Venom: Let There Be Carnage Follows Formula With a PG-13 Rating

Sony and Columbia Pictures have revealed that Venom: Let There Be Carnage will be rated PG-13 just like the first film in the symbiote series.

According to Film Ratings, the Andy Serkis-directed sequel has received the same rating as Venom’s first standalone feature, with the MPAA giving it a PG-13 rating for “intense sequences of violence and action, some strong language, disturbing material, and suggestive references” despite speculation that Venom 2 would usher in an R-rating classification.

As pointed out by Forbes, the MPAA’s rating for Venom 2 appears to be following a similar formula to its predecessor, which achieved box office success after opening in October 2018 alongside a slew of “restricted” studio releases, making it one of the few outwardly kid-friendly options to buy a ticket to upon its release in theaters.

Venom’s rating opened up its demographic potential and that may have helped its box office performance. The movie set a record for the biggest opening weekend for the month of October when it opened in North America, earning over $80.2 million. After its record-shattering opening, Venom also performed well in its second weekend, dropping only 56.4%.

The first Tom Hardy-led Sony film ended up hauling in more than $854 million worldwide on a budget of $90 million, and even though the likes of Deadpool, Logan and Joker have proven that R-rated comic book movies can pull in big numbers at the box office too, it might not have been a smart play to shift gears with the Venom franchise now.

That said, Venom 2 has competition at the box office. A new poster for the sequel just confirmed its October 15 release, which means it’s scheduled between No Time to Die, out October 8 in North America, and Dune, which debuts on October 22, but importantly, Venom 2 is still able to appeal to any younger cinemagoers who may have watched the first film.

Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Magic: The Gathering is Getting a Day-Night Cycle in Innistrad: Midnight Hunt

New details have been revealed about Magic: The Gathering’s next card set, Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, including its rare dual lands and unique mechanics – as well the return of a recognizable ability for its werewolves, now formalized with new keywords and a shifting day-night mechanic.

Midnight Hunt revisits Magic’s gothic horror-themed plane of Innistrad during a time when the nights are growing unnaturally long and the local Harvesttide Festival is being threatened by werewolves. Werewolves have been an iconic part of Innistrad since its introduction in 2011, and the idea behind the transforming dual-faced cards that define them has been tweaked in small but significant ways here.

Flip through the gallery below to see brand new cards from Innistrad: Midnight Hunt:

Werewolves traditionally have a human “day” side that can be played normally and a werewolf “night” side that they need to transform into, but the the triggers to do so have now been made proper keywords: Daybound and Nightbound. These still behave the way previous werewolf cards generally have – Daybound triggers when a player casts no spells during their turn, flipping them to the night side, while Nightbound triggers when they cast two or more, flipping them back.

But now rather than simply transforming any relevant werewolf cards on the battlefield, this trigger flips an overarching day/night tracker to the appropriate side for all players. That means whether it’s day or night is always known and tracked globally, and can clearly flip back and forth during the course of a game. Werewolves will transform to their appropriate side to match the time of day, meaning if you play one while it’s already night you’ll get your werewolf right away instead of having to activate it first like Innistrad’s previous werewolves.

Werewolves come into play matching the current time.

That’s a significant difference, adding a rotating day-night cycle to any match where a werewolf is played, and Wizards of the Coast says a double-sided day/night card can be found in packs to help paper players keep track of the current time. Past werewolves won’t be errated to use these new keywords, but certain Midnight Hunt cards can interact with werewolves and the time shifting mechanic in unconventional ways. For example, Tovolar, Dire Overlord (visible in the gallery above) will make it night if you control three or more wolves/werewolves at the start of your turn, and even has an extra ability specifically meant to allow past werewolves that don’t automatically change with Daybound or Nightbound to transform along with it.

But while werewolves might be the main course, they aren’t the only dish at this dark feast. Wizards of the Coast detailed Midnight Hunts cycle of rare dual lands as well, which are very similar to the “Battle lands” from 2015’s Battle for Zendikar set. The key difference is that they lack basic land types (a relevant change for any format with Fetch lands), and that they enter the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more of any other land, not just basic lands, but they are also only be available in allied color pairs.

Midnight Hunt will also introduce three other mechanics: Disturb, Decayed, and Coven. Cards with Disturb can also be transformed to their back face, but only if you cast them from the graveyard for their specified Disturb cost. Decayed, on the other hand, is a keyword that will primarily show up on certain zombie creatures, preventing them from being able to block and causing them to be sacrificed after combat if they attack, essentially making them a one-time-use attacker.

