No Man’s Sky Will Fly To Xbox Game Pass On Xbox One This Month

Hello Games’ space exploration title No Man’s Sky will be one of the latest additions to the growing catalogue of games available through the Xbox Game Pass subscription service. Launching on the Xbox One version of the service opens up a huge audience for No Man’s Sky, as the subscription service has 10 million subscribers and counting. An exact release date for No Man’s Sky on Xbox Game Pass has not been announced yet, but we know it’s this month. That means you could be able to dive into your own region of a massive universe in mere days or weeks.

Additionally, Hello Games confirmed that No Man’s Sky will be released on the Windows PC store. The game was already available on Steam, but this is the first time it’ll be available on Microsoft’s own store. A release date for the Windows 10 edition has not been confirmed.

No Man’s Sky developer Hello Games is planning to support the game with even more ambitious expansions and updates to come in 2020.

The game has undergone radical changes since its initial launch several years ago, including a multiplayer mode and major overhauls to inventory systems and even base-building.

No Man's Sky is headed to Xbox Game Pass
No Man’s Sky is headed to Xbox Game Pass

The Xbox Game Pass catalog has more than 100 titles, including Red Dead Redemption 2, NBA 2K20, and Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The library also includes all of Microsoft’s first-party new releases, so subscribers can get Halo Infinite later this year at no extra cost.

Xbox Game Pass costs $10 USD/month or $15 USD/month for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate that bundles Game Pass with Xbox Live Gold. Microsoft is currently offering a nice discount on the subscription cost, letting you get your first month for only $1 USD.

Xbox Game Pass is a promising subscription service, but some developers are worried that it’s eroding the value of games–check out GameSpot’s editorial here to learn more.

The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.

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Free Movies and Shows About Racial Injustice You Need to Watch

Coinciding with the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement, a number of excellent films and documentaries that tackle and address racial injustice and/or highlight the black experience are now available to stream for free – including Selma, Just Mercy, and more.

So if you’re looking to amplify black voices and check out a handful of acclaimed films created by and starring black artists, here’s a quick rundown of what’s currently available for you to watch free of charge.

SELMA

SELMAAfter actor David Oyelowo recently revealed that Oscar voters told the studio they would not support the film after the cast wore “I Can’t Breathe” T-shirts in protest of the killing of Eric Garner, Paramount Pictures has removed the paywall for rentals of Ava DuVernay’s Selma for the rest of the month. Selma follows the 1965 voting rights marches led by Martin Luther King Jr., Hosea Williams, and John Lewis. You can check out our Selma review.

Selma is free to rent in June on all digital platforms, including Amazon, Vudu, and Google Play.

JUST MERCY

3dfcd2fa7bb7d8daa084e797a604fe72Based on the the true story of Walter McMillian, who, with the help of defense attorney Bryan Stevenson, appeals his murder conviction, Just Mercy is a compelling, fact-based legal drama starring Michael B. Jordan and Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx. Brie Larson, Tim Blake Nelson, and O’Shea Jackson Jr. co-star.

Check out our Just Mercy review.

Just Mercy is free to rent in June on all digital platforms, including Amazon, Vudu, and Google Play.

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CRITERION COLLECTION BLACK CINEMA

al_freeman_jr_1998_01_01After committing to making monthly donations to organizations supporting Black Lives Matter, The Criterion Collection announced that it’s lifting the paywall on select titles from black filmmakers and white filmmakers who’ve captured the black experience through documentary.

Some of the films streaming free right now on Criterion Channel are:

  • Down in the Delta, by Maya Angelou
  • My Brother’s Wedding, from Charles Burnett
  • Black Mother, by Khalik Allah
  • Portrait of Jason, by Shirley Clarke
  • Cane River, by Horace Jenkins

STARZ ESSENTIAL BLACK VOICES COLLECTION

America To Me 2018Lionsgate has now made available a collection of programming that amplifies black voices across STARZ platforms — including the app and On-Demand — without a subscription.

