Halo is coming to Nintendo Switch… in Minecraft
The skin and texture pack has been available in Xbox 360 and Xbox One versions of Minecraft for years – but has never been appeared on a rival console.
That will change later this year when Minecraft’s new cross-platform version – cunningly just dubbed “Minecraft” – launches.
This iteration of Minecraft is the one Microsoft has dubbed the Better Together Update, which will let Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows 10, Android and iOS, Oculus Rift, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Samsung Gear VR owners all play together. (Sony turned down PlayStation’s invite to the party.)
The Halo Mash-up Pack will be available to all of these platforms.
Minecraft’s platform-specific DLC has, until now, been a big question mark. It is listed by Microsoft in a recent blog update as something it is “still working on”.
“Custom skins are awesome, and we know you love them! Getting them to work on consoles requires some work on the platform holders’ side to enable things like this,” Microsoft wrote. “We’re working with them to get everything in place to enable this in a future update.”
The most high-profile example now Halo is sorted is perhaps the Mario Mash-up Pack available in Minecraft on Wii U and Nintendo Switch. Would Nintendo allow it on other platforms? It seems unlikely… but with Halo appearing on Switch, perhaps anything is possible.
Minecraft Built a Colossal Machine Inside the Game to Advertise a Special New Update
In-world advertising is always a fun tactic for gaming brands. And now, Minecraft has gotten into the act, enlisting ad agency 215 McCann to build a giant machine inside the Minecraft world—whose mismatched components serve as marketing for a special update to the popular building game.
For years, the various versions of Minecraft—mobile, Xbox One, PCs—haven’t been compatible with each other. If you build your world on platform, and a friend builds a world on another platform, you can’t visit each other.
For the first time in the history of Minecraft, tens of millions of players will be united across different platforms and devices and able to play together regardless of whether they’re playing on mobile, Xbox One, or Windows 10 PCs.
But yesterday, that all changed. Microsoft explains:
The big day is finally here!
It’s probably the most significant update we’ve made in Minecraft’s recent history – we’re releasing a new version of the game that lets players on Xbox, mobile, VR and Windows 10 play together!
And not only that! It lets you access oodles of player-made goodness on Marketplace! It lets you take that Marketplace goodness from one device to another! It lets you play your Realm on console (for example), hop off, then pick up where you left off on your phone! It lets you join massive servers, with communities numbering in millions of players and eccentric minigames to suit every taste!
The new update to the game is called “Better Together.” And to help market it, 215 McCann built a colossal in-game machine—which players will soon be able to visit—that embodies this sense of togetherness. The “Togetherness Machine” uses claws to grab pieces of the game’s separate platforms and brings them together in a unified village.
The point is to remind players that they can engage with building and breaking cities in real time with other players on different platforms.
Here’s footage of the Togetherness Machine:
It’s great placement, as the cross-platform capability is good news for existing players at least as much, or not more so, as it is for would-be players. The machine will be available in-game in about a month.
CREDITS
Client: Microsoft Xbox
Title: “The Togetherness Machine”
Agency: 215 McCann
Chief Creative Officer: Scott Duchon
Creative Director: Neil Bruce
Copywriter: Andy Holdeman
Art Director: Zach Lepine
Editor: Carson Bell
Producer: Sarah Sweeney
Director of Integrated Production: Alex Spahr
Business Director: Peter Goldstein
Account Director: Drew Porter
Account Executive: Sam Brody
Group Strategy Director: Brian Wakabayashi
Strategy Director: Cassidy Wilber
Communications Strategist: Amy Tucker
Production Company: Blockworks
Recording Studio: One Union Recording
Mixer: Joaby Deal
Original Music: Robot Repair
Minecraft Built a Colossal Machine Inside the Game to Advertise a Special New Update
Minecraft is getting a huge update with new items, achievements, and cross-platform play
Despite being a place of infinite wonder and joy, Minecraft has, for the most part, had a segmented player base. If you’ve been playing on PC, playing alongside those on Xbox One has been impossible. Until now. A new update is allowing players on four different platforms to play together at once.
The Better Together update is one of the largest updates for Minecraft in its history, primarily due to the size of this undertaking. Anyone on Xbox One, PC, mobile, or virtual reality versions of Minecraft will now be able to play together in online servers. Those playing on the Nintendo Switch can expect to receive this update this winter, adding yet another group to the massive pile of Minecraft builders. PS4 isn’t on the books right now, unfortunately, although the Minecraft developers are talking to Sony about it. More on that in the Better Together FAQ.
