Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is as impressive as it is anomalous. The game contains very little that hasn’t been done first by others, but it approaches those features in a way that’s so polished and unique that it doesn’t really matter if they’re particularly original. It also lacks a single-player mode, marking the first ever modern COD game to strip itself of a story campaign — and it’s become more focused and fun as a result. Black Ops 4 could have been a mismatched jumble of ripped off game elements, but developer Treyarch has instead reinvented the franchise in a way that may have lasting effects on how people play Call of Duty well into the future.

To be fair, the narrative around COD was one of lowered expectations. For a while, it’s seemed like publisher Activision and the small army of developers it employs to make COD games each year had simply run out of good ideas. The series remains a best-seller as new installments continue to make gobs of money from its diehard fanbase. But starting roughly around 2014’s Advanced Warfare, COD began to stagnate creatively, forcing its creators to turn to increasingly unrealistic and far-out ideas. Jetpacks and exosuits? Sure. Cybernetics and AI? They went there. Space warfare? Why not.

CALL OF DUTY STAGNATED CREATIVELY YEARS AGO, WHEN ITS CREATORS RAN OUT OF GOOD IDEAS
By the time Activision announced that last year’s entry would return to WWII — after a particularly vocal online backlash against the sci-fi Infinite Warfare — it seemed like the franchise had hit a dead end. Meanwhile, innovation in online multiplayer games was changing everything.

Bungie’s Destiny opened up all new avenues for treating shooters like persistent, online services. Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six Siege delivered unprecedented levels of strategy and customization through its use of a robust class system. Blizzard’s Overwatch completely rethought the competitive team-based shooter, creating a global phenomenon and e-sport almost right out of the gate. And perhaps most importantly, PUBG and Fortnite helped establish battle royale as the new, hottest genre in the industry.

And now there’s Black Ops 4, a game that takes elements from all of the above and remixes them in a clever way to create the most cohesive, forward-looking COD game in a long time. It’s still very much COD at its core: the game is brutally fast and overtly militaristic, and it’s designed solely for the hyperactive teenager in all of us. (Sometimes it feels like it’s primarily for those that are literally hyperactive teenagers.) But setting aside its aesthetics and the untouched core game design, Black Ops 4 is a creative and fascinating deviation from the formula. It is no surprise that the title is topping the Twitch charts in its first week, giving mainstays Fortnite and League of Legends a run for their money and keeping the competitive community in thrall. Casual players seem to be returning in droves, too.

The mode feels vibrant and dynamic, and just playing a handful of hours this past weekend was enough to hook me in a way that feels reminiscent of my first few Fortnite and PUBG sessions. The big difference I’m seeing with Blackout — and what I think will help it stay relevant to a uniquely large audience that doesn’t typically like battle royale games — is the skill gap and the necessary tools it takes to win.

PUBG matches are long, arduous, and can end in a flash if someone gets off a couple lucky shots from half a mile away. You can often die without ever seeing it coming, and in situations where you simply couldn’t have done much of anything about it. Many newcomers to the game, even when it first launched last year, found it hard to secure just one kill per game, let alone make it to the final circle and win. And because the matches are so long, practicing is hard and improving your play takes serious time and effort.

Fortnite, on the other hand, now relies almost entirely on your ability to build structures and sharpen your aim until it’s lightning-fast and accurate. Epic continues to add zany new items like a structure-destroying ATV, deployable fortresses, and invisibility stones to mix it up. Yet unless you master the core skills of building, quick aiming, and maneuverability, you’re unlikely to ever win a Fortnite game as the average player is much more skilled than they were six or even three months ago.

BLACKOUT HAS A MUCH MORE ACCOMMODATING LEARNING CURVE THAN PUBG AND FORTNITE
Blackout is a different story. Sure, the best of the best will always be able to aim better, move faster, and out-maneuver their enemies. But the playing field feels more level, and not just because the game mode just came out. By its very nature, combat in a COD game is more flattened — it’s easier to kill and get killed in almost every situation. That gives less skilled players an opportunity to beat opponents and even secure victories by playing smart and getting lucky.

