Month: February 2019

As far as online games go, the launch of Apex Legends was pretty impressive. Though from a player perspective the game came out of nowhere, launching at the same time it was announced, Apex Legends has had relatively few problems and barriers to play. While other games have seen connection issues and server troubles, for the most part, Apex Legends hasn’t had the same kind of problems that online games often experience.

There is one issue that seems to effect Apex players of all stripes, though, especially on PC. That’s the trouble of game crashes. Apex Legends will often crash mid-match, possibly because of issues with graphics or stability, possibly because of a brief loss of connectivity. Members of the Apex community have shared their troubles in forums and attempted to find fixes for the issues, but they still occur with worrying frequency.

It’s not really clear what’s causing the crashes or how to prevent them, and they’re usually pretty debilitating. There’s nothing worse than preparing for the final showdown of a match, only to lose a member of your squad to a crash and get stuck fighting at a disadvantage.

Apex’s crashes seem to be one of the biggest issues the young game is facing. Respawn Entertainment has noted that it’s working on fixes for the issues, and things seem to be a little better at this point–we’ve noticed that players who stall out in the game tend to recover more often since the last Apex Legends update, rather than just crashing and disconnecting from a match altogether. But crashes still happen relatively frequently, and they can totally wreck a game.

While Respawn searches for a fix for the crash issue, it could make one big change to Apex Legends that would help mitigate the issue, and improve the game besides: let players rejoin matches when they disconnect. It’s a feature that other shooters and battle royale games, like Overwatch and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, already include, and it makes for a serious quality-of-life improvement when something goes awry with connectivity and other issues.

Allowing players who get knocked out of games to come back would make dealing with crashes a whole lot easier, for a start, but it would also greatly improve the quality of the game for players who find themselves suffering through no fault of their own. The idea of allowing players to rejoin also feels in line with one of Respawn’s innovations in the battle royale genre. The game already allows squads to rescue players who have been eliminated, giving them a second chance at a win. Reconnecting to a game you dropped from through no fault of your own fits with that line of thinking as well.

In fact, the respawning system might be a useful workaround if Respawn finds that allowing players to rejoin the game directly creates an unfair advantage. If players can’t just jump straight back into the game as their former dead characters, Apex could allow for squads to recover their teammates’ banners–that way, disconnected players and their teams still have a chance, but they don’t necessarily get an unfair advantage over squads with solid connections.

Of course, it’d be a lot better if Respawn could figure out what’s causing the crashes and fix the issue, or let the rest of us know how we can tweak our systems to minimize the issue. But the ability to rejoin games would at least help. It’s the one thing Respawn could do immediately to make Apex Legends a lot more fun for people who take grabbing those championships seriously.

Bioware’s new loot-shooter, Anthem, released on February 22 after a week-long period of early access, but just five days later, the game’s PS4 version has had a price drop on Amazon, where it’s available for $52 instead of $60.

So far, Anthem is still listed at $60 for other platforms and on other retailer’s sites.

Buy Anthem for PS4 on Amazon — $52

In Anthem, you team up with three other players in online co-op to defeat enemies, and each member of your squad will have different offensive and defensive abilities based on which javelin suit they choose. Anthem really sets itself apart from similar shooters like Destiny or The Division with its flying mechanic, which allows you to soar through the air as you fight. You’re also able to switch between various classes more quickly thanks to your suit-shifting character, a pilot known as a “Freelancer.”

The game has received mixed reviews from critics, many of whom expressed frustration at its lackluster story and gameplay that feels unfinished. GameSpot gave the game a 6/10 in our Anthem review. “Anthem has good ideas, but it struggles significantly with the execution,” wrote reviews editor Kallie Plagge. “It’s a co-op game that works best with no one talking; it buries genuinely interesting character moments and puts its most incomprehensible story bits at the forefront; its combat is exciting until you get to the boss fights and find your wings have been clipped.”

If you’re interested in checking the game out now that it’s slightly cheaper, here’s everything you need to know before playing.

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 launches on PS4, Xbox One, and PC in only a couple of weeks, and just as Ubisoft did with the previous title, the developer plans to support it with a regular stream of free post-release content. Ahead of the game’s upcoming open beta, Ubisoft has outlined the content it has in store for The Division 2 during its first year.

Following the game’s release on March 15, Ubisoft will gradually introduce new episodes, modes, specializations, and more. It all begins with Tidal Basin, a new stronghold that’s set to arrive “shortly after launch.” Also coming not long after release will be Operation Dark Hours, the series’ first eight-player raid.

