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CALL OF DUTY 2021 INSIDERS ADDRESS NEW WORLD WAR 3 RUMOR

A new Call of Duty rumor is making the rounds claiming that Call of Duty 2021 will bring PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC players to World War 3 and be a sequel of sorts to Advanced Warfare. However, according to one prominent Call of Duty insider, this rumor isn't true. Meanwhile, another doesn't outright deny the rumor, but notes they haven't heard this themselves. Responding to this rumor over on Twitter, Call of Duty insider and leaker Tom Henderson -- who has proven reliable with various scoops pertaining to Modern Warfare, Warzone, Black Ops Cold War, and more -- claims this rumor isn't true. More specifically, when the rumor was brought to Henderson's attention and when he was asked if it was true, he flat out said no. Meanwhile, equally prominent Call of Duty source, ModernWarzone, chimed in about the rumor, noting they haven't heard anything that validates the rumor, which, at this point, seems to be at least partially, if not entirely, nonsense. https://twitter.com/_TomHenderson_/status/1345519300103311361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1345519300103311361%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetechgame.com%2FNews%2Fsid%3D27617%2Fcall-of-duty-2021-insiders-address-new-world-war-3-rumor.html https://twitter.com/ModernWarzone/status/1345538129919438849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1345538129919438849%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetechgame.com%2FNews%2Fsid%3D2 Read the full article

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ASSASSIN’S CREED VALHALLA DEVS VOW TO CONTINUE IMPROVING THE GAME

Ubisoft’s post-launch plans for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla include continuously updating and evolving the game based on player feedback. That’s according to producer Julien Laferrière, who told Game Informer in an interview that part of the reason Odyssey was so successful for the developer was that it listened to players. I think Odyssey was very successful in listening to its player base. When looking at Valhalla’s post-launch plans, it was important to me to have quality-of-life fixes in there, and also be able to react to the new platforms, because they continue improving. We’ve got great reception on PS5, Series X, and PC as well; people are definitely enjoying the high-end capabilities of the game, so we want to continue to capitalize on that. This isn’t meant to sound like bulls— or cliché, but for me, it’s about hearing what the player base is saying and reacting to that, on top of the extra content and the features. Elsewhere in the interview, Laferrière revealed that the development team was hoping to include naval combat in Valhalla but it didn’t quite work out like it did in Odyssey. “We actually found out that Vikings were not doing much naval combat; we thought they might be shooting flaming arrows like in Odyssey, but they just didn’t do that,” Laferrière continued. “So, we said, ‘There’s no sea in our map, only rivers…we’re going to treat the ship more like a vehicle.'” https://youtu.be/ssrNcwxALS4 Source: https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2020/12/28/ac Read the full article

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MORE ANIMAL CROSSING UPDATES ARE COMING IN 2021

Animal Crossing fans, look sharp: there will be more updates coming to the Nintendo Switch game in 2021. According to a new Polygon interview with Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is going to get plenty more updates throughout 2021 after its huge success this year. The game – which performed “well beyond expectations” according to Bowser – owes a lot to its user-generated content, which has helped the title maintain a core audience since it launched back in March 2020. This will be the focus for the game going forward and will inform the updates that arrive over the next year, too. Bowser sees “two potential avenues” for how the game will grow and progress in the future. One is informed by the “update schedule that comes from the developers” which can be formed “around seasons, around events, around enhanced gameplay features”. “The , and people’s ability to really lean into user-generated content and make that available and to share that with their friends” is what makes the game unique, Bowser says.“And that doesn’t happen on any cadence. That’s an ongoing, constantly changing and evolving environment where people can visit each other’s islands and take advantage of that , bring it to their islands and share it.“So I think that’s another aspect that really is strengthening the engagement over time with Animal Crossing.” Bowser concludes that Nintendo will “definitely” continue to release updates that allow users to make more o Read the full article

