The Last Of Us 2 Receives Its First Major Discount

Marquee first-party games don’t usually get discounts until long after release, but PS4 users can now snag The Last of Us Part II at a great price, thanks to its first major markdown since launch. You can buy The Last of Us Part II for $50 from Amazon. The deal is also available through Best Buy and GameStop–if you’re a PowerUp Rewards Pro member, you can get it for $45 from GameStop today only.

It’s unclear how long this deal will last for, so you’ll want to order as soon as possible if you’re interested. All retailers offer free shipping and can arrive by the end of the week–though you’ll need Prime for two-day shipping if you’re buying from Amazon. Best Buy and GameStop also offer in-store pickup if you’d rather grab it in person.

The story from the first game continues in The Last of Us Part II, as we follow Ellie and her partner Dina on their hunt to find a group of survivors that have wronged them. It’s a dark story about revenge and anger, but it’s also about companionship and what we’d do for those we love. The combat is also very tense and quite violent, so if you’re into stealth action, you’ll likely enjoy it.

We scored the game an 8/10 in our The Last of Us Part II review, thanks in most part to the complicated, flawed characters, and the impactful story.

“In Part II, I wanted nothing to do with Ellie’s bad decisions,” reviews editor Kallie Plagge wrote. “There’s no ‘oh god, I’m the monster’ moment; just profound sadness about all the pain she’s caused. Without Abby, none of that works. Abby is a fantastic character in her own right, and the way the game pits her against Ellie is what makes the story powerful. It’s a tragic, heartbreaking exploration of the consequences of the first game, even if not all your actions here have real consequences.”

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43 Karate Kid Easter Eggs In Netflix’s Cobra Kai Season 1

43 Karate Kid Easter Eggs In Netflix’s Cobra Kai Season 1 – GameSpot

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Cobra Kai loves paying tribute to The Karate Kid

Cobra Kai loves paying tribute to The Karate Kid

Finally, years after it first premiered, Cobra Kai is available to binge on Netflix. The streaming service is now the home to the Karate Kid sequel series, and you can watch the first two seasons on it right now. What’s more, Season 3 is finished and will be heading to Netflix in 2021.

It’s entirely possible you missed out on the show when it was a YouTube Premium original. If that’s the case, now is your chance to check out one of the best shows currently on TV. If you’ve already done that, though, chances are you noticed a few nods to the original movies. However, there are far more than you expect.

Throughout Season 1 of Cobra Kai, there are not just mentions of The Karate Kid in flashbacks, but the story is structured in a way that the film is on your mind constantly–and that’s a good thing. Given how seminal a movie The Karate Kid is, to not only fans but the stars who now reprise their roles on the show, it’s important to pay respects to what came before. Still, it’s a fine line to walk between properly paying tribute and flat-out copying without bringing anything new to the table. Thankfully, Cobra Kai relies on the former with nearly all of its homages helping to further expand the world its set in.

If you haven’t watched the show and don’t want to be spoiled, you should stop reading now. We’re diving into heavy spoiler territory for the entire first season of Cobra Kai to look at the ways it honors The Karate Kid and even expands on it.

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1. Right where we left him

1. Right where we left him

From: Episode 1

When fans last saw Johnny Lawrence, he was face down on the mat after being defeated by Daniel at the All-Valley Karate Tournament. Naturally, the first shot of him in Cobra Kai is face down on the mat after being defeated by life.

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2. Back in the valley

2. Back in the valley

From: Episode 1

California’s San Fernando Valley is as important a character in The Karate Kid as anyone or anything else, and Cobra Kai recognizes that right away. While the show was mostly filmed in Georgia, it’s nice to see it returned to the Valley for some establishing shots.

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From: Episode 1

When Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel how to care for Bonsai trees in The Karate Kid, chances are he didn’t expect them to be used as gifts for anyone who bought a luxury car. That said, kudos to Daniel for keeping the hobby alive.

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4. A glimpse at Karate Kid 2

4. A glimpse at Karate Kid 2

From: Episode 1

While footage from the original Karate Kid is used throughout Cobra Kai, this blending of the movies and the show put Johnny right back in the moment his former sensei turned on him. Interesting that the reminder of his leaving Cobra Kai is what makes him restart it.

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5. Three rules

5. Three rules

From: Episode 1

And restart it he does. Taking the harsh lessons he learned from Sensei Kreese, Johnny brings back the yellow and black.