Following that, Ubisoft will roll out The Division 2’s first post-launch episode, titled D.C. Outskirts: Expeditions, this summer. This episode will feature two additional main missions, as well as a new mode that has players “investigate the fate of a lost convoy.” The second episode, Pentagon: The Last Castle, will follow sometime in fall and likewise introduces two new main missions, while episode 3 rounds out the year this winter.

All of the aforementioned content will be available to all players for free, but if you’d like to jump into it early, Ubisoft is also offering a Year 1 Pass for the game. The pass costs $40 USD and will grant players seven-day early access to all post-launch episodes during the game’s first year, as well as instant access to any new specializations. Pass holders will also get eight Classified Assignments and a slew of exclusive cosmetics.

In addition to the free content, The Division 2 will feature an in-game Apparel Store, which will sell cosmetic items. Ubisoft stresses these will be optional and won’t give those who spend money in the game an advantage over those who do not. You can read more about The Division 2’s first year of content on the game’s website.

The Division 2’s open beta runs on PS4, Xbox One, and PC from March 1-4. It will feature three main missions and five side missions. Unlike the previous private tests, the level cap will also be raised to 8, and there will be an additional Skirmish PvP map (Capitol Ruins) and Skill (Chem Launcher).

Black and white TV has never been more terrifying.

With Jordan Peele’s new Twilight Zone series fast approaching, we thought it was high time to revisit the classics. Sure, some of Rod Serling’s originals might be a bit dated by today’s standards, but you’d be surprised at just how many of the 156 vintage episodes still hold up today–and how many of them are just as heart stoppingly terrifying as they would have been back in the 1960s. From the (sometimes goofy) practical effects to the ominous, suspense-driven stories, these thirty minute bursts of old school sci-horror are considered cinematic staples for good reason.

So, with that in mind, we’ve curated a list of the scariest, most memorable original Twilight Zone episodes for you to binge watch as we approach the April 1 debut of the new CBS All-Access show. We may all be headed into another dimension, one not of sight and sound but of mind, but it pays to be at least a little prepared, right? And you might be surprised at just how deeply unsettling these oldies-but-goodies actually are.

Disclosure: CBS is GameSpot’s parent company.

13. The Eye of the Beholder

Ask anyone to name a Twilight Zone episode off the top of their heads and there’s a good chance they’ll say something about the “pig face doctors and nurses,” and for good reason. The Eye of the Beholder is one of the unofficial “ambassadors” of Twilight Zone storytelling–a perfect example of the suspense that made the show what it was and a fantastic gateway into “another dimension.” It may not be the most traditionally scary episode, but it’s certainly one of the most memorable.

12. The Howling Man

Set in an isolated monastery on a dark and stormy night, The Howling Man is the story of a group of monks who believe they’ve caught and imprisoned the literal devil, who is now screaming for help deep within their dungeon. This would be all well and good, until an outsider comes to them seeking shelter and begins to question whether or not the monks actually have the devil–or if they’ve simply decided to start torturing some random man. Somehow, both options wind up seeming equally terrifying.

11. To Serve Man

Of the many episodes that have reached meme status in modern society, To Serve Man ranks up there with the very best of them. From its towering, humanoid alien invaders to its bleak, dramatic twist–“It’s a cookbook!”–the prospect of mankind being duped by an invading force of cosmic cannibals has never been better. It might not be the most terrifying idea for us today, but something about Lloyd Bochner resigning himself to death in the episode’s final moments, realizing that “sooner or later, we’ll all be on the menu” is straight up chilling.

10. Come Wander With Me

The final episode of the show to ever be filmed (though not the final episode to air), Come Wander With Me is the haunting story of a folk singer who tries to take a shortcut to inspiration and pays for it–but that’s not what makes the story so terrifying. In a bizarre, unexplained series of timeloops, the main character, Floyd Burny, is stalked by a cloaked figure for the whole first act–and no one seems to notice or acknowledge it at all. They’re just standing there in the background of shot after shot. It’s terrifying.

9. Where Is Everybody?

From the last to the first–Where Is Everybody is the first episode of the first season of the show, and what a way to kick things off. The story of an air force pilot who finds himself in a strange, abandoned town with no memory of who he is or why he’s there–and he can’t seem to find a single living soul to give him answers. It’s haunting, ominous, and the twist at the end is downright bleak.

