Month: March 2020

Daily Deals: Huge Game Sale at Amazon, Dell Discounts on Monitors and PCs

Today’s spotlight covers a wide array of great deals. Dell has some excellent savings on monitors and PCs, while Amazon is offering up a ton of games at hugely discounted prices, as well as the Dragon Ball Manga at a steal of a deal. Keep reading below to see our entire list of Sunday deals worth checking out!

New Alienware AW3420DW 34″ 3440×1440 Curved 2ms 120Hz GSYNC IPS Gaming Monitor for $849.99

The previous low for this monitor was $999.99 on Black Friday. The new AW3420DW replaces the AW3418DW, which was considered by many to be the best gaming monitor. The AW3420DW improves upon its predecessor with a faster response time (2ms vs 4ms), better color rendition (98% DCI-P3 range, which is a stricter standard than sRGB), and a more modern body style that complements the newer lineup of Alienware PCs. It also retains the best features of the AW3418DW, like the 3440×1440 21:9 resolution, fast 120Hz refresh rate, GSYNC compatibility, and a superior IPS panel that delivers excellent viewing angles.

Big PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch Video Game Sale Today on Amazon

Amazon has dropped prices on several PS4, Xbox, and Switch games. Most of them are under $30. Several of these games had been discounted at various vendors within the past few weeks and Amazon has finally decided to price match all of them in one go.

PS4 Deals:

Xbox One Deals:

Nintendo Switch Deals:

Get Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z Complete Manga Collections each for 43% Off On Amazon

dragonball

Dragon Ball is one of the most well known and loved manga series to exist, and if you’ve somehow not read it, or want to do so again, this is the deal for you. For a limited time you can own the entire Dragon Ball complete collection for only 80$, and if that wasn’t enough, you can grab the entire Z collection as well for an additional $124.

ASTRO Headsets and More on Sale at Amazon

astro

If you’re looking for a new headset, particularly for your consoles, then check out these premium ASTRO headsets that are on sale on Amazon. Along with a suite of features, they also work on PC, so you can hop between your consoles and PC with ease using a singular headset.

Sign up for a Free 30-Day ComiXology Unlimited Trial

This sponsored deal is brought to you by ComiXology

ComiXology is Amazon’s digital comic platform and is the largest digital retailer of American comics. The site hosts 20,000 digital comics, graphic novels, and manga from DC, Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, and more. Here’s your chance to access all of it, totally free, for 30 days. If you’re an avid comic reader, you might want to consider continuing on afterwards, since it’s only $5.99/month. If you’re already have an Amazon account (who doesn’t?) you can sign in using the same credentials.

20% Off Select PC Games at Green Man Gaming

This code drops a few coveted games at the lowest prices we’ve seen. Topping the list is Red Dead Redemption 2, an absolute must buy for anyone with a powerful PC.

WD Passport 5TB Portable Hard Drive for $99.99

This portable hard drive is compatible as external storage for your PC, PS4, or Xbox One. Portable drives are physically much smaller than their desktop hard drive siblings. However, they are just as fast and require no additional power other than the USB port. The only tradeoff is the higher cost per GB, but that point is moot with today’s deal.

Grab the Samsung Frame 4K UHD Smart QLED HDTV at the PCMag Shop for $1449

frametv

If you’re looking for a sleek and hidden 4K TV, this is the product for you. The Samsung Frame television is designed to blend in with any wall it’s placed on, as it resembles a framed painting more than a typical 4K TV. What’s better, is the price, which is sitting at the lowest we’ve seen.

Alienware Aurora R9 AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-Core Radeon RX 5700 XT Gaming PC for $1025.04

Use code “EXTRA17”

For those of you who haven’t been keeping up with the Intel vs AMD CPU war, AMD has been giving Intel a run for its money with its flagship processors. The new AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-core processor is comparable to the Intel Core i7-9700, both in terms of gaming and workstation performance. It’s paired with an RTX 2070 video card, which is superior to the previous generation GTX 1080, as well as plenty of RAM and a spacious 1TB solid state drive. The Radeon RX 5700 XT performs on par with the GeForce RTX 2070.

Alienware Aurora R9 Intel Core i7-9700 8-Core RTX 2080 SUPER Gaming PC for $1352.89

Use code “EXTRA17”

The new 2019 Alienware Aurora desktop boasts a facelift, improved thermals, new RGB LED lighting system, toolless chassis for easy swapping of parts, and performance components. The new RTX 2080 SUPER is the latest generation of RTX cards and is modestly superior to the RTX 2080 (which is already more powerful than the GTX 1080 Ti). This makes the card the second most powerful card available.

Alienware m15 15″ 1080p Intel Core i7-9750H 6-Core GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Gaming Laptop for $1103.89

Use code “EXTRA17”

The Alienware m15 laptop is much thinner than its predecessor. It’s also one of the lighter gaming laptops we’ve seen weighing in at only 4.8lbs. This Alienware laptop still features no-expense-spared premium construction and an advanced cooling system so that the laptop never gets too hot to the touch. Check out our very own m15 review. The GTX 1660 Ti is considerably more powerful than the previous generation GTX 1060.

