News:: Sega seems up for Yakuza and Persona on PC

Sega has made a lot of strides with porting over Japanese made games to PC. Just this year we've seen ports of Bayonetta and Vanquish, so it looks like the sky is the limit when it comes to series. In an interview with PC Gamer, John Clark (Sega's senior VP of commercial publishing) said, "If I asked you to write me a list of ten games you want Sega to bring out on PC, it probably isn't any different from the list [we have]."

In regards to Yakuza, Clark started, "It's on that list. Of course something we're talking about it… that would just be incredible to bring that to the PC audience." As for Persona? "Of course, of course...We don't feel that anything is off the table in terms of these conversations."

So will we see these games by the end of the year? Only time will tell, but its looking more likely that Sega's niche titles will be arriving to PC at some point. If Bandai Namco can make a success out of Dark Souls on PC, then I'm sure any off-kilter game has a fighting chance.

Yakuza and Persona are 'on that list' of games Sega wants to bring to PC [PC Gamer]

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News:: Review: Arms

Nintendo has an uphill battle when it comes to convincing people it can do competitive play right -- both in general terms with online play and in the eSports arena. They've traditionally shied away from it, but with the explosion of Splatoon and the writing on the wall from nearly every other publisher, it made sense to start laying that foundation.

The funny thing is Arms, which came out of nowhere, does have the makings of competitive fighter with legs. It'll just need some updates to become the best it can be.

Read more...

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News:: Big Bethesda sale supplementing E3 hype: from Fallout 4 to Wolfenstein II

It's been almost a week since Bethesda made its Sunday E3 announcements. To capitalize on the "excitement" that's still ongoing, a few PC gaming retailers are running Bethesda title sales with discounts up to 70% off.

GamersGate has your traditional PC gaming Bethesda sale with the cheapest ever Fallout 4. Its fall to $14.99 beats any previous offers and is now 50% off the recently reduced $30 list price.

For those looking for upcoming Bethesda titles such as Fallout 4 VR? Head over to GMG's E3 sale where about half of the offers are upcoming Bethesda titles. Doom VR, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, The Evil Within 2, and more are all 21% off after coupon. Just login or create an account to get the best "VIP" savings price, then enter code E3OFFER at checkout.

While not explicitly stated, we're fairly certain if you pre-purchase Wolfenstein II at GMG, you'll receive the inevitable pre-order bonus for the title. If it's anything like The New Order - the bonuses may be quite lame in nature, but the real incentive is the discount.

GamersGate Bethesda Sale

• Elder Scrolls Online: Gold — $25.20  (list price $60)
• Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary (Steam) — $16.40  (list price $40)
• Fallout 4 (Steam) — $14.99  (list price $30)
• Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited — $12.30  (list price $30)
• Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Steam) — $8.20  (list price $20)
• QUAKE Collection (Steam) — $7.59  (list price $25)
• Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind GOTY (Steam) — $6.15  (list price $15)
• Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion GOTY Deluxe (Steam) — $6.15  (list price $20)
• Dishonored (Steam) — $3.03  (list price $10)

GMG Bethesda E3 Deals

Use Code: E3OFFER

• 09/15: Dishonored: Death of the Outsider (Steam) — $23.75  (list price $30)
• 10/13: The Evil Within 2 (Steam) — $47.51  (list price $60)
• 10/27: Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (Steam) — $47.51  (list price $60)
• 10/31: Fallout 4 VR (Steam) — $47.51  (list price $60)
• Q4 2017: DOOM VFR (Steam) — $23.75  (list price $30)

Both sales expire on Monday, June 19.

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News:: 'Skull and Bones' is about pillaging your friends' ships

Pirates are back. As the Pirates of the Caribbean movie juggernaut refuses to let Jonny Depp rest for more than a year or two, Ubisoft's Skull and Bones takes the ship battles of Assassin's Creed: Black Flag and turns them into grand-scale, five-on-five multiplayer naval warfare. It'll be a standalone title when it launches in 2018, but ahead of open-beta testing, I got to enjoy some demo time at E3. Caution: slightly shallow gameplay waters ahead.

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News:: Nintendo Badge arcade is on life support, not getting any more badges

It was known for quite a while, but it looks like the North American arm of the Nintendo Badge Arcade is no more -- sort of, at least.

On June 22 the service will get its last batch of badges, and beyond that there will be no more updates. You can keep playing and keep giving Nintendo your cash, you just won't get any more content. This US shutdown joins both Europe and Japan.

It had a good run that lasted nearly two years. I never once felt compelled to spend money on it, and I got a few cool little icons for my 3DS home screen in the process. It was more than a win-win situation for me, but I can understand why people were turned off by the free-to-play scheme.

