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Investigative journalist Chris Hansen has earned a reputation for digging into the most unsavory corners of true crime.

On Tuesday evening at 9 p.m. Et, the former Dateline host returns to the Investigation Discovery network with the third season of Killer Instinct with Chris Hansen, which revisits 10 killings. Hanson, a seven-time Emmy winner who also hosts Crime Watch Daily, secures interviews with key players and inspects each crime scene, offering his own perspective on the crimes.

“These stories are all so compelling, but maybe didn’t get a lot of coverage when they were going down because of other national events,...

Killer Instinct will be back. Today, Investigation Discovery announced they've renewed the TV show for a third season.Hosted by Chris Hansen, explores real crimes from years past. The new season "exploring a number of cases dating back to the 1990s," including the 1993 murder of a young mother and her baby.Read More…...

Daniel Ings has booked a key series-regular role in Instinct, CBS' drama pilot starring and executive produced by Alan Cumming. Written by Michael Rauch based on the upcoming book by James Patterson and directed by Marc Webb, Instinct (fka Killer Instinct and Dr. Death) centers on Dylan, a former CIA operative (Cumming) who since has built a "normal" life as a gifted professor and writer but is pulled back into his old life when the NYPD needs his help to stop a serial…...

Lost alum Naveen Andrews is set for a lead role in Instinct, CBS' drama pilot starring and executive produced by Alan Cumming. Written by Michael Rauch based on the upcoming book by James Patterson and directed by Marc Webb, Instinct (fka Killer Instinct and Dr. Death), centers on Dylan, a former CIA operative (Cumming) who has since built a "normal" life as a gifted professor and writer but is pulled back into his old life when the NYPD needs his help to stop a serial…...

Marc Webb is set to direct and executive produce Instinct, CBS’ drama pilot starring and executive produced by Alan Cumming. Written by Michael Rauch based on the upcoming book by James Patterson, Instinct (fka Killer Instinct and Dr. Death), centers on a former CIA operative (Cumming) who has since built a "normal" life as a gifted professor and writer but is pulled back into his old life when the NYPD needs his help to stop a serial killer on the loose. Rauch…...

The nominees for the SXSW 2017 Gaming Awards are in and, unsurprisingly, it’s Overwatch and Naughty Dog’s action-adventure sequel Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End that lead the pack. The latter scooped up eight nominations in total, including Excellence in Design and Most Memorable Character (Nathan Drake), not to mention that coveted Game of the Year accolade.

Per SXSW’s official site, that title is reserved for “the game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a distinct gaming experience across all platforms and genres.” Uncharted 4 will be going up against Dishonored 2, Doom, Overwatch and Respawn’s Titanfall 2 for top honors in two months’ time. Other noteworthy nominations include Inside, which got the nod for Excellence in Design. Indeed Playdead’s enthralling adventure game was named Game of the Year during Wgtc’s own end-of-year coverage, and though Inside missed out on the Goty category this time around, we’re...

CBS has given pilot orders to two projects featuring key auspices from the network’s praised legal drama The Good Wife — crime drama Killer Instinct, starring and executive produced by The Good Wife cast member Alan Cumming, and Perfect Citizen, a legal drama written and executive produced by former Good Wife executive producer Craig Turk. Both projects hail from CBS TV Studios. Killer Instinct (fka Dr. Death) was written by Rauch based on the upcoming book of the same…...

Killer Instinct‘s latest character – the minigun-wielding Kilgore – is now available to purchase on Xbox One and Windows 10, developer Iron Galaxy has announced. Revealed with a small teaser last month, players have been able to fight against the killer robot for the last few weeks as a small taster, although now the tables have turned. Kilgore is available to download for $10, with Iron Galaxy stating that 50% of all purchases will go towards this year’s Ki Ultra Tour Community Fund, a goodwill gesture that mimics last year’s similar campaign following the release of Shadow Jago.

“Before Fulgore and the Mark 03 units were introduced to the world, Ultratech created a line of failed cyborgs during the secret Ccix Program,” says Iron Galaxy (via VideoGamer) in its explanation of Kilgore’s origins, adding that “these hulking battle machines bore twin overpowered chain guns that tended to overheat, making them unstable and unfit for service.

The latest addition to Killer Instinct‘s existing roster of eclectic fighters will be Kilgore, another machination of the evil Ultratech corporation, developer Iron Galaxy has announced. Revealed via a video (above) outlining the new content and balance changes being introduced with today’s patch 3.6, brief footage of the character in action can be seen around the one minute mark and boy, does he look dangerous.

Those familiar with the series will no doubt note the obvious aesthetic similarities between Kilgore and existing fighter Fulgore – unsurprising, considering their similar origins – but there’s a very obvious difference. Described as an amalgamation of Ultratech technology by Killer Instinct community manager Rukari Austin (via Polygon) on Twitter, Kilgore does away with the limbs you’d usually see attached to the shoulders and replaces them with giant miniguns. While they’re not used in the short gameplay clip, we imagine form part of the character’s potent repertoire,...

Killer Instinct: Definitive Edition is now available for Windows 10 via the Xbox Play Anywhere program, Microsoft and Iron Galaxy have announced. Previously only available on Xbox One, the Definitive Edition includes all content introduced to the beat ’em up since the original vanilla release back in 2013. And then some.

