While Star Wars Outlaws is billed as a single-player experience, ??publisher Ubisoft plans to keep bringing you back even after cleari?ng the main game with a season pass of post-launch DLC.

The existence of a season pass was revealed alongside an April 2024 trailer for Star Wars Outlaws, as well as a release date of August 30 (which had accidentally leaked beforehand) and pre-order details. The trailer focused primarily on story details and its cast of characters, including protagonist Kay Vess, so here's a rundown of everything you need to know about Star Wars Outlaws' season pass.

What's included in the Star Wars Outlaws season pass?

Firstly, the Star Wars Outlaws season pass contains two pieces of additional DLC. At the time of writing, Ubisoft hasn't shared much information on either of them, but it sounds like they'll be fairly meaty expansions since they'll allow you to "keep exploring the world of Star Wars Outlaws with all-new stories, quests a??nd areas to discover."

The rest of the season pass consists of content that'll be available to you at launch. There is an exclusive mission called Jabba's Gambit, which'll no doubt involve Jabba the Hutt, who Kay encounters at some point during her adventure. Presumably, you'll need to unlock access to this mission ?by progressing the story, bu??t it will be available in-game from day one.

Lastly, there is a Kessel Runner Character Pack, which adds new cosmetics for Kay and her little alien companion Nix. Ubisoft has yet to share images of what these cosmetics look like. It's also not to be confused with the Kessel Runner Bonus Pack, which is a pre-order exclusive that comes with cosmetics for Kay's speeder and spaceship. There are two other cosmetic bundles—the Rogue Infiltrator Bundle and the Sabaac Shark Bundle—but these aren't part of the season pass; they're only included with the Ultimate Edition of Star Wars Outlaws.

How do I buy the Star Wars Outlaws season pass?

Currently, the only way to acquire the Star Wars Outlaws season pass is by purchasing either the Gold Edition of?? the game for $109.99 / £104.99 or the Ultimate Edition for $129.99 / £119.99. It's probably safe to assume, though, that the season pass will become a standalone purchase once the full game is out.

The post Star Wars Outlaws season pass: what’s included and how to buy appeared first on Destructoid.

Someone old, someone new, someone licensed, and someone who kinda blew

I've been playing Mortal Kombat off and on since the early 90s, and while I have a good grasp of the breadth of the cast, there are still names and faces that slip through the cracks. Names like Li Mei. I don't remember her from any of the games, so I shot over to the awful Mortal Kombat Fandom wiki to get a refresher on this ?fighter I?'d completely forgotten.

Even after reading her bio, I still don't remember her. But I guess we'll be reacquainted later this year as a new trailer from NetherRealm today confirmed she's coming to Mortal Kombat 1 alongside Tanya, who I do remember from Mortal Kombat X?. Both fighters feature heavily in the?? spot, as does Baraka, who is back as a playable character.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sLJ-xyjMQo

With the game still several weeks from launch, NetherRealm decided now is as good a time as any to confirm all the DLC rumors that have been swirling since it was revealed. In a second trailer relea??sed on Friday, the developer confirmed the kombatants of what will likely be the first Ko??mbat Pack. Included are:

• Omni-Man (Invincible)
• Homelander (The Boys)
• Peacemaker (Peacemaker, Suicide Squad)
• Quan Chi (Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm)
• Ermac (Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3)
• Takeda (Mortal Kombat X)

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT-3vhCl6N4

Mortal Kombat 1 releases on September 14 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Switch. Pricing and a release schedule for the Kombat Pack haven't been revealed yet, but you can secure the six fighters above if you purchase the Premium or Kollector's Edition.

The post Li Mei, Tanya, Omni-Man, and Homelander will dra?w blood in Mortal Kombat 1 appeared first on Destructoid.

Starring Kamek

It's interesting to see how public perception of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass has changed since we've actually gotten our hands on the tracks. Before the first wave hit the Switch, there seemed to be a lot of animosity toward the DLC. People were mad that it wasn't a new game or that the added tracks didn't have the same vivid art direction as those native to Deluxe.

Yet here we are on Wave 5 and all that negativity is gone. I'm not seeing it on the socials as much as I used to. And while that might be because my main social is being driven into the ground by a butter-bodied billionaire who names his kids like they're fan-fiction Star Trek characters, I'd like to think that people are realizing more Mario Kart is always good and just having fun with it.

Which is why it's good ??Nintendo didn't start this DLC campaign with the tracks of Wa??ve 5. Because overall, this set's pretty mid.

[caption id="attachment_392198" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 5 (Switch)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: July 11, 2023
MSRP: $24.99 (or part of Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack)

I know not every Mario Kart track is a masterpiece. With the Booster Course Pass adding 48 tracks to the game, we were bound t?o get some duds in there. But there is something about this wave that just didn't click with me. Even with a brand-new track in the mix, I'm not sure the Feather Cup and Cherry Cup hit on all cylinders as they should as the penultimate wave of the DLC. Nevertheless, like the other waves in the Booster Course Pass, I am ready to rank and review these eight tracks.

To see our rankings of the previous waves, click one of the following links: Wave 1, Wave 2, Wave 3, Wave 4.

[caption id="attachment_392199" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

8. Moonview Highway (MKWii)

There was very little question in my mind where Moonview Highway would rank on this ??list onc??e Nintendo revealed it would be part of Wave 5.

Yes, aesthetically it looks nice. Your trip around this traffic track alternates between a serene moonlit highway and a pulsing, neon city. However, I considered the track's layout boring on the Wii and it's no different here. Despite the presence of other cars and bob-omb mobiles on the highway, it's far too simple of a design. The track layout ensures?? you never have to use ?the brake, even when you're playing in 200cc.

It still looks nice, but there is a far better late-night city course that could have been added in its place. Or heck, even Toad's Factory as th??at one has y??et to appear as a retro track.

[caption id="attachment_392196" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

7. Los Angeles Laps (MKT)

Of all the tracks added from Mario Kart Tour, this is the first? one where I've actually been able to point out the city's landmarks by memory. I spent a couple of years living around Los Angeles, so when I drove through Rodeo Drive, the Santa Monica Pier, Dodger Stadium, the oil fields of Culver City, and Venice Beach, all those memories came rushing back?? in.

Unfortunately, just because it was a tour of my past doesn't mean it's that great of a track. It suffices in turning Los Angeles and the surrounding area into a Mario Kart t?rack. But as somebody once lived in the city, it's missing the one thing I most associate with LA: traffic. If any city that should become a traffic track, it should be LA.

[caption id="attachment_392194" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

6. Daisy Cruiser (MK:DD)

It feels weird to put Daisy Cruiser this low on the list as I h??ave a lot of great memories of this track back on the GameCube. It's still a great concept, but I don't necessarily agree with all the changes that have been made to it.

The original Daisy Cruiser was a rather restrictive experience. At the starting gate, you could only go right and you had to drift around the pool on the top deck (or? master the sliver shortcut on the right-hand side? of it). In the dining hall section, the tables in the dining hall were massive and numerous, and the Item Boxes would roll independently of the tables.

Since it appeared in Mario Kart 7, a lot of those designs have changed. You can now drive through the pool, and the tables in the dining hall are smaller. I appreciate the changes made to the lowest deck, transforming it from an empty shipping container compartment into an aquarium. Still, I think Nintendo made too many changes that make the course less interesting than when it first ??debuted. Even the addition of toobin' Goombas in this iteration of the track can't lift it up. Also, I miss the clouds with smiley faces.

[caption id="attachment_392193" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

5. Sunset Wilds (MK:SC)

If there is one thing that sells me on Sunset Wilds, it's the soundtrack to the course. The music here is absolutely alive with a 90s western-comedy vibe (think City Slickers) that I can't get enough of. The course itself has a nice layout with mud traps to slow you down, but where the heck is the sunset? How do you have a course called Sunset Wilds and not include a sunset? For Pete's sake, there was a sunset in the Game Boy Advance and Mario Kart Tour versions of this track.

I hope this is just an unfortunate oversight on the part of the developers and the sunset gets patched in, because it really does add to the ambianc??e of this American Southwest-themed track.

[caption id="attachment_392191" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

4. Athens Dash (MKT)

Mario Kart Tour added Athens Dash during the Spring Tour that ran between April and May of this year. The Tour version?? of the track has two routes tied to it, both of which are combined here with a third route for this intro course to the Feature Cup. There is a lot of verticality here as the track takes racers around the Acropolis, Parthenon, and Hadrian's Arch. Like with Bangkok Rush, the landmarks of Athens Dash aren't condensed. A tremendous number of columns stand in your way, making this one of the trickier tracks of Wave 5.

I don't think there's anything particularly special about this track, but as someone who loves antiquities, I appreciate i??ts inclusion. Once this one hits online, I have to imagine it'll be a tremendous pain as heavier racers can easily knock you into those columns and pillars that'll bring you to a halt.

[caption id="attachment_392197" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

3. Vancouver Velocity (MKT)

Vancouver Velocity almost got me to reinstall Mario Kart Tour before I realized what a bad idea that was.

As a big fan of the Winter Olympics, I felt eager to see its design knowing the city's Olympic anniversary heavily influenced the track. The Olympic Cauldron is one of the first notable objects from the city you'll see, and it looks spectacular with the aurora borealis in winter aesthetics. Flat background forest aside, Vancouver Velocity looks ?won??derful. The track takes you to enough locations that it feels like a complete trip rather than a brief visit.