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6. Cobra Kai is back

6. Cobra Kai is back

From: Episode 2

While the dojo may have a different location and design (though the original makes an appearance later) there’s no mistaking that logo and what it means to this franchise.

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7. A glimpse of Mr. Miyagi

7. A glimpse of Mr. Miyagi

From: Episode 2

Though Pat Morita died in 2005 and is unable to reprise his role as Mr. Miyagi, his presence is felt throughout the show. Beyond that, though, his face appears a number of times–including this newspaper clipping that touts the victory of a “mystery dojo” at the All-Valley tournament.

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8. Washing windows means nothing in Cobra Kai

8. Washing windows means nothing in Cobra Kai

From: Episode 2

While waxing cars, painting fences, and sanding floors helped to teach Daniel karate in the first movie, Johnny’s style is a bit different. For him, chores are chores and nothing else. It shows a stark contrast in Cobra Kai’s version of karate and Miyagi-Do’s. So get busy, Miguel.

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9. Even after 35 years, a good Halloween costume doesn't go out of style

9. Even after 35 years, a good Halloween costume doesn’t go out of style

From: Episode 3

Yes, it’s hard to believe that Johnny held onto a Halloween costume he wore in 1984–especially one that holds terrible memories like getting beaten up by an old man. Still, it’s a nice homage to the original movie to have him dust of the old skeleton costume and offer it to his student.

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10. We missed you, Ali

10. We missed you, Ali

From: Episode 3

Though Ali (Elisabeth Shue) only appeared in the first Karate Kid, her absence is very noticeable in Cobra Kai. Thankfully, her high school still keeps a photo of her in a trophy case for some reason. Good work finding that, Johnny.

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11. Miguel's new threads

11. Miguel’s new threads

From: Episode 5

You can only learn karate in your street clothes for so long. Johnny passing on his training gi from The Karate Kid to Miguel proves he’s the star pupil–well, the only pupil at this point–of the new Cobra Kai.

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12. The student catches up with his teacher

12. The student catches up with his teacher

From: Episode 5

Giving Daniel the chance to speak with Mr. Miyagi, even in this way, shows the importance of their relationship. Even though he’s grown now, with a wife and kids, he’s still that teenager from New Jersey looking for a father figure in his sensei.

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13. The return of Miyagi-Do

13. The return of Miyagi-Do

From: Episode 5

Daniel wearing that familiar headband just feels right. It also shows him getting back to his own karate roots, the way Mr. Miyagi trained him.

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From: Episode 5

It’s appropriate that this was the episode that paid tribute to Morita, who was the soul of the film franchise. Spending an episode largely on Daniel reconnecting with his mentor and the ideals he learned from him helps in bringing the character full-circle.

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15. The Cobra Kai of old

15. The Cobra Kai of old

From: Episode 6

While Johnny’s Cobra Kai dojo looks quite different from the one he first learned karate in, it was nice of the show to resurrect that old place for a flashback. It also smacks of the late 1970s/early 1980s with that huge mural.

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16. Johnny leading the class once again

16. Johnny leading the class once again

From: Episode 6

Inside the new Cobra Kai dojo, Johnny is once again head of the class. This time, though, it’s not because Kreese has him step in to teach the students–he’s the sensei now.

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17. Wash the windows, wax the car. The classics never go out of style for Daniel

17. Wash the windows, wax the car. The classics never go out of style for Daniel

From: Episode 7

When Daniel said he loves this part, he wasn’t the only one. Using chores to teach karate, just like Mr. Miyagi did with him, serves Daniel well. It may not be Johnny’s thing, but it certainly is his.

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18. One student is all he needs

18. One student is all he needs

From: Episode 7

As Miyagi did with him, Daniel only needs one student to go up against Cobra Kai’s army.

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19. The All-Valley Karate Tournament

19. The All-Valley Karate Tournament

From: Episode 7

Let’s be honest, everyone knew the series was going to build up to this. Seeing the advertisement for the same tournament that led to Johnny’s downfall, though, was a special moment.

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20. Shape the tree

20. Shape the tree

From: Episode 7

The seventh episode of Cobra Kai is a treasure trove of throwbacks to the original film. It’s this quiet moment when Daniel teaches Robby how to trim a bonsai tree that he seems most like his former sensei.