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MINECRAFT DUNGEONS CHILLS AND THRILLS EVENT IS NOW LIVE

Minecraft Dungeons' latest event, Chills and Thrills, is now live. From now until December 30, players can access six new "winter-themed trials", as well as two new trial modifiers – which include "a changing number of chests, changing the cooldown on artifacts, and invisible mobs" – and three new collectibles. "The chilliest and thrilliest event in Minecraft Dungeons history will run through December 30, 2020," Kelsey Howard explained on the official Minecraft website. "The event will have six new winter-themed trials with two new trial modifiers, including a changing number of chests, changing the cooldown on artifacts, and invisible mobs. Invisible mobs? For the sake of my nerves, I'm not going to dwell on that terrifying little tidbit. "And the cherry on top of this stone-cold sundae? There are three unique collectable items as rewards! Slay the snowy fashion game with the Arctic Fox Armor, slice your way through the ice with the Frost Slayer, or cut through chilling winds with the Shivering Bow - each item brings a wintery approach to combat." The Howling Peaks DLC for Minecraft Dungeons launched on all platforms on December 9 for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, and is the first major expansion to launch after cross-play was implemented back in November. The new Howling Peaks DLC tasks players with trekking to the very top of a mountain to slay a Tempest Golem that's been corrupted by a shard from the Orb of Dominance. On top of that, there are six new Encha Read the full article

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EPIC GAMES STORE IS NOW GIVING AWAY METRO 2033 REDUX

The Epic Games Store is currently giving away Metro 2033 Redux free of charge. As part of an ongoing promotion, the digital distribution platform is set to offer one free title every day until December 31. It has already given away Cities: Skylines, Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty, The Long Dark, Defense Grid: The Awakening and Alien Isolation. According to a recent leak which has so far been accurate, it’s also set to give away Tropico 5, Inside, Darkest Dungeon, My Time in Portia, Night in the Woods, Stranded Deep, Solitairica, Torchlight 2 and Jurassic World Evolution. Metro 2033 Redux, which normally costs £14.99, is free to download until 8am PT/11am ET/4pm UK on December 23, when it will be replaced by another title. The Epic Games Store has been giving away free games on a weekly basis since the storefront launched in December 2018. Epic is also currently running its Holiday Sale, which features discounts of up to 75%. These include Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla for £41.49 (17% off), Immortals: Fenyx Rising for £33.49 (33% off), Godfall for £42.49 (15% off), Watch Dogs: Legion for £33.49 (33%), Star Wars Squadrons for £20.99 (40% off) and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order for £21.99 (60% off). 4A Games recently announced plans to bring the third game in the Metro franchise, Metro Exodus, to Xbox Series X/S and PS5 in 2021. It also addressed fan “concerns” regarding its ambition to include a multiplayer component in the next series entry. https://youtu.be/rUOCBCTRNl0 Source: Read the full article

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LEFT 4 DEAD 2: THE LAST STAND UPDATE TEASER TRAILER, NEW DETAILS

Left 4 Dead 2 is getting a big community-made update soon with the release of The Last Stand, and thanks to a teaser trailer released this week alongside some more information from the creators, we now know more about what we’ll see in update when it’s out. Teaser No. 2 for The Last Stand confirmed that we’d see the original survivors from Left 4 Dead returning to the franchise, but this time, they’re embarking on a new branch of the campaign previously untraveled. The update will see the survivors deviate from what we know took place in Left 4 Dead’s “The Last Stand” survival map, according to the creators. The video below mirrored the tone of the first teaser we saw previously, but unlike the initial announcement of the update, this one actually has some signs of life in it. The iconic Bill from Left 4 Dead is the sole character who makes an appearance as he’s surrounded by slain zombies in the same wooded area featured in The Last Stand map and in the first teaser trailer. https://youtu.be/aE9XUbvzNOo When the first teaser trailer dropped, the team working on the update promised we’d learn more about The Last Stand soon. JAiZ, one of the creators of the trailer, delivered on that promise by sharing some new details alongside the teaser trailer. Read the full article

