Update (2nd Nov, 01:10 BST): In a statement given to ArsTechnica, Amazon has responded to the restrictions placed upon third-party sellers (see original article below). The restrictions were supposedly put in place “in error” and have since been reversed.
Yesterday’s email [to third-party Amazon sellers] was sent in error, and all impacted listings were reinstated within hours.
Original Article (1st Nov, 16:15 BST): Major online retailer Amazon has implemented a new system whereby third-party stores hoping to sell Nintendo products must first seek direct approval, potentially having a huge impact on the sale of used games and consoles.
The news comes from an email which has been sent to a number of third-party sellers who operate on Amazon’s digital storefront. It notes that the new requirements technically came into effect yesterday, 31st October, and warns that any products listed from now on “will be removed”. Here’s a snippet:
As part of our ongoing efforts to provide the best possible customer experience, we are implementing approval requirements for Nintendo products. Effective on 2019-10-31, you will need approval to list the affected products. If you do not obtain approval to sell these products prior to 2019-10-31, your listings for these products will be removed.
As reported by ArsTechnica, sellers have been experimenting to discover exactly what this means. It would appear that if a product’s producer is listed as ‘Nintendo’ – which would include any first-party games or consoles – it can no longer be listed in ‘used’ or ‘collectable’ condition. Some sellers have reported that they can list items in ‘new’ condition, and that third-party games on Nintendo platforms (meaning any title published by a studio other than Nintendo) can still be listed as before.
The move has sparked some rather heated discussion amongst Amazon’s third-party sellers, with one person accusing the retailer of “shutting everyone down so they can sell the items for more money”. The change actually comes after a string of similar changes to Amazon’s policies on the sales of items like DVDs and Apple products, and appears to be an attempt at cracking down on the sale of counterfeit products, of which plenty can be found online.
It’s unclear whether it was Amazon or Nintendo which decided to enforce the change, although other gaming platform holders Sony and Microsoft haven’t received the same new rulings. Many sellers who make a substantial profit from the resale of used Nintendo games have understandably been left concerned by the news.
October 23rd Xbox Insider Release notes – Alpha Ring (1911.191021-1917)
Hey Alpha ring users! Today’s Xbox Insider Release Notes highlight the latest fixes, known issues, and features coming to your console. Starting at 2:00 p.m. PT today, users will receive the latest 1911 Xbox One system update (build: 19H1_RELEASE_XBOX_DEV_1911\18363.8099.191021-1917). Keep reading for more details.
System Update Details:
OS version released: 19H1_RELEASE_XBOX_DEV_1911\18363.8099.191021-1917
Available: 2:00 p.m. PT – October 23, 2019
Mandatory: 3:00 a.m. PT – October 24, 2019
New Features:
Simplified Settings
We’ve got a brand new face lift for your Xbox One console’s Settings with simplified categories and subcategories. Xbox heard your feedback, and we’re working to make Settings easy to navigate and manage, to control your device and account, as needed. Explore the latest update and take control of how you play!
Fixes for Alpha
We’ve heard your feedback, and we’re happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented for this 1911 build:
Controller
A new version of controller firmware (4.8.1923.0) is available for certain controller models. Users may be prompted to update the controller automatically when it is connected to the console. You can also go to Settings>Devices & streaming> Accessories with the controller connected, then select the ellipsis button to see if a firmware update is available.
Changes in this firmware include:
Reliability improvements for wireless connectivity on console
Improvements to Bluetooth pairing
Xbox Button behavior changes over Bluetooth on Android
Bluetooth reliability fixes
System
Various updates to properly reflect local languages across the console.
Known Issues for Alpha
We understand some issues have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes. These issues aren’t being ignored, but it will take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. We appreciate your patience at this time!
Audio
Users who have Dolby Atmos enabled and console display settings set to 120hz with 36 bits per pixel (12-bit) are experiencing loss of Dolby Atmos audio in some situations.
Workaround: Disable 120hz or set Video Fidelity to 30 bits per pixel (10-bit) or lower.
