Peter Dinklage to Star in Toxic Avenger Reboot
Peter Dinklage has been attached to Legendary’s upcoming reboot of The Toxic Avenger.
Deadline reports that Dinklage is set to star in the reboot of the 1984 low-budget splatter film, which will be directed by Macon Blair, who previously helmed Netflix’s I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore. No details have been provided on casting, so it’s unclear if Dinklage is set to play The Toxic Avenger’s protagonist, Melvin Ferd.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2014/05/22/x-men-days-of-future-past-peter-dinklage-interview"]
The 1984 original follows Melvin Ferd, a janitor who is submerged in toxic waste in an accident and emerges as a disfigured but incredibly strong superhuman. While schlocky and camp, The Toxic Avenger dealt with environmental and societal issues while also parodying the superhero genre. While it was unsuccessful at launch, The Toxic Avenger went on to be a cult classic and spawned a four-film franchise, animated TV show, spin-off, video game, and even a musical.
The reboot will be produced by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, the directors of the 1984 original.
Peter Dinklage is, of course, most famous for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister on Game of Thrones, for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2020 for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series. While we were not so keen on the final season of Game of Thrones, the series as a whole is still fondly remembered and Dinklage’s performance is a huge part of that.
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Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.
Peter Dinklage to Star in Toxic Avenger Reboot
Peter Dinklage has been attached to Legendary’s upcoming reboot of The Toxic Avenger.
Deadline reports that Dinklage is set to star in the reboot of the 1984 low-budget splatter film, which will be directed by Macon Blair, who previously helmed Netflix’s I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore. No details have been provided on casting, so it’s unclear if Dinklage is set to play The Toxic Avenger’s protagonist, Melvin Ferd.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2014/05/22/x-men-days-of-future-past-peter-dinklage-interview"]
The 1984 original follows Melvin Ferd, a janitor who is submerged in toxic waste in an accident and emerges as a disfigured but incredibly strong superhuman. While schlocky and camp, The Toxic Avenger dealt with environmental and societal issues while also parodying the superhero genre. While it was unsuccessful at launch, The Toxic Avenger went on to be a cult classic and spawned a four-film franchise, animated TV show, spin-off, video game, and even a musical.
The reboot will be produced by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, the directors of the 1984 original.
Peter Dinklage is, of course, most famous for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister on Game of Thrones, for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2020 for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series. While we were not so keen on the final season of Game of Thrones, the series as a whole is still fondly remembered and Dinklage’s performance is a huge part of that.
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Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.
Treyarch Boosts Weapon XP in Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War Following Player Complaints
The latest patch for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has boosted Weapon XP earn rates across Multiplayer and Zombies, following player complaints about slow progression.
The change was revealed as part of Treyarch's latest patch notes, which detail the changes to Weapon XP as well as a few other bug fixes across Zombies and the new Nuketown '84 map.
"Coming out of last week’s 2XP + 2WXP event, we’ve made some additional tuning changes to global Weapon XP earn rates across the board," the notes read. "Starting today, you’ll now level up your weapons and unlock more attachments faster than the previous standard rate in both MP and Zombies."
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/17/call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-multiplayer-review"]
The article notes that there was an issue, specifically in the Die Maschine Zombies mode, that was "causing lower-than-targeted Weapon XP earn rates in solo matches and in later rounds." Treyarch has a few "2WXP events" planned for December to make up for it. The patch has also fixed an "out-of-bounds gap" in the new Nuketown 84 map. Here's how to complete the Nuketown Easter Egg in Black Ops Cold War, if you're still searching for the solution.
Previously, the pace at which your weapons would upgrade in Cold War was slow, especially by comparison to previous games. Last week, players took to Reddit to note the disappointing EXP Rates in-game, especially in Zombies. Throughout the month of November, players like Reddit user Evchev have reported getting more than 1000 eliminations with a weapon without reaching the final rung of Weapon XP progression.
Hopefully, these issues will now be fixed with the latest patch, and players can make up for the time lost with Treyarch's upcoming Double XP events.
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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
Treyarch Boosts Weapon XP in Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War Following Player Complaints
The latest patch for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has boosted Weapon XP earn rates across Multiplayer and Zombies, following player complaints about slow progression.
The change was revealed as part of Treyarch's latest patch notes, which detail the changes to Weapon XP as well as a few other bug fixes across Zombies and the new Nuketown '84 map.
"Coming out of last week’s 2XP + 2WXP event, we’ve made some additional tuning changes to global Weapon XP earn rates across the board," the notes read. "Starting today, you’ll now level up your weapons and unlock more attachments faster than the previous standard rate in both MP and Zombies."
