Welcome to our video game news for week 37. As is the new normal for me I’ve been so busy I’ve barely had time for sleep, let alone video games this week. Weeks like this make me extra happy to take a few hours on the weekend and find out all the latest news in video games. Let’s catch up.
Video Game News Recap
Fortnite Battle Royale Mode
The Fortnite development team announced on the 12th that they were releasing a Battle Royale in an early release format based on the popularity of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG). In fact, much of the controls and format are almost exactly what they are in PUBG, which I play. I haven’t yet played Fortnite but have to say the ability to bust down walls, build platforms and shelters (including traps), and that you can see your inventory on your screen are some pretty tight improvements. I’m including both the announcement trailer from Epic Games and a very sweet gameplay video by the streamer Dakotaz. There’s a little bit of cursing, but for the most part, he keeps it clean. Cleaner than I do when things go sideways on me in PUBG!
Blizzard’s Latest Video Game News
BlizzCon 2017
Virtual Tickets for BlizzCon 2017 are now available for purchase. For $39.99 those of us who can’t make it out to California in November can watch all the content live in HD online. In addition, Virtual Ticket includes all in-game goodies that the attendee tickets include, weekly videos ahead of the event, all videos available for on-demand replay for a month after the event, and $10 off a Goody-Bag. If you’re interested in purchasing a Virtual Ticket you can do so in the Blizzard Shop.
Overwatch
Play Nice, Play Fair
This week’s Developer’s Update took a different tactic. One that I had to think on quite a bit before I could come up with what about it bothered me so much. On the surface, everything in this message is true and reasonable. Jeff Kaplan tells us that they are working hard to handle toxicity faster and better, including a notification step that lets the person who reports an issue know when an action against a player has been taken. He goes on to tell us that they need us to stop being jerks and play nicely because having the devs deal with these issues takes them away from developing new content in the game and out, such as animated shorts and comics. All very good and reasonable things to say, right?
Here’s the thing, though. I’ve had my life threatened, I’ve been threatened with rape, and I’ve been called a whore in this game simply for speaking and having the “team” hear a female voice. I’ve made many reports against toxic players (in the beginning) and then I gave up. Why? Because I know it would come down to proof and without recording every match I play, how could I prove what happened? And I pay to play the game. I don’t pay to put up with threats. So I do expect some safeguards to be in place and I do expect Blizzard to help handle issues when they crop up. This message sounds so reasonable to those of us who are reasonable in the game, but I’m afraid it won’t matter to the very toxic players who are causing the issues. So I think it reasonable to expect Blizzard to continue to support their players with help dealing with toxic players.
One other thing, I saw one of these new features in action this week. I was in a Quick Play match when the game crashed. Just completely shut down. I was DOMINATING that match as Junkrat and playing DPS is a rare treat for me. I’m almost always a support or tank character, which I enjoy but need a break from now and then. No way did I bail on that match. I get the game up and running again, am a minute or two into a Quick Play and my entire computer crashed. I have a picture of that one, actually as I needed to look up the error code. Reboot, log back in and the first thing I see is a warning message that if I leave too many games early there will be repercussions. Really?! I’d prefer you deal with the threatening people and let us deal with match skippers ourselves if I had to choose.
Free Weekend September 22nd – September 25th, 2017
Curious about Overwatch but like to try before you buy? Next weekend is your weekend, then. Overwatch can be played for free on all platforms starting at 11am PDT on Friday 09/22 and ending Monday 09/25 at 11:59pm PDT. See the Blizzard blog post for more details.
Hearthstone Celebrates Oktoberbrawl
Join in on the fun with this special event where two teams of three players get new accounts and go head to head while you pick a side and brawl for card packs to help your team of choice. Watch the video below and read all the details including the weekly schedule, including meeting the two teams in the blog post, and get ready to rumble!
Xbox’s Latest Video Game News
Upcoming Games on Xbox
Xbox has 14 new video games releasing next week. You can see the full list here, but I’ll highlight a few below.
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
Join the team’s quest to find Captain America’s missing neck! I kid but check out the trailer below to see what is coming in this iteration of Marvel vs. Capcom. Also releasing on PlayStation this week.
Caveman Warriors
Caveman Warriors began as a PC game on Kickstarter and is now being released on Xbox (as well as PlayStation) this week. A 2D platformer where cavemen (and women) must defend the Earth from an alien invasion.
