Monthly Archives: March 2021

WandaVision: Hot Toys Reveals a Magical Wanda Maximoff Figure

Warning: this article contains some spoilers for the final episode of WandaVision! [poilib element="accentDivider"] Now that WandaVision has completed its nine-episode run on Disney+, the toy and collectible floodgates have opened. That includes Hot Toys, who have just unveiled a pair of incredible new figures inspired by the Marvel series. Both Wanda and Vision are getting the full 1:6 scale treatment from Hot Toys again. Vision will once again sport his familiar green MCU costume, albeit it with a vastly upgraded body compared to the previous Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War figures. As for Wanda, Hot Toys is tackling her new comic book-inspired Scarlet Witch costume that debuted in the series finale. Check out the slideshow gallery below for a closer look at both figures: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=wandavision-hot-toys-reveals-scarlet-witch-and-vision-figures&captions=true"] The Scarlet Witch not only features a detailed recreation of Wanda's new MCU costume, it also includes a brand new head sculpt featuring Elizabeth Olsen's likeness. This is the first Hot Toys Wanda figure to feature sculpted hair rather than rooted hair. The figure also includes multiple hands (including some that are translucent pink), a posable, removable cape and a display base. The Vision figure also includes interchangeable hands and a matching display base, but he has a neat accessory of his own. The figure includes a backdrop depicting the magical energy field of the Hex. Both figures are available to preorder through Sideshow Collectibles and other retailers, with a projected release window between July and September of 2022. Scarlet Witch is priced at $275 and Vision is priced at $250. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/09/wandavision-series-review"] For more on WandaVision, see IGN's breakdown of every Marvel and sitcom Easter egg in the series and learn how the series finale sets up Doctor Strange 2. Then find out why head writer Jac Schaeffer didn't want the series to have a main villain like Mephisto. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

WandaVision: Hot Toys Reveals a Magical Wanda Maximoff Figure

Warning: this article contains some spoilers for the final episode of WandaVision! [poilib element="accentDivider"] Now that WandaVision has completed its nine-episode run on Disney+, the toy and collectible floodgates have opened. That includes Hot Toys, who have just unveiled a pair of incredible new figures inspired by the Marvel series. Both Wanda and Vision are getting the full 1:6 scale treatment from Hot Toys again. Vision will once again sport his familiar green MCU costume, albeit it with a vastly upgraded body compared to the previous Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War figures. As for Wanda, Hot Toys is tackling her new comic book-inspired Scarlet Witch costume that debuted in the series finale. Check out the slideshow gallery below for a closer look at both figures: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=wandavision-hot-toys-reveals-scarlet-witch-and-vision-figures&captions=true"] The Scarlet Witch not only features a detailed recreation of Wanda's new MCU costume, it also includes a brand new head sculpt featuring Elizabeth Olsen's likeness. This is the first Hot Toys Wanda figure to feature sculpted hair rather than rooted hair. The figure also includes multiple hands (including some that are translucent pink), a posable, removable cape and a display base. The Vision figure also includes interchangeable hands and a matching display base, but he has a neat accessory of his own. The figure includes a backdrop depicting the magical energy field of the Hex. Both figures are available to preorder through Sideshow Collectibles and other retailers, with a projected release window between July and September of 2022. Scarlet Witch is priced at $275 and Vision is priced at $250. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/09/wandavision-series-review"] For more on WandaVision, see IGN's breakdown of every Marvel and sitcom Easter egg in the series and learn how the series finale sets up Doctor Strange 2. Then find out why head writer Jac Schaeffer didn't want the series to have a main villain like Mephisto. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Valorant Player Sinatraa Suspended Following Sexual Abuse Accusations [Update]

