Author: Trafficblast

The Nintendo Switch has a bunch of new colour options coming for its Joy-Cons later this year, but one of them will only be available through Best Buy in the US. Green Joy-Cons are available for pre-order from the retailer now with a release date set for October 27.

Other Joy-Con colours launching this October include a Blue and Neon Yellow pair and a Neon Purple and Neon Orange pair (or as I like to call them the Waluigi and Wario Joy-Cons). They arrive on October 4.

See at Best Buy

One thing that’s important to note about Joy-Cons is that many reports of analog stick drift have been reported in recent weeks. Nintendo has addressed this issue and is currently offering free Joy-Con fixes and refunds to those who have already paid for repairs. I recently sent in a pair of Joy-Cons and was not charged for the service. It’s unclear if Nintendo will take steps to prevent this from happening to new Joy-Con models.

You can also pre-order the Nintendo Switch Lite now. This includes the Gray, Yellow, and Turquoise models, in addition to the Zacian and Zamazenta version. The first three colours release on September 20, while the Zacian and Zamazenta edition releases on November 8, a week before Pokemon Sword / Shield.

When it was announced in June that WWE had hired Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff as executive directors of Raw and Smackdown, respectively, it sent shockwaves through the professional wrestling industry. More than a month later, with Smackdown gearing up for its transition from cable channel USA to the Fox broadcast network, Bischoff’s role on the blue brand is certainly something many fans are keeping an eye out for. They aren’t the only ones, though.

Charlotte Flair, a Smackdown superstar, is very intrigued by what Bischoff brings to the table. However, as she explained to GameSpot and other outlets during a scrum at the TCA press tour, the proof will be in the pudding. “Talent who have had experience, who’ve been with other companies, who’ve seen the industry change, it’s a positive,” the nine-time WWE Women’s Champion said.. “But at the end of the day, the talent still has to deliver. So, to me, yes it’s exciting to have a new mind. It’s fresh, it’s new, he’s eager, he’s experienced it all. But talent still has to deliver at the end of the day.”

Whether or not he can deliver, big things are coming for Smackdown. The show’s move to Fox is part of a bigger agreement WWE has made with Fox Entertainment, which will see additional programming on Fox Sports 1. Having Smackdown fall under the Fox Sports banner within the company may also be a sign that the blue brand may more heavily lean on the sports aspect of sports entertainment, though that remains to be seen.

Smackdown will premiere on Fox on Friday, October 4, with an episode celebrating the show’s 20th anniversary. Among the names announced for the special installment of the series are Kurt Angle, Lita, Trish Stratus, Ric Flair, Sting, Booker T, and Mick Foley, along with the current roster of Smackdown superstars.

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled has stormed back into the lead at the top of the UK physical games chart. The remaster is back at No.1, as Switch exclusive Super Mario Maker 2 keeps pace at No.2.

More Switch games are found throughout the top 10 for the week ending August 10, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (No.3), Fire Emblem: Three Houses (No.7), Minecraft‘s Switch port (No.9) and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (No.10) all charting well. There were no new entries in the top 40 this week.

We enjoyed the latest Crash remake here at GameSpot, awarding it an 8/10. “Simply put: This is a remaster done right,” we said in our Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled review. “Nitro-Fueled maintains the spirit and rock-solid foundations of a childhood favorite while building on it and modernizing it where necessary–even if the handling might take a bit of getting used to. Adventure mode’s classic variant feels a little tough, but your first race on Roo’s Tubes or Sewer Speedway will bring a nostalgic grin to your face regardless. When the nostalgia fades, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled remains fun and engaging enough to keep you racing on with a smile on your face for much longer yet. It’s good to have Crash back.”

You can read the full top 10 sales chart for this week below, courtesy of UKIE and GfK Chart-Track. Note this table does not include digital sales data, and so should not be considered representative of all UK game sales.

1. Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled
2. Super Mario Maker 2
3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
4. FIFA 19
5. Grand Theft Auto V
6. F1 2019
7. Fire Emblem: Three Houses
8. Red Dead Redemption 2
9. Minecraft
10. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Microsoft would consider allowing some of its studios to release games on competing consoles. Xbox Studios boss Matt Booty told Game Informer that this will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Asked directly if Microsoft would allow its newest studio, Double Fine, to release future titles on platforms that compete with Xbox, Booty replied, “Yeah, I think we would.”

Whatever the case, Booty said the bigger discussion is about what’s right for the game.

