Battlefield V is the next game in the hit first-person shooter series from DICE. The game will be set during World War II as previously suggested. It's not entirely clear which theater of war the game's campaign will be set in, but some of the language the developers used suggested that it will span the globe and include quite a few stories of war. 

Here is what we know about Battlefield V:

Battlefield 5 Trailer

The latest trailer for the game is all about the single-player story campaign. Watch it below:

Another trailer for the game arrived at Gamescom. Check it out:

Be sure to gawk at this trailer, which shows off what it looks like running on Nvidia's latest hardware:

This trailer showcases the game's new Rotterdam map. Check it out below:

Here's a multiplayer trailer:

And here's the reveal trailer:

Battlefield 5 Release Date

Battlefield V has been delayed to Nov. 20 from an Oct. 19 release date. It's coming to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.

Battlefield 5 Beta

Battlefield V's open beta will begin on September 4th for those with Early Access through EA's Origins program and September 6th for everyone else. The beta will be available for PC, Xbox One, and PS4. It will showcase the classic Conquest mode via the Rotterdam and Arctic Fjord map. The Arctic Fjord map will also play hose to the next Grand Operations campaign. There's no word on when this beta will end.

Battlefield 5 Multiplayer

Multiplayer wise, Battlefield V doesn't change the series formula too much. The big new addition is a 64-player Grand Operations mode that utilizes several different play modes in order to tell a multiplayer narrative. It's essentially an expansion of the Operations mode seen in Battlefield 1. There's also a Combined Arms 4-player co-op mode that allows players to participate in procedurally generated missions. Generally speaking, Battlefield V places a much greater emphasis on squad play and encourages players to join squads. 

Minor multiplayer changes include the ability to revive your teammates regardless of what class you're playing (and drag them to cover), the ability to tow stationary guns with vehicles, and a new prone option that lets you lay on your back. 

It's also been confirmed that there will be no Premium Pass in the game. While that doesn't seem to discount the possibility that there might be loot boxes in the game, the Battlefield V developers did indicate that player progress will largely be earned by playing the game. Said progress includes new abilities that allow you to fortify the area of play with sandbags, walls, and other structures. Ammo conservation and weapon selection will also reportedly play a larger role in the game. Those weapons will be affected by new bullet penetration physics and the elimination of randomized bullet deviation.

The Battlefield V Twitter account has also revealed a new mode called Airborne. The premise of this mode is that players will need to parachute onto the battlefield when they respawn. It seems that there will be an attacking team who need to take down anti-aircraft measures when they're on the ground and a defending team who are trying to keep the guns operational in order to fend off the airborne invaders. 

Battlefield 5 Tides of War

DICE has expanded upon how The Tides of War will work. In a new blog post, the developer describes Tides of War as a "catch-all" term used to describe Battlefield V's "true journey" through World War II. Based on their description of the idea, it seems that Tides of War will function as kind of an on-going content experience that will change every few months. For instance, the first batch of Tides of War content is titled Fall of Europe and will include special events such as multi-week grand operations and special assignments. 

Despite the changes introduced by these events, players will be able to keep the same company (essentially a faction or guild) and complete all associated events with them throughout the entire Tides of War run.

DICE reiterated that soldiers are fully-customizable this time around and noted that XP can be earned in multiplayer and co-op modes and then used to unlock new class specialization archetypes. It seems that new archetypes will be added to the game via Tides of War updates. 

We'll bring you more information on this mode as it becomes available.

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. 

Retro console manufacturer Analogue has revealed a new piece of hardware that is going to make Sega fans very happy. Dubbed the Mega Sg, this $189 console is designed to play just about every Sega game released before the debut of the Sega Saturn. That means that it supports Sega Genesis titles from all regions (which includes games that were released on international variants of that console) as well as Game Gear games and titles from more obscure pieces of hardware. While it doesn't sound like the device will support 32x titles as of yet, you can attach a Sega CD to the console in order to play those games.

The versatility of the Sg is pretty exciting, but what really makes the Mega Sg such an appealing piece of hardware is how it brings these games into the modern era. 

In its simplest form, the Mega Sg lets you play these classic games on HD displays. You just hook the console up to your display via an HDMI cable, plug in a classic game cartridge (yes, the game lets you utilize actual classic cartridges), and enjoy playing pretty much whatever game you want from that era on a modern display. Yes, at a time when playing classic console games on a modern television is infuriatingly complicated, the Mega Sg just lets you play classic consoles with few barriers.

Even better, the Mega Sg actually allows for and implements certain technological improvements to these games. Nearly all titles are upscaled to provide pixel-perfect 1080p gameplay (which means that most titles will look perfectly normal even when played on large screens) and the Mega Sg even replicates the original audio of these titles via modern sound systems. That last bit is particularly impressive given that few Sega hardware emulators have ever been able to get the sounds of these classic games truly right. As you can see (and hear) in the video below, though, Sega games running on the Mega Sg sound, look, and feel just like they should. 

Given that Analogue is the team behind the incredible Super Nt, a console that does what the Sg does but for Super Nintendo games, we have few worries as it concerns the quality of this device. As such, feel free to pre-order this console via this website ahead of its April 2019 release date. 

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 and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2018 Special Edition Magazine right here!

Bowsette fans hoping to one day challenge Calamity Ganon for the fate of Hyrule with their favorite meme princess are about to lose their minds. The fake Nintendo character that's taken the internet by storm is now playable in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, thanks to a new mod by Lynard Killer (via Kotaku). 

While some might say that this mod is an excuse to show Bowsette in her underwear (NSFW, we guess...), Lynard Killer has gone beyond a simple skin swap. You can check out the mod below:

The Bowsette mod for Breath of the Wildisn't downloadable yet, but if this is your thing, we're sure you'll get your hands on it eventually.

Just a few weeks ago, Bowsette was also made playable in Super Mario 64 by modder Kaze Emanuar. Declaring that someone paid him to "do this shit," Emanuar says that this isn't really something he wanted to do. However, he did put quite a bit of effort into this commissioned mod. Not only does Bowsette have her own voice lines, but she can also shoot a fireball that pretty much instantly destroys anything in her path. Emanuar left a download for the character here for any of the "fucking perverts" that wish to play Super Mario 64 as Bowsette. 

Elsewhere on YouTube, GandaKris - a creator known for her amazing custom creations - has turned internet darling Bowsette into an Amiibo. In a video, GandaKris shows you how to turn the standard Princess Peach Amiibo into a version of Bowsette. The process involves a fair amount of work (and some skills), but the final result really does look pretty good. Best of all, it still functions as an Amiibo. If you don't want to try to make once yourself, GandaKris is sending the one she made to a random user via a giveaway on her Twitter account. 

If you're not caught up on the Bowsette phenomenon...well, brace yourselves because this one is about to get weird. It turns out there's this item in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe called the Super Crown which transforms characters into some kind of version of Princess Peach (or at least they take on aspects of that character). What initially caught the internet's attention is the fact that when Toadette puts the crown on, she becomes Peachette. This raised many questions regarding the full abilities of this item and whether or not it is going to add some new characters to the Mario universe. 

