News:: Horizon Zero Dawn wins Writers Guild Award

In the race for those all important Oscars, the guilds are where avid followers of the awards circuit look to as all-important indicators. The Shape of Water took home the gold in both the Producers Guild and Directors Guild Awards, but Jordan Peele's Get Out stole the thunder this time around.

Get Out won the category of Original Screenplay in a competitive race, beating out The Big Sick, I, Tonya, Lady Bird and the aforementioned The Shape of Water. This line-up closely resembles the nominees for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, with the one inconsistency being Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri taking the place of I, Tonya. Three Billboards, along with other awards contenders such as Coco and Darkest Hour, were rendered ineligible for the awards for not adhering to the guild's "Minimum Basic Agreement."

Meanwhile, in the Adapted Screenplay category, Call Me By Your Name was the big winner here, triumphing over The Disaster Artist, Logan, Molly's Game and Mudbound, a line-up that is identical to its Oscars counterpart. Jane, a documentary about Jane Goodall, took home the prize for Documentary Screenplay.

On the television side, The Handmaid's Tale won both the awards for Drama Series and New Series, beating out the likes of Better Call Saul, Game of Thrones and Stranger Things. Perennial winner Veep once again nabbed the award for Comedy Series.

Once you scroll past the litany of other awards winners, you'll see that PlayStation 4 hit Horizon Zero Dawn won in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Videogame Writing. It's worth to keep in mind that a good number of video games are not eligible for this award, as many game writers are not part of the Writers Guild of America. The competition consisted of Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, mobile game Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow, and the script for story mode Madden NFL 18: Longshot.

Still, Horizon is in good company, with previous winners including The Last of Us (and its DLC story), Rise of the Tomb Raider, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and essentially every Uncharted game since Uncharted 2.

Check out the (way too long) full list of winners below.

FILM

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Get Out
Written by Jordan Peele; Universal Pictures

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Call Me by Your Name
Screenplay by James Ivory; Based on the Novel by André Aciman; Sony Pictures Classics

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

Jane
Written by Brett Morgen; National Geographic

TELEVISION

DRAMA SERIES

The Handmaid’s Tale
Written by Ilene Chaiken, Nina Fiore, Dorothy Fortenberry, Leila Gerstein, John Herrera, Lynn Renee Maxcy, Bruce Miller, Kira Snyder, Wendy Straker Hauser, Eric Tuchman; Hulu

COMEDY SERIES

Veep
Written by Gabrielle Allan, Rachel Axler, Ted Cohen, Jennifer Crittenden, Alex Gregory, Steve Hely, Peter Huyck, Erik Kenward, Billy Kimball, David Mandel, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Dan Mintz, Lew Morton, Georgia Pritchett, Will Smith; HBO

NEW SERIES

The Handmaid’s Tale
Written by Ilene Chaiken, Nina Fiore, Dorothy Fortenberry, Leila Gerstein, John Herrera, Lynn Renee Maxcy, Bruce Miller, Kira Snyder, Wendy Straker Hauser, Eric Tuchman; Hulu

LONG FORM ORIGINAL

Flint
Written by Barbara Stepansky; Lifetime

LONG FORM ADAPTED

Big Little Lies
Teleplay by David E. Kelley, Based on the Novel by Liane Moriarty; HBO

COMEDY/VARIETY TALK SERIES

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Writers: Tim Carvell, Josh Gondelman, Dan Gurewitch, Geoff Haggerty, Jeff Maurer, John Oliver, Scott Sherman, Will Tracy, Jill Twiss, Juli Weiner, Ben Silva, Seena Vali; HBO

COMEDY/VARIETY SKETCH SERIES

Saturday Night Live
Head Writers: Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider, Bryan Tucker; Writers: James Anderson, Kristen Bartlett, Jeremy Beiler, Neal Brennan, Zack Bornstein, Joanna Bradley, Megan Callahan, Michael Che, Anna Drezen, Fran Gillespie, Sudi Green, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, Nick Kocher, Michael Koman, Dave McCary, Brian McElhaney, Dennis McNicholas, Drew Michael, Lorne Michaels, Josh Patten, Katie Rich, Pete Schultz, Streeter Seidell, Will Stephen, Kent Sublette, Julio Torres; NBCUniversal

EPISODIC DRAMA

“Chicanery” (Better Call Saul)
Written by Gordon Smith; AMC

EPISODIC COMEDY

“Rosario’s Quinceanera” (Will & Grace)
Written by Tracy Poust & Jon Kinnally; NBC

