Spoilers follow for Ted Lasso season 2 episode 2 ‘Lavender’.
The second episode of Ted Lasso season 2 has landed on Apple TV Plus, and its cliffhanger ending could lead to some tense moments for Ted (Jason Sudeikis) and AFC Richmond’s squad moving forward.
Jamie Tartt, the egotistical but talented soccer player who spent time on loan at Richmond last season, has returned to the club – and, this time, he’s back permanently.
Given that Ted has spent months building a harmonious dressing room atmosphere, Jamie’s shock return threatens to undo that good work. So how will Richmond’s players, including Sam Obisanya (Toheeb Jimoh) react to Jamie’s signing? And what could Jamie’s return mean for Richmond’s chances of promotion back to the Premier League?
Ahead of Ted Lasso season 2 episode 2’s release, TechRadar sat down with Phil Dunster, who plays Jamie in the show, to find out just how divisive Jamie’s return could be.
Jamie was conspicuously absent for much of season 2’s opening episode but, as viewers will now know, there was a reason for this: Jamie had signed up to be a contestant on Lust Conquers All, a satirical take on reality TV dating shows like Love Island.
Within the first 10 minutes of episode 2, though, Jamie’s entire world comes crashing down.
After he’s voted off Lust Conquers All, Jamie learns that Manchester City – the team he left to appear on the reality TV series – don’t want him back. A chat with his agent, too, reveals that there are no clubs that want to take a punt on him either. The reason? “You’re seen as a liability,” Jamie’s agent tells him.
Despondent and desperate, Jamie meets up with Ted to ask if he can return to Richmond in a permanent capacity. The duo engage in a heart-to-heart, but Ted turns Jamie’s request down.
That is, until Ted appears to change his mind as a result of conversations with Sam and Doctor Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles), the club's newly appointed sports psychologist.
A photograph of Ted and Jamie’s meeting leaks online and, once he hears that Jamie may be coming back, Sam storms off. Ted follows him to reveal that Jamie won’t be returning.
Ted, though, reconsiders his stance when Sam inadvertently reminds him that Richmond haven’t won yet this season. A similar point is made by Sharon, who prompts Ted to change something as his team is on a run of eight straight draws.
Cue episode 2’s climactic scene, with Jamie – kitted out in Richmond’s training gear – arriving for first-team training, much to the displeasure of Sam and Richmond’s other players.
For Dunster, Jamie’s sudden reappearance, and the potential impact it’ll have on Richmond’s squad, is a reflection of real-life soccer where players don’t get along with all of their teammates. Even so, given the positive environment that Ted has fostered since Jamie’s departure, his return could spell danger for Richmond’s team spirit.
“There’s a lot of trepidation to Jamie coming back,” Dunster tells TechRadar. “In Sam’s case, you have this person who has been thriving because Jamie is no longer there, but now has to deal with him wanting to come back. And the team and Ted seem open to it [Jamie’s return], so Sam feels betrayed by that. It’s a brilliant idea on our writers’ part as it’s what would actually happen at a football club.”
The muted reaction to Jamie’s return, though, is indicative of what Richmond’s squad initially thinks of Ted’s decision – and Jamie can sense it.
Manchester City’s sudden recall of Jamie from his loan spell last term, combined with him setting up the goal that relegated Richmond in the season 1 finale, means that Jamie has plenty of bridges to mend if he wants to regain his teammates’ trust.
He was Richmond’s star player before Ted’s arrival. Now, though, Jamie finds himself as the outsider of the group for the first time in his career – and it’s a position that, while alien to Jamie, might be the catalyst for real change within him.
“He understands that people are going to be upset with him,” Dunster explains. “Maybe he doesn’t quite know how to deal with that yet, but their reactions don’t surprise him. He’s an underdog for the first time in his professional career and people aren’t sure if it’s going to work out. But, as we see throughout this episode and the rest of the series, he finds very Jamie-esque ways to try and win hearts and minds.”
Judging by Jamie’s past attempts to do the right thing and win people over, viewers can expect more bumps in the road as Jamie looks to redeem himself. Under Ted’s guidance at his spiritual home of AFC Richmond, though, Jamie is in the right place to improve personally and professionally. If he does, maybe, just maybe, Richmond can truly start to believe in that dream Premier League return.
The first two episodes of Ted Lasso season 2 are available to stream now on Apple TV Plus.
If spending upwards of £1,000 on the latest premium smartphone sounds like a tough sell, then what about once those premium smartphones are no longer as fresh as they used to be?
While we absolutely love the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, both devices rolled out in 2020. That makes them relatively long in the tooth in smartphone terms, which makes a direct comparison all the more fascinating.
There was little to separate these two titanic phones when they first hit the market, with both securing 9 out of 10 ‘Recommended’ awards from us. So how do they stack up to one another now that they’re a little more seasoned?
The iPhone 12 Pro Max landed with a bang on November 13, with pricing starting at $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849 for the 128GB model. That leaps up to $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,019 for 256GB, and $1,399 / £1,399 / AU$2,369 for 512GB.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra hit shops several months earlier on August 21. The entry-level 128GB model initially set you back $1,299 over in the US, whereas in the UK and Australia a 256GB variant cost £1,179 / AU$1,849. In each territory, a 512GB model bears the RRP of $1,449 / £1,279 / AU$2,199.
That launch was quite a long time ago now, and while Apple’s prices remain consistent, you may just be able to find a nice discount on the Samsung. Thanks to its unique status and enduring quality, however, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has retained its value relatively well.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra were arguably the two most iconic smartphone designs of late 2020. They’re both still gorgeous specimens today.
With the iPhone 12 Pro Max, Apple ditched the overfamiliar curves and went with a dramatically flat-edged and sharp-cornered look. We haven’t seen the likes since the days of the original iPhone SE.
While that look applies across the whole iPhone 12 range, only the Pro models get you a shiny stainless steel rim. The phone is fronted by a unique Ceramic Shield, which provides a four-fold increase in drop protection over bog standard display glass, at least according to Apple.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is arguably even more handsome than the iPhone 12 Pro Max, at least in its stunning Mystic Bronze tone. It’s a little more generic, but the matte back and shiny rim - tapering to a fine point on the edges and flattening out on the top and bottom - give the phone a real sense of class.
We also love the boldness of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra’s sticky-outy camera module, despite the fact that you can’t lie the phone down flat as a result.
These are both very big phones, though the proportions are slightly different. At 160.8 x 78.1mm, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is shorter yet wider than the 164.8 x 77.2mm Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Similarly, while Apple’s phone is a fair bit thinner at 7.4mm (versus 8.1mm), it’s also quite a bit heavier at 228g (versus 208g).
Apple’s distinctive display notch is definitely more intrusive than Samsung’s tiny central hole-punch, but it also supplies Face ID. With the Samsung, you have to make do with a slightly sluggish (but very secure) ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor to gain access.
