The MCU news just keeps on coming today with even more Phase 4 goodness. After announcing an official release schedule for all upcoming Marvel movies into 2022, yet another actor is joining the star-studded cast of The Eternals as reported by The Wrap.Richard Madden, known for playing the late Robb Stark on HBO's Game of Thrones, is reportedly in talks to join Angelina Jolie and Kumail Nanjiani in Marvel's new cosmic superhero team. Details surrounding Madden's potential role are unclear, but it seems likely that he'll be taking on Ikaris, an immortal with the ability to harness and control cosmic and psionic energy.Created by Jack Kirby back in the late 1970s, The Eternals are an "evolutionary offshoot" of humanity created by the god-like Celestials when the Earth was new. The experimentation gave the Eternals superpowers such as flight, enhanced durability, and incredible strength as well as functional immortality. Though the Eternals themselves have not been alluded to in the MCU, their progenitors have been with Guardians of the Galaxy featuring "Knowhere," a city contained within the severed head of a Celestial avatar, and Vormir a planet referred to in Avengers: Endgame as the "center of Celestial existence."Similarly, Thanos, the villain of the MCU's Infinity Saga, is known as a "Deviant" in the comics, an Eternal with a genetic mutation responsible for his purple skin and incredible strength; however, Thanos' lineage and race was never addressed in the movies.The Eternals will be directed by Chloe Zhao (Songs My Brothers Taught Me, The Rider) and written by Matthew and Ryan Fripo. It is rumored to focus on the love story of Sersi (Jolie), an Eternal who spends her time immersed in human society, and Ikaris, an Eternal fueled by cosmic energy.Info from Gamespot.com

Although we still don't have an exact launch date for the upcoming Need for Speed and Plants vs. Zombies games, EA has revealed a release window for both titles. In the company's latest financial report, EA announces both games are expected to be released this year sometime between October and December.In the report, EA lists new games for both Need for Speed and Plants vs. Zombies releasing during the same quarter as Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, currently scheduled to launch on November 15 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. The Need for Speed and Plants vs. Zombies releases are listed as both console and PC games, so they too are probably launching on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.Little has been announced about these new Need for Speed and Plants vs. Zombies games. During a previous company financial report, EA COO and CFO Blake Jorgensen announced both games. "Looking forward, we're delighted to launch Anthem, our new IP, to grow Apex Legends and related Titanfall experiences, to deliver new Plants vs. Zombies and Need for Speed titles, and to add Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order to our sports titles in the fall," Jorgensen said.In a subsequent earnings call, EA confirmed the Plants vs. Zombies game would be a shooter. Though this is in no way a confirmation, this detail implies the upcoming game is another edition to the Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare series. The theory is further supported by a retail listing leaking the existence of Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 3. However, EA hasn't confirmed the leak's authenticity.The latest financial report also mentions Sea of Solitude, an EA Original indie game that was teased during EA Play 2018, will be releasing on consoles and PC next quarter (sometime between July 1 and September 30). An adventure game, Sea of Solitude has you play as Kay, a young woman lost in a half submerged city filled with red-eyed creatures. Kay herself has begun to change into one of the monsters that populate the city, so she's searching for a way to become human again.Info from Gamespot.com

Treyarch has rolled out a new update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Following its debut on PS4 last week, Operation Specter Rising has expanded to Xbox One and PC, while a double XP event for featured playlists and other changes are now live on all platforms.First, Xbox One and PC players now have access to the new Operation Specter Rising content, which includes a new Specialist known as Specter, who can be unlocked in multiplayer and Blackout after completing tier 1 of the Black Market. The Black Market has also been updated with 50 tiers' worth of new items to unlock, including weapons such as the Tigershark LMG and the Nifo'Oti.Xbox One and PC players with a Black Ops Pass now have access to three new multiplayer maps as well: Masquerade, Artifact, and WMD. Bounty Hunter mode is also now live in Blackout on Xbox One and PC, while the mode's Alcatraz map has returned on all platforms.In addition to that, Treyarch is offering twice the normal amount of XP for featured playlists across all of Black Ops 4's modes. Specifically, players will earn 2x XP for Map Pack Moshpit in multiplayer, 2x XP for Super Blood Wolf Moon in Zombies, and 2x Merits in Blackout's Bounty Hunter. The double XP event is available on all platforms and runs through Friday, May 10.Rounding out the update are an assortment of balance tweaks and bug fixes, including tuning changes to the aforementioned Specter. You can see the full rundown of everything that's new on Reddit.Activision still hasn't announced what this year's installment in the Call of Duty series will be, although some people have already played it. Back in April, a handful of American athletes posted pictures of themselves playing the new game at what appeared to be an official event. The title is presumed to be Modern Warfare 4; however, the only thing Activision has confirmed about the upcoming shooter is that it will include a single-player campaign, unlike Black Ops 4.Info from Gamespot.com