Meanwhile, on the less monstrous side of things, the more human-focused forces of Innistrad might have the ability keyword Coven, which can cause a unique ability if you control three or more creatures with different powers when it’s triggered. One example given is the legendary angel Sigarda, Champion of Light, which not only buffs humans but also has a Coven ability that allows you to look at the top five cards of your deck and put a human from among them into your hand when it attacks.

Every draft booster will have two double-faced cards.

Outside of new mechanics, Midnight Hunt draft boosters are guaranteed to contain two double-faced cards each: one common and one of a higher rarity, with a chance to get a third if you happen to get a foil one. That provides plenty of chances to pull its werewolves and Disturb cards during drafts, and every pack will contain a double-faced helper card to make playing with them easier as well. It’s also possible to get special Equinox showcase versions of every werewolf and warlock card, which have unique art and ornate card frames themed after the Harvesttide Festival.

Innistrad: Midnight Hunt spoilers and card reveals are officially entering full swing as it approaches launch on September 24. Of course, it’s not the last we’ll see of Innistrad this year either, with the vampire-themed Crimson Vow set following hot on its heels just two months later. Midnight Hunt itself comes only a month after Historic Horizons too, which introduced digital-only cards to MTG Arena – and things will get even wilder next year as Magic gets its very first cyberpunk-themed set, as well as crossovers with Fortnite and Street Fighter.

Pokémon Evolutions Is a New Limited Animated Series to Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Franchise

The Pokémon Company has announced that it will be releasing a new, limited animated series to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the franchise. This series will feature adventures spanning various regions in the Pokémon world.

The Pokémon Company announced in a press release that Pokémon Evolutions will premiere on September 9 as an eight-episode web-exclusive series celebrating the quarter-century mark for the global entertainment franchise. You can check out the trailer for the show in the tweet below from @Pokémon itself.

Pokémon Evolutions is set to take fans on a nostalgic trip through each of the various regions that have been explored by fans throughout Pokémon’s video game titles over the years. The series will begin in the Galar region, most recently explored in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, before eventually building up to its finale in a region where so many budding trainers first set foot — Kanto.

The web series will explore each of the regions on an episode-by-episode basis — though as intuitive fans may have guessed during the previous paragraph — this will take place in a reverse chronological order from which they were explored in the games: Galar, Alola, Kalos, Unova, Sinnoh, Hoenn, Johto, and Kanto.

Vice President of Marketing for The Pokemon Company, Colin Palmer, spoke more about the premise of Pokémon Evolutions and why it has been important to include each of the new regions in the upcoming show. “Pokémon Evolutions is both an exciting new collection of animation for the brand and a thank-you to the millions of fans around the world who have joined us on this journey over the past 25 years,” says Palmer.

“Each region has been a touchstone for new generations of Pokémon Trainers as the brand has grown, and we wanted Pokémon Evolutions to pay homage to that legacy while also being innovative and contemporary. It’s a new adventure and familiar all at once. And, with the last episode set in Kanto, Pokémon Evolutions is a meaningful way to end our anniversary celebrations in the place where it all began for Pokémon 25 years ago.”

Whilst little has been revealed about the plot of Pokémon Evolutions, The Pokémon Company has said that the show will explore “familiar tales from Pokémon lore” with a “fresh perspective in every episode”. Throughout 2021, in line with the celebrations, The Pokémon Company has released several exhibits on its website which allow fans to explore each of the regions that are set to feature in the show. Each mini-showcase takes fans on a journey through its region offering tidbits of information about the cities, Pokémon, and champions that can be found across the games.

In other Pokémon news, Nintendo recently added a new streaming service to the Nintendo Switch in the form of Pokémon TV. The Switch marks the latest platform to receive Pokémon TV after its previous releases for mobile devices and Smart TVs.

The Pokémon Company also shared a more detailed look at the upcoming game Pokémon Legends: Arceus during a recent Pokémon Presents. At the event, details surrounding the game’s new Pokémon were shown off to fans alongside a new trailer for the title. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is slated to be released for Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Horizon Forbidden West: Here’s What Comes in Each Edition

After a delay out of the 2021 holiday season, Horizon Forbidden West is now scheduled to release on PS5 and PS4 on February 18, 2022. A full-on sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn, Forbidden West finds Aloy in a blight-infected landscape populated by new tribes and stalked by even bigger mechanical beasts.

The game is up for preorder now in a variety of editions. Below, we have the full rundown on what comes in each edition, how much they cost, and where you can place your preorder. If you’re in the UK, click here to find out where you can preorder each edition, or see at Amazon.