I'm not sure if a trip through Massey Tunnel was necessary, or the two trips to the ice rink. I still enjoyed this track, though like most other courses in this wave, it remains okay at best. The addition of an anti-gravity section to the Capilano Bridge is a nice touch and arguably the best use of the feature in all the Tour tracks of this wave.

[caption id="attachment_392200" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

2. Squeaky Clean Sprint (MK8DBCP)

The first time I drove through Squeaky Clean Sprint, I didn't really care fo??r it. I thought it was too basic in design and the? concept didn't really wow me. In the first draft of this list, I had it all the way down at #7.

But as I replayed all the tracks throughout the weekend, it really started to grow on me. Aesthetically, Squeaky Clean Sprint has a lot going for it. It presents a world where Nintendo realizes the full potential of merchandising possibilities it has with its Super Mario IP. This giant bathroom (or regular-sized bathroom and all the racers are shrunk down to the size of Hot Wheels) is brimming with so many cute little design choices implementing elements from the Super Mario series that it looks like the type of bathroom I would have wanted when I was 10. And the track really does take the concept and run with it. I particularly like the bath ba??lls in the tub that fizz up to give you extra air but also bounce if you run into them. There are also a few g??ood shortcuts and alternate routes to use.

It's a fine layout. Overall, I'd rank it between Sky-High?? Sundae from Wave 2 and Yoshi's Island from Wave 4.

[caption id="attachment_392192" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

1. Koopa Cape (MKWii)

Mario Kart Wii is arguably the most maligned entry in the franchise by long-time fans of the series. Yet it has great tracks, several of which have already appeared in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass. Koopa Cape is another solid course from that ?entry, boasting a running river that tests your handling around corners, a drop that goes straight down like a roller coaster, and an underwater section that's improved here with the addition of anti-gravity.

In truth, I haven't really thought about Koopa Cape all that much (and yes I do spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about Mario Kart tracks) likely because I co?nfuse it with Rock Rock Mountain. But I'll do a better job of remembering this track now thanks to how insane it is at 200cc. I play all the tracks in all the different modes when doing these reviews and I cannot stress enough the bonkers nature of Koopa Cape when going that fast. It is the best test of your braking skills in Wave 5 and I ca?nnot wait to take this online to see how other players adjust to its speed.

Of all eight courses, I only really like Koopa Cape and Squeaky Clean Sprint. Everything else is just okay or mediocre, which is why I'm arguing this is the weakest wave of the Booster Course Pass so far. If there's one element keeping me from scoring it any lower, it's the addition of thr?ee new racers: Kamek, Wiggler, and Petey Piranha. Wiggler is a great addition with the way he turns red when an item hits him, but I spent most of my time karting as Kamek. As a medium-weight-class racer, he's right in my wheelhouse.

With this, we have just one wave of tracks to come. That's eight more chances for some of the best tracks in series history to still make an appearance. If they don't, I can always take solace in the fact that Mario Kart 9 is probably on the horizon at this point for whatever the su??ccessor to the Switch will be.

_{[This review is based on a retail version of the DLC purchased by the reviewer.]}

The post Mario Kart 8 Del??uxe Booster Course Pass Wave 5 reviewed and ?ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Starring Birdo

The DLC for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe really hits its stride with Wave 3, dropping the best courses we’d seen in the Booster Course Pass. From the brilliantly simple reinvention of Boo Lake to the charming Christmas-themed jaunt that is Merry Mountain, it was going to be toug?h to ??surpass what Nintendo brought players in that wave.

Depending on who you ask, Booster Course Wave 4 might actua???lly be the best set of tracks yet.

[caption id="attachment_368373" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 4 (Switch)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: March 9, 2023
MSRP: $24.99 (or part of Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack)

With a brand new track inspired by one of Nintendo’s most cherished franchises, Wave 4 has several stand-outs in its collection, including two beautiful tracks from Mario Kart Tour and a Mario Kart DS charmer I’d honestly forgotten all about. So, as I have done with Waves 1, 2, and 3, I’m reviewing and ranking each track from the fourth wave of Mario Kart 8 DLC, covering the Fruit Cup and the Boomerang Cup. And because she’s finally making her debut in Deluxe, this review will be all about Birdo.

[caption id="attachment_368377" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

8. Amsterdam Drift (MKT)

We’re starting off with a cheery track set in the Red Light District-less city of Amsterdam from Mario Kart Tour. As we’ve seen with most of the other tracks based on real cities of the world, Amsterdam Drift combines three different versions of the track from the mobile app into its three-lap race. One quick drive around the track will show you this course contains almost everything we stereotypically associate with Amsterdam, including tulips, windmills, and canals, the latter of which make up a huge chunk of the second lap of this race. All-in-all, Amsterdam Drift is a fine, if unexceptional track. It’s certainly better than a couple of other Tour tracks that have made the jump to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, especially at higher speeds, but there are superior ones to be found in?? Wave 4.

[caption id="attachment_368379" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

7. Riverside Park (MK:SC)

There are probably better tracks from Mario Kart: Super Circuit to choose from than Riverside Park, but I have to hand it to the develo?pers for the wonderful job they did with its conversion to 3D. This brief jungle course has plenty of tight turns and little jumps to con?tend with, but the big feature of the track comes at the end with a huge 360-degree turn up a mountain and out a waterfall.

On the GBA, this was a flat and not-too-special turn. In revisiting it, the developers have transformed this final turn into an excellent set-piece that really lets the track stand on its own. Still, Lakeside Park would have been the better of ??the two to bring to the? Booster Course Pass. Fingers crossed it shows up in one of the final two waves.

[caption id="attachment_368375" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

6. Bangkok Rush (MKT)

Bangkok Rush is a wonderful addition from Mario Kart Tour that offers up some of the most chall?enging turns I’ve seen yet in this DLC collection. Like all of the city courses, it offers up some charming recreations of real locations from Bangkok, including the famous Chao Phraya River and a Talat Rotfai.

The way the developers have incorporated these features into the race is brilliant, but what’s absolutely stunning about this track is how it gives players so many different routes they can take. Each lap will let players go high or stay low in certain sections, and there are benefits to both. Staying low gives you a lot more space to work with, but going high might help you win the race if you can master those corners and tight corridors. This track will be an absolute blast onli??ne and I can’t wait to see how players find the best route through it.

[caption id="attachment_368374" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

5. DK Summit (MKWii)

To many, DK Summit is one of the stand-out tracks from Mario Kart Wii. This reimagining of Double Dash’s DK Mountain as a downhill slalom sends racers careeni?ng down a snowy snowboard course complete with halfpipes, moguls, and other skiers to get in your way. It’s an absolute bl??ast on 200cc, and it would likely be ranked higher here if my brain would just stop comparing it to Mount Wario, which takes the downhill ski concept and runs with it to places this track never could.

Still, I appreciate the changes the developers have made to the track, including reducing the width of it in many spots, because, like a lot of the tracks from Mario Kart Wii, the original was way too wi?de. That said, I do wish the snow in the final section would have kept its original size because now it's too easy for players ??to skip using the halfpipe altogether.

[caption id="attachment_368382" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

4. Mario Circuit (MKDS)

Are there other tracks from Mario Kart DS I would rather have seen in this wave? Of course. We still don’t have Airship Fortress or Delfino Square. But prior to racing through this in Wave 4, I had completely forgotten what Mario Circuit looked like in that game. It’s a highly forgettable track, which is why I’m so impressed with the glow-up it’s received with its appear??ance in the Booster Course Pass.

The best features of the track are still here, namely the fireball-spitting piranha plants, but an entire section of this course has been reimagined as a serene forest. It’s truly stunning to race through this track??, and I love the addition of the sleeping Wiggler that wakes up and starts stomping around on the final lap. Maybe I’m being a bit too generous with this placement, but there is something so relaxing about this track that I can’t help but love it.

[caption id="attachment_368376" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

3. Singapore Speedway (MKT)

Singapore Speedway is the opposite of relaxing. Th??is is a full-throttle race with an incredible sense of verticality that’ll have players gliding across the neon-lit cityscape. Like with Bangkok Rush, the way the track incorporates the sights of the city into the race is stunning. In the first lap, you’ll go flying to th??e top of the Marina Bay Sands resort and race in its rooftop pool.

The second lap includes a stunning and drift-friendly drive through a glowing Chinatown while the final lap sends racers careening on the city’s Gardens by the Bay. I would have ranked this track a spot higher, but the final lap does go on a bit longer than it should with a second trip to Chinatown. But beyond that, this is one of the best Mario Kart Tour tracks to make the jump to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

[caption id="attachment_368381" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

2. Waluigi Stadium (MK:DD)

Like with Mario Circuit, there are other tracks I would have rather seen from Mario Kart: Double Dash in this wave of DLC, including the outstanding Wario Colosseum or Mushroom City. But that doesn’t mean I’m not excited to see Waluigi Stadium back on my television screen. In fact, the changes made to the course improve it over its previous appearances in Double Dash and as a classic track in Mario Kart Wii. Waluigi’s Stadium has seen some much-needed renovations and the new nighttime setting is exactly what this course needs. The addition of two raised se??ctions, one at the end of the halfpipe and one right before the final jump of the course, creates new opportunities for players to take the lead in the extremely tight races. It’s a solid addition, and I’m happy we didn’t have to wait for this one to show up in Mario Kart Tour before it was added here.

