Gaming - Page 687

A new Call of Duty game will still release every year, Activision asserts.

Every year gamers can expect the same things: new FIFA, NBA 2K, Madden, and Call of Duty games to name a few. That won't change any time soon. Despite the high cost of rolling out huge sprawling FPS games every year, Activision shows no signs of slowing Call of Duty's annual release cadence. In fact, they're doubling-down on key franchises like Call of Duty, accelerating development tools, worker headcount, and robust live service roadmaps. Activision knows CoD is a cash crop and is planting lots of seeds.

In its recent Fiscal Year Q2'2019 earnings call, Activision strongly hinted that Call of Duty won't slow down after the new Modern Warfare reboot. We shouldn't see Call of Duty take a year off or skip 2020 (Black Ops 5 is set for 2020, reports say).

Cross-play is one of Activision's latest power plays for Call of Duty, and the publisher has no plans on stopping.

Every future Call of Duty game following the new Modern Warfare reboot should support cross-play--at least that's the impression I got from Activision's latest Q2'19 earnings call. The company's goal with cross-play is simple: to keep gamers playing as long as possible by breaking down platform barriers. It's great for engagement, it's great for playercount, and it's great for monetization. Activision essentially wants to create a unified cross-platform community where progress, saves, and interactivity aren't locked to a single system.

The idea is to make a new Call of Duty platform where players can track and boost their stats regardless of what platform they start or finish on. Fire up PS4 and play a few matches with PS friends and then switch to PC for enthusiast gaming. Eventually playing on different systems won't fracture or split up overall progression, and everything you do will count towards your overall stats. Activision is putting significant resources into making this new network and plans to use it as a base for Call of Duty's community and future content pipeline.

As we ramp up into the release of the newly-revamped Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, rumors of Call of Duty for 2020 are beginning to start.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 5 will reportedly be the COD game released in 2020, with developer Treyarch taking the reigns. Black Ops 5 will reportedly take place during the Cold War, will feature a campaign that will take place over the entire 40 years of the Cold War, which will include the Vietnam and Korean wars.

I like the sound of an "even more gritty and gruesome" Call of Duty experience than Modern Warfare, but I feel like we've been submerged in this era for too long. Unless something completely different is done, I can't see it pushing the franchise in a new direction.

If you are a Nintendo Switch owner and looking to get a Switch Pro Controller, and you are a Spyro fan, then you are in luck as a Spyro themed Pro Controller has just hit the market.

PowerA has just announced the wireless Spyro-themed Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, and it's an officially licensed Nintendo product. The controller has the ability of mapping the two triggers on the back of the controller, while also featuring Bluetooth connectivity but no NFC compatibility.

This controller will require two AA batteries and is expected to give users up to 30 hours of gaming pleasure. This controller announcement directly corresponds to the release of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy on the Nintendo Switch planned for the 3rd of September. If you are interested in this controller and want to make your Spyro expereince just that much better on your Nintendo Switch then head on over to Amazon here.

NASA has announced that India's destruction of a satellite could possibly threaten the safety of the International Space Station (ISS) due to the satellites debris.

India has successfully tested their anti-satellite weapons (ASAT) on one of their own satellites. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the weapons test called Mission Shakti, and said India now has "space power". NASA's administrator, Jim Bridenstine has spoken out about the destruction of the satellite and has called it a "terrible, terrible thing", and that the risk of debris colliding with the ISS has risen 44% over 10 days.

NASA has identified 400 pieces of orbital debris and is tracking 60 pieces of debris that are larger than 10cm in diameter. Twenty-four of those pieces have been deemed a potential threat to the ISS. However, Bridenstine did say that "The international space station is still safe. If we need to manoeuvre it we will." He added that this "kind of activity is not compatible with the future of human spaceflight that we need to see have happen."

So you are a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate player who is aspiring to go pro, you now do this with this scholarship from US Universities.