The conversation became that much more interesting when people started asking, "What happens when Bowser puts on the Super Crown?"

We don't know the official answer to that question, but the people of the internet have decided that such an interaction should result in Bowsette. Who is Bowsette? She's the Princess Peach version of Bowser that has already developed quite a following despite the fact that she technically doesn't exist within the Mario universe. It's not entirely clear who is responsible for this concept, but Eurogamer and others are saying that artist aykk92 is responsible for popularizing the idea via a comic strip in which Mario leaves Peach for Bowsette. 

That's far from the only piece of fan art that portrays Bowsette, though. It seems that just about every internet artist has their own interpretation of what this character looks like. Most seem to agree that she'll sport a pair of horns and the general consensus is that she wears black. There are already people cosplaying as Bowsette and others who argue that her technical name should be "Peacher" (based on the Toadette to Peachette transformation). 

Before you start diving deep into this particular fan art well, you should know that the obsession with Bowsette (as we choose to call her) has already spiraled into fan art porn. Actually, it got there pretty quickly. So while we don't know exactly what happens when Bowser puts on the Super Crown, we can tell you that it probably won't look like some of the more recent images of Bowsette. 

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. 

Ok, who keeps giving money to the Star Citizen team?

Following the release of the star-studded trailer for Star Citizen's Squadron 42 single-player campaign, Roberts Space Industries (the game's parent company) reported that they received $379,254 on October 10 and $600,000 over the next three days. This brings the game's lifetime funding total to an astonishing $195,768,020. If you measure its untraditional funding and release structure against the funding and release structure of other games, then Star Citizen is currently the fourth most expensive game ever made. 

Before we go any further, it should be noted that this astonishing amount can be attributed to more than just the release of a trailer. Star Citizen's alpha 3.3 was released to the game's public test servers. It's a somewhat substantial release (at least in the context of this game) that not only kicked off the start of CitizenCon (arguably the world's largest fan convention for something that barely exists) but included the release of content like the ability to map voice and facial features as well as some new ships. 

It's certainly worth mentioning that one of those ships (the Anvil Valkyrie dropship) costs $330. Humorously, depending on your perspective, buying that ship doesn't grant you access to the game itself. 

Let's put aside the factual portion of our program and return to the question we asked in the beginning. How does Star Citizen continue to make so much money? Star Citizen first appeared on Kickstarter in 2012 and immediately gained attention due to the involvement of Chris Roberts, designer of the Wing Commander series, and the campaign's promises of a truly epic space adventure that boasts nearly infinite gameplay possibilities. 

Since then, we've gotten impressive pieces of footage, some more promises, the opportunity to purchase ludicrously expensive pieces of in-game content, a lawsuit or two, and some playable pieces of content, but we arguably haven't gotten even 1% of what was promised in 2012. 

It's currently being reported that we will see a "development" roadmap of the Squadron 42 campaign sometime before the end of the year. For the sake of all you Star Citizen backers out there, we hope that's true. After all, the release of Star Citizen has at least 99 problems, but the studio's ability to continue acquiring a disproportionate amount of money for comparatively little content certainly isn't one. 

Read and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2018 Special Edition Magazine right here!

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. 

A new Fallout 4 mod will at some classic Halloween songs to the game's radio stations. 

The Spooky Scary Radio mod (created by NexusMods user, Natezomby) adds a "lore-friendly" radio station called Spooky Scary Radio to your Pip-Boy. That sounds like a pretty simple addition, but the creativity and track quality featured in this mod is downright impressive. 

Halloween-themed tracks include a stunning variety of spooky sounds from the '20s through the '60s. While we're particularly partial to the classic (and often very corny) tracks from acts like Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters, there's something to be said for some of the other songs that escape the limits of the kind of music that is typically included in Fallout games. For instance, the radio station features spooky poem readings (such as Vincent Price reading The Raven) as well as songs from classic horror movies (Dracula, Frankenstein, and even The Exorcist). 

The full list of tracks included in this mod effectively doubles as the ultimate Halloween party playlist. Even the songs which don't necessarily directly relate to Halloween or horror (such as Leadbelly's Where Did You Sleep Last Night) feel like they belong in a slightly scarier setting. In case you're wondering, definitive Halloween tracks like Monster Mash and Spooky Scary Skeletons are included on the tracklist. Best of all, the station is "hosted" by the one and only Alfred Hitchcock. 

All-told, this mod adds over 200 tracks to the game's current playlist. It's also compatible with many other radio mods in case you're really interested in expanding Fallout 4's selection of music by about a thousand tracks. 

After you've downloaded and installed the mod, you can access this station by tuning into radio station number 88.666. Sadly, this mod is only available for PC, but we suppose that console gamers could always make a playlist out of the game's tracks and just play it in the background. 

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 and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2018 Special Edition Magazine right here!

Hitman 2's first Elusive Target mission will see you hunt down actor Sean Bean. 

Ok, you won't actually be hunting down Sean Bean. Instead, you'll be hunting down a character named Mark Faba who is portrayed by Sean Bean. Faba is described as a former MI5 agent who had become a freelance assassin. Apparently, Bean excels at faking his own death (hence his nickname "The Undying") which has apparently caused the CIA to put an "imposing bounty on his head." We're not entirely sure how faking your death leads to the CIA wanting to put a bounty on your head. Maybe they just felt it was becoming really annoying. 

Regardless, you'll be able to hunt down Sean Bean (or Mark Faba) when the Elusive Target mission "The Undying" releases on November 20 (just one week after Hitman 2's launch date of November 13). The mission will only be available for 10 days and will require players to take down Faba before he can complete a contract at the Global Innovation Race event in Miami. How does Sean Bean feel about being in the game? We hear that he's quite thrilled. 

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the upcoming Hitman 2 video game,” says Bean. “It’s always exciting to take on a new role, and I’m looking forward to everyone seeing my character in action when the mission launches.”

Well, there you go. We've got to say that the official trailer for this mission is a pretty great reminder of why Sean Bean is so very awesome. In fact, it really feels like he's trying to recapture those GoldenEye glory days with his portrayal of a calm, collected, and effective operative. After you've watched it, be sure to check out hop over to this website where you can vote to unlock an exclusive weapon for Hitman 2. 

We've got high hopes for this sequel considering how great the last Hitman game was, and reveals like this only make us that much more confident the game will live up to the hype. 

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 and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2018 Special Edition Magazine right here!

The wave of official Halloween updates to games has begun as the PUBG team have revealed a scary new in-game event. 

At the moment, it's not entirely clear what this event will be called (if it has an official name), how long it will run for, or even how much content will be included as part of it. However, it seems that the main draw of this event will be some new (and very creepy) character skins. Based on the information that has been revealed so far, it seems that said skins will include a creepy clown (which is totally not a rip-off of IT), a creepy sexy nurse (which is totally not borrowed from Silent Hill 2), and Purge-like masked characters (which are absolutely lifted from The Purge). 

Of course, having Purge characters in a battle royale game does actually make quite a bit of sense. 

