Author: Trafficblast

Ark: Survival Evolved‘s newest expansion, Genesis Part 2, will now be launching on all platforms simultaneously on June 3, one day after it was supposed to launch. The delay comes from the game’s official Twitter account, stating that the game is in the certification process and is expected to be completed early in the morning. The expansion will launch at 5 AM PT/8 AM ET on June 3 across all platforms.

Genesis Part 2 is the final expansion for Ark, as the developers look to move forward with development on the sequel Ark 2, which features Vin Diesel. Genesis Part 2 was originally announced in November of last year with a release window of March 2021 but has since been delayed multiple times. While the latest delay was only for a day, it came very last minute, since Studio Wildcard announced it on what was supposed to be launch day for the expansion.

Genesis Part 2 has been described as the biggest expansion to Ark since its launch, featuring new voice work from David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Madeleine Madden (The Wheel of Time) playing Sir Edmund Rockwell and the AI companion Helena Walker respectively. It also features a ton of new items and mechanics, like the Egg Incubation Device and the Exo-mek.

Ark: Survival Evolved’s Genesis Part 2 expansion will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, Steam, and the Epic Games Store on June 3 at 8 AM ET.

Atari’s long in-the-works new console, the Atari VCS, is set to launch on June 15, the company announced. Via Game Informer, the Atari VCS will retail for $300, with a bundle including two controllers retailing for $400. Bundle purchasers will be able to choose between two colors, Black Walnut or Onyx. The base version of the console comes only in Onyx. The console will be available via Best Buy, GameStop, Micro Center, and the official Atari VCS website.

Third-party controller maker PowerA created two new controllers for the Atari VCS: one inspired by the classic Atari 2600 joystick, and a more modern game controller that Xbox and PlayStation players will instantly be familiar with. Both controllers are wireless, charge via USB-C, and sport rumble functionality as well as LED lights. Each controller will retail for $60.

Atari’s new console may look retro, but it’s built to be a modern multimedia machine. More than a dozen modern games–including Atari’s own Missile Command: Recharged–will come included with the console, in addition to 100 classic Atari 2600 and arcade games. Users also get access to Antstream Arcade, a game streaming service with a large collection of retro games available.

Users can also access apps for almost every major streaming service, including Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube via the console, and it includes a built-in Google Chrome browser and access to Google’s Workspace apps. Windows, Ubuntu Linux, and Chrome OS can be installed on the Atari VCS, effectively turning it into a mini-PC.

Specs-wise, the machine is capable of 4K resolution and HDR. It sports an AMD Ryzen processor and has internal storage with expansion capabilities, and also features Bluetooth 5.0, USB 3.0, and dual band Wi-Fi support.

E3 2021 has nearly arrived, which means we’ll soon be seeing dozens or even hundreds of new games spread across numerous events, showcases, and livestreams. Many of these (like Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest and Devolver’s stream) aren’t technically part of E3, but for the purposes of gaming fans, it makes little difference: June is when we’re going to see a ton of new games and new looks at previously announced ones. But just which games are actually going to be present at these shows?

Well, that’s where things get a little tricky. The list of what we know will be at E3 is rather thin. Whether that’s because of the unusual all-digital nature of this year’s show, a general lack of leaks, or some other factor, the end result is that we should be in store for some surprises during this year’s show.

But to help you set expectations, we’ve assembled a list of the games that we do know will be showing up either during E3 itself or the surrounding events. Much of what’s outlined below will be featured during the Guerrilla Collective’s two streams, which are set for June 5 and June 12, but there are several other titles that have been confirmed to be showing up at E3 in some fashion, including the reveal of the new Battlefield.

Other events are complete wildcards: a Nintendo Direct has been confirmed for June 15, but aside from the fact that it will focus primarily on 2021’s lineup of Switch games, we don’t know what will be included. Metroid Prime 4? The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2? We sure hope so, but it’s anyone’s guess as to what will be featured or if any of it will be running on the rumored Nintendo Switch Pro.

Even the Xbox/Bethesda event–despite now featuring the games that would be included at two different E3 showcases–is a huge question mark. Based on the teaser artwork, Halo Infinite and Starfield will both be making appearances, and we’ve included them in the list below on that basis. With Infinite releasing this year, it’ll surely be shown off prominently, but Starfield–and its potential exclusivity to Xbox and PC platforms–remains a game that we know virtually nothing about, so any new information about it would be exciting.