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21. Golf N' Stuff lives

21. Golf N’ Stuff lives

From: Episode 7

Miguel’s first date with Samantha was as cheesy and fun as Daniel’s outing with Ali back in The Karate Kid–and that’s thanks to the destination. Golf N’ Stuff makes its return to the Karate Kid world, packing just as much putt-putt excitement as ever. Kudos to the show for including the song from the movie, Young Hearts by Commuter, as well.

Fun fact: Golf N’ Stuff is a real place in the Valley that you can still visit, should you want to recreate these moments yourself.

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22. A flashback to the tournament that started it all

22. A flashback to the tournament that started it all

From: Episode 7

As Johnny fights to get Cobra Kai’s ban from the All-Valley tournament lifted, the council that makes the decision–which includes Daniel–looks at photos of the dojo’s history in the competition. Naturally, that’s where we see images of Daniel fighting Johnny from the movie.

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23. A cobra in red

23. A cobra in red

From: Episode 8

While this obviously isn’t the same jacket Johnny wore in the movie, it’s clear that this Cobra’s sense of style has never really changed.

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24. Ma's back!

24. Ma’s back!

From: Episode 8

Mr. Miyagi, Daniel’s father-figure, may be unable to appear on the show. Thankfully, though, his mother did visit her boy during Season 1. Randee Heller reprised her role as Lucille LaRusso, the woman who first brought Daniel to the Valley, in this episode.

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25. It's not a boat, but this will do the trick

25. It’s not a boat, but this will do the trick

From: Episode 8

As Daniel continues his lessons with Robby, they resemble Miyagi’s teachings more and more. While he notes that the lake he and Mr. Miyagi trained on is no longer an option, the two of them practicing on a large rock created a similar visual.

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26. Some rivalries never die

26. Some rivalries never die

From: Episode 9

Daniel and Johnny bickered a bunch during Season 1, but this is the first time they nearly came to blows–recreating their final showdown at the All-Valley Tournament. It doesn’t seem quite as intimidating when it’s poolside.

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27. Back at the South Seas

27. Back at the South Seas

From: Episode 9

Though they don’t come to blows, the two do go for a ride through the Valley, which brings Daniel back to his first Southern California home. This is the same run-down apartment complex he and his mom moved into in the first movie.

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28. Some things have changed

28. Some things have changed

From: Episode 9

Unlike when Daniel lived at the South Seas, the complex looks like it’s been cleaned up–and there’s actually water in the pool now.

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29. Hitting the beach

29. Hitting the beach

From: Episode 9

What’s the Karate Kid universe without a beach party? Unlike the one Johnny crashed in the movie, though, this one mostly goes off without a hitch.

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30. Facebook stalking your ex is cool, right?

30. Facebook stalking your ex is cool, right?

From: Episode 9

Johnny and Daniel’s trip down memory lane leads them to a bar, which brings up the final mention of Ali this season. It seems Daniel is Facebook stalking his ex, though he won’t add her as a friend. The audience learns that she went on to become a doctor, got married, and now lives in Colorado.

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31. It's the final countdown

31. It’s the final countdown

From: Episode 10

Some things never change–like the signage on a community center. The All Valley Sports Arena marquee looks incredibly dated.

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32. This is a little awkward

32. This is a little awkward

From: Episode 10

While Daniel probably loved seeing a picture of himself on display this big, it’s a little strange that the tournament had a poster printed of a moment from over three decades ago.

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33. The yellow and black attack

33. The yellow and black attack

From: Episode 10

If Cobra Kai is going to fight in a tournament, they’re going to look good doing it. The classic sleeveless black and yellow gi makes its return in this episode and have the new class of Cobra Kai looking sharp.

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34: Is he stealing Daniel's move?

34: Is he stealing Daniel’s move?

From: Episode 10

Having the tournament start with the move that ended it in the movie is a really fun choice. Having star Cobra Kai student Miguel using it to taunt Daniel is even better. It’s good to know the Crane Kick is still pretty devastating.

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35. Hawk takes things too far

35. Hawk takes things too far

From: Episode 10

Just like Bobby in The Karate Kid, Hawk ultimately adheres to Cobra Kai’s rule of showing no mercy and gets himself disqualified while attacking his opponent. Unlike Bobby in the movie, though, Hawk is thoroughly satisfied with his actions.