Also in this update are new features, tweaks, and bugs. Highlights of those features are:
- Stained Glass, Fireworks (with Elytra boost!), Parrots, Banners, Armor Stands, Jukebox and music discs, Recipe Book, and Book & Quill items
- New world start options: Starting Map; Bonus Chest; Trust Players
- New game rules: Show Coordinates; TNT Explodes; Natural Regeneration
- Player permissions
- Zombie Villager spawn egg
- Expanded Xbox Live multiplayer world settings
- New loading screens with funny and helpful tips
- How to Play screen
- New achievements
- Realms invite links
- Mash-up Packs and Texture Packs will now decorate the main menu and in-game HUD
The full list of features tweaks are on the official announcement, while the bug fixes are just labelled as being “too many to mention.” Apparently, llamas could previously turn their head backwards while you ride them before this update, though, which is a terrifying thought.
For those of you on PC – you’ll have to be playing on the version of Minecraft simply called ‘Minecraft’. With this update, the previously-named Minecraft Bedrock Edition no longer exists, there now simply being Minecraft and Minecraft Java. It’s a little complicated, but: Minecraft is the version that’s the same across most platforms, and the one you have to use to get access to the Better Together update.
Minecraft is getting a huge update with new items, achievements, and cross-platform play
The big ‘Minecraft’ cross-platform update is live, but not on Switch
The Better Together update brings the biggest set of changes to hit Minecraft in years, expanding the Community Marketplace, streamlining access to third-party servers and uniting the game across platforms — and it’s all live today. Well, most of it is.
Better Together is rolling out across Xbox One, Windows 10, virtual-reality and mobile versions of Minecraft right now, but it won’t hit the Switch until later this year. Microsoft’s original plan, which it unveiled at E3 in June, was to launch Better Together on Switch at the same time as the other platforms (hence the title of the update).
PlayStation 4 was never part of the equation for this initial rollout.
“We just flat-out couldn’t get those two completely in sync,” Microsoft Studios Corporate Vice President Matt Booty says.
Microsoft, it should be noted, bought Minecraft in 2014 for $2.5 billion, quickly folding the franchise into its lineup of first-party Xbox studios. Xbox One and Windows platforms are the official home of Minecraft, so it makes sense that today’s update definitely includes those devices.
The Switch version will see the Better Together upgrade this year — in time for the holiday season, according to Booty. It’s just a matter of working out last-minute details, apparently.
“There’s no policy or real technical considerations there,” he says. “Nintendo’s been a fantastic partner to work with on this.”
Booty says the same about Microsoft’s partnership with Sony, though don’t expect the PS4 version of Minecraft to work with Xbox or Switch editions anytime soon. Microsoft and Sony are talking about a partnership, but there are no concrete plans for Better Together to hit PS4, Booty explains.
“I know it might seem simple from the outside looking in, and I can certainly understand that from a game player’s point of view,” he says. “From our point of view, on Minecraft, Sony is working with us on this. We are in conversations with them. I think it’s important for us to be respectful to some of the concerns and challenges that Sony is thinking about as we figure out how this could possibly work.”
This is a common refrain on the issue of cross-platform play — Sony is the lone holdout, reluctant to open the PlayStation ecosystem to other platforms. Meanwhile, Microsoft and Nintendo have shown more interest in this space: Rocket League players on Xbox One and Switch are able to play together, for instance. Technically, Rocket League is also playable among PS4 and Xbox One or Switch, but Sony doesn’t want to enable the ability, Psyonix Vice President Jeremy Dunham told Engadget at E3. He said cross-platform play was a matter of life or death for his game, and the team frequently broached the subject with representatives at Sony.
“There have been slight variations on how it’s been presented to us, but essentially it’s the same answer,” Dunham said. “It’s ‘not right now’ or it’s ‘something we’ll consider.’ That’s paraphrasing, but there hasn’t been any movement.”
And then there’s the curious case of Fortnite. Just this past weekend, PS4 and Xbox One players found themselves in games together, and the entire escapade was caught live on Twitch. A spokesperson for Fortnite said the cross-platform capabilities were due to “a configuration issue” that was quickly fixed, but the brief moment of console compatibility only served to remind players of everything that could be. Everything, like playing Minecraft across consoles.
“I certainly don’t want to speak for them, but it absolutely remains our goal to want to bring PlayStation into the mix with this,” Booty says. “I feel confident we’ll figure out a way to make that work. I also just want to really state that Sony is being a good partner with us. We’re in conversations with them, we’re working on this together.”