[caption id="attachment_368378" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

1. Yoshi’s Island (MK8DBCP)

Surprised? You shouldn’t be. It’s not every track that receives its own article written by Chris Carter. But when a track is this good, it deserves to be celebrated as much as possible. Yoshi’s Island is easily the best track we’ve seen in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass. It is a brilliant reimagining of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island as a Mario Kart track, and the way the developers have incorporated so many things from that game and its sub-series?? sequels into the race should be celebrated. In fact, my jaw dropped for a good 45 seconds the first time I realized I could trigger the secret red path at the end of the track and jump through the flower ring. It’s a brilliant design with so many wonderful small features that I can’t help but love it. In both design and personality, Yoshi’s Island ??is a winner.

And hey, if we can get a track based on this Mario spin-off, maybe we can get a track based on one of the Wario titles. I mean, could you imagine Warioware or Wario Land: Shake It! as a Mario Kart track?

_{[This review is based on a retail version of the DLC purchased by the reviewer.]}

The post Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course ?Pass Wave 4 reviewed and ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Content to keep rolling until 2024

As part of this weekend's ARC tournament series, publisher Nexon and developers Arc System Works and Eighting announced that there is still plenty of exciting new content planned for wild fighter DNF Duel, which will see new characters, mech??anics, and stages added to th??e anime scrapper well into 2024.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7Z0_SkT9F??I&ab_channel=DNFDuel

Nexon has previously teased the coming of the deadly fashionista samurai, Spectre, but a new season pass announcement notes that there will be four further fighters added to the title, but two more characters are expected in 2023, and two more in 2024, for a total of five DLC characters. A new stage will also be arriving in the winter of this year. The action kicks o??ff with Spectre's arrival this summer, which also brings a revised Awakening system, and an entirely new mechanic.

DNF Duel hasn't quite taken off as well as Nexon had hoped, but has found itself a passionate community, (including this author). It's a great-looking name, with fabulous animation and a really varied roster of characters. But DNF Duel's?? most interesting element is also its most divisive: The game takes a wild approach to combat, with high damage, lengthy combos, and a lack of fear in regards to the characters having uber-powerful buttons and/or abilities. This makes for dynamic and engaging matches, but many have also complained that?? the title is too embracing of its chaotic nature.

Still, the fact that the development team has a fistful of new roster additions in the works �with ArcSys likely keeping the title on its pro-tour for the foreseeable future, is a good sign that DNF Duel has not been abandoned simply because it isn't doing Tekken numbers. And that's as it should be, as DNF Duel, th?ough an underdog, still deserves to be part o??f the main stage conversation.

DNF Duel is available now on PlayStation and ??PC. A Nintendo Switch port launches April 20.

The post DNF Duel has at least fou??r DLC charac?ters planned after Spectre appeared first on Destructoid.

Nintendo Switch port arrives April 20, 2023

Nexon has a glut of exciting new info for fans of its highly enjoyable and ultra-aggressive scrapper DNF Duel �Not only is the vaunted "Grand Balance Patch" now live on all platforms, but the publisher has offered a release date for the Nintendo Switch port, and also revealed that multiple new ch?aracters will be rolling out across 2023.

The Grand Balance Patch represents the first major update to DNF Duel's frenzied and chaotic action, with a flow that favors aggression, flashy combos, and highly extensive damage. The patch hopes to bring some of the characters that were struggling a little �such as Grappler and Inqu??isitor �in line with some of the online monsters such as Swift Master and Dragon Knight. In addition, the patch offers higher HP for all characters, and overhauls the defense system to allow for more combo-stopping Guard Breaks.

//www.youtub??e.com/watch?v=bIG1gEQquKk&ab_channel=DNFDuel

You can check out the full list of character changes over on the official DNF Duel website. As previously noted, the overhaul appears to be more about bringing lesser fighters up than bringing stronger fighters down. This is in keeping with DNF Duel's divisive, ?(but in my ??opinion, welcome) aggressive style

In addition to the patch notes, Nexon announced that it will be launching a season pass for 2023, which will offer up five additional characters over the course of the new year. We already know that the sultry swordmistress, Spectre, will be the first ?of these new DLC fighters, but the identities of the remaining four remain shrouded in mystery for the time being.

Great news to see that the title will be receiving another full year of support, at the very least, and here's to hoping that it will keep the anime scrapper live 'n' kicking on the competitive scene. It was also announced that DNF Duel is currently on sale on both PlayStation an??d PC (via Steam), with a meaty 50% price discount. So, if you've been on the fence, now is the perfect time to get on board for a full year of sword 'n' sorcery action.

DNF Duel launches on Nintendo Switch April 20, 2023.

The post DNF Duel balan??ce update now live, DLC characters en route, Switch port in?coming appeared first on Destructoid.

The Satellite Scramble takes off on September 15

A new Fall Guys season is taking off this week, and it's headed for the stars. Fall Guys launches Season 2 this week, dubbed Satel?lite Scramble, goes live on September 15.

As you can guess, this new season is all galactic. Space-themed variations of other Rounds found in Solos, Duos, and Squads will roll out, as will some new Costumes?? and Challenges.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELZo29FsCTA

A mission to repair the Fall Guys satellite can net a few rewards: a Space Bean nickname, some Kudos, a Satellite Explorer nameplate, Space Icons pattern, and a Satellite bac??kpack at the highest tier.

But the big attraction, of course, is the new Rounds. Several new levels will join the Fall Guys rotation.

A whole new world

The Tiptoe Finale seems hilarious, as four squads try to tiptoe their way to victory. It's like the usual Tiptoe round where some platforms are stable and others fall, except four teams are racing to the center for th?e crown.

Starchart? sees beans leaping and tryin?g to run across invisible paths to reach the end. Sure, you could hit the buttons to light the way, but what fun is that?

Pixel Painters has players hop ?on tiles to spell out patterns, while the Cosmic Highway has rows of rotating and moving platforms. Hy??perdrive Heroes brings back the moving platform hijinks, moving in a circular route as obstacles whiz by.

Hex-a-terrestrial has players navigate floating platforms, while Space Race sends the Gauntlet into the stars. Frantic Factory is a free-for-all variant of Button Bashers. And yes, ev?en more new obstacles will make them all chaotic and ripe for falling.

The Season will have both a premium and free track. And the premium tra??ck in particular has some wild-sounding costumes, including Spock, the Xenomorph, and Hatsune Miku.

It sounds like a whole lot of space wackiness is coming to the now-free to play Fall Guys. Mediatonic says more improvements, bug fixes, and features are on the way. We'll see how big space gets for Fall Guys on September 15.

The post Fall Guys launches into sp??ace with ??Season 2 this week appeared first on Destructoid.

There will be cosmetics, but no bargains for pure power

Blizzard Entertainment has published its latest Diablo IV quarterly update, this time discussing the game's ??monetization and shop. While there will be cosmetics for purchase, Blizzard is saying up-front that there won't be any paying ?for power.

In today's update, the studio says it will have a cosmetics shop and seasonal passes, alongside the Seasons system modeled after Diablo III. For each new season, you create a new character and engage with the new seasonal content, allowing players to jump in even if they missed the last season. The first season will be available soo?n after launch, and the team is aiming for four seas??ons a year.

This on-ramp mandates that all power needs to come from playing the game itself. So, in Blizzard's own words, "you will not be able to pay for power in Diablo IV."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RdDpqCmjb4

The Season Pass rewards will have free and premium tiers. The latter won't contain any in-game power or advantage over other players ?who don't have that tier, though. The Free Tier will provide gameplay boosts, but those will be available for all players. These Season Boosts can help players out for the duration of the season, adding things like accelerated XP gain.

While players can purchase tiers to advance through the pass, Blizzard also says that you can't just unlock all the seasonal boosts through purchases alone. Th?ese will also have level milestones associated with them, so while players can jump ahead to grab cosmetic rewards from higher tiers, they can't shortcut the play-time necessary for the boosts.

The post-launch plans also sound extensive, as Blizzard's Kegan Clark writes that Diablo IV will have an "army of developers" for years to come after launch. Seasons will include new gameplay, quests, challenges, changes to the meta, and quality-of-life improvements?.

Headed back to shop

The Cosmetics Shop, meanwhile, will offer some custom visual appearance options for premium currency. The shop is optional, and according to B??lizzard, the "best-looking cosmetics" aren't exclusive to the shop.

Diablo IV will ship with "hundreds" of transmogs that drop in-game, including Unique and Legendary gear, th??at won't show up in the shop. It seems like the intent behind the Shop is to offer another cosmetic option, rather than the only one. Cosmetics bought in the shop will be usable on all characters of that ?class too, so no need to buy multiples of a single Necromancer set, for example.

This seems like it could be a comforting note for folks worried about Diablo IV after the monetization seen in Diablo Immortal. Blizzard seems like it really wants to assuage those fears, and that's valid. Immortal had issues, and the launch of Diablo III was marred by the real money auction house. We'll see how the plans work out for this team when Diablo IV goes live sometime in the future.

