Month: July 2019

Snapshot Games has announced that Phoenix Point has been delayed. Instead of releasing on September 3, the XCOM-like strategy game is now scheduled to launch in December.

“While the development team is working hard, and Phoenix Point is shaping up really well, we now know we’re going to need more time to get it to meet our very high standards,” Snapshot Games wrote in a backer update. “As you probably know, Snapshot has a commitment to keep crunch to a minimum–and that is a commitment we take very seriously.”

This is the third time Phoenix Point has been delayed; the game was first scheduled for 2018 before being pushed back to July 2019 and then again to September. In response to the delay, Snapshot Games is offering a reward to backers who have been patiently waiting. “We know this is a significant delay,” the developer wrote. “The good news is that Backer Build 5 will be releasing on our original launch date, September 3, 2019, meaning backers and early-access buyers will be able to play a much more robust version of Phoenix Point very soon.”

First announced in 2016, Phoenix Point is designed by XCOM creator Julian Gollop. An E3 2019 demo of the game revealed just how much Phoenix Point is the spiritual successor to the strategy franchise, featuring a similar story and virtually the same mechanics. Phoenix Point expands on the formula, however, with additional features–such as enemies that mutate and adapt to player strategy, AI-controlled factions that compete with the player’s goals, and brand-new combat tactics. The game takes place on Earth in 2047 and sees you take command of the last remaining base standing against a Lovecraft-inspired alien threat.

Phoenix Point will release on PC, launching with a one-year exclusivity deal with the Epic Games Store.

We were introduced to The Division 2‘s new Expeditions feature during Ubsioft’s E3 2019 press conference. The first of a three-part episode series, titled Episode 1: DC Outskirts – Expeditions, went live last week for those who own a Year One Pass. Now, Ubisoft has announced that Episode 1 is available to all The Division 2 owners.

Episode 1 adds two new main missions and a new Expeditions experience, which introduces weekly, exploration-driven challenges. You will travel to two new settings: Manning National Zoo and Camp White Oak. The former will see you “explore 11 different biomes to confront the leader of the Outcasts,” while the latter will have you “hunt down a traitor.” You will also head to Kenly College, where you can earn rewards by “exploring, investigating, and solving puzzles to uncover the fate of a lost convoy.”

According to a press release, this wide-spread launch of Episode 1 comes with a care package. The care package, available now through Tuesday, August 13 for free, contains three pieces of equipment and more. What the contents are specifically hasn’t been clarified, but you can access the package by going into your mailbox in the stash.

Expeditions are free events split into three different wings that release weekly. The first, which takes you to Kenly College, will give you access to an exclusive treasure room with a new exotic weapon (Diamondback Rifle), exotic gear (BTSU Datagloves), and two more weapons (Stoner LMB and Carbine 7) for finishing all three wings.

Legion travels to the astral plane where a Big Bad Wolf named Jerome takes center stage…in a rap battle. Watch our breakdown of Legion Season 3 Episode 6’s fun fairy tale.