Home (Experiment)
Some users may see a different Store icon on the dashboard than what normally appears.
Some users may see their content blocks reset randomly during the experiment.
Store
Some users are reporting issues making in-game purchases in Fortnite. If you are encountering this behavior please submit feedback from the console.
Dolby Access
Users are unable to complete the setup for Dolby Atmos in the app and the app is not recognizing Dolby Atmos headphones.
Note: This is an issue with the Dolby Access app and the app developers are aware and investigating.
Profile Color
Sometimes users may encounter the incorrect Profile color when powering on the console.
Are you not seeing your issue listed above? Make sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of your issue. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.
Learn more about feedback and how each ring is differentiated in the following links:
For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter and join the community subreddit for support and updates. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox One Update Preview ring!
Deep Dive: Horror enemy design in Tonight it Follows
The Gamasutra Deep Dives are an ongoing series with the goal of shedding light on specific design, art, or technical features within a video game, in order to show how seemingly simple, fundamental design decisions aren’t really that simple at all.
Hello! I’m Jordan King, creator of Black Eyed Priest Games. I currently live in Louisville, KY with my wife, three cats, and one pit-mix who believes he is our son. I started seriously pursuing a game developer career after a brief comic book writing stint that made me realize that making games is much more fun to do. As of now, I have been an independent game developer for a little over a year and I love every minute of it.
When I started my journey, my goal was clear: make games I would want to play. I’m also a fan of grindhouse cinema, 80s horror movies, and just underground schlock in general (well, you see what dark, dank tunnel this is going down…). Some of the games I have put out over the past year include, Shotgun, Now Entering: Quiet Haven, and most recently, the Puppet Combo-published Tonight It Follows.
Something I am very passionate about is the enemy design, and not only enemy design but also how they make the player feel. Enemies who either employ a memorable design or a dynamic behavior can really leave a lasting impact on us.
I think sometimes, not only us as developers, but also players, we forget that we can take enemy design a step forward in the impressions they can leave. I personally call this the “Goomba Trope.” In game development, the standard has traditionally been to just change an enemy design based upon its characteristics within a game. Thus, Goombas move left to right, Piranha Plants are stationary and shoot fire, etc. All Goombas look and act the same and all Piranha Plants look and act the same.
Since B-movies were ultimately my main inspiration, and in my attempt to marry the two media of film and video games, I took a look at what makes these cult celluloid classics, well, cult classics. For me, it is the characters. I’m not talking about award-worthy acting or writing, but character actors such as Miguel Nunez, Danielle Harris, Rutger Hauer, and Tony Todd go a long way in creating that lasting connection between our hearts and these films.
While they aren’t considered DiCaprios, Pitts, or Cruises, they more than make up for it because they embody fun. They have to wear their characters on their sleeves and show us who they are – usually without the amount of dialogue most Hollywood features get. This is a connection between these B-movies and video games. They’re supposed to be fun! I knew that I could channel the fun personalities and spirits of these films into my games.
With my passions identified, it was time to start designing my first game, SHOTGUN. You play as a hell-bent mother who dons homemade armor and blasts her way through a ruthless gang’s hideout to save her son. There are around 40 enemies in the short romp, each one is different from the last, and each only shows up once. Really, I thought of myself as a director and each enemy part of my cast. Do I want to add another enemy to this room? Well, I need to go find another thespian looking for work!
Speaking to the development side of things for a moment, the investment in going with this approach is considerable. I could have finished SHOTGUN in half the time it took if I went with the traditional approach. However, we are indie developers and we’re not too keen on tradition. I work as a solo developer on top of this, so in the infant stages of development for the game, knowing that I was going to spend a great deal of time on enemy design, animations, and programming, I chose to go with an 8bit style. It saved some time, and also was a perfect aesthetic for games inspired by films from 30+ years ago and my 8bit loves.
