Fan Expo Canada 2024 had a great variety of cosplayers, activations, shopping, panels and guests throughout the convention weekend.

This year was star-studded and packed with so many great guests! Fan Expo Canada 2024 kicked off with many attendees flocking to the Toronto Metro Convention Centre. CGMagazine was able to capture the most important part of the show: the fans! The fans brought a great assortment of cosplay clothing, offering both sophisticated looks and zany ones. Many of them ranged from some of the hottest anime series, TV/film, comics, video games and more.

Fan Expo Canada 2024 comes back back swinging harder than ever post-pandemic, even bringing back the Xbox exhibit! There are many new and returning celebrities and special guests too, such as Barbie and Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings star Simu Liu, Emily Swallow, Giancarlo Esposito and Temuera Morrison from The Mandalorian/The Book of Boba Fett, and so much more. On top of that many installations and fun prizes are to be won throughout the con. This collection captures the general minutiae of the whole convention across the whole weekend.

Fan Expo Canada 2024 Thursday Kick-Off

Fan Expo Canada 2024 Friday Rush

Fan Expo Canada 2024 Saturday Bonanza

Star Wars Outlaws is the latest game that takes place in the Star Wars universe right in between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. The story follows a scoundrel named Kay Vess as she makes a name for herself as an outlaw—and her loveable pet, Nix. For the first time, players will be diving into an open-world Star Wars game with Star Wars Outlaws, and they’ll be doing it as a woman.

CGM got to sit down with two women taking the lead with Star Wars Outlaws, Humberly González and Nikky Foy. González, known for her roles in Ginny & Georgia on Netflix and more recently, Tarot, is the voice of Kay and handles all the motion capture for the role. Foy is the Lead Scriptwriter for Star Wars Outlaws at Ubisoft Toronto, which means not only do we have a woman as the face of the game, but we have one narrating it, too.

We talked with Foy and González about what it means to work on such a beloved property, how being women and having women take the lead has influenced Star Wars Outlaws, and what that means to them. Seeing women as the faces and storytellers behind these epic tales is something every girl needs growing up, and that knowledge was not lost on the pair while working on Star Wars Outlaws for the last several years.

I read you both worked on Far Cry 6. Did your paths cross while working on it, or did you recently meet on Star Wars Outlaws?  

Nikki Foy: Well, recently is…

Humberly González: The last couple of years, yes!

Nikki Foy: For Far Cry 6, we didn’t really work together. I was mostly doing the villain DLC stuff. 

Humberly González: Right. And I played Jonrón, which wasn’t a part of that. We don’t often get to interact with everybody. Sometimes, you’re a part of a project, and there are so many humans attached. 

And non-humans in the case of Star Wars Outlaws [Nix].

Humberly González: And then non-humans! It’s kind of cool that we both come from the same projects and now we actually get to interact so often. 

Nikki Foy: Yeah, I think, too, as a writer, you see more of the actors than they see of you, right? So, on Far Cry 6, I definitely knew who Humberly was and all her work and stuff. When we were casting this, that was all in there for sure.

So our nerdy fandoms, especially things like Star Wars, present very male-dominated, whether that’s the creative team or the fans. What’s it like to lead the charge on this both as the creative team and as the voice and the body of Star Wars Outlaws? To lead this male-dominated universe and have it be women first right now.

Nikki Foy: It’s a really great opportunity, I think, for not just individuals but for the brand as a whole. I was just talking about how I was at Galaxy’s Edge for the first time in my life and just cried the whole time because I couldn’t believe it. And I was building a lightsaber in that experience, which was so cool. But next to me, there were two sisters, and they were probably six and eight, building one next to me. And I just felt so…

And now I’m crying. I have kids that age.

Nikki Foy: I just cried very hard the whole time because it was just like this brand meant so much to me, and I didn’t have someone like Kay to really see myself in. I loved Princess Leia, but I wanted to be Han, right? And I think getting to bring that to life is so special. And our whole team, really, that’s been the goal from the beginning. It’s been really special.

Humberly González: Yes, to be a leading woman not just in a Star Wars story but in the video game industry, which also tends to have a lot of limitations and misogyny and kind of in-and-out politics of who can be a part of it and who you want to play as. I am incredibly proud of the team having chosen someone like me, but also only me, that there isn’t a male counterpart to the story of Star Wars Outlaws that we are focusing on a female point of view of a scoundrel story because we’ve only really ever seen males in a scoundrel position.

So the representation is incredible for me as an immigrant Latina in Canada to bring, to even get to speak about my country, about Venezuela, about what it means to me as an artist that I followed this dream not having any of my family here, not having a lot of mentors in my family or anyone to look up to or content to look up to. Even in Star Wars, you know, there aren’t a lot of Latinas in this space. And so, for me, I knew that this was going to mean a lot, not just to me and my community and my family, but to everybody else who’s watching it too and playing it. 

“Seeing women as the faces and storytellers behind these epic tales is something every girl needs growing up, and that knowledge was not lost on the pair while working on Star Wars Outlaws for the last several years.”

When they go, “Oh, this is a cool character, I wonder where they’re from?” and then they do the research, I just want people to feel seen and if I can be in any of those categories as a woman, a woman of colour, as an immigrant, as a Latina, any of those are so meaningful for someone who enters a franchise as big as Star Wars. 

So for the next generation, for those little girls in Galaxy’s Edge, for the little girls watching, for anyone back home, for me, if they just simply get to see someone like them on screen, it means something to them. Feel inspired, feel strong, feel seen, feel represented. That, to me, is the goal. It’s incredible because it really is beyond just me. 

Nikki Foy: Yeah, and  I think, too, there’s an empathy element to it that I really love to think about. When I was a kid, I think there’s been a lot of research about this, and people who are talking about it talk about it. But I think, too, it’s easy for young girls to empathize with male characters. It’s something that we’ve always been taught. And I think having this female character who everyone can love and see parts of themselves in is so exciting and fun, too.

It’s made me emotional. I have a five-year-old daughter and then a nine-year-old son, so seeing him see her, see that it is possible in Star Wars Outlaws.

Nikki Foy: Yeah, that’s incredible.

