EA Has Made $3bn Off of Star Wars Since Acquiring Exclusivity in 2012

EA Star Wars

It should be no surprise that Star Wars is essentially a cash printing machine at this point. The franchise, a cultural staple since the release of A New Hope, is not going anywhere any time soon. EA certainly isn't saying goodbye to Star Wars, considering that the franchise has made the company over $3 billion since acquiring exclusivity rights in 2012.

While EA certainly doesn't depend on Star Wars to stay afloat, the franchise certainly doesn't hurt. The massive revenue that the franchise has pulled in was revealed in the latest quarterly EA earnings call. Mike Hickey, an analyst at The Benchmark Company asked about the Star Wars license and its exclusivity. In response, EA CEO Andrew Wilson said "You should expect us to continue to invest in our Star Wars relationship. It's been very profitable, to this point, over $3 billion in net bookings, and we're excited by what we'll be able to do in the future."

The relationship between EA and the landmark franchise will be changing in the future though. The decade-long exclusivity deal signed between EA and Disney is coming to an end, other companies are already lining up to make their own Star Wars titles. Notably, Ubisoft is moving in on the property and is set to develop its own open-world Star Wars title. However, details on that game, such as a release date, name, or platforms, have not been released.

That's not to say that EA is done with the Star Wars franchise. The company has found extreme success in it, and won't be shying away any time soon. The Star Wars: BattlefrontStar Wars: Squadrons, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order games have all been massive successes. Even Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes has made over $1 billion for the massive publishing company. While it's not currently clear how EA will continue to capitalize on the franchise, it's not too far fetched to think that we'll be getting more games set in a galaxy far, far away this year.

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Is The Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Collectors Bundle Worth It?

Mass Effect Legendary Edition Collectors Bundle

Mass Effect fans have finally had their wish fulfilled. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will be releasing this upcoming May, and include all the mainline Mass Effect games, as well as every piece of DLC you could possibly want. But for such a huge release, some are going to want a bit more Mass Effect gear to fill up their shelves and display cabinets. That's where the game's cache bundle comes in. This collectors bundle includes everything except Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, although it does include a steel book for the game. However, is it worth it to pick up this $150 bundle of Mass Effect goodies?

The Mass Effect: Legendary Edition collectors bundle may not come with the game itself, but there are plenty of reasons to pick it up. First and foremost is a one-to-one scale N7 helmet. Specifically, it's a replica of Commander Shepard's breather helmet, and it's even wearable. The helmet sports a carbon fiber finish and LED lights on its visor and sides. Naturally, you can switch these lights between blue or red to represent the game's paragon or renegade choices. You will need a couple of AA batteries to get the helmet to light up, though.

Beyond that piece of gear, the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition collectors bundle comes with a heap of other goodies. Customers get a metal game case, although it should be noted that the bundle doesn't actually include a copy of the game. For PC players especially, it'll just be eye candy or something to sell off on eBay. Besides that, customers can look forward to an N7 acceptance letter. This message from Captain Anderson welcomes Shepard to the N7 corps, kicking off their grand story.

For those looking to show their love for Mass Effect without wearing a giant glowing helmet, the collectors bundle also includes a morality spinner pin. Its two sides are paragon and renegade, so you can let everyone know if they should be welcoming around you or on their toes. Finally, the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition collectors bundle comes with two large canvas prints. One shows the SSV Normandy high above the Earth while another finally gives Fem Shep the recognition she deserves. She's featured there in her N7 armor, sporting an Omni-blade.

In all, it's hard to say that this bundle wouldn't be worth it to a Mass Effect fan. While it's a bit disappointing that this collectors edition doesn't come with the game itself, its low price of just $150 is hard to scoff at. However, anyone looking to pick up one of these bundles should move fast, as they're sure to sell out quickly.

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PS5 System Software Update – Here Are The Changes in 20.02-02.50.00

PS5 system software update feb 2021

It's that time again. Sony has released another PS5 system software update, with the goal of fixing a few issues. This time around we're at update 20.02-02.50.00 – this is what it fixes.

