WB Games "Too Valuable" To AT&T, No Longer up for Sale
A couple of months ago, reports emerged that Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (or WB Games) were up for sale as parent company AT&T looked to settle its debts and streamline internal structuring by selling off assets. Microsoft, EA, Activision, and Take-Two Interactive emerged as the frontrunners in what was potentially looking like a multi-billion dollar deal.
However, less than a month ago, it started looking like things had changed for WB Games, and that AT&T were no longer looking to sell the company off. Now, a new report by Bloomberg claims the same. As per the report, thanks to a recent change in leadership at AT&T (with former COO John Stankey having stepped in as CEO in early July), the company now considers WB Games "too valuable", and sees value in the potential growth of its business, especially with some major releases coming up.
The one release that Bloomberg's report mentions specifically is the rumoured upcoming Harry Potter RPG, which could turn out to be a major commercial success if things go right. Other factors are also at play, such as all the licensing arrangements that would have gone hand-in-hand with a potential sale of the entire WB Games division.
WB Games has a couple of other major games releasing in the next few years as well, with Gotham Knights due out in 2021, and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League set for a 2022 launch.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War on PC Will Support Ray-Tracing, DLSS 2.0, and More
Last year, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare partnered with Nvidia for impressive PC support, and the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will be doing the same. As announced on Nvidia's website, the game will feature support for Nvidia's DLSS 2.0 and ray-tracing. In addition, the game will also feature support for Nvidia Reflex for optimized latency, making for more responsive gameplay, especially in multiplayer.
Activision have also pledged support for the GeForce RTX 30 Series, Nvidia's recently unveiled series of next-gen GPUs. Mark Gordon, co-studio head at Treyarch says, "With the GeForce RTX 30 Series, we've been able to expand our ability to realistically immerse players into our game world with the integration of ray tracing features. We're also excited about the introduction of NVIDIA DLSS, which will level up performance. We look forward to continuing our commitment to Call of Duty PC players everywhere."
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is launching for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 13. It will also be available on PS5 and Xbox Series X when they release, but won't support free next-gen upgrades, and will be $10 costlier on the next-gen consoles. On PS5 and Xbox Series X, it will feature several visual and technical enhancements.
Several other major upcoming games have also confirmed support for the GeForce RTX 30 Series, including the likes of Watch Dogs: Legion and Cyberpunk 2077.
You can read up on the announcements and specs of the RTX 3070, RTX 3080, and RTX 3090 through the links.
Cyberpunk 2077 Trailer Shows off Ray-Tracing on the New GeForce RTX 30 Series
Nvidia recently officially unveiled the next generation of their GeForce RTX GPUs with the RTX 30 series, comprising of the flagship RTX 3080, the cheaper alternative to that in RTX 3070, and the much more expensive but extremely impressive RTX 3090. To go along with those announcements, they've also showed off some major upcoming games in action running on their upcoming GPUs.
Cyberpunk 2077 has been one of Nvidia's biggest partners for a while with its support for ray-tracing and more, and in a new trailer, Nvidia shows off the game running on the GeForce RTX 30 series. With support for DLSS 2.0, Nvidia's new next-gen Ampere ray-tracing, and more, CD Projekt RED's upcoming RPG is looking quite impressive. Take a look below.
Another game that recently got a similar RTX trailer was Watch Dogs: Legion. You can check out that trailer through here.
Cyberpunk 2077 launches for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 19, and later in the year for Stadia. Dedicated next-gen versions of the game will be coming some time in 2021.
GeForce RTX 3090, Nvidia's Ultimate Next-Gen GPU, is an Absolute Beast
Nvidia have revealed the full extent of their next-gen GPUs with the much-anticipated GeForce RTX 30 series. The RTX 3080 is their flagship new GPU, while the RTX 3070 presents a cheaper alternative, but if you want to go all out with future-proofing, there's a better (and much more expensive option for you).
The GeForce RTX 3090 is the highest in the RTX 30 line, described by Nvidia as "the fastest GPU ever built for gaming", with support for 8K gaming at 60 FPS. It's supposed to be 50% faster than the TITAN RTX, and comes with a a three-slot, dual-axial, flow-through design, which keeps the GPU 30 degrees cooler than it and is up to 10 times quieter.