Update: As the investigation into Jay 'Sinatraa' Won continues, the Overwatch League has issued a statement regarding the matter. Prior to playing Valorant esports, Won was a key member of the San Francisco Shock Overwatch team, where he was crowned MVP for the team's winning 2019 season. Furthermore, Overwatch will refund an Overwatch League skin for Zarya that was inspired by Won as part of his MVP win during his time in the league. The Overwatch League operates under a franchise system, and the San Francisco Shock is operated by a third-party company. In a statement to IGN, an Overwatch League spokesperson says, "The Overwatch League is aware of allegations made against former player Jay “Sinatraa” Won. We take any allegations of this nature seriously and unequivocally support victims of abuse." Overwatch League also says it will offer refunds for the "Alien" Overwatch League skin, which was designed to commemorate Won's MVP win. Anyone with the skin currently can refund the skin for 200 League Tokens (retail: $9.99 USD) and have the skin removed from their collection. The Overwatch Championship and MVP badges will also be removed from the Alien skin in a future patch. An official blog post on the Overwatch League website for how Won helped inspire the Alien skin has already been taken down and now redirects to an error page. [caption id="attachment_248505" align="alignnone" width="1280"]sinatraa_overwatch_league_skin Overwatch League 'Alien' skin for Zarya designed to commemorate Sinatraa's MVP win. Source: Blizzard[/caption] Here is the Overwatch League's full statement below:
“The Overwatch League is aware of allegations made against former player Jay “Sinatraa” Won. We take any allegations of this nature seriously and unequivocally support victims of abuse. The League is offering a refund of 200 League Tokens for the “Alien” Overwatch League MVP skin to players who request one, at which point the skin will be removed from their collection. We’ll share more information on how refunds will work soon. The Overwatch Championship and MVP badges will be removed from the “Alien” skin in a future patch.”
[poilib element="accentDivider"] Original Story: Professional Valorant player Jay 'Sinatraa' Won has been suspended from the North American Valorant Champions Tour following allegations that he sexually abused a former partner. Content Warning: details on sexual and emotional abuse follows. In a statement yesterday,  Cleo Hernandez provides a detailed, graphic account of her relationship with Won, saying Won pressured her into sex on numerous occasions without her consent, even after she repeatedly told him no or expressed that she was in pain. She also accused him of being emotionally abusive and manipulative while they were together. The account includes an audio recording in which Hernandez can be heard saying "No" repeatedly while a male voice, said to be Won's, insists on continuing. Today, Riot issued a statement through its official Valorant Champions Tour NA account authored by global head of competitive operations and Valorant, Alex Francois: "We are aware of the current situation regarding Jay Won (Sinatraa) and have launched an investigation. Per our existing competitive rules and investigative process, a decision has been made to suspend Won throughout the investigation and therefore he will not be able to compete this weekend." Won's team, the Los Angeles Sentinels, has also suspended Won with a similar statement: "We are aware of the current situation regarding Jay 'Sinatraa' Won and have launched an investigation internally. While the investigation is pending, he is suspended from the team. We will provide a further update once the investigation has concluded." Won is a former competitive Overwatch player who used to play for the San Francisco Shock, before moving to the Sentinels and Valorant in 2020. Won has yet to reply to these accusations. IGN has also reached out to the Overwatch League for comment as well. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

Disney+ Removes Peter Pan, Other Movies From Kids Profiles For Negative Depictions

Disney+ has removed access on kids profiles to several titles that usually come with content advisory notices, including Peter Pan and Dumbo. A 1011 Now news report identified Peter Pan, Dumbo, Aristocats, and the live-action Swiss Family Robinson as being amongst the titles that will no longer be available to stream on Disney+ profiles that are specifically set up for children, though "local ratings and cultural sensitivities can mean that there may be some variations in the availability of specific titles" in different regions. "Titles with a content advisory notice related to negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures have been excluded," the company confirms on its online help center. These exclusions apply to children's accounts only, meaning that the identified titles will remain in the Disney+ library for regular accounts, with a content advisory message being presented ahead of the feature. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=disney-spotlight-march-2021&captions=true"] This announcement comes shortly after The Walt Disney Company launched its Stories Matter initiative. As part of this effort, the company drafted in a group of experts to advise and assess its content and ensure that it accurately represents global audiences. On the site, Disney has included examples of the disclaimers now included with select titles, along with an explanation of some of the negative depictions. The disclaimer reads: "This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe." This updated content advisory notice started appearing in front of controversial movies and shorts in the Disney+ library towards the end of last year. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/10/disneys-jungle-cruise-official-trailer-2"] Disney further demonstrated the changes that are being implemented across the business when it announced plans to update its Jungle Cruise attraction at Disneyland and Walt Disney World after receiving years-long criticism over the ride's outdated and insensitive depictions of cultures. The river cruise will receive an updated storyline to better "reflect and value the diversity of the world around us." Jungle Cruise is not the only theme park attraction to be getting a revamp; Disney previously revealed that Splash Mountain will be "completely reimagined" as a Princess and the Frog ride at Disneyland and Walt Disney World after fans petitioned to overhaul the ride because it was inspired by (and still includes) imagery from Song of the South, a movie featuring racially insensitive depictions. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Disney+ Removes Peter Pan, Other Movies From Kids Profiles For Negative Depictions

