News:: The 300 Week 19: Riding the MoviePass Crazy Train Until It Completely Derails

Aloha, folks, and welcome back to The 300, a recurring feature on my doable-but-unwise quest to watch 300 movies in theaters in the year 2018. I’ll be watching new releases, classics, and hidden gems to experience the wide world of cinema in all its forms. There should be something each week that you can also enjoy.

As always, there are three rules for The 300:

• The movie must be at least 40 minutes long, meeting the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ definition of a feature film.
• I must watch the movie at a movie theater, screening room, or outdoor screening venue.
• While I can watch movies I’ve seen before 2018, I cannot count repeated viewings of the same film in 2018 multiple times.

MoviePass is alive this week, but I wonder for how long. The company said they have a $300 million line of credit, which should keep them afloat for about 17 months. But as Business Insider noted in an opinion column, MoviePass has other woes to consider. Parent company Helios and Matheson Analytics loses more than $20 million a month, and if their stock remains below $1, they could be kicked off NASDAQ before the end of 2018. So far, the MoviePass train remains on the track. Full steam ahead into certain peril, until tech CEOs become hobos.

Also, apropos of nothing, I’ve heard “More News from Nowhere” by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds so many times in theaters before movies that I consider it the de facto theme song of The 300. (By “theaters” I obviously mean my go-to places, Metrograph and Quad Cinema, not multiplexes. Though could you imagine hearing Nick Cave at a Regal Cinema? Dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria.)

And so, onward.

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via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/the-300-week-19-riding-the-moviepass-crazy-train-until-it-completely-derails-503276.phtml

News:: Ride 3 leaves rubber on the pavement on November 8

The Ride series officially has more numbered games than wheels on its bikes. Well, unless there are some trikes to take around the track.

Today, Ride 3 was revealed for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. It will launch with more than 230 bikes, 30 tracks, and a whole bunch of customization options. Ride is a franchise that strives for realism racing -- just like all those car games, except these are motorcycles. As such, developer Milestone promises better AI, a new physics simulation, and an improved collision system.

One of Ride 3's main priorities is almost certainly performing better than the previous game. Ride 2 was decent enough, and it got mostly middling review scores. We gave it a 6. We'll find out soon if this one can outpace its predecessor. Ride 3 launches on November 8.

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/ride-3-leaves-rubber-on-the-pavement-on-november-8-503324.phtml

News:: There's a new Project CARS but it's for mobile devices

Project CARS hangs its hat on being a faithful simulation of racing across all types of vehicles and conditions. The next installment probably won't aspire to reach those heights simply because of its platform.

The third Project CARS game is in development, but it's something of a spinoff. Rather than releasing on PC and consoles, this title is being made for mobile devices. It's called Project CARS GO and it's being made by mobile developer Gamevil's US team; Slightly Mad Studios, the team behind the core Project CARS games, is involved too, probably in some sort of an advisory role.

The details surrounding the announcement are sparse. We don't know if this is in development for iOS and Android or when Project CARS GO plans to launch. We've reached out to a representative with these questions. We'll update this article if/when we receive a response.

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via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/there-s-a-new-project-cars-but-it-s-for-mobile-devices-503318.phtml

News:: Check out over 10 minutes of Fighting EX Layer's classic characters right here

Developer Arika have released 12 minutes of footage taken from their upcoming fighter, once simply known as "The Mysterious Fighting Game" before eventually being given the not-as-cool title of Fighting EX Layer.

In the video, we get to see a bevy of characters from the one-on-one fighter engaging in wild, non-Queensbury rules action. Fans of the classic Street Fighter EX titles will recognise D. Dark, Hokuto and, of course, the unmistakable Skullomania, of whom fans have being clamouring to see return for years.

Fighting EX Layer will be released as a digital-only title for PS4. Arika have stated that a physical edition, a PC port and DLC content will only be considered if the game is a success. This is a gamble, considering the the title's niche appeal, lack of features and two-price-point delivery system.

