Making a Venom movie without Spider-Man is a unique challenge. But many of Venom's issues have nothing to do with Spidey's absence.For example: Early in Venom, the Symbiote that will later be revealed as Riot escapes the Life Foundation's custody and infects a woman in a marketplace in Malaysia, with the explicit goal of reaching San Francisco. The movie's main story then begins: Eddie Brock makes some poor decisions, loses his job and his fiancé (Michelle Williams' Anne Weying), and hits rock bottom. Cue a six month time jump--and our friend Riot, still inhabiting the old woman from the marketplace, has finally made it--to the airport?What was Riot doing for the six months between then and now? Did it go on a killing spree across Malaysia? Was it dormant or hibernating--something the movie never gives any hint that Symbiotes might be capable of? Was it biding its time pretending to be someone's grandma? That blatant plot hole has nothing to do with Venom's general 1990s cheesiness as a character, or the considerable challenge of trying to make a Venom movie without a single reference to Spider-Man. It's just good, old fashioned, avoidable sloppiness.Don't get me wrong: The lack of Spider-Man does cause problems. Specifically, the entire premise--that Venom chooses to stick around on Earth, attach itself permanently to Eddie Brock, and betray its entire species--doesn't really work in this movie. In the books, Venom's obsession with Spider-Man gives it common purpose with Eddie, and cutting Spidey out of the equation necessitates something take his place as their end goal. The movie tries to get around that by clumsily painting Eddie and Venom as Breakfast Club style lovable "losers" (actual, direct quote: "On my planet, I am kind of a loser, like you"). It's nonsensical, implausible, under-explained, and tonally weird; that line is easily the movie's biggest laugh, but not in a good way.Venom is surprisingly funny, mostly in the verbal abuse the Symbiote whispers directly into Eddie's brain, usually after Tom Hardy's character does something Venom considers cowardly or embarrassing. When Eddie holds his hands up in surrender to law enforcement, Venom laments that he's "making us look bad;" when Eddie opts to take the elevator rather than jumping from a skyscraper, Venom calls him a "pussy." These moments are deliberately played for laughs, and they land well enough. The bigger problem is why an alien parasite from space talks like a frat bro, or, extrapolating further, why it needs eyes and teeth if its main form is a shapeless, pulsing black goo. These essential curiosities of Venom as a character are never so much as acknowledged, much less explained.On the plus side, Venom and the other Symbiotes look pretty good in this movie. The CG work is somewhat inconsistent, and it definitely goes through ups and downs when it comes to raw fidelity. But unlike in his other live action incarnations (looking at you, Spider-Man 3), Venom actually looks like Venom here. The alien comes off as both lithe and powerful; it leaps around gracefully, but its hulking form also exudes menace and strength. The visual effect of Venom's vicious visage wrapping itself over Eddie's head is creatively executed, and Symbiote-on-Symbiote fight scenes play out in unexpected ways, with human hosts and alien parasites struggling to remain linked while trying to rip and tear their opponents apart.Hardy is as baffling in this role as the movie's trailers have suggested he'd be. As a New York transplant living in San Francisco, he's doing something like a caricature of an NYC cab driver's accent, mixed with frequent slurred mutterings--and that's before he encounters the Symbiote and his behavior becomes understandably erratic. Besides Hardy's strange performance, Brock himself is not a likeable or relatable character. He thoughtlessly uses his fiancé in a half-baked gotcha journalism scheme that gets them both fired, and it literally never occurs to him to so much as apologize to her, until Venom for some unknowable reason nudges him in the right direction later in the film. Brock lacks the depth of character to carry this movie, and Hardy lacks the charm to make up for the character's shallowness.Michelle Williams does just fine as Anne, although her attachment to Eddie is really inexplicable, as the two have zero chemistry. Even weirder is the willingness of her new doctor boyfriend (Reid Scott) to administer Eddie multiple MRI screenings, even after Eddie interrupts their fancy lunch date by climbing into a lobster tank (the Symbiote affects him in some truly strange ways).Riz Ahmed does a great job as the megalomaniacal head of the Life Foundation, totally selling his character's belief that humans will have to mutate themselves using alien parasites if we want to survive climate change. That said, it's a pretty thin motivation, and Dr. Carlton Drake is an utterly one note villain. To be honest, the only character who actually experiences any kind of growth or change is the scientist played by comedian and actress Jenny Slate, who is terrific in this movie--and, unfortunately, underused.Venom has all the ingredients of a decent superhero movie--10 or 15 years ago. With spotty CGI, poorly drawn characters, tonal inconsistency including forced "edginess" and awkward humor, sidelined female characters, and even cringeworthy licensed musical cues, it feels like a relic from the distant, pre-Marvel Cinematic Universe past. That may in part be attributed to the fact that it's been in production in one form or another since at least 2008. But its problems go way past simply being "old school," and ultimately, Venom lacks the charm, clarity, and ambition superhero fans have come to expect.The GoodThe BadSurprisingly funnyInconsistent CGI qualityVenom looks like VenomUnlikeable, shallow charactersSome creative action and visual effectsTom Hardy's strange performanceBetter than Venom portrayal in Spider-Man 3Multiple plot holes Venom makes little sense as a characterInfo from Gamespot.com

Only a couple years after Fallout 4's release, Bethesda surprised fans by officially announcing Fallout 76, the next entry in its beloved post-apocalyptic RPG franchise. The new game was revealed in a trailer after a series of teases, and Bethesda discussed it in more detail at E3 2018 and at QuakeCon 2018. We even got an opportunity to play the game at a recent hands-on preview event. While there's still so much we do not yet know about Bethesda's upcoming game, the company has offered some clarity on Fallout 76's most curious features and additions to the Fallout formula.To ensure you're kept up to date on everything there is to know about Fallout 76, we've compiled all the information we have on the game so far: our in-depth preview, the platforms it's on, its online functionality, its anti-griefing features, and where the game falls in the series' timeline.Table of Contents [hide]What is Fallout 76?Who's Developing It?Is It An Online Survival Game?How Big Is The World?What Can You Do?How Does Character Creation And Progression Work?How Does PvP Work?How It Plays: Our In-Depth PreviewAny Voice Chat?When's the Beta?Release DateWhat is Fallout 76?Fallout 76 is a prequel to all of the previous Fallout games. Set in 2102, you play an inhabitant of Vault 76 who emerges from the shelter 25 years after the bombs fell on America. Your