Developer Lucid Games has released an in-depth look at its PlayStation 5-exclusive demolition derby game Destruction AllStars, going over its various characters and modes.In this new seven-minute video, the studio's game director Colin Berry walked players through Destruction AllStars' gameplay and mechanics, showing off two of the 16 playable characters and their abilities in action. Berry also highlighted the three drivable vehicle-types--medium-sized sports cars, smaller derby cars, and massive SUV-like armored cars--and the objectives of each of Destruction AllStars' four playable game modes.Destruction AllStars Game Modes At LaunchDestruction AllStars ships with four modes at launch: Carnado, Gridfall, Mayhem, and Stockpile. Three of the four are similar, requiring teams of players to collect and stockpile as many gears as possible to win the round. The one mode that's different, Gridfall, borrows some elements from Mediatonic's Fall Guys in that sections of the floor will break away and fall as the match goes on. In Gridfall, players will have a limited number of lives to become the last one standing, though additional lives can be earned as players score more points. There are also single-player modes that function as campaigns for Destruction AllStars' 16 characters.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Once you play through Hitman 3's main story, you've seen a good chunk of each level. You'll probably remember where the important items, areas, and traps are located. And if you did most of the Mission Stories, or went through multiple attempts to complete some unique challenges, you have a decent grasp of how the clockwork-style design of every level works. Even then, you're missing out on a big chunk of what the modern Hitman games offer.You may have seen the "Escalation" option in the menus of Hitman 3 (or any of the three games), or maybe you haven't since it's off to the side when you select a destination, or cycling through the main menu like an event notification. If you're not sure what they are quite yet, Escalation missions drop the normal objectives of their levels and instead give you all-new targets to eliminate, but that's not all. Each Escalation comes in multiple parts, gradually increasing the difficulty and complexity of the objectives by setting specific conditions that build off the previous part. Most conditions consist of assassinating certain targets with a specific weapon or trap while wearing a particular disguise--often with a restricted loadout and without saves. And I'd argue this is some of the best content Hitman has to offer.Escalations aren't new to Hitman, of course. As someone who adored Hitman 2016 (and advocated to make it high on GameSpot's 'Best Of' list that year), I've been captivated by how they force me to examine and navigate levels in new ways, and challenge my ability to manipulate the game's systems. Those who are new due to the recent release of Hitman 3, I'd like to share this experience with you.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

It's a big day for Halo: The Master Chief Collection, as the compilation game's newest seasonal update has arrived--and it's a big one.The Season 5 update is out now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and it delivers a new battle pass-style refresh that introduces more than 100 items to unlock and collect, including the fabled GRD helmet, the Mister Chief armor, and content from the canceled Halo Online.The Season 5 update is called Anvil and the main offering is the 100-tier Season Pass AKA Battle Pass that includes new armors for Halo 3 and Halo: Reach--some of which stem from the canceled Halo Online game for Russia--more weapon skins, and a bunch of new nameplates.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

When it comes to Xbox controllers, nothing beats Microsoft's own Xbox Elite Series 2 controller. It costs a fair bit more than almost every other option, but right now, you can snag it for $20 off. The Xbox Elite Series 2 controller is $160, down from its regular price of $180, and if you're looking for a controller that has an abundance of features and customization options, then this is the one for you. It also comes with free two-to-three day shipping. Xbox Elite Series 2 controller $160 (was $180) The Xbox Elite Series 2 controller features remappable and removable back paddles, three different trigger stop positions, and interchangeable thumb sticks as well as adjustable analog stick tension and more. The Xbox app also lets you adjust a number of settings, such as trigger actuation and button mappings, and save them to one of three built-in profiles. See at Microsoft The Elite controller comes with a case that holds the controller and all of its accessories. It also serves as a charging case for the Elite Series 2 pad's new internal battery--you can plug the case into an outlet with the included USB-C cable. Overall, the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller feels much sturdier than the standard Xbox controller.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Remedy has broken down what players can expect from the Control: Ultimate Edition on February 2, including details on ray tracing, frame rates, and more.Thomas Puha, communications director at Remedy, shared numerous details about Control on the beefier consoles on Twitter. Control will feature two gameplay modes: Performance which will let the game run at 60 FPS; and Graphics, which reduces the framerate to 30 FPS but includes new features such as ray tracing. The Xbox Series S will only get the Performance mode.This is the typical divide that most games are taking when moving over to the new consoles. When asked about whether the studio might explore a hybrid mode that mixes high framerate with some ray tracing (like Spider-Man: Miles Morales), Puha shot the idea down.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Tencent, the Chinese internet giant that owns the developers of League of Legends, Warframe, Path of Exile, and Don't Starve, has announced yet another investment in a game studio.Life Is Strange studio Dontnod, which is based in France, announced that Tencent has invested €30 million into the studio to claim a minority stake in the company. As part of the deal Tencent gets the option to ask for a seat on Dontnod's board of directors.Dontnod said it's using the money to pay for the expansion of the studio's efforts to develop and self-publish games across PC, console, and mobile. Dontnod's latest games were Tell Me Why and Twin Mirror, both of which were released in 2020.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

