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Improved 'Apex Legends' training zone better prepares you for combat
As much as Respawn has expanded Apex Legends' gameplay, its training area has remained... lackluster. You only get to play a single character and a sliver of the available gear, making it all too likely that you'll have to learn about an ability or weapon in the middle of a real match. That won't be a problem going forward. An upcoming revision of the training space, nicknamed the "firing range," will let you try any character, gun and ability in a controlled environment with practice dummies. You can even bring your friends in if you want to practice teamwork.
The next 'Fortnite' season might finally include a new map
Apex Legends, PUBG and other battle royale brawlers have added maps over time, but not Fortnite -- you've had to be content with revisions (if sometimes dramatic ones) to the existing layout. You might finally get something new in the near future, however. Users browsing Apple's Italian App Store noticed that Fortnite's entry included a picture for a "Chapter 2" with what appeared to be a wildly different map, including boats and a lighthouse. The picture was quickly taken down, but there are other clues hinting a fresh map could be on the way.
'Apex Legends' will bring back solo mode in a Halloween event
Don't despair if you miss Apex Legends' solo mode -- it's coming back, if not quite in the same way. Respawn and EA are running a Halloween-themed Fight or Fright event between October 15th and November 5th, and its centerpiece is a limited-time Shadowfall mode that has 35 players squaring off in a nighttime version of Kings Canyon (which is also back following the new map release). It's not a typical battle royale, however. Anyone who dies joins an undead "Shadow Squad" that only has high-powered melee attacks, and the last 10 living players have to make it to an evacuation ship while the undead hordes try to stop them.
'Apex Legends' Season 3 debuts with a new hero and new map
If Apex Legends felt like it was getting a little stale, you'll be glad to hear it just got a breath of new life. Respawn and EA have launched Season 3 as promised, bringing with it both the recon-oriented hero Crypto and, importantly, the first new map since launch. World's Edge includes a much more varied landscape with icy hills, dangerous lava and other challenges. It'll be the only map you can play at this stage, although Respawn aims to bring King's Canyon back once it studies "data, sentiment and feedback."
'PUBG Mobile' will add characters and gear from 'The Walking Dead'
The PUBG team is continuing its quest to counter Fortnite's media tie-ins. PUBG Mobile is adding a handful of characters and equipment from AMC's version of The Walking Dead on October 1st, giving you that little bit of extra menace in battle royale matches. You can snag skins for Rick, Daryl, Michonne and Negan. Daryl's iconic motorcycle is on hand to help stay in the safe zone, and you can wield Michonne's katana or Negan's infamous Lucille bat if a frying pan isn't intimidating enough.
Fortnite's despised mechs are exploding when they hit the ground
Fortnite's Season X will wrap up soon and with it, the widely hated mechs introduced at the beginning of the season might be disappearing from the island for good. Following the most recent patch, it appears the B.R.U.T.E. mechs have been infected with a virus, and players have noticed the machines are blowing up when they hit the ground.
Batman comes to 'Fortnite' along with Catwoman and Gotham City
It didn't take long to learn just what Epic had in store for Batman's arrival in Fortnite. The brooding superhero is available in the battle royale shooter from now through October 6th, and he's definitely not alone. You can get a Batman cape and buy a Caped Crusader pack that, among other cosmetics, includes both a comic book hero outfit as well as a Dark Knight movie version. However, there's also a Catwoman outfit, and Gotham City itself is in the game -- there's an appropriate backdrop for your adventures, including the option to fly like Batman with unlimited re-use of your glider.
‘Fortnite’ is getting a Batman crossover
Batman Day, an event to mark the Caped Crusader's 80th anniversary, takes place this Saturday. Epic Games is getting in on the fun by bringing aspects of the iconic superhero's world into Fortnite.
Even 'Civilization VI' is getting a battle royale mode
Firaxis and 2K are taking an all-too-familiar approach to revitalizing a game: tack on a battle royale mode in a bid to capture the Fortnite crowd. They've released an update to Civilization VI that introduces Red Death, a 12-player competitive mode that grafts battle royale on to a strategy game that was definitely not designed for it. Instead of filling the shoes of a historical political leader, you play as one of numerous post-apocalyptic factions (no nuclear Gandhi, though) determined to get off the planet before a radioactive storm closes in and wipes you out. The basic mechanics remain intact, but your focus is clearly not on advancing society.
'Apex Legends' is getting physical editions with exclusive cosmetics
While Apex Legends is a free-to-play game, you'll soon be able to get your hands on a physical version for PC, Xbox One and PS4. There are two editions, focused on Bloodhound and Lifeline respectively.
