There's a lot of tie-in media coming to Assassin's Creed: Origins. Ubisoft announced today that the game is getting a tie-in novel, comic series, art book, and official guide.
In a press release, Ubisoft detailed the variety of Assassin's Creed Origins media that'll be released in the upcoming months. As Ubisoft explained, "The vast universe of Assassin's Creed: Origins will be expanded beyond the game to explore: Bayek's youth, the first years of the Assassins' Order, the artwork behind the beautiful and mysterious landscapes of Ancient Egypt, and an official guide for hardcore players."
The novel, titled Desert Oath, is being written by Oliver Bowden, the author of many other Assassin's Creed novels, and it is a prequel to the story of the game. It follows Bayek as a youth who journeys from his hometown and across Egypt. Anne Toole is writing the series of comics, which focuses on the beginnings of the Assassins' Order. The art book contains concept sketches, city plans, character designs, and paintings as well as commentary from Ubisoft developers and artists. Finally, the official guide features weapons and equipment guides, a complete walkthrough, and a map of locations and collectibles.
Ubisoft hasn't provided a price for these products, nor has it announced a date beyond a fall release window.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis system created enemies that would get stronger if they defeated you. This meant that you'd encounter the same Orc over and over, and they'd evolve and remember you. Even though Shadow of Mordor is several years old and its sequel, Shadow of War, is coming out this year, your Nemesis isn't lost to time: WB Games announced today that you can import your strongest Nemesis and Follower to Shadow of War.
The developer recently released an update to Shadow of Mordor that adds a mode called Nemesis Forge, which selects your strongest Nemesis and Follower to bring over to the new game. The Orcs will come over with all of the armor, scars, and marks that they acquired during your playthrough of Shadow of Mordor. You can see the Nemesis Forge trailer above.
It is unclear at the moment if Nemesis Forge supports importing a character cross-platform, like from PS4 to Xbox One. Also worth noting is that Nemesis Forge is only available on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC versions of Shadow of Mordor. The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions do not have the Nemesis system.
If you haven't played Shadow of Mordor yet, now's a good time to try it out. You can play it for free from today, July 6, until Sunday, July 9, on Xbox One and PC. It's also on sale right now for 80% off on the PlayStation Store, the Xbox Store, and Steam, bringing the price to just $4.
There's not usually a great deal of anticipation to find out who will serve as the voice actor for a character that we've never actually heard before. And yet, Overwatch fans have been waiting for some time to find out if Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor Terry Crews would supply the voice for Doomfist, who was finally confirmed as a playable character today. Unfortunately for Crews fans, he didn't get the part.
You can likely tell from the announcement video above that Crews isn't voicing Doomfist, and Blizzard confirmed as much with GameSpot. "Doomfist is played by veteran actor Sahr Ngaujah," a representative for the company told us. "Sahr has spent a large portion of his career on Broadway and is also known for films including The Signal (2007), Stomp the Yard (2007), and Money Monster (2016)."
Despite only just being announced as a playable hero today, the Doomfist character has been known since prior to the game's release. The prospect of Crews voicing him first surfaced last year, and the actor surprisingly embraced it. He openly petitioned Blizzard for the part, even taking part in a mock audition. Things looked promising when Crews visited Blizzard's headquarters, and The Rock publicly threw his support behind Crews, though that--unthinkably--doesn't seem to have been enough.
Disappointing as this might be, it doesn't necessarily preclude Crews from playing some future role in the game. And the character does genuinely look interesting, with a focus on abilities and diving into a group of enemies that help to make Doomfist unique. You can read more about how he plays here and check out our Doomfist livestream to see him in action.
The newest Spider-Man film hits the big screens in the US tomorrow, and as usual with modern comic book movies, there are some interesting scenes spliced into the end credits that could (or maybe not) point to major upcoming events. So what exactly are the two post-credit sequences in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and what do they mean?
The Vulture In Prison
This first post-credits scene answers a big question that was lingering at the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming. Namely, just what would Michael Keaton's Adrian Toombs do with the knowledge he had about Spider-Man's true identity? For right now, nothing seems to be the answer. In this scene, we see Toombs AKA the Vulture on what looks like his first day in prison. He's approached by Mac Gargan, who we saw earlier on the Staten Island Ferry buying weapons from Vulture's gang. Gargan tells Toombs he has no hard feelings about what went down, but that he heard a rumor that Toombs actually knows the secret identity of the webhead himself. Toombs lies, and simply replies that if he knew who Spider-Man was, that the costumed hero would be dead already.
So why exactly did Toombs lie? Was he protecting Spider-Man, given that it was Spidey who saved his life at the end of the film? Or does he actually want to keep the secret to himself, so he can be the one to finally finish Spider-Man off when the time is right?
Comic book fans will also know that Mac Gargan isn't just some petty goon. Gargan is actually supervillain Scorpion, and his inclusion in Spider-Man: Homecoming may be hinting at a future appearance for this iconic Spidey villain.
