Xbox Operating Sytem Update Lets Players Preload Game Pass Games
A substantial operating system update has landed on the Xbox Series X and S and the Xbox One family of systems, providing users with custom dynamic backgrounds and the ability to preload Xbox Game Pass games.
You can see the full update notes on the Xbox Wire website, which digs into the ins and outs of the first major update for Xbox Series X|S.
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The six new dynamic themes available with the new Xbox OS update.[/caption]
Preloading for Game Pass means that if you're anticipating a game that is launching on Game Pass in the future, you can choose to download it ahead of time so there are no bumps in the road on launch day. In addition, akin to Netflix, the Xbox Game Pass app on console or mobile now has a 'Coming Soon' section that will tell you what games are arriving in the near future.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/05/xbox-series-x-review"]
Alongside the Game Pass preloads are six new dynamic backgrounds, which each pay homage to previous Xbox consoles, including one with concentric circles that harkens back to the days of the Xbox 360.
The update also adds special filters for your game library that allow you to sort by games optimised for the Xbox Series X and S. There is also now a new UI tag that lets you know when a game is utilising Auto HDR, which displays when you open the Guide menu. You'll also be able to check your achievements in the Game Activity tab, accessed by pressing the Xbox button. In other Xbox news, Microsoft is working to figure out why PS5 is outperforming the Series X in certain games.
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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
The six new dynamic themes available with the new Xbox OS update.[/caption]
Preloading for Game Pass means that if you're anticipating a game that is launching on Game Pass in the future, you can choose to download it ahead of time so there are no bumps in the road on launch day. In addition, akin to Netflix, the Xbox Game Pass app on console or mobile now has a 'Coming Soon' section that will tell you what games are arriving in the near future.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/05/xbox-series-x-review"]
Alongside the Game Pass preloads are six new dynamic backgrounds, which each pay homage to previous Xbox consoles, including one with concentric circles that harkens back to the days of the Xbox 360.
The update also adds special filters for your game library that allow you to sort by games optimised for the Xbox Series X and S. There is also now a new UI tag that lets you know when a game is utilising Auto HDR, which displays when you open the Guide menu. You'll also be able to check your achievements in the Game Activity tab, accessed by pressing the Xbox button. In other Xbox news, Microsoft is working to figure out why PS5 is outperforming the Series X in certain games.
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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.Black Mirror Creator Working on 2020 Mockumentary for Netflix
Charlie Brooker, the creator of Black Mirror, is working on a mockumentary about 2020 for Netflix.
The news comes from an interview with Hugh Grant over at Vulture, in which he revealed that he’s playing a role in Brooker’s latest project. “Charlie Brooker [the creator of Black Mirror] has written a mockumentary about 2020,” he said. “It’s for Netflix, and I am a historian who’s being interviewed about the year. I’m pretty repellent, actually! And you’ll like my wig.”
Black Mirror made waves for being a darkly satirical look at the technological horrors we have invited into our everyday lives. 2020, as a year, has been packed with horrors that will no doubt make perfect fodder for Brooker’s sensibilities.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/01/05/top-10-black-mirror-episodes"]
While Black Mirror is Brooker’s international success story, he’s known in the UK for his series of end-of-year round-ups for BBC that ran from 2010 to 2106, in which he took a comical look at the year’s events, often highlighting the worst elements. Called the 'Wipe' shows, Brooker made an edition earlier this year called Antiviral Wipe, focused on COVID-19. It will be interesting to see Brooker take a more creatively licensed approach to 2020 in mockumentary format.
Earlier this year, Brooker noted that Black Mirror season 6 is not coming any time soon. “At the moment, I don’t know what stomach there would be for stories about societies falling apart,” he said at the time, and noted that he was writing more comedy scripts. Perhaps this mockumentary - despite its presumably dark pandemic inspiration - is what he was alluding to.
All of Black Mirror can be seen on Netflix, including the latest season 5, which we gave a glowing review. It's currently unclear if Brooker's 2020 mockumentary is due for release in the year it's satirizing.
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Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.
Black Mirror Creator Working on 2020 Mockumentary for Netflix
Charlie Brooker, the creator of Black Mirror, is working on a mockumentary about 2020 for Netflix.
The news comes from an interview with Hugh Grant over at Vulture, in which he revealed that he’s playing a role in Brooker’s latest project. “Charlie Brooker [the creator of Black Mirror] has written a mockumentary about 2020,” he said. “It’s for Netflix, and I am a historian who’s being interviewed about the year. I’m pretty repellent, actually! And you’ll like my wig.”