Leaning into that, a lot of the time, people will say being a woman is a weakness. We’re emotional. We’re not tough. We’re not as strong as the male heroes. So, did you need to find a balance with Kay in Star Wars Outlaws, both in writing and acting, in terms of her femininity and her strength? Or do you think that her femininity is her strength?

Nikki Foy: Yeah, I don’t know if we’ve thought about it in terms of that. I remember early on writing this huge document about the way in which female protagonists are different from male protagonists. And not in the way of worse or better, but to me, that point of view really infuses the how of things. Often, the why is the same for characters. 

Like survival, for example, right? Female characters often are shown surviving in a different way. Maybe a cool, charming female character, she’s going to use her feminine wiles to get something done, or she can pretend to be weak, and whatever. And I made this list of things that I was like, “I don’t want Kay to ever do any of these. I don’t want her to ever pretend to be weak. I don’t want her to ever pretend to be weak. I don’t want her to ever use her femaleness to get something.” 

So that was always on our mind. But in terms of, “Oh, how does she treat this?” Or “How does she approach the situation as a female character?” Once we got who Kay was, it was very much like, “How does Kay approach this?” And once we created this character and cast Humberly and got this great vulnerability and real humanity to it, it became so easy to just make choices based on that.

Humberly González: I mean, to step into a character that was made, and then I had to literally give her a soul, and a heart, and a conscience. So knowing that I’m like, “Oh, okay, here’s the character, now bring her to life, quite literally breathe life into her.” I can’t help but bring my heart. I can’t help but bring my vulnerability. 

So, if I think of Kay as a mirror to me, and what femininity means to me, and what my strengths are, I do believe that my vulnerability is a strength. I think that women are resilient. We are troubleshooters and protectors, and there’s this nurturing, and I think you get to see some of those traits with Kay and Nix, you know, Nix is her family, and you see her go above and beyond for him and for a partnership, what loyalty means, what it means. 

There are a lot of themes in there. I think she’s a scoundrel with a bit of a chip because she is vulnerable and she is flawed. In the end, that’s also what brings her ahead. You always say this line, it’s like failing forward. She isn’t afraid to make mistakes and learn from them. There’s no relying on this ego or overly confident like I got it all figured out.

I wasn’t afraid to bring those aspects to her that may seem weak, but really, in a way, it’s her just navigating her growth. It’s her navigating right from wrong, and what she wants to do, and being autonomous in her own choices in this vast galaxy full of danger. She is naive and a rookie, but those could be her strengths too because, at the end of the day, sometimes not knowing takes you further because she’s not relying on fear and not thinking that she can’t do something. She really believes in herself. 

That’s something I have a lot as a person, as Humberley. I believe in my dreams, and I believe in myself. I know my worth. I infused Kay with that. So, you know, if that is something that makes me female or whatever, then great. I want to be that person anyway. 

Absolutely. You’re talking about breathing life into this character in Star Wars Outlaws, and doing that in a video game is one thing. Doing that through MoCap is another, but you’ve also been on stage, live-action, and just regular voice acting. Do you feel like you’re breathing life into characters the same way or in those other mediums, you are the character?

Humberly González: I have to say, ever since doing motion capture—and I’ve worked with Ubisoft for years and years since, like 2016—I believe my first video game was Starlink, which was a video game from the ground up with Ubisoft. I feel like I have a lot more room and depth to bring into the other mediums of the industry that aren’t motion capture because there’s so much detail that comes with only being a voiceover actor. I think it is actually quite vulnerable to be a voice actor. You are not relying on your face or your mannerisms. 

Even right now, I’m talking with my hands but it’s just my voice. How do I convey the real meaning of what I mean if I can’t use everything else? These are all tools that I possess in my being. Motion capture has allowed me to have more awareness of my body. Therefore it infuses my other work. I’m really grateful for this this part of my job. I really love it.

Now, obviously, Star Wars, wow!

Humberly González: That’s it. Wow.

What kind of preparation went into Star Wars Outlaws, and what level of excitement, fear, and nervousness goes into prepping from the ground up and stepping into this role? Especially knowing that there are so many sections of Star Wars and that you are creating your own little pocket.

Nikki Foy: Yeah, I think it’s so weird to have a job where the thing that you should do is consume Star Wars media.

Humberly González: Gotta do it for the job!

Nikki Foy: I remember when I got hired or when I got told, “Yeah, you’re gonna work on this [Star Wars Outlaws].” I didn’t know what to do. So I just, because I was so overwhelmed, I just opened the Clone Wars show on my iPad and had it next to me while I was cooking dinner in a haze and I was like, “I’m working right now. This is part of my job now. I just get to be inspired by all this media that I already love.” So that was what, really, I spent a lot of time-consuming media that I’d already seen, but just with this lens of like, “Oh, okay, Outlaws, scoundrel, underworld.”

 Does that change the way you look at it, though? Once it goes from “This is my love” to “This is my job.”

Nikki Foy: Absolutely! It does, but not in a way that turns it into work. It was more like I was paying attention to things that I wasn’t paying attention to before. I remember even in that example when I was cooking dinner, there was a scene where Ahsoka was in a nightclub in Clone Wars, And I was like, “Oh cool, Kay could be in a nightclub!” I was watching it a lot more actively, I think.

From then, with that going on, I really tried to just catch myself thinking. If I’m walking somewhere and my brain is just off, I’ll try to focus on thinking about Kay. Thinking about her relationships. Thinking about the people in her life. I’m listening to a song. It’s like, “Oh, think about how Kay would feel if this and this and this happen,” you know? So I think that combination is really how I approached starting to write this stuff.

Humberly González: Yeah, I mean, honouring what someone has created, and not just this team, but the franchise itself, knowing that it was between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. I think one of the first things I did was that I’m going to watch the movies and imagine myself in this world and the tone of it, you know? What people are scared of, what’s out there? 

And at the end of the day, it’s also a new story. We have not seen a story where this character isn’t a part of the big rebellion and a Sith or any of this. She is from Canto Bight. She is a young girl who is a thief who’s resilient. She’s surviving. So, there weren’t a lot of examples for me to draw from.

