It's been 35 years since The Karate Kid crane kicked its way into theaters--and our hearts. In the time since, there's been a long list of movies of varying quality and a revival series on YouTube Premium that, against all odds, is pretty amazing. Now, celebrating its milestone 35th anniversary, the original Karate Kid is back with a 4K release. Is it worth replacing the copy you already own, though?
The answer, honestly, depends on what you're looking for in the set. If film's quality is what you covet the most, this is by far the best-looking version of The Karate Kid you're going to find. That said, this is still a 35-year-old movie shot on 35mm film. The 4K scan of the original camera negative can be grainy, but that's to be expected--and it a bit comforting--when it comes to a movie this old. The colors are definitely more vibrant in this release, though.
The sound has also been given an upgrade. There's still stereo and 5.1 mixes of the movie's soundtrack; however, there's also a new track option for those with Dolby Atmos audio systems.
If the movie's picture quality isn't as important to you as the bonus content packaged with the set, this is what might hold you back. While the 4K release comes with all of the special features that the 2010 Blu-ray release, including audio commentary with Ralph Macchio (Daniel LaRusso), Pat Morita (Mr. Miyagi), director John G. Avildsen, and writer Robert Mark Kamen, there's not a ton of new content offered. On the 4K disc, you'll find a 1080p version of the movie's theatrical trailer, along with a new 10-minute featurette that looks back on the movies featuring interviews with Macchio, William Zabka (Johnny Lawrence), and Martin Kove (Sensei Kreese).
Were it not for Cobra Kai, this featurette would be a truly exciting addition. However, that trio has done so many interviews promoting the series over the last year that there's only so much new ground to cover. That said, it's still a short and fun watch.
Even without a bunch of new bonus features, though, it's hard to ignore just how good this movie looks. This is the best transfer of The Karate Kid you're going to find. So if you're looking for an excuse to upgrade from your DVD or Blu-ray copy, it's definitely worth it--especially if you're planning to watch it on a large TV or have an impressive home audio setup. And if you somehow don't own a copy of The Karate Kid, what are you waiting for? It's an '80s classic and it's going to be hard to ever get a better version of it than this.
The Karate Kid is available now on 4K at participating retailers.
Disclosure: GameSpot was provided a copy of Karate Kid's 4K release by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
First-party Nintendo Switch games are notorious for not budging in price, while other games see price drops are early as release day (we're looking at you, Mortal Kombat 11). However, we've recently seen quite a few Nintendo Switch games on sale at places like Amazon, where you can currently find many titles discounted by $10, $15, or even more. Now, Best Buy is getting in on the deals action with a fantastic offer for anyone looking to pick up Nintendo's latest console. For a limited time, the retailer is giving away a free Switch game of your choice when you buy a Nintendo Switch console. Previous deals have bundled the console with a handful of game options for 50% off, so this offer is one of the best Switch bundle options we've seen to date.
Just choose your console and an eligible game, add them both to your cart, and you'll see the discount applied at checkout. Visit the official offer page to get started:
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has undergone several delays, but now it's just around the corner. A new trailer drops a release date for the Castlevania homage, but also makes a point of showing just how far it's come during its long development cycle.
The trailer (above) gives a release date of June 18 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and one week later, June 25, for Nintendo Switch. But most of the time is spent showing internet naysayers mocking the early graphics, and juxtaposing that old "poop" look with the game as it will release in a little more than a month. Yes, the trailer actually does call the old graphics "poop."
It doesn't shed much light on the reason for the Switch version following a week after the others. This follows an announcement, from a Nintendo Direct in fact, that all of the versions will be coming this summer.
The Kickstarter for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night promised a game in the style of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, the most famous work from Bloodstained creator Koji Igarashi. That crowdfunding concluded almost four years ago, so it's spent quite a bit of time in development--so long, in fact, that the target platforms have changed over time. It was originally targeting PlayStation Vita and Wii U, and development started before the Nintendo Switch was even announced, so those plans have shuffled to the new platform. The studio also recently canceled the Mac and Linux versions.
Our recent hands-on showed a game that's right up the alley of classic Metroidvania-style adventures, with some minor trade-offs from taking it 3D. A notably clever 8-bit style prequel is already available on all platforms as well.
