Popular battle royale title Apex Legends has received a new patch that addresses a variety of issues concerning audio, hit detection, PC crashes, and more. Respawn Entertainment community manager Jay Frechette took to the EA blog to detail the patch, which is available now for all three platforms.Frechette discussed improvements made to audio performance. "We have made improvements both in our code and with our content that will hopefully fix [sounds dropping out, missing sounds for an extended duration, or distortion for a period of time]." These fixes should lower the encounter rate of the described audio issues.Also in the audio department, Frechette confirmed the team has addressed other issues, "including increasing the volume of close proximity enemy footsteps and lowering the overall volume of the game from the character select screen to the end of the drop sequence."Hit detection has been contentious for Apex Legends but this new patch should eliminate most incorrect hit detection with the help of some behind-the-scenes bullet damage tracking. "We expect there will still be some remaining hit registration problems, but with these fixes and diagnostic information, we are better equipped to track them down," Frechette wrote.It seems internet connectivity can result in incorrect hit detection. In order to better determine how internet connectivity factors into hit detection, Respawn has "refined the functionality behind [their] network problem indicator icons in the upper right of the screen." These icons may show up more frequently now, but they will help "[narrow] down the cause of any bugs" the team may notice.Lastly, PC crashes seem to be ubiquitous amongst Apex Legends players. Respawn noticed, specifically, "that Intel CPUs sometimes were not executing the instructions properly in one particular function." The crashes seem to occur when writing to invalid memory. And so, Respawn found that "lowering the clock speed always fixed the crashes, even if the CPU wasn't overclocked or overheating." Intel has been notified, but this patch includes a temporary workaround to prevent and/or limit the number of crashes in the meantime.You can check out the full patch notes below.Audio Fixes and ImprovementsOne of the biggest issues we had to tackle was improving the audio performance to address reports of sounds dropping out, missing sounds for an extended duration, or distortion for a period of time. We have made improvements both in our code and with our content that will hopefully fix these issues for many players, and should lower the amount and length of time they encounter audio issues for others.We have also addressed some of the other mix issues with the game, including increasing the volume of close proximity enemy footsteps and lowering the overall volume of the game from the character select screen to the end of the drop sequence. We will continue to monitor mix issues and address them as necessary. Below are the notes on improvements we’ve included in today’s patch as we continue to work on future improvements.PerformanceImproved audio engine to be around 30% more CPU efficient, lessening the chance of distortion or dropouts.Lowered impact on data loading through code and content changes to improve potential dropout issues.Quality of LifeLowered the master volume of all sounds during the character select screen through the end of the drop sequence.Lowered the volume of Wraith's ambient kunai knife sound for those who are sensitive to the sound. If it is still bothersome we will remove it in a later patch.Increased the volume of close proximity enemy footsteps for all Legends.Increased the priority of enemy footsteps to ensure the sounds play even in heavy combat situations.Slightly lowered the volume of Pathfinder footstep sounds heard from the first person view.Fixed missing or quiet dryfire (out of ammo trigger click sound) and low ammo (the progressive change in sound that the gun makes as the magazine approaches empty) sounds for the R301, Hemlok, Flatline, and RE45.Increased the volume of the music that plays when winning a match.Added more detailed audio to the Training mission.Bug FixesFixed occlusion bug for the Havoc’s "wind down" sound.Fixed issue with automatic weapon fire sounds occasionally getting stuck on, usually after a Legend respawns.Fixed bug with RE45 missing tail sounds (the echo in the environment after the shot) when in close proximity.Hit Detection Fixes and ImprovementsAs we talked about last week, in this patch we’ve pushed some fixes that should eliminate many cases of incorrect hit registration. This patch also includes some behind-the-scenes tracking of bullet damage logic. We expect there will still be some remaining hit registration problems, but with these fixes and diagnostic information, we are better equipped to track them down.One potential cause of hit registration bugs can be simple internet connection problems. In order to determine how much of a factor this is in reality, we’ve refined the functionality behind our network problem indicator icons in the upper right of the screen. These icons are now pickier about your connection quality and may show up more frequently than they did before.These icon changes will be useful in narrowing down the cause of any bugs that we continue to see. Please continue to share videos and report hit registration issues you still encounter after the patch.Fix for Lifeline "Pick Me Up" Banner Bug on PS4The issue has been resolved and we will be re-enabling the banner after the patch is live.NOTE: We made changes to client and backend to address this, and it’ll take a little time to take full effect. We’re expecting the error to resolve within a few hours after the patch is live.[PC ONLY] Crashes Specific to Intel CPUsWe investigated the crash reports from many people who were crashing frequently and found that Intel CPUs sometimes were not executing the instructions properly in one particular function. A common example was an instruction that only reads a register crashed on writing to invalid memory. With the help of many forum users, we found that lowering the clock speed always fixed the crashes, even if the CPU wasn't overclocked or overheating. Thanks everyone, with a big shout out to Falkentyne, TEZZ0FIN0, JorPorCorTTV, and MrDakk!This has been by far the most commonly reported PC crash over the last month or so and we’ve notified Intel about the issue. In the meantime, we’ve put a workaround in this patch to avoid the crashing at your original clock speeds just by changing the instructions used by that one function.Additional Bug FixiesFixed issue with the Fortified Passive ability for Gibraltar and Caustic where they would take damage through shields.Fixed the bug that allowed players to stick objects to Gibraltar’s Gun Shield.Admittedly, it’s been fun to see the results of this, but the behavior is not intended by design and could get out of control. Items will no longer stick to Gibraltar’s Gun Shield. However, it will now deflect Arc Stars.Info from Gamespot.com

