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NetherRealm adds Kabal and D’vorah to Mortal Kombat 11’s roster; Scooby-Doo’s Shaggy is officially out

Posted on February 6, 2019 by John Scalzo

Kabal’s hookswords and post-apocalyptic appearance made him one of the most popular characters to emerge from Mortal Kombat 3, and now the character is all set to return in the upcoming Mortal Kombat 11.

Known for his lightning fast speed, deadly Hook Swords and reliance on an artificial respirator for survival, Kabal was resurrected as a twisted, evil version of himself, who now serves the Netherrealm and pledges to destroy all other realms.

This new (and less cuddly) incarnation of the character was first revealed during the latest episode of NetherRealm’s Kombat Kast, with the behind-the-scenes stream giving fans a glimpse at his moveset, a Fatality, and a few costume changes (including one without his signature mask). Kabal’s Reveal Trailer has been embedded above, and the full Kombat Kast episode can be found on YouTube.

Community Manager Tyler Lansdown also put the kibosh on Shaggy’s hoped-for appearance in Mortal Kombat 11 during this episode of Kombat Kast. After axing the Scooby-Doo character, he said, “Shaggy will not be in the game, ever. Sorry.”

Later, the Mortal Kombat 11 team would also konfirm (via Twitter) that D’Vorah, an insectoid warrior first introduced in Mortal Kombat X, will return in Mortal Kombat 11.

Mortal Kombat 11 is currently in development at NetherRealm Studios and will be released for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on April 23.

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EA’s CEO confirms new games from Titanfall, Need For Speed, Plants Vs Zombies: Garden Warfare, and EA Sports for release in 2019

Posted on February 6, 2019 by John Scalzo

Electronic Arts delivered their quarterly financial report yesterday, and CEO Andrew Wilson confirmed that the publisher has a healthy slate of new titles on track for 2019.

In his opening remarks, Wilson praised Respawn for Monday’s launch of Apex Legends, and said that a “premium” new Titanfall game (but not necessarily Titanfall 3) will be released later this year:

The Respawn team has a strong plan for Apex Legends that will engage fans for a long time to come. As the live service evolves, Respawn also plans to launch a premium game this year that is a new twist on the Titanfall universe. More to come on that in the months ahead.

The executive later discussed the rest of EA’s 2019 release schedule, confirming the existence of new entries in the Need For Speed and Plants Vs Zombies: Garden Warfare franchises, as well as a full slate of EA Sports simulations (Madden NFL 20, FIFA 20, NHL 20, and NBA Live 20):

Looking ahead to FY20, we have a large slate of new games, beginning with some big new additions in our next FIFA title. There was great energy and engagement from NFL fans throughout this past season, we’re excited for our plans with the Madden NFL franchise. We will continue innovating and driving our NHL and NBA Live games deeper into the fabric of their respective sports. We’ll have a new game for our Need For Speed fans, and a new title in our [Plants Vs Zombies] shooter franchise on console and PC.

Finally, Wilson reconfirmed that the previously-announced Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (also from Respawn) is still on track for a Fall release.

If Electronic Arts follows their typical pattern, we’ll likely learn more about most of these games at E3 2019 in June.

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Sony San Diego hits it out of the park with the first Gameplay Trailer for MLB The Show 19

Posted on February 5, 2019 by John Scalzo

“Big Sexy” Bartolo Colon still hasn’t signed with a new team for 2019 (to be fair, neither has Bryce Harper), but that didn’t stop Sony San Diego from unveiling the first Gameplay Trailer for MLB The Show 19 earlier today.

The developer’s latest baseball sim will make its PS4 debut on March 26, and this new trailer gives fans a glimpse at what a few of the sport’s greatest modern players will look on the digital diamond. A handful of Hall of Famers from the game’s Legends Mode also appeared in the trailer and this rarefied group of ballplayers included Willie Mays (making “The Catch”), Christy Mathewson, Tony Gwynn, and Ken Griffey Jr. A split-second shot of Rob Dibble was (for some reason) also included.

If you’re interested in learning more about MLB The Show 19, Sony San Diego’s Ramone Russell has shared the developer’s upcoming Twitch streaming schedule on the PlayStation Blog.

