Author: Trafficblast

Disney is developing a follow-up to its photorealistic remake of The Lion King, with Moonlight director Barry Jenkins attached to helm the project.

According to Deadline, Jeff Nathanson, who scripted the last installment, is returning to write the follow-up, which will be a continuation of the 2019 film. While specific story details are being kept under wraps for now, it is understood that the next Lion King film will “further explore the mythology of the characters” and stick its claws into Mufasa’s origin story.

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Disney hasn’t announced a release date for The Lion King follow-up or set out dates for the film’s production schedule as of yet.

Jenkins is best known for directing and writing the screenplay for the 2016 Oscar-winning film Moonlight. He released his third directorial feature If Beale Street Could Talk in 2018, which critics largely considered to be another home run for the filmmaker. The Lion King follow-up is Jenkins’ second project for Disney, as he is also developing a biopic about choreographer Alvin Ailey for Searchlight.

“Helping my sister raise two young boys during the ’90s, I grew up with these characters,” Jenkins said about taking on The Lion King project. “Having the opportunity to work with Disney on expanding this magnificent tale of friendship, love and legacy while furthering my work chronicling the lives and souls of folk within the African diaspora is a dream come true.”

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Jon Favreau’s take on the 1994 classic passed Frozen to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time with earnings of over $1.3 billion worldwide. However, the film received mixed reviews from critics. IGN’s review of The Lion King remake praised the “strong cast” and “outstanding visuals” for making the film “more watchable than some of the studio’s previous retellings.”

If you’ve been living under Pride rock and haven’t yet watched the film, then be sure to check out The Lion King remake on Disney+. Also, read about how Jon Favreau directed the film inside a video game.

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

Books are great. I’m a big fan, personally. But there are lots of times during the day when reading simply isn’t possible. For example, reading in your car is not only inconvenient, it’s extremely dangerous. Thankfully you can listen to someone else read a book out loud via an Audible subscription. Better still, Amazon’s offering a special Audible membership deal ahead of Amazon Prime Day.

Amazon Prime Day Early Deal: 12-Months of Audible

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In a nutshell, Amazon Prime members can sign up for a 12-month Audible membership for $99.50 instead of the normal $149.50, and if you do sign up, you get 12 credits up front to use on “any title in Audible’s premium selection,” and you get to keep it, too. So that’s a big win.

Audio books are a great way to read without all the hassle of needing to turn all your attention to the pages of a book. I recommend checking out Norm Macdonald’s “Based on a True Story.” Not only is it hilarious, but it’s made doubly-so in audio book form, since Norm is the one reading it to you.

But, you don’t have to take MY word for it!

Anyway, if you aren’t a Prime Member, you don’t qualify for the deal. Sorry. But the good news is you can sign up for a free 30-day Amazon Prime trial and reap all the benefits, including this Audible deal and the rest of the deals coming down the pike for Amazon Prime Day 2020.

Free 30-Day Amazon Prime Trial

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Star Wars: Squadrons is set to release for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 2, but it’s available for preorder right now (see it on Amazon).

This is a first-person game of space combat that takes place after the events of Return of the Jedi. The campaign mode of Star Wars: Squadrons puts you in the space boots of two characters from opposing sides of the conflict: the New Republic’s Vanguard Squadron and the Galactic Empire’s Titan Squadron. The game also has a multiplayer mode, in which you can take part in 5-on-5 battles.

Notably, the game will support cross-play, so you can battle with your buddies on all three platforms. PS4 and PC players with the appropriate headsets will also be able to play the entire game in VR. Here’s where you can get it, how much it costs, what your preorder bonus is, and everything else you need to know.

Preorder Star Wars: Squadrons

PS4

• Get it at Amazon – $39.99
• Get it at Best Buy – $39.99
• Get it at GameStop – $39.99
• Get it at Walmart – $39.99

Xbox One

• Get it at Walmart – $33.88
• Get it at Amazon – $39.99
• Get it at Amazon (digital) – $39.99
• Get it at Best Buy – $39.99
• Get it at GameStop – $39.99

PC

• Get it at Amazon (Steam) – $39.99
• Get it at Amazon (Origin) – $39.99
• Get it at Best Buy – $39.99
• Get it at GameStop – $39.99
• Get it on Steam – $39.99

Star Wars: Squadrons Preorder Bonus

Preorder Star Wars: Squadrons on any platform, and you’ll receive additional cosmetic items for your starfighters and pilots.

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

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Microsoft has revealed the next set of Xbox Games With Gold titles that will be free in October and this lineup is designed specifically for the month of Halloween.