When it comes to spoilers in Spider-Man: Far From Home, Marvel Studios and Sony aren't being anywhere near as cautious as with Avengers: Endgame. A new promo manages to spoil something major that was hinted at in an earlier trailer, which is impressive since the clip in question is only five seconds long. If you don't want to be spoiled, now's when you should stop reading.The promo confirms that MJ (Zendaya) finds out Peter Parker's (Tom Holland) secret identity as Spider-Man, making her the second of Peter's school friends to realize he has extraordinary powers--the other being Ned (Jacob Batalon). The video was caught by a user on Twitter, who shared it.MJ knows Peter is #SpiderMan In this new mini ad for #SpiderManFarFromHome pic.twitter.com/EJMPLdV46J — cosmic (@Q82004yousef1) May 17, 2019This plot twist was first hinted at in the latest Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer, in which MJ confronts Peter with his secret identity, telling him, "It's kind of obvious." Still, given the Marvel Cinematic Universe's reliance on secrecy and misdirects in trailers, it was hard to believe this is how the story would go.In the latest clip, though, it's clear that not only does MJ know, she figured it out on her own. What remains to be seen is precisely how she figures it out. Granted, Spider-Man does seem to go wherever Peter does and conveniently pop up as soon as he disappears. So perhaps it's not that hard to figure out.Spider-Man: Far From Home sees the cast of the first movie return, along with the first appearance of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill since they popped up in Endgame. Another intriguing new addition is Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio. While traditionally, Mysterio has been a villain in the comics, the trailers thus far have painted him as a hero from a parallel dimension. Still, we're convinced he's lying and turns out to be the villain of this particular story.Spider-Man: Far From Home is in theaters on July 2. Info from Gamespot.com

While not a games-focused retailer, Amazon often has some of the best gaming deals available online, even discounting some new games on release day and dropping the price on expensive first-party Switch games. The digital store currently has great discounts on some noteworthy games for PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One. And if you live in the US, you may have a three-day weekend ahead of you due to Memorial Day, which means even more time for gaming--so we're here to let you know about all the best deals.On Nintendo Switch, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is back in stock this week for $10 off, a rare price for one of the Switch's flagship games. Both Pokemon: Let's Go games are down to $45 and can help you get your Pokemon fix until Pokemon Sword and Shield are out later this year. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is also discounted at $45, and you can grab Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for $49.94.Over on PS4, Nier: Automata's Game of the Yorha Edition is only $28 and includes all DLC and bonus content. Assassin's Creed Odyssey is only $25. On both PS4 and Xbox One, don't miss Monster Hunter World for $19, Devil May Cry 5 for $40, and The Division 2 for $45. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is also only $45 on Xbox One, and Halo: The Master Chief Collection is a bit cheaper than elsewhere at $26.20.Remember that if you're an Amazon Prime member, you'll get free two-day shipping on many of these games. See more of the best game deals at Amazon below!Nintendo Switch:Dead Cells -- $26.97Disgaea 1 Complete -- $38.73The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim -- $49.94FIFA 19 -- $38.95Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition -- $49.75Just Dance 2019 -- $20The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild -- $49.94The Lego Movie 2 Videogame -- $20Mortal Kombat 11 -- $49.79NBA 2K19 -- $20New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe -- $45Pokemon: Let's Go, Eevee -- $45Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu -- $45Super Smash Bros. Ultimate -- $49.94Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus -- $44.65Xenoblade Chronicles 2 -- $49.65Yoshi's Crafted World -- $49.94PS4:Anthem: Legion of Dawn Edition -- $30Assassin's Creed Odyssey -- $25Borderlands: The Handsome Collection -- $15Devil May Cry 5 -- $40Fallout 76 -- $25Far Cry New Dawn -- $20God of War -- $29.58Grand Theft Auto V -- $15Just Cause 4: Day One Edition -- $29.90Kingdom Hearts 3 -- $30The Lego Movie 2 Videogame -- $20Marvel's Spider-Man -- $35Metro Exodus: Day One Edition -- $39Monster Hunter World -- $18.15Mortal Kombat 11 -- $49.79NBA 2K19 -- $20Nier: Automata - Game of the Yorha Edition -- $28Quantic Dream Collection -- $30Resident Evil 2 -- $38.49Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice -- $49.88Spyro Reignited Trilogy -- $27.95Tom Clancy's The Division 2 -- $45Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands -- $27.48Xbox One:Anthem: Legion of Dawn Edition -- $30Borderlands: The Handsome Collection -- $15Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 -- $35.70Devil May Cry 5 -- $40Fallout 76 -- $25Forza Horizon 4 -- $45Grand Theft Auto V -- $15Halo: The Master Chief Collection -- $26.20Just Cause 4: Day One Edition -- $30Kingdom Hearts III -- $30The Lego Movie 2 Videogame -- $20Metro Exodus: Day One Edition -- $38.73Monster Hunter World -- $18Mortal Kombat 11 -- $49.79Red Dead Redemption 2 -- $35Resident Evil 2 -- $38.95Sea of Thieves -- $37Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice -- $45Spyro Reignited Trilogy -- $27.60Tom Clancy's The Division 2 -- $45Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands -- $24.45Info from Gamespot.com

Obviously, this post is going to contain MASSIVE spoilers for the Game of Thrones season finale. Now's your chance to stop reading and escape unsullied.After eight seasons, the final moments of Game of Thrones brought some big shakeups from what viewers have been expecting. The destruction of King's Landing has seemingly led to a better world in the Season 8 finale, although not the one that some characters have been working toward for years. Westeros moves forward not through conquest, but through (a tiny bit of) democracy.A whole lot of wrap-up got handled in Episode 6, "The Iron Throne," the last of the show. First and foremost, we saw the end of Daenerys Targaryen. After she destroyed King's Landing, she finally lost the support of some of her best allies (although not all of them). Jon begged Dany to show Tyrion mercy, and when she refused, he took action--murdering Daenerys to stop her from ruling the Seven Kingdoms (and beyond) with fear and dragon fire. After her death, Drogon showed up a few seconds later to melt down the Iron Throne (which was more symbolic than a moment that made sense, but whatever), then flew away with Daenerys's body clutched in his claw. Our only clue as to where he went came a little later into the episode when