Great PC Game Deals This Weekend: Two Point Hospital For $7, Project Cars For $2, And More

Though August is upon us, the big summer sales aren't over just yet, with PC keys store Fanatical gearing up to kick off its blowout summer sale on Monday, August 2. Next week's sale will bring thousands of discounts on Steam keys and more, with pricing that rivals Steam's own summer sale. This weekend, Fanatical is kicking off a series of flash deals to build hype for the main event on Monday. New flash deals are going live on a regular basis and will last 24 hours each, so you'll have to keep checking back for the latest deals. All of the following game deals are Steam keys.

Right now, Project Cars: Game of the Year Edition is 96% off, dropping to just $2, with the GOTY Edition featuring four additional tracks, over 50 new cars, and more. Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration is another flash deal on Friday, dropping to just $5 for Steam. Two Point Hospital is a great pickup at just $7, and Cook, Serve, Delicious 3 will probably make you super hungry for just $9. Craft the World, a sandbox game where you control a tribe of dwarves, is also dirt cheap for a limited time at $2.84, while UnderRail, an old-school indie RPG set in a post-apocalyptic metro station, is down to $6.

More flash deals are coming throughout the weekend and into Monday, including upcoming steep discounts on Risk of Rain 2, Thief, Metro Exodus - Gold Edition, and more.

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15 Best Xbox Accessories For 2021: Top Xbox Series X And Xbox One Accessories

Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller

$180

See at Amazon

Xbox Wireless Controller

$60-$65; starts at $70 with Xbox Design Lab

See at Amazon

SteelSeries Arctis 9X Wireless Headset

$200

See at Amazon

Xbox Wireless Headset

$100

See at Amazon

Seagate Storage Expansion Card

$220

See at Amazon

Seagate External Hard Drive (2TB)

$63; also available in 1TB, 4TB, and 5TB

See at Amazon

PowerA Dual Charging Station

$25

See at Amazon

Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows 10

$25

See at Amazon

PDP Gaming Media Remote

$20

See at Amazon

Xbox Adaptive Controller

$100

See at Microsoft Store

Razer Atrox Fight Stick

$200

See at Newegg

Razer Kishi

$80-$100

See at Amazon

PowerA MOGA Mobile Gaming Clip

$15

See at Amazon

Thrustmaster T.Flight Full Kit X

$200

See at Microsoft Store

Logitech G923 Racing Wheel and Pedals for Xbox

$400

See at Amazon

One of the best parts of owning an Xbox console is the plethora of licensed, Xbox-designed accessories out there, and thanks to Microsoft's commitment to compatibility across console generations, all Xbox One accessories are forward-compatible with the Xbox Series X|S. From controllers and headsets to fight sticks, racing wheels, and more, there's a staggering amount of Xbox accessories out there, some of which were released for the Xbox One and some of which were launched specifically around the Xbox Series X|S. No matter which Xbox console you own or whether you're planning to upgrade to the newest consoles anytime soon, you can feel comfortable knowing that new headset or controller you pick up with work on any of your Xbox machines.

However, the number of Xbox-compatible accessories out there is almost overwhelming, and it can be somewhat difficult to figure out what's worth your time and money. We've rounded up the best Xbox accessories to buy in 2021, whether you've upgraded to Xbox Series X|S or are sticking it out with Xbox One for a while longer. The list includes both first-party accessories from Microsoft as well as products from top brands like SteelSeries, Razer, and Logitech.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Bob Odenkirk Thanks Fans For Support, Reveals He Had Heart Attack

Bob Odenkirk has thanked his fans for the outpouring of support following an incident that left him hospitalized this week. In the course of his thanks, he also revealed that he had a mild heart attack, but that doctors were able to resolve it without surgery.

"Hi. It's Bob. Thank you. To my family and friends who have surrounded me this week," Odenkirk said on Twitter. "And for the outpouring of love from everyone who expressed concern and care for me. It’s overwhelming. But I feel the love and it means so much.

"I had a small heart attack. But I'm going to be ok thanks to Rosa Estrada and the doctors who knew how to fix the blockage without surgery. Also, AMC and SONYs support and help throughout this has been next-level. I'm going to take a beat to recover but I'll be back soon."

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Free Pokemon Sword And Shield Item Available Now Until August 2

The Pokemon Company is distributing another free item for Pokemon Sword and Shield. During the Pokemon Players Cup IV Global Finals, the company shared a download code for a free Beast Ball (via Serebii). The code is only valid until August 2, however, so you need to act quickly if you want to claim the freebie.

Beast Balls are a rare type of Poke Ball that are particularly effective at catching Ultra Beasts, which you can encounter through Dynamax Adventures in the Crown Tundra. To claim your free Beast Ball, fire up your copy of Sword or Shield and follow these steps:

• Open Mystery Gift
• Select Get with a Code/Password
• Follow the prompts to connect online
• Input the code PC4F1NALSBEAST

The Pokemon Players Cup IV Global Finals are underway this weekend and feature dedicated competitions for the Pokemon video game series, TCG, and Pokken Tournament DX. Each competition is being streamed on Pokemon's Twitch and YouTube channels. You can read more about the event on the Pokemon website.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Final Fantasy 14 Changes Sage Job Icon Over Trypophobia Concerns From The Community

Square Enix has changed the icon for the Sage job in Final Fantasy XIV's upcoming expansion after players expressed concern over trypophobia. As reported by IGN, the original icon featured three pillar-like symbols, each with a hole at the top, causing the holes to appear in a cluster.

