If a new rumor is to be believed, Microsoft's next console is not looking too different from a PC, with access to Steam and Epic Games Store incoming.
We already know that the specs of this console look to help bridge the gap between consoles and PC's, but now the capabilities of the machine and the content it can access seem to be doing that as well. A rumor that appears to stem from Italian site Game Experience claims that the new console will allow players to access these gaming platforms that, until now, have existed purely on PCs.
The rumor opens up a whole new door for console players to have access to games they could never have before, not to mention put a lot of pressure on Sony's Playstation 5 to catch up to that kind of content access. This pressure also comes from the fact that several games that were once Playstation 4 exclusives and came to PC later would now be able to be played on Microsoft's console.
It makes sense for Microsoft to pursue this possibility. The company has been pushing for a unified platform for years, hence the "One" in the name of their last console.
But it does beg the question of why? With PC's already having access to these games, and many Xbox games also coming to PC, does it give many people a reason to get the new console for this feature? For those who can't afford to build or buy a complete PC gaming rig, the new Xbox could be an affordable way for them to play the games they want to.
Of course, as with any rumor, take it with a massive grain of salt. Until we get an official announcement from Microsoft, this rumor stays as such. A lot of stories can circulate before a console's release, and they can often prove to be false. Regardless, this is an interesting and exciting possibility for the new generation of consoles.
The Xbox Series X is set to release near the end of 2020.
The NieR franchise has done an excellent job of keeping itself in the public consciousness over the years.
While the most recent entry in the franchise, NieR: Automata, dropped almost three years ago now, and there has been no new content released (save a minor DLC released a few months after the game’s initial launch), there has been plenty of side content for it.
From timely comments from someone like Yoko Taro keeping the game in the public eye to high profile collaborations with other games (like 2B’s unexpected appearance as a DLC fighter for Soul Calibur VI, and the NieR themed raid for Final Fantasy XIV), the franchise has something to spike interest in it whenever it starts to wane.
The most recent exciting feature is the full release, for free, of the series’ soundtracks on Spotify. It includes the soundtracks for NieR: Gestalt, NieR: Replicant, and NieR: Automata, as well as Arranged and Unreleased tracks and a Piano Collection (both for Automata).
The timing of this lines up well not just for spiking interest in NieR once more but for the franchise’s upcoming tenth anniversary, igniting speculation that a new game might be announced on that date, or at the very least that something significant might be happening.
If there is, it’s a well-kept secret, with no real hints dropped by any of the relevant parties, but both Square-Enix and Yoko Taro are known for keeping things pretty close to the vest when it comes to these kinds of things.
If there is a forthcoming announcement, I would expect it to drop either somewhere around the end of January. It is roughly the same time the first of the NieR Orchestra concerts is set to start, or otherwise very close to the early April date of NieR’s anniversary.
Fortnite: Battle Royale isn't just a game anymore—it's a cultural phenomenon.
And as with most free-to-play games, how your character looks in-game is a big part of that culture. Thanks to the fantasy setting of the game, the skins can be as weird and wonderful as Epic Games can imagine. And so far, they've been pretty funny. From Olympic skiers to superheroes, to terrifying gingerbread people, Fortnite's skins are a colorful and eye-catching array of crackpot ideas.
Skins are only available as Battle Pass rewards or through V-Bucks, which, unless you play Fortnite's PvE Save the World, are only available when bought with real money.
Skins aren't always available either. The shop changes every day, with some event skins gone for good after a certain period. So act fast if you want to get something that catches your eye.
If you're having trouble deciding which skins are for you, then here are some of our favorites that have been released so far.
Brite Bomber
Brite Bomber isn't too crazy, it's just a cool outfit. From the pink hair to the unicorn graphic, this is a strong look to wear into the battlefield—but not one that's going to get a ton of attention. Still, it's only 1,200 V-Bucks on the Item Shop, and Brite Bomber regularly appears for sale, making this a solid choice.
Rex
Is this a Halloween costume worn all year round? Some kind of dino furry subculture that exists in Fortnite? We're not sure. But Rex, or "Reptar" as fans call him, is one of many highly detailed Legendary skins that rotate into the Item Shop periodically. Rex's dinosaur-like backpack "Scaly" is also a fun Back Bling to add to other skins.
Sparkle Specialist
Sparkle Specialist is a great go-to skin. Once again, the detail is great. The tattoos on the arms, the makeup, the gloves—this is a look. Of course, if you haven't received Sparkle Specialist yet, you probably won't be able to: She was a Tier 56 reward as part of the Season 2 Battle Pass.
Tomatohead
Tomatohead is probably the buffest delivery guy you've ever seen. Not only has he got muscles to show, he's also wearing sturdy boots and shin guards—so anyone who tries to mug him for his tips is in for a surprise. The Special Delivery Back Bling is one of the best as well—you can turn any skin you like into a delivery boy.
Catalyst
Introduced in the Season 10 Battle Pass, Catalyst is a fantastic cyberpunk-like skin. The clothing has excellent detail, and it's a handsome reward for merely purchasing the pass, as it was unlocked at Tier 1. This skin alone may have encouraged many a battle pass purchase, and it's still viral in Chapter 2.
