When Nvidia abruptly pulled support for the entire library of Activision Blizzard games on its GeForce Now streaming service, it offered little explanation other than casting blame towards the publisher. Nvidia has now provided a more detailed and softer explanation, chalking it up to a simple misunderstanding.
Bloomberg reports that since Activision had participated in the beta test, Nvidia mistakenly thought the agreement extended into the free trial period for founders. The issue came up because Activision wanted a new commercial agreement for the general public launch, the company said.
“Activision Blizzard has been a fantastic partner during the GeForce Now beta, which we took to include the free trial period for our founders membership,” Nvidia said in a statement. “Recognizing the misunderstanding, we removed their games from our service, with hope we can work with them to re-enable these, and more, in the future.”
The statement casts light on what happened to prompt the issue, but notably doesn’t lay out details on when we can expect the library to return.
That means that games published by Activision Blizzard, including Overwatch, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and World of Warcraft, will no longer be playable via the streaming tech. Customers who have purchased the games will still have access to them, however.
Pokemon Sword and Shield Elite Trainer Box | $30 ($40)
The Elite Trainer Box comes with everything you need to get started.
The Sword and Shield TCG expansion released on February 7, so discounts are naturally hard to find. But Best Buy has the Elite Trainer Box for $10 off right now. Each box comes with the following items:
8 booster packs
65 card sleeves
45 Energy cards
6 damage-counter dice
coin-flip die
2 acrylic condition markers
Player’s guide for Sword and Shield expansion
The box features dividers to help you keep your cards and game items organized. You also get a code card that can be used to add cards to your collection in Pokemon TCG Online.
Pokemon Sword and Shield Theme Deck
$9.74 ($13)
Get a random theme deck featuring a Sword and Shield starter.
Though only a modest discount, the Sword and Shield theme decks also released just last week. If you order from Best Buy, you’ll get a random deck featuring one of Sword and Shield’s starters: Grookey, Sobble, or Scorbunny. Each theme deck comes with 60 cards and everything you need to play the TCG:
Metallic coin
Playmat
Damage counters
Rules booklet
3 reference cards
Deck box
The pre-built decks are great for those who are new to the TCG. You can also redeem the deck in Pokemon TCG Online with the included code card.
While the picture shows Mimikyu, Popplio, and Meowth, according to Best Buy’s description, you’ll get either Pikachu, Mareanie, Rowlet, or Litten. These 8-inch plushies are just over $5 off right now, which is a pretty great deal. Unfortunately, you will get a random Pokemon if you order online. Thankfully, all of them are cute.
Pokemon Plushies
$10.49 ($13)
More 8-inch Pokemon plushies…different price
These are also 8-inch Pokemon plushies, but they cost a bit more. For $10.49, you’ll get Squirtle, Charmander, Bulbasaur, or Pichu.
Pokemon 12-inch figures
$12 ($20)
Pokemon Legendary action figures
These 12-inch Legendary Pokemon figures each have six points of articulation. Once again, you’ll get a random Pokemon if you order online: Lunala, Solgaleo, or Necrozma. Normally $20, they are discounted to just $12 each right now.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is one of the most fondly remembered animated shows of the 1980s. It was originally launched to promote a line of toys, but ended up being a huge hit in its own right. The animated reboot Masters of the Universe: Revelations is on the way from Netflix and Mattel Television, and now the cast has been announced.
Clerks director and pop culture personality Kevin Smith is the showrunner, and the series will continue the adventures of He-Man and his friends on the planet of Eternia, decades after we last saw them. In terms of the cast, there are some seriously impressive names involved. The highest profile actor is Star Wars icon Mark Hamill, who will voice the villainous Skeletor. Hamill previously voiced Joker in the classic ’90s Batman animated series and Chucky in last year’s Child’s Play reboot, so this is another classic villain to add to his resumé.
