Category: Gaming

WWE’s 2022 PPV Wrestlemania Backlash is in full effect. Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins had a banger of a match to kick things off, and it may be one of the best WWE matches of the year so far. The show is nearing the halfway point, and you can check out the full results and a review for the PPV below, as it happens.

Backlash features a few leftover feuds from Wrestlemania you’ll see rematches of here. For instance, AJ Styles gets a second shot at Edge, but this time around, Damian Priest is barred from ringside, so hopefully, this will be a fair fight–it probably won’t, and we’ll probably see someone else join Edge’s faction. Throughout the May 8 evening, GameSpot will have Wrestlemania Backlash results and a review of each match live. Check out everything you need to know about what’s happening at this PPV below.

This year’s event is taking place at Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. While Wrestlemania is more focused on championship matches, Backlash is more concerned with rematches, so there are very few championship matches on the card–with Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey being the only one.

One of the other highlights of the evening is the rematch between Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes. At this year’s Wrestlemania, Rhodes was Rollins’ surprise opponent and got the win over the Monday Night Messiah. However, this time around, Rollins is prepared for the American Nightmare.

However, if you want to watch Wrestlemania Backlash live, or a replay after it’s concluded, you’ll need the streaming service Peacock. While it does have a free tier, you will not be able to watch the WWE event through that. You’ll need a Premium ($5 a month, with ads) or Premium Plus Peacock ($10 a month, no ads) account. Regardless of which tier you choose, there will be a few WWE-related ads throughout the show.

There are multiple ways to watch Peacock. Aside from watching it on mobile devices and on the PC, you can stream the service on Amazon Fire devices, Android TV, Apple TV, LG Smart TVs, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xfinity, and more.

Check out the match card below to see who is fighting it out in the ring tonight.

Match card:

• Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins
• Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Ronda Rousey (I Quit Match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship)
• Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro vs. The Bloodline (Six-Man Tag Team Match)
• AJ Styles vs. Edge
• Bobby Lashley vs. Omos
• Happy Corbin vs. Madcap Moss

Above, you can check out a recent episode of GameSpot’s wrestling podcast, Wrestle Buddies. Chris E. Hayner and Mat Elfring predict all the results for Wrestlemania Backlash alongside their AI machine PredictionBot 3000 v2.0.

Below, you’ll find live updates and results for Wrestlemania Backlash as it airs on Peacock. Additionally, there will be a review of each match from the Wrestle Buddies.

Kickoff Show

The Wrestlemania Backlash Kickoff Show begins at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT. Below, you’ll find updates and notes based on what happens on the preshow.

You can watch the Kickoff Show below, as it airs live on YouTube.

No Kickoff Show match… onto the main card.

Main Card

Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins

Cody wins by pin.

Mat: Wrestlemania did something very important: it put Chris and I in the same room for the first time in a little more than two years. Now, I sit in my home office in Chicagoland trying not to gush about how beautiful Mr. Rollins’ entrance outfit was. He truly was peacocking on Peacock. He sets me adrift on memory bliss.

To me, Cody works better in WWE with the way he’s presented. He’s a classic babyface, like a Hulk Hogan who can put on five star matches… or a modern-day Bret Hart. He’s a character you can really get behind rooting for, and that’s a classic wrestling feel that we don’t get much anymore. As for Rollins, he’s doing some of his best work right now. He rules. I love it.

The match itself was fantastic. It was a brilliant showcase for both men, with no one coming out of it looking weak. It was a complete surprise to see Cody get the win here, as Seth winning made more sense–to get a rubber match at the next PPV. Regardless, I don’t see anything topping this match tonight. It’s just that good.

9/10

Chris: Here’s a hot take: I like Cody Rhodes. I know, it’s super mild, but I mean it. He manages to take the tired super pro-America gimmick and make it not feel tired. When there’s “Freakin,” which is Seth’s nickname. Nobody drips harder than Seth, and every time he’s on camera, he’s decked to the nines in the coolest clothes. So, already, a heck of a matchup.

