Month: April 2021

Oculus Quest Adds Subscription Options For Fitness, Meditation, And Music Apps

Oculus Quest is getting subscription options in several of its popular apps, giving active users more content across fitness, workplace, music, and meditation programs. The system is not one-size-fits-all, offering additional content in certain apps while being required to use others. However, anything you already purchased from an existing app will still be available, no matter what.

“With app subscriptions, some of your favorite developers will be able to seamlessly deliver new, exciting content, tools, and features to subscribers,” Facebook said in a blog post. “App subscriptions will give you access to exclusive content from some of your favorite titles.”

FitXR, previously known as BoxVR
FitXR, previously known as BoxVR

Thus far, the following apps are supported:

  • FitXR (formerly BoxVR)
  • Rec room
  • Tribe XR
  • vSpatial
  • VZfit
  • TRIPP

FitXR has existed in a few different forms for years, and the subscription service option will give you access to a different class every day. You’ll also get multiplayer workout access, and there is a free week trial to see if you like it. Those who own the game have this trial extended to 90 days. Interestingly, the app itself is a free download now and the paid version is gone, so those who didn’t buy it already have to get a subscription.

Rec Room Plus, meanwhile, is a premium service that gives you access to $10 in tokens per month along with new items and an exclusive section of the game’s store. All content already in the game will remain free. The membership costs $8 per month, so those who were already buying items could actually be spending less via a subscription.

It extends to workplace management, as well, such as the vSpatial app. With a subscription, you can have 15-person meetings, virtual cameras and microphones, and WAN remote connection, while other content remains free.

It seems like this could be a contentious decision, depending on how developers implement it. Several comments on FitXR’s page express concern with the plan, particularly how it now handles DLC.

Pat McAfee Joins WWE Smackdown Live Announce Team

Friday morning, WWE announced that Pat McAfee will debut as the new commentator on Smackdown, joining Michael Cole at ringside. This comes after Corey Graves moved to Raw, to join Byron Saxton and new commentator, MLB and NHL announcing veteran Adnan Virk, on that show’s new announce team.

Previously, ring veteran Samoa Joe was a member of the Raw commentary team but was recently released, along with other WWE superstars. Tom Phillips will head to being the backstage voice of 205 Live as well as continue to be senior manager of on-air talent. In addition, Phillips will oversee special projects for WWE’s programming on Peacock and at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando.

McAfee dropped the news with a huge social media announcement to WWE fans.

“For as long as I can remember WWE has been a company that I have admired, both for its incredible staying power of creating riveting entertainment and for its ability to connect people all over the globe,” McAfee said. “I’ve been fortunate to try a lot of cool professions but working for WWE was the one I looked forward to most.”

He also stated how “incredibly honored and grateful for the chance to give back to the business” he now has. McAfee said he’s excited to sit “at the same table that legends have graced” and he’s ready to get to work.

With a resume that includes being a popular stand-up comedian and former All-Pro punter for the Indianapolis Colts, McAfee is also the host of The Pat McAfee Show, which is simulcast both on YouTube and on Sirius XM Channel 82 Mad Dog Sports Radio. Additionally, McAfee hasn’t shied away from getting into altercations with WWE performers. Last year he was involved in a feud with NXT Champion, Adam Cole.

Apple TV+’s Mythic Quest Returns In Special Episode Featuring Anthony Hopkins

After a sweet and somber season one finale, Apple TV+’s Mythic Quest is back with a special episode featuring Anthony Hopkins and an unusual-looking team building exercise. The episode, titled “Everlight,” comes three weeks ahead of the show’s season two premiere on Monday 7, and wraps up the current quarantine arc established in the season one special. According to executive producer Rob McElhenney, “Everlight” seeks to address “the practical and emotional difficulties of returning to normalcy.”

Written by Ashly Burch (who also plays game tester Rachel in the show), “Everlight” picks up several months after season one ends and follows the developers behind fictional MMO Mythic Quest as they return to the studio after a long and stressful period of working from home. In order to unify the team following their separation, creative director Ian Grimm (McElhenney) plans a day of live-action role-playing for the staff in the shape of an annual holiday called “Everlight.” However, in classic Mythic Quest fashion, Ian and his now-fellow co-creative director, Poppy Li (Charlotte Nicado), have very different ideas as to what the celebration is about and hijinks ensue.

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Despite airing ahead of Mythic Quest’s sophomore season, “Everlight” was shot towards the middle of season two’s production in an effort to adhere to guidelines established to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, this wasn’t completely effective, and McElhenney admitted transmissions did occur on set, adding a very unfortunate weight and authenticity to the show’s quarantine arc.

