Video Games
Pre-Launch Beta Sessions Announced For ‘Monster Hunter World: Iceborne’
For those who can’t wait for Capcom’s Monster Hunter World: Iceborne to be released on console, you might be in luck. Capcom has announced via Twitter that they will be holding pre-launch beta sessions for both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One ahead of the expansion’s launch next week.
Do you have what it takes to slay the mythical Elder Dragon Velkhana? Take on this frosty challenge in the #Iceborne Beta for PS4 and Xbox One:
❄️ PlayStation 4: Aug 30 ~ Sep 1
❄️ Xbox One: Sep 2 ~ Sep 5 pic.twitter.com/KUrtZM3aTu— Monster Hunter (@monsterhunter) August 26, 2019
The beta sessions are as follows:
-
PlayStation 4 Beta
- Starts: August 30 at 12:01 am PT / 3:01 am ET
- Ends: September 1 at 11:59 pm PT / September 2 at 2:59 am ET
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Xbox One Beta
- Starts: September 2 at 12:01 am PT / 3:01 am ET
- Ends: September 4 at 11:59 pm PT / September 5 at 2:59 am ET
“These pre-launch beta sessions for Monster Hunter World: Iceborne are cooler than ever with the addition of a frosty new challenge. Alongside the previously available Great Jagras (Beginner), Banbaro (Intermediate), and Tigrex (Expert) quests, players will be able to battle against the game’s mythical flagship monster Velkhana for the first time. Watch out though, this Elder Dragon’s icy breath is dangerous and offers a bone-chilling fight for even the fiercest of hunters.
Similar to previous beta sessions, hunters can test out all 14 weapon types in any of the four quests and the training area. The weapons include the new Iceborne features, plus the new Slinger tool options such as the Clutch Claw grapple mechanic.
Upon completing each quest for the first time, hunters can earn a total of four special commendation packs containing helpful consumable items that will be available to use in the full version of the Iceborne expansion when it releases. So, pack those Hot Drinks and join a hunting party to clear these quests!”
Preload options will be available starting August 28 before each beta period begins. Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is due out for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on September 6, and for PC in January 2020.
When Season 7 “Project Boneyard” arrives for The Outlast Trials on July 14, players will be greeted with the return of Prime Asset Sergeant Leland Coyle. And he’s not alone. Launching for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, PlayStation, and Xbox, Project Boneyard will include a new Trial, two fresh MK-Challenges, major updates to Escalation and Invasion, new customization features, and a new Ex-Pop enemy stalking the Prison Farm known as The Biter.
Season 7 will see Reagents sent into Murkoff’s latest correctional nightmare in the Prison Farm. At the center of it all is Sergeant Coyle, returning in a prominent new role for the season’s new Trial, Locksock the Warden.
The American prison is a meat grinder, taking in sociopaths and criminals and extruding functioning members of society. But strict routine, severe conditioning, and close quarters create a crucible for power dynamics built on violence, contraband, and flesh.
With the new Trial, you are freedom. The indefinable promise that keeps prisoners at the grindstone that turns authority to profit and back again. Don’t let false authority stand in the way of real capital. Kill the Warden, and set yourself free.
Season 7 also brings with it two new MK-Challenges. In “Bribe the Judges”, you are the master, whose property is the purpose of the law. Salary reminds enforcement that their monopoly of violence only exists for your monopoly of capital. Collect the bribes in order to pay the judges. Meanwhile, “Cancel the Broadcast” has you sabotaging the broadcast and defiling the faithful with blood in order to be let out.
Then there’s the new Ex-Pop stalking the Prison Farm in The Biter. Having had its arms removed to prevent further self-harm, Biters are universal sadists, still capable of grievous harm with their mechanically enforced jaws. Though Biters are kept chained by the neck for safety, you should approach them with caution, as their augmented legs grant them unexpected velocity.
If that’s not enough content for you, from July 14 to August 11, Twitch users who tune in to participating The Outlast Trials Twitch streams can earn rewards through the latest Twitch Drops campaign. You can read up on the full details from the FAQ on developer The Red Barrels’ website.
Lastly, Project Boneyard also introduces a range of new features and improvements for The Outlast Trials, designed to “expand player expression, streamline preparation, and improve the overall experience” across key modes. That includes the introduction of Rig Customization, Knife Customization, Loadout Presets, and Mastery Tasks, giving players new ways to “prepare for therapy” and personalize their approach before entering the Trials. The update will also bring major reworks to both Escalation and Invasion, with significant changes designed to improve the flow, structure, and overall player experience of both modes.
More details on these features, and the full contents of Project Boneyard, will be revealed closer to launch.