So far, just one game, Rocket League, is playable across Xbox One and Switch, and Minecraft is on its way to becoming the second. The cross-console ecosystem is in its infancy. Booty sees Microsoft as a leader in this space, just as the company has been in years (and console generations) past.
“It was a game like Halo that really proved you could bring a first-person shooter over to console,” Booty says. “It was Halo that first really led the way and helped people figure out a lot of how multiplayer was going to work over the internet and not just over LAN. This is a similar situation. I think the Minecraft team is proud to be one of the first games figuring out exactly how this is going to work and kind of leading the way.”
If Minecraft, one of the most popular games in the history of humanity, can work across consoles, any game should be able to — eventually, at least.
“That sets the stage for what could possibly then become a broader approach,” Booty says. “Right now we’re very focused on figuring this out with Minecraft. You gotta start somewhere, right?”
The big ‘Minecraft’ cross-platform update is live, but not on Switch
The Nintendo Switch has slowly turned into a fantastic portable multiplayer machine
Do you remember the video Nintendo used to show off the Switch for the first time? The one where hip 20-somethings would bring their Switch consoles everywhere, breaking them out at parties for some local multiplayer action, or playing Mario Kart in the back of a van en route to a real go-kart course. It seemed more aspirational than practical at the time. Sure, the Switch was a machine designed with flexibility, but who would actually use it like that? Turns out, I would. And one of the reasons is the steady stream of solid multiplayer games Nintendo has been releasing since the console debuted back in March.
Local multiplayer has always been a core part of the pitch for Nintendo’s new platform. It’s meant, at least in part, to be a device that you can carry around and use for impromptu gaming sessions with friends. The included Joy-Con controllers are generally serviceable, if not ideal, for two-player action in most games. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was the first major release to make good on this concept, though it was preceded by a pair of launch titles, the quirky (and adorable) puzzle game Snipperclips and mini-game collection 1-2-Switch.
Since then, Nintendo has released a handful of titles that further flesh out the lineup. Chief among them are the colorful fighter Arms, which launched in June, and pokémon battler Pokkén Tournament DX, out today. And while paint shooter Splatoon 2 is largely an online-focused experience, it does offer the ability to link up multiple systems for local play.
Both Mario Kart and Pokkén are updated versions of games that originally appeared on the Wii U, Nintendo’s previous console. This makes them perfect examples of how much the Switch hardware can change the experience. Both games were already pretty solid from a design standpoint, and the Switch ports don’t add all that much in that respect. Mario Kart features a few new characters and some useful accessibility features, while Pokkén includes some additional fighters and a handful of game modes. But fundamentally they’re the same games.
What the Switch versions really offer, though, is the ability to easily play these games with your friends, on your own terms. Pokkén, in particular, is a game that doesn’t stand on its own as something you’d want to play much by yourself. It originated as an arcade game, and is at its best when you’re furiously battling against someone sitting right beside you.
The nature of the Switch means it’s much easier to have that kind of experience — there are simply more ways to play. With a console like the Wii U, playing with a friend meant you both had to be sitting in a specific room at a specific time. The Switch is much more flexible. You can play in the living room, on a train, or basically anywhere. It doesn’t have to be something you plan out in advance. It also doesn’t hurt that games like Arms, Mario Kart, and Pokkén Tournament are designed to be easy to get into.
This flexibility also extends to games not made by Nintendo. In fact, a number of ports of third-party games have added multiplayer functionality specifically with the Switch in mind. Venerable adventure game Cave Story was recently updated with a two-player co-op mode that’s exclusive to the Switch, while the ubiquitous Minecraft has a perfectly suited split-screen mode. Cars-meets-soccer game Rocket League is also making a belated debut on the platform. When it does arrive, it will include a two-player split-screen mode that, on the surface, seems like an ideal fit.
There’s also a lot to look forward to on the multiplayer front. An expanded version of Snipperclips, complete with all-new content is coming on November 10th, while the Switch version of FIFA 18 will include split Joy-Con multiplayer support. Even the tentpole release Super Mario Odyssey will feature rudimentary co-op. Then there are the games launching next year and beyond, like the four-player Kirby Star Allies and the inevitable Switch version of Super Smash Bros.
Most of these games would be just fine on another platform. But what the Switch offers is a level of freedom and spontaneity that’s not possible on a traditional console, or even a portable device like the 3DS. At any point, you can pull a Switch out of your bag and start racing on Rainbow Road — and look like you’re in a Nintendo commercial in the process.
