Part two of the news:
Final Fantasy 14's hugely expanded free trial is now live along with major patch
https://www.pcgamer.com/final-fantasy-14s-hugely-expanded-free-trial-is-now-live-along-with-major-patch/
Final Fantasy 14's hugely expanded free trial is available from today, and if you've not heard about it already, you might need to sit down and tighten your grip on your monocle. The trial has been expanded to include all content from the base game and its first expansion Heavensward, while its level cap has been done away with (you can now advance to level 60 as normal). There's no time limit, no subscription needed, and all of the content from A Realm Reborn, Heavensward and their post-launch updates is included (through to patch 3.56), although you will need to stump up for a subscription if you want to access certain social features, or play the rest of the expansions.
Blizzard confirms 'major rework' coming to Hearthstone rewards following battle pass speculation
https://www.pcgamer.com/hearthstone-battle-pass/
It appears that Blizzard is giving thought to bringing a battle pass to Hearthstone. As reported by CCG site Out of Cards, players recently received a survey from Blizzard inquiring about their interest in a system that would replace rewards based on daily challenges and wins with one based on experience.
Update: While the term "battle pass" was never actually used, Hearthstone game director Ben Lee confirmed during today's Reddit AMA that "a major rework of our rewards and progression systems" is in the works.
Sam Fisher is coming to Rainbow Six Siege
https://www.pcgamer.com/sam-fisher-is-coming-to-rainbow-six-siege/
Sam Fisher will be the next Rainbow Six Siege operator. Siege's biggest crossover will bring the grizzled spec ops veteran into Ubisoft's tactical FPS in Operation Shadow Legacy, a fitting name for the stealthy but dormant character.
Here's how Rocket League's cross-platform progression will work
https://www.pcgamer.com/heres-how-rocket-leagues-cross-platform-progression-will-work/
Cross-platform play is already possible in Rocket League—a Steam player can compete against a PlayStation player, for example—but players who have multiple accounts on different platforms currently have no way to synchronize their progression and inventories. That is, someone who owns Rocket League on both Steam and on PS4 has to level up and earn items separately on each platform. That's changing, and with a little setup, the pretend cars you own on Steam will soon be the same pretend cars you own on PlayStation, Switch, Xbox, and so on.
Warzone players remain frustrated by cheaters even after Infinity Ward asked everyone to please stop cheating
https://www.pcgamer.com/warzone-players-remain-frustrated-by-cheaters-even-after-infinity-ward-asked-everyone-to-please-stop-cheating/
Infinity Ward worked to address Call of Duty: Warzone's cheating problem earlier this year with a big ban wave and new reporting features, but many players don't think it's doing enough. Despite the issuance of another stern anti-cheat warning at the end of July, Warzone players continue to report cheaters with superhuman aim and the apparent ability to see through walls.
You can get to the house's roof in Grounded, but it's not worth it (yet)
https://www.pcgamer.com/you-can-get-to-the-houses-roof-in-grounded-but-its-not-worth-it-yet/
Grounded has been a big success for Obsidian, and it's not hard to see why: the Honey, I Shrunk The Kids inspired fantasy is hugely compelling, even if you happen to be terrified of giant spiders. It's also a survival game that holds a huge amount of potential for expansion, and I don't think I'm alone in really wanting to explore the house.
Forza Horizon 3 will no longer be available to purchase after September 27
https://www.pcgamer.com/forza-horizon-3-will-no-longer-be-available-to-purchase-after-september-27/
Forza Horizon 3 had everything: a varied Australia-themed map, a brilliant Hot Wheels expansion, and it was the first in the series to come to PC. It was our favourite racing game of 2016, but if you're keen to add it to your library you'd better be quick: come September 27 it'll no longer be available to buy.
Minecraft Dungeons' Creeping Winter DLC is coming next month
https://www.pcgamer.com/minecraft-dungeons-creeping-winter-dlc-is-coming-next-month/
Minecraft Dungeons gets another DLC pack next month, and since the last pack was jungle-themed, it only makes sense for the next one to be frost-themed. The Creeping Winter DLC will feature new missions and enemies, as well as a bunch of new stuff to loot. These include armor, weapons and artifacts.
Inscryption announced, a deckbuilding horror roguelike from the Pony Island dev
https://www.pcgamer.com/inscryption-announced-a-deckbuilding-horror-roguelike-from-the-pony-island-dev/
Daniel Mullins, creator of fourth-wall-breaking puzzle game Pony Island, and similarly twisty murder mystery The Hex, has announced a new game. Inscryption chucks elements of horror, room escape-style puzzling and the deckbuilding roguelike into a bubbling cauldron, while teasing (of course) plenty of disturbing secrets and twists. The trailer above should give you a good idea of what to expect.
Torchlight 3 update reworks relics into proper subclasses
https://www.pcgamer.com/torchlight-3-update-reworks-relics-into-proper-subclasses/
A sizable update for Torchlight 3 has gone live that reworks the way that relics (essentially, subclasses) function. Previously they were an item you could equip that would bestow additional skills, and they could be stored or swapped between characters via the Reliquary. Chris Livingston found them a bit interchangeable when he took a look at Torchlight 3 a couple of months ago, a sentiment that Torchlight 3 project lead Tyler Thompson agrees with in the latest patch notes.
The Sims 4 is getting more skin tones later this year
https://www.pcgamer.com/sims-4-skintones/
After pressure from online petitions, vocal YouTubers, and complaints running all the way back to the game's launch in 2014, EA has responded to criticism of the number of skin tone options in The Sims 4, as well as the quality of those currently available. The publisher has broken its silence to promise that more diverse choices will be a "priority" for its popular life sim this year, with issues around existing tones also set to be addressed.
Konami wants in on Fall Guys with its Metal Gear-themed outfits
https://www.pcgamer.com/konami-wants-in-on-fall-guys-with-its-metal-gear-themed-outfits/
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout has proved to be quite the hit, so much so that the brands have seen the beacon in the fog and come knocking to share in the battle royale's reflected glory. Walmart suggests this crap vest as an outfit, while someone at KFC spent a bit more time designing this mildly horrifying skin that transforms you into Colonel Sanders wearing, I think, an egg costume?