Monthly Archives: June 2022
LEGO Con 2022: The Biggest Announcements and Reveals
On Saturday, June 18, the LEGO Group streamed its second annual LEGO CON, hosted by Vick Hope, Joel McHale, and Melvin Odoom. Special guests included Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter franchise) and Angus MacLane, the director behind the new Pixar film Lightyear.
The event lasted two hours and included interviews with LEGO designers and an international LEGO Masters build project to celebrate the company's 90th anniversary. But the most exciting parts of the show were the multiple set reveals. Two of the sets will revive classic LEGO themes, and the others sets continue LEGO's licensed franchises, including Avatar, Star Wars, Marvel, Super Mario, and more. All sets will launch later this summer.
Here are the biggest announcements and reveals from LEGO CON 2022.
Classic LEGO Castle Returns
The new medieval LEGO Lion Knights' Castle is big and detailed, and it represents a revival; there has not been a Castle or Castle-adjacent theme since 2013. Set #10305 features a working drawbridge and a water wheel that turns a millstone. Builders can open the castle and explore an interior that includes a dungeon, an armory, and a kitchen. There's even a miniature model of the "Classic" yellow castle from 1978! It is composed of 4514 pieces and retails for $399.99. It will launch on August 3.
Classic LEGO Space Returns
Another throwback, this is a large-scale reimagining of the classic Galaxy Explorer from 1979, and it comes with retractable legs, living quarters, and four astronaut minifigures. The new LEGO Galaxy Explorer is composed of 1254 pieces and retails for $99.99. It will debut on August 1.
LEGO Minecraft Locations Unveiled
There are two new Minecraft sets launching later this summer. The first is the Skeleton Dungeon (Set #21189), which includes a spawner and rocks that can be rigged up to fall on the skeletons chasing you. It is composed of 364 pieces and retails for $44.99. It will debut on August 1.
The second set is the Abandoned Village (Set #21190), where you battle zombie villagers amidst the dilapidated ruins. It is composed of 422 pieces and retails for $34.99. It will also debut on August 1.
LEGO Designs Home Decor
For the last few years, LEGO has been experimenting with using Dots–smooth, round, 1x1 studs –to create realistic mosaics of famous photos and paintings. The upcoming LEGO Floral Art (Set #31207) mosaic set is more free form than what came prior, and allows you to create your own customizable floral art, with vibrant greens, blues, oranges, and pinks. Then, you can hang it up in your home to match the color scheme. The set is composed of 2,780 pieces and retails for $79.99. It will release on August 1.
New LEGO Super Mario Characters Announced
There are 8 new, collectible LEGO Super Mario characters. They are all interactive with the Super Mario starter sets and come with unique sounds and abilities. They are: Nabbit, Purple Toad, Hammer Bro, Waddlewing, Toady, Baby Yoshi, Red Yoshi, and Blue Shy Guy. The LEGO Super Mario Character Pack Series 5 (Set #71410) will retail for $5.99 each. They will launch on August 1.
New LEGO Star Wars Sets Depict The Clone Wars And Its Aftermath
The new LEGO Star Wars sets are always next level with regards to scope, size, and detail, and this summer's newly announced arrivals are no different. First is the LEGO Star Wars The Justifier (Set #75323), which is Bounty hunter Cad Bane's ship, as seen in The Bad Batch. It features minifigures of Cad Bane, Fennec Shand, Hunter, Omega, and Todo 360. It has a fully detailed cockpit and retractable landing gear. It is composed of 1022 pieces and retails for $169.99. It will launch on August 1
And the other announced set was the LEGO Star Wars AT-TE Walker (Set #75337), a heavy artillery unit from the Clone Wars era. It comes with Separatist droids and members of the 212th Attack Battalion, which ran under the command of Cody and General Kenobi. The vehicle features articulable legs and a massive rotating laser cannon on top. It is composed of 1082 pieces and retails for $139.99. It will also launch on August 1.
LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation Coming To Disney Plus
Disney debuted a teaser trailer for the upcoming special LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation. It centers around Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose, and Chewbacca, who are taking a well-earned vacation after defeating Palpatine in Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. The official trailer will launch on June 21. The complete special will debut on Disney Plus on August 1.
LEGO Avatar Sets Revealed
Much like the long-anticipated movie sequels, the LEGO Avatar sets have been in development for years. At LEGO CON 2022, we got a peek at one of them: a recreation of a Toruk and The Tree of Souls (Set #75574). It comes with a number of Na'vi minifigures, which have tails and disproportionately long arms and legs. The set is composed of 1212 pieces, and it will retail for $149.99. It will launch on October 1.
