Monthly Archives: March 2022

Scott Hall, Who Rose To WWE Fame As Razor Ramon, Dies At 63

Scott Hall, the WWE Hall of Fame wrestling legend who rose to stardom as Razor Ramon and was a founding member of nWo, has died at the age of 63.

As reported by ESPN, Hall broke his hip last month and had severe health complications following the surgery that was meant to repair it. On Sunday, Hall's best friend and former tag-team partner Kevin Nash wrote on Instagram that he was on life support, and his close friend Sean Waltman confirmed he had passed away on Monday, March 14.

Hall was born on October 20, 1958, in St. Mary's County, Maryland, and he moved around a lot growing up as his father was in the military. In 1984, he began his pro-wrestling career in Championship Wrestling of Florida. From there, he would participate in AWA, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, WWC in Puerto Rico, and WCW before joining WWF in 1992.

The WWF is where he took on the moniker of Razor Ramon, a "Miami-Cuban character based on Scarface." Hall was also nicknamed "The Bad Guy" and would become a founding member of the New World Order (nWo) alongside Hulk Hogan and Kevin Nash.

He won the WWF Intercontinental title four times and won seven tag team titles in the WCW, and six of the tag team titles were with Nash. He was the United States Heavyweight champion twice and won the World Television title once.

Hall was a heel in the wrestling world, but his charisma and charm won the hearts of many fans around the globe. He was known for chewing a toothpick, his slicked-back hair with a single curl on his forehead, and catchphrases like "hey, yo" and "survey says." His finishing move - Razer's Edge - saw him hold his opponent with both arms outstretched before slamming them to the ground.

"There was nobody cooler than Scott Hall," former WCW and current AEW broadcaster Tony Schiavone told ESPN in 2021. "Kevin Nash was cool, too, but freakin' Scott Hall was ahead of his time."

Hall returned to the WWE (which used to be known as WWF) after WCW went out of business and was bought by the WWF in 2001. In 2002, he was released due to "issues related to substance abuse." He would seek treatment and had "reportedly gotten sober in the recent years."

In 2014, he was inducted in to the WWE Hall of Fame for his time as Razor Ramon. In 2020, he would be inducted again as part of nWo.

When Scott was still on life support, Nash shared a few words about his close friend and someone he loved with all his heart.

"Scott's on life support," Nash wrote. "Once his family is in place they will discontinue life support. I'm going to lose the one person on this planet I've spent more of my life with than anyone else. My heart is broken and I'm so very fucking sad. I love Scott with all my heart but now I have to prepare my life without him in the present.

"I've been blessed to have a friend that took me at face value and I him. When we jumped to WCW we didn't care who liked or hated us. We had each other and with the smooth Barry Bloom we changed wrestling both in content and pay for those......alot that disliked us. We were the 'Outsiders' but we had each other.

"Scott always felt he wasn't worthy of the afterlife. Well God please have some gold plated toothpicks for my brother. My life was enriched with his take on life. He wasn't perfect but as he always said 'The last perfect person to walk the planet they nailed to a cross' As we prepare for life without him just remember there goes a great guy you ain't going to see another one like him again. See Ya down the road Scott. I couldn't love a human being any more than I do you."

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Grand Theft Auto 5 Loads Over Twice as Fast on PS5 Than PS4

One of the key features of the new-gen consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X is the faster loading times, and this key benefit is coming to Grand Theft Auto 5 when it’s re-released on the newest systems.

According to tests we ran here at IGN, Grand Theft Auto 5 loads lightning fast on the PlayStation 5, especially compared to the PlayStation 4 version. Replay Mission take around 5 seconds to load, nearly 75% faster than on the PS4.

Particularly striking is how fast autosaves load on the PS5 versus the PS4. On Sony’s newest console, GTA 5 loads save files at around 20 seconds while it takes over two minutes to load the same file on PS4.

Check out the load time comparison below for the full results of our tests.

Alongside faster load times, GTA 5 will come with enhanced visual settings for PS5 and Xbox Series X that include 4K with Ray Tracing at 30 FPS, or a performance mode that targets upscaled 4K at 60 FPS.

On the PS5, GTA 5 will include DualSense haptics and other Adaptive Triggers feedback, as well as “high-end PC” visuals on consoles including “increased population and traffic variety, increased vegetation density, improved lighting quality across shadows, water reflections, and other elements.”