The Nintendo Switch has slowly turned into a fantastic portable multiplayer machine
Nintendo is updating Super Mario Run with a new character, mode, and world
Nintendo will issue a new update to its iOS and Android game Super Mario Run on September 29th, which will include a new world, mode, and playable character.
The update will introduce a new mode called Remix 10, which randomly splices together 10 sections from the game’s various levels in quick succession and rewards players with rainbow medals. Completing the various stages will allow players to rescue Princess Daisy and subsequently play as her throughout the rest of the game. Players will also be able to unlock a new world called World Star, which includes nine new levels, enemies and some additional gameplay mechanics.
Polygon notes that there’s some other minor updates: players can get new items to put in their Mushroom Kingdom, and can listen to their own music while they play — when they do so, their runners will wear headphones. Nintendo is also temporarily cutting the price in half starting on September 29th through October 12th.
Nintendo is updating Super Mario Run with a new character, mode, and world
You can now use two-factor authentication to secure your Nintendo account
Nintendo is adding a new layer of security to its online accounts: users can now enable two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access.
To enable the authentication method, users are prompted to download Google Authenticator, which will provide them with a code when logging in.
The move is long overdue. Sony implemented two-factor authentication last year after a number of hacks that compromised user details, while other companies such as Steam and Microsoft have utilized the system for years.
Two-factor authentication is an extra layer of security for online accounts, which verifies a login attempt with a phone or an e-mail. It’s not foolproof, but it does help add some additional protection. Here’s how to add it to your other devices.
You can now use two-factor authentication to secure your Nintendo account
Minecraft’s cross-platform update is now available on Xbox, PC, and mobile
Minecraft has been available on tons of different devices in the past. Now, Microsoft is finally bringing all those platforms together with the “Better Together” update, which is rolling out today for Xbox One, mobile devices, and Windows 10 PCs. The Nintendo Switch is still set to get the Better Together update, too, although that’s been delayed until later in the winter.
The update essentially takes the different versions of Minecraft that have been available on PC, Xbox, iOS, and Android, and consolidates them into one master version, with the same features, functionality, and content no matter where you play. That means that the console versions of Minecraft on Xbox One (and eventually, the Nintendo Switch) will now run the same version of Minecraft as PCs, mobile, and VR, built on what Microsoft calls the Bedrock Engine.
But the biggest advantage to creating a single version of Minecraft across all these platforms is that cross-play will be possible between Minecraft games. This means that you’ll be able to play Minecraft on your PC with a friend playing on an Xbox, while your buddy joins in from their Android phone. Microsoft is calling this the first time a game has offered cross-play across all these platforms, and with the addition of the Nintendo Switch to the mix, Minecraft could be one of the first true platform-agnostic titles, which is an incredible thing.
You may notice that the PlayStation 4 is glaringly absent from that list. That’s because Sony has — once again — decided to sit out on cross-platform play, an unfortunately familiar refrain from the company this console generation. Similar issues have come up with Rocket League, and most recently Fortnight, which accidentally enabled Xbox One and PlayStation 4 cross-play before pulling the feature. Sony has offered numerous explanations for avoiding cross-play in the past, including citing concerns of protecting children online, but given that the console still has a considerable competitive lead when it comes to users and sales, it’s unlikely that it will be budging on that issue anytime soon.
In an interview with Engadget, Microsoft Studios CVP Matt Booty commented, “We just flat-out couldn’t get those two completely in sync,” in regard to getting Minecraft cross-play with the PlayStation 4. Although, he noted that Microsoft is continuing to talk with Sony on the issue.
Also missing are the Mac and Linux versions of Minecraft, which will continue to exist alongside the original PC version as the renamed Java Edition for now. It’s supposed to continue to receive updates and get them along a similar time frame as the Bedrock Engine version.
That said, the unified Bedrock Engine version will be the canonical Minecraft title moving forward, with the original PC title and older console-specific versions getting appended “Edition” names like Minecraft: Wii U Edition and Minecraft: Java Edition to tell them apart from the core Minecraft title.
Minecraft’s cross-platform update is now available on Xbox, PC, and mobile
Minecraft Marketplace community partners have earned over $1m since June
Creators using Mojang’s Minecraft Marketplace have made more than $1 million since the service launched in June, the company has announced.
The program, which allows Minecraft community members to make money from their user-generated in-game content, runs alongside the Minecraft Store, and has seen users create everything from their own adventures, worlds, texture packs and characters skins over the last few months.
