Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time Gives One Last Look at Gameplay

Crash Bandicoot 4

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time finally comes out next week. The team at Toys for Bob has done an admirable job revitalizing a franchise that most probably would've left for dead. And their next game looks like more of that classic Crash gameplay fans of the series know and love. Today, the team dropped a brand new gameplay trailer. Take a look to see some of the mask-collecting mayhem you're about to get up to.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time still feels like a bit of a crazy thing to come out in 2020. The series was dead for seven years after Nitro Kart 2 in 2010. After all, it had been run into the ground by that point. I never expected to see it make a comeback, but here we are.

After the success of the N. Sane Trilogy, Toys for Bob seemingly convinced Activision that it was time for a remake revelation. Now, we have several Crash games, a Spyro release, and even Tony Hawk is back. For people who grew up on those games, this is a great time to be an adult with some extra disposable income.

Personally, I've never been a Crash fan. That said, I think it's great to see Activision giving love to the old franchises they own. So, while I'll never play Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, I'm glad it exists. If only to appease my Crash-loving friends enough that they'll shut up about wanting a new one.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time hits PS4 and Xbox One on October 2. Presumably, we'll hear about next-gen versions at a later date. I can't see a world where Activision doesn't eventually bring them forward.

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Marvel's Spider-Man on PS5 Won't Have Physical Release, Saves Won't Transfer from PS4 Version

Marvel's Spider-Man

Thanks to its huge success in fall 2018, it's not exactly a huge surprise that the PS5 will be getting a remastered version of Marvel's Spider-Man to release alongside the upcoming Miles Morales. While the new version of the game will feature some improved technical enhancements from the PS5, new details from Insomniac have confirmed that the remastered version will be treated as a new release that is separate from the original PS4 version, save files included.

Developer Insomniac Games has confirmed some additional details on the upcoming remastered version of Spider-Man in response to fan questions on Twitter. Specifically, Insomniac detailed that the remastered version for Spider-Man will not be receiving a physical release for PS5, and will solely be a standalone digital title (and also is included with the Ultimate Edition of Miles Morales). In addition, Insomniac also confirmed that save files from the original PS4 release won't be supported or transferred, meaning you'll have to start over if you've made any progress in the PS4 version.

Insomniac has clarified before that the remastered release for the original Spider-Man is having some significant work put into it to take full advantage of the technical capabilities of the PS5. Given that, it seems like the remastered version is essentially being treated as a new release (and will have new Trophies), making sense that save files and other data from the original game won't be supported. However, if you're looking to play through the game again on PS5 and have the game on PS4, you'll have to purchase the new remastered version, as the title won't be receiving a free upgrade from its original release.

Marvel's Spider-Man is available now on PS4, and will be releasing in a remastered edition alongside Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales in November.

The post Marvel's Spider-Man on PS5 Won't Have Physical Release, Saves Won't Transfer from PS4 Version by Ryan Meitzler appeared first on DualShockers.

Pete Hines Says Bethesda Will Still Publish its Own Games, Todd Howard Indicates Multiplatform Releases Still are Likely [Update]

Fallout

Update: Xbox head Phil Spencer has now informed Bloomberg that future Bethesda games will come to other platforms on a "case by case basis." So there you have it. If you're buying a PS5 later this year, it looks as though Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo won't potentially be the final games coming to the console after all.

The original story can be found below.

Far and away the biggest question that many have seemed to have in the wake of Microsoft purchasing ZeniMax Media, and by proxy acquiring Bethesda Softworks, has been related to how Bethesda's portfolio of games will be published moving forward. Will all games from the brand be exclusive to Xbox Series X and PC moving forward, or will they continue to come to all platforms in perpetuity? While we still don't have a specific answer, some notable Bethesda bosses have indicated where the publisher will go in the future.

In a blog post from Bethesda's Pete Hines that was shared after the acquisition announcement, the company's Senior Vice President of PR and Marketing indicated that not a lot will be changing on their end in the future. "But the key point is we're still Bethesda. We're still working on the same games we were yesterday, made by the same studios we've worked with for years, and those games will be published by us," Hines explained. That latter point though is particularly quite interesting and makes it seems as though the Xbox Game Studios branding might not be given to games published by what was once Bethesda-owned studios.