Disney+ has removed access on kids profiles to several titles that come with content advisory notices, including Peter Pan and Dumbo. A 1011 Now news report identified Peter Pan, Dumbo, Aristocats, and the live-action Swiss Family Robinson as being amongst the titles that will no longer be available to stream on Disney+ profiles that are specifically set up for children, though "local ratings and cultural sensitivities can mean that there may be some variations in the availability of specific titles" in different regions. "Titles with a content advisory notice related to negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures have been excluded," the company confirms on its online help center. These exclusions apply to children's accounts only, meaning that the identified titles will remain in the Disney+ library for regular accounts, with a content advisory message presented ahead of the feature. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=disney-spotlight-march-2021&captions=true"] This announcement comes shortly after The Walt Disney Company launched its Stories Matter initiative. As part of this effort, the company drafted in a group of experts to advise and assess its content and ensure that it accurately represents global audiences. Disney has included examples of the disclaimers now included with select titles, along with an explanation of some of the negative depictions. The disclaimer reads: "This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe." This updated content advisory notice started appearing in front of controversial movies and shorts in the Disney+ library towards the end of last year. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/10/disneys-jungle-cruise-official-trailer-2"] Disney further demonstrated the changes that are being implemented across the business when it announced plans to update its Jungle Cruise attraction at Disneyland and Walt Disney World after receiving years-long criticism over the ride's outdated and insensitive depictions of cultures. The river cruise will receive an updated storyline to better "reflect and value the diversity of the world around us." Jungle Cruise is not the only theme park attraction to be getting a revamp; Disney previously revealed that Splash Mountain will be "completely reimagined" as a Princess and the Frog ride at Disneyland and Walt Disney World after fans petitioned to overhaul the ride because it was inspired by (and still includes) imagery from Song of the South, a movie featuring racially insensitive depictions. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Amazon Reportedly Working on a Secret Home Robot the Size of ‘Two Small Cats’

Amazon has reportedly reached the "late-prototype stage" of its secretive home robot project, codenamed Vesta. According to The Verge, an Insider report revealed that Amazon is making steady progress on its long-rumored Vesta bot after assigning more than 800 employees to the project. The company reportedly considers the development of its home robot a "top priority, as it has the potential to emerge as one of the biggest and most ambitious new technologies on the market. Speculative details in the report suggest the device will be around the size of "two small cats," approx. 10 to 13 inches wide, and that it will be able to move around a space and navigate an area, just like a furry feline, as the voice-activated assistant will roll about on its wheels. The robot will function as a home automation hub by responding to comments and interfacing with other smart home devices. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/revealed-your-top-5-giant-robots-mechs-power-ranking"] Additionally, the robot is said to be equipped with a screen, a microphone, several cameras, and possibly even sensors. These extra features would help to make Amazon's home robot one of the more advanced of its type, with some of the built-in gadgets used to monitor surroundings for environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and air quality. The bot could also include a "small compartment" for carrying objects as part of its design, as well as a "waist-high retractable pole with a camera" that could act as another set of eyes when users misplace items around their home. As useful as it all sounds, some employees have reportedly expressed concern over whether the robot will find a customer base if it ever hits the market. Insider claims an anonymous source "directly involved" with the project said that people were "very skeptical" about the product launch, as there had been apprehension over the possibility of it "turning into another Fire Phone." Amazon had a hard time selling its first-ever phone, with the company reportedly having lost $170 million on the phone shortly after its release. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-12-greatest-giant-robots-ever&captions=true"] If the Vesta robot does eventually hit the market, then it is believed that it could initially be launched as a "limited invite-only product," as a means of presumably gauging reactions and interest before stocking up the inventory. It sounds like a smart plan to us, especially since a recent study found that humans prefer A.I. robots to look human... well, at least, up to a certain point. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Amazon Reportedly Working on a Secret Home Robot the Size of ‘Two Small Cats’

Amazon has reportedly reached the "late-prototype stage" of its secretive home robot project, codenamed Vesta. According to The Verge, an Insider report revealed that Amazon is making steady progress on its long-rumored Vesta bot after assigning more than 800 employees to the project. The company reportedly considers the development of its home robot a "top priority, as it has the potential to emerge as one of the biggest and most ambitious new technologies on the market. Speculative details in the report suggest the device will be around the size of "two small cats," approx. 10 to 13 inches wide, and that it will be able to move around a space and navigate an area, just like a furry feline, as the voice-activated assistant will roll about on its wheels. The robot will function as a home automation hub by responding to comments and interfacing with other smart home devices. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/revealed-your-top-5-giant-robots-mechs-power-ranking"] Additionally, the robot is said to be equipped with a screen, a microphone, several cameras, and possibly even sensors. These extra features would help to make Amazon's home robot one of the more advanced of its type, with some of the built-in gadgets used to monitor surroundings for environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and air quality. The bot could also include a "small compartment" for carrying objects as part of its design, as well as a "waist-high retractable pole with a camera" that could act as another set of eyes when users misplace items around their home. As useful as it all sounds, some employees have reportedly expressed concern over whether the robot will find a customer base if it ever hits the market. Insider claims an anonymous source "directly involved" with the project said that people were "very skeptical" about the product launch, as there had been apprehension over the possibility of it "turning into another Fire Phone." Amazon had a hard time selling its first-ever phone, with the company reportedly having lost $170 million on the phone shortly after its release. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-12-greatest-giant-robots-ever&captions=true"] If the Vesta robot does eventually hit the market, then it is believed that it could initially be launched as a "limited invite-only product," as a means of presumably gauging reactions and interest before stocking up the inventory. It sounds like a smart plan to us, especially since a recent study found that humans prefer A.I. robots to look human... well, at least, up to a certain point. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Animal Crossing Build-a-Bears Are Moving In