Rest in piece, Badge Arcade.

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News:: Neil deGrasse Tyson wants to take you on a 'Space Odyssey'

Kickstarter games are, pardon the cliché, a dime a dozen. Everyone and their business partner wants to get in on the crowd-funded interactive entertainment business, even if things don't always work out. Coleco failed on Indiegogo, but came to Kickstarter to try again. Kickstarter can be a mixed blessing, for sure: Double Fine mismanaged its successful campaign for Broken Age, while the team behind Banner Saga seems to be using the system fairly well. It's no wonder, then, why celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has jumped onto the crowd-funding service to fund his own new title, a "scientifically accurate" Space Odyssey - The Video Game.

Via: Fast Company

Source: Kickstarter

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News:: Legendary Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi to unveil new Mistwalker game next week

Hironobu Sakaguchi is one of those people who has been around long enough where if you don't immediately remember his name, you've probably heard of it. He created the Final Fantasy series way back when, and after working for Square Enix he founded his own studio, Mistwalker, in 2004. Even if you're a youngin' you've probably heard of a few of the games he helped produce under that banner, like Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, and The Last Story.

Well outside of Terra Battle it's been a while since they've contributed to the gaming scene at large, but that's likely to change very soon. As announced by way of a Niconico livestream Mistwalker is revealing their new game next week on June 22, at 20:00 JST. Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu will be present, and is likely contributing to the project. I just hope it's not something mobile related!

Famitsu [Niconico via Gematsu]

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News:: Swing your arms to move in the VR shooter 'Vindicta'

Movement is a tricky thing in virtual reality. If you move too quickly, you risk getting sick and disoriented. Because of that, most developers have opted for teleporting in VR games: the act of pointing to a spot that you can see, and instantly warping there. It's an easy solution, but it also ruins the immersion of VR. Vindicta, a room-scale HTC Vive shooter from Beirut-based Game Cooks, has another idea for movement: just swing your arms.

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News:: 'The Lost Legacy' takes 'Uncharted' back to basics

Deep in the mountainous region of India's Western Ghats, Chloe and Nadine are in trouble. The two treasure hunters have a clue to the whereabouts of the Tusk of Ganesha, a mystical artefact, but keep stumbling into an Indian rebel leader called Asav. They try to stay hidden, but are quickly discovered by soldiers out on patrol. Chaos ensues as the pair battle through enemy forces with a mixture of sharp-shooting and air-drop knockouts. It's classic Uncharted combat, the kind Naughty Dog has been perfecting since Drake's Fortune in 2007.

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News:: Reggie: 2018 isn't the end of the line for the 3DS

When the Switch rolled around, Nintendo vowed to support the 3DS throughout 2018.

That's...about a year and some change left on the system, based on that statement alone -- but speaking to IGN at E3, Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime stated that they plan on helping it out beyond that. Seemingly meaning what he said that Nintendo sees the 3DS as an entry level device that will stick around in spite of the Switch (seemingly, because he's said a lot of things in the past), he stated: "We're going to continue to bring new content, and that's what's going to keep this device vibrant and keep it going well into 2018 and beyond."

Going on, he said: "We say that it’s a home console that you take with you and play with anyone, anywhere, anytime. It really is meant to deliver that great home console performance, you just happen to be able to undock it and take it with you, which is a key innovation. But look, in the end, what we want is we want the consumer to call it their device, right? Their preferred gaming device that they can play fantastic Zelda, Mario, third-party content, all of their favorite franchises brought to life on the platform. That’s what we want. And we’re greedy and we want Nintendo 3DS right alongside it."

Fair enough. Just like the "extra stock of NES Classics" and "we aren't discontinuing the Wii U" claims (which weren't necessarily from Reggie, but Nintendo heads in general), it's a wait and see kind of game. But on paper, I'm totally cool with the 3DS sticking around for a while. Maybe Nintendo is waiting too -- to see if the Switch approaches 60 million units sold in a few years (or is on pace), and then they'll pull the plug.

E3 2017 [IGN]

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News:: 'Aztez' let me live my fantasy of being an Aztec warrior

When I heard someone had made a beat-em-up game based on the Aztec civilization and that I would be getting the chance to play it at this year's E3, I couldn't have been more excited. As someone of Mexican descent who's passionate about his culture, I can immediately appreciate a strategy side-scrolling brawler that turns you into an Aztec warrior on a mission to take down Spanish conquerors. In a nutshell, this is the idea behind Aztez, an indie title from developer Team Colorblind that's been in the works for about six years. The PC game, which is finally set to hit Steam in mid-July for $20, features a black-and-white theme with hints of blood-red every time your Aztec warrior slashes opponents.