All characters, stages, behind-the-scenes videos detailing the history of the franchise and artwork feature in the bumper package, as well as Killer Instinct Classic 1 & 2, “the faithful recreation of the arcade originals,” so says the blog post on Xbox Wire.

See below for the full list of benefits:

Definitive Edition Contents Every Killer Instinct fighter! That’s 26 characters, including the remastered cast, original fighters like Hisako and Aria, and special guest characters like Arbiter from Halo, Rash from Battletoads and General Raam from Gears of War All 20 stages, with visual upgrades and lighting changes (creating absolutely improved gorgeous fighting sets) Killer Instinct...

Matthew Byrd Oct 3, 2016

If you're a fan of Twitch-based games, Amazon has your back, as it announces its first three games...

Amazon's bid to take over the video game world has officially begun as Amazon Game Studios have revealed their first projects. 

At TwitchCon, Amazon Game Studios Vice President Mike Frazzini announced the first three games being developed by Amazon's game division. Though they all very different, Frazzini emphasized that all these games were designed with Twitch functionality in mind. 

First up is Breakaway. Described as a "mythological sports brawler," Breakaway was created by Killer Instinct developer Double Helix and combines elements of MOBAs, team arena shooters, and Rocket League. Basically, it sees two teams compete in an arena over a relic that they must drop into a goal on their opponent's end of the level. There have been seven characters announced for the game thus far (more are supposedly...

The last couple of Growing Up Geek posts I did were focused on some of the early films that I made when I was growing up. I still have a few I want to share, but I’ve hit a snag with some of the video transfers from Dv to DVD to digital. I’ll eventually get these awesomely embarrassing videos up for you to watch, but I want to keep the Growing Up Geek show rolling forward, so here we go!

In the early '90s, I was growing up in Glendale, CA. I spent a lot of time working and hanging out at a local stage theater, going to the movies, hitting up the local comic book store, and spending hours and hours at the local arcade. This article will focus on arcade life, because I was kind of an arcade rat for a few years.

I got...

Double Helix raised quite a few eyebrows back in 2013 when, shortly after wrapping up work on Xbox One beat ’em up Killer Instinct, the studio announced that it was jumping ship from Microsoft to join online retailer Amazon for their next project.

A few years have passed since then, but the two parties have finally revealed what they’ve been working on all this time. Breakaway, which is described as a four-vs-four competitive arena game, was announced for PC yesterday during TwitchCon 2016.

Combining eSports with a mythological setting, Breakaway will feature total Twitch integration, with the focus being on quick matches rather than long, protracted ones seen in the likes of Dota 2 and League of Legends.

Although it doesn’t appear to adhere to the rigid Moba framework popularized by the aforementioned titles, Breakaway certainly shares many of its motifs. The holy trinity of melee, ranged and magic characters is front and centre,...

Crime Watch Daily has a new host, and with him, comes a new name. In its second season, the syndicated daytime series will be known as Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen.  Season two premieres Monday, September 12, 2016. Check your local listings. An investigative reporter, Hansen is a veteran of Dateline NBC's To Catch a Predator. On Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen, he'll revive the franchise as "Hansen vs. Predator." Watch the sizzle reel, here.  Hansen also hosts the Investigation Discovery series, Killer Instinct.In season two, Elizabeth Smart returns as a special correspondent. Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen, also features reporter Matt Doran, who hosted the first season of the series, as well as  Jason Mattera, Ana Garcia, Andrea Isom, and Michelle Sigona. The series is produced...

Microsoft’s decision to open up its catalog of first-party titles for PC with the Xbox Play Anywhere program doesn’t necessarily detract from the console gaming experience.

First showcased during E3 in June, the incentive offers players a cross-buy service across both Windows 10 and Xbox One, meaning you only need to buy one copy of a first-party game such as Gears of War 4 – select third-party titles are also valid – to access it across the two platforms.

It’s all part of Microsoft’s unification strategy, and while appearing on the Inner Circle Podcast (per GameSpot), Executive Albert Penello offered some fresh perspective on the Xbox Play Anywhere program and why it doesn’t spell the death of Microsoft’s console business.

“There’s a debate or a discussion that you can have with a certain type of people online and you want to argue details and argue nuance, but...

Veteran investigative journalist and Killer Instinct‘s Chris Hansen is joining Emmy-nominated syndicated series Crime Watch Daily as host. Now-titled Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen premieres its second season on September 12. Known for his investigations on Dateline NBC, where he helped put predators behind bars with his hidden camera series To Catch a Predator, Hansen will bring the franchise back to life in a revamped, new signature series called "Hansen vs…...

Machinima and Hasbro have released an exciting new trailer their great-looking new animated web series Transformers: Combiner Wars. This sucker was made for the hardcore fans of the original series of the '80s, and it looks like it's going to deliver something that fans are going to love.

We've already seen four prelude episodes for the series that you can check out here featuring the characters Optimus Prime, Victorion, Starscream, and Windblade. Those were cool and all, but this trailer for the actual series is so much more exciting!

Taking place 40 years after the great war on Earth, the eight episode digital series introduces new lore and all-new characters that, combined with the characters fans have known for decades, will bring the Transformers storytelling in a new direction. The Autobots and Decepticons have disbanded and returned to Cybertron. With the days of Optimus Prime and Megatron over, Cybertron is now ruled by a triumvirate.