With January's schedule of game releases just about wrapped up, it's about time to turn our eyes toward February. So far, the month is looking to be another exciting one with a few notable releases coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, and last-gen systems, including Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Little Nightmares 2, Persona 5 Strikers, and more.We've rounded up February's biggest game releases for each major platform below. For a look at what else is coming later this year, be sure to see our feature rounding up all the major video game release dates of 2021.February 2021 Game ReleasesRelease DateGamePlatformFebruary 2Control PS5, Xbox Series X/S Ys IX: Monstrum NoxPS4February 4Werewolf: The Apocalypse – EarthbloodPS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PCFebruary 5Nioh Remastered - The Complete EditionPS5 Nioh 2 Remastered - The Complete EditionPS5 The Nioh CollectionPS5February 11Little Nightmares 2PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PCFebruary 12Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's FurySwitchFebruary 18The 25th Ward: The Silver CaseSwitch The Silver CaseSwitchFebruary 23Persona 5 StrikersPS4, Switch, PCFebruary 25Ghosts 'n Goblins: ResurrectionSwitchFebruary 26Bravely Default 2SwitchSuper Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (Switch) -- February 12An updated version of the cult-favorite Wii U-exclusive Super Mario 3D World is coming to Nintendo Switch. Alongside the base game is a brand-new self-contained adventure called Bowser's Fury, in which Mario must team up with Bowser Jr. and explore a Super Mario Odyssey-sized world, collecting new items called Cat Shines.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The White House is monitoring the wild and ever-changing situation with video game retailer GameStop's stock price, while Senator Elizabeth Warren and US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have addressed the situation by criticizing Wall Street bankers, hedge funds, private equity firms, and investors. White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed this during her daily briefing on Wednesday, telling reporters that US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen and her team are watching what's going on, though there is no word on if any action will be taken."Our team, our economic team including [Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen] and others, are monitoring the situation. It's a good reminder, though, that the stock market isn't the only measure of the health of our economy," Psaki said.GameStop's stock price has exploded in recent days due in part to the WallStreetBets subreddit taking on hedge funds and short-sellers who bet against the retailer. It is a complicated and involved situation, and it's led to a wider discussion around how online chatter can, in real time, impact the stock market and in turn the US economy. Members of WallStreetBets are now seemingly turning their attention to the struggling movie theatre chain AMC, which is another stock that hedge funds have shorted in recent weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Fortnite has a new set of challenges and legendary quests to complete for Season 5, Week 9. You can get an early look at the leaked challenges below. You won't be able to start grinding away at these quests until Thursday, January 28, but stick with us for a quick rundown of each challenge, including how to shakedown an IO guard, where to find the hidden bunkers, and where to find the crashed plane's black box.Week 9 Challenges pic.twitter.com/RjYxEvYNLl — iFireMonkey (@iFireMonkey) January 20, 2021Fortnite Season 5, Week 9 Epic Quests - 140,000 XPShakedown an IO Guard - 0/1 (20,000 XP)Find a hidden bunker??? - 0/1 (20,000 XP)Find the crashed plane's black box - 0/1 (20,000 XP)Deal damage while in water - 0/200 (20,000 XP)Emote at stone statues - 0/1 (20,000 XP)Ride the Steamy Stacks - 0/1 (20,000 XP)Deal damage to a Loot Shark - 0/1 (20,000 XP)Fortnite Season 5, Week 9 Legendary Quests - 143,000 XPShakedown Opponents 0/5 (55,000 XP)Shakedown Opponents 0/10 (22,000 XP)Shakedown Opponents 0/15 (22,000 XP)Shakedown Opponents 0/20 (22,000 XP)Shakedown Opponents 0/25 (22,000 XP)Shakedown an IO GuardIO Guards are hostile NPCs that spawn near Elevators around the island. To complete the "shakedown an IO Guard" challenge, you'll have to locate and knock down an IO Guard, then perform a shakedown when they're downed. They have 250 Shield and 100 Health and can be pretty tough to take out since they spawn in groups.Elevators can spawn at 20 different locations around the map. Refer to the map provided by dataminer Mang0e below.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Released in November, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity offered The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild fans a look at the events that occurred 100 years prior--namely, the war fought by Link, Zelda, and the four Champions of Hyrule. The game's launch led to the re-release of the four Breath of the Wild Champions Amiibo, and while the collectibles have only been available at Best Buy recently, all four are currently back in stock at Amazon.The Champions Amiibo include each of the four heroes that star in both Breath of the Wild and Age of Calamity: Daruk, the Goron Champion; Revali, the Rito Champion; Mipha, the Zora Champion; and Urbosa, the Gerudo Champion. Originally released in 2017 for Breath of the Wild, each of the four Amiibo are available to buy again, though it's curious that Amazon is just now getting stock, months after the release of Age of Calamity. In any case, you can buy them for $16 each. Breath of the Wild Champions Amiibo Daruk -- $16Revali -- $16Mipha -- $16Urbosa -- $16 See at Amazon Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The first trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's new Zombies map is almost here. Developer Treyarch has confirmed that the video will arrive on January 28.Ahead of that, the studio tweeted an animated GIF that teases some of what to expect, but it's not exactly clear what's happening in the image or what it means.The official #FirebaseZ trailer drops tomorrow.You aren't ready. pic.twitter.com/UHoEqnv24d — Treyarch Studios (@Treyarch) January 27, 2021Firebase Z is a new Zombies map that is scheduled to release on February 4, and it will be free for all players across platforms.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Sega has announced that Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 will be coming to Steam March 23 for $30 USD. Players who grab the limited-time Steam launch edition will also receive a pack of rare Item Cards featuring items from the Sonic the Hedgehog series for an extra boost.PC players will finally be able to catch up with their current- and next-gen console counterparts with this release. This version will have all of the features of the console versions, including 4-player online and local co-op. You'll also be able to check out the new online co-op Boss Raid mode, where you can call three friends to help you take on a CPU-controlled boss. New players will also gain access to a deep and ever-growing roster of playable characters like Sonic the Hedgehog, Ms. Accord, Lidelle, and The Ocean Prince.If you're looking for a bit more story, this release may scratch that itch. Adventure mode will have you navigating a new overworld map on a quest to help your characters rescue their friends from a looming dark corruption. The Skill Battle mode is an RPG-inspired test of might where you'll assemble a team of characters with complementary skills to create the best power trio you can. And if the puzzles are proving a bit tricky, you're a bit rusty, or you just want to sharpen your skills, the Lesson mode is included with over 150 lessons that cover everything from beginner tips to strategies professional players use.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Next week, it'll already be time to flip the calendar to the second month of 2021. It's hard to believe, but those eventful weeks passing by so quickly is softened by the sheer amount of content that will be on offer across all the streaming services--especially including HBO Max. Here's a look at some of our suggestions and other notable additions to HBO Max's schedule for February.February 1 sees a surprising curtain lifting up on your chance to binge more than a few film trilogies and series. If you want to get back to roots with the live-action Batman films, and also be reminded why they eventually needed to be rebooted, the first of the month will see 1989's Batman, 1992's Batman Returns, 1995's Batman Forever, and 1997's Batman & Robin (the one where Batman's suit has nipples)--plus the more recent 2008 animated series Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Even if only viewed for a historical thrill of understanding what superhero movies were like when there was decidedly less of an audience for them, director Tim Burton's take on the universe with the Michael Keaton-starring Batman movies are worth checking out. Unlike director Chris Nolan's approach, Burton's Gotham is much more tongue-in-cheek, generally weird, but still takes itself seriously. It's worth a shot.That same day, every Saw movie from the original through to The Final Chapter will also be released on HBO Max. Yes, February is usually associated with Valentine's Day, but who's to say you have to watch rom-coms to get in the spirit? If horror is your thing, you can hardly go wrong with one of the more enduring contemporary original franchises--plus it'll get you up to speed with the upcoming Spiral, which intriguingly stars Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Rock (who helped produce and write the film).Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