it was mentioned that he'd last been seen flying east toward Essos, the continent that includes the cities Dany and her dragons freed from slavery, and Valeryia, the destroyed country from which dragons and Targaryens originally hail.The Unsullied took Jon into custody, but without a leader to tell them what to do with him, they just kept him locked up for a while. Next, they convened a council of the lords and ladies of Westeros at the dragon pit in King's Landing, to decide who should lead the Seven Kingdoms and what should be done with Jon and Tyrion. (It included a few familiar faces, including one who's had quite a glow-up.) At Tyrion's suggestion, the most powerful people in Westeros voted on their new monarch: Bran Stark.In part, Daenerys's influence really did help "break the wheel," ending part of the system of inherited power in the country. Bran took the throne because he was the wisest among the powerful people of Westeros, thanks to his abilities as the Three-Eyed Raven, and his disability means he can't father children of his own. That means that when Bran eventually dies, there will be no eldest son to inherit his title, and nobody will be forced to live under the thumb of a king just because he was lucky enough to be born a prince. Instead, the lords and ladies of Westeros will convene again and vote on a new king. It's not a perfect system, of course--the great houses are still great because they have money and land, and they're still keeping that power in their families forever--but at least there's some semblance of representative democracy in Westeros that will probably make life a little better for regular people, at least for a while.Bran used his new authority to immediately name Tyrion the Hand of the King, essentially pardoning him for betraying Daenerys. The idea is that Tyrion's sentence for treason will be a lifetime of service, trying to make up for his past mistakes by being a good ruler.Things work out a little less great for Jon. The Unsullied and Sansa Stark are willing to go to war over his fate--the Unsullied want justice for their queen, while Sansa wants to save her brother and the man once named King in the North. They compromise, with Jon exiled back to the Wall to rejoin the Night's Watch. It's not much of a real sentence since there's not really a Night's Watch anymore. "The world will always need a home for bastards and broken men," Tyrion says of the organization. When Jon arrives at Castle Black, he finds Tormund and the rest of the Wildlings and decides to leave the Watch and go beyond the Wall with them. You could interpret this as Jon going on to become King Beyond the Wall, but it seems much more likely he's just going to go live out his life in freedom with his buddy Ghost.There's no new King in the North, but there is a queen: Sansa Stark. During the council, Sansa refused to let the North be ruled by a southron king again, even if that king was her brother. Bran allowed the North to keep its independence, thus transforming the Seven Kingdoms into six. That makes Westeros technically two countries, rather than one united one (although one can't help but wonder how Dorne feels about all this since it has remained pretty much independent as well). Who knows how that'll change the political situation in Westeros in the future.Bran formed a new small council with a few critical surviving folks. With Tyrion as his Hand, Ser Davos became his master of ships, and Bronn of the Blackwater--now lord of Highgarden, as per his agreement with Tyrion and Jaime Lannister back in Season 8, Episode 4--was named master of coin. And although he didn't finish his Maester training at the Citadel, Samwell Tarly became Grand Maester. Ser Brienne is named Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, and her longtime faithful squire, Podrick Payne, is also knighted and joins the order.The episode also tied up a few other loose ends. After things settled down, Grey Worm and the freed Unsullied boarded ships to head back east (presumably with the Dothraki, as well). Grey Worm's destination was the Isle of Naath, which recalled his earlier conversation with Missandei back in Season 8, Episode 2. The pair had planned what they'd do after defeating the Night King and winning the Iron Throne for Daenerys: return to Naath, where the Unsullied would protect the isle's peaceful people, as Grey Worm said. Though Cersei had Missandei killed, Grey Worm is still executing on the plan to make a home of Naath and to protect its people.Also boarding a ship was Arya Stark, who decided she wouldn't return home to Winterfell or live her life as a highborn lady. Instead, she means to explore the world by finding out what's west of Westeros, a task she mentioned she might want to try her hand at back in Season 6 when she was still in Faceless Man training in Braavos. We don't know what might be out there, in fact, but if anybody can handle what she finds, it's Arya.Oh, and Drogon is still out there. Apparently Bran is going to use his Three-Eyed Raven powers to maybe try to track the dragon down. In any event, dragons are still alive in the world, and that means there could one day be more of them.And that's it. War is over in Westeros, finally, and the fate of its people is in the hands of a group who seem to want to make life better for everyone in general. Whether they succeed is quite literally another story. As Tyrion told Jon, we'll have to check back in 10 years to see whether the pair made the right decisions. Info from Gamespot.com

Many people are subscribed to multiple streaming services, and every week, places like Hulu, Amazon Prime, and the horror-themed Shudder release new content to their users. This week, there are plenty of options to check out on Hulu, while the two other aforementioned services only have a couple new offerings.The most notable release of the week is Season 3 of AMC's Preacher on May 21 on Hulu. Based on the comic book series of the same name, the TV show follows a priest who is searching for God and comes across bizarre characters during his travels. Also, the complete series of Baywatch comes to Hulu on May 23.If you're looking for horror flicks to check out, then May 20 is a good day for you, as both 100 Bloody Acres and Effects hit Shudder. It is a very light week for these streaming services.Below, you'll find the list for what's coming out on these services this week. Additionally, both Hulu and Amazon Prime Video have revealed what's coming to those services for the month of June.HuluMay 20Federal Hill (1994)May 21Preacher: Complete Season 3Bernie the Dolphin (2018)Jesus’ Son (2000)May 22Tracers (2015)May 23Baywatch: Complete SeriesMasterChef Celebrity Family Showdown: Special Part 2Backtrace (2018)Lulu on the Bridge (2011)AmazonMay 19Federal Hill (1994)May 20Jesus' Son (1999)May 22Lulu on the Bridge (1998)May 25Morning Glory (2010)ShudderMay 20100 Bloody Acres (2013)Effects (1980, also available on Shudder Canada)Info from Gamespot.com