All in all, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra feels a little more wieldy and manageable than the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which gives it the slight edge in design terms. But make no mistake, these are two design icons that haven’t suffered with the arrival of fresher rivals.
If the design category is a close-run thing, then Samsung wins a clearer victory when it comes to display technology. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra’s screen was the best of its time at launch, and it still rocks.
While both screens are large, bright, and sharp OLEDs with vibrant colors, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra wins on the details.
At 6.9-inches, it’s larger than the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch panel. It also gets brighter to the tune of 1,500 nits, as opposed to the iPhone’s 1,200 nits.
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra display can also hit an elevated 120Hz refresh rate, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max is stuck at a disappointing 60Hz. While it’s hitting that super-fast refresh rate, however, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra can only attain an FHD+ resolution. The iPhone 12 Pro Max, by contrast, outputs at a consistent 2778 x 1284.
Of course, if you drop the Note 20 Ultra’s display to 60Hz, you’ll be able to up the pixel count to a massive QHD (1440 x 3088), so it’s still advantage Samsung.
The Note 20 Ultra’s slightly curved display isn’t totally distortion-free, unlike the perfectly flat iPhone. But as we’ve already mentioned, its selfie camera is much less disruptive than the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s Face ID notch.
These were two of the best camera offerings of 2020, and they continue to be competitive even with the arrival of the 2021 crowd.
Both phones offer accomplished triple camera set-ups, but they have subtly different areas of expertise.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max offers a balanced collection of three 12MP cameras covering wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto shots. The main sensor is the real strong point here, with a 47% bigger sensor size compared to the rest of the iPhone 12 phones.
It’s not as big as the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra’s, though. As is Samsung’s wont, it brings out the big hardware guns with a meaty 1/1.33" 108MP wide sensor.
The iPhone hits right back with a wider f/1.6 aperture (the Samsung’s is f/1.8), sensor-shift stabilization (which is superior to the Samsung’s OIS), and a LiDAR sensor for sharp low light autofocus. Add in Apple’s unmatched Night Mode algorithms, and this is a camera system that can really excel even in limited lighting.
Indeed, nighttime is where the iPhone 12 Pro Max really shows its metal, as it can employ Night mode across all of its cameras - even the selfie camera.
Where the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra camera excels is with its zoom capabilities. The iPhone 12 Pro Max might pack a 2.5x optical zoom - the largest zoom of any iPhone - but the Samsung tops it with its 5x optical zoom capabilities. Ignore the claims of a 50x hybrid zoom - they look horrendous. Still, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra can certainly take decent 10x hybrid shots. The iPhone 12 Pro Max can’t even get close in terms of detail and quality.
Hardware differences aside, much of the contrast here comes down to the color science employed by Apple and Samsung, and which approach you prefer the look of. Apple traditionally adopts a more naturalistic tone that more closely mirrors what you’re actually seeing. Samsung typically punches colors up way more, presenting a more exaggerated and Insta-worthy take on reality.
Apple’s software really is an advantage here. It employs some impressive software tricks, including Smart HDR 3 and Deep Fusion for smarter shot selection and better contrast. Its ProRAW function employs the super-detailed RAW format without sacrificing the computational improvements of the JPEG format.
When it comes to video, Apple continues to rule the roost. While it only gets to 4K video at 60fps, and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra can go to 8K at 24fps, Apple’s footage simply looks better and more stable.
Overall, the iPhone 12 Pro Max has the better, more complete camera system. It’s also the best that Apple offers, whereas Samsung has one-upped itself with the more recent Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. But really, you’re not going to be disappointed with either phone’s camera chops.
It’s not even close when it comes to a straight performance face-off between these two phones. The iPhone 12 Pro Max blitzes the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, though that might not matter quite as much as you’d think.
A large part of that performance gap comes down to Apple’s imperious custom chip operation, which means that the latest Apple A-series silicon obliterates the off-the-shelf opposition. Sure enough, the A14 Bionic that powers the iPhone 12 Pro Max is an absolute beast.
It might only be backed by 6GB of RAM (the Samsung has 12GB), but that’s neither here nor there considering the differences between iOS and Android.
But there’s a double whammy at play here. Just as Apple’s own chips are very fast, Samsung’s own Exynos chips have rather fallen behind the leading pack of late. And it’s the Exynos 990 that powers the global model of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
Our readers in the US and China have the benefit of getting a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra with a Snapdragon 865 Plus from Qualcomm, which is a fair bit faster and more efficient than the Exynos. But even then, it’s not as fast as the Apple A14 Bionic.
What kind of difference are we talking about? The iPhone 12 Pro Max gets an average Geekbench 5 multi-core score of 4106, and a single-core score of 1591. A fully up-to-date Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (Exynos model) scores 2748 and 900 respectively.
But we suggested at the outset that this performance gap might not matter all that much. Why is that?
Quite simply because in general and even advanced use, there’s very little noticeable difference between these two phones. Both feel fast and fluid in general navigation, and in fact the Samsung arguably feels slightly nippier with that 120Hz display.
3D games, too, run at full whack on both devices. Yes, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is capable of running the most demanding games at superior frame rates, and with more visual effects. But few games will really be fully optimized for this - at least right now.
The future is a different matter, and the iPhone 12 Pro Max is certainly the more forward-looking phone of the two. Not only does it have more performance headroom, but Apple’s peerless software support will keep its device relevant for longer.
Indeed, software could prove the deciding factor here for many people. Samsung’s UI has greater potential for customization and tweaking, while Apple’s is cleaner, more uniform, and less cluttered. Google's Play Store is also better populated than the Apple App Store, according to data, though all the big hitters are present on both.
Elsewhere, both phones give you a choice of 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage. Only the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra supplies a microSD slot for expansion purposes, however.
One unique feature of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the S Pen. Samsung’s stylus slots away nicely into the body of the phone, and grants a point of interaction that the iPhone 12 Pro Max can’t match.
Being able to make hand-written notes and have those transcribed into proper digital text feels magical, as does being able to draw a picture with a full suite of artistic tools at your disposal. You’ll have to invest in a modern iPad and an Apple Pen to experience something similar on iOS.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has a much larger battery than the iPhone 12 Pro Max. We’re talking 4500 mAh versus 3687 mAh.
But a direct physical comparison will only get you so far. As we’ve already mentioned, iOS and Android use their resources in very difference ways, and Apple’s OS is traditionally far more frugal.
In practical terms, the iPhone 12 Pro Max proves to have the best stamina in the iPhone 12 family. It’s the only one that will last through a full day of intensive usage, even on dodgy mobile networks.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra isn’t as good as its rival, especially with the less efficient Exynos chip, but it’ll still get you all day performance. We would tend to get to the end of a fairly heavy day with 20% left in the tank, and those were days filled with taking photos and videos, and watching YouTube on its large screen.