For those unfamiliar with Mythic Quest, which first came to Apple TV+ February 2020, the half-hour comedy show follows a game studio as they struggle with the press, bugs, and each other. Written and produced by several of the folks from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia–and co-starring Dany Pudi of Community–it feels a lot like a strange combination of both, and it works. The entire first season, as well as “Everlight,” are available to stream on Apple TV+ now.

GTA Online Lives The High Life In Latest Weekly Update

This week’s GTA Online update has gone live, and for anyone looking to celebrate 4/20 Day before it goes up in smoke, there’ll be plenty of worthwhile rewards. Green clothing, an SUV that will make nearly everyone jealous, and automobile wrestling were all detailed in the latest blog post from Rockstar Games, which you can read the highlights of below.

Triple Rewards On Classic Sumo Modes

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If you’re interested in taking part in the ancient Japanese sport of wrestling but with cars instead, then this week’s Sumo event will be well worth venturing into the ring for. Just like the real sport, you’ll need to stay in the ring, using either pure horsepower from a heavy-duty vehicle or a more nimble strategy with a sleek and sporty car to take control of the zone.

Survive and you’ll earn triple the usual cash and respect points in Sumo and Sumo Remix until April 21.

Double Rewards On Biker Business Sales

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The market is blazing right now with contraband sales, and any completed biker sales in this joint will see a double cash and reward points payout.

Double Rewards On RC Bandito Races

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More double rewards can be had with RC races over the next week, leaving you free to drive like a maniac without having to worry about injuring yourself in the process. Weekly time trials–including the RC time trial–will also pay out double for the next seven days.

4/20 Day Gifts And Bonuses

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To celebrate the cloudiest and hippest day of the year, visit Ammu-Nation to collect the rare High Flyer parachute bag. Binco, Ponsonby’s, or Suburban shops will hand out the Green Space Horror Suit for free, and you can grab free green tire smoke on the house from LS Customs. Anyone who logs into GTA Online this week also gets the Fake Vapid T-shirt and the black Rockstar camo shirt for gratis, but you only have until April 20 to claim them.

Visiting Cayo Perico will net you double the cash payout as well for any weed smuggled in your loot bag. A free Vaper’s Den T-shirt and Dark X-Ray Emissive mask can also be grabbed for free until April 21.

On The Podium This Week: Albany V-STR

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Pay a visit to the lobby of The Diamond Casino & Resort and you could stand a chance to win the Albany V-STR, a luxury sedan that only the rich and famous can normally afford. If you fail to win that coveted prize, you still stand a chance to claim to walk away with cash, reputation points, clothing, mystery prizes, and more this week.

Discounts

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  • Progen PR4 racing car – 40% discount
  • Ocelot R88 racing car – 40% discount
  • Karin Kurama armored vehicle – 50% discount
  • Grotti Brioso vehicle – 30% discount
  • RC Bandito – 40% discount
  • Invade and persuade tank – 40% discount

Prime Gaming Bonuses And Benefits

Prime Gaming members will receive The Kosatka submarine’s Sonar Station for free, $200,000 in GTA cash, 80% off both the classic Grotti GT500 sportscar and Pfister Comet Safari off-roader, and can save 70% off the price of the Pegassi Zorrusso.

Now Playing: Grand Theft Auto 5 PS5 Trailer | Sony PS5 Reveal Event

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Game Of Thrones Prequel House Of The Dragon Adds Fabien Frankel To New Cast

British actor Fabien Frankel (The Serpent, NYPD Blue) has joined the cast of House of the Dragon, the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel series, according to Deadline. Frankel will play Ser Criston Cole, a “common-born son of the steward to the Lord of Blackhaven… all he has to his name is his honor and his preternatural skill with a sword.”

Frankel is part of a cast that includes Doctor Who actor Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, and Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. It’s been rumored that the series will have five lead characters, so it’s possible these actors will fill those roles.

House of the Dragon is co-created by author George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal (Colony, Rampage). Miguel Sapochnik (Trainspotting, Game of Thrones) will serve as showrunner along with Condal. Joining them as a writer and executive producer will be Sara Lee Hess (Orange is the New Black, Deadwood).

Check out our rundown of everything we know so far about House of the Dragon. Greenlit in 2019, the show’s first 10-episode season is set three centuries before the events of the Game of Thrones series, which means most fan-favorite characters won’t be making an appearance. As of this writing, it’s unclear whether this will be a limited-run event or something the creators hope will go for multiple seasons. HBO is also currently exploring the possibility of three other spinoffs.

