Welcome back to IGN Game Scoop!, the ONLY video game podcast! This week your Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Tina Amini, Sam Claiborn, and Justin Davis -- are discussing backlog management, Christmas gaming memories, flipping through the December 2003 issue of Nintendo Power, and more. And, of course, they play Video Game 20 Questions.

Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service.

Listen on:

Apple Podcasts

YouTube

Spotify

Stitcher

Find previous episodes here!

Welcome back to IGN Game Scoop!, the ONLY video game podcast! This week your Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Tina Amini, Sam Claiborn, and Justin Davis -- are discussing backlog management, Christmas gaming memories, flipping through the December 2003 issue of Nintendo Power, and more. And, of course, they play Video Game 20 Questions.

Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service.

Listen on:

Apple Podcasts

YouTube

Spotify

Stitcher

Find previous episodes here!

The new trailer for Peacemaker appears to show a more complex and serious side to the character — not that it doesn't also include its fair share of cinematic explosions and heavy-duty weaponry.

Just over a month remains before John Cena's character returns for HBO Max's Peacemaker. With that in mind, a new trailer for the show has launched which seems to show off a more complex side to the superhero/villain.

After quickly becoming a fan-favorite in this year's The Suicide Squad, James Gunn is back working with the character once again for the upcoming HBO Max series. In the show's new trailer (which you can check out above) we see a number of sides to Cena's character. From dealing with family matters to questioning his own desire to fight for peace at any cost, it seems as though the killer has developed a new sense of morality perhaps lacking in previous outings.

While the trailer leads us to believe that there may be glimpses of a lighter side to Peacemaker, it quickly hints at the challenges that may lie ahead for the character. "You told me to kill kids, you didn't say why," Peacemaker asks mercenary Clemson Mern. "Because right now, the world needs a son of a bitch," he glumly responds during a climactic point in the clip.

Although the trailer includes a number of other similar moments hinting at the inner turmoil that the character may be presented with, it isn't without its fair share of action either. At one point the character goes as far as taping a grenade to a Russian tank shell before hurling it at a group of people. You know, because, "a grenade blows up just two people."

Speaking about Peacemaker earlier this year, Gunn delved further into his plans for the show and what it will bring to DC. “Peacemaker is an opportunity to delve into current world issues through the lens of this superhero/supervillain/and world’s biggest douchebag," said Gunn in a press release. "I’m excited to expand The Suicide Squad and bring this character from the DC film universe to the full breadth of a series. And of course, to be able to work again with John, Peter, and my friends at Warner Bros. is the icing on the cake.”

Peacemaker is set to debut on HBO Max on January 13, 2022. For more from the show, make sure to check out this article detailing how Gunn cast one of the show's actors due to a 20-year-old Scooby-Doo audition.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

The new trailer for Peacemaker appears to show a more complex and serious side to the character — not that it doesn't also include its fair share of cinematic explosions and heavy-duty weaponry.

Just over a month remains before John Cena's character returns for HBO Max's Peacemaker. With that in mind, a new trailer for the show has launched which seems to show off a more complex side to the superhero/villain.

After quickly becoming a fan-favorite in this year's The Suicide Squad, James Gunn is back working with the character once again for the upcoming HBO Max series. In the show's new trailer (which you can check out above) we see a number of sides to Cena's character. From dealing with family matters to questioning his own desire to fight for peace at any cost, it seems as though the killer has developed a new sense of morality perhaps lacking in previous outings.

While the trailer leads us to believe that there may be glimpses of a lighter side to Peacemaker, it quickly hints at the challenges that may lie ahead for the character. "You told me to kill kids, you didn't say why," Peacemaker asks mercenary Clemson Mern. "Because right now, the world needs a son of a bitch," he glumly responds during a climactic point in the clip.

Although the trailer includes a number of other similar moments hinting at the inner turmoil that the character may be presented with, it isn't without its fair share of action either. At one point the character goes as far as taping a grenade to a Russian tank shell before hurling it at a group of people. You know, because, "a grenade blows up just two people."

