One of the most anticipated games among those which haven't been revealed yet is probably the next Splinter Cell.

While we're all painfully waiting for Ubisoft to revive the iconic franchise, it looks like there's someone out there who's having a lot of fun about that.

Indeed, The Division 2 creative director Julian Gerighty has indeed shared what the company has already defined "a joke" about Splinter Cell being made right now at Ubisoft.

Gerighty posted a couple of photos and said he was "working on the next Splinter Cell (...) Can't wait for E3."

You can get it's a joke by the fact that he has tagged other creative directors at Ubisoft like Dan Hay (Ubisoft Montreal) and Roman Campos Oriola (Ubisoft Montpellier), and games like Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six.

On top of that, he also used hashtags for Far Cry, For Honor, and The Division 2, claiming that more would be "on their way" for a "crossover," including The Crew 2.

That's insane if you consider we're talking about a Splinter Cell game. Also, Gerighty changed for a few minutes his profile pic with a photo of Sam Fisher, so it looks like he had too many beers after work.

Fun enough, asked about what the hell was going on by USGamer, Ubisoft said: "Julian was joking as Julian likes to do."

"It looks like our creative directors are having fun right now. We do not have any announcements to make at this time."

Indeed, Gerighty hasn't deleted his tweets but added more fun to that, simply asking his followers how to delete tweets: "asking for a friend."

I'm not saying this is not fun, but Ubisoft, announce the next Splinter Cell and we'll be having even more fun.

Working on the next #SplinterCell with @danhaynow and @romcamor in #Lyon.
Can’t wait for #E3.
Crossover with #TheCrew2 with @_fergus_ :)
Only missing @GhostRecon and @Rainbow6Game - but on their way.#FarCry #ForHonor #TheDivision2 #RainbowSixSiege #GhostRecon pic.twitter.com/oiwMPTny9Y

— Julian Gerighty (@jgerighty) 14 maggio 2019

Devil May Cry has been announced very recently for the Nintendo Switch but, back in the days of the reveal, we haven't received much information about what it is set to look like.

Capcom has offered a more detailed statement on the topic, despite not confirming the price of the game.

We're informed, via USGamer, that the title is the port of the PlayStation 4 remaster, only that it is coming standalone.

Indeed, the publisher and developer have confirmed it doesn't have plans to bring more Devil May Cry games (like those part of the original collection, 2 and 3) to the Nintendo Switch as of now.

"Capcom is focused on bringing the original Devil May Cry experience for the first time to a Nintendo system. No other titles have been announced," said the company.

That's rather weird if you consider that the collection has been originally released for PS3 and Xbox 360, and then got a mere upscale onto PS4 and Xbox One in 2018.

So it doesn't look like there are technical limitations for it to come to the Switch -- just a business decision, and one that leaves us wondering about the final price of the game.

Considering the price of the entire compilation, $14,99 would be even too much, but you can't really think of Capcom selling a game at that price or even less.

It'll be interesting to learn all the details as soon as Devil May Cry releases onto Nintendo Switch this summer.

The series has been recently revived with a successful fifth chapter, even though DLC weren't offered and the dev team instantly passed to its next project.

Source

Nintendo Switch has proved massively successful for the company, especially if you consider that its previous console, Wii U, was such a disaster.

Since launch, the platform has been on top of charts both in North America and Japan and now has achieved a big and deserved result.

In just two years from the release, indeed, the Switch has surpassed PlayStation 4 sales in Japan, where the console from Sony has been available since 2013.

It's true that PS4 has never been too successful in Japan, a market where handheld systems are always the best selling, and where the likes of God of War are relatively less appreciated.

Nintendo Switch had managed to sell 8.042.166 units overall during the week of April 22, against PS4's 8.047.754 units.

Now, between April 29 and May 12, PS4 has moved "only" 30.003 (Pro included), while Switch has sold another 83.471.

This means it has surpassed PlayStation 4, sitting at a total of 8.125.637 consoles around Japan. Again, in just two years.

That the platform was being rather successful, it had already been proved, since it has already beaten Nintendo 64 and Wii U was outsold in just ten months.

With rumors of a Nintendo Switch Lite releasing as soon as this June, it'll be interesting to learn what's next for the console...

Source

It looks like there's a new Steam Summer Sale on the way, and of course, it has been leaked ahead of the official reveal.

The Summer Sale will reportedly be kicking off on June 25, 2019, and will feature two weeks of discounts on PC games sold on the platform.

To be honest, I've always been waiting eagerly for Steam sales to kick off, but it's coming out of a couple of years where they proved they're not as good as in the past.

Anyway, that'll be the first big sale Valve sets up after the aggressive exclusivity deals launched by Epic Games Store.

So, it could be an element of interest for Steam to try and kind of retaliate, to grab some attention from the media and devs at the very least.

Sure enough, it'll be something we'll need to carefully look at since Epic Games Store is also rumored to be launching its very first sale since opening.