Current Games with Gold are Forza Motorsport 5: Racing Game of the Year Edition (09/01 – 09/30), Oxenfree (09/16 – 10/15), and Battlefield 3 (09/16 – 09/30)
You can check out the games on sale right now on the Deals With Gold page.
Nintendo’s Latest Video Game News
Super NES Classic Edition and NES Classic Availability Expanded
Due to high demand, Nintendo will now be producing and shipping the Super NES Classic Edition into 2018 instead of ceasing shipments at the end of 2017. Keep your eyes out for additional pre-orders periodically as new product becomes available to retailers.
Further, the NES Classic Edition will be returning soon with all new shipments to be announced soon.
Trick Out Your Switch
Want to check out different color combinations for your Joy Cons and straps to get that perfect fit for you on your Switch? Your wish has been granted! And it will even tell you where you can buy your choices.
Nintendo Video Game Releases
You can view all the new releases as well as upcoming ones on this game store page. I chose one to highlight this week.
Metroid: Samus Returns
She’s back! One of the most legendary of bounty hunters is back in this new platformer for Nintendo 3DS. This is available now.
PlayStation’s Latest Video Game News
This week’s The Drop highlights 23 new releases in the upcoming week. Check out the blog entry for the full list but here are a couple that caught my eye:
Pankapu
Colorful, fast, platformer where you morph between classes as needed to clear levels. Below are both a teaser trailer and a longer gameplay video from streamer GadgetGirlKylie.
Mecho Tales
Mecho Tales is a graphically gorgeous 2D platformer from Luc Bernard. Check out this very nicely done gameplay video from streamer Push Square.
Free Video Games With PlayStation Plus Membership for September
- inFamous: Second Son (PS4)
- Strike Vector EX (PS4)
- RIGS Mechanized Combat League (PS VR)
- Truck Racer (PS3)
- Handball 2016 (PS3)
- We Are Doomed (PS Vita/PS4 cross buy)
- Hatoful Boyfriend (PS Vita/PS4 cross buy
STEAM’s Latest Video Game News
New releases and upcoming releases are available on the Steam Games page.
Current pricing specials can be found on the Specials page. This page is updated frequently so check back often.
GeekMom and GeekDad Recent Video Game Articles
GeekMoms and GeekDads often write about video games and related items. It has been a quiet week for video games on the site, but here is what we have since I last recapped things:
- GeekMom Kelly Knox – “Introduce Your Kids to ‘Metroid’ With a New Game (and a Craft)!“
- GeekDad Z. – “GeekDad Review: ‘Knack II’ Is Solid Family Fun on the PS4“
- GeekDad Z. – “‘Monster Hunter Stories’ and ‘Metroid: Samus Returns’ Are 3DS Must-Haves“
- GeekDad Joey L. Mills – “‘Dr. Panda Plus: Home Designer’ is Augmented Reality for Kids“
- GeekDad Jonathan H. Liu – “Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: ‘Evolution’ Goes Digital“
Below are the video games some of the Geek Parents have been playing lately.
Samantha Fisher:
- Overwatch (PC)
- PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PC)
- West of Loathing (PC)
- Hey! Pikmin
Will James:
- Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes (iOS)
- Star Wars Force Arena (iOS)
- Transformers Earth Wars (iOS)
Randy Slavey:
- PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PC)
- Battlefield 1 (PS4)
- Donkey Kong (Polycade)
- Contra (Polycade)
- Super Contra (Polycade)
- Frogger (Polycade)
- Tapper (Polycade)
- Metroid (NES Classic)
- Super C (NES Classic)
- Super Mario Bros. (NES Classic)
- Punch Out (NES Classic)
Joey Mills:
- Heroes of the Storm (iOS)
- Hearthstone (iOS)
- Iron Marines (iOS)
Anthony Karcz:
- Hearthstone (iOS)
- Marvel Puzzle Quest (iOS)
- Transformers: Forged to Fight (iOS)
Mike LeSauvage:
- PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PC)
- West of Loathing (PC)
- A Duel Hand Disaster: Trackher (PC)
- Don’t Starve Together (PC)
- The Gallery – Episode 1: Call of the Starseed (VR)
- Pinball FX2 VR (VR)
- Thumper (VR)
Ryan Hiller:
- Minecraft (OSX)
Z.:
- Mario’s Picross (Gameboy)
- Octopath Traveler Demo (Switch)
- West of Loathing (Mac)
- Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS)
- Monster Hunter Stories (3DS)
- Knack II (PS4)