I had to really rely on instinct, asking the writers, asking the directors, like, “Hey is this somewhere where she would be? Is this a thought she would have?” And I think, for me, the work started when I actually got to know more of the story. I think that before, it was just exciting. Anytime I saw anything Star Wars or listened to the theme song or anything, I would just get goosebumps and be like, “Oh, I’m in this! I’m in this!” It just has a different meaning now that I’m forever immortalized in this franchise. 

But growing with Kay, it’s like knowing her backstory and why she says the things she does and why she acts the way that she does, that has been the most joyous part of my job because I love backstory. I mean, for an actor, it’s like, “What’s my motivation here? What am I doing?” And knowing that it has been created specifically for her and therefore me, it was just such a special thing that I’m like, “No one has ever said these words. No one has stepped into…” I am literally walking in her shoes! And so it’s really special to really step into something that’s never been done.

I want to know, in one word, your favourite thing about Kay Vess in Star Wars Outlaws. What is her trait that we should pay attention to? Sorry, I was wondering if

Humberly González: What is a word for not quitting? 

Resilient?

Nikki Foy: Yeah, resilient is really good. 

Humberly González: She does not give up, man. That girl will try and try and try and try in every single way, and she’ll get it. She gets it!

Nikki Foy: Kay’s quality that I love the most is—it is resilient adjacent—but it’s like this whatever effect of “That’s fine.” 

Humberly González: Surrender. 

Nikki Foy: It’s more active than that. If anything happens, it’s like water off a duck’s back. No matter what’s going on, the worst situation that could happen. 

Humberly González: She doesn’t sweat it. 

Nikki Foy: She’s just like, “Okay.” And when she is upset, it’s for such a fair reason. And it usually comes from a place of hurt and history and stuff. But otherwise, she’s just rolling with the punches, and I love that. I want to be more like that.

Star Wars Outlaws will be released on August 30, 2024, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay up to date with everything Star Wars Outlaws here.

isney+ Star Wars series The Acolyte wrapped up its first season with a decidedly open-ended finale. So, does this mean the The Acolyte is getting a Season 2?

Related: The Acolyte: Is Darth Plagueis in Season 1?

Is The Acolyte Season 2 Happening?

No, The Acolyte Season 2 isn’t happening. Per Deadline, Lucasfilm cancelled the Star Wars series on Aug. 19, 2024. The outlet’s sources didn’t supply a reason for The Acolyte‘s cancellation, although its lacklustre viewership figures were likely a contributing factor. As noted by Deadline, The Acolyte lost its spot on Nielsen’s Top 10 originals chart from Episode 4 to 7. To its credit, The Acolyte eventually landed back on the chart with its eighth and final episode. But even then, its total number of minutes viewed was reportedly the lowest of any Star Wars series.

Related: Is Yoda in Star Wars: The Acolyte?

Lucasfilm axing The Acolyte will no doubt come as a blow to showrunner Leslye Headland, who was ready to hit the ground running on Season 2. In March 2024 Collider interview, Headland revealed that The Acolyte was always conceived as a story that spanned more than one season. “I would say that when I pitched it, I definitely pitched it as a multi-season show,” she said. “There are a lot of things at the end of this season that I think are narrative threads that are not tied up, for sure.”

What Was Planned for The Acolyte Season 2’s Story?

So, what did Leslye Headland have planned for The Acolyte Season 2, if it had happened? More Darth Plagueis, for one thing! Plagueis briefly cameos in Season 1’s finale, which Headland confirmed in an Inverse interview was set-up for Season 2. She also reiterated the importance of Osha and the Stranger’s newly-forged partnership to the second season’s unrealized narrative.

Related: Does The Acolyte Season 1 Have a Post-Credits Scene?

“[Darth Plagueis is] definitely a signifier of things to come if we end up moving forward,” Headland said. “Osha and the Stranger are aligned. Literally the last shot of the show is the two of them holding the same lightsaber. It’s the last shot of Fight Club – these are two people that are looking out under the horizon and believing that their power is intense, and strong, and shared, and passionate.”

All eight episodes of The Acolyte Season 1 are currently streaming on Disney+.

 The above article was updated on 8/20/2024 by the original author to include information about The Acolyte’s cancellation.

Enlarge / We have doubts that any amount of Force powers will bring the show back. (credit: YouTube/Disney+)

In news that will delight some and disappoint others, Disney has canceled Star Wars series The Acolyte after just one season, Deadline Hollywood reports. The eight-episode series got off to a fairly strong start, with mostly positive reviews and solid ratings, albeit lower than prior Star Wars series. But it couldn't maintain and build upon that early momentum, and given the production costs, it's not especially surprising that Disney pulled the plug.

The Acolyte arguably wrapped up its major narrative arc pretty neatly in the season finale, but it also took pains to set the stage for a possible sophomore season. In this streaming age, no series is ever guaranteed renewal. Still, it would have been nice to see what showrunner Leslye Headland had planned; when given the chance, many shows hit their stride on those second-season outings.

(Spoilers for the series below. We'll give you another heads-up when we get to major spoilers.)

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The Acolyte wasn’t perfect, but it did break new narrative ground in Star Wars, a franchise often haunted by Force ghosts and endlessly recurring characters. Led by Leslye Headland, the Disney+ series dared to reevaluate decades-old tropes, unpack the flaws of the Jedi Order, and play with the space sandbox setting in…

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Star Wars: The Acolyte was a divisive, uneven, and daring stab at a different type of Jedi story. But decent reviews and an average viewership apparently wasn’t enough to convince Disney to invest in its future. The streaming platform is canceling Acolyte after just one season.

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We’re in the thick of summer right now, and while many of us are already looking forward to the cooler days and changing colors of fall, we shouldn’t miss the chance to snag some great games on the cheap as various platforms run their big summer sales. We’ll clue you in on some of the biggest deals on some of the best…

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This is a big one, folks: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR). It’s one of the most well-regarded Star Wars video games of all time. I was a young, barely-millennial at the time of its release. As such, this behemoth RPG was overshadowed by flashier titles like Podracer and Jedi Academy.

However, in light of the highly anticipated remake/remaster coming… hopefully at some point… This felt like the perfect time to finally dive into the golden child of Star Wars games. After twenty years (don’t remind me), does the game still shine?

