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During the first quarter of 2020, United States consumer spending on video game products reached the highest total in U.S. history, according to The NPD Group.

The NPD Group calls this year’s first quarter a record, driven by digital content spending across console, mobile and PC platforms – reaching $10.86 billion in total from January to March. This is an increase of 9% compared to the same period of time for last year, according to the report.

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“Sales of video game content reached $9.58 billion in the first quarter, up 11% when compared to a year ago,” The NPD Group reports. “Gains were seen across digital console and PC content, mobile and subscription spending, as well as across hardware and accessories categories.”

Games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which recently broke its own record after becoming the fastest-selling Switch game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, DOOM Eternal, and Grand Theft Auto V helped consumer spending break this record as they were all among the best-performing titles of this year’s first quarter. Other notable titles on that list include Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, Fortnite, Minecraft, MLB The Show 20, and NBA 2K20.

“Video games have brought comfort and connection to millions during this challenging time,” NPD Group video game industry analyst Mat Piscatella said. “As people have stayed home more, they’ve utilized gaming not only as a diversion and an escape, but also as a means of staying connected with family and friends. Whether it was on console or mobile, PC or virtual reality, gaming experienced play and sales growth during the first quarter.”

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The challenging time Piscatella is referring to is, of course, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Here are some ways to help and stay safe during the pandemic.

The NPD Group reports that a strong growth in sales of Nintendo Switch hardware and software helped to offset the declines across other hardware platforms, “leading the overall video game hardware market to increase 2% in the quarter to $773 million.” Video game accessories like gamepads, headsets, and cases also saw an increase in sales during this quarter with an increase of 1% in the first quarter. Those sales reached $503 million.

You can read more about how March of this year was a record-breaking month for the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo is attempting to boost Switch output to meed its growing demand after months like March too.

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Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Resident Evil 3 Remake’s take on Nemesis is now available in Resident Evil Resistance, and Capcom has detailed its connection to Resident Evil 4.

Posted as part of the announcement of Nemesis’ inclusion in Resistance, a PlayStation blog post explains the newly-created connections between the Nemesis of Resident Evil 3 and Resistance with RE4. According to Capcom social media specialist Kellen Haney, the Nemesis’ ability to infect zombies with parasites in Resistance was added to the game to tie into the Ganado enemies of RE4.

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“We inevitably decided on this final ability due to the presence of Ganado in Resident Evil 4,” Haney said. “Ganado are humanoid enemies that are created through being infected with the Plagas parasite, the original basis for NE-α. When the Plagas activates, it spawns from the neck of its host in the form of a tentacle.”

Haney said NE-α was created to imitate this parasitic quality and Capcom wanted NE-α infected enemies to be “visually similar” to the Plagas-infected Ganados. This was done as a “means for fans to piece together how Nemesis fits within the whole Resident Evil franchise.”

As anyone who played RE3 knows, the Nemesis was able to infect zombies nearby using its parasitic arm. These newly-infected zombies would need to be taken down in a specific way different from the usual headshot to a standard zombie. The Nemesis’ tentacle arm will return as an ability in Resistance that can be used to infect zombies.

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This ability was also added in order to differentiate Nemesis from the Tyrant of Resident Evil 2. “We wanted Nemesis to come across as an even more formidable opponent, so we started considering alternate abilities aside from its heavy weapon artillery,” Haney said.

That’s what led to the inclusion of Nemesis’ infection ability. For more Resident Evil, check out this Dino Crisis mod for RE3 on PC. Read about this RE3 board game coming to Kickstarter too. We thought RE3 was amazing, giving the Resident Evil 3 remake a 9 out of 10.

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Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. He helped write the IGN guide for Resident Evil 3, which you can check out here. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

One of my personal favorite pieces of tech is the 32GB iPad I bought on Black Friday. I use it all the time, way more than I expected I would when I got it. Right now, Best Buy has the same iPad with the same specs (the latest generation, no less) for the same price: just $249.99. Pair it with a free ComiXology Unlimited 60-day trial and it becomes a massive library tens of thousands of awesome comics.

