Month: October 2020

Fortnite Is Boosting The Framerate To 90FPS On Some Samsung Devices

If you’re playing Fortnite on a recent Samsung tablet, you could soon find that the game is a much more fluid experience. From October 13, the Tab S7 and Tab S7+ will be able to run Fortnite at a boosted framerate, reaching up to 90FPS.

This feature, which was previously exclusive to OnePlus devices, means that these phones will have the smoothest possible version of Fortnite. Of course, due to a current legal battle, Fortnite currently isn’t available to download or update on many mobile devices–but Tab S7 owners can still jump in with players across PC and consoles.

Fortnite has previously been playable at 60FPS on mobile devices.

The Samsung Galaxy Store is currently the only mobile store that you can download Fortnite through. The Tab S7 and S7+ are Samsung’s newest Tab devices, sporting a 120Hz screen and a powerful mobile chipset.

Fortnite is also coming to Series X and PS5, where it will also likely get an FPS boost. The game is currently in the middle of its Marvel-themed Nexus Wars season, and from October 14 you’ll be able to unlock a Daredevil costume.

Now Playing: Fortnite PS5 Reveal Trailer | PS5 Showcase

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New To Netflix This Week: Blackpink Documentary And New Season Of Kipo

The year is coming to a close, and while you may want to spend all of October watching the spookiest movies around–because of Halloween–there is plenty of much more light-hearted content coming to Netflix this month. In the upcoming week, there is a wide variety of different things for you to check out.

Kicking off the week is Season 3 of Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts. This is sadly the final season of the Netflix show, but it’s going out with a bang. “After dethroning Scarlemagne, Kipo and the Brunch Bunch face a more daunting foe: Dr. Emilia, who plots to eliminate mutekind to make the surface ‘safe’ for humans,” reads the official description. “But Kipo has an optimistic vision of a world where mutes and humans get along with each other. To achieve that dream, she must lean on her friends and rise to a role she may not be ready for.” The final season of Kipo arrives on Monday, October 12.

You’re probably at least somewhat familiar with the world of K-Pop. Whether you were one of the millions of people who listened to Psy’s “Gangam Style” on repeat, someone who spends way too much time discussing BTS, or just wondering where CL got all those boom boxes, K-Pop has become a part of the global mainstream. On Wendesday, October 14 , the documentary Blackpink: Light Up the Sky arrives, following one of the biggest all-female groups to come out of K-Pop. Whether or not you are familiar with them, this documentary will give you a better understanding of what it takes to reach the level of stardom. Check out the trailer for Light Up the Sky above.

Also arriving this week is Social Distance–one of the many 2020 productions that was filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic–which is about the world we currently live in. If you’re looking for something outside of Netflix original content, the Brad Pitt movie Moneyball arrives on Wednesday, which is about baseball and statistics. That sounds fun, right?

Below, you’ll find everything coming to Netflix this week.

New to Netflix this week:

October 12

  • Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts: Season 3

October 13

  • The Cabin With Bert Kreisher

October 14

  • Blackpink: Light of the Sky
  • Moneyball

October 15

  • Social Distance
  • A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting
  • Half & Half: Seasons 1-4
  • One on One: Seasons 1-5

October 16

  • La Revolution
  • Grand Army
  • The Last Kids on Earth: Book 3
  • Dream Home Makeover
  • The Trial of the Chicago 7

Fall Guys Sonic The Hedgehog Skin Available This Week

With Season 2 underway, a new skin is headed to Fall Guys on Wednesday, October 14 for PC and PlayStation 4. That’s right, your little bean person can soon dress up as Sonic the Hedgehog.

The Sonic the Hedgehog skin hits the in-game Fall Guys store this week, with each part costing five crowns to purchase. In other words, you need 10 crowns to dress like the Blue Bur.

Gotta fall fast in Fall Guys.
Gotta fall fast in Fall Guys.

The entire set consists of a top modeled after Sonic’s iconic blue hair and blue bottoms to match, replete with his traditional red running shoes.

Maybe Fall Guys will run faster now.
Maybe Fall Guys will run faster now.

Developer Mediatonic unveiled the skin during a livestream with Sega. The broadcast celebrated Sega’s 60th anniversary, where the company kicked off a Steam sale with tons of games from the publisher’s catalog–like Bayonetta and Yakuza Kiwami 2–at steep discounts.

