CES 2020 was the occasion for Sony to officially unveil PS5's new logo, which is very similar to PlayStation 4, as noted by fans and press members earlier this week.

In an interview with Business Insider Japan translated by Gematsu, Sony Interactive Entertainment President and CEO Jim Ryan has addressed the strong similarities between PlayStation 5 and PS4's logos and explained those.

"It is important to give off a sense of consistency for products within the PlayStation brand," Ryan said about the reasoning behind the creation of PS5's logo. "It is a must for anyone who sees [the logo] to immediately and positively think, 'That’s PlayStation.'"

The move isn't unexpected, as all the products launched after PS3's mid-cycle rebranding are carrying the 'PS' tag or even the full 'PlayStation' name. On top of that - think of PlayStation Move, for example, or even more importantly, PlayStation VR, which was initially codenamed Project Morpheus and ended up having a much more comfortable to recall and understand the final name.

As for the transition between the current-gen system and PS5, Ryan added that "there are over 100 million PlayStation 4 owners—there is a community there," and that "we have an obligation to keep them happy, interested, and absorbed," so don't expect the already existing platform to be abandoned in favor of its follow up anytime soon.

PlayStation 5 is expected to release in 2020 and, according to SIE's President and CEO, there won't be any delay for the Japanese territory, differently from what happened with PS4 for reasons of logistics.

"Bigger differences" between Sony's console and Xbox Series X have yet to be revealed, he mentioned in the same interview, so we're likely going to witness at least one more reveal event before launch.

Sony Interactive Entertainment President and CEO Jim Ryan has detailed the new feelings and experiences that will be granted by PlayStation 5's controller (DualShock 5), in an interview with Business Insider Japan (as translated by Gematsu).

Ryan has been playing Gran Turismo Sport "with a PS5 controller," and told the Japanese publication that it is already offering "a completely different experience" even though the game has not been developed specifically for the next-generation console.

"Playing the racing game Gran Turismo Sport with a PS5 controller is a completely different experience," he said. "While it runs well with the previous controller, there is no going back after you experience the detailed road surface via haptic control and play using the adaptive triggers."

"Driving on the border between the track and the dirt, I could feel both surfaces," he further detailed about the nuanced differences between PlayStation 5 and PS4's controller. "Doing the same thing on the same track using a DualShock 4 on a PS4, that sensation disappeared entirely."

Such differences are set to be offered thanks to haptic feedback, which is going to replace the traditional rumble technology found in controllers since the 5th generation of consoles, and adaptive triggers, incorporated into the trigger buttons (L2/R2); developers will be allowed to program the resistance of the triggers so that you can feel the difference between each action (drawing a board, sprinting with your football player, and so on) you'll do using them.

Gran Turismo Sport was released in 2017 and, since then, has been receiving a steady flow of updates with new cars and tracks, even with different weather conditions.

We've yet to learn about what's next for the franchise. At this stage, a follow up is expected to launch on the newest PlayStation in a couple of years.

Even if you don’t know what “4X” means, you’re likely familiar with some of the games in the genre. The term “4X,” coined by game developer Alan Emrich, stands for, “EXplore, EXpand, EXploit, and EXterminate,” outlining the different phases of gameplay. 4X games are well-known for their complex game systems, sprawling technology trees, detailed empire management, and strategic combat.

Most 4X games feature either turn-based or real-time gameplay and are commonly set in either real-world historical settings or outer space. There are also a handful of great fantasy-themed titles. We’ve made sure to include our favorite below. If you’re looking for something new to get your “one more turn” fix, check out this list of our favorite 4X games!

Civilization IV: The Complete Edition

At a glance

• Genre: Turn-based strategy
• Developer: Firaxis Games
• Platforms: PC, Mac
• Original Release Date: October 25, 2005
• Price: $29.99
• Where to Buy: Steam, GOG

No list of the best 4X games would be complete without an entry from Sid Meier’s insanely popular Civilization series. While more recent Civilization titles, including Civilization V and Civilization VI, are certainly great, we always find ourselves going back to Civ IV as the definitive Civilization experience. The Civilization series set the gold standard of the turn-based strategy genre on PC.

