Each week, digital storefronts and local retailers release a slew of new movies and TV series for you to purchase. While movies like Detective Pikachu are dominating the box office, maybe you want to stay home and watch something on your couch? This week is a pretty large week for releases, even though there isn't anything huge of note.Digitally, you can find new releases at digital storefronts like iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and more. The Kevin Hart/Bryan Cranston dramedy The Upside drops this week. The movie follows a wealthy handicapped man who needs someone to help him with his daily routine. He hires a parolee who is trying to put his life back together.Additionally, there is a new Batman movie available. In Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the dark night teams up with the heroes in the half shell to fight Shredder and Ra's Al Ghul. This is very much a movie title that explains the entirety of the plot. Other releases of note are Apollo 11, Cold Pursuit, and the A24 horror movie Climax.On the physical side of things, on DVD and Blu-ray this week is Fighting With My Family. The film is the real-life story of WWE superstar Paige and her family, who are also wrestlers. Paige starts off in the indies and works her way through WWE's developmental system, NXT. While the movie tends to make choices that may annoy hardcore wrestling fans, Fighting with my Family is a lighthearted and fun flick. The DVD release includes deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel, commentary, and making-of featurettes, including in-ring training for the movie. If I had a pick of the week, this would be it--mainly because I love wrestling.Below, you'll find the full list for his week's releases, both digitally and physically.Digital:The Upside (Buy on Vudu)Apollo 11 (Buy on Vudu)Climax (Buy on Vudu)Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Buy on Vudu)Cold Pursuit (Buy on Vudu)Birds of Passage (Buy on Vudu)Greta (Buy on Vudu)Life LikeHigh Moon (Buy on Vudu)Zoo-HeadPhysical:Cold Pursuit (4K/Blu-ray from Best Buy)Happy Death Day 2U (Buy at Best Buy)Fighting With My Family (Buy at Best Buy)Apollo 11 (Buy at Best Buy)Never Look Away (Buy at Best Buy)Ashes In The SnowNever Grow Old (Buy at Best Buy)Triple Threat (Buy at Best Buy)Some links to supporting retailers are automatically made into affiliate links, and GameSpot may receive a small share of those sales. Info from Gamespot.com

After over six months in open beta, Red Dead Online is finally leaving its beta phase and rolling out a huge new update. This week, Red Dead Redemption 2's online mode is getting pumped up with new co-op story missions, Free Roam missions that feature new characters from the main game, new Posse Versus Challenges with activities like fishing and shooting, a new hostility system, poker games that seat up to six players, various gameplay improvements, and more.To celebrate the occasion, Rockstar Games is making Red Dead Online available to all PS4 players, including those who aren't subscribed to PlayStation Plus, as part of a special bonus period. From now through May 27, anyone who owns Red Dead Redemption 2 on PS4 can dive into its online multiplayer mode. With all the new additions and improvements, there's no better time to see what Red Dead Online is all about.If you want to keep playing Red Dead Online past May 27, PlayStation is temporarily lowering the price of PS Plus for Red Dead Redemption 2 owners in the US. The 12-month subscription is being offered for $48 (usually $60), while the three-month plan is available for $21 (usually $25); plus, you'll receive 10 Gold Bars per month while your subscription lasts. This offer ends June 3 and must be purchased within Red Dead Redemption 2. The subscription will auto-renew at full price unless you cancel. (Psst--if you don't care about the Gold Bars, you can get a 12-month PS Plus subscription for $40 at MassGenie right now.)More content and bonuses are planned for Red Dead Online in the coming weeks, including new Free Roam missions, clothing, and PS4 Early Access content, which will release on May 21 in time for players without PS Plus to check it out. Another perk: Anyone who logs into Red Dead Online this week will get a one-time gift of 15 Gold Bars and receive a 15% XP increase on A Land of Opportunities, Free Roam missions and events, Showdown modes, and races. You'll also find 25% extra cash and gold in chests. Finally, Ultimate Edition owners will also receive $100 in Red Dead Online cash and the Throat Slit emote for free.Info from Gamespot.com