It’s dawning on me only now how much better presented Cody’s character is in WWE than it was in AEW. That’s not a knock on AEW, it’s just that his character makes more sense in a WWE environment and the over-the-top characters he’s put up against–like Seth Rollins–really go a long way in further legitimizing the “American Nightmare.”

As for the match itself, it’s two of the best in the industry doing their thing. What’s not to love? I’m fascinated by the fact that Cody is still doing his cutter, which is very much a slightly modified RKO. Beyond that, the two threw all of their signature moves at each other and it was flat-out great. I wish the storyline behind this match was as strong as the bout itself, because that’s a knock against it. Even with that, though, it’s hard to believe this is the match they kicked the show off with as something of this quality could easily be a main event (and it’s not like there are better feuds throughout the rest of the card).

I’m actually surprised Cody got the win with a pull of the tights as I expected a cheating victory for Seth, setting up a rubber match. That said, I’m fine with it because I’m very curious where each man goes next. Good luck, the rest of the show. The bar’s been set pretty high.

9/10

Bobby Lashley vs, Omos

Omos wins by pin.

Mat: Let’s be honest, these guys aren’t sowing the seeds of love together. Anything is possible, though. They could leave this match best friends. Sorry, I’m just killing time while this match is on because it’s really hard to follow Cody vs. Seth. Poor Bobby Lashley, he’s working so hard to make this match watchable. He’s carrying this the best he can, and it’s still herky-jerky.

Nothing Omos does looks like it has impact at all. MVP helped him get the win, which does nothing for the character. Bobby Lashley was on a great roll, but this feud with Omos is derailing all the good will he’s gained over the past year.

3.5/10

Chris: Is this a prank? Following up Seth and Cody with the beefy boy bash is…a choice that was certainly made. But, like, why? Also, can we talk for a second about Lashley’s new entrance where he stands on the podium while what sounds like the Olympic drums are playing? It’s terrible. Lashley had a PERFECT entrance. Why would you tinker with perfection?

The issue with Omos being dominant in the early part of this match is Omos still feels incredibly green in the role–and it especially shows anytime Omos isn’t simply handing out a beating. When it comes to working a back and forth match, it’s not great. Yes, Lashley is doing all he can to make the match look good, but it’s too big a hill to climb for even the Almighty.

And let’s be honest here, if we are supposed to find Omos to be a believable unstoppable giant, having him win via cheating by his manager MVP cuts all of that off at the knees. So, like, what is the Omos character then?

3/10

Edge vs. AJ Styles

Edge wins by submission.

Mat: This match really boils down to “who is going to turn on AJ Smiles and join Edge’s faction?” That’s what we’re waiting for. Something will happen, and hopefully, I’ll be head over heels. So the big story here is that AJ Smiles’ arm is hurt and that comes into play a lot–especially when Smile is trying to put Edge into a variety of submissions.

So Damian Priest comes out and then Finn Balor comes out to stop him. However, a person in a hoodie gets involved, and then AJ Styles ends up losing. But who was that person in the hoodie? It turned out to be Rhea Ripley–something I called on the Wrestle Buddies podcast because I’m a very cool person who’s great at randomly guessing.

As for the match, it was fine. It was slow and brooding, but not in a way where it was very exciting or worked for me on the small screen.

6/10

Chris: I like Edge’s new presentation, with all of the black lights and the creepy demon wings on the video screen. Even the new music is growing on me. I don’t like the stable name Judgment Day but I don’t have to agree with everything. Also I’m making a last minute prediction here, you ready? I think Finn Balor will turn heel, joining Judgment Day. He needs/deserves a spotlight like Damian Priest is getting and with Priest barred from ringside, this could be perfect.

This is an interesting match because it felt as old school as they come, with each man working on wearing down certain body parts, trading submission moves, etc. Early on, at least, there weren’t necessarily huge spots that drove the crowd wild, but these two brought an intensity to a straight-forward wrestling match that while it’s pretty entertaining, even if not at the same level of Seth vs. Cody.

