New Lost In Cult Book Chronicles The Rich History Of Console Gaming
The long history of video games is full of interesting stories, and if you’re looking for some reading material on the subject, you can lock in a preorder for The Console Chronicles for $40 at Amazon. Out on October 1, this hardcover book published by Lost in Cult chronicles five decades of console gaming through a series of essays from writers across the industry.
There are nine key sections–each one corresponding to the nine console generations–and these stories recount technical triumphs, game-changing disruptions in the scene, and major headline-making moments.
If you’re interested in seeing how games progressed as both an artistic medium and an industry, this book will make for some essential and insightful reading. This book is a collaborative effort between Lost In Cult and Hookshot Media (Nintendo Life, Push Square), and it features a great cover by artist Stephen Maurice Graham. Lost in Cult has been producing several fun historical books like this, and in case you missed it, A Handheld History is a comprehensive celebration of portable platforms and their iconic games. The Console Chronicles will look great on the shelf alongside A Handheld History.
Lost in Cult’s newest installment in its series of gaming journals, Lock-On, is also rolling out soon. The sixth volume features over 400 pages of essays, interviews, and artwork inspired by a wide variety of games like Metroid Prime, Alan Wake, and Oxenfree, and has a cover designed by Final Fantasy Illustrator Yoshitaka Amano.
Disclosure: GameSpot’s Brendan Hesse contributed to The Console Chronicles.
Escape From Tarkov Boss Didn’t Expect Players To Get Mad About Paid PvE Content
BattleState Games, the developer behind Escape from Tarkov, didn’t expect the backlash of only granting access to its PvE mode for those who purchased the $250 collector’s edition. It has since issued an apology and made several changes.
“First of all, I would like to say that I am very sorry that fans and the game community in general are experiencing these feelings, said chief operational officer Nik Buyanov in a Reddit post. “Unfortunately, I somehow did not foresee the fact of such a reaction and now I have drawn conclusions for my future decisions.”
BattleState Games will now make the mode free for those who purchased the Edge of Darkness edition, but will do so in waves. That’s because there is not enough server capacity to accommodate every single player at the moment. Furthermore, there will be mod support for the PvE mode after the game releases out of early access.
New Edge of Darkness perks for the game will be balanced, and prioritized matchmaking will be removed in order to keep everyone around the same level.
The $250 collector’s edition, called the Unheard Edition, will not be removed, but will be modified. The items and perks included in this edition will be balanced further and more rewards will be added.
BattleState Games came under fire for putting the PvE game mode behind a paywall last week, and the studio attempted to justify that it was a “feature and a game mode,” not DLC. As such, it didn’t count as DLC and wouldn’t be available for Edge of Darkness edition purchasers who were entitled to all subsequent DLC expansions.
New Star Wars And Marvel Disney Plus Blu-Rays Have Arrived, But You May Want To Order Soon
The second wave of Star Wars and Marvel physical editions of hit Disney+ series launched today, April 30. On the Star Wars side, you can pick up Season 1 of the stellar show Andor as well as the complete Obi-Wan Kenobi series. Meanwhile, Marvel fans and collectors can add The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and Moon Knight to their shelves. All four shows are available on 4K Blu-ray and standard 1080p Blu-ray. You’ll get a steelbook case and three art cards with each one, regardless whether you choose 4K Blu-ray or standard Blu-ray. Amazon and Walmart are offering nice discounts for the brand-new releases, too.
If you prefer to shop at Amazon, you should know that you’ll have a bit of a wait before your order arrives. Though Moon Knight is available to ship immediately, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and Andor won’t arrive until May 8 at the earliest, according to Amazon’s current estimates (which can change at any time). Meanwhile, Obi-Wan has a one- to two-month wait.
Over at Walmart, on the other hand, all four releases are available to ship immediately. You may even be eligible for free one-day or delivery. You can also order online and pick up at your local store. Here’s a quick look at Walmart’s listings for each.
Walmart Disney+ listings, eligible for one-day delivery
And if you still want to pick up last year’s releases, we’ve compiled a list below of all eight of the Disney+ Marvel and Star Wars physical editions on 4K and standard Blu-ray. And, of course, you could also sign up for a Disney+ subscription to watch all of these shows and more.
More Marvel and Star Wars Disney+ Blu-rays
$45 (was $55)
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier team up at the very end of Avengers: Endgame, and this collection follows their ensuing adventures through the first season of their spin-off show. It’s available on 4K UHD Blu-ray and standard Blu-ray, both of which come with a steelbook case and art cards. Along with the film, the physical release includes the Cap’s Shield featurette, a gag reel, deleted scenes, and Assembled: The Making of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
$45 (was $55)
The first season of Moon Knight follows in the footsteps of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, with 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray steelbook collections up for grabs. Along with the complete first season, you get a featurette about the Egyptian mythology that inspired Moon Knight, a documentary about the making of Moon Knight, deleted scenes, a gag reel, and three art cards.
$45 (was $55)
Set 10 years after Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi follows the eponymous Jedi as he embarks on a new adventure. Both the 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray steelbook collections include the complete run. The discs include a variety of featurettes, such as director’s commentary from Deborah Chow and a look at the lore behind the Inquisitors and Darth Vader. Along with the steelbook case, you get a trio of collectible art cards.
$45 (was $55)
The final series getting a physical release is Andor. The 4K UHD and Blu-ray steelbook collections include the complete first season, three art cards, and five unique featurettes–including stories of ISB agent Dedra and a discussion about the origin of the Andor series.
Can’t wait for these upcoming releases? Check out the existing collection of Disney Plus shows that made the jump to Blu-ray.
