Woody and Buzz aren't the only famous movie dolls returning to the big screen this summer. The long-awaited Pixar sequel Toy Story 4 hits theaters on June 21, and it will be joined that day by the horror reboot Child's Play, featuring iconic killer doll Chucky. A new Child's Play poster has now been released to mark the movies' shared release date.
The poster shows Chucky as he walks away from another scene of slaughter. Unfortunately his victim seems to be poor Woody, the cowboy star of the Toy Story movies. Check it out below, as tweeted by IMDB:
Child's Play stars Aubrey Plaza (Legion), Brian Tyree Henry (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), and Gabriel Bateman (Light's Out), plus Mark Hamill as the voice of Chucky. It's directed by Lars Klevberg, who has also helmed the upcoming horror movie Polaroid. The second trailer for Child's Play was recently released, and you can also check out our ranking of every movie in the Child's Play series.
In a recent interview with Nightmarish Conjurings, Klevberg talked about the new movie's twist--Chucky can now control electronic devices. "I think that every good horror movie connects to its generation," he said. "Right now, we all trust devices like Alexa to control all the electronics in our homes and to help organize our life. But what if that device took on a human form and could walk around? Then it would be something completely different and our film is just taking that concept to another level."
Confusingly for fans, there's also an unconnected Child's Play TV show being developed for SyFy, simply titled Chucky. It's produced by series creator Don Mancini, and follows on from the 2017 movie The Cult of Chucky.
Origin Forme Giratina may no longer be available in Pokemon Go, but some new Legendaries have taken its place in the hit mobile game. The Lake trio from Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum--Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie--have begun appearing around the world--and this time, you won't need to battle them in Raids.
Unlike most of the other Legendaries to appear in Pokemon Go, Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie aren't available as Raid bosses; rather, the Legendaries are spawning in the wild like typical Pokemon. However, as befits their status, the Pokemon are quite rare, so the odds of running into one are fairly low.
Moreover, it appears that each Pokemon is currently only available in a specific part of the world. According to Serebii, it seems Azelf is only appearing in America; Mesprit is available in Europe; and Uxie is currently spawning in Japan. Just as in the mainline games, the Legendaries are also reportedly appearing near bodies of water.
It's unclear how long the new Pokemon will appear in Go, but Legendaries typically hang around for approximately a month before Niantic cycles them out for new Pokemon. With the reports that each one is only available in a certain area, it seems likely that the Legendaries will swap regions before they leave the game entirely.
Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie aren't the only Legendaries currently available in Pokemon Go. Groudon has also returned to the game for a limited-time as one of the game's Earth Day bonuses. On top of that, Ground-type Pokemon are spawning more frequently than normal, and Shiny Diglett is appearing for the first time. However, these Earth Day bonuses will only be live until May 2.
Shiny Meltan is also appearing once again Pokemon Go until May 5; be sure to check out our guide on how to catch one while it's still available. Meanwhile, Pokemon Go's next Community Day is scheduled for Sunday, May 19. The featured Pokemon this month will be Torchic, the Fire-type starter from Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire.
Following a leak or two, Valve has now formally debuted its virtual reality hardware solution, named Valve Index. The official site promises high-fidelity VR with superior comfort and control. Pre-orders begin on May 1, and pricing has been announced for the full set along with the a la carte pieces of it.
The centerpiece of the VR kit is the headset, which boasts two 1440x1600 RGB LCDs, promising more pixels and less screen door effect than OLED displays. It also runs at 120Hz (with optional 90Hz and 144Hz modes) for higher framerates. Valve promises a greater field-of-view than other devices, and the headset itself sports two off-ear near-field speakers to balance comfort and sound quality. It also has an adjustable head band for head size, ear placement, and angle, and swappable face pads for sharing the kit. Finally, the headset has room for expansion and mods with cameras and a front expansion slot.
A pair of custom-built controllers strap onto your hand and respond to natural movements like throwing or dropping held objects. Valve boasts that each controller has 87 sensors to help determine your movements and intent. The grip input helps determine how you're holding objects and finger tracking, and the controllers sport a full range of standard buttons along with a track button. A pair of base stations have a 160º x 115º field-of-view range, and are expandable to up to four stations.
The full Valve Index set costs $1,000, while the headset and controllers alone are $750. The headset is the most expensive single part at $500, and a pair of controllers are $280 by themselves. A single base station costs $150. Each of these are planned to ship by June 28, 2019.
This gives PC users another option for their VR support, as the race for headset dominance continues with other companies like Facebook and HTC having gained a following with their own devices. Consoles are looking to support VR as well, and Sony has hinted that its next console will continue to support PSVR.
The eighth and final season of HBO's Game of Thrones was one of the most anticipated TV events of recent years, and last weekend, Episode 3 finally delivered the Battle of Winterfell. Fans have waited a long time for this epic confrontation, and as a result, the episode has smashed viewing records.
HBO states that the episode, titled "The Long Night," delivered 17.8 million viewers, making it the most-watched episode in the show's history. This figure includes replays and streaming; in terms of on-air viewing, the episode drew an audience of 12 million across two airings on Sunday night. The previous record was held by Episode 1 of Season 8, which was watched by a total of 17.4 million viewers earlier this month. "The Long Night" was also the longest Game of Thrones episode ever, clocking in at 82 minutes.
While these figures make Season 8 the most popular to date, the show has been a ratings hit from the very start. The show is HBO's most popular series of all time and the most watched scripted show on TV. There are three episodes remaining in Season 8--Season 4 airs next Sunday, while with the final one hits on May 19.
Despite the huge viewings figures, "The Long Night" received a mixed response from some critics and viewers. In his review, GameSpot's Michael Rougeau argued that the episode "subverted all our expectations in the worst ways possible. We expected some real, impactful main character deaths in this episode, and it turned out the stakes weren't nearly as high as we thought. We expected some payoff for things Game of Thrones has spent seven seasons setting up, and the reality is much of it was simply pointless."
Although Game of Thrones is nearing the end, there is a prequel spin-off on the way. X-Men: First Class' Jane Goldman will serve as showrunner and has developed the story with George RR Martin, who wrote the original novels. Earlier this year it was reported that the show will start filming early this summer. However, another potential spin-off, from Game of Thrones writer Bryan Cogman, is no longer happening.
As those living in Japan enjoy the annual week-long vacation period known as Golden Week, those of us living in other parts of the world are enjoying some perks of our own in the form of game deals across several digital stores. The PlayStation Store and Steam have both launched Golden Week sales recently, and now Nintendo is getting in on the fun with a publisher sale from Nippon Ichi Software, the developers behind games like Disgaea and Phantom Brave. It's a small sale, with only 18 games, but there are some decent deals here worth checking out.
Disgaea 1 Complete and Disgaea 5 Complete are marked down--the classic strategy RPGs are currently selling for $40 and $30, respectively. Disgaea 1 Complete has been remastered to match the quality of Disgaea 5 for the Nintendo Switch, with improved sprites, character portraits, and backgrounds, as well as a new playable character and a few other UI tweaks. Disgaea 5 Complete comes with all DLC content, including eight bonus scenarios and more characters and classes.
You can grab Yomawari: The Long Night Collection for just $30 on Switch; the bundle includes both Yomawari: Night Alone and Yomawari: Midnight Shadows. Each game has a unique story, but in both you'll play as young girls making their way through a bizarre, spooky rural Japanese town at night. Another solid deal: The Longest Five Minutes, a game about a hero who loses his memories in the last five minutes of a final boss fight, which is available for 50% off ($20).
Nintendo's Golden Week Sale is running through May 7 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET / 3 PM GMT (1 AM AET on May 8), so you have about a week to claim these deals. According to an NIS America blog post, the sale is available in the US, Europe, and Australia Eshops (prices may vary).
Gearbox is soon giving fans another look at its upcoming loot shooter, Borderlands 3. The developer is livestreaming a "worldwide gameplay reveal" tomorrow, May 1, starting at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET, which will showcase "the first hands-on gameplay of Borderlands 3."