Neither phone is at the top of the game when it comes to recharging. The iPhone only gives you a cable with no power brick included, and it’ll only support up to 20W wired and 15W wireless. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is better, as it supports up to 25W wired charging, and actually includes a power brick in the box. It too can cope with 15W wireless charging.
Both of these massive phones have aged remarkably gracefully. They’re still two of the most striking-looking (and feeling) phones on the market, and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra’s S Pen facility continues to keep it relevant despite the presence of newer, faster models of phone.
The Samsung also sports a superior display to the iPhone 12 Pro, which really looks a little old hat with a mere 60Hz refresh rate. And we know which phone we’d want in our pockets for those zoomed-in camera shots.
In terms of future prospects, however, we’d have to give the iPhone 12 Pro the edge. It’s much, much faster, and together with Apple’s unmatched legacy support, it’s going to feel that way for years longer than its rival.
While both phones take great pictures, the iPhone 12 Pro Max has superior all-around chops. It takes better videos, and its Night Mode is arguably the best in the business.
Add in superior battery life, and the iPhone 12 Pro would probably stand as the better buy in 2021. But really, both phones have their own unique perks and quirks. It’s a tribute to their enduring quality that we’d happily take either.
The city of Utrecht in the Netherlands isn't likely to spark recognition from many folk outside of Europe. Unless that is, you're involved in the ever-expanding world of esports, an entire genre of competitive gaming that rarely gets a mention on mainstream news and TV. While Utrecht is typically known for its beautiful canals and great history, its also now home to the Alienware Training Facility, the European headquarters for Team Liquid.
For the unfamiliar, Team Liquid is one of the largest esports organizations in the world, covering everything from Super Smash Bros to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. In fact, Team Liquid's roots actually started back in Utrecht over two decades ago, founded in the bedroom of co-CEO Victor Goossens – so while the location may appear unconventional for one of the largest team names in competitive gaming, many of them would just consider it to be home 2.0.
The Utrecht-based training facility isn't the only global headquarters for the esports giants, who have another HQ in Los Angeles, but it's certainly a breathtaking campus. I spoke to Jason Lucas Luijckx, the Senior Partnerships Manager for Team Liquid, to learn more about the future of their industry and the careful design choices that went into building the Alienware Training Facility.
If you haven't watched the video tour of the training facility located below, I implore you to do so. Its design is somehow both outlandish and tasteful, blending modern design aspects like LED strip lighting with living plants, bamboo-sourced wood and clean, white walls.
This is a building that looks like it would be more at home housing some of the world's best-paid traditional sports stars rather than what many people may judge as just 'a bunch of gamers', but its creation and necessity is a testimony to just how far the esports industry has come, regardless of its apparent underground appeal to some older audiences.
When I mentioned this, I was quickly corrected by Luijckx – just because the industry doesn't get the same coverage on traditional TV or print doesn't mean the appeal of esports is by any means underrepresented.
Esports still feels like such a niche industry for anyone outside of the gaming sphere, but you guys can fill stadiums, and your training facility is cooler than most I've seen in a sports environment. With popularity rising, do you see Esports rivaling the traditional sports industry, and how soon do you think this will happen?
Luijckx laughs as he replies "Absolutely. In the US for example, League of Legends alone is already considered the 4th biggest 'sport' in terms of viewership. The LoL World Championship pulls more viewers than the Superbowl. And that's just one game! Team Liquid competes in over 17 different games."
If I had to pick the business advice I've heard the most, it would be to diversify your portfolio, something that Team Liquid has done beautifully. They compete in world tournaments for popular games like Fortnite, Apex Legends and Rocket League, and this adaptability has made them one of the most successful esports teams in the world.
"Viewership is normally one of the most important metrics, and for viewership, I would say that esports is already rivaling traditional sports. Do I see it getter bigger than football (soccer) over the next ten years? Probably not, but in places like the US, League of Legends is already bigger than the National Hockey League" states Luijckx.
He goes on to point out that the two worlds are also merging, with plenty of high profile sporting investors such as Team Liquid's own investor group aXiomatic Gaming sharing ties between the new and traditional sporting genres. For example, Peter Guber, co-Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of aXiomatic also owns the LA Dodgers and LAFC.
Luijckx also proudly says "We also recently signed a WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) player, Aerial Powers. She won the WNBA championship last year, and she's an avid streamer and gamer who plays for Team Liquid in addition to the WNBA." (Powers signed with Team Liquid in January after playing in its Valorant Pro-Am tournament in early 2020, per Esports Insider.)
The new facility is gorgeous! How it is used by one of your teams in a typical day?
Luijckx explained "When the architects built it, it was very important for us that it was built in a sustainable way. There are solar panels everywhere, we have a wild nature garden on the roof. They call it a Micro-city because it's mixed-use."
Team Liquid has a dedicated office within this monument to sustainable architecture, along with 13 luxury apartments to house players. This requirement is apparent when you consider that the life of an esports player is hardly a typical 9-5 job. Late starts are required, often due to streaming requirements so training starts in the afternoons.
As you'll see in the tour video, a professional chef is located on-site to prepare meals for the team, and fully decked-out streaming pods are available outside of training for the players, equipped with the latest Alienware hardware.
"There are also scrim rooms that have seven setups to sit five players, a coach and a manager." Luijckx continues "They'll often have a full eight-hour schedule for the day that typically consists of practice with aim-training maps or finger exercises, scrims (or friendly games with other teams) and then an evening off, but some players will use their free evenings to stream to their fans".
Looking around the facility tour, there are a lot of big brands being represented there – Dell Alienware (obviously), SecretLabs, Monster Energy...how important are these brand partnerships with you guys? What are a few deciding factors that sway your allegiances?
"We definitely only want to use the best" replies Luijckx, "though I think the definition of best is always subjective...for us, the key thing we look at is the mission and vision of a company. Team Liquid has been in business for over 20 years now, and we've always been seen as a more mature and professional esports team than some of the organizations you might see popping up in games like Fortnite. It's very important to us that our brands are aligned with Team Liquid of a mission and vision perspective.
"What's really cool is if you look at our partners, excluding very recent additions, most of them have been with us for many years. Dell especially has been partnered with Team Liquid for ten years now, and we generally don't have short partnerships because we select at a very top level and ensure they're aligned with what we want to achieve."
Dell has a fantastic environmental ethos, and that seems to be something that you guys also care deeply about - can you talk us through some of the sustainability and recycling that was built into the facility?
"Renewable materials were super important for us" states Luijckx, "The facility was built for Team Liquid, but with our partner Dell, so many aspects of its Legend ID design language in mind. All the wood is bamboo-based, the acoustic panels on the ceiling are made with 100% recycled PET plastics. We even use a heat circulation system that takes fumes and hot air from the stove in the kitchen, and that energy is then used the heat the facility."
