Today Gamer Network and ReedPOP announced that EGX: Rezzed 2020, scheduled to take place at Tobacco Dock, London, from 2 to 4 July will be cancelled following the escalation of COVID-19 in the UK, Europe and globally.
The press release read as follows:
The effects, actual and projected, of Coronavirus are becoming evident across all aspects of our lives here in the UK and across the world, with many of our exhibitors and creators facing travel restrictions and quarantine measures. After extensive discussions with all the relevant public health, local and national authorities, and with our Rezzed partners, we have taken the decision not to go ahead with this year’s event.
We thank everyone who has prepared to deliver what promised to be a fantastic event over the past year, showcasing the best of indie gaming to the incredible Rezzed community.
Our flagship event EGX is currently scheduled to run 17-20 September 2020 and all Rezzed tickets have automatically been upgraded to this September event. Rezzed ticket holders are entitled to a full refund should they prefer, and simply need email egx.helpline@reedexpo.co.uk with their order number and our Customer Services team will process their refund. “
Right now it is very difficult to see the September event taking place considering E3 and Gamescom have been cancelled for 2020, but personally hoping things change for the better and EGX 2020 can take place in September.
It’s time to the review the Disney Frozen II 7″ Kids Tablet from Pebble Gear.
Learn and play with Elsa, Anna, Olaf & more of your favourite Frozen 2 characters.
Exclusive Frozen 2 apps, games & e-books
Access to over 500 additional games & apps
No in-app purchases, zero ads, full parental control
Specifications
Display : 7″ (17.7cm)
Resolution : 1024 x 600
Storage : 16 GB memory (expandable up to 128 GB)
Processor : Quad-Core 1.3 GHz
RAM : 1 GB DDR3
Battery : 2700 mA (up to 9 hours)
Connection : WLAN
Audio : Loudspeakers, Microphone
Camera : Front and rear camera
Weight : 280 g
System : Pebble OS (based on Android 8.1)
Warranty : 2 year guarantee
What’s in the box?
The box contains the Frozen II tablet (which bumper), USB cable and plug, and manual.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
Once you have charged up the tablet you have to create your profiles – this is really easy and then you are ready to start using it. You can even customise the profile and background pictures so its really personalised just for your child. The Frozen II tablet comes with preinstalled Frozen II apps, games and books to use straight away.
There is an app store called GameStore Junior included on the tablet which has (according to Pebble) over 500+ games and apps to choose from. I can’t say for sure at the moment if there that many (I don’t think the app store is fully populated a the time of the review) but there are certainly lots to choose from, and they are all free (for the first 12 months – which means in-app purchases or adverts). This includes games and books too!
The battery life is very good and you can get between 7 and 9 hours per charge, depending on how you are using it.
There is 16GB of onboard storage but you can increase that by inserting a micro-SD card.
There are also front and rear cameras that can be used in different apps if you want.
Using the tablet is just like using any other tablet – you swipe and tap whatever you want.
The only real issues I found with the tablet was that it wasn’t very easy to get back to menus – you have to do this diagonal swipe motion which sometimes doesn’t seem to work. A button would have been easier, especially for a child! Also, some of the apps didn’t work and give an error that the version of Android is wrong (the tablet is actually PebbleOS which is based on Android 8.1). I suspect this might be because the tablet isn’t actually out yet and the apps or the tablet need an update. This only happened a few times so I am not too concerned about it being any real issue.
Over the Frozen II tablet is fantastic – it’s got everything you need to keep your child occupied and entertained without the constant nagging of apps asking you to pay extra! The fact it also comes with a branded bumper to keep it protected means you don’t have to worry about accidental damage. Especially during these current times this tablet is a must!
The Disney Frozen II 7″ Kids Tablet from Pebble Gear will be available from 4th May 2020 priced at £99.99. There is also a Toy Story version if you prefer.
Well the leaks were accurate and Ubisoft have finally revealed the title and setting for the next game in the Assassin’s Creed Series…..Assassin’s Creed Valhalla!
Watch the World Premiere of Assassin's Creed Valhalla April 30th at 8am PDT / 5pm CEST. #AssassinsCreed
Revealed with a nine hour stream as the graphic artist Bosslogic drew the below artwork finally revealing and confirming that the setting will be set in the Viking era.