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – CURRENT EVENTS

“Confronting ISIS” (Frontline)
Written by Martin Smith; PBS

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS

“The Great War” Part II (American Experience)
Written by Stephen Ives; PBS

SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA ADAPTED

“Starboy” (Zac & Mia)
Teleplay by Allen Clary and Andrew Rothschild, based on the novel Zac & Mia by A.J. Betts; go90.com

ANIMATION

“Time’s Arrow” (BoJack Horseman)
Written by Kate Purdy; Netflix

DAYTIME DRAMA

General Hospital
Head Writers: Shelly Altman, Jean Passanante
Writers: Anna Theresa Cascio, Suzanne Flynn, Charlotte Gibson, Lucky Gold, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, Daniel James O’Connor, Dave Rupel, Katherine Schock, Scott Sickles, Christopher Van Etten, Christopher Whitesell; ABC

CHILDREN’S EPISODIC AND SPECIALS

“An American Girl Story – Ivy & Julie 1976: A Happy Balance” (American Girl)
Written by May Chan; Amazon

QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

Hollywood Game Night
Head Writer: Grant Taylor; Writers: Michael Agbabian, Alex Chauvin, Ann Slichter, Dwight D. Smith; NBC

PROMOTIONAL WRITING

ON-AIR PROMOTION (RADIO OR TELEVISION)

“CBS Comedy”
Written by Dan Greenberger; CBS Television

TV NEWS

NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY

“Chief of Chobani” (60 Minutes)
Written by Steve Kroft, Oriana Zill de Granados; CBS News

NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT

“White Helmets” (60 Minutes)
Written by Scott Pelley, Nicole Young, Katie Kerbstat; CBS News

RADIO/AUDIO

RADIO/AUDIO DOCUMENTARY

“CBS Radio 90th Anniversary”
Written by Dianne E. James, Gail Lee; CBS News Radio

RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT

“World News This Week: June 9, 2017″
Written by Tara Gimbel Tanis; ABC News Radio

RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY

“Dishin’ Digital on WCBS-AM”
Written by Robert Hawley; WCBS

DIGITAL NEWS

“The Super Predators”
Written by Melissa Jeltsen, Dana Liebelson; Huffingtonpost.com

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN VIDEOGAME WRITING

Horizon Zero Dawn
Narrative Director John Gonzalez; Lead Writer Benjamin McCaw; Writing by Ben Schroder, Anne Toole; Additional Writing by Dee Warrick, Meg Jayanth; Guerrilla Games

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/horizon-zero-dawn-wins-writers-guild-award-487413.phtml

News:: Rainbow Six Siege's Outbreak mode has five types of monsters

Soon enough, it'll be a veritable monster mash in Rainbow Six Siege.

Ubisoft has been teasing the arrival of Outbreak, a limited-time cooperative mode pitting three operators against the infected in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. It's the kind of addition that, if done well, could round out Siege as an overall package and also spark interest among new players.

Outbreak starts March 6, but before then, here's a run-through of what we're up against:

Grunts are common hostiles that become highly resistant when the parasite detects an enemy presence. To protect its host, the parasite armors its body and becomes more resistant to bullet wounds. Caution and stealth is recommended.

Breachers are proximity bombs that crater anything in their path. They make for a very agile opponent, but they launch themselves into the fray and blow holes in indestructible walls. Make sure you are nowhere close to them.

Rooters are a rarer type of hostile. They send out coral spikes from the ground to injure and immobilize their targets. Rooters are always on the move and will keep you on edge. Beware when dealing them the final blow; they become extremely lethal when on the brink of death.

Smashers are not discreet. The parasite reinforces its body under a massively thick hide, making it practically impervious to bullet wounds. They will also tear down walls without suffering any injuries.

Apex is at the top of the hostile food chain. It sends waves of hostiles your way rather than attack you head-on. They can hurl blinding projectiles, which can only be countered by Finka and Doc. This opponent is a real test on your team’s communication skills.

Right before the event, Ubisoft will hold a free weekend promo for Siege. That's running from February 15 until February 18 on PC, February 19 on Xbox One, and February 20 on PlayStation 4.

As for Outbreak itself, it'll be playable from March 6 to April 3 for all players.

Outbreak: Infected Hostile Brief [Rainbow Six Siege]

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/rainbow-six-siege-s-outbreak-mode-has-five-types-of-monsters-487455.phtml

News:: Rainbow Six Siege's Outbreak mode has five types of monsters

Soon enough, it'll be a veritable monster mash in Rainbow Six Siege.