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News:: 'Circle of Saviors' made me equal parts hero and dweeb

Circle of Saviors is more fun than it should be. The cooperative hack-and-slash VR game glues you to a single spot, and you wield a shield and sword through HTC Vive controllers. Your buddy is armed with a crossbow (which is actually a Vive controller and a tablet screen). Meanwhile, you're immersed in the battlefield, as a green-screen room digitally maps everything to a TV for spectators to watch. Sure, I've seen this done before, but swords and goblins are way better than teleporting and shooting.

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News:: Boss Key decided to break the rules when it made 'Lawbreakers'

First-person, team-based shooters like Overwatch, Monday Night Combat and Team Fortress 2 all share a collection of common tropes. Players typically compete to move payloads or hold objectives, with teams built from a collection of classic character types: medic, tank, soldier and sniper. That's not how it works in Lawbreakers, the upcoming character-based team shooter from Boss Key. According to lead designer Dan Nanni, the genre's conventions made the game feel hamstrung and slow. "The first thing we wound up doing," he said, "was throw all the rules away. Just throw them all away."

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News:: Level-5 isn't keen on a tablet only Layton game for Switch

Professor Layton is a god! The dude is calm under duress, always witty and willing to help those in need of obtuse puzzle solutions. He does it all and looks dapper while doing it. It seems, though, that Level-5 can't quite figure out how to bring the Professor's English charm to the Switch, as noted in an interview they gave with Eurogamer.

When questioning series producer Akihiro Hino on the possibility of Layton coming to Nintendo's hybrid console, Hino stated, "I played Zelda. I love the Switch. I think it's amazing hardware. The problem is, the Layton series does a lot with the touchscreen and pointing. So, the problem with the Switch is, if you play on handheld you can do it, but if you put it on the dock... we're trying to figure out how that would play into it."

While the easy solution would be to go the route of Voez and make it tablet only, it looks like Level-5 doesn't want to lock anybody out of enjoying the random ass puzzles that Layton always seems to encounter. Seriously, why does literally everyone in those games have their nose buried in some kind of quandary?

My suggestion would be to utilize the motion controls of the joy-con, seeing as how they can sort of replicate touching a screen. It isn't exactly the same, but it also means you don't have to create multiple solutions to a single puzzle for player specific needs. I think it would also work wonders with Layton, which doesn't feature touch sensitive puzzles so much as just shifting things around.

Hino concluded with, "If we can get around that and figure out a way of doing it, definitely we're looking into putting the next Layton onto the Switch," so at least all hope isn't lost.

Level-5 is trying to make a Layton game work on Nintendo Switch [Eurogamer]

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News:: 'Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite' and 'Mega Man' at E3 2017

Other than an impressive Monster Hunter World preview, the Capcom booth at E3 2017 is also home to demos for two big releases due later this year. Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 picks up where the first bundle left off, jumping into the 16-bit era with Mega Man 7, 8, 9 & 10. The pack will be released on PS4, Xbox One and PC August 8th for $20, and gamers who need an extra dose of nostalgia can dive into the archives of artwork or just play their favorite tracks.

For a more modern touch, the booth also has Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite on display. This iteration reverses the change 3v3 hero teams introduced with Marvel vs. Capcom 2, going back to a 2-on-2 tag team format. The story mode I played is also available now as a free demo on PS4 and Xbox One, where players can use the new Infinity Stones against Ultron's minions. The new game has been criticized for its art style and smaller roster of characters -- we could use most of the 24 it will launch with, far fewer than the 48 in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Check out out game play above, along with two trailers embedded below.

Source: Capcom (1), (2)

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News:: Review in Progress: Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood

Having played Final Fantasy XIV since the very first 1.0 E3 demo nearly a decade ago, it would take me ages to describe how much it's evolved.

I've seen it go from a tepid little thing that was somehow a step down from XI in every way to a monstrous project that become one of my favorite MMOs of all time. It's still amazing that director Yoshi-P and his crew were able to turn this franchise around, and that Square Enix footed the bill -- it will go down as one of the biggest Cinderella stories in gaming.

That said, this A Realm Reborn incarnation has been playing it relatively safe since 2013. While the team has delivered on their promise to make it the most frequently updated MMO ever, the themepark-esque grind of the endgame has become a little too much for some.

On the upside the the newest expansion, Stormblood, breathes more life into this already beautiful game.

Read more...

