ASUS' ROG Ally was the first big brand Windows portable console following on the heels of Valve's Steam Deck launch. All of a ??sudden, handh??eld gaming saw a massive resurgence with devices that look like portable consoles but wield the full power of PC gaming.

So, what games make the most of what the ROG Ally has to offer? To start, the Ally is more powerful than the Steam Deck, but that isn't the gadget's real strength. Running Windows means the ROG Ally has access to a whole host of services that the Steam Deck doesn't. So, here's our list of games capitalizing on both the Ally's be?efy hardware and software.

Starfield

Starfield is among the most demanding games of 2023; it doesn't even run at 60 FPS o?n Microsoft's most powerful Xbox Series X. That came as quite a ?surprise since 60 FPS had become an unspoken standard on the Series X up to now.

You'd be forgiven then for thinking that Starfield is out of reach of handheld devices, but that's not the case. The ROG Ally runs the spacefaring RPG just fine at 30 FPS with the graphics turned down, equivalent to what the latest Xbox con?soles are limited to.

It doesn't look as good as on the Xbox, but on the Ally's much smaller screen, that's less noticeable than you'd think. Another big reason why Starfield t??ops our list is that the game is available with Xbox Game Pass, which the ROG Ally can access through Windows.

Assassin's Creed Mirage

Assassin's Creed Mirage is, for some fans, a long-awaited return to the roots of the Assassin's Creed franchise. It's a traditional Assassin's Creed game based on stealth, par?kour, and taking down templars.

It's disappointing then that the game isn't available on Steam. It's currently exclusive to Ubisoft's store, Ubis?oft Connect. However, that's not the end of the world for ROG Ally owners. Not only can you install Ubisoft Connect on the Ally, but it runs magnificently to boot. I've played at a steady 60 FPS while plugged in on low settings, using 1080p with FSR �mighty impressive for a AAA game on a handheld device.

Mirage is also available as part of Ubisoft's PC subscription service, Ubisoft+, giving gamers access to ever??y new Ubisoft game on day one, as well as a library of 100+ games. If you have the subscription on your desktop PC, you can also use it on your Ally.

Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon 5

Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon 5 share a spot on this list bec??ause the one you choose depends on your driving style. Are you a wannabe Lewis Hamilton who needs to hit every apex perfectly, or do you enjoy cruising around in your favorite ca?r? Whichever one you prefer, you can't really go wrong.

I tested Forza Motorsport on the ROG Ally and got up to 60 FPS, depending on the track and conditions on medium settings, at 900p with FSR balanced. In dozens of hours of playtime, the game performed as smoothly as you'd hope a racing game would. Forza Horizon 5 is the same story, sporting smooth gameplay as y?ou t??raverse around Mexico.

Both games are available on Xbox Game Pass, so you can try them both out to decide which you prefer if you're subscribed. The only downside to the two Forza games is the hefty download sizes that are bigger than you may think. Motorsport comes in at around 124GB, and Horizon 5 at a whopping 140 GB.

EA Sports FC 24

If you're a futbol fan, EA Sports FC 24 is probably already on your radar. As the first "FIFA" game not to bear the name, FC 24 is? still the same game that dominates sales and playtime around the world.

It's also a must-have play for the cross-section of soccer fans and Ally owners. In fact, the only way to play FC 24 on a portable PC is to d??o so on a Windows one. The game won't run on the Steam Deck due to EA's anti-cheat software being Windows only.

That's not a problem on the Ally, and once you're up and running, it's easy to forget you're not playing on a PS5 or desktop. FC 24 holds a steady 60 FPS on the Ally and feels just as good to play as on beefier har??dware.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

If you're downloading the EA app, you might as well check out the best EA game of 2023, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. It's another game that real?ly pushes hardware on PC, so it's not the most obvious ROG Ally-friendly.

While you'll have the best time if you're plugged in and using the Ally's 30w Turbo mode, it's? ??perfectly fine unplugged and on the go. In my testing, I was able to get between 30-40 FPS at 720p, on low settings, and with FSR set to Quality.

You can lock Jedi Survivor to 30 FPS for a consistent f??ramerate, but it is able to hover around 37-40 FPS most of the time. If you do want to play in a truly portable (i.e, unplugged) manner, then lock the game at 30 FPS on both 25w and 15w modes for a decent enough experience.

Once you're set up and running, you'll find that playing Jedi: Survivor on the Ally is an absolute blast. The game is available through EA's subscription service, EA Play Pro, and like with Assassin's Creed Mirage, that's plenty of time to finish.

Call of Duty

Call of Duty is a game that isn't ea??sily available on the Steam Deck due to the Battle.net service being incompatible due to the anti-che??at software it has. You can't play any of the newer titles on anything but Windows on PC.

We should note right off the bat that, at the time of writing, there have been reports of ROG Ally players getting erroneously banned for playing the latest game, Modern Warfare 3. The problem is supposedly being looked into by Asus, but it's not the case for the other recent titles. Modern Warfare, Black Ops Cold War, Modern Warfare 2, and Warzone can all be played on ??the Ally without falling afoul ??of the anti-cheat system.

In fact, those games don't just play well on the Ally. They play exceptionally well. I tested Black Ops Cold War on the handheld and was able to get an incredible 75-90 FPS at 1080p, low settings on the 15w performance mode. That's a truly ??impressive feat for such a big game on a handheld device.

If you have an ROG Ally and want to get your Call of Duty fix on the go, you're in for a treat. You may have to cough up for a bigger SSD, though. Black Ops Cold War is a whop?ping 175GB on PC, but if you're happy to only install multiplayer,?? that's a more reasonable 50GB.

Update by Elliott Gatica: Since you've had plenty of time to chew through your picks from our original list of seven, how about three more games to play on the ROG Ally? This rounds our best-of list to a nice, even 10, adding to the Steam Deck's growing com?petition with more RPGs and multiplayer challenges below.

Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3 needs no introduction as to why it should be played on more capable devices. Larian's entry to the s?eries easily steals over 100 hours of your time, and if you don't want to be at your desk all day, why not bring that world with you on the go? A little pocket Astarion,? portable sass.

Sure, you'll sacrifice some visual fidelity to land a more stable framerate during and out of combat or run it at a stable 30 FPS at 1080p. It's not a game where your best experiences relies heavily on a highe??r framerate. It's up to you whether you want to choose performance over graphics and vice versa.

