Author: Trafficblast

We got another look at Pokemon Sword and Shield‘s second DLC expansion, The Crown Tundra, during today’s Pokemon livestream. Along with revealing the DLC’s release date, the stream gave us our first look at another new regional variant: Galarian Slowking.

Much like Galarian Slowbro, which was introduced in the previous Isle of Armor DLC, Galarian Slowking is a dual Poison/Psychic type. Standard Slowpoke can evolve into either Slowbro or Slowking, and it appears that remains the case for these Galarian variants. Although The Pokemon Company didn’t yet detail how to evolve the Pokemon, it notes on the games’ official website that the evolution is triggered when “a Shellder bite set off a reaction between the chemicals secreted by Galarian Slowpoke’s brain and the spices inside its body.”

Galarian Slowking is classified as the Hexpert Pokemon, and it’s said they communicate with each other by chanting mysterious incantations. This ties into its new signature move, Eerie Spell, a Psychic-type attack that dishes out damage and reduces three PP from the last move the opposing Pokemon used.

Galarian Slowking also has a unique Ability called Curious Medicine. When this Pokemon enters the field, it automatically resets its ally’s stat changes.

Although it’s not yet clear how to get Galarian Slowking in Sword and Shield, you’ll first need to get a Galarian Slowpoke; these can be encountered in the wild around the Isle of Armor. As previously mentioned, you can also evolve Galarian Slowpoke into Galarian Slowbro, which has its own unique Ability–Quick Draw–and a unique signature move called Shell Side Arm. You can learn more in our guide on how to evolve Galarian Slowpoke into Galarian Slowbro.

The Crown Tundra expansion launches October 22. The DLC takes players to the eponymous Crown Tundra, where players will be able to explore Pokemon dens, catch returning Legendaries, and get helpful new items like the Ability Patch. In the lead up to the DLC’s release, The Pokemon Company is giving away a handful of Pikachu wearing different caps. Pokemon Go compatibility is also coming to Pokemon Home by the end of the year.

Yesterday, Amazon revealed its 2020 Amazon Prime Day is happening on October 13-14 after having initially been delayed from its usual mid-summer timeframe due to the unfortunate circumstances of 2020. Some of the early Prime Day deals on Amazon devices like Kindle and Echo have already started, but the rest of the goods won’t see their savings until the official Prime Day kickoff.

Among the many items discounted during Prime Day you’d probably be interested in, video games feature prominently. But will we see any sort of savings on Nintendo Switch consoles and games? I’m certain we’ll see Nintendo Switch game deals, almost certain we won’t see any deals on Nintendo Switch consoles.

Will Nintendo Switch be on Sale During Prime Day?

My sense is we won’t see any meaningful discounts on Nintendo Switch consoles over Prime Day. In spite of the fact the late start to Amazon’s sale event is encroaching on the holiday shopping season, the Nintendo Switch has been hard enough to get at its MSRP. While the system is incredibly popular, its rarity is due more to pandemic-related supply chain issues compounded with a whole new group of people looking to spend their free time at home.

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However, with the recent return of the Animal Crossing special edition Nintendo Switch bundle at retailers, I think we’ll see some bundled Nintendo Switch deals for Prime Day. If not the Animal Crossing bundle itself, some sort of microSD/eShop card and console bundle. That is, of course, if Amazon has enough Nintendo Switch consoles in stock to even consider bundled deals.

Amazon Prime Day Nintendo Switch Game Deals

Now here’s where we’ll see some chances to save. Nintendo Switch game deals are already live, and have been for weeks. It’s practically unheard of for first-party Nintendo games to go on sale, but that’s been the case most of the summer. Games like Super Mario Maker 2, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and even Animal Crossing: New Horizons have seen discounts up to 33% off their MSRP.

It’s pretty rare to not have to pay the “Nintendo tax,” but for whatever the reason, these games have dropped in price and it looks like those savings are going to last through Prime Day. If not, they’ll almost certainly return. It’s great news for those lucky enough to have picked up a new Switch, as well as those looking to fill some gaps in their library or stock up before the holiday season is upon us.

