Author: Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Somehow I grew up (like went all the way through childhood) without really being introduced to The Peanuts. Sure, I’ve heard of The Great Pumpkin and saw commercials for A Charlie Brown Christmas every year on TV. As such, the characters, mannerisms, and legacy of Charlie Brown and the Peanuts is something that I’m completely unfamiliar with. That being said, The Peanuts Movie looks so hype (that’s for you, Shane) that I’m really interested in going back to see what I’ve missed.

Here’s the synopsis:

Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the beloved “Peanuts” gang make their big-screen debut, like they’ve never been seen before, in state of the art 3D animation. Snoopy, the world’s most lovable beagle – and flying ace – embarks upon his greatest mission as he takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis The Red Baron, while his best pal, Charlie Brown, begins his own epic quest. From the imagination of Charles M. Schulz and the creators of the ICE AGE films, THE PEANUTS MOVIE will prove that every underdog has his day.

I’m really, really, enjoying the art style seen in this trailer, and I can’t wait to feast my eyes on more. You’ve probably seen more than a few Facebook friends change their profile pictures to ‘Peanutized’ versions of themselves, which is a ridiculously cute marketing push for this adorable looking film. If you’re interested in joining in on the fun, you can head right here to do so.

Take a look at the film’s final trailer below, and let us know what you think! The Peanuts Movie will hits theatres on November 6th!

http://youtu.be/8pCoVQDD-OY

Geekscape Comics: Marc Guggenheim’s ‘Infinite Adventures of Jonas Quantum’ Is Available Now!

Briefly: It’s been awhile since I’ve started a new comic (I’m behind enough on the series’ that I already read), but this new limited series by Arrow writer Marc Guggenheim and fantastic often DC artist Freddie Williams II looks way too good to pass up.

What’s the book about? Well, meet Jonas Quantum: a maverick hyper-genius with the power to cure death in the morning, time travel in the afternoon and unlock transdimensional wormholes at night. And what have you done with your day?

Blessed with the curse of infinite intelligence, there’s only one thing Jonas Quantum can’t do: play well with others.

The first of six issues has just hit stores, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Take a look at a few gorgeous preview pages below, and let us know if you plan to pick the book up yourself!

The Launch Trailer For Frictional Games’ Terrifying ‘SOMA’ Is Here!

Briefly: Finally, finally, finally, Frictional Games’ SOMA is here.

The game looks like a terrifying mixture of two of gaming’s scariest titles, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, and Bioshock, and I cannot wait to play if for 20 minutes until I get too scared and have to turn it off. Seriously.

In the game, “The radio is dead, food is running out, and the machines have started to think they are people. Underwater facility PATHOS-II has suffered an intolerable isolation and we’re going to have to make some tough decisions. What can be done? What makes sense? What is left to fight for?”

It’s a sci-fi horror game that questions our concepts of identity, consciousness, and what it means to be human, and it’s available right now for Windows, OS X, Linux, and PS4.

Watch the launch trailer below, and let us know what your favourite survival horror game is!

Square-Enix’ Next ‘Hitman’ Won’t Hit Until 2016

Briefly: I’m starting to wonder why AAA titles even get release dates any more.

Another week passes, and it’s revealed that another hotly anticipated title won’t make its 2015 release. Last week it was Ninty’s own Star Fox Zero, and today it’s Square-Enix’ assassination simulator, Hitman.

Developer IO-Interactive spilled the beans earlier today in its latest blog post, stating that “Moving a launch date is never an easy decision, we know it’s frustrating to have to wait a bit longer for the game, but we truly believe it will mean we can deliver a better launch and overall experience. We’ll share more details next week about the full release schedule and scope of HITMAN in general so keep a look out for that.”

An interesting infographic was also released, detailing just how large Hitman is in comparison to Hitman: Absolution, and also showing off just how much stuff there is to do in the game’s Paris locale. Pretty impressive stuff.

