Month: May 2018

It’s the beginning of a new month, which means Pokemon fans will soon have a chance to claim another free Legendary in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. This month’s featured Pokemon are the X and Y cover monsters Xerneas and Yveltal, and they’ll be available via a free download code for a limited time.

From May 4-27, US residents will be able to pick up a download code for the Legendaries from GameStop stores around the country. Those in the UK will be able to grab one from participating Game locations, while players in Canada can get the code from EB Games stores.

As usual, the code can be redeemed in any seventh generation Pokemon game, and the Legendary you get will depend on which version you’re playing. Sun and Ultra Sun players will receive the Dark/Flying-type Yveltal, while those with Moon or Ultra Moon will get the Fairy-type Xerneas.

The Legendaries will also come at different levels depending on which version you have. If you redeem the code in either of the Ultra games, the Pokemon will be level 100 and come equipped with a Gold Bottle Cap, which can be used to max out a Pokemon’s IVs in Hyper Training. Likewise, the Legendaries know different attacks depending on the version. You can see their movesets in each game below.

Pokemon Ultra Sun

• Yveltal — Level 100
  • Oblivion Wing
  • Dark Pulse
  • Heat Wave
  • Tailwind

Pokemon Sun

• Yveltal — Level 60
  • Oblivion Wing
  • Dark Pulse
  • Phantom Force
  • Psychic

Pokemon Ultra Moon

• Xerneas — Level 100
  • Geomancy
  • Focus Blast
  • Grass Knot
  • Moonblast

Pokemon Moon

• Xerneas — Level 60
  • Geomancy
  • Horn Leech
  • Night Slash
  • Moonblast

To redeem the code, select Mystery Gift from the games’ main menu and choose the option to receive your gift via a code/password. Input the code when prompted and you’ll download the Legendary. You can then claim it from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center, although you’ll need to have an empty slot in your party to pick the Pokemon up.

Xerneas and Yveltal are the latest freebies available as part of the ongoing Year of Legendary Pokemon promotion, which gives players the chance to snag a different free Legendary every month in 2018. Next month, The Pokemon Company will give away another Legendary Pokemon from X and Y: a shiny Zygarde. Until then, you can see all of the free Pokemon available for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon right now.

A new week means a new set of video game deals has appeared at storefronts both physical and digital. In our ongoing quest to inform you about all the best deals in the wide world of gaming, we’ve gathered all the most notable sales into one place: right here. So whether you play games on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, or older platforms, we have you covered for all the best games available at the lowest prices this week.

For starters, Target has a host of top-notch recent games on sale for up to 50% off. Some highlights include Monster Hunter World ($45), as well as Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and Persona 5 (both $30). Not to be outdone, Best buy is running a fantastic sale on PS4 games this week. You can save big on games like Horizon: Zero Dawn Complete Edition ($40) and Shadow of the Colossus ($30). For multi-platform games, the Xbox One versions are also on sale.

This week, to celebrate May 4–.KA Star Wars day–Sony has cut prices on many digital Star Wars games in half. It’s called the May the 4th sale, and it has offers like $30 for Star Wars Battlefront II going on all week. That’s in addition to the Golden Week sale (also running through May 8) and the Totally Digital sale, which lasts through May 29. That’s a lot of sales on PS4, PS3, and Vita games.

But Sony’s not done yet. May’s free games for PlayStation Plus members are now available, meaning you can grab Beyond: Two Souls, Rayman Legends, and more without spending an extra cent.

And because it’s a new month, Twitch/Amazon Prime subscribers can now download their six free PC games for May 2018. While you’re at it, be sure to grab your free Heroes of the Storm loot, too.

Check back all week, because we’re not done posting about the best video game sales available.

• Target video game sale
• Best Buy video game sale
• PS4 Star Wars game sale
• PS4 Golden Week sale
• PS4 Totally Digital sale
• Free PS Plus games for May
• Free Amazon/Twitch Prime PC games for May
• Free Twitch Prime loot for May

Some links to supporting retailers are automatically made into affiliate links, and GameSpot may receive a small share of those sales.

