March 2019 – Page 8

Insomniac Boss Believes Community Building Is Most Exciting Trend

Every parent that doubles as a gamer secretly wishes their own kids will one day pick up the controller and start going on their own epic adventures, and Insomniac Games CEO Ted Price is no exception. The experience has led Price to believe that expanding the overall community of game players, not console launches or any one technological advancement, is the industry’s most exciting trend.

On this month’s episode of IGN Unfiltered (see the full episode below), Price sat down with editor Ryan McCaffrey to talk about this experience, the tough lessons Insomniac learned from developing Marvel’s Spider-Man, and what Insomniac’s future holds.

Hanna: Season 1 Review

This is a (mostly) spoiler-free review of the first season of Hanna. All eight episodes are currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Over the past 5 years, there has been an influx of TV shows based on popular films: FX’s pulpy Fargo, YouTube’s hilarious Cobra Kai, and A&E’s creepy Bates Motel. All of the previously mentioned series are entertaining and worth checking out, but before you do, consider binging all eight episodes of Hanna on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, March 29. The streaming provider’s gamble to develop this show based on the 2011 film of the same name definitely paid off.

WWE Wrestlemania 35: How To Stream On PC, PS4, And Xbox One

Wrestlemania, WWE’s biggest PPV of the year, is right around the corner, airing on Sunday, April 7. If you’re familiar with WWE, then you know there are multiple ways you can watch this event from your phone to TV to PC. Here’s a breakdown of the easiest ways for you to watch Wrestlemania.

The cheapest and easiest way to watch the PPV is through the WWE Network. While the network normally costs $10 a month and offers replays of past PPVs, weekly television events, and original content, new subscribers can sign up for one month free. So you can watch Wrestlemania without paying a dime, from the comfort of your own home. Just make sure to decide after the event whether or not you want to keep your subscription to the service.

Additionally, Wrestlemania is available through your cable or satellite provider. However, if you plan on doing that, be prepared to pay between $60-70 for the event. Why would you pay that much for the event? Well, internet service isn’t fast enough in some parts of the country to handle streaming the show.

If you are staying home and streaming the event, there are multiple ways to watch Wrestlemania through the WWE Network. The show can be accessed through phones, tablets, or through your PC, among other devices. Both iOS and Windows 10 have apps available and it is accessible through your web browser.

The WWE Network app is available on certain smart TVs as well as devices like Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast. You can watch the network using your Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, and PS4 by downloading the app through its stores. Sorry Nintendo Switch users, but the WWE Network is not available on the console yet.

WWE Network App Links:

Wrestlemania 35 comes to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday, April 7. The show’s start time is set at 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET / 12 AM BST (April 8) with a Kickoff Show starting two hours prior. Check out our predictions, the full match card for the show, and the rumors leading to the event. Also, come back to GameSpot that day for live coverage of the event.

The Most Mind-Boggling TV Show Twists, Ranked

One of the biggest challenges for any TV writer is how to keep the audience coming back for more. This isn’t a problem that filmmakers have–sure, they have to get people in theater in the first place, but once they have your money, the deal is done. Television is different–shows continue week after week, season after season, and without a compulsive storyline, audiences will quickly look elsewhere. And never has this been more true than now, with so many shows appearing on so many different channels and services–how can TV creators keep their audience loyal and engaged?

The plot twist plays a valuable part in this. While the twist has long been a part of cinema, it played less of a part in TV until relatively recently. However, it is now is an essential weapon in the showrunner’s storytelling arsenal. A twist can take several forms. It can be a sudden reversal that changes everything we thought we knew about a storyline. It can be surprising character moment, where a character’s behavior dramatically changes the course of the show. Or it can literally be a short, sudden shock that leaves us hanging for the next episode or season.

JJ Abrams has played a major role in making the plot twist a vital part of modern TV storytelling. His shows Lost, Alias, and Fringe frequently used twists to advance both the story and characters; some were executed more successful than others, but there’s no denying that he helped create an expectation that modern TV mysteries and thrillers will deliver regular twists. As a result, it’s become harder to surprise an audience, leading to some pretty wild plot developments and revelations, as writers and showrunners try to stay one step ahead of their viewers.

So here is GameSpot’s list of the biggest twists ever to happen on TV. Be warned there are many spoilers ahead! Let’s twist again…

Every DCEU Movie Review Score, From Man of Steel to Shazam!

With Aquaman now on Blu-ray and Shazam! flying into theaters in early April, let’s take a look back at every review we’ve done for the current DC movie continuity that began with 2013’s Man of Steel.