A point is also raised over the health of the players living and training in such a facility. The image of a 'pro gamer' in many older minds will be a greasy teenager, huddled over a PC for days at a time, but Team Liquid are keen to step away from that image, not because it's not the current reality for professional esports players, but seemingly because it can quickly become too accurate.
"A few years ago, the standards for esports was that players lived in 'gaming houses', traditionally a two-bedroom space with bunk beds per room, and then a gaming room setup in the living space where players would be there for 16 hours a day, right next to each other and living on pizza and energy drinks." Luijckx's face resembles my own, grimacing slightly at the thought.
"That stereotype doesn't apply anymore. We have a large lounge, with a living plant wall at the facility, with seasonal plants that change throughout the year and provides oxygen and peace to the environment. It was very important to support not just bodily health, but the mental health of our players too"
This is the second training facility built by Team Liquid - early days, but do you have a dream location for a third?
I'll admit, Luijckx looks both excited and nervous to answer my final question, giggling "how do I say this...we're definitely looking into building an additional facility, and we're scouting locations already. I can't reveal where, but I can say the new training facility will be on another continent and that we will be coming to where a lot of our fans are."
He drilled home that "our fans are super important to us, so for a next Alienware Training Facility, whenever that may come, it will come to a space where our fans are super excited to have us."
My time spent asking Luijckx questions certainly has me excited not just for the future of Team Liquid, but for the development and reach of esports in the coming years. The industry has exploded in such a relatively short amount of time, with prizes and tournaments that would likely blow the minds of an older generation of people who are more than likely completely oblivious to its existence.
If you're looking to adapt with the future of the sporting industry, you're safe to keep watching your favorite soccer or basketball teams, but you may want to consider turning into a few league matches of Apex Legends or Smash Bros.
Forza Motorsport is the next entry in Microsoft's long-running racing game franchise, which is developed by Turn 10 Studios. The last entry, Forza Motorsport 7, released in 2017 alongside the Xbox One X, and was seen as a showcase for the system and it looks like Forza Motorsport will do the same kind of showcasing for the Xbox Series X.
After Forza Motorsport 7's release, Turn 10 abandoned its typical two-year development cycle, and instead opted to overhaul the ForzaTech engine with improvements that would allow the team to deliver a next-generation racing game.
Now, the next Forza Motorsport has been revealed and there's a few things we can already confirm, though there are still plenty of questions that need answered, including when we'll be able to play it. Here's everything we know about the next Forza Motorsport so far.
[Update: Forza Motorsport 7 is being withdrawn from sale in September but it's not because the next game's release is right around the corner. Read on to find out more.]
At the July 2020 Xbox Games Showcase, the game was officially unveiled alongside a quick trailer, which you can take a look at above.
Like the prior Forza Motorsport games, the racing sim is being developed by Turn 10 Studios, one of the many teams that falls under the Xbox Game Studios umbrella.
Surprisingly, the game isn't called Forza Motorsport 8. Forza Motorsport’s creative director Chris Esaki admitted that there’s some confusion regarding the game’s name, and clarified that the eight has been dropped altogether.
“I just wanted to reaffirm that the name of the game is Forza Motorsport," said Esaki. "There’s no sequential eight after the title. It really is an all-new Forza Motorsport experience.”
As it stands, it appears that Forza Motorsport isn't coming to Xbox One consoles. Instead, it's being developed as an exclusive for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC, which should excite fans who are hoping for a truly next-gen leap for the series.
With the game being targeted for the newest consoles available, we can reasonably expect it to take advantage of some new features, such as ray tracing or even offering a 120fps mode.
Turn 10 revealed that the Forza Feedback Panel will be how players can get their hands on the next Forza Motosport, so the game can be shaped by the community.
Signing up is simple: you need to be at least 18-years-old and agree to a confidentiality statement, which you can opt out of at any time if you decide to leave the program.
The first playtest took place on May 8, and resulted in a “ton of great feedback” from the community, according to Esaki. Esaki said that after the playtest, the team was pretty sure that everyone is “super hyped and energized” by what was shown. He also explained that the reason why only small parts of the game are being tested is so that the team can get “critical feedback” on “focused areas”.
But if you happened to miss out on the first playtest, fear not. Speaking on the Forza Monthly show for May, Forza Motorsport’s creative director Chris Esaki shared that another playtest will take place this summer (between June and September).
Unfortunately, a Forza Motorsport release date hasn't been shared. Whenever it arrives, it'll be available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC. Factoring in how the pandemic has slowed down game development for many teams and the fact that Forza Horizon 5 is now slotted in for a November 2021 release date, it might be reasonable to expect Forza Motorsport to arrive in sometime 2022 or later.
Like all Xbox first-party games, it'll be available on Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate the day it is released.
Forza Motorsport 7 being pulled from sale
Forza Motorsport 7 will be pulled from sale in September, meaning the game and its DLC will no longer be available for purchase. For those hoping this is a sign that the next game’s release is right around the corner, unfortunately that’s not the case.
On Twitter, the official Forza Motorsport account confirmed that the game is being pulled as its third-party licenses (which allow the game to feature real-world cars, tracks and other elements) are set to expire. It’s not too surprising that Microsoft isn’t opting to renew these licenses, though, given Forza Motorsport is coming at some point even if we don’t know exactly when.
Cloud gaming could be key for Xbox One
Forza Motorsport looks set to come to Xbox Series X/S and PC, skipping the Xbox One generation. However, Xbox One owners might not miss out entirely.
In a post to the Xbox Wire blog, Microsoft says that it will be using its cloud streaming technology to serve up games that require the Xbox Series X/S’s power in order to deliver them to the last-gen Xbox One.
“You'll see many games this holiday, including Forza Horizon 5, which will boast DirectX ray-tracing on both Xbox Series X and S, and Battlefield 2042, which will run at 60fps while supporting 128 players on Xbox Series X/S.
“Some games launching next year from our first party studios and partners, such as Starfield, Redfall, and Stalker 2 require the speed, performance, and technology of Xbox Series X/S.
“We're excited to see developers realise their visions in ways that only next-gen hardware will allow them to do. For the millions of people who play on Xbox One consoles today, we are looking forward to sharing more about how we will bring many of these next-gen games, such as Microsoft Flight Simulator, to your console through Xbox Cloud Gaming, just like we do with mobile devices, tablets, and browsers.”
Though Forza Motorsport isn't mentioned explicitly in the blog post, it's possible that it could fall under this umbrella of first-party games.
A 'huge generational leap' over previous games
Chris Esaki, the game's creative director, shared details on how Forza Motorsport’s physics have evolved from Forza Motorsport 7. “To put the physics work into perspective… the changes we made from Forza Motorsport 7 till now, is more than the changes we made from [Forza Motorsport] 4 through [Forza Motorsport] 7. It’s basically a huge generational leap coming to the game.”
