Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order follows the story of a Padawan that escaped the Emperor's ruthless extermination of the Jedi, and developer Respawn Entertainment has brought in actor Cameron Monaghan to portray its main character, Cal Kestis. Fans were introduced to Kestis and Monaghan during the Jedi Fallen Order panel held at this year's Star Wars Celebration.Monaghan is known for starring as Ian Gallagher in the TV series Shameless and, more recently, has made a name for himself playing Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska, a version of DC's iconic villain Joker in the Batman prequel series Gotham.His character, Cal Kestis, is on a journey to overcome the tragic events of his past while also attempting to complete his training to become a full-fledged Jedi. Of course, he's also fighting for his life, as the Empire and its Inquisitors have been empowered by Order 66 to wipe out the Jedi, and they're after him.During the panel, developer Respawn Entertainment also confirmed that Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order's release date as November 15. The game will be available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC through publisher EA's Origin service.Star Wars Celebration also gave us the first trailer for next entry in the movie franchise and confirmed that the film will be titled Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. You can watch the trailer here. If that wasn't enough Star Wars for you, Disney revealed that The Mandalorian, a spin-off TV series from Iron Man, Jungle Book, and The Lion King director Jon Favreau will be available when the Disney+ streaming service launches later this year.Star Wars Celebration is sure to keep on delivering exciting news and tidbits about the future of the beloved franchise. You can stay up-to-date with all of it using our Star Wars Celebration roundup, which is being updated as and when new information is revealed. Info from Gamespot.com

Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order finally has platforms and a release date: it is coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 15, 2019, developer Respawn Entertainment has announced. The date was revealed during the game's panel at this year's Star Wars Celebration event, where it was also confirmed that the PC version would be exclusively available through publisher EA's Origin service. We also got a look at a trailer, although there was unfortunately no gameplay (and few details to be had in general).We now know that players will take control of a young Padawan that escaped Order 66, the Emperor's decree to wipe out all Jedi--even the younglings in training. You can read more about Jedi Fallen Order's story here. A day before the panel, Respawn confirmed Jedi Fallen Order has no microtranactions and is single-player only.Although Respawn is known primarily for developing first-person shooters such as the Titanfall series and, more recently, the battle royale hit Apex Legends, Jedi Fallen Order is a is more focused on melee combat. In 2014, God of War 3 director Stig Asmussen joined Respawn, bringing some third-person action expertise to the studio.Jedi Fallen Order was officially confirmed during E3 2018, when Respawn's Vince Zampella revealed the title and teased that it would be set between Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Episode IV: A New Hope.Prior to the reveal at Star Wars Celebration, artwork for Jedi Fallen Order was leaked by Amazon. The retailer listed a t-shirt which featured an image of the main character wielding a blue lightsaber and his droid companion. In the was a downed vessel that looks to be a Republic-era Star Destroyer.Star Wars Celebration also yielded a new trailer for the next movie in the beloved franchise. During the show it was confirmed to be called Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, and you can watch the first trailer here. We've also got a comprehensive round-up on everything happening at Star Wars Celebration that'll keep you up to date with the latest goings-on. Info from Gamespot.com

Star Wars Celebration is underway and developer Respawn Entertainment pulled the curtain back on Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, a new game based on the beloved sci-fi franchise. While the studio is known for first-person shooters such as Titanfall and Apex Legends, Jedi Fallen Order takes the studio into a new genre: third person action. At the Jedi Fallen Order panel, Respawn co-founder Vince Zampella and game director Stig Asmussen revealed more about how the game will play.Asmussen previously created games at Sony Santa Monica and, most notably, directed God of War 3. He's bringing that action game pedigree to Jedi Fallen Order, with which Respawn aims to deliver the kind of intense lightsaber battles that fans of Star Wars watched play out on movie screens over the course of the series' long and storied history. He described the gameplay as "thoughtful combat" and emphasized that it's not a button-masher.Melee combat will be a big focus of the game, but the main character of Jedi Fallen Order is a Padawan named Cal Kestis; he's Force sensitive and thus capable of utilizing Jedi training to mix lightsaber combos with Force abilities. In addition to combat, players will be able to use traversal and platforming abilities to outmaneuver their opponents, as well as solve puzzles as they journey across the galaxy.One of the interesting things mentioned during the