Nintendo has unveiled a new feature for Mario Kart World, and it's one you might not have expected: binoculars.

Revealed on the Nintendo Today app, where Nintendo regularly posts bits of news, will feature stationary binoculars you can find in specific locations around the open world. In a short video, Mario is shown approaching the binoculars before being sent up into the air, where you can look around in a zoomed in first-person view. This was done in the desert area shown off in the reveal trailer for the Nintendo Switch 2, with looks at the diner, parts of the track, and a plane flying overhead.

Nintendo shared new footage of Mario Kart World.
You can use the binoculars to get a good look at the surrounding area. pic.twitter.com/T7aGYx2eRW

— Stealth (@Stealth40k) May 15, 2025

Nintendo did not provide any insight into why you would use these, but based on known information about Mario Kart World ,it seems like the binoculars would be handy to spot secrets and other points of interest you might want to drive to. There are secrets to discover in the open-world of Mario Kart World, and without knowing how the locations are conveyed to you--if at all--this might be Nintendo's solution.

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Death Stranding and Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima is well-known for crafting games that speculate on what our collective future might entail. However, recent events have left the game director taking a deeper look at his own future, and what might become of Kojima Productions when dies.

In an interview with Edge Magazine (later reported on by VGC), Kojima said that falling "seriously ill" during the pandemic inspired him to re-evaluate his career ambitions and how much time he has left as a creator. After recovering, the Death Stranding 2 director made the decision to give a "USB stick with all my ideas on it" to his personal assistant as a way to ensure the studio has new ideas to toy around with after he is gone. Kojima likened the storage device to a "will" of sorts.

"Perhaps they could continue to make things after I’m gone at Kojima Productions… This is a fear for me: what happens to Kojima Productions after I’m gone? I don’t want them to just manage our existing IP," Kojima said.

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Arrowhead Studios and PlayStation enjoyed a successful business relationship together for Helldivers 2, but the studio is self-funding its next game, with PlayStation not directly involved.

Arrowhead boss Shams Jorjani said on Discord (via Forbes) that its next game is "100% funded by ourselves," so the studio will get to make all the key decisions about it. Arrowhead splitting up with PlayStation for its next game is not anything to do with PlayStation. Jorjani said the PlayStation team is "great," and that Helldivers 2 would not exist without PlayStation.

"We're open to working with them again in the future. They are incredibly game/dev oriented. Solid partners. And this is me just saying it like it is. Not blowing smoke up their asses," he said.

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As hard as this may be to believe, Avowed--the first-person RPG from Obsidian Entertainment--has already been out for three months. Obsidian isn't resting on its laurels, however, as the studio has released a full roadmap for the rest of 2025 that includes some juicy additions to the open-world adventure.

The Spring update, Update 1.4, released today on Xbox and PC. It adds improvements to the map's fog of war mechanics, an Arachnophobia Safe Mode for players who hate spiders, and support for a mouse and keyboard control scheme on Xbox, among other things. Today's patch also allows players to wait at the Party Camp to pass in-game time, view chests on the minimap, or perform a new cancel ability with Bow and Arquebus power attacks.

Avowed Roadmap

Looking ahead to the rest of the year, the Summer patch will bring improvements to cooking and crafting, custom map markers, and new NPC abilities and behaviors throughout. The Fall update, meanwhile, will add New Game Plus, a Photo Mode, new character presets, and a new weapon type--though Obsidian's blog post on the roadmap doesn't go into specifics on what that new weapon type will be.

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Locke & Key: Keyhouse Compendium (Hardcover)

$75.90 (was $125) | Limited-Time Deal

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Joe Hill has had quite the prolific writing career across comics and fiction. Despite working in the same genre as his legendary father Stephen King, Hill has established himself as one of the best modern horror writers. Though he's responsible for a handful of top-notch horror novels and short story collections, his best-known work is probably still Locke & Key. Written by Hill and illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez, Locke & Key debuted in 2008, just one year after Hill's critically acclaimed debut novel Heart-Shaped Box. Locke & Key became a huge success over its 37-issue run before being adapted into a Netflix original series in 2020. Fans of the show interested in reading the (better) source material can take advantage of a fantastic limited-time deal at Amazon.

Locke & Key: Keyhouse Compendium is on sale for $75.90 (was $125). The hardcover compendium compiles all six volumes into one beautiful hardcover book. This is one of the better prices we've seen for this massive collection. At the time of writing, over 40% of copies have been claimed.

