Category: Games

Auto Added by WPeMatico

Mortal Kombat Making-Of Documentary Reveals Plenty Of Kool Secrets And Easter Eggs

Video game film adaptations can be tricky to do right, but when a project manages to combine an original spin on the source material with the right cast, and a decent budget, magic usually happens. This year’s Mortal Kombat is one such example of a video game movie getting the formula right, and if you were looking to watch a short documentary on how the film was put together, then you’re in luck. Warner Bros. has uploaded a mini-documentary on the making of Mortal Kombat, which you can watch below.

It’s a fascinating deep dive into how Mortal Kombat was put together for the big screen, as director Simon McQuoid and the rest of the cast talk about the film, the video games, and how each character’s unique look was created. Plus a whole lot of blood and gore, so consider yourself warned in case you’re squeamish. One of the interesting easter eggs revealed is with Kabal’s costume, as his special moves are part of the fine print on his mask and armor.

What’s next for Mortal Kombat after it managed to earn an impressive box office haul during the current pandemic era of cinema? Writer Greg Russo has a few ideas for the sequel, which includes a trip to the realm of Edenia.

While that second film hasn’t been greenlit just yet, a sequel to the animated movie Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge is on the way this year. In case you missed it, you can check out the Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms trailer that reunites Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, and Liu Kang for one tournament to decide the fate of all the realms.

GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.

Tom Hiddleston Reflects On Loki TV Series

Even after a decade in the role, actor Tom Hiddleston never seems to get tired of talking about Loki. Hiddleston spoke about the TV show in a recent pre-finale interview with Deadline, and though the actor was careful to dodge spoilers, he had some musing to do on the future of Loki and the MCU.

The series’ final episode has aired since the interview was conducted, revealing more about the direction the MCU is heading, as well as the mid-credits announcement that Loki would be returning for another season. Before the announcement was made, Hiddleston was coy when asked about returning to the role, though he did talk about his journey as Loki.

Now Playing: 8 Marvel Theories For WandaVision, Falcon And Winter Soldier, Loki

“I have learned, at this point, having said goodbye to the character more than twice, two and a half times maybe, to make no assumptions,” the actor said. “So, it’s not up to me. But I do love playing him, and every time, I seem to find new, interesting things about him. So, yeah, I’m a temporary passenger on Loki’s journey, but we’ll see. We’ll see where the ride goes now.”

Hiddleston also talked about Loki’s journey as a character, and how it’s changed over the course of the TV show. “Loki’s someone who’s probably been deluded by the idea that he’s burdened with glorious purpose, and that perhaps that purpose has been revealed to be fraudulent or meaningless, and maybe his self-image or the role that he has condemned himself to play is redundant,” Hiddleston explained. “His experiences through this story have shown him that there are actually more opportunities available to him, and you know, it speaks to this idea, like, can we change? Can we evolve, and in that evolution, is there room to grow?”

The actor also appears to be just as excited as most fans about what the TV show means for the larger MCU storyline that’s developing. “I feel that the MCU is even more expansive, is even braver, more inclusive than it’s ever been,” Hiddleston explained.

“I think the stories are getting really exciting,” he added when pushed for more detail. “Not that they weren’t before, but I think they understand that the investment of the audience is very deep, and they don’t take it for granted for a second. So, yeah, I suppose the perspective I have on how Loki might affect the ongoing course of the MCU is this idea of the multiverse.”

While the actor clearly can’t give away anything too detailed about the future of the franchise, he was more than happy to speculate. “I know that there are lots of, you know, interesting titles of movies that’ve been announced, which kind of hint at where it might be going,” he said.

Chernobylite Gets New Trailer And Final Pre-Launch Patch

In the countdown to Chernobylite‘s full release on July 28, studio The Farm 51 has revealed a new lore trailer, as well as the final update for the early access version of the game. The trailer sheds a little more light on the game’s main character Igor, as well as his interactions with the mysterious Black Stalker.

Chernobylite is a survival horror RPG which, as the name would suggest, is set in a 3D-scanned version of the Chernobyl exclusion zone. The game involves survival, base-building, and resource management, with the main storyline unfolding in a non-linear manner.