Astra
One of the most recent additions to the store, the animated skin Astra was introduced at the very end of 2019 as part of the Shooting Stars set. Galactic feel from this as the skin shows stars and constellations that change as you play, meaning that you’re always looking at something new. It’s not just right. It’s out of this world!
Cuddle Team Leader
Cuddle Team Leader strikers an impressive balance. It manages to be both cute and pretty terrifying at the same time, depending on how you look at it. Give it a crazy Back Bling of weapons or explosives, and that gormless face starts to look the features of a mad person.
Gumshoe
Gumshoe was added into Fortnite in early July 2018, and as far as themed skins go, she has a pretty impressive look to call her own. For one, she has the whole "private detective" look locked down, almost like she walked off the set of a noir film. Not to mention, Fortnite's female characters haven't gotten a sleek look to call their own quite yet until Gumshoe arrived on the scene. This skin bridges the gap, making her a necessary pick for any player.
Nitelite
Nitelite may be an Uncommon skin, but don't judge her by her rarity. Along with her counterpart Liteshow, both skins are easily the coolest Uncommon outfits ever released. Unlike the Save the World and military theme seen with most Uncommons, Nitelite is a striking figure on the battlefield—especially when she's using a dance Emote at night.
Peele
Peely is a simple idea, executed well. Banana suits are staples of fancy dress parties, so why wouldn’t you include it in one of the biggest games in the world? It has a practical application, too, as the top of the banana skin makes it more difficult for enemies to pick out where your head is, even with the eyes. It’s undoubtedly appealing. It was available during the Season 8 Battle Pass, but it may see a return in the future.
Raven
How can we forget Raven? Loved by new players and veterans alike, Raven is a skin to be feared. This outfit is a personal favorite for many in part because of Raven's menacing stare and all-black outfit. Be warned, it's hard to pick him up on the Item Shop—he's made just five appearances in the store since his introduction. But as far as Legendary skins go, Raven is a must-have.
John Wick
Previously, there was The Reaper, a suave Keanu Reeves look-alike in his textbook John Wick black suit. It was great, and the best imitation skin of a famous movie character (and probably the only) that the game has. Except in May 2018, Epic added the real deal to promote John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum. So now, you need to accept no imitations. While it was a promotional skin, it still appears on the store at regular intervals.
The Visitor
Objectively speaking, The Visitor is cool. That's just a fact. Available to players who complete the Season 4 Blockbuster Challenges, The Visitor features sci-fi armor and even has a customizable mask. That means players can throw a Crosshair on their face, turn their head into a Visualizer, or just walk around with a goofy smile while sniping from afar. The choice is yours, making The Visitor a great pick.
Zoey
There's something about Zoey that's just so cool. Maybe it's her hair color, or her outfit, or her name, or all of those things together. But either way, Zoey is zany, and that makes her one of the best skins in Fortnite, especially when it comes to the game's female characters. If you earned her as a Battle Pass reward, then be proud to wear her everywhere, even if she is relatively common on the battlefield.
Where to Find Oleander Sage in Red Dead Redemption 2
Oleander Sage is a useful but dangerous plan to go hunting for in Red Dead Redemption 2. You need to collect it if you're looking to make poison-based weapons, such as arrows or a throwing knife. If you have your character consume them, they begin to vomit a lose a little bit of health. What's worse is you can use it to kill them.
You can find Oleander Sage in a particular location in the middle of Lemoyne. It's to the west of Saint-Denis, along the sides of the Kamassa River. We have all of those locations documented for you to reference while you're in the area quickly.
Wander around the stream to check out these locations. They're a decent gap away from each other, so you'll find it best to take your horse down these ways and getting off it when you arrive. There's a location closer to Saint-Denis to the northwest that could be a great starting point.
When you're ready to make Poison arrows or poison throwing knives, you can make those when you have all of the supplies. Here's what you need for each of them:
Poison arrows: 1 Arrow, 1 Flight Feather, and Oleander Sage
Poison throwing knife: 1 Throwing Knife and Oleander Sage
Both of them can prove useful if you're looking to make sure your enemy takes additional damage after you attack them. Make sure you don't eat Oleander Sage because it can kill your character if they overeat it.
The Kurrudo in Warframe is a weapon worn on your Warframe's fists and feet. This Grineer sparing weapon does great damage with high critical chance and multipliers, but is slow, and has a short range.
The blueprint for the Kurrodo can be obtained from the Tusk Thumper Bull and Tusk Thumper Doma on the Plains of Eidolon. Tusk Thumpers spawn randomly on the map when you are playing on the Plains of Eidolon, but they do have several set spawn locations that can be checked. The blueprint is a random drop, so you may need to kill multiple Tusk Thumpers to get it.
Once you have the blueprint, you can build the weapon in the Foundry on your Orbiter using the following resources:
30000 Credits
25 Auroxium Alloy
15 Esher Devar
5 Breath of the Eidolon.
20 Mawfish Bones
Blueprints for Auroxium Alloy and Esher Devar can be purchased from Old Man Suumbaat on Cetus. You then build the items using resources that you mine from rocks on the Plains.