People will do comparisons, and it wouldn't be fun to have devs and publishers take advantage of the money they save from releasing on the EGS to offer better discounts.

On top of that, Epic Games Store is revealing more exclusive games at E3 2019, so it'll be a good moment to show Steam how things are done.

Will Valve try and offer something good to its user, then? We'll find out on June 25.

🕶 Steam Summer Sale 2019 date leaked as per tradition, it will begin on June 25, 2019 at 10AM PST and will last for two weeks.

via SteamCN and confirmed by multiple sources.#Steam #SteamSummerSale #SteamSale #SteamDealshttps://t.co/hqW4V5S2uE

— Steam Database (@SteamDB) 15 maggio 2019

Rage 2 has a secret bunker, and the bunker contains an Easter Egg that is rather obviously about Elon Musk. You need to finish the Ground Control mission before you will be able to access this. You need Presidential access to get into this bunker, and you get that by playing through the Ground Control mission.

Elon Musk Easter Egg

The location of the bunker entrance is marked on the map above. Once you arrive, just head in the bunker door, grab the datapad on the right, then head down the elevator. Make your way through the bunker, picking up the datapads as you go. There will be four of them in total, and they are all pretty easy to spot, as they will normally just be lying on tables in the rooms you pass through. While you are down there, a scientist by the name of Elton Tusk will mock you, talking about how he is much smarter than you are. He seems to have been obsessed with space, new technology, and being rich. Sadly for him, his faith was to end up as a brain in a jar, forever bound to Earth. 

Eventually, you will come to a room that contains a brain in a big jar of liquid, hooked up to machines. This is Elton Tusk. Make sure you look behind the brain, as there will be an Ark Chest hidden in the darkness there. When you get tired of hearing the brain talk about how great he is, take the elevator upstairs. There will be two more Ark Chests waiting for you there. And that's it. You have seen everything the bunker has to offer, and can now get back to smashing up mutants and bandits.

Some Rage 2 players have been having an issue where the game will not load on Steam. It's, frankly, annoying when this type of thing happens, as you want to be able to install your game and then enjoy it. Luckily, we have a couple of steps you can take to try and fix the issue. 

Hot To Fix Rage 2 Not Loading On Steam Bug

The first thing to check is if your GPU drivers are up to date. This should always be your first port of call for most problems with games. Be it low performance, or issues getting it running, a driver update can often fix the problem.

If your drivers are up to date, or you update them and still have the issue, the next thing to try is running the game in windowed mode. To do this, right-click on Rage 2 in your Steam library. Open up the Properties tab, then select Launch Options on the General tab. A dialogue box will open, so type "-windowed" (without the quotation marks) in there, then click apply.

The last thing to try, only if you want to do, is to navigate to C:\WINDOWS\System32\amdvlk64.dlll , delete that file and see if it will launch. Hopefully, one of those steps will fix whatever is wrong, and the game will launch for you. If not, all you can do is wait until Bethesda put out a patch for the game. I'll be keeping an eye on the issue, either for more solutions that helped out other players or for word from Bethesda. I'll keep this article updated as I learn more.

With very little fanfare and to the surprise of many, Nintendo has just launched a new Pokémon game on mobile, Pokémon Rumble Rush, and is available on iPhone and Android.

The description of the new game seems to be similar to Pokemon GO and more traditional Pokemon gameplay with a little bit of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon thrown in:

“Get ready, adventurer! Pokémon Rumble Rush has arrived for mobile devices. In this latest entry in the Pokémon Rumble series, exploring uncharted islands is fun and fast-paced, thanks to the easy-to-use controls and attacks that are pulled off with simple taps.

As you battle wild Pokémon, some of them will join your team. Keep collecting more Pokémon to build up an assortment of heavy hitters. Plus, the more you collect the same species of Pokémon, the stronger those Pokémon will be when they join you! You'll need to gather a crew of powerful Pokémon partners to take on the islands' Super Bosses.”

This all sounds great. The trouble is, that currently, the game is only available on the Google Play store in Australia, meaning that you can’t simply go to your device’s store and download it with your are not in the land down under.

Help is at hand, though! You can still download and play the new game with the following instructions. Please be aware that as the game is not available officially in all regions yet, there’s no guarantee that all features will work at the beginning, and we do not recommend this approach. It is highly recommended that you wait until the game is available in your region.

Before grabbing the game, you will need to set your Android phone up to allow for apps to be installed when using files outside of the Google Play store. This can be different depending on your phone manufacturer and what version of Android it is running.

In most instances, to do this head to “Settings,” and then to “Security.” You should see an option here that is labeled “Unknown Sources,” and will ask if you want to enable this to install Android apps outside of the play store. Enable it, and it should be ready for the game.

Next, you will need the Android installation file, known as a .apk file. It is recommended that you use a directory this is generally trustworthy for this to avoid installing anything malicious on your phone. APKMirror and APKPure are vetted and rated by its users and are considered some of the better sites to use. However, please be careful to find a trusted site if neither of the two suggested here have the APK for the game available.