Ubisoft has been teasing the arrival of Outbreak, a limited-time cooperative mode pitting three operators against the infected in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. It's the kind of addition that, if done well, could round out Siege as an overall package and also spark interest among new players.

Outbreak starts March 6, but before then, here's a run-through of what we're up against:

Grunts are common hostiles that become highly resistant when the parasite detects an enemy presence. To protect its host, the parasite armors its body and becomes more resistant to bullet wounds. Caution and stealth is recommended.

Breachers are proximity bombs that crater anything in their path. They make for a very agile opponent, but they launch themselves into the fray and blow holes in indestructible walls. Make sure you are nowhere close to them.

Rooters are a rarer type of hostile. They send out coral spikes from the ground to injure and immobilize their targets. Rooters are always on the move and will keep you on edge. Beware when dealing them the final blow; they become extremely lethal when on the brink of death.

Smashers are not discreet. The parasite reinforces its body under a massively thick hide, making it practically impervious to bullet wounds. They will also tear down walls without suffering any injuries.

Apex is at the top of the hostile food chain. It sends waves of hostiles your way rather than attack you head-on. They can hurl blinding projectiles, which can only be countered by Finka and Doc. This opponent is a real test on your team’s communication skills.

Right before the event, Ubisoft will hold a free weekend promo for Siege. That's running from February 15 until February 18 on PC, February 19 on Xbox One, and February 20 on PlayStation 4.

As for Outbreak itself, it'll be playable from March 6 to April 3 for all players.

Outbreak: Infected Hostile Brief [Rainbow Six Siege]

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/rainbow-six-siege-s-outbreak-mode-has-five-types-of-monsters-487455.phtml

News:: It sure is satisfying to see someone wreck Nergigante in under a minute

There comes a point in Monster Hunter: World where monsters you once feared stop feeling quite so intimidating. You learn their patterns and where to stand, you craft better gear, and you gain confidence. Instead of being on the defensive like before, now you're out for blood. Caught in a hellish three-way turf war between Anjanath, Rathian, and Bazelgeuse? No big deal. You've got this under control.

I'm not yet at that point with Nergigante -- not even remotely -- but I can at least live vicariously through Monster Hunter player Amulet. They uploaded this 57-second clash and, just, holy hell.

I will never be this good, but that's okay. I'm still out there having a ball with this game.

[Via reddit]

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/it-sure-is-satisfying-to-see-someone-wreck-nergigante-in-under-a-minute-487437.phtml

News:: Sandboard across an endless desert in Alto's Odyssey

2015's endless snowboarding game Alto's Adventure is about to get a sequel, and on this next trek, we're going sandboarding. Alto's Odyssey is set in a desert, and it's a gorgeous one at that. More than just looking pretty, the locale also brings new opportunities to jump, grind, and fall gracefully.

From the looks of things, you won't need to have played the last game to appreciate this one.

Following a delay last year for developer Snowman to put in extra care and polish, Alto's Odyssey will arrive on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV next Thursday, February 22. It'll cost five bucks.

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/sandboard-across-an-endless-desert-in-alto-s-odyssey-487425.phtml

News:: Moss looks like an adventure worth taking

As much as I love virtual-reality horror, it'll be nice to have another PlayStation VR game that doesn't put me on edge. Next on the docket is Moss, an action-adventure title starring an adorable mouse named Quill. It releases this month, and just ahead of launch, Sony has demoed the game.

This 14-minute video is our best look at Moss to date, showing off a bit of the miniature world, some combat, puzzle solving, and Quill being super cute. I'm also glad to see more developers adopt a zoomed-out field of view -- that approach should work well with the game's sense of scale.

If this ends up feeling like a full adventure, I think it could be pretty special.

Moss: A Squeak Peek at Polyarc’s Adorable PS VR Adventure [PlayStation Blog]

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/moss-looks-like-an-adventure-worth-taking-487418.phtml

News:: A Five Nights at Freddy's movie is coming from Harry Potter director Chris Columbus

Chris Columbus is writing and directing a film adaption of Five Nights At Freddy's. No, not the Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria dude. Rather, the American filmmaker responsible for the first two Harry Potter movies, along with old classics like Home Alone and modern movies-that-sure-do-exist like Pixels.

The film will be produced by Blumhouse Productions, which has been responsible for horror films including Insidious, Paranormal Activity, Split and the Oscar-nominated Get Out. Studio founder Jason Blum was ultimately awarded the film rights from game creator Scott Cawthon back in March of 2017.

