But contrary to reports, they’re not the same dress.
Coronavirus Concerns Causing Convention Dropouts, Theme Park Closings, And Movie Release Delays
COVID-19, more commonly referred to as the coronavirus, is affecting the entertainment industry hard in recent weeks. Movie releases are being delayed, conventions are seeing talent and publishers drop out, and theme parks are closing. Much like how the coronavirus is affecting the gaming industry, these are precautionary measures in order to stop or slow the spread of the highly contagious disease.
Conventions Affected By COVID-19
While we saw companies drop out from the Games Developer Conference (GDC) in recent weeks before it was outright delayed, comic conventions are also seeing major companies drop out from the shows. Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC), Seattle’s convention taking place March 12-15, has seen DC Comics–which is also canceling all March conventions–Penguin Random House, and now, Dark Horse Comics drop out from the show amid coronavirus concerns.
Important #ECCC2020 notice: Due to the severity of the COVID-19 virus, Dark Horse Comics has made the difficult decision to pull out of Emerald City Comic Con 2020. It is with the safety and well-being of our staff and creators in mind that we have come to this decision. 1/2
— Dark Horse Comics (@DarkHorseComics) March 3, 2020
At the time of this writing, ECCC is still happening as scheduled, even though talent in artist’s alley have also been dropping out. Eisner-winning illustrator Jen Bartel is the latest to cancel their appearance. She wrote in a tweet that ECCC is her favorite show but “due to concerns surrounding COVID-19, I will be canceling my appearance this year.”
Pokemon Sword & Shield: Gigantamax Toxtricity Leaving Max Raids Soon
Pokemon Sword and Shield‘s latest Max Raid event is coming to an end this week. The newly introduced Gigantamax Toxtricity will leave the games at 4:59 PM PT / 7:59 PM ET on Sunday, March 8, making this your last chance to catch it.
Until that time, Gigantamax Toxtricity will appear in Max Raid dens around the Wild Area. The Gigantamax Pokemon is available in both Sword and Shield, but which form it takes differs depending on which version you’re playing. Sword players will encounter Amped Form Toxtricity, while Shield players will find Low Key Form. Both variants have the same base stats, but each learns some different attacks.
When Gigantamaxed, Toxtricity’s Electric attacks will become the G-Max move Stun Shock. In addition to dealing damage, this attack will also either paralyze or poison all Pokemon on the opponent’s side of the field.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Rumored Battle Royale Map Reportedly Leaks
While Call of Duty: Modern Warfare fans wait for official confirmation of the rumored Warzone battle royale mode, one more leak has given a new glimpse at what could be its map.
As reported by Dexerto, Reddit user and known Call of Duty leaker Senescallo has posted what appears to be the full Warzone map. The map closely matches the leak in November 2019, also by Senescallo, that showed a similar map.
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The map leak from November was edited by Redditor Kalinine, who marked up that map with potential locations that reference both multiplayer maps and Spec Ops maps.
Kalinine estimates Warzone’s map will be 8 km², and rumors suggest it could feature up to 200 players, have a “Gulag” feature that would see eliminated players battling it out 1v1 for a chance at a second life, a “Ping” system like Apex Legend’s, and many vehicles.
While there has been no official confirmation that Warzone exists, the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s second season has heavily hinted at its imminent arrival.
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Not only did the opening cinematic show players jumping out of a plane onto a much larger map than usual, but there is a new mode on the main menu that only says “CLASSIFIED.”
While we may have to wait a bit longer to experience Modern Warfare’s battle royale mode, players can jump into the store and purchase a Tomogunchi, a watch that houses a virtual pet that needs kills, wins, captures, and more to survive.
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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.
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WWE’s Matt Hardy Going To AEW Looks Like It Might Actually Be Happening
With Matt Hardy‘s WWE contract having expired, he’s now a free agent in the professional wrestling industry. However, it’s starting to look like his next steps have already been chosen. While there’s been plenty of speculation that Hardy would be making his next wrestling home in All Elite Wrestling, the evidence is starting to become overwhelming.
At the end of the most recent episode of Being the Elite, the YouTube series created by AEW executive vice presidents Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks, the Bucks get a mysterious phone call from somebody in North Carolina, asking them to come for a visit. Immediately, fans speculated that the person on the other end of the phone was Hardy, who hails from Cameron, NC. Now, in the latest episode of Hardy’s Free the Delete web series, it was confirmed he was the person calling.
In the final moments of episode 10 of the series, the Bucks pull up to Hardy’s home. “Bucks of Youth,” he calls to them. “I know you’d come.” The episode also sees Hardy playing with his children, building a cross, and carrying it across his property for one reason or another.
Sony Santa Monica Has A New Studio Head
After former SIE Santa Monica Studio boss Shannon Studstill left the company to head up a new Google Stadia studio in Playa Vista, California, Sony PlayStation has announced that her replacement is Yumi Yang.
Yang has worked at Sony Santa Monica for nearly 20 years, starting first as a senior producer and jumping all the way up to director of product development before taking over as studio head. During her time in the industry, she, like Studstill, had a brief stint at Electronic Arts as a development director before going back to the Los Angeles-based studio. And also like Studstill, Yang previously worked on 2018’s God of War.
“We extend our warmest congratulations to Shannon Studstill on her new role,” a Sony spokesperson told GameSpot. “Under her leadership, the studio she helped found over twenty years ago masterfully reinvented itself and its greatest franchise with 2018’s Game of the Year, God of War. In her role as VP of Product Development, Shannon helped smaller independent teams incubate within the studio, leading to groundbreaking works like Journey and The Unfinished Swan. All of PlayStation is better for and grateful of her many years of exemplary service and bold creative vision.
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New PS4 Games Sale Offers Twice The Discount For PS Plus Members
A pair of mid-week PS4 sales just kicked off in the PlayStation Store, bringing markdowns on around 200 games. The Double Discounts sale offers even steeper discounts for PlayStation Plus members, while the second sale features games under $15 for anyone on a budget. Between the two sales, there are plenty of games at great prices to keep you busy this week, and you have until March 18 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET to claim anything that catches your eye.
It’s been a while since the last Double Discounts sale on PSN, and considering these types of promotions are benefits of the membership, PS Plus subscribers should take time to check it out. The sale includes some of the best games on PS4 and other titles that may have flown under your radar. Acclaimed first-person shooter Titanfall 2 is just $8 as part of the sale, while Devil May Cry: HD Collection is down to $15. Considered one of the best RPGs of all time, Divinity: Original Sin 2: Definitive Edition is on sale for just $24. Meanwhile, you can also snag The Escapists 2: Game of the Year Edition for $9.17 and Dead Cells for $15. Plague Inc: Evolved, which has been trending lately, is also $6. While non-PS Plus members can still buy these games at a discount, they won’t be as cheap. Be sure to sign in to see the lowest price.
If you’re not a PS Plus member, the Games Under $15 sale has some nice deals that won’t drain your wallet. A pair of Assassin’s Creed games, Unity and Black Flag, are down to $9 each, while the Assassin’s Creed Chronicles Trilogy is on sale for $10. Survival horror game The Evil Within is marked down to $6. Plus, some great narrative-driven adventures are on sale, including The Wolf Among Us for $4.94 and Life is Strange‘s complete season for $4.
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