8. The Fever

Addiction is a terrifying thing in its own right but when it becomes a star player in the Twilight Zone, things get even worse. In The Fever, a man named Franklin Gibbs succumbs to his gambling addiction in the most horrifying ways as he’s stalked by a sentient slot machine that chokes out his name (“Franklin…”) in one of the worst voices we’ve ever heard.

7. Living Doll

Who doesn’t love a good haunted doll story? Talky Tina has become one of the most iconic spooky dolls in history and it’s all thanks to Living Doll, the episode about a young girl whose doll starts to terrorize her parents by making all sorts of veiled threats–threats that may (or may not) amount to literal murder. “I’m Talky Tina and you’d better be nice to me!”

6. Night Call

Getting a phone call in the middle of the night is always a jarring experience, but in the Twilight Zone it’s downright horrifying. Night Call is an episode focused on an elderly widow who is plagued by late night calls from an absolutely chilling voice who can’t seem to hear her demand they stop calling. The voice itself is enough to terrify anyone watching but the twist at the end just ices the cake–not only is Night Call one of the scariest episodes, it’s also one of the saddest.

5. It’s A Good Life

What could be scarier than living under the thumb of an omnipotent, all powerful 6-year-old? In It’s A Good Life, that’s the exact question being asked as an entire town is terrorized by a young boy named Anthony Fremont whose god-like abilities allow him to create and destroy anything he wants–which usually amounts to sending people “to the cornfields” never to be seen or heard from again.

4. Nightmare At 20,000 Feet

“There’s…something on the wing. Some….thing!” Everyone knows Nightmare At 20,000 Feet thanks to William Shatner’s over-the-top acting, but not everyone remembers just how horrifying it actually is beyond the camp and the silly costumes. Something about being the only witness to a monster, trapped inside of a tiny room you can’t escape from, while everyone thinks you’re going crazy is just beyond unsettling.

3. The Dummy

Look, ventriloquist dummies are just scary. It doesn’t really matter what the context is, something about them just provokes this primal fear response in people–and naturally, that fear is only made even more intense when they’re tossed into the Twilight Zone. The Dummy tells the story of dummy named Jerry who is sick of playing by his partner’s rules.

2. The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street

Sometimes the scariest threats come from inside our own heads, and that’s exactly what The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street seeks to explore. An episode all about Cold War paranoia and people turning on their neighbors, we get a front row seat to a small community imploding as they firmly believe a monster has infiltrated their midst.

1. And When The Sky Was Opened

No other show articulates existential dread quite the way the Twilight Zone does, and no other episode manages to make it quite as terrifying as And When The Sky Was Opened. The story of a team of experimental pilots who survive a freak accident, only to realize that they’re each one by one fading out of existence–like, totally fading out of existence, as in no one but the other pilots even remember them at all. It’s just the right brand of horror to get under your skin in all the worst (best) ways.

There’s still not an announced opening date for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland or Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios. However, that magical day is getting close. Close enough, in fact, that the Disney company has given parks employees the first look at what those who inhabit the new immersive land will look like.

Galaxy’s Edge is set on the planet Batuu–a location that has yet to be explored in Star Wars films or TV shows–as visitors find themselves caught between the First Order and a rising rebellion. As such, the land–at both parks–will be full of First Order soldiers, rebels, and those who simply live on the planet. To get into the roles, employees will be provided with a variety of costuming options to create unique looks, making the immersive experience feel more real.

As you can see above, the costumes displayed were those for the face characters–also known as those not wearing masks–in Galaxy’s Edge. What wasn’t shown to employees the creatures that will also be present on Batuu. After all, what’s a planet in the Star Wars galaxy without some really interesting-looking aliens?

Additionally, employee nametags displayed in the land will show the worker’s name in English, as well as Aurebesh. This particular script first appeared in 1983’s Star Wars: Episode XI – Return of the Jedi.

The more news released about Galaxy’s Edge, the more exciting the upcoming Disney Parks extension becomes. Whether it’s the comic book that will tell Batuu’s backstory prior to the land’s opening or the announcement that the land’s cantina will serve alcohol–a first for Disneyland–there’s a lot for Star Wars fans to be excited about.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens at Disneyland this summer, with the Hollywood Studios version in Orlando debuting in the fall.

Around the office, we jokingly say, “there’s a Funko Pop for everything.” And, to a point, that’s pretty much true. You can name almost anything from pop culture, and there is a collectible toy based on a character from that property.

However, once in a while, you come across something from pop culture that doesn’t have a Funko Pop figure, and you’ll spend a great deal of time scratching your head and wondering, “Why hasn’t Funko jumped on THAT ball yet?”