Live Amazon Switch Game Deals

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Amazon Prime Day Nintendo Switch Controller Deals

Joy-con are still really hard to find. They’re nowhere near as difficult to get your hands on as they were during the peak of summer, but they’re still not as readily available as they once were. That’s a bummer, because, like the consoles, a supply constraint means the likelihood of a sale is much lower than if they were abundant.

However, the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller doesn’t seem to be affected, and is routinely on sale for $59.99. I fully expect this deal to return for Prime Day.

Amazon Prime Day Switch Memory Deals

The microSD functionality of the Nintendo Switch is one of its greatest strengths, in my opinion. You can expand your Nintendo Switch storage up to 2TB, which isn’t even a card size that exists yet. But better still, because it uses common storage media, you can expand your Switch memory without paying full price if you keep an eye on deals. SanDisk microSD cards, both the officially licensed and the non-licensed variants, go on sale all the time. Expect to see some sort of deal on microSD during the Prime Day event.

Disney has officially added the GroupWatch option to the Disney+ platform in the United States after testing the co-viewing feature in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand earlier this month.

The GroupWatch feature allows up to seven Disney+ subscribers to sync streams and watch content together, even when apart. Disney’s watch party experience is available on all titles in the Disney+ library across several platforms, including web browsers, mobile apps, connected TV boxes and smart TVs. When initiating GroupWatch on a Premier Access title, all participants must have paid for that title.

Variety notes that the new GroupWatch feature doesn’t include a text chat option, which Disney says has been omitted from the design in an effort to stop viewers from becoming distracted and missing parts of the main event, though participants are invited to share “real-time reactions” with six different emojis available through the Disney+ app.

Disney+ subscribers can invite other users to a GroupWatch party via a new icon that is located on the “Details” page of a Disney+ movie or TV series. However, it’s important to note that invitations can only “originate from mobile or web,” but once the invitations have been sent out to the selected parties, users can join the session from any streaming device or smart TV.

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The GroupWatch feature is available to all Disney+ subscribers in the US (with the exception of kids’ accounts), and each participant in the streaming session can pause, rewind or fast forward video playback for the whole group, including the host. Sadly, European subscribers will have to wait a bit longer to trial the new feature, as it is expected to be rolled out sometime later this fall for that market.

For those that have already access to the GroupWatch feature, fill up your virtual watch party calendar with our rundown of everything that is coming to Disney+ in October, including the second season of The Mandalorian. Season 2 is set to debut on Disney+ on October 30 with a whole new cast of scum and villainy, as well as some faithful favourites and one particularly notable scene-stealer.

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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

If you enjoy your post-apocalyptic stories with a clever twist, you’ll want to keep an eye on Scout’s Honor, a new comic from writer David Pepose (Spencer & Locke) and artist Luca Casalanguida (James Bond). This series is set in a ruined world where a fanatical cult has risen up around a holy relic from mankind’s civilized days – a Boy Scout manual.

The series revolves around a heroine named Kit – a woman forced to conceal her gender in order to join the Ranger Scouts and survive the harsh Colorado Badlands and the male-dominated society of the post-apocalypse. But when Kit uncovers a dark secret at the core of the Ranger Scouts, she’ll have to risk her life and to reveal the truth to the world.

Pepose is billing this new series as a mashup of Fallout, Mulan and The Handmaid’s Tale, and it’s not hard to understand why. Check out a preview of Scout’s Honor #1 in the slideshow gallery below:

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The creative team also includes colorist Matt Milla (X-Men Blue) and letterer Carlos M. Mangual (Mystery in Space). The first issue features a main cover from Andy Clarke and Jose Villarrubia and a variant cover from Brent Schoonover.

Scout’s Honor is published by AfterShock Comics. The first issue is scheduled for release on January 6, 2021.

