It's strange to think that there was a time when the key roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe hadn't yet been cast. Actors such as Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, and Chris Hemsworth seem so perfect for their roles that it's hard to think of other actors who could play them as well. But of course, these iconic roles were not just handed to these now world-famous actors. A new video has been released that shows footage of Downey Jr's screentest for Tony Stark in 2008's Iron Man.The video can be found as part of the bonus content on the upcoming digital release of Avengers: Endgame. In the clip, Iron Man director Jon Favreau states that Downey Jr. was already an acclaimed actor, but alludes to the fact that the movies he was best known for at that stage were not huge blockbusters. So Downey Jr had to audition for the role--and the rest is history. Check out the video below, via Fandango:What's the number of love you would give for Robert Downey Jr's decade-long performance as #IronMan? Watch his audition tape before he landed the iconic role! #AvengersEndgame can be pre-ordered to own now! Available July 30 on digital via FandangoNOW: https://t.co/PXAquXLuFa pic.twitter.com/eBoGC3szuy — Fandango (@Fandango) July 16, 2019Avengers: Endgame releases digitally in July 30 and on Blu-ray on August 13. Other bonus content includes an audio commentary from directors Anthony and Joe Russo and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, six deleted scenes, and a gag reel. The digital edition also includes a featurette that explores Steve Rogers' controversial decision at the end of the movie. Check out full details of the Avengers: Endgame home release here.Earlier this week it was reported that Endgame is very close to becoming the most successful movie of all time. James Cameron's Avatar has held that record for nearly a decade, with a $2.78 billion gross. But Endgame has made $2.788 billion at the worldwide box office since its release in April, and is now just $7.16 million away from claiming the record.Marvel returns to San Diego Comic-Con this week. The studio was absent from the convention in 2018, but will feature prominently this year. The big Marvel event takes place in Hall H on Saturday night. It is described as an "an inside look at the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe," will feature Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige, plus "surprise panelists." While details are currently underwraps, it is thought likely that news of the studio's future release slate, which potentially includes movies such as Black Widow and The Eternals, will finally be revealed. SDCC also marks the first stop on the Russo Brothers' We Love You 3000 promotional tour.For more on Marvel at Comic-Con, check out GameSpot's guide to all the Marvel panels and events at SDCC so far.Info from Gamespot.com

Following hot on the heels of its Switch Lite announcement, Nintendo has announced another new piece of Switch hardware. This one isn't noticeably different, though, as it's instead intended as a replacement for the existing models. That doesn't mean it doesn't have some advantages of its own, though, so read on for more on this Switch revision.What is this new Nintendo Switch?In short, this is a hardware revision to the standard model of Nintendo Switch. It is intended to replace the current stock of Nintendo Switch consoles, which means it doesn't sport significant feature changes or a different form factor. Unless you know exactly what to look for, you probably wouldn't even be able to tell the difference. The one major change is an invisible one: it sports a significantly longer battery life.When will the new Nintendo Switch release?The new Nintendo Switch will release in mid-August in the United States. A more specific release date has not been disclosed.Is this the rumored "Switch Pro"?For months, rumors have circulated that Nintendo was working on two models of hardware revisions to the Nintendo Switch: a stripped-down and budget-priced version, and an upgraded model for power users. The portable-only Switch Lite is the first, which raises the question of whether this is the second.Simply put, we don't know for sure. The rumors were based on leaks about hardware revisions, but Nintendo did file for FCC permission to make changes to the Nintendo Switch. That cited changes to internal components which could impact battery life, and this appears to be the culmination of that. Nintendo did say that the Switch Lite is the only new Switch coming this year, so it's possible that a Switch Pro could still be on the way next year.How long is the battery life?The launch model of the Nintendo Switch promises 2.5-6.5 hours of battery life, while the new revised version is significantly longer at 4.5-9 hours. As with the previous model, more hardware-intensive games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild drain the battery faster, and therefore come in closer to the shorter battery estimates.Has anything else changed?We won't be able to say for certain until it's out in the wild and can be tested firsthand, but based on Nintendo's system specs it appears the only difference is the battery life.How much will it cost?This is a hardware revision meant to replace the old model of Nintendo Switch, so the suggested retail price will remain the same. That means it will cost $299.99 (US).How can I tell the models apart?If you're planning to pick up the revised Nintendo Switch to take advantage of the better battery life, you may need to know how to tell the difference between the models to make sure you get the right one. The easiest way to tell is the packaging. The launch model packaging features a picture of the Nintendo Switch console against a white background with the TV on the left side. The revised model packaging instead features a red background with the TV on the right side. You can compare the two models' boxes below. Alternately, you could refer to the system serial number to tell the difference. The launch model serial numbers start with "XAW" while the revised model starts with "XKW." The serial number can be found on the bottom of the Nintendo Switch, near the input for the AC adapter.Info from Gamespot.com