Regardless, the game does look like it could be a lot of fun, so here's hoping a lot of fight fans take the plunge upon launch, tentatively scheduled for the end of June.

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via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/check-out-over-10-minutes-of-fighting-ex-layer-s-classic-characters-right-here-503230.phtml

News:: There's a fix for The Witcher 3's foliage issues on PS4 Pro

A recent-ish patch for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt added HDR support, but it also brought new issues for PlayStation 4 Pro users. As captured by YouTube user Qbon83, the update has been causing problems with the game's draw distance and foliage, leading to some rather immersion-breaking pop-in.

It's the kind of thing that can grate on you enough to put your adventure on hold.

The pop-in problem only affected certain users (namely, people running The Witcher 3 at 4K on PS4 Pro), but it was still unfortunate to see. Today, CD Projekt RED released a hotfix for those players.

The new hotfix for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is now available on PS4 and PS4 Pro! This update increases draw distance for foliage, while using 4K on PS4 Pro and applies to both, Vanilla and GOTY versions of the game. pic.twitter.com/wYvPDSkhUD

— The Witcher (@witchergame) May 16, 2018

I've yet to find a good before-and-after comparison, but presumably things are back in order.

The Witcher [Twitter]

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/there-s-a-fix-for-the-witcher-3-s-foliage-issues-on-ps4-pro-503314.phtml

News:: Ubisoft will be holding a closed beta for The Crew 2

The Crew 2 will be launching next month, so Ubisoft is giving players a chance to try out the game early with a closed beta. Running from May 31 to June 4, you can sign-up today on your platform of choice to get a taste for what the game has to offer. This beta will feature four different event types (Street Race, Rally Raid, Powerboat and Aerobatics) as well as having an event sponsored by Motor Trend Magazine.

Pre-loading will begin on May 29 for all players that qualify, so you can be ready to go once the beta starts.

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via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/ubisoft-will-be-holding-a-closed-beta-for-the-crew-2-503305.phtml

News:: PS4 and PC crossplay coming to Tooth and Tail today

Pocketwatch Games have announced that a new update, set live today, will allow multi-platform crossplay for the fuzzy revolutionaries of tactical strategy title Tooth and Tail.

The indie release, which launched in the Fall of 2017, sees a remorseless civil war break out between a community of countryside critters. Playing like a high-speed, scaled-down version of RTS games such as StarCraft and Command and Conquer, players guide their platoon of blanket-bombing owls, grenade-tossing warthogs and drunken squirrels to victory in a ugly rebellion against the bourgeoisie.

In a new update, players of both the PC and PS4 editions of the game will now be able to wage war against each other, an incredibly savvy move that takes both of  Tooth and Tail's dedicated communities and plants them into one big player pool, hopefully reducing wait times between revolutions.

The crossplay functionality applies to both the Steam and GOG editions of Tooth and Tail, and should be live as you're reading this. With this new addition, the game's upcoming ranking league, and a PvP campaign on the horizon, there's never been a better time to gather your arms and wander blindly into the political upheaval.

Tooth and Tail is available now on PS4 and PC.

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/ps4-and-pc-crossplay-coming-to-tooth-and-tail-today-503237.phtml

News:: DICE will reveal Battlefield V next week

We won't have to wait until E3 to learn more about Battlefield V. In fact, we won't have to wait long at all. EA is streaming a reveal event on Wednesday, May 23 at 1:00pm Pacific with The Daily Show's Trevor Noah handling hosting duties. You'll be able to watch along on Twitch, YouTube, and Mixer.

Much has been said about the type of game Battlefield V is shaping up to be. Back in March, GamesBeat reported that it marks a return to World War II, which makes sense given how well the WWI-set Battlefield 1 went over. (Side note: the series' naming methodology is completely off the rails.) There has also been talk of a potential battle royale mode, but that may or may not make it in at launch.