Black Mirror made waves for being a darkly satirical look at the technological horrors we have invited into our everyday lives. 2020, as a year, has been packed with horrors that will no doubt make perfect fodder for Brooker’s sensibilities.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/01/05/top-10-black-mirror-episodes"]
While Black Mirror is Brooker’s international success story, he’s known in the UK for his series of end-of-year round-ups for BBC that ran from 2010 to 2106, in which he took a comical look at the year’s events, often highlighting the worst elements. Called the 'Wipe' shows, Brooker made an edition earlier this year called Antiviral Wipe, focused on COVID-19. It will be interesting to see Brooker take a more creatively licensed approach to 2020 in mockumentary format.
Earlier this year, Brooker noted that Black Mirror season 6 is not coming any time soon. “At the moment, I don’t know what stomach there would be for stories about societies falling apart,” he said at the time, and noted that he was writing more comedy scripts. Perhaps this mockumentary - despite its presumably dark pandemic inspiration - is what he was alluding to.
All of Black Mirror can be seen on Netflix, including the latest season 5, which we gave a glowing review. It's currently unclear if Brooker's 2020 mockumentary is due for release in the year it's satirizing.
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Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.
Peter Dinklage to Star in Toxic Avenger Reboot
Peter Dinklage has been attached to Legendary’s upcoming reboot of The Toxic Avenger.
Deadline reports that Dinklage is set to star in the reboot of the 1984 low-budget splatter film, which will be directed by Macon Blair, who previously helmed Netflix’s I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore. No details have been provided on casting, so it’s unclear if Dinklage is set to play The Toxic Avenger’s protagonist, Melvin Ferd.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2014/05/22/x-men-days-of-future-past-peter-dinklage-interview"]
The 1984 original follows Melvin Ferd, a janitor who is submerged in toxic waste in an accident and emerges as a disfigured but incredibly strong superhuman. While schlocky and camp, The Toxic Avenger dealt with environmental and societal issues while also parodying the superhero genre. While it was unsuccessful at launch, The Toxic Avenger went on to be a cult classic and spawned a four-film franchise, animated TV show, spin-off, video game, and even a musical.
The reboot will be produced by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, the directors of the 1984 original.
Peter Dinklage is, of course, most famous for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister on Game of Thrones, for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2020 for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series. While we were not so keen on the final season of Game of Thrones, the series as a whole is still fondly remembered and Dinklage’s performance is a huge part of that.
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Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.
Peter Dinklage to Star in Toxic Avenger Reboot
Peter Dinklage has been attached to Legendary’s upcoming reboot of The Toxic Avenger.
Deadline reports that Dinklage is set to star in the reboot of the 1984 low-budget splatter film, which will be directed by Macon Blair, who previously helmed Netflix’s I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore. No details have been provided on casting, so it’s unclear if Dinklage is set to play The Toxic Avenger’s protagonist, Melvin Ferd.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2014/05/22/x-men-days-of-future-past-peter-dinklage-interview"]
The 1984 original follows Melvin Ferd, a janitor who is submerged in toxic waste in an accident and emerges as a disfigured but incredibly strong superhuman. While schlocky and camp, The Toxic Avenger dealt with environmental and societal issues while also parodying the superhero genre. While it was unsuccessful at launch, The Toxic Avenger went on to be a cult classic and spawned a four-film franchise, animated TV show, spin-off, video game, and even a musical.
The reboot will be produced by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, the directors of the 1984 original.
Peter Dinklage is, of course, most famous for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister on Game of Thrones, for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2020 for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series. While we were not so keen on the final season of Game of Thrones, the series as a whole is still fondly remembered and Dinklage’s performance is a huge part of that.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.
Treyarch Boosts Weapon XP in Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War Following Player Complaints
The latest patch for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has boosted Weapon XP earn rates across Multiplayer and Zombies, following player complaints about slow progression.
The change was revealed as part of Treyarch's latest patch notes, which detail the changes to Weapon XP as well as a few other bug fixes across Zombies and the new Nuketown '84 map.
"Coming out of last week’s 2XP + 2WXP event, we’ve made some additional tuning changes to global Weapon XP earn rates across the board," the notes read. "Starting today, you’ll now level up your weapons and unlock more attachments faster than the previous standard rate in both MP and Zombies."
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/17/call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-multiplayer-review"]
The article notes that there was an issue, specifically in the Die Maschine Zombies mode, that was "causing lower-than-targeted Weapon XP earn rates in solo matches and in later rounds." Treyarch has a few "2WXP events" planned for December to make up for it. The patch has also fixed an "out-of-bounds gap" in the new Nuketown 84 map. Here's how to complete the Nuketown Easter Egg in Black Ops Cold War, if you're still searching for the solution.
Previously, the pace at which your weapons would upgrade in Cold War was slow, especially by comparison to previous games. Last week, players took to Reddit to note the disappointing EXP Rates in-game, especially in Zombies. Throughout the month of November, players like Reddit user Evchev have reported getting more than 1000 eliminations with a weapon without reaching the final rung of Weapon XP progression.
Hopefully, these issues will now be fixed with the latest patch, and players can make up for the time lost with Treyarch's upcoming Double XP events.
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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
Treyarch Boosts Weapon XP in Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War Following Player Complaints
The latest patch for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has boosted Weapon XP earn rates across Multiplayer and Zombies, following player complaints about slow progression.
The change was revealed as part of Treyarch's latest patch notes, which detail the changes to Weapon XP as well as a few other bug fixes across Zombies and the new Nuketown '84 map.
"Coming out of last week’s 2XP + 2WXP event, we’ve made some additional tuning changes to global Weapon XP earn rates across the board," the notes read. "Starting today, you’ll now level up your weapons and unlock more attachments faster than the previous standard rate in both MP and Zombies."
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/17/call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-multiplayer-review"]
The article notes that there was an issue, specifically in the Die Maschine Zombies mode, that was "causing lower-than-targeted Weapon XP earn rates in solo matches and in later rounds." Treyarch has a few "2WXP events" planned for December to make up for it. The patch has also fixed an "out-of-bounds gap" in the new Nuketown 84 map. Here's how to complete the Nuketown Easter Egg in Black Ops Cold War, if you're still searching for the solution.
Previously, the pace at which your weapons would upgrade in Cold War was slow, especially by comparison to previous games. Last week, players took to Reddit to note the disappointing EXP Rates in-game, especially in Zombies. Throughout the month of November, players like Reddit user Evchev have reported getting more than 1000 eliminations with a weapon without reaching the final rung of Weapon XP progression.
Hopefully, these issues will now be fixed with the latest patch, and players can make up for the time lost with Treyarch's upcoming Double XP events.
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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
Tetris Effect: Connected Review
In 2018, Tetris Effect's mesmerizing sounds and sights heightened the classic game's aesthetically pleasing properties and its ability to consume our attention to almost therapeutic levels, reinvigorating our appreciation for one of gaming's oldest obsessions. But even as former GameSpot editor Peter Brown proclaimed Tetris "better than ever" in Tetris Effect, he noted it "sadly" did not apply its wondrous approach to multiplayer. Two years later, Tetris Effect: Connected--an updated re-release for Xbox consoles and PC--fills that gap. Just as the original did for the classic version of the game, Connected reimagines Tetris multiplayer with flair and vision. It also loses a major component, VR support, which delivers the most intense version of the experience. While I'm of two minds on that tradeoff, the soothing intensity of Tetris Effect hasn't lost any potency. On the contrary, it feels more vital than ever in 2020.
Though it adds and removes modes whole cloth, the core of Tetris Effect remains unchanged. Despite the fact that Journey mode hasn't been touched, its shifting, syncopated themes enraptured me level by level, even on my second time through. Tetris Effect is a significant challenge to average Tetris players like myself. Each level revs the speed up to push you just up to the edge of what you can handle. Even as you improve--and you are getting better, whether you see it or not--the levels scale to demand your full focus. It sounds unapproachable, but there's something about the combination of the way your brain looks for patterns, combined with the rhythmic sensory elements and this challenge, that lets you give yourself over to the game, almost trance-like, without even trying.
You'll need that focus in multiplayer. Whether you're playing cooperatively with other players or competing against them, the multiplayer modes in Connected ratchet up the intensity found in the original. Connected features four multiplayer modes--three competitive, one co-op. As in most games, other players will push you in ways a single-player campaign will not.
Continue Reading at GameSpotTetris Effect: Connected Review
In 2018, Tetris Effect's mesmerizing sounds and sights heightened the classic game's aesthetically pleasing properties and its ability to consume our attention to almost therapeutic levels, reinvigorating our appreciation for one of gaming's oldest obsessions. But even as former GameSpot editor Peter Brown proclaimed Tetris "better than ever" in Tetris Effect, he noted it "sadly" did not apply its wondrous approach to multiplayer. Two years later, Tetris Effect: Connected--an updated re-release for Xbox consoles and PC--fills that gap. Just as the original did for the classic version of the game, Connected reimagines Tetris multiplayer with flair and vision. It also loses a major component, VR support, which delivers the most intense version of the experience. While I'm of two minds on that tradeoff, the soothing intensity of Tetris Effect hasn't lost any potency. On the contrary, it feels more vital than ever in 2020.