Locke & Key: Keyhouse Compendium (Hardcover) $75.90 (was $125) | Limited-Time Deal

This 976-page hardcover brings the chilling supernatural horror tale to life with full-color illustrations. The story follows three kids who move into their father’s childhood home after his murder. Known as Keyhouse, the kids quickly discover it’s hiding a bunch of horrifying (and magical) secrets.

While the compendium gets you the entire main story, you can explore the expanded Locke & Key universe with The Golden Age. This hardcover book tells three prequel stories about previous members of the Locke family, examining how they dealt with the world’s darkest secrets. It’s currently on sale for $22.24 (was $30), and it’s an excellent companion for the Keyhouse Compendium.

See at Amazon Locke & Key Master Edition and Slipcase (Softcover)Locke & Key Master Edition and Slipcase Set

The Keyhouse Compendium is arguably the best (and cheapest) ways to enjoy the original comics, but the tale is also available in several other formats. The Locke & Key Slipcase Set gets you all six softcover volumes plus a fancy slipcase for storage, though it’s currently $97.93 (normally $100). The story is also offered as a trio of Locke & Key Master Edition books. Each hardcover spans over 300 pages and includes two volumes of the original story--get all three books, and you’ll have all six volumes. They’re more expensive than the Keyhouse Compendium, but they no doubt look spectacular. Two of the Master Editions also happen to be on sale, but Volume 2 is frequently unavailable outside of preowned copies.

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If you ever wondered what the Kentucky Derby would look like if attendees traded big hats for medieval garb, Bohemia Interactive has you covered. Today, the developer released Patch 1.3 for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, which, among other big changes, brings horse racing to the game--along with a few new quests to boot.

The horse racing activity can be found in the Nomads' camp in the province of Trosky, and players can participate in either cross-country races or mounted archery competitions. Three new quests related to horse racing will also be added: Horses for Courses, Racing Horseshoes, and The Executioner's Edge.

The patch also includes dozens of fixes across the entire game, including improved fast travel speed while riding a horse, a fix for a bug where Henry's trusty dog Mutt would at times randomly attack him, and more. The full patch notes for the 1.3 update can be found on the official KCD2 website.

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Diablo 4 Season 8 is in full swing, and the first balance update of the season has brought buffs to a number of classes and seasonal mechanics. Blizzard additionally used the update to introduce a major quality-of-life change, one that it initially forgot to include in the official patch notes.

Update 2.2.1, released on May 14, added the ability to turn in Tree of Whisper bounties from any major city, with Ravens of the Tree now located in Cerrigar, Gea Kul, Ked Bardu, Kyovashad, Kurast, and Zarbinzet. It's actually a feature originally part of Season 7 that has now been added to the game permanently.

"This is a commonly requested feature from Season 7 that has been brought back into the game to help players save time on Whisper events," Diablo community manager Adam Fletcher said in a post on the Diablo 4 forums. "This was originally missing from the patch notes, but we will be updating the notes to include this feature."

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It’s been three years since Sony launched its popular WH-1000XM5 Headphones, and today it’s officially launched its successor--the WH-1000XM6. Combining the sleek design of the XM5 with the folding functionality of the fan-favorite XM4, it looks like a promising upgrade to one of the most popular series of noise-canceling headphones on the market. Early reviews are incredibly positive, with critics pointing out the headphones impeccable noise-canceling skills and ultra-comfortable design.

Sony WH-1000XM6 - Noise-Canceling Wireless Headphones $448 at Amazon | $450 at Best Buy

Sony made two big upgrades with these new headphones. First and foremost is the new noise-cancelling processor. The QN3 is said to be seven times faster than the processor found in the XM5, resulting in enhanced active noise cancellation. Using 12 microphones, it can sense and react to noises in your environment, quickly adapting its performance to reduce ambient sound.

The other big addition is a folding design. Sony abandoned this with the XM5, and while the folding system isn’t identical to the older XM4, the end result is the same. Thanks to metal joints, you can swivel and fold the earcups, making them easy to transport in the included carrying case.

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You’ll get up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge, a wider headband for added support and comfort, and a six-microphone system that picks up and transmits crisp audio for phone calls. Of course, it also benefits from enhanced drivers, which should provide clearer audio for all your content. The headphones are available in black, midnight blue, and silver.

If you’re looking to upgrade your audio but don’t want to drop $450, both the XM5 and XM4 headphones are currently on sale. The XM5 are $348 (was $400) and the XM4 are $298 (was $348). The XM5 offer superior noise-canceling chops compared to the XM4--but they lack the ability to fold, making them a bit more cumbersome for travel or storage. The XM4 are also on sale for $50 off, though audio quality and ANC aren’t quite up to par with the newer XM5.