Like every episode in Season 8, the Game of Thrones finale was full of Easter eggs, as well as callbacks and references to the journey many of the characters have undertaken to get to where they are at the end. A big one in Episode 6, "The Iron Throne," came during a conversation between Tyrion Lannister and Jon Snow that went all the way back to a critical moment in Season 1--one that had a great deal of meaning for Jon. Be warned: We're talking spoilers for the Game of Thrones series finale here, so read on at your own risk.After the sack of King's Landing in Episode 5, "The Bells," Daenerys has Tyrion arrested for freeing his brother Jaime, going against the queen's orders and thereby betraying her. Jon meets with Tyrion in his impromptu cell, where Tyrion laments finding out he was wrong about Daenerys. He tries to convince Jon to do something about Dany since Jon is also a Targaryen and has a better claim to the Iron Throne. Jon, of course, struggles with the situation because of his love for Dany, and Tyrion talks about how he understands that Jon loves Dany."Love is the death of duty," Jon responds. He's remembering a pivotal moment from his past--a conversation he had with Maester Aemon, way back when Jon was new to the Night's Watch in Season 1. During that discussion, Aemon revealed his true identity as Aemon Targaryen, a man who could have been king, but chose the life of a Maester and a man of the Night's Watch instead.At the time, Jon had been considering breaking his new Night's Watch vows to ride south and join Robb Stark in his campaign to defeat the Lannisters and rescue Ned Stark. Aemon stopped him by telling him a story about how his own vows were tested during Robert's Rebellion. He wanted to go south to help the other Targaryens, but ultimately, kept to his vows and did his duty. It's that story that convinces Jon to stay on the Wall and keep his vows, as well.Jon's sense of duty has repeatedly been tested by love. He didn't leave the Wall to aid Robb, which meant that Jon didn't die at the Red Wedding, but one wonders how Jon's presence could have helped save Robb's life. When he went north of the Wall with Lord Commander Mormont, Jon joined the Wildlings he discovered there to find out what Mance Rayder was planning. He fell in love with Ygritte but was unable to betray the Night's Watch for her, which ended in her death in Season 4 at the Battle of Castle Black. And finally, Jon chose duty over Daenerys, killing the queen before she could hurt anyone else after she destroyed King's Landing.In the end, Jon always chooses duty over love. Tyrion gets him on that point before the conversation is over."Sometimes, duty is the death of love," Tyrion says. "You are the shield that guards the realms of men, and you've always tried to do the right thing, no matter the cost. You've always tried to protect people. Who is the greatest threat to the people now?"Tyrion knows how important Jon's sense of honor is to him, just like Maester Aemon did (although Aemon might have given Jon different advice if he'd known that Aemon was Jon's great-great uncle, or that Jon was intending to kill Aemon's niece). Jon struggles with whether he made the right call in killing Daenerys, but we've seen throughout the show that it was the only one he could have made.Info from Gamespot.com

Activision has shared more details on Call of Duty Mobile as the spinoff approaches the regional beta testing phase. The first closed beta is beginning this week in India, with regional tests starting soon in Australia and then following to other territories over the coming months.A post on the Activision Blog details the upcoming game. A variety of control options let you customize the toggles like sensitivity, gyroscope aiming, field of vision, and sprinting. You can choose Simple Mode, which auto-fires your weapon, or Advanced Mode that uses manual firing along with some other options and HUD customizations. It even boasts 17 sliders for aiming sensitivity.As a Call of Duty game, of course, you can select up to three Scorestreak equipment like the Recon Car, Air Supply Drop, Missile Strike, Drone, and Sentry Gun. From your Loadout menu you'll pick a Primary and a Secondary weapon, each with its own optics and attachments, grenades, and perks. Your five loadout slots can be one of several characters from Call of Duty history, including Alex Mason, Soap MacTavish, and Ghost Riley.So far the studio has announced five modes: Free-For-All, Frontline, Team Deathmatch, Hardpoint, and Domination. It will also bring back several well-known Call of Duty maps, including Crossfire, Standoff, Crash, Killhouse, and Firing Range.You can pre-register through the official site which will also sign you up for a chance at the beta. Additional gameplay modes are still to be announced.Info from Gamespot.com

Since Pokemon X and Y, each mainline installment in the series has allowed you to customize your trainer's outfit, and it looks like that will be the case in Pokemon Sword and Shield as well. While the games' reveal trailer hinted that trainer customization would return, the feature was confirmed when clothing retailer Uniqlo announced the winners of its Pokemon t-shirt design competition.The winning design will not only be made into a real shirt, it'll also appear in the upcoming Nintendo Switch games as a clothing option for your trainer (via Serebii). Uniqlo's website shared a pair of screenshots showcasing the male and female trainers wearing the winning shirt rather than their default clothes, confirming you'll be able to change their outfits. You can take a look at the screenshots below.It remains to be seen how many different clothing options will be available in Pokemon Sword and Shield. Both Pokemon X/Y and Sun/Moon allowed you to purchase an assortment of different outfits and accessories for your trainer, from hats and glasses to bags and shoes, and that will presumably be the case in Sword and Shield as well. One thing we do know for sure, however, is your avatar will at least be able to don a soccer-like uniform; the male trainer could be seen wearing one as he entered a stadium near the end of the games' reveal trailer.Nintendo gave fans their first look at Sword and Shield during a special Pokemon Direct broadcast this past February. While the presentation was fairly brief, it did reveal some important details about the upcoming games. For one, the titles are set in a new region called Galar, which appears to be inspired by the UK. We also got to see the games' new starter Pokemon: the Grass-type monkey Grookey, the Fire-type rabbit Scorbunny, and the Water-type lizard Sobble.Pokemon Sword and Shield are slated to launch for Switch in "late" 2019. We'll presumably learn more about the games during Nintendo's E3 2019 presentation, which is set to take place on Tuesday, June 11, at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 5 PM BST. Until then, you can check out everything we know about Pokemon Sword and Shield so far.Info from Gamespot.com