PSN's massive Golden Week sale has come to an end, but fortunately, another sale has taken its place in the PlayStation Store. Right now, you can find discounts on PS4 games from Ubisoft, including some of the publisher's biggest series like Assassin's Creed, The Division, and Far Cry. Take a look at some of the best deals below.The Assassin's Creed collection is marked down, including the latest game, Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, for just $25.79. Assassin's Creed Origins is selling for the same price. If you own neither Odyssey or Origins, consider picking up the Assassin's Creed Antiquity Pack, which bundles both for just $45. Meanwhile, Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection is over $30 off, dropping from $50 to $17.49, and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is just $15. Far Cry 5 is also discounted this week--you can get it for just $27--along with Far Cry 4 for $20 and Far Cry New Dawn for $24. Other notable deals include The Division 2, which released less than a month ago and is on sale for $48; The Crew 2, which is selling for $24; and Watch Dogs 2, available for $21.Nearly all the best deals right now are from Ubisoft, but you can also snag Monster Hunter: World for $20 (the lowest price we've seen) as well as Anthem for $40.19.While these sales generally last a week, the Ubisoft sale will extend until Tuesday, May 21, at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET, so you have some time to consider which games you actually want. SHOP THIS WEEK'S PS4 GAME DEALS »See some of our picks below, and browse the full list of discounted games in the PlayStation Store. As usual, these prices will be even cheaper for PS Plus members.Anthem -- $40.19Assassin's Creed - Antiquity Pack -- $45Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag -- $15Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection -- $17.49Assassin's Creed: Odyssey -- $25.79Assassin's Creed: Origins -- $25.79Assassin's Creed: Rogue Remastered -- $18Assassin's Creed: Syndicate -- $20Assassin's Creed Unity -- $15The Crew 2 -- $24The Division 2 -- $48The Division Franchise Bundle -- $70Far Cry 3 - Classic Edition -- $16.49Far Cry 4 -- $20Far Cry 5 -- $27Far Cry Primal -- $20Far Cry New Dawn -- $24Ghost Recon: Wildlands -- $20Monster Hunter: World -- $20South Park: The Fractured But Whole -- $21Trials Rising -- $15Watch Dogs 2 -- $21Info from Gamespot.com

WWE's weekly programming, Smackdown Live and Raw, are both in a weird place right now. Since Wrestlemania, the two shows--which are supposed to have completely separate rosters--have seen wrestlers jumping between back and forth with little to no explanation. Now, a new "wild card" "rule" has been added, allowing some superstars from each show appear to appear on the other. How will those superstars be picked? Great question. We have no idea. Nobody does.On the May 7 episode of Raw, Vince McMahon kicked off the night with his new "Wild Card" rule, which will allow three wrestlers to make appearances on the opposite brand "on occasion." However, this new rule was broken when Lars Sullivan and Elias showed up later, so by the end of Raw, four wrestlers are able to guest star on the opposite show. That still doesn't make a ton of sense, mostly because with the addition of Lars Sullivan and Elias, there were actually five Smackdown Live superstars on Raw--six if you include Shane McMahon. Still, this could be a great way to build up to Survivor Series, which is November. This totally isn't a build-up to Survivor Series, though. My brain is just trying to make sense of all of this. It's not working.Following the Superstar Shakeup, an event which had plenty of people continuing to bounce between shows weeks after it was over, there were still two WWE superstars jumping between shows: Shane McMahon and Becky Lynch. Shane's jump between Raw and Smackdown is pointless, as it's just him involved in two different storylines, and the one with Miz on Raw is the only one that makes sense for him right now.Then, there's Becky "The Man" Lynch, who should be the only superstar allowed to appear on both shows as she's both the Raw and Smackdown Women's Champion. Let "Becky 2 Belts" do whatever she wants. It makes sense for the story, her character, and it's good for overall WWE programming. You could also say that Bray Wyatt also crosses over brands with his "Firefly Fun House" segments appearing on both Raw and Smackdown, but those are a treasure and should be seen by everyone, at least twice.All this moving around and adding the "Wild Card" rule completely destroys the importance of the brand split and creates less space for the rest of the WWE roster to compete. If three or four Smackdown superstars come to Raw for one night, that's three or four spaces taken away from the midcard because you know Raw won't be keeping its main event talent off of television. Add to the fact that WWE keeps pulling talent from NXT and 205 Live (which seems it is on its way out), will there be any room on these shows for anyone who isn't a main event star on either show?There is already super-talented wrestlers on the roster not getting any television time as is, like Luke Harper and Tyler Breeze (Hashtag Where's Breeze?) sitting on the sidelines. If you look at the WWE Superstar roster, you'll undoubtedly find talent that is rarely on TV. The "Wild Card" will just make it more likely you won't be seeing them.What WWE is saying with the "Wild Card" rule and the constant shuffling of talent is that the brand split doesn't matter. While it's very unlikely to happen, it feels like a mere softening of the blow for when the brand split is completely dissolved later in the year. Sure, the 17 active championships in WWE is exceptionally excessive, and there are ways to cut back on that, but that creates a barrier between shows as well, making each show feel like its own promotion in a sense. Identity is key, and right now, these show's identity's are melding into one, and I hate that.I don't want to go back to a world where Smackdown and Raw have the same exact roster because then Smackdown becomes nothing more than a Raw replay and the show loses all meaning. If you don't believe me, head over to the WWE Network and watch an episode of Smackdown before the brand split. So much of each episode is devoted to Raw recaps and matches that don't matter as nothing that happened on Smackdown ever moved the storylines forward.Hey WWE, full stop on the wrestlers jumping to other shows, please. It's not Survivor Series. It doesn't make sense. It waters down the brand split. And most importantly, it takes spots away from other superstars on an already bloated roster. Sure, Smackdown is moving to Fox at the end of this year, and WWE ratings are down--and the NBA playoffs do factor into that--but maybe stop doing the "same old, same old" with storylines and give fans more "out there" things like what you're doing with Becky Lynch, Bray Wyatt, Daniel Bryan, and Kofi Kingston. Now is the time to flip the script and take chances, and that doesn't mean destroying what the brand split is.Info from Gamespot.com