So the staff of GameSpot came together to find movie properties that they love that don’t, in fact, have any Funko collectibles modelled after them. Strangely enough, it was a tougher task than we thought since Funko has made Pops of almost everything. However, we still found 10 movies that deserve to have their own line of Pops. Are you listening, Funko?

Check out these other recent Funko reveals:

• Funko Pop Sports Reveals
• Funko Pop Anime Reveals
• Funko Pop Music Reveals
• Funko Pop Movie Reveals
• Funko Pop TV Reveals
• Emerald City Comic-Con Pop Reveals

Demolition Man

In 1993, the greatest sci-fi action movie of all time, Demolition Man, came out, and if you disagree with me, you are wrong. And somehow, there are zero Pop figures for this movie. The movie takes place in the future where comically evil criminal Simon Phoenix has been unfrozen and unleashed on a utopian society, and the only way to stop him is to unfreeze the wrongfully convicted cop who put him away, John Spartan. Also, Taco Bell was the only company to survive the Franchise Wars.

Characters That Should Appear:

• Simon Phoenix in Overalls and orange shirt
• John Spartan
• SAPD Leona Huxley
• Edgar Friendly
• Dan Cortese As Piano-Playing Man In Taco Bell (Chase)

Last Action Hero

Have you ever watched a movie and wished you could magically jump inside and hang out with the characters? No, not that type of movie, you perv. I’m talking about sweet ’90s action movies where the heroes never die and everything explodes. That’s pretty much the plot to the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, Last Action Hero, where Arnie plays fictional action star Jack Slater and himself. A kid named Danny gets a magic ticket that allows him to go inside the movies he’s watching.

Characters That Should Appear:

• Danny Madigan
• Jack Slater
• Ripper
• Whiskers The Cat
• Movie Premiere Arnold Schwarzenegger (Chase)
• Sylvester Stallone as The Terminator (Chase)

Con Air

What do you get when you mix a super-convoluted backstory for your imprisoned protagonist, his upcoming freedom, a bunch of other convicts, and an airplane? You get whatever Con Air was (aside from one of the greatest action movies of all time). Nicolas Cage played Cameron Poe, a prisoner with glorious hair that is about to be granted his freedom. However, he can’t make it home as the plane he’s on has been taken over by the inmates!

Characters That Should Appear:

• Cameron Poe
• Cameron Poe with Toy Rabbit (Chase)
• Cyrus The Virus
• Vince Larkin
• Vince Larkin in Colm Meaney’s car
• Garland Greene
• Pinball (I just want a Dave Chappelle Pop)
• The Plane

Face/Off

Face/Off is a movie that taught us about the importance of eating a peach for hours.If you don’t know this movie, have a seat. An FBI agent needs to take down a terrorist organization, and the only way to do that is to become one of the leaders of it, by switching faces and places with him. It is a very weird and very quotable movie.

Characters That Should Appear:

• Castor Troy
• Castor Troy with his Face Off (Chase)
• Pollux Troy
• Sean Archer
• Sean Archer’s daughter with cigarette

Spaceballs

Mel Brooks is the master of a parody, and Spaceballs is one of the best movies from the latter half of Brooks’ directorial work. The movie follows a starship pilot and his partner as they rescue a princess and take on a dictatorship that is controlling the air supply. It is easily the best parody of Star Wars in the history of cinema, with plenty of very recognizable characters.

Characters That Should Appear:

• Barf
• Lone Starr
• Princess Vespa
• Dot Matrix
• Yogurt
• Dark Helmet
• Pizza The Hutt
• Radar Technician (Michael Winslow Chase figure)

Phantasm

I had seen Phantasm quite a few times when I was growing up, and to be honest, I don’t think I could tell you specifics about the plot of the movie. A couple of kids find a graverobber who is shrinking corpses, reanimating them, and making them into slaves, and he has these floating metallic orbs around him. His name is The Tall Man, and he turns to look at the camera a lot.

Characters That Should Appear:

• The Tall Man
• Reggie

Interview with the Vampire

The classic vampire movie kicked off a renaissance for the vampire genre as a whole, and honestly, it’s still the best movie in that realm from the past 25 years. Interview with the Vampire tells the tale of a vampire named Louis who was turned by Lestat. It’s a tale of love, friendship, and betrayal, and it has a bunch of undead bloodsuckers in it. The only way this could have been a better movie is if Blade popped in.