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"Stop typing Fatal Furries," he yelled at himself

Evo 2022 marks the first time I've actually sat down and watched every Top 8 in the tournament, and I have to say that, besides the dullness of Robocop vs. Robocop in Mortal Kombat 11, this year has been tremendous to watch. Several of these Grand Finales have been pretty damn epic. I've been enthralled watching these professional fighters show just what is possible with complete mastery of these fighting games. Unfortunately, blockbuster announcements out of Evo have been pretty scarce this year. The reveal of Marie as a playable character in Skullgirls 2nd Encore kicked things off right, but Saturday was mostly quiet on this front. Leave it to Sunday's King of Fighters XV Top 8 to turn things around. We got a bevy of announcements following the Grand Finale, including the confirmation of a new Fatal Fury/Garou.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YP3wVygHLg

There's not much to go on there, but hey, it's just great to know that this is in development. It has been quite some time since SNK has taken a turn with this series. The last original Fatal Fury/Garou game released in 1999. No release date or p?latforms were given, but I can only assume this game will be the highlight of a futur?e Evo tournament.

Outside of that news, SNK also revealed what's coming next to its current hit fighter. Team Awakening Orochi, consisting of Orochi Yashiro, Orochi Shermie, and Orochi Chris, arrives tomorrow, August 8, for the King of Fighters XV. This autumn, the fourth team of DLC characters will arrive for the game as a crossover with the Samurai Shodown franchise. Haohmaru, Darli Dagger, an??d Nakoruru will make up Team Samurai. To top it all off, a second seas?on of DLC was announced for 2023 that will include Shingo Yabuki and Kim Kaphwan as well as crossplay between platforms.

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

Some other announcements out of Evo 2022 include the addition of rollback netcode to Dragon Ball FighterZ, which is great because I want that game to have a long, long life in the competitive scene. It's too much of a joy to watch for it to not be on the main stage. Rollback netcode is also coming to Samurai Shodown next year.

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Don't move, you can really get hurt

One bit of criticism I have for Evo 2022 is just how late it's allowing these tournaments to go. Day 2 went on for so long that it technically ended on Day 3. With another post-midnight finish in the works for the final day of the show, the folks at Arc System Works gave everyone a break by bringing their big announcement for Guilty Gear Strive to the Evo stage before the Top 8 tournament started. And what an announcement it was. Not only is Bridget coming to the game as part of Guilty Gear Strive's second season of DLC, b?ut Bridget will be playable starting tomorrow, August 8.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMlf83j7WD8

Armed with a yo-yo and mechanized teddy, Bridget debuted in Guilty Gear X2 and has been a fan favorite ever since. A poll conducted by Arc System Works in 2013 named Bridget the most popular character in the franchise. So it was only a matter of time before Bridget was added to Strive.

With the reveal of Bridget, Arc System Works also reminded fans of its roadmap for the second season of DLC. A second fighter is scheduled to release this year as part of the season pass with the third and fourth characters hitting in 2023 alongside two new battle stages. New fighters are always great, but I love ?when developers? make sure to include new arenas as part of DLC season passes.

In addition to the big Bridget news, it was also revealed that Guilty Gear Strive has sold one million copies.

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Fame and Kudos are touchy subjects

Multiplayer platformer royale Fall Guys went free-to-play last week, with its first free season and a new model launching across new and old platforms. A lot of players have been dipping back in, or jumping on for the first time. But some Fall Guys f?ans, especially long-time players, seem frustrated with the changes made to its monetization model.

Prior to the free-to-play launch, Mediatonic's competitive game-show-style platformer Fall Guys was a one-time buy game. With the move to free??-to-play, the model has shifted from using Crowns (wins). Now Crowns just go towards a separate, smaller cosmetic track.

The price of Fame

One major area of frustration is with Fame, the currency used to progress in the seasonal pass. It's similar to the battle pass model used by games like Fortnite. Fall Guys players earn Fame for every match played, which then goes towards levelling up? in the pass.

The move to free-to-play has caused some friction, as noted by Gamerant. Some users have discovered that the difference in Fame between finishing in a later stage or getting knocked out immediately is negligible, though. Some players suggest it might be faster to blast? through the pass by simply ??losing.

The frustration here's a bit understandable. I can say through my own playing over the last week, pass progression started out fast but f??elt like it slowed down the further I went. The challenges help, but the Dailies and Weeklies are limited.

Crowns are king

Winning also used to carry a more direct cosmetic boon than it does now, too. Where Crowns used to turn into s?pendable currency for cosmetics in the shop, they now just go towards a longer cosmetics reward track. Those are fun to unlock, with some golden nostalgia lying way, way down the line. But it also means that, coupled with Fame fall-offs, winning just doesn't carry the?? same bounty for some.

"Games aren’t fun if it feels like there are no rewards and Fall Guys is giving the players very little," said one user in a long analysis of the new systems.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqNs9Dn4RoI

Some tension was to be expected over adding more monetization into Fall Guys via the purchasable Show-Bucks (similar to Fortnite V-Bucks). But there seems to be frustration over not just one or two things, but several aspects of the new model.

I say all this, while I have been largely unaware and blissfully enjoying a return to Fall Guys. The shows introduced in some seasons between when I stopped playing and now are a blast, and the move to free-to-play has made it easy to convince friends to download and try it out. Mediatonic posted that it hit a 20-million player milestone within the first 48 hours o??f its first f?ree season.

That's all in the short term, though. Mediatonic's new approach to Fall Guys could cause some long-term tension.

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Now with 100% more Baiken

Guilty Gear Strive season pass owners might want to stock up on popcorn* this weekend, as Arc System Works has announced that it will be dropping the "Another? Story" DLC expansion on PC an??d PlayStation exactly one week from now: Friday, April 29.

As opposed to the recent GG Strive DLC drops �that have brought us a bevy of fantastic new characters, colors, and stages �"Another Story" is simply an extension to Strive's whacked-out story mode. The new chapters, which run parall?el to the main timeline, will give us a glimpse of what the remainder of the roster was doing while Sol Badguy, Giovanna, Goldlewis Dickinson, That Man, ??and co. were farting about in Washington D.C.

The new story chapters will feature fan favorites such as the ethereal Ramlethal, the happy-go-lucky May, as well as stoic samurai swordswoman Baiken. We will also meet a mysterious child, Delilah whose sinister history ties into Bedman and the Universal Will's previous efforts to destroy mankind. Curious. The Another Story DLC is an exclusive download for all Guilty Gear Strive season pass? owners, it will not be made available for purchase separately.

The arrival of Testament last month brought an end to Strive's first run o??f DLC characters. But with EVO, Arcrevo World Tour, and a huge player community, the wild adventures of the GG crew are far from over, and the smart money is on a second season pass being announced sometime this summer.

Guilty Gear Strive is available now on PlayStation and PC.

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You can fit so much Wonder in these Lands

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands might not even be open for business just yet, but that hasn't stopped publisher 2K Games from rolling out the deets for its lurid-looking post-release content. The publisher has detailed the wild 'n' wacky title's season pass, which offers the Borderlands spin-off an additional four chapters of carnage.

The season pass features an umbrella setting of Dreamveil Overlook where the mysterious fortune teller, Vesper, challenges the player to peer into the Mirrors of Mystery before being whisked off to one ?of four new worlds, complete with its own map, enemies, and boss encounters.? In time, each of the four worlds will increase in strength and difficulty, providing ever-greater challenges as players run 'n' gun their way through the deadly cavalcade of whimsy.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfmlXFEe7Vw

To help our heroes on their way, Vesper will also offer them a spin of the Wheel of Fate, which offers up legendary gear and weaponry to help turn the odds a little in the protagonists' favor. In addition, all of the enemies defeated in the new worlds will be added to Tiny Tina's Wonderlands' randomized dungeon mode: The Chaos Chamber. Aside from the??se world e??xpansions, season pass owners will progressively bag themselves new cosmetic items and, eventually, a yet-to-be-revealed seventh class.

That's not all. 2K Games and Epic Games have also announced a collaboration between Tiny Tina's Wonderlands and battle royale juggernaut Fortnite. Anybody who pre-orders the former from the Epic Games Store wi??ll automatically bag themselves a Diamond Pony Glider for the latter, so you can roll into your next 1 vs. 100 ?battle not only in style, but also with an unmistakable target painted onto your forehead �'cos stealthy it ain't.

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands launches March 25 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms. You can check out our own Chris Carter's early impressions in his report right here.

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Death Walks in High Heels

It's taken almost 10 long, loooong years of waiting, but it's finally happening. As announced by Autumn Games this afternoon, the ice-cold assassin of the Medici Mafia, Black Dahlia, is preparing to make her terrifying presence felt in fantastic tag-team fighter Skullgirls �the third DLC characte?r from the title's Season One Pass.

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

To date, Black Dahlia has only featured as an NPC within the Skullgirls universe, but that does not mean that she hasn't made her presence fully felt. Rising through the ranks of the Medici crime family, Black Dahlia sits as the left hand of boss Lorenzo Medici, where she operates as both his bodyguard and hired gun. Dahlia is responsible for numerous heinous acts within the Skullgirls timeline, including the killing of The Fishbone Gang, the quartering of Ms. Fortune, and, most horribly of al?l, the cold-hearted murder of young Sienna Contiello, now resurrected as roste??r member Squigly.

Black Dahlia is a merciless, cruel, and morally abhorrent figure within Skullgirls' cartoonish universe. And while it goes against every fiber of my moral being, she also happens to be my favorite character. I'm so excited for her arrival.

