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  1. Yesterday
  2. Jack Gardner
    Victoria Enmon was an amazing little girl. She demonstrated love and compassion to others around her as much as she possibly could. Whether being thrown into the air at cheer leading practice or battling cancer, she never stopped supporting the people whose lives she touched. In the words of her parents, Vic and Jo Ellen Enmon, she flew. Today would have been Victoria's 27th birthday. "She wasn't afraid of heights. In fact, she wasn't really afraid of anything." - Jo Ellen Enmon At a little over 11 years old, Victoria was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and it would be something she fought for the rest of her life. While she battled her condition, undergoing multiple transplants and treatments, she never let it break her spirits. Even while sick, Extra Life's founder, Jeromy "Doc" Adams recalls her as "the kind of kid you could hear coming before long before she got to your soundproof studio." It also never stopped her from giving all of herself over to helping people without hesitation. At Camp Periwinkle, a summer camp for children with cancer, one of her doctors holds onto the memory of her helping another girl suffering from both cystic fibrosis and cancer. That little girl needed extra help to get ready to experience camp each day, and throughout that week Victoria came to help. Victoria made sure that her fellow camper would get to have an unforgettable camp experience. No one asked her to, she just did it. As she entered what would be her final stay in a hospital, Jeromy Adams began working with Sarcastic Gamer to get her some games to help her pass the time during her treatments. The overwhelming response consisted of more games than her family could handle. Of course, Victoria started giving them away to other kids in the hospital. That impulse to give everything to those around her, that was just the kind of person she was. "You know, here she is, lying up in bed tubes connected to her. She didn't go and cry about it or bemoan her situation. She went around to all these other kids to make them feel better. I think that's really the legacy of her." - Vic Enmon From 11 years old until 15 years old, Victoria never stopped fighting, not even when she contracted a fungal infection due to her compromised immune system. She passed away on January 21, 2008, finally resting from her battle against leukemia, failed transplants, and infections. But that's not the end of her story. To keep her spirit alive and make sure that everyone knows how amazing she was, Jeromy Adams started Extra Life that same year. On october 13, 2008, over 1,200 people showed up to support children like Victoria. It has grown every year since and has now raised over $50 million to help sick and injured kids across the United States and Canada. One of Victoria's last wishes was to see Christmas lights. The final time he saw her, Victoria, her parents, and Jeromy all stepped outside to see the lights glow in the dark. "We were only outside for about 10 minutes. There wasn't a lot of talking. We just looked at lights," Jeromy remembers. Victoria isn't gone. She's become like those lights, shining brightly in the dark, touching more lives with comfort and love with each passing year. She's able to do that through all of us working to keep that fearless and caring spirit alive. Happy birthday Victoria. We're doing our best. For The Kids View full article
  3. Jack Gardner
    Victoria Enmon was an amazing little girl. She demonstrated love and compassion to others around her as much as she possibly could. Whether being thrown into the air at cheer leading practice or battling cancer, she never stopped supporting the people whose lives she touched. In the words of her parents, Vic and Jo Ellen Enmon, she flew. Today would have been Victoria's 27th birthday. "She wasn't afraid of heights. In fact, she wasn't really afraid of anything." - Jo Ellen Enmon At a little over 11 years old, Victoria was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and it would be something she fought for the rest of her life. While she battled her condition, undergoing multiple transplants and treatments, she never let it break her spirits. Even while sick, Extra Life's founder, Jeromy "Doc" Adams recalls her as "the kind of kid you could hear coming before long before she got to your soundproof studio." It also never stopped her from giving all of herself over to helping people without hesitation. At Camp Periwinkle, a summer camp for children with cancer, one of her doctors holds onto the memory of her helping another girl suffering from both cystic fibrosis and cancer. That little girl needed extra help to get ready to experience camp each day, and throughout that week Victoria came to help. Victoria made sure that her fellow camper would get to have an unforgettable camp experience. No one asked her to, she just did it. As she entered what would be her final stay in a hospital, Jeromy Adams began working with Sarcastic Gamer to get her some games to help her pass the time during her treatments. The overwhelming response consisted of more games than her family could handle. Of course, Victoria started giving them away to other kids in the hospital. That impulse to give everything to those around her, that was just the kind of person she was. "You know, here she is, lying up in bed tubes connected to her. She didn't go and cry about it or bemoan her situation. She went around to all these other kids to make them feel better. I think that's really the legacy of her." - Vic Enmon From 11 years old until 15 years old, Victoria never stopped fighting, not even when she contracted a fungal infection due to her compromised immune system. She passed away on January 21, 2008, finally resting from her battle against leukemia, failed transplants, and infections. But that's not the end of her story. To keep her spirit alive and make sure that everyone knows how amazing she was, Jeromy Adams started Extra Life that same year. On october 13, 2008, over 1,200 people showed up to support children like Victoria. It has grown every year since and has now raised over $50 million to help sick and injured kids across the United States and Canada. One of Victoria's last wishes was to see Christmas lights. The final time he saw her, Victoria, her parents, and Jeromy all stepped outside to see the lights glow in the dark. "We were only outside for about 10 minutes. There wasn't a lot of talking. We just looked at lights," Jeromy remembers. Victoria isn't gone. She's become like those lights, shining brightly in the dark, touching more lives with comfort and love with each passing year. She's able to do that through all of us working to keep that fearless and caring spirit alive. Happy birthday Victoria. We're doing our best. For The Kids