It's been a busy week for news out of the Epic Games Store, as it was recently announced that Rocket League developer Psyonix will be acquired by Epic and the vehicular soccer game will be coming to the service later this year. In addition, Epic continues to challenge Steam with its biweekly free game offerings, with past freebies including acclaimed titles like The Witness, Oxenfree, What Remains of Edith Finch, and Subnautica.
Now, the latest free PC game from Epic is available: World of Goo replaces Transistor as the newest giveaway. From now until May 16, you can download the game, and it'll be yours to keep. If you don't already have an Epic account, all you have to do is create one (which is free). It's worth the 30 seconds it'll take you to sign up, as Epic has already established a track record of offering some great games at no cost.
World of Goo is an award-winning, physics-based puzzle game that involves building bridges, towers, and other structures to navigate various levels. Your building tools are balls of goo, and there are several different types of goo with their own unique abilities. The game also includes a multiplayer sandbox area where players around the world can compete to build the tallest towers of goo and complete other challenges. World of Goo initially launched on PC back in 2008 but just received its first update in 10 years (likely to prepare for this Epic giveaway). The update includes a full remaster of the game, including improved frame rate, HD resolution, and 16:9 aspect ratio. So there's truly no better time to snag this classic (and very silly) game.
If World of Goo isn't your thing, hang tight, because another freebie will drop later this month. Stories Untold, which includes a genre-mixing anthology of mysterious and innovative story-driven games, will be Epic's next PC giveaway. Look for it in the Epic Store starting May 16.
John Wick isn't the only action hero that Keanu Reeves will be playing on the big screen this summer. The actor is also set to provide the voice of plastic motorcycle stunt star Duke Caboom in the Pixar sequel Toy Story 4, and a new teaser featuring the character has now been released.
The promo starts as a retro commercial for "the Canuck with all the luck," which is very reminiscent of ads for '70s star Evel Knievel. Of course, this being Toy Story, Duke Caboom can also walk and talk--but not, to Woody's dismay, perform the hair-raising stunts that the commercial suggests. Check it out below:
Our friends in the north are proud to introduce you to #ToyStory4's Canuck with all the luck. Meet Duke Caboom, voiced by Keanu Reeves. pic.twitter.com/VuZJBddVXv
This latest teaser follows the full trailer that was released in March. Toy Story 4 sees all the main cast of the previous movies return, including Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz), Annie Potts (Bo Peep), Joan Cusack (Jessie), Blake Clark (Slinky Dog), Wallace Shawn (Rex), and John Ratzenberger (Hamm), plus Arrested Development's Tony Hale as new character Forky. It hits theaters on June 21, 2019.
In a recent interview, Hanks spoke about what fans can expect from the movie. "Toy Story 4 is going to have an impactful ending," he revealed. "The way you record Toy Story; you're in a room with the team that has created it. When I went in for my last day of recording, I wanted to have my back to them, because usually you're facing them so you can look right up and you can talk about it. But I didn't want to see them and I wanted to pretend they couldn't see me. When I realized what they were going for, I realized, 'Oh, this is a moment in history.'"
Toy Story 4 isn't the only doll-related movie hitting theaters on June 21. The horror reboot Child's Play also arrives that day, and this week a new poster was released, showing evil Chucky having murdered poor Woody.
Season 8, Week 10's Fortnite challenges are now available. While they are largely easy, in amongst them is one challenge that requires you to locate a treasure map and then follow it to the loot. As always, we've put together a little guide that you can follow to get it done quick.
As the challenge states, you'll need to head over to Junk Junction to find the signpost with the treasure map on it. More specifically, you'll have to venture to the center of the location and keep your eyes peeled for the purple shipping container. Just in front of it you'll find the signpost with an image of what looks like a couple of weird cacti.
Those are actually the underground mines, which you can find north-west of Fatal Fields. Open your map and zoom in on the grid reference F8 and you'll see the same shapes as the ones depicted on the treasure map. Make a trip to that location and you'll find the precious Battle Star awaiting. Done!
Signpost treasure map: This can be found at the center of Junk Junction, just in front of the purple shipping container.
Treasure location: North west of Fatal Fields at the grid reference F8.
The only other tricky challenge for Season 8, Week 10 involves launching yourself through Flaming Hoops. These hoops have popped up on the island and, to complete the challenge, you'll need to use the pirate cannons to send yourself hurtling through them. We've outlined exactly where you need to go in our Fortnite Flaming Hoop location guide.