The fledgling DCEU (which was never the official name for this shared universe, mind you) endured a big one-two punch in 2016 with the release of two critically drubbed but still financially successful films, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad.

The following year proved a mixed bag for DC films. Warner Bros. won great acclaim and scored big box office in 2017 with its highly anticipated Wonder Woman solo film, but the studio then saw a huge setback just a few months later with the commercial disappointment of Justice League.

Elder Scrolls Online’s Elsweyr Expansion Shakes Things Up

This isn’t the first time ESO has visited the beautifully sandy region of Elsweyr (pronounced Elsewhere) since some small zones in the base game let players dip their toes into the area such as Khenarthi’s Roost. However, opening up the whole zone for exploration is new. And with this new zone also comes the introduction of dragons into the world of ESO.

The prequel quest should be going live soon and will serve as a direct prelude to the events in Elsweyr (out May 20 on PC and June 4 on consoles), immediately following the Wrathstone DLC’s brief narrative. The gist of it all is that some Imperials have invaded the northern region of Elsweyr with a necromancer at their helm and something that the player does may have accidentally awoken dragons under the presumed guise of aiding natives in battle. Naturally, things didn’t unfold as intended and now all hell’s broken loose.

Sandra Bullock Was Offered the Role of Neo in The Matrix Before Keanu Reeves

Lorenzo di Bonaventura, producer of The Matrix, has revealed that Neo could have been a woman, if Sandra Bullock hadn’t turned down the role.

Warner Bros. reportedly demanded that the part be played by an A-lister, given that the Wachowskis had only directed a single film, 1996’s Bound, prior to the project.

“We went out to so many people I don’t remember. We were getting desperate,” di Bonaventura told The Wrap.

Possible candidates reportedly included Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Will Smith. Smith elaborated on turning down the role in a post on his Instagram account last month.

Switch Deals: Free Nintendo Switch Online, Save on Yoshi, and More

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It often surprises me how many perks you get for being an Amazon Prime member. The latest bonus, available for a limited time, lets you get up to 12 months of Nintendo Switch Online for free through Twitch (and yes, it stacks if you’re a current subscriber). Even if you’re not a Prime member, you can start a free trial and get three months of Nintendo Switch Online for free. Continue with Prime for 60 days, you’ll be able to claim the remaining nine months of Switch Online.

Aquaman: 14 Things We Learned From The Blu-Ray Special Features

Now that Aquaman has been released on Blu-ray and digital, it gives you plenty of chances to rewatch what is clearly the craziest entry in the DC Extended Universe–from dinosaurs to epic underwater fights. That’s not all you can do, though.

The home release of Aquaman is loaded with special features that give you a lot of insight into the making of the film. Maybe even too much insight. How does Aquaman poop? Guess what, director James Wan thought about it so you don’t have to.

If you don’t have time to dig through the special features of Aquaman, never fear! We did and gathered the 14 most interesting facts from the various behind-the-scenes featurettes. Prepare to learn more than you’ll ever need to about Aquaman, Atlantis, and just about everything else in the film.

After you soak up all of this new Aquaman interview, get yourself ready for the next major DC release with our review of Shazam. Believe it or not, it is the best DCEU movie yet.

Ubisoft Confirms Its E3 2019 Press Conference Will Go Ahead

Ubisoft has confirmed the time and date of its E3 2019 press conference. The company said on Twitter its briefing would begin on Monday, June 10 at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET / 9 PM BST (6 AM AEST on June 11).

The news comes amid other publishers scaling down their E3 conferences or pulling out altogether. Sony will not be attending E3 2019, while EA will eschew its usual conference in favor of multiple smaller livestreams. Conversely, Microsoft is holding a conference, while Bethesda has already confirmed the date and time of its usual presentation.

It’s not yet clear what Ubisoft has to share at E3 this year, as many of the publisher’s 2019 games–including Far Cry: New Dawn, Trials Rising, Assassin’s Creed III: Remastered, and The Division 2–have already launched, while Anno 1800 is scheduled for release on April 16. The only remaining Ubisoft games we know of are Skull & Bones and Beyond Good & Evil 2, so it seems likely we’ll see more of them in June.

We could also hear more of the heavily rumored Watch Dogs 3, which is ostensibly set in London. However, the publisher’s staple Assassin’s Creed reveal is unlikely, since it has already stated no “full-fledged Assassin’s” game will launch in 2019.