The player character Igor is a physicist who was formerly employed at Chernobyl’s doomed power plant, who has now returned to investigate the disappearance of his fiancé, 30 years ago.

The studio is also releasing a patch, which will be the last for the early access version of the game until its full release on July 28. The patch, which is out now, includes a huge number of bug fixes, quality of life improvements, as well as performance optimization that will help the game run smoother with a higher number of enemies on the screen. You can check out the full patch notes here.

Chernobylite will release on PC via Steam and GOG, with PS4 and Xbox One releases planned to arrive later this summer.

GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.

Netflix Will Offer Video Games, Hires Former EA And Zynga Exec – Report

According to a report from Bloomberg, Netflix is looking to get into video games, though plenty of questions remain and nothing is locked down and certain at this stage. The company has hired former Electronic Arts and Zynga executive Mike Verdu to lead its efforts in this area as its vice president of game development, the report said.

“The idea is to offer video games on Netflix’s streaming platform within the next year,” Bloomberg reported, citing a source close to the situation.

“The company doesn’t currently plan to charge extra for the content,” the report said.

The report goes on to say that Netflix is looking to expand its gaming team in the coming months, and some game development positions are already listed on Netflix’s careers page.

Netflix has been involved with games before, through licensing deals like the one for its Stranger Things game, but Bloomberg reported that this deal is “much larger in scope.”

Also, it’s still early days. The report said Netflix has “yet to settle on a game development strategy. In typical fashion, the company may start with just a few games and build from there.”

The Bloomberg report had no information on how users will play these games or what might be available. Netflix previously said it had no plans for a game-streaming service.

“No,” Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said in December 2019 when asked if Netflix might make a game-streaming service. “We’re really focused on doing incredible series and films and unscripted.”

In January 2019, Netflix said the company competes more with Fortnite than HBO when it comes to entertainment usage. There are a finite number of hours in the day, and even fewer that people can spend consuming entertainment, so Netflix sees Fortnite as a competitor in that regard.

“There are a lot of other things people do to entertain themselves, including Fortnite. And the original quote was that we compete with Fortnite more than we compete with HBO. Fortnite gets a lot more hours of viewing,” Reed said in 2019. “Ultimately it’s about competing for those hours of viewing. But we don’t compete with Fortnite better by doing something like [a streaming service] because we’re not very good at that. We compete by doing the most amazing TV shows you’ve ever seen so you put down Fortnite and you come to watch our shows.”

Some may remember Netflix’s ill-fated Qwikster service, which was a by-mail video game rental service that Netflix quickly abandoned. At the time, Netflix said it was still considering its options in the field of video games.

In the initial Qwikster announcement, Hastings himself spoke about how enthusiastic the Netflix audience was for games. “Members have been asking for video games for many years, and now that DVD-by-mail has its own team, we are finally getting it done,” he said.

More recently, Netflix teamed up with The Witcher game developer CD Projekt Red for the first-ever WitcherCon event, which brought news about what’s coming for the TV show and game series based off the fantasy franchise.

It’s also been reported that Shonda Rhimes is working on a Bridgerton video game.

Loki Season One Finale: So, What Does [Spoiler] Mean For Phase 4?

Loki has officially unveiled our Phase 4 Big Bad–and no, it’s not Mephisto. The third MCU TV show on Disney+ wrapped its six episode first season on a high note that will have major repercussions for the rest of the MCU for plenty of reasons. But the question remains: Just who is this new threat and why does he represent a bigger, scarier problem for Marvel’s heroes than Thanos or the Infinity Gauntlet?

Spoilers for Loki Season 1 to follow.

We’ve known about the existence of Kang within the MCU for some time now–around a year ago, Jonathan Majors’ casting was announced specifically for the upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. However, with a character like Kang, a simple casting announcement didn’t tell us much. In the comics, the name Kang is almost an umbrella term that can be used to refer to an infinite number of alternate versions of the same person–a phenomenon the MCU has adopted and streamlined into “variants.”

Kang’s original origin story was actually relatively simple–he was a genius scientist in the 31st century on Earth named Nathaniel Richards (distant relative of Mr. Fantastic) who uncovered the ability to time travel and sent himself back to Ancient Egypt where he became a Pharaoh with plans to interfere with some mutant-centric history. Eventually he tried to return to the 31st century but traveled too far and found himself in a war-torn future, where he adopted another new identity (Kang The Conqueror this time) and set about ending the war and doing a little conquest to live up to the name.