The new big bad in Mortal Kombat is named Kronika, and she's causing a ruckus by messing with time and rewriting history. Characters are getting erased or colliding with their past selves, while alliances are reverting and new ones are being made--it's the kind of chaos that's ripe for conflict. Nothing that happened with Mortal Kombat before really matters anymore; the series is giving itself a clean slate, and not just with the lore in the story. NetherRealm's multifaceted fighting system has been streamlined, and comprehensive tutorials and practice functions are focussed on making sure no matter where you're coming from, you're well-equipped to dive deep into Mortal Kombat 11.It's hard not to get excited about the story mode in a NetherRealm game given the studio's history of crafting involved narratives, and Mortal Kombat 11 unsurprisingly delivers an entertaining and polished blockbuster-style cinematic experience with its tale of Kronika's time-bending antics. Combat is woven in with a number of cutscenes, though you'll probably spend more time watching well-choreographed action rather than participating. But the story is a great primer for some of the series' more popular characters nonetheless, and the joys of Kronika's time manipulation means that even if you're a passing fan and aren't up-to-date with all of the wacky stuff that's happened in the universe lately, you can still get a kick out of seeing classic versions of familiar faces, who are just as baffled as you about what's happened to their future selves since.Watching the character interactions between young and old selves are a highlight, and with the exception of a somewhat flat Sonya Blade, the solid performances are endearingly sincere with some unexpected moments of introspection. By the time it ended I was eager for more--more of Johnny Cage being embarrassed by his younger self, more of the bromance between Liu Kang and Kung Lao, the sappy dynamic between parents and children. But the story mode hits that perfect balance of being just enough and not overstaying its welcome. The plot conceits are regularly ridiculous, especially when family members and lovers get into fatal tiffs, but it's a delightfully bombastic and outlandish visual spectacle if nothing else.Mortal Kombat 11's eclectic roster includes a solid selection of the series' iconic fighters, along with some of the great additions from Mortal Kombat X, like gunslinger Erron Black and the grotesque insectoid D'Vorah. Three brand new characters do their best to help the lineup branch out--Geras is an imposing heavy with the ability to rewind and manipulate time, Cetrion is an elder god with flashy elemental projectiles, the Kollector has a wonderfully unsettling and bamboozling six-armed demonic design--and they all add an inspired diversity to the familiar roster of magical ninjas and military hard-asses. Character variations also help to keep things diverse. A returning concept from Mortal Kombat X, each character can select between different sets of special moves that alter their playstyle. You can now customize these loadouts in MK11, but only two predetermined movesets are acceptable for serious competitive play. Even so, it means there are a few things to consider when picking which fighter to use.Some key changes streamline the mechanics of MK11, resulting in a fighting system that feels more active and aggressive than its predecessors. The special meter system has been simplified, allowing for amplified maneuvers to be used at almost any time--gone is the idea of needing to hold back and save up two or three bars of a meter to perform a particular kind of technique. Separate meters for offensive and defensive techniques, along with rapid recharge rates, mean they can be used more liberally, too. "Fatal Blows" replace MKX's X-Ray techniques, serving as a last-ditch comeback mechanic that can be activated once per match when your health is nearly depleted, adding a heightened tension when things get down to the wire. Significant block damage discourages you from being overly defensive, while learning the perfect-timing demands of the "flawless block" system is encouraged to mitigate some damage and open up turnabout opportunities. Running and stamina meters have been removed and dash distances feel shorter, honing MK11's focus on always being within striking distance of your opponent. All of these tweaks mean there is rarely a low moment in a Mortal Kombat 11 fight.If you're new to the series, learning all those intricacies of the fighting system, special moves, and combo strings for characters can be intimidating. Fortunately, Mortal Kombat 11 does a lot to help onboard you to almost all of its concepts. Following the good work seen in Injustice 2, Mortal Kombat 11 features a comprehensive series of fantastic practical tutorials, with everything from teaching you basic attacks to more advanced lessons on managing the ebb and flow of a match, strategies on how to change or maintain the dynamic of a fight (like dealing with corners or projectile spam), and how to approach building your own combos. What's more, there are also a series of tutorials that succinctly break down expert-level concepts, such as one that shows you what frame data is and how it works in clear, visual terms. Not only that, there are lessons on how to interpret that information and use it in a practical scenario--it'll teach you what makes a move "safe" or "unsafe," how to create pressure in a fight, and even how to perform frame traps. It's an impressive resource that doesn't just give you a better understanding of Mortal Kombat 11's systems, but a deeper understanding of fighting game mechanics in general--knowledge that you can take to any other title.Character-specific tutorials exist, too, and are more than just a simple rundown of all available techniques. These helpful lessons focus on the most useful and practical abilities and combos for a particular character and give you suggestions on when to use them, the pros and cons of doing so, and what you could follow up with. Furthermore, the in-game move lists are incredibly comprehensive, providing all sorts of helpful data for each move's properties, so you can easily discern something like which of your character's moves has the quickest startup. It's valuable information and knowledge that NetherRealm has been building upon in its last few games and is presented at its best in MK11. Of course, if you're the kind of player that couldn't care less about the advanced stuff and just wants to jump in and see blood spilled, Mortal Kombat 11 can certainly be just as entertaining. Predetermined combo strings, flashy special moves, and humorously over-the-top barbarity means that the game is a joy to watch and participate in, whether the players are just messing around or taking it seriously.In addition to the game's story mode, MK11 sees the return of Klassic Towers, a more straightforward single-player