Warner Bros and IO Interactive have officially revealed Hitman 2. As suspected, Hitman 2 is essentially a follow-up to the previous season of Hitman. However, IO Interactive indicated during the game's live stream reveal that the next Hitman will not follow the episodic format of the previous Hitman game. 

The game itself continues roughly where the last Hitman left off, as Agent 47 continues his pursuit of the mysterious Shadow Client. However, it seems that 47's mission will force him to confront some potentially unwelcome details about his own mysterious past. 

Mission-wise, the reveal and trailer teased a Miami mission that sees Agent 47 eliminate a race car driver by potentially manipulating his vehicle before the big race. Elsewhere, Warner Bros. and IO referenced "sun-drenched streets to dark and dangerous rainforests" as possible locations. As always, each of these missions will afford Agent 47 - and players - the chance to utilize multiple paths to victory and the opportunity to complete multiple objectives. 

Both Warner Bros. and IO Interactive expressed how excited they are to revive the Hitman series after it faced an uncertain future following Square Enix's decision to drop developer IO Interactive.

Here's everything else we know:

Hitman 2 News

Hitman 2 will feature upgraded versions of the Hitman missions. 

As explained in the trailer above, developer IO Interactive will essentially be remaking Hitman within Hitman 2. All of the game's levels will be available in Hitman 2 and will benefit from the new features and technology included in the sequel. Through this, IO hopes to create a World of Assassination that binds the revived Hitman games. 

Best of all, anyone who owns the first season of Hitmanwill be able to access the remade original levels for free. Everyone else will need to download them as part of a DLC pack. 

Hitman 2 Release Date

Hitman 2 arrives on Nov. 13, 2018. The game is coming to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. If you're interested in pre-ordering the game, you can find out more about Hitman 2's various editions by visiting this website. 

Hitman 2 Trailer

The PC Gaming show at E3 2018 included a surprising look at Hitman 2's gameplay. While not a long preview, this trailer does confirm that Hitman 2 will continue the good work that the last game started. 

Check out the announcement trailer below:

New to the series is a co-op option called Sniper Assassin. This two-player mode sees players compete to take down a series of targets via the use of sniper rifles. It's not entirely clear what the extent of the competitive/cooperative nature of this game mode is, but we do know that players will also have the option of completing these sniper missions by themselves if they choose to do so. 

Here's the Sniper Assassin mode trailer:

Considering how the fighting game genre has been able to make a comeback these last few years, one question that’s been brought up quite a bit is, “Where’s SoulCalibur?” Bandai Namco’s second fighting game cash cow used to be a huge deal, but it’s been years since the last installment kind of crapped the bed. Luckily, The 2017 Game Awards announced the return of the franchise!

The Soul series began back in 1995 with the exceptional Soul Edge, renamed Soul Blade on consoles. The game’s story takes place in 1584 and centers around armed warriors from around the world fighting over the rights to a cursed sword known as Soul Edge, then wielded by a possessed pirate. This would lead to the sequel SoulCalibur, which would hold onto the branding for all the later installments. The series has continued to focus on the quest for the evil sword ever since.

The last real installment was SoulCalibur V in 2012, which didn’t exactly set the world on fire due to how little the game had to offer, especially compared to its predecessors. Hopefully, SoulCalibur VI will return to the glory days of the Dreamcast era.

Get your blind gimp cosplay ready because SoulCalibur VI is a go. Here's everything we know about the game:

SoulCalibur 6 Release Date

SoulCalibur VI will arrive on October 19, 2018 for PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One. Coincidentally, the series will celebrate its 20th-anniversary next year.

SoulCalibur 6 Trailers

Evo 2018 gave us two big trailers, showing off both Astaroth and Seung Mina. Quite a contrast there.

OH SHIT! It's the kinky mashup of Goldust, Gollum, and a Tool music video as Voldo makes his awaited return!

The tonfa-wielding Talim is back and she continues to not shut up about the wind!

This trailer shows Maxi, the nunchaku master and kind of Bruce Lee/Elvis hybrid. Two great tastes that go great together.

We have a good look at Yoshimitsu, the leader of the Manji Clan and the predecessor to the cyborg ninja weirdo from the Tekkenseries.

The new game will also feature Taki, the demon-hunting ninja lady with the overly-tight outfit who has been in every Soul game except SoulCalibur V.

SoulCalibur VI will feature a guest appearance from the Witcher himself, Geralt of Rivia.

Other familiar fighters have joined the SoulCalibur VI roster. There's Zasalamel, the undying magician who debuted in SoulCalibur 3. Fans of the fighter will be happy to know that her scythe and spells look as brutal as ever. 

Next up is series staple combatant, Ivy. She's still wearing questionably effective armor - it's certainly distracting - but looks to remain a fan favorite 

Here's the extended trailer that played at PSX 2017:

SoulCalibur IV ended with Sophitia dying and SoulCalibur V jumped ahead about 15 years to focus on her children. Not only is Sophitia alive and well here, but amidst all the random visions shown, the narrator mentions how “history hides away more than one truth.” In other words, there might be an in-story retcon of SoulCalibur V in the works, setting up VI as the beginning of a new timeline.

Hey, it worked like gangbusters for Mortal Kombat.

The big gameplay addition is Reversal Edge, which is a counterpart to the Combo Breaker from Killer Instinct. Though that trailer shows Sophitia and Mitsurugi doing some kind of glowing buff thing as they attack one last time, so maybe that's something too.

Then this trailer hit on January 26, revealing even more characters.