It’s a big day for Fortnite, as Season 4 has officially begun with the release of the big 4.0 update on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and mobile. The long-awaited comet crash has finally happened, changing the map, and there have been balance and gameplay changes made. But with the patch officially starting Season 4, Epic Games has also launched the new Battle Pass–complete with new skins and rewards. Here’s everything you need to know.

Like previous Battle Passes, this one is bought exclusively with V-Bucks–there’s no real-world money option. It costs 950 V-Bucks, which works out to just under $10/£8 if you buy the smallest bundle of V-Bucks (1,000). Purchasing it gets you instant access to a handful of rewards that Epic estimates are worth more than 3,500 V-Bucks: two skins (Carbide and Battlehawk) and two bonuses for the duration of the season (50% extra match XP and 10% more when playing with a friend). You also get access to challenges.

All Fortnite players get access to a set of free Starter challenges and can unlock a small handful of rewards, but the weekly challenges and vast majority of unlockables are only for Battle Pass owners. In addition to 10 weeks of challenges that will progressively unlock between now and early July, the Battle Pass also includes new Blockbuster and Carbide challenges. Blockbuster involves completing all of the challenges in each week and unlocks some as-of-yet unknown cosmetic reward. Carbide involves reaching different level milestones, with each one offering some piece to upgrade the Carbide skin, along with a pickaxe.

In terms of rewards tied directly to the Battle Pass, there are more than 100. You can see a selection of skins above or check out everything available in our Season 4 rewards roundup. Again, as in the past, Epic estimates that unlocking everything will take between 75-150 hours of gameplay.

If you owned Season 3’s Battle Pass, you’ll gain five levels of the new Battle Pass automatically. Purchasing Season 4’s will also carry over a five level bonus into Season 5 once that begins. Those in a hurry to level up can also purchase additional levels for V-Bucks.

Fortnite Season 4 runs through July 9, so provided you start early, you’ll have just over two months to get your hands on all the rewards. There’s plenty of other new Season 4 content to check out, including the crashed meteor and updated map. For more, read through the Season 4 update patch notes.

The Duke Remastered – The First Xbox Controller

The Duke Remastered – The First Xbox Controller

Hyperkin is known for its catalog of retro gaming accessories and the latest throwback peripheral available is the original Xbox controller, commonly referred to as The Duke. This rendition is nearly identical to the first gamepad released alongside the Xbox back in 2001 that was swiftly replaced in 2002 with the more sensible Xbox S controller. Whether it be for nostalgia’s sake or genuine affinity for the ergonomics of this hulking controller, the original design is back with a few modern touches that are detailed throughout this photo gallery.

Seamus Blackley, one of the leaders in marketing the first Xbox console, expressed excitement earlier this year around CES 2018 and stated, “I discovered to my horror and fascination that The Duke was an object of nostalgia and comfort and happiness and childhood memories, and all these people with big hands saying it was the only controller that was comfortable.” Blackley comically recalled, “I contacted Phil [Spencer, Head of Xbox], who is a buddy of mine, and asked, ‘Phil, is this crazy enough to do?’ and some of the hardware guys who were there when the Xbox was on the drawing board said we should absolutely do it.”

The Duke is compatible with the Xbox One and PC, and it works exclusively through a wired USB connection. The controller is available now on Microsoft’s store, but on May 15 at GameStop for $70 USD / £70 GBP.

What’s In The Box?

What’s In The Box?

Not much comes in the package; just the controller and the thick nine-foot USB cable. You should note that the USB port on the controller is wedged in a way for the packaged cable to fit perfectly into; other cables may not fit here.

The Old Green Logo

The Old Green Logo

When you hook it up to an Xbox One or PC, the old Xbox startup graphic plays on the round LED screen at the center of the controller then stays on a static image identical to the original gamepad’s logo.

A Closer Look At That Power Button

A Closer Look At That Power Button

The center display also functions as the power button like the Xbox 360 and Xbox One controllers.

