Netflix Gives First Look at Skull Island Anime Series
Netflix has unveiled a single image from its upcoming Skull Island animated series during day three of its Geeked Week showcase.
The shot (below) is a classic of any mystery TV series: a lone footprint in the sand. It doesn't take a master detective to work out who this one belongs to though, given the imprint is something like 30 feet wide. Presumably showing Skull Island itself, at the centre of King Kong's footprint stands two characters, likely members of the shipwrecked crew that the series will focus on.
Though it's revealed practically nothing else about the series, Netflix said during its initial announcement that the crew arrives on an island full of monsters, with one king to rule them all (guess who). The series is being developed by Powerhouse Animation, the same studio behind Castlevania's Netflix series (which IGN said was amazing).
Skull Island is set within Legendary's MonsterVerse, which kicked off with 2014's Godzilla. Subsequent films included Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and the latest Godzilla vs. Kong. A further Godzilla vs. Kong sequel has also been announced, plus an untitled Apple TV live-action series, though it's unknown which of the three projects in development (including the Skull Island series) will be released first.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Masters of the Universe: Revolution Announced During Netflix Geeked Week
Kevin Smith is returning to executive produce Masters of the Universe: Revolution, a new animated He-Man production that looks to be a sequel to 2021's Masters of the Universe: Revelation.
Billed as an all-new story in the battle for Eternia, Revolution will once pit He-Man and his allies against the nefarious Skeletor while picking up right where the previous series left off. The first poster for the new project can be seen below.
We quite enjoyed Masters of the Universe: Revelation, which we described as a show that takes the opportunity to "truly go wild" in the universe's sandbox, with character who "break tired molds and dissolve old conventions."
Masters of the Universe: Revolution is one of several He-Man-related projects on the platform, which also includes She-Ra and the Princesses of Power among other shows.
The reveal was part of the Netflix Geeked Week presentation, which has been running over the past week. Check out our full roundup of all the announcements as the Summer of Gaming 2022 continues.
Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
Masters of the Universe: Revolution Announced During Netflix Geeked Week
Kevin Smith is returning to executive produce Masters of the Universe: Revolution, a new animated He-Man production that looks to be a sequel to 2021's Masters of the Universe: Revelation.
Billed as an all-new story in the battle for Eternia, Revolution will once pit He-Man and his allies against the nefarious Skeletor while picking up right where the previous series left off. The first poster for the new project can be seen below.
We quite enjoyed Masters of the Universe: Revelation, which we described as a show that takes the opportunity to "truly go wild" in the universe's sandbox, with character who "break tired molds and dissolve old conventions."
Masters of the Universe: Revolution is one of several He-Man-related projects on the platform, which also includes She-Ra and the Princesses of Power among other shows.
The reveal was part of the Netflix Geeked Week presentation, which has been running over the past week. Check out our full roundup of all the announcements as the Summer of Gaming 2022 continues.
Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Nintendo Store Can’t Keep Up with Fan Demand for Special Edition
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is trending on Twitter today — but not for the right reasons. The next JRPG from Monolith Soft launches on Nintendo Switch next month, and today was the day hardcore Xenoblade fans were set to lock in their pre-orders for the game's special edition. Nintendo of America chose to make the premium version of the game — which comes with a SteelBook, art book, and special edition box — exclusive to the My Nintendo Store on Nintendo's official website, which has led to headaches for potential buyers.
Yesterday, Nintendo announced that preorders for the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Special Edition would go live on June 8. No specific time window for the preorders was given, as fans were told to "keep an eye out for an update" one preorders went live.
Today, at 8:32 a.m. PT, Nintendo of America posted again, announcing that the pre-purchase period had begun. Just 25 minutes later, Nintendo posted an update, saying, "We apologize for any inconvenience that you may be experiencing while attempting to pre-order the #XenobladeChronicles3 Special Edition. The My Nintendo Store is experiencing a high volume of traffic and we appreciate your patience while we look into the issue."