IO Interactive Opens New Studio In Barcelona To Assist With Project 007 Development

IO Interactive, the developer behind Hitman 3, has just announced the opening of a new studio in Barcelona. This new studio, creatively named IOI Barcelona, is one part of its “ambitious and exciting plans for expansion over the coming years” according to a post on the developer’s site.

IOI Barcelona will be joining IO Interactive’s two other studios, IOI Copenhagen and IOI Malmö. It will assist these other studios in supporting Hitman 3, which already has extra content on the way. The game’s first DLC collection, Seven Deadly Sins, is now available, and its roadmap for April is packed with more new content.

Two other projects will also be tackled by IO Interactive’s new Barcelona studio. IOI Barcelona will be joining the developer’s two other studios in working on both Project 007, IO Interactive’s James Bond title, as well as another unannounced new intellectual property.

IOI Barcelona’s role in the development of these new projects will be more than simple support. According to the announcement post on IO Interactive’s site, all of the developer’s studios are “treated as Elite studios and will each make a significant impact to ongoing development and publishing efforts across all projects.”

In his own statement, IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak welcomed the team working at IOI Barcelona. “All three of our studios have extremely talented developers who are passionate and driven towards making an impact in our industry,” Abrak said. “A core part of our philosophy is that everyone at IOI has a significant and impactful role to play in realizing our dreams, regardless of where they’re located. Think of it as one studio, in multiple locations.”

A core team has already set up shop at IOI Barcelona, but the developer has a long list of vacancies at the studio that need to be filled. These open positions range from programming to animation, with developers needed for every project IO Interactive is currently working on.

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PS5 Breaks Another Huge US Sales Record

In its first five months on the market, The PlayStation 5 has become the fastest-selling console in U.S. history in both unit and dollar sales.

As revealed by The NPD Group’s Mat Piscatella, this news arrives one month after the PS5 became the fastest-selling console in U.S. history in dollar sales.

Despite that new record, the Nintendo Switch has continued its reign as the best selling hardware platform in both units and dollars during March 2021. However, the PS5 did rank first in hardware dollar sales in Q1 2021.

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March video game hardware dollar sales as a whole were 47% higher than they were in March 2020, and set a March record of $680 million. Year-to-date hardware spending has totaled $1.4 billion, which is also an increase of 81% year-over-year.

As for games, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War returned to the top spot in March 2021, while also securing the best-selling title of both the first quarter and 12-month period ending March 2021.

Nintendo Switch-exclusive Monster Hunter Rise claimed the number two spot and has become the second-best selling Monster Hunter game in terms of dollar sales, only trailing Monster Hunter: World.

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Outriders rounded out the top three, and also claimed the number three spot on both Xbox and PlayStation platforms.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe came in at number six, and has also become the best-selling racing game in U.S. history. Speaking of Mario, Super Mario 3D All-Stars rose from 16th to 9th place from last month, with sales surely increased due to the infamous “Day Mario Dies.”

Lastly, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time’s Switch release accounted for the game’s rise from 65th place in February to 15th in March.

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The full list of March 2021’s top 20 best-selling games is as follows;

March 2021’s Best-Selling Games

  1. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
  2. Monster Hunter Rise
  3. Outriders
  4. Super Mario 3D World
  5. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
  6. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
  7. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
  8. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
  9. Super Mario 3D All-Stars
  10. Minecraft
  11. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
  12. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  13. Pokemon Sword & Shield
  14. Mortal Kombat 11
  15. Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
  16. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  17. Madden NFL 21
  18. NBA 2K21
  19. Super Mario Party
  20. FIFA 21

March 2021 consumer spending across video game hardware, content, and accessories reached a March record of $5.6 billion, 18% higher when compared to March 2020.

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All of these hardware sales records are impressive considering the fact that supply of these next-gen consoles are still lower than demand, in part due to global semiconductor shortages. Furthermore, although there are rumors of a “Switch Pro,” the Switch shows no sign of stopping its successful sales streak.

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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Outriders Soars Up Sales Charts Despite Launching On Xbox Game Pass

The NPD Group has released its monthly video US game sales report for March 2021, and they seem to further confirm that a game’s inclusion on Xbox Game Pass does not doom its sales. Outriders, a surprise hit that launched day-and-date on the service, still managed to put up impressive numbers on Xbox.

Outriders managed to take the third spot on the Xbox top-sellers list for March 2021, trailing only Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. This put it above other huge games like Madden NFL 21 and Forza Horizon 4, both of which are also available on Xbox Game Pass. The game actually came out on April 1, but the sales data extended to April 3, meaning it did this in just a few days.