After navigating to an APK provider, search for Pokémon Rumble Rush and you should be offered a link to the app’s .apk download. After downloading this to your phone, you can open it, and you will be prompted to confirm that you’re happy to install the app on your phone using the APK file.

Once this has installed, it will appear on your apps list, and assuming that your phone is one that is supported by the game, you should be able to begin your new adventure!

You will likely need to install data before you begin, but otherwise, the game should play fine.

We hope you enjoy the game!

Pokémon Detective Pikachu was the weekend’s biggest release, and fans showed up in droves to see it. But after the movie ends, is there a reason to stay through the credits?

Many films utilize post-credits scenes to give viewers a bit more to watch and to give them a reason to stay through that long, scrolling list of names. Sometimes, movies will use the credits as a place to drop bloopers, deleted scenes, or other comedic tidbits. Most notably, the Marvel universe uses post-credits scenes to tease the next segment of the ongoing story.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu is just one entry in the massively popular Pokémon property. Plus, more than three months before the movie even released, Variety reported that a sequel to the movie is already in the works, with 22 Jump Street and The Cloverfield Paradox writer Oren Uziel crafting the script. So does Pokémon Detective Pikachu hint at that sequel in a post-credits scene?

Well, no. Pokémon Detective Pikachu does not have a post-credits scene, and it does not clearly indicate a sequel is on the way. But considering the box office success of the film and the fact that a second script is already in development, we likely won’t have to worry about anyone at Warner Bros. pulling the plug on future Pokémon projects. The ending of the first movie may not have directly hinted at a sequel, but one is almost certainly on the way.

As it turns out, Pokémon Detective Pikachu isn’t even a standalone movie, since it does fit into the larger Pokémon universe. Without giving much of the plot away, the Mewtwo from Detective Pikachu escaped from the Kanto region 20 years before the movie’s events unfold. Its backstory lines up with the Mewtwo from Pokémon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back. While Detective Pikachu is not a direct sequel to the first Pokémon movie, Detective Pikachu director Rob Letterman told GameSpot, “It's not meant to be a one-off thing, it's meant to be a part of and expand the overall Pokemon universe."

Take the clues with a grain of salt (or the whole shaker, since it’s not much to go on), but Pokémon Detective Pikachu could potentially be the start of a whole new cinematic universe. We watched the movie over the weekend and reviewed it. Overall, we enjoyed it, so if the world gets more live-action Pokémon movies in the future, we certainly wouldn’t be opposed.

Druidstone is a new game from the people behind the Legend of Grimrock series. It had a surprise launch on Steam today, and you can pick it up for about $20. The game is singleplayer, turn-based, tactical RPG.

The team decided they needed to take a break from the intense process that was the development of Legend of the Grimrock series, and needed a new project to help clear their heads. Druidstone is the result, and we all get to play it today.

Druidstone: The Secret of the Menhir Forest is a labor of love from the co-creators of the critically acclaimed Legend of Grimrock series. Druidstone is a tactical, single-player, turn-based roleplaying game, which combines the best qualities of modern RPGs with the elegance of tactical boardgames. Every action, every turn counts as you control your party of heroes through handcrafted, challenging missions with varying, and often surprising, objectives.

The game features a tactical turn-based battle system that plays out a grid, just like all the best tactics games. Heroes can be upgraded with new powers, allowing for specific build paths. You can gain upgrade gems from performing certain missions, or by discovering hidden areas. The game contains a total of 35 missions, with playtime ranging from anywhere between 15 and 35 minutes/mission. There are also puzzles contained within the missions, which is always fun. Especially if they kill you for getting the wrong solution, there will also be a level-editor released in the future that will allow people to create their own missions, and you will also be able to play missions created by other players. 

It all sounds very interesting, and my copy just finished downloading. Excuse me while I go and check this one out for myself.

A brand new mobile Pokémon adventure just surprised launch in parts of the world in the past few hours and trainers are already scurrying along to get their hands on it.

Sadly, however, the game is only available in Australia and Japan at the time of writing and only on Android phones, with an iOS version nowhere to be seen. That's not to say that one won't be coming eventually, however, just that you might need to wait sometime.

But how long?

It is hard to say. Officially, The Pokémon Company has not announced exactly when the game will come out on iOS devices and only that it's expected to come out sometime later this year. There has been no confirmation that the game is a timed exclusive to Android devices so it's likely that the company is just looking to bring things out gradually.

If the iOS version were to come out in one region though, it would be possible for players from other regions to download and play the game by creating an Apple account in that region and downloading it from the app store.

For now, however, we just need to wait to hear more info and pray the game reaches us pretty soon instead of the end of the year.

Pokémon Rumble Rush is a brand new phone game available right now in certain parts of the world on Android, with the game coming to iOS and other continents later on in the year.

As with most free-to-play phone games, Rumble Rush is packed to the brim with different microtransactions, known as Poké Diamonds, which can either be bought on the store after the tutorial or unlocked by gradually playing the game.