Netflix subscribers have plenty to check out on the service this upcoming week, with originals, comedy specials, TV seasons, and movies all hitting every day of the week. It was actually a smaller month for Netflix in May, with a more limited selection compared to what subscribers are used to. Here's what you can look forward to for the week of May 19.If you're a fan of CW's series based on the characters from DC Comics, you'll have a lot to binge this week. Season 7 of Arrow arrives on May 21 and Season 5 of The Flash heads to Netflix on May 22. If you enjoy the CW shows, but you're not into superheroes, find out what madness happened on Season 3 of Riverdale, which lands on May 23.Additionally, there are plenty of Netflix originals to keep you occupied. Comedian Wanda Sykes has her new special "Not Normal" coming on May 21. The horror anthology series Slasher returns with a new entry, exclusively on Netflix, titled "Solstice." Someone is murdered at an apartment complex and no one did anything to help, even though there were plenty of witnesses. One year later, someone is extracting revenge on those who wouldn't help.On the sci-fi side of things, Rim of the World arrives on May 24, and the movie follows four teenagers stuck at a summer camp while an alien invasion threatens the rest of the world. Finally, sharing a name with a Marvel Comic series--and nothing else-- What / If is a new anthology series that explores the decisions people make and the ripple effects they create. It lands on Netflix on May 24.Below, you'll find the list for what's coming out for Netflix this week. Additionally, both Hulu and Amazon Prime Video have revealed what's coming to those services for the month of June.Coming To Netflix This WeekMay 20Prince of Peoria: Part 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALRosario Tijeras (Mexico Version): Season 2May 21Arrow: Season 7MoonlightWanda Sykes: Not Normal -- NETFLIX ORIGINALMay 22A Tale of Two Kitchens -- NETFLIX ORIGINALOne Night in Spring -- NETFLIX ORIGINALThe Flash: Season 5May 23Riverdale: Season 3Slasher: Solstice -- NETFLIX ORIGINALMay 24After Maria -- NETFLIX ORIGINALAlta Mar -- NETFLIX ORIGINALJoy -- NETFLIX FILMRim of the World -- NETFLIX FILMShe's Gotta Have It: Season 2 -- NETFLIX ORIGINALThe Perfection -- NETFLIX FILMWHAT / IF -- NETFLIX ORIGINAL Info from Gamespot.com

The more Universal Studios Orlando reveals about their upcoming Harry Potter-themed roller coaster, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, the more exciting it looks. In addition to the incredibly lifelike animatronic of Hagrid, the theme park has revealed many new details about the immersive ride, as well as a bunch of new photos and a ride-along video of the attraction.According to Universal Orlando Resort, the coaster is set in an actual forest made up of 1,200 living trees. It also breaks a few roller coaster records, including having the most launches in a single ride--there are seven--and featuring the first free-fall vertical drop on a coaster in the United States, which lets riders fall 17 feet without warning.The ride is also story-driven, which is unlike what you'll find on most roller coasters. Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is heavily themed and takes riders through numerous scenes as there encounter various elements from the Harry Potter franchise. An official ride description reads, "As they make their way to their enchanted motorbikes, guests will see materials from the class, including dragon eggs on the verge of hatching and a makeshift nursery where Hagrid kept his Blast-Ended Skrewts--the creatures that are being brought to life for the first time ever for this epic new adventure." There will also be a pre-show in the ride's queue, which includes appearances by Hagrid, his trusty dog Fang, and Arthur Weasley.As you can see in the photos above and the video below, the theming on this particular ride is extensive and loaded with Easter eggs from the Harry Potter franchise--including the Monsters Book of Monsters playing a role in the story. Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure opens at Universal Orlando's Island of Adventure on June 13. Info from Gamespot.com

Surprising no one, the Game of Thrones finale was a ratings smash. The episode, "The Iron Throne," attracted 19.3 million viewers across all platforms right away, HBO announced. This includes 13.6 million people who watched the linear TV broadcast on HBO, and the rest coming from replays and streaming.The previous record for a linear broadcast episode on HBO was 13.4 million from Season 4 premiere of The Sopranos back in 2002. "The Iron Throne" is the most-watched episode of the final Game of Thrones season, surpassing "The Bells," which had 18.4 million viewers.Overall, Game of Thrones Season 8 averaged 44.2 million viewers per episode after a week of viewing, which is up by more than 10 million over the average of Season 7.HBO also announced that the show that follows Game of Thrones on HBO, Barry, reached 2.7 million viewers for its own season finale to reach an all-time series high. It is up 253 percent from the previous season's finale which attracted 774,000 viewers."The Iron Throne" was written and directed by Game of Thrones showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff. The pair are finished with Game of Thrones, but the series will continue through prequels, one of which stars Naomi Watts and begins filming this year. On May 26, HBO will air a two-hour Game of Thrones Season 8 documentary that promises to dive deep into the story behind how the final season came to be.Weiss and Benioff are now working on a new Star Wars trilogy with Lucasfilm, the first instalment of which will premiere in 2022. They are also shopping around for a new "overall" deal with multiple different studios, according to a report.For more on Episode 6, check out the show's latest coffee cup-style gaffe (this time featuring a pair of water bottles) and a reminder of who was at the council meeting (there were some faces present who we hadn't seen in years). For our thoughts on the final episode, check out our "The Iron Throne" review.Info from Gamespot.com

John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum is still in theatres, but we're already learning about the sequel. It was confirmed today that John Wick 4 will open in theatres on May 21, 2021. This was announced by way of a text message sent to fans and media (including here at GameSpot). It says: "You have served. You will be of service. John Wick: Chapter 4 is coming - May 21, 2021."The ending to John Wick Chapter 3 certainly set up more stories to be told in the John Wick universe, so the announcement today is no surprise. Part of what drives the success of the series is star Keanu Reeves and stunt-coordinator-turned-director Chad Stahelski, so hopefully the pair return for the 2021 sequel. John Wick Chapter 3 opened to around $57 million in North America to dethrone Avengers: Endgame and become the No. 1 movie.In addition to John Wick Chapter 4, it was announced in 2017 that a spin-off film centered on a young female assassin was being developed. There is also a TV show; Starz is developing The Continental, a series set in the Los Angeles location of the franchise's infamous assassin hotel.Info from Gamespot.com

