If, like us, your step counters have been reduced to tracking your movement between the fridge and the couch, there is hope! For those of you itching for a little more physical activity in the confines of your home, there are plenty of games you can play right now to get up off the couch and get moving.
In a new video, Jess McDonell runs down some of the best games you can play right now to help get your heart rate up, including Nintendo’s Ring Fit Adventure for Switch (if you can find a copy!), Fitness Boxing, Just Dance, and the VR game that makes you feel like John Wick, Pistol Whip. Be sure to watch the full video to see all the games we recommend to help you break a sweat at home.
Borderlands 3 is all about the loot hunt, and even after you’ve finished the main campaign and all the released DLC, you can still keep searching for better gear. That post-game content is driven largely by Mayhem mode, which lets you up the difficulty for better loot rolls. Gearbox has been teasing some revisions with “Mayhem 2.0,” and with that update just around the corner the studio has explained what we can expect.
The update is coming on April 23 and adds a number of modifiers to the various Mayhem levels. Those modifiers are rated by difficulty level, from Easy to Very Hard. Easy modifiers might actually make the game easier by adding wacky effects like big heads on enemies or dramatically increased weapon damage paired with increased recoil. Medium modifiers make things more challenging, like requiring you to be constantly on the move or suffer chip-damage. A Hard modifier might spawn healing drones for your enemies.
Those modifiers are selected at random when you turn on Mayhem mode, but they’ll be matched to your Mayhem level according to a formula. If you select Mayhem Level 1, for example, you’ll always get one Easy modifier. If you select Mayhem 2, you’ll get one easy and one medium modifier. By the time you reach Mayhem Level 10, you’ll get one of each. Gearbox shared a table that shows the modifiers by difficulty level, included below.
In addition to the modifiers, enemy health, shield, and armor stats will increase with each Mayhem level, and you’ll find better and better loot. There will also be eight new Legendary weapons you can only find by playing specific bosses on Mayhem level 6 or higher.
Finally, the update comes with a quality-of-life change. You’ll be able to access your Mayhem level from your regular ECHO device menu, rather than having to go back to Sanctuary.
It’s been well over a decade since Friends finished–and more than 25 years since the show premiered–but the classic sitcom remains a big part of pop culture. Until the end of last year, younger audiences who missed Friends the first time around had been able to watch it on Netflix. It was removed at the start of the year but will shortly have a new streaming home–HBO Max.
WarnerMedia’s new streaming platform launches on May 27, and all 10 seasons of Friends will be one of its flagship titles. There aren’t many series over a quarter of a century old that could be a big part of a new streaming service’s launch day, but most shows aren’t Friends. It was a big deal when it was announced last year that the series was leaving Netflix, particularly as the streaming giant had reportedly paid $100 million just to keep the show on its platform for an extra year when its licensing deal initially ran out at the end of of 2018. According to analysts, Friends was one of the most streamed series on Netflix.
However, there’s one Friends-related show that won’t be available on HBO Max’s launch day, and that’s the much-anticipated reunion special. The show is set to bring stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer back together. However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to production on the special to be delayed.
Other popular shows that will available on HBO Max include Big Bang Theory and South Park, along with movies such as Studio Ghibli’s classic anime films, DC hits like Joker and Wonder Woman, and The Matrix movies. There’s also a variety of original series, such as the comedy Love Life, starring Anna Kendrick, and the ballroom dance competition Legendary.
HBO Max will cost $15 per month. This price includes a wide variety of library content from other WarnerMedia-owned brands. These include DC Entertainment, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, The CW, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, and Looney Tunes. Existing subscribers to HBO Now will get access to HBO Max at launch for no extra cost, while subscribers to HBO via AT&T’s TV services will also be upgraded automatically.
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March 2020 was a record-breaking month for both Nintendo Switch and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, with Animal Crossing achieving the third highest launch month physical dollar and unit sales of any Nintendo published game and passing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare as the best-selling game of the month.
As revealed by NPD’s video game analyst Mat Piscatella, Animal Crossing: New Horizons sits only behind Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the highest launch month physical software sales. Launch month sales of New Horizons have exceeded the lifetime sales of all other Animal Crossing titles, which makes this newest entry the best-selling game in franchise history.
The Nintendo Switch set a new all-time record for hardware unit sales in a March month, besting the previous high that Nintendo has held since the launch of the Switch in March 2017. Switch has also generated the highest Q1 unit sales for any hardware platform since the Nintendo DS in Q1 2010, a number that also had to deal with Switch shortages around the world.
Hardware sales are up 63% from March 2019 and have reached $461 million. Nintendo Switch sales have more than doubled and PlayStation 4 and Xbox One both saw more than a 25% rise. Q1 2020 hardware spending is up 2% from Q1 2019 and is at $773 million.
As for March as a whole, spending across video game hardware, software, accessories, and game cards totaled $1.6 billion, which is a 35% increase over March 2019. The $1.6 billion milestone is the highest earned in a March month since March 2008’s $1.8 billion. However, year-to-date sales total $3.0 billion, which is a 4% decline compared to last year.
After Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, MLB: The Show 20, Resident Evil 3, and NBA 2K20 round out the top 5 best-selling games of March 2020. The full list is as follows:
Some important notes on the above games include MLB The Show instantly becoming the 5th best-selling game of 2020 and fastest-selling game in MLB The Show franchise history, a number that may have been bolstered by the delay of the MLB season to to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additionally, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is now the best-selling game of 2020 and March sales of Call of Duty franchise titles are the highest they have been since March 2010.
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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
After three years of collective proverbial dust on the shelf and having a less than stellar theatrical run, The Big Lebowski spin-off movie you didn’t know existed has been released digitally. Titled The Jesus Rolls, you can rent this movie for mere pennies, and it might still not be worth the price.
Taking into consideration that the movie already debuted back in 2016 at the Rome Film Festival and finally hit Italian theaters last year it’s only just recently hit American theaters back at the end of Februrary.
The Lebowski spin-off has received little to no fanfare on the release, but word of mouth hasn’t been great either.
On Rotten Tomatoes, The Jesus Rolls has an approval rating of 21% based on 28 reviews, with an average rating of 4.67/10. The website’s critics consensus reads: “The Jesus Rolls limply into the gutter in its misguided attempt to belatedly explore the saga of a supporting character better left on the margins.”
The weirdest thing about the film is that it’s not so much as a Big Lebowski sequel (which the Coen Brothers were not on board with originally) as it is a remake of a French film Going Places, which in itself is an adaptation of a novel.
John Turturro, who reprises the Jesus Quintana role from the original Big Lebowski, had campaigned to somehow, someway play the role again for almost 20 years. However, since Turturro essentially made the character his own, the Coens allowed him to use the character again in 2014 when the spin-off was originally announced.
Without the Coens’ involvement or approval, The Jesus Rolls seems like a cheap imitation to a continuation for a one-note character. However, if you’re feeling especially morbidly curious, The Jesus Rolls is available right now to own on Amazon for $8, but to rent is only $1.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is an anticipated return to one of Square Enix’s most beloved properties, and it’s showing in the sales figures. The company announced that in just the first three days (having launched on April 10), the game sold 3.5 million copies.
The official FF7 Remake Twitter announced the sales figure with a thank you to fans. That figure includes copies both shipped and sold digitally, so it may not be sell-through to consumers. But several more days have passed since the initial launch weekend, so the tally is likely even higher by now.
It’s an impressive figure made more so by the fact that the game launched on only one platform, the PlayStation 4. It has a one-year exclusivity window on PS4, so it’s expected to come to other platforms on or after April 10, 2021. No platforms have been announced, so it could come to PC, Xbox One, or next-gen platforms. This is just the first part of the full FF7 story, and a release date hasn’t been announced for Part 2.
We’re proud to announce we shipped and digitally sold over 3.5M copies of #FinalFantasy VII Remake in 3 days! 🥳 All of us would like to raise our Buster Swords to say THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us during launch, we hope you’re all enjoying the game! #FF7Rpic.twitter.com/4m93Op7O9I
— FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE (@finalfantasyvii) April 21, 2020
“Regardless of your history with the original game, Final Fantasy VII Remake is an astounding achievement,” Tamoor Hussain wrote in GameSpot’s review, which earned a rare 10/10. The wait for its release was a long one, but in gameplay, story, characters, and music, it delivers–the wait was worth it. For first-time players, it’s an opportunity to understand why Final Fantasy VII is held in such high regard. It’s the chance to experience a multifaceted story that grapples with complex subject matter, be in the company of memorable characters, and be moved by their plight. For returning fans, this isn’t the Final Fantasy VII your mind remembers, it’s the one your heart always knew it to be.”
For more on FF7 Remake, check out our full listing of guides and walkthroughs. and check out some cool Easter eggs in the video above.
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Animal Crossing: New Horizons is set to receive a new content update this week, introducing two new merchants to the game and expanding the already extensive Blather’s Museum.
Launching on April 23, the free content update will introduce both Leif and Jolly Redd into the pool of visiting merchants. Leif’s Garden Shop will stock all sorts of flora, including tree saplings, unique seeds, and a variety of colorful shrubs to spruce up your island.
Jolly Redd will set up shop on his ship, which will occasionally dock on your island. There you’ll be able to purchase artworks and sculptures for bells, as well as uniquely colored furniture for your home. In line with previous Animal Crossing entries, you’ll have to determine what artworks are real and which are fake. Genuine art can then be donated to the museum, which will now feature a whole new wing dedicated to your sculptures and artworks for display.
The update will also usher in the first of multiple events over the next two months, starting with Nature Day. From April 23 through May 1, you can earn additional Nook Miles Points by completing nature-friendly challenges, such as planting trees and watering plants. You can check out the full event schedule here.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been a hit for Nintendo, and it’s easy to see why. In our Animal Crossing: New Horizons 9/10 review, critic Kallie Plagge praised its improvements and breadth of content, saying, “New Horizons certainly came at the right time, and its strengths are particularly comforting right now. I’m as excited to see what random events await me each morning as I am glad to have it during hard times, and that’s sure to keep me coming back for the foreseeable future.”