Gearbox hasn't shared many details about what the stream will entail, only that fans will be able to potentially earn some in-game loot by watching Twitch streamers play the game via a new Echocast extension. The stream will be broadcast on the Borderlands website and Twitch channel. You'll also be able to tune in right here on GameSpot and watch the stream above.
Borderlands 3 Gameplay Reveal Stream Start Times
10 AM PT
1 PM ET
6 PM BST
Borderlands 3 had long been rumored, but Gearbox officially announced the title last month in a rather...memorable livestream presentation during PAX East 2019. A few days later, the developer shared another trailer for the game. This one introduced its cast--including its four new playable Vault Hunters--and confirmed its released date: September 13, 2019.
The latest Borderlands 3 trailer also gave us our first look at the game's antagonists, the Calypso twins, and confirmed a handful of returning characters. You can read more about the upcoming game in our roundup of what we know about Borderlands 3.
While Avengers: Endgame hasn't even been in theaters for a full week, many people are speculating about the future of the MCU. In fact, GameSpot already has a few villains we think the Marvel heroes should fight next. But did the end of Endgame actually drop hints at what's coming next? Get ready for some speculation.
This is your final warning for spoilers.
According to Reddit, there is a huge reveal in the background during the final moments of Endgame. In the scene where we see Ned Leeds and Peter Parker reunited at a high school, there is a school administrator greeting the students, high fiving them. According to the poster, the actor playing that role is Ben Mendelsohn. In Captain Marvel, he played the Skrull Talos, disguised as SHIELD's high-ranking member Keller. Could this be Keller or Talos disguised as Keller?
In the comics, Skrulls disguised themselves as humans and launched an all-out attack in the story Secret Invasion. The Skrulls even had sleeper agents, aliens disguised as humans the didn't know they were invaders. Could this quick shot be a hint at what's coming? It's hard to make out if the man in the shot is Mendelsohn, as it's obviously been taken from someone's phone in a movie theater, but that's not the only possible hint at what's coming.
In what seems like a throwaway line early on in Endgame, Okoye is talking to Black Widow via holograms, and Okoye mentions there was an earthquake under the ocean. At first, we all thought this was nothing, but GameSpot's Meg Downey reminded us that Wakanda has had a long-time feud with Atlantis and its leader, Namor. Could this line of dialogue be a clue as to what's coming next? Could the next Black Panther or Avengers movie be a battle against Atlantis?
At this point, we know a little about what's happening with Phase 4 of the MCU, but there haven't been many official announcements about what's coming next. Spider-Man: Far From Home hits theaters on July 2, but it will actually close out Phase 3.
Kart racing games are back, baby. By the time Team Sonic Racing launches on May 21, it will have been almost seven years since the last game in the series, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, graced our consoles. In that time, only one kart racing franchise of note has stuck around: Mario Kart.
Compare that with the glory days of the early 2000s and you can see the contrast: Looney Toons Racing, Toy Story Racer, Digimon Racing… I could go on, but you get the point. Around this time, every major franchise had a kart racing spinoff, and while these attempts persisted half-heartedly into the early 2010s--ModNation Racers and LittleBigPlanet Karting, we hardly knew ye--the genre has all but died off save for Nintendo's frontrunner, which continues to dominate. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best-selling game on Nintendo Switch with nearly 17 million copies shifted. Mario Kart 8 was also the best-selling game on Wii U with 8.5 million units sold.
That's all well and good, but it's a five-year-old game, and there's only so many times I can go round Mario Kart Stadium (and only so many times I can bear getting hit by a blue shell). I need some new challengers.
Luckily, Sumo Digital and Beenox are entering the fray with their own respective kart racers: Team Sonic Racing and Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled. They're each their own experiences, of course, but it's encouraging seeing more developers and publishers greenlight these kinds of projects. As Mario Kart's success shows, there's a huge audience for kart racing games out there.
Derek Littlewood, studio design director at Sumo, agrees. "I don't think the market for great karting games has ever gone away," he tells me. "I think part of the success we had with a game like [Sonic & All Stars Racing] Transformed was … because it was a cracking game, but it was also because those people were there, and they wanted that game. And they didn't have Nintendo systems and they weren't playing Mario Kart. [Transformed] did really well on Nintendo systems as well, which just says even those people who are playing Mario Kart are still saying, 'I want more of this.'"
Still, it's strange--though pleasing--to see two big names in the genre returning so close to one another: Crash Team Racing's remaster will launch just exactly a month after Sonic's new car-focused adventure. That's before you get to Mario Kart Tour, Nintendo's first mobile kart racer, which is also scheduled to launch this summer.
Of course, each game offers different flavours, and Team Sonic Racing's distinguishing features offer a surprising amount of depth. The game is centered around team play--even if you play alone, you're put into a team with two other Sonic heroes. Each team member contributes to a shared ultimate meter, which when filled can be activated to accelerate your team and sharpen up their handling. You fill the ult meter by performing team-oriented actions, such as helping them up when they spin out--passing close to them will get them back in the race more quickly--or slipstreaming behind teammates to gain a small boost.
This focus, Sumo says, was decided by Sonic Team head Takashi IIzuka, who wanted a game he could play with his kids where they could all contribute to a shared success. Littlewood, however, says Team Sonic Racing isn't just family-friendly fodder: "I think the unique thing that the team play allows us to do is make the game more accessible for less skilled players, because you can play with someone who is better than you at the game, and they can help you be better at it, rather than you always competing with each other. But at the same time, we've added a lot of depth to the different team actions and team play in general that allow high-level players to get more out of it."
Sumo clearly believes this is enough to set Team Sonic Racing apart from its competition. The inclusion of such iconic characters also helps, of course, but there's no doubting TSR's team play and kart customization, which allows you to tweak the stats of each character to make them quicker or easier to handle, for example, provide a decent amount of depth. The different classes--speed, technique, power--and their respective strengths of speed, handling, and offroading, do the same.
Tracks are a joy to race around, too, with some beautifully diverse styles and different optimal routes depending on which class you opt for. Sonic, for example, is best staying on smoother roads and racing in straight lines wherever possible. Tails, as a technique character, can slalom around obstacles, but Knuckles is best equipped to power straight through them.
However, at the preview stage at least, Sonic Team Racing lacks the shine of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Power-ups don't feel quite as fun to play with, and handling is currently less satisfying thanks to a somewhat loose-feeling drift. There is a story mode--which is the justification for excluding non-Sonic characters after Transformed--but is a text-based narrative much of an attraction for players, or would they rather skip it and get back to the racing?
I'm skeptical the game can unseat Mario Kart as the reigning champion of the kart racing genre, but perhaps overtaking Nintendo isn't the point. "For people who are fans of that kind of game, they each offer something different," says Littlewood. "The moment-to-moment gameplay of our game is different enough from Crash or Mario Kart that we don't really think about it in terms of competition. In my mind they have completely different pace and feel. We're happy there's more for fans to play."
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, like Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing before it, contained a number of characters from outside the Sonic universe. Wreck-It Ralph, Football Manager Man, and others all battled for racing supremacy with the titular blue hedgehog and his friends, but the next game in the series, Team Sonic Racing, eschews these supplementary characters.
"The reason we [dropped non-Sonic universe characters]," explains Sumo Digital's studio design director, Derek Littlewood, "was so we could dive into the Sonic universe in more depth, and tell a canon Sonic universe story, with our team adventure mode. That was very important for us.
"It was a difficult decision for us, but we feel like that was the right direction to go in. Because it's allowed us to create a very new kind of unique experience for Team Sonic Racing that I think people won't have had with the previous titles."
The move has other advantages, too. Ben Wilson, designer on Team Sonic Racing, says it has made team interaction more viable: "Because this game's set in a universe with characters who have relationships already, it's let us do a dialog system where they're on track and they're yelling at each other, and they have familiarity with each other and make references to history, which we wouldn't have been able to have done really [had other franchises' characters been present]. Or at least, not in as smooth a way. So it's let us do some additional stuff as well."
Later in the interview, Littlewood says many members of the Sumo team are "old-school Sega fans [who] are really keen to continue doing the All-Stars aspect of the game." When pressed by GameSpot on whether there's more All-Stars content in the pipeline, Littlewood was coy: "There's nothing we have to announce, or even anything that is currently on the cards. But it's something that we would love to be able to go back to."