The setting has me very much excited and hopefully it will follow on from the same open world style of AC Odyssey which set a new benchmark for the series. Very much looking forward to seeing the first trailer for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla tomorrow at 4pm UK time tomorrow.
But the road to a new Assassin’s Creed game has begun….
I have a true adoration for the classic side scrolling fighting game genre, much of my formative gaming years were spent dropping pocket money in the arcade machines of Double Dragon, Bad Dudes, Golden Axe and TMNT Arcade. There was the challenge of having only a single or couple of credits in order to try and beat the game and it was a thrill to either fail or succeed. My absolute favourite side scrolling fighter was Final Fight, it was gritty and had amazing characters to choose from and set the benchmark for all other games I would play going forward. For home consoles, the closet that came to giving me that Final Fight feeling was Streets of Rage on the SEGA MEGA Drive, with the last instalment Streets of Rage 3 releasing in 1994. Since then nothing has really stepped up to the mark for me, until now as finally a new sequel in Streets of Rage 4 is bringing this classic series punching and kicking into 2020 and believe me, it has been a long 26 year wait to pick up where I left the series!
The moment I watched the reveal trailer for Streets of Rage 4 my heart rate rose, the early gameplay looked authentic rather than a cheap remaster and the modern refresh to the visuals now all hand drawn cell shaded art just popped right out the screen at me. Could this really be a true successor to a series that won my heart almost three decades ago. I have to admit I was cautiously optimistic but having been burned in recent years by many pretenders to the throne, I needed to actually play this to know if it actually delivered the true Streets of Rage experience.
Which I am happy to say it most certainly does as the very moment you fire up the game, there is a wave of nostalgia for anyone who remember or even played the original series on the MEGA Drive or in the more recent SEGA MEGA Drive Collection releases in which the classic games were bundled in. The music is the first thig that hit and I sat at the main menu for some time just taking in this modern take on the classic 90s style gaming music that helped make this series stand out from all others back in the day. The soundtrack to this game is quite simply phenomenal and compliments the action incredibly well as you play through the 12 Stages that make up the main story campaign. It has all the vibes of the original series and 90s console gaming and just feels so very SEGA at times, which owners of the MEGA Drive will understand.
Streets of Rage 4 picks up the story a full ten years after the events of Streets of Rage 3. With ‘The Syndicate’ crime organisation and its leader Mr X finally defeated, heroes Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding have moved on from the Police force with Axel retreating to a life of training and meditation whilst Blaze is now a music and dance instructor. However Blaze begins to suspect that a new Syndicate has risen to threaten the city and that this new crime organisation is being run by the Twin children of Mr X. Blaze reaches out to Axel and Adam Hunter and where Axel immediate comes to help, Adam Hunter now a Special Forces officer is unable to come but instead sends his own daughter Cherry to help them. The new trio of heroes is joined by another new character in Floyd Iraia, who following a work accident lost his arms but had them replaced with cybernetic ones built by old ally Dr Zan.
The blend of classic Streets of Rage mechanics and new elements added by doing a more modern version is close to flawless with both complimenting each other like a good wine with great food. You can really tell that the developers of the combined Lizardcube and Guard Crush Games are true fans of the original series because so much of how this game is put together just breathes so much of what made the original series so iconic. There is an intricacy to the elements kept, the elements refined and the new elements added to the cocktail of brilliance that is Streets of Rage 4 and this is immediate in its impact from the moment you pick a character and find yourself in Stage 1 of the story.
I love how the game uses the original sound effects from the series and having the very first thing you do in the game is to walk up to a trashcan and destroy it with a punch to reveal a bag of money, a high wave of nostalgia hit you. Seconds later the first enemy street thugs approach you and with a flurry of pressing Square (PS4) or X (Xbox One) your punches are flying and the sound effects of the hit impacts just made me instantly smile and I was back in 1994 on my MEGA Drive once again. It took very little time for me to be completely immersed in this world as the classic gameplay of being able to battle enemies to the left and right of my character still remains as fluid as it was, one of aspects that made this series stand out for me back in the day. The surprise came when I discovered I could actually juggle enemies, continuing the combo should they be knocked against the side of the screen or an environmental object. This enables the ability to build very high combo streaks increasing the score you collect from them which can be ended should you be hit yourself.