With this, we get more classic characters. Kilik and Xianghua are the main heroes of the original SoulCalibur, while Nightmare is the game's badass villain. Seriously, look at how badass that horse of evil energy super is. The big twist, as shown at the end of the trailer, is that pure-hearted Kilik is now being corrupted by Soul Edge's demonic influences.

Hey, it worked like gangbusters for Street Fighter... Okay, I'm done with that now.

Also interesting is our first new character, Groh, who is some kind of medieval secret agent? He definitely seems fun and kind of has a low-tech Darth Maul quality to his swordplay. Can't wait to see more from him.

Gavin Jasper wants Olcadan back, damn it. Follow Gavin on Twitter!

Now that the Dark Souls series is officially done, Bandai Namco has a hole in their lineup that was previously occupied by a hardcore RPG series with a moody atmosphere and strong action elements. 

While it's going to be hard for any game to ever completely fill that void, we must say that Bandai Namco's upcoming action RPG Code Vein looks like it has a chance to fulfill the desires of Dark Souls fans everywhere. 

Here's everything we know about Code Vein:

Code Vein Release Date

Code Vein has been delayed to 2019 from its original Sept. 28, 2018 release date. The game is coming to PS4, XBO, and PC. 

Code Vein Trailer

Here's a new, six-minute trailer:

Code Vein's third trailer finally gives us a little better look at the game's world and the characters who call it home. What it really does, though, is double-down on the game's anime style. Vampires battling each other with blood-based superpowers while rock music blares in the background? Yeah, we're kind of ready to play this one. 

This next teaser does a nice job of emphasizing the game's anime inspirations and generally cool vibe. It certainly offers more than enough reasons to keep your eyes on this game in the future. 

Code Vein's E3 2017 trailer showcases that blend of familiar Dark Souls gameplay and anime visuals that previous previews had hinted at. We look forward to seeing more from this promising adventure title. 

While the teaser for Code Vein suggested that it might be a hand-drawn, Dark Souls-esque action RPG starring vampires, the official reveal trailer for Code Veinshows off a slightly different experience. Code Vein still borrows aspects of Dark Souls' combat system and RPG elements, but the game's art style borrows more from the God Hand series with its anime flourishes. 

Code Vein Story

Here's the official synopsis for the game:

"In the not too distant future, a mysterious disaster has brought collapse to the world as we know it. Towering skyscrapers, once symbols of prosperity, are now lifeless graves of humanity’s past pierced by the Thorns of Judgment. At the center of the destruction lies a hidden society of Revenants called Vein. This final stronghold is where the remaining few fight to survive, blessed with Gifts of power in exchange for their memories and a thirst for blood. Give into the bloodlust fully and risk becoming one of the Lost, fiendish ghouls devoid of any remaining humanity."

Code Vein follows the adventures of vampiric entities collectively referred to as The Revenant who have formed an underground post-apocalyptic society. These creatures rely on blood in order to avoid becoming absolute monsters.  

Code Vein Details

According to an interview in the Japanese magazine Famitsu (translated here by Gematsu), Code Vein is being developed by the same team behind the cult classic God Eater series. Despite the game's pedigree, producer Keita Iizuka claims that Code Vein is not related to the God Eater series in any direct fashion. 

Instead, Code Vein is described as a "dramatic exploration action RPG." What that means is that it's a dungeon crawler action RPG that will emphasize the exploration of connected environments. 

If that sounds like Dark Souls to you, then you'll be happy to know you're not being paranoid. The game's trailer even playfully uses "Prepare to Dine" as a tagline and seemingly respectful nod to that legendary franchise. 

However, Code Vein does distinguish itself in several interesting ways. Namely, Code Veinwill emphasize a "Buddy" system that allows you to take a companion into new areas and develop them alongside your main hero. It also sounds like the game will primarily focus on melee combat, though we will be surprised if there isn't some magic and ranged combat to be found.

There's still much we don't know about Code Vein- including whether it will resemble the style shown in that teaser trailer and which systems it will be released on - but everything revealed thus far suggests it could Bandai Namco's next great hardcore RPG.

Those fans hoping that Bethesda Game Studios would one day go to space are finally getting their wish. The developer announced at E3 2018 that it's working on a next-gen space RPG called Starfield. The game explores a whole new setting for Bethesda, which is best known for its postapocalyptic and fantasy settings. 

Starfield is the first new IP from Bethesda in 25 years. The game has been the talk of the internet for the last few years. Ever since banners for the RPG leaked on the internet, Bethesda fans have speculated about the game's existence. It's no secret that Bethesda Game Studios hasn't explored an RPG outside of its comfort zone for quite some time. To bring its classic RPG gameplay to space is for Bethesda to explore where it hasn't gone before. 

Here's what else we know so far:

Starfield Release Date

No release date has been set for Starfield. 

Starfield Trailer

Here's the debut trailer:

We'll keep you updated as we learn more about Starfield!

John Saavedra is an associate editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9. 

One of the most beloved entries in the Final Fantasy series is being remade from the ground up for a new generation of consoles and fans. Final Fantasy VII boasts all new visuals while delivering the same memorable story. 

Here's everything we know about this highly anticipated remake:

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Release Date

Final Fantasy VII Remake doesn't have a release date as of yet. It is coming to the PlayStation 4.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trailer

Final Fantasy VII Remake is perhaps the most highly-anticipated video game remake of all-time, built from the ground up for the PlayStation 4. This JRPG classic gets new life with all-new graphics. Basically, it's the same game you love, but it looks better than it ever has before. 

Here's a new trailer:

We'd even stopped begging at this point. The fact that we even had to keep asking Square Enix to release an HD remake in this day and age is pretty ridiculous. But all our prayers were answered at E3 2015 when Final Fantasy VII Remake was officially confirmed.

