Black Ops 4’s Operation Grand Heist Adds Car Chases And A Gorilla, Coming This Week

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is getting a big update, and it’s coming to PS4 first this week. Operation Grand Heist adds new characters, outfits, maps, and a lot more. A lengthy trailer (above) sped through all the new content, but it’s so jam-packed you could blink and miss something.

Grand Heist will bring back the Outrider Specialist, and introduce a new Blackout mode map called Ghost Town. Those who own the Black Ops Pass will also get two new multiplayer maps, Casino and Lockup, along with an exclusive Cosmic Silverback character for use in Blackout.

The trailer teases two new modes, called One in the Chamber and Hot Pursuit. It also promises that more outfits, weapons, vehicles, and camos are on the way. In the briefest flash, it also teases something happening with the Zombies mode as a ghoulish figure rushes the screen for a split-second.

Operation Grand Heist is coming to PS4 on February 19, with other platforms to follow after. Treyarch had previously teased this update alongside a double XP weekend and other special modes.

Black Ops 4 is a collection of three multiplayer modes–Competitive MP, Zombies, and the battle royale Blackout mode–and abandoned the series’ traditional single-player campaign altogether. That won’t be the case for this year’s installment of the long-running series, though, as Activision has already confirmed that CoD 2019 will have a campaign. It’s rumored to be Modern Warfare 4.

New Xbox Games With Gold For February 2019 Available Now

The month’s mid-point has come, which means that the Xbox Games With Gold have cycled over into the next set. February’s previous games are still available through the end of the month, while this new batch will be available to download through mid-March.

On Xbox One, Super Bomberman R joins the line-up next to Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon, which went up earlier this month. Super Bomberman is an action game that pays homage to the classic series, having you set bombs and traps against friends and foes alike in a maze-like environment. Curse of the Moon is modeled after classic Castlevania games and serves as a prequel to the upcoming Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.

Meanwhile, the classic Xbox game Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy has joined the service, replacing Assassin’s Creed Rogue. This is an unusual example of an original Xbox game rotating instead of one for Xbox 360, but it’s well-regarded among Star Wars fans.

As always these games are free and will be yours to keep as long as you grab them during the promotional period, even if your Gold account expires. Separately, Microsoft offers the subscription-based Game Pass service, which this month adds Crackdown 3, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and more.

February 2019 Games With Gold

Xbox One

  • Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (Feb. 1-28)
  • Super Bomberman R (Feb. 16-Mar. 15)

Xbox 360

  • Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (Feb. 16-28)

The Punisher, Jessica Jones Canceled

Marvel’s The Punisher has been canceled after two seasons, and Jessica Jones will be canceled following its third.

Deadline broke the news, receiving a quote from Netflix saying “Marvel’s The Punisher will not return for a third season on Netflix. Showrunner Steve Lightfoot, the terrific crew, and exceptional cast including star Jon Bernthal, delivered an acclaimed and compelling series for fans, and we are proud to showcase their work on Netflix for years to come.”

The Punisher is the fourth Marvel/Netflix collaboration to be canceled, leaving Jessica Jones as the last remaining series on the streaming provider.

What do you think about this cancellation news? Let us know in the comments!

Continue reading…

DC Extended Universe: Every Upcoming Movie

As the DC movie universe (or the DCEU as fans have come to call it) prepares to unleash its next wave on fans with Shazam!, Wonder Woman 1984, and more, what better time to catch up on the state of the DC Extended Universe union?

Unlike Marvel though, DC’s plans don’t include synergy across all mediums. Their movies, while containing many of the same characters, do not cross over with the CW TV-verse that includes Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl, or standalone DC shows like Gotham. Yes, DC’s betting big and doubling up on their heroes, but the TV realm is another story entirely. Just FYI!

So let’s take a look at the road ahead for the DCEU. From The Batman to Birds of Prey to Black Adam and beyond, sift through the following slideshow of all of DC’s planned movies. Some of these are definitely happening, some are in development, and some have big questions marks surrounding them, but all could wind up on the big screen sooner rather than later…

Continue reading…

Apex Legends Causes Sales of VR Game Apex Construct to Take Off

The huge success of Apex Legends has had an interesting impact on VR title Apex Construct, as the similarity in names has caused visits to its Steam page to increase by over 4000%.

Via PC Gamer, Andreas Juliusson of Apex Construct developer Fast Travel Games took to Reddit to discuss the situation in more detail and how the launch of the free-to-play battle royale title Apex Legends, which isn’t even on Steam, has affected Apex Construct, which is on Steam and costs $29.99 USD.

Continue reading…

Lord Of The Rings Prime Series Teased With Maps, A Poem

Amazon Prime has begun to tease its upcoming Lord of the Rings original show, with a series of posts on social media that both show maps of Middle-earth and quote the famous poem cited in Peter Jackson’s film trilogy. As a result, fans have begun speculating on where and when the series will be set.

The first teaser was a tweet that displays a wide map of Middle-earth, conspicuously unlabeled, with the phrase “three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky.” A threaded reply included a link to explore or download the map, complete with labels. A follow-up on Instagram quotes the next part of the poem, “seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone.”