I can of course see the player base getting better at moving around the map, using strategic positions, and relying on the most effective firearms as the mode matures. But the learning curve here is much more inviting. Blackout is like playing a standard first-person shooter, but in a different context and at bigger scale. That’s a whole lot easier to manage than building structures out of thin air or maneuvering an environment for 20 minutes without seeing a single opponent.

There’s also a lot of room for the mode to grow. Treyarch plans to add new modes, vehicles, and items that shake up the combat and change how players get around. Even right now, players are finding ways to take out opponents with basketballs, the tomahawk projectile, and by crashing vehicles into another. Over time, there’s a good chance Blackout can become the more polished and accessible version of PUBG, yet with Fortnite’s willingness and capability to constantly evolve.

While Blackout has certainly dominated the narrative around Black Ops 4, the standard multiplayer remains largely intact and refreshing. Now, players choose not just between a set of custom loadouts, but also special subclasses that grant you abilities and a more powerful ultimate-style ability, like you’d see in Destiny or Overwatch, that charges up over time. These existed in Black Ops 3, but Treyarch is leaning harder into them here, adding new specialists and letting a lot of the late-match combat revolve around strategic ability use.

Those abilities also have heightened importance considering game modes are now more objective-based and not simply about who kills more of the enemy team. Control, Hardpoint, Heist, Search and Destroy, and Domination outnumber the traditional kill-or-be-killed modes, of which there are just three. It’s clear Treyarch is encouraging players to try the objective-based modes by giving them prominent placement in the featured list. Attached to the mode is the same progression system we’ve come to expect from COD, but with even more unlockable cosmetics, weapon skins, and other vanity items to keep players hooked and fixated on goals and milestones, including the ever desirable prestige emblems you get from maxing out your level and starting over anew.

A lot of the changes you’ll recognize as the influence of Rainbox Six Siege, with little bits of Destiny and Overwatch sprinkled in. But no one element feels so prevalent that it dilutes the core COD experience, which is still about running around as fast as you can and racking up a high kill count while (hopefully) achieving an objective for your team. Players who’ve liked past COD games, especially the recent ones, will still find this one enjoyable, while those lapsed players that maybe haven’t played since the Modern Warfare or Black Ops 2 days should be able to acclimate just fine with a few hours of practice.

IT’S HARD TO THINK COD FANS WILL PURCHASE ANOTHER GAME IN THE SERIES UNLESS IT HAS BATTLE ROYALE
Rounding out the experience is a revamped Zombies mode, which sends wave after wave of AI-controlled undead at you and a team of strangers or friends. There are now two distinct storylines to Zombies, Aether and Chaos, that have different maps and characters, and it’s clear the mode is designed to stand in for a traditional campaign as the story is fleshed out through dialogue and secret cutscenes locked behind Easter eggs. It’s a far cry from the Hollywood-style stories COD has delivered in the past, but Zombies should, for most people, get the job done and scratch the single-player itch.

It’s too early to tell how big Blackout will become, or what the future of COD will look like next year, when it’s developer Infinity Ward’s turn to release the next entry as part of the franchise’s three-year development cycle. But Black Ops 4 will have an undeniable and outsized impact on where this series and the genre it dominates goes in the future, if only in cementing the battle royale mode as a must-have for any big-budget online shooter.

We might see the return of a story campaign next year, while Zombies fades into the background until it’s Treyarch’s time to shine again. But I can’t see COD fans eagerly buying another entry unless it does everything and more that this game has accomplished, Blackout included. For a franchise that’s older than many of its players and hasn’t stopped annually releasing a game since the PS2 era, that’s quite the accomplishment. And while Black Ops 4 might not be a Fortnite killer, it’s certainly proved that the sluggish, risk-averse shooter industry can still take a big leap when it wants to.