Here's the announcement trailer:

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Screenshots

Final Fantasy VII Remake's director, Tetsuya Nomura, revealed two new screenshots from the long-gestating project at Magic Monaco 2017. The screenshots are from an early boss fight and show the game's hud. It's also a new glimpse at Cloud and Barret in the remake. Check the pictures out below:

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Details

Square Enix has decided to transfer development of the Final Fantasy VII remake from developer CyberConnect2 to an in-house development team. 

This report comes from a Square Enix livestream (translated here by Kotaku) during which Square Enix project leader Naoki Hamaguchi referred to the decision as a "sensitive subject."

However, Hamaguchi did confirm that he has taken over development of the Final Fantasy VII remake in order to keep "production and quality in mind."

"This company decision was made wanting to control quality as well as keeping the schedule stable," said Hamaguchi.

At this time, it's not clear if this decision represents some kind of falling out with developer CyberConnect2 or if Square Enix simply decided to take the reigns on this major project in order to ensure it meets all production expectations. 

An issue Famitsu Weekly (as reported here by Gematsu) featured some quotes from Tetsuya Nomura who elaborated on how Final Fantasy VII Remake's combat system will work.

“Battles are not command-based, they’re action-based," said Nomura. "Regarding cover actions, there are places where they can be done on the map, but they are not required. Because it’s seamless, I showed that there can be actions in response to various scenes."

Nomura goes on to specifically cite the Guard Scorpion battle as a boss encounter that has been noticeably altered from its original version. He says that particular fight will have "map destruction and a great number of attacks that weren’t in the original" which will result in a "significantly flashy battle."

While it will be nice to see the combat system in action, this latest update does seem to place the remake's battle system closer to Final Fantasy XV's than Final Fantasy VII's.

John Saavedra is an associate editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9. 

Nintendo's legendary game developer Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that Pikmin 4 was in development back in 2015, but we've not yet seen much of the game or know when it's coming out.

"I've been told not to share anything about this from PR," Miyamoto told Eurogamer at E3 2017 regarding the status of Pikmin 4, "but I can tell you it is progressing."

Miyamoto appeased the PR gods by limiting the specifics of the game's development to his assurance that the game is "actually very close to completion" and that "Pikmin teams are always working on the next one." 

Nintendo confirmed Miyamoto's assertions in a separate statement by claiming that "Pikmin 4 is in development but that is all we can confirm at present." 

It's been a few years since Pikmin 3 released for Wii U in 2013. The game received overwhelmingly positive reviews for its innovative use of the Wii U tablet and general advancement of the Pikmin mechanics. By all accounts, Pikmin 3 also sold extremely well with some reports suggesting that it sold over 200,000 units before the end of 2013. 

The lack of a Pikmin sequel in all that time seems to speak more to Nintendo's unique release strategy than it does their faith in the franchise as a whole. Now that the Nintendo Switch is selling extremely well, it seems that Nintendo is a touch more eager to bring back some of their most popular series as well as re-introduce some of the Wii U's best games to the switch audience.  

Here's everything else we know:

Pikmin 4 Release Date

Pikmin 4 doesn't have a release date as of yet. The game is coming to the Nintendo Switch.

Pikmin 4 Details

Some suspected that Shigeru Miyamoto had finally lost his mind when he announced that he was working on a strategy game based on his gardening experiences, but it wasn't long before the quirky little title known as Pikmin became a beloved Nintendo franchise. As popular as the franchise is, though, it has remained suspiciously off the radar since Pikmin 3 released to wide acclaim in 2013. Aside from Miyamoto mentioning that Pikmin 4was nearing completion in 2015, fans have been left to speculate when, exactly, they will be able to get their hands on this anticipated sequel. 

Sadly, Miyamoto's latest update doesn't offer much hope that they can expect that day to come anytime soon. In an interview with Game Rant, Miyamoto had this to say on the subject of Pikmin 4:

"We're working on (Pikmin 4). So, you know, when we’re in development we have to create a list of priorities and it has been hard to kind of fit that into that list, but we’re hopefully starting to see that on the list now.”

While Miyamoto does not explicitly say so during the course of the interview, given that he had previously suggested that the game was nearing completion around this time last year, it certainly does sound like Pikmin 4 has been delayed. Though this may be due to the usual complications that can arise during the development process, the popular theory at the moment is that Pikmin 4 has been shuffled to the side while Nintendo focuses on the release of the Switch as well as their ever-expanding list of new ventures. 

Given that Breath of the Wild is shaping up to be the last major Wii U release, it certainly does appear that Pikmin 4 may end up becoming a Switch title. It would be a bit of a shame if that came to pass considering how well the Pikmin games translate to the Wii U controller, but it's looking like Pikmin fans may be waiting until 2017 to experience more of this franchise's bizarre adventures.

John Saavedra is an associate editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9. 

Star Citizen could very well be the space simulator to end all space simulators - if it ever actually comes out. The game has been in development at Cloud Imperium Games, founded by Wing Commander creator Chris Roberts, since it was successfully crowdfunded in 2012. Boasting an enormous massive multiplayer universe, elements of space trading, first-person shooter combat, Star Citizen is one of the most ambitious video games ever put into development. 

Several delays and an engine change later, the game is still in early Alpha state with no solid release date. Still, we've seen plenty of the game through trailers and gameplay videos.

There is still hope, though. Star Citizen continues to be developed by a large staff of talented creators who seem determined to produce the game that was promised at some point in the future. When, exactly, that future may come is just a matter of debate. 