Throughout the ’60s and ’70s, Kang’s situation was pretty standard for a sci-fi flavored villain. He could travel through time at will, frequently caused problems for the Avengers, and usually had vaguely creepy motivations revolving around obsessive love of women who wanted nothing to do with him. One such woman was Revonna Renslayer who, in the comics, was a 31st century princess in one of Kang’s conquered kingdoms. It’s unclear whether or not the MCU will be borrowing any of this for Revonna’s story in live-action, but it’s certainly obvious that Revonna’s connection to Kang is more complicated than we’ve been shown. She apparently has no memory or knowledge of him, but it’s no accident she wound up a high powered judge in the TVA–he also seems to have some sort of interest in her, judging by the way he sent Miss Minutes to give her a set of mysterious files that, for whatever reason, he wanted her to have.

He later had a similar obsessive (and ultimately fruitless) attempted romance with Mantis, who we know from the Guardians of the Galaxy in the MCU, but again it’s not clear whether any of this will crop up later.

What will certainly come into play down the line is the alternate versions of Kang that exist throughout time and space. If you’re a fan of sci-fi or superheroes, you don’t need me to tell you that time traveling is never as simple as just hopping from one point in time to another without causing major existential problems. For Kang, these problems manifested in the form of alternate versions of himself existing at different points in time and in splintered timelines. In the beginning, there were only two major alternate Kangs to worry about — the Pharaoh Rama-Tut from the past and a far-future version called Immortus.

This was just the tip of the iceberg for alternate Kangs, however. By the mid ’80s, there were so many alternate Kangs that they actually organized into something known as the Council of Kangs which was populated by–you guessed it–just a bunch of Kangs from throughout the multiverse.

It would seem that this is where the MCU is really borrowing heavily for their version, given the exposition in Loki’s final episode. He Who Remains, a version of Kang in this story, relates that he and his variant selves worked together for some time before conflict and war broke out and now, with the timeline shattered and the multiverse revived, the variant Kangs are free to dominate any reality they can get their hands on.

Now, concepts like branching timelines and multiversal realities are extremely esoteric and beholden really only to the logic of whatever story they exist in, so this could mean a lot of things for the MCU and Phase 4 moving forward. For one, given that there are now an infinite number of branching realities splitting from the sacred timeline, there are also an infinite number of Kangs–this is where the real threat comes into play. Any version of Kang is now fair game, and while every version is technically the same person, no two Kangs are actually alike. Think of the big Loki variant fight in Loki Episode 5 as a good primer for this sort of chaos–yes, they’re all Loki but no, they’re not all after the same thing and they’re not all equally motivated to get it.

This means that every Phase 4 project moving forward could technically incorporate a version of Kang for any desired effect–from terrifying villain to reluctant hero or anti-hero. He can represent a small scale threat in one reality, a massive one in another, and hope in a different one all together. And, more importantly–Kangs are a functionally endless resource. There will be one in any reality and, by virtue of their beyond genius level intellect and technological prowess, it’s safe to say they’ll be hopscotching through those realities as well, meaning multiple Kangs can be in the same place at the same time.

Of course, this also means that there are infinite versions of every other person in the MCU as well, which may come in handy at some point in the future–but they’ll all be working at an extreme disadvantage against someone like Kang. And it’s important to remember that while Jonathan Majors has been the face of Kang thus far, and will be reprising the role in Quantumania, we could also experience any form of Kang played by any actor in any future project.

We’ll just have to wait and see.

Aussie Deals: Half Off Final Fantasy and Capcom Franchises!

We’ve got some top bargains today from best Japan-based purveyors of AAA games. For starters, you can get a ton of savings on a bunch of Resident Evils, Street Fighters and more. Plus, you can cheaply immerse yourself into a number of notable Final Fantasies. Get scrolling to get saving!

