At the end of John Wick 2, with what looked like the entire city of New York about to take up arms against Keanu Reeves' titular hero, it seemed like the next chapter in the assassin's saga would have to wrap things up one way or another. We were pretty surprised, then, when John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum concluded not with John's death or his triumph over the High Table, but basically where it began: with John Wick on the run, out of friends, the whole world against him. But was Winston's betrayal of John real, or is there more to it than that?At the end of John Wick 2, Winston (Ian McShane) gave John an hour's head start. He was still on the assassin's side, despite the reality of John's affront against the High Table's laws when he spilled blood on Continental grounds. By John Wick 3's conclusion, Winston has fully turned on John, shooting him repeatedly and sending him careening over the edge of the Continental's roof. But are things really that black and white?The Continental vs. The High TableFirst off, let's talk about the conflict that served as John Wick 3's climax: the fight between the Continental (well, really John and Charon (Lance Reddick), since Winston mostly hid in a vault with John's dog), and the High Table's elite strike team. The High Table doesn't take lightly to being defied, and the hour Winston gave John at the end of 2 was enough to get the NY Continental manager in deep trouble with his overlords. They sent the Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon) to negotiate Winston's "retirement," and the High Table's Elder (Saïd Taghmaoui) sent John back to New York to kill Winston.Obviously, the High Table's plans in this case didn't work out, largely thanks to the bond that Winston and John share after years of working together. Winston had no interest in stepping down, and John didn't really want to kill him. John may have gone through with it in order to survive, had Winston not offered him an alternative--teaming up to fight the High Table.The Continental and John won the initial skirmish, but both sides knew this fight was just the beginning. When they met for a parley, Winston and the Adjudicator agreed to a ceasefire, under the shared revision that Winston had only risen up in the first place in order to prove his strength and devotion to the High Table. It was a simple show of force--at least, according to the version of events Winston and the Adjudicator settled on in the end. Either way, that left one loose end: John Wick himself. Winston shoots John several times, seemingly taking the assassin by surprise, and John plummets off the Continental's roof.If you take this scene at face value, it seems that Winston betrayed John in order to reaffirm his loyalty to the High Table. But that may not necessarily be the case. Throughout these movies, the friendship and trust between John and Winston have seemed genuine. When Winston said he'd rather be killed by a friend, he appeared to mean it.Another PossibilityIn light of that, there's another possibility: Winston was just doing what he had to in order to make it seem like he'd turned on John, while actually trying his best to ensure John walked away from the situation with his life. Winston shot John in the torso, where he knew John's magic bulletproof suit would prevent the bullets from killing him, and he may have even known that John would hit some obstacles on his way down, breaking his fall, if he hurtled off the roof in that exact place. Winston never looked over the edge to make sure John was dead, and he didn't seem too concerned about the fact that the boogeyman-assassin he'd just seemingly betrayed had apparently gotten up and walked away.At the very end of the movie, Jason Mantzoukas's character (the Tick Tock Man, who we didn't get nearly enough of) finds John and takes him to the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne), who apparently lived through his seven slashes. Like John, the Bowery King isn't looking so hot--but given both characters' current standing with the High Table, that's not the only thing the two now have in common.Is there a real rebellion against the High Table brewing for the inevitable John Wick 4? Will Winston and John reconcile, or was that betrayal the last straw? We'll have to wait and see, but the foundation is certainly there for a fourth chapter in John Wick's saga.Read next: John Wick 3 Is A Symptom Of A Much Larger Problem Info from Gamespot.com

A new wave of Gen 4 Pokemon has arrived in Pokemon Go. Gible, Cherubi, Hippopotas, Burmy, and more can now either be found in the wild or hatched from Eggs, and developer Niantic has introduced a handful of new items that enable some more Gen 4 evolutions, including Glaceon and Leafeon.As revealed in a recent leak, three new kinds of Lure Modules have been added to Pokemon Go: Glacial, Mossy, and Magnetic. These can be purchased from the in-game store, and placing them in a Poke Stop will attract certain kinds of Pokemon to that area; the Glacial Lure, for instance, draws in Ice- and Water-types, while the Mossy Lure attracts Grass, Bug, and Poison Pokemon.Moreover, activating the Lure Modules will allow certain Pokemon to evolve; the Glacial and Mossy Lures let Eevee evolve into Glaceon or Leafeon, respectively, while the Magnetic Lure lets Magneton and Nosepass evolve into Magnezone and Probopass. Niantic says the new Lure Modules will also be given out as rewards for completing Special Research tasks "later this season." You can read more details about the Pokemon and Lures on the Pokemon Go website.In other Pokemon Go news, the game's next Community Day takes place this Sunday, May 19. The featured Pokemon this month is Torchic, the Fire-type starter from the series' Gen 3 games, Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. If you're able to evolve Torchic into its final form, Blaziken, up to an hour after the Community Day ends, it'll learn Blast Burn. You'll also receive three times the usual amount of Stardust for capturing Pokemon during the event.Shortly after May's Community Day ends, Niantic is kicking off an Extraordinary Raid Week event. From May 21-28, new Pokemon will appear as Raid bosses, including Bronzor, whose Shiny form also has a chance of appearing. On Saturday, May 25, the developer is also holding a special Lapras Raid, which will feature an appearance by Shiny Lapras.Info from Gamespot.com

