Blizzard has announced a new update is available for testing on the Overwatch Public Test Region (PTR). The PTR is PC only, but the changes that end up working are also made available on Xbox One and PS4 when they go live in the main game.The new update makes several major changes to Mercy, Reaper, Symmetra, and Roadhog. The cost of Mercy's Ultimate is lowered by 15% and her healing per second is increased from 50 to 60, making her a more valuable healer. The spread pattern of Reaper's shotguns has been made more consistent and the amount of health he gains from The Reaping ability has been raised, which increases his offensive potential in head-on fights. Symmetra's primary fire beam charges 20% faster, raising her damage output significantly.Roadhog has the largest changes in the new update. His Chain Hook starts cooling down as soon as it's used and greatly reduces his victim's speed. The spread pattern on Roadhog's Scrap Gun has also been adjusted so both his primary and secondary fire deal more consistent damage. The knockback velocity of Whole Hog has also been increased so that Roadhog now sends enemies flying. All in all, Roadhog will be able to more consistently trap other players, deal massive damage, and clear them out so that he can do it again.The full patch notes for the PTR update can be found on Blizzard's website. We've outlined the major points below. Overwatch is available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.Overwatch PTR October 23 UpdateGeneral UpdatesAudioAn option to use Windows Spatial Audio is now available. This feature can be found in the Windows Start Menu under Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound > Speaker Device > Spatial SoundHero UpdatesGeneralMade jump height consistent across hero rosterMercyValkyrie Ultimate cost reduced 15%Healing per second increased from 50 to 60ReaperHellfire Shotguns Spread randomization reduced by 50%The Reaping Life steal increased from 20% to 30% of damage dealtRoadhogChain Hook Decreased the delay before pulling a hooked target from 0.5 seconds to 0.3 secondsNow greatly reduces the target’s momentum upon being hookedCooldown now begins immediately, instead of after the target has been pulledScrap Gun Spread pattern adjusted for both primary and secondary fireSpread randomization reduced by 50%Whole Hog Knockback maximum velocity increased by 25% (from 8 to 10 meters per second)Horizontal recoil decreased slightlySymmetraPhoton Projector Primary fire beam charges up 20% fasterBug FixesA.I.Fixed a bug that caused Mei bots to attempt landing headshots on Wrecking Ball while he was immune to them in Roll modeFixed a bug that caused bots to get stuck near Point A on EichenwaldeHeroesBrigitte Fixed a bug that prevented Brigitte's Whip Shot from going on cooldown if it was interrupted before the chain retractedDoomfist Fixed a bug that prevented victims of Doomfist's Rocket Punch from ragdolling if they were eliminated by itFixed a bug that prevented Doomfist's Rising Uppercut from damaging enemiesFixed a bug that prevented Doomist's Seismic Slam from dealing damage if he hit by a knockback ability the moment he landedJunkrat Fixed a bug that caused Junkrat to return to his idle animation if he was stunned while using RIP-TireLúcio Fixed a bug that caused some allied heroes to say their "under attack" voice lines when receiving a friendly Sound BarrierOrisa Fixed bug that prevented Orisa's Fortify from canceling Doomfist's Rising Uppercut air control effectsReinhardt Fixed a bug that allowed Reinhardt's Earthshatter to hit Brigitte when she blocked it with her Barrier Shield if she was strafing during high latency periodsRoadhog Fixed a bug that prevented Chain Hook from going on cooldown if it was interrupted before the chain retractedFixed a bug that prevented Chain Hook from destroying breakable objects when pulling the target backwardFixed a bug that caused Roadhog's Whole Hog visual effects to cover a wider area than the spread of projectilesTorbjörn Fixed a bug that prevented Santaclad Torbjörn's ultimate voice lines from playing when activating Molten CoreFixed a visual issue that prevented Molten Core's magma globules from appearing in the correct place with his Barbarossa or Blackbeard skins equippedFixed an animation issue that caused Torbjörn's claw arm to suddenly appear when Overload and Molten Core were used in quick successionSymmetra Fixed a bug that prevented Symmetra to charge up her primary weapon on enemy ice wallsTracer Fixed an issue that caused Tracer to accelerate slightly slower and decelerate slightly faster than other heroesWrecking Ball Fixed a bug that prevented Wrecking Ball voice lines from playing when previewed after opening a Loot BoxZarya Fixed a bug that allowed heroes to charge through a Graviton Surge without getting trappedHero GalleryGeneralFixed an issue that caused some heroes legs to twitch when viewed in the Hero GalleryFixed a bug that prevented players from rotating heroes in the Hero Gallery while the UI was hiddenSocialFixed a bug that allowed players to hear the voice lines of heroes controlled by players they mutedGame Browser and Custom GamesMapsFixed a bug that prevented the payload from healing attackers if they were damaged while pushing it on Assault/Escort and Escort mapsFixed a lighting issue that caused a skyscraper in Hollywood’s skyline to appear pitch blackInfo from Gamespot.com