So maybe my theory didn’t pan out, which will be bad news in the long run because my idea about Balor was definitely great. That said, I love this for Rhea Ripley. It gives an excellent new edge (pun super intended) to her heel character and, based on how much screentime Judgement Day is getting, I can only assume she’ll be chasing the women’s title soon.

7/10

Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Ronda Rousey

I Quit Match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship

Charlotte quits, Ronda wins.

Mat: You know what’s kinda weird about this match? Charlotte kept asking early on if Ronda was going to quit, and I’m like, “Charlotte, you just kicked her once. She’s not going to quit.” So I’ve been enjoying this match for what it is, and when Charlotte put the mic up to Ronda and Ronda said, “Never b****,” I lost my mind. Hell yes. It was then followed by Charlotte saying, “Happy Mother’s Day.” A couple of very memorable moments there. And as a plus, Charlotte isn’t champion anymore. It was a solid match, and an “I Quit” match that didn’t get too over-the-top.

7.5/10

Chris: I want to be more excited about this, but it’s been a very long time since Charlotte Flair got me excited for a match. She’s a 13-time women’s champion, and throughout just about all of those reigns, hasn’t really evolved at all as a character. Seth Rollins has had like 13 amazing characters in that time.

This was a pretty fun brawl, honestly. Though oddly paced. As mentioned by Mat, Charlotte was trying to get Ronda to quit very early on after one or two simple moves. It made no sense. However, Charlotte wrenching Ronda’s back over a handrail in the audience? That was flat out perfection. Same goes with Ronda trying to rip off Charlotte’s arm while Flair was hanging from the top rope.

It would be great for the crowd to not constantly chant “We want tables” in matches like this. Just enjoy the insanity unfolding in front of you. Also, it’s kind of amazing that what it took for Ronda to really lose it was for Charlotte to mock the sanctity of Mother’s Day. Ultimately, the right person got the win here and the match was actually pretty great–easily second best of the night so far.

8/10

Happy Corbin vs. Madcap Moss

Match in progress

Updating…

The May PPV Wrestlemania Backlash has come to a close. While the PPV itself didn’t look exceptionally exciting, we got to see one of the best matches of the year so far–and that was Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins. There was also an exciting Smackdown Women’s Championship match between Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey, and it was an “I Quit” match, which meant it got a bit more violent than your traditional match. Check out the full results for WWE’s Wrestlemania Backlash below along with a review of each match.

Backlash featured a few leftover feuds from Wrestlemania. For instance, AJ Styles got a second shot at Edge, but this time around, Damian Priest was barred from ringside, and no, it still wasn’t a fair fight. This year’s event took place at Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. While Wrestlemania is more focused on championship matches, Backlash was more concerned with rematches, so there were very few championship matches on the card.

If you want to watch a replay of Wrestlemania Backlash live, you’ll need the streaming service Peacock. While it does have a free tier, you will not be able to watch the WWE event through that. You’ll need a Premium ($5 a month, with ads) or Premium Plus Peacock ($10 a month, no ads) account. Regardless of which tier you choose, there will be a few WWE-related ads throughout the show.

There are multiple ways to watch Peacock. Aside from watching it on mobile devices and on the PC, you can stream the service on Amazon Fire devices, Android TV, Apple TV, LG Smart TVs, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xfinity, and more.

Check out the match card below.

Match card:

• Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins
• Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Ronda Rousey (I Quit Match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship)
• Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro vs. The Bloodline (Six-Man Tag Team Match)
• AJ Styles vs. Edge
• Bobby Lashley vs. Omos
• Happy Corbin vs. Madcap Moss

Above, you can check out a recent episode of GameSpot’s wrestling podcast, Wrestle Buddies. Chris E. Hayner and Mat Elfring predict all the results for Wrestlemania Backlash alongside their AI machine PredictionBot 3000 v2.0.