mode where you fight a series of opponents before eventually facing big boss Kronika. But the real meat of the single-player offering is the Towers Of Time, MK11's version of the limited-time ladders seen in other NetherRealm games, which feature unique modifiers that can affect the playing field, combatants, and mechanics.When our review-in-progress was first published, the balance of difficulty seen in the Towers Of Time was in such a state that the odds were always stacked against you--negative environmental modifiers only affected you and not your opponent, AI difficulty was relentlessly high, opponents were more robust, and as a result the challenges often felt horribly cruel and unbalanced. The mode's focus on using "Konsumables," a variety of limited-use items that you can equip and activate during the fight, did little to even the playing field, and their method of attainment was too dependent on luck to even make them a reliable strategy in the first place. In fact, the drip-feed of rewards you received from completing towers were overall too meager (and random) at the game's release to justify the amount of effort they demanded.One week later, NetherRealm released a major patch (1.03) that acknowledged and adjusted a large number of variables related to the Towers of Time, reducing (and in some cases, eliminating) a number of unbalanced modifiers, normalizing the resilience and difficulty of AI opponents, and increasing the amount of rewards for completing activities across the board. That's fortunate, because the modifiers in the Towers of Time add genuinely interesting dynamics to MK11's already enjoyable fighting flow. One tower might pit you against a series of fighters who can poison you if they get a string of hits in, another might place a totem in the middle of the stages that electrocute whoever is standing closest. Other towers might team you up with two or three other online players to take down a particularly hardy "boss" fighter, letting you tag each other in, or perhaps assist the active fighter with Konsumables.These kinds of challenges are a welcome exercise that push you to consider different ways to approach a MK11 fight, forcing you to, say, become extra defensive or keep a closer eye on your positioning. The variety of Konsumables--which have abilities that range from letting you call in another character to perform an assist attack, rain missiles down from the sky, or simply replenish your health--can give you extra tools to help keep a handle on the situation. But, in my experience after the 1.03 patch, using Konsumables isn't strictly necessary, so long as you're playing diligently.As they stand at the time of writing, the Towers of Time succeed in providing an endless, compelling palette of single-player content to tackle once you've completed the story mode. The difficulty curve and number of challenges you need to tackle are reasonable enough that achieving the prizes at the end of a tower, and the end of a whole island of towers, always feels within reach. What was previously a frustrating experience at launch is a compulsive one a week later. Even the demanding boss fight-style challenges only ask you to endure one round before showering you with the payouts on offer. They're enticing pools of goods, too--the aforementioned Konsumables, character cosmetics, and large denominations of the various currencies needed to open chests in the Krypt, MK11's third-person quasi-puzzle-adventure mode designed for unlocking even more collectibles.The Krypt in Mortal Kombat 11 is a completely reimagined recreation of Shang Tsung's island, the location of the very first Mortal Kombat game from 1992. Exploring the location, which involves finding items to open up paths to new areas, is an exciting experience in itself--there's a basic joy in simply taking in the visual splendor of certain locations, especially if you retain any memories of Mortal Kombat's stages (although it should be noted that the Nintendo Switch version is noticeably less visually splendorous). A mess of treasure chests litter the island, requiring one of three different currencies to open them, but the catch is that aside from chests that require "Hearts," the rewards you get seem to be completely randomized. Regardless of their asking price, chests have the capacity to furnish you with something exciting, like new costumes or brutality finishers for a specific character, or something as basic as a piece of concept art. It can be a bummer to come away from a Krypt session with nothing of value for your favourite fighter, but it's at least heartening to know that the game doesn't have any avenues to let you spend real-world money to open more chests, and that your pool of currencies will continue to grow at a steady, reasonable rate by simply playing the game.Now, it's pertinent to mention that Mortal Kombat 11 relies on a persistent online connection to keep track of progression in every single mode. Naturally, being offline means that you can't access the game's rotating Towers of Time, but it also means you won't get rewarded for playing the story mode or tutorials until you reconnect. In most cases, given the ever-connected nature of PCs, PS4s, and Xbox Ones, this aspect should rarely present any major issues, but it certainly can. There was one instance where game servers went down on all platforms, and I lost my progress on a Tower of Time. Losing progress can also be an issue if, for example, you duck out to your console's dashboard to share a video clip of a close victory, which will suspend your game and disconnect you from its servers. The always-online nature of the game can pose a much larger concern on Nintendo Switch, however, especially if you're looking to play the game in handheld mode away from a wireless connection. Even if you're content to simply hang out in practice mode or play a standard tower on the train, you'll be hounded by network error messages every step of the way.There are a range of online multiplayer modes, of course, including ranked and casual matchmaking, a king-of-the-hill mode, and forthcoming ranked seasons, as well as private options like lobbies and the ability to use practice mode with a friend. MK11 also features tools that help you have some control over your experience--in casual matches, you have the ability to see your opponent's win/loss ratio, your estimated chance of success, and information about each player's internet connection--and the game thankfully allows you to decline a match if you think you're going to have a bad time. I encountered no major issues with online play during the game's first week, and found matchups to be fairly even in most cases, meaning fights were often heart-poundingly close. The robust online options make it a worthwhile avenue to pick a fight without the modifiers of the Towers Of Time.MK11 isn't just a sequel for series fans and NetherRealm devotees, it's a gateway into the realm of fighting games for anyone who has a passing interest in watching ruthless warriors beat each other silly. Streamlined mechanics keep the act of fighting furiously exciting no matter what your skill level, and comprehensive tutorials encourage you to dig into the nitty-gritty. There's a diverse roster of interesting characters and playstyles, and the story mode is an entertaining romp. The randomization of Krypt rewards and the odd issue with the game's always-online nature can occasionally chip away at your patience, but Mortal Kombat 11 absolutely hits where it matters. Info from Gamespot.com