We recommend picking up the Complete Edition, as it includes the full collection of excellent DLC, including the extremely good Beyond the Sword expansion. You’ll get a plethora of leaders, civilizations, units, and more, offering the most vibrant and most diverse experience possible. You’ll even get to fight zombies, which is a lot more than the real Otto von Bismarck can say. If you’re entirely new to the 4X genre and decide to pick up only one title from this list, make it Civilization IV.

Stellaris

At a glance

• Genre: Space exploration “grand strategy.”
• Developer: Paradox Interactive
• Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4 (upcoming), Xbox One (upcoming)
• Original Release Date: May 9, 2016
• Price: $39.99
• Where to Buy: Steam, Paradox

Like Firaxis, Paradox Interactive are no strangers to the 4x genre, as their major developmental focus is on “grand strategy games,” wargames focusing on real-world maps and historical accuracy. Their credits include other great 4x titles, including the Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis series Stellaris is a slight departure from their historical titles, taking the exploration experience into the expanse of space.

In Stellaris, faster-than-light travel has just been developed, and empires are competing to be the first to succeed among the stars. As with most 4X games, you’ll start things off by choosing a pre-made empire, or you can opt to be assigned a random species. You can also use existing species and options to create a custom species or even create a new species from scratch with the game’s extensive modding capabilities. Speaking of mods, Stellaris has Steam Workshop support, and there you’ll find tons of mods to alter and enrich your experience. If exploring space and conquering empires is your jam, Stellaris is the game for you.

Galactic Civilizations III

At a glance

• Genre: Space strategy
• Developer: Stardock Entertainment
• Platforms: PC
• Original Release Date: May 14, 2015
• Price: $39.99
• Where to Buy: Steam, Stardock, GOG

Stardock's latest entry in the Galactic Civilizations series offers a rich and diverse experience for fans of the sci-fi genre. Galactic Civilizations III focuses on space exploration and the development of your empire within, featuring many species to meet and new worlds to colonize. Galactic Civilizations III has a wide breadth of choices that promise a different experience every time. You even get to design your ship.

Galactic Civilization III features a story-based campaign as well as multiplayer against actual players or an incredibly challenging AI. Galactic Civilizations III’s Crusade expansion, included in the $39.99 Steam and Stardock versions of the game, adds unique new features, allowing you to design your faction right down to its citizens. You can even train citizens to serve as spies and soldiers to aid in your efforts of galactic conquest.

Endless Legend

At a glance

• Genre: Fantasy strategy
• Developer: Amplitude Studios
• Platforms: PC, Mac
• Original Release Date: September 18, 2014
• Price: $29.99
• Where to Buy: Steam

Endless Legend is easily the best in the genre when it comes to fantasy-based 4X games. It takes place on the planet of Auriga, a land of an exotic assortment of races, each with their history, technology, and skills. Endless Legend features a unique combat system that has you assign individual units to armies, then control them in battle by issuing commands and moving individual units along the game’s hex-based map. This additional layer of depth makes combat in Endless Legend substantially more engaging than in other 4X titles.

As the name suggests, Endless Legend features endless replayability. World maps and quests are randomly generated with each new game. Endless Legend features excellent storytelling and RPG-like features, including the capability of equipping units with equipment to aid in battle. Additionally, the game’s latest expansion, Inferno, adds an all-new race, Kapaku, who are adept at traversing newly-added volcanic terrain. They can even create volcanoes.

Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares

At a glance

• Genre: Space colonization
• Developer: SimTex
• Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
• Original Release Date: November 22, 1996
• Price: $5.99
• Where to Buy: Steam, GOG

Master of Orion II may be positively ancient, but it’s also positively awesome. In this excellent classic 4X title, you’ll navigate the galaxy and colonize planets while being subjected to the grief of the Antarean race. The game is appropriately complex, while not absurdly challenging, offering an accessible and balanced experience once you’re able to get past the dated (though intuitive) interface.