Normally priced at $79.99, you can get a pair for $55.99 with the offer code EMCEPRR37 used at checkout. At the time of writing, Newegg offers a few different color options to choose from, including blue, gray, red, or the red and blue controller combo that comes with some consoles.

Picking up an extra set of Joy-Con is something that most Switch owners will eventually do, or have already done (at full price, no less), and discounts on the controllers are rare and rarely this good. The Switch celebrates couch co-op and playing with or against friends, so you’ll be glad to have a few extra Joy-Con laying around once Super Smash Bros. Ultimate launches in December.

Updated at 2:22PM ET, October 22nd: Newegg’s stock of Joy-Con controllers has sold out, and a company spokesperson shared with The Verge that the short-lived offer code has expired.

The Minecraft universe is set to expand once again. Today at Minecon, developer Mojang revealed a new dungeon-crawler set in the blocky universe. Called Minecraft: Dungeons, the new experience is described as “an all-new action-adventure game inspired by classic dungeon crawlers, where you’ll constantly discover new weapons and items that will help you defeat a ruthless swarm of new-and-nasty mobs. You’ll fight or flee through canyons, swamps, and — of course — mines!”

Dungeons is, naturally, set in the Minecraft universe, but it looks like it will offer a more structured experience than the sandbox building game. You can explore solo or play with up to four friends. It seems like a pretty natural extension of the best-selling Minecraft, which is no stranger to spinoffs, including the narrative-focused Minecraft: Story Mode. Minecraft: Dungeons is expected to launch next year on PC.

“Minecraft” launched nearly seven years ago, and with 144 million copies sold, still shows no sign of slowing down both in terms of sales and development.

During this weekend’s Minecon Earth 2018 event, Mojang announced the coming of another major update to the game.

The Village and Pillage update will populate the villages of the game’s Overworld with a slew of new and classic villagers. And to keep things interesting, the update will also deliver “pillagers” and their beasts to attack those freshly housed villagers.

The villages and those in it will all look and act differently depending on what biome they’re located in, said Jens Bergensten, lead developer at studio Mojang. The game will also add a few new professions for villagers.

“The pillage part of the update is that the village will be under threat from a new group of villagers, evil villagers,” he said. “They will raid in groups with pillagers and a new monster like a new miniboss.”

The major update is set for a release next year, but this holiday Mojang will be adding stray cats and pandas to the game. Pandas, Bergensten said, will bring with them bamboo forests and the ability to harvest bamboo and create scaffolding with it.

“We recorded real pandas in China to help create these,” he said.

Apple TV’s version of “Minecraft” will no longer receive updates or support, The Verge reported Thursday.

Sadly, Microsoft pulled support on Sept. 24, stating in a pop-up message on the Apple TV version of the “Minecraft” app that “We’re grateful to the Apple TV community for their support but we need to reallocate resources to the platforms that our players use the most.”

That few appeared to notice until now seems to prove that Microsoft made the right call.

For anyone who already purchased the game for the Apple TV, they can still play but won’t receive the support that other versions have. As such, Microsoft is issuing full refunds for anyone who purchased the Apple TV version in the last 90 days.

“Minecraft” is still a wildly popular title on other platforms, particularly among young players. The game could be seeing its first signs of diminishing popularity, though, as the playerbase for “Minecraft” actually experienced its first decrease this year, according to market research firm Interpret.

“‘Minecraft’s’ share of all gaming time by kids age 6-12 has dropped 5% since [2017], although it still commands a hefty 13% of total game time,” according to Interpret.

This could be in part to the increasing popularity of “Roblox,” which also attracts young players who like to build games and play already-created games within the “Roblox” community.

Plus, the ever-increasing popularity of battle royale game “Fortnite” can’t be discarded, which has become so popular with young players that some parents are even hiring “Fortnite” tutors to help their kids improve.