task is simple: explore what remains of post-apocalyptic America and rebuild civilization.Longtime fans will likely recognize Vault 76; although it's not a place we've visited before, this isn't the series' first mention of it. Both Fallout 3 and 4 reference it and, according to the Fallout Wikia, this West Virginia-based vault was occupied by 500 of of America's best and brightest minds. Unlike the more grotesque experimental vaults in the Fallout universe, Vault 76 is a control vault intended to be opened 20 or so years after a nuclear war. But if the Vault was supposed to open 20 years after the bombs fell, why have 25 years gone by? The story likely has a few surprises in store.Fallout 76 uses the Creation Engine, the same engine used to make Fallout 4, but it will purportedly feature much more graphical detail than its predecessor. Game director Todd Howard has said that Fallout 76 has new rendering and lighting technology, which allows for "16 times" the detail.Who's Developing It?Bethesda Game Studios, the Maryland-based developer responsible for the Elder Scrolls series and both Fallout 3 and Fallout 4, is at work on the game. In addition, Bethesda Game Studios Austin--formerly BattleCry Studios--assisted in fine-tuning the Creation Engine to support multiplayer functionality.Is It An Online Survival Game?Fallout 76 is a much different sort of game from its predecessors. It's "entirely online," but don't worry, you'll be able to play it solo too. According to Bethesda, the idea to take this approach to open-world survival came four years ago, when it started to work on building a multiplayer Fallout experience. Howard described the game's approach to survival as "softcore," which means death doesn't equal loss of progression.You can form a party with up to three other players. You won't be able to manage your placement in servers when you login, as you'll automatically be inserted into a session with others upon booting up the game. Of course, you also have the option simply join alongside your friends and play together.Howard commented that Fallout 76 will have dedicated servers that will support the game "now and for years to come." At launch, there will only be public servers, but Bethesda plans to introduce private servers that will allow players to invite friends to play in order to prevent undesirable behavior.Some classic mechanics from past games will be changing to accommodate the shift to online play. For example, V.A.T.S has been reconfigured to work in real time, while still allowing players to target specific enemy body parts. But this time around, it has been updated to be more of a tool that allows you to spot out dangers in the environment.How Big Is The World?According to Howard, Fallout 76's world is four times the size of Fallout 4. There are six different regions to explore, and each has its own unique style, risks, and rewards. Confirmed areas include the West Virginia State Capitol, The Greenbrier, Woodburn Circle, New River Gorge Bridge, and Camden Park. Contained within each area is a variety of new creatures to encounter, some of which are based on West Virginian folklore. You can take at the full map in the image below. What Can You Do?Like previous games, players will spend the majority of their time exploring and completing quests. However, Fallout 76 will not feature any human non-player characters, as all surviving humans will be controlled by active players. Instead, the game will use combination of robot NPCs, collectible recordings, and environmental storytelling in order to give players what they need to piece together quests and the story at large.Given the game's premise of rebuilding the world, there will be base-building elements similar to Fallout 4. You will be able to set up a bases anywhere using an item called the Construction and Assembly Mobile Platform, or CAMP. These can be placed down in the world and allow you to construct an impromptu camp. At E3, we got to see the player laying down walls and decorating the base with pool tables, toilets, and other household objects. As the "mobile platform" part of the name implies, your CAMP can also be picked up and relocated, allowing you to move your base anywhere in the world.While you can help build the world, you can also destroy it. If you have the necessary nuclear launch codes, it's actually possible to access a missile silo to fire a nuke at any point on the map. Doing so irradiates the chosen area, but it also allows for the opportunity to discover rare weapons, gear, and items. Be wary; nuking an area also causes more powerful enemies to show up, making it more difficult to survive. But don't be discouraged by this, the CAMP blueprint system makes it easy for players to quickly rebuild their homes, and if they're privy to an incoming threat, they can pack their things and move to a new location.As an online experience, player choice is said to be incredibly important, going as far as giving players the freedom to choose who are the heroes and who are the villains. Early footage showcased multiple players engaging in combat and participating in friendly activities, which seems to indicate that players have the freedom to choose their paths in the world of Fallout 76.How Does Character Creation And Progression Work?You'll have similar character creation tools as Fallout 4. However, you're free to change your appearance at any point. In addition, you can also utilize the game's new photo mode during the creation process to better see how your character looks, as well as snap some shots you can share on social media.The SPECIAL system returns and it's a bit different. Like previous games, SPECIAL encompasses the following stats: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, Luck. You're given one point to put into any of those stats every time you level up. The first thing you do when you emerge from the vault is pick a SPECIAL and then you pick a perk in that particular SPECIAL. Essentially, every SPECIAL is a pool of points for your perks.But unlike previous games, perks are now cards you can equip and unlock as you rank up in a given SPECIAL; though, you're free to swap cards out at any time if you want to alter your build. Each SPECIAL characteristic you develop has a perk card cap of 15. These perk cards can be enhanced further from one to five points to increase their power.You can obtain additional perk cards via Perk Card Packs (four random cards), which you earn every two levels initially (1-10), and then every 5 after that. You can also pick one perk card per level, usually from your SPECIAL choice. There are hundreds of Perks cards you can unlock, so naturally SPECIAL ranks cap out after a while (you gain a rank up in a SPECIAL each time you level up). At level 50, you'll stop increasing SPECIAL ranks, but you'll still get card packs.How Does PvP Work?When you shoot someone you do a little bit of damage, which can be equated to lightly slapping them in order to challenge them to a duel. In response to this, the other player can choose to ignore or engage. If they engage in a battle with you, they'll start to take full damage. The one who is killed in this consenting PvP match has the option to seek revenge. Doing so gives that person the opportunity to get double the rewards granted they're successful.If you'd rather choose to ignore a PvP match, there's