GTA 5 is currently available for pre-load and will cost $9.99 for PS5 for the first three months before increasing to $39.99. For Xbox Series X|S the price will start at $19.99 for the first three months before also increasing to $39.99.

Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the most popular games of the generation and will be hitting stores again after almost 10 years. But don’t worry, Rockstar did officially confirm it is working on Grand Theft Auto 6, though don’t expect any more details on that for a while.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Grand Theft Auto 5 Loads Over Twice as Fast on PS5 Than PS4

One of the key features of the new-gen consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X is the faster loading times, and this key benefit is coming to Grand Theft Auto 5 when it’s re-released on the newest systems.

According to tests we ran here at IGN, Grand Theft Auto 5 loads lightning fast on the PlayStation 5, especially compared to the PlayStation 4 version. Replay Mission take around 5 seconds to load, nearly 75% faster than on the PS4.

Particularly striking is how fast autosaves load on the PS5 versus the PS4. On Sony’s newest console, GTA 5 loads save files at around 20 seconds while it takes over two minutes to load the same file on PS4.

Check out the load time comparison below for the full results of our tests.

Alongside faster load times, GTA 5 will come with enhanced visual settings for PS5 and Xbox Series X that include 4K with Ray Tracing at 30 FPS, or a performance mode that targets upscaled 4K at 60 FPS.

On the PS5, GTA 5 will include DualSense haptics and other Adaptive Triggers feedback, as well as “high-end PC” visuals on consoles including “increased population and traffic variety, increased vegetation density, improved lighting quality across shadows, water reflections, and other elements.”

GTA 5 is currently available for pre-load and will cost $9.99 for PS5 for the first three months before increasing to $39.99. For Xbox Series X|S the price will start at $19.99 for the first three months before also increasing to $39.99.

Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the most popular games of the generation and will be hitting stores again after almost 10 years. But don’t worry, Rockstar did officially confirm it is working on Grand Theft Auto 6, though don’t expect any more details on that for a while.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Intel Will Soon Reveal Its New Line Of Arc Laptop GPUs

Intel announced today that it will be hosting a digital broadcast later this month focusing on its first-generation Arc series graphics cards.

The broadcast will air on Wednesday, March 30 at 8am PT / 11am ET and will provide viewers with a "first look" at Intel's new discrete graphics for laptops. While the company has announced intentions to release its Arc GPUs in laptops, desktops, and workstations, the company's upcoming broadcast will focus solely on the laptops.

Earlier this year, the company announced that its Arc series would arrive first on laptops with a Q1 release window, with the Arc series arriving on desktops and workstations to follow in Q2 and Q3, respectively.

Intel, which has previously been known for its laptop and desktop CPUs, announced last year that it would be taking on AMD and Nvidia in the graphics card market. While we have yet to see what the GPUs look like, specifically the desktop graphics cards, we know that Intel is playing the long game here with the Arc series. Its first-generation of GPUs, codenamed "Alchemist," is one of four generations the tech giant has planned, with the other three codenamed "Battlemage," "Celestial," and "Druid."

Intel says that its Arc graphics cards will offer real-time ray tracing, variable-rate shading, video upscaling, and mesh shading. Additionally, we know that Intel announced that it is making its own AI-accelerated supersampling tech called XeSS, which has several developers confirmed to support it, including Ubisoft and Kojima Productions. The PC port of Death Stranding: Director's Cut will be one of the first games to support XeSS.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Intel Will Soon Reveal Its New Line Of Arc Laptop GPUs

Intel announced today that it will be hosting a digital broadcast later this month focusing on its first-generation Arc series graphics cards.

The broadcast will air on Wednesday, March 30 at 8am PT / 11am ET and will provide viewers with a "first look" at Intel's new discrete graphics for laptops. While the company has announced intentions to release its Arc GPUs in laptops, desktops, and workstations, the company's upcoming broadcast will focus solely on the laptops.

Earlier this year, the company announced that its Arc series would arrive first on laptops with a Q1 release window, with the Arc series arriving on desktops and workstations to follow in Q2 and Q3, respectively.

Intel, which has previously been known for its laptop and desktop CPUs, announced last year that it would be taking on AMD and Nvidia in the graphics card market. While we have yet to see what the GPUs look like, specifically the desktop graphics cards, we know that Intel is playing the long game here with the Arc series. Its first-generation of GPUs, codenamed "Alchemist," is one of four generations the tech giant has planned, with the other three codenamed "Battlemage," "Celestial," and "Druid."