Here’s the full delay announcement:

It’s safe to say HITMAN is the biggest venture we’ve ever undertaken at Io-Interactive. Not just in terms of scope and ambition but also in terms of the size of the game world itself. The playable area and density of our locations goes beyond anything we’ve built before. We’re striving to create a series of living, breathing worlds in those locations and we get pretty obsessed about every detail that you’ll experience.

On top of that, we’re going for a new release model where we put out a good chunk of the game when it begins and then release the remaining locations over time. We want to make absolutely sure you all get the best possible experience when you join, so we’ve made the difficult decision to move the initial release date to March 2016. These few extra months will mean we can add more to the launch content of the game, more than we had originally planned, and then follow with a tighter frequency of updates, which ultimately will create a better game for everyone. And in the end, that’s what we’re all looking for.

To give you a sense of the scale when it comes to our various locations, we’ve compared our Paris Showstopper mission to the largest level in Hitman: Absolution. As you can see, lots of challenges, plenty of space to set up death traps, and a huge supply of targets for Contracts mode.

Moving a launch date is never an easy decision, we know it’s frustrating to have to wait a bit longer for the game, but we truly believe it will mean we can deliver a better launch and overall experience. We’ll share more details next week about the full release schedule and scope of HITMAN in general so keep a look out for that.

Disappointed? What will you be playing in December now? Fallout 4 still? Yeah, me too.

‘Spider-Man’ Director Jon Watts Confirms Peter’s Younger Age

by Derek KraneveldtSeptember 21, 2015

Briefly: Back in June Sony and Marvel revealed that they had found both a star and director for their next Spider-Man reboot.

The Impossible star Tom Holland would be taking the reins as Peter Parker, and Jon Watts (whose latest film, Cop Car, is currently in theatres) would take over the director’s chair.

Since that day, there has been a lot of speculation about just how old Peter would be in this new iteration, and in a just-published interview with Empire Magazine (via Yahoo!), Watts has revealed that we will indeed be dealing with a younger Parker, and reiterated that we won’t be seeing another origin story.

“There are only so many times you can kill Uncle Ben. I love the idea of making a coming-of-age high school movie. We’re really going to see Peter Parker in high school and get deeper into that side of it. He’s just 15 now.”

Watts also noted that he plans for his Spider-Man to feel like a coming-of-age high-school film, mentioning classic John Hughes movies specifically.

Tom Holland is just 19, so for once, he’s just a few years older than the character that he’s playing.

Watts’ Spider-Man will hit theatres on July 28th, 2017.

New ‘Heroes Reborn’ Promo Shows A World Without Claire

by Derek KraneveldtSeptember 21, 2015

Briefly: As a huge fan of Heroes initial four season run (yes, I watched it all the way through), I was beyond excited when NBC announced Heroes Reborn in February of last year. The first series ended with an infuriating cliffhanger, and after a resolution was promised via a film, and then via comic book, and then essentially never spoken about again, I thought that surely the universe of Heroes was simply dead.

And then Heroes Reborn was announced, and people like Jack Coleman and Masi Oka were confirmed to return, and I’ve pretty much been squealing with anticipation ever since.

We’re now just a few days away from Heroes Reborn‘s special double-length premiere, and NBC has just debuted a new promo that shows the aftermath of a world-changing event, and a future in which Claire Bennet is long dead.

Shit’s gonna get real.

Take a look at the promo below, and let us know what you hope to see in the event series!

https://youtu.be/FjsnE-YDbc4

The Final Episode Of ‘Life Is Strange’ Gets A (Probable) Release Date!

by Derek KraneveldtSeptember 21, 2015

Briefly: If you’re a Geekscape (or Geekscape Games) regular, you know full well just how much I’ve loved the first four episodes of DONTNOD’s Life is Strange.

2015 has been a year filled with incredible game releases (with a few more still on the way). yet every time I think about the best titled I’ve played so far this year, my mind always wanders back to Max and Chloe’s incredible time-jumping adventure.