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36. Kreese is always watching

36. Kreese is always watching

From: Episode 10

Before the final fight between Miguel and Robby, Johnny is at odds with himself. After all, his star student is about to fight his son. Walking the hallways of the sports arena and seeing his old sensei’s photo on the wall certainly doesn’t help matters, though it does give Johnny a glimpse at who he’s turning into.

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37. That trick doesn't always work

37. That trick doesn’t always work

From: Episode 10

While Miyagi was able to cure what was ailing Daniel with the heat from rubbing his hands together, Daniel clearly does not have the same talent. However, he does know how to call for a medic.

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38. The students have become the teachers

38. The students have become the teachers

From: Episode 10

It’s Daniel vs. Johnny at the All-Valley one more time. However, now they’re the senseis and not the students. Daniel is right when he says this will never be over.

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39. It looks all too similar

39. It looks all too similar

From: Episode 10

The final fight is Cobra Kai vs. Miyagi-Do. Nothing has changed (except for the color of the mats). Even the scoreboard is the same.

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40. The new Crane Kick

40. The new Crane Kick

From: Episode 10

Since Miguel already unleashed a Crane Kick, Robby decided to up his game. Miyagi-Do is nothing if not creative when it comes to an attack. Daniel certainly couldn’t pull this off.

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41. Sweep the... shoulder?

41. Sweep the… shoulder?

From: Episode 10

Just like when Johnny swept Daniel’s leg, Miguel targeted Robby’s injured shoulder to get an advantage over his competition.

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42. This looks wrong

42. This looks wrong

From: Episode 10

In the end, the result wasn’t what The Karate Kid prepared audiences for. Cobra Kai’s ruthless ways won the trophy, leaving Robby defeated and Miguel and his crew standing tall.

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43. Wait, isn't he dead?

43. Wait, isn’t he dead?

From: Episode 10

Johnny clearly said that John Kreese was dead earlier in the season. That’s simply not the case, though. In the final moments of the Season 1 finale, the former Cobra Kai sensei makes his grand return, puffing on a cigar and telling his student that the story is just beginning.

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Disclosure: ViacomCBS is GameSpot’s parent company


The Division 2 September 1 Update Adds Season 2 Level Skips, Full Patch Notes Revealed

Developer Massive Entertainment rolled out an update for The Division 2 on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One that makes some minor adjustments. The full patch notes are outlined below.

The latest patch makes three particular adjustments to The Division 2. The first pertains to issues with sniper turrets and irons out problems that cause inconsistencies while aiming and shooting. Additionally, the update addresses issues with checkpoints not working during the Tidal Basin Heroic boss encounter and adds Season 2 level skips to purchase from the in-game store so players can advance through The Division 2’s battle pass-like progression system.

In other The Division 2 news, a release date for Title Update 11 has still not been announced. However, Massive Entertainment outlined some of what players can expect when it drops. One such feature is gear appearance customization in the form of Transmogrification, which allows you to alter the look of any gear–except for Exotics, of course.

Full The Division 2 Patch Notes (September 1)

Maintenance Notes:

  • Fixed an issue that caused inconsistencies with sniper turret aiming and shooting.
  • Fixed an issue with the Tidal Basin Heroic boss checkpoint sometimes not working.
  • Added Season 2 Level Skips for purchase in the in-game store.

Publisher Ubisoft will hold another Forward livestream next week on September 10 at 12 PM PT with a pre-show starting an hour before. The company shared a teaser trailer disclosing the potential line-up of titles to be discussed during the event, including Hyper Scape, Rainbow Six Siege, and Watch Dogs Legion, among others.

Now Playing: Everything New in The Division 2: Warlords of New York Expansion

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Welcome To Blumhouse Horror Series Trailer Delivers Scares and Madness

Welcome to Blumhouse is a new collection of horror movies from the producers of such scary hits as Get Out, the Purge series, and the most recent Halloween film. It brings together eight new films, four of which are set to hit Amazon Prime Video next month. The first trailer has now been released.

The trailer provides a look the four movies–Black Box, Evil Eye, The Lie, and Nocturne. All four are quickly intercut throughout the trailer’s short running time so it’s hard to get a sense of the stories, but it looks like an intriguing mix of supernatural scares and more psychological terror. Check it out below:

Blumhouse previously provided synopsis for the four movies, which you can read below. The final four films under the Welcome to Blumhouse banner have not been revealed yet, but they will be released sometime in 2021.