PS5 system software update 20.02-02.50.00 – What exactly does it fix?

Well, PS5 system software update 20.02-02.50.00 isn't a huge one, at least in terms of changes. Sony describes the main problem this time out as "The PS4 version of a game was sometimes installed from the PS4 game disc even after upgrading the disc version of a PS4 game to the PS5 version." Thankfully, that's what they're resolving. The update will also, as usual, help to improve "system performance" and will allow players to select and edit video clips using Share Factory Studio from their media galleries.

How big is the PS5 system software update?

This update is a decent sized one, clocking in at just over 850MB. This seems to be a fairly consistent size, however, as the first post-launch system update back in November clocked in at around 800MB.

When is the software update live?

Now! Upon booting up their PS5's, players should be automatically notified that the update has begun downloading, providing the console is connected to the internet. Should the update fail, Sony has a set of handy instructions on how to fix it through their website.

What's next for the PS5 in terms of updates?

It's been recently reported that March's PS5 software update will address a long-standing issue. On the Samsung website, one of the brand's community managers stated that players who own Samsung TV's and have suffered from an issue that has caused unusual output from games on 4K resolution while using HDR and 120Hz features won't need to worry much longer. He shared that the issue should be resolved in March's PS5 software update.

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GoldenEye 007 2008 Remaster Leaks; Here's What We Could Have Had

GoldenEye 007 Wii art

GoldenEye 007 was originally a game from 1997 and was due to launch on Xbox 360 as a remastered edition. However, the game was canned due to rights issues as reported by VGC after speaking to Grant Kirkhope, the composer of GoldenEye 007 but wasn't involved in the remaster's production. Despite it being cancelled, on January 29, 2021, a video from a YouTube channel named Graslu00 cropped up online showing the game being played through an unofficial emulator, and the ROM is now reportedly public as verified by VGC.

While I could go on about how the game was originally going to be released on Xbox Live Arcade, or even the leak by a UK magazine in 2008, I decided to have a look at the video and see what we could have gotten from the GoldenEye 007 2008 remaster.

Although, to get into the complexity of the license. Rare developed GoldenEye 007 on the Nintendo 64. Rare was later then purchased by Microsoft, however, Nintendo had still published the original, further complicating the matter. Then, Activision somehow got into the action as it published the remake on the Wii.

Well, for starters we would have seen the iconic intro of Bond and looking to him through the barrel of a gun. The gameplay is certainly a lot smoother, although performance in the video seems to be related to the emulator itself, so if the game had launched back in 2008 it wouldn't have been capable of running at 60fps nor would it have been upscaled to 4K as it is here.

The graphics, however, are of HD quality, and players would have been given the option to switch between HD graphics and the original N64 graphics from 1997. This being similar to how the classic Doom games were remastered and re-released in 2019 with the option to switch to the classic graphics.

In the video the character models are a lot higher-quality, and the animations that come with them are a lot more fluid in comparison to the N64 versions which look understandably dated now. And you can even see more details on the weapons and even Bond's watch during the Facility level. There's also a dramatic shift in lighting, with shadows being a lot softer, and lighting being less flat.

The textures themselves of the environments certainly look a lot more complicated and better. Even the text had been improved and is a lot clearer to read. Particles are more active from ricochets and the explosions were…well they weren't massively improved from the looks of things, but certainly brighter and softer!

goldeneye 007 comparison 2008 1997

There also seems to be a bit of a change in music in some parts after comparing scenes to the N64 version. While most of the original GoldenEye 007 soundtrack appears to be intact, there are moments in which there are different background tracks playing out. Perhaps to add more atmosphere and make links between missions less bland.

While the N64 version had split-screen multiplayer, the GoldenEye 007 2008 remaster did intend to have online multiplayer as noted by VGC, complete with leaderboards and achievements. And while the option to play multiplayer and browse the additional online features is available through the main menu, those with access to the ROM haven't been able to make use of any of them.