The traditional Special Moves have returned, these use up a portion of your health bar but now they can be repeated and chained to devastating effect with the new feature that once you trigger a special move, the amount of health it used from your health bar now turns green allowing the next few hits on enemies to replenish it whilst taking a hit will prevent this. This is a great way of being able to factor in the use of special moves with the ability to gain some of the used health back rather than relying on the finding of apples or full chickens to replenish your health bar, which are generously placed throughout the stage by breaking things like trashcans or furniture. Money bags and cases can be used to boost your score with extra lives rewarded for hitting a score target on the stage. You start with 2 extra lives and should you use them all up and fail, it is game over and you will need to replay the stage.
Mercifully the game will offer you an assist should you fail such as having more lives at the lost of having your final score obliterated at the end of the stage, devious but it is a way of helping players complete the Story campaign especially if playing it solo as I felt the game is designed to expect two players at the least, which is possible thanks to online multiplayer or up to four players in local sofa co-op. Playing through solo and even on Normal difficulty, this game offers a great challenge especially in the later stages. Boss fights are still cheesy with some of their attacks being unavoidable for some playable characters I found but the very old school “trial and error” style of learning their attacks and their patterns still gives you that level of satisfaction when you finally defeat them.
Enemies have also been given a bit of a refresh and not just in their appearance. Different enemy types will have different attacks with some of the later ones even being able to counter your own attacks or use of weapons. Stage 2 for example is set in a Police Precinct where corrupt cops clearly on the new Syndicate’s payroll will attack you but they will also target the standard thug enemies which was both a help in battling the stage but also quite funny. Environmental hazards can still harm the players but also enemies as well and some of the stages will even have secrets that will offer help should you trigger them so keep an eye out for the obvious and not so obvious stage environments. Weapons are still a huge part of the gameplay with the standard daggers and metal pipes now joined by throwable weapons like grenades, fire/acid/electric bombs and melee weapons in baseball bats and police truncheons. A lovely touch came in the form when I discovered that you can catch anything thrown at you in order to throw it back and a badass move of throwing a weapon like a metal pipe, have it bounce off the enemy you hit, catch it and then use it to whack another enemy. Pure satisfaction!
Which is pretty much what my experience with Streets of Rage 4 has been, hugely satisfying. By not throwing out the old but instead embracing everything that made the original games so loved by fans but refining them and adding new elements to the gameplay that compliment and actually enhances them even further just makes this a real joy to play, especially with friends or by hosting and joining other player games which the new online feature allows. It is a shame that online co-op is limited to only two players though as it would be a blast to go full 4 player co-op especially in the current limited real-world restrictions in place at time of game launch. But the game offers additional online modes as well such as Battle Mode, an arena style mode where players can either versus one another or team up to fight each other in eight arena environments.
Stand out mode for me is the classic Arcade mode where you are given a single “Credit” in order to complete the game in one go, a true challenge even for an old school side scrolling beat em up fan like me. Boss Rush mode allows you to take on the Story stage end bosses in a gauntlet style one life attempt. I really appreciated these additional modes to a Story mode that already has a tonne of replayability thanks to having four starting characters to choose from as well as more which are unlocked through playing the story such as unlocking Adam Hunter. Having unlockable characters especially the classic fighters of the original games (which I will not reveal here so they can be a surprise) is a great incentive to keep playing and trying out different combinations of heroes to use.
I am really loving my time with Streets of Rage 4 which shows that going old school is not always a bad thing when it comes to bringing back classic game series from old generations of console gaming. It feels fresh and nostalgia driven all at the same time and for me personally, scratched an itch for a style of gaming from days long ago I never really knew I missed as much as I subconsciously had. Even when the most difficult of bosses forced me to retry using one of the assists, it was still fun to get back into the fight. I am looking forward to grabbing friends to play this online with and to test our metal on the higher difficulty levels as well as trying out the other fighters in the game.