Microsoft, who now owns Mojang, also released a statement saying it is continuing to expand the Minecraft Marketplace team. Since the service launched in June, the number of partners has risen from nine to 12, with plans to keep adding more as the months go on.
Highlights from the Minecraft Marketplace so far include Dinosaur Island, which lets players confront wild raptors, tame triceratops and raid ruins while they explore the island’s mysterious ruins, and Infinity Dungeon EX, a randomly generated dungeon adventure. July also saw the release of the colour-coded Cyber Space Team Pack and a pet-themed skin pack, as well as a variety of mini-games and extra kingdoms.
Microsoft recently announced a limited edition Minecraft Xbox One S bundle, which is due to hit shelves on September 12th. The console, which features a unique voxel-based design, also comes with a special Creeper-themed controller.
Minecraft Marketplace community partners have earned over $1m since June
Minecraft’s Better Together Update Delayed to Fall 2017
There were plenty of people who thought the purchase of developer Mojang by mega-publisher Microsoft was signaling the end of Minecraft’s appeal of universality. Speculation within the gaming community was rife with claims that Microsoft may entirely stop developing for anything outside of the Microsoft family of systems — or worse.
With all of those fears trumped up at the time, it seems like a day-and-night difference with how Microsoft is truly handling the property — principally with the Better Together Update, coming free to Windows 10, mobile, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One. Announced at Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference, the news took the gaming community and Minecraft fanbase by storm; as the name implies, gamers would have the option to cross-platform play with friends (as long as they weren’t on the PlayStation family of systems).
While the Better Together Update with the original plan to launch before the end of the summer — it seems that estimation has been pushed back. According to the Minecraft Better Together Update FAQ, the update is planning on coming to Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, mobile and Windows 10 around Fall 2017.
There is no indication why the update has been delayed, but perhaps it has to do with possibly incorporating the PlayStation 4 version into the initial roll out. There is no indication that progress has moved forward, however the FAQ had this to say about their talks with Sony:
we are still in discussions with Sony about PlayStation and have nothing to confirm. We would love to work with Sony to bring players on PlayStation 4 into this ecosystem as well.
Either way, everyone who owns the Windows 10, mobile, Xbox One or Nintendo Switch version of the game can expect to receive the update for free. However, those purchasing Minecraft after the release will have to purchase the new Better Together Edition — the original Minecraft: Console Edition will be removed from the respective marketplaces.
Pfizer puts hemophilia spin on ultrapopular Minecraft to educate young patients
Minecraft is popular—really popular. So it’s no surprise that Pfizer is looking to capitalize on that success.
The pharma giant has launched Hemocraft, a take on the ultrasuccessful video game that’s just for hemophilia patients. Developed in partnership with the Entrepreneurial Game Studio at Drexel University and representatives from the hemophilia community, the game is meant to help younger patients—between the ages of eight and 16—learn “the importance of integrating treatment into their routine,” Pfizer said.
How does Hemocraft do that? As part of their quest, game players interact with the so-called “village doctor”—a fictional healthcare professional—to learn how to adhere to their treatment plans and understand how their therapies work. They put that knowledge to use throughout the game, as they’re challenged to monitor factor levels and self-infuse to control bleeding.
If Hemocraft turns out to be a hit even a fraction of the size of Minecraft, Pfizer will be in good shape. The building game has sold more than 1 million copies around the world and ranks high among the most popular games ever created.
But Pfizer isn’t stopping there. It’s also rolled out a new piece of wearable tech: a wristband dubbed HemMobile Striiv. The wearable—the first made for hemophilia patients, Pfizer says—tracks activity levels and heart rate, and the company is offering it free of charge to all U.S. hemophilia patients, no matter what therapy they’re on. To use it, though, patients will likely want to download the HemMobile app—used to log bleeds and infusions, monitor factor supply and set appointment reminders–that Pfizer already offers.
“These new digital innovations can be integrated into everyday routines to help empower people with hemophilia to learn about and track different aspects relevant to their disease so that they can have informed conversations with their health care providers,” Kevin Williams, chief medical officer of Pfizer’s rare-disease unit, said in a statement.
Pfizer, which markets recombinant factor IX treatment BeneFix, is currently battling a host of companies in the hemophilia field, including Bioverativ, Novo Nordisk, Shire and Bayer. And things are only set to get more intense once gene therapies hit the scene.
At that point, though, the New York drugmaker is hoping to be in the thick of things; in late 2014, it struck a gene therapy collaboration with Spark Therapeutics over hemophilia B candidate SPK-FIX.