  4. KnightHarbinger
    Those are some really nice "Offline" graphics sir/mam. o/
  5. Last week
  6. Hexxler Hexxler joined the community
  7. Zak Wojnar
    What Rainbow Six Siege did for PvP, Rainbow Six Quarantine aims to do with PvE. This promise was made by Ubisoft during their E3 2019 press conference. There are two kinds of people in the world: PvP players, who love fighting their friends and strangers competitively, and PvE players, who love teaming up and taking down hordes of enemies with old friends and new acquaintances alike. With Rainbow Six Siege, Ubisoft proved their worth as a publisher who supports their games over time, turning a middling – but promising – squad-based shooter into one of the biggest competitive multiplayer games in the world. Even though many gamers continue to lament the untimely cancellation of Rainbow 6: Patriots, it's impossible to deny that Rainbow Six Siege is truly something special. Now, Ubisoft looks to turn their attention to the cooperative PvE space with Rainbow Six Quarantine. Though we know little about the upcoming co-op shooter, Ubisoft's introductory teaser trailer showed Quarantine will involve some kind of viral infection which can affect players. Presumably, said virus also serves as the source of the hordes of enemies which are required in any type of co-op shooter. Rainbow Six Quarantine features teams of three, a popular fireteam size in co-op games (see Destiny, another extremely popular multiplayer title), though not much is known beyond that, as no actual gameplay was shown during Ubisoft's E3 presentation. Back in early 2018, Rainbow Six Siege experimented with PvE action in Operation Chimera, a limited-time game mode which pitted Siege's operators against an alien threat. While it's unknown what cues – if any – Quarantine will take from Operation Chimera, it's nice to see Ubisoft experimenting with the Tom Clancy brand, even if die hard fans of the old-school Rainbow Six games scoff and roll their eyes at the very thought of extra-terrestrial threats in the ultra-realistic universe of the Tom Clancy games. At the very least, Rainbow Six Siege has proven popular and enduring enough for the brand to have earned the right to branch out in whatever way they want, no matter how unexpected. Despite being nearly four years old, Siege remains insanely popular to this day, and if Ubisoft can pull off a similar stunt using a cooperative, rather than a competitive, template, then Rainbow Six Quarantine has the potential to be a preeminent great multiplayer experience for years to come. Rainbow Six Quarantine is scheduled for release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC sometime in 2020. Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games
  8. Zak Wojnar
    What Rainbow Six Siege did for PvP, Rainbow Six Quarantine aims to do with PvE. This promise was made by Ubisoft during their E3 2019 press conference. There are two kinds of people in the world: PvP players, who love fighting their friends and strangers competitively, and PvE players, who love teaming up and taking down hordes of enemies with old friends and new acquaintances alike. With Rainbow Six Siege, Ubisoft proved their worth as a publisher who supports their games over time, turning a middling – but promising – squad-based shooter into one of the biggest competitive multiplayer games in the world. Even though many gamers continue to lament the untimely cancellation of Rainbow 6: Patriots, it's impossible to deny that Rainbow Six Siege is truly something special. Now, Ubisoft looks to turn their attention to the cooperative PvE space with Rainbow Six Quarantine. Though we know little about the upcoming co-op shooter, Ubisoft's introductory teaser trailer showed Quarantine will involve some kind of viral infection which can affect players. Presumably, said virus also serves as the source of the hordes of enemies which are required in any type of co-op shooter. Rainbow Six Quarantine features teams of three, a popular fireteam size in co-op games (see Destiny, another extremely popular multiplayer title), though not much is known beyond that, as no actual gameplay was shown during Ubisoft's E3 presentation. Back in early 2018, Rainbow Six Siege experimented with PvE action in Operation Chimera, a limited-time game mode which pitted Siege's operators against an alien threat. While it's unknown what cues – if any – Quarantine will take from Operation Chimera, it's nice to see Ubisoft experimenting with the Tom Clancy brand, even if die hard fans of the old-school Rainbow Six games scoff and roll their eyes at the very thought of extra-terrestrial threats in the ultra-realistic universe of the Tom Clancy games. At the very least, Rainbow Six Siege has proven popular and enduring enough for the brand to have earned the right to branch out in whatever way they want, no matter how unexpected. Despite being nearly four years old, Siege remains insanely popular to this day, and if Ubisoft can pull off a similar stunt using a cooperative, rather than a competitive, template, then Rainbow Six Quarantine has the potential to be a preeminent great multiplayer experience for years to come. Rainbow Six Quarantine is scheduled for release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC sometime in 2020. Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games View full article
  9. thienvietcom thienvietcom joined the community
  10. CeeZeeGamerGirl CeeZeeGamerGirl joined the community
  11. Marcus Stewart
    After coming to light last year via the teasiest of teasers, the new Battletoads game received its debut trailer during the 2019 Xbox E3 media briefing. Rash, Pimple, and Zit will bring their nostalgic flavor of beat em’ up fun exclusively to Microsoft’s console. Battletoads hasn’t had a proper sequel since Battletoads Arcade in 1994. That hasn’t stopped a dedicated sect of fans from keeping the dream alive (which includes pranking retail stores by requesting info on “the new Battletoads”). The possibility for a new game reignited in earnest 2013 when head of Xbox Phil Spencer expressed his affinity for the series and desire to see it return. In recent years, the Battletoads have made something of gradual comeback thanks to re-releases in Rare Replay as well as cameo appearances in Shovel Knight and Killer Instinct. 3-player couch co-op stands as perhaps the most exciting and important feature of the new Battletoads. Players punch, kick, and lick their way to victory against a myriad of foes and bosses. Battletoads sports a vibrant hand-drawn look that resembles a Saturday morning cartoon. Absurd, over-the-top animations accentuate the style–get ready for oversized fist and exaggerated, Looney Toons-esque mallet strikes. The most humorous/terrifying part of the trailer is the confirmation of a high-speed hoverbike segment. This tip of the hat to a similar and notoriously difficult segment in Battletoads for NES should hopefully result in far less headaches. Battletoads doesn’t have a release window though 2019 seems to be the assumed window. It will launch on Xbox One and arrive on Xbox Game Pass on day one. While there’s no confirmation of a PC release, one would have to assume given the arrival of Game Pass to the platform. How do you think Battletoads’ return is shaping up? Let us know in the comments! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games View full article