Pepose also recently wrapped up a successful Kickstarter for The OZ, a limited series that gives the Oz books a dark, Mad Max-inspired makeover. And if you haven’t checked out Spencer & Locke yet, maybe this video trailer will convince you:

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In other comic book Kickstarter news, former NFL star Lance Briggs is making his comic book debut with The Trap, while the amazingly versatile Elsa Charretier recently unveiled a gorgeous hardcover sketchbook.

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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 Razer BlackWidow has been one of the most iconic gaming keyboards of the last decade. This month, Razer revealed its latest version, the BlackWidow V3 Pro, that officially brings HyperSpeed Wireless to the classic keyboard, as well as a suite of other improvements that aim to make it the best yet. Retailing for $229, should this arachnid crawl its way onto your Wish List?

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Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro – Design and Features

The Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro is a major upgrade from last year’s release and redefines the quality of the BlackWidow line. Though it has been popular, the series has been challenged by increasing competition in recent years, even from within Razer’s own line-up. Its Huntsman Elite and Huntsman Tournament Edition optical gaming keyboards, for example, may have come to acclaim from its excellent switches, but also its aluminum top plate, wrist rest, media controls, and, at least since the Tournament Edition, PBT keycaps.

With the BlackWidow V3 Pro, many of those features have trickled down and the entire keyboard is better for it. Instead of being entirely plastic, it now has a rigid aluminum top plate. It’s a change you can feel both when you first pick it up and with every keystroke since it makes the board feel more dense and less hollow. In fact, the top shell is entirely absent, exposing the switch housings under the keycaps. It’s cool when viewed from the side, but from above, the keycaps do a good job of isolating the light to just the legends – at least on medium brightness. On high brightness, there is definitely some glow around each key, but it’s far from the wash of light on boards like the Steelseries Apex Pro.

The keycaps have also been upgraded. They’re made of thick ABS plastic and have doubleshot backlit legends. This means that the legends are made of an entire second piece of plastic and will never chip or fade. The legends are also thin and consistent, and the plastic around them is slightly textured to avoid shining. Keyboard enthusiasts have known for ages how much difference keycaps can make in your typing experience, and this is as good as it comes without jumping to more expensive PBT.

Underneath those caps are Razer’s patented Green (clicky) or Yellow (linear) switches. I tested the green version and found them to be both louder and more tactical than Cherry MX Blues. I’m not usually a fan of clicky switches but these definitely have a satisfying typewriter-esque clack about them. The board will also be available in Razer’s linear Yellow switches, which Razer says are even more quiet this time around. Both versions are rated for 70 million keystrokes, which is impressively high compared to Cherry’s 50 million click lifespan.

The V3 Pro also features dedicated media controls complete with Razer’s multi-function dial. Above the number pad are tall buttons for play, pause, and skipping tracks, as well as a nice knurled volume wheel that hangs just over the edge of the keyboard for easy access. This whole section appears lifted directly from the Huntsman Elite, including the sleek backlighting on each of these controls. Like that keyboard, the volume dial can also be programmed to control different functions in games, like swapping weapons or triggering skills.

I also really like that Razer included a wrist rest this time around. It’s a plush leatherette that feels comfortable to use and is angled to exactly match the bottom lip of the keyboard, but isn’t magnetic, which is a bummer. Even in my relatively cool office at work, I noticed my wrists sweat after a while, so it may not be practical in warmer climates, but enhanced the experience nonetheless.

The defining feature here is clearly the wireless functionality. Razer has been building its stable of HyperSpeed Wireless peripherals for quite a while now, so it was only a matter of time before that tech made its way to the BlackWidow line-up. Like the Razer Viper Mini, it connects to the PC with a small USB dongle and offers responsiveness that is indistinguishable from the best wireless peripherals I’ve tried. Over HyperSpeed, it’s able to offer full 1000Hz polling, right up there with the Razer Huntsman Elite and Corsair K95 Platinum XT. If you’re playing less intense games or need to type out a quick email on your tablet, it also supports Bluetooth pairing with up to three devices and, of course, wired connectivity.