Officially, all we really know is that Battlefield V will have a single-player component, but we'll see what's what next week. I do hope the WWII rumors pan out, though. It's been long enough.

How to Watch the Battlefield V Live Reveal [Battlefield]

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/dice-will-reveal-battlefield-v-next-week-503309.phtml

News:: Marvel pulls in two writers to make an Eternals movie

Marvel has shown over and over that it can dig deep into its canon and make a hit film, and with Avengers: Infinity War turning out to be a Thanos movie, it's the perfect time for them to dive into the Eternals. Thanos is an Eternal, you see. It's definitely one of the deeper dives for Marvel, but one that could pay off in expanding the universe so they've brought in Matthew and Ryan Firpo to pen a screenplay. The duo has one of the hottest screenplays on the Black List at the moment, Ruin, but not much else to their name. 

They'll have to do quite an interesting number to pull of an Eternals movie. The characters weren't really meant to play around too much with the rest of the Marvel universe, though one has been an Avenger. They were created by ancient beings known as the Celestials and tasked with basically eternally battling the Deviants in a millennium long war. It will be very interesting to see how this film fits into the overall Marvel structure. They could easily pull off a movie that's almost entirely unconnected to the rest of the MCU given the fact that the Eternals have been around for a long, long time.

There's also whiffs of the Inhumans in this for me. A secret civilization of super powered people given powers by an powerful alien race? Obviously the two are different, but is this Feige's second attempt at actually pulling off this story line?

Marvel Sets Black List Writers for 'Eternals' Movie (Exclusive) (THR)

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/marvel-pulls-in-two-writers-to-make-an-eternals-movie-503271.phtml

News:: Lab Zero's RPG Indivisible now delayed until 2019

And in the continued stream of upcoming titles being held back, Skullgirls developer Lab Zero have announced that their upcoming mystical RPG, Indivisible, will not make its scheduled 2018 release.

"While we did everything we could to prevent this from happening, the simple reality is that Indivisible ended up being a much larger project than we could have anticipated," reads the game's latest blog post. "This was not a decision we made lightly, nor did we make it alone. Needing more time to finish the game meant that we also needed more money. Fortunately, 505 Games has graciously funded the majority of the extension, and Lab Zero will be kicking in our Skullgirls royalties to cover the rest."

The post goes on to assure fans that the game will not be cutting any planned content, despite these issues, with Lab Zero confident that the game will retain its original scope and ultimately deliver the magical adventure that the community are hoping for.

Indivisible was, genuinely, one of my most anticipated games of this year, so this is real bum news. I'd much rather get a great game than a rushed one or, even worse, no game at all. I'm sure many of you fans feel the same. Here's hoping that Lab Zero continue to push through their trials and tribulations to bring Ajna and her amazing friends to us soon.

Indivisible is scheduled for release on PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC in the first half of 2019. 

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via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/lab-zero-s-rpg-indivisible-now-delayed-until-2019-503302.phtml

News:: Mechs vs. Minions is back in stock, and I'd highly recommend it if you can gather up three friends

Mechs vs. Minions is one of the most entertaining board games that's hit my tabletop in some time.

If you haven't heard of it the gist is that four players take control of various characters from the League of Legends franchise and do battle against NPCs with a modular board and evolving missions. It's a co-op joint, and said missions really do evolve in the sense that you're taking on new concepts, and even eventual RPG-like upgrades. The best part of the whole affair is that you're cracking open new boxes with brand new bits and pieces to incorporate, including an eventual giant "warning, do not open" package. It's a wacky game and the over-arching story you're following as you take these scenarios on only adds to it.

The thing is, it's nearly impossible to find, as Riot Games, creator of League, has to reprint it. Well, they just did that and are now offering Wave 3 of Mechs vs. Minions if you've been itching to play it. Note that while $75 is pricey, you're getting a lot in the box. I'd recommend going in on it four ways with friends and committing to the campaign.

