The fine print on McDonald’s China site features the Spam trademark, but Oreo does not appear as a trademark or in an official mention. Ahmad does note that the wording says Oreo, but it could also be another brand that makes its way into the sandwich.
Having launched almost four years ago, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser believes the Switch has finally entered the midpoint of its lifecycle.
In an extensive interview with Polygon, Bowser discussed the company’s 2021 outlook, how well the Switch performed amidst the ongoing pandemic, and what the midpoint for both the standard Switch and more-affordable Switch Lite means for the platform’s ecosystem. According to Bowser, it means the company will “really lean into both platforms” while continuing to call attention to the Switch’s unique console-handheld hybrid nature.
“[T]he way we build games onto the platform, and the way partners build games onto the platform, is really what matters and the experience that you have when you play,” Bowser said. “So that’s what we’ll continue to lean into as we go into really what will be the fifth year of Nintendo Switch. And as Mr. [Shuntaro] Furukawa [president of Nintendo] mentioned in his corporate management policy briefing, we believe we’re just at the midpoint of this life cycle on this platform.”
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s next DLC fighter, Sephiroth, officially releases tomorrow (although you can unlock the One-Winged Angel early right now), but that’s not all that’s arriving this week. Nintendo has announced it is also rolling out another update for the Switch fighting game on December 22.
The company hasn’t shared any details about the version 10.1 update, other than it will “include fighter adjustments.” Ahead of the update, you’ll need to convert any replay data by going into the game’s Vault menu, as it will become incompatible once you’ve installed the patch.
Ver. 10.1 of Super #SmashBrosUltimate will arrive tomorrow! This update will include fighter adjustments, meaning replay data from previous versions will be incompatible. Convert your replays by going to Vault -> Replays -> Replay Data -> Convert to Video, before updating. pic.twitter.com/shaBh9Aspx
As previously mentioned, Sephiroth also officially unlocks tomorrow, December 22. In the meantime, however, you can unlock the DLC fighter early through the limited-time Sephiroth Challenge event. If you defeat Sephiroth in a stamina battle (and have already purchased his challenger pack or the Fighters Pass Vol. 2), he’ll be added to your roster ahead of his official release, as will is accompanying stage: Northern Cave.
In 2020, we spent an incredible amount of time stuck in front of our televisions. Because of a raging pandemic across the globe, we couldn’t be with the ones we loved. So we made new friends with multiple streaming services. If you had access to high-speed internet in 2020, you probably spent some time plopped down on your couch, binging everything. But with so many streaming services out on the market, what were the best ones?
This year saw the launch of three new services: NBCUniversal’s Peacock, WarnerMedia’s HBO Max, and the short-lived home for short shows Quibi. With these new additions, the streaming space got a bit more crowded, and Quibi didn’t grab the viewership it needed to survive, and ended up closing its doors. Meanwhile, Peacock and HBO Max both launched without Roku or Amazon Fire TV support, which many streamers use to access these apps.
But what were the best overall streaming services in 2020? What companies changed things up in order to provide a better product to the consumer? In no particular order, here are GameSpot’s eight best streaming services for 2020, all offering up something a little different than the others.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.
Arrow Video Channel
The Arrow Video Channel is one of the newest niche streaming services on the block, but has quickly become a must-subscribe for fans of cult movies. The UK-based Arrow Films has been restoring and releasing the best in horror, action, exploitation, and arthouse cinema for nearly 30 years, and has built up a formidable catalogue of titles. So a streaming service was the obvious next step. From classics by directors such as Dario Argento, Wes Craven, Takashii Miike, and George Romero to Japanese monster movies, spaghetti westerns, martial arts epics, and Italian slashers, there really is something for (nearly) everyone on here, and the catalogue is growing monthly. Comedian, actor, and cinephile Patton Oswalt accurately described the service as “Criterion’s weird cousin who does meth but is somehow a Harvard grad,” and at $5 a month with a month-long free trial it’s ridiculously good value. –Dan Auty
The streaming service market is booming, and while many focus on general content with random TV shows and movies from various genres, no one does a genre-focused streaming service better than Shudder, the king of horror. Its library of original content and exclusive rights to movies and TV shows continued to grow in 2020. Throughout the year, live stream events featuring horror movies gave subscribers the feeling like they were doing something as a group in a time where we couldn’t be around others. Shudder also delivered one of the most-talked about movies–not just horror–of the year, Host–a film about a Zoom call haunted by ghosts. Additionally, Shudder had exclusive rights to two must-see movies: the Indonesian film Impetigore and the “so bad it’s good” Verotika (directed by Glenn Danzig). To top it all off, it’s one of the cheapest services around, costing $6 a month. So if you love horror, there is no reason you shouldn’t subscribe. –Mat Elfring
Of the major 2020 streaming service launches, Peacock had the quietest. Initially, it was going to host events from the 2020 Olympic Games, giving it a marquee event to build its subscriber base around. That, however, never came to pass when the games were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, Peacock arrived and is, at the very least, attempting to build an identity for itself. Its highest-profile original to date is the Saved By the Bell sequel series (it’s not a reboot) and it’s one that has connected with an audience. Another major stumbling block the service faced was that, much like HBO Max, it launched without support for Amazon Fire and Roku devices. However, that’s something the service remedied relatively early on. But what’s even more noteworthy about Peacock is what’s to come. While there are plenty of films and shows to choose from, the service will soon be the exclusive streaming home to The Office. If you want to binge the adventures of Dunder Mifflin and don’t own the show on DVD, this is the only way to watch commercial free. And it’s not just The Office, Peacock is already the only streaming service with shows like Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock. So, really, who wouldn’t want it? — Chris E. Hayner
When you think of Disney+, Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar are the main things that come to mind. And on the streaming service, there is plenty of content around that. This year, Pixar dropped both Onward and Soul on the service, D+ launched its confusing and pointless Premier Access–which lets you pay extra to watch select movies earlier–and Season 2 of The Mandalorian dropped. However, within 2020, Disney+ continued to fill out its catalog, adding original content like a Taylor Swift studio session, classic movies like Big, and some great behind-the-scenes docuseries from Nat Geo, Pixar, and Star Wars. While D+ has been labeled as a streaming service for kiddies, 2020 is when they began to break free from that. And even if it is just “for kiddies,” it’s a pretty excellent kid-friendly service regardless. –Mat Elfring
When the much-loved Filmstruck closed down in 2018 after just two years, there was an outpouring of sorrow from movie fans and filmmakers such as Martin Scorcese and Guillermo Del Toro, who recognised the importance of a more cine-literate alternative to the likes of Netflix and Amazon Video. Filmstruck’s main draw was the Criterion Collection, the long-running and revered distributor of classic and contemporary films from around the world. Thankfully it didn’t take long for Criterion to launch its own service, and the Criterion Channel is every bit the equal of its predecessor. At any given time the platform boasts several thousand movies, with expansive revolving monthly seasons allowing film fans to explore the work of different directors, actors, genres, and countries. The last couple of months alone have included 1970s horror, Black sci-fi, Cary Grant comedies, modern South Korean cinema, Australian new wave, and spotlights on directors such as Terrence Malick, Bill Forsyth, Barbra Streisand, and Claire Denis. There are many great streaming services out there, but if I could only subscribe to one, it would be this. –Dan Auty