As Game of Thrones reaches its very end, the show continues to break records. The most recent, penultimate Episode 5 has set a new audience record for the show and was watched by a massive 18.4 million viewers.The episode, titled "The Bells," is the most-watched episode in the show's history. This figure includes replays and streaming; in terms of on-air viewing, the episode drew an audience of 12.5 million across two airings on Sunday night. The previous record was held by Episode 3 of Season 8, "The Long Night," which was watched by a total of 17.8 million viewers two weeks ago. Notably, both Episodes 3 and 5 featured massive battle scenes. Prior to those, the record was set by the 17.4 millions viewers who watched the season premiere.While these figures make Season 8 the most popular to date, the show has been a ratings hit from the very start. The show is HBO's most popular series of all time and the most watched scripted show on TV. There is just one episode remaining in Season 8--and the whole show entirely. Episode 6 airs next Sunday, May 19.Despite the huge viewings figures, like most of the episodes in Season 8, "The Bells" received a mixed response from some critics and viewers. In his review, GameSpot's Michael Rougeau stated that the show has become a "fiery sea of nihilism and cynicism about human nature." Nevertheless, he praised it on a technical level, stating the episode was "a masterpiece of cinematic fantasy television." Also be sure to check out our look at how the show takes place in its darkest timeline.For more on the latest episode of Game of Thrones, check out our look at 5 new Game of Thrones Season 8 theories from Episode 5, 15 Easter Eggs and references you might have missed, and the meaning of Dany's dragon command.Info from Gamespot.com

Be warned: We're discussing Episode 5 of Game of Thrones Season 8, "The Bells," and thus there will be a great many spoilers. If you are caught up, you can get ready for the finale by checking our out fresh, post-Episode 5 theories and the Episode 6 preview trailer. And if you were hoping recent rumors about the final A Song of Ice and Fire books being done, author George RR Martin has denied they're written and ready to be published.As it approaches its conclusion, Game of Thrones feels like a different show than it has in the past. Blame it on any number of issues--two shortened final seasons resulting in rushed character development, a lack of source material to act as a roadmap, or the cause of the constant (if possibly unfair) refrain decrying "bad writing"--but a generalized reaction among many fans is that something feels wrong.It may be any or all of those things, but there’s something fundamentally underpinning them all that fans are reacting to, even if they’re not quite aware of it. Game of Thrones, it turns out, is not about what we all thought it was about.In Episode 5, "The Bells," Game of Thrones finally takes Daenerys Targaryen from "worryingly willing to burn to death anyone who disagrees with her, but generally out for good" to full-on "child-murdering Mad Queen." She accomplishes what her father never could: She "burns them all" in King's Landing, regardless of whether they're civilian or soldier, or whether it wins her the throne or not. Daenerys's reactions to the loss of two of her dragons, the betrayals in her ranks, and the unwillingness of Westeros to bend to her will finally cause her to snap, and from the back of her last dragon, Drogon, she brings fire and blood to her former home.Ask many fans/viewers/etc. and they'll say the show has been foreshadowing Daenerys bringing destruction to King's Landing all along. Dany has always been a ruthless character when she has to be, often electing to execute people in a generally cruel and unusual way: by burning them alive with dragon fire. She's particularly unforgiving to people who oppose her, especially when they don't immediately bend the knee. There have been plenty of times when Dany has wanted to just ravage everyone in her path, only to be curbed from her most merciless instincts by her advisers (most notably Jorah Mormont). With most of those people now dead and Daenerys currently at her lowest, she finally gave in to her Targaryen rage.It's true that Game of Thrones has been foreshadowing that this could happen, but it's unfair to say that it always suggested that it would happen. Really, this goes to the fundamental conflict of Daenerys's character: She's struggling not to become her father, or to fall into the patterns of other monarchs who use their power mercilessly. Daenerys can be ruthless, but she learned a lot in Meereen not just about how to conquer, but how to rule. She has a highly tuned sense of justice. She considers herself the Breaker of Chains, and this is just as an essential part of her identity as being the Mother of Dragons.Midway through "The Bells," we finally get Game of Thrones' overall thesis statement. The show is a tragedy in which the characters can't break free of their pasts. Power corrupts the powerful, even those with the best intentions. Monarchy is bad. The world is a cold, hard place, where you'll probably die badly and abruptly for no reason; if you're lucky, you'll die badly and abruptly because of a mistake you made two seasons earlier, but at least it'll feel deserved.The trouble is that Game of Thrones has made thesis statements in the past--or at least, it felt like it did. The most notable was a declaration from Daenerys herself from Season 5, in which she explained her intention to "break the wheel." The system of inherited wealth and power, and constant war over both, destroy people needlessly. It makes the world a bad place to live. It could be better. And Daenerys intended to use her considerable power to improve it.Daenerys made another similar statement to the same effect when talking to Tyrion in Season 5. Tyrion