It's a weird time to be Negan on The Walking Dead. Don't believe that? Just asked Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who plays the character. After being taken down once and for all by Rick Grimes in the Season 8 finale, the man who used to wield his trusty bat Lucille is now locked in a cage with no freedom in sight."I think what's been interesting this year for me is that we're seeing Negan vulnerable," Morgan told GameSpot and a small group of other outlets during a visit to The Walking Dead's set in Atlanta. "I think that Negan's been locked up for a spell. I don't think anybody interacts with him, except for possibly Rick."Being isolated from everyone can't be easy for Negan, a guy known for going on long rants to anyone and everyone within earshot. After all, he built up an entire community around himself full of people who looked to him for leadership. Now he's just a man in a box who sporadically gets to speak with Rick, the man he considered an enemy."I think Negan probably lives for that," Morgan admitted. "I think that's all he thinks about, 'Please, Rick, come down here.' So, I think that's when he gets a little bit of bravado."Still, even with those few visits, imprisonment is getting to Negan. "I think he's going insane, is truthfully what I think is going on," the actor revealed. "I think that the four walls have closed in on him, so he's battling trying to keep some sense of sanity. It's not going well."Of course, that doesn't mean you won't still get long Negan monologues. While the character's appearance in the second episode was brief, there's plenty more to come with the character. Chances are, though, he won't be quite the showman he once was."He's used to performing in front of a lot of people and putting on a show," Morgan said. "I think [being] unable to do that has killed a part of him that is very important to his psyche. I think that he's going through a lot of s*** right now. I don't think he's eating well. I don't think he's getting to talk to people. These are things that are important to Negan."As for what it will take to actually spring him from the cell, given that soon enough his talks with Rick will come to an end, that remains to be seen. The Walking Dead airs Sundays on AMC.Info from Gamespot.com

Move over, Melissa Joan Hart. There's a new teenage witch on the block, and this one isn't playing around. Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is nothing like its '90s TGIF sitcom predecessor, outside of some familiar names as well as the idea of a teen girl wrestling with high school drama along with learning to harness her witching powers.Instead of comedy, Chilling Adventures rests squarely in the horror genre. It's filled with monsters, talk of the Dark Lord, curses, and even an appearance or two by Satan himself--whose design clearly took inspiration from Baphomet, the goat-headed demon that was first linked to the Knights Templar in the 1300s. Still, at the core is this dark and spooky tale is the story of a girl stuck between two worlds.Sabrina Spellman, played wonderfully by Mad Men alum Kiernan Shipka, is on the cusp of her 16th birthday, a date on which she is being forced to choose whether to give up her mortal world--filled with classes, friends, and a lovable goof of a boyfriend--or forsake her family's witch ancestry, losing her burgeoning powers.Her family expects her to simply hand her life over to the Academy of Unseen Arts and continue her witching studies, but that's not necessarily the track Sabrina wants to take. After all, as horrifying as the scarier elements of this show can be, they're all there to serve the story of empowering this young woman on her journey to adulthood. Outside forces are attempting to force Sabrina to choose a life she may not want. Instead, she's attempting to forge her own road, which puts her family, friends, and even her own life--those monsters that come after her are not playing around--at risk.This is why Chilling Adventures is such a uniquely good show. It manages to tangle with modern day issues many face, while couching it all in a supernatural world. It's exciting to watch Sabrina stand up to what is essentially a patriarchy, even though it is one led by a coven of powerful witches and warlocks able to summon demons to come after her.Let's talk about those demons for a second. Like the new Halloween film, Chilling Adventures embraces the horror of old. Instead of over-the-top CGI monsters and lots of digital effects, this show relies on practical effects as much as possible. That means when the Dark Lord finally shows himself, get ready for a massive goat demon, complete with hooves. There is some CGI and digital effects at play, but so much of what unfolds on the show feels like it was all created practically.Channeling 1970s horror fits perfectly within the timeless world of this show. As with other series like Bates Motel and Gotham--not to mention Riverdale, which is by the same producers--it's hard to pin down the exact year Chilling Adventures of Sabrina takes place. You'll be hard-pressed to find a cell phone or mention of social media--or even a computer--in the series, while Sabrina and her friends go see old horror movies at the theater and dance to "Monster Mash" to celebrate Halloween.The series hails from executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who also serves as showrunner on The CW's Riverdale and writer of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comic the show is based on, as well as Afterlife with Archie. Given how spooky that comic and his Afterlife with Archie books are, it's no wonder he's leaning so heavily into the dark and twisted for Sabrina. "I've always loved horror so I love to be able to explore that level with Sabrina," Aguirre-Sacasa told GameSpot.Regardless of how good a concept or genre is, though, a show is only as good as its cast. Aguirre-Sacasa lucked out with Riverdale, finding an army of young and veteran actors that believably populate that small and bizarre town.With Chilling Adventures, his casting team has done it again, though in a very different way. While