Monthly Archives: March 2020
12 New Movies Coming to On-Demand Early
With theater chains closing throughout the world, including AMC Theaters and Regal Cinemas here in the US, movie studios are not only delaying the releases of their next big films they're also shifting a slew of their latest and even some of their upcoming films to VOD services (video on demand) instead.
These digital platforms include Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, among others. For some of the titles that were recently released in theaters, like The Invisible Man and Pixar's Onward, there is a premium-tier rental charge that can go as high as $19.99 USD.
While there are many titles coming early to VOD in the coming weeks, here are the 12 biggest titles coming to streaming platforms. Read on or click through the slideshow below to see which early-release films made our list:
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Pixar's Onward will be released on VOD on March 20 for $19.99 USD, and on Disney+ on April 3. Starring Chris Pratt and Tom Holland, the film was originally opened on March 3. In our review, we say, "Filmmaker Dan Scanlon has crafted an adventure that gleefully flies high with its fantasy elements, yet never loses touch with its grounded family tale. In that regard, it feels like '80s Amblin, but without being a stodgy homage. It's got charm from its playful production design to its exuberant voice cast to some deeply silly visual gags."
Universal Pictures will release The Invisible Man on VOD on March 20 for $19.99 USD. Elizabeth Moss stars in the phycological thriller, which was originally released on February 28. In our review, we say, "While this dark new take on the classic Universal Monster might not be for every audience, its inventive use of abuse and narcissism as a structural outline for horror means that this uniquely grim outing for The Invisible Man largely works. Leigh Whannell's dedication to crafting terror from abuse without necessarily making a statement might rub some viewers the wrong way, but The Invisible Man's stark settings, solid performances, and great production design."
Focus Features will release Emma on VOD on March 20 for $19.99 USD. Emma is the latest movie adaption of the Jane Austen novel, this one starring Anya Taylor-Joy in the title role. The film was originally released on February 21. According to a synopsis from Focus, "Emma Woodhouse is a restless 'queen bee' without rivals in her sleepy little English town. In this glittering satire of social class, Emma must navigate her way through the challenges of growing up, misguided matches and romantic missteps to realize the love that has been there all along."
Universal Pictures will release The Hunt on VOD on March 20 for $19.99 USD. The political thriller was originally released on March 13. In our review, we say, "Before anybody saw it, Universal and Blumhouse’s The Hunt was the subject of much controversy last year, but it turns out that the actual film and its hyper-violent social commentary is smarter than it was given credit for back then."
Sony and Columbia Pictures are releasing Bloodshot on VOD on March 24, for $19.99 USD. Starring Vin Diesel, Bloodshot was originally released in theaters on March 13. In our review, we say, "Bloodshot is unapologetically a popcorn movie of the switch-off-your-brain-and-kick-back variety. Diesel and company soldier through a wonky plot to deliver glowers, superhero poses, and loads of action. Director Wilson brings the heat with solid visual effects and a relentless pace."
STXfilms will release The Gentlemen on VOD on March 24 for $19.99 USD. Directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Matthew McConaughey and Charlie Hunnam, the film was originally released on January 24 in the US. In our review, we say, "[Hugh Grant] and Hunnam have an easy chemistry and provide most of The Gentlemen’s genuine laughs. Grant’s transition from playing charming leading men to less savory characters has been fun to watch and it’s hard to resist the temptation of believing his Hollywood-obsessed Fletcher could be a relative of Paddington 2’s wacky actor antagonist, Phoenix Buchanan."
Warner Bros. Pictures will release Birds of Prey on VOD on March 24 for $19.99 USD. The film was originally released on February 7, starring Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as The Huntress, and Ewan McGregor as Black Mask. In our review, we say, "In terms of sheer fun, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) delivers in spades. Its zany energy, visceral fight sequences, and focus on one of DC’s most fascinating characters ensure that it continues Warner Bros.’ winning streak of big, bombastic comic book adaptations that are unafraid to embrace their inherent ridiculousness."
Warner Bros. will release The Way Back on VOD on March 24 for $19.99. Directed by Gavin O'Connor and starring Ben Affleck, this film was originally released on March 6. In our review, we say, "The Way Back is a gratifying sports movie that is made better than the average by some sadness, some realism, and Ben Affleck's performance. The Way Back might serve as an excellent double feature with Gavin O'Connor's Warrior, another sports movie that spices up (o.k., one last food metaphor) a perhaps-known sports narrative with excellent performances and a central drama that leaves the story without a proper underdog."
Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company will release I Still Believe on VOD on March 27. Starring KJ Apa and Britt Robertson, the film originally opened on March 13. I Still Believe centers on "young couple’s remarkable journey that proves hope can survive great tragedy and that love tested is the only love worth sharing," according to a synopsis from Lionsgate.
Paramount Pictures will release Sonic the Hedgehog on VOD on March 31. Originally released on February 14, the film stars Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic and Jim Carrey as the villainous Dr. Robotnik. In our review, we say, "While this family-friendly action-comedy suffers from a simplistic story and leans too heavily on tired visual cliches, Sonic the Hedgehog is nevertheless boosted by solid performances from Ben Schwartz as Sonic and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik. Their ongoing cat-and-mouse game is entertaining, and passionate fans of the Sega franchise should appreciate all the nods to Sonic’s history. Make no mistake, this frantically-paced film is made first and foremost for Sonic fans."
After being originally slated for a wide theatrical release, Universal will release Trolls World Tour on April 10 for $19.99 USD. Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake return to star in the sequel to the 2016 musical hit, Trolls. The studio describes the film as "an adventure that will take them well beyond what they've known before, Poppy (Kendrick) and Branch (Timberlake) discover that they are but one of six different Troll tribes scattered over six different lands and devoted to six different kinds of music: Funk, Country, Techno, Classical, Pop, and Rock. Their world is about to get a lot bigger and a whole lot louder."
Lionsgate will release Arkansas straight to VOD on May 1. The crime thriller features an impressive cast, including Liam Hemsworth, Michael Kenneth Williams, John Malkovich, and Vince Vaughn. Here's how the studio describes the film: "Kyle (Hemsworth) and Swin (Duke) live by the orders of an Arkansas-based drug kingpin named Frog (Vaughn), whom they’ve never met. Posing as park rangers by day, they operate as low-level drug couriers by night under the watchful eye of Frog’s proxies (Malkovich, Vivica A. Fox). However, after one too many inept decisions, Kyle and Swin find themselves directly in Frog’s crosshairs, who mistakenly sees them as a threat to his empire."
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David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.
Onward: March 20
Pixar's Onward will be released on VOD on March 20 for $19.99 USD, and on Disney+ on April 3. Starring Chris Pratt and Tom Holland, the film was originally opened on March 3. In our review, we say, "Filmmaker Dan Scanlon has crafted an adventure that gleefully flies high with its fantasy elements, yet never loses touch with its grounded family tale. In that regard, it feels like '80s Amblin, but without being a stodgy homage. It's got charm from its playful production design to its exuberant voice cast to some deeply silly visual gags."
The Invisible Man: March 20
Universal Pictures will release The Invisible Man on VOD on March 20 for $19.99 USD. Elizabeth Moss stars in the phycological thriller, which was originally released on February 28. In our review, we say, "While this dark new take on the classic Universal Monster might not be for every audience, its inventive use of abuse and narcissism as a structural outline for horror means that this uniquely grim outing for The Invisible Man largely works. Leigh Whannell's dedication to crafting terror from abuse without necessarily making a statement might rub some viewers the wrong way, but The Invisible Man's stark settings, solid performances, and great production design."
Emma: March 20
Focus Features will release Emma on VOD on March 20 for $19.99 USD. Emma is the latest movie adaption of the Jane Austen novel, this one starring Anya Taylor-Joy in the title role. The film was originally released on February 21. According to a synopsis from Focus, "Emma Woodhouse is a restless 'queen bee' without rivals in her sleepy little English town. In this glittering satire of social class, Emma must navigate her way through the challenges of growing up, misguided matches and romantic missteps to realize the love that has been there all along."
The Hunt: March 20
Universal Pictures will release The Hunt on VOD on March 20 for $19.99 USD. The political thriller was originally released on March 13. In our review, we say, "Before anybody saw it, Universal and Blumhouse’s The Hunt was the subject of much controversy last year, but it turns out that the actual film and its hyper-violent social commentary is smarter than it was given credit for back then."
