, as is Black Canary’s role as a figurehead in the Insurgency. The comics greatly expand upon the motivations of characters like Flash and Green Lantern, and even reveal what tragic event led to Damian Wayne choosing Superman’s side and rejecting his father.
DC has followed up the original five-part Injustice comic with several more series. Injustice: Ground Zero is a retelling of the original game’s plot, but specifically from Harley Quinn’s point of view. Injustice 2 bridges the five-year gap between the two games, both fleshing out the back-story of characters like Supergirl and Blue Beetle and introducing new villains like Ra’s al Ghul. Injustice: Year Zero is set before the infamous Joker killing and sheds light on the Justice Society of this universe.
There’s even a crossover comic called Injustice vs. Masters of the Universe. Interestingly, this Superman vs. He-Man tale is presented as a sequel to Injustice 2, one that follows the “bad” ending where Superman reclaims his throne.
Most of these Injustice comics are written by either Tom Taylor or Brian Buccellato. Taylor also penned DCeased, a series which can be viewed as a spiritual companion to Injustice. While set in a completely different DC Universe ravaged by a zombie plague, DCeased is a celebration of Superman’s innate goodness, a clear counterpoint to Injustice’s depiction of a flawed and broken Man of Steel.
Injustice’s DC Influence
While Injustice is only just now being adapted as an animated film, the franchise has had a clear influence on the larger DC library in recent years. Injustice is the most high-profile example of a story featuring a morally corrupt version of Superman, a plot point that’s become increasingly popular. Injustice seems to have directly influenced Zack Snyder’s version of Superman in the DCEU, with the Snyder Cut of Justice League implying Superman is driven to evil after the death of Lois Lane. Check out the video below for more on how the Snyder Cut draws from the Injustice games:
The Injustice universe is also notable for its visual take on DC’s heroes, with many trading in the traditional spandex for heavily armored, militaristic looks. There are traces of Injustice’s visual style in other DC games and live-action adaptations. Even in the Supergirl TV series, which features a much more traditional and morally upright version of Superman, the Man of Steel’s costume has elements of the Injustice version, such as the lack of red trunks and the way the cape connects to the S emblem.
The Injustice Animated Movie
Injustice fans can expect the franchise to make the jump to animation for its next offshoot. DC and Warner Bros. quietly confirmed an Injustice animated movie in May 2021, revealing the Blu-ray release of Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two will include a teaser trailer for an Injustice movie. Nothing else is known about the project at this point, and it remains to be seen if the movie is an adaptation of the original game or a spinoff like the comic books.
Given the steady popularity of the franchise, it seems only a matter of time before Warner Bros. Interactive announces a third Injustice game. Traditionally, the publisher and developer NetherRealm have tended to alternate between new Injustice and Mortal Kombat games, releasing one game every two years. But whether because of pandemic-related delays, the launch of new consoles or other factors, Injustice 3 still hasn’t been announced as of 2021.
When Injustice 3 does finally arrive, we’d expect it to build on the fallout of Injustice 2’s “good” ending, as Team Batman tries to rebuild the world all over again following Brainiac’s attack and a new threat emerges. (Of course, it’s entirely possible the sequel will follow the other ending instead, again focusing on Superman as a world-dominating tyrant.)
What do you hope to see from the Injustice animated movie? Vote in our poll and head to the comments below to sound off:
The Nintendo GameCube is a classic home console from the sixth generation. Known for its compact design, the console turns twenty years old this year, and as one Reddit user demonstrates, it can make a handy PC.
Reddit user Cityle shared pics of his new gaming rig, which contains an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card, 16GB of HyperX DDR4 RAM, and a 2TB Samsung 860 QVO SSD. Due to the size of the GameCube, Cityle circumvented the issue of the motherboard and processor by purchasing an Asus PN50 Mini PC and taking out the computer’s motherboard, which also contains a Ryzen 5 4500U processor. He also spray-painted the case, changing the exterior color from jet black to a shade of peach.
Cityle shared his build log on the Level1Techs forums, and reading his notes proved that building the computer was no cakewalk. He had to make several modifications to the old console, including swapping out the original shell and making a custom mount for the motherboard with the graphics card placed on top. The disc drive opens up, allowing the graphics card to receive some outside air.
Despite space being limited for the parts, Cityle notes that the computer has no issue with the computer running hot — the GPU and CPU hit around 80°C and 60°C when running a benchmark test on Time Spy.
This wasn’t the only impressive PC build Cityle made using an old game console — he also made a gaming PC with a Dreamcast as the shell. Still, given the dimensions of the Nintendo GameCube, it is quite impressive that Cityle managed to put a gaming PC inside the tiny console.
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
Though it earned him a Golden Globe, Jim Carrey’s performance in the 1999 Andy Kaufman biopic Man on the Moon has practically become a cautionary tale in the film industry about the inconveniences of method acting to a production. In a recent appearance on the Off Menu podcast (via The Telegraph), Martin Freeman criticized the practice of method acting in general, citing Carrey’s behavior working on Man on the Moon as a particularly noteworthy culprit.