Battery life is great with the lights off and only decent if you like to turn up the RGB. With no backlighting at all, Razer claims 192 hours of actual use time. If you turn the brightness all the way up and just let it cycle colors, that drops to only 13 hours, which is less than two days of use for me. RGB lighting is always a big drain on keyboard batteries, but it still left me careful to plug in every night, which gave me flashbacks to the early days of wireless peripherals.

Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro – Software

Like other programmable Razer products, nearly all of the customization is done through Synapse, the company’s proprietary software engine. Synapse has come a long way over the years and allows you to easily program in any array of macros, Windows shortcuts, mouse functions, and more just by selecting your key and picking from a drop-down menu. It’s very intuitive, and thanks to HyperShift, every key can also be programmed with a secondary function. As an MMORPG player, that allowed me to turn my entire numpad into a big macro pad, which is great for quickly accessing skill rotations. With five profiles of onboard storage, the remap possibilities number into the hundreds.

Synapse is also where you’ll control the keyboard’s lighting, which is plentiful. Every key can be illuminated with a custom color. Or, if you prefer, you can choose from a set of Quick Effects to make it look good without the fuss of creating your own static layout. With the program’s Chroma Studio, however, you’re given the ability to create truly unique lighting schemes, layering effects and synchronizing them between your other Chroma-enabled devices.

Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro – Performance

I’m a shooter fan, so wasted no time putting the board through its paces in Call of Duty: Warzone using the HyperSpeed dongle (which was used through all of my gaming tests). If you’re worried about gaming on non-Cherry switches, don’t be. The Razer Greens actuated just as fast (and technically faster with a 1.9mm actuation point versus Cherry’s 2mm), and were reliable and consistent over several hours of play. I swapped between CoD, Apex Legends, and Battlefield V and there was never a time when I felt like the BlackWidow was holding me back. Like the best peripherals, it got out of the way and let me focus on the game.

In World of Warcraft, I really appreciated the ability to remap so many keys. Using only the number pad and modifiers like shift and control, I was able to map four separate skill bars to my number pad alone. For running dungeons, this wasn’t as practical since I keep my fingers locked to the movement keys, but with a mix of in-game remaps and HyperShift, I was able to map my most-used skills to the left side of the keyboard. Paired with the Razer Naga, Synapse let me customize my inputs so much that I had every tool I needed right at my fingertips while still being able to stay nimble and move around the boss fight without any downtime.

I also have to say, in normal use, the keycaps may have been the most impressive of all. My harshest criticism of past BlackWidows was that the keyboards would pick-up finger oils and look old within mere days of use. It was their most off-putting feature. The finish and feel of these caps is so much better that it elevated the entire experience.

Throughout all of this, the biggest drag was purely needing to plug in every night. I didn’t encounter the low battery warning, but I would have had I forgotten and still wanted to enjoy my RGB.

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Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro – Purchasing Guide

The Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro retails for $229 and it’s available from Amazon, Best Buy, and from Razer directly.

Amazon Prime Day 2020 is a two-day sale that takes place October 13-14. That’s later than usual for the event, which has taken place in previous years in July, but a sale is a sale. If you’re interested in building out your collection of 4K UHD or Blu-ray movies and TV shows, you’ll find plenty of deals to enjoy.

Assuming this year’s Prime Day plays out like previous years, you’ll also see big discounts similar products at other retailers, like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target.

Below, you’ll find lots of Prime Day information based on what we know about this year’s sale, plus details about the types of Blu-ray and 4K UHD deals we saw last year. And once Prime Day 2020 begins in earnest, this is also where we’ll post all the best of those deals.

For all the best deals across all categories of products, be sure to check out our Prime Day 2020 deals mega-list.

You Must Be a Prime Member to Get the Sale Prices

• Start a Free Trial (if you’ve never used the free trial)
• Get Prime for One Year – $119
• Get Prime for One Month – $12.99

The first thing you need to know about Prime Day is that you’ll need a Prime membership to take advantage of the deals. If you’re not a member currently, you have a number of options for how to subscribe.