Alienware m17 17″ 1080p Intel Core i7-9750H 6-Core GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Gaming Laptop for $1124.64

Use code “EXTRA17”

The Alienware m17 is the newly designed 17″ laptop and weighs only 5.8 pounds, which is remarkable given its payload. It’s easily one of the best laptops you can get in terms of build quality and under-the-hood power, especially at this price point.

Nintendo Switch V2 with Free Ematic Wired Controller for $299

There aren’t very many Nintendo Switch deals right now, but Walmart is throwing in a free controller when you get either the new generation Switch with the longer battery life.

Falcon Dust-Off Electronics Compressed Gas Duster 10 Oz (4 Pack) for $13.98

Why pay $10 for a can of compressed air at the local store when you can get 4 for nearly the same price on Amazon. You’ll need it to give that nasty keyboard of yours a good cleaning.

More Deals Today

Spanish Voice Actor for Dragon Ball’s Gohan Reportedly Killed

Warning: This story contains details regarding death and attempted suicide. Read with caution.

Luis Alfonso Mendoza, the Spanish dub voice actor for iconic characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Dragon Ball’s Gohan, has been killed, according to reports from Spanish media.

According to Cartoon Brew, who translated a report from Media Tiempo, Mendoza was allegedly killed during an altercation with a man who was renting living space from Mendoza and his family. The suspect also allegedly killed Mendoza’s wife and brother-in-law. Mendoza lived in the Portales Norte district of Mexico City.

The suspect later attempted suicide via shooting himself in the head, but survived and is currently in “serious condition.”

Mendoza’s castmates took to Twitter to share their condolences.

Mario Castañeda, who voices the Spanish dub of Goku, reflected on just how recently he had shared a laugh with Mendoza.

mario castaneda

Rossy Aguirre, who voices the Spanish dub of Krillin, shared her condolences, along with an image of her and Mendoza.

rossy

Eduardo Garza, who voiced Krillin in the latter half of Dragon Ball Z’s Spanish dub, similarly shared a photo and condolences.

garza

Mendoza voiced the Spanish dub of Gohan since 1996, but also provided the Spanish voice for numerous other recognizable roles, both live-action and animated. Besides Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, Mendoza voiced Count Duckula, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Leonardo, Kon from Bleach, and more. As for live-action roles, Mendoza provided dubbing for Fresh Prince’s Carlton, Karate Kids’ Daniel LaRusso, Joey on Friends, and The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon.

He was 55 years old.

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Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Novelization Reportedly Confirms Palpatine Was a Clone

A few weeks back, an excerpt from the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker novelization was released that expanded upon the opening scene of Episode IX, having Kylo Ren encounter a strange creature protecting the Sith Wayfinder.

Not due out officially until March 17, some advance copies of the book were sold at C2E2 this weekend in Chicago, and a new passage is being passed around (h/t Screenrant) that answers a huge mystery regarding the return of Emperor Palpatine.

This is what Kylo observed while visiting Exegol for the first time and seeing Palpatine still alive. Check it out…

“All the vials were empty of liquid save one, which was nearly depleted. Kylo peered closer. He’d seen this apparatus before, too, when he’d studied the Clone Wars as a boy. The liquid flowing into the living nightmare before him was fighting a losing battle to sustain the Emperor’s putrid flesh.”

“What could you give me?” Kylo asked. Emperor Palpatine lived, after a fashion, and Kylo could feel in his very bones that this clone body sheltered the Emperor’s actual spirit. It was an imperfect vessel, though, unable to contain his immense power. It couldn’t last much longer.”

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It would appear that Palpatine’s spirit, his essence, was now housed in a clone body – one that wasn’t strong enough to maintain the Emperor’s power. It isn’t clear, however, if the galaxy’s most dominant Sith Lord had gone through many clone bodies over the decades, using them until they basically disintegrated completely, or if he’d just resided in this single one – and was just now losing control of it.

This clone method of brining Palpatine back is similar to how 1991’s Star Wars: Dark Empire comic series had him return.

For more on the Skywalker Saga, check out how Rise of Skywalker’s Visual Dictionary answers a ton of key plot questions, our explainer of the ending, and every Jedi that spoke to Rey in her final battle with the Emperor.

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Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

Japanese Superhero Ultraman Makes His Way to Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics is already home to many of the most iconic superhero characters in the world, and they’re about to add another huge name to their ranks. Marvel has revealed a new ongoing series featuring Japanese hero Ultraman to debut later in 2020.

As revealed at the Marvel Comics: Next Big Thing panel at C2E2, the new Ultraman series is titled The Rise of Ultraman and will be co-written by Kyle Higgins (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) and Mat Groom (Self/Made), with art by Francesco Manna (The Avengers). The comic appears to be a full reboot of the Ultra Series, one aimed at introducing a new generation of Western readers to Ultraman and the Japanese Tokusatsu genre, as well as exploring how the character’s heroic ideals hold up in the uncertain world of 2020.