However, even with the simple art style, there was much to do. Every enemy not only had to be unique, but they needed to also be interesting. They all have to have to wear their own story and show who they are in their appearance, just like the best character actors needed to convey who they are without a top-notch script or budget.
Not only that, but when each of these characters meet their demise to the wrong end of a double barrel (this being a homage to exploitation flicks after all), they all had to have their own over the top death animation. This was done to make the game feel more dynamic and give the player the satisfaction and feeling that their actions impact this coked-up world in a unique way.
It might be juvenile, but I also find over the top 8bit violence to be pretty hilarious. And in the end, that’s what it’s all about. Having fun and maybe experiencing something new.
I had a great deal of fun designing the enemies too, probably more fun than any aspect of game development. I mean, we have some real “characters” here. Clowns with machine guns, a pioneering furry with a knife, and my personal favorite, a guy that pulls a pistol on you from what is most definitely an unsanitary place. And I’m not even going to get into what’s goin’ on in that dank basement (you’ll have to play the game and see for yourself).
Below are some of my favorite enemies across all my games so far that are close to my heart, whether in design or how they act within the game.
THE FOLLOWER (Tonight It Follows)
The main antagonist in “Tonight It Follows”, The Follower is an unstoppable force that follows you throughout the game, being the only enemy that you can’t kill. I got his design from a time in my life when I had sleep paralysis, and one of the scariest things from those experiences was him coming out of the darkness with those long squirmy fingers of his and wrapping them around my throat. In the game, he represents guilt from the past that the main character is trying to run from.
TALL MAN (Witching Hour at Hell House)
Wearing a Krueger-esque shirt, The Tall Man is one of three “bosses” from the escape the room game Witching Hour at Hell House. He used to own the house that you are trapped in and was corrupted into what he is now by a strange force residing in the basement. When he finally appears in the game, he proves to be a pretty intense match. You have limited shots in the shotgun you have just found and must connect with him 3 times. That is pretty hard to do as he teleports, re-appears, and then darts towards the player. Almost similar to a fight with Jaws from the NES – you only have a small window of opportunity to deal damage. To make matters worse, he knows when you run out of ammo and relentlessly chases you if that should happen.
PORKSY (Shotgun)
While he is your standard “pig butcher slasher”, I really like his cameo in Shotgun. Shotgun is an action game, and Porksy has taken a lot of people by surprise when you enter his lair. The tone of the game immediately shifts from survival to horror. He jumps at unsuspecting players from out of a room, squealing like a pig and revving his chainsaw. He also takes many more shots to bring down compared to your regular coke-sniffing punk. Venturing further you can uncover exactly what he was doing in the basement, and come face to face with one of his previous victims.
BROKEN NECK MAN (Peepaw)
This unfortunate spirit actually does no harm to the player. In Peepaw there are a few safe rooms you can duck in, catch your breath, and think about your surroundings before venturing back into the dangerous dark house. It’s in these safe rooms that Broken Neck Man appears randomly to give a good jolt of fear when you were expecting to be safe. While he doesn’t kill the player, he does a nice job making it feel that there truly is nowhere safe in the house. Some people don’t even realize he doesn’t harm you – when they see him they run back into danger! He really just wants to talk, but due to his condition can only get a few gurgles out.
FLESH MARIONETTE / SOMETHING BEHIND THE SHEETS (Tonight It Follows)
Some of my favorite scares in horror games are when the developers draw your eyes towards a certain object you believe will offer the next jolt, all for something completely different to happen. In Tonight It Follows, our player is walking next to a hanging sheet that obviously has someone standing behind it, just waiting to jump out. That never happens, but what does happen is this fleshy marionette comes along from the room you were just in. I like his design a lot and was probably my most Silent Hill-esque enemy.
I love horror elements that just seem impossible, or “this can’t be happening”, as his appearance presents this question as his strings continue off the top of the screen “who is controlling him from above?”
So far, I have been happy with my games. As creators, we are never really fully satisfied, and there are definitely some things that I would have done differently if I could go back.
