Friends Isn’t Actually Leaving Netflix in January, So No Need to Freak Out

Though reports indicated that Friends would be taken off of Netflix starting January 1, 2019, it officially won’t be leaving the streaming service for over a full year.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, fans of the series began freaking out starting on Sunday night when the show’s Netflix page showed it would be leaving the service after December. However, as of Monday afternoon, this date was removed from the page, and Netflix’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos claimed that Friends’ departure was a rumor.

Prior to this being cleared up, a lot of fans were taking it hard on social media.

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Update: Bethesda to Replace Bags for Fallout 76’s $200 Edition

Update: Bethesda has confirmed that it is “finalizing manufacturing plans for replacement canvas bags for the Fallout 76: Power Armor Edition.”

For those who have purchased the Power Armor Edition, all you have to do is visit Bethesda’s support page and fill out the “Power Armor Edition Bag Replacement Request Form” by January 31, 2019.

As soon as the bags are ready, says Bethesda, they will be shipped out.

Original story follows:

Bethesda shipped Fallout 76’s Power Edition with a cheap nylon bag instead of the promised canvas.

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Showtime’s Halo Adaptation Loses Director

The Halo television series coming to Showtime in 2019 has lost its director, Rupert Wyatt.

Wyatt, who was also serving as executive producer for the series, indicates that the split is amicable, and due to an extension of the show’s production schedule. It’s unclear at this time who will be replacing Wyatt as director. Wyatt is best known for his work on 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

“It’s with great disappointment that changes to the production schedule of Halo prevent me from continuing in my role as a director on the series,” said Wyatt. “My time on Halo has been a creatively rich and rewarding experience with a phenomenal team of people. I now join the legion of fans out there, excited to see the finished series and wishing everyone involved the very best.”

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Killmonger, Shazam and Martian Manhunter Get New Comics

With dozens of comic books to choose from, let us show you which are the best coming out this week. Take a look at this list spotlighting our favorite comics that we know are money-well-spent and new books that look cool and are backed by some top-tier talent.

Check out our picks, then head to the comments to let us know what you’ll be buying this week!

Shazam! #1 – $4.99

STL099780

Writer Geoff Johns | Artist Dale Eaglesham (DC Comics)

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Donut County, Gorogoa Lead Apple Award Winners

Apple has unveiled its editorial selections for the best apps of the year across its various devices, including game selections on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. They include some pretty well known names, particularly in the mobile space.

Apple’s iPhone Game of the Year is Donut County, the wondrously weird game that riffs on the legacy of Katamari Damacy. Rather than grow an ever-larger ball of junk, though, you control a growing hole that swallows up everything around it. The iPad Game of the Year is Gorogoa, the image manipulation puzzler. On Mac, the award goes to The Gardens Between. Finally, the Apple TV Game of the Year is Alto’s Odyssey.

The announcement also included chart data for the most popular games of the last year. The top free iPhone and iPad game alike was Fortnite. Other top contenders on iPhone included Helix Jump, Rise Up, PUBG Mobile, and Hole.io. Many of those ranked high in the free iPad chart as well, joined by others like Roblox.

The top paid game on iPhone was Heads Up!, the party game, followed by Minecraft and Plague Inc. Minecraft also ruled the roost on iPad, followed by Geometry Dash and The Game of Life. Check below for all the game charts.

Top Free iPhone Games

  1. Fortnite
  2. Helix Jump
  3. Rise Up
  4. PUBG MOBILE
  5. Hole.io
  6. Love Balls
  7. Snake VS Block
  8. Rules of Survival
  9. ROBLOX
  10. Dune!
  11. Subway Surfers
  12. Episode – Choose Your Story
  13. Word Link – Word Puzzle Game
  14. Toon Blast
  15. Color Road!
  16. HQ Trivia
  17. Twisty Road!
  18. 8 Ball Pool™
  19. Kick the Buddy
  20. Sniper 3D Assassin: Gun Games

Top Paid iPhone Games

  1. Heads Up!
  2. Minecraft
  3. Plague Inc.
  4. Bloons TD 6
  5. Pocket Build
  6. Bloons TD 5
  7. Geometry Dash
  8. The Game of Life
  9. Papa’s Freezeria To Go!
  10. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
  11. Trivia Crack (No Ads)
  12. Getting Over It
  13. Monument Valley 2
  14. Alto’s Odyssey
  15. True Skate
  16. The Room: Old Sins
  17. Terraria
  18. Exploding Kittens®
  19. Five Nights at Freddy’s
  20. The Escapists: Prison Escape