Those who are new to the service can get a one-month trial for free. It acts exactly as a paid subscription, which means you can participate in Prime Day, get free one- or two-day shipping, stream Prime Video and Prime Music, and take advantage of the other benefits. Otherwise, you can get a one-month membership for $12.99 or a one-year subscription for $119.

Prime Day Deals That Are Live Now

While movie and TV show deals are few and far between at the moment, some other Prime Day deals have already gone live. But if you subscribe to Amazon Prime to take advantage of the deals, you’ll also get access to Prime Video. The service is basically like Netflix, with loads of TV shows, movies, comedy specials, and original content available at no additional cost.

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Last Year’s Prime Day 4K UHD and Blu-ray Deals

Last year, we saw an enormous number of deals on 4K UHD and Blu-ray movies and TV shows. The discounts on 4K UHD weren’t as big as the Blu-ray ones were generally, but that may change this year. With the impending release of PS5 and Xbox Series X, you can bet demand for 4K UHD discs will be higher than ever.

Some of last year’s top-selling collections included Game of Thrones (which arrives on 4K UHD this year), the Harry Potter collection, Fast and Furious collection, Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and many more. Expect to see discounts on these and many more on Prime Day 2020.

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

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The Pokemon Company has announced that a link between Pokemon Go and Pokemon Home will be set up “before the end of 2020”. This will allow the transfer of Pokemon between the mobile Pokemon Go app and the Pokemon Sword and Shield Nintendo Switch games.

Revealed by Pokemon Company President and CEO, Tsunekazu Ishihara, the link will enable Pokemon caught in Pokemon Go to “set off on an adventure in the world of Pokemon Sword and Shield by way of Pokemon Home.”

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There’s more to the system than just that, too. If you send a Pokemon from Pokemon Go to Pokemon Home, you’ll be able to open a Mystery Box in Pokemon Go. Opening the box will cause the mythical Pokemon Meltan to appear on the map within the Pokemon Go app.

In addition, you’ll also receive a mystery gift in Pokemon Home which contains a special Melmetal capable of Gigantamaxing, for use in Pokemon Sword and Shield.

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The announcement came as part of an update video about Pokemon Sword and Shield, which also revealed the Crown Tundra DLC release date. For more information, check out everything you need to know about Pokemon Home.

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

The Crown Tundra expansion for Pokemon Sword & Shield will be released on October 22.

The Crown Tundra is a snowy new open area being added to the world of Sword & Shield, adding new characters, Pokemon and quests. You’ll be able to explore Pokemon Dens, and meet every legendary Pokemon in the series so far – as well as a brand new mythical Pokemon, and new forms of the original legendary birds, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres.

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Dynamax Adventures will let you join 3 other trainers to explore caves and take on battles against Dynamax Pokemon. The brief clips we’ve seen point to choices of route that take you past different Pokemon types.

The Galarian Star Tournament will also be added to the game, an endgame event allowing you to battle alongside and against trainers from throughout Sword and Shield. The tournament should offer new story and character elements that weren’t available in the main game.

On November 6, you’ll also be able to buy bundled versions of Pokemon Sword and Shield, alongside their respective expansion passes. No price was given for the bundled version.

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To celebrate the Crown Tundra announcement, you’ll also be able to catch eight versions of Ash’s Pikachu, wearing a variety of different caps – each unlocked by Mystery Gift passwords that are entered in-game. Passwords will be available in “various places”, but the first – for Pikachu wearing Ash Ketchum’s original cap – is P1KACHUGET. You can find instructions for how to redeem the password on the Pokemon website.

As far as we know right now, the Crown Tundra expansion will be the final piece of new content for Pokemon Sword & Shield. We awarded the first DLC epxansion, Isle of Armor, a 7/10, calling it “a solid first attempt at DLC in a Pokémon game, even if it’s too short-lived to offer anything that feels like a truly substantial addition beyond the location itself.”

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].