In a collaboration with this year's The Game Awards, developer Cococucumber has released a demo of its turn-based action-adventure game Echo Generation for PC and Xbox consoles.The alpha demo, which can be played on PC via Steam and Xbox Series X|S and One, will be available to play until December 15. Echo Generation is slated to launch sometime in 2021.Echo Generation is set in a sleepy Canadian town in 1993, following a group of kids as they seek to understand and set right the otherwordly mysteries unraveling around them. It's reminiscent of recent nostalgia-trips like Crossing Souls while harkening back to classic '80s films like The Goonies. The alpha demo thrusts a brother-sister duo out into the world to talk to dastardly raccoons, fight mutated rats, and explore the siblings' small Candian settlement.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The developers of the long-running Lord of the Rings MMO, The Lord of the Rings Online, are planning what sounds like extensive updates for the future that could include a console edition for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.Publisher Daybreak Game Company was recently acquired by Enad Global 7, and in an investor briefing (via PCGamesN), the company said it has a number of updates for the MMO in the works. The company is investing so heavily into the game in an attempt to piggyback on Amazon's upcoming Lord of the Rings TV show, Enad Global 7 said."Planning visual and technical updates for LOTRO for PC and next-gen consoles to capitalize on Amazon's highly publicized large investment (~$500mm) in LOTR TV series," reads a line from the presentation.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Graphics in games are already impressive, and Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick believes it's only going to get even better. During the UBS Global TMT Virtual Conference (via Gamesindustry.biz), Zelnick said he expects photorealism to be possible within the next decade."And I can't quite say what that will involve, but I think what you're going to see is technology will allow our creative folks to do things they've never been able to do before, including make games that look exactly like live-action," he stated. "Some of what we do now looks a lot like live-action, but it's still animation. In 10 years, you'll have the option if you want to make things that look completely realistic, all done inside a computer, never mind all the other advances technology will enable."He also spoke with general optimism about the business side of games too, nodding to the widespread possession of smartphones as a factor that will affect future business developments. "I'm guessing [Take-Two's] business in ten years looks very different than it does today in the same way that it looks very different today than it did ten years ago when there was no mobile business and no recurrent consumer spending," Zelnick commented.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Just ahead of the launch of Black Ops Cold War and Warzone's Season 1 expansion, Call of Duty developer Treyarch has announced a new patch is coming to Black Ops Cold War very soon.This newest game update will go live around 11 PM PT on December 7, and it includes a series of quality-of-life improvements, bug fixes, stability updates, and adjustments to weapons and Scorestreaks. The patch doesn't contain any weapon buffs or nerfs, however.The big change for weapons is that there is now more polish to the "visual kickback" when firing from the hip. Additionally, the updates fixes an animation issue with the Hauer 77 and it clears out a bug that could cause thermal scopes to not work properly when riding in a vehicle.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Kate Bishop, Hawkeye's mentee, is coming to Marvel's Avengers tomorrow. She brings new combat abilities and a special mission to the cooperative superhero adventure."Missing since A-Day, she resurfaces after her investigation into Nick Fury’s disappearance results in her mentor Clint Barton (aka Hawkeye) going missing as well," reads a post on the official Marvel's Avengers site. "As she unravels the mystery behind the sudden appearance of time-warping Tachyon Rifts, she uncovers a twisted new plan from AIM, which pushes her to work with the Avengers once again."Bishop's character is equipped with a special arsenal of arrows that can teleport, tranquilize, and explode a target on impact. She can also teleport to different locations on the map, throw a smoke screen, and use special melee abilities.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Here's some exciting news for fans of the Kingsman movie series: 7 more films are apparently in the works.Zygi Kamasa, the CEO of Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn's production company Marv, said recently that the director has "something like seven more Kingsman films" in the works. These movies are in addition to the Kingsman TV show that's in the pipeline. The new films will apparently span the mainline Kingsman series, and spin-offs, such as The Statesmen."We want to grow the business and the output," Kamasa said at the Winston Baker UK Finance Summit, as reported by Deadline. "We have a Kingsman TV series in the works and there are two-three other franchises that are being developed alongside the Kingsman world."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