  12. Marcus Stewart
    After coming to light last year via the teasiest of teasers, the new Battletoads game received its debut trailer during the 2019 Xbox E3 media briefing. Rash, Pimple, and Zit will bring their nostalgic flavor of beat em’ up fun exclusively to Microsoft’s console. Battletoads hasn’t had a proper sequel since Battletoads Arcade in 1994. That hasn’t stopped a dedicated sect of fans from keeping the dream alive (which includes pranking retail stores by requesting info on “the new Battletoads”). The possibility for a new game reignited in earnest 2013 when head of Xbox Phil Spencer expressed his affinity for the series and desire to see it return. In recent years, the Battletoads have made something of gradual comeback thanks to re-releases in Rare Replay as well as cameo appearances in Shovel Knight and Killer Instinct. 3-player couch co-op stands as perhaps the most exciting and important feature of the new Battletoads. Players punch, kick, and lick their way to victory against a myriad of foes and bosses. Battletoads sports a vibrant hand-drawn look that resembles a Saturday morning cartoon. Absurd, over-the-top animations accentuate the style–get ready for oversized fist and exaggerated, Looney Toons-esque mallet strikes. The most humorous/terrifying part of the trailer is the confirmation of a high-speed hoverbike segment. This tip of the hat to a similar and notoriously difficult segment in Battletoads for NES should hopefully result in far less headaches. Battletoads doesn’t have a release window though 2019 seems to be the assumed window. It will launch on Xbox One and arrive on Xbox Game Pass on day one. While there’s no confirmation of a PC release, one would have to assume given the arrival of Game Pass to the platform. How do you think Battletoads’ return is shaping up? Let us know in the comments! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games
  13. Zak Wojnar
    Ubisoft's Watch Dogs series follows a world where private security companies have all but monopolized public safety, leading to increased surveillance by private companies and zero expectations of privacy. The first two games, set in Chicago and San Francisco, respectively, feature hackers who seek to undermine the evil corporations and their totalitarian aspirations while simultaneously following their own, more personal, quests. In Watch Dogs: Legion, the centralized protagonist has been replaced by the game's main hook: a veritable army of freedom fighters who make up an ensemble cast of leading characters. In the not too distant future, London is every conspiracy theorist's worst nightmare come to life. Spy drones litter the sky, surveillance cameras dot every street corner, and a single corporate conglomerate oversees the entirety of the city's existence. Ubisoft's E3 presentation opened with the player character, a bald Brit named Ian Robshaw, communicating with a formless, but charming, Artificial Intelligence named Bagley. The entire demo looks like a real-time play session, and As Ian walks down the street, it's clear this isn't the London we all know and love. In the world of Watch Dogs, the city has become something of a cyberpunk dystopia; bright neon lights and holographic projections offer a heightened technological aesthetic which pairs nicely with the oppressive surveillance state the city has become. Ian and Bagley are searching for an expert on the city's high-tech drones, and they find one in the form of a Jimmy Shaw, a young man who winds up getting into a fight with London's heavily militarized private police force. Ian puts on a creepy skull mask and rescues the hacker, making himself the target. An exciting chase ensues, in which an armed drone wounds Ian to the point where a choice appears on screen: surrender, or keep fighting. Ian opts to keep fighting, activating optical camouflage to buy enough time to hijack a taxi and speed off. Unfortunately, the private army follows, and Ian is ultimately shot to death after crashing his stolen vehicle. Instead of a game over screen, however, the game goes to a menu where the player can choose from another DedSec agent. From here, the demo features Helen, a senior citizen and retired assassin with an infectiously devil-may-care demeanor, and Naomi Brooke, a no-nonsense operative who completes the mission, recruiting Jimmy to DedSec and lamenting Ian's death with the grateful young revolutionary. There are no continues in Watch Dogs: Legion; when a character dies, they don't come back. This roguelike element is almost entirely unheard of in the AAA open-world space. It's hard to imagine the game will have unique dialogue for all of the potential player characters in every single cutscene, but this provocative early look certainly earned our attention. If Ubisoft can follow through on the ideas brought forth in this first look, then Watch Dogs: Legion could be one of the most exciting and ambitious games of the generation. Watch Dogs: Legion releases March 5, 2020 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, and Google Stadia. Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! View full article
  14. Zak Wojnar
    Ubisoft's Watch Dogs series follows a world where private security companies have all but monopolized public safety, leading to increased surveillance by private companies and zero expectations of privacy. The first two games, set in Chicago and San Francisco, respectively, feature hackers who seek to undermine the evil corporations and their totalitarian aspirations while simultaneously following their own, more personal, quests. In Watch Dogs: Legion, the centralized protagonist has been replaced by the game's main hook: a veritable army of freedom fighters who make up an ensemble cast of leading characters. In the not too distant future, London is every conspiracy theorist's worst nightmare come to life. Spy drones litter the sky, surveillance cameras dot every street corner, and a single corporate conglomerate oversees the entirety of the city's existence. Ubisoft's E3 presentation opened with the player character, a bald Brit named Ian Robshaw, communicating with a formless, but charming, Artificial Intelligence named Bagley. The entire demo looks like a