As with any game focused on space travel and colonization, you’ll need a powerful spaceship. Master of Orion II offers an extensive ship design system, allowing you to construct and customize powerful warships featuring a variety of weapons and utilities complementing different battle tactics. You can even work towards creating a Doom Star, necessarily your Death Star, capable of destroying almost anything in its path.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion

At a glance

• Genre: Space strategy
• Developer: Ironclad Games, Stardock Entertainment
• Platforms: PC
• Original Release Date: June 12, 2012
• Price: $39.99
• Where to Buy: Steam, Stardock

While not a traditional 4X game, Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion combines real-time strategy with the 4X genre, blending an interesting and unique experience. We felt it was worth including on this list as its 4X features are excellently implemented, though there is a notable focus on the “exterminate” part. If you’d prefer a bit more of the other three (explore, expand, exploit), you can download the excellent Enhanced 4X Mod, which adds substantial additional content familiar to 4X gamers.

In Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, you’ll choose from one of three races with which to explore the galaxy, conquering planets and gathering resources. It’s worth noting that the game does not have a single-player campaign, though you’re certainly welcome to play offline versus AI. Sins also feature a beautiful soundtrack, and the graphics received an overhaul in a patch earlier this year, so the game is looking better than ever. If you’re a fan of RTS games and would enjoy adding the depth of 4X to your gaming experience, Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion is a great pick.

Age of Wonders: Planetfall

At a glance

• Genre: Turn-based strategy
• Developer: Triumph Studios
• Platforms: PC
• Original Release Date: August 6, 2019
• Price: $99.99
• Where to Buy: Steam

The Age of Wonders games have always been great, but Planetfall's journey into a science-fiction future stands out. Pick your faction, then start carving some existence for your people amongst the rather hostile stars. There are six factions to choose from, all with their styles, look, and strategy. The tactical combat plays out a lot like X-COM, using the cover, firing angels, and your various abilities to your advantage are key. While combat might be narrow-focused and tactical, colony building and control occur on a planetary scale. 

As you would hope from a game like this, there is no set way to win. Victory can be achieved by any means you think are necessary. Best of all, the campaign maps are randomly generated, so replayability is a significant factor in this game. 

Brielle Bullard contributed to this article. 

With the recent addition of Flareon to the Build-A-Bear lineup, it only makes sense that the company would follow up with more Eevee Evolutions for 2020. The latest Pokémon to be added are Jolteon and Vaporeon. A graphic showing that Jolteon would release in the summer of 2020, with Vaporeon coming in late summer, has appeared on the UK Build-A-Bear website. 

Build-A-Bear is a worldwide chain of toy stores that specialize in making custom bears. Visitors to the store can have their toy bears made to their specifications. Established in 1997, the company has become a worldwide success, with over 400 stores all across the globe. The company also has a range of collectible cross-over products that can be purchased online. Unlike the rest of the companies products, the Pokémon toys cannot be personalized, but various accessories are available for them. 

They have produced stuffed versions of Snubbull, Pikachu, Piplup, Squirtle, Pichu, and Eevee. For 2020, they are focusing on bringing more Eevee Evolutions. While no images of the toys themselves are currently on the website, the style and look will be very similar to the products they have already released. 

It will have felt like a long wait for PC players, but Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is finally arriving on PC today. It has been four months since the massive Monster Hunter World expansion released on consoles, and PC players have had to sit and watch while other people got to play in the snow. Today, they get to jump into the fun themselves. 

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne will release on Steam at the below times:

• 9 am PST
• 12 pm EST
• 5 pm GMT

Unfortunately, there is no preload option for the expansion, so you will have a hefty 48GB download waiting for you at the above times. 

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne introduces an entirely new area, Hoarfrost Reach, to the game. You can expect to find lots of snow, deep ravines, and unstable ground that could send you on an unplanned journey underground.

There will also be new monsters to hunt in the form of Beotodus, Banbaro, and Velkhana, as well as ice-related variants of the beast you already know and love, such as Tigrex and Nargacuga. All the weapons in the game have new moves and combos for you to master, and new tools like the Clutch Claw have been introduced to add a whole new dimension to combat.

For players out there who are looking for a new level of challenge, the Master Rank difficulty will give you even stronger challenges to take on. You will also be able to earn new materials if you are willing to take on the game's toughest challenges.

More Fortnite challenges have become available today, as the seemingly endless Season 1 of Fortnite Chapter 2 continues. The Remedy Vs. Toxin challenges are now available, and the first challenge is to visit three Food Trucks.

These can be hard to find. The Food Trucks no longer operate in the center of the more built-up areas that players will frequent a lot and instead can be found in more out of the way places.