Four episodes of the game’s first season have been released, each somehow better and more emotional than the last, and DONTNOD today (on Max’s birthday, no less) have finally revealed just when we’ll be able to get our hands on the game’s fifth and final episode.

“We don’t normally announce a date until we know the game is 100% ready but in the spirit of Max’s birthday (today) we wanted to let you know early that we are aiming to release Episode 5 ‘Polarized’ October 20.”

I’m both excited and terrified for the upcoming release, as those who are up to date with the game know the horrifying situation that Max found herself in at the close of episode four. I honestly have no idea what will happen at any moment of ‘Polarized’, but I sure hope that Max makes it out okay.

DONTNOD has stated that if the game gets a second season, it’ll likely feature an all new cast and plot. I’m a huge fan of fresh experiences, but it’s going to be hard as hell to say goodbye to Max and Arcadia Bay.

Are you up to date with Life is Strange? What have you thought of the game so far? What do you think is in store for us with episode five!?

Source: Square-Enix

‘Star Fox Zero’ Has Been Pushed To 2016

by Derek KraneveldtSeptember 17, 2015

Briefly: Say it ain’t so.

Nintendo’s Wii U is having an excellent year so far, but it was set to have a phenomenal holiday season with the release of the next The Legend of Zelda title as well as Star Fox Zero.

Back in March Nintendo revealed that The Legend of Zelda would not be released this year. Tonight, Miyamoto confirmed that Star Fox Zero won’t either. Here’s his statement:

I made a big decision last week.

We have been developing Star Fox Zero for Wii U with the aim of releasing it this year. Although we felt that the development had been progressing well, we now believe that we will need a little more time to work on areas such as the unprecedented discovery that we want players to experience in the game by using two screens, and further polishing the level designs and perfecting the tone of the cut scenes. While we have already reached the stage where it would be technically possible to release the title in time for the year-end holiday season, we want to polish the game a bit more so that players will be able to more smoothly grasp the new style of play that we are proposing.

To the people looking forward to the launch of the game this holiday season, I am very sorry.

Star Fox Zero is going to bring new game play and experiences that take it far beyond the framework established by Star Fox 64. All the members of the development team are doing our best so that the final product will not betray your expectations. And the game will not be delayed for a very long time – we’re aiming to launch the game in Q1 2016. Please stay tuned for further announcements.

This generation has been notorious for AAA titles being delayed, and Nintendo is no different.

What are you looking forward to playing this holiday season?

Heck Yes! A New ‘Hot Shots Golf’ Is Coming For PS4!

by Derek KraneveldtSeptember 17, 2015

Briefly: Alright, so this video is completely in Japanese and I don’t understand Japanese whatsoever.

So… most of it is lost on me.

But what’s pretty clear here regardless of the language that you speak, is that a new Hot Shots Golf title is in the works for PS4.

The game is slated to release on PS4 in Japan in 2016, and while a North American release hasn’t been confirmed thus far, I’m pretty confident we’ll be getting our hands on it too.

I’ve been playing the series since the PSX days, and after feeling all of the nostalgic feelings from this video, I’m more than ready to jump back in on my PS4.

https://youtu.be/s1vlYzBb4wM

‘Pacific Rim 2’ Has Been Delayed Indefinitely

by Derek KraneveldtSeptember 16, 2015

Briefly: Man, this is not Guillermo Del Toro’s year.

First, the master filmmaker’s collaboration with master gamemaker Hideo Kojima, a reboot of the once lauded Silent Hill series was shuddered after Konami kind of went crazy, and now it looks like the sequel to 2013’s fantastic and original monsters fightin’ robots flick Pacific Rim has been delayed indefinitely and may not happen at all.

May not happen at all. Damn it.