panel is Cal's lightsaber will grow and evolve over the course of the game, as it is a reflection of him. Although further details weren't provided on this, it could be that the weapon is customizable in some form.Jedi Fallen Order follows Kestis as he attempts to complete his Jedi training, which was cut short when the Emperor enacted Order 66 and branded the Jedi traitors, to be wiped from existence. Its set during the Dark Times, when the universe was smothered by evil and thrown into chaos. This period, according to Asmussen, serves both the story and the gameplay well. "Within this narrative, we’ve crafted a game with intense, yet thoughtful and fun melee combat using the lightsaber and Force powers, allowing anyone to fulfill their Jedi fantasy,” he said.You can learn more about Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order's story here. Kestis, meanwhile, may look familiar to some, and you can find out why that is here. Respawn has confirmed Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order's release date as November 15, and it will be available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.The next entry in the movie series, Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, and you can watch the trailer to get a taster of the final chapter in the Skywalker saga. There's also an unexpected villain reveal at the end that you don't want to miss. Check out our Star Wars Celebration hub to stay up-to-date with all the news and fresh reveals from Celebration as they happen.Info from Gamespot.com

It's been a long time coming, but we finally have more information on Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, the upcoming action game from Titanfall and Apex Legends developer Respawn Entertainment. The studio held a panel for the game at Star Wars Celebration and gave us an in-depth look at various aspects of the game, as well as concrete confirmation on when we'll be able to play it.While lighter on details that many hoped, the panel did deliver a Jedi Fallen Order trailer and release date. Beyond that, there was some talk about what gameplay will be like, the story, and the game's protagonist, a newcomer to the Star War universe.Jedi Fallen Order was officially confirmed at E3 2018, but Respawn has said very little about the game since. What we knew prior to the panel was that it is set after the events of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and before Episode IV: A New Hope. However, now we've been introduced to the game's main character, learned about the story, been given insight into the gameplay, and have a release date.For those that may have missed the panel, we've rounded up all the news that came out of it and put them into one handy place. Below you'll find a list of all the important information to catch-up. You can also head over to our Star Wars Celebration news roundup to find out about everything else going on at the show. There you'll find the first trailer for the next entry in the movie series: Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order Release DateStar Wars: Jedi Fallen Order's release date has been confirmed as November 15, 2019 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The PC version will be distributed through publisher EA's Origin store.Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order Story DetailsJedi Fallen Order takes place shortly after the events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Having branded the Jedi as traitors to the Galactic Republic, the Emperor issued Order 66, which meant Jedi were hunted down and killed. The protagonist of Jedi Fallen Order, a Padawan named Cal Kestis--played by Cameron Monaghan--is a survivor of Order 66. He is on a journey to pick up the pieces of his tragic past while trying to complete his Jedi training. Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order Gameplay DetailsGame director Stig Asmussen, who directed God of War 3 at Sony Santa Monica, has said Respawn is aiming to deliver the same intense lightsaber battles that fans of Star Wars have seen on movie screens in the game. Gameplay will combine melee and Force abilities, and also involve platforming and puzzle solving. Read more about Jedi Fallen Order's gameplay here.The Actor Playing Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order's ProtagonistTo bring Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order's protagonist to life, Respawn Entertainment has brought in actor Cameron Monaghan. Monaghan is known for his work in Shameless and, more recently, Gotham, plays a character called Cal Kestis, who is on the run after surviving Order 66. Info from Gamespot.com

At Star Wars Celebration this year, developer Respawn Entertainment held a panel for Jedi Fallen Order, its upcoming third-person action game. During the event, Respawn finally discussed details about the game's story, revealed the game's protagonist, the state of the universe he exists in, and the struggles he's fighting to overcome.As detailed during the panel, Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order takes place shortly after the events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Having branded the Jedi as traitors to the Galactic Republic, the Emperor issued Order 66, which meant Jedi were hunted down and killed. The protagonist of Jedi Fallen Order, a Padawan named Cal Kestis--played by Cameron Monaghan--is a survivor of Order 66. He is on a journey to pick up the pieces of his tragic past while trying to complete his Jedi training. At the same time, he must stay one step ahead of the Empire and its Inquisitors, who are seeking to kill him and his kind.Players are introduced to Cal on Bracca, which is described as "a brand-new Star Wars planet and one of several new locations introduced in the game." There, Cal is attempting to hide from the Empire in plain sight, but after exposing his Force powers ends up on the run again. According to Respawn, as Cal, players will make a number of new friends over the course of the game, one of which is a companion called Cere. There will be "some familiar faces" that make an appearance too, though the studio stopped short of saying exactly who.“Many Star Wars fans, ourselves included, are really interested in the Dark Times, so we wanted to explore that mysterious, dangerous period,” said game director Stig Asmussen. "The team at Lucasfilm have been amazing collaborators, helping us explore and further develop this part of the timeline where the Empire is at the height of its power and any remaining Jedi are in hiding."“When Respawn approached us with the idea for this game, we were immediately supportive. A single player, story-driven title in the Star Wars universe was exactly what we were looking for, and we know the fans have been eager for one, as well,” added Lucasfilm's Steve Blank. "Focusing on Cal stepping back into the shoes of a Jedi post Order 66 opens up a lot of gameplay opportunities and rich story threads to develop for this new character and his backstory."It wouldn't be Star Wars without a droid companion, and joining Cal is BD-1. The little droid was featured in a piece of Jedi Fallen Order artwork that was leaked by Amazon. BD-1 can be seen standing next to Cal, scanning a rock face.On the Empire side is Second Sister, who is described as "one of the Empire's elite Inquisitors" and, as such, is hunting down Cal to extinguish him. Alongside her are Purge Troopers, which are described as "terrifying special Imperial forces trained to seek out Jedi and aid the Inquisitors."Respawn will no doubt be giving us more details about the game's story soon, especially since its launch is not far off. During the panel the developer confirmed Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order's release date as November 15, 2019. The game will be available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC through publisher EA's Origin service.Jedi Fallen Order is a third-person action game, which is something of a departure from the first-person shooters Respawn is known for doing. However, it is directed by Stig Asmussen, who previously worked at Sony Santa Monica and directed God of War 3. You can find out more about how the game plays in our Jedi Fallen Order gameplay overview.If you're after more Star Wars news, you can now watch the first trailer for Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. Make sure to keep an eye on our Star Wars Celebration hub too, as we'll be updating that regularly with news and fresh reveals as they happen.Info from Gamespot.com

Fans of Star Wars have had quite an exciting week with the debut of the teaser trailer for Episode XI: The Rise of Skywalker and news of the upcoming EA/Respawn game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. However, it doesn't stop there. On Sunday morning, there was another big reveal: footage for the first Disney+ original series taking place in the Star Wars universe, The Mandalorian.Although everything during Celebration has been live streamed, there were parts of the of panel that were blacked out for viewers at home. This happened twice during the panel. The first time was a sizzle reel of the upcoming series. Here's what those attending live saw.Sizzle Reel:The video opens with Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) walking and using a remote. He enters a cantina, and we see an alien watch him as he walks in. His ship, named Razorcrest, flies to a planet. There are some quick shots of set pieces, one of which has architecture like Mos Eisley on Tattooine. As Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau talk, concept art is shown. The first is of two Scout Troopers next to speeder bikes. There are more out-of-context shots, including a zooming-in close-up of the titular character, then of a small space station floating above a planet. Continuing, there is a slow-motion shot of Mandalorian exiting the Razorcrest. Yes, he looks awesome. There are more shots of the Mos Eisley-looking town.More concept art is shown, featuring Mandalorian talking to another Mandalorian, then the main character surrounded by other aliens, one of which is a Twi'lek. It then cuts to Mandalorian riding a dewback holding a very long gun. Goes on to shots from the set, and we catch brief glimpses of these things: An alien in a cantina, an R2 unit (not R2D2), a beat-up Stormtrooper helmet, six Jawas, an alien putting on a helmet, more Strormtroopers in clean costumes, and Gina Carano on set. While Favreau speaks, there is more concept art shown, including an alien race on a forest planet that looks very tribal charging at something off-screen.More concept art featuring new starships appear. The pilot looks almost like a Tie-pilot, but the character isn't flying a Tie-fighter. There’s lots of action concept art of Mandalorian, including firing a turret gun, and concept art of a Sandcrawler, with Razorcrest parked right outside of it.Before the panel officially ended, Favreau decided to show the audience even more