Category: Games

A major new update for Fortnite has been released on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The 3.0.0 patch kicks off Season 3 for Battle Royale–which includes the release of a Battle Pass with a slate of new rewareds–and makes a variety of improvements and additions to both that mode and the PvE Save the World component.

Battle Royale now runs at 60 FPS on consoles, and not just for those with a PS4 Pro or Xbox One X–this is also true of the base PS4 and Xbox One versions. This takes the place of the existing uncapped framerate mode, although developer Epic has added a 30 FPS mode as an option if you’d prefer an improvement to visual quality at the expense of framerate.

Across consoles and PC in Battle Royale and Save the World, Fortnite’s building has been improved in a variety of ways; there is now an option to continuously build by holding a button, and another to have the game auto-switch between materials when you run out. Additionally, you can build right through most objects now, which should make the building process even easier. (We’ve got Fortnite building tips if you still need help.)

Also new in Battle Royale is the Hand Cannon. This weapon uses Heavy ammo and features Epic and Legendary versions, and it can be found in treasure chests or supply drops or as floor loot. It’s one of several changes on the weapon front, as grenades lose the ability to do critical hits, an exploit involving the pump shotgun and quickly switching weapons has been removed, and drop rates for various versions of the basic pistol have been changed. Additionally, the recently added crossbow has had its Valentine’s Day-themed skin removed.

With this patch kicking off Season 3 of Battle Royale, the new Battle Pass has been introduced. This is purchasable only for 950 V-Bucks, rather than directly with money, and has even more rewards tiers than previous incarnations. Epic says it should still take a similar amount of time to unlock everything–you’ll just get more rewards for doing so. Among the items available are the Back Bling cosmetics.

Other small, Battle Royale-specific changes and additions include the ability to see the path of the Battle Bus on the map at the start of the round and 10 seconds of control being given to players after winning a match.

Improvements to building aren’t the only things that affect both Battle Royale and Save the World. Epic has introduce a new orchestral score from Marco Beltrami (Logan) and Pinar Toprak (Krypton). This replaces the music in Save the World and plays while in the menus of Battle Royale. Additionally, optional colorblind support has been added, though Epic says it is a work-in-progress and is open to feedback from users. Other visual upgrades have also been made, including those to lighting and shadows.

On the Save the World side, the Hoverboard has been added as a new means of transport; it can be obtained through a tutorial and requires no energy to use, though it takes three seconds to summon and any damage suffered will knock you off. A new chapter of the Spring It On event is also now available, which includes new quests, activities, and the previously announced Dragon weapons.

All of this is now available in Fortnite following some earlier, unexpected downtime. You can see everything that’s new in the full patch notes on Fortnite’s website.

You might be aware that GPU prices have skyrocketed in recent months. This is due in large part to the rise of cryptocurrencies, to which there are many. Bitcoin is the first and leading one, but what is Bitcoin? We’re here to demystify the topic for you. While Bitcoin and cryptocurrency are incredibly deep and complex topics, in this beginner’s guide, we’ll not only explain what Bitcoin is, but we’ll also dive into how it’s created, discuss its use-cases, clear up misconceptions, and much more. Here’s everything you should know about Bitcoin and cryptocurrency.

What is Bitcoin? Bitcoin is the first decentralized digital currency. You can send and receive it to an individual via a peer-to-peer payment system anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection. You can also purchase goods with it among several online sites and physical stores. Its decentralized design means that it isn’t controlled by any one individual, central bank, company, or country. In short, Bitcoin is an open-source international currency without borders.

Filed under:

Gametech

PC

The excruciating wait for a new Half-Life game carries on with no end in sight. If all you care about is seeing protagonist Gordon Freeman in a new setting, Final Fantasy XV may be just the ticket, as Square Enix has announced a new limited-time promotion involving the upcoming PC version.

Players who purchase Final Fantasy XV: Windows Edition, the RPG’s PC version, through Steam by the end of April will receive the Half-Life Pack. This will be distributed through the Steam Workshop and allows you to dress up as Freeman. There are three different components to this: the HEV suit itself, Freeman’s glasses, and his signature crowbar, which can be used as a weapon.

These items can be equipped in both the single-player campaign–letting you deal with the bizarre sight of seeing Final Fantasy XV star Noctis cosplaying as Gordon Freeman–or in Comrades, the game’s online multiplayer mode. You can see what the latter looks like in the gallery below.

Square Enix has already released a benchmark tool to help you evaluate your PC’s ability to run the game and announced the pre-order bonuses that are available. You’ll be able to try out the game itself with a demo releasing for free to everyone on February 26, though the specifics of what that entails have not been shared.

Final Fantasy XV: Windows Edition launches on March 6. That same day will see the release of the Royal Edition on PS4 and Xbox One.

Bandai Namco has revealed Ivy and Zasalamel will be playable characters in SoulCalibur VI and released short gameplay trailers for them both. The two characters have been in previous entries, so their returns to the new PS4, Xbox One, and PC game will certainly be welcome news to long-time fans of the weapon-based fighting series.

Ivy Valentine makes her comeback wielding the tricksy Ivy Blade, which has the ability to switch between a solid sword or a barbed whip. She’s still on a quest for revenge and hopes to destroy the evil sword at the centre of the game’s story.

“Ivy’s father was driven mad and finally died while researching the history of Soul Edge with her mother following not long after,” Bandai Namco explains in a press release. “Since then, she thirsts for revenge and wants to destroy the cursed sword that took the lives of her parents, using her alchemy skills to craft a weapon tailored to her needs. She combines Western European sword with Eastern European whip techniques, making her attacks graceful and absolutely deadly at the same time.”