Characters That Should Appear:

• Malloy
• Louis
• Lestat
• Claudia
• Santiago

True Lies

True Lies flipped the script on the traditional spy movie. The film follows secret agent Harry Tasker, a family man who is also a spy. His family doesn’t know about covert-ops job and think he’s a computer salesman, but Harry’s wife-and eventually his daughter–end up getting involved with a terrorist group that’s planning on nuking the United States. Adding a bit of comedy to the action-packed story helped make this a classic.

Characters That Should Appear:

• Harry Tasker
• Helen Tasker
• Juno Skinner
• Simon (With his car)

The Running Man

Continuing with Arnold Schwarzenegger films, there is The Running Man, a highly-underrated ’80s science fiction film. In the distant future of 2017, a man wrongfully convicted of a crime is punished by being made a contestant of a game show, which is more of a public execution survival gauntlet where he has to battle a bunch of warriors trying to kill him. It is a bizarre film, but really worth checking out, especially to see Jesse Ventura’s outfit while on the game show.

Characters That Should Appear:

• Ben
• Amber
• Captain Freedom
• Buzzsaw
• Fireball
• Dynamo

Little Monsters

You may not be very familiar with the ’80s classic movie Little Monsters, but you should be. Starring Fred and Ben Savage, the boys play brothers who find out there is a secret world of monsters that you can enter through portals underneath your bed–which you can only access during the night time. Brian (Fred) befriends a monster named Maurice, and the two try to save Brian’s brother from the grips of the evil monster, Boy.

Characters That Should Appear:

• Brian
• Eric
• Maurice
• Snik
• Boy
• Boy’s True Face (Chase)

We’re giving away 1 free PlayStation 4 Pro with a Hyper Jam skin to one (1) lucky winner and 15 Hyper Jam PS4 Game Codes to fifteen (15) lucky fans! (Scroll down to enter below).

This is not an instant win. No purchase necessary. Competition ends at 12:00 PM PT on March 8, 2019, in which 1 grand prize winner and 15 runner-up winners will be chosen at random. The grand-prize winner will be mailed the console with Hyper Jam skin (MSRP: $430.00). Runner-up winners will emailed a code for the full game (MSRP: $14.99).

Enter below:

Hyper Jam: PlayStation 4 Pro and Game Code Giveaway

Official Sweepstakes Rules

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10. Publicity Release Terms. Except where prohibited by law, a Winner’s acceptance of a Prize constitutes permission for the Sweepstakes Entities to use Winner’s name, photograph, likeness, statements, biographical information, voice, and address (city and state) worldwide and in all forms of media, in perpetuity, without further compensation.

11. Improper Conduct. Administrator, in its sole discretion, may disqualify any entrant from participation in or use of any or all portions of this Sweepstakes, and refuse to award a Prize, if a Winner engages in any conduct Administrator deems to be improper, unfair or otherwise adverse to the operation of the Sweepstakes or detrimental to other entrants of the Sweepstakes. Such improper conduct includes, without limitation, falsifying personal information required during entrant registration or Prize claim, violating any term or condition stated herein, accumulating entries through methods such as automated computer scripts or any other programming techniques, allowing others to use entrant’s personal information for the purpose of accumulating entries, or intentionally trying to defraud, reverse engineer, disassemble or otherwise tamper with the computer programs in connection with this Sweepstakes. Winners agree that Administrator may void a Prize or any part of the Prize that a Winner may have won and/or require the return of a Prize or any part of a Prize that a Winner may have won as a result of such improper conduct. Winners further acknowledge that any forfeiture of a Prize and/or return of a Prize shall in no way prevent Administrator from pursuing other avenues of recourse, such as criminal or civil proceedings in connection with such conduct. WARNING: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS SWEEPSTAKES MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS, AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, EACH OF THE SWEEPSTAKES ENTITIES RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

12. Integrity of Sweepstakes. If, for any reason, the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned by reason of infection by computer virus, worms, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which Administrator, in its sole opinion believes could corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this Sweepstakes, Administrator reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend this Sweepstakes and select the Winners from entries received prior to the action taken or in such other manner as Administrator may deem fair and appropriate.

