Save 50% on Blood Bowl 2 as part of this week’s Weekend Deal*!

Blood Bowl 2 smashes Warhammer and American football together, in an explosive cocktail of turn-based strategy, humour and brutality, adapted from Games Workshop’s famous boardgame.

Also, be sure to check out brand-new DLC content, including new playable races releasing today!

*Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time

This week at Bungie, we announced “Curse of Osiris.”

Our 2017 World Tour isn’t over yet. At Paris Games Week, we announced your next adventure in Destiny 2. If you missed the trailer, check out the mysteries that await.

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We know you have a lot of questions about what you saw. Osiris has that effect on even his most devout Followers. We have answers coming soon.

As promised at TwitchCon, there will be three Bungie livestreams in November. We’ll use them to unpack more of what you’ll find in Expansion One.

Curse of Osiris – Stream One – New Stories to Tell

11AM Pacific, Wednesday, November 15

Learn about the places you’ll go, the characters you’ll meet, and the enemies you’ll fight.

Curse of Osiris – Stream Two – New Ways to Play

11AM Pacific, Tuesday, November 21

Watch us preview some of the new activities that will challenge you and your Fireteam.

Curse of Osiris – Stream Three – New Gear to Earn

11AM Pacific, Wednesday, November 29

Inspect the new inventories and see it all in action on a brand new Crucible map.

Many members of the Bungie development team will be in the hot seats to tell you all about what they’ve been working on. We hope you’ll join us to be a part of the moment and sound off in chat.

Choosing Sides

You’re about to be called again to declare your loyalty during another week of Faction Rallies. If you are a new player who missed the first event, this will be an opportunity for you to define your character, join a movement, and earn some awesome gear. From November 7 until November 13, follow the call to action from your chosen leader to earn reward packages full of armor, weapons, and more. Your efforts in game will determine which faction is crowned the winner and given the right to sell their weapon as an additional reward.

Last time, Dead Orbit won the day. Can a new faction unseat them and become champions? Or will they defend their title and create a dynasty that will last forever?

Tim Williams: During the first Faction Rallies, we had a chance to learn a lot about how the activities motivated gameplay. We looked at the time invested compared to the rewards and made the following adjustments:

Faction Rallies

• Strikes now reward faction tokens at a range of 5 to 9 faction tokens per completion (up from 3 to 7) 
• • Nightfall now rewards 10 to 18 faction tokens on first completion per character 
• Completing Heroic Public Events now rewards 5 faction tokens (down from 8)
• Destroying enemy resources no longer rewards faction tokens
• • Opening Lost Sector Chests now rewards 3 faction tokens for each fireteam member

Strikes should feel more worthy of the time you invest in them. We noticed that players felt Lost Sectors were useful, but disliked the fact that they couldn’t enjoy them with a fireteam, so we moved the faction tokens from the destructible items to the chest at the end of the activity. The destructibles will still be featured as a daily milestone and are still available to help your fireteam clear out the Lost Sector.

We’re all excited to see which faction the players will help to win this faction rally. We’ll be watching and looking to improve the Faction Rallies over time, so please keep the feedback coming!

In addition to the changes Tim talked about, we also added some new weapons for you to obtain from your faction of choice. Here is a look at what we added to the packages, and what each side has to offer if they emerge victorious.

New Monarchy Weapons

Future War Cult Weapons

Dead Orbit Weapons

The winning faction – and ONLY the winning faction – will sell the weapon they’ve selected to lure you into their ranks. Aside from all the gear you stand to earn, this is what you’re fighting for.

New Monarchy Sword

Future War Cult Fusion Rifle

Dead Orbit Grenade Launcher

Depending on who emerges the victor, you’ll be able to claim one of these rewards during the week following the ritual. If you pledged loyalty to the winner, you can pick it up for 1,000 Glimmer. For everyone else, it’s 50,000 Glimmer. That’s the price for disloyalty in the Tower.

Good luck, and may the best faction win!

Good Will Hunting

The Bungie Bounty is back. This time, we’ll be playing on Xbox One. Another brave soul has volunteered to host the Bungie team on their own stream. SheSnaps will be the target. Match with her in Quickplay and win during the time indicated below to claim your emblem.

When:  November 3rd, 2017

6:00–8:00 p.m. (Pacific)

Playlist: Quickplay

Console: XB1

SneSnaps won’t be going it alone. We have an all-Bungie fireteam backing her up. 

This will not be a reveal stream like the ones we talked about above. We’ll just be confronting the community in the Crucible and giving out emblems to anyone who can beat us. Don’t expect any revelations about Osiris. We’re saving that for later.

About that emblem. Here is a peek at what the Sign of Mutual Combat looks like:

Look alive, PC Players! The next Bungie Bounty will be on your platform.

Fall Back! 

