Author: Trafficblast

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Members of the PlayStation 4 system software beta program can try out the next iteration of the console’s firmware now. Invites have gone out for PS4’s 6.50 beta, letting players kick the tires and test the stability of an update that is mostly focused on, what else, stability.

The invite notes that firmware 6.50 “does not include any new major consumer-facing features” but requests the community’s help “fine-tuning the performance and stability improvements the update brings.” Interested testers can download the beta through a special link, and then provide feedback on a beta forum.

This is similar to the 6.00 update, which despite being a whole number was focused squarely on stability improvements. Sony is being more upfront about that fact this time around though, after functionality in the 6.00 beta was kept a secret known only to testers. That left the eventual roll-out somewhat of a disappointment when it didn’t do much at all.

We do know that some consumer-facing features are on the way, however, including the long-awaited PSN name change feature. Those who have access to that beta have been able to change their name for free the first time, and then at $10 USD/CAD / €9.99 / £7.99 for each subsequent change. PlayStation Plus members get a break, costing only $5 USD/CAD / €4.99 / £3.99. But Sony also warned those testing the feature that it could lead to losses of data, including DLC purchases, game saves, and more.

Sony also just announced its PlayStation Plus games for February, which include For Honor and the full first season of Hitman, Divekick, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Gunhouse and Rogue Aces. February will mark the last month that PS Plus includes PS3 and Vita games, but Sony is offering significantly more cloud storage space.

With DJ Marshmello set to hold a concert in Fortnite very soon, Epic Games has kicked off a mini event that consists of new challenges and rewards. The first segment of this is now live and involves something called Showtime posters; here’s how it works.

The first of the Showtime challenges asks you to search a Showtime poster. This simply involves tracking down one of these posters and holding the Use key while standing in front of it. Do that, and you’ll net a Marshmello-themed spray for yourself. Two more challenges will open up on February 1, each with a reward of their own; complete all three to net an additional reward.

Until the others unlock, that leaves you to merely track down a showtime poster. It’s unclear exactly where these can be found at this point, but they appear to be scattered all around the map. We found one located on the side of the structures just north of Dusty Divot; you can see what you’re looking for in the image below.

It’s a relatively easy challenge, provided you can locate one of the posters. Whether the other two objectives prove to be just as simple remains to be seen, but even if they’re knocked out quickly, there’s a new batch of Week 9 challenges to keep you busy. Among them: one asking you to pop golden balloons and a multi-tiered one that has you dance on a sundial, followed by two other objects.

As for DJ Marshmello, the electronic musician is currently on tour. The next stop listed on the schedule is Pleasant Park, one of the locations on Fortnite’s island. If you go there now, you can actually see that a stage has been set up for the concert, though just what it will look like on the day remains to be seen. The concert is scheduled for Saturday, February 2, at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 7 PM GMT.

Ben Affleck has played Batman in three DC movies to date, but it’s safe to say that none of those movies were particularly well received. From the “sad Affleck” meme that did the rounds while he was promoting the critically panned Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice to the commercial failure of Justice League, there has been much speculation that the star will not return to the role again. He has now confirmed this. Sort of.

Following the news that the next Batman movie, titled The Batman, is set to hit theaters in June 2021, Affleck took to Twitter to retweet a story that he would no longer play the role. The original story ran in Deadline carried the headline “Ben Affleck Passes The Torch To Next Generation Of Bruce Wayne.” Affleck retweeted this, adding that he was excited for the film, which will be directed by Matt Reeves. Check it out below:

The Batman was first announced back in 2016, with Affleck attached to star, co-write, and direct. He initially stepped down as director when Reeves came on board, and soon after it was reported that Affleck’s script had been abandoned. While Affleck never stated that he was leaving the role, last year it was reported that Reeves’ movie will feature a much younger Bruce Wayne.

The Batman hits theaters on June 25, 2021. Earlier this week, Reeves hinted at what fans could expect from the film. “It’s very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale,” he said. “It’s told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He’s supposed to be the world’s greatest detective, and that’s not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been.”

In related news, DC has also announced the release date of the next Suicide Squad movie. It’s simply titled The Suicide Squad, and is not a sequel to the 2017 movie, but a new version written by James Gunn. Gunn was hired by DC to work on the script in October, following his departure from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gunn is also in negotiations to direct, and that it will “take the franchise in a new direction with a mostly all-new cast of characters and actors.”

Square Enix has been very protective of Kingdom Hearts 3 spoilers, even holding back some of its special endings for post-launch. That rolling time period has now ended, as Square Enix has announced that its closely guarded “Secret Movie” is now available for those who have fulfilled the requirements.