We apologize for any inconvenience that you may be experiencing while attempting to pre-order the #XenobladeChronicles3 Special Edition. The My Nintendo Store is experiencing a high volume of traffic and we appreciate your patience while we look into the issue.
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) June 8, 2022
There appear to be two primary outcomes if you navigate to the My Nintendo Store yourself. You either get added to an endless waiting room, or if you manage to navigate to the product page, the special edition appears sold out with a message that says "The My Nintendo Store is currently undergoing maintenance. Please check back soon, and thank you for your understanding."
As of now, it's unclear if anyone was able to secure the special edition before the store sarted dealing with traffic-related issues.
A preorder sellout isn't usually a huge cause for concern, but the Xenoblade series in particular is known for selling out fast and rarely coming back in stock. A quick search on eBay for the Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Special Edition turns up secondhand copies selling for between $300 and $600.
Stock shortages are nothing new for Nintendo fans. From the early amiibo shortages, to the NES Classic, to the rush to get the Mario 35th Anniversary pin set, Nintendo fans seem to routinely struggle to secure limited edition products. And for Xenoblade, a series that has grown from fan campaigns for localization to a million-selling franchise for Nintendo, fans are frustrated with the situation.
Nintendo HQ discovering that Xenoblade is popular as My Nintendo Store melts in real time pic.twitter.com/OuBxeJCYd7
— Daniel Alba (@EvernightStudio) June 8, 2022
"Grandfather, what was Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Special Edition?"
— Rawk (@RawkHawk2010) June 8, 2022
"A dream." The grandfather wept.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Special Edition preorders crashed the My Nintendo site.... Great... pic.twitter.com/coyGStKabg
— Stealth (@Stealth40k) June 8, 2022
Literally 0 people got the Xenoblade 3 special edition
— Aero @ Xenoblade 1 Replay (@ActualAero) June 8, 2022
Nintendo fix your shitty website pic.twitter.com/dz96YPAkKv
Xenoblade 3 special edition showing up in my cart but not letting me buy it pic.twitter.com/j1wfi5yc4c
— kana fan number 1 (@ThunderboItZeke) June 8, 2022
GIVE IT UP FOR HOUR 3 OF THE XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3 SPECIAL EDITION GOING "UP" AND THEN THE MY NINTENDO STORE GOING INTO IMMEDIATE MAINTENANCE!!! pic.twitter.com/7uMpGw2XlS
— ✨ Violet ✨ (@VioletZoroark) June 8, 2022
xenoblade 3 special edition (limit of 0 per household)
— gameing (@xordvalley) June 8, 2022
On one hand it’s really cool to see how popular Xenoblade has gotten and how much the fan base loves it
— Colin (@IntroSpecktive) June 8, 2022
But on the other hand it really sucks to see that Nintendo’s website can’t even accommodate for the traffic that a Xenoblade Special Edition Game brings https://t.co/Lzm0PS6CSw
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was announced in the February 2022 Nintendo Direct. The game is launching on July 29, after originally being set for a September release date. The game is set to follow Noah and Mio as they navigate the turbulence between the Keves and Agnus nations. If you're interested in catching up on the series before the third game launches, check out our reviews for Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition and Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Nintendo Store Can’t Keep Up with Fan Demand for Special Edition
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is trending on Twitter today — but not for the right reasons. The next JRPG from Monolith Soft launches on Nintendo Switch next month, and today was the day hardcore Xenoblade fans were set to lock in their pre-orders for the game's special edition. Nintendo of America chose to make the premium version of the game — which comes with a SteelBook, art book, and special edition box — exclusive to the My Nintendo Store on Nintendo's official website, which has led to headaches for potential buyers.
Yesterday, Nintendo announced that preorders for the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Special Edition would go live on June 8. No specific time window for the preorders was given, as fans were told to "keep an eye out for an update" one preorders went live.