The GeForce RTX 3090 has 10,496 CUDA cores and a 24 GB GDDR6X VRAM. It also features HDMI 2.1 support, 8K HDR ShadowPlay, enhanced ray tracing cores, Tensor cores, new streaming multiprocessors, AI acceleration, and more.
With all of these impressive specs though, it's also going to have a price to match, and will launch for $1499 on September 24.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light – Shadebinder Abilities, Aspects and Fragments Detailed
Bungie has been showcasing gameplay footage for the new Stasis subclasses coming in Destiny 2: Beyond Light, namely the Shadebinder Warlock, Revenant Hunter and Behemoth Titan. In a new article, it goes into further detail on the Shadebinder. The default abilities include firing freezing projectiles while the melee attack, Penumbral Blast, can also freeze foes.
The Super, "Winter's Wrath", sends out freezing projectiles before sending out a detonating Shatter Shockwave to immediately destroy any enemies frozen. However, what's more interesting about the new Stasis subclasses is how they'll be customized. Bungie is introducing two new customization options – Aspects and Fragments – which alter one's playstyle significantly.
Aspects grant new abilities, like Frostpulse which causes Warlock Rifts to freeze nearby foes, while Fragments grant different benefits at the cost of stat penalties. For instance, the Whisper of Bonds Fragment will grant Super energy upon defeating frozen enemies with weapons but at the cost of Intellect and Discipline. However, the Whisper of Refraction Fragment will restore Class Ability energy when killing frozen enemies, thus letting you chain Rifts continuously.
Overall, it's interesting and gives the game some much-needed class customization independent of Seasonal Mods and Exotics. The next in-depth article will cover the Behemoth Titan and its abilities so stay tuned for more details on that. Destiny 2: Beyond Light is currently slated to release on November 10th for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X, PS5, PC and Google Stadia.
Marvel's Avengers Will Have Seasonal Events, Social Space
With early access players getting their hands on Marvel's Avengers before its worldwide launch, it's easy to lose track of all the post-launch content. Not only did the latest War Table stream reveal end-game activities and a new character (Kate Bishop) coming after launch but also confirmed the existence of events. As detailed on the PlayStation Blog, these will range from week-long to seasonal events.
Along with new locations, these events will also have new cosmetics and gear to earn. Of course, you'll need to unlock them in that limited time window. Another interesting new addition is SHIELD Substation Zero, a Resistance Outpost that Maria Hill operates. This is essentially a social space available post-launch but also ties into the Tachyon Rifts that will be coming as well.
Regardless, there will be more missions and even more gear to earn when the social space goes live. In the meantime, Marvel's Avengers is out on September 4th for Xbox One, PS4, PC and Google Stadia. Stay tuned for more details especially on when to expect the Xbox Series X and PS5 versions.
Rebel Galaxy Outlaw Out on September 22nd for PS4, Xbox One, Switch and Steam
Double Damage Games' Rebel Galaxy Outlaw is coming soon to the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4 and Steam. It will release for all of the above platforms on September 22nd and retail at $29.99. The open world space shooter is notable for being exclusive to the Epic Games Store when it launched last year.
As a follow-up of sorts to Rebel Galaxy, Rebel Galaxy Outlaw is about Juno Markev and her quest to hunt down a killer. Juno must make her way through the Dodge Sector, which consists of about 40 different systems, and engage with other NPCs to complete her quest. Alternatively, players can opt to take on mercenary work, become a pirate or something in between while ignoring the story completely.
There's a ton to do in the game, from playing pool to joining guilds and purchasing a space station. You can also just cruise through space and listen to more than 21 hours of music across seven radio stations. Naturally, you'll have plenty of options to upgrade your spaceship as well. Stay tuned for more details when the game launches later this month.
GeForce RTX 3070 Announced as Nvidia's Cheaper Next-Gen GPU Alternative
Nvidia have lifted the lid on their highly anticipated and long-awaited next-gen GPUs, and the new GeForce RTX 30 series has impressed one and all with what's been announced so far. The GeForce RTX 3080 has been confirmed as the new flagship graphics card, designed with 4K/60 FPS gaming in mind, but if you're looking for a relatively cheaper alternative, Nvidia have got you covered.