May is almost upon us and Microsoft has announced a new slate of Xbox Game Pass titles joining the subscription line-up over the course of the month. As usual this initial burst of announcements covers the first half of May, with more announcements likely to come later and fill out the remaining days.
First, on May 2, Game Pass subscribers will get access to Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus. The first-person shooter inserts you deep into Nazi-occupied America with a cast of colorful characters at your side. That same day the service will also add Wargroove, the retro turn-based strategy game reminiscent of Advance Wars.
On May 9, the service will add the resource management sim Surviving Mars and Tacoma, the sci-fi narrative adventure game from the makers of Gone Home, along with the MMORPG Black Desert. The strategy RPG For the King is being added as well, and while it officially launches on May 10, Game Pass subscribers get it three days early on May 7. As detailed in a separate announcement, the rogue-like Descenders will also leave early access and launch on Game Pass (and Steam) on May 7 as well.
Finally, on May 16, Game Pass will add tough sci-fi Souls-like The Surge along with the notably more family-friendly Lego Batman 3.
This month will also get a little bonus benefit outside of the slate of included games. Rocket League, which is already included in Game Pass, is launching an Xbox Customization Pack with in mid-July. Game Pass members get the pack early, and free.
Xbox Game Pass is an all-you-can-eat subscription service for $10 / £7.99 / AUD $10.95 per month, offering full game downloads. This is separate from Xbox Live Gold, which just outlined its own free games for the month of May. The two also recently got an "Ultimate" bundle that packages them together. If you haven't tried out Game Pass yet, you can sample it for cheap for a limited time. The offer gives you 3 months for just one buck.
Despite how surreal the idea of a live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie may seem, it is in fact happening and inevitable. If the numerous cast confirmations haven't been enough to convince you that we will soon live in a world where a wide-eyed blue hedgehog that runs fast will inhabit the same space as real human beings, the newly released trailer certainly will.
The trailer, which you can watch above, gives us a nice overview of the story. As you might expect, it's a familiar tale of Sonic going up against Robotnik, who is up to no good in San Francisco. This time, though, the bad doctor appears to be affiliated with the military G-men investigating what's up with the blue hedgehog. He's also surprisingly sassy for an evil doctor, and the end of the trailer teases a more familiar look for him.
Although Sonic will be brought to life via CGI, the beloved character is being voiced in the movie by Ben Schwartz, who is a seasoned voice actor having appeared as Dewey Duck in the new Duck Tales Show and Rutabaga Rabitowitz in Bojack Horseman.
Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik, meanwhile, is being played by Jim Carrey. In the games, he's portrayed as a mad scientist, an archetype that Carrey has played numerous times across his illustrious career. In an interview, Carrey said that that the Sonic movie will appeal to families, but will also have an edge to it. "I made sure that there are some winks and nods, and edgy things that are still acceptable to both age groups," he explained.
James Marsden, who is known for his recent work in HBO's Westworld, will also be in the film as a state trooper who catches onto Sonic's super speed. The new trailer shows him forming a buddy relationship with the speedster and getting into hijinks.
The Sonic movie is being directed by Jeff Fowler (Gopher Broke), with Deadpooldirector Tim Miller producing. It is set for release on November 19, 2019; it was originally expected to premiere in 2018 before being delayed.
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who recently won an Oscar for Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse, have signed a new deal with Sony that's reportedly worth $100 million or more.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lord and Miller will work on a lot of new and different projects as part of the nine-figure overall deal. This includes creating and producing new comedy and drama projects of their own and supervising others. They will also work on a number of TV shows based on Sony's Marvel characters, including Spider-Man and related villains, as well as Venom, Morbius, Black Cat, and Silver Sable. All of the characters from Into the Spider-Verse may also get their own spinoffs that Lord and Miller may work on.
"This is a significant milestone for our television business, having the opportunity to work with two of the most creative forces in the industry in both our film and television businesses," Sony Pictures Television chairman Mike Hopkins said in a statement. "Building on our strong IP and creating new franchises has been a key focus for SPE, and the best way to do that is to invest in remarkable storytellers like Phil and Chris."
Lord and Miller already had an extensive working relationship with Sony, as the pair directed Sony's Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street, and The Lego Movie, before producing Into the Spider-Verse.
Outside of Sony, Lord and Miller were announced as the directors of the Star Wars spinoff Solo, but Lucasfilm fired them and brought in Ron Howard.
"Together we aim to make groundbreaking work of the highest quality and integrity, and to place that work in convenient proximity to your eyeballs and earholes, wherever you may be," Lord and Miller said in their own statement.
Avengers: Endgame is finally in theatres, and it brings about an end to storylines and narrative arcs that started a decade ago.
One major storyline has been the Infinity Gauntlet narrative that's been the driving force of the interconnected stories thus far with the evil Thanos . Jim Starlin, who created Thanos (and Gamora and Drax) and also wrote the Infinity Gauntlet comic, has now shared his thoughts on Avengers: Endgame and Thanos's fate.
SPOILERS FOR AVENGERS ENDGAME FOLLOW BELOW
Speaking to IGN, Starlin said he was "amazed" and "flabbergasted" by the events of Endgame. "The up and downs that you have on it. There's some really heartbreaking moments mixed in with a lot of really funny little instances here and there," he explained.
Thanos is killed twice in Endgame; once by Thor, who lops his head off, and a second time--for good--when Tony Stark wields the Gauntlet and snaps Thanos out of existence. Starlin remarked that he was particularly impressed by the way actor Josh Brolin performed Thanos's final moments, when he accepted his fate and sat silently, awaiting his doom.
"His final moments in the movie I think are just priceless," Starlin said. "His demeanor once he realizes what's happening, I think that's just one of those little moments in film that everyone is gonna remember. It's like acceptance and taking it like a man, you know? I thought that was perfectly played."
Also in the interview, Starlin said the character Gamora in the Marvel movies is above all the closest representation of what he created in the comics.
Actor Chris Pratt has shared an "illegal" video from the set of Avengers: Endgame, and it's quite a treat. The behind-the-scenes video, which contains what could be considered spoilery material, showcases a moment on set when the Avengers assembled.
In the single video we can see Chris Hemsworth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Rudd, Mark Ruffalo, Don Cheadle, Dave Bautista, Jeremy Renner, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr., and Chris Evans, among other huge names. It appears that Pratt shot the video secretly--sort of. As you'll see, Chris Evans catches him in the act and jokes that Pratt is going to get in trouble for filming what Pratt called a "really illegal video." The video has since gone viral, racking up more than 14.6 million views.
A post shared by chris pratt (@prattprattpratt) on
Pratt's caption reads: "I remember being blown away in this moment on the Avengers set. Nobody was allowed to film anything on their phones. I said screw it. No rule was going to stop me from seizing this once in a lifetime opportunity to capture this collection of stars, a groupthat likely will never be in the same room again. We are so blessed."
Epic's popular free-to-play battle royale game Fortnite has added another Marvel skin. Joining the Black Widow skin is the new Star-Lord Outfit based on Chris Pratt's appearance as the Guardians of the Galaxy superhero.
The Star-Lord outfit and related Back Bling are sold together in a bundle for 1,500 V-Bucks. There is also the Dance Off emote (500 V-Bucks), the Guardian Axe (500 V-Bucks), and the Milano glider (1,200 V-Bucks) that are also available to buy. Here's a video of the outfit and the dance, while you can see more in the image gallery below.
Time for a dance off, bro.
Get the new Dance Off emote along with Marvel's Star-Lord Outfit. The Guardians of the Galaxy Set is available in the Item Shop now! #FortniteXAvengerspic.twitter.com/veEPdRjnOO
In other Marvel/Fortnite news, Fortnite has a new "Endgame" mode available now where players can side with Thanos and his Chitauri Invaders or the Heroes trying to stop them. There is also a set of Fortnite Endgame challenges to complete, which will unlock more Avengers-inspired cosmetics.
