Most Recent: PS4

Westworld actress Shannon Woodward joins The Last of Us Part II

Posted on April 10, 2017 by John Scalzo

It’s been four long months since we first heard about The Last of Us Part II, and Naughty Dog has kept fans in the dark ever since. So naturally, those same fans are going to leap on any scrap of new information about The Last of Us Part II… like this tweet from actress Shannon Woodward about her recent motion capture work for the game:

Woodward is best known for her role in Westworld as Elsie Hughes, one of the programmers employed by the futuristic theme park. Her role in The Last of Us Part II is currently unknown, but it looks like she got a chance to chat with Creative Director Neil Druckmann while filming her part.

The Last of Us Part II is in development exclusively for the PS4, though an official release date has yet to be announced.

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New Retail Releases: Yooka-Laylee, Stardew Valley Collector’s Edition, StarBlood Arena

Posted on April 9, 2017 by John Scalzo

The past, the present, and the future collide in this week’s New Retail Release report.

Playtonic’s Yooka-Laylee is a throwback to the 3D platformers of the Donkey Kong 64/Banjo-Kazooie era. In fact, a majority of the developers from Playtonic originally worked on both of those games at Rare. With Yooka-Laylee, which will be available for the PS4 and Xbox One, the team has gone back to what they’re good at and created a game where there’s platforms to jump on, collectibles to find, and bosses to fight.

Last year, ConcernedApe’s Stardew Valley became a huge hit by combining a sprawling RPG with a farming simulation. This week, it’ll be available on retail shelves in a Collector’s Edition for the PS4 and Xbox One.

Finally this week, StarBlood Arena is a space shooter from Sony that’s launching exclusively for PlayStation VR. Players will be able to compete in single-player, co-op, and multiplayer matches as they attempt to survive in the futuristic Arena.

That’s all for now, but we’ll be back later this week with an expanded look at the latest additions to the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.

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Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End named “Best Game” at 2017 BAFTA Games Awards

Posted on April 7, 2017 by John Scalzo

Nathan Drake is going to ride off into the sunset with one last “Game of the Year” award. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts hosted the ceremony for the 2017 BAFTA Games Awards last night, and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End was selected as the year’s “Best Game.”

Playdead’s Inside didn’t win the big prize, but the indie game scooped up four BAFTAs including “Artistic Achievement,” “Game Design,” “Narrative,” and “Original Property.” Ghost Town’s Overcooked (“Best British Game” and “Family”) and Campo Santo’s Firewatch (“Debut Game” and “Performer” for Cissy Jones) also managed to collect multiple awards as part of the festivities.

A whole slew of titles were able to pull out a win in one category last night, and they include That Dragon Cancer (“Game Innovation”), Rocket League (“Evolving Game”), Overwatch (“Multiplayer”), Pokemon Go (“Mobile & Handheld”), The Last Guardian (“Audio Achievement”), and Virginia (“Music”).

A complete list of winners and nominees from the 2017 BAFTA Games Awards is available at Video Game Canon.

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The Society emerges as a threat to the Injustice 2 universe in “Shattered Alliances Part 4”

Posted on April 6, 2017 by John Scalzo

After Superman’s Regime came to power in Injustice: Gods Among Us, they managed to end all crime on Earth by executing any supervillain that fought back.

Naturally, this lead to some sore feelings, and now that the Man of Steel is in prison, the supervillain community has roared back in Injustice 2 as a terrorist organization known as “The Society.” Gorilla Grodd is leading Bane, Cheetah, Catwoman, Captain Cold, Deadshot, Scarecrow, and others against Batman’s forces, and it’s going to be a bloody confrontation.

You can learn all about Grodd’s machinations by viewing the “Shattered Alliances Part 4” trailer embedded above, and catch up with the rest of Injustice 2’s story in “Part 1,” “Part 2,” and “Part 3.”

Injustice 2 will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on May 16.

