Month: June 2020

Cool New Vintage Transformers Action Figure Is Available To Pre-Order Now

Hasbro’s Vintage G1 series of action figures are some of the coolest Transformers toys around. They come in ’80s-style packaging and maintain the classic look of the original Transformers toys while converting from their sly disguises to upright robots. The latest Vintage G1 Autobot, Blaster, was announced last year and is finally available to pre-order for $30 at Walmart ahead of its August release.

Vintage G1 Autobot Blaster
Vintage G1 Autobot Blaster
Gallery image 1Gallery image 2Gallery image 3Gallery image 4Gallery image 5

Each vintage Transformers action figure from Hasbro is inspired by the 1985 G1 lineup. Blaster converts from boombox to robot with just four moves. The 4.5-inch figure also comes with the electro-scrambler gun and foil decals that can be attached to the robot. In addition to looking the part of a classic Transformers toy, the Blaster also has neat little flourishes such as its tape deck that pops open with the press of the button. It doesn’t play real cassette tapes, though.

While toy collectors typically keep original packaging, practically everyone who buys the Blaster action figure will probably want to hang onto the authentic ’80s packaging that features the original G1 logo, character art, tech specs, and a battle scene featuring the Autobots and Decepticons.

It’s worth noting that figures in the Vintage G1 series tend to be difficult to find in stores following release. Most of the earlier figures in the lineup are only available through third-party resellers. If you’re interested in the Vintage G1 Autobot Blaster, it’d be smart to order prior to its release. Pre-orders placed at Walmart are expected to ship in early August.

Best Deals This Week

Save Up to $200 on a 2020 MacBook Pro

We all know the unique pain of waiting for things to happen on an aging laptop. If that describes your day-to-day computer usage, it might be time to freshen up your tech tools. Right now, Best Buy is offering either $100 or $200 off the brand-new 2020 13-inch MacBook Pros. Let’s take a look at the deals, shall we?

Save on 2020 13-Inch MacBook Pro

App users: Don’t see the deals below? Click here.

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=13-inch-macbook-pro-deals”]

Apple updates its MacBook Pros roughly once a year, but this is the biggest refresh to the MBP line in quite a while. First off, some of the models include the latest generation of Intel chips. They also have the versatile Touch Bar and TouchID. But in my mind what really makes this year’s MBP the MVP (truly sorry for that one) is that they address a problem MacBook users have been complaining about for years: the keyboard.

In what seems to have been a relentless march toward making the thinnest hardware possible, MacBook Pros dating back to 2016 have had keyboards made with a “butterfly switch” mechanism, as opposed to a scissor mechanism found in most other keyboards. When pressed, these keys had very little travel, a feature many users didn’t like. Making matters worse, they had a high failure rate, resulting in stuck or unresponsive keys. Apple made changes to the butterfly mechanism over the ensuing years, but the problems persisted.

Thankfully, the new 2020 MacBook Pro features a rare thing indeed: a concession from Apple. This machine, along with the 16-inch MacBook Pro and new MacBook Air, all use scissor switches again. As a result the laptop is a hair thicker than its predecessor, but having a reliable keyboard that feels better to type on seems like a worthy tradeoff.

Plus, these MacBook Pros will be fully compatible with macOS Big Sur when it launches later this year. Apple says the new OS will bring with it a noticeable design shift, plus improved performance and power efficiency, among many other new features.

Basically, if you’ve been holding off on updating your MacBook Pro, this is the one you’ve been waiting for. Why not grab it now that you can save between $100 and $200?

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Chris Reed is IGN’s shopping and commerce editor. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.

[widget path=”ign/modules/recirc” parameters=”title=&type=articles%2Cvideos&tags=us-shopping&count=3&columnCount=3&theme=article”]

Bill & Ted Face The Music Release Delayed

Fans of the Bill and Ted movies have had to wait nearly 30 years for the next part in the time-travelling comedy series–and the wait will now be a little longer. The upcoming Bill & Ted Face the Music is to be released two weeks later than originally planned.

The movie was set to hit theaters on August 12 this year, but will now release on August 28. Unlike many films set for release in 2020, Bill & Ted Face the Music has stuck to its original release date throughout the whole COVID-19 pandemic. However, with Christoper Nolan’s sci-fi thriller Tenet currently expected on August 12, the new Bill and Ted movie has finally moved back.

The first trailer for Bill & Ted Face the Music was released earlier this month. The film stars Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter as the now-middle-aged metalheads, and the cast also includes Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine as Bill and Ted’s daughters, William Sadler as Death, and Barry star Anthony Carrigan in a villainous role. It’s directed by Galaxy Quest’s Dean Parisot, and written by franchise creators Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon.

This is the second time that Tenet has moved release date. It was originally scheduled for July 17, before shifting back to July 31. Disney’s Mulan remake and the DC sequel Wonder Woman 1984 have also moved from their July release slots, to August 21 and October 2 respectively.

For more, check out GameSpot’s guide to the biggest upcoming movies of 2020 and beyond.

