Splatoon 2 launched last month, but Nintendo has big plans to provide ongoing support for the title in terms of new content for its multiplayer modes. Now, we have a better idea of exactly what is in store thanks to an extensive data-mining effort carried out by fans.
Additional maps are set to be introduced to the game over the coming months, according to information shared on Reddit. Kelp Dome and Blackbelly Skatepark from the original Splatoon are apparently being reworked for the sequel, as incomplete versions of these levels were added in the recent 1.1.1 update.
The data mining also revealed two new maps that are in development under the working titles Line and Tunnel. The development team is testing out a pair of new stages for the game’s Salmon Run mode, which are referred to as Shakehouse and Threepoints in the game’s code.
New weapons are also on their way. Grizzco Industries, an arms manufacturer with close ties to Salmon Run, is fielding three new products for combatants to use: A blaster, a charger, and a Brella. What is more, there is an entirely new type of weapon called a Squeezer headed to the game, according to IGN.
There is one more thing that the data mining reveals about the future of Splatoon 2, and it is potentially a big deal if you are invested in the series’ lore. A parameter that determines the type of character that represents an individual player has been changed, and can now be set to an option referred to as “OctBoy” rather than just male and female squid kids.
A male, humanoid Octoling has not appeared in the series to date, leading many fans to believe that the species was entirely female. However, if Octolings are going to be playable in the near future, it makes sense that players would be given the same options in terms of gender as their Inkling equivalents.
It remains to be seen when this content will be added to the game officially, but it is reasonable to expect that it will come in bits and pieces rather than landing all at once. Based on Nintendo’s method of offering up access to Salmon Run, it is clear that the company is doing everything in its power to keep players invested for the long haul.
Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.
Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.
Gaming laptops and I have a complicated relationship. One of my first gaming rigs was an Acer Predator that was already outdated when I bought it. I was a broke college kid, and that was the best I could afford. So trying out high-end gaming laptops is always fun. But ASUS' ROG Zephyrus G14 is a lot more than a laptop that can run AAA games. It is portable, so you're not lugging around a 2.5kg machine everywhere you go. It is built well, none of that plastic chassis, and can even function as a normal laptop outside of just gaming.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.