real-time play session, and As Ian walks down the street, it's clear this isn't the London we all know and love. In the world of Watch Dogs, the city has become something of a cyberpunk dystopia; bright neon lights and holographic projections offer a heightened technological aesthetic which pairs nicely with the oppressive surveillance state the city has become. Ian and Bagley are searching for an expert on the city's high-tech drones, and they find one in the form of a Jimmy Shaw, a young man who winds up getting into a fight with London's heavily militarized private police force. Ian puts on a creepy skull mask and rescues the hacker, making himself the target. An exciting chase ensues, in which an armed drone wounds Ian to the point where a choice appears on screen: surrender, or keep fighting. Ian opts to keep fighting, activating optical camouflage to buy enough time to hijack a taxi and speed off. Unfortunately, the private army follows, and Ian is ultimately shot to death after crashing his stolen vehicle. Instead of a game over screen, however, the game goes to a menu where the player can choose from another DedSec agent. From here, the demo features Helen, a senior citizen and retired assassin with an infectiously devil-may-care demeanor, and Naomi Brooke, a no-nonsense operative who completes the mission, recruiting Jimmy to DedSec and lamenting Ian's death with the grateful young revolutionary. There are no continues in Watch Dogs: Legion; when a character dies, they don't come back. This roguelike element is almost entirely unheard of in the AAA open-world space. It's hard to imagine the game will have unique dialogue for all of the potential player characters in every single cutscene, but this provocative early look certainly earned our attention. If Ubisoft can follow through on the ideas brought forth in this first look, then Watch Dogs: Legion could be one of the most exciting and ambitious games of the generation. Watch Dogs: Legion releases March 5, 2020 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, and Google Stadia. Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
  15. Jack Gardner
    After a day spent exploring the E3 show floor, the writing team reconvenes to discuss what they learned after spending time talking with developers and publishers. There's a lot to discuss! Jack Gardner, Naomi Lugo, Zak Wojnar, and Marcus Stewart gather to talk about the best games they've seen so far and what might be just around the corner in gaming. Together, the group has assembled to help parse the massive number of games and experiences brought on by the year's biggest gaming trade show. They will be doing daily recaps of each day of the event, cataloging what they've seen, heard, and played. Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Spellbound" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) You can download or listen to the podcast over on Soundcloud, our hosting site, and iTunes. A YouTube version is available, as well! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! View full article
  16. Jack Gardner
    After a day spent exploring the E3 show floor, the writing team reconvenes to discuss what they learned after spending time talking with developers and publishers. There's a lot to discuss! Jack Gardner, Naomi Lugo, Zak Wojnar, and Marcus Stewart gather to talk about the best games they've seen so far and what might be just around the corner in gaming. Together, the group has assembled to help parse the massive number of games and experiences brought on by the year's biggest gaming trade show. They will be doing daily recaps of each day of the event, cataloging what they've seen, heard, and played. Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Spellbound" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) You can download or listen to the podcast over on Soundcloud, our hosting site, and iTunes. A YouTube version is available, as well! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
  17. Jack Gardner
    After a day spent exploring the E3 show floor, the writing team reconvenes to discuss what they learned after spending time talking with developers and publishers. There's a lot to discuss! Jack Gardner, Naomi Lugo, Zak Wojnar, and Marcus Stewart gather to talk about the best games they've seen so far and what might be just around the corner in gaming. Together, the group has assembled to help parse the massive number of games and experiences brought on by the year's biggest gaming trade show. They will be doing daily recaps of each day of the event, cataloging what they've seen, heard, and played. Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Spellbound" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) You can download or listen to the podcast over on Soundcloud, our hosting site, and iTunes. A YouTube version is available, as well! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! View full article
  18. Jack Gardner
    After a day spent exploring the E3 show floor, the writing team reconvenes to discuss what they learned after spending time talking with developers and publishers. There's a lot to discuss! Jack Gardner, Naomi Lugo, Zak Wojnar, and Marcus Stewart gather to talk about the best games they've seen so far and what might be just around the corner in gaming. Together, the group has assembled to help parse the massive number of games and experiences brought on by the year's biggest gaming trade show. They will be doing daily recaps of each day of the event, cataloging what they've seen, heard, and played. Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Spellbound" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) You can download or listen to the podcast over on Soundcloud, our hosting site, and iTunes. A YouTube version is available, as well! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
  19. Naomi N. Lugo