The Sonic skin isn’t the only new addition made to Fall Guys with the start of Season 2. Mediatonic added an axe-filled stage called Knight Fever to test players under deadly threats. The studio also dropped team games in a new playlist for those who can’t stand cooperation.

Now Playing: Fall Guys Season 2 Trailer | Gamescom 2020

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His Dark Materials Season 2 Gets Release Date

HBO has announced that Season 2 of His Dark Materials will debut on November 16. The show is based on the Philip Pullman trilogy of fantasy novels comprising Northern Lights (known as The Golden Compass in the US), The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. You can check out the recently released trailer for the upcoming season down below.

According to a release, the second season “begins after Lord Asriel has opened a bridge to a new world, and, distraught over the death of her best friend, Lyra follows Asriel into the unknown.” Further along in their journeys “in a strange and mysterious city [they] meet Will, a boy from our world who is also running from a troubled past. Lyra and Will learn their destinies are tied to reuniting Will with his father but find their path is constantly thwarted as a war begins to brew around them. Meanwhile, Mrs. Coulter searches for Lyra, determined to bring her home by any means necessary.”

Season 2 series regulars include Dafne Keen, Ruth Wilson, Amir Wilson, Ariyon Bakare, Andrew Scott, Will Keen, Ruta Gedmintas, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Joining the cast this season are Terence Stamp, Jade Anouka, and Simone Kirby.

Like Season 1, this upcoming season was written by Jack Thorne, who wrote Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. He also was attached to rewrite Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker before being replaced.

If you missed the first season on HBO last year and are wondering whether to start by reading the books or watching the adaptation first, you can read our rundown of how the two differ here. His Dark Materials was also adapted previously in 2007 for the Daniel Craig movie The Golden Compass, and also a video game of the same name.

Retro Console Maker Analogue Teases Announcement For October 16

Retro gamers of the world have long praised the output of Analogue, a retro gaming company that specializes in crafting FPGA-based versions of classic consoles like the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. In a tweet, the company teased a major announcement for October 16, leading fans to speculate about what they might unveil.

Several observers pounced on the use of the squared exponent in the tweet, which they interpreted as a possible hint. One reply noted that the Nintendo 64 used a superscript in its logo. Another speculated that the “2” may refer to the TurboDuo, which used a superscript two in marketing materials. The TurboDuo is a version of the NEC PC Engine–a niche console popular with collectors– which is better-known as the TurboGrafx in North America.

Given that Analogue tends to focus on the 2D side of gaming–as well as the fact that there does not appear to exist a FPGA core for the N64, which is the technology that powers most of Analogue’s consoles–the smart money is on some version of the PC Engine being announced on Friday. Hudson Soft released an official TurboGrafx-16 Mini back in May 2020, which included 57 total games, including well-known titles like Bonk’s Adventure and Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. Sadly, Johnny Turbo could not be reached for comment.

Now Playing: Analogue Super Nt Video Review

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Pokemon Go Team Rocket Event Now Live, Adds Red Eggs, New Shadow Pokemon, And More

A surprise new event has begun in Pokemon Go. From now through October 19, you’ll earn new “strange eggs” when you defeat Team Go Rocket leaders in battle. Not only that, but you’ll also have a chance to catch new kinds of Shadow Pokemon, including Shiny versions.

As developer Niantic previously teased, the aforementioned strange eggs feature red polka dots. What sets them apart from other eggs is that they’ll hatch into certain Poison- and Dark-type Pokemon, such as Larvitar, Scraggy, Trubbish, and Vullaby. The eggs also require much more time to hatch; you’ll need to walk 12 km to hatch a strange egg, although hatch distance will be cut down by a quarter for any egg that you place in an Incubator during the event.

As previously mentioned, you’ll receive a strange egg when you defeat one of Team Go Rocket’s three leaders: Cliff, Arlo, or Sierra. You’ll still be able to receive these eggs even after the new event ends, but the Rocket leaders will be appearing much more frequently until October 19, making this your best chance to get them. On top of that, the following Pokemon will appear in the wild more frequently during the event:

  • Spinarak
  • Houndour
  • Poochyena
  • Gulpin
  • Stunky
  • Purrloin

Team Go Rocket grunts have a few new Shadow Pokemon at their command as well. You’ll now have a chance to battle and rescue Shadow versions of Diglett, Shellder, Slowpoke, Aerodactyl, and Skarmory, while Go Rocket leaders will be using Shadow Growlithe, Drowzee, and Omanyte. Niantic teases that you’ll have a chance to rescue Shiny versions of these Shadow Pokemon during the event. Team Rocket head honcho Giovanni will make an appearance as well, and if you can defeat him, you’ll be able to rescue Shadow Mewtwo.