Palworld

Palworld is another Xbox Game Pass game worth at least a look. With its rise in popularity, seemingly out of nowhe?re, it took PC gamers by surprise as its concurrent users on Steam skyrocketed for weeks.

Personally, since this is an action game, the higher the framerate, the better. Even if you have to sacrifice texture and asset quality a bit to get a stable 45 FPS and up, it'll be worth it. It seems that getting the game around 900p is the sweet spot to get just that. It's certainly got some performance woes, so you'll have to play around with it, but thankfully developer Po??cketpair has slowly fixed some of those since launch.

Helldivers 2

Democracy jokes aside, Helldivers 2 is another game that took the world by storm this year and it's a must-play if you like shooter games in general. Even then, it's worth giving it a go just for some of the wild community stories coming out of the online play.

There's a lot that goes on in this game that can easily tank your performance. Despite saying that action games should be at a higher framerate, you should probably sacrifice some performance for better graphical quality. You can get Helldivers 2 running at 45 FPS at best. Setting your Render Scale at Balanced and putting most? other settings like textures and lighting at medium or low will make this a blast in handheld mode.

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Activision has made it clear that it's got some big plans for the November release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. However, one particularly interesting tidbit of related information comes from the recent pre-order announcement. Featuring an admittedly substantial selection of skins, weaponry, and additional Season 1 goodies, the special Vault edition of MW3 also signals the grand return of the Weapon Vault system. Which was, by all accounts, seemingly forgotten for an en?tir?e year now.

Modern Warfare 3's Carry Forward functionality means that Modern Warfare 2 players can effortlessly transition over to the new title with all of their gear and cosmetics included. This is good news, broadly speaking, even if it will inevitably complicate the new title's meta and balancing. But this is also the first time that Activision transitioned anything from one CoD over to the next. T??hat includes last year's FJX Cinder Weapon Vault, which poses a curious question about the new pre-order offering.

[caption id="attachment_397275" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Activision[/caption]

What is up with Weapon Vaults in CoD?

Players that spend a whopping $99 on the Vault Edition of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will get exclusive access to the arguably tacky FATE Weapon Vaults. This isn't strange in and of itself, being an extremely expensive upsell option for a AAA shooter. But what is a bit strange is that Modern Warfare 2's FJX Cinder Vault never did get a successor up until now. Many in the community expected to see one at some point during the previous game's production cyc??le.

Modern Warfare's Weapon Vaults ??are, essentially, pre-unlocked weapon families. They feature full modification platforms and their respective attachments, providing a big leg-up in the early days of the game. Activision hyped the concept of Weapon Vaults with the FJX Cinder Vault's release, calling them the "Ultimate Weapon Blueprint". However, the feature appears t??o have panned out to become strictly a pre-order upsell.

The Modern Warfare games have emphasised their gun customization, so the paywall for Vaults may sadden some fans. For those who've got money to spare, though, $99 will now earn them ??two? Vaults on top of everything else. They'll focus on some variant of the legendary AK platform and possibly the MCX Spear/XM7. The full details on what's included are still pending.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will launch on No?vember 10 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

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If you thought annual Call of Duty releases were a thing of the past, think again. It's barely been a year since the reboot of Modern Warfare II came out, and now Modern Warfare III is nearly upon us already.

In a recent teaser uploaded to the official Call of Duty YouTube channel, it's been announced that MWIII will launch on November 10. At the time of writing, there's been no indication on what platforms the latest in the ongoing FPS series will be on. Rest assured, ??it will al??most certainly be on the major current-gen systems, and possibly some previous-gen as well.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITIcmA4Zwa8

As for the teaser itself, it's just over 40-seconds long and doesn't really give a lot away. It seems this will be a direct sequel to 2022's Modern Warfare II, which in itself is a reboot of 2009's Modern Warfare 2.

Hidden messages

Eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed some numbers at the start of the clip. According to Polygon, this is actually a phone number. When a text message is sent to ?it, it reveals t??he following:

*** COMMS SECURED ***

major conflict incoming. a lot of opportunity.

we need someone like you, with experience?? in al mazrah

are you able to receive sensitive intel

yes / no

[upon responding yes]

good

expect mission critical in??t?el. a taste of what’s to come

Seems very on-brand with the Call of Duty vibe.

As mentioned above, Modern Warfare II was released less than a year ago. It received fairly decent reviews and scores overall. Modern Warfare III continues the trend of Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games putting a new stamp on older entries. Will it be a rousing success? I mean, it's Call of Duty. It's going to sell in droves no matter what.

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Same name, whole new game

The Call of Duty series has seen a lot of changes over the years. With every entry in the series, the franchise evolves in one way or another, especially with three different studios to make their own mark on the series' legacy. Now with the October 28 release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (not to be confused with the 2009 game with the same name), Activision is looking to overhaul the series by adding a whole host of new features to go along with the reboot, as reported by Polygon.

A new engine

Probably the biggest change coming for Call of Duty is a brand new engine. Because the CoD games are developed separately by three different studio?s -- Sledge??hammer Games, Infinity Ward, and Treyarch -- Activision wanted to make sure that all of the games moving forward would be created to run on the same unified engine, according to Infinity Ward.

This also makes a lot of sense considering that all three studios are co-developing the new Warzone sequel, and the only way to really do that is if they're all working from one standard engine across the board. They also said they want to each studio to maintain their own specific voice when it comes to making the mainline games, so it'll be interesting to see how that shakes out as the series continues to?? unfold.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=r72GP1PIZa0

Improved AI

Another new promise is improved AI, something that fans have complained about for years when it comes to the games' campaigns. Infinity Ward said they've ent??irely revamped their AI systems, especially taking inspiration from real world soldiers, as well as Hollywood blockbusters. Those two things kind of sound wildly different to me, but as lo??ng as it's fun to play and the AI doesn't break my immersion, it's all good with me.

Returning to Steam

Fans of the series were also pleased to hear a few days ago that Call of Duty is officially returning to Steam with Modern Warfare II on October 28. The games had been previously accessible on PC through Blizzard's Battle.net launcher, a change that started with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 back in 2018.

Even more gun customization

Gun attachments have been a staple of the Call of Duty experience for a while now, and with Modern Warfare II, we're going to have more customization option??s than ever with an upgraded Gunsmith mechanic, making the endgame all the more satisfying.