Eyedol, last seen as the final boss of the original 1994 Killer Instinct game, will make his triumphant return to the series later this week, developer Iron Galaxy has confirmed. The final entry in the beat ’em up’s third season, Eyedol is resurrected by Kan-Ra in an attempt to control his rage and direct it at his enemies, but the plan backfires – this two-headed demon takes orders from nobody.

Having undergone a drastic redesign in the years since his previous appearance, Eyedol now only has one noggin, but it’s split in two in reference to the two-headed cyclops design of the original incarnation. Judging by the reveal trailer (above), the gargantuan fighter can switch between two different stances that have their own unique attacks and move sets.

Oh, and did we mention that he’s huge? We can’t quite tell from the footage if he’s bigger than current monolith Aganos,...

Team17 announced today that Worms W.M.D, the latest entry in their long-running Worms franchise, is expected to launch on August 23. To celebrate the news, the studio revealed what fans will get if they choose to pre-order the title prior to release.

Pulling from several different franchise, the Worms W.M.D All-Stars Pre-Order Edition brings a plethora of content to the game. Games such as Payday 2, Saints Row IV and Yooka-Laylee have been called in to bring supplies to the battlefield and Team17 has provided the full list of content included with the All-Stars Edition, which can be seen below.

Rocket League – Worms fans worldwide are eager to cause mayhem with the all-new, mega-powerful Tank in Worms W.M.D, but wait until they get their hands on the Rocket League Octane Battle-Car! Soccer meets driving meets Worms. What’s not to like? Goat Simulator – Use the Goat-on-a-Rope...

A new survey released by Iron Galaxy Studios on Killer Instinct‘s Ultra-Combo website is asking fans to make note of what characters they’d like to see in the beat ’em up in the future, and more than just a few of the names will be familiar to Xbox owners. If you intend to give your own feedback, make sure you fill out the questionnaire honestly: Iron Galaxy says that all of your answers will be reviewed directly by themselves and Microsoft.

The message preceding the survey reads:

Hey everyone!

We need the Community’s help in shaping the future of Killer Instinct.

Your feedback will be taken directly to the developers at Iron Galaxy Studios and Microsoft Game Studios to help make Killer Instinct even better! Please be as direct and honest as possible!

The majority of the survey aims to gather information on existing content, but one...

A new page has appeared on the official Xbox website confirming all of the games that will be included in Microsoft’s Xbox Play Anywhere program. The service, which was unveiled during the company’s E3 conference earlier this week, will enable those who digitally purchase any of the eligible titles either on Xbox One or Windows 10 the ability to play it on both platforms without having to buy two copies.

Running with the “buy once, play anywhere” tagline, the description preceding the list of supported games confirms that you can transfer save games, Achievements and add-on content between both versions as an added bonus. Do note, however, that the transfer service is only available for copies bought digitally.

Now when you own an Xbox Play Anywhere digital title, it’s yours to play on both Xbox One and Windows 10 PC.

Buy once, play anywhere

Purchase an Xbox Play Anywhere digital game, play it on both Xbox One and Windows 10 PC at no additional cost.

Progress goes with you

Pick up where you left off on another Xbox One or Windows 10 PC, bringing all your saves, game add-ons, and achievements with you.

So, onto the the games. That’s what you’re all interested in, right? See below for the full list:

We Happy Few Forza Horizon 3 ReCore Gears of War 4 Cuphead Halo Wars 2 Scalebound Sea of Thieves State of Decay 2 Crackdown 3 Killer Instinct Season 3 Ark: Survival Evolved

The Xbox Play Anywhere service is available to use now. Killer Instinct Season 3 and Ark: Survival Evolved may be the only two currently available titles that can take advantage of it, but the list will only grow over the next several months.

Microsoft started off their E3 briefing with some big news and kept things running at that fast-paced momentum throughout the show. They gave us a lot of information and showed off a ton of games, so let’s jump in to all that is coming up for Microsoft.

Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, took the stage to unveil the Xbox One Slim. The Xbox One S will be 40% smaller than the current Xbox One with up to a 2Tb hard drive, and it will offer Hdr gaming, a 4K output, and Blu-ray support. The system also has an integrated power supply, so no more enormous brick collecting dust behind your TV! Packaged with an all-new wireless controller featuring increased Bluetooth range and a textured grip, the Xbox One S system will be available in both black or white styles and will retail for $299.

The new Xbox Play Anywhere feature was also heavily hyped throughout the show. This means that when a game is purchased once, it’s then playable on Xbox One and Windows 10. Achievements and game saves are also carried across platforms, making it possible to switch devices mid-game. Cross Play is also supported, allowing players to join up in a game no matter which device they are playing from, which is a pretty cool move from Microsoft.

Also announced were some new Xbox Live multiplayer features. Background music will now be accessible, allowing you to play music from your library while playing games, and regional language independence will give players the ability to choose their language preferences based on their choice, not their geographical location. The online personal assistant intelligence Cortana will also be added, and lastly, a brief video was shown that advertised the Xbox Design lab, where you can go online and design your own Xbox One controller by choosing the color scheme of each individual piece as well as personalizing a message on the controller itself.