Auroxium Alloy - Auron
Esher Devar - Devar
Breath of the Eidolon can be earned by completing Bounties for Konzu, who is located at Cetus. Mawfish can be found in Lake on the Plains during the day and can be caught with any spear. Once you have all the required resources, you can build the Kurrodo. It has a 12 hour build time, which can be skipped for 30 Platinum, Warframe's premium currency.
Sawk has arrived in Pokémon GO. This Pokémon is a Fighting-type capable of dealing out a decent amount of damage, and has their attacks boosted by cloudy weather. While Sawk is in the game, there are only specific regions you can find them.
Sawk will only appear in Europe, Asia, and Australia. You can find it in the wild, and you can hatch it from 10km eggs. It's unlikely to find Sawk in the wild outside of these locations. You'll need to visit them and hope to find one during your travels or trade with someone who happened to capture one while there. But again, if you have a 10km, you can have it hatch anywhere in the world. The egg makes this regional-bound Pokémon available to everyone.
Sawk has a max CP of 2788, an attack of 231, defense of 153, and a stamina bar of 181. If you want to add Sawk to your roster, you'll want to rely on its brutal attack and hope it can withstand a few hits. Because it has lower defense you may want to fight other Pokémon with equally low defense or low attack to make short work of them.
You can find a Sawk with these attacks:
Body Slam (charge)
Focus Blast (charge)
Low Kick (fast)
Low Sweep (charge)
Poison Jab (fast)
Of the available combinations, you want to try and capture a Sawk with Poison Jab for their fast attack and Focus Blast or Body Slam for their charge. Low kick also works with Body Slam, but it doesn't offer as much damage, but by a small margin. Sawk's attacks are reasonably strong overall, making them a great option using whatever moves it has on it.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is an RPG Action-adventure starring the numerous characters from the Dragon Ball Z anime. It follows the adventure of the show with several side stories players can explore while roaming around the game. When does the game arrive, though?
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot officially releases on Jan. 16, and no sooner than that. No matter what version of the game you pre-order or purchase, there is no way to gain early access to the game. Everyone is going to have access to it at the same time. With no multiplayer or coop available in the game, it makes sense to give everyone access to it at the same time.
If you want to make sure you have access to the game when it becomes available you have a variety of pre-order options available to you. Each of them comes with several bonuses. You have four different options to pick from with the Deluxe, Ultimate, and Collector's edition all coming with Kakarot's season pass.
Those who pre-order a digital version of the game have the chance to preload the game starting on Jan. 14. You can let your console or PC rest while it loads the game and has it ready to go for you when it officially launches. Kakarot is available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Cyber Shadow, a nice surprise announcement from 2019, has gotten some new details about its playtime through an interview with the game's developer, Aarne "MekaSkull" Hunziker.
Hunziker is the game's lone developer and the game will be published by Yacht Club Games, the makers of Shovel Knight. In an interview with Nintendo Enthusiast, Hunziker discussed several aspects of the game, particularly how long it will take players to beat it. Hunziker told Nintendo Enthusiast that "... playtesters are taking anywhere from four to ten hours to reach the ending. This is not counting feats/achievements."
That's a solid amount of time for a side scrolling game, and that's without the amount of time it will take to complete all the achievements and whatnot in the game. Regardless, Shovel Knight was a wonderful side scrolling adventure, and if the makers of that game are backing this one, Cyber Shadow already looks to be a great game for fans of the genre to dig into.
There still hasn't been a confirmed release date for the game, but we do know that it is set to be released on PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4, and Nintendo Switch.
Where to Find Watson's Cabin in Red Dead Redemption 2
You won't always be the nice person in Red Dead Redemption 2. Sometimes, you need to rob someone for the money or to work toward completing the Breaking and Entering achievement. If you're looking for Watson's Cabin, here's what you need to do.
The location of Watson's Cabin is not challenging to locate. You can find it north of Little Creek River, to the northwest of Wallace Station. We have its exact location mapped for you.
You need to approach it a certain way, though. First, you approach it, the owner'll greet you. They'll believe your someone else. After you finish up anything at the cabin for the first time, you'll need to wait a day outside of it before you act again. You can create a camp nearby to make it fast.
When you've waited a day walk up to the cabin like you did before, but elderly woman's four sons will attack you. They shouldn't take you long to handle. After you take care of them, feel free to enter the house and look for the lockbox underneath the kitchen table. You're now one step closer to completing the Breaking and Entering Achievement, where you need to rob four specific locations in the world. This is one of them.
How to Get Basculin and Best Movesets in Pokémon GO
Basculin has joined Pokémon GO and you can go out and capture this Pokémon right now. There are two versions of the Pokémon. One comes with a red line on its body, and there's another with a blue line. You can receive either, but it does matter on your location.
For those on the western hemisphere of the world, you're going to receive the Blue-stripped Basculin. If you're in the eastern hemisphere of the world you can receive the Red-stripped Basculin. There's no stat changes or special movesets for the different choices. They only look different and for Pokémon collectors that can matter.