Same Design, But A 3.5mm Audio Jack

Same Design, But A 3.5mm Audio Jack

Holding and using The Duke is exactly as you’d remember in terms of button placement, analog stick grooves, and ergonomics but with a few modern touches. A 3.5mm audio jack sits at the bottom of the controller, which makes plugging in headphones much easier.

Left/Right Shoulder Buttons, A New Addition

Left/Right Shoulder Buttons, A New Addition

One of the other design changes comes in the form of newly added shoulder buttons. These are the RB and LB bumpers on the modern Xbox controllers that also function as the Black and White buttons, which is necessary to play most games.

Slanted Face Buttons

Slanted Face Buttons

Those colorful jellybean-shaped A, B, X, Y buttons feature the same inward slant, for better or worse. The smaller Black and White buttons reside atop the face buttons and remain functional.

That Sweet 8-Way Directional Pad

That Sweet 8-Way Directional Pad

The D-pad may look awkward, but the grooves made it easy to change directions without lifting your thumb. This was key for fighting games, but the design was ultimately scrapped in subsequent iterations of the Xbox controller.

Left/Right Triggers And Ergonomics

Left/Right Triggers And Ergonomics

The deep grooves on the handles made the Duke easy to grip, and the design is identical here. Also, the left and right triggers have a silky smooth pull.

Compared To The Original Duke

Compared To The Original Duke

Alongside the original Duke controller, you can see how the Duke was faithfully recreated by Hyperkin. Of course, the center logo that only appears when plugged in, shoulder buttons, and designation of Start/Select to Menu/View buttons would give away which is which.

No Need For Expansion Slots

No Need For Expansion Slots

Of course, there’s no need for expansion slots that were used for memory cards, so those are gone with the new Duke.

Compared To The Xbox S Controller

Compared To The Xbox S Controller

When looking at the Duke and its successor, the Xbox S controller, you can see how Microsoft opted for a more sensible and compact design in 2002. The face buttons were realigned, Black and White buttons were moved down, start and select were moved to the side, and the D-pad and analog sticks had a makeover.

Compared To The Xbox One Controller

Compared To The Xbox One Controller

The newest Xbox One controller shows that not much has changed since the Xbox S remodel all those years ago. But compared to the Duke, it’s needless to say that modern controllers make more sense.

Will You Be Getting A Hyperkin Duke?

Will You Be Getting A Hyperkin Duke?

Whether it’s nostalgia or sincere love for the Duke, the $70 price tag might be a lot to ask. Are you interested in getting your hands on this controller? Let us know in the comments below!

Season 4 of Fortnite is officially underway, and with it, we’ve gotten a new Battle Pass. This works largely like those in the past, offering weekly challenges for players to complete in order to unlock new skins and rewards. Week 1 challenges are the usual mixture of easy and tricky objectives; here are the key locations and how to complete them all.

Two specific challenges stand out as ones with which you might need a guide. The first asks you to follow the treasure map found in Tomato Town. You can head there and pick up the map to get started or, as with previous instances of this objective type, go right to the treasure if you know where it is. This one is fairly easy–it’s in Loot Lake. Head to where the ‘E’ in Lake is shown on the map, as seen in the image below, and you’ll find the wrecked remains of a small boat just to the south of a small slab of land. Jump on the part sticking out of the water and you’ll see the Battle Pass icon to collect, which is done by holding the same key or button you use to open chests.

The other difficult challenge is to search F-O-R-T-N-I-T-E letters; there’s no real indication of what these are or where to start your hunt. Essentially, these work a lot like the aforementioned treasure map locations, only there are no in-game hints. You’ll head to certain spots and find a hovering blue letter that must be “searched” like a chest to collect. No matter which order you go to the locations, you’ll always find the letters in the order that spells out “Fortnite.”

Some are in popular places to land–for instance, there’s one at the top of the clocktower in Tilted Towers. Others aren’t so easy, but luckily, there are more than eight locations total spread across the map. With the help of Reddit users Strantjanet and thesquatingdog, we’ve verified eight locations–the exact number you’ll need to complete the challenge. Here’s where you’ll find them.