Beyond that, this update will feature such thematic additions as a new night mode for the Erangel map, candles and pumpkins spread across the spawn area, scarecrows that appear when an enemy has been killed by an AKM, and a "spooky face" that appears when grenades detonate. The team promises that all of these updates are "coming soon" and that this event will also be playable on the iOS an Android versions of the game. 

We imagine that you'll be able to keep using the unlockable scary skins after the event has concluded, but it's always possible that this game will go the Team Fortress 2route by limiting those outfits to a once a year timeframe. We certainly don't expect that you'll be able to access them beyond this event. 

This event looks interesting, but we wonder if it's the kind of thing that will draw players who have left PUBG back to the game or if it's just a "that's neat" treat for those who still play the former king of the battle royale genre. With Call of Duty's Blackout mode taking off and gaining steam amongst the former fans of PUBG, it's starting to look like the PUBG team are going to have to dig pretty deep into their bag of updates and tricks in order to restore the game to its former glory. 

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 and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2018 Special Edition Magazine right here!

Developer Niantic Labs has made the shocking decision to add more Pokemon to the popular mobile title, Pokemon Go. 

In a stunning move, the Niantic team seemingly decided that making money is a good thing and that the best way to continue doing so would be to add more iconic Pokemon to the game all about capturing and collecting Pokemon. It's a truly bold creative decision that has led to the stunning news that Generation 4 Pokemon from Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum will soon be available to catch in Pokemon Go. 

This particular group of Pokemon will include creatures that sound like they were named by a development team who were about to leave the office for the weekend and realized they forgot to give the Pokemon names. As such, you'll soon be able to catch Pokemon like Chimchar, Piplup, and the almighty Turtwig within Pokemon Go's world (which is to say, your world). 

Those Pokemon will kick off this update, but Niantic has teased that additional Pokemon from this generation will be "released in waves." It sounds like some of those Pokemon will be roaming freely in the wild, but others can only be captured by hatching eggs and participating in raids.

The team is also teasing the addition of several new features related to the Sinnoh region, but don't go into specifics regarding what those features may be or when we can expect to receive them. However, it does sound like more than a few of those features will expand upon or improve existing mechanics.

So how is Pokemon Go doing these days? Pretty well, actually. The game reportedly made $104 million during May of this year and is currently enjoying a shocking 174% revenue increase over last year's figures (at least according to the most recent reports). While we doubt Pokemon Go will ever return to being the phenomenon that it was during its first couple of months of availability, Niantic has done a great job in terms of ensuring the game enjoys a steady stream of new content. 

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 and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2018 Special Edition Magazine right here!

Insomniac's take on Spider-Man isn't just one of the PS4's biggest upcoming exclusive, it's one of the biggest titles in Marvel's new approach to game releases. Spider-Man will not be directly associated with the MCU or a particular film, but will instead tell a unique story of the studio's design. 

Spider-Man will focus on young Peter Parker's battles against a still unconfirmed roster of classic comic book villains. As this game seems to take place relatively early into his superhero career, Parker will need to learn how to balance being the hero that NYC needs with the daily pressures of young adult life. 

From what we've seen of Spider-Man thus far, we're expecting a high-octane superhero experience that doesn't skimp on the cinematic but also gives us the freedom we need to truly feel like we are Spider-Man. Call it a fantasy, but Insomniac looks to deliver on the seemingly impossible by gifting the world with a Spider-Man game that captures every aspect of this incredible character. 

Here's everything we know about Spider-Man:

Spider-Man PS4 Review

Our Spider-Manreview is live! You can read it right here.

Read and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2018 Special Edition Magazine right here!

Spider-Man PS4 Release Date

Spider-Man will be out on September 7, 2018. The game is coming exclusively to the PlayStation 4.

Spider-Man DLC

Spider-Man PS4's DLC will include three new suits that you can check out below:

On the left, we have the suit from Scarlet Spider II. Next to that, we have a Gabriele Dell'Otto design, the Resilient Suit. Finally, there's the Spider-UK suit from Spider-Verse. It seems that these suits will be featured in the upcoming Heist DLC, so you should probably expect to see more suits in future DLC releases. 

For more information on that DLC, be sure to check out our full breakdown of Spider-Man's post-release content. 

Spider-Man PS4 Trailer

Marvel's Spider-Man has had a great run of trailers thus far. The latest one is narrated by J. Jonah Jameson, who gets a pretty suspicious "anonymous caller" into his radio show:

Here's another trailer narrated by Jameson:

And here's another trailer:

This story trailer from SDCC 2018 gives us a much better idea of what Spider-Man's arching narrative will cover. While it stops short of spoiling the adventure, it does confirm that Spider-Man is dealing with a city under siege by supervillains and citizens of the city who believe he is doing more harm than good. 

Spider-Man's E3 2018 gameplay trailer sheds a little light on the game's full roster of villains. It ends with a tease of one Spider-Man foe that Insomniac isn't ready to show yet. 

Here are all the other trailers released thus far:

Red Dead Redemption 2 is the story of outlaw Arthur Morgan and the Van Der Linde gang as they rob, fight, and steal their way across the vast and rugged heart of America in order to survive.

The studio said of the game in a press release that Red Dead Redemption 2 is "an epic tale of life in America’s unforgiving heartland. The game's vast and atmospheric world will also provide the foundation for a brand new online multiplayer experience."

Here's everything else we know:

Red Dead Redemption 2 News

The official launch trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 is finally here. In it, we see some of the game's principal characters talk about that fabled last score, what matters most, and what it takes to survive in this world. 

Red Dead Redemption 2 Trailer

The latest gameplay trailer gives us a fresh look at the sequel's new Dead Eye system. Check it out below:

Here's the first gameplay trailer:

This next Red Dead Redemption 2 trailer reveals a few new details about the story. Check it out below:

You can check out the first two trailers below:

Red Dead Redemption 2 Release Date

Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released on October 26, 2018. The game is coming to XBO and PS4.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Story

Here's the official synopsis of the game:

America, 1899.

The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed.

After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Characters

Rockstar has also taken to Twitter to share images and descriptions of some major Red Dead Redemption 2 side characters. 

The reveals are still ongoing, but here is who we've seen so far:

Dutch van der Linde

Hosea Matthews

Molly O'Shea

Susan Grimshaw

Pearson

Micah Bell

Charles Smith

Bill Williamson

Leopold Strauss

Characters are still being revealed, so be sure to keep an eye out for more information. 

Red Dead Redemption 2 Gameplay 

Rockstar is showing off the many, many animals that roam around Red Dead Redemption 2's massive world. Over on the Rockstar website, you can get a look at some of the over 200 different types of animals you'll find in Red Dead Redemption 2. It appears that some of these creatures play a vital part in the game's hunting, fishing, and trapping systems, while others - such as bears, wolves, and alligators - likely offer a "kill or be killed" scenario. 

On top of that, players will be able to interact with a variety of horses that can be tamed, bonded with, and used to carry extra equipment. However, you will need to take care of your horse if you expect it to stay with you through thick and thin. 