The cast also includes Chris Wood (Supergirl) as He-Man, Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) as Evil-Lyn, Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) as Tee-La, Stephen Root (Barry) as Cringer, and Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones) as Man-At-Arms. Other intriguing cast members include punk icon Henry Rollins as Tri-Klops and Candyman star Tony Todd as Scare Glow. Check out the full cast below:
In a statement, Smith said: “I cannot believe the lineup of talent I get to play with. The incredible, star-studded cast that Mattel’s Rob David and Netflix’s Ted Biaselli assembled for our Masters of the Universe series will let any lifelong He-Man fan know we’re treating this cartoon seriously and honoring the legendary world of Eternia with A-list talent.
“Chris, Sarah, Mark, Lena and the other amazing actors and actresses have given performances so powerful and real in a show that features a talking giant green tiger. With these fantastic performers behind our characters, it’ll be crazy easy to immerse yourself in the swords and sorcery of our epic sci-fi soap opera.”
Netflix has not yet announced a release date for Masters of the Universe: Revelation. The company previously released four seasons of the rebooted spin-off She-Ra: Princess of Power and is also working on a new CG animated He-Man show, once again alongside Mattel Television.
As for the long-in-development live-action Masters of the Universe movie, until recently that had a 2021 release date. But although it has now been removed from Sony’s schedule, actor Noah Centineo recently suggested it would begin production later this year.
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Your Lie in April is a heartfelt story about Arima Kousei, a prodigal pianist whose career is derailed by a traumatic event. However, a chance encounter with Kaori Miyazono, a free-spirited violinist, reignites a passion he thought had long faded.
What makes Your Lie in April interesting is, for the most part, it doesn’t focus on the romance between Arima and Kaori. Instead it explores their complicated personal issues and uses these to bring them closer in a way that feels natural and authentic.
Arima’s destructive relationship with his mother and its lasting impact on his psyche is a dark cloud surrounding him. When his fingers touch ivory keys, the traumatic memories envelop and overcome him to the point where he’s unable to hear what he’s even playing.
Kaori’s infectious energy and tenacious drive to see him fight through the darkness becomes his guiding light. Together, they both learn what music really means to them and, in time, what they mean to each other. Your Lie in April is as much about finding what you love, as it is falling in love.
Shenmue 3 finally released in 2019 after years of waiting and delays, but the game isn’t done just yet. A Story Quest Pack DLC will be available next week, and it brings back a classic character.
Available on February 18 for $6 via the PlayStation Store and Epic Games Store, the Story Quest Pack DLC is also available as part of the Complete DLC Collection pack. The story features Zhang Shugin from Shenmue 2, who is shown in the pack’s promotional screenshots to have the exact same haircut and wide grin as before.
Shenmue 3 is a love letter to the original two games, and despite its new coat of paint, it contains many of the same mechanics as its predecessors. That comes with its perks for fans, but it also means the gameplay hasn’t evolved in significant ways. In GameSpot’s Shenmue 3 review, Heidi Kemps found the combat particularly frustrating, though the game still oozes charm.
Shenmue 3 was first announced back at E3 2015 with a Kickstarter campaign. By the time funding wrapped, it had received more than $6 million in donations, but missed its target release date by almost two years.
Late is better than never, however, and the user review score for the game on GameStop sister site Metacritic suggests fans are pleased with what they got in the end. It’s available now on PS4 and PC, and remastered versions of the first two games are available on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.
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After a four-year run in Steam Early Access, Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem is out now. The Diablo-like isometric action RPG, originally called Umbra, was Kickstarted back in 2015, raising over $406,000. Developer Wolcen Studio described Wolcen’s launch as “the end of a long journey” and “the beginning of a new adventure.” According to the team’s announcement post, their goal is to support Wolcen “for a very long time,” with new features, content, and fixes based on community feedback. One question the community has seemed to ask over and over is whether or not Wolcen will come to PS4, Xbox, or even Switch. While the developers don’t have a definitive answer regarding a console release, they do have an interest.
According to Wolcen Studio on Twitter, there is “no ETA” for a console version of Wolcen, as the team has been hard at work on the PC version for several years. However, the devs have said a few times that they would like to work on a console version if the PC version is successful.