It's been a busy week for deals as Amazon Prime Day 2019 came and went, offering thousands of discounts and special bundles across every category, including gaming. Prime Day included quite a few noteworthy deals, like a PS4 Pro bundle with Spider-Man and Horizon Zero Dawn for $300 that sold out in a blink, but if you missed your chance to grab a new console, accessory, or specific game on your wishlist, there are still plenty of deals to be had at Walmart and other retailers this week.Walmart's Summer Savings event kicked off on Sunday and continues through Wednesday, July 17, offering free two-day (or faster) shipping on all orders over $35. GameStop's major summer sale, which began a full week before Prime Day and continues until July 20, has some solid game deals, trade-in offers, and collectibles worth checking out. Plus, you'll find some solid deals still floating around at places like Google Express, so don't fret if you missed out (or decided to boycott) Amazon's shopping bonanza.See some of the best post-Prime Day deals still available below.Best console deals Nintendo Switch + Xbox One S All-Digital Edition bundle$400 ($550 value)Use promo code GOTURE at checkout to see the price slashed to just $400 on this crazy bundle with the Nintendo Switch and Xbox One S All Digital-Edition (plus digital downloads for Minecraft, Forza Horizon 3, and Sea of Thieves). See deal at Google ExpressXbox One X (Black)$314 ($500)Normally priced at $500, the Xbox One X is on deep discount at Google Express via seller Antonline. In checkout, you'll see an initial $166 markdown, and once you apply promo code JULY20SAVE, that will increase to $186 off, dropping your price to just $314 (plus tax).See deal at Google ExpressXbox One X + PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds digital download bundle$314 ($500)The same Google Express deal mentioned above also applies to this Xbox One X bundle with PUBG. $314 is a fantastic price for one of the most powerful consoles out there; plus, it doubles as a 4K UHD player.See deal at Google ExpressXbox One S + game + bonus controller + headset bundle$300 ($450)Ready to go all-in on the Xbox One S? This bundle has an MSRP of $300 on its own, so getting a bonus controller and headset doesn't hurt one bit.See deal at WalmartNintendo Switch + game of your choice + bonus accessory bundle$329 ($358.96)Unfortunately, the only accessory left for this bundle is an Ematic Paw Patrol-themed carrying case--but getting the Switch and a first-party Nintendo game for essentially half off is still a good deal.See deal at WalmartPS4 Slim + bonus Crystal DualShock controller bundle$300 ($359.96)Prime Day saw quite a few markdowns on the PS4 Slim, but the last bundle left is this modest one at Walmart, which basically throws a bonus Crystal DualShock 4 controller in for free.See deal at WalmartBest game dealsThe good thing about games is that once they get discounted by one store (looking at you, Amazon), they tend to get price-matched by all the major retailers. There are some solid deals still available, such as Kingdom Hearts 3 for $20, Days Gone for $40, and Red Dead Redemption 2 for $30.Anthem: Legion of Dawn Edition -- $15Get it on PS4Get it on Xbox OneA Plague Tale: Innocence -- $35 ($50)Get it on PS4Get it on Xbox OneCall of Duty: Black Ops 4 -- $28 ($60)Get it on PS4Get it on Xbox OneDays Gone -- $40 ($60)Get it on PS4Doom Eternal -- $49.94 ($60)Get it on PS4Get it on Xbox OneGet it on PCThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition -- $22 ($39.82)Get it on PS4Get it on Xbox OneFallout 76 -- $17 ($60)Get it on PS4Get it on Xbox OneFIFA 19 -- $20 ($60)Get it on PS4Get it on Xbox OneFinal Fantasy X/X-2 -- $35 ($50)Get it on SwitchHitman 2 -- $30 ($60)Get it on PS4Get it on Xbox OneMetro Exodus -- $30 ($60)Get it on PS4Get it on Xbox OneMiddle-earth: Shadow of War - Definitive Edition -- $15 ($50)Get it on PS4Get it on Xbox OneMLB The Show 19 - MVP Edition -- $50 ($70)Get it on PS4NBA 2K19 -- $15 ($60)Get it on PS4Get it on Xbox OneGet it on Switch ($20)Nier Automata - Game of the Yorha Edition -- $24.65 ($40)Get it on PS4Rage 2 -- $40 ($60)Get it on PS4Get it on Xbox OneGet it on PCRed Dead Redemption 2 -- $30 ($60)Get it on PS4Get it on Xbox OneRed Dead Redemption 2 Ultimate Edition - Only at GameStop -- $49.97 ($100)Get it on Xbox OneResident Evil 2 -- $38 ($60)Get it on PS4Get it on Xbox OneSpyro Reignited Trilogy -- $22 ($39.88)Get it on Xbox OneStarlink: Battle for Atlas -- $30 ($60)Get it for SwitchTetris Effect -- $26.28 ($40.77)Get it on PS4More great deals still availableAside from games and consoles, there are still plenty of markdowns on controllers, headsets, PC accessories, retro arcade machines, and more--see some of the best deals we found that are still up for grabs below.Xbox One Phantom White Special Edition wireless controller$50 ($70)See deal at EbayStreet Fighter 2 Arcade Machine$200 ($300)See deal at WalmartGameCube-style Gold or Silver Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch$40 ($50)See deal at GameStopPlayStation Plus: 12-Month Membership$36 ($60)See deal at MassGeniePlayStation Platinum Wireless Headset $119.40 ($160)See deal at AmazonHP 27" Edge-to-Edge Full HD Gaming Monitor$140 ($200)See deal at EbayThrustmaster TMX Force Feedback Racing Wheel$126.37 ($200)See deal at AmazonFastSnail Joy-Con Grips$13 ($20)See deal at AmazonInfo from Gamespot.com

PUBG Corp. has released a new cinematic trailer for PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. The trailer, which can be watched below, showcases the origin of PUBG's first map, Erangel, and introduces the story behind the battle royale game.In the trailer, a man recounts the time when he was a young boy in 1965 and his home, Erangel, was bombed by some unknown force. Resolving to live, the boy went on to survive by scavenging for weapons, medicines, and materials until he was the only person left alive on the island. Fast-forwarding to the present day, it's revealed the matches in PUBG are a series of live-streamed (and possibly televised) battles to the death--similar to The Hunger Games.These matches are orchestrated by the man, now incredibly wealthy, who designed the battle royale games to be a test for discovering humanity's true survivors. The trailer ends with the man confirming these are his battlegrounds, identifying himself as the mysterious unknown player in PUBG's title.Though PUBG's maps have