    Animal Crossing on the Switch remained a relative mystery until a new trailer revealed itself during the Nintendo E3 2019 release conference. Previously, all we had to cling on to was a Tom Nook monologue and a release window of 2019. While that window has been pushed back, we did gain quite a bit of new knowledge on the upcoming game. Dissatisfied with living the life of a small-time salesman, the wiley businessman Tom Nook has positioned himself as head of operations in the Animal Crossing world. He seems to have kept himself busy indeed with the establishment if Nook Inc. and the building of “The Deserted Island Getaway Package.” As the trailer moves along, we see a villager establishing themselves in this new world starting with the basics. They place a tent and get to work gathering resources to build up some sort of townscape. Time progresses and we see the layout getting more and more complicated as new items are crafted, areas are explored, and the world shapes up. More buildings pop up, causing residents to appear. Not only do the adorable furry and fuzzy creatures town denizens pop into existence, but fellow villagers also join the town. The presence of other human villagers firmly suggests multiplayer content exists or is at least planned. As this is Tom Nook, a further cut scene appears where he presents the villager with an itemized bill including everything from airfare to your “NookPhone.” I mean fair is fair. While this little scene acts as a joke making fun of Nooks ever-benevolent character, it does seem to bring up a subtle note of the mobile series Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. There may be a tie-in for the new game to the successful mobile title in some capacity. Maybe that connection will involve linking the social aspect of Pocket Camp into the multiplayer or perhaps a whole new gameplay element. While previously we had a release window, now we have a date. However, that date comes somewhat later than the 2019 timeframe we had up until this point. This upcoming game, fully titled Animal Crossing: New Horizons, will release on March 20, 2020. Further gameplay can be seen via the Nintendo Treehouse live event that aired after the press conference. The demo showcases the early game. Are you excited for Animal Crossing to come to Switch? What do you think of the new island setting? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on the Extra Life social channels! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! View full article
  20. Naomi N. Lugo
    Animal Crossing on the Switch remained a relative mystery until a new trailer revealed itself during the Nintendo E3 2019 release conference. Previously, all we had to cling on to was a Tom Nook monologue and a release window of 2019. While that window has been pushed back, we did gain quite a bit of new knowledge on the upcoming game. Dissatisfied with living the life of a small-time salesman, the wiley businessman Tom Nook has positioned himself as head of operations in the Animal Crossing world. He seems to have kept himself busy indeed with the establishment if Nook Inc. and the building of “The Deserted Island Getaway Package.” As the trailer moves along, we see a villager establishing themselves in this new world starting with the basics. They place a tent and get to work gathering resources to build up some sort of townscape. Time progresses and we see the layout getting more and more complicated as new items are crafted, areas are explored, and the world shapes up. More buildings pop up, causing residents to appear. Not only do the adorable furry and fuzzy creatures town denizens pop into existence, but fellow villagers also join the town. The presence of other human villagers firmly suggests multiplayer content exists or is at least planned. As this is Tom Nook, a further cut scene appears where he presents the villager with an itemized bill including everything from airfare to your “NookPhone.” I mean fair is fair. While this little scene acts as a joke making fun of Nooks ever-benevolent character, it does seem to bring up a subtle note of the mobile series Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. There may be a tie-in for the new game to the successful mobile title in some capacity. Maybe that connection will involve linking the social aspect of Pocket Camp into the multiplayer or perhaps a whole new gameplay element. While previously we had a release window, now we have a date. However, that date comes somewhat later than the 2019 timeframe we had up until this point. This upcoming game, fully titled Animal Crossing: New Horizons, will release on March 20, 2020. Further gameplay can be seen via the Nintendo Treehouse live event that aired after the press conference. The demo showcases the early game. Are you excited for Animal Crossing to come to Switch? What do you think of the new island setting? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on the Extra Life social channels! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
  21. Naomi N. Lugo
    A small sneak peek stole the entire show. At the end of the Nintendo Direct for E3 2019, a short trailer revealed the existence of the next installment in The Legend of Zelda franchise. There aren’t many details currently available, but here’s what we know so far. “We have more games in development beyond what you’ve seen today,” said senior managing executive officer at Nintendo Shinya Takahashi after a certain new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC character was revealed. After saying no more, the stream cut to a trailer with very ominous tones. The trailer starts out ambiguous with glowing tendrils and two figures exploring what appears to be a dungeon. The music accompanying the imagery builds a sense of doom and sounds oddly familiar, yet distorted. In a strange way, it feels similar to another sequel that set a darker tone than its predecessor: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. A few moments in, we see our heroes, Link and a now short-haired Zelda, exploring the darkness. They seem to be searching for something specific rather than going on a general expedition. It’s then we see some semblance of a terrifying enemy either forming or, perhaps more worryingly, decaying. The figure reaches out into the world with a deadly touch. In flashes, we see bits of moments of the story, and then, we finally get to look into the genuinely disturbing eye of a beast. After these subterranean scenes, the camera cuts to the outer world. Where we once saw the gently rolling lands of Hyrule, we now see the ground greatly disturbed by whatever has awakened from its slumber. Text reading, “The sequel to the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is now in development,” pops onto the final screen. Since this is very early on in the development, no news of a release date appears. We can gather that the sequel likely takes place in the same universe as Breath of the Wild and continues on with the story. The graphics are very similar to BotW, so we can reasonably conclude that gameplay will be similar and the game may be made using the same engine. Link and Zelda are together in this trailer, so it could be possible that Nintendo heard our cries for a playable Zelda. Being able to switch between the two and explore Zelda’s fighting style and powers would be a catchy hook for newbie players as well as Legend of Zelda franchise veterans. It’s a hook that hasn’t been fully utilized in The Legend of Zelda series since Zelda’s Adventure, one of the terrible Philips CD-i games and could stand out as a redemptive moment for an often underutilized character. The big baddie looks like a dark change of pace for the series, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see a grim and harrowing story this time around to match. This new game could focus more on building up characters with a more streamlined story, an aspect many found wanting in Breath of the Wild. “I’m looking forward to the day we can introduce them to you,” said Takahashi. Hey, us too. What do you expect from the next installment in this storied franchise? When do you think we’ll see its release? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on the Extra Life social channels. Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! View full article