The gameplay trailer for her (above) shows she’s still got plenty of big combo opportunities and is handy at controlling space thanks to the two forms her weapon can take. She’s also got a pretty cool ethereal bow and arrow.

Zasalamel, meanwhile, made his debut in SoulCalibur III and, based on the gameplay trailer, his Kafziel scythe looks like it’s still just as devastating at mid-to-close range. As with Ivy, Bandai Namco has opted to provide a brief overview of his story as a whole, instead of his motivations in the new game.

Filed under:

SoulCalibur VI

PlayStation 4

Xbox One

PC

Update: Epic has apologized for the downtime and announced that Fortnite’s servers are back online. Along with that, you can now check out the new Season 3 content, including the latest Battle Pass, details of which are outlined below. The original story follows.

Following the launch of Fortnite‘s Season 3 update, servers for the game have been taken offline. According to the official Fortnite Twitter account, developer Epic Games is “currently investigating issues with this release” and needed to turn off servers as part of this. Since then, Epic has said it expects servers to be back at around 3 PM UK / 7 AM PST.

As part of the launch of Season 3 of Fortnite, a new Battle Pass will be available for the Battle Royale mode. This includes access to new cosmetic items such as emotes, loading screens, outfits, and Back Blings. The Season 3 Battle Pass costs 950 V-Bucks, which is about $10/£10. It comes with 76 items in total, provided you play enough to unlock them all.

Alternatively, you can purchase the Battle Bundle, which has the Battle Pass and the first 25 tiers of unlocks for 2,800 V-Bucks (this currency also be acquired through normal gameplay progression). The Battle Bundle costs around $25 USD.

As you progress during the new season, you unlock reward tiers that come with even more items. There’s 30 additional tiers in Season 3’s Battle Pass and, according to Epic, it’ll take around 75-150 hours to get through all of that.

If you’re new to Fortnite: Battle Royale or are just looking for some tips, have a look at our Fortnite building guide or our discussion about what makes the mode so popular.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the producers of the James Bond series had their sights set on Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle to helm the next 007 movie, which arrives next year. More details about Boyle’s involvement have now emerged.

According to Deadline, Boyle is working on a script for Bond 25 with John Hodge, who wrote the screenplays for several of the director’s movies, including Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, and 2017 sequel T2 Trainspotting. Boyle had an idea for “a very specific 007 movie,” and that this script is separate from the one by veteran Bond writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade.

The site states that Hodge’s script won’t be complete for a couple of months, at which point it will be delivered to MGM. The studio will then make a decision about which script to go with; if the Hodge script is chosen, then Boyle will direct it. If not, he will step away and a new director will be hired to direct Purvis and Wade’s screenplay.

Earlier this week, Christopher Nolan ruled himself out of directing the next 007 film. Despite meeting with producers last year, the Dunkirk and Dark Knight director stated: “I won’t be the man. No, categorically. I think every time they hire a new director I’m rumored to be doing it. They don’t particularly need me. But I’ve always been very inspired by the films and would love to do one someday.”

Bond 25 hits theaters on November 8, 2019. After some amount of uncertainty, Daniel Craig will play Bond for the fifth time, following on from Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre.

2008 was an all around stellar year for games. With exciting releases such as Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Fallout 3, and Grand Theft Auto IV, the year managed to check off a number of titles on fans’ most anticipated list of games. However, there were others that caught people by surprise, showcasing new ways to scare, excite, and empower its players. While 2008 may not be as well regarded as the previous year, it still managed to hold its own as a standout and remarkable time for games.

GameSpot has put together a quick digest video of games–in order of their respective releases–that made 2008 a year to remember. Check out the above video to see what game has already celebrated its 10th anniversary, and which ones are still coming up. For more info on these games, check out our gallery showcasing all the key games, and along with our thoughts on each of them.

And if you want to see the standout games that celebrated their anniversary last year, be sure to check out our feature covering the biggest games that turned 10 in 2007. Also, check out our retrospective on the 20th anniversary for Xenogears, where we take a look back at one of the most captivating and intriguing JRPG titles of the original Playstation era.

Prolific video game performance actor Troy Baker has joined the cast of Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding, along with Emily O’Brien, another well known actor that has been featured in a number of big games.

O’Brien made the announcement on Instagram by posting a picture of herself with Baker and Norman Reedus, who has already been confirmed as one of the main characters in Death Stranding. “Honored to be working alongside these two fine lads on Hideo Kojima’s new project Death Stranding,” reads the caption. “I’m a lucky gal ;)”

O’Brien’s recent credits include Days Gone, which is in development at Sony’s Bend Studios, Arkane Studios’ Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, Telltale’s Batman: The Enemy Within and Guardians of the Galaxy series’, and World of Final Fantasy.

Baker, meanwhile, is reprising the role of Joel for Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II, and most recently voiced Talion in Middle-earth: Shadow of War, Sam Drake in Uncharted 4 and The Lost Legacy, and is Batman/Bruce Wayne in Telltale’s series based on DC’s Dark Knight.

As of yet there hasn’t been a confirmed Death Stranding release date, but Kojima hinted that it might launch in 2018. It also stars Mads Mikkelson (Hannibal), director Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water) and Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead).

The last Death Stranding trailer was 8-minutes long and, although it’s very exciting, creates a whole bunch of new questions, which is pretty standard for Kojima’s titles. In April, Kojima spoke a little about the game, explaining why he wanted Norman Reedus to be naked in the game’s first trailer. We’ve also since learned why its fog looks so nice.