Rainbow Six Siege Sets Player Record After Free Weekend And New Season

Thanks in part to its latest free weekend and the launch of new content, Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six Siege has set a new peak concurrent user record on Steam. According to Steam Charts, the team-based tactical shooter nearly hit 200,000 concurrent users for the first time, eclipsing the game’s previous record of 198,500 in March 2020.

Data from Steam Charts (via Esports Observer) says Siege reached a new peak concurrent record of 199,830 for its new lifetime peak. It seems it will only be a matter of time before the game crosses the 200,000 threshold.

Siege has been one of the biggest comeback stories in gaming this generation. The game launched in 2015 and hit a record of around 40,000 concurrent players back then. As these latest numbers demonstrate, the game continues to grow, even years after release.

Siege’s newest season, Crimson Heist, started on March 17. The season introduces a new version of the Border map with quality-of-life improvements, adding a balcony and some other changes to help better fit the modern state of the game. A new GONNE-6 secondary weapon fires an explosive projectile that can destroy bulletproof gadget.

The next game in the Rainbow Six series was announced as Rainbow Six Quarantine, but Ubisoft has confirmed it will change the name in part due to the global health crisis. A title for the rebrand, Parasite, leaked, but it’s not the real name.

Now Playing: Rainbow Six Siege: Crimson Heist Story Trailer

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Marvel Set To Develop Hawkeye Spin-Off Show, Echo, For Disney+

The Disney+ MCU line-up is expanding. Upcoming TV show Hawkeye is slated for a spin-off series focused around Echo, a deaf Native American hero, played by Alaqua Cox, according to Variety. The new series is in the early development stages but will be written and executive produced by Etan Cohen and Emily Cohen.

Alaqua Cox was cast as Echo back in December. The character, who’s real name is Maya Lopez, is a superheroic mimic able to copy any hero’s fighting style just by observing them. She has previously had ties with both Hawkeye and Daredevil in the comics, and even held the Ronin mantle before handing it over to Clint Barton–though it’s too early to tell if this version of Echo will tie into Clint’s use of the Ronin name during Avengers: Endgame.

Currently, the Hawkeye series does not have a set premiere date on Disney+. The first MCU TV show, WandaVision, wrapped up after nine episodes in early March and was followed by The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, which is currently airing. Episode 2 of Falcon and Winter Soldier will debut on Disney+ on Friday, March 26.

Following Falcon and Winter Soldier, Disney+ will give MCU fans a brief break before debuting Loki, which is set to premiere on June 11. Hawkeye will likely follow in late 2021.

Razer & HyperX’s Budget $50 Headphones – Which Is Best?

HyperX Cloud Stinger: https://bit.ly/3sh4OD6 Razer Kraken X: https://bit.ly/3c7kzXE

It’s easy to break the bank when shopping for audio gear like headphones, but both Razer and HyperX have released competing wallet-friendly options. The Razer Kraken X and the Kingston HyperX Cloud Stinger are both on the market for roughly $50, but which is better?

In this video we go over some important factors like build quality including weight and materials, audio features, and microphone quality. The Razer set also comes with a piece of bonus software for its 7.1 surround sound software, which seems to work reasonably well at imitating true 7.1 surround. The headsets do come out almost evenly, so some of the factors might be worth more in your personal preference. Check out the video for the full breakdown of all the features to help pick which headset is right for you.

Get A Great Logitech Racing Wheel For PS5 Or Xbox Series X At A Discount

Right now, you can get an excellent racing wheel at a discount on Amazon. The Logitech G923 racing wheel is currently available for $350, down from its regular price of $400. The Xbox and PS5/PS4 models are on sale, both of which are also compatible with PC. With the start of a new generation, it’s an excellent time to snag a new racing wheel as both Microsoft and Sony have announced the next entries in the Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo series respectively.

In addition to the excellent wheel, the G923 features a programmable dual clutch, 24-point selector, RPM LED lights, and included pedals. The whole setup is made of high-quality materials. Both the wheel and pedals are made of metal, while the wheel itself is encased in hand-stitched leather, giving it a premium, sturdy feel.