Basculin is a Water-type Pokémon. You'll want to explore beaches, lakes, rivers, harbors, or any small waterways. You can also find them a bit more during rainy days in a city, but you'll have far better luck in other locations.
The maximum stats for Basculin put it at having a Max CP of 2090, an attack of 189, a defense of 129, and stamina of 172. It's not an incredible contender when it comes to changing up your roster, but it might be a useful Pokémon for your second tier of choices. Here are the moves it can learn:
Aqua Jet (Charge)
Aqua Tail (charge)
Muddy Water (charge)
Tackle (fast)
Water Gun (fast)
Of these choices, you want your Basculin to have Water Gun and Aqua Tail or Tackle with Aqua Tail or Muddy Water. Those are your best options to pick up a reasonable Basculin, but they all line up pretty close together.
How to Get Sigilyph and Best Movesets in Pokémon GO
Sigilyph is a Pokémon you can acquire in Pokémon GO. It's a Psychic and Flying-type Pokémon that's a pretty decent fighter to have in your roster. Here's what you need to know if you want to capture it.
You can find Sigilyph in the Egypt and Greek regions of the world. Other than that, you won't be able to find it. It doesn't become available in any of the eggs at this time, so it would mean that you wouldn't be able to receive it outside of these regions.
In those regions, it's a Psychic and Flying-type Pokémon, so you have the chance to find it in grasslands, open fields, and parks. You'll want to spend some time outside of a city looking to find it to add it to your collection.
These are all of the available moves for Sigilyph:
Air Cutter (charge)
Air Slash (quick)
Ancient Power (charge)
Psybeam (charge)
Signal Beam (charge)
Zen Headbutt (quick)
Of the choices available to Sigilyph, you'll want to choose Zen Headbutt with Psybeam or Air Cutter or Air Slash Psybeam. These are your best choices for the Pokémon. It's not the best-attacking Pokémon to add to your roster, but it does decent enough damage has high enough defense to where it's a worthy choice, but it not might be your best option in Pokémon GO.
In Pokémon GO, Pokémon have three base stats: Attack, Defense, and Stamina. All Pokémon of the same species will have the same base stats. The stats are relatively straightforward: A Pokémon’s Attack stat affects the damage its attacks will deal. Defense affects the amount of damage a Pokémon receives from attacks. Stamina affects the Pokémon’s maximum HP. Unfortunately, these base stats do not reflect in-game, so you’ll have to rely on a Pokémon’s Combat Power (CP) to determine its overall combat ability.
If you’re willing to do a little extra research, you can find a table listing all Pokémon base stats in Pokémon GO on Bulbapedia. There are also numerous helpful mobile apps you check a Pokémon’s base stats on the fly (we’ll get into those later).
Like the main series Pokémon games, some Pokémon are intrinsically better than others. Certain Pokémon will, unfortunately, always be weak, regardless of how great their IVs are due to low base stats. A Pokémon’s base stats will never change.
Pokémon in Pokémon GO also feature size and weight stats, but these have absolutely no effect. Fans of main series Pokémon games are likely familiar with the tiny pool of moves that are affected by a Pokémon’s weight, such as Heavy Slam or Grass Knot. This is not true in Pokémon GO, Weight along with Size are entirely arbitrary. At least it is a little fun to see just how high an Alolan Exeggutor can tower over its peers.
Understanding Combat Power (CP)
A Pokémon’s CP represents its strength in battle and comes from a Pokémon’s base stats and the hidden stats called Individual Values (IV). IVs are a measure of a Pokémon’s potential. Its species also determine a Pokémon’s maximum CP; some Pokémon naturally have lower CP values when compared to others. Don’t judge a Pokémon by it’s CP because its stats, type, and moves are what matter the most when considering its performance in battle.
Higher CP Pokémon will generally have higher base stats because those are certainly taken into account when calculating CP and has an effect on a Pokémon’s overall performance. CP can be drastically weighted in favor of attack, meaning that Pokémon with a high Attack stat will have significantly higher CP than those without. However, just because a Pokémon’s Attack is high doesn’t make it a great Pokémon to use for battles. If its Defense is low, it may get knocked out more easily than others. This is where IVs can significantly come into play, as they can offer increases to a Pokémon’s otherwise low base stats.
Understanding Individual Values (IVs)
Pokémon in Pokémon GO feature Individual Values (IVs), like those in main series games. Unlike the main series Pokémon games, in which a Pokémon will have six IVs (HP, Attack, Defense, Speed, Sp. Def, and Sp. Atk), ranging from 0 to 31, Pokémon in Pokémon GO have only three IVs (Attack, Defense, and Stamina), with a range of 0 to 15. An IV of 0 is the lowest possible, and an IV of 15 is the highest possible. A Pokémon’s most valuable IVs are those for its lowest base stats. A Pokémon with 15 in all three IVs (so 45 total) is “perfect.”
Because all Pokémon of the same species feature the same base stats, an individual Pokémon’s IVs determine whether it’s stronger than others of its species. A Pokémon’s IVs are generally the most essential factor to consider when deciding whether to invest Stardust in powering it up. Unfortunately, a Pokémon’s IVs are hidden, but you can quickly check them using online and mobile tools.