As the video gaming (and especially streaming) community knows well by now, the Five Nights games take players through a horrific and twisted Chuck E. Cheese-like restaurant after hours, with jump scares galore. And if there's anyone we can trust to bring this subtle concept to screen in a nuanced fashion, it's the screenwriter of Christmas with the Kranks.

Mr. Columbus, are you ready for Freddy? #FiveNightsatFreddys pic.twitter.com/4F7QEnw16x

— Blumhouse (@blumhouse) February 12, 2018

Chris Columbus To Write & Direct ‘Five Nights At Freddy’s’ For Blumhouse [Deadline]

 

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/a-five-nights-at-freddy-s-movie-is-coming-from-harry-potter-director-chris-columbus-487419.phtml

News:: Hawaii introduces bills to ban the sale of games with loot boxes to people under 21

Late last year, various governments around the world started to take notice of how predatory loot boxes were becoming. In addition to the Belgian Gaming Commission holding meetings over the issue, Hawaiian lawmakers started to look into the matter. After months of deliberation, Hawaii is now introducing some bills that look to regulate the sale of games containing loot boxes.

As reported by the Hawaii Tribune Herald, there are four different bills that tackle things from both a house and senate level. The first pair, House Bill 2686 and Senate Bill 3024, propose to ban the sale of games with loot box mechanisms to people younger than 21. The second pair, House Bill 2727 and Senate Bill 3025, proposes that publishers properly label games with loot box mechanics along with disclosing the probability rates for obtaining any rewards.

State representative Chris Lee, who pushed for these new bills, said, "I grew up playing games my whole life. I've watched firsthand the evolution of the industry from one that seeks to create new things to one that's begun to exploit people, especially children, to maximize profit."

Just to be clear, nothing is official yet. The state government would need to vote on these bills before they become law and the whole issue of whether or not loot boxes actually constitute gambling is still up for debate. The real clincher to take from this is that someone with actual pull in a local government finally took notice and isn't backing down.

Bills target video games with rewards for a price [Hawaii Tribune Herald]

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/hawaii-introduces-bills-to-ban-the-sale-of-games-with-loot-boxes-to-people-under-21-487453.phtml

News:: Fear Effect Sedna will be releasing in March

I honestly kind of forgot Fear Effect was making a comeback. After receiving funding on Kickstarter and getting Square Enix's blessing, it looks like the wait will finally be over. Fear Effect Sedna will release on March 6 for $19.99 on PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch. Publisher Forever Entertainment has put out a trailer that, while being short, manages to show off quite a bit of gameplay.

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/fear-effect-sedna-will-be-releasing-in-march-487410.phtml

News:: This great Monster Hunter LAN setup brings me back

I have a lot of great memories involving LAN parties. Big games, obscure ones where I had to hunt down people to play with, creating my own CAT-5 cables from scratch that would reach long enough to hook up two Xboxes on different floors -- lots and lots of memories.

I'm sure these four are building new ones right now based on this awesome Monster Hunter World setup. It's simple, but elegant. Four TVs, four PS4s, one table. You have to give it to them for setting it up in a photo-perfect symmetrical fashion too!

Given how World incorporates single-player and multiplayer in the same seamless mode it's also a perfect candidate for LAN play. If only I could find three local hunters.

@marutirun [Twitter]

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/this-great-monster-hunter-lan-setup-brings-me-back-487388.phtml

News:: New Kingdom Hearts III screenshots give a detailed look at Goofy's monstrous eyes

I know Square Enix is saying Kingdom Hearts III is coming this year, but part of me is still thinking it'd get bumped to later. Even after seeing its latest gorgeous trailer, I still have that sneaking suspicion the other shoe could drop soon and the wait would be even longer. 

I mean, even these new screenshots showing off a game that looks really real still doesn't seem real to me. I basically feel like Goofy in the Monsters, Inc. world and my eyes are just buggin'. 

Also, Riku's new keyblade and overall look makes him match Final Fantasy XV's Noctis and I don't know how to feel about it. 

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/new-kingdom-hearts-iii-screenshots-give-a-detailed-look-at-goofy-s-monstrous-eyes-487434.phtml

News:: Monster Hunter food in real life looks pretty incredible

Given that my wife is in the later stages of pregnancy I've been cooking more often than usual, and I'm pretty proud of a recent sauteed spinach recipe I've concocted (she needs more iron!) among other main courses. But this series of Monster Hunter dishes from Twitter user Ki-Ki's wife deserves a legitimate chef kissy fingers emote in real life. I just did it.