First on PC, and if the game is successful enough, we would like to extend it to consoles, yes 🙂
Wolcen’s launch saw such a massive spike in new players that it led to server and progression issues, which the developers are preparing to push a hotfix for. Issues aside, the numbers are a good sign–as of writing, Wolcen has peaked at over 90,000 concurrent players, placing it in Steam’s top 10 games by player count for the day, under giants like Dota 2, GTA5, and Rainbow Six Siege. According to Wolcen Studio’s most recent Steam post, its highest peak before this was just 1,934. Steamspy puts current owners between 200,000 to 500,000.
If Wolcen continues to see success, players may get that console version one day. But for now, the developers have only expressed an interest–no actual plans have been announced. You can purchase Wolcen on Steam for $40 or grab the soundtrack bundle for 10% off.
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At long last, the Sonic the Hedgehog movie is in theaters. In his review of the film, GameSpot’s Phil Hornshaw wrote, “As video game adaptations go, Sonic the Hedgehog is among the stronger ones. It’s smart enough to stand on its own, making use of longstanding aspects of Sega’s supersonic mascot and his franchise, while making sure that what really shines through are its characters.” Now you can see for yourself whether the movie lives up to the game–and how many Easter eggs can be packed into a single film.
The live-action adaptation of the video game franchise sees the speedy little blue furball (Ben Schwartz) facing off against the nefarious Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) for the first time, in a very fast cross-country battle filled with drones, chili dogs, and lots of jokes.
As previously mentioned, the movie also happens to be stuffed full of Easter eggs and references to Sonic’s long video game history, which kicked off in 1991 with the first Sonic the Hedgehog video game on Sega Genesis. With almost 30 years of games, cartoons, comics, and more to pull from, the Sonic movie had no shortage of material to nod to and slings the references faster than Sonic’s spin dash.
Below, we’ve compiled 42 of the best Easter eggs for the movies. You gotta go fast to catch them all, so make sure to check them all out to see what you missed. While you’re at it, don’t miss our look at the weirdest characters from the long history of Sonic the Hedgehog.
The long weekend is nearly upon us, and with it comes a bunch of great deals on video game and tech hardware. Best Buy and Ebay have both revealed their slate of discounts, and now Google Shopping has joined the fray with some of the best deals we’ve seen so far. The Pokemon Sword / Shield edition of the Nintendo Switch Lite–featuring legendaries Zacian and Zamazenta–is on sale, as are a number of great laptops for gaming and more. And if you need a new pair of headphones, then Apple AirPods and a great pair of Bluetooth headphones are both discounted as well.
Many of the deals require the use of a code to get the full discount, but Google Shopping makes that easy. It displays the code right on the product’s page, and when you go to checkout, there’s an option to apply said codes–you don’t even need to copy and paste it. Be sure to do that before you place your order.
Google Shopping’s Presidents Day deals last until February 24 or while supplies last. Even if you don’t get the specific deals listed below, Google Shopping will compile the best prices from around the internet, so you won’t be completely out of luck. Of course, some items–like the Zacian and Zamazenta Switch Lite–are harder to find stock for.
Best video game console deals
Nintendo Switch Lite – Zacian & Zamazenta edition
$209.29 ($260)
The Switch Lite is Nintendo’s handheld-only version of the Switch. It features a proper D-pad, but it can’t be docked and played on a TV. You can still connect Switch-compatible controllers to it, but you will need to play on the Switch Lite’s screen. Launching in time for the release of Pokemon Sword and Shield, the Zacian and Zamazenta edition was the first special edition Switch Lite.
Xbox One S 1TB All-Digital Edition
$134.10 ($250)
The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition can do everything a regular Xbox One S can do, except play physical discs. If you’re okay locking yourself into a completely digital library, then the extra money you save with the All-Digital Edition is well worth it. This particular bundle comes with Minecraft, Sea of Thieves, and Forza Horizon 3.