If you've wrapped up the weekly challenges, make sure to check out the new Avengers Endgame LTM, which has its own set of unique quests to complete. Many of the challenges in this crossover include wielding the iconic weapons used by Earth's greatest defenders, or playing as Thanos and his horde of Chitauri. If you manage to complete 10 of the challenges, you'll get a very cool Quinjet glider.
Those who want to quickly catch up on older challenges. Season 8 is going to end soon, so you'll want to get as much done as possible if you've got your heart set on any of the current unlockable cosmetics. Check out our full Fortnite Season 8 challenge guide for assistance.
Epic Games has also released the Fortnite update 8.51 patch notes, which includes a brand new tool that you can use to be sneaky. The Shadow Bomb cloaks its users in shadows and gives them the ability to move much faster for a little while, but the trade-off is that they can't build or fight. Still, sounds pretty handy for causing some mischief.
Fortnite is now in Week 10 of Season 8 and we're quickly approaching the end of the season. Before we get there, however, there are Battle Stars to be earned. You'll need these to level up the Battle Pass and get some of the cool cosmetics, so if you've got your eyes on a particular item you should make it a point of doing this week's challenges and finishing up any existing ones from previous weeks.
In Week 10, players will need to launch themselves through three flaming hoops using a cannon (guide here), complete a multi-stage harvesting challenge, and then take out enemies in either Tilted Towers or at The Block.
If you've spent V-Bucks on a premium version of the Battle Pass, there are a few extra challenges to do. The first of these asks you to deal damage using rifles. Once that's done, you'll also need to find the map signpost in Junk Junction and follow it to the treasure (guide here). Volcano Vents are also back this week, and you'll need to deal damage within 10 seconds of landing after using one. The final challenge in the premium Battle Pass section asks you to simply take out a couple of enemies from closer than 5m away. Take a look at the full list of challenges below.
Free
Launch through flaming hoops with a cannon (3) -- 5 Battle Stars
Stage 1: Havest Wood in a single match (500) -- 2 Battle Stars
Harvest Stone in a single match (400)
Harvest metal in a single match (300)
Eliminate opponents at Tilted Towers or The Block (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
Premium
Deal damage with an Infantry Rifle or Heavy Assault Rifle (500) -- 5 Battle Stars
Stage 1: Search the treasure map signpost found in Junk Junction -- 2 Battle Stars
Follow the treasure map signpost in Junk Junction
Deal damage within 10s of landing after using a Volcano Vent (100) -- 10 Battle Stars
Eliminate an opponent from closer than 5m away (2) -- 10 Battle Stars
Fortnite update 8.51 is available now and its biggest new addition is the Shadow Bomb. This little item allows players to sneak around undetected and move faster, but makes it so you can't attack, build, or loot while under its effects. You can read more about the Shadow Bomb and the other tweaks the update makes in the Fortnite update 8.51 patch notes.
Fortnite Season 8 continues apace, with another new set of challenges available on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch, and mobile devices. Usually the majority of these tasks are simple enough to understand and can be completed through the regular course of playing a handful of matches. Others require a little more nuance and knowledge of where to go, or in some cases, aim. One of this week's challenges has you fire yourself out of a cannon through flaming hoops like a circus performer.
To complete the mission, just find the three flaming hoops scattered across the map and fire yourself out of one of this season's pirate cannons to reach them. You can go hunting across the map yourself, but we've outlined their general locations below if you want a shortcut. In broad terms, you can find them near Lazy Lagoon, near the giant volcano, and by Salty Springs.
Lazy Lagoon - The Lazy Lagoon hoop is floating above the pirate ship, and accessible with the cannon facing the ship. You'll need to aim quite a bit higher than the hoop for the arc of your shot to reach it, though. Try lining up your shot with the top of the volcano.
Giant Volcano - From there, you'll be well positioned to run to the south of the volcano and use the cannon in the pirate camp there to aim for the flaming hoop. You don't need to aim as high this time, so just slightly above the hoop will be enough to hit your target.
Salty Springs - Finally, head for the pirate camp outside of Salty Springs, and make sure to break the wooden obstruction that's blocking your shot. As in the last shot, aim just slightly above the hoop to make it through.