The GeForce RTX 3070 will be priced at $499, and although it's not at the same level as the other two RTX 30 cards announced, it's no slouch either. Nvidia says it's faster than the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, which is notable because it costs half as much. Notably enough, it's also 60% faster than the RTX 2070 (which costs the same as the 3070).
The GeForce RTX 3070 boasts 5888 CUDA Cores and an 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM- which is not as impressive as the RTX 3080's 8704 cores and 10 GB GDDR6X VRAM (don't even get me started on the RTX 3090), but impressive on its own nonetheless.
It will be launching a little later than the flagship 3080. Nvidia have pegged the RTX 3070's release date as some time in October for now.
GeForce RTX 3080 is Nvidia's New Flagship Next-Gen GPU
Nvidia recently had their grand unveiling of the next generation of their GeForce RTX GPUs, and it's fair to say that they knocked the ball out of the park. Out of the three new graphics cards announced, the flagship GPU is the GeForce RTX 3080, built for 4K/60 FPS gaming, with Nvidia saying that it "consistently delivers" over 60 frames at 4K.
The RTX 3080 is said to be up to twice as fast as the original RTX 2080. Built on a custom 8N manufacturing process, it has 28 billion transistors, 8704 CUDA Cores, and a 10 GB GDDR6X VRAM. It was also confirmed that the images showing the curved heatsink and bi-directional fans of the GPU that were leaked earlier in the year are indeed accurate. Other features that have been confirmed are support for second generation ray tracing, AI acceleration, new streaming multiprocessors, faster 3rd gen Tensor Cores, and more.
The RTX 3080 will launch for a price of $699, and launches on September 17. Make sure to also read up on the announcements of the GeForce RTX 3070 and the GeForce RTX 3090.
WWE 2K Battlegrounds – 13 Things You Need To Know
A new WWE 2K game is on the horizon but not the one we're used to seeing. Instead of the usual wrestling "sim", 2K Sports revealed WWE 2K Battlegrounds, a more exaggerated and over-the-top wrestling game. It's out on September 18th for Xbox One, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch and Stadia but what should you know before buying? Let's take a closer look at exactly what's on offer.
Replaces WWE 2K21
The announcement of WWE 2K Battlegrounds came in the wake of WWE 2K21 being canceled. The series will be taking this year off due to the poor reception of last year's title with 2K Sports committing to a 2021 sequel "with a renewed focus on quality and fun." While no details have been provided about WWE 2K22, the publishing label did confirm that the former head of Amazon Game Studios in Orange County – who's working on the MMO New World – will be in charge. In the meantime, WWE 2K Battlegrounds will have to tide fans over until next year.
Developed by Saber Interactive
With Visual Concepts occupied developing next year's flagship WWE 2K title, it's Saber Interactive in charge of developing WWE 2K Battlegrounds. The developer has made a name for itself over recent years, developing Switch ports for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition and Vampyr, working on the upcoming Crysis Remastered with Crytek and much more. It's even developed NBA 2K Playgrounds for 2K Sports so it has experience with sports titles, if nothing else.
Arcade-Style Action
Unlike any WWE 2K title released till now, WWE 2K Battlegrounds is more of an arcade-style fighting game with power-ups and over-the-top moves. Wrestlers are also more cartoonish in appearance and environmental attacks go above and beyond in terms of absurdity. You can throw an opponent to hungry crocodiles, drop a car on them in an auto shop and so on. The action is somewhere between WWE All Stars and a regular WWE 2K title but viewed through the lens of madness, if that sounds appealing.
Campaign
The Campaign uses a pretty familiar formula. You're an up and coming wrestler who must prove themselves and rise through the ranks. What's different is how it's being presented. Utilizing a comic book format for certain scenes, the Campaign sees Paul Heyman consulting with CEO Vince McMahon to create a new brand called Battlegrounds. Together with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, the duo is on the lookout for the next big WWE Superstar. You can choose from seven specific wrestlers to compete in this mode, though the differences are more likely due to play-styles than anything else.