Horizon Forbidden West Regalla Edition (PS4 & PS5)

The fanciest (and priciest) version of Horizon Forbidden West is the Regalla edition. It comes with digital copies of the PS4 and PS5 versions of the game. Here’s everything that comes in the package:

  • Regalla Tremortusk and Aloy statues
  • Replica Focus
  • Focus stand
  • Two art cards
  • Clawstrider Machine Strike piece
  • Sunwing Machine Strike piece
  • Steelbook display case
  • Mini art book
  • Full game for PS4 and PS5 (digital)
  • Digital soundtrack
  • Horizon Zero Dawn Vol. 1: The Sunhawk digital comic book
  • Photo mode unlocks (special pose and face paint)
  • Carja Behemoth Elite outfit
  • Carja Behemoth Short Bow
  • Nora Thunder Elite outfit
  • Nora Thunder Sling
  • Apex Clawstrider Machine Strike piece
  • Resources pack

Horizon Forbidden West Collector’s Edition (PS4 & PS5)

The collector’s edition includes a digital version of the game for both PS5 and PS4. Here’s the full rundown of what’s included:

  • Tremortusk and Aloy statues
  • Steelbook display case
  • Mini art book
  • Full game for PS4 and PS5 (digital)
  • Digital soundtrack
  • Horizon Zero Dawn Vol. 1: The Sunhawk digital comic book
  • Photo mode unlocks (special pose and face paint)
  • Carja Behemoth Elite outfit
  • Carja Behemoth Short Bow
  • Nora Thunder Elite outfit
  • Nora Thunder Sling
  • Apex Clawstrider Machine Strike piece
  • Resources pack

Horizon Forbidden West Special Edition

PS5

PS4

The special edition costs $10 more than the standard edition. It includes the game, plus the following items:

  • Steelbook case
  • Mini art book
  • Digital soundtrack
  • Nora Legacy outfit
  • Nora Legacy spear

Preorder Horizon Forbidden West Standard Edition

PS5

PS4

Preorder the standard edition, and you’ll receive the following digital bonuses:

  • Nora Legacy outfit
  • Nora Legacy spear

Preorder Horizon Forbidden West in the UK (PS5)

Other Preorder Guides

World Of Warcraft’s Game Director Talks Challenges Of Enabling Cross-Faction Play

World of Warcraft has always been defined by one question: Horde or Alliance? That faction divide has shaped the game since it first launched, with Horde and Alliance players unable to team up with one another for dungeons, raids, or other endgame content.

But that might not always be the case. In a Twitter thread discussing WoW’s upcoming 9.1.5 patch, game director Ion Hazzikostas discussed the importance of how the game’s narrative factors into gameplay, but clarified that “story considerations alone” shouldn’t dictate “frustrating mechanics.” Patch 9.1.5 will finally allow players to change Covenants without penalty, something Blizzard previously seemed reluctant to allow sooner due to story purposes.

Now Playing: World of Warcraft Full Presentation | Blizzcon 2021

In the current Shadowlands story as of patch 9.1, the various Covenants of the Shadowlands have largely converged to join forces and battle against the Jailer. Hazzikostas says that provides a narrative justification for more flexibility in allowing players to soon be able to freely swap between the different Covenants.

Unfortunately, when it comes to the divide between Horde and Alliance, the answer isn’t as simple, as Hazzikostas explains. He goes on to call the faction barrier a “major issue” that the WoW team knows it needs to address.

It’s a topic Hazzikostas has touched on before. During a BlizzConline Q&A panel earlier this year, Hazzikostas said the idea of cross-faction play wasn’t off the table.

“At the end of the day an MMO like World of Warcraft is about being able to play with your friends, being able to play where you want to be and arguably, there’s greater stretch in the faction identity if you feel you can truly choose the faction you identify with, that you feel most a part of, and not have to sacrifice that because you need to be with your group or you want to join a higher-rated guild,” he said.

WoW’s 9.1.5 patch will bring about multiple fan-requested changes to Shadowlands, including the removal of the game’s unpopular AOE cap and more character creation options. The update is currently being tested on the game’s public test realm and does not yet have an official release date.

Blizzard continues to grapple with the fallout from a state of California lawsuit alleging Blizzard fosters a “frat boy” workplace culture. Allegations in the lawsuit have seen the departure of numerous Blizzard veterans and in-game changes to remove references to various developers.