But Outriders also managed to take the third spot on the PlayStation charts, only trailing Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Spider-Man: Miles Morales while actually beating Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Outriders was third on the all-platform charts, as well, and because many of the games on that list are from last year, it’s likely to climb even higher.

Given the franchise’s huge popularity, it shouldn’t be a big surprise that Monster Hunter Rise took the top spot for the Nintendo Switch March 2021 chart, and it’s the only game Nintendo didn’t publish on the list at all. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, Mario Kart 8, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Super Mario 3D All-Stars rounded out the top five. This might be the last time we see 3D All-Stars on the list, as sales were ended on March 31, but retailers still have the game in stock in some areas.

As far as hardware is concerned, the PS5 continues its record-setting pace. Through five months, it’s the fastest-selling console in US history, both in terms of dollar and unit sales. This is despite its limited availability, which many continue through the year due to semiconductor shortages. The Switch was actually the best-selling console of March, however, and hardware sales overall were up by about 47% compared to a year ago, which was early in the pandemic.

March 2021 Best-Sellers For All Platforms In The US

  1. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
  2. Monster Hunter Rise
  3. Outriders
  4. Super Mario 3D World*
  5. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
  6. Mario Kart 8
  7. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
  8. Animal Crossing: New Horizons*
  9. Super Mario 3D All-Stars*
  10. Minecraft
  11. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
  12. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*
  13. Pokemon Sword and Shield*
  14. Mortal Kombat 11
  15. Crash Bandicoot 4
  16. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  17. Madden NFL 21
  18. NBA 2K21
  19. Super Mario Party
  20. FIFA 21

*Digital sales not included

March 2021 Nintendo Sales

  1. Monster Hunter Rise
  2. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
  3. Mario Kart 8
  4. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
  5. Super Mario 3D All-Stars
  6. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  7. Pokemon Sword and Shield
  8. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  9. Super Mario Party
  10. Luigi’s Mansion 3

Digital sales not included

March 2021 PlayStation Sales

  1. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
  2. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
  3. Outriders
  4. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
  5. Madden NFL 21
  6. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
  7. Minecraft
  8. Ghost of Tsushima
  9. NBA 2K21*
  10. Mortal Kombat 11

*Digital sales not included

March 2021 Xbox Sales

  1. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
  2. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
  3. Outriders
  4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
  5. Mortal Kombat 11
  6. Madden NFL 21
  7. Forza Horizon 4
  8. It Takes Two
  9. Marvel’s Avengers
  10. Watch Dogs: Legion

Now Playing: Outriders Video Review

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Predator Writers Are Suing Over Franchise Copyright, But Disney Are Putting Up A Fight

The writers of the classic 1987 sci-fi action movie Predator are suing Disney over its rights. Jim and John Thomas claim that Disney’s hold on the series is about to lapse, but the studio is unwilling to relinquish the rights.

US copyright law allows for authors to cancel the ownership of their work by previous rights holders and reclaim the copyright after a 35-year period. According The Hollywood Reporter, the Thomas brothers state that their original Predator script–originally titled Hunters–reverts back to them on April 17.

In addition, Thomas brothers state that they served Disney notice that they planned to take back the rights in 2016, but heard nothing from the studio until January this year. The brothers have sued, with copyright lawyer Marc Toberoff representing.

Disney’s 20th Century division have now countersued, arguing that Thomas’s claim on the copyright have not met “statutory requirements” and that their attempts to regain it are “premature,” given the studio is now developing more Predator projects. One of 20th Century’s lawyers is Daniel Petrocelli, who previously battled Toberoff in court over the rights to Superman, in a case which stretched for an entire decade.

20th Century’s complaint reads, “20th Century seeks a declaration pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2201 that defendants’ notices of termination are invalid. This action is necessary because defendants are improperly attempting to prematurely terminate 20th Century’s rights to the Hunters Screenplay, at the very time that 20th Century is investing substantial time, money, and effort in developing another installment in its successful Predator franchise.”

The 35-year copyright provision means that a variety of high-profile ’80s properties could be affected. In 2017, it was reported that Stephen King had served notice to regain the rights to several of his books, including Dead Zone, Cujo, Children of the Corn, and Firestarter. In addition, Friday the 13th writer Victor Miller’s attempts to claim the copyright on the hit slasher movie has led to a lengthy lawsuit with producer/director Sean S. Cunningham.

As for Predator, in November last year it was reported that 10 Cloverfield Lane director Dan Trachtenberg was developing a fifth movie. The most recent film was Shane Black’s 2018 The Predator, which was a commercial disappointment.

Now Playing: History Of The Predator