Wii U Production Ends Globally
Nintendo has confirmed that it is no longer manufacturing Wii U consoles.
In a statement to IGN, a Nintendo representative confirmed that “Wii U production has ended globally.”
Previously, Nintendo confirmed that Wii U production would be ending soon, but didn’t provide an exact timeframe. Yesterday, Nintendo updated Wii U sales figures alongside its latest financial report, confirming that just over 13.5 million consoles were sold as of December 31, 2016.
Super Mario Run Update Adds Easy Mode
Nintendo has released a new update for Super Mario Run on iOS.
As Nintendo confirmed on Twitter, the update adds a new Easy Mode that will provide players with unlimited Bubbles and eliminate the time limit.
Super Mario Run's version 1.1.0 patch notes
The update also changes Toad Rally mode, making it easier to gather Toads and harder to lose them. Nintendo also added “compatibility with new events,” a Korean language option, and unlimited redemptions for Toad as a playable character when connecting your My Nintendo account.
Nicole Kidman Up for Role of Aquaman’s Mom
Oscar winner Nicole Kidman has reportedly been offered the role of the titular superhero's mother in the Aquaman movie.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kidman "has been Wan's top choice for weeks, with an official offer finally going out on Monday."
In the DC Comics, Aquaman's mom Atlanna was a member of the Atlantean royal family who fell in love with lighthouse keeper Tom Curry and gave birth to their half-human, half-Atlantean son, Arthur Curry.
EA Confirms New Need for Speed Will Debut in Next Fiscal Year
A new Need for Speed is currently in development and is set to be launched during EA's fiscal year 2018, the publisher has revealed.
EA CEO Andrew Wilson revealed during its quarterly earnings call that the team behind the upcoming Need for Speed game "is pushing the boundaries of action driving."
"We’ve given this game an extended development cycle to focus on innovation, and the Need for Speed team is pushing the boundaries of action driving with what we believe is the most exciting and best-looking Need for Speed game we’ve ever produced," Wilson said during the fiscal year 2017 third quarter call.
Wilson said the title will launch in the company's 2018 fiscal year, which begins on April 1, 2017 and ends on March 31, 2018.
New Photos from Snatch TV Series
Crackle has released new photos for its upcoming Snatch TV series.
The photos provide a new look at some of the major characters in the series, including Rupert Grint (Harry Potter film franchise), Luke Pasqualino (Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome), Lucien Laviscount (The Bye Bye Man), Phoebe Dynevor (Dickensian), and Ed Westwick (Gossip Girl).
This TV series is loosely based on director Guy Ritchie's 2000 film of the same name. The story, inspired by an actual heist, follows a group of up and coming hustlers who enter the world of organized crime when they accidentally find a truck load of stolen gold bullion. As a result, the group have to watch out for international mobsters and rogue cops while learning how to navigate London's seedy underworld.
La La Land Songwriters Contributing The Flash/Supergirl Musical Ep
La La Land songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul have written a song called "Runnin' Home to You" for the upcoming Flash/Supergirl musical episode.
The pair aren't the only notable contributers - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend star and executive producer Rachel Bloom has joined Robot Chicken's Tom Root to write a song called "Superfriends", which will also be featured in the episode.
Pasek and Paul are currently up for Academy Awards for their songs City of Stars and Audition (The Fools Who Dream), both from La La Land.
The musical episode will take place on The Flash, and is called "Duet." Musical performances are expected from stars Grant Gustin, Melissa Benoist, Jesse L. Martin, Victor Garber, Carlos Valdes, Jeremy Jordan, and John Barrowman, and non-singing guest star appearances from Supergirl’s David Harewood and Chris Wood.
Bates Motel: Season 5 Trailer Shows Psycho Story Begin
A&E has released a new trailer for Bates Motel's fifth and final season, giving viewers the first look at Rihanna as Marion Crane.
The trailer gives us a look inside Norman's (Freddie Highmore) ever-devolving psyche, culminating in the introduction of Rihanna's Marion Crane and two memorable Psycho scenes: Crane's arrival at the motel and Norman looking at Marion through a peephole in the wall.
Several of the series' key characters also make appearances in the trailer, including Norma (Vera Farmiga), Dylan (Max Thieriot), Sheriff Romero (Nestor Carbonell), and Caleb (Kenny Johnson).
Bates Motel returns for its final season February 20 on A&E. For more, check out the recently released Season 5 key art or IGN's Bates Motel: Season 4 review.
EA Puts the Brakes on Skate 4 Rumors
EA has confirmed there's no Skate 4. At least, not yet.
On January 28, EA community manager Daniel Lingen got the hype machine primed and ready when he tweeted out "#skate4." During the question and answer period EA's quarterly investors call, it flat-out said it's "not presently making Skate 4."
That doesn't mean there's no future for the Skate franchise, but it just means we may be waiting quite a while before we're flicking sticks and landing tricks again.
Skate 3 came out way back in 2010. The good news, at least for Xbox One owners, is that Skate 3 is backwards compatible on Xbox One, so you don't need to pull out your last gen system to play it.
BioWare Bringing Out New IP Before March 2018
BioWare is making a brand new game that we'll be able to play surprisingly soon.
The news was announced at EA's investor meeting today by CEO Andrew Wilson, who described it as an action adventure title set in a "unique new universe."
"At the end of the fiscal year, our BioWare studio will be delivering an all-new IP," said Wilson. "A clean-sheet design with new concepts, new gameplay mechanics, and new stories set in a unique new universe. This game has the potential to fundamentally disrupt the way people think about an action title, bringing friends together to play in exhilarating new ways. We’re very excited about the future of this new franchise and its ability to attract a large global audience."
Star Wars Battlefront 2 Will Take Place Across Multiple Eras
During its third-quarter earnings call with investors, EA gave more details on the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront sequel.
The follow-up is due to release holiday 2017, with EA mentioning the addition of a single player campaign to the sequel. It also said the new Battlefront game has "more heroes and characters" than the original game, and takes place not only in multiple locations, but also across multiple eras within the Star Wars universe.
EA first officially confirmed the sequel to Star Wars Battlefront back in May 2016, and at E3 we learned EA Motive was working on the game. EA has Motive, DICE, and Criterion bringing "their areas of expertise" to the game.