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MINECRAFT LIVE WILL REVEAL “HUGE UPDATES” AND NEW MOBS IN OCTOBER

The live Minecraft Festival planned for 2020 will not be going ahead because, well, no conventions are going ahead this year, but Mojang still has a big event in mind to deliver the latest news on the game. Minecraft Live is scheduled for October, and it’ll bring us a load of news, including details on “huge updates” and a community vote for the next mob. Minecraft Live will take place on Saturday, October 3 at 9:00 PDT / 12:00 EDT / 17:00 BST on the official site. Mojang hasn’t provided many specific details on the broadcast’s format, but it’s safe to expect something similar to the Minecon Live broadcasts of years past, which typically feature an hour or more of information on content coming to Minecraft and its numerous spin-offs. Last year’s show revealed 1.16, the Nether Update, and the promise of “huge updates” hints that we’ll see something similar in scope here. (Fans are speculating based on the opening of the trailer that 1.17 will be focused on caves.) There will also be a community vote on the next mob. Given last year’s biome update vote, Mojang will likely present a handful of mobs that are coming to the game no matter what, and the fan vote will simply determine which is coming first. https://youtu.be/iN2ERVo90QM Source: https://www.pcgamesn.com/minecraft/live-2020-date-start-time Read the full article

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CALL OF THE SEA GETS NEW TRAILER FEATURING DEVELOPER COMMENTARY

Call of the Sea's newest trailer gives insight into its development. When it was revealed at the Inside Xbox showcase last May, Call of the Sea turned some heads for being a narrative-based puzzle game, the type that seems to always be in high demand ever since the release of Portal. A new trailer for the game dropped this week for Gamescom 2020 and features some developer commentary that provides a little bit of background on what Call of the Sea has to offer. In the video, Out of the Blue’s Tatiana Delgado explores the influence that H.P. Lovecraft had in Call of the Sea‘s production. She says: “As you can see, although our game is heavily influenced by his tales, Call of the Sea is a twist on the traditional H.P. Lovecraft works. We’re trying to focus on the surreal and the oneiric more than the horrific and the grim. In short, Call of the Sea isn’t a descent into madness, but a rise to sanity; losing your mind makes you see a dreamlike, colorful world.” https://youtu.be/YmgF3doT4KQ Delgado puts major emphasis on the narrative portion of the game in a developer presentation video from the Future Games Show saying that while it is primarily a puzzle game, Out of the Blue wants the major focus to be on the narrative. Read the full article

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DEAD BY DAYLIGHT GETS GRAPHICAL OVERHAUL WITH THE REALM BEYOND

Dead by Daylight is kicking off a major new update called The Realm Beyond. It aims to vastly improve the game's visual style. Asymmetrical horror game Dead by Daylight is set to get a major facelift later this month. The team at Behaviour Interactive is hard at work on what they’re calling The Realm Beyond project. As part of celebrating the game’s fifth anniversary, Behaviour is making top-to-bottom visual updates alongside some improved quality of life features. They shared a first-look trailer of some of the graphical improvements coming soon. Give it a look below. The first part of Dead by Daylight‘s The Realm Beyond project hits on September 8. The project will continue through fall 2021, so it’s quite the undertaking. The team is starting by making some major changes to Springwood and Yamaoka Estate. Players can expect improved lighting and the team is trying to make each room in the levels feel unique. Not only does that mean visual changes, but each room will now have its own function. Of course, this is just the beginning. Players should look for several more updates over the course of the next year. As mentioned, it’s not just visuals either. The team is working to improve Cross-Play functionality and players should expect even more news out of future updates. It’s an exciting time for the Dead by Daylight community. The game is obviously popular, and seeing the devs throw this much weight behind a refresh has to be reassuring. Read the full article

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MINECRAFT’S COMBAT REWORK SNAPSHOT ADDS UPGRADABLE SHIELDS

The big Minecraft combat rework has gotten a ream of updates lately, and we’ve got one more before the tests go on hiatus for a bit. Minecraft combat test snapshot 8c is a relatively small addition over snapshot 8b, but it does have one big new addition: upgradable shields. The new snapshot lets you upgrade to a stronger shield, which has ten absorption instead of the normal five, as well as increased knockback resistance. In the snapshot, you can upgrade your shield by attaching a banner to it, but this is just for the sake of the test – if the upgrade feature gets implemented, there’ll likely be a more robust way of crafting those improvements. This will be the last combat test snapshots for “a while”, but this is not the final test. As with all the other combat test snapshots, you won’t get this one from the launcher – instead, you’ll need to head to Reddit to download the updated snapshot and install it directly. You can see the new shields in action through the unofficial dev video below. https://youtu.be/xbYvjSvO_KA Source: https://www.pcgamesn.com/minecraft/combat-snapshot-test-8c Read the full article

