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Narcos: Rise of the Cartels
Curve Digital is bringing the crime-heavy Netflix series to a console near you. In the game, players can either build their own drug empire or lead the forces to take one down. The story will follow the same events of the show's first season with narration by the man himself, Pablo Escobar. Narcos: Rise of the Cartels will be available for play sometime in 2019.
1980s Oculus Rift
VR has been around since the 1980s, but the tech required for legitimate mainstream use hasn't. Oculus brought the dream of VR to the masses with their 2012 Kickstarter campaign, followed by two development headsets before the official release of the Rift in 2016. But what if the Rift had been developed using 80s tech? Squirrel Monkey looks at what 80s VR might have been like with a vintage installation video from the 8-bit age — and all the batteries, PC peripherals, and vector graphics you could dream of.
Video Games and You
College degrees, esports, video game tutors, streaming for a living — video games have come a long way from rotting your brain, ruining your eyes, and improving your hand-eye coordination. WIRED's Peter Rubin went up against League of Legends pro Matt Higginbotham at the Sports Academy in California, where pro gamers and pro athletes train under the same roof.
Red Dead Redemption 2
By 1899, the West had nearly been won. The age of outlaws was coming to a close, and the law was out to break what few gangs remained. A robbery gone wrong forces Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang to make a run for it across the country, pillaging their way to a last stand against the Feds and bounty hunters. Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 makes its long-awaited debut October 26, 2018 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Vader Immortal
Star Wars is making another leap into the VR world with Vader Immortal. The biggest VR Star Wars to date, Vader Immortal will take the player to the castle of the Sith Lord, on the volcanic planet Mustafar. At the very least, you'll get to grab a lightsaber in a possible face-off with Darth Vader himself. Vader Immortal launch on the Oculus Quest sometime in 2019.
Cyberpunk 2077
Game developer CD PROJEKT RED made their name with 2015's high fantasy Witcher 3 RPG. With their latest game, they're going from the past to the future. Cyberpunk 2077 takes the Cyberpunk 2020 tabletop game 57 years forward in Night City. The game hints at a massive open world with possible similar elements to Rockstar's GTA games. It'll be a while before you can get your hands on it but they did just release this 48-minute walkthrough.
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Quip All-Black Electric Toothbrush
Brushing your teeth is good for your oral health, but now it can do good for other's as well. When you get or gift a quip All-Black Electric Toothbrush, not only do you get the sonic benefits of their minimalist design, you also give oral care access and education to disadvantaged families because every purchase will help benefit the ADA Foundation. Each set comes with their signature brush in a limited edition monochromatic hue that features a timer, guiding pulses, multi-use travel cover and all-black brush heads delivered every 3 months for just $5.
*For each All-Black brush sold during the promotion through Feb. 1, 2019, quip will donate $5 to the ADA Foundation, up to a maximum of $250,000. Offer not valid in AL, AR, CT, GA, IL, HI, MA, MS, NH, NJ, SC and UT.
Presented by quip.
Squarespace
Get your wheels spinning! Squarespace helps you bring your vision to life with easy-to use tools and award-winning templates fine-tuned to your personal style. From websites, domains, online stores, marketing tools, and analytics, Squarespace is the all-in-one platform to build a beautiful online presence. Set yourself apart with a Squarespace website today.
Presented by Squarespace.
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Pinball Isn't As Random As It Seems
Every pinball machine has similar features, but no two pinball machines are alike. Flippers, bumpers, and gravity combine to make for a game of randomness and chance — but it isn't as random as it looks. Vox digs deep into the theory of pinball to show how randomness isn't really a feature and how to dramatically increase your score.
Madden 19
Chris Redd, Nicki Minaj, and Lil Dicky recount the greatest playcall in Madden history. Executed by Will, the legendary play was so impressive it led to a Quavo song, a 30 for 30, and an episode of Spongebob Squarepants. Madden 19 is available August 10, 2018.