Below, you’ll find live updates and results for Wrestlemania Backlash as it airs on Peacock. Additionally, there will be a review of each match from the Wrestle Buddies.

Kickoff Show

The Wrestlemania Backlash Kickoff Show begins at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT. Below, you’ll find updates and notes based on what happens on the preshow.

You can watch the Kickoff Show below, as it airs live on YouTube.

No Kickoff Show match… onto the main card.

Main Card

Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins

Cody wins by pin.

Mat: Wrestlemania did something very important: it put Chris and I in the same room for the first time in a little more than two years. Now, I sit in my home office in Chicagoland trying not to gush about how beautiful Mr. Rollins’ entrance outfit was. He truly was peacocking on Peacock. He sets me adrift on memory bliss.

To me, Cody works better in WWE with the way he’s presented. He’s a classic babyface, like a Hulk Hogan who can put on five star matches… or a modern-day Bret Hart. He’s a character you can really get behind rooting for, and that’s a classic wrestling feel that we don’t get much anymore. As for Rollins, he’s doing some of his best work right now. He rules. I love it.

The match itself was fantastic. It was a brilliant showcase for both men, with no one coming out of it looking weak. It was a complete surprise to see Cody get the win here, as Seth winning made more sense–to get a rubber match at the next PPV. Regardless, I don’t see anything topping this match tonight. It’s just that good.

9/10

Chris: Here’s a hot take: I like Cody Rhodes. I know, it’s super mild, but I mean it. He manages to take the tired super pro-America gimmick and make it not feel tired. When there’s “Freakin,” which is Seth’s nickname. Nobody drips harder than Seth, and every time he’s on camera, he’s decked to the nines in the coolest clothes. So, already, a heck of a matchup.

It’s dawning on me only now how much better presented Cody’s character is in WWE than it was in AEW. That’s not a knock on AEW, it’s just that his character makes more sense in a WWE environment and the over-the-top characters he’s put up against–like Seth Rollins–really go a long way in further legitimizing the “American Nightmare.”

As for the match itself, it’s two of the best in the industry doing their thing. What’s not to love? I’m fascinated by the fact that Cody is still doing his cutter, which is very much a slightly modified RKO. Beyond that, the two threw all of their signature moves at each other and it was flat-out great. I wish the storyline behind this match was as strong as the bout itself, because that’s a knock against it. Even with that, though, it’s hard to believe this is the match they kicked the show off with as something of this quality could easily be a main event (and it’s not like there are better feuds throughout the rest of the card).

I’m actually surprised Cody got the win with a pull of the tights as I expected a cheating victory for Seth, setting up a rubber match. That said, I’m fine with it because I’m very curious where each man goes next. Good luck, the rest of the show. The bar’s been set pretty high.

9/10

Bobby Lashley vs, Omos

Omos wins by pin.

Mat: Let’s be honest, these guys aren’t sowing the seeds of love together. Anything is possible, though. They could leave this match best friends. Sorry, I’m just killing time while this match is on because it’s really hard to follow Cody vs. Seth. Poor Bobby Lashley, he’s working so hard to make this match watchable. He’s carrying this the best he can, and it’s still herky-jerky.

Nothing Omos does looks like it has impact at all. MVP helped him get the win, which does nothing for the character. Bobby Lashley was on a great roll, but this feud with Omos is derailing all the good will he’s gained over the past year.

3.5/10

Chris: Is this a prank? Following up Seth and Cody with the beefy boy bash is…a choice that was certainly made. But, like, why? Also, can we talk for a second about Lashley’s new entrance where he stands on the podium while what sounds like the Olympic drums are playing? It’s terrible. Lashley had a PERFECT entrance. Why would you tinker with perfection?

The issue with Omos being dominant in the early part of this match is Omos still feels incredibly green in the role–and it especially shows anytime Omos isn’t simply handing out a beating. When it comes to working a back and forth match, it’s not great. Yes, Lashley is doing all he can to make the match look good, but it’s too big a hill to climb for even the Almighty.