Mechs Vs Minions (Wave 3) [Riot Games]

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/mechs-vs-minions-is-back-in-stock-and-i-d-highly-recommend-it-if-you-can-gather-up-three-friends-503259.phtml

News:: Layton: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy headed to Switch in Japan

As written in the latest issue of Japanese publication Famitsu, Level-5's 3DS adventure Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy is coming to the Nintendo Switch in Japan on August 9.

Originally launching for 3DS and mobile devices in the Summer of 2017, Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy sees the daughter of series' star Professor Layton don the detective's cap after dear old dad goes missing while on a case. Accompanied by her chatty dog, Sherl, Katrielle finds herself solving a variety of mysteries for the local townsfolk, leading to the truth about her father's disappearance.

The Nintendo Switch version of the game will include all of the game's episodes, as well as an alternate control system. There is no mention of a Western localisation as of yet, but given that both the mobile and 3DS versions of the title hit these shores with relative ease, fans should keep their hopes up.

Layton's Mystery Journey coming to Switch in Japan [Famitsu / Ryokutya2089]

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/layton-katrielle-and-the-millionaires-conspiracy-headed-to-switch-in-japan-503241.phtml

News:: YouTube creates boombox with working Switch, SNES Classic, PSTV, and Wii Mini

Youtuber My Mate Vince manages to create a whole swath of crazy projects, but this time they went a little overboard -- in both good and bad ways.

The channel created a gigantic monstrosity of a piece of hardware, hooking up an old Portavision TV into a boombox, which is in turn attached to a working PSTV, Wii Mini, SNES Classic, and Switch. Yes they had to hook up everything to a CRT TV to get this all to work, which involves converters and a whole lot of other basic technical wizardry.

The video runs through everything, from how it was made to showing off the working awful quality tiny TV screen. They even try to play a Smash match on it! I think if someone brought this in front of me at a convention and challenged me to a Smash match I'd happily oblige.

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via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/youtube-creates-boombox-with-working-switch-snes-classic-pstv-and-wii-mini-503257.phtml

News:: Hideo Kojima will return to E3 Coliseum to talk game design

The irrepressible Hideo Kojima, known for his industry-defining work on games such as Penguin Adventure and Stock Trading Trainer, will return to E3 Coliseum to discuss his unique creative methods.

Kojima will join host and good pal Geoff Keighley on stage at the industry event, where he is expected to talk about the design process that brought about a wave of highly successful, pioneering, even genre-defining video games. Also on stage will be movie director Jordan Vogt-Roberts (Kong: Skull Island) who was, at one time, in talks to adapt Kojima's own Metal Gear into a movie for the silver screen.

Death Stranding, Kojima's current, batshit-insane looking project will be making its presence known at E3 this year. After a series of bizarre trailers and speculation that ventures into brain-bending conspiracy theory, the gaming world awaits answers... that it probably won't get.

E3 takes place between June 12-15 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/hideo-kojima-will-return-to-e3-coliseum-to-talk-game-design-503240.phtml

News:: 'Shenmue 3' will apparently arrive in 2019

At this point, it seems like driving a forklift in the world of Shenmue again is even more of a pipe dream. Development on the third entry in the groundbreaking series kicked into gear in 2015 after a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign; after the last postponement, Shenmue 3 was scheduled to drop in the back half of 2018. However, another delay means you'll have to wait until 2019 for the next part of Ryo Hazuki's story.

Source: Shenmue 3 (Kickstarter)

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/16/shenmue-3-delay-2019/

News:: Koei Tecmo wants to do Star Wars and Mario games, possibly in the style of Warriors

If Nintendo is willing to compromise and lend the Mario IP to a game that involves killer, hideous Rabbids who behave badly, they're probably willing to bend a little more than they used to.