Yesterday's Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer raised some interesting questions about the nature of reality within the MCU. Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio is apparently from an alternate Earth, which implied the existence of a multiverse within the shared universe--but considering Mysterio's comic book history, some fans were skeptical about the legitimacy of his claim.However, an extended look at a scene from the trailer aired today on the Ellen show, making the concept seem even more plausible. In the scene, Tom Holland's Peter Parker is formally introduced to Quentin Beck for the first time--though he already knows him as Mysterio--and Beck knows Peter's heroics, so they've definitely already encountered one another before. Nick Fury explains that Beck is from another dimension, which Beck then clarifies. Peter's earth is "Dimension 616" while Beck himself is from Earth-833.These numbers are pretty significant. Over in Marvel comics, Earth-616 is the popular shorthand used to describe the "main" Marvel universe where the primary shared continuity exists. The term got its start in the late 1980s as a very literal signifier of an Earth in the multiverse, but has since lost some of that concrete meaning after multiple crossover events have shaped and reshaped the multiverse. Now, rather than explicitly meaning the literal Earth-616, comics fans will use "616" to define any main continuity story in virtually any context. Most of the time it's literal, but other times it isn't.For the comics, all you need to remember is that seeing the numbers "616" means you're reading or watching a story that is considered part of the primary continuity. Don't stress the details too much.In the MCU, things get a little less muddy--this is the first time we've really encountered any potential alternate dimensions, so the 616 signifier is both literal and totally specific. If Mysterio is to be believed, every movie in the MCU thus far has taken place on the cinematic Earth-616 from the get go.Mysterio himself, however, is from Earth-833. In the comics, that particular Earth is the home of a character known as "Spider-UK," a, well, British version of Spider-Man who served with the Captain Britain Corps, led by the, uh, British equivalent of Captain America.Why would British Spider-Man drop the "Man" in favor of "UK?" Your guess is as good as ours. Sometimes the differences between different Earths in the multiverse are really, really goofy--like on Earth-999, where Spider-Man is actually a cat ("Spider-Cat") who fights a pigeon named Venom, or Earth-71912, where all of Marvel's heroes are Rugrats-style talking babies.Earth-833 doesn't have a very long or storied history in the source material--in fact, it was recently destroyed by the machinations of a villain known as Karn, or the Master Weaver, whose goal was to scour the multiverse in search of more Spider-based powers to collect. All of which is to say the MCU could be inventing an entirely new take on the dimension with an entirely new Mysterio. It's important to keep that in mind. If anything, this is more likely given the way Mysterio tells Peter they could "use someone like him" back on his home world, implying there sadly won't be a cinematic Spider-UK cameo.It's also important to remember: This is all assuming that the entire multiverse isn't just some incredibly specific grift Mysterio is pulling. Only time will tell.Spider-Man: Far From Home hits theaters on July 2 and stars Tom Holland, Jake Gyllenhaal, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Zendaya, and Jacob Batalon. Info from Gamespot.com

BioWare's new IP Anthem launched in February and, despite a strong sales start in the United States, it failed to meet publisher Electronic Arts' expectations.As part of EA's latest earnings report, EA CEO Andrew Wilson said, "The launch of Anthem did not meet our expectations." Back in February, just ahead of the game's release, EA CFO Blake Jorgensen said the publisher expected the game to sell between 5-6 million units by the end of March. He said even more money was expected to come in from sales of Anthem's microtransaction opportunities.Today, EA did not provide any specifics about how many units Anthem has sold. Whatever the case, Anthem was not the hit EA and BioWare would have wanted. Despite that, Wilson said it remains "committed" to supporting Anthem's ongoing live service features over the "long term."Wilson said BioWare is aware of the feedback from Anthem players that they want "more depth and variety in the mission modes of the game.""The team is now very focused on continued improvements to the game, and will then bring more content updates and in-game events that will enhance and expand the Anthem experience," he said. "We believe in the team at BioWare, and we also believe in what they set out to achieve with this game--building a new IP and melding genres to reach a new audience."Those who are playing Anthem are playing a lot. Together, players have logged more than 150 million hours in the game since launch, Wilson said.Just last week, Anthem developers said they remain "100 percent committed" to Anthem following the delay of numerous anticipated features. One part of BioWare's commitment to improving Anthem is through the launch of a new Player Feedback Environment (PFE) server for Anthem's PC version.Anthem's release in February marked the second best first-month sales for any BioWare game in history in the United States, only behind Mass Effect 3. On the earnings call, Jorgensen said Anthem is the "most digital game we have ever launched" in regards to sales. Overall, 49 percent of EA full-game sales across PS4, Xbox One, and PC were digital. Info from Gamespot.com