Bloodshot: March 24
Sony and Columbia Pictures are releasing Bloodshot on VOD on March 24, for $19.99 USD. Starring Vin Diesel, Bloodshot was originally released in theaters on March 13. In our review, we say, "Bloodshot is unapologetically a popcorn movie of the switch-off-your-brain-and-kick-back variety. Diesel and company soldier through a wonky plot to deliver glowers, superhero poses, and loads of action. Director Wilson brings the heat with solid visual effects and a relentless pace."
The Gentlemen: March 24
STXfilms will release The Gentlemen on VOD on March 24 for $19.99 USD. Directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Matthew McConaughey and Charlie Hunnam, the film was originally released on January 24 in the US. In our review, we say, "[Hugh Grant] and Hunnam have an easy chemistry and provide most of The Gentlemen’s genuine laughs. Grant’s transition from playing charming leading men to less savory characters has been fun to watch and it’s hard to resist the temptation of believing his Hollywood-obsessed Fletcher could be a relative of Paddington 2’s wacky actor antagonist, Phoenix Buchanan."
Birds of Prey: March 24
Warner Bros. Pictures will release Birds of Prey on VOD on March 24 for $19.99 USD. The film was originally released on February 7, starring Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as The Huntress, and Ewan McGregor as Black Mask. In our review, we say, "In terms of sheer fun, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) delivers in spades. Its zany energy, visceral fight sequences, and focus on one of DC’s most fascinating characters ensure that it continues Warner Bros.’ winning streak of big, bombastic comic book adaptations that are unafraid to embrace their inherent ridiculousness."
The Way Back: March 24
Warner Bros. will release The Way Back on VOD on March 24 for $19.99. Directed by Gavin O'Connor and starring Ben Affleck, this film was originally released on March 6. In our review, we say, "The Way Back is a gratifying sports movie that is made better than the average by some sadness, some realism, and Ben Affleck's performance. The Way Back might serve as an excellent double feature with Gavin O'Connor's Warrior, another sports movie that spices up (o.k., one last food metaphor) a perhaps-known sports narrative with excellent performances and a central drama that leaves the story without a proper underdog."
I Still Believe: March 27
Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company will release I Still Believe on VOD on March 27. Starring KJ Apa and Britt Robertson, the film originally opened on March 13. I Still Believe centers on "young couple’s remarkable journey that proves hope can survive great tragedy and that love tested is the only love worth sharing," according to a synopsis from Lionsgate.
Sonic the Hedgehog: March 31
Paramount Pictures will release Sonic the Hedgehog on VOD on March 31. Originally released on February 14, the film stars Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic and Jim Carrey as the villainous Dr. Robotnik. In our review, we say, "While this family-friendly action-comedy suffers from a simplistic story and leans too heavily on tired visual cliches, Sonic the Hedgehog is nevertheless boosted by solid performances from Ben Schwartz as Sonic and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik. Their ongoing cat-and-mouse game is entertaining, and passionate fans of the Sega franchise should appreciate all the nods to Sonic’s history. Make no mistake, this frantically-paced film is made first and foremost for Sonic fans."
Trolls World Tour
After being originally slated for a wide theatrical release, Universal will release Trolls World Tour on April 10 for $19.99 USD. Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake return to star in the sequel to the 2016 musical hit, Trolls. The studio describes the film as "an adventure that will take them well beyond what they've known before, Poppy (Kendrick) and Branch (Timberlake) discover that they are but one of six different Troll tribes scattered over six different lands and devoted to six different kinds of music: Funk, Country, Techno, Classical, Pop, and Rock. Their world is about to get a lot bigger and a whole lot louder."
Arkansas: May 1
Lionsgate will release Arkansas straight to VOD on May 1. The crime thriller features an impressive cast, including Liam Hemsworth, Michael Kenneth Williams, John Malkovich, and Vince Vaughn. Here's how the studio describes the film: "Kyle (Hemsworth) and Swin (Duke) live by the orders of an Arkansas-based drug kingpin named Frog (Vaughn), whom they’ve never met. Posing as park rangers by day, they operate as low-level drug couriers by night under the watchful eye of Frog’s proxies (Malkovich, Vivica A. Fox). However, after one too many inept decisions, Kyle and Swin find themselves directly in Frog’s crosshairs, who mistakenly sees them as a threat to his empire."
