By Justin Haywald on Jan 24, 2018 12:09 am
Whether they're direct continuations that carry on the events of the previous game or unrelated follow-ups that share a general theme, gamers love--and love to hate--video game sequels. While you can argue that the emphasis on sequels seems to overshadow the creation of new, original IP, sometimes sequels produce unique experiences in their own right. Like the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild--the characters and themes are the same, but the game was a refreshing take on the entire open-world genre. Sequels are a huge part of game development, but most creators shy away from revealing what they have in the works too early. So in this feature, we've gathered together our wishlist of games that deserve sequels, or unannounced games that are very likely far along in development. Some are a little more far-fetched than others; Grand Theft Auto VI, outside of Rockstar Games disappearing off the face of the planet, is going to happen someday. But Bloodborne 2 and Portal 3? Those aren't necessarily guaranteed. This isn't a definitive list of every game that we want a sequel to, but it represents some of the titles the GameSpot editors feel most strongly about. What unannounced games do you hope get a surprise announcement at some future E3 or other gaming event? Let us know in the comments below!
Animal Crossing | Switch
Nintendo hasn't said explicitly it's working on a Switch version of Animal Crossing, but one is almost definitely in the works. With Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp on mobile last year, the company only whetted the appetite of fans who want a full-fledged entry in the relaxing life sim. And although Pocket Camp is surprisingly robust for a mobile game, it's still missing many of the most important elements of the Animal Crossing franchise: a large list of collectible wildlife, the ability to write letters and notes to your townsfolk, and customization options for your villagers' catchphrases. Pocket Camp is Animal Crossing in spirit, but not quite in execution. But that mobile release does seem to portend that the next chapter on Animal Crossing, this time on Switch, is imminent. Nintendo has stated that the core purpose of its mobile games is less about making money and more about keeping people engaged with its core franchises. For Animal Crossing, all that's left is the follow-through. What new features a Switch release of the game could bring is anyone's guess, but we imagine a large roster of potential neighbors and a more active way to connect and interact with other Animal Crossing players online. | Justin Haywald
BioShock 4 | PS4, Xbox One, PC
Where the original BioShock launched to praise from fans and critics alike, the third and most recent game in the series--BioShock Infinite--divided opinion somewhat when it came out in 2013. While some--including our own reviewer--loved it, others felt it turned the series too far towards shooter territory, and the story felt muddled. Time, then, for a new game in the series to unite everyone behind BioShock once again. One that can bring BioShock back to what everyone loved in the first place--its mystery, its atmosphere, its storytelling, and yes, its inventive powers--while also taking it to new frontiers. We've now done underwater and above the clouds; perhaps BioShock 4 could deliver another shock to our systems by taking us to space? | Oscar Dayus
Bloodborne 2 | PS4
From Software's Bloodborne forces Souls players to step outside of their comfort zone; to stop peeking at horrors from behind a shield and instead charge headfirst into them. Its gameplay focuses on bluster and brutality, but feels like a delicate dance of sword swings, explosive gunshots, and timed dashes. However, what really elevates Bloodborne is Yarnham, the mysterious gothic city where disease-ridden inhabitants wander around squalid streets, mindlessly attacking all that approach. It's also a place where science clashes with faith, factions battle over ideologies, and the presence of an unseen cosmic evil pervades. Bloodborne was both critically and commercially successful and, most importantly, fans of it are desperate for more. From Software recently teased a new project that adopts the studio's distinct style, but the use of the phrase "shadows die twice" could be hinting at something entirely new. A new From Software game is exciting, but we can't help but hold on to hopes of returning to the Bloodborne universe. The sweet blood, it sings to us. | Tamoor Hussain
Bully 2 | PS4, Xbox One, PC
Leading up to Bully (2006), Rockstar had been best known for hyper-violent games like Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, and Manhunt. Then the developer adapted many of the core tenets that made those games great to craft an earnest, yet over-the-top tale of a troublemaker thrust into a private boarding school. Stereotypical cliques filled the student body at Bullworth Academy and painted a lively caricature of high school. It was your job as Jimmy Hopkins to navigate the dangerous waters of Bullworth and try not to get kicked out, all while trying to become the baddest, most respected fool on campus. Getting to class on time (presented as minigames), getting in fights, and causing all sorts of mischief makes up most of the game, but Bullworth and its surrounding town is also a believable place full of life. Not many games have topped the soundtrack's funky basslines and whimsical xylophone melodies either. Despite being twelve years old and one of Rockstar's best games, it never got a follow-up (although it was remastered). There have been rumblings throughout the years of a possible sequel; producer and lead writer Dan Houser said he had ideas for a Bully 2 back in 2013, and concept art believed to be tied to a sequel was shown last year. That's the extent of our hopes, though. Rockstar's portfolio has evolved since 2006: GTA continues to succeed, Red Dead emerged as a huge franchise, and LA Noire showed that action can take a back seat to story. With a resume like that, it's a lot of fun to imagine what Bully 2 could be.| Michael Higham
Bushido Blade 3 | PS4, X1, PC, Switch
Bushido Blade was a 3D, one-on-one sword-fighting game for PlayStation that was uniquely unforgiving. With no health bars, landing a clean hit on your opponent meant a crippled limb, if not instant bloody death. Tension was the name of the game, where every standoff was a strenuous task of reading your opponent, playing mind games and exercising quick reflexes. It was also a game concerned with maintaining honorable disposition and respecting your opponent. Bowing formally before a match, fighting fair, and never stabbing your opponent in the back was encouraged, and enhanced the game's zen-like appeal. But, you could also do the exact opposite: throw dirt in someone's face, kick them when they're down, and run frantically through the game's large, open arenas to search for an environment that could put your opponent and their choice of weapon at a disadvantage--a bamboo thicket could restrict naginata slashing maneuvers, a deep river could mask the movements of your katana, for example. Although Bushido Blade got a sequel in 1998, there hasn't been a a game in the last 20 years that has successfully come close to matching its understated qualities and strict mechanics. Its nearest neighbour today would be Nidhogg, if Nidhogg could be slowed to a snail's pace. In a post-Dark Souls era where players celebrate pure, unforgiving game experiences, a true Bushido Blade sequel with online competitive multiplayer is just the thing Square Enix should think about bringing back. | Edmond Tran
Diablo 4 | PS4, X1, PC
While Blizzard had a rough start with Diablo 3, they made great strides with improving the game in the years since its release. Once the expansion Reaper of Souls launched, Diablo 3 had earned its spot as one of the most impressive loot-focused action-RPG games on the market. Even now, regular updates are still ongoing, and with successful launches on PS4 and Xbox One, there's plenty of loot to go around for would-be adventurers traveling through Tristram and the underworld. Though Blizzard is still going strong with Diablo 3--along with Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and Hearthstone--the developers should look to the future of loot-oriented action-RPG games and get started with Diablo 4. The series scratches a certain itch that not many other games can, and Diablo 4 can take advantage of the second-wind the series has experienced in D3's post-launch life. | Alessandro Fillari
Elder Scrolls 6 | PS4, Xbox One, PC
There's no question that Elder Scrolls 6 is happening--Todd Howard has said as much a few times now. But between myriad ports of Skyrim and Elder Scrolls Online's recent Morrowind expansion, the questions are: "What kind of game will Elder Scrolls 6 be?" and, "Where will it be set?" The series has already explored several regions of Tamriel, but there are still places we haven't been: the Argonians' Black Marsh and the wooded region of Valenwood, just to name a few. But perhaps it's time to leave Tamriel behind and explore the rest of the world of Nirn. Yokuda is a continent destroyed by an unknown cataclysmic event. Could that be a chance to marry the gameplay of Elder Scrolls with the story trappings of Bethesda's other premiere RPG franchise, Fallout? Another possibility is the land of Akavir: a continent that rivals Tamriel in size, populated by four new races at war with each other. That covers the Elder Scrolls trope of multiple factions, and thanks to several mentions throughout the franchise, we already know that those four races--snow demons, snake people, monkeys, and tiger dragons--are important to the history of the world. Plus, it's easy to fit a fancy Roman numeral into the title, as Bethesda already did once with Obl(iv)ion. Elder Scrolls: Aka(vi)r, anyone? | Tony Wilson
Elite Beat Agents 2 | Switch
There's no reason to think that a sequel to Elite Beat Agents is in the works, but with the newfound success of Nintendo Switch, the quirky rhythm game from developer iNiS is a cult classic that's due for a revival. EBA was actually a localization of the cheerleading game Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan (which got a Japanese sequel on DS), but while the two versions are the same gameplay-wise, the soundtracks and overall themes were changed drastically to make the series fit into a Western archetype. But either way, both versions were solid games that took advantage of the DS' touch screen to let you tap out rhythms in time to the music. Ports of the originals would be great for a new generation of gamers to experience, though it's likely the music licensing deals make that a difficult process. But a new version of the game that takes advantage of either the traditional controls or the unique joy-con capabilities of the Switch would be delightful--maybe a Just Dance-style game that tracks your hand movements as you go through the game's on-screen choreography? | Justin Haywald
GTA 6 | PS4, Xbox One, PC
The last Grand Theft Auto game doesn't feel like it came out almost five years ago. Of course, that's partly due to the fact that its roll-out across Sony and Microsoft's consoles and then PC took three years. But it's also because the game is still consistently in the top 10 best-selling games of every month (here it is as number 10 for December and number 6 for the best-selling game of 2017). Although the GTA games are known for their multi-layered, single-player stories, GTAV's continued success is primarily driven by its multiplayer GTA Online mode. A sandbox set in GTAV's world, the game has captured such a large portion of Rockstar's resources that the long-ago promised single-player expansion has been dumped. But surprisingly, it's both not something that gamers seem to be clamoring for, and it hasn't affected the adoption of the game sales-wise. GTAV casts a long shadow, and it'll be interesting to see how its open-world model will affect the upcoming Red Dead Redemption 2. But it'll also be worth keeping an eye on how it affects the inevitable GTA VI. At some point, V's popularity will start to wane and we'll get another entry in the GTA world. But will this next game be a multiplayer-only experience that borrows both from elements that make GTA Online such a continuing success and other popular online games like Destiny 2? Or will GTAVI be a return to the single-player narrative with an even more robust online mode that just happens to exist alongside it? It's also worth noting that the gap between GTAIV and GTAV was only five years, so it's possible a new chapter in the rampant crime saga might be closer than you'd expect. | Justin Haywald
Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 | PS4
Despite exclusively making shooters for its first decade-and-a-half of existence, Guerrilla Games tried something very different with Horizon: Zero Dawn, and it more than succeeded. Guerrilla's debut open-world effort was impressive on a number of fronts, including its Monster Hunter-style combat and gorgeous visuals. But as with the first entry in any series, it had a number of areas that stand to be improved. Although combat encounters could be intense and memorable, that was only really the case at range--melee combat was simplistic and boring. Navigating anything but flat surfaces could be a frustrating chore, particularly in comparison to Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which made climbing so effortless. The bulk of the narrative, while interesting, was told through exposition dumps where you'd stand around and simply listen to someone talk. Improvements to these areas, combined with Guerrilla continuing to amaze from a technical standpoint (which we got a taste of with Zero Dawn DLC The Frozen Wilds' improved snow effects), would make Horizon 2 something really special. | Chris Pereira
Metal Gear Solid 6 | PS4, Xbox One, PC
After Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima left Konami in 2015, fans began to question the series' future and whether a new entry would be warranted. Months passed until publisher Konami finally revealed the next game in the long-running franchise: a survival-focused co-op spin-off with zombies, called Metal Gear Survive. As you'd expect, fan backlash was understandably negative, as the new game seemed diametrically opposed to the series' lineage. At the same time, it left questions as to whether or not Konami would ever develop a true successor or reboot. While a new mainline Metal Gear Solid game not directed by Kojima raises alarms for hardcore fans, it's difficult to rule out how awesome it would be if Konami managed to let an ambitious studio build upon the series' foundations or provide a completely new vision of what Metal Gear can be for its sixth entry. After all, a Metal Gear game doesn't necessarily need Kojima to be good or interesting. You need only look to franchise spin-offs like Metal Gear Rising and Metal Gear Solid (GBC), which each played incredibly well despite lacking Kojima's involvement. But imagine the possibilities of what Metal Gear Solid 6 could be: a game starring The Boss during WWII, that Grey Fox spin-off we always wanted, or maybe an entirely new game starring a fresh face mercenary/government agent in a far-future, post-MGS4 world? The Metal Gear series' universe is ripe with characters and concepts that could be used to create a fascinating new entry in the tenured franchise. Regardless of whatever shape or form it takes, we're hoping Konami takes full advantage of Metal Gear's rich history for whatever it has in mind for the series after Metal Gear Survive. | Matt Espineli
No One Lives Forever 3 | PS4, Xbox One, PC
Even before the saturation of first-person shooters in the mid-to-late 2000s, there were so many great single-player FPS games on PC. Medal of Honor: Allied Assault and the original Call of Duty were staples of the genre, but nothing had quite the charm of No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way. For those not familiar, imagine the grandeur of James Bond and the absurdity of Austin Powers wrapped in an espionage tale with the highly capable operative Cate Archer at the helm. This was the foundation for a well-crafted shooter set in the Cold War era that took you across the world for hilariously ridiculous missions. Anyone who played it will never forget its incredibly adorable soundtrack, which so perfectly captured the campy spy theme. That was 2002, and 16 years later, little-to-no hope is out there for Cate Archer's return. NOLF 2 and its predecessor The Operative: No One Lives Forever are cult classics, but over time, the rights to the franchise went into a sort of limbo. Both games were developed by Monolith (known for the recent Middle-earth games), but were published by Fox Interactive. Fox was acquired by Vivendi, which merged with and separated from Activision. However, Monolith is now under Warner Bros. So, who the hell knows which company can even revive the series. Regardless, we're holding out hope that this series lives to die another day. | Michael Higham
Portal 3 | PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch
Why hasn't this happened already? Portal and Portal 2 are masterpieces, with the 2011 sequel successfully expanding on the first game's amazing puzzle game base with an intriguing story, improved script, and more diverse environments. A third game would surely be even better. It wouldn't even have to do much! It's been long enough that just more Portal would likely be satisfactory for a lot of people. But this is Valve we're talking about. As we all know, this company doesn't just make games for the sake of it. The developer even seems happy to almost troll its own fans by allowing other companies to use the Portal license in their own games: the past few years have seen Rocket League and Lego Dimensions recieve Portal-related content, and last year we even got a full game crossover with Bridge Constructor. And yet, still no proper sequel. We might be waiting a long time for Portal 3. If only those wormholes allowed us to travel through time... | Oscar Dayus
Silent Hills | PS4, Xbox One, PC
Despite game director Hideo Kojima's very public departure from Konami, the company is still working on a sequel to the auteur's Metal Gear series. Kojima was also tied to the next game in Konami's Silent Hill franchise, and while that project (a collaboration with film director Guillermo del Toro and actor Norman Reedus) is canceled, Konami has publicly stated that the Silent Hill franchise will continue on at some point. And despite Konami's issues, Silent Hill is still a tortured video game location that we'd want to visit again. Spanning multiple developers and a wide range of protagonists, the series is uniquely positioned for a follow-up that doesn't strictly adhere to the games of the past. And a success with the long-running horror franchise could potentially mitigate the disastrous PR left by Kojima's departure. It seems like a sure thing that Konami will get around to making another entry in the franchise, and even though it would've been fascinating to see what a horror mashup between Kojmia and del Toro would have been like, we'll likely get a taste of that in Death Stranding. The next Silent Hill will be a new creature, but what form it takes has yet to be decided. Hopefully, it can return to its critically acclaimed roots, and avoid being another average spin-off like Downpour and Book of Memories. | Justin Haywald
Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 3 | PS4, Xbox One, PC
Though there have been many games that have taken advantage of the Star Wars brand to great effect, one title in particular has stood out for many fans of the storied franchise. Bioware's narrative-focused RPG Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic followed the adventures of an up-and-coming Jedi and their crew as they explored the galaxy, thousands of years before the rise of the Empire. At its time, it was a rather seminal game for the Star Wars series. Instead of shoehorning new characters into established lore and repeating moments from the films, this RPG title told its own story with a memorable cast of characters. While KOTOR had two sequels, one of which was the moderately successful MMO The Old Republic, there's been a yearning for a third game focusing on the single player experience with modern visuals and systems. However, much has changed with the Star Wars IP in recent years, and making a direct sequel isn't so clear cut. With Disney having acquired the Star Wars license, while also jettisoning much of the material from the 40-years of expanded universe fiction--including the plot of KOTOR--a follow-up would have to be a reboot. While this may draw the ire of hardcore fans, this also presents a wonderful opportunity to tell fresh stories with new characters. A Star Wars RPG seems well overdue, and with Bioware a part of EA--and with the publisher currently possessing the exclusive rights to produce Star Wars games--the timing seems perfect for the original developers to return to the Star Wars universe. Which should totally happen sooner, rather than later. | Alessandro Fillari
Super Mario Maker 2 | Switch
Mario Maker was one of the last hurrahs for Wii U owners, and what an event it was. It offered a chance for people to get creative with one of gaming's greatest icons, share Mario levels they've created online, and browse through thousands of levels made by other passionate players across the globe. If you followed game culture in 2015 and 2016, you probably saw plenty of people sharing videos of tremendously difficult stages being bested by skilled (or lucky) players; a testament to the game's widespread popularity and its effectiveness as a game creation tool. The Wii U GamePad touchscreen made the process of creating and editing levels a breeze, and all it takes is one look at your Switch to realize that it's built for a game like Mario Maker. Given that Switch's online environment is still a work in progress, it's understandable why Nintendo isn't rushing to make it happen, but given the massive Switch install base (relative to Wii U), it's easy to imagine that we'll see the next Maker game sometime down the road. | Peter Brown
Super Mario RPG 2 | Switch
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars blessed the SNES back in 1996, where our franchise favorite characters banded together to fight common enemies throughout the Mushroom Kingdom… in the form of a turn-based RPG. Squaresoft had created Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, and Secret of Mana by this time, but to wrap its refined RPG elements in the Mario universe made for one of the best mash-up/collaborations ever. Bowser was driven out of his castle, Peach was fed up with being held captive, and newcomers Geno and Mallow joined Mario in an adventure through new places that gave a nod to what we've seen in previous Mario games. What tied everything together and ingrained this game into our memories was the catchy, joyful soundtrack full of songs with layered instrumentation. You've probably heard the infectious "Beware the Forest Mushrooms" before. And shout out to those that fought Culex to the rearrangement of Final Fantasy IV's boss battle theme. Paper Mario, and its follow-up The Thousand Year Door, are incredible games in their own right, but are essentially spiritual successors separate from the world that was built in Legend of the Seven Stars. In this day and age however, the appetite for Mario spin-offs is strong; we got a tactical strategy game with Rabbids, and a remake of Superstar Saga on 3DS just in the last year. A proper follow up RPG should be on the shortlist for future Switch games. Of course, this is just wishful thinking given that there are no rumors, leaks, or cryptic messages from Nintendo that would indicate a true successor to one of its greatest games. | Michael Higham
By Kallie Plagge on Jan 24, 2018 12:03 am
Next Time On Dragon Ball Z
For Dragon Ball fans, there's a lot to get excited about in Dragon Ball FighterZ. Arc System Works' 2.5D fighter both captures the spirit of the series as well as actual scenes from Dragon Ball Z and more--provided you get the matchups and settings just right. If you're hoping to relive the first time Gohan goes Super Saiyan 2 or when Goku kills Kid Buu for good, we've got you covered. Dragon Ball FighterZ includes "Dramatic Scenes" taken from the anime if certain conditions are met. Dramatic Intros play when you and your opponent lead with the correct characters on the appropriate stage, while triggering Dramatic Finishes is a bit more complicated and requires you to end the match with a neutral heavy attack. Click ahead to see what iconic battles you can recreate in-game, how to unlock them, and more references. (Spoilers for Dragon Ball Z, Battle of the Gods, and Dragon Ball Super follow.) Dragon Ball FighterZ releases for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on January 26. You can watch the Dramatic cutscenes in action in our game vs. anime comparison. For more on what to expect, see our Dragon Ball FighterZ review in progress, and be sure to check out our roundup of important details, guides, and gameplay for everything else you need to know.