You will also be able to play the entirety of Red Dead Redemption 2 from a first-person perspective when the game launches. 

While cutscenes will still play out from a third-person perspective, the rest of Red Dead will playable as a first-person game. Accessing that perspective is as simple as pressing a button, and the game has been modified to support a full first-person playthrough. That means that certain animations and other actions will look natural. 

It sounds like the game's first-person mode will be similar to the one featured in GTA V, but RDR 2 has the obvious advantage of shipping with this mode included as opposed to featuring it later via an add-on.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Editions

Rockstar has revealed the special editions of Red Dead Redemption 2 that will be available on release day, and they include some exclusive content.

Those that pre-order Red Dead Redemption 2 will unlock the War Horse and the Outlaw Survival Kit. If you digitally pre-order the game, you'll unlock bonus cash for the game's story mode and a treasure map that will reveal some of the hidden items in the game. 

If you choose to splurge on the Special Edition, you will be able to access a special bank robbery mission, an additional gang hideout, a black thoroughbred horse, gameplay bonuses via wearable items, a cash bonus, a gunslinger outfit, and access to additional weapons. The Ultimate Edition comes with all of that plus more outfits, a survivor camp theme for the game's online mode, more weapons, and an online rank bonus. 

If you're really feeling like dropping some coin, you can spend $99.99 on the Collector's Box and get a ton of physical goodies that include the box itself, cards, a catalog of in-game weapons, and six pins. There is also a reference to content that will be available first to PlayStation 4 owners, but Rockstar has not yet shared any details regarding that exclusive content. 

However, you can find the full details of what you get with every edition of Red Dead Redemption 2 - and where to pre-order them - via this website.  

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Version

The good news is that publisher Take-Two thinks very highly of the PC market. The bad news is that they don't sound like they're preparing to port Red Dead Redemption 2 to PC when it releases next year. 

During a recent investor's call, Take-Two president Karl Slatoff stated that "The great news is that the PC market is vibrant for us. It’s a great market for us. It’s a big market. It’s a core market in consumers that are highly engaged. It’s a predominantly digital market, which also removes friction in terms of ongoing engagement with a consumer. So, for us, the PC market as a company is very important and very exciting and something we focus on."

That's the great news. The bad news is that Take-Two was directly asked about the possibility of Red Dead Redemption 2 coming to PC and CEO Strauss Zelnick responded by stating: "Any updates about any of our titles will come from our labels."

That being the case, it's possible that Rockstar could decide to put the work in for a PC port, but it's doubtful that it will release alongside the game's console versions.

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

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. 

Call of Cthulhuis a new detective game that takes place in the grotesque world of H.P. Lovecraft, the master of cosmic horror. Strange creatures from beyond our plane of existence, gruesome murders, and an evil cult make up the meat of this yarn, which might very well be the best game based on the Lovecraftian mythos.

Though the dark cosmic entity known as Cthulhu has made quite a few appearances in video games over the years, few titles have attempted to really capture the Lovecraftian horror atmosphere that typically accompanies the tentacled wonder's exploits. In fact, the last game that was able to really successfully convey the horrific elements of this character's world was 2005's Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth.

Related Article: The Absolute Best Horror Game Box Art

This journey into madness comes to us courtesy of developer Cyanide Studio, who you may know from their work on the Blood Bowl series. Though the studio has never developed a pure horror game before, you would never know it based on Call of Cthulhu's trailers, which show private investigator Edward Pierce navigating the terrifying island known as Darkwater in order to investigate a mysterious string of deaths. 

Here's everything we know about the game:

Call of Cthulhu Trailer

The latest trailer is all about the nightmares of Call of Cthulhu. Check it out below:

Here's another look at the horrors that await you:

Focus Home Interactive has dropped a full hour of Call of Cthulhu gameplay. Get a taste fo the game below:

Related Article: 5 Essential H.P. Lovecraft Stories

A trailer also arrived at Gamescom 2018! Check it out below:

And here's the trailer from E3 2018:

Check out the trailer from E3 2017:

Here's another preview - titled Depths of Madness - gives us a brief glimpse at protagonist Edward Blake's descent into Lovecraftian madness. 

The upcoming Call of Cthulhu game may not share a direct lineage with Dark Corners of the Earth but, if its first trailer is any indication, this project most certainly shares that title's love for a good gothic atmosphere.

Related Article: Everything We Know About The Sinking City

Call of Cthulhu Release Date

Call of Cthulhu will arrive on Oct. 30, 2018. It's coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows.

Call of Cthulhu Story

Here's the official synopsis:

Plunge into the troubled mind of private investigator Edward Pierce, as his perception of reality becomes more and more skewed the closer he gets to the Great Dreamer’s sphere of influence. Clutch to your withering sanity to discover the conspiracies, the cultists and otherworldly terrors that inhabit the twisted universe imagined by Lovecraft… it is said that madness is the only way that can bring you to the truth.

Sent to Darkwater Island to uncover the truth behind a mysterious death of a family, your original assignment spirals out of control against a backdrop of suspicious locals, mutilated whales, and disappearing bodies. Pierce’s mind will suffer - balancing a razor-thin line between sanity and madness, your senses will be disrupted until you question the reality of everything around you. Trust no one. Creeping shadows hide lurking figures… and all the while, the Great Dreamer prepares for his awakening.

We'll keep you updated as we learn more!

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

When it was revealed that Battlefield V's single-player campaign will let you play as German soldiers, many feared that the game would glorify the Nazis in some way. However, developer EA Dice insists that the German story will be a much more tragic tale. 

The German portion of the campaign (The Last Tiger) follows a Tiger tank crew carrying out their orders even as the German army is on the brink of defeat. As the inevitability of their fate becomes clear, the Tiger tank crew began to question the beliefs of the Nazi party as well as what their role in this war has been. Despite focusing on the Germans, Dice says that their decision to include a campaign from the German's perspective isn't based on their desire to tell a hero's tale. Actually, it was partially based on fan feedback. 

"With Battlefield 1 we got a lot of feedback that it'd be nice to see a German perspective, so that was in our back pocket," said franchise design director Daniel Berlin in an interview with Eurogamer. "And also one of the best-received war stories from Battlefield 1 was the one featuring a tank. So we knew we wanted to do a tank specific war story for Battlefield 5."

Instead of portraying the Tiger tank crew as heroes, the campaign will "dive into the emotions and the aspects of consequence." It's not entirely clear what that means in regards to the specifics of the story, but it seems like it will touch upon the contrast between the power of the Tiger tank and the weakened resolve of the men who control it. Berlin noted that the Tiger was one of the most feared instruments of WWII, so it will certainly be interesting to see if the story draws a parallel between the decreased power of the German army and the fear that the once-mighty Tiger generated. 

Interestingly, it seems like Battlefield V may forgo using the swastika and other Nazi imagery. Indeed, it seems that the German soldiers you play as will not be directly tied to the Nazi party despite their roles in the German army.

It also appears that the German campaign will be the last story released as part of Battlefield V's single-player mode. Other stories will see you play as soldiers from France, Britain, and Norway. 