dispelled Dany's notions of her family being unjustly evicted from the Iron Throne by explaining why her father, the Mad King Aerys Targaryen, was deposed: He became a paranoid and vicious tyrant. With an understanding of what her father had become, Daenerys made a decision to become something else."Our fathers were evil men," Daenerys said. "All of us here. They left the world worse than they found it. We're going to leave the world better than we found it."Over and over again, Game of Thrones has felt like this was what it was really about: When given the choice, even in the face of tragedy and hardship, what do you leave in the world? It's central to the stories of the Stark kids: Jon Snow fights for the good of the realm, up to and beyond his own murder; Sansa Stark learns how to be the best power-seeker in Westeros, but uses those lessons to win independence for the North; Arya Stark is driven by nothing but revenge, until she reestablishes her connections with her family. It was Daenerys's story too, obviously. And it was the story of the Lannisters, who represented the other side of the coin, fully willing to add ruin to the world so long as they were protected. Really, just about every character, from Jaime Lannister to Brienne of Tarth to Sandor Clegane, is trying to shake off the weight of their pasts, to turn away from the path determined by what they've done and what was expected of them, with each achieving varying degrees of success.In fact, this line of thinking was why the elimination of the Night King mid-season could have been a brilliant move for the show. Fighting the army of the dead brought unity to a variety of people, including former enemies, in the middle of Season 8--but unity against a common enemy only survives as long as that enemy does. When the Night King is vanquished, can you resist the inertial pull to go back to the old petty squabbles that end up costing lives? Dealing with that question is what made Cersei Lannister a better villain than the wordless Night King because she held up a dark mirror of what Daenerys (and other rulers) could easily become. The Night King was an external existential threat, but Cersei represented the threat the characters pose to themselves and each other.With Daenerys's choice to go full war criminal over King's Landing as the bells start ringing, Game of Thrones makes a choice about which show it is. If Daenerys had felt rage and suffering and considered giving in to those feelings (how easily someone with her power could), but turned away from that choice even with no better angels like Jorah or Tyrion to mutter in her ear, the show really would be about breaking the wheel. Its ultimate message would be that people aren't beholden to our cycles and our baggage, or to the sins and expectations of our parents. The world can be better, but you have to make it better, just like you have to make yourself better.Instead, Game of Thrones chooses a darker, more nihilistic meaning. Throughout "The Bells," characters fall back into their old ways. No matter how good a man Jaime tries to become, the one person he can't convince that he's changed is himself. No matter how much Sandor Clegane might hope for a life free of violence, the desire for vengeance consumes him. Cersei can't give up her stranglehold on power and control, even in the face of annihilation. Jon Snow's unyielding dedication to his father's ideals of honor leaves him complicit in a massacre. No amount of good intentions (or slaves freed, or cruel institutions crushed) can keep Daenerys from giving in to her worst impulses and becoming the Mad Queen.The world is bad, it's going to stay bad, and we can't break free of our pasts. Your baggage defines you and even if you try to improve, you're always an inch away from backsliding into becoming the very thing you feared and hated. Life is nasty, brutish, short, and most of all, explicitly, extremely sad because of what we do to each other. The wheel is much bigger than any one person or even any 300-year dynasty, and not even dragon fire can break it. This is just another war in a history full of them.That seems to be the finality that Game of Thrones has chosen. It's an end that, in a way, has always been written into the show's DNA--but it also seemed as though the whole point of the show was for its characters to overcome it. After having meant so much to so many people, it seems a shame that the "bittersweet" ending Game of Thrones' creators have chosen leans so hard into bitter, and so little into sweet.Info from Gamespot.com