Additionally, Season 8, Week 9's challenges are available now, which means the current season is likely coming to an end soon. If you need any help, we've rounded up tips for the trickier tasks in our complete Season 8 challenges guide.
A new update for Mortal Kombat 11 has arrived, and it's a big one. The new update, which is available now on PS4 (and is coming to Xbox One, Switch, and PC soon), fixes exploits and issues, makes changes to matchmaking, introduces some AI adjustments, and a lot more. You can see the full patch notes posted at the bottom of this story.
In addition to the update, today marks the release of developer NetherRealm's response to the Mortal Kombat 11 microtransaction controversy. The studio maintains that it does not want to artificially push people toward spending money on microtransactions.
And in a "thank you" effort and a measure of good faith, the company is releasing a free in-game currency bundle for all Mortal Kombat 11 players. This bundle--which includes 500,000 Koins, 500 Hearts, 1,000 Souls, and 1,000 Time Crystals. The bundle is coming to PS4 with the new update today, and should arrive on other systems soon.
"There's a diverse roster of interesting characters and playstyles, and the story mode is an entertaining romp," Edmond Tran wrote in GameSpot's Mortal Kombat 11 review-in-progress. "The unfulfilling approaches to the game's dynamic single-player content and progression may feel like they've totally whiffed (at least at this early stage), but Mortal Kombat 11 hits where it matters."
Mortal Kombat 11 Patch Notes:
• Fixed an exploit that allowed for more than one variation of a character to be set as default, which could then result in an online desync when trying to select that character
• Fixed a rare issue that occurred if the user lost internet connectivity while customizing their character, which would sometimes result in that variation being saved with some items being locked
• Fixed a rare issue that was affecting some user progression after using Kenshi's blindfold in the Krypt to fully drain their Soul Fragments
• Move list and frame data corrections
• Integrated launch day gameplay server-side data
• Tweaks to online matchmaking
• AI adjustments
• Fixed a rare crash involving trying to use quick moves list in story mode
• Fixed a rare crash in the Totem Pole tower in The Gauntlet
• Fixed a crash related to pausing and unpausing the game
• Corrected some incorrect instruction text in tutorial mode
• Enabled Dev Slayer functionality
• Kitana's Fans will no longer sometimes remain invisible if she is interrupted out of Edenian Fade with specific timing
• Hotfix server data will no longer sometimes become invalid when the game is booted up online
• Fixed a rare crash involving using a consumable near a chest in The Krypt
• Increased rewards for breakables in The Krypt
• Adjusted rewards from AI Battle mode
• Increased Koin rewards for winning Ranked Matches
Towers of Time Adjustments
• Adjusted AI difficulty curve
• Further opponent health reductions in higher level Towers
• Performing a Fatal Blow while standing in an active modifier will no longer sometimes cause unexpected behavior or a crash
• Ice based modifiers will no longer attempt to freeze players during invalid states
• Adjusted and removed modifiers from many Daily Towers
• Increased Koin Rewards for kompleting Towers and Tower Platforms
• Increased Dragon Challenge Koin rewards
• Increased post fight Koin rewards
• Increased amount of Hearts earned from Fatalities, Brutalities, and Mercies
• Lowered modifier damage for many modifiers
• Adjusted the lifespan of several modifiers
• Dramatically increased cooldowns on Tag Assist modifiers
• Fixed a missing Reduced Damage modifier in The Gauntlet
• Several Gift/Curse Modifiers are now considered projectiles allowing them to interact with moves that effect projectiles as intended
• Adjusted Gauntlet difficulty and progression requirements
• Disabler Konsumables now work with all intended modifiers
• Improved targeting for several Konsumables
• Sektor Hunter Killer Protocol Modifier is now disabled by the Rocket Disabler Konsumable
• Corrected some multipliers on Augments for some characters which were inconsistent with others
• Fixed incorrect Armor interactions with some Modifiers
George R.R. Martin has often cited J.R.R. Tolkien as an inspiration for his own A Song of Ice and Fire series. So it's exciting news that Martin has been announced as the moderator for a discussion and Q&A about the new movie, Tolkien.
Martin will moderate and discussion and Q&A with the movie's stars, including Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, and director Dome Karukoski. The event is taking place on May 8 at the Regency Westwood Village where the film is premiering in Los Angeles.
"Modern fantasy would not exist without J.R.R. Tolkien and Lord of the Rings… and that most definitely includes my own A Song of Ice and Fire," Martin said in a blog post. "Tolkien's work redefined fantasy, and all of us who have followed in his footsteps owe him a profound debt.
"But who was the man behind the Shire, the Hobbits, and the One Ring? Tolkien, the new motion picture about JRRT's early life, aspires to answer that question."
Last week, the Tolkien Estate disavowed the movie Tolkien. The Estate said it was not involved in and does not approve of the new film, which stars Hoult as Tolkien and Collins as Edith Bratt. In response, film company Fox Searchlight said it is proud of the movie, adding that it has the "utmost respect and admiration for Mr. Tolkien and his phenomenal contribution to literature."
The Nintendo Switch Online paid membership program is doing quite well, it seems. Nintendo has confirmed that 9.8 million people have signed up for the paid program since the service launched back in September. This excludes free trial memberships, but it does include family subscriptions.
Nearly 10 million subscribers paying a monthly fee is likely good news for Nintendo's bottom line, as it gives the company yet another way to make money on a regular basis. Software and services are historically the money-makers, so Nintendo investors are likely happy with this strong start for Nintendo Switch Online.
Also in the report, Nintendo called out Tetris 99 as a success story for Switch Online. The game is free, but it requires a Switch Online membership, and so far the game has been played by 2.8 million accounts. The title helped improve overall "engagement" on Nintendo Switch, the company said.
"We plan to implement in-game events to encourage consumers to keep enjoying the game," Nintendo said.
Another pillar of Nintendo Switch Online is the library of NES titles that subscribers get access to. The library grows every month, and Nintendo said this program is being enjoyed by subscribers. Looking ahead, Nintendo said it is looking at ways to make Nintendo Switch Online "more attractive" going forward, but it didn't say how.
One of Avengers: Endgame's most unlikely heroes is a character who has been around since the beginning: Pepper Potts, who's last proper run-in with the front lines of a superhero showdown came in Iron Man 3. Things are a lot different this time around, thankfully, and Pepper is no longer infected with a lethal virus burning her up from the inside out--now she's just got her very own armor, and it's straight from the comics.
Somewhere in the five-year time skip, Tony built Pepper her very own armor as an "anniversary present"--something she apparently rarely uses, according to Tony, but she has it nonetheless. This all happens off screen so we're left to fill in the gaps for ourselves about why a set of armor would be a great gift--did Pepper request it? Did Tony just build it because that's what he does? Honestly, who knows. The point is, Pepper has a suit and somewhere in the last five years she apparently learned how to fly it really, really well.
The armor itself is never given a name in the movie, which is a little unusual given how much Tony likes to name things, but it's a sleek purple get-up that seems to have all the capabilities and features of Tony's more recent suits, including detachable wing-like guns, blasters, and more repulsor weapons than you could shake a stick at. It doesn't appear to be nano-tech, however, but we don't see it long enough or closely enough to really say for certain.
Where does the armor actually come from?
Pepper suiting up is a two-fold pay off. The first part is strictly for fans of the MCU who remember her brush with armoring up back in Iron Man 3 when she was infected with the deadly Extremis treatment which had been designed to help regenerate damaged tissue by the dubiously ethical Advanced Idea Mechanics, or AIM. She never actually--or willingly--suits up in that movie, but much like Steve's tease with Mjolnir back in Age of Ultron, the wink to a possible future was laid out.
The idea is not unique to the MCU incarnation at all, however. Over in the comics, Pepper actually had a relatively long run as an armored hero named Rescue. Rescue's story comes from an era in the comics where Tony Stark was declared a fugitive by Norman Osborn and HAMMER, when he refused to give Osborn the list of superhero identities and code names from the Superhero Registration Act. Osborn hunted Tony down by systematically attacking Stark Industries locations, leaving Pepper frantically trying to escape. Luckily, she found the "Mark 1616" armor Tony had made for her in secret and was able to escape Norman's relentless attack unscathed.
