A fanged and horned Pikachu was almost unleashed on the world
Pokémon mascot and adorable creature Pikachu could have been a lot scarier. According to an interview with the original character illustrator behind Pikachu, a third form with horns and fangs was planned, but was removed after the development team ran into problems in balancing its great powers.
Ubisoft shows us how combat will work in ‘Beyond Good & Evil 2’
The latest development video for Beyond Good & Evil 2 has been released, and it shows off the game's staff-based melee combat, as well as another look at the game's flying mechanics. No release date has been given for the game yet, but we expect to hear more specifics at the company's E3 press conference.
Madden director leaves studio, gives series ‘chance for a new direction’
Rex Dickson, the creative director behind the Madden NFL franchise, has left EA. He was the director of the last six games in the series, and said his departure should allow for the series to take a new creative direction. His final game before leaving, Madden NFL 18, was one of our favorite football games ever.
A 21-year-old is heading up Google’s new social gaming startup
Google and 21-year-old developer Michael Sayman have partnered to create the gaming startup studio Arcade. The studio will focus on social games for mobile devices, and its first project will involve trivia. Sayman previously developed the word game 4 Snaps for iOS when he was just 17 years old.
Third ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ trailer finds the gang in disarray
Rockstar released the third official trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 on Wednesday, May 2, giving fans another taste of the long-awaited sequel. The game launches in October 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. As things stand, it promises to be one of the biggest game releases of the entire year.
Under new leader, Nintendo sets mobile-game revenue target near $1 billion
Under new president Shuntaro Furukawa, who steps into the role in June, Nintendo plans to expand its mobile games division into a nearly $1 billion business. It has already seen success with Fire Emblem Heroes, which uses a free-to-play model and raked in nearly $300 in its first year of availability.
A ‘Dark Souls Remastered’ network test will begin on May 11
Dark Souls Remastered comes to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on May 25, and if you're planning to play it on one of the consoles, you can take part in a special network test next week. The Nintendo Switch version was recently delayed until this summer, and will have its own test at a later date.
‘State of Decay 2’ gets a beta on PC, and you can sign up right now
State of Decay 2, the zombie sequel from Undead Labs, is coming to Xbox One and PC on May 22. If you want to get in on the apocalyptic action a little earlier, however, you can sign up for a beta test right now. It's only available on PC, but all you have to do is complete a survey in order to sign up.
‘Fortnite’ Season 4 transforms the Battle Royale map with comet debris
The fourth season of Fortnite has begun, and a comet has crashed onto the map, destroying an area and leaving a crater where it used to stand. The content update also adds a new mission for the Save the World mode, as well as a new weapon pack, new sub-classes and abilities, and new cosmetic items.
‘FIFA 18’ adds Russia World Cup content to game in free update
Electronic Arts is not releasing a dedicated FIFA Russia World Cup game this year, and will instead provide FIFA 18 players with World Cup content for free. This includes players as well as stadiums, and those who play the FIFA Soccer mobile game also have a few goodies to look forward to.
‘PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’ hacking tool developers arrested in China
Developers of hacking tools for use in the game PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds have been arrested in China and fined more than $5 million. Their programs were found to have contained Trojan horse software, potentially exposing the personal information of those who used the programs to cheat at the game.
Modder turns a Wii U controller into a PC that still plays Wii U games
A modder has managed to turn the Wii U's GamePad controller into a fully functional PC running Windows 10. Even better, he managed to get it running a Wii U emulator so it can still play its original games. At first glance, it's quite difficult to tell that the system isn't a standard Wii U GamePad.
8 Nintendo Labo creations born out of wild imaginations
Nintendo Labo is now available, giving players the chance to make their own creations for use with the Nintendo Switch. Almost immediately, we've seen some absolutely fantastic custom designs. Here are eight of the best, from simple aesthetic changes to fully functional custom cardboard builds.
Head back to Mars to face an ancient threat in ‘Destiny 2: Warmind’
Bungie officially revealed Destiny 2: Warmind, the second expansion for the 2017 shooter. This time, players will be heading back to Mars to meet the much-discussed character Rasputin. The expansion contains several new pieces of content, including two new strikes as well as story missions.
Take on an evil witch queen and her army of mummies in upcoming ‘Strange Brigade’
Strange Brigade, the supernatural cooperative shooter from Sniper Elite studio Rebellion Developments, will launch on August 28 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. A collector's edition is available, featuring a model airship and a hardcover art book, and a season pass containing extra missions will be also be sold.
Don’t expect the Netflix ‘Witcher’ series for a few more years
Production is moving along on The Witcher Netflix series, based on a series of Polish novels that have already been turned into a game trilogy by CD Projekt Red. However, don't expect to watch the show, which will contain eight episodes, anytime soon, as its writer estimates it will release in 2020.
May’s free Xbox Games With Gold are among the best we’ve ever seen
May looks to be one of the best months ever for the Xbox Games With Gold program, as big-name titles like Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and Vanquish will be given away for free. And a certain sports game will also be available for free on the same day that it launches on the digital store.
Here are 8 fun Twitch streamers you should start watching
With thousands of different users broadcasting their gameplay on Twitch, it can be tough to sift through the list and find the best content. We've picked out some great, relatively high-profile streamers we think are worth watching, including a few picks for younger viewers to check out.
The first ‘Serious Sam 4: Planet Badass’ trailer is suitably ridiculous
Serious Sam Stone is back, and in the first teaser trailer for Serious Sam 4: Planet Badass, we see the absolutely terrifying horde of enemies he's going to be fighting. A full reveal of the game will be shown at E3 by publisher Devolver Digital, hopefully during a conference as insane as last year's.
Deadmau5 shows off very early version of his first-person shooter
Electronic musician Joel "Deadmau5" Zimmerman has entered the world of game development and is currently in the early prototyping stage of a new multiplayer first-person shooter game. There's a clip of gameplay on his Twitch channel. Deamau5 can be seen on his channel playing PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds.
Listen to the epic ‘God of War’ soundtrack right now on Spotify
Bear McCreary's epic original soundtrack for God of War is now available on Spotify. The music's enormous chants, crescendos, and horns help to underscore the game's emotional moments. It's the latest in McCreary's eclectic portfolio, which includes work in games, television, and feature films.