Serebii Update: We have full details of the monetisation scheme of Pokémon Rumble Rush @ https://t.co/gDbXkHSvkTpic.twitter.com/kfQvGEtQc0

— Serebii.net (@SerebiiNet) May 15, 2019

Players can get 100 Poké Diamonds for $1.49AUD, 300 for $4.49AUD, 1000 for $14.99AUD and 2,500 for $38.99AUD.

In addition to that, there are various sets you can purchase to celebrate the launch of the game. These include a Starter Set, which is a One time purchase that gives you 400 PokéDiamonds, a Refining Ore slot for 24 hours and a Pikachu Spark Summon Gear. It costs $5.99AUD.

There is also a "Plenty of Pokémon" Set which comes with 400 Poké Diamond and an extra ability that will allow you to get up to 2 more Pokémon when clearing a stage for 3 days. It costs $5.99AUD.

The "Really Refining" Set gives you 600 Poké Diamonds plus a Refining Ore slot for three days for €9.99AUD and lastly the "Poké Diamond Deal" Set gives you 800 Poké Diamonds Plus 80 Poké Diamonds a day for 30 days at €12.99AUD.

But what are they Poké Diamonds used for?

Poké Diamonds can be used to speed up elements such as refining ore and other elements of the game without having to wait real time to complete them. Its a typical trope in most free-to-play games for those who want to skip the long drawn out process and pay money to speed up the game.

If you aren't careful, you could invest a large amount of money into the game for all these bonuses without even realizing it.

This month’s issue of CoroCoro magazineshows the Pokémon Mewtwo in a new set ofarmor that is set to appear in the upcoming movie Pokémon the Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution.

Set to release Nov. 17 in the United States, the remake of the original Pokémon movie looks to have Armored Mewtwo decked out in a redesigned version of the armor that its creators used to suppress his power.

Serebii Update: This month's CoroCoro states that Armored Mewtwo is an appearance that only appears in the movie, Mewtwo Strikes Back EVOLUTION. Details @ https://t.co/gDbXkHSvkTpic.twitter.com/fbIJPJH9fK

— Serebii.net (@SerebiiNet) May 14, 2019

CoroCoro magazine, a publication in Japan that focuses on Anime and Manga news, the team reported that Armored Mewtwo might be exclusive to the movie. Any coinciding merchandise or promotions that come from it will also be exclusive to the movie and won't have any links to the upcoming Nintendo Switch games Pokémon Sword and Shield.

Serebii Picture: Artwork asset for Armored Mewtwo from the movie Mewtwo Strikes Back EVOLUTION https://t.co/gDbXkHSvkTpic.twitter.com/83YC3wzdrG

— Serebii.net (@SerebiiNet) May 15, 2019

Armored Pokémon have been rumored to be coming to Sword and Shield for some time time but CoroCoro's report could throw a spanner in the works. Of course, Armored Pokémon could still be an integral part to the game but we will need to wait to hear more about the titles at this year's E3 next month

Pokémon Rumble Rush is rolling out on mobile devices around the world, and it’s all about obtaining stronger Pokémon to take on the bosses. Here are the best ways to get the strongest Pokémon.

#1: The more you catch, the stronger they become.

It seems straightforward, but the first way to load up on strong Pokémon is to keep playing the game. In each level, you’ll need to tap on the screen to attack the Pokémon that rush toward you. Most of the Pokémon will disappear when you defeat them, but some will drop into your inventory at random.

Each Pokémon has a Combat Power number, or CP, just like in Pokémon GO. The more Pokémon you catch of a specific type, the stronger those random drops will become, on average. Each level revolves around a different kind of Pokemon. For example, Wartortle Shore is filled with Squirtle, Wartortle and Poliwag. So, if you want a strong Squirtle, one way to get one would be to play through Wartortle Shore over and over until you find one with a CP you like, since the Squirtle will tend to be stronger as you catch more.

You can battle through the last three locations that you discovered as many times as you like, so if you want to grind through a level, do so before you unlock too many others and cause it to disappear.

#2: Equip a Power Gear

If you’re lucky, you might find an Ore when you finish a level in Pokémon Rumble Rush. You can then refine the Ore to obtain Gears when the refinement process finishes. Those Gears can then increase stats of your Pokémon. One gear, the Move Gear, will increase the CP of a Pokémon by five. Other Gears can raise a Pokémon’s base HP, Speed or other stats.

Gears are reusable, so if you catch an Ivysaur you really like, you can give it the Move Gear to raise its CP. Then, if you later find a Wartortle you like better, you can swap the Move Gear over and transfer the five CP bonus to your Wartortle.

#3: Upgrade a Gear

The third way to increase a Pokémon’s strength is to upgrade the Gear attached to it. Refining Ores will grand Upgrade Kits that can then be combined with Poké Coins earned throughout the game to upgrade the Gear. A level two Move Gear, for example, will increase a Pokémon’s CP by 10 instead of five.

