The brand-new, just-released 27-inch iMac is now available to purchase at Amazon for up to $100 off. This 2020 model of Apple’s flagship desktop computer features a host of upgrades, including new 10th-gen Intel processors, faster GPUs, more RAM, and additional SSD storage capacity. It’s a welcome update, and you can order one right now at a discount of up to 6%. It might not be a massive discount, but it’s the best one we’ve found yet.
These iMacs are available in the standard configurations on Amazon. If you want extra customization options, like adding nano-texture glass for an extra $500(!), you can do that on the Apple Store. In any case, here are the configurations available on Amazon.
All of these new 27-inch iMacs come with 10th-gen Comet Lake processors. They have 5120-by-2880 Retina 5K displays. Apple has also switched out the webcam, which in previous models included a 720p sensor, with a new 1080p HD sensor. It also has better software for tone mapping and face detection that will make your work-from-home Zoom calls look better.
The other notable upgrade in this model is that SSDs are standard in all configurations, replacing the fusion drives in previous models. Aside from that, you get two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, four USB-A ports, and a gigabit Ethernet port. It also comes with a Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse 2 for your wireless input enjoyment.
For more deals on laptops, watches, tablets, and more, check out the best Apple deals, including the wireless, noise-canceling Apple AirPod Pros on sale for $219 and up to $300 off the latest MacBook models.
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Chris Reed is IGN’s shopping and commerce editor. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.
2K Sports has announced more details on NBA 2K21, including news about a demo and how the gameplay is changing on current-generation platforms. There are some major changes coming to the controls, with the pro stick getting a significant overhaul this year, while there is a new shot meter, more shot types, and signature moves. We break down all the major changes below.
Players can test out some of these new features through a free demo will be available for NBA 2K21 on August 24 for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The demo won’t be available on PC and Stadia, it seems. In previous years, 2K released a demo of sorts called The Prologue, but it’s not clear if this is that or something else.
Basketball For Everyone
Regarding the current-generation gameplay updates for NBA 2K21, the developer said this year in particular it is trying to make the game appeal to a “wide range of fans.” Players who want a hardcore simulation experience will have it, while the game is also aiming to appeal to newcomers.
“One way we set out to accomplish this was through building out a robust set of sliders and carefully mapping the appropriate settings to all the various modes in our game,” gameplay director Mike Wang said in a statement.
“I’m pretty confident that longtime fans of 2K basketball will notice the improvements and appreciate what the team was able to accomplish,” he added.
The “pro stick” has been updated to give players more control on offense. “In past games, you could hold the pro stick in any direction to take a jump shot. That was limiting us from utilizing the right stick as a fully featured dribble stick. So this year, we’re making a pretty significant change to how the Pro Stick works,” Wang said.
Here is the new setup:
Hold RS down = jump shot
Hold RS left or right = escape dribble moves
Hold RS up = signature size-ups
Tap the RS = quick 1-to-1 dribble moves
Tap the RS with Sprint held = quick momentum dribble moves
Wang said it will take only a few games for the new control setup to feel “second nature.” With the new pro stick controls, players should have more freedom to play with style and flair.
“Along with the remap, the moves themselves have been overhauled to be much more responsive and chain-able,” Wang said. “Street moves have been moved to a tap of the left trigger as well, so you won’t be firing them off by accident when you’re breaking down defenders in the Park.”
New animations have been added to NBA 2K21 as well, including James Harden’s “around the leg dribble” and Kevin Durant’s “hesi cross” move. Former player Nate Robinson is also in the game, and he performed new motion capture to bring some “unique moves” to NBA 2K21.
New Shooting Mechanics
The pro stick changes also impact how shooting and finishing baskets works in NBA 2K21. “We really wanted to make scoring the basketball a skill both from the perimeter and at the rim, so we brainstormed and prototyped a number of various shooting mechanics for this year’s game,” Wang said.
NBA 2K21’s shooting mechanics are going back to an idea originally tested in NBA 2K17. In NBA 2K21, the shot meter has changed from timing to targeting. This can be disabled, and you can revert to the shooting controls from NBA 2K20, if you want.
“So instead of trying to stop the shot meter when you reach the perfect release window, you adjust the pro stick in real time to hit the ideal center aim point,” Wang said. “The target window resizes dynamically based on player ability, shooting range, and how well the shot is contested and can also shift to the left or right based on the shot’s degree of difficulty. If you miss the target too far to the left or right, your shot will miss in that direction.”
NBA 2K21’s new difficulty sliders will also apply to these new shooting mechanics, so players can fine-tune the experience to be as easy or challenging as they want.