In addition to the reveal of Black Dahlia, Autumn Games has offered up a new trailer for the incoming DLC character Umbrella, who operates at the far cuter and 200% more wholesome end of the Skullgirls spectrum. The teams at Hidden Variable and Future Club have been working exceptionally hard on this rain-based cutie-patootie, who is the younger sister of alluring roster mainstay Parasoul. Umbrella, (along with her new stage), will be joining Skullgirls early 2022.

The Skullgirls Season One Pass offers up four additional characters �including Annie of the Stars, Umbrella, Black Dahlia, and a fourth unannounced character �as well as a digital soundtrack and art compendium. It is available to purchase now on all platforms. Skullgirls 2nd Encore ??is available now on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

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Ella-ella-ella...

Autumn Games, in association with Hidden Variable, has revealed the next character getting set for SHOWTIME in the fantastic tag-fighter Skullgirls. And amidst a bevy of potential pugilists, it turns out t?o be none other than the adorable, r?ain-wary moppet Umbrella!

An ancillary character from Skullgirls' deep-lore universe, Umbrella is the younger sister of the divine Parasoul, which makes her a royal-in-waiting for the kingdom of Canopy. A wide-eyed child of wonder, Umbrella has quite a heavy burden hanging over her and her sibling, giving the turmoil that rages throughout Canopy and the ensuing war with the Medici Mafia. Still, Umbrella is already prepping herself for battle, and will do ??whatever it takes to keep herself and her big sister out of harm's way.

As you can see from her reveal trailer, it's still early days for Umbrella, with just a few cutesy stances and winpose animations on offer. But fans can expect the cool kid to bring her own unique style to the Skullgirls battlefield, utilizing both her love of ice-cream and her frankly frightening brolly, Hungern, to? make up for h?er lack of training and diminutive stature. Looks like sisters really are doing it for themselves.

Umbrella will arrive as part of Skullgirls' Season One Character Pass later this year and will also be joining the roster of Skullgirls Mobile. In more happy news, Future Club, the studio born out of the dissolution of Lab Zero Games, is involved in DLC development. Two more DLC characters will be announced as 2021 progresses. I don't have my gal Black Dahlia just yet, but at least she remains a possibility. Given the huge Skullgirls univ?er?se, however, almost anybody is up for grabs.

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So many potential pugilists, who could it be?

It's 2021, and plucky punch-up Skullgirls is in as strong a position as it has ever been. Despite not being the biggest brawler on the block, Autumn Games' excellent tag-fighter has? endured against the odds to remain one of the slickest fighting games available, almost a decade on from launch.

And "SHOWTIME" is set to continue with the arrival of the game's first season pass, bringing new fighters, stages, music, and other features to the super-stylized release. Having already welcomed Annie of the Stars to its roster ba??ck in March, Autumn ??Games will reveal the identity of the second character getting set to throw hands on Thursday, May 6.

Skullgirls is packed to the rafters with lore, featuring a huge cast of ancillary characters. As such, it could be practically anybody from the Skullgirls universe getting ready to step into the r?ing. From background characters, to failed crowdfunding sta??rs, to entirely new personalities — it's almost impossible to make accurate assumptions as to who will be hitting the ring next.

I'm personally hoping for sadistic society assassin Black Dahlia, though I know a lot of fans want to see clumsy waitress Mimette get her time in the spotlight. Ultimately, the community will be thankful that Skullgirls has maintained momentum this far into its lifespan. Hopefully, the new content will help attract even more players, freshly discovering what the community has known for a decade: Skullgirls is one of the finest fighting games on the market ??today.

pic.twitter.com/kd39gPL9ii

— Skullgirls (@Skullgirls) April 25, 2021

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Ex-Lab Zero developers are back on brand

In a delightful bit of news to start the day, it has been confirmed that Future Club - the indie developer born out of the dissolution of Lab Zero - will be directly involved in the creation of new Skullgirls content, alongside current developer Hidde?n Variable and publisher Autumn Games.

Last month, Autumn Games showcased a bright future for the awesome tag-fighting title, announcing a brand new season of content including multiple new DLC characters and stages. While this was wonderful news, it brought with it a twinge of sadness, with the possibility that the original Skullgirls team - many of whom left Lab Zero due to its toxic environment - would not?? be involved in the new content's creation.

But in a new tweet, Autumn Games confirmed that Hidden Variable will indeed be working with these developers and their new studio, Future Club, in order to design and create exciting new content for Skullgirls, to be drip-fed to its dedicated community of? players over the coming years.

Future Club expressed its delight at the partnership in a tweet of its own. "That's right!" exclaimed the fledgling studio. "Future Club and Hidden Variable have been working together to continue Skullgirls! We're so glad that we can bring you the next chapter of Skullgirls togethe??r, and we're even more thankful to our a?mazing community for keeping the spirit alive!"

Currently on sale at a limited-time discounted price, Skullgirls Season 1? pass includes new gal Annie of the Stars, a digital a??rtbook, an expanded soundtrack and three mystery characters to arrive across 2021 and 2022. Each new character will bring with them 25 color variants, a new stage, and their own custom story mode.

With Future Club on board, and the toxicity of Lab Zero Games behind them, this dream team of developers and publisher is free to focus entirely on keeping the spirit of Skullgirls alive, ensuring that this brilliant fighter and its passionate playerbase remain on stage for?? performance, after performance, after performance. Curtain Up.

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Annie joins the battle in second quarter

Skullgirls fans, (such as yours truly), have reason to breathe a sigh of relief this morning, as new plans laid out by publisher Autumn Games and developer Hidden Variable suggest th??at the future is very bright indeed for the gorgeous and highly engaging cartoon fighter.

Autumn Games not only announced the release timing for new gal Annie of the Stars - who will arrive on PC in Early Access next month before joining the game proper in May - but it also revealed the existence of a new season pass, teasing a further three DLC characters who are headed to the roster across 2021 and 2022. Currently on sale at a discounted price of $30, the Skullgirls Season 1 Pass offers all four DLC characters, a digital artbook, and an updated soundtrack. Each ??new character will arrive complete with a selection ?of 25 color palettes, a new stage, and their own story mode.

The publisher hopes that, should the season pass prove a success, it can afford to add extra free content and an additional fifth character in 2022. On the negative side, Autumn Games is finally ending its long-time support for the earliest editions of Skullgirls, and as such the new DLC will not be coming?? to the PS3, PS Vita, and Xbox 360 platfor??ms.

While the concept of season passes is often frowned upon, I am down for this. Not only is Skullgirls one of "the little gals" in an expensive and crowded fighting game marketplace, but back in its formative years it offered up many of its DLC characters free-of-charge for a limited time. As such, I'm more than happy to support the title - following years of entertainment - as it attempts to re-find its feet following ugly controversies. Plus... anything to increase the chances of Black Dahlia. Hopefully, members of new studio Future Club can also become involved in the design and development process.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore is available now on PS4, PC, Xbox One. Skullgirls Season 1 Pass will be available to purchase at some point in the near future. We'll give yo??u a heads-??up.

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It'll also take you to new places

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Bokujo Monogatari/Story of Seasons franchise, and Marvelous is doing what it can to keep players hooked to its upcoming release throughout 2021. The next entry in the series, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, is slated for release in the west t?his March. Start??ing in April, players will be able to download DLC expansions that will add new locations and scenarios to the game, as well as some returning faces.

The expansion pass will include five parts, with one part to release each month from A??pril through August. Included in this DLC are:

Part 1 (April 2021)

• Animal Attire costumes.
• Olive Town Mystery Files: A new scenario featuring Mikey and Cindy as they investigate the mysteries around Olive Town.

Part 2 (May 2021)

• Windswept Falls Expansion Pack: Four characters from a previous 3DS title return in a brand new area players can explore. Includes two marriage candidates.

Part 3 (June 2021)

• School Uniforms costumes.
• Terracotta Oasis Expansion Pack: Four characters from Story of Seasons return in an exotic oasis location players can explore. Includes two marriage candidates.

Part 4 (July 2021)

• Yukata Set costumes.
• The Legendary Sprite Dance: A new scenario featuring the sprites attempting to revive their legendary dance and feast.

Part 5 (August 2021)

• Twilight Isle Expansion Pack: Four characters from Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns return in an island location covered in twilight. Includes two marriage candidates.

Looking at the list, I am all for new scenarios and locations, but I'm not quite sure how interested I'm going to be in new marriage candidates when I'll definitely be married by the time the first pack hits. Nevertheless, it'll be fun to see which characters from those previous 3DS games -- Harvest Moon 3D: A New Beginning, Story of Seasons, and Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns -- will return. I mean, I'm going to have to assume the Windswept Falls pack is for A New Beginning and not Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns.

If you are interested in getting more out of Pioneers of Olive Town, the expansion pass will retail for $19.99 or as part of the Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town + Expansion Pass set for $69.99. If you buy the DLC before March 23, you will receive three sets of costumes from Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town and Trio of Towns.

Xseed Games Details 'Expansion Pass' and Post-Launch DLC for Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town on Nintendo Switch [Xseed]

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The second season pass wraps up with some goodies

The second season pass for Soulcalibur VI is about to wrap up, and it's going out in a good way. Hwang, one of the characters who first appeared in franchise precursor Soul Edge,? will finally be made playable when he's added next month as the 13th piece of DLC for the game.