To make sure the Registration Act data never fell into Norman's hands, Tony began erasing his own mind, leaving Pepper to pick up Iron Man duties in his place--but with a twist. Norman had declared all of Tony's various tech illegal weapons of mass destruction, making the traditional Iron Man approach completely untenable. To circumvent this problem, Tony built the Mark 1616 without any weapons--a purely defensive suit--that would effectively loophole all of Norman's legal maneuvering and allow Pepper to operate in public. Hence the name "Rescue."
Pepper eventually gave up the Rescue identity when Tony got back on his feet, but it remains one of her most defining eras in comics, not to mention one of her coolest.
So is that really Rescue in Endgame?
Not really. Endgame's version of Pepper's armor is definitely inspired by Rescue in the design silhouette, and the purple color palette was used in the Iron Man: Armored Adventures cartoon, but that's about where the similarities end. It does carry with it plenty of implications about the future of Pepper's character, though--and it's always nice to see a vague idea realized completely, even if it took six years.
Whether we'll see Pepper return for future movies is a mystery, but at the very least, we now know that anyone--even someone who isn't an engineer or a military pilot--can eventually learn to pilot an armor in five years or less. The tech has definitely come a long way in terms of user-friendliness since Tony's first days of testing in his garage.
Game developer Markus "Notch" Persson, who created the Minecraft franchise and sold it to Microsoft for $2.5 billion USD, will not be involved with the franchise's upcoming 10th anniversary celebration event. A spokesperson for Microsoft told Variety that they are excluding him due to his "comments and opinions."
"His comments and opinions do not reflect those of Microsoft or Mojang and are not representative of Minecraft," a representative told the site.
As part of Microsoft's acquisition of Minecraft and developer Mojang, Persson stepped away from the series. The Microsoft spokesperson confirmed that this remains the case; he hasn't worked on the franchise since he sold it to Microsoft years ago.
Persson's exclusion from the May 17 Minecraft celebration event in Stockholm is not the first instance of Microsoft distancing itself from Persson. In March, an update to Minecraft removed a reference to Persson, though he is still listed as the game's creator in the credits.
As for the upcoming Minecraft event, it aims to give fans a look at the "past, present, and exciting future of the decade-old franchise."
At the start of April, 343 Industries announced that it hoped it might be able to release Halo: The Master Chief Collection's first PC beta test during the month. But now it turns out that's not going to happen.
Community director Brian Jarrard said on Twitter that the team had to delay the first beta test, or "flight" in the Halo parlance, due in part to the complexity of the project. Here's his full statement:
Well this tweet didn't age well. Hey, this project is complex, and being transparent means sometimes things change vs. what we originally hoped. Work continues but the first public flights are pushing out further than originally targeted. Will share more info soon! https://t.co/aSCB37ZxD2
The delay is a bummer, especially because fans have been waiting so long for Halo: The Master Chief Collection to come to PC, but it's refreshing to hear 343 speak so openly about the development process. There is no word yet as to when the first flights will be available, but Jarrard added that a more in-depth blog post is coming this week with answers.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection is coming to PC in stages, beginning with Halo: Reach (which is also releasing for Xbox One) and continuing chronologically from there--Halo: CE, Halo 2, Halo 3, and then Halo 4. The titles will be released on PC through betas with the aim of testing each title with a limited group of people first before rolling out publicly for everyone. You can sign up for the free Halo Insider program here for a chance to try out the games early.
Each title within the Halo: The Master Chief Collection on PC will be sold individually, but the "flights" are free, if you get in. And in a big change for the series, Halo: The Master Chief Collection will be available through Steam.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection originally launched in November 2014 for Xbox One. It faced serious and significant server issues at launch that made the title basically unplayable for some. Microsoft improved the experience significantly over time, and today the title is mostly stable and highly populated with players thanks in part to its inclusion with Xbox Game Pass.
The next Halo game, Halo Infinite, is in the works for PC and Xbox One. It's supposedly going to be featured during Microsoft's E3 2019 briefing in June.
The final chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Infinity Saga has arrived, and with it, we have so many questions about what happens next. While Avengers: Endgame wraps up many of the MCU's lingering threads, it also leaves room for many more, including something that could have major ramifications on the Disney+ streaming service. Warning: What follows contains major Avengers: Endgame spoilers. Read at your own risk.
When Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) travel back in time to New York City in 2012--during the final showdown of the first Avengers film--something very interesting happens. While trying not to screw up the timeline, they accidentally let the 2012 version of Loki (Tom Hiddleston) get his hands on the Tesseract--which houses the Space Stone--and disappear into a portal with it.
While Tony and Cap solve the problem of getting their hands on the Space Stone by, instead, going even further back in time, neither of them seem to care much that Loki got his hands on the stone in their timeline and disappeared. Using Endgame's own flawed time travel logic, that should create a branching timeline and a new--and likely very bad--series of events.
After all, this isn't the Loki you couldn't help but love from Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War. This is the absolutely awful and vile Loki that nearly brought about the destruction of Earth in Marvel's Avengers. This Loki is the worst, plain and simple, and him having possession of the Tesseract is bad news, regardless of the timeline. And yet, as far as we know, Tony, Steve, and Scott didn't even bother to tell anyone what happened.
So what happens now?
The future of the MCU remains a giant question mark after Endgame. We know Spider-Man: Far From Home is out soon and a number of Phase 4 movies--from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to a Black Widow standalone film to Black Panther 2--are all expected eventually. But what about Loki and the Tesseract?
This may be where the upcoming Disney+ streaming service comes into play. It was previously revealed that among the MCU shows coming to Disney+ was a series starring Hiddleston as Loki. However, after Endgame, the god of mischief is still very dead in present day after being killed by Thanos (Josh Brolin). So how will he appear in his own show?
We may already know the answer. The Hollywood Reporter, citing a source, claimed the show will follow Loki as he revisits events in human history and acts as an "unlikely influencer." Does this mean we're getting an evil Loki going around and further screwing up human history? While the Space Stone allows him to teleport, it doesn't make him able to travel through time. That said, Avengers: Endgame is loaded with time travel, for better or worse, which means finding a way to jump around in human history is a distinct possibility.
Are fans going to love a show where evil Loki just screws things up left and right, though? It's always possible the show will find a way to make him good, but it's hard to see this version of Loki as a hero.
Whatever the case, it should be interesting to see where Marvel Studios takes Loki in his standalone show. The important thing is that Hiddleston isn't done playing the character just yet, which is very exciting.
Avengers: Endgame has destroyed box office records since its premiere, and there's plenty to talk about when it comes to the movie--including what and who was originally planned to appear but ultimately didn't make the final cut. If it isn't clear already, let this be your final warning: the following article contains spoilers.
The final chapter to the Infinity War saga and second to last film for the third phase of the MCU, Endgame does plenty right. Unfortunately it gets some wrong too. Endgame ends Tony Stark's story in the best way, but the movie doesn't quite honor the legacy of Natasha Romanoff or Steve Rogers. Not all of these plot points played out as they were originally planned, however. In an interview with The New York Times, Endgame screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely explained how many aspects of the movie were once very different.
Banner Was Going To Become Professor Hulk Much Earlier
One of the many surprise changes for one of the original Avengers during Endgame's five year jump is that Bruce Banner discovers a way to unite his mind with Hulk's body. As a result, Banner has access to Hulk's incredible strength without losing his brilliant mind. Although this transformation was always planned for Banner, it was originally scheduled for much earlier.
"There was a time when Banner became Smart Hulk in [Infinity War]. It was a lot of fun, but it came at the wrong moment. It was an up, right when everyone else was down," Markus said. "It happened in Wakanda," McFeely continued. "His arc was designed like, I'm not getting along with the Hulk, the Hulk won't come out. And then they compromise and become Smart Hulk."
The Team Wasn't Going To Time Travel To The Battle Of New York
During the time heist, a group of the team travels to the Battle of New York, which takes place in 2012's Avengers. The team chooses this moment because three of the Infinity Stones are present in the battle. However, there is another point in the MCU where more than one Infinity Stone shows up, and originally that was going to be the focus of Endgame's time heist.