E3 2019 may still be several weeks away, but there are already quite a few PC games confirmed for the show. We've compiled all the ones we know about below. If you're looking for games coming to Xbox One, PS4, Switch, or VR, we've also outlined every single game confirmed to appear at E3 2019.As per tradition, E3 will host a PC Gaming Show. The live stream is scheduled to start Monday, June 10 at 10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM BST. The show will once again stream on Twitch and is the only press conference at E3 2019 solely devoted to showcasing PC game announcements, trailers, and gameplay reveals. The PC Gaming Show has not confirmed which games will be shown off during the stream, but chances are several of the ones listed below will make an appearance.Pretty much every game confirmed for E3 2019 is coming to PC. Based on what's been confirmed already, the major names to keep an eye on are Cyberpunk 2077, Doom Eternal, Halo Infinite, and Ghost Recon Breakpoint. Activision is scheduled to reveal the new Call of Duty game as well, and Gearbox will probably showcase the skill trees of FL4K the Beastmaster and Moze the Gunner, the two Borderlands 3 Vault Hunters that have still not been fully detailed.Several previously released PC games will be at E3 2019 as well. For example, during EA Play, the publisher will discuss the upcoming plans for both the multiplayer-focused shooter Anthem and battle royale Apex Legends. Iceborne, a major future expansion for Monster Hunter World, will also be at E3.All PC Games Confirmed For E3 2019Anthem (EA Play)Apex LegendsBattlefield V (EA Play)BattlewakeBee SimulatorBorderlands 3Call of Duty 2019Cyberpunk 2077Doom EternalDying Light 2FIFA 20Farmer’s DynastyFortnite (Summer Block Party)Halo InfiniteMonster Hunter World: IceborneOverpassParanoia: Happiness is MandatoryStar Wars Jedi: Fallen OrderTavern KeeperThe Fisherman – Fishing PlanetThe Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IIIThe RiftbreakerThe Sinking CityThe Walking Dead: OnslaughtTom Clancy's Ghost Recon BreakpointTrine 4: The Nightmare PrinceWRC 8Werewolf: The Apocalypse - EarthbloodInfo from Gamespot.com

G. Willow Wilson and Xermanico are continuing to explore the trials and tribulations of Princess Diana in the pages of DC Entertainment's Wonder Woman with issue #71, the third part of the "Love Is A Battlefield" story arc that began with April's Wonder Woman #69. Below you can take an early exclusive look at the first four pages of the comic book before it's released next week."Love Is A Battlefield" continues the story of Atlantiades, the androgynous child of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. Cast out of Olympus, Atlantiades has made their home in the small town of Summergrove and done what gods and goddess are wont to do--inspired a cult of love-crazed townsfolk. Entranced by Atlantiades, desire personified, the otherwise quiet townspeople have succumbed to fervor in which nothing--not work, not family, not health or safety--can stand in the way of their hedonistic drives for happiness and pleasure. For Atlantiades, Summergrove is a utopia--but for Diana and her companions, the town stands at a dangerous tipping point with lives and livelihoods at stake.Luckily, Aphrodite herself is more than happy to step in to help put a stop to her child's careless meddling in the affairs of humanity--even if that means stirring up some serious familial drama along the way.One part mythological epic, one part quaint American drama, "Love Is A Battlefield" explores the complicated, confusing intersections between finding happiness and maintaining order which might just be the most challenging lesson a desire-powered demigod will ever have to learn.Wonder Woman #71 hits shelves next Wednesday, May 22.Info from Gamespot.com

One of the most macabre scenes in A Plague Tale: Innocence is the eponymous plague, manifesting in the form of cursed rats. These vermin have a malevolent, otherworldly presence, their incessant screeching and scratching on stone pavements and atop piles of corpses making for a nightmarish, cacophonous din. Like sewage sludge, these creatures pour out of crevices towards their unwitting victims, ravaging them until they are just skin and bones. It’s an incredibly grotesque and spine-chilling sight--one that will linger in your mind hours later.But even though the rats are a constant presence in Innocence, they merely serve as the backdrop for its more poignant moments, featuring the two characters you’ll spend the bulk of your time with: Amicia and Hugo de Rune, a pair of young siblings who are suddenly thrust into this hellscape of war and pestilence. Set amidst the Hundred Years’ War during the Middle Ages, the comfort the siblings once knew as children to a noble French family has been ruthlessly shattered. The Black Death, too, has wrought terror upon the country, with the bulk of the French population either dying from the plague or eaten by rats. Compounding this is the Inquisition, a fanatical group of knights keen to get their hands on the last of the de Rune descendants. Surrounded with sludgy pools of grimy rats, and with murderous knights hunting them down at every other turn, the duo need to gather their wits, leaning on stealthier means to escape from this mess. But not only do you have to navigate through the bedlam as the teenage Amicia, you’ll also have to take care of the five-year-old Hugo; he panics and shouts for Amicia when she ventures too far from him--as any young child will presumably do when surrounded by a neverending miasma of death and decay.This arrangement does give Innocence the