THR broke the news earlier today and while not many details were provided, basically Pacific Rim was “one of those films that grosses a lot ($411 million worldwide) while being so costly that a follow-up isn’t a sure thing.”

Damn it. With a new comic book and animated series also in the works (read my interview with the writer of the new Pacific Rim comic, Joshua Fialkov here), it may be hard to see what the future of the franchise sits, but I certainly hope that Universal comes to its senses and that Pacific Rim 2 doesn’t get lost in the drift.

In any case, I’m beyond excited for Del Toro’s upcoming Crimson Peak.

If Pacific Rim 2 still happens, what do you hope to see in the sequel?

‘Minecraft: Story Mode’ Will Premiere In October!

by Derek KraneveldtSeptember 16, 2015

Briefly: It’s still pretty weird (and exciting) to me that Minecraft: Story Mode is even a thing, and after what feels like years of waiting (okay, it’s been a couple of months) Telltale has finally revealed just when we’ll be able to play the first chapter of the anticipated title.

The first of the game’s five episodes is called ‘The Order of the Stone’, and it’s set to (digitally) hit PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, and OS X on October 13th. iOS and Android devices will get the episode on October 15th, and the game is also headed to Vita and even Wii U at a later date.

Minecraft: Story Mode, interestingly enough, is even getting a retail edition. The physical version will include only the premiere episode on the disc, and be available for PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC on October 27th in North America, and October 30th in Europe.

In Minecraft: Story Mode, playing as either a male or female hero named ‘Jesse,’ you’ll embark on a perilous adventure across the Overworld, through the Nether, to the End, and beyond. You and your friends revere the legendary Order of the Stone: Warrior, Redstone Engineer, Griefer, and Architect; slayers of the Ender Dragon. While at EnderCon in hopes of meeting Gabriel the Warrior, Jesse’s friends discover that something is wrong… something dreadful. Terror is unleashed, and you must set out on a quest to find The Order of the Stone if you are to save your world from oblivion.

The season will feature Patton Oswalt as male Jesse, Catherine Taber as female Jesse, Brian Posehn, Ashley Johnson, Scott Porter, Martha Plimpton, Dave Fennoy, Corey Feldman, Billy West, and Paul Reubens. Additional casting details for the season are yet to be announced.

As expected, Telltale notes that Minecraft: Story Mode is an adventure for all ages, so expect some tough choices, but nothing The Walking Dead level.

Are you looking forward to the game? Sound out below!

The Fantastic First Trailer For Jon Favreau’s ‘The Jungle Book’ Is Here!

by Derek KraneveldtSeptember 15, 2015

Briefly: This is some insane first footage.

I’ve never actually seen Disney’s original The Jungle Book, but with an incredible cast like this one, and some absolutely fantastic footage to back it up, you better believe that I’m excited for this one.

The Jungle Book also looks absolutely built for 3D, and I’m at my happiest when a film has an effective, well thought out 3D version.

The April 15th feature stars Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Giancarlo Esposito, Christopher Walken, Lupita Wyong’o, and more, and is directed by Iron Man and Chef‘s Jon Favreau.

Take a look at the trailer below, and let us know what you think of the footage!

Directed by Jon Favreau (“Iron Man”), based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s classic animated film, “The Jungle Book” is an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli (newcomer Neel Sethi), a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat.

Urged to abandon the only home he’s ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera (voice of Ben Kingsley), and the free-spirited bear Baloo (voice of Bill Murray). Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (voice of Scarlett Johansson), a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie (voice of Christopher Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire.

The all-star cast also includes Lupita Nyong’o as the voice of the fiercely protective mother wolf Raksha, and Giancarlo Esposito as the voice of wolf pack’s alpha male Akela. “The Jungle Book” seamlessly blends live-action with photorealistic CGI animals and environments, using up-to-the-minute technology and storytelling techniques to immerse audiences in an enchanting and lush world.