Massive LEGO Marvel Set Revealed – Dr. Strange Sanctum Sanctorum
And lastly, this massive recreation of Dr. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum (Set #76218) sets a high bar for MCU-themed sets. The entire building is modular, and the individual floors are separable from each other. The top floor is a museum of mystical artifacts, the middle floor is a library, and the bottom floor depicts the grand staircase from the films. It is composed of 2708 pieces and will retail for $249.99. It will launch on August 1.
Kevin Wong is a LEGO aficionado. Talk about your favorite sets with him on Twitter at @kevinjameswong.
Ready or Not Back on Steam Following a Takedown Request Concerning Trademark Infringement
Ready or Not, the tactical, first-person shooter that entered Early Access in 2021, is back on Steam after a takedown request was issued concerning trademark infringement.
As reported by NME, the issue was related to a level that depicted a mass shooting at a nightclub and one that was released on the anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting. The nightclub in Ready or Not was called Prysm.
Ready or Not developer VOID Interactive announced that its game was back on Steam earlier today, June 18, saying it was "very sorry about this downtime and hope it was not too inconvenient."
— VOID Interactive (@VOIDInteractive) June 18, 2022
This apology arrives after it addressed rumors surrounding "the takedown of Ready or Not and its associated pages on Steam that occurred on Thursday, June 16th."
"A takedown request was issued via Steam concerning a suggested trademark infringement in our recent Night Club map that was shared as part of our most recent Steam update," VOID Interactive wrote. "We take IP concerns very seriously, and in a show of good faith, we have decided to remove the subject materials and any reference to them from Ready or Not and from any of our social media or other publications.
"Ready or Not will return to the Steam store once we complete the changes. We have also removed the AI update video from our YouTube channel and from our Steam Store page, and anticipate that these will be restored after an editing process is completed."
VOID has not addressed the controversy around it releasing the map on the anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting, but fans on Twitter have mentioned the takedown was not specifically linked to that and instead was due to the name being similar to a nightclub chain in the UK.
This isn't the first controversial moment for Ready or Not, as VOID Interactive parted ways with publisher Team17 one day after the developer shared it would have a school shooting level.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
Ready or Not Back on Steam Following a Takedown Request Concerning Trademark Infringement
Ready or Not, the tactical, first-person shooter that entered Early Access in 2021, is back on Steam after a takedown request was issued concerning trademark infringement.
As reported by NME, the issue was related to a level that depicted a mass shooting at a nightclub and one that was released on the anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting. The nightclub in Ready or Not was called Prysm.
Ready or Not developer VOID Interactive announced that its game was back on Steam earlier today, June 18, saying it was "very sorry about this downtime and hope it was not too inconvenient."
— VOID Interactive (@VOIDInteractive) June 18, 2022
This apology arrives after it addressed rumors surrounding "the takedown of Ready or Not and its associated pages on Steam that occurred on Thursday, June 16th."
"A takedown request was issued via Steam concerning a suggested trademark infringement in our recent Night Club map that was shared as part of our most recent Steam update," VOID Interactive wrote. "We take IP concerns very seriously, and in a show of good faith, we have decided to remove the subject materials and any reference to them from Ready or Not and from any of our social media or other publications.
"Ready or Not will return to the Steam store once we complete the changes. We have also removed the AI update video from our YouTube channel and from our Steam Store page, and anticipate that these will be restored after an editing process is completed."
VOID has not addressed the controversy around it releasing the map on the anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting, but fans on Twitter have mentioned the takedown was not specifically linked to that and instead was due to the name being similar to a nightclub chain in the UK.
This isn't the first controversial moment for Ready or Not, as VOID Interactive parted ways with publisher Team17 one day after the developer shared it would have a school shooting level.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
The Last of Us’ Joel and Ellie Kill Clickers and Norse Monsters In God of War Crossover Mod
A new mod has placed The Last of Us' Joel and Ellie into the world of 2018's God of War on PC, and the results are spectacular.
As reported by Eurogamer, YouTuber OmegaFantasy has not only swapped out the models of God of War's Kratos and Atreus for The Last of Us' Joel and Ellie, but they have also replaced Kratos' Leviathan Axe with a modified pipe more suited for Joel and have turned the Draugrs into Clickers.
The Last of Us meets God of War!
— Speclizer (@Speclizer_) June 17, 2022
Full video including a David vs Joel fight: https://t.co/aqzg1QdInC pic.twitter.com/1fHKhBhzbY
Additionally, they have changed The Stranger from the beginning of the game to The Last of Us' David, giving the epic fight in the opening moments of the game a whole new meaning.
Fans are able to download the mod for themselves via OmegaFantasy's Patreon and they can watch the game in action on their YouTube channel. If you want to watch the mod with lines from The Last of Us put in, you can check out Speclizer's video that edits in The Last of Us dialogue.