Streets of Rage 4 is not only a celebration of one of the most iconic MEGA Drive (or Genesis if you are from the US) gaming series ever but it manages to successfully bring it smack up to date for a 2020 gaming experience. Enjoy the visuals, bop your head to one of the coolest game soundtracks you will hear this year and get to punching and kicking butt in a new ‘old school’ way on your console!
Today, Ubisoft invited fans to tune-in to the reveal of the setting of the next Assassin’s Creed game, a livestream following Bosslogic as he creates a unique art piece.
The reveal stream is now live at the following locations: (LIVE at time of writing)
What follows is an incoming transmission originating from somewhere between Earth and Mars:
“Greetings, fleshy Earthbeings. Cryptosporidium here, though you skin-wrapped water wads can call me Crypto-137.
I wanted to let you know that my Abducto Beam is finally ready and I’m journeying Earthwards right now. If my calculations are correct then P-Day – that’s Probe-Day to you mortal meat morsels – is set for July 28th, 2020. On that day I will officially Destroy All Humans! I’ll see you future-victims soon on PC, PlayStation4, and Xbox One!”
The cult-classic returns and invades everything but your privacy on July 28 2020! Terrorize the people of 1950s Earth in the role of the evil alien Crypto-137. Harvest DNA and bring down the US government in the remake of the legendary alien invasion action adventure. Annihilate puny humans using an assortment of alien weaponry and psychic abilities. Reduce their cities to rubble with your flying Saucer!
Destroy All Humans! is a cult classic and one of the few games that will have you laughing out loud. Many games have taken inspiration from its mix of humoristic story-telling and easily accessible open world shooter action, as well as its wide range of over-the-top weaponry. But there can only be one Cryptosporidium: the human-hating alien with the voice of an angry Jack Nicholson and a shorter fuse than a xenomorph on steroids.
The Crypto-137 Edition, featuring a Crypto-137 figurine, a Crypto backpack, keychain, six lithographs, anti-stress toy and all in-game Crypto skins, all contained within a premium box, is available for pre-order now and has an SRP of €399.99 | $399.99 | £349.99 | seven tons of mutilated cow corpse juice’s worth of Crypto currency.
The DNA Collector’s Edition, featuring a Crypto’N’Cow figurine, keychain, six lithographs, anti-stress toy, and all in-game Crypto skins, all contained within a premium box, is available for pre-order now and has an SRP of €149.99 | $149.99 | £139.99 | twelve charred human femurs’ worth of Crypto currency.
Destroy All Humans! has already been available for pre-order on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One from your preferred retailer, and is now also available for pre-order digitally on PC and Xbox One. The SRP of the PC version is €29.99 / $29.99 / £24.99 / ₽1.529, and the SRP for consoles is €39.99 / $39.99 / £34.99 / ₽2.799 (PlayStation 4 and Xbox One).
Team17’s newest game Moving Out, the couch moving, couch co-operative game from SMG Studio and DevM Games, is out now on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Players can work solo or with up to three friends in this fast-paced, local multiplayer, removals simulator set across the colourful town of Packmore, as they try to efficiently and creatively move furniture from point A to B.
More than 50 levels from condos, factories, planes, and even haunted houses await newly trained Furniture Arrangement and Relocation Technicians (F.A.R.Ts) as they’re tasked with packing up everything but the kitchen sink. For those looking for an internship in furniture relocation before making the move full time, a Moving Out demo is also available across all platforms.
Key Features
Couch co-op: Players can either take on Moving Out solo or enlist the help of up to three friends in local multiplayer co-operative gameplay, as they figure out how to get items into the removals van in the quickest way possible!
Location, location, location: No move is too big, too small, or too weird. Work through sleepy suburbs, frenzied farms, haunted houses and even head into space to keep customers happy!
Physics: Need to get a large item of furniture down some steps? Gravity is a F.A.R.T’s best friend. Glass door in the way? Smash right through it. Throwing things over railings will always be quicker than carrying them the long way around.
Character customisation: Choose from a roster of movers from humans to anthropomorphic animals and appliances that can be tailored to suit the job at hand.
Assist mode: Increased time limits, skippable levels and removal of dangers are just some of the options available in assist mode.