appearance of an elaborate escort mission, but fortunately, the game knows how to subvert the tedium that’s so typical of such games. A huge part is due to how human Innocence is. Despite his neediness and naiveté, Hugo is easy to grow fond of. His childlike wonder cuts through the wretchedness of their circumstances, allowing him--and helping Amicia--to appreciate the beauty even in the bleakest of times. In one scene, he quickly takes off to a nearby pier, fascinated by the curious sight of bubbles from frogs in the lake. Even a small gesture from him, such as plucking a flower--a symbol of tenacity in such trying times--to gently place it among Amicia’s braids, captures the warmth of their relationship. Such moments are heart-wrenchingly sweet, and you’ll share Amicia’s growing attachment to Hugo; his companionship is even greatly missed when she has to be paired up with other characters you meet along the way. On a mechanical level, it also helps that the artificial intelligence behind the characters isn’t hopelessly illogical, at least most of the time. Hugo isn’t usually one to chase after a butterfly in the thick of trouble, but the game still has its moments where a companion might accidentally take a kamikaze dive into a pool of quivering rats. Thankfully, these blunders are mercifully rare.With survival being the thematic core of the game, Innocence is, at its crux, a series of survival puzzles; you’ll need to avoid the ravenous rat colonies, as well as evade the knights of the Inquisition. The rodents are terrified of light and will scuttle away at its mere presence--a weakness you can exploit to make your way across death-stricken battlefields and cities. Yet key to survival is also vigilance; wander too close to the rats, and they will attempt to devour you, clawing at the fringes of the light as their teeth chatter with insatiable hunger. And when a few stray rodents manage to latch onto you, Amicia can drown in a whirlpool of vermin, as they viciously and noisily gnaw on her. Few scenes in video games manage to be quite as eerie as this, heightening the game’s cloying atmosphere of despair and danger.What’s decidedly less impressive, however, are the members of the Inquisition. As children, Amicia and Hugo won’t survive most direct confrontations with these armored brutes, who are only too eager to swing their cudgels and swords upon discovering them. Luckily for the de Rune siblings, the knights are also dumb as rocks; these barbarians are easily distracted by loud noises or sudden movements, such as by smashing a pot near their feet or tossing a rock towards a nearby chest full of armor. After staring at the offending object for a minute, the knight will mutter a variant of “Guess it’s just my imagination”--the most hackneyed and quintessential line used by hilariously obtuse NPCs in stealth games--and lumber back to their post, completely bewildered by the sound. In another far more egregious gaffe, another knight, while gawking at rats stripping his comrade to the bones, would grouse about the pointlessness of searching for his murderer, since they must be far gone by now. He then settled back to his programmed patrol, his back turned against the torrent of crazed rodents. For a game whose storytelling relies heavily on its atmosphere of dread and fear, such illogical instances absolutely butcher the mood.That said, the game’s puzzles eventually ramp up in difficulty in later chapters, which renders combat and confrontations unavoidable at certain points. As dim-witted as the knights are, they’re still mostly decked out in heavy armor and weaponry--and can make devastating enemies. To compensate for her lack of brute strength, Amicia can modify and augment her trusty slingshot and ammunitions with the right materials and a dash of basic alchemy, turning the humble tool into a deadly and versatile weapon. Hugo isn’t a passive companion either; reaching cramped, hard-to-access places is his forte, and he’s gutsy enough to crawl through smaller breaches in walls alone to open up new paths for Amicia--provided the coast is cleared. Other characters, like a talented young alchemist named Lucas and a pair of orphaned thieves called Mellie and Arthur, will come with vastly different capabilities--and each with their own affairs to settle in this dire tale.Scenes of desolation and tragedy mark Innocence’s dark, intriguing world, tied together with a narrative that’s genuinely moving without resorting to fetishizing the children’s sufferings. Despite their challenging situation, the siblings make do with what little help they get, bolstered by Amicia’s astounding resourcefulness, to survive this catastrophic mess. The game also magnifies the cataclysmic impact of the Black Death through a lens of cosmic horror, invoking the frightful atmosphere of H.P. Lovecraft’s macabre stories; the slithering rats, whether they are scurrying in the dank blackness beneath the city or trailing around half-eaten cadavers, never fails to be disconcerting. On the other hand, its villainous characters are almost painfully one-dimensional, with predictable twists and turns in the plot. This renders some of its revelations lackluster.Powerfully ghoulish depictions of the plague and rats aside, Innocence is ultimately an emotive story of resilience against harrowing odds. The game’s title is an obvious nod towards the loss of innocence the endearing young cast faces throughout their journey. But more than that, it also speaks of the depths of human depravity and the agonizing cost of survival in the midst of war. Despite the unremitting horrors of Innocence’s beginnings, the game occasionally lets in a faint glimpse of hope. One of my favorite moments is when Amicia spots another wildflower in a lone trek across the city, nestled among the decay of the rats’ revolting nests. Without her brother around, she picks it up, and places it gingerly in her own hair--a personal reminder to keep trudging on amidst the hardships, and a testament to her growing strength and tenacity. Despite flashes of predictability, moments like these will bring a lump to your throat, as it did mine. Info from Gamespot.com