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 and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2018 Special Edition Magazine right here!

In case you are still holding on to any kind of hopes that Obsidian might develop another Fallout game in the future, we've got some really bad news for you. 

A fan sent a message to Obsidian's Twitter account asking whether or not there is any chance that they will work on another Fallout game. Obsidian responded with a picture of a magic 8-Ball displaying the message "Very Doubtful." While not the most direct approach to answering that question, their response seems to tell us everything that we need to know regarding the likelihood of such a project ever coming to fruition. 

This isn't the first time that Obsidian has responded to questions about whether or not they may make another Fallout game. The long and short of that story is that just about everyone at the studio would love to develop another game in the Fallout universe. Members of the studio said that it's a "really fun property to work on" and Obsidian's CEO has gone on record by stating that he'd "love to do another Fallout."

Sadly, Bethesda threw some cold water on Obsidian's hopes some time ago. In an interview earlier this year, Bethesda's Todd Howard stated that he'd "never say never" in regards to another studio working on a Fallout game, but that the current size of Bethesda's studio means that they prefer to keep things internal. He said that he thinks Obsidian did a fantastic job with the franchise but was certainly doing all he could to do everything but slam the door on the subject. 

Of course, there's a very good reason that fans keep dreaming this increasingly impossible dream. Many consider Obsidian's Fallout: New Vegas to be the greatest Falloutgame ever made. Its rich story, fascinating setting, and compelling character creation options tapped into the heart of the Fallout franchise in a way that even Fallout 4 didn't. It was a brilliant RPG. 

Some say that the game would have been even more brilliant if Obsidian had gotten the chance to finish their vision for the title. An incredible amount of content was cut from the original build of the game (seemingly due to concerns regarding console processing power at the time) and New Vegas suffered from many of the same technical bugs that played the original release of Fallout 3. It wasn't the first time that Obsidian had to finish a sequel to a beloved game under sub-optimal conditions, but the taste we got of their interpretation of the Fallout universe left many wanting more. 

We also wonder if the recent reports that Microsoft has purchased Obsidian may play a part in Bethesda's unwillingness to let them develop another Fallout title. 

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 and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2018 Special Edition Magazine right here!

While some of us speed through the Diablo franchise riding a storm of mouse clicks conjured to defeat our enemies and get to the sweet loot, there is a more patient breed of player who chooses to explore the reasons behind the game's chaos. They analyze every tome and moment of seemingly inane babbling. In doing so, they have come to know that the Diablo games are rich in story and mythology. At the heart of that mythology are the Great Evils. 

Diablo's Great Evils are the beings responsible for every dark cloud that hangs over the games' grim landscapes. Some characters worship them, but nearly all fear them. You'll come to fear them as well once you are staring down their monstrous forms in some cramped room loaded with minions willing to die for their lords. 

The truly frightening aspect of these Great Evils, however, is that many of them have roots in our own mythology. Their appearance, lore, and mannerisms can be traced back to beings that ancient civilizations came to fear as much of the denizens of Diablo do. These are their origins. 

Azmodan

In Diablo lore, Azmodan is the Lord of Sin and a renowned commander of demonic hordes. He has personally staged assaults against the angels as well as the mortal realm.  

His mythological influences are tricky to identify with absolute certainty. Azmodan’s name almost certainly comes from the Hebrew demon Asmodai, who manipulates people’s sexual desires in the Book of Tobit. Asmodai, however, is almost exclusively portrayed as a demon of lust whereas Azmodan is a general Lord of Sin. Although Satan is sometimes referred to as a Lord of Sin, there really is no one mythological demon in particular that holds that title. Many religious mythologies hold to the idea of each sin having its own lord and representative. 

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The closest any demonic figure comes to equaling Azmodan in that respect is the Islamic devil Shaitan (also known as Iblis). He too commands an army of demons who are notorious for their ability to persuade men to sin. The Grimorium Verum (an 18^th-century textbook) also names the demon Agaliarept as the grand general of Hell’s army.

Azmodan’s obese build and six insect-like legs also don’t have a strict mythological equal, but the design of the demon does resemble the creature Keralith of the Ultima series. The demon Buer also had multiple legs, but those were the legs of a goat.

Belial

Belial is cheerfully referred to as the Lord of Lies. He is not just a master of stretching the truth, he’s actually capable of using lies to distort the truth so much that a new reality is seemingly formed in the process.

He also has a very clear equivalent in real-world mythology. Beliall (also known as Belhor, Baalial, or Beliel) was once depicted in the Old Testament as the lord of all evil. This was before Satan was given a proper name. The Dead Sea Scrolls also make reference to Beliall as an “angel of hostility” that rules the dark side of existence. The Bible also alludes to Beliall being a master of lies. 

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Belial’s design in Diablo appears to have been influenced by a different source. The Christian demon Beelzebub (another alias of the devil) is typically depicted as a demon constantly surrounded by flies and insects just as Belial is. The two even share a roughly similar physical design if you are going off of Beelzebub’s description in The Pilgrim’s Progress. In John Milton’s Paradise Lost, Milton noted that Beelzebub was second only to Satan in the demon hierarchy.

Andariel

As the only female member of Diablo’s seven Evils, Andariel immediately stands out. She is commonly referred to as the Maiden of Anguish and specializes in destroying her victims emotionally.

Her heritage is tricky to trace to any one historic demon. Her physical design is certainly reminiscent of the StarCraft character Sarah Kerrigan, who became the Queen of Blades. As for real-world influences, she's likely inspired, in part, by the Jewish demon Lilith, who is one of the earliest known female demons. There’s even a reference to Lilith in the Dead Sea Scrolls, which identify her as a creature that preys on the desires of man in order to lead them astray.

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There are also quite a few female demons in Japanese mythology, but there are few which seem to directly translate to the character of Andariel. In Bali mythology, however, there is a reference to a demon queen named Rangda who leads an army of witches. Rangda, however, enjoyed preying on the realm of men whereas Andariel felt that the true war was with Heaven. Both were scorned by a former master. 

Duriel

Duriel is the twin brother of Andariel and the infamous Lord of Pain. He rules over Hell’s Realm of Pain and is a master of torture.

You would think that there would be many mythological demons that would fit such a billing. The truth is not quite so simple. There have been many demons that inflict pain, but few famous ones that specifically deal in torture. The idea of demonic torture is one that has been popularized by modern fictional creators more than it necessarily was in ancient texts. Of course, it was Dante's Inferno that helped popularize the concept of a circle of Hell devoted to pain. 

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In that respect, Duriel is influenced just as much by the creations of Clive Barker as any ancient tome describing demonic torture in Hell. Similarly, Duriel’s maggot-like physical build was clearly an influence for the Zerg in StarCraft.

Duriel’s name is quite noteworthy, historically speaking. In Hebrew, it means “God is my home.”  This can either be seen as mocking (Duriel was a proponent of attacking Heaven and not man) or a play on the idea of Duriel being the spawn of a fallen angel.