Purchase Cheaply for PC

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-july-15-pc-hero”]

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-july-15-pc-list&type=list”]

Notable Sales for Nintendo Switch

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-july-15-ns-hero”]
[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-july-15-ns-list&type=list”]

Exciting Offers for XO/XS

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-july-15-xo-hero”]
[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-july-15-xo-list&type=list”]

Product Savings for PS4/PS5

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-july-15-ps-hero-2″]
[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-july-15-ps-list&type=list”]

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
Sign up to get the best Aussie gaming deals sent straight to your inbox!

Here’s Why the Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) Price Is $50 More Expensive

Besides the obvious upgrades to the Nintendo Switch (OLED Model), a new report suggests its $50 price increase is in part due to Nintendo decision to “test new waters for console makers.”

As reported by Bloomberg, Nintendo’s bet on the Switch (OLED Model) and its increased price follows the COVID-19 pandemic where Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft have had trouble meeting demand from those looking for “entertainment and escape” while being isolated at home.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/07/06/nintendo-switch-oled-model-official-announcement-trailer”]

Speaking of the Switch, it has secured the top-spot on The NPD Group’s list of best-selling hardware by unit sales in the U.S. for over 30 months straight. The PS5 and Xbox Series X are also doing very well, but Sony and Microsoft simply can’t make them quick enough.

Nintendo is hoping this momentum will stay strong with the Switch (OLED Model) – which retails for $349.99 as opposed to the standard Switch’s price of $299.99 – and the move follows the launch of the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox Series X as a mid-life refresh that gives a console a breath of fresh air that isn’t quite a new generation. However, the new Switch has one main difference from these consoles – it makes no performance improvements.

There are upgrades to be found in the Switch (OLED Model) of course, including the titular OLED screen, more internal storage, and other added components like a new console stand and a LAN port in the dock, but this is hardly the “Switch Pro” many were hoping for.

Despite that, Nintendo is looking to increase its profit margins with this new Switch model. The OLED display is said to cost an additional $3 to $5 per unit, according toe DSCC co-founder Yoshio Tamura. Increasing the internal storage from 32GB to 64GB looks to add another $3.50, according to Omdia’s Akira Minamikawa. All the other new components are “thought to add a few dollars more.”

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/07/09/nintendo-switch-oled-hands-on-thoughts-ign-now”]

All of these add up to around a $10 increase in price per unit for Nintendo, meaning it will gross around $40 per Switch (OLED Model) sold.

Nintendo had already been selling its hardware at a profit since its launch in 2017, and this would just increase its return via those who wish to purchase or upgrade to this new model. This line of thinking goes against the grain of the traditional console cost model that usually sees systems selling at a loss and recouping the initial investment through software sales and increasing manufacturing efficiency over time.

According to Ace Research Institute analyst Hideki Yasuda, if this move by Nintendo is successful and it is able to keep it impressive sales streak going, it “could set a precedent for charging more across the industry.”

An official inside the PlayStation division shared that Sony is one of the companies keeping a close eye on the sales performance of the Switch (OLED Model), as the PlayStation 3, 4, and 5 took the traditional route of initially selling at a loss.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/07/10/why-the-new-nintendo-switch-oled-is-a-very-nintendo-move”]

Investors aren’t quite convinced yet, as Nintendo’s shares have dropped roughly 5% since the announcement, and only time till tell which side is right.

“Nintendo failed to provide enough added value to justify a $50 bump in the new hardware,” Morningstar’s head of equity research Kazunori Ito said. “The new hardware is barely half-baked and would do no help at all in sustaining the platform’s momentum. The Switch had its peak last year and is only going to slow down from here.”

Others see it in a more positive light, like Serkan Toto, an independent consultant for video game companies. They said that the Switch (OLED Model)’s screen is good enough to “squeeze $50 more out of consumers” considering how well the standard Switch has been selling.

“I don’t see any reason why this model would flop,” Toto said. “Nintendo raised the new model’s price as it doesn’t need to cut prices for current models thanks to strong demand.”

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”slug=nintendo-switch-oled-model-images&captions=true”]

With console sales usually seeing a decline as they get older and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic wear off, some believe demand for products like the Switch may finally see a decline. However, Nintendo is never one to play by the rules.

“Nintendo made a real bold decision because it’s obvious that people would spend more on services and less on goods going forward,” Sony Financial Holdings senior economist Takayuki Miyajima said. “From a macroeconomic viewpoint, the move couldn’t be made if they have even a slight concern on how well the console would do.”