As we welcome a wider variety of machines that play our game, Destiny Player Support is working around the clock to identify issues and communicate fixes. They have more info about a patch we deployed this morning, along with the impending time change this weekend.

This is their report.

Daylight Saving Time (Fall Back):

Ritual reset times are subject to change during Daylight Savings Time. Starting Sunday November 5, Daily and Weekly Reset will occur at 1:00 AM Pacific (9:00 AM UTC). For additional information concerning ritual resets, please see this Help Article.

PC Issue updates:

Since the launch of Destiny 2 on PC, we have been investigating various reports of crashes, performance degradation, framerate hitches, and alternate issues with players on the #Help forum. The following issues have been identified, investigated, and resolved:

• SSSE3 processor requirement: Hotfix 1.0.5.1 was deployed to remove the SSSE3 processor requirement. Players experiencing crashes due to this requirement should no longer be blocked from playing Destiny 2, but these processors remain below the below minimum spec and are not officially supported.
• AMD Vega Crashes: Players experiencing crashes when attempting to play through the mission “Six” or during general Destiny 2 gameplay may resolve these issues by downloading the most recent Driver Updates. Players may experience elevated crashes if their drivers have not been updated to version 17.8 or higher, and are advised to update when possible.
• Clan Rosters: Players should now be able to interact with Clan Rosters after accepting Hotfix 1.0.6.1
• Performance Degradation: Hotfix 1.0.6.1 also addressed an issue where players would experience performance degradation over time.

For a list of all known PC issues, please see the PC Known Issue and Vital Information thread. Please note we are actively investigating reports of Destiny 2 PC frame rate stuttering after accepting Hotfix 1.0.6.1. We advise all players to use the PC Reporting Issues template when posting to the PC Support forum, as this provides valuable information to our internal teams that is used throughout our investigations.

Trials of the Nine

Following Hotfix 1.0.6, Trials of the Nine is set to return this Friday (11/3), also making its first appearance on PC. Players are required to complete the Destiny 2 Campaign, finish the Call to Arms Milestone once, have a minimum Power level of 260, and have a pre-made fireteam of four to access this event. 

For additional information concerning Trials of the Nine, please see this Help Article.

White Gloves, Gold Standards

With each new release, the #Help forum receives new players in search of assistance. Whether it be general gameplay questions or players seeking information on how to configure their network, Community Mentors are at the ready to lend a helping hand. Prior to Destiny 2 launching in September, an invitation to the Welcoming Committee was offered to players we frequently see sharing Help Articles, Bungie Communications, and troubleshooting steps within the forums. We’d like to extend a belated welcome to the following members:

• DMHSutter
• DMHTosh
• Blackfayaman
• TheCatalyyyst

With a forum badge and the ability to mark answers within the #Help forum, each member is also granted the unique “Vigilant Console” emblem within Destiny 2 as thanks for their dedication to the community.

If you see this emblem in the wild, know you’re in good company.

Set the Stage

Here are this week’s winners.

Move of the Week: Sector 13

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Honorable Mention: Warlocks are Good With Guns

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Honorable Mention: A Warlock’s Tale

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We’re excited that Trials of the Nine is coming back tomorrow. This will be the first time PC players get to experience the thrill of playing through a scorecard with the chance of unlocking the mysteries of the spire and earning sweet loot.

New things to do are on the way. You have a roadmap of when we will be sharing some more details about Curse of Osiris and what else you can expect when Season Two begins with it on December 5. In the meantime, we will continue to monitor the conversation.

<3 Cozmo

Three years ago, Naughty Dog’s Anthony Newman took to the stage at GDC 2014 to deconstruct a complicated topic: the melee system at play in the studio’s 2013 game The Last Of Us.

It was interesting because Newman’s talk addressed both the deisgn of the system (discussing solutions to the challenges of creating an effective hybrid between gunplay and melee combat, and how those mechanics emphasized the tone and world) and the practical implementation of said system.

He delved into the technical details of how the Last Of Us team synced animations, handle memory management, and practiced efficient scripting practices. It was a neat talk that also touched on how the studio’s production process changed between Uncharted and The Last Of Us, as well as examining techniques the team used to achieve the game’s brutal aesthetic.

If that sounds like something you’d like to watch but you missed it in 2013, no worries — now you can watch it for free on the official GDC YouTube channel!

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and its accompanying YouTube channel offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.

Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC or VRDC already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.

Gamasutra and GDC are sibling organizations under parent UBM Americas

Spintires: MudRunner is Now Available on Steam!

Spintires: MudRunner is the ultimate version of the million-seller hit Spintires. Drive incredible all-terrain vehicles, venturing across extreme landscape! It’s not just an enhanced edition, it’s the ultimate off-road experience!