Trypophobia is the aversion, fear, or disgust of irregular or patterned clusters of holes, bumps, and the like. In a blog post, Final Fantasy XIV director and producer Naoki Yoshida addressed the concerns from the community over the original Sage job icon design and announced the new design.

"When we released new details for sage and reaper on the special site, we also included their icons, not thinking that they were particularly big reveals," Yoshida said. "However, we soon received feedback from players all over the world, who told us that the sage icon made them uncomfortable or fearful."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

New Halo Waypoint Might Point Towards Multiple Campaigns For Infinite

15 Best Xbox Accessories For 2021: Top Xbox Series X And Xbox One Accessories

Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller

$180

See at Amazon

Xbox Wireless Controller

$60-$65; starts at $70 with Xbox Design Lab

See at Amazon

SteelSeries Arctis 9X Wireless Headset

$200

See at Amazon

Xbox Wireless Headset

$100

See at Amazon

Seagate Storage Expansion Card

$220

See at Amazon

Seagate External Hard Drive (2TB)

$63; also available in 1TB, 4TB, and 5TB

See at Amazon

PowerA Dual Charging Station

$25

See at Amazon

Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows 10

$25

See at Amazon

PDP Gaming Media Remote

$20

See at Amazon

Xbox Adaptive Controller

$100

See at Microsoft Store

Razer Atrox Fight Stick

$200

See at Newegg

Razer Kishi

$80-$100

See at Amazon

PowerA MOGA Mobile Gaming Clip

$15

See at Amazon

Thrustmaster T.Flight Full Kit X

$200

See at Microsoft Store

Logitech G923 Racing Wheel and Pedals for Xbox

$400

See at Amazon

One of the best parts of owning an Xbox console is the plethora of licensed, Xbox-designed accessories out there, and thanks to Microsoft's commitment to compatibility across console generations, all Xbox One accessories are forward-compatible with the Xbox Series X|S. From controllers and headsets to fight sticks, racing wheels, and more, there's a staggering amount of Xbox accessories out there, some of which were released for the Xbox One and some of which were launched specifically around the Xbox Series X|S. No matter which Xbox console you own or whether you're planning to upgrade to the newest consoles anytime soon, you can feel comfortable knowing that new headset or controller you pick up with work on any of your Xbox machines.

However, the number of Xbox-compatible accessories out there is almost overwhelming, and it can be somewhat difficult to figure out what's worth your time and money. We've rounded up the best Xbox accessories to buy in 2021, whether you've upgraded to Xbox Series X|S or are sticking it out with Xbox One for a while longer. The list includes both first-party accessories from Microsoft as well as products from top brands like SteelSeries, Razer, and Logitech.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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Free Pokemon Sword And Shield Item Available Now Until August 2

The Pokemon Company is distributing another free item for Pokemon Sword and Shield. During the Pokemon Players Cup IV Global Finals, the company shared a download code for a free Beast Ball (via Serebii). The code is only valid until August 2, however, so you need to act quickly if you want to claim the freebie.

Beast Balls are a rare type of Poke Ball that are particularly effective at catching Ultra Beasts, which you can encounter through Dynamax Adventures in the Crown Tundra. To claim your free Beast Ball, fire up your copy of Sword or Shield and follow these steps:

• Open Mystery Gift
• Select Get with a Code/Password
• Follow the prompts to connect online
• Input the code PC4F1NALSBEAST

The Pokemon Players Cup IV Global Finals are underway this weekend and feature dedicated competitions for the Pokemon video game series, TCG, and Pokken Tournament DX. Each competition is being streamed on Pokemon's Twitch and YouTube channels. You can read more about the event on the Pokemon website.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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Final Fantasy 14 Changes Sage Job Icon Over Trypophobia Concerns From The Community

Square Enix has changed the icon for the Sage job in Final Fantasy XIV's upcoming expansion after players expressed concern over trypophobia. As reported by IGN, the original icon featured three pillar-like symbols, each with a hole at the top, causing the holes to appear in a cluster.

Trypophobia is the aversion, fear, or disgust of irregular or patterned clusters of holes, bumps, and the like. In a blog post, Final Fantasy XIV director and producer Naoki Yoshida addressed the concerns from the community over the original Sage job icon design and announced the new design.