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Pokemon Go Announces New Safari Live Event Dates

Pokemon Go’s Safari Zone events originally scheduled for 2020 will now take place later this year.

As announced on the Pokemon Go update page, Niantic revealed the new dates for the in-person events. Players who take part can expect to find special, featured Pokemon, event-exclusive tasks, and more.

The dates and locations are as follows:

  • Sefton Park, Liverpool – Friday, October 15 to Sunday, October 17
  • Fairmount Park, Philadelphia – Friday, October 29 to Sunday, October 31
  • Tower Grove Park, St. Louis – Friday, November 12 to Sunday, November 14

These are the original locations the events were set to happen at before they were postponed in 2020 due to COVID-19. And Niantic says ticket holders can participate in the events, no matter where they are in the world. The Pokemon Go team says they are working to keep the events safe, with line management, social-distancing protocols, and mask requirements for all staff members.

In-person Pokemon Go events started to come back earlier this year, with Pokemon Go Fest 2021 taking place in over 20 cities back in July.

It’s been a turbulent month for the Pokemon Go developers and fans, however. In early August, Pokemon Go players took to social media with the hashtag #HearUsNiantic after the developer removed the extended range feature for Pokestops. That functionality let players interact with Pokestops from further away, and was added to help folks play the game during the pandemic.

Niantic responded to the fan feedback and permanently extended the radius back to 80 meters. And in an effort to be more transparent, Niantic says it will publish a developer diary every other month to explain the company’s current plans and priorities for the game.

Pokemon Go events aren’t the only thing PokeFans have to look forward to. November will see the launch of the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl remakes, before Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes the series in a new direction next January.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

YouTube TV Review – State of Streaming 3.0

There are more streaming networks than ever before, so if you have questions about the future of streaming, then you’ve come to the right place. All week long, IGN’s State of Streaming 3.0 initiative is featuring reviews and in-depth analysis about current streaming providers like Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, and more! Be sure to check out our reviews of other popular streaming services: Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV+, HBO Max, Peacock, Discovery+, and Paramount+.

To review YouTube TV is to actually review two things: first, how it works as a platform, and second, the service that it’s selling in 2021’s very crowded streaming market. In one half of this, there is very little to complain about. The other half? Well, it’s complicated.

I’ve been a subscriber and daily active user of YouTube TV for nearly two years (officially making the switch shortly before the annoyingly buggy PlayStation Vue was unceremoniously shuttered), and there is a lot to like about it, particularly its clean and polished interface. On the flip side, there is an argument to be made that what YouTube TV offers, and Vue before it, is outdated and less appealing in 2021, as pretty much every major network has launched its own online service. YouTube TV, with all that it does right — which is a lot — often feels redundant.

YouTube TV’s Platform

YouTube TV excels at, well, simply streaming live television. Back when I first picked a streaming horse to bet on, I was also considering Sling. At the time, Sling felt overly complicated, with too many options and add-ons to manage. In contrast, YouTube TV (and Playstation Vue before it) were very straightforward.

Today, YouTube TV has one base plan and a ton of add-on options, far more than when I first picked up the service. The base plan is $65 a month for a host of popular channels and an unlimited DVR (up from what was $50 leading into the second half of 2020). What you get for that is an unlimited DVR, up to three simultaneous streams, and access from pretty much every platform you can imagine: smart TVs of all names, mobile devices, Roku, and even consoles.

YouTube’s unlimited DVR lets you save as much as you want, but it “dumps” your recordings after nine months. So it’s unlimited, with limits. That said, the DVR lives in the cloud, so you can access any of your saved content at any time from anywhere.

One thing I’ve noticed about YouTube’s cloud DVR is that sometimes it doesn’t save the live broadcast, but just notes that you wanted to see something and offers it as an on-demand stream. The benefit to this is that you get it in 1080p Full HD as opposed to 720p standard HD, but the downside is you’re sometimes forced to watch commercials. The higher resolution stream is generally worth the few minutes of commercials, but obviously, this could be a dealbreaker for those who can’t stand ads. I can’t seem to figure out when YouTube TV forces this, but intermittent episodes of Bravo’s Below Deck don’t seem to record the live broadcast, and only offer me the streamed version.

On that note, it’s worth pointing out that the visual quality of live broadcasts is inconsistent. YouTube TV claims that it can stream at up to 1080p Full HD, and sometimes I believe it. Other times, however, it looks markedly worse than what I know Full HD can actually look like, especially when commercials can look extremely high quality, and then there is a noticeable dip in quality once a show returns.