If you’re looking for deals on racing games, there are a number worth looking at. Gran Turismo Sport is a part of Amazon’s B2G1 free sale happening right now, and it’s playable on PS4 and PS5 via backwards compatibility. On PC, Fanatical has two bundles for $5 each that are full of excellent racing games. The Nitro Bundle features games like Project Cars: GOTY Edition and Grid, while the Nitro Bundle 2 comes with F1 2019, Dirt Rally, Dirt 4, and more. Each bundle has a value of over $200, so you’re saving quite a bit of money. You can also check out our picks for today’s best gaming deals.

Hundreds Of PS2 Prototypes And Demos Released Online Thanks To Preservationists

Video game preservation group Hidden Palace has released more than 700 demos, builds, and prototypes from the PlayStation 2 era in an ongoing effort that they’re calling “Project Deluge.” The lot itself is over 860 gigabytes of data. According to the project page, this massive release is but one part of a “gigantic lot” of unreleased and unseen gaming assets that “[spans] multiple console generations.”

As the group details in the description, the lot itself had to be carefully curtailed to remove final retail builds, and the group created scripts to collect metadata on each build to categorize and evaluate each item. The group also states that the quality of the dumped files themselves “could be much better” and “could contain errors,” but due to its sheer size, they were unable to redump all the files with proper hardware. However, Hidden Palace says that they may revisit the disks in the future. Overall, however, Project Deluge will be so large that Hidden Palace says it will “eclipse everything we’ve tackled up until this point.”

Builds included in the lot include several E3 prototypes of notable games, including Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex and Shadow of the Colossus, as well as prototypes of God Hand and Dino Stalker. There are also accessible debug tools in many of the builds, including for classics like Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. It’s a truly staggering amount of content, and it’ll take hackers and game researchers months if not years to figure out everything that’s in there.

Now Playing: Celebrating 20 Years of the PS2

Jamie Foxx To Play Mike Tyson On New TV Show, Formerly A Movie

Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx will play Mike Tyson in a new limited series that will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, who directed the Oscar-winning drama Training Day. Legendary movie director Martin Scorsese is attached as an executive producer.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, this project has been in development for a long time as a film, but it’s now being pitched as a limited series. There is no word yet, however, on which TV networks or companies might be interested in signing the series.

“I have been looking to tell my story for quite some time,” Tyson said in a statement. “With the recent launch of Legends Only League and the excitement from fans following my return to the ring, now feels like the perfect moment. I look forward to collaborating with Martin, Antoine, Jamie, and the entire creative team to bring audiences a series that not only captures my professional and personal journey but also inspires and entertains.”

This is not the only new Mike Tyson series in the works, as Hulu is making a show called Iron Mike, which is being made by some of the same talent as I, Tonya. One of the differences between the projects is that Hulu’s is unauthorized while the new one is.

Tyson called Hulu’s show a “tone-deaf cultural misappropriation of my life story.”

Both Scorsese and Joker director Todd Phillips were said to be in the mix to direct the other project, when it was still planned to be a film. However, THR’s sources said Tyson’s team was convinced to move forward with it as a TV series after Hulu’s announcement triggered interest from “major studios.”

Tyson is serving as an executive producer on the new TV series, and THR pointed out that it might be difficult to sell people on the idea that this is an authentic look at Tyson’s life because of that. Tyson is a boxing giant and also a controversial figure. He was found guilty of rape in 1992.

Tyson was said to be gearing up for a return to the ring in a fight against Evander Holyfield, but TMZ Sports broke the news on Monday that Tyson rejected a $25 million payout and is prepared to walk away. The last time the pair fought, Tyson bit off a piece of Holyfield’s ear.

In addition to fighting, Tyson now operates a marijuana company called Tyson Ranch.

Silent Hill Returns Soon (Via Dark Deception DLC)

Silent Hill will return in the form of DLC for the indie multiplayer game Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals on March 23. While it isn’t the new Silent Hill that fans have been hoping for for years at this point, the DLC does bring back some franchise favorites like Heather Mason, killer nurses, and–of course–Pyramid Head.