We won’t have to long to find out the answer, as the Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) will be released on October 8, 2021. For more, check out our hands-on preview that compares this new model to the original .

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/07/06/should-you-buy-the-new-oled-nintendo-switch-ign-now”]

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

The Hundred, Caribbean Premier League, 200+ New Players Coming to Cricket 19

Cricket 19 developer Big Ant has announced a new DLC pack for Cricket 19 featuring The Hundred and the Caribbean Premier League. The pack will add over 200 additional licensed players to Cricket 19’s roster.

The DLC will cost $14.95 AUD/€9.99 and will be available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC on July 16, 2021.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/07/15/cricket-19-ultimate-edition-dlc-trailer”]

The Hundred in Cricket 19 will feature both the men’s and women’s competitions and will allow players to draft a fantasy The Hundred team. Three new stadia have also been added so all eight The Hundred teams with feature their home ground.

“This is the full The Hundred experience,” said Big Ant CEO Ross Symons in a statement. “We’ve gone out and recreated three more stadia in the UK, so fans will be able to play along with the complete competition, while testing their own management and playing skills in building up their perfect team.

“Our goal has always been to give cricket fans the full experience, and The Hundred represents an exciting new format for the game that we have been looking forward to implementing for a while now. It’s also the first time that we’ve brought DLC to a cricket game. We have fans that have played Cricket 19 for thousands of hours, and they have been asking us for ways to deepen their experience even more. We can’t wait for them to experience the excitement this DLC brings to the game.”

[poilib element=”quoteBox” parameters=”excerpt=We%20have%20fans%20that%20have%20played%20Cricket%2019%20for%20thousands%20of%20hours%2C%20and%20they%20have%20been%20asking%20us%20for%20ways%20to%20deepen%20their%20experience%20even%20more.”]

The Caribbean Premier League component of the DLC will feature seven all-new stadiums.

A free new patch arriving alongside the DLC will also add a weekly skill challenge mode called “Test the Best”, plus a new emotes system that will allow players to send each other reactions during online play.

Released back in May 2019, IGN’s review noted Cricket 19 is “the closest to the real thing that a cricket game has ever been.”

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Luke is Games Editor at IGN’s Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter every few days @MrLukeReilly.

Star Wars: The Rising Storm’s Cavan Scott on Building The High Republic Through Novels and Comics

Cavan Scott is one of the key writers in the universe of Star Wars: The High Republic – a collection of inter-connected stories that take place in that galaxy far, far away 200 years before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

With his latest book The High Republic – Star Wars: The Rising Storm out now, we sat down with Scott to discuss what fans can expect from this new story which follows the events of Charles Soule’s Light of the Jedi. From how the team of authors work closely together to weave together a tale they already know the ending of to what it’s like writing a novel aimed at the adult market as opposed to the young adult one, Scott reveals a ton about writing for one of the biggest franchises in the world.

In addition to The Rising Storm, Scott is also the writer behind the ongoing Star Wars: The High Republic comic series. Not only do we dive into the differences between writing a Star Wars novel and comic book, but you can also see exclusive art from Issue #7 in the interview below.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

IGN: As far as Star Wars book titles go, The Rising Storm sounds pretty ominous. Would you say that describes the general tone of the story as the Jedi and Republic deal with the immediate aftermath of Light of the Jedi?

Cavan Scott: Oh, absolutely. I had three words written on my white board throughout the writing process – SENSE OF DREAD. We’ve definitely been building towards this in all the books since Light of the Jedi.

IGN: How closely did you work with [Light of the Jedi author] Charles Soule in developing this story and making sure his book would lead seamlessly into yours?

Scott: We’ve all worked together on this story from day one, so we knew exactly what beats had to be both in Light of the Jedi and The Rising Storm. I think I started writing Rising Storm while Charles was on his last draft of Light of the Jedi, so we talked about what changes he was making so I could follow that through into my novel. Plus, I was dropping in things to foreshadow events from both Justina Ireland’s Out of the Shadows plus the next wave of High Republic novels.

Everything is connected. Everything means something

IGN: Does The Rising Storm largely focus on the same cast as Light of the Jedi? Are there any newcomers fans should be on the lookout for?