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David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.MLB The Show 20 Review – Bases Loaded
MLB The Show 20 suddenly finds itself in an unprecedented position. The COVID-19 coronavirus has disrupted sports across the globe, and baseball is no different, as Opening Day of the 2020 Major League Baseball season was recently postponed for at least the next two months--and even that seems optimistic. It's an unfathomable turn of events, yet it also means Sony San Diego's latest baseball sim is now one of the only ways to experience the 2020 season of America's favorite pastime. It's a good job, then, that MLB 20 maintains the series' consistently high quality. Refinements to fielding and hitting may only be incremental this year, but they add more depth to what is still one of the most compelling sports games on the market, while new additions and modes off the field increase the game's variety as you chart a course towards World Series glory.
Fielding and defense received a lot of love in last year's game, so MLB 20 adds a few more wrinkles without rocking the boat too much. The distinction between Gold Glove caliber outfielders and mere mortals is now slightly more pronounced, particularly when the CPU is in control. The best outfielders in the game are much more dialed in this year, reacting to the ball off the bat with authentic accuracy and a dependable first-step. On the flip side, the square peg you've lodged into the round hole in left field might struggle when it comes to reading the flight of the ball, committing a fair few errors over the course of a season as balls careen off the edge of his glove instead of nesting in its palm.
There's also a new Extreme Catch Indicator that identifies those bloop singles and hard-sinking line drives that are right on the edge of being catchable. If you have a player like Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton patrolling the outfield, you might take a chance and attempt a risky diving catch on one of these tough-to-reach balls, knowing full well that he's skilled enough to pull off a spectacular grab. With an average defender hustling towards the ball, however, you might prefer to play it safe and get yourself in position to gather the ball after it bounces. Surrendering a single is a much more positive outcome than laying out for a catch and completely missing the ball, resulting in a triple for the fortunate hitter.
Continue Reading at GameSpotMLB The Show 20 Review – Bases Loaded
MLB The Show 20 suddenly finds itself in an unprecedented position. The COVID-19 coronavirus has disrupted sports across the globe, and baseball is no different, as Opening Day of the 2020 Major League Baseball season was recently postponed for at least the next two months--and even that seems optimistic. It's an unfathomable turn of events, yet it also means Sony San Diego's latest baseball sim is now one of the only ways to experience the 2020 season of America's favorite pastime. It's a good job, then, that MLB 20 maintains the series' consistently high quality. Refinements to fielding and hitting may only be incremental this year, but they add more depth to what is still one of the most compelling sports games on the market, while new additions and modes off the field increase the game's variety as you chart a course towards World Series glory.
Fielding and defense received a lot of love in last year's game, so MLB 20 adds a few more wrinkles without rocking the boat too much. The distinction between Gold Glove caliber outfielders and mere mortals is now slightly more pronounced, particularly when the CPU is in control. The best outfielders in the game are much more dialed in this year, reacting to the ball off the bat with authentic accuracy and a dependable first-step. On the flip side, the square peg you've lodged into the round hole in left field might struggle when it comes to reading the flight of the ball, committing a fair few errors over the course of a season as balls careen off the edge of his glove instead of nesting in its palm.
There's also a new Extreme Catch Indicator that identifies those bloop singles and hard-sinking line drives that are right on the edge of being catchable. If you have a player like Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton patrolling the outfield, you might take a chance and attempt a risky diving catch on one of these tough-to-reach balls, knowing full well that he's skilled enough to pull off a spectacular grab. With an average defender hustling towards the ball, however, you might prefer to play it safe and get yourself in position to gather the ball after it bounces. Surrendering a single is a much more positive outcome than laying out for a catch and completely missing the ball, resulting in a triple for the fortunate hitter.
Continue Reading at GameSpotValve Will Reveal More About Artifact Overhaul After Half-Life: Alyx Launch
Valve has recently put the Steam page for its Dota 2 card game, Artifact, ‘Under Construction’ and says there will be more news about the digital card game after the launch of Half-Life: Alyx next week.
Even a video game company like Valve makes mistakes. Probably the most public of the company’s errors was the Dota 2-themed card game called Artifact. So much so that even Valve founder Gabe Newell called it a “giant disappointment” when IGN visited Valve headquarters recently.
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But Valve hasn’t given up on Artifact just yet, and there are reports that the changes to the game are so massive the overhaul is internally being called “Artifact 2” according to the latest Edge Magazine.
Artifact was released in 2018, and despite some initial interest the card game’s player count soon cratered. The community criticized Artifact’s monetization model and progression difficulties. Valve soon announced that small updates would not be able to fix the game’s core problems and announced it would be working on large-scale overhauls.