In addition to the list below, we have an E3 press conference schedule to help you keep on top of when things will be happening, as well as a Play For All schedule that includes GameSpot’s plans for the month; we’ll be revealing exclusive looks at a number of games during our own livestreams later in the month. If you’re less concerned with what’s definitely going to happen, be sure to give our E3 wishlist and E3 rumors roundup a look.

Read on for a look at all the games that’ll be at E3–we’ll continue to update this list as more are confirmed.

Games Confirmed For E3 2021

• AK-Xolotl
• Aeon Drive
• Akatori
• Amber Isle
• Anno: Mutationem
• Archvale
• Batora: Lost Haven
• Battlefield
• Bear and Breakfast
• Beasts of Maravilla Island
• Behind the Frame
• Black Book
• Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
• Blooming Business Casino
• Chernobylite
• Death Trash
• Death’s Door
• Demon’s Mirror
• Despot’s Game
• El Paso, Elsewhere
• Elderand
• Endling
• Eternal Cylinder
• Fire Tonight
• Ghostrunner
• Grime
• Halo Infinite
• Happy’s Humble Burger Farm
• Hello Neighbor 2
• Industria
• Kitsune Tails
• Kraken Academy
• Kung Fu Kickball
• Lamentum
• Loot River
• Moonglow Bay
• Moroi
• My Lovely Wife
• No Longer Home
• Omno
• Onsen Master
• Ooblets
• Paralives
• Phantom Abyss
• Potion Craft
• Rawmen
• Rubi: The Wayward Mira
• Run Die Run Again
• Sable
• Serial Cleaners
• Severed Steel
• Shadow Warrior 3
• Slime Heroes
• Starfield
• Super Space Club
• Tamarindo’s Freaking Dinner
• The Gecko Gods
• The Legend of Tianding
• The Light Bringer
• The Light of Darkness
• Tinkertown
• Trash Sailors
• Trifox
• Unmetal
• Unpacking
• Venice 2089
• White Shadows
• Wolfstride
• Ynglet
• Zodiac Legion

Hot on the heels of the news that Venom is getting a new ongoing series in November, Marvel Comics is also revealing a brand new Hulk comic. As it turns out, current Immortal Hulk writer Al Ewing and Venom writer Donny Cates will be trading places in 2021.

The new series, simply titled Hulk, features Cates charting a new course for Bruce Banner and his dangerous alter ego. Joining Cates is none other than Invincible artist Ryan Ottley, with Venom’s Frank Martin providing colors. If you thought Hulk’s world was violent before, the new series may just be taking that destruction to a new level.

The new series looks to be altering the dynamic between Bruce Banner and the Hulk once more. Marvel’s press release teases Banner may have finally found the “radical” solution to controlling his transformations, implying it may be one that permanently takes Hulk off the table. But will that solution have unintended consequences for the Marvel Universe? Better the Hulk you know than the one you don’t.

“Marvel just gave me the keys to the strongest one there is,” Cates said in Marvel’s press release. “Haha… oh boy. You guys are just not ready for this. You’re about to find out what happens when Ryan Ottley and I get angry….and guess what? Well…pretty sure you’re gonna like us a lot when we’re angry.”

Ewing and artist Joe Bennett are currently wrapping up their lengthy run on The Immortal Hulk, which is slated to conclude with issue #50 on September 1. Hulk will debut in November, the same month Ewing, Ram V and Bryan Hitch kick off their new Venom series.

As with Venom, Marvel will give Hulk fans a taste of the new series on Free Comic Book Day (scheduled for August 14). Free Comic Book Day 2021: Avengers/Hulk #1 will feature a new short story leading into Cates and Ottley’s series.

In other Marvel news, the publisher has big plans for the X-Men franchise this summer, including the debut of a brand new X-Men team and the launch of Jonathan Hickman’s next X-book, Inferno.

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Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

The Dark Portal to Outland may have just opened, but many players in one of the world’s top World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade Classic raiding guilds have already reached level 70.

According to Wowhead, a five-man group consisting of members of the guild Progress have claimed the title of world-first level 70s in Burning Crusade Classic, with player Hacez hitting the milestone first. Other members of Hacez’s group hit 70 shortly after. The total time to hit the game’s newly released level cap was about 13 hours.