  22. Naomi N. Lugo
    A small sneak peek stole the entire show. At the end of the Nintendo Direct for E3 2019, a short trailer revealed the existence of the next installment in The Legend of Zelda franchise. There aren’t many details currently available, but here’s what we know so far. “We have more games in development beyond what you’ve seen today,” said senior managing executive officer at Nintendo Shinya Takahashi after a certain new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC character was revealed. After saying no more, the stream cut to a trailer with very ominous tones. The trailer starts out ambiguous with glowing tendrils and two figures exploring what appears to be a dungeon. The music accompanying the imagery builds a sense of doom and sounds oddly familiar, yet distorted. In a strange way, it feels similar to another sequel that set a darker tone than its predecessor: The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. A few moments in, we see our heroes, Link and a now short-haired Zelda, exploring the darkness. They seem to be searching for something specific rather than going on a general expedition. It’s then we see some semblance of a terrifying enemy either forming or, perhaps more worryingly, decaying. The figure reaches out into the world with a deadly touch. In flashes, we see bits of moments of the story, and then, we finally get to look into the genuinely disturbing eye of a beast. After these subterranean scenes, the camera cuts to the outer world. Where we once saw the gently rolling lands of Hyrule, we now see the ground greatly disturbed by whatever has awakened from its slumber. Text reading, “The sequel to the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is now in development,” pops onto the final screen. Since this is very early on in the development, no news of a release date appears. We can gather that the sequel likely takes place in the same universe as Breath of the Wild and continues on with the story. The graphics are very similar to BotW, so we can reasonably conclude that gameplay will be similar and the game may be made using the same engine. Link and Zelda are together in this trailer, so it could be possible that Nintendo heard our cries for a playable Zelda. Being able to switch between the two and explore Zelda’s fighting style and powers would be a catchy hook for newbie players as well as Legend of Zelda franchise veterans. It’s a hook that hasn’t been fully utilized in The Legend of Zelda series since Zelda’s Adventure, one of the terrible Philips CD-i games and could stand out as a redemptive moment for an often underutilized character. The big baddie looks like a dark change of pace for the series, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see a grim and harrowing story this time around to match. This new game could focus more on building up characters with a more streamlined story, an aspect many found wanting in Breath of the Wild. “I’m looking forward to the day we can introduce them to you,” said Takahashi. Hey, us too. What do you expect from the next installment in this storied franchise? When do you think we’ll see its release? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on the Extra Life social channels. Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
  23. Marcus Stewart
    The makers of Psychonauts, Broken Age, and Brutal Legend have officially joined the Xbox family. Microsoft announced during its E3 presser that it has purchased Double Fine Productions as its latest first-party studio. Double Fine is, of course, currently hard at work developing the long-awaited Psychonauts 2. Studio head Tim Schafer posted a humorous video that clears the air about the sale. First and foremost, the crowdfunded Psychonauts 2 will still launch on its advertised platforms despite the sale. RAD, the studio’s other project in-development, will still be published under Bandai Namco, as well. Schafer promises that Double Fine’s company culture won’t change (such as its Amnesia Fortnight company game jam) and says he’s ultimately happy that they’ll no longer need to shop ideas around to publishers. The primary reason Psychonauts 2 took so long to get off the ground was because Double Fine spent years periodically pitching it to publishers with no success. Starbreeze Studios eventually signed on to help publish the game, a partnership that appeared in flux when the company fell into its current financial crisis. Not long after this news broke, Starbreeze revealed that it sold the publishing rights to Microsoft for $13.2 million. In just the last year, Microsoft has greatly expanded the roster of studios under the umbrella of Xbox Games Studios. At E3 2018, the company announced the purchase of Playground Games (Forza), Undead Labs (State of Decay), Ninja Theory (Hellblade, DmC Devil May Cry), Obsidian Entertainment (The Outer Worlds, Pillars of Eternity), and Compulsion Games (We Happy Few). It also formed The Initiative, a new studio led by ex-Crystal Dynamics head Darrell Gallagher. The mission behind these acquisitions is to help rebuild Microsoft's notoriously scant library of first-party exclusive games. As far as Psychonauts 2 goes, Double Fine unveiled the sequel’s first gameplay trailer. For the uninitiated, the plot centers on Raz, now a full-fledged Psychonaut, who must unravel a dark secret within the organization of psychic crime-fighters. Traveling through the mental worlds look to be just as much of a wacky trip as it was in the first game. One segment, for example, sees Raz traversing a bizarre world made out of floating teeth and gums. We also get a look at returning mechanics like rolling atop the psychic bubble. Psychonauts 2 will arrive to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Mac, and Linux sometime in 2020. How do you feel about Double Fine becoming a first-party studio? Are you excited for Psychonauts 2? Let us know in the comments! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! View full article
  24. Marcus Stewart