Latest-Generation 32GB Apple iPad Deal

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Best Buy’s deal also includes a free year of Apple TV+ and 4 free months of Apple Music. Now, I don’t have Apple TV+ (although I really want to see that Beastie Boys documentary), but I do have Apple Music and I love it.

Basically, if you get this iPad deal, you can turn it into a portable media machine in just a few minutes after you unpack it and finish setting it up, and it won’t cost you anything extra.

Outside of the free trial, ComiXology also has free Marvel collections from the likes of Spider-Man, Venom, Captain America and more available right now.

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Seth Macy is IGN’s tech and commerce editor and just wants to be your friend. Find him on Twitter @sethmacy.

Free games have become quite common during the coronavirus pandemic, as retailers and publishers are trying to provide entertainment while we practice social distancing. Even the regular Epic Games Store freebies have become more impressive as of late, with Grand Theft Auto V available to claim right now. The latest freebie is particularly great for those who are staying at home with children. WB Games is giving away The Lego Ninjago Movie Video Game for free until May 21 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Originally released in 2017, Lego Ninjago retells the plot of the eponymous movie. The game follows Lloyd, Zane, Kai, Master Wu, and the rest of the crew on an adventure to stop Lord Garmadon for taking over Ninjago. As far as Lego games go, Ninjago has more combat depth than usual, with a variety of different moves such as wall-running, charge attacks, and elaborate combos. It’s more than just a button-masher.

You can play through the eight-chapter campaign solo, but it also supports drop-in, drop-out co-op for two players. Lego games are ideal cooperative games to play alongside kids who may not be too familiar with games just yet, and Ninjago is no exception. There’s also a battle mode that supports up to four players.

Best game deals this week

For more free games, make sure to take a look at our running list of every free game you can snag right now. Ubisoft is currently offering the pair of Assassin’s Creed Discovery Tour games for free, which are kid-friendly educational experiences centered on Egypt and Greece. We’ve also rounded up the best digital game deals of the week on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Rockstar is giving away pistols for free this week in GTA V Online, along with doubling all rewards on Gunrunning Sell Missions and missions connected to the Bunker Series. Now is a great time to grind out some missions and try out some new pistol types.

Those in want or need of a new pistol in GTA Online will be happy to hear that Rockstar is giving away free pistols at Ammu-Nation. To celebrate Sidearm Week, all pistols are free in-store. Head down to the closest Ammu-Nation and fill up on free sidearms until May 21.

The Bunker Series quest line is currently giving out double the rewards for completion, with players able to venture into the deep dark underground of Los Santos and emerge with twice the usual amount of GTA$ and RP.

Research Speed and Gunrunning Sell Mission activities have doubled rewards as well, with high risk paying out an even higher reward this week. Deliver some illegal weaponry and earn some big bonuses while you still can.

The Lucky Wheel major prize has been changed once again, with a customized Grotti Itali GTO with a Urban Racer livery wrap up for grabs at the Diamond Casino & Resort. Spin the wheel each day for free and earn cash prizes.

A number of vehicles are on sale this week, with the Progen Emerus going for 30% off, the HVY Nightshark at 30% off, Överflöd Entity XXR at 40% off, and the Karin Sultan RS at 40% off.

Bunkers are also on sale, with a massive 40% off on bunkers all over Los Santos. Bunker upgrades and add-ons are 30% off as well, so make sure to customize your new bunker hideout in style.

Twitch Prime members can enjoy bonus discounts on in-game items, with the Tula plane at 80% off, and the Grotti Furia at 60% off this week. Members can also receive the Paleto Bay Arcade for free.

A portion of all online purchases this month will be going towards COVID-19 relief thanks to Rockstar and Take-Two. This includes purchases made in Red Dead Online and GTA Online.