Netflix appears to have some game announcements in store, teasing appearances at E3 2019 next month. The studio will have a panel at the E3 Coliseum, and has dropped some intriguing hints about what it has up its sleeve.A tweet announcing the Coliseum panel says it will cover "news about its plans in the gaming space," and an attached image names the panel, "Bringing Your Favorite Shows To Life: Developing Netflix Originals Into Video Games." Similarly, a Twitter thread from Netflix's sci-fi and fantasy Twitter account mentioned the previously announced Stranger Things game adaptation paired with the upcoming Season 3, but also said "there's definitely more to come!"Now in its second year, E3 Coliseum is a main stage presentation that takes place at LA Live, adjacent to the LA Convention Center, hosted by Geoff Keighley. It's part of the ESA and E3's initiative to make E3 a more public-facing event.Netflix has approached games in two distinct ways. The first puts out narrative-driven experiences on its video streaming service, marked with an icon to note that it allows you to steer the direction of the story--like Minecraft: Story Mode and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. The other involves console and mobile releases of games based on Netflix properties, like the Stranger Things games.The panel's title certainly seems to imply the latter, but then that raises the question of which properties are ripe for game adaptations. The NX brand tends to promote animated series like She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Voltron: Legendary Defender, and The Dragon Prince, along with live-action series like Umbrella Academy, and Altered Carbon.Info from Gamespot.com

E3 is the time for video game publishers to make their mark on the industry with their biggest announcements and splashiest trailers, and EA has a particularly full plate this year. Between updates to some of its ongoing games like Apex Legends and the impending release of Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, it's going to be a big year.As in the last few years, EA will eschew the E3 show itself and instead center its efforts on EA Play, a fan-centric event that takes place just before E3. This year it will be on Saturday, June 8 through Sunday, June 9. It will be held at the Hollywood Palladium and feature developer talks, gameplay reveals, and more.This year, we know EA plans to outline its upcoming plans for Anthem, Apex Legends, and Battlefield V. Each of those games have ongoing live content like new modes, story chapters, or in the case of Apex Legends, details for the upcoming Season 2 Battle Pass. We also know that Respawn's other big 2019 game, Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, will get a gameplay reveal at the event. Finally, we're certain to see the latest on EA's slate of EA Sports titles, including Madden NFL 20 and FIFA 20.Read GameSpot's full coverage of E3 2019 for the latest breaking news, and check out the full E3 conference schedule. Below is a standing list of all of the confirmed EA games we know are slated to make an appearance at the show, so far.AnthemApex LegendsBattlefield VFIFA 20Star Wars: Jedi Fallen OrderInfo from Gamespot.com

We have a PSA for Civilization fans: If you've been waiting for the price to drop on Civilization VI's newest expansion, Gathering Storm, today's the day to grab it. While the Gathering Storm expansion, which released in February, is still selling for $40 on Steam and elsewhere, it's currently on sale for $26 at Fanatical--and we have an exclusive promo code that slashes the price even more. This promo code is only available for new customers to Fanatical.If you use promo code GAMESPOTCIV6GS at Fanatical, you can get an officially licensed Steam key for Civilization VI: Gathering Storm for only $20, by far its lowest price yet. As a comparison, the first Civ VI expansion, Rise and Fall, still sells for $30 and is discounted to $19.49 at Steam right now--and it released over a year ago. So this is a good chance to grab Gathering Storm for cheap, as it likely won't drop lower than $20 anywhere for quite a while.GET CIVILIZATION VI: GATHERING STORM FOR $20 »The deal is available now through May 21 at midnight PT / 3 AM ET / 7 AM GMT / 5 PM AET. To claim the 50% off deal, head to Fanatical and add the Gathering Storm expansion to your cart. In checkout, click "Redeem a coupon code" and paste in GAMESPOTCIV6GS. You'll see the price drop to $20, and you'll receive your purchased Steam key immediately. Please note this is Aspyr's version of Gathering Storm for Steam, so you must have a free Steam account to redeem the key.The Gathering Storm DLC adds eight new civilizations and nine new leaders, along with new world wonders, units, districts, buildings, and improvements. As the name implies, Gathering Storm adds environmental hazards, like volcanic eruptions, blizzards, sandstorms, hurricanes, floods, droughts, and climate change, to wreak havoc on your civilization. Luckily, there are ways to counter nature's fury, such as building dams to ward off flooding and developing cleaner energy sources. Gathering Storm also introduces the World Congress (through which you can earn a Diplomatic Victory), new late-game technology and civics, and new scenarios like The Black Death and War Machine (WWII).If, for some reason, you're reading this article but haven't yet purchased Civilization VI, it's worth noting you can currently grab the base game for $15 on Fanatical (about 75% off). Civ VI is already on sale for $16.79, and using sitewide promo code MAY10, you can slash another 10% off the price, dropping it to $15.GET CIVILIZATION VI FOR $15 »That promo code also applies to hundreds of other PC games discounted across Fanatical right now--be sure to check out the huge May Madness sale running all week long.Info from Gamespot.com