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/17/call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-multiplayer-review"]
The article notes that there was an issue, specifically in the Die Maschine Zombies mode, that was "causing lower-than-targeted Weapon XP earn rates in solo matches and in later rounds." Treyarch has a few "2WXP events" planned for December to make up for it. The patch has also fixed an "out-of-bounds gap" in the new Nuketown 84 map. Here's how to complete the Nuketown Easter Egg in Black Ops Cold War, if you're still searching for the solution.
Previously, the pace at which your weapons would upgrade in Cold War was slow, especially by comparison to previous games. Last week, players took to Reddit to note the disappointing EXP Rates in-game, especially in Zombies. Throughout the month of November, players like Reddit user Evchev have reported getting more than 1000 eliminations with a weapon without reaching the final rung of Weapon XP progression.
Hopefully, these issues will now be fixed with the latest patch, and players can make up for the time lost with Treyarch's upcoming Double XP events.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
Tetris Effect: Connected Review
In 2018, Tetris Effect's mesmerizing sounds and sights heightened the classic game's aesthetically pleasing properties and its ability to consume our attention to almost therapeutic levels, reinvigorating our appreciation for one of gaming's oldest obsessions. But even as former GameSpot editor Peter Brown proclaimed Tetris "better than ever" in Tetris Effect, he noted it "sadly" did not apply its wondrous approach to multiplayer. Two years later, Tetris Effect: Connected--an updated re-release for Xbox consoles and PC--fills that gap. Just as the original did for the classic version of the game, Connected reimagines Tetris multiplayer with flair and vision. It also loses a major component, VR support, which delivers the most intense version of the experience. While I'm of two minds on that tradeoff, the soothing intensity of Tetris Effect hasn't lost any potency. On the contrary, it feels more vital than ever in 2020.
Though it adds and removes modes whole cloth, the core of Tetris Effect remains unchanged. Despite the fact that Journey mode hasn't been touched, its shifting, syncopated themes enraptured me level by level, even on my second time through. Tetris Effect is a significant challenge to average Tetris players like myself. Each level revs the speed up to push you just up to the edge of what you can handle. Even as you improve--and you are getting better, whether you see it or not--the levels scale to demand your full focus. It sounds unapproachable, but there's something about the combination of the way your brain looks for patterns, combined with the rhythmic sensory elements and this challenge, that lets you give yourself over to the game, almost trance-like, without even trying.
You'll need that focus in multiplayer. Whether you're playing cooperatively with other players or competing against them, the multiplayer modes in Connected ratchet up the intensity found in the original. Connected features four multiplayer modes--three competitive, one co-op. As in most games, other players will push you in ways a single-player campaign will not.
Continue Reading at GameSpotTetris Effect: Connected Review
In 2018, Tetris Effect's mesmerizing sounds and sights heightened the classic game's aesthetically pleasing properties and its ability to consume our attention to almost therapeutic levels, reinvigorating our appreciation for one of gaming's oldest obsessions. But even as former GameSpot editor Peter Brown proclaimed Tetris "better than ever" in Tetris Effect, he noted it "sadly" did not apply its wondrous approach to multiplayer. Two years later, Tetris Effect: Connected--an updated re-release for Xbox consoles and PC--fills that gap. Just as the original did for the classic version of the game, Connected reimagines Tetris multiplayer with flair and vision. It also loses a major component, VR support, which delivers the most intense version of the experience. While I'm of two minds on that tradeoff, the soothing intensity of Tetris Effect hasn't lost any potency. On the contrary, it feels more vital than ever in 2020.
Though it adds and removes modes whole cloth, the core of Tetris Effect remains unchanged. Despite the fact that Journey mode hasn't been touched, its shifting, syncopated themes enraptured me level by level, even on my second time through. Tetris Effect is a significant challenge to average Tetris players like myself. Each level revs the speed up to push you just up to the edge of what you can handle. Even as you improve--and you are getting better, whether you see it or not--the levels scale to demand your full focus. It sounds unapproachable, but there's something about the combination of the way your brain looks for patterns, combined with the rhythmic sensory elements and this challenge, that lets you give yourself over to the game, almost trance-like, without even trying.
You'll need that focus in multiplayer. Whether you're playing cooperatively with other players or competing against them, the multiplayer modes in Connected ratchet up the intensity found in the original. Connected features four multiplayer modes--three competitive, one co-op. As in most games, other players will push you in ways a single-player campaign will not.