Shipka confidently anchors the series, taking viewers on a rollercoaster trip through the two worlds she's trying to navigate, it's those surrounding her that make the show so special. Her aunts Zelda (Miranda Otto) and Hilda (Lucy Davis) each have their own ideas of what Sabrina should do with her life. Having two powerhouse actresses in those roles alongside Shipka goes a long way in establishing the amount of female power surging through this show. Meanwhile, Sabrina's pansexual cousin Ambrose (Chance Perdomo) struggles with being trapped in the Spellman Mortuary under magical house arrest, while doing what he can to help guide his cousin to find what she wants from life.Outside of Sabrina's home, things get more interesting. Her mortal friends, including perhaps the most admirably oblivious boyfriend of all time in Harvey (Ross Lynch), show why the young witch is reluctant to leave the world she knows behind. However, Academy of Unseen Arts students like the trio known as the Weird Sisters (Tati Gabrielle, Adeline Rudolph, and Abigail Cowen) manage to convey how scary but enchanting this new world could be. Those three characters, especially, are so much fun to watch float in and out of Sabrina's life and always leave audiences wondering if they actually hate her or not.Rounding out the cast are actors like Michelle Gomez as the delightfully devious Madam Satan and Richard Coyle as Father Blackwood, the high priest of the Church of Night, who does not hold Sabrina in very high regard.It's hard to find something to dislike about Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. There's a moment or two that might seem like the show is trying too hard to channel the teen angst and melodrama of Riverdale, but given they come from the same creative force, that's not surprising. And if you're going into it expecting incredibly cinematic visuals, you might be disappointed, as the inspiration for the show's looks is clearly older horror films.The only real complaint might be with the pacing--there's a filler episode early in the first season that seemingly grinds the overarching plot to a halt. It's eventually connected to the larger storyline, but the timing feels off. The first several episodes of the show quickly shoot forward as Sabrina comes to grips with balancing her mortal life and the witching world, and it's strange to wedge in a standalone story so early in Season 1.However, it's hard to think of a better Halloween binge than Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. With a new Halloween in theaters, and this and Haunting of Hill House streaming on Netflix, there are more than enough scares to power you through the end of October.Chilling Adventures of Sabrina's first season releases Friday, October 26, on Netflix.The GoodThe BadThe '70s horror aesthetic is done really wellToo quickly the show plugs in a filler episodeKiernan Shipka is a fantastic leadThe older visual style of the show might be jarring for modern horror fansIt's hard to deny how incredibly talented the rest of this cast is The show easily jumps back and forth between heart-warming and downright terrifying Both side of Sabrina's world--mortal and witching--feel fully-realized Info from Gamespot.com

The upcoming Arrow-verse crossover keeps getting more interesting. First, it was announced that Batwoman (Ruby Rose) would be introduced in the three-show event, with the first look at her costume offering a potentially exciting addition to The CW's superhero universe. Additionally, it was announced that not only would Tyler Hoechlin reprise his role as Clark Kent/Superman, but that Grimm alum Elizabeth Tulloch would appear as Lois Lane.The good crossover news doesn't end there, though. Now the event is actually filming, which means set photos are starting to make their way online care of the shows' casts. Thanks to the Green Arrow himself, Stephen Amell, fans have gotten an interesting look at Superman. Amell posted a photo of himself, alongside Hoechlin and Grant Gustin (The Flash). Hoechlin, though, isn't wearing the traditional red and blue Superman costume. Instead, he's wearing a black suit.🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/vkqQHTkSGq — Stephen Amell (@StephenAmell) October 15, 2018The black Superman suit has appeared in comics a lot over the years, most recently in Superman: Lois and Clark. What remains to be seen is how it will play into the crossover, which is titled "Elseworlds." In the comics, "Elseworlds" stories take DC superheroes and put them in stories out of continuity.That said, it would be very surprising if Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl all dedicated episodes to an event that doesn't have a lasting impact on any of the shows. Perhaps the story will drop the trio of superheroes into yet another Earth in the multiverse, in which they join with alternate versions of themselves and other heroes.Whatever the case, the idea of Superman in a black suit is an exciting one. With that, Batwoman, a trip to Gotham City, and everything else in store in the upcoming crossover event, this might be the most memorable one yet. "Elseworlds" kicks off on December 9 on The CW.Info from Gamespot.com