Raising CP and increasing a Pokémon’s strength is necessary to advance through Pokémon Rumble Rush. In order to battle some of the Super Bosses, you’ll need to use Pokémon with certain attributes. For example, you can’t fight the Charmeleon Super Boss until you have a Pokémon of at least 230 CP. So if you have a fighter that’s just a few CP short, an upgraded Move Gear could give you the little boost you need in order to take on the boss.

The Pokémon Company just launched a brand new mobile game based around the Pokémon Rumble games known as Pokémon Rumble Dash in Australia and Japan for Android users, much to the delight of its fans.

The game, developed by Ambrella, is a free-to-play mobile game, is the fifth entry in the Rumble franchise and is the first game to appear on smartphones. But who is the company behind such an adorable game?

Ambrella, or 株式会社アムブレラ (Kabushiki-gaisha Ambrella) as the company is called in its Native Japan, is a video game company that is a subsidiary of Nintendo. The company was formerly a part of Marigul Management, which is a joint owned corporation between Nintendo and Recruit.

The company first ventured into Pokémon with the N64 release of Hey You, Pikachu in 1998 for the Nintendo 64 and the company has constantly worked on Pokemon spin-offs every since. 

A full list of Pokémon games that the company has made includes:

• Hey You, Pikachu! (N64)
• Pokémon Channel (GCN)
• Pokémon Dash (DS)
• My Pokémon Ranch (WiiWare)
• Pokémon Rumble (WiiWare)
• Pokémon Rumble Blast (3DS)
• Pokémon Rumble U (Wii U)
• Pokémon Rumble World (3DS)

The company has a long-standing history with the Rumble series, so it should come as no surprise that many of the core features and looks are still available in the mobile title. This game is also the company's first mobile game after mainly working on Nintendo consoles for the past two decades.

Nintendo today launched their new mobile Pokémon game, Pokémon Rumble Rush, in Australia. A free-to-play mobile game with elements of catching Pokemon, creating your own team and fighting through elite bosses is the name of the game, and like many free-to-play mobile titles, and similar to Pokémon GO, Rumble Rush offers three different types of challenges for you to sink your teeth into.

Challenges all offer to you Poké Diamonds, the game’s premium currency which can be used in the game’s shop for a variety of boosts, and time savers to ore refiners as a reward for completion (currently three per challenge across the board).

Ore is used to help boost the stats of your Pokémon but work on a timed basis, so you’d need to wait for them to unlock to be usable on your team. The boosts will significantly reduce the time it takes for them to be ready for use. Our handy guide will take you through how to make your Pokémon stronger with the use of Ores. 

The first set of challenges is the daily challenges, similar to Pokémon GO whereby logging into the game each day and completing a research task, the game tasks you logging in each day and completing a daily quest. Currently, there are three different daily quests that could be available: Catch three Pokémon, Obtain 1 ore, and refine ore.

Next are the limited-time challenges. These will include catching certain Pokémon and completing objectives during a set time, such as a seasonal achievements. There are also achievements based around certain areas or events of the game. For example, all of the current limited-time challenges revolve around completing objectives around the Charizard’s Island Home event, and include catching an Alakazam, Blastoise, Charizard, Scyther and Venusaur, while also improving your area rank up to 12, with a reward of Poké Diamonds for each time you level up. The current objectives can be found in game and are available to complete until June 5th.

Finally, you have Adventurer Challenges. These are more long term goals with no set time for completion. They will help to track progress throughout the game. At this time, there appears to be about 40 challenges, though as the game continues to grow, we expect these to expand or even maybe rotate. These can also be obtained as easily as navigating through the game, as Poké Diamonds are rewarded for the first time that you open the search screen, switch Pokémon, or discover a stage. It’s worth reading through the list of achievements when you first start as a way of getting a head start on your Poké Diamond collection and strengthening your team.

Completing any of these challenges in-game should should prompt a notification to let you know that you've completed the challenge and been rewarded your Pokémon Diamonds.

With all the above in mind, new players will have plenty to get stuck into. Having released today, you have plenty of time to make this set of timed-challenges, so we hope that you will join us as we embark on the next Pokémon adventure!

Super Mario Maker 2 will have a story mode.

In today’s Nintendo Direct, it is revealed that Mario Maker 2 will have a story mode. Peach’s castle needs to be rebuild in Mario Maker 2, and it is up to Mario to secure funds to help with construction.

The story mode starts off in an empty field, with nothing but Mario and some toads. Toadette is among the crew.

You need to receive coins by doing jobs. Jobs are just special made courses that Mario needs to clear. To find these jobs you have to talk to the Taskmaster, who is a normal looking toad with a helmet, standing in front of a bulletin board. The Direct says there will be over a 100 courses for Mario to do in Story mode.

The more coins you gain, the more you can build the castle. As you build more and more of the castle, new areas will become available for you to explore. You can traverse inside the castle while it is still under construction, and talk to more toads and get more tasks. You can even talk to other NPCs that aren’t toads. The Direct showed off a dog that looks flat, and a weird rectangle thing.

Super Mario Maker 2 is slated to release on June 28.