For years, fans of the galaxy far, far away have been begging for the story and lore established in KOTOR to become part of the larger canon. Nearly all hope was lost when Disney seemingly tossed decades of content into the trash. But in the darkest night (that night being The Rise of Skywalker), hope was rekindled. A giant, albeit blurry, statue in the background of Exegol looked like Darth Nihilus, a villain from the KOTOR sequel. The Rise of Skywalker Visual Dictionary confirmed Revan as canon. So, KOTOR is indeed canon again, even if only partially.

With this ‘Legends’ game back in the conversation, the major standout is the story of KOTOR. Not only does it hold up, it remains one of the most captivating in all of Star Wars. Getting to truly experience it for the first time after all these years was a joy in and of itself. The story, though, is arguably the absolute highlight of the game. It’s enough in this case, but that’s not always the best for video games.

A long time ago…

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic takes place nearly four thousand years before the events of the Skywalker Saga. This era, like the entire history of this fictional galaxy, is rife with war and hardship. The war between the Republic and the Mandalorians has just ended. Taking advantage of the chaos, hundreds of Jedi turn to the dark side and join the Sith. Led by Darth Revan and his apprentice, Darth Malak, the Sith hope to extinguish the Jedi and the Republic. This is where your adventure begins.

After choosing your basic appearance and base class, you wake up on a starship with no memories. Your class choice arguably makes the most difference in this early section as it’s part of your backstory. Other than that, your starting class isn’t a make-or-break choice. You can tailor your team’s skills around any weak points you develop. I went with the Soldier class to give me an edge with basic attacks.

You wake up on the Endar Spire, in the middle of a devastating attack by Sith forces. Before long, Carth Onasi, the renowned Republic soldier and pilot, saves you. You narrowly escape with him, and crash land on planet Taris, a crime-ridden, anti-alien world. The crash landing triggers a vision of Jedi Bastila Shan. She is presumed captured somewhere on the planet.

Follow your own path

Taris is a hellish introduction to the play style. You’ll spend a lot of time deep underground and in sewers, fighting gangs and all manner of creepy creatures. Your first major mission is to save Bastila from the Vulkar Gang. As it turns out though, she doesn’t exactly need your help. Bastila immediately notices something strange about you, though. It seems you two share a mysterious connection.

After seeking guidance from the Jedi Council on Dantooine, you can officially begin your free-roaming journey as a force-sensitive fighter. Acknowledging your connection to Bastila, the council instructs the two of you to track down pieces of a Star Map. The combined maps reveal the location of a secret base called the Star Forge. You must find the Star Forge, before the Sith use it to conquer the galaxy. There’s actually a lot more to it than that, but the story has a beautiful way of unfolding as you go.

There’s a section of the game that always occurs after leaving your second planet, whichever that may be. After Taris and Dantooine, my order of travel was Tatooine, Kashyyyk, Manaan, then Korriban. This accelerated my story with Bastila, but you can go in any order you choose. Many choose Kashyyk, then Tatooine.

From a certain point of view

Other than the story itself, KOTOR’s crowning achievement is its freedom of choice. Beyond choosing the path of your story, the game has a rigorous morality engine. Nearly every quest has the potential to gain you light side (good) points or dark side (evil) points.

What’s truly brilliant about this mechanic is that choosing the light side usually makes things harder for you. It’s a great reflection of real life. Of course it’s easier to threaten shop owners than to pay prices you can’t afford! And it’s definitely harder to de-escalate a feud than to blast everyone. That’s a wonderful lesson to teach younger players, and is in line with the philosophy of the Force.

The main events of the plot unfold as you choose which planets to visit first. There’s so much to do, and many ways to do nearly everything. From swoop racing to playing Pazaak, there are tons of side quests with multiple endings. There are even quests that, if you plan to be purely light side, you can’t (or shouldn’t) do! For example, The Genoharadan bounties are essentially a dark-side-only questline.

Your choices also change little things, like the way your companions talk to you. You accumulate a team of nine companions, including a Wookie, a Mandalorian, and three Jedi, including Bastila. Dipping more into the dark side changes the way Bastila relates to you most of all.

If you take the dark path, she’ll express her worry and outrage over your choices. Dark side choices even make her question her own choices, and whether she could defy the Jedi code. How you respond to Bastila (or Carth if you play as a woman) even determines whether a romance option becomes available. The romances are quite spicy, and frankly, a little devastating.

I have a bad feeling about this

The gameplay itself, at times, doesn’t quite hold up. Setting aside the fact that the graphics haven’t aged extremely well, there are more than a few portions of the map that are essentially just very long walks. Perhaps beautiful at the time, it feels a little monotonous in 2023.

The only version of quick travel is the ability to return immediately to your ship and then back to your last location. This action heals you automatically, which is great, but it did cause the game to crash more than once for me. Save often!

The fighting style is, from a certain point of view, rather genius. It’s a turn-based combat system with a wide variety of moves and bonuses. It allows you to strategize attacks and coordinate between team members smoothly. However, it feels stuck between styles. There’s more traditional turn-based combat systems like Fire Emblem, and there’s the real-time fights like in The Force Unleashed.

In KOTOR, having to stack moves or change strategies on the fly makes the combat feel delayed and a bit clunky. The satisfaction of a lightsaber strike is diminished when it takes up to 10 seconds for a strike to land.

With so much to do and such belabored lore, the sheer amount of alien dialogue can start to feel a little maddening. Overall, though, these issues are generally small potatoes. There are hundreds of opportunities for varying levels of combat. With a forgiving attitude, the scenery is often quite gorgeous. If you’re a Star Wars nerd, there’s hours of fun characters and history to discover. There’s a reason so many people love Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

Black mirror

*MAJOR SPOILERS IN THIS SECTION!*

I have to mention one of the most surprising and horrifying side-quests of any game I’ve ever played. On Dantooine, a woman informs you that her droid, the last memento of her dead husband, has been stolen. She tasks you with finding him and bringing him back. However, upon asking her a few questions, it becomes evident that this droid broke out of her house. The plot thickens…

You find her droid being attacked by Kath hounds. He tells you that his master, the woman, is addicted to him and treats him as her husband. Even at night… in bed… the droid is implied to be a sex slave! In a T-rated Star Wars game!