It’s worth noting while a Pokémon’s base stats never change, its IVs change when traded to another Trainer. This feature ultimately exists to prevent the creation of a market for perfect IV Pokémon and can be detrimental or beneficial to those in the trade. A Pokémon’s IVs are completely randomized when traded, so there’s no way to guarantee a Pokémon initially traded with high IVs will still be great when it’s received. Additionally, a Pokémon can go into a trade once, so there's no trading back and forth until the Pokémon rolls good IVs. Learn more about trading in Pokémon GO in our helpful guide.
Pokémon Appraisal
While a Pokémon’s IVs remain hidden from players, you can receive hints to help determine your Pokémon’s IVs by using the Appraisal feature. When you Appraise a Pokémon, your team’s Leader offers some insight into that individual Pokémon’s power, hinting at its IV ranges. Of course, they won’t flat out tell you the information. Instead, they offer somewhat cryptic lines of dialogue to give you a general idea of their stats. We’ve deciphered some of their statements below.
To select a Pokémon to be appraised, tap on the Pokémon you wish to learn more about, then select “Appraise” from the menu at the bottom right. Your team’s Leader will show up to tell you more about that Pokémon.
Your team’s leader analyzes your Pokémon and shares the following details:
The overall total range of your Pokémon’s IVs
Which of your Pokémon’s base stats is its highest, and if any other stats are equal
The IV range of your Pokémon’s highest base stat
Commentary on the (meaningless) size of your Pokémon
As a reminder, a Pokémon can have up to 15 points in each of three IVs, for a total value of 45. We've left out the size-related comments, as you can see a Pokemon's size by checking its profile.
Determining the total IV range for your Pokémon
Your team leader will then let you know which of your Pokémon's stats (Attack, Defense, or HP) is the highest, and if any of its other stats are equal.
Determining the range of your Pokemon's highest IVs
Understanding the arc
A Pokémon’s entry shows an arc shown below its CP number. The arc doesn’t represent a Pokémon’s CP. Instead, the arc represents the Pokémon’s current level relative to your Trainer Level and its growth potential. When your Trainer Level increases, you essentially raise the CP cap for your Pokémon, as it’s possible to Power Up until the Pokémon is 1.5 levels higher than your current Trainer Level.
Pokémon with a lower dot on the arc are a lower level and have more growth potential until they reach its current level cap. A Pokémon with a higher dot on the arc is closer to your Trainer level, and a maxed arc means it is equal to or 1.5 levels higher than your current Trainer Level. Once your Trainer Level increases, the arc will move backward, denoting the availability of power gain from Powering Up. It moves back up to max once the Pokémon has been Powered Up to its maximum for your level.
Increasing a Pokémon’s CP by Powering Up
As a Pokémon powers up and gains more levels, its CP increases. Because Pokémon species and IVs determine CP, it’s possible to calculate the Pokémon’s maximum CP once you know its IVs and level. The amount of CP a Pokémon gains upon Powering Up comes from its IVs, including the level and species of the Pokémon. A Pokémon’s CP has no determination on how much damage it deals in battles because comes from the Pokémon’s Attack IV and the power of individual moves. While defending a Gym, a Pokémon loses motivation upon defeat, which lowers its CP unless increased eating berries.
It’s important to note the higher the Pokémon’s level, the less CP it gains per Power Up. Once a Pokémon reaches level 30, its CP gains from Powering Up go down by roughly half. Therefore, Powering Up past this point is generally considered too minor of an upgrade for the incredible amount of Stardust required. If you happen to have a large surplus of Stardust, then feel free to continue Powering Up to the Pokémon’s maximum level of 40.
Determining a Pokémon’s level
A Pokémon's base stats and CP go up every time they Power Up. Each Power Up grants one half of a level, up to a maximum level of 40. You can only Power Up a Pokémon to 1.5 levels higher than your current Trainer Level. Each Power Up has a Stardust cost and requires a certain amount of candy. This cost, combined with the arc mentioned above, can help you estimate the current level range of your Pokémon within four Power Ups.
Pokémon Power Up costs based on level range
Levels 1-3: 200 Stardust, 1 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 3-4: 400 Stardust, 1 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 5-7: 600 Stardust, 1 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 7-9: 800 Stardust, 1 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 9-11: 1,000 Stardust, 1 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 11-13: 1,300 Stardust, 2 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 13-15: 1,600 Stardust, 2 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 15-17: 1,900 Stardust, 2 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 17-19: 2,200 Stardust, 2 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 19-21: 2,500 Stardust, 2 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 21-23: 3,000 Stardust, 3 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 23-25: 3,500 Stardust, 3 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 25-27: 4,000 Stardust, 4 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 27-29: 4,500 Stardust, 4 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 29-31: 5,000 Stardust, 4 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 31-33: 6,000 Stardust, 6 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 33-35: 7,000 Stardust, 8 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 35-37: 8,000 Stardust, 10 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 37-39: 9,000 Stardust, 12 Candy (per Power Up)
Levels 39-40: 10,000 Stardust, 15 Candy (per Power Up)
Tools and apps
There are numerous formulas you can use to learn more about your Pokémon's stats. It’s significantly easier to use one of the many great calculators available online. There are also quite a few beneficial mobile apps we recommend to help you check your Pokémon while you’re actively playing Pokémon GO.