‘American Horror Story: Hotel’ Gets Another Creepy Teaser As Its Premiere Approaches!

by Derek KraneveldtSeptember 15, 2015

Briefly: Another day, another new teaser for ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’!

This one is probably the creepiest yet, and that disgusting looking arm definitely had me cringing for a few seconds.

Hotel, of course, brings on an all-star cast consisting of Lady Gaga, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Wes Bentley, Chloë Sevigny, Denis O’Hare, Cheyenne Jackson, Sarah Paulson, and Evan Peters among others, and is set to premier on October 7th!

American Horror Story has had a great few years of critically acclaimed stories and performances, and I’m certainly interested to see if Ryan Murphy, the cast, and the crew can keep it going for another year.

Take a look at the teaser below, and let us know if you’re looking forward to the premiere!

https://youtu.be/gJH7ire9oDQ

The Chloë Grace-Moretz Starring ‘The 5th Wave’ Gets A Creepy First Trailer!

by Derek KraneveldtSeptember 14, 2015

Briefly: I hadn’t heard of The 5th Wave until today, but after this effective first trailer it’s definitely on my radar.

It’s based on a young adult novel by Rick Yancey, and in the movie “four waves of increasingly deadly attacks have left most of Earth decimated. Against a backdrop of fear and distrust, Cassie (Chloë Grace Moretz) is on the run, desperately trying to save her younger brother. As she prepares for the inevitable and lethal 5th wave, Cassie teams up with a young man who may become her final hope – if she can only trust him.”

Check out the first trailer for the January 15th, 2016 film below, and let us know what you think!

The New Trailer For ‘Creed’ Is Here!

by Derek KraneveldtSeptember 14, 2015

I’m so freaking excited for Creed.

I’m a big Rocky fan, and loved Rocky Balboa back in 2007, so putting the fantastic Michael B. Jordan in the role of Apollo Creed’s son, and having Rocky himself train the kid? Perfect.

It sounds pretty heavy, but here’s the synopsis:

Drama. Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) never knew his famous father, world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, who died before he was born. Still, there’s no denying that boxing is in his blood, so Adonis heads to Philadelphia, the site of Apollo Creed’s legendary match with a tough upstart named Rocky Balboa. Once in the City of Brotherly Love, Adonis tracks Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) down and asks him to be his trainer. Despite his insistence that he is out of the fight game for good, Rocky sees in Adonis the strength and determination he had known in Apollo—the fierce rival who became his closest friend. Agreeing to take him on, Rocky trains the young fighter, even as the former champ is battling an opponent more deadly than any he faced in the ring. With Rocky in his corner, it isn’t long before Adonis gets his own shot at the title…but can he develop not only the drive but also the heart of a true fighter, in time to get into the ring?

Take a look at the trailer below, and let us know what you think! Creed hits theatres on November 25th!

The First Trailer For The ‘Back To The Future’ Documentary Is Here, And It Looks Amazing!

by Derek KraneveldtSeptember 12, 2015

Briefly: I hadn’t heard of Back in Time until today, and after watching its amazing trailer, it’s now easily one of my anticipated films.

What a perfect release date, too: the film will hit select theatres and VOD on October 21st, 2015. This is, of course, the actual date that Marty McFly travelled to in Back to the Future Part II.

The film is, of course, a documentary about Back to the Future, and it features new interviews with Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, Steven Spielberg, Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, and others, and based on this just released three minute trailer, they look to have some amazing insights.

Here’s the official synopsis:

In ‘Back in Time,’ cast, crew, and fans explore the classic time-travel trilogy’s resonance throughout pop culture. As the project evolved it took them from the joyous nostalgia at a massive London fan event to the living rooms of Michael J. Fox, Robert Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg, Bob Gale, Lea Thompson and Christopher Lloyd as well as Huey Lewis, James Tolkan (“Mr. Strickland”) Claudia Wells (“Jennifer Parker”) and more. Nothing is overlooked as they explore everything from Eric Stoltz’s casting to the invention of the hoverboard. Travelling throughout the world and leaving no stone unturned brings unparalleled behind-the-scenes access to the “BTTF” lexicon.

