I’m going to show my age here, but I have no idea what Roblox is. I’ve heard my kid talk about the “game” mainly made up of user-created content in my peripheral. I use the quotations because that word is now referred to as “experiences” on Roblox’s website.
When logged into the website, a tab once called “Games” has been updated to read “Discover.” In addition, the term “players” was switched to “people.” This may not signal anything more than perhaps a branding change to a passerby or the average player. However, in the scope of the ongoing lawsuit between Apple and Epic Games, it may be a huge deal.
In short, Apple wants to prove that games like Fortnite, Roblox, etc., are games. Therefore they must abide by Apple’s rules and fees. Epic is attempting to make their products on the App Store exempt from Apple’s 30% revenue cut it takes per purchase. The same is done over at the Google Play Store. Epic believes these fees and limited avenues for customers amount to antitrust violations.
That’s as basic as I can make it.
The Verge reported on the confusing game of words that is being played out. Just a clever term can change your product from a game to an app in the eyes of Apple. This circumventing of the terms was also confirmed by a 2017 e-mail from Trystan Kosmynka from Apple’s marketing division.
What is a game? Kosmynka defined it in the following way, “If you think of a game or app, games are incredibly dynamic, games have a beginning, an end, there’s challenges in place. I look at the experiences that are in Roblox similar to the experiences that are in Minecraft. These are maps. These are worlds. And they have boundaries in terms of what they’re capable of.”
So, is Fortnite really a game since there’s no end and you create things in the game? Doubtful. It’s a competitive game where you build structures to defend yourself against the enemy. Fortnite does have a beginning and end of each match. It’s not just an open-ended sandbox with no point.
While I disagree that Apple or Google should be the only gateway for us to get games on the devices, playing these word games may blow up in Epic’s face. If they lose this court battle, it could set the consumer back even further.
What are your thoughts on the lawsuit? Is Roblox a game? Is Fortnite? Let us know in the comments.
[Source: The Verge]
Epic vs. Apple: Is Roblox a “Game”? It May Decide The Lawsuit.
GameStop Offering 20-50% Off Anime Merchandise and Games!
There’s a huge anime sale going on right now over at GameStop. Over 200 items from manga and anime are listed. The games are up to 50% off, while the non-video game merchandise is discounted up to 20%.
If you’ve been eyeing up a certain action figure or game, now is the time to buy. The sale also applies to items that are GameStop exclusives like Funko Pops. Some things are already selling out. If you’re like me and interested in Gundam stuff, click here to go right to those listings.
We took a screenshot of the most expensive items currently included in this sale. Check it out.
- One Piece
- Dragon Ball
- Persona
- Evangelion
- Cowboy Bebop
- Sword Art Online
- Demon Slayer
- My Hero Academia
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Sailor Moon
- Mobile Suit Gundam
- Love Live
- Saint Seiya
- Attack on Titan
- Naruto
- Fire Force
- Fullmetal Alchemist
- RE: Zero
- The Idolmaster
- Fate/Grand Order
- Junji Ito
Games, statues, action figures, and Funko Pops are just some of the items listed. We also saw backpacks, shirts, and other wearables. How long this sale will be going on is not shown. Don’t delay!
A lot of these toys and stuff aren’t available at physical GameStop stores. We checked locations in a few large metro areas, and the number of items available for pickup averaged around 90 things out of the original 223. Now is the time to use up any trade-in credit or certificates since you’ll have to swallow a shipping cost.
I’ve noticed that GameStop stores have been flushing out the non-game merchandise as of late. Once, the ten stores within my town used to have half of the store taken up with Pops, action figures, and replicas. Now all those toys are consolidated to a few shelves and a clearance bin. It may not be long before we see these stores revert to being 95% games and 5% “other.”
[Source: GameStop]
‘Jurassic Park’ Actress Laura Dern Speaks Out About Cast Reunion For ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’
Laura Dern has been a part of Steven Spielberg’s ‘Jurassic Park’ franchise since the very first installment of the dinosaur films in 1993. Playing paleobotanist Dr. Ellie Sattler, she would go on to have a minor role in ‘Jurassic Park III’ and has been announced that the ‘Dr. T & the Women’ actress will return for the Colin Trevorrow-directed ‘Jurassic World: Dominion,’ joining the ensemble cast that includes many from ‘Jurassic Park’ and the sequel series.
Speaking with People Magazine, Dern discussed the enormous cast reunion and that “saving butts” will be “involved” in the movie.
“I can say that it was incredible to be back together,” said of her co-stars Sam Neil and Jeff Goldblum, who are reprising their roles as Alan Grant and Ian Malcolm, respectively. “It was an amazing thing to join my original cast members and go down memory lane, from that experience in the beginning of a franchise through the whole course of these films together with all the key cast members who have been working on these movies, as well as [director] Colin Trevorrow and Steven Spielberg, who is like family to me.”
“We’ve had a beautiful time remembering what we loved about the origin story, and the first CGI and working with the animatronics of the brilliant Stan Winston, and what we want to hold and protect of the original characters.” She added, “So it’s just been amazing.”
The Oscar-winning actress explained that she went back and re-watched the movies to prepare for the filming of ‘Dominion,’ seeing that it was “creating a complete story” with “the idea of bringing everyone together.” She described reuniting with her castmates as a “high school reunion.”
‘Jurassic Park’ and its 1997 sequel ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ were loosely based on science fiction novels by the late award-winning author Michael Crichton. Steven Spielberg directed the first two films while Joe Johnston directed ‘Jurassic Park III.’ Colin Treverrow and J. A. Bayona directed ‘Jurassic World’ and ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,’ respectively.
‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ is set to hit theaters June 10, 2022, by Amblin Entertainment and Universal Pictures. It features an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, Daniella Pineda, Isabella Sermon, Justice Smith, Omar Sy, Jake Johnson, Mamoudou Athie, Scott Haze, Dichen Lachman, Campbell Scott, and DeWanda Wise.
Mads Mikkelsen Opens Up About Replacing Johnny Depp In ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’
Johnny Depp was selected to play the dark wizard Gellert Grindlewald in the Harry Potter prequel in ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ and its sequel ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.’ Depp was set to reprise the role in the third entry in the series but following the scandal around his turbulent relationship with ‘Aquaman’ actress Amber Heard, Warner Bros. asked him to step aside.
While speculation on who would play Grindlewald grew, ‘Rogue One’ actor Mads Mikkelsen was tapped to replace Depp, even after the film’s production was delayed due to the pandemic lockdowns.
Breaking his silence on the matter, Mikkelsen spoke with Entertainment Weekly about entering the Wizard World and replacing Depp.
“Well it’s going to be me, so that’s a difference,” he joked.
“No, this is the tricky part,” Mikkelsen explained. “We’re still working it out. There has to be a bridge between what Johnny did and what I’m going to do. And at the same time, I also have to make it my own. But also we have to find a few links [to the previous version of the character] and some bridges so it doesn’t completely detach from what he’s already masterfully achieved.”
When asked what he thought about being tapped for the role, he said, “Job wise, it’s obviously super interesting and nice.”
“It’s also a shocker that it came after what happened, which is just super sad,” Mikkelsen continued, referring to the ongoing legal battle between Depp and Heard. “I wish both of them the best. These are sad circumstances. I hope both of them will be back in the saddle again really soon.”
Directed by David Yates, the third ‘Fantastic Beasts’ also features Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Callum Turner, William Nadylam, Poppy Corby-Tuech, Jessica Williams, Jude Law, and is based on a screenplay co-written by Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling and Steve Kloves.
‘Hellboy’ Reboot Director Discusses Why The Movie Failed
Created by writer-artist Mike Mignola in 1993, Hellboy is a half-demon summoned by the Axis Powers during World War 2. He was rescued by the US Army and had a hand in developing the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D.) which polices supernatural events.
The character’s appearances in Dark Horse Comics have paved the way for two films starring TV’s ‘Sons of Anarchy’ actor Ron Perlman as Hellboy and a 2019 reboot starring Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ David Harbour as the demonic protagonist. The latter was poorly received by critics and audiences alike, causing it to be a box office bomb.
In an interview with Den of Geek, director Neil Marshall, who helmed the reboot, explained why he thinks the movie failed and that ‘the script was never any good.’
The director explains that he wanted to do a horror adaption of the character, considering his nine-year absence from directing a feature film, while others wanted to see a more traditional approach similar to the two films directed by Guillermo del Toro.
“That appealed to me, and obviously getting a chance to do a feature was a big thing,” he said. “Despite my reservations or whatever, I jumped at it, because it was a chance to do a feature after nine years. I wanted to get back in the game. But I made an unwise decision, because I should have based my choice purely on whether the script was any good. Unfortunately, the script was never any good, and there’s only so much a director can do.”
“Even the best director in the world can’t make a masterpiece out of a script that was substandard,” he said. “This was a confused script from the start, combining different stories and sticking rigidly to the comics, which worked fine as graphic novels. But when you translate them to the screen, there are gaping plot holes.”
Marshall continued, “Ultimately, it came across that they brought me in so they could tell me what to do. They didn’t really want to make a horror version of it at all, because I was the most experienced horror person involved in the entire production, and I wasn’t allowed to touch the script. I wasn’t allowed to bring any kind of horror essence to it. So it just ended up as a disaster, really. It was just a mess, and a deeply unpleasant experience.”
The ‘Dog Soldiers’ director elaborated that the studio “just didn’t care” about any opinions he had about retooling the script. Marshall added, “I’ve said it a few times before, you can’t polish a turd.”
He compared the making of ‘Hellboy’ with his upcoming horror flick ‘The Reckoning,’ saying that with the latter he had a smaller budget, but more creative influence on the film.
“On Hellboy, I had lots of money and no creative input,” he explained. “On (‘The Reckoning’), I had full creative control over the piece and no money. But that was a good sacrifice to make because the experience of making ‘The Reckoning’ was just creatively way more satisfying.”
Henry Golding Opens Up About ‘Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origin’
‘Crazy Rich Asians’ actor Henry Golding is set to portray fan-favorite ‘GI Joe: A Real American Hero’ ninja in the upcoming Paramount Pictures film ‘Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins.’ In a recent interview with Comic Beat, Golding discussed playing the warrior and working on the action sequences.
“When you’re filming something like that, do remember, it’s like 30 takes of the entire sequence,” the actor said describing the physical demands of the role.
He also praised the fight coordinator for the choreography of the action sequences.
Golding explained, “(Kenji Tanigaki) was with us for like two months, and put us through our paces, brought us up to speed on where we wanted our characters. What is shown in this movie is super grounded and the majority of it is without special effects. All of the actors doing their own stunts. Every single choreography we had to learn and do ourselves.”
He also discussed getting to know his co-star Iwo Uwais, who plays Hard Master in the film.
“I speak broken Bahasa, obviously Bahasa Indo is very similar to the Bahasa Melayu,” he said. “So, you know, we cracked some jokes on set and stuff, we were very close. But for him to teach me a little bit of Silat, which is the traditional martial arts of Indonesia, is phenomenal. That style has so much sexiness to it. I think just the moves themselves are just unbelievable. But yeah, working with him was unreal.”
On the subject of how Snake Eyes is shown in the movie, the character seems to do things that fans would find unfamiliar, such as speaking and removing his mask.
“We need to understand the jeopardy behind the decisions that he makes,” Golding explained. “We need to understand that he’s not just a fighting machine. He has a heart. He has a history. He has family, at the end of the day. So, how did he get to the space of putting that mask on? And why did he make those decisions? That’s what we explore. And that’s why I’m so excited to revamp and really start at the origin.”
Snake Eyes is scheduled for a theatrical release on July 23, 2021 and also stars Andrew Koji as Storm Shadow, Úrsula Corberó as The Baroness, Samara Weaving as Scarlett, Haruka Abe as Akiko, Takehiro Hira as Kenta, and Iwo Uwais as Hard Master.
Capcom’s ‘1942’ and ‘1943’ Replicade Cabinets Are Coming!
If there’s one thing I miss from the 1980s, it’s darkly lit arcades filled with cigarette smoke and blacklight posters. There was something magical about trying to get the top score on Pac-Man while your eyes watered up due to all the acrid smoke in the air.
Nowadays, you can recreate all that fun in your own home, kind of.
New Wave Toys is gearing up to launch two new 1/6th scale Replicade machines. This time around, they’ll be in the style of Capcom’s classic top-down shooters 1942 and 1943. An exact release date has not been confirmed, but look at those beauties!