According to Esaki, the tire collision model has also been overhauled. From the first game to Forza Motorsport 7, tires have always had a single point of contact with the track surface, and refreshed at 60 cycles per second (60Hz). In Forza Motorsport, there are now eight points of contact with the track surface, and the engine will refresh at 360 cycles per second (360Hz). That’s a 48x fidelity jump for a single tire collision.
Multiple tire compounds confirmed
Multiple tire compounds have been confirmed for Forza Motorsport, a first for the series. Tire compounds such as hard, medium and soft will deepen the gameplay and racing strategy, and Esaki said it will lead to “exciting new gameplay decisions during a race.”
Weather warning
Environmental factors will also need to be taken into account in Forza Motorsport, and have the potential to make each lap feel different, according to Esaki.
“We’re working on things like track temperature and how it affects things like grip and tyre pressure, and tyre wear. In addition, you can imagine how changes in the time of day and weather, along with the new tyre wear modelling and all of the new compounds lead to a much deeper driving and racing experience.”
What kind of cars can we expect to see in Forza Motorsport, and more importantly, which vehicle will grace the game's cover? While that's hard for us to guess with much accuracy, we can at least get a sense of how many cars will be in the game, based on Forza Motorsport 7's total.
Forza Motorsport 7 featured 700 cars and 32 tracks, which is an impressive amount. While there's no guarantee the next game will beat this figure, mostly owing to the fact the cars will likely have to be remodelled or upgraded for the next-gen systems, we hope Forza Motorsport will at least come close to this figure.
Mercedes needed something seismic to get back into the championship race, and that's exactly what they got at Silverstone, Max Verstappen coming off second-best in an opening lap collision with Lewis Hamilton, as Sergio Perez finished out of the top 10 after a disastrous Sprint. It means Hamilton is back in the game, and relations between him and Verstappen, and Mercedes and Red Bull, are at an all-time low. Follow our guide to live stream F1 and watch the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix online wherever you are.
Date: Sunday, August 1 (schedule below)
Race start time: 3pm local / 2pm BST / 9am ET / 6am PT / 11pm AEST / 1am NZST
Venue: Hungaroring, Mogyoród, Hungary
Live streams: Sky Sports (UK) | ESPN/Sling TV (US) | Fox/Kayo Sports (AU)| F1 TV (selected regions)
Watch anywhere: try No. 1 overall VPN 100% risk-free
Verstappen's ultra-aggressive approach means a crash had been coming all season, Hamilton doing well to avoid the Dutchman on several previous occasions. However, the seven-time champion simply couldn't afford to take evasive action at the British GP, though of course that's not the way Christian Horner and his driver see it.
From here on in, it's absolutely personal.
Hamilton has been a dominant force at the Hungaroring, winning the last three Hungarian GPs, and eight in total. He'll be buoyed by his brilliant victory in front of a fanatical home crowd - but his title rival will be hell-bent on revenge.
We're expecting fireworks this weekend, so read on for full details of how to get an F1 live stream and watch the Hungarian Grand Prix online. Catch all the F1 Hungarian GP action from start to finish - including details on how to watch the qualifiers and practice - with the help of this guide.
Several countries around the world have the rights to show some of the F1 action on free-to-air TV.
A full list of free-to-air streamers can be found on our dedicated guide on how to watch F1, where you'll see that you can watch the Hungarian GP live for absolutely free in Hungary on M4 Sport, and in Austria on Servus TV.
And if you're travelling abroad outside your country at the moment and wanted to tune in to your familiar Hungary Formula 1 coverage, you can use a VPN to do so as explained below - we rate ExpressVPN as the best provider out there, which has a great track record for unblocking geo-restricted streams.
If you're abroad for this weekend's Hungarian GP, you'll likely find you're unable to access your usual Formula 1 coverage like you would at home. This isn't necessarily cause for alarm, but rather the result of geo-blocking - best understood as digital borders that restrict certain services and content to certain parts of the world.
Fortunately, there's a convenient way around this in the form of a VPN. This is a nifty bit of software that lets you whizz around these digital borders, thereby allowing you to globe trot and still access your preferred F1 live stream. It's a completely legal workaround, very affordable, and super easy to use - allow us to explain more.
Use a VPN to watch a 2021 F1 live stream from anywhere
ExpressVPN - get the world's best VPN
We've put all the major VPNs through their paces and we rate ExpressVPN as our top pick, thanks to its speed, ease of use and strong security features. It's also compatible with just about any streaming device out there, including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation, as well as Android and Apple mobiles.
Sign up for an annual plan now and get an extra 3 months absolutely FREE. And if you change your mind within the first 30 days, let them know and they'll give you your money back without a quibble.
If you're an F1 devotee, then you likely already know about F1 TV - it's the streaming service to subscribe to for all the best live action, highlights, replays of classics races and a whole lot more besides - you can sign up on its website.
Most people will want to go for F1 TV Pro, which is the way to live stream every F1 Grand Prix in full - along with F2, F3 and Porsche Supercup as well. Prices differ from country-to-country - it's $79.99 in the US, for example - and some even let you give it a try with a free 7-day trial!
Just note that not all regions have an F1 TV package with live Grand Prix coverage, with the UK and Australia being notable exceptions. But that still leaves people in the US, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Brazil and loads, loads more all included.
Sky has the rights to Formula 1 in the UK, meaning you'll be able to watch the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sky Sports. Subscribers also get to watch on the move using the Sky Go app, which is available on nearly all modern phones, tablets, laptops, PCs and consoles.
For those without Sky, the best option is a Now TV Sky Sports Monthly Pass, which includes all 11 channels.
Coverage of the Hungarian GP begins on Sky Sports F1 at 10am BST on Friday for the first practice runs, 10.45am on Saturday for Practice 3, 1pm for Qualifying, and 12.30pm on Sunday for the Hungarian Grand Prix itself, which starts at 2pm.
To access your usual streaming service from outside the UK, you'll need to download a good VPN as detailed above.
In the US, it's ESPN that's providing comprehensive coverage of the 2021 F1 season, and it's showing the Hungarian Grand Prix live - as well as the all-important Qualifying and practice sessions.
If you have it as part of a cable package, you'll be able to stream the action directly through the ESPN website.
Cord-cutters are in luck, too, as you can get ESPN without having an expensive cable package.
Of the many and varied options, the best for Formula 1 fans wanting to watch an F1 live stream is Sling TV, whose Sling Orange package features ESPN channels for just $35 a month - save big with the latest Sling TV deal where you can get your first month for a mere $10!
Alternatively, fuboTV is an even more complete end-to-end cable replacement service, which offers ESPN and over 120 other channels on plans starting from $64.99 a month.