eFootball PES 2021, which was already a smaller, cheaper update with fewer changes than usual compared to PES 2020, now has a "Lite" version--and it's free. The new iteration of the game is available today on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and it includes full access to myClub mode.Players who download this free version of the game will let you build up a super team, sign a manager, and guide your team to victory. It's the most popular mode in PES, so having access to it for free will be a boon to anyone who didn't pick up the latest PES at launch. The PvP Matchday mode is also available. This mode recreates historical matches and moments, and lets you relive them. You cannot play this mode online, but you'll be able to play with a friend in the same room.You can watch the trailer for the new free-to-play game below.Publisher Konami has also announced the beginning of the 2021-21 season eFootball.Open tournament. Players of the console and mobile versions of the game, including this Lite version, are now able to enter through the online qualifiers, so if you think you're a top-tier PES player this is your chance to prove it.PES 2021 (including the Lite edition) is also playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X through backwards compatibility, although there's no dedicated next-gen version this year. Info from Gamespot.com

Humble is running a free game promotion, and you can get an interesting-looking stealth action game by subscribing to their newsletter. The game is Seven: Enhanced Edition, a 2017 game that comes complete with its DLC expansion.Seven: Enhanced Edition is an isometric stealth/action-RPG, and you play as the thief Teriel. You'll be able to make choices about how you play and whether you help the citizens of Peh, the region you're exploring, or exploit them for personal gain.To get the game, you need to follow this link and subscribe to Humble's mailing list. If you're already a subscriber, clicking on the "Get It Now" button will automatically send you a code.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Microsoft went big with its newest advertisement for the Xbox Series X|S, recruiting none other than Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi to create a special spot for the next-gen console wherein the dreams of an Xbox fan were visualized. This included Master Chief as a cat.The video is very trippy. It chronicles the real dreams of streamer Krystal Holmes AKA MoonLiteWolf, who had her dreams recorded and sent to Waititi for him and others to interpret visually.The Xbox team used a method called Targeted Dream Incubation. MoonLiteWolf experienced a guided sleep experience known as hypnagogia, which was tracked by a device called a Hypnodyne headband. She was then asked to recall her dreams, and Waititi visualized them.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Veteran director Christopher Nolan has shared his thoughts on the decision by Warner Bros. to release its entire 2021 movies slate on HBO Max and in theatres. Nolan, a longtime supporter of the traditional moviegoing experience, told ET that he was in "disbelief" when he heard the news.He remarked that there is "such controversy" around the news because, as Nolan tells it, Warner Bros. "didn't tell anyone." The 2021 slate, including The Matrix 4, Dune, The Suicide Squad, and The Many Saints of Newark, are being positioned as loss-leaders to help fuel the growth of HBO Max, according to Nolan."In 2021, they've got some of the top filmmakers in the world, they've got some of the biggest stars in the world who worked for years in some cases on these projects very close to their hearts that are meant to be big-screen experiences," Nolan said. "They're meant to be out there for the widest possible audiences... And now they're being used as a loss-leader for the streaming service--for the fledgling streaming service--without any consultation. So, there's a lot of controversy. It's very, very, very, very messy. A real bait and switch."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Destiny 2 is almost ready to launch its huge next-gen update, with improved framerates, loading times, enhanced graphics, and new features. This update, which will will even add an 120fps option for the PvP Crucible, will arrive on December 8 at 9 AM PT. While Destiny 2 has been playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S since the systems launched, this update will massively enhance the game on these platforms.Bungie has detailed Destiny 2 Update 3.0.1, which will introduce numerous changes to every version of the game, but will give the next-gen consoles a huge boost. The game can be played across generations, so for instance PS5 players can still team up with their friends on PS4 after the update.One thing this update probably won't do, however, is bring back Trials of Osiris--you'll have to wait until December 18 for that.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Robert Kirkman is best known for The Walking Dead, but another of his long-running comics is spinning up for an adaptation. Invincible is coming to Amazon Prime as an animated series next year, and Kirkman and Amazon have been trickling out casting announcements throughout 2020. This series might featurethe most star-studded casts out there, and the latest announcements only back that up.The latest names joining the Invincible cast are Mahershala Ali, Nicole Byer, Jon Hamm, Clancy Brown, Djimon Hounsou, Ezra Miller, Jeffrey Donovan, and Jonathan Groff. Previously announced casting includes Steve Yeun and J.K. Simmons as the main character, Mark Grayson, and his father Nolan, as well as Seth Rogan, Mark Hammill, Sandra Oh, Gillian Jacobs, Andrew Rannells, Zazie Beetz, Walton Goggins, Jason Mantzoukas, Mae Whitman, Chris Diamantopoulous, Zachary Quinto, and more. A bunch of Walking Dead alum will also appear, including Khary Payton, Sonequa Martin-Green, Lauren Cohan, and others.Just when you thought the INVINCIBLE cast was already too good… (thread)Introducing Clancy Brown as Damien Darkblood pic.twitter.com/I7ISXXGhrk — Invincible (@InvincibleHQ) December 6, 2020Invincible ran as a comic book for 15 years, from 2003 through 2018. The story centered on teenager Mark Grayson, a half-alien-half-human who inherited superpowers from his father. Mark has to learn to deal with his superpowers and lineage, becoming a superhero named Invincible. Like Kirkman's Walking Dead, the story can be brutally violent at times, though its set in a much more vibrant world.