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    Brand new Joy-Con colors releasing on October 4th

    Nintendo announced this morning that brand new Joy-Con would hit stores on October 4th, 2019. It has been quite a long time since the last new Joy-Con, so it’s nice to see some new ones coming relatively soon. There are two new sets, Blue/Neon Yellow and Neon Purple/Neon Orange. They will be priced at $79.99.

    Are you going to be picking up one of these? Let us know in the comments and join the conversation on Twitter!

    Nintendo Switch with improved battery life on the way

    Nintendo has announced that the Switch will be getting an updated model in August, which will almost double the console’s current battery life. Docked Users aren’t affected, but for handheld users this is potentially a game changer. The estimated battery life is now 4.5 hours to 9.0 hours, going up from 2.5 hours to 6.5 hours. You can take a look at the battery comparisons below.

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    This updated Switch will launch in mid August in the USA, late August in Japan, and early September in Europe. Are you going to be picking up this new updated model? Let us know in the comments!

    Persona 5 Royal: Information About The New Personas to Be Revealed!

    Credit: Famitsu

    Famitsu just announced that their latest Weekly edition will cover information about Yusuke, Ryuji, and Anne’s new Personas!

    In addition to that, information about the third semester of the game, an addition from the original Persona 5, will be revealed as well. There will also be more revealed about the new hangout spot, Kichijōji, a new area that wasn’t accessible in Persona 5.

    More information to come, stay tuned!

     

    Persona 5: The Royal is being developed and published by Atlus. It is an expansion of the original Persona 5 game for the Playstation 4. It features new gameplay mechanics, palaces, characters and story! It’s expected release date in Japan is October 31st, 2019. Stateside release is still to be decided but it’s expected to release in 2020.

    Opinion: Nintendo Switch Lite was necessary for the future of the console

    After months of speculation, Nintendo announced the Nintendo Switch Lite as the latest addition to the lineup. It is a dedicated handheld platform lacking key features of the Nintendo Switch, but sold at a cheaper price point.

    Naturally, opinions surrounding the Nintendo Switch Lite are varied. The console is acknowledged as a great successor to the Nintendo 3DS that appeals to a broader audience. Yet the inability to output to a television and the lack of HD Rumble are major points of contention.

    Regardless, the general sentiment remains that the Nintendo Switch Lite will easily push new consoles throughout the holiday season. Paired alongside the release of Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, retail stores will struggle to keep consoles on the shelves.

    The decision to release the Nintendo Switch Lite was widely deemed a smart move. However, I further assert that it was essential to the longevity of the Nintendo Switch, and its existence guarantees a healthy future for the console.

    Next-Gen on the Horizon

    By the end of 2020, many expect Microsoft and Sony to release new consoles. Presumably, excitement surrounding the consoles will dominate the discourse in the months prior. Not to mention, the improved specifications of the consoles will outclass the Nintendo Switch with ease. While one could argue the Nintendo Switch is not a direct competitor of either company, the newest PlayStation and Xbox consoles will be positioned as the hottest items for purchase during the holiday season. And if both consoles successfully keep the momentum going after release, the Nintendo Switch’s lifetime sales will suffer against fresh competition.

    The Nintendo Switch has experienced great success, with about 35 million units sold as of March 31st, 2019. Yet Nintendo must increase the install base quickly when attention surrounding the Nintendo Switch is at its peak to remain a viable platform.

    Enter the Nintendo Switch Lite. Meant to compliment the original Nintendo Switch, the price point and portability ensure it will be a financial success. One could expect the console to push 20 million units or more, a target goal Nintendo failed to reach in the 2018 fiscal year. And prior to the 2020 holiday season, lifetime sales of the console will surely eclipse 60 million. With an impressive install base, Nintendo can guarantee word-of-mouth as an essential source of marketing to push more software.

    Attach rates are historically impressive on Nintendo platforms, and the Nintendo Switch is no different. With the Nintendo Switch Lite expanding the install base, the catalog of games will benefit from greater exposure. Games like Super Mario Odyssey and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will continue to sell alongside purchases of the Nintendo Switch Lite despite releasing earlier in the life cycle. From there, the quality of those games will contribute to further engagement with the Nintendo brand.

    Conclusion

    The Nintendo Switch Lite might not appeal to the most dedicated Nintendo fans. Yet it holds potential to propel the console family to new heights that might be unachievable after the next PlayStation and Xbox consoles hit the market. Come September 26th, the future of the Nintendo Switch will be brighter than ever before.

    Dauntless’ Fortune and Glory update is now live

    The latest update for Dauntless is now live, also known as Fortune and Glory. This update is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC via the Epic Games Store. New features include a new hunt’s pass, the new Trials mode, along with new cosmetics and some other smaller changes.