Teen Gohan vs. Cell
With Teen Gohan against Cell, you can get both a Dramatic Intro and Finish. Android 16 can't be on either team. Lead with Teen Gohan and Cell on the Cell Games Arena; before the match Android 16's head will speak to Gohan, just like the scene in Dragon Ball Z (when Gohan goes SSJ2 for the first time). For the Finish, Goku can't be on either team. Land the KO on Cell as Gohan to watch Gohan make his dad proud.
Goku vs. Frieza
This is another matchup that will get you both a Dramatic Intro and Finish. Krillin can't be on either team. Lead with Goku and Frieza on Planet Namek to see Frieza kill Krillin before the fight. While fighting, make sure Frieza is the last character on the opponent's team, then KO him with a neutral heavy attack as Goku. (Note that the stage must be destroyed.) Just like in Dragon Ball Z, Goku will take Frieza out with his one-handed Kamehameha.
Nappa vs. Yamcha
Land the KO (using a neutral heavy attack) on Yamcha as Nappa on the Rocky Field stage to trigger this Dramatic Finish, in which a Saibaman kills Yamcha. RIP.
Yamcha vs. Nappa
If you instead KO Nappa as Yamcha on the Rocky Field stage, you'll get to see Yamcha get his (definitely not canon) revenge.
Krillin vs. Nappa
To watch Krillin kill the Saibamen in this Dramatic Intro, lead with Krillin against Nappa on the Rocky Field stage--preferably after the Nappa vs. Yamcha fight, for realism's sake.
Trunks vs. Frieza
As Trunks on the Rocky Field stage, finish the match with a heavy attack KO on Frieza. You'll be treated to the scene where Trunks goes Super Saiyan against Frieza for the first time and slices him up.
Goku vs. Kid Buu
Finish the match as Goku against Kid Buu to watch Goku kill him for good! Goku even expresses that he hopes Buu will come back as a better person. (Buu is later reincarnated as Uub, Goku's martial arts student, who would certainly make a good DLC fighter.)
Beerus vs. Goku
As Beerus, defeat Goku on the Space stage to see the final battle from the film Battle of the Gods, where Goku loses. (This scene also occurs in Dragon Ball Super, but the Dramatic Finish is based on the Battle of the Gods version.)
Beerus vs. Goku Black
On any stage, defeat Goku Black as Beerus for a Dragon Ball Super reference. Goku Black must be below 10% health, and you have to use Beerus' level three super. Goku Black vanishes, and Beerus refers to him as Zamasu--Goku Black's true identity.
Gotenks With Piccolo
As Gotenks, do your level three super. If Piccolo is your party, he will "set" the opponent so Gotenks can spike them. (Without Piccolo, Gotenks spikes the opponent on his own.)
Android 18 With Krillin
When Android 18 does her super, Android 17 usually shows up. But when you have Krillin on your team, he'll show up instead! That's a good husband.
By Kevin Wong on Jan 23, 2018 11:53 pm
We're only a few days away from the 2018 Royal Rumble on January 22, and the excitement is mounting. This is the best time of year to be a WWE fan. Every storyline is coming to a head, and the kickoff for that climax is the Royal Rumble match, which determines who will get a coveted title shot at WrestleMania 34. The Royal Rumble winner is vaulted to the rarified level of Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin. Both men became main event stars thanks to the prestige of their Rumble victories. The Royal Rumble is also the favorite match of statisticians, who can pore through the data to find interesting trends. Which entry number is the winningest? What's the longest time that a competitor has survived this match? How many Rumble winners have gone on to win their Mania matches? Here is the WWE Royal Rumble, by the numbers.
30
There have been 30 Royal Rumbles in total. The inaugural match was won by Hacksaw Jim Duggan in 1988. He entered the match at No. 13, lasted 14 minutes and 44 seconds, and eliminated three other competitors. The last Royal Rumble was won by Randy Orton in 2017. He entered at No. 23, lasted 20 minutes and 52 seconds, and eliminated one other competitor. 30 men will complete in the 2018 Royal Rumble for a title shot at WrestleMania 34. This is also the first year that WWE will host a 30-woman Royal Rumble, also for a title shot at The Showcase of the Immortals.
27
Historically, the No. 27 entrant has won the Royal Rumble more often than any other entrant. No. 27 has won four times: Big John Studd in 1988, Yokozuna in 1993, Bret Hart in 1994 (though he was a co-winner with Lex Luger), and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in 2001. No. 24 and No. 30 each have three wins apiece. Two men have won from the No. 1 spot: Shawn Michaels in 1995 and Chris Benoit in 2004.
3
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin is the most successful Rumble participant, having won the match three times: 1997, 1998, and 2001. The first time he won the Rumble in 1997, he re-entered the match after being eliminated, and WWE revoked his WrestleMania title shot. He received his guaranteed WrestleMania title shots in 1998 and 2001, however, and he won both matches, defeating Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XIV and defeating The Rock at WrestleMania X-7. Six other men have won the Royal Rumble twice: Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Batista, John Cena, and Randy Orton.
12
Roman Reigns eliminated 12 other Rumble participants in 2014. This is the current record for the highest number of eliminated competitors in a single Rumble by a single individual. Reigns, however, did not win this match, and he was eliminated last by winner Batista. Reigns broke a longstanding record held by Kane, who eliminated 11 competitors in 2001. Kane also not win the Rumble, and he was eliminated last by winner "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
4
A woman has competed in the men's Royal Rumble on four different occasions. And each time, the woman managed to eliminate a man before being eliminated herself. The first time was when Chyna entered the 1999 Rumble at No. 30 and eliminated Mark Henry. She was the No. 17 entrant in the 2000 Rumble, and she eliminated Chris Jericho. Beth Phoenix entered the Rumble at No. 6 in 2010, and she eliminated The Great Khali. Most recently, Kharma (aka Awesome Kong) entered the 2012 Royal Rumble at No. 21, and she eliminated Hunico. Starting this year will be a women's Royal Rumble match. Future female cameos in the men's division will become increasingly rare, if non-existent.
6
Six men have spent over an hour in the Royal Rumble: Ric Flair (1992), Bob Backlund (1993), Chris Benoit (2004), Rey Mysterio (2006), Triple H (2006), and Chris Jericho (2017). Of these men, three of them--Flair, Benoit and Mysterio--went on to win their respective Rumbles. Of the six men, Rey Mysterio has spent the longest amount of time in a single Rumble match: 1 hour, 2 minutes, and 12 seconds. He entered at No. 2 that year, and he eliminated six other men, the highest number of eliminations by a single competitor in 2006.
1
Mick Foley is the only (1) man who's fought in the same Rumble as three different characters. In 1998, all three "faces of Foley" entered the ring: Cactus Jack at No. 1, Mankind at No. 16, and Dude Love at No. 28. Collectively, Foley eliminated four other competitors, and he lasted for close to 20 minutes.
12
There have been 12 wrestlers in Royal Rumble history who have survived for less than ten seconds. The dubious record holder for shortest time in the Rumble is Santino Marella, who lasted 1.9 seconds before being eliminated by Kane in 2009. You can see most of the worst eliminations here. The funniest one was by Bushwhacker Luke, who entered the ring on one side, was eliminated by Earthquake on the other side, and didn't miss a step in his arm-swinging walk.
13
There have been 22 Royal Rumble matches with the "WrestleMania title shot" stipulation. Of these 22 instances, the Rumble winner has gone on to win the title at WrestleMania a total of 13 times. That's a 59% chance of success. There was a seven-year hot streak from 2001 to 2007, where every Rumble winner subsequently won his title match at WrestleMania. This was followed by a four-year cold streak, from 2008-2011, where every Rumble winner lost his title match at WrestleMania.
2
Both (two) feet must touch the outside floor for a wrestler to be eliminated from the Royal Rumble. This specific rule has led to some of the most entertaining spots in Rumble history. In the 1995 Rumble, the referees actively enforced the rule thanks to Shawn Michaels, who was nearly eliminated when one of his feet touched the floor. He would then perform a cat's cradle to get back into the match, which he won after eliminating the British Bulldog. Kofi Kingston is the most recent, frequent abuser of the "two foot" rule. He performed a handstand to save himself from elimination is 2012. Hopefully, the 2018 Royal Rumble will have more of these theatrics. What innovations could Kingston have planned for this upcoming Sunday?