"In the first draft, we didn't go back to the [original] Avengers movie," McFeely said. "We went back to Asgard. But there's a moment in the MCU, if you're paying very close attention, where the Aether is there and the Tesseract is in the vault. In that iteration, we were interested in Tony going to Asgard. He had a stealth suit, so he was invisible, and he fought Heimdall, who could see him."
The original plan was to also give Thor several long scenes with Jane Foster in Asgard. In Endgame, the two former lovers never interact, with Thor chickening out upon seeing her. This massive journey to Asgard would have changed up the composition of the designated teams for each of the other missions as well, resulting in entirely different time periods during the heist. "They went to the Triskelion at one point to get the [Tesseract], and then somebody was going to get into a car and drive to Doctor Strange's house," Markus said.
No Alexander Pierce Cameo
During the time heist, we discover what transpired in the immediate aftermath of the Avengers' victory over Loki during the Battle of New York, prior to the team splitting up and going their separate ways. Turns out Tony Stark and Thor were stopped from exiting Stark Tower by Head of SHIELD and undercover HYDRA operative Alexander Pierce. Pierce tries to take the Tesseract away from Tony and Thor, which the two Avengers refuse to give up. Pierce's role was always going to be filled by one of SHIELD's leaders, but in previous versions of the script the possible characters had less villainous motives.
"That was one where we thought, should it be Nick Fury? We also wrote a version for Maria Hill," McFeely said.
The Final Battle Would Have Paused For Strategy Discussion
"It didn't play well, but we had a scene in a trench where, for reasons, the battle got paused for about three minutes and now there's 18 people all going, 'What are we going to do?' 'I'm going to do this.' 'I'm going to do this.' Just bouncing around this completely fake, fraudulent scene," McFeely said. "When you have that many people, it invariably is, one line, one line, one line. And that's not a natural conversation."
The Final Battle Had A Few More Heroes
Speaking of said battle, there was a plan to have more heroes take part in it. The MCU's version of the Avengers replaces founders Hank Pym (Ant-Man) and Janet van Dyne (Wasp) with Hawkeye and Black Widow. However, both Hank and Janet did make their way into the MCU eventually, and Endgame's screenwriters did consider having both suit up to join Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, and Thor in the final battle.
"There were moments, as they brought everybody back, where we're like, technically, Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer have [Ant-Man] suits," Markus said. "Do we bring them back? It became impossible to track the people we did bring back, but also, it's just going to be an orgy."
Black Widow Didn't Die To Retrieve The Soul Stone
In a scene everyone knew was coming the second it was revealed Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff were headed to retrieve the Soul Stone, the two fight over who will sacrifice themselves in order to earn their prize so the other doesn't have to. For a second, it almost looks as if Clint successfully immobilizes Natasha before leaping to his death, but the former spy turned Avenger is able to outsmart her teammate and maneuver into a position where she's the one sacrificed. Originally, there was a time when things were supposed to go the opposite way.
"Jen Underdahl, our visual effects producer, read an outline or draft where Hawkeye goes over," McFeely said. "And she goes, 'Don't you take this away from her.' I actually get emotional thinking about it."
Besides access to online multiplayer and exclusive game discounts, another perk Xbox Live Gold members enjoy is free monthly games for Xbox One and Xbox 360--and the latest freebies for May 2019 have just been announced. Gold members, here are the titles you can download and keep for free next month:
Available May 1: Kicking things off is Marooners, a hectic party game with local or online co-op where you and your friends play as quirky Marooners. You'll be dropped into intense minigames, where you can pull some shenanigans and pester each other as you compete (and even haunt each other after you die). You can grab Marooners on Xbox One. Then there's Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon, an EDF spin-off where you take down waves of deadly aliens and giant insects invading Earth. The third-person shooter includes over 300 weapons, jetpacks, and tactical armor, and thanks to backwards compatibility, you can play it on both Xbox One and Xbox 360.
Available May 16: Spring is officially here, but if you can't make it out to the links, pick up The Gold Club 2019midway through the month. Available on Xbox One, The Golf Club 2019 features the new PGA Tour Career Mode that lets you play on famous real-world courses and participate in PGA Tour events like the John Deere Classic. Finally, there's Comic Jumper, our second Xbox 360/Xbox One game that follows the adventures of Captain Smiley, a failed comic book character who jumps into other comics to explore why they're so popular. Gameplay involves defeating enemies and platforming as Captain Smiley makes his way through various genres, his design and weaponry changing throughout to match each comic's aesthetic.
For the second year in a row, Pokemon Go developer Niantic teamed up with Playmob to host a series of Earth Day cleanup events around the globe during the month of April. The initiative turned out to be a big success; according to Niantic, more than 14,800 people participated in these events, and as thanks, the developer has rolled out a batch of exciting rewards for a limited time in the Pokemon mobile game.
From now until May 2, Ground-type Pokemon such as Diglett, Sandshrew, and others will appear in the wild more frequently than normal. On top of that, players will have a chance of finding a Shiny Diglett, marking the first time it has been available in the mobile game.
Rounding out the Earth Day rewards, players will receive two times the normal amount of Candy and Stardust each time they capture Pokemon. Finally, the Legendary Ground Pokemon Groudon will also appear as a Raid boss again until May 2. You can see the full list of rewards on Niantic's website.
In addition to the Earth Day rewards, Niantic recently announced that a new set of Field Research tasks are coming soon to Pokemon Go. The tasks will go live beginning May 1 and will be available through the end of June. Moreover, each time you achieve a Research Breakthrough during that time frame, you'll encounter one of the following Legendary Pokemon: Ho-Oh, Lugia, Latios, or Latias.
Shiny Meltan has also returned to Pokemon Go for a limited time. Meanwhile, the game's next Community Day event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 19. The featured Pokemon this month will be the Gen 3 starter, Torchic, and players will be able to earn triple the normal amount of Stardust for catching Pokemon.
For all its Easter Eggs and call backs, for all it managed to do with Tony Stark, one of the most memorable and satisfying moments of Avengers: Endgame came at the hands of fan favorite character Captain America, who, just as the battle against Thanos looked its bleakest for Thor, saved the day--by wielding Thor's original hammer, Mjolnir.
Now, there are a lot of reasons that this moment is extremely cool--c'mon, it's Captain America swinging a lightning-powered warhammer around, what's not to love?--but it actually becomes even more interesting if you take a look at just what picking up a weapon like Mjolnir actually means in the context of Marvel history.
Let's break it down.
What's Mjolnir's deal? Isn't it gone?
It hasn't come up in the MCU for a while, but Mjolnir actually has an inscription. It goes like this: "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor." If you think all the way back to the very first Thor movie, this part was pretty critical--Thor was stripped of his "worthiness" by Odin and cast out, leaving Mjolnir stuck in a crater on Earth with Thor unable to lift it. Of course, he eventually learned a valuable life lesson about his hubris and ego and was able to pick it up again--yay! Then, later, the "worthiness" drum was beaten again when, in Avengers: Age Of Ultron, it was played for a bit of a party trick. After the Avengers took turns trying to lift it from a coffee table, Steve was able to make it wiggle the slightest bit. At the end of the movie, it comes back as another gag with Steve, Thor, and Tony debating what would happen if you put Mjolnir in an elevator.
"Elevator's not worthy," Steve says, shaking his head.
The conversation was prompted after Vision, a synthetic humanoid built out of Ultron's AI, Tony's AI butler Jarvis, and the Mind Stone, was able to pick up Mjolnir during the final confrontation with Ultron himself. The ins and outs of Vision's whole deal vis-a-vis worthiness aren't really examined too thoroughly, but the implications are there. Not only is Vision a new, and therefore wholly "untainted" creation, he's also born of one of the universe's most powerful artifacts--a potent combination.
Since then, however, Mjolnir's symbolism and place in the MCU has shifted dramatically. With Thor: Ragnarok, we saw Hela destroy the hammer altogether, sending Thor into a crisis. Eventually, he realized that his power--his worthiness--didn't come from the hammer itself at all. "Are you Thor, god of Hammers?" Odin asked. Of course not--and we have a whole fight montage set to Led Zepplin to prove it. Later, in Infinity War, he's given a new, better weapon, an ax named Stormbreaker with no worthiness clause attached.
