Yearly Archives: 2020
Onward to Be Released On Demand Tonight and Disney+ on April 3
Disney and Pixar's Onward will be released On Demand tonight, March 20, and on Disney+ on April 3, 2020, due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
Pixar's Onward will be available On Demand tonight at 5pm PT/8pm ET for $19.99 USD in the US and on Disney+ just two weeks later on April 3, 2020, as previously mentioned.
The decision to put Onward On Demand and on Disney+ was due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused our society to practice social distancing, meaning theaters around the world have either closed or have limited capacity in an effort to help stop the spread of the virus.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/21/pixars-onward-review"]
“While we’re looking forward to audiences enjoying our films on the big screen again soon, given the current circumstances, we are pleased to release this fun, adventurous film to digital platforms early for audiences to enjoy from the comfort of their homes,” said Dan Scanlon (Director, “Onward”) and Kori Rae (Producer, “Onward”).
Onward was released in theaters on March 6, 2020, and in our review, we said "Pixar's Onward is enchanting, a sweet, heartwarming and fun-filled fantasy adventure tale featuring a solid voice cast."
Onward, in its opening weekend, earned $55.3 million USD globally and topped the lowest box office in 20 years.
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Onward will join Frozen 2, which released on Disney+ three months early last week, as films that are available on Disney's new streaming platform well before originally scheduled.
Other films, such as Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Bloodshot and Universal's The Hunt, The Invisible Man, and Emma have also been made available On Demand earlier that anticipated due to COVID-19.
If you want to watch Onward on Disney+ on April 3, don't forget you can get a free trial before subscribing month-to-month for $6.99 USD.
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If you want to know how to stay safe and help others during the coronavirus outbreak, please see our guide.
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Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
Watch Andy Serkis in Exclusive Featurette for Netflix’s The Letter for the King
After the recent success of The Witcher on Netflix, the streaming giant is jumping back into the world of fantasy with The Letter for the King. Currently available for you to binge, the series is based on the bestselling Dutch fantasy novel of the same name, which was written by Tonke Dragt back in 1962. Iconic motion capture performer and the director of the upcoming Venom sequel, Andy Serkis, is one of the many actors featured in the series.
What makes Serkis' story unique here is that he's acting alongside his daughter, Ruby Serkis, who also happens to be portraying his on-screen daughter in the show, Lavinia. Find out what Serkis thinks about working with Ruby in the video below or at the top of the page:
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/20/netflixs-the-letter-for-the-king-exclusive-andy-serkis-clip"]
Here's how Netflix describes the series: "The Letter for the King is the story of a ruthless prince who threatens to cast the world into darkness, when a young knight in training named Tiuri (Amir Wilson) embarks on an epic quest to deliver a secret letter to the king. Along the way, he unexpectedly finds himself at the center of a magical prophecy foretelling the rise of a hero who can defeat the prince and restore peace. If he’s going to survive the journey, Tiuri will have to learn what it means to be a true knight — and a true leader."
Dragt wrote a sequel to The Letter for the King, titled "The Secrets of the Wild Wood." So while the series has not been renewed for a second season yet, there are more stories left to be told if Netflix decides to order more episodes.
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David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.
Drive-In Movie Theaters See Surge in Popularity Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Some drive-in movie theaters have experienced a surge of interest, as other entertainment venues have been forced to close their doors amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
According to a report from The LA Times, drive-in theaters have become a popular choice for cinephiles looking for an alternative to movie-watching in isolation, as several of the 305 outdoor venues in the United States have reported a recent increase in business while the majority of brick-and-mortar movie theaters, including major chains, AMC and Regal, remain closed in adherence to government advisories on social distancing.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/13/how-coronavirus-delays-are-impacting-2020-movies-ign-now"]
Operators of drive-in movie theaters in California, Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri told the publication that they were "mindful of restrictions on large gatherings and would close if a mandate required them to do so," though many are already taking extra measures to minimise contact, including shutting down or limiting concessions and ensuring all employees are wearing gloves while examining tickets.
These additional precautions are in place to protect the increased number of people who are indulging in the escapism of the outdoor movie-watching experience. The Paramount drive-in theater in Lakewood, California, reported a spike in demand for a Tuesday showing of Pixar's Onward, with sales that were "at least double" what they would typically be. In total, 320 tickets were sold for the nighttime screening.
"It has been a welcome relief for families and adults looking for a little getaway from the house," owner Beau Bianchi explained, reflecting on the growth in business. "We've been trying to let people know that we have a safe environment and [offer] a little escape."
