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Animal Crossing: New Horizons Update Launches April 28, “New Wrinkles” Teased For Upcoming Events

The next update for Animal Crossing New Horizons has been announced by Nintendo for April 28, bringing a trio of returning holidays to celebrate across May and June. Curiously the official tweet from Animal Crossing about the update mentions “new wrinkles” involving these events, but no new details are specified in the announcement.

First up is the May Day celebration, starting April 29 and ending May 7. Players will receive a May Day ticket that gives them one-time access to a “rather interesting island.” The announcement from Nintendo UK confirms this year’s island will not be the same as last year’s May Day Maze, but Rover, the train-riding cat from the original Animal Crossing, will return.

Next is the International Museum Day event taking place May 18 to May 31. Upon visiting the museum and talking to Blathers, players can receive a stamp card that can be filled out by viewing exhibits. All four wings of the museum–insects, fish, fossils and art–will contain unique stamps to collect throughout the event.

Finally is Wedding Season June 1 to June 30, and Cyrus and Reese from Animal Crossing New Leaf will return to Harvey’s island for their first anniversary. Players can meet with the happy couple, decorate the photo studio, and take special wedding photos with them throughout the month of June. New wedding-themed clothing and furniture options will be available all month long in both Nook’s Cranny and the Able Sisters’ shop. The update will also make new seasonal items available throughout May and June, including items themed around Japan’s Children’s Day (April 28 to May 5), Mother’s Day (all of May), the UK’s Cheese Rolling event (May 22 to May 31), Father’s Day (all of June) and more.

The previous update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons brought prom season to the island with special clothing options as well as April Fools’ Day activities. The game continues to sell well a year after its launch, ranking eighth on the March NPD sales list, so more updates can be expected throughout the summer and beyond.

Now Playing: Animal Crossing: New Horizons – “Your Island In April” Update Trailer

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PlayStation’s Next State Of Play Coming April 29: Here’s How To Watch

Sony’s next State of Play event is coming up very soon. The company announced on Monday that the next State of Play will debut this Thursday, April 29. It will focus on Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, but it remains to be seen what other games might show up.

Sony State Of Play Livestream Start Time (April 29)

  • 2 PM PT
  • 5 PM ET
  • 10 PM BST
  • 7 AM AET (April 30)

What We Know Will Be There

Insomniac’s Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the “focus” of the State of Play broadcast. The studio will showcase more than 15 minutes of new gameplay for the title that arrives on June 11. This will be in addition to the brand-new Rift Apart gameplay that Sony just released, which revealed a new protagonist, Rivet.

The YouTube description for the State of Play says the event will have 15+ minutes of new Rift Apart footage and a new look at two indie games. “This Thursday, feast your eyes on more than 15 minutes of new Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart footage, plus a quick look at a pair of upcoming indie titles,” the description says.

For what it’s worth, Sony did not give the April 29 State of Play much fanfare. There was no PlayStation Blog post dedicated to announcing the State of Play; instead, the announcement came at the bottom of the blog post about Rift Apart’s new trailer.

The last State of Play before this was held in February. The 30-minute broadcast included news and updates on 10 games for PS4 and PS5, including Deathloop, Returnal, and more.

How To Watch

The April 29 State of Play will be broadcast through the official PlayStation Twitch and YouTube channels. Given that, we should be able to embed the presentation so you can watch right here on GameSpot.

Keep checking back with GameSpot for more as we learn more about this Thursday’s State of Play and what to expect from it.

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Titanfall 2 Players Rise By 750% On Steam After Apex Legends Tie-In And Steep Discount

Respawn Entertainment’s 2016 shooter Titanfall 2 has seen a big increase in concurrent users lately on Steam. Having recently been discounted by 75%, player numbers surged upwards by more than 750%, with the game breaking its all-time record player count according to SteamDB. At 16,974 players recorded at its peak so far, Titanfall 2 has smashed its previous record of 13,603 concurrent players since it first arrived on Steam last summer.

The increase in players could also be partly attributed to the upcoming ninth season of Apex Legends, which includes more direct references to the Titanfall universe and its story. As seen in the latest trailer, Kairi “Valkyrie” Imahara is the newest playable character and is the daughter of Viper, one of the Apex Predator Pilots that players faced off against in Titanfall 2.

Viper piloted an aerial combat Northstar Titan frame in that game, and thanks to some tinkering from Rampart, Valkyrie can use the flight core of her father’s old Titan as a jetpack.

Ever since the launch of Apex Legends, Respawn has confirmed that plans for a new Titanfall game have been put on the back burner so that the studio can focus on growing its successful battle royale title. Titanfall 2 was also infamously sandwiched between Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare and Battlefield 1 when it launched in 2016, leading to poor sales at the time.

Respawn hasn’t written the franchise off entirely, but between Apex Legends, starting a second studio in Vancouver, and hiring for a new original game it has in development, it’ll likely be a while before Titanfall 3 ever sees the light of day.

Now Playing: Apex Legends & Titanfall Timeline Explained

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Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story Gets Visually Stunning First Trailer

The first trailer for Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story has been released. The new version of the classic musical hits theaters on December 10.