Mephisto

Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred, is often described by those who fear him as an evil more consuming demon than any other. His desire for widespread carnage certainly has few peers. This makes him quite beloved among his fellow demons.

The origins of Mephisto’s name are easy enough to identify. There was a German demon named Mephistopheles (sometimes shortened to Mephisto) who was a demon in the adventures of Faust (a popular German literary character). His design was classically devilish, but he is clearly described as a servant of the Devil as opposed to the genuine article. The Lord of Hatred moniker is almost certainly a reference to Sonneillon, who is regularly described as a demon of hate. It’s also likely that Diablo’s developers came to know Sonneillon from his appearances in D&D campaigns.

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As for the matter of Mephisto’s other title (Odium), that word means hatred or disgust. It’s also used in the phrase Odium Theologicum, which refers to hatred derived from theological disagreements.

Baal

The Lord of Destruction Baal is one Diablo Evil whose origins don’t require much investigation.

Baal is a name that has appeared throughout history in several cultures. It was first used as a proper title (Ba’al), which was regularly used by common people of that era to describe many gods. However, the title was seemingly most often used to reference Hadad, the Mesopotamian god of storms. Hadad was known to bring destruction through weather on occasion.

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It seems much more likely that the name Baal as it is used in the game is a reference to the demon Baal, who first appeared in Goetia occult writings sometime in the 17^th century. At that time, Baal was described as a Prince of Hell and sometimes its ruler. Indeed, we see that many of the influences behind Diablo’s Evils have carried that title. Over time, he was eventually seen as more of a demonic assistant.

Baal also has an association with Beelzebub, historically speaking, although that demon’s characteristics seem to have been transferred to Belial. 

Diablo

Ah, yes. We finally come to the Lord of Terror himself.

You certainly won’t have to search too hard to find the origins of the name Diablo. As you may guess, it comes from the Spanish word for devil. However, Diablo, as he is depicted in the game, is not necessarily a direct reference to “The Devil.” Co-founder of Blizzard North David Brevik once uploaded a copy of the original pitch for Diablo that makes reference to the character Diablo being the Devil, but it is believed that the idea was altered prior to launch.

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Still, the easiest way to classify Diablo is as a general representation of demonic evils and of evil itself. Many elements of his design (such as his ability to take the form of a man and his horned head) can be references to several famous demons, with the most obvious being the classic depiction of Satan as we commonly see him.

One clearly Christian reference the Diablo character does make is his famous proclamation, “I am Legion.” This is taken from Mark 5:9 in the New Testament in which a demon states to Jesus, “My name is Legion: for we are many.”

Tathamet

Tathamet’s place in Diablo lore is a peculiar one. He doesn't really play a hands-on role in the games, yet he is the creature that spawned all of the seven Great Evils.

The first evil is an idea that many cultures have explored. It is, in fact, usually more of an idea than a physical presence. It’s possible that Tathamet’s dragon-like design is a reference to the Bulgarian demon Ala, who controlled the weather, but the most popular theory is that Tathamet’s name is derived from the Babylonian demon Tiamat. Legend states that Tiamat mated with the god of water in order to produce the first line of gods. Much like Tathamet, Tiamat’s death also created Hell (or some version of it).

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There’s also a striking similarity between the legend of Tathamet and that of Angra Mainyu. Angra Mainyu was a deity in the Zoroastrianism religion (a pre-Islamic religion) who was born of the first creation (Ahura) much as Tathamet was born of Anu. Both Anu and the Zoroastrianism god Ahura cleansed themselves of evil and created a being through their efforts. Angra and Tathamet are both often described as the precursor to many evils and masters of chaos.

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. 

Recently, Rockstar's Dan Houser caused quite a bit of controversy when he suggested that members of the Red Dead Redemption 2 development team were working 100 hour weeks to finish the game. While he later stated that he was only talking about certain senior staff members, some doubted that was the case. Now, though, other members of the Rockstar team have taken to social media to "mostly" echo those claims. 

"In over 5 years, never have I been asked or pressured to work anywhere near 100 hours," says Rockstar North engine programmer, Timea Tabori. "I have occasionally worked maybe 50 hours a week at most and nobody demanded or even expected that."

Many of the other quotes from Rockstar employees state something similar. Rockstar San Diego tools programmer, Vivianne Langdon says that she has never worked for more than 50 hours in a week and that she was compensated with overtime pay for any of the weeks that she did work additional hours (generally 2-6 hours of paid overtime a week). Others from the company say that 50-60 hours seems to be the max amount of time they worked in any given week and that overtime was not forced or unpaid. 

Considering that most of these announcements came after Rockstar reportedly granted employees permission to address these claims via their social media accounts, you might think that these are all closely monitored responses that have been approved by Rockstar. However, the tone and content of a few of these messages suggest that isn't the case. 

"It's easy to fall into that trap, if you leave on time, and see other people still working, or read a comment about a 100 hour week, to feel guilty," says Rockstar North employee, Rolo le Ghoulo. "But if I'm not alone in that, and in fact that anxiety is fueling how much overtime we work? I expect that's an industry-wide problem, and not a criticism of Rockstar."

Tom Fautley, another Rockstar employee, says that he's seen friends get closer to that 100 hour work week figure "than is healthy," and that he is typically "asked, encouraged and expected to work overtime (both nights and weekends) when coming up to a big deadline." There's also the matter of some ex-Rockstar employees who say that there was at least one point when Rockstar strongly encouraged employees to work weekends and extra hours. 

While it certainly sounds like the 100 hour work week figure that has been making the rounds was indeed something of an exaggeration, the debate concerning the culture of crunch time in the video game industry will almost certainly live on. 

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 and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2018 Special Edition Magazine right here!

If you were hoping that the long-awaited reveal of Diablo IV would finally happen at this year's Blizzcon, then you'll want to start tempering your expectations now. 

"We currently have multiple teams working on different Diablo projects and we can’t wait to tell you all about them . . . when the time is right," says Blizzard via a recent blog post. "We know what many of you are hoping for and we can only say that “good things come to those who wait,” but evil things often take longer...while we won’t be ready to announce all of our projects, we do intend to share some Diablo-related news with you at [Blizzcon 2018]."

There are a few things you can take away from this post. First off, we will be seeing something related to Diablo at Blizzcon 2018. However, the fact that Blizzard sent a word of caution regarding what they intend to show seems to suggest that we shouldn't expect that something to be Diablo IV. Indeed, the easiest read of this statement is that one of the projects they "won't be ready to announce" is the sequel to Diablo III.

So what Diablo-related things will Blizzard be ready to showcase at Blizzcon? That's a great question that becomes slightly easier to answer thanks to some Diablo-related news that has been making the rounds over the last few months. 

First off, we think there's about a 99% chance that one of the announcements will be the rumored animated Diablo series that Blizzard is producing for Netflix. That project is all-but-confirmed at this point, and we expect that the final confirmation will happen during Blizzard's annual convention. Needless to say, that's quite exciting. 