Accessibility options: Dyslexia-friendly text, scalable user interface, and remappable keyboard controls on Steam make the Moving Out experience as inclusive as possible.
Ashley Ringrose, Chief Executive Officer, SMG studio, said: “Moving Out has been a really fun title for the SMG Studio and DevM Games teams to develop. We’ve already seen the tremendous excitement and fun it’s brought people at consumer shows and through the demo, so it’s fantastic to be able to deliver the full game today. I can’t wait for people to experience the town of Packmore as they progress with their careers and become F.A.R.T. experts.”
Max Everingham, Head of Publishing, Team17, said: “We’re so happy to deliver such a fantastic and fun game like Moving Out to PC and console gamers everywhere. Team17’s portfolio of fun and creative indie titles with a strong sense of spirit and character, continues to be strengthened with games like Moving Out, and we’re really pleased with the collaborative efforts achieved between the companies to deliver a fantastic title.”
Moving Out is available digitally on all platforms for $24.99/£19.99/€24.99 (€22.99 on Steam) and as a physical edition on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One at selected retailers. It is also available right now via Xbox Game Pass for Xbox One consoles.
To keep up to date with all the information on Moving Out please like Team17 on Facebook, follow on Twitter, and join on Discord.
DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT has already taken countless fans on adventures living out Goku’s (aka Kakarot) life story and now to add to that collection of memorable experiences with the first DLC package for the game.
In the A New Power Awakens Episode 1 DLC, players will train Goku and Vegeta to attain Super Saiyan God status in order to take-on Beerus. Will our heroes triumph in this dangerous endeavor? There’s only one way to find out!
DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT is available now in the Americas for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PCs via STEAM.
There really does seem to be a ‘Racing Game’ vibe to a lot of 2020’s Games with Gold offerings from Xbox so far and May continues the trend as May’s 2020 Games with Gold lineup has been revealed:
for Xbox One includes: V-Rally 4 and Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr.
For Xbox 360 owners (and through Xbox One backward compatibility), May begins with Sensible World of Soccer and Overlord II.
An active subscription to Xbox LIVE GOLD is needed to qualify to download Games with Gold.
Wales-based development studio brings new terrifying first-person survival horror experience to Steam, Playstation 4 and Xbox One in June 2020!
Wales Interactive, the minds behind Don’t Knock Twice, The Bunker and The Complex, are announcing check-in dates for your trip for the spookiest summer season with new survival-horror title Maid of Sker. Guests of Hotel Sker will be able to play the game first on Steam, Xbox One and Playstation 4 in June 2020, while Maid of Sker will be launching on Nintendo Switch October 2020.
Steeped in rich Welsh folklore, Maid of Sker draws players back to 1898 to adventure through the notoriously macabre Hotel Sker. With multiple ways for your stay at Hotel Sker to come to an end, use your time wisely as you navigate the halls and grounds employing no-weapon survival tactics, and relying on your ability to keep quiet to stay breathing.
Maid of Sker is brought to you through a collaboration of the twisted folks at Wales Interactive and the writing talent behind Don’t Knock Twice and SOMA and is inspired by the folk story of Elisabeth Williams – the tragic tale of a Welsh woman in the 1800’s losing her life after her father locks her away in her room to die of heartbreak. Maid of Sker brings a story of a family empire driven by a supernatural mystery that suffocates the grounds of the hotel. Tia Kalmaru is also lending her voice to the game to recreate Welsh hymns in theme with Maid of Sker’s terrifying tone.
Features
3D sound-based AI system as the core survival mechanic.
A chilling story inspired by Welsh folklore fusing psychological, gothic and British horror.
Realistic visuals featuring 4k uncapped on PC and enhancements on PS4 Pro and Xbox One X.
Re-imagining of famous Welsh hymns Calon Lân (A Pure Heart), Suo-Gân (Welsh Lullaby) and Ar Hyd Y Nos (All Through the Night) from the spine-chilling voice of Tia Kalmaru.
