The X-Men Paved the Way for the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Long before Dark Phoenix, in the summer of 2000, X-Men set the box office ablaze and had the sixth highest-grossing opening weekend ever at that time. That paired with strong reviews from critics and fans alike, changed superhero cinema forever.
When the original was released, it entered the game just after Batman & Robin killed the then-most lucrative big screen spandex saga and as Blade was pointing at comic book adaptations geared more toward niche audiences. But then, X-Men featured well cast characters (Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen as Professor Xavier and Magneto, respectively, remain iconic), dynamic super-powered action, and a serious approach to the themes that have long made these Marvel mutants resonate. It paved the way for Spider-Man to swing and Batman to begin (again) on the big screen. And then, eight years later, Tony Stark met Nick Fury and everything changed once more.
Beyond Good and Evil 2 – Road to E3 2019
As far as big, exciting games to look out for at E3 go, Beyond Good and Evil 2 is a strange one. After multiple announcements and false starts dating as far back as 2008, with long periods of silence between them, this hotly anticipated sequel finally seems to be a real game that is actually happening.
What’s so funny about it, however, is that the world went from knowing basically nothing about Beyond Good and Evil 2 ahead of its surprise reveal at E3 2017 to knowing way more than we ever could have expected. Those stretches of mystery, leaks, and rumors have now been replaced with loads of pre-alpha gameplay footage, regular developer live streams, and frequent updates on new features and how development is progressing.
Microsoft E3 2019: Xbox Conference Date, Time, and Predictions
Update: The Microsoft Xbox conference at E3 2019 starts today at 1pm PT/4pm ET/9pm UK (Monday, June 10 at 6am AET). With the next-gen Xbox codenamed Scarlett being teased, we expect this Xbox conference to be a big one. Bonus: Tune in to IGN an hour before our pre-show to watch a recap of last year -- followed by our predictions for 2019. All times and places to watch the Microsoft Xbox press conference at E3 2019 can be found below.
All eyes will be on Microsoft at E3 2019, as the company finds itself in the unique position as the only platform holder with a stage show. With Nintendo sticking to its regular practice of airing a pre-recorded Direct and Sony skipping E3 entirely, the big question headed into this year’s show is, How will Microsoft choose to spend its time in the spotlight?
The Biggest Changes to iOS 13 From the WWDC Keynote
At today's WWDC keynote in San Jose, Apple showed off some new tricks it has taught its mobile OS, due to arrive in the fall when new phones will be announced. Per the usual WWDC style, the company went into some depth on a few of the features but mostly just listed a ton of updates in rapid fire fashion. Here's the highlights:
Dark Mode
Finally. Apple will be bringing a Dark Mode to iOS 13, and it's probably the one feature most people are looking forward to the most. It will be easier on your eyes at night time, but also just looks pretty sweet in general.
Inside’s Real Doll Collector’s Edition Gets Its First Teaser Image
The contents of the Inside Collector’s Edition from PlayDead, iam8bit, and sex doll manufacturer RealDoll are still a mystery but a new teaser image gives us an idea of what may be in the upcoming box.
The teaser image, received by IGN, shows a grey, seemingly plastic boy cowering on the floor in the fetal position. Above the boy is an out of focus, flesh-colored blob with a few limbs sticking out of it.
Apple Finally Announces a New Mac Pro at WWDC
Apple has finally introduced a new Mac Pro at its Worldwide Developers Conference 2019.
Moving away from the trashcan-shaped Mac Pro that's been in place since WWDC 2013, Apple's new desktop is thankfully a full-on tower again. Returning to a more traditional, boxy shape makes it much more modular and easy to upgrade—not to mention utilize way more powerful components.
The new Mac Pro can be configured into an absolute beast with a 28-Core Intel Xeon processor sucking down 300-watts of power, and it's paired with a massive heatsink to keep it cool. In terms of memory, it supports 6-channel 2,933MHz EEC memory, allowing up to 1.5TB in capacity when fully maxed out.
Square Enix Teases New Game Outriders for E3 2019
Square Enix has teased the announcement of a new game called Outriders for E3 2019.
Teased on Twitter, the post reads ">>Initialize Cryostasis wake-up procedure. See it first: >>> 06.10.19 <<< #SquareEnixE3 #E32019.” This is accompanied by a brief video of somebody waking up in a cryostasis chamber.
While the Outriders Twitter account was created in June 2017, it only began generating posts starting on May 1, 2019. These posts consist of mission logs from a Captain Simon B. Archan beginning in May 2076, discussing the launch of “the Flores,” which has its course set for Enoch, "which may well be humanity's last hope and salvation.” Subsequent mission logs indicate that Earth is in a catastrophic situation, and an army is aboard the Flores.
E3 2019: What We’re Expecting from Doom Eternal
The sequel to id Software’s new Doom reboot may have been teased during E3 2018, but it wasn’t until a few months later at Quakecon that we really got to see it in action. It’s been 3 years since the renewed franchise came back from Hell, starring everyone’s favorite space marine who is literally just too angry to die.
When we last saw the Doom Slayer, he successfully fought off a demonic invasion of Mars’ UAC research facility, dove straight into Hell to beat up a lot of demons, and somehow returned to tell the tale.
However, forever-chairman of the UAC and notable Transformers cosplayer Samuel Hayden decided that Hell - and its coveted Argent Energy - is too important to seal up and lose. So instead he steals the sword you used to close the portal, and teleports you somewhere where you won’t mess everything up.
Google Stadia Price, Launch Info Coming This Week
Google is set to finally unveil more information about the Google Stadia streaming platform it aims to debut later this year in a stream later this week.
Google announced today the first-ever Stadia Connect, a presentation (that sounds Nintendo Direct or State of Play-esque in its naming) will air on June 6 at 9 am PT/12 pm ET/6 pm CET on YouTube. Google promises the Stadia pricing, launch info — whether that be an exact date or simply a timeframe is unclear — and game announcements will be included in the Connect.
Google announced a first-party studio for Stadia development at GDC 2019, but it's unclear whether that studio will be showcasing anything it's worked on thus far.
Amazon’s Fantasy Drama Carnival Row Gets a Release Date and New Poster
Amazon announced today that its new fantasy drama, Carnival Row, will premiere on Friday, August 30. Orlando Bloom (Lord of the Rings) and Cara Delevingne (Suicide Squad) star alongside veteran actors Indira Varma (Game of Thrones) and Jared Harris (Chernobyl). The streaming provider also dropped a short teaser, showing Bloom and Delevingne in action.
Per Amazon, Carnival Row is "set in a Victorian fantasy world filled with mythological immigrant creatures whose exotic homelands were invaded by the empires of man. This growing population struggles to coexist with humans — forbidden to live, love, or fly with freedom. But even in darkness, hope lives, as a human detective, Rycroft Philostrate (Bloom), and a refugee faerie named Vignette Stonemoss (Delevingne) rekindle a dangerous affair despite an increasingly intolerant society. Vignette harbors a secret that endangers Philo’s world during his most important case yet: a string of gruesome murders threatening the uneasy peace of the Row."