Now take a look at the trailer below, and let us know how much you’re now looking forward to this film.

‘The X-Files’ Event Series To Have A Screening At New York Comic-Con!

Briefly: It’s still hard for me to believe that The X-Files is coming back.

Us regular folk will be waiting until January 24th, 2016 for the six-episode (and then hopefully more) event series to begin (and hopefully rock our nostalgic worlds), but Fox today revealed that the series premiere episode, titled ‘My Struggle’ will screen at New York Comic-Con on October 10th following its world premiere at Cannes on October 6th.

The episode will screen on the Main Stage of the Javits Centre, and be followed by a Q&A with series creator Chris Carter and David Duchovny.

This sounds freaking awesome, and I’m pretty jealous of those that will be in attendance.

It’s a long wait until January 24th, but it’ll all be worth it if The X-Files lives up to the high points of the original series (and maybe not hold many similarities with that second movie).

Are you looking forward to the series? What do you hope to see in its six episodes? Sound out below!

https://youtu.be/CFJnWwh12j0

CBS’ ‘Limitless’ Gets A Lengthy New Featurette!

Briefly: Remember that clever (but semi-uninspired) 2011 film Limitless, based on the novel The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn?

The series is set to premiere on September 22nd, and the star of the original film, Bradley Cooper is even set to have a recurring role in the drama as Edward Morra, who is now a senator and will as a mentor to our new lead. He’s also an executive producer on the drama, and based on the trailer for the series and all of the buzz its garnering, I’m really looking forward to checking it out.

Today, a new featurette for the anticipated series debuted online. It clocks in at nearly four minutes, and includes interviews with Cooper, our new lead Jake McDorman, Jennifer Carpenter, as well as other cast and producers. They all sound genuinely excited for the show, and reveal some cool details about the production and what we can expect from this first season.

Limitless is a fast-paced drama about Brian Finch (McDorman), who discovers the brain-boosting power of the mysterious drug NZT and is coerced by the FBI into using his extraordinary cognitive abilities to solve complex cases for them. Working closely with Brian in the major case squad in New York City is Special Agent Rebecca Harris (Jennifer Carpenter), a formidable investigator with a dark past, and Special Agent Boyle (Hill Harper), a former military officer and Rebecca’s confidante.

Take a look at the new featurette below, and let us know if you’ll be tuning in to the Limitless premiere on September 22nd!

‘Doctor Who’s 9th Season Gets A Prologue, Watch It Now!

Briefly: With just over one week remaining until the ninth season of Doctor Who premieres (and the entire internet goes crazy), BBC has officially released a two minute prologue for the upcoming episodes.

The premiere episode is called ‘The Magician’s Apprentice’, and… I’ve never watched an episode so I have no idea what’s going on.

You can take a look at the prologue below, and be sure to let us know what you hope to see this season! Doctor Who returns on September 19th!

“Trapped and alone in a terrifying Dalek city, the Doctor is at the heart of an evil Empire; no sonic, no TARDIS, nobody to help. With his greatest temptation before him, can the Doctor resist? And will there be mercy?”

Watch The First Trailer For ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’!

Briefly: After numerous creepy teasers, and with less than a month until its premiere, FX has finally debuted the first actual trailer for American Horror Story: Hotel.

Sort of.

It’s a trailer showing off the expansive cast and creepy setting of the latest 13-episode season, and not much context. Also so much Lady Gaga.

Hopefully we’ll get a deeper look at the series before the October 7th premiere, but in any case, at least we know that American Horror Story: Hotel is as pretty as ever.

