Author: Trafficblast

PlayStation 5’s Biggest Differences Have Not Been Announced Yet, Sony Teases

During CES 2020, Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan unveiled the PlayStation 5 logo to a muted reception. But while the reveal of a logo isn’t the bombshell some fans were hoping for, Ryan has said that there is more exciting news about the system around the corner, and some key pieces of information that have not been revealed yet.

In an interview with Business Insider Japan, which has been translated by Gematsu, Ryan says that the PlayStation 5 will have unique features. He cites the improvements Sony has already announced, including 3D audio, haptic feedback in the controllers, and the addition of a solid state drive. But he also hints at features beyond these.

“There are still more unique elements for PlayStation 5 to come that separate it from previous consoles,” Ryan says. “The ‘bigger differences’ have yet to be announced.”

This is a vague statement, but it means that we haven’t seen the system’s full range of possibilities yet, and that the system might be able to do things we’re not anticipating–and that Sony is holding back features they consider even bigger than full backwards compatibility.

Elsewhere in the interview, Ryan says that he does not believe that delaying the PlayStation 4’s Japanese release was “a good idea” on reflection, and suggests that PlayStation 4 support will not immediately cease when the PS5 releases.

“During the migration from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5, there will still be a great deal of PlayStation 4 users. That is very important and we have an obligation to those users.”

Now Playing: Sony Wants You To Buy A PS5 Faster Than Usual – GS New Update

Locke & Key: Breaking Down the Trailer for the Netflix Horror Series

Netflix just released the first trailer for Locke Key, a series that promises to be one of their biggest new projects of 2020. It’s been a long, difficult road in adapting the beloved comic book series for television, by the first 10-episode season is finally about to drop.

Here’s the trailer again if you didn’t get a chance to see it yet:

If you’re not familiar with the source material, you might be a little confused by this new footage and why exactly keys are so important in this horror/fantasy universe. Here’s a quick breakdown of the trailer and everything you need to know about how the Locke & Key comics are being translated into live-action. You can read it by flipping through the below slideshow with images for reference, or perusing the text below:

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The Live-Action Aladdin Is Available Now On Disney Plus

Disney’s Aladdin (2019), which released in cinemas in May 2019, is now available on Disney’s new streaming platform, Disney Plus. The film, which stars Will Smith as the Genie, Mena Massoud as Aladdin, and Naomi Scott as Jasmine, can now be watched by anyone who subscribes to the service.

The movie, while not a classic on par with Disney’s 1992 original, is pretty solid, and was received relatively well by many critics.

Aladdin is the only new release on Disney Plus today, but there are still a few interesting releases to come during January. January 10 will see the release of Marvel’s Runaways season 3, meaning that the whole series will be available. The same day will also see the season finale of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series releasing.

January 22 will also herald the release of the first season of Bluey, an excellent children’s show from Australia. The finales of Encore and The World According to Jeff Goldblum will air on January 24.

Aladdin did well enough in cinemas that a sequel is being discussed. It is one of six Disney films released in 2019 to earn over $1 billion (soon to be seven thanks to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.)

Now Playing: Disney’s Aladdin – Official Trailer

GTFO Early Access Review

At first glance, GTFO’s co-op FPS action may seem familiar, but a thoughtful combination of atmospheric stealth exploration and brutal difficulty make it refreshingly unique. This enjoyable team-focused formula has provided me with 25 hours of chaotic fun, even a few of its six expeditions were lacking in variety. Its early access launch is uncommonly bug-free but also missing obvious features like progression and in-game voice chat that (while keenly missed) didn’t stop me from having a good time. GTFO is off to a strong start and with so many obvious ways to improve on what’s already here I can’t wait to see where it ends up.

Each expedition in GTFO begins with a startling descent into a labyrinth of subterranean rooms called The Complex. Navigating its creepy industrial corridors using an interactive map and computer terminals with a team of four total players is a lot of fun thanks to the tense atmosphere and puzzling stealth encounters. While I did spot a handful of reused rooms during my frantic crawls through its hour-or-so-long expeditions I was impressed with the clever use of color, volumetric fog, and lighting (or the lack thereof) that not only made the recycled rooms feel like a new area, but also ramped up the intensity and effectively sold the illusion that I was descending further into the complex.

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Major Australian Retailer EB Games Is Closing Multiple Stores Across The Country

EB Games, Australia’s largest game chain store, is closing several locations around Australia. In a statement given to Kotaku Australia, the retailer has said that 19 unprofitable stores around the country are closing; however, 20 stores have disappeared from their online store locator.

“Where possible, staff were offered the opportunity to work in surrounding stores,” the statement reads. It also notes that several more “large format” stores, combining EB Games and pop culture outlet Zing, will be opening around the country.