Today, at 8:32 a.m. PT, Nintendo of America posted again, announcing that the pre-purchase period had begun. Just 25 minutes later, Nintendo posted an update, saying, "We apologize for any inconvenience that you may be experiencing while attempting to pre-order the #XenobladeChronicles3 Special Edition. The My Nintendo Store is experiencing a high volume of traffic and we appreciate your patience while we look into the issue."
We apologize for any inconvenience that you may be experiencing while attempting to pre-order the #XenobladeChronicles3 Special Edition. The My Nintendo Store is experiencing a high volume of traffic and we appreciate your patience while we look into the issue.
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) June 8, 2022
There appear to be two primary outcomes if you navigate to the My Nintendo Store yourself. You either get added to an endless waiting room, or if you manage to navigate to the product page, the special edition appears sold out with a message that says "The My Nintendo Store is currently undergoing maintenance. Please check back soon, and thank you for your understanding."
As of now, it's unclear if anyone was able to secure the special edition before the store sarted dealing with traffic-related issues.
A preorder sellout isn't usually a huge cause for concern, but the Xenoblade series in particular is known for selling out fast and rarely coming back in stock. A quick search on eBay for the Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Special Edition turns up secondhand copies selling for between $300 and $600.
Stock shortages are nothing new for Nintendo fans. From the early amiibo shortages, to the NES Classic, to the rush to get the Mario 35th Anniversary pin set, Nintendo fans seem to routinely struggle to secure limited edition products. And for Xenoblade, a series that has grown from fan campaigns for localization to a million-selling franchise for Nintendo, fans are frustrated with the situation.
Nintendo HQ discovering that Xenoblade is popular as My Nintendo Store melts in real time pic.twitter.com/OuBxeJCYd7
— Daniel Alba (@EvernightStudio) June 8, 2022
"Grandfather, what was Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Special Edition?"
— Rawk (@RawkHawk2010) June 8, 2022
"A dream." The grandfather wept.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Special Edition preorders crashed the My Nintendo site.... Great... pic.twitter.com/coyGStKabg
— Stealth (@Stealth40k) June 8, 2022
Literally 0 people got the Xenoblade 3 special edition
— Aero @ Xenoblade 1 Replay (@ActualAero) June 8, 2022
Nintendo fix your shitty website pic.twitter.com/dz96YPAkKv
Xenoblade 3 special edition showing up in my cart but not letting me buy it pic.twitter.com/j1wfi5yc4c
— kana fan number 1 (@ThunderboItZeke) June 8, 2022
GIVE IT UP FOR HOUR 3 OF THE XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3 SPECIAL EDITION GOING "UP" AND THEN THE MY NINTENDO STORE GOING INTO IMMEDIATE MAINTENANCE!!! pic.twitter.com/7uMpGw2XlS
— ✨ Violet ✨ (@VioletZoroark) June 8, 2022
xenoblade 3 special edition (limit of 0 per household)
— gameing (@xordvalley) June 8, 2022
On one hand it’s really cool to see how popular Xenoblade has gotten and how much the fan base loves it
— Colin (@IntroSpecktive) June 8, 2022
But on the other hand it really sucks to see that Nintendo’s website can’t even accommodate for the traffic that a Xenoblade Special Edition Game brings https://t.co/Lzm0PS6CSw
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was announced in the February 2022 Nintendo Direct. The game is launching on July 29, after originally being set for a September release date. The game is set to follow Noah and Mio as they navigate the turbulence between the Keves and Agnus nations. If you're interested in catching up on the series before the third game launches, check out our reviews for Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition and Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.
Microsoft’s Lead Kinect and HoloLens Developer Leaves the Company After Abuse Allegations
Alex Kipman, Microsoft’s lead for and inventor of both Kinect and the AR headset HoloLens, has resigned from the company, according to Insider. This comes following Insider’s initial report detailing allegations of abuse against female employees.
Despite his resignation, he is planning on staying with the company through the transition period as executive VP of the cloud and AI group Scott Gurthrie plans a “reorganization”.