We’ve included those that are completely safe for use, and do not recommend using any that require your Pokémon GO login or directly modify the app in any way. Here are our favorite tools to help you determine your Pokémon's true potential:
Awesome Games Done Quick, the annual celebration of all things speedrunning, has set another fundraising record. According to its organizing, this year’s gaming marathon raised $3.13 million for the Prevent Cancer Foundation, a more than $700,000 increase over last year’s fundraising total.
This year marks the 10th anniversary for AGDQ, which has grown from raising just $10,000 in its first year to getting over $1 million in donations for the last seven years in a row. AGDQ 2020 crossed more than one significant milestone, becoming the first to raise more than $3 million for charity and receiving more individual donations than any previous iteration. Next year’s AGDQ has been announced to run Jan. 3 to 10, though its venue hasn’t yet been announced. Previous events have been held in Maryland, Virginia, and Florida.
Held in Orlando, Florida, AGDQ 2020 attracted more than 2,750 people to watch the speedrunning shenanigans in person. The entire week-long event was also streamed live on Twitch, with an audience of more than 236,000 concurrent viewers at its peak.
Highlights from AGDQ 2020 are available on the Games Done Quick YouTube channel, along with videos from previous years. Some of this year’s notable blazing fast runs include the Doom expansion SIGIL and The Outer Worlds each finished in under 15 minutes, and a playthrough of the Fallout franchise in just over two hours and 15 minutes, which includes the runner busting out some real-world props to explain a glitch he’s exploiting.
Along with AGDQ held each January, Games Done Quick also encompasses the aptly named Summer Games Done Quick, which typically runs some time between late June and early August. SGDQ 2019 was the first GDQ event to ever raise $3 million, coming in about $100,000 under this year’s AGDQ total. Since 2013, SGDQ has raised donations for Doctors Without Borders. This year’s SGDQ will be held June 21 to 28 in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Having created a stable of colorful characters in League of Legends, Riot Games is now hard at work fleshing out the world by building a connected universe of complementary games. One of those games, Legends of Runeterra, will be playable by the public next week with the start of its open beta.
Riot Games is throwing open the doors, inviting anyone who wants to give Legends of Runeterra a shot into the beta starting Jan. 24. Previously, only a select handful of people were able to participate in the game’s closed beta. Players who want to be among the first to play Riot’s new card game can register on the Legends of Runeterra website now, and registering before Jan. 20 will let you into the beta one day early, on Jan. 23. Anyone who plays during the open beta will also get access to an exclusive character (called Guardians in Runeterra), Moonstruck Poro.
While plenty of gameplay tweaks are expected during any beta, Riot says that it won’t be resetting progress as the testing phase runs, so players won’t have to worry about their card collections or their records being wiped out when the full game is released. The start of the beta will also mark the first season of ranked competitive play. Anyone who’s already been playing the game’s closed beta will also notice some changes, including patches for more than 20 cards, plus new arenas and Guardians to play with.
Legends of Runeterra is a card battler featuring many of the familiar faces that populate League of Legends, including Thresh, Yasuo, Jinx, and Lux. Battles will take place in arenas based on existing locales in League of Legends as well. The full release is expected later in 2020.
Along with Legends of Runeterra, Riot Games has announced several other games set in the League of Legends universe, including a currently unnamed fighting game, action RPG and first-person shooter.
When players in a game have questions, they want to want to figure out the best location to speak to the developers or someone who can help them. In Pokémon GO, the Help Center is a little difficult to locate while you're playing the game. Here's where you can go to find it and make it easy.
The direct page you want to visit is located here. You'll have access to several different resources, such as how to contact support, articles about new features, recent patch notes, known issues, upcoming events, how to get started, and much more about Pokémon GO. Use the search back to view any of your questions to see if the developers have a post or a series of articles to help answer your questions.
When you're in Pokémon GO, it's a little more challenging to gain access to this page. The quickest option is going to the main screen of the game and click on the Poké Ballat the bottom of the screen. Click it, and then you'll open up a list of available options. However, you want to focus on the choices to the upper right. You want to click on the News option, and doing so brings you to a screen split by Notifications and News. You want to shift to the right and go to News. This screen has a list of the latest updates from Niantic about the new events in Pokémon GO.
When you click on any of these, you can read the quick tidbit of information about the particular event, but at the bottom, it posts a direct link to Niantic's webpage. Click on the Blog link to go to their website. It may take a few seconds to load, and you may need to double-click it. When you're on Niantic's webpage, click on the "Support" option at the top, and you'll immediately go to the Pokémon GO Help Center.
You can also go to the "Settings" section of the Pokémon GO application and scroll down to the bottom of this section. You can click the "Get Support" and have access to a modified version of the Help Center. There's a list of different options here, such as top articles, release notes & known issues, trainer progress, finding evolving & hatching, buddy Pokémon, and much more. If you're looking for a particular subject you can click the magnifying icon at the top to refine your search. For those who need to speak directly to the support team, there's an option to speak to a Pokémon GO support bot from your application.