“[It’s] the most self-aggrandizing, selfish, narcissistic f—ing bollocks I have ever seen,” Freeman said. “When younger, I think it’s quite common to think that completely losing yourself is the goal [of acting] because it feels grown-up and it feels proper. But the older I’ve got, the more I don’t really look to that. To be honest, it’s quite a pain in the arse when someone ‘loses themselves.’ It is a massive pain in the arse because it’s no longer a craft and a job.”
The Hobbit and Sherlock star’s comments began as an observation that British actors often want to “get on with it and get it done” to help move a production along. To Freeman, method acting is a “highly impractical way of working.”
Carrey’s method approach was explored in the 2017 Netflix documentary Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond. The film delves into how Carrey’s intense approach affected both the crew’s productivity as well as Carrey’s sense of self.
“For me, and I’m genuinely sure Jim Carrey is a lovely and smart person, but it was the most self-aggrandizing, selfish, narcissistic fucking bollocks I have ever seen,” Freeman said. “The idea that anything in our culture would celebrate or support it is deranged, literally deranged.”
“You need to keep grounded in reality,” Freeman continued. “That’s not to say you don’t lose yourself in the time between ‘action’ and ‘cut,’ but I think the rest of it is absolute pretentious nonsense and highly amateurish. It is not professional. Get the job done, do your work.”
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
J. Kim Murphy is a freelance entertainment writer.
Today, Blizzard hosted a new Overwatch 2 livestream with a bunch of new details on the upcoming sequel.
While the biggest news was arguably changing PvP team compositions, there were plenty of other new details. Below are some of the biggest details we learned from today’s Overwatch 2 stream.
Overwatch 2 PvP Teams Will be 5v5, Not 6v6
As reported earlier, Blizzard has announced that Overwatch 2 will introduce 5-member PvP teams, down from the 6-person teams introduced in the first Overwatch. Along with the smaller team sizes, tanks will be adjusted so that they are more like brawlers in a fight, rather than stationary shields.
Furthermore, each class will receive a new passive ability to complement their abilities. Tanks will have knockback reduction and reduce ultimate charge gain when taking damage from enemies; Damage heroes will get a movement speed bonus, and Support will self-heal when they don’t take damage for an extended period of time.
Overwatch 2 – New Monte Carlo Map Revealed
Blizzard also revealed a new map during today’s stream called Monte Carlo. Based on the luxury vacation destination, the fictional version of Monte Carlo is very much like its real-life counterpart, where beautiful buildings are situated on steep hills. It is still very much a luxury destination but given the slight futuristic makeover of Overwatch.
Assault Will be Removed From Competitive Play
Assault is a mode where an attacking team and defending team vie for contested Capture Points on a map. Attacking teams will have a set time to capture a point while a defending team must stop them, and the two teams will switch off.
While Assault will still be available in Custom, it will be removed from Quick Play, which is being designed to be similar to Competitive.
Blizzard Is Working on More Push Maps Than Just Toronto
Push is an upcoming game mode where both teams will play a game of tug-of-war using a robot that will be pushed in the direction of whichever team is losing. Blizzard has revealed it is working on more Push maps other than the upcoming Toronto map.
During the live stream Blizzard revealed Rome will be a Push map.
Overwatch 2 – Blizzard Is Experimenting With New Modes Beyond Push, Too
As part of the discussion about removing the Assault game mode, Blizzard explained that it is constantly experimenting with new game modes, aside from Push. No word yet on what those maps could look like, but Blizzard is looking for ways to fill the void left by Assault while also giving players even more variety.
Keller hinted at least one more new game mode that he is excited to talk about soon.
Overwatch 2 – Not All Maps are Tied to Story Mode
Blizzard has already shown off new maps such as New York, Toronto, Rome, and Monte Carlo. But Blizzard says more maps are in the works aside from these initial four.
Blizzard also says these maps aren’t necessarily locations that will be present in the story mode and that some maps may be designed for their own sake.
Overwatch 2 – Gameplay and Design Changes
Overwatch 2 will update the HUD and feature an improved UI.
The healer UI now shows the portrait of the hero you’re healing.
Weapons will feel more visceral with a better sound system, animation, and feedback.
Overwatch 2 will continue to add new hero 2.0 looks, which are updated designs for every hero in the roster.
Various character reworks.
Zarya now has two charges for her bubble.
Movement acceleration for heroes has been very slightly slowed in Overwatch 2.
Overhealth and overshield will be combined into a single bar.
Blizzard is looking at improving crowd control mechanics, but this is still a work-in-progress.
Associate Art Director Dion Rogers teases some cosmetic customization.
Jeff Kaplan Tribute
As caught by Polygon, the New York map in Overwatch 2 has a fun tribute to former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan. Eagle-eyed viewers will see that New York has a store called Jephs Corner Pizza.
“Jeph” is a reference to a 2017 tweet about the new Starbucks that opened on Blizzard’s Irvine, California campus where the baristas mistakenly spelled Jeff Kaplan’s name as “Jeph.”