To earn light side points for this mission, you must grant the droid’s request to be taken out of his misery. You have to mercy kill him and condemn the woman for her actions. It’s randomly one of the darkest moments in the game. But she finds new love, so it all works out? We need justice for droids in Star Wars.

In the realm of spoilers, it’s worth noting that the big twist in this game (you are Darth Revan) has a detrimental effect on a romance with Bastila. You can choose to forgive her for manipulating and essentially re-creating you (not a great basis for a healthy relationship). If you try to profess your love after rescuing her, though, she basically blames your love on her fall to the dark side. Yeesh. At least it’s a great example of why the Jedi discourage romance. “Bastila, you’re breaking my heart.“

Final thoughts on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, after 20 years, mostly lives up to its stellar reputation. It’s an incredible story with engaging twists and turns. The combat is varied and well-animated for its time. While there were some bugs, glitches, and a couple of crashes, I was playing on the Switch. It could be that the Aspyr port has trouble with a smaller capacity system.

It’s clear that KOTOR has had massive ripple effects across the Star Wars fandom and the world of gaming itself. While the remake is still far from release, we all wait with anticipation. In the meantime, give in to your hatred nostalgia and play this vintage, timeless gem.

The post RETRO REVIEW: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic [Switch] appeared first on Mega Visions.

California Extreme 2024 brought together retro gamers along with fans of the arcade for a nostalgic weekend.

The post The Games We Replayed at California Extreme 2024 appeared first on 8Bit/Digi.

It’s been a helluva week for video games, with mass layoffs at Destiny 2 studio Bungie, and a few hands-ons for upcoming high-profile releases like Marvel Rivals and Star Wars Outlaws. As usual, we weighed in on the goings-on of the week, so click through to read all of our big opinions and spicy takes.

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San Diego Comic-Con is always one of the best events when it comes to cosplay, with the vicinity to Hollywood giving us impressively detailed builds, stunning craftsmanship, and, quite frankly, gorgeous people. SDCC 2024 was no exception, with the three-day event that ran the last weekend in July at the San Diego…

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The free games for paid PS Plus subscribers in August have been revealed, and it’s another varied batch that potentially has something for everyone. While Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is the big one, I’m most looking forward to more players getting their hands on an often overlooked 2D action-RPG from several…

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Ubisoft says Star Wars Outlaws is the first open-world video game based on the popular sci-fi franchise. But it also offers another first: In a new trailer for Outlaws that debuted at Ubisoft Forward 2024, we see our first canonical example of an in-universe video game in Star Wars.

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On June 10, Ubisoft held its annual Ubisoft Forward event as the final big event of Summer Game Fest 2024. The show was a bit subdued compared to past years, but we did get a huge look at Star Wars Outlaws, which is set to launch on August 30, 2024 on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.

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Today’s Xbox Games Showcase was a nice, healthy dose of what’s on the horizon for Team Green (and maybe a few other platforms?). In the midst of it all Starfield, Bethesda’s enormous space RPG with over 1,000 planets, got a nice trailer for its upcoming expansion, Shattered Space and from the looks of it, it’s clear…

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Not one to rest on its laurels, the makers of Oreo cookies are following up the Sour Patch Kids Oreos with Star Wars Oreos. They actually look really cool.

Available in two unique packs made with classic OREO chocolate wafer cookies, each pack has either dark side cookies with red creme or light side cookies with blue creme.

— Read the rest

The post Star Wars Oreos contain "Kyber" crystals appeared first on Boing Boing.

There are countless LEGO sets available to purchase and, if you’re trying to keep to a certain budget, things can get a little complicated. With sets costing hundreds of dollars, it’s not always easy to find an affordable LEGO set to gift or hoard. 

However, as a collector with a child who is also turning into something of a LEGO fan, I’ve had to get thrifty, and I’ve become pretty good at finding LEGO sets on the cheaper side. On this list, I’ve included something for all tastes and the best part? None of these sets sell for more than $50 USD.

Bonsai Tree

Price: $49.99 USD

The Bonsai Tree LEGO set allows you to create not just one tree, but two. Well, almost. You can build one trunk and then have the choice between greenery or Cherry Blossoms to complete the look. I love this set and have it in my bedroom, changing the leaves depending on the season.

Venomized Groot (Marvel)

Price: $49.99 USD

I can’t be the only person whose favorite character from the Marvel universe is Groot, and this set combines him with another favorite - Venom. You can build this set to be either half-venomized or completely venomized, allowing for some customization and variety if you decide to deconstruct and build the set again. 

Dobby the House Elf (Harry Potter)

Price: $34.99 USD

One for the Harry Potter fans, Dobby the House Elf doesn’t come alone. You also get a LEGO version of Tom Riddle’s Diary from The Chamber of Secrets, complete with soggy sock, and the cake which results in bars being put on Harry’s window. Dobby’s giant green eyes and happy smile are just too cute.

Everyone is Awesome

Price: $34.99 USD

The Everyone is Awesome set is definitely a display piece, with its rainbow backing and solid color minifigs. Designed by Matthew Aston, it’s a celebration of inclusivity, positivity and kindness. Even if it’s not designed to be played with, this one’s still a pretty cool set to have. Bonus points if you can avoid getting the song stuck in your head.

Dinosaur Fossils: T. Rex Skull (Jurassic World)

Price: $39.99 USD

Even if you’re not that much of a fan of the Jurassic World franchise (though I’m unsure how you couldn’t be, at least when it comes to the original movie), this set looks really nice sitting on a shelf. You get both the T. Rex footprint and fossilized skull to display, as well as a small plaque relaying details about real-life T. Rex. 

Isabelle’s House Visit (Animal Crossing)

Price: $39.99 USD

Part of the fairly recent inclusion of Animal Crossing as a LEGO collection, Isabelle’s House Visit includes not only the house and surrounding greenery, but also a floating present and two minifigs - Isabelle and Fauna - which complete the scene. The set has only 389 pieces, so it's one children can help with and enjoy dismantling just to put it back together again.