hinted towards some sort of overarching narrative, this is the first confirmed lore for the battle royale game. PUBG Corp. hasn't revealed whether more story-focused trailers will be revealed in the future, but game theorists at least now have a starting point for piecing together PUBG's backstory.The new trailer also acts as an announcement for the start date of PUBG's upcoming season, Season 4, which is scheduled to begin July 24. Season 4 is a massive update for PUBG, completely reinventing Erangel with new visuals, adding parkour movement mechanics, and introducing brand-new weapons, vehicles, and items. There's a new battle pass to work through as well, and it contains challenges that can be tackled cooperatively with your squad.Season 4's start date closely follows a major PUBG update on Xbox One and PS4 that added Apex Legends' auto equip weapon attachment features to the console versions of the game. If you want to try out all the changes in Season 4, the patch is currently live on PUBG's PC test servers. On console, you'll need to wait for the update to officially launch to play through the changes.PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC. A mobile port, called PUBG Mobile, is available on Android and iOS devices. Despite being relatively new, PUBG is one of the most influential games of the 21st century for popularizing one of gaming's most popular subgenres.Though not a sequel, a new PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds game is in the works. The upcoming game is being developed by Striking Distance, a studio helmed by ex-Call of Duty and Dead Space developer Glen Schofield. Described as an "original narrative experience within the PUBG universe," the game is still in its infancy. Schofield has hinted the game may not necessarily be a battle royale like PUBG though.Info from Gamespot.com

Nintendo announced a revised Nintendo Switch model sporting better battery life, but that wasn't the only new piece of hardware it had to reveal. The company also announced two new sets of colors for its Joy-Con controllers: Blue with Neon Yellow, and Purple with Neon Orange.As usual with Joy-Con sets, the colors pairings represent the left and right Joy-Cons, respectively. Each package will cost $80 at launch, and they'll be available starting October 4 in the United States. Other Joy-Con colors include Gray, Neon Pink, and Neon Green, and the removable nature of the controllers means they can be mixed and matched. Nintendo has not announced if they'll be for sale individually, as it offers for some colors.Customize your #NintendoSwitch even more with these new Joy-Con colors – Blue/Neon Yellow and Neon Purple/Neon Orange. Available beginning 10/4 for $79.99. #MyWayToPlay pic.twitter.com/231TcnnTG2 — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 17, 2019Nintendo also announced a new model of Nintendo Switch, which boasts up to 9 hours of battery life as compared to 6.5 with the launch model. Other than that improvement, though, it appears identical to the old version, so you may want to read up on how to tell the difference. The revised models will launch in mid-August in the U.S.A much bigger change to the Switch hardware is represented by the Switch Lite, a smaller and budget-priced version of the hardware that removes the docking functionality to be a portable-only system. That version has its controllers permanently affixed to the body of the console, unlike the standard Switch. However, you could still use separate Joy-Cons for local multiplayer games.See Blue/Neon Yellow Joy-Cons at Best BuySee Purple/Neon Orange Joy-Cons at Best BuySome links to supporting retailers are automatically made into affiliate links, and GameSpot may receive a small share of those sales.Info from Gamespot.com

The final piece of major story-driven DLC for Assassin's Creed Odyssey is out today. Judgement of Atlantis is the third and final episode in Odyssey's The Fate Of Atlantis DLC, the second story expansion for the Assassin's Creed game.Judgement of Atlantis takes place in the underwater city and sees Kassandra/Alexios aid Poseidon. Of every Assassin's Creed game, comic, and animation to date, Judgement of Atlantis is seemingly the most lore-driven when it comes to the characters that drive the overarching plot of the franchise: the Isu. Also referred to as "those who came before," the Isu have largely remained a mystery in Assassin's Creed, despite being one of the most important groups in the franchise since 2009's Assassin's Creed II. The previous episodes of The Fate Of Atlantis dealt with Persephone and Hades, but primarily handled the Isu as the god-like beings they've always been portrayed as. Judgement of Atlantis dives deeper into the lore behind these figures, revealing their almost human-like history, beliefs, and customs.Instead of returning to an annual release schedule, Assassin's Creed took a break after the release of Odyssey in 2018 and scheduled a series of episodic story-driven DLC to primarily release in 2019. Odyssey's main campaign is broken into three separate storylines, and the two DLC expansions add additional context to two of them. Legacy Of The First Blade takes place within Odyssey's "Hunt The Cult Of Kosmos" storyline and reveals how those events connect to 2017's Assassin's Creed Origins. The Fate Of Atlantis occurs after the "Between Two Worlds" storyline and further explains the Isu's involvement in the Assassin and Templar conflict.With Odyssey's story now officially concluded with the release of Judgement of Atlantis, we can begin to look forward to Ubisoft's next game in the franchise. Clues in The Division 2 seem to imply 2020's Assassin's Creed game will take place in a Viking setting. If true, the game would discount the 2016 leak/rumor that Ubisoft had planned a trilogy of games to take place in Egypt, Greece, and Rome (though getting two out of three isn't all that bad). Vikings do make sense for topping off this latest trilogy though. Origins and Odyssey are not traditional Assassin's Creed games in terms of combat and world-building, but both have acted as origin stories for the Assassin and Templar conflict. The Age of Vikings takes place just before the events of the original Assassin's Creed, so a game in that setting could act as the final piece of the mystery as to how the two groups ultimately formed.Assassin's Creed Odyssey is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. The game will be included in Ubisoft's upcoming game-focused subscription service, Uplay+, along with the other 17 mainline Assassin's Creed games. Exclusive to PC, Uplay+ is scheduled to launch on September 3 with over 100 games.Info from Gamespot.com