All Xbox Live Gold members will get access to Xbox One titles Slayaway Camp: Butcher’s Cut and Maid of Sker, Xbox 360 game Costume Quest, and original Xbox game Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy. Slayaway Camp will be available from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31 while Maid of Sker will be available from Oct. 16 through Nov. 15. Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy will be available from Oct. 1 through Oct. 15 and Costume Quest will be available starting Oct. 16 and up until Oct. 31.

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Slayaway Camp: Butcher’s Cut is an homage to the classic 1980s horror where you play as Skullface, a villainous character set on terrorizing any and all camp counselors and campers at a camp. This isometric slasher-horror game features over 300 puzzles for you to solve. Check out this trailer for the game to get a glimpse at what you can expect.

Maid of Sker continues the spooky-themed fun by putting players in a remote hotel with a gory history based on Welsh folklore. Players will need to use stealthy tactics to survive the attacks of sound-based enemies known as the Quiet Ones, which you can get a glimpse of in this gameplay trailer.

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On the backwards compatible side of things, Costume Quest is a game set in the monster-filled neighborhood of Auburn Pines. Your objective is to collect magical costumes and take down the evil that lurks within the area. You can read about why we think the game is great in our Costume Quest review.

The final free game this month is original Xbox title Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy. You play as Sphinx alongside their friend, the Mummy, as you travel around the world to stop the evil plans of the villainous Set. Read why we think this game is great in our Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy review.

If you’ve got an Xbox Gold subscription active, it’s not too late to grab games from Xbox Games With Gold for September; still available are The Division, The Book of Unwritten Tales 2, and Armed and Dangerous.

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Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Prehistoric Kingdom, the upcoming theme park management game that asks you to design, create, manage, and grow a zoo for dinosaurs and other extinct animals, is heading to Steam early access in Q2 2021.

Developer Blue Meridian and publisher Crytivo have released a first glimpse of what you can expect in bringing these long-extinct animals back to nature. The exclusive first-look trailer above features famed zoologist and nature host Nigel Marven, who provides voice-over narration for an authentic documentary-style overview, while showing off a few of the many animals and habitats you’ll create.

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Prehistoric Kingdom will release into early access with 22 animals, including Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Lambeosaurus, Styracosaurus, Mammuthus, Smilodon, and Coelodonta, with more coming after release. To house all those creatures, you’ll be able to terraform your park to transform biomes like grassland, tropical, wetland, coastal, and more, while adding modular and pre-built buildings to attract customers, all while balancing the health of the animals with the happiness of your visitors.

To celebrate the early access announcement, Blue Meridian will conduct a live stream on September 30 at 10am PDT, which you can watch on the Crytivo Twitch channel, and you can check out the Prehistoric Kingdom official site and steam page for more information.

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Brandin Tyrrel is a Senior Editor at IGN. You can find him on Unlocked, or chat over on Twitter at @BrandinTyrrel.

 Partner Content by Blue Microphones 

Rocks crunch beneath your feet as you breathe heavily, chasing down an enemy.

“SNIPER IN THE TOWER!” you shout through your mic as you hear a bullet whiz by on your headset. You crouch your character behind a burned out tank to avoid a kill shot. Your teammate dives behind a doorway just in time to avoid being taken out herself. In the corner of your screen, you see the relief etched across her face in her camera feed. You pull out an HDR of your own, reload the clip — KA-CHUNK — and wait for the sniper to break cover, watching intently through the scope. Finally, he makes a run for it. BOOM! The bullet finds its mark as the shell clinks to the ground. “Nice shot,” your teammate says before you continue the assault.

When you’re playing online with friends — or strangers — clear communication is as key to survival as is a lightning fast core processor, giant 4K monitor, or ultra-responsive keyboard when you’re setting up your ultimate battle station. You’ll definitely want your teammates to hear your tactical instructions clearly, and your enemies to make out every last word of your trash talking.

Plus, if you’re planning to go live on Twitch or YouTube, it’s imperative to have equipment that delivers broadcast quality sound and video, or your viewers will quickly click on another channel that does.

But don’t take my word for it, look at the way these jaw-dropping setups combine top-notch video and audio to create personalized spaces that would make any gamer drool. Hopefully you’ll get some ideas on how to set up your very own comprehensive rig.

IG: @lvlupduo

This sweet, color-coordinated tandem setup is perfect for a couple who enjoy playing together as a team — or competing against one another in head-to-head combat. Hey, a round of “Fortnite” sounds like a much more fun way to decide what to have for dinner than Rock Paper Scissors. All of the equipment — which comes in matching, soothing blue and white — offers everything you’ll need for professional-level streaming. The cool blue track lighting underscores the calm vibes emanating from the battle station’s color accents — and the Logitech G733 Lightspeed Wireless RGB Gaming Headsets ensure they won’t disturb the neighbors! These ultra-lightweight headsets provide unbeatable comfort plus surround sound, voice filters, and advanced lighting to help you look, sound, and play with more style than ever.

