Month: July 2020

Emmy Nominations 2020 By The Numbers: Watchmen And Netflix Lead The Way With Huge Figures

The 2020 Emmy nominees have been announced, and you can check out the full list now. Between the acting, technical, and overall awards, there’s a whole heap of data on offer here, but when you break it all down, some clear frontrunners emerge.

Variety has rounded up the numbers to identify which companies and shows picked up the most nominations, and the results are pretty definitive–GameSpot was right about what the best show of 2019 was.

Watchmen (HBO) comfortably leads on TV with a whopping 26 nominations. These included multiple technical awards, plus three directing nods, lead actor (Jeremy Irons), lead actress (Regina King), supporting actress (Jean Smart) and three supporting actors (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jovan Adepo, Louis Gossett Jr). This makes it a likely front-runner for “best limited series”.

In the Comedy catergory, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel (Amazon) leads with a huge 20 nominations. The drama nominees are led by Succession (HBO, 18 nominations) and Ozark (Netflix, 18 nominations), both of which gained a lot of traction with their most recent seasons.

The Mandalorian, the first live-action Star Wars TV series, also did well, securing 15 nominations. There are some snubs in here, too–Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn missing out on Better Call Saul nominations stings.

Looking at networks and studios, Netflix is the clear frontrunner, with an enormous 160 nominations. HBO is a ways behind in second place, with 107–but it easily has the most nominations of any studio, as Netflix actually produces very few of its own shows. HBO leads this list with their 107 nominations, with Warner Bros. coming next with 50 nominations, and Netflix Original Production earning just 33.

The 2020 Emmys will air on September 20, 2020. It will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, whose show Jimmy Kimmel Live! is also nominated in several categories.

Now Playing: HBO’s Watchmen – Biggest Unanswered Questions

Halo Infinite Nerf Gun Comes With In-Game DLC

Halo’s MA40 AR weapon is being turned into a Nerf gun to promote the release of Halo Infinite, and now Microsoft has shared some new images of it and more.

The Halo Twitter account announced that the Nerf blaster is now in production, and pre-orders are now open. Amazon has posted a product page for the toy, revealing new details about the toy itself and a related DLC offer.

The MA40 AR blaster features a “motorized” system that allows users to hold down an “acceleration button” and then squeeze the trigger to fire. It comes with a 10-dart clip and 10 darts, while it also includes a “rail riser” that can be attached to the weapon to customize it.

Intriguingly, the Amazon page also mentions that the $50 USD toy blaster comes with a code to unlock a “digital asset” in Halo Infinite. Specifics are not available, but a logical jump would be that the code will unlock a digital version of the weapon in Halo Infinite.

The Amazon page for Halo Infinite also mentions that the game will have “in-app purchases,” which is no surprise given what Microsoft has already said about micotransactions in the game.

Finally, the Amazon page lists an October 1 release date for the MA40 AR Nerf blaster, but this looks like it might be only a placeholder.

Halo Infinite is due to release this holiday as a launch title for the Xbox Series X. The game will also come to the standard Xbox One as well as PC. For lots more, check out GameSpot’s video overview above that covers everything you need to know about Halo Infinite.

Now Playing: Halo Infinite – Everything You Need To Know

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Pokemon Go August Community Day Features The Most Worthless Pokemon

Pokemon Go Fest 2020 has come and gone, but Niantic already has some more events lined up for the hit mobile game, including August’s Community Day. That will take place on August 8, and the featured Pokemon this time around will be an unexpected choice: Magikarp.

Throughout the event, Magikarp will appear in the wild much more frequently than usual, giving you plenty of opportunities to catch it and stock up on Magikarp Candy–which you’ll need a lot of if you hope to evolve it into Gyarados. Any Magikarp that you evolve up to two hours after the Community Day ends will learn the move Aqua Tail. You’ll also have a chance to encounter a Shiny Magikarp during the event.

On top of that, Niantic will offer a few other in-game bonuses during August’s Community Day. First, any Incense that you use during the event will remain active for three hours rather than the usual 30 minutes, letting you attract more wild Pokemon without having to leave home. In addition, you’ll earn triple the normal amount of Stardust for catching Pokemon.

Like the past few Community Days, next month’s event will run for six hours instead of the usual three, from 11 AM to 5 PM local time. That means you’ll have until 7 PM local time to evolve Magikarp and obtain a Gyarados that knows Aqua Tail. You can read more about the event on the official Pokemon Go website.

In the meantime, players have three Ultra Unlock events to look forward to soon as a reward for completing enough global challenges during Pokemon Go Fest 2020. There’s also still time to catch the Legendary Kyurem in Raids and complete July’s Field Research tasks. Each Research Breakthrough you achieve this month will lead to an encounter with Larvitar, but a new Research Breakthrough reward will replace it starting August 1.