That isn’t necessarily YouTube TV’s fault, as the quality of an “HD” stream really depends on the network. Some still only broadcast in 720p while others go as high as 1080p.

YouTube TV does offer a 4K Plus package that adds 4K streams to Discovery, ESPN, Fox Sports, FX, National Geographic, NBC Sports, and Tastemade, but it’s only available for “select” live and on-demand content from those specific networks. That’s a small portion of YouTube TV’s full lineup, and YouTube TV’s 4K Plus upgrade costs an additional $20 a month and that limited selection just doesn’t seem worth it.

Speaking of upgrades, Google offers a bunch of ways to upgrade YouTube TV. You can bundle in Hulu, Philo, fuboTV, HBO Max, or Netflix, for example, for varying costs. You can also add the NBA for all out-of-market games, Sports Plus for a bunch of other sports networks, Showtime, Starz, and a ton of other options.

Bear in mind that if you already have subscriptions to any of those popular services, you can’t link them to YouTube TV. YouTube TV only supports them inside of its app if you purchase them through its interface. This seems unnecessary and inconvenient. Having more than one app to access content is all I need, even if I don’t get HBO’s live TV offerings. More on why I would even want this later.

Frankly, the total number of package options can be mind-numbing. That simplicity I once said YouTube TV offered? It’s mostly gone now and is instead replaced with countless ways to spend more money to expand your watching experience. This feels almost like the a la carte channel lineup Playstation Vue once promised but never delivered on, but you still have to buy the $65 base plan before you can add other selected channels. Not the best option, but it at least feels easier to deal with than trying to do this through a cable provider.

Frankly, the total number of add-on packages options can be mind-numbing.

One last thing worth mentioning before we get into the interface: the limitation around resolution is not the only holdover from classic cable television. YouTube TV differs from other streaming services in that it offers local channels. That’s great for those who like live sports from their region or even enjoy the local news, but that means you can’t really bring YouTube TV with you everywhere. If you move, you have to change your area and you can only do this twice per year. If you spend extended time streaming shows to a device to an area you don’t currently live in, you run the risk of YouTube changing your area in order to let you keep watching.

YouTube says you need to be careful about this, and to avoid any problems, you need to make sure to watch YouTube TV at least once every three months from your desired “home” location. As many of the things that hamper this service have shown, you may be able to cut the physical cable cord here, but its phantom pain still lingers.

YouTube TV’s Outstanding Interface

YouTube TV gets many things right, but paramount is just how easy the platform is to use. On Roku, gaming consoles, iPad, iPhone, or even your computer browser, the system is consistent in how it shows content. This makes it really pleasant to use.

YouTube TV knows that it has to find some way to offer new things to watch, but it never forces those suggestions to you if you aren’t specifically looking for them. What I mean is when you fire up the app, it takes you to the home screen where it immediately offers “top picks” based on your watching habits and what is living in your DVR. Below that, it offers several choices of “resume watching,” which is everything from a Food Network show I had on by chance a couple of days ago, to an episode of Bones I didn’t finish on TNT two months ago.

Only after these two very useful options are presented and you choose to scroll down will you see other suggestions for content. The problem I have with many streaming platforms is that they immediately hit you with suggestions that you just don’t care about — I’m looking at you, HBO Max, and Discovery+. YouTube TV doesn’t clutter your experience and keeps it trimmed to what matters most to someone who wants to watch TV.

Beyond the Home Screen, YouTube TV only has two other main menus: “Library” and “Live.” The Library is your stored DVR shows and Live is exactly what it sounds like: live TV.

The Library is always simple, at least for me, because I usually keep up with my DVR’d shows within a week or so of them being recorded. As such, the top section, “New in your Library,” rarely has more than a couple of shows in it. If you don’t select any of the options here after a few months, YouTube gets the hint and doesn’t force them upon you anymore. But that’s ok, you can always find it in your “Recordings and Purchases” section. That is also where you will be able to find movies and shows that you have rented or bought from YouTube’s rather large library of options.

The Live section is most reminiscent of the classic days of the cable box.

The Live section is most reminiscent of the classic days of the cable box. It is here that the entire lineup of channels is available to peruse in a TV Guide-like format, except better because you can organize it to show channels in any order you like, so you don’t have to hunt for the network you like to watch.

On browser and iOS devices, you are given a live thumbnail of what is on a channel at any given time. This, for some reason, is not part of the Roku experience, though (you just get a still-frame thumbnail). While writing this review, I noticed TNT was playing The Last Jedi and while that’s not my favorite movie, it did reveal it was the Ben Solo scene, so I dove in for a few minutes to enjoy that.