Updating...

In Rage 2, before you enter the hostile, neon-filled environment of this wild game from id Software and Bethesda, you're going to choose what character you want to take with you into the world. The game gives you plenty of options to choose from, and it all happens right from the start. Here's the break down of what you can expect to choose in Rage 2's character creation, and how much you're going to be able to change.

Rage 2 Character Creation

Your Character's Gender

When you first load into the game, you're going to run through a quick cutscene setting the stage of the game. You'll learn what's happened since the first one, and what you can expect to play moving forward. Shortly after the cutscene, you're going to see two protagonists that you can choose from, and this is when you're going to select your character's gender. It's the first and only option you get with the character creation in Rage 2.

After this point, you're immediately thrown to grab your character's essential equipment and then you're going through several series of cutscenes as the opening of the game opens up. You will not have another opportunity to change your character's appearance. You cannot change the Walker's, the main style, hair, eyes, skin tone, voice, or anything about their standard build. The only option you're going to get is to choose what gender Walker is, male or female.

You can, however, change your character's choice of armor as you progress through the game and your weapon's skins. The easiest way to acquire these weapons skins is to purchase them through the game's premium store. There are four options available to you, for those who wish to buy the game's premium currency, RAGE coins. Unfortunately, you cannot earn these by performing tasks in the game or playing through the story. You must purchase them using your own money.

To learn more about the game's microtransactions and what they can provide you, make sure to check out our article about those. None of the premium currency affects Rage 2's gameplay, and they do not change your weapon's statistics. They merely change your weapon's aesthetic.

Online and Multiplayer Mode in Super Mario Maker 2 has been greatly expanded from the first Mario Maker game.

In today’s Nintendo Direct, they showcase the different options for online mode for Mario Maker 2. The online mode is called Course World. Though you were capable to play other people’s courses online in the previous Mario Maker, the search options have now been greatly expanded.

In the Courses option in Course World, you can search for courses by Game Style, Course Theme, and Difficulty. Picking a Game Style determines what Mario game you want to play on. Course Theme determines what kind of course it will be; you decided if you want to play on a ground, sea, or air based course.

You can also pick tags to determine what kind of courses to search for. Tags are generalizations of a course. For example, if you pick an auto-scrolling tag, then you’ll search for courses that have auto-scroll.

The first Mario Maker game allowed players to write comments on courses in order to give players feedback. Comments are back, but now players can include pictures or drawing in the course. Players can put comments in the actually course. Comments will show up for other players that play the course. Players can also leave comments to rate the game.

The Direct reveal you can download courses found online, and play them even when on offline mode. This will be a great for those that play the game on handheld mode, and take it outside their homes.

Course World has Maker Profiles, which look and function similar to the Wiis from past Nintendo Consoles. Every player will have an avatar in their Maker Profile that they can customize with different outfits. You can get outfits from completing different objectives in the game. Players can also gain Maker points. You can get Maker Points by having other players play and like the courses you make.

Endless Challenge is another option in Course World. In Endless Challenge, players have the chance to complete as many courses as they can before they finally lose all their lives. The courses are predetermined, and players can pick the difficulty of the challenge. How well you do in Endless Challenge determines your ranking on the Leaderboards.

The fourth option in Course World is Network Play. Network Play allows online multiplayer. You and three other friends can play on the same course. The four main playable characters are Mario, Luigi, Toadette, and Blue Toad.

There are two main options to play in multiplayer. There is Multiplayer Co-Op and Multiplayer Versus. Versus has you race against your fellow co-players in a course. Whoever gets to the end first wins the course. You gain versus points for what you rank in the race. Your versus points raises your versus rating. Multiplayer Co-Op is simply playing a course with four players; you’re not competing, you’re working together to finish the course.

Super Mario Maker 2 is slated to release in June 28.

We get more details for Super Mario Maker 2 in today's Nintendo Direct. We even get a release date.

In today’s Mario Maker Direct, Nintendo revealed the most information we have ever gotten for Super Mario Maker 2. They introduce new features for the game, including new items, enemies, and modes.

Super Mario Maker 2 is a game about having players creating their own Mario courses. Players can share these courses with other gamers via the online options.

One of the first big new things that the Direct revealed about Mario Maker 2 is that there will be slopes. Slopes were a highly wanted featured in the original Mario Maker. Nintendo apparently listened to fans, and finally added in the slopes. However adding slopes was just the beginning of the new additions in Super Mario Maker 2.

https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1128782845776842752

Other new items like Snake Blocks, Seesaws, Swinging Claw, Twisters, Parachute, and many more were also announced in the direct. Snake Blocks are blocks that move in a projected direction, and players need to predict where they will go next to stay on them as they move through the course. Swinging Claw are hanging claws that players can attach themselves, and swing themselves back and forth on. They can use the momentum of the swing to jump over dangerous obstacles.

Twisters are obstacles that blow players upward, and Parachutes have enemies drop in from the sky. New sound effects are included in this game as well. There are also new course themes; you can now play on courses that take place in the Desert, Snow, Forest, and Sky.