Beyond that, our guesses at what comes next are not as strong. We don't imagine that Blizzard will release another Diablo III expansion (at least not a significant one) and the upcoming Nintendo Switch port of Diablo III means that there are few places left for the game to go. We certainly wouldn't rule out some kind of notable in-game event, but the fact that this isn't the first time that Blizzard has teased multiple Diablo projects leads us to believe that there may be more than one Diablo game in development. 

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 and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2018 Special Edition Magazine right here!

Bethesda has shared an explanation for why the Brotherhood of Steel is in Fallout 76 despite all evidence that suggests they shouldn't be. 

In an Instagram post, Bethesda stated that army and Brotherhood of Steel found Captain Roger Maxson used a functioning satellite to spread the word of his organization and their cause to other parts of the country. They happened to reach West Virginia with their message and seemingly helped some of the survivors in that area form a chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel. 

For the most part, people seem to be reacting well to this retcon. It's not too outlandish to suggest that the Brotherhood would have access to such technology and that they might use it to strengthen their cause. What's a little harder to swallow is the idea that the Brotherhood that appeared so shortly after this transmission would resemble the Brotherhood that seemingly took quite a few years to be properly formed. Things like that have led some to suggest this response was assembled not long after the initial controversy arose. 

For those who don't know, the Brotherhood of Steel is a semi-religious faction that has been a part of the Fallout franchise since the very first game. Their advanced technology and somewhat ambiguous motivations (they're not outwardly hostile towards humans, but they're also not that interested in directly helping them) make them a fan favorite coalition that usually offers the best items in the franchise. For years, it's been suggested that the first recorded history of the Brotherhood occurred in California sometime around the year 2134. 

Naturally, fans were confused regarding how the Brotherhood could then be in Fallout 76; a game that takes place in West Virginia in the year 2102. There were many outlandish theories regarding how such a thing might be possible (including one that argued Brotherhood members traveled to West Virginia) but it seems that Bethesda's explanation is much more simple. 

Why does any of this matter? Well, it certainly matters to hardcore Fallout fans, but even more casual fans of the franchise see this as an indication that Fallout 76 is very much not a Fallout game. The recent footage of the game that emerged from some press demos was met with a decidedly mixed reaction. That is to say that it looked incredibly rough and left many with serious doubts as to what Bethesda hopes to achieve with this game.  

Read and download the Den of Geek NYCC 2018 Special Edition Magazine right here!

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. 

None of us are immune to the impact of the unexpected. You can start a rainy day fund, make sure your car is regularly inspected, and go to the doctor for those annual check-ups, but the unexpected will find you. When it does, all the preparation in the world won’t stop that initial moment when all you can do is say “Damn.”

Horror has long been based on the impact of the unexpected. We often attribute the unexpected to simple jump scares, but it’s deeper than that. Horror takes us to that initial moment of defeat where we’ve temporarily forgotten everything but the feeling of being helpless. In many ways, the masters of the horror genre are those who are able to make us prisoners of that moment by ensuring we are aware of the unexpected but never quite prepared for it. 

So far as that goes, there have been few better vehicles for horror in the last twenty years of gaming than Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid.

Much of Metal Gear Solid was unexpected. While the original Metal Gear sold reasonably well, it wasn’t one of those games of the era that was part of most people’s childhood memories. Besides, the game was so heavily altered by the time that it reached the West that you could argue many outside of Japan at that time never really got to play it. As for Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake...well, that game wasn’t even released in the West in any form. Instead, we got Snake’s Revenge, a side-scrolling action game that ends with the United Nations declaring World Peace Day.

The point is that the PlayStation appealed to a broader demographic of players who almost certainly weren’t aware of the Metal Gear series and weren’t inherently interested in the game based on the fact that it was a sequel. Even if they were, there was very little that could prepare them for what Metal Gear Solid was. It has been described as the first modern video game, and at the very least, Metal Gear Solid’s incredible cutscenes proved that games were finally capable of providing the kind of cinematic storytelling experience that had turned movies into the benchmark of visual storytelling.

Playing Metal Gear Solid made you realize that games could finally be “just like the movies.” Commercials for other PlayStation games had teased such an accomplishment, but they often separated the cinematic from the interactive. Meanwhile, many of Metal Gear Solid’s cutscenes were either told through the in-game engine or were woven into the title’s stealth gameplay in such a way that made the whole thing feel cohesive.

Yet, as cohesive as Metal Gear Solid’s story was and as familiar as its cinematic storytelling may have been, it remains one of the PlayStation’s most surprising and downright weird narrative experiences. What begins as the largely simple tale of a spy who has to infiltrate a military base that has been overrun by terrorists becomes a careful philosophical observation of war, humanity, and science. Metal Gear Solid lured us in with a familiar action movie-like premise - even the game’s commercials greatly simplified the game’s premise - before smothering us with an incredibly deep video game story delivered through revolutionary means.

Where Metal Gear Solid got truly weird, though, are the moments in which Kojima and crew dipped their toes into the horror genre.

Much like how Metal Gear Solid’s weirdness is slowly introduced to the player, the game’s horror elements are not made immediately apparent. Actually, both aspects of the game are arguably brought to the forefront during a scene in which DARPA Chief Donald Anderson, one of the hostages you're tasked with saving during your infiltration mission, starts to violently convulse from an apparent heart attack. In and of itself, there is nothing too horrific about the scene besides the obvious horror of watching a man die. What makes it unnerving is both the suddenness of the incident and the fact that your contacts seem confused by Anderson's death. Until now, you and your associates have all been presented as some of the most capable espionage figures in the world. The fact that they can’t seem to comprehend this seemingly simple event clues you into the idea that there’s something happening here beyond a twist in the story.

Rather than allow that moment to linger and fester, Kojima gives us "a blood flowing out of the elevator" introduction to Metal Gear Solid’s horror just shortly after Anderson's demise: the first appearance of Psycho Mantis.

The first time we are properly introduced to Psycho Mantis, he is floating in the air. The screen’s filter alters to let us know what we already suspect: this...thing is something different than what we’ve seen before. Snake’s contact describes Mantis as a psychic - and even tries a bit of Star Trek technobabble by describing the vision as a feedback loop - but her calmness only makes the appearance of Mantis all the more unnerving. 

Mantis is the game’s direct link to the world of pure horror. Actually, he’s (appropriately) more of a medium. He is the bridge between the (mostly) real world of Metal Gear Solid (terrorists, spies, governments, etc.) and a supernatural world that we cannot quite explain. The fact that the game tries to apply some of that real-world logic to his existence makes him all the more horrifying. He is grounded in this believable world, yet also not entirely tethered to it. Perhaps this is why he floats when we first see him.

Mantis’ ability to transcend worlds becomes even more terrifying during the legendary boss fight encounter with him. It is there that Mantis not only breaks free of the world established by Metal Gear Solidbut manages to enter the world of the player. He asks you to put your controller on the ground then makes it move. He “reads your mind” and is able to tell you how cautious you are and what your favorite games are. He is able to kill the game feed and make “Hideo” appear where the word “Video” usually is. The infamous fight only ends when you finally figure out that the only way to defeat Mantis is by changing which port your controller is in so that he cannot read your mind. 