The group achieved the feat by stockpiling completed quests at level 60 and turning them in as soon as Burning Crusade Classic launched for some quick experience. From there, the group spammed dungeons for hours on end until hitting level 70. Progress is said to already have more than enough level 70s to begin running the game’s new 10-man and 25-man raids, putting it well on its way to achieving world first clears of Karazhan, Gruul’s Lair, and Magtheridon’s Lair.

World-first feats are apparently nothing new for the guild, which achieved several world-first titles in WoW Classic, including clearing the game’s final and most-challenging raid, Naxxramas, in record time.

Burning Crusade Classic brings big changes to Blizzard’s classic MMORPG, including a whole new world to explore, the addition of flying mounts, and the introduction of the ever-popular Arena PvP mode. Some of the developers behind the game recently reflected on the landmark expansion’s lasting impact, saying the team’s decision to take a “really big, bold” step with the introduction of a whole new world for players to explore set the pace for all of World of Warcraft’s expansions going forward.

During the ’80s, Kenner produced a line of Ghostbusters toys based on the original Real Ghostbusters cartoon. Now, Hasbro is re-releasing select toys from the line at Walmart. This includes the greatest toy toilet ever made, Fearsome Flush.

The Real Ghostbusters Kenner line was known for some out-of-the-box figures, like a football player that turned into a ghost or a friendly old lady that turned into a ghost. However, nothing seemed more haunting to a child than a toilet that has the capability to eat you while you’re doing your business.

Hasbro sent us a few of the brand-new Kenner Classics Ghostbusters toys for us to check out. This includes the Ecto-1, Bug-Eye Monster, and of course, Fearsome Flush. Check out what you need to know below along with some ordering info.

$40

Hop on the train to yesteryear with the Ecto-1. It’s made of hard plastic, begging you to smash it against your old Crash Test Dummies cars to prove that the Ecto-1 is the superior cartoon automobile. The driver and passenger doors open up and can fit two Kenner Classics Ghostbusters figures. You could also toss one in the seat on top of the car. I guess the fourth Ghostbuster could ride in the trunk–alone. Sorry, Ray Stantz.

The back door opens up as well and is multi-functional. The chair from the roof can fit in there, so your Ghosbuster can fire it’s weapons at spooky ghosts chasing down the Ecto-1. Additionally, there’s a claw inside the back which you can use to grab spectres and drag them behind the car.

$15

The re-release of the Bug-Eye Ghost is exactly as you remember it. It has two movable arms and no other points of articulation. However, the star of the show is the third eye that pops out on the ghost. All you have to do is smash the back of the ghost with your hand and the eye pops out.

$15

Finally, there’s the toilet monster. Remember the toilet monster known as Fearsome Flush? It’s a toilet that’s roughly to scale with the rest of the Kenner Classics Ghostbusters figures. Imagine playing and deciding Ray Stantz needs to use the water closet. He sits down on the toilet, and it turns out to be a spooky ghost! Fearsome Flush has some wheels below it, and as you push it, the seat and back tank open up revealing the ghost.

Nintendo has finally confirmed the date and time of its E3 2021 Direct. The 40-minute presentation will take place on Tuesday, June 15, at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET, the final day of E3. In Nintendo’s announcement, it said that the presentation will focus “exclusively on [Nintendo Switch] software, mostly releasing in 2021.” The presentation will be followed by the Nintendo Treehouse Live show, showing off three hours of gameplay.

Nintendo E3 Direct Start Time

The Nintendo Direct for E3 2021 will be live on June 15 at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET. Similar to previous Nintendo Direct events, the show will most likely move from announcement to announcement quickly, offering a mix of indie, third-party, and Nintendo first-party titles. While Nintendo said that the show will focus mostly on games releasing this year, however, Nintendo said the same thing about its direct in February and announced Splatoon 3 for 2022, so expect a few surprises.

• 9 AM PT
• 12 PM ET
• 5 PM BST
• 2 AM AET

How To Watch Nintendo E3 Direct

The video will be embedded above when it’s available and will be live on GameSpot on June 15. Nintendo has not officially said where to watch the stream, however, Nintendo Direct events are typically streamed on Nintendo’s YouTube channel.