July's free NES games are now available for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. This month sees two more titles join the system's slowly expanding NES library, along with a special version of a previously added game and a handy new feature.The new additions this time are Donkey Kong 3 and Wrecking Crew. Nintendo has also added a special save state of Mighty Bomb Jack, which joined the service back in November 2018. This version starts you off in the final zone, with the conditions to see the best of the game's four possible endings already met.Starting today, you can also use the newly added Rewind feature with the entire collection of Nintendo Entertainment System - #NintendoSwitchOnline games! pic.twitter.com/G0t7hwEUTh — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 17, 2019On top of the new titles, Nintendo has added a "rewind" feature to the NES library. As the tweet above demonstrates, this can be activated by holding the ZL and ZR buttons, and it allows you to go back a few seconds and try again if you mess up. The rewind feature can be used with every NES game in the library, and it should prove to be useful for some of the service's more difficult titles like Ghost 'n Goblins or Ninja Gaiden.The NES library is only available to those who subscribe to the Nintendo Switch Online service. It features more than 40 classic games, including Super Mario Bros. 3 and Punch-Out, with additional titles being added on a monthly basis. Other perks for subscribing include the ability to play online with others, cloud save backups, and some exclusive offers, such as the Nintendo Switch voucher program and Tetris 99, which is free to download and play for subscribers.Individual Nintendo Switch Onlien subscriptions run for US $4 / £3.49 / AU $6 for one month, US $8 / £7 / AU $12 for three months, and US $20 / £18 / AU $30 for one year. Nintendo also offers an annual Family Membership, which runs for US $35 / £31.49 / AU $55 and covers up to eight Nintendo Accounts across multiple systems.Info from Gamespot.com

A plane full of lucky passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight got more than a bag of pretzels on their trip to San Diego. They received a free Nintendo Switch system and a copy of the recently released Super Mario Maker 2, perfect for staying occupied while hurtling above the earth in a metal tube.The first indication of the giveaway came from Nicholas Friedman, a social media manager at Funimation, who posted about it on Twitter. GameSpot confirmed the giveaway with Southwest Airlines, which said it partnered with Nintendo for the promotion. An image shared by Friedman shows a voucher, which he said could be redeemed for the system and game when the passengers land.!!! pic.twitter.com/11R6BPmc9z — Nicholas Friedman 🔜 SDCC (@NMFreed) July 17, 2019This isn't Nintendo's first cross-promotion with Southwest. The airline also gave away Wii U consoles, and the original Super Mario Maker added a special airline-inspired course, complete with a special costume to unlock.The Southwest promotion was well-timed. It came just as Nintendo made a flurry of other announcements regarding upcoming hardware and software. A revised Nintendo Switch with better battery life is coming in mid-August in the U.S., new Joy-Con colors were announced, and Luigi's Mansion 3 got a holiday release date. Plus this is all coming shortly after the announcement of the portable-only Switch Lite.Info from Gamespot.com

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite may be out now, but that hasn't slowed Niantic's support for Pokemon Go. The studio has rolled out another new update for the game that completely overalls its appraisal system, making it much easier to see how your Pokemon's stats measure up. That's not all, however; after numerous teases, it appears Team Rocket will also begin invading Pokemon Go soon.According to the latest patch notes, the new update adds Team Rocket to Pokemon Go. While the villainous team hasn't begun appearing in the game yet, it seems players will be able to challenge Team Rocket grunts in battle. On top of that, players will have a chance to catch Shadow Pokemon that are abandoned by the Rocket grunts.Shadow Pokemon aren't an entirely new concept in the series. GameCube's Pokemon Colosseum and its follow-up, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, both featured Shadow Pokemon, which were denoted by a dark aura swirling around them. In those games, players needed to rescue the Shadow Pokemon from villains and then gradually "purify" them by using them in battle. It's unclear if Pokemon Go's Shadow Pokemon will work the same way, but the concept certainly sounds similar.In addition to Team Rocket, the new Pokemon Go update overhauls the game's appraisal tool. Now when you appraise a Pokemon, you'll see a clear overview of the monster's Attack, Defense, and HP stats, with a one- to three-star rating signifying its overall potential. You can see the full patch notes for the update below or on the App Store.Pokemon Go's next Community Day event takes place this Sunday, July 21. This month, the featured Pokemon will be Mudkip, one of the three starters from Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. A One Piece crossover event is also happening in the game beginning next week, which will give players a chance to catch a Pikachu wearing Luffy's iconic straw hat. Finally, there's still time to catch Armored Mewtwo in the game; the Legendary Pokemon will appear in five-star Raids until July 31.Pokemon Go Version 1.117.0 (iOS) Patch NotesHere’s what can you expect in this release.New Challenges: Take on Team GO Rocket Grunts in battle!Shadow Pokemon: Catch the mysterious Shadow Pokemon Team GO Rocket Grunts leave behind! Is there a way to help these Pokemon?New Appraisal Tool: You can now learn even more about your Pokémon when appraising them.Battle Minigames: Charged Attack gameplay includes new minigames."Info from Gamespot.com