But that's not all. Because on December 2, the game will be getting its 14th DLC pack as well that adds some paid and free goodies to the game. If you love customizing characters, get ready for more options that include new bits from the Tekken universe, as well as a new stage ??and new episodes?? with Nightmare and Mitsurugi.

And now the wait begins for the complete edition on next-gen consoles.

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A split between paid and free DLC

Assassin's Creed Odyssey was absolutely herculean in its approach to post-launch content. On the paid side, it featured two very substantial add-ons, each made up of three episodes. The free support was substantial too, as every player got access to 11 free missions called The Lost Tales of Greece. All of that was alongside level cap increases, new skills, a story creation mode, a discovery walkabout mode, and more. When all was said and done, Assassin's Creed Odyssey was relevant for?? more than a year after it first released.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla seemingly has similar ambitions, albeit maybe not quite as grand. Ubisoft has announced its plans for Assassin's Creed Valhalla's DLC, a??nd it takes the same two-pronged approach to free and paid-for content.

Both of the premium add-ons will have Eivor leaving England. The first, called Wrath of the Druids, takes place in Ireland. It prominently features Gaelic myths, haunted forests, and a druidic cult. Wrath of the Druids is scheduled to launch in Spring 2021.

The second paid DLC channels its inner Assassin's Creed Unity. It's titled The Siege of Paris, and it tackles one of the most famous battles in Viking history. Ubisoft details it by saying "players wil?l infiltrate the fortified city of Paris and the River Seine under a prolonged siege, uncover enemy secrets, and form str?ategic alliances to safeguard their clan's future." This add-on is planned for Summer 2021.

Additionally, anyone who buys the $40 season pass (or who purchases the Gold or Ultimate edition of Valhalla) will have access to the "Legend of Beowulf" quest which is available at launch. We learned about the Beowulf quest around the time Valhalla was announced, but ???this is the first time Ubisoft has actually confirmed it.

As for free stuff, Ubisoft is breaking the cadence?? of content updates into seasons. Here's what's expected for the first season (which launches in December 2020):

• A new settlement area, allowing players to continue to grow? and evolve the?ir settlement.
• A traditional Viking Festival: the Yule Festival, for players to experience in their settlemen?t.
• A new game mode: the River Raids. Building on Valhalla's core raiding mechanic the mode will deliver a dynamic, challenging and highly replayable raid?? experience.
• The addition of the Ranks for Jomsviking: in Assassin's Creed Valhalla players can not only create their lieutenant to be part of their raiding crew, but als??o recruit some from their friends and the community. In Season 1, players will see an update t?o the Jomsviking feature which will allow their Jomsviking to earn XP and rank up -- the higher will be the rank of the lieutenant, the more silver players will earn when recruited by other players.
• Final??ly, as for each season, Season 1 will also come with new player skills and abilities, weapons and gear, and cosmetic items for the settlement, longship, horse and raven.

There are four seasons of free updates planned, extending all the way into Fall 2021. That would make Valhalla relevant for about exactly one year. It worked wonders with Odyssey. No s?ense reinventing the wheel whe?n you've already found a successful formula.

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The third and final expansion to draft some aces

On previous lists looking on the Pokémon meta, we've seen both brand new Pokémon set the tier list aflame as well as witness old favorites continue holding down the fort. Now it's time to see what has changed since the base game launched with how the Isles of Armor brought back classic Pokémon, gave current dex Pokémon new tools, and determine how some returning legendaries may fare when the Crown Tundra releases.

Some tha?t were on previous versions of the list, like Gyarados, are still dangerous owing to the strength and longevity of their sets. Others, like Durant, will experience a dip in usage as old rivals l??ike Scizor return, better than ever with new moves like Dual Wingbeat for Scizor specifically.

One such example worth pointing out for Crown Tundra is everyone's favorite meme sweeper, Dracovish. Dracovish's number one problem is a lack of speed. Without speed, Fiscious Rend will be working at half strength when Dracovish inevitably goes second, unless this is remedied with Choice Scarf or Sticky Web support. The new Hidden Patch item coming with Crown Tundra, however, will switch a Pokémon's ability to its hidden ability (with no option to go back if you desire). In Dracovish's case, its hidden ability is Sand Rush, doubling speed during a s??andstorm.

It is important to note the obvious, that Dracovish will lose Strong Jaw, which boosts Fiscious Rend's base power by 50%. So fixing one problem only creates a deficit in another place for Dracovish, so it can't catch a brea?k. Of course, Fiscious Rend will still hurt quite a bit, especially if you can guarantee that Dracovish won't be outsped, it just won't hurt quite as much. Sand Rush Dracovish will probably function as more of a late-game sweeper to pick off weakened Pokémon as opposed to Strong Jaw Dracovish working as a t??hreatening wall breaker.

Speaking of Pokémon returning from the base game to the expansions, Cinderace and Rillaboom have made a splash thanks to their hidden ability, which goes to show how changing one aspect of a Pokémon can make a mediocre 'mon amazing. Rillaboom got two new toys during Isle of Armor: access to its hidden ability, Grassy Surge, which creates grassy terrain, and Grassy Glide from the move tutor, which is a strong priority attack that only works on grassy terrain. Couple??d with Rillaboom's strong attack stat and a diverse selection of practical items, it's a strong offensive presence that can help revenge kill or wall break. Switching away from a G??rassy Glide, only to get smacked by Wood Hammer can hurt a lot, or if the Rillaboom trainer sees the switch coming, it can use U-Turn and maintain the momentum.

Cinderace, on the other hand, is experiencing Blaziken's ubers ban, getting quick banned to ubers in organized play like Smogon due to its own hidden ability, Libero. Lib?ero is basically just Greninja's Protean ability, switching its typing to match the move it uses. The difference between Greninja and Cinderace is that Cinderace actually has the offensive stats to back up its ability, alongside wide coverage of moves with high base power. With Libero granting automatic STAB for any move, Cinderace can hit hard with Pyro Ball, Hi Jump Kick, or Gunk Shot, all attacks that are over 100 BP. Cinderace even still has room for a more specialized strategy like U-Turn for momentum, Sucker Punch for priority, and Court Change for flipping field hazards like Stealth Rocks. Simply getting STAB with a wide variety of powerful moves already at its disposal makes Cinderace's 116 base attack hit that much harder, not to mention the defensive utility of changing its weaknesses and resistances.

Clefable is really thriving right now thanks to its hidden ability, Unaware. 95/73/90 across HP, defense, and special defense doesn't sound like a particularly bulky Pokémon, but Fairy-type carries very useful resistances, and having the choice between Magic Guard and Unaware makes Clefable impossible to chip away at after it invests in defensive EVs. While not the most powerful Pokémon, its bulk, combined with an incredibly diverse move pool, can mak?e Clefable hard to predict until it gets moving.

Will it use Thunder Wave to paralyze while stalling with Soft-Boiled? Or will it use Calm Mind to boost and turn its Moonblast into a powerhouse? Or maybe it'll use Wish then Teleport to safely heal a hurt sweeper to regain its momentum. Magic Guard lets Clefable's bulk stand out as it won't tak??e damage from Toxic or Sandstorm or even more insidious, Sticky Barb, before trying to pass it on to someone else.

Volcarona, along with every other bug dual-type Pokémon, is currently rejoicing at the prospect of Heavy Boots, the one thing that rectifies the staggering effect Stealth Rocks has had on the meta since its ince??ption. Forgoing a more useful item in favor of ignoring Stealth Rocks along with all other field hazards is an obvious choice considering Volc?arona is an example of a Pokémon that is extremely powerful on paper but has difficulty actually working in practice due to the threat of Stealth Rocks.

Nothing else has really even changed for Volcarona. It's always been quite powerful with Quiver Dance and a 135 base special attack to really punch holes in opposing teams, but now that it can travel to Galar through Pokémon HOME, ?it gets to experience life ?in a whole new light thanks to Heavy Boots.

Lastly, before we talk about some concrete additions to legendaries, we come to two Pokémon that share a singular buff in the form of the Isle of Armor move Poltergeist. Ghosts have long struggled to become powerhouses due to almost all of their moves having moderate to poor base power. Shadow Ball is 80 BP special attack that favors special sweepers while physically attacking ghosts are nearly non-existent. Pokémon like Giratina and Dusclops rely on more roundabout strategies to find work, while Giratina-O and Duskinoir rely on alternativ?es to ghost-type attacks to ??do damage.

Poltergeist singlehandedly gives them an offensive presence thanks to a beefy 110 BP, 100% accurate attack that only works on Pokémon holding items, which is virtually a 100% guaranteed chance. Duskinoir has always been overshadowed by its Eviolite enabled form, and Giratina only had Shadow Force to use, which is a two-turn attack that can be countered easily. Now with Poltergeist, physical ghost-types like thes?e two have more of a presence on the field compared to their usually more passive movesets.

Moving into the realm of legendaries as they have a lot of push with Crown Tundra and the Dynamax Adventure, a few are getting access to new moves to freshen up. Groudon, for example, will get Heat Crash, which will work well due to its weight class as it becomes stronger the more the user outweighs the target. Others, like Kyogre, don't get anything new because they're already too good. Speaking of the weather trio, Rayquaza can not only learn Meteor Beam, giving it access to rock-type coverage, but it also g?ains Hydro Pump, which I think is overkill on this overwhelmingly offensive force. Even without its mega form, getting this powerful water-type coverage will let it threaten opponents it wouldn't normally be able to intimidate before.