Captain America's Final Lesson
While Captain America technically isn't in Spider-Man: Homecoming, he does make several appearances throughout the movie via some cheesy instructional videos shown to the students of Peter Parker's high school during various bits of the film. But Cap's final video is by far the funniest and plays off some of the frustrations fans have with post-credit sequences in modern superhero movies.
In the final sting--which appears right at the very, very end of the credits--Captain America walks into frame, and imparts one final lesson about the merits of being patient. Good ol' Cap says how important it is to be patient, even when the rewards seem to be inconsequential or seemingly not worth it. It's a hilarious, self-knowing wink and caps off Spider-Man: Homecoming on a high note.
Capcom has released more footage of Monster Hunter: World, the first new home console installment in the popular hunting series since 2010. The video, which you can watch above, showcases over 20 minutes of single-player gameplay and gives fans a much closer look at the game's lively world and ecosystem.
Like other Monster Hunter titles, World places players in the role of a hunter who must take on missions that typically involve hunting and trapping giant dinosaur-like creatures. The new video begins with a simple quest: players must locate a monster that has been terrorizing the research commission. The monster lives in a densely wooded area called the Ancient Forest and marks its territory with mucus. The quest tasks players with exploring the forest and following the mucus to the monster.
Right from the outset, the video showcases some new gameplay features Capcom has introduced in World. Players can now use glowing insects called "scout flies" to lead them in the direction of the monster's trail. The video also shows off the Slinger, a new, multipurpose tool that players can use during a hunt. In addition to functioning like a grappling hook that allows players to swing across chasms, the Slinger can shoot ammo to distract and lead monsters to a certain area.
The highlight of the video, however, is the world itself. Locations in Monster Hunter: World are much larger than in previous games, and each feels more like a genuine ecosystem than ever before thanks to their greater level of detail. Early on in the video, a new, iguana-like beast called a Great Jagras can be seen devouring another monster; when the player follows it back to its nest, the Great Jagras is seen feeding its young. Later, after the target monster has been located, the player leaps onto its back and crashes it into a tree, which collapses and traps the monster beneath a tangle of leaves and vines.
Destiny 2's beta is coming up in a couple of weeks--at least for console players--and today developer Bungie revealed what it'll feature.
In a new trailer, the studio announced that Destiny 2's beta will give players access to several parts of the game. You can play through the opening story mission, called Homecoming, which Bungie showed off at E3 2017. You'll also be able to play the Inverted Spire Strike mission and jump into Crucible competitive multiplayer. Check out the beta's trailer above.
In its weekly update, Bungie further detailed the content that players will be able to access. In Crucible, you can play two modes, Control and Countdown. Control is a traditional, Domination-style mode, while Countdown is an asymmetric, attack-and-defend mode. You'll be able to try out the new subclasses, as well. Finally, on July 23 at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET/ 6 PM BST, you can explore the new social space, The Farm, for one hour.
Some services won't be online yet, however. The beta won't support Destiny 2's Clan features, character progression won't be representative of the final game, and characters will be wiped before the game is released. However, if you participate in the beta, you will get a special emblem.
Destiny 2's beta opens to everyone on July 21 and runs through July 23. However, you can get early access to the beta by preordering the game. Early access begins on July 18 for PS4 players and July 19 for Xbox One players. PC players have to wait at least a month for beta access; Bungie says that the PC beta will begin in late August.
With July comes another month of new games to play. While it's a bit slower than past months, there's still a great selection of new releases, like Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, Splatoon 2, and more. Below, you can see the biggest July releases as well as a list of some of the most notable games coming out this month. You can also see some recent major releases in the video above.
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age -- July 11 (PS4)
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is the high-definition remaster of the critically acclaimed twelfth entry in the Final Fantasy series. Instead of being a remaster of original that launched in the US in 2006, the game is a remaster of the expanded International Zodiac Job System edition, which was only released in Japan.
Splatoon 2 is the Switch-exclusive sequel to the hit Wii U third-person shooter. It features a new campaign, weapons, maps, and modes. Unlike its predecessor, the game includes local multiplayer, LAN play support, and voice chat.
Following a strong tease earlier this week, Blizzard today officially announced the next Overwatch hero, Doomfist. You may not have to wait long at all to play him, as Doomfist is available today on Overwatch's Public Test Realm on PC. Go go go.
Doomfist, as his name suggests, is an Offense character who has a number of deadly-sounding skills and abilities, including a Hand Cannon and Rocket Punch. His passive, The Best Defense, provides him with temporary shields as he deals ability damage. You can check out his page on the Overwatch website; here is his official description:
"Doomfist's cybernetics make him a highly-mobile, powerful frontline fighter. In addition to dealing ranged damage with his Hand Cannon, Doomfist can slam the ground, knock enemies into the air and off balance, or charge into the fray with his Rocket Punch. When facing a tightly packed group, Doomfist leaps out of view, then crashes down to earth with a spectacular Meteor Strike."
Here are detailed instructions for how to access Overwatch's PTR on PC. The PTR is not available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and there is no word on when Doomfist will be available for everyone on all platforms.
The Overwatch community has rallied around Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor Terry Crews, requesting Blizzard cast him as the voice actor for Doomfist. For his part, Crews has expressed his interest in being involved, going so far as to create a Doomfist audition video. However, Crews did not get the role, Blizzard has confirmed.
