The Office Oral History Podcast Coming Soon

The Office fans are getting another podcast both hosted by and featuring guest appearances from stars. Entertainment Weekly is reporting that starting July 14, Spotify will be the exclusive home for the upcoming Oral History of the Office podcast. The new show will be hosted by Brian Baumgartner–who played everyone’s favorite slow-witted accountant, Kevin–and the 12-episode run will feature interviews with Steve Carrell, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Angela Kinsey, Jenna Fischer, and many more.

The new podcast will cover the show’s 2005-2013’s history, starting with the BBC adaptation’s search for its own distinct voice for American audiences and its search for a network home. How the cast, crew, and major storylines came together will also be covered.

Three episodes will be released on July 14, with weekly releases coming on following Tuesdays.

Kinsey and Fischer started the aptly titled Office Ladies back in October 2019, a rewatch podcast that similarly features other series stars weighing in with memories, trivia, and lots of behind-the-scenes information unavailable in existing DVD commentaries. Their show is already up to the season three episode, Diwali.

If you’re already current on Office Ladies, back in March, Krasinski launched the feel-good web series Some Good News. It’s not about The Office, but there is lots of Krasinski looking directly at the camera. Krasinski recently sold Some Good News to ViacomCBS–GameSpot’s parent company–but he will not be hosting the show.

Mario Odyssey, New Super Mario, Mario Maker 2 on Sale Right Now

UPDATE: Super Mario Odyssey is now on sale for $49.99. The article has been updated.

If you’re a Switch owner who doesn’t have either New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe or Super Mario Maker 2 (or both), great news: they’re both marked down right now at Amazon. If you’re not a Switch owner, bad news: those have been consistently difficult to buy since we started this whole worldwide supply chain disruption.

Nintendo Switch consoles come in and out of stock pretty frequently, but not in any sort of predictable rate. I recommend following IGN Deals on Twitter if you’re looking to grab one at MSRP.

Nintendo Switch Game Deals

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The $40 price point seems to be pretty popular for video game deals on Amazon today. If you have $39.99 burning a hole in your pocket but don’t want one of the Mario games on sale, you can pick up the supremely excellent SEGA Genesis Mini on sale right now for just $40. I reviewed that, too, and I think it’s the best mini all-in-one console out there.

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Seth Macy is Executive Editor, IGN Commerce, and just wants to be your friend. Find him on Twitter @sethmacy.

Sylvester Stallone Says There’s A Rocky IV Director’s Cut Coming, Hopefully With More Robot

The 1976 film Rocky is what launched the career of Sylvester Stallone. Prior to starring in and writing that film, Stallone was best known for his role as Machine Gun Joe in the over-the-top Roger Corman flick Death Race 2000. There have been eight films in the Rocky franchise–counting the two Creed films as well–and Stallone just announced a Director’s Cut of one of them.

On his Instagram account, Stallone was promoting the “extended cut” of the most recent Rambo movie, Last Blood. One fan asked Stallone about a Director’s Cut of Rocky Balboa–the sixth movie in the franchise from 2006. Stallone’s response probably threw everyone through a loop as he said, “I am not doing that but I am doing a directors cut on Rocky IV which will be amazing!!!!!”

Yes, Stallone posted with that many exclamation points, which means the new cut of Rocky IV will be four times more exciting than we can imagine. 1985’s Rocky IV is a bit out an outlier within the series. Many people–like myself–see the fourth installment of the series as their favorite in the franchise. However, it’s a little goofy compared to the other films.

The film starts off with Rocky as rich. He owns a mansion, a variety of cars, and a robot that delivers his friends’ birthday cakes. Yes, there’s a robot in this movie. Rocky’s friend Apollo Creed has a boxing match against Russia’s top fighter, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). Prior to Creed’s match, James Brown plays the song “Living in America”–that’s not important to the plot, but it is spectacular. Drago kills Creed in the ring and Rocky has to avenge his death with another boxing match. It’s the ’80s and so many action movies during that time revolved around the “USA vs. USSR” plotline.

But what would a Director’s Cut of Rocky IV look like since it’s such a near-perfect product of its time? Yes, it’s a weird movie, but those bizarre moments are what make it great. Will this Director’s Cut have more of Rocky’s robot in it? Maybe a love story between Paulie and said robot? Maybe there will be an extended James Brown performance. Most likely, the Rocky/Drago training montage will be extended, and if there’s a way to make it even more epic, please do so, Mr. Stallone.