Mojang, creators of massive global hit “Minecraft,” are working on its first new major game in more than a decade: “Minecraft: Dungeons.”

The game is a dungeon crawler a bit like Blizzard’s “Diablo” titles but starring the blocky creatures, characters, and creations of “Minecraft.” The game, due out on PC in 2019, will support up to four players in cooperative play.

“This was a passion project from a small dedicated team at Mojang,” said Jens Bergensten, lead developer at the studio. “It lets players live the experience of spelunking, mining, and cave exploring in the sense of a classic dungeon crawler game.”

Bergensten said the game will feature both the well-known creations from the original game but also a bunch of new items and bosses.

“It’s a distilled version of ‘Minecraft,’” Bergensten said, noting that it won’t have building or block destruction. “We wanted to focus on making the dungeon crawler part of the game as good as possible. We talked about adding building a lot, but we were concerned it would distract from what the game is meant to be about.”

The adventure game will feature a story and is being built inside Unreal Engine, he said. There are plans for a beta, but it will be rolled out to a relatively small group of people.

The new game, which doesn’t yet have a price, was announced during the weekend’s Minecon Earth 2018.

Like death, taxes, and NCIS, Minecraft simply won’t stop. Nearly a decade has passed since the game first appeared in early access on the PC, the block-world franchise is still kicking. Fans have been excited for next year’s Village and Pillage Update, and the development team is holding a new contest that will allow one lucky player to have their cat immortalized in-game via a custom cat skin.

If you feel that your cat has what it takes to live forever in the digital block universe, you’ll need to submit a picture or video of it to either Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram while using the hashtag #Minecraftcatcontest.

Applications are being accepted now through November 12. The finalists will be formally announced on November 16, at which point the community will be able to cast votes for which of the three final cats will make the cut for inclusion into the game via a skin created by pixel artist Jasper Boestra. The winning cat will be announced by the Minecraft development team on November 19.

For a full rundown of all the official rules of the contest, please refer to the Minecraft Cat Contest rules page. Keep it tuned to Shacknews for more updates on Minecraft’s Pillage and Village update as they become available.

Amateur esports company Super League Gaming announced three distinct challenges for its Minecraft community all centered around the upcoming “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” movie on Monday.

Super League is gearing up for the Dec. 14 release of the animated film in style, with three competitions held between Oct. 27 and Dec. 9.

First up, Super League’s Minecraft City Champs tournament will have players battling it out in the new “Spider-Verse: Domination,” a mini-game inspired by the film that has teams of five battling to snatch up and then maintain points in a map of New York City based on the setting of the feature film.

The Minecraft City Champs competition will be held in select movie theaters across 16 competing, major markets in the US during four Saturdays in a row, starting Oct. 27. The competition is open to registered players 17 or under, and registration currently costs $49.99 for those who sign up by 12 p.m. PT on Monday. Participants will receive a special jersey and access to an early screening of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” In one of the cities (to be announced), a “Minecraft influencer” will greet the players in a red carpet style premiere, according to a press release.

Next up, Super League’s November Minecraft Monthly program’s theme will be “The Battle for NY,” and will also feature “Spider-Verse: Domination.” This competition will have players participating from the comfort of their homes every Sunday starting on Nov. 4. Players will compete in Super League Minecraft mini-games set in “film-based maps of New York City” for the chance to win some special prizes. The kickoff will include one “top Minecraft influencer” livestreaming as they play alongside the participants.

Finally, December will bring a build competition open to all American “Minecraft” players who want to try their hand at creating a “Spider-Verse” version of New York City inspired build. The competition will run from Dec. 1 to Dec. 9. The larger “Minecraft” community will be able to view these creations, which will feature “individual spots within New York City,” according to a press release, on Super League’s site.

Matt Edelman, the CCO of Super League Gaming, expressed his enthusiasm for the three competitions coming up soon.

