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The highly-anticipated Resident Evil 2 remake’s release draws near and I couldn’t be any more excited. I’m a huge fan of the 1998 original–alongside many lovely coworkers at GameSpot–and have countless fond memories playing it during my formative years. But amidst these memories were hours spent speculating upon the validity of a popular gaming hoax; the ability to play as Akuma in Resident Evil 2. That’s right, the Akuma (or Gouki, if you’re a Capcom purist)–the infamous top knotted practitioner of the Ansatsuken fighting style and well-known beaded necklace aficionado from Street Fighter. Though it began as a joke back in 1998, I’m crossing my fingers that Capcom puts Akuma in the upcoming remake. It’s a longshot, but the iconic fighter’s addition could prove a humorous and unexpected way to experience the horrors of Raccoon City.

“[Akuma’s] main weapon is a fireball, done just like holding the Action button and firing” — EGM2

The popular Akuma hoax was birthed into the Resident Evil 2 community thanks to the work of the now defunct Electronic Gaming Monthly spin-off magazine, EGM2. The publication’s April issue “Trick of the Month” column stated that Akuma could be unlocked by typing “AKUMA” instead of “GUEST” on a laboratory computer located at the end of the game, allowing a new save file to be made where you could play him. However, to actually get this to work, EGM2 claimed you needed to first beat both Resident Evil 2 scenarios six times in a row with an A-rank, and do it only using the handgun combat knife. Akuma could then be unlocked on the seventh run after inputting the login name across both scenarios. This was clearly an April Fool’s joke, but readers quickly spread word of the false unlockable. None of this was unfeasible, as both The 4th Survivor and Tofu modes demanded similar unlock requirements.

“Remember that ‘Unused’ Cryo tank? Well, at the start Akuma will bust out of it!” — EGM2

Looking back at the low-resolution screenshots from EGM2, it’s not surprising that many were fooled by this joke. A polygonal Akuma exploring RPD and launching Shakunetsu Hadokens at zombies looked as authentic any other screenshots in the magazine. As a child, I only heard about this myth via word-of-mouth during a vague encounter that only seems to escape my memory the more I think about it. Regardless, the myth worked its way into the community to the point where many were convinced of its existence. Though, I do admit that by the time I built up the courage to play Resident Evil 2, the hoax had already been debunked. However, an uncertainty around the myth remained–if anything a nostalgic yearning for it to somehow be true.

This wasn’t the first time EGM fooled people, either. In fact, the magazine did something similar in a previous April Fool’s joke with Street Fighter II with the infamous Sheng Long hoax. Many were lead to believe that the game had an unlockable character named Sheng Long, who was framed as the martial arts master of Ryu and Ken. The joke’s status grew over the years, gaining international fame. Capcom acknowledged its existence several times and eventually added the character to Street Fighter IV in the form of Gouken as a response to fans.

Imagine performing a Raging Demon on Mr. X as Akuma. It would be ridiculous.

Like EGM’s Sheng Long, the Akuma hoax is a peculiar piece of gaming history that continues to captivate in its execution and overall endurance. Its alluring promise is a fantasy that I hold steadfast in wanting to come true in the Resident Evil 2 remake. Imagine being able to send enemies across a room with a well-placed fierce punch or performing a Raging Demon on a Licker. Of course, let’s not forget about spamming hadokens at the undead. And if we’re remaining faithful to EGM2’s vision, you’ll have free rein to be merry and explore environments without worrying about locked doors. You might call it a pipedream, but given Capcom’s track record with previous Resident Evils, I could easily see a playable Akuma becoming a reality.

Case in point: Wesker mode in Resident Evil 0 HD Remaster. This bonus mode made Rebecca’s and Billy’s terrifying zombie-infested journey into a silly romp, allowing you to use Wesker’s super-human speed and destructive arsenal to wipe out the undead with ease. The ability to instantly overpower your enemies supplied a satisfying release, especially after spending hours desperately managing resources to survive. Akuma could easily bring all the joyous highs of Wesker mode into Resident Evil 2 remake, while also being a fun, loving nod to the hoax that captivated readers back in the day.

I’m still shocked at how well Akuma was inserted into Tekken 7’s story. I envision a similar scenario playing out in Resident Evil 2 where Akuma just happens to walk onto the scene as if he’s always been there.

Capcom certainly isn’t shy towards allowing Akuma to be in ridiculous situations and crossovers. He recently jumped franchises by appearing in Tekken 7, somehow managing to be naturally incorporated into that franchise’s lore. In addition, Akuma once appeared in Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter as Cyber-Akuma, a cyborg version of himself with a sweet robot arm that was brainwashed by X-Men baddie Apocalypse.

Despite all this talk, I admit that Capcom adding Akuma into the remake is still unrealistic. Compared to Sheng Long, the Akuma hoax had more impact in North America than in other regions, so I’m sure it would be bizarre for European and Japanese players, who would see Akuma’s inclusion as a random choice. I already feel lucky that Capcom is taking a chance on a Resident Evil 2 remake in the first place. But I know that whoever Capcom chooses to be the star of the game’s Wesker mode-like equivalent, if anyone at all, my heart will always be longing for Akuma and the promise EGM2 cleverly fooled me into believing all those years ago.

Jude Law’s role in Captain Marvel has been a hotly contested issue since he was confirmed for the film, originally as “Walter Lawson,” the human alter-ego of the original Captain Marvel, the Kree warrior Mar-Vell which naturally led fans to assume that Law would be playing Mar-Vell himself. This would go to follow, given the movie’s status as an origin story for Carol Danvers and Mar-Vell’s integral role in Carol’s comic book history.