You can freely stream the following:

  • America to Me – Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Steve James (Hoop Dreams, Life Itself) examines racial, economic and class issues in contemporary American education in this multipart unscripted documentary series.
  • A Huey P. Newton Story – A Starz Original Production, Huey P. Newton, charismatic co-founder of the revolutionary Black Panther Party, tells the riveting story of his life and times in this one-man show. Directed by Spike Lee.
  • Emanuel – After a 21-year-old white supremacist opened fire in Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, nine African Americans lay dead, leaving their families and the nation to grapple with this senseless act of terror. Featuring intimate interviews with survivors and family members, Emanuel, from executive producers Stephen Curry and Viola Davis, is a poignant story of justice and faith, love and hate, examining the healing power of forgiveness.
  • For Ahkeem –  For Ahkeem follows Daje Shelton, a 17-year-old black girl from North St. Louis, as she strives to graduate from the nation’s only court-supervised public high school. Daje fights for her future as close friends are killed, her sixteen-year-old boyfriend is pulled into the prison system, and nearby Ferguson erupts after the police shooting of Michael Brown.
  • Out of Omaha – An intimate portrait of twin brothers Darcell and Darrell Trotter, two young black men coming of age in the racially and economically-divided Midwestern town of Omaha, Nebraska. From executive producer J. Cole.
  • Scandalize My Name – This potent documentary, narrated by Morgan Freeman, examines several prominent African-American performers in the American film and television industries during the 1950s Communist witch-hunting McCarthy era.
  • Stranger Fruit – What really happened on August 9th, 2014 in Ferguson Missouri.  That afternoon, officer Darren Wilson killed 18-year-old Michael Brown.  Stranger Fruit is the unraveling of what took place, told through the eyes of Mike Brown’s family.
  • The Rape of Recy Taylor – A documentary about Recy Taylor, who was gang raped by six white boys in 1944 Alabama. Unbroken, Mrs. Taylor spoke up and fought for justice with help from Rosa Parks and countless women.

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Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

Fortnite Season 3 Leak Seemingly Confirms Underwater Theme Rumors

Over the past few weeks, a number of posts from prominent Fortnite leakers have suggested that the upcoming Chapter 2 Season 3 will have players dive underwater to battle it out. Now, the most compelling evidence yet has emerged, further suggesting what’s to come following the upcoming Doomsday event. Get your swimsuit and flippers ready, because it looks like the game will be heading underwater–at least a little.

A Twitter user recently noticed that the PlayStation Store had mistakenly changed Fortnite’s icon on the storefront ahead of time, and it depicts the familiar battle bus slipping beneath the sea. It wouldn’t be the first underwater foray for the game, as players were plunged beneath the surface as part of the recent Travis Scott event.

The start date for Fortnite’s Season 3 has just been changed again and will begin on June 17. This follows multiple previous delays, with this latest one attributed to the ongoing protests in response to the murder of George Floyd.

Based on hints and leaks, it appears that a large event called Doomsday will mark the end of Fortnite’s Season 2. That is, after the latest delay, now set for Monday, June 15. Some fans have speculated that this event could rip a watery hole in the map, which would reshape the map similar to other events in the game’s past. If you’re looking for the Spy Bases to open the locked chests, or eliminating henchmen for the Storm the Agency challenges, we’ve got those covered.

Now Playing: Fortnite – Tenet Trailer Revealed In Party Royale (Live Event)

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Daily Deals: Kingdom Hearts 3 Free With Death Stranding CE Purchase, Persona 5 Royal for $40

Sunday has arrived, and with it, more deals! Persona 5 Royal is still on sale for $40, and we cannot recommend it enough. It’s a gigantic game, packed with content and great experiences and well worth your time. If that’s not your jam, take a peak at our various gaming laptops on sale, or the wide array of other gadgets and technology that are currently discounted this weekend.

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Pick Up Persona 5 Royal for $40, The Lowest Price Yet

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There’s a lot of Playstation 4 titles on sale right now, but if there’s a standout among them, it’s Persona 5 Royal. The definitive version of P5, Royal packs in tons of quality of life changes, along with a couple dozen hours of extra content. If you want to get lost in a giant RPG, that will take you dozens of hours to finish, this is the game for you.