“You also won’t be penalized for using the entire shooting motion to find the sweet spot. In other words, you don’t have to time your release when you’re shooting with the pro stick,” Wang said. “But if you want to take it to the next level and know your release, you can lock in your timing and aim by either centering the pro stick or by tapping one of the triggers when you reach the apex of the shot. The lock in will be indicated by a brief flash on the shot meter. If you can time AND aim well, you will give yourself the best chances at making the shot.”
Wang also confirmed that the new aiming system also applies to layups, so players will need to have a “good touch” near the rim, the developer said.
“As you’re driving you can still hold the pro stick in any direction to start a layup, but this year, you’ll want to quickly swing the stick to move the aiming tick to the center of the target,” Wang said. “Aiming layups well can help overcome shot contests and help you finish through contact.”
“If you can master shooting with the pro stick, you’ll have a higher ceiling for getting greens and making tough shots, so I’m pretty sure it’s going to be the shot method of choice for many competitive 2K players,” Wang added. “But since I know some will ask… yes, there is an option to disable shot aiming if you really want to go back to last year’s controls.”
Additionally, there will be more shot types for NBA 2K21, including James Harden’s fadeaway.
On defense, players can expect improvements in the form of block targeting that should make it easier to knock away shots. There will also be more options in the paint to stop offensive players for scoring easily.
Bigger Point Guards
For NBA 2K21’s MyCareer mode, the developers have increased the height limit for point guards to 6’8″. The change came directly from a request by NBA 2K21’s current-gen cover star, Damian Lillard, according to 2K.
More Updates
NBA 2K21 also introduces improvements to the signature dribble styles that were added for offensive moves in NBA 2K20. For this year’s game, signature moves for defense have been added, including those based on Russell Westbrook, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Pat Beverley, Andre Iguodala, and Draymond Green.
Wang also confirmed that the Badge system from NBA 2K20 is coming back for this year’s game. “I think you’ll find that more badges will have merit and fight for a spot in your badge loadout, giving you more effective tools to take over games in a more varied fashion,” Wang said. “And here’s some good news that I know the community will appreciate. We removed Quick Draw and put release speed back into the Jump Shot Creator. So that’s one thing you won’t have to waste your precious badge points on.”
Next-Gen Details Later
Wang said players who pick up NBA 2K20 on current-gen platforms will find a “great step forward,” but the game is also coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X where it’s going to cost $70 USD. Wang said players can look forward to gameplay details for “all the goodies” on PS5 and Xbox Series X in the coming months. What we do already know about the next-gen versions of NBA 2K21 is that they will offer drastically improved loading times and better graphics overall, but the full featureset for the new editions has not been confirmed as of yet.
NBA 2K21 has very large shoes to fill, as last year’s game sold an astonishing 14 million copies to become the highest-selling entry in the franchise of all time.
Fortnite developer Epic Games has announced a platform-wide slash on the price for V-Bucks, the in-game currency used in its battle royale. Players will now be able to buy them for less, with up to 20% off.
The discount isn’t time limited. Instead Epic Games is making the change permanent, but with a few caveats on some platforms. If you play Fortnite on PC or console–be it Xbox One, PS4, or Nintendo Switch–you won’t need to change a thing. The new prices will reflect from today and work with any of your payment methods. For example, 1000 V-Bucks will cost $8 instead of $10.
It’s really on mobile where the move starts showing some additional reasoning. Whether you play on Android or iPhone, Fortnite will now offer two methods of payment: using Epic Games’ new payment method, or the one provided by Google or Apple respectively. If you choose to go with Epic Game’s method, you’ll be able to take advantage of the discount. But prices will not change if you go through the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
Fortnite’s new payment methods on iOS
This shift is a way for Epic Games to escape the royalty charges that both platforms enforce, something founder Tim Sweeney has been vocally against for years. By creating its own payment method, Epic Games not only profits from each purchase more, but is able to charge players less without the need to cover off royalty fees. Apple and Google both currently take a 30% cut of all in-app purchases, but Epic says it will adjust pricing accordingly should this change in the future.
Fortnite Shooting Starstaff Pickaxe
If you recently purchased V-Bucks and feel burned by the sudden discount, Epic Games will be rewarding any customers who made purchases between July 14, 2020 – August 13, 2020 with an additional 20% of their order to make up for the discount. All active Fortnite players will also receive the Shooting Starstaff Pickaxe as a gift from Epic Games.