There’s a new option called Co-Op making, which allows more than one player to help create a course. There’s also a new option to have courses be auto-scroll. Auto-scroll is when the screen automatically moves, even when the player isn’t moving. If you hit the edge of the screen, you lose a life. Players are also given the option to Scroll stop, which stops the screen from moving at a specific point in the course. This disallows players to view any parts of the course further away from what the creator intended.

https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1128783955539386368

The biggest new addition beside slopes is probably the Angry Sun. Angry Sun is an enemy from Super Mario Bros. 3. It is literally the sun in the sky with an angry face. It constantly chases players until they finally escape its wrath. It is honestly kind of horrifying.

You can switch out the Angry Sun for the Moon. Switching into the Moon will turn the entire course into night. The Moon will also chase after Mario, but rather than taking away Mario’s life once it hits him, it instead will make all the enemies on screen disappear. You can still have courses be in Night even without the Moon.

Turning stages into night will make courses act differently, depending on the theme. Ground theme courses at night will have all Goombas float. Underground theme courses will be entirely upside down at night. Ghost House Course will be dimly lit at night. In Sky theme courses gravity will be lighter, allowing Mario to jump higher. There will be a sandstorm in Desert theme courses at night. Snow theme courses will be extra slippery, and Forest courses will replace all their water with poison liquids. Certain items will also change during night mode.

https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1128785287415443456

All stages are based on the styles as seen in Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros. U, and Super Mario 3D World. 3D World has its own set of items and enemies, whereas the other styles share almost every items and foes. Changing a course to 3D World will always reset everything, as 3D World works very differently from the other styles.

Super Mario 3D World has the power-up to turn Mario into Cat Mario, a major feature from the 3D World game. Where there is a Cat Mario, there is also a Cat Bowser boss that players can include. There are also Clear Pipes, which are pipes that you can see through.

There are Crates in Super Mario 3D World, which can be used as platforms to get over lava or water. Warp Boxes, which are block that can teleport the player to a new location, are also available in 3D World. The blocks with exclamations points on them are also exclusive to the 3D World style courses. Exclamation Blocks extend every time you hit them.

Piranha Creepers are special Piranha’s in 3D World. They extend from their pipes, and go in a determine path. Koopa Troopers can drive a car in 3D World. Mario can drive these cars if he is able to get rid of the Koopa Trooper that was in the car originally. Charuaarch is a special enemy found exclusively in 3D World. Charuaarch is a monster made out of lava, and he can come out of normal lava to attack Mario.

https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1128785687065423872

Classic Mario enemies, Boom Boom and Pom Pom, are both in Super Mario Maker 2. However Pom Pom is exclusive to the Super Mario 3D World style courses.

The Nintendo Direct also goes into the story mode and online options for Super Mario Maker 2. Read our coverage for story and online modes for the game.

At the end of the Nintendo Direct, they revealed that Super Mario Maker 2 is slated to be release on June 28. You can either buy the normal retail price of 59.99 USD to only get the game, or you can spend 69.99 USD to get the game and a year of Nintendo Online subscription.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPi-u0D8sQ4

Rage 2 gives you tons of cool weapons and powers to play around with as you cruise through the wasteland, but you’ll have to earn them first. Throughout the world, you’ll find massive pre-apocalypse structures called Arks, which hold the old world’s greatest technology. Of course, you can’t expect to just walk through the front door. Most of these Arks are difficult even to find, hidden away in hard-to-reach places or even locked inside buildings. Even once you find them, expect a tough fight to claim them, since you’re not the only one on the lookout for valuable tech.

We’ve written guides to every Ark, which are linked below. And remember, you can always use Focus to help you locate Arks. Just hold the Focus button and look to the sky for the tell-tale streams of color that signify Arks. It’s a great way to find Arks when you know about where they are, but can’t quite zero in on them.

Twisting Canyons Arks

Quake Hill Ark - Reward: Vortex ability

This is the closest Ark to where you start the game, and the easiest to complete. It can be tricky to find if you’re not exploring thoroughly, though. You’ll find it on the southeastern edge of the Twisting Canyons region, through a tunnel at the end of a seaside road. Once you find it, the Ark is unguarded, so just a quick bit of platforming stands between you and your prize, the powerful and fun Vortex ability.

Junkers Pass Ark - Reward: Shatter ability
Junkers Pass Ark is also close to where you start but getting in presents a much bigger challenge than Quake Hill Ark. It’s still an easy battle when all things considered, but this early in the game, you’re likely not very well equipped. This Ark is just about dead center of the Twisting Canyons region, close to the road from Vineland to Gunbarrel. You’ll have no trouble finding it, but you’ll have to take out a squad of wastelanders to get in. In return, you’ll get a melee ability that you’ll be using the whole game.