Here's the latest from Star Citizen:

Star Citizen Release Date

While Star Citizen's roughly playable builds regularly receive some kind of update, there's no word on when the game will be released. It's quite possible that Star Citizen's development team will release an Early Access model for the game that will continuously be updated for the foreseeable future. In any case, we'll be sure to update you as information regarding the game's fully-playable builds becomes available.

Star Citizen Trailer

The latest trailer for Star Citizen is designed to show off the game's upcoming Alpha 3.2 release. That doesn't bring the game any closer to its full release, but it does mean you get to watch yet another trailer for the timeshare of video games. 

Slowly but surely, Cloud Imperium is revealing more about Star Citizen's single-player campaign. This new look at Squadron 42 takes us to a dangerous gas cloud called "The Coil." Check out the video below:

And here are two more Squadron 42 trailers. This first one features a new look at Mark Hamill in the game:

And here's over an hour of gameplay:

During the CitizenCon 2947 livestream broadcast, Star Citizen designer Chris Roberts took the stage to present a video that shows off the massive size of the game's worlds. 

The footage specifically focuses on the ArcCorp planet which has been shown before, but never quite like this. Roberts described the planet's vast cityscape as "Blade Runner esque," which certainly does help capture the spirit suggested by the city's spewing flame towers and jam-packed structures. Impressively, Roberts also suggests that everything in the city can be interacted with by the player in some way. There aren't any instances of painted features designed to make the cities look larger than they are. 

Roberts described that particular planet as being similar to Star Wars' Coruscant, but also showcased another planet that seems to have been decimated at one point or at least hasn't been fully terraformed as of yet. 

The team certainly seems to be aiming for a shocking amount of variety in regards to the design of every major planet. That isn't to say that there won't be largely barren planets, but rather that they hope to make each new planet feel like a discovery. 

Thanks to this gameplay video update on Star Citizen's development, we do know that the game's first-person combat is coming along nicely. 

The purpose of this video, besides showing off the kind of stunning visuals millions and millions of crowdfunded dollars will buy you, is to showcase the progress that Star Citizen's Vision Stabilization engine has made. In short, this improved engine allows for developer Cloud Imperium Games to implement tighter and less visually jarring first-person combat. Previously, some of the game's early users had reported that the character motions dictated by these mechanics were far too loose and had a tendency to generate a floaty sensation. 

Currently on version 3.0, the most recent build of Star Citizen arguably stole the show at Gamescom with this nearly 52-minute long gameplay video that takes on the daunting task of trying to explain the almost incomprehensible scale of the game. 

Not to beat the No Man's Sky horse to death, but one of the most impressive things about this demo in comparison to other titles in this genre is how substantial the universe feels. While certain elements of the experience don't feel nearly as important as the presenter hopes they might come across as ("The elevators in this game really move! *clap, clap, clap*), Star Citizen's developers seems to understand that pretty environments and theoretically infinite content will not get you far if there is not a solid core of gameplay at the center of it all. Watching the demo players navigate a character to a new planet, accept a mission, and carry it out isn't mind-blowing on paper. But, in the context of the full scope of this creation, it does show that there's a promising traditional game at the heart of the title. 

We still eagerly await the day that all questions about Star Citizen will be answered by the retail release of the game itself, but, until then, it's nice to know that it's still capable of wowing people. 

John Saavedra is an associate editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9. 

Doom Eternal is the newest installment in the hit first-person shooter series. The sequel to the 2016 reboot is everything you loved about its predecessor with a few added tweaks, including a few new demons to turn into gruesome meaty chunks! Here's everything we know about the game thus far:

Doom Eternal Trailer

Bethesda revealed the first look at Doom Eternal's INSANE gameplay at QuakeCon 2018. Check out the trailer below:

And here's the announcement trailer:

Doom Eternal Release Date

No release date has been set for Doom Eternal. The game is expected to arrive for XBO, PS4, and PC. 

Doom Eternal Gameplay Details

The first gameplay footage of Doom Eternal reveals that it is very much a follow-up to 2016's Doom. 

While many of the game's features remain the same as they were in that modern classic, there are a few things featured in Eternal which should help keep the overall experience feeling fresh. The biggest of said features is the ability to invade other player's games and have your game invaded by other players. The details of this system haven't been fully revealed at this time, but the team did reveal you will be able to assemble a party of demons to try and take down a player controlling the Doom Guy (a.k.a. the slayer). You are also able to disable this feature if you wish to do so. 

It also seems that the Doom Guy will be much agiler this time around. Along with the ability to hop between certain surfaces in order to scale walls, our hero also has access to a chain that functions as a grappling hook as well as some kind of booster that lets him dodge attacks and reach new vertical heights. It's not clear at this time whether or not you'll have access to these abilities from the start or whether you will have to unlock them as the game progresses. 

The gameplay footage also showed the Doom Guy picking up an extra life, which is something that the team did not expand on during the presentation but is worth keeping an eye on. 

John Saavedra is Games Editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9. 

Dying Light 2, the sequel to the beloved zombie parkour open-world RPG, has been announced by Techland. During E3 2018, it was also revealed that RPG legend Chris Avellone, who previously worked on Fallout: New Vegas and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, is working on Dying Light 2. Unsurprisingly, this sequel will have a bigger emphasis on decision-making, as you embark on missions for different factions. How you decide to handle certain situations will have huge consequences as you progress. 