E3 2019 is fast approaching and there's going to be a ton of PS4 games. While Sony won't be attending this year, that doesn't stop other developers from bringing PS4 games to the show. Big name publishers like Bethesda, Electronic Arts, and more are showcasing some of their biggest new games.Sony decided against appearing at E3 2019 out of a desire to showcase its games in new and different ways compared to previous years. "As the industry evolves, Sony Interactive Entertainment continues to look for inventive opportunities to engage the community," the company said in a statement to GameSpot. "PlayStation fans mean the world to us and we always want to innovate, think differently and experiment with new ways to delight gamers. As a result, we have decided not to participate in E3 in 2019. We are exploring new and familiar ways to engage our community in 2019 and can't wait to share our plans with you."Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima, and The Last of Us Part II are still the company's biggest upcoming tentpole releases. We've gotten a few updates since last year. Developer Hideo Kojima did tease via Twitter that he was working on a new trailer for Death Stranding. On the other hand, The Last of Us Part II co-director Anthony Newman said on Twitter that developer Naughty Dog is looking to hire people to help "close out" the long-awaited game. Unfortunately, Ghost of Tsushima hasn't received any recent development updates.E3 will last about three days going from June 11-13. A handful of press conferences from the industry's biggest companies are scheduled to precede the show. Read on for the full list of confirmed PS4 games so far, and check back as we continue to update this article with more in the coming days.All The PS4 Games Confirmed For E3 2019Anthem (EA Play)Apex LegendsBattlefield V (EA Play)Bee SimulatorBorderlands 3Cyberpunk 2077Doom EternalDying Light 2FIFA 20Fortnite (Summer Block Party)Monster Hunter World: IceborneParanoia: Happiness is MandatoryScavengersStar Wars Jedi Fallen OrderThe Fisherman – Fishing PlanetThe Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IIIThe RiftbreakerThe Sinking CityThe Walking Dead: OnslaughtTom Clancy's Ghost Recon BreakpointTrine 4: The Nightmare PrinceWRC 8 Info from Gamespot.com

When the John Wick series introduces a villain, they usually fall into one of two categories: They're either a gun-toting badass like John Wick 2's Cassian (Common) and Ares (Ruby Rose) or John Wick 3's Zero (Mark Dacascos), or a spineless crime boss like the original's Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen) or 2's Santino D'Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio). John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum introduces one new antagonist who absolutely crushes this mold: The Adjudicator, played by Asia Kate Dillon.The Adjudicator is a high level enforcer sent to New York by the High Table to exact punishment against those who aided John Wick in his defiance of the organization's laws throughout John Wick 2. The character is also non-binary in gender, according to Dillon, and goes by "they"--a detail you might not pick up on in the film, but which informed how Dillon, who is non-binary in real life, approached playing them.Throughout John Wick 3, the Adjudicator recruits Zero and his gang of sushi-carving ninjas, cuts the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) down to size, and delivers Winston an ultimatum to step down as the Continental's manager or risk facing the consequences. And the Adjudicator manages to do it all without ever lifting a finger, raising their voice, or picking up a gun."I feel like there was a really clear vision that started from Keanu [Reeves], who had the idea for the character, and then [director Chad Stahelski] shared that vision," Dillon told GameSpot. "We talked about the fact that they really wanted a character who could walk into a room and unsettle everyone, and intimidate everyone, with a quiet power and a quiet confidence. Because the vision was so clear, I felt really confident stepping into the role.""I love the idea of a character who doesn't have to take up physical arms in order to be intimidating, and to be maybe the most intimidating person," they continued.That idea makes the Adjudicator unique in the High Table's clandestine world of god-like assassins and crime bosses. The character's authority stems partially from power itself; they speak for the High Table and carry out its will. But other powerful figures in John Wick's world have picked up a gun and taken shots at John Wick when necessary, from John Wick 1's Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist) to Santino in John Wick 2. The Adjudicator never once personally threatens another character with physical violence, yet they command more authority just by virtue of their presence than any other villain in the series so far. Dillon said they played the character with quiet intimidation in mind. "I think it was really important for The Adjudicator to be really grounded physically, which for me involves a lot of stillness, and that their emotion isn't lost in physical gestures--that it's really coming through the articulation of their words, and the emotional intention of the scene--someone who has a quiet confidence, a quiet power, and is quietly intimidating," the actor said. "I don't see that person as someone who is sort of like, running around and bouncing off the walls physically. That is someone who, I think, is going to stand and deliver, so to speak."Dillon played the character like a "sheriff" to John Wick's "cowboy"--a "force of justice," or at least what the High Table views justice to be, in that world.As for being non-binary, Dillon said that aspect wasn't originally written into the character, but it was a natural fit."The character wasn't written as non-binary, but through the discussions that