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Activision is working on at least three movies in a connected Call of Duty Cinematic Universe

Posted on April 6, 2017 by John Scalzo

Activision first began discussing the possibility of a “Call of Duty Cinematic Universe” shortly after opening their film division, Activision Blizzard Studios, a few years ago. Earlier this week, a new profile in The Guardian has revealed that the studio is already working on three separate films:

“We have plotted out many years,” [Co-President Stacey] Sher tells the Guardian. “We put together this group of writers to talk about where we were going. There’ll be a film that feels more like Black Ops, the story behind the story. The Modern Warfare series looks at what it’s like to fight a war with the eyes of the world on you. And then maybe something that is more of a hybrid, where you are looking at private, covert operations, while a public operation is going on.”

According to The Guardian, Activision would like to start filming the first entry in the “Call of Duty Cinematic Universe” sometime next year, with a theatrical premiere planned for “a couple of years after” that.

Sher and her Co-President, Nick Van Dyk, also have ambitions beyond traditional motion pictures. The pair has already partnered with Netflix to produce Skylanders Academy, and they’re also envisioning a Call of Duty-branded series that focuses on historical conflicts such as World War II and the Vietnam War.

Sher also wants fans to know that, above all else, Activision Blizzard Studios wants to make good movies: “If you just chase the empty blockbuster, and have nothing to say in the genre, forget about it.”

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Captain Cold does his best Sub-Zero impression in this Injustice 2 trailer

Posted on April 6, 2017 by John Scalzo

Just as we suspected when he was first unveiled in the “It’s Good To Be Bad” trailer, Captain Cold’s Injustice 2 incarnation owes a lot to Sub-Zero. The Mortal Kombat mainstay is the master of ice and cold, and it makes perfect sense that NetherRealm Studios would want to recreate his moveset for DC’s icy villain.

Sworn to ending all crime, the Regime hunted down and brutally executed every member of the Rogues, including Captain Cold’s sister. Using his skills as a thief and his iconic Cold Gun, Cold now seeks his vengeance. He’ll gladly use the Society to achieve it.

Captain Cold uses his Cold Gun to shoot icy projectiles across the screen. He can also freeze his opponents for a free hit or drop an Ice Ball on the ground as a trap. The supervillain even makes use of the Lin Kuei ninja’s Cold Shoulder charge.

Injustice 2 is just a little over a month away, and it’ll launch for the PS4 and Xbox One on May 16.

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This News Is On Fire… NBA Playgrounds will be available for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One in May

Posted on April 5, 2017 by John Scalzo

IGN is reporting that Saber Interactive will team up with the National Basketball Assocation to release NBA Playgrounds for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One this May.

NBA Playgrounds is following in the footsteps of the wild antics and insane dunks that NBA Jam and NBA Street pioneered more than a decade ago. Midway and EA Big may both be defunct, but their love of an over-the-top arcade basketball experience definitely lives on in 2017.

The game will feature 2-on-2 matchups with players from all 30 NBA teams, as well as a deep bench of retired legends such as Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson, Patrick Ewing, and more. And as you might expect, players can pick up and play NBA Playgrounds in single-player or multiplayer (local and online) modes.

NBA Playgrounds will be available next month exclusively as a digital download, but do not miss the game’s debut trailer, which has been embedded above.

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Cars 3: Driven To Win will be released for every available console on June 13

Posted on April 5, 2017 by John Scalzo

WB Games and Avalanche Software have announced that the Cars 3 video game, Cars 3: Driven To Win, will be released for the PS3, PS4, Switch, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One on June 13.

Taking place after the events of Disney/Pixar’s upcoming film, Cars 3: Driven To Win will ask players to master advanced racing abilities such as “Drifting, Turbo, Two-Wheel Driving, Driving Backwards and Side-Bash” as they rise through the ranks of the Piston Cup. Naturally, the game will also feature splitscreen multiplayer for competitive and cooperative modes:

Picking up after the final big race in the film, Cars 3: Driven to Win extends the storyline of Cars 3 with all-new action packed adventures and takes players through a high-speed competition that is filled with both familiar and new faces. Players will be able to join Lightning McQueen and Cruz Ramirez as they prepare to take on rival racer Jackson Storm. The game features more than 20 customizable playable characters including popular heroes from the Cars franchise and next generation racers. Players can also select their favorite race environments from a series of iconic settings from the film, such as Radiator Springs and Florida International Speedway, with over 20 unique tracks to choose from across 13 different locations.

We also got a glance at the first trailer for Cars 3: Driven To Win, and its been embedded above.

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