Orchid

Price: $49.99 USD

My fiancé purchased the Orchid set for me as a gift and we built it together, so I may be a little biased here, but I cannot overstate how good value this set is. It’s actually pretty big, standing at 15 inches tall, so it’s replaced the real plant on my dining table. I can attest that, as someone who is terrible at keeping houseplants alive, LEGO flowers are an excellent alternative!

Escape from the Lost Tomb (Indiana Jones)

Price: $39.99 USD

If you’re a fan of the Indiana Jones franchise, or Egyptian iconology, or just LEGO in general and hankering to build something, the Escape from the Lost Tomb set is good value for money. It has 600 pieces and, when built, has interactive parts which make it good for both kids and adults. 

Spider Tank (Star Wars)

Price: $49.99 USD

This mechanical spider from the Mandalorian comes with three minifigs: The Mandalorian himself, Grogu, and Bo-Katan Kryze. The Spider Tank itself has a shooting function, designed to fling tiny bits of LEGO across the living room for you to find hours later once the kids are in bed, so I’d argue that this one should be kept out of small kids, lest your feet feel the force of the LEGO step.

The Sword Outpost (Minecraft)

Price: $44.99 USD

I have to admit, my first thought when the Minecraft collection of LEGO was announced was, “What took them so long?”. I mean, it’s a world built entirely from blocks so it just makes sense to make things from the game out of LEGO. Well, this is one of the sets now available from the Minecraft LEGO collection, including an oversized version of a Diamond Sword and multiple minifigs, like the adorably blocky pig.

The post 10 most affordable LEGO sets that won’t break the bank appeared first on Destructoid.

Creative Assembly, the developer behind the Total War series of strategy games (as well as the best Alien video game ever) is reportedly entering the galaxy far far away. According to a new report from DualShockers, the developer is working on a new entry in the Total War franchise that will be set in the Star Wars…

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Following revelations about the extent of the federal government's pressure on social media companies to suppress dissenting opinions, the feds broke up with Meta, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. Cybersecurity experts now frequently complain about the lack of coordination between the government and the platforms, warning that social media users are vulnerable to misinformation about elections, foreign interference, and other woes.

But the platforms might be receiving late-night "you up?" texts from federal agents once again. Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner (D–Va.) told reporters on Monday that communication between the federal government and social media sites is back on, according to Nextgov and The Federalist.

In fact, Warner said these communications had resumed in the midst of oral arguments for Murthy v. Missouri, the Supreme Court case that will decide whether the FBI, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Biden White House had violated the First Amendment when they pushed social media sites to remove disfavored content. The justices seemed at least somewhat skeptical, viewing the government's actions as mere attempts at persuasion rather than coercion. That skepticism has apparently given the feds the green light, with Warner acknowledging that "there seemed to be a lot of sympathy that the government ought to have at least voluntary communications" with the platforms.

Whether social media companies ever viewed these communications as "voluntary" is an open question. For instance, when then–White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield suggested tinkering with Section 230—the federal law that protects online platforms from some liability—in order to punish Facebook, CEO Mark Zuckerberg might have wondered whether he had much of a choice but to comply.

In any case, it seems clear that federal agencies will continue to interact with social media companies in ways that trouble many libertarians—until and unless they are explicitly forbidden from doing so.

This Week on Free Media

The Spectator's Amber Athey is back to discuss waning liberal anxiety about Donald Trump's potential return to power, Jen Psaki's advice for President Joe Biden's comms team, and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem's doggone media tour.

Worth Watching

Now this is podracing: It's the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, and the much-maligned first prequel film has returned to theaters. This is as good a time as any for me to reiterate my once-controversial, now increasingly accepted opinion that the Star Wars prequels are OK. (It's truly heretical to say that they are better than the original films; that is my view, though I won't try to defend it here.) They are certainly way, way better than the new films, which are dull, joyless, and derivative.

The best thing about the prequels is Palpatine's manipulations, and those only come into full focus later on. Phantom Menace is thus the least appealing of the three, as it's the one most obviously aimed at children. But there's nothing wrong with that; I was 9 years old when I first saw the film, and like virtually every other kid at that time, I thought Darth Maul's appearance and climactic duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn was pretty much the coolest thing I'd ever watched. And it still holds up!

The post The Feds Are Talking to Social Media Companies Again appeared first on Reason.com.

Fortnite's v29.40 update brings a bevy of new Star Wars content to the battle royale in time for Star Wars Day on May 4. The update should hopefully be live by the time you're reading this, so we've put together a rundown of all the brand-new Star Wars related content you can acquire with your V-Bucks.

All new Star Wars skins for Fortnite

Here is a list of every new Star Wars skin added to Fortnite on May 3, along with an explainer on how you can unlock them. As a reminder, owning a skin in the battle royale will also make it available at no extra cost in Lego Fortnite, which has its own Star Wars crossover going on.

• Chewbacca—Everyone's favorite Wookiee has made his long overdue debut in Fortnite. However, he's not available in the item shop; you can only get this skin by purchasing the Lego Pass: Rebel Adventure in Lego Fortnite for 1,400 V-Bucks.
• Lando Calrissian—An old friend of Han Solo's, Lando Calrissian is available from the item shop for 1,500 V-Bucks on his own, as well as part of a special bundle for 1,800 V-Bucks.
• Dagobah Luke—Luke Skywalker returns to Fortnite, this time in the outfit he wore while training with Yoda on Dagobah. This skin costs 1,200 V-Bucks, and it also comes as part of a Dagobah Luke bundle for 1,800 V-Bucks.
• AWR Trooper—Also known as a Death Trooper, this black-clad Stormtrooper can be bought from the item shop for 1,500 V-Bucks.

