Most Recent: PC

NetherRealm konfirms that Kano will appear in Mortal Kombat 11

Posted on February 1, 2019 by John Scalzo

Mortal Kombat fans, lend me your ears…

Kano, the leader of the Black Dragon Clan and nemesis to Sonya Blade, will be joining Mortal Kombat 11 as a playable character. NetherRealm Studios delivered the news yesterday via Twitter, likely in lieu of Wednesday’s canceled Kombat Kast stream. The polar vortex hit Chicago particularly hard and the developer moved the broadcast for the “safety of [their] team.”

Mortal Kombat 11’s first Kombat Kast will now be held on Tuesday, February 5, at 4:00 PM (Eastern Time), and we’ll likely learn more about the game’s roster then.

And don’t forget, Mortal Kombat 11’s launch is coming up very soon after that. It’ll be available for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on April 23.

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Jumpgrid will be available to download for PC on February 12

Posted on January 29, 2019 by John Scalzo

Developer Ian MacLarty describes Jumpgrid as a cross between a “bullet hell” shooter and a hypersonic version of Pac-Man. I had a similar reaction to the game last month, but you can judge the accuracy of this claim for yourself by viewing its latest trailer, which has been embedded above:

Jumpgrid is bullet hell hyper-Pac-Man. Survive an ever-moving cosmic obstacle course by deftly teleporting between nodes on the “Jumpgrid”. Clear all nodes to open a wormhole to the next level. Success requires only a few seconds of precision finger ballet, but touch any of the pulsing hazards and the level instantly resets, ready for you to try again, and again, and again…

If you’re interested in giving Jumpgrid a try, MacLarty also announced that the game will be available to download for the PC (through Steam and Itch.io) on February 12.

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Ed Boon responds (in typical Ed Boon fashion) to a fan petition asking to add Scooby Doo’s Shaggy to Mortal Kombat 11

Posted on January 29, 2019 by John Scalzo

Did you know that Scooby Doo’s pal Shaggy has godlike powers? It’s one of the stranger memes currently circulating around the Internet (even Matthew Lilliard is somehow involved), and Mortal Kombat fans recently took it one step further by asking NetherRealm Studios to add the mystery-solving teen to the upcoming Mortal Kombat 11.

The Change.org petition has more than 165,000 signatures as of this writing, and it even prompted a response from Ed Boon, NetherRealm’s Creative Director. But in typical fashion for Boon, the developer spent the day teasing his fans about Shaggy’s possible inclusion in Mortal Kombat 11 on Twitter.

First, he sarcastically told his followers that it wasn’t happening (“Let me know how that works out for you…“). But he followed that up a few hours later with a second tweet that hinted Shaggy might make it into the game after all.

Mortal Kombat and Scooby Doo both live under the vast corporate umbrella of Warner Bros., so Shaggy could easily be added to the blood-soaked series if the right executives signed off on it. But while it’s unlikely that Warner Bros. would want one of their family-friendly characters fighting for his life in the game, it wouldn’t be first time Shaggy was involved in a more adult adventure. DC Comics’s Scooby Apocalypse series is absolutely drenched in blood and gore, so that version of Shaggy would be right at home in Mortal Kombat 11.

The comic also features a cybernetically-enhanced Scrappy Doo and a dream sequence where Velma becomes the bikini-clad “Monster Queen”… it’s a weird book.

Mortal Kombat 11 will be released for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on April 23. I have my doubts that Shaggy will make the cut, but nothing seems to be impossible for NetherRealm Studios.

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Madden NFL 19’s Super Bowl LIII simulation predicts the Rams will beat the Patriots

Posted on January 28, 2019 by John Scalzo

Tom Brady will spend this Sunday looking to capture his sixth Super Bowl Ring, but he might not want to call his jeweler just yet. According to Madden NFL 19‘s official Super Bowl XIII Simulation, the Los Angeles Rams will defeat the New England Patriots by a score of 30 to 27.

EA Sports also uploaded a video featuring gameplay footage from their simulation, and it’s been embedded above. But if everything breaks the same way in real life, Aaron Donald will capture the MVP Award with four sacks, while Jared Goff will throw for over 300 yards:

Aaron Donald finished his dominant season with a Super Bowl record four sacks to cement his first MVP award. Other player highlights included Jared Goff topping Tom Brady by throwing for 303 yards to Brady’s 287 yards, while both garnered two touchdown passes and one interception. Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman and Rams wide receiver Robert Woods both hauled in eight catches and one touchdown for a total of 104 and 103 receiving yards respectively. Pats running back Sony Michel was the top rusher with 103 yards and touchdown, while no Rams player rushed for more than 100 yards, with running back C.J. Anderson maxing out at 64 yards on 18 carries.