And let’s be honest here, if we are supposed to find Omos to be a believable unstoppable giant, having him win via cheating by his manager MVP cuts all of that off at the knees. So, like, what is the Omos character then?

3/10

Edge vs. AJ Styles

Edge wins by submission.

Mat: This match really boils down to “who is going to turn on AJ Smiles and join Edge’s faction?” That’s what we’re waiting for. Something will happen, and hopefully, I’ll be head over heels. So the big story here is that AJ Smiles’ arm is hurt and that comes into play a lot–especially when Smile is trying to put Edge into a variety of submissions.

So Damian Priest comes out and then Finn Balor comes out to stop him. However, a person in a hoodie gets involved, and then AJ Styles ends up losing. But who was that person in the hoodie? It turned out to be Rhea Ripley–something I called on the Wrestle Buddies podcast because I’m a very cool person who’s great at randomly guessing.

As for the match, it was fine. It was slow and brooding, but not in a way where it was very exciting or worked for me on the small screen.

6/10

Chris: I like Edge’s new presentation, with all of the black lights and the creepy demon wings on the video screen. Even the new music is growing on me. I don’t like the stable name Judgment Day but I don’t have to agree with everything. Also I’m making a last minute prediction here, you ready? I think Finn Balor will turn heel, joining Judgment Day. He needs/deserves a spotlight like Damian Priest is getting and with Priest barred from ringside, this could be perfect.

This is an interesting match because it felt as old school as they come, with each man working on wearing down certain body parts, trading submission moves, etc. Early on, at least, there weren’t necessarily huge spots that drove the crowd wild, but these two brought an intensity to a straight-forward wrestling match that while it’s pretty entertaining, even if not at the same level of Seth vs. Cody.

So maybe my theory didn’t pan out, which will be bad news in the long run because my idea about Balor was definitely great. That said, I love this for Rhea Ripley. It gives an excellent new edge (pun super intended) to her heel character and, based on how much screentime Judgement Day is getting, I can only assume she’ll be chasing the women’s title soon.

7/10

Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Ronda Rousey

I Quit Match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship

Charlotte quits, Ronda wins.

Mat: You know what’s kinda weird about this match? Charlotte kept asking early on if Ronda was going to quit, and I’m like, “Charlotte, you just kicked her once. She’s not going to quit.” So I’ve been enjoying this match for what it is, and when Charlotte put the mic up to Ronda and Ronda said, “Never b****,” I lost my mind. Hell yes. It was then followed by Charlotte saying, “Happy Mother’s Day.” A couple of very memorable moments there. And as a plus, Charlotte isn’t champion anymore. It was a solid match, and an “I Quit” match that didn’t get too over-the-top.

7.5/10

Chris: I want to be more excited about this, but it’s been a very long time since Charlotte Flair got me excited for a match. She’s a 13-time women’s champion, and throughout just about all of those reigns, hasn’t really evolved at all as a character. Seth Rollins has had like 13 amazing characters in that time.

This was a pretty fun brawl, honestly. Though oddly paced. As mentioned by Mat, Charlotte was trying to get Ronda to quit very early on after one or two simple moves. It made no sense. However, Charlotte wrenching Ronda’s back over a handrail in the audience? That was flat out perfection. Same goes with Ronda trying to rip off Charlotte’s arm while Flair was hanging from the top rope.

It would be great for the crowd to not constantly chant “We want tables” in matches like this. Just enjoy the insanity unfolding in front of you. Also, it’s kind of amazing that what it took for Ronda to really lose it was for Charlotte to mock the sanctity of Mother’s Day. Ultimately, the right person got the win here and the match was actually pretty great–easily second best of the night so far.

8/10

Happy Corbin vs. Madcap Moss

Moss wins by pin.