Continue Reading at GameSpotYou Can Finally Transfer Nintendo Switch Screenshots Directly to a Computer
A new Nintendo Switch firmware update has gone live and Ver. 11.0.0 adds several quality-of-life improvements that are actually meaningful. Features like finally being able to transfer videos and screenshots to a computer.
Firmware 11.0.0 was pushed live today, and a big focus of today’s update involves getting your screenshots and gameplay capture off of the Switch and onto another device directly, either through a USB cable or wireless transfer.
To access this, users can connect their Switch to a computer using a USB cable, go to System Settings, then Data Management, and finally to Manage Screenshots and Videos.
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There is now also a feature that will automatically download saved data backed up on the cloud to multiple Switch consoles, granted the same Nintendo Account is linked to each device. However, the save data must already exist on each console, so you’ll still need to manually download the save data onto a second device first before being able to utilize this feature.
Here are the full patch notes for Nintendo Switch Firmware 11.0.0 (via Nintendo’s website)
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
[poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.Ver. 11.0.0 (Released November 30, 2020) Nintendo Switch Online was added to the HOME Menu.
- Access all Nintendo Switch Online services, from getting the latest information to checking your membership status. *This feature is not available in some countries/regions.
A new feature that automatically downloads backed up save data was added to the Save Data Cloud.
- When using software with the same Nintendo Account linked to multiple systems, save data backed up from one console will automatically be downloaded to your other system(s).
- *To use this feature, it must be enabled under System Settings > Data Management > Save Data Cloud.
- *Save data will not be downloaded automatically unless save data for that software exists on the console. The first time only, users must download the save data manually.
- *A Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to use the Save Data Cloud service.
A new Trending feature was added to the User Page.
- Users can check what software their friends are playing or have started playing recently.
- Information will not be displayed for friends who have their online status set to display to no one.
Users can now transfer screenshots and videos from Album to their smart devices.
- Users can wirelessly connect their smart devices to Nintendo Switch to transfer the screenshots and videos saved within their Album.
- For screenshots, users can transfer a maximum of 10 screenshots and 1 video capture at once.
- *To connect, users must use their smart device to scan the QR Code displayed on the Nintendo Switch screen.
- For more information, please refer to the Nintendo Support website.
- *“QR Code” is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED.
A new Copy to a Computer via USB Connection feature was added under System Settings > Data Management > Manage Screenshots and Videos.
- Users can use a USB cable to connect Nintendo Switch to their computers to copy the screenshots and videos saved under Album.
- * A USB charging cable [model HAC-010] or a USB-IF certified USB cable that supports data transfer is required to connect to a computer.
- For more information, please refer to the Nintendo Support website.
- * Connection via the Nintendo Switch dock is not supported. Please connect the Nintendo Switch system directly to the computer.
Users can now select what download to prioritize when there are multiple downloads in progress.
- When there are multiple software, update data, or downloadable content downloads in progress, users can now select which they want to download first.
- You can set this under Download Options by selecting the icon for the software you want to download first on the HOME Menu.
User icons were added.
- 12 user icons that commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Super Mario Bros. series were added.
Users can now name preset button mappings with the Change Button Mapping feature. Brazilian Portuguese was added as a supported language.
- When users set their region to the Americas and their language to Português, the language used on the HOME Menu and in certain software will be displayed in Brazilian Portuguese.
Several issues were fixed, and usability and stability were improved.
You Can Finally Transfer Nintendo Switch Screenshots Directly to a Computer
A new Nintendo Switch firmware update has gone live and Ver. 11.0.0 adds several quality-of-life improvements that are actually meaningful. Features like finally being able to transfer videos and screenshots to a computer.
Firmware 11.0.0 was pushed live today, and a big focus of today’s update involves getting your screenshots and gameplay capture off of the Switch and onto another device directly, either through a USB cable or wireless transfer.
To access this, users can connect their Switch to a computer using a USB cable, go to System Settings, then Data Management, and finally to Manage Screenshots and Videos.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-top-25-switch-games-fall-2020-update&captions=true"]
There is now also a feature that will automatically download saved data backed up on the cloud to multiple Switch consoles, granted the same Nintendo Account is linked to each device. However, the save data must already exist on each console, so you’ll still need to manually download the save data onto a second device first before being able to utilize this feature.
Here are the full patch notes for Nintendo Switch Firmware 11.0.0 (via Nintendo’s website)
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
[poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.Ver. 11.0.0 (Released November 30, 2020) Nintendo Switch Online was added to the HOME Menu.