While in the past, the attachments have had pre-set stats, the plan moving forward is that they will be fully customizable, so players will have even more control over how they want to tweak ??their build. When it c?omes to the endgame, you'll still be able to keep customizing those attachments even after you've unlocked them all, making late game content feel more substantial than previous entries in the series.

A fully integrated anti-cheat system

Finally, Activision is addressing the rampant cheating problem that they've had to deal with in the series. It got so bad after release, they had to implement an anti-cheat system called Ricochet into both Warzone and the mainline games. This time around, Activision plans to implement Ricochet f?rom the get-go o?n all of their releases, which will hopefully make for a much more enjoyable experience. No one likes a cheater.

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Looking forward to a reboot of an iconic Call of Duty title

Fans of the Call of Duty series expect a new game every year, but there's always plenty of hype when the new release dates start rolling around. That's at least the case for me, maybe because I'm still a baby CoD fan, because I'm pumped to try out the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, especially now that it has a release date. They're really building the suspense on this one �first the logo reveal last month, now the art reveal, and then som??e potential new announcements teased for the future.

The Call of Duty Twitter officially revealed the next franchise entry's release date this morning: October 28, 2022. Along with that info, we also got a short video showing off the art for some of the game's characters, which includes a return of Task Force 141, who were also principal characters in the original Modern Warfare 2. We also caught a glimpse of a mysterious numbered sequence that reads "J-8-22" at around the 44-second mark, which just might be an important date for fans?? to look fo?rward to.

//??twitter.com/CallofDuty/status/1529137835764228097

This title is actually a reboot sequel of the 2009 game with the exact same name, something that has caused a few fans (including myself) a bit of confusion this time around. Modern Warfare II is truly a beloved title in Call of Duty history, so it makes a lot of sense that Activision would want to bring it back for another go-around. We got some really iconic missions from that game, like "Wolverines!" and "Cliffhanger," so here's hoping we get to see some other really memorable adven?tures this time around, too.

I personally love a good sniper mission, but something I always look forward to in a good CoD campaign is?? those larger-than-life set pieces. He?re's hoping that Infinity Ward can deliver this time around, and revamp the series in a way we've needed in the past few years.

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Exciting news for fans of logos

A few months ago, Activision revealed the next steps for one of its biggest franchises at a briefing for Call of Duty: Warzone. In addition to announcing that Infinity Ward will be taking the lead for the next CoD and Warzone games, they also let us know that the newest mainline title in the series will be a sequel to 2019's Modern Warfare. We haven't heard many other details about what the project will look like since the briefing, but today on Twitter, the official Call of Duty account did give us a little sneak preview of the game's branding, as small of a detail as that may be. That's rig??ht �it's a logo reveal, something that game developers do now, apparently.

It's a sleek, simple logo that's very in line with the whole vibe the franchise is going for these days, so I'm not mad about it. If their goal was to build hype, it's working, because the post is not only doing numbers, but fans are excitedly speculating about whether this means the official title will be Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. My money's on the latter.

//twitte?r.com/CallofDuty/status/1519724521133121536

The new Modern Warfare title is also bringing along some changes to Warzone, as we learned from that same briefing. Activision said t??hey're building an "all-new playspace and a new sandbox mode," another detail I'm dying for more info on because it's so vague.

As pointed out by our very own Eric Van Allen, Activision had expressed their interest in the metaverse in the past, so there's a chance they could be using the new game to move in that direction. I'm not sure I have any idea what a Call of Duty metaverse would even look like (or that I'd even really want to know), but I don't really see how it would be all that different from an MMO. Oh well, it's their series, they ca?n do what they want, I guess.

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Seven ate nine

Odds are if you're playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare still, you're probably playing the battle royale Warzone component. Activision is banking on that too, as they've completely converted the "Modern Warfare" Battle.net la??uncher listing into "Warzone."

Yep, outside of the tiny little "MW" logo near the giant "Warzone" letters, future players would pretty much never know that Modern Warfare was offered on the launcher at first glance. The move actually happened in late Decembe??r, but a lot of folks went to boot up their game over break and just noticed the shift (or their launcher wasn't fully updated yet).

This is effectively just a rebranding. Modern Warfare still exists, but it has taken a backseat to Activision's attempt to make Warzone as popular as Fortnite. Some fans are mixed on the shift, asking Activision to make Warzone a separate app. Others, still fans of Modern Warfare multiplayer proper, are upse??t that their game is basically ??being left in the dust.

Having played every modern Call of Duty since...the original Modern Warfare though, this is a sort of natural state for this series. Activision moves on to the new hotness and rarely lingers, unless the game is a massive hit and they can keep pumping DLC into it for a time. Warzone is o??ne of the biggest brea??kouts they've had in the history of the franchise, creating as much buzz as zombies when it was first released; so focusing on it is a no-brainer.

Still, completely eclipsing the Modern Warfare name th?at a lot of developers worked on just seems s??trange.

Call of Duty: Warzone [Battle.net via PC Gamer]

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Mission Accomplished?

This week sees Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's sixth season of content come to an end. And as the mission clock ticks down on the shooter's most recent Battle Pass, there is no word from publisher Activision or developer Treyarch of a Season 7, suggesting that the Modern Warfare DLC timeline might be going dark for the foreseeable future.

Launching back in November 2019, Modern Warfare essentially rebooted the blockbuster Call of Duty spin-off franchise (a "spin-off" that ultimately proved to be the most popular brand, no less). But since its launch, Call of Duty has gone all-in on its mega-popular battle royale title, Warzone, a project so huge in scope and so popular among the community, that it seems even the recently released Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is fighting to stand against it.

However, speaking of Cold War, the latest update to Call of Duty's '80s adventure has implemented a new "dashboard-style" title menu, from where the player can launch Cold War, Warzone, or Modern Warfare - provided that respective titles are installed. From this, we can ascertain that Modern Warfare remains a relevant, mainstream member of the current Call of Duty family, even if Activ??ision are, indeed, done with creating new content for it.

Ultimately, there are only so many hours and so much worktime allotted to a day. As such, it's understandable that the development team might be focusing on the two newest titles going forward. Call of Duty: Cold War will receive its first season of content next week, bringing new maps, operators, and weapons to the game. Now if you can just see to adding the Farah to the CW operator roster... well that'd be just p?eachy, if a tad? anachronistic.

Season 6 of Modern Warfare is officially over [ModernWarzone / Eurogamer]

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Data Pack-it-in

Almost a full year after release, Infinity Ward has finally added mode-specific install options to the PC edition of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. The new feature will let players pick and choose which elements of the game they wish to have inst??alled at any given time, in an effort to drive down the military shooter's unfathomable 225GB file size.