As far as new gaming features are concerned, we’ve got Clubs, Looking for Group, and Arena to look forward to. Clubs are user-created communities where fans of a certain game or a specific subset of a certain game can play together— for example, people who live in a certain area, or those who want to complete a specific objective. Looking for Group is a multiplayer tool for players to use when looking for others to play online with. Arena seems like the most exciting of these updates, as Xbox, like EA, is pushing toward competitive gaming for everyone. In Arena, players can register for tournaments and leagues hosted by top companies and compete either solo or as a team.

Also, look for upcoming titles that support Xbox Game Preview, which allows players to buy and play games while in development to give the developers feedback.

Rod Fergusson, head of The Coalition, came out to introduce Gears of War 4, which will be an Xbox One and Windows 10 exclusive, with the Xbox Play Anywhere feature, meaning players on PC and Xbox One can join the same multiplayer battles.

During the story mode gameplay footage reveal, we saw the Gears team in a rooftop battle during an alien electrical storm. After finding cover and dodging the attack, the team uses environmental destruction to create a bridge to another building. The highlight of the video was seeing J.D. Fenix pick up a gun called the “Buzzkill”, which mowed down a group of enemies with circular saw blades. The trailer ended with an old and grizzled Marcus Fenix saying, “Welcome home, James.” Both Gears of War 4 and an Xbox Elite wireless controller based on the game will be released on October 11th, 2016.

Killer Instinct will also receive an Xbox One exclusive character, General Raam from Gears of War. The character is free to play this week.

Next up was Forza Horizon 3. Set in Australia, the gameplay video showed a huge variety of environments for coastal racing, including beaches, swampy jungle terrain, the Australian outback, and city traffic. The open-world racing game is also introducing a four-player campaign co-op for the first time, in which players can join each other mid-race to complete a goal. The Xbox One and Windows 10 exclusive will be released on September 27th, 2017 and will support Xbox Play Anywhere.

Hajime Tabata, the director of Final Fantasy Xv, came out to reveal the game’s first ever demo and show off the new battle system. After seeing a lengthy battle with a giant creature, Final Fantasy Xv looks to have more action-adventure elements than previous Final Fantasy titles. Look for Final Fantasy Xv on September 30th, 2016.

Coming first to Xbox One and PC beginning on June 28th (and later on PS4) is the first expansion pack for Tom Clancy’s The Division, titled “The Underground.” The first of three planned expansions, “The Underground” will feature urban underground missions that are randomly generated to ensure a new experience on each playthrough.

Xbox Live and EA Access members will also get the much-anticipated Battlefield 1 one week ahead of gamers on other consoles, as it is getting an early October 13th release on Xbox One before debuting elsewhere on October 21st.

From the creators of Limbo, a new game called Inside was shown. Only a short trailer was revealed, so not much information is known at this time. Inside, like Limbo, had a muted color palette and appeared to show an office building in some oppressed universe. Inside launches for Xbox One on June 29th. Also, for those that haven’t been playing it, Limbo is available free for a limited time right now.

So, time for real talk: the next game that debuted during the conference looks like ultra creepy fun and I need to see more as soon as possible. We Happy Few, launching on the previously mentioned game preview, looks to be a first person survival game in which the main character is trying to escape some kind of cult. In the demo, which seemed to be in an alternate past, characters adorned clown makeup and had exaggerated smiles painted across their faces. Once the main character refused to take a pill referred to as “Joy”, the others exclaimed in dismay, “He’s a downer,” and called for reinforcements. Unsettling and stylized, We Happy Few hits Game Preview on July 26th, 2016.

From the team at CD Projekt Red, the creators of The Witcher 3 have created Gwent, the card game from The Witcher 3, as a stand-alone game with a release scheduled for September on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Xbox One and PC gamers will also get a chance to play the Beta early, and cross-play is also supported.

Bandai/Namco then announced Tekken 7, complete with a story mode would be shipping in early 2017 after showing footage of a fight between Akuma and Heihachi. Also, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is being made available for free on Xbox Live all this week so fans will definitely want to jump on that.

Dead Rising 4 is heading back to the mall and this time, it’s Christmas! During the zombie filled demo, we saw what looked like Frank West wielding a rocket launcher, then some kind of candy cane gun. The footage also featured enormous groups of zombies exploding all over the place, a variety of vehicles and mech suits even made an appearance. They gave Dead Rising 4 a release window of Holiday 2016.

An Xbox and Windows 10 exclusive, State of Decay 2 used the tag line “No Body Survives Alone” and we got a better look at the sequel during the conference. The demo showed a desolate country road with zombies peppered throughout, as a car barrels down the road taking them out one by one. With a focus on what appears to be settlement building, State of Decay 2 looks to be co-op based and has players rely on others instead of going it alone in the wasteland as it were. State of Decay 2 will be launching in 2017.

The next exclusive showed was Halo Wars 2, the sequel to 2009’s real-time strategy game set in the Halo universe. Check out the week-long multiplayer Beta available now. Halo Wars 2 is set to be released February 21, 2017.

To close the show out, head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, came out to reveal what is possibly their biggest announcement at this year’s E3, Project Scorpio. An all-new system that will be released in 2017, Microsoft is touting Scorpio as the most powerful console ever made, as it will house 8 Cpu cores, features 320 Gb/s memory bandwidth and 6 Teraflops of processing power enabling true, not upscaled, 4K and hi-fidelity Vr. Games running on Scorpio could have fully uncompressed pixels running at 60 Hz. It’s a beast of machine.