"The bold sequel to the open-world phenomenon, Dying Light 2 brings to life a unique post-apocalyptic vision of the Modern Dark Ages - a brutal, bleak and unforgiving reality where you are as likely to perish at the hand of a human as you are by the infected," said Techland in a press release. "In this exhausted world, your quick thinking, exceptional parkour abilities and brutal combat skills are the only things that let you dive into darkness and emerge alive. Make morally grey decisions and witness how they impact the world at multiple levels, shape the transformation of the City, and ultimately decide its fate." 

The game is powered by the C-Engine, a new generation of Techland’s in-house technology dedicated to open-world action-adventure and action-RPG games.

"Dying Light 2 will be a truly bold sequel, combining the much loved Dying Light DNA with completely new ways to play," said Pawel Marchewka, Techland CEO. "For the first time in the franchise, players will have the power to decide the fate of a decaying metropolis with their own choices and actions. Across the story, the melee combat, the parkour movement, and other aspects of the game, we’re giving players a completely new level of freedom."

Here's everything else you need to know about the game:

Dying Light 2 Trailer

Here's the announcement trailer:

Check out some gameplay as well:

Dying Light 2 Release Date

No release date has been set for Dying Light 2. The game is coming to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. 

John Saavedra is Games Editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9. 

The latest Nintendo Direct video reveals some of the biggest indies coming to the Nintendo Switch. 

The arguable highlight of the video is the reveal of Windjammers 2. Some of you might remember that we called Windjammers one of the most underrated multiplayer games ever made. Well, this sequel looks to expand upon the greatness of the original by utilizing the same digital sport that combines the best of volleyball and air hockey. Fast, chaotic, and mechanically perfect, Windjammers is one of the most entertaining multiplayer games of the '90s. We'll see if this sequel can live up to the original's legacy when it releases in 2019. You'll also be able to snag the original Windjammers for Switch starting on October 23. 

Elsewhere in the video, Nintendo revealed that Slay the Spire is finally coming to the Switch. Currently boasting an Overwhelmingly Positive community score on Steam across over 15,000 reviews, Slay the Spire is an Early Access title that combines elements of roguelikes and deckbuilding games. It asks you to survive three areas full of traps, enemies, and events by utilizing a small deck of cards that you expand as you progress. Only the best deck builders will ever see the better end of the game's most punishing areas and battles. 

Described by some as the perfect game for Nintendo Switch, Slay the Spire is coming to Nintendo's console sometime in 2019. 

Nintendo also confirmed the Switch release of Terraria in 2019, a port of This War of Minethat is set to arrive in November, and the Nintendo Switch version of Prison Architect. This video also showcased smaller titles like The Gardens Between(an abstract puzzle game), Monster BoyandThe Cursed Kingdom (a follow-up to the Wonder Boy series), and a roguelike called Everspace. All of those games (and more indies) are expected to arrive on Switch before the end of the year. 

While we're still waiting to hear on some major Switch games, the reveal of these titles alongside confirmation of Diablo III's Switch port means that Nintendo fans won't need to wait for Nintendo games to justify their purchase. 

Matthew Byrd is a staff writer for Den of Geek. He spends most of his days trying to pitch deep-dive analytical pieces about Killer Klowns From Outer Space to an increasingly perturbed series of editors. You can read more of his work here or find him on Twitter at @SilverTuna014. 

Read the latest Den of Geek Special Edition Magazine Here!

4A Games returns with Metro Exodus! Much like the previous Metro games, this one appears to contain a mix of subterranean and overworld exploration gameplay spiced up a bit by the inclusion of challenging combat. As for the timeline, this appears to be a sequel to the previous titles, but that is largely based on the degenerative nature of the universe rather than any specific plot points. 

Otherwise, this title appears to share many of the gameplay and environmental aspects that make the Metro franchise so unique. If anything, there may be a slightly stronger emphasis on creature combat over human encounters (if the footage shown is any indication, at least) but we'll wait until more of the game is revealed before making too many assumptions. 

Here's everything else we know about the game:

Metro Exodus News

A new trailer for Metro Exodus has arrived ahead of Gamescom 2018! Check it out below:

Metro Exodus Release Date

Metro Exodus has been delayed to 2019. It is coming to XBO, PS4, and PC.

Metro Exodus Trailer

Here's that awesome trailer that was revealed during Microsoft's E3 2018 press conference. 

A previous trailer premiered at The Game Awards 2017. Check it out below:

And here's the reveal trailer for Metro Exodus: 

Metro Exodus Details

The latest issue of Game Informer reveals some new information about Metro Exodus. 

It seems that Exodus will start in the fabled Metro but will quickly allow players to explore a much larger outdoor setting. However, Exodus is not an open-world game. It's a series of large, objective-based levels that can be freely explored but are tied together by a narrative. The catch is that you can't return to an area after you've completed the main objectives in a given level. That means you'll want to take care of any sidequests first.

The series' combat and stealth mechanics will receive an overhaul as part of this new emphasis on exploration. There's no word on exactly how they will be changed, but it seems the studio is aiming for general improvements. Furthermore, the traditional hub area from previous Metro games will return in the form of a train called the Aurora that will follow you between most levels. Players will also be able to access several smaller vehicles. 

Finally, it seems that Exodus' story will take place across the course of an entire year. Previous Metro games occurred over just a few days.  

All and all, it sounds like Exodus will make some pretty bold changes to the series' formula. We just hope it maintains some of the distinctive design elements that make the Metro franchise a special - if overlooked - gaming experience. 

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the next game from the studio that brought us Dark Souls. 

This action game takes place during the Sengoku era of Japan. In it, you play a warrior who has set out on a dangerous quest to save his master from a powerful foe who the warrior and his mater have been battling for years. The warrior's loss of a ligament means that some of his weapons and abilities come in the form of exchangeable prosthetics. 