Once the patch goes live, PC users will be able to select the individual addition or removal of huge "Data Packs," including the single-player campaign, Spec Ops, multiplayer, and the standalone battle royale title, Warzone. This will allow CoD players to free up precious HDD space for other games and applications... Perhaps Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War?

On a personal note, while this multi-install feature has been available on the PS4 edition for some time, I have run into multiple problems when it comes to reinstalling Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. The title will often ask for missing data packs, then flatly refuse to download them when requested, even after a full reinsta?ll. A quick Google search sees that I'm not alone in running into this frustrating issue, so here's hoping the PC edition will not suffer the same pitfalls.

The Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War beta goes live on all platforms later this week.

Next Call of Duty:?? Modern Warfare update will let you make the game smaller [PC Gamer]

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Hardcore Parkour!

You're going for the gold in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare this weekend. That's a deviation from the norm, because usually you're just out for blood. It'll be nice to add some conventional trophies to your collection to?? go ??along with the creepy necklace you made from fingers of people you killed.

Modern Warfare's Games of Summer event kicks off today, and it's an Olympics-style challenge with a Call of Duty twist. Every day brings a new challenge where? players try to earn gold medals. Here's the ??rundown of events:

• Gun Course (Starts August 28) -- Make your way through the course as fast as possible ??while clearing all enemy targets and avoiding ci?vilian casualties.
• Price's Alley (Starts August 29) -- Eliminate an endless series of enemy ??targets while avoiding civilian targets to maintain the combo for as long as? possible.
  
• Risky Parkour (Starts August 30) -- Move through each checkpo??int and finish the course as quickly as possible. Beware the heavy toxic gas on low ground.
  
• Shooting Range (Starts August 31) -- Locate and shoot all targets in? the area as quickly as possible while conserving ammunition.
  
• Marksman Challenge Starts (September 1) -- Engage? waves of long-distance targets and beat the clock. Missed shots burn time.
  

I've got my eye on that Risky Parkour. Rare is the opportunity to do something significant in Call of Duty without firing a single bullet. It's a dash of Mirror's Edge and that's never a bad thing.

What's it all for? Bringing home the gold in each event will net you a legendary assault rifle Juliet blueprint. Infinity Ward is also keeping track of which count??ry's players do the best. There's probably going to be a prize for the nation that proves most profici?ent with their guns. Don't act like you don't already know who's standing atop that podium.

Season Five Reloaded: Games of Summer Commence ?in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone [Activision]

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Abby Road

In a surprising turn of events, Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II has been knocked off of the top of the UK Charts by F1 2020. As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, the latest entry in Codemasters' annual Formula 1 racing series saw its biggest launch since 2017, with physical sales up over 20% of previous series entry F1 2019.

While not perhaps the most globally successful of sporting franchises, the F1 series is particularly popular in the UK, enough so to knock the mega-selling Last of Us sequel of its perch, for now at any rate. Naughty Dog's grim third-person adventure now sits at number three, just behind Nintendo's cutesy life-sim Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Elsewhere in the charts, Harvest Moon remake Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town debuted at a disappointing number 21. The niche farming title caters to a small-but-devoted fan following, and will likely see the majority of its sales through the Nintendo eShop. The UK has also reignited its love for Crash Bandicoot, as Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy hits the Top Ten once again, bouncing from number 18 to n??umber 10.

This week sees the launch of Sony's samurai epic Ghost of Tsushima, whi??ch seems almost guaranteed to take the top spot come Monday. For now, however, the day belongs to Codemasters.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: July 11, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. F1 2020 - Codemasters
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
3. The Last of Us Part II - Sony Interactive Entertainment
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
5. Minecraft - Nintendo
6. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
7. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
8. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
9. Marvel's Iron Man VR - Sony Interactive Entertainment
10. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy - Activision

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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It never happened

I'll take "cool things that never ended up happen??ing" for $1000, Alex.

As we know, the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (which really should have "2019" in its title to be real), never ended up having a zombies mode. Not every entry since World at War started the trend has done it, mind, but over time Activision's various studios all warmed up to the idea (remember the alien one?).

Modern Warfare (2019) could have had one too, but it never got past the planning stage: at least according to artist Aaron Beck. This past week, Beck muses that they "finally got clearance" to share this art, which showcases an "unused concept" from the early days of Modern Warfare's (2019) production.

Beck says that originally zombies were considered, with the spin of having them be held captive by leashes on quadruped robots. If you told me this was a screenshot from an upcoming Metal Gear Solid game featuring a boss who commands a zombie robot horde, I'd believe you. Instead, we'll have to settle for that already disappointing Metal Gear zombie game that actually exists.

Aaron Beck [Instagram]

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There's a new gun in town

Naughty Dog's grim adventure The Last of Us Part II has debuted at number one in the UK Charts. More significantly, it is Sony's fastest selling PS4 release this generation, beating  previous record-holder Uncharted 4: A Thief's End's launch sales by a slim 1%.

As noted by GamesIndustry.biz, the hugely-anticipated sequel has taken sales by storm. Not only is The Last of Us Part II the UK's biggest physical release of the entire year, outselling Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons by 40%, but it is also up 76% on the launch sales of the original TLOU, which dropped on PS3 back in 2013. It's worth remembering that all of the above statistics count for physical sales only, so one can?? only imagine the numbers once ??you include global digital downloads.

Elsewhere in the charts, Nintendo's Ring Fit Adventure continues to sit snugly in the number two spot, while Pokemon Shield re-entered the Top 10 at number nine, thanks to the release of its recent expansion. Animal Crossing: New Horizons left the Top 10 for the first time since launch and now sits at number 12, while mainstays such as Take 2's Grand Theft Auto V, and Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare continue to hold comfortable w????eek-on-week positions.

For now, the day belongs to The Last of Us. It could be some time before it is unseated.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: June 20, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. The Last of Us Part II - Sony Interactive Entertainment
2. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo
3. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
6. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
7. Minecraft - Nintendo
8. Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics - Nintendo
9. Pokemon Shield - Nintendo
10. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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But will the softening of lockdown affect upcoming standings?

Believe it or not, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is back on top of the UK Charts. The 2017 Switch ra?cer returned to the number one spot in a week that saw continued success for Nintendo, whose titles occupy over half of the current Top Ten.

