Month: April 2021

Pokemon Go Friendship Day Event Set For April 24

Pokemon Go‘s new Friendship Day event is set for Saturday, April 24, developer Niantic has announced. The event runs from 11 AM to 2 PM local time and features increased spawns of Grass-type Pokemon, as well as a new Collection Challenge and various in-game bonuses.

Throughout Friendship Day, Grass Pokemon such as Chikorita, Tangela, Cottonee, Foongus, and others will appear in the wild much more frequently than normal. As previously mentioned, there will be a new Collection Challenge during the event as well. If you can complete the challenge before Friendship Day ends, you’ll earn 100,000 XP.

Niantic will also hold a Friendship Day Global Challenge during the event. This will be comprised of several hourly challenges, and each one you complete will net you 20,000 XP.

Rounding out Friendship Day will be various bonuses. First, any Incense and Lures you use during the event will remain active for three hours. You’ll also earn triple the usual amount of Stardust each time you capture a Pokemon. Finally, Niantic is increasing trading distance to 40 km for the event, and you’ll have a better chance of receiving a Lucky Pokemon from trades. You can read more details about the event on the official Pokemon Go blog.

In the meantime, Pokemon Go’s Rivals’ Week begins on April 13. Throughout that event, Pokemon known for their rivalries such as Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Seviper, Zangoose, and others will appear in the wild more frequently than usual. Niantic is also introducing a handful of new Pokemon as part of the event. The Gen 6 monsters Skrelp and Clauncher will be available for the first time, while Therian Forme Landorus will debut in five-star Raids.

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Cyberpunk 2077 Dev Won’t Abandon The Game, Hopes It Can Sell “For Years To Come”

The head of Cyberpunk 2077 studio CD Projekt Red is optimistic that the studio will be able to improve the game over time to help it continue to sell well for “years to come.” Studio head Adam Kicinski told Reuters that abandoning Cyberpunk 2077 is not an option.

“I don’t see an option to shelve Cyberpunk 2077,” he said. “We are convinced that we can bring the game to such a state that we can be proud of it and therefore successfully sell it for years to come.”

Cyberpunk 2077 released in December and received swift criticism in particular for its PS4/Xbox One versions that had many bugs, oddities, and other issues. The problems were so pronounced that the game was removed from sale on PlayStation Network–and it’s still absent.

The problems with Cyberpunk 2077 sparked bigger changes at CD Projekt Red. Going forward, the company has promised to showcase its future games on all platforms, instead of higher-end ones specifically. Additionally, CD Projekt Red says it will stay quiet for much longer on its new games, instead opting to show them off when they are closer to release.

Despite the issues with Cyberpunk 2077 at launch, the game sold 13 million copies right out of the gate to become one of the most successful RPG launches of all time. CD Projekt Red has released a handful of major updates so far to address the game’s issues, the latest of which, 1.2, contained more than 500 fixes.

While the full picture isn’t clear at the moment, commentary from CDPR management has suggested that the planned standalone Cyberpunk 2077 multiplayer game may no longer happen. Right now, CDPR is focused on fixing Cyberpunk 2077’s issues, and after that, the company plans to release the first of the game’s planned expansions.

Now Playing: Cyberpunk 2077 Review

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DC’s Shazam Sequel Casts Lucy Liu As Villain

Lucy Liu (Kung Fu Panda, Why Women Kill) will play the villainous Kalypso in the upcoming Shazam! Fury of the Gods sequel to 2019’s Shazam!, according to Deadline. Liu joins Zachary Levi, who will reprise the title role, as well as new cast members Rachel Zegler and Helen Mirren, who will play the villain Hespera, a daughter of Atlas and sister to Kalypso.

As the cast begins to fill out, we still have a ways to go until the movie hits theaters on June 2, 2023–which is why we still don’t quite know the movie’s plot. Kalypso and Hespera both didn’t exist in DC comic books, but these characters from Greek mythology–and a few others–have been rumored to be the main villains, with at least one more sister expected to be announced. Although it doesn’t tell us a great deal about what the movie is actually about, we do know a bit through omission–comedian Sinbad will not, despite persistent rumors, be in the movie.