Modeled after an in-game dish (you can see the comparison in the gallery below), they go above and beyond and even add in various odds and ends to spice up the presentation a bit. That konpeitō? It's thematic scout flies.

If you're curious the meal has a lot of info attached to its Twitter post, including its cost (roughly $36) and prep time (three hours). That's not bad at all since this could feed a family of four handily. I just spent an hour and a half the other day making al dente pasta and homeade sauce for two people!

Ki-ki [Twitter via Siliconera]

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/monster-hunter-food-in-real-life-looks-pretty-incredible-487382.phtml

News:: New Splatfest announced for U.S. as European Gherkin battle ends

It's been a big weekend for Nintendo's arena-shooter Splatoon 2. First there was a new weapon, then a tournament, complete with Off the Hook concert. This was followed by the announcement of new content and amiibo, and now we have not only the results of the current Splatfest, but also the theme for the next one. Phew!

Across Europe, a war waged over Gherkins. Specifically, whether you like them in your burger. Apparently you don't. Pearl's Team Disgusting swept the board with a 3-0 victory, taking Team Play, Solo Play and the public vote. Now it has been decreed by the pint-sized Princess, I expect McDonald's to announce the removal of gherkin from all of their products, effective immediately.

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/new-splatfest-announced-for-u-s-as-european-gherkin-battle-ends-487355.phtml

News:: Play 'Overwatch' for free (again) this weekend

Blizzard has a habit of seasonally opening up its hero shooter Overwatch for everyone to try every couple months, typically just after it announces a new hero, event or map. Fittingly, the publisher announced that new PC, PS4 and Xbox One players can try out the game for free next weekend to get a taste of the just-launched Lunar New Year seasonal event.

Source: Overwatch

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/02/12/play-overwatch-for-free-again-this-weekend/

News:: Mega Man X design document further explains the Zero and Dr. Wily connection

One of the most hotly debated subjects in all of Mega Man history is the connection between the classic series and the X franchise. It's mostly known that Dr. Wily created Zero in the image of Proto Man, and some speculate that he proceeded to run amok and kill everyone in the classic series off -- explaining their absence in Mega Man X.

The former confirmed factoid is explicitly stated and shown in the arcade fighter Rockman: The Power Battle, as well as the sequel, The Power Fighters, and the more-canon anime cutscenes in Mega Man X4. Thankfully, this new design document that's on display at the Mega Man 30th anniversary event in Hirakata and Hanayashiki Park Japan gives us a few more clues.

Staggeringly this document dates back to 1993, before Bass, Wily's big project, was ever a thing (Mega Man 7 didn't come out  until 1995). It details the creation of both X and Zero by Dr. Light and Wily respectively, as well as the creation of the robot virus by Wily, which led to the Maverick virus that shook up the entire world in the X series. Another big thing to notice -- Dr. Wily died "at the same time" as he completed Zero, and his virus, which was incomplete, assisted in turning Zero to the good side.

As silly as this subseries got over time, it's amazing to see how planned out it was from the very start.

N2 [Twitter via Rockman Corner]

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/mega-man-x-design-document-further-explains-the-zero-and-dr-wily-connection-487385.phtml

News:: Take a trip down memory (card) lane with The PlayStation Anthology

For many gamers, the Sony PlayStation was the introduction to the wonderful world of video games. With good reason, as Sony's first true foray into the industry was more than just a console, it was a phenomenon.

The release of the PlayStation was the first time the mainstream ever saw video games as "cool". It was the first time that Terry from Five-a-Side played video games without worrying about being a "nerd". Sony, through great design, clever marketing and excellent licensing, made the first-ever console that didn't carry the (narrow-minded) stigma that gaming had held for generations.

I remember that overnight transition clearly. One day "video games were for outcasts", the next day, every trendy nightclub in the city was pumping out beats from Wipeout, Lara Croft was a national icon, and Sony's grey box was as cool to own as any Technics bomber jacket. PlayStation, as a console and a brand, was something else, which changed the trajectory of video games forever.

Read more...

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/take-a-trip-down-memory-card-lane-with-the-playstation-anthology-487380.phtml

News:: Can Star Wars just... stop? For a little bit?

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away, Star Wars was an event.