By Chris E. Hayner on Jan 23, 2018 11:15 pm
27 Marvel Cinematic Universe Villains, Ranked By Villainy
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is filled with a variety of villains who make life terrible for the Avengers and the extended family of Marvel superheroes. Who is actually the most evil, though? Follow along as we rank the MCU's villains -- not by who's the biggest or most powerful, but based on their level of villainy. Image: Marvel
27. Winter Soldier
First appearance: Captain America: Winter Soldier Poor Bucky just wants to spend life hanging out with his best friend Steve Rogers. Instead, he gets brainwashed by HYDRA, turns into an evil super soldier, and breaks up the Avengers in Civil War. None of the blame lands on him, though. Bucky's heart is pure. Image: Marvel
26. Nebula
First appearance: Guardians of the Galaxy The adopted daughter of Thanos has been through the absolute worst a person can be exposed to, from torture to having body parts replaced with robotics. So it's hard to blame her for becoming so evil. But as the second Guardians movie shows, underneath her villainy is a need to be loved and accepted by her sister. So is she that bad? Image: Marvel
25. Vulture
First appearance: Spider-Man: Homecoming Vulture was a villain by circumstance more than anything else. When his livelihood is threatened by Tony Stark and the government, he does what he has to do to protect his family. Somewhere along the way, he becomes accustomed to a lavish lifestyle and makes bad choices, but he's able to save himself in the end. Image: Sony
24. Yondu
First appearance: Guardians of the Galaxy While Yondu does eventually find redemption, there's no way around saying it: He is a villain who's done some heinous things in his life. Still, underneath it all is a guy who loves Peter Quill like a son. Image: Marvel
23. The Destroyer
First appearance: Thor The Destroyer is capable of inflicting massive amounts of damage, so clearly he's a villain to be feared. However, this mindless drone is essentially acting at the behest of its master. Without the ability to reason and make decisions, it's hard to hold the Destroyer entirely responsible for its actions. Image: Marvel
22. Helmut Zemo
First appearance: Captain America: Civil War Helmut is one of the most tragic villains in the MCU, as everything he does is driven by the death of his family. He doesn't intend to kill the King of Wakanda, he simply wants to drive a wedge between the Avengers. In doing so, though, many die and much damage is done. Image: Marvel
21. Whiplash
First appearance: Iron Man 2 Whiplash's vendetta against Tony Stark goes back to their fathers. His dad helped Howard Stark in designing the arc reactor, but was later accused of espionage and never received credit for the discovery. He eventually died poor. That leads his son to seek revenge against the Stark family, stumbling through several terrible choices along the way. Image: Marvel
20. Ayesha
First appearance: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Ayesha is annoying and very, very golden. However, it's hard to see her as too evil. After all, her acts against the Guardians of the Galaxy are in response to Rocket stealing valuable assets from them. Of course, she takes the matter to the extreme by sending an entire alien race after the misfits to kill them. Image: Marvel
19. Abomination
First appearance: Hulk Abomination is a creation that never should have happened. Emil Blonsky is brought in to help neutralize Bruce Banner, as his Hulk persona was out of control. After being injected with super soldier serum and Banner's blood, though, all bets are off -- it sent him out of control. Image: Marvel
18. The Grandmaster
First appearance: Thor: Ragnarok It's easy to want to love the Grandmaster. He's charismatic, he's funny, and most importantly, he's Jeff Goldblum. However, he also runs a brutal fighting ring, lords over the people of Sakaar, and has a henchwoman that will kill on command. Still, he's just so likable. Image: Marvel
17. Ultron
First appearance: Avengers: Age of Ultron Ultron is terrible, destructive, and one of the worst things humanity has ever created. That said, it's a piece of artificial intelligence created by Tony Stark. How villainous can it be when it's just a computer with reasoning that almost adds up? Image: Marvel
16. The Chitauri
First appearance: Marvel's Avengers This alien race doesn't know much about Earth or the people that inhabit it. Instead, they exist to serve Thanos and are brought to the planet by Loki. While they essentially destroy New York City, this group of aliens doesn't seem to have much control over their villainy. Image: Marvel
15. Justin Hammer
First appearance: Iron Man 2 In the beginning, Justin simply wants to be more successful than Tony Stark--and who doesn't want that? Unable to discredit Stark or perfectly recreate the arc reactor technology, Hammer goes off the deep end and enlists a convicted terrorist with a vendetta against the Starks to destroy Iron Man. His level of villainy is a case of not getting his way and taking that rage too far. Image: Marvel
14. Aldrich Killian
First appearance: Iron Man 3 Aldrich Killian likely wouldn't be a villain at all, had Tony Stark had given him the time of day at the beginning of Iron Man 3. Unfortunately, he does not. That leaves Killian feeling underappreciated, leading him to stage terrorist attacks, develop his own army of super soldiers, and create the Mandarin persona. Maybe Tony should have talked to him in the first place. Image: Marvel
13. Yellowjacket
First appearance: Ant-Man While Darren Cross simply wants to become better than his mentor Hank Pym, that need grows to the point of villainy. He rebrands Pym's company as his own, sells weapons to terrorists, and puts on a super suit to carry out evil. Selfishness drives him to do some very bad things. Image: Marvel
12. Kaecilius
First appearance: Doctor Strange After feeling disillusioned by the Ancient One, Kaecilius essentially sells his soul to Dormammu and is willing to end the world to help bring the powerful being to Earth. While his rage was driven by the loss of his wife and child, the evil buried within Kaecilius is so potent it's unmistakable. Image: Marvel
11. Obadiah Stane
First appearance: Iron Man What makes Obadiah so evil is that he's driven by simple greed. He's willing to sell weapons to terrorists, he's willing to kill the son of his best friend, and he's willing to do serious damage to American security--simply to make a few more dollars. Image: Marvel
10. Loki
First appearance: Thor The brother of Thor and manipulative trickster may not be the most dangerous villain in the MCU, but he is one of the most villainous. Whether it's repeatedly stabbing his brother in the back, starting a massive alien invasion on Earth, or even banishing his father and taking his place, there's no doubt about it: Loki is the worst--most of the time. Image: Marvel
9. Hela
First appearance: Thor: Ragnarok Hela is literally the goddess of death. There's no denying her villainy. She was raised that way by her father Odin, ruling over people and killing mercilessly. How much of it is nature versus nurture, though? Image: Marvel
8. Malekith
First appearance: Thor: The Dark World The leader of the Dark Elves is so obsessed with an old grudge that he is willing to destroy the Nine Realms if it would allow him a victory over Asgard. While many villains want nothing more than to cause utter destruction, few do it with as little care or worry as Malekith, a truly cold and ruthless monster. Image: Marvel
7. Alexander Pierce
First appearance: Captain America: Winter Soldier While he was one of the top ranking officials within SHIELD, it was all a cover. The betrayal of Pierce, which includes activating the Winter Soldier and destroying SHIELD from the inside, shows him to be one of the absolute worst villains of all time. Image: Marvel
6. Arnim Zola
First appearance: Captain America: The First Avenger There's not a lot to love about Arnim. He's a Nazi-turned-HYDRA scientist who specializes in weapons creation. Upon death, he has his brain uploaded into a computer to further expand HYDRA's power. Image: Marvel
5. Ronan the Accuser
First appearance: Guardians of the Galaxy This member of the Kree is so obsessed with power that he betrays Thanos in his quest to both rule and destroy a major piece of the galaxy. The potential of his own Infinity Stone is just too much to deny. In the end, though, it is his undoing. Image: Marvel
4. Baron von Strucker
First appearance: Captain America: The Winter Soldier This former HYDRA leader not only follows in Red Skull's Nazi-like steps, but he carries out experiments on numerous people from Sokovia that end in mostly death. Two subjects, though, survive and are kept prisoner by von Strucker, who then wields them as weapons against the Avengers: Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. As if being a Nazi isn't bad enough, he really goes the extra mile. Image: Marvel
3. Ego
First appearance: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 A villain that's an entire planet is a scary thing to face. What makes Ego so scary, though, is how little regard he has for anyone or anything that isn't him. Between killing Peter Quill's mother and going from planet to planet simply trying to make an acceptable child, nothing matters to him but becoming bigger and more all-encompassing. Such a selfish planet. Image: Marvel
2. Thanos
First appearance: Marvel's Avengers Thanos has been the horrible shadow hanging over the MCU since almost the very beginning. His thirst for destruction and power knows no bounds and his quest for the Infinity Stones is the thread that holds the MCU together. With a being this powerful, it remains to be seen whether he can be stopped. Image: Marvel
1. Red Skull
First appearance: Captain America: The First Avenger Red Skull doesn't get much of a chance to flourish in the MCU, but it's hard to deny his villainy: He's a super Nazi. Leading HYDRA in World War II, he opposes Captain America and stands against everything the first Avenger believes in. His evil nature is second-to-none. Image: Marvel
By Reid McCarter on Jan 23, 2018 09:30 pm
A siege recreated
In 1993, the world was glued to their TVs, watching the 51-day siege of a Waco, Texas-based Christian sect called the Branch Davidians by state and federal law enforcement. A new mini-series from the Paramount Network, starring Taylor Kitsch and Michael Shannon, will soon look to reignite that fascination, recounting the stand-off meant to take down Davidian leader David Koresh for the group's criminal activity, which ranged from the possession of illegal weapons to alleged child abuse and statutory rape. Waco recreates the siege, following the government missteps and stubborn Branch Davidian belief systems that resulted in 76 deaths. While the show is concerned mostly with the dramatic events occurring both inside and outside the Mount Carmel compound, it doesn't go into great depth regarding exactly why David Koresh and his followers were so willing to die for their religion. To help prepare you for Waco's premiere, here are 14 facts about the Branch Davidians' faith.
14. The Branch Davidians Formed From Another Christian Church
Though their beliefs took a form unfamiliar to most, David Koresh's Branch Davidians were actually an offshoot of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a well-established Christian denomination founded in 1863 America. The Adventists still exist today and are similar in many respects to other Protestant Christians, set apart mainly by their focus on the Second Coming of Christ and the preparations followers must make for the End of Days.
13. The Davidians Have Been Around For Longer Than You Think
David Koresh's Davidians weren't the first. Their most direct predecessors were the Davidian Seventh-day Adventists, or "Shepherd's Rod," a reform group that split off from the Seventh-day Adventists in 1929. After its founder and prophet Victor Houteff died, they fractured again and the Branch Davidians were formed by Benjamin Roden. He died in 1978, leaving the community to his wife Lois. After Lois's death, a power struggle emerged between Benjamin and Lois's son, George Roden, and Vernon Howell, the man who would later take the name David Koresh.
12. The Branch Davidians Under David Koresh Didn't Refer To Themselves As Branch Davidians
The terminology gets pretty unclear as it goes along, but even though the media called Koresh's group "Branch Davidians," the members themselves usually didn't. In survivor David Thibodeau's memoir, Waco: A Survivor's Story--the basis of the new TV show--he says this: "We have no formal name for our community. If anyone asks, we just say we're students of the Bible. 'Branch Davidians', the name by which we've become known to an amazed world, really belongs to the splinter group of Seventh-day Adventists who lived in the Waco area for fifty years or so before David Koresh arrived on the scene and reorganized Mount Carmel."