Found in a separate post, Bethesda Game Studios' Todd Howard also indicated that the developer will potentially continue to bring its games to other platforms, too. "We share a deep belief in the fundamental power of games, in their ability to connect, empower, and bring joy. And a belief we should bring that to everyone – regardless of who you are, where you live, or what you play on. Regardless of the screen size, the controller, or your ability to even use one," Howard wrote in a blog detailing his thoughts on the acquisition. The point about bring games everywhere regardless of "the controller", in particular, makes it sound as though Bethesda Game Studios titles like Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 could very well release on a platform like the PS5 down the road.

There's still a lot left to learn about this whole situation, but for now, it sounds as though future Bethesda projects could very well end up on platforms other than Xbox and PC. And, to be honest, can you really blame Microsoft? Given how many units a title like The Elder Scrolls 6 would be sure to sell once it finally launches, the prospect of bringing it to as many locations as possible just makes the most business sense. We'll have to wait to see how this continues to develop in the coming months and years.

The post Pete Hines Says Bethesda Will Still Publish its Own Games, Todd Howard Indicates Multiplatform Releases Still are Likely [Update] by Logan Moore appeared first on DualShockers.

The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield are Being Developed on New Version of Bethesda's Game Engine, Says Todd Howard

The Elder Scrolls VI

It has been quite awhile since we've heard anything regarding Bethesda Game Studios' two upcoming projects, Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6. First announced back at E3 2018, news on each title has been virtually silent over the past two years. However, after Microsoft announced this morning that it had purchased Bethesda's parent company ZeniMax Media, some small tidbits of info related to both games have now come about.

In a blog post talking about the Xbox acquisition, Bethesda Game Studios' Todd Howard talked a bit about the move and what it means for the developer moving forward. In short, Howard explained that Microsoft has been a partner with Bethesda as far back as the early 2000s when Morrowind was released on Xbox. Since then, the two companies have had a great working relationship.

Howard also talked briefly about both Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 in the post as well. While opting to not say too much, Howard said that the power of both the Xbox Series X and S will allow Bethesda Game Studios to make "vast worlds we love to create, with generational leaps not just in graphics, but CPU and data streaming as well." He also went on to say that both upcoming projects are being worked on in a retooled version of the studio's engine. "It's led to our largest engine overhaul since Oblivion, with all new technologies powering our first new IP in 25 years, Starfield, as well as The Elder Scrolls VI," Howard said.

Bethesda confirming that it has reworked its game engine for both Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 isn't too shocking whatsoever. Over the years, Bethesda has been known to ship a lot of their games with bugs at launch, many of which seem to come about due to the engine. This overhaul of the engine is also likely part of the reason why we haven't heard anything about either title in so long. Making engine changes can take quite a long time and involves a lot of heavy lifting. Hopefully, the changes that have been made though will be beneficial in the long run.

We still have no idea when either The Elder Scrolls 6 or Starfield will be releasing, but we do now know that they'll each come to Xbox Game Pass at launch whenever that might be.

The post The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield are Being Developed on New Version of Bethesda's Game Engine, Says Todd Howard by Logan Moore appeared first on DualShockers.

Microsoft Has Purchased Bethesda Softworks and Zenimax Media for $7.5 Billion

Microsoft Purchase

In an industry-shaking acquisition, Microsoft has finalized its purchase of developer Bethesda Softworks and parent company Zenimax Media for a mind-boggling $7.5 billion.

This acquisition brings numerous award-winning franchises under Microsoft's wing. Bethesda is the development studio behind two highly successful western RPG franchises, Fallout and The Elder Scrolls. The purchase, along with Zenimax, also includes numerous other hit game producing studios. Dishonored's Arkane Studios, DOOM's ID Software and Wolfenstein's Machine Games are among the developers and IPs being acquired by Microsoft in this purchase.

The purchase of Zenimax and Bethesda by Microsoft won't change a whole lot at either of those studios now, according to a statement from Pete Hines, Bethesda's vice president of PR and marketing. "But the key point is we're still Bethesda," said Hines. "We're still working on the same games we were yesterday, made by the same studios we've worked with for years, and those games will be published by us." Details in a press release from Bethesda reveal that the developer's "structure and leadership will remain in place." Todd Howard isn't going anywhere, folks.