In the meantime, there are plenty of DC movies arriving before 2023. James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad releases in August, with Matt Reeves’ The Batman following in March 2022. Beyond that, The Flash and Aquaman 2 are currently scheduled for November and December 2022, while Dwayne Johnson will make his DC debut in the Shazam spin-off Black Adam, which doesn’t have a release date yet. For more, check out GameSpot’s guide to every upcoming DC movie we know about.

As vaccines continue to roll out and become more widely accessible, plans to journey out to theaters will once again become part of the plan to see new movies. In related news, it was announced that DC’s parent company Warner Bros. has reached a deal with Regal theater owners Cineworld over the exhibition of its movies starting in 2022. Warner films will play exclusively in Regal theaters in the US for 45 days, before then heading to digital platforms.

It was also recently announced that Fox is now “exploring” an Ally McBeal revival series, which may or may not see Liu return to the role that helped make her a household name in the ’90s.

Loki’s Logo Design Teases What the Show Is All About, Says Tom Hiddleston

The strange, multi-font, ever-changing logo for Marvel’s Loki works as a pretty good teaser for what the show is about, according to Loki himself, Tom Hiddleston.

Talking to Empire for the magazine’s June 2021 issue, Hiddleston refused to explain what the show is truly about, but pointed to the “shapeshifting logo” as a good indicator as to the show’s theme.

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“I think that shapeshifting logo might give you an idea that Loki, the show, is about identity, and about integrating the disparate fragments of the many selves that he can be, and perhaps the many selves that we are,” Hiddleston said. “I thought it was very exciting because I’ve always found Loki a very complex construct. Who is this character who can wear so many masks, and changes shape, and seems to change his external feeling on a sixpence?”

He also notes that Loki is the “quintessential shapeshifter” and that this means audiences are never quite sure if the Asgardian trickster god is a hero, villain, or anti-hero.

Loki is due to launch on Disney+ in June, and could well feature Lady Loki. While the first season is yet to air yet, reports suggest Loki season 2 is already in development.

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Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Sonic Colors Remaster Leaked by Voiceover Studio

A remaster of Sonic Colors has been seemingly leaked by a German voiceover studio.

As discovered by Twitter account Gum | Kupo, German voiceover studio iksample had a listing for Sonic Colors Remastered, detailing that the studio worked on localization for the game in December 2020. You can see in the tweet below a screenshot from the listing, although since that posting iksample have removed the page from its website.

Sega has not officially announced a Sonic Colors remaster, and so this appears to be the first indication that the project may be in the works. And, should the project be real, it seems sensible to predict that it may have German localization, considering iksample’s location.

Additionally, French games retailer Sogamely currently features a pre-order page for Sonic Colors Ultimate for PS4. As leaks such as the infamous drop from Walmart ahead of E3 2018 show, retailers can know about unannounced games ahead of time. But retailers can and do get things wrong. As such, it’s worth waiting for any official announcement before assuming a Sonic Colors remaster is definitely in the works.

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Sonic Colors released in 2010 on Wii and Nintendo DS. Our review back then was impressed, calling it the “best Sonic game in 18 years”. If you prefer your blue hedgehog live action, though, then you’ll be pleased to hear about the movie sequel, Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

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Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Best Deals Today: Marvel’s Avengers, Lenovo Gaming Laptop, Segway Scooter, And More

The new week has brought some excellent deals along with it, and some of the very best deals from last week are still available, too. On the games front, Marvel’s Avengers is down to its best price yet at Amazon, Monster Hunter Rise is still available for $10 off, and PlayStation exclusives like The Last of Us Part 2 are on sale for steeply discounted prices. You can also save big on a great Lenovo gaming laptop and take advantage of some notable Best Buy daily deals, including a big discount on a cool Segway scooter. We’ve rounded up the best deals to take advantage of on Monday, and make sure to return tomorrow for more deals.

$25 (was $60)

Marvel’s Avengers is down to the best price we can recall at Amazon. Right now, you can snag a copy for PlayStation or Xbox platforms for only $25. Marvel’s Avengers comes with a free next-gen upgrade and recently received a big update that adds new content. While the live service component of Marvel’s Avengers is underwhelming, the mainline story and combat are solid, which makes this a great price for Marvel fans.