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CHIVALRY 2 DELAYED TO 2021

Chivalry 2, the Monty Python Black Knight duel simulator initially planned for release this year, has been delayed until 2021. As a recent development update from Torn Banner Studios explained, "As we settle in to working together in new ways in a COVID-19 world, our development timelines are shifting to utilize this additional time to better meet our core goals for Chivalry 2". Though we'll be hacking off each others' limbs later than expected, when released Chivalry 2 will contain "several quality of life improvements and also include what was originally post-launch content". "This means more maps and game features will be playable at launch than we had originally scoped. Horses however will be coming to Chivalry 2 after launch. They need a bit more time in the training stables." Chivalry 2 is currently in alpha, and if you're in Europe or North America you can sign up to join in. Though a beta was planned for summer, that's going to be pushed back as well. Our Tyler Wilde enjoyed his brief time with the alpha earlier this year, saying, "what got me excited was the sense that a person could get fantastically good at swinging one of its swords around—that it's a game grounded in physical techniques." https://youtu.be/iYu8hF5-JAs Source: https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/chivalry-2-delayed-to-2021/ Read the full article

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SEA OF THIEVES GETTING DOGS IN SEPTEMBER UPDATE

Sea of Thieves is getting dogs with the September update, and you can even pet the good boys and girls. There will be various breeds of dogs available in the Pirate Emporium when the September update to Sea of Thieves rolls around. Like cats, monkeys, and parrots you will be able to interact with your furry companions and even give them a nice pat on the head or neck scratch. Also in September, players can expect a new voyage type for the Gold Hoarders, which will be a permanent edition to voyages alongside x-marks-the-spot on maps. More details will be discussed at a later date. Rare also said they will be growing the range and visibility of live events in order to have something unique for players to do throughout the month, and not just looking towards the next monthly update. Of course, with all Sea of Thieves updates, you can also expect quality of life improvements and bugs fixes when the September update is released. https://youtu.be/XGcR7unD0qo Source: https://www.vg247.com/2020/08/29/sea-thieves-getting-dogs-september-update/ Read the full article

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EA PLANS TO ANNOUNCE THE MASS EFFECT TRILOGY REMASTER IN OCTOBER

The Story: The highly-anticipated Mass Effect trilogy could be released as soon as October – but delays caused by COVID-19 may push it back to later in the year. It's long been rumoured that BioWare was looking to remaster the fan-favourite trilogy for a new generation of consoles and players, and fans are already excited at the news that BioWare is working on a new game from one of its "most prestigious franchises"... even if we don't yet know what franchise that is. Now, however, a journalist has gone on the record to confirm that publisher EA had planned to release the remaster – which is more likely to be an upgrade rather than a full remake – in October. Quote: "Up until, like, this last week, I know the plan for sure was to announce it in early October, release in later in October. So good news," GamesBeat journalist Jeff Grubb explained on a recent podcast (thanks, VGC). "Maybe bad news - it's 2020 - maybe that could start to slip, it sounds like maybe that's a possibility, nothing for sure yet." "I know it's real," he added. "I've seen more than enough evidence to know it's real, but it's still 2020 and they haven't announced it yet. Quote: "I think were planning to have this Mass Effect trilogy be the other big thing for $60 this holiday, so that's why I'm still pretty confident it will make it out," Grubb explained. "But with everything else falling apart, like across the board, I could see them also wanting to just delay. Read the full article

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CRASH BANDICOOT 4: IT’S ABOUT TIME SHOWS OFF NEW CHALLENGING LEVELS

Forget about that turtle bridge level from the N. Sane Trilogy, Crash Bandicoot: It's About Time is bringing in something even more difficult. If you had a problem with some of the levels in Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, better buckle up for Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. During its presentation at Gamescom, Lou Studdert, one of the developers working on the game, focused on a new group of levels designed to push players to their limit. These new flashback tape levels are a first for the Crash franchise. In a way, they’re similar to other challenge stages you’d find inside any level in the original Crash titles, although there is one caveat. To access these levels, players will have to search levels for VHS tapes, but, if you die on the level, they won’t appear at all. There’s already a bit of a skill barrier to break through in just getting to these levels, but playing them is another story altogether. Flashback tape levels throw players back to the origin story of Crash and Coco. In these devious levels, the Bandicoot siblings are under the ownership of Neo Cortex, who, if you don’t remember, originally created the two to lead his mutated animal army. These levels are Cortex testing the pair, and they are downright nefarious. https://youtu.be/u0uKPRxaMNI Flashback levels will be long stretches of difficult platforming. From what’s been shown at Gamescom, players can pretty much forget about floors, since there don’t seem to be many. Read the full article