"When we released new details for sage and reaper on the special site, we also included their icons, not thinking that they were particularly big reveals," Yoshida said. "However, we soon received feedback from players all over the world, who told us that the sage icon made them uncomfortable or fearful."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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New Halo Waypoint Might Point Towards Multiple Campaigns For Infinite

Tribes Of Midgard Devs Help Plant 40,000 Trees To Celebrate Player Milestones

Developer Norsefell Games and publisher Gearbox Publishing have linked up with a nonprofit to plant 40,000 trees in celebration of Tribes of Midgard's success, which has been downloaded over 250,000 times since its launch.

In a press release announcing the news, the duo said that in the three days after the action-RPG dropped on July 27, Tribes of Midgard became the ninth-most-watched game on Twitch with 100,000 concurrent viewers. Another milestone that has been surpassed: Players have defeated over 40,000 Jötnar, groups of Jötun (or giants), that roam the game's world.

To celebrate that latter accomplishment, Norsefell and Gearbox have announced a partnership with One Tree Planted, a Vermont-based nonprofit dedicated to global reforestation efforts. The three will plant some 40,000 trees, though when and where they will be planted remains undisclosed.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Halo Infinite Beta Players Are Already Competing For High Scores Using The Academy

Halo Infinite beta players have found a creative way to compete for bragging rights. While the beta is limited to Arena Slayer and a training mode called The Academy, experienced Spartans have started racking up Academy scores to compare online.

Academy is meant to be an advanced tutorial, helping onboard newcomers and teach veterans some of the more nuanced techniques that it takes to be a top-tier Halo player. But the Academy challenges also issue scores based on performance, including multipliers for things like double or triple kills. So naturally it didn't take long for players to start to gamify the tutorials.

343's David Ellis, who works on the Academy, has been sharing some notable scores on Twitter under the hashtag WeaponDrillHighScore. Ellis requested people share their own scores with the hashtag, and subsequently asked that players participating share their platform and input device.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Monster Hunter Rise: How To Get Okami Palamute Armor

Monster Hunter Rise's 3.2.0 update is now live, and it's introduced a new Capcom Collab Event Quest to the game. This one is an Okami crossover, giving you a chance to forge a set of layered Palamute armor based on Okami's protagonist, Amaterasu. Here's how to complete the new Event Quest and craft the "Ammy" armor for your Palamute.

How To Complete Monster Hunter Rise's Okami Event Quest

Before you can embark on the new Okami quest, you'll first need to download it. Speak to Senri the Mailman in the center of Kamura Village and select Add-on Content. Scroll through the list and receive the quest titled Event Quest: Rising Sun?! (You can alternatively press the X button to quickly claim all of the currently available add-on content.)

You first need to download the Okami Event Quest from Senri the Mailman

Once you've downloaded the quest, head into the Gathering Hub, speak to Minoto at the desk, and select Event Quests. You'll find the Okami quest listed under the Low Rank menu. Accept the mission and depart after you've made any necessary preparations.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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NEO: The World Ends With You Review - Reap What You Sow

I admire NEO: The World Ends With You for its youthful attitude and wild characterizations through eccentric personalities, extravagant character designs, and cheesy irreverence. To play through NEO TWEWY is to feel young again, inviting me to relive that too-cool-for-school vibe I had all those years ago with its predecessor. But that's also because, while it's a sequel that can be enjoyed on its own, its adherence to the original story of The World Ends With You brought me back to another time, and that might leave you lost if it passed you by.

Still, NEO TWEWY has its share of attractions, like a standout action-RPG combat system that evolves into an exciting rush of flashy spells filling up the screen. And while you might roll your eyes at the cast of characters' quirks in the beginning, they'll grow on you like good friends who were annoying at first. The same can be said about its soundtrack--songs that are odd upon first listen become bops that get stuck in your head. This is also a story-heavy RPG with intriguing twists and turns. However, in its exploration, riddle-laden objectives, and narrative wheel-spinning, NEO TWEWY drags its feet for a bit too long and too often before reaching its payoff.

NEO TWEWY revolves around the Reapers' Game, the premise that drove the original game. In a parallel dimension of real-world Japan, called the Underground (or UG), characters trapped in the Reapers' Game have been posthumously invited to play a game of ambiguous rules and objectives for another chance at life. But rules are meant to be broken and parameters are meant to be manipulated, so much so that you eventually disregard its logic and just embrace the cool nonsense used to bend the fate of the characters and the setting of Shibuya itself.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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Creepy-Looking Action-RPG Death Trash Will Launch In Steam Early Access On August 5

Death Trash will launch in Steam Early Access on August 5. The creepy-looking action-RPG is set to fully release for Steam, itch.io, GOG, and the Epic Games Store at a future date.

Developed by Crafting Legends, Death Trash is set in a post-apocalyptic world, called Nexus, inhabited by these gross cosmic flesh titans. As an action RPG, the game features both open combat and stealth sections and includes choice-driven dialogue.

Of note: Any character in Death Trash can be killed, even the important ones. Whether you should is up to you--considering how tough the combat looks, attacking random people doesn't seem like the smartest means of solving all your problems. But the option is there for you if you want it.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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Tribes Of Midgard Devs Help Plant 40,000 Trees To Celebrate Player Milestones

Developer Norsefell Games and publisher Gearbox Publishing have linked up with a nonprofit to plant 40,000 trees in celebration of Tribes of Midgard's success, which has been downloaded over 250,000 times since its launch.