Intel says that its Arc graphics cards will offer real-time ray tracing, variable-rate shading, video upscaling, and mesh shading. Additionally, we know that Intel announced that it is making its own AI-accelerated supersampling tech called XeSS, which has several developers confirmed to support it, including Ubisoft and Kojima Productions. The PC port of Death Stranding: Director's Cut will be one of the first games to support XeSS.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Matrix Reloaded’s Iconic Agent Smith Battle Recreated In Sifu

While we won't be getting a brand new Matrix video game any time soon, you'll be able to feel like you are playing one. A fan-made mod for Sifu has appeared online, where players can fight as Neo from The Matrix Reloaded.

Over at Nexus Mods, a user named Halfmillz has created a skin mod that replaces the player with Mr. Anderson, otherwise known as Neo, from The Matrix Reloaded. In this mod, Neo is wearing The One's famous outfit, complete with realistic cloth physics. This particular mod replaces the male player character.

Additionally, the mod pack also reskins all enemies to look like the Matrix franchise's main antagonist, Agent Smith. There is also a shade mod that makes the game have the signature Matrix green hue, as well as a new Matrix combat sound effects mod. User KangieDanie is working on a mod that will change Sifu's UI to reflect that of the Matrix font too.

The latest entry in the movie series is The Matrix Resurrections. IGN's Amelia Emberwing said, "The Matrix Resurrections is the kind of film that will go down in cult history because it is so laughably bad."

In IGN's Sifu review, Mitchell Saltzman said, "Sifu demands a lot from you, and that’s a sword that cuts both ways. Its combat is impeccable, with incredibly smooth and impactful animation, deep fighting mechanics, and challenging enemies that really make you fight tooth and nail for every victory."

George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @yinyangfooey

Matrix Reloaded’s Iconic Agent Smith Battle Recreated In Sifu

While we won't be getting a brand new Matrix video game any time soon, you'll be able to feel like you are playing one. A fan-made mod for Sifu has appeared online, where players can fight as Neo from The Matrix Reloaded.

Over at Nexus Mods, a user named Halfmillz has created a skin mod that replaces the player with Mr. Anderson, otherwise known as Neo, from The Matrix Reloaded. In this mod, Neo is wearing The One's famous outfit, complete with realistic cloth physics. This particular mod replaces the male player character.

Additionally, the mod pack also reskins all enemies to look like the Matrix franchise's main antagonist, Agent Smith. There is also a shade mod that makes the game have the signature Matrix green hue, as well as a new Matrix combat sound effects mod. User KangieDanie is working on a mod that will change Sifu's UI to reflect that of the Matrix font too.

The latest entry in the movie series is The Matrix Resurrections. IGN's Amelia Emberwing said, "The Matrix Resurrections is the kind of film that will go down in cult history because it is so laughably bad."

In IGN's Sifu review, Mitchell Saltzman said, "Sifu demands a lot from you, and that’s a sword that cuts both ways. Its combat is impeccable, with incredibly smooth and impactful animation, deep fighting mechanics, and challenging enemies that really make you fight tooth and nail for every victory."

George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @yinyangfooey

Report: Darth Maul Almost Appeared In Disney Plus’ Obi-Wan Kenobi

The upcoming Obi-Wan show on Disney+ will feature a rematch between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader, but the series may have end up revolving around a different conflict entirely.

THR reports that Ray Park, who played Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace, was originally set to reprise the role. The report says early versions of the story featured Darth Maul hunting down Obi-Wan and a young Luke Skywalker, before the plot was changed to avoid covering similar ground to the Mandalorian's Baby Yoda plotline.

According to THR's sources, Park was on set for preproduction and stunt training, and that there may have even been some footage shot. Ultimately, though, Maul was reportedly written out of the show in favor of Darth Vader and the Grand Inquisition.

It's worth noting that another one of THR's sources from Lucasfilm said Maul was never a part of the plan for Obi-Wan at all.

While the extent of Darth Maul's involvement isn't entirely clear, we do know that the Obi-Wan project underwent serious rewrites during production. In January 2020, the show was put on hold "indefinitely" because Lucasfilm president and Obi-Wan producer Kathleen Kennedy was unhappy with the script. Just last week, we learned Kennedy scrapped the original scripts because they were too bleak.