After the allegations were made public, Guthrie sent out an email saying Kipman would be leaving to "pursue other opportunities." No mention of the allegations were mentioned.
According to Insider, the email also mentioned Kipman’s commitment “to helping the teams with the transition process over the next two months and ensuring success before pursuing what is next for him.”
The allegations against him come from both current and former employees, and include watching “a lewd VR video in the office in front of employees,” as well as other inappropriate behavior toward women. Managers reportedly even went so far as to warn that women should not be alone with him.
Microsoft has declined to confirm or deny the allegations against Kipman to Insider. It isn’t the only trouble Microsoft is currently facing. Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is being investigated for insider trading, while Activision Blizzard has also been in the news for its “frat boy culture” and allegations of sexual harrassment.
Casey is a freelance writer for IGN. You can usually find him talking about JRPGs on Twitter at @caseydavidmt.
Microsoft’s Lead Kinect and HoloLens Developer Leaves the Company After Abuse Allegations
Alex Kipman, Microsoft’s lead for and inventor of both Kinect and the AR headset HoloLens, has resigned from the company, according to Insider. This comes following Insider’s initial report detailing allegations of abuse against female employees.
Despite his resignation, he is planning on staying with the company through the transition period as executive VP of the cloud and AI group Scott Gurthrie plans a “reorganization”.
After the allegations were made public, Guthrie sent out an email saying Kipman would be leaving to "pursue other opportunities." No mention of the allegations were mentioned.
According to Insider, the email also mentioned Kipman’s commitment “to helping the teams with the transition process over the next two months and ensuring success before pursuing what is next for him.”
The allegations against him come from both current and former employees, and include watching “a lewd VR video in the office in front of employees,” as well as other inappropriate behavior toward women. Managers reportedly even went so far as to warn that women should not be alone with him.
Microsoft has declined to confirm or deny the allegations against Kipman to Insider. It isn’t the only trouble Microsoft is currently facing. Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is being investigated for insider trading, while Activision Blizzard has also been in the news for its “frat boy culture” and allegations of sexual harrassment.
Casey is a freelance writer for IGN. You can usually find him talking about JRPGs on Twitter at @caseydavidmt.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Includes the Live-Action Debut of a Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Enemy
Spoilers for Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 4 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order ahead!
After appearing in Star Wars comics and video games, Purge Troopers just made their live-action debut in Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Appearing in 'Part IV' of the Star Wars TV series on Disney+, the Purge Troopers from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order are no longer just part of the popular Star Wars video game, or the Darth Vader comic book they made their first appearance in.
Alongside Stormtroopers and Imperial officers, we find an instantly recognizable Purge Trooper in the thick of the Fortress Inquisitorius – the ominous, underwater base of the Inquisitors. They appear in multiple scenes, clearly a part of the daily life of the Fortress. Purge Troopers are designated Jedi hunting stormtroopers, equipped with lightsaber-resistant armor, and it's only designated commanders who wear the red pauldrons we see both in-game and in the show.
As you can see, the red visor and pauldron are a real giveaway, and though the Purge Trooper’s helmet looks as though it’s had a bit of a redesign, it’s almost certainly one of those pesky Fallen Order enemies.
After all, the setting is perfect for it – the Fortress Inquisitorius played a big part in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’s ending, with Cal Kestis and Cere Junda making a daring escape after keeping Vader busy with a spot of sabotage. In fact, both the TV show and video game include sequences where a fortress window breaks and the water must be held back using the Force.
Obi-Wan Kenobi sees the legendary Jedi holding back the waters just long enough to unleash them on some passing Stormtroopers led by a Purge Trooper, while Vader is kept busy repelling those waves in the video game. Both Cal and Obi-Wan also sneak into the fortress by swimming underwater… It’s almost as though someone at Disney was a bit of a fan of the game.