Ubisoft has announced one final content drop for Ghost Recon Wildlands. Now live, the latest update for Wildlands adds a brand-new PvPvE mode, Mercenaries, to the game."With Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint coming this October, we want to send off Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands with one last major update as a thank-you to the community," Ubisoft wrote in a blog post. "We're excited to experiment with this concept to bring something new and different before we launch the next installment in the franchise."An eight-player free-for-all, Mercenaries is divided into three phases: Recon, Helicopter Deployment, and Extraction. The mode is a race to be rescued first by gathering intel before anyone else and fighting off both computer-controlled soldiers and other players.In Phase 1: Recon, you spawn in without any gear, weapons, or items. In order to reach the next phase, you need to discover the location of the extraction point by activating three different radio transmitters. While hunting down transmitters, you can also stop off at intel markers to unlock different perks, such as the location of every other player for a limited time or the position of a vehicle. While exploring, you can scavenge for supplies, which will come in handy for fending off other players or Unidad soldiers. Dying won't reset your progress, but you will lose every weapon, item, and piece of gear on your person.Once one of the eight players activates three transmitters, Phase 2: Helicopter Deployment begins. Only the player who activated all three transmitters will know where the extraction helicopter is going to land, but the other seven will be informed of the location once the chopper sets down. Boarding the chopper requires five segments in your extraction gauge, and you can fill one of those segments by activating three transmitters. So once the helicopter appears, you can follow it to immediately challenge the player who summoned it or continue hunting for transmitters and markers to better your odds for Phase 3.Phase 3: Extraction begins once the helicopter touches down on the map, revealing its location to all eight players. As stated before, you need five segments in your extraction gauge to board the chopper. You can earn additional segments by staying within a set area around the helicopter, but only if you're the only player present. You'll have to fend off any approaching players to fill your gauge while fighting off the swarm of Unidad soldiers as well. The first player to earn five segments and board the helicopter wins the match.There are seven rewards for playing the new Mercenaries mode, all of which are listed below. Ghost Recon Wildlands isn't the only Ubisoft game to get one final major update this week. Assassin's Creed Odyssey's final DLC, Judgement of Atlantis, also released, concluding the over 100-hour saga of Kassandra/Alexios.Mercenaries Mode RewardsComplete 1 Game -- Lone Wolf costumeWin 1 Game -- Mercenary PatchWin 3 Games -- Mercenary PantsWin 5 Games -- Mercenary Heavy VestWin 10 Games -- Jacket Army MercenaryWin 15 Games -- Mercenary Heavy Vest with Shoulder PadsWin 25 Games -- Mercenary BackpackGhost Recon Wildlands is available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. Its sequel, Ghost Recon Breakpoint is scheduled to release on October 4 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. Both Wildlands and Breakpoint are two of the over 100 games that will be made available through Ubisoft's new PC game subscription service, Uplay+, which is scheduled to launch on September 3.Info from Gamespot.com

HBO has confirmed that a number of key names involved in the production of Game of Thrones will no longer be attending San Diego Comic-Con this week, as previously indicated. The list includes showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss, as well as director Miguel Sapochnick. Additionally, actors Ian Glen, who played Jorah Mormont, and Nathalie Emmanuel, who portrayed Missandei, will no longer appear.These five people were originally announced to appear as part of the panel, which is being held on July 19 in Hall H. The panel is described as a "triumphant celebration" of the show, which remains one of HBO's most successful productions, despite having an ending that has been heavily panned.Remaining panel members include Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Raleigh Ritchie (Greyworm), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Isaac Wright (Bran Stark), John Bradley West (Samwell Tarly), Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth), and Conleth Hill (Varys).As is custom for Comic-Con panels, there will inevitably be a Q&A period where fans in the audience will be able to put their questions to those involved in the show's creation. This, particularly for Benioff and Weiss, would no doubt have been interesting considering that negative response from very passionate, vocal fans of the long-running series. Those fans will no longer get the chance.Despite the tepid response to the show's finale, Game of Thrones' final season is being recognized through Emmy Awards, where HBO shows has set a record with a total of 32 nominations. The categories it is nominated in include Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Actress in a Drama for Emilia Clarke, and Outstanding Actor in a Drama for Kit Harrington.Looking further ahead for the Game of Thrones universe, HBO is working on a prequel series, which stars Naomi Watts in the lead role and has reportedly started filming in Northern Ireland. A name for the series hasn't officially been announced, but A Song of Ice and Fire--which the Game of Thrones TV series is based on--creator George R. R. Martin is lobbying for The Long Night.Info from Gamespot.com