If you've been looking for a reason to jump back into Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, the game's latest DLC, the Absolution map pack, is now available on PS4. It adds a new Zombies experience and a handful of new multiplayer maps.
Headlining the pack is a new Zombies map, called "Attack of the Radioactive Thing." It's the next installment in Infinite Warfare's Zombies story, and it is designed to evoke 1950s-era horror movies. As Activision describes, "Players will fight against a new array of zombie enemies across a ravaged beach town where a government science experiment has transformed the residents into flesh-devouring zombies and introduced a new biological menace into the city." The map features new weapons and traps, and its characters are voiced by an array of actors, like Ike Barinholtz (Neighbors, Suicide Squad) and Cassandra Peterson (Elvira: Mistress of the Dark).
In addition, Absolution contains four new multiplayer maps. Bermuda, as the name suggests, is a beach environment, and fights take place in a shanty town and a crashed ship. Permafrost is "set within the chill of a frozen city skyline," and it features a train station, a "hobo village," and a destroyed theater. Fore features a sprawling mini-golf course with "magical forests, giant creamsicles, and elevated castle walls." Finally, Ember is a remake of Modern Warfare 3's Resistance map, and it features "lava, gallows, and a torture room."
Absolution is available for $15 on PlayStation Network, but it's also included in the $50 season pass. There's no word yet on when exactly the pack will come to Xbox One and PC, although DLC generally launches on the other platforms about a month after the PS4 release.
Nintendo's next major Switch game launch, Splatoon 2, may still be a few weeks away, but there's still plenty happening on the Eshop. Today brings with a larger-than-usual slate of new arrivals, with a total of five games launching in the US.
Surprisingly, only one of the five is an ACA Neo Geo game, which often represent half of the new Eshop release in any given week. And it's a good one--Metal Slug 2 is among the series' best entries. It carries the standard Neo Geo pricing of $8 / £6.29.
The other new releases include Vaccine ($10 / £9), a survival-horror game in the mold of the classic Resident Evil games; you choose from two different characters, each with their own special abilities. Bulb Boy ($9) is also a horror game, albeit a much different sort, as it's a side-scrolling adventure game with a cute art style. Implosion ($12 / £10.79) is an action game where you fight enemies using a mech suit. And finally, Shephy ($5 / £5) is a card game about obtaining a certain number of sheep.
"We weren't quite ready to make the announcement during the E3 time frame," said a post on Halo 5's website. "Today we are excited to officially confirm that Halo 5 will receive a game update to support true 4K with the release of Xbox One X later this year."
That means the latest Halo title will join a host of other games that are part of the Xbox One X Enhanced Program, which sees existing titles upgraded to take advantage of the new system's 4K capabilities. Xbox One X launches November 7 and will cost US $500 / £450/ AU $650.
Speaking of Halo 3, this year marks the game's 10th anniversary, and the developer is celebrating (but definitely not by making a remastered Halo 3 Anniversary Edition). Along with the back-compat releases, a Halo 3 Anniversary Throwback playlist is coming for Halo 5. It's a new matchmaking offering of community-made Halo 3 maps featuring classic gameplay settings. There's no word on release dates yet.
Meanwhile, Halo 5 is getting some featured playlist updates this summer, including Multi-Team, Warzone Turbo, Double XP, and returning favorites like Ranked Snipers, Extermination, and Mythic Shotty Snipers.
It's been a while since we've heard anything major about the Halo series. Developer 343 Industries is presumably deep in development on Halo 6, but it hasn't said anything official about the game just yet. In spite of this radio silence, the studio still is working on some nice stuff for the Halo community: it announced today that four Xbox 360 Halo titles will be made backwards compatible on Xbox One.
Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo 4, and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary will all be made playable on Xbox One later this year. Both campaign and multiplayer will be accessible on Xbox One; 343 Industries even announced that the games will support cross-generation LAN connections, meaning that you can connect an Xbox 360 and an Xbox One together to play some local multiplayer.
In addition, once the games are made backwards compatible, every one of their DLC packs will be free to download, as well. This ensures that the player bases won't be fragmented and that every player will have access to every map released across the titles.
These games are all already playable on Xbox One via The Master Chief Collection, which includes Halo: CE Anniversary, a Halo 2 remaster, Halo 3, and Halo 4 all running at 60 frames per second. It contains every multiplayer map, as well. A few months after the Master Chief Collection launched, 343 Industries also released a version of Halo 3: ODST on Xbox One that runs at 60 frames per second.
Nonetheless, this is a nice gesture to Halo fans who may not have picked up the Master Chief Collection but still have all the 360 games. If you own a copy of one of these four games, you can simply put one of the disks in your Xbox One to play once they're made available. They'll also be available to buy and download individually if you don't already own them.