In the end, I feel that taking the time to create such unique enemies really helps give your game the variation and voice it needs to leave a lasting impression on the player. We use many different aspects in our games to reach the player, be they gameplay, interesting environments, an engaging story, or a relatable player character.
Enemies can also be used to give the game extra character, just like side characters can enhance a film. They can be used to make a level more memorable, add lore to a story based on their appearance, or be used to get across to the player what kind of world they are in. Not only that, but players do appreciate the “small” touches within games they play — especially in a generally-soulless triple-A-ruled gaming landscape. Just taking the time to differentiate your enemies can go a long way in conveying your passion for the game at hand.
In my as-of-now limited experience, I have received a great deal of positive feedback about the enemies within my games. The emotions they have raised have included laughs, frights, and simple amusement in their colorful designs. Being sent fanart of an enemy you created is also a huge honor, and goes to show that people really can relate to and attach themselves to enemies. I believe that, without the attitude I have towards enemy design and the importance I give it, I would not have been able to carve out the little identity that I have. It has become a part of what is expected from my work, and has helped me find a “calling card.”
At BlizzCon today, Blizzard’s Jeffrey Kaplan took to the stage to announce Overwatch 2, a sequel to the hit 2016 multiplayer shooter.
Overwatch 2 appears to differ notably from the first game, featuring a larger focus on co-op story missions as opposed to the competitive multiplayer of the first game. This design appears much akin to the missions that Blizzard has released as part of Overwatch events.
Though the trailer emphasized the new co-op story content, the game also seems to retain the multiplayer, esports-friendly design of the first game. However, it appears the multiplayer has been refocused around a new core game mode.
“First and foremost, you have to remember Overwatch is a team versus team, 6v6 experience, and there’s no way we’re losing that at all,” Kaplan said.
Kaplan also announced that support would continue for the first Overwatch, as new multiplayer maps and heroes would be shared between the two games. He described it as a “shared multiplayer environment” where players from the two teams could compete together. Items players have purchased in the first Overwatch will also migrate to Overwatch 2.
Kohl's Black Friday Deals: PS4, Xbox One, and Switch Sales With Nice Bonuses
Kohl's is more known as a clothing department store than a place to get gaming and tech products, but each Black Friday the retailer has some unexpected deals. Black Friday 2019 will be no different, as Kohl's has some pretty awesome sales on PS4, Xbox One, and Switch bundles as well as discounts on a variety of awesome tech products.
Along with the low prices, Kohl's is also throwing in $15 Kohl's Cash for every $50 you spend November 25-29. Kohl's Cash earned during Black Friday weekend has to be spent from November 30 to December 9. If that wasn't enough, select products are eligible for an additional 15 percent off both in-store and online with the promo code THANKS15.
Doorbuster sales actually begin at 1:01 AM ET on Thanksgiving day on their website and in-store starting at 3 PM PT / 6 PM ET. You can browse the full 60-page ad on the Kohl's site and check out our picks below.
This 1TB PS4 Slim normally goes for $300, but Kohl's will have it for $200. It comes with exclusive Fortnite content, including the Neo Versa outfit, Neo Phrenzy Back Bling, and 2,000 V-Bucks. Though this isn't the holiday bundle that appears to include God of War, Marvel's Spider-Man, and Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition for the same, the $60 in Kohl's cash makes it worth a look, especially if you plan on shopping at Kohl's more throughout the holiday season.
Xbox One S 1TB Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order Bundle with $60 Kohl's Cash -- $200 ($300)
Sure to be one of the most popular Xbox One bundles this holiday season, the Xbox One S with Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order will be $200 at Kohl's. Like the PS4 deal, you can get $60 Kohl's Cash with your purchase to spend at a later date in-store. Fallen Order releases November 15 and will almost assuredly be one of the most desired gaming gifts this Christmas.
Xbox One X 1TB NBA 2K20 Bundle with $105 Kohl's Cash -- $350 ($500)
You can grab the Xbox One X with NBA 2K20, the latest entry in Visual Concept's basketball sim series, for $350. That's a pretty awesome deal, and you also get $105 Kohl's Cash with your purchase.
