Star Wars Episode I: Racer, originally released on Nintendo 64 in 1999, will be released on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on May 12, 2020. Announced on StarWars.com, Star Wars Episode I: Racer features over 20 podracers and eight worlds and is focused solely on the dangerous racing sport featured in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Players can choose to play as young Anakin Skywalker, Sebulba, Ben Quadrinaros, Clegg Holdfast, Cy Yunga, Dud Bolt, and many more aliens from that galaxy far, far away. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-wars-episode-i-racer-screenshots&captions=true"] Developer Aspyr and Lucasfilm are bringing this game forward with modernized controls and believe this is the perfect time for this Star Wars classic to race once again. Producer James Vicari explained why this is so important;

"Honestly, because good games should never be forgotten and great games deserve to be revisited as much as possible," Vicari said. "I think Racer, like Jedi Academy and Jedi Outcast before it, has two crucial qualities: it’s a great game and it has emotional resonance. Those are very important to us. We really believe in reuniting fans with something they cherished, or connecting a new audience with something they may have missed."

Vicari mentioned Jedi Academy, which was recently announced at the last Nintendo Direct Mini and re-released on Nintendo Switch alongside the reveal that Star Wars Episode I: Racer would also be on its way shortly. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/05/01/star-wars-episode-1-racer-pc-re-release-gameplay-1080p-60fps"] Star Wars Episode I: Racer was re-released on PC via GOG in 2018, and now more Star Wars fans will have a chance to relieve the racing game that we said "feels almost as good as the movie." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

The release date for Spongebob Squarepants: Battle For Bikini Bottom Rehydrated has been revealed, and it's coming on June 23. THQ Nordic announced the date in a "pre-hydrated" trailer, which features new gameplay footage of Spongebob, Patrick, and Sandy-based levels as well, as some of the boss fights in the game. It also features a quick look at the game's new multiplayer which seems to be wave-based arena-like battles featuring PvE elements. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/16/spongebob-squarepants-battle-for-bikini-bottom-rehydrated-pre-hydrated-trailer"] This release date comes after an infographic released by Nintendo in January seemingly revealed a May release date for Spongebob Squarepants: Battle For Bikini Bottom Rehydrated. That infographic, which featured the release dates of many upcoming Nintendo Switch titles, highlighted a May 22 release date for this Spongebob game. THQ Nordic told IGN at the time that a release date for the game was not known, confirming that the May 22 release date was not real. Oddly enough, May 22 was originally the release date for the upcoming The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run, which features a Keanu Reeves cameo. That movie's release was delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic though and is now set for release on July 31, 2020. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/16/spongebob-squarepants-battle-for-bikini-bottom-rehydrated-fun-edition-trailer-2"] If you're interested in Spongebob Squarepants: Battle For Bikini Bottom Rehydrated, check out the special editions of the game available for preorder. The game is currently only available for pre-order on PC and Xbox One, according to the description of the trailer released today. PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch pre-orders will go live at a later date. For more gameplay, here's 12 minutes of gameplay from Gamescom 2019. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/16/spongebob-squarepants-battle-for-bikini-bottom-rehydrated-shiny-edition-trailer-2"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.  

In what would be the strangest news story of the week if it wasn't for Cooking Mama, McDonald's ran an advertising campaign in China teasing a new 5G smart device, which turned out to not be a cell phone but actually… chicken. As reported by Gizmochina, on April 13 McDonald's teased a new 5G product on its WeChat account, the Chinese social messaging service. The teasers look akin to many smartphone advertisements, with sleek designs hidden in shadow. Images in the advertisements suggested functions like facial recognition, cameras, and fast 5G capabilities. According to popular analyst Daniel Ahmad, speculation pointed to a new self checkout system. Whatever it was, it sure didn't suggest that you could eat it.

McDonalds is hosting a 5G conference in China to unveil its latest product.

It's teasing some type of smart product with slim bezels, the latest tech, facial recognition, high quality sound, camera and 5G. Speculation says it's some new self checkout product. pic.twitter.com/ETR4JJT5E4 — Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) April 15, 2020

On April 15, McDonald's in China revealed what the new 5G device was: chicken. McCrispy Chicken, in fact. That’s crispy fried chicken with special spices and sauces. And while that all sounds really tasty, it definitely doesn’t seem to have anything to do with 5G. If you don’t speak Mandarin, then all of this makes very little sense. But if you do speak Mandarin, then you’ll know that the world Ji - pronounced like ‘G’ - is Mandarin for chicken. Yes, the entire campaign is a pun. As for the 5, well that’s the five chicken technologies, of course: taste, freshness, juiciness, crispy texture, and multiple sizes (leg, wing, and breast). [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/22/5g-will-bring-google-stadia-virtually-anywhere-exec-says-ign-unfiltered"] For 5G tech that's actually real, check out of first look at TCL's upcoming smartphone that offers 5G for just $400. That may be more than a bucket of chicken, but you'll find it easier to browse Reddit on a phone instead of a crispy wing. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