However, as the movie marches closer and closer to release, details about Law’s character have surfaced via Marvel’s Minimates figure line, naming Law as Yon-Rogg–another name that might be familiar to MCU speculators as one of the educated guesses for the villain of the film, prior to Ben Mendelsohn’s confirmation as Talos the Skrull.

So, what does that actually mean? Who is Yon-Rogg and what is his deal?

We’re so glad you asked.

Introduced in the late 60s, Yon-Rogg was a Kree military officer sent to Earth by the Supreme Intelligence, a hyper-advanced Kree AI designed to promote Kree genetic superiority throughout the galaxy. Yon-Rogg had a deep-seated, soap opera flavored grudge against Mar-Vell, who was already stationed on Earth at the time of his arrival, which drove him further and further into a zealous madness. Ideally, he would have been helping Mar-Vell fight off the Skrull invasion, but instead, he sought out every opportunity to undermine Mar-Vell’s efforts and fight against the people of Earth as well.

Why the grudge? Well, like any self-respecting warrior, Yon-Rogg was jealous over the relationship between Mar-Vell and a Kree medic named Una, who Yon-Rogg was in love with as well. Thus far, no casting announcements for Una have been made for the MCU (though it should be noted that Annette Bening’s character is still a mystery), so it’s not all that likely that this specific character trait will be getting a direct translation to the big screen, but if you’re wondering what Yon’s “traditional” villain motivation is, that’s it. He really is just that petty. So while comics Yon-Rogg tried to sabotage an entire planet all because he couldn’t get a date, MCU Yon-Rogg will probably find his beef elsewhere.

Yon’s hatred ran so deep that he even tried to get Mar-Vell put on trial for being “Un-Kree” (one of the worst things a Kree could be accused of) by Ronan the Accuser–a name you’ll recognize from Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 1 and a role Lee Pace will be reprising in Captain Marvel.

Over the years, Yon continued to be a thorn in the side of both Mar-Vell and Carol, who he inadvertently helped transform into Ms. Marvel by causing the accident that fused her DNA with Kree genetics. Though that story has been retconned out of comics continuity several times over, it still presents some interesting possibilities for Yon-Rogg’s MCU future. Most notably, he actually was revealed to have a telepathic connection with Carol because of the accident, which later results in Carol attacking Yon at the cost of all her memories.

This is specifically important, given Carol’s apparent status as an amnesiac in the movie, and her seemingly close relationship with Yon and the Starforce. Maybe Yon himself was somehow at fault for the Kree selected Carol in the first place and maybe that decision somehow affected her ability to remember her time as a human. Or, at the very least, maybe it was Yon’s decision to erase Carol’s memory.

Regardless of the link between them, it’s pretty safe to say that, given Yon’s rather dubious comic book past, it’s probably not the best idea to go into Captain Marvel trusting him all that much. We may only be able to make educated guesses about what his motives and plan might be, but it’s probably not good.

Those eager to get their hands on Mortal Kombat 11 who weren’t fortunate enough to attend the January reveal event are in luck. We already knew a pre-release beta was on the way, and now we know exactly when it’s set to begin.

As part of the avalanche of MK11 news, NetherRealm Studios announced that the beta will begin on March 28. We don’t know how long it will last, but it unfortunately won’t be available on all platforms: Only PS4 and Xbox One owners will be able to participate. That leaves out both PC and Nintendo Switch players, although the full game is scheduled to hit all four of these platforms on April 23.

This beta won’t be available to everyone on PS4 and Xbox One either, though. In order to get in, you’ll need to pre-order Mortal Kombat 11. As an added incentive, you’ll be able to play as Shao Kahn in the full game if you pre-order. He’s one of eight confirmed playable characters so far, alongside Geras, who’s a completely new fighter for the series.

Pre-ordering may not be quite so simple, as there are multiple versions of the game set to be available. The most premium of the bunch is the newly revealed Kollector’s edition, which comes with the Kombat Pack DLC, Scorpion mask bust, steel case, magnet coin, and authenticity plate.

The reveal event also brought with it word on Ronda Rousey’s role and gave us a look at new gameplay and fatalities. Another livestream dedicated to the game is coming later in January.

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NetherRealm Studios has released our first look at the story in Mortal Kombat 11. The prologue to the game’s story plays out in a trailer revealed at NetherRealm’s January reveal event, which sees Raiden interacting with Shinnok after the events of Mortal Kombat X and also introduces a brand-new character.

In the prologue, Raiden is wearing Shinnok’s amulet as he tortures the captured Elder God. Shinnok arrogantly reminds Raiden that an Elder God can’t be killed, so the Earthrealm defender simply cuts off his victim’s head while reminding it that there are fates worse than death. The prologue ends with Shinnok’s still-living head being approached by Kronika, the first female boss character in the franchise’s history and who we first saw during the Game Awards 2018.

During the reveal event, NetherRealm also revealed gameplay moments of several characters, including Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Sonya, Skarlet, Raiden, and Geras–the latter of which is a brand-new addition to the franchise. Geras also got a reveal trailer at the end of the event that showcased his incredible time-bending abilities in action, both summoning artifacts from other periods, transporting himself to his past position to avoid enemy attacks, and also freezing an opponent’s time to land some devastating combos.

In addition to again being able to change between different character variations, in Mortal Kombat 11, you’ll be able to customize fighters. Options include a fighter’s costume, intros, victories, abilities, and AI behavior. Mortal Kombat 11 also adds Fatal Blow attacks for each fighter, which act as special, powerful attacks–similar to Fatalities–that can be pulled off in an effort to change the tide of a battle. The one meter devoted to offense, defense, and supers in past Mortal Kombat games has been separated into three different meters for this eleventh entry.

Mortal Kombat 11 is scheduled to release April 23 for Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Switch.