- Access all Nintendo Switch Online services, from getting the latest information to checking your membership status. *This feature is not available in some countries/regions.
A new feature that automatically downloads backed up save data was added to the Save Data Cloud.
- When using software with the same Nintendo Account linked to multiple systems, save data backed up from one console will automatically be downloaded to your other system(s).
- *To use this feature, it must be enabled under System Settings > Data Management > Save Data Cloud.
- *Save data will not be downloaded automatically unless save data for that software exists on the console. The first time only, users must download the save data manually.
- *A Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to use the Save Data Cloud service.
A new Trending feature was added to the User Page.
- Users can check what software their friends are playing or have started playing recently.
- Information will not be displayed for friends who have their online status set to display to no one.
Users can now transfer screenshots and videos from Album to their smart devices.
- Users can wirelessly connect their smart devices to Nintendo Switch to transfer the screenshots and videos saved within their Album.
- For screenshots, users can transfer a maximum of 10 screenshots and 1 video capture at once.
- *To connect, users must use their smart device to scan the QR Code displayed on the Nintendo Switch screen.
- For more information, please refer to the Nintendo Support website.
- *“QR Code” is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED.
A new Copy to a Computer via USB Connection feature was added under System Settings > Data Management > Manage Screenshots and Videos.
- Users can use a USB cable to connect Nintendo Switch to their computers to copy the screenshots and videos saved under Album.
- * A USB charging cable [model HAC-010] or a USB-IF certified USB cable that supports data transfer is required to connect to a computer.
- For more information, please refer to the Nintendo Support website.
- * Connection via the Nintendo Switch dock is not supported. Please connect the Nintendo Switch system directly to the computer.
Users can now select what download to prioritize when there are multiple downloads in progress.
- When there are multiple software, update data, or downloadable content downloads in progress, users can now select which they want to download first.
- You can set this under Download Options by selecting the icon for the software you want to download first on the HOME Menu.
User icons were added.
- 12 user icons that commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Super Mario Bros. series were added.
Users can now name preset button mappings with the Change Button Mapping feature. Brazilian Portuguese was added as a supported language.
- When users set their region to the Americas and their language to Português, the language used on the HOME Menu and in certain software will be displayed in Brazilian Portuguese.
Several issues were fixed, and usability and stability were improved.
WWE’s Xavier Woods Joins the New G4
WWE Superstar Xavier Woods, aka Austin Creed, has been announced as the first on-air talent for the rebooted G4, and IGN was able to sit down with Creed and G4’s head of content Kevin Sabbe to talk about Woods’ new role and vision for the network.
Woods, whose wrestling renown is matched by his love of gaming, made a surprise appearance at last weeks’ G4 Reunion Special. The reunion included former talents Kevin Pereira, Morgan Webb, Adam Sessler, Olivia Munn. But the real stinger is that Woods will be with G4 going forward as one of the new hosts for the revamped network.
“I was losing my mind… It was incredible,” Woods says in describing the experience of being able to announce his hosting job. “I’m just a random dude from Georgia who loves video games and loves wrestling. So getting my WWE contract while sitting in the middle of a Walgreens in Orlando, Florida at the time doing like backflips, calling my parents... I had the exact same reaction when I found out I was going to be a host on G4.”
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The TV network premiered in 2002 and covered all manner of games and geekery with shows like X-Play, G4TV.com, and Attack of the Show. The network launched the careers of many familiar faces in the gaming industry you see today including Munn, Geoff Keighley, and more.
But Woods is already a well-known personality, both from his work in WWE and as a personality and host around the gaming scene. And Woods says he intends to carry that energy forward into his G4 tenure.
“I feel like the thing that I’ve done and continue to bring constantly to the table since I’ve been in the gaming space is trying to show people that we’re all the same kind of nerd. So, I love wrestling back in the day — I still love wrestling now, obviously — but back in the day, at some point wrestling, like, wasn’t cool and you get made fun of for liking wrestling. The same thing happened with video games.”
But now that gaming has exploded into the mainstream in the decade since G4 first launched, Woods says he’s excited to shine a light on the game space for a new audience.
“With me being the first host I automatically look different than everybody else that [appeared at the reunion special] and so I think that in all the talks that I’ve had with [G4] they very much understand that representation is important. They understand that in the past 15, 10 years… the makeup of who is in the gaming space has been changing.”
Both Woods and Kevin Sabbe describe G4 as a “clubhouse” where everyone who loves and plays games is accepted. And Sabbe suggests this will translate to G4’s reboot strategy.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/24/g4-2021-return-teaser"]
In the years since G4 left the air, video content for games has exploded on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. But much of the content you see nowadays doesn’t much resemble what G4 did, which operated like a traditional TV variety show.
