Out Friday: Preorder Star Wars: Squadrons

Star Wars: Squadrons is set to release for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 2, but it’s available for preorder right now (see it on Amazon).

This is a first-person game of space combat that takes place after the events of Return of the Jedi. The campaign mode of Star Wars: Squadrons puts you in the space boots of two characters from opposing sides of the conflict: the New Republic’s Vanguard Squadron and the Galactic Empire’s Titan Squadron. The game also has a multiplayer mode, in which you can take part in 5-on-5 battles.

Notably, the game will support cross-play, so you can battle with your buddies on all three platforms. PS4 and PC players with the appropriate headsets will also be able to play the entire game in VR. Here’s where you can get it, how much it costs, what your preorder bonus is, and everything else you need to know.

Preorder Star Wars: Squadrons

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Star Wars: Squadrons Preorder Bonus

star-wars-squadrons-preorder-bonusPreorder Star Wars: Squadrons on any platform, and you’ll receive additional cosmetic items for your starfighters and pilots.

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

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Get Your First Look at Dinosaur Zoo Builder Prehistoric Kingdom

Prehistoric Kingdom, the upcoming theme park management game that asks you to design, create, manage, and grow a zoo for dinosaurs and other extinct animals, is heading to Steam early access in Q2 2021.

Developer Blue Meridian and publisher Crytivo have released a first glimpse of what you can expect in bringing these long-extinct animals back to nature. The exclusive first-look trailer above features famed zoologist and nature host Nigel Marven, who provides voice-over narration for an authentic documentary-style overview, while showing off a few of the many animals and habitats you’ll create.

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Prehistoric Kingdom will release into early access with 22 animals, including Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Lambeosaurus, Styracosaurus, Mammuthus, Smilodon, and Coelodonta, with more coming after release. To house all those creatures, you’ll be able to terraform your park to transform biomes like grassland, tropical, wetland, coastal, and more, while adding modular and pre-built buildings to attract customers, all while balancing the health of the animals with the happiness of your visitors.

To celebrate the early access announcement, Blue Meridian will conduct a live stream on September 30 at 10am PDT, which you can watch on the Crytivo Twitch channel, and you can check out the Prehistoric Kingdom official site and steam page for more information.

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Brandin Tyrrel is a Senior Editor at IGN. You can find him on Unlocked, or chat over on Twitter at @BrandinTyrrel.

Prepare for battle! The essential gear for any top gaming and streaming station

 Partner Content by Blue Microphones 

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Rocks crunch beneath your feet as you breathe heavily, chasing down an enemy.

“SNIPER IN THE TOWER!” you shout through your mic as you hear a bullet whiz by on your headset. You crouch your character behind a burned out tank to avoid a kill shot. Your teammate dives behind a doorway just in time to avoid being taken out herself. In the corner of your screen, you see the relief etched across her face in her camera feed. You pull out an HDR of your own, reload the clip — KA-CHUNK — and wait for the sniper to break cover, watching intently through the scope. Finally, he makes a run for it. BOOM! The bullet finds its mark as the shell clinks to the ground. “Nice shot,” your teammate says before you continue the assault.

When you’re playing online with friends — or strangers — clear communication is as key to survival as is a lightning fast core processor, giant 4K monitor, or ultra-responsive keyboard when you’re setting up your ultimate battle station. You’ll definitely want your teammates to hear your tactical instructions clearly, and your enemies to make out every last word of your trash talking.

Plus, if you’re planning to go live on Twitch or YouTube, it’s imperative to have equipment that delivers broadcast quality sound and video, or your viewers will quickly click on another channel that does.

But don’t take my word for it, look at the way these jaw-dropping setups combine top-notch video and audio to create personalized spaces that would make any gamer drool. Hopefully you’ll get some ideas on how to set up your very own comprehensive rig.

Lvlup_duo
IG: @lvlupduo

This sweet, color-coordinated tandem setup is perfect for a couple who enjoy playing together as a team — or competing against one another in head-to-head combat. Hey, a round of “Fortnite” sounds like a much more fun way to decide what to have for dinner than Rock Paper Scissors. All of the equipment — which comes in matching, soothing blue and white — offers everything you’ll need for professional-level streaming. The cool blue track lighting underscores the calm vibes emanating from the battle station’s color accents — and the Logitech G733 Lightspeed Wireless RGB Gaming Headsets ensure they won’t disturb the neighbors! These ultra-lightweight headsets provide unbeatable comfort plus surround sound, voice filters, and advanced lighting to help you look, sound, and play with more style than ever.