- Replica 1942 ROMSTAR/Capcom Lowboy Arcade Machine in 1/6th Scale (11 inches tall)
- Plays the original 1942 and 1943: The Battle of Midway arcade games
- Arcade Operator’s menu featuring customizable dip switches and cabinet settings
- Miniaturized Control Panel featuring Mini Joystick
- Includes bonus 1943 Mini Arcade Stick for two-player gameplay. It also works with some USB-compatible modern console controllers
- Plug and Play HDTV connectivity
- Authentic wood cabinet construction
- Illuminated Marquee
- Diecast metal Japanese-style coin slot
- Signature amplified multi-speaker audio reproduction with volume control
- High-resolution cabinet art reproduction on quality 3M vinyl overlays
- High score saving with non-volatile memory
- Built-in high-capacity rechargeable battery
- Premium LCD color screen 3:4 aspect ratio (vertical orientation)
- Officially licensed by Capcom
- Limited Edition
- 100-Day New Wave Factory Warranty
- Replica 1943 Dynamo arcade cabinet in 1/6th scale (12 inches tall)
- Plays the original 1942 and 1943: The Battle of Midway arcade games
- Arcade Operator’s menu with customizable dip switch and cabinet settings
- Miniaturized control panel with mini bat-top microswitch joystick and microswitch buttons
- Includes bonus 1943 Mini Arcade Stick for two-player gameplay. Also works with some USB-compatible console controllers
- Plug and Play HDTV connectivity
- Authentic wood cabinet construction
- Illuminated marquee & cabinet accents
- Battle scarred metal coin door with security bar
- Signature amplified multi-speaker audio reproduction with volume control
- High-resolution cabinet art reproduction on quality 3M vinyl overlays
- Yellow T-Molding
- High score saving with non-volatile memory
- Built-in, high-capacity rechargeable battery
- Premium LCD color screen 3:4 vertical aspect ratio
- Officially licensed by Capcom
- Limited Edition
- 100-Day New Wave Factory Warranty
New Wave Toys isn’t new to the scaled-down arcade machine game. A few years ago, they released Centipede, and it was a surprisingly well-done effort with a very accurate trackball. I was so impressed that when they announced a crowdfunding campaign to get a tiny Dragon’s Lair made, I jumped right on it. Now sold out, the beautiful recreation of Don Bluth’s masterpiece is sitting behind me in the studio.
These Replicade machines may not be ideal for long gaming sessions. They are, however, amazing display pieces and a fun way to relive the good old ’80s arcade days without spending a grand or so on a full-size cabinet.
I’d love to get APB, but the logistics of making the controls useable at that scale would be a right pain. What classic arcade games would you want to see replicated at this scale? Smash TV? NBA Jam?. Let us know in the comments.
‘Hotel Transylvania: Transformania’ Has Monsters But No Adam Sandler
Well, look at that. There’s another Hotel Transylvania movie. Oh, and this one has a twist. All the monsters become human, and Johnny, the human, becomes a monster. Hijinks and whatnot. Hurray.
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania may be signaling the end for the franchise as feature-length films. Why do I think that? Because Adam Sandler is missing from this one. The first film in the series was enjoyable, mainly because of Sandler’s Drac. Oh, and the endless buffet of classic horror movie tropes helped a lot.
We don’t hear too much of Drac’s new voice in this trailer, but the difference is noticeable. Check it out:
The rest of the cast is there, but Dracula has been the glue that holds the increasingly threadbare plots together. Without him, what’s left?
Drac and the pack are back, like you’ve never seen them before in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. Reunite with your favorite monsters for an all-new adventure that presents Drac with his most terrifying task yet. When Van Helsing’s mysterious invention, the ‘Monsterfication Ray,” goes haywire, Drac and his monster pals are all transformed into humans, and Johnny becomes a monster!
In their new mismatched bodies, Drac, stripped of his powers, and an exuberant Johnny, loving life as a monster, must team up and race across the globe to find a cure before it’s too late, and before they drive each other crazy. With help from Mavis and the hilariously human Drac Pack, the heat is on to find a way to switch themselves back before their transformations become permanent.
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is directed by Jennifer Kluska (DC Super Hero Girls) and Derek Drymon (CatDog). Amos Vernon, Nunzio Randazzo, and Genndy Tartakovsky are listed as the screenwriters of this third sequel.
Brian Hull (Google Translate Sings) will be taking over the voice of Dracula. He will be joined by several returning cast members: Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, David Spade, Brian Hull, Asher Blinkoff, Brad Abrell, Fran Drescher, Jim Gaffigan, and Molly Shannon.
What are your thoughts on another Hotel Transylvania film? Without Sandler as Dracula, are you still interested? Let us know in the comments.