13. Lost or Corrupted Entries. The Sweepstakes Entities and their parents, affiliated and subsidiary companies and advertising and promotion agencies, assume no liability and are not responsible for, and you hereby forever waive any rights to any claim in connection with, lost, late, incomplete, corrupted, stolen, misdirected, illegible or postage-due entries or mail, if applicable; or for any computer, telephone, cable, network, satellite, electronic or Internet hardware or software malfunctions, unauthorized human intervention, or the incorrect or inaccurate capture of entry or other information, or the failure to capture any such information. The Sweepstakes Entities and their parents, affiliated and subsidiary companies and advertising and promotion agencies, are not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by registration information submitted by end users or tampering, hacking or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Sweepstakes, and assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to the Sweepstakes.

14. Damaged Property. The Sweepstakes Entities and their parents, affiliated and subsidiary companies and advertising and promotion agencies, assume no liability and are not responsible for, and you hereby forever waive any rights to any claim in connection with, injury or damage to any entrants or to any other person’s computer or property related to or resulting from participating in this Sweepstakes or downloading materials from this Sweepstakes.

15. Sweepstakes Errors. The Sweepstakes Entities and their parents, affiliated and subsidiary companies and advertising and promotion agencies, assume no liability and are not responsible for, and you hereby forever waive any rights to any claim in connection with errors and/or ambiguity: (a) in the Sweepstakes; (b) in any related advertising or promotions of this Sweepstakes; and/or (c) in these Official Rules. In the event of any ambiguity(s) or error(s) in these Official Rules, Administrator reserves the right to modify these Official Rules for clarification purposes or to correct any such ambiguity(s) or error(s) without materially affecting the terms and conditions of the Sweepstakes.

16. Prizes and Winners. The Sweepstakes Entities and their parents, affiliated and subsidiary companies and advertising and promotion agencies, assume no liability and are not responsible for, and you/entrant hereby forever waive any rights to any claim in connection with, the selection and announcement of the Winners, the distribution of the Prizes, the acceptance/possession and/or use/misuse of any part of a Prize and/or any injury or damage to any entrant’s or third person’s property related to or resulting from any part of a Prize or any part of this Sweepstakes.

17. Release and Indemnity. Each entrant in this Sweepstakes, including, without limitation, the Winners, hereby releases and agrees to hold harmless the Sweepstakes Entities and their parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies and their respective directors, officers, employees, representatives and agents from any and all liability for any injuries, loss or damage of any kind to person, including death, and property, arising in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, use or misuse of a Prize, participation in this Sweepstakes and participation in any activity related to this Sweepstakes.

18. Limitation of Liability. IN NO EVENT WILL THE SWEEPSTAKES ENTITIES, THEIR PARENTS, AFFILIATES, SUBSIDIARIES AND RELATED COMPANIES, THEIR ADVERTISING OR PROMOTION AGENCIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES AND AGENTS, BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SWEEPSTAKES OR THE DOWNLOADING FROM AND/OR PRINTING MATERIAL DOWNLOADED FROM THE SWEEPSTAKES. SOME JURISDICTIONS MAY NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. CHECK YOUR LOCAL LAWS FOR ANY RESTRICTIONS OR LIMITATIONS REGARDING THESE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS.

19. Disclaimer of Warranties. THE SWEEPSTAKES AND PRIZES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

20. Identity Disputes. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of a winner based on an email address, the winning entry will be declared made by the Authorized Account Holder of the email address submitted at time of entry. For purposes of these Official Rules, “Authorized Account Holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational, institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address.

21. Binding Arbitration. The parties waive all rights to trial in any action or proceeding instituted in connection with these Official Rules and/or this Sweepstakes. Any controversy or claim, arising out of, or relating to, these Official Rules and/or this Sweepstakes shall be settled by binding arbitration in accordance with the commercial arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association. Any such controversy or claim shall be arbitrated on an individual basis and shall not be consolidated in any arbitration with any claim or controversy of any other party. The arbitration shall be conducted in the State of New York, in the City of New York and judgment on the arbitration award may be entered into any court having jurisdiction thereof.

22. Governing Law and Jurisdiction. This promotion is governed by U.S. law and is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited by law. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of entrant and Administrator in connection with this Sweepstakes, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, U.S.A., without giving effect to the conflict of laws rules thereof, and any matters or proceedings which are not subject to arbitration, as set forth in Section 21 of these Official Rules and/or for entering any judgment on an arbitration award, shall take place in the State of New York, in the City of New York.