It was over 35 years ago that John Carpenter had what he thought would be his final word on the Halloween franchise. After directing the original film, co-writing the first two, and co-producing Halloween II and III, he was ready to move on with his life. And he did, directing films like Christine, Big Trouble in Little China, Escape from LA, and Village of the Damned.Yet, somehow, 40 years after the first film, John Carpenter is right back where he started in the fictional town of Haddonfield, once again haunted by the ghost of Michael Myers. It might be a place he never expected to be, but it's one that probably wouldn't exist without him in 2018.Speaking to GameSpot, producer Jason Blum said he wasn't interested in making a new Halloween movie without Carpenter. "When we went to Miramax and said they wanted us to do the movie, I did not want to make the movie unless John was going to be involved," he admitted.According to Blum, Miramax thought it would be impossible to get the original film's director interested. "They said to me, 'We've asked John, and he's not interested,'" he recalled.In the end, though, Carpenter became interested, and it was all due to a simple conversation. "I went to his office, and I sat with him, and I made my pitch, and he politely listened," Blum explained. "And I said 'Well, let me put it another way. They're gonna make it with or without us... because if you don't do it, I'm not gonna do it, so why don't we join them and see if we can make it well and make something that we're proud of.'"As the story goes, that's all it took to convince John to return to the one property his career is most synonymous with. And fans should be glad that's how it all played out. As Blum told GameSpot during the film's junket, without him it's possible Jamie Lee Curtis might not have returned as Laurie Strode.Without Carpenter and Curtis, it's impossible to imagine this movie turning out as great as it did. Now, thanks to them--and everyone involved--Halloween looks ready to rule the box office once again. The new Halloween film is in theaters on October 19.Before you see the film, make sure to check out our definitive ranking of every Halloween movie, as well as our review of the newest installment. Then, if you want to jump back in time, we've also gathered the franchise's most brutal kills.Info from Gamespot.com

While the Halloween films are most identified with the masked killer Michael Myers, there's another character just as intricately tied to the franchise. Laurie Strode, played throughout the original films by Jamie Lee Curtis, first appeared in 1978's Halloween and went on to define everything a final girl--the last surviving female horror movie victim that becomes the hero--could be.While Curtis appeared in a number of films throughout the franchise, many wondered if she'd ever return to Halloween when it was announced Blumhouse was resurrecting the series. Interestingly, it sounds as if the movie wouldn't have happened without her.When asked if it would have been possible to do a new Halloween without Curtis reprising her role, producer Bill Block is blunt. "It's a ten-second business conversation, and the answer is, 'you can't,'" he said.After all, it's not as if you can simply recast someone else in such an iconic role. "We needed her or what else you're going to do?" director and co-writer David Gordon Green wondered. "I mean, you could make a cast list, but you'd just roll your eyes at it. She's the only Jamie Lee, so she's the only Laurie Strode."For Jason Blum, another producer, as important a piece as Curtis was of the puzzle, there was one person's involvement he found more necessary. "We weren't going to do the movie without John [Carpenter]," he explained. "I hoped that Jamie was going to do the movie and prayed. But if she didn't, if she had said no, we would have."However, according to Blum, there was a stipulation on Carpenter's involvement--Curtis signing on. "John said something interesting when we were talking before," Blum added. "He said he might not have, and if he dropped out, we would have dropped out. So maybe it would have been a whole different thing if she had said no."In the end, fans should be thankful that Curtis loved the script and was willing to return to the role one more time. After all, if Blumhouse hadn't been the ones to bring Halloween back, someone would have eventually. And instead of what reviews are calling a great entry into the larger franchise, we could have ended up with another Halloween: Resurrection.Halloween is in theaters on October 19.Info from Gamespot.com

It's widely known that the new Halloween film is a sequel to the 1978 original only, disregarding each of the seven sequels and two reboots that followed. In doing so, it gets rid of plot elements like Michael Myers and Laurie Strode being siblings, Laurie having kids named Jamie or John, and--thankfully--the Curse of Thorn.However, there's also one element of the original movie it's changing. At the end of the first Halloween film, Michael Myers simply gets away. He's shot by Dr. Loomis six times and falls from a balcony. However, when Loomis goes to check the body, it has disappeared. In theory, that would mean Michael got away with it.In the new film, though, it's revealed that isn't the case. Instead, the movie begins with Michael back in Smith's Grove Sanitarium, having been recaptured after Loomis shot him.While it's entirely possible a manhunt caught up to Michael after he disappeared in the original film, such a thing isn't mentioned in the new movie. Instead, it's just explained to audiences that this is where Michael has been the past 40 years.As producer Jason Blum told GameSpot, though, this is a decision that co-writers David Gordon Green and Danny McBride thought serviced the story best. "I think part of the creating the ultimate evil. It's very satisfying to have that evil contained and escape in the first act of the movie, and I think that's why they did it," he said.Truthfully, it makes for a very compelling opening to the film, which fans can see pieces of in the various trailers for the movie. In the short looks at Michael in Smith's Grove, we see that he's a much older man now. Likewise, Laurie has also aged, spending her life waiting for the night Michael breaks out to continue his killing spree once again.Outside of that one small change, though, the new movie sticks very close to the original Halloween, helping to right a very confusing movie timeline once and for all. With the new movie retconning all of those other films, any new sequels that follow can do so without the baggage of the various twists, turns, and poor plot decisions made over the years.Halloween is in theaters on October 19. Info from Gamespot.com