Nintendo Switch with carrying case and charging dock with $90 Kohl's Cash -- $320 ($345)
The Nintendo Switch probably won't get discounted very much this holiday season. Instead, you're more likely to see bundles such as this one. For $320, you can get the Nintendo Switch, the Game Traveler Deluxe Travel Case ($20 value), and what appears to be the PowerA Joy-Con Charging Dock ($25). Kohl's doesn't currently have either the case or charging dock on its website, but based off of the small ad images, it appears you'll save $25 overall. On top of that, you'll get $90 Kohl's Cash.
PlayStation VR Astro Bot and Moss Bundle with $60 Kohl's Cash -- $200 ($300)
This stellar PSVR bundle was a hot Black Friday item last year. It's returning this year for the same $200 price. Astro Bot: Rescue Mission and Moss are two of the best platformers on Sony's VR headset, so any PS4 owners thinking about taking the plunge into VR should think about scooping up this bundle at Kohl's that comes with $60 Kohl's Cash.
For countertops that are a tad barren, the Arcade 1Up Pac-Man arcade machine can give that space some much needed style. Arcade1Up is one of the most popular manufacturers of personal arcade machines, and this one is a beauty. It'll be discounted to $150 and comes with $45 Kohl's Cash.
PlayStation 4 DualShock 4 Wireless Controller -- $40 ($60)
This appears to only be available in black, as Kohl's only has the black DualShock 4 normally listed for $60. Nonetheless, it's always great to get $20 off of a pricey controller.
Available in either white or black, you can also save $20 on Xbox One controllers. While it's not eligible for Kohl's Cash when you just buy one, remember that for every $50 you spend, you get $15 in Kohl's Cash.
Fitbit Charge 3 or Fitbit Versa Lite Edition with $30 Kohl's Cash -- $100 ($150)
A pair of great fitness-focused smartwatches will be available for $50 off each at Kohl's. The Fitbit Charge 3 is a slim fitness band that hones in on comfort rather than features. The Versa Lite is a more traditional smartwatch with a larger display and more apps. Both of these Fitbit watches come with $30 Kohl's Cash.
Canon EOS Rebel T6 DSLR Camera Bundle -- $400 ($750)
Normally $750, the Canon EOS Rebel T6 DSLR Camera Bundle will be discounted to just $400. This doorbuster comes with the highly rated camera, a carrying case, and two lenses (18-55mm and 75-300mm).
Destiny 2's Xenophage, The New Exotic Weapon, Is Bugged
Among the many new things introduced to Destiny 2 this week was another Exotic weapon quest, this one for Xenophage. Starting the quest and seeing it all the way through is challenging, but that didn't stop some players from quickly getting their hands on it--and finding themselves underwhelmed. As it turns out, the weapon is bugged, causing it to be less effective than intended.
After players began to unlock Xenophage, posts began to pop up on places like Reddit wondering if something was wrong. The weapon was not dealing precision damage and was generally not great--not exactly what you'd expect from an Exotic light machine gun.
In response to some of the feedback that's been shared about the new gun, Bungie community manager Cozmo23 wrote on Reddit, "I checked with the team on this. The fact that Xenophage does not do precision damage is not a bug and by design. However, the weapon is unintentionally underperforming and we are currently investigating."
Bungie's weekly blog post reinforced that this is a bug, much to the amusement of some players due to the fact that Xenophage's unique design is basically that of a bug gun.
There's no word on how quickly Xenophage's problems will be resolved, but there's no time like the present to work on acquiring it. Alternatively, you can dive into the new dungeon or Festival of the Lost.
The Khronos Group have just released the Vulkan Unified Samples Repository, a single location for the best tutorials and code samples for learning and using the Vulkan API.