Take a look at the trailer below, and let us know if you’ll be checking into Hotel next month!

https://youtu.be/ghrEiLgehDU

Bethesda Launches Fantastic New ‘Do You Know What Makes You S.P.E.C.I.A.L.?’ Campaign!

by Derek KraneveldtSeptember 10, 2015

Briefly: As if Fallout 4 needed any more advertisement, Bethesda today launched a hilarious new campaign called ‘Do You Know What Makes You S.P.E.C.I.A.L.?’.

S.P.E.C.I.A.L., of course, is an acronym that stands for Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, Luck. This makes up the character stat system in the Fallout series, and it’s pretty freaking clever.

The video campaign began today with a video detailing the Strength stat, and just what it can do for you in the game. The video comes in the format of a 1950’s style cartoon, and as with all Fallout marketing, it’s so freaking cool.

Take a look at the video below, and let us know what you think! Fallout 4 hits PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 10th! The company has also just detailed a season pass, which normally wouldn’t interest me at all, but c’mon, it’s Fallout.

‘Disney Infinity 3.0’ Is Also Headed To The New Apple TV!

Briefly: Another big name title is headed towards the new Apple TV, and it’s Activision’s just-released Disney Infinity 3.0!

Here’s the announcement, straight from the Disney Infinity Blog:

John Vignocchi here with a quick update on an announcement you might have heard about earlier today…

I’m happy to share that the full Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition console experience will be available on the new Apple TV later this year. The game will be available through a special Apple TV starter pack, with a similar configuration to the one offered for consoles, including the Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano figures, and a new wireless Disney Infinity 3.0 bluetooth base! We’ll have additional details on this starter pack to share soon.

We are honored to have worked closely with Apple over the past few months to deliver a console–quality experience for this exciting new device. We can’t wait for fans — old and new — to give it a try when it releases later this year.

Apple let us know that Disney Infinity would head to the Apple TV earlier today, but didn’t offer any details about the release.

Will you pick up a new Apple TV? Plan to play games on it? Sound out below!

‘Beat Sports’, ‘Guitar Hero’, ‘Skylanders’, More All Revealed For New Apple TV!

Briefly: Apple announced a new, App-focussed Apple TV earlier today, and while every Apple event always garners an unsurmountable level of hate (wake up sheeple), I’m damned excited for the thing.

First, it looks like an inexpensive and phenomenal way to get content to your TV. I’m not a cable subscriber, and as an everyday user (and fan) of the 3rd-generation Apple TV, it has been far and away the best device for getting content to my television, be it Netflix, iTunes rentals, photos, YouTube, or countless other services.

This new Apple TV does all that too, and by the looks of it, it does it even better.

But there’s something I’m looking forward to even more than that, and that’s apps and gaming. Sure, I own multiple consoles and handhelds, but there are no devices on the market that bring more approachable gaming to the masses than Apple’s. I had never seen anyone’s grandmother play a video game of any sort until the iPad, and that’s a trend that I think will continue with this new Apple TV.

No, Apple didn’t make a gaming console, and no, they’re not targeting Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo. This is going to be a gaming device for people who are not gamers, and Apple and developers are going to make a killing off of it.

Oh, and it’s going to get full featured games too.

Following Apple’s ‘Hey Siri’ event this morning, Activision revealed that Guitar Hero, Skylanders, and Geometry Wars are headed to the new Apple TV.

Skylanders: Superchargers is a full port of the console game, and “The Skylanders SuperChargers Starter Pack for Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch will include everything fans with those devices need to play, including a Bluetooth-enabled portal, an embedded Bluetooth controller, and even a built-in stand. What’s more, if you have multiple Apple devices, your progress can be seamlessly synced across Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch with cloud save support under the same Game Center account.”

That sounds freaking awesome. You can play on your TV, and then actually take the same game on the go with you, it kind of sounds like what Sony wanted to do with the Playstation Vita, except it will actually work.