“Super League Gaming is a player-first company – we constantly strive to bring more value into the player experience,” said Edelman. “Sony Pictures immediately understood that and encouraged us to design an authentic program to support ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ that would excite and delight our community. We can’t wait for it to launch!”

Minecraft developer Mojang has announced a new competition aimed at finding a new feline superstar. This is basically a fancy way of saying that your pet cat could end up being in the game next year. Cool, right? Cats are awesome, after all. Except when they wake you up at 3.00am just to see if you’re in the house.

Anyway, to enter all you have to do is take a snapshot or video of your furry friend and share it on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using the hashtag #Minecraftcatcontest. Just make sure you do your cat proud and have he/she looking their best, eh?

Mojang is giving you until November 12 to submit your chosen cat, after which point the community team will narrow down the submissions to the final three felines.

You can then vote on which cat makes it into the game via social media, with more details being shared on November 16, at which point voting stations will open. The winning cat will be announced on November 19, before joining Minecraft via the Village and Pillage update in 2019.

You can read up on more details regarding the competition https://minecraft.net/en-us/article/minecraftnet-cat-contest-terms .

With the gym lights turned down low, video-game music throbbing, and a state-of-the-art projector system casting space-age targets onto two walls, a new kind of phys-ed class aimed at getting the post-Nintendo generation to get up and run around has arrived in the Philadelphia area.

It took the kids at the Valley Day School in Morrisville a few minutes to get the hang of newfangled games that were part-dodgeball, part-basketball, and part-Super Mario Brothers. But after several minutes of sometimes mad scrambling across the gym floor, one group of fifth and sixth graders was giggling and squealing and their hearts were almost certainly racing.

It’s exactly what the Canadian developers of this newfangled hybrid gym class, called the Lu Interactive Playground, were going for.

The $28,000 price tag for the system includes the two large projectors on the ceiling, two other devices that house lights and the computers that help teachers control 25 different games using hand-held controllers with keyboards. The games are projected on opposing gym walls, with synchronized lighting and sound effects, inviting kids to throw balls at targets ranging from animals to math problems to objects floating through space.

“It’s very fun – you get to interact with it, play around with it.” said eighth grader Scott Dangler, 13, of the sporting spectacle from augmented-reality design firm SAGA. “It’s like dodgeball – but more fun.”

Bemused but entertained by the high-tech competition he called “a very good workout” was physical education teacher James Romano – also the Jenkintown girls’ basketball coach, who just notched his 600th victory in his 36th season. Said Romano: “I don’t even have a cellphone – so this is outer space for me!”

Gym class had long been the last low-tech holdout as sleek laptops, virtual-reality goggles and other computer-driven learning tools have taken over traditional classrooms. But the computer age has also sparked the skyrocketing popularity of home video games and a rise in childhood obesity that experts have linked in part to kids shunning outdoor exercise to spend hours with their game controllers or on the web.

The concept behind SAGA’s Lu, which launched less than a year ago in a Quebec elementary school and which the company has installed in 30 locations worldwide this year, is quite simply that if you can’t beat video games, join them – by creating fast-moving games that drop kids into a high-tech playing field of augmented reality. The only other U.S. location is at a public elementary school in St. Louis.

“The kids we had in mind when we designed this were kids who were not really into sports, not good at sports or interested in sports,” said SAGA CEO Vincent Routhier. Designers looked at “how can we find a way to make them active a little more – while they are not realizing they are training or exercising…” he said. With a background in film production, he got the idea for the Lu after seeing a video of a gym teacher who had hooked up his iPad to a projector to create interactive games for kids.

The idea of integrating computer technology into gym class is not completely new. It started with Dance Dance Revolution, the turn-of-the-millennium game that got kids moving their feet to video cues on a screen. Other gym classes make use of technology to allow students to monitor their heart rate, or to receive instruction from a video screen while the teacher is freed up to coach kids on their individual technique.