Now Playing: Bill And Ted Face The Music – Official Trailer

AMC Theaters Reopening Postponed

UPDATE 2: AMC Theaters has pushed back its reopening date by two weeks due to the surge in new coronavirus cases.

The theater chain giant will now reopen 450 of its 600 theaters on July 30 instead of July 15, according to Variety. That is, of course, unless COVID-19 numbers continue to spike.

And when AMC Theaters does reopen, patrons will be required to wear face masks (see below).

Our original report from June 19 follows.

UPDATE: Following a public backlash, AMC Theaters has reversed course and will now require patrons to wear face masks once many of their theaters reopen July 15. The nation’s leading theater chain had wished, as its CEO and President Adam Aron put it, to not to be “drawn into a political controversy” by requiring patrons wear face masks during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Read their full statement below:

Our original report from June 18 follows.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

AMC Theaters plans to reopen 450 cinemas in the US on July 15 — and won’t require people to wear masks so as not to be “drawn into a political controversy.”

The reopening will be in time for major releases such as Mulan (July 24) and Tenet (July 31). The nation’s leading theater chain had closed over 600 locations in March due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

AMC CEO and President Adam Aron told Variety: “There were some jurisdictions in some states such as Georgia and Texas that allowed people to re-open theaters in mid-May. We opted to remain closed, so we could give the country time to get a better handle on coronavirus. We wanted to use this time to figure out how best to open and how to do so safely.”

Included among those safety measures will be limited seating capacity, social distancing, new cleaning procedures, hand sanitizer stations, and, as the trade notes, AMC is also “encouraging contact-less and cash-free concessions.”

Will filmgoers be required to weak masks? According to AMC’s new safety measures, employees are required to wear PPE such as face masks. As for patrons, “Protect yourself and others by wearing a mask, available for purchase if desired. In some municipalities, guests will be required to wear masks.”

“We did not want to be drawn into a political controversy,” AMC boss Aron told Variety. “We thought it might be counterproductive if we forced mask wearing on those people who believe strongly that it is not necessary. We think that the vast majority of AMC guests will be wearing masks. When I go to an AMC feature, I will certainly be wearing a mask and leading by example.”

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/why-amc-is-banning-universal-movies-ign-now”]

Other leading exhibition chains such as Regal and Cinemark are also reopening their theaters mid-July.

Deeply in debt and recently downgraded by Wall Street analysts, AMC Theaters has suggested the pandemic could force it into bankruptcy. The chain also remains at war with Universal Pictures over the studio’s willingness to put some of its movies — including Trolls World Tour, The King of Staten Island, and You Should Have Left — on premium VOD instead of delaying their theatrical release.

Wonder Woman 1984 Director Patty Jenkins On How The Pandemic Is Shaping The Franchise

With the release of the Wonder Woman: 1984 already on its fifth rescheduled date, director Patty Jenkins has said she’s “pushed the pause button” on going into production with the third movie, according to an interview with TotalFilm (via GamesRadar).

“We’re not starting to work on that movie right away,” Jenkins says of returning to work post-lockdown. “I’m hoping to do this Amazon movie before we do the third Wonder Woman. And I may not do either of them. You never know what will happen in this world, you know? But yes, I think the plotline will stay very similar, probably. But I want to make sure it’s influenced by all of this.”

Diana rushes into battle.
Diana rushes into battle.

She continued laying out her reasoning. “Because the truth is, where that plotline was coming from was our state of being six months ago. And so I want to make sure that I’m totally absorbing whatever the result of this pandemic is.”

AMC theaters has pushed back its reopening to July 30 as studios have also pushed back their tentpole features like Mulan and another WB big feature, Tenet which are now scheduled for August 21 and 12 respectively.

Ubisoft Will Tease An Upcoming Battle Royale Game This Week – Report

The biggest publishers in gaming have each taken their shot with successful triple-A battle royale games like Apex Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone, and it looks like Ubisoft is about to try its hand at it. According to esports reporter Rod Breslau, the publisher will tease a new game called Hyper Scape this week, which is a battle royale game set in a virtual world.

As with Apex Legends and Valorant before it, Breslau says that Ubisoft has invited many streamers, YouTubers, and other gaming influencers to see the game for themselves ahead of a closed beta next week. He further claims that Hyper Scape offers an unprecedented “a level of integration” with Twitch, with Twitch chat able to directly impact play with events and the like. He offered an example in a follow-up tweet: viewers will be able to vote for either speed or health boost items, and they will earn progress by watching games. Streamers will also garner revenue for bit purchases.

This beta period will extend into July, with a full launch of the game coming on July 12. Hyper Scape will also offer cross-play between PC and consoles. Based on the leaked screenshots, the futuristic aesthetic of the game looks like a mix between Watch Dogs, Destiny, and Tron.

Now Playing: Valorant Video Review

Super Nintendo World Theme Park Opening Delayed Indefinitely

The Super Nintendo World theme park’s opening has been indefinitely delayed in Japan.