Have you ever wished you could cuddle a big stuffed animal of Tom Nook, and then dress him up in a bunch of cute little outfits? Build-a-Bear may be about to make that a reality. In a tweet today, Build-a-Bear announced it had partnered with Nintendo for an Animal Crossing collection: Unfortunately, there are no further details at the moment as to which Animal Crossing characters will be turned into cute stuffed animals. Based on past promotions, it seems very possible we get at least one or two bears based on or inspired by main characters from the game such as Tom Nook or Isabelle, as well as a handful of outfits that can be worn by any bear. It's also possible that, like other collections, this is one that grows over time to include more and more characters. Build-a-Bear has previously released numerous collections based on popular entertainment properties including Super Mario, Doctor Who, Pokémon, Frozen, How to Train Your Dragon, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Mandalorian, and Sonic the Hedgehog. Meanwhile, Animal Crossing has seen plenty of interesting crossovers lately, including a partnership with ColourPop for a make-up line and an upcoming crossover with Sanrio to add six new villagers based on Sanrio characters, as well as a ton of new furniture items, to the game. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

Animal Crossing Build-a-Bears Are Moving In

Have you ever wished you could cuddle a big stuffed animal of Tom Nook, and then dress him up in a bunch of cute little outfits? Build-a-Bear may be about to make that a reality. In a tweet today, Build-a-Bear announced it had partnered with Nintendo for an Animal Crossing collection: Unfortunately, there are no further details at the moment as to which Animal Crossing characters will be turned into cute stuffed animals. Based on past promotions, it seems very possible we get at least one or two bears based on or inspired by main characters from the game such as Tom Nook or Isabelle, as well as a handful of outfits that can be worn by any bear. It's also possible that, like other collections, this is one that grows over time to include more and more characters. Build-a-Bear has previously released numerous collections based on popular entertainment properties including Super Mario, Doctor Who, Pokémon, Frozen, How to Train Your Dragon, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Mandalorian, and Sonic the Hedgehog. Meanwhile, Animal Crossing has seen plenty of interesting crossovers lately, including a partnership with ColourPop for a make-up line and an upcoming crossover with Sanrio to add six new villagers based on Sanrio characters, as well as a ton of new furniture items, to the game. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

PS5 Developers Can Now Add Denuvo Anti-Cheat to Their Games

Denuvo Anti-Cheat has joined the PlayStation 5 Tools and Middleware program, hoping to help developers to fight cheaters on the platform. Revealed in a press release from Denuvo creator Irdeto, the company announced that game publishers and developers would be able to leverage its anti-cheat technology to "bring cheating to an end" on PlayStation 5. "Denuvo, the leader in video games protection, offers its Anti-Cheat solution through this program to publishers and developers whose games are available on PlayStation 5," the release reads. Denuvo reasons that its tools will allow developers to protect their investment, when "approximately 70% of their revenue is earned in the first two weeks after the launch of a game." Many developers risk losing their player base if a game is overrun by cheaters. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/28/top-10-ps5-games"] Irdeto said that Denuvo's technology allows developers to "secure both online gameplay as well as securely reward offline progress," and mentioned that it was already being used in a number of PlayStation 5 launch games (although it's not clear which ones). The company reiterated that its technology "has no negative impact on in-game performance," and noted that it has protected "over 2 billion unique game installs" across all gaming platforms. Denuvo has been controversial in the games community previously. id Software recently added and then later removed Denuvo Anti-Cheat from Doom Eternal following online backlash from players. Denuvo Anti-Tamper, a separate anti-piracy tool, has more frequently been a cause for concern, with developers and players citing performance issues. In other PS5 news, here's our coverage of the first 100 days of the console's launch. Internal storage upgrades will reportedly be enabled for the console via a firmware patch later this year. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter