In one of the more unexpected announcements from today’s Pokémon Presents presentation, the company announced that a new sleep tracking app called Pokémon Sleep will be launching later on this year.
Pokémon Sleep will measure how good of a night’s rest you get and store the results for analysis. By sleeping with your phone next to you, the app will measure your stages of dozing, snoozing and slumbering, with different Pokémon appearing on your screen depending on how well you kip.
We at Obsidian are excited to announce a version of The Outer Worlds upgraded for PlayStation 5 – The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition. Let’s dive into some of the exciting changes we are making to this Board-approved RPG and how we approached this task.
The Outer Worlds was received incredibly well from fans all over the world and won multiple awards, so having the opportunity to improve on something we know people love has been a real pleasure.
If you aren’t too familiar with the game, here’s a brief summary:
Lost in transit while on a colonist ship bound for the edge of the galaxy, you awake decades after your planned date only to find yourself in the midst of a deep conspiracy threatening to destroy the colony. Explore the various planets and locations of Halcyon, including the mysterious Gorgon Asteroid and the delightful distillery on Eridanos. As you encounter various factions, all vying for power, the decisions you make determine how the narrative unfolds.
The newest generation of consoles came out just a year after the game’s original release. So for us it made sense to freshen up the base game, bundle available content, take advantage of the PlayStation 5’s latest hardware capabilities and the DualSense Controller trigger feedback to help make sure it would live on and stay relevant for many more years to come. Hence, The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition.
Here’s how the teams did it.
Going beyond visual enhancements
Sure, improving the visuals is part of the deal. We were able to update to 4K, 60FPS graphics, enhance volumetric lighting, improve particle systems, and enhance the environments with increased asset density. We also raised the bar in several additional ways: we made the combat and companion AIs smarter, improved the open-world sensation through better depth of field and by reworking existing vistas, updated varying weather conditions, and we reworked character models and animations. Don’t worry, we didn’t dare touch the core of what made The Outer Worlds great. There’s no point in reinventing the wheel, but fresh tires are always a plus.
That being said, a completely new and exciting feature set is the DualSense wireless controller adaptive triggers and haptics. When employing ranged weapons, players will appreciate different trigger effects depending on the type. For a weapon like the flamethrower, the player will sense linear pressure. When firing an automatic weapon, trigger kickback will generate a pulse-like effect for each round fired. And for single-shot weapons such as a sniper or a shotgun, the trigger pressure effect will mimic the sensation of squeezing a trigger until the pin fires and the resistance lessens. Pretty neat, right? The game won’t just look better, it’ll also feel sharper.
Enhancing a legacy
If the improvements we have already described were not enough to justify this new edition, we thought this Spacer’s Choice Edition would make even more sense if it included the base game’s DLCs: Peril on Gorgon and Murder on Eridanos. So we did just that. Now the experience is even richer! On a side note: we know that several spacers out there enjoyed the fact that this was an approachable experience, not too short but not too long either. Rest assured, both DLCs do not extend the main story line. They exist on the side, offering a fresh narrative arc to enjoy if and when you feel like it once you’ve reached the appropriate level. Oh, and we increased the level cap to 99, to give players even more ways to build their character from the seven branches of the skill tree.
If you already own The Outer Worlds base game and its associated DLC, Peril on Gorgon and Murder on Eridanos, for PlayStation 4, you will be able to upgrade to The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition on PlayStation 5 for a reduced price.*
The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition is out March 7.
*Based on Private Division’s suggested retail price for The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition. Actual price may differ. Limit of one upgrade per account. See platform store for details and terms.
The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition has officially been announced and will be bringing an improved version of the sci-fi RPG to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on March 7, 2023.
The Outer Worlds, which was developed by Fallout: New Vegas’ Obsidian Entertainment, was first released in 2019 and brought players to a colony at the edge of the galaxy that has been overrun by corporations. Much like a Fallout game, players make choices, get into epic gun combat, interact with factions, journey alongside companions, and much more.
The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition packages the base game and both DLCs – Murder on Eridanos and Peril of Gorgon – and comes with “higher resolution graphics, a dynamic weather system, overhauled lighting and environments, improved performance and load times, enhanced details on characters, an increased level cap, and much more.”
If players already own The Outer Worlds and its DLCs for Xbox One, PS4, or PC, they can upgrade to the Spacer’s Choice Edition on the same console of PC Store (if applicable) for $9.99. If you’d like to simply buy the game, it will cost $59.99.
In our review of The Outer Worlds, we said, “Obsidian has found its own path in the space between Bethesda and BioWare, and it’s a great one. And considering that new RPGs from either of those influential developers are still years away, this game couldn’t have been timed any better.
“It’s not as explorable as one big open world but it still packs in a large portion of flexible quests and conflicts within its series of smaller ones. And the combat, character, and companion systems have enough new spins on existing ideas to make it feel like an homage with its own personality rather than a copy.”
This could be a great time to jump into or return to The Outer Worlds as Obsidian announced at E3 2021 that The Outer Worlds 2 was on its way. Very little has been revealed about the sequel, but its hilarious and fourth-wall-breaking trailer showed the humor and style will be in tact.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
As previewed by Alice Bee, The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition doesn’t simply bundle up Obsidian’s spacefaring RPG with its DLC expansions. It’s also an unexpected remaster, redoing and fine-tuning everything from companion AI and facial animations to weather effects and dynamic lighting. It’s an enticing prospect for a game that never previously counted visuals as its strong suit, though there will be a catch: the Spacer’s Choice Edition will have significantly higher PC system requirements than the 2019 original.
Warning: Full spoilers ahead for episode 7 of HBO’s The Last of Us.
HBO’s The Last of Us episode 7 has arrived and this time we see Ellie and Riley reunite for a surprise trip to the mall just like The Last of Us: Left Behind DLC. But how close does the show compare to the game?
To help answer this question, we’ve gathered images from episode 7 of HBO’s The Last of Us and put them next to stills from Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us game to see how faithful the adaptation is. Check out the slideshow, or watch the video above to see the scenes from both the show and the game in action.
In our The Last of Us episode 7 review, we said it “is a beautifully faithful adaptation of the beloved Left Behind chapter of Ellie’s story. A real showcase for Bella Ramsey’s ability as a performer, we’re treated to a story of young love that is equal parts heartwarming as it is heartbreaking. It’s also a necessary tale to be told; a flashback that gives us a deeper understanding of the person Ellie is today and what drives her motivations in the present.”
Halo Infinite has been in an extended slump since its second season began 10-months ago, but 343 Industries are hoping to turn things around when Season 3: Echoes Within starts next week on March 7th. Echoes Within is undeniably the biggest update to Infinite since launch, as it’s adding new maps, weapons and equipment, and expanding the multiplayer’s narrative – which has been a series of perpetual teases so far.
As we celebrate Pokémon Day, the Pokémon Company has released the entire soundtrack for Pokémon Red and Blue (or Green, if you like) for streaming and download.
The catch is that the Pokémon Sound Library website is region locked to Japan and Asia, meaning you’ll need a VPN if you’re going to access it. If you’re able to visit the site, however, you’ll have access to all 45 tracks from the original soundtrack with the ability to download individual .wav versions of each piece of music. The Pokémon Company states that you’re free to use the music however you wish so long as you’re not generating any revenue from it.
Following the launch of the Dead Space remake and its positive reception, EA is seemingly asking select fans if they’d like to see a Dead Space 2 or 3 remake next.
As reported by Eurogamer, the survey in question was shared on Twitter by Dillon Rogers, a developer on Gloomwood, and it simply asks, “how interested would you be in a similar remake of Dead Space 2 (2011)?” and “How interested would you be in a similar remake of Dead Space 3 (2013)?”
It’s a pretty standard question with the responses ranging from “not at all interested” to “extremely interested,” but it shows EA is at least entertaining the idea. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, but it’s always nice to see these questions being asked.
Rogers’ tweet made its way to ResetERA, and fans began chiming in with their own opinions. Many are all for a Dead Space 2 remake, but there is a little more trepidation for one for Dead Space 3.
“[Dead Space] 3 needs to be reimagined entirely to remove the crafting mechanics and possibly redo some story beats to not have so much of that game’s story content locked behind co-op and which character you’re playing as,” ResetERA user Jersey_Tom wrote. “So much of that game was ruined because of EA’s meddling through micro-transactions and the mistaken idea that Dead Space fans were interested in an RE5-esque co-op experience.
“A full remake would be quite the undertaking to make that game standout. But definitely agree with others that a Dead Space 2 remake is a sure fire moneymaker.”
In our review of the Dead Space remake, we said it is “a superb remake and undoubtedly the definitive way to experience one of the best survival horror shooters that Capcom never made.”
Sons of the Forest has officially arrived in Early Access and one of the biggest talking points for the game has been Kelvin, an AI companion already so beloved by the community whose mission is to help you on your journey, even though he sometimes makes bizarre and hilarious decisions.
For those unfamiliar, Kelvin is an elite soldier who survived the helicopter crash that stranded you on the island featured in Sons of the Forest. Unfortunately for him, he suffered brain damage and can no longer hear or speak, so players must communicate with him via a notepad. Despite his new injuries, he remains extremely helpful… well, mostly.
The developers of Sons of the Forest created Kelvin to help replicate the multiplayer experience for solo players, but he is also very useful for those who wish to play Sons of the Forest with friends.
“We found in our first game, The Forest, that building and collecting resources in single-player could be a real slog compared to multiplayer where you had multiple players helping,” Endnight Games told IGN. “We wanted to solve this and help bridge the gap between the two modes. At the same time, the new AI system we had created for enemies/animals made it extremely easy to apply to an AI character that was friendly.”
So, this all sounds wonderful, right? A companion who is always there to help chop down some trees, catch fish, and more? While Kelvin is undoubtedly helpful, he does act a bit odd from time to time. For example, you can tell him to chop down trees to collect wood, but some players have found that Kelvin doesn’t know the difference between a free-standing tree and those that are part of the treehouse that you built.
Sons of the Forest is great and all. but you gotta watch out for that kelvin guy… pic.twitter.com/q2NIsJfxdN
Kelvin clearly plays by his own rules and, as IGN’s Mark Medina puts it, it fits perfectly into Sons of the Forest as, “there are no rules man, we’re lost!”
Endnight Games has big plans for Kelvin, so this is really only the beginning for the early favorite for the best helper in a video game for 2023.
“Throughout Early Access, we plan to add a lot more tasks Kelvin can do as well as integrate him more into the main story and giving him his own epilogue/ending if you keep him alive,” Endnight Games said.
Endnight is also very happy to see the community take to Kelvin so quickly, and the team knew they had something special on their hands early on, as many would “make sure not to overwork him and others would feel guilty if they accidentally killed him.”
Kelvin is only but one part of Sons of the Forest, and you can check out our full preview of the game, in which we said, “Sons of the Forest appears to evolve and build on every aspect of its predecessor with a focused goal of realism and developing a flexible ecosystem, and it feels like the building blocks are there to create something truly special. But its killer feature is the addition of impressively sophisticated and smarter AI enemies and companions that could not only provide a huge leap forward for the series, but the survival game genre as a whole.”
We’re the only species on earth with the brainpower to comprehend its own existence. We’ve landed on the moon, built great feats of engineering, constructed huge buildings that pierce the clouds in the sky, and made tremendous leaps in the fields of science and medicine. So yeah, we’re a clever bunch, all told.
As previewed by Alice Bee, 
Halo Infinite has been in an extended slump since its second season began 10-months ago, but 343 Industries are hoping to turn things around when Season 3: Echoes Within starts next week on March 7th. Echoes Within is undeniably the biggest update to Infinite since launch, as it’s adding new maps, weapons and equipment, and expanding the multiplayer’s narrative – which has been a series of perpetual teases so far.