One experimental concept that gained traction in as many as 700 classrooms across the Philadelphia School District was Johnson & Johnson’s Activity Works, which asked kids to get up and move around during simulated activities like trips to a rainforest or outer space. Bettyann Creighton, the executive director of health, safety and physical education for the city schools, said the classroom exercise raised student heart rates and improved learning.

“The brilliant part about all of this is more and more teachers are understanding that movement and physical activity really does bring improvement in academic achievement,” Creighton said. “It turns the brain on for learning.”

Science supports that. One 2013 study of 12,000 Nebraska schoolkids, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, found a strong correlation between a child’s physical fitness and higher achievement scores. That’s created an opening for high-tech entrepreneurs who say the best way to get students excited about exercise is to co-opt their fixation with video games.

Jarrod Saracco, a Delaware-based fitness industry consultant, said “it doesn’t matter if the kid’s an athlete or a video gamer…they’re both very competitive in their own nature. That kid playing Minecraft or Xbox, he wants to beat the game as much as [the] kid playing sports wants to beat his game.”

One of Saracco’s clients, Illinois-based Exergame Fitness, has created what relationship manager Parker Johnson called “an active learning lab” for kids at YMCAs or school gymnasiums, using exercise bikes or projections onto walls and floors. Johnson said the firm believes its products are particularly valuable for kids with anxiety issues or ADHD. “Exercise is a great way to settle the mind,” he said.

But Cheryl Richardson, senior director of programs at SHAPE America, a society of health and physical educators, said the new opportunities created by augmented reality in gym class could raise potential pitfalls for some students.

“It would probably not be a very friendly environment for students with autism – it could just be overwhelming,” Richardson said, adding she was also concerned whether the fast pace allows teachers to work with kids on skills that are traditionally part of phys-ed class, like encouraging good teamwork.

At the Lu session at Valley Day School, which has 90 kids in kindergarten through 12th grade who require emotional and academic support, Romano acknowledged that a lot of older kids prefer the sports they grew up with, like basketball or volleyball, which the school still offers, but that begins to change somewhat after they see how much the younger kids enjoy the new interactive games.

Seventh grader Emma Prendergast, 13, said “I actually enjoy it, though I much prefer traditional games” that have a little more freedom. “With the computer you have to play the game the way it’s designed.”

Education director Ron Hall said the lights and sounds and images are engaging and create an emotional connection for kids, especially those who dislike traditional sports. The system can also project movies or PowerPoints, an added value that he used to sell it to the school’s board of directors.

“Now we’ve got to turn our brains on!” exclaimed Hall as he switched to a math game. The problem 9 plus 6 popped up on the screen surrounded by various numbers. Six fifth and sixth graders started throwing balls until they hit the right answer.

“Little kids love it because of the sound and the music,” Romano said. “It’s an extension of computers. That’s the generation we live in. It’s stepping into a video game.”

After math it was time for spelling. A picture of a bull popped up and the kids quickly threw balls at letters to spell the word. Then came a tough one…rhinoceros. After R, they were stumped. But it didn’t matter. They kept throwing balls until the game was over and it was time to go back to class.

The game, said Keirra Ciotti, 10, as she skipped back to class, was “spectacular.”

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A festival this weekend at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks is built entirely around the video game “Minecraft.”

The event, called “Minefaire: A Minecraft Fan Experience,” is it “an experience that you really cannot replicate at home,” according to event founder Chad Collins.

“Imagine walking into 150,000 square feet of ‘Minecraft’ heaven,” he said.

If you’re not familiar with “Minecraft,” Collins describes it as using Legos but in digital form.

“So you’re able to create worlds and interact with other characters in the game,” he explained, “and just really let your imagination run wild.”

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Some of the highlights of this festival include live gaming, virtual reality and workshops.