A new lawsuit filed this month in Washington alleges that the video gaming giant Valve Corporation supposedly stole a design feature it implemented in its Steam Controller from a smaller tech company that has connections to the controller manufacturer SCUF.The lawsuit states Valve was warned in 2014 that a prototype of its Steam Controller, the company's attempt to move PC gaming into a more console-focused experience, used the same rear-sided control paddles Ironburg Inventions patented that year. It goes on to say that SCUF CEO Duncan Ironmonger saw Valve's Steam Controller prototyped at CES in January not long after learning about the patent. (Ironburg is SCUF's IP-holding arm.) Ironmonger warned Valve staff of the alleged infringement at CES 2014 and wrote the company a letter that March saying the patent was Ironburg "creating a new category of controllers."In the Zoom trial this week, Ironburg lawyer Robert Becker told the jury that "Valve's intentional disregard of its infringement is at the heart of this case." Becker continued lambasting the gaming giant, referring to the larger Valve as "Goliath" and the smaller Ironburg as "David."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

One of Fortnite's Season 5, Week 9 challenges is to find a hidden bunker. There are three hidden bunkers to choose from. Finding any of the three should check this challenge off your list. Below, we've rounded up the location of all three bunkers and how to unearth them.These challenges don't go live in Fortnite until Thursday, January 28. You can practice locating and uncovering the bunkers now, but you won't be able to cross this quest off your list until challenges are active later this week.Hidden bunker locations in FortniteThe three hidden bunkers can be found in or nearby the following locations:Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com