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Kratos & Aloy 10-Inch Plushies

Kratos - $10.77 (was $20) | Aloy - $11.80 (was $20)

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Horizon Forbidden West - Aloy 6-Inch Deluxe Action Figure

$20.62 (was $50)

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The Last of Us - Joel & Ellie 6-Inch Action Figures (2-Pack)

$50

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Several figures and plushies in the official PlayStation Shapes Collection are on sale for super cheap at Amazon. God of War fans can get the awesome 10-inch Kratos plush for $10.77 (was $20) and the six-inch Atreus action figure for $15.10 (was $30). Meanwhile, Horizon Forbidden West fans can grab the deluxe Aloy action figure for $20.62 (was $50), the Aloy plush for $11.80 (was $20), and Varl action figure for $12 (was $30).

• PlayStation Studios 6-inch Action Figures
• Aloy from Horizon Forbidden West (Deluxe 6" Figure) -- $20.62 ($50)
• Atreus from God of War: Ragnarok (6" Figure) -- $15.10 ($30)
• Varl from Horizon Forbidden West (6" Figure) -- $12 ($30)
• Jin Sakai Action Figure - Ghost of Tsushima (6" Figure) -- $27 ($30)
• Kratos from God of War: Ragnarok (6" Figure) -- $30
• Joel & Ellie from The Last of Us (6" Figure 2-Pack)-- $50
• PlayStation Studios 10-inch Collector's Plushies
• Kratos from God of War Ragnarok (10" Plush) -- $10.77 ($20)
• Aloy from Horizon Forbidden West (10" Plush) -- $11.80 ($20)

PlayStation Shapes Collection

Check out full lineup of official PlayStation action figures and plushies

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The PlayStation Shapes Collection debuted last year and currently features seven action figures and two plushies based on characters from popular PlayStation Studios games. All of the action figures were designed by Spin Master and officially licensed by PlayStation. Each 6-inch figure has many points of articulation and is bundled with swappable accessories. The PlayStation Shapes Collection also includes a two-pack of action figures featuring Joel and and Ellie action figures, though The Last of Us figure set isn't on sale right now.

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Playing video games is getting more expensive these days, with companies like Nintendo and Microsoft announcing plans to charge $80 for games, and consumers are ready and willing to embrace the higher price points. That's according to analyst Rhys Elliott of Alinea Analytics.

He told IGN that with Nintendo and Xbox announcing price hikes on games, "the floodgates are now open." He expects every publisher in video games that can raise prices to do so.

"The market will bear it. Plenty of gamers are willing to pay price points above $70, as shown by the high numbers of those willing to pay $100 for a few days' early access," Elliott said.

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There's a reason Blizzard used World of Warcraft's 20th-anniversary livestream in November 2024 as the stage to finally announce player housing. It's likely to be the biggest feature in the game's two-decade history: a huge undertaking that players have wanted Blizzard to commit to since WoW first launched back in 2004. The news that Blizzard was finally rolling up its sleeves and tackling it was a huge deal that had players buzzing with ideas, possibilities, and more than a few concerns.

Blizzard is buzzing with ideas and possibilities, too. That much is clear after spending several hours going hands-on with an early version of WoW's player housing and talking to the developers behind it. There's no shortage of "what if this was possible?" or "that's a great idea!" conversations during my day at Blizzard's Boston office. It's the first time a group of players outside Blizzard have been able to take the game's player-housing decoration tools for a spin, and the team seems eager to learn what members of the press and various WoW content creators in attendance think, both good and bad. Blizzard employees are constantly jotting down ideas or making notes about player feedback. It's almost as if you can see light bulbs going off in real time about what might be possible.

The basics of player housing seem set in stone--the actual mechanics of decorating a home, the philosophy behind all players being homeowners, and the social-driven nature of the entire endeavor--and have already been officially detailed by Blizzard in a series of blog posts dedicated to the subject. Every player who wants a house will be able to get one, and homes will be located in neighborhoods (one for each faction) where players will have persistent neighbors. Home decor will be doled out as quest rewards, from professions, and other areas of the game. Those are the major facts we already knew, but the finer details, as well as the big ideas for what the housing system could be potentially capable of in the future, all still feel a bit ethereal.

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May is Military Appreciation Month, and Activision is marking the occasion by releasing new DLC in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone, with revenue from sales going to supporting military veterans.

The new Call of Duty Endowment United Force tracer pack includes operator skins based on real people, including First Sergeant Korey Staley and Captain Florent "Flo" Groberg. Activision also announced a special in-game event called Got Your Six, which was made in partnership wth USAA.