The Physics of Racing Games
Racing games bring the excitement of pushing cars that you'll never own around tracks and streets to the comfort and safety of your living room. While you're distracted by the flashy graphics and sounds effects, there is a lot of math going on in the background. Real Engineering went to Red Bull Ring in Austria to hang out with Ubisoft software engineers and learn how they bring a real-life level of handling to their racing games.
Anthem
BioWare took home the award for Best Action Game from the 2018 E3 conference with its first new IP in 20 years Anthem. Now, instead of cinematics and descriptions, BioWare has released a 20-minute gameplay demo. The demo details the inner workings of combat, travel, customization, loot, and multiplayer systems, giving a good idea of what to expect when the game releases in early 2019.
The Last of Us Part II
After five years, The Last of Us sequel has finally arrived. The first gameplay trailer for the Naughty Dog survival series debuted at Sony's E3 event and revealed the return of a more grown-up Ellie and Joel as well as some new characters as they enjoy a community party. But don't let the opening full you, things get violent fast.
Death Stranding
Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding has had one of the strangest, fascinating, most confusing build-ups in the history of video games. The previous teasers focused on a baby and some sort of invisible enemies, and with the release of the E3 trailer, the picture hasn't exactly gotten any clearer. The game looks to feature some of Kojima's trademark gameplay aspects, but the storyline seems as bizarre as ever. Whatever it is, Death Stranding is sure to be huge.
DOOM Eternal
Grab your shotgun and prepare for an epic war against the forces of Hell itself — the sequel to 2016's DOOM reboot is coming. id Software dropped the trailer for latest in the DOOM franchise at the 2018 E3 conference, and it looks like a stunner. Expect to see a host of familiar enemies along with some new gameplay mechanics, according to id.
Halo Infinite
It's brief, but it's there: The best-loved character in the Halo universe is returning with Halo Infinite. While it's more of a demo of the new Slipspace game engine, this glimpse at the next Halo shows a surprisingly peaceful setting that will no doubt get shattered in the first few minutes of gameplay. The design also hints at a return to the original Halo art style and a Master Cheif-centric story. No other details are available but expect more to come out soon.
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Leatherman Custom Shop
Any Leatherman multi-tool is already a great gift on its own but go the extra mile by adding a personal touch. With their new Custom Shop, you can adorn the Wave Plus with pictures, messages, or patterns to create a truly one-of-a-kind tool. The process is pretty straightforward, just upload your design and their team of robots will do the rest of the work. Your customized Leatherman should be at your door within one to two weeks, which leaves plenty of time to get one under the tree.
Presented by Leatherman.
Danner Mountain 600 Weatherized Boot
Designed to withstand the climate and terrain of the Pacific Northwest, Danner's Mountain 600 boot is built to meet the chill of winter head-on. Each pair is built with Vibram's SPE midsole for comfort and flexibility, and a Vibram Fuga outsole to help provide first-rate traction on icy, wet surfaces. The upper is comprised of the strongest and most durable full-grain leather on the market, and Danner put it through six different tests before making their final selection. Available just in time for the cold the Mountain 600 has 200G PrimaLoft insulation, fleece lining, minimal seams, and Danner Dry waterproof protection so they're prepared to keep your feet dry and warm all winter long.
Presented by Danner.
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Fallout 76
Happy Reclamation Day, Vault Dweller. It's 2102, the fallout has settled, and it's time to rebuild society. Bethesda's latest entry in the Fallout series is a prequel to all of the other releases and is their biggest one yet. The story will unfold in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia as the first group of survivors emerge to discover a dystopian wasteland. The game is scheduled for release November 14, 2018, but until then, keep your Pip-Boy at the ready.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
It's that time of year again — time for the annual Call of Duty reveal. The series has taken some knocks over the years for being repetitive, but Black Ops 4 looks to have added some interesting features into the multiplayer game. For actual gameplay footage, check out this Black Ops 4 playlist, until the game releases on October 12, 2018.