Originally introduced in Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Darth Maul was a memorable if underused part of the first prequel film. While that movie ended with Obi-Wan defeating (and seemingly killing) Darth Maul, the character would eventually return to the screen in The Clone Wars and Rebels television shows. In fact, Star Wars Rebels features a meeting between Maul and Obi-Wan on Tatooine, so it's possible the Obi-Wan writers decided to leave that plotline alone. Darth Maul also appears at the end of Solo, as the teased villain for a sequel that will seemingly never happen.

While there may be no Darth Maul, Obi-Wan will feature a pair of other villains. Inquisitor Reva appears in the Obi-Wan trailer, threatening Uncle Owen while presumably on the hunt for Jedi. And, of course, Hayden Christensen will return as Darth Vader. The show is set to debut on Disney Plus on May 25.

For more, check out our analysis of the first Obi-Wan trailer. Or, read what Obi-Wan star Ewan McGregor is saying about the recent wave of Star Wars prequel positivity.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Report: Darth Maul Almost Appeared In Disney Plus’ Obi-Wan Kenobi

The upcoming Obi-Wan show on Disney+ will feature a rematch between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader, but the series may have end up revolving around a different conflict entirely.

THR reports that Ray Park, who played Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace, was originally set to reprise the role. The report says early versions of the story featured Darth Maul hunting down Obi-Wan and a young Luke Skywalker, before the plot was changed to avoid covering similar ground to the Mandalorian's Baby Yoda plotline.

According to THR's sources, Park was on set for preproduction and stunt training, and that there may have even been some footage shot. Ultimately, though, Maul was reportedly written out of the show in favor of Darth Vader and the Grand Inquisition.

It's worth noting that another one of THR's sources from Lucasfilm said Maul was never a part of the plan for Obi-Wan at all.

While the extent of Darth Maul's involvement isn't entirely clear, we do know that the Obi-Wan project underwent serious rewrites during production. In January 2020, the show was put on hold "indefinitely" because Lucasfilm president and Obi-Wan producer Kathleen Kennedy was unhappy with the script. Just last week, we learned Kennedy scrapped the original scripts because they were too bleak.

Originally introduced in Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Darth Maul was a memorable if underused part of the first prequel film. While that movie ended with Obi-Wan defeating (and seemingly killing) Darth Maul, the character would eventually return to the screen in The Clone Wars and Rebels television shows. In fact, Star Wars Rebels features a meeting between Maul and Obi-Wan on Tatooine, so it's possible the Obi-Wan writers decided to leave that plotline alone. Darth Maul also appears at the end of Solo, as the teased villain for a sequel that will seemingly never happen.

While there may be no Darth Maul, Obi-Wan will feature a pair of other villains. Inquisitor Reva appears in the Obi-Wan trailer, threatening Uncle Owen while presumably on the hunt for Jedi. And, of course, Hayden Christensen will return as Darth Vader. The show is set to debut on Disney Plus on May 25.

For more, check out our analysis of the first Obi-Wan trailer. Or, read what Obi-Wan star Ewan McGregor is saying about the recent wave of Star Wars prequel positivity.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Harley Quinn’s Kite Man Will Star In ‘Cheers For Supervillains’

Harley Quinn's Kite Man character is getting his very own spinoff show, Screenrant reports.

The Batman villain/former fiancé to Poison Ivy appeared most recently in HBO Max's Harley Quinn animated series, voiced by Matt Olberg (Veep, Superstore), and served as more comedic relief in a sea of comic characters. Harley Quinn co-showrunner/co-developer Patrick Schumacker revealed the new spinoff at a SXSW panel focused on DC's ventures into more adult-leaning animated series.

The spinoff is a Cheers-style comedy tentatively titled "Noonan's," the bar that DC universe henchmen hang out when not busy working for big name villains, which Harley and her crew occasionally visit to hire muscle or kick back a few cold ones.

"[Kite Man] tries to run the bar by himself but it doesn't turn out so easy," Schumacker said. "We have Harley and Ivy appear in the first episode, but after that we have different goons and villains appearing every episode like Lex Luthor and Bane. It will be kind of like 'Cheers' for supervillains."

It'll be interesting to see just how much Harley Quinn and Ivy factor into Kite Man's spinoff, considering season two of Harley Quinn ended with Ivy and Kite Man finally breaking off their engagement, and Harley making off with the girl of her dreams.

Harley Quinn season 3 premieres sometime later this year, and promises to follow on season 2's romantic antics as well as the new comic line's development of Ivy and Harley's relationship. You can check out every upcoming DC series and movie here.

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/henchman for IGN.