Out This Week: Yo-kai Watch, Call of Duty: Black Ops III
With so many new games and movies coming out, it can be hard to keep up. Lucky for you, IGN is here to help with a weekly round-up of the biggest releases each and every week. Check out the latest releases for this week, and be sure to come back next Monday for a new update.
Note: The prices and deals compiled below are accurate at the time we published this story, but all are subject to change.
The Battle for Blizzard’s Overwatch Trademark is Settled
Arkansas-based Innovis Labs and Blizzard have reached a settlement in a lawsuit over the Overwatch trademark.
According to a post on the McArthur Law Firm website, Innovis Labs first applied for the trademark in September 2013 for a paintball related mobile app. On April 1, 2014, Blizzard filed for a trademark for the same name, and as a result its application was suspended by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
While both companies reached an agreement, in March 2015 the Overwatch trademark was suspended once again and in May, Innovis sued Blizzard for copyright infringement, claiming the co-existence agreement both companies had entered into didn't prevent confusion of the two different products.
Daily Deals: $325 PlayStation 4, Xbox One With Four Games, $20 off Metal Gear Solid V
$325 PlayStation 4 with Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection
Amazon currently has the lowest priced PS4 around, if you have Amazon Prime. If you don't have Amazon Prime, this is worth starting a free trial for. You can always cancel before you're billed.
Sony Exec Confirms It’s Still Making Games for Vita
Despite prior statements from Sony claiming first-party development for Vita had ceased, it appears the company plans to continue making games for its handheld device after all.
"I've been pretty honest saying our focus has shifted to PS4 and PlayStation VR, it's not like we don't have any development at all," Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida told GameSpot at Paris Games Week. "We do, but our focus is on PS4 and PlayStation VR, and we are happy to see third-parties and indies support it."
Doctor Strange Adds Steve Jobs Actor to the Cast
Character actor Michael Stuhlbarg (currently seen as Apple's Andy Hertzfeld in Steve Jobs) is reportedly in talks to join the cast of Marvel's Doctor Strange.
According to Variety, Stuhlbag would play " Nicodemus West, a rival scientist of Strange."
In the Marvel Comics, West is the surgeon who operates on Stephen Strange's hands after his life-altering car accident. West was an admirer of Strange's surgical abilities and felt guilty for not being able to save him from the nerve damage that ended his surgical career.
Michael Stuhlbarg as gangster Arnold Rothstein on HBO's Boardwalk Empire.
X-Men: Apocalypse Reshoots May Include Wolverine
X-Men: Apocalypse will reportedly return to Montreal for a few weeks of reshoots at Mel's Studio in January, and rumor has it Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman is tagging along for the ride.
According to Le Journal de Montréal (via ComicBook.com), "it seems that Hugh Jackman will be on hand" during the reshoots, after completing its first round of filming back in August.
While an appearance by Jackman's Wolverine has been previously rumored for the upcoming mutant-filled film, 20th Century Fox has yet to confirm his involvement. As such, take this report with a grain of salt as we inch closer to the movie's May 2016 release.
Syfy Orders New Daughter of Van Helsing Series
Director Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men, The Shape of Things) will serve as writer/showrunner for a new TV spin on the Dracula myth - a series that follows the daughter of famous vampire hunter and Dracula nemesis Abraham Van Helsing.
Deadline reports that Syfy has acquired 13 episodes of this new series, set to begin production in January 2016 in Vancouver for a fall 2016 debut. In 'Van Helsing,' Vanessa Helsing serves as humanity's last hope after she's resurrected five years in the future and discovers that vampires have taken over the world and that she possesses unique power over them.
Lead Actor Noticeably Absent From TWD’s Opening Credits
The latest episode of AMC's The Walking Dead left out one of its leading stars from the opening credits, and fans immediately took this as a hint about the fate of a key character.
If you haven't already seen the past two episodes of the show and/or don't want the character's fate potentially spoiled, proceed no further.
The Walking Dead: Season 6 spoilers ahead.
"Thank You" left fans questioning the whether or not Steven Yeun's Glenn, who appeared to fall victim to a horde of zombies, had really died, The Walking Dead offered one small hint about whether that was actually the case. During Sunday's episode, "Here's Not Here," Yeun's name was noticeably absent from the opening credits.
Konami Releasing New Contra Game for Mobile in China
A new entry in the Contra franchise is currently in the works for iOS and Android, Konami has announced.
This new side-scrolling free-to-play mobile game, which has yet to receive an official title, is being developed specifically for the Chinese market in collaboration with Tencent.
According to Konami's announcement, the shooter "will retain the style and themes that Contra fans know and love." Additionally, the publisher confirmed plans to "continue to distribute new titles from its various IPs across a range of devices, platforms, and game formats, to provide customers worldwide with new and exciting entertainment."
Everything You Need to Know About Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Being an annualized shooter, Call of Duty’s yearly announcement is a matter of “when” rather than “if.” Early speculation suggested longtime Black Ops developer Treyarch would be the next in line, which later led to discussions about whether or not this would be a new proper installation to the series.
We’ve learned a lot about the game since its announcement so read on to learn everything there is to know about Black Ops III.
Activison announced Treyarch was the studio handling the 2015 Call of Duty release in early February. With that revelation many speculated on what that meant for the next game. Could it be World at War 2?