Following Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is fitness software Ring Fit Adventure at number two, with social sim Animal Crossing: New Horizons still enjoying comfortable sales at number five. The Switch edition of Minecraft returns to the upper echelon at number seven, with Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics nestled at number nine and Luigi's Mansion 3 rounding out the Top Ten.

When not focused on Nintendo's wares, the Top Ten is filled out with regulars such as Electronic Arts' FIFA 20, Take 2's Grand Theft Auto V, and Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Microsoft's Forza Horizon 4 also re-entered at number eight. It's worth noting that - across the board - very few games in the Top Ten were released in 2020. This is less an indictment of the year's releases and more a reflection of the UK?? public's purchasing behaviour, which is more attuned to consistent sellers over new releases. The latter tend to see initial sales spikes before typically dropping off the map.

Many stores on England's high street are preparing to re-open today as lockdown legislation softens, despite the country's abject failure to contain the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic. In regards to sales, ??it will be interesting to see whether the public's perception of daily shopping will change, and how such change will affect the physical media charts.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: June 13, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
2. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo
3. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
4. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
5. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
6. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
7. Minecraft - Nintendo
8. Forza Horizon 4 - Microsoft
9. Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics - Nintendo
10. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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FIFA 20 top of the league once again

Nintendo's Ring Fit Adventure has rocketed back up the UK charts following another retailer restock. The hard sweatin' Switch exerciser had a 1,160% sales boost, and came cartwheeling in at number two. Meanwhile, Electronic Arts' soccer sim FIFA 20 is once ??again back in the number one spot. Yes, again.

New Nintendo release Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics made its debut at number six, while Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition took a huge tumble, dropping from number one to number 28 in a single week. Outside of Nintendo land, Marvel's Spider-Man returned to the Top Ten at number ten thanks to Sony's ongoing Days of Play sale, while chart mainstays Grand Theft Auto V, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare continue to ??see comfortable sales on a weekly?? basis.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: June 6, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
2. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo
3. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
5. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
6. Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics - Nintendo
7. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
8. The Last of Us: Remastered - Sony Interactive Entertainment
9. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
10. Marvel's Spider-Man - Sony Interactive Entertainment

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Another good call

Amid active racial strife, ongoing protests, and militaristic and hostile police response to it all, Activision has made the prudent decision to indefinitely delay the next season of its Call of Duty games.

Activision announced on Twitter that the new seasons of Modern Warfare, Warzone, and COD: Mobile ??;won't launch on June 3 as previously planned. Instead, Activision s??ays "It's time for those speaking up for equality, justice, and change to be seen and heard."

pic.twitter.com/8uNhuhDGAp

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) June 2, 2020

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Nintendo Switch remake doubles Wii launch sales

Nintendo's epic remake Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition has had a very successful launch, debuting at number one in the UK Charts. The former Wii title managed to take the throne from fellow Nintendo release Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which slips to number two.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, the launch sales of XC: Definitive Edition are slightly below those of 2017's Xenoblade Chronicles 2, but are double that of the original 2011 edition of Xenoblade Chronicles, suggesting that the sequel helped new fans discover the colourful and adventurous RPG franchise. Also released on Switch this week were ports of 2K Games' Borderlands: Legendary Collection and BioShock: The Collection, which landed at numbers 18 and 22 respectively.

Elsewhere in the charts, a promotion by Sony saw sales skyrocket for several older titles. Survivalist adventure Days Gone smashed back into the Top 40 at number six, while Naughty Dog's magnum opus The Last of Us: Remastered leapt to number nine and PlayStation VR Worlds also squeezed its way back into the Top Ten.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: May 30, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition - Nintendo
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
4. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
5. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
6. Days Gone - Sony Interactive Entertainment
7. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
8. Minecraft - Nintendo
9. The Last of Us: Remastered - Sony Interactive Entertainment
10. PlayStation VR Worlds - Sony Interactive Entertainment

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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We. Are. Leaving.

Activision has air-dropped a fresh trailer for the next season of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and its sister title Call of Duty: Warzone. Focusing on the ongoing CoD narrative, which runs across both titles, the trailer officially announces the return of one of the franchise's mos??t popula??r characters: Captain John Price.

Debuting in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Captain Price becomes an anchor of sorts, guiding the player characters through numerous intense firefights and Black Ops. Seemingly killed at the game's end, Price would go on to become a figurehead for the Modern Warfare sub-series, known for his gruff British manner, fearlessness in c??ombat, and ruthless desire to "get the job done," no matter the cost.

Following on from the events of 2019's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Captain Price will be squadding up with his former running buddies to chase down chemical weapons dealer "Mr Z." Available as part of the season four Battle Pass, Captain Price is sure to be a very popular pick among Warzone players, so you'll likely be seeing the fella a?? lot while you pick your way through the Verdansk map, exploring its recently uncovered nuclear bunker?s.

Of course, there will be other content coming to season four in the way of modes, weapons, and other surprises, which we'll no doubt be hearing about nearer the June 3 launch date. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Warzone are av??ailable now on PS4, PC, and Xbox One. You're gonna need a bigger ??hard drive.

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Isabellissimo

Another relatively staid week in terms of physical releases has seen Animal Crossing: New Horizons retain its number one spot in the UK Charts. Isabelle and friends held off Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto V and Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare despite a slump in over??all sales for Nintendo's social sim.

While last week saw a few new titles in the form of Coffee Stain's Huntdown and Platinum Games' The Wonderful 101: Remastered, neither game received a physical release, thus the Top Ten stayed relatively static. Long-termers Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Luigi's Mansion 3, and FIFA 20 are all present and correct.

Activision's Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy made yet another return to the Top Ten, as did Ubisoft's Just Dance 2020, which squeezed its way back in at number 10. Speaking of Ubisoft, end-of-days shooter The Division 2 saw a huge sales surge last week, returning to the Top 40 at number 20, and Sony's God of War also made a bit of comebac???k, re-entering at number 31.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: May 16, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
2. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
4. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
5. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
6. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
7. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
8. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy - Activision
9. Red Dead Redemption 2 - Take 2
10. Just Dance 2020 - Ubisoft

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Another re-stock boosts sales 135%

There's gonna be a celebration at Casa de Nook this morning, as Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizon has once again returned to the number one spot of the UK Charts. A recent re-stock saw the cutesy social sim receive an enormous 135% spike in sales, the second time availability has been directly responsible for the game's chart ranking. Seems like if people can buy the game then they buy th??e game. Nutso.