This is the very first time a scholarship has been made for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and it is being offered by the University of California, Irvine (UCI). The scholarship is for the 2019-2020 academic year, and has been brought to fruition by a generous $50,000 donation by Brain Calle, who is the CEO of Irvine Weekly and LA Weekly publisher Street Media.

UCI's own UCI Esports and TAG Smash Ultimate Club will be giving this opportunity to six lucky Super Smash Bros. Ultimate players. The scholarship consists of a $6,000 injection that will require participants to practice between 10 and 15 hours a week, while keeping up a minum GPA of 2.0 and involved tournament competition.

If you are a Nintendo Switch user, you will need to be paying attention to this one. Firstly, have you ever wanted to move your dock and Switch to a friends place but realized that the dock is just too big and flimsy? Human Things now has a solution.

Human Things are back at it again with a new Nintendo Switch accessory that changes the game for Nintendo Switch users. I'm a Switch user, and I'm constantly bringing my Switch around to my friends places to slap down anyone who is game enough to get into a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game with me. My main issue with this process is the unplugging the dock/cable from my setup at home and packing it all away - Human Things have now solved that issue with the 'Covert Dock.'

The below image showcases the 'Covert Dock' which features a USB-C PD charging port, USB 3.1 accessory port, HDMI display output and foldable prongs. Human Things have changed the Nintendo Switch game of portability, as owners of the Covert Dock can simply carry one of these with a USB-C power cable/HDMI cord and setup and play the Switch much faster and easier than the traditional dock.

Twitch isn't a stranger to making it easy to broadcast on their service, after all it's all they do -- and while you can use their own website and third-party software the company wants you to stay in their backyard... introducing Twitch Studio.

Twitch Studio is a full desktop broadcasting app is currently in closed beta but the company lets you apply to join right here, and is designed from the ground up to be Twitch's "all-in-one streaming app designed with new streamers in mind".

If you're an established streamer or someone who knows how to setup, tweak, and maintain third-party software like OBS, etc -- then you won't need Twitch Studio. But, if you're someone who is dipping their toes in the streaming world then Twitch just made it a helluva lot easier.

Just a few days ago Remedy Entertainment made some big changes to the PC system requirements for its upcoming game Control, in a strange move just before its launch.

Gamers including myself questioned the move, and now Remedy has addressed the situation with PR manage Thomas Puha saying that the PC version of Control is not downgraded. Puha simply stated: "No, it's not downgraded".

We'll have to wait and see what the final game looks like, but let's hope it isn't a gigantic mess on the PC like Remedy's previous game Quantum Break. Control drops on August 27 which isn't far away, and rocks the latest version of Remedy's in-house Northlight Engine which will also pack real-time ray tracing effects.

E3 2019 had a marked lack of gameplay footage, but Gamescom should change that.

Gaming's biggest players will reveal new games at Gamescom 2019, complete with world premiere gameplay footage. The list includes titans like EA, 2K Games, Bungie, Capcom, Square Enix, SEGA, Sony, Ubisoft, and Xbox Games Studios. Before we get too excited, we probably won't see every single publisher reveal a new game. And if so it won't be a huge AAA mega-hit.

If anything most of these publishers will show off new footage of their games, especially games that're coming out this year or early 2020. We're talking Watch Dogs Legion, Monster Hunter Iceborne, Respawn's Apex Legends and Jedi: Fallen Order, Borderlands 3, Final Fantasy VII: Remake, Death Stranding (hopefully more The Last of Us 2, though!) and of course Destiny 2's Shadowkeep expansion.

Cyberpunk 2077 will have NewGame+, but that's always been pretty obvious from the start.

CD Projekt RED's new FPS RPG mashup is the biggest thing they've ever made. Built with a new RED Engine, Cyberpunk 2077 is a choice-driven experience built around freedom and immersion. And since it's singleplayer-driven, the only real engagement is replayability--being able to choose different paths or take on missions using different skills. It'll have many different ways to solve problems, take out enemies, complete missions, and even explore the multiple regions and reveal all the multiple endings. So NewGame+ is pretty much a given.

