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Netflix’s Sonic Prime: Sonic the Hedgehog Animated Series Confirmed for 2022

Netflix has announced an all-new animated Sonic the Hedgehog series, Sonic Prime, set to premiere worldwide in 2022.

The animated adventure will consist of 24 episodes, which will follow Sonic on a “high-octane adventure where the fate of a strange new multiverse rests in his gloved hands.” However, Netflix notes that the series is “more than a race to save the universe,” as the Blue Blur ultimately finds himself on “a journey of self-discovery and redemption.”

Sonic Prime will be a collaboration between SEGA and Wild Brain Studio, as the two companies are jointly handling production, distribution, and licensing of the series, alongside Ben 10 creators Man of Action Entertainment, who will be serving as showrunners and executive producers on the project, which was accidentally teased towards the end of last year.

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“Sonic is a beloved character and holds a special place in everyone’s heart including my own,” Netflix’s Director of Original Animation, Dominique Bazay, said in a statement following the announcement. “I spent many hours with the blue blur as a kid and it’s a privilege to be able to bring this character everyone knows and loves on a brand new adventure with Netflix — one that a generation of loyal fans and brand new fans around the world can enjoy.”

The series based on the beloved video game — which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year — is said to build upon the momentum that was generated for the iconic character following the release of the Sonic the Hedgehog movie last year, with an all-new adventure that aims to “match the scale and scope of the epic adventures synonymous with the Sonic franchise.”

“Sonic the Hedgehog is a global entertainment icon that has captivated audiences since its video game debut in 1991,” added SEGA’s Ivo Gerscovich. “With over 1.14 billion game units sold and downloaded to date, an exciting feature film, a robust licensing program, and more, SEGA’s iconic hedgehog continues to surprise and delight audiences worldwide. We’re thrilled to partner with WildBrain, Man of Action Entertainment, and Netflix to speed into this new, animated chapter in the Sonic franchise.”

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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Halo Dev Celebrates Black History Month With Statement Against Racism And Special Nameplate For MCC Players

February is Black History Month and Halo developer 343 Industries is celebrating the occasion by promising to continue to fight systemic racism and launching a special nameplate for Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

Writing on Twitter, the studio remarked: “We are proud to celebrate Black History Month with our colleagues and community! In keeping with that celebrating, 343 Industries remains committed to fighting against systemic racism and creating a space where everyone can be their best self and have fun.”

As for the nameplate, all you need to do is log in to Halo: MCC during February to claim the special item (which you can see below). And looking ahead to March, 343 said it will give away a special Women’s History Month nameplate–check it out here.

Halo: MCC Black History Month Nameplate:

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Last summer, in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, 343 said it was increasing its efforts to ban players for racist and hateful behavior. Additionally, the studio released a statement in which it said it “stands united with our black colleagues, friends, players, and communities in the fight against racism. We emphatically believe that Black Lives Matter.”

343 also donated 100 percent of the revenue from all Halo 5: Guardians microtransaction sales between June 19 and July 19 to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, and this worked out to more than $600,000.

Halo: MCC’s Season 5 just kicked off, promising 100 new items to collect, including the fabled and previously unreleased GRD helmet for Halo: Reach.

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MLB The Show 21 Announced for Xbox and PlayStation

MLB The Show 21, the latest instalment of the PlayStation-exclusive baseball series from Sony first-party developer San Diego Studio, has been announced for both PlayStation and Xbox consoles.

Launching on April 20, it will be available across both generations, with PS4/Xbox One versions retailing at $59.99 USD/£59.99 GBP and the next-gen versions at $69.99 USB/£69.99 GBP.

The advent of a new platform for the game also means cross-platform play and cross progression has been introduced, meaning MLB The Show 21 players can carry progression between both PlayStation and Xbox platforms, as well as play multiplayer with all players on both console families.

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Further new features will be revealed as part of a series of six Feature Premiere streams, starting in March. Another reveal will be held on February 3, which will show off the Collector’s Edition of the game.