Regardless of what weapon you use, you'll have access to a resurrect ability that will let you instantly revive yourself upon death. This is a far cry from the Dark Soulsseries which often punished the player for death and used death as a way to teach the player how the game's mechanics - and the universe - really worked. It remains to be seen how Sekiro will retain the difficulty and mechanical mastery requirements of Dark Souls given that it sounds like the title won't treat death as quite the roadblock that it was in Dark Souls. 

We're still waiting to hear more about this game, but for now, here's everything we know about Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. 

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Release Date

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is set to release on March 22, 2019, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. On that day, you'll be able to pick up the regular version of the game alongside a special Collector's Edition that includes a map, some art, coins, and a statue. 

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Trailer

Here's the debut trailer for the exciting Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. 

Matthew Byrd is a staff writer for Den of Geek. He spends most of his days trying to pitch deep-dive analytical pieces about Killer Klowns From Outer Space to an increasingly perturbed series of editors. You can read more of his work here or find him on Twitter at @SilverTuna014. 

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Few people expected Valve's next game to be a collectible card title based on the Dota 2 universe, but that's exactly what we have in Artifact. 

Before you roll your eyes, though, you might want to use them to take a closer look at this game. Artifact isn't like any other CCG out there. Actually, it's kind of like a version of Dota 2 that you play with cards instead of with heroes and teammates. Artifact's implementation of Dota 2staples like lanes of battle, heroes, and in-game markets is made all the more fascinating by the fact that the title also boasts some traditional - albeit hardcore - CCG elements. Of course, that last part shouldn't be a surprise given that the game was at least partially designed by Magic: The Gathering creator, Richard Garfield. It will be fascinating to see what that creative team comes up with. 

Here's everything that we know about Artifact: 

Artifact Release Date

Valve has announced that Artifact's beta will begin in October. While they confirmed that everyone in attendance at The International will receive a copy of the game alongside access to the beta (those who play the game at PAX West will receive the same), they did not confirm what day the beta will begin or whether or not it will be an open or closed beta. 

The PC version of Artifact is set to release on November 28. The mobile version of the game is expected to release sometime in 2019. 

Artifact News

PC Gamer has released a full breakdown of how Valve's Artifactcard game will work. It's a lot of information to take in, but here's what you need to know:

Artifact has you build a deck of 40 cards that contains five heroes. The base game will include 280+ cards and 44 heroes. You can't have more than three of any type of non-hero card in your deck. 

Gameplay sees you essentially play across three different boards designed to strategically resemble Dota 2's lanes. Each lane has its own mana pool, heroes, and a tower. Lose that tower, and a much stronger Ancient appears. If you manage to either kill an Ancient or if your opponent loses two towers, you win the game. 

Complicating all of this is the presence of creeps in all lanes that heroes must battle as well as some truly in-depth mechanics that require you to manage the resources of all lanes using the same deck of cards. Fortunately, your resources are bolstered by the ability to earn gold whenever you destroy an opponent's cards and use that gold to buy items from the store that your heroes can equip. Heroes can never be permanently killed, but they can be taken out of action for a round. 

Valve seems to be aware that this multi-lane style of CCG play creates a lot of complications, but they are embracing those complications. It seems like Artifact is mostly going to appeal to veteran CCG players or those that are willing to learn an entirely different style of game. Hearthstone this is not. 

Speaking of Hearthstone, Valve is already planning on separating Artifact from that game by reducing the amount of randomness in matches and by allowing players to trade cards via Steam's marketplace. That last one is a huge deal as it could drastically impact both gameplay and the costs of Artifact in the long run. Indeed, Valve has stated they do not want Artifact to be a pay-to-win experience. 

It all sounds fascinating, and Artifact might end up being extremely appealing to those who demand more complexity from CCG titles. 

Artifact Trailer

Here's the teaser trailer that formally introduced Artifact to the world. 

Gamescom 2018 is almost here! It's Europe's premier game show, a week-long celebration featuring the biggest publishers and studios in the industry. Here's everything you need to know about the show before it kicks off on Tuesday!

Gamescom 2018 Schedule

Several companies will be holding presentations at this year's Gamescom. Here's the schedule of the major media briefings. Click on the links to go to each company's respective live stream:

Nvidia: Monday at 12 pm ET

Microsoft: Tuesday at 10:30 am ET

Blizzard: Wednesday at 4:30 am ET

Gamescom 2018 Games

While there isn't a formal list of games that will be participating or shown at the event, we do have a list of exhibitors that should hint at games will be at Gamescom 2018:

1C Company
505 games
Amazon
Asus
Bandai Namco
Bethesda
Blizzard
Capcom
CD Projekt
Deep Silver (Koch Media)
Electronic Arts
Epic Games
Focus Home Interactive
Frontier
Gameloft
Google
Green Man Gaming
HP
Intel
Kalypso
Konami
Logitech
Microsoft
MSI
Nintendo
Nvidia
Plantronics
Razer
Samsung
Sega
Square Enix
Sony
Team 17
Techland
Turtle Beach
Ubisoft
Wargaming
Warner Bros.

Gamescom 2018 Dates

Gamescom is Europe's big week-long celebration of video games. This year's festivities will kick off on Tuesday, August 21 with a media-only event. The expo will then open to the masses from Wednesday, August 22 to Saturday, August 25.

Gamescom 2018 Location

Gamescom 2018 will be held at the Koelnmesse convention center in Cologne, Germany.

John Saavedra is an associate editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9. 