Top Free iPad Games

  1. Fortnite
  2. ROBLOX
  3. Kick the Buddy
  4. Love Balls
  5. Helix Jump
  6. Color by Number Coloring Game!
  7. Bowmasters – Multiplayer Game
  8. Hole.io
  9. Rise Up
  10. Rules of Survival
  11. Subway Surfers
  12. Rolling Sky
  13. PUBG MOBILE
  14. Toon Blast
  15. Snake VS Block
  16. Granny
  17. Piano Tiles 2™
  18. slither.io
  19. Run Sausage Run!
  20. Pixel Art – Color by Number

Top Paid iPad Games

  1. Minecraft
  2. Geometry Dash
  3. The Game of Life
  4. The Room: Old Sins
  5. Heads Up!
  6. Bloons TD 6
  7. Goat Simulator
  8. Five Nights at Freddy’s
  9. LEGO® Jurassic World™
  10. Terraria
  11. The Escapists: Prison Escape
  12. Bloons TD 5 HD
  13. Monument Valley 2
  14. Plague Inc.
  15. Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location
  16. Goat Simulator PAYDAY
  17. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
  18. Teeny Titans – Teen Titans Go!
  19. Teen Titans Go! Figure
  20. Scribblenauts Unlimited

Don’t Worry, Friends Is Not Leaving Netflix Soon In The US

Netflix has come out to confirm that the iconic TV show Friends will remain available to stream–in the United States at least–through the end of 2019. The confirmation comes after Friends fans noticed that the show’s page on Netflix seemed to suggest it would leave the streaming service on January 1. Thankfully, that’s not true.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Netflix confirmed Friends will remain available to stream in the US through the end of 2019.

As THR reminds us, Friends is expected to leave Netflix and join rights-holder WarnerMedia’s own streaming service sometime down the road. The untitled streaming platform is pegged to launch at the end of 2019.

Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos told THR that Friends leaving Netflix soon was only “a rumour.”

Friends made its digital streaming debut when it came to Netflix on January 1, 2015. The show streams exclusively on Netflix in the US, but in Australia, it streams through Stan and not Netflix. Re-runs still air in the US on TBS and other channels.

Critically acclaimed, Friends ran for 10 seasons from 1994 through 2004. Its May 2004 finale drew 52.5 million viewers in America, according to The New York Times. As of 2015, the show was bringing in $1 billion every year from syndication, with stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matthew Perry making $20 million a year from that based on their 2 percent share of syndication revenue, according to USA Today.

Cox told People this year that she’d love to do a Friends reboot, but it may never happen. Similarly, Anniston told InStyle that she fantasises about a Friends reboot in this new era of TV where “so many shows are being successfully rebooted.”

Big Bash Boom Review

The Big Bash League, or BBL, is cricket’s answer to the ever-increasing pace of modern life; a 20-over-a-side slogfest where smashing the ball out of the park to the sound of fireworks and loud rock music takes the place of five-day-long tests of endurance and patience. Big Bash Boom takes this concept and smashes it into the arcade game-o-sphere by introducing nice-looking power-ups, unlockable customizations, and a streamlined approach to gameplay that speeds up the action, while leaning into a goofiness that cricket games rarely embrace. But with a litany of technical problems and no meaningful tutorial to help you work out the basics, Big Bash Boom feels like it needs more time in the practice nets.

Big Bash cricket is all about smashing the heck out of every ball and scoring as many runs as possible, and Big Bash Boom does a superb job of recreating the buzzing atmosphere you’ll find at the ground during a BBL match, complete with wild crowds, fireworks displays, and unintentionally terrifying-looking mascots. You can pick any of the eight licensed teams from either the BBL or Women’s BBL, taking them to glory in a casual match, full tournament, or online head-to-head.

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When jumping straight into a casual match, you can customize match options, team lineups, and ball type, which includes a few fun varieties–pie, anyone? You’re led out onto the pitch and greeted by real-world commentator Pete Lazer, though his occasionally charming reads come off as a series of one-liners instead of actual commentary, and they begin to grate after some repeats.

Out on the field is where Big Bash Boom shows off its main differences to past cricket games, including Ashes Cricket, which was by the same developer as Big Bash Boom. The action has been streamlined to cut out a lot of the dead air time that you tend to get at a cricket match, which gives the game its arcade feel. You’re never asked to pick bowlers or select lineups. You can if you wish, but the game will otherwise make these calls to ensure a faster flow. The players all have NBA Jam-style big heads, which shows off the player likenesses in a way that’s easy to appreciate. Faces are detailed, if a little robotic and expressionless, but the overall look works in context, especially combined with the great use of special effects to mark big shots.