You will see the locations of three Food Trucks marked on the map above. You can find Food Trucks in the following areas:

• A burger truck can be found in the scattered buildings, north of Pleasant Park.
• A pizza truck can be found south of Salty Springs, near the bridge to Weeping Woods.
• A food truck can be found in the middle of Lazy Lake and Frenzy Farm, near the river.

It's not very easy to see these from the air, but the arrows on the map above should get you to where you need to go. You don't need to visit all of them in one game, so it might just be easier to drop in one each one at the start of a match.

It looks like the Remedy Vs. Toxin challenges will be all we have to keep us busy until the current season ends. There is a chance that Epic might surprise us with something over the coming weeks, and it will be worth keeping a close eye on any changes to the map that hint to what might be coming in the future.

More Fortnite challenges have become available today, as the Season 1 of Fortnite Chapter 2 continues. The Remedy Vs. Toxin challenges are now available, and one of the challenges is to search chests at Landmarks.

Landmarks can be found all over the map. Dotted between all the names locations, you will find countless areas of interest. These can be anything from the Lighthouse, the scrapyard, E.G.O Outposts, or the boat launch. 

There are dozens and dozens of them on the map, far too many to highlight individually. On the map above, you will find the locations of various Landmarks throughout the game, but it is by no means exhaustive. 

This challenge is straightforward, as all you need to do is search seven chests, and you can do it across multiple matches. It will be very easy to do just by playing naturally, grabbing any chests you see. Every time you visit a new landmark, the name will flash on the screen. If your map is covered in grey areas that you have yet to visit, then you are guaranteed to find a landmark in there. 

All the landmarks should have at least one chest at them, but some will have many more. Landmarks can be anything from a small ring of stones to a group of houses, so comb each area, and you will have this challenge wrapped up in no time. 

We also have a guide to show you the locations of the Food Trucks, which you need to visit for another of the Remedy Vs. Toxin challenges. 

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX just had a shocking reveal during the Pokémon Direct hosted by Nintendo today. It will release in less than two months time, on March 6.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX is a remake of the original Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team that was initially released in 2005 for the Nintendo DS. The last game in the series was Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon in 2015.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX will once again put you in the shoes of a person who has been transformed into a Pokémon, and you will need to take a personality test at the start of the game to see what type of Pokémon you become. This new version is a vast visual departure from the original, sporting a brand new hand-drawn art style.

A demo is also available today for the Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite from the Nintendo eShop. Any progress that you make in the demo will carry over to the game upon release in March.

As you might expect, Pokémon Direct was packed with other Pokémon related news. An expansion pass was announced for Sword and Shield, which will cover two new DLCs, bring new areas to explore. The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra will introduced 200 new Pokémon to the game, and give us massive areas to explore. Nintendo also announced that Pokémon Home will be releasing next month, giving you an easy and simple way to transfer and store your Pokémon. 

The Pokemon Sword and Shield adventures will continue. But rather than putting work into sequels (or "Ultras") to the games, Nintendo and Game Freak have opted to simply add on to the original adventures.

During today’s Pokemon Direct special, the companies revealed that an expansion pass is in the works for the games. They provided a glimpse at what’s to come with the pass, including new characters, key locations, and 200 additional Pokemon, including a few familiar faces. that will be introduced. You’ll also be able to try out new customization options.

The new footage introduced us to two new locales, with the first known as the Isle of Armor. It consists of caves, bogs, beaches and dunes. Though no new game footage was revealed, there were a lot of snapshots indicating some of the strange, beautiful new Pokemon that will be introduced over the course of the adventure. 

From there, the terrain switched from sunny to snowy, with the introduction of part two of The Crown Tundra.

We’ll have a trailer that features these glimpses as soon as Nintendo puts it up. The Isle of Armor expansion will be ready to go in June, while the Crown Tundra DLC will follow sometime in fall 2020. “Each part offers a different adventure,” the team said.

The passes are sold separately, one for Sword and one for Shield, each with different adventures and exclusive Pokemon creatures. So, whichever game you own, you’ll be able to experience something unique. You'll also be able to transfer data to other players, even if they don't own them.

The passes will be available for pre-purchase later today on the Nintendo eShop, going for $29.99.