The Help Center is an excellent resource if you have any questions about how a particular mechanic in the game works or if you want to know about upcoming events in the game. For those who want to frequent this page, make sure to bookmark it on your phone or computer to make it easier to access in the future.
Streaming Twitch to your Smart TV from your devices has never been the easiest process. The Twitch app has the ability to cast your favourite streamers to your TV, but this is limited to devices that incorporate Google's Chromecast feature as the Twitch app does not support all DLNA devices, those that will accept data from other Wi-Fi enabled sources. This means that if you have a device that supports it, such a Google Chromecast or streaming device such as a Roku Streaming box, then the process is simple. Simply head into the Twitch app and hit the cast button, which should appear if it sees a supporting device on your network. This should be the say on an Apple device with an Apple TV.
However, without a Chromecast enabled device, the Twitch app on your phone simply won’t offer you the option to cast the stream to your TV. To compound this, most smart TV manufacturers have been very slow to implement the Twitch TV app, and even those that have typically have very limited features or use an interface that will have you tearing your hair out just to find the streamer that you’re looking for.
You can also use the screen mirroring features that come on most devices, but this is generally not the most reliable form for guaranteeing good quality and a stable stream as it would require your phone to be close by at all times, while notifications will interrupt the stream.
But fear not, as there is a way to make this work using just your phone with no need for a separate casting device. To ensure that this works, you need to enable Wi-Fi on your phone or mobile device and ensure it is connected to the same network as your TV.
There are apps that will allow you to use the DLNA feature to find a Smart TV to stream to. This is a Wi-Fi technology typically found on Smart TVs that allows your handheld device to stream content directly to it, or will open up an app within your TV to allow it to run. This will then play the content from within the TV’s own operating system.
Almost any app that supports the DLNA feature should then allow you to share video content to your Smart TV. Most casting apps include this feature, but we would recommend checking on the store page before going ahead with it to ensure that it will work for you. One app that you can do this with is Tubio, which will allow you to pick a device that is connected and available on your home network, and then uses either other streaming apps such as Youtube internal to the Tubio interface, or allows you to search via its built-in web browser to search for any website that you would like to stream content to.
From here, you can head to the Twitch website, which will look like the main mobile app, and you can log in as normal to start a stream of your following list and any others that you want to explore. The stream will then connect to your TV automatically and start streaming through your phone.
While it isn’t as convenient as using the Twitch app with a Chromecast device, it will allow you to stream who you want to your smart TV. We hope you enjoy Twitch on your TV!
How to Get Karrablast and Evolve it in Pokémon Sword and Shield
There is an army of Pokémon you can find in Pokémon Sword and Shield. One of them is Karrablast, a Bug-type Pokémon. Many are after it for eventually evolving it into its final form, Escavalier, a Bug and Steel-type Pokémon.
The best locations to find the little Karrablast is by investigating these areas in Sword and Shield:
Bridge Field when it's overcast
Giant's Cap when it's overcast
Hammerlocke Hills when it's raining or in a thunderstorm
Motostoke Riverbank when it's raining
Route 7 during any weather
Browse through any of these locations long enough, and you should run into a Karrablast. They're not too difficult to find, especially when you know when to look. You'll want to fight it like any other Pokémon by damaging to make it weak enough for capture. When you have it in your collection, you're ready to start considering when you want to evolve it.
There's a unique method to evolving Karrablast. Yes, you do need to trade it, but you need to trade it with a trainer who is going to give you a Shelmet, another Bug-type Pokémon. If you only trade Karrablast to a friend and they do not give you a Shelmet, it won't work. You need to meet these requirements to ensure it happens. When you finish, retrade the two Pokémon back to their respective trainers, and you're good to go.
Shroud Divulges His Escape from Tarkov Keybind Settings
Escape from Tarkov is still seeing massive viewership and player count numbers after its meteoric rise in December. Despite the Twitch drops promotion ending, Escape from Tarkov (EFT) is continuing to grow in popularity.
While the holiday promotions had a lot to do with it, the streamers who enabled these drops also played a significant role. However, perhaps the biggest streamer to help put EFT on the map is Michael "shroud" Grzesiek.
Shroud is one of the most highly-regarded FPS players in the world and an extremely popular streamer. He's been dabbling in Escape from Tarkov for a couple of years but has gotten into it as of late. Recently, he revealed his keybind settings on stream, and since he has so much experience with FPS titles, it might be worth mimicking.
Shroud emphasizes taking advantage of the double-tap keybind system in EFT. For example, shroud has his switch scopes keybind as Mouse 3 and change scope zoom as a double-tap of Mouse 3. The setting makes it so you can easily accomplish both tasks without moving your fingers or hands that much. He went on to say that he uses that same tactic for lasers, tactical, and checking ammo/chamber keybinds.
The rest of shroud's keybinds are relatively straightforward for an FPS title. Reload is "R," Grenade is "G," and Interact is "F." It seems like the Mixer streamer didn't change much from the default settings except for implementing the double-tap tactic for a few keybinds.