About Wales Interactive Wales Interactive is a multi-award winning video game and interactive movie developer & publisher, based in South Wales, UK. Our catalogue of titles include Maid of Sker, The Complex, Late Shift, The Bunker, Don’t Knock Twice, The Shapeshifting Detective and more. We are passionate about video games and our aim is to create original games that entertain the world as well as put Wales on the video games map. Find out more here.
Xbox has just announced via the Xbox Wire news site, that Rockstar’s award winning Red Dead Redemption 2 is heading to Xbox Game Pass on May 7th:
Winner of over 175 Game of the Year Awards and recipient of over 250 perfect scores, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an epic tale of honor and loyalty at the dawn of the modern age.
America, 1899. Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are outlaws on the run. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal, and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him.
This of course means that GTA V, which joined the Game Pass at the end of 2019, will leave the game pass on the same day Red Dead Redemption 2 will join the service, so you have until May 7th to complete that story campaign if you have been dilly dallying with it.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is without a doubt the best value for money gaming subscription you have have right now as you get all the benefits of Xbox Live Gold, plus over 100 high-quality console and PC games for one low monthly price. With games added all the time, there’s always something new to play. With a huge variety of games from every genre, there’s something for everyone. Enjoy exclusive member deals and discounts.
Plus, enjoy free perks, including in-game content, consumables, and partner offers. Play together with friends on the most advanced multiplayer network and discover your next favorite game. Use your active Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership to play games on Xbox One and Windows 10 PC (excludes Windows 10 in S mode and on ARM devices).
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass for PC, Xbox Live Gold and additional benefits. You can currently, if you do not subscribe to the Ultimate version of Xbox Game Pass, get a 1 month for just $1/£1 right now.
Xbox players finally have a chance to see where the legendary Yakuza series all began, with the release of Yakuza Kiwami on Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass, and Windows 10 now!
A ground-up remake of 2005’s Yakuza, Yakuza Kiwami picks up where Yakuza 0 leaves off, and puts players back in the snakeskin shoes of series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu. After facing a 10-year prison sentence for a crime he didn’t commit, he’s released into a world he no longer recognizes, alone and expelled from his former yakuza family. Shortly after his release, he encounters a mysterious girl named Haruka, who may be the key to the answers Kiryu seeks.
Here are just a few of the features players can look forward to in Yakuza Kiwami on Xbox One and Windows 10:
Fight Like a Dragon: It wouldn’t be Yakuza without thugs and rival yakuza trying to take you down around every corner! Master four distinct fighting styles, or just grab whatever is lying on the street – a traffic cone, a sign, or even a bike – to take down your enemies.
Majima Everywhere!: Who’s that walking down the street? Or hiding behind the corner? Or lying in wait under that giant traffic cone? It’s Majima, and he’s everywhere! Yakuza Kiwami introduces the ‘Majima Everywhere’ system, where you’ll always have to be on your toes and ready for combat when you encounter fan-favorite character Goro Majima… everywhere!
The Story Can Wait: Yakuza Kiwami contains a depth of content outside of the main story path – take a break with some karaoke, compete in Pocket Circuit races, collect cards for your MesuKing: Battle Bug Beauties team, complete over 70 substories, or just take a walk around Kamurocho… but keep an eye out for Majima!
Yakuza Kiwami is available right now for Xbox One consoles and Windows 10 PC, you can also play this right away using the Xbox Game Pass for console and PC!
Got a favourite Trading Company on the Sea of Thieves? The original Gold Hoarders, Merchant Alliance, Order of Souls and Athena’s Fortune each appeal to different players – and we’re expanding them with the option for players to become Emissaries in Ships of Fortune. Taking on this special duty allows pirates to earn boosted rewards from their usual Voyages, plus special cosmetic rewards for those who perform best!
To find out about becoming an Emissary for one of the Outpost Trading Companies, speak to their representatives at the Outposts and inspect the nearby table. Emissary roles are highly prized, so you’ll need to make a significant donation to prove you appreciate the privilege!
Hoist the Emissary Flag as you serve in this prestigious role, and advance through five Grades by exemplifying your chosen Company – for example, by finding and unearthing chests as a Gold Hoarder. The higher your Grade, the bigger the multiplier you’ll get when cashing in your haul! Beware, as other pirates will know that an Emissary’s ship is likely to be laden with loot.