Pokémon Home will be releasing next month, according to Nintendo, who made the announcement during today's Pokémon Direct presentation. While no exact date was given, this will be welcome news to Pokémon fans. 

Pokémon Home will allow players to store Pokémon from games like Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee, Pokémon Sword and Shield, and Pokémon GO. While players will also be able to transfer Pokémon from Pokémon Home to Sword and Shield, this function will be limited to just the Pokémon that appear in the game's Pokédex.

Until now, the only thing known about a potential release window was that Pokémon Home would arrive in early 2020. The service seems to be designed to replace Pokémon Bank, so we expect it to have a similar price point at $4.99 annually. Or it could potentially be bundled in with the price of Nintendo's Switch Online service, which runs $3.99 per month, or $19.99 per year.

One area where Pokémon Home should be more appealing for players than Pokémon Bank is that they can access Home from their mobile devices. This means quickly being able to move your Pokémon while on the go, instead of needing to be at your console to do so. 

Pokémon Home will also work for all the new Pokémon that will be arriving in Sword and Shield with the recently announced expansion pass. The expansion pass will introduce two new areas, The Crown Tundra and the Isle of Armor, along with 200 new Pokémon that are not currently in Sword and Shield. 

When Game Freak's Junichi Masuda and Shigeru Ohmori appeared on Jan. 9's Pokemon Direct presentation, we were expecting a little update for the eighth generation games. What we got was an expansion pass that features new areas to explore, characters, and new Pokémon.

With its status as an expansion pack, does this answer the question of Sword and Shield getting sequels? The short answer: yes. As the expansion packs for Sword and Shield are optional to purchase, they offer new adventures that take place after the events of Sword and Shield.

To Game Freak's credit, this is the answer to Sword 2 and Shield 2, making the games more expansive and offering more content that can just be added in the base game.

The DLC expansion passes are strictly exclusive to the version you own, being similar as getting Black and Black 2, for example. This also means that you cannot play the Sword DLC expansion pass if you only have a copy of Shield. 

The Isle of Armor will be released in June 2020 and The Crown Tundra will be released in Fall 2020. 

During today’s Pokemon Direct special, Nintendo revealed a surprise remake — the return of the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team games.

This March, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX will arrive on Nintendo Switch. It’ll have a nice glossing over of the original adventures, with new visuals and other fun surprises.

A demo has now become available for Nintendo Switch, and data will carry over to the full game when it comes out. But how can you get your hands on the demo? Well, there’s two ways to go about it.

Download It From the Nintendo eShop

Finding the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX demo is a cinch on the eShop. Start it up, and then do a search for the game in the search bar. (Or look on the main menu, as it may be available there since the Nintendo Direct did just take place.)

You’ll see two different options available — the ability to pre-order the game, and the option to download the demo. Go ahead and take the second one, and the demo should begin downloading to your system.

Download It Online

Let’s say you’re at work and away from your Nintendo Switch at the moment, or you’re just too busy to get your hands on the system. Don’t worry, there’s another way you can get the demo so you won’t have to miss it.

If you visit this page, you’ll find the official profile for Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX. Right at the top, you’ll see an option to pre-purchase for $59.99. But right beneath that, you’ll see the words “Demo available” in white print. Click on that, and, if your device and account are synced up together, you’ll automatically begin downloading the demo, so it’ll be ready to go the minute you get home.

Either way, the demo will be easy to download and venture into. Just keep one thing in mind — it’s pretty big. The demo clocks in at around 2.1GB in size, so make sure you have ample space to fit it into your game library.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX releases on Mar. 6. 

Pokémon Sword and Shield are getting an expansion pass, bringing two new DLCs to the game later this year. This will introduce two new areas and 200 Pokémon that are not currently in the games. 

On top of that, an update will be arriving for the game today to celebrate the upcoming DLCs. This will introduce Galar Slowpoke, and Galar Slowbro, to the game, and you will also have a chance to add them to your Pokédex. 

As soon as the update is available, and you have downloaded it, you will need to visit Wedgehurst Station. A new trainer has been added to the game, and you can meet them there. The new trainer will be essential during the upcoming DLCs, so consider this your introduction to the future content. 