Mat: I forgot to work in a Tears for Fears or PM Dawn lyric into my last match review, so I need to put two into this one. I’ve got to shout, and let it all out. Now you know. Anyway, as for this match, And I find it kind of funny, and I find it kind of sad. I’m happy because Happy Corbin finally found a local Dan Flashes to buy new shirts, but sad for Moss’s wrestling gear.

Am I supposed to be rooting for Moss? I understand the story, I understand the heel/face dynamic, but I don’t understand why I should really care for Moss, and that’s wild because I really enjoyed heel Moss. This match was middle of the road and it had a weird roll-up finished which didn’t fit the rest of the match.

5.5/10

Chris: Happy Corbin still has the best thing song (outside of Retribution) in wrestling history. But, honestly, Madcap Moss has a pretty incredible song of his own. The loser of this match should have to give up their entrance music. This match is an oddity because, in theory, Madcap Moss is supposed to be the lovable babyface, but that’s just not the case. These are both guys you’d avoid at all costs if you saw them at a party.

The match was nothing to write home about and probably went on a few minutes too long. But giving Moss the win feels like the wrong call as it kind of flies in the face of Corbin’s build over the last year. How much better would it have been for Corbin to get a tainted victory, only making Moss want it more?

5.5/10

Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro vs. The Bloodline

The Bloodline wins.

Mat: While everybody wants to rule the world, the Bloodline is doing so in WWE. And then there’s Drew McIntyre, super nice guy. I do not personally care for a feud between he and Reigns, no matter how hard that’s pushed. And I also don’t care much about RK-Bro vs. The Usos. There’s a lot going on here that just doesn’t interest me.

At some point, after a drought of action and a slow-plotting, at times boring, match, we got into some high-octane action. I hate the term “high-octane,” but I’ve already written it. It divulged into a greatest hits match for each wrestler, performing all their signature moves–but no finishers. And in a setting of six wrestlers, that’s a lot of fun.

Pat McAfee and Michael Cole are doing some dynamite commentating during this match, making it seem like everything is on the line here when, in reality, nothing is on the line. They might be my favorite commentary duo right now.

This match actually went the opposite way I thought it would. The Bloodline once again proved they are the best, but that doesn’t lead anywhere else. I guess McIntyre could demand a one-on-one, but while the match was great, it feels a little bit hollow in the end.

8/10

Chris: I wonder which belt Roman considers his primary belt? Also, the Bloodline’s entrance is at least two Undertaker entrances long. WWE is trying real hard to make me want to see Drew McIntyre vs. Roman Reigns to determine the Super Big Dog Champion of WWE, and I have to be honest with you, it isn’t working. Much like Charlotte, Drew’s character has stalled out. Adding a sword named after his mother to the mix really changed nothing, except he’s constantly trying to murder people with it. That would be a fun character twist but they never actually acknowledge it.

So Roman getting the highly-anticipated tag to step into the ring against Drew fell flat for me. It also doesn’t help that this match started very slow and methodically. There’s been a lot of high-octane action tonight, and with six men in the match you would normally expect that here. So slowing things down so much felt off.

Thankfully, it didn’t stay at that pace. This match was at its best, though, when Roman was destroying and showboating. Because, ultimately, that will be his downfall as Super Big Dog Champion of WWE. Eventually someone will get the better of him when he least expects it.

Also worth noting is that there is some seriously great chemistry between the Usos and RK-Bro. And Orton’s RKO show never gets old, even though it’s been going on for years. Dare I say it, am I starting to like RK-Bro? That would be crazy.

Seriously, though, once this match got cooking the crowd woke right up and carried all six men home. The final stretch of the match was as packed with action as it could be, culminating with Roman spearing Riddle in half for the victory. I wasn’t a big fan of this match at the beginning, but it really did win me over.

8/10

That’s all. See you at Hell in a Cell.

Xbox Support has warned that “some users are unable to purchase & launch games or start Cloud Gaming sessions” on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and devices that support Cloud Gaming.