The Lie

  • Release date: October 6
  • When their teenaged daughter confesses to impulsively killing her best friend, two desperate parents attempt to cover up the horrific crime, leading them into a complicated web of lies and deception.

Black Box

  • Release date: October 6
  • After losing his wife and his memory in a car accident, a single father undergoes an agonizing experimental treatment that causes him to question who he really is.

Evil Eye

  • Release date: October 13
  • A seemingly perfect romance turns into a nightmare when a mother becomes convinced her daughter’s new boyfriend has a dark connection to her own past.

Nocturne

  • Release date: October 13
  • Inside the halls of an elite arts academy, a timid music student begins to outshine her more accomplished and outgoing twin sister when she discovers a mysterious notebook belonging to a recently deceased classmate.

This is Blumhouse’s second collection of straight-to-streaming movies, with two seasons of Into the Dark released onto Hulu in 2018 and 2019. Meanwhile, two of the company’s biggest upcoming movies were set to hit theaters this year, but both have been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Forever Purge, the fifth movie in the dystopian action/horror series, will now release in May 2021, while the slasher sequel Halloween Kills arrives in October next year.

For more, check out GameSpot’s guide to the biggest upcoming horror movies of 2020 and beyond, plus our look at the best new horror films to watch on streaming.

Fall Guys Is Going To Yeet Us With A Huge Hammer

Fall Guys is getting a new obstacle in some of its current mini-games. A giant hammer the studio calls “Big Yeetus” will “randomly appear” in several levels to throw the little bean characters across the map.

Mediatonic tweeted out the news on September 2, although the studio didn’t say when the hammer would be live in the game. The studio included a short gif of a player getting thrown across the Dizzying Heights map–all the way to the finish line. I’m sure most encounters with Big Yeetus won’t be as generous.

Fruit appeared to be getting shot out of the cannons on the Dizzying Heights map in the gif as well. Usually nothing but balls come out of those cannons, suggesting Mediatonic is making other changes to the game without saying much.

“WAIT WHY IS THERE FRUIT AND NOT B A L L,” said one reply to the tweet. Mediatonic replied with a gif of Dwight Schrute shushing.

Fall Guys Season 2 is coming in October. It brings new mini-games and costumes based on “epic quests.” New costumes and mini-games where players have to dodge giant axes were both revealed at Gamescom. Mediatonic’s battle royale of the brands also came to an end recently. Ninja, G2 Esports, MRBeast, and Aim Lab came together with a one million dollar donation for UK-based charity Special Effect.

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Rocket League Won’t Require Nintendo Switch And PlayStation 4 Online Memberships

Developer Pysonix has confirmed that once its soccar game Rocket League goes free-to-play later this summer it won’t require online memberships on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 systems.

A patch for Rocket League will be arriving “around mid-September,” with the free-to-play update following “shortly after.” While an exact date for when Rocket League will go free-to-play has not been disclosed yet, Psyonix made it clear that Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 players will not need active NSO and PS Plus subscriptions in order to participate in online matches against other competitors. This is just one of the many changes coming to Rocket League once it’s free-to-play.

Some other adjustments include the addition of a new difficulty for bots, the removal of the Solo Standard Playlist following Competitive Season 14’s conclusion, Heatseeker being playable in private matches, tweaks to Rocket ID friends and Quick Chats, and more.

Psyonix is also consolidating many of Rocket League’s offerings–Competitive Seasons, Rocket Pass, and Competitive Tournaments–into one Season that will all follow the same schedule and kicks off once the game goes free-to-play. Much like battle passes in other live service games such as Apex Legends and Fortnite, once one season of Rocket League ends, so too will that season’s Competitive Season and Rocket Pass. This is to streamline Rocket League’s content across the board so it’s all easier to track.

In addition to changes to Rocket League’s competitive offerings, Pysonix is also adding some new ranks to Rocket League. The current, highest-achievable rank, Grand Champion, will be split into three different ranks–Grand Champion 1, Grand Champion 2, and Grand Champion 3. Psyonix said current Grand Champions will “likely be placed in Grand Champion 1 (depending on placement matches)” so that it can make way for the newest, highest-achievable rank: Supersonic Legend. (No, not Sonic the Hedgehog.) Further, once Rocket League goes free-to-play and these changes are implemented, players will be required to reach Level 10 in order to participate in Rocket League’s Ranked Playlists.