As with any gamer, shroud's keybinds are subject to change if the meta of Escape from Tarkov alters or he wants to try something new. However, as of right now, these are shroud's keybind settings.
It’s not uncommon to hear many “open-world” games referred to as “sandbox,” but a real sandbox game has the freedom not only to explore but also to create, typically with little to no restrictions. Sandbox games let you build, craft, explore, and get your creative juices flowing. Great for unwinding after an exhausting day or for just flexing those creative muscles. Whether you’re building massive castles or creating sprawling towns for other players to enjoy, there’s generally something for everyone. Here are our favorite picks for the best sandbox games available for PC!
Let’s face it; no list would be complete without Minecraft. Not the first of its genre or even the best, Minecraft’s charming blocky world won the hearts of millions over its lengthy lifespan. Minecraft offers near-infinite possibilities, regularly demonstrated by insanelytalented creators. Years of patches and updates added RPG-like elements, including item enchants, bosses, and more. Minecraft also features a rich Creative mode that grants you on-demand access to every block and item in the game.
Often touted as “2D Minecraft,” Terraria is so much more than that. In addition to being a great sandbox game, with tons of options for building, terraforming, decorating, and more, Terraria also has rich progression-based RPG gameplay. Players can work their way up, gaining access to great new items to help them defeat even more powerful foes. While Terraria does not feature a Creative mode right out of the box, it does have full mod support. With its already ridiculously low price and regular sales, we consider Terraria one of the best deals in gaming.
Ah, Garry’s Mod. Originally a Half-Life 2 mod, colloquially known as “GMod,” Garry’s Mod has grown into its own a beast. Players can do whatever they want within Valve’s extensive Source Engine. Spawn NPCs, models, props, and more, and take advantage of GMod’s physics-based universe. GMod supports tons of custom models. We also have GMod to thank for some of the ridiculous YouTube videos in gaming. Bless you, Garry Newman.
Technically a simulation game, where your goal is to construct a (working) rocket and send it up into space (without blowing up), Kerbal Space Program offers a hilariously fun sandbox mode. You’re still focused on building rockets, but you’re given free access to all parts with little to no restrictions. The game’s Sandbox mode can be daunting, throwing all of the parts at you right off the bat, so you might consider starting in Career mode. There’s also an excellent middle ground in the game’s Science mode, which offers a version of Career mode’s progression system mixed with the freedom of crafting found in Sandbox.
Roblox may be dated, and it’s strange LEGO-esque character models might not appeal to all, but there’s no arguing that it's a fun sandbox experience. Aimed at kids and teens, Roblox lets you create your custom worlds and adventures and share them with other players. You can access any of these creations for free or build your own from scratch using the game’s Roblox Studio tool. Less Minecraft, more Mario Maker. Roblox Studio is easy enough to use that player with little to no experience in coding can dive in and have fun. If you’re looking to create something more complex, there’s a robust Wiki offering ton of tutorials and instruction on learning the game’s systems. And it’s free!
Trove is a fun MMO sandbox game based in a blocky, voxel world, offering players the opportunity to explore endless worlds and shape them to their liking. The game features an RPG progression system, in which players choose a class, explore worlds, defeat enemies to obtain loot, craft equipment, and unlock a plethora of goodies. Unlike player housing in other MMOs, you can take your custom-build house (a cornerstone) anywhere you go. Seriously, you can summon your house out of thin air. While Trove is free-to-play, it does have a bit of paid content. Trove even features a battle royale mode, Bomber Royale, because what doesn’t nowadays.
Besiege is a physics-based building game. You will need to learn how to use, and abuse, the physics engine to take on multiple levels of enemies and structures. You will also need to build your means of victory, as every vehicle you use is designed from the ground up by you. The defense is as important as offense in this game, and being able to survive your attacks can prove equally challenging. This game is incredibly fun, extremely addictive, and will make you think.
"I’ve heard some of the PS5 launch titles," Schreier said during the latest Kotaku Splitscreen podcast. "I won’t say them yet as I probably will want to some kind of report on that stuff for the future. But those will be on PS5 only."
The move is consistent with Sony's strategy to have a faster transition over PlayStation 5 in comparison with previous generations, where it took a little longer to have consumers moving from a current-gen console to a new one.
Microsoft has instead been promoting the concept of ecosystem and blurring the lines between generations and devices for the last few years. An excellent example of that is Halo Infinite launching at Xbox Series X's day one but also being available day and date on Xbox One and Windows 10 PC.
"As our content comes out over the next year, two years, all of our games, sort of like PC, will play up and down that family of devices," Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty told MCV last year at X019.
"We want to make sure that if someone invests in Xbox between now and [Series X] that they feel that they made a good investment and that we’re committed to them with content."
This is what Microsoft has been pushing as 'forward compatibility,' a particular case where Xbox One is capable of running next-generation games and is not limiting anymore to backwards compatibility, meaning the ability to handle titles from previous generations.
Sony has yet to reveal its full plans for backwards compatibility, but we do know that PlayStation 5 will be able to run PS4 games at the very least. At the time being, it is unknown whether PlayStation 4 games run on the newest hardware will feature some improvement or will be emulated.