The finale episode of Game of Thrones Season 8 is here, and at last, the question of who will sit the Iron Throne has been answered. Fans, viewers, and Las Vegas have speculated about which character would ultimately rule since the show's beginning, with all kinds of callbacks and Easter eggs providing clues along the way. Plenty of characters have tried to manipulate their way to power over the years, only to ultimately fail (and die, often horribly).So the fact that Bran Stark wound up the ruler of Westeros is somewhat confusing. He's an entirely unassuming choice, having seemingly done very little since he became the new Three-Eyed Raven way back in Season 6. Though Bran has the ability to warg into animals (and sometimes people) and to know about seemingly anything that's happening anywhere, he seems to rarely use these powers, and hasn't been very involved in the goings-on of Westeros. He outed Littlefinger in Season 7, provided some information about dealing with the Night King, and helped Jon learn about his true identity, but that's about it. Bran came off as a good choice for the ruler of Westeros because it's seemingly not a job he wants ("I don't really 'want' anymore," he said earlier in Season 8), because he's supposedly wise, and because he's distant and therefore can be objective and just.But some viewers are questioning the choice of Bran in the end, because it doesn't make a ton of sense. For someone who knows seemingly everything, Bran hasn't spent much time this season helping anyone. He did little during Season 7, he did nothing during the Battle of Winterfell, and what information he has provided hasn't been all that useful. What makes him such a good choice for king, other than the fact that he's a great compromise to keep the power away from everyone else?The fact that Bran hasn't had much going on since Season 6 has bothered a lot of viewers, and now to have him wind up on the throne seemingly by default is even less satisfying. Bran does say one thing that suggests he knows more than he's letting on, though. During the council to choose the new king, when Tyrion asks Bran if he's up for the job, Bran responds, "Why do you think I came all this way?" Once again, Bran suggests he knew something would happen before it did, so why isn't he using that information more effectively?If you think about it, Bran's actions--and more aptly, his inaction--have constantly and subtly pushed in the direction of him becoming king. Season 8 makes a lot more sense if you consider that Bran might have been manipulating events for his own benefit all along. After all, he could have saved a lot more lives along the way, if that had been his goal. But what if it wasn't?Bran the DeceiverConsider Bran's actions during the Battle of Winterfell. Though he can warg into animals and get a bird's eye view of the battle, which could then allow him to pass useful intelligence to the fighters defending the castle, Bran does nothing. He just sits in the godswood, quietly using himself as bait for the Night King. If he could have helped, why didn't he? Maybe because Bran foresaw several key deaths that would help bolster his position.The Battle of Winterfell saw so many of Daenerys's forces eliminated that she was suddenly on even ground with the Lannisters. She also lost Jorah Mormont, her most trusted adviser and most capable protector. Other key deaths during the battle included a popular and capable leader in Lyanna Mormont, who was known to sway public opinion with gripping speeches, and Theon Greyjoy, who had a history with Sansa Stark that could divide her loyalties. Key people who might have changed the rest of the events of Season 8 were lost during the battle.Bran also helps provide Jon with the information about his true parentage, even though that does nothing but complicate an already strained wartime situation. It's Bran who convinces Samwell Tarly to tell Jon the truth about who his parents were, which instantly puts Jon into conflict with Dany even though he's already pledged her his loyalty, bent the knee, and given up being King in the North for her. Jon has a better claim to the Iron Throne than Dany, but it's obvious he doesn't want to rule. Why tell Jon about his parents at all, or at least, why tell him right before he fights a battle that could mean the destruction of all of Westeros? It seems like a bad move that doesn't help anyone, unless you consider that Bran wants to sow discord and push Daenerys over the edge.Losing Ser Jorah leaves Daenerys without her best bodyguard and without the man who had often acted as the voice of reason against her worst impulses, right when Dany is within sight of her goal, and right when the biggest threat to her claim to the throne, Jon, is suddenly revealed. Daenerys then loses her dragon Rhaegal and her close friend and adviser Missandei to a sneak attack at Dragonstone--again, something that seems like a guy who can become a bird and see things anywhere in the world could have helped her avoid.That puts Daenerys at King's Landing in a fraught state. Her enemies have killed her best people, her advisers are turning on her, her dragons are dead, she hasn't won any loyalty despite helping beat the army of the dead, and the man she loves could challenge her pursuit of the goal she spent her life chasing. She's primed to do something terrible, and Bran could have stopped any or all of those circumstances from coming to pass with his superpowers. But he doesn't.Playing The Long GameReally, the events of Season 8 make a lot more sense if you assume Bran is manipulating people on purpose, Littlefinger-style. He tells Jon that he's actually Aegon Targaryen knowing that at the very least, it'll create distrust between him and Daenerys. He lets lots of people die fighting the army of the dead because he wants them gone, but sets up Arya to kill the Night King (he gave her that Valryian steel dagger, don't forget) to eliminate one of his chief adversaries. He allows Dany to lose her armies and her dragons to weaken her. He doesn't provide any of his family members with information about King's Landing or their enemies that could help them take the city with less bloodshed. Everything he does or doesn't do sets up the opportunity for Cersei, Dany, and Jon to eliminate each other, and nothing he does or doesn't do saves lives or de-escalates that conflict.There's even a fan theory to go with this idea, but it's based more on George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" novels than what's in the show. It concerns the true identity of the Three-Eyed Raven: a Targaryen bastard called Brynden Rivers, also known as the Bloodraven. With his greensight and warg powers, the theory goes, the Bloodraven could have lured Bran north of the Wall and then taken over his body, executing a lengthy plan to take the Iron Throne for himself. (Here's more about the idea of Bran becoming the Bloodraven.)Fans have also speculated that Bran could become the Night King through some combination of time travel and magic ever since Season 6. The touch of the Night King has been enough to turn babies into White Walkers and dragons into wights, and the Night King pointedly touched Bran during a vision in Season 6 ("His mark is on me," Bran reminded us in Season 8). Maybe that touch had more of an effect on Bran than we all realized.If Bran is evil, then his arc in Season 8 is a masterstroke of manipulation and careful inaction--everything Bran doesn't do matters as much as everything he does do. There's a reason he doesn't use his powers to help people in Season 8: He doesn't want to help them. And by doing very little, acting disinterested, and downplaying his magic abilities, Bran sets himself up to seem like an excellent choice for king. He gets the throne with no opposition because everyone else thinks it was their idea to crown him. Littlefinger couldn't have executed a better deception.Info from Gamespot.com