Finally, as part of the event, Niantic has rolled out a new Team Go Rocket Special Research questline. The studio notes that this will be the final Team Rocket Special Research of the year. You can read more details about the event on the official Pokemon Go website.

That’s not all that’s happening in Pokemon Go this week. The Legendary Pokemon Origin Forme Giratina has returned to five-star Raids until October 23. October’s Community Day also takes place this Saturday, October 17. The featured Pokemon this month is Charmander, and you’ll have a chance to get a Charizard that knows the Dragon-type attack Dragon Breath during the event.

Now Playing: Pokemon Sword & Shield DLC, EA Play On Game Pass, & Torchlight 3 Release Date | Save State

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PS5 And Xbox Series X Preorder Bundles Will Be Available Tomorrow

PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S preorders have been sold out since the consoles first appeared on retailers’ websites a few weeks ago, but you’ll have another shot at getting your hands on either console tomorrow, October 13. Online retailer Antonline announced on Twitter it will restock some of its PS5 and Xbox Series X bundles at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET, and unsurprisingly, quantities will be “extremely limited.”

The bundles feature various combinations of either the PS5 (standard or digital) or the Xbox (Series X or S) with other accessories. On the PS5 side, you can buy the standard PS5 console with a bonus DualSense controller and copies of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Ultimate Launch Edition, Demon’s Souls, and Destruction AllStars for $780. Various other combos include PlayStation Plus or the Pulse 3D wireless headset too.

On the Xbox side, you can get the Series X with the Elite Wireless Series 2 controller and a three-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership for $700. If you’re hoping to preorder the Xbox Series S, you can buy it bundled with an extra Xbox wireless controller, a copy of Minecraft Dungeons: Hero Edition, and a three-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership for $410.

For more info on buying the next-gen consoles, check out our PS5 preorder guide and Xbox Series X/S preorder guide. You’ll find a complete list of all the various retailer listings–some stores will even let you sign up for restock notifications. We’ve also rounded up where to buy all of the new PS5 and Xbox accessories for next-gen, so if you manage to get your hands on a new console tomorrow, you’ll be able to pick up a new headset or charging station with it as well.

The restock overlaps with Amazon Prime Day 2020, which also kicks off tomorrow. Though we certainly don’t expect any discounts on the PS5 or Series X, you’ll likely find plenty of deals on compatible games and accessories. Check out our guides to the best PS5 and PS4 deals along with the best Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One deals we expect to see during Prime Day.

Daredevil Is Coming To Fortnite

Fortnite is getting another superhero skin this week. Daredevil, clad in red tights, is coming to the battle royale as a tournament reward on October 14.

“Become the guardian devil…[by] competing in the first cup of the series — the Daredevil Cup — this Wednesday, October 14,” Epic Games wrote on its official blog. “Top teams in each region will earn the Daredevil Outfit early before it hits the Item Shop.”

The top players, depending on what region they play in, will get the Daredevil outfit as a reward. The players who finish within the top 800 in Europe or the top 500 in the Western North American servers, for example, will get the skin. It’ll still be purchasable on the item shop later on.

The Daredevil Cup is the first of four tournaments in the Marvel Knockout Super Series. This is Marvel Knockout, a limited-time mode that pits players in small 2v2 matches. It’s not taking place in the games’ standard battle royale mode. Three more tournaments are coming next month before the final on November 21. Players who participate in all four tournaments will get a special glider.

We’ll likely see more heroes, and more special superhero legendary weapons, in Fortnite as these tournaments take place.

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Lovecraft Country Episode 9: Easter Eggs And References In Rewind 1921

Lovecraft Country Episode 9: Easter Eggs And References In Rewind 1921 – GameSpot

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The ninth episode of Lovecraft Country connects past to present.

The ninth episode of Lovecraft Country connects past to present.

In the past two years, the Tulsa race massacre has attained a high profile in mainstream pop culture. It refers to an incident in 1921, when over the course of two days, white residents burned and looted Tulsa’s Greenwood District, an upper-middle class Black neighborhood popularly known as “Black Wall Street.” Thirty-five city blocks were razed to the ground; anywhere from 150 to 300 people died. That so many people today don’t know about the incident is testament to how history books can distort the truth by omittance.