This new set of challenges accompanied the game's 8.51 update, which includes bug fixes along with a new Shadow Bomb item that makes you temporarily invisible to enemies. While you're invisible, you also get enhanced speed and double jumps for extra mobility. You can also still take part in the ongoing Avengers Endgame LTM, which lets you equip some special superheroic weapons and earn themed rewards.
Epic Games has updated Fortnite: Battle Royale once again, and as usual there's plenty to sink your teeth into in terms of new content. Update 8.51's big new item is the shadow bomb, which you can read more about in the patch notes at the bottom of this article, via Epic. The update is available now on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile.
The shadow bomb shrouds the user in, as you might expect, a shadow, and makes them invisible to enemies. It also increases movement speed and provides the ability to double-jump and jump off walls. However, you're unable to attack, build, or loot while under a shadow bomb's effects, which last for six seconds. You can hold up to six shadow bombs, which are available in uncommon rarities in floor loot, chests, supply drops, and supply llamas.
Update 8.51 also brings a fix for the audio issues some people were experiencing with jetpacks, while Epic Games says it's investigating a problem "where players are unable to access the Battle Royale map from Creative and Playground modes."
It was announced just recently that Epic Games is purchasing the developer of Rocket League, Psyonix, which is one of multiple aggressive moves the company has made following the success of Fortnite. The studio has been challenging Steam with its own Epic Games Store by offering free games.
Fortnite: Battle Royale Update 8.51 Patch Notes
Shadow Bomb
Become one with the shadows! Engulf yourself in darkness with this new item, becoming invisible to enemies, increasing your speed, and allowing the ability to perform double jumps.
Weapons And Items
Shadow Bomb
Shrouds yourself in shadow, briefly becoming invisible to enemies.
6-second duration
User becomes more visible to others near the end of the effect.
Increases your movement speed, provides the ability to double jump, and wall jump.
Players are unable to attack, build, or loot while under the effects of the Shadow Bomb.
Rarity: Uncommon
Can hold a maximum of 6
Can be found from Floor Loot, Chests, Supply Drops, and Supply Llamas.
Gameplay
Bug Fixes & Improvements
Sound effects for Jetpacks were occasionally playing much louder than they should be.
UI
Bug Fixes & Improvements
The Victory Royale UI animation was displaying for all players in Limited Time Modes with respawning enabled.
Despite Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford's announcement to the contrary during the Borderlands 3 May gameplay livestream reveal, the newest entry to the Borderlands franchise does allow you to buy in-game content with real money. In Borderlands 3, you'll be able to purchase cosmetic items, similarly to how you could for Borderlands 2.
These cosmetic items are skins and heads for your Vault Hunter, so they do not affect gameplay. That said, they are small in-game purchases done with real money, very much considered a form of microtransaction. Pitchford has said that Borderlands 3 aims to steer clear of "that free-to-play junk" when it comes to microtransactions, though. "We're not doing any of that free-to-play junk. There's not going to be any microtransactions, there's not going to be any of that nonsense," he said.
Borderlands 3 creative director Paul Sage said skins, heads, and other cosmetic items can be purchased with real money but they won't lead to a pay-to-win situation and that Borderlands 3 overall is not designed as a games-as-a-service title.
Sage told Game Informer, "We're selling cosmetic items, but we're not going to nickel and dime players. DLC will come down the line, but the game won't have anything excessive."
A spokesperson for Borderlands 3 publisher 2K Games told USGamer about the game's microtransactions, "Players will have the option to purchase certain cosmetic items like character, vehicle, and weapon skins, but none of these purchases would be considered pay-to-win or impacting on the gameplay, like weapons or actual gear."
Additionally, Borderlands 3 will receive multiple expansion packs over time that will also be paid, just like Borderlands 2. At least four story campaign add-ons with new missions and other extras are included with the Borderlands 3 season pass. We also learned today that Borderlands 3 has no loot boxes.
Borderlands 3 launches on September 13 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
The PlayStation 5 is coming. While it hasn't been officially announced by Sony as of yet, system architect Mark Cerny recently began talking about it.
One of the first things we learned is that the next-generation console will feature an AMD chip. AMD CEO Lisa Su recently discussed the company's partnership with Sony, saying the chip will help power the PlayStation 5's "special sauce."
"We are so honoured and proud to be part of Sony's next-generation PlayStation," Su told Jim Cramer. "This has been a really long-term partnership with them. We love gaming. We think gaming is a really good secular growth market. What we have done with Sony is really architect something for their application, for their special sauce. It's a great honor for us. We're really excited about what the next generation PlayStation will do. And happy to be a part of it."