Pfizer puts hemophilia spin on ultrapopular Minecraft to educate young patients
Mini Minecraft Building Sets Are Just Darling
Outside of painted cardboard boxes and foam, toys are the best way to play with Minecraft in the real world. Jinx’s second series of Minecraft Craftables vinyl toys feature nine collectible kits that combine together into three iconic Minecraft locales.
The first wave of Craftables, currently sold out at Jinx but possibly available elsewhere, were singular builds. The nine kits in the series each featured a character, creature or combination of the two. Opening one of the blind boxes revealed a set of small vinyl bits that combined into a larger vinyl bit, and the constructing was done.
Series two does things a little differently. Each of the nine kits available still function as a solo piece, but this time around the pieces combine into a larger scene. For example, here is the Ender Dragon, freshly removed from its box.
Once assembled we’ve got a nifty little figure of the dragon perched on a tower, blowing a lovely translucent gout of purple pixel flame.
Here’s another kit. This one is Alex and Steve, outfitted in diamond armor. It’s kind of a weird pose, with the two facing one another. Are they quarreling among themselves?
And what of the mysterious Enderman, which refuses to be photographed without blur no matter how I tried?
Once the three sets are combined, it all makes sense. Alex is defending against the dragon’s flames, while Steve prepares to loose an arrow in the Enderman’s direction, like that will help. These two heroes are so dead.
Meanwhile, in the Nether, Steve stands poised to battle . . . something.
Or maybe he’s running away from the zombie pigman, whose base connects to Steve’s set, adding a stream of molten lava to the mix?
Or maybe, just maybe, the two of them are teaming up to fight against the creepy Ghast, floating above a bed of translucent orange?
My favorite of the three combined sets begins with a pig peeking out of a window. Had I received no other sets but the pig peeking out of the window, I would have been perfectly happy.
I would have also accepted the horse with its head stretched over a fence, chewing on some grass. You can’t go wrong with a blocky horse.
Especially a blocky horse with a duck attached to its tail.
I probably wouldn’t have been as happy had I just received the village priest. With his high forehead and what looks like Burt from Sesame Street’s nose, the dude creeps me out.
Put them all together, however, and suddenly he’s not so bad. We now see that the pig feels the same way I do, and the cow couldn’t care less. He’s got a mouthful of grass and a tail duck.
All in all, Minecraft Craftables series two is pretty sweet, definitely a big improvement over the original. The only problem is the delivery method. Since these come in blind boxes, fans will either have to pray they get the right nine or purchase a full case of 27, selling off the extra two sets. Considering how well these all come together, that shouldn’t be too hard a task.
Minecraft Craftables series two goes on sale on September 15 at Jinx.
Nintendo Direct: Everything you need to know including Super Mario Odyssey, Pokémon, Minecraft and DOOM
With the Nintendo Direct airing last night, we got our first glimpse at some new upcoming Nintendo Switch and 3DS games.
As well as brand new games, there’s also more information on games we already knew about.
This comes hot on the heels of Gamescom , where we were already full on video game trailers and news.
There’s a lot of exciting stuff to get through, so no more fluff – here’s what you should get hyped for:
Super Mario Odyssey
Nintendo’s mascot has a mainline game coming to the Switch in October – but we already knew that.
What we didn’t know, however, is that Princess Peach’s tiara is the sister of Mario’s hat buddy Cappy, or that the game will feature an impressive snapshot mode with tons of filters.
We also got our first look at a few new kingdoms, including the Seaside Kingdom, Snow Kingdom, and an unnamed tropical forest.
Nintendo Switch + Super Mario Odyssey bundle
Nintendo revealed a brand new Nintendo Switch bundle, to be released alongside Super Mario Odyssey on October 27.
Included in the box is the standard Nintendo Switch console, dock and Grip, with two new red Joy-Con controllers and a copy of the game.
If you already have a Switch console, the new Joy-Con can be bought separately, as can a stylish Mario Odyssey carry case.
DOOM + Wolfenstein II
Perhaps the biggest surprise was the announcement that DOOM, the acclaimed Bethesda first-person shooter, is coming to the Nintendo Switch.
Releasing on the console later this year, it’ll be amazing to be able to play one of the greatest FPS’ ever made on the go.
As a nice bonus, its retail release will use the far prettier box art than its previous releases.
On top of that, the upcoming Wolfenstein II game will also be coming to the Nintendo Switch next year.