When horror fans think of the Halloween movie franchise, the name John Carpenter always comes to mind. After all, he directed the original movie and served as a co-writer on the first three installments--even stepping in as a producer on Halloween II and Halloween III: Season of the Witch.Now that Carpenter is returning to the franchise with the newest Halloween film, there's something missing--a name that's been next to his in the credits of various Halloween films. Debra Hill may not be as closely associated with Michael Myers and his never-ending battle with Laurie Strode as Carpenter, but according to star Jamie Lee Curtis, she's as important to the movies as he is."Halloween wouldn't be Halloween without Debra Hill," Curtis told GameSpot and a small group of press at the junket for the new film. "The voice of those girls is all Deborah Hill."The girls in question are Laurie Strode (Curtis), Lynda Van Der Klok (PJ Soles), and Annie Brackett (Nancy Kyes). "John is a talented man, but he's a, you know, guy from Kentucky," the actress explained. "He doesn't speak teenage girl like Debra Hill. I think those three women are Debra Hill. That intellectual side, the snarky, smart-aleck side, and the [frisky side]."And in writing them how they did, Hill and Carpenter created a trio of women viewers cared about--especially with Strode. Halloween was the beginning of the slasher craze that went on to view victims as disposable chunks of meat, simply waiting to be slaughtered by whatever maniac was on the prowl. Laurie was never treated that way, though, and her friends were fully-formed humans. It hurt when they were killed by Michael."I think she was all three of those young women, and she, therefore, is responsible," Curtis said.Halloween, which sees Curtis return to the franchise as Laurie one more time, hits theaters on October 19. Make sure to read our review of the film, as well as the franchise's most brutal kills, and why the new film could not have happened without Curtis.Info from Gamespot.com

It's October again, and that means time for Halloween festivities throughout a whole host of online games. Many announcements have already begun to outline the upcoming festivities, so we're keeping track of all the spooky specials. Many of these will be time-limited events with special rewards, like the Overwatch Halloween Terror event, so check out the active dates and plan your gaming accordingly.Call of Duty: Black Ops 4Black Ops 4 is offering Halloween themed cosmetic items as part of its Black Market store front. Regularly rotating Contraband seasons, called Operations, will offer a list of free cosmetic items as rewards for earning game progress. Special seasonal Operations will be swapped in periodically as well, starting with the Halloween event. It will offer spooky gear to earn starting October 20 on PS4 and then follow a week later on PC and Xbox One. That only leaves a few days to get in on the Halloween action on certain platforms.DatesBegins October 20 (PS4) and October 27 (PC, Xbox One)DauntlessThe Dauntless Dark Harvest event will kick off in the middle of the month, casting a shadow on the hub city of Ramsgate. It will introduce a new cult known as the Unseen, who worship a Behemoth. Slayers can test their might against a new Behemoth in the Shattered Isles and stores will offer limited-time exclusive items.DatesOctober 17-November 1DC Universe OnlineDC Universe Online is introducing The Witching Hour. You can head into the East End safehouse and speak to the Phantom Stranger if you're a hero, or talk to Tala in Burnley's The Tap Room if you're a villain, to begin the quest. You can also unlock Halloween-themed feats, collections, and base items.DatesOctober 1-31Destiny 2Destiny is bringing back its annual Festival of the Lost, the Halloween-themed celebration that offers some special masks and exclusive loot. This year, it will include a horde-like PvE mode, a special quest-line to solve a murder, and a unique currency to purchase masks and a special auto rifle called Horror Story. You can also earn new Ephemeral Engrams for exclusive cosmetic items. This will all be accompanied by the return of the Iron Banner event, with some tweaks to make it easier to obtain Powerful gear.DatesBegins October 16FortniteFortnite's Halloween event this year is "Fortnitemares," an ongoing world event that offers special challenges and spooky cosmetic items and special play modes and challenges in Battle Royale and Save the World modes. You can take on AI-controlled enemies in the PvP mode to earn rewards, or head into Hexylvania in PvE. DatesOctober 23-November 26Further ReadingFortnite "Fortnitemares" Event RoundupHearthstoneHearthstone's annual "Hallow's End" celebration starts on October 17 and lasts through Halloween on October 31. Logging in during the event will net you a free golden Witch's Cauldron card, and the Headless Horseman will return for a new Tavern Brawl starring the characters from the Monster Hunt mode. You'll also be able to take part in a dual class Arena mode, and characters will use Hallow's End emotes. Finally, the event will accompany the launch of a new Paladin hero for purchase with a new Witchwood bundle.DatesOctober 17-31Further ReadingOfficial SiteHitmanAs part of its promotion for Hitman 2, IO interactive is offering a free mission in the original Hitman. The