I had with Keanu and Chad, and after reading the script, you know, it was just evident that this character didn't need to be a cis person," Dillon said. "It's a credit to Chad and Keanu and everyone at Lionsgate that for them it was just, I mean, it wasn't even something I had to convince them of. They just immediately said, like, 'Yes, of course, no brainer.'Read next: Every Action Scene In The John Wick Series, Ranked"The films have always been incredibly diverse, from the first one through this one," they continued. "You have people of all different shapes, sizes, colors, ethnic backgrounds. There's cultural diversity. I mean, there's even diversity when it comes to the martial arts, you know--there's Capoeira, and Muay Thai, and Jiu Jitsu. So adding gender diversity to the third film was just seamless."Like everything and everyone in these movies, the Adjudicator has a unique look. Dillon described it as "high femme, fashion foward." The garments draped around the character's shoulders, the gloves held in one outstretched hand--their clothes also contribute to the aura of authority, suggesting the Adjudicator never expects to be threatened physically or to need to defend themselves.There's one other aspect that makes the Adjudicator unique in the world of John Wick: Unlike almost every other character who challenges the assassin or stands against him, the Adjudicator actually makes it through John Wick 3 alive. There's a good chance they'll come back for the inevitable John Wick 4, although with the all-out war brewing between Wick and the High Table--judging by John Wick 3's ending, at least--the Adjudicator might not make it through the next one.Read next: John Wick 3 Is A Symptom Of A Much Larger ProblemInfo from Gamespot.com

The biggest gaming showcase of the year, E3 2019, is only a few weeks away. This year's expo kicks off on Tuesday, June 11, and while it's shaping up to be a bit quieter than past years (thanks in large part to Sony's decision to sit this E3 out), some big games have already been confirmed for the event, with even more surprises undoubtedly waiting to be announced.While Microsoft is reportedly gearing up to unveil its next-generation Xbox console(s) during its E3 2019 briefing, Nintendo will be looking to continue the Switch's impressive sales momentum by highlighting some upcoming games for the hybrid system in a pre-recorded Nintendo Direct presentation, which is scheduled to air at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 5 PM BST on June 11, just before the expo proper begins.As for what Switch games Nintendo will show off, the company has been characteristically tight-lipped, although it does have a number of titles in the pipeline this year. Luigi's Mansion 3, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Pokemon Sword and Shield, and Animal Crossing--to name a few--are coming to the system in 2019, and we'll likely get another look at some or all of them during next month's Direct. Splatoon 2, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Super Mario Maker 2 will also be featured this year as part of Nintendo's pre-E3 tournaments on June 8, and we may get some details on new content for those games--although that has not been confirmed.One thing we do know, however, is that Nintendo won't be revealing any hardware at this year's show. Rumors of a new, cheaper Switch model have been making the rounds in recent weeks, with Bloomberg reporting the system could launch by the end of June, which would make E3 the perfect venue at which to unveil it. However, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa denied that possibility, saying the company has "no plans to announce [new hardware] at this year's E3 in June."Still, while Nintendo is playing its cards close to its chest, a few other developers and publishers have confirmed a handful of Switch games for this year's E3 already. You can take a look at the list so far below. For more E3 coverage, be sure to check out the full E3 conference schedule and our running list of every single game confirmed to appear at E3 2019.All The Nintendo Switch Games Confirmed For E3 2019Bee SimulatorDoom EternalFIFA 20Fortnite (Summer Block Party)Splatoon 2 (Nintendo World Championships)Super Mario Maker 2 (Nintendo World Championships)Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo World Championships)Trine 4: The Nightmare PrinceInfo from Gamespot.com

Team Sonic Racing is a wonderfully varied, fast and frenetic kart racer that, while a little derivative on the surface, successfully carves out its own space with a focus on team racing. Although Sonic, Tails and the gang might not carry the same weight as their mustachioed counterpart in red, and despite a few technical hiccups, Team Sonic Racing stands tall on the podium as a fun and colourful arcade racer that’s easy for anyone to enjoy.There are numerous types of races to kick things off with, including your standard four-race Grand Prix, Quick Races, Time Trials and both local and online multiplayer. However, most of the characters and circuits are locked behind progress in the game’s Team Adventure mode. Oddly, this mode features a fully-voiced, yet conveniently skippable story that you have to hit a specific button to see (on PS4 you hit Square to play the story at the start of a race or X to skip to the race only) making it very easy to miss entirely. But while the accompanying story is quickly forgettable, the mode itself gets a lot right in terms of variety and structure, which is great, because that's where you'll spend the majority of your hours trying to progress.In Team Adventure, completing objectives throughout each event will unlock the next event along the overworld path, along with more of the story. But the real focus is obtaining new car customizations, characters to race with, and tracks to race on in single-player mode. Car upgrades are gained by spending credits earned through races on Mod Pods, an unexciting form of loot box that reward you with vinyls to paint your car with, or