In a press release announcing the news, the duo said that in the three days after the action-RPG dropped on July 27, Tribes of Midgard became the ninth-most-watched game on Twitch with 100,000 concurrent viewers. Another milestone that has been surpassed: Players have defeated over 40,000 Jötnar, groups of Jötun (or giants), that roam the game's world.

To celebrate that latter accomplishment, Norsefell and Gearbox have announced a partnership with One Tree Planted, a Vermont-based nonprofit dedicated to global reforestation efforts. The three will plant some 40,000 trees, though when and where they will be planted remains undisclosed.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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Halo Infinite Beta Players Are Already Competing For High Scores Using The Academy

Halo Infinite beta players have found a creative way to compete for bragging rights. While the beta is limited to Arena Slayer and a training mode called The Academy, experienced Spartans have started racking up Academy scores to compare online.

Academy is meant to be an advanced tutorial, helping onboard newcomers and teach veterans some of the more nuanced techniques that it takes to be a top-tier Halo player. But the Academy challenges also issue scores based on performance, including multipliers for things like double or triple kills. So naturally it didn't take long for players to start to gamify the tutorials.

343's David Ellis, who works on the Academy, has been sharing some notable scores on Twitter under the hashtag WeaponDrillHighScore. Ellis requested people share their own scores with the hashtag, and subsequently asked that players participating share their platform and input device.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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Monster Hunter Rise: How To Get Okami Palamute Armor

Monster Hunter Rise's 3.2.0 update is now live, and it's introduced a new Capcom Collab Event Quest to the game. This one is an Okami crossover, giving you a chance to forge a set of layered Palamute armor based on Okami's protagonist, Amaterasu. Here's how to complete the new Event Quest and craft the "Ammy" armor for your Palamute.

How To Complete Monster Hunter Rise's Okami Event Quest

Before you can embark on the new Okami quest, you'll first need to download it. Speak to Senri the Mailman in the center of Kamura Village and select Add-on Content. Scroll through the list and receive the quest titled Event Quest: Rising Sun?! (You can alternatively press the X button to quickly claim all of the currently available add-on content.)

You first need to download the Okami Event Quest from Senri the Mailman

Once you've downloaded the quest, head into the Gathering Hub, speak to Minoto at the desk, and select Event Quests. You'll find the Okami quest listed under the Low Rank menu. Accept the mission and depart after you've made any necessary preparations.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

NEO: The World Ends With You Review - Reap What You Sow

I admire NEO: The World Ends With You for its youthful attitude and wild characterizations through eccentric personalities, extravagant character designs, and cheesy irreverence. To play through NEO TWEWY is to feel young again, inviting me to relive that too-cool-for-school vibe I had all those years ago with its predecessor. But that's also because, while it's a sequel that can be enjoyed on its own, its adherence to the original story of The World Ends With You brought me back to another time, and that might leave you lost if it passed you by.

Still, NEO TWEWY has its share of attractions, like a standout action-RPG combat system that evolves into an exciting rush of flashy spells filling up the screen. And while you might roll your eyes at the cast of characters' quirks in the beginning, they'll grow on you like good friends who were annoying at first. The same can be said about its soundtrack--songs that are odd upon first listen become bops that get stuck in your head. This is also a story-heavy RPG with intriguing twists and turns. However, in its exploration, riddle-laden objectives, and narrative wheel-spinning, NEO TWEWY drags its feet for a bit too long and too often before reaching its payoff.

NEO TWEWY revolves around the Reapers' Game, the premise that drove the original game. In a parallel dimension of real-world Japan, called the Underground (or UG), characters trapped in the Reapers' Game have been posthumously invited to play a game of ambiguous rules and objectives for another chance at life. But rules are meant to be broken and parameters are meant to be manipulated, so much so that you eventually disregard its logic and just embrace the cool nonsense used to bend the fate of the characters and the setting of Shibuya itself.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Creepy-Looking Action-RPG Death Trash Will Launch In Steam Early Access On August 5

Death Trash will launch in Steam Early Access on August 5. The creepy-looking action-RPG is set to fully release for Steam, itch.io, GOG, and the Epic Games Store at a future date.

Developed by Crafting Legends, Death Trash is set in a post-apocalyptic world, called Nexus, inhabited by these gross cosmic flesh titans. As an action RPG, the game features both open combat and stealth sections and includes choice-driven dialogue.

Of note: Any character in Death Trash can be killed, even the important ones. Whether you should is up to you--considering how tough the combat looks, attacking random people doesn't seem like the smartest means of solving all your problems. But the option is there for you if you want it.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

14-Year-Old GTA: San Andreas Mod Pulled Fearing Take-Two Legal Action

A group of creators working on the 14-year-old mod GTA United, built primarily inside Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, have decided to stop development fearing a DMCA takedown from Rockstar Games' parent company Take-Two Interactive.