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WB Games will bundle together the Lego Marvel Collection for PS4 and Xbox One on March 12

Posted on February 5, 2019 by John Scalzo

WB Games and TT Games have announced they’ll be bundling together all three Lego Marvel games for the PS4 and Xbox One later this Spring.

The Lego Marvel Collection will include Lego Marvel Super Heroes, Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2, and Lego Avengers. The compilation will also include all previously-released downloadable content for all three games:

In Lego Marvel Super Heroes, players take on the role of their favorite Marvel characters Spider-Man, Iron Man, Wolverine, Thor, Captain America and the Hulk, as they assemble in a completely original story. Players will battle against some of the most menacing Marvel Super Villains, including dastardly Doctor Octopus, the ghastly Green Goblin, the ruthless Red Skull, the vicious Venom, Thor’s vexing brother, Loki, as well as the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus.

Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 picks up directly where Lego Marvel Super Heroes left off featuring a completely original branching storyline co-written by award-winning comic writer Kurt Busiek. This story brings together a diverse roster of iconic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from different time periods and realities including Ant-Man, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Cosmo the Spacedog, Cowboy Captain America, Doctor Octopus, Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider, Green Goblin, Groot, Gwenpool, Hawkeye, Howard the Duck, Hulk, Iron Man, Luke Cage, Ms. Marvel, Rocket Raccoon, She-Hulk, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man, Star-Lord, Thor, and many more. Players can roam and explore 18 different Marvel locations within the incredible Open Hub World of Chronopolis, from the vibrant jungle of Wakanda to the pyramids of Ancient Egypt, along with Asgard, Attilan, Knowhere, the Coliseum, Hala, Hydra Empire, Kang’s Citadel, K’un-Lun, Lemuria, Manhattan, Medieval England, Noir New York, 2099 Nueva York, Old West, The Swamp, and Xandar.

Lego Marvel’s Avengers features storylines from the critically-acclaimed film Marvel’s The Avengers and its sequel Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron and players can unlock more than 200 characters, including Black Widow, Captain America, Hawkeye, Hulk, Thor and Iron Man. The game features a unique take on open world gameplay, with eight different environments to explore within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including the expansive streets of Marvel’s New York, as well as Asgard, Barton’s Farm, Malibu, the S.H.I.E.L.D. Base Exterior, Sokovia, South Africa and Washington, D.C. Players can freely roam around these open world locations in any way they’d like, such as super jumping off skyscrapers with Hulk, speed running over water with Quicksilver or even play as giant characters, like the menacing Fing Fang Foom, who can grow to the size of tall buildings.

The Lego Marvel Collection will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on March 12.

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Apex Legends is a new Battle Royale game from Respawn and it’s available to download right now

Posted on February 4, 2019 by John Scalzo

Respawn Entertainment is breaking into the Battle Royale scrum with Apex Legends, a free-to-play game for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One that takes place within the Titanfall universe (but which doesn’t actually include any Titans).

Available to download right now, Apex Legends will feature a variety of unique characters who will compete against each other to be the last one standing (and to collect loot, of course):

Overview
Conquer with character in Apex Legends, a free-to-play* Battle Royale shooter where legendary characters with powerful abilities team up to battle for fame & fortune on the fringes of the Frontier. Master an ever-growing roster of diverse Legends, deep tactical squad play and bold new innovations that level up the Battle Royale experience… all within a rugged world where anything goes.

Features

  • A Roster of Legendary Characters: Master a growing roster of powerful Legends, each with their own unique personality, strengths and abilities that are easy to pick up but challenging to truly master.
  • Build Your Crew: Choose your Legend and combine their unique skills together with other players to form the ultimate crew.
  • Strategic Battle Royale: Use your abilities (and your wits) to make strategic calls on the fly, adapting your crew’s strengths to meet new challenges as the match evolves.
  • Genre-Evolving Innovation: Experience a brand-new array of innovative features that level up the Battle Royale genre, including Respawn Beacons, Smart Comms, Intelligent Inventory and an all-new way to drop into the action with Jumpmaster deployment.
  • Sweet, Sweet Loot: Drop in and loot up with a host of powerful weapons, diverse attachments and useful armor to protect you in battle. After the fight, collect a wealth of cosmetic options for personalizing your character and weapons, and unlock new ways to show off during the match.