The AMD chip in the PS5 that has a CPU based on the third-generation Ryzen. It has eight cores of the seven-nanometer Zen 2 microchip. Additionally, the AMD chip in the PS5 enabled 3D audio, a key part of helping players become more immersed, according to Cerny.
AMD is also working with Google on their new streaming service, Stadia, while Su also previously spoke about working with Microsoft on a new console. This may be one of the new Xbox consoles Microsoft has in the works that could be announced at E3 this year.
Microsoft recently updated its "Community Standards for Xbox," and it is good to see a company as big as Microsoft take a hard line against nasty behaviour online. One section of the document pertains to "acceptable trash talk," and Microsoft provides some funny-sounding examples.
But before we get to that, Microsoft wants to make clear that hate and harassment have no home on Xbox. "To make Xbox Live a place where everyone can hang out, and to prevent people from feeling uncomfortable or unwelcome, we all need to be stewards," Microsoft says. "This means more than just not harassing other players--it means embracing them. It means saving those unsavory jokes for people you know will enjoy them. It means taking particular care for others while you play, keeping in mind how they might interpret your content."
Microsoft said it understands that gaming competition is at the heart of many online experiences, and some multiplayer matches can "get heated." Some "trash talk" is acceptable on Xbox Live, Microsoft says, but it becomes a problem when it transitions to harassment.
Microsoft officially describes trash talk as: "Any lighthearted banter or bragging that focuses on the game at hand and encourages healthy competition."
Harassment, meanwhile, is defined by Microsoft as: "Any negative behavior that's personalized, disruptive, or likely to make someone feel unwelcome or unsafe. To qualify as harassment, the behavior doesn't have to be drawn-out or persistent. Even a single abusive message could harm someone's experience. Know when to draw the line, when to back off. Know and respect the other player."
Get destroyed. Can't believe you thought you were on my level.
That was some serious potato aim. Get wrecked.
Only reason you went positive was you spent all game camping. Try again, kid.
Cheap win. Come at me when you can actually drive without running cars off the road.
That sucked. Get good and then come back when your k/d's over 1.
Going too far looks like
Get <sexual threat>. Can't believe you thought you were on my level.
Hey <profanity>, that was some serious potato aim. Get wrecked, trash.
Only reason you went positive was you spent all game camping. KYS, kid.
Cheap win. Totally expected from a <racial slur>.
You suck. Get out of my country--maybe they'll let you back in when your k/d's over 1.
In terms of enforcement and consequences, Microsoft says it will temporarily suspend people in many cases. "We know people make mistakes, and we believe lapses in judgment can be significant opportunities for growth," the company said.
Players who are found to have violated the Xbox Community Stands may face temporary suspension of access to "features that are most closely associated with the problematic behavior." For example, you may be temporarily restricted from playing games online, sending messages, communicating over voice, or broadcasting gameplay, among other things.
People who repeatedly behave badly may be permanently suspended, with access to all game licenses and other content revoked forever. It sounds like you'd have to be a huge jerk to get banned. "We may permanently suspend a profile or device if we can no longer trust it due to a severe violation, or if our attempts to correct repeated negative behaviors are unsuccessful," Microsoft says.
You can read the full Community Standards For Xbox document here.
Following its release in New Zealand, Pokemon Go developer Niantic's newest game, Harry Potter Wizards Unite, is available now in Australia and New Zealand for everyone. It's just a beta at this stage, so you should expect some bugs and missing features, but it provides a really good look at what to expect from what could become the next big mobile game.
GameSpot explored downtown Sydney, Australia today with Wizards Unite. We joined a House (Gryffindor, of course), built a wand, and fought monsters in the augmented reality game. You can check out around 15 minutes of new gameplay footage in the video embedded above.
There is no word as of yet regarding when Wizards Unite will release in the United States or other parts of the world. It's typical for big mobile games to have their "soft" launch in Australia and New Zealand as a test of sorts before a wider release around the world.
Wizards Unite is a free-to-play game supported by microtransactions. You can spend money to buy Gold, which can be spent on numerous different time-savers and more. For more on the game's microtransactions, check out GameSpot's breakdown here.