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman tragically passed away in August, and tributes have continued to come in for the late actor throughout the year. Now, Boseman has received a posthumous award during the 2020 MTV Awards, and Avengers co-stars Robert Downey Jr and Don Cheadle paid tribute to the late actor as part of the ceremony.With COVID-19 stemming the flow of new films, this year's MTV Movie and TV Awards is a "Greatest Of All Time" ceremony, celebrating fan favorites from all years. Boseman won the "Hero for the Ages" award, with Downey and Cheadle appearing through a video link to talk about their friend..@RobertDowneyJr and @DonCheadle paid tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman ahead of his Hero for the Ages honor at the #MTVAwards: Greatest of All Time. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/EmE5FcPXUM — MTV (@MTV) December 7, 2020"There was something different and special about Chadwick Boseman," Downey Jr says. "He had an incredible power to unify people," Cheadle continues. "The way he lived his life united people behind a higher purpose, and that will be his legacy."Downey Jr says that Boseman "truly embodied what it means to be a superhero," and Cheadle notes that this goes beyond his work for Marvel. "He brought humanity and truth to his portrayal of people who felt larger than life, and he did it in ways that honored their memories," he says.Both actors praise Boseman on a personal level, beyond his performances, and call him a real hero beyond the character he portrayed.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

According to a new report from Deadline, Disney is gearing up to make some announcements about its upcoming movie and TV show pipeline and specifically which films that were originally planned for a theatrical release are now headed to Disney Plus.Deadline reported that Disney will make the announcements about its upcoming slate on December 10. On that day, fans can expect to hear that the company's upcoming movies such as Pinocchio, Peter Pan and Wendy, and Cruella are indeed going to skip theatres and release on Disney Plus instead. On top of that, Disney will announce "new projects" from its major subsidiaries such as Marvel, Lucasfilm, and Pixar that will span TV and film, according to the report.The theatrical projects are just that--they are expected to debut in theatres. According to Deadline's report, this is a "gesture toward not abandoning exhibitors."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Cyberpunk 2077 is releasing on December 10, and the first reviews and impressions are coming in now. Fans have been eagerly anticipating the game, from The Witcher 3 developer CD Projekt Red, for a long time now--it was first announced back in 2012. But now that it's out, some fans might want to be wary of how or if they play it, as in its day one form the game has the potential to trigger epileptic seizures.This news comes from a detailed PSA via Game Informer, where Liana Ruppert has shared her personal experience with the game. "During my time with Cyberpunk 2077, I suffered one major seizure and felt several moments where I was close to another one," Ruppert writes.During the game, Ruppert experienced "a lot of red glitching animations," but due to her monitor's "eye-saving mode," this was not as bad of an issue as it could have been. She identifies the game's clubs and bars as potential "danger zones," and said that some story moments are "highlighted with a flickering pale blue glitch effect". Ruppert suggests turning down screen brightness and testing the game's colorblind options to reduce issues.Ruppert notes that the game's "Braindance" sequences are very likely to trigger epileptic seizures for certain players. In these sequences, the player character is fitted with a headset that "features a rapid onslaught of white and red blinking LEDs, much like the actual device neurologists use in real life to trigger a seizure when they need to trigger one for diagnosis purposes." This triggered a seizure for her, and Ruppert suggests that players with epilepsy should "look away completely or close their eyes" when V puts the headset on.The full report is worth a read, and is especially important for epileptic players who want to experience Cyberpunk 2077. Hopefully these issues can be addressed in a future patch to make the game safer and more accessible.GameSpot's review of Cyberpunk 2077 awarded the game a 7/10. "So much of (Cyberpunk 2077) is superficial set dressing, and there's so much happening all around you--ads going off at all times, gunfights breaking out in the streets, texts coming in about cars you'll never buy--that a lot of the game feels superfluous," wrote reviewer Kallie Plagge. "The side quests and the characters they showcase are the shining beacon through the neon-soaked bleakness of Night City, and they give you room to explore the best the core RPG mechanics have to offer. These are what carried me through an otherwise disappointing experience."Info from Gamespot.com