Phil Spencer, the Head of Xbox, also released a statement, revealing some of Microsoft's plans for its recently acquired IPs and how they will benefit the recently-revealed Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Although it appears Microsoft will have a mostly hands-off approach when it comes to Bethesda and Zenimax, it won't hesitate in bringing new releases from those companies into the Game Pass package. "We will be adding Bethesda's iconic franchises to Xbox Game Pass for console and PC," said Spencer. And that does mean every future title, from The Elder Scrolls VI to the enigmatic Starfield currently in development by Bethesda game studios.

Microsoft's purchase of Bethesda and Zenimax today is more than your run-of-the-mill acquisition. This is an industry-shaking event, with consequences stretching far into the future of gaming. One of the benefits Bethesda and Zenimax had prior to today was the freedom to release content on any platform they wanted. Granted, Microsoft isn't exactly frugal with its IPs any more (even Minecraft is on a Nintendo console), but I still can't shake the idea of the PS5 coming out and never seeing a title from Bethesda or Zenimax. Only time will tell what Microsoft has in store for its new IPs.

The post Microsoft Has Purchased Bethesda Softworks and Zenimax Media for $7.5 Billion by Otto Kratky appeared first on DualShockers.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales Fan Gets Emotional Due to Cultural Representation in the Game

If you were around to watch the PS5 showcase event last week, you would have noticed a pretty great lineup of upcoming titles as well as the release date and price for the PlayStation 5. One of the most exciting and anticipated games we saw was Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales gameplay finally being shown off. Youtuber P1SM was also watching the brand new trailer along with the rest of us while streaming his reaction on his channel but what he hadn't anticipated was how emotional he got upon seeing the cultural representation in the game and how much it meant to him to be able to identify and see himself in Insomniac's new Spider-Man title.

JC a 26-year-old gamer who reviews video games on his YouTube channel stated that as a "Puerto Rican/Dominican/Black man who grew up in the south Bronx, everything I saw here reminded me of home, reminded me of family, reminded me of all the things I love about my culture. It hit me hard. Again, representation matters." as he choked back his tears. JC's video clip reaction spread across social media like wildfire as it was shared and liked by empathic gamers across the globe and currently, it's sitting at almost 30k likes on Twitter. You can see how much this representation meant to him when he spots some Puerto Rican flags in the Spanish Harlem (El Barrio) trailer scene, which is a neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, New York City. Upon seeing this JC says "This is awesome to see, part of my heritage just being on display with a character that I love."

It's such a wonderfully wholesome and incredibly important clip that I'm really glad that JC shared as initially, he thought he looked too silly to upload but going by the many comments in reply to his reaction video, people truly connected with what JC was saying and feeling and have reached out to express how they too were impacted by the gameplay trailer. Streamer Ms 5000 Watts replied under the clip that she "felt the exact same way. You never know how a lack of representation affects you until you see that representation actually happen. Seeing the PR flags everywhere really hit me."

You can check out JC's heartwarming video below and also make sure to check out his Twitter and YouTube channel while you are here.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be a day-one launch title on PS5 and will be releasing alongside the platform on November 12, 2020. The PS4 version will be releasing at the same time as well, so if you don't want to pick up the next-gen platform on day one, you won't have to. While you are waiting to get the game in your hands, check out the official PS5 box art showcasing the superhero in all his glory.

The post Spider-Man: Miles Morales Fan Gets Emotional Due to Cultural Representation in the Game by Rachael Fiddis appeared first on DualShockers.

The Last of Us Video Highlights Only Happy Moments That'll Make Your Day a Little Brighter

Let's face it, we could all do with some lighter news right now. Lately, all you have to do is turn on the TV or open up social media to be bombarded with terrifying news that leaves many of us in a confused and anxious place. Thankfully, there are still some aspects of goodness happening around the world (if you look hard enough) and video games can provide that much needed space away from this crazy planet we call home. When you think of The Last of Us and more so The Last of Us Part 2, happy moments may not be the first thing that pops into your mind. While The Last of Us may have offered more uplighting encounters than Part 2, TLOU2 still provided many heartwarming occasions. To showcase this, Twitter user Anastasia put together some edits from both of the games to help us all to try and focus on the good instead of the bad.