Project Scorpio, The Xbox One S and Xbox One will also share backward compatibility and support cross-play too, allowing players on all systems to connect with each other regardless of the type of system they’re using.

The post E3 2016: Microsoft Press Conference Highlights Include We Happy Few, Dead Rising 4, State Of Decay 2 appeared first on Daily Dead.

Demonic series villain Gargos is now available for Killer Instinct on Xbox One and Windows 10, developer Iron Galaxy has announced via its Ultra-Combo blog. Arriving alongside patch 3.1.5, Gargos’ trailer reveals his contemptuous and arrogant attitude towards the rest of the Ki cast, as well as a preference for beating his opponents to a bloody pulp through the use of portals and hurling himself forward like a tornado of pure hatred. For a better idea of the character’s horrifying combat proficiency, see the trailer above.

In other news, patch 3.1.5 includes a huge number of balance changes to existing characters, as well as new features and big fixes.

See below for the full details:

Brand New Features!

Added New Character – Gargos Default Costume Accessories (3 Sets) Color Variations (9 Colors) Retro Costume Accessories (3 Sets) Color Variations (7 Colors) Combo Assist Support Added ability to make a Gargos Shadow in Shadow Lab

General Bug Fixes...

Demonic warlord and series antagonist Gargos comes to Killer Instinct on May 27, developer Iron Galaxy Studios has announced via the game’s Ultra-Combo blog. The character’s arrival on Friday will raise Killer Instinct‘s total roster count to 24 fighters and leave just two to be released to wrap-up Season Three. Gears Of War‘s General Raam is one, but Iron Galaxy has yet to reveal the eighth and final character.

The blurb on the release date announcement reads:

Gargos is here! Well, sort of. Happy to say that Gargos launches for Ultra Edition owners on May 27th – not at midnight, rather, in the morning hours Pacific time. Make sure to keep an eye on the Ki Twitter account for exact release details come next Friday.

A week. That’s how much time we have between now and the Gargos Content Update.

For your viewing pleasure, we’ve embedded a...

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"It's best to spend a little more time," Capcom admits, as Street Fighter V's sales fail to match expectations...

Street Fighter V was one of the most highly anticipated games of the year, but when it finally arrived, it faced major criticism for a skeletal package that didn't even include all of the standard fighting game content—such as a story mode.

Of course, since the game's release in February, there have been regular updates that include new characters and modes. Still, there's a sense among many fans that Capcom released a game that clearly wasn't finished in order to maximise profits. But in a recent earnings presentation, Capcom revealed that Street Fighter V sold less copies than originally projected: only 1.4 million of an expected 2 million as of March 31st.

1.4 million copies in less than two months is absolutely nothing to scoff at, but it does raise...

Iron Galaxy sure isn’t messing about with Killer Instinct Season 3. Since it began in March, the developer has already released a staggering five whole characters in a matter of weeks, and by the looks of it, they’re just getting started.

So far, we’ve seen series natives Kim Wu and Tusk launch alongside guest characters Rash and Arbiter (from Battletoads and Halo, respectively) and the vampiric sister of Maya, Mira – who launched just last week. Even Gears Of War‘s General Raam will supposedly be making his way to the beat ’em up in the future.

Before that potential announcement though, Iron Galaxy’s got another character that they plan to release this month. Gargos, or more popularly known as the series’ primary antagonist, is slated to release later this month, and Iron Galaxy has celebrated the news with an intentionally blurry image to whet your appetite.

"Kneel to your God.

The latest addition to Killer Instinct‘s character roster is due to be released later this week, developer Iron Galaxy has announced. The teaser trailer for the bloodsucking Mira (above) was released over the weekend at Pax East, giving fans a proper first-look at what type of playstyle they can expect from the vampire.

It looks like Season 3’s newest fighter is set to be a fast-paced, combo-heavy brawler, able to get in close to her opponents by way of some neat tricks. One such ability enables Mira to lob a group of bats at her opponent in the form of a projectile, just one of which can disperse an incoming fireball – à la Jago – and enable her to move in for a combo before they can react.

Along with that effective tool, it appears that Mira also has a mid-air grapple as her anti-air, and a low-hitting shadow attack...

Truth be told, I was pretty indifferent to the news that Killer Instinct was getting a reboot with the launch of the Xbox One. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy for fans of the series that had been clamoring for a new entry for years. However, I held little nostalgia in my heart for Rare’s ultra combo-filled fighter. So, despite my love of fighting games, I mostly stayed away from the reboot.

Thanks to the arrival of the first season to Microsoft’s Games With Gold program, though, I found myself enjoying the fighter. With the second season adding more characters and new modes, developer Iron Galaxy Studios, who took over for Double Helix Games, proved that they knew how to craft a successful fighter. Now, almost three years into the project, Killer Instinct: Season 3 could be the biggest season of the fighter so far.

Before...

Fans of Killer Instinct 3 were able to get a sneak peek at the game with a new play mode and new characters revealed. ‘Killer Instinct 3’ New Trailer Released The new characters include Kim Wu, Rash from Battletoads and Arbiter from Halo and Tusk. The launch trailer also highlights the updated visuals also coming at launch with the […]

The post ‘Killer Instinct 3’ Trailer Released: New Game Mode And Characters Revealed appeared first on uInterview.

