A new Amiibo figure is releasing alongside The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD on July 16, and you can secure your order for it now. The Zelda & Loftwing Amiibo is up for preorder now at Best Buy, costing more than the average Amiibo at $25. We expect it may sell out fast, so if you're planning to buy the new Zelda Amiibo, you may want to lock in your order now. [Update: Best Buy's listing now says "Coming Soon," so the Amiibo appears to have temporarily sold out. We suggest keeping an eye on the listing today in case it comes back into stock.]Curiously, Nintendo has locked an in-game feature behind the purchase of this Zelda & Loftwing Amiibo. In Skyward Sword HD, you'll be able to use this Amiibo to return to the skies from anywhere on the surface, even inside dungeons. Scanning the Amiibo again while in the sky will allow you to return to the same surface location. Normally, this action can only be performed at designated save points. The Zelda & Loftwing Amiibo is the only figure that will be compatible with Skyward Sword HD; you won't be able to use any previously purchased Zelda Amiibo with the game. Zelda & Loftwing Amiibo $25 As of right now, the only listing for the Zelda & Loftwing Amiibo (Skyward Sword HD) is at Best Buy. When other retailer links are available, we'll include them here. See at Best Buy Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The Ethereum Foundation announced recently that the mining model that the cryptocurrency relies on to generate new Ether will soon change from "proof-of-work" to "proof-of-stake," which the foundation says will cut the energy used by the coin by "at least 99.95%." While that might not mean much to non-crypto heads, it does suggest that the use of high-end GPUs to mine Ether might be curtailed by this change. And that could result in a decline in the demand for graphics cards, meaning that it'll be easier for your average PC player to find and buy one.As the blog post announcing this change states, the current "proof-of-work" model results in gigawatts of energy being used by crypto chains. However, if Ethereum switches to the "proof-of-stake" model instead--which offsets the work of verifying transactions onto the Ethereum network itself--the amount of energy consumption involved will apparently decrease by a factor of "at least" 1000. Ethereum will switch over to proof-of-stake "as soon as possible," which will be an event known as "The Merge.""Ethereum’s power-hungry days are numbered, and I hope that’s true for the rest of the industry too," a portion of the blog post reads, reflecting the oft-repeated criticism that cryptocurrency requires immense (and wasteful) amounts of power. However, Bitcoin does not rely on GPUs to crunch numbers, instead using application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) on special-purpose mining rigs to grind out new coins.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