At the moment, the hype surrounding James Bond has been great seeing as IO Interactive, the developers behind the Hitman series and the recently released Hitman 3, is dipping its toes into the series. The announcement of a new James Bond game from the studio was a surprising one since the licensing issues have been such a pain in the past. But this leak becoming available at this time has certainly reignited the nostalgia for many.

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The Pedestrian Review- Follow the Signs

The Pedestrian PS5 review

From the first time I saw The Pedestrian during PlayStation's State of Play last August, I was intrigued. I loved the art style and the puzzle platforming mechanics looked really cool. Somehow I missed that it launched on PC a year ago and had a successful Kickstarter campaign. That said, developer Skookum Arts not only provides a great debut with The Pedestrian, but they also bring us a superb puzzle-platformer that never overstays its welcome. Its challenging, clever mechanics keep you thinking and guessing until you reach the credits.

The Pedestrian is a 2.5D platformer where you play as a simple male or female character. One of my favorites parts of the game is its art style. It's a blend of hand-drawn puzzles with real worlds backdrops behind you. Through the game's four to six-hour campaign, you complete a series of puzzles broken up into seven different locations. Each area is diverse, with one area being a warehouse and another being the subway. Throughout each puzzle, your character navigates through street signs and whiteboards. While you'd think the art style and visuals like this could get old quickly, Skookum Arts adds a ton of variety with each section you complete. What complements the visuals well is its laid-back, atmospheric soundtrack. It never detracts or pulls you out of the game.

It's a very visually-driven game, which doesn't include any dialogue or voiceovers. Sure, I can see a scenario where a voiceover guides you along, but it would become distracting in the long run. This decision from Skookum Arts puts the puzzle-solving at the forefront. Some might argue the game doesn't have a story. Without spoiling the ending, there's an argument to be made that it has a subtle story that reveals itself by the final chapter. Like its puzzles, the story is pieced together incrementally over time.

The Pedestrian PS5 Review

The most important, if not the most impressive, part of the game is its puzzle platforming. You start out by navigating through a whiteboard as you complete the tutorial. This section alone shows the game's charm, with prompts coming up on retro TV screens. It starts out easy, with the main controls being on the X, O, and triangle buttons. In order to complete each puzzle, you need to match up the correct nodes, which lets you platform your way across the different signs and whiteboards. Of course, sometimes the puzzles are spread apart, so you might need to flip signs around to find the correct path through the puzzle. Traversing each platform requires going through various doors and ladders.

Completing each puzzle requires patience and careful planning. At the same time, trial and error will help you figure out how to complete each puzzle. Whenever your character is in one sign and you move a node around, the character will flash red and you start at the beginning area again. It can be frustrating but it's essential to learning how to improve at solving each puzzle. One minor feature that's missing is the ability to zoom in on environments. All the areas are zoomed out and it can be hard to see where your character is. Over time, puzzles can get frustrating to complete. Sadly, the game doesn't provide any hints. Though not strictly necessary, a feature like this would be a nice inclusion, especially for those who aren't as skilled at puzzle games.

The Pedestrian PS5 Review

It's a unique and interesting way to approach a puzzle game. What makes it great is how simple it is to grasp the puzzle system. It's a way of puzzle-solving I haven't seen many games attempt. There's a sense of accomplishment when you correctly solve an area. However, the difficulty curve ramps up the further along you get.

While the puzzle mechanics start off easy, things get more complex as you progress. Most levels in The Pedestrian require you to flip switches, find keys, and move the different street signs around. The inclusion of these different pieces are introduced to you in a hub, a central location where you go from level to level. Each hub has several doorways that are dedicated to one type of puzzle piece, and they all have at least four pieces to collect. You can find them in any order you want, but they're all essential to making it to the next area.

In addition to several types of puzzle pieces you find, The Pedestrian gradually introduces new mechanics that make each puzzle trickier to complete. One section of the game introduces platforms with doors cut out. Traversing these puzzles requires your character to be on the platform with the door as you move it in front of another platform. If you place it in the wrong spot, you'll see your character fall and be killed by a laser, sending you back to the start. This is one of my favorite mechanics because it adds another way to traverse from one sign to the next. Plus, I love how it adds another layer of complexity.