Through Anastasia's wholesome short video, we see Ellie and Dina embracing in a dance on the night that their friendship turned into something more as they shared a kiss. We also see a smiling young Ellie with Joel in the scene where he plays her his song of 'Future Days' on the guitar and then offers to teach Ellie how to finally play. If you have played Left Behind which is a DLC to the original The Last of Us, you'll already be familiar with the adorable Ellie and Riley scene as they jokingly play around in a photo-booth. Abby from The Last of Us Part 2 is thrown in too as she and Lev receive some good news over the radio that the Fireflies have regrouped, giving them both hope for the future.

You'll also see clips of Dina dancing, Lev petting Alice even though he has a fear of dogs, the iconic scene from The Last of Us where Ellie and Joel stumble across a herd of giraffes, Dina and Ellie cuddling with JJ, and many other happy and pure moments shared across the scope of The Last of Us series. This video is a really great idea from Anastasia that shows us that beneath all the violence and hate, there is love and goodness to be found – you just have to look for it.

You can check out the entirety of the video below to hopefully make your start to the week a little bit better.


In other The Last of Us news, what fan wouldn't be excited about the upcoming The Last of Us HBO series? Recently, we learned that it will include a "Jaw Drop" moment that was originally cut from the game. Chernobyl creator and HBO's The Last of Us writer Craig Mazin said that "We're creating new [things] and re-imagining what is already there to present it for a different format," Mazin told the BBC's Must Watch. "Our goal is not to keep you in love with The Last of Us, but to make you fall in love with it again in a different way. It's a passive way of taking it in, instead of playing it, but you'll be experiencing more, with more characters in more ways." Mazin says of his reaction to hearing about a moment that Druckmann had initially left out of The Last of Us "Jaw drop – that's going in. For sure, we have to do that. You couldn't stop me doing that. You will have to shoot me [to stop me] from doing that."

While you're here and most probably an Ellie fan, check out this incredible fan art poster by Twitter user @IconicNephilim who has created a piece of art illustrating the evolution of Ellie throughout The Last of Us Part 2. While not wanting to leave the equally amazing Abby out, here's some fan art in the form of a mural appropriately painted right beside a gym in Wiesbaden, Germany. You may also enjoy this fierce cosplay of Abby by Nieke or this intense cosplay of Ellie facing off against some Clickers.

The Last of Us Part 2 is available now exclusively on PS4 (and soon to be PS5). The game was one of DualShockers' favorites of 2020; make sure to check out the official DualShockers (generally spoiler-free) review. Also, feel free to grab the game physically on Amazon to help support the site.

The post The Last of Us Video Highlights Only Happy Moments That'll Make Your Day a Little Brighter by Rachael Fiddis appeared first on DualShockers.

Freedom Fighters Receives Brand New PEGI Rating For PC

Freedom Fighters

Rereleases are becoming more and more common these days as publishers look to cash in on their previously released titles. Over the last month alone we've had remasters/rereleases of Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles and three different Super Mario titles. Alongside that, we've also received more details about Bluepoint's remake of Demon's Souls and more reports on the heavily rumoured Mass Effect Trilogy Remastered collection.

Now, if a new PEGI rating is to be believed, we may also be getting a rerelease of a cult classic from the PS2/GameCube/Xbox era, Freedom Fighters. The new rating was noticed by ResetEra user Dex3108 and was posted on the forums over there. The rating specifically lists a PC version, that's due for release on September 21 (today), although that could just be a placeholder.

Freedom Fighters

What's interesting about this new rating is that the publisher listed by PEGI has changed. Initially, Freedom Fighters was developed by IO Interactive and published by EA, however, this new listing suggests that if the game is to be rereleased, it will in fact be published by IO Interactive themselves. The developers, who were previously part of Square Enix, are currently working on Hitman 3, a game that's due for release on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Stadia and PC next year.

Freedom Fighters was originally released back in 2003 and is a third-person shooter set in an alternative version of New York. It sees players take control of their squad, fighting invading Soviet Forces. Players can build up their charisma throughout the game and recruit additional forces to their squad. The game came out to solid reviews, with the original sitting between 80-83% on Metacritic on the various platforms, and quickly established its cult status.

While nothing official has come from IO Interactive themselves, this is an interesting development. Here's hoping that if it's true, we get a console release alongside the PC version.

