Activision Blizzard to Improve MLG.tv Streaming Platform
Activision Blizzard Media Networks has announced the launch of "new content, broadcast experiences and distribution partnerships" for the MLG.tv streaming platform.
Activision Blizzard confirmed the acquisition of eSports organization Major League Gaming back in January. Chairman of Activision Blizzard Media Networks Steve Bornstein said today: "We're building a network dedicated to the thrill of competition and the passion of the fans."
MLG.tv showed off its new "Enhanced Viewing Experience" (EVE) at the IAB Digital Content NewFronts today, which has a built-in system that shows match statistics, leaderboards, and insights based on what the viewer is watching.
Hitman Adds One-Time-Only Elusive Target Mode
Hitman will add a new mode, Elusive Target, tomorrow, in which players are given 48 hours to kill an unmarked NPC using hazy intel alone. The twist being that you only get one go at it. Ever.
The first Elusive Target will be added to Episode One's Paris level at an unspecified time on Friday, May 13, and will run over the course of the weekend.
Here are Io Interactive's pretty comprehensive rules for the mission:
- An Elusive Target is a once in a lifetime experience
- They are available for a limited time only in game – this first Elusive Target will last 48 hours
- Intel on the target will be limited
Star Wars Battlefront DLC Free to Play This Weekend
Outer Rim, Star Wars Battlefront's first piece of DLC, will be free to play this weekend, May 13-15.
All four maps, Jabba's Palace, the Palace Garage on Tatooine, SoroSuub Refinery, and Pipelines on Sullust, as well as the DLC's new game mode Extraction will be available to play.
Players will also get a chance to try out Outer Rim's two special characters, Nien Nunb and Greedo.
Outer Rim specific weapons and Star Cards will only be accessible to Battlefront Season Pass holders or to those who have purchased the DLC separately.
Outer Rim released on April 5 for $15. Along with the content described above, the DLC introduced the Relby V-10 rifle, DT-12 blaster pistol, Scatter Gun, and Dioxis Grenade, as well as Adrenaline Stim Star Cards, a new spectator mode, and raised the level cap to 60.
Robot Chicken: The Walking Dead Special Coming to Adult Swim
Adult Swim announced its new Robot Chicken: The Walking Dead Special today, along with confirmation of a return for Genndy Tartakovsky's Samurai Jack.
Robot Chicken creators Seth Green and Matthew Senreich will collaborate with The Walking Dead executive producer/creator Robert Kirkman and showrunner Scott M. Gimple in bringing the "extra bloody" half-hour special to air. The network has not announced a release date for the animated zombie special.
Genndy Tartakovsky will also return to Samurai Jack after 12 years. The original creator will continue Jack's story with "a new season of half-hour episodes." Samurai Jack ran for four seasons—from 2001 to 2004—amassing a huge following, even earning a place on IGN's Top 100 Animated Series.
Ex-Lionhead Dev Reveals the Pitch for Fable 4
Fable 4 was pitched as an industrial-age game that covered "late Victorian proper far out Jules Verne s**t," according to ex-Lionhead art director, John McCormack, but Microsoft rejected the idea.
Speaking to Eurogamer for a spectacularly in-depth history of the now-shuttered studio, McCormack revealed that his idea was to continue the series' tradition of updating the central town of Bowerstone, which became progressively larger over the three released games, and would now be a London-style metropolis.
Comic Book Reviews for May 11, 2016
DC came another step closer to bidding farewell to the New 52 this week, as they delivered the final issues of Batman, Action Comics and Gotham Academy and also wrapped up the Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover. Meanwhile, Marvel introduced the new Wasp to the pages of All-New, All-Different Avengers, kicked off a key new Darth Vader storyline and wrapped up the Deadpool's feud with Sabretooth in Deadpool #11. Elsewhere, Boom delivered a new issue of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Southern Bastards capped off its third story arc and the 4001 AD crossover continued at Valiant.
Scroll down to check out our reviews for these and various other new releases, and let us know your favorite books of the week in the comments below.
Ranking All the Spider-Man Movies
Since Spider-Man made his big-screen debut in 2002, there have been a lot of Spideys!
And a lot of Spidey movies too, including Tom Holland’s MCU version of the wallcrawler. So now that his latest solo film, Far From Home, is hitting, it’s time once again to rank the Spider-Man movies. And yes, that includes all the times he’s hung out with the Avengers… Let’s web this thing up!
(And just a note: We're basing the ranking of the Avengers movies on the Spidey-centric portions of those films and how well they served him as a character, as well as how well he served those films!)
DC Comics Comedy Powerless Coming to NBC
NBC has picked up DC Comics' first half-hour comedy, Powerless, for the 2016-2017 TV season.
Powerless is set in the DC universe, but in an office of average employees at an insurance company. News of the series order comes via according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Powerless was created by Ben Queen (A-Z, Cars 2), and it will star Vanessa Hudgens, Alan Tudyk, Danny Pudi, and Christina Kirk.
Sega “Investigating” Shenmue Remasters
Sega would love to release the first two Shenmue games as HD remasters before the series' improbable third sequel, but needs to resolve complications of quality and licensing before it can happen.
Speaking on Sega Europe's YouTube channel, community manager Dan Sheridan said:
"With regards to Shenmue 1 and 2 HD, of course we would love to release these tomorrow. Sadly, it's not as simple as porting the games to the current platforms, as we would need to ensure that any HD remaster lived up to the quality of the original titles."
Sheridan also raised the issue of the original game's real-world licensing, which included Coca-Cola and Timex products in-game (although Western releases had many of those licenses removed).
Footage of Unannounced Star Wars Game Emerges
Footage of an unannounced Star Wars real-time strategy game emerged online overnight.
Originally uploaded to Vimeo by a user claiming to be ex-EA audio director Elise Baldwin (and subsequently spotted by Nerd_Leaks), the footage shows a land-and-air battle across an original trilogy-era Tatooine.
The original clip has now been removed from Vimeo, but copies have appeared elsewhere:
Rank-and-file units include Stormtrooper and Rebel squads, alongside AT-ATs, AT-STs, TIE Fighters, X-Wings. What look like Hero units also appear, including Luke Skywalker and the Millennium Falcon.