Though it adds and removes modes whole cloth, the core of Tetris Effect remains unchanged. Despite the fact that Journey mode hasn't been touched, its shifting, syncopated themes enraptured me level by level, even on my second time through. Tetris Effect is a significant challenge to average Tetris players like myself. Each level revs the speed up to push you just up to the edge of what you can handle. Even as you improve--and you are getting better, whether you see it or not--the levels scale to demand your full focus. It sounds unapproachable, but there's something about the combination of the way your brain looks for patterns, combined with the rhythmic sensory elements and this challenge, that lets you give yourself over to the game, almost trance-like, without even trying.
You'll need that focus in multiplayer. Whether you're playing cooperatively with other players or competing against them, the multiplayer modes in Connected ratchet up the intensity found in the original. Connected features four multiplayer modes--three competitive, one co-op. As in most games, other players will push you in ways a single-player campaign will not.
Continue Reading at GameSpotYou Can Finally Transfer Nintendo Switch Screenshots Directly to a Computer
A new Nintendo Switch firmware update has gone live and Ver. 11.0.0 adds several quality-of-life improvements that are actually meaningful. Features like finally being able to transfer videos and screenshots to a computer.
Firmware 11.0.0 was pushed live today, and a big focus of today’s update involves getting your screenshots and gameplay capture off of the Switch and onto another device directly, either through a USB cable or wireless transfer.
To access this, users can connect their Switch to a computer using a USB cable, go to System Settings, then Data Management, and finally to Manage Screenshots and Videos.
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There is now also a feature that will automatically download saved data backed up on the cloud to multiple Switch consoles, granted the same Nintendo Account is linked to each device. However, the save data must already exist on each console, so you’ll still need to manually download the save data onto a second device first before being able to utilize this feature.
Here are the full patch notes for Nintendo Switch Firmware 11.0.0 (via Nintendo’s website)
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[poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.Ver. 11.0.0 (Released November 30, 2020) Nintendo Switch Online was added to the HOME Menu.
- Access all Nintendo Switch Online services, from getting the latest information to checking your membership status. *This feature is not available in some countries/regions.
A new feature that automatically downloads backed up save data was added to the Save Data Cloud.
- When using software with the same Nintendo Account linked to multiple systems, save data backed up from one console will automatically be downloaded to your other system(s).
- *To use this feature, it must be enabled under System Settings > Data Management > Save Data Cloud.
- *Save data will not be downloaded automatically unless save data for that software exists on the console. The first time only, users must download the save data manually.
- *A Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to use the Save Data Cloud service.
A new Trending feature was added to the User Page.
- Users can check what software their friends are playing or have started playing recently.
- Information will not be displayed for friends who have their online status set to display to no one.
Users can now transfer screenshots and videos from Album to their smart devices.
- Users can wirelessly connect their smart devices to Nintendo Switch to transfer the screenshots and videos saved within their Album.
- For screenshots, users can transfer a maximum of 10 screenshots and 1 video capture at once.
- *To connect, users must use their smart device to scan the QR Code displayed on the Nintendo Switch screen.
- For more information, please refer to the Nintendo Support website.
- *“QR Code” is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED.
A new Copy to a Computer via USB Connection feature was added under System Settings > Data Management > Manage Screenshots and Videos.
- Users can use a USB cable to connect Nintendo Switch to their computers to copy the screenshots and videos saved under Album.
- * A USB charging cable [model HAC-010] or a USB-IF certified USB cable that supports data transfer is required to connect to a computer.
- For more information, please refer to the Nintendo Support website.
- * Connection via the Nintendo Switch dock is not supported. Please connect the Nintendo Switch system directly to the computer.
Users can now select what download to prioritize when there are multiple downloads in progress.
- When there are multiple software, update data, or downloadable content downloads in progress, users can now select which they want to download first.
- You can set this under Download Options by selecting the icon for the software you want to download first on the HOME Menu.
User icons were added.
- 12 user icons that commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Super Mario Bros. series were added.
Users can now name preset button mappings with the Change Button Mapping feature. Brazilian Portuguese was added as a supported language.
- When users set their region to the Americas and their language to Português, the language used on the HOME Menu and in certain software will be displayed in Brazilian Portuguese.
Several issues were fixed, and usability and stability were improved.