“Artifact represents the largest discrepancy between our expectations for how one of our games would be received and the actual outcome,” Valve wrote in a blog post announcing the re-development.
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While it’s not yet known what steps Valve has taken to fix Artifact and make it more popular with players, but Valve is taking big steps.
For more, check out IGN’s First this month where we previewed the first 4 hours of Half-Life: Alyx, answer your biggest Valve questions, and our exclusive interview with Gabe Newell and Half-Life: Alyx developer Robin Walker.
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Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.
Our Half-Life: Alyx Review Arrives Monday
Valve's first big VR game, Half-Life: Alyx, will be available for all at 10AM Pacific time on Monday, March 23. If you haven't been keeping track, it's been 13 years since the last actual Half-Life game, Half-Life 2: Episode 2, came out in 2007. So it's kind of a big deal. Make sure to come back on Monday and find out what I think of it!
In the meantime, we've got tons and tons Half-Life: Alyx preview content for you to check out, courtesy of this month's IGN First.
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I, for one, highly recommend watching the Half-Life 2 developers reacting to a speed run of that classic game.
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Dan Stapleton is IGN's Reviews Editor. You can follow him on Twitter to hear gaming rants and lots of random Simpsons references.
Sonic the Hedgehog to Get Early Digital Release Due to Coronavirus
The Sonic the Hedgehog movie is getting an early digital release after many theaters have closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Paramount Pictures tweeted that Sonic will be available on-demand starting on March 31. This marks just 46 days since it opened in theaters on February 14.
Sonic the Hedgehog will become available on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD May 19.
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Sonic the Hedgehog reached $146 million domestically and $306 million worldwide, according to Variety. This officially makes it the highest-grossing video game film in U.S. box office history.
Paramount isn't the first studio to provide an early digital release for their movies with Disney and Pixar making Onward available later tonight in the U.S. Disney also brought Frozen 2 to Disney+ three months early, instead of its original June 26 release.
Earlier this week on Monday, Universal announced that Trolls World Tour will be available on-demand in the U.S. and U.K. on April 10. Trolls World Tour is one of many movies Universal movies hitting on-demand such as The Hunt, The Invisible Man, and Emma.
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If you haven't seen the Sonic the Hedgehog yet, take a look at our review saying it's "A spin dash in the right direction for video game movies."
Be sure to keep safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and understand how to stay healthy with these CDC guidelines.
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Jeffrey Lerman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @Snakester95.
Wonder Woman 1984 Will Still Be Released Theatrically, Not Online
Warner Bros. still intends on releasing Wonder Woman 1984 theatrically and not online, contrary to a report spreading like wildfire across the internet.
The Wrap claims to have heard that the upcoming DC Comics movie sequel, currently slated to open June 5, might forego a traditional theatrical release in favor of a straight-to-digital debut due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and worldwide closure of theaters.
The site reports that the preliminary discussions happened among the highest levels of Warner Bros.' top brass and that not even director Patty Jenkins and producer Charles Roven were privy to the discussions.
However, in The Wrap's own report, Warner President of Domestic Distribution Jeff Goldstein shot down the notion of a streaming-only release: “We’re looking to release the movie theatrically, that’s our plan."
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Likewise, a source close to the studio confirmed to IGN that Warner Bros. remains fully committed to releasing Wonder Woman 1984 theatrically.
“It’s ludicrous if you consider how big a movie this is,” WW84 producer Charles Roven told The Wrap. “Everybody recognizes that, as interesting as streaming might be, if you want a huge, global worldwide box office, you’ve got to release it in a movie theater.”
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Hollywood has seen nearly every upcoming movie release postponed and production shut down due to COVID-19, with Universal leading the charge this week in releasing a new movie, Trolls World Tour -- once earmarked for theatrical exhibition -- as a digital release instead.
While it's entirely likely that Warners brass have spit-balled such ideas -- these are obviously unprecedented times for the film industry -- our sources were adamant that Wonder Woman 1984 will make its debut as intended in movie theaters.
Call of Duty: Warzone Hits 30 Million Players in Just 10 Days
Call of Duty: Warzone continues to reach a huge number of players, with the free-to-play battle royale hitting 30 million players in its first 10 days of release.