Cresselia has always classically been known as a wall and stall type of Pokémon, preferring to do more damage via Toxic then stalling with Moonlight healing more than anything else. Crown Tundra will give Cresselia access to Stored Power and Cosmic Power, letting Cresselia become impossible to kill wall while simultaneously boosting the power of its STAB Stored Power. While the overall stra??tegy doesn't change (wall out your opponent in a battle of attrition), Stored Power gives Cresselia access to a flashy finale after setting itself up to become a problem unless it gets forced out via Whirlwind or Roar.

Lastly on the list is a revisit on the Tapu guardians from my previous draft. While last time I just touched on what they'd bring to the table as they are, they'll now have access to the terrain specific moves that the Isle of Armor move tutor offers. That means Tapu Bulu will get priority with Grassy Glide, Tapu Lele will get a buffed up Expanding Force, Tapu Koko will get an amazing 140 BP Rising Voltage, and Tapu Fini will get Misty Explosion, which is frankly pretty bad, but Tapu Fini's role as a Defogger will remain intact as the pool of useful hazard cleaners is still pretty small. But all these new moves on the Tapus latent terrain setting abilities are sure to make them a deadly force in the meta. I'm a big fan of putting Tapu Bulu's tank ??and spank strategy on my teams, so giving him Grassy Glide is sure to surprise some people.

But these are only a small handful of contenders for now during Isle of Armor, and in the future with Crown Tundra. Even with just a few new Galarian Pokémon like the legendary birds or the new Regis, a few new moves and the addition of easy access to hidden abilities will make some fun shake-ups to the meta even after quickly finishing whatever content the Crown Tundra has to offer as a single-player experience.

The post Here are some strong contend??ers for Pokemon Sword and Shield: The Crown Tundra appeared first on Destructoid.

SvS (Spider versus Spider)

There are about a dozen possible takeaways from Ubisoft announcing Watch Dogs: Legion's post-launch content plans. Maybe you'd like to focus on the fact that some is free and some is paid-for. Or, you might zero in on the fact that the protagonists from the first two games ??show up in the story DLC.

Me? I'd like to shine that spotlight on the unlicensed BattleBots multiplayer mode.

Soon after launch, Watch Dogs: Legion is getting a PvP mode called Spider-Bot Arena. It's an eight-player deathmatch where eve??ryone takes control of a mechanical arachnid. Hop, shoot, and destroy. What a tangled web we weave.

That's just one reveal in this very detailed video. Let's t??ackle the rest in bullet-point style:

Free updates:

• Online open-world four-player co-op is coming on December 3, five weeks after the game first launches on October 29. This update will include new co-op missions and dynamic events. Tactical ops will be the most challenging cooperative missions, as they seem designed to function like raids.
• The aforesaid Spider-Bot Arena also appears to be part of the December 3 update.
• Invasion mode is coming back, which is a mode where you invade and hack other players' games.
• Ubisoft says more new game modes are planned but weren't detailed in the video.
• There are also new characters with new abilities, new missions, and new game-plus in the pipeline as free content.

Paid content:

• To the surprise of absolutely nobody, there's a season pass.
• The first expansion, titled Watch Dogs: Legion Bloodline, features a grizzled Aiden Pearce and Wrench from Watch Dogs 2. Bloodline promises "new storyline, new progression, and unique gameplay abilities."
• Season pass owners get access to four additional hero characters: Aiden Pearce, Wrench, Mina (a human test subject with mind control powers), and Darcy (a member of the Assassin Brotherhood because crossovers sell).
• The season pass also comes with: three additional DedSec story missions, an exclusive car skin, and a digital copy of Watch Dogs: Complete Edition. They kinda just snuck that last one in there.

The post Watch Dogs: Legion ha??s a BattleBots-like robo-spider death?pit mode appeared first on Destructoid.

Can easily be distracted with Bulma's underwear

It has been a minute since Dragon Ball FighterZ got a new character as part of its third season of DLC. Following the additions of Kefla and Ultra Instinct Goku earlier this year, Bandai Namco confirmed the third fighter to join the expansive roster this year will be Master Roshi. This dirty old man is bringing his legendary fighting style to FighterZ starting next month as the game's 41st character. To give fans an idea of how he'l?l play, Bandai Namco dropped the trailer below during its livestream on Sunday.

Boy howdy do I love the animation in this game. Dragon Ball FighterZ is now available for?? PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC.

The post ??Frequent nose-bleeder Master Roshi joins Drag??on Ball FighterZ next month appeared first on Destructoid.

RPG mode getting new chapters as well

It was a bit odd last December when Arc System Works and Cygames pulled back the curtain on the second season of DLC characters for Granblue Fantasy: Versus before the first season had even been revealed. But with such a large Granblue cast to choose from, it was pretty predictable the DLC train would keep rolling full-steam ahead. After wrapping up its first season with the addition of Zooey, Versus is ready to start its sophomore year with the previously revealed Belial and cute-as-a-b?utton Cagli??ostro.

Belial will be available for download on September 23 with Cagliostro following in late October. It should ?be noted due to COVID-19, neither character will launch with their English language voice?? overs. Twenty-twenty will see one more character added to the season pass with three more to follow in 2021.

Additionally, on August 9 -- or late night on August 8 depending on your timezone -- Granblue Fantasy: Versus will update to version 1.40. This update will add Boss Battle Time Attack and Blitz modes, as well as new c?hapters to the RPG mode. 

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is now available on PS4 and PC.

The post Gr?anblue Fantasy: Versus adding Belial next month, Cagliostro in October appeared first on Destructoid.

Minor League Chew

Despite any faults it might have, one thing I cannot say about Ninjala is that it lacks passion. This game has more heart than a Time Lord, and it's easy to see how much affection went into creating it. You see it in the characters, the art, the stages, the music, ?the weapons, and the lore. Nothing about this gives the impression the developers weren't giving it their all to create a ga??me where players can invest themselves in more than just the gameplay.

And that's for the best because the actual gameplay of Ninjala might be the most divisive thing about it.

Ninjala (Nintendo Switch)
Developer: GungHo Online
Publisher: GungHo Online
Released: June 24, 2020
MSRP: Free-to-play w/ microtransactions

Rather than compete with the growing number of free-to-play shooters, Ninjala opts to carve its own path with a brawler-focused online multiplayer game. After choosing your character, you'll hop right into battle and begin to figure out which playstyle and weapon best suits you. Your choices here have been greatly expanded from the beta tests developer GungHo ran in the lead-up to launch. Weapons are divided into three categories: katanas, hammers, and yo-yos. Each of these categories has four unique choic?es, such as the drill katana, sushi hammer, or basketball yo-yo.

Each weapon has its own attack style. Yo-yos are designed for long-distance attacks, hammers are great for close combat and when you're near multiple opponents, and the katanas split the difference as a great all-around choice. My personal favorite ended up bei?ng the Scroll Katana, which led to many ?top-two finishes.

You can discover your weapon of choice by visiting the dojo anytime you like. Here, you can test out the different weapons and how they feel, and familiarize yourself with their unique properties. Each ?weapon has a special attack, a Gum Shoot attack, and a Gum Ninjitsu attack, the latter of which is tied to a meter that charges throughout a match. Mastery of your special and Gum Shoot attacks will go a long way toward helping you reach the top of the rankings in every match. Of course, there's always the chance that nothing will work? out for you.

Ninjala is the most frustrating multiplayer experience I've had this year. I'm at a point now where I'm consistently finishing in the top three for every match I play, but I still find myself rolling my eyes at some of the designs. The parry is the worst offender. When two similar attacks hit, those two players will go into a direction-picking duel minigame to decide who gets the upper hand. To find out how this works, you'll have to dive into the weeds of the tutorials and even if you have the mechanic figured out, you can be stu??ck in this minigame for multiple rounds if you and your opponent keep picking the same direction. 

These parries wouldn't be such an issue if they didn't happen so often. I find myself getting into seven or eight a match, and they can go through several duels before a winner emerges. Or, as I'm wrapped up in one of these one-on-ones, another player will start attacking me. There is a dodge, but it's not as quick as it needs to be. You also have the S-Burst maneuver. This is supposed to be helpful when you're under attack but it doesn't always work out that way. Best case scenario is you wind up in a parry. Worst case scenario is your opponent breaks your weapon. Either wa??y, using the S-Burst drains you of S-Energy, a constantly refilling meter that dictates your usage of techniques li?ke dodge, S-Burst, and more.

The rest o??f the combat is fine, if incredibly simple. Its two basic attacks are tied to the shoulder buttons, but you can customize your controls and I highly suggest you do. There's no block button but you can use your gum to block attacks. You can increase the size of your S-Energy meter, and drive up your score, by taking down the various apple-shaped drones found on each stage. Des?troy enough of them and you'll be able to create a larger version of your weapon that can give you the upper hand as the final seconds count down in a match.

I think Ninjala has a solid idea of what an online multiplayer brawler should be, but the final execution is rather chaotic and random. I can be nailing a combo against an opponent on??ly to have somebody sneak up behind me and knock me out in two hits. Depending on the weapons your opponents have, it can often feel like you're getting hit from every direction w??ithout ever seeing who's attacking you.