That entire episode is basically the last third of JEDI: FALLEN ORDER. I love it. #ObiWanKenobi pic.twitter.com/pEUhcpnPeL
— Shaurya Chawla (@_ShauryaChawla) June 8, 2022
Obi-Wan Kenobi stars Ewan McGregor as the titular Jedi alongside Benny Safdie, Joel Edgerton, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Sung Kang, and Hayden Christensen.
Deborah Chow directed the series, based on scripts by Joby Harold, Andrew Stanton, Hannah Friedman, Hossein Amini, and Stuart Beattie.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Includes the Live-Action Debut of a Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Enemy
Spoilers for Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 4 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order ahead!
After appearing in Star Wars comics and video games, Purge Troopers just made their live-action debut in Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Appearing in 'Part IV' of the Star Wars TV series on Disney+, the Purge Troopers from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order are no longer just part of the popular Star Wars video game, or the Darth Vader comic book they made their first appearance in.
Alongside Stormtroopers and Imperial officers, we find an instantly recognizable Purge Trooper in the thick of the Fortress Inquisitorius – the ominous, underwater base of the Inquisitors. They appear in multiple scenes, clearly a part of the daily life of the Fortress. Purge Troopers are designated Jedi hunting stormtroopers, equipped with lightsaber-resistant armor, and it's only designated commanders who wear the red pauldrons we see both in-game and in the show.
As you can see, the red visor and pauldron are a real giveaway, and though the Purge Trooper’s helmet looks as though it’s had a bit of a redesign, it’s almost certainly one of those pesky Fallen Order enemies.
After all, the setting is perfect for it – the Fortress Inquisitorius played a big part in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’s ending, with Cal Kestis and Cere Junda making a daring escape after keeping Vader busy with a spot of sabotage. In fact, both the TV show and video game include sequences where a fortress window breaks and the water must be held back using the Force.
Obi-Wan Kenobi sees the legendary Jedi holding back the waters just long enough to unleash them on some passing Stormtroopers led by a Purge Trooper, while Vader is kept busy repelling those waves in the video game. Both Cal and Obi-Wan also sneak into the fortress by swimming underwater… It’s almost as though someone at Disney was a bit of a fan of the game.
That entire episode is basically the last third of JEDI: FALLEN ORDER. I love it. #ObiWanKenobi pic.twitter.com/pEUhcpnPeL
— Shaurya Chawla (@_ShauryaChawla) June 8, 2022
Obi-Wan Kenobi stars Ewan McGregor as the titular Jedi alongside Benny Safdie, Joel Edgerton, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Sung Kang, and Hayden Christensen.
Deborah Chow directed the series, based on scripts by Joby Harold, Andrew Stanton, Hannah Friedman, Hossein Amini, and Stuart Beattie.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Gets a Proper Reveal Trailer
It's rare that a game gets a release date before it gets its first trailer, but at last Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has both. We got our first, brief look at gameplay just this morning.
The trailer itself was light on actual details, but we can glean more from the game's Steam listing, which dropped alongside the trailer. This should be exciting news for Steam fans, as Call of Duty has been skipping the PC storefront since Black Ops 4, preferring to stick to Activision Blizzard's own launcher.
Per official details, Modern Warfare 2 will feature the return of Task Force 141 as they head out on missions across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, which include offshore sieges with underwater combat, air assaults, and stealth missions. It also is said to include a Special Ops tactical co-op mode, and a multiplayer mode that Activision promises will boast a "massive amount of free post-launch content" including new maps, modes, and events.
As for Activision's multi-game-spanning battle royale, Warzone, that's planned to be upgraded to 2.0 soon after Modern Warfare 2's launch to take the new gameplay, features, and tech into account in the free-to-play experience, as well as add its content, systems, and more. However, Warzone will remain a separate experience and continue existing player progression as it has before.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 launches on October 28 of this year, though reports have indicated we may not see Call of Duty continue as an annual franchise following that. We have more details about Modern Warfare 2 available in preview form, both for the single-player and multiplayer content.
Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.
Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.