    The makers of Psychonauts, Broken Age, and Brutal Legend have officially joined the Xbox family. Microsoft announced during its E3 presser that it has purchased Double Fine Productions as its latest first-party studio. Double Fine is, of course, currently hard at work developing the long-awaited Psychonauts 2. Studio head Tim Schafer posted a humorous video that clears the air about the sale. First and foremost, the crowdfunded Psychonauts 2 will still launch on its advertised platforms despite the sale. RAD, the studio’s other project in-development, will still be published under Bandai Namco, as well. Schafer promises that Double Fine’s company culture won’t change (such as its Amnesia Fortnight company game jam) and says he’s ultimately happy that they’ll no longer need to shop ideas around to publishers. The primary reason Psychonauts 2 took so long to get off the ground was because Double Fine spent years periodically pitching it to publishers with no success. Starbreeze Studios eventually signed on to help publish the game, a partnership that appeared in flux when the company fell into its current financial crisis. Not long after this news broke, Starbreeze revealed that it sold the publishing rights to Microsoft for $13.2 million. In just the last year, Microsoft has greatly expanded the roster of studios under the umbrella of Xbox Games Studios. At E3 2018, the company announced the purchase of Playground Games (Forza), Undead Labs (State of Decay), Ninja Theory (Hellblade, DmC Devil May Cry), Obsidian Entertainment (The Outer Worlds, Pillars of Eternity), and Compulsion Games (We Happy Few). It also formed The Initiative, a new studio led by ex-Crystal Dynamics head Darrell Gallagher. The mission behind these acquisitions is to help rebuild Microsoft's notoriously scant library of first-party exclusive games. As far as Psychonauts 2 goes, Double Fine unveiled the sequel’s first gameplay trailer. For the uninitiated, the plot centers on Raz, now a full-fledged Psychonaut, who must unravel a dark secret within the organization of psychic crime-fighters. Traveling through the mental worlds look to be just as much of a wacky trip as it was in the first game. One segment, for example, sees Raz traversing a bizarre world made out of floating teeth and gums. We also get a look at returning mechanics like rolling atop the psychic bubble. Psychonauts 2 will arrive to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Mac, and Linux sometime in 2020. How do you feel about Double Fine becoming a first-party studio? Are you excited for Psychonauts 2? Let us know in the comments! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
  25. Naomi N. Lugo
    Rumors of a game collaboration between Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin and developers FromSoftware and Bandai Namco circulated before it officially revealed during the E3 Microsoft press conference on June 9. The only information available at that time though was the name Elden Ring and some imagery. Leaks revealed themselves via a security issue with the Bandai Namco site where information on Elden Ring, a Ni no Kuni remaster, and new Tales game existed. A leak almost seemed predestined due to the game’s progress, “Development for Elden Ring started just after development for the Dark Souls 3 DLC had ended,” said Hidetaka Miyazaki. During the press conference, the official reveal trailer made its debut. From the trailer, we gather that Elden Ring is a new intellectual property and takes place in a universe created by both Martin and president of FromSoftware Hidetaka Miyazaki. Miyazaki, before becoming the head of the Japanese game dev company joined FromSoftware as a game designer and headed the creation of the Dark Souls series. The trailer itself starts with dramatic footage (complete with eerie sound design) of a figure seemingly presenting a dismembered arm to a whole host of grasping arms with unknown origins. As the camera pans out, it looks like these arms could even belong to the figure, but just as soon as we may be able to piece anything together, we move on to the next scene. “I doubt you could even imagine it,” the looming narrative voice says over this imagery in a moment of metacommentary. The rest of the trailer showcases imagery of what we can presume is a blacksmith forming armor as depictions of battle flash in and out. The blacksmith appears to break in both a literal and physical means as their body begins to crack. Then the trailer cuts out. Further details were released via Microsoft however. Via the game’s page description on the Xbox website we learned that Elden Ring is a fantasy action-RPG adventure. “Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to-date,” says the game page. No release window surfaced with the reveal trailer but we did learn that the game releases to Xbox One and PC. Elden Ring is set to publish via Bandai Namco with FromSoftware heading the development. What do you think Elden Ring will look like? When will we get to play it? Let us know your predictions in the comments and on social! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! View full article
  26. Naomi N. Lugo
    Rumors of a game collaboration between Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin and developers FromSoftware and Bandai Namco circulated before it officially revealed during the E3 Microsoft press conference on June 9. The only information available at that time though was the name Elden Ring and some imagery. Leaks revealed themselves via a security issue with the Bandai Namco site where information on Elden Ring, a Ni no Kuni remaster, and new Tales game existed. A leak almost seemed predestined due to the game’s progress, “Development for Elden Ring started just after development for the Dark Souls 3 DLC had ended,” said Hidetaka Miyazaki. During the press conference, the official reveal trailer made its debut. From the trailer, we gather that Elden Ring is a new intellectual property and takes place in a universe created by both Martin and president of FromSoftware Hidetaka Miyazaki. Miyazaki, before becoming the head of the Japanese game dev company joined FromSoftware as a game designer and headed the creation of the Dark Souls series. The trailer itself starts with dramatic footage (complete with eerie sound design) of a figure seemingly presenting a dismembered arm to a whole host of grasping arms with unknown origins. As the camera pans out, it looks like these arms could even belong to the figure, but just as soon as we may be able to piece anything together, we move on to the next scene. “I doubt you could even imagine it,” the looming narrative voice says over this imagery in a moment of metacommentary. The rest of the trailer showcases imagery of what we can presume is a blacksmith forming armor as depictions of battle flash in and out. The blacksmith appears to break in both a literal and physical means as their body begins to crack. Then the trailer cuts out. Further details were released via Microsoft however. Via the game’s page description on the Xbox website we learned that Elden Ring is a fantasy action-RPG adventure. “Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to-date,” says the game page. No release window surfaced with the reveal trailer but we did learn that the game releases to Xbox One and PC. Elden Ring is set to publish via Bandai Namco with FromSoftware heading the development. What do you think Elden Ring will look like? When will we get to play it? Let us know your predictions in the comments and on social! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