What To Expect

Nintendo is a notorious wild card when it comes to E3 announcements and this year is no exception. There are numerous rumors floating around about an upgraded Nintendo Switch, however, the announcement specifically states that the direct will focus only on software, so if the new Switch is real, it probably won’t be announced here.

Upcoming Nintendo Switch titles like Mario Golf: Super Rush and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD will most likely make appearances at this. Some titles that have been in development for a long time, like Metroid Prime 4 and Breath of the Wild 2, could make an appearance but with Nintendo, it’s anybody’s guess.

E3 2021 runs from June 12-15 and is one of several gaming events this summer. The schedule so far includes Geoff Keighley’s Kickoff event on June 10, followed by Ubisoft Forward on June 12. The Xbox/Bethesda briefing is slated for June 13, with Razer’s event following on June 14.

For more on E3 2021, check out GameSpot’s full rundown of E3 2021, how to watch, and what to expect.

Last week, we asked YOU to help us decide which of 149 of the most popular Shonen anime protagonists is the very best. After thousands and thousands of 1v1 battles with matchups like Goku vs. Naruto Uzumaki and Monkey D. Luffy vs. Gon Freecss, the ultimate winner has been chosen.

So, who claimed the top spot in the battle of the greatest Shonen protagonist ever? Drumroll please…

With an 81.8% win percentage, Fullmetal Alchemist’s Edward Elric claimed the top prize by securing victory in 34,085 of the 41,675 battles he was in.

We, along with many others around the world, have called Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood our favorite anime series of all time, so Edward Elric rising above all other Shonen heroes shouldn’t come as the biggest surprise.

Goku, one of the most popular and recognizable anime protagonists, earned second place with an 80.7% win percentage, while Naruto Uzumaki secured third place with an 80.3% win percentage. Rounding out the top 10 were Vegeta, Monkey D. Luffy, Roronoa Zoro, Tanjiro Kamado, Izuku Midoriya/Deku, All Might, and Alphonse Elric.

Fullmetal Alchemist, Dragon Ball, My Hero Academia, and One Piece each had two heroes in the top 10, while Demon Slayer’s Tanjiro Kamado rose through the ranks to be the newest character to be in the top 10.

Taking last place, with a win percentage of only 20.7%, was World Trigger’s Chika Amatori. She just narrowly beat out Ranma 1/2’s Akane Tendo for the last spot by 0.4 percentage points.

Rounding out the bottom were Tiger & Bunny’s Barnaby Brooks Jr., Major’s Goro Shigeno, Hikaru no Go’s Akira Toya, Ranma 1/2’s Ryoga Hibiki, Slayers’ Gourry Gabriev, Ranma 1/2’s Ranma Saotome, Eyeshield 21’s Sena Kobayakawa, and The Prince of Tennis’ Ryoma Echizen.

Ranma 1/2 comprised three of the bottom 10 Shonen protagonists, while sports-themed heroes Sena Kobayakawa, Ryoma Echizen, and Goro Shigeno also didn’t fare too well.

Are you wondering where your favorite Shonen protagonist landed, like maybe Shigeo Kageyama? (He took spot #37!) For all the rankings, you can check out the full list of where all 149 Shonen anime protagonists who competed in this Face-Off ended up.

For more, check out our look at the best anime of the past decade and the best new anime to watch in spring season 2021.

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

Walmart Deals for Day is returning later this month, and it’s directly competing with Prime Day 2021, which Amazon confirmed earlier today will be June 21 and 22. Walmart Deals For Days will start earlier and run longer, going from June 20-23, according to CNET. The annual sales event will include both online-only sales via Walmart.com as well as in-store-only deals, with discounts across categories like electronics, toys, home, fashion, and beauty.

Unlike Prime Day, Walmart shoppers don’t need a membership to score deals. The retailer has teased some of the deals that will appear during its Deals for Days sale, which is promoted as “Black Friday-like savings.” According to CNET, Walmart Deals for Days will include the following discounts and more:

Walmart isn’t the only retailer looking to compete with Amazon–Target’s Deal Days sale will run from June 20-22, also overlapping with Prime Day. Both Target and Walmart announced their sales the same day that Amazon confirmed Prime Day dates.

Early Prime Day deals are starting to go live, including Prime Day PS5 deals, Prime Day TV deals, and Prime Day tech deals.