Finally, as part of bringing Rocket League into the hands of new players once it goes free-to-play, Psyonix will be introducing a brand-new tutorial experience for players to get used to the game’s mechanics and HUD. Players will also have New Driver Challenges to unlock items that were featured in the base version of the game, though Psyonix didn’t extrapolate on these unlockables.

If you’re curious about what happens to your progress once Rocket League goes free-to-play, Psyonix has detailed how cross-platform progression will work, clarifying that players will need an Epic Games Account to transfer their data.

In other Rocket League news, players are getting creative and mashing the soccar game with rhythm-em-up Beat Saber to create an unlikely pairing that’s bizarre and satisfying.

Now Playing: Rocket League With Naomi Kyle!

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Plants Vs. Zombies: Battle For Neighborville Final Update Coming Soon

Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville, the latest 3D shooter iteration of the franchise, will get its last update at the end of the month. EA announced what’s coming through this final month of content, which will culminate in an appropriately harvest-themed Fall Festival event.

According to the announcement, this month will add two new characters: Wildflower and TV Head Zombie. Those were previously exclusive to weekly events in August, but you can pick them up with Coins in late September. You can use your Prize Bulbs in the Fall Festival map to score cosmetics like epic hats, victory slabs, emojis, and special costumes for Chomper, Imp, and Z-Mech. The Ranked Battle Arena will return to an unranked mode and away from the seasons.

Moving forward, the game will begin rotating previous Festivals and their associated Prize Maps, so you can collect any cosmetics that you missed out on at the time. What’s more, each of the Festival Prize Maps will remember your progress from the last time it came around, so you can just pick up from where you left off.

Battle for Neighborville was the third shooter spin-off from the Plants vs. Zombies series, following Garden Warfare and Garden Warfare 2. It released in September 2019, so this month’s update gives it just over a full year of updates. It received generally positive reviews, according to GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

Now Playing: Plants vs. Zombies: Battle For Neighborville – New Turf Takeover Gameplay

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Roman Reigns Is Exactly What WWE Needs Right Now

After months of programming that was, to be completely honest, subpar, WWE is finally rebounding. The first big move was to finally shift weekly programming away from the Performance Center and into the Thunderdome. The tone of the product immediately changed and Raw and Smackdown felt important again. Now, the return of a single talent has seemingly resurrected one of the company’s two main roster shows, making it feel like can’t-miss television once again.

Roman Reigns is back. The Big Dog made his return at SummerSlam, attacking Braun Strowman and the newly-crowned WWE Universal Champion The Fiend, leaving them lying in the ring and showing the audience a new edge to his character. Then he added Paul Heyman as an on-screen advocate, and went on to take the WWE Universal Championship, picking his spot in a triple threat match after Strowman and The Fiend destroyed each other at Payback.

This is the Roman Reigns WWE fans need right now. What’s more, this is the shot in the arm that Reigns, who never fully rebounded as a top character in WWE after taking time off for health reasons, needed.

When Reigns returned in February 2019 after his leukemia went into remission, he received a hero’s welcome, which was in stark contrast to the boos he normally got prior to going on hiatus. However, the adoration didn’t end up establishing him as the face of the company in the minds of fans. He took part in a number of feuds on the Smackdown brand, but the character had trouble connecting. Ultimately, Reigns had gone so long without evolving or changing that the goodwill couldn’t last.

Now, though, he’s back after a hiatus that began with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. And this time, Reigns has changed–or at least the perception is that he has. The visual of seeing him stand next to Heyman, the longtime advocate of Brock Lesnar–one of WWE’s top heels for years–has immediately changed the perception of Roman.

No longer is he the man many fans felt WWE was pushing down their throats to be John Cena’s heir apparent. By pairing him with Heyman, WWE is elevating Reigns to the status of Lesnar, branding him a top-level monster of a superstar worthy of fans’ time, attention, and money. In this case, though, the upside for WWE is even better.

Unlike with Lesnar, Reigns is not a part-time performer. He will most likely be on every show and pay-per-view, representing the company to the best of his ability. And having Heyman at his side will only elevate him further, although that’s not to say Reigns needs Heyman to do the talking for him. Unlike Lesnar, Roman is very comfortable with promos. Over the years, he’s steadily grown to be one of the strongest on WWE’s current roster with a microphone, having honed his skills against many of the best talkers in the industry–from John Cena to The Miz.