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While more and more movie theaters have been forced to temporarily shutdown as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, streaming services have moved even further into the spotlight, as consumers have been looking for alternative ways to connect with their friends without having to leave the comfort of their sofas.
Some have turned to Netflix Party, a Google Chrome extension that allows multiple users to stream a Netflix show or movie together at the same time, however, a recent surge in online traffic has presented new concerns over bandwidth strain. As a result, Netflix and YouTube have committed to defaulting streaming quality to standard definition across Europe.
For a list of recommendations on how best to help, and stay safe, during the Coronavirus pandemic, please read our resource guide.
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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.
YouTube Joins Netflix in Dropping Streaming Quality Across Europe
YouTube will default to standard definition in Europe amid surges of traffic during the Coronavirus pandemic.
YouTube Joins Netflix in Dropping Streaming Quality Across Europe
YouTube will default to standard definition in Europe amid surges of traffic during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Celebrate Release Day With Animal Crossing Characters Playing Doom Music
The day has finally come - both Doom Eternal and Animal Crossing: New Horizons have been released, and we've now got an imaginary concert to celebrate at.
On Twitter, Andrei Mishanin released DOOMANIMAL, a short, sweet, and savage CG imagining of what it might look like if various Animal Crossing villagers were to play a cut from Mick Gordon's incredible Doom soundtrack. Short answer: extremely bloody good.
The IGN homepage on March 20, 2020.[/caption]
Both games certainly live up to the hype - we awarded each one a 9/10, saying Animal Crossing: New Horizons is "an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo game" and that Doom Eternal features "one of the best first-person shooter campaigns in years."
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As you can see above, the Doom community managers are certainly happy with the video. Animal Crossing's developers recently told us they've been loving the Doom-Animal Crossing crossovers, so they're likely pleased too. If you've missed the recent community love-in, both fans and developers alike have been making crossover content that features the Doomslayer hanging out with AC favourite Isabelle. Even our homepage has been getting in on the action: [caption id="attachment_2323062" align="alignnone" width="1253"]thank you
— DOOM (@DOOM) March 20, 2020
The IGN homepage on March 20, 2020.[/caption]
Both games certainly live up to the hype - we awarded each one a 9/10, saying Animal Crossing: New Horizons is "an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo game" and that Doom Eternal features "one of the best first-person shooter campaigns in years."
[poilib element="accentDivider"]Celebrate Release Day With Animal Crossing Characters Playing Doom Music
The day has finally come - both Doom Eternal and Animal Crossing: New Horizons have been released, and we've now got an imaginary concert to celebrate at.
On Twitter, Andrei Mishanin released DOOMANIMAL, a short, sweet, and savage CG imagining of what it might look like if various Animal Crossing villagers were to play a cut from Mick Gordon's incredible Doom soundtrack. Short answer: extremely bloody good.
The IGN homepage on March 20, 2020.[/caption]
Both games certainly live up to the hype - we awarded each one a 9/10, saying Animal Crossing: New Horizons is "an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo game" and that Doom Eternal features "one of the best first-person shooter campaigns in years."
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
As you can see above, the Doom community managers are certainly happy with the video. Animal Crossing's developers recently told us they've been loving the Doom-Animal Crossing crossovers, so they're likely pleased too. If you've missed the recent community love-in, both fans and developers alike have been making crossover content that features the Doomslayer hanging out with AC favourite Isabelle. Even our homepage has been getting in on the action: [caption id="attachment_2323062" align="alignnone" width="1253"]thank you
— DOOM (@DOOM) March 20, 2020
The IGN homepage on March 20, 2020.[/caption]
Both games certainly live up to the hype - we awarded each one a 9/10, saying Animal Crossing: New Horizons is "an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo game" and that Doom Eternal features "one of the best first-person shooter campaigns in years."
[poilib element="accentDivider"]Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered Seemingly Confirmed
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered has been rated in South Korea, all but confirming a release for the unannounced game
Twitter user Nibel posted a link to the South Korean ratings board website, which says the rating had been awarded late last month. No platforms are listed with the rating.
To be clear, this would be a straight remaster of the single-player portion of 2009's Modern Warfare 2, not a follow-up to last year's new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Names are confusing these days.
This listing seems to point to the game being released as a standalone, rather than as a pack-in with a brand new Call of Duty game - unlike the first Modern Warfare remaster, which was initially included with the Legacy Edition of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/09/29/history-of-awesome-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2"]
We first heard about the possibility of a Modern Warfare 2 Remaster in 2018, when an Amazon listing seemed to reveal it. Follow-up reports explained that the game would be a single player-only experience, with multiplayer not getting the same treatment - something held up by this ratings listing.
