Author: Trafficblast

• The Best Gaming Deals For Black Friday 2020 (Nintendo Switch, PS4/PS5, And Xbox One/Series X)
• Black Friday 2020: Thanksgiving Day Store Closings, Retailer Ads, And Deals To Expect
• Black Friday Ad Scans 2020: Best Deals At Walmart, Target, And More
• + Show More Black Friday 2020 Deals And News Links (5)
• Black Friday 2020: Walmart PS5 And Xbox Series X Restock Time For November 25
• GameStop PS5 And Xbox Series X Restock Set For Black Friday 2020
• Best Black Friday 2020 Nintendo Switch Deals: Games, Console Bundle, And More
• Best Black Friday 2020 PS5 And PS4 Deals: Games, PS Plus, And More
• Best Black Friday 2020 Xbox Series X And Xbox One Deals

Amazon’s incredible “get 3 for the price of 2” Black Friday sale has started, and a ton of Batman animated movies, shows, and graphic novels are included. Some of Batman’s most iconic stories are included in these deals, meaning you can stock up or get a friend into the franchise without busting your bat-wallet.

There’s more deals than we can include, so click that first link to go to the whole list on Amazon. You may have to enter “Batman” into the small search bar on the right to filter items.

Black Friday 3-for-2 Batman Deal at Amazon

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=amazons-3-for-2-batman-sale”]

In a new interview, Xbox boss Phil Spencer shared how toxicity can harm the video game industry, calling console tribalism “one of the worst things about” the video game industry.

Speaking with The Verge, Spencer spoke out against what he calls “tribalism in the industry,” though more popularly referred to as the “console wars.” Spencer, who heads up Microsoft’s Xbox operation, goes as far as to say that tribalism may be the only thing that could force him out of the games industry.

“The tribalism in the industry, if there was anything that would ever drive me out of the industry, it’s actually that,” Spencer says on The Verge’s Decoder podcast. When he talks about the vocal core “that just really hates the other consumer product,” Spencer says “that’s just so off-putting to me… To me, it’s one of the worst things about our industry.”

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true”]

And even beyond that, Spencer says Microsoft’s competition isn’t actually Sony or Nintendo. “We’re in the entertainment business. The biggest competitor we have s apathy over the products and services, games that we build.”

This isn’t the first time Spencer has spoken out against toxicity in the games industry. During his keynote address at DICE 2018, Spencer called toxicity in gaming a “threat to our entire industry.”

Instead, Spencer says we should focus on how gaming is bringing people closer together thanks to features like crossplay, which tears down barriers between consoles in online play.

Xbox pushed heavily for cross-platform play early on with games like Minecraft. Since then, the feature has become far more commonplace with new games touting the feature regularly.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Hillbilly Elegy is available to stream on Netflix.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Based on J. D. Vance’s acclaimed memoir, Ron Howard’s Hillbilly Elegy features powerful “reverse makeover” performances from Glenn Close and Amy Adams (that are sure to shine up nicely come awards season) but ultimately the film is a somewhat hollow, overly-glossy attempt to encapsulate J.D.’s struggles to escape a life of abuse and poverty.

There are interesting, and important, themes at play in Hillbilly Elegy, about the difficulties of escaping cycles of violence and how destitution itself is a disease but the narrative bounces back and forth between J.D.’s past and present a bit too loosely, to the point where you start disengaging emotionally because we’re only getting the bullet points of hill folk strife.

Again, Close and Adams are very good, and when you see actual footage of J.D’s “Mamaw” and mother during the final credits, you’ll note just how close these high-caliber performers came to mirroring the actual people. But Hillbilly Elegy needed to be a bit rougher and a touch less forgiving. It wouldn’t fix the story structure, but you get the feeling someone could have mined more out of this tale with a shoestring budget than this sanguine, souped-up Ron Howard production.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=hillbilly-elegy-images&captions=true”]

Told through the eyes of J.D. as both a teen and a young adult attending Yale (Owen Asztalos and The Big C’s Gabriel Basso, respectively), Hillbilly Elegy never quite touches down on the runway long enough to resonate. You get flashes of manic performances, particularly from Adams as the frightfully unbalanced addict Bev, J.D.’s torrent of a mother, but you never sit with anything long enough to care. The film even resorts to a quick montage in the end, of J.D.’s life after he decides to get his s*** together, to catch us fully up to the present.