Microsoft had a great showing at this year's E3, revealing sequels in its flagship series, Haloand Gears of War, as well as plenty of other games for the Xbox One. Gamescom 2018 is an opportunity for the company to capitalize on that momentum with more announcements regarding the future of the Xbox brand. 

To that end, Microsoft is hosting an Inside Xbox live stream event on Tuesday, August 21 at 10:30 am ET from Gamescom. You can watch all the big announcements here:

What might Microsoft be showing at Gamescom this year? It's safe to say we'll see more of Gears 5 and Halo Infinite, their biggest upcoming titles. We'll also undoubtedly hear one more sales pitch for Crackdown 3, which is finally due out in February 2019. 

It wouldn't be crazy to assume that we'll hear something at least in passing about Project Scarlett, the next-gen Xbox that's currently in development. Major Nelson also shared on his blog that the stream "will include the latest on Forza Horizon 4, Sea of Thieves, and State of Decay 2, plus breaking news, exclusive interviews and never-before-seen content for many other games."

Tune in on Tuesday morning and we'll keep you updated as we hear more from Microsoft!

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is famed Castlevania director Koji Igarashi's return to the Metroidvania genre after his departure from Konami. The game was first announced through a Kickstarter campaign in 2015 that met its $500,000 goal within four hours and raised over $1 million in its first day.

“I have been gone for too long, and it’s time for a resurrection!” Igarashi said in the video introducing the Kickstarter. “Publishers of the world told me that gamers no longer care for this style of game, but I know they’re wrong!”

By the end of the campaign, Bloodstained had raised over $5.5 million, proving that fans were still hungry for this type of experience. Two years later, Bloodstained is still in development but is inching closer to a 2018 release.

The game tells the story of Miriam, an orphan who has been cursed by an alchemist and is slowly turning into crystal. The young woman must fight her way through a castle full of demons and other creatures of the night to find a cure. The plot and setting are as Gothic as it gets, and the presentation and gameplay—the side-scrolling combat, creepy monsters, and role-playing elements—all harken back to the golden age of Metroidvania.

Here's everything else we know about the game:

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Release Date

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has been delayed again to 2019. It was originally set for a 2017 release before it was delayed to 2018. The game is currently scheduled to appear on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC. Both the Wii U and PS Vita versions of the game have been canceled.

You can watch the announcement from Koji Igarashi here:

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Trailer

This gameplay trailer emphasizes the game's art style and combat techniques by showing off large portions of a cathedral stage and even offering us a glimpse of one of the game's boss fights:

Here's gameplay footage from the E3 2016 demo:

In the pitch video below - which is quite quaint, with its low-fi special effects - Igarashi talks enthusiastically about his project. On the Kickstarter page, you'll find more of the project's plans, including its addition of crafting to the platforming mix, and the now-confirmed presence of David Hayter as one of the main voice actors.

That Bloodstained has already enjoyed a storming amount of support pretty much guarantees that we'll be hearing more about it soon.

John Saavedra is Games Editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9. 

A new trailer has arrived for Developer Farm 51's military online shooter, World War 3, which gives us a taste of the battles that will take place in the game. The following is all alpha footage so it might not reflect the final product. That said, the game looks like it's coming along nicely. Check out the trailer:

And here's the earlier reveal trailer:

Early information about World War 3 suggests that it will emphasize realistic military action across two major modes. The first mode, referred to as Warzone, seems comparable to the Battlefield series. That is to say that it allows players to participate in "large-scale combined arms battles with infantry, armored vehicles, and drones." There are rumblings of the mode featuring some kind of attack and defend objectives, but it's not clear if that is the extent of Warzone's objectives

It also seems that there will be some kind of overarching progression system in Warzone that will account for which countries are currently in control. Yes, there is some kind of on-going conflict system in the game that is based on team - and player - performance. The extent of this feature isn't clear at this time, but it seems that major changes in the war will be determined by the completion of certain in-game achievements as well as the final stats in a Warzone match (vehicle damage, for instance). 

Farm 51 is also touting the game's advanced damage mechanics which they describe as the “most authentic bullet vs. armor system in the FPS genre to date.” From what we can gather, the game will account for basic pieces of information such as what armor you're wearing and what gun your opponent is using as well as movement physics in order to accurately relay what kind of damage your character would take in that instance. 

World War 3's other major mode, called Recon, seems to be the game's battle royale offering. However, it does differ slightly from other battle royale games via its emphasis on squad play and objectives. Recon asks multiple squads of players to capture high-value targets while eliminating the competition. While character customization will seemingly play a big role in both Recon and Warzone, Farm 51 has stated that the game will not feature loot boxes or pay-to-win options.

We'll find out whether World War 3 will find its role in the highly-competitive online shooter market when the game debuts on Steam Early Access sometime later this year. 

Matthew Byrd is a staff writer for Den of Geek. He spends most of his days trying to pitch deep-dive analytical pieces about Killer Klowns From Outer Space to an increasingly perturbed series of editors.

John Saavedra is an associate editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9. 

Blizzard will have a big presence at Gamescom this year, bringing all of its series to the show. Overwatch, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Hearthstone, and Heroes of the Storm will all appear in Blizzard's live stream from the week-long event. 

The biggest announcement likely to come out of the company's Gamescom event is new content for Overwatch, including a new short which could introduce another hero to the game as well a map. We may also see Diablo 3 running on the Nintendo Switch as well as some new things from World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, which just launched last week. Could we see some new endgame content for the MMORPG? You'll just have to tune in!