The Pedestrian PS5 Review

Another section introduces areas that need electricity to open up. In these puzzles, you'll have to route power to the appropriate outlet, followed by moving the platform near an electrical plug. Doing it correctly opens up a new area of the puzzle that was closed off before. This introduces another mechanic of not being able to move platforms around as much as you're used to. In most levels, you can move platforms around as much as you like. However, some levels restrict you from doing that. One example is a real-world area with bricks that block certain platforms. The visuals are already stunning to look at and having the real-world environment around you influence progression is a cool feature.

The Pedestrian looks even more stunning on PlayStation 5. It also uses the DualSense controller's haptic feedback very well. With each item you pick up, step you take, and trampoline bounced on, you feel the controller's vibration. It further adds to your immersion in the game. Sadly, it doesn't utilize the controller's touchpad. It's a missed opportunity and they could've possibly used the touchpad to let you zoom out to see your overall progression.

The Pedestrian is a great, charming, and complex puzzle game. Its art style is stunning, unique, and stands out from other puzzle games. The various puzzles are fun to complete but ramp up in difficulty over time. What adds to its complexity is the mechanics added throughout the four-to-six-hour adventure. That being said, it's great to play if you're looking for something relaxing to play. It's a visually driven game with no voiceovers guiding you in a certain direction. It also doesn't have a traditional story.

However, if you look hard enough, there are some clues that can build a larger picture. As a PlayStation 5 title, it uses the console's features well, especially the DualSense controller's haptic feedback. While it may not be for everyone, The Pedestrian is worth a shot. It stands out from the crowd in so many ways, leaving a positive impact on me in the end.

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Will Mass Effect Legendary Edition Have Multiplayer? Here's Everything We Know

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is the much sought-after and long-awaited remaster of the trilogy Mass Effect and even though the remaster was a rumor within the gaming world for the longest time, BioWare finally announced in a very short trailer last year, on the unofficial Mass Effect holiday, November 7, that it would indeed be coming to current and next-gen consoles to the excitement of many. But will this remaster of the Mass Effect series' include multiplayer and if not, why?

Will you get to take part in the Mass Effect 3's multiplayer mode?

The short answer to that is no. Recently, BioWare's Kevin Meek and Mac Walters sat down for a chat with Game Informer to shed some light onto the game's multiplayer component the upcoming Mass Effect Legendary Edition. To cut a long story short, the development team thought that it was too much of an undertaking to have it all set up for launch. This of course must have been a difficult decision to make given that the multiplayer aspect of the game had a small but loyal fan base, akin to Factions in The Last of Us. Ultimately though, it was probably the right choice to make given that Mass Effect's narrative has been set upon a high pedestal throughout the years so making sure they get that right seems like a more important area in the long run.

What's in the Legendary Edition?

Mass Effect Legendary Edition will include the original trilogy remastered as well as over 40 DLC including all story content, promo weapons, armors and packs available from the start. Mass Effect Legendary Edition will include single-player base content and DLC from Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 3, and all remastered and optimized for 4k Ultra HD. Seemingly there will also be improvements to depth-of-field, anti-aliasing, and an "unleashed" framerate on PC.

When is the Mass Effect Legendary Edition release date?

You can get your eager paws on Mass Effect Legendary Edition on May 14, 2021, for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

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Team GO Rocket Celebration Rewards 2021 – Everything You Can Earn

Team GO Rocket Celebration Rewards 2021

Team GO Rocket are back. Pokemon GO's villainous group are here to cause more trouble, but with them, they've bought an array of new goodies. There are some new shadow Pokemon, some additional research tasks and a special event research quest complete with some nice bonuses. But what's coming in the event and what are the Team GO Rocket Celebration Rewards, 2021? Let's break it down.