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is coming to iOS and Android devices soon. While the game doesn't yet have a firm release date, it's already begun rolling out in beta form in select countries, and now co-developers Warner Bros. and Niantic (the studio behind Pokemon Go) have shared a new live-action trailer hyping up its impending release.The video, which you can watch below, takes the form of an emergency broadcast from the Ministry of Magic, laying out the premise of the new mobile game. Strange phenomena has begun occurring all around the globe, risking exposing the existence of the wizarding world to Muggles. As part of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force, players will need to contain these traces of magic before they can be discovered.Much like in the aforementioned Pokemon Go, you'll need to explore the real world to locate these magical items and creatures, known within the game as Foundables. Each of these is trapped by Confoundable magic, and you'll first need to dispel it by casting the appropriate spell before you can send the Foundable back to the wizarding world.Unlike Pokemon Go, however, Wizards Unite places a greater emphasis on RPG elements. You can brew potions using different ingredients you've collected, level up lengthy skill trees, and swap between different professions. The game also features voice-acted characters who divulge tips and story details. You can read more in our Harry Potter: Wizards Unite impressions.Wizards Unite is already available in beta form in Australia and New Zealand. You can watch lots of new gameplay footage of the game above. If you're eager to try it yourself but don't live in the region, pre-registration for Wizards Unite is open now on Google Play.Info from Gamespot.com

Detective Pikachu may be a cute PG movie, but it does star Ryan Reynolds, best known for portraying Marvel's foul-mouthed Deadpool. Though Pikachu charms his way through the movie and drops no filthy language whatsoever, Reynolds did let plenty of filth loose during filming.According to CinemaBlend, Reynolds recorded dialogue unfit for the version of the movie in theaters. "Yeah, not hard R, but there's some stuff in there," Reynolds told the site. "Because you just sort of want to be free. Sometimes you have to get it out. You have to say the worst thing that's on your mind just so it goes away and then you can focus on the stuff that can actually be in the movie. So yeah, there's a version out there that will never see the light of day."While Warner Bros. and Legendary may never release an R-rated version of the movie, there is dialogue where Pikachu cusses up a storm. Unfortunately, Reynolds refused to give any specific examples. "There was some very sweary hyphenates. I remember that but otherwise no," Reynolds said. "They don't even animate that, they're just like, 'OK that goes right in that little garbage can shaped icon on the computer and that's it.'"There were plenty of moments where Pikachu could have flipped his lid, so our imagination is all we have in this situation. Still, seeing Pikachu cuss out Justice Smith's (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Paper Towns) Tim Goodman or Mr. Mime would be a sight to behold.Detective Pikachu raked in a total of $58 million domestically in its opening weekend, coming in a close second to Avengers: Endgame, which garnered another $63 million bringing the total to $723.5 million domestically and $2.5 billion worldwide. Conversely, Detective Pikachu has earned $170.4 million worldwide.In our Detective Pikachu, we said that the movie "should prove enjoyable for any and all Pokémon fans, young or old." For more, check out the Easter eggs and references you might have missed, as well as a list of every Pokemon in the movie.Info from Gamespot.com

Every once in a while, a good anime series will pop up as a free download on PSN, and the latest anime freebies available for PS4 owners are worth grabbing now. The first seasons of Tokyo Ghoul and Black Clover are each available for free to download and keep on US PSN. And while each show is technically available to stream through services like Hulu, Crunchyroll, and Funimation, it's nice to actually own a piece of media that may eventually get pulled from said streaming platforms.To claim each series, you have to search the title on your PS4 console or in the PlayStation Video app on Android. The shows won't appear if you try just searching in PlayStation Store online. Twitter user Wario64, who first spotted the deal, shared screenshots of the anime series marked as free when you search on PS4:Tokyo Ghoul Season 1 and Black Clover Season 1 Part 1 are free on US PSN (claim on PS4 or using PlayStation Video app on Android) pic.twitter.com/5fQDsmypkx — Wario64 (@Wario64) May 14, 2019Tokyo Ghoul is a must-watch anime that follows Ken Kanedgy, a college student who gets attacked by a flesh-eating creature known as a ghoul and subsequently becomes a half-ghoul who must learn to live in the worlds of both humans and ghouls. Then there's Black Clover, which tells the story of Asta, a young orphan boy born without powers in a world where everyone is born with a magical ability. Together with his friend Yuno, Asta becomes determined to grow stronger (despite his lack of magical prowess) and become the next Wizard King, the most powerful wizard around. There's no knowing how long these anime series will be free, so act fast and claim them now if you're interested in owning them.While anime is on your mind: heads-up that Twitch Prime members can get 30 days of free Crunchyroll Premium now through June 16 (FYI, if you have Amazon Prime, you have Twitch Prime). Plus, catch up on the new anime series you should be watching this spring.Info from Gamespot.com