no way to escape being killed--despite the small damage dealt to you during the initiation phases. However, if you are killed by a player under these circumstances, that player becomes a Wanted Murderer and will receive no rewards from having killed you.A Wanted Murderer is marked on the map as a red star and a bounty is placed on their head. Players looking to cash in on this bounty aren't visible on the Murderer's map. If the murderer is killed, the money from that bounty is taken out their stock.In order to give players time to properly acclimate to how Fallout 76 plays, PvP won't be available to players until level five. And if you perish from any PvP encounter, the only thing you'll lose is the junk you've been collecting, which can be reclaimed after death if not already picked up by other players. You can always store junk in stashes found around the world, so as to safeguard a portion of your stock. Armor and weapons are retained in your inventory after death.How It Plays: Our In-Depth PreviewWe recently got a hands-on with a build of Fallout 76. It plays similarly to Fallout 4, but it features some new additions that subtly shift the paradigm established by past entries in the series. We got to experience three hours of the game, exploring a decent chunk of the opening area while taking on quests and generally working cooperatively with the players around us. There's a lot to unpack about how the upcoming multiplayer open-world RPG, so be sure to watch the video above and read our full thoughts in our in-depth preview detailing what we got to play.Any Voice Chat?It's possible to chat with your teammates and even strangers you discover out in the world. It's area-based so your ability to hear other plays will vary. But if you want nothing to do with strangers, it's possible to mute their voices entirely.When's the Beta?Fallout 76's beta will be available exclusively to those who preorder the game. Bethesda said that it will begin selecting participants from the pool of pre-orders on October 23 on Xbox One first. The plan is to start small and expand over time with PS4 and PC to follow on October 30. For more details, you can check out Bethesda's Fallout 76 FAQ for more details on how to redeem your code.Release DateFallout 76 is being developed for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and is currently scheduled to be released on November 14. Unfortunately, there's no word about a Nintendo Switch release, which didn't seem out of the question after the Skyrim re-release made it to that platform.Info from Gamespot.com

Fortnite Season 6 is now live and players across PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android have a fresh Battle Pass to level up. This, as with previous seasons, is done by playing the game and completing challenges. Every week there will be a new set of tasks for players to complete that unlock Battle Stars and level up the Battle Pass to unlock goodies.Like in Season 5, weekly challenges are split into two categories. The first is a free set, which are available to all Fortnite players, while the second is for Battle Pass owners. To get a Battle Pass you'll need to cough up 950 V-Bucks in game. If you haven't bought the Battle Pass, you'll be able to complete certain objectives and earn some rewards, but some of the coolest unlocks are locked behind the paid Battle Pass, so if you plan on sinking lots of time into Fortnite, we recommend picking that up.Although you can pick up a Battle Pass later and go back to unlock any premium rewards you've earned based on the tier that you've already reached, there is one major advantage in doing it at the start of the season. Namely that you'll get bonus XP, which is dished out for just playing the game either alone or with buddies. This XP levels you up and translates to Battle Stars that also level up your pass, so it may be a good idea to get in early if you can.Alongside the standard challenges, there are also Hunting Party challenges for those who buy the Battle Pass. These operate similarly to the Blockbuster and Road Trip objectives of past seasons, where each one tasks you with completing all challenges from a single week during the season. The reward for each is a loading screen that reveals the location of a hidden Battle Pass tier you can then obtain. Additionally, by completing seven of these, you'll earn a Legendary skin that will remain a mystery for now.Each week we'll have guides on the trickiest challenges to make things quicker and easier for you. However, this article will serve as a hub for all our guides so, as the season goes on, you'll be able to keep coming back here to get the latest guides as well as ones for previous weeks. This will be especially helpful if you decided to pick up a Battle Pass part of the way into the season. If you're wondering if it's worth the effort, you can take a look at all of Fortnite Season 6's new skins, cosmetics, emotes, sprays, and other items to unlock in this gallery of Fortnite Season 6 Battle Pass rewards.Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 6 ChallengesWeek 1FreePickup a Legendary Item in different matches (3) -- 5 Battle StarsRegain health from a Cozy Campfire (15) -- 5 Battle StarsStage 1: Seach Chests (3) -- 3 Battle StarsBattle PassApply Shields (500) -- 5 Battle StarsStage 1: Land at Junk Junction (1) -- 1 Battle StarDance under different Streetlight Spotlights (7) -- 10 Battle StarsEliminate opponents in different Named Locations (5) -- 10 Battle StarsReward: 5K XP (after completing four challenges, only for Battle Pass owners)Fortnite Challenge Guide Season 6 Week 1: Dance Under Streetlight SpotlightsHunting PartyComplete all challenges from a single week -- #1 loading screen/free Battle StarComplete all challenges from a single week -- #2 loading screen/free Battle StarComplete all challenges from a single week -- #3 loading screen/free Battle StarComplete all challenges from a single week -- #4 loading screen/free Battle StarComplete all challenges from a single week -- #5 loading screen/free Battle StarComplete all challenges from a single week -- #6 loading screen/free Battle StarComplete all challenges from a single week -- #7 loading screen/free Battle StarComplete all challenges from a single week -- #8 loading screen/free Battle StarComplete all challenges from a single week -- #9 loading screen/free Battle StarComplete all challenges from a single week -- #10 loading screen/free Battle StarReward: Legendary skin (after completing seven challenges, only for Battle Pass owners)Fortnite Secret Battle Star Location (Week 1)Week 2 FreeVisit all of the Corrupted Areas (7) -- 5 Battle StarsUse a Shadow Stone in different matches (3) -- 5 Battle StarsStage 1: Deal damage with standard Assault Rifles to opponents (200) -- 3 Battle StarsBattle PassEliminate an opponent from at least 50m away (1) -- 5 Battle StarsDeal damage with Pistols to opponents (500) -- 5 Battle StarSMG eliminations (3) -- 10 Battle StarsStage 1: Deal damage with Hunting Rifles to opponents (200) -- 10 Battle StarsReward: 5K XP (after completing four challenges, only for Battle Pass owners)Fortnite Challenge Guide: Visit Corrupted Areas (Week 2)Info from Gamespot.com