Will the Madden series make yet another correct prediction? We’ll all find out this Sunday, February 3, when Super Bowl LIII kicks off at 6:30 PM (Eastern Time).

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Overwatch’s “Year of the Pig” event is now available through February 18

Posted on January 24, 2019 by John Scalzo

Blizzard kicked off Overwatch‘s annual Lunar New Year event earlier today and players will be able to chase a new set of seasonal Skins, Emotes, Highlights, Player Icons, Sprays, and Voice Lines from now until February 18.

During the “Year of the Pig,” the developer will make the “Busan” map suitable for Capture the Flag and they’ve also launched a second season of the game’s Competitive Capture the Flag mode:

We’re celebrating the 2019 Lunar New Year with new seasonal items, including the legendary skins Lü Bu Reaper, Guan Yu Reinhardt, Zhuge Liang Zenyatta, Hong Gildong Tracer, Zhang Fei Torbjörn, and Huang Zhong Hanzo. Through February 18, items from previous Lunar New Year events will be available to unlock for a discounted credit price. This year, we’re also adding a festive Capture the Flag version of the Busan map, and kicking off a second season of Competitive Capture the Flag!

More information about this year’s Lunar New Year event can be found at PlayOverwatch.com, and a new trailer highlighting some of the new unlockable items has been embedded above.

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Capcoms rolls out a Launch Trailer and a Live-Action Trailer for Resident Evil 2

Posted on January 24, 2019 by John Scalzo

We’re just one day away from Capcom’s long-awaited remake of Resident Evil 2, and the publisher has rewarded out patience with a creepy new Launch Trailer featuring Leon Kennedy, Claire Redfield, the Birkins, Ada Wong, and more. They’ve also unveiled a new Live-Action Trailer that pays homage to George Romero’s original advertisement for the game from 1998.

You can view both videos after the break, and don’t forget that Resident Evil 2 will be available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One beginning tomorrow. (more…)

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Red Dead Redemption 2 cowboys up as the best-selling game of 2018

Posted on January 23, 2019 by John Scalzo

A wise man once said, “When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.” And that’s exactly what Rockstar Games did with Red Dead Redemption 2.

The publisher’s western epic has been nine years in the making, and it blew away all expectations (and chased every other big release away from its October 26 launch date) as the best-selling game in November. Now, The NPD Group has revealed that it’s also the best-selling game for all of 2018.

Activision’s mighty Call of Duty franchise claimed the #2 spot with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and many of the other usual suspects can be found throughout the top ten including NBA 2K19 (#3), Madden NFL 19 (#4), Far Cry 5 (#7), and Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (#10).

It was also a good year all around for single-player games as Spider-Man (#6) and God of War both cracked the top ten. Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was also able to break into the top five (at #5) after only being on sale for a few weeks. Finally, the surprising success of Capcom’s Monster Hunter: World helped the latest entry in the franchise come in at #9.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, the NPD Group said that the entire game industry generated $16.7 billion in sales in 2018, a 13% increase over 2017. That includes a 33% increase for accessories, as a 7% increase for software, and 8% for hardware. On that note, the Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console of 2018.

The NPD’s Top 10 best-selling games for 2018 (in handy list format) can be found after the break. (more…)

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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate beats up the competition as the best-selling game from December 2018

Posted on January 23, 2019 by John Scalzo

Even though it’s one of Nintendo’s marquee properties, the Smash Bros. series has always drifted a bit below the radar of the average gamer. That is definitely no longer the case, as The NPD Group revealed the best-selling games from December 2018 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate absolutely blew away the competition.

In fact, the tracking firm told GamesIndustry.biz that Smash Bros. Ultimate had a record-setting debut, and set a new “Launch Month” sales record for a platform exclusive. More impressive, it set this record even though Nintendo doesn’t share digital sales data with The NPD Group.

With the gift-giving season in full swing, some of 2018’s biggest games populated the rest of the list. Red Dead Redemption II slid down to #2, and it was followed by Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (#3), Battlefield V (#4), and NBA 2K19 (#5).

Nintendo dominated the back half of the top ten, with three more titles on the list… Mario Kart 8 (#6), Super Mario Party (#8), and Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu (#9). Madden NFL 19 (#7) and Insomniac’s Spider-Man (#10) rounded out the top ten.

A complete look at The NPD Group’s list of the best-selling games from last month (in handy list format) can be found after the break. (more…)

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