Close’s Mamaw, J.D.’s eventual hard-nosed caregiver, is excellent as a chain-smoking, cussing granny and some of the best moments in the movie come from Mamaw’s choice to try and do better with J.D. than she did with Bev. The story breezes past most of Mamaw’s sinister shortcomings as an actual mother, having raised Bev in a calamitous household of emotional horrors, relegating it to quick flashbacks and a few lines like ‘I could have done better” (to say the very least), but Mamaw and J.D.’s relationship is still the most formidable, and satisfying, part of the movie. Even if it plays out in a very rote Hollywood manner.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/02/new-to-netflix-for-november-2020″]

Freida Pinto is good in sort of a thankless role as J.D.s “present day” girlfriend, Usha. Most of her scenes take place on the phone as she tries to steer J.D. back to his internship interviews while he’s away taking care of his junkie mother, afraid that Usha will leave him if she knows the full breadth of his family history. J.D., while pining for his summers in Kentucky hill country, actually grew up in dilapidated, depressed Middletown, Ohio – a place that was more harmful to his family than if they’d actually stayed back in the mountains.

It’s amidst the jobless and forlorn Middletown that J.D.’s life starts taking savage turns. Hence, the small town utopia his Mamaw once escaped to, making his clan “Hillbilly royalty” of sorts, winds up being more dangerous than Appalachia. Hillbilly Elegy isn’t a total loss, thanks mostly to energized performances, but it also doesn’t quite deliver the message it wants to deliver. It’s too polished, and unfocused, to fully immerse you into its grit. Splitting the story up between the past and present (the present here being 2011) provides scattershot screen grabs of J.D.’s life in ways that keep you at a distance.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=worst-reviewed-movies-of-2020&captions=true”]

Beloved landscape painter Bob Ross is coming to Magic: The Gathering through a partnership between Wizards of the Coast and the Ross estate, as reported by Motherboard. The result of this collaboration is a limited edition card set called Happy Little Gathering.

The set is going to have two Ross landscapes to represent each of Magic’s respective land types: swamps, forests, plains, mountains, and islands. Spells are fueled by the different land types, so any good deck will need them. Now, players will be able to make their decks beautiful in a new way with Ross’ landscapes shaping their spells. These cards will have the same backings as any other card and will be playable in official matches. The “Evolving Wilds” card, one that can transform into any other land type, will also be getting the Ross treatment. This card too, will be represented by one of Ross’ iconic landscapes.

Working with Ross’ landscapes proved to be fairly surprising. Sr. Creative Director at Wizards of the Coast Tom Jenkot told Motherboard: “I thought swamp was going to be the hardest, but it turned out to be plains.” He went on to note that he had to cheat a bit with plains by zooming in on the painting being used.

To grab the Happy Little Gathering set, you’ll need to check out Magic’s Secret Lair line. The Secret Lair line is a series of rare card drops containing three to seven reprinted cards that feature alternate art. Usually this art is done by famous artists, like the Prime Slime line done by Dakota Cates, so Ross should be in good company. The last Secret Lair drop even featured characters from The Walking Dead franchise.

Happy Little Gathering will be available to preorder starting November 30 on Wizards of the Coast’s Secret Lair website. To get a peek at the cards beforehand, check the site out on November 25. Preorders end November 14, so mark your calendar if you don’t want a sad little accident.

Best Buy’s Black Friday sale has officially begun, meaning you can save a heap of cash on all kinds of items. But if you’re looking for video game deals, you’re especially in luck. Some of the best deals during this sale event are on video games. You can grab titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 for $19.99 and first-party Nintendo Switch games for $39.99. No matter which console you play, there are plenty of deals to go around. You’ll find tons of deals below.