You’ll soon be able to dress your pirate and ship to suit your current Company of choice, heading out as a true ambassador to earn big rewards and prove your skills against other players in the competitive Emissary Ledger. Earn Titles for increasing your standing and compare your progress to that of your friends. Remember, however, that while sailing as an Emissary you will get noticed – especially by the rival Emissaries of a new, glory-hungry Trading Company…
A new and mysterious Company known as The Reaper’s Bones, teased throughout our previous monthly updates, has emerged! Keeping your fancy Emissary status with The Reaper’s Bones around won’t be so easy, as their own Emissaries have but one duty – to lay their rivals low and take their Emissary Flags as trophies! Of course, taking their loot is a close-running second priority.
The new Company can be found at The Reaper’s Hideout, where they seem to encourage their ideals of ‘true piracy’ without the need for honour among thieves. For the Reapers, following your passion and having the will to come out on top is what being ‘a pirate for all eternity’ really means. If you choose to become an Emissary for a Company other than theirs, expect no quarter from these merciless miscreants.
Players excited at the thought of some competitive action should also check out overhauled matches in our dedicated Arena mode. Old treasure maps have been replaced by a single chest marked by a Sea Dog Beacon, with just one cash-in location to ensure a furious battle for victory! Contest times have also been slashed to 15 minutes, guaranteeing a frantic pace in each match.
Whether your battles take place in Adventure or Arena, we’re also adding a new way for crews to look out for each other on the seas. Now, when pirates are defeated, there will be a brief window during which their crewmates can revive them before their soul drifts to the Ferry of the Damned. This should allow for quicker gameplay loops as well as some new tactical choices for co-operative crews.
But enough about this free update’s new Emissary system, Trading Company, rewards, cosmetics and mechanics – we need to talk cats! No longer satisfied with just parrots and monkeys, the Pirate Emporium will now have three breeds of feline friend for your pirate: the scruffy Wildcat, fluffy Ragamuffin and slinky Mau. Each breed comes in a variety of colour options, so you can hand-pick the kitty that best suits your pirate and ship.
You’ll also be able to dress up your cat, of course. Starting out with very regal Sovereign outfits and special Legendary outfits – check out the bundle offers in the Emporium for the quickest way to get yourself a new cat companion in cute clobber. Elsewhere in the Emporium you can pick up the Night Wulf Ship Collection inspired by tales of heroism from the (very) olden days, or perhaps a range of crabby new emotes – all valid ways of attracting attention to your new cat.
There’s a lot coming your way in Ships of Fortune and RARE is excited to see how players go about using the new Emissary system, either to roleplay as their favourite Trading Company or simply to maximise their earnings and boast of their achievements. Or maybe they’ll choose to earn bragging rights through the daring Reaper’s Bones. Whether you’re most excited about a grand new calling as an Order of Souls Emissary, taking on other players for trophies and plunder or simply getting to pet a cat dressed as a pirate, we look forward to seeing you on the seas very soon.
For more information on the Ships of Fortune update, including full release notes, visit the Sea of Thieves website. The update is available for free to all Sea of Thieves players who have bought the game on Xbox One or on Windows 10 PC, or players who have access to it with Xbox Game Pass. Simply download and install the latest Sea of Thieves update to get access.
New to Sea of Thieves? Join the fun with our Maiden Voyage, a narrative-driven tutorial experience separate from Adventure and Arena modes. New Sea of Thieves players will begin their travels within this scenario, which provides guidance and information to fledgling sailors. What’s more, we’re officially coming to Steam! You can read the latest here, and we can’t wait to share more information soon.
Overnight the title for the follow up to Sony Picture’s ‘Venom’ was officially announced over night with a new teaser trailer but also included a brand new release date for June 2021, nine months later than previously planned:
Tom Hardy will reprise the lead role of Eddie Brock. Michelle Williams and Naomie Harris co-star respectively and following the most on the nose post credit scene teaser at the end of Venom, Woody Harrelson will take on the role of Cletus Kasady who is the human host for the Symbiote Carnage!
#Venom: Let There Be Carnage will now come to cinemas on June 21st 2021