Today, The Khronos® Group releases the Vulkan® Unified Samples Repository, a new central location where anyone can access Khronos-reviewed, high-quality Vulkan code samples in order to make development easier and more streamlined for all abilities. Khronos and its members, in collaboration with external contributors, created the Vulkan Unified Samples Project in response to user demand for more accessible resources and best practices for developing with Vulkan. Within Khronos, the Vulkan Working Group discovered that there were many useful and high-quality samples available already (both from members and external contributors), but they were not all in one central location. Additionally, there was no top-level review of all the samples for interoperability or compatibility. This new repository project was created to solve this challenge by putting resources in one place, ensuring samples are reviewed and maintained by Khronos. They are then organized into a central library available for developers of all abilities to use, learn from, and gain ideas.
The first group of samples includes a generous donation of performance-based samples and best practice documents from Khronos member, Arm.
The repository is hosted entirely on GitHub under the Apache 2.0 source license. The code samples are located here.
I’m not really a huge fan of Halloween, mainly because in the evenings I don’t like to be bothered. After a long day my priorities are to eat dinner and relax on the couch, and not be answering the door every few minutes to give out sweets. We put out some anyway just in case anyone did come knocking, but it was a quiet year on our street so most of the box is still there.
In terms of the site this week we finally caught up on a review I’ve been meaning to have done (Xenowerk) and had what will probably be the penultimate look at games are still due out this year. We also reviewed Bad North, which is excellent, if only really suitable for short bursts.
There was a lot of buzz around GWENT when it first turned up. A hit mini-game within the very popular RPG The Witcher 3, it had all the hallmarks of an excellent stand-alone experience and, lo and behold, it appeared on PC and consoles in 2018. Not much has really been heard about it since then – it’s still going, and people still seem to enjoy it, and we’ve known a mobile version was on the horizon at some point.
After a recent beta period, that ‘some point’ is finally here, although only on iOS. GWENT is a very different game from the likes of Hearthstone and other challengers, although it’s still at its core a vaguely CCG looking card game. Michael is hard at work playing through the game for us now, and we’ll bring you our thoughts on it over the coming weeks. No word on an Android version yet I’m afraid, but we’ll keep you posted.
The Quest is a bit of a PT staple so it’s good to see it’s still going. This is a new stand-alone expansion to the beautifully hand-drawn Adventure/RPG with new areas, new quests and new challenges. As with past expansions, you can purchase this as a stand-alone experience if you don’t own the base game, or enable the new content within your existing save.
If you’re doing it within the base game, go to Mithria harbor and talk to captain Hanty, then select “Basilisk’s Eye” as your travel destination. The devs recommend you be at least level 75 before taking on the new content.
Last but not least, A Case of Distrust caught our eye as something that might be worth looking at. It’s a narrative-based murder mystery experience, so not our usual fare, but it won a bunch of indie awards in 2017 and has developed a good reputation on PC and other platforms. It’s now finally on iOS.
App Updates, News & Pre-Orders
Tropico
Feral Interactive released a free update for their mobile adaptation of banana republic simulator Tropico this week. The ‘Absolute Power’ expansion has been made available at no extra cost, which consists of 10 new missions, each taking place on its own island. Don’t forget to check out our review.
Runescape Mobile
While ‘Oldschool Runescape’ is already available on mobile, that’s the old 2007 version of the game. If you wanted to play the currently running modern version. You’d have to play on a PC… until today! An Early Access build has released on Android, although despite being free-to-download, you can’t actually play it unless you’re a subscriber of the game on PC.
No word on an iOS version yet, or if the Early Access will open up to anyone else. I’ve dabbled in Runescape myself on PC, but because I’m a free-to-play user I’m not able to access the Android build.
Mario Kart Tour Multiplayer
Mario Kart Tour has been out nearly a couple of months now, long enough to get a good measure of it. It’s a pretty good way of idling away some time if you’ve got nothing better to do, and the Mario Kart aesthetics make for some good nostalgia, but a true Mario Kart game it is not. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of true multiplayer.
