Pokemon Go Rumored to Launch in Japan With Sponsored Partner
Pokemon Go is expected to introduce sponsored locations to the augmented reality game—the first is rumored to launch as soon as tomorrow in Japan.
McDonald's will be the first sponsored location in Pokemon Go, according Tech Crunch. It's being rumored that the application will launch tomorrow in Japan—despite earlier reports saying Japanese Pokemon Go servers were not powerful enough—with 3,000 McDonald's locations across Japan set as Pokemon gyms.
Dark Horse Explores More World of Warcraft History
Dark Horse Comics will be delving deeper into the history of Azeroth in 2017. Today they announced a sequel to their best-selling book World of Warcraft Chronicle, due for release in 2017.
World of Warcraft Chronicle Vol. 2 will continue to explore the history and makeup of this rich fantasy universe. Vol. 1 focused on the birth of the Warcraft universe and the ancient wars that shaped it thousands of years before the rise of the Alliance and the Horde. Presumably, Vol. 2 will move further down the timeline to the era of men and orcs.
Telltale’s Minecraft Episode 7 Release Date Announced
Telltale Games has announced the seventh episode in its Minecraft series will be available beginning July 26.
Episode 7 is called Access Denied, and will feature Jesse and friends in a land controlled by PAMA, a "thinking machine" which wants to control everyone to achieve optimal efficiency.
PAMA's creator, Harper, will be voiced by Community's Yvette Nicole Brown.
Access Denied is part of the $15 Adventure Pass, which includes access to Episodes 6, 7, and 8. Alternatively, players can pick up Episode 7 digitally by itself for $5. Whichever you choose, you'll need to make sure you own the very first episode in the Minecraft series in order to purchase and play.
New Game of Thrones Beer, ‘Valar Dohaeris,’ Is on the Way
In true Game of Thrones style, all beers must serve. IGN can exclusively announce that Brewery Ommegang and HBO Global Marketing are debuting a new addition to their Game of Thrones beer line: Valar Dohaeris Tripel Ale.
This new ale "pays homage to Arya’s season-long struggles within and around the House of Black and White," and is the sister brew to the previously released Valar Morghulis Dubbel Ale. Fittingly, the Valar Morghulis beer will be re-released in conjunction with Valar Dohaeris's debut.
Game of Thrones' Valar Dohaeris Tripel Ale and Valar Morghulis Dubbel Ale
Batman: The Telltale Series Episode 1 Gets a Release Date
Batman: The Telltale Series' first episode has a release date - August 2 - and there's a world premiere gameplay trailer to go alongside it.
The episode, "Realm of Shadows" will be released on PC, Mac, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, Android and iOS. Here's a trailer:
There are no details on pricing for the individual episode or a Season Pass at time of writing.
A physical version of the game - which will include the first episode and automatically download further installments - will be released on September 13 (September 16 if you're in Europe).
How Pokemon Go Made Me Care About Pokemon
This week I’ve only had to step outside to encounter college students, high schoolers, young adults, parents with their children, people of every race and creed hunting and catching Pokemon. I watched it happening in rural wine country and the streets of the big city, on the beach, at the zoo, in theme parks and at parties and in forests, in almost every place people’s day to day lives took them. Strangers talking, laughing with delight, cursing with frustration when the app crashes. People helping one another out one minute, battling for control of a gym the next, interacting with one another and their surroundings in a way that simply wouldn’t be happening if it weren’t for the existence of this strange little app.
Rock Band 4 Adds New, Intentionally Cheesy Campaign
When Rock Band 4 released last year, developer Harmonix Music Systems promised it would be a long-tail platform that would continue to evolve over time, without the need for a Rock Band 5. And while the company has already delivered a few updates that have added new features, Rock Band Rivals (out in October) is the first paid expansion pack adding significant new contact in the form of two new modes: Rockudrama and Rivals.
The former is a new campaign mode for 1-4 players that bookends your band's career with intentionally cheesy VH1 Behind the Music-style live-action cutscenes that reflect on your performance, telling the story of how you went from the garage to the world's biggest stages. It's meant to be laughed at, which makes it a good fit for Rock Band's party-centric gameplay.
Six New Pokemon Revealed for Sun and Moon
The Pokemon Company has released a trailer featuring six more new Pokemon coming with Sun and Moon later this year.
Wimpod (sad-looking crustacean) is a Bug- and Water-type that can automatically flee upon taking damage, Bounsweet (maybe a berry in a diaper?) is a Grass-type, Comfey (a creature that camoflages itself as a Lei, presumably to terrify tourists) is a Fairy-type, and Mudsdale (scruffy horse with dreads) is a Ground type that can gain defense after being attacked.
Mimikyu is the Ghost- and Fairy-type internet sensation/staggeringly depressing monster that disguises itself as a hand-drawn Pikachu to get affection, and Bewear (literally just a big bear) is a Normal and Fighting-type with maybe the worst Pokemon pun name of all time.
Tomb Raider’s New Modes Feel Like Dark Souls, Gone Home
The year-long wait PS4 owners have had to endure for Rise of the Tomb Raider is finally nearing its end. On October 11, the game will hit Sony's console in the form of the 20 Year Celebration edition. This includes all of the previously-released DLC, plus a trio of brand new modes that all seem super cool.
We got a chance to visit Crystal Dynamics and spend a day with the game on PlayStation 4. Here’s what we thought.
Marty Sliva: While Endurance Mode certainly isn’t anything new to Rise of the Tomb Raider, the 20th anniversary edition introduces co-op to the tough-as-nails survival mode. Two players try to survive for as long as they can out in the wild as they forage for materials, raid tombs, battle the elements, and fight entire terrifying bears. At any point, players are able to end the mode and extract themselves from the wilderness, which gives them all of the rewards they stumbled upon during the session. However, if both players die before they can extract, they lose everything. In that way, it’s a bit like Dark Souls.
Star Trek: Boldly Go Is IDW’s Newest Trek Comic
Not only does this week see the debut of Star Trek Beyond, but now IGN has the exclusive announcement that IDW Publishing’s launching a new Star Trek comic called Star Trek: Boldly Go.
Star Trek: Boldly Go #1 debuts in October, and will follow the current ongoing Trek series by writer Mike Johnson and artist Tony Shasteen. That book will conclude with issue 60, but the creative team of Johnson/Shasteen will remain intact with Boldly Go, which takes place following the events of Star Trek Beyond. Here’s the official synopsis of the new comic:
Star Trek's 50th Anniversary Celebration continues with this all-new series following the adventures of Captain Kirk and the iconic crew! New worlds! New species! New ships! And a new danger unlike anything the Federation has encountered before! Boldly go into a new era of Star Trek!