footage to those attending the panel. This was also blacked out for the streamers at home, which we describe below. However, images for the upcoming show were released.The Trailer:The Razorcrest flies through space. We see it parked on a planet, which cuts to Mandalorian in a cantina, looking at Cara Dune (Carano) and asking, "That one over there. What's her business here?" Cara and Mandalorian have a brawl outside, and it comes to a stalemate, with both of them drawing weapons on each other. They're evenly matched. Stormtroopers arrive, and a flametrooper sets fire to a building. Mandalorian meets some other characters, one of which is a Twi'lek, which we saw in the concept art earlier.There are some shots of Mandalorian and these other characters--who seem like bounty hunters--in action. There is also a brief shot of an IG-series droid firing at people. Lots of shots of Mandalorian fighting stormtroopers, which is wonderfully satisfying. The commander of this unit (Giancarlo Esposito) seems to be the main antagonist for the show. What's left of the crumbling Empire is after the Mandalorian, but the trailer doesn't give away why.In addition to the footage, Carl Weathers will be in the series playing Grief Marga, the head of a guild of bounty hunters. Carano's character Cara is an ex-Rebel shock trooper who is having trouble integrating herself into society.The new series will debut on Disney+ on November 12, which also happens to be the first day the streaming service launches. The eight episode first season will see Jon Favreau serve as showrunner and feature directors Dave Filoni (Clone Wars, Rebels), and Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok), as well as Bryce Dallas Howard making her television directorial debut.The Mandalorian will follow a lone gunman out of the reaches of the New Republic in the era after Return of the Jedi but before Force Awakens. Believe it or not, this will be the first time Star Wars fans have seen a true Mandalorian character in a live-action adventure. The animated series The Clone Wars erased Jango Fett's history of being one, as Mandalorian Prime Minister Almec called him a "common bounty hunter" in Season 2, Episode 12 of the series. Maybe the series could retcon that?Even though this warrior tribe has never appeared in a live-action movie or TV series, the Mandalorians have been featured in both the Clone Wars and Rebels animated series. One of the main characters in Rebels, Sabine Wren, is one and that series dives into Mandalorian lore quite a bit.The Mandalorian comes to Disney+ on November 12.Info from Gamespot.com

The Winds Of Winter: George R.R. Martin Says Writing On Next GoT Book "Going Very Well Lately"If you take the events of the last few seasons of Game of Thrones at face value, the question "Who is the Night King?" seems easy to answer: He's an evil ice demon leading his forces south to annihilate the residents of Westeros with icy magic, rotting zombies, and even an undead dragon. That's pretty cut and dried.But this is Game of Thrones, and in this complex fantasy world, explanations are rarely that simple. Who is the Night King, really--and what does he want? Why is he marching south? And is the Night King really evil?Not BranLet's get this out of the way: The Night King is not, as one popular theory posits, Bran. Bran is not the Night King, and the Night King is not Bran. It's a stupid theory, and I would like to be done with it.The entire purpose of the Three-Eyed Raven, which Bran has become, is to stop the Night King. If Bran was the Night King, why would the original TER have put so much effort into luring Bran into his cave and teaching him? If Bran is the Night King, his entire arc for the past seven previous seasons is completely meaningless and void.That's not to say Bran is a hero in this story, as we've been led to believe. Bran could wind up being on the wrong side of this ultimate conflict, with his detached nature and the Three-Eyed Raven's dubious origins (the show made zero effort to explore the figure's backstory, so we have no idea who he actually is). But that doesn't mean he's going to go back in time, be transformed by ice magic, do nothing for thousands of years, and become a completely different person.And just in case you're not convinced, Bran actor Isaac Hempstead-Wright shot it down personally, telling Radio Times the theory is too "obvious," "cheesy," and lacking in dramatic weight. So, yeah. Please stop with this.Good or Bad?Even once we accept that the Night King isn't Bran, we still know practically nothing about the character. Clearly he's a thinking, sentient being, and the White Walkers around him have a society and hierarchy all their own. They make armor and weapons, and they have their own culture and, presumably, language (we've never actually heard one speak).So what is the Night King's true purpose? The stories passed down by humanity suggest that the White Walkers are a force of evil who arrive with the Long Night to murder everyone they can. But why? What are their goals? Why are they so hell-bent on traveling south?We learned during Bran's scenes in Season 6 that the Children of the Forest created the White Walkers in the first place to help them defend against the First Men, who were cutting down their forests as they settled Westeros. The White Walkers turned on the Children, who then joined forces with the Men to drive them back to the far north. So the story goes, but that doesn't really answer the question of "why." Hopefully