We awarded the original Modern Warfare 2 - known as much for its infamous No Russian level as its influential FPS gameplay - a 9.5/10 review, saying it was "hands-down one of the best first-person shooters out there", but bemoaning its short campaign mode.
We called the first Modern Warfare remaster "an enlightening time capsule for a style of Call of Duty that no longer exists", awarding it an 8.5 review.
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Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News, and this by far his most-played CoD, and he was still absolutely awful at it. Berate him like they did on Xbox Live in the old days on Twitter.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered Seemingly Confirmed
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered has been rated in South Korea, all but confirming a release for the unannounced game
Twitter user Nibel posted a link to the South Korean ratings board website, which says the rating had been awarded late last month. No platforms are listed with the rating.
To be clear, this would be a straight remaster of the single-player portion of 2009's Modern Warfare 2, not a follow-up to last year's new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Names are confusing these days.
This listing seems to point to the game being released as a standalone, rather than as a pack-in with a brand new Call of Duty game - unlike the first Modern Warfare remaster, which was initially included with the Legacy Edition of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/09/29/history-of-awesome-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2"]
We first heard about the possibility of a Modern Warfare 2 Remaster in 2018, when an Amazon listing seemed to reveal it. Follow-up reports explained that the game would be a single player-only experience, with multiplayer not getting the same treatment - something held up by this ratings listing.
We awarded the original Modern Warfare 2 - known as much for its infamous No Russian level as its influential FPS gameplay - a 9.5/10 review, saying it was "hands-down one of the best first-person shooters out there", but bemoaning its short campaign mode.
We called the first Modern Warfare remaster "an enlightening time capsule for a style of Call of Duty that no longer exists", awarding it an 8.5 review.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News, and this by far his most-played CoD, and he was still absolutely awful at it. Berate him like they did on Xbox Live in the old days on Twitter.
Pro Drivers Turn to Virtual Racing as Real Motorsports Halt in Wake of Coronavirus
Professional racing drivers are making a temporary jump to virtual racing as the motorsport world screeches to a halt while countries all over the globe attempt to limit the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Pro NASCAR, IMSA Sportscar Championship, and Australian Supercars drivers will be competing in a host of different events via iRacing.
iRacing is a subscription-based PC racing simulator that has existing partnerships with a long list of real-world motorsport organisations and is favoured by professionals as the best in its class.
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NASCAR in action in iRacing.[/caption]
NASCAR has announced a new invitational series dubbed the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. The series will feature competitors from the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series, as well as the truck series and other “NASCAR dignitaries.” NASCAR’s real events through until May 3 have currently been postponed.
“Until we have cars back on track, the entire NASCAR community has aligned to provide our passionate fans with a unique, fun, and competitive experience on race day,” said NASCAR vice president of racing development Ben Kennedy. “Our long-time partners at iRacing offer an incredible product and we are excited to see how many of our best drivers will stack up in the virtual domain of competitive racing.”
The series will feature Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Larson, and Christopher Bell and begins this Sunday, March 22 on the virtual version of Homestead-Miami Speedway. NASCAR notes the remaining race and broadcast details will be confirmed at a later date.
[caption id="attachment_2322978" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]
The 90-minute Sebring race will use GTLM class race cars.[/caption]
In addition, North America’s International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) has similarly announced that it will be hosting a virtual 90-minute, single-class iRacing shootout this weekend to mark the 12 Hours of Sebring. The real 12 Hours of Sebring was supposed be held this weekend but has been postponed until November.
“IMSA is committed to delivering a realistic racing experience to our fans, competitors, and partners this weekend,” said IMSA president John Doonan. “Most IMSA drivers use iRacing or other simulators on a regular basis to sharpen their skills and prepare for upcoming races. This weekend, they will do it in front of an audience. We are grateful to iRacing and many of our other partners for creating this opportunity to entertain our loyal IMSA fans.”
The entrants will include WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Michelin Pilot Challenge drivers and the race will be streamed on iRacing’s Twitch channel and the iRacing eSports Network on YouTube.
[caption id="attachment_2322980" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]
iRacing added the ZB Commodore and Mustang Supercars in December 2019.[/caption]
Finally, Supercars Australia has revealed it too will run a virtual racing series to fill the gap for fans, also using iRacing (which was the platform for last year’s Supercars Eseries). The series will be broadcast live on Fox Sports, Kayo, and Supercars.com, as well as Supercars’ social media channels and Twitch.
The driver line-up is yet to be confirmed but Penrite Racing driver Anton De Pasquale is keen to get involved.