With an Aquaman trailer just released, New York Comic-Con is currently taking place at the Javits Center in NYC. One of the coolest things con-goers are noticing at the show is at the DC Booth, where the publisher has costumes from the upcoming Aquaman movie on full display.Included at the booth is Black Manta's outfit, which features light-up eyes, full body armor, and plenty of air hoses to keep him breathing under water. Aquaman's costume features full body armor, a detailed helmet, and his trident. Mera's outfit was pretty basic but did have an Aquaman symbol on her waist. Check them all out below. Click images to view in full screen. If you're attending New York Comic-Con, you can get an up-close and personal look at these costumes if you head to the south end of the main hall, where the DC booth is located. Aquaman stars Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and it will be the sixth movie in the DC cinemtatic universe.Aquaman comes to theaters on December 14. Make sure to stay tuned to GameSpot over the weekend for more from New York Comic-Con, including news, interviews, cosplay, and more.Info from Gamespot.com

Those attending the Mortal Engines panel at the Hulu Theater at New York's Madison Square Garden were in for a huge treat on Friday afternoon. Before the cast and minds behind the upcoming December movie came out to talk to the audience, moderator Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings, War of the Planet of the Apes) announced they'd be watching the first 30 minutes of the film. Don't worry, this is spoiler-free.Mortal Engines takes place in the far future where modern technology as we know it has been destroyed and morphed into a steampunk-like world, where giant, moving cities traverse through Europe looking for other cities to eat, in order to use the eaten city's structures to power their gigantic machines to continue the hunt.The story and world--based on the novel of the same name by Philip Reeve--is bonkers, to say the least. The viewer is thrusted into this very different universe where the rules of our world barely apply. It's doesn't have an exceptionally high concept, but at first glance, everything is pretty confusing. Luckily, the world, its rules, and just what happened to the Earth more than 500 years earlier are incredibly fascinating and something ultimately more interesting than the character's stories. The digital effects looks good from what the audience saw. Nothing was muddled or hard to read on the big screen. When you see a giant city that eats other cities, the effects and design makes sense and comes off looking great.Where the opening act of this movie shines is in the fact that it feels like you're watching a classic fantasy/sci-fi adventure film from the '80s. The mobile towns and cities and overall feeling of this world are reminiscent of something Terry Gilliam would have come up with, like Time Bandits or "The Crimson Permanent Assurance." While Mortal Engines takes itself a bit more serious than Gilliam's work, it does have that odd world-building sensibility where the viewer simply has to accept what's happening with the hopes of things being explained later on. For some viewers, this may be a tad tough to swallow, but immersing yourself into this world sooner rather than later is a better way to go.However, the most jarring part of the opening scenes isn't the gigantic city of London travelling at what looks like to be 100 miles per hour, preparing to eat a small town, it's jumping from that high action sequence to meet the cast of characters. We're introduced to Thaddeus Valentine (Hugo Weaving) who is the main antagonist of the film and seemingly in charge of London, trying to shape the world in his image. In the books, he's the Head Historian. There is also his daughter, Katherine (Leila George), young historian Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan), and the vengeful Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar). There is a lot being tossed at the audience in the first half and hour through world-building, history of the world, and characters and their development. It's borderline sensory-overload, but it's still fun.We're still a few months off from Mortal Engines, as it won't hit theaters until December 14. However, the movie looks promising, even if it doesn't seem to have mass appeal, those much more apt to check out something with a heavy fantasy/sci-fi bend. It feels like watching something from your childhood, something with a great sense of adventure and wonderment, caked around a traditional "get the bad guy in power" story. Just make sure to prepare yourself for a concept that is a bit out there. Info from Gamespot.com

We might still be in the early days of October but Sony has revealed what games PlayStation Plus subscribers will be able to download for free and play on their PS4s come November. The official PlayStation website currently has a neat little graphic outing Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition and Yakuza Kiwami as November's PS Plus freebies.There will likely be additional titles for PS4, PS3, and PS Vita, but Bulletstorm and Yakuza Kiwami are the headliners. Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition is a remaster of the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC shooter developed by Epic Games and People Can Fly. It launched in April 2017 and received an 8/10 from GameSpot, with reviewer Scott Butterworth saying "the experience absolutely holds up." He continued: "The skillshot system remains wildly fun and inventive, the weapons are still a gruesome joy, and the writing...well, it's as distinctive as ever." You can read the full Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition review for our full take.Yakuza Kiwami is also another remake, this time of Sega's PS2 classic. The new and improved version released in 2017 and was received well. In GameSpot's Yakuza Kiwami review Peter Brown said it "does a great job as both a remake of the original Yakuza game and as a sequel to Zero. Despite that combat remains more of a bump in the road than a rewarding pursuit, it's a no-brainer for existing fans of the series, and shouldn't be overlooked by newcomers, even if Zero passed them by. There's nothing else quite like Yakuza, and Kiwami isn't afraid to show it."October's title are currently available to download and include Friday the 13th: The Game and Laser League for PS4. Master Reboot is available for PS3, while Rocketbirds 2: Evolution, 2064: Read Only Memories, and The Bridge are available for PS Vita (and also PS4 via Cross Buy). You can learn more about October's PS Plus titles here. Info from Gamespot.com