Aside from getting free two-day delivery on stuff you buy through Amazon, being a Prime member is a pretty great thing in 2020, mainly because of Prime Video. The service’s original content continued to grow throughout the year with a new season of The Expanse and a new special from The Grand Tour–the gentlemen formerly of Top Gear. Blumhouse began their partnership with Amazon, launching four new horror movies, with four more coming in 2021. Of course, then there was the surprise release of Borat 2, filmed entirely during the pandemic, and we all could have used a laugh this year. However, Amazon’s biggest original breakout was Season 2 of The Boys, which took the world by storm, and was one of the best superhero TV shows–or movies–that came out this year. Prime Video’s catalog in 2020 has become the gold standard for original streaming content now. While Netflix may put out more original content, Amazon’s TV shows and movies, on average, are a lot higher quality. –Mat Elfring
In the streaming age, there are plenty of choices if you want to ditch cable and watch live TV. However, most of those choices are getting more and more expensive and costing just as much as cable. While Philo is a stripped down version of cable TV, as it doesn’t offer sports or news networks, $20 is a pretty excellent deal for 63 entertainment channels–the vast majority of which you’re probably already familiar with. In 2020, Philo expanded by offering both Epix and Starz at an added price. It may not have the same name recognition as Sling or YouTube’s live TV series, but it offers a lot of what the others offer for a fraction of the price. –Mat Elfring
While most people think of Netflix as the king of general streaming services, Hulu continuously elevates its platform, offering content no one else can. In early 2020, FX and Hulu partnered–which isn’t entirely crazy since Disney owns FX and is a majority shareholder of Hulu. Through this partnership, full seasons of FX originals appeared on the service, Hulu got new episodes of shows the day after they aired, and FX also created original content like Devs exclusively for Hulu. In addition to FX on Hulu, the streaming service continued to pump out quality original content from the recently released revamp of Animaniacs to the Andy Samberg comedy Palm Springs. Combining high-quality original programming along with the ability to watch TV shows the day after they air on for many networks makes Hulu a must-have service. –Mat Elfring
It’s no secret that playing Cyberpunk 2077, particularly on last-gen systems, can be messy, so imagining the game playing on Nintendo Switch sounds implausible. But a Nintendo enthusiast has found a way to get the open-world RPG running on Nintendo’s console-handheld hybrid–and the process involves hacking the system to access Stadia.
YouTuber Nintendrew uploaded a video to his channel demonstrating how he got Cyberpunk 2077 to play on his hacked Nintendo Switch. He discusses the game’s performance, which seems to run steadily at 720p when undocked and 1080p when connected to a TV, and how Stadia allows users to stream Cyberpunk 2077 to the system. There are a few required tools, like a Stadia account and payload injector, but Cyberpunk 2077 is apparently fully playable on Switch after downloading and installing a version of Google’s Android operating system.
Once Android is installed, Switch players can download the Stadia app from the Play Store and start streaming Cyberpunk 2077. Both Joy-Con and Pro controllers are compatible with Cyberpunk 2077, with controller mapping being identical to its Xbox console inputs. And of course, once Stadia is installed on Nintendo Switch, a bunch of other AAA, non-Switch games–such as Destiny 2 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order–can be streamed to the system as well. It’s worth noting that while Stadia isn’t directly available on Switch, Nintendo has released a few titles through the cloud, including Remedy’s Control and IO Interactive’s Hitman 3.
2021 is just around the corner, and Pokemon Go developer Niantic has now detailed the game’s first Community Day of the new year. The event will take place on January 16, and the featured monster this time around will be the Fighting-type Pokemon Machop.
Throughout the event, Machop will appear in the wild much more frequently than usual, and you’ll have a chance to encounter a Shiny Machop. The Fighting Pokemon will also be able to learn an event-exclusive move. If you can evolve Machoke (Machop’s evolved form) into Machamp up to two hours after January’s Community Day ends, it will know the Dark-type attack Payback.
Cyberpunk 2077 has been mired in controversies since launch, but a brand-new Nexus Mod aims to bring some much-needed levity to the experience by giving PC players the ability to change their in-game hairstyle whenever and however many times as they want.
The mod, created by user woodbricks, grants players access to all the hairstyles available in Cyberpunk 2077. Once installed, players can swap between the 39 haircuts for both male and female characters. However, those who’ve customized their V with a totally bald cut cannot change it to any of the other 38. Additionally, while the mod is compatible with both genders, hairstyles won’t neatly swap between the two due to head shape and character model.
There are specific instructions for changing V’s hairstyle with this Nexus Mod. PC players will have to locate their save file, download and install a Hex editing program like this one, edit the file in question by changing V’s hair to the corresponding Hex code of their choosing, and save. Relaunching the game after completing the steps is not necessary; players can simply load their save file and continuing playing Cyberpunk 2077 with their freshly cut V.