The modders said in an update post that the spate of DMCA takedowns the publisher has handed out in recent weeks raised many alarms. As a result, the team has preemptively decided to remove all of GTA United's uploads, including those for Vice City 2 San Andreas and Liberty City 2 San Andreas, in preparation for some possible legal letter from Take-Two Interactive.

"Due to the increasing DMCA takedowns against various GTA San Andreas map modifications, it is with a heavy heart that we must announce that we decided to preemptively take all remaining instances of GTA United, including its predecessors VC2SA and LC2SA, down," the modders wrote.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

14-Year-Old GTA: San Andreas Mod Pulled Fearing Take-Two Legal Action

A group of creators working on the 14-year-old mod GTA United, built primarily inside Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, have decided to stop development fearing a DMCA takedown from Rockstar Games' parent company Take-Two Interactive.

The modders said in an update post that the spate of DMCA takedowns the publisher has handed out in recent weeks raised many alarms. As a result, the team has preemptively decided to remove all of GTA United's uploads, including those for Vice City 2 San Andreas and Liberty City 2 San Andreas, in preparation for some possible legal letter from Take-Two Interactive.

"Due to the increasing DMCA takedowns against various GTA San Andreas map modifications, it is with a heavy heart that we must announce that we decided to preemptively take all remaining instances of GTA United, including its predecessors VC2SA and LC2SA, down," the modders wrote.

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Horizon Forbidden West Reportedly Delayed To 2022

Horizon Forbidden West has reportedly seen its release date delayed until 2022. Sony has not made any official announcement, and no specific reason has been given yet.

Bloomberg reports that the purported delay would put the game in the first quarter of 2022, out of the big holiday launch window. This is the second such report we've heard recently, after reporter Jeff Grubb talked about the impending delay on the Giant Bomb show GrubbSnax.

GameSpot has contacted Sony regarding the reports. Horizon Forbidden West is slated to come for both PS4 and PS5.

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In Solar Ash, "Traversal Absolutely Takes Precedence," Says Creative Director

A new trailer for Solar Ash debuted during the Annapurna Interactive Showcase, revealing that developer Heart Machine's upcoming game will launch for PS5, PS4, and PC on October 26. The trailer showcases a bit more of what exploration looks like in Solar Ash which, according to creative director Alx Preston, is the first-and-foremost focus for the game.

"We're traversal first," Preston told GameSpot. "That was kind of the vision of the game: Control the traversal, the environments that you're moving through, and the spectacle of it all. Especially the scale on the grandiosity of it just feeling impossibly large and you're feeling really tiny and insignificant in as many ways as possible. The traversal absolutely takes precedence and the combat is kind of intermingled with that traversal."

To do that, Heart Machine has designed Solar Ash's movement mechanics to be fairly easy to grasp. You will have to practice to achieve the same level of fluidity seen in trailers. But when I asked Preston, he said that Solar Ash's movement more closely resembles the easy-to-pick-up web-swinging mechanics of Marvel's Spider-Man than the carefully timed button presses and precise turns needed to perform an amazing aerial goal in Rocket League.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

A Memoir Blue Uses Music, 2D And 3D Animation To Tell Story Without Dialogue

A new trailer for A Memoir Blue debuted during the Annapurna Interactive Showcase, showcasing a beautiful-looking atmospheric game that mixes together 3D animation and hand-drawn 2D art. The trailer noticeably doesn't feature any words, and creative director Shelley Chen says that's true for the full game.

"There's no words in there, like zero words are spoken by the character, zero narration," Chen told GameSpot. "We decided to have the character animation do all the communicating. Back in the old days, people didn't need words to watch movies. They can get a joke, they can get at the emotion of the characters. So that pumped me to do it this way, because I don't really play many games. I watch more movies than play games."

Instead, A Memoir Blue's story of champion swimmer Miriam, who begins to think back on her childhood memories with her mother, is primarily told through the character's body language, which can be captured in different ways depending on whether the character is a 2D or 3D model. And as a big fan of Disney movies, Chen also sought to use music to tell A Memoir Blue's story.

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Annapurna Interactive Showcase: Solar Ash, Stray, And Every Announcement

Annapurna Interactive had plenty to reveal during its July showcase, releasing trailers for several upcoming games and expansions. The publisher also revealed that it's partnered with a few more developers that are currently working on unannounced projects.

Below, we go over everything that was announced during the Annapurna Interactive Showcase. We go through the announcements in the order that they happened.

The Artful Escape

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Outer Wilds: Echoes Of The Eye Expansion Coming September 28

The exploration adventure game Outer Wilds is getting an expansion, and it's coming sooner than you might expect. The Echoes of the Eye expansion is coming on September 28.

Annapurna Interactive confirmed the "first and only" expansion with a trailer during its games showcase. The development team acknowledged that the original game didn't leave much room for expansion, but hinted that questions like "why" may be answered in the DLC itself. A press release says the DLC revolves around "an anomaly that can't be attributed to any known location in the solar system."