PlayStation Nation, assemble! Now is your chance to win* this custom longboard featuring PlayStation’s iconic symbols thanks to Sony and their new gear shop.The PlayStation Gear Store launched in April and now fans everywhere can show off their fandom with a God of War emoji tee, Uncharted Artifacts coasters, and much more.But what do you have to do to enter this online giveaway? Fill out the form below after reading the official rules and accepting our terms and conditions. Remember that you have the option to get extra entries by completing actions like following us across social media or visiting different sites. If you are having trouble seeing the form, please use this link to enter the giveaway.Head out to the comments section and let us know your favorite PlayStation game and what kind of prizes you would like to see in upcoming giveaways on GameSpot. Info from Gamespot.com

The very first live-action Pokémon movie is now out after years in development, and from the moment the first trailer debuted, people were surprised to see how charming Detective Pikachu looked. But other than Pikachu talking and sounding not like Danny Devito--as some fans wanted--but like Ryan Reynolds, what really made an impression in that first trailer was arguably the new look of the Pokémon.The world of Pokémon is filled with a variety of different creatures, each with a unique design. From the scaly and terrifying Charizard, to whatever nightmare Mr. Mime came from, the biggest surprise in Detective Pikachu may have been that Pikachu looks undeniably furry. It's not that Pikachu and the other furry Pokemon look bad--but up until this point, they've always been portrayed looking, uh, smoother.Naturally, we jumped at the opportunity to talk about Pokémon fur, whether Pokémon like Machamp wear clothes, and just what the hell Mr. Mime is with Detective Pikachu visual effects supervisor Erik Nordby."We didn't really have another choice," Nordby told us regarding furry Pikachu. "The Pokémon Company didn't want it to have fur, and they wanted something that felt more like a horse, with very fine and short hair. But look at it. There is no real-world equivalent of a Pikachu. It just looks unnatural and a bit disturbing, since that type of yellow skin doesn't really exist anywhere. So we built the texture and showed the company what Pikachu could look like with fur, and eventually they grew to love it."Having to communicate with a media conglomerate like The Pokémon Company, and across two languages, wasn't an easy task. Nordby told us that they had a slew of rules for what Pokémon could and couldn't look like, but one mandate was key: "They were very conservative when it came to changing the original designs, and 'kawaii,' or cute, was the word of the day," Nordby said. Indeed, Pokémon fans know that in both the anime and the games, even the scariest or strangest Pokémon still make you want to hug them (with a few exceptions, like the one that's just a garbage bag, or the ones you actually want to eat, like the ice cream cone Pokemon Vanilluxe).This mandate of cuteness became the hardest and most important part of the design process. For Nordby and his team, the really challenging part was sticking to that while also making sure the Pokémon looked like living creatures. "We definitely wanted them to look realistic and like they could survive in our world," Nordby said. "The ratios and proportions of cartoon Pokémon bodies are biologically wrong, so we wanted to make sure the Pokémon looked like they could eat, find shelter, communicate, and that their bodies could fit actual organs and hold the weight of their bodies. We figured out their whole anatomy, with muscle systems, bone structure, the size of the eyeballs, you name it." What really helped the Detective Pikachu team create the new designs was to just stick to the original, at least their general shape. "The most helpful thing for us was being able to look at the original sketches from Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori," Nordby explained. "We used the basic silhouette of each Pokémon, and basically stayed within that frame while still changing the texture, size of eyeballs, and other things."Nordby and his team also looked at real animals in order to have a reference from which to build the Pokémon designs. "We traveled to zoos all over and built an entire catalogue of animals we could reference." He said. As fans know, a fair amount of Pokémon have direct counterparts in our world, so the Detective Pikachu team used this to their advantage for Pokémon like Pancham, which is basically just a panda with a bigger head. For others, though, the task was harder."Pikachu was difficult, especially because of how important