Update: The Splatoon 2 Nintendo Direct has concluded, and true to Nintendo's word, it mostly provided an overview of many features the company had already revealed for the game. However, there were some noteworthy announcements in the presentation. Here's a rundown of the biggest news:
Nintendo revealed many other tidbits about the team-based shooter during today's broadcast. As with the original Splatoon, the company announced it is planning to support the game with free content, such as new stages, weapons, and other gear, for a full year following its release. One new weapon type coming to the game post-launch is the Brella, an umbrella-shaped gun that can fire ink and doubles as a shield when players press and hold the button. Additionally, Nintendo plans to hold regular Splatfests competitions in the game for two years after its release.
Nintendo also reconfirmed that some stages from the first Splatoon will be returning in Splatoon 2. The company had already announced that an updated version of Moray Towers will appear in the game, and during today's broadcast it revealed that Port Mackerel will make a comeback as well. We also got a quick glimpse at a new art studio map called Inkblot Art Academy, and one of the stages that will be added to the title as a free update is based on a pirate ship.
As in the first game, weapons in Splatoon 2 are divided into three different categories: Main, Sub, and Special. While there will be returning Main and Sub weapons alongside new ones, all of the Specials in Splatoon 2 are entirely new. Players who participated in the game's Testfire demo back in March already got to try the Tenta Missiles and Inkjet, but today Nintendo revealed another new Special called the Baller, an explosive hamster ball that can roll up walls.
For even more information on the upcoming shooter, you can watch the full Splatoon 2 Nintendo Direct presentation below.
The original story is below.
Nintendo is airing a new Nintendo Direct today, this one focusing entirely on the upcoming Switch shooter Splatoon 2. The presentation is scheduled to begin at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET / 3 PM BST and can be streamed either from Nintendo's Twitch channel or via the YouTube embed below.
According to the company, today's Nintendo Direct will offer fans a "refresher" on the new features, weapons, and other content coming to the colorful team-based shooter. One such feature is Salmon Run, Splatoon 2's equivalent of a Horde mode that tasks a team of players with collecting eggs while taking on waves of new Salmonid foes. GameSpot got to try the mode during our E3 2017 stage show last month; you can watch additional footage of Salmon Run from the E3 show floor here.
We also know that Splatoon 2 will have an expanded single-player campaign, which Nintendo showcased with a trailer back in May. In this title, players are recruited to battle the resurgent Octarians and find former Squid Sister Callie, who went missing after the final Splatfest in the first Splatoon.
Splatoon 2 launches exclusively for Switch later this month, on July 21. We'll report on all the biggest updates from the broadcast as they're announced, so stay tuned for all the news from today's Nintendo Direct.
A limited-time Splatoon 2 demo will go live a week before the game launches for the Switch, Nintendo has announced. You'll be able to try out the game for free on July 15 as part of the Splatfest World Premiere.
Splatfests are a returning feature to Splatoon 2. The limited-time events center around a divisive theme, where you pick a side and fight for your cause. The World Premiere's theme is a serious one: which is yummier, cake or ice cream?
The demo will start at 3PM PT / 6PM ET on July 15, lasting for four hours. UK players will get a separate four-hour time slot, starting at 5PM BST the same day. That's less than a week before the full game launches on July 21. The demo appears to be a separate file to the one required for Splatoon 2's global testfire in March, and it will be available to download from the Eshop later today.
The news was announced during today's Nintendo Direct stream, in which the company revealed it would be running two years' worth of Splatfests and one year of content updates. These will include new stages, gear, and weapons.
Elsewhere in the stream, the Japanese company unveiled its new Nintendo Switch Online mobile app, which will let you use voice chat in multiplayer games such as Splatoon 2. The app launches alongside the shooter on July 21, though Nintendo didn't specify if players will be required to purchase the cumbersome Splatoon 2 headset in order to use it.
Nintendo revealed some more details on Splatoon 2's online mode during today's Nintendo Direct broadcast. Players will be able to access an online service called SplatNet 2 via the new Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app.
With SplatNet 2, players can track various stats, such as the amount of turf they have inked and the weapons and gear they use most. Additionally, the service allows players to view a stage schedule to see which maps are in the queue for each of the game's online modes. Players can also purchase new gear and weapons through SplatNet and pick it up the next time they play the game.
Most notably, the Nintendo Switch Online app allows players to set up private battles. It also allows you to communicate with other players via voice chat; during a match, the app automatically divides players up according to their in-game teams, so you can only chat privately with your teammates.
Nintendo had previously said that the Nintendo Switch Online app will be central to the console's paid online service, which rolls out in 2018. However, a "limited" version of the app will launch alongside Splatoon 2 on July 21 and be free to use until next year. Nintendo didn't specify if players will be required to purchase the cumbersome Splatoon 2 headset in order to voice chat with others via the app.
One week before Splatoon 2 releases, players will be able to participate in the game's first Splatfest through a demo, which can be downloaded from the Nintendo Switch Eshop beginning today. The first Splatfest takes place on July 15 and only runs from 3-7 PM PT / 6-10 PM ET / 5-9 PM BST.
The latest update for Horizon: Zero Dawn arrives later today, and it's a big one. While much of it deals with unexciting (but welcome) things like fixes for bugs and progression issues, it also introduces two options that existing players will welcome.