AKA ART (1)

IG: @AKA_ART_

YouTube/AKAARTOFFICIAL

Everything about Art’s elite gaming setup oozes class, making this station a podcaster or streamer’s dream. The modern, uncluttered white desk and large window overlooking tall greenery offer a Zen-like den where Art can shut off from the world to concentrate on his craft. The Blue Baby Bottle XLR microphone might remind you of a vintage radio mic, but it’s anything but old-fashioned when it comes to sound quality, delivering classic warm audio that even a professional musician would envy.

 TheRealDanHall

FB: therealdanhall

TW: @DanHall_1

Dan’s battle station really maximizes a minimal amount of space. The thin wooden desk combined with triple curved monitors make you feel like you’re in the cockpit of a fighter jet preparing to save the world rather than in the corner of a bedroom or office. Combining the Compass Premium Boom Arm with the Yeti X USB mic is also a smart way to set up your station when you don’t have a lot of desk space because there’s one less thing sitting in front of you, and it opens up more room for the mouse and keyboard. Plus, his Logitech StreamCam, which records in full HD 1080p at 60fps, also lets him create content in portrait mode, which is ideal for mobile devices and Instagram.

Itzame UK (1)

IG: @Itzame_UK

Never take your eyes off the prize, which in Daniel’s case, is clearly his Instagram followers. With his five-digit Instagram follower counter front and center, he’s able to see how his content is performing in real-time when it comes to growing his audience. The wraparound desk with monitors on each side is a handy way to compartmentalize games and/or streams. His Yeti X USB mic and boom arm are also good choices for this setup, because they allow him to switch back and forth between monitors with ease. Because the mic only has one cable, there’s not much that can get tangled up with all that movement.

JReneeGames

IG: @jreneegames

A battle station fit for a modern samurai, embracing the past and finding joy in the present. The Japanese lanterns and artwork harken the old Bushido Code, or “Way of the Warrior,” while the Funko pops lining the desk are a reminder that it’s OK to be a fanboy and have some fun while playing video games. Because Jamie has opted for mood lighting reminiscent of a darkened shrine in feudal Japan, his Logitech Brio webcam, which captures every move in 4K resolution at 30fps, or in 1080p at 60 fps, is the perfect choice for this low-light environment.

 Havokharakiri (1)

IG: @havokharakiri

Big. Massive. Gargantuan. Honestly, there aren’t enough adjectives to describe the scale of Jonathan’s epic rig, which envelopes your senses with sights, sounds, and pure energy. If the triple monitor setup wasn’t enough, he’s also got a wall-mounted flatscreen to complete the experience. Also on the wall, his subwoofers amplify the bass, while the acoustic paneling ensures the sound traveling through his Yeti mic is devoid of echo, reverb, and ambient noise. Honestly, he could probably host a rave without missing a beat. Meanwhile, his G502 Hero high-performance gaming mouse, which looks like a sleek battlecraft ready for an interstellar assault, features the most accurate gaming sensor ever created, not to mention the fastest frame-rate processing available. Its 11 programmable buttons also allow you to lock in your favorite commands and power moves.

TiinyTriix (1)

IG: @tiinytriix

This dual setup is a shrine to high performance, offering the total package when it comes to an all-around high-intensity gaming experience. The focus here is all on the equipment, with Julianne eschewing a cluttered space filled with toys and art in favor of clean lines and symmetrical arrangement. For starters, she’s got the top-of-the-line Brio webcam, as well as two wireless G915 TKL Gaming Keyboards — one in black and the other in white to suit her mood. Speaking of mood coloring, the TKL’s Lightsync RGB technology allows for fully customizable lighting across all its keys which will really pop in this mostly white space.