“I think the question is less binary about, ‘Should it be on Switch, should it be on PlayStation’ and more, ‘Does it make sense for the franchise?’ In other words, is it a kind of game where it would benefit from the network effect of being on a bunch of different platforms, or is it a game where we can best support it by putting resources and making sure that our platforms, things like xCloud and Game Pass and Xbox Live, are really leaning in to support the game,” Booty said.

Obsidian and Double Fine were acquired by Microsoft after their respective new games, The Outer Worlds and Psychonauts 2, were announced for release across Xbox and PlayStation. Similarly, after Microsoft acquired Minecraft developer Mojang, the company continued to support Minecraft on PlayStation. It’s a potentially lucrative thing to do, as Microsoft’s Phil Spencer has said Microsoft is in fact one of the biggest publishers on PlayStation thanks to Minecraft.

Keeping Minecraft available and updated on PlayStation was a “no-brainer,” according to Booty.

Speaking to GameSpot in a new interview, Spencer recalled the thinking behind keeping Minecraft available on all platforms. “One of the first calls we got after the Minecraft acquisition was from Sony saying, ‘Are you going to pull it off PlayStation?’,” Spencer said. “And I’m like, ‘Why would I do that? People like playing it on PlayStation.'”

As for Microsoft’s older franchises that have never been released on competing consoles, such as Forza, Halo, and Sea of Thieves, those series were designed from the beginning to “exist on Xbox.” Booty said he expects that legacy to continue going forward.

Also in the interview, Booty shared some insight into one of the reasons why why Microsoft acquired Obsidian–the company sees a bright future for The Outer Worlds. He said Microsoft sees the game as one that can build and grow over time. One major question is around a potential sequel and if it would continue to be a multiplatform release. Since The Outer Worlds 1 isn’t even released yet, Booty wouldn’t be drawn into speculation, though his earlier comments suggest that it might be possible for the sequel to release on multiple consoles.

Finally, Booty said he is proud of the way Microsoft is structuring its studio acquisition deals. He mentioned that when Microsoft and Twisted Pixel decided to split up, the terms of the deal were such that Twisted Pixel would be able to continue to thrive.

The Lion King, the realistic remake of the classic 1994 animated film, has now topped the original–along with any other animated movie. The latest worldwide box office numbers, not adjusted for inflation, show it leading every other animated film.

Previously, Disney’s recent hit Frozen was the top-grossing animated film of all time. The Lion King’s latest earnings put it just over $1.33 billion worldwide to Frozen’s $1.27 billion. This also makes The Lion King the #12 movie of all time according to Box Office Mojo. It could also earn a spot in the top ten if it displaces both Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2 and Black Panther, which are narrowly ahead by $1.341 billion and $1.346 billion, respectively.

Fellow Disney property Avengers: Endgame recently beat Avatar to claim the top-grossing film of all time. However, that’s only in non-adjusted gross, and adjusting for inflation means Avatar still beats earth’s mightiest heroes.

However, it should be noted that adjusting for inflation shakes up the top-grossing films in some much more dramatic ways as well–mostly in regards to movies released decades ago. According to BOM, inflation-adjusted numbers put Gone with the Wind, Star Wars, and The Sound of Music at the top. On that list, Avengers and Avatar are side-by-side in the mid-teens, and The Lion King remake doesn’t even make the top 100–far behind the original animated movie at the #20 spot.

Despite its beloved inspiration, The Lion King 2019 got only middling reviews on GameSpot sister site Metacritic, and in GameSpot’s Lion King review. In particular, many critics suggested the remake was too faithful to its source material, while its more realistic animated style sacrificed some of the original’s expressive tone.

“Maybe it’s smart of Disney and director Jon Favreau to leave well enough alone and simply try to recreate the original’s magic with contemporary technology and actors,” Michael Rougeau wrote. “Incredibly gorgeous visuals, a star-studded new cast, a punched-up comedic script, and a new Beyoncé song will no doubt be enough to get plenty of fans–of all ages–into the theater to see this movie. But in the end, Disney is just repeating history, and that makes the new Lion King simply good, not great.”

Niantic hosted the final Pokemon Go Fest of the summer in Yokohama, Japan last week, and as it had done for the previous two Go Fests, the studio held a series of global challenges during the event. As a reward for completing these challenges, the developer is making a handful of bonuses available in the game this week, and it’s bringing another Legendary dog back for a special Raid Day on Saturday.