The studio recently confirmed Cyberpunk 2077 will have NewGame+ at some point, maybe not at launch, but it'll happen. Again this shouldn't really be a surprise. The huge scope of Cyberpunk 2077 says it's meant to last a long, long time and have a lasting legacy like The Witcher 3, complete with huge expansions.

While Infinity Ward hasn't specifically confirmed battle royale for the new Modern Warfare reboot, it's looking quite likely. But don't expect it at launch.

The new Modern Warfare is one of Activision's biggest investments since it started doubling-down on core franchises. The shooter will have a huge tail for post-release content that expands over time, as per usual, complete with monetization. That means plenty of opportunities for new game modes like a MW-specific battle royale. Now we have more clues that it could happen...eventually.

In a recent rapid-fire interview with Game Informer, Infinity Ward art director Joel Emslie hints the reboot could get BR of some sort. "We'll have to wait and see. I personally like the game mode," Emslie said with a knowing smile.

PS4 Pro owners will be able to pick between better visuals or smooth 60FPS gunplay in Borderlands 3.

Sony's PS4 Pro isn't typically powerful enough to churn out native 4K gaming, let alone 4K 60FPS (the PS5 on the other hand...). Most PCs really can't handle that load either. So most big games have to choose between better performance at 60FPS or higher resolution with 3840x2160 resolution (usually checkerboard rendering, not native). And some like Borderlands 3 support both.

Gearbox confirms Borderlands 3 will run at 1080p 60FPS or 4K 30FPS on PS4 Pro, complete with HDR on FHD and UHD televisions. There was no mention of variable refresh rates for improved resolution, which is usually the trade off, but the 4K mode might see a few frame drops to ensure steady resolution. Gearbox also says Borderlands 3 will support the PS4 Pro's supersampling mode on 1080p HDTVs, which essentially raises image quality while typically dropping FPS.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has a new Realism Mode that completely wipes your HUD.

The new Modern Warfare reboot has an interesting setting that brings more frenetic chaos and tension to multiplayer. Dubbed Realism Mode, the setting basically turns off your HUD completely like the Blind skull from Halo. No ammo indicators. No crosshair. No radar unless you use a UAV. Just you, your gun's scope, and your reflexes. It's the ultimate test of skill and it sounds like tons of fun.

As someone who frequently plays shooters without the HUD to test my aim (and to take screenshots), Realism Mode seems tailor-made for gamers like me. It makes for more intense gameplay that requires strong teamwork, communication, and cohesion. From the looks of it fans absolutely love the idea of Realism Mode and are excited to try it out.

Recent reports say Capcom is working on a new Resident Evil game and is recruiting playtesters for the new project. But don't expect it to release any time soon.

Capcom's new financial report strongly hints that a new Resident Evil game won't be released this fiscal year (April 2019 - March 2020). This isn't a surprise. We've already reported Monster Hunter World's Iceborne DLC will be Capcom's only major release this fiscal year. Capcom's release slate thinning is clearly an indication of gearing up for next-gen consoles, putting more effort into in-development games and prepping its proprietary RE Engine for PS5 and Project Scarlett. This is exciting as Capcom isn't one to rush out big games-instead it'll take its time to ramp up and eke out all of next-gen consoles' performance.

Now Capcom's FY2019 forecasts reinforce this prediction. The company plans to earn 85 billion yen this fiscal year, down 15% from last year. This is a sizable shrink given Monster Hunter World's Iceborne expansion, which is so big it's almost a sequel, and clearly indicates less big marquee titles (something Capcom has previously confirmed).

Mass shooting are currently all in the news at the moment as America experienced two separate events in the past week. Now, a shooter threat has been sent to Twitch HQ, and police have responded.