Game of Thrones Season 8 is over, for better or worse. The finale made some pretty unexpected moves, perhaps most of all placing Bran on the throne (well, a throne, not the Throne). How the show reached that point, and what it all means, is a topic we could (and honestly will) debate for years to come. But the big question looming over all of this is: Will the ending be the same in the books, once author George R.R. Martin actually finishes writing them?Bran ascending to rule Westeros (six of the seven kingdoms, at least) makes a certain amount of sense in the show. In communing with the Three-Eyed Raven beyond the Wall, Bran gained powers that allowed him to view events from throughout history, past and present, anywhere in the world. Once every character in the show accepted that Bran has these powers and thus has more knowledge than anyone else could ever hope to gain, the lords of Westeros all agreeing to crown him king is a logical move. It's not totally clear why Bran did many of the things that he did (or didn't do) over the last few seasons, besides a vague sense that everything happened for a reason.If you're a glass-half-full type of viewer, you might choose to believe that Bran spent several years playing puppet master with the goal of becoming king because he's ultimately benevolent. Bran has seen every possible future, and he knows that, despite the horrors that have occurred along the way, this was the best path in the end, because he'll be a good ruler and avoid even more bloodshed in the future. It's the fantasy version of Doctor Strange's "one in 14 million" path forward in Avengers: Infinity War.There's one key difference, though: Doctor Strange didn't peer into 14 million possible futures and then pick the one where he becomes emperor of the galaxy. Did Bran manipulate events throughout Game of Thrones to achieve the best possible ending for everyone--least lives lost, most wars averted, etc.--or was the purpose of his machinations simply to put himself in power, no matter the cost?If Bran was meant to be evil in the end, the show did a pretty bad job explaining how he got that way. I don't believe that's the case, but things might turn out very differently in the next book, The Winds of Winter--even if on the surface, they appear to turn out the same. It all has to do with the Three-Eyed Raven's real identity, Bran's warging/skinchanging abilities, and another possible meaning of the "song of ice and fire."Who Is The Three-Eyed Raven?The entire storyline around the Three-Eyed Raven is one area in which Game of Thrones simply missed its mark. If you only watch the show, you probably know roughly three things about this character: He was played by two different actors across two seasons (Struan Rodger and Max von Sydow), he lived in a cave north of the Wall, and he didn't much care for the Night King.His story is so much better in the books, where he's known as the Three-Eyed Crow--and where he has an actual identity beyond teaching Bran how to do magic and be weird. In the books, the Three-Eyed Crow is actually Brynden Rivers, or Lord Bloodraven--a Targaryen bastard who served as Hand to multiple Targaryen kings, remained loyal to the Targaryens through several rebellions of a splinter faction called the Blackfyres, and was eventually arrested and sent off to the Night's Watch. There, he rose through the ranks to become Lord Commander, but disappeared while ranging north of the Wall (not unlike Ned Stark's brother Benjen). When Bran meets Bloodraven in that cave in the far north, the Targaryen bastard is around 125 years old. Obviously, that's far beyond a normal human's lifespan; the sorcerer is essentially a living corpse, with a weirwood tree growing around and through him, roots snaking in and out of the empty socket where he lost an eye in a duel with his half-brother Aegor "Bittersteel" Rivers over 100 years earlier. (There's a saying that Bloodraven, a spymaster and skinchanger, had "a thousand eyes, and one.") He also has a distinctive winestain birthmark on one cheek--the source of his name, as it apparently resembles a bird.(I should stop here to note that, technically, the Three-Eyed Crow and Bloodraven being the same person isn't 100% confirmed yet in the books, although the amount of evidence and clues that point to this theory being fact is overwhelmingly convincing.)Why does any of this matter?It's been established that author George R.R. Martin gave Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss, at the very minimum, the basic gist of his story outline, so that they could work toward the same ending even as the show passed the books. But "Bran is king in the end" might not be the exact same ending George has in mind.In the books, Bran was still chilling in that cave with the Three-Eyed Crow the last we saw. The show passed the books when Bran escaped the Night King's attack there, was rescued by Benjen, and headed back down South. Afterward, Bran was clearly changed: He no longer seemed like himself, and even made cryptic statements about how he wasn't really Bran anymore.Read next: Game Of Thrones Season 8 Makes A Lot More Sense If Bran Is EvilIf we assume that some or all of these details came directly from the original author's still-unpublished book material, then there are some logical leaps we can make. I'll shout-out here to Twitter user T.J. Hafer, who started me thinking about this theory.What if Bran really isn't Bran anymore? What if the Three-Eyed Crow isn't a benevolent being who wants to help Bran fight the White Walkers (the "Others" in the books), but simply another player of the game of thrones vying for power? The books are full of Targaryens and Targaryen loyalists who want to see their dynasty returned to glory, many of whom are not present in the show, and Bloodraven might be simply one more--albeit one playing a very long game.Bloodraven may have sensed Bran's latent magical abilities and lured him north of the Wall so that he could get close to the Stark boy--and steal