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News:: Pokemon Go's next big thing is an overhaul for gyms

In the very game industry specific time frame of "soon," gyms in Pokemon Go are going to undergo some changes.

Developer Niantic calls it "remodeling," and in the meantime said gyms are going to be closed. Niantic cites it as something that they've always wanted to improve, which makes sense as they're all basically dominated by the same power users who have high-level Pokemon. For casual folks they may as well not even exist.

There will be "more to come" on what that alteration entails, but for now just know that they're going to close up in the near future and any assigned creatures will return to your party. Get ready and grab those last few rewards!

Gym [Niantic]

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News:: Ex-Bungie developers crafted the most promising VR adventure yet

It's hard not to love Quill, the swashbuckling mouse heroine of Moss, an upcoming PlayStation VR game from Polyarc Games. She's adorable, with huge ears, a fetching adventurer's bandana and an ever-so-tiny backpack. And she kicks butt -- thanks to a grass sword, a badass gauntlet and plenty acrobatic skills. It's difficult to create new characters that players can instantly love, but Polyarc managed to do just that.

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News:: Atari is indeed working on a new console, says CEO

When Atari first revealed its Ataribox project at E3 this year, the announcement was met with skepticism as to whether the teaser was even real. The company hadn't made a home game console in more than 30 years and yet it was choosing 2017 to get back in the game? Welp, apparently so, because Atari CEO Fred Chesnais confirmed to GamesBeat on Friday that the company is doing just that.

Source: VentureBeat

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News:: Ever Oasis isn't what I thought it would be

As I write this, my save file for Ever Oasis is at the seven-hour mark. This is the point where the game is just starting to become fun. The story is progressing, the action is stepping up and I’m really getting into the flow of this unusual adventure.

Unfortunately, I can’t talk about any of this. Per my instructions, this preview can only cover the first five hours, most of which is not exactly what I’d call spellbinding. Ever Oasis has a slow beginning much like the Zelda titles developer Grezzo ported to the 3DS, drip-feeding me information on the many different facets of the game. But, just like with ZBBOTW – Zelda Before Breath of the Wild - once I get past the beginning it really starts to show its colors.

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News:: Following break from Square Enix, Hitman developer goes independent

After Square Enix announced that it was dropping subsidiary IO Interactive, all eyes were on the Hitman series. Sure IO has done a few extra projects in the past like Mini Ninjas (funnily enough I was playing this on PC yesterday) and the Kane & Lynch series, but Hitman is their bread and butter, and it could have been lost to the nether forever.

Thankfully, Square Enix has seemingly worked with IO to release them without too much difficulty, as they're now an independent studio and have retained the rights to the Hitman IP by way of a buyout. The company's CEO calls it a "watershed moment," and they now have absolute control over the studio and the IP. Given that the Hitman series is still out and is eliminating the episodic element, it seems like they still have life in them yet. And there's always room for a Hitman Season 2.

The Future of IO [IO]

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News:: Engadget at E3: Making virtual reality accessible for everyone

Virtual reality is changing gaming. If it works for you, that is. The technology adds a wearable component to gaming input, and this brings new (occasionally insurmountable) challenges to gamers with disabilities. Amy Kneepkens, head video creator at AbleGamers, joined us onstage at E3 2017 to give us a view into accessibility issues affecting virtual reality.

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News:: I played Assassin's Creed: Origins and I found a Dark Souls boss

A year in hiding seems to have done wonders for Assassin's Creed. Ubisoft stepping away from its flagship franchise was unexpected, but that time away has Assassin's Creed: Origins feeling like a game that's familiar but still different enough to have my attention. It has been a while since Assassin's Creed struck that same balance with a new installment.

It seem as if, at least partially, Ubisoft borrowed from elsewhere to improve Assassin's Creed: Origins. Advance scouting is possible by sending a pet hawk into flight, a mechanic that's reminiscent of Far Cry Primal. There's a sprawling abilities tree, making this more role-playing game than any previous entry.

Read more...

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News:: Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 has more man, less mega

Putting it simply, you know what you're getting with Mega Man Legacy Collection 2. Essentially sharing the same package as its predecessor, Collection 2 gathers Mega Man 7 through 10 in one place. Nevertheless, curiosity persisted and I had to see whether or not it would be a fun time later down the line. 

It pretty much is, but there's a little bit less excitement this time around. 

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News:: Engadget at E3: Checking in on indie game development in 2017

The indie-video-game industry is massive, churning out mainstream hits and padding the marketplaces on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, mobile and even Nintendo Switch. But the one thing that makes indie development so flexible -- true independence from outside companies or investors -- is also what makes it so unstable.

