Marvel's Avengers To Get All-Access Weekend Trial On PS5, PS4, Steam, And Stadia Starting July 29

Marvel's Avengers is an interesting case study to look at. It released late in 2020 and, despite having one of the biggest IPs on the planet, the game seems to have not done well at all for Square Enix. Still, however, they are committed to at least continuing their support for the game with a roadmap planned out for 2021. Now select platforms can also get full access to the game for a limited time weekend.

Square Enix announced that next week you'll be able to have a full access weekend to the game's content. That includes everything, all currently released single player and multiplayer content, including the released DLC for the story mode featuring the Hawkeyes as well as the new "Family Reunion Omega Level Threat, revamped multiplayer Mega Hives, and the Beating the Odds Scientist Supreme Sector," for multiplayer. You will, however, miss the latest story expansion, War for Wakanda, that will feature Black Panther that will release late August.

Marvel's Avengers is available now on most major platforms. The All-Access Weekend will be on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam and Stadia starting on July 29th and run until August 1st. According to the announcement, there is talks with the Xbox team to also have a trial for those platforms later.

Playdate Preorders Will Begin On July 29

Roughly two years ago, developer Panic announced an unusual new gaming hardware, the handheld Playdate. The device, as you can see above, is a small device with a crank and a variety of different smaller games to play. After a long wait, we now know when you'll be able to get your hands (or hand, rather, considering the size) on the Playdate.

Panic announced that preorders for the system will go live next week according to an e-mail newsletter sent out by the company. The first batch will be a relatively small one, consisting of 20,000 units, but the developer assures that the preorder will not sell out in the manner as has been common with new systems over the last year, and will remain open. The first batch of preorders is planned to go out at the end of 2021, with others after that initial batch coming at the beginning of 2022.

The Playdate preorder will go live on July 29th and will retail for $179.99 USD. The system is set to have seasons of various titles, with the first season of 24 titles coming with the handheld itself, and you can read more details about that at the official site through here.

Dead Space Remake Won't Have Microtransactions

It's a good day for Dead Space fans with a remake of the first game being announced at EA Play Live 2021. Motive Studios is looking at various ways to enhance the original while maintaining its spirit and that includes integrating ideas from later in the franchise. The good news is that this doesn't include microtransactions, which were introduced in Dead Space 3.

Speaking to IGN, senior producer Phil Ducharme said, "We're looking at what can be taken and re-injected into the first game from a future standpoint. We're also learning from mistakes such as microtransactions, which we will not have, for instance, in our game." Ducharme further noted that the game is being developed to "never' have microtransactions added in.

This isn't the first time that an Electronic Arts-published title has proclaimed its lack of microtransactions. In 2019, Respawn confirmed that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order had none. Star Wars: Squadrons, which Motive also developed, followed up on this stance in 2020. While those could be looked at as a way to assuage those fearing a repeat of Star Wars Battlefront 2, EA is seemingly continuing its drive for such titles.

Dead Space is currently in development for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC. There's no release date because development is still at an early stage. However, it is confirmed to have no loading screens on the new consoles along with 3D audio support.

Dead Space Remake Won't Have Loading Screens on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, 3D Audio Confirmed

After the underwhelming reception to Dead Space 3 in 2013, the franchise is finally making a comeback with a remake to the original Dead Space. Developed by Motive Studios, it will be coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC with the team using Frostbite Engine to rebuild the original from the ground-up. Senior producer Philippe Ducharme and creative director Roman Campos-Oriola spoke to IGN about the developer is staying true to the original.

Interestingly, the team is looking all of the original assets instead of what's on the final disc. As Campos-Oriola notes, "We started with the original level design of the original Dead Space. What's funny is that you can see some of the iterations that were made prior to ship by the team. In the first chapter, you can see some corridors that they wanted to do first in a certain way, and then you can understand why they changed it for technical constraints or [some other reason].

"Then in terms of visuals, sound, gameplay, everything, we are rebuilding all of these assets. We are not porting them, it's not uprezzing the texture or adding more polygons to the model. It's really rebuilding all these elements, shooting all the animations, et cetera."

Though development is still at an early stage, Motive is looking at how the Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC can add to the experience. "We want to make that immersion even deeper with a fully interactive experience, from the start screen to the end credits. We don't want anything to pull you out of the experience and we don't want any cuts. [The faster SSDs of new consoles mean] there's not going to be any loading. There's not going to be any moment where we're going to cut your experience, where we're going to cut your camera. You can play it from the start screen to the end credits seamlessly."

Ducharme adds that, "As an objective that we gave early on to everyone, what we're trying to achieve is an immersion where you never want to put your controller down. Dead Space is not a 60 – 100 hour game. Ideal scenario, you don't actually want to get up to go to the bathroom because you're so immersed within the universe and you want to play it through in one sit-down." Another key aspect of the immersion is the UI, which displayed all relative information in-game instead of a separate menu.

This is still the case but Motive is looking at enhancing it along with the game's ability to keep players focused on the world. If things weren't scary enough, then fans will be happy to hear that additional effects like volumetrics and dynamic lighting are being used to enhance scenes.

"[We wanted to] make sure that the improvements we were making were inside the DNA of what Dead Space is, and not just, 'Oh, we can add more texture res and more polygons, let's just throw them at it.' We really wanted to convey that feeling of Dead Space. The addition of volumetric effects and the dynamic lighting inside these scenes add a huge element to the atmosphere that we're trying to convey."

3D audio will also be utilized to add to the immersions. "We wanted to use the sounds you're used to as well and improve those sounds, and improve this immersion so the sounds of the door that you're hearing, the sound of the health bar, the sound of the creatures… we're building on top of the original and recreating it, but [we] make sure it is true to the original and that we are honoring the legacy of the original game.