And, as described above, you may prefer to give F1 TV and its free trial a go if all you really care about is the world's premier motor sport.
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix 2021: US times and TV coverage
This Sunday you can watch the Hungarian Grand Prix live from 9am ET / 6am PT on ESPN (build-up starts at 7.30am ET / 4.30am PT), while Qualifying goes live on TV at 8.55am ET / 5.55am PT on Saturday ahead of a 9am ET / 6am PT start.
For the truly dedicated, practice sessions will go on-air just before the start times listed above.
Watch a Hungarian Grand Prix F1 live stream abroad
New or existing subscribers to US streaming services can still access the platform of their choice from abroad by checking out a quality VPN and following the instructions above.
As well as the official F1 TV service (as described above), you can watch the Hungarian GP and all other 2021 F1 action on English-language TSN or French-language RDS - but they're premium channels that typically come with a pay TV package.
If you get them as part of your cable deal, then you'll just be able to log in with the details of your provider and get access to an F1 live stream.
If you don't have cable, you'll be well-served by their digital platforms. The TSN Direct and RDS Direct streaming services cost just CA$4.99 a day or (much better value) $19.99 a month.
The Hungarian Grand Prix starts at 9am ET / 6am PT this Sunday, with Qualifying action on Saturday starting at 9am ET / 6am PT. Practice times are listed above and coverage is also being offered, going live just before the start of each session.
Remember you can take your favorite sports streaming service with you wherever you go - just try our No. 1 overall rated VPN 100% risk-free for 30 days and follow the instructions above.
Aussie F1 fans need to strap in for a late one, as the Hungarian GP starts at 11pm AEST on Sunday night.
Paid-for TV network Fox Sports is showing every race of the 2021 Formula 1 season Down Under, including all of this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix action.
But if you don't have Fox as part of a pay TV package, your best option may be to sign up for the fast-emerging Kayo Sports streaming service.
It features no lock-in contracts and gives you access to over 50 other sports including the cricket, NRL, football... the list goes on! Handy if you don't want to go all out on Fox.
Better still, Kayo offers a FREE two-week trial!
After that, the Kayo Sports Basic Package costs $25 per month and allows users to stream across two devices simultaneously. The service also offers a Kayo Sports Premium Package, which provides three concurrent streams for $35 per month.
Don't forget, you can take your coverage abroad with you as well. For those wanting to watch home coverage of sports from overseas, a good VPN is the solution.
The Hungarian GP starts at a tricky time for F1 fans based in New Zealand, with the lights set to go out at 1am NZST on Sunday night/Monday morning.
Spark Sport is showing all of this season's F1 races. It usually costs $19.99 per month, but if you just want to catch one race for free, you're in luck, as there's a 7-day free trial.
As well as the F1 action, you also get The Hundred, a bevvy of Black Caps and England cricket matches, NBA basketball action from the US, and EPL football.
Spark Sport is available via web browsers on your PC or Mac, plus Apple and Android mobile devices, Chromecast, Apple TV, selected Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and LG TVs, and select Freeview streamers.
If you're abroad and want to sign-in to watch your subscription you can, using one of our best VPN recommendations.
Splatoon 3, the third instalment in Nintendo's quirky and colorful multiplayer shooter series, is in development for Nintendo Switch and we can expect it to launch sometime in 2022.
The game was revealed to the world in a Nintendo Direct in February 2021, with a trailer giving fans a glimpse at the new setting, the Splatlands, which presents a very different kind of locale from the bustling cities and trippy, otherworldly landscapes associated with previous games.
This departure from the previous games is stark, and has piqued our interest, but it was paired with more familiar elements like a new hub city and the traditional 4v4 competitive multiplayer fans know and love.
There's still a lot we have to learn about Splatoon 3 but here’s the breakdown of everything we know so far, as well as the things we’d like to see.
[Update: After a long silence, Nintendo has reminded us that Splatoon 3 is still in the works with some new artwork. Read on to find out more.]
Splatoon 3 will be the latest instalment in the series, dating back to its first entry on the Wii U in 2015 and followed up with Splatoon 2 for Nintendo Switch in 2017. The series focuses largely on multiplayer battles between Inklings - adorable humanoid characters that have the ability to transform into squids to swim through colored ink.
This feature ties heavily into Splatoon’s gameplay. Its flagship multiplayer mode, Turf War, tasks two teams of four players to cover as much of the map as possible with their team’s ink. This is achieved via the player’s loadout of weapons. Keeping with Nintendo’s family-friendly vibe, weapons in Splatoon fire colored ink as opposed to bullets, and can be used to cover the map as per the objective, or to temporarily incapacitate your opponents.
Splatoon’s got quite a fun assortment of weapons, as well. From the rapid-firing Splattershots to a literal giant paint roller, each weapon comes with its own build of sub-weapons and powerful special weapons. Splatoon 3, judging by the trailer, looks like it will be adding a few more to the pile, with a huge bow taking center stage that looks like a ton of fun to mess around with.
Turf War is great, fast-paced fun as each team battles to claim as much of the map as possible while also keeping opponents at bay. Players can freely swim through their own team’s ink for faster traversal and surprise attacks. On the other hand, your opponent’s ink will slow you down drastically as well as damage you over time. Rounds typically last for three minutes, making each match a frantic scramble as the music intensifies towards the end.
4v4 multiplayer isn’t the only card up Splatoon’s sleeve, however. Each game boasts other substantive single and multiplayer modes. There’s a story that familiarizes players with various weapon types while providing obstacle courses to traverse (and unique enemies to fight).
Splatoon 2 bolstered the series' available modes even further with Salmon Run, a co-operative horde mode where players work together to fight AI-controlled waves of enemies. This was later joined by the Octo Expansion DLC, a massive and challenging single-player mode loaded with extra missions and boss fights.
We expect Splatoon 3 to include the same kind of feature set in regards to its modes, and it may have a few new tricks of its own to show off as well.
The announcement trailer gave us an idea as to when we’ll be able to add Splatoon 3 to our game collection. The game is slated for release in 2022, but a more concrete date hasn’t been given as of yet.
Splatoon and Splatoon 2 had worldwide release dates of May 2015 and July 2017 respectively. So it’s possible we could also see a late Spring to early Summer release date for Splatoon 3 in 2022.
Nintendo has said it wants to release more info about Splatoon 3 before the end of 2021 but the game wasn't present during the company's presentation at E3 2021 so when we might see more remains unclear.
The Splatoon 3 announcement trailer gave us our first look at the upcoming game. It opened with what looks to be the initial customization phase of your playable Inkling and their “buddy,” which appears to be a Salmonid - prominently featured as enemies in Splatoon 2’s Salmon Run mode.