Sword Art Online ‘Project Alicization’ And ‘Lycoris’ Mangas Are Coming To An End
The ‘Sword Art Online’ manga follows Kirito, his girlfriend Asuna, and their allies as they navigate different virtual worlds to fight for gamers’ freedom and safety online. The series started in 2002 and has continued to bring in fans into different worlds such as Elfheim, Gun Gale Online, and now the Underworld.
The latest manga series “Project: Alicization” by Kōtarō Yamada has also been adapted into the anime ‘Sword Art Online: Alicization’ and ‘Alicization: War of the Underworld.’ Recently, publisher Kadokawa has announced that “Project: Alicization” will come to an end with its upcoming volume 30, ending its stint on Web DenPlay Comic, reports Anime News Network.
This follows on the heels of the announcement that Tomo Hirokawa’s manga adaptation of Bandai Namco Entertainment’s ‘Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris’ game is also going to conclude with its third volume. ‘Lycoris’ follows the anime pretty closely until just before ‘War of the Underworld’ story-arc where Sword Art Online creator Reki Kawahara consulted on an original plot for the video game.
Sword Art Online has a combined twenty-five volumes that span several video games, anime, a spin-off series, and even a theatrical film.
According to Yen Press’ English synopsis of ‘Aliciziation,’ “Deep in an unfamiliar forest, Kirito awakens with sensations far too convincing for a virtual world… With memories of a life he doesn’t remember living. A boy and a girl…and a name that sticks in his mind: Alice.”
Bandai Namco Entertainment America describes ‘Lycoris’:
“Play as series protagonist, Kirito, and become immersed in the “Underworld,” a mysterious virtual world set in the anime series’ Alicization arc. Featuring epic battles, stunning JRPG visuals, and an expansive world to explore; Kirito’s journey through the latest Sword Art Online game is ready to begin.
Following the events of the Sword Art Online Alicization anime series, Sword Art Online Alicization Lycoris finds Kirito in a mysterious but familiar virtual world, “Underworld,” where A.I.s behave like humans. As players take control of Kirito, they will relive heart-pounding scenes from the series through intense combat. Players will also encounter fan favorite characters including Eugeo, Alice, Administrator, and many more. A wide world awaits Kirito and his friends in this exciting adaptation to the Sword Art Online: Alicization series.”
‘The Toys of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe’ Book Is A Fantastic Guide For Action Figure Lovers
If you are a fan of He-man and the Masters of the Universe or She-Ra Princess of Power, you will probably love the new book The Toys of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.
This hardcover book just came out on May 4, 2021. It’s over 700 pages and it’s full of gorgeous photographs of the various toys!
If you want to see the toys around He-Man and She-Ra, this will take you from the original versions clear through to the Super 7 figures. The new Origins and the “dolls” from the Princesses of Power are not included in the book.
Here’s the official write-up:
“In the 1980s, the Masters of the Universe toy lines shook the world of children’s entertainment to its foundations. Now, YouTube influencer “Pixel Dan” Eardley and He-Man historian Val Staples have worked with fans worldwide to cultivate this incredible volume that contains in-depth overviews of every item in several complete toy lines, including: 1982’s Masters of the Universe, 1985’s Princess of Power, 1989’s He-Man, 2002’s Masters of the Universe relaunch, and 2008’s Masters of the Universe Classics! In addition to expertly-researched documentation of the toys’ development and unique variants, each entry also includes photographic reference of the heroic figures and playsets from decades of development. This phenomenal tome also features never-before-seen interviews and designer commentary from the toys’ creators, offering keen insights into the genesis of a product that inspired millions of young imaginations.
With over 700 pages of lovingly assembled content, this compendium is the perfect addition to any Masters of the Universe fan’s collection. By the power of Grayskull, you have the power!”
I absolutely love this book. As a classic She-Ra Collector it’s a fabulous resource and she’s only a small part of the book. My husband can’t stop looking through it.
The price on the book is $59.99, but the quality and amount of information definitely makes it worth it. There is also a Kindle version for $17.99. Plus Amazon keeps putting it on sale.
Here are some sample pages I took from the book:
If you are a He-Man or She-Ra collector you will want to check this out out.
You can get your copy HERE.
(This post does contain an affiliate link to buy the book. We were NOT given the book to review. We bought it ourselves and are giving other collectors our opinion on the item. All thoughts on the book are my own.)