As noted by GamesIndustry.biz, it was otherwise a very quiet week for UK sales, with no new releases entering the Top 40. Nintendo's continued presence sees Switch releases Luigi's Mansion 3, Minecraft, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe all sitting pretty in the upper echelon, while Take 2's Grand Theft Auto V surged from number five to number two.

Square Enix' Final Fantasy VII Remake has dropped out of the Top Ten, resting at number 13, while the recent reveal of Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Valhalla has seen a sales boost to previous entry Assassin's Creed Odyssey, which leapt back into the Top 20 at number 17.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: May 9, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
2. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
3. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
5. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
6. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
7. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
8. Red Dead Redemption 2 - Take 2
9. Minecraft - Nintendo
10. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - Nintendo

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Liquid Football

It seems like last week's sales spike for Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons was indeed just that, a spike, as this week sees Electronic Arts' football sim FIFA 20 return t??o the number one position it has held time and again since its 2019 releas?e.

A very quiet week for physical releases saw little change in the UK's Top Ten. New releases such as Sakura Wars, Predator: Hunting Grounds, and Streets of Rage 4 are relying mostly on digital sales. This is not to mention the ongoing COVID-??19 legislation, which is keeping many store doors shut and people in their homes.

As such, this week's charts see the same titles jockeying for position, as Final Fantasy VII Remake, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and, you guessed it, Grand Theft Auto V all shuffle around the Top Ten. Meanwhile,  Nintendo's Ring Fit Adventure continues to ?drop in and out of the Top Ten, directly proportional to its shaky stock levels.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: May 2, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
5. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
6. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
7. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
8. Final Fantasy VII Remake - Square Enix
9. Red Dead Redemption 2 - Take 2
10. Forza Horizon 4 - Microsoft

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Isabelle and crew aren't finished yet

After a shortage of stock in recent weeks, Nintendo products are finally returning to UK shelves, enabling social sim Animal Crossing: New Horizons to retake the top spot of the charts, having seen a 53% sal?es b??oost in one week.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, a similar sales spike occurred for another Switch release, Ring Fit Adventure. Last week, the ab-toning title leapt from number 25 to number 10, and this week climbed a further six places to settle at number four. The success is attributable to both the arrival of new Ring Fit stock after a lengthy sold-out status, as well as lockdown legislation forcing p??eople to look for alternate ways to exercise.

Elsewhere in the Top Ten, there was very little movement. Big-budget blockbusters such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and Grand Theft Auto V are still sitting pretty, although Capcom's survival horror remake Resident Evil 3 has dropped out of the Top Ten entirely, landing at number 17. Also, props to Electronic Arts' Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, whic??h has quietly held a Top Ten position since its initia?l launch back in November 2019.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: April 25, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
2. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
4. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo
5. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
6. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
7. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
8. Final Fantasy VII Remake - Square Enix
9. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
10. Red Dead Redemption 2 - Take 2

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Survival horror remake debuts at number two

Capcom's Resident Evil 3 did not debut at the top of the UK Charts this week. Having sold less than half the amount of launch units as its predecessor, Resident Evil 2, Jill Valentine's return to Raccoon City ultimately landed at number two, behind Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

Of course, it should be noted that the UK is under soft lockdown legislation right now, which has caused the closure of most of the high street. This would suggest that Resi 3 might ha??ve performed better as a digital release, the data of which is? not currently available.

That said, as reported by GamesIndustry.biz, the UK has seen a boom in physical sales over the last thre??e weeks, with some one million sales since the lockdown was implemented. (It should be ??noted that grocery supermarkets - many of which stock video games - remain open).

Elsewhere in the charts, Atlus' expanded Persona 5 Royal debuted at number five, while Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons dropped down one place to number four, and Bethesda's Doom Eternal left the Top Ten entirely. Speaking of Nintendo, the production woes caused ??by the COVID-19 pandemic are leaving retailers struggling to keep the publisher's games in stock, which has seen numerous Switch releases plummet down the charts. Surely, it's a very odd, unpredictable time in the industr?y right now.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: April 4, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
2. Resident Evil 3  - Capcom
3. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
4. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
5. Persona 5 Royal - Atlus
6. Forza Horizon 4 - Microsoft
7. Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy - Activision
8. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
9. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
10. Minecraft: Xbox Edition - Microsoft

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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It can't be... but you're...

[Update: Activision has released a new trailer and "roadmap" detailing season three of Modern Warfare and its battle royale side-title, Warzone. Tomorrow will see the return of Alex to the battlefield, a Quads mode for Warzone, and new weapons, m??aps and veh?icle skins for Multiplayer.

The coming weeks will see the addition of two new operators: Ronin and Iskra, along with new multiplayer modes, Gunfight maps, weapons, and gunsmith customisations. You can check out the full details over at the official Call of Duty blog, and? watch the new trailer at the foot of the article. Season ??three launches on all platforms tomorrow.]

Activision is getting set to launch the third season of content for military shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Along with a new Battle Pass, as well as skins, weapons, maps and more to multiplayer, three new operators are ??expected to join the roster, including the return of campaign protagonist Alex.

Modern Warfare spoilers below

Alex is a CIA operative and one of Modern Warfare's player protagonists. Sympathetic to the plight of the Urzikstan rebels and their leader, Farah Karim, Alex nobly sacrifices himself in the campaign's final moments, staying behind to ensure the demolition of a toxic gas factory. Or so we thought, as it seems your boy Alex made it out of the factory alive, and is now ready to sign up for Modern Warfare's intense multiplayer mode.

Alex is now sporting a prosthetic leg, suggesting that although he escaped with his life, he was seriously injured in the process. Developer Infinity Ward has received praise from? fans online for featuring a player character with a prosthetic limb, a testament to the ??many soldiers who return to active duty despite injury.

Season 3 goes live in-game tomorrow, April 8. No doubt we will be hearing more specific details regarding the incoming multiplayer content very soon.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is available now on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare season three [Eurogamer]

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Also, a Modern Warfare 2 remaster?

Call of Duty's crusade against even numbers might soon be coming to an end. Currently, the fresh new Warzone battle royale mode only has playlists for solo players and three-person squads. Two??s and fours seem to be on their way.

According to a new dataminer leak (and, really, it feels like Call of Duty is always the recipient of reliable datamining leaks), Warzone is primed to get playlists for duos and f??ull four-person squads. One, two, three, four -- they're all accounted for. Play in any configuration you want.