The largest theater chain in the United States is hoping to tempt movie-goers back with ridiculously low prices on opening day. When AMC Theaters opens in the US on August 20, it will offer movie tickets for 15 cents.
The chain is calling the promotion “Movies in 2020 at 1920 prices,” a reference to an era when talkies were much cheaper–along with cars, houses, and pretty much everything else. The promotional price will only apply on opening day, when AMC plans to open more than 100 of its theaters. That’s about one-sixth of its locations, so check if your local cinema is planning to open before digging in your couch cushions.
The theater won’t have new releases to show on opening day, so it will open with older movies like Ghostbusters, Black Panther, Back to the Future, and Grease. After the opening day promotion, those movies will remain in rotation for $5 instead.
Movie studios are starting to roll out their release plans shortly after AMC’s planned reopening. Disney’s New Mutants has been slated for August 28, followed by Tenet on September 3. AMC will be opening more theaters progressively, expecting about two-thirds of its locations to be open in time for Tenet.
Regal Cinemas, AMC’s largest competitor, will reopen some of its locations on August 21. Movie chains will be operating at reduced capacity and require face masks.
A Total War Saga: Troy just launched on the Epic Games Store, and it’s free to claim for 24 hours. You have until tomorrow, August 14, at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET to snag the latest entry in Creative Assembly’s popular strategy series before it’s sold for its $50 list price.
Total War Saga: Troy’s story was inspired by Homer’s epic poem Illiad and chronicles the Trojan War. The trajectory of the war between Troy and Greece relies on your choice of the eight factions you control, each of which have its own story beats. Like other “Saga” entries, Troy focuses on one pivotal historical moment instead of a lengthy era.
For those unfamiliar with the Total War games, they offer a clever blend of turn-based strategy and real-time tactics combat, with a heavy emphasis on resource management. Total War Saga: Troy is exclusive to the Epic Games Store for one year. While it’s only available on PC at the moment, the giveaway extends to the Mac edition of the game, which will release soon. So Mac users should claim Total War Saga: Troy even though they cannot play today.
Total War Saga: Troy isn’t the only free game at Epic you can claim right now. Don’t forget to pick up Wilmot’s Warehouse before the free games lineup refreshes at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET. A new pair of free games at Epic go live this morning: Remnant: From the Ashes and The Alto Collection.
Embracer Group, the parent company of THQ Nordic and Deep Silver, is still on a hiring spree. The company announced a whopping eight studio acquisitions today, including 4A Games, the developers of the well-received Metro series. These latest acquisitions come after Embracer purchased Koch Media, Saber Interactive, and THQ Nordic (along with all of their own subsidiaries). In total, Embracer owns 33 game studios and has more than 4,000 employees.
The 150-plus person team at 4A Games in Malta and Ukraine will now work for Embracer Group. Additionally, the deal includes some of 4A’s technology, along with the Metro IP.
Embracer is paying $36 million USD in cash for 100 percent of shares in 4A Games, along with extra pay-outs based on milestones that could pay 4A a further $35 million. The purchase was completed by Embracer’s subsidiary, Saber Interactive.
4A Games CEO Dean Sharpe said the studio will make a multiplayer Metro game next, in addition to a “more ambitious new IP.”
“Embracer Group and Saber Interactive are the perfect partners for 4A Games and for our next phase of growth,” Sharpe said. “Together we will continue to build on the Metro franchise and will focus on bringing a multiplayer experience to our fanbase. We look forward to building a new and even more ambitious AAA IP in the near future.”
4A had been working with Embracer’s Deep Silver for a long time already on the Metro series. Going forward, the companies will work with author Dmitry Glukhovsky on new Metro projects
Embracer said the acquisition will help its bottom line because owning 4A will lead to a reduction in royalty costs. Additionally, Embracer gets 4A’s technology, development resources, and more, which should help save costs in the long run, the company said.
Embracer also purchased Insurgency developer New World Interactive for an undisclosed sum, mobile game studio Deca Games for €25 million, and Crisol: Theater of Idols studio Vermila Studios for €900,000. Additionally, Embracer is buying Rare Earth Games for €300,000, Palindrome Interactive for SEK 21.5 million, Pow Wow Entertainment for an undisclosed sum, and Sola Media for €2.3 million. In most cases, the acquired studios stand to make a significant amount of extra money if they reach certain performance targets.
Better Call Saul is gearing up for a sixth and final season, wrapping up the now 11 season (and a movie) run that began with Breaking Bad. The show has a lot of questions left to wrap up about its characters that don’t appear in Breaking Bad, including Lalo, Nacho, and Rhea Seehorn’s Kim Wexler (whose Emmy snub is a disgrace, by the way). But one big question relates to the flash forwards we’ve seen at the start of each season–what happens to Jimmy?