$75

Though it’s not discounted, the Monster Hunter Rise-themed Nintendo Switch Pro controller is worth mentioning here. It’s been going in and out of stock since release and eventually will probably not come back. The cool controller has Rise’s big baddie Magnamalo emblazoned in gold and costs $75. It’s worth noting that your order won’t ship until May 22, so you’ll have to wait a while to play Monster Hunter Rise with your new Pro controller.

$50 (was $60)

The latest major Nintendo Switch exclusive, Monster Hunter Rise, only released a few weeks ago, but you can save $10 on your purchase at eBay. This deal comes with free shipping and a money-back guarantee. We highlighted this deal last week as well and limited stock is available. The action-RPG earned a 9/10 in our Monster Hunter Rise review.

$50 (was $60)

If you’re a fan of traditional JRPGs, you should check out Bravely Default II, which released exclusively on Nintendo Switch earlier this year. Amazon is selling Bravely Default II for $10 off right now. We’ve yet to see the lengthy RPG discounted for less, so this is worth scooping up if you’re looking for a game that you can sink dozens upon dozens of hours into.

$40 (was $60)

Ghost of Tsushima, one of the PS4’s final exclusives, is on sale for $40 at Amazon. Tsushima has a captivating open world and a great combat system. In addition to a great solo campaign, Tsushima has an online multiplayer mode that is surprisingly robust, which gives the Sucker Punch action game some serious legs after the credits roll. Ghost of Tsushima has a free next-gen upgrade to PS5.

$880 (was $1,101)

eBay has an awesome deal on a solid Lenovo gaming laptop right now. The Lenovo Legion 5 is discounted to $880, which is more than $200 off. This deal comes from the reputable seller antonline and features free shipping and returns. The Lenovo Legion 5 has a 15.6-inch 144Hz display, a Ryzen 7-4800H processor, Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD.

$20.49 (was $23)

Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo’s Legendary CEO releases tomorrow, April 13 in hardcover. The book compiles “Iwata Asks” interviews that took place during the last decade of the late CEO’s life. Amazon is selling preorders at a small discount, knocking the price down to $20.49.

$90 (was $150)

Best Buy is offering a steep discount on a great Logitech portable speaker today only. Normally $150, you can get the Logitech Ultimate Ears Boom Portable Speaker for $90. The wireless speaker has a 100-foot range and can run for 15 hours on a full charge. It features 360-degree sound and has a water-resistant design.

$40 (was $60)

Wireless chargers can come in handy, and this particular Anker model also comes with a mount to use while on the go. It’s specifically designed to be used in the car, so this is a great pick for those who have long commutes or travel a lot. Best Buy has marked down the Anker ROAV wireless charger to $40 today only. It works with all Qi-compatible devices and features 10 watts of charging power.

$400 (was $600)

Just in time for the seasonal change, Best Buy is offering a steep discount on this Segway scooter. Regularly $600, you can get the Segway Ninebot S Self-Balancing Scooter for only $400 today only. The Ninebot’s self-balancing design makes it easy for beginners to start riding around hands free. It has a max speed of 10mph and can travel nearly 14 miles between charges.

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Netflix Movie From Adam Sandler Adds Kevin James To Its Cast As NFL Coach

The rumored new Netflix movie Home Team, which hails from Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison production company, has cast one of its leads. Kevin James, a frequent collaborator with Sandler, is apparently going to play New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton in the upcoming football movie.

This news comes from noted NFL insider Peter King. He revealed that the story of Home Team begins in 2012, which was when Payton was suspended for a year due to his involvement in his team’s plan to purposefully injure other players as part of what was called “bountygate.”

During his time away from the NFL, Payton coached his son’s team of sixth graders, and this same story will be featured in the movie. According to King, Payton is involved with the movie, too. He recently read the script and “made some corrections,” according to King.

Netflix has not officially announced Home Team, and there is no word yet on if Sandler will also appear in it or if he will only produce through Happy Madison.