Pick Up a Toshiba 4K TV for as Low as $249

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If you’re looking for a cheap 4K TV, Toshiba has something just for you. This doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of a more premium TV, but it’s the ideal piece for a bedroom, or for the kids who don’t need HDR and crazy color reproduction. It does have Smart functionality, making it a great Netflix and Youtube browsing device as well.

Newly Discounted Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones On Sale for $128

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When it comes to audio, Sony is a well known and respected brand, so when a giant sale on Sony headphones comes along, it’s worth checking out. These are currently discounted by 36%, offer a huge 30+ hour battery and come with tons of features you have come to expect from wireless headphones.

Buy Death Stranding Collector’s Edition, get Kingdom Hearts 3 for Free

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This is certainly a strange deal, there is no doubt about that, but a deal is still a deal! If you’ve not played either of these games, definitely check out Newegg who is offering Kingdom Hearts 3 for free, for anyone who buys the Death Stranding Collector’s Edition.

Get the Kingdom Hearts All-In-One Package for $40

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This is one of the best bundles you can buy right now. The All-In-One Package contains nearly a dozen games, each with dozens of hours of gameplay. That equals out to hundreds of hours of gameplay, for only $40, a steal if you ask us.

Grab the Insignia 350 Sq. Ft. Portable Air Conditioner for $70 Off

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If you missed this deal last time, you’re getting a second chance. The Summer heat is already here for many of us, so if you’re looking for a way to cool off, this might just be the trick. With 350 Sq. Ft. of cooling, it’ll definitely help you chill out while playing your favorite games.

Sony PS4 Days of Play Game Deals

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Online Learning Courses from Stack Social

Want to be more productive at home? Stack Social has plenty of practical courses that can kick start your career. For under $40 per bundle you get dozens of hours of online instruction in programming, game creation, video production, ethical hacking, and more… all from the safety of your home.

Latest Nintendo Switch Update 10.0.4 Actually Does Something

Nintendo has released a new system update for Switch, bringing the hybrid console to version 10.0.4. Unlike the average update, this one is not focused exclusively on improving system stability–although it doesn’t introduce any new user-facing features, either.

As detailed on Nintendo’s support website, the brief patch notes for Switch’s update 10.0.4 key in on a single issue that you may or may not have experienced. Nintendo says it’s fixed a problem concerning being unable to register credit cards or add funds via credit card on the Eshop in some regions. That will come as good news for those who might have been prevented from buying things on the store, including the just-released Clubhouse Games.

Nothing else is mentioned in the patch notes–shockingly, not even the standard line about stability improvements that are frequently the lone inclusion in new Switch updates. Hopefully your console was already sufficiently stable.

If you don’t already own Nintendo’s console, that may remain difficult to rectify right now–Switch has routinely sold out for months, although we’ve assembled a guide on where to buy a Switch.

Read on for a look at the full patch notes.

Switch Version 10.0.4 Update Patch Notes (Released June 4, 2020)

Fixed the following issue:

  • We have fixed the issue where it was not possible in some countries or regions to add funds using a new credit card or to register credit card information in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch.

GameSpot has officially kicked off Play For All–a celebration of all things gaming. Join us as we bring you the summer’s hottest news, previews, interviews, features, and videos, as well as raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts and Black Lives Matter with the help of our friends from around the gaming world. Check out the Play For All schedule for more.

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Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Documentary Shows How It Created New Generation Of Skaters

On September 4, Activision will release the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 remake, introducing a new generation to one of the most successful game franchises of all time. A documentary, Pretending I’m a Superman, is also on the way, and GameSpot’s sister site CBS News had the chance to talk to the producers about the project and how the series saw such a meteoric rise.

Created by former Neversoft game producer Ralph D’Amato and film director Ludvig Gür, Pretending I’m a Superman is a crowdfunded documentary that Gür began work on when he was only 18, and Tony Hawk himself agreed to participate almost immediately.