The next 'Apex Legends' event includes a sniper-focused mode
Respawn's latest Apex Legends event is relying on a time-honored opportunity to keep things fresh: challenge you to master a handful of weapons. The studio is running a Voidwalker event between September 3rd and September 17th that will include a limited-time Armed and Dangerous mode. You'll be limited to sniper rifles and shotguns, and loot as a whole will be harder to find. You'll want to be a crack shot if you want to avoid messy up-close fights.
Epic added the hated mechs to 'Fortnite' so more players could win
When Fortnite's Season X started two weeks ago, developer Epic Games introduced a new mechanic that significantly changed how matches play out. The two-player B.R.U.T.E. mechs caused uproar, with many players suggesting the machines are overpowered. They have large health pools, are able to leap around the map with ease and can quickly delete structures and players with a devastating volley of rockets. Epic reduced the frequency of the mechs in Fortnite's competitive modes, but it now says it added them precisely to help more players rack up kills and wins.
'Apex Legends' Iron Crown event goes live with solo mode
Apex Legends fans have two weeks to take part in new challenges, including venturing out to King's Canyon on their own. The Iron Collection Crown event and temporary Solos mode has gone live, with this trial run set to end on August 27th.
Epic tones down overpowered mechs in 'Fortnite' competitive modes
Yes, Epic is aware that its giant mechs are souring Fortnite -- and it already has a fix, at least for competitive audiences. The developers have dramatically reduced the spawn rates for B.R.U.T.E. machines in Arena and Tournament playlists, with the odds becoming increasingly slim each time the Storm (aka the circle) closes in. Where it was guaranteed that two to four mechs would be available at the start of the match, there's now a 21.5 percent chance that one to three will appear. Successive circles never have more than a 44 percent chance of spawning mechs, and the rate plunges from 50 percent to 10 percent by the fourth Storm.
'Apex Legends' gets a limited-time solo mode next week
Since Apex Legends burst onto the battle royale scene in February, there's been an ever-present request near the top of players' wishlists: a single-player mode. Until now, matches have taken place entirely in teams of three, but for a limited time, you'll be able to drop into King's Canyon and rely purely on your own skill and abilities in search of a victory -- with no teammates to back you up.
The first 'Fortnite' Champion Series begins August 17th
Now that Fortnite's tenth season is underway and the World Cup is fading out of view, Epic is ready to outline what comes next for competitive play in its battle royale title. The first Champion Series (previously called the Championship Series) will start on August 17th, with trios vying to conquer their respective regions through five weeks of competitions that include both weekend main events as well as Cash Cups (solos on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and trios on Fridays). The top teams will face each other in regional events on September 20th through September 22nd.
'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare' multiplayer beta kicks off in September
When Call of Duty: Modern Warfare launches on October 25th for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, it'll come with a handful of multiplayer modes, including classic options like Team Deathmatch, Domination and Headquarters, plus a 2v2 Gunfight option (complete with local splitscreen), Cyber Attack (the new Search and Destroy) and Ground War (battle royale, baby). Ground War supports more than 100 players in traditional team-based multiplayer matches, though it also allows smaller rounds like 20v20. The Modern Warfare open beta kicks off, exclusively for PS4 players, on September 12th. The Early Access beta runs from September 12th - 13th, while the open beta will be from September 14th - 16th, both only on PS4. Players on other platforms can jump in the following weekend. Early Access for Xbox One and PC is September 19th and 20th, and the PS4 beta will be live those days as well. The open beta for all platforms happens from September 21st - 23rd.
'Fortnite' season 10 trailer is filled with the game's greatest hits
Epic is finally ready to show a sliver of Fortnite season 10 a day before its August 1st debut, and it seems like nostalgia is the order of the day. The company has posted a brief story trailer suggesting that you'll see locations, goodies and themes from the game's two-year history, such as the golf carts from Lazy Links and seasonal items. It's not certain just what will make the cut. If there's a place or pickup you miss dearly, though, there's a chance you might see it again.
'Fortnite' gets a premier esports circuit in the Championship Series
The end to the Fortnite World Cup won't mark the end to Epic's esports plans for the year -- not by a long shot. The developer has announced a Fortnite Championship Series that will have gamers playing across whole seasons. "Every single result matters," Epic said, and there will be a leaderboard to keep tabs on results across the season. There will be "millions of dollars" on the line, too.
You can watch the 'Fortnite' World Cup finals while playing 'Fortnite'
Are you such a big Fortnite fan that you can't bear the thought of having to stop playing to watch the Fortnite World Cup finals? You're in luck. Epic Games has introduced picture-in-picture streaming as part of the game's 9.41 update, giving you a way to tune into the esports tournament even while you're trying for a victory royale of your own. You just have to hit a "watch now" button in the lobby to tune in before launching a match. This probably won't help your chances of winning in the slightest, but it could be handy if you treat Fortnite as a social space and don't want to leave your squad to keep up with World Cup happenings.