entire stage of Colorado is free for anyone to download and play for a limited time, along with all of its Escalation and Featured Contracts. IO has also made a series of ten new Featured Contracts as well, with a focus on the spooky or disguise-focused. Plus, as part of the promotion Agent 47 gets a free Scarecrow costume that he can wear around to be generally creepy.DatesBegins October 19Killing Floor 2Killing Floor 2 has already introduced its Halloween Horrors: Monster Masquerade update. The sprawling update includes a new Monster Ball map, along with Halloween-themed looks and effects for all the zeds and bosses. Plus you can access new weapons and limited-time items to take them all down.DatesAvailable NowFurther ReadingOfficial SiteOverwatchOverwatch's annual Halloween Terror event is once again here. Each year the Halloween Terror event continues the story of Junkenstein's monster, and this one serves up two separate PvE modes: Classic and Endless Night. The event is always a debuts several new Halloween-themed skins, emotes, sprays, and more. It is going on now through October 31, and Blizzard has revealed all the nifty new costumes.DatesOctober 9-31Rocket LeagueRocket League is bringing back its Haunted Hallows event on October 15. You can earn "Candy Corn" currency for playing online matches, which can then be used to cash in for limited cosmetics like decals, toppers, and wheels. You can also gain a Golden Pumpkin that will contain a customization item from the Nitro, Turbo, or Player's choice crates. The event will end on November 5, and your Candy Corn will expire on November 8, so make sure you cash it in fast.DatesOctober 15Further ReadingOfficial SiteSplatoon 2The Splatoon 2 version of a Halloween gathering is a twist on its usual monthly Splatfests, appropriately named Splatoween. It will start October 19 and last through October 21, with players picking their sides in a Turf Wars between Team Trick and Team Treat. Inkopolis will also be updated with Halloween decorations, and the squid kids will get a chance at four special Splatoween headgear that can be kept after the event is over. You'll have to go through the Nintendo Switch News app to get them, however.DatesOctober 19-21World of Tanks BlitzWorld of Tanks Blitz is introducing its own Halloween-themed mode, called Mad Games. The event was produced in collaboration with Peter Pound, the principle vehicle designer for Mad Max: Fury Road. Pound has created two special tanks that are only unlockable during the Mad Games event: the V level Scavenger and the VII level Gravedigger. Players can also take their tanks, new or old, into a post-apocalyptic map complete with sandstorms and special powers like invisibility and vampirism. The game has also added special holiday flair, a post-apocalyptic hangar, and brought back some of the most beloved tanks from past Halloween events.DatesOctober 17-November 12Info from Gamespot.com

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has brought back its in-game shop, the Black Market. It's launching first on PlayStation 4 on October 19, then following on PC and Xbox One on October 26. It will serve as the central hub for cosmetics and customization throughout Black Ops 4's Multiplayer and Blackout modes.The Contraband stream is a free progression path for all players to earn new cosmetic gear. It will be swapped out with seasonal Operations rotating roughly every two months. The first one, available today, is Operation First Strike. It offers new Blackout characters, signature weapons, outfits for your Specialists, and tags and gestures. You'll earn progress toward these cosmetic items by playing the game regularly.Special limited-time events will also rotate in from time to time. The first, starting October 20 on PS4 and then PC and Xbox One on October 27, is a limited time Halloween event with special spooky gear.Finally, the Black Market store front will update with the Blackjack's Shop in November. That will house premium real-money purchases with limited availability. It will rotate on a weekly basis.Black Ops 4 is also hosting a Double XP weekend to let you boost your ranks quickly. For more on Black Ops 4, check out our tips for beginners and Blackout perks guide.Info from Gamespot.com

Red Dead Redemption 2 is Rockstar's next giant open world epic, but its impending release has been marred this week by a controversy. In an interview, co-founder Dan Houser seemed to imply that the studio had undergone a hard "crunch" cycle with 100-hour work weeks. He quickly clarified that he was only referring to a handful of senior members of the writing team, including himself. But in a continued effort to clear the air, the studio is now encouraging employees to speak for themselves.Tools programmer Vivianne Langdon spoke extensively in a Twitter thread about her own experiences. She said she's never worked more than 50 hours in a week, that such overtime was her choice when she was "in the zone" on solving a tricky problem, and that she was compensated for it with overtime pay. She stressed that she's not being compensated for making these disclosures, and also cautioned that her experiences may not be universal.Another employee, interior artist Miriam Bellard, has been retweeting several employees who say they do not feel overworked, and expressing frustration with the controversy.Seeing people's responses to the "100 hours" articles has been so disheartening and honestly quite upsetting to read. It's been horrible seeing friends and fellow devs sharing posts that don't reflect the current situation and telling others to boycott the game. — Lucy 🎃 (@lucyofrivia) October 18, 2018Just wanted to point out that I was never asked to work anything near a 100 hour work week in the 