Bad news, PC gamers – Xbox boss Phil Spencer has essentially ruled out releasing Halo 5: Guardians on the platform, preferring instead, to focus on bringing future, unreleased games to Windows 10.

Despite the fact that big name Microsoft exclusives like Forza 6: Apex and Killer Instinct are coming to Windows 10, Spencer says that Halo 5 is a game that was built specifically for consoles rather than as a PC experience.

Speaking yesterday at the company’s Build conference, Spencer said:

In terms of Halo Fps on PC, I think there’s a ton of opportunity for us right now, but I don’t want to get into a world where we’re looking back, like at Halo 5. It doesn’t mean there’s nothing there that could ever end up on PC, but I’d much rather look forward with what our plans are.

One such example of future titles that are...

Folks who love fighting games and don’t mind spending a bit extra will be happy to hear that Killer Instinct: Season 3 Ultra Edition will offer a host of advantages over its base version.

Detailed in an Xbox.com listing, Killer Instinct: Season 3 Ultimate Edition touts early access to new characters (including 8 new fighters), retro costumes, accessories, a double Xp booster and more.

The Ultimate Season 3 Bundle! Get early access to fighters! Includes 8 new fighters – including Rash from Battletoads, Arbiter from Halo, Kim Wu, and Tusk! Includes VIP Double Xp Booster, 8 retro costumes, accessory sets, bonus retro character colors, and 18,000 Ki Gold (limited time only). Rash, Arbiter, Kim Wu, and Tusk available now – all other content to be released over the season.

Killer Instinct: Season 3 Ultra Edition is priced at $39.99 Us dollars, and is currently available for pre-load in advance of its March 29th release date.

2K Games

Whenever a truly great game gets a sequel that lives up to its predecessor, it should, in theory, be a cause for grand celebration. Considering how many bad sequels there are in gaming – and the world of entertainment in general – you would think that anytime a developer manages to capitalise on the hype and defy the odds, their next instalment would immediately enter the minds of gamers everywhere.

Yet, gaming history is filled with cases of great sequels that just went by without anyone ever taking notice. Now, maybe that’s not strange for those that weren’t into the original, but even the established fanbase the developers and publishers were counting on just let them pass by, all with barely any acknowledgment they exist.

And that’s a shame. Not only should good sequels be celebrated whenever they appear, but these 10 games happen to be particularly great...

Immortal warrior Tusk is the fourth confirmed character for Killer Instinct‘s third season, and will release along with three other characters when it begins at the end of March.

Halo‘s Arbiter, Battletoad‘s Rash, Ki native Kim Wu and, of course, the hulking mountain of muscle that is Tusk are the four initial characters due to be available at the beginning of Season 3, with more characters planned to release in the future, says developer Iron Galaxy Studios.

Judging by the reveal trailer (above), Tusk looks set to usurp existing character Chief Thunder’s crown for biggest fighter (Aganos is in a league of his own) and brings with him a massive claymore with which to vanquish his enemies.

For those who count the aforementioned Native American as one of their favorites, it looks like you’ll feel right at home with Tusk’s playstyle, appearing to be a slow,...

Not to be outdone by Sony’s imminent PlayStation 4 firmware update, Microsoft has released details regarding March’s Xbox One hardware update, with changes inbound for Twitch broadcasts and purchasing Xbox 360 games on the current-gen system via backwards compatibility.

Set to go live for Preview members later today and for “Xbox app (beta) members starting tomorrow,” here’s a general overview of the new bells and whistles headed to Xbox One in March.

Purchase Xbox 360 Backward Compatible games on Xbox One Include Party Chat in Twitch broadcasts Output your Party Chat to headset and speakers simultaneously Customizable Game DVR recording length Track Achievement progress in the Xbox One guide Video playback directly in the Xbox One Activity Feed

In tandem with today’s update, Microsoft is commemorating the beginning of spring with a new video dedicated to the software hitting Xbox One and Windows 10 over the coming months. Below you...

The long-awaited third season for Xbox One console exclusive beat ’em up Killer Instinct starts its engines later this month, developer Iron Galaxy have announced. Four brand new characters will be available on launch day, with an additional four to be released over the remainder of the season.

The four initial characters consist of two returning from past games – Kim Wu and Tusk – as well as two guest characters from other franchises. Rash – a giant, anthropomorphic toad joins the cast from Rare’s Battletoads series, while Arbiter is taking a break from the Halo series for a little beat ’em up action.

Iron Galaxy are staying quiet about who the remaining four characters will be, but rumors are already circulating that series villains Eyedol and Gargos may be making a return.

Along with the release date confirmation, the minimum and recommended specs for the Windows 10 version have also been posted:...

Halo‘s most popular alien warrior – The Arbiter – is taking a break from exploring ring worlds and engaging in passive aggressive conversation with the human race – he’s opted to go kick some ass in Killer Instinct instead. We don’t blame him, sometimes you’ve just got to let it all out by slicing people to bits with a sizzling Energy Sword.

The trailer – posted on Iron Galaxy’s YouTube channel, showcases the lumbering Sanghellian’s combat prowess and abilities while behind him, a squad of Covenant Elite’s engage in battle in real time. If this is how the Arbiter’s stage works in the final version, it’ll be tough to decide what part of the action to focus on first.

Anyway, Arbiter’s the important part here, not that you could really miss him, he’s bloody huge – making Thunder look the size of a toddler in comparison.