All new Star Wars cosmetics for Fortnite, including Back Bling, Pickaxes, emotes, and more

The update has brought several other miscellaneous Star Wars items to Fortnite. Here is a list of them, covering everything from Back Bling to emotes. Some items don't have confirmed prices yet, but we will update this list once we find out:

• Yoda (Back Bling)—Yoda himself may not be a skin, but you can carry him into battle on your back. This one pairs perfectly with the Dagobah Luke skin; in fact, it comes bundled with it for 1,800 V-Bucks, or you can buy it separately for 1,000 V-Bucks.
• Yoda's Cane (Pickaxe)—The closest you can get to roleplaying as Yoda in Fortnite is by bopping people on the head with his cane. It comes with the aforementioned Yoda Back Bling for 1,000 V-Bucks, as well as the Dagobah Luke bundle.
• Disassembled C-3PO (Back Bling)—Remember when C-3PO got taken part and had to be carried in pieces by Chewie back in The Empire Strikes Back? You can recreate this moment by purchasing this Back Bling for 500 V-Bucks.
• Wookiee Battle Staff (Pickaxe)—Made with wood from the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk, this Pickaxe will likely be available in the item store. It currently doesn't have a confirmed price.
• Cloud City Model (Back Bling)—This replica of Cloud City is appropriately included in the Lando Calrissian bundle, which costs 1,800 V-Bucks.
• Vibro-Ax (Pickaxe)—Lando wielded this weapon during his time at Jabba's Palace in Return of the Jedi. As such, you can get it as part of the Lando Calrissian bundle for 1,800 V-Bucks, or you can buy it on its own for 800 V-Bucks.
• AWR Pack (Back Bling)—This pack belonging to the AWR Troopers can't be bought from the item store, but it's fairly simple to acquire. All you need to do is complete 10 Star Wars quests in the battle royale, and it's yours for free.
• Lil' AT-AT (Emote)—Summon an adorable miniature AT-AT to ride around on. This emote costs 500 V-Bucks in the item shop.
• Growling Chewbacca (Emote)—Express yourself on the battlefield with this emote of a growling Chewie. It can likely be bought from the item shop, but it doesn't have a confirmed price yet.
• Galaxies Collide (Loading Screen)—Celebrate the Star Wars update with this loading screen that represents the entire crossover across all of Fortnite's modes. We don't yet know how you can unlock it.
• New Adventures (Loading Screen)—This loading screen depicts key artwork for the Lego Fortnite crossover. We don't yet know how you can unlock it.
• Chewie Wrap—Decorate your guns with this Chewbacca inspired wrap. We don't yet know how you can unlock it.
• AWR Armor Wrap—Intimidate opponents with this black weapon wrap based on the AWR Troopers. We don't yet know how you can unlock it.

All new Star Wars weapons for Fortnite

There's actually only one new Star Wars weapon added to Fortnite with this update: the Wookiee Bowcaster. There are Imperial Roadblocks scattered around the battle royale island, and these have special Imperial chests which may contain the Bowcaster. Chewbacca himself is being held prisoner at one of these roadblocks and, if you save him, you're guaranteed to receive the Bowcaster as a reward. The return of Darth Vader as a boss means you can once again obtain his lightsaber if you manage to defeat him, and defeated Stormtroopers and Imperial chests can drop E-11 Blasters.

The post Every Fortnite Star Wars skin, weapon, and more for update v29.40 appeared first on Destructoid.

You've survived starvation, wolves, those rolling rock monsters, and so much more to build your perfect village in Lego Fortnite. It sure would be a shame if an evil empire rolled up and started blasting. Luckily for you, a rebel fleet is ready to back you up against the dark side of The Force.

A new Star Wars update is launching for Fortnite on May 3, and with it comes a massive expansion to Lego Fortnite. We'll investigate the crash site of an Empire vessel after it rifts into our Lego Fortnite world. There's a ramshackle rebel village that we'll help build into a Level 10. From there, we can launch assaults on Empire encampments throughout the island. All of this looks to be adding a much more focused narrative hook to the otherwise free-reign of Lego Fortnite.

This event will also include the addition of a Lego Pass. With a free track and paid track, you can unlock various structures and items by completing quests. Purchasing the premium track for 1400 V-Bucks immediately gets you Chewbacca skins for Lego Fortnite and Battle Royale. At the end of each track is a large construction unlock. For the free path, you get the Mos Eisley Marketplace. The paid path gets you the Dusty Durrr Burger Build. It combines the Star Wars aesthetic and a Fortnite classic.

Along with all the Star Wars excitement, this update also comes with a lot more Fortnite skins getting a proper Lego version. 90 skins will have new models, including Darth Vader, Krrsantan, and The Mandalorian.

Forget all the Star Wars; the biggest feature of this update is that you'll finally be able to view Lego Fortnite Quests without having to return to the Lobby. Thank the Force for that one.

The post Lego Fortnite x Star Wars crossover will let you build up your own Rebel base appeared first on Destructoid.

Billy Dee Williams’ Lando Calrissian is one of the coolest characters in Star Wars and now, finally, this cape-wearing, smooth-talking scoundrel will soon be available in Fortnite along with a lot of other Star Wars-related content, too.

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Happy May 3rd, Battlestar Galactica fans! Remember what John Dune said about living long and prospering? He said: Oh, look, objectively excellent dogfighter Star Wars: Squadrons is under two quid on Steam. As Edwin pointed out to me, that’s about the price of a third of latte, although he does pay London prices. Also, Edwin, are you going around trying to buy the dregs of people’s lattes? I cannot judge. Were it in short supply, I too would debase myself for caffeine in an instant.

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EA has been on a tear of releasing high-quality single-player titles the last few years, and perhaps no series has fared better than Respawn Entertainment’s third-person action-adventure Star Wars Jedi games. Starring Cameron Monaghan (Shameless) as a young Jedi survivor of Order 66, the series follows his character,…

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Truff, a maker of truffle hot sauces, is introducing a special Dark Side hot sauce in time for Star Wars Day: Darth Vader hot sauce.

From Truff:

Star Wars Dark Side Hot Sauce draws inspiration from the depths of the dark side, igniting a fusion of flavors that boldly pushes the boundaries of spiciness to new heights.This

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The post Darth Vader hot sauce on the way appeared first on Boing Boing.

A short Star Wars fan game about a stormtrooper fighting off his undead comrades (and its sequel set on Endor) have both gone viral online as fans realize that a horror game set in the popular sci-fi franchise would be awesome.