11. David Koresh Seized Control Of The Branch Davidians And Changed The Group
David Koresh came to the Branch Davidians' Mount Carmel headquarters in Waco, Texas in 1981. After a tumultuous succession that involved gunfights and attempts to raise corpses from the dead, Koresh assumed control of the community. He changed his name and led Mount Carmel as its prophet from 1990 onwards, altering its goals to match a more apocalyptic vision. Koresh wanted to reform the Davidians and recenter his group on what he saw as Adventism's true goal: "to prophesy and prepare for the End Time and coming of a Messiah."
10. They Believed They Were Approaching The End of Days
The Branch Davidians believed they were living in the lead-up to Christ's return, or the Second Coming. Koresh and his followers did too. As Thibodeau writes, "[Koresh] claimed he'd been given the key to unlocking [the Bible's] coded story, thereby making the events prophesied in Scripture about the end of human history actually happen." This obsession with the End of Days would become extremely important during the siege, Koresh teaching his followers "that the first stage in the prophecies of Revelation, the obliteration of the community, would occur in Waco."
9. The Book Of Revelation's Seals Were Extremely Important To Them
The Branch Davidians' focus on the Second Coming made them extremely concerned with the Seven Seals from the Book of Revelation. The Seals can only be opened by the Lamb or the Lion of Judah who was worthy enough to see the secret information within. The opening of the first four Seals brings the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and the following three cause worldwide calamity until the Final Judgment begins. David Koresh believed his visions allowed him an understanding of the Seals hidden from all other humans. Koresh travelled to Israel in 1985. He claimed to have received a vision on Mount Zion where he was given, according to Thibodeau, "a complete key to the Scriptures" and saw that it was "[his] destiny to unlock the Seals and open the way for our community." He thought that he would "reveal" all of them by 1995, when the world would end.
8. The Group Was Fractured By A Disturbing "Revelation"
Koresh believed he had to approach sex, marriage, and childbirth at Mount Carmel differently if he was to fulfill Biblical prophecy. In the summer of 1989, he had his "New Light" revelation, which required his followers to become celibate--including those who were already married. Thibodeau describes how "only David was given the right to procreate with any of the women, married or single, to generate the inner circle of children who would rule the coming kingdom to be established in Israel." Koresh told his followers that he had to produce these children in order to create "the twenty-four wise ones or Elders surrounding the divine throne, as described in Revelation 4" who would rule "the earthly kingdom to be set up in Israel in the last days" as predicted in the Bible.
7. David Koresh Was "Divinely Inspired" To Commit Statutory Rape
Following this line of thought, but without any biblical support for the idea, Koresh also believed he was justified in having sex with underage girls from the Mount Carmel community. He took multiple "spiritual wives" during his time at Waco, at least one of whom was in her teens. The age of some of his partners contributed to the charges of child abuse that urged the planned arrest that resulted in the siege.
6. David Koresh Was Viewed As The Lamb of God
Thibodeau's memoir explains: "David believed he was the incarnation of the sacrificed Lamb spoken of in Revelation--the Lamb that was slain to receive power--who took the mysterious book from God's hand and proceeded to unlock the Seven Seals described in Revelation, one by one. He made it clear that he was not a resurrected Jesus but an 'anointed one', a Hebrew term referring to the biblical ceremony in which oil is poured over the head of a priest or king."
5. David Koresh Saw Himself As A Messiah, Too
Koresh took his name from the Persian king Cyrus, who conquered Babylon and freed the Jews so they could return to Israel in 539 BCE. The Book of Isaiah referred to Cyrus as a messiah and his name, in Hebrew, was "Koresh." Thibodeau's memoir adds: "David was the reincarnation of King Cyrus, the man who would confront 'Babylon' in its modern form, which I gathered included the political and military powers that ruled the world." Perhaps most importantly, "In his own mind, David was no longer simply an American citizen subject to the laws of man but an anointed one owing allegiance to a higher authority."
4. The Branch Davidians Observed Strict Rituals As Part Of Daily Life
Life at Mount Carmel was hard work. Following Old Testament guidelines, Koresh's followers took communion at services held twice a day at strict times. They also studied the Bible constantly and worked long hours renovating the compound, which had no running water and was situated in a flat expanse of Texas plains outside of the city of Waco itself.
3. Their Life Was Meant to Be Uncomfortable
The lack of luxury at Mount Carmel was meant to make the Branch Davidians spiritually purer. Referred to as a "withering experience" by the group's members, the idea was that spartan living, free of any comforts, would lead to a higher spiritual awareness among the community.
2. The Siege Was A Fulfillment of David Koresh's Prophecy
To fully understand why the Branch Davidians believed they had to weather the siege, it's important to remember that Koresh and many of his followers believed they were living through Biblical prophecy. They thought the armed forces outside represented the opening of the Fifth Seal from Revelation, which would lead to the Second Coming they awaited. Thibodeau gets at the heart of this understanding by describing how he and the others felt like what happened to them during this time was "out of our hands." Rather than simply leave the compound, they waited to see if God would intervene or decide they all should be killed as part of the Fifth Seal's prophecy. Chillingly, he writes: "Ironically, it was up to the feds to decide our fate, through patient negotiation, or by fencing us in and walking away, or by annihilation. All we could do was wait and stand by our beliefs."
1. David Koresh Believed Surrendering During The Siege Would Damn Himself And His Followers
Most of the Branch Davidians remained inside throughout the siege, even though conditions continued to deteriorate as supplies dwindled. Aside from practical fears of the danger awaiting them if they surrendered, many of Koresh's followers thought there was a larger reason to stick by their prophet. Thibodeau recalls how he and his friends believed that "we, like Job, would likely suffer terrible torments on the way to becoming God's true people." Maybe more importantly, "For David, a surrender to temporal authority would be a betrayal of his prophetic role: a betrayal that would damn him, and all of us." Waco premieres on Paramount Network January 24.
By Mat Elfring on Jan 23, 2018 08:34 pm
The 31st Royal Rumble is coming to Philadelphia on Sunday, January 28, and WWE is planning on making this one special. For the first time, there will be a 30-woman Royal Rumble as well as the men's Royal Rumble. This is truly a landmark occasion, and most--if not all--of WWE's talent will be involved in the PPV. While not everyone has been announced for the main events of the Rumble, there have been a lot confirmed for both the men's and women's matches. As of this writing, 12 men and 18 women have been confirmed for their respective matches, and here they are, starting off with the men. Click here to jump ahead to women entrants. Note: We'll continue updating throughout the week as more wrestlers are announced.
Aiden English (Smackdown)
This is Aiden English's first Rumble.
Apollo Crews (Raw)
This is Crews's second Rumble, and he first appeared in 2017's match, lasting close to six minutes.
Baron Corbin (Smackdown)
In 2017's Rumble, Corbin lasted over 30 minutes in the match. 2018 will be the Lone Wolf's second appearance in the Royal Rumble match.
Bray Wyatt (Raw)
Bray Wyatt competed in the three previous Royal Rumble matches, and in total, has spent 1 hour and 23 minutes in the ring. He has only come up with six eliminations, all of which came during the 2015 match.
Matt Hardy (Raw)
Believe it or not, Matt Hardy has only been in seven Royal Rumble matches, even though he's been with WWE for 17 years, in total. His first Rumble appearance came in 2003.
John Cena
John Cena has won two Royal Rumble matches: 2008 and 2013.
Finn Balor (Raw)
Although he's been with WWE since 2014--and on the main roster since 2016--2018's Rumble will be Finn Balor's first.
Randy Orton (Smackdown)
Randy Orton has been involved in seven Royal Rumble matches and won twice: 2009 and 2017.
Rusev (Smackdown)
Rusev made his first Royal Rumble appearance in 2014 while he was a part of NXT.
Shinsuke Nakamura (Smackdown)
2018 will be Shinuke Nakamura's first Royal Rumble match.
Titus O'Neil (Raw)
2018 will be Titus O'Neil's fourth time in the Royal Rumble match.
Elias (Raw)
This will be Elias's first time in a Royal Rumble match.
The Miz (Raw)
After Raw 25 ended, The Miz revealed he'll be a part of the Rumble. To this date, he's been a part of 10 Royal Rumble matches.
Alicia Fox (Raw)
2018 marks Alicia Fox's 10th year at WWE.
Asuka (Raw)
Since coming to NXT in the summer of 2015, Asuka has been undefeated in singles competition.
Bayley (Raw)
Bayley held the NXT Women's title for over 200 days and the Raw Women's Championship for over two months.
Becky Lynch (Smackdown)
Becky Lynch was the inaugural Smackdown Women's Champion.
Carmella (Smackdown)
Carmella won the first-ever Women's Money in the Bank match in 2017, and she still hasn't cashed in.
Lana (Smackdown)
Lana made her in-ring debut at Wrestlemania 32.
Dana Brooke (Raw)
Dana Brooke hasn't seen much in-ring action since joining Titus Worldwide after her defeat at the hands of Asuka.
Liv Morgan (Smackdown)
Liv Morgan has been with WWE since 2014, and until 2017, she only appeared on NXT.
Mandy Rose (Raw)
Mandy Rose came in second place during the 2015 season of Tough Enough.
Mickie James (Raw)
Mickie James made her WWE debut in 2005 after working for two years in WWE's developmental program, OVW.
Naomi (Smackdown)
Naomi is a two-time Smackdown Women's Champion.
Natalya (Smackdown)
Natalya won her second title last year and had an 87 day reign as Smackdown Women's Champion.
Nia Jax (Raw)
Although she's had a couple of chances, Nia Jax has yet to win the Raw Women's Championship.
Ruby Riott (Smackdown)
Ruby Riott made her Smackdown debut in November 2017 after a year run in NXT.
Sarah Logan (Smackdown)
While she first appeared in November 2017 on Smackdown, Sarah Logan had small performances as a make-up artist for the Miz and as a Rosebud for Adam Rose from 2014-15.
Sasha Banks (Raw)
Sasha Banks is a major part of the Women's Revolution in WWE, but prior to her appearance on the main roster, she had some amazing matches on NXT against Bayley and Charlotte.
