Game Informer |
- Don’t Expect Xbox VR As Microsoft’s Phil Spencer Says Xbox Is “Focused On Software”
- Microsoft’s Phil Spencer Reiterates Xbox’s Commitment To Buying Studios It Deems ‘A Good Fit’
- Top 10 Roguelikes To Play Right Now
- Here’s The Stylish And Silly Teaser Trailer For Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop
- Watch Us Build The New NZXT Streaming PC – Game Informer Live!
- Pokémon Unite's Halloween Event Adds Greedent Along With Spooky Tricks And Treats
- Halo Co-Creator Marcus Lehto Opens New EA Studio Focused On First-Person Games
- Age Of Empires 4, The Forgotten City, And More Complete October's Xbox Game Pass Offerings
- Xbox Solidifies Its First-Party Holiday Lineup
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla’s Free Discovery Tour Mode Is Now Live
- Fornite’s Halloween Event Now Live As Cube Queen Arrives In-Game, The Batman Who Laughs Coming Soon
Don’t Expect Xbox VR As Microsoft’s Phil Spencer Says Xbox Is “Focused On Software” Posted: 19 Oct 2021 03:21 PM PDT Virtual reality is an ever-growing platform that enables people to play games in new ways. It brings us experiences we wouldn't be able to experience otherwise, such as playing through Valve's Half-Life: Alyx, and it gives us new ways to play old classics, like Resident Evil 4 VR on the Oculus Quest 2. While virtual reality continues to expand in the gaming space, it's nowhere near as popular as traditional video game console experiences, and it'll likely remain that way for now. That's why Xbox is remaining committed to software, rather than hardware such as virtual reality, this generation, according to Xbox head Phil Spencer. Click here to watch embedded media"I think that the hardware innovation that's happening is great and it's an important enabler, [but] right now, I'm deciding to stay more in the software side of that enablement," Spencer said during the Wall Street Journal Tech Live event, as reported by Video Games Chronicle. "I believe it will scale better in the long run." This falls in line with Spencer and all of Xbox's commitment to Xbox Game Pass this console generation. Just today, Xbox announced that Age of Empires 4, The Forgotten City, and more would be coming to Xbox Game Pass this month, bolstering the service's already massive lineup of games yet again. Spencer even nodded to Sony's PlayStation VR hardware during the WSJ Tech Live event, citing that he applauds what Sony, Oculus, and Valve are doing in the VR space. "[We're] gonna stay as a company right now in the consumer space focused on software, and I think that's a good bet," he said. The Xbox head also alluded to the fact that many VR hardware platforms use Microsoft-developed Windows, so in a way, VR experiences are making their way to consumers of Microsoft products. Spencer said they "talk to a lot of partners that are there," too. Do you think Xbox should jump into the virtual reality space? Let us know in the comments below!
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Microsoft’s Phil Spencer Reiterates Xbox’s Commitment To Buying Studios It Deems ‘A Good Fit’ Posted: 19 Oct 2021 02:13 PM PDT It's no secret that Microsoft and Xbox have been bolstering their studio ranks over the last couple of years, and Xbox head Phil Spencer has now reiterated that commitment to studio acquisitions it deems a good fit for the company. This news comes by way of the Wall Street Journal's Tech Live Event, as reported by Video Games Chronicle, where Spencer was asked whether or not the Xbox Game Studios lineup was complete. Spencer essentially stated that it could never be finished as there's no quota the company is after. Click here to watch embedded media "There's no quota," Spencer said. "There's no kind of timeline where I have to go acquire studios by a certain time, but if we find a studio where we have a good fit, we share what we're trying to go do and what they're to go do, and if we feel we can both get better together, absolutely. It's one of the privileges we have of being at Microsoft and having the capability to take a long-term approach, and adding amazing creators to the portfolios is an important part of that."Spencer said he's proud of the studios Xbox has acquired so far, adding that he's especially happy with the choice and opportunities Xbox offers its developers. "If you look at some of the people we've acquired and partnered with, it's people we've had long-term relationships with, and they've come inside of Xbox now, and they see our roadmap on platform and service, and I want them to be able to do their most amazing creative work as part of this team," Spencer said. This interview comes just over half a year since Microsoft acquired ZeniMax, and subsequently, Bethesda, which brought multiple studios under the Xbox umbrella all at once, for $7.5 billion. Back in June, Spencer took a similar stance on studio acquisitions, citing that studio acquisitions are good for the games industry. How do you feel about Xbox's commitment to studio acquisitions? Let us know in the comments below!