Nintendo has always been highly protective of their IP, but the landscape is changing. They're more openly communicating with more cross-developer projects, most notably the aforementioned Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and of course, the multiple Warriors games from Koei Tecmo like Hyrule Warriors and Fire Emblem Warriors. It stands to reason that a not-too-violent Mario Warriors could happen at some point (and would even look pretty cool with colorful star effects after unleashing an ultimate), and that's just what Koei Tecmo wants.

Speaking to Kotaku, Koei Tecmo president Hisashi Koinuma noted that he wants to do games based on Star Wars and Mario. The former he really wants to be a Warriors game, and even describes Luke taking on hordes of Stormtroopers, but the latter sounds like an open ended project. Koinuma explains: "I think [any genre] would be great...even a simulation would be good.”

Can you imagine the roster on this thing if it was a Warriors joint? Get in contact with Square Enix and involve characters like Geno from Super Mario RPG! The possibilities are endless.

The People Behind Hyrule Warriors Have Two Dream Projects: Mario And Star Wars [Kotaku]

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/koei-tecmo-wants-to-do-star-wars-and-mario-games-possibly-in-the-style-of-warriors-503255.phtml

News:: Nintendo Switch Smash Bros. will be playable at Japanese locations next month

Nintendo have announced that, once the game is officially unveiled at June's E3 event, the mysterious Nintendo Switch Smash Bros. title will be available to play at various events across Japan.

While there are no further details on the game itself - all that will have to wait until the big reveal - a playable build of the anticipated title will be set up at the following dates and locations:

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via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/nintendo-switch-smash-bros-will-be-playable-at-japanese-locations-next-month-503229.phtml

News:: Power Rangers cross paths with Street Fighter on mobile

2017's Power Rangers didn't do well enough to set up the massive film franchise like Saban had hoped. It wasn't a bad movie, but it also didn't make very much money. The most substantial thing to come out of it was probably Power Rangers: Legacy Wars, the mobile fighting game. That has more than 10 million downloads and starting tomorrow, it's getting a major crossover with some of the stars of the Street Fighter franchise.

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via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/power-rangers-cross-paths-with-street-fighter-on-mobile-503261.phtml

News:: Apocalyptic shooter 'Stalker 2' is back in development

GSC Game World, the Ukrainian Development Studio behind the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series today took to Facebook to reveal that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 development is back underway. Following rumors that the studio was shutting down and the game's eventual cancelation in 2012 -- the same year it was expected to release -- the future of the series was up in the air.

Via: PC Gamer

Source: GSC Game World

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/16/apocalyptic-shooter-stalker-2-is-back-in-development/

News:: Yep, I'm addicted to Hyrule Warriors all over again on Switch

Nearly four years. That's how long Hyrule Warriors has been out, and very few people have probably 100%-ed it.

I don't blame them! While the core loop is fun and the roster is on point, upgrading every single hero and villain and obtaining every key item for them would take hundreds of hours. I spent a few hundred of my own just working on a few of my favorites, and I'll probably spend at least half of that on Switch with the Definitive Edition all over again.

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via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/yep-i-m-addicted-to-hyrule-warriors-all-over-again-on-switch-502252.phtml

News:: Shenmue III delayed to 2019, act surprised

Delays are inevitable with Kickstarter projects. The scope of these games often extend far beyond what was initially imagined, especially when they smash their goals and in the case of Shenmue III, smash Kickstarter records.

Announced today, Shenmue III will be caught up in the winds of Kickstarter, as it has been delayed to 2019. No other monthly window was given, just a general "next year sometime." The reason for the announcement? To "polish the quality of the game even further, to the high standards it deserves and release the product in the best possible timeframe."

Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki has issued a statement on the ordeal: "To all of our backers, we are very sorry for the delay. After much discussion with our partners, Deep Silver, we have concluded that extending the release will allow us to deliver Shenmue III at its best. We promise to use this time to improve the quality of Shenmue III. We cannot thank you enough for your enduring support."