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The Mandalorian Nabs 15 Emmy Nominations

The Mandalorian, Disney+’s Star Wars space western, has been nominated for 15 Emmy Awards–including Outstanding Drama Series. According to a release issued by the Television Academy, The Mandalorian has also received nominations for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program, Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series, Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes, among others. The full list of all show nominations can be found here.

The Mandalorian was created by Jon Favreau (who has also directed Iron Man, Elf, and the 2019 version of The Lion King), and it premiered with the launch of Disney+ in November 2019. The series has received positive reviews and has been picked up for both a second season (due to release in October) and a third season.

Pedro Pascal stars in the title role, who is a bounty hunter in the mold of Star Wars favorite Boba Fett. In interviews, Favreau himself has summed up The Mandalorian as “set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order. The series depicts Din Djarin, a lone bounty hunter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.”

Television Academy members will cast their votes for the winners between August 21 and August 31. The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards will be held on September 20 and broadcast on ABC. Jimmy Kimmel will be hosting.

New Xbox One Games Sale Discounts Titles To Their Lowest Prices Yet

This week’s Xbox One game deals are now live, and while not as many hard hitters are available when compared to past weeks, there are still a number of great games and deals. A couple of EA Sports titles have hit their lowest prices yet. Madden NFL 20 and NHL 20 are both $12 this week, making it a great time to pick up a sports game before the new one releases–and with the current pandemic, it’s sure to keep you busy for the next couple of weeks.

One of 2019’s best games also sees a nice discount. Outer Wilds is only $15 right now, and if you’re in the mood for exploring the cosmos and a number of gorgeous, mysterious planets, then you can’t do better than Outer Wilds. It scored a 9/10 in our Outer Wilds review for its captivating story, non-linear exploration, and visually distinct planets.

The best Xbox One game deals

Other discounted titles include State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition for $22.49. If you’re a Game Pass subscriber, you already have access to it–otherwise, you can subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $1 for your first month. You can also snag the loot-shooter Shadow Warrior 2 for $32, which combines excellent first-person shooting action with potty humour.

A number of PlayWay’s simulator games are also on sale. Car Mechanic Simulator is $18 and Thief Simulator is $15, while my personal favourite, House Flipper, is $22.49. The latter has you taking on jobs to clean and furnish people’s homes, while at the same time buying houses of your own and flipping them for a profit. It may sound like a chore, but it’s actually quite relaxing and meditative.

Phantasy Star Online 2 Comes To Steam Next Week, Full PC System Requirements Revealed

Publisher Sega has officially announced that the online action-RPG Phantasy Star Online 2 will make its way to Steam on August 5. You can download the game for free from the digital distributor.

Alongside launching on Steam, Sega confirmed that the first big content update for Phantasy Star Online 2 will arrive on the same day. The free update, titled Episode 4, will roll out on August 5 for Windows 10 PC and Xbox One. It brings with it a host of additional content, including a new planet, more enemies, an increased level cap, and more. In the meantime, you can check out PSO2’s Steam system requirements below:

Phantasy Star Online 2 Steam System Requirements

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 10 64bit
  • Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 and above
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 7800GT AMD Radeon HD2900XT (or a Graphics Card of the same caliber and above)
  • DirectX: Version 9.0
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Storage: 80 GB available space
  • Additional Notes – Monitor Resolution: 1280 × 720 and above, Disk Drive 80GB and above (NTFS Format)

“It is our goal to bring Phantasy Star Online 2 to as many players as we can,” PSO2 Team North America’s head of marketing, Fred White, said in a press release. “We have heard the requests for a Steam launch, and we are excited to announce that soon Steam users in 36 countries on six continents will be able to experience PSO2 on their platform of choice, including popular features like Steam Achievements and Remote Play. The Steam Store page for PSO2 opens today.”

Sega recently announced a brand-new expansion for Phantasy Star Online 2 that will launch in 2021 on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Titled New Genesis, the free DLC will overhaul that current PS02 experience with a new graphics engine, revamped combat, and more. Though New Genesis is a massive update for Phantasy Star Online 2, developer Online R&D and Sega have confirmed that the expansion will coexist with the main game.

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Halo Infinite – Everything You Need To Know

The latest game in the long running Halo franchise has made its gameplay debut at Xbox’s July Games Showcase. We got 8 full minutes of gameplay along with a brand new trailer and plenty of interviews with developer 343.

In this video we compile all the details we know about the game into one super video for your convenience. We breakdown all the story details, such as the game’s main villain, War Chief Escharum, who is the leader of the Banished. We dive into how the game is structured and what exactly the upgrade tab on the menu is for. And of course we tally up all the new and returning weapons you’ll get your hands on.

Halo Infinite is set to be a launch title for Microsoft’s brand new Xbox Series X later this fall. It will also be playable on the Xbox One line of consoles as well as PC. Yes, even steam. Make sure to come back to GameSpot for even more news on Halo Infinite.