Here’s what the company had to say about Guitar Hero Live:

Guitar Hero Live is also coming to a wide array of devices, including consoles, mobile devices and Apple TV. Guitar Hero Live’s GH Live mode brings you closer to the live stage experience with live-action, first-person gameplay with crowds and bands that react dynamically to how you play. There’s also GHTV, the world’s first playable music video network, which lets you play along with a continually updated collection of official music videos spanning a variety of genres. Guitar Hero Live for Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch devices will come with the redesigned six-button guitar controller, which connects through Bluetooth so it be used across all supported Apple devices.

“We jumped at the opportunity to bring back Guitar Hero in a cool new way with Guitar Hero Live and have been energized by the response from fans who have had a chance to play it so far,” said Jamie Jackson, co-studio head and creative director at FreeStyleGames. “We can’t wait for the game to launch next month and think people are going to get a kick out of living their rock star fantasy on consoles, mobile devices and Apple TV this fall. It’s going to be rad!”

Geometry Wars 3: Retro Evolved is also headed to the Apple TV this Fall.

Rock Band creator Harmonix has also developed an entirely new IP for the Apple TV called Beat Sports, which looks like a mixture of Wii Sports and an extremely approachable rhythm title. The title offers “a collection of music-infused mini-games based loosely on familiar sports like tennis, volleyball, and golf. Designed and developed exclusively for the new Apple TV, Beat Sports is controlled using the brand-new remote.”

It looks simple, and it looks like a blast.

Another thing that I’m excited about? App store games are generally far more affordable than their console counterparts, and with my ailing exchange rate, I need to save all the money that I can. Also, my current Apple TV turns on way, way faster than my PS4 does, so if I have just a few minutes to jump into a game, guess which controller I’m more likely to grab?

Bring on the hate.

https://youtu.be/5R5cD094oWA

The New Apple TV Includes The App Store, And It’s Going To Be Huge

Briefly: After five long years, Apple has finally revealed a powerful new Apple TV, and it’s going to be freaking huge.

Now, the event is still ongoing, so there’s still a ton of news coming through, but it’s pretty clear (and I’m not just saying that because I’m an Apple fan) that this is going to turn the Apple TV from a well designed hobby product, into a central hub for all of your media, be that television, movies, games, apps, comic books, and more.

In introducing the product, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that “Our vision for TV is simple and perhaps a little provocative. We believe the future of television is apps.”

The new tvOS features a gorgeous new design (and I absolutely love that Siri support), but the biggest game-changer that the new Apple TV brings to your living room is the App Store. Yep, that same App Store that has brought hundreds of thousands of apps to millions of phones, including console quality games, incredible sports apps, and other amazing experiences, is coming to your TV.

Apple showed off some pretty cool applications, but the thing that I’m most excited for? Local multiplayer games. Many of the games showed off on stage had multiple people playing at the same time, on the same screen, which is almost unheard of these days unless you’re playing on a Wii U.

One of the best gaming experiences that I’ve had with friends as of late has been playing Jackbox Games’ Xbox One titles, a series of party games that utilize your smart phones as controllers, and have a large amount of players playing at the same time in the same room. It’s a freaking blast, and I can see a myriad of titles with similar mechanics making their way to the new Apple TV.

I own multiple consoles, and have so many games, but have never found a need to buy another controller. With the new Apple TV, all of my friends have a controller in their pocket, all of the time, and that’s the thing that I’m most excited for.

It’s got a brand new remote, with a gyroscope and an accelerometer for motion gaming, and I’m sure that a lot of games will use your iPhone as a controller as well.

Developers can begin working on apps starting today, and Apple showed images from console ports like Transistor and Disney Infinity, and even noted that developers will have the opportunity to have one purchase cover the app on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.

Pretty freaking cool.

The new Apple TV will cost $149 for a 32Gb model, and $199 for a 64Gb Model, and will launch in October.

Cook said that “When you consume this way, you realize just how much better it can be,” and I cannot wait to try it out for myself.

Photos via TheVerge.

The First Trailer For ‘Krampus’ Is Here, And I Love It