If you're a console gamer buying a TV today, the one thing you should be looking out for is HDMI 2.1 support. It offers bandwidth that allows for 4K and 120fps, which isn't possible on TVs with an older HDMI standard. That's what makes today's deal on a 75-inch LG UN8500 so enticing, with Best Buy discounting the massive TV to just $900 (a savings of $230). LG 75-inch UN8500 Series 4K UHD Smart TV $900 (was $1,130) The LG UN8500 manages to maintain a more affordable price by not including the company's well-known OLED panels. Instead, it uses a panel that uses a proprietary LG panel type that is nearly identical to an IPS panel, meaning you can bet on great color reproduction and fantastic viewing angles. The UN8500 also supports all the modern HDR codecs, including Dolby Vision. Its display might not get bright enough to make HDR content truly shine, but if you're coming from a set that didn't have it at all, the difference should be quite noticeable.The stars of the set are the two HDMI 2.1 ports at the back, which are perfect if you're just picked up an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5. This will allow you to take full advantage of games that run at 4K and 120fps, with the large 75-inch display really letting you get engrossed in your favorite titles. The only disadvantage is that, despite a firmware update, the UN8500 doesn't support variable refresh rate, but it's possible this could be patched in the future. See at Best Buy If you're looking for a new display to use with your PS5 or Xbox Series X, check out our guide to the best TVs for gaming on the market, or the best monitors for gaming if space is a concern.. Additionally, you can read up on all the differences between panels like OLED, VA, and IPS, so that you can make the best purchasing decision for your needs.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The developer behind Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan has teased the next game in the anthology, House of Ashes, and it's shaping up to be pretty spooky. Based on the brief trailer, House of Ashes is aiming for a bit of an Indiana Jones/Uncharted vibe, only with less pithy quips and a lot more screams.The first part of the trailer shows two people in body armor descending into a dusty underground labyrinth that seems to be part of an archeological dig. The second part follows a soldier as he discovers the mangled corpse of one of his comrades, only to apparently fall victim to the same monster himself. As with all of Supermassive's games, it's unclear if this monster is a legitimate threat to the characters or just a figment of their broken psyches, but you'll have to play to find out.The Dark Pictures Anthology is Supermassive's ongoing series of shorter-form games. As the title implies, though each entry in the series shares genre tropes and themes, they are not necessarily part of the same fictional universe. As with Supermassive's previous games, it's likely that House of Ashes will feature choice and consequence mechanics, and will focus on replayability. Supermassive and publisher Bandai Namco have both stated that the series will have at least eight games.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Following a teaser video, the first full trailer for the upcoming Friends: The Reunion special has arrived, and it certainly delivers the goods in terms of hyping up the show.The trailer shows off what to expect from the reunion special, and it's a lot. The original cast of the show--Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer--plus numerous special guests, are coming back together at Stage 24 on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank to reminisce about the iconic show.In one segment, we see host James Corden ask if Ross and Rachel were really on a break. Matt LeBlanc also sits down at the dinner table and remarks about Courteney Cox having her lines written there. The trailer also reveals that part of the special will see the cast reading lines from episodes of the show. It also gives a glimpse at some of the tender, emotional moments to come, as well as the silly ones, like when someone dresses up like The Holiday Armadillo. Even actress Maggie Wheeler is back in the teaser to deliver her famous Janice line, "Oh my god!"Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Netflix has announced that Jenna Ortega (Scream, The Fallout) will star in the titular role for its upcoming Tim Burton-directed Wednesday Addams series, simply titled Wednesday. The series marks Burton's directorial TV debut working on a full series.The young adult series is being described as "a sleuthing, supernaturally-infused mystery charting Wednesday Addams' years as a student at Nevermore Academy. Wednesday's attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the local town, and solve the supernatural mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago--all while navigating her new and very tangled relationships at Nevermore." The series has so far been greenlit for one season, spanning eight episodes.Burton's involvement all but assures this new series will do proud by the franchise's characteristic macabre nature and altogether ookiness--the director is synonymous with films with dark style and an odd sense of humor, such as Beetlejuice and the original Michael Keaton Batman. Co-creators Al Gough and Miles Millar--writing partners who developed and worked together on The CW's series Smallville--will serve as showrunners.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Electronic Arts is starting a new studio in the Seattle area that will work on an open-world action-adventure game. The studio remains nameless for now, but GamesIndustry reports that EA has hired former Monolith Productions executive Kevin Stephens to lead it.The open-world action-adventure genre is familiar for Stephens, as he led Monolith on the Lord of the Rings games Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War.EA studios boss Laura Miele told the site that this move helps the publisher add "even more depth to our creative collective."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Ready the light cycles and head for the Grid: skins from Disney's Tron franchise are coming to Fall Guys later this month, as revealed today by developer Mediatonic.A total of four skins are on the way, two inspired by the original 1982 Tron film and two more from the 2010 soft-reboot Tron: Legacy. Players will be able to unlock Tron villain Sark for 22k Kudos, with a separate DLC pack including the original Tron, Rinzler (aka evil Tron), and Quorra. The skins will arrive on May 24. Sadly, there is no Jeff Bridges skin.🚨 TRON IS COMING TO FALL GUYS 🚨Sark will be featured in the store for 22K KudosThere will also be a DLC pack containing:⚡ Tron⚡ Rinzler⚡ QuorraReleasing on the 24th of May! pic.twitter.com/Kt3qOlPUWH — Fall Guys 🤖 Season 4.5 🤖 (@FallGuysGame) May 19, 2021The Tron collaboration is just the latest crossover for Fall Guys, which has previously featured skins for the Doom guy, Godzilla, and even indie games like The Messenger, Among Us, and Untitled Goose Game.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

After months of teasing a cheaper, ad-supported tier for HBO Max subscribers, the streaming service has finally detailed what we can expect when it launches the first week of June.While a typical HBO Max subscription currently costs $15 a month, the new ad-supported tier will be $10 a month. Revealed at the WarnerMedia Upfront, this new tier promises to have the "lightest ad load in the streaming industry.""HBO Max with ads will bring our beloved entertainment brands and franchises to even more consumers at this new, lower price point-while, for the first time, elegantly connecting brands to the premium, iconic IP that defines this service," said Tony Goncalves, EVP and chief revenue officer for WarnerMedia.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Wireless Super Nintendo Entertainment System controllers are back in stock right now for Nintendo Switch Online members. You can currently get one through Nintendo's website for $30 USD. Stock is expected to go quickly, so if you're interested, you may want to act fast.The bundle comes with one controller and a USB cable. You can recharge it with the bundled cable or with the Switch's AC adapter. As mentioned, you need to be a Nintendo Switch Online member to buy the controller and must log in on the site to confirm your details.Wireless Super Nintendo Entertainment System™ Controllers are available to purchase for paid #NintendoSwitchOnline members (while supplies last). https://t.co/a81TYDbVwg pic.twitter.com/dov9n8ebft — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) May 19, 2021There is a limit of four per Nintendo Account, and you can't buy them if you're on a Switch Online free trial. It only works for paying members.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