Commentary
What is a wrestling game without commentary from some familiar voices? To that end, Mauro Ranallo and Jerry "The King" Lawler will commentate on the action. On the one hand, we're excited. On the other hand, we have too many painful memories of Lawler constantly saying "He's putting those educated feet to good use!" So we'll have to wait and see how it pans out.
8 Arenas
In terms of arenas, there's quite the varied selection. You have the usual RAW and Smackdown arenas along with WrestleMania. However, there's the aforementioned Auto Shop, a Military Bootcamp out in the wilderness, The Dock with its crocodiles and much more. It should be interesting to see if any other bizarre environmental hazards manifest (like, say, helicopters). Players will also be able to create their own arenas though there's no confirmation on whether they can be shared online.
Exhibition Matches
Exhibition Mode is where you'll go for competing in quick matches, whether it's against the AI or another player. Match types include 1v1, Triple Threat, Fatal Four Way, Steel Cage and Royal Rumble. No word yet on whether you can have custom match types and it seems that certain matches, like TLC or Ladder matches, are missing. Then again, all the insane stuff possible in a normal match may be the reason for the omission.
Multiplayer
Local multiplayer is supported but players can also battle online. There's also the King of the Battleground mode which starts with four players in the ring. Once they're eliminated, four more players will hop into the fray with the last wrestler standing declared the winner. It's a mix of battle royal and Royal Rumble rules, which should make for some chaotic fun. Online tournaments, on the other hand, are time-limited affairs that include different ways to win and promise "big bucks". Further details are yet to be provided but it seems there will be different kinds of tournaments available at all times.
Battleground Challenge
Then there's Battleground Challenge Mode, which sees players creating their own wrestler – customizing their look with sliders and cosmetic items – and fighting through 100 different challenges. Completing challenges will unlock in-game currency, more vanity items and even additional playable characters. Again, more details are required but this sounds like a nice tower mode of sorts to grind through.
Over 70 Wrestlers at Launch
The launch roster is fairly packed with both current Superstars and retired Legends. You have the likes of AJ Styles, Bobby Lashley, Kevin Owens, John Cena, Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Daniel Bryan, Triple H and Roman Reigns along with Yokozuna, The Rock, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker and Sgt. Slaughter. Interestingly, the roster includes wrestlers no longer with the WWE like Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows along with Jake "The Snake" Roberts who's signed with AEW. Better to have them than not, we suppose.
Post-Launch Wrestlers
It wouldn't be a WWE 2K game without lots – and we mean, lots – of post-launch wrestlers. The list once again includes current Superstars like Dana Brooke, Billie Kay, Rhea Ripley, Sami Zayn, Sonya Deville, the Usos and Andrade along with legends like Mark Henry, Ultimate Warrior, Vader, Trish Stratus, Eddie Guerrero, Goldberg, British Bulldog and Bret "The Hitman" Hart. Even Vince McMahon and Shane McMahon will be playable. Some of these will be free post-launch though Saber Interactive has yet to detail which ones.
Microtransactions
Of course, it wouldn't be a 2K Sports title without microtransactions. While WWE 2K Battlegrounds costs $40, it will also include in-game purchases. We know about Golden Bucks which, according to the Microsoft Store listing for the Digital Deluxe Edition, will let you "unlock additional WWE Superstars and legends." But this could be an in-game currency with a premium currency that can be purchased with real money to be revealed later.
Digital Deluxe Edition and Pre-order Bonuses
Those who purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition will get "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, the Attitude Era version of The Rock and Ronda Rousey, each with three different versions, playable from the outset. How can Attitude Era Rock have three different versions? This may allude to different outfits but it's possible if you factor in the Nation of Domination, the People's Champion and Corporate versions of the Superstar into the equation. The Digital Deluxe Edition will also provide 1100 Golden Bucks which can be used to unlock more Superstars and Legends. All pre-orders for both the Standard and Digital Deluxe Edition will also receive immediate access to Edge (who un-retired earlier this year).