IG: @AKA_ART_

YouTube/AKAARTOFFICIAL

Everything about Art’s elite gaming setup oozes class, making this station a podcaster or streamer’s dream. The modern, uncluttered white desk and large window overlooking tall greenery offer a Zen-like den where Art can shut off from the world to concentrate on his craft. The Blue Baby Bottle XLR microphone might remind you of a vintage radio mic, but it’s anything but old-fashioned when it comes to sound quality, delivering classic warm audio that even a professional musician would envy.

 

FB: therealdanhall

TW: @DanHall_1

Dan’s battle station really maximizes a minimal amount of space. The thin wooden desk combined with triple curved monitors make you feel like you’re in the cockpit of a fighter jet preparing to save the world rather than in the corner of a bedroom or office. Combining the Compass Premium Boom Arm with the Yeti X USB mic is also a smart way to set up your station when you don’t have a lot of desk space because there’s one less thing sitting in front of you, and it opens up more room for the mouse and keyboard. Plus, his Logitech StreamCam, which records in full HD 1080p at 60fps, also lets him create content in portrait mode, which is ideal for mobile devices and Instagram.

IG: @Itzame_UK

Never take your eyes off the prize, which in Daniel’s case, is clearly his Instagram followers. With his five-digit Instagram follower counter front and center, he’s able to see how his content is performing in real-time when it comes to growing his audience. The wraparound desk with monitors on each side is a handy way to compartmentalize games and/or streams. His Yeti X USB mic and boom arm are also good choices for this setup, because they allow him to switch back and forth between monitors with ease. Because the mic only has one cable, there’s not much that can get tangled up with all that movement.

IG: @jreneegames

A battle station fit for a modern samurai, embracing the past and finding joy in the present. The Japanese lanterns and artwork harken the old Bushido Code, or “Way of the Warrior,” while the Funko pops lining the desk are a reminder that it’s OK to be a fanboy and have some fun while playing video games. Because Jamie has opted for mood lighting reminiscent of a darkened shrine in feudal Japan, his Logitech Brio webcam, which captures every move in 4K resolution at 30fps, or in 1080p at 60 fps, is the perfect choice for this low-light environment.

 

IG: @havokharakiri

Big. Massive. Gargantuan. Honestly, there aren’t enough adjectives to describe the scale of Jonathan’s epic rig, which envelopes your senses with sights, sounds, and pure energy. If the triple monitor setup wasn’t enough, he’s also got a wall-mounted flatscreen to complete the experience. Also on the wall, his subwoofers amplify the bass, while the acoustic paneling ensures the sound traveling through his Yeti mic is devoid of echo, reverb, and ambient noise. Honestly, he could probably host a rave without missing a beat. Meanwhile, his G502 Hero high-performance gaming mouse, which looks like a sleek battlecraft ready for an interstellar assault, features the most accurate gaming sensor ever created, not to mention the fastest frame-rate processing available. Its 11 programmable buttons also allow you to lock in your favorite commands and power moves.

IG: @tiinytriix

This dual setup is a shrine to high performance, offering the total package when it comes to an all-around high-intensity gaming experience. The focus here is all on the equipment, with Julianne eschewing a cluttered space filled with toys and art in favor of clean lines and symmetrical arrangement. For starters, she’s got the top-of-the-line Brio webcam, as well as two wireless G915 TKL Gaming Keyboards — one in black and the other in white to suit her mood. Speaking of mood coloring, the TKL’s Lightsync RGB technology allows for fully customizable lighting across all its keys which will really pop in this mostly white space.

IG: i_am_milkes

TW: @IamMilkes

This battle station is an audiophile’s dream that doesn’t break the bank. Matthew opted for the budget-friendly Yeticaster pro bundle, which is perfect for the streamer just getting into the game and building an audience while delivering professional-quality content. It comes with the aforementioned Yeti USB mic, Compass Premium Boom Arm, and a Radius III Custom Shockmount, which isolates the Yeti from movement and ambient vibration, which could come in handy if you’re broadcasting in tight quarters or sharing a room with someone else. The classic-yet-affordable Logitech C922 webcam also allows him to stream in 1080p at 30 frames per second or hyperfast HD 720p at 60fsp.

IG: wolf_mav

If the stacked triple monitors, companion vertical monitor, and mounted subwoofers don’t convince you that Nicolai takes gaming ultra-seriously, perhaps the huge “Gears of War” lancer mounted above this high-caliber battle station will do the trick. It’s clear from his monitor setup that Nicolai was looking to create an all-immersive visual environment that takes you right inside the action, and the G733 headset’s precise and full-range surround sound compliments that effort perfectly when it comes to audio.