Echoes of the Eye was actually leaked in April by a SteamDB listing, and publisher Annapurna gave a winking signal-boost to the discovery that acted as almost-confirmation. This is the first official word we've heard of the expansion, however.

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First Stray Gameplay Sees Evil Slugs Trying To Kill Precious Kitty

Stray, a game about a cat wearing a backpack in a world taken over by robots, was already poised to be the most precious thing in the world before we even saw gameplay. During the July 29 Annapurna Interactive stream, however, we were given our first look at Stray in action, including a harrowing chase sequence. And we also learned as part of the event that it's coming out next year.

After meeting a drone named B12, the cat is able to communicate with those around it, including the humans who still exist in the harsh world we wouldn't wish on a single real kitty. It's so harsh, in fact, that a chase soon begins as slug creatures try to consume the cat. Using B12's unlockable abilities, the drone is able to stun them long enough for them to be defeated.

You'll have to use your stealth and agility to make it through Stray, and according to Annapurna Interactive, you'll also need to sometimes be "as annoying as possible." If you have ever had a cat, you know this is a crucial element of their entire species. You can even knock stuff off of ledges to solve puzzles and claw up a leather couch like a little demon.

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A Waterworld TV Show Is In The Works, Finally

In very unexpected but wonderful news, a TV series based on the 1995 Kevin Costner movie Waterworld--and also, we hope, the award-winning Waterworld: A Live Sea War Spectacular stunt show at Universal Studios Hollywood--is in the works. The news comes from Collider, which reports that John Davis, a producer on the film, is currently developing the project for a streaming network.

Speaking to Collider, Davis said, "We're going to do the streaming version of that movie, the continuation of that movie." The film is set in the year 2500, with the seas having risen to cover the entire planet with water. Costner played a character called the Mariner--a fish/human hybrid with gills and webbed feet--that traveled the seas, trading dry dirt to people. After discovering a young girl with a map to a dry piece of land tattooed on her back, the Mariner protects her from the evil Deacon (Dennis Hopper) and ultimately they journey to the top of Mt. Everest--the only remaining land above water.

As for what the continuation would be, there's no telling. At the end of the movie, the Mariner realizes the sea is his home, leaving the little girl and their friends to live on dry land, while he sails away. According to Davis, the new series would take place two decades later and feature the characters from the first movie. Of course, that doesn't mean the cast would return.

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In Solar Ash, "Traversal Absolutely Takes Precedence," Says Creative Director

A new trailer for Solar Ash debuted during the Annapurna Interactive Showcase, revealing that developer Heart Machine's upcoming game will launch for PS5, PS4, and PC on October 26. The trailer showcases a bit more of what exploration looks like in Solar Ash which, according to creative director Alx Preston, is the first-and-foremost focus for the game.

"We're traversal first," Preston told GameSpot. "That was kind of the vision of the game: Control the traversal, the environments that you're moving through, and the spectacle of it all. Especially the scale on the grandiosity of it just feeling impossibly large and you're feeling really tiny and insignificant in as many ways as possible. The traversal absolutely takes precedence and the combat is kind of intermingled with that traversal."

To do that, Heart Machine has designed Solar Ash's movement mechanics to be fairly easy to grasp. You will have to practice to achieve the same level of fluidity seen in trailers. But when I asked Preston, he said that Solar Ash's movement more closely resembles the easy-to-pick-up web-swinging mechanics of Marvel's Spider-Man than the carefully timed button presses and precise turns needed to perform an amazing aerial goal in Rocket League.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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A Memoir Blue Uses Music, 2D And 3D Animation To Tell Story Without Dialogue

A new trailer for A Memoir Blue debuted during the Annapurna Interactive Showcase, showcasing a beautiful-looking atmospheric game that mixes together 3D animation and hand-drawn 2D art. The trailer noticeably doesn't feature any words, and creative director Shelley Chen says that's true for the full game.

"There's no words in there, like zero words are spoken by the character, zero narration," Chen told GameSpot. "We decided to have the character animation do all the communicating. Back in the old days, people didn't need words to watch movies. They can get a joke, they can get at the emotion of the characters. So that pumped me to do it this way, because I don't really play many games. I watch more movies than play games."

Instead, A Memoir Blue's story of champion swimmer Miriam, who begins to think back on her childhood memories with her mother, is primarily told through the character's body language, which can be captured in different ways depending on whether the character is a 2D or 3D model. And as a big fan of Disney movies, Chen also sought to use music to tell A Memoir Blue's story.

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Neon White Is Designed With Speedrunning In Mind, But Isn't Just For Pro Speedrunners

The Annapurna Interactive Showcase revealed a new trailer for Neon White. Despite being in first-person and featuring gunplay, this game is not a first-person shooter. Neon White isn't a roguelike or deck-builder either, despite featuring a cyclical run-based formula and card-based combat. According to its developer, Ben Esposito, Neon White is a "speedrunning" game.