IAmMilkes (1)

IG: i_am_milkes

TW: @IamMilkes

This battle station is an audiophile’s dream that doesn’t break the bank. Matthew opted for the budget-friendly Yeticaster pro bundle, which is perfect for the streamer just getting into the game and building an audience while delivering professional-quality content. It comes with the aforementioned Yeti USB mic, Compass Premium Boom Arm, and a Radius III Custom Shockmount, which isolates the Yeti from movement and ambient vibration, which could come in handy if you’re broadcasting in tight quarters or sharing a room with someone else. The classic-yet-affordable Logitech C922 webcam also allows him to stream in 1080p at 30 frames per second or hyperfast HD 720p at 60fsp.

WolfMav (1)

IG: wolf_mav

If the stacked triple monitors, companion vertical monitor, and mounted subwoofers don’t convince you that Nicolai takes gaming ultra-seriously, perhaps the huge “Gears of War” lancer mounted above this high-caliber battle station will do the trick. It’s clear from his monitor setup that Nicolai was looking to create an all-immersive visual environment that takes you right inside the action, and the G733 headset’s precise and full-range surround sound compliments that effort perfectly when it comes to audio.

 FluxGamess (1)

IG: @fluxgamess

No, you’re not looking at the set of an Apple commercial. This is Owen’s ode to white minimalist design. From the sleek modern desk to the plush carpet, whiteout Yeti mic, and white G915 TKL Gaming Keyboard, the equipment and furniture exude a sense of peaceful calm that many gamers find beneficial. The keyboard also lets Owen create his own animations or choose from a selection of preset effects to really add to the ambience. The only break from the aesthetic is the brick wall, which offers a nice reminder that it takes hard work and grit to build a streaming empire. But don’t worry, the keyboard will make sure you don’t injure your hands along the way. Its keys are also super responsive and low-profile, meaning they’re half the height of traditional keys. There are also three different types of keypads to choose from depending on how smooth you prefer your keystrokes.

 

Daily Deals: New AMD Ryzen 9 RTX 3080 Gaming PC Up on Amazon

There’s a new RTX 3008 equipped config up on Amazon, and it’s a good one. Of course, one of the best things about new video card releases though is the price drop you get for the previous generation models. There are some excellent deals today on RTX 20XX series gaming PCs and gaming laptops. Score an MSI RTX 2080 desktop for only $1450 or an Aliewnare RTX 2070 laptop for $1350. In other deal news, the Nintendo Switch Animal Crossing Edition is back in stock at Gamestop, and the first Amazon Prime Day 2020 deal is already available. For more details, check our What to Expect for Amazon Prime Day 2020 article.

Deals for September 29

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Eric Song is IGN’s deal curator and spends roughly 1/4 of his income on stuff he posts. Check out his latest Daily Deals Article and subscribe to his IGN Deals Newsletter.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Trailer Debuts New YouTube Accessibility Tools

The new trailer for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla introduces some new story hooks and finally ties the story to the Assassins, but the trailer is also notable for its accessibility options. That is to say, the trailer itself has a neat new accessibility tool.

As noted by accessibility specialist Ian Hamilton on Twitter, the YouTube version of the trailer features a new option in the Settings menu. Right between the Subtitles and Quality options you can find a new Audio Track option, which lets producers upload audio track variants. In the case of the Valhalla story trailer, that includes an “English Descriptive” option, which includes narration for blind viewers worked in nicely between the bits of dialogue.

It’s a cool feature you can sample below. In a recent interview with GameSpot, advocate Steve Saylor (aka the Blind Gamer) noted Ubisoft as a company that is especially forward-thinking about accessibility, having invited content creators with accessibility needs to the preview for Immortals: Fenyx Rising.

The trailer also sets the tone with some picturesque settings, like the kingdoms of King Alfred of Wessex and the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is coming to PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S on November 10. Then the PS5 version comes shortly after, launching alongside the console on November 12. Ubisoft is offering free upgrades on both platforms, with the Xbox versions using Microsoft’s Smart Delivery system.

GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.

How to Watch the 2020 Presidential Debate Online

Three debates will happen ahead of the 2020 U.S. presidential election between Democratic nominee Joe Biden and President Donald Trump. And for those who have already cut the cable cord but still want to watch, there are several ways to watch via your home consoles and streaming boxes. Here’s everything you need to know to watch tonight’s presidential debate, as well as when to expect the rest.