The trailer is very much a first teaser–it contains no dialogue or shots of the actors singing. But it is visually stunning, with striking shots of New York in the 1950s and of the gang members assembling in the streets, ready to fight (and sing) it out. Lead actors Rachel Zegler and Ansel Elgort play conflicted lovers Maria and Tony, and it’s likely to be one of the big movies of the Holiday season when it arrives. Check the trailer out below:

West Side Story’s supporting cast is drawn from the world of theater, and it also includes Ariana DeBose (Hamilton, The Prom), David Alvarez (Billy Elliot the Musical), and Mike Faist (Dear Evan Hansen). Rita Moreno, who won an Oscar for playing Maria in the 1961 movie version, also has a supporting role and worked as executive producer.

The movie’s screenplay was written by Tony Kushner, who previously worked with Spielberg on Lincoln and Munich. It’s adapted from Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim’s 1957 Broadway hit, which was itself a loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

While the earlier film used white actors in make-up to play Puerto Rican characters, Spielberg’s movie is far more representative in its casting. In an interview with Vanity Fair, the director explained that it was important to cast actors from the Latinx community this time round.

“They brought an authenticity,” he said. “They brought themselves, and everything they believe and everything about them–they brought that to the work. And there was so much interaction between the cast wanting to be able to commit to the Puerto Rican experience. They all represent, I think, a diversity, both within the Puerto Rican, Nuyorican community as well as the broader Latinx community. And they took that seriously.”

Neymar Jr Joins Fortnite This Week as the First Playable Athlete

Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr, when he arrives on April 27, will be the first professional athlete to become playable in Fortnite.

Neymar Jr, who is currently a forward for Paris Saint-Germain F.C. and the Brazil National Football Team, will be available as part of a special Quest line for all who own the Chapter 2 Season 6 Battle Pass.

Completing these quests will unlock Neymar’s outfit, the Soccer Ball Emote Toy, the Matador Loading Screen, the Joia Trophy Back Bling, the Jaguar Strike Pickaxe, and the Shhh. Emote.

This Shhh. Emote is special because it will awaken one of his primal forms that more-or-less turns Neymar Jr into a power ranger-esque super hero.

More items can be unlocked by completing all of these Quests, including the I’m Ready! Spray, Stealth Shot Emoticon, Hang Loose Celebration Emote, Aerial Acrobat Glider, and the Exhibition Style of the Neymar Jr Outfit, Jaguar Strike Pickaxe, and Aerial Acrobat Glider.

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There will also be a special Paris-themed Welcome Hub in Fortnite Creative to explore, a “Go Crazy Arena” playlist, a Neymar Jr Cup that will allow players to win a custom-designed soccer boot, and much more.

As previously mentioned, while Fortnite has offered an Emote honoring Pele and outfits inspired by some of the biggest Soccer clubs in the world and the NFL, this is the first time a professional athelete has been created as a playable outfit in the game.

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

Michael B. Jordan on Why Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Isn’t in Creed 3

Creed 3 star and director Michael B. Jordan has shed some light as to why Sylvester Stallone will not be appearing in the next entry of the Rocky spin-off series.

Speaking to IGN’s Jim Vejvoda while promoting Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse, Jordan revealed that one of the main reasons Stallone won’t be returning is that this is a Creed franchise, and they “really want to build this story and this world around [Adonis] moving forward.”

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“Yeah, I think that Sly let it be known that he wasn’t coming back for this one but I think, you know, his essence and his spirit… there’s always going to be a little bit of Rocky within Adonis,” Jordan said. “But this is a Creed franchise, and we really want to build this story and this world around him moving forward. So, it’s always respect and always a shit-ton of love for what he’s built, but we really want to push and navigate Adonis forward and the family that he created. So, hopefully you guys will love what I’m thinking… what we’re cooking up. I think it’s going to be something special.”

Stallone’s rep officially confirmed that he would not be returning for Creed 3 earlier this week, and this news follows Stallone’s post on Instagram in 2018 when he said he was retiring the character and thanked everyone for “taking the Rocky family into their hearts for over 40 years.”

Stallone played Rocky in eight films, directed four of them, and served as a writer or co-writer on all the Rocky films and Creed II.

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As for Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse, the Jordan-led action film is set to debut on Amazon Prime on April 30, 2021. Jordan stars as John Kelly, a Navy SEAL who goes on a path to avenge his wife’s murder only to find himself inside of a larger conspiracy. This film is an adaptation of Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse from 1993.

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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.

Nomadland Wins Three Oscars At 93rd Academy Awards

After the 2021 Oscars wrapped-up, Nomadland has won the most Academy Awards at this year’s ceremony. Taking home three statues, Nomadland received wins for Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Picture.

While The Father, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Sound of Metal, Soul, Judas and the Black Messiah, and Mank all took home two Oscars, Nomadland was the only film win three times during the event. Frances McDormand made history by winning twice, once for Best Actress and once for Best Picture, as McDormand also served as a producer on Nomadland. In total, McDormand has won four Oscars with previous wins coming from Fargo and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Nomadland director Chloé Zhao also won twice this year for Best Picture–serving as a producer–and for Best Director. Nomadland is Zhao’s first film to get an Oscar nomination, and we’ll be seeing more of her soon, as she’s directing the upcoming MCU movie The Eternals, which arrives in theaters on November 5.