If The Last of Us isn't for you, OmegaFantasy has also added in other famous characters, including The Simpsons: Hit and Run's Homer, Bart, and Ned.
All of these mods are making the wait for God of War: Ragnarok just a little bit easier. Fortunately, a recent report has revealed we don't have much longer to wait as Sony is said to be planning on releasing the much-anticipated sequel in November 2022.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
The Last of Us’ Joel and Ellie Kill Clickers and Norse Monsters In God of War Crossover Mod
A new mod has placed The Last of Us' Joel and Ellie into the world of 2018's God of War on PC, and the results are spectacular.
As reported by Eurogamer, YouTuber OmegaFantasy has not only swapped out the models of God of War's Kratos and Atreus for The Last of Us' Joel and Ellie, but they have also replaced Kratos' Leviathan Axe with a modified pipe more suited for Joel and have turned the Draugrs into Clickers.
The Last of Us meets God of War!
— Speclizer (@Speclizer_) June 17, 2022
Full video including a David vs Joel fight: https://t.co/aqzg1QdInC pic.twitter.com/1fHKhBhzbY
Additionally, they have changed The Stranger from the beginning of the game to The Last of Us' David, giving the epic fight in the opening moments of the game a whole new meaning.
Fans are able to download the mod for themselves via OmegaFantasy's Patreon and they can watch the game in action on their YouTube channel. If you want to watch the mod with lines from The Last of Us put in, you can check out Speclizer's video that edits in The Last of Us dialogue.
If The Last of Us isn't for you, OmegaFantasy has also added in other famous characters, including The Simpsons: Hit and Run's Homer, Bart, and Ned.
All of these mods are making the wait for God of War: Ragnarok just a little bit easier. Fortunately, a recent report has revealed we don't have much longer to wait as Sony is said to be planning on releasing the much-anticipated sequel in November 2022.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
Lawmakers Say the US Needs a Standard Charger
Following European Union lawmakers reaching a deal to force all smartphones and tablets to have USB-C charging ports by 2024, a group of senate democrats are looking to implement a similar mandate in the U.S.
As reported by The Verge, these democrats have called on the U.S. Commerce Department to follow the EU's lead and "develop a strategy to require a common charging port across all mobile devices."
The letter, which was addressed to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, was penned by Ed Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
“The EU has wisely acted in the public interest by taking on powerful technology companies over this consumer and environmental issue,” the senators wrote. “The United States should do the same.”
This move would be a big step towards combating e-waste and would obviously hit Apple the hardest as is has been using its proprietary Lightning Cable for many of its devices since it was introduced alongside the iPhone 5 in 2012.
"Year after year, Americans pile our outdated chargers onto landfills while we shell out more money to tech companies for new ones,” Markey said in a statement to The Verge on Thursday. “This waste is driving consumers up the wall, and it’s driving our planet deeper into a climate crisis. I’m asking the Department of Commerce to follow the lead of the European Union and look into solutions so that we can save our money, our sanity, and our planet.”
The U.S. senate democrats' plan is slightly different from that of the EU, as they aren't asking the Commerce Department to codify USB-C as the universal charging standard. Instead, it is asking them to create a "comprehensive strategy" moving forward.
There are those who are against this movement, as some critics of the EU mandate say this rule could "stifle innovation and inhibit smartphone manufacturers from advancing faster charging standards in the future."
“Big Tech is allergic to regulation, and we’re already seeing companies push back on the EU’s action. Senator Markey thinks that we have to continue to stand up to this industry to make sure their interests don’t come at the expense of environmental and consumer wellbeing," a spokesperson told the Verge when asked about potential pushback from the tech industry.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
Lawmakers Say the US Needs a Standard Charger
Following European Union lawmakers reaching a deal to force all smartphones and tablets to have USB-C charging ports by 2024, a group of senate democrats are looking to implement a similar mandate in the U.S.
As reported by The Verge, these democrats have called on the U.S. Commerce Department to follow the EU's lead and "develop a strategy to require a common charging port across all mobile devices."
The letter, which was addressed to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, was penned by Ed Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
“The EU has wisely acted in the public interest by taking on powerful technology companies over this consumer and environmental issue,” the senators wrote. “The United States should do the same.”
This move would be a big step towards combating e-waste and would obviously hit Apple the hardest as is has been using its proprietary Lightning Cable for many of its devices since it was introduced alongside the iPhone 5 in 2012.
"Year after year, Americans pile our outdated chargers onto landfills while we shell out more money to tech companies for new ones,” Markey said in a statement to The Verge on Thursday. “This waste is driving consumers up the wall, and it’s driving our planet deeper into a climate crisis. I’m asking the Department of Commerce to follow the lead of the European Union and look into solutions so that we can save our money, our sanity, and our planet.”