Evolution of Game Controllers
The controller has been a staple of gaming since the Magnavox Odyssey 100 shipped in 1972. Since then, we've seen paddles, joysticks, an explosion of buttons, trackpads, and controllers with no wires at all. 4096 breaks down the evolution of the game controller, starting with modern-day hardware and going back in time to the 70s.
The History of Nintendo
Nintendo has been gaming for over 127 years. Starting with playing cards, the company got a boost in early years by being the favored card of the yakuza, before branching into hotels, taxis, and instant rice. Those experiments were short-lived, and a manufacturing line manager inadvertently gave the company a new direction that took it back to its roots in games.
Saving Lost Video Games
Frank Cifaldi is on a mission — a mission to save lost video games from disappearing forever. He founded Video Game History Foundation and not only saves games from the trash heap of history, but also the packaging, manuals, and culture of games from the past.
Burnout Paradise Remastered
Burnout Paradise was one of the best arcade racers around. Full drifts, wrecks, and flashy sports cars, it's easily the best in the Burnout franchise. Now you cam relive the glory days with Burnout Paradise Remastered, at 60 FPS, 4k resolution, and all eight DLCs.
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Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn
It's been nearly 25 years since we last got to go Shaq diesel on some zombies. And to be honest, it really wasn't that great. But Shaq is back, in a 21-century beat 'em up that's a remake of a game you didn't even know you wanted to be remade. Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn is coming to PlayStation 4 spring 2018.
Super Mario Bros. Hardest Level
If you were going to guess what the hardest, most frustrating level in the original Super Mario Bros. was, no one would say level 4-2 — unless you were one of the world's elite Super Mario Bros. speedrunners. For such a simple level, there's a lot of technique involved. From pixel-perfect jumps to glitches that are humanly impossible to exploit, speedrunners can potentially shave seconds off their time. Summoning Salt has the history of 4-2 and all the ingenious ways speedrunners have figured out to beat the clock.
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God of War
The eighth game in the God of War franchise, titled simply as God of War, is on track for an April 2018 release. While the first three titles were landmarks in the action-RPG genre, God of War is aimed at being far more RPG-like. Kratos has moved north to a time when the gods of the Norsemen walked the earth, so be ready for a heavy dose of Norse mythology and weapon choices.
Aliens: The Ride
It's a movie franchise begging for a roller coaster — Aliens. There have been rumors and reports of stalled projects over the years, but nothing has ever been built. Hin Nya did us all a virtual favor by creating his own Aliens-themed coaster in the Planet Coaster game.
Death Stranding
It's been a year since we last heard from Hideo Kojima and his monumental epic Death Stranding. The third trailer for the game is here and things have only gotten even more surreal. The baby-in-a-bottle is back, as is Norman Reedus, along with some terrifying monsters. And something about explosions. Whatever is happening, it will be hard not to play and finally find out.
The Voice of Mortal Kombat
In order to find the man behind the famous dialogue of Mortal Kombat, you need to go upstairs to the pinball department. Steve Ritchie designs pinball machines — more of them than anyone in history — and downstairs, Mortal Kombat was being developed. When the devs needed a sinister voice for the announcer, they knew just who to ask.
Last of Us Part II
Ellie and Joel are back in the post-apocalyptic setting of the first game — along with a few new characters. The brutal scene depicts a narrow escape and leaves you hanging with something lurking in the dark outside the light of the fire, and no answers as to what's coming next. Last of Us Part II will release sometime in 2018.
Mortal Kombat Scorpion Motion Capture
Get over here — for ten minutes of Scorpion motion capture footage from the first Mortal Kombat. The movements are a slower than in the game, and for some reason, it's absolutely hilarious to watch. From losing costume pieces to the famous Scorpion hook move, this is a great piece of gaming history.
