Category: Games

Following its reveal of the Xbox Series X last December, Microsoft finally revealed its other next-generation console, the Xbox Series S. It’s a new approach to the launch of a new console generation, where both the premium and more affordable versions of the same platform are available from day one. Coming off a generation with half-step iterations–the Xbox One X and the PS4 Pro–it’s clear that Microsoft wants to give everyone some way to get in on its latest hardware. Which leaves Sony in a precarious position.

Sony has already revealed its hand with its own two versions of the PlayStation 5, albeit with a different philosophy in mind. Instead of providing two consoles that differ in terms of performance, Sony is simply giving customers the choice between having a disc drive or going all-in on digital purchases. The underlying hardware in both is identical, which suggests that their prices aren’t going to differ by much. At least, not to the degree at which Microsoft has positioned its Xbox Series X and Series S, which will retail for $500 and $300 respectively.

The Xbox Series S presents a potentially difficult marketing hurdle for Sony to overcome. At $300, it’s priced way too low for the more powerful, and more expensive to manufacture, PS5 to compete with, yet the existence of two versions of the PS5 immediately lends itself to the idea that it can. For those who understand the architectural differences between the two, this is a moot point. But for most customers who simply see two Xbox consoles and two PS5 consoles, understanding why they don’t trade blows at the same two price points could be very confusing. It’s evident already over social media, with numerous suggestions that the PS5 Digital edition should be priced to match the Series S. It’s just not feasible for Sony to make that move, never mind possible with the hardware it’s touting.

It’s not just at the cheaper end that Sony potentially faces issues though. The Xbox Series X coming in at $500 is a big deal, considering how much of Microsoft’s marketing has boasted about it being the most powerful next-generation console on the market. That’s true on paper, and Sony certainly understands how that is only one facet of a successful console, but it’s a crucial component at launch. In 2013, the PS4 was not only the more powerful console when compared to the Xbox One, but it was also the cheaper one. Back then Sony hadn’t established as much goodwill as it did across this generation with regards to stellar first-party titles, and yet it didn’t matter. It was enough for Sony to get the head start it needed, which might be exactly what Microsoft is looking to do here.

Gaining that initial lead doesn’t mean it will always carry through (the resurgence of the PS3 late into its cycle shows how a band launch can be turned around), but it establishes a trend that is difficult to break. There’s a snowball effect associated with early adoption, where friends and communities will gravitate to the more popular platform for multiplayer games. The rise of cross-platform multiplayer has potentially mitigated this to a degree, and serious multiplayer communities will always follow the platform that is supported for official competitions. But there’s a desire from either side to get out of the gates strong, using it as a platform to securely expand rather than claw back favor.

At $500, the Xbox Series X has the potential to force a reaction from Sony. There’s no definitive way of knowing yet if this is the price it had already settled on internally, but it hasn’t been too long since reports circulated suggesting the company was having trouble keeping production costs at low as Microsoft’s retail price for its console. Consoles also haven’t been sold at a loss for a long time, but if there was one company in this race with the financial stability to support it, it’s Microsoft.

Xbox is not Microsoft’s money-maker in the way that Sony depends on the PlayStation brand, so it might not be in its power to adjust accordingly if its goal is to match Microsoft on price. There might be enough room for Sony to launch the digital-only PS5 at the same price as the Xbox Series X if production costs are still a concern, but it’s difficult to see it using that version to go significantly lower.

Unless something drastic has changed since reporting on its production and Sony has found a way to significantly reduce costs, it’s likely that in the best-case scenario the PS5 will retail for the same as the Xbox Series X. Whether it’s the more expensive disc-based version or the digital one that matches it is another question, but irrespective it has no real answer to the budget-focused Series S. With that in mind, it must be a top priority at Sony for the PS5 to get as close to the Xbox Series X price as possible, or risk being the most expensive console period this holiday season.

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Disney’s gambit of producing live-action adaptations of its animated back catalog has, on paper, sounded like a savvy strategy. But with the recent Mulan, that approach has been proving out to have a turbulent learning curve in practice. The film has sparked controversy over, among other things, parts of production taking place in the province of Xinjiang, where internment camps are located–and Disney giving special thanks to several government entities there who have also been linked to cultural genocide. (For deeper context on many of the issues involved here, check out the NSFW–though compelling and great–clip of John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight below.)

As Disney has come increasingly under fire for these production choices since the movie’s release last week, Christine McCarthy, Disney’s chief financial officer, told Variety on Thursday that the company acknowledges the pushback they’ve been receiving. “It has generated a lot of publicity,” McCarthy said. “Let’s leave it at that.”

McCarthy also added that “it’s common to acknowledge in a film’s credits the national and local governments that allowed you to film there.”

Meanwhile, there has been a media blackout in effect in mainland China. On Thursday, Reuters reported that Chinese authorities have told major media outlets not to cover Mulan. When asked whether Disney was concerned how international condemnation could impact its business, McCarthy said, “I’m not a box office predictor.”

Stateside, the movie has been earning so-so reviews.

Microsoft’s next-generation of Xbox consoles have finally come into focus. Along with the previously announced Xbox Series X, the company will also have a cheaper alternative called the Xbox Series S available. Ordinarily, the difference between two versions of the same console creates distinct experiences, but this time around Microsoft has narrowed the power difference between the two to offer what is essentially the same next-gen gaming experience.