The DLC includes the "Veiled" and "Daggered" operator skins, as well as the "Ballistics Breaker" LW3A1 Frostline sniper rifle with tracers. The DLC bundle also comes with the "Barreled Barrage" Kilo 141 assault rifle with tracers, along with the "Koriolis Effect" weapon charm, the "7.62 Fangs" spray," the "Valiant Vines" weapon sticker, and the "Ghillie Glint" animated calling card. What's more, it includes the "Rattling Ranger" animated emblem, the "Fieldcraft" loading screen," and one-hour double XP tokens for player XP and weapon XP.

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Wizards of the Coast is collaborating with Square Enix for Magic: The Gathering - Final Fantasy, a full expansion to the decades-old trading card game themed completely around the 16 mainline Final Fantasy games. Included within the main set is a small "bonus sheet"--a set within the set--called Final Fantasy: Through The Ages.

Through The Ages features 64 cards from MTG history and reskins them with official artwork from the Square Enix archives in Japan. Over 5,000 pieces of art were considered for the project, but 64 cards--four for each of the 16 mainline games--have been created, and we have an exclusive look at three of them; two from Final Fantasy VIII, and one from the newest game in the franchise, Final Fantasy XVI.

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Magic: The Gathering - Final Fantasy launches June 13 in local game stores and big box retailers. Cards from the Through The Ages bonus sheet can be found in one out of every three Play Booster packs, as well as one in every Collector Booster pack.

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Blue Protocol: Star Resonance is the anime MMORPG Blue Protocol brought back from the dead, only it's from a completely different development team and, unlike the original Blue Protocol, will actually be receiving a Western release later this year.

You may remember Blue Protocol as a long-in-development MMO from Bandai Namco. The game was released in Japan in 2023, with a planned Western release in conjunction with Amazon Games planned for 2024. Unfortunately, the game struggled to find an audience, and Bandai Namco announced last year it would end service for Blue Protocol in January 2025, with its Western release also canceled.

Flash forward to now, and Chinese gaming giant Tencent has struck a deal with Bandai Namco to use Blue Protocol's assets, and under a new studio called Shanghai Bokura Network Technology, has essentially rebuilt and will be rereleasing Blue Protocol with a new subtitle: Star Resonance. It's slated to release this year on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and on mobile devices, with cross-play and cross-progression between platforms.

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Bring a piece of aerospace history into your home with the new (and gigantic) Lego Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. Lego Insiders can pick up the 2,417-piece set for $230 at Lego's online store, while everyone else can get their hands on it starting May 18. Signing up to be a Lego Insider is entirely free, so if you’re worried about inventory running out or want it in your hands as soon as possible, consider joining the free membership. You’ll also get an adorable Up-Scaled Baby Astronaut as a bonus.

Lego Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (2,417 pieces) $230

This intricate build is based on the Boeing 747 and NASA Space Shuttle Enterprise. Its 18-wheel landing gear is fully retractable, there’s a functioning cargo bay, and the shuttle easily clips onto the Boeing thanks to a simple mounting system. It looks like a faithful replica of the two aircraft--complete with a bunch of interactive components. The completed model measures 25 inches long and comes with a few informational markers so your guests can learn more about the centerpiece.

See at Lego Store Lego Shuttle Carrier AircraftGallery

As mentioned above, buying the Lego Shuttle Carrier Aircraft includes the Up-Scaled Baby Astronaut set as an added free bonus with purchases over $150 until May 23 (normally $20). Standing over four inches tall and composed of 250 pieces, it should make a fun companion for the premium Lego Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.

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Pokemon biology has been one of the great pseudosciences, with some fan books going into great detail on the ins and outs of some of your favorite Pokemon. Japan and Nintendo, however, have actually taken this a step further and created the Pokemon Fossil Exhibit. The exhibit featured sculpted Pokemon "skeletons" displayed alongside real dinosaur fossils, and has been traveling across Japan since its creation. The Pokemon Company has confirmed the exhibit is coming to North America in May 2026.

The exhibit is heading to Chicago's Field Museum on May 22, 2026. It'll be the first time the exhibition will be seen outside of Japan. It is currently at Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum in Katsuyama, Fukui. Its next stop will be the Benex Dinosaur Museum in Nagasaki.

Kabuto and Kabutops

"During your visit, you'll see vibrant Pokemon models side by side with extinct lifeforms from the Field Museum's collection--including scientific casts of Field Museum dinosaurs like Sue the T. Rex and the Chicago Archaeopteryx next to Fossil Pokemon like Tyrantrum and Archeops," the museum said in a statement. "How many differences (and similarities) will you spot, Trainers?"