To me, this is key: "after much discussion with our partners." It seems like no one wants a repeat of Mighty No. 9, least of all Deep Silver who were involved in that mess, and everyone wants to make sure Shenmue III is legit before it gets shown to the world. That's fine with me, as the odds of a major studio and publisher running away with this and taking their ball home is very, very low -- it'll likely come out eventually.

Release date Announcement by Deep Silver [Kickstarter]

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/shenmue-iii-delayed-to-2019-act-surprised-503258.phtml

News:: Rumors swirl for Pokemon Lets Go Pikachu and Lets go Eevee as Nintendo registers domains for them

When Pokemon rumors are flying around, the whole internet gets involved.

The latest buzz is around two big names -- Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee. According to Pokemon super-site Serebii.net, a logo for the former has been circulating, lending credence to various rumors that note that the set of games will be the next Switch titles -- set to release later this year with a full reveal before the end of the month. Not a whole lot of details are known other than that it could be influenced a bit by Pokemon Go (will have its features be missing at launch?), and may involve the Kanto region.

The day after the rumors started, CSC, who registers domains on behalf of Nintendo, picked up pokemonletsgoeevee and pokemonletsgopikachu. That could easily just be a deflection tactic to enhance the surprise when the real project is revealed at E3, but we'll see soon enough.

Unconfirmed rumor [Serebii.net]

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/rumors-swirl-for-pokemon-lets-go-pikachu-and-lets-go-eevee-as-nintendo-registers-domains-for-them-503256.phtml

News:: Post-apocalyptic sequel Metro Exodus delayed until 2019

Metro Exodus, the third game in the creepy, atmospheric Metro series, has unfortunately been pushed back to 2019. The announcement came from a press release by publisher THQ Nordic.

Originally announced last year, (and rumoured long before that), Metro Exodus, developed by 4A Games, will bring the series penchant for grim, claustrophobic locations and grotesque post-apocalyptic creatures screaming to the current generation of platforms.

Although it was expected to launch sometime this year, the delay will see the game pushed into 2019. The silver lining is that it is still scheduled for the first quarter of the year. Hopefully the delay will give 4A Games more time to deliver the exciting, terrifying final product worthy of its source material.

Metro Exodus will now launch on PS4, Xbox One and PC in early 2019.

via destructoid https://www.destructoid.com/post-apocalyptic-sequel-metro-exodus-delayed-until-2019-503245.phtml

News:: Survival shooter 'Metro Exodus' delayed to early 2019

If you were hoping to play Metro Exodus this year, bad news: the first-person shooter has been pushed back to early 2019. The third instalment in THQ's nuclear-ravaged survival series was announced at E3 2017 during Microsoft's press conference. The trailer started in a snowy wasteland — a staple of the Metro franchise — before switching to an underground tunnel swarming with ghoulish creatures. The hero battles his way to the the surface, revealing a new woodland location filled with broken buildings and telephone masts. A second cinematic trailer was then shown at The Game Awards last December. As with previous entries, the game is loosely based on the Metro novels penned by Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky.

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/16/metro-exodus-game-delay-q1-2019/

News:: The Morning After: Amazon Prime adds discounts at Whole Foods

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

This morning, Amazon is adding to its Prime subscription with new discounts at Whole Foods, while PicoBrew has a new universal countertop machine. Plus: our first impressions of Disney's ESPN+ streaming service and what it means for cord-cutting sports fans.

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/16/the-morning-after-amazon-prime-adds-discounts-at-whole-foods/

News:: Sony will stop making physical PS Vita games in 2019

The PS Vita might still attract new fans thanks to indie releases and JRPGs like Persona 4 Golden, but they're clearly not enough to prevent its impending death. According to Kotaku, Sony's American and European divisions are ending the production of physical Vita games by March 31st, 2019, which is the end of fiscal year 2018. The company has revealed the news in a letter to developers, asking them to submit their final purchase orders by February 15th, 2019.

Source: Kotaku

via Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/2018/05/16/rip-sony-physical-vita-games/