The Secret Ending is tied to photographing the Lucky Emblems, which are recognizable as Disney’s Mickey Mouse logo, hidden throughout the world. Check out our Lucky Emblems guide for details on their locations. The number of Lucky Emblems you need to collect to unlock the Secret Movie is different based on your difficulty level. On easy mode you’ll need to get them all, but in the other two modes you can get fewer to unlock them.

This is actually the second post-launch movie added to Kingdom Hearts 3. A special epilogue was also added and is viewable upon finishing the game’s main story. Square also patched in a “Memory Archive,” a series of short films that reviews the major points of the story so far.

When the game leaked and spoilers began to circulate online, director Tetsuya Nomura asked fans to please not share them, and detailed his plans for the post-launch movies. More recently, he said he’s reconsidering simultaneous worldwide launches to avoid leaks.

For more on Kingdom Hearts, check out our history of the franchise and full story recap. You may also need some beginner’s tips to get started off on the right big floppy yellow shoe.

“What sticks with me is the exciting battle against elemental titans with Hercules, taking Rapunzel out into the unfamiliar wide world for the first time, snapping selfies with Winnie the Pooh, and going toe to toe with Davy Jones,” critic Tamoor Hussain wrote in GameSpot’s Kingdom Hearts 3 review. “In 2002, as Sora, I left Destiny Islands to travel across the universe and make new friends. In 2019 I brought old ones home, and I had so much fun doing it.”

Eleven Arts has announced that A Silent Voice is finally getting a physical disc set release in North America. The anime movie is releasing in a deluxe package that includes the Blu-ray, DVD, and digital versions.

First premiering in Japanese theaters in 2016, the home release of A Silent Voice will be available for purchase in North America on April 2, according to Crunchyroll. The disc set includes both the original Japanese version of the film and the English dubbed version.

A Silent Voice rapidly gained popularity in Japan when it first released, and its emotional story captured American audiences when the film released internationally the following year. The movie is a condensed version of the story told in the seven volume manga of the same name–titled Koe no Katachi in Japan–that was created by Yoshitoki Oima. A Silent Voice follows the changing relationship between Shoko and Shoya, a girl who’s deaf and the male peer who used to cruelly bully her in elementary school. Shoya reaches out to Shoko when the two are in high school in an effort to make amends, as well as come to terms with his own guilt, and the two eventually spark an unlikely friendship that begins to grow into something more.

While you wait for A Silent Voice to come out, there are plenty of other options for anime you can watch. If you’re looking for something new, we’ve put together a guide of series to both watch and keep an eye on during the current Winter 2019 season. For older titles, consider looking at our guide for anime series from the Fall 2018 season or a list of our favorite anime from 2018. Sentai Filmworks also released several new home release disc sets in January 2019, including a cool-looking special steelbook collection for Land of the Lustrous–one of 2017’s best anime.

Disney

While so much of Disney is taken up with the likes of Marvel and Star Wars, it’s important to remember the House of Mouse has more going on than the companies it’s purchased. Disney has a massive film slate in 2019, as well as the launch of a new streaming service.

While it’s hard to know exactly what the company will promote during the Super Bowl, contenders include Jungle Cruise starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, Tim Burton’s Dumbo, and, of course, the sequel to Frozen, which hits theaters in November. It would also be surprising if we got away from game day without some mention of the Disney+ service, which will be launching later in the year.

One thing we know for sure is new Toy Story 4 footage will arrive Sunday after the game is finished.

Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth has been confirmed for a western release, heading to the US and Europe on June 4, 2019. The 3DS exclusive will cost $40 at launch, and like its predecessor, it crosses over the casts of various Persona games.

Persona Q2 is a spin-off featuring the Phantom Thieves of Persona 5. The heroes have to battle their way out of dungeons, each themed after a movie genre with its own set of tropes. They’ll join up with both original characters and notable names from the Persona series along the way. Those will include characters from Persona 3, Persona 3 Portable, Persona 4, and Persona 5. Clever team-ups between characters will grant special rewards through a new “Unison” battle system. It will be Japanese-only with subtitles.

Atlus paired the announcement with word of a special “Showtime Premium Edition” for $70. That will include a Koromaru plush, art book, four buttons featuring the four protagonists, and a deck of playing cards with characters across the Persona series. Pre-orders also include the buttons set.

Persona Q2 was among our most anticipated games this year, as a follow-up to the well-received spin-off Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth.

“It’s an ambitious crossover that unites my favorite games, characters, and soundtracks in one place,” wrote Michael Higham. “It’s as if I had different groups of dearly beloved friends somehow meet each other, get along, and band together in a stylish fight for what’s right. This might be the 3DS’s swan song, and it’d be a hell of way for the storied handheld to end its tenure when it comes to the West on June 4, 2019.”