Anyone who wants to see what else Best Buy has on sale can check out our Best Buy Black Friday sale page. And if you’re retailer agnostic, you can poke your head into your Black Friday deals mega-post to see the best deals available anywhere.

PS4 and PS5 Deals

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=best-buy-ps-plus-subscription-deals”]

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=best-buy-ps4-game-deals&type=list”]

Nintendo Switch Deals

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=best-buy-nintendo-switch-game-deals&type=list”]

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=best-buy-nintendo-switch-accessories-deals&type=list”]

Xbox One and Series X/S Deals

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=best-buy-game-pass-subscription-deals”]

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=best-buy-xbox-games-deals&type=list”]

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=best-buy-xbox-accessories-best-deals&type=list”]

Gaming PC Deals

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=best-buy-gaming-laptop-deals&type=list”]

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=best-buy-gaming-pc-deals&type=list”]

Best Buy’s 4K TV Deals

A lot of gamers are in the market for a new 4K TV these days. If you fall into that category, you might want to take a peek at the big TV discounts also available at Best Buy right now.

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=best-buy-4ktv-best-deals&type=list”]

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Chris Reed is a commerce editor and bonafide deals expert at IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.

[widget path=”ign/modules/recirc” parameters=”title=&type=articles%2Cvideos&tags=us-shopping&count=3&columnCount=3&theme=article”]

Amazon, like so many other retailers, is going big for Black Friday 2020. You can expect to see deep discounts across every item category you can imagine and, while you’ll be able to score staggering deals on Black Friday, tons of discounts are available right now.

While the awesome 3-for-2 next-gen video game sale is extremely popular, Amazon is also offering those same 3-for-2 discounts on tons of books, anime, and other items. If you’ve been looking for ways to get your hands on new graphic novels (or other books) for less, now is a great time to strike.

Some notable graphic novels included in the sale are:

• Doomsday Clock: The Complete Collection
• The Adventure Zone Boxed Set
• The Sandman Omnibus
• V for Vendetta
• Batman: Three Jokers
• The Witches
• and more

To score even more savings, visit our Best Black Friday sales mega-post (which includes all the best deals across every retailer), as well as our pages focused on the Best Black Friday Video Game Sales, the Best Nintendo eShop Deals, and where to snag the elusive PS5.

Amazon’s Buy 2 Get 1 Free Graphic Novel Sale

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=amazons-3-for-2-graphic-novel-sale”]

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Brian Barnett writes wiki guides, deals posts, features, and much more for IGN. You can get your fix of Brian’s antics on Twitter (@Ribnax).

The prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the hack-and-slasher Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, has surpassed three million units sold both digitally and physically worldwide.

According to Japanese magazine Famitsu (translated by Gematsu), the sales milestone is a new record for a single title in the Musou franchise, a series of slash-em-ups by Koei Tecmo and Omega Force. Despite that, it’s not yet the all-time best-selling game in the franchise, with entries like One Piece: Pirate Warriors having sold more units over its lifespan. At any rate, a demo for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is still available to download for free.

In other Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity news, Nintendo dropped a new update that resolves a handful of bugs and adds a Spanish dialogue option to the game.

Reviews for Age of Calamity have been largely positive since its launch, with most critics recommending it despite the lacking story. We scored the game a 6/10 in our Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity review, with critic Suriel Vazquez saying, “It’s strange to think of a bungled story leaving me so lukewarm on a Zelda game, even if it is a spin-off. But paying off its premise is the burden a prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is tasked with. “

Bad news for anyone hoping to binge Chappelle’s Show over the holidays. The popular sketch comedy series has vanished from Netflix’s library as suddenly as it appeared, and it turns out Dave Chappelle himself is the reason for the show being pulled.

As spotted by Deadline, Chappelle explained the reasoning behind the decision in an Instagram video. In the video Chappelle echoes similar comments made during his most recent Saturday Night Live appearance, criticizing ViacomCBS for licensing the Chappelle’s Show streaming rights to Netflix without compensating him. He specifically requested that Netflix pull the series, and the streamer obliged.