Speaking about Peacemaker earlier this year, Gunn delved further into his plans for the show and what it will bring to DC. “Peacemaker is an opportunity to delve into current world issues through the lens of this superhero/supervillain/and world’s biggest douchebag," said Gunn in a press release. "I’m excited to expand The Suicide Squad and bring this character from the DC film universe to the full breadth of a series. And of course, to be able to work again with John, Peter, and my friends at Warner Bros. is the icing on the cake.”

Peacemaker is set to debut on HBO Max on January 13, 2022. For more from the show, make sure to check out this article detailing how Gunn cast one of the show's actors due to a 20-year-old Scooby-Doo audition.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Sony is working on a competing Xbox Game Pass service for PlayStation according to a new report.

Bloomberg says sources familiar with Sony’s plans shared details of a new service code named “Spartacus” where PlayStation owners can pay a monthly fee for access to a library of modern and classic games. This is the same model used for Xbox’s popular Game Pass service.

Documents on the project revealed three tiers for the upcoming service. The first includes the same benefits as PlayStation Plus, which is required for online gaming and comes with some free games each month. A higher tier offers access to the gaming catalog like Game Pass, and a third tier will include extended demos, game streaming, and access to a larger library that includes PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP games.

Given that backward compatibility has been a popular request from PlayStation owners, using a new service to introduce older games to the library could be an enticing move.

The new service is expected to launch in spring 2022 and will merge Sony’s two existing subscription services PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now — a cloud service that lets users stream games directly to their consoles. According to Bloomberg, the PlayStation Plus name will remain, but PlayStation Now will be phased out as a brand.

Despite beating competitors like Stadia to the market, PlayStation Now has failed to catch on as a core PlayStation subscription service, though the company has recently taken steps to add major releases like God of War and The Last of Us 2.

It’s plain to see why PlayStation wants to get in on a service similar to Game Pass. Xbox’s subscription service has been a huge hit for the company and has over 18 million subscribers as of January 2021.

Alongside access to a library of games, Xbox Game Pass also offers users day-one access to first-party Xbox games like Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite. Future titles like Starfield from Bethesda are also coming to Game Pass. Xbox offers Game Pass subscriptions for $10 a month or $15 a month for the Ultimate tier which includes Game Pass for both console and PC plus cloud streaming.

IGN has reached out to PlayStation for comment.

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

Sony is working on a competing Xbox Game Pass service for PlayStation according to a new report.

Bloomberg says sources familiar with Sony’s plans shared details of a new service code named “Spartacus” where PlayStation owners can pay a monthly fee for access to a library of modern and classic games. This is the same model used for Xbox’s popular Game Pass service.

Documents on the project revealed three tiers for the upcoming service. The first includes the same benefits as PlayStation Plus, which is required for online gaming and comes with some free games each month. A higher tier offers access to the gaming catalog like Game Pass, and a third tier will include extended demos, game streaming, and access to a larger library that includes PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP games.

Given that backward compatibility has been a popular request from PlayStation owners, using a new service to introduce older games to the library could be an enticing move.

The new service is expected to launch in spring 2022 and will merge Sony’s two existing subscription services PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now — a cloud service that lets users stream games directly to their consoles. According to Bloomberg, the PlayStation Plus name will remain, but PlayStation Now will be phased out as a brand.

Despite beating competitors like Stadia to the market, PlayStation Now has failed to catch on as core PlayStation subscription service, though the company has recently taken steps to add major releases like God of War and The Last of Us 2.

It’s plain to see why PlayStation wants to get in on a service similar to Game Pass. Xbox’s subscription service has been a huge hit for the company and has over 18 million subscribers as of January 2021.