Sonya Deville (Raw)
Prior to coming to NXT, Sonya Deville was an MMA fighter.
Tamina (Smackdown)
Tamina has been in WWE for eight years now, and she is the daughter of Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka.
By Array on Jan 23, 2018 05:27 pm
It's been a long wait, but the new Faction Rally event is now live in Destiny 2. This is particularly significant because it marks the first Faction Rally since Curse of Osiris's release in December, which kicked off Season 2 of the game. Because a new season is underway, there are a variety of new items, along with the existing gear, for players to now get their hands on. Following the release of a new update, this Faction Rally is open to all players. However, certain new gear additions--including armor ornaments and some shaders, ghosts, sparrows, and ships--do require Curse of Osiris. If you don't have the DLC expansion, you can still participate, but you won't be able to use the new gear, all of which you can see in the gallery above. The event runs from now until the weekly reset on January 23. Faction Rallies see players pledge their allegiance to one of three Factions: Dead Orbit, New Monarchy, or Future War Cult. By participating in the game's usual activities, you'll earn Faction Tokens, which can then be turned in for a rewards package (much like with the vendors you find in each of the game's locations). Those packages include exclusive, faction-specific armor, weapons, and shaders, but the armor ornaments are obtained differently. The ornament piece for each armor slot is obtained by fulfilling a specific objective, such as claiming five Faction rewards, securing a certain number of melee or grenade kills, participating in Lost Sectors or Public Events, and completing the Nightfall. Rewards packages also serve another purpose: the Faction that collects the most during the week is deemed the winner. Aside from bragging rights, winning the event offers one other perk: The winning Faction will sell its unique Powerful weapon during Victory Week, which takes place during the week after the Faction Rally ends. Members of the Faction will be able to purchase the gun for 1,000 Glimmer, while those who pledged to others will have to pony up 50,000 to get their hands on it. Unlike previous Faction Rallies, all three groups are offering the same class of weapon, an auto rifle, though each Faction has its own distinct one that will potentially be sold. One other thing to be aware of is that not all of Season 2's new Faction weapons are available. In fact, none of them can be obtained through Faction Engrams currently, as they'll instead be rolled out through Victory Week and subsequent Faction Rallies.
By Array on Jan 23, 2018 05:02 pm
With the inaugural season of Overwatch League getting underway, Blizzard has released a new update for Overwatch on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Among a variety of other things, it adds a huge number of skins to the game--312, to be precise. Each of the game's 26 characters receives 12 new skins, each themed around one of the dozen teams participating in Overwatch League's first season. Unlike typical skins, you won't be grinding loot boxes in order to get your hands on these. Instead, they're sold with a newly introduced currency, League Tokens. Skins are sold individually for 100 Tokens. You'll receive 100 for free just by logging in before February 13, but past that point, you'll need to pay up. Doing so isn't cheap: 100 Tokens cost $5, although higher-priced bundles (ranging up to $100 for 2,600) will bring down the dollar-to-Token ratio. Still, amassing a complete set will run you in the neighborhood of $1,200. In the event that seems unreasonable to you, we've amassed a collection of screenshots showcasing all of the new skins. You can see all of these in the gallery above. Overwatch League Season 1's first matches began on January 10. The competition will go on for six months, with champions being named later this year. For much more on what to expect, check out our rundown on how to watch Overwatch League, a roundup of all the Overwatch League teams and rosters, and a recap of everything you need to know.
By Alessandro Fillari on Jan 23, 2018 04:35 pm
Which team are you rooting for?
With the upcoming season of Overwatch League kicking off on January 10, there's much anticipation brewing from esports enthusiasts and casual fans of Blizzard's popular hero shooter. Coming off of the successful pre-season, which ended this past December, the 12 teams from across the globe will vie to stake their claim for the top spot of Overwatch League, culminating in the eventual playoffs later this year. In this gallery, we'll run down the current teams and rosters set for this season of Overwatch League. From across the globe, many players will represent several teams from Pacific and Atlantic divisions, where they'll compete in several games with rival squads, and work their way up the ladder. For more info on the competition, check out our guide on everything you need to know about Overwatch League and how to watch Overwatch League. There are also new team skins to get your hands on.
Boston Uprising (Atlantic Division)
Owned by Robert and Jonathan Kraft of the New England Patriots, the Boston Uprising's name is inspired by the history of the city they represent, and the role it played during the American Revolution. Channeling a spirit of determination and resilience, the team functions on a balanced and dynamic skill-set that has strong defensive and support play.
The Players:
DreamKazper (Jonathan Sanchez) | Assault GamsuYoung (Jin Noh) | Defense Snow (Mikias Yohannes) | Healer NotE (Lucas Meissner) | Defense Neko (SeHyun Park) | Healer Avast (Connor Prince) | Healer STRIKER (Namju Gwon) | Assault Kalios (WooYul Shin) | Defense Mistakes (Stanislav Danilov) | Assault Kellex (Kristian Keller) | Healer
Dallas Fuel (Pacific Division)
Inspired by the state of Texas and its commitment as the energy sector of the country, and as strong as its competitive gaming community, the Dallas Fuel aims to bring that same drive to the Overwatch League. Owned by Team EnVyUs--the same group behind successful esports teams from League of Legends, StarCraft, and Counter-Strike--the operators of the Dallas Fuel are looking to make their mark within Overwatch League, just as they've done in other games. The Players: Chipshajen (Sebastian Widlund) | Healer HarryHook (Jonathan Tejedor Rua) | Healer Mickie (Pongphop Rattanasangchod) | Flexible xQc (Félix Lengyel) | Defense Seagull (Brandon Larned) | Flexible Taimou (Timo Kettunen) | Assault Custa (Scott Kennedy) | Healer cocco (Christian Jonsson) | Defense EFFECT (Hyeon Hwang) | Assault
Florida Mayhem (Atlantic Division)
Referencing their "explosive" playstyle, along with the Sunshine State's colorful and energetic vibe, the Florida Mayhem is a team made up of players who have found common ground disrupting the competition's plans. Owned by Misfit Gaming, the organization has already made an impact within Overwatch's competitive community, and they aim to go bigger within the Overwatch League. The Players: Manneten (Tim Bylund) | Flexible Logix (Andreas Berghmans) | Assault Zebbosai (Sebastian Olsson) | Healer CWoosH (Johan Klingestedt) | Flexible TviQ (Kevin Lindström) | Assault Zuppeh (Aleksi Kuntsi) | Healer
Houston Outlaws (Pacific Division)
As the second Texas-based team, the Houston Outlaws focus on taking the fight to their enemies, and doing it in their own ruthless style. With backing from OpTic Gaming, the same group that's made a name for itself in League of Legends and Counter-Strike competitions, this team brings a number skilled players that focus on quick and decisive acts to gain the upper hand against their opponents. The Players: Muma (Austin Wilmot) | Defense Bani (Christopher Benell) | Healer Clockwork (Matthew Dias) | Assault Mendokusaii (Lucas Håkansson) | Assault Boink (Daniel Pence) | Healer LiNkzr (Jiri Masalin) | Assault SPREE (Alexandre Vanhomwegen) | Assault Rawkus (Shane Flaherty) | Healer Jake (Jake Lyon) | Assault Coolmatt (Matt Iorio) | Defense
London Spitfire (Atlantic Division)
Named after the legendary British fighter planes flown during World War II's most intense battles, the London Spitfire channels that same intensity and resilience to overcome mounting pressure from their foes. Owned by Cloud9, this team is looking to make their mark within their division, while trailblazing their way to the top of the global league. The Players: Gesture (Jae-Hui Hong) | Defense birdring (Ji-Kyeok Kim) | Assault Fissure (Chan-Hyung Baek) | Defense Bdosin (Seung-Tae Choi) | Healer NUS (Jong-Seok Kim) | Healer Hooreg (Dong-Eun Lee) | Assault Rascal (Dong-Jun Kim) | Assault Fury (Jun-Ho Kim) | Fleixable HaGoPeun (Hyeon-Woo Jo) | Healer WooHyaL (Seung-Hyun Seong) | Flexible Profit (Jun-Young Park) | Assault Closer (Won-Sik Jung) | Healer
Los Angeles Gladiators (Pacific Division)
As one of two teams representing Los Angeles, the Gladiators are the polar opposite to its rival the Valiant. Owned by Stan and Josh Kroenke of the LA Rams, the Los Angeles Gladiators bring ferocity and a strong-sense of competition to their games, which they plan to bring all the way to the top of the global ladder within the Overwatch League. The Players: Asher (Jun-Sung Choi) | Assault Surefour (Lane Roberts) | Assault iRemiix (Luis Galarza Figueroa) | Defense Bischu (Aaron Kim) | Flexible Shaz (Jonas Samuel Suovaara) | Healer Hydration (Joao Pedro Veloso de Goes Telles) | Assault BigGoose (Benjamin Ville Aapeli Isohanni) | Healer
Los Angeles Valiant (Pacific Division)
Representing Los Angeles along with the Gladiators, the Valiant go about achieving their goals a bit differently compared to their city rival. Owned by the eSports team Immortals, the Valiant represents the ideals of Los Angeles being the city where imagination and hard work can make your dreams into reality. With much on the line this season, the Valiant are looking to realize their goals and overcome the competition. The Players: Silkthread (Ted Wang) | Assault Grimreality (Christopher Schaefer) | Assault Kariv (Young-Seo Park) | Healer Fate (Pan-Seung Koo) | Defense Verbo (Stefano Disalvo) | Healer Envy (Kang-Jae Lee) | Flexible Space (Indy Halpern) | Flexible Numlocked (Sebastian Barton) | Defense Unkoe (Benjamin Chevasson) | Healer Agilities (Brady Girardi) | Assault Soon (Terence Tarlier) | Assault
New York Excelsior (Atlantic Division)
Channeling the spirit of optimism, hope, and perseverance, the New York Excelsior brings the Big Apple's charm and attitude to their team's overall dynamic. Under ownership of Sterling VC, the team focuses on keeping their momentum going, even under mounting pressure. Excelsior is latin for "ever upward," and with the group seeking to reach the top spot of the global league, the team repping New York looks to keep their spirits high as they gun it for the lead. The Players: Saebyeolbe (Jong-Ryeol Park) | Assault Meko (Tae-Hong Kim) | Defense Pine (Do-Hyeon Kim) | Flexible Janus (Jun-Hwa Song) | Defense Jjonak (Seong-Hyun Bang) | Healer Mano (Dong-Gyu Kim) | Defense Libero (Hae-Seong Kim) | Assault Ark (Yeon-Jun Hong) | Healer
Philadelphia Fusion (Atlantic Division)
Owned by Comcast Spectacor, the Philadelphia Fusion have a lot to prove this upcoming season. Due to several issues, the team had to miss out on the pre-season. Without the chance to get a feel for the competition, the players will have to play catch-up with the rest of the league. Despite this, the Fusion features a number of promising players, who plan to bring the spirit of Philadelphia--with the city's innovative and diverse charm--into their team dynamic. The Players: Joemeister (Joseph Gramano) | Healer Boombox (Isaac Charles) | Healer Carpe (Jae-Hyeok Lee) | Assault Snillo (Simon Ekström) | Assault fragi (Joona Laine) | Defense Eqo (Josue Corona) | Assault ShaDowBurn (Georgii Gushcha) | Assault Neptuno (Alberto González Molinillo) | Healer DayFly (Jeong-Hwan Park) | Healer Hotba (Hong-Jun Choi) | Flexible Poko (Gael Gouzerch) | Flexible SADO (Su-Min Kim) | Defense
San Francisco Shock (Pacific Division)
Owned by NRG esports, the San Francisco Shock is the third team repping California along with the Los Angeles Gladiators and Valiant. Representing a balance between the old and new ways--balancing brute force with long-range action--the San Francisco Shock keeps the action up-close and personal, while making sure the frontline stays in top form. The Players: super (Matthew DeLisi) | Flexible BABYBAY (Andrej Francisty) | Assault sinatraa (Jay Won) | Assault sleepy (Nikola Andrews) | Healer Danteh (Dante Cruz) | Assault dhaK (Daniel Martinez Paz) | Healer Nomy (David Lizarraga Ramirez Osmar) | Defense iddqd (André Dahlström) | Assault Nevix (Andreas Karlsson) | Flexible
Seoul Dynasty (Pacific Division)
South Korea is no stranger to the esports phenomenon. With games like StarCraft and League of Legends already a pastime in the country, even landing several players sponsorships and spots on billboards, the country's passion for esports has had a major influence on the evolution of the medium as we know it. With Overwatch League, the team known as Seoul Dynasty--owned by KSV esports--is looking to dominate the competition and show that South Korea's passion for esports is still going strong. The Players: Bunny (Jun-Hyeok Chae) | Assault Miro (Jin-Hyuk Gong) | Defense XepheR (Jae-Mo Koo) | Flexible gido (Gi-Do Moon) | Flexible Wekeed (Seok-Woo Choi) | Assault Munchkin (Sang-Beom Byun) | Assault ZUNBA (Joon-Hyeok Kim) | Flexible KuKi (Dae-Kuk Kim) | Defense tobi (Jin-Mo Yang) | Healer ryujehong (Je-Hong Ryu) | Healer FLETA (Byung-Sun Kim) | Assault
Shanghai Dragons (Pacific Division)
With China becoming a bigger player in the competitive gaming scene, the Shanghai Dragons are looking to make their mark in the new Overwatch League. As one of the country's most popular games, Overwatch represents a major foothold for the Chinese competitive gaming scene. Under ownership of Chinese internet company NetEase, the Shanghai Dragons have a strong balance of support, defense, and offense skills, the team aims to make the top spot theirs. The Players: Freefeel (Peixuan Xu) | Healer Xushu (Junjie Liu) | Defense Fiveking (Zhaoyu Chen) | Healer Altering (Yage Cheng) | Healer Undead (Chao Fang) | Assault MG (Dongjian Wu) | Defense Roshan (Wenhao Jing) | Defense Diya (Weida Lu) | Assault
By Aaron Pruner on Jan 23, 2018 03:30 am
Agree or disagree?
Using the lesser known works of iconic science fiction author Philip K. Dick as its foundation, Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams explores technology as a transformative tool in various iterations of humanity's future--all while doing its best to maintain the hope and faith of the civilians living in these tomorrow worlds. The science fiction TV anthology series is back, thanks to the huge success of Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror. With the tech-heavy bleakness of Season 4 still fresh in audience's minds, Amazon and Channel 4 have thrown their own hat into the ring with Electric Dreams. As one would expect, the program has drummed up comparisons to Netflix's sci-fi hit. The 10-episode first season--co-created by Battlestar Galactica's Ronald D. Moore and Justfied's Michael Dinner--may tackle similar subject matter, but it mostly does so through an optimistic lens. The series regularly taps into story elements that have appeared in Dick's more iconic, recognizable work. But bringing an anthology series to life--giving each episode a self-contained narrative and fully developed characters--isn't the easiest of tasks. In short, the first season of Electric Dreams is a bit of a mixed bag. For every awe-inspiring episode, there's one that doesn't fire on all cylinders. From worst to best, here's our ranking of Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams Season 1.
10. Episode 7: The Father Thing
What begins as a story of a father (Greg Kinnear) trying to maintain a bond with his son Jake (Jack Gore) in the face of divorce quickly devolves into a hokey alien invasion story. And while there are elements in the tale that could qualify this genre tale as a success, things end up falling apart rather quickly. Since Dick's original story was published back in 1954, audiences have seen this concept explored in films like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. In The Father Thing, viewers aren't given anything new to chew on. While it seems the bigger story is meant to be about a childhood darkened by a fracturing family, the focus itself becomes fractured, leaving us yearning for more developed societal satire.
9. Episode 4: Crazy Diamond
Mortality, infertility, and dystopian population control in the form of propaganda-like advertising are on full display in Crazy Diamond. As packed as it is confusing, the Steve Buscemi/Sidse Babbett-Knudsen-starring story is the one episode this season that takes the original subject matter--Philip K. Dick's short story "Sales Pitch"--and alters things beyond recognition. Death is the biggest factor in the episode, manifesting in everything from the quickly decaying food to Ed's (Buscemi) own dreams of a more fantastical life to synthetic Jill's (Babbett-Knudsen) failing architecture. Ed's humdrum life ends up getting flipped upside down as he works to save Jill, partaking in a bizarre (and violent) consciousness heist. As a whole, the episode feels like it's striving to convey too many big messages. The performances from its leads are the one saving grace.
8. Episode 6: Safe & Sound
Class warfare is a powerful story element that is common in Philip K. Dick's collected writings. That said, the exploration of this, along with the issues of race and terrorism in the Safe & Sound story ultimately fails to deliver. Here, we follow 15-year-old Foster (Annalise Basso), a white Midwestern girl who moves from her terrorist-labeled bubble city to a big urban sprawl in search of a better life. But coming from a "Bubble" means she's treated differently as the government's emphasis on terror prevention and security puts her--and people like her--firmly in the perceived-terrorist category. Ultimately, Foster finds solace in the voice of a "tech support employee"--who ends up pushing her to a destructive end that only helps to feed the government propaganda machine. While the episode's classist message is there, the issues explored get a bit watered down in the process. It's interesting to watch a white girl get ousted from this future society as a threat, but her Midwestern-y nature undermines the subject matter--which continues to be relevant to this day, no matter how much progress our own society has endured.
7. Episode 2: Autofac
In this dystopian tale, society has all but collapsed, except for Autofac--an automated manufacturing plant that continues to churn out products for human consumption. A small outpost of survivors live off these items, while trading their basic human freedoms to sustain themselves. An inevitable retaliation is sparked when an A.I. named Alice (Janelle Monae) is sent to assist the group. And soon, an attack against the megacorporation is put in motion. The pacing is a bit off in Autofac, but the effort is definitely there. There's something intriguing about a machine forced to follow its coding, filling its purpose of consumerism after the population dies around it. But the episode's big narrative twist comes a bit too late, leaving everything feeling a bit fleeting.
6. Episode 8: Impossible Planet
When an extremely old woman named Irma (Geraldine Chaplin) offers an insane amount of money to Norton (Jack Reynor) and Andrew (Benedict Wong)--two jaded workers employed by space tour company Astral Dreams--their perception of what's real and what's fabricated becomes a blur. With her robot assistant in tow, Irma hires the men to take her to Earth so she can see the place she's only dreamed of, thanks to her Grandmother's stories. There's one catch, though: Earth was destroyed 600 years ago. While Andrew is quick to con the woman by taking her to a completely different planet, Norton's compassion towards her finds the ship taking a dangerous detour. In the process, an emotional connection grows between the old woman and young man. He dreams of a bigger purpose and in her old age, Irma yearns to connect with a paradise she only knows as "Carolina." It's that common longing that bonds them together as they find a shared happiness amid the desolate landscape of a dead planet long since forgotten.
5. Episode 3: Human Is
The slow-burn nature of the Francesca Gregorini-directed and Jessica Mecklenburg-written Human Is could have been the episode's downfall, but with the help of strong performances by Bryan Cranston and Essie Davis, the story excels. To fix the life-threatening issue of depleted resources, Silas (Cranston) leaves Vera (Davis) to lead a military mission to enemy planet, Rexor IV. After a brutal attack, Silas returns to his wife and crew. But something's different. From cold-hearted and abusive to warm and loving, Vera's newfound affection brings a welcome connection back to her marriage. The plot twist may be a bit obvious, but watching the couple's redemption arc makes the episode a satisfying experience.