Scott: It’s mainly the same cast, although Avar Kriss has now moved off into the Marvel High Republic series. Rising Storm brings Stellan Gios into the mix, a Jedi who we’ve heard a lot about but not met. He’s recently been elevated to the Jedi Council and is feeling the pressure of being the poster boy of the Jedi.

There is also Ty Yorrick, the so called ‘Saber-for-hire.’ She’s a mysterious character when we first meet her, a former Jedi who now acts as a mercenary and monster hunter.

IGN: The previous book gave us our first look at the Nihil. Will we learn more about these pirates and their plans for the galaxy in this chapter?

Scott: Yes, we delve deeper into the politics of the Nihil, especially its leadership. I had a blast building on what Charles first introduced about Marchion Ro and his Tempest Runners. We spend a lot more time with Pan Eyta and Lourna Dee in particular, the latter of which has become a bit of a fan favourite. For those who don’t know, Lourna is a murderous Twi’lek who can never be trusted. I’ve really enjoyed delving more into her character, both in this and my upcoming Star Wars: The High Republic audio drama, Tempest Runner.

As for Ro, The Rising Storm really gets into his head, which we find out is the most terrifying place in the galaxy!

IGN: This is your first full-length Star Wars novel aimed at the adult market rather than YA-focused books. Was that a challenging transition to make for you? Did it force you to rethink how you approach your storytelling at all?

Scott: Not particularly. For me, basic storytelling is the same, whoever you’re writing for; it’s just the lens that’s different. Writing for a slightly older reader in The Rising Storm just meant I could lean more into emotions and events that we wouldn’t show in a kid’s book. In my heart, I’m a horror writer, so this is probably my darkest Star Wars work so far. Our Jedi go through a lot on Valo and beyond

IGN: How different is it exploring the High Republic era as a comic versus novels? Does having that visual element help you connect with the characters or visualize the action in ways prose doesn’t?

Scott: For me Star Wars started with comics. I read the original Marvel run in the late 1970s long before I saw the movies, so Star Wars just feels like a comic for me. That’s often what I see in my head when I think of the franchise: images from that original run, from the incredible Dark Horse series of the ’90s and beyond (Star Wars Republic is still one of my all-time favorite Star Wars series) and the recent canon comics published again by Marvel, especially the incredible Darth Vader runs by Kieron Gillen and my fellow High Republic creator, Charles Soule.

Comics can hit us between the eyes with epic action one moment and then bring things so close and personal the next. That’s definitely what I’ve been trying to do in the High Republic comic, especially when dealing with the relationship between our main character, Keeve Trennis and her former master, the Trandoshan Jedi Sskeer.

IGN: Ario Anindito launched the series with you, and now Georges Jeanty is coming onboard. Jeanty is an interesting choice of artist for Star Wars, and one who seems to bring a more human touch to the franchise despite the larger-than-life imagery. Is that the balance you’re trying to strike?

Scott: Absolutely. I’m not interested in Jedi being untouchable gods. I want to see what it’s really like to live this life, to have the pressure of being a beacon of light to the galaxy. There was a lot of talk when we started this story that our Jedi were the best of the best. Yes, that’s true, as far as the galaxy is concerned. But just as those early character descriptions were teasers, place-holders even, the truth of the matter is far more complex. I’m interested in looking at where the stress points are for our characters, the cracks that moments like the events of The Rising Storm and The High Republic comic can break open. Avar Kriss for example is someone who deeply believes she should be the best, that she should shine brighter than everyone else. But what does that mean for her when the galaxy around her gets darker? Both Georges, and Ario Anindito who was the artist on our first arc and will be returning for issue eight, are so good at capturing those moments when, just for a moment, we glimpse the person behind the saber and the robes.

IGN: The cover to issue #6 paints quite the picture. Is this image of a Jedi riding a Rancor a chance for you to unleash your childhood Star Wars fantasies?

Scott: Absolutely. The first Star Wars film I saw in the cinema was Empire Strikes Back, but the film that made me a life-long fan was Return of the Jedi with all the wild and crazy creatures of Jabba the Hutt’s palace. I adore monsters and so fell instantly in love with Star Wars’ very own kaiju, the Rancor. And then came the Rancor riders of the older Star Wars Expanded Universe. That was a tradition I wanted to continue the moment I joined the High Republic team.