it is for fans," Nordby told us. "We started with various rodents like rabbits and wombats. We did a lot of different tests with different animals for both looks and also movement. In the end we took some basic things from actual animals but built the rest from scratch; otherwise, you lose what makes Pikachu special."According to Nordby, another big rule of The Pokémon Company was regarding clothing, mostly that Pokémon do not wear clothes (other than a detective hat, apparently). The visual effects supervisor recalls showing the company their initial design for Machamp, a fighting-type Pokémon seen in the movie directing traffic, who normally wears a wrestling belt and a speedo--except it is actually neither of those."They told us it looked like Machamp was wearing clothes, and they absolutely can't wear any clothes," Nordby said. "Then we asked about what that was, since it looks like Machamp is obviously wearing speedos and a wrestling belt. And they answered that it was actually just part of its skin. We replied, 'well, if it's just skin, why is it shiny?'" Nordby argued that while the rules may seem arbitrary, there's a reason why this brand has become such a success.Then there was the issue with Mr. Mime, a character that has absolutely no counterpart in the real world, and to add to the difficulty, isn't one that looks inherently cuddly.Just as director Rob Letterman almost cut the Mr. Mime interrogation scene out of the movie, designing Mr. Mime was one of the hardest parts of the project for Nordby and his team. "We asked The Pokémon Company, 'What is this thing?' and they said they didn't know, and even tried to talk us into cutting him, because they didn't think it could work onscreen," Nordby said. Unlike Pikachu or Jigglypuff, Mr. Mime looks more like a pretty disturbing humanoid creature dressed as a mime--only it isn't."They told us again that Pokémon don't wear clothes. Everything about Mr. Mime is its skin, so the horns is just its hair that bends that way," Nordby told us. "We got a real mime named Trygve [Wakenshaw], who was consulted for the movements. For the design we ended up having to look not at animals, but at toys. Rubber balls, inflatable fair gloves, just every kind of common kids toys we used for the textures--every surface feels like a toy, so it counteracts some of the creepiness."Whether they succeeded in making Mr. Mime not creepy is a question for another time, but it is fair to say they actually managed to make the world of Pokémon feel real, which is an undeniable achievement. Info from Gamespot.com

E3 is known for being one of the biggest showcases for games every year, and E3 2019 is looking to follow in that tradition. While this year is noticeably more low key than the larger displays of E3's past, the show is still the primary venue for developers to announce their latest projects. There are sure to be many games that we don't know about, but let's go through all of the ones that have been confirmed for the convention so far.Like previous years, E3 will last about three days going from June 11-13. A smattering of press conferences from the industry's biggest companies are scheduled to precede the show. The first of this year will once again be Electronic Arts' EA Play event, which will be spread out across a few days over several livestreams. You can expect updates on the publisher's biggest games, like Apex Legends and Anthem, as well as news about its latest sports games. However, the most anticipated game in its docket is undoubtedly Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, a new game based on the massively popular sci-fi franchise made by Titanfall developer Respawn Studios.Nintendo will appear in typical fashion with its E3 lineup mostly unknown until going live with its Direct Presentation. Microsoft will also be making a big splash due to Sony being absent from this year's show; we're likely to hear more about some the big new games it has in development from the various studios it acquired in the past couple of years. On the other hand, you have game publishers like Bethesda, Ubisoft, and Square Enix who are all prepared to reveal new details around its existing franchises and previously announced games.There's sure to be a lot more on display, and there's always a good chance of a surprise. After all, Google did reveal that more details around its upcoming Stadia technology would come sometime this summer, which could easily be E3 2019. And while we know Sony won't be at the show, Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima did tease via Twitter that he was working on a new trailer. Regardless, read on for the full list of confirmed games so far, and check back as we continue to update in the lead-up to the show.All The Games Confirmed For E3 2019Anthem (EA Play)Apex LegendsBattlefield V (EA Play)BattlewakeBee SimulatorBorderlands 3Cyberpunk 2077Doom EternalDying Light 2FIFA 20Farmer’s DynastyFinal Fantasy VII RemakeFortnite (Summer Block Party)Halo InfiniteJohn Wick HexMonster Hunter World: IceborneOverpassParanoia: Happiness is MandatoryScavengersStar 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 - Earthblood Info from Gamespot.com