What Time Does the First 2020 Presidential Debate Start?

The first presidential debate between candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump starts at 6 pm PT and 9 pm ET on September 29. The debate will be 90 minutes long and have no commercial breaks.

How to Watch the 2020 Presidential Debates

While the presidential debate will air on cable television, there’s also the option to watch it on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube as it will be streamed live by various outlets through their official channels. We recommend tuning in via YouTube since it’s the most widely available option. There’s the website or the app which you can usually get on your mobile phone, tablet, and Smart TV. People with PS4, Xbox One, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV can also watch the debates via the YouTube app. CNN, Bloomberg, and some of the news channels below have their own apps from which they will stream the debates, so you may want to check if that option is available on your preferred platform. Here are the channels streaming the debates online:

Who Will be Moderating the First Presidential Debate and What Are the Topics?

Fox News anchor Chris Wallace will be moderating the presidential debate on September 29, and the topics the two candidates will be covering include:

  • The Trump and Biden Records
  • The Supreme Court
  • Covid-19
  • The Economy
  • Race and Violence in our Cities
  • The Integrity of the Election

What Are the Dates For the Other 2020 Presidential Debates?

There are three presidential debates in 2020. Following the airing of the first one, the other two are scheduled to broadcast live at 6 pm PT and 9 pm ET on the following dates:

  • September 29
  • October 15
  • October 22

Kamala Harris and Mike Pence will also have a Vice Presidential debate on October 7.

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Tabletop Gift Guide 2020: Best Gifts For Board Game Lovers

There’s nothing quite like sitting at a table with friends or family to play a new board game, and these days, there are so many fantastic board games out there that offer complex and interesting gameplay to engross you. Gone are the days when Monopoly and Scrabble were the main options; now, we’ve got huge legacy games like Gloomhaven and Pandemic that span multiple sessions, asymmetrical war games like Root that require mastery of multiple factions, and Kickstarter campaigns that spawn truly unique tabletop experiences like Fog of Love, a romantic comedy in board game form. Tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and collectible card games like Magic: The Gathering are still massively popular as well, with new books, card sets, and other products released regularly.

If you’re shopping for a board game fan this holiday season, you might not know where to start when it comes to modern tabletop gaming, but fortunately, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of the best board games, card games, and accessories to gift to someone who can’t get enough of tabletop gaming. Most of these games feature in our guide to the best board games we’ve played, so give that a look for more info on specific games.

Borat 2 Will Debut on Amazon Prime Before US Presidential Election Day

Borat 2, or as it’s now officially known, Borat: Gift of Pornographic Monkey to Vice Premiere Mikhael Pence to Make Benefit Recently Diminished Nation of Kazakhstan, will be debuting on Amazon Prime prior to this year’s US Presidential Election Day.

According to Deadline, Amazon Studios has acquired worldwide distribution rights to the upcoming sequel.

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Arriving seemingly out of nowhere, Borat 2 was one of the first films to shoot during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak earlier this year. As filming restrictions were being lifted, Cohen returned with a skeleton crew to finish shooting.

While fans spotted the titular character driving around parts of Los Angeles recently, the crew actually travelled internationally to film specific portions. As with the first movie, some places were more dangerous than others.

Cohen even “risked his life multiple times to shoot the scenes in this film” even going so far as wearing a bulletproof vest on a couple occasions due to some of the film’s locations.

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Now, after months of filming undercover and remaining silent about the upcoming film, Cohen is ready to debut his first-ever theatrical sequel to the world just in time for the US Presidential Elections on November 3rd.

Since movie theaters are either still closed or severely limiting moviegoer capacity, Cohen felt the best option was to release the film digitally for as many people as possible and thus struck a deal with Amazon Studios to allow the tech giant to distribute the film on Prime Video.

No official release date has been given at this time, but with just over a month to go until Election Day we can expect some more classic Borat antics very soon. High five!

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Matthew Adler is a Features, News, Previews, and Reviews writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.