The forthcoming TV series based on 1993 adventure game Myst has hired X-Men: First Class writer Ashley Edward Miller. Deadline reports that Miller, who also worked on 2011's Thor and 2003's Agent Cody Banks has joined the project, which is in production at Village Roadshow. According to the report, Village Roadshow will "rely on and expand the game's existing mythology to develop a multi-platform universe that includes film, scripted and unscripted television content." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/09/13/history-of-awesome-myst"] A Myst TV show has been in development for several years now, with the adaptation originally revealed back in 2014 by Legendary Entertainment. In 2015, it was revealed that the show was set to land on streaming service Hulu with a companion game, but neither project materialised. The rights have changed hands since and Village Roadshow picked up the rights to in 2019, with Myst co-creator Rand Miller and his brother Ryan Miller consulting and developing the show. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2014/05/08/myst-rand-miller-interview"] If you've never heard of Myst, it's a classic point-and-click adventure game franchise from the 90s. The player controls a character from the first-person perspective as they solve puzzles left by an ominous force known as The Stranger, travelling to several mysterious worlds in the process. It was the best selling game of all time from 1993 until 2002, when The Sims usurped its throne. In other Myst news, check out our interview with Rand Miller from last year for insight about the development of Myst and its 2016 spiritual successor, Obduction. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN who is excited about this not because he's played Myst (he hasn't) but because Agent Cody Banks is a perfect film. Follow him on Twitter. 

The forthcoming TV series based on 1993 adventure game Myst has hired X-Men: First Class writer Ashley Edward Miller. Deadline reports that Miller, who also worked on 2011's Thor and 2003's Agent Cody Banks has joined the project, which is in production at Village Roadshow. According to the report, Village Roadshow will "rely on and expand the game's existing mythology to develop a multi-platform universe that includes film, scripted and unscripted television content." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/09/13/history-of-awesome-myst"] A Myst TV show has been in development for several years now, with the adaptation originally revealed back in 2014 by Legendary Entertainment. In 2015, it was revealed that the show was set to land on streaming service Hulu with a companion game, but neither project materialised. The rights have changed hands since and Village Roadshow picked up the rights to in 2019, with Myst co-creator Rand Miller and his brother Ryan Miller consulting and developing the show. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2014/05/08/myst-rand-miller-interview"] If you've never heard of Myst, it's a classic point-and-click adventure game franchise from the 90s. The player controls a character from the first-person perspective as they solve puzzles left by an ominous force known as The Stranger, travelling to several mysterious worlds in the process. It was the best selling game of all time from 1993 until 2002, when The Sims usurped its throne. In other Myst news, check out our interview with Rand Miller from last year for insight about the development of Myst and its 2016 spiritual successor, Obduction. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN who is excited about this not because he's played Myst (he hasn't) but because Agent Cody Banks is a perfect film. Follow him on Twitter. 