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was originally scheduled to launch in 2018 before being delayed into this year. You can read more about the title in our hands-on impressions, and Android users can pre-register for it on Google Play. There is no word as of yet regarding when the final game will be available around the world.
One of the most exciting and ambitious Xbox projects in the works is xCloud, which is Microsoft's game-streaming service. It's now reached a major development milestone.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer said on Twitter that the team working on xCloud recently completed the "takehome release" for xCloud. That's a big deal because it means people at Microsoft are now able to test the service at home in a real environment as opposed to a studio lab.
Spencer added that xCloud remains on track to become available for more people through public trials later in 2019; that's always been the plan.
Congrats to Project xCloud team for completing their takehome release. Excited to get feedback from our internal teams ahead of public trials later this year. pic.twitter.com/un1T8mg0d4
According to Microsoft insider Brad Sams, Microsoft may plan to show off xCloud in a home environment during E3 2019 in June. The takehome release suggests that could happen.
xCloud is the working title of the streaming service. Microsoft is promising "console-quality gaming on any device" with xCloud, and we've already seen Forza Horizon 4 running on the service.
Pokemon Go developer Niantic's AR game Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is out now in Australia and New Zealand, at least in beta form. Major mobile titles often release in the ANZ region before coming to the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world, so this
Wizards Unite is available for free on iiOS and Android. Because it is a beta, the game lacks some features, while the overall appearance and design is subject to change. Additionally, some languages that will be supported in the final release are unavailable now.
Players who get into the beta should also expect to run into some technical hiccups due to its unfinished state. Niantic said it hopes players communicate their feedback so the studio can make the game better for everyone when it's available worldwide.
Wizards Unite's beta already released in New Zealand in March. You may be able to change your country in the App Store and Google Play, but this doesn't always work.
Like Pokemon Go and other free-to-play titles, Wizards Unite is supported by microtransactions. Players can purchase "Gold" from Gringott's Bank in the game at multiple levels. The bundles range from 80 Gold ($1.50 AUD) to 10,000 Gold ($160 AUD). In addition, you can buy Anti-Calamity ($8 AUD) and Advanced Anti-Calamity Kits ($31 AUD). These kits come with allotments of Gold, potions, spell energy, and keys. Outside of the bundles, you can spend Gold on a huge variety of things, including Dark Detectors (reveals special items), Runestones (for Wizarding Challenges), Healing potions (restores stamina), and so much more.
Given that Wizards Unite remains in beta, pricing could change.
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was originally scheduled to launch in 2018 before being delayed into this year. You can read more about the title in our hands-on impressions, and Android users can pre-register for it on Google Play. There is no word as of yet regarding when the final game will be available around the world.
While you may have to wait a while longer to play Wizards Unite, the other new Harry Potter mobile game, Hogwarts Mystery, is available around the world right now.
The unofficial annual holiday known as Star Wars Day is coming up this weekend on May 4, but Microsoft is kicking off its deals early with a "May the 4th be with you" sale on several Star Wars titles. The deals are available in the United States, UK, and Australia, and you can grab these games at a discount through the weekend. Here's what's available:
Star Wars Battlefront's Ultimate edition, which includes the Deluxe edition and a season pass with new content, is only $5, a full 75% off; meanwhile, Star Wars Battlefront II is 70% off--you can grab it for just $7.50 right now. If you want to grab both, just get the Star Wars Battlefront Hoth bundle, which comes with both games (including all Ultimate edition bonuses) plus Hoth appearances for Luke, Han, and Leia in Battlefront II. The bundle is selling for just under $10 (67% off).
If you enjoy the Lego games, pick up Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens while it's marked down this week. The standard edition is available for 50% off at just $10, while the Deluxe edition is also half off at $15 for the base game and all season pass content. In this local co-op game, you can play as all the characters from The Force Awakens, including Rey, Finn, Han Solo, Kylo Ren, and even BB-8. The game also includes brand-new story content set in the time between Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.
This deal dropped early, but expect more May the 4th deals to drop as Saturday draws closer. Stay tuned--we'll keep you updated on all the best Star Wars savings.
Avengers: Endgame wrapped up a lot of story threads across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, bringing 21 movies across 11 franchises to a huge, climactic conclusion. It didn't answer every question fans had about everything in the MCU, though, and in some cases, it created new ones. One of those new questions, specifically, is what the heck happened to Ned Leeds, Spider-Man's best friend?