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Top 10 Roguelikes To Play Right Now Posted: 19 Oct 2021 12:25 PM PDT Roguelikes have come a long way since Rogue, and the original tentpole facets such as permadeath and randomized dungeons tweaked and altered to create new iterations on the concept. Today, many roguelikes are instead roguelites, meaning they offer the player some or a lot of permanent progression elements at various levels to ensure that the experience can be completed by dedicated players. Some games, like Returnal, obfuscate the development to kick up the tension factor while still offering powerful permanent progression boosts, while others like Rogue Legacy offer massive, easy-to-grasp power-ups. Any way you look at it, the variable hooks from run to run in the roguelike make them fascinating to play and experience, tinkering around with different builds and options over many hours. What roguelike should you play today? Let's take a look at some of the best listed in no particular order. ![]() |
Here’s The Stylish And Silly Teaser Trailer For Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop Posted: 19 Oct 2021 11:35 AM PDT In case you missed it, Netflix is making a live-action adaptation of the classic anime Cowboy Bebop. The show premieres on November 19, and after getting a look at the actors portraying Spike and the gang, we get to see them in action thanks to a new teaser trailer. The trailer gives us a peek at the performances and chemistry between Spike Spiegel (John Cho), Faye Valentine (Daniella Peneda), and Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir). The trailer plays with the anime's iconic intro animation in fun ways as the trio chases a bounty and fights bad guys (including a glimpse of Alex Hassell's Vicious). There's also plenty of snarky banter. Check it out below. Click here to watch embedded mediaCowboy Bebop has been a long time coming, first confirmed in 2017. The show is helmed by André Nemec and written by Christopher Yost. While the original series ran for 26 episodes, the Netflix version will debut with 10 episodes. What do you think about this look at Cowboy Bebop? Do you think the actors fit the roles based on this clip? Let us know in the comments!
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Watch Us Build The New NZXT Streaming PC – Game Informer Live! Posted: 19 Oct 2021 10:48 AM PDT Building a gaming PC can be a time-consuming and laborious process. Extensive research is required to make sure all of the components you are purchasing are compatible with one another. The building process can also be challenging, requiring precision and specific tools. The efforts are usually worth it, however. Not only are you building a machine that is tailored to your exact gaming needs, but you are also likely making something unique that screams of your personality, especially if you add lighting and graphics. Click here to watch embedded mediaIf you have always been intimidated by the amount of work or expertise that is required to build a gaming PC, a company called NZXT is streamlining the process into a guided experience. Much like building a Lego set, the kit box includes all of the components you need, including an illustrated guidebook that takes you through the build step-by-step. On today's Game Informer livestream, we're going to build NZXT's latest product: the Streamer Plus PC. We haven't even cracked open the box yet, and hope to show you exactly what it's like to get this product, not to mention how challenging the build is. Will we run into trouble? Or will it be as easy as building a Lego set? Game Informer's Alex Van Aken is joining me on this journey. We don't know how long the build will be, but we will be answering as many of your questions as we can. You can ask us about the build or anything gaming related, too. We hope this will be a Let's Chat-type of stream. The fun begins at 3 p.m. CT on the official Game Informer Twitch channel. Our Twitch subscribers have access to Game Informer's exclusive Discord channel. Find out how to join our Discord right here. We're hoping you join us for the stream today! If not, be well and have a great day!