18+ years I have been working at Rockstar. Overtime? At my own discretion, yes. — Rich Rosado (@RichRosado) October 18, 2018Some employees have pointed out that Rockstar has had difficult crunch periods in the past, but that the studio has made real strides in recent years to reduce the impact of these long overtime hours.It is getting better, but it still absolutely happens. Normal crunch for me nowadays is more like 50-55 hours, and I've not personally had it as bad as other colleagues I know. I have several friends who have recently worked until the early hours of the morning many times. — Hall🎃wain (@Ploddish) October 18, 2018And others have stated that they were encouraged to speak openly and honestly.Nope. We were told we could say good and bad things and not to sugarcoat anything. — Wesley Mackinder (@WesleyMackinder) October 18, 2018On the whole, the impression given by Rockstar employees speaking on social media is that it has gone into overtime, but within reason--not the 100-hour overtime some people interpreted Houser's initial comments as. On the other hand, employees with less positive things to say may feel apprehensive about coming forward on social media, regardless of Rockstar's encouragement to be honest.This all comes alongside the official launch trailer, and very soon you'll be able to begin pre-loading the game through the PlayStation and Xbox digital stores. Red Dead Redemption 2 launches for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on October 26. Its online mode, Red Dead Online, will follow in November.Info from Gamespot.com

Fallout 76 is a very different kind of Fallout game, with a new focus on multiplayer across a massive open world. Bethesda is putting it through its paces with a beta test releasing very soon, and you can join in to help explore the wastes and gather technical feedback before its official launch. However, while pre-ordering is your ticket to the beta, it won't necessarily get you in quickly. Here's everything to know about the beta.When does the beta start?The beta for Fallout 76 will begin on October 23 on Xbox One, and then expand to PC and PlayStation 4 the following week on October 30. Pre-loading for the Xbox One version is now available. The first session on Xbox One will begin at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT and end at 11 PM ET / 8 PM PT on October 23.Even if you've received a code, though, you may not necessarily be invited to the first wave. Bethesda plans to start small to stress test the game and expand slowly, so your actual start date may vary.A separate pre-beta stress test also took place starting on October 13. That one was exclusive to Xbox One Insiders who have pre-ordered the game, and even then fulfilling those criteria only entered them into the pool of possible participants. Players of this stress test were under NDA and unlike the beta, game progress was not saved.How long will the beta last?Bethesda has not given a specific end-date for the beta, but it has explained that the servers won't be available 24/7 during the beta period. The studio says it will be running "targeted time frames" to force interested players together at the same time, which in turn will mark a better technical test. The game may be available for 4-8 hours on any given day, with Bethesda making adjustments and fixes during the off periods. This process will repeat until a few days before launch on November 14.How do I get in?The beta will be available exclusively for those who pre-order the game across PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Digital pre-orders will be entered into the pool automatically, while physical pre-orders will receive a code to enter into the accounts page once the beta has gone live on your platform of choice.It's important to note that this code is not the beta code you enter to access the actual game download. Instead, the pre-order code is the one you enter into Bethesda's system to be put into the pool for code distribution. A separate code, which gives you access to the install, will follow at a later time as Bethesda rolls out its invites.In the meantime, you can be sure you're prepared by creating a free Bethesda.net login. Also, make sure you have an active Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus membership if you're playing on either console, since those will be required to access the online-only game.Is the beta the full game?The Fallout 76 beta is the full experience, and Bethesda says it is currently planning to allow players to carry progress over into the full game. However, console players will need to redownload the launch version, whereas PC players will not need to download a new version upon launch. The beta will be 45 GB.How do I submit feedback?Bethesda is inviting feedback across its variety of social media channels.What else will I get for pre-ordering?Aside from beta access, pre-ordering will get you 500 Atoms--Fallout 76's in-game currency. Atoms allow you to purchase cosmetic items from the shop. Bethesda has indicated that Atoms will be plentiful, but as we haven't seen the shop or prices yet, it's hard to say just how far 500 Atoms will go.Info from Gamespot.com