YouTube TV: Perfectly Streamed

YouTube TV has a very good track record of staying online over the last nearly two years. I can recall one or maybe two times when there was an outage, and it never lasted for very long. I can confidently say that it is one of the more pleasant viewing experiences I’ve had with any streaming service. The app works flawlessly, has no bugs, is pretty much always working, and is available on a host of devices with the same interface.

It’s not a hodgepodge experience of different-looking screens or options like HBO Max is, for example. It also doesn’t autoplay something when you’re just trying to read more about it, like Netflix. Additionally, it doesn’t waste a ton of space with big thumbnails that make it hard to read more about a show, like Hulu. As far as user experience goes, YouTube TV is pretty much everything anyone could ask for.

It’s a real shame that I really don’t know if I can rationalize paying for it much longer.

YouTube TV is Starting to Feel Redundant

Earlier I mentioned that I would explain why someone might want to watch HBO’s live television channel anyway, and I don’t think many would. Why would you want to watch “whatever is on” instead of picking your own movie and getting to start it from the beginning? Most of us wouldn’t.

Movies, though, are slightly different than television like Food Network or HGTV. Sometimes, after a long day of making decisions at work, the last thing I want to do is make a decision on what to watch. Sometimes, like on Fridays, I can’t wait for Food Network to air its marathon of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Could I stream that? Of course I could, but I don’t want to pick what episode to watch. I want Food Network to make that decision for me.

Before moving to Portland, YouTube TV was my way to watch the San Francisco Giants baseball team, which aired on the local NBC sports network that is included with YouTube TV. But up here, I get no such access and was forced to buy MLB TV, further diminishing YouTube TV’s value to us.

Since the launch of Discovery+, outside of the NFL’s football season, my time in YouTube TV has fallen to an all-time low. If Amazon is able to gain the rights to stream more NFL games through Prime (the two organizations have already agreed to stream 15 games per season on the platform for the next 10 years) or if another way to always have access to 49er games becomes available, YouTube will be hanging on by a thread in my household.

If Discovery+ wakes up and offers the ability to stream its live networks in addition to anything on demand — commercials included, I don’t care — I’ll really feel tempted to cancel my YouTube TV subscription. Disney+ hasn’t quite gotten its act together with simultaneously adding Nat Geo shows to its library as they air either, but it’s only a matter of time. This coming from the guy who vehemently defended Google for raising the price from $50 a month to $65.

Unfortunately, with nearly every major network joining the streaming game and so many doing it well, the varying-resolution, live TV model offered by YouTube TV is simply less compelling and, unfortunately, becoming increasingly redundant.

YouTube TV Is a Great Platform Offering a Dying Service

YouTube TV is without a doubt a fantastic streaming platform. It is very well designed, streamlined, fast, without bugs, and offers unlimited DVR. Google knows what it’s doing and it shows. From that standpoint, YouTube TV is easily a 10 out of 10. But it’s not that simple.

What streaming services actually have to stream is a major part of what is their value. It’s why a platform with an absolutely trash interface can do so well — again, I’m looking at you HBO Max. As long as the content to watch is worth watching, most will be willing to put up with frustrations in getting there.

But a fabulous interface with limited options and varying-resolution streams somehow feels worse. While YouTube TV’s on-demand options from every network in its lineup is pretty fantastic, they come bundled with commercials. Why would I watch Buddy vs. Duff on YouTube TV with commercials when I can get it on Discovery+ at a higher resolution without commercials? I wouldn’t, and I don’t.

YouTube TV basically serves as a reminder that a new episode has aired and I just switch over to Discovery+. Why Discovery+ doesn’t do a better job at telling me there are new episodes is a conversation for another day.

As it has aged and streaming has advanced, YouTube TV feels like it isn’t adapting, and that’s not entirely its own fault. It’s saddled with the same problems that are dooming standard cable television: it is expensive, you are forced to pay for channels you don’t want, the resolution is bad, and the viewing experience is intertwined with advertising. YouTube TV as a streaming platform is great, but I just wish the quality of stuff to watch matched.

Call Of Duty: Vanguard Patch Notes Reveal Beta Details And Positive Changes

Players recently got hands-on with Call of Duty: Vanguard in a PlayStation-exclusive alpha, which featured the new Champion Hill mode, and the developers have already detailed patch notes for significant changes coming ahead of the standard multiplayer beta.