A cutscene will play, and when it is done, you will be able to catch the Galarian Slowpoke. Just catch it the usual way, by weakening it a little and then using a Poké Ball. Galarian Slowpoke can evolve into Galarian Slowbro, but you will have to wait a little while to do it. You will need to hold on to your Slowpoke to get the Galarian Slowbro, as he will not be available until the new DLC launches. 

You don't need to make any special purchase, or pre-order the expansion pass, to get the Galar Slowpoke, all you need to do is visit Wedgehurst station and talk to the new NPC that can be found there after the update. 

Jan. 9's Pokémon Direct turned the tables by giving fans the anticipation for the future of Pokémon Sword and Shield.

The Galar region has some new faces that we have yet to encounter in Pokémon Sword and Shield. These characters that have not appeared in the base games will make their debut in the upcoming DLC expansions that will be released in two parts. 

Here are the new characters who will appear in the The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra DLC.

Mustard

Mustard will be the player's mentor during the campaign for Isle of Armor. He has also trained the Galarian champion Leon. He runs a dojo on the island and will be training the player and their rivals. Mustard also was the previous champion of the Pokémon league before being defeated by Leon.

Klara

Klara will be a Sword exclusive character in the DLC expansion as the player's training partner. She is a Poison type trainer who hopes to become a gym leader and own a stadium. She will eventually make an appearance in the game from the free update when you travel to Wedgehurst station.

Avery

For those with Shield, Avery will be training with the player instead. He is a Psychic-type user and similar to Klara, he hopes to have a gym stadium in the Galar region. Like Klara, he will appear instead in Shield at the Wedgehurst station.

Those are all the new characters revealed in the Pokémon Direct, but we might be introduced to new characters in future news updates. 

This morning’s Pokemon Direct was a wealth of information about Pokemon Sword and Shield, particularly with its just-announced Season Pass. With this, players will be able to visit two new regions — the Isle of Armor and the Crown Tundra. 

They’ll also come across some new legendary Pokemon that will make their journey worthwhile. Kubfu and its evolved form, Urshifu, will be available in the Isle of Armor, while the mysterious Calyrex will be on hand for those that enter the Crown Tundra.

There’s very little information about these Pokemon, but here’s what we know about each character thus far:

Kubfu

This fighting-type Pokemon is classified as a Wushu Pokemon, and has a superb Inner Focus ability. Here are the official details, straight from Nintendo and Game Freak:

"This Pokémon is hardworking and strives to train both its body and mind. It uses each defeat as motivation, training itself with even more vigor after a loss in order to grow stronger. It has an organ that produces 'fighting energy' in its lower abdomen, and before heading into battle, Kubfu will increase this energy through unique breathing techniques and intense focus. 

Wild Kubfu live in mountainous areas far away from the Galar region, but it was once a species that called Galar its home. It’s noted in historical texts that this species used to head to uncharted lands with people as they set out to trade or explore. Records suggest that the Kubfu living in faraway mountains today may have descended from Kubfu that became naturalized to the distant lands they visited in their journeys."

It sounds like the adorable Kubfu will be quite the addition to everyone’s collection — if you can handle it.

Urshifu

This Pokemon is also classified as a Wushu, though its type is a mix of fighting dark-type and fighting water-type. It’s much heavier than the Kubfu, clocking in at over 230 pounds; and its ability is the Unseen Fist. Here’s the official description:

“Kubfu will evolve into Urshifu after it has undergone sufficient training. It seems that Urshifu has two forms — a Single Strike Style and a Rapid Strike Style  — and it appears that each form has different types as well. Urshifu in Single Strike Style form favor battling without holding anything back. 

When enraged, they will mercilessly attack an opponent until it is utterly defeated. A Single Strike Style Urshifu’s movements are often direct and involve rushing forward in a straight line. It will keep its distance from its opponents at first only to leap in close instantly to deliver a powerful blow. Urshifu in Rapid Strike Style form maintain a calm demeanor, observing their opponents and measuring their strength while dodging attacks. A Rapid Strike Style Urshifu will use flowing movements in battle to smoothly parry an opponent’s moves and then overwhelm the opponent with a flurry of rapid strikes."

Urshifu should be a key addition to anyone’s Pokemon line-up.