The stream begins on Wednesday at 4:30 am ET. You can watch it here:

Here's the full schedule (all times ET):

4:30 am to 5:30 am – Opening Ceremony 
5:30 am to 6.00 am – Overwatch Event 
6:00 am to 6.45 am – World of Warcraft Event
7:15 am to 8:00 am – StarCraft Event 
8:30 am to 9:30 am – Heroes of the Storm Event 
9:45 am to 10:45 am – Diablo Event 
11:00 am to 11:30 am – Mystery Guest Event Panel 
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm – Video Games Live Concert 
1:00 pm to 1:15 pm – Closing and Recap 

John Saavedra is Games Editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9. 

After years of Nintendo dancing around fans' pleas for a new Metroid game, the studio finally decided to drop a humble reveal for one of the most anticipated games of the last ten years right in the middle of their E3 2017 showcase. What a truly Nintendo way to make such an announcement.  

Since the announcement of this project, Nintendo has confirmed that Retro Studios will not be handling the development of this new Metroid title. Instead, they have stated that the development is being handled by a "talented new development team.”

According to Eurogamer, that studio is none other than Bandai Namco Studios Singapore, which is collaborating with Nintendo on the new game. However, Metroid producer Kensuke Tanabe will be overseeing the development of this new title.

Here's everything else we know about the game:

Metroid Prime 4 Release Date

There is currently no release date for Metroid Prime 4. The game is coming exclusively to the Nintendo Switch.

Metroid Prime 4 Trailer

On the list of games that could possibly show up at E3 2017, Metroid Prime4 ranked somewhere alongside Half-Life 3. Nevertheless, here is the first preview for Metroid Prime 4.

Unfortunately, the reveal of Metroid Prime 4 doesn't actually tell us anything about the game itself aside from the fact that it is being worked on. However, given that most people had already given up hope that a new Metroid game would ever be released for the Nintendo Switch, we're going to go ahead and name this one of the best announcements of E3 2017.

Matthew Byrd is a staff writer for Den of Geek. He spends most of his days trying to pitch deep-dive analytical pieces about Killer Klowns From Outer Space to an increasingly perturbed series of editors.

Yes, one of the greatest games of the previous console generation is getting a sequel. Fans hoped that Naughty Dog might find a way to return to the world of The Last of Us, but the nature of the original game's ending left some to speculate that the developers had said all there was to say about the adventure of Ellie and Joel. 

It's not entirely clear exactly what the story will be this time around, but the ominous and fearful tone of Ellie's looming threats suggest that this will be a story of revenge. The recipient of said revenge seems to be fairly obvious based on context clues in the trailer, but in the interest of not completely outlining the ending of the original game, we will not speculate on their identity here.

Speculation is all we have as it concerns the release date for The Last of Us Part II, however. It appears that the game is still very much in development, which means you shouldn't hope to see it before late next year at the earliest. Neil Druckman, the title's creative director, took to the PlayStation Blog to clarify that the eventual release of the game could be "a ways off," and to assure fans that Naughty Dog is only making a sequel to this game because they feel they have a new story that is worth telling. 

Well, we're sold. Here's everything we know about The Last of Us Part II:

The Last of Us Part 2 Release Date

The Last of Us 2 doesn't have a release date as of yet. We expect Sony to reveal that information at E3 2018. 

The Last of Us Part 2 Trailer

At the Sony E3 2018 conference, we were treated to a brilliant and highly cinematic - also possibly very scripted - gameplay sequence from The Last of Us Part 2. Check it out now. 

Here's another trailer:

Next, feast your eyes on the reveal trailer for The Last of Us Part II:

The Last of Us Part 2 Story

At PSX 2016, Naughty Dog director and writer Neil Druckmann shared the first bits of Last of Us Part 2 story details, including what the focus will be in the sequel. Druckmann revealed that Ellie is the star of this installment and that the game takes place several years after the original. Ellie is 19-years-old in The Last of Us Part 2. 

Druckmann talked a bit about the tone and direction of the sequel's story, saying that while the original was a story about love, "[Part 2] is about hate." He also confirmed that this game will exclusively continue the story of Ellie and Joel instead of jumping to other characters.

It looks like The Last of Us Part 2 will have a couple of connections with Westworld. It's been revealed that Halley Gross, a writer on the show, will be co-writing the game's story with Neil Druckmann, who wrote the first game. 

Additionally, Westword actress Shannon Woodward will have a role in the game. No details on her character were revealed. Her casting was revealed in a tweet:

It's also been revealed that Bruce Straley, who directed the first game, will not return for the sequel. Instead, Druckmann will be directing the game. 

The Last of Us Part 2 Music

Writer/director Neil Druckmann confirmed that Gustavo Santaolalla, the composer of The Last of Us' wonderful score, will also create the music for the sequel. 

The Last of Us Part 2 Poster

In celebration of Outbreak Day - the day in The Last of Us when the world fell apart - Naughty Dog has released some promotional materials and free items related to the game. You can read a full breakdown of the announcement (which includes information regarding a new The Last of Us t-shirt and PS4 theme) via this PlayStation blog post. 

However, there is one Outbreak Day release we do have to highlight. The fine folks at Mondo have teamed up with Naughty Dog and artist Kevin Tong to release a new poster that seems to be related to The Last of Us Part 2. It's a fairly stunning design that serves as a callback to the previous Mondo The Last of Us poster and an effective teaser. 

You can buy the poster from Mondo's website starting today. 

Matthew Byrd is a staff writer for Den of Geek. He spends most of his days trying to pitch deep-dive analytical pieces about Killer Klowns From Outer Space to an increasingly perturbed series of editors.

John Saavedra is an associate editor at Den of Geek. Read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @johnsjr9.