  27. Marcus Stewart
    343 Industries slightly pulled the curtain back on Halo Infinite during last year’s Xbox E3 briefing. The latest entry in the legendary franchise hasn’t made much of a peep since. That changed this year with Halo: Infinite receiving its first full trailer and the reveal of its release plans. After kicking off the event last year, Halo Infinite tied the bow on the conference this time around. A cinematic trailer centered on Master Chief, suspended in the vacuum of space, being rescued and revived by a lone space faring soldier. After the Chief boots up in first-person, a scene that harkens back to the original Halo: Combat Evolved, he learns that something cataclysmic has befallen humanity–and perhaps the entire galaxy. If that wasn’t ominous enough, he gazes out of the ships window to discover a devastated Halo ring world. 343 clarified that last year’s reveal teaser was merely a showcase of the Slipspace game engine and not representative of Halo Infinite’s look. Thus, this new trailer is our first real look at the game. The studio has stated that they’re looking to significantly shake-up Halo’s well-worn formula with Infinite. So much so, in fact, that the game has been deemed a spiritual reboot of sorts. Unfortunately, they still didn’t elaborate on how the game will play. What is known is that the story takes place after Halo 5: Guardians and will focus heavily on Master Chief. Gameplay will reportedly implement RPG elements as well and may even be more open in scope. While multiplayer will undoubtedly return, 343 has stated outright that the game will not have a battle royale mode. Halo’s popular Forge map editor is said to make a return in Infinite as well. Microsoft later shared that Halo Infinite will release during the 2020 holiday season and will launch alongside its next console, codenamed Project Scarlett. The game is also coming to Windows 10 on PC. What do you think of Halo Infinite so far? Does its release do anything to sway you into picking up Project Scarlett at launch? Share your thoughts in the comments! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
  28. Marcus Stewart
    343 Industries slightly pulled the curtain back on Halo Infinite during last year’s Xbox E3 briefing. The latest entry in the legendary franchise hasn’t made much of a peep since. That changed this year with Halo: Infinite receiving its first full trailer and the reveal of its release plans. After kicking off the event last year, Halo Infinite tied the bow on the conference this time around. A cinematic trailer centered on Master Chief, suspended in the vacuum of space, being rescued and revived by a lone space faring soldier. After the Chief boots up in first-person, a scene that harkens back to the original Halo: Combat Evolved, he learns that something cataclysmic has befallen humanity–and perhaps the entire galaxy. If that wasn’t ominous enough, he gazes out of the ships window to discover a devastated Halo ring world. 343 clarified that last year’s reveal teaser was merely a showcase of the Slipspace game engine and not representative of Halo Infinite’s look. Thus, this new trailer is our first real look at the game. The studio has stated that they’re looking to significantly shake-up Halo’s well-worn formula with Infinite. So much so, in fact, that the game has been deemed a spiritual reboot of sorts. Unfortunately, they still didn’t elaborate on how the game will play. What is known is that the story takes place after Halo 5: Guardians and will focus heavily on Master Chief. Gameplay will reportedly implement RPG elements as well and may even be more open in scope. While multiplayer will undoubtedly return, 343 has stated outright that the game will not have a battle royale mode. Halo’s popular Forge map editor is said to make a return in Infinite as well. Microsoft later shared that Halo Infinite will release during the 2020 holiday season and will launch alongside its next console, codenamed Project Scarlett. The game is also coming to Windows 10 on PC. What do you think of Halo Infinite so far? Does its release do anything to sway you into picking up Project Scarlett at launch? Share your thoughts in the comments! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! View full article
  29. Jack Gardner
    Another year, another E3! Jack and Naomi are back together again and are joined by Marcus Stewart and Zak Wojnar. Together, the group has assembled to help parse the massive number of games and experiences brought on by the year's biggest gaming trade show. They will be doing daily recaps of each day of the event, cataloging what they've seen and played. With this first recap, the convention center in LA hasn't even opened yet, but the press conferences are all but complete (with the sole exception of Nintendo). The four industry professionals give you the best insight we have into what's been announced and what it might mean. Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Spellbound" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) You can download or listen to the podcast over on Soundcloud, our hosting site, and iTunes. A YouTube version is available, as well! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games! View full article
  30. Jack Gardner
    Another year, another E3! Jack and Naomi are back together again and are joined by Marcus Stewart and Zak Wojnar. Together, the group has assembled to help parse the massive number of games and experiences brought on by the year's biggest gaming trade show. They will be doing daily recaps of each day of the event, cataloging what they've seen and played. With this first recap, the convention center in LA hasn't even opened yet, but the press conferences are all but complete (with the sole exception of Nintendo). The four industry professionals give you the best insight we have into what's been announced and what it might mean. Music from https://filmmusic.io: "Spellbound" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) You can download or listen to the podcast over on Soundcloud, our hosting site, and iTunes. A YouTube version is available, as well! Don't forget to sign up for Extra Life to help sick and injured kids in hospitals around the US and Canada by playing games!
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