According to Kotaku, the following stores look set to close:

  • Bribie Island EB Games QLD 4507
  • Brickworks Marketplace EB Games SA 5031
  • City Cross EB Games SA 5000
  • Cleveland EB Games QLD 4163
  • Dandenong EB Games VIC 3175
  • Dianella EB Games WA 6059
  • Hallet Cove EB Games SA 5158
  • Hamilton EB Games VIC 3300
  • Harbourtown Adelaide EB Games SA 5950
  • Inala EB Games QLD 4077
  • Inverell EB Games NSW 236
  • Kalamunda EB Games WA 6076
  • Lutwyche EB Games QLD 4030
  • Majura Park EB Games ACT 2609
  • Rockdale EB Games NSW 2216
  • Tamworth EB Games NSW 2340
  • Underwood EB Games QLD 4119
  • Winston Hills EB Games NSW 2153

These stores are expected to close by the end of January 2020, and will be discounting stock from 20-60%. It is unclear whether any of the 40 EB Games stores in New Zealand will be affected.

EB Games is the Australian subsidiary of major US retailer Gamestop. Their parent company has fallen on hard times itself, and had to layoff over 100 employees in 2019, but there’s a plan in place to turn things around.

They previously carried the Australian edition of Game Informer, which was cancelled in early 2019. The first store (then named Electronics Boutique) opened in 1997, and as of now there are over 450 stores in operation in Australia with over 5000 employees.

Our thoughts are with any and all affected staff.

Now Playing: GameStop Exec Insists Digital Games Aren’t Killing It – GS News Update

The Flash Movie Will Be a ‘Different Version of Flashpoint’

The upcoming Flash film will be different from what people are expecting, according to the movie’s director.

That HashTag Show spoke with director Andy Muschetti (the It movies) Tuesday who confirmed rumors that he’s directing The Flash and also said his movie will be a “different version of Flashpoint than you’re expecting,”.

The Flash has long been reported to be a screen adaptation of the popular DC Comics storyline that involves multiple timelines affected by the actions of scarlet speedster Barry Allen.

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Two Blindfolded Players + One Controller = Wildest Boss Fight, Ever

Mike Tyson in Punch Out is one of video games’ most infamously difficult final bosses. But over at Awesome Games Done Quick, two incredibly talented speedrunners just fought their way to and beat him sharing the same controller. Oh, and they were completely blindfolded. According to speedrun.com, blindfolded speedruns of Mike Tyson’s Punch Out are nothing new. These two players actually hold the 2nd and 3rd spots on the leaderboard. Sinister1 has a blindfolded time of 21 minutes and 38 seconds, and Zallard1 has a 21 minute 56 second time.

So, how do you beat a notoriously hard game, while sharing a controller AND blindfolded? As you might guess, it’s not easy. In an interview beforehand, the runners weren’t sure they’d be able to beat the game in these conditions, or even get to Mike Tyson during the run. What followed was a 23-minute display of what can only be described as pure skill.

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PS5 News, Rumors, and Predictions – Beyond Episode 625

BEYOND!

On this week’s episode of IGN’s PlayStation show Podcast Beyond, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano, Lucy O’Brien, and Max Scoville to discuss everything we know, and don’t, about the PS5 so far. The cast breaks down news, rumors, and offers up some predictions about what we hope to see from the PS5 this year.

Download or listen to the show on these platforms:

Fast & Furious 9: Everything We Know About The Action Sequel

Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, and Charlize Theron are set to return for the ninth movie in the long-running Fast & Furious series in May, but when the first movie in the series was released way back in 2001, no one could have predicted what it would lead to. The movie borrowed the title from a long-forgotten ’50s B-movie and was an entertaining street racing drama featuring TV star Paul Walker and largely unknown actor Vin Diesel. It was a commercial success, which ensured a sequel two years later, which was also a box office hit. But as we’ve seen many times before, few movie series can keep up that momentum forever. From Men in Black to Pirates of the Carribean, there is always a point where audiences start to lose interest and move onto the next hot film franchise.

But amazingly, 19 years later, the Fast & Furious franchise is more popular than ever. The most recent film in the main series–2017’s The Fate of the Furious–grossed more than $1.23 billion at the worldwide box office, and while last year’s spin-off Hobbs & Shaw wasn’t as successful, it still made an impressive $758 million. The series itself has changed considerably as the years have gone by; the films have got more and more ridiculous, and the modest stunts of the first film transformed into some truly wild and outlandish action, with the street racing plots shifting towards heists, chases, and general automotive insanity. All helped of course by a charismatic cast of modern action stars, including Diesel, Rodriguez, Dwayne Johnson, and Jason Statham.

But it hasn’t all been fun behind the camera. The tragic death of Paul Walker during the production of Fast 7 in 2013 left some to wonder if the series would survive, and there have been public feuds between Johnson and Diesel, Johnson and Tyrese, and Rodriguez and writer Chris Morgan. None of these have hurt the series financially, however–they may even have helped–and audiences seemingly can’t get enough of Dominic Toretto and his “family.”

The ninth movie in the series arrives in theaters this year. Most details are currently under wraps, but the film finished production in November, and with the first trailer imminent, expect lots more information about the film to emerge in the coming weeks. But for now, here’s everything we know so far about Fast & Furious 9…