IGN: The High Republic stories have begun to shed light on the Great Progenitor and the Drengir. Will these characters play a big role in this upcoming story arc?

Scott: The Drengir are a massive threat to the galactic frontier at this point, enough to keep Avar Kriss, the hero of Charles’ book, from rushing to help when the Nihil strike the Republic Fair. They are a very different villain to the Nihil themselves and will play a major role in the future of the High Republic too.

IGN: This arc features an unlikely alliance between the Jedi and the Hutt cartel. How much conflict does that alliance create among the Jedi protagonists?

Scott: Let’s just say there are plenty in the Order, and especially the Council, who aren’t happy with the alliance between Avar and the Hutts. And the ramifications are going to rumble on for years to come. For me, I wanted to see Hutts in battle. It all comes back to Jabba!

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/27/star-wars-the-high-republic-explained”]

IGN: Now that we’re a little ways into the High Republic initiative and the creators have been developing the story for a few years, has this project surprised you in any ways? Has the overarching plan taken any detours you weren’t expecting?

Scott: I’ve been over the moon (that’s no moon, etc.) with how the initiative has been welcomed by fans. It’s so gratifying to see how characters we’ve created have really chimed with a large section of the fandom. Again, I remember how important the novels and comics of the ’90s were to me, and have been trying to instill that same sense of wonder, excitement and, at times, heartbreak to the High Republic.

As for surprises, well, the storyline has been planned for all three phases of the High Republic. We know how this is all ending, and how we’re going to get there. But we have given ourselves space to be surprised by our characters, and also watch to see which characters have really landed for the fans. None of that has changed our plans for them, but it has influenced the way we get to that ending. We wanted to give ourselves the opportunity for the story to grow organically as time goes by.

That said, I’ve written the last pages of the High Republic for the heroes of the High Republic comic and shut them away in a drawer. Will I rewrite them when we finally get to tell that part of the story in the years to come? Probably, but I doubt the main details will change. I think it’s important that as creators we have an ending in sight that we’re all working towards. The fans who come on the journey with us deserve that.

IGN: Light of the Jedi set the tone and direction for this era going forward. How much will the ending of The Rising Storm and the second arc of the High Republic comic set the stage for this next leg of this journey?

Scott: How do they set the stage? Well, to be honest, it’s only just beginning. The first wave of books and comics formed our pre-title sequence. The end of The Rising Storm? Well, this is where the fun begins…

[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.

YouTuber Converts A Knock-Off Game Boy To Run On Nuclear Power

When you think about nuclear energy, those big hourglass-shaped steam towers probably come to mind. But one creative YouTuber has managed to pull off a much smaller-scale, but nonetheless impressive, use of nuclear power: running a knock-off Game Boy for an hour to play Tetris.

Ian Charnas, a YouTuber who focuses on DIY creations like syncing wiper blades to music, decided to try and harness the power of nuclear decay to play a video game. You can and should watch his whole video, which is embedded below, but in short he captures the light energy thrown off by the natural decay of tritium (an isotope of hydrogen) using mini solar panels, and then stores that energy in specialized batteries. From there, the batteries are built into a custom board and hooked up to a low-energy handheld game system to play Tetris.

Large-scale reactors use controlled chain reactions of uranium fission to generate heat and turn a turbine to create electricity. This is, more or less, the same phenomenon that powers nuclear weapons and is highly regulated by international atomic energy agencies. However, many other elements also undergo nuclear decay at much smaller (and safer) levels, including tritium, and all nuclear processes release energy as both light and heat. While big reactors capture the heat, Charnas captures the light using photovoltaic cells. This is basically the same idea to running a game system of solar power–the sun, too, releases energy via nuclear fission and decay.

While Charnas’s creation is completely impractical from any sort of business standpoint–it’s expensive, unwieldy, and barely holds any charge–it’s still an extremely impressive implementation of nuclear power at the smallest of scales. Charnas is also raffling off the nuclear-powered handheld, with all proceeds going to benefit a charity helping support children living near the affected zone of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster.