Bad North Free on Epic Games Store Now

Epic Games Store is currently offering PC version of Bad North: Jotunn Edition for free giveaway of this week.

As we are slowly coming to an end of 2019 and also perhaps to a giveaway custom that Epic Games started last year during launch of their digital distribution outlet Epic Games Store, offering free PC games for players on the platform.

For their latest freebie title, Bad North: Jotunn Edition is picked up and currently available to claim forever. Anyone with a free account can simply head over to EGS and add it to collection before November 21, 7:59 AM PT/10:59 AM EDT.

Bad North Free on Epic Games Store Now

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Designed to teach you hard decisions at war, Bad North is a Viking-themed real-time strategy game with roguelite elements that received a PC version release last year from developer Plausible Concept and publisher Raw Fury.

Despite its apparent simple outlook, you are going to have a tough time keeping your island safe and defend from invading forces. Placing your troops and evacuating lands will require making constant tactful decisions at all times.

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Though often time players can become a threat to enemies, it is unwise not to be prepared for a counter from other side. Your soldiers will engage and navigate by themselves but if they lose a commander for your misstep, everything is lost.

For their next week of free game offer, Epic Store has 2013 classic platformer Rayman Legends, which is the latest installment of Rayman series by developer/publisher Ubisoft, coming to their storefront on November 21, 2019.

Pokémon Sword and Shield Becomes Fastest-Selling Switch Game Ever

Selling over 6 million copies in launch week, Pokémon Sword and Shield is now fastest-selling Nintendo Switch game of all time.

In spite of controversies regarding developer Game Freak cutting off a significant number of beloved Pokémon from Pokédex and fan backlash over reusing old modes, Pokémon Sword and Shield has seen a great launch week.

Currently titled as fastest-selling Nintendo Switch game of all time, Sword and Shield has managed to sell over 6 million copies worldwide in first week of its release, according to reports from publisher Pokémon Company.

Pokémon Sword and Shield Becomes Fastest-Selling Switch Game Ever

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Despite massive consumer boycott and fan outrage on social media, it sold 1.36 million physical units within first three days in Japan, successfully beating Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as fastest-selling Switch game in the country.

Nintendo confirms that Pokémon Sun and Moon released for Nintendo 3DS previously made a record sales of 16.17 million copies. Though these titles were fastest-selling games ever in Western market, they had a cheaper price tag.

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Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu and Eevee!, remakes of 1998 Game Boy titles has shipped an impressive 11.28 million copies last year and judging by first-week sales of latest series installment, Sword and Shield may cross that number soon.

Pokémon Sword and Shield are actually two identical games in terms of content that are released separately. Latest Pokémon games have seen great sales number, partly due to recent launch of Nintendo Switch Lite handheld console. 

Diablo 4 to Bring Back Elective Mode

Blizzard confirms to add beloved "Elective Mode" for Diablo IV to let players assign skill categories.

Fans of hack and slash action RPG game series Diablo are excited once again after recent reveal of Diablo IV at BlizzCon 2019 by developer/publisher Blizzard Entertainment following Diablo Immortal debacle from BlizzCon last year.

According to a latest official blog post, Blizzard has confirmed plans of bringing back popular "Elective Mode" system from Diablo III that would allow players assigning specific skill selection slots to buttons of their choosing.

Diablo 4 to Bring Back Elective Mode

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Initially, certain categories such as defensive and primary skills will be allocated to set of buttons on controller or keyboard. What Elective Mode does is that gives players a choice to customize their own set as they want.

Maybe you have one particular skill type set on a certain button and that is not matching with what you have in mind, then you can simply place that skill under a different key using the feature, which gives you flexibility in playing.

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Because of a user interface from demo showed at BlizzCon this year, members of player community were speculating if D4 will lock skills under specific slots but Blizzard came clearing all confusion on that by confirming Elective Mode.

Lead systems designer David Kim stated that every skill categories will remain unlocked for all players to let them freely assign and select. Besides, the shown UI is not final just like many other aspects due to an ongoing development.

Elective Mode From Diablo III

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Customization has always been a great part of the looter RPG and in terms of itemization, Blizzard looking to add more depth for base items. They will also allow people to spend money on in-game cosmetics and mounts for characters.

Diablo IV is announced to arrive for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One but an official release window is yet to be determined. Currently, they are mostly busy gathering feedback from fans to improve overall gameplay experience.

Blair Witch Coming to PS4

Bloober Team announces PS4 version of Blair Witch to come out next month with gameplay and technical enhancements.

Only months within its release on PC and Xbox One, Polish video game developer Bloober Team and publisher Lionsgate Games has confirmed bringing first-person psychological horror game Blair Witch to PlayStation 4 console next month.

Owners of Sony consoles will have a chance to experience the infamous spine-chilling terror of Black Hills Forest when PS4 version arrives on December 3, 2019, with a bunch of cosmetics upgrades and gameplay improvements added.

Blair Witch Coming to PS4

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Bloober Team let an official announcement trailer out of bag, offering a glimpse of overall content overview.

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You play as former police officer Ellis Lynch accompanied by his doggo partner Bullet, who becomes an inseparable cohort in an investigation for a missing young boy inside the spooky woods of Burkittsville, Maryland.

While dealing with his own past, Ellis embarks a story-driven journey into realm of nightmare to face with gut-wrenching fright. Aside from providing moral support, Bullet will help around during exploration and throughout your quest.

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There will be new animations, skins for your trusty canine companion and in-game cellphone, wallpapers and additional content within a "Good Boy Pack", which will also come to PC via Steam, Xbox One and Xbox Game Pass on a later date.

Blair Witch will initially become available on its announced date next month to download digitally at PlayStation Store for $29.90 only with enhanced support for PS4 Pro and will be followed by physical retail version release soon.

Samurai Shodown 2019 for Nintendo Switch Delayed to 2020

A set release date for Nintendo Switch version of Samurai Shodown 2019 has now been delayed to Q1 2020.

Following a surprise reveal back in September 2018, developer/publisher SNK Corporation has released their latest sword-based fighting game Samurai Shodown (2019) in June 2019 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles.

According to early reports, a Nintendo Switch version was slated to launch on Q4 2019 but after SNK recently dropped a trailer for Switch port, it has become apparent that previous schedule has now been delayed to Q1 2020.

Samurai Shodown 2019 for Nintendo Switch Delayed to 2020

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SNK dropped an official announcement trailer of latest Samurai Shodown reboot for Switch version.

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Early window was set for a worldwide release, which is now pushed forward a few months for North America and Europe. Since there is no mention of Japanese version, it would likely to come out in December 12, 2019 as planned before.

PC version of the game also had a same launch set date but there was no word from Athlon Games about a delay of any sort. Therefore, it is safe to assume that this long-running franchise reboot is heading to PC platform very soon.

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Although recently added blade-wielding warrior Shizumaru Hisame is joining as a free DLC fighter, rest of playable characters from Season Pass are not being offered without cost as SNK did earlier for other console versions.

Switch port of Samurai Shodown would have some visual compromises for obvious reasons but will still look sharp. As pre-order bonus, player will receive a port of 1999 Neo-Geo Pocket system title Samurai Shodown! 2.

Amy Hennig Joins Skydance Media

Skydance Media hires award-winning director Amy Hennig to make story-focused game for a new studio.

Known for being one of the most prominent figures in game industry, Amy Hennig has worked as artist, game designer but primarily director and writer for last two decades on notable titles like Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver and Uncharted series.

In a recent turn of events, Hennig has joined Hollywood studio Skydance Media as an award-winning industry veteran to develop story-focused interactive series that will target audience on many emerging streaming platforms.

Amy Hennig Joins Skydance Media

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Hennig will be joined by Julian Beak, a veteran from Electronic Arts and her former executive producer in a new venture of establishing a brand-new game studio to work on new projects for Skydance in San Francisco Bay Area.

Beak has worked on titles like Battlefield Hardline, Need for Speed and cancelled Star Wars action adventure game from Visceral Games. He has been appointed as Executive Vice President and GM at New Media Division of Skydance.

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David Ellison, CEO of Skydance Media has expressed his excitement for hiring these talents in an official press release.

The interactive media landscape is continually changing and Amy and Julian are creative and visionary leaders of this evolution. Together, we will create within this new sphere the same type of event-level entertainment experiences that Skydance is known for in features and television.

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Skydance Media is a renowned Hollywood studio that produced movie franchises like Mission: Impossible and Terminator. Beak and Hennig came on board to create a new division that would hire developers to make games for them.

Hennig was recently presented honorable Lifetime Achievement Award at Game Developers Choice Awards this year for three decades of work and previously, she received BAFTA Special Award for her overall contribution in 2016.

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Although it is not clear what Skydance want from the award-winning creative director yet but it is somewhat similar from her past work at Naughty Dog as they want to create immersive storytelling experiences with high production values.

Skydance Media plans to target both gamers and non-gamers over traditional gaming platforms as well as streaming media. With visionary leaders like Amy and Julian, they are looking forward to deliver event-level entertainment.

Half-Life: Alyx for VR Announced

Valve officially announces upcoming Half-Life prequel VR title Half-Life: Alyx and will reveal more soon.

Nearing end of last year, there was a rumor for Valve Corporation to be working on a brand-new VR headset that will come out with a Half-Life prequel game, after a series images of that prototype device were leaked online.

In a latest announcement, Valve officially confirmed today of returning to acclaimed Half-Life series once again with a prequel episode titled Half-Life: Alyx, a flagship game for their yet to be revealed upcoming virtual reality device.

Half-Life: Alyx for VR Announced

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This imminent VR-exclusive Half-Life prequel game will be focused on Alyx Vance, a renowned series NPC who made her debut in Half-Life 2 as a human resistance fighter and close ally to protagonist character Dr. Gordon Freeman.

Alyx also appeared in two add-on episodes; Half-Life 2: Episode One and Half-Life 2: Episode Two. She was last seen mourning for her father Dr. Eli Vance by the end of Episode Two and is likely to continue from there on in prequel.

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Valve has posted a teaser image for their next virtual reality project on Twitter, waiting to be revealed soon.

We’re excited to unveil Half-Life: Alyx, our flagship VR game, this Thursday at 10am Pacific Time.

Can’t wait to share it with all of you! pic.twitter.com/BupFCxSrTw

— Valve (@valvesoftware) November 18, 2019

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Although there are no available details on any gameplay or a possible release date, it is speculated to come out in 2020 according to a recently leaked interview of Valve members by The Game Awards host Geoff Keighley.

Half-Life: Alyx will get a full reveal on Thursday, which marks 21 anniversary celebration of original Half-Life that saw launch on PC platform on November 19, 1998 and spawned a series of successful fan-favorite sequels.

Street Fighter V: Champion Edition Announced

Capcom announced Street Fighter V: Champion Edition featuring all characters, costumes and stages for 2020.

When originally launched for PC and PlayStation 4 back in 2016, side-scrolling fighting game Street Fighter V only featured 16 characters and lacked content but developer/publisher Capcom took care of that with series of updates.

In January 2018, Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition came out with new game modes and DLC characters. Today, a brand-new version with all previous content titled Street Fighter V: Champion Edition is announced to release on February 14, 2020.

Street Fighter V: Champion Edition Announced

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Champion Edition will include all 40 characters, 34 stages and more than 200 costumes introduced so far in Arcade Edition with a few exceptions like brand collaboration costumes, Capcom Pro Tour DLC and Fighting Chance costumes.

Players of any current version of SFV can have all game mode additions and balance updates for free in December. Every V-Skill II for every fighter will be added without cost and you can purchase any DLC characters using Fight Money.

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Champion Edition also boasts Street Fghter III boss character, Gill as a playable fighter who has mastery over both Pyrokinesis and Cryokinesis. Whether he throws a punch or a kick, it would be either fiery fury or icy doom for his opponents.

He will return to join SFV:CE roster to test his own might against world warriors and try to usher armageddon once again. Ahead of his inclusion next year, you can acquire Gill by spending 100,000 Fight Money or purchase for $5.99 only.

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Capcom has dropped a new gameplay trailer for Gill, star attraction for upcoming SFV: Champion Edition.

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Players will receive striking new costume color for each character as pre-order bonus and a PS4 static theme for console digital version. Early purchase incentives are for consumers in North America and will likely to vary for other regions.

Street Fighter V: Champion Edition will be available in both digital and physical version for $29.99 only. Those who currently own any version of the game can simply buy an Upgrade Kit for just $24.99 to get all SFV:CE content at launch.

Company of Heroes 2 Free on Steam Now

Sega celebrates Company of Heroes 2 World Championship 2019 finals by offering PC version for free on Steam.

Set during World War II era of events, real-time strategy game Company of Heroes 2 from developer Relic Entertainment and publisher Sega is currently free to download on PC platform throughout an entire weekend.

You can head over to CoH2 store page on Steam right away to download a copy for free anytime before the promotional offer eventually ends on November 17, 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM EDT and then have it on your library forever.

Company of Heroes 2 Free on Steam Now

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After this free weekend giveaway period is over, you will still be able to purchase the title at 75% price off until November 24. Alongside its base game, entire series of major DLC packs will be available under that same deep discount.

Players can also get a free copy of Victory at Stalingrad mission pack DLC when they simply sign up for official newsletter. This is a great starting point for anyone looking to get into CoH2 and get an extra free content as a bonus.

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Relic and Sega has been giving up this follow-up sequel to CoH as a freebie for past few years and if you somehow missed to catch it before, this is your limited time window this year to grab a copy within next forty-eight hours.

Company of Heroes 2 is hosting World Championship 2019 finals now where best players from around world are competing against each other for a $20,000 prize pool and interested parties can watch these professionals play live on Twitch.

BioWare to Overhaul Anthem

BioWare is reportedly planning for an overhaul for Anthem to bring it back through a massive update.

Though many have speculated for online multiplayer action role-playing game Anthem from developer BioWare and publisher Electronic Arts to be the biggest release of 2019, it has completely failed to live up to that expectation.

Despite major faction of player community abandoning the game, developers are reportedly working on a huge update in an attempt to revive the anticipated loot shooter, which would either be called "Anthem 2.0" or "Anthem Next".

BioWare to Overhaul Anthem

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It all started with BioWare trying to publish an unfinished game that they had no clear vision for and then people who bought the game at full price starts seeing a series of problem it has in terms of content as well as many balance issues.

Morale among their development team had been at all time low and lead producer Ben Irving chooses to leave company three months ago. Following his departure, head of live service and community, Chad Robertson quickly took over.

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Moving ahead, he promised more transparency of work to fans but eventually, Robertson left his position earlier this month. Although he claimed that Anthem is currently in good hands, it is yet not clear who is leading the project right now.

At this point, many sources even started speculating whether the game is dead but recent report suggest that BioWare and EA has not given up support yet as they are planning to introduce a massive overhaul to save it.

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BioWare is preparing a total revamp in a last ditch effort to revive Anthem and are early stage of planning. Whether these updates would be launched one by one or roll out an entirely new game as "Anthem 2.0" or "Anthem Next" is not clear yet.

They can either release periodical series of patches like No Man's Sky or follow model of Destiny: The Taken King. This probably is why they have abandoned a planned roadmap of post-launch content to offer an improved experience.

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Since their continued support has been lackluster so far, one can only wonder how BioWare is doing on their latest plan. If they ended up releasing a brand-new product, then original players should be allowed to chime in for free.

Since most recent updates did very little to excite their deprived fan-base and Cataclysm mode has performed poorly, developers are to streamline mission structure and loot system of this multiplayer shooter title to address known issues.

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Redemption stories in video game are very rare but sometime there are great comeback stories like No Man's Sky with their regular updates or like Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, which saw a complete makeover from scratch.

Then there are examples like online action RPG title Fallout 76 from Bethesda Softworks that does little to nothing to fix their broken game and then try to charge their existing players for private servers that many were requesting for long.

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Lately, EA has recruited help from other development teams to help core dev team to make progress. Players are still hoping to see the game light up as originally promised and BioWare is working really hard not to disappoint fans again.

Electronic Arts have even added Anthem to their EA Access catalog of title back in September, only seven months within release. Although, we don't have an official confirmation yet, a complete rework of gameplay systems is likely to come soon.

Bleeding Edge Release Date

Ninja Theory announced a 2020 release date for their upcoming multiplayer brawler Bleeding Edge at X019.

Following a leak ahead of E3 2019 press conference back in June, developer Ninja Theory officially revealed Bleeding Edge, their brand-new IP at Xbox press briefing event for PC, Steam, Xbox One and Xbox Game Pass service.

Up until now there was no set release date other than a single cinematic trailer from E3 and today, Microsoft has announced for the 4v4 multiplayer team brawler game to come out on March 24, 2020 at X019 livestream event.

Bleeding Edge Release Date

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In a newly dropped trailer to herald its arrival, Ninja Theory offers an in-depth look at playable combatants.

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Debuted at latest episode of Inside Xbox, a brand-new fighter named Cass is introduced, who is a hybrid assassin with deadly skills. Rest of its eccentric range of characters was also seen doing some prep for their next battle as well.

On top of exclusive pre-order bonus, players will be given access to Closed Beta program on February 14 and March 13. Joining the mayhem early on before March 21, 2020 will earn you Punk Pack in-game bonus cosmetics content.

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Ninja Theory has previously worked on titles like DmC: Devil May Cry and Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. Last year, Microsoft Studios has acquired the studio alongside a few others in to produce new games for PC and next-gen Xbox consoles.

Bleeding Edge is going to be published by Xbox Game Studios and is currently available to pre-order for $29.99 retail price only. At launch, both cross play and cross save support will be accessible on all three different platforms.

Rust Announced for PS4 and Xbox One

Double Eleven and Facepunch are bringing hardcore online survival game Rust on PS4 and Xbox One next year.

A game that has begun its journey as a popular mod for ARMA 2 and came out in Early Access back in 2013 as a clone to DayZ, multiplayer survival game Rust from developer/publisher Facepunch Studios has a strong following on PC.

Announced recently at Microsoft X019 livestream event, Facepunch has teamed up with Double Eleven to explore console platforms. Therefore, their popular online RPG game will arrive on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One next year.

Rust Announced for PS4 and Xbox One

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Key gameplay aspects of Rust are highlighted in a brand-new announcement trailer that just dropped lately.

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You explore an open-world environment to craft, gather food and supplies for sole purpose of surviving. Aside from other players roaming around, wild animals like bears and wolves would often become a threat to your life.

To defend or to attack other survivors, primitive weapons as bows and conventional firearms are mostly used. People would likely to join a clan to get safety in numbers and build bases to improve their chances against hostility in general.

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Every move is considered very critical in terms of progress, as you can be way ahead of everyone else by taking some risk and make a smart move at right time or can lag for many precious hours for an accidental dumb move.

You would likely to start with a rock whereas people are running with guns but all you need is to work your way up. There are unlimited ways for your journey to unfold in ways full of potential that you probably didn't even expect.

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Facepunch has yet to clarify how the survival game will play out in PS4 and Xbox One but they sure will have to work on its controls. Though it does not outright give you a story right away but there are a lot of references to get a basic idea.

At present, Rust has amassed nearly 8 million players on Steam and will allow up to 100 players when it gets released on consoles. Whether there will be cross-platform support between all platforms or not are not confirmed as well.