After more than 25 years of service, Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser will be officially retired in 2022. The tech giant took a big step away from the aging (but historically important) browser back in 2015 with the introduction of its successor Microsoft Edge, but this retirement is still an important step."Today...we are announcing that the future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge," said Sean Lyndersay in the blog post announcing the shift. "Not only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications."In the blog, Lyndersay notes that the company announced the end of Internet Explorer support for Microsoft 365 online services such as OneDrive and Office 365 last year. He also wrote that Microsoft Edge's Internet Explorer mode will allow users to access older or "legacy" websites that do not display properly in modern browsers. Internet Explorer 11 will be officially retired on June 15, 2022 on most versions of Windows 10, though certain machines are exempted.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

A Returnal crossover is coming to Sackboy: A Big Adventure. Sony announced today that a Returnal-themed costume will be added to Sackboy next week.The DLC will let you dress your Sackboy character like Selene, the protagonist in Returnal. It's a pretty cool outfit, too, with all the details you'd expect from Selene's spacesuit. The DLC will also add a Returnal-inspired emote.According to the PlayStation Europe Twitter account, the DLC will launch on May 26; at the moment, it's unclear what it will cost. Sackboy is currently available on PS5 and PS4, and it's received a few free cosmetic items since its launch last year. Although Sackboy: A Big Adventure has yet to get much DLC, the LittleBigPlanet series is no stranger to franchise crossovers.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Stadia exclusive Outcasters is still a Stadia exclusive, but it's no longer published by Google. Stadia players received a strange email a few days ago informing them of the change, stating that Outcasters is now published by Warchest, the publishing arm of Outcasters developer Splash Damage."Starting on 31 May 2021, the publisher of Outcasters will change from Google LLC to Warchest Ltd. and the Warchest Terms of Service and Privacy Policy will apply," the email reads. "Please take a look at both documents. Nothing else is changing--you can still play the game on Stadia just like before."Stadia exclusive Outcasters is now published by Splash Damage instead of Google. I hope there’s room in the future for it to appear on other platforms after Google ditched its Stadia first-party game studios pic.twitter.com/lpRuKx7g5b — Tom Warren (@tomwarren) May 18, 2021While this move hasn't yet had an impact on Stadia customers, it's an unusual step in the world of games, where publishers typically fight to hold onto valuable intellectual property. Then again, it's not exactly surprising to Stadia observers, since Google as a company has moved away from the streaming service in recent months.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

New images of Matt Reeves' The Batman have surfaced online, giving fans an up close and personal look at Paul Dano's Riddler, who was featured in the movie's first trailer released last year. The design is a distinct departure from Riddler's traditional green suit, instead featuring what looked like a black balaclava and bulky surplus jacket as he wrapped a victim's head in duct tape with the message "no more lies."Still, the trailer was fast paced and lit in a way that the mask itself was mostly obscured. This isn't the case for one of the images on the leaked images for a 2022 calendar. Dano's Riddler is apparently Mr. May. The art brings the design into stark relief, showcasing its very stylized leather mouthpiece, eyes, and even what looks like a neon green "signature" in the form of a question mark-slash-crosshairs design.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

When it comes to high-end consumer headphones, it's difficult to not immediately think of Bose. The audio company pioneered the best noise-canceling headphones for years, becoming a staple for travellers and audio aficionados alike. If you still haven't heard them for yourself, eBay has an enticing deal on the Bose QuietComfort 35 II Wireless Headphones, which you can grab for just under $182 just $182 today, down from their usual $300 list price (as a point of comparison, they're still full price at Amazon). The headphones have an initial discount of $214, but when you add them to your cart, you'll see the full discount applied automatically at checkout. Bose QuietComfort 35 II (Refurbished) $182 (was $300) The QuietComfort 35 II retains the traditional design of the enduring headphone line, albeit with optimizations to make its wireless experience better with your smartphone. The headphones feature a dedicated assistant button that can be paired with anything from Alexa to Siri, as well as physical volume buttons on the opposite ear cup to make it easier to tune your music to your liking.These QuietComfort 35 II's are a refurbished pair, but they come straight from Bose itself with the original packaging and all required cables. They also come with a two-year Allstate warranty, which is more than you get when buying a brand-new pair, too. You'll also get free shipping and eBay's money-back guarantee as well.It isn't a Bose set of headphones without industry-leading noise canceling, though, and the QuietComfort 35 II delivers that in spades. These will be perfect for when you get back to long flights, or if you just want to drown out the world for a few hours. The comfortable and lightweight design will ensure you can wear these cans throughout the day, and you can switch to a wired connection should the battery die. See at eBay Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com