While you’ll have to wait until then to find out what is inside the more premium edition, the PlayStation Blog does suggest that only the Collector’s Edition will feature a free next-gen upgrade. “There will be no standard edition upgrade path from current gen to next gen,” says the article from Ramone Russell, game designer at developer San Diego Studio. “If you are interested in having access to the game on both current and next gen platforms, please wait for more info about the collector’s edition.”

MLB The Show 21 cover

While the regular edition is the only one to be shown so far, the artwork does show off this year’s cover athlete: Fernando “El Nino” Tatis Jr. This won’t come as a surprise to some fans, as the cover – as well as the Xbox version – was leaked last week.

To see how the series has fared recently, take a look at our MLB The Show 20 review.

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Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

10-15% of All US PS5s Estimated to Have Been Resold

10-15% of all PS5s sold in the US are estimated to have been resold, earning huge profit for scalpers, according to a new report.

Data engineer Michael Driscoll posted the latest in a series of reports on the scalping market, this time focused on PS5. The report scraped data for thousands of listings on eBay and StockX, up until January 16. Among other things, Driscoll included only listings that had actually sold, excluded any listing using terms commonly included in scam listings, excluded listings from low feedback accounts, and removed all results that sold for less than the recommended retail price.

Driscoll was left with a figure of 157,000 PS5s sold at retail price or higher on eBay and StockX – 7.06% of of the 2.067 million PS5s VGChartz estimates were sold in the US up until January 16. Driscoll then looked into active listings on services such as OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, coming to the conclusion that a likely 10-15% of PS5s have been resold in the US.

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Driscoll’s report makes for very interesting reading beyond the headline figures. On eBay and StockX, the most recent estimated average price for a digital edition PS5 is $799 (twice its recommended price), while a disc edition is $849 (1.7 times recommend price). Driscoll estimates that scalpers have made $43.2 million in profit during that time, with eBay, PayPal, and StockX making a combined $15.9 million as a result of the resales.

While we can’t be completely sure of the figures involved (Sony has yet to release its own official data for launch) the report puts the scale of PS5 reselling into perspective, especially with scalping becoming a major talking point in the launch window of PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and new Nvidia and AMD graphics cards. Supply shortages and widespread use of automated bots have led to price inflation and repeated disappointment for normal customers. Some UK politicians are even calling on the practice to be made illegal as a result.

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Plague Inc.: Evolved’s New Virus-Curing DLC Is Free On Steam Until COVID-19 Is Under Control

With the world in the midst of a deadly pandemic, Plague Inc.: The Cure shakes up the games usual formula by tasking players with saving the world instead of destroying it. The new expansion is now available on Steam and is currently free for all Plague Inc.: Evolved players “until COVID-19 is under control.”

Developer Ndemic Creations has described the new DLC as the series’ biggest expansion yet as it adds new mechanics to help you stop the spread of a virus. You’ll dispatch research teams around the world to track the spread of the outbreak and boost testing capacity, implement measures such as contact tracing, lockdowns, and border closures to limit the spread of the outbreak, support the economy by using furlough schemes, and eventually develop a vaccine.

The nine-year-old game has been more relevant than ever over the past year, but The Cure adds a number of pertinent mechanics that will be familiar to anyone who’s glanced at the news recently. It was created with the help of world health and infectious disease experts from all over the world including the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness (CEPI), World Health Organisation (WHO) and Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN).

Plague Inc. made headlines early last year when Ndemic had to provide a disclaimer informing players that the game was not a “scientific model” following a sales boost generated by players wanting to know how the coronavirus could spread. The game was later removed from sale in China for allegedly containing content that China deemed illegal.

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Warcraft Movie Director Duncan Jones Is Pitching A TV Show

Filmmaker Duncan Jones is setting his sights on TV for a new project, it seems. Jones said on Twitter that he’s set to pitch a TV show on Monday.

“I’m doing my first real TV pitch tomorrow morning,” the son of David Bowie said on Twitter. “I’m quite excited!”