the show elaborates on the White Walkers' background and goals more in Season 8, because if not, they'll be the first truly boring bad guys on a show otherwise filled with great and complex villains.Book OriginsThere's one other thing you need to understand about the Night King: He's an invention of the show. In other words, there is no "Night King" in the books. There's a "Night's King," who is actually completely different from the show's Night King; while if the White Walkers have a leader in the books, we've yet to meet him.It's unclear whether the story of the Night's King in the books will have any bearing on the show's Night King, but it may be worth going over just in case.In the books, the Night's King is a figure from legend and myth who is said to have lived thousands of years before the series' events. He was the 13th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch (for reference, Jon Snow is the 998th Lord Commander, so yes, a lot of time has passed). Legend has it the Night's King fell in love with a White Walker woman, took her as his bride, and ruled over one of the Watch's castles (the Nightfort) as a rebel of sorts, until an alliance of Northerners and Wildlings defeated him.Author George R.R. Martin actually addressed the relationship between the show's Night King and the book's Night's King in a blog post in 2015: "As for the Night's King (the form I prefer), in the books he is a legendary figure, akin to Lann the Clever and Brandon the Builder, and no more likely to have survived to the present day than they have."So yeah, according to Martin's own words, the Night King is an invention of the show, as the book's version is a figure from history who is no longer around in the present day. Whether the White Walkers in the books (or the "Others," as they're more commonly called) have a leader at all is something we might find out if George ever finishes the books.And as for the Night King in the show? Hopefully we'll know more about him by the end of Season 8.Read Next: The Winds Of Winter: George R.R. Martin Says Writing On Next GoT Book "Going Very Well Lately"Info from Gamespot.com

The new James Bond movie has brought on a new writer who will reportedly help add a further dimension of humour to the spy film. The Guardian reports that Fleabag creator and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge has been hired to "liven up" the script for Bond 25.007 actor Daniel Craig reportedly specifically requested that Waller-Bridge come aboard to "bring her wit and quirkiness to the screenplay." Craig reportedly said the movie needed further "polishing," specifically in the area of additional humour and other elements.Waller-Bridge is the Bond franchise's second female writer. The first was Johanna Harwood, who worked on the very first Bond movie, Dr. No, along with From Russia With Love.Bond 25 has seen a number of writers over the years. Original director Danny Boyle wrote an initial script with John Hodge, but Boyle ultimately exited the project due to "creative differences." True Detective's Cary Joji Fukunaga was later hired to direct, with veteran Bond writers Neil Purvis and Robert Wade coming aboard to adjust Hodge's script. Later, The Bourne Ultimatum writer Scott Z Burns joined Bond 25's writing team. And now Waller-Bridge is working on the script as well.As you might have imagined, all this changed led to production and release delays. The film was originally expected to hit theatres in October 2019, but it was later delayed to February 2020 and then further out to April 2020 where it currently sits on the release schedule.According to The Guardian, Bond 25 has done some location shoots in Italy, Norway, and Jamaica, along with sound stages at Pinewood Studios in the UK. However, the "proper" filming of the movie, as it's described in the report, reportedly hasn't begun yet.Craig returns to play 007 for the last time in Bond 25, while Ben Whishaw is expected to come back as Q. Ralph Fiennes will play M again and Naomie Harris is expected to reprise her role as Miss Moneypenny. Rami Malek is reportedly going to play the main villain.Info from Gamespot.com

Mortal Kombat 11 developer NetherRealm has clarified its stance on microtransactions and loot boxes in the soon-to-launch fighting game. As was already confirmed, the game does not feature any loot boxes, but like with many other AAA games, Mortal Kombat 11 will feature optional microtransactions that players can use to buy cosmetic items.In the latest Kombat Kast, producer Shaun Himmerick confirmed that Mortal Kombat 11 will have Time Crystals as its form of virtual currency. Players can spend these Crystals to acquire various cosmetic items such as skins, intros, easy fatalities, and gear, among other things. There is "nothing pay-to-win" with Mortal Kombat 11's microtransactions, Himmerick said. Regarding the gear, Himmerick said NetherRealm learned from Injustice 2--which let you buy gear with stats that impacted gameplay--and it won't repeat that with Mortal Kombat 11. The gear you can buy with real money has no gameplay impact on its own. Players will need to acquire stat augments from gameplay to improve their gearsets. Nothing in Mortal Kombat 11 requires Time Crystals, Himmerick said. "We don't want to have any competitive advantage for money," he said. Himmerick went on to say that NetherRealm will give players allotments of Time Crystals in the game as a means to give players a look at some of the content they can buy should they decide to spend real money.NetherRealm has yet to provide any details on specific price points for Mortal Kombat 11's microtransactions, but those details should become available soon as they game's launch is right around the corner. Regarding loot boxes, Ed Boon already confirmed Mortal Kombat 11 will not have them, and Himmerick offered more details. "There's no loot boxes. We don't want that. We've heard the community doesn't want that. We've seen the reaction to other games that have it. We don't want that reaction. There are no loot boxes in this game whatsoever," he said.Mortal Kombat 11 launches on April 23 for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. You can see all of GameSpot's written and video coverage here.. Info from Gamespot.com