Star Wars was a property that always seemed to be much bigger than it actually was. Up until 1999 we only had three Star Wars movies to contend with and even after the prequel trilogy ended in 2006, Star Wars still felt small to me. It was a continuous story about the Skywalker family, the rise and fall of Darth Vader, and how a tiny little rebellion was able to change the fate of the galaxy. Sure, Star Wars had a few film and TV spin-offs from its inception until Revenge of the Sith like the Ewok movies and the Holiday Special, but those were always small, niche little offerings. Hell, some of the most hardcore Star Wars fans I know have never even seen the Ewok movies (and for good reason). Star Wars always felt contained. Commercialized, but it never felt malicious. 

Fast forward now to 2018 and Star Wars is an entirely different beast. It's still a massive, multi-billion dollar franchise, but now it's backed by the House of Mouse. With Disney at the helm of the franchise, it's pretty clear to see that they're making Star Wars into THE mega franchise, more-so than before. Oh sure, Star Wars was no stranger to merchandise, video games, books, and parodies outside of the core movies, but those expanded universe entries always felt a bit more chaotic and fresh. Any creator could come in, create a story in the Star Wars universe, and see if the ideas could stick with the fans. It's from the extended universe that we got Grand Admiral Thrawn, Knights of the Old Republic, and Dash Rendar; characters and stories that are beloved by hardcore fans. When Disney took control of the franchise, one of their first actions was to nullify all of the expanded universe elements that they didn't like, stifling the history of one of the most influential series in geekdom.

Now before we go any further, I just want to make one thing perfectly clear; I don't hate the sequel trilogy thus far. I can say that The Last Jedi was definitely underwhelming and has a lot of problems when you begin to examine it in detail, but it was still a decent experience. Personally, I really like The Force Awakens and I consider it one of the best films in the franchise. On television Star Wars Rebels has been some of the best Star Wars we've seen in recent memory as well.

With the backlash to The Last Jedi I think that people are all too eager to make the connection that criticism to modern Star Wars is a validation that Disney is doing a terrible job and they're worse than George "Kids-Will-Totally-Love-Jar-Jar-Binks" Lucas ever was. Disney isn't ruining the franchise. If Star Wars can survive midichlorians it can survive anything. Disney is making competent films, but they're definitely cheapening the IP with all of their projects.

Disney has had a problem recently of not knowing when to stop with their franchises. They'll find something that's a success and milk it for all it's worth. In the span of three years since the release of The Force Awakens we've had Rogue One and The Last Jedi premiere with Solo coming out in May, not to mention Star Wars Rebels concluding its four season run in March. So that's four Star Wars movies and an animated series in three years, compared to the prequel trilogy's three movies and a Cartoon Network animated series that tied in to the trilogy over the span of seven years. Not only that, but Disney has announced that Rian Johnson will be making his own trilogy, the creators of Game of Thrones will work on another trilogy, the spin offs will most likely continue with a rumored Boba Fett movie, and Disney has plans for several new Star Wars shows to most likely air on their upcoming streaming service. 

So in total we have nine upcoming movies, at least two spin-offs, several TV shows, and that's just of what we know. There may, and most likely will be, more projects announced in the coming months to capitalize on the franchise's recent resurgence. You may have noticed that I've neglected to talk about Star Wars video games and books, but that's for a good reason. In the realm of video games, Star Wars never really went away. Gamers have had classic Star Wars games on most major consoles, whether it was piloting a snowspeeder on Hoth in Shadow of the Empire, platforming on the SNES trilogy, shooting your way to galactic conquest in Battlefront 2 (the good one), or being an action badass with OP force powers in The Force Unleashed. Star Wars found a home with gamers and has always had a home there, so more Star Wars video games don't surprise me at all. I mean, it is surprising that they've morphed into whatever the hell Battlefront 2 was, but that's a whole other topic. 

As for the expanded universe books, they've just transitioned to another form of books; comic books. Marvel is now publishing a huge amount of comics under the Star Wars banner and while I personally haven't read any of them, people that have told me that they were perfectly fine. They've expanded on previous established characters in an organic way that I've heard very little complaints.

But the movies? I can't help but feel like the franchise is about to become over-saturated with installments that fans aren't really asking for. It's the difference between The Simpsons and Futurama. Both are beloved animated series from Matt Groening, but both have completely different public perceptions. The Simpsons is a massive franchise that is still going strong after nearly 30 years, but fans will tell you that the show reached it's peak back in the late 90's, early 2000's and has no relevance anymore.