Universal Studios Japan is planning to postpone the opening of its upcoming Nintendo-theme land in Osaka as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according to NHK World-Japan. The theme park, which is heavily based on Nintendo’s Mario franchise, is nearly complete. This includes not just construction of the land, but themed rides and restaurants as well.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=super-nintendo-world-press-conference-images&captions=true”]

The park was originally set to open in July but because of COVID-19, the park’s opening has been delayed indefinitely, likely to give Universal Studios time to review the pandemic landscape and determine a safer opening date. Because construction on the land is near complete, it’s unlikely this delay was made in order to give the company more time to work on the park itself.

Because of the popularity of Nintendo, Mario, and the idea of a new land opening within Universal Studios Japan, the company is expecting an increased number of visitors to the park. This poses an even larger threat to the safety of guests in the midst of a pandemic. As such, Universal Studios Japan said it is unsure of when the new Nintendo-themed land will open.

The rest of Universal Studios Japan opened on June 8 to guests from the local Kansai area. It also limited guest numbers by half of its standard capacity.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/06/08/super-nintendo-world-japan-teaser-trailer”]

It may not be open, but there are still plenty of ways to get a glimpse of the park. Check out this new image that shows multiple areas of the land. After looking at that, read about how the Super Nintendo World theme park might expand beyond Mario in the future. The eastern US version of this Nintendo-themed land is coming to the new Epic Universe theme park planned for Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

Here are some ways to help and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

Hyper Scape: Ubisoft Reportedly Ready to Reveal New Battle Royale

Ubisoft is reportedly raring up to tease a new FPS Battle Royale game called Hyper Scape.

The information arrives thanks to a thread from esports insider, Slasher, who has learned from sources that Ubisoft is reportedly prepared to tease the game later on Monday.

According to Slasher’s sources, the game was code-named Prisma Dimensions but will run with the title Hyper Scape, and is being developed by Ubisoft Montreal.

An image shown in the thread appears to offer our first glimpse of the game and its apparent “futuristic virtual world.” The game will apparently be free to play for both PC and consoles, with crossplay functionality. The thread also notes that the game is set to enter a closed beta period next week, with a full launch planned on July 12.

As detailed in the thread, Hyper Scape has reportedly been built in partnership with Twitch and one of the game’s features allows Twitch chat to, “directly impact the game live with game-changing events.”

Ubisoft’s digital summer showcase, Ubisoft Forward, is set to air next Sunday, July 12.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

The Umbrella Academy: New Poster Includes Season 2 Easter Eggs

The Umbrella Academy Season 2 is coming in just over a month, and a new poster is offering us a few hints at what’s to come.

The poster (below), shows the seven members of the Academy, each sporting a pair of sunglasses, with each reflection offering a clue at Season 2’s contents. From the looks of it, we’ll be getting more looks back at the Academy’s childhoods, as well as protests, a declaration of war, and more.

UA_S2_Vertical_Main_RGB_EN-US

The show will return to Netflix on July 31, and we’ve already seen a set of character posters and first-look images. Here’s everything we know about Season 2 ahead of its release.

An adaptation of Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá’s comic book series ofthe same name, The Umbrella Academy follows the lives of a dysfunctional family of superheroes. It proved a huge hit for Netflix, which reported that 45 million households had watched the show, and quickly ordered a second season.

We awarded the first season an 8.5 review, calling it “hilariously twisted, subversively stylish, and surprisingly poignant”. We named it as one of the best new TV series of 2019, and one of the best comic book series – it was named the IGN’s People’s Choice in both categories.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Director Plans to Revisit Story in ‘Anime Form’

Edgar Wright has spoken about the possibility of revisiting Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World as an anime project, saying there are “plans” to expand the franchise, though nothing is official yet.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Wright revealed that he had been involved in ongoing talks with Scott Pilgrim comic creator Bryan Lee O’Malley and the film’s executive producer Jared LeBoff about revisiting the material in “an animation way,” as opposed to following up with a direct sequel to the 2010 film.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/11/17/director-styles-movie-lists-cinefix”]

“There’s some plans — and there’s nothing official yet — but there are some plans to revisit the material in an animation way,” Wright admitted in the retrospective piece. “We’ve been talking with Bryan and with Jared for a while [about]: What if we did something with the books in anime form? It’s being discussed as we speak.”

In the same interview, O’Malley expressed his interest in returning to the world of Scott Pilgrim, saying that he would “like to revisit the characters [in comic form] and see what they’re up to.” In fact, he said that he had already sketched an alternate version of Scott with “a huge beard” early in the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=top-25-best-anime-series-of-all-time&captions=true”]

Whichever format this new project could potentially take, it is highly unlikely to be developed as a direct big-screen follow-up to the Michael Cera-starring film adaptation, as Cera himself admitted that “when a movie doesn’t really explode at the box office, it’s hard for anybody to get behind a sequel.”

Critics and fans of the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series raved about the film adaptation after its release, but that adulation didn’t translate to high box office returns. On an estimated budget of $60 million, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World took in a paltry $47.7 million worldwide.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.