“I’ll definitely put my hand up and take part because it’s something I do a bit of now anyway,” De Pasquale told Supercars.com. “I’ve got a sim at home which I have a bit of fun on and hang out with some mates and do that kind of stuff, and then we have the one at Erebus too which we take a bit more seriously and use for development and training with myself.”
Supercars has pumped the brakes on the real series’ next three rounds (Tasmania, New Zealand, Western Australia) following the cancellation of last weekend’s Australian GP support races.
[ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/04/f1-2019-review]
This isn’t the only virtual racing attracting real-life drivers, either. Last weekend’s ‘Not the AUS GP’ (hosted by Veloce Esports with Codemasters’ F1 2019) featured McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris and Mercedes Formula E driver Stoffel Vandoorne amongst others, and RaceRoom Racing Experience developer Sector3 also recently announced its upcoming online ‘VIP Race’. Sector3’s race will feature drivers from the World Touring Car Cup, the BTCC, the GT Masters, and the WEC. The race is being broadcast this Saturday via YouTube.
While the spread of COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on sports and resulted in a huge number of release delays and stalled productions, more importantly there are number of things you can do to stay safe during this pandemic.
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Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter every few days @MrLukeReilly.
NASCAR in action in iRacing.[/caption]
NASCAR has announced a new invitational series dubbed the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. The series will feature competitors from the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series, as well as the truck series and other “NASCAR dignitaries.” NASCAR’s real events through until May 3 have currently been postponed.
“Until we have cars back on track, the entire NASCAR community has aligned to provide our passionate fans with a unique, fun, and competitive experience on race day,” said NASCAR vice president of racing development Ben Kennedy. “Our long-time partners at iRacing offer an incredible product and we are excited to see how many of our best drivers will stack up in the virtual domain of competitive racing.”
The series will feature Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Larson, and Christopher Bell and begins this Sunday, March 22 on the virtual version of Homestead-Miami Speedway. NASCAR notes the remaining race and broadcast details will be confirmed at a later date.
[caption id="attachment_2322978" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]
The 90-minute Sebring race will use GTLM class race cars.[/caption]
In addition, North America’s International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) has similarly announced that it will be hosting a virtual 90-minute, single-class iRacing shootout this weekend to mark the 12 Hours of Sebring. The real 12 Hours of Sebring was supposed be held this weekend but has been postponed until November.
“IMSA is committed to delivering a realistic racing experience to our fans, competitors, and partners this weekend,” said IMSA president John Doonan. “Most IMSA drivers use iRacing or other simulators on a regular basis to sharpen their skills and prepare for upcoming races. This weekend, they will do it in front of an audience. We are grateful to iRacing and many of our other partners for creating this opportunity to entertain our loyal IMSA fans.”
The entrants will include WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Michelin Pilot Challenge drivers and the race will be streamed on iRacing’s Twitch channel and the iRacing eSports Network on YouTube.
[caption id="attachment_2322980" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]
iRacing added the ZB Commodore and Mustang Supercars in December 2019.[/caption]
Finally, Supercars Australia has revealed it too will run a virtual racing series to fill the gap for fans, also using iRacing (which was the platform for last year’s Supercars Eseries). The series will be broadcast live on Fox Sports, Kayo, and Supercars.com, as well as Supercars’ social media channels and Twitch.
The driver line-up is yet to be confirmed but Penrite Racing driver Anton De Pasquale is keen to get involved.
“I’ll definitely put my hand up and take part because it’s something I do a bit of now anyway,” De Pasquale told Supercars.com. “I’ve got a sim at home which I have a bit of fun on and hang out with some mates and do that kind of stuff, and then we have the one at Erebus too which we take a bit more seriously and use for development and training with myself.”
Supercars has pumped the brakes on the real series’ next three rounds (Tasmania, New Zealand, Western Australia) following the cancellation of last weekend’s Australian GP support races.
[ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/04/f1-2019-review]
This isn’t the only virtual racing attracting real-life drivers, either. Last weekend’s ‘Not the AUS GP’ (hosted by Veloce Esports with Codemasters’ F1 2019) featured McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris and Mercedes Formula E driver Stoffel Vandoorne amongst others, and RaceRoom Racing Experience developer Sector3 also recently announced its upcoming online ‘VIP Race’. Sector3’s race will feature drivers from the World Touring Car Cup, the BTCC, the GT Masters, and the WEC. The race is being broadcast this Saturday via YouTube.
While the spread of COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on sports and resulted in a huge number of release delays and stalled productions, more importantly there are number of things you can do to stay safe during this pandemic.
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Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter every few days @MrLukeReilly.