The machinations behind this madness are all rather simple. Your controller moves because the game triggers a particularly strong vibration, but the whole thing doesn't even make sense if you're not using a non-vibrating controller. Mantis reads your mind by checking your in-game stats and which Konami games you’ve got on your memory card. As for the controller port thing...well, reading which controller is in which port is something games have done for years. They’re all digital parlor tricks.

That really doesn’t matter, though. What matters is that all of these tricks were, much like Metal Gear Solid’s other innovations, thoroughly unexpected. Vibrating controllers were new. Many gamers didn’t even really know how they worked. Memory cards were fairly new as well. The idea that a game can read and relay information on them in real-time was also something that players weren't ready for. By taking advantage of what you do knot know and do not expect, Psycho Mantis is able to frighten you in a way that is as sudden and violent as a jump scare but also lingers. The reason we remember this fight is about more than just the gimmicks; it’s because it blindsided us. It's downright brilliant that, in a game that tells a story about the horrors of technology, Metal Gear Solid's most memorable scary moments come courtesy of new technology. 

Many of Metal Gear Solid’s other instances of pure horror are designed to feel both shockingly immediate and unshakable. Aside from the Psycho Mantis encounter, the most obvious example of this occurs when the player enters a hallway lined with dead bodies just in time to hear the echoes of a gunshot and witness a dying soldier swear that he has seen a ghost. The “ghost” in question turns out to be a cybernetically enhanced ninja using predator-like cloaking technology. The reveal that he is not overtly supernatural might offer at least some comfort were it not for the fact that the player is expected to follow and fight this monster that has just cut through guards that they have spent the majority of the game hiding from.

The Cyborg Ninja sequence is hardly the end of the moments in which Metal Gear Solid aims to scare you. An encounter in an elevator with numerous invisible guards, a trip into a mostly dark (but densely populated) den of wolves, and a battle against a muscled-up madman who wields a large gun and may or may not be some kind of vengeful spirit are all instances in which Metal Gear Solid utilizes a sudden burst of absolute horror in order to enhance a plot point, sell a threat, or simply make sure you are paying attention. Horror moments like these punctuate the adventure and ensure that any lull in the base gameplay is used as the setup for a great scare.

Of course, even that base gameplay utilizes elements of horror quite effectively. While Metal Gear Solid allows you to defend yourself with a variety of weapons, you’re typically forced to stick to the shadows in order to avoid being detected by guards. It’s “scary” in the same way that many stealth-based titles are scary (which is to say that they’re tense), but that general level of fear is enhanced by those times when Metal Gear Solid reveals that there might indeed be something in those shadows that make them worse than the light.

That’s what makes Metal Gear Solid's horror such an integral part of its legacy. At its best, it was a game that delivered the unexpected to a generation of gamers who were thoroughly unprepared. Yet, even as they steeled themselves for that next room of guards and perhaps even grew weary due to the game’s prolific use of those revolutionary cutscenes, it was Metal Gear Solid’s use of horror that kept us on our toes and at the edge of our seats. Even when the game wasn’t trying to be overtly scary, it successfully utilized the base elements of the horror genre to ensure that we were never quite certain we were ready for what was next. It’s certainly no surprise that many of the moments listed above rank among the game’s most memorable.

If you’ve ever wondered why millions felt the gaming world had been robbed of something special when Konami decided to cancel Hideo Kojima’s Silent Hills, look not just towards the hauntingly brilliant P.T. but the quietly horrifying Metal Gear Solid. It’s a game that reminds us that we are not only vulnerable to the impact of the unexpected but that it is often the unexpected that creates the most lasting memories.

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. 

It's always great to see new franchises debut on the big stage of E3, and that's especially true when the game looks as good as Days Gone. The game comes from Syphon Filter developer Sony Bend.

The action-adventure game takes place in the Pacific Northwest and tells the story of a bounty hunter named Deacon St. John, who must survive on a planet that's been wiped of humanity after a global disaster brings about the end of the world as we know it. Now millions have been transformed into "Freakers," zombie-like creatures that would like nothing more than to feed on Deacon's corpse. As the bounty hunter, you'll have to fight massive hordes of Freakers in order to survive.

Here's everything else we know:

Days Gone Release Date

Days Gone has been delayed yet again. Sony has announced that the title has been delayed in an effort to "further polish" the game. Some also believe that its delay may be attributed to how busy its original release week (the week of February 22) was. Anthem, Crackdown 3, and Metro Exodus are all set to release during that time. It is now set to release on April 26, 2019. 

Days Gone News

There's a new story trailer for Days Gone that Sony revealed alongside the game's release date. Take a look at this intense preview that makes it clear the world of Days Gone wants you dead in the worst way. 

Days Gone Trailers

The latest trailer for Days Gone expands upon our first look at the game by diving a bit deeper into the narrative that at the heart of this particular apocalypse. While Days Gone was initially compared to The Last of Us, this latest trailer actually suggests the game is spiritually closer to the Uncharted franchise. In any case, we're incredibly excited to see more of its blend of action, horror, survival, and story. 

Check out the reveal trailer below:

This game definitely seems to have a The Last of Us post-apocalyptic vibe to it. The world showcased in the demo appears to be as beautiful as it is chaotic, while the main character's narration suggests that there will be a strong emphasis on the story of why it is that people choose to keep surviving in this cruel land. 

You can watch the E3 2016 gameplay demo here:

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. 

A report from the analytical group DFC Intelligence suggests that EA and Activision's combined $79 billion growth can be largely attributed to their use of the "games as a service" business model. 

The firm's definition of games as a service includes any game that regularly receives post-launch premium content and regular updates. It's a broad definition, but it covers most major games as a service titles from these companies such as Destiny 2, Madden, FIFA, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Call of Duty, Hearthstone, and Battlefront II. As you might have noticed, those are some of the biggest and most lucrative titles in that particular field. 

Educated estimations suggest that the value of Activision's games as a service business grew from about $10 billion in 2012 to about $60 billion now. EA has grown from $4 billion in 2012 to about $33 billion at present. 

Those are huge revenue jumps that tell us several things that some gamers aren't going to want to hear. First off, it doesn't look like these games as a service titles are going anywhere as long as they keep generating this kind of growth. We hear the cries for more single-player games that offer all their content in one package (and perhaps a couple of single-player expansions), but the truth of the matter is that these figures are going to speak louder to most companies than all those crimes combined. 

However, there is some hope for those who are not a fan of these kinds of games. First off, more and more countries are considering loot boxes and loot box equivalents to be an illegal form of gambling. While not all games as a service titles utilize loot boxes, some of the bigger ones do. If similar laws go into effect in more countries, it could cut into these profits quite a bit.

The second thing to look to is the fact that there is a growing, viable market for more traditional single-player experiences. Sony's God of War and Spider-Man sold incredibly well earlier this year even though neither features a multiplayer element or many of the other marks of the games as a service practice. If those games continue to do well as pressure mounts on the games as a service industry, then we could see a shift in the balance of power. 

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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