So, what are the differences, what do they mean, and which Xbox is the right one for you? Well, those are exactly the questions we answer on this episode of Generation Next. Lucy, Tamoor, and Jordan talk through everything we know about consoles, highlight the key differences, and explain what impact each of the two consoles will have on the way you play games.

There’s also a discussion of price points for both consoles. Microsoft is offering a monthly payment option for both the Series X and Series S. In most cases, this often means that you end up paying more in the long run, however, for the Xbox Series X and Series S, it actually works out cheaper to utilize the All Access purchase option. We explain why and how in the video, so you can make a smart and informed purchasing decision.

Generation Next is GameSpot’s weekly video show all about the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Each Friday, join PlayStation Pro Tamoor Hussain, Xbox Xpert Jordan Ramée, and Console Connoisseur Lucy James as they discuss the biggest stories about the new consoles. Make sure to check out previous episodes of the show on GameSpot and YouTube.

Ubisoft has finally shown off its new IP, Immortals Fenyx Rising, the title formerly known as Gods & Monsters. We recently had the chance to play a few hours of the game, and the immediate thing we noticed was that it contains a number of similarities to Nintendo’s beloved RPG The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

In a new video, Jess covers the many aspects of Immortals that you might find quite similar to Breath of the Wild. These include its bright open world, the feeling of player-driven freedom to explore, and the stamina and traversal systems. Immortals also has its own take on Zelda’s shrines, as well as fast-paced and flashy combat.

Immortals definitely has a number of surface differences compared to Breath of the Wild, but check out the full video above to see how it’s similar to Nintendo’s game.

Immortals is scheduled for release on December 3 for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. The game is also coming to the Xbox Series S/X and the PlayStation 5.

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Actor Hugo Weaving will not reprise his role as Agent Smith in The Matrix 4 due to a scheduling conflict. This much he confirmed earlier. But now, the actor has now shared some further insight on missing out on the long-awaited sequel.

Speaking to Collider, Weaving said he was initially hesitant when he got the call from Lana Wachowski about coming back for The Matrix 4, but he was won over after reading the script and seeing the offer. However, due to his commitments on the stage play The Visit in London overlapping with the planned shoot, Weaving was not able to do The Matrix 4.

“Lana was very keen for me to be a part of that. I really wanted to ’cause I’m very, very fond of all of them,” Weaving said. “I had some initial reticence about the idea of going back to revisit The Matrix, after having already done three films, but then I read the script and got an offer to my agent. I immediately responded yes to that, and then we went into negotiation.”

“I was doing a play at the time, but we were working out dates and things so that I could do both,” he added. “And then, Lana decided that she didn’t wanna change her dates, so I couldn’t do it. In a nutshell, that’s what happened.”

Although Weaving won’t be part of the cast, The Matrix 4 brings back Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Jada Pinkett Smith from the earlier films. New cast members for the sequel include Jonathan Groff, Priyanka Chopra, and Neil Patrick Harris, among others.

Wachowski helmed the previous three Matrix movies with sister Lilly. The first Matrix movie brought in $463.5 million worldwide, and it spawned two sequels: 2003’s Matrix Reloaded–grossing $742.1 million worldwide–and Matrix Revolutions–taking in $427.3 million worldwide. For more, check out The Matrix Sequels’ 34 Dumbest Moments to relive the weirdness.

The Great Gatsby director Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Presley biopic is set to resume production again soon following its shutdown earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The movie stars Austin Butler (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) as the King of Rock and Roll, with Tom Hanks set to star alongside him as Presley’s longtime manager Colonel Tom Parker.

Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson became the most high-profile western coronavirus patients in March when Hanks was in Australia filming the movie. Hanks and Wilson endured the terrible sickness during isolation, and eventually they went home to America.

Hanks is now back in Queensland, Australia, and he’s in hotel quarantine for two weeks before filming on Elvis begins again on September 23. Butler, along with the rest of the cast and crew, are already in the country.

Luhrmann said in a statement to Deadline, “We’re back to, as Elvis liked to say, ‘taking care of business!’ It is a real privilege in this unprecedented global moment that Tom Hanks has been able to return to Australia to join Austin Butler and all of our extraordinary cast and crew to commence production on Elvis.”

Luhrmann added: “I cannot emphasize enough how lucky we feel in the current climate that the state of Queensland, and Queenslanders in general, have been so supportive of this film. We thank our partners in the Queensland Government and Queensland Health for their extremely diligent process, so that we can be an example how creativity and productivity can proceed safely and responsibly in a way that protects our team and the community at large. We are all excited to start working with Tom Hanks when he is out of quarantine in two weeks.”

Hanks returned to Australia earlier this week, and his arrival was met with some criticism. He flew into the Gold Coast on a private jet and went straight into hotel quarantine at a hotel that is not one of the designated quarantine hotels, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that Hanks would be subject to random police checks to make sure he doesn’t leave the hotel. At this hotel, the movie’s producers have rented out “a number of floors” and they are paying for their own security. Although Hanks is getting special treatment in that regard, he is still bound by the same health and safety requirements of people staying in the designated hotels. Still, some people are upset about the preferential treatment he is receiving.

“The double standards are shocking–it shouldn’t be one rule for VIPs and celebrities and another rule for everyone else,” Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said, according to SMH.

In other news, The Batman star Robert Pattinson has contracted the virus, too, and production on the film has stopped again.