23. Winner’s List/Official Rules. For the name of the Winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope for receipt by March 31, 2019 to “Winner List, Hyper Jam: PlayStation 4 Pro and Game Code Giveaway” c/o GameSpot, a Division of CBS Interactive, Inc., 1401 W. Cypress Creek Road, Suite 200, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309. For Official Rules, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the above address marked “Official Rules Hyper Jam: PlayStation 4 Pro and Game Code Giveaway” for receipt by March 31, 2019. Residents of VT may omit postage on the self-addressed envelope. The name of the Winners may be posted, and the Official Rules will be posted on Gamespot.com.

Somehow, March is nearly upon us, which means Xbox Live’s Games With Gold are turning over once more. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon on Xbox One and Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy on Xbox 360 will be around through tomorrow, February 28, before a new wave of games becomes available for March. Super Bomberman R on Xbox One will stick around through mid-March, so don’t panic if you haven’t downloaded that one yet. Claim Xbox Live’s current Games With Gold here.

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is an 8-bit platformer that’s a direct homage to Castlevania 3: Dracula’s curse, and it’s a mini-game prequel to the upcoming Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night promised as part of that game’s Kickstarter campaign. You’ll start as demon slayer Zangetsu but have the ability to play as multiple other characters, each with unique skills, and multiple endings can be unlocked based on your actions. Meanwhile, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is a freebie right now for Xbox 360. First released in 2003, this first- and third-person shooter is enjoyed by many Star Wars fans. Download both of these games before they return to normal pricing on March 1.

Super Bomberman R is an action-maze game that basically entails blowing up your friends while navigating narrow corridors and, of course, avoiding getting blown up yourself. Both local and online multiplayer modes allow for lots of hectic, bomb-throwing fun with your friends, with online mode allowing up to eight players. There’s even a story-based campaign with over 50 levels that supports two-player co-op, so there’s plenty to entertain in this colorful party game, which is free until March 15.

There’s plenty to look forward in March’s Games With Gold, which will include Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2, Star Wars: Republic Commando, and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

February 2019 Games With Gold

Xbox One

• Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (Feb. 1-28)
• Super Bomberman R (Feb. 16-Mar. 15)

Xbox 360

• Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (Feb. 16-28)

Wrestlemania is WWE’s premiere PPV, and the event is so big that there is a whole week of events and shows planned around it, from the WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony to an annual fan convention. It’s grandiose and over-the-top, but it’s a celebration of all things WWE as Wrestlemania is the Super Bowl of sports entertainment. However, for years, I have found the buildup to the show to be lackluster at best. The granddaddy of them all has all the bells and whistles, but it felt like an empty shell to me. However, that’s changed for 2019’s event, and the card is not even set. This is the first time I’ve been excited about a Wrestlemania in a long time.

I was very skeptical when WWE announced that–in so many words–a new era was coming, as WWE programming had become stagnant and the storytelling was mediocre at best. How many times was a storyline dumped or the focus of each episode of Raw or Smackdown centered entirely on one person’s journey to the main event? However, since the December announcement by the McMahon family on Raw that WWE is back in the hands of “the people,” WWE programming has been on the right track. Sure, there are still improvements to be made, but the product is vastly superior to where it was 6 months or a year ago.

Looking at last year’s Wrestlemania, we got to see Ronda Rousey in the ring for the first time. At that point, though, I was one of those pesky haters and felt she was nothing more than a big name who hadn’t earned her spot on the show. I was wrong, and I really love what she’s brought to the table. But as far as 2018’s event goes, that and the return of Daniel Bryan was all the show had going for it. I remember feeling that the show was nothing but filler, and while I thought Braun Strowman teaming with a pre-teen to win the Raw Tag Team Championships was fun, that was the moment that demolished the once-strong tag team division on the Monday show. While Wrestlemania 34 was a fun–and insanely long–event, it was just another PPV to me, with no real build or hype around it.

Cut to today, and we’re still not even at Fastlane–traditionally the Comic Sans MS of PPVs–and already the hype for Mania feels real. There are only two confirmed matches, and it already feels like WWE has turned a corner with its new era. Who knew that crafting long-term stories going into a huge PPV, would create hype? Here is how Wrestlemania is coming together.

The first match on the card is Charlotte vs Ronda Rousey, and we all know that’s going to turn into a triple threat by adding Becky Lynch to the match. Personally, I’d rather have Charlotte out of the mix but she will help add a great deal to it. Regardless, both Charlotte and Lynch put on some amazing work together, as their battle at Evolution was my favorite WWE match of 2018. The story behind this match is one of the strongest leading into any PPV in years. It’s mixing backstage politics with Lynch being “suspended” until after Mania, with Rousey’s frustration that she can’t fight “The Man,” after being jumped by her time and time again. Then, there’s Charlotte gloating in glory as she gets the Mania spot. Everything about this storyline is pure, hot fire.