Calyrex

Finally, there’s this mysterious Pokemon, which we caught a brief glimpse of during today’s Direct. Very little is known about it thus far, outside of its majestic appearance.

Calyrex is a psychic/grass-type Pokemon, a bit light in weight, coming in at just under 17 pounds. However, it’s classified as a King Pokemon, which should appeal to quite a few players. As for its ability, it has Unnerve.

Very few details were provided on the creature, but here’s what Nintendo and Game Freak had to say about them:

"Trainers will encounter Calyrex in The Crown Tundra. This Pokémon ruled all of Galar in ancient times. Though it appears delicate and slight, its every move is filled with grace and dignity. It also has extremely high intelligence, and it’s said to see every past, present, and future events."

It sounds like this Pokemon will be a challenge to some players, but well worth adding to their growing collection of creatures. That is, if you’re savvy enough to add it.

Fans will be able to see what Kubfu and Urshifu can do when the Isle of Armor DLC debuts this June. However, they’ll have to wait just a little bit longer for the Crown Tundra DLC, as it’s not set to debut until sometime this fall.

League of Legends is getting pretty famous for it’s awesome cinematics, such as “Awaken,” which was released last year to welcome in the 2019 competitive season. Now, Riot have come back with an equally epic cinematic for League’s 2020 season.

Titled “Warriors,” the new cinematic features many different League champions in an all-out war, with Caitlyin and Vi facing off against Urgoth; Lux and Garen struggling to keep Sylas’ offenses back; and Ezreal and Kai’Sa teaming up to battle a swarm of creatures. After a bloody battle, Garen, Galio, and Lux stand with their army, ready to finish off a defeated Sylas. 

The cinematic features a cover of the 2014 song “Warriors” by composer 2WEI and singer Edda Hayes. The song was originally performed at the Worlds 2014 finals in Seoul, South Korea, by Imagine Dragons, but the rendition for the newest cinematic takes on a far darker, more somber feel. 

The character models in the cinematic are on another level. Their movements, facial expressions, and all-round design are more realistic than ever before, sending a chill down your spine every time you watch Kai’Sa nod to Ezreal, or see the painful realization on Lux’s face as Sylas and his forces break through. Riot must be setting a pattern for their animated series, Arcane, which is set to release later this year. 

Fans can expect more League content very soon, as Riot confirmed their plans to expand the game further in a video that was released yesterday. 

Nintendo riled up the Pokemon community in a huge way with today’s Pokemon Direct. It announced a new Expansion Pass that will bring two new regions to the game — the Isle of Armor and the Crown Tundra. On top of that, new legendary Pokemon are on the way — Kubfu, Urshifu, and Calyrex — and some new features were introduced.

So what can players look forward to when the Expansion Pass arrives for Pokemon Sword and Shield? Quite a bit, actually. Let’s break down the new features we know about so far.

Customization Opens Up 

It’s vital to give your main character a special look that resonates with you. Both Nintendo and Game Freak get that, so they’re adding a number of customization options to the game with the Expansion Pass.

Across both downloadable content packs, over 100 new clothing items will be available. These include new outfits, along with other small touches like hairstyles that assist in making your trainer feel like your own. Green hair? It will be an option. A pink mohawk? Hey, go nuts, it’ll be on hand as well.

The full item catalog isn’t available just yet, as Nintendo simply teased what’s to come in the trailer. But there’s a lot here, and it’s going to keep you busy for some time.

Tutor Moves and Co-Op

You’ll experience a number of new tutor moves available within the game. You’ll also be able to try out Restricted Sparring. With this, players will have limitations on what kind of Pokemon they’ll use in the midst of battle, with pre-set conditions. Those of you that are familiar with Battle Frontier should have a good idea of how this works.

Then there’s co-op. Trainers will be able to team up with their friends in an attempt to encounter and capture Legendary Pokemon from some of the earlier games in the series. You’ll need to work decisively as a team if you’re going to defeat them.

More To Come

Nintendo and Game Freak aren’t done with updates just yet. There’s a lot of ground still to cover — like with the Galar Pokedex’s updates, for example — and we’ll know more in future reveals in the months ahead. 

The expansion passes will be available for pre-order later today on the Nintendo eShop, going for $29.99. The Isle of Armor is set to debut in June, while the Crown Tundra will follow sometime in the fall.