Champion Hill played like a sweaty Gunfight tournament that mixed small-scale Gunfight with battle royale themes, as duos and trios competed in a series of rounds to be the last team standing. And overall, the alpha test ran really smooth, and the mode was really interesting. However, players definitely had a few concerns, especially with some issues of low visibility and lighting. Thankfully, those are among the issues developer Sledgehammer Games will be addressing in the beta based on feedback from the alpha.

VISUAL UPDATES

Sledgehammer notes it did receive a considerable amount of feedback regarding Vanguard’s visibility. A big part of this was the poor visibility and darkness of the player’s screen when taking damage from an enemy, and lighting issues that made players almost blend into the background.

Players will hopefully see a notable difference in visuals now, as Sledgehammer reveals that changes have been made to reduce the density of sun fog, adjust the overall exposure, and increase the rim light around players to help separate them from the background. The damage overlay effect when a player is injured was also refined to help maintain visibility.

AUDIO TUNING

Footstep and weapon audio for non-players has been tuned. This means players other than their teammates and enemies. Non-player footstep volume was slightly increased, while non-player weapon volume was slightly reduced. This might be due to Champion Hill’s matches being played so close together in the collective arena. It’s really easy to hear gunfire from other matches happening at the same time.

Additionally, the announcer volume and callout frequency has been reduced.

CHAMPION HILL SPAWN TUNING

The patch notes also detail changes for the spawns in Champion Hill, as some spawns would place a player very close to their enemies. These spawn adjustments also include the initial spawn point for teams on the Courtyard map, as players would be standing across from each other and often in plain sight. Those spawns became a battle of who could fire first when the match began.

FUTURE FIXES

The patch notes also mention other concerns that likely won’t be fixed in time, but the developers are aware of the issues. This includes problems with nameplate visibility issues and aim assist tracking through destructible walls. However, the developers do assure players that they will be addressed before Vanguard’s launch.

BETA CONTENT

Today’s update also details the content players can expect for the beta. In addition to Champion Hill, Vanguard’s beta will introduce the new Patrol game mode. Based on Hardpoint, this objective-based mode will feature a capture zone that remains in near-constant motion.

Patrol and Champion Hill will be joined by classic offerings such as Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, Domination, and Search & Destroy. But the details do mention that Patrol and Search & Destroy will become available later in the beta.

You can find the full beta details below, as listed by Sledgehammer Games.

Vanguard’s official multiplayer reveal is set for September 7, and after that, there will be a PlayStation-exclusive beta test September 10-13. You’ll need to preorder Vanguard in order to get access to that test. On September 16-17, a second beta test will be held, and this will be open to users of all platforms who preorder the game. Finally, from September 18-20, an open beta will be held on all platforms.

Vanguard’s recent reveal comes amidst the ongoing lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, which makes allegations involving sexual harassment and discrimination at the publisher.

BETA

MAPS

  • Champion Hill
  • Hotel Royal
  • Gavutu
  • Red Star
  • Eagle’s Nest (weekend 2)

MODES

Outside of Champion Hill – Vanguard will introduce another new game mode: Patrol. Based on Hardpoint, this objective-based mode features a scoring zone in near-constant motion; if Operators want to rack up points for their team, they should keep up and move around the map within this Patrol point.

These modes are in addition to the classic offerings such as Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, Domination, and Search & Destroy. These are also the exact modes you can play alongside Patrol during the Beta period (Patrol and Search & Destroy to be available later in the Beta).

Available modes in Beta:

  • Champion Hill (Solos, Duos, Trios)
  • Team Deathmatch
  • Domination
  • Kill Confirmed
  • Patrol (Kicking off Saturday of Weekend 1)
  • Search and Destroy (Weekend 2)

WEAPONS

Champion Hill

  • Weapons are persistent through matches. There are ten upgrades per weapon, each adding one attachment.
  • There will be three rotating weapon sets, featuring 2 ARs, 2 LMGs, 2 snipers, 2 shotguns, and 2 pistols.

Core MP

  • For Core MP, you’ll be able to level up weapons to level 30.
  • PlayStation players will get +2 custom loadout slots (12 total, 10 for other platforms).

FEATURES

Combat Pacing

Combat Pacing is a feature that allows players to select the intensity of their games. Player count is determined by map size to achieve the intensity described in the Combat Pacing System. Player counts will vary.