 

IG: @fluxgamess

No, you’re not looking at the set of an Apple commercial. This is Owen’s ode to white minimalist design. From the sleek modern desk to the plush carpet, whiteout Yeti mic, and white G915 TKL Gaming Keyboard, the equipment and furniture exude a sense of peaceful calm that many gamers find beneficial. The keyboard also lets Owen create his own animations or choose from a selection of preset effects to really add to the ambience. The only break from the aesthetic is the brick wall, which offers a nice reminder that it takes hard work and grit to build a streaming empire. But don’t worry, the keyboard will make sure you don’t injure your hands along the way. Its keys are also super responsive and low-profile, meaning they’re half the height of traditional keys. There are also three different types of keypads to choose from depending on how smooth you prefer your keystrokes.

 

There’s a new RTX 3008 equipped config up on Amazon, and it’s a good one. Of course, one of the best things about new video card releases though is the price drop you get for the previous generation models. There are some excellent deals today on RTX 20XX series gaming PCs and gaming laptops. Score an MSI RTX 2080 desktop for only $1450 or an Aliewnare RTX 2070 laptop for $1350. In other deal news, the Nintendo Switch Animal Crossing Edition is back in stock at Gamestop, and the first Amazon Prime Day 2020 deal is already available. For more details, check our What to Expect for Amazon Prime Day 2020 article.

Deals for September 29

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More Video Game Deals

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Eric Song is IGN’s deal curator and spends roughly 1/4 of his income on stuff he posts. Check out his latest Daily Deals Article and subscribe to his IGN Deals Newsletter.

The new trailer for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla introduces some new story hooks and finally ties the story to the Assassins, but the trailer is also notable for its accessibility options. That is to say, the trailer itself has a neat new accessibility tool.

As noted by accessibility specialist Ian Hamilton on Twitter, the YouTube version of the trailer features a new option in the Settings menu. Right between the Subtitles and Quality options you can find a new Audio Track option, which lets producers upload audio track variants. In the case of the Valhalla story trailer, that includes an “English Descriptive” option, which includes narration for blind viewers worked in nicely between the bits of dialogue.

It’s a cool feature you can sample below. In a recent interview with GameSpot, advocate Steve Saylor (aka the Blind Gamer) noted Ubisoft as a company that is especially forward-thinking about accessibility, having invited content creators with accessibility needs to the preview for Immortals: Fenyx Rising.

The trailer also sets the tone with some picturesque settings, like the kingdoms of King Alfred of Wessex and the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is coming to PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S on November 10. Then the PS5 version comes shortly after, launching alongside the console on November 12. Ubisoft is offering free upgrades on both platforms, with the Xbox versions using Microsoft’s Smart Delivery system.

Three debates will happen ahead of the 2020 U.S. presidential election between Democratic nominee Joe Biden and President Donald Trump. And for those who have already cut the cable cord but still want to watch, there are several ways to watch via your home consoles and streaming boxes. Here’s everything you need to know to watch tonight’s presidential debate, as well as when to expect the rest.

What Time Does the First 2020 Presidential Debate Start?

The first presidential debate between candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump starts at 6 pm PT and 9 pm ET on September 29. The debate will be 90 minutes long and have no commercial breaks.

How to Watch the 2020 Presidential Debates

While the presidential debate will air on cable television, there’s also the option to watch it on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube as it will be streamed live by various outlets through their official channels. We recommend tuning in via YouTube since it’s the most widely available option. There’s the website or the app which you can usually get on your mobile phone, tablet, and Smart TV. People with PS4, Xbox One, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV can also watch the debates via the YouTube app. CNN, Bloomberg, and some of the news channels below have their own apps from which they will stream the debates, so you may want to check if that option is available on your preferred platform. Here are the channels streaming the debates online:

• NBC News
• PBS
• Telemundo
• ABC News
• CBS News
• C-SPAN
• USA Today
• The Washington Post
• Fox News

Who Will be Moderating the First Presidential Debate and What Are the Topics?

Fox News anchor Chris Wallace will be moderating the presidential debate on September 29, and the topics the two candidates will be covering include:

• The Trump and Biden Records
• The Supreme Court
• Covid-19
• The Economy
• Race and Violence in our Cities
• The Integrity of the Election

What Are the Dates For the Other 2020 Presidential Debates?

There are three presidential debates in 2020. Following the airing of the first one, the other two are scheduled to broadcast live at 6 pm PT and 9 pm ET on the following dates:

• September 29
• October 15
• October 22

Kamala Harris and Mike Pence will also have a Vice Presidential debate on October 7.

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