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News:: Detroit: Become Human is as problematic as you want it to be

In the Detroit: Become Human hands-off theater demo we were shown at E3 2017, we got to see some of the iconography that will define the android/human conflict at the heart of the game's story. The androids' much-lauded digital graffiti featured a single fist, raised to the sky in defiance. Some old-fashioned paint-based graffiti from the anti-android group depicted three raised fists, also raised to the sky in defiance.

Using a symbol traditionally associated with marginalized groups for both sides of a conflict is a curious design decision, which is why I was both relieved and concerned to hear that it was not actually a design decision. According to Detroit director David Cage, the iconography of the resistance can be defined by the player, so you could pick something different for your digital graffiti flag but not the human graffiti.

That's where the concern comes in – so much of Detroit: Become Human is racially coded that it becomes uncomfortable when two different groups are fighting over a visual language that the story implies should belong to the androids. The androids keep referring to themselves as "slaves," and all androids must wear blue armbands to designate themselves as machines. When I asked Cage why the raised fists were an option for both sides, he declined to explain in the hopes of letting players form their own thoughts about the game. "I don't want to explain things, I just want people to play the game," Cage said. "We're not going to tell you what to think."

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News:: 'Vampyr' is more about who you kill than how you do it

Developer Dontnod has taken a sharp turn from its previous games Life is Strange and Remember Me with Vampyr, but there's more to think about than just another angle on gender politics. We stopped by the booth and got a guided tour throughout a few sections of the game that showed us more about how combat works and what kind of choices your character will have to make. Going beyond mere moody lurking in the shadows, we watched the player's character Dr. Jonathan Reed struggle between his role as a doctor in Spanish Flu-stricken 1918 London and the reality of being a recently turned vampire who kills humans to survive.

Source: Vampyr

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News:: GTA Online shark cards and bundles on sale thanks to new update

This week of E3, we were treated to goodies such as $499 Xbonex, and a ton of games that seemingly all release in 2018... Assuming of course if they all aren't delayed, which seems to happen more and more often these days. At the same time, Rockstar updated Grand Theft Auto V with the new "Gunrunning" update patch which makes you an arms dealer. The patch also adds flying motorcycles to the game. Sure, why not.

"But wait," you may say, "I don't own GTAV" or "I don't have time to grind in-game cash to buy one of those sweet sweet airbikes in GTA Online." Well, friends, as long as you're a PC gamer with loads of cash, your problems are solved. From GTA V bundles to pay-to-win shark cash cards - all items are on sale for the weekend and some of them are quite cheap.

The best prices are at GMG in their aptly titled "Grand Theft Auto V Sale." Discounts fly as high as 74% off and, despite the name of the sale, even GTA IV Complete is at one of its best prices ever.

GTA Online Shark Cash Card Deals

• Megalodon Shark Cash Card ($8,000,000 - PC) — $58.49  (list price $100)
• Whale Shark Cash Card ($3,500,000 - PC) — $31.49  (list price $50)
• Great White Shark Cash Card ($1,250,000 - PC) — $13.49  (list price $20)

GTA V (and IV) Deals

• Grand Theft Auto V Megalodon Bundle — $46.24  (list price $136)
• Grand Theft Auto V Whale Bundle — $40.09  (list price $99)
• Grand Theft Auto V — $32.39  (list price $60)
• Grand Theft Auto V Great White Bundle — $32.30  (list price $76)
• Grand Theft Auto IV: Complete Edition (Steam) — $8.10  (list price $30)

If you're buying GTA V for the first time, the game is half price with a drop to $30.29 for the Rockstar Social digital copy of the game. That said, you really should just spring for an extra $2 and get the GTA V Great White Shark Bundle for $32.30 and you'll receive an extra $1.25 million in-game GTA Online cash.

As for the GTA Online Shark Cards, the Great White Shark Card alone is discounted from $20 to $12.74. Even the insanely expensive "Megalodon Shark Cash Card" ($8 million GTA Online cash) is 42% off with a mark down to $58.49. Of course, the Megalodon cash card is a pricey purchase when you factor in the Megalodon Bundle with the game is $12 cheaper. So our take is that if you're going to grab a Megalodon card, you might as well get the bundle with the game.

This GTA sale will last through the weekend and they official end on Monday, June 19 at 8am Pacific.

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News:: The Morning After: Friday, June 16th 2017

It might only be Friday morning, but yesterday marked the end of the world's biggest gaming show, E3. Today, we're bringing you even more impressions from the biggest titles you'll be playing in the next 12 months or so, as well as Amazon's new Dash wand and the eventual launch of Microsoft's Surface laptop.

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