Following Disney's Fox buy out and with both X-Men: Dark Phoenix and the much-delayed New Mutants on the way, the future of the X-Men is a little mysterious, though hopefully not for too much longer.Even if you're not overly familiar with Marvel Comics, there's a good chance you've heard the name Jonathan Hickman at least in passing in these last few months. He's one of the major architects of Infinity, the crossover event that inspired whole swaths of both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, and introduced the concept of Thanos' Black Order. Hickman's run on the main Avengers title lasted around 3 years and helped redefine the team for modern audiences all over again--both on page and screen.And now, another major arm of the Marvel universe is primed to get the Hickman treatment as he returns to Marvel for a major X-Men overhaul. Starting with two weekly, 6-issue mini-series called House of X and Power of X, Hickman plans to kickstart a brand new era of X-Men stories that will unfold across the Marvel universe in waves.In an interview with Comicbook.com, the writer detailed his plans. "We needed to sell the idea that this is what we're going to be doing for the next few years. So if you want to read X-Men books during the run from late-July through September, House of X and Powers of X are the only new X-books available and everything that's going to follow is based on them. We wanted to be clear to the fans, to the stores, and just as importantly, to the creators who are going to be staffing these books in the future. We wanted the message to be very clear: This is a whole new era for the X-Men. This is what we're doing now."The X-Men lines are no stranger to reboots and new issue number #1s. The latest volume of Uncanny X-Men was relaunched in 2018, hot on the heels of companion books like X-Men: Blue and X-Men: Gold, both of which kicked off with new #1s back in 2017; and X-Men: Red which concluded its mini-series run last year as well. Add to the list the X-Men adjacent Major X mini-series, still currently in progress and things get even more complicated.Put plainly, the X-arm of the Marvel Universe is not currently the most accessible line of comics around. Though, as Hickman hopes, that will be soon to change."One, House of X, is a story about a pivotal month in the history of the X-men where everything changes for mutants on Earth," Hickman elaborated. "And the other, Powers of X, is a story about the history of mutants in the Marvel Universe. It works as a series of reveals and revelations where each issue of HOX that follows POX--and vice versa--makes you reinterpret the issue you had previously read."Both 6-issue series will eventually culminate in what Hickman calls "wave 1" and "wave 2" of the rebooting initiative. "At the conclusion of our 12 weeks of HOX and POX, we'll be launching an entirely new universe of X-books. Some will be traditional fare, some carry through on ideas presented in HOX and POX. Some books are completely new concepts. I, personally, will be writing the ongoing flagship X-book," he said. "[...] We also just finished our plans for our 'Wave 2' books that will debut in 2020 and we're getting ready to hire talent for those."House of X #1 and Power of X #1 hit stores on July 24 and July 31 respectively, everywhere comics are sold. Info from Gamespot.com

Over the years, Lego has done some pretty incredible-looking sets based on familiar properties. Now partnering with Netflix's most popular series, the recently revealed Stranger Things set, titled "The Upside Down," is hard to wrap your mind around.Looking more like a reflection off of a lake rather than a traditional set. The Upside Down model of the Byers' house from the first season of Stranger Things can actually flip between the real world and the terrifying Upside Down where the Demogorgon searches for a lost Will Byers.It's hard to actually explain the model kit, and to grasp it, you'll need to actually see it. Below, you'll see pictures for the latest set, which you can actually flip over.Available directly at the Lego Shop on June 1 (May 15 for Lego VIP members), the Byers' house will cost $200 and is made up of over 2,000 pieces. The set contains eight figures, all of which have their own accessories: Eleven, Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair, Dustin Henderson, Will Byers, Joyce Byers, Chief Jim Hopper, and the Demogorgon.The Byers' house consists of the front porch, living room, dining room, and Will's bedroom, while the Upside Down version of the house has dilapidated and eerie versions of the same rooms. The set also comes with Hopper's police jeep as well.Season 3 of Stranger Things will hit the streaming service on July 4, and the newest season will take place during the summer vacation of 1985. As you've probably seen in the trailer, a mall is one of the big locations, and who doesn't love a mall during the '80s? Finn Wolfhard (Mike), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Noah Schnapp (Will), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), Sadie Sink (Max), Natalia Dyer (Nancy), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan), Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), and David Harbour (Hopper) will all be returning. Info from Gamespot.com