Monthly Archives: October 2015
Pokemon Is Coming to McDonalds Happy Meals
The Pokemon Company and McDonalds are teaming up for a range of Pokémon-themed Happy Meals.
The Happy Meal program will feature eight Pokémon toys based on the loveable critters seen in Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire. Those eight figures include: Pikachu, Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, Lugia, Rayquaza, Mega Latios, and Wobbuffet.
In addition to a toy, buyers will also receive one of 12 Pokémon Trading Card Game cards. This promotion is also how players in the US can get their hands on the mythical mischief Pokémon Hoopa.
Hoopa, for those who haven’t heard, is compatible with Pokémon X, Pokémon Y, Pokémon Omega Ruby, and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire. If you’re a player of the latter two titles, however, you’ll be able to change Hoopa’s form from Confined to Unbound.
How Stephen King Saved Evil Dead – Twice!
It’s all true! According to Evil Dead director Sam Raimi, you can thank none other than Stephen King for the long-lived franchise that spawned Deadites, boomsticks, and of course, that immortal dimwit Ash. And now, the Evil Dead return in Ash vs. Evil Dead, the new Starz TV series which debuts this weekend. Judging by the first episode (directed by Raimi), AvED is everything a fan could hope for and more, a bloody fun return to the insanity of the beloved original trilogy of films.
In anticipation of the show’s debut, I spoke with Mr. Raimi recently about the history of the Evil Dead -- how the first low-budget film came about, why a sequel was even made, and yes, how years ago it was Stephen King who made sure that we could all now live in an Evil Dead world. It’s always fun to talk to Mr. Raimi, but I must confess this was a particularly thrilling chat for me as we geeked out over a franchise that we both love so dearly. I hope you guys enjoy our discussion as much as I (and I think he) did!
Steam Halloween Sale Serves Up Spooky Savings
In celebration of Halloween, Valve is currently running a sale on Steam that discounts a wide array of different spooky and horror-themed games.
In addition to sizable discounts for all three BioShock titles, Techland's Dying Light is currently available at half price. CD Projekt's The Witcher trilogy, as well as the first two Dead Space games and several entries in Capcom's Resident Evil series have had their prices slashed, too.
That said, Valve's sale isn't limited to just horror games, as Grand Theft Auto V, ARK: Survival Evolved, and Cities: Skylines have all had their prices reduced as well.
Steam's Halloween sale will remain live until November 2 at 10am PT. You can head over to Valve's online store right now to take advantage of the savings.
Metal Gear Solid 5 Ships 5 Million Copies
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain has shipped 5 million units worldwide, Konami announced.
According to its latest financial report detailing the six-month period ending September 30, the publisher noted that this figure includes both digital copies, as well as those shipped to retailers. It also doesn't take into account the month of October, so shipment numbers may now be even higher.
Additionally, Konami revealed that its Digital Entertainment division (i.e. its video games business) was its most profitable segment, amassing 51.7bn yen in revenue.
Thanks to the incredible success of its smartphone title Jikkyou Pawafuru Puroyakyu, which has been downloaded a whopping 17 million times, Konami continues to thrive in the mobile market.
The Best Things We Saw at Paris Games Week
Hello, again. This week we headed under the English Channel for Paris Games Week. Here's a rundown of the best stuff we saw including:
- Playing Uncharted 4's revamped multiplayer for the first time
- Going all Sam Fisher with a baby boar in Wild
- Playing loads of PlayStation VR
- Eating CCP's leftover snacks
So what are you waiting for? Listen to our audio offering below, or watch the chaos unfold in the video above!
Iron Gaming’s New App Rezli is LinkedIn for the Games Industry
A LinkedIn - like service for gaming enthusiasts and industry professionals will launch into its first official beta this week.
Called Rezli, the app is meant to bridge the gap between gamers and games industry professionals and allow them direct contact with one another. According to Iron Gaming CEO Cory Allison, Rezli will "allow gamers of all ages to connect their skillsets with actual career opportunities."
Through Rezli, people can create profiles showing off their skills,interests, and strengths, then explore and discover educational opportunities and job openings while connecting with other players. It's a social platform intended to give players direct access to the industry as a whole.
Evolve’s Fifth Monster, Gorgon, Will Arrive Next Month
Evolve's fifth monster, the Gorgon, will arrive on November 3, 2015.
With traversal web slinging, Gorgon can swing and sling across the map and snare Hunters with webs. She can also attack with an Acid Spit ability, fire off a "bright green, player-controlled version of itself" that can detonate to inflict massive damage, and release a "spider-like creature" from her abdomen.
You can pick up the Gorgon for $10, or download the new creature free as part of Hunting Season Two.
Evolve launched in February, with a focus on eSports. Back in May, 2K announced over 2.5 million units had been sold and that Evolve would be a new permanent IP for Take-Take Interactive.
The Duct Tapes Are Forever Is the New DLC for The Escapists
Mouldy Toof and Team17 have announced that The Duct Tapes Are Forever DLC for The Escapists will be available next week.
The new DLC will be available on November 3 for PlayStation 4 and PC, and November 4 for Xbox One via the ID@Xbox program. It will cost you £3 / $4.50 / €4, and you'll need the base game to play.
"Captured by a heinous villain and trapped in his underground lair," says the game's description, "you must use all your spy cunning to sneak into restricted areas and gather the necessary items you’ll need to craft together to pull off your explosive break for freedom!"
The Duct Tapes Are Forever will contain a new lair to escape from, a leaderboard, and six new achievements to unlock.
The X-Files: New Video and Poster Revealed
FOX has unveiled a new TV promo and poster for their forthcoming revival of The X-Files.
The video seen below shows David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson back in action as agents Mulder and Scully, respectively.
The tagline on the new teaser poster below offers an updated spin on the original series' catchphrase:
The two-night season premiere of The X-Files airs Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016, at 10:00pm ET/7:00-8:00p,m PT, following the NFC Championship Game, and continuing with its time period premiere on Monday, Jan. 25; Monday, Jan. 25, 2016, at 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT.
Director Neill Blomkamp Announces Alien 5 on Hold
Director Neill Blomkamp announced tonight that Alien 5 is on hold for the time being and that he's moving on to other projects.
The filmmaker -- whose credits include District 9, Elysium, and Chappie -- stated on Twitter tonight: "alien is kinda holding/ pending prometheus 2. So I shall be working on other things... as much as I love the xeno- and Lt ripley."
It's a bitter irony seeing as how social media is part of how Blomkamp landed the Alien 5 directing gig to begin with. The director had only last week revealed on Instagram that the Pulse Rife would make a return in Alien 5, which was slated to shoot in Australia.