Despite the ongoing disruption to the entertainment industry, 2002 continues to be the year that the streaming war really heats up. The mobile-only platform Quibi and NBCUniversal’s Peacock both launched this month, and they will soon be joined by the long-awaited HBO Max, which now has a confirmed launch date.
HBO Max will be available from May 27, and will cost $15 per month. While this is more expensive than most of its streaming rivals, it is the same as a current HBO subscription and does include a wide variety of library content from other WarnerMedia-owned brands. These include DC Entertainment, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, The CW, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, and Looney Tunes.
Direct-billed subscribers to HBO Now will get access to HBO Max at launch for no extra cost, as will customers who subscribe to select AT&T premium wireless video or internet services or get HBO through AT&T.
WarnerMedia has announced some of the original content that will be available on launch day. There’s the comedy Love Life, starring Anna Kendrick, the ballroom dance competition Legendary, the acclaimed documentary On the Record, and all-new Looney Tunes cartoons. In addition, Season 2 the DC show Doom Patrol will be available later in the year, as will Season 3 of the acclaimed thriller Search Party.
Older movies and shows that will be available on HBO Max include popular comedies Friends, The Big Bang Theory, and South Park, plus all of Studio Ghibli’s classic anime films. Movies fans will be able to watch DC superhero hits such as Joker, Wonder Woman, and Suicide Squad, plus The Matrix movies and Warner classics like The Wizard of Oz and Casablanca.
In a statement, chairman of Warner Media Entertainment Bob Greenblatt said, “Our No. 1 goal is having extraordinary content for everyone in the family, and the HBO Max programming mix we are so excited to unveil on May 27th will bear that out. Even in the midst of this unprecedented pandemic, the all-star teams behind every aspect of HBO Max will deliver a platform and a robust slate of content that is varied, of the highest quality, and second to none.”
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Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ April 2020 update will arrive on April 23 and will add the Nature Day seasonal event, a museum expansion with an Art Gallery, Leif and Jolly Redd as new merchants, hints at future events like Wedding Season, and much more.
Nature Day will run from April 23 to May 4, and will help celebrate our real world Earth Day that takes place on April 22. This update also gives us a glimpse at future events, including May Day Tour from May 1 – May 7, International Museum Day from May 18 – May 31, and the previously mentioned Wedding Season from June 1 – June 30.
Nature Day will feature special Nook Miles challenges that are focused on such activities as planting trees and watering flowers. May Day Tour will allow players to use a one-time May Day Ticket to go on a limited-time tour to a special island that may include “a special visitor who looks familiar.”
International Museum Day brings a Stamp Rally to Animal Crossing: New Horizons and will have player viewing fish, insects, and fossils they’ve collected and getting stamps for visiting exhibits. Wedding Season will take place at Harvey’s Island and will let players meet the married couple Reese and Cyrus. They will also be able to arrange and take anniversary photos with them in the wedding-picture studio, and earn wedding-themed items as a reward.
Leif the sloth will bring his Garden Shop to your island and he will allow you to buy the newly added shrubs, like the White-azalea or the orange-tea-olive. Jolly Redd the fox will bring his Treasure Trawler boat to your shores and will offer artwork and furniture in exchange for bells.
Horror fans looking for something new to play on Xbox One this week will want to check out the this week’s sale on the Xbox Store. Microsoft’s Un-Halloween Horror Sale features discounts on dozens of horror and suspense titles, including multiplayer games such as Friday the 13th: The Game and Dead by Daylight. The sale is live now and runs through April 27.
Though most of us are currently spending more time at home nowadays, you can still connect with friends and loved ones through online multiplayer. Dead by Daylight: Special Edition is discounted to $12 (was $30), while Friday the 13th: The Game is down to just $5 ($20). At this point, the player base for Friday the 13th is probably pretty small, but Dead by Daylight still receives regular updates. It’s a great time to check out what these asymmetrical survival horror games have to offer. Additionally, open-world survival horror game 7 Ways to Die is slashed to $18 (was $30).
A bunch of story-driven horror games are also on sale, including a pair of great games from Polish studio Bloober Team. Layers of Fear, a creepy adventure revolving around a tortured artist, is $5 (was $20). Alternatively, you can pick up a bundle including Layers of Fear and sci-fi horror game Observer for $16 (was $40). Set in 2084, Observer stars a detective who has the ability to hack into the minds of others.
Those looking for something even grittier can pick up the Outlast: Bundle of Terror for $5 (was $25), which comes with the sadistic base game and Whistleblower DLC. Outlast puts you in the shoes of investigative journalist who visits a psychiatric hospital filled with homicidal patients. The sequel, Outlast 2, pushes the unsightly horrors to the max and is also steeply discounted at $7.49 (was $30)
You can browse the full Un-Halloween Horror Sale on the Xbox Store and check out our picks below. If you own a Nintendo Switch or PS4, you can still shop spring sales at the Switch Eshop and PlayStation Store, too.