New Shadow Pokemon and Shiny Shadow Pokemon

The event contains a bunch of new shadow Pokemon. These are available when beating specific Team GO Rocket Grunts and include the likes of Swinub, Nosepass, Aron, Spheal, Lileep and Anorith. There is also a handful of new shiny shadow Pokemon available. These can be caught after defeating Team GO Rocket leaders and include shiny shadow Aerodactyl and Shiny shadow Beldum.

New Field Research, Raid Bosses and Boosted Spawns

The event also includes a range of new field research tasks. These include Catch 7 Poison-type Pokemon, Purify 3 Shadow Pokemon, Defeat 2 Team GO Rocket Grunts and Catch 15 Dark-type Pokemon. Those tasks reward Gligar, Misdreavus, Nidoran F or Nidoran M and Umbreon respectively.

There is also a new lineup of raid bosses for trainers to take down. New tier 1 raids include Alolan Meowth, Alolan Grimer, Gligar. Tier 3 now includes Ariados, Umbreon, Tyranitar. Tier 5 will swap from Raikou to Suicune mid-event and the mega raids comprise of Venusaur, Ampharos, and Houndoom, all of which can be shiny.

There's also an extensive list of Pokemon whose spawns have been boosted for the event. Now is a great time to catch the likes of Golbat, Koffing, Ariados, Qwilfish, Sneasel, Houndour, Nuzleaf, Stunky, Skorupi, Venipede, Scraggy and Grimer.

What are the Team GO Rocket Celebration Rewards, 2021?

Players will be able to earn a combination of 10 Potions, 15 Super Potions, 5 Hyper Potions, 3 Revives, 3 Max Revives, 2 Rocket Radars and 15 Pokeballs within the event. Alongside those, trainers will earn encounters with a Golbat and Misdreavus. The breakdown is as follows (Thanks r/thesilphroad)

Stage 1

  • Defeat 1 Team Go Rocket Grunt: 10 Potions
  • Defeat 2 Team Go Rocket Grunts: 5 Super Potions
  • Defeat 6 Team Go Rocket Grunts: 3 Revives
  • Rewards: 1 Rocket Radar, Golbat, and 10 PokeBalls

Stage 2

  • Defeat 1 Team Go Rocket Grunt: 10 Super Potion
  • Defeat 2 Team Go Rocket Grunts: 5 Hyper Potions
  • Defeat 6 Team Go Rocket Grunts: 3 Max Revives
  • Rewards: 1 Rocket Radar, Misdreavus (s), and 15 PokeBalls

There you have it trainers, all of the Team GO Rocket Celebration Rewards, 2021! Don't forget to grab your tickets for the upcoming Kanto Celebration event.

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Sea of Thieves Chicken Leg That's About Tall Lady's Size Discovered

Sea of Thieves Shrouded Shores

The recent Sea of Thieves update launched back on January 28, and players have no doubt jumped onto their ships and set sail on the rocky seas. Likely going through the game's new progression system or maybe earning those Plunder Pass riches. Some might just be blowing kegs up in the biggest chain-reaction to be recorded in the game. But a crew of sailors have discovered a weird Sea of Thieves chicken leg bug.

The crew sailed to Cannon Cove enjoying their time with the Sea of Thieves update and then noticed a weirdly large object in the distance once they set foot on the dock. It was a large chicken leg. Those who play the game will know that chicken legs can be gathered up and cooked to help restore health. But one this size!?

As you can see from the account above, the size of it is taller than the pirate posing against it, which is laughably tall. In fact, the studio caught wind of the tweet and jokingly remarked: "We do not yet know how tall the chicken is compared to Lady Dimitrescu." If you're no stranger to the internet, you'll know the current obsession with Resident Evil Village's Lady Dimitrescu.

Another member of the crew also shared a video of them discovering the Sea of Thieves chicken leg bug and dancing around it. When they get close to object the prompt to pick it up appears, so this is certainly some bizarre resizing bug that's cropped up for whatever reason. Users in the comments have been expressing hope that the bug won't be patched by Rare. While it may be patched, the developer is known for embracing popular situations that occur and turning them into lore.