From August 13-20, you’ll be able to earn triple the normal amount of Stardust for each Pokemon you capture or hatch. On top of that, you’ll earn 3,000 Stardust for participating in Raid Battles, and any Star Pieces you use during the week will last for one hour rather than 30 minutes.

As a final reward, Suicune is making another appearance in five-star Raids on Saturday, August 17. The Legendary Water Pokemon will be available from 4-7 PM local time that day only. Not only does this give you another opportunity to add one to your collection if you’ve previously missed it in the game, you’ll also have a chance of encountering its Shiny form during the Raid hours.

Suicune isn’t the only Legendary making an encore appearance in Pokemon Go; Rayquaza also recently returned to Raid Battles for a limited time. The Legendary monster will be appearing in five-star Raids until September 2, and you’ll have your first chance to catching a Shiny Rayquaza until then. You can read more tips on how to catch the Legendary in our Pokemon Go Rayquaza guide.

Meanwhile, Pokemon Go’s next Community Day is set for September 15. The featured Pokemon this time around will be Turtwig, the Grass-type starter from Diamond and Pearl. Throughout the event, Turtwig will spawn in the wild much more often than it normally does, and you’ll have your first chance to find a Shiny Turtwig. Additionally, you’ll earn triple the normal amount of Stardust for each Pokemon you catch during the event.

Back at E3 2017, Microsoft announced a massive update for Minecraft that would make the game’s graphics look better–or at least different–across the board. Among other things, the Super Duper Graphics Pack promised “dynamic shadows, lighting that streams through fog, movement in leaves and grass, new textures for mobs and villagers, directional lighting, edge highlighting, and more.” However, it’s now been canceled.

In a post on developer Mojang’s website, the studio said the free update “proved too technically demanding,” so it’s being scuttled.

“We realise this is disappointing to some of you–there was a lot of enthusiasm for Super Duper from inside and outside the studio–but unfortunately, we aren’t happy with how the pack performed across devices,” Mojang said.

While the Super Duper Graphics Pack is now canceled, Mojang said it is examining “other ways” to give fans the opportunity to “experience Minecraft with a new look.” No further details were shared, however.

“Minecraft is available on a wide range of platforms, and we’re constantly trying to make the most of the technical architecture of each one. We’ll be able to share more on that subject very soon,” Mojang added.

In addition to ongoing support for Minecraft, multiple new Minecraft games are in the works including an AR game called Minecraft Earth and a dungeon-crawler known as Minecraft Dungeons.

Popular streamer Ninja, whose real name is Tyler Blevins, has said he is “disgusted and so sorry” after Twitch promoted a pornographic stream on his now-dormant channel.

The streaming star recently left Twitch to sign an exclusive deal with rival streaming platform Mixer. If you visited his old Twitch page on August 11th, however, rather than finding his old broadcasts, you were presented with a list of popular live channels instead. One of the most-watched streams during this time was a channel showing porn, which appeared on the list of recommendations on Ninja’s channel before Twitch eventually shut down the illicit stream.

Ninja posted on Twitter shortly after, apologizing to anybody that saw the recommendation and expressing his disgust that something like this happened.

“I have no say in any of this stuff,” he said. “This is the line, this is the straw. I’ve been trying to get the whole channel taken down to begin with, or at least not promote other streamers and other channels on my brand, on my friggin profile. So for anyone who saw that, I apologize and I’m sorry.”

The streamer’s Twitch channel has since reverted back to showing his past broadcasts, though this may only be a temporary change.

Emmett Shear, the CEO of Twitch, has apologized to Ninja and explained why these recommendations appeared in the first place.

“Our community comes to Twitch looking for live content,” he said in a post on Twitter. “To help ensure they find great, live channels, we’ve been experimenting with showing recommended content across Twitch, including on streamer’s pages that are offline.” This refutes Ninja’s claim that Twitch doesn’t do this with any other dormant channels, “Just me.”

Shear goes on to say, “This helps all streamers as it creates new community connections. However, the lewd content that appeared on Ninja’s offline channel page grossly violates our terms of service, and we’ve permanently suspended the account in question. We have also suspended these recommendations while we investigate how this content came to be promoted.” He concludes with an apology to Ninja, “It wasn’t our intent, but it should not have happened. No excuses.”

Ninja’s move to Mixer has been smooth otherwise. He’s already amassed over 1 million subscribers.