Sony's beloved PS4 action game God of War came out one year ago this week, and to celebrate the birthday, the company is holding a week-long party of sorts. It kicks off with the release of new dynamic theme for PS4 that you can get right now. It shows a nice scene with Kratos and Atreus in the Lake of Nine. The theme is free for everyone. Then on Wednesday (April 17), Sony will release a new PS4 avatar set for God of War. It is also free. You don't need to have purchased God of War for PS4 to get the freebies. You can see images of the avatar sets and dynamic theme here on the PlayStation Blog.Shannon Studstill, the head of God of War developer Sony Santa Monica, penned a nice blog post about the game's anniversary. She said she was excited by the idea that game director Cory Barlog brought to the table years ago, but acknowledged it was no easy road."Change to a longstanding franchise comes with immeasurable doubt, a studio-defining risk, and a huge leap of faith," she said. "Thank you to our entire worldwide team; the Sony PlayStation family and you, the millions of God of War fans around the world who embraced that leap with us, on a journey we never expected. We made this journey together."God of War won multiple Game of the Year awards, including most recently at the BAFTAs. After such high praise for God of War, Studstill said she's enthusiastic about Sony Santa Monica's future games. "If I had to predict the next 20 years of Santa Monica Studio, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt, we will continue to create games whose art reflects life, life reflects art, with stories we want to resonate for years to come," she said. "Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for embracing the new God of War and for helping Santa Monica Studio rise up to a new beginning as well. From our whole team to you, that has meant everything to us. Now, we have a long journey ahead."Info from Gamespot.com

The final season of Game of Thrones is here. The premiere episode aired on HBO tonight, marking the beginning of the end. There are just five more episodes left to go now, and Game of Thrones has a lot to fit in before the finale if the show wants to wrap up every loose end created over the last eight years. For now, though, Season 8 Episode 1 was focused on one thing above all others: setup.Events in Winterfell set up the battle to come, as well as the interpersonal conflicts that will ultimately help determine the outcome of that battle. The characters in King's Landing continued to maneuver for the inevitable conclusion of the war of Westeros's Great Houses, and offscreen, the White Walkers struck their first blow south of the Wall.There were some monumental events in this episode--which will hopefully be the case for every episode of the final season. But from Jon finally riding a dragon to his finding out that he's the true heir to the Iron Throne, even these long-awaited, emotionally charged moments are really just setup for conflicts to come.Jon learning that he's a Targaryen is something book readers have been waiting for ever since the first book was published back in 1996 and fans originally theorized about his true parentage (the books are so far behind at this point that the theory still hasn't been confirmed officially in the source material). Jon and Daenerys being related doesn't necessarily spell doom for their blooming relationship--Targaryens of old frequently married within their own family to keep their Valyrian bloodline going strong. But as Jon replied to Sam in this premiere, voicing the revelation is akin to treason. Dany, on the other hand, has been self-assured regarding her right to the Throne since the beginning--and come to think of it, she probably won't take well to this news. Based on this episode, it's shaping up to be one of the major conflicts of the final season.The sight of Dany's Unsullied marching through the streets of Winter Town was enough to stir any Game of Thrones fan's blood, whether you started with the TV show or have been reading the books for 23 years. Old school Game of Thrones fans are much more comfortable in the in-between, perpetually waiting for the next book to come out or the next season to premiere. To be so close to the end is actually slightly uncomfortable, but for better or worse, here we are.One thing that will always feel good is watching long-separated Starks finally reunite. And this was an episode of reunions. From Jon and Arya to Sansa and Tyrion, these are conversations fans have speculated about, theorized on, and dreamt of for years. And by and large, they delivered exactly what we wanted: Arya flirted with Gendry and was vaguely threatening toward Sandor, while Sansa and Tyrion showed something approaching a