new parts to change its handling characteristics. The system feels tacked on and arbitrary; a simpler structure of doling out upgrades as rewards post-race would have been more fulfilling.There are 14 different race variations altogether, and Team Adventure uses a mix of them all, breaking up the eventual monotony of the standard races. There are more hits among these modes than misses, like an excellent car handling challenge where you need to skim star gates on the track while drifting, without hitting them--the closer you get to each gate, the higher your score goes. Another highlight is a mode where your only goal is to take down as many of Dr. Eggman’s Eggpawns on the track before time runs out. But others, like a timed race where the checkpoints move around on the road while you dodge traffic, lack the enjoyable flow present in the stronger circuits due to a stop-start nature. Team Sonic Racing feels its best when it’s moving fast, not when you’re trying to get back up to speed.There are seven worlds with three tracks each, and they each have their own sense of place and vibrancy. Casino Park is a maelstrom of colors, music, and slot machines, while Seaside Hill shows off circuits by the sea, replete with wildlife like a giant mechanical squid or a massive flipping orca. Many of Team Sonic Racing’s 21 tracks feature branching paths, with some opening up shortcuts or secret areas to discover. Stumbling across these always feels fruitful as they’re often filled with rings to collect, as well as helping you gain a few positions on the track.Teams are made up of three drivers each, one from each available class: speed, technique, and power. Speed drivers can repel enemy projectiles by timing their boosts to perfection. The Technique class is more handling-focused and drive over different surfaces without experiencing any slowdown, while Power class characters can knock opponents out of the way more easily as well as crash through any structural obstacles without slowing down or being damaged. There is a tangible difference to how each class and character feels in terms of speed and handling, meaning there's an advantage to picking a more favourable class for different individual events, but that’s not to say you can’t get it done with whichever character you like. Overall car handling feels wonderful, and drifting between corners flows like a breeze.Out on the track, while your overall focus is on your own performance, the added element of team racing gives you a lot more to think about while sliding through corners and dodging rockets. If you spot a teammate stopped on the track, you can skim past them to give them a speed boost and get them back in the race, and you can follow the visible wake from your team’s leading driver to get a slingshot past them. If each member times it right, it’s possible for your team to leapfrog to the front of the pack in convincing fashion, and that feels excellent. Annoyingly, it’s nigh on impossible to practice something like this outside of multiplayer, as the AI aren’t quite up to pulling off this kind of strategy with great reliability.Special items and boosts--known as Wisps--are laid across the track in various places, giving you an item to help your team or hinder your opponents with. Mechanically, many of these items and boosts bare a strong similarity to what you find in Mario Kart 8. While they achieve their purpose of helping you gap the field or compress the pack all while looking flashy, none of them are as amusing or fun as the Grey Quake, an item that flies out in front of the leader and grows huge rocky spires out of the ground, blocking the track.There’s also a neat sharing mechanic that lets you request or share spare items with your teammates, and it comes with several cool advantages. Shared items are stronger and can often be used more than once, plus they fill your Team Ultimate meter. When this meter is full, you and your team can each unleash a powerful boost that not only makes you invincible, but also a wrecking ball, pushing anyone and anything out of your path to the front of the field. Timing the activation of the ultimate with your teammates also increases boost power, furthering the importance of keeping in sync. I did notice some consistent graphical stuttering whenever triggering the ultimate, but it only lasts a few frames and doesn’t really disrupt the action that much.There’s both casual and ranked multiplayer, and while it remains to be seen how busy the ranked servers will be, our testing of the casual matchmaking prior to the game’s release was as smooth as expected. It could be a little snappier between races, but aside from having to be a little patient while the scores tally, it’s everything you can expect from an arcade racer. What is a little disappointing is the game’s performance in couch co-op. While not unplayable by any stretch, the framerate while playing two-player split screen on the PlayStation 4 Pro was surprisingly inconsistent, never feeling as smooth as you’d want, and certainly never matching its reasonable single-player performance.The essence of Team Sonic Racing is good; its handling feels tight and smooth, drifting has a good flow to it, and the items are fun to use, as are the tracks to race on. It doesn’t bring much new to the genre, but it delivers where it counts. The racing is fast and fun, and the team aspects offer enough of a change to the formula to make Team Sonic Racing the endearing arcade racer it is. Info from Gamespot.com