Here in Endgame there's a bit of an abrupt pivot. During the whole time travel adventure heist, an extremely downtrodden and depressed Thor visits the Asgard of 2013, talks with his mom before she dies, and summons the Mjolnir from 2013 into his hand. This delights him because it means, after everything, he's still "worthy," something he couldn't test with Stormbreaker.
So Mjolnir--albeit a temporally displaced Mjolnir--is back in play in time for the final fight against Thanos.
What does it mean to be "worthy?"
As far as esoteric comic book things are concerned, "worthiness" and Mjolnir is up there with the Infinity Stones in terms of being, uh, fluid to say the least. In the MCU, worthiness tends to be defined through Thor's selfishness or lack thereof--or at least by what Odin thinks is Thor's selfishness or lack thereof. After overcoming that first brush with unworthiness, Thor does just fine--even when he's behaving extremely brashly--which makes a reliable barometer for the MCU's take on the concept pretty difficult to craft.
The comics, however, have it a little bit easier. Very recently, Thor was rendered unworthy by an omnipotent Nick Fury (don't ask) who simply whispered these three words: "Gor was right." Gor, a villain known as "The God Butcher," had been one of Thor's newer enemies. He was an alien who made it his life's work to exterminate all "gods" in space. Gor's mission stemmed from his belief that all gods were petty, useless, and selfish creatures who deluded themselves into believing they were above mere mortals. During a fight, he told Thor just that: "You know I'm right. That's why you fight so hard. Why you try so desperately to seem noble."
At the time, Gor's words did nothing but make Thor more angry--and fueled him to ultimately take Gor down--but it definitely got a little under his skin. The confirmation from a man who, at the time, was literally all seeing and all knowing, was enough to completely shatter Thor's self confidence and render him unworthy of his own weapon.
So what does that tell us? There are a couple ways to slice it, but the easier of them is that worthiness directly ties into belief in one's self more than any lack of arrogance or hubris. You can be a pretty cocky guy, at the end of the day, but if you truly believe in what you're doing, and are completely free of doubt, you'll probably be worthy.
Steve's had experiences with Mjolnir in the comics as well to really drive that idea home. The most recent was actually pretty bleak and involved an incarnation of Steve who had had his backstory cosmically re-written (comics!) to be a HYDRA agent. This evil Steve was a ruthlessly loyal HYDRA zealot who was able to pick up the hammer (er, a cosmically re-written version of the hammer--again, comics) because--again--Mjolnir isn't really looking to judge whether a person's intentions are good or bad; it's only looking for absolute confidence of self.
Before that Steve (regular Steve, not cosmically re-written Steve) lifted Mjolnir (regular Mjolnir) back in the early 2011's Thor-centric Fear Itself event, and before that back in 1988 while he was taking a little break from the Captain America mantle.
So, what does that mean for that Endgame scene?
Steve tossing Mjolnir around like a champ in the final battle against Thanos is not only just a smorgasbord of fantastic visuals for any MCU fan, it's also a fun little wink to fans who have never stopped thinking about that scene in Age of Ultron. Because of the MCU's lack of clarity on Mjolnir's specific rules, it's difficult to surmise whether or not it actually says anything about Steve's character--though certainly if you prescribe the comics logic, it says he is absolutely confident that he's in the right in that moment--and who can blame him?
Sure, if you think too hard about it, it gets a bit confusing. In the comics, Mjolnir is the conduit not only for Thor's lightning and thunder powers but his entire identity, costume, speech pattern, and all. When a new worthy person picks up Mjolnir, they (sometimes) get a new costume out of the deal and a cool Olde English style accent as part of the package while Thor himself remains an Asgardian with strength and endurance but can't otherwise go around zapping people with lightning or flying. In fact, when other characters pick up Mjolnir in the comics, they typically adopt Thor's name entirely, leaving Thor to go by "Odinson" to prevent confusion.
In the MCU, however, all of Thor's abilities exist within him innately, essentially meaning there can be two Thor-powered people running around at the same time. Thor's own magic is no longer beholden to the hammer at all. It's really just a very cool weapons upgrade with an extremely high level requirement--one that Steve finally hit after around a decade's worth of work.
Does it make a ton of sense? Not really. But in the comics, a frog and a horse-monster-alien regularly toss around versions of Mjolnir like its nothing while Thor's still kicking, so we're more than happy to write them a pass on this one for the sake of an extremely cool fight scene.
The time has come. It's possible you've already seen Avengers: Endgame more than once. After all, it raked in over a billion dollars at the worldwide box office during its opening weekend, showing the big screen power Marvel cinematic universe of films can wield. After a decade of watching these heroes find their place in the world, what comes next--outside of the movies already announced--is an unknown. If you made it out to theaters to watch Endgame, you're in the right place. Plus, you might be very interested in our spoiler-filled review.
It took over 10 years of storytelling to bring the Infinity Saga to a conclusion. With Endgame acting as a direct sequel to Avengers: Infinity War, it had a lot to do as it presented the final chapter is what is easily one of the most impressive film franchises in history. How well did it treat its characters, though? This will be your one and only warning: The following contains major spoilers for Avengers: Endgame. If you haven't seen the movie, please stop reading now.
Avengers: Endgame isn't a perfect movie. In fact, it's far from it. There's plenty of criticism for the film going around, from the way it treats Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) to how it concludes Captain America's (Chris Evans) story. And all of that criticism is valid. I see these same issues and wish they were handled so much better. As fans of this franchise, viewers watched a decade of films and came to care about these characters in major ways.
That said, there is one aspect of Endgame that is handled perfectly, and it's one of the most important pieces of the Marvel Cinematic Universe puzzle. When it comes time to finally rid the galaxy of Thanos (Josh Brolin) with one final snap of an Infinity Gauntlet, it doesn't come from the radioactive Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), the super soldier Steve Rogers, or the god of thunder Thor (Chris Hemsworth). Instead, it comes from the man that started it all, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.).
Tony being the one to ultimately defeat Thanos is not only the right call, but it's the only one that makes sense. Since Iron Man hit theaters in 2008, Tony has been the center of this superhero universe. He may be sarcastic, egotistical, and kind of a dick most of the time, but he's also been the most relatable character throughout the majority of the franchise.
Throughout the first 10 years of the MCU, audiences have gone through an emotional rollercoaster of a journey with Tony, as he experienced the highs and lows of choosing to become a superhero. In the aftermath of his kidnapping in the first Iron Man film, Tony gave his life over to the cause of being encased in armor as he fought villains from this planet and others.
Sure, being a superhero fed into his ego, but along the way, we also saw how it nearly destroyed him on a regular basis. At the climax of Marvel's Avengers, Tony went into a wormhole and saw a corner of distant space that his brain could barely comprehend. The knowledge of how helpless he and Earth could be in the face of threats from throughout the galaxy drove the character forward in a heartbreaking way.
Iron Man 3, which is wildly underrated as a character piece, showed the aftermath of Avengers 1 in ways no other MCU movie did. While Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: The Winter Soldier continued to expand the larger story of the MCU, Iron Man 3 provided a window into Tony's mind. After everything he'd experienced, Iron Man was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and experiencing anxiety attacks. In the wake of this, Tony lost much of his confidence and could have easily given up, if not for those that cared for him--namely Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow), Happy (Jon Favreau), and a kid he befriended named Harley (Ty Simpkins). This was arguably the most human we'd seen any of the Avengers until that point, and it's exactly what the franchise needed.
Then, in Captain America: Civil War, Tony's humanity was even more evident. The loss of a parent is something that everyone will handle differently. For Tony, being confronted with devastating new information about the years-old death of his parents is a type of pain we had never seen him have to process before. It drove a wedge between him and Steve when Tony wanted to kill Bucky (Sebastian Stan). "He killed my mom," Tony told Cap. In that, it was hard not to understand Tony's grief.
In the end, of course, he didn't kill Bucky. However, the friendship between Tony and Steve was over--for a while, at least. Which, of course, brings us to Avengers: Endgame and the perfect superhero ending--and one that was earned by Tony.
"You can rest now."
First, we're confronted once again with just how fragile the human mind can be. Upon his return to Earth, Tony lashes out at his former friend, calling Steve a liar. Cap always said when the Avengers lost, they'd do it side-by-side. But when the loss actually happened, Tony was alone on Titan. He watched Spider-Man, the teenager he'd become a mentor and father figure to, turn to ash--and Steve Rogers, the man who told Tony he'd always be there for him, was nowhere in sight. It doesn't matter to Tony that Cap was knee-deep in fighting his own battle against Thanos in Wakanda. Tony is convinced that together, they could have handled the Mad Titan's threat. Instead, separated, they were defeated, and Tony looked death in the eye as he floated aimlessly through space with his oxygen running out.
Tony's rage toward Cap shows how the character has changed over the years. In the past, he was driven by logic and his own intelligence. Now, after everything he's been through, Tony's lashing out at Steve is illogical and based solely on emotion. He felt abandoned by the man he once called a friend, and it's understandable why he'd feel that way.
Time heals all wounds, though. And for Tony, that time also gave him the thing he'd been missing since his parents died. Tony Stark got a family, and with it, a new purpose. Marrying Pepper and having a child reframed who Tony was at his core. Suddenly, saving the world and being a superhero wasn't the most important thing. While the fate of the world was still a major concern, making sure his family remains intact became his top priority. Thus, when he decided to get back into the game as Iron Man one last time, it was with the warning that he was unwilling to throw away what he'd gained in the five years since Thanos snapped away half of the universe.
You can't blame him for that. Protecting your family is the most human emotion one could possibly have. And, in the end, it didn't stop Tony from doing what was right for the world at large. When it came down to the final battle with Thanos, Tony was willing to confront his own mortality and snap his own fingers with an Infinity Gauntlet, knowing full well it was something he had little chance of surviving.
It was a full-circle moment for the character, who had come so far from being a weapons manufacturer without a care in the world in the first Iron Man film. In the first Avengers movie, Steve had some harsh words for Tony, who he believed was only there because of his super suit. "I know guys with none of that worth 10 of you," he told Tony. "And I've seen the footage. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play--to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you."
Tony proved time and again that he was the guy willing to sacrifice. And in Endgame, he did it one final time, allowing the character of Tony Stark to have a nearly perfect superhero ending--and, honestly, the only one that could possibly work for the character. Early on in Endgame, Tony considers not putting the time travel technology he'd created to use, while Pepper reminds him that if he didn't join in the fight to save the humanity that was lost, he'd never be able to rest.
This is a character who has tried time and again over the last decade of MCU films to make the world a better place, though his methods were often flawed. He still never gave up. Even if he desperately wanted to, in the end, he just couldn't give up the fight. He couldn't rest knowing there was something he could do to keep his family and the world safe.
When Steve tells him in Civil War, "If I see a situation pointed south, I can't ignore it. Sometimes, I wish I could." That's a statement just as true--if not truer--for Tony by the end of his arc. In the end, he gives his life to save the world, not as Iron Man--despite his final words--but as Tony Stark. With that, Pepper tells him, "You can rest now." His mission is complete. And his funeral brings his presence in the MCU full circle. Tony was the beginning of the Infinity Saga, and now he's the end.
Of course, it's by his wife and child, the Avengers and assorted superheroes. More telling, though, is the presence of Harley. The little boy Tony met and befriended in Iron Man 3 is nearly an adult now and including him in the group attending the funeral really shows drives home how important Tony Stark was to the world, whether he was wearing his Iron Man armor or not.
Season 9 of Fortnite may quickly be approaching, but Epic Games still has at least one more update in store for the hit battle royale title before Season 8 officially comes to a close. The developer hasn't yet announced when the update will go live, but we've now gotten an early look at a new item that the patch will presumably introduce.
Fortnite's in-game News feed has begun advertising a new item called the Shadow Bomb. The grenade is listed in the feed as "coming soon," suggesting it'll likely arrive as part of this week's update, as Epic likes to tease new weapons and items ahead of its weekly patches. Little info about the item was revealed, but the accompanying description reads, "Stealth and utility make for a surprise."
Epic has been adding new weapons and items to Fortnite on a near-weekly basis, although last week's 8.50 update didn't introduce anything to the game's arsenal. Instead, that patch marked the start of Fortnite's Avengers: Endgame crossover event, which encompasses a new Endgame limited-time mode with its own assortment of challenges to complete and Avengers-inspired rewards to unlock.
The Endgame LTM divides players up into two teams: those aligned with Thanos and the Chitauri, and the heroes who must stop them. Players on Team Thanos will need to score the island for the Infinity Stones to power up the Mad Titan, while the heroes will need to follow treasure maps to find the Avengers' iconic weapons, including Thor's hammer and Captain America's shield. The event will run through the end of Season 8.
With Season 9 just around the corner, some unusual events have begun unfolding in Fortnite. Recently, players have discovered a series of mysterious runes around the game's map, which have been slotting into an alien vault beneath Loot Lake. After the fourth rune was inserted this past weekend, however, plumes of smoke began emerging from the volcano, suggesting an eruption may be imminent.
What this means remains anyone's guess at this point, but with Season 9 only a few days away, we likely won't need to wait too long to find out. In the meantime, you can still complete any remaining Season 8 challenges and unlock the last few Battle Pass rewards. If you need help doing that, we've put together tips and guides in our complete Season 8 challenges roundup.
As Golden Week kicks off in Japan, marking a week-long vacation for many Japanese workers, the rest of us can enjoy a huge wave of deals that celebrate the long history of iconic Japanese-made games. If you're a PlayStation owner, be sure to hit up PSN's Golden Week sale, which has more than 500 PS4, PS3, PS Vita, and PSP games and DLC discounted until May 7. While Microsoft hasn't posted a Golden Week sale, PC gamers are in luck, as Steam just launched its own sale on thousands of PC games and DLC, which ends May 6 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET.
A ton of classic Japanese-developed series are represented in Steam's Golden Week sale, from Dark Souls and Devil May Cry to Final Fantasy, Street Fighter, and Resident Evil. Some great games are discounted, including Resident Evil 2 for $39.59, Nier: Automata for $30, Nioh: Complete Edition for $25, and Dark Souls III's Deluxe Edition for just over $21. Quite a few fighting games are discounted--Dragon Ball FighterZ is down to just $15, Jump Force is available for $36, and Street Fighter V is only $8.
CBS is renewing Jordan Peele's The Twilight Zone for a second season. A CBS All Access exclusive, The Twilight Zone is a modern reimagining of the TV series of the same name that began airing in 1958.
"Jordan Peele and Simon Kinberg's reimagining of The Twilight Zone is off to an amazing start on CBS All Access, driving the most viewers on its premiere day for an original series to date," CBS All Access executive vice president of original content Julie McNamara said in a blog post. "Jordan, Simon, the creative team and cast have done a phenomenal job translating the series' legacy of socially conscious storytelling for modern-day audiences. They are master storytellers, and we look forward to bringing fans further into The Twilight Zone with a second season."
Though many of the episodes in Jordan Peele's The Twilight Zone are brand-new stories, a few are reimagined variations of episodes from the original series. One of the first episodes, for example, Nightmare at 30,000 Feet is a modern retelling of the original series' Nightmare at 20,000 Feet. However, even in the brand-new stories, there are plenty of references and call backs to the original The Twilight Zone.
Not only does The Twilight Zone come from the mind of Jordan Peele, the Get Out and US director serves as the shows' mysterious host and narrator. His production company, Monkeypaw, produces the series. The Twilight Zone cast includes several big name actors, including Ike Barinholtz, John Cho, Lucinda Dryzek, Taissa Farmiga, Greg Kinnear, Luke Kirby, Sanaa Lathan, Rhea Seehorn, Alison Tolman, Jacob Tremblay, Jefferson White, Jonathan Whitesell, Jessica Williams, DeWanda Wise, and Steven Yeun.
For a deeper dive into the first few episodes of The Twilight Zone, check out our breakdowns that are listed below.
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