The first of update 1.30's big additions is New Game+ mode. In fairly standard fashion, this allows you to play through the game after completing it without sacrificing the items you've collected or the experience you've accumulated. Horizon's level cap remains 50, though Guerrilla notes you can still collect experience while playing. Along the way, modified versions of weapons and outfits from the standard game that feature an extra modification slot will be available. However, these are particularly pricey.
Additionally, a new difficulty setting, Ultra Hard mode, has been added. Playing on this difficulty "will enhance machine senses and behavior and will limit player health regen and other additional smaller tweaks," Guerrilla explained in a PlayStation Blog post. You can opt for this level of challenge at the beginning of the game, but you won't be able to lower the difficulty once you've done so.
New Game+ offers the opportunity to earn a pair of new Trophies. One is for simply completing New Game+, while the other is for doing so while playing on Ultra Hard. Neither of these counts toward Horizon's Platinum Trophy. Full patch notes can be seen below.
Update 1.30 is the first update released since May, which was before Guerrilla and Sony announced the first DLC expansion for the game, The Frozen Wilds. A trailer for this was shared at E3 in June, and as the name suggests, it will feature a snowy wilderness setting.
Horizon: Zero Dawn Update 1.30 Patch Notes
Patch Summary
New Game+ added for players who want to play through the game with their existing gear.
Ultra Hard mode is added for the players that are up for another challenge!
Added two new trophies to the game: One for completing New Game+ and one for completing New Game+ in Ultra Hard mode.
Added support for all EU and US text languages on EU and US games.
General Fixes
Fixed an issue for some players in The Looming Shadow where two guards would disappear after Blameless Marad speaks to them.
Fixed an issue for certain players with the Lodge Ropecaster where the ropecaster's anchors that are automatically shot in the ground would not stick to the terrain while shooting from a crouched position.
Fixed an issue for some players where bandit camps would incorrectly display as 'Undiscovered' within the world map if the player had cleared all bandit camps.
Fixed an issue with Cauldron Zeta where for some players the quest log would disappear after completing the quest.
Fixed an issue that some players encountered with the animations of Aloy. When the player would perform a melee attack and use the Focus almost simultaneously, it would cause Aloy's upper body to twist unnatural for a moment.
Fixed an issue with the humanoid scream and attack indicators.
Fixed an issue in Deep Secrets of the Earth where for some players the data points in Sobeck's office were not obtainable if the player wanted to pick them after the explosion caused by Helis, as they had disappeared.
Fixed an issue with the Tearblaster statistics being incorrectly displayed in the weapon wheel.
Progression Issues Fixes
Fixed an issue in Field of the Fallen where for some players Erend would not appear and thus blocked progression of this quest.
Fixed an issue in The City of the Sun where some players might teleport through the protester scene, blocking progression as Erend would not open the door to Olin's apartment.
Pokemon Go's one-year anniversary event is here, and to celebrate you can catch a special version of Pikachu from now through July 24. The limited-time creature comes wearing Ash Ketchum's hat from the Pokemon anime series.
In addition, the in-game store will offer a new item, the Anniversary Box. This contains Incubators, Max Revives, Ultra Balls, and a Raid Pass, and it's available at a discounted price "for a limited time."
In other Pokemon Go news, it was recently reported that the game has passed $1.2 billion worth of revenue, with over 752 million downloads passed.
Pokemon Go's biggest update ever was announced in June. Some of its new features include raid battles and new gym features, while a newer update made a number of bug fixes. Additionally, another update took steps to curb cheating. Regarding whether PvP battles and trading would be on the way soon, developer Niantic told us at E3: "We're definitely looking into it. We're a small team, we're doing one thing at a time. Whether those will be our next thing or not, we still can't really talk about it."
Update: This story originally stated the special Pikachu would be available until July 13, as per Niantic's press release. The company has since confirmed to GameSpot that the special creature's availability has been extended through July 24.
These games join PS Now's existing lineup of 504 PS3 games, boosting the total number of streaming titles to 524. Sony says more PS4 games will be added to the catalog over time, so the library is set to grow further still.
Sony also announced today that it is bringing back PS Now promotional prices; people can now pick up a 12-month subscription for $100 or a single month for $10. After your first month, the monthly subscription price will rise to the usual $20.
Earlier this year, Sony announced that it was cutting PS Now support for PS3, PS Vita, PlayStation TV, select Sony Bravia TVs, all Sony Blu-ray players, and all Samsung TVs. This was done so Sony could focus on PS4 and PC as the primary platforms for PS Now.
It is not unusual for early movie trailers to contain scenes that do not end up in the final film. Trailers are often created before movies are finished, and sometimes, entire sections are reshot before release--such as in last year's Rogue One. Spider-Man: Homecoming is the latest film to not include two iconic shots from the trailer, and now, director Jon Watt has explained why.
The two shots in question appeared in the first trailer, which was released in December. The first showed Michael Keaton's evil Vulture descending down the atrium of a hotel towards the camera, while the other featured Spidey and Iron Man soaring across the skyline of Queens, New York. Neither are anywhere to be seen in the final film.