(Image Credit: Marvel Comics)
(Image Credit: Marvel Comics)

“A few years ago, thanks to my time on Power Rangers, I was able to discover and learn more about Tokusatsu. With its wildly different conventions and inspirations, Tokusatsu — and Ultraman in particular — has been a huge source of joy for me,” said Higgins in Marvel’s press release. “It’s a genre so ripe with possibilities, even down to what we conceive of in the structure of super hero storytelling. It’s both an honor and a privilege to bring Ultraman to Marvel.”

“Monsters in fiction have been embodying all that is dark and scary in our world for as long as we’ve been telling stories. But I don’t think anybody understood the immense scale of our most pressing problems quite like [Ultra Series creator] Eiji Tsuburaya,” teased Groom. “He imagined the darkness looming overhead as tall as skyscrapers— alien and unknowable and ANGRY. But he also imagined us being able to stand up to those monsters, by rising above our worst impulses and embracing a nobler way of being. He imagined ULTRAMAN. What does that mean in this complex, contradictory world of lies? We’re going to find out…”

Marvel hasn’t yet revealed a release date for The Rise of Ultraman #1, but they are teasing more announcements in the near future. Let us know if you’re excited for this Ultraman re-imagining in the comments below.

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For other major Marvel projects in the works, find out about the X-Men crossover X of Swords and what to expect from Empyre, Marvel’s ambitious Avengers/Fantastic Four event. Then learn why we think Empyre could be a sign of things to come for the MCU.

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Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

The Best PAX East 2020 Cosplay (Saturday): Warhammer, Bloodborne, Animal Crossing, And More

Pain (Warhammer 40K)

Pain (Warhammer 40K)

Sure, PAX East 2020 is loaded with video games, but the convention is also a chance for cosplayers to flex their creative muscles and parade around as some of their favorite characters from video games, tabletop gaming, and even children’s TV shows. Here are the best costumes we saw during the show on Saturday, from tabletop classics like Warhammer 40K to much-anticipated Nintendo Switch exclusives like Animal Cross: New Horizons.

There’s more where these came from. Check out our best PAX East 2020 cosplay for Friday too!

Cosplay by @thatgearsguy

Indiana Jones’ Ark Prop Estimated to be Worth up to $250,000

A prototype of the lost “Ark of the Covenant” from the first Indiana Jones film recently found itself on an episode of PBS’ long-running Antiques Roadshow, evidently escaping from its former confines in a secret government warehouse. The prop was professionally valued at anywhere from $80,000 to $250,000.

Image Credit: PBS' Antiques Roadshow
Image Credit: PBS’ Antiques Roadshow

An unnamed man brought the Ark prop to the Antiques Roadshow, saying it previously belonged to his father, who he said was an employee for VFX studio Industrial Light & Magic, working on Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and even Star Trek. The owner said his father worked for ILM as a pyrotechnician.

The owner said his family stored blankets inside, though he did enjoy getting to tell friends he owned the Ark.

prop 2

Appraiser James Supp rightly notes that the man’s version of the Ark is different from what audiences saw in the final version of Indiana Jones.

“I know that this was a prototype used to size the pyro,” the owner said. “I know that the Ark that they used was significantly smaller, the details are different. This is one of the prototypes, maybe the first prototype for pyro [effects].”

The infamous Ark of the Covenant was the magical item/MacGuffin that spurred Indiana Jones and his friends to adventure across Egypt, Nepal, and the Aegean Sea. Fabled to house the Ten Commandments, Nazi forces pursue the Ark in the film, believing it could grant them invincibility. Ultimately, the legends turn out to have a dark twist, with the angels of death emerging from the Ark to explode, liquefy, and generally murder every single Nazi in the vicinity.

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Supp points out that the prototype is definitely cobbled together from various junk and crafts you might find at any prop studio. The two winged angels on the top are made from trophies, the lid is made from a picture frame, and the seemingly ornate “carvings” on the side are just squiggles from a hot glue gun painted gold.

“That original prop is somewhere in the LucasFilm archives at Skywalker Ranch,” Supp said. “People who want to replicate props have scoured every scene to copy all the little details on it. This is the closest anybody in the private market can get to owning the Ark of the Covenant from Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

Supp said that while his conservative estimate would put the Ark prop between $80,000 to $120,000, he admits he could see the prop earning a price tag “in the quarter-million-dollar range.”

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If hearing all this news about a famous Indiana Jones prop has you excited for more adventures, you won’t have to wait too long. Indiana Jones 5 is currently in development. Here’s everything we know about Indiana Jones 5, including director options, cast and crew, release date, and more. Last we heard from Harrison Ford (who will be returning in his iconic role as Indy), filming begins shooting in April, although a recent director change may have shifted that.

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Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/golden idol for IGN.