Sandler and James recently worked together on the Netflix movie Hubie Halloween. Sandler has proven to be a huge asset for Netflix, as his films are some of the most popular on the entire platform. In January 2020, Sandler and Netflix reached a deal for four further films.

Sandler doesn’t work with Netflix exclusively. He also starred in the Safdie brothers 2019 movie Uncut Gems, which earned him some of the highest praise in his career.

9 Things We Want From Nintendo at E3 2021

E3 2020 didn’t happen, and Nintendo Direct shows became somewhat nonexistent for the entire year. We received plenty of Partner Showcases, but no regular Nintendo Direct between September 2019 and February 2021. Typically, Nintendo Direct presentations are announced 1-2 days before airing, but with Nintendo returning to E3 in 2021, we have a solid timeframe of when new announcements will come.

There are a few things lingering from previous years we’d like to see return at this year’s show, like the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Metroid Prime 4, and Bayonetta 3. But what about other stuff? ARMS 2? Pikmin 4? N64 and GameCube Online? All that and more is touched on in this video.

If you want to know more about E3’s return in 2021, then check out our show Console Crew, where Lucy James, Tamoor Hussain, and Jordan Ramée discuss the news and if publishers even need E3 in a world where digital events are doing really well: https://youtu.be/xBhuNg2DMJI

9 Things We Want In Zelda: Breath Of The Wild 2: https://youtu.be/wNUjaLb_YPM

Casa Bonita, The Restaurant Featured In South Park, Files For Bankruptcy

Casa Bonita, a popular Colorado landmark elevated to iconic restaurant since being featured in South Park, has filed for Chapter 11 protection according to The Denver Channel. The restaurant had been closed during the pandemic, though reportedly recently announced it would be reopening soon–but those plans are as of this writing now unclear.

The Denver Channel further reports that the documents filed by Casa Bonita did not specify the amount of debt the company owes, though “the filing states that the company’s noncontingent liquated debts are below $7.5 million.” This is also not necessarily an indication that Casa Bonita will close for good, just that it at least needs time to reorganize and strategize over its debts.

South Park co-creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, who have both loved the restaurant since childhood, once considered buying the restaurant. In a 2016 interview, Parker told The Hollywood Reporter: “Four years ago, it came up for sale and we had 10 minutes of like, ‘We should buy it,’ because they do have a few things up there now where they’re like, this is the South Park Casa Bonita. There are people who go to Casa Bonita because of South Park.”

Stone and Parker have not yet provided a comment to this developing news, but are likely aware of the situation–and it might even be the focus of an upcoming Season 24 episode, whenever the season is finally announced. The show recently pulled off a run of two hour-long specials, each standalone and not part of any season, about the pandemic and then about vaccines. This potential shuttering of a local, iconic institution is an up-to-the-minute current event that’d fit right in with the show’s topical nature, and also something all towns everywhere are navigating.

Halo Master Chief Through The Years Video Ends Quite Abruptly

An official video showing off the changing face of Halo’s Master Chief appears to end sooner than intended. That video, titled “Master Chief through the years,” was posted on the official Xbox YouTube channel on April 9, and it prominently features the changes in the iconic hero’s model over the many Halo games he stars in, including the upcoming Halo Infinite.

The video certainly showcases the leaps in technology that the Halo games have taken advantage of over the years, and the difference between Halo 1 and 2 Master Chief models is pretty staggering by itself. That said, the video abruptly ends at the 23-second mark, right around the time that Halo Infinite footage starts to get good. This apparent mistake lead some fans to leave humorous responses to the video. Even so, the video is still up, so it’s unclear if it actually was a mistake.

“‘Did we fix the ending?'” commenter Ben jokes, imagining the conversation between the video editors. “‘I already clicked export.’ ‘Meh, it’s Friday.'” Pvt Donut asks: “Hey Xbox, you posted only 24 seconds, where’s the rest of [the] trailer?”

Halo Infinite is slated to release in Q4 of 2021, following its high-profile delay last year. Recently, Xbox celebrated its acquisition of Bethesda by posting a photo of Master Chief and Doomguy in the style of the cult comedy Step Brothers. The latest batch of Halo Infinite news revealed the game’s new Skewer weapon, as well as revealing some details about the game’s audio production.

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