PUBG Bans 100,000 Cheaters in Single Wave
Over 100,000 people are receiving permanent bans in PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds.
The PUBG team discussed the decision on its dev blog, saying the investigation of cheaters has been the highest priority since launching version 1.0 on PC.
"We recently discovered a new pattern of cheats in action," the PUBG team said. "This week, we performed a thorough gameplay data review of 10 million players and completed analysis of tens of millions of data logs.
"Through this exercise, we were able to identify over 100,000 instances of the new pattern related to use of cheat and now we have confirmed that it was clearly an attempt of compromising our game. These players will be permanently banned in a single wave."
Longtime Spider-Man Writer Departs, Takes On Iron Man
Marvel writer Dan Slott will be leaving The Amazing Spider-Man after writing the character for 10 years. The next superhero he will tackle is Iron Man.
Slott began writing Amazing Spider-Man in 2008 with the “Brand New Day” story arc along with a team of writers and went on to take over the title solo with the occasional co-writer. Some of the highlights of his run include Spider-Island, Spider-Verse, and Superior Spider-Man.
(Marvel Comics)
Star Wars Rebels Season 4 Final Episodes Air Dates Announced
The final episodes of Star Wars Rebels will begin airing in February.
As detailed on StarWars.com, the fourth and final season of the series will play out over three weeks with back-to-back episodes premiering every Monday night on Disney XD. The first of the final episodes, "Jedi Night," will debut on February 19 at 9pm PT/ET.
The 90-minute conclusion will air on March 5 at 8:30pm PT/ET. All episodes will be available on the DisneyNOW app shortly after their premieres at 10pm PT/ET.
For the first time in Rebels, Emperor Palpatine will make his long-awaited appearance in these final episodes, as the Ghost crew go up against the mighty Empire. The character will be voiced by longtime Palpatine actor Ian McDiarmid. Check out the key art for the final installments below along with the viewing schedule for these last remaining episodes.
Final Fantasy XIV: Rise of a New Sun Update Release Date Announced
Final Fantasy XIV patch 4.2, Rise of a New Sun, will be launched on January 30.
The patch will allow players to tackle the next arc in the Omega raid series, a new trial featuring the first of the legendary Four Lords, and two new dungeons. You can watch the new trailer below, and details are available on the Final Fantasy XIV site.
The update will add Omega: Sigmascape, the next arc in the Omega raid series, which will feature familiar faces from Final Fantasy V. In the new high-level Trial, players will come face to face with Byakko, one of the Four Lords. The encounter will lead to a new series of side quests.
The Best Gaming Gear of CES 2018
CES isn't exactly a gaming show typically, but a lot of companies still want to show off their wares to get ahead of the E3 onslaught. CES 2018 brought us some interesting announcements in the way of gaming gadgets and accessories, and we found a few tantalizing items that made us a bit too excited as CES 2018 came to a close.
Hyperkin Ultra Game Boy
Hyperkin's Ultra Game Boy, photo via Gizmodo
Superman’s Red Trunks Return in Action Comics #1000
Superman’s iconic red trunks have been missing for seven years, but they will be making their grand return on April 18 for the landmark Action Comics #1000 from DC Comics.
Take a look:
Art by Jim Lee. (DC Comics)
The trunks, which were originally intended to evoke a 1930s circus strongman, disappeared when Superman’s look was redesigned by Jim Lee for the New 52 reboot in 2011, replacing his costume with advanced Kryptonian armor. While the red undies are often poked fun at, fans considered removing them controversial because they are a classic element of the world's first superhero.
Netflix to Air ‘The Soup’ Spiritual Successor
Joel McHale and Netflix are teaming up for a new half-hour topical series that will skewer the news, feature celebrity guests, and debut new comedy sketches.
The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale will premiere on February 18 on the streaming service. McHale released an announcement video on Twitter earlier today, which you can watch below.
Hey @Netflix: I think you misunderstood when I demanded “a lot of green” for my new show. #JoelMcHaleShow pic.twitter.com/SICdubeL1m
8 Huge Games That Could Get a Battle Royale Mode
We might as well face it: 2018 looks as though it's going to be the year of the battle royale mode. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds made the concept wildly popular early last year, and later Fortnite bounced from relative obscurity to impressive numbers in its own right after the launch of its free battle royale map.
This rapid adoption probably means it'll spread like wildfire much like survival games, horde modes, and MOBAs. Here’s a list of eight big games that could work with a battle royale mode.
Given the large-scale nature of battles in the Star Wars universe, a free-for-all PVP map in Battlefront II could be amazing, provided EA stripped away faction requirements and let battle points stand in for loot drops. Or maybe they could add some proper loot that drops, PUBG-style, in a crate that falls from the sky. Admit it: nothing would be more deliciously perfect for this game than the sight of a hundred players fighting over loot boxes.
Duncan Jones’ Mute Netflix Release Date Announced
Warcraft director Duncan Jones' sci-fi film Mute will premiere on Netflix next month.
Jones announced on Twitter Mute will be released on February 23. The film is set in the near-future and stars Alexander Skarsgård as a mute bartender named Leo who goes searching for his missing girlfriend Naadirah (Seyneb Saleh).
When Naadirah vanishes without a trace, Leo goes looking for her in the seedy underbelly of Berlin, with the only recurring clues being a pair of wise-cracking American surgeons played by Paul Rudd (Ant-Man) and Justin Theroux (The Leftovers).
The Tomb Raider Movie’s Croft Manor Reflects a New Lara
Lara Croft is emerging as a kind of digital-age Batman. Her story always has the same core - an adventurer both created by and disdainful of the wealth she grew up with - but the details change with every new version.
Perhaps the best marker for that - besides Lara herself - is each her childhood home, Croft Manor. Core Design’s original Lara took a utilitarian approach to her mansion, reflecting her pulpy adventurer status by turning a ballroom into a gym, and maintaining a bustling trophy room. Angelina Jolie’s absurdist Hollywood version took that a step further, building reproduction Egyptian tombs into its state rooms and filling them with party mix-playing killer robots. Crystal Dynamics’ reboot took a moodier approach, showing Lara’s inner turmoil about the loss of her father by depicting Croft Manor overgrown and in disrepair.