Read More
Latest gaming reviews
Baja: Edge of Control HD 
Knack 2 
Dead Alliance 
Life is Strange: Before the Storm
Pokémon
We were treated to a fair bit of Pokémon news during the event.
Firstly, we were given some more information on the upcoming Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon games, learning that the cover star Pokémon were in fact versions of Necrozma.
After taking over Solgaelo, Necrozma turns into his Dusk Mane form, and it becomes its Dawn Wings form by taking over Lunala.
We also received our first glimpse at two new Ultra Beasts, as well as some new moves for Lycanroc.
For those who don’t already own a Nintendo 3DS or 2DS, a new Pokémon-themed system was unveiled. Called the Poké Ball Edition, the New Nintendo 2DS XL design launches on November 17.
Lastly, Pokémon Gold and Silver is coming to the 3DS Virtual Console on September 22, with a limited number of boxed versions also hitting store shelves.
Kirby
Having been teased earlier this year, the multiplayer Kirby game for 3DS sees various versions of the lovable puffball battling in multiple modes, including Battle Arena and a racing mode.
The UK will actually receive the game several months early, as it launches here in November.
On top of that, the upcoming Kirby game for the Switch now has a name – Kirby: Star Allies, and it releases next spring.
Minecraft
Minecraft has released on almost every platform under the sun, but it never did come to the 3DS.
Better late than never, as Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition is available on the 3DS eShop today.
Mario Party: The Top 100
Despite it being quite late in its lifespan, the Nintendo 3DS is still getting plenty of new games.
One of those is the newly-announced Mario Party: The Top 100, which includes the top 100 mini-games from across the Mario Party series.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
We had an closer look at Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the massive RPG coming soon to the Nintendo Switch.
In fact, the game now has a release date, surprisingly releasing this year on December 1.
Make sure you check out the European Collector’s Edition , too!
Snipperclips Plus
Snipperclips is a cute, underrated co-op puzzle game for the Nintendo Switch, and now it’s receiving an update and a retail release.
Appropriately called Snipperclips Plus, it releases this November.
Project Octopath Traveler
Square-Enix’s upcoming Switch-exclusive RPG received a brand new trailer, with a demo now live on the Nintendo Switch eShop.
Fire Emblem Warriors
A brand new trailer for Fire Emblem Warriors confirmed Lyn as a playable character.
The game launches on the Nintendo Switch on October 20, alongside some new amiibo figurines .
Arcade Archives
The Arcade Archives series is bringing 6 Nintendo arcade classics to the Nintendo Switch.
The arcade classic Mario Bros. releases on September 27, with Punch-Out!!, Ice Climbers, CluClu Land, Pinball and Balloon Fight launching at a later date.
Indie titles
A few Nintendo Switch indie games got a passing mention, such as Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, PAN-PAN and Crypt of the Necrodancer.
PUBG’s map has a brand new town to loot
The brand new patch for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds hit the game’s test server this morning, and players were delighted to find a brand new set of buildings on the map.
Located in the Northeast corner of the map, the new town is called Kameshki and it takes up a spot that was previously mostly empty. It is closest to Stalber, which also got a bit of an upgrade with the addition of a few buildings as well.
Where Kameshki now stands, there used to be just a few small buildings. Now there is plenty to loot, and it offers yet another spot for players to drop at or head towards in a game of PUBG.
Even Stalber seems worth looting now as a number of buildings have been added, as can be seen in the image above. Overall, these changes make the Northeast area of the map way more worthwhile to visit than ever before.
These new changes are now available to play on the test server, and the update should hit PUBG’s live servers some time this week if all goes according to plan.
The minimap for PUBG’s new desert map has been datamined
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’ new desert map is still many months away, but the game’s players are still very excited about it.
We’ve seen numerous teaser images of the map, but no real information has come out about it—until today, thanks to a post on Reddit. The minimap for the new unnamed desert map has been revealed via a test server datamine, and it looks pretty cool so far.
The map has some very interesting names for towns and cities in place. The biggest city is known as “Hard Luck,” with other areas labeled “Kill Box,” “Wasteland,” “Mishap,” and “Murderland.” These names are likely placeholders, but they definitely invoke a certain kind of mental image, don’t they?
The layout is different enough from PUBG’s original map, Erangel, while being similar as well, with numerous towns and cities with large open areas and small towns in between.
Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene recently revealed that this new map will be “roughly” the same size as Erangel, as well as posting a teaser image of what looks like a large city—most likely the “Hard Luck” area seen on the map.
150,000 cheaters have been banned from PUBG so far
At least 150,000 cheaters have now been banned from PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, according to Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene.