Understandably, Jones did not elaborate further on the pitch in any capacity. As such, we don’t know anything about the story or what streaming platforms/networks he might be pitching to.

Jones directed Moon and Source Code, before directing 2016’s Warcraft, which was based on Blizzard’s game franchise. It did not resonate so strongly with critics and it stumbled at the US box office, but it pulled in a very impressive $439 million at the global box office to become the highest-grossing video game movie in history. Jones had plans for sequels, but these may never see the light of day.

Jones also directed 2018’s Mute, starring Paul Rudd, and he’s also set to direct the comic book movie Rogue Trooper. He’s clearly a busy person. Given his experience and history with sci-fi, it would be intriguing to see him branch out into the TV space with an ongoing story, but it’s clearly early days for whatever project he’s pitching.

And there are no guarantees in Hollywood. Game of Thrones veteran Bryan Cogman recently shared a story about how he pitched a killer robot movie to 18 different places and he struck out with every one.

Nintendo Continues To Deny That It Will Release A Switch Pro In 2021

Nintendo has once again played down reports that an upgraded Switch console will be unveiled in 2021, saying in a recent open Q&A that was translated by Japan-based analyst David Gibson that it has “no new model plan” beyond the Super Mario and Monster Hunter Rise limited edition consoles due for release in February and March. When pressed for more details about future console plans by Bloomberg reporter Takashi Mochizuki, Nintendo said it was “not planning to make an announcement anytime soon.”

Nintendo has been cagey about a revamped Switch console, refusing to comment about reports indicating that the device will have support for 4K graphics and upgraded hardware.

Earlier this month, dataminer SciresM revealed that Nintendo’s latest firmware update contained mentions of an upgraded Switch console code-named Aula, and that the device will also include a new OLED screen. As for the ability to output to 4K when docked, Aula claimed that the necessary Tegra X1+ chip may be moved to the Switch’s dock.

If Nintendo does release a revamped Switch console, it’ll arrive on the back of a very successful financial quarter for the company. The Switch has now sold almost 80 million units in total across both available models, which now puts the console ahead of the lifetime sales of the Nintendo 3DS. Animal Crossing: New Horizons can also be found on 39% of Switch consoles, as Nintendo’s relaxing island getaway experience has now sold over 30 million units in total.

With the recent Pokemon Sword and Shield games also the first games in the pocket monster series to break the 20 million units sold mark since Pokemon Gold and Silver, Nintendo’s current console and software library continue to be a force to be reckoned with.

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MLB The Show 21 Preorders Are Live For PS5, PS4, And Xbox

While fans will have to wait longer than usual to hit the baseball diamond, we finally know MLB The Show 21’s release date and platforms. Announced on the PlayStation Blog, MLB The Show 21 arrives on April 20 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. The impending departure from PlayStation exclusivity was known since late 2019, but Sony hadn’t revealed which platforms the popular series would appear on going forward. MLB The Show 21 is available to preorder now for all four platforms, and the collector’s edition will be unveiled this Wednesday, February 3.

MLB The Show 21’s PS4 and Xbox One standard edition will cost $60. The PS5 and Xbox Series X|S edition will go for $70, the new price point for select next-gen games. You cannot upgrade the standard edition to the next-gen version. However, the collector’s edition will include access to both generations of the baseball sim.

MLB The Show 21 preorder bonuses

If you preorder any digital edition from the PlayStation or Xbox Store, you’ll receive a Gold Choice Pack for Diamond Dynasty. The PS4 and Xbox One versions also come with 5,000 stubs. Meanwhile, the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S edition includes 5,000 stubs as well as 10 The Show Packs.

$70

Preorders for the next-gen standard edition are available on the PlayStation and Xbox store right now for $70. At this time, only digital preorders are available, but we will add links to physical editions once retailer listings go live.

$60

If you plan on playing MLB The Show 21 on PS4 or Xbox One, you can preorder a digital copy now for $60 at the PlayStation or Xbox Store. We’ll add links to physical preorders once they are available.