F-O-R-T-N-I-T-E Letters Locations

• Tilted Towers — on top of the clocktower
• Salty Springs — just to the east, on top of the fire lookout tower
• Flush Factory — on top of the largest building in the unnamed area to the northeast; you’ll have to destroy the glass ceiling to collect it
• Snobby Shores — in the northern most area, on top of a lightpole in front of a decrepit house
• Anarchy Acres — on top of the red barn
• Pleasant Park — on top of the roof in the middle, immediately north of the soccer field
• Lonely Lodge — in the unnamed area to the southeast, on top of the building
• Risky Reels — in the hole on the movie screen

Week 1’s other challenges are much more straightforward and generally rely on a mixture of luck and being in the right location. You’ll need to deal damage to opponents using sniper rifles, which is just a matter of finding such a gun and having good aim. You’ll want to head to Haunted Hills and search for chests; hopefully, in the process, you’ll also get your hands on a Port-a-Fort. If you do, be sure to use it before dying to complete another challenge.

The aforementioned Tomato Town map is one of three Hard-difficulty objectives. Another simply has you rack up eliminations at Flush Factory, so head there and take down some opponents. The third calls for you to get three pistol eliminations. Pistols aren’t the greatest of weapons, so you may want to attempt both this and the Flush Factory challenge in the Solo playlist. That way, you don’t have to worry about revives or competing with teammates for a kill.

Each of these challenges rewards you with Battle Stars to level up your Battle Pass and earn new skins and rewards. Additionally, once you’ve complete four of them, you’ll receive a 5k XP bonus. Keep in mind, access to the weekly challenges requires the purchase of the Battle Pass for 950 V-Bucks. In addition to weekly challenge access and the ability to earn lots of skins and rewards, the Battle Pass also includes new Blockbuster and Carbide challenges, which involve reaching level milestones and completing all challenges in a given week.

Season 4, Week 1 Battle Pass Challenges

• Deal damage with sniper rifles to opponents (500) — 5 Battle Stars
• Search chests in Haunted Hills (7) — 5 Battle Stars
• Use a Port-a-Fort — 5 Battle Stars
• Search F-O-R-T-N-I-T-E letters — 5 Battle Stars
• Hard: Follow the treasure map found in Tomato Town — 10 Battle Stars
• Hard: Pistol eliminations (3) — 10 Battle Stars
• Hard: Eliminate opponents in Flush Factory — 10 Battle Stars

Reward: 5k XP (after completing four challenges)

This week, Max, Brian, and Alanah chat about Shadow of the Tomb Raider (read Alanah’s preview right here,) what they expect in the Red Dead Redemption 2 trailer, the odds of Cyberpunk 2077 being a 2018 game, and our favorite in-game wastes of time.

This episode of Beyond is sponsored by Hims

• Subscribe to Beyond on YouTube

Continue reading…

The latest live event for Pokemon Go is a test of strength. A special “Battle Showdown” starting today makes Fighting-type Pokemon appear more frequently, gives you some extra XP for battles, and offers other incentives for visiting Gyms.

Brawlers like Machop and Makuhita will show up more in the wild. Through May 14, you’ll get a double XP bonus for Gym Battles and Raid Battles. Raid Battles will also grant a guaranteed 3,000 Stardust just for playing, and you’ll get at least one Rare Candy for a win. Gyms are also getting various bonuses, like a double Badge multiplier for visiting one that you visit frequently. Spinning a Photo Disc will get you more items as well.

Pokemon Go has received pretty regular support since launch. Most recently it wrapped up an Earth Day themed event with Ground- and Water-type monsters, and gave bonuses for participating in special clean-up events. After this fighting event wraps up, the game will host the May Community Day. That will feature a Charizard, and Lure Modules will last for three hours. You’ll also get triple Stardust for capturing Pokemon.

The May Community Day kicks off on May 19, and the time will vary by region. In the US, it starts at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET and ends at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET; in Europe and Africa, it will place from 10 AM – 1 PM UTC; and in the Asia-Pacific region, the event lasts from 12 PM – 3 PM JST