"[Neon White] is structured like a speedrunning game in the sense that you have a bunch of levels and to proceed in the game--to continue in the in-game competition so to speak, in the fiction of the game--you have to achieve certain medals or certain status by playing the levels faster," Esposito told GameSpot. "So you play a set and you survive through them and then you revisit them and you start to pick them apart and start to play them faster and get more familiar with them."

"I'm a little reluctant to say it's exactly like a speedrunning game because I think that to a lot of people, that scares them a little--it evokes the extreme dedication of a Twitch streamer. But I think it's an accurate description because [Neon White] is structured where the main goal is to get faster at it. But the game is designed to onboard you into speedrunning in a pretty gentle way if you haven't done it before."

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Spelunky, indie life, and finding success with Derek Yu - GDC Podcast Ep. 22

Spelunky developer Derek Yu joins Gamasutra's Kris Graft and Alissa McAloon in a live GDC Podcast to talk all things Spelunky, how indie game development has changed over the years, and how game development is an exploration of ideas. ...

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Neon White Is Designed With Speedrunning In Mind, But Isn't Just For Pro Speedrunners

The Annapurna Interactive Showcase revealed a new trailer for Neon White. Despite being in first-person and featuring gunplay, this game is not a first-person shooter. Neon White isn't a roguelike or deck-builder either, despite featuring a cyclical run-based formula and card-based combat. According to its developer, Ben Esposito, Neon White is a "speedrunning" game.

"[Neon White] is structured like a speedrunning game in the sense that you have a bunch of levels and to proceed in the game--to continue in the in-game competition so to speak, in the fiction of the game--you have to achieve certain medals or certain status by playing the levels faster," Esposito told GameSpot. "So you play a set and you survive through them and then you revisit them and you start to pick them apart and start to play them faster and get more familiar with them."

"I'm a little reluctant to say it's exactly like a speedrunning game because I think that to a lot of people, that scares them a little--it evokes the extreme dedication of a Twitch streamer. But I think it's an accurate description because [Neon White] is structured where the main goal is to get faster at it. But the game is designed to onboard you into speedrunning in a pretty gentle way if you haven't done it before."

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Walking Dead Season 11 Trailer Brings The Commonwealth To Life

Season 11 of The Walking Dead, which is the final season of the series, premieres on AMC on August 22 and will be available to stream on AMC+ on August 15. Leading up to the final episodes, a new trailer for the upcoming season has been released.

In the video, Eugene is unmasked by military folk, which you find out are part of the Commonwealth--a major part of the final storyline for the Walking Dead comic. Your favorite walker-slayers are being audited by the Commonwealth in order to gain entry into the city. Check out the video below.

Of course, not everyone is at one of the Commonwealth communities. A few members of the group, including Negan, Maggie, and Carol, are up against a group of masked people that feel like they come straight out of a slasher film from the '80s. Of course, there are also still walkers on the show, since the world is filled with zombies.

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J.K. Simmons Returning To Gotham As Commissioner Gordon For Batgirl - Report

Casting and production news for the upcoming Batgirl movie is pouring in, with a familiar face popping back up in Gotham City for the project. The Hollywood Reporter has stated that J.K. Simmons is in talks to reprise the role of Commissioner Gordon for the project.

Simmons first played Gordon back in Justice League, where he infamously got completely shredded for a role which netted him a miniscule amount of time on screen--though with any luck that's about to change. In DC Comics, Gordon is the father of Barbara AKA Batgirl (though he is usually unaware of his daughter's secret vigilante lifestyle). Batgirl herself was recently cast as In The Heights alum Leslie Grace.

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Scarlett Johansson Sues Disney Over Black Widow's Disney Plus Release

Black Widow isn't done fighting yet. Scarlett Johansson, who reprised her role as Natasha Romanoff in the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe film, has filed a lawsuit against Disney, alleging that the company releasing the movie on the Disney+ streaming service at the same time it did so theatrically was a breach of her contract.

The news comes from The Wall Street Journal, which reports that Johansson's contract not only guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release for the film but that its performance on the big screen would ultimately determine the actress's salary. Of course, Black Widow was originally scheduled to hit theaters in 2020 but was ultimately delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When a new release date was set, it was announced that the film would hit theaters and Disney+ Premier Access on July 9. According to the suit, "Disney intentionally induced Marvel's breach of the agreement, without justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel."

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Halo Infinite Multiplayer Accessibility Settings Let You Move Beyond Red Vs. Blue

Halo Infinite's first multiplayer beta is beginning today, and developer 343 Industries has revealed much more of what you can expect from the next iteration of Halo multiplayer. In particular, the studio showed off the multiplayer settings, which include a bunch of new accessibility options like the ability to change Halo's iconic red and blue multiplayer colors.

Specifically, 343 Industries is including a setting to let you change the coloration of both teammates and enemies. While "red vs. blue" is, of course, famous as the default setup of Halo multiplayer, that color scheme isn't great for everyone. This setting will give colorblind people options to achieve more visible contrast between friendly and enemy players.

In addition, the studio is incorporating a whole array of various graphics, UI, and gameplay settings to significantly expand the customization options for players. These include the ability to change the positional offset of weapons on the screen (to allow old-school players to have their weapons more centered, for instance), and an opt-out button for speed lines, a graphic effect triggered when players are sprinting.