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Star Wars Outlaws: Ubisoft’s Latest Gamble – Release Date Revealed, Skepticism Warranted

Ubisoft has finally revealed the upcoming open-world Star Wars action adventure Star Wars Outlaws. The game will be released on August 30th, 2024, and pre-orders offer enticing incentives and expanded content. However, a healthy dose of skepticism is justified, considering Ubisoft’s track record and the hefty price tag attached to premium editions. Along this great news there is a new Story Trailer released

Fans eager to step into the boots of a spacefaring outlaw won’t have to wait long. Star Wars Outlaws releases this August, but those willing to pony up for the Gold or Ultimate Editions can jump in three days early. These deluxe versions also include the base game and a season pass, promising additional content post-launch.

Early Access and Pricey Extras

Fans eager to step into the boots of a spacefaring outlaw won’t have to wait long. Star Wars Outlaws releases this August, but those willing to pony up for the Gold or Ultimate Editions can jump in three days early. These deluxe versions also include the base game and a season pass, promising additional content post-launch. But would fans will be willing to give 110$ respectively 130$ for these?

Cause for Concern?

While the Star Wars universe holds undeniable appeal, Ubisoft‘s recent offerings leave room for hesitation. Several recent AAA titles like “AAAA” Skuls and Bones from the publisher have fallen short of expectations, marred by bugs, lackluster gameplay, and aggressive monetization. Additionally, the price point for deluxe editions of Star Wars Outlaws, exceeding $100, raises further questions about value for money.

Proceed with Caution

The promise of exploring the Star Wars galaxy as a charismatic outlaw undoubtedly sparks excitement. Still, Ubisoft’s recent history warrants a cautious approach. It’s advisable to hold off on pre-orders until more gameplay footage and reviews are available so that you can make an informed decision.

The post Star Wars Outlaws: Out on 30th of August 2024! appeared first on WePlayGames.net: Home for Top Gamers.

The South Korean Video Games Council rated Star Wars Outlaws as “Not for Teen” because of its mature content. The same happened with the Australian Government Classification for Star War Outlaws, rated as ‘M’ (Mature). This may be because the game contains gambling only, but let’s see.

What may be wrong with it—It would be the first Star Wars game not rated by P, which, on the other hand, may not be wrong.
On the other hand, it’s a good sign that we may all be much closer to release than we thought so far. So, let’s give the galaxy space to make us all happy about this Ubisoft top anticipated project for 2024.

What are your thoughts on this franchise’s most expected new game ? Will Ubisoft be able to live up to the hype?

The post Star Wars Outlaws: Signs we are closer than we think? appeared first on WePlayGames.net: Home for Top Gamers.

YouTube’s ‘Jeremy Cummins’ has shared a very cool video, showcasing Star Wars’ AT-AT Walkers in Unreal Engine 5. This video can give you a vague idea of what a next-gen Star Wars game could look like in Unreal Engine 5. Now the reason I’m using the term “next-gen Star Wars game” is because Star Wars … Continue reading This Star Wars concept video in Unreal Engine 5 looks cool →

The post This Star Wars concept video in Unreal Engine 5 looks cool appeared first on DSOGaming.

The developers of EA’s upcoming Star Wars strategy game have confirmed the project survived last week’s mass layoffs at the publisher and the cancellation of a first-person Star Wars shooter from Apex Legends studio Respawn, who are collaborating on the upcoming title.

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The internet is obsessed with South American beer ads that were sneakily edited into Star Wars movies in the early 2000s, and has started sticking the beverage’s infectious jingle into other famous films. If you’ve been wondering why your timeline is covered in Cerveza Cristal jokes, here’s why.

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Amid the Electronic Art layoffs, Respawn has announced the cancellation of their Star Wars first-person-shooter. The decision comes from the company's examination of the player community, and their interests apparently lying more in Jedi and Respawn's brands.

According to EA president Laura Miele, Respawn's primary focus will now be new projects based on "owned brands," while providing ongoing support for existing games.

"It's always hard to walk away from a project, and this decision is not a reflection of the team’s talent, tenacity, or passion they have for the game," said Miele. "Giving fans the next installments of the iconic franchises they want is the definition of blockbuster storytelling and the right place to focus."

The Star Wars FPS project was led by Respawn's Peter Hirschmann, a former VP of LucasArts Product Development. Not much else was known about the now-canceled title, but I suppose we will never get those answers.

There wasn't mention of the Star Wars strategy game that was also announced alongside the FPS project. It's produced by Respawn, but in development at Bit Reactor.

Other Electronic Arts projects have been impacted along with this change. In particular, Ridgeline Games has been shut down, transferring its team members to Ripple Effect. The company's co-founder, Marcus Lehto (co-creator of Halo), recently left the EA studio, but now Criterion will continue on the project.

Before the shutdown, Ridgeline was working on a single-player experience for Battlefield. Although its current status looks grim, Criterion, DICE, and Ripple Effect will collaborate together for the next Battlefield project.

The publisher's future plans have also affected multiple EA mobile titles. Entries such as Kim Kardashian Hollywood, Tap Sports Baseball, F1 Mobile, and Lord of the Rings have been shut down. However, projects like The Sims and Madden NFL will carry on as the company tries to grow its mobile platform.

Like Respawn, Electronic Arts seeks to better strategize its existing mobile games. As per the message from CEO Andrew Wilson, EA's new plan will be fully implemented in the early stages of the next quarter.

The gaming industry has certainly taken a turn for the worse with all the layoffs and canceled projects. It's saddening to see so much loss, especially since the year just started.

The post Respawn’s Star Wars FPS project canceled amid EA layoffs appeared first on Destructoid.

Respawn’s unnamed Star Wars first-person shooter, first confirmed by EA in January 2022, has reportedly been canceled as the publisher pulls back on licensed games amid a large round of layoffs.

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First released back in 1995, Star Wars: Dark Forces is a first-person shooter that plays similarly to Doom, but included new (for the era) features—like rooms on top of rooms, looking up and down, and jumping—elevating it beyond a simple clone. It also had an original Star Wars story and introduced new, popular…

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After developing two of the best Star Wars games in recent memory with 2019’s Jedi: Fallen Order and its sequel, 2023’s Survivor, Respawn Entertainment is reportedly working on another title set in a galaxy far, far away. Insider Gaming reports that the title will be a first-person game focused on a Mandalorian bounty…

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