With Switch, Nintendo made the curious decision to integrate voice chat with a smartphone app, rather than building the functionality into the system itself, as is the case with competing consoles. Now, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has explained why the company offloaded voice chat services onto smartphones."We believe the easiest way for you to connect and have a peer-to-peer experience with voice chat is with your mobile phone," Fils-Aime said during the Geekwire Summit, as reported by Ars Technica. "It’s always there, it’s always with you."Currently, to talk to others in most of Nintendo's major multiplayer experiences you're required to use the Nintendo Switch Online app on iOS or Android to create a party and chat. This method has proven to be divisive, given that most people are used to using one piece of hardware for both their gaming and social needs.The exec noted that Nintendo has a history of adopting different strategies that it believes are appropriate for its own platforms and audience, instead of homogenizing with competitors. "Nintendo's approach is to do things differently," he said. "We have a much different suite of experiences than our competitors offer, and we do that in a different way. This creates a sort of yin and yang for our consumers. They’re excited about cloud saves and legacy content but wish we might deliver voice chat a different way, for example."On the subject of PlayStation and Xbox, Fils-Aime was asked if he sees them as competitors and replied, "I don't," adding that he believes Nintendo is instead competing simply for "entertainment time."He continued: "That's what I compete for, minute by minute. That time you spend surfing the web, watching a movie, watching a telecast of a conference: that's all entertainment time we're competing for. My competitive set is much bigger than my direct competitors in Sony and Microsoft. I compete for time. When I do that, I have to be creative and innovative in order to win that battle."Nintendo Switch Online, the first ever paid online service from the company, is now available. Those that sign up for a membership are given access to online play, cloud saves, and a growing selection of NES classics, which have been updated to enable online multiplayer. However, the service comes with some caveats, most notably that Cloud saves aren't available for all games, and NES online games are only playable offline for a week before requiring a check-in with the online service. For more information on the Switch Online service, check out our wrap-up of everything we know. Info from Gamespot.com

After the amazing gaming year that was 2017, many wondered how well 2018 would turn out. Fortunately for everyone, it has been great. The first half of the year has yielded a wealth of fantastic games, and there's more on the horizon. Upcoming games for the rest of this 2018 include slew of hotly anticipated new games, like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Red Dead Redemption 2, Spider-Man, and a whole lot more. To help you keep track of all the games coming out and what has already released, we've compiled a list of all the noteworthy release dates for the biggest ones confirmed to come out in 2018 so far.Game release dates change all the time and new ones arrive every month. Be sure to bookmark this page, as we'll be updating this article with more release dates or any potential changes to any of the dates below. And if you're eager to figure out the release dates from games next year, you can also reference our feature on the game release dates of 2019.JanuaryGamePlatformRelease DateThe Escapists 2SwitchJanuary 11Forged Battalion PCJanuary 16Kerbal Space Program: Enhanced EditionPS4, Xbox OneJanuary 16Street Fighter V: Arcade EditionPS4, PCJanuary 16Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth - Hacker's MemoryPS4, VitaJanuary 19Kirby Battle Royale3DSJanuary 19IconoclastsPS4, VitaJanuary 23Lost SphearPS4, Switch, PCJanuary 23OK KO: Let's Play HeroesPS4, Xbox One, PCJanuary 23The InpatientPSVRJanuary 23My Time at PortiaPCJanuary 23Velocity 2X: Critical Mass EditionPS4, VitaJanuary 23CelestePS4, Switch, PCJanuary 25Dust and SaltPCJanuary 25Dragon Ball FighterZPS4, Xbox One, PCJanuary 26Monster Hunter WorldPS4, Xbox OneJanuary 26Railway EmpirePCJanuary 26Dissidia: Final Fantasy NTPS4January 30Railway EmpirePS4, Xbox OneJanuary 30FebruaryGamePlatformRelease DateBatallion 1944 (Early Access)PCFebruary 1Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac AgePCFebruary 1Night in the WoodsSwitchFebruary 1SteamWorld DigSwitchFebruary 1EA Sports UFC 3PS4, Xbox OneFebruary 2Shadow of the ColossusPS4February 6Civilization VI: Rise and Fall (Expansion)PCFebruary 8Dragon Quest BuildersSwitchFebruary 9The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of BritanniaPS4February 9Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late[st]PS4, PS3, VitaFebruary 9Crossing Souls PS4, PCFebruary 13Dynasty Warriors 9PS4, Xbox One, PCFebruary 13The Fall 2: UnboundPS4, Xbox One, PCFebruary 13Kingdom Come: DeliverancePS4, Xbox One, PCFebruary 13OwlboySwitchFebruary 13The Longest Five MinutesSwitch, Vita, PCFebruary 13Monster Energy Supercross: The Official VideogamePS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCFebruary 13Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology3DSFebruary 13Secret of ManaPS4, PS Vita, PCFebruary 15Bayonetta + Bayonetta 2SwitchFebruary 16FePS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCFebruary 16Age of Empires: Definitive EditionPCFebruary 20Metal Gear SurvivePS4, Xbox One, PCFebruary 20Xenon Valkyrie+Xbox OneFebruary 20Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 PlusSwitchFebruary 22Stellaris: ApocalypsePCFebruary 22Past CurePS4, Xbox One, PCFebruary 23Sword Art Online: Fatal BulletPS4, Xbox One, PCFebruary 23Yume Nikki: Dream DiaryPCFebruary 23GravelXbox OneFebruary 26De Blob 2PS4, Xbox OneFebruary 27Immortal RedneckXbox OneFebruary 27Payday 2SwitchFebruary 27Riftstar RaidersXbox OneFebruary 27MarchBravo TeamPSVRMarch 6Final Fantasy XV: Royal EditionPS4, Xbox One, PCMarch 6FranticsPS4March 6Scribblenauts ShowdownPS4, Xbox One, SwitchMarch 6Fear Effect SednaPS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchMarch 6Devil May Cry HD CollectionPS4, Xbox One, PCMarch 13GolemPSVRMarch 13Pure Farming 2018PS4, Xbox One, PCMarch 13Burnout Paradise RemasteredPS4, Xbox One, PCMarch 13Kirby Star AlliesSwitchMarch 16Assassin's Creed Rogue: RemasteredPS4, Xbox OneMarch 20Attack on Titan 2PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchMarch 20Sea of ThievesXbox One, PCMarch 20Titan QuestPS4, Xbox OneMarch 20A Way OutPS4, Xbox One, PCMarch 23Detective Pikachu3DSMarch 23Ni no Kuni II: Revenant KingdomPS4, PCMarch 23Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious PaintingsPS4, PC, SwitchMarch 27Far Cry 5PS4, Xbox One, PCMarch 27MLB The Show 18PS4March 27Outlast 2SwitchMarch 27AgonyPS4, Xbox One, PCMarch 30AprilGamePlatformRelease DateExtinctionPS4, Xbox One, PCApril 10OwlboyPS4, Xbox OneApril 10Hellblade: Senua's SacrificeXbox OneApril 11Wild Guns ReloadedSwitchApril 17Yakuza 6: The Song of LifePS4April 17Metal Max XenoPS4, VitaApril 19God of WarPS4April 20Nintendo Labo Variety KitSwitchApril 20Nintendo Labo Robot KitSwitchApril 20FrostpunkPCApril 24South Park: The Fractured But WholeSwitchApril 24MayGamePlatformRelease DateSuper Mega Baseball 2PS4, Xbox One, PCMay 1Killing Floor: IncursionPSVRMay 1Total War Saga: Thrones of BritanniaPCMay 3City of BrassPS4, Xbox One, PCMay 4Donkey Kong Country: Tropical FreezeSwitchMay 4AO International Tennis (originally AU, NZ only)PS4, Xbox One, PCMay 8Conan ExilesPS4, Xbox One, PCMay 8Destiny 2: WarmindPS4, Xbox One, PCMay 8Pillars of Eternity II: DeadfirePCMay 8Raging JusticeSwitch, PS4, Xbox One, PCMay 8Tacoma (first released on Xbox One, PC)PS4May 8Immortal RedneckSwitchMay 10One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3SwitchMay 11Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – MartyrPS4, Xbox One, PCMay 11Battle Chasers: NightwarSwitchMay 15Dragon's Crown ProPS4May 15Horizon Chase TurboPS4, PCMay 15Little Witch Academia: Chamber of TimePS4, PCMay 15OmensightPS4, PCMay 15Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux3DSMay 15Far: Lone SailsPCMay 17Hyrule Warriors: Definitive EditionSwitchMay 18Little Nightmares: Complete EditionSwitchMay 18State of Decay 2 (Ultimate Edition)Xbox One, PCMay 18Ancestors LegacyXbox One, PCMay 22Mega Man Legacy CollectionSwitchMay 22Mega Man Legacy Collection 2SwitchMay 22Runner3Switch, PCMay 22Space Hulk: Deathwing - Enhanced EditionPS4, PCMay 22State of Decay 2 (Standard Edition)Xbox One, PCMay 22Tennis World TourPS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCMay 22Dillon's Dead-Heat Breakers3DSMay 24Dark Souls RemasteredPS4, Xbox One, PCMay 25Detroit: Become HumanPS4May 25AgonyPS4, Xbox One, PCMay 29EverspacePS4May 29Legend of Kay AnniversarySwitchMay 29Sega Mega Drive ClassicsPS4, Xbox OneMay 29Street Fighter 30th Anniversary CollectionPS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCMay 29JuneGamePlatformRelease DateBlazBlue: Cross Tag BattlePS4, PC, SwitchJune 5The Elder Scrolls Online: SummersetPS4, Xbox One, PCJune 5OnrushPS4, Xbox OneJune 5Shaq Fu: A Legend RebornPS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCJune 5VampyrPS4, Xbox One, PCJune 5MotoGP 18PS4, Xbox One, PCJune 7Sushi Striker: The Way of SushidoSwitch, 3DSJune 8Unravel TwoPS4, Xbox One, PCJune 9Fallout ShelterPS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchJune 10Jurassic World Evolution (Digital)PS4, Xbox One, PCJune 12Fortnite: Battle RoyaleSwitchJune 12Hollow KnightSwitchJune 12Moss (Physical)PS4June 12Super Bomberman RPS4, Xbox One, PCJune 12LEGO The IncrediblesXbox One, PS4, Switch, PCJune 15The Lost ChildPS4, PS VitaJune 19Mario Tennis AcesSwitchJune 22New Gundam BreakerPS4, PCJune 22The Awesome Adventures of Captain SpiritPS4, Xbox One, PCJune 26Crash Bandicoot N.Sane TrilogyXbox One, PC, SwitchJune 26De Blob RemasteredSwitchJune 26Far Cry 3 Classic EditionPS4, Xbox OneJune 26Lumines RemasteredPS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchJune 26Nier: Automata Become As Gods EditionXbox OneJune 26The Crew 2PS4, Xbox One, PCJune 29MXGP ProPS4, Xbox One, PCJune 29Wolfenstein II: The New ColossusSwitchJune 29JulyGamePlatformRelease DateJurassic World Evolution (Physical)Xbox One, PS4, PCJuly 3Red Faction: Guerrilla RemasteredPS4, Xbox One, PCJuly 3Mushroom Wars 2SwitchJuly 5Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – MartyrPS4, Xbox OneJuly 5Shining Resonance RefrainPS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchJuly 10Captain Toad: Treasure TrackerSwitch, 3DSJuly 13EarthfallPS4, Xbox One, PCJuly 13Octopath TravelerSwitchJuly 13Adventure Time: Pirates of the EnchiridionPS4, Xbox One, PCJuly 17Sonic Mania PlusPS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCJuly 17Mega Man X Collection 1+2PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCJuly 24No Man’s SkyXbox OneJuly 24The Banner Saga 3PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, MacJuly 24Hello NeighborPS4, Switch, iOS, AndroidJuly 27ChasmPS4, Xbox One, PCJuly 31Code of Princess EXSwitchJuly 31Titan QuestSwitchJuly 31AugustGamePlatformRelease DateYakuza 0PCAugust 1WarioWare Gold3DSAugust 3Dead CellsPS4, Xbox One, PC SwitchAugust 7Flipping DeathPS4, Xbox One, PC SwitchAugust 7Overcooked 2PS4, Xbox One, PC SwitchAugust 7Monster Hunter WorldPCAugust 9Okami HDSwitchAugust 9Madden NFL 19PS4, Sbox One, PCAugust 10We Happy FewPS4, Xbox One, PCAugust 10Death's GambitPS4, PCAugust 10The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 1PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCAugust 14World of Warcraft: Battle for AzerothPCAugust 14Guacamelee! 2PS4August 21Shenmue I & IIPS4, Xbox One, PCAugust 21Gone HomeSwitchAugust 23F1 2018PS4, Xbox One, PCAugust 24Little Dragons CafePS4, SwitchAugust 24Night Trap: 25th Anniversary EditionSwitchAugust 24Blade StrangersPS4, Switch, PCAugust 28Donut CountyPS4, PC, iOSAugust 28Into the BreachSwitchAugust 28Monster Hunter Generations UltimateSwitchAugust 28Pro Evolution Soccer 2019PS4, Xbox One, PCAugust 28Yakuza Kiwami 2PS4August 28The MessengerSwitch, PCAugust 30Two Point HospitalPCAugust 30Divinity: Original Sin 2PS4, Xbox OneAugust 31Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi StrikerPS4, Xbox One, PCAugust 31Wasteland 2 SwitchAugust TBA 2018SeptemberGamePlatformRelease DateDestiny 2 Forsaken DLCPS4, Xbox One, PCSeptember 4Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive AgePS4September 4Player Unknown's BattlegroundsXbox OneSeptember 4Immortal: UnchainedPS4, Xbox One, PCSeptember 7NBA Live 19PS4, Xbox OneSeptember 7SNK Heroines: Tag Team FrenzyPS4, SwitchSeptember 7Spider-ManPS4September 7Yo-kai Watch Blasters: Red Cat Corp and White Dog Squad3DSSeptember 7NBA 2K19PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchSeptember 11BastionSwitchSeptember 13Cities: Skylines SwitchSeptember 13Wasteland 2: Directors CutSwitchSeptember 13Shadow of the Tomb RaiderPS4, Xbox One, PCSeptember 14Light Fingers SwitchSeptember 14BlindPSVRSeptember 18Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna The Golden Country DLCSwitchSeptember 21Valkyria Chronicles 4PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchSeptember 25The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 2PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchSeptember 25Life Is Strange 2 -- Episode 1PS4, Xbox One, PCSeptember 27Towerfall SwitchSeptember 27Dragon Ball FighterZSwitchSeptember 28FIFA 19PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Switch, PCSeptember 28OctoberGamePlatformRelease DateForza Horizon 4Xbox One, PCOctober 2Fist of the North Star: Lost ParadisePS4October 2Mega Man 11PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCOctober 2Assassin's Creed OdysseyPS4, Xbox One, PCOctober 5Super Mario PartySwitchOctober 5Disgaea 1 CompletePS4, SwitchOctober 9WWE 2K19PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCOctober 9Call of Duty: Black Ops 4PS4, Xbox One, PCOctober 12The World Ends with You: Final RemixSwitchOctober 12Lego DC Super VillainsPS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchOctober 16Starlink: Battle for AtlasPS4, Xbox One, SwitchOctober 16Warriors Orochi 4PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCOctober 16Syberia 3SwitchOctober 18Dark Souls RemasteredSwitchOctober 19Soulcalibur VIPS4, Xbox One, PCOctober 19 Just Dance 2019PS4, Xbox One, SwitchOctober 23My Hero One's JusticePS4, SwitchOctober 26Red Dead Redemption 2PS4, Xbox OneOctober 26NovemberGamePlatformRelease DateThe Quiet ManPS4, PCNovember 1Overkill's The Walking DeadPS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 6The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 3PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchNovember 6World of Final Fantasy MaximaXbox One, SwitchNovember 6Ride 3PS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 8Hitman 2PS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 13SNK 40th Anniversary CollectionSwitchNovember 13Spyro Reignited TrilogyPS4, Xbox OneNovember 13Fallout 76PS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 14Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu/Let's Go EeveeSwitchNovember 16Battlefield VPS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 20WarframeSwitchNovember 20WreckfestPS4, Xbox OneNovember 20Darksiders 3PS4, Xbox One, PCNovember 27ArtifactPCNovember 28DecemberGamePlatformRelease DateJust Cause 4PS4, Xbox One, PCDecember 4Monster Boy and the Cursed KingdomPS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchDecember 4Persona 3: Dancing in MoonlightPS4, PSVitaDecember 4Persona 4: Dancing All NightPS4December 4Persona 5: Dancing in StarlightPS4, PSVitaDecember 4Super Smash Bros. UltimateSwitchDecember 7Dragon Marked for DeathSwitchDecember 13The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 4PS4, Xbox One, PC, SwitchDecember 18Big Games Confirmed for 2018Below you can find a list of the biggest games that don't have explicit release dates but are confirmed to release sometime this year. There are also games listed that we expect to launch in 2018. We'll be moving each of these games into the release date sections above as soon as official dates are announced.GamePlatformPersona Q23DSChocobo's Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy!PS4, SwitchInfo from Gamespot.com