"3D audio [will also add the] understanding of where the sound comes from, having the right propagation, in the corridors, making it come from the vents above you, or behind you. These are all things that we'll be able to expand on to increase the level of immersion," said Ducharme.

The Dead Space remake doesn't have a release window. Stay tuned for more details and updates in the coming months (and maybe even years).

Battlefield 2042 Open Beta Set for September 6th

Battlefield Portal, Battlefield 2042's previously unannounced mode developed by Ripple Effect Studios, was finally revealed at EA Play Live 2021. However, that wasn't the only big announcement that the development team had in store. The beta for Battlefield 2042 is coming in September and the official Twitter account has provided the full schedule.

Pre-loads for the beta begin on September 3rd at 1 AM PT. Those who pre-ordered the game will gain access on September 4th at 1 AM PT. The open beta will be available for all players on September 6th at 1 AM PT and comes to a close at 7 AM PT on September 11th. A closed alpha test will take place beforehand, though DICE hasn't provided a release date.

It's also yet to confirm what content the beta will have to stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks. Battlefield 2042 launches on October 22nd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PS4, PC and Xbox One with cross-platform play (with separate pools for current and previous gen platforms) and cross-progression.

Dead Space Remake Announced for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC

Electronic Arts closed its EA Play Live show with a peek at Dead Space. That's right – the acclaimed third person shooter/horror series is being revived with Motive Studios in charge of development (as the rumors indicated). It will be coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

While not showcasing any gameplay or even a release window, the teaser trailer did provide some game engine footage showcasing a Necromorph in the distance before cutting to Isaac Clarke's back. Based on the first game, this is a remake that's been rebuilt from the ground up with the Frostbite Engine. This allows for improved visual fidelity and gameplay improvements but it will stay true to the spirit of the original.

Dead Space originally released in 2008 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, and featured engineer Isaac Clarke as he boarded the USG Ishimura to search for his partner Nicole. Things quickly go downhill as Isaac and his crew are assaulted by Necromorphs, grotesque monsters that can only be killed by hacking off their limbs. It may be a while before the remake releases so stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

Battlefield 2042 – Battlefield Portal Officially Unveiled

Battlefield 2042's mysterious new third multiplayer experience, developed by Ripple Effect Studios, has been in the rumour mill for a long time now. The developers have said previously that it will be bringing back some fan-favourite Battlefield maps, and now, they've officially unveiled it, giving several new details.

The mode, called Battlefield Portal, was prematurely leaked earlier today, and now has received an official announcement. The mode is described as a community-driven experience, and will bring back maps, weapons, and vehicles from older Battlefield games. The past Battlefield games represented in the mode are 1942, Bad Company 2, and Battlefield 3. Players can mix and match and play however they want, so yes- you can pit World War 2 content from the earlier days of the series against Battlefield 2042's futuristic content.

Maps such as Battle of the Bulge, Caspian Border, Noshahr Canals, and El Alamein are confirmed along with several weapons and vehicles, all of which have been remade from the ground up. It's been confirmed that the mode is going to be available in the game at launch.

Battlefield 2042 launches for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 22.

Knockout City Season 2 Details Revealed, Dropping July 27th

The EA PLay Live event is well, live and brings a number of exciting announcements. In addition to information on games like Lost and Random and Apex Legends and reveals such as GRID Legends, Velan Sutdios tuned in to give more details about the season 2 of Knockout City. Check the video down below for more details.

Knockout City's season 2 is titled, "At the movies" and includes gear and cosmetics related to pop culture. There are new map layouts, ranging anywhere from a fort to a baby's bedroom. A new ball in the form of a Soda Can was also revealed, and Season 2 begins on July 27th.

Knockout City released earlier this year to great reviews, combining great visuals with an addictive gameplay loop. It's free to play until Street Rank 25, so interested fans might want to check it out right now. Knockout City is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Nintendo Switch.

Lost in Random Trailer Showcases Dice Battles, Releases on September 10th

A new trailer for Zoink! Games' Lost in Random debuted at EA Play Live 2021, showcasing combat via Dice Battles. As players explore the world of Random, they can discover coins and purchase cards. These cards will provide new attacks and abilities. Check it out below.

As players engage in Dice Battles, protagonist Even can attack enemies to gather Energy Cubes. Once enough have been gathered, they can charge Dicey and roll him to unleash powerful skills. These include freezing time, a ticking time bomb (that can also hurt Even if you're not careful), summoning a giant hammer, Uma's Blessing for a bubble shield to block damage, curses and much more.

There are six realms to explore in the Kingdom of Random en route to saving Even's sister Odd with dialogue choices popping up when interacting with different characters. Lost in Random is out on September 10th for Xbox One, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch with pre-orders currently in live. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

Apex Legends – Season 10: Emergence Receives New Trailer Ahead of Imminent Launch

At EA Play Live, Respawn Entertainment's evergreen battle royale shooter Apex Legends took the stage to give us a glimpse at what the game's next season has in store for us. Season 10: Emergence is due out in just a couple of weeks, and EA has revealed a launch trailer for it, putting the spotlight on new Legend, Seer, and what makes him so unique.

Season 10: Emergence is bringing plenty of new stuff to the table. On top of Seer, players can also expect a new LMG, the Rampage, along with Ranked Arenas, which, of course, is something that Apex players will be quite thrilled about. Meanwhile, there is also going to be a new battle pass, as you'd expect. The map is also going to receive another overhaul.

Apex Legends is available on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Season 10: Emergence launches on August 3, and a new gameplay trailer focusing on Seer is going to debut on Monday, so stay tuned for that.