Peter Gould, the show’s executive producer, has talked to Entertainment Weekly about the final season, and what will happen with Jimmy McGill (hiding out in his new identity as Cinnabon manager Gene Takovic). The Season 5 opener suggested that Jimmy might be in some trouble, but Gould wants viewers to ask themselves a larger question throughout the final season.
“Anybody who watches the show carefully and is thinking about where this is all going, one of the questions you have to ask yourself is: ‘What does this man deserve?,'” Gould told Entertainment Weekly. “What would be a deserving end to this? Does Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman/Gene Takovic deserve death? Does he deserve love? What would be the most fitting end for this guy–for the show?”
Gould wants viewers to consider whether there’s any room for Jimmy’s redemption. Throughout Better Call Saul, the character slides further into his dark side, but never goes as far as Walter did in Breaking Bad–in a memorable Season 3 plotline, Jimmy briefly ruins the life of an elderly client, Irene, for one of his schemes, before finding a way to help her that dramatically blows up his potential career in elder law.
Gould also touches on Kim, and the fact that why she isn’t in Breaking Bad is the show’s “other big question.” Gould answers cryptically, saying that fans should “keep (their) eye on the bottle stopper”–a reference to a momento Kim has held onto from a scam she and Jimmy ran on an investment banker back in Season 2, which directly led to the two characters becoming a couple.
These are not the most direct answers–but then, we don’t want the show spoiled for us.
Better Call Saul is due to air its final season in 2021, as long as it’s able to film amid COVID-19 restrictions. Bryan Cranston, star of Breaking Bad, recently revealed that he was diagnosed with and recovered from COVID-19.
It appears work has begun again on The Witcher Season 2 for Netflix, and it seems to be ahead of schedule. It was previously reported that production would resume on August 17, but photos have emerged from the set that suggest things have already gotten underway.
Director Stephen Surjik said on Twitter that August 5 was his first day back on set. He shared a photo of himself with showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich, and the pair are watching scenes on a monitor, separated by a shield barrier. This is presumably one of the new health and safety measures.
First day back after mid spring lock down on Witcher S2. Learning to social distance with my show runner /Exec producer, Lauren Schmidt Hissrich. She can conjure narrative and character with a muscular control like the great Houdini. @LHissrich pic.twitter.com/HVHpuDPSd1
Hissrich, meanwhile, shared a photo of herself with a mask and a shield covering her face, which again seems to be part of the new protocols on the set of The Witcher.
I answered a FaceTime call on set from my seven year old in this PPE.
The new season of The Witcher was in production at Arborfield Studios, 40 miles from London, when it closed down in March. It was the first major production to be suspended in the UK, after actor Kristofer Hivju tested positive for the virus.
While The Witcher Season 2 doesn’t have a confirmed release date, Hissrich previously stated that it would appear sometime in 2021. “We don’t want to rush the product,” she said in January. “That doesn’t benefit anyone.” Hissrich has also suggested that the story of The Witcher Season 2 will be easier to follow than that of Season 1, which was spread over different timelines. “The story will be much more linear, now that the three characters’ stories have started to intersect,” she explained.
The Witcher stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, Freya Allan as Ciri, Anya Chalotra as Yennefer, Eamon Farren as Cahir, and Joey Batey as Jaskier. It’s based on the book series by Andrzej Sapkowski, which in turn inspired the popular video game series.
In this video, Persia talks about some recent job listings from Cloud Chambers, the develolper behind Bioshock 4. One of the listings indicates that the setting of Bioshock 4 will be a new world instead of returning to Rapture or Columbia. Other listings also confirmed obvious details like being slated for next-gen and running on Unreal Engine 4.
Persia also goes over Control’s new Ultimate Edition: an all-inclusive package of the game that will include a free upgrade to next-gen. As of right now, this new edition will be the only way to upgrade to next-gen for free, making current game and season pass holders not eligible.
And finally, after talks of game price increases for next-gen, Capcom is undecided on whether its prices will change. Capcom said that it will “consider our approach, having analyzed both our strengths and weaknesses while closely monitoring industry trends.” Capcom also noted that first quarter revenue has exceeded its expectations, mostly due to strong digital sales.
Don’t forget to check out store.gamespot.com to get some awesome Play For All merch. All proceeds will be donated to Black Lives Matter and COVID-19 relief efforts.
This is your Save State for Wednesday, August 12th.