Broken Tract Arks

Great Crack Ark - Reward: Grav-Jump ability

This Ark is very similar to the previous one, Junkers Pass. It’s almost impossible to miss if you’re following the road to Gunbarrel, and puts just a handful of goons in your way. You’ll find this Ark on a cliff’s edge just over the border from Twisting Canyons to Broken Tract, at the end of a short trench filled with baddies. Grav-Jump is essential when you’re exploring the wasteland, so try to pick this one up early.

Canyon Cove Ark - Reward: Defibrillator

It’s so easy to get to Canyon Cove Ark near the beginning of the game that you might just stumble upon it accidentally, but you’re in for a tough battle if you tackle this one early. You’ll find this Ark close to the road near the southeastern border of Broken Tract. Approaching will put you in the middle of a fight between two rival gangs, so come prepared to fight. If you come out victorious, you’ll get the Defibrillator, which gives you a second chance at life when you fall in battle.

Spikewind Ark - Reward: Barrier ability

You’ll find Spikewind Ark to the far western part of Broken Tract. Just head toward the windmills you see rising from the hills near the Sekreto Wetlands border. Spikewind Ark is near a fallen windmill, and you’ll find a group of soldiers fighting a well-armed Junkmek outside. Take them down, and you’ll get a handy defensive ability in Barrier.

Torn Plains Arks

Strongbox Ark - Reward: Smart Rocket Launcher

Strongbox Ark is found in the town of Strongbox, near the center of the Torn Plains region. You’ll have to fight your way through a group of bandits ransacking the town to get in. Make good use of cover and try to turn their explosives against them, and you shouldn’t have too hard of a time. Once you get past them, you’ll earn the Smart Rocket Launcher, one of Rage 2’s most powerful, fun-to-use weapons.

Earthscar Ark - Reward: Slam ability

Earthscar Ark sits just to the northwest of Strongbox Ark. The Ark itself is on top of a hill, and two groups of bandits are at war outside, so it’s impossible to miss. Take out the bandits while being careful not to get between them, and you’ll get Slam, a massively powerful ability that lets you crush your enemies with a leaping attack. Use it to destroy the bandits who come for you when you leave the Ark, and you should immediately see why it’s so useful.

Sekreto Wetlands Arks

Dealypipe Ark - Reward: Rush ability

The reward for finishing this Ark is extremely underwhelming for how difficult it is, but if life isn’t fair, why should this game be different? Dealypipe Ark is wedged into the side of a small hill rising from a waterway, surrounded by ruined buildings, making it tough to see. It’s also guarded by a powerful Junkmek, so finding it is the least of your worries. When you finally get through it, you’ll get the Rush ability, which is basically a super sprint. It’s fairly handy to have, but nothing to get too excited about.

Dank Catacomb Ark - Reward: Firestorm Revolver

Dank Catacomb Ark is a breeze to find, and not too tough to access, either. You’ll find it in the northwest of the Sekreto Wetlands, not far from the town of Lagooney. A squad of bandits has set up a decent defensive position around it, so come in ready for a fight. When you get through them, you’ll earn yourself the Firestorm Revolver, a weapon that shoots detonating shots that can set targets on fire. It’s not the most versatile weapon in your arsenal, but it’s great for dealing with tightly packed groups, or enemies hiding behind cover.

Dune Sea Arks

Shrouded Vault Ark - Reward: Charged Pulse Cannon

There’s only one Ark in the Dune Sea, but unlocking it is like a side quest all of its own. You’ll find the Shrouded Vault Ark inside a massive Immortal Shrouded building on the eastern edge of the region. When you first find it, you won’t even be able to open it. To do that, you’ll have to seek out and destroy two nearby power generators, then infiltrate the building and fight your way to the Ark. For all your hard work, you get the Charged Pulse Cannon, a fun weapon that challenges you to maintain its heat level to keep up a rapid-fire stream of powerful energy blasts.

The Wilds Arks

Needle Falls Ark - Reward: Grav-Dart Launcher

Needle Falls Ark isn’t too far from Wellspring in the Torn Plains, but it can be a little tricky to get to. It sits on the edge of a cliff amidst a bunch of ruined buildings, making flying from Wellspring in the Icarus the easiest way to reach it. When you get close, an Authority dropship will deliver a couple of enemies to defeat. Take them out, and you can claim the Grav-Dart Launcher, which lets you stick your enemies with glowing needles, then fling that in any direction you choose. It’s not the most efficient weapon in the game, but it’s undoubtedly one of the most fun.

Greenhaven Ark - Reward: Hyper-Cannon.

Greenhaven Ark has the highest difficulty rating of any Ark, at level 10. Getting there is tough. It’s way at the top of the map, in the far north of The Wilds, and it sits at the end of a maze of giant white walls filled to the brim with mutants. Flying the Icarus here to skip over all of that is highly recommended, but you’re still in for a challenge. The vicinity of the Ark is filled with mutants and Authority troops, and a Cyber Crusher gets dropped in. You’re in for a tough fight, so hopefully, you’ve picked up some good gear from earlier Arks. The Smart Rocket Launcher, in particular, is a welcome help here.