Stallone didn’t say when there this Director’s Cut of Rocky IV would arrive, only that he’s working on it. Given how 2020 has turned out so far, a new cut of this classic “boxing” movie would be a rare bright spot for those who love this movie. Sadly, at this time, Rocky IV is not available to stream online with any subscription service, so if you want to watch it, you’ll have to rent or buy it.

Shadow Warrior 3 Announced

Flying Wild Hog and Devolver Digital have announced Shadow Warrior 3 for release in 2021.

The latest addition to the first-person shooter-melee series sees antihero Lo Wang on the hunt to recapture an ancient dragon that he and sidekick Orochi Zilla have accidentally freed.

You can watch a teaser trailer below, which features lots of violence, gratuitous use of a grappling hook, magic powers, and a very upset rabbit:

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The game will arrive in 2021, but no specific release date has been announced as yet. The game will get a PC release, but no console platforms have been listed as yet.

Gameplay for Shadow Warrior 3 will be revealed during this month’s Devolver Direct broadcast, taking place on July 11.

We awarded Shadow Warrior 2 an 8.6 review, calling it “an energetic shoot ‘n’ loot with great melee and ranged combat, co-op, and a pile of dirty jokes.”

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Shadow Warrior 3 Is Coming In 2021, And The First Trailer Shows Off Lo Wang’s New Grappling Hook

Lo Wang is coming back for Shadow Warrior 3, the newly revealed third entry in the rebooted Shadow Warrior series. The Shadow Warrior Twitter account has been teasing a reveal over the past week, and now we know that it’s a sequel–and this time, you’ll have a grappling hook to compliment the game’s free-running movement system.

The teaser trailer, below, shows that developer Flying Wild Hog has returned for this entry, and that the series’ brand of irreverent humor will return for this entry. The game is set to release in 2021. This time, Wang and his sidekick Orochi Zilla will be on a quest to capture a dragon on the loose, and it’s up to you to track it down and recapture it while taking on enemies with a mix of swords, guns, and magic.

The teaser trailer does not show off any direct gameplay footage, although it definitely indicates that the character models are being rendered in-engine with Wang’s opening dialog. We won’t have to wait long to see how the game plays, however, as a gameplay reveal will take place during the Devolver Direct presentation on July 11 at 12 PM PT.

Curiously, platforms are not confirmed in the trailer–a PC release is a given, but it’s unclear which consoles Shadow Warrior 3 will target.

In a statement sent to press, game director Kuba Opoń has said that the game will offer “a completely fresh experience” for fans. “We want to make sure that our fast-paced gunplay sequences, razor-sharp melee combat, and spectacular free-running movement, will get their adrenaline pumping and senses thumping,” he says.

“But we never forget Flying Wild Hog’s roots and we hope that Shadow Warrior 3 will feel like a homecoming for those fans that have been with us since the beginning,” Opoń continues.

Both previous games in the series are currently discounted by 75% as part of the Steam Summer Sale.

Now Playing: Shadow Warrior 3 – Official Announcement Teaser Trailer

Sega Genesis Mini Is on Sale for $39.99 Right Now

Here’s a very important heads-up for retro gaming fans who enjoy saving money: The Sega Genesis Mini is on sale for 50% off at Amazon, bringing it down to $39.99. That matches the lowest price we’ve ever seen on the console. (Best Buy also has it on sale, but for $49.99) And even at the original price, this combination of hardware and software is well worth a purchase. Let’s dive into the details.

Sega Genesis Mini is 50% Off

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According to our Sega Genesis Mini review, this diminutive device is “the best all-in-one retro console ever made.” It comes with a collection of 42 games that include most of the best and most popular titles released for the Genesis (see the complete list below). It even has a few that were never released in the West. The games are presented in a user interface that’s both gorgeous and functional.

The mini console itself is meticulously recreated, complete with working cartridge bay doors that spring back into place after you open them. The full-sized controller is also just like the original, though it’s worth noting that it’s the original three-button controller that comes in the box. If that bothers you, you can buy a six-button controller separately, and it’ll work just fine.

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Sega Genesis Mini Games List

  • Ecco the Dolphin
  • Castlevania: Bloodlines (Castlevania: The New Generation in AU/UK)
  • Space Harrier 2
  • Shining Force
  • Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
  • Toe Jam & Earl
  • Comix Zone
  • Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Altered Beast
  • Gunstar Heroes
  • Sonic the Hedgehog 2
  • Earthworm Jim
  • Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
  • World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
  • Thunder Force III
  • Super Fantasy Zone
  • Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
  • Streets of Rage 2
  • Contra Hard Corps (Probotector in AU/UK)
  • Landstalker
  • Mega Man: The Wily Wars
  • Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition
  • Sonic Spinball
  • Phantasy Star IV
  • Beyond Oasis (The Story of Thor in AU/UK)
  • Ghouls ‘N Ghosts
  • Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
  • Golden Axe
  • Vectorman
  • Wonder Boy in Monster World
  • Tetris
  • Darius
  • Virtua Fighter 2
  • Alisia Dragoon
  • Monster World IV
  • Kid Chameleon
  • Road Rash II
  • Eternal Champions
  • Columns
  • Dynamite Headdy
  • Strider
  • Light Crusader

If that sounds like your kind of thing, now is a great time to pick one up. It’s not likely to drop to a lower price any time soon.

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Chris Reed is IGN’s shopping and commerce editor. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.

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Xbox Series X First-Party Games Showcase Coming on July 23

Xbox has announced that its showcase of Xbox Series X games, including first-party titles, will be broadcast on July 23.

The livestream will begin at 9am Pacific / 12pm Eastern / 5pm UK (that’s July 24 at 2am AEST). We know the showcase will be games-focused, and will include showings of new games from the likes of Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and Obsidian. We know the show will also include Halo Infinite.

Recent rumours have also centred around the possibility of reveals for Fable 4 (potentially from Playground Games) and a new Perfect Dark (with speculation pointing to mysterious new ‘AAAA’ Microsoft studio, The Initiative).

Those hoping to see the much-rumoured Xbox Series S may be disappointed, with rumours pointing to an August reveal.

Xbox previously held a third-party focused showcase in May, which revealed the likes of Scorn, Second Extinction, and more. Some weren’t happy with how that showcase played out, which Microsoft recognised, saying it “set some wrong expectations” – hopefully this new showcase has taken that feedback onboard.

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

IGN Partners With Gamescom 2020

We’re happy to announce that IGN is once again partnering with gamescom this year, where we’ll be helping to recreate the show in its new digital form.

gamescom 2020 runs from August 27-30, and kicks off with Opening Night Live. We’ll be streaming that showcase and much, much more across every IGN platform, throughout the event.

Every day, we’ll be bringing you the gamescom Studio stream, including live gameplay demos, exclusive interviews with developers and publishers, and daily news.

We’ll also be bringing you a daily wrap-up show, an indie showcase, and an awards show:

 

  • August 28-29 – gamescom Daily Show: Presented by IGN’s Michael Swaim, the gamescom Daily Show will wrap up the day’s highlights, as well as covering the likes of cosplay, esports, and more.
  • August 29 – gamescom Awesome Indies: In this showcase, we’ll be showing off the most exciting games from smaller developers at the show, shining a light on some of the industry’s most original projects, and talking them through with their developers.
  • August 30 – gamescom Best Of Show: Closing out gamescom 2020, we’ll be handing out the gamescom awards, as well as showing off the results of the yearly cosplay competition.

 

This year’s gamescom is an exclusively digital event, and will be completely free to watch, with no event tickets required. We’ll have more info for you on how to watch the show as we get closer to the event.

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Team Fortress 2 Classic Mod Is Available In Full Now

If you often find yourself yearning for a simpler era of online multiplayer games, before Overwatch, or Fortnite, or any kind of battle royale, Team Fortress 2 Classic may be for you. As picked up by VG24/7, the Death and Taxes update on the classic mod is now live, marking TF2 Classic’s official release.

Although Valve still supports and occasionally updates Team Fortress 2 over a decade after it was originally released, many players feel the live game doesn’t reflect the version they played in its heyday in the years after release.

“Team Fortress 2 Classic is a re-imagining of the 2008-2009 era of the original Team Fortress 2, [which we] consider the “Classic Era”, featuring old features that were scrapped and worked upon, or new content such as new weapons and gamemodes,” the mod’s website explains. Despite being a huge undertaking, the TF2 Classic mod is entirely fan-made by team Eminoma.

TF2 Classic has been around since 2015, though it went around four years without any public updates. Most of the time leading up to the big new Death and Taxes update has been dedicated to fixing up some of TF2’s scrapped game features, as well as developing its own original game modes from scratch.

You can play the shiny new version of TF2 classic now, including new game modes VIP and Domination, as well as a whole lot of maps both new and old. Team Fortress 2 Classic is available to download here.

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