Xbox Support tweeted out its latest update on May 7 at 2:34 PT/5:34pm ET, saying ‘We are still working on resolving the issue. In the meantime players may see improvement with launching games by rebooting your Xbox console.”

While those with games on disc should have no issues, users with digital games may have trouble starting them. Starting cloud games can also be a problem, and users that do connect my be unexpectedly disconnected after it begins. Lastly, users may not be able to purchase new games from the Microsoft Store.

We will add any new updates to this page, but anyone can check out the official Xbox Status page to see up-to-the-minute updates.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Jonathan Ferguson, a weapons expert and Keeper of Firearms & Artillery at the Royal Armouries, breaks down some of the mod guns from Fallout 4, including the .45 Handmade Revolver, a piratical-themed Widow Shotgun, and the unique Shoemacuzi-9.

By
Dave Jewitt
and
Adam Mason
on May 7, 2022 at 7:00AM PDT

Home arcade platform iiRcade is getting more customizable with a new accessory initiative, adding support for an array of third-party controllers and devices as an alternative to the traditional control sticks. It should give players better options for certain games that aren’t a natural fit for standard arcade controls.

The initiative, which iiRcade calls the Open Arcade Accessory Platform, will begin with support for “off the shelf” spinners and trackball controllers, meaning there isn’t any modification you’ll have to do to get them working on iiRcade. The standard iiRcade systems available now will support these controllers via Bluetooth. Because the upcoming Gold Edition models also include USB ports on the underside of the control panel, these will support USB connections in addition to Bluetooth.

“All new games capable of taking advantage of the accessories are still being targeted to work with the standard joystick controllers on both the Classic and Gold editions of iiRcade, enabling every owner of iiRcade to enjoy the new games without the need for accessories,” the company said in a press release. This seems to suggest, as least for the time being, that lightgun games will be off the menu. The only competitor making a major push in this space is Arcade1Up, as its standalone cabinets don’t need any sort of cross-game compatibility to work properly.

iiRcade recently unveiled its Gold Edition line, available at a preorder discount for $799 before jumping to $999 after this period ends. The new line features a more traditional arcade form factor, a light-up marquee, and a new control panel that can be opened and modified without voiding the warranty. Alongside the 11 bundled games, every iiRcade system has access to the online store for piecemeal purchases of additional games. You can find more information about the Gold Edition in the launch event video above.

The Computing History Museum based in the UK has put together a roughly $8,000 rig that allows you to play GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo 64 on four separate screens, putting an end to screen-cheating once and for all. This was put together to celebrate the 25th anniversary of GoldenEye on the N64.

While the rig might be pricey, the way it works is actually pretty straightforward and even uses the N64’s original hardware. The original image is simply broken up and split across four TVs, with player one able to go into a full screen to select the mode they’d like to play. Each controller will control its respective TV and, in doing so, eliminate screen cheating.

Screen cheating is a term often used when playing split-screen multiplayer, and is meant to call out someone whenever they look at your side of the screen to an advantage over you.

While many games have had their fair share of screen cheaters, none have earned quite the same reputation for them as GoldenEye. Thank to the game’s difficult controls, you could almost always count on whoever you were playing against to be watching your screen to try to kill you. The game even has a playable character named Oddjob, that’s notoriously hard to hit due to his height. Even though the game is filled with flaws, it’s undeniably a part of its charm.

Screen cheating became a staple of GoldenEye’s multiplayer, and there was nothing you could do to stop it. But thanks to the Computing History Museum, GoldenEye multiplayer can be played in an entirely new–and fair–way. If you’re in the UK, you can buy tickets to an exhibit where you play the game yourself, as well as a playable Xbox 360 version of GoldenEye that was canceled.

When inventing history in a science fiction tale, using real-world archival footage can be an easy way to both make the story relatable and on a scale that would be unreasonable to film yourself. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ premiere episode has done exactly that, but with the strange choice to use footage from Ukranian protests to help tell the story of an alien planet’s civil unrest (via Gizmodo).