 

Adult Swim “Permanently Retired” Episodes of Boondocks and Aqua Teen Because of Racial Content

Adult Swim has “permanently retired” an episode of The Boondocks and an episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force as well as “temporarily rested” an episode of The Shivering Truth. The episodes are not currently available on either the Adult Swim website or HBO Max due to “cultural insensitivities.”

When HBO Max, which also hosts Adult Swim content, launched in May 2020, it didn’t take fans long to realize that episodes were missing. The Adult Swim Reddit page has a user pointing out on HBO Max’s launch date that episodes of The Boondocks that were once banned are on the service, except for season 3, episode 4 “The Story of Jimmy Rebel.” The Aqua Teen Reddit page has a user complaining back in June about the lack of season 6, episode 2 “Shake Like Me.” The Aqua Teen episode was reportedly reinstated back in August, according to another Reddit user, but is currently not available.

A representative for HBO Max told The Daily Beast in an article published on Tuesday that “neither of those episodes are part of our streaming deals.” Variety reports that the “Shake Like Me” episode was uploaded “due to a software error and was promptly removed.”

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Adult Swim takes the blame and says that the removed episodes don’t line up with their current “policies.”

“When Adult Swim transitions series to a new platform, we determine what episodes are selected through creative and cultural filters and our standards and practices policies,” the Adult Swim representative told The Daily Beast. “Oftentimes these decisions are made in collaboration with the show’s creators.” The Aqua Teen and Boondocks episodes are now “permanently retired due to cultural sensitivities.” For example, the episode of The Boondocks that was retired features the character Uncle Ruckus partnering with a racist country singer.

The Daily Beast contacted the creator of The Boondocks, Aaron McGruder, but a representative for him declined to comment. McGruder recently signed up for a two-season revival of The Boondocks that will air exclusively on HBO Max.

HBO Max and the Adult Swim website has incorrectly labeled The Boondocks season 3 to hide the missing episode. Episode 5 is now listed as episode 4, episode 6 is now listed as episode 5, etc. HBO Max has all of Aqua Teen’s episodes listed correctly, and South Park, which has episodes missing from HBO Max because of potential terrorist threats, also has their episodes listed correctly.

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The Adult Swim series The Shivering Truth has also had an episode removed from the Adult Swim website. The Daily Beast says the episode that was removed featured “a pregnant woman who gives birth to a police officer, who is then called a ‘dirty pig.'” Adult Swim told The Daily Beast that that episode will “be returning to the site and included when the series debuts on HBO Max.” They did not specify when that will be.

HBO Max and Adult Swim are both owned by WarnerMedia, which previously received praise for how they handled controversial content by not editing or hiding it. WarnerMedia reissued a Tom and Jerry Blu-ray as recently as March 2020 that comes with an unskippable, 45-second content warning that plays before the main menu about the racism in the cartoons and how editing them “would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed.”

Two months after that Tom and Jerry Blu-ray came out and the murder of George Floyd has sparked a new policy in Hollywood regarding controversial content. An episode of The Office had blackface content edited out and the Dungeons and Dragons episode of Community was removed altogether. Other TV shows such as 30 Rock, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Scrubs have also had episodes removed due to blackface. Disney also announced plans to remodel the Splash Mountain ride at their theme parks after petitions from some Disney fans showed up online.

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Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN.

Gearbox Shares New Gorgeous Godfall PS5 Cinematic Trailer

As Godfall‘s November 12 launch date for PlayStation 5 inches closer, publisher Gearbox Software shared a new cinematic trailer for the game filled with betrayal and disillusionment.

The cinematic trailer, embedded below, features a monologue by some gruff-voiced warrior named Orin. It seems Orin and some former comrade-in-arms, Macros, ended up turning on each other in an effort to end some unnamed war. It ends with a grand face-off between Macros and Orin in some cathedral tower, with Macros coming out the victor after tossing Orin off the cliff face.

During the climactic fight, Macros and Orin swap between a variety of weapons. An August 2020 PS5 gameplay overview revealed that there are five weapon-types in total: Longswords, Dual Blades, Polearms, two-handed Warhammers, and two-handed Greatswords.

Godfall, which Gearbox is calling a “looter-slasher,” will drop on PlayStation 5 as a launch title for $70. Check out our Godfall preorder guide to learn about the bonuses you get for buying early.

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