The post Freedom Fighters Receives Brand New PEGI Rating For PC by Sam Woods appeared first on DualShockers.

Hound Picked Games Reveals Nairi: Rising Tide, Sunshine Manor, and More at PAX

hound picked games niari rising tide sunshine manor

Last week, at PAX Online, PR Hound revealed 4 new indie titles that are going to be arriving through Hound Picked Games and are all set to launch next year. Out of the titles, NAIRI: Rising Tide is slated to launch next year and will also arrive on Nintendo Switch.

PAX, which is where we broadcast our PAX panels this year, took place last week and saw a bunch of other panels and game announcements. Hound Picked Games revealed its lineup of 4 indie titles that are all slated to launch next year and with each game comes a brand-new trailer showing off gameplay and what to expect. Although at the moment details on each game are rather scarce.

Sunshine Manor is one title from Fossil Games and is an adventure horror and a prequel to Camp Sunshine. The trailer shows off some 2D gameplay in which you play as Ada who winds up on a haunting adventure instead of trick or treating. You'll get to use a range of psychic powers to battle against creatures and solve puzzles around the world. It's slated to launch Halloween 2021 for PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X and S, and PS5. It also seems to have a Kickstarter page due to launch which should see more details revealed.

Mystiqa is another title and comes from developer Julian Creutz and is a fantast-action-rpg that has been inspired by the classic games such as Final Fantasty and The Legend of Zelda, but also takes inspiration from modern titles such as Dark Souls. The game is played from a top-down view and the world is procedurally generated. You'll find yourself pitted against enemies, but also different climates such as volcanic areas and blizzard-filled lands. The RPG elements allow players to make use of a hybrid class system and choose from a variety of styles of melee and ranged weapons.

Astral Equilibrium is a sequel to Kien and created in cooperation with the original creators. It allows you to play as Kjan and Elendel who are faced with the task of taking down the evil Khaalbak. When playing as Elendel, she'll be battling enemies in the night, but during the day, you'll play as Kjan. The trailer shows off some gameplay with more details expected to be revealed at a later date. It is planned to launch next year on Nintendo Switch and PC.

NAIRI: Rising Tide is a sequel to NAIRI: Tower of Shirin and developed by HomeBearStudio. It picks up from the previous game and finds the titular Nairi still trying to save her family. You can expect to be introduced to a range of new characters and old characters. The gameplay trailer shows off the point-and-click exploration and shows puzzles to solve as well as some options to choose whether to attack or flee a battle. The game is slated to launch on PC and Nintendo Switch in 2021.

The line-up certainly has a lot of retro-themes and inspirations from classics, and each game has been confirmed to have more details about them arriving at a later date to let us know more about features and more.

The post Hound Picked Games Reveals Nairi: Rising Tide, Sunshine Manor, and More at PAX by Ben Bayliss appeared first on DualShockers.

Rocket League Teases Season 1 Prior to Going Free-to-Play This Week

Rocket League free-to-play Season 1

Rocket League, that wonderful game about driving cars into a large football and getting goals in flashy ways has already been announced to be going free-to-play this week, and developer Psyonix has now shared information about the upcoming Season 1.

Last week, Rocket League got a new update introducing an entirely new UX, now showcasing menu elements in a graphically new way as well as sort of simplifying it. Of course, a lot of people aren't too impressed with the new visuals, but the biggest part of the update was introducing the Epic Games system to the game, allowing players to now see their Epic friends. It also enables cross-platform progression which allows you to link Rocket League on other platforms to one account. So really, the game is all "ready" for this Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Rocket Pass will be available to progress through with the introduction of Season 1 and will feature over 70 tiers to go through and with those items being inspired by the history of Rocket League. One, in particular, will be the Harbinger vehicle, inspired by Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars that can only be unlocked by purchasing Rocket Pass Premium and is not available for the free Rocket Pass tiers.

A new challenge system will now see players able to take part in weekly, seasonal, and event-specific challenges that will also unlock rewards for completing them. Tournaments have been revamped, and will also feature rewards to win. Additionally, those interested in taking part in the competitive playlists will be able to start ranking up as the new season begins.

Rocket League is available for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Those who have owned the game prior to it going free-to-play will receive some in-game items if they log-in. There's also a trailer to show off some of the Season 1 rewards for those who progress in the competitive ranking.

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