According to Business Insider's report, a shooter threat was sent to Twitch's San Francisco headquarters Wednesday morning. Twitch spoke out about this threat, saying "We were made aware of a threat against our San Francisco HQ on Tuesday, and have been working directly with law enforcement as they investigate. The safety and security of our employees is our top priority, and we are focused on ensuring this is resolved quickly and safely."

Luckily, the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) responded efficiently and effectively, by conducting a search at Twitch's headquarters in the morning at 8:33 AM. The police also said that this threat was made over social media and that they would be following up on the matter promptly. SFPD public information Officer Adam Lobsinger gave a statement, saying "As of this moment we do not have an active threat".

One of the most anticipated games of this year is no doubt Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding, and while PS4 gamers cannot wait to get their hands-on the title, what about PC gamers?

Originally, Death Stranding's reveal was on PS4, but if you didn't know the first press release in December of 2015 stated the title is planned to come to PC as well as PS4. While there was no official announcement for a PC version, many fans just concentrated on the PS4 release which raised questions to whether a PC release was still planned or just a mistake in the press release.

In May of 2019, journalist Antonio Fucito stated that a PC release will happen at a later date and said this will happen because Death Stranding isn't listed as PS4 exclusive. Many fans were confused, as Death Stranding is in fact NOT listed as PS4 exclusive, but Hideo Kojima or Kojima Productions have never acknowledged a PC version exists or is coming. Just recently, there is more confirmation for Death Stranding not being a PS4 exclusive, as ResetEra user Vestan noticed that Death Stranding isn't present on the official PlayStation 4 exclusive page.

Nintendo is without a doubt launching their Nintendo Switch Lite Console, as good as that will be for the Big N, what about gamers who want higher-resolution screens with more frames?

Recent rumors are circling around about Nintendo sitting on a more beefy console, and according to the rumors from WSJ this console release is designed "to make the platform lifecycle long". The VP for Sharp, Katsuaki Nomura might have dropped a hint towards an upcoming Switch, he said that the IGZO panels made by Sharp are going to be bought by a video game client, which WSJ assumes to be Nintendo.

At the end of the day, Nintendo has only officially announced one additional console to the base Nintendo Switch, the Nintendo Switch Lite. However, it would not be surprising if Nintendo decided to try and compete at the higher-end of the market. If they did it would be filling a void for gamers who want to play games handheld at 1080p, at 60FPS.

Disney is gearing up for the release of their new video streaming platform and what better way to pull viewers to their platform than to reboot some childhood heartthrob franchises.

According to Bob Iger, Disney's chairman and CEO, Disney will be rebooting four franchises for Disney+ and the four franchises that are in the pipeline are; Cheaper By the Dozen, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Night at the Museum and Home Alone. It is unclear what these reboots will look like, but according to Iger they will be a "re-imagined" for a "new generation" of children.

This is some risky moves by Disney, as many of the franchises mentioned above are extremely close to people's hearts and messing with their format could splash back into Disney's face. Whether or not the reboots are good or not, when Disney launch their Disney+ streaming service they are going to be a force to be reckoned with. Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime and all the other streaming platforms are going to be shaking in their boots at Disney's gargantuan library of content.

It looks like new rumors are firing up the hype train engines for Bully 2, with Bully 2-focused YouTube channel SWEGTA reporting from its 'insider source' at Rockstar Games that Bully 2 is being developed for next-gen hardware.

Bully 2 being developed for the next-gen Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox Scarlett consoles is an exciting one, and more so when you considering ComicBook.com backed it up with their own sources. The rumors suggest that Rockstar's next game after its mega-successful Red Dead Redemption 2 will be Bully 2, and not Grand Theft Auto 6.

All the way back in April 2017 there was a tweet from Rockstar insider Yan2295 that said "Bully 2 was in development" and that it is the next game after RDR2. There's no official news on Bully 2 yet, especially compared to GTA 6, but as it happens we'll bring you updates on Rockstar's sequel.