The 93rd Academy Awards ended a bit abruptly this year, with Best Actor closing the show. While many assumed Chadwick Boseman would win a posthumous award for his role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Anthony Hopkins won for The Father. However, Hopkins was not in attendance, so the Oscars ended with no final speech of the evening.

This year’s Academy Awards were postponed. Typically taking place in February, the show was pushed back until April 25 because of the coronavirus pandemic. While the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California is usually the home to the Oscars, the show took place at both the Dolby Theater and at Union Station in Los Angeles.

Mortal Kombat Narrowly Defeats Demon Slayer in Weekend Box Office Debut

Mortal Kombat secured the top spot in the weekend domestic box office by earning $22.5 million and narrowly defeating Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train’s impressive $19.5 million debut.

As reported by Box Office Mojo, Mortal Kombat also saw the second-highest opening-weekend debut since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and now sits behind Godzilla vs. Kong’s $31 million opening weekend.

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However, Mortal Kombat and Demon Slayer both surpassed Godzilla vs. Kong this weekend in North America, helping secure “the biggest overall theatrical session since the coronavirus pandemic began.”

Mortal Kombat earned another $27.6 million overseas, bringing its worldwide total to $50.1 million. Demon Slayer, which has already become Japan’s highest-grossing movie of all time, has accumulated $388.2 million internationally, making its worldwide total to $407.7 million.

Godzilla vs. Kong, in its fourth weekend, brought in $4.2 million and has earned over $400 million worldwide.

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Bob Odenkirk’s Nobody came in fourth place with $1.9 million in its fifth weekend, making its total worldwide gross $38.2 million. Raya and the Last Dragon took fifth place with $1.7 million in its eight weekend, pushing its worldwide tally to $111.9 million USD.

In our Mortal Kombat review, we said, “it may not be a flawless victory but the new Mortal Kombat movie is a fun time for fans of the game franchise.”

In our Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train review, we said, “Ufotable’s jaw-dropping visuals alone make Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train well worth a watch, even if the film stumbles a bit at the climax. Those who enjoyed the TV series will no doubt enjoy the film as it is a solid continuation of the show’s main story and will no doubt be a major moment that shapes the next step in our heroes’ lives.”

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

Resident Evil Village’s Latest Demo Has a Great Resident Evil 4 Reference

Resident Evil Village’s latest demo includes a pretty great reference to one of the most iconic characters in Resident Evil 4.

Slight Spoilers for Resident Evil Village Ahead!

As reported by GameSpot, the Village Demo of Resident Evil Village that will be available for all platforms on May 1 allows you to interact with a weapons merchant known as Duke.

As you shop through his wares, he jokingly says, “What’re ya buying? – Haha, just something an old friend of mine used to say.”

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This old friend, unless it really just is a simple nod, is undoubtedly Resident Evil 4’s merchant. YouTuber KendoGunSop captured this moment and included footage of the merchant from Resident Evil 4, showing the connection.

As we noted in our preview of Resident Evil Village, this new entry borrows a lot of ideas from RE 4, including its location.

RE 4 took place in Spain, and while RE Village’s story will take players to Eastern Europe, that seems close enough for these merchants to have formed up a profitable friendship.

Could this just be a fun nod to Resident Evil 4, which itself is getting a new VR port on Oculus Quest 2, or a hint to a deeper connection between the two games?

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We won’t have long to wait, as Resident Evil Village will be released on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia on May 7, 2021.

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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.

Get Control: Ultimate Edition For $25 With Free Next-Gen Upgrade

Control was one of the last generation’s biggest surprise-hit games, and the Ultimate Edition version with cross-buy support is currently on sale at GameStop for a great price. It’s GameStop’s daily deal, so you don’t want to wait to snag it and see why Remedy Entertainment’s bizarre paranormal action game got so much attention.

Usually $40, the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Control: Ultimate Edition are both $25 right now at GameStop. These versions are the only ones to support a free next-gen upgrade on PS5 and Xbox Series X, with the standard copies only giving you the game on the disc. Alongside the main Control game, it also includes two expansions that delve further into the universe and suggest a connection with another famous Remedy franchise.

The PS5 version of Control: Ultimate Edition is also available on GameStop’s site, and it’s not discounted. Do not buy this version, as in addition to costing more, it isn’t playable on PS4 at all. The same goes for the Xbox Series X version, which has a very similar box to the Xbox One version but does not support cross-buy.

Control: Ultimate Edition was also given away as a free PlayStation Plus game in February, so if you were subscribed to the service and claimed it, you already have the game in your library. For Xbox players, however, this is a particularly good chance to get the upgraded game, as you’ll get better performance on the newer system. Control sometimes encountered technical issues on the older consoles, including the PS4 Pro, with frame rate drops during big action sequences.

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