In an interview with Screencrush, Watt explained that neither of these shots were ever intended to be in Homecoming. "The hotel atrium shot was originally created for Comic-Con," he said. "[It was] for a sizzle reel before we had really shot anything. We had shot like two weeks of footage or something. That was never meant to be in the movie.
"[However] I did use that angle for Vulture's reveal at the beginning of the movie. Vulture's hovering, swooping towards the camera like that. I used that shot; it's just no longer in an Atlanta hotel atrium."
As for the shot of Iron Man and Spider-Man, Watt says that the Queens background was added to existing footage to give the shot more impact. "In the very first trailer they wanted a shot of Spider-Man and Iron Man flying together," he said. "And they were going to use something from the Staten Island Ferry [scene], but it just didn't look that great. The background plate, because the Staten Island terminal is a very simple building, looks like an unrendered 3D object.
"So I think I was like, 'Let's just put them in Queens. Let's use that as a backdrop.' Because we couldn't just create a whole new shot, so let's just use one of these shots of the subway; put them in there. I feel a little weird that there's a shot in the trailer that's not in the movie at all, but it's a cool shot."
The movie has also been very well received by critics. GameSpot's review said that "Spider-Man: Homecoming gets everything right about this beloved Marvel character, which after the Batman and Robin-like awfulness of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, comes as a huge relief. It's one of the best crowd pleasers in the Marvel oeuvre, and the best Spider-Man film so far."
Netflix's Marvel hit Luke Cage returns for a second season next year, and production on the show is about to begin. Mike Colter will return as the reluctant bulletproof hero, and it has now been revealed which villains he will face in the new season.
Marvel announced that Mustafa Shakir (The Night Of) will play John McIver, while Gabrielle Dennis (Rosewood) is to play Tilda Johnson. Comic book fans will know McIver and Johnson by their villainous alter egos--Bushmaster and Nightshade.
Bushmaster is a powerful crime boss, who first appeared in a 1977 issue of Iron Fist. Nightshade, meanwhile, made her debut in 1972 and frequently faced Luke Cage and Iron Fist. She is a scientist with incredible intelligence who develops a serum that turns humans into obedient werewolves. Of course, it is unknown at this stage if either character will appear in Luke Cage exactly as they did in the comic books (meaning we might not get super-werewolves).
Before we get to Season 2 of Luke Cage, however, the character will appear in The Defenders, which hits Netflix in August. The show unites all four of Netflix's Marvel heroes, including Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist. Some stylish new motion posters were released last month, and you can also check out the trailer here.
In terms of other Marvel Netflix shows, The Punisher is expected later this year. Beyond that, a third season of Daredevil and second for Jessica Jonesare also in the works.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will be Disney's first ever 4K Blu-Ray, director James Gunn has confirmed. Gunn announced the news in a Facebook post, where he also stated the film will get a 3D home release.
He wrote: "Yes, it's true, and I am unbelievably excited to announce that, after a couple of years of me begging and pleading, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will be coming to home video in 4K UltraHD. It will be the first Disney release to be released this way."
No launch date has been announced for the DVD/Blu-Ray release, though some reports have stated it will come on August 22. Gunn, however, warned against believing rumors.
"Be careful what you listen to if it doesn't come from here or Marvel Studios as sometimes things seep out into the world from artwork that isn't finalized, etc," he said.
Finally, Gunn teased some "unbelievably cool additional content," saying there's "something that's so amazing I've been chomping at the bit for months not being able to talk about it!"
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 came to theaters earlier this year to a positive critical reception. In GameSpot's verdict, critic Randolph Ramsay called the sequel a "thrilling, emotional, [and] funny" movie that is "more than a little heartfelt." For more, check out our full Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 review.
A new image from The Wonderful 101 developer Platinum Games has hinted that the game may come to Nintendo Switch. The image, which you can see in the Tweet below, contains characters from the action game holding what appear to be Switch Joy-Cons.
— プラチナゲームズ公式アカウント[NEW] (@platinumgames_j) July 6, 2017
Platinum's tease follows another Tweet earlier in the week centered around Bayonetta and its sequel. The blue and red colors shown in that post--similar to the Switch's Joy-Con colors--led some to believe the company was hinting at a Switch port of the two games in that series.
The Wonderful 101 originally launched as a Wii U exclusive in 2013. Bayonetta, meanwhile, was multiplatform, although its sequel was exclusive to Wii U when it launched in 2014. Platinum hasn't officially announced Switch versions of its Bayonetta titles, or The Wonderful 101.
Other Wii U exclusives have already been announced as coming to Switch in revamped editions. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe launched for Nintendo's latest console in April, while Pokken Tournament Deluxe arrives in September this year. And, according to Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime, more could be on the way.
"Given the install base of Wii U, there was some fantastic content that consumers did not get to play," Fils-Aime said last month. "So that creates certainly a business opportunity. On the other hand, one of the things that we've discussed internally is, there really needs to be an additional element to that game to make it fresh, and to further compel the consumer to buy in.
