e32018
Latest
A new 'Battletoads' game is coming to Xbox One in 2019
It's been a few decades, but it's finally happening: a new Battletoads game is on the way. Microsoft and Rare have announced a new title (so far just called Battletoads) reaching the Xbox One in 2019. They didn't show any gameplay, but it'll include three-player "couch co-op" and will naturally take advantage of 4K on an Xbox One X. The teaser clip made a not-so-subtle nod to the original NES title's notoriously difficult vehicle segment, so don't be surprised if the new game provides a significant challenge.
Rhythm hit 'Beat Saber' is coming to PlayStation VR
Beat Saber has been one of the more attention-grabbing VR titles on PCs as of late, and it's not hard to see why: it amps up the familiar rhythm game formula with an immersive experience that turns every note into a dramatic sword swing. It makes sense, then, that the creators at Beat Games would want to expand their audience. They've announced that Beat Saber is coming to PlayStation VR at some point in the near future. There isn't even a hint of a release date, but knowing that it's on the roadmap might help if you were looking for reasons to justify a PSVR headset.
‘Devil May Cry V’ promises more stylish demon slaying
Devil May Cry is back, baby. After the controversial DmC -- developed by the now Microsoft-owned Ninja Theory -- Capcom is working on Devil May Cry V. The main character, though, looks different to both the classic Dante and the younger, hipster-ish version portrayed in DmC. Is the new hero Dante, Virgil, Nero, or someone else entirely? It's not clear based on the new trailer. What is assured, however, is the series' trademark combat, which is lightning-quick and full of stylish, over the top combos. And there will be lots of cheesy one-liners and tongue in cheek humour, of course.
Xbox Game Pass 'FastStart' is coming in the June update
During Microsoft's pre-E3 event, Xbox Game Pass exec Ashley Speicher hit the stage to announce several games newly available on the service today (Fallout 4, Elder Scrolls Online and The Division), plus a new feature. Called "FastStart" it's designed to get subscribers with playing their games even faster, by applying machine learning to download just the necessary parts of a game first, unlike the Ready to Start system configured manually by developers that has been a part of the system since it launched. Speicher said it would get games going twice as fast as before (if launching a title used to take 30 minutes of downloading, you can expect it to take only 15 minutes now), and will launch in the June Xbox One update for application to "select" titles (there will be a list available on the FAQ here). Better yet, while it will start off on Xbox Game Pass titles in English, it will eventually expand to games in more languages, and other games on Xbox even if you're not using Game Pass.
'PUBG' War Mode comes to Xbox One in winter 2018
PUBG's PC-based players have already moved beyond battle royale with War Mode, so when do Xbox One gamers get their turn? It won't be too long. PUBG Corp and Microsoft have confirmed that War Mode will reach the Xbox crowd in winter 2018. As before, it's really built for gamers who prefer immediate firefights over the long buildup of the core game -- players parachute into a relatively small circle at frequent intervals already prepared to fight.
Microsoft bought five studios to fix its Xbox game problem
It's no secret that Microsoft's lack of exclusive games is partially to blame for the Xbox One lagging behind the PS4. To rectify this, the company's gone on a bit of a shopping spree, acquiring five studios under its Microsoft Studios umbrella. Four of these are existing outfits: Undead Labs (State of Decay), Playground Games (Forza Horizon), Ninja Theory (Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice) and Compulsion Games (We Happy Few). The fifth is an all-new studio called The Initiative headed by Darrell Gallagher, the former chief of Crystal Dynamics who spearheaded the Tomb Raider reboot and joined Microsoft back in April.
Microsoft details its upcoming 'Sea of Thieves' DLC
Microsoft wasn't going to let E3 go by without mentioning new content for Sea of Thieves. At its Xbox press conference today, we got a glimpse at the forthcoming "Cursed Sails" and "Forsaken Shores." New lands look super dark, with plenty of fire, ash and a host of cursed adventurers. We found out in April that updates would prioritize new maps over perks, and that certainly seems to be the case here. While "Forsaken Shores" won't be available until September, "Cursed Sails" is set to arrive next month. Get a taste of what's coming to Xbox and Windows 10 via the trailer below.
Psychedelic survival game 'We Happy Few' arrives August 10
Remember We Happy Few? That game about a small English town hooked on hallucinogenic drugs? Well, after a bunch of agonizing delays the indie adventure has a new release date for Xbox One: August 10th. That's a clarification of the "summer" window that developer Compulsion Games gave in January. Oh, and today Microsoft also announced that it had bought the studio outright (among a bunch of other developers). To mark the two announcements, Compulsion Games showed off a new trailer during today's Xbox press conference. It's beautiful, creepy and intriguing, showing off more of the world and its unsettling alternate history timeline.
'Kingdom Hearts 3' journeys to the 'Frozen' universe
Five years after the last title of the franchise first reached store shelves, Microsoft revealed a slew of new details about Kingdom Hearts 3, which the company announced last night will hit the PS4 and Xbox on January 29th, 2019. In KH3, players will be tasked with navigating a winter wonderland while guiding Elsa, of Frozen fame, past her feelings of self-doubt and towards a more heroic path in life. Beyond helping Elsa, Sora, Donald, and Goofy also find themselves in search of the seven guardians of light and the "Key to Return Hearts." Further gameplay details remain scarce roughly six months out from the game's official release, but stay tuned to Engadget for more information as soon as it becomes available.
'Forza Horizon 4' is an open-world carPG coming October 2nd
One thing you can always expect from an Xbox E3 press conference is the latest installment in the Forza series. This year, that means Forza Horizon 4. It's set in Britain, where you'll have your choice of top-end supercars, Ken Block's Hoonigan Ford, off-road racers and more. The game also introduces a shared open-world experience and a new 60fps mode for Xbox One X. You'll have to contend with dynamic seasons, which change the world around you in terms of looks and gameplay -- and of course, weather. In winter, for example, a lake has frozen over and there's snow to deal with.