So while the easy narrative would be what a “G4 vs. Twitch/YouTube” landscape might look like, the Reunion Special included appearances from famous Twitch streamers like DrLupo. And so this doesn’t appear to be a fight for G4.
“The plan is for us to be everywhere gamers already and to be part of the community,” Sabbe says.
And while there have been no other casting news, Sabbe says future collaborations with streamers are in the cards, particularly if they’re interested in branching out into G4-style content, which includes sketches and variety work.
“How do we complement the streaming community in partnerships with future talent who maybe can’t do [TV-style content] on their own? That’s something G4 offers, you take a streamer who really does want to do some sketch comedy, but isn’t going to do that on their own, we provide that space for our partnership for them to come in and do those things.”
There are no details yet on G4’s official return, but the plans for a relaunch are set for sometime in 2021. Woods is currently playable in Gears 5 as well, if you’re excited to see him in action and G4’s representatives confirmed that Woods is still signed on with WWE.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.
WWE’s Xavier Woods Joins the New G4
WWE Superstar Xavier Woods, aka Austin Creed, has been announced as the first on-air talent for the rebooted G4, and IGN was able to sit down with Creed and G4’s head of content Kevin Sabbe to talk about Woods’ new role and vision for the network.
Woods, whose wrestling renown is matched by his love of gaming, made a surprise appearance at last weeks’ G4 Reunion Special. The reunion included former talents Kevin Pereira, Morgan Webb, Adam Sessler, Olivia Munn. But the real stinger is that Woods will be with G4 going forward as one of the new hosts for the revamped network.
“I was losing my mind… It was incredible,” Woods says in describing the experience of being able to announce his hosting job. “I’m just a random dude from Georgia who loves video games and loves wrestling. So getting my WWE contract while sitting in the middle of a Walgreens in Orlando, Florida at the time doing like backflips, calling my parents... I had the exact same reaction when I found out I was going to be a host on G4.”
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=g4-reunion-show&captions=true"]
The TV network premiered in 2002 and covered all manner of games and geekery with shows like X-Play, G4TV.com, and Attack of the Show. The network launched the careers of many familiar faces in the gaming industry you see today including Munn, Geoff Keighley, and more.
But Woods is already a well-known personality, both from his work in WWE and as a personality and host around the gaming scene. And Woods says he intends to carry that energy forward into his G4 tenure.
“I feel like the thing that I’ve done and continue to bring constantly to the table since I’ve been in the gaming space is trying to show people that we’re all the same kind of nerd. So, I love wrestling back in the day — I still love wrestling now, obviously — but back in the day, at some point wrestling, like, wasn’t cool and you get made fun of for liking wrestling. The same thing happened with video games.”
But now that gaming has exploded into the mainstream in the decade since G4 first launched, Woods says he’s excited to shine a light on the game space for a new audience.
“With me being the first host I automatically look different than everybody else that [appeared at the reunion special] and so I think that in all the talks that I’ve had with [G4] they very much understand that representation is important. They understand that in the past 15, 10 years… the makeup of who is in the gaming space has been changing.”
Both Woods and Kevin Sabbe describe G4 as a “clubhouse” where everyone who loves and plays games is accepted. And Sabbe suggests this will translate to G4’s reboot strategy.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/24/g4-2021-return-teaser"]
In the years since G4 left the air, video content for games has exploded on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. But much of the content you see nowadays doesn’t much resemble what G4 did, which operated like a traditional TV variety show.
So while the easy narrative would be what a “G4 vs. Twitch/YouTube” landscape might look like, the Reunion Special included appearances from famous Twitch streamers like DrLupo. And so this doesn’t appear to be a fight for G4.
“The plan is for us to be everywhere gamers already and to be part of the community,” Sabbe says.
And while there have been no other casting news, Sabbe says future collaborations with streamers are in the cards, particularly if they’re interested in branching out into G4-style content, which includes sketches and variety work.
“How do we complement the streaming community in partnerships with future talent who maybe can’t do [TV-style content] on their own? That’s something G4 offers, you take a streamer who really does want to do some sketch comedy, but isn’t going to do that on their own, we provide that space for our partnership for them to come in and do those things.”
There are no details yet on G4’s official return, but the plans for a relaunch are set for sometime in 2021. Woods is currently playable in Gears 5 as well, if you’re excited to see him in action and G4’s representatives confirmed that Woods is still signed on with WWE.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.