Fans were furious after Game Freak announced the National Dex wouldn’t return in Pokémon Sword and Shield. The cut eliminated approximately half the total amount of Pokémon, less than all but the earliest generations. Now, with Sword and Shield’s new DLC on the way, more Pokémon are returning to the games.

There are 200 Pokémon returning to Sword and Shield in the new DLC expansion pass DLCs, Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra. We don’t know all of them yet, but many were in the trailer.

Some of them have their own Galarian forms, others are left as they are. Others, such as the other first generation starters, got their own Gigantamax forms. 

We curated a list of all the returning Pokémon shown in the DLC trailer. Looking back through it, there were several more than expected. 

All returning Pokémon from the Nintendo Direct trailer:

• Talonflame

• Blastoise

• Venusaur

• Kingdra

• Lycanroc

• Dedenne

• Volcarona

• Registeel

• Regice

• Regirock

• Aurorus

• Nidorino

• Walrein

• Garchomp

• Slowpoke

• Moltres

• Zapdos

• Articuno

Excluding Slowpoke, who is available now, and Nidorino, all of the Pokémon shown are fully evolved, or do not evolve. For those that are part of an evolution line, we anticipate their pre-evolutions will be included in the list of 200 returning Pokémon. For instance, we saw Talonflame in the trailer, thus we can anticipate Fletchling and Fletchinder will also be available, either through encounters or eggs. 

A returning champion is Garchomp. A king in competitive Pokémon battles, the Ground and Dragon Pokémon is a powerful contender and bound to reclaim his title in the future competitive meta. 

Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres return with some fancy new Galarian forms. Not much is known beyond the images, but it looks like their typing remains the same. They are the first legendaries to have regional forms. 

The first DLC, Isle of Armor, will be available this summer. The second part, Crown Tundra, will be released this fall. As the release dates near, more of the 200 returning Pokémon may be revealed.

To celebrate the announcement of the new expansion pass and DLC for the games, you can find a new NPC in the game who will give you a chance to catch a Galarian Slowpoke. You can also get a Shiny version of Slowpoke. 

You will need to visit Wedgehurst Station. A new trainer has been added to the game, and you can meet them there. The new trainer will be essential during the upcoming DLCs, so consider this your introduction to the future content. 

A cutscene will play, and when it is done, you will be able to catch the Galarian Slowpoke. To get a Shiny, you need to keep soft resetting the encounter until one shows up. Now, there is a chance that this encounter might be Shiny locked, but at the moment we cannot confirm that either way.

If you are finally lucky enough to get a Shiny, catch it the usual way, by weakening it a little and then using a Poké Ball. If you don't want to reset the encounter endlessly, you can get the normal Slowpoke, then use egg hatching to try and get a Shiny. 

You don't need to make any special purchase or pre-order the expansion pass to get the Galar Slowpoke. All you need to do is visit Wedgehurst station and talk to the new NPC that can be found there after the update. 

The upcoming DLC for Sword and Shield will add over 200 Pokémon to the game, including a lot of returning favorites. When the new content launches later this year, you can expect to spend a lot of time adding new Pokémon to your Pokédex.

Sony is still making moves as it prepares for the launch of its PlayStation 5 console — and that includes bringing in an experienced player from the Microsoft side of things.

GamesIndustry International reports that the company has brought on sales veteran Veronica Rogers as its new senior vice president of business operations. With it, the company is looking to make the shift from a regional structure into one ‘single global system.’

With her job, she’ll be handling the company’s “go-to-market” strategy, as well as its sales operations for both digital and physical games. In addition, she’ll also focus on the growth of the company’s subscription services, including its online-enabled PlayStation Plus and cloud-based PlayStation Now.

"The PlayStation brand is one of the most beloved in the world and I am excited to join a company that has such a passionate community, legendary history, and an amazing leadership team," Rogers said in a statement. "My experience leading global sales organizations will help excel the PlayStation business and deliver the best gaming experiences to fans across the world."

Along with Microsoft, Rogers also worked for several years on strategic planning and leading business development at Dell.

We’ll see how her role plays out as the PlayStation 5 is announced this year — with a release to follow sometime during the holiday season.