Product provided by NZXT
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Pokémon Unite's Halloween Event Adds Greedent Along With Spooky Tricks And Treats Posted: 19 Oct 2021 10:25 AM PDT ![]() The hit MOBA Pokémon Unite gets its first Halloween event and it kicks off tomorrow. Greedent from Sword & Shield joins the fray along with plenty of treats to accompany your strategic tricks. A new character is always exciting, and hopefully, Greedent fits the bill for diehard players. This squirrel-like critter serves as a melee defender that's also cute as a button. Check him out in action in the spotlight trailer below. Click here to watch embedded mediaIt wouldn't be Halloween if you couldn't dress up, and that's exactly what you can do during the event. As seen in the trailer posted in the header, you can turn Charizard into the world's scariest hipster with a beanie and scarf combo, make Blastoise the ultimate firefighter, or dress Lucario in a dark ensemble that, honestly, makes it resemble the hunter from Bloodborne. You can also outfit your trainer avatar with Jack-o-lantern-style Pikachu masks, a witch hat, and more. In terms of gameplay, you can now launch holiday-themed attacks such as firing giant pumpkins at foes because Halloween! The Halloween event begins October 20 and concludes on November 7. The free-to-play Pokémon Unite is available on Switch, iOS, and Android, complete with cross-play and cross-progression.
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Halo Co-Creator Marcus Lehto Opens New EA Studio Focused On First-Person Games Posted: 19 Oct 2021 09:18 AM PDT Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto has opened a new EA studio primarily focused on first-person games, roughly seven months after the closure of V1 Interactive, which is the studio founded by Lehto responsible for Disintegration. Lehto founded V1 Interactive back in 2016 with SOCOM co-creator Michael Gutmann. The studio created Disintegration and while the game showed a lot of promise, it wasn't met with the reception the team had hoped for. V1 Interactive announced that it was closing on March 8 earlier this year. Now, a little over seven months later, Lehto is back to making games, this time under the EA umbrella. Hey everyone, I'm very excited to announce that I've joined EA as a Game Director, building a new studio in the Seattle area working on first-person games. I can't wait to share more about what we're creating.
As Lehto mentions in the tweet above, this new studio will be focused on first-person games, which falls right in line with Lehto's Halo history. Perhaps he's making a sci-fi first-person shooter for EA, something the company doesn't have too many of at this moment. While waiting to learn more about Lehto's new EA studio, check out our thoughts on his latest game in Game Informer's Disintegration review and then read Game Informer's breakdown of everything we know about Halo Infinite. Are you excited about Lehto's new studio? Let us know in the comments below!
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Age Of Empires 4, The Forgotten City, And More Complete October's Xbox Game Pass Offerings Posted: 19 Oct 2021 07:45 AM PDT Xbox Game Pass gets its second round of October releases following seven additions during the first half of the month. As we head into Halloween, players can enjoy a sequel to a strategy mainstay, an inventive take on the first-person shooter, a narrative masterpiece, and more. Today, Into the Pit launches, which sprinkles spellcasting on Doom-style FPS combat with a roguelike structure. Outriders makes its way to PC Game Pass for desktop players itching for another quality co-op shooter. The arrival of Dragon Ball FighterZ gives fighting and anime diehards access to arguably the best tag team fighter of the last generation. Coming-of-age voxel RPG Echo Generation brings a more lighthearted supernatural adventure perfect for the spooky season. Everspace 2 soars into Xbox Game Preview after charting a 2023 launch window. The Elder Scrolls-inspired The Forgotten City, one of the best narrative adventure games of 2021, brings its time-looping adventure to Xbox players. For strategy fans, the long-awaited Age of Empires IV launches day one on PC Game Pass at the end of the month. Those would be the treats, but the tricks are what's leaving Game Pass come Halloween. Read on for the full rundown of what's coming, what's going, and when. ![]() What's Coming To Xbox Game Pass
DLC/Game Updates
What's Leaving Xbox Game Pass (October 31)
What do you think of this month's Game Pass offerings? Let us know in the comments!