Whereas previous Final Fantasy XIV expansions grappled with broad-brush concepts in corruption, religion, and imperialism, the path you tread in Shadowbringers is a distinctly personal affair. The central conceit is the battle between good and evil, and between the dual concepts of Light and Dark, but at its core is a story about a protagonist who's been left adrift and has to come to terms with their identity alongside long-time companions against the backdrop of a dying world. This harkens back to the sort of character treatment that the non-MMO Final Fantasy games have prided themselves on for decades, but even with the familiar subject matter, the journey here feels distinctly forward-looking. The question for a lot of fans was whether the longevity of the game post-Stormblood would last. When you roll the credits on Shadowbringers, it'll be hard to envision a world where the answer to that is anything other than a resounding "yes".Shadowbringers hinges on a revelation. The quests between Stormblood and the new content do a great job of laying down a narrative foundation rife with inter-faction politics, intrigue, and shadowy figures pulling strings with hidden consequences. As the new expansion opens, however, that particular nest of vipers is upended by way of a forced jaunt through time and space. What starts as a quest to save your friends takes a life-altering turn; you're thrown into the heart of a conflict between Light and Dark that strikes at the core of the hero mythos that the game has built around your character since A Realm Reborn.As the Warrior of Light, you're tossed rather unceremoniously into the realm of Norvrandt: a world ravaged by the very element that you've chivalrously championed all your life. Like any erstwhile hero facing the unknown, your job initially is to search for some clarity and a way to save your friends back home from eternal slumber. It soon becomes very clear that your impressive deeds in Eorzea mean next to nothing here. No one knows of your previous accomplishments, there's a distinct distrust from the locals, and your usual non-verbal charm gets you nowhere.The kicker is that any mention of the Light will make you public enemy number one; it's rampaging through the land and leaving death and destruction in its wake. You're unmoored and as good as stranded in an unfamiliar world where your values and beliefs could get you killed. Starting a new MMORPG expansion can often feel like slipping into a pair of worn shoes that have stood the test of time; there's a certain sense of security afforded to you because of your established Chosen One status. With the story's rocky start, Shadowbringers takes a decidedly discomforting approach by doing the narrative equivalent of taking those shoes off your feet and getting someone to beat you with them. The solution it offers in its opening minutes is simple: Set aside everything you know and become the Warrior of Darkness.In practice, this is more difficult than it sounds. Norvrandt is home to all manner of dangers, and the most insidious aren't the ones that come at you with sharp teeth and sharper claws. There's a seething undercurrent of wrongness that permeates everything, as beautiful as the lush forests and the wide, open fields of this realm may be. These sentiments are felt throughout the design of Shadowbringers' new locations and dungeons: the debaucherous Eulmore where the rich are willfully ignorant to the suffering of others, the deceivingly dangerous riot of fae and fancy of Il Mheg, and the apocalyptic wastelands of times long destroyed by the Light, to name a few. Each new environment is twisted violently in some way, whether it's the presence of monstrous enemies or the cruel ways that its inhabitants have chosen to eke out a living.The main story quests ferry you from location to location at a decent clip, though ample time is devoted to you experiencing the horrors that the Light has wrought about the realm. Having to go back to what feels like the equivalent of Hero School affords you some breathing room; it's clear that the expansion wasn't going to live and die on the Warrior of Darkness' shoulders alone, and a large part of the narrative is actually devoted to fleshing out popular supporting characters from Final Fantasy XIV canon. You're not the only one who's had to make some difficult adjustments, and Shadowbringers doesn't shy away from tough questions about sacrifice, honor, and duty (or their tougher answers).The dungeons and trials are an excellent way for Shadowbringers to hammer those points home, and to deal with important narrative beats. It's a credit to the game's development team that the dungeons are much more than just a means to keep you occupied or to give you enough experience to move on to the next big thing in the world. They function like little pockets of insight into the decayed state of Norvrandt, complete with harrowing bosses and crumbling ruins. These dungeons see you racing through castles fighting seraphim and diving into fae realms making desperate pacts to secure your future. And it all plays out to a distinctly operatic soundtrack that leans heavily into dramatic strings and modern vocal frills, creating a perfect atmosphere to underscore the urgency of your character's mission. Every new encounter of this fashion drives the Warrior of Darkness closer to their goal of restoring balance to the world, whether it's driving a sword through the heart of a friend now-twisted by Light or unearthing the origins and primal motivations for this conflict. Dungeons have always been a part of the main story's requirements in Final Fantasy XIV, but here they feel just as crucial to your enjoyment and understanding of the tale as the new quests do.Quests place you directly in the shoes of these supporting characters, and playing as them is both a welcome change of pace and a chance for newer players to deepen their understanding of the game's lore. That being said, not all quests are made equal, and there are some confusing mechanical decisions that may frustrate. For example, the end of the expansion requires a player to have completed a max-level quest before picking up a lower-level one to progress to the grand finale. In other cases, optional quests that share a common thread can sometimes be spread out across different locations on a map and aren't signposted any differently from unrelated ones. This can make you feel like you need to slog through every mundane errand in the hopes of finding a diamond. Luckily, these instances are few and far between; just like its predecessor, Shadowbringers brings to life a number of humanizing stories through its side quests and manages to make you care about the day-to-day lives of new characters who initially have nothing but scorn for what you stand for.It's not solely about capitalizing on known factors, though. The expansion introduces plenty of unfamiliar delights