The debut episode, “Strange New Worlds,” takes Captain Pike and his crew to Kiley 279, home to a pre-warp civilization in conflict. The civilization is embroiled in unrest, and the Enterprise crew spots a news broadcast about the protests. To simulate the conflict, though, the showrunners used footage from Ukrainian protests that took place in 2013 and 2014, called the Euromaidan or Maidan Uprising. Protests occurred across the nation, though this one, in particular, took place in Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv. As Gizmodo notes, these protests would eventually climax in a clash between civilians and police that would take the lives of over 100 protesters.

The episode uses other archival footage as well–footage from the January 6 insurrection at the United States capitol is used to discuss America’s second Civil War and World War III. Additionally, the Ukrainian footage in particular is described in the episode as showing “seditious elements” in the alien government, implying that the protesters, in this case, were traitors to the nation rather than scared and angry citizens.

It’s not new for a Star Trek show to be political–they have been since the very beginning. It’s also nothing new for a show to use real-world footage for something like this. Considering the current state of things in Ukraine, though, where Russian forces have been pushing into the country for well over a month, the timing and choice of the footage make for a particularly bad look for the show.

According to a report from Exputer, Modern Warfare 2’s reveal trailer could air “at an event when E3 was meant to be,” and will focus on the campaign. Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer will be revealed in August. Whether or not there will be a tie-in Warzone event as part of the expected announcement is unknown.

Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries has acknowledged that the Season 2: Lone Wolves launch this week “has been bumpy,” with players reporting a number of issues with the latest update. On Twitter, Microsoft’s Joseph Staten said, “We are indeed taking your feedback to heart, especially regarding map jumps and speedrunning. We’re reviewing options and will have more news to come.”

THQ commissioned a gold-plated Nintendo Wii to be delivered to Buckingham Palace and presented to the Queen of England as part of a marketing stunt to promote Big Family Games. The previous auction started the bidding at $300,000, although this new auction’s highest bid at the time of writing is currently $2,000 on the Goldin website.

The fake hypersonic plane in Top Gun: Maverick reportedly looked so real that China re-oriented spy satellites to surveil it. At least, that’s what filmmaker Jerry Bruckheimer told Sandboxx.

“The Navy told us that a Chinese satellite turned and headed on a different route to photograph that plane,” Bruckheimer said. “They thought it was real. That’s how real it looks.” The Darkstar, although fictional, skews more towards a plausible and realistic design–no doubt informed and helped considerably there by Lockheed Martin’s role in aiding the Darkstar’s prototype. Check out the trailer below, and see if you can spot which one isn’t a real plane.

Early social media reactions to Top Gun: Maverick have been overwhelmingly positive. The film’s debut at CinemaCon sparked lots of tweets about how, somehow, the Top Gun sequel is everything we want from a Top Gun movie and more. Some of it could be the shine from the CinemaCon convention afterglow–especially in the midst of a hopefully waning pandemic–but pretty much universally it was praised by attendees, with particular attention also paid to praising the movie’s aerial cinematography and star Tom Cruise’s performance.

Director Joseph Kosinski told Empire that Top Gun: Maverick generated almost 800 hours of footage–or as Kosinski says, “We shot as much footage as the three Lord Of The Rings movies combined.”

In addition to Cruise, Top Gun: Maverick also stars Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, and Ed Harris. After COVID-related delays, the movie opens in theaters on May 27.

Welcome back to IGN Game Scoop!, the ONLY video game podcast! This week your Omega Cops — Daemon Hatfield, Sam Claiborn, Justin Davis, and Nicholas Limon — are discussing the richest and poorest video game characters, Elden Ring, Rogue Legacy 2, Spiritfarer, and more. And, of course, they play Video Game 20 Questions.

Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service.

Listen on:

Apple Podcasts

YouTube

Spotify

Stitcher

Find previous episodes here!