Interestingly, previously gendered options (players could choose to be a boy or girl Inkling) appear to be gone. Familiar options of hairstyles, eye color and legwear remain, but it looks like Nintendo is doing away with making players choose one of two genders. This is a definite plus in terms of inclusivity, and allows players to access hairstyles that were previously gender-locked.
From there, the trailer leads into what looks to be a brief glimpse at a single-player mode. Our Inkling makes their way through a post-apocalyptic, arid landscape, and it looks like someone suplexed the Eiffel Tower, as the ruined structure is half-buried upside down in the earth. The Inkling then boards a train before they find themselves in Splatoon 3’s new hub city of Splatsville.
The trailer closes out with a look at Splatoon’s familiar competitive multiplayer, which looks largely unchanged barring some new weapon types and a new way to enter an arena at the start of the match.
New art
After Splatoon 3 didn't make an appearance at E3 2021 as many hoped it would, Nintendo has broken its long silence around the game to reveal some new art. Posting through the official Nintendo of America Twitter account, the Splatoon team wished players a happy summer with the image which, while not revealing much, is a nice reminder that work on the game is still ongoing. Given it wasn’t an announcement of a delay, it could be taken as a sign that Splatoon 3 is still on track to hit that 2022 release window.
Whether you’re basking in the sunny vibes or just trying to beat the heat, happy summer wishes from the #Splatoon3 team! pic.twitter.com/6LuBxM6ELVJuly 14, 2021
Splatoon 3 hiring a level designer to integrate 'existing' stages
Nintendo linked a job opening for a Splatoon 3 level designer via their Japanese Twitter account. Spotted and translated by Twitter user OatmealDome, the job description looks to have some interesting responsibilities.
[Splatoon 3]Nintendo is hiring for a level designer. They will be responsible for the following tasks:- Adjusting stages, weapons, and gamemodes- Renovating “existing” stages- Placing stage objects per-gamemode- Balancing weapon parameter data https://t.co/js8xQqRK4ZFebruary 18, 2021
The job of the Splatoon 3 level designer calls for mostly typical fare, including placing stage objects and balancing attributes for weapons. However, more interesting is another responsibility that calls for renovating ‘existing’ stages.
This could be taken a number of ways. It’s possible that Splatoon 3 could be bringing back stages featured in the first two games, albeit with various twists and changes thrown in. When you think about it, this would make a degree of sense. Following Splatoon 3’s theme of chaos, we might witness stages reimagined in this image, potentially looking dilapidated or at least significantly altered.
However, this could just mean that the new level designer will be looking over new stages developed for Splatoon 3, and just polishing them up for release.
If the former is true, though, we don’t yet know if these stages will be variants on single-player or multiplayer maps. Remixed, harder versions of story missions we’re familiar with sounds appealing, but would Nintendo get a pass for recycling old content?
More likely is that the stages in question are from Splatoon’s multiplayer suite. We can think of a number of fan favorite stages that would look great with a more chaotic makeover. Reusing stages in this way isn’t unprecedented, either. Splatoon 2’s story mode carried some maps over from its multiplayer for certain missions, giving them a slight visual overhaul in the process.
There’s many things Splatoon 3 can do to improve on its predecessors. While Splatoon 2 was a solid follow-up to the original with fun new modes to offer, it felt iterative, almost like it was made to keep up appearances on the Nintendo Switch. Not necessarily a bad thing, considering Splatoon 2 is the 9th best-selling Switch game to date, but we feel like Splatoon 3 could do so much more.
Matchmaking
Firstly, there’s genuine improvements that Splatoon’s matchmaking absolutely needs. Chief among them is being able to more reliably play with friends. If you can believe it, both Splatoon and Splatoon 2 did not allow players to queue into multiplayer matches with their friends in online lobbies.
Splatoon 2 introduced League Battle which did let players enter with premade groups, but confusingly, the mode was only available at certain times. In both standard and ranked play, it was impossible to play with friends outside of randomly running into them online.
The only way for friends to play with each other was via local play, or in private lobbies against one another. Splatoon 3 absolutely needs to address this. When every other multiplayer shooter on the market lets us team up with our friends, Splatoon has no excuse.
Axe time-limited modes
Speaking to the limited time aspect of certain modes, we’d love it if Splatoon 3 shied away from this practice. This was present for League Battle and Salmon Run in Splatoon 2, the latter being one of the best modes the series ever introduced. It was only available on certain days for a few hours at a time.
Nintendo should be incentivizing players to access modes like this whenever they want - it keeps us playing longer and ultimately get more enjoyment out of the experience. Splatoon is an incredibly fun series - Nintendo shouldn’t be looking for ways to make it less so.
A better single-player mode
Splatoon 3 could use more substantial single player offerings. What’s present in Splatoon and Splatoon 2 is nice, but the base game story modes are very short, with little reason to revisit them bar some extra collectibles here and there.
Splatoon 3’s trailer has us craving a more open-ended single player experience. Fun fact: the story’s direction seems to be taking cues from Splatoon 2’s final Splatfest results. The featured team choices there were Order vs Chaos, with Chaos handily winning.
As a result, the world beyond Splatoon’s hub cities looks to be in dire straits. The series has already established that it takes place in a post-humanity world, so Splatoon 3 has every opportunity to explore the mess us humans left behind.
Looking to get a new SIM plan this weekend? While there are plenty of fantastic options out there, two SIM only deals stand out from the rest. These come from the networks Three and Smarty.
Of the two, the Three deal is the one that will interest most people. While it is slightly more expensive at £16 a month, it offers a completely unlimited data SIM plan and includes 5G at no extra cost.
That makes it the cheapest unlimited data plan around but if you want to get your costs lower, Smarty has a great alternative. Right now you can get its 100GB of data plan for only £14 a month.
That price is down from £17 per month and is overall the cheapest price available for this much data. Plus, Smarty's SIM plans operate on 1-month rolling contracts so you can leave at any time.
Three SIM | 12-month contract | All-you-can-eat data | Unlimited calls and texts | £16 per month
This SIM plan from Three leads the way right now for overall value in the SIM only world. It only costs £16 a month but for that price you'll get a completely unlimited data, calls and texts plan. Plus, 5G is included at no extra cost which makes this perfect for 5G devices like the iPhone 12, Samsung Galaxy S21 or Google Pixel 5.
SIM only plan from Smarty | 1 month rolling | 100GB data | unlimited calls and texts | £17 £14 a month
A great alternative to the above deal, this SIM plan from Smarty will only cost you £14 a month - down from its original price of £17. For that price, you'll get your hands on 100GB of data - plenty for most people's monthly usage. Plus, because Smarty works on 1-month rolling plans, you can leave at any time.
WWE 2K22 has been confirmed to be in development and its slogan claiming it "hits different" suggests that the series' hiatus period might have been just the thing to reinvigorate it. Fans will certainly be hoping that WWE 2K22 is a significant improvement over the disastrous WWE 2K20, which led to WWE 2K21 being canceled.
