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Gearbox teases 'Borderlands 3' reveal on March 28th
Yes, an honest-to-goodness Borderlands sequel (not a pre-sequel) appears to be on the horizon. Gearbox has posted a teaser for what's likely to be the Borderlands 3 reveal at PAX East on March 28th. It doesn't say much about the game, but there's not much mystery here -- not when it features Borderlands' signature cell-shaded art and a "3" at the top.
'Halo: The Master Chief Collection' heads to PC with 'Reach' included
After years of waiting and more than a few hiccups, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is coming to the PC. Microsoft and 343 Industries have unveiled plans to release the whole anthology one game at a time on both the Microsoft Store and Steam, starting with the prequel that has been conspicuously absent in the MCC since its debut: Halo: Reach. This may prove to be slightly tortuous if you're a fan of the main story, but it will give you a chance to play the title while taking greater advantage of modern hardware.
'Crackdown 2' is free on Xbox One ahead of updates to its sequel
Just because you're playing Crackdown 3 doesn't mean you've played its predecessor -- in fact, that's not too likely when the second game launched nearly nine years ago. The developers want to plug that hole in your gaming history. In addition to teasing some updates to the current game (more on those in a moment), they've revealed that Crackdown 2 is now free as an Xbox One backwards compatibility title. It's not the revelation that the first game was, but it will show you how the series evolved before its big hiatus.
Switch RPG 'Octopath Traveler' is coming to Android and iOS
Apparently, Square Enix doesn't believe Octopath Traveler is mobile enough. The developer has unveiled plans to bring the well-received Switch RPG to Android and iOS devices, in the form of a prequel, Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent. It'll preserve the signature mix of 3D environments with retro-style 2D characters, just with touchscreen-friendly controls. The team isn't shedding much light on the plot, but you'll play a 'Chosen One' who'll fight a horrific evil that has "fortune, power and fame."
'Devil May Cry 5' reveals the live action mockups behind its cutscenes
Numerous games have offered behind-the-scenes footage that shows how cutscenes came to be. But what if you could play the entire game that way? Capcom, at least, is willing to give that a shot. When Devil May Cry 5 launches on March 8th, the Deluxe Edition will include an option to watch the live action footage used to visualize cutscenes before the CG comes into play. In essence, it's like watching a low-rent, sweded version of Devil May Cry -- action figures, cardboard trucks and simple costumes fill in for the usual digital wizardry.
The next season of 'Destiny 2' kicks off March 5th with a Gambit focus
Bungie is ready to debut the first season of Destiny 2 since the studio announced its split with Activision, and it's not a major break with convention -- though it might give you a reason to come back, even if you haven't played for a while. The Season of the Drifter is beginning March 5th with a focus on both the mysterious figure's signature Gambit mode as well as his background, particularly his connection to the enigmatic Nine that have persisted since the original Destiny.
'Apex Legends' already has 50 million players after one month
Apex Legends might not be growing at quite the breakneck pace it enjoyed during its first week, but it's still climbing at a very healthy rate. Respawn and EA have confirmed that the battle royale shooter now has more than 50 million total players worldwide after just over a month since the surprise release. They haven't revealed the number of simultaneous players, but its first weekend saw upward of 2 million people playing at the same time.
Sony officially discontinues the PlayStation Vita
You knew the PlayStation Vita wasn't long for this world, and now it's official: Sony has discontinued the last two Vita models. The move marks the last step of a long, gradual phase-out that included a halt on first-party games in 2015, the discontinuation of physical games and the end to PS Plus freebies. If you're looking for the handheld, you'll either have to get lucky at a retailer (if there are any units left) or track down a second-hand model.
Respawn will premiere its 'Star Wars' game on April 13th
After years of work, Respawn is nearly ready to show what its Star Wars game is all about. Lucasfilm has announced that EA and Respawn will formally reveal Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order at a Celebration Chicago panel on April 13th. The two are unsurprisingly shy about details, but you'll meet a Padawan who survived Order 66 (the command to exterminate the Jedi) and experience what it's like to live in an era where there are seemingly no Jedi left. You can expect "never-before-released" details of the game, Lucasfilm said, which isn't hard when the game is largely a secret.
'Kingdom Hearts' PlayStation VR experience launches tomorrow
Square Enix released a VR Kingdom Hearts experience for Japanese gamers in January, so where's the release for everyone else? Right around the corner, apparently. Sony has confirmed that Kingdom Hearts: VR Experience will be available on February 28th. The free PlayStation VR title serves as a sort of trip down memory lane, letting you relive key scenes from the Disney/Square crossover from Sora's perspective. This isn't a slice of familiar gameplay in 360 degrees, unfortunately, but it might spark some familiar emotions.
'Pokémon Sword' and 'Shield' arrive on Switch late 2019
Nintendo and Game Freak have been promising an honest-to-goodness Pokémon role-playing game for the Switch for years, and they're nearly ready to deliver. They've unveiled Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, the first entries in the core RPG franchise for Nintendo's current console. The initial clips only provide so much detail, but they do suggest a change from the classic top-down perspective to a horizontal view. And of course, there's new material. You can expect a new region, Galar, as well as three new starter critters: Grookee (a grass character), Scorbunny (fire) and Sobble (water).
The next 'Overwatch' hero is a battle-scarred combat medic
Overwatch fans only have a handful of options for healers, but they're about to get one more. Blizzard has revealed that the game's next hero is Baptiste, a Haitian combat medic who grew up an orphan during the Omnic Wars and learned hard lessons about helping others and choosing sides. There are precious few details in the preview, but an earlier teaser letter hinted that Baptiste's hallmark is an "adaptability to new situations." He may be closer to Ana (who can play an offensive role in a pinch) than more support-oriented heroes like Mercy and Zenyatta.
'Apex Legends' team plans to fix player hitbox issues
Apex Legends is a success by most measures, but that doesn't mean it's without problems. A Respawn community manager said the developer is aware of and "discussing" multiple complaints that the hitboxes (the invisible shapes that determine whether or not a hit counts) are inconsistent between characters and could give you an unfair advantage. Some Legends appear to have disproportionately large hitboxes that make them easier targets (Gibraltar's is 140 percent bigger than Wraith's, for example). Others, meanwhile, have more precise hitboxes -- you can shoot between the legs of Bloodhound, but trying the same with Pathfinder registers a hit.
BioWare outlines the next few months of 'Anthem'
Now that Anthem is available to everyone, there's an obvious question: what comes next? Not surprisingly, BioWare is ready to shed light on the future of its shared-world shooter. The studio has published a 90-day roadmap that shows plans for both more raw gameplay as well as deeper changes to the mechanics. The new Echoes of Reality phase starts out modestly, but you'll see more substantial additions before April is over.
Here's Bethesda's plan to keep 'Fallout 76' relevant in 2019
After a few very rough months, Bethesda is ready to show where Fallout 76 is headed next... and it might just inject some needed variety into the online action RPG. The company has published a 2019 roadmap that starts on March 12th with Wild Appalachia, a bundle of features, modes and quests to mark the spring. I'll start out modestly with a quest that opens up brewing and distilling at your home base, but it'll also include a seasonal event (the Fasnacht Parade on March 19th), the high-stakes Survival mode (March 26th), base decoration and player vending (April 9th), the Shear Terror storyline (also April 9th) and an Ever Upwards quest (May 7th) that includes Scouts-style merit badges and a customizable backpack. On May 23rd, a Purveyor vendor will scrap your legendary gear in return for fresher equipment.
'LittleBigPlanet' follow-up 'Dreams' comes to creators this spring
Media Molecule's Dreams has generated a lot of buzz for its creative potential during its beta phase, and soon it'll be available to everyone. The LittleBigPlanet studio has announced that its PS4 crafting tool will be available in Early Access form this spring. This version won't have everything you'll find in the polished release, but it'll include the same implements Media Molecule uses, a range of pre-made arcade games and tutorials to help with your own projects. The rough release will help "prioritize" what the company works on, the developer's Siobhan Reddy said.
Scrapped 'Final Fantasy XV' DLC will live on as a novel
Square Enix left Final Fantasy XV fans hanging in the lurch when it scrapped most of the game's DLC, but that doesn't mean you'll be left wondering what happens next. The developer is borrowing a cue from Mass Effect: Andromeda by releasing a novel, The Dawn of the Future, to fill in what's left of the storyline. It promises to pick up where the Episode Ardyn add-on leaves off and will be available in Japan on April 25th, or just a month after Ardyn's March 26th debut.
'Apex Legends' will make it easier to report cheaters
Apex Legends already has cheaters just two weeks into its existence, and Respawn wants to be sure they don't become too much of a problem. The studio has dropped not-so-subtle hints that it's incorporating a cheat reporting tool in its battle royale shooter, calling it a "very good idea" in a community update. Right now, anyone spotting a cheat has to go through a website and, if possible, record their own evidence. If they can't, they have to report someone's ID and hope for the best.
Game streamer Ninja will have his own toy line
You can't usually show support for a game streamer in the real world outside of t-shirt and stickers, but Wicked Cool Toys is kicking things up a notch. It's introducing a line of toys themed around streamers, starting with Twitch superstar Tyler "Ninja" Blevins. You'll find two-inch collectibles in blind packs ($5 each, above) and four-inch dancing figures ($10) themed around his characters and emotes, as well as head wear ($20) that gives you that blue hair and headband. All of those should ship in the fall, and there are plans for plush toys, games and other goodies.
'Overwatch' action figures and Monopoly are coming this spring
Hasbro is about to give you many, many ways to flaunt your Overwatch fandom beyond the occasional Nerf gun. It's launching a series of toys and games themed around the character-driven shooter, including Monopoly Overwatch Collector's Edition. The $50 board game turns maps into properties, cards into loot boxes and player pieces into familiar characters like D.Va and Winston. However, that's really just the start of the collection -- the action figures in particular stand out.
