Monthly Archives: May 2015
Out This Week: May 4, 2015
With so many new games and movies coming out, it can be hard to keep up. Lucky for you, IGN is here to help with a weekly round-up of the biggest releases each and every week. Check out the latest releases for this week, and be sure to come back next Monday for a new update.
Note: The prices and deals compiled below are accurate at the time we published this story, but all are subject to change.
PlayStation Now Subscriptions Coming to PS3 This Month
PlayStation 3 users will be able to access the subscription model for game streaming service PlayStation Now on May 12.
One-month subscription memberships can be purchased for $20 USD, while three-month memberships are available for $45.
Over 100 PlayStation 3 games are available, and several others will also debut on the service on the day of its official roll out. These include Fat Princess, F1 2014, Sanctum 2, Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce, and Farming Simulator.
PlayStation Now is currently available in open beta on all major PlayStation platforms and will soon be available on Samsung TVs and Sony Blu-Ray Players. A post on the PlayStation Blog confirms more games to stream will be added soon. Those interested are invited to start a seven-day free trial to get a feel for it.
Game of Thrones: The Rise of the Fanatics
Welcome back to IGN's Game of Thrones show! This week, Eric Goldman and Roth Cornet give their initial impressions of episode 4, "Sons of the Harpy", of Season 5 of the HBO series.
From there, we move into a deeper discussion of some of the particulars of the episode, the Sparrows - the newly empowered faith militant - and Cersei's big move against Margaery, Tommen learning some of the pitfalls of leadership (as Dany continues to discover), Jamie and Bronn and the evolving storyline in Dorne - including our first real look at the Sand Snakes, and what Melisandre is up to over at the Wall.
Download Dragons on the Wall, "Sons of the Harpy" Here!
Star Wars Battlefront Features Over 10 Multiplayer Maps
Star Wars Battlefront will boast 12 multiplayer maps when the game launches this holiday season.
On the Star Wars Battlefront website, EA and DICE revealed the multiplayer map tally while discussing the creation of planet Sullust for Star Wars Battlefront. Sullust, which previously was only mentioned in Return of the Jedi, joins other confirmed locations Endor, Hoth and Tatooine as settings for arenas in the multiplayer-centric action game.
In regard to Sullust, there are mentions (though not confirmed) that the lava planet may host four of the maps, based on various themes. "The overall look and feel for Sullust is very much Imperial and under construction, playing in locations within the planet such as a lava theme, sulfur theme, Death Star-inspired theme and lastly a mine theme," reads the EA and DICE blog post.
App Store Update: May 4
Every day hundreds of new apps make their debut on the App Store, and hundreds more are updated or reduced in price. We have sifted through the noise and highlighted those select few that might be worth your attention.
Note: The prices and deals compiled below are accurate at the time we published this story, but all are subject to change.
The Enchanted Cave 2 – ($2.99)
"Delve into a strange cave with a seemingly endless supply of treasure, strategically choosing your battles to gather as much treasure as possible!"
NIH Won’t Fund Human Embryo Gene Editing
Recently, the use of gene editing has proven a useful practice in the prevention of genetic diseases and disorders for many humans around the globe. However, its ethical nature continues to be questionable in the eyes of modern researchers.
Particularly the National Institutes of Health, who recently released a statement recognizing the importance and usefulness of the procedure, but clearly stated they would not fund gene editing research conducted on human embryos.
"The concept of altering the human germline in embryos for clinical purposes has been debated over many years from many different perspectives, and has been viewed almost universally as a line that should not be crossed," the statement reads. "Advances in technology have given us an elegant new way of carrying out genome editing, but the strong arguments against engaging in this activity remain.
Madden NFL 16 Cover Star Vote Begins Today
Today EA revealed which four NFL stars will get a shot at gracing the cover of Madden NFL 16.
The finalists are New York Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown, New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski, and Arizona Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson.
You can now vote for the cover star on your phone via Madden NFL Mobile, or on your console through Madden NFL 15's Ultimate Team mode. As outlined on the EA Sports website, Madden NFL Mobile players can vote once a day by completing Live Events.
Voting for the first round will end May 11 at 3am ET, with the two finalists being announced the next day. The winner will then be revealed May 13 at 6pm ET during ESPN's SportsCenter.
Expect to Play More Wolfenstein 3D in The Old Blood
In an effort to acknowledge its classic roots, Machine Games will be including more Wolfenstein 3D in Wolfenstein: The Old Blood.
The first level of Wolfenstein 3D was playable as an easter egg called "Nightmare," found in the resistance hideout toward the beginning. In the upcoming standalone expansion The Old Blood, more of the classic shooter will be available to play.
"There are nine Nightmare levels in The Old Blood – one for each chapter in the game," Gustafsson confirmed on the Bethesda blog. According to him, a number of changes have been made to make the extra replayable.
8 Things to Watch This Week
This week on the ol' tube, FOX's Gotham closes out its hit first season while HBO airs an intimate documentary about Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and Dr. Wells uses Gorilla Grodd as a weapon on The Flash.
Netflix in May: Inglourious Basterds, Boxtrolls, More
Plus, CBS' Person of Interest caps off its thrilling fourth season, Damon Wayans Jr. bids farewell to New Girl, Revenge wraps up its series run, NBC's Undateable runs a live episode, and the villains get their own personal happy endings on Once Upon a Time. Let's take a look...
Middle-Earth has a High Oxygen Content, Study Reveals
Ever wonder how Aragorn pulls off the insane moves he does in battle? A new study explains that it may be due to the higher oxygen content available to people in Middle-Earth.
In a study titled "Does the Oxygen Content of Tolkien’s Middle Earth Allow for Greater Endurance?," Richard Walker and Alice Cooper-Dunn of The Centre for Interdisciplinary Science at the University of Leicester attempt to provide an answer.
Citing incidences such as the Battle of Helms Deep and Aragorn's ability to survive the night tirelessly fighting orcs, the study found Aragorn's endurance was likely explained by a higher level of oxygen available for him to breathe, which would in turn afford a greater amount of oxygen to the blood for a longer, more sustained amount of physical activity.