Welcome, gamers! Another great batch of games are coming your way soon, including one of the biggest games of the year in Call of Duty: WWII that brings the blockbuster series back to the front lines of World War II. We also have a wide selection of family-friendly games like Rush: A Disney / Pixar Adventure, Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection, and Disneyland Adventures to look forward to. And for (real) fantasy sports fans, Mutant Football League will enter the Xbox Game Preview program in the coming days. Read on for more details on these games and more below!

Games

October 31, 2017

Based on the best-selling fantasy novels, Beast Quest brings its blend of RPG and storytelling to Xbox One as you work to save the Kingdom of Avantia from ruin. Battle across this mythical world, tackling challenges through stunning landscapes and a plethora of side missions and objectives.

Games

October 31, 2017

Build, manage, and maintain your dream zoo in Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection on Xbox One. Fully-remastered featuring nearly 200 stunning animals and large, detailed environments. With intuitive controls and fun tutorials, Zoo Tycoon is easy to get started with and is great for all ages.

Games

October 31, 2017

Endure perilous conditions across wild landscapes in extreme conditions as you navigate 19 powerful all-terrain vehicles across raging rivers, muddy terrain and other obstacles powered by a realistic physics engine. Spintires: MudRunner is the ultimate version of the best-selling PC game Spintires.

Games

October 31, 2017

Fans of all ages are invited to play Rush: A Disney/Pixar Adventure that allows you to experience the worlds of six beloved Disney/Pixar films like “The Incredibles,” “Up,” “Toy Story,” and more where you’ll solve puzzles and uncover hidden secrets.

Games

October 31, 2017

Take a journey to Disneyland right in your living room that’s fun for fans of all ages! Journey from Main Street to Critter County, hang out with Mickey Mouse, and embark on challenging quests all inspired by the attractions found at iconic theme park.

Games

October 31, 2017

Get ready to start pointing and clicking (on console)! Three of gaming’s classic old-school adventure classics, The Uninvited, Shadowgate, and Déjà Vu, come to Xbox One in one package that’s full of challenging puzzles, scares, and a ton of nostalgia.

Games

October 31, 2017

In this casual side-scroller, play as Maria, an amateur witch, as she works to deliver mail all over the world (while practicing her broom riding skills). Travel through a wide range of magical worlds, collect a variety of items, and do battle with numerous adorable enemies.

Games

October 31, 2017

Fans of first-person horror games will be challenged in this eerie escape room adventure. With a mysterious fish-head nemesis (think Jigsaw from “Saw”) you must complete a series of trials should you hope to survive Dying Reborn.

Games

October 31, 2017

A mix of the apocalypse, base management, and card games, Dead Exit has you out thinking your opponents to make it out of the city in one piece. It’ll be up to you to find your own path for survival, be it through making or breaking alliances, as well as having a little bit of luck on your side.

Games

October 31, 2017

Units, heroes and battles inspired in real events in this hex-based, turned-based strategy game. With a deep narrative linked to the historical evolution of the conflict, Numantia features two different campaigns with their own heroes, troops, settlements and armies.

Games

November 03, 2017

Call of Duty: WWII introduces the definitive World War II experience across a formidable campaign, competitive multiplayer, and co-op challenges. With stunning visuals and realistic gunplay, you’ll battle across Europe in one of history’s most powerful wars.

Games

November 03, 2017

Featuring the voice talents of “Steven Universe,” explore and interact with expansive environments in this hybrid RPG, featuring a mix of real-time and turn-based combat, as you join Steven and the Crystal Gems on their ultimate quest.

Games

November 03, 2017

Mutants and monsters unleash maniacal carnage on the gridiron in this crazy gore fest of arcade-style football. Packed full of humor, intense online multiplayer action, and strategy, Mutant Football League is the latest edition to our Xbox Game Preview program.

Games

November 03, 2017

A modern classic in the vein of Double Dragon and Final Fight, 99Vidas features six unique characters to play as, either locally or online, against the pixelated 16-bit era inspired backdrop, ensuring you get your side-scrolling beat ’em up fix playing this game alone or with friends.

Assassin’s Creed® Origins is Now Available on Steam!

Ancient Egypt, a land of majesty and intrigue, is disappearing in a ruthless fight for power. Unveil dark secrets and forgotten myths as you go back to the one founding moment: The Origins of the Assassin’s Brotherhood.

Nintendo’s newest Mario platformer is here! With the launch of Super Mario Odyssey, the Nintendo Switch now has two major first-party titles (the other being The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) inside its first year that demonstrate the design possibilities and motion control experiments that are possible on the sytsem. 

So what’s the game like? How does Nintendo introduce players to its weird new mechanics? We took a close look today on the Gamsautra Twitch channel. It’s definitely a wild new setting for Mario, and its areas neatly unfold to introduce you to new kinds of entities you can “capture,” as the game calls it. 

You can watch the full video above, and while you’re at it, be sure to follow the Gamsautra Twitch channel for more gameplay commentary, developer interviews, and editorial roundtables.