Universal Movies Now Only Need to be In AMC Theaters for 17 Days Before Going VOD

Universal Pictures and AMC Theaters have reached a deal that shortens the time between when a movie premieres in theaters to when it’s able to move to other platforms like digital VOD. The new deal makes it so that Universal can move its films after just three weeks in theaters.

Traditionally, movie distributors and cinemas agreed to let a movie run in theaters for 90 days before getting the option to make films available in homes. As reported by The New York Times, the new deal shortens this time considerably to just 17 days. After which films have the option to be distributed via premium video-on-demand services.

Universal will also be able to control whether a film plays in theaters longer than 17 days, meaning it can choose to keep movies like Fast and Furious and Jurassic World in theaters for longer if need be.

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“The partnership we’ve forged with AMC is driven by our collective desire to ensure a thriving future for the film distribution ecosystem and to meet consumer demand with flexibility and optionality,” says Universal Filmed Entertainment Group chairman Donna Langley in a statement.

AMC and Universal previously were in a dispute just a few months ago. The theater chain announced it would no longer show Universal Pictures releases in cinemas after Universal released the animated film Trolls World Tour on VOD while theaters were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This new agreement overturns AMC’s decision.

Theaters have been left particularly vulnerable to the pandemic as social distancing rules become the norm. Highly anticipated films like Tenet have been delayed repeatedly, and will now premiere first in international theaters where Covid curves have been flattened, before premiering in the U.S. This deal has potentially seismic implications for other movie distributors as the film industry continues to find a way forward during the pandemic.

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Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

AMC Theaters And Universal Come To A Deal For On-Demand Movies

While movie theater chains continue to push back re-opening dates because of the COVID-19 pandemic, AMC Theatres and Universal Pictures–who had a spat back in April after Universal released Trolls: World Tour on-demand–are coming to an agreement on the future of movie releases. The plan involves a compromise between theatrical and home digital releases of new movies.

With AMC now looking to reopen its movie theaters in mid-August, the chain has come to an agreement with Universal on the distribution of profits for digital rentals, according to Variety. Now, Universal will have the ability to release on-demand for a roughly $20 rental fee–much like Invisible Man and The Hunt did earlier this year. The studio cannot sell or rent the movies for lower fees until three months after the films release in theaters. And AMC will get a cut of the money made this way. However, the specifics of the terms were not disclosed.

Variety notes that while movies from major franchises like Jurassic World and Fast & Furious could appear on-demand for a premium price, these blockbusters are more likely to have long runs in theaters, so it would be a much longer wait until the three-month rental period could begin. Smaller and mid-level films that normally wouldn’t have a long theater run could be rented at a cheaper price much sooner.

Specifics regarding what Universal movies could be coming to an on-demand service were not revealed at this time.

“Focusing on the long-term health of our industry, we would note that just as restaurants have thrived even though every home has a kitchen, AMC is highly confident that moviegoers will come to our theatres in huge numbers in a post-pandemic world,” AMC’s CEO Adam Aron said in a statement. “As people enjoy getting out of their homes, we believe the mystical escape and magical communal experience offered at our theatres will always be a compelling draw, including as it does our big screens, big sound and big seats not to mention the alluring aroma of our perfectly prepared popcorn.”

While AMC is the largest theater chain, what does that mean for all the other movie theaters around the globe? Details of the deal only state AMC and Universal are working together. At this time, it’s unknown how other theaters and movie studios could fit into this scenario in the future.

“The theatrical experience continues to be the cornerstone of our business,” said Donna Langley, chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group. “The partnership we’ve forged with AMC is driven by our collective desire to ensure a thriving future for the film distribution ecosystem and to meet consumer demand with flexibility and optionality.”

Watch Tomorrow’s Marvel’s Avengers Second War Table Livestream Right Here

The second War Table livestream for Marvel’s Avengers is scheduled to go live on July 29 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET, publisher Square Enix announced. During the broadcast, the team will discuss the content featured in the upcoming beta.

There’s no word on how long the livestream will last. However, the game’s official Twitter account confirmed that alongside discussions about Marvel’s Avengers’ imminent beta, the War Table presentation may include some surprises. There’s no clarification on what these surprises might entail, though.

Additionally, the livestream is said to feature discussions about post-launch plans for Marvel’s Avengers, but neither Crystal Dynamics, co-developer Eidos-Montreal, nor Square Enix have clarified this statement.

In any case, you can watch the second Marvel’s Avengers War Table livestream right here or on the game’s official website.

Marvel’s Avengers’ beta will kick-off on August 7 for those who pre-ordered on PlayStation 4. The following week–August 14–those who pre-ordered on PC and Xbox One (as well as all PS4 owners) will get their hands on the beta. Everyone else will get to check the beta out on August 21 before the game launches on September 4. You can check out our Marvel’s Avengers pre-order guide to learn about what else you can get for buying early alongside beta access.

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