On the other hand, Futurama was never as big of a success, having only eight seasons and four straight to DVD movies, but I will argue that the fan base behind that show is much stronger than The Simpsons is now. Futurama reruns air constantly on Cartoon Network and each episode offered something fresh and different from what was airing at the time. Even when it went away for nearly a decade, you could argue that the show was even better once it came back, giving the creators time to work on new ideas, new concepts, and let a new generation of fans come in not only from a network shift, but from a new crowd of younger fans entering the picture. I can only speak from personal experience, but my first exposure to the franchise was picking up Bender's Big Score from my local Best Buy back in 2008. 

The point is that the franchise that took some time off is in a far better place than the franchise that just kept trucking along without a break. The Simpsons used to be such a beloved show that defined 90's America, but now it just seems like a relic that has run out of ideas. Who can say that they actually cared about The Simpsons for the past decade with the exception of the Treehouse of Horror episodes? New writers are brought on, they rehash old plot points, try and make the series connect with a new audience, but it's clear that the spark has gone. I fear that Disney's doing the same thing to Star Wars that Fox did to The Simpsons.

Now maybe this is me just being paranoid. Maybe I'm worrying over a franchise that's going through a new renaissance and is breathing new life into the sci-fi community. Maybe all of this worrying will be for nothing. I mean, if all of these new projects are great and at worst okay, we still have more good than bad, right?

But remember what I said at the beginning that Star Wars was an event? It was a defining moment for different generations. Gen Xers had the original trilogy to watch, they took their Millennial children to go see the prequel trilogy, and now their detergent eater kids are seeing the sequel trilogy. But what comes after that? There will never be a lull if Disney has their way. Star Wars will stay in the cultural discussion every single year with no break in the action, just more movies. 

I can't tell if Disney is being greedy by milking Star Wars for all it's worth, or if they're scared that if they don't use their new crown jewel wisely it'll lose value. It's probably a little bit of both to be honest. Disney wants money and they want to strike while the iron is hot. Except the iron never cooled. Star Wars fans never went away. Children were still exposed to the original trilogy and the prequels while demanding new Storm Trooper action figures from their parents. Those same parents probably relish talking about Star Wars and buy all of the games, or the books, or the new Blu-Ray releases that Disney puts out. 

Star Wars isn't going to go away anytime soon. It's going to become the space Simpsons. It's going to keep making an obscene amount of money for Disney, but as time goes on it's going to lose that spark that made it so special. Maybe in five years I'll have to take it all back when I see a spin-off movie about the Bothans stealing the plans for the new Death Star and I'll call it the greatest movie of all time. But I highly doubt it. I want to be proved wrong, but that's pretty unlikely. 

The Force will be with us always. Congrats to us...?

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/can-star-wars-just-stop-for-a-little-bit--486868.phtml

News:: Splatoon 2 is getting a new 'Starter' edition at retail

Similar to the retail exclusive Breath of the Wild bundle, Splatoon 2 will be getting a brand new "Starter" edition on March 16 for anyone that hasn't already jumped on board. In addition to including the game, this new package will contain some sticker sheets and a strategy guide to ease players into the wacky, paint filled world of Splatoon.

You'll be able to nab this bundle for $59.99, which is exactly the same price as the normal edition. Now if we could just get a bundle with those newly announced amiibos...

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via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/splatoon-2-is-getting-a-new-starter-edition-at-retail-487408.phtml

News:: Space Channel 5 VR: Arakata Dancing Show coming to HTC Vive

This weekend at Topikagi, part of the Japan Amusement Expo 2018, players were able to tag-up with the fabulous go-go boots of futuristic news reporter Ulala, as funkadelic franchise Space Channel 5 made a long-awaited return, now in VR form!

Space Channel 5 VR: Arakata Dancing Show is a project currently in development from G-Rounding Inc. The demo allows players to join Ulala on a standard Space Channel 5 mission. Armed with just sweet steps and a "Chu" gun, players must match the swinging reporter move-for-move in order to take out the invading Morolians. Sounds knackering.

The new game is a redesigned version of a VR tech demo released back in 2016. Back then, the game had was more a passive "experience" than a game. It appears that the former Ukiuki Viewing Show is having these interactive elements added to reshape it into Arakata Dancing Show.

The current demo is built for HTC Vive units, and is expected to tour VR-equipped locations throughout Japan while development continues. Plans are to release a full downloadable title within the year, but there is little info on a specific date, price, or whether the game will be made available on other VR platforms.