Presumably, Netflix is eager to preserve its ongoing working relationship with Chappelle, as the comedian has released several standup specials exclusively through the service over the past four years.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=the-25-best-netflix-comedy-specials&captions=true”]

“When I left that show I never got paid,” said Chappelle. “[ViacomCBS] didn’t have to pay me because I signed the contract. But is that right? I found out that these people were streaming my work and they never had to ask me or they never have to tell me. Perfectly legal ‘cause I signed the contract. But is that right? I didn’t think so either.”

Never one to mince words, Chappelle described streaming the series as an act of theft and urged his fans not to watch Chapelle’s Show so long as ViacomCBS continues withholding royalty payments.

“I think that if you are f*cking streaming that show you’re fencing stolen goods,” said Chappelle. “So I’m not going to the agents, I’m coming to my real boss, I’m coming to you. I’m begging you — if you ever liked me, if you ever think there was anything worthwhile about me, I’m begging you, please don’t watch that show. I’m not asking you to boycott any network. Boycott me. Boycott Chappelle’s Show. Do not watch it unless they pay me.”

Chappelle’s Show was added to Netflix and HBO Max on November 1, and as of November 24, it’s no longer available on the former. The series is also still streaming on CBS All Access.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/12/08/dave-chappelle-wants-you-to-put-your-phone-away”]

Chappelle’s Show originally aired on Comedy Central from 2003 to 2006. The series ranked number 19 on IGN’s Top 100 TV Shows of All Time. Though he signed a lucrative $50 million contract with the network for two more seasons, Chappelle famously left the series in 2005, citing creative burnout and describing himself as sometimes being a “difficult dude.”

The good news is that there’s plenty else to look forward to on Netflix this holiday season. Check out IGN’s recent reviews for David Fincher’s Mank, The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

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

Here’s some good news for anyone in the market for a new 4K TV: Best Buy’s Black Friday sale is now live, dropping prices on loads of 4K HDR TVs. So whether you’ve managed to score a PS5 or Xbox Series X and want to see what the new consoles can do, or you’re just ready to upgrade past 1080p, you’ll find deals galore on 4K sets.

We’ve combed through Best Buy’s Black Friday deals on TVs to highlight a wide variety of sets on sale. You’ll find discounts on budget-priced sets, making them even easier on your budget. You’ll find mid-range TVs on sale for cheaper than ever before. And if you want to go all out and get a giant 4K TV of the highest quality, you can save hundreds of dollars right now.

If you’re looking for more than just TV deals, check out our full rundown on Best Buy’s Black Friday deals. Or check out our Black Friday deals mega-post for a hand-picked selection of the cream-of-the-crop discounts. And remember, the deals won’t last forever. Some of the more sought-after TVs may well sell out as the sale event goes on. So if you see one you want, grab it up.

Top 4K TV Black Friday Deals

• LG CX Series 55″ 4K TV – $1399 (was $1699)
• LG CX Series 65″ 4K TV – $1899 (was $2499)
• LG CX Series 77″ 4K TV – $3499 (was $3999)
• LG Nanocell 80 Series 75″ 4K TV – $999 (was $1499)
• Samsung Q90T 55″ 4K TV – $1299 (was $1699)
• Samsung Q70T 75″ 4K TV – $1499 (was $2099)
• Samsung Q60T 75″ 4K TV – $1197 (was $1599)
• Samsung 9 Series 82″ 4K TV – $1397 (was $1899)
• Samsung 7 Series 65″ 4K TV – $477 (was $599)

LG’s gorgeous CX series TVs are our pick for the best TV for next-gen gaming, and they’re on sale for big discounts right now. Anyone with a My Best Buy membership saves an additional $50 off the price (you can sign up for free here).

More 4K TV Deals at Best Buy

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=best-buy-4ktv-best-deals”]

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Chris Reed is a commerce editor and bonafide deals expert at IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.

[widget path=”ign/modules/recirc” parameters=”title=&type=articles%2Cvideos&tags=us-shopping&count=3&columnCount=3&theme=article”]