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The Rambo Report

$23.69 (was $29)

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When you think about iconic '80s action stars, there's a good chance that Rambo is at the top of the list. The five-film series starring the troubled war veteran still ranks as one of the most iconic cinematic franchises out there, and if you'd like to explore the cultural impact of the character, you can do just that with The Rambo Report. The 304-page hardcover book is written by film historian Nat Segaloff, and it includes a foreword by Rambo's creator, David Morrell. It's available now at Amazon, and even slightly discounted to just $23.69 (was $29).

The Rambo Report $23.69 (was $29)

Billed as the ultimate guide to Rambo, the book examines the entire franchise, starting with the 1972 novel First Blood that inspired the first Rambo film (and the differences between the two), and the sequels that rebooted the character into a one-man army--all the way up to the final (for now) entry, 2019's Rambo: Last Blood. The project also includes behind-the-scenes anecdotes, critiques about violence in the media, and a whole lot more.

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If you're interested in exploring Rambo's origins, Morrell's First Blood novel remains popular to this day, and you can easily pick up a copy if you want to read it for yourself. Amazon offers the paperback edition for $15.32 (was $19). Despite serving as the basis for the first Rambo film, the book features some major differences, making it worth reading even for fans who've seen Rambo: First Blood numerous times. Like the movie, First Blood focuses on a war veteran who is brutalized by the police chief of a small town and responds by waging a personal war against him and his officers. While the movie makes Rambo a much more sympathetic character who goes out of his way to minimize casualties--in the first movie, anyway--the book has a much higher body count.

You can also get a good deal on the live-action Rambo movies. If you want to pick up multiple movies at once, Rambo: The Complete Collector's Set compiles the first four Rambo movies on Blu-ray for $26.25 (was $45). You can pick up the first three films with the Rambo Box Set for $13.71 (was $25) on standard Blu-ray, or a collector's edition of the first four movies for $26.25 (was $45). This version includes numerous featurettes focused on the production of the Rambo movies, audio commentary tracks, interviews, and the infamous alternate ending to First Blood. 4K editions of all five films--Rambo: First Blood, Rambo 2, Rambo 3, Rambo (2008), and Rambo: Last Blood--are also available, and there's a healthy mix of archival materials mixed with new bonus materials and sharper image and audio quality.

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Publisher Playsaurus has announced that Cookie Clicker will release on consoles May 22--exactly a week from today. One of the first major idle games, Cookie Clicker originally released on the web in 2013 before hitting Steam in 2021. The title, developed by DashNet, is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and even Switch 2 (though of course at a later date).

Nintendo's listing for Cookie Clicker notes that the game will cost $5. This is in line with the Steam edition of the idle game. Playsaurus is promising more than 600 upgrades in Cookie Clicker, as well as the ability to "pet your dragon." For those unfamiliar, you click the cookie to make more cookies.

The clicker or idle genre has proven to be quite popular on Steam. For instance, over 100,000 people were playing Bongo Cat last month. The game sees a feline pawing a taskbar as a player clicks their mouse or types, and then you can earn hats for your digital kitty.

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After seven years on the market, 150 million systems, and more than 1 billion games sold for the original Switch, Nintendo is finally ushering in its next console--the Nintendo Switch 2. Following many rumors, leaks, and reports, Nintendo revealed lots of new information about the Switch 2 during a Nintendo Direct on April 2--and it was a beefy broadcast with tons of announcements.

This post covers everything we know about the Switch 2's price and release date, launch titles, backward compatibility, and lots more. Preorders for the Switch 2 were expected to open on April 9 but were later delayed due to US President Donald Trump's controversial tariff plan. They eventually opened on April 24, with original pricing for the system and games--but not accessories--being maintained.

Table of Contents [hide]

• Switch 2 Price And Release Date

Switch 2 Price And Release Date

The Nintendo Switch 2 will launch on June 5, and it's priced at $450 in the US. Nintendo will also offer a $500 bundle that includes a digital copy of Mario Kart World, though it will only be available until this fall. This bundle represents a good value, as Mario Kart World on its own costs $80. A June launch for the Switch 2 was previously rumored, while the price point is also in the ballpark of what people expected it to cost.

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Netflix's BioShock movie remains in development, director Francis Lawrence confirmed in an interview, adding that "it's a tricky adaptation" that will take time to get right.

Lawrence told IGN that he just recently got a new draft of the BioShock movie script, and he took a meeting with writer Justin Rhodes on May 7. Rhodes was a writer on Terminator: Dark Fate and the video game anthology series Secret Level. A previous draft was written by Blade Runner 2049's Michael Green.

"It's a tricky adaptation, so there's lots of things to figure out and to get right," Lawrence said of the BioShock movie.

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