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/space-channel-5-vr-arakata-dancing-show-coming-to-htc-vive-487338.phtml

News:: Uncle Death does a sweet kickflip as Let it Die cruises past four million downloads

Let it Die ain't dead yet. The weird free-to-play Suda51-as-all-hell survival game still has a pulse. Last May, we learned that Let it Die hit three million downloads. Nine months later and it has hit the next significant milestone.

Publisher GungHo Entertainment revealed today that Let it Die is now at four million downloads -- all on PlayStation 4. People are still climbing the tower. Maybe not at the rate they once did, but they're still climbing.

And developer Grasshopper Manufacture is still adding to the tower. There's a February 27 live stream planned to celebrate the four million mark, and that might be when we'll learn about what's next for Let it Die. For now, Uncle Death's livin' the good life.

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via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/uncle-death-does-a-sweet-kickflip-as-let-it-die-cruises-past-four-million-downloads-487407.phtml

News:: Miyamoto dishes on why the Minions studio was chosen for Mario's animated movie debut

Among massive discussions regarding Nintendo Labo and several other upcoming key products in Nintendo's repiotoire, a recent Corporate Management Policy Briefing with the Big N brings to light answers to a few burning questions -- for one, why did Nintendo choose Minion studio Illumination to host Mario's first movie?

Well, taking the qualifier that "[they'll] call it quits" if they can't make "something interesting" in the end, Miyamoto explains himself rather well in the briefing, stating "I’ve been considering an animated film for many years now. There has long been talk that Nintendo could make a movie because “making a game is like making a movie.” But they are completely different to me. Interactive experiences are completely different from non-interactive media, and to make a movie I want a film expert to do the work. Thinking that way, I have talked with all sorts of different movie directors and producers, and eventually I was introduced to Illumination via Universal Parks & Resorts, with whom we are developing theme park attractions."

He goes on to say, "As a producer, Chris Meledandri (Illumination’s CEO) is noted here for movies like Minions and Sing, but he is a veteran with a ton of experience, including the movie Ice Age and stints at companies like 20th Century Fox Animation. When I talked with Chris, he said he had read a lot of interviews with me and felt we had a similar approach to creation. Talking about our similarities, we clicked and decided maybe we should do some kind of collaboration. We started our conversation over two years ago, and finally reached the stage where we could make an announcement. Chris is extremely cost-conscious and time-conscious in his quest to make successful movies. We decided to try making a movie together, and distributing the completed movie globally through Universal Pictures."

I don't know why but picturing Miyamoto watching Ice Age warms my heart. Well there you go. The movie could maybe not happen if Miyamoto isn't happy about it, which is probably the most interesting tidbit of all. Until then I'll reserve judgment as Illumination has put out some decent stuff since 2012.

Q & A Summary [Nintendo]

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/miyamoto-dishes-on-why-the-minions-studio-was-chosen-for-mario-s-animated-movie-debut-487374.phtml

News:: SNK's King of Fighters '97 Global Match coming in April

SNK have announced that The King of Fighters '97 Global Match, initially revealed at the recent EVO Japan tournament, will land on multiple platforms this coming April.

Global Match will be a straight port of the Neo Geo fighting classic, which brings about the end of the series' "Orochi" story arc. The game will feature online support, with PS4 and PS Vita players able to throw-down with each other in 3-vs-3 fighting action.

It is a bit of an odd release, to be honest. KoF '97 is a fine title, but with so many KoF re-releases over the last ten years, be it through Hamster, retail compilations, the PSN store or, best of all, the excellent '98 Ultimate Match and '02 Unlimited Match, it feels a little random to pull a bare-bones port of KoF '97 out of the lineup and go "It's 2018, better get this online".

Regardless, The King of Fighters '97 Global Match launches in April on PS4, PS Vita and PC.

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via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/snk-s-king-of-fighters-97-global-match-coming-in-april-487352.phtml

News:: Zelda Uno is going to be a thing this week

It's been a while since I've played a regular old game of "in real life" Uno. I doubt that will change given the sheer backlog of tabletop I have to get through (I just tried Viticulture for the first time recently, it's great!), but at the very least some people might enjoy this one in the near future.

GameStop is evidently getting an exclusive version of Zelda Uno, which features the typical Uno set and a "special rule," involving wild Triforce cards that force other players to play Triforce cards (3 or 6) in turn or draw three. Hey, I've seen less exciting Uno rules in my time!

I might get it for the collection just for the art.

Uno [GameStop]

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via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/zelda-uno-is-going-to-be-a-thing-this-week-487381.phtml