to sink your teeth into--the Trust system is perhaps the most important addition for accessibility that Final Fantasy XIV has seen since its rebirth. It allows players to take a fully-formed party of NPCs from the main story quests into dungeons with them, eliminating the need to wait 20 minutes in the queue if you were trying to go through matchmaking. This is the perfect solution for players who don't want to play with strangers and ensures that no one is gated from progressing in the story just because they may have to wait an inordinate amount of time to find the necessary party. These NPCs are drawn from a pool of the familiar faces of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn and from some noteworthy new acquaintances, so using them in the Trust system is a pleasant nod to the value that the Shadowbringers narrative places on friendship and sticking together in the face of adversity.On the matter of the new classes and races aside, servers are currently teeming with Viera and Hrothgar avatars ready to take on the world. While the new race models look as spectacular in motion as one would expect, the Gunbreaker and Dancer classes are still a relative unknown that players are puzzling out at this early stage in Shadowbringers' life cycle. Gunbreaker packs a hell of a punch as a high-damage job, suited for an off-tank role that trades in axes and greatswords for something a little less traditional. Dancer's primary focus other than looking absolutely enchanting in combat is to provide buffs for party members, and it appears to be trying to fill the utility ranged DPS role previously occupied by Bards who have now had their party-wide buffs removed.Gunbreaker currently feels a little too much like it was originally meant to be a DPS class. It does a ridiculous amount of damage, managing to hold its own against the likes of Black Mage and Samurai. This seems a little antithetical to the tanking philosophy imbued within the other role options, where the thematic focus on survivability and protection is much clearer. Healers in particular will have to get used to managing cooldowns around Superbolide, one of the key Gunbreaker abilities that reduces their HP to 1 whilst preventing further fatal damage. Playing as a gun-wielding tank is novel but hard to master as it takes a higher-risk approach to putting your life on the line for your party members and also requires those partied with you to be familiar with your new tricks.Dancer, for all of its beauty, currently lacks some fire in the damage department. You have to manage two class-specific stances--Technical Step and Standard Step--each with its own set of moves to master. You also have access to Closed Position, which lets you choose a dance partner to benefit from your buffs and your skills. Pulling off a perfect performance will buff the Dancer's DPS overall, and the key to doing damage is through graceful move combinations that ultimately let you unleash AOE attacks upon unsuspecting foes. The strength of Dancer shines through in prolonged encounters where their deadly chakram slice and dice at enemies, giving them the chance to use skills from both stances for a significant payoff. That being said, setting up these balletic massacres takes time; without enough breathing room to perform a routine, the Dancer can feel a little more frumpy than flamenco, especially in the majority of the game's legacy content where breathing on something is as good as a killing blow.Both classes have a distinct identity, though the streamlining of the other jobs has muddied the waters a little in respect of the existing classes enjoying the same individualism. You used to have to pick up quests specifically for your chosen job to learn new skills. Now, Shadowbringers has replaced these with role quests for DPS, tanks, and healers, and these exist mostly to provide experience and to further the overall narrative than to improve any existing affinity with your character's chosen profession. While some job questlines were more involved than others (Stormblood introduced a particularly heartfelt Samurai one), to do away with them entirely seems like a waste. Role actions also have been further simplified, with changes to tanking and healing in particular removing some bloat but also making them more homogenous. While this makes it easier for newcomers to plug and play, it feels like it's come at the cost of the unique class identities which past expansions have been so careful to cultivate.Some of its changes to the player experience are still causing a little discomfort during this teething phase, but Shadowbringers makes a strong case for itself as the game's most engaging expansion. It's not just the sheer scale and strength of the narrative weaving in years of old lore without cheapening the experience for new players, or the immaculately designed boss fights replete with spectacular music and thematic touches. It's also the implementation of the Trust system and the chance to truly feel the impact of the Warrior of Light's decisions over the past expansions through exploring the stories of your companions. For a story that starts with a laser focus on your character's motivations and misgivings, it tells a tale that ends up being the biggest and the best that Final Fantasy XIV has ever told. Equal parts redemption, vengeance, cruelty, and sassy Elezen, Shadowbringers promises a hell of a lot when you take your first steps into Norvrandt and delivers a truly spectacular finish even if it stumbles a little along the way. Info from Gamespot.com