Alongside access to a library of games, Xbox Game Pass also offers users day-one access to first-party Xbox games like Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite. Future titles like Starfield from Bethesda are also coming to Game Pass. Xbox offers Game Pass subscriptions for $10 a month or $15 a month for the Ultimate tier which includes Game Pass for both console and PC plus cloud streaming.

IGN has reached out to PlayStation for comment.

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

Grand Theft Auto parent company Take-Two Interactive has hit Hazelight Studio's game, It Takes Two, with a trademark claim. Records indicate that Hazelight has seemingly been forced to abandon ownership of the game's name.

In a statement to Eurogamer, a Hazelight spokesperson told the outlet that the studio cannot comment on ongoing disputes, but hopes that the situation will be resolved. Take-Two has also been filing trademark claims for names that include words like "rockstar," "social club," "mafia," and "civilization." These words all have connections to products or services that Take-Two owns, such as Rockstar Games, Rockstar Social Club, and the Mafia franchise.

Not only is Hazelight affected, but other businesses unrelated to the games industry are as well. A clothing brand "Max Fayne" has been included in Take-Two's trademark claims, presumably due to its closeness to the studio's Max Payne franchise. An axe-throwing company in Florida called "Rockstar Axe Throwing" is trying to oppose Take-Two's trademark claim too, while a music book brand called "Think Like a Rockstar" has abandoned its trademark following Take-Two's claim.

You can see that some companies have chosen to simply abandon their trademarks instead of fighting a company as big as Take-Two, as it is trying to extend the claims. Virtual Legality's Richard Hoeg says, "You can start to see applicants peremptorily limit their own applications to try to avoid getting extended out. As well as plenty of folks with legitimate applications simply choosing not to fight by defaulting on the opposition."

In terms of It Takes Two, Hoeg says that since it isn't a company name and that the phrase is commonly used in goods and services everywhere, "I would suspect they simply wind up going untrademarked and relying on copyright," Hoeg explains.

Take-Two has been on something of a legal kick lately, such as suing reverse-engineered GTA 3 and Vice City creators as well as GTA modders.

It Takes Two creator Josef Fares made a name for himself with an outspoken appearance at the 2018 Game Awards. Perhaps he might have a similar attitude next week during the Game Awards 2021, where It Takes Two is up for Best Game, among other nominations.

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

Grand Theft Auto parent company Take-Two Interactive has hit Hazelight Studio's game, It Takes Two, with a trademark claim. Records indicate that Hazelight has seemingly been forced to abandon ownership of the game's name.

In a statement to Eurogamer, a Hazelight spokesperson told the outlet that the studio cannot comment on ongoing disputes, but hopes that the situation will be resolved. Take-Two has also been filing trademark claims for names that include words like "rockstar," "social club," "mafia," and "civilization." These words all have connections to products or services that Take-Two owns, such as Rockstar Games, Rockstar Social Club, and the Mafia franchise.

Not only is Hazelight affected, but other businesses unrelated to the games industry are as well. A clothing brand "Max Fayne" has been included in Take-Two's trademark claims, presumably due to its closeness to the studio's Max Payne franchise. An axe-throwing company in Florida called "Rockstar Axe Throwing" is trying to oppose Take-Two's trademark claim too, while a music book brand called "Think Like a Rockstar" has abandoned its trademark following Take-Two's claim.

You can see that some companies have chosen to simply abandon their trademarks instead of fighting a company as big as Take-Two, as it is trying to extend the claims. Virtual Legality's Richard Hoeg says, "You can start to see applicants peremptorily limit their own applications to try to avoid getting extended out. As well as plenty of folks with legitimate applications simply choosing not to fight by defaulting on the opposition."

In terms of It Takes Two, Hoeg says that since it isn't a company name and that the phrase is commonly used in goods and services everywhere, "I would suspect they simply wind up going untrademarked and relying on copyright," Hoeg explains.

Take-Two has been on something of a legal kick lately, such as suing reverse-engineered GTA 3 and Vice City creators as well as GTA modders.