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige held a Reddit AMA on Wednesday, in which he answered lots of questions about Avengers: Endgame and the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe. You can wade through the entire AMA here, while we've compiled a rundown of notable comments here.He didn't give anything away about the much-anticipated MCU Phase 4--although that didn't stop fans from asking about things like characters he wants to see--but he did offer some intriguing granular updates on the history and future of the MCU.Feige stated that the upcoming Disney+ MCU shows, including WandaVision and the one about Loki, will feature stories that are "totally and completely" woven in the main MCU movies coming up. The executive also confirmed that Marvel Studios generally has a five-year plan for the MCU, though the team does less specific planning on a much longer timeline. What's more, he suggested that other people at Marvel did not want Robert Downey Jr. to play Iron Man and that he personally had to fight to get him cast in the role.You can check out some of the AMA highlights below, but be sure to check out the full Reddit AMA here to see everything Feige had to say.The next big superhero movie that Marvel is connected to is July's Spider-Man: Far From Home, which was made by Sony in conjunction with Marvel. Although we had gotten a trailer for it prior to Endgame's release, a more revealing trailer debuted recently and showed how the new movie picks up from Endgame. Far From Home may be introducing some major elements into the MCU, including the concept of the multiverse. Far From Home caps off Phase 3 of the MCU, and after Endgame concluded without an after-credits scene, it might be Spidey's next outing that sets up where Phase 4 will go.Some of the other upcoming MCU projects include a standalone Black Widow movie, Shang-Chi (which could film in Sydney), The Eternals, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (with James Gunn now back in charge), as well as sequels to Doctor Strange and Black Panther.Kevin Feige Reddit AMA Highlights:The Disney+ MCU shows will be woven "totally and completely" into the new movies. [Full quote]They planned to adapt the Infinity Gauntlet comic not long after the release of the first Avengers in 2012. [Full quote]Stan Lee did not get to see the final cut of Endgame before he passed away but Marvel briefed him on the story points. [Full quote]Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo pitched numerous ideas for The Hulk, some of which led to what was seen in Thor: Ragnarok, Infinity War, and Endgame. [Full quote]Feige doesn't like being filmed, but he can be seen as a Weapon X technician covered in blood in the first X-Men. [Full quote]He knows the truth about Captain America and if he is the father of Peggy's kids in Winter Soldier. But he won't tell you. [Full quote]His team usually has a five-year plan for the MCU, but there is a general, less specific plan that extends "much, much further." [Full quote]Of all MCU actors, Feige had to fight the hardest to cast Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. [Full quote]Feige loved Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse [Full quote] Info from Gamespot.com

The Golf Club 2019, which is the third entry in the series and the first with the official PGA Tour license, is free on Xbox Live right now. It's free on Xbox One for Xbox Live Gold members through the Games with Gold program. The game is available for subscribers at no extra cost until June 15, and as long as you're Gold subscription remains active, you can keep playing.The game was released in 2018 and has been marked down to $30 USD, but free is an even better deal if you're a Gold member and you like golf. The previous release, The Golf Club 2, is included with Xbox Game Pass.GameSpot's review of The Golf Club 2019 scored it an 8/10. Other reviews were mostly positive as well, but you should know that this is a challenging golf sim, not an arcade game.The Golf Club 2019 features the PGA Tour license which brings a number of real-world Tour courses to the game, including TPC Boston, while the game has a course-editor, too. There are no player likenesses, however, so you can't tee it up as Tiger Woods.The game goes free on Xbox Live at a time when golf is surging into a new level of prominence and attention, as the PGA Championship--one of golf's four Majors--takes place in New York starting Thursday.The other Xbox game that recently dropped to the low, low price of $0.00 on Xbox Live is the backwards-compatible Xbox 360 title Comic Jumper.Info from Gamespot.com

The Nintendo Switch has now surpassed the lifetime sales of Sony's PlayStation 4 in Japan. New numbers from Famitsu (via GI.biz) show that the Switch has now sold 8.13 million consoles in Japan, which is slightly ahead of the 8.07 million PS4s sold in Japan.It's a particularly impressive achievement for the Switch in Japan, as it's only been on sale for two years compared to the PS4 which has been sold in Japan for five years already.On a global basis, however, Sony's PS4 is miles ahead of the Switch. Sony has sold 96.8 million PS4 consoles worldwide, which compares to 34.74 million Switch systems sold globally. Still that latter figure means Switch has already outsold previous Nintendo hardware such as the GameCube and N64.Portable systems tend to perform better in Japan than other parts of the world, which may explain in part why the Switch has done so well there. The potential for multiple systems to be bought for a single household provides an advantage for handhelds. Nintendo has previously said it wants every person to own a Switch, rather than one per family.Multiple new models of the Nintendo Switch are reportedly in production, though neither will be announced at E3. Additionally, Nintendo is working with Chinese internet giant Tencent to release the Switch in the country. This could potentially be massive for Nintendo, as the number of people who play video games in China is huge.In other news, Nintendo yesterday announced many more details about the much-anticipated Switch game Super Mario Maker 2. It also has debuted a new "Game Voucher" program that allows Switch Online subscribers to purchase two select $60 games for $100.Info from Gamespot.com