"I think the best example of that is Pokken Tournament Deluxe. Additional fighters, that gives the fan a reason to buy into it. Same is true with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, providing a mode that the consumers wanted in terms of a better battle mode, that was then included in that game. And so, I think the way we will continue to evaluate this is: yes, do we have opportunities with great games that maybe were not played as broadly on the Wii U, but then what's the plus alpha that's going to make it really compelling for the consumer?"
Of course, Fils-Aime did not mention any unannounced titles, though he did tease, "I can tell you there's more to be announced."
In our Wonderful 101 review, critic Martin Gaston called the title "an ambitious, funny, and inventive game," awarding it an 8/10.
"With The Wonderful 101, game director Hideki Kamiya has made a game featuring a stumpy posse of cartoon heroes, with the stylish combo strings of Bayonetta, and the bouncy, vibrant style of Viewtiful Joe," he wrote. "This is an ambitious, funny, and inventive game that's keen to impress but slightly scrappy in its presentation, packed with ideas but is slightly confused about how to express all its abundant creativity. This might not be the Wii U's killer app, but it's a much-needed shot in the arm."
Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has said he is interested in continuing to produce video tie-ins for games, after this had a positive impact on sales for a past game. The English translation of a Nintendo investor Q&A was published today, and in it, Miyamoto cited on example of where a video series helped improve game sales.
He said when Nintendo brought the Kirby animated series to Europe, it had a "very positive impact on sales " of Kirby games in some parts of the region. Miyamoto added that video properties like the Kirby series could help Nintendo get a foothold in regions where the company's gaming devices don't have much traction.
This is already path Nintendo is going down, as evidenced by recent video productions for games like Star Fox Zero and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World. If Miyamoto has his way, this will continue with even more productions in the future.
"Even in just the past few years, we have produced short animations like Pikmin Short Movies, and the ones for Star Fox Zero (for Wii U) and Poochy & Yoshi's Wooly World (for Nintendo 3DS), which were mainly used to promote the games or appear within them," Miyamoto explained. "I would be interested in more actively pursuing the development of these kinds of videos going forward."
Nintendo's president, Tatsumi Kimishima, also weighed in. He said that Nintendo, overall, is looking to bolster its "relationship with media production" for the company's franchises. And he pointed out that Nintendo reaches more and more consumers through video content, so you can expect this to continue. "I would like to bring even more consumers to our integrated hardware-software business this way," he said.
For more on Nintendo's latest investor briefing, check out the stories below:
Some of Nintendo's franchises are coming to Universal Studios theme parks through a new area called Super Nintendo World. It's an incredibly exciting prospect for people who enjoy theme parks and Nintendo's franchises, and now Nintendo has talked a little bit more about its plans.
In a recent investor Q&A, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto--who created Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, and others--stressed that Super Mario Land is much more than a simple licensing deal. Nintendo's developers, including Miyamoto himself, are actively involved in the design and production of the park. That's pretty cool to hear.
"This is more than just a simple licensing deal between Universal and Nintendo," Miyamoto said. "It is a highly collaborative project between both companies, including a large number of Nintendo developers, myself included, so please look forward to more information to come."
Miyamoto attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Super Mario World at Universal Studios Japan in June. There will also be Super Nintendo Land destinations at Universal's American parks in Hollywood and Florida.
The Japanese park is aiming to open before the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2020, with the parks in America coming later.
Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima added that Nintendo has not yet decided if it will open Super Nintendo Land parks at other locations. Whether or not this happens will depend on "future negotiations with Universal." Universal Studios apparently has plans to open new parks in other parts of the world such as Beijing, Moscow, and South Korea, so those could also be potential destinations for Super Nintendo Land.
Nintendo has yet to announce specific rides or attractions, but you watch the video above to get a high-level idea for what Nintendo and Universal are planning. There is also reason to believe real-life Mario Kart will be one of the attractions.
For more on Nintendo's latest investor briefing, check out the stories below:
The Super Mario franchise is known for its Gamer Over screens, but don't expect to see them in this year's highly anticipated Super Mario Odyssey. The game's Japanese Twitter account recently posted a video that shows what happens when Mario dies. You will lose an allotment of coins, but you'll never see a Game Over screen, apparently.
As Polygon explains, Odyssey also doesn't have lives and 1-Ups. The game does have a checkpoint system, so when you die, you may not have to go back too far. Coins are apparently pretty plentiful, so you may not have to worry about getting too low.
We have contacted Nintendo in an attempt to get more details on why Odyssey doesn't have Game Over screens. It sounds like it's a way to keep people in the action.
For the Nintendo Switch game Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Nintendo added an smart-steering and auto-acceleration, presumably to accomodate new players. These are both optional.
It looks it won't be long until we know more about Call of Duty: WWII's Zombies mode. A tweet from the Call of Duty account says that the first official reveal of developer Sledgehammer Games' "twisted new vision" for Call of Duty Zombies will be revealed on July 20.
At San Diego Comic-Con 2015, Activision announced the celebrity cast for Black Ops III's Zombies mode, including Jeff Goldblum, Heather Graham, and Ron Perlman. It wouldn't be surprising if this year's Comic-Con news is something similar.