The Call of Duty Twitter account posted the latest number with a picture thanking its 30 million players for being a part of the community. This increase in people playing comes shortly after Warzone hit 6 million players within its first 24 hours available.
While players were able to play solo in Warzone previously by going up against other squads alone, Infinity Ward released a solos mode on Tuesday. This could have played a role in bringing more people to the battle royale, despite the Plunder mode still not being playable alone. By choosing to support cross-platform play between Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, more people have been able to play together regardless of their platform. Warzone was officially announced earlier this month with a launch coming 24 hours later. This isn't the first time we've seen a quick reveal and release, especially in the battle royale genre - developer Respawn Entertainment released Apex Legends shortly after it was announced and reached 2.5 million players within its first 24 hours. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=call-of-duty-warzone-screenshots&captions=true"] Stay prepared for Warzone whether you're going in alone or with a full squad by using our guides at the Call of Duty: Warzone wiki. If you're looking for a quick guide, take a peek at the best loadouts to get right into the action. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jeffrey Lerman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @Snakester95.Over 30 million of you have dropped in to play #Warzone. Thank you to this amazing community .
Jump in and play for free now. #FreeCallofDuty pic.twitter.com/KFKhb8CNNK — Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) March 20, 2020
Police in Multiple Countries Using Drones to Yell at People Going Outdoors
Police in countries like Spain and China are using drones to stop people from going outside during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Spain's government announced that the country was in a state of emergency Friday, March 13, and the next day, everyone in the country was ordered to remain indoors, as reported by Business Insider. Days later, police were using drones equipped with speakers to yell at people breaking the rules.
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It's very Black Mirror-esque, but it does provide a way for police to ensure people remain indoors without having to risk person-to-person interactions themselves. You can check it out in action in the tweet below from BBC News.
China is doing the same with its own drones, warning residents to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary to leave the quarantine, as reported by Global News. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/25/how-coronavirus-is-impacting-the-games-industry"] You can check out China's drones working below.Police in Spain have been using drones to check the streets for anyone ignoring Spanish orders to stay home during the coronavirus outbreak
On Saturday, the country's 47 million citizens were ordered to stay indoors except for necessary tripshttps://t.co/Yqcy5K9OLC pic.twitter.com/jmLlQfQYXc — BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 15, 2020
Check out some ways you can help others and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.Camera drones are employed in Hangzhou, China to urge elderly residents to stay indoors, amid the novel #coronavirus outbreak. #pneumonia pic.twitter.com/jpT3yvHnip
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) February 4, 2020
PS5: ‘Majority of the 4,000+ PS4 Titles’ Will be Backwards Compatible, Sony Says
Sony has just updated its verbiage on backwards compatibility for the PS5 in an update on the official PlayStation blog, stating that it now intends to support the "majority of the 4,000+ PS4 titles" with backwards compatibility on the next-gen system. Initially, lead system architect Mark Cerny stated during a presentation earlier this week that "[Sony] recently took a look at the top 100 PS4 titles as ranked by play time, and we're expecting almost all of them to be playable at launch on PS5."
The reason for the delay in support for all PS4 titles is due to the PS5's boosted frequencies which will run PS4 games at higher, more stable framerates and potentially higher resolution. Sony is testing each game on a title-by-title basis to ensure compatibility with the updated architecture and work with the original developers if any adjustments need to be made.
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We already got a glimpse of how the PS5's added power and SSD will improve load times last year featuring Marvel's Spider-Man, and it will be interesting to see just how much better some of the PS4's more demanding titles actually fare.
This updated announcement follows the first real deep-dive look at the architecture of the upcoming PS5 where we learned about what to expect out of the upcoming system's power, graphical capability, and significantly reduced load times thanks to the custom SSDs.
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Cerny also spent a significant portion of time on the 3D audio that will be included in PS5, which will allow for developers to build "new dreams" and immerse players in more meaningful audio due in part to the PS5's custom Tempest audio engine. Cerny even alluded to custom audio designs being developed based on photos and videos of your ears in the future.
There's currently no timetable as to when the remainder of the PS4 library will be playable, but Sony claims to have tested hundreds of titles, and will continue testing thousands more as we move closer to the PS5 launch date.
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Curious to see how the PS5 stacks up to the Xbox Series X in terms of specs? We've also detailed why teraflops aren't necessarily the best indicator of performance between the two systems.
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Matthew Adler is a News and Features writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter and watch him stream on Twitch.