There's a lot more to the rumors. Warzone appears to be getting some limited-time mod?es including High Action (gas closes much faster than normal), Shotty Snipers (only shotguns and snipers), One Shot (one-shot headshots), and realism and hardcore modes.

It doesn't stop with Warzone either. Plans for all of Call of Duty have been revealed like: the long-expected Modern Warfare 2 remaster (which appears to be campaign only); the introduction of creator codes; and traditional multiplayer developments such as the return of the Backlot and Village maps, Alex and Ronin being added as operators, and the SKS and Renetti ?weapons being implemented.

Big things are on the horizon for Call of Duty. But, none of it is actually official yet.

Season 03: Backlot and Village, New Sniper ?a?nd Pistol, Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered, and More [Reddit]

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Fight for survival, and find out if you're worth it

Back in the heady days of 2017-2018, there was a concern among the gaming community that, in the wake of the unprecedented success of Epic Games' Fortnite, every video game br??and under the sun was going to leap onto the "battle royale" bandwagon. Y'all remember the E3 memes, right? With Dolan? Yeah, you remember.

It didn't really turn out that way. Oh sure, many established franchises went straight for a piece of the Last Person Standing pie, whilst new IPs such as LawBreakers burst onto the scene to amazing... umm... Look, the point I'm making is, the whole industry did not go battle royale crazy. Today, Fortnite continues its dominance, while a few successful alternates such as EA's Apex Legends please the??ir own dedicated audience. The genre is alive and well, and it didn't ruin video games forever.

Last week, like a bullet out of the blue, Activision launched a new entry in the genre, marrying the billion-dollar Call of Duty franchise with the grim mercenary appeal of originator PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. This isn't Acti's first rodeo, having previously tried its hand with Black Ops IV's "Blackout" mode. But Call of Duty: Warzone isn't quite the ?same anim??al. In fact, this free-to-play release introduces features and innovations that help inject a new lease of life into the mass multiplayer shooter.

For the most part, Call of Duty: Warzone follows the tried-and-tested battle royale mechanics to a tee. 150 players parachute into the huge, desolate, and grim island of Verdansk in squads of three, before procuring weaponry on-site, and engaging in battle with over 100 players in intense sharp-shooting combat. But where Warzone excels over some of its predecessors is in its incredible depth of activity when it comes to finding and earning weaponry??.

While there's plenty of top-tier hardware laying about in loot boxes dotted throughout the map, there are also shops with which to purchase some real premium death-dealers, as well as the famous CoD perks (UAV, airstrikes, attack drones, and the like). If you really want to kit yourself out against the odds, then players can also earn or purchase airdrops which, when opened, allow access to your custom loadouts from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's standard multiplayer modes.

On top of this, players can find and accept "Contracts" around Verdansk. These are essentially side-quests, such as the capturing of buildings, or bounty-h??unting specific players (sucks to be that guy). These Contracts not only reward you and your?? buddies well, but they add an extra level of activity, additional tasks beyond the standard "search and destroy" battle royale gameplay.

Perhaps Warzone's finest feature – and I mean "finest" – is the fantastic "Gulag" mechanic. When you are killed in battle, you are captured and chucked into a grim, Alcatraz-style prison cell, along with all other recently-deceased players. Once here, you are thrown into a randomised one-on-one showdown with another unlucky sap. Should you? lose this fight, it's essentially game over, but should you win, you are then re-spawned back into battle royale with one final chance for glory.

This is a great addition to the genre, not only offering players a second chance, but coming up with an exciting, engaging way to make them earn that chance, via a gimmick that perfectly fits inside the CoD universe. Even as the surviving team member, knowing that your running buddy is currently in the Gulag, and eagerly anticipating their possible return, adds a great tension of the unknown. The Gulag is not only Warzone's best innov??ation, but it could force other battle royale titles to step up their ideas in t?he next generation. It's a concept that shows there is still much to be explored within the genre.

Alongside battle royale, Warzone has a second mode – Plunder – which is all about the mon-ay. In Plunder, players must gather up as much cash as possible, before depositing it on a helicopter at a nearby landing pad. But be warned, anyone killed immediately drops all of their cash, and the highest-earning players are eventually marked out as bounties. It's a much more frequently combative mode than battle royale, with deeper strategy beyond just hunkering down against the odds. I can imagine, played with a full team of friends on comms, that Plunder's frantic dash for cash – and desperate attempts to hold onto said cash – would be a riot.

Of course, all of these ideas and innovations count for nothing if the core game doesn't pass muster. As expected from the reliable Call of Duty brand, Warzone has few faults in regards to its fast, slick, and stable gameplay. Running on the same top-tier engine and assets that make up Modern Warfare, Warzone looks and sounds fantastic. Presentation is excellent, with neat opening and victory sequences, and a miserable "dragged to the Gulag" cutscene that lends character and meat to the undeniably b??are-bones "We're just having a massive scrap" setup.

The hollow husk of Verdansk feels like a thriving metropolis that collapsed in the space of a weekend, featuring a business district, marshland, storm drains, a military base, even a sports stadium. It's disquieting to the point of haunted, and the silence can be deafening, jarring you into action with the crack of distant rifle fire – or the roaring engine of a party of killers, bearing down ??on you in one of the map's many abandoned vehicles.

Anyone comfortable with Modern Warfare's combat will be instantly at home in Warzone, which carries a similar pace and punch to MW's Ground War mode, without quite the same level of "pinned down" frustration. Time to Kill is managed by an important armour mechanic, which allows players to collect and apply up to three levels of armour, an absolute necessity in the thick of battle. Once naked – not literally – then at the very least players have the comfort of knowing health is regener??ative. That's not to be relied upon. ?Aim fast, aim well, put your mark down. You can be sure they'll do the same to you.

An important aside: Warzone's download latches onto the standard Call of Duty: Modern Warfare install, and on PS4 adds around 20GB of overall data. However, if you do not have MW installed, and just want to download Warzone, then you'll need a whopping 90-100GB of storage space ??– a shocking HDD footprint. So those with internet caps should take heed before they pull the trigger.

Call of Duty: Warzone is a welcome evolution of battle royale, which doesn't alter the core elements that make the genre so appealing, but does add innovative side-missions, comeback mechanics, and loot strategies, all painted over with a coat of Call of Duty's unmistakable million-dollar gloss. There's nothing really here to attract those who are already disinterested in the genre, but battle royale fans, particularly those who like their battles grounded in "real life," would do very well to check out CoD: Warzone. It costs nothing, and might ?well become your new?? addiction.