Killer Instinct Season 3 will soon be upon us, and while fans are no doubt looking forward to the likes of Battletoads’ Rash and Kim-Wu entering the fray with its arrival, developer Iron Galaxy is keen to make sure you know that the additions to the roster isn’t the only thing to get excited about.

An update to Ki‘s Ultra Combo website has revealed that new lighting techniques and visuals have been created for Season 3, bringing a whole new level of sheen and shine to the already-pretty beat ’em up.

Art director Chad Greene said in the statement that:

We are excited to be adding several new elements to Ki Season 3 that we believe really improve the overall experience, and I’m going to be speaking to the ‘Art side’ of things today,

In terms of visuals, we are adding new graphics technology; reflection tech for the stages; re-introducing...

A second guest character – following Battletoads’ Rash – has been teased for the third season of Killer Instinct. Hint: he’s an Energy Sword -ielding alien.

Yeah, that’s right – The Halo series’ favourite extraterrestrial (and Master Chief’s friend and foe) The Arbiter is coming to the Xbox One exclusive beat ‘em up as part of its third season. Or that’s what we all suspect is happening, considering what the footage shown at the end of Kim Wu’s announcement trailer reveals.

The last few seconds of the trailer show some monolithic statues of Sangheli warriors before sweeping over the two-toed feet of their number as an Energy Sword bursts to life. We’d say that’s pretty conclusive evidence that it’s The Arbiter.

Aside from Rash, Kim Wu and – probably – The Arbiter, Iron Galaxy have also confirmed that original characters Tusk and Gargos will also be returning...

Microsoft and developer Iron Galaxy remain hard at work providing new content for the Xbox One revival of Killer Instinct. The game’s latest batch of Dlc, being referred internally as Season Three, has already had three characters confirmed in the form of returning fighters Tusk and Kim Wu, along with the surprising appearance of Rash from the Battletoads series.

Today, Microsoft has officially unveiled Kim Wu via a new gameplay trailer. The female warrior, who previously appeared in Killer Instinct 2 back in 1996, seems to be bringing a more comical mood to the game. A self-described ‘demon ass-kicker,’ she will make use of a dragon spirit in combat to deliver many of her attacks.

Wu will join her fellow KI2 fighter Tusk as part of the first batch of Dlc for Season Three some time in March, with Rash and four other unannounced characters available later on. The game will...

Fan favorite Tekken character Nina Williams has made the cut for Tekken 7, but she may not look exactly how you remember. In fact, one might be led to suspect that Miss. (or is that Ms. now?) Williams has either just tied the knot or been stood-up at the altar. She certainly looks angry enough for the latter to be true judging by the reveal trailer above.

Bandai Namco are calling Nina’s new threads the ‘Fatal Bride’ outfit, but it’s not entirely clear whether this is her default costume or a bonus one to be unlocked through other means. Either way, she’s looking rather kick-ass, and fans can now finally breathe a sigh of relief that she’s confirmed for the game. Not like there was ever any doubt in our minds though – she’s appeared in every single main instalment of the series to date.

As part of Nina’s announcement,...

Eidos

All hail Xbox Live’s Games With Gold! And its little brother Deals With Gold…

Deus Ex: Human Revolution on Xbox 360 and Zheros on Xbox One are now free on Xbox Live until the 31st of January.

You know how it works right? Free games on Xbox One and Xbox 360 every month as long as you have an Xbox Live Gold subscription, as well as big discounts on other titles.

The latest Deals With Gold on Xbox One include the likes of Sniper Elite 3: Ultimate Edition and Hasbro Family Fun Pack with 50% off at $20 and on Xbox 360 there’s Farming Simulator with 75% off at $7.49 and Divinity II: The Dragon Knight Saga with 50% off at $20.

Xbox doubled up in January giving away four games instead of two, with Gold members previously being able to grab Dirt Showdown on the 360 and having Killer Instinct: Season One Ultra Edition on...

Microsoft

As much as people like to frown upon the whole ‘console war’ thing, it actually gets us the best rewards in the long run. Just think about it; there’d be no impetus for top-tier businesses to change their plans if the competition weren’t posing a threat, and when that comes to video games, seeing the two multi-billion dollar titans that are Sony and Microsoft clash over all sorts of policies continues to only benefit the consumer.

Last generation we saw Sony implement trophies as a response to the runaway success of achievements, and after Sony ‘won E3’ by refusing to go conform to a world without second-hand games, Microsoft fired back by securing timed exclusives and free backwards compatibility.

Such major steps forward reframe the Xbox One’s chances across 2016, and thankfully if you’ve just picked up one of the consoles recently, you’re getting the...

The upcoming third season for Killer Instinct has another confirmed character. Tusk (along with Kim-Wu) returns from the original games in 2016 to bring the pain all over again for a new generation of beat ‘em up enthusiasts.

The news broke over the weekend at the conclusion of a Twitch livestream of the Killer Instinct tournament by Microsoft Studios creative director Adam Isgreen.

In addition to Kim-Wu and Tusk, season 3 also welcomes guest character Rash from Rare’s Battletoads series. However, if you were hoping to see fan favourites Gargos or Eyedol, you be left waiting for a long time. Isgreen says that both characters would be difficult to implement due to their awkward animations and character models.

Along with the character reveal, the livestream also revealed a bunch of new info for upcoming changes planned for the fighter.