It Takes Two creator Josef Fares made a name for himself with an outspoken appearance at the 2018 Game Awards. Perhaps he might have a similar attitude next week during the Game Awards 2021, where It Takes Two is up for Best Game, among other nominations.

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

Netflix is set to make a movie based on the true story behind a viral Thanksgiving tweet published five years ago.

Back in 2016, Wanda Dench, a grandma in Arizona, accidentally invited a stranger to Thanksgiving dinner after a text message intended for her grandson ended up being received by the wrong number. Now, five years later, their story of friendship is being turned into a feature-length film by the streaming giant.

Somebody grandma is coming in clutch this year!! Ayee!!! pic.twitter.com/QGrx83nHLl

— Jamal Hinton (@Jamalhinton12) November 15, 2016

As shared by Netflix, The Thanksgiving Text will be based on the true story between Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton that blew up on social media following a viral tweet from the latter published after he'd accepted an accidental offer from Dench to join for Thanksgiving dinner. While the two strangers initially met in 2016, the film will seemingly follow their friendship, which has grown as they have spent each Thanksgiving together since.

Thanksgiving 2021 pic.twitter.com/2Ff3PpvvVY

— Jamal Hinton (@Jamalhinton12) November 25, 2021

“We are excited to share our story with the world," reads a statement from the pair. "We hope it inspires more people to reach out and make connections that they wouldn’t ordinarily make. We are so blessed to find a genuine friendship brought together by God from a mistaken text message.”

The Thanksgiving Text is being written by Abdul Williams (The New Edition Story and The Bobby Brown Story) and produced by Robert Teitel and George Tillman, Jr. for State Street Pictures. As reported by Variety, the film is yet to announce either a director or its cast.

The Thanksgiving Text isn't the only film in recent memory to come from the back of a viral Twitter moment. Earlier this year, the viral Twitter thread known as The Story was turned into a movie called Zola, about a Detroit waitress who took a 48-hour trip that turned into a journey involving some Tampa gangsters, an idiot boyfriend, and more. You can check out our review of Zola, where we awarded it a 7/10.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Netflix is set to make a movie based on the true story behind a viral Thanksgiving tweet published five years ago.

Back in 2016, Wanda Dench, a grandma in Arizona, accidentally invited a stranger to Thanksgiving dinner after a text message intended for her grandson ended up being received by the wrong number. Now, five years later, their story of friendship is being turned into a feature-length film by the streaming giant.

Somebody grandma is coming in clutch this year!! Ayee!!! pic.twitter.com/QGrx83nHLl

— Jamal Hinton (@Jamalhinton12) November 15, 2016

As shared by Netflix, The Thanksgiving Text will be based on the true story between Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton that blew up on social media following a viral tweet from the latter published after he'd accepted an accidental offer from Dench to join for Thanksgiving dinner. While the two strangers initially met in 2016, the film will seemingly follow their friendship, which has grown as they have spent each Thanksgiving together since.

Thanksgiving 2021 pic.twitter.com/2Ff3PpvvVY

— Jamal Hinton (@Jamalhinton12) November 25, 2021

“We are excited to share our story with the world," reads a statement from the pair. "We hope it inspires more people to reach out and make connections that they wouldn’t ordinarily make. We are so blessed to find a genuine friendship brought together by God from a mistaken text message.”

The Thanksgiving Text is being written by Abdul Williams (The New Edition Story and The Bobby Brown Story) and produced by Robert Teitel and George Tillman, Jr. for State Street Pictures. As reported by Variety, the film is yet to announce either a director or its cast.

The Thanksgiving Text isn't the only film in recent memory to come from the back of a viral Twitter moment. Earlier this year, the viral Twitter thread known as The Story was turned into a movie called Zola, about a Detroit waitress who took a 48-hour trip that turned into a journey involving some Tampa gangsters, an idiot boyfriend, and more. You can check out our review of Zola, where we awarded it a 7/10.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.