his body. It's been suggested--and this is how it seemed to work in the show--that "Three-Eyed Raven" is a mantle that can be passed from character to character. But what if becoming the Three-Eyed Crow really means that Bran literally becomes Bloodraven? In the books, if Bran is really the Targaryen bastard Brynden Rivers in disguise when he returns southward, his actions throughout the rest of the series--if the novels play out at all like the show did--could make a lot more sense. Brandon Stark wouldn't sit around doing nothing while tens of thousands of innocent people died, but Bloodraven might, if it meant returning the Targaryens to power. In the book's history, Bloodraven traveled north to the Wall in the company of a young Maester Aemon--yes, the same Maester Aemon who's still alive in Jon and Sam's time. But unlike Aemon, Bloodraven may not have been content to let his family be snuffed out, even if it meant biding his time for decades and concocting a demented, complex plan to maneuver his way back to power in King's Landing.And maybe the titular Song of Ice and Fire--although it still applies to Jon and Dany, too--could also symbolize the war between Bloodraven, a firey Targaryen, and the Others, who want to stop him from carrying his plan out for some reason. For book readers who have had a lot of time to speculate in between releases, these theories go deep--there are rabbit holes involving things like the Stark family's connections to the Others, and that may all play into this as well.One thing I know for sure is that the ending as presented on the show--that Bran appeared to manipulate the other characters by selectively revealing bits and pieces of information only when it suited him and allowed tens of thousands of people to die horribly so he could be a Good, Just King--doesn't sit quite right with me. Whether the series' true ending is something that fans have already predicted, exactly the same as the show or completely different, or even something that no one has yet foreseen, we'll simply have to wait to find out.Read next: Game Of Thrones Season 8 Finale: 36 Easter Eggs And References You Might Have Missed Info from Gamespot.com

The mainline Game of Thrones show is over. Sunday night's finale, "The Iron Throne," wrapped up the story that began back in 2011. People were divided on the episode, but whatever the case, it was a huge ratings success with more than 19 million viewers to set a new series record.While the main show is over, a two-hour documentary is coming next week. After that, HBO has multiple prequel spinoff programs--or "successor shows," as George R.R. Martin calls them--in the works that are scheduled to debut at some point in the future.Here is a brief breakdown of everything we know about the Game of Thrones spinoffs.HBO initially announced that it was working on scripts for as many as five different Game of Thrones spinoffs, though the network never committed to actually producing that many. HBO announced in 2017 that it had commissioned pitch scripts for shows to be run by Jane Goldman, Max Borenstein, Brian Helgeland, and Carly Wray. Goldman's show is being made (or at least a pilot; more on that later), but it's unclear what the status is of the other projects.The latest update from George R.R. Martin, who is involved with the spinoffs as a producer, is that three of the five shows are coming along well. The highest-profile show that we know about is the one starring Naomi Watts that is reportedly scheduled to begin shooting this year.Martin wrote on his blog that the Naomi Watts Game of Thrones prequel is called The Long Night, though he later walked that back, so the name could change. Whatever the title is, the show is set thousands of years before the mainline HBO show and concerns legendary characters like Bran the Builder, founder of House Stark, and Lann the Clever, founder of House Lannister. None of the characters from HBO's mainline Game of Thrones show are expected to appear in the prequels.The title Martin mentioned, the Long Night, refers to a winter that lasted a generation--which also included the first war with the White Walkers. The program's showrunner is Jane Goldman, who worked on Kingsman and the X-Men film series. The pilot episode will be directed by S.J. Clarkson who directed episodes of Jessica Jones and The DefendersThe other two shows are still working on scripts, but there is no word yet on the stories they'll tell or who may star in them. Martin teased that at least one might concern the Targaryen dynasty, which is covered in the recently released companion book, "Fire & Blood.""We have had five different Game of Thrones successor shows in development (I mislike the term 'spinoffs') at HBO, and three of them are still moving forward nicely," Martin said. "The one I am not supposed to call The Long Night will be shooting later this year, and two other shows remain in the script stage, but are edging closer. What are they about? I cannot say. But maybe some of you should pick up a copy of Fire & Blood and come up with your own theories."In terms of what the new show could cover for its story, the 300-year history of the Targaryens in Westeros make up a rich tapestry of storytelling opportunities. Aegon Targaryen's original conquest of the Seven Kingdoms would be pretty intense, but there's also the Dance of Dragons, when a Targaryen prince battled a princess over who would succeed their father on the Iron Throne, and the Blackfyre Rebellion, when a bunch of legitimized Targaryen bastards banded together to overthrow the trueborn Targaryens.Before you get too excited, remember that HBO has only ordered a pilot for the Naomi Watts Game of Thrones successor show, so it remains to be seen if it will get picked up to series. As you may recall, the pilot episode of Game of Thrones was problematic and had to undergo reshoots. Not only that, but HBO recast Daenarys and Catelyn Stark after the original pilot, which never aired. Tamzin Merchant played Daenerys in the pilot, while Jennifer Ehle portrayed Catelyn Stark in roles that were later given to Emilia Clarke and Michelle Fairley respectively.One of the Game of Thrones prequels that will not happen is the one from Game of Thrones series producer Bryan Cogman. He said recently that HBO has decided to not move forward with his idea. Cogman recently signed a deal with Amazon to work on their network of shows going forward.It's not immediately clear why HBO decided to pass on Cogman's Game of Thrones prequel idea, but HBO programming boss Casey Bloys previously talked about why the network was commissioning so many. "The idea was, if we're going to try it, let's take a couple of shots and see," he said. "My hope is at least one lives up to the level of quality [showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss] have set."Benioff and Weiss are apparently not involved in the new Game of Thrones prequels. They are currently working on a new trilogy of Star Wars movies, the first of which is scheduled to premiere in 2022.Info from Gamespot.com