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FALL GUYS TEAM HAS MANY PLANS IN MOTION FOR NEW FEATURES IN THE GAME

Mediatonic has a lot planned for Fall Guys according to the team's Lead Designer, but it may take some time. Yesterday we got a sneak peek as to what we can expect from Season 2 of Fall Guys, but that isn’t the only thing that the team at Mediatonic is currently working on. Lead Designer Joe Walsh was the latest guest on Talk Guys a new talk show from Gary Whitta and Kate Stark. Gary Whitta created the hit show Animal Talking, a talk show which all takes place in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. https://twitter.com/katestark/status/1299461090552606720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1299461090552606720%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetechgame.com%2FNews%2Fsid%3D25964%2Ffall-guys-team-has-many-plans-in-motion-for-new-features-in-the-game.html During the episode, Joe explained the plans that they are working on fixing and adding to Fall Guys that Stark later posted on her personal Twitter account. The top priority for the team right now is to incorporate an anti-cheat system with that being a major ongoing issue. For those unaware, those who cheat are able to float their way to victory. Other plans are to add new accessibility options including a colorblind mode and cross-platform capability. Another heavily fan-requested addition that is planned is custom servers so people can host tournaments without having to worry about strangers and, maybe even more important, players can maybe get that five-win streak trophy much easier. Read the full article

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CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS COLD WAR BETA TO KICK OFF OCTOBER 8

The beta date for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has been leaked. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War leaks continue. After the game’s various editions, campaign details, as well as the release date and even when multiplayer will be revealed all leaked, the beta starting date is now, too, out in the wild. The Modern Warfare in-game store page was the first to leak that October 8 (via COD Tracker) is when the Black Ops Cold War beta kicks off for PS4 players. The same information was shared by the Call of Duty: WW2 in-game store (via Reddit), lending it further credence. As previously announced, the beta goes live first on PlayStation, followed by other platforms. Although the full beta schedule was not revealed as part of those listings, it’s easy to get an idea of how it will go down by looking at past Call of Duty betas. Assuming this is a two-weekend beta, the PS4 pre-order beta likely takes place October 8-9, followed by an open beta October 10-12. The weekend after that, October 15-16 will be reserved for PC/Xbox One pre-orders as the PS4 open beta continues. Finally, a full open beta goes live on all platforms October 17 before it all ends October 19. This schedule makes the most sense, judging by last year’s Modern Warfare beta. That said, Activision may also opt for the classic three-weekend approach, though that is unlikely given how close those dates are to the game’s full launch in November. Read the full article

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JURASSIC WORLD EVOLUTION IS COMING TO NINTENDO SWITCH

Announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live. Jurassic World Evolution, the Jurassic Park building simulation, is coming to Nintendo Switch on November 3rd. Nothing, not even a global pandemic slows Geoff Keighley down. Over the past three months, his Summer Game Fest event has premiered many of the year’s most anticipated games, like Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time and even first looks at upcoming hardware, like the DualSense controller for the PlayStation 5. His months-long event came to a head today with Opening Night Live, the opening event for GamesCom, the world’s biggest gaming showcase. One of the first reveals of the show was among the few Nintendo Switch games shown throughout the showcase. Jurassic World Evolution: Complete Edition is coming to the Switch. Set to release November 3, the Complete Edition is will include all previous downloadable content, including the game’s three narrative expansions, four dinosaur packs and the Raptor Squad Skin Collection. https://youtu.be/u55luNoASvQ The announcement features the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World series’ iconic human character, Dr. Ian Malcolm, voiced by Jeff Goldblum, narrating footage of the game running on Switch. If the gameplay from the trailer is indicative of the full game, it’ll be fairly impressive considering the console’s relatively under-powered hardware. The Switch certainly wasn’t the star of the show. Read the full article