The U.S. senate democrats' plan is slightly different from that of the EU, as they aren't asking the Commerce Department to codify USB-C as the universal charging standard. Instead, it is asking them to create a "comprehensive strategy" moving forward.
There are those who are against this movement, as some critics of the EU mandate say this rule could "stifle innovation and inhibit smartphone manufacturers from advancing faster charging standards in the future."
“Big Tech is allergic to regulation, and we’re already seeing companies push back on the EU’s action. Senator Markey thinks that we have to continue to stand up to this industry to make sure their interests don’t come at the expense of environmental and consumer wellbeing," a spokesperson told the Verge when asked about potential pushback from the tech industry.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
Diablo Immortal’s Microtransactions Have Made It $24 Million In Two Weeks
Diablo Immortal appears to be off to a strong start, as the mobile-focused take on the Blizzard franchise has generated over $24 million USD in revenue in its first two weeks.
As reported by PCGamesN, industry tracking website AppMagic has shared some interesting tidbits of data for the free-to-play Diablo Immortal alongside the microtransactions details, including that the USA and South Korea have spent the most money and that the game has been downloaded more than five million times.
The US has accounted for 26% of all global downloads and 43% of the previously mentioned revenue. Speaking of revenue, South Korea is in second place at 23% and Japan takes third with 8%.
These impressive numbers were achieved despite many players being upset about the implementation of Diablo Immortal's microtransactions. Certain players have complained about Immortal's best loot seemingly being very difficult to get without spending a lot of money, and even then that loot isn't guaranteed.
In our Diablo Immortal review in progress, we said, "I’ve only just started on my Diablo Immortal journey, but I like what I’ve played so far. The combat feels potent and weighty, with plenty of skill options for building out rounded and fun combat approaches. The story moves along at a brisk pace, opening up new zones steadily, while the many character progression systems ensured that I felt like I was always making progress and growing more powerful.
"And with more than 20 hours of microtransaction-free gameplay behind me, there’s clearly a lot of content to enjoy before you need to consider spending money, so this is very much a game you can try before you buy."
For more, check out our chat with the devs behind the new game as they talk about this new take on the classic series.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
Diablo Immortal’s Microtransactions Have Made It $24 Million In Two Weeks
Diablo Immortal appears to be off to a strong start, as the mobile-focused take on the Blizzard franchise has generated over $24 million USD in revenue in its first two weeks.
As reported by PCGamesN, industry tracking website AppMagic has shared some interesting tidbits of data for the free-to-play Diablo Immortal alongside the microtransactions details, including that the USA and South Korea have spent the most money and that the game has been downloaded more than five million times.
The US has accounted for 26% of all global downloads and 43% of the previously mentioned revenue. Speaking of revenue, South Korea is in second place at 23% and Japan takes third with 8%.
These impressive numbers were achieved despite many players being upset about the implementation of Diablo Immortal's microtransactions. Certain players have complained about Immortal's best loot seemingly being very difficult to get without spending a lot of money, and even then that loot isn't guaranteed.
In our Diablo Immortal review in progress, we said, "I’ve only just started on my Diablo Immortal journey, but I like what I’ve played so far. The combat feels potent and weighty, with plenty of skill options for building out rounded and fun combat approaches. The story moves along at a brisk pace, opening up new zones steadily, while the many character progression systems ensured that I felt like I was always making progress and growing more powerful.
"And with more than 20 hours of microtransaction-free gameplay behind me, there’s clearly a lot of content to enjoy before you need to consider spending money, so this is very much a game you can try before you buy."
For more, check out our chat with the devs behind the new game as they talk about this new take on the classic series.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
Top Gun: Maverick Is Officially Tom Cruise’s Highest-Grossing Movie Ever
After earning more than $800 million at the global box office, Top Gun: Maverick has officially become Tom Cruise's highest-grossing movie of all time.
As reported by Variety, Top Gun: Maverick soared past Mission: Impossible - Fallout's $791 million to claim the #1 spot on Cruise's resume, and it still has some runway left to go as it heads into its fourth week in theaters and inches closer to the coveted $1 billion milestone.
Top Gun: Maverick's current global total sits at $806.4 million, with $422.2 million of that coming from North America.
In its debut during Memorial Day Weekend, Top Gun: Maverick earned $160.5 million domestically. It continued to earn $90 million and $51 million domestically in its second and third weekend, respectively, and looks to face off against newcomer Lightyear and Jurassic World: Dominion, the latter of which is set to enter its second weekend.
In our Top Gun: Maverick review, we said that it "is good ol' cheesy as hell, silly-heroic entertainment with mile-high enthusiasm — a welcome throwback to simpler cinematic times."
For more, check out our explainer of Top Gun: Maverick's ending, how the film's breathtaking practical effects were achieved, and how one shot could only be filmed once because the set blew away.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.