Streaming giant Netflix announced earnings results for its Fiscal 19 Q2 today, and as part of that, the company confirmed a massive miss for subscribers, addressed the forthcoming removal of The Office and Friends, and also reiterated that the streamer will not introduce ads.Starting with the subscriber numbers, Netflix announced that it added 2.7 million paid subscribers during the quarter. That's down from 5.5 million new subscribers during the same period last year. It's also far below the 5 million new subscribers that Netflix forecast for Fiscal 19 Q2.Looking ahead, Netflix said it expects to add 7 million paid memberships in the current fiscal quarter, which would be ahead of the 6.1 million new paying members that Netflix added in Fiscal Q3 2018. The release of Stranger Things Season 3 on July 4 (during Netflix's Fiscal 19 Q3) is surely baked into that ambitious subscriber growth forecast.Despite the huge subscriber miss for the latest quarter, Netflix maintains that consumers globally continue to be eager to "move from linear television to internet entertainment at a remarkable rate."Netflix missed its subscriber growth targets across "all regions," the company said, though it was "slightly more" in parts of the world where subscription prices went up. Competition was not a factor in the subscription increase miss, Netflix said, explaining that there wasn't a "material change" in the competitive landscape during the quarter. Netflix had a lot of new releases during Q2, including Dead to Me Season 1, which Netflix says was seen by 30 million households over its first four days. Netflix has renewed Dead to Me for a Season 2. Also during Q2, Netflix launched When They See Us, a limited series based on the real-world Central Park Five case. Netflix says 25 million homes worldwide watched the show in its first four weeks.The new David Attenborough nature show, Our Planet, also premiered during Fiscal 19 Q2, and it became Netflix's most-watched "docu-series" over its first four weeks, reaching 33 million homes. In terms of movies, some of Netflix's Fiscal 19 Q2 releases included the Adam Sandler movie Murder Mystery, which is the most successful of Sandler's Netflix movies to date with 73 million households watching it in its first four weeks. Other popular new movie releases on Netflix in the quarter included The Perfect Date (48 million homes over its first four weeks) and Always Be My Maybe (32 million household views in first four weeks).A "view" according to Netflix is when an account watches 70 percent of an episode of a show or 70 percent of a movie.Also in the earnings report, Netflix addressed the fact that it is losing two of its most-watched shows: The Office and Friends. Netflix spun the news by saying losing those shows is good because it "[frees] up budget for more original content." The shows would have been expensive to keep, as it was reported that The Office went to NBC's new streaming service for a reported $100 million per year over five years.Netflix also spoke broadly about the wave of competition coming its way in the next year, with companies like Disney, Apple, WarnerMedia, and NBCU planning to join Netflix (and others) in the video-streaming market. "The competition for winning consumers’ relaxation time is fierce for all companies and great for consumers. The innovation of streaming services is also drawing consumers to shift more and more from linear television to streaming entertainment," Netflix said.Netflix said it still has a lot of room to grow because currently in the United States, which is Netflix's "most developed market," the company only commands roughly 10 percent of the time people spend watching TV. The percentage is lower for streaming on mobile, Netflix said.The company added that it will differentiate itself from some of the newcomers in that it has no plans to introduce ads. "That remains a deep part of our brand proposition; when you read speculation that we are moving into selling advertising, be confident that this is false," Netflix said. "We believe we will have a more valuable business in the long term by staying out of competing for ad revenue and instead entirely focusing on competing for viewer satisfaction."You can read Netflix's full earnings report here. Info from Gamespot.com

A new trailer for It: Chapter Two will be released on July 18 at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET, and ahead of that, a chilling new poster for the movie has arrived.It depicts the glowing, yellow eyes of Pennywise the Clown, and it's pretty creepy. The tagline for the film appears to be "It Ends," which seems to be a reference to how the grown-up members of The Losers' Club who reunite 27 years after the events of the 2017 film to fight the clown again.IT ends September 6. Trailer TOMORROW 9AM PT. 🎈🎈#ITMovie pic.twitter.com/JY6o96JioH — IT Chapter Two 🎈🎈 (@ITMovieOfficial) July 17, 2019It: Chapter Two stars James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone as the grown-up versions of the kids from the first movie. Bill Skarsgard returns as Pennywise, while the kids from the first movie including Jaeden Martell, Wyatt Oleff, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Chosen Jacobs, and Jack Dylan Grazer.The first movie's director, Andy Muschietti, is returning to direct the sequel as well. The movie comes to theatres in September. The first trailer was released back in May, and it depicted a tense scene between Jessica Chastain's character, Beverly, and Pennywise in a different form. You can watch the trailer in the embed above.Info from Gamespot.com

Following the news this week that Harry Styles was in talks to play Prince Eric in Disney's new live-action Little Mermaid, it's now been reported that Javier Bardem is also in discussions to join the new film.Variety reports that Bardem is "in talks" to play King Triton. He is the father of Ariel, who will be played by Halle Bailey. According to reports, Melissa McCarthy is in talks to play the evil Ursula.DISInsider was first to report that Bardem was in talks to play Triton. The site also reports that the plot of the movie will focus more on Ariel's mother; Disney is reportedly currently looking to cast that part.Bardem is a three-time Oscar nominee who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in No Country for Old Men. He's worked with Disney before, having starred as Captain Salazar in Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge. He's also known for portraying the villain, Silva, in the James Bond movie Skyfall. The new Little Mermaid is directed by frequent Disney director Rob Marshall, who previously directed Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Into the Woods, and Mary Poppins Returns. The film will use songs from the 1989 original movie, along with new ones from Disney legend Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda.It was recently reported that Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians) and Jacob Tremblay (Room) are in discussions to play Scuttle and Flounder, respectively. This has yet to be confirmed, however. Info from Gamespot.com