The film focuses on the early days of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater franchises, including how it influenced a generation of players to become a generation of skaters, and it features interviews with skating legends like Hawk himself as well as Rodney Mullen. While Hawk helped to popularize the “vert” style, which makes heavy use of halfpipes for crazy flips, Mullen is responsible for popularizing the “street” style characterized by grinds, ollies, and similar tricks.

Pretending I’m a Superman’s name comes from a lyric in the Goldfinger song “Superman,” by far the most popular track in the original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. It will be featured in the soundtrack for the remake on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and the band’s singer John Feldmann said the majority of people who talk to him about Goldfinger will mention the game.

Other popular songs returning include “Police Truck” by Dead Kennedys and “No Cigar” by Millencolin. The latter band is also from Gür’s native Sweden.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater has been on hiatus since 2015 when the critically-panned Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 released. In GameSpot’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 review, Peter Brown gave the game a 3/10 and heavily criticized its unnecessary “slam” mechanics, poor graphics, and boring levels.

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The Last of Us HBO Series Finds First Episode Director

This past March, HBO confirmed that it’s teaming up with Naughty Dog to make a Last of Us TV show – which will replace the long-planned film adaptation.

Creator of HBO’s Chernobyl (and writer of the upcoming Borderlands movie, directed by Eli Roth and starring Cate Blanchett), Craig Mazin, is executive producing and writing the series alongside Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann and recently, in an interview with Discussing Film, Johan Renck, who won an Emmy for directing all five episode of Chernobyl, confirmed he is on board to executive produce The Last of Us and direct “at least” the pilot episode.

Renck has also directed episode of Breaking Bad, Vikings, The Walking Dead, and Bates Motel.

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Shortly after the series was announced, Mazin gave his word that the character of Ellie would still be gay on the TV series and explained why the story, overall, worked better as an ongoing series than as a movie.

The HBO series isn’t expected to enter production until The Last of Us Part II releases on June 19.

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Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

Batwoman Showrunner Explains the Decision to Not Recast Kate Kane Character

Following the news that Batwoman lead Ruby Rose is leaving the series, The CW is reportedly looking to replace Kate Kane with an entirely new character for Season 2.

After a (now deleted) casting call leaked on Reddit — a search for a “Ryan Wilder” (though it is not clear whether this is a placeholder name), who is “likeable, messy, a little goofy and untamed” and “nothing like Kate Kane, the woman who wore the batsuit before her” — Batwoman showrunner/EP Caroline Dries spoke to Give Me My Remote about the decision to go forward with a new character instead of recasting the lead.

“I did consider the soap opera version for a hot minute, selfishly, because we had a couple episodes already written, and transition-wise, it would be seamless [since] we already started breaking season 2,” Dries said. “But upon further reflection, and [EP] Greg [Berlanti] helped me make this call — and he’s way smarter than me about this sort of stuff — he’s like ‘You know, I think we should just reboot the character in terms of reboot Batwoman as a different character.’ Just to also respect everything that Ruby [Rose] put into the Kate Kane character.”

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Dries also stated that she hopes “Ryan Wilder” will help fans accept that it’s someone else in Batwoman’s costume. “I just think it helps the audience a little bit, too,” she said, “that we’re not asking them to not address the elephant in the room. I’m inventing a whole new character. In her past, she was inspired by Batwoman. She is going to take on the mantle and is completely maybe not be the right person at the time to be doing it. That’s what makes it fun.”

The “Ryan Wilder” character description went on to read “With no one in her life to keep her on track, Ryan spent years as a drug-runner, dodging the GCPD and masking her pain with bad habits. A girl who would steal milk for an alley cat could also kill you with her bare hands, Ryan is the most dangerous type of fighter: highly skilled and wildly undisciplined. An out lesbian. Athletic. Raw. Passionate. Fallible. And very much not your stereotypical All-American hero.”

Check out our recent review of Batwoman’s season finale as well as our full review of Season 1. Plus, here’s a closer look at all the ways the Batwoman might change in Season 2.

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Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.