Greene revealed the news on Twitter today, a little over a month after confirming that 50,000 cheaters had been banned at the beginning of August, up from 25,000 at the end of June.
BattlEye is an anti-cheat client employed by many games, including PUBG, which automatically bans someone who attempts to use cheats like aimbots or other hacks, before they’re even able to use them in-game. The bans are permanent.
Players can buy another copy of the game under another Steam account, but if they try to cheat again, they will most likely be banned again.
Greene also said that 8,000 players had been banned in the past 24 hours alone. These numbers are big, but it’s to be expected with such a huge playerbase, which now stands at over 10 million. PUBG is consistently at or near the top of the list for concurrent players on Steam on a daily basis now.
Even if a cheater somehow slips through the cracks, the game employs a report button so players can instantly flag their killer if they think they have been cheating.
What happens when you combine PUBG and Minecraft? Fortnite’s new competitive mode
Epic Games’ crafting survival game Fortnite has a brand new mode that might as well be a carbon copy of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and H1Z1.
Everything from the parachutes to the floating transport that drops players into the world screams PUBG, albeit with a subtle twist—crafting.
Fortnite’s new competitive mode has everything that you would expect a Battle Royale to have. 100 players, PVP, huge maps, weapons to find and, of course, the last man standing wins.
What sets it apart from PUBG and other titles, however, is the world itself. Everything is destructable and buildable, and players can choose to create traps and structures from materials scattered around the world to create their own defenses.
Building takes some time and could make you a bigger target, with structures being a big giveaway to your location—but it’s a nice touch.
Fortnite went into early access on July 25 and has steadily been adding content and modes ever since. Last month the game released its zombie survival mode and Epic is looking to continually add content to the game before its official release sometime in 2018.
The game will be free-to-play, allowing anyone to jump in and enjoy themselves on either PS4, Xbox One, or PC.
What happens when you combine PUBG and Minecraft? Fortnite’s new competitive mode
Minecraft Now Available On New Nintendo 3DS
Minecraft has come to another platform. During the September 13, 2017, a New Nintendo 3DS version was announced during the Nintendo Direct. It is immediately available via the eShop, with a physical release to arrive at a later, unspecified date.
The New Nintendo 3DS version of Minecraft has standard and touch controls. There are Survival and Creative modes. Five Skin Packs are included, with the Mooshroom Tamer, Artisan, Red Boy, Santa Claus, and Tundra Tamer shown in the trailer. It also comes with two Texture Packs.
Minecraft is available for New Nintendo 3DS right now
A low key but probably still popular announcement came in the first few minutes of the latest Nintendo Direct.
Nintendo Directs are curious things. Naturally, Nintendo uses them to showcase a few upcoming console titles in pretty nice detail, but it also just casually info dumps a bunch of stuff in other segments, including, in this case, Minecraft.
Yep, the first few minutes of this Nintendo Direct were devoted to Nintendo 3DS and 2DS games, one of which just happens to be a handheld version of the game your kids still can’t get enough of.
Playable only on the New Nintendo 3DS units, this version of Minecraft can be played with touchscreen or button controls and is actually out right now via the Nintendo eShop.
Despite the fact that Minecraft seems like it’s already on every video game platform known to mankind, it had yet to receive a version specifically for the New Nintendo 3DS, so we can cross another one off the list.
Plus, while many things in a Nintendo Direct are coming months later or even next year, this Minecraft comes with the best possible release date, which is immediately. Head to the eShop and check it out now.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled geeking out over upcoming Nintendo games.
Minecraft is Coming to Nintendo 3DS September 13th on eShop
Just when you thought that Minecraft couldn’t hit any other console, the game is heading to the Nintendo 3DS. Set to release in digital version on 9/13, Minecraft 3DS was revealed during the most recent Nintendo Direct.
The digital version will arrive first, but there is a packaged version coming to the handheld at an unspecified date. The Minecraft 3DS version includes five skin packs and two texture packs. Other details gleaned from the video were that inventory, crafting and map would be handled on the touchscreen. While the gameplay would be on the main screen.
Players will be able to choose between button or touch controls for the game.
Nintendo is no stranger to a relationship with Microsoft to put the crafting and building game on their platforms. The game just arrived on the Nintendo Switch and we liked it in our review.
We won’t need to wait long to see how Minecraft does on the Nintendo 3DS. It will get the benefit of the New Nintendo 3DS handhelds. The game will only be available for those that own the more recent 3DS systems.