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Xbox Solidifies Its First-Party Holiday Lineup Posted: 19 Oct 2021 07:00 AM PDT Moving into the holiday shopping season, Microsoft has solidified its list of big first-party releases. In a blog this morning, Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty shared what he's calling "three epic months of back-to-back blockbuster game launches in Game Pass." First on Booty's list is the impending release of Age of Empires 4, the long-awaited new installment to the historical real-time strategy franchise. That's due out on PC Game Pass and Steam on October 28. Continuing the PC news, a few days later will be the addition of Minecraft to PC Game Pass on November 2. You read that right, Minecraft hasn't been a part of Game Pass outside of consoles yet, but those who don't own the adventure/creation juggernaut can download it in a few short weeks. Additional Minecraft Dungeons content and the Caves and Cliff: Part II update for Minecraft will be dropping sometime later in the year. Next is Xbox's flagship release for the month of November, Forza Horizon 5. Players can race around an open world set in Mexico during this new iteration of the Forza Horizon Festival. Expect fast cars, beautiful scenery, and some hot air balloons. Check out our recent preview of the game to see how it's shaping up before release. Forza Horizon 5 will be available on November 9, but those who have purchased the Premium Edition, or Premium Add-On Bundle get early access to the game on November 5. November 18 brings an update to Microsoft's high flying simulation series, Microsoft Flight Simulator: Game of the Year Edition. This GOTY package is a free update for the existing game and includes "five new aircraft, eight new airports, new Discovery Flights and tutorials, and highly requested community features like DX12 support." There's also Reno Air Races, an aerial motorsport coming to the game with this update. Finally, Microsoft's holiday releases will cap off with the king of Xbox shooters returning to its throne. Of course, we're talking about the December 8 release of Halo: Infinite. After years of being pushed back for retooling and polishing, both the campaign and free-to-play multiplayer modes will see the light of day. There's not much else to say about Halo: Infinite other than we can't wait to get our hands on it. Just to recap, here are the dates for the Xbox Game Studio's holiday lineup, all included in Xbox Game Pass or Game Pass for PC: Age of Empires 4 – PC on October 28 Minecraft on PC Game Pass – PC on November 2 (Caves and Cliffs: Part II later this year) Forza Horizon 5 – Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC on November 9 (early access on November 5) Microsoft Flight Simulator: Game of the Year Edition – PC on November 18 Halo: Infinite – Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC on December 8 Matt Booty also talks about 2021 being the 20th anniversary of Xbox and Halo. There will be "a fun, digital broadcast for fans around the globe" on November 15 to celebrate the occasion, but do not expect any new game announcements. What do you think about the first-party lineup Microsoft has planned through the end of the year? Will Halo and Forza keep you busy for the foreseeable future or do you feel something extra is missing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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Assassin's Creed Valhalla’s Free Discovery Tour Mode Is Now Live Posted: 19 Oct 2021 06:33 AM PDT Discovery Tour: Viking Age, an educational mode that takes players through historical locations and events in the world of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, is now live as a free update for those who already own the latest installment in the franchise. For those who don't own Valhalla but are interested in checking out Discovery Tour, the mode can be purchased as a standalone experience on PC for $20 via either the Ubisoft Connect storefront or the Epic Games Store. Standalone versions for consoles are coming next year, according to Ubisoft. Click here to watch embedded mediaValhalla's Discovery Tour differs from the tours seen in Assassin's Creed Origins and Odyssey in that they're more narrative-focused than ever before, complete with quests to complete as you journey through Viking-controlled England, as noted by GameSpot. "[Discovery Tour: Viking Age] takes a new approach to how players explore history: instead of embarking on guided tours, they will assume the roles of different characters and take on quests, which aim to bring them closer to the material by putting them at the center of it," a blog post from Ubisoft about the mode reads. "While following the narrative and completing the quests' objectives, Discovery Tour: Viking Age players will have the opportunity to interact with Discovery Sites that each focus on an element of the culture and traditions of Vikings and Anglo-Saxons in the Viking Age." Ubisoft says these Discovery Sites feature images of items from the museum partners the company worked with to bring historical and archaeological accuracy to Valhalla and its Discovery Tour mode. Click here to watch embedded mediaIf you already own Valhalla, you can download the latest update to gain access to Discovery Tour: Viking Age on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia, and Amazon Luna. For more about Assassin's Creed Valhalla, check out our thoughts on the game in Game Informer's Assassin's Creed Valhalla review and then read our thoughts on its latest expansion, The Siege of Paris. Check out this story about how Netflix's Assassin's Creed TV series will be written by a writer from Die Hard after that. [Source: GameSpot] Will you be jumping into Assassin's Creed Valhalla's Discovery Tour: Viking Age mode? Let us know in the comments below!