The long-awaited Red Dead Redemption 2 is due this week, but Rockstar is working to counteract an unexpected controversy. Following comments about 100-hour work weeks, the studio has repeatedly made attempts to tell fans that it doesn't expect such long hours from everyone. Now it has reportedly sent that message to its own employees too.Variety reports that Rockstar held a meeting on Friday to tell its employees that overtime is not mandatory, though it is occasionally requested and scheduled. Rockstar's Jennifer Kolbe said the meeting was held to clear up any misconceptions about what was expected of employees."Some people have said that they felt it was effectively mandatory because it was expected of them. In light of the discussion around this issue, we got the team together today to make sure it is clear to them that OT work is not mandatory," she said. "We are also pushing to make any OT worked more flexible in terms of schedule (i.e. 'work when makes sense for you')."Rockstar Lincoln is said to have worked the longest hours approaching the launch of Red Dead Redemption 2, with some weeks topping 60-70 hours. The meeting came to light after Flik Green, an animation assistant at Rockstar North, spoke about it on social media. She went on to say that when she worked at Lincoln as a QA tester she and her coworkers never assumed the overtime to be optional--but that the environment at North has been very different with more standard hours and only slight overtime.The controversy kicked off when co-founder Dan Houser casually mentioned working 100-hour weeks several times in 2018. He later clarified that he was referring only to the senior writing team, including himself, but it had sparked a larger discussion about development crunch and the expectations put on developers.Rockstar encouraged its employees to speak out about their own experiences, and several gave anecdotes about their time at the company. Many anecdotes noted that the studio does go through crunch, but that the environment had improved over the years and isn't as extreme as 100-hour weeks.Red Dead Redemption 2 is coming on October 26. For more details check out our pre-order guide.Info from Gamespot.com

Jade Raymond has departed EA Motive, the studio she helped found, making way for another executive to take on additional responsibilities. VentureBeat reports that Samantha Ryan is currently running EA's mobile, Maxis, and BioWare studios, and will add Motive to her portfolio. That puts Ryan in charge of all North American studios except Respawn and EA Sports.EA Motive has been at work on an unnamed Star Wars title, and it most recently helped DICE on development of Star Wars Battlefront 2. That Star Wars game is the same one Amy Hennig had been at work on before leaving the company upon the closure of Visceral. Raymond had said in an interview with Game Informer that her studio was planning to use a lot of the material produced by Visceral, but to pivot more towards "player agency.""EA Studios is focused on bringing more creative new games and content to players," an EA spokesperson told GameSpot in a statement. "Laura Miele and her team have taken several steps internally to better support our game makers in this pursuit, such as expanding Samantha Ryan's portfolio to lead additional studios, including Motive. Samantha is known for driving creative design and supporting game teams so they can bring their visions to life. She is a deeply experienced game-maker with a gameography that spans from The Sims to Batman: Arkham City to No One Lives Forever to the highly-anticipated Anthem."With this change, Jade Raymond has decided to leave Electronic Arts. In her time with us, Jade helped to build great teams, and our projects underway at Motive and other studios continue unchanged. We're appreciative of all of her efforts, and we wish Jade all the best as she moves on to her next adventure. We are driving greater creativity into everything we do across EA Studios, and we'll look forward to sharing more in the months to come."Respawn is working on its own Star Wars game, Jedi Fallen Order. It's expected in holiday 2019.Info from Gamespot.com

2017's Wonder Woman was a breakout critical success for the often uneven DC cinematic universe. Its sequel is set decades later, in the 1980s--hence the title Wonder Woman 1984--and will take the character into the Cold War. But its debut has been delayed, and it'll no longer hit theaters next year. Warner Bros. has announced a seven-month delay, pushing the the return of Princess Diana to mid-2020.Star Gal Gadot, who plays the title character, first shared news of the delay via Twitter. Rather than its planned November 1, 2019 date, it will now release on June 5, 2020. Gadot calls this date its "rightful home," presumably a reference to its placement among tent-pole summer movies rather than a fall release. The first movie was released in May 2017.The news was subsequently confirmed in a statement WB shared with GameSpot. "We had tremendous success releasing the first Wonder Woman film during the summer so when we saw an opportunity to take advantage of the changing competitive landscape, we did," said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros. president of domestic distribution. "This move lands the film exactly where it belongs."Super excited to announce that, thanks to the changing landscape, we are able to put Wonder Woman back to its rightful home. June 5, 2020. Be there or be square!!!✨🙅‍♀️✨ pic.twitter.com/Wj8ORUQLdg — Gal Gadot (@GalGadot) October 22, 2018No other reason was given for the delay other than the "changing landscape" Gadot mentioned. That could mean that next fall is simply getting too crowded or that space has opened up in the following summer. DC has scheduled its Joker movie for October 2019, so keeping Wonder Woman 1984 in the November slot could have overlapped with it. The gap left behind by the movie has already been filled by two other films, with the upcoming Charlie's Angels and Terminator 6 now set for November 1, 2019.So far we haven't seen a trailer for WW84, so details are still scarce. Patty Jenkins is returning to direct, and Chris Pine is coming back in some capacity as Steve Trevor. We also know that Kristen Wiig has been cast as one of Wonder Woman's most iconic nemeses, Cheetah.Info from Gamespot.com