The next confirmed match is Seth Rollins vs Brock Lesnar. There is nothing really pushing this match. In fact, where the hell is Lesnar? There is no hype. However, there is hope. Hope that the Universal Championship can be freed from the clutches of a part time player (I’m talking about Lesnar, obviously). In fact, I’d be exceptionally cool with Roman Reigns joining the mix for this match, even though it would be the same thing that’s going on with the Raw women’s title by tossing a third party into the match. I’m only excited for this match because this should be the last time we see Lesnar holding this title hostage, and someone worthy of a main title is getting an opportunity to win it.

You know what’s kinda nice? The fact there is nothing going on with the Undertaker. Maybe it’s because he’s going to be a part of Starcast II for AEW’s Double or Nothing event, and Vince McMahon is pissed and wants him off the card. Regardless, the last few matches with The Deadman at Mania have been extremely rough. The Taker at Mania era is over. Let’s live in the present and look forward to the future, not focus on the past.

There are a couple matches building that haven’t been confirmed, yet, and I’m really into the build for both of them. The lesser of these two matches features a returning superstar vs. a figurehead. It looks like Triple H will take on Hollywood bad boy (that’s what’s I’m calling him now) Batista after Drax took out Ric Flair on his birthday, which I discussed earlier this week. In the past, I’ve been a dude who has complained quite a bit about returning stars and part timers getting the spotlight at Mania. But this has subtly been built up really well, and it will be a nice midcard match for the show.

If you’ve been watching Smackdown, then you’re well-aware of the story of Kofi Kingston being rocketed to the main event. If you haven’t been watching, shame on you. On the February 26 episode of Smackdown, a wrench was thrown into Kingston’s story. As you know, he was supposed to main event the Fastlane PPV against Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship; however, Vince McMahon replaced Kingston with a returning Kevin Owens–who put some real stank on the Stunner in his match later the evening–in the Fastlane main event. Obviously–because Kingston is so hot right now–the New Day member is getting a Wrestlemania match against Bryan for the title. There is no way WWE wouldn’t give fans that match.

Sure, we could go with Lio Rush or Bobby Lashley vs. Finn Balor for the Intercontinental Championship as well, but I don’t particularly care about that story. One of the recent NXT call ups feels more fitting for an IC title match. However, I’m not expecting to be personally invested in every match at the show, and that’s fine. There are still openings on the Mania card for the three tag championships as well and the United States Championship too. There is still over a month to go with more planning, stories, and build-up, and there is potential for this to be one of the best Wrestlemanias in decades.

We’ll be covering Wrestlemania live on GameSpot on Sunday, April 7, but before that, there’s Fastlane–the rural, roadside diner of PPVs–coming on Sunday, March 10.

THQ Nordic, the publisher of Darksiders 3, Biomutant, and other big games, has apologized for holding an ask me anything (AMA) session on infamous internet forum 8chan. The message board is known for hosting threads relating to subjects such as child pornography and white supremacy; THQ Nordic says it was not aware of the site’s affiliation with these topics before agreeing to the AMA.

“I personally agreed to this AMA without doing my proper due diligence to understand the history and the controversy of the site,” said THQ Nordic‘s PR & marketing director, Philipp Brock. “I do not condone child pornography, white supremacy, or racism in any shape or form.

“I am terribly sorry for the short-sightedness of my (!) decision, and promise to be far more vigorous in my assessment of these activities in the future. This was not about being edgy, this blew up and I very much regret to have done it in the first place.”

THQ Nordic announced the AMA in a tweet, saying “we’re doing an 8chan AMA and we have no idea why. Come join us!” After industry figures criticized the company for this move, it then replied to its initial tweet and stated “the opportunity was here and we took it, we got apporached [sic] in a very friendly and polite manner and were assured, said person (shoutout to Mark) will take care of the nasty stuff. So, here we are.” The tweet announcing the AMA has since been deleted.

8chan content was blocked from appearing in Google searches in 2015. Google also warned 8chan contains “suspected child abuse content.” Since then, 8chan has become embroiled in various controversies surrounding gamergate, swatting, racism, and white supremacism.

THQ Nordic was formed in 2011 after Nordic Games acquired much of the intellectual property of the now-defunct publisher THQ. More recently it has acquired Goat Simulator developer Coffee Stain, the TimeSplitters series, and the Alone in the Dark and Act of War franchises.