Sea of Thieves originally launched back in 2017 and has received numerous large title updates as the studio continues to work on the game alongside its other IP known as Everwild. While it's available on PC and Xbox One, the game recently received some Xbox Series X|S optimisations.

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Who Is Swedish Embracer Group? $1.3 Billion Gearbox Entertainment Acquisition Explained

As you may have already heard by now, the Borderlands creators Gearbox Entertainment have been acquired by the Embracer Group for up to $1.3 billion. The Swedish company also possesses THQ Nordic and Koch Media. This deal by Embracer Group is also its most landmark acquisition to date.

Who is the Embracer Group?

That's a good question. Even though you may not know a great deal about the company, you more than likely have heard of their video games. Based in Karlstad, Sweden, Embracer ( formally THQ Nordic ) has an impressive collection of over 200 franchises that include Saints Row, Goat Simulator, Dead Island, Darksiders, Metro, MX vs ATV, Kingdoms of Amalur, TimeSplitters, Satisfactory, Wreckfest, Insurgency, and World War Z. The Swedish company also boosts 57 internal game development studios as well as over 5,500 employees, including contracted employees, in over 40 countries which is a really impressive feat.

What does this acquisition mean for Gearbox?

According to Randy Pitchford, who is still remaining head at Gearbox, this $1.3 billion deal means that Gearbox Entertainment will take advantage of Embracer's success and diversification which basically means the process of allocating capital in a way that reduces the exposure to any one particular asset or risk. Pitchford also states that this merge "is the most brilliant strategy and design for short, medium, and long-term success in this industry that I have ever encountered in my 30 years in this industry." Randy also said that he feels that Gearbox "is just getting started" and that this merge will see an exciting future for the company and also its employees.

Lars Wingefors, the founder and CEO of Embracer Group and who first started his company at the tender age of thirteen, believes that Gearbox is "arguably one of the most creative and valuable independent developers in the world" and hopes that this acquisition will mean a joining of forces that will see both companies grow and remain successful for many years to come.

Aside from Borderlands, Gearbox Entertainment is also widely known for hit titles like the Brothers in Arms franchise, We Happy Few, and Godfall when the team moved into publishing. The purchase price had been $363 million initially with an additional $1 billion to be paid when Gearbox Entertainment hit "agreed financial and operational targets in the next six years".

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Is Concrete Genie VR Only – PlayStation Plus' Latest Title Explained

Is concrete genie vr only?

Concrete Genie is an action-adventure title from developers Pixelopus. The game released back in 2019 and was met with a very solid critical reception. Now, as part of the latest PlayStation Plus promotion, subscribers to the service can get the game for free. This has left some fans wondering though, is Concrete Genie VR Only?

What is Concrete Genie?

Concrete Genie is an artistic action-adventure title, set in the fictional town of Denska. Players take control of a character named Ash, who is an artist. Ash pens his creations into his sketchbook, however, this is stolen, destroyed and scattered around the town. It's your job, as Ash, to travel around town, collecting the pages of the notebook. All is not what it seems though as along the way, Ash finds a magic paintbrush that brings his creations to life.

Is the game worth playing?

Definitely. It's a short experience, coming in at around 5 or 6 hours, but that's not a bad thing. The game is concise, tells a great story and is full of heart. It's sitting at a 75 on review aggregation site Metacritic, meaning it's definitely worth checking out. It's also an easy platinum which is great news for trophy hunters out there.

Is Concrete Genie VR Only?

The short answer is no. Concrete Genie includes a VR mode, but the whole game can be played through without it. The VR portion of the game includes two special modes – A Free Paint mode, where players can explore the town, painting with their unlocked paintbrushes and also a unique quest. In the special quest, players "follow a curious Genie named Splotch beneath Denska's ominous lighthouse on a quest to unlock a mysterious power while using your Living Paint in a completely new way."

Are you going to be checking out Pixelopus' Concrete Genie as part of this month's PS Plus titles, let us know in the comments below.

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