Crysis Remastered has been revealed, and is "coming soon" to PS4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch. At time of writing, heading to the Crysis website's Cookie Policy page will show the Crysis Remastered logo - clicking on that logo leads you to the new website, with new artwork to go with it: The website blurb reads: "Crytek’s ground-breaking, critically acclaimed first person shooter is back! Crysis Remastered is coming to PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch – the game's debut on a Nintendo platform." Crytek has yet to officially announce the game, but we can assume that will follow shortly. No release date is given, beyond saying it's "coming soon". There's also a tiny, hexagonal glimpse at what the game will seemingly look like: Back in 2007, we called Crysis "one of, if not the, most stunningly beautiful games we've ever seen. But even beyond that, it's a pretty fantastic shooter." We awarded it a 9.4 review. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Crysis Remastered has been revealed, and is "coming soon" to PS4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch. At time of writing, heading to the Crysis website's Cookie Policy page will show the Crysis Remastered logo - clicking on that logo leads you to the new website, with new artwork to go with it: The website blurb reads: "Crytek’s ground-breaking, critically acclaimed first person shooter is back! Crysis Remastered is coming to PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch – the game's debut on a Nintendo platform." Crytek has yet to officially announce the game, but we can assume that will follow shortly. No release date is given, beyond saying it's "coming soon". There's also a tiny, hexagonal glimpse at what the game will seemingly look like: Back in 2007, we called Crysis "one of, if not the, most stunningly beautiful games we've ever seen. But even beyond that, it's a pretty fantastic shooter." We awarded it a 9.4 review. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Sony's PlayStation 5 production output will reportedly be "limited" in the first year of its launch, as Sony expects a higher price to affect demand for its new console. A Bloomberg report cites "people familiar with the matter", claiming that Sony is set to produce fewer PS5 units in the console's first year than it did for PS4's launch in 2013. According to Bloomberg's sources, Sony will make "5 to 6 million units of the PS5 in the fiscal year ending March 2021." For some perspective on that figure, the PS4 sold over 7 million units in around five months. The reasoning for that apparently comes down more to the effect of a higher price tag. The report notes that Sony anticipates the console's price tag to come in at around "$499 to $549" - a figure the company thinks could put off some potential buyers in a launch year, meaning it will scale down production. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/10/09/ps5-features-we-really-want"] The exact price of the console is hard to pin down however - the scarcity of components is reportedly making it difficult for Sony to pin down a price for the PS5, as any shortages could lead to the higher end of that reported pricing range. The COVID-19 outbreak is apparently only a factor on those components, rather than production of the completed PS5 itself. According to Bloomberg's sources - who requested not to be identified - the pandemic has affected Sony's "promotional plans for the new device," but its production capacity for the PS5 remains unchanged. As such, it's thought that Sony may "forgo hosting a public press conference" due to fears pertaining to the coronavirus. Bloomberg's sources noted that this pressure impacted the reveal of the DualSense controller, which was "hurried" due to the potential for leaks after sharing the controller's design with developers outside of Sony. It's also worth noting, however, that the report mentions that the production capacity for the PS5 "could still change" as the unpredictable COVID-19 pandemic rages on. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/18/ps5-deep-dive-reveal"] Yet a launch window of the 2020 holiday season is still likely, with Bloomberg's sources noting that it wouldn't change as long as Microsoft keeps to its plans to launch the Xbox Series X at the end of the year. Sony itself has previously said it won't delay launch, but industry analysts have previously warned that we could see launch shortages. For more on PlayStation 5, be sure to check out the PS5's full specs and how it compares to Xbox Series X, why audio could be Sony's next-gen console's killer feature, and how the DualSense compares to every other PlayStation controller. Here's how to help and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Sony's PlayStation 5 production output will reportedly be "limited" in the first year of its launch, despite its production capacity being unaffected so far by COVID-19. A Bloomberg report cites "people familiar with the matter", claiming that Sony is set to produce fewer PS5 units in the console's first year than it did for PS4's launch in 2013. According to Bloomberg's sources, Sony will make "5 to 6 million units of the PS5 in the fiscal year ending March 2021." For some perspective on that figure, the PS4 sold over 7 million units in around five months. The reasoning for that apparently comes down more to the effect of a higher price tag affecting demand, rather than COVID-19 related production problems. The report notes that Sony anticipates the console's price tag to come in at around "$499 to $549." The scarcity of components is reportedly making it difficult for Sony to pin down a price for the PS5. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/10/09/ps5-features-we-really-want"] According to Bloomberg's sources - who requested not to be identified - the COVID-19 pandemic has affected Sony's "promotional plans for the new device," but its production capacity for the PS5 remains unchanged. As such, it's thought that Sony may "forgo hosting a public press conference" due to fears pertaining to the coronavirus. Bloomberg's sources noted that this pressure impacted the reveal of the DualSense controller, which was "hurried" due to the potential for leaks after sharing the controller's design with developers outside of Sony. It's also worth noting that the report mentions that the production capacity for the PS5 "could still change" as the unpredictable COVID-19 pandemic rages on. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/18/ps5-deep-dive-reveal"] Yet a launch window of the 2020 holiday season is still likely, with Bloomberg's sources noting that it wouldn't change as long as Microsoft keeps to its plans to launch the Xbox Series X at the end of the year. Sony itself has previously said it won't delay launch, but industry analysts have previously warned that we could see launch shortages. For more on PlayStation 5, be sure to check out the PS5's full specs and how it compares to Xbox Series X, why audio could be Sony's next-gen console's killer feature, and how the DualSense compares to every other PlayStation controller. Here's how to help and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

The long-gestating Fonzo, director Josh Trank's film about gangster Al Capone starring Tom Hardy, has a new title, release date, and trailer. Trank tweeted the first trailer for the retitled Capone with the reveal that the movie will be released on May 12. Trank noted the title change from Fonzo in his post: "Different title. My cut." Here's the official statement on Capone's VOD release: "With theatres closed, Vertical Entertainment and Redbox Entertainment have teamed up to release CAPONE as a home premiere VOD release on May 12th  with an on-demand 48-hour rental. The distributor is still hoping for a theatrical release later in the summer as things return to normal." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/16/capone-official-trailer-1"] Trank also tweeted that while Capone will debut on streaming, he hopes it will also receive a theatrical release later this year. Capone, the director explained, had initially been made for a theatrical release not streaming. Capone is just one of many films whose theatrical release has been impacted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Capone follows the titular gangster's later years after his release from federal incarceration, as he slowly loses his mind to the ravages of neurosyphilis. Here's the official plot synopsis: "Once a ruthless businessman and bootlegger who ruled Chicago with an iron fist, Alfonse Capone was the most infamous and feared gangster of American lore. At the age of 47, following nearly a decade of imprisonment, dementia rots Alfonse’s mind and his past becomes present. Harrowing memories of his violent and brutal origins melt into his waking life. As he spends his final year surrounded by family with the FBI lying in wait, this ailing patriarch struggles to place the memory of the location of millions of dollars he hid away on his property." It was revealed earlier today that Capone will be rated R "for strong/bloody violence, pervasive language and some sexuality" and that its domestic distributor is Vertical Entertainment. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=new-movies-coming-to-vod-early&captions=true"] For more streaming content, check out all the new titles out this month to Netflix and Disney+.