Call of Duty: Warzone is available to download now on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.

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I am so stupidly into this idea

If you see more Call of Duty: Modern Warfare players stop to stare down at their watches, there's a reason why. Infinity Ward added the Tomogunchi accessory today. Similar to a Tamagotchi, owners can hatch, raise, and evolve their pet – except i?n this case, the digital monsters have a thing for killstreaks.

The interactive trinket is available in a Tomogunchi Bundle that costs 1,000 Call of Duty Points ($9.99). (The bundle also comes with a dinosaur-themed calling card, emblem, charm, sticker, and spray.)

Call of Duty players need to keep their Tomogunchi pal happy and healthy by scoring kills, objectives, killstreaks, and wins, so they tie into Modern Warfare's gameplay. If they aren't cared for properly, they'll become depressed and perish. You can check on ??your pet's status by looking at little emoji faces on the watch. If they aren't lit up, you're golden. Otherwise, your pet could be hungry, dirty, unruly, or sleepy.

Tomogunchi pets start as an egg before growing into a child, teen, and adult, and they each have their o?wn preferred way to level up a "bonus charge" meter to evolve. Some pets prefer captures, while others want you to land in the top three. Players can use the "Watch Interact" gesture to bank these bonus charges as they come up during matches and evolve their Tomogunchi pet more quickl??y.

It's unclear exactly how many pets there are, but I've spotted a dog, a panda, and a ghost, among others. Forget keeping up with the Battle Pass – these blood-lusting beasts are all that matter now.

I wouldn't mind caring for a digital pet in a game I play on a regular basis – say, Monster Hunter.

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All we're missing is a confirmation

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's battle royale mode has been the worst-kept secret in gaming for many months now. As we get closer to its inevitable launch, more details are leaking out as to what we can?? expect.

As reported by Video Games Chronicle, Modern Warfare's Warzone mode will launch on March 10 (although, this seems to be an educated guess moreso than hard confirmation). Sources within Activision say that it'll be free-to-play as a standalone mode. Last year's Blackout mode within Black Ops 4 got some extended trial access, but never properly wen?t ??free-to-play.

Warzone will be the biggest of the major battle royales, as it's said to support 200 players. This means the Warzone playspace will be massive, and it'll feature a lot of areas that are ripped from other multiplayer maps. Here's a leak of the map (also in the gallery below) that shows places like Boneyard and Quarry from this Modern Warfare. It's also mentioned that some locations are homages to maps in previous Modern Warfare games,?? like S??crapyard and Broadcast (presumably as Lumberyard and TV Stations, respectively).

Possibly the most jarring departure from traditional battle royale is a respawn system that's hinged around a duel to an?other death. If someone dies on the battlefield, their surviving teammates can carry them to an ambulance. That places the dead player in the Gulag where they wait in a queue to 1v1 duel another deceased player. The winner of that battle is allowed to respawn. Also, other players will be able bet on the fights by wagering Plunder, a currency that is used to buy new gear mid-match.

This is technically all unconfirmed at this? point, but it won't stay that way much longer. Activision is expected to start messaging Warzone plans soon. It'll be good to hear it straight from the horse's mouth, but it seems like we already know everything anyway.

Call of Du?ty's battle royale will rel??ease in early March [Video Games Chronicle]

The post New Modern Warfare reports say Warzone will be free-to-play, support 200?? players, an??d launch in early March appeared first on Destructoid.

Ghost, Rust, and a Ground War map called Zhokov Boneyard

Season two of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare begins February 11, 2020, and along with the fan-favorite British special forces operator Ghost, the initial update also includes a remake of CoD: MW2's Rust. The update is coming in at a ?substantial 68GB on PC and Xbox One, and 51GB on PS4, so be warned.

I've fallen off of Call of Duty, but they sure know how to cut a trailer.

So long as you weren't hell-bent on battle royale (and you aren't opposed to hitching yourself to the Battle Pass), there should be something new to latch onto in season two of Modern Warfare.

As outlined on? the season two roadmap, the day-one content lineup is Rust (standard multiplayer and Gunfight), Atlas Superstore (standard), Zhokov Boneyard (Ground War), and Bazaar (Gunfight), alongside Simon "Ghost" Riley, the Grau 5.56, and the Striker 45. Ghost is unlocked at Tier 0 in the Battle Pass, but you'll need to reach Tier 15 and Tier 31 to unlock the new assault rifle and SMG, respectively.

February 11 will also bring a Call of Duty League playlist an??d single-elimination Gunfight tournaments, followed by Infected Ground War, Demolition, and a N?VG Reinforce playlist later in the season.

Another multiplayer map, Khandor Hideout, and two more operators ??– Talon, "a Canadian Special Forces member," and Mace, "a U.S. Ranger turned gun for hire" – are dropping mid-season.

Naturally, Sony has secured a timed exclusive for PlayStation 4. This time, it's a Special Ops Survival map (Azhir Cave) and an LMG blueprint (Lucky?? Strike). They're locked down until October 1, 2020.

H??ow do you feel about thes?e map remakes? Is one per season plenty for your tastes?

Season Two Launches i??n Call of Duty: Modern Warfare o??n February 11 [Activision Games Blog]

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FIFA 20 back on top of the premier league

Having spent several weeks hovering around the penalty box, this week's UK Charts sees Electronic Arts' football sim FIFA 20 back at the number one spot, a ?position regularl?y retains on an annual basis.

Making its debut in the Top Ten this week is Zombie Army 4: Dead War, developed and published by Britain's own Rebellion. The co-op shooter sits comfortably at number eight, not quite bothering Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, EA's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order or, of course, Take 2's Grand Theft Auto V, all of which remain nestled in the upper ?echelon.

Nintendo's Ring Fit Adventure - which made a re-entry last week at number seven - has climbed a further two places to settle at number five. The Switch release has seen a sales surge thanks to recent restock after many high street retailers sold out of the popular fitness app over the Holidays. 2K Games' NBA 2K20 has also returned to the Top Ten.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: February 8, 2020
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
3. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
4. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo
5. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
6. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts
7. Minecraft - Nintendo
8. Zombie Army 4: Dead War - Rebellion
9. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
10. NBA 2K20 - 2K Games

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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