Epic has been introducing new items to its popular battle royale game, Fortnite, on a near weekly basis, and it looks like another weapon will be added to the mix in the near future. Fortnite's in-game News feed is teasing that a new type of gun called the Quad Launcher is "coming soon" to the game, presumably as part of this week's update.According to the News feed, the Quad Launcher is similar to the Rocket Launcher, although this particular weapon is capable of shooting four missiles. "Quickly fire up to four rockets to blanket an area with explosive damage," the accompanying description reads. You can take a glimpse at the Quad Launcher below.As usual, Epic hasn't formally announced the Quad Launcher on any of Fortnite's social media channels, so it remains to be seen when the item will debut in the game. However, any time a new weapon appears in the News feed, it typically signifies it will arrive in the game as part of that week's update, so the Quad Launcher will likely arrive with this week's patch.Epic has yet to reveal when said patch is rolling out for all platforms; the studio typically releases Fortnite updates every Tuesday, although last week's--Patch 6.01--arrived a little later than usual. That update likewise added a new item to the game: the Chiller, a type of trap that can freeze an opponent's feet together, causing them to slide around.We're in the third week of Fortnite Season 6, which means another set of weekly challenges is on the horizon. Those typically drop every Thursday; the most recent batch had players visiting Corrupted Areas and using the recently re-enabled Shadow Stones, among other tasks. You can find guides for all of them in our Fortnite Season 6 challenge roundup.Info from Gamespot.com

The Peter Parker of Insomniac's Spider-Man video game is heading to the Marvel Universe proper, care of a Spider-Man mega crossover event: Spider-Geddon.Spider-Geddon is building on the concept of the Spider-Verse, a "multiverse" of Spider-Man continuities. It's looking to use the concept to bridge gaps between entire mediums by bringing "every Spider-Man character ever," said Spider-Man group editor Nick Lowe during the Spider-Man comics panel at New York Comic Con, "every Spider-Man, every Spider-Woman, every Spider-Animal. Everything." Everything, including Spider-Men that have never been in the comics before. Insomniac's unique take on Peter Parker, complete with his game-specific "velocity" costume, will be included among the Spider-Men called to action for the fight.And this is more than just a cameo--PS4 Pete's inclusion is part of his ongoing story in his home universe. During a special video presentation at the panel, writer Christos Gage and Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski explained that Spider-Geddon will be officially taking place for PS4 Pete after the events of the video game, and be part of his continuity.Spider-Geddon isn't just a one-off event. It's the sequel to 2014's Edge of the Spider-Verse event, which actually introduced the "Spider-Verse" concept--the concept that just so happens to be paving the way for this year's Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. For the uninitiated, Into The Spider-Verse is an animated feature film set to debut the big screen versions of all sorts of different Spider-people like Spider-Ham, a cartoon pig with Spider-powers and Peni Parker, a young girl with a Spider-powered mech suit all by delving deep into the spider infested multiverse of the comics and beyond.What PS4 Peter Parker's inclusion in Spider-Geddon might mean for future downloadable content or adaptations of Insomniac's unique take on the Spider-Man mythos remains to be seen--but fans who enjoyed their time web slinging around New York City in their living room might want to keep an eye on this one. Who knows what stories could be teased out, or which members of the comics-based Spider-Verse may end up making their video game debut?Continued cross pollination of Spider-properties may be more likely than you think. Christos Gage, who is co-writing the Spider-Geddon event alongside Dan Slott just so happened to be one of the writers on Insomniac's game. The seeds may already be sown.Spider-Geddon #1 hits shelves on Wednesday, October 10.Info from Gamespot.com

After months of casting announcements, we've finally been given an idea of just when the DC Universe original shows will be landing on the service. At New York Comic Con, the team behind the three-week-old platform gave a presentation that included a helpful infographic laying out their tentative premier schedule into 2020.The name of the game, according to DC co-publisher Jim Lee, is to have new original content available every week on the service for a full calendar year. Each show, with the exception of Young Justice Season 3, will be released on a one-episode-per-week basis. Young Justice will have a split season, bracketing Doom Patrol, will debut at a whirlwind three-episodes-per-week rate with a mid-season hiatus.Titans, which had its official premier at the convention on Wednesday, is launching for DC Universe subscribers on Friday, October 12. The twelve episode season will take the platform's weekly schedule into 2019 before Young Justice kicks off, tentatively, in January.The panel also announced a DC Universe exclusive digital prequel comic to Young Justice Season 3 that will be written by producer Greg Weisman and artist Christopher Jones, set for release in 2019 near the premier of the first episode.Fans at the Titans world premiere were treated to a brief clip of Doom Patrol, which has begun filming in preparation for its early 2019 release, showcasing the team sitting around a surreal dinner table, and a surprise appearance by Brendan Fraser who will be voicing Robotman in the show. Fraser announced that Matthew Bomer had joined the cast as Negative Man, an ex-test pilot who suffered a horrific accident that left him permanently imbued with radioactive "negative" energy. Negative Man's condition means he has to be covered head-to-toe in bandages, which Jim Lee laughed was ironic for Bomer who is "maybe the most handsome man on earth."In addition to Fraser and Bomer, Doom Patrol will feature Dianne Guerrero as Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade as Cyborg, Timothy Dalton as The Chief, and April Bowlby as Elasti-Girl.Doom Patrol will be followed by the James Wan-produced Swamp Thing which has been slowly adding to its cast with the recent addition of Crystal Reed (Teen Wolf) as Abby Arcane. It's currently unknown as to whether or not Swamp Thing will follow in the same shared-universe mold as Titans and Doom Patrol, or if any of the shows will continue to interact with one another once they have official spun-off.DC Universe's years' worth of original content officially kicks off October 12 on the DC Universe app. Fans outside the US will be able to watch Titans on Netflix.Info from Gamespot.com