Apex Legends is already hugely popular on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and now it's coming to a new platform and a new market. As part of publisher Electronic Arts' earnings report today, CEO Andrew Wilson confirmed that a mobile version of the battle royale game is in the works, while EA is also in "advanced negotiations" to launch Apex Legends in China."We are hugely excited about the future of Apex Legends ... Engagement is strong, and we have big plans for the Legends and the world they compete in," Wilson said. "We're in advanced negotiations to bring Apex Legends to China and to mobile, and we will update you on time frames when those negotiations are concluded."Apex Legends coming to mobile is no big surprise, as the mobile game market is massive and represents another way for EA to make money from the game. The other battle royale juggernauts, PUBG and Fortnite, also have mobile editions.In Korea, another major market for games, Wilson pointed out that EA is self-publishing Apex Legends there. "The game offers an opportunity for us to build a direct connection with our players there, and we hope to be able to leverage this for other games," Wilson said.In his prepared remarks, Wilson noted that Apex Legends is the "fastest-growing" title in EA's history. By EA's latest count, the game reached 50 million players. He also noted that almost 30 percent of Apex Legends players are "new to EA," which is good news for the publisher."We're incredibly excited and humbled by the passion that fans around the world have for Apex Legends," Wilson said. "We're now very focused on delivering for this massive global community with a long-term live service, including new seasons with more robust Battle Pass content, new legends, and exciting evolutions to the in-game environment."It's only just the beginning for Apex Legends, Wilson said. The first details about the game's Season 2 will be announced at the EA Play event in June, Wilson teased.Also during EA's earnings call today, the company announced that BioWare's new IP, Anthem, failed to meet its expectations. However, the company remains committed to expanding and improving the title. Info from Gamespot.com

Battlefield V's battle royale mode, Firestorm, launched in March. It was hugely successful in bringing players back to the World War II shooter, EA management said on an earnings call today.EA CFO Blake Jorgensen said more than 1 million people returned to Battlefield V following the release of Firestorm. Like Fortnite, PUBG, and Apex Legends, Battlefield V's Firestorm mode is a last-player-standing mode set on the biggest map in Battlefield history. The franchise's trademark destruction and vehicles are also represented in the Firestorm mode.EA CEO Andrew Wilson said Firestorm became the "biggest Battlefield live service event ever" in its first week. The launched of Firestorm helped the game's active player figures rise by nearly 60 percent compared to the week before it launched.Firestorm was developed by Criterion with help from DICE.Looking ahead, Battlefield V will welcome at least two more "live service updates," starting in the summer and continuing in the fall. Each of the updates will add "more of what fans are looking for with new maps and missions." Some of the new content will be shown off at EA Play in June.Battlefield V launched in October 2018. It sold more than 7 million copies in two months, but that was below EA's expectations. Wilson suggested on the earnings call today that Battlefield V might have performed better if the battle royale mode was available upon release.For more from EA's earnings call today, check out the stories linked below:Anthem Fails To Meet EA's Expectations, But Company Is Committed To Improving ItApex Legends Coming To Mobile, Just Like Fortnite And PUBG Info from Gamespot.com

Nintendo has announced the lineup of free NES titles for Nintendo Switch subscribers in May. Paying subscribers to the online service are getting Donkey Kong Jr., Vs. Excitebike, and Clu Clu Land. These titles will be available for download beginning on May 15. With the new additions, the catalog of NES freebies climbs to 40. The library launched last year with 20, with more titles being added on a monthly basis to expand the appeal of the service. For reference, April's additions included Punch-Out!!, Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels, and Star Soldier.Donkey Kong Jr., VS. Excitebike, and Clu Clu Land are coming to Nintendo Entertainment System - #NintendoSwitchOnline on 5/15! #NEShttps://t.co/6Essu4XZDA pic.twitter.com/jZAr0GLHym — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) May 8, 2019Access to a library of free NES games is one the perks of signing up to Nintendo Switch Online. Other benefits of Nintendo Switch Online is access to cloud saves (for some games) and of course the ability to play titles online to begin with.A subscription to Nintendo Switch Online costs $4 USD/month or $8 USD for three months. A 12-month membership is available for $20 USD, while a Family Membership for up to eight Nintendo Account members costs $35 USD for a year. New subscribers can sign up with a seven-day free trial. Info from Gamespot.com

Nintendo has announced two more heroes are joining the roster of playable characters in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order. Both new characters are Avengers, though one has been around a lot longer than the other.In a gameplay preview with Game Informer, Nintendo revealed Hawkeye will be a playable character in Ultimate Alliance 3. There have been more than one Hawkeye in the comics, but Nintendo is using the original, Clint Barton, in Ultimate Alliance 3. Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe may recognize the archer, who's portrayed by Jeremy Renner in the collection of movies. Ultimate Alliance 3 Hawkeye won't be rocking the SHIELD agent attire seen in the MCU, though, nor will he be wearing the goofy purple outfit seen in several incarnations of the character. This version of Hawkeye is stylized after the one seen in the comics created by Matt Fraction and David Aja. In Ultimate Alliance 3, Hawkeye will fight with his collection of trick arrows.The second new character revealed during the preview is Kamala Khan, the young woman who took on the Ms. Marvel mantle after Carol Danvers became Captain Marvel (who's also in Ultimate Alliance 3). Kamala is an Inhuman who can enlarge any part of her body--a superpower she calls "embiggening." In a pinch, she can enlarge her fists or feet and then elongate her limbs to fire off devastating blows from afar. However, she can also temporarily enlarge every part of her body and grow to massive sizes to cover more ground and reach higher vantage points. So far, it doesn't seem like she'll be able to completely enlarge herself while fighting in Ultimate Alliance 3, but her combos do take advantage of her ability to stretch out her limbs and expand her hands and feet.Releasing exclusively on Nintendo Switch, Ultimate Alliance 3 takes a few cues from the MCU--especially Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame--to tell its story. The game sees the ultimate alliance of heroes from the first two games once again come together (with a couple of new faces) to take down Thanos and his Black Order. This time around, the alliance is composed of over two dozen characters, incorporating members from the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-Verse, Defenders, Inhumans, and X-Men.Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order will release July 19. The game is available for pre-order.Info from Gamespot.com