An updated Dojo Tutorial

Tusk and Kim Wu have been confirmed to...

Fresh off closing out a “monumental year” for its Xbox division, Microsoft has shifted gears to draw attention to its software lineup for 2016 and, specifically, the roster of exclusives hitting Xbox One over the next 12 months.

Though Platinum Games’ RPG Scalebound won’t be a part of it, the Redmond-based platform holder trumpeted the arrival of heavy-hitters such as Remedy’s Quantum Break, the intriguing ReCore – which appears to be heading to PC as well – and blockbuster sequel Gears of War 4.

Courtesy of Xbox Wire, here’s a play-by-play breakdown of the catalog in question, along with their expected release windows.

Gears of War 4 – Multiplayer Beta in Spring 2016/Launch in Fall 2016

Quantum Break – April 5, 2016

Halo Wars 2 (Xbox One & Windows 10) – Fall 2016

Crackdown 3 – Multiplayer in Summer 2016

Fable Legends Open Beta (Xbox One & Windows 10) – Spring 2016

ReCore (Xbox One & Windows 10) – 2016

Sea of Thieves (Xbox One & Windows 10) – 2016

Gigantic (Xbox One & Windows 10) – 2016

Killer Instinct: Season...

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Looking for good books about the movies to read? We've got a bumper selection of recommendations right here...

A confession. I actually started writing this article in 2013, and the reason you've only reading it now is that I've made sure I've read every book on this list, save for one or two where I've marked otherwise. As such, what you're getting is a very personal list of recommendations. Each of these books has at least something to it that I think is of interest to someone wanting to learn more about film - or just enjoy stories of movie making.

I've tended to avoid picture books, with one exception, as these ones I've chosen are all intended to be chock-full of words, to relax with at the end of a long day. Which is what I did. There are one or two notable omissions, as I'm still...

Shadow Jago finally makes his permanent debut in Killer Instinct this December, and he’s not just a re-skin of the original version this time around. The bonus character will go on sale to everyone on December 18, but if you’ve previously purchased Day One Xbox Live Gold or the Community Fund Bundle, you’ll get early access to the download on December 4.

Bizarrely though, it seems that, according to the announcement, fans will only have until January 18 to purchase the fighter, at which point he’ll be gone again. Iron Galaxy Studios previously stated in November that Shadow Jago would be released at some point in December to mark Killer Instinct‘s second anniversary on the Xbox One, saying:

We’re coming up fast on December, and if you recall we mentioned that Shadow Jago would release with his own moveset by the end of the year. We can...

Iron Galaxy Studios is celebrating Killer Instinct‘s two year anniversary with the release of a brand new character – sort of. The corrupted version of the normal Jago was originally available exclusively for those that purchased the Ultimate Edition of the game, but that version wasn’t much more than a re-skin.

However, as part of a fundraiser earlier in the year, Iron Galaxy promised to release an entirely unique version of Shadow Jago if certain goals were met. Fast forward several months, and here we are – in December, he’ll be available to all.

As part of the announcement on their official Ultra Combo blog, the studio said that:

We’re coming up fast on December, and if you recall we mentioned that Shadow Jago would release with his own moveset by the end of the year. We can tell you one thing for sure. Shadow Jago will release in December.

Rock ‘N Racing Off Road Dx stresses the importance of policies like Steam refunds. As video games potentially move to a digital-only future, consumers need protection from the developers hawking their half-finished wares. In spite of the touchy AI and unwieldy vehicles, I wanted the best for Rock ‘N Racing. EnjoyUp Games unearths nostalgia for Super Off Road’s arcade and Snes glory days, but the developers would rather launch Off Road Dx on other consoles than correct prevailing problems.

Rock ‘N Racing Off Road Dx began its life on the Wii U months ago. To this day, the controls show less finesse than a mobile game. All racing fans deal with ungainly handling from time to time, but Off Road Dx clinches the gold. Honestly, I blame slapdash physics. If you want an apt analogy, coat a Porsche’s tires in grease and take it for a drift on ice,...

Nearly 50 men and women stood packed in the back room of a hole-in-the-wall video game novelty store in Tempe. They endured the heat, sweat, stale air and rowdy atmosphere for a chance to play video games against each other in an organized tournament.

The grand prize for their dedication and patience? $100 and bragging rights. This is a glimpse of the highly competitive and fast growing video game tournament scene in Arizona. It is a digital aged sub-culture grown from the nerds and geeks through their beloved yet societally ridiculed past time: playing video games. The $100 prize this day may seem like a meager reward this day but it can range into the hundreds of thousands on a worldwide scale.

Now a non-gamer might ask themselves: Why waste time learning virtually worthless video game techniques instead of picking up life skills like talking to girls or not being a total social...

There’s no doubt that Chris Hansen is the king of investigative reporting and covering all the latest news stories. Having won eight Emmy awards for his work, investigative correspondent Hansen is bringing his talent to Investigation Discovery’s all-new newsmagazine series, Killer Instinct With Chris Hansen on Monday, Aug. 17 at 10pm Et/Pt. Showcasing his award-winning reports involving online sexual predators for the popular Dateline NBC, Hansen is familiar with the chase of an investigation that both detectives and journalists must run after. Killer Instinct allows Hansen to use his unique way of taking viewers along for the journey as they … Continue reading →

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