The live action Netflix adaptation of Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba's original graphic novel series Umbrella Academy has been given an official release date: February 12, 2019.A "twisted, dysfunctional" take on superheroes, Umbrella Academy centers around the lives of six individuals, part of a group of mysterious kids, part of a group of 43 kids, all born on the same day at the same time of apparently immaculate conception. Each of the children had some sort of superpower, but only seven of them were adopted by a mysterious and wealthy benefactor named Sir Reginald Hargreeves seventeen years later. Hargreeves founds "the Umbrella Academy" where he plans to train and support his new superpowered children.Fans at New York Comic Con were treated to an exclusive first look trailer showcasing the show's unique and surreal tone. Set to a plucky, instrumental cover of The Turtles' "So Happy Together," the trailer was a collection of clips that established the world of the show with a voice over about the birth of the 43 children, their adoption, and the founding of the Academy. With the world building out of the way, the trailer began hopping around to brief clips of each character in action, building tension after the apparent death of Hargreeves.The show will kick off in 1989 with the birth of the kids, a setting that's actually unique to the show. The bulk of the graphic novel is set in 1977, in an alternate timeline where John F. Kennedy was never assassinated. Details about the plot and other liberties the show may take are still vague. However, actor Aiden Gallagher (No. 00.06 'The Boy'), a fan of the original books, offered assurance, "I think we do a good job of honoring the comic, but we've got some surprises for you."Umbrella Academy stars Ellen Page (Vanya Hargreeves aka The White Violin), Tom Hopper (Luther Hargreeves aka Spaceboy), David Castañeda (Diego Hargreeves aka The Kraken), Emmy Raver-Lampman (Allison Hargreeves aka The Rumor), Robert Sheehan (Klaus Hargreeves aka The Seance), Aiden Gallagher (The Boy), Mary J. Blige (Cha-Cha), and Cameron Britton (Hazel).Info from Gamespot.com

Fallout 76 has based its marketing around its unique setting in West Virginia, including a debut trailer with the famous folk song and state song "Take Me Home Country Roads" by John Denver. As the release draws closer, Bethesda has now released its main theme, from longtime composer Inon Zur.The track isn't "Country Roads," but Bethesda does say the score is "inspired by the beauty of West Virginia." Zur has previously composed for Fallout 4, Prince of Persia, Dragon Age 2, and many more games.West Virginia is a lovely and idyllic setting in many of the trailers, but this being a Fallout game, it's going to have its share of ugliness as well. It takes place earlier than most other Fallout games so the mutants and enemies will be unique to this game. And you can make it a lot less beautiful by detonating a nuclear weapon over it.We recently had hands-on time with Fallout 76, finding it to be a very different kind of post-apocalypse. You can try it yourself when the beta period kicks off on October 23 for Xbox One and October 30 for PC and PlayStation 4. Read our pre-order guide for more details.Info from Gamespot.com

Sony's Venom shattered October's record for highest grossing opening weekend. The previous record was held by 2013's Gravity, which debuted to $55.7 million domestic.Venom earned $80 million domestic, which is well past Deadline's projected $65 million estimate. A Star Is Born reached second place with an opening weekend of $41.25 million. Both movies have done better than original projections, although Venom's low scoring amongst critics might stop it from having a good follow-up weekend.The award for October's highest earning Thursday night preview also belongs to Venom, as the film earned $10 million in its first night. That's a whole $2 million above the last movie to hold the title, 2011's Paranormal Activity 3, and over double what A Star Is Born made in its Thursday night preview--which was about $4.55 million. Venom has had one of the best opening weekends amongst superhero movies in recent years, topping Doctor Strange, Wonder Woman, and Ant-Man and the Wasp.Venom is a reimagining of Eddie Brock and the symbiote's meeting, where Peter Parker was never a part of the equation. Eddie, played by Tom Hardy, is an investigative journalist who accidentally stumbles into bonding with an alien symbiote, who's also voiced by Tom Hardy, that comes with its own personality and a useful collection of super-human abilities. Eddie tells the symbiote it can stay, but only if the two aim their violent impulses towards the criminal element, leading the two to become the anti-hero known as Venom.In our Venom review, Michael Rougeau wrote, "Venom has all the ingredients of a decent superhero movie--10 or 15 years ago. With spotty CGI, poorly drawn characters, tonal inconsistency including forced 'edginess' and awkward humor, sidelined female characters, and even cringeworthy licensed musical cues, it feels like a relic from the distant, pre-Marvel Cinematic Universe past. That may in part be attributed to the fact that it's been in production in one form or another since at least 2008. But its problems go way past simply being 'old school,' and ultimately, Venom lacks the charm, clarity, and ambition superhero fans have come to expect."Info from Gamespot.com

Bungie has announced two big planned updates for Destiny 2. One of the them, Update 2.0.5, is designed to patch any issues brought up through player feedback, including a concern that the spawn rate for the Ascendent Primeval Servitor--an enemy necessary for earning the Exotic hand cannon Malfeasance--is too low.In a blog post, Bungie wrote, "During week three of the curse cycle, also known as a full-curse week, the Ascendant Primeval Servitor will have almost the same chance to spawn as any other Primeval. We will also be increasing the chance for the boss to spawn during lesser-curse weeks, but it will still be lower than during a full-curse week."In order to earn Malfeasance, you need to acquire the Seething Heart quest that is only possible to attain through killing an Ascendant Primeval Servitor in Gambit. The increased spawn rate of the boss enemy should make that process easier and faster. However, Bungie adds that this change comes with some drawbacks."For full transparency, since the Ascendant Primeval Servitor spawn rate will increase significantly when these changes are released, we are tweaking how ship and Sparrow rewards drop from the boss," Bungie wrote, "Vanity items are no longer guaranteed drops for subsequent boss kills after you earn the quest, instead the vanity items will now only have a chance to drop."Destiny 2 Update 2.0.5 is scheduled to come out on October 30. The game is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.Info from Gamespot.com