The gameplay trailer below shows off the lakeside town’s foggy streets, as well as several locations from the first game, including Midwich Elementary School. Watch out for those flying harpies, though, they’re pretty nasty. The DLC even includes some lesser-known characters from the series, including Silent Hill 1’s cop Cybil Bennett. As a whole, it looks like a fairly substantial chunk of content for the game, though its price is not yet listed on Steam. This isn’t the only Silent Hill crossover that’s happened recently: Pyramid Head and co. were added to Dead by Daylight last year.

Rumors of new Silent Hill projects have swirled over the past few months. The latest flare-up came when series composer Akira Yamaoka seemed to tease a new entry in the series in a video interview that was taken down shortly after it was posted. Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama announced that he’s working on a new horror project late last year. Meanwhile, Silenthill.com still redirects to a picture of Pyramid Head, an apparent reference to the height of Resident Evil Village’s Lady Dimitrescu.

Now Playing: Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals – Official Silent Hill DLC Trailer

Suicide Squad Won’t Get The Snyder Cut Treatment From Director David Ayer

After Zack Snyder was given the ability to release his cut of 2017’s Justice League on HBO Max, some DC Comics fans were hopeful they’d get to see a new version of 2016’s Suicide Squad, which was directed by David Ayer. According to WarnerMedia Studios CEO Ann Sarnoff, though, that doesn’t–and won’t–exist anytime soon.

When asked in an interview with Variety about the possibility of giving Suicide Squad the same treatment as Justice League, Sarnoff simply said, “We won’t be developing David Ayer’s cut.” Given that a James Gunn-directed sequel is on the way, debuting in theaters and on HBO Max this year, this isn’t too surprising.

Still, anyone who’s seen the sheer number of deleted scenes on the home release of Ayer’s Suicide Squad will know there is quite a bit of story that didn’t make it into the final film. In fact, as Ayer himself revealed on Twitter, the critical reception to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice led Warner Bros. to change the tone of the film entirely.

“This trailer nailed the tone and intention of the film I made. Methodical. Layered. Complex, beautiful, and sad,” he wrote in 2020. “After the BVS reviews shell shocked the leadership at the time, and the success of Deadpool–My soulful drama was beaten into a ‘comedy'”

However, the director also revealed back in 2017 that a secret cut of the film doesn’t exist. If that holds true, this remains an entirely different scenario than the Snyder Cut, given Snyder had an unfinished version of his film in his possession since leaving the project.

So no, you shouldn’t expect a longer version of the original Suicide Squad to pop up on HBO Max. But, if you’re truly interested in seeing more of the scenes cut from the film, there’s always the home release–or YouTube. Then, just sit back and prepare for James Gunn’s take on the property when it releases on August 6.

Now Playing: Justice League Snyder Cut VS Original: 23 Biggest Changes

Better Call Saul Animated Spin-Off Slippin’ Jimmy In Development

As production is getting underway on the sixth and final season of Better Call Saul, the Breaking Bad prequel series is getting its own further animated spin-off series, according to Variety. Titled Slippin’ Jimmy, the series will reportedly be inspired by ’70s Saturday morning cartoon classics like Fat Albert and is now in active development.

“We have a long history of creating award-winning original digital content that engages our passionate audiences,” said Kim Kelleher, president of commercial revenue and partnerships for AMC Networks. “Through the expanded distribution of exclusive originals, we are able to delight fans every step of their consumer journey and take our advertisers along for the ride.”

Animation Magazine is also indicating that Slippin’ Jimmy will “follow the adventures of young Jimmy and Chuck McGill and friends back home in Cicero, Illinois” and each episode will be an ode “to everything from spaghetti westerns to Buster Keaton to After Hours.” As of this writing, no casting announcements or release dates have been revealed.

Slippin’ Jimmy is co-written by Better Call Saul script coordinator Kathleen Williams-Foshee (Chicago Fire) and post-production PA Ariel Levine (Breaking Bad). The latter has written other supplemental digital shorts for Better Call Saul, such as Ethics Training with Kim Wexler, Los Pollos Hermanos Employee Training. Better Call Saul’s final season is expected to air sometime in 2022.

Meanwhile, Bob Odenkirk, Saul himself, has the new revenge-action movie Nobody opening in theaters on March 26.