  • Tactical: These are the lobbies that franchise veterans know well. This is the experience that you’re used to with classic Call of Duty combat timing. Tactical Combat Pacing is always 6v6.
  • Assault: Balanced combat pacing that gives you enough room to breathe and a lot of targets to kill. In Beta Weekend 1, player counts will vary between 20-28 players.
  • Blitz: High-action lobbies where the intensity is cranked up to frenetic levels. Prepare for plenty of combat when choosing to join a Blitz. In Beta Weekend 1, player counts will vary between 28-48 players.

OPERATORS (Each will have 1 finishing move)

  • Daniel Take Yatsu
  • Roland Zeimet
  • Lucas Riggs
  • Polina Petrova
  • Wade Jackson
  • Arthur Kingsley

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Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Release Date Seemingly Leaks

We already knew that Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, a Smash Bros-esque fighting game with characters from popular Nickelodeon shows, will be released on consoles this fall. But it appears that the release date is sooner than we expected if Nintendo’s website is anything to go off of.

Heading to the Nintendo eShop, the Switch version for the upcoming fighting game notes that it will release on October 5 of this year. The listing also reveals the game’s file size comes in at 2.9GB. IGN has reached out to a representative for the game and will update when we hear back.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is currently in development by Ludosity & Fair Play Labs. Alongside a Nintendo Switch version, the game will also launch on PC, PS5, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One. The game was announced last July and features a well-rounded roster with characters from SpongeBob SquarePants, Hey Arnold, The Wild Thornberry’s, and more. In recent months, new characters have been announced for the roster, including CatDog and April O’Neil.

While the release date has yet to be officially confirmed by the game’s developer, October is looking to be stacked in terms of game releases. With many highly anticipated titles launching within the first two weeks. Some games in October include Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania, Far Cry 6, and Metroid Dread. Early October will also see the release of the Nintendo Switch OLED model.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Amazon Prime Student: Here’s How to Start a 6-Month Free Trial

A lot of people don’t know what the deal is with Amazon’s Prime Student membership. Does it offer everything regular Prime members get? Does it cost less? Is it only for college students? As it turns out, Prime Student is an almost absurdly good deal, even if you only use the free trial. To that end, let’s dig in a and answer all of your Prime Student questions.

How to Sign Up for an Amazon Prime Student Free Trial

First things first. New members can try out Prime Student for 6 months for free. That’s way longer than most free trials, so there’s really no reason not to do it. If you like it, keep it going after the trial ends. If not, cancel before your first paid month, and you won’t owe anyone a dime.

Who Can Sign Up for Prime Student?

Prime Student is available for anyone attending a college or university.

What is Prime Student?

Prime Student is a discounted Amazon Prime membership that also gets you deals on a bunch of things students would be likely to enjoy.

The Prime membership portion of it includes all the same benefits of a regular Prime membership. That means you get free two-day shipping on millions of items, full access to Prime Video, Amazon Music Prime, Amazon Photos, and Prime Gaming.

What Extra Deals Come with Prime Student?

As for the extra deals on top of the standard Prime benefits, quite a few things are included. Here are some of them:

  • Grubhub – You get unlimited free food delivery through Grubhub (as long as the order is $12 or more)
  • Premium Channels – Get a year of premium channels like Showtime, Epix, and Shudder for $1 each per month
  • Amazon Music Unlimited – Get a year for $1 a month
  • Kindle Unlimited – Get two months free
  • Calm – You can try the Calm app for free for three months, then get a big discount on a subscription
  • More – There are lots of other benefits, including access to special deals, early access to lightning deals, discounts on flights, hotels, and homework help. You can find full details here.

How Much Does Amazon Prime Student Cost?

After your free trial ends, the normal price of $6.49 per month kicks in. That’s half the price of a regular Prime membership. And remember, Prime Student includes all the benefits of a Prime membership, plus a bunch more.

Do I Need a .edu Email Address?

Yes. While you can continue to use your standard email address for your Amazon account, Amazon does send a verification email to your .edu address.

What Happens to Your Prime Student Membership When You Graduate?

When your school days come to an end — or four years after your Prime Student membership begins, whichever comes first — your Prime Student membership turns into a regular Prime membership.

Is Amazon Prime Student Free?

New members can sign up for a 6-month free trial. After the free trial ends, the regular price is $6.49 per month, which is half the price of a normal Prime membership.

Is Amazon Prime Student Worth It?

This is subjective, of course, but I’d say Prime Student is absolutely worth it for anyone who orders items from Amazon or wants to watch Prime Video, or even orders food regularly from Grubhub. Even if you consider the standard price of $6.49 per month to be too much, there’s no reason not to do the free 6-month trial.