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Fornite’s Halloween Event Now Live As Cube Queen Arrives In-Game, The Batman Who Laughs Coming Soon Posted: 19 Oct 2021 05:38 AM PDT It's all been leading up to this: the Cube Queen has arrived to Epic Games' Fortnite and with her comes the start of the end of the battle royale's Halloween event. Fornitemares is Epic's way of celebrating Halloween – it's brought legendary horror icons like Frankenstein's Monster alongside other popular characters like Rick Grimes to the battle royale – and it's been happening basically all month long. The end is in sight now as the new Fortnitemares: Wrath of the Cube Queen event will run from now until November 1. Click here to watch embedded media"The Cube Queen's emergence brings changes to the Island," Epic's blog post about the event reads. "Since Fortnitemares began (and even before), the Cubes have been mobilizing. Their migration towards the Island's center wasn't just to spread corruption – they're now at the center forming The Convergence. What is the purpose of this mysterious structure?" It seems the answer to that question is something players must search for while participating in the Wrath of the Cube Queen event. In order to do that, players will need to take out Caretakers, which are new monsters that server as the Cube Queen's loyal warriors. They're seemingly made of rock, very tall and shadowy, and can use long spectral tendrils to "pull you directly into The Sideways for a showdown on their home turf." If you survive, Epic teases that the loot will be worth the fight. ![]() Alongside the arrival of the Cube Queen is the new Sideways Scythe and returning items like the Witch Brooms and Pumpkin Rocket Launcher. ![]() The Batman Who Laughs Outfit will be added to the Fortnite Item Shop during this event as well. More specifically, it will be available alongside the Robin's Perch Back Bling, Dark Multiverse Pickaxe and Glider, and the Dark Days Loading Screen in the Dark Multiverse Set on October 25. More details about this outfit and the Batman Foundation Fortnite comic book launching on October 26 can be found on Epic's blog post about the character. ![]() Fornite's popular Horde Rush is back, too. "The Cube Monsters are pushing out of the Sideways and into our realm," the blog post reads. "Fight alongside your teammates to rack up your score by finding score multipliers, earning combos, and eliminating as many monsters as you can. To win, survive at locations across the map and take down the Final Boss!" There are three new Horde Rush quests available to complete during the Wrath of the Cube Queen as well. Complete the general Fortnitemares Quest to unlock the Raven's Curse Spray, the Midnight Showdown Loading Screen, and the Wrathful Breakout Contrail. ![]() Complete the Monster Hunter Questline to unlock Ariana Grande's All-Weather Extractor Pickaxe (Dark Style). Epic's blog post seems to indicate that an Ariana Grande skin is associated with this quest – "Ariana Grande has returned to the Island…'Spacefarer Ariana Grande,' the galaxy's greatest monster hunter, is inviting you to join her hunt – but it's not exactly clear. Her All-Weather Extractor Pickaxe is definitely up for grabs during the event, though. ![]() The final questline, The Oracle Speaks Questline, rewards players with the Cube Cruise Glider upon completion. ![]() For more about Fortnite, read about how Universal's classic monsters are joining the battle royale and then check out this story about the inclusion of The Walking Dead's Rick Grimes in the game. Read about why you shouldn't expect to see Fortnite on Apple devices for years after that. Will you be jumping into Fortnite's Wrath of the Cube Queen event? Let us know in the comments below!
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