Respawn has uploaded a trio of new trailers to help you learn more about how Apex Legends works. A Cinematic Trailer, a Gameplay Trailer, and a Gameplay Deep Dive Trailer have all been embedded after the break. (more…)

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2K Games hires Dead Space’s Creative Director to lead new Silicon Valley development team

Posted on February 4, 2019 by John Scalzo

2K Games is expanding once again as the publisher has announced the establishment of a brand new development studio in Silicon Valley. The studio doesn’t yet have a name, but we know that Michael Condrey, formerly of Visceral Games and Sledgehammer Games, will serve as its President.

Condrey is a well-known name in the industry, and he previously served as Creator Director for Dead Space, as well as three games in the Call of Duty franchise (2011’s Modern Warfare 3, 2014’s Advanced Warfare, and 2017’s WWII).

“At 2K, we offer our collective audience a variety of engaging and captivating entertainment experiences. We continually seek opportunities to empower and invest in the right people and ideas,” said David Ismailer, the President of 2K Games. “Michael’s unparalleled creative, production and leadership accolades are well-documented and deserved. We are greatly inspired not only by his passion but the potential for his new studio to complement our existing portfolio and development expertise. We welcome Michael to the 2K family and look forward to seeing our new Silicon Valley studio flourish in the months and years to come.”

Condrey added: “Great games come from the passion of a team driven by the pursuit of quality and the empowerment of an independent studio model. 2K’s studios have creative and technical autonomy, backed by a world-class infrastructure of support, and that offers the perfect recipe to build a new studio and craft experiences that will lead the next generation of gaming for fans everywhere. David and the dedicated people at 2K and Take-Two have an extensive history of rich and established brands, as well as a long tenure of executive leadership committed to supporting the ambitions of their independent studio teams.”

Condrey and his team are currently hard at work on an unannounced project that’ll be announced at a later date.

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New Retail Releases: Etrian Odyssey Nexus, Yo-Kai Watch 3, God Eater 3, More

Posted on February 4, 2019 by John Scalzo

The 3DS will be briefly back in the spotlight this week as a pair of new retail releases will launch for Nintendo’s handheld.

Atlus will release Etrian Odyssey Nexus, an RPG that includes ” ore classes, characters, gameplay systems, and labyrinths than any other game in the series.” The game is so jammed full of content that the publishing is calling it “The Definitive Etrian Odyssey Experience.”

Also set to launch for the 3DS this week is Level-5’s Yo-Kai Watch 3. The third game in the series will feature a series of cases for a pair of “Yo-Kai Detectives” to solve. Players will also meet the first “American Yo-Kai” in a land known as BBQ.

Finally this week, Bandai Namco will release God Eater 3 for the PS4, the first game in the popular monster-hunting franchise designed exclusively for current-generation consoles.

A complete look at the rest of this week’s new retail releases can be found after the break. (more…)

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Madden 19 flubs Super Bowl LIII prediction as the Patriots defeat the Rams 13-3

Posted on February 4, 2019 by John Scalzo

There were a lot of big moments at Super Bowl LIII, but they all seemed to be happening on the defensive side of the ball, and that is not what Madden NFL 19‘s official Super Bowl Simulation promised.

The latest entry in EA Sports’s long-running franchise predicted that the Los Angeles Rams would push past the New England Patriots in a tight-knit (but high-scoring) game. But instead of a 30-27 shootout that ultimately favored the west coast franchise, the Patriots managed to stumble their way to victory in real life thanks to a fourth quarter touchdown and a winning score of 13-3. That minuscule scoring line actually made it the lowest-scoring Super Bowl ever.

Super Bowl LIII was one for the old guys as Tom Brady became the oldest quarterback to win a Super Bowl (at age 41), and Bill Belichick did the same as the oldest coach to win “The Big Game” (at age 66). With six Super Bowl Championships, the Patriots tied the Pittsburgh Steelers as the most successful football franchise of all time.

But there’s no joy at EA Sports, for this loss drops Madden’s predictive powers to 10-6 since the publisher first ran an official Super Bowl Simulation in 2004. But EA Sports’s picks have been especially bad in the last six years, correctly picking the winner only twice.

For those keeping track at home, that’s worse than a coin flip.

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