Best gaming laptop deals
Alienware m15 15.6-inch gaming laptop
$1,196.10 ($1,500)
This particular Alienware m15 gaming laptop boasts a 15.6-inch display with a 1080p resolution and 144Hz refresh rate. It also comes with an i7-9750H processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and a GTX 1660 Ti 6GB graphics card.
Dell G7 17.3-inch gaming laptop
$1,000 ($1,400)
Dell’s G7 laptop comes equipped with a 17.3-inch screen that features a 1080p resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. That’s backed up by an i7-8750H processor, 16GB RAM, a 256GB SSD, a 1TB HDD, and an RTX 2060 graphics card.
Best laptop and tablet deals
Dell XPS-13 9380 13.3-inch laptop
$870.30 ($1,200)
GameSpot sister site CNET called the Dell XPS 13 one of the best laptops of 2020 for good reason. It’s ultraportable and comes with an i7-8565U, 8GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD. It boasts excellent battery life and great performance in an incredibly small form factor.
MacBook Pro 16-inch 512GB SSD
$1980 ($2,399)
If you’re partial to the Apple ecosystem, then this MacBook Pro deal is worth looking at. For more than $400 off, you get a MacBook Pro that’s equipped with a 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, a 2.6Hz CPU, and a Radeon Pro 5300M graphics card.
iPad (7th-gen) 128GB Gold Wi-Fi
$320 ($429)
The latest generation of iPad is a good one, despite the relative similarity with the previous gen’s specs. This time around, it’s compatible with Apple Pencil, which means you can draw and write to your heart’s content.
Best headphone deals
Apple AirPods 2
Apple’s true wireless AirPods are an expensive pair of earbuds, so any discount is appreciated. Google Shopping has both the wired and wireless charging case versions on sale.
Sony WH-1000XM3 Bluetooth headphones
$221.93 ($350)
There’s a reason Sony has been a mainstay in the audio space for decades. The company makes great products, and their WH-1000XM3 Bluetooth headphones are exemplary of that. However, they’re also quite expensive, so this deal is especially appealing. The WH-1000XM3 Bluetooth headphones can last for up to 30 hours on a single charge, and they feature a microphone in case you need to answer a quick call or talk to your phone’s virtual assistant.
Matt has seen the film about the quick, blue hedgehog and lets us know what he thinks of it. Cardy has been lost in Dreams but has kindly woken up to tells us all about it. Alex has been playing a game that hits just a tad too close to home. There’s also a smattering of discussion about Rainbow Six Siege and whether Anthem has a chance of replicating its successful turnaround.
There’s also a nail-biter of a quiz that goes down to the wire.
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“Obviously at the moment we’re focused on PS4 and I would actually hope that it extends the life of the PS4 to be honest with you, then maybe when other companies start making games for it, the community will carry on making games for it, but if it’s as successful as we hope it is then it’s an obvious progression,” he said about bringing Dreams to PS5.
VGC suggested that the backwards compatibility of the PS5 should make the PS4 version of Dreams automatically playable on Sony’s next-gen console. “Well yeah, so I mean it works by default then, doesn’t it, that’s the thing,” Healey said. “I mean, we want to support it going forward, so we want to be there for the full story really.”
Healey added that as he considers Dreams a platform itself, “ideally in the future we’ll migrate to whatever is relevant.” But don’t hold out for a PC version just yet, as while Healey said “that would be cool,” he added “that’s not something that’s happening right now.”
That’s not to say a PC version of Dreams would never happen. “I think a lot of that depends on where the games industry goes in general, I suppose,” Healey remarked. It’s also worth noting that there are rumours that Sony has recently changed tack when it comes to publishing its exclusives on other platforms, with a PC version of Horizon Zero Dawn apparently on the way.
Dreams allows you to tap into your imagination and create music, cooked breakfast art, and even whole games using its tools. But it also comes with a proper story mode that’s worth playing through too.
It’s actually out today on PlayStation 4. We have it a 9 in our Dreams review, saying that it’s “a highly ambitious concept, and one that has been magically brought to life.”
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Chris Priestman is a freelancer who writes news for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