The teases are a clear reference to the poem from the series of novels that details the backstory of of how the Rings of Power were distributed and how the One Ring was used to deceive the various factions of the world. Gandalf, played by Sir Ian McKellen, memorably quotes a piece of the poem in the first Peter Jackson film. The full poem reads:

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky; Seven for the Dwarf-lords in halls of stone; Nine for Mortal Men, doomed to die; One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne; In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie; One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them; One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them; In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.

That leaves six more lines left to quote, if Amazon plans to slowly cite the entire poem. We know this will be a prequel, and the community seems to believe it will detail the events that led to the War of the Ring–the climactic battle between Sauron’s armies and the free peoples of Middle-earth.

Other than stating it takes place before Fellowship of the Ring, Amazon has been notoriously tight-lipped about its plans for its original series. We know it’s an expensive project for the company, and that it has hired writers from Star Trek 4.

Mortal Kombat 11: Ronda Rousey Wrestles as Sonya Blade at WWE Elimination Chamber

Ronda Rousey seems fairly excited about taking on the role of Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat 11, and she’s taken that fandom a step further by dressing as the character when taking part in yesterday’s WWE Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.

The UFC Champion, Olympic medallist and WWE superstar emerged for her Raw Women’s Championship match dressed as the character. It’s proven a popular move, with many viewers (including our own reviewer) saying it’s a better look than her traditional “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey attire.

Top New Games Out On Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, And PC This Week — February 17-23 2019

Now that we’re past Valentine’s Day, it’s time for New Releases to focus on single-player games–with the major exception of Anthem. This week is also a chance for you catch up on some games you might have missed the first time around, as Yakuza Kiwami comes to PC and Aragami: Shadow Edition leaps onto Nintendo Switch. This week is also home to two visual novel re-releases: SteinsGate Elite and the packed-to-the-brim Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy.

Yakuza Kiwami — February 19

Available on: PC

No Caption Provided

Kiwami is a remake of the first Yakuza game, in which Kazuma Kiryu starts piecing together a new life after taking the fall for a yakuza boss and serving jail time. If you’ve never played the Yakuza series before, you’re in for a story packed with street fights and crazy minigames.

Further Reading:

SteinsGate Elite — February 19

Available on: PS4, PC, Switch

No Caption Provided

The first visual novel we’ll talk about this week is SteinsGate Elite, a remaster of the original 2009 game. SteinsGate is a story about time travel, and that means you’ll make choices that totally change how the tale ends. Elite also includes full animation and new story paths not seen before.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy — February 21

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

No Caption Provided

For the uninitiated, the Phoenix Wright series involves finding evidence, questioning witnesses, and bringing everything together in the courtroom to defend your client. This collection includes the first three games in the series–Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Justice for All, and Trials and Tribulations–in pretty HD. It’s already available on Switch, but now’s the time to try it on some other platforms.

Aragami: Shadow Edition — February 21

Available on: Switch

No Caption Provided

Speaking of games on Switch, Aragami is coming to the console this week. Shadow Edition includes the base game, its Nightfall expansion, and all previously released DLC. This stealth game was inspired by series like Metal Gear Solid and Tenchu, and now you’ll be able to sneak around any place you happen to sneak in your Switch. You can pair up and hide in the shadows with a friend in co-op too.

Anthem — February 22

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

No Caption Provided

Anthem is breaking new ground for BioWare: this multiplayer-focused shooter takes place in a shared world. You’ll still get a healthy dose of role-playing via quests and branching dialogue, but you’ll be suiting up for missions in one of four Javelins. Each has its own weapons and abilities, and you can customize the look of each suit too.

Further Reading:

February isn’t quite over, and the next episode of New Releases will touch on games like Trials Rising. We’ll also dip a toe into March releases with Dead or Alive 6.

The Walking Dead: “Omega” Review

Warning: Full spoilers for the episode follow…

“I’m glad you and my mom are friends.”

While not an action-packed, or even particularly intense, chapter, “Omega” is one of the best Walking Dead episodes in a long while. Several factors helped here, but first and foremost it’s because Daryl is finally starting to shape up as a fully-realized character. It’s sad that it took nine years, but there’s no better time than the present, right? Especially if we’re looking at him to take over as the new Rick – a notion that was rumored after Andrew Lincoln’s exit, but one that feels even more concrete now after Danai Gurira is also reportedly leaving.

Continue reading…

WWE Elimination Chamber: All the Match Results

Ready for ALL the eliminations? Elimination of fear? Self-doubt? Deep-rooted sadness?

Well, we can’t promise any of that, but a bunch of damn wrestlers are sure as hell going to be eliminated at WWE Elimination Chamber tonight – and the first-ever WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions will be crowned! Will the titles go to Fire & Desire? The Boss & Hug Connection? Nia and Tamina? The Iiconics? All will be settled when six tag teams cram into the Chamber and duke it out for dominance.

Plus, will WWE capitalize on Kofi’s amazing SmackDown Live gauntlet match showing, and the overwhelming fan support that woke from its dormancy this past week, and push him to the top? Or will the New Daniel Bryan and his Hempchampionship reign supreme? Oh, also blah blah Randy Orton, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and Jeff Hardy. But really – Kofi and Bryan, amirite?

Continue reading…