The question derives from a particular moment at the end of Endgame. After the Avengers manage to gather all the Infinity Stones and undo Thanos's snap, all the people he wished away come back into the world. In the aftermath, there were some tearful reunions between people who turned to dust and people who haven't seen them in five full years--like the one between Peter Parker and Tony Stark. During their conversation during that reunion, Peter explained that it was Doctor Strange who informed him five years had elapsed since the snap occurred. But it sounds like from Peter's perspective, almost no time had passed since he "got all dusty." He didn't exist during those five years and remembered nothing from that time, it seems.
So then we have the reunion between Peter and Ned at the end of the movie, after Thanos has been defeated and all 50% of the life he wiped out of the universe has returned. It was a tearful, emotional moment between the two friends, taking place when Peter returned to high school seemingly for the first time since the Snap.
So wait a second: If both Peter and Ned got dusted, then basically no time would have passed for either of them, which means from their perspective, the last time they both saw each other would be maybe a few days or weeks earlier. But if Ned was all (understandably) emotional because he'd finally reunited with his pal Peter after a long last five years--why was Ned still in high school?
The question of whether Ned was just having a more emotional reaction than most to returning from a state of nonexistence, or if he's just not great at school, has vexed audiences since Avengers: Endgame's release. Fortunately, thanks to directors Joe and Anthony Russo, we finally have an answer.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the Russos clarified that Ned didn't get held back in school for years and years because of his trauma over Thanos, and specifically, the fact that Peter was not around to help him reconstruct his Lego Death Star. In fact, Ned was also dusted in the Snapture.
The scene we see between them in Endgame might be a more emotional reunion because Ned was consoling Peter on the death of Tony. Or maybe it was just that, even though the two of them had missed the last five years, the whole "alien invasion and ridiculous genocide" thing is, uh, a lot to cope with. So Ned and Peter are both going back to high school right where they left off, but what about the rest of Peter's class? Half should be twenty-somethings now, right? And perhaps most importantly: Are Martin Starr's Mr. Harrington and Hannibal Burress's Coach Wilson still teaching?
The trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home seems to suggest at least most of the important folks, such as Michelle and Flash, also missed the last five years of MCU history because of Thanos. We're still waiting to see how the aftermath of the Endgame time skip and the trauma of the Mad Titan's campaign affects everyone in Marvel's universe, though.
Rocket League developer Psyonix has announced that it is "joining the Epic Games family," with an acquisition expected to close in late May or early June. In a FAQ, the studio sought to reassure current Rocket League fans that nothing will change about their day-to-day enjoyment of the popular game.
In the short term, it says, nothing about the game will change. It is still moving forward with its update roadmap and plans to continue "for as long as you'll have us." In the long-term, Psyonix says it does plan to bring the game to the Epic Games store, and to use the leverage granted by this acquisition to "grow the game in ways we couldn't do on our own before."
Part of that could mean changes to esports, which Rocket League has become known for. Psyonix says this "increases our potential reach and resources." It also hints that it could start to explain future esports plans next month, at its Rocket League Championship Series set to run June 21-23.
Finally, Psyonix says it's "the same team we've always been," suggesting that layoffs or other staff rearrangement isn't being planned for the immediate future.
Sylvester Stallone has already said goodbye to one of his most iconic characters, when Rocky Balboa made his last appearance in Creed II. He's now set to do the same with his other great action hero--John Rambo. Rambo V: Last Blood is the fifth movie in the long-running action series and it hit theaters in September. A new behind-the-scenes video has been released.
The video was posted on Instagram by Stallone himself. It's a collection of on-set moments, all with Stallone in character. We see him sharpening knives, shooting, driving, and firing arrows--presumably all in preparation for a violent showdown with some very bad men. Check it out below.
A post shared by Sly Stallone (@officialslystallone) on
Although we haven't seen any footage from the movie yet, we do know something about the plot. The movie is set in Mexico, and features Spanish star Paz Vega (Spanglish, The OA) as a reporter who teams up with Rambo to rescue her sister from a drug cartel. It hits theaters on September 20.
Last Blood is directed by Adrian Grunberg, who previously made the Mel Gibson thriller Get the Gringo. It follows 2008's Rambo, which Stallone directed and made $113 million worldwide. The series kicked off in 1982 with First Blood and was followed by two sequels in 1985 and 1988.
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