When Disney announced that its deal to purchase the majority Fox's entertainment assets for $71 billion had closed, CEO Robert Iger said in a memo that there would be a "integration process." Some media reports said "thousands" of jobs would be lost as part of this.According to The Hollywood Reporter, the latest round of layoffs came this week. The job cuts are described as "widespread" and affecting Disney's studios. There is no word on how many staffers were affected by the cuts, which reportedly affected Disney and Fox studios.Officially, Disney has not commented.The new round of cuts come alongside the news that Disney is likely to pay around $9 billion to buy Comcast's stake in video streaming site Hulu. Disney already owned two-thirds of Hulu, and Disney is now buying the remaining share to assume total ownership of it.THR points out that Disney has a number of financial expenditures ahead of it, including further investments into content and programming for its Netflix rival Disney+. Not only that, but Disney is reportedly spending around $24 billion over the next five years to upgrade its theme parks and cruise lines.As of September 30, The Walt Disney Company reportedly had more than 201,000 employees, and this was before the Fox deal closed.As part of Disney's acquisition of the majority of Fox's assets, it gets Deadpool, X-Men, The Simpsons, Family Guy, and numerous others, as well as a series of TV networks and film studios. It is one of the biggest mergers in the history of the entertainment business.Just after Disney's deal to buy Fox closed, the company shut down Fox 2000. The film studio produced movies like The Devil Wears Prada, The Fault in Our Stars, Man on Fire, and the Oscar nominated Hidden Figures.Fox will live on in a limited capacity, with a new company--Fox Corporation--operating units such as the Fox News Channel, Fox Sports, and other TV networks. Info from Gamespot.com

While it was controversial with series fans from the moment it was announced, DmC: Devil May Cry was largely well-received by critics. Positive review scores aren't the only beacon of good fortune for the divisive entry in the hack 'n' slash franchise, however, as Hideaki Itsuno, the director of multiple Devil May Cry titles, would love a sequel.According to a report from USGamer, Itsuno--who's worked also worked on multiple other Capcom games including Power Stone, Capcom Vs. SNK 2, and Dragon's Dogma--would have no problem with a DmC 2. But there's a catch: for Itsuno, British developer Ninja Theory has to be on the project again. Otherwise, as Capcom producer Matt Walker added, "It wouldn't be DmC without Ninja Theory.""On the dev side we certainly wanted to and thought we would work with Ninja Theory again to create a sequel to DmC, but that unfortunately didn't get off the ground," said Itsuno, who expressed interest in a sequel.Walker agreed with the sentiment, saying, "We'd still love to see a sequel, but we think it absolutely has to be made by Ninja Theory--so much of the amazing style and substance in that game was only possible because they have such a knack for what's cool."Apart from DmC, Ninja Theory is most known for developing action games such as Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, Heavenly Sword, and the critically-acclaimed Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (which recently made the jump to Nintendo Switch). Ninja Theory was acquired by Microsoft and folded into the company's Xbox Game Studios in 2018, meaning if a DmC sequel were to happen, it'd require Microsoft's blessing to be multiplatform or end up an Xbox and PC exclusive.In our DmC: Definitive Edition review, we said that the "numerous tweaks and upgrades of DmC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition have made a game that isn't just a better version of DmC, but a bonafide hack 'n' slash classic."While a DmC 2 may not be in the works any time soon, fans of the action franchise recently got Devil May Cry 5 to tide them over, which we awarded a 9/10.Info from Gamespot.com

To coincide with the release of John Wick 3, Epic Games has launched an event that brings the stoic assassin to Fortnite, allowing players to unlock a number of cool customization options that will proudly show off their love of the film series. The Wick's Bounty LTM is live now on all platforms, as are the challenges that will get you the rewards.Said rewards include Back Bling styled after the Gold Coin the assassins in the world of John Wick use as currency, the one Shot Glider, and the Boogeyman Wrap. Those are all free, but if you spend some V-Bucks in the in-game shop, you can also get the John Wick outfit and the Simple Sledge Pickaxe.The LTM involves taking out enemies for coins. However, the more enemies you kill, the more obvious you become to remaining players, which means the bigger the target on your back. This fits nicely with the overall plot of John Wick 3, which sees the character fighting for his life thanks to a bounty that has been placed on his head. You can see the details for the LTM below, as well as the challenges and the rewards. Wick’s Bounty LTM DetailsSolo/Duo/SquadsEliminating a player awards one gold coin for every elimination they have + however many bounty points the target had.Top three coin leaders are displayed on a HUD scoreboard (Bounty Leaders).250 coinsCoin leaders have a gold/silver/bronze #1/2/3 icon over their heads400 coinsCoin leaders can be seen on the map/compass when they are nearby and moving or shooting.600 coinsCoin leaders can be seen by everyone on map/compass when they are moving or shooting.Coin leaders will have a gold/silver/bronze glow around themOnce a player crosses the last point threshold, they will remain on the map and have the alt Wick skin for the rest of the match, even if they lose the point lead. First to 1000 tokens wins the match.Wick's Bounty ChallengesComplete Any 5 Challenges (below) to earn the reward item (5) -- Gold TokenWin a match of Wick's Bounty (1) -- One Shot GliderPlay matches of Wick's Bounty (5) -- Boogeyman WrapCollect Gold Tokens (120) -- 500 XPCollect Gold Tokens in a single match (20) -- 500 XPDeal damage with the Combat Shotgun (500) -- 500 XPDeal damage with the Tactical Assault Rifle (500) -- 500 XPInfo from Gamespot.com