    The Trials mode is a new challenge for slayers to face, offered by a new mysterious NPC known as Lady Luck. She brings with her an entirely new island, featuring modified behemoths and environmental barriers for the player to face. You can complete these challenges in two difficulties. The Normal difficulty gives Steel Marks, but the Dauntless difficulty will give players Gilded Marks. These currencies can be spent with Lady Luck, giving their own sets of unique cosmetics based on the currency.

    Fortune & Glory RewardsThe new Hunt’s Pass is known as High Skies, and will work similarly to previous Hunt’s Passes. You can collect a unique material to level up the Hunt’s Pass and earn different kinds of cosmetics. These cosmetics are based around a pirate theme, and are sure to pair well with Lady Luck’s wares. All these changes should be welcome additions for the Dauntless community. If you would like to read more information about them, you can here.

    You can login to Dauntless now and earn all this gear for yourself! If you don’t already know about Dauntless, it’s a free to play action RPG by Phoenix Labs. You can play it on PS4, Xbox One, and PC (through the Epic Games Store). Happy hunting slayers!

    Total War: Three Kingdoms DLC coming August 8th

    Total War: Three Kingdoms newest DLC will be arriving on August 8th! This DLC is titled Eight Princes, and will be the third DLC to come out for the game. The previous two were Yellow Turban Rebellion and Reign of Blood, each available for $10 and $4 respectively.

    The Eight Princes DLC is different than the past two, offering a new standalone campaign taking place after the game’s main story. The Jin dynasty is divided, despite the peace the kingdom once held. Several princes would like to take power, each with their own values. Will you take control of one of these princes, or will you take on the role of the emperor and put a stop to this madness?

    You’ll be able to play eight new legendary princes, offering new traits and units that may fit your playstyle. For example, some will get mounted archers while others may get imperial guardsman. The DLC will offer you the freedom to choose whatever you please.

    Total War: Three Kingdoms is a turn-based strategy real-time tactics game. In it, you take control of one of twelve kingdoms in order to become the ultimate ruler of China. The game is available on PC through Steam for $59.99.

    Opinion: Epic should honestly ditch the Epic Games Store or give it a complete overhaul

    There comes a time when you feel like a company is jumping the shark. Epic Games isn’t doing just that, it’s running around in circles with its head on fire. There’s so much wrong with the Epic Games Store from a fundamental level and it’s not helped by an incompetent CEO. Let me get this out the way, I’m not against the existence of a Steam competitor.

    The problem is that Epic is forcing these new incentives down everyone’s spine. It all started around the time Metro Exodus was supposed to be released on Steam. Less than a month before release, Epic and Deep Silver announced that it would be a timed exclusive to EGS. This angered people much like myself who were looking forward to the game and had the Steam page on wishlist for months. They still honored pre-orders for about a week and let people play it at launch, but it was a terrible business decision made by Epic and Deep Silver.

    I was willing to give Epic the benefit of doubt if they didn’t do this again. Then they did it for Outer Worlds, Control, Shakedown Hawaii, Untitled Goose Game, Borderlands 3 and Shenmue 3. Just recently in fact Enhance announced that Tetris Effect was announced as an EGS exclusive and it got me thinking. Why is Epic so bad at obtaining exclusives if some of these were already on Steam.

    The reason is quite simple when you look at Epic’s strategy. You see, Epic gives developers exactly 65-88% of the profit earned. Valve eventually followed by giving developers 75% more revenue but it was too late. Epic already took advantage of the one thing that Valve lacked for years. It’s no wonder why Epic were initially successful with the store at first. Epic also gives out free games every 2 weeks which is a huge advantage over Steam. However, with every upside there is a downside.

    With Epic Games, there are so many negatives that it would take me forever to list them all so I’ll just list a few of them. Tim Sweeney is known for being rather incompetent when it comes to his opinions. One of the most controversial is him saying “We won’t accept trash games.” Yet IMO he still had the dignity to approach Quantic Dream and put 3 of David Cage’s games on the store. Nothing wrong if you think Detroit, Beyond or Heavy Rain are good but there’s a reason why people continue to make fun of them.

    It doesn’t help that Fortnite has been involved in several controversies. Fortnite is the profitable game that Epic has and there is a reason it’s everywhere. Unfortunately the continued development of this game has resulted in work crunch and several horrifying stories have surfaced. They also blatantly reused the reaper skin for the Fortnite John Wick event. I could go on and on but the fact remains, Fortnite as popular as it became is slowly getting worse because of the company that started it all. It even forced them to cancel development of the Unreal Tournament reboot.

