Yearly Archives: 2018
Legislation Proposed in Hawaii to Limit Sale of Loot Boxes
Lawmakers in Hawaii have proposed a series of bills that target the sale of loot boxes in video games.
The Hawaii Tribune Herald reports the legislation aims to address potentially exploitative monetization like loot boxes which can lead to players harboring gambling addictions.
Two of the bills, if passed, will stop sales of games in which players under the age of 21 can use real money to buy randomized rewards. How exactly this could be regulated is not clear.
Another set of bills would see games with purchasable loot boxes or other random rewards feature labels to disclose as such as well as display the probability rates for prizes.
Venom’s 30th Anniversary Celebrated With Variant Covers
Marvel is celebrating Venom's anniversary with special variant comic book covers.
Eddie Brock, who was transformed into super-powered anti-hero Venom, has been a Marvel staple for a long time. In preparation for Venom's 30th anniversary, Marvel is introducing special variant covers to celebrate key moments from the character's storied history. The first of the variants will hit comic shops on March 7, with the rest available before the month's end.
The variant covers will feature art by artists such as Mark Bagley, Mike Perkins, Francesco Francavilla, Ron Lim, Inhyuk Lee, and many more. Here's a look at some of the upcoming covers!
Here's a full list of all the comics with variant covers, as well as the artists creating them:
Metallica Frontman Cast As Cop Who Caught Ted Bundy
Metallica frontman James Hetfield has been cast as Officer Bob Hayward, the cop who caught serial killer Ted Bundy, in Voltage Pictures' Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.
While this is Hetfield's first dramatic role, he's worked with director Joe Berlinger before on the Metallica documentary Metallica: Some Kind of Monster. Berlinger also wrote the book Metallica: This Monster Lives.
Deadline reports that Hetfield will be playing Officer Bob Hayward in the thriller, the Utah trooper who arrested Bundy in 1975 after pulling him over and discovering burglary tools and pantyhose in Bundy's Beetle.
Hot Wheels Making Real-Life Rocket League RC Toy Set
Hot Wheels is teaming up with developer Psyonix to bring out a new Rocket League toy set this fall.
Called the Hot Wheels Rocket League RC Rivals Set, it will feature bluetooth-enabled Octane and Dominus cars players can control with smart devices. The set also features an arena complete with LCD scoreboards, and a ball with an IR device embedded to keep track of the score.
Additional details, and a release date, will be announced later this year. Check out the preview art below:
Hot Wheels is bringing the action of Rocket League to life!
Ready Player One: Who’s Who in the New Movie Poster
Warner Bros. dropped a vintage-style poster Tuesday for Ready Player One, director Steven Spielberg's upcoming adaptation of Ernest Cline’s bestseller.
Like its geek-friendly, pop culture reference-laded namesake, the movie version of Ready Player One will be chock full of Easter eggs for movie buffs, gamers, and '80s aficionados to enjoy. This new poster gives us a good look at some of the virtual reality characters and other supporting players in the film, including those characters portrayed by Simon Pegg and Mark Rylance.
The film is set in 2045, with the world on the brink of chaos and collapse. But the people have found salvation in the OASIS, an expansive virtual reality universe created by the brilliant and eccentric James Halliday. When Halliday dies, he leaves his immense fortune to the first person to find a digital Easter egg he has hidden somewhere in the OASIS, sparking a contest that grips the entire world. When an unlikely young hero named Wade Watts decides to join the contest, he is hurled into a breakneck, reality-bending treasure hunt through a fantastical universe of mystery, discovery and danger.
Fox Pushes Alita, The Predator Release Dates
Fox has pushed back the release dates for Alita: Battle Angel and The Predator.
Variety reports Alita has been delayed for five months and will now be released on December 21 instead of July 20. The movie is directed by Robert Rodriguez from a script by James Cameron and Laeta Kalogridis, based on Yukito Kishiro’s manga series. The movie's cast includes Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Mahershala Ali, Jennifer Connelly, and Ed Skrein.
Meanwhile, Exhibitor Relations reveals Shane Black's new Predator film moves back six weeks from August 3 to September 14. Black is directing from a script he co-wrote with Fred Dekker. It stars Boyd Holbrook, Keegan-Michael Key, Trevante Rhodes, Olivia Munn, Sterling K. Brown, Jacob Tremblay, and Thomas Jane.
Here’s Who Ronda Rousey Might Face at WrestleMania 34
After making her big "point at the sign" debut last month at the Royal Rumble, "Rowdy" Ronda Rousey is ready to grace us with her mainstream media mug at Elimination Chamber, where it was announced she'll be signing her official contract. Mostly likely, during this in-ring segment, the seeds will be planted for her WrestleMania 34 match - which we're assuming will be her first actual broadcasted match within the company.
Kingdom Hearts 3 Monsters, Inc. Trailer: Theories and Gameplay Details You May Have Missed
Square Enix released not one but two new Kingdom Hearts III trailers at D23 Expo 2018, introducing the new Monsters, Inc. world. These trailers are also packed to the brim with new gameplay and story details that are worth exploring, so let’s dive into the heart of these new glimpses both below, and in the video above.
The main D23 2018 trailer kicks off with the surprising re-introduction of Marluxia, who was leading the charge at Castle Oblivion for Organization XIII. Sora battled and defeated the Nobody Marluxia back in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, but because he, Donald, and Goofy had their memories of their time in Castle Oblivion wiped, Marluxia is a total mystery to him.
Batman Ninja Box Art and Release Date Revealed
Batman gets transported to feudal Japan this spring, when the upcoming animated film Batman Ninja is released.
Warner Bros. and DC have announced the feature-length movie will arrive on Digital on April 24, and will be available on Blu-ray Steelbook ($29.98 USD), Blu-ray Combo Pack ($24.98 USD), and DVD ($19.98 USD) on May 8.
The story follows Batman getting transported to feudal Japan, along with his worst enemies, due to Gorilla Grodd’s time displacement machine. The villains are feudal lords ruling over the divided lands, with the Joker leading the warring factions. Without access to his weapons and gadgets, it's up to Batman to rely on his intellect and allies to save the land and return to present-day Gotham City.
Spyro the Dragon Trilogy Remaster Reportedly in the Works
A Spyro the Dragon Trilogy Remaster is reportedly coming to PlayStation 4 as a timed exclusive in Q3 2018.
According to Kotaku UK, the remastered trilogy will include Spyro the Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!, and Spyro: Year of the Dragon. The three games will reportedly feature all-new assets, lighting, animations, and cinematics; a remastered soundtrack; an overhaul to the originals' save systems; and PlayStation 4 Pro support. An official announcement is expected next month.
Spyro the Dragon as seen in Netflix's Skylanders Academy