This is a slightly less problematic issue in the team battle mode. Ninjala currently has two modes: ?battle royal and team battle (which you unlock after reaching level five). Both match??es feature eight players, though that doesn't always mean there are going to be eight people fighting. I've seen a lot of dropouts during this review period and one team match where it was four on two. My connection has been stable enough that I was never dropped from a match, but I did experience two disconnects from the server outside of battle.

When you're not fighting, you can spend time in the hub creating equipment favorites you can choose at the start of each fight. Once you pick your weapon, you're stuck with it for the rest of the match. You can also browse all the different ways GungHo wants you to spend money. Ninjala's central currency is the Jala, which can be used t??o buy its season pass, items from its shop, or gumballs from the gumball machine. The gumball machine will grant players variations of the different weapons for limited time use, such as a black corncob katana or a jewel-encrusted fidget spinner yo-yo. If you played the beta and enjoyed the variety of costumes and accesso??ries, know you'll have to pay for those now.

The most precious currency, however, is the gold ninja medal. You earn ninja medals as you level up, primarily silver and bronze. You can use these medals to unlock Shinobi Cards, which are cards that can give you an advantage in battle. There are four Shinobi Card?? slots, but only one is unlocked at the start of the game. The rest have to be opened with ninja medals. If you're not planning on spending money in this game, get ready to do some grinding if you want to get the necessary gold med?als needed to unlock those card slots. 

If you are planning to spend money, there is a single-player campaign available for purchase. This four-chapter story features Van, one of the kids you can select as your avatar, fighting Space Ninjas around Eagle City. While it ends with a phenomenal boss battle, the campaign feels like its a tutorial for a completely different game. Some of the issues with the multiplayer, such as the S-Burst and unreliable dodge, rear their ugly heads here, but mostly, the campaign is just a b??oring way to kill an hour. I mean, one of the missions has you following an enemy character using stealth and it's as tedious as it sounds. 

One thing the campaign does very well is getting the most out of the Eagle City map. Currently, there are just two multiplayer maps in the game: Eagle City and the WNA Academy. They couldn't be more different. The Academy is condensed with very few places to hide while Eagle City is far too massive for only eight players, but it does give you the best wall-running op??portunities. I imagine more maps will be added over time, and I hope the developers will strike a balance between the massive city and this scrunched schoolyard.

Ninjala definitely has the look of something I should be in love with. It's bright and colorful, and the world-building happening here is gen?uinely fun. What's not fun are the poorly implemented mechanics that can ruin the fast and fluid combat. There is a solid template for something great here, and if GungHo can iron out all its wrinkles, it might have a genuine blo?ckbuster on its hands.

_{[This review is based on a retail version of the free-to-play game. Additionally, the publisher provided the reviewer with eShop funds for the single-player campaign DLC.]}

The post Review: Ninjala appeared first on Destructoid.

Oops

[Update: Nintendo seems to be breaking from the norm here, at least as far as North America is concerned. Just today, NOA asked users on Twitter to reach out to customer support if they purchased the wrong pass. It's likely that Nintendo has issued a memo to its customer support staff to allow refunds in these particular cases. If you are impacted, you can contact them here.]

When the Pokemon Sword and Shield season pass was revealed, everything looked good on paper.

More creatures? Check. More expansive zones and storylines? Check. New creations? Oh you better believe that's a check. But upon further investigation folks realized that there were actually two different season pass??es: one for each version of the game. In true Nintendo/Game Freak fashion the Pokemon Company couldn't pass up on doubling up on sales, but a lot of people are still confused as to how the system works.

This past week, Nintendo took to Twitter to explain the situation, noting that they have been receiving a number of inquiries on the issue. Nintendo says to "please be careful w??hen purchasing," so you don't buy the wrong version. As a tip, the company says that you can always buy the correct version in-game by pausing your copy, then heading to the bottom-right DLC prompt.

Although this solution might seem obvious to some, the general public still might not understand the "two season pass scheme." Since it's actually out tomorrow and that's when a lot of you are going to be pulling? the trigger, consider this your final warning! 

Don't forget that Nintendo has a rather unforgiving refund policy for digital purchases. In some cases you can get a sole refund if you bug customer service, but for the most part, you'??re o??ut of luck. I do feel for all of the parents out there who bought the wrong one and have to jump through all these hoops.

Nintendo Customer Service [Twitter] Thanks Jeff!

The post (Update) Nintendo warns people not to buy t??he wrong Pokemon Sword or Shield season pass appeared first on Destructoid.

But is there more to it?

A week ago, Bethesda gave its players a glimpse at the future of Fallout 76. Now that the Wastelanders update is out (and it's apparently pretty good!), Bethesda outlined the rest of the year with a 2020 roadmap.

It didn't take long for confusion and anger to set in -- which, if we're being honest, is the Fallout 76 modus operandi. Bethesda revealed that Fallout 76 is fina??lly getting seasons but didn't do a great job communicating how the monetization will work. The reve??lation that the first season will be free left many to naturally assume that subsequent seasons won't be gratis.

In a clarification post today, Bethesda, in bolded text, says "participation in Fallout Seasons will be free for all of our players." That means the first season, the second season, the fortieth season -- they're all free. As we already knew, there is the option to move through the season's battle pass (for lack of a better term) by purchasing individual ranks with in-game currency. Bethesda also mentions "All players will follow the same progr??ess and reward track."

H?owever -- and it doesn't even feel cynical to suggest this -- anyone who has foll??owed games-as-a-service trends probably knows where this is headed. Every season (except for maybe the first season) will likely have a free and premium track of rewards. This way, Bethesda makes good on the statement that, of course, all players have access to seasons for free and they're all following the free track. But some players will be on a second track too, and the good items are gonna cost a little cash every three months.

Call of Duty, Fortnite, Destiny, PUBG, Apex Legends, Rocket League, Rainbow Six Siege -- these are just some games that follow the free/paid battle pass approach to monetization. It's well-established at this point. Bethesda shoul??d just announce these intentions upfront instead of a pre-Season 2 announcement of "The Survivor Pass has mutated!" or whatever. 

Fallout 76: Inside the Vault -- May Updates [Bethesda]

The post Bethesda left apologizing and clarifying Fallout 76’s seasons are free appeared first on Destructoid.

'Discover the cruel truth'

There are three prospective Assassin's Creed Valhalla villains that no one expected: Grendel, Grendel's mom, and a bi??????????????????????????g-ass dragon.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla will have a side mission based on the events of Beowulf. It's called "The Legend of Beowulf," and it's exclusive to the season pass??. (Although, it's seemingly only bonus content, not actually a full-fledged add-on.) This was accidentally posted to the Ubisoft Germany site along with the description "Discover the cruel truth behind the legend."

There are a few different approaches Ubisoft could take here. It could be a retelling of sorts, but with Valhalla protagonist Eivor ripping off arms and cutting off heads. Or, it could be a postmortem with Eivor retracing the steps of Beowulf. Assassin's Creed hasn't shied away from mythology in recent years, with Origins DLC sending Bayek to battle Egyptian gods and Odyssey putting Alexios/Kassandra up against Greek? mon??sters.

This is actually Ubisoft's second stab at Beowulf. Back in 2007, Ubisoft developed the Beowulf video game that accompanied th?e film's release. There's no word as to whether Angelina Jolie is expected?? to reprise her role as Grendel's MILB (Mom I'd Like to Behead).

Assassin's Creed Valhalla [Ubisoft Germany via GamesRadar+]

The post Beowulf is a part of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s season pass appeared first on Destructoid.

School's out forever

Koei Tecmo releases the final DLC for Dead or Alive 6 today, bringing an end to a full year of expensive and repetitive ?add-ons for this latest entry in the fighting franchise. And, in a fitting conclusion, the final bundle isn't even all-new DL??C.

Today's update adds both the "High Society" and "School Uniform" packs to the DLC catalogue, both of which were previously available in Dead or Alive 5: Last Round. The two packs consist of frilly dresses and schoolgirl costumes for the DoA women's roster. As newcome?rs, NiCO and Tamaki are the only characters to receive origina??l outfits.

It's an inevitable conclusion to DoA 6's freshman year. The past 12 months has seen Koei Tecmo release over $400 worth of DLC for the fighting sequel, comprised of four $80+ season passes, multiple packs that weren't even included as part of said season passes, and several characters and costumes which - like today's offering - were simply re-releases from previous games. This is not to speak of the "Hair Color" controversy.

As a old-school Dead or Alive fan, I'm glad to be putting this DLC news to rest. I wasn't feeling DoA 6 at launch, but the last year really soured my interest on a revisit. Hopefully at some point in the future the franchise can return, perhaps with a sharper attitude toward both the game and, more importantly, its fanbase. Until that day, Dead or Alive remains (in my opinion, at least) just the engine that pulls the DL??C? train.

DLC "[Rivival] High Society Costumes" and "[Revival] School Uniforms" are now available for purchase!
✱These costumes are NOT part of Season Pass 4✱ #DOA6 //t.co/OWVVNPfEBk pic.twitter.com/SznFwEcG3p

— Official DEAD OR ALIVE Fighting Game (@DOATEC_OFFICIAL) April 14, 2020

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