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Batting and bowling feel more pick-up-and-play than in any other cricket game; however, the lack of a meaningful tutorial means things that should be obvious knowledge, like what the changing cursor colour on the pitch means, remain a mystery until you just happen to work it out through the natural course of playing. But that aside, it’s simple enough to get into a match and start slogging balls left and right, with timing and shot selection all coming into play. Time it perfectly, and you’ll probably make it sail over the ropes, but get it wrong and you might pop the ball up for an easy catch or swing and miss entirely. Bowling is a touch more complicated, involving selecting a bowl type to start the run in and then keeping the cursor on the pitch in place while timing your release. It often feels like you’re up against it as a bowler; there’s little you can do to avoid being belted around the park apart from bowling the occasional short ball, and you’re limited to performing only one of those per over. Getting belted around every ball takes some getting used to, but thankfully if you’d rather spare yourself the embarrassment, you can always simulate the innings.

The inclusion of power-ups for batters and bowlers help pump up the excitement of a match, and you can activate these after filling a special meter by hitting runs and boundaries as a batter, or dot balls and wickets as a bowler. Each exhibits some excellent-looking animations and special effects, and you’ll get some extra power for the next few balls. Bowlers can bowl twice as fast, fielders are able to run at double their speed, and batters can force slower throws from the outfield or hit twice as hard, sending loose balls into the stratosphere. It’s immensely satisfying.

Everything you do in a match will earn you coins that you can put towards buying new in-match celebrations, which you’re prompted to perform after hitting a big six or taking a wicket. While it’s somewhat satisfying to rub it in your opponent’s face, the lack of gameplay benefits makes showboating feel a little arbitrary. You can also purchase cosmetic customizations like new hats and helmets, but that’s as far as personalization goes; disappointingly, there’s no player or team editor.

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Beyond the excellent special moves and vibrant aesthetic, the rest of the game struggles to hide its seams, most notably when it comes to animations. Fielders will move about awkwardly when chasing the ball before settling and sending in the return throw, while batters often warp into place before setting off for a run. There are also some more obtrusive bugs that, when they hit, can change the outcome of a match. A few times I was called out for a catch on one side of the field when the camera made it look like the ball had gone in the opposite direction. I’ve also had catches made in the outfield seem as though they don’t count, with my player harmlessly throwing the ball back to the keeper as though nothing happened–something that can be immensely frustrating.

Big Bash Boom’s potential is clear. Despite its singular focus making it feel a little barebones when compared to other cricket titles, the shift towards arcade gameplay feels perfectly suited to the relatively flamboyant presentation of the BBL. But it’s washed with bugs that affect the core of the experience, and those technical issues make it difficult to warm up to.

Captain Marvel Gets Another New Origin Story For Her MCU Debut

The brand new Captain Marvel trailer has been released, bringing with it a whole slew of new details about the MCU’s first solo female hero–including our first confirmation of a pretty major change to her comic book origin story.

Carol Danver’s history has no shortage of complicated reboots and retcons, so the idea that she’s getting yet another reboot isn’t exactly surprising. Her comic book origins are complicated at best and have only recently been modified to be slightly more streamlined care of the recent The Life Of Captain Marvel mini series released this year. However, it seems the movie is going to be putting a completely new spin on things.

We learn in this trailer that Carol genuinely has no memory of her life as a human on Earth–she was “found” by the Kree empire, after some sort of accident, and “saved” by a procedure that looks suspiciously like a run-of-the-mill blood transfusion which, apparently, spliced her genes with Kree DNA. The process enabled her to “live longer, stronger,” which would explain how and why she’ll be blasting into the present (presumably) without having aged after being summoned to Earth by Nick Fury in the present day ahead of Avengers 4, while her solo movie takes place in the 90s.

The addition of amnesia is the real pivot point here. Through her various origins and comic book incarnations, Carol has never really lost sight of the fact that she was born a human–or at least, believed herself to be human. There have been some brief instances of brainwashing and some typical comic book flavored stakes involving memory loss and time travel, but nothing that would really necessitate her origin involve her not remembering Earth.

This change is likely heralding a larger and more mysterious plot point, pointing back to the still as-of-yet unknown role played by Jude Law, who fans long believed to be Mar-Vell before the trailers started dropping. It’s looking more and more likely that Law’s character is, in fact, not Mar-Vell, but a Kree villain named Yon-Rogg who has a history rubbing elbows with some of the more dubious branches of the Kree science departments. The Kree Empire’s obsession with eugenics and hybridization has long since been an undercurrent of their characterization, often culminating in aborted attempts to genetically engineer stronger and more powerful offspring to strengthen their military prowess throughout the galaxy. Add to this the confirmed role of Gemma Chan, playing Kree science officer Minn-Erva, another character with a shady, genetics-obsessed past, and it seems more and more likely that a major turning point of Carol’s MCU story is going to be the revelation that her “accident” and subsequent “rescue” by the Kree was really anything but.

Captain Marvel blasts into theaters everywhere on March 8, 2019.