What we do know about Call of Duty: WWII's Zombies mode is that it is an "entirely new story and a pretty horrifying experience," and it will tell "the story of the Third Reich's desperate attempt to create an army in the final stages of the war."
Sledgehammer boss Michael Condrey added that Call of Duty: WWII's Zombies mode will be an "adrenaline-fueled" take on the fan-favourite mode. He pointed out that Sledgehammer is no stranger to horror, as he and the other studio leader, Glen Schofield, worked on Dead Space before joining Activision.
Call of Duty: World War II launches on November 3 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. A beta will be held before launch, and you can guarantee yourself a spot by pre-ordering.
The director of the upcoming standalone Batman movie has shed some new light on the tone and direction of The Batman, while he also praised Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan. Speaking to Yahoo! Movies, Matt Reeves, whose newest movie War for the Planet of the Apes, is out this month,said he wants to tell a "very emotional Batman story" with the new film. He went on to say, as he's said in the past, that he sees a parallel between Batman and Caesar from Planet of the Apes.
"They're both damaged characters who are grappling to the do the right thing in a very imperfect world," Reeves said (via IGN). "A world that's filled with all of the corruption that is human."
Ben Affleck as Batman in Justice League
Reeves previously teased that he wants The Batman to be a "noir-driven, detective-version" of the Caped Crusader. He added that the time that he was drawn to the film because of the "emotionality" he saw in it. He said he was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock, and now he's showed praise on The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan.
"What I love that [Nolan] did was that he took the genre seriously," Reeves said.
Also in the Yahoo! Movies interview, Reeves said big studios today are more interested in a "very narrow band of films." But he believes The Batman has more potential than meets the eye in terms of its depth storytelling opportunities.
"It's interesting because I was obsessed with both as a child, and yet there is something potentially very adult about what you can explore under the cover of that fantasy," Reeves said. "That is what draws me to it, and that's what I'm excited about."
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogysold the best in the UK last week and now we know it came out on top in Australia and New Zealand last week as well. The IGEA today released the physical game sales charts for the the week ended July 2, showing that Activision's remaster package came out on top in the two countries on the all-plaftorms charts.
Activision Blizzard had a particularly strong week in Australia, with its games taking four out of the top five spots. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was No. 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops III landed in the No. 3 position. Overwatch, from Blizzard, landed in the No. 5 spot. Rockstar's juggernaut Grand Theft Auto V finished the week in the No. 4 position.
See below for the complete physical games sales charts for the week ended July 2, divided by platform and region. Note that these charts only account for physical game sales, not digital, so it may not be necessarily representative of total spend.
The next big superhero movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming, opens this weekend. How will it perform at the US box office? According to estimates posted by Variety, it's tracking to make $85 million-$110 million for its first weekend. However, Sony has lower expectations, predicting receipts of around $80 million.
Homecoming will play in 4,341 theaters in the US for its opening weekend.
By comparison, the latest Spider-Man film, 2014's The Amazing Spider-Man 2 starring Andrew Garfield, opened to $91.6 million. That movie went on to make more than $700 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo.
Homecoming doesn't have a lot of competition when it comes to new releases this weekend. Other movies expected to do well this coming weekend include Baby Driver, Despicable Me, Transformers: The Last Knight, and Wonder Woman.
Tom Holland stars in Homecoming as a young Peter Parker. The film tells an origin story of sorts, though it's unlike the others that have come before it. "It's not the same moments of the origin story that we've seen before in other movies: we don't see Uncle Ben die, we don't see a spider bite," director Jon Watts (Cop Car) said. "But I think this is the beginning of Spider-Man, in a way. He's still learning how to be a superhero. In a way, it is an origin story--just not one we've seen before."
Ahead of Stranger Things Season 2's premiere in October, toy company Funko has announced a new line of figures based on the spooky sci-fi show.
Starting off, new Mystery Minis include those for main characters Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Joyce, Hopper, Nancy, and Barb. The Demogorgan isn't left out, either. There will also be retailer-specific toys such as Upside-Down Will and Mr. Clarke (Target); Eleven in hospital gown, Steve, and Upside-Down Barb (GameStop); and regular Eleven, Joyce with axe, and Dr. Brenner (Hot Topic). All of these are slated to arrive in September.
Funko also announced new Stranger Things Plush toys, including two new versions of Eleven. One shows Eleven with her favourite food (Eggo) and another with her blonde wig. Mike, Will, Lucas, Dustin, and Barb are also getting plush toys, as is the Demogorgan.
Finally, there are more Stranger Things Funko Pop toys coming. The Series 2 toys include a new version of Eleven wearing a hospital gown, Jonathan with his camera, and Nancy holding her pistol. There are also figures for Dr. Brenner and Jim Hopper with a coffee and donut. Additionally, there are Funko Pop figures for Joyce and Hopper wearing hazmat suits.
Go to Funko's website to get a full rundown of all the new Stranger Things toys coming out this year. You can get a closer look at them in the image gallery above.
Stranger Things Season 2 premieres in October, in time for Halloween. Recently, creators Matt and Ross Duffer talked about what fans can expect from the upcoming season, saying, "The point is not to give everyone what they think they want."
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