DICE's Star Wars: Battlefront II is a "great game" that was "clouded" by the controversy surrounding its microtransactions. That's according to EA CEO Andrew Wilson. He acknowledged on an earnings call today that the 2017 sci-fi shooter had problems surrounding its microtransactions, but following their removal and DICE's ongoing effort to support and improve the title, it's in a much better place now."Battlefront II, on balance--and it's kind of hard to see through the mist of this--but on balance, Battlefront II was a great game," Wilson said. "We made some missteps in the context of progression and monetisation which actually clouded what was otherwise a really great game. With the ongoing commitment that the studio has had with the player community, it's now a really strong game with really strong player sentiment, and we expect that will continue to do well. We should have had that done at launch but we are a learning organisation, and we've continued to support that community."Battlefront II found itself in controversy when early access players discovered that the game's loot boxes, which could be acquired with real money, contained items that might affect gameplay. Some argued that this bordered on "pay-to-win," and in response, EA swiftly removed all microtransactions from the game before its public release. Microtransactions eventually returned to Battlefront II but only in the form of cosmetics like those found in Fortnite that do not impact gameplay.Battlefront II became the poster child for what could go wrong with loot boxes. Politicians and trade groups used Battlefront II as an example to push for anti-loot box legislation.Also during the call, Wilson spoke about how EA is undertaking measures to allow for greater transparency and communication between EA and players about upcoming titles in an attempt to avoid problematic issues."Our entire marketing organisation is now moving out of presentation mode and into conversation mode, and changing how we communicate with players over time," he said. "So that the day we bring truly a global audience into play, we have strong confidence that 1) the game is ready; 2) that the infrastructure can handle the game at scale; and 3) that our players understand exactly what they're going to be playing and how they're going to be playing, both on the day of launch and over time."Battlefront II shipped 9 million copies during its launch quarter, which was 1 million off EA's expectations; it was also down from the 13 million launch-quarter copies that the 2015 Battlefront shipped out of the gate. Whatever the case, sales of Battlefront II have no doubt improved over time, while extra revenue from the game's microtransactions has helped boost its profitability.EA has time again referred to Battlefront II as a "learning opportunity." Presumably in response to the learnings from Battlefront II, DICE's next game, Battlefield V, launched with no microtransactions.For more from EA's earnings call today, check out the stories linked below:Anthem Fails To Meet EA's Expectations, But Company Is Committed To Improving ItApex Legends Coming To Mobile, Just Like Fortnite And PUBGBattlefield 5's Battle Royale Mode Launch Was A Huge SuccessInfo from Gamespot.com

In Whispers of a Machine, a retro-styled point-and-click adventure, interesting themes and mechanical elements relating to human augmentation are stapled onto a recognizable framework. Your character, murder investigator Vera Englund, has access to cybernetically augmented abilities thanks to some neat future-science, and she can do things like perform biometric readings of the folks she is interviewing to pick up on anomalies in their heart rate and composition, conduct forensic scans over environments to pick up on potentially vital information for her investigation, and increase her strength for moments where brute force is necessary.But it's not a game that dives deep into the nature of augmentation, or which uses augmentation for most of its puzzles. Because of this, the game ultimately doesn't quite live up to the full potential of its premise. Regardless, it's easy to appreciate Whispers of a Machine for what it is--a damn good point-and-click adventure with a lot of unique, interesting ideas.Throughout Whispers of a Machine, there are decisions you can make during dialogue and puzzles that are tied to one of three different styles of approach: empathetic, analytical, or assertive, and following each one of these will lead to different outcomes later on down the line. During dialogue, you're typically given these three choices of response, and although they're not labeled, it's usually clear which approach each one matches to. Cleverly, the puzzles that track these choices don't explicitly signpost the fact that there are multiple solutions, meaning that the game will, on occasion, track a decision that is perhaps closer to your natural instinct than any intentional roleplaying you're doing. In one early example, it’s not entirely clear that there’s more than one way to get a vent open, but the game will remember which methodology you arrive at and whether you seek help from others or find a way to get it opened yourself.The broad plot remains largely the same regardless of how you play. At the game's opening, Vera is sent to investigate a murder in Nordsund, a small, quiet town that sits atop a giant spire, isolated from the abandoned roads and wasteland below. The lore of both the city and the larger game world are slowly unfurled over the course of the story. Whispers of a Machine is set in a near-future following "The Collapse," a cataclysmic event that you learn more about as you play. A.I. is outlawed, while augmentation allows humans in certain occupations to excel, but taking the "blue" that is essential to keep your augmentations working comes at a heavy mental cost.Nordsund, the locals assure you, is not the sort of city where people get murdered--and yet by the time Vera arrives, a second murder has already been committed. It's up to Vera to find the link between the victims, identify their killer, and, inevitably, deal with the larger conflict that has spawned this violence. Getting to the bottom of this means investigating the town and getting to know several of its citizens. Nordsund is grimy and cramped, sparsely populated and made up of garbage dumps, poorly assembled shacks, repurposed buildings, and elevators that never seem to work.The murder plot ends up drawing Vera into a much larger investigation into warring political and ideological factions, ultimately leading to a conclusion that sees Vera grappling with issues from her own past (and a few potential endings, depending on your choices). The story is well told, unveiling new details and character beats at a steady pace throughout, offering up a good mix of foreshadowing and red herrings to keep you on your toes. The lore underpinning it all isn't anything too exciting, though--there are a lot of standard science-fiction tropes revisited, and the game ultimately doesn't have a lot to say about its own A.I. apocalypse beyond the fact that it happened. But Vera is a likable protagonist with a compelling backstory, and the game's small cast is eclectic and brought to life by some great vocal performances.Your choices will dictate which augmentations you can unlock. If you respond empathetically to the game's cast during the first day of your investigation, for instance, on the second day you'll unlock the ability to energise machines, objects, and people with a little jolt; if you were purely analytical in your approach to puzzles and conversations, though, you'll be gifted with enhanced sight, while assertive players will be given an amnesia ability to affect their target's memories. Depending on which powers you unlock, the solutions that are available to you for certain puzzles later in the game will change completely, essentially creating ‘new’ puzzles. A second playthrough in which you make different choices will only differ at a handful of points, but these unlockable powers are fun to test out and discover the limits of, even though each one is only really used a few times.The puzzles are, for the most part, smart and engaging. Your ability to progress is tied not just to how you reason through a situation, but to how much attention you've been paying to the evidence and the key locations around town. The payoff for remembering a detail from earlier in the game can be great--one late puzzle, for instance, is reliant on recognizing a certain sound in the background of a cassette tape found near the game's beginning.Using Vera’s augmentations to progress makes for an interesting dynamic, too--remembering that you can access her augmented strength or scan the environment for DNA samples is empowering, but the game never loses sight of Vera’s character, or her skills for deduction and reasoning, underneath these powers. There are very few puzzles that you could accuse of being obtuse; there's one that is perhaps a little too outside-the-box, but it's not so wild that it requires random guesswork. Getting to know Nordsund is a pleasure, and when you finish the game--which is unlikely to take longer than about five hours--it's easy to feel a little sad about needing to leave a place that, for all its grim-future grime, was interesting.Despite having big ideas, Whispers of a Machine is ultimately a traditional example of the genre with some neat ideas rather than something revelatory. But it's very good at what it does, and those augmentations help to differentiate it from all the other adventure games out there. It's short but gripping, offering a well-written, interesting and clever experience that wraps up well and which rewards your choices and play style with unique powers and puzzle solutions. Info from Gamespot.com

We're nearing the end of Game of Throne. Season 8 has just two episodes left, which means the show as a whole is two episodes away from officially begin done. Sunday night brought with it Episode 4, and after tensions ran high (both political and bedroom related), we're fast approaching the penultimate moment in the battle for the Iron Throne. Episode 4 had a tense conclusion, and one word may have defined what happens next as one last big battle looms. Spoiler warning: Spoilers for Episode 4 follow below.In the final moments of Episode 4, Missandei is precariously stood beside Cersei having been taken prisoner. Dany watches on as Tyrion attempts to negotiate for her life and Cersei's surrender. Unfortunately, his diplomacy fails and Cersei turns to Missandei and tells her to share any final words. Missandei looks to her queen below and declares "dracarys."The word translates to "Dragonfire" in High Valyrian; it is the same word Dany uses to signal her dragons to fire upon her enemies. In this case, the word is a final utterance of allegiance and support to her queen, knowing full well it will be her last. It's not a far stretch to assume Missandei's last word may also be a call for Dany to destroy Cersei in the same way as she has the rest of her enemies.The word also has some significance to the relationship between Missandei and Dany. The two first met when Missandei was still a slave who served as an interpreter to slave-trader Kraznys mo Nakloz of Astapor. Dany ultimately frees Missandei by ordering the enslaved Unsullied to turn on the slave-traders of Astapor. In the fray of the uprising, Dany turns to Kraznys and calmly says "dracarys." Upon hearing the instruction, her dragon Drogon breathes a ball of fire onto the slave-trader and reduces him to ashes. Missandei's choice of her final word is almost certainly a callback to this moment and Dany's impact on her life.Or, you know, take it from the woman herself. After the episode aired, Nathalie Emmanuel, who portrays Missandei, tweeted, "Dracarys." She followed this up with her own personal translation, "Burn the bish."“Dracarys” — Nathalie Emmanuel (@missnemmanuel) May 6, 2019Aka “Burn the bish” 😂🤣 — Nathalie Emmanuel (@missnemmanuel) May 6, 2019This was not a good episode for the dragons or Dany, as Rhaegal can attest. (It was also one with a notable gaffe, as a coffee cup made it into a shot at Winterfell--HBO has now even acknowledged it.) For more, check out some fresh theories after Episode 4 and take a look at the preview trailer for Episode 5. We also have a sizable collection of Episode 4 Easter eggs Info from Gamespot.com