4. Episode 5: The Hood Maker
In the future, the world's population finds itself in a classist separation between "Teeps" and "Normals"--humans born with telepathic abilities, and everyone else. Enter the shadow-government agency known simply as "The State": They're mission is to regulate the lives of these evolved humans, while also exploiting their abilities to keep the rest of the population in check. Clearance Agent Ross (Richard Madden) is paired with a young telepath by the name of Honor (Holliday Grainger) and it's not long before they're faced with a new threat: An unknown figure known as "The Hood Maker" has been designing masks capable of blocking any telepath's intrusive abilities. One part crime thriller and one part love story, The Hood Maker tells the tale of a future population buckling under the weight of a surveillance program that is out to protect its people, while the combination of fear and the abuse of power leads to an inevitable revolt. What happens when freedom of thought is a crime? And you thought repealing net neutrality was dangerous.
3. Episode 1: Real Life
The Ronald D. Moore-written Real Life is an episode that takes on a common Philip K. Dick trope: a conflict of perceived realities. Anna Paquin and Terrence Howard play Sara and George, two sides of the same proverbial coin. As quickly as the audience becomes invested in Paquin's lesbian supercop character, things get complicated when she uses a virtual reality program to "take a vacation." As soon as she's logged into this gaming experience, she becomes George, a tech mogul reeling from the recent death of his wife. As you may expect, the line between each reality begins to blur until the characters on-screen, as well as the viewers watching, become unable to tell which life is the truth and which is fiction. Sure, this theme is explored in Total Recall--which was inspired by Dick's novel, "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale"--but there are a handful of story elements in Real Life that make the episode stand out. The strongest is Howard's portrayal of George, a character we've rarely (if ever) seen the actor play. The dynamic between his emotional sensitivity and Sara's tough-as-nails exterior offers a nice role reversal to the mix. It's not the best episode of the season, but it definitely is one of the standouts.
2. Episode 9: The Commuter
In The Commuter, Timothy Spall (Wormtail from Harry Potter) plays Ed, a down-on-his-luck train station worker who is faced with a challenging home life. His son (Anthony Boyle) is driven to violent fits that point to a dark, emotional problem too difficult for Ed to deal with. Every day is exactly the same for the man until he meets a mystery woman (Tuppence Middleton) who is traveling to a station that doesn't exist. Something drives Ed to seek out answers to this growing mystery and, in the process, finds himself in the middle of Macon Heights--a picturesque town that isn't supposed to be there. As the episode unfolds, Ed is not only faced with the wants of his own subconscious--every visit to Macon Heights alters the reality of his own home life--it's also an exploration of our own internalized dreams of a better, more idyllic life made real. Like George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life, Ed comes to the realization that certain internalized wishes are better left unlived.
1. Episode 10: Kill All Others
Written and directed by Dee Rees (Mudbound), Kill All Others is the most timely and horrifying tale of the bunch. Adapted from Dick's "The Hanging Stranger," the episode follows a menial factory worker named Philbert (Mel Rodriguez) as he begins to suspect the sole candidate for presidency of Mega-Nation MexUsCan (Vera Farmiga) of some sinister separatist motives. When she nonchalantly calls on the population to "kill all others," Philbert's anxiety takes him on an unfortunate downward spiral. What is an "other"? The episode never really explains, but it doesn't have to. The reality MexUsCan's citizens are living is the epitome of everything George Orwell warned of in 1984. After a dead body is found hanging from a billboard that advertises the "Kill All Others" message, Philbert's alienation drives him to extremes. Instead of getting support from his wife or co-workers, though, he becomes the latest tool in the candidate's murderous propaganda--cementing her seat of power, while keeping the Mega-Nation's citizens complacent amid a bigger evil they can't (or won't) see.
By Paul Lilly on Jan 23, 2018 01:30 am
The anti-malware guide
It was around this time a year ago that we posted several tips for removing viruses, along with preventative measures for avoiding future infections. All of that still applies, but what happens when you have a particularly nasty malware infection that manages to evade your best efforts to eradicate it from your PC?That's when you need to kick your efforts up a notch. If things get really bad, the only recourse is a full-blown reinstallation of Windows, but that should be reserved for a last ditch effort. Before you consider the nuclear option, try these next-level tactics we put together to remove even the most stubborn malware.
Restoring Order
Depending on the type of infection, you might get away with restoring your system to a previous state. A stubborn malware infection is not necessarily sophisticated, and if that's what ails your PC, reverting back to a previous restore point (if one exists) can take your system back in time before things went south. In Windows 10, navigate to Control Panel > System and Security > System Protection and click the System Restore button. You will see a list of any restore points that exist, and if you click on one, there will be an option to scan for affected programs before going through with a restore. In Windows 7, click on Start > All Programs > Accessories > Systems Tools, then click the System Restore program icon.
Shock and Awe
If you're at your wits end trying to remove malware, then it's a safe assumption you already tried scanning your PC with an antivirus program, whether it is the one that Microsoft provides (Windows Defender) or a third-party solution such as Kaspersky. If not, start there, then move on to Malwarebytes, which often picks up malicious files that manage to evade traditional anti-virus programs. At this point, you've either eradicated your system of malware, or are ready to pound your keyboard in frustration. Don't do that. Microsoft offers a lightweight application called Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) that targets prevalent malware families and is frequently updated. Give that a go, and if you need more firepower, there are several free third-party programs you can (and should) try, including SuperAntiSpyware, SpyBot Search & Destroy, Zemana Antimalware, Norton Power Eraser, and Hitman Pro (free 30-day trial).
Portable Protection
Some of the more sophisticated malware infections are programmed to recognize certain third-party applications and either evade them or prevent them from properly installing. One way to get around that is by using a portable anti-malware program that can be used without installation. Even if you don't have an infection, these are handy to have on a USB flash drive in case a family or friend needs your assistance. There are several options, and it is a good idea to carry around more than one. Ones that we recommend include Emsisoft Emergency Kit, ClamWin Portable, Vipre Rescue, Dr. Web CureIt!, and Trend Micro House Call.
Outwit the Enemy
Malware writers play dirty, but so can you. If you've run into a malware infection that prevents your anti-virus program or anti-malware application from loading, you can try changing the program's filename and extension. In fact, the portable version of SuperAntiSpyware already does this by providing a unique filename each time you download the file. That makes it a bit more difficult for malware to sniff out a program. For other programs, you can take matters into your own hands by navigating to the directory where it's installed and renaming the executable that loads it. For example, the default location for Malwarebytes in Windows 10 is C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes\Anti-Malware\mbam.exe. Change the name of mbam.exe to something different, then try to load the program by double-clicking. You can also try changing the file extension from .exe to .com, which in many cases will not break functionality. To do that, you first have to be able to see the file extension. In Windows 10, open up any folder in Explorer and click the View tab. Go to Options > Change folder and search options, click the View tab, and uncheck the 'Hide extensions for known file types' checkbox. Once you've done that, you can rename mbam.exe to mbam.com and still load the program by double-clicking it.
That's a Funny Name
Some malware is considerably easier to remove once you've stopped it from running. To do this, type 'Task Manager' in the Start menu, and then expand the view by clicking on 'More details.' You will see a list of running programs and background processes. Scroll through these and look for any malware programs that might be clearly labeled, which can be the case if you know exactly what type of infection has found its way onto your system. Also be on the lookout for weirdly named programs consisting of a random string of characters. If in doubt, Google the program to make sure it's not something that is supposed to be running, and if not, right-click and select 'End Task.' Do the same thing in the Startup tab. Once the offending program has stopped running, it can be easier to remove using our other tips.
Roll Out RKill
Not all malware programs hide in plain site. If you're having trouble terminating a malicious program from running in the background, download and run RKill. This handy program was developed by BleepingComputer, a large support community run by volunteers, and a great resource for protecting against and removing malware. RKill is a portable application that doesn't need to be installed. What it does is terminate known malware processes that are running so you can resume trying to remove an infection. It doesn't delete any files, so it's safe to run. That also means you shouldn't reboot your system after running RKill, as any malware processes it managed to kill will just load back up.
Play It Safe
When all your efforts seem to be in vain because a malware infection is always two steps ahead, boot into Safe Mode. When you enter Safe Mode, Windows loads only the bare essentials. This limits the overall functionality of Windows, but it also means that malicious programs will not have a chance to load, putting you in a better position to clean up your system. There are different ways of booting into Safe Mode. In Windows 10, go the Start menu and click on the power button. While holding down the Shift key, press Restart. When Windows 10 reboots, it will prompt you to select from a list of options. Choose Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart. In the menu that comes up, press the "4" key to choose the Enable Safe Mode option. An easier way to get there is to type System Configuration in the Start menu. In the Window that pops up, go the Boot tab and check the Safe boot box. Once you've booted into Safe Mode, you should be able to run an anti-malware program without any resistance.
Boot From a Live CD
Booting to an infected drive, even in Safe Mode, may seem like walking into the middle of a fire with a pail of water. Why not fight the inferno from afar, using a hose? That is sort of the idea behind a bootable rescue CD, otherwise known as a Live CD. Using a rescue CD, you can boot into an environment that is detached from your infected drive, and run a series of diagnostics and tools to pinpoint and eradicate malware. There are many different options out there, such as Ultimate Boot CD and SystemRescueCD. Some antivirus vendors offer their own rescue CD images as well, including Bitdefender and AVG. These are all viable options, and free to boot, though one we recommend giving a spin is the All-in-One System Rescue Toolkit (also free). This is one of the newer rescue CDs put together by Paul Bryan Vreeland, a field technician who set out to build a streamlined option with both a bootable repair environment and a handful of Windows utilities in the same package. It's free to download (he accepts donations) and it works with several versions of Windows, Linux, and even newer versions of Mac OS.
Time to Reset
If you have gotten to this point and still have not been successful in removing malware, there is one last thing you can try before going nuclear, but only if you're running Windows 10. One of things Microsoft added to Windows 10 is a Reset option that lets you keep your personal files while reinstalling Windows. It's a mini-nuke option, in that it removes your programs and settings, but keeps your documents and other items that you might not have backed up (and really, you should back them up anyway). To go this route, go to Windows Settings > Update & Security and select Recovery from the left-hand side. You can also type Reset my PC in the Start menu. Under the Reset this PC heading, click the Get started button and select the option that lets you keep your files. Follow the prompts and Windows will take care of the rest.
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