    Epic has also been caught doing several suspicious acts including the launcher essentially being spyware. While that has been debunked, it’s still puzzling to think that they could get away with it but it makes sense since the company itself has a majority stake owned by Tencent. It doesn’t help the Epic Store is severely lacking features. While most of them are coming over time, some of these are such basic features that it’s kind of hilarious when they promote the search engine as a new addition. They don’t even have a shopping cart so you can’t buy more than one game at a time.

    So you may be wondering, if I despise Epic then what should they do to improve as a whole? I think the first thing they should do is either scrap the Epic Store or give it a much needed overhaul because while it’s good for developers, the number of problems and controversies is becoming way too apparent. I’m sorry but some of these exclusives deserve a better home such as Steam or GOG. This doesn’t mean that Epic should go out of business, far from that but I think they should start focusing on the Unreal Engine and their original IPs.

    Fortnite is huge and will continue to be for years, but I think it would benefit to put it on more PC platforms. Unreal Engine should stay roughly the same and as such the Epic Games launcher should be dedicated to that. If anything this would go back to what the launcher was before the store was introduced. This is just my opinion but all of these changes would be for the better. At the end of the day, the Epic Games Store is a giant mess and it needs to be changed or scrapped.

    Torchlight II Xbox One and PS4 pre-orders are live

    You can now pre-order the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Torchlight II for $19.99! The Nintendo Switch pre-orders will, unfortunately, be a little bit longer. Thankfully though, you’ll be able to see the game on all three platforms come September 3rd, with some new refined mechanics.

    The game’s console port will offer a bunch of new content for players to enjoy, along with a free pet if you pre-ordered the game. That new pet is a goblin by the name of Yapper! In addition to this pet, players will see the debut of pets for their respective platforms. Xbox One players have access to a molten imp for example, and the PS4 players getting a Faerie. A Nintendo Switch pet will be arriving later this summer.

    Torchlight II is a hack and slash role-playing game developed by Runic Games. It’s the sequel to the original Torchlight, and has players return to the land of Vilderan to take on additional monsters and quests. The console port will refine the already solid controls and interface that are signature in the game. The game will also keep its 4-player coop mode. If you’d like to play the game right now, it’s available on Steam for $19.99.

    6 new titles coming to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC this month

    Xbox Game Pass is arguably one of the best deals in gaming right now and right now it’s the gift that keeps on giving.  Subscribers to Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can start diving in to the new titles starting tomorrow and throughout the rest of the the month of July for console and PC.  Games being added along with release dates are listed below.

    July 17th:

    Night Call (Xbox Game Pass PC, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate)

    A corrupt detective plans to pin a series of murders on you unless you can aid the investigation. As a cab driver working the Paris night shift, pick up passengers, listen to their emotion-fueled stories, and gather clues to solve the mystery in three unique cases.

    July 18th:

    Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate)

    A first-rate gaming experience as players are offered tactical freedom to carry out open-world missions as the iconic Snake (a.k.a. Big Boss) in the latest entry of the long-running Metal Gear series.

    The Banner Saga 3 (Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass for PC, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate)

    The final dramatic chapter in this critically acclaimed Viking RPG series. As the world continues to crumble around you, how will you protect your allies and what choices will you make as the Darkness draws near?

    July 25th:

    For The King (Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass PC, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate)

    None before you have returned from their journey; can you put an end to the Chaos? A strategic RPG that blends tabletop and roguelike elements in a challenging adventure in either single-player or online and local co-op.

    Killer Instinct: Definitive Edition (Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass for PC, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate)

    Play the legendary fighting game with stunning 60fps visuals, over-the-top action, a wild cast of combatants, rocking reactive music, and c-c-c-combo breakers! Includes all 26 characters from Seasons 1-3.

    Resident Evil 4 (Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate)

    The survival horror masterpiece comes to Xbox One in 1080p HD with an improved frame rate, a thrilling storyline, and that classic third-person action gameplay you’ve come to love from the long-running Resident Evil series.

    Be on the look out for these titles coming at you this month!

    Tetris 99 Physical coming to North America on September 6th

    Tetris 99 will be receiving a physical in North America on September 6th, 2019. The game is free if you have Nintendo Switch Online, and has DLC with added content. The physical edition includes Tetris 99, 1 year of Nintendo Switch Online, the Big Block DLC, and the DLC that will be released later this year. You can learn more about Tetris 99 below.

    In Tetris 99, your goal is to rotate and move falling blocks called Tetriminos to complete horizontal lines. Completed lines disappear, clearing space for more Tetriminos, which fall faster and faster.

    Attack other players by sending Garbage Blocks their way! These Garbage Blocks will fill up their screens, making it harder to clear lines.

    The game has online cups often, where you can sometimes get a theme for the game while you play. There has been a Gameboy theme and a Splatoon 2 theme so far.

    What are your thoughts about this physical? Will you be picking it up? Let us know in the comments!