What Heyman brings, though, is credibility. Heyman’s on-camera stamp of approval makes Reigns a threat and immediately establishes him as the top heel on Smackdown. That’s exactly what WWE has been missing of late. Over on Raw, Randy Orton hasn’t evolved in years, while Seth Rollins has been feuding with Rey Mysterio for what seems like a decade. Meanwhile, the top heel on Smackdown has been The Fiend, the demented version of Bray Wyatt that the audience is too fascinated by to hate.

Reigns as the top heel is not only refreshing for the current product, it’s enticing because this is the first time it’s ever happened. Since the initial split of The Shield, Reigns has been portrayed as a conquering hero, even while the audience tended to reject that image. Now, though, he’s not seeking audience approval. Instead, he’s there simply to take what’s his–the WWE Universal Championship–and wreck anyone who gets in his way.

A force like that, with a mind like Heyman helping to chart the path, is exciting. Plus, let’s be honest, any reason to have Heyman back on TV is a good one. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a promo of his that wasn’t downright incredible in the last several years, and that was when he only had Brock Lesnar to talk about. Having a new talent to advocate for gives Heyman fresh material to work with–and someone he can go back-and-forth with, much as he did during his time as CM Punk’s manager.

The future for Smackdown looks bright with a newly-turned Roman Reigns at the top of the mountain. As WWE continues to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has struck on something that could very well keep fans invested until such a time comes that the audience is allowed to return to arenas full-force. And once that happens, imagine the vitriol and rage that will come from those fans when they finally get the chance to tell the brand’s primary villain what they think of his new persona and associate in person.

At long last, watching WWE is getting very exciting once again.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 Discounted Ahead Of Its Release Date

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 releases this Friday, September 4, and if you want to preorder it ahead of time, you can do so for cheaper than its regular price. Amazon and Walmart have Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 for $33.88, down from its regular price of $40. Both retailers offer free shipping and can deliver the game as early as its release date, though this depends on where you live and when you order it.

If you’re interested in the collector’s edition, you’ll be happy to hear that GameStop currently has it in stock with release-day delivery. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2’s Collector’s edition costs $100 and comes with the game, Digital Deluxe content, and a limited-edition Birdhouse deck.

Alternatively, you can buy Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2’s Digital Deluxe edition for $50, which comes with access to the Warehouse demo, “The Ripper” skater, retro content for Create-a-Skater, and retro outfits for Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero, and Rodney Mullen. It’s unclear if this content will be sold separately.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 is a remake of the first two Tony Hawk games, featuring all of their iconic levels and skaters like Tony Hawk and Rodney Mullen. It also boasts a trick system made up of different trick types from throughout the series, but if you just want to play the way you remember it in those first two games, you can turn off all of the extra tricks and play with the original games’ move sets.

The remake also includes many new skaters, including Aori Nishimura, Leticia Bufoni, and Lizzie Armanto as well as Leo Baker, Nyjah Huston, and Tyshawn Jones. You can take any of these skaters–or even your own custom character–into all of the modes, including multiplayer and the single-player Skate Tours.

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Borderlands 3 News For PAX Online Teased By Gearbox

PAX Online, a virtual event replacing both PAX Australia and PAX West due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, is set to go live from September 12-20. For the event’s first day, Borderlands 3 creator Gearbox Software has teased some sort of announcement related to the Borderlands franchise.

Starting on September 12 at 12:45 PM PT / 3:45 PM ET, Gearbox will unveil “what’s coming next” in Borderlands and from its publishing division, Gearbox Publishing. It’s unclear how long the broadcast, titled the Gearbox Digital Showcase, will last or what specific announcements will be made. In either case, you can watch the presentation on Gearbox’s official Twitch and YouTube channels.

Before the Gearbox Digital Showcase goes live, though, the company will launch Borderlands 3’s next DLC on September 10. Titled Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck, the new DLC will also increase the level cap again, add more mini-events leading up to its launch, and introduce new gear, among other things.

In other Borderlands 3 news, Gearbox has partnered with Direct Relief, an international humanitarian organization, to provide aid to workers responding to COVID-19 by giving away in-game masks whenever you donate $5 or more through Gearbox’s merch site.

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