mutual understanding. If nothing else, it's simply fun to see these characters come back together after so very long apart.For books fans, though, the show still can't help but feel a bit like fan fiction. Some characters, like the Hound, were so far removed from the story the last time we glimpsed them in the books that it seems unlikely they'll ever actually re-enter the books' events. Others, like Cersei, have changed so much from the source material that they're barely recognizable. I'm not saying whether that's good or bad--it just is. Since author George R.R. Martin hasn't been able to finish a book in eight years, this is the situation we're in.In King's Landing, events progressed pretty much as you'd expect. Euron arrived with the Golden Company, and Cersei continued to deride everyone around her, which will hopefully be her ultimate downfall. Euron finally getting in her pants may have been a big event for him--and no doubt Jamie wouldn't be thrilled if he were around--but for Cersei, using her sexuality to control the people around her isn't anything new. She's up to the same old tricks, but as this war comes to an end, old tricks might not cut it anymore. That said, we wanted to see those elephants as badly as you did, Cersei.There are only five episodes left of Game of Thrones. For longtime fans, it's bittersweet to get the ending from HBO's series instead of the books that we've loved for decades. But despite some ups and downs, HBO has done a fine job finishing what George R.R. Martin apparently can't. And I'm excited to see exactly how they do it over the next five weeks. Info from Gamespot.com

The Star Wars MMO The Old Republic launched all the way back in 2011, and it continues to get new content. The game's seventh expansion and its first since 2016's Knights of the Eternal Throne, has been announced. Called Onslaught, the expansion is coming this September."Star Wars: The Old Republic: Onslaught puts you at the center of the reignited war between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire," reads a line from its announcement. "Will you remain loyal to your faction or work to undermine and sabotage their war efforts? The choice is yours."Onslaught adds two new planets, a new Flashpoint, and a new Operation, and more abilities, while the level cap increases with the expansion as well.Players will travel to places like Onderon and Mek-Sha in search of new adventures and opportunities. The new Flashpoint, which is The Old Republic's version of a dungeon, is set on Corellia, while the new Operation (or raid) takes place on Onderon's biggest moon, Dxun."Our philosophy for this expansion is, play your way," the developer said. "Items have always been an important part of your character’s identity, but for the first time we are offering true depth and choice with exciting new items that let you decide how to play in the upcoming battle."There is a new type of gear slot available in the update in the form of Tactical items. "These build-defining items directly alter your abilities and playstyle. Taking these new items, players will be able to pair them with numerous new set bonuses to choose from, including general sets that can be used by everyone," BioWare said.Players can acquire the new sets through PvE, PvP, Galactic Command, or Crafting.Onslaught is free for The Old Republic subscribers, but a price point was not mentioned for those who are playing without a subscription.Onslaught is The Old Republic's seventh expansion; it follows Rise of the Hutt Cartel (2013), Galactic Starfighter (2014), Galactic Strongholds (2014), Shadow Revan (2014), Knights of the Fallen Empire (2015), and Knights of the Eternal Throne (2016).In other Star Wars news, EA just recently detailed Respawn's new Star Wars action game Jedi Fallen Order--get all the details here.Info from Gamespot.com

Despite its commercial and critical success, Sony's PlayStation 4 action game God of War will not receive an expansion. This much has already been confirmed. And now game director Cory Barlog confirmed it again."There is no DLC coming for the game. Sorry," Barlog said on Twitter. His tweet came in response to another tweet where he seemingly teased something new for God of War. But as it stands, he was only referring to more reveals coming this week for God of War's anniversary celebration.Just so no one gets the wrong idea - there is no DLC coming for the game. Sorry. — Cory Barlog 🎮 (@corybarlog) April 14, 2019We already know about the free dynamic theme and avatar set, and Barlog teased that even more is coming. But it won't be an announcement of God of War DLC.In January this year, Barlog talked about pitching an idea for God of War DLC. However, it was "too ambitious," and people told him the idea was crazy, so it got scrapped."I had a really fun idea for a DLC that I only regret because I would love to have done that," Barlog told Kinda Funny. "But it was too ambitious."It would have been similar to The Last of Us 1's Left Behind or Uncharted Lost Legacy releases, which were big enough to warrant their own standalone releases. "It would [have] ended up being its own thing," Barlog said of the God of War expansion we'll never see. "Rightfully so, everybody said, 'Dude, this is crazy, this isn't DLC, this is a little too big."In other news, Barlog joked on Twitter that the next God of War game will be exclusive to the Epic Store.Info from Gamespot.com