MLB The Show 21 will support cross-platform online multiplayer across the PlayStation and Xbox ecosystems. PlayStation versions of The Show 21 will also feature cross-progression, so if you start on PS4 and then eventually move to PS5, your progress will carry over.

San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. is the MLB The Show 21 cover athlete. Sony will release more information on new features for The Show 21 during a series of six reveals starting in March.

Longtime PlayStation-Exclusive Baseball Series The Show 21 Is Coming To Xbox Series X With Cross-Play

In a big shakeup for the world of sports video games, it has been announced that Sony’s long-time PlayStation-exclusive baseball series, The Show, is coming to Xbox consoles.

This is not entirely out of left field, however, as it was confirmed back in 2019 that the exclusivity for PlayStation was ending, with the first multiplatform release penciled in for 2021 at the soonest. Now we know it’s happening with MLB The Show 21, which has 22-year-old San Diego Padres shortstop phenom Fernando Tatis Jr. on the cover as the leaks suggested. The game is scheduled to release on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on April 20, 2021.

It’s also been confirmed that MLB The Show carries a premium price tag on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, as it will cost $70 USD on the next-gen systems. The PS4/Xbox One edition is $60 USD.

Regarding the expansion to Xbox, Sony San Diego’s Ramone Russell said in a blog post that it’s all about bringing in new players.

“This is a very exciting moment for all of us as the storied franchise will be accessible to more gamers than before,” Russell said. “We would like to thank everyone at PlayStation, Xbox, Major League Baseball, Major League Baseball Players Association and the San Diego Studio for working diligently to bring MLB The Show to more users.”

People were hoping that the end of exclusivity for PlayStation might mean The Show would also release on Nintendo Switch–heck, Nintendo even tweeted about it–but there was no mention today of a Nintendo edition of the baseball game.

Sony has also confirmed that MLB The Show 21 will feature cross-play with PlayStation and Xbox, while there will also be cross-progression support, but only from PS4 to PS5, it seems.

Sony also noted that there will be no way to upgrade from the standard edition to next-gen at no extra cost. “If you are interested in having access to the game on both current and next gen platforms, please wait for more info about the collector’s edition,” Sony said. The collector’s edition will be announced this Wednesday.

Xbox marketing boss Aaron Greenberg said on Twitter that Microsoft had been working with Sony for some time on this announcement. He also said MLB The Show 21 is launching for Xbox on April 20, which is about a month after it releases on PS4 and PS5.

This is a very big change, as it marks the first time in nearly a decade that Xbox fans are getting a proper simulation baseball game. 2K Sports benched its MLB 2K series after MLB 2K13, with the company instead putting its efforts into the very popular NBA 2K series.

The RBI Baseball series is an officially licensed baseball game that has been available on Xbox and Nintendo platforms in recent years, but it is a budget-priced arcade-style game.

Sonic Prime 3D Animated Series Coming To Netflix

Sonic is speeding ahead with another animated series, this time on Netflix. The new series called Sonic Prime will consist of 3D animation. It’s coming in 2022.

The announcement came from the Netflix brand NX, which is usually used for properties like sci-fi and anime. It says that this is a production of Sega, Wild Brain Studio, and Man of Action Entertainment. Wild Brain is a licensing and distribution company, while Man of Action is a writing studio that has worked on series like Big Hero 6, Mega Man: Fully Charged, and Bakugan Battle Planet.

The tweet didn’t share much more detail on the particular spin that Sonic Prime will take on the series. The most recent series, Sonic Boom, tied into a video game of the same name when it premiered in 2014. It ran for two seasons, and it was also a 3D animated series.

Though the series isn’t coming until 2022, the announcement appears to be coming as part of the 30th anniversary festivities. Sega already announced a bundle of new Sonic merch coming this year as well.

Netflix first slipped word about Sonic Prime in December, but quickly deleted the tweet. Sonic also got his big-screen debut in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie last year. Due to the coronavirus pandemic pushing competition out of the way, it ended up being 2020’s top-grossing superhero movie–unseating Marvel for the first time in a decade.

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