Kao the Kangaroo, a PS2-era mascot platformer series, is making a comeback. The series, which has been dormant since 2005’s Kao: Mystery of Volcano, is returning for a new adventure. The games, which were 3D platformers released in the early 2000s, might not be the most fondly-remembered titles of the time, but with 3D platformers being much less common these days there’s perhaps reason for people to be nostalgic for Kao.
The game has been announced on Steam, and while details are thin, this confirms that the game will come to PC. “This time Kao will take on a completely new journey,” the announcement reads. “New story, challenges, enemies, visuals, and a whole lot more! We will keep you posted and soon you will be able to see a first glance of the game.”
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has dominated the mobile game scene, with a report from Sensor Tower stating that the PUBG Mobile raked in over $200 million last month, which represented 41 percent growth from May 2019. Tencent scooped both first and second place on this report when it came to overall revenue earned, with PUBG Mobile and Honor of Kings pocketing an estimated total of $450.5 million combined.
PUBG Mobile saw most of that revenue come from its Chinese share of the market–China made up 53 percent of the game’s earnings last month–with the United States in second place at 10.2 percent of the share. Outside of PUBG Mobile and Honor of Kings, Roblox took third place when accounting for overall revenue earned in May 2020, beating out the likes of Pokemon GO and Fate/Grand Order.
While Pokemon GO experienced an impressive surge in revenue since May last year, it still wasn’t enough to dethrone PUBG Mobile. Even Fortnite, who has made over $1 billion from microtransactions, didn’t even compare to the earners on Sensor Tower’s top ten list. The battle royale shooter’s Season 13 Royale Pass launched last month, adding a number of in-game unlockables and allowing players who paid for the Elite pass to earn exclusive rank rewards. There’s also the matter of the Fire Ranger and Ice Ranger skins that players can now access as part of Season 13, in keeping with the content’s toy-like theme.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer’s vision for Xbox is beyond consoles. A system that sits under or next to your TV will be important for years to come, but Microsoft is preparing for a future where the company doesn’t need to sell you a console to become an Xbox user.
Spencer expanded on some of these ideas in an interview with Wired recently. He said he wants gaming to grow to a place that is more platform-agnostic. He used Netflix as an example, saying it doesn’t matter whether you watch on a TV or a mobile phone–the content is the same.
“You and I might watch Netflix. I don’t know where you watch it, where I watch it, but we can have conversations about the shows we watch,” Spencer said. “I want gaming to evolve to that same level.”
The Last of Us Part II releases on June 19, and expectant fans will likely have been watching and re-watching all the footage and trailers available, such as the story trailer that revealed some details of Ellie’s upcoming struggle. Thanks to one creative fan, you can experience that trailer again…but in Lego form.
The Lego trailer below comes from Pavel Prokhorov and Pavesome Films, an account that specializes in Lego recreations. It’s a scene-for-scene recreation of the Last of Us Part II story trailer, complete with Lego infected, Lego Ellie, Lego Joel, and lots of blood…but despite the violence, it’s still pretty cute. Fewer bricks to the face, more faces made of bricks.
Just be aware that if you’ve avoided any footage from the game so far, this contains spot-on recreations of moments that happen in the full game.
Mere days after warning it could potentially go bankrupt, AMC Entertainment, which owns the AMC chain of movie theaters, has revealed a loss of $2.2 billion in the first quarter of 2020, thanks in large part to the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Still, even with those losses, the company is gearing up to once again open its doors.
The news comes from Variety, which reports the company plans to reopen its theaters worldwide in July, after shutting them down in March. “These are truly unprecedented times,” AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron said in a statement. “We are confident we are taking the necessary steps on a broad array of fronts to ensure AMC’s future success as we navigate these turbulent and uncertain times.”
Thus far, the company has not revealed what approach it will take in reopening. It’s worth noting that while the state of California will allow movie theaters to open as of Friday, June 12, AMC will instead be waiting longer–and they’re not the only company doing that.
The Pokemon Company had previously confirmed that The Isle of Armor would launch this month, but now it has been given an official release date, and it’s very soon: June 17.
The Isle Of Armor Story
The Isle of Armor takes players to the titular island, which is home to an assortment of new and returning Pokemon not found in Galar proper, such as the newly revealed Galarian Slowbro. The story of this expansion revolves around a Pokemon dojo run by a former Pokemon League champion named Mustard, who gifts you the Legendary Fighting Pokemon Kubfu.
DC is gearing up for the start of Joker War, an epic new crossover featuring what is said to be the final showdown between Batman and Joker. The Clown Prince of Crime knows Batman’s secret identity, and he’s finally ready to end their long dance and bring Gotham burning down around them. But he won’t be doing it alone. Joker has a brand new ally in the form of Punchline.
Thanks to the release of new books like Batman #92 and The Joker: 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1, we now know much more about Punchline’s origin and how she fits into Joker’s grand plan. Read on to find out how this new Batman villain came to be and why she’s not just a replacement for Harley Quinn.
Warning: this article contains spoilers for Batman #92, The Joker: 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1, and Batman: Secret Files #3!
Among the many stories featured in The Joker: 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1, one features writer James Tynion IV and artist Mikel Janin chronicling the origin of Punchline. This story reveals she was once a seemingly ordinary college student named Alexis, albeit one with an unhealthy fascination with the Joker. After her school holds a “Dress like your favorite hero” event in response to Joker’s latest crime spree, Alexis courts controversy by dressing like her role model. And when the school’s dean attempts to talk sense into her, Alexis lets her dark side spring free.
Art by Mikel Janin. (Image Credit: DC)
Alexis poisons the dean with her own homemade Joker toxin and reveals her desire to destroy the world and usher in a new era of chaos and anarchy. As it turns out, the Joker is hiding in Alexis’ closet and watching the whole performance. Now satisfied she’s worthy of being his partner, Joker officially welcomes her into the fold and agrees to make her part of his latest and greatest plot to destroy Batman. Thus, Punchline is born.
This story reveals two crucial differences between Punchline and Joker’s former flame Harley Quinn. Whereas Harleen Quinzel was a well-meaning psychiatrist corrupted through her sessions with Joker, Alexis was well on the path to villainy before ever actually meeting Joker. And while Harley was treated more as Joker’s sidekick and punching bag, Joker seems willing to accept Punchline as a true partner-in-crime.
What exactly are the two villains planning? As Batman Secret Files #3 reveals, they’re going after the money. A story by Tynion and artist Sumit Kumar flashes back a month before the events of the current “Their Dark Designs” storyline, as Joker and Punchline approach Deathstroke with an offer. Joker wants to steal the Wayne fortune and use it to fund his war on Batman. In exchange for his help, Deathstroke will receive the beneficiary trust Bruce set up for Dick Grayson.
Art by Sumit Kumar. (Image Credit: DC)
Even as Deathstroke has been among the hired assassins working for the Designer, it seems Slade has had ulterior motives.
If Joker wants to steal the Wayne fortune, he may have to get in line. Batman #92 (by Tynion and artist Guillem March) serves as the penultimate chapter of “Their Dark Designs,” which deals with a villain called the Designer manipulating Batman, Catwoman, Riddler, and Penguin as part of a larger plot to rule Gotham. The Designer once showed Catwoman a way to steal the Wayne fortune and become Gotham’s richest resident, and now Selina is desperate to stop him from carrying out that plan himself. Unfortunately, she and her temporary partner Harley Quinn are stymied when they bump into Punchline, who’s also looking to do a little bank robbery. Needless to say, Harley isn’t amused by Joker’s biggest fan.
Art by Guillem March. (Image Credit: DC)
With only one issue remaining in this storyline, we’re getting a much better picture of how Joker plans to strike at his nemesis. If all goes according to Joker’s plan, Batman will find all his wealth and resources turned against him and wielded by an enemy who knows his secret identity.
Look for Joker War to officially begin in Batman #95, which is currently scheduled for release on Tuesday, July 8.
If you’ve been meaning to learn Spanish, or other languages, I have excellent news for you. Right now the Rosetta Stone Lifetime Membership is on sale, so you can take the Rosetta Stone Spanish course, learn Spanish online (or Japanese, or any of their other language packages).
“But how much does Rosetta Stone cost?” I hear you ask. Right now you can get a lifetime membership for just $199, which knocks a whopping $100 off the regular price.
Learn Japanese and watch anime or read manga in ways you never could before. Learn Spanish and open yourself up to friendships or business opportunities like never before. Once you finish the course for one language, move to another one at no additional charge. The choice is yours.
Brian Barnett writes wiki guides, deals posts, features, and much more for IGN. You can get your fix of Brian’s antics on Twitter and Instagram (@Ribnax).