In 2019, HBO mini-series Watchmen opened with a recreation of the massacre. In February 2020, a dramatic film, Black Wall Street Burning, was released in U.S. theatres. And in October 2020, the ninth episode of Lovecraft Country sent our main characters back in time to Tulsa, on the first night of the riots, to connect with their lost family and save a little girl’s life.

Here are all of the Easter Eggs and references we found in “Rewind 1921,” the ninth episode of HBO’s Lovecraft Country. There’s just one more episode to go. You can read all of our episode reference guides below:

Episode 1: “Sundown”

Episode 2: “Whitey’s on the Moon”

Episode 3: “Holy Ghost”

Episode 4: “A History of Violence”

Episode 5: “Strange Case”

Episode 6: “Meet Me In Daegu”

Episode 7: “I Am”

Episode 8: “Jig-A-Bobo”

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1. Gas

1. Gas

Leti tells Christina that the police officers died as a result of a “gas explosion” outside of her house. We learned from the past episode that it was actually a massive shoggoth who ripped everyone to shreds. However, since the police brass are Sons of Adam, it explains why there hasn’t been any reprisal for the killings; they know that Leti, Tic, and their families are under magical protection.

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2. A Convenient Ally

2. A Convenient Ally

Christina helps the Freeman family, but only to the extent it helps her achieve her goals; she’s more than willing to sacrifice Tic if it helps her to become immortal. This echoes a common 3rd wave feminist stance–most recently alluded to by Bill Burr on the October 10 episode of Saturday Night Live–that white women have benefitted from Black Civil Rights efforts, while often co-opting those efforts as their own. Christina aspires to the privilege afforded to the white men above her, rather than wanting for everyone to have an equal chance.

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3. Robot Arm

3. Robot Arm

The camera spends a lot of time focusing on Dee’s withered left arm. Tic says in Episode 8 that when he traveled to the future, a woman in a hood and a robotic arm gave him the Lovecraft Country book. Could this have been a future version of Dee? It’s certainly possible, given the other overlaps between the past and present in Episode 9.

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4. Dreamland

4. Dreamland

The Dreamland Theatre was a real landmark in the Greenwood district that showed silent films and hosted theatrical performances. It was destroyed during the Tulsa massacre by arson.

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5. Planes

5. Planes

The planes that bombed the downtown area during the massacre are part of the historical record. Multiple eyewitnesses reported seeing planes circling overhead, raining fire down on the buildings below. City officials would later claim that these planes were purely for surveillance. But many critics counter that this explanation is part of an extensive coverup, and proof that the city was complicit in the riots.

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6. Names

6. Names

While the city burns, Montrose gives a eulogy to the victims of the massacre, and he names specific victims. These are real people who perished in the actual riots. Among the people he names: A.C. Jackson, who was considered “the most able Negro surgeon,” according to the Mayo Brothers, at the time of his death.

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7. Orithyia Blue

7. Orithyia Blue

With her new mane of blue hair, Hippolyta more closely resembles the science fiction main character of Dee’s comics, Orithyia Blue. There was a more accurate depiction, complete with a space suit, in Hippolyta’s multiverse adventures in Episode 7. But now she has blue hair in the “real” world. Perhaps she claimed this specific identity while trapped in the multiverse, and is now showing her “true” self.

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8. Fire

8. Fire

The poem that plays over the climactic scene, where Hattie burns to death and Tic beats the rioters with a bat, is “Catch A Fire, written and performed by Civil Rights activist Sonia Sanchez. It discusses a common theme throughout this series–of Black people using ingenuity to transform the tools of their oppression into the tools of their liberation.

The bat sequence has been alluded to several times during the series. During the first episode’s opening, Tic has a dream about Jackie Robinson beating monsters with a baseball bat. It turns out that in the family story Tic heard growing up–about how his mother , George, and Montrose were saved from the Tulsa Massacre by a mysterious man–that he was the mystery man the whole time.

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9. Opera

9. Opera

The requiem used at the very end of the episode was written specifically for this episode, by composer Laura Karpman. The soprano is Janai Brugger, who, due to the ongoing pandemic, recorded her solo in her house in a makeshift studio.

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