We just heard today that a beta trial of a multiplayer mode will be rolling out in December. Unfortunately, it’s only going to roll out for the Gold Pass subscribers first. The Gold Pass costs $4.99 and unlocks the game’s 200cc mode and then various cosmetic goodies. That’s the same price as Apple Arcade, just so you know.
Minecraft
The iOS and Android versions of Minecraft were updated to Version 1.13 earlier this week, the first major patch since July. It’s another technical focuses one looking at fixing bugs and the like, but it also adds Foxes as a new animal, and the Character Creator, which allows you to further customise your avatar in lots of different ways (with even more ways available to purchase). There are few other little content drops as well.
Halloween App Sales
Fuuu- there are a lot of sales to process this week, so you may have to settle for a more general bulletin rather than our usual more specific alerts:
Necrodancer: AMPLIFIED is down to $2.99 (not cheapest price), and the original game is also discounted.
XCOM: Enemy Within is down it its cheapest price of $1.99 again on iOS and Android, as are a couple of other 2K games.
King of Dragon Pass is half price, making it its cheapest price in recent memory. Six Ages is still full price.
Handelabra’s One Deck Dungeon is down to $4.99 on iOS and Android. It was slightly cheaper in June.
All of Acram Digital’s games are discounted on iOS and Android.
Stardew Valley is down to $4.99. It was $3.99 in Dec ‘18 so it might go that cheap again this year, but it’s still a decent price.
A lot of Ironhide’s (Kingdom Rush, Iron Marines) games are going cheap this week on iOS and Android.
New trailer for ‘Ghostwriter’ shows up on Apple TV+ YouTube channel
By Amber Neely Friday, November 01, 2019, 11:54 am PT (02:54 pm ET)
A new trailer showcases clips from the reimagined 1990’s PBS classic educational program “Ghostwriter,” now available to watch on Apple TV+.
When a ghost takes up residence in a local bookstore and releases fictional characters into the real world, a team of kids must band together to help put everyone back into their proper stories.
The trailer teases clips of the characters interacting with famous literary characters such as the White Rabbit from “Alice in Wonderland” and Mowgli from “The Jungle Book.”
The video’s description reads “Magic. Mystery. Mad Hatters. Just another average day in middle school.”
“Ghostwriter” is a reimagining of the early ’90s PBS classic. While the original series focused on the characters solving mysteries with the help of a ghost, the reimagining is a bit different.
The aim of “Ghostwriter” is to help bolster the reading skills of elementary school students. This time around, the characters will have to help rescue classic literary characters and get them back to their correct pieces of fiction. “Ghostwriter” is available to watch now on Apple TV+.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 11-01-2019, 09:27 PM - Forum: Windows
- No Replies
First wave of Xbox Black Friday deals arrives
The holidays will be here before you know it, and to kick off the start of November, we are unveiling the first wave of Xbox Black Friday discounts. This is just a sample of our entire Black Friday deals – tune in via Mixer for a special episode of Inside Xbox live from X019 in London on Thursday, November 14 at 12:00 p.m. PT for the full lineup of Xbox Black Friday discounts and offers. You won’t want to miss out!
First up, we are offering a 50% discount on Sea of Thieves: Anniversary Edition, the fastest-selling first-party new IP of this generation. Join this multiplayer, shared-world adventure game featuring new modes like the story driven Tall Tales or The Arena, a competitive multiplayer experience on the high seas. Xbox Live Gold is required to play Sea of Thieves: Anniversary Edition and is sold separately.
Deals are valid starting on November 24 and run through December 2, 2019. Plus, Black Friday kicks off even earlier for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Live Gold members, with Early Access beginning on November 21.
Visit Xbox.com, Microsoft Store and participating retailers globally for more details on availability and pricing as deals will vary between regions and retailers. See here for more Black Friday deals from Microsoft Store.
Xbox has something for everyone on your gift this list year, and at every price point. Be sure to tune in to Inside Xbox at X019 on Thursday, November 14 at 12:00 p.m. PT for the full lineup of Xbox Black Friday deals.