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CoD: Black Ops Cold War's July 29 Patch Notes Detail Zombies Improvements And New Playlists

The weekly playlist refresher arrived to Black Ops Cold War today, and the July 29 patch notes include some minor improvements to Zombies. Players can also expect a new Gunfight tournament and Double Weapon XP.

New Playlists

Collateral Combined Arms 24/7 has returned to Black Ops Cold War, which is a mix of the 12v12 Combined Arms modes. And 3v3 Gunfight Snipers Only replaced the 2v2 Gunfight Blueprints. For fans of the large-scale Fireteam modes, Sat-Link was added to the Multi-Team Moshpit playlist.

Gunfight Tournament

A new Gunfight tournament starts today with new and exclusive in-game rewards. You can still unlock any previous tournament prizes you missed, you just need to replay and win the tournament bracket multiple times to unlock the additional rewards.

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Playdate Sells Out 2021 Stock, Still Taking 2022 Reservations

The indie handheld system Playdate has apparently sold out of its initial stock of 20,000 units, though the Playdate Store is still taking preorders for additional units that will go out next year. As promised, the store has not closed preorders after running out of the initial 2021 allotment. Instead, preorders are remaining open and will be shipped in waves as more are manufactured.

We likely won't have complete sales figures for Playdate unless the company chooses to share them, but we do know that it placed an order for 20,000 units to ship in 2021. Since the store now says preorders will ship in 2022, we can infer that those 20,000 units sold out. It took roughly 20 minutes for the date to change, though orders placed after that point may not have kept the same pace.

Each type of Playdate product is still available though, including the system itself ($180), the cover ($30), and the system plus cover combo ($200). Other accessories, including a stereo dock, will be coming sometime later.

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Walking Dead Season 11 Trailer Brings The Commonwealth To Life

Season 11 of The Walking Dead, which is the final season of the series, premieres on AMC on August 22 and will be available to stream on AMC+ on August 15. Leading up to the final episodes, a new trailer for the upcoming season has been released.

In the video, Eugene is unmasked by military folk, which you find out are part of the Commonwealth--a major part of the final storyline for the Walking Dead comic. Your favorite walker-slayers are being audited by the Commonwealth in order to gain entry into the city. Check out the video below.

Of course, not everyone is at one of the Commonwealth communities. A few members of the group, including Negan, Maggie, and Carol, are up against a group of masked people that feel like they come straight out of a slasher film from the '80s. Of course, there are also still walkers on the show, since the world is filled with zombies.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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J.K. Simmons Returning To Gotham As Commissioner Gordon For Batgirl - Report

Casting and production news for the upcoming Batgirl movie is pouring in, with a familiar face popping back up in Gotham City for the project. The Hollywood Reporter has stated that J.K. Simmons is in talks to reprise the role of Commissioner Gordon for the project.

Simmons first played Gordon back in Justice League, where he infamously got completely shredded for a role which netted him a miniscule amount of time on screen--though with any luck that's about to change. In DC Comics, Gordon is the father of Barbara AKA Batgirl (though he is usually unaware of his daughter's secret vigilante lifestyle). Batgirl herself was recently cast as In The Heights alum Leslie Grace.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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Scarlett Johansson Sues Disney Over Black Widow's Disney Plus Release

Black Widow isn't done fighting yet. Scarlett Johansson, who reprised her role as Natasha Romanoff in the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe film, has filed a lawsuit against Disney, alleging that the company releasing the movie on the Disney+ streaming service at the same time it did so theatrically was a breach of her contract.

The news comes from The Wall Street Journal, which reports that Johansson's contract not only guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release for the film but that its performance on the big screen would ultimately determine the actress's salary. Of course, Black Widow was originally scheduled to hit theaters in 2020 but was ultimately delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When a new release date was set, it was announced that the film would hit theaters and Disney+ Premier Access on July 9. According to the suit, "Disney intentionally induced Marvel's breach of the agreement, without justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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Halo Infinite Multiplayer Accessibility Settings Let You Move Beyond Red Vs. Blue

Halo Infinite's first multiplayer beta is beginning today, and developer 343 Industries has revealed much more of what you can expect from the next iteration of Halo multiplayer. In particular, the studio showed off the multiplayer settings, which include a bunch of new accessibility options like the ability to change Halo's iconic red and blue multiplayer colors.

Specifically, 343 Industries is including a setting to let you change the coloration of both teammates and enemies. While "red vs. blue" is, of course, famous as the default setup of Halo multiplayer, that color scheme isn't great for everyone. This setting will give colorblind people options to achieve more visible contrast between friendly and enemy players.

In addition, the studio is incorporating a whole array of various graphics, UI, and gameplay settings to significantly expand the customization options for players. These include the ability to change the positional offset of weapons on the screen (to allow old-school players to have their weapons more centered, for instance), and an opt-out button for speed lines, a graphic effect triggered when players are sprinting.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

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