But what do we know about WWE 2K22 so far? And when can we expect to be back inside the squared-circle, throwing haymakers, making people tap, and delivering electrifying finishers in front of the WWE universe? A lot of questions need answered.
Information on WWE 2K22 is still pretty thin on the ground at the moment but we're hoping that will change in the coming months. In the meantime, we've gathered everything we've learned so far about the game below for your perusal.
[Update: There are rumors that SummerSlam could bring some much-needed WWE 2K22 news. Read on to find out more.]
WWE 2K22 is definitely happening, despite the series’ future being in doubt after 2K21’s cancellation. The publisher hasn’t provided a release date as of yet, but previous entries in the series have been released in October. That might not be the case for WWE 2K22, due to the fact it’s been in development longer than previous titles, but October is a good shout nonetheless.
The biggest event left on the WWE calendar this year is SummerSlam, which takes place on August 21 and, interestingly, has WWE 2K22 as a sponsor. This could be an opportune moment for 2K to announce WWE 2K22’s release date to the WWE fans, much like how they announced the game at Wrestlemania 37.
Back in April 2020, 2K released a statement explaining the sudden cancellation of WWE 2K21, and how it planned to make WWE 2K22 the best game yet.
“We hear you and we know you want more from the franchise, so we are applying what we’ve learned to the next WWE 2K simulation game with a renewed focus on quality and fun,” the publisher said. “As part of that commitment, we are extending the production timeline and will not be releasing a WWE 2K simulation game in 2020. We want to ensure the development team can create a great game that will entertain grizzled WWE 2K veterans, as well as newcomers who want to climb through the ropes and step into the ring for the very first time.”
There are high hopes, then, that WWE 2K22 will be a return to form for the franchise, but also that it will dramatically improve upon previous entries, which have been rather lackluster.
We've rounded up all the WWE 2K22 trailers below for your viewing pleasure, including some interesting insights from the development team which show some of the game's new technology in action.
WWE 2K22 teaser trailer
The first trailer for WWE 2K22 dropped during Wrestlemania 37 and stars a photorealistic-looking Rey Mysterio and Cesaro battling it out. We get to see Rey performing his famous "619" finisher, along with various close-ups of Rey's new character model.
The WWE roster has changed more than in previous years, partly due to Covid-19 resulting in multiple layoffs. It means that the WWE 2K22 roster may not be nailed down just yet, and could offer a few surprises. The break in development means the roster could look quite different, which should help freshen things up.
Some debutants we’re likely to see include Dominik Mysterio and Angel Garza, with popular NXT wrestlers also making the cut. We’d also expect the usual legends to make an appearance, like The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, as well as prominent superstars like Asuka and AJ Styles.
Keep an eye on SummerSlam
We’re still waiting on quite a lot of details for WWE 2K22, including its release date, but there are rumors that we could learn more during SummerSlam. The annual wrestling event is scheduled to take place on August 21 this year and WWE 2K22 appears on the posters as a sponsor.
Though nothing has been confirmed just yet, this has led fans to hope that we might get some more information on the game, whether that’s some new footage, a release date or perhaps even a cover star reveal. Though the game’s developers haven’t given any indication of whether more information will drop during the event, it’s surely worth keeping an eye out.
No Daniel Bryan?
There are rumors that Daniel Bryan might not appear in WWE 2K22. According to ScreenRant, wrestling writer Dave Meltzer has claimed in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE has requested Bryan not appear in WWE 2K22's roster. This is amidst rumors that Bryan is considering signing with AEW. As these are only rumors at the moment, with neither WWE nor 2K confirming, they should be taken with a pinch of salt.
New entrance animations revealed
2K Games has shared another behind the scenes video, which shows some of the entrance animations in WWE 2K22. According to the the tweet from the WWE 2K22 devs Twitter account, there will be over 4,800 new or updated animations in the game.
We looked at the finest details when animating the WWE Superstars through their entrances and their moves, with over 4,800 new or updated animations in #WWE2K22. Who do the ones here belong to? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/5ZpC9im8p0June 15, 2021
A number of WWE superstars were released
WWE announced that a number of notable superstars have been released from its roster, but how will this impact the game? Household names such as Braun Strowman, Lana and Ruby Riott have all been axed, so it remains to be seen whether they will be included in WWE 2K22.
WWE has come to terms on the releases of Braun Strowman, Aleister Black, Lana, Murphy, Ruby Riott and Santana Garrett.WWE wishes them the best in all of their future endeavors. https://t.co/8bAQIFgA1M pic.twitter.com/b77AeeLuDnJune 2, 2021
WWE 2K22's cover stars have been chosen... by the fans
While we still don't know which WWE superstars will grace the game's cover quite yet, fans have had they say on who they'd like to see. In a poll by the WWE Fox Twitter account, fans voted for Drew McIntyre and Sasha Banks as the superstars they'd like to see on the box.
Will 2K Games agree with the fans selection? We'll have to wait and see.
We asked and you OVERWHELMINGLY voted @DMcIntyreWWE & @SashaBanksWWE as the cover Superstars for #WWE2k22! 🎮 pic.twitter.com/QpFC4DAlfmMay 12, 2021
WWE 2K22 features over 4,800 new animations and mo-cap studio
WWE 2K22 will feature over 4,800 new animations for this year's entry, which is over a thousand more than usual. Patrick Gilmore, one of the game dev's, said that the team was continuing to add more as the game is developed.
We also got to see the game's new mo-cop studio in action, and Gilmore revealed that it's two times bigger, which means the team can seamlessly capture moves, entrances and elaborate cutscenes that take place in and out of the ring.
WWE 2K22 has new face-scanning technology
WWE 2K22 will use an all-new face-scanning rig that’s equipped with 80 high-resolution cameras that allow Visual Concepts to create high-precision 3D sculpts of the superstars. The clip below shows WWE stars Booker T and Ric Flair enter the contraption – which looks like Darth Vader’s personal chambers – and pull various faces as they get scanned by the cameras.
To make #WWE2K22 Hit Different, we built a brand new scanning rig, with 80 high resolution cameras and all-new software to map everything to a high-precision 3D sculpt. Can you dig it, sucka? WOOO! pic.twitter.com/a33bIxhoDoMay 19, 2021
While many wrestling game veterans would like to see WWE 2K22 build upon the rock-solid foundations that games like WWF No Mercy established, most people are clamoring for popular modes that were axed from previous games, like GM Mode from Smackdown vs Raw 2006.
GM Mode let you sign wrestlers, book shows and create feuds, and players were awarded ratings based on how exciting the matches were. In a post on the official 2K forums, which asked fans for their top three requests (which not everyone stuck to), GM Mode was a prominent request.