'Life is Strange' returns with 'The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit'
The next Life is Strange is all about childhood. Following the original series and Before the Storm -- both of which dealt with the challenges of adolescence -- developer Dontnod is tackling a younger character with a big imagination. The game is called The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, and will launch for free (yes, free!) on June 26th. It was announced at Microsoft's E3 press conference, however it's safe to assume that the title will be available on other platforms, like previous entries. Dontnod calls it a game in the Life is Strange "universe," so who knows, maybe it will have ties to Max and Chloe? The studio has confirmed, at least, that the adventure is separate from the previously announced Life is Strange 2...
Yoko Taro's 'Nier: Automata' comes to Xbox One on June 26
Nier: Automata was one of the most surprising games of 2017. The Japanese RPG had a mind-bending story, conceived by Nier and Drakengard director Yoko Taro, and a snappy combat system refined by Bayonetta developer PlatinumGames. It was a huge success for Square Enix, shifting more than 3 million copies and winning countless awards. Now, the game is coming to Xbox One. A special Become As Gods edition will hit the Xbox Store on June 26th, bundling the base game, the 3C3C1D119440927 expansion, and a slew of in-game skins and accessories, including a Grimoire Weiss-themed robot companion. Hopefully the extra sales will solidify a sequel, or an entirely new project by Taro and his team.
'Fallout 76' brings the apocalypse to West Virginia
A few days ago, we got our first tease of the new Fallout game, and at today's Xbox E3 press conference, we're getting the full reveal of Fallout 76. Bethesda's Todd Howard said that the latest entry in the series will be a prequel to 2015's Fallout 4 and is four times larger than that game.
'Sekiro' is the latest game from the studio behind 'Dark Souls'
During its E3 press conference, Microsoft teased the next game from the studio behind Dark Souls and Bloodborne: It's called Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. If you're familiar with FromSoftware's previous work, you have a good idea of what to expect here. The beauty of ancient Japan is portrayed in a way that's dark and brooding, yet still lovely. Despite the aesthetic appeal, late 1500s Sengoku Japan is a brutal time. There's a ton of blood and gore, as the main character, a ninja with a powerful prosthetic arm, sets out on a path of revenge.
'Halo Infinite' puts Master Chief back in the fight
As expected, Microsoft opened its E3 presentation by unveiling the next chapter in the Halo franchise: Halo Infinite. The teaser trailer didn't show much beyond a pretty wildlife trailer with only a brief glimpse of the Master Chief, but it's been three years since Halo 5 came out.
Live from Xbox's E3 2018 press conference!
Last year Microsoft admitted that exclusive games were thin on the ground, so what does it have to show for it at E3 2018? (Well, beside no Crackdown 3?) Rumors suggest we could see more Forza Horizon and Gears of War news -- and hey, let's not discount the chance of a Halo appearance. The big show kicks off at 1PM PT / 4PM ET later today. Join us for liveblog coverage!
Watch Microsoft's E3 keynote right here at 4PM ET
It's time to find out what Microsoft has been up to with Xbox since last E3. We're on the scene in downtown LA already, but for everyone else not in Southern California, you can watch the show via the stream embedded below starting at 4PM Eastern. And be sure to follow along with our liveblog for our commentary! Will any of the rumors prove true? Will we see a new entry in the Halo series? Or maybe another Gears of War or Forza Horizon? A resurrected Scalebound? The latter is almost guaranteed to no happen, but for everything else, there's only one way to find out: watching along live.
Microsoft was right in 2013: This is the always-on generation
Microsoft lost its goddamn mind in 2013. It revealed the Xbox One on May 21st in a livestreamed press conference dedicated to its goals for gaming's long-awaited eighth generation. A lineup of executives in blazers hit the stage, punctuated by Microsoft Studios head Phil Spencer in a professorial sweater set, to extol the virtues of the company's first new console in seven years. With practiced smiles, they broke it down: The Xbox One and the new Kinect would be an all-in-one system providing television, sports and, of course, video games via an improved online ecosystem. The console was more powerful than ever and it would be constantly listening, waiting for the keyword that would turn it on without users having to touch a controller. They didn't address the rumors swirling about the Xbox One's inability to play used games, its strict digital rights management (DRM), or the console's need to be constantly connected to the internet. Players were left wondering if they'd have to upgrade their internet plans, if they'd be able to play games brought over by friends, or whether they would actually own anything they purchased on the Xbox One. Instead of providing answers, Microsoft seemed content to bombard the audience with all of the shiny new TV and sports apps (and, yeah, some video games) coming to the Xbox One.
Get the full EA Play experience in a quarter hour because why not
EA made its E3 2018 presence known on Saturday with a literal block party. The studio took over an entire block of downtown Los Angeles to showcase its latest and greatest games ahead of the official start of the trade show. There, Engadget got its first looks at marquee titles including "FIFA 19," "Madden 19," "Battlefield V," "Sea of Solitude" and the surprisingly controversial "Command & Conquer Rivals". Here's everything you need to know about what EA has in store for gamers over the next year in less time than it takes to boil an egg. Follow all the latest news from E3 2018 here!
Hands-on with 'Unravel Two,' a co-op game with double the adorable
Unravel Two is the follow-up to 2016's Unravel, the first indie game published under EA's Originals brand -- and it is just as adorable and emotionally powerful as the original. Unravel Two stars Yarny, the same anthropomorphized ball of red yarn that carried players through the first game, and it adds a second, blue Yarny, instantly upping the cute factor 100 percent.
