The Cloverfield Gimmick: How Netflix Tricked the World
There was a time when, if an ambitious motion picture with a great cast went straight to video, it was considered a very, very, very bad sign. But to hear Netflix tell it, as of last night anyway, it is now a sign of prestige.
Super Bowl LII brought with it the usual assortment of huge Hollywood movie trailers, for upcoming blockbusters like Solo: A Star Wars Story, Mission: Impossible - Fallout and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. But there was one trailer that came as a surprise, along with an announcement that nobody expected.
The Cloverfield Paradox, the latest installment in Bad Robot’s lucrative high-concept franchise, was not only coming to Netflix… it was coming to Netflix that night, as a surprise release, not entirely unlike Beyoncé’s Lemonade (but presumably with more sci-fi in it).
This Is Us Couldn’t Resist Killing Jack With One Final Twist
This recap contains spoilers for This Is Us Season 2, episode 14, titled "Super Bowl Sunday."
If you stuck around after the Super Bowl for NBC's much-hyped installment of This Is Us -- either out of morbid curiosity or because you're a legit fan -- you were treated to the surreal spectacle of watching a beloved character die for our "entertainment," using the platform of one of TV's biggest events to amplify the drama.
The episode, aptly titled "Super Bowl Sunday," was a cry-fest, to be sure, because this show is used to wringing our tear ducts dry with surgical precision, but there's no denying that the whole exercise also felt unashamedly manipulative, which is a trap This Is Us often falls into -- especially when it's trying to hide things from the audience to show us how clever it is. For viewers who tuned in for the first time after the big game (if you didn't immediately rush to watch The Cloverfield Paradox), it probably made the regular This Is Us audience seem like complete masochists.
Sony Updates Gold Wireless Headset With PSVR Support
Sony's PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo Headset released in 2014 for the PS4, as a follow up for 2012's Pulse for the PS3. While it wasn't the best gaming headset on the market, it was comfortable and did the job well enough for the $99 price tag. And at long last, it's getting an update, in the form of the New Gold Wireless Headset.
Detailed on both the US and EU PlayStation blogs, the headset "maintains the great features you loved about the Wireless Stereo Headset 2.0" but has a new design that sees it looking significantly less bulky, while the over-ear cushions have been "refined" for more comfort over longer gaming sessions.
What’s New in Bayonetta 2 For Nintendo Switch?
Bayonetta is back and better than ever on Nintendo Switch. With both the original and sequel launching together later this month on the young hybrid console, the Switch versions of the games don't feature too many noticeable differences from the original — but trust me, that's a good thing.
By far the most significant change for the Switch versions of Bayonetta 1 & 2 is the frame rate - with both games running at a locked 60 fps. Both games still run at a native 720p. However, the upgrade in hardware allows each to reach a much smoother frame rate while playing both docked and undocked. It's a much-welcomed improvement over the Wii U versions, which fluctuated between 30 and 60 fps.
Star Wars: Solo Gets New Posters and Photos
New posters and stills have been released for Solo: A Star Wars Story.
The images, seen below, showcase the cast and some locations for the upcoming film, which will hit theaters May 25 this year.
The film will focus on the early life of Han Solo, before he made a name for himself as captain of the Millennium Falcon. The film stars Alden Ehrenreich as the titular Solo, who meets Lando Calrissian, played by Donald Glover, and Chewbacca, played by Joonas Suotamo, over the course of the film. Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Paul Bettany also star.
For more on Solo, be sure to check IGN's teaser trailer breakdown, as well as the other game and movie spots showcased during last night's Super Bowl game.
Opinion: There Are Too Many DC Comics Shows
As much as DC may still be struggling to gain a foothold on the big screen, they've truly become a force to be reckoned with in the TV world. The CW alone is now home to six different DC Comics-based series, and that's not even counting other current series like Gotham and Lucifer on Fox or Preacher on AMC. And now, with DC prepping a new streaming service that will play host to shows like Titans and Young Justice: Outsiders, there's about to be more DC content on TV than fans can possibly make time for. But is that really such a good thing? We may be reaching the point where having this much DC content does more harm than good.
Following the Arrowverse alone has become a full-time commitment. Assuming you lump the Greg Berlanti-produced Black Lightning in with the other shows (despite the fact that, for now, it's not connected to the other shows' continuity), that's five hour-long DC series airing every single week. That's asking fans to devote a significant chunk of their weekly TV viewing habits to one superhero universe. And too often it feels like the Arrowverse has suffered from growing so massive in scale. Both The Flash and Arrow are trapped in what many would argue are their worst seasons to date. Of these shows, only Legends of Tomorrow has maintained a relatively consistent level of quality from year to year. At some point, you have to ask if the Arrowverse isn't guilty of prioritizing quantity over quality.
PUBG’s New Anti-Cheat Measures Will Go Live Later Today
After news that over 1 million players were banned from PUBG in January alone, the game's community manager, Andro Dars, has announced that the new anti-cheat update will go live today, with no server downtime.
"The update will go live at Feb 5 6PM PST / Feb 6 3AM CET / 11AM KST and there will be no downtime for the servers," Dars wrote in a forum post.
"The new anti-cheat feature will block different helper programs that alter the graphics or aid in gameplay in some way. What these programs have in common is that they all hook into our game and transform game files. Programs that are not used to gain an unfair advantage can also be blocked if they behave like cheats."
Opinion: Why the Mario Movie Might Actually Be Good
Since I’ve been alive, video game movies have burned me left and right, leaving mental scars of unhappiness when some of my favorite video games get butchered by Hollywood’s hand. Case in point: Silent Hill, Warcraft, and Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. Live-action renditions are particularly guilty, which unfortunately doesn’t leave any room in our hearts for any video game movie, even animated, to be considered as a possibility for success.
Nintendo is stepping back into the movie industry with Illumination Entertainment (the studio behind Despicable Me) and aiming to put their iconic characters on the silver screen. But why now? You would think Nintendo would continue keeping their Super Star: Mario from Hollywood’s sights -- we all know how the 1993 Super Mario Bros movie turned out. Mario doesn’t deserve that torture again.
Out This Week: Shadow of the Colossus, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight, Dragon Quest Builders on Switch
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.
Dwayne Johnson to Star in New Competitive Reality Show
Dwayne Johnson will be producing and starring in a new show for NBC called The Titan Games - an athletic competition in the vein of shows like Ultimate Beastmaster.
Variety reports that NBC has ordered 10 episodes, and Johnson will be producing alongside Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Brian Gewirtz, and Toby Gorman.