The teaser trailer for Star Wars Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker is here. The first look at the hugely-anticipated next Star Wars film was revealed at the franchise's annual Celebration convention, along with its title. It was introduced at the end of a panel discussion by director JJ Abrams and Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy, and it gives us our first look at the movie and real sense of what to expect. For all the details, check out our Episode 9 trailer breakdown.The trailer opens with Rey (Daisy Ridley) in the desert, a lightsaber in her hand, as she stares down a First Order fighter coming right at her. We hear Luke Skywalker's (Mark Hamill) voice tell her, "We've passed on all we know. A thousand generations live in your now, but this is your fight." She then runs at it, leaping to attack.The teaser also shows brief glimpses of many characters, from Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) cutting down foes with his lightsaber to Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) laughing while piloting the Millennium Falcon. The short tease also includes footage of Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher)'s role in the film, which looks to include a touching moment with Rey. Though Fisher died before production of the film began, unused footage from Star Wars: The Force Awakens is incorporated to complete her story.The final image of the trailer sees Rey and her friends together, as Luke's voice is heard once more, saying, "We'll always be with you. No one's ever really gone." Then, creepily, Emperor Palpatine's (Ian McDiarmid) laugh is heard cackling as the title is shown. Check out the teaser above. McDiarmid even appeared on stage at Celebration following the debut of the trailer to demand it be shown again.Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on December 19. Abrams returned to direct after helming 2015's The Force Awakens, although he wasn't the first choice of director. Jurassic World's Colin Trevorrow was initially hired, but he left the movie in September 2017.The film stars Daisy Ridley as Rey, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata, and Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux. New cast members include Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, and Keri Russell. The film will also see appearances from a number of Star Wars veterans including Mark Hamill as Luke, Billy Dee Williams as Lando, and Carrie Fisher as Leia. Fisher died before production began, but will appear in footage originally shot for 2017's The Last Jedi.Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker isn't the only new Star Wars release that fans have to look forward to this year. It has also been confirmed that the live-action TV show The Mandalorian will be available on the streaming service Disney+ when it launches on November 12.Star Wars Celebration also promises news and reveals for the new Star Wars game Jedi Fallen Order from the developers of Apex Legends and Titanfall. Go to GameSpot sister site CNET to see a full rundown of what to expect from the show.Info from Gamespot.com

Anticipation is sky-high for Star Wars: Episode IX, which releases in December and will complete the current trilogy that kicked off with 2015's The Force Awakens. But just prior to the debut of the movie's title and first trailer, Disney boss Bob Iger delivered some news regarding plans to slow the rapid influx of new Star Wars movies.In an interview with Bloomberg to mark the launch of the annual Star Wars Celebration this weekend, Iger stated that the studio plans to take some time off after Episode IX hits theaters. "We have not announced any specific plans for movies thereafter," he said. "There are movies in development, but we have not announced them. We will take a pause, some time, and reset, because the Skywalker saga comes to an end with this ninth movie. There will be other Stars Wars movies, but there will be a bit of a hiatus."At a panel during Star Wars Celebration, the cast and director JJ Abrams shared more details on this final installment of the Skywalker saga. The title will be The Rise of Skywalker, and it appears to bring the franchise full circle: the Emperor is back. You can check out the first teaser-trailer here to see it all for yourself.Iger also told Bloomberg that the studio plans to focus on Star Wars TV projects for the time being. It has been confirmed that the live-action TV show The Mandalorian will be available on the streaming service Disney+ when it launches in November. In addition, there is a series focused on the Rogue One character Cassian Andor in the works, plus a new season of the animated show The Clones Wars.Episode IX will be the fifth Star Wars movie to be released in four years. While The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and Rogue One were big box office hits, last year's Solo: A Star Wars Story was the first commercial failure in the series. After the movie only grossed $392 million worldwide, there were reports that Disney's plans for more spin-off movies had been cancelled.In terms of the Star Wars movies that we know about, there are separate trilogies in development from Last Jedi director Rian Johnson and Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss. It was recently rumored that Benioff and Weiss's films will be set in the Old Republic, several thousand years before the events of the current movies.For more on Star Wars Celebration, go to GameSpot sister site CNET to see a full rundown of what to expect from the show. Info from Gamespot.com