“We’re going to have Guinness World Records on site,” added Collins, “so you’re going to be able to participate in special challenges they’re going to have, and brand new this year is the escape room.”

Parents: Don’t plan on just sitting back and watching your kids have fun.

“We always have every age group in mind, so we make sure that it’s a 100 percent inclusive experience,” said Collins.

That includes the learning lab, where parents and their children are encouraged to participate together.

“You’re going to learn something about your kid that you never learned before,” Collins said.

Minefaire takes place Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets range from $39 to $69. For more information, visit minefaire.com.

Elsewhere in the Delaware Valley this weekend, parents may have been ferrying their kids to the mall, dropping them off at soccer, or bribing their cooperation through the weekly supermarket run.

But Saturday at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, Franklinville father Chris Gordon was his two young daughters’ escort to an alternative digital universe of biomes, precious ores, the Creeper, and other creatures well-known to youngsters around the globe as Minecraft.

“I love it — just to see the creativity. This one’s 2 years old,” Gordon said, nodding to daughter Charlotte, “and she can build her own world.”

“I like that you can do creative stuff,” agreed sister Elizabeth, 9.

Indeed there was lots of creative stuff and as many worlds as there were kids at Minefaire, a celebration of one of the world’s most popular computer games that continued Sunday at the expo center in Oaks, Montgomery County, and was expected to draw more than 10,000 people.

Steve Zawdony shooting video of his nephew in the costume judging at the Minefaire Expo at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center on Saturday.
BRADLEY C BOWER FOR THE INQUIRER
Steve Zawdony shooting video of his nephew in the costume judging at the Minefaire Expo at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center on Saturday.
Although the game is the brainchild of a Swedish game developer, Minefaire, first held in 2016, is the creation of two Central Bucks County fathers, Chad Collins, an engineer, and Gabe Young, who had a career in corporate project management. Their own kids helped spark their enthusiasm for gaming, which led to the two friends creating the first Minefaire locally and expanding it to 10 other U.S. cities. They’ve long left their day jobs, now also operating Brick Fest Live, inspired by Collins’ daughter Jordyn’s love of Legos, and their Young Innovators Fair.

“Not only do we have an opportunity to share this with our kids,” said Young, “but they actually help us.”

Minefaire is very much a family affair.

Mary Ann Elliot came all the way from Myrtle Beach, S.C., to bring her grandson Dominic Becker, who lives outside Reading, to the fair to celebrate his 13th birthday. Elliot was also giving the digital realm a whirl herself Saturday on an event-provided PC.

“Oooh, it did something!” Elliot exclaimed as a cube creation rotated on her screen. “Being a grandma, you’re always learning something.”

She wasn’t alone on the learning curve. On hand helping was Steve Isaacs, who teaches game development at a North Jersey middle school. Isaacs said he is one of about 300 Minecraft education mentors around the world who help teachers learn how to adapt the game to the classroom. He said it’s been used in just about every curriculum, including teaching Shakespeare.

Meanwhile, some of the game’s young practitioners could teach older heads a thing or two about being entrepreneurs. At this weekend’s Minefaire, there were YouTubers who have developed their own Minecraft channels with their fans.

Take Jack Beck, 20, who started making videos of his Minecraft adventures and creations when he was a sophomore at Holy Ghost Prep in Bensalem. Not long after, the videos and the game became a refuge of sorts. He said his little sister Mary was stricken with cancer; the videos became a way to help cheer up her and himself.

But then Beck started showing them on YouTube and getting paid. Now, he and his avatar BeckBroJack travel around the country with Minefaire. His YouTube hobby is now a full-time gig.

“He’s getting ready to hit a million subscribers,” said his father, Bill, helping out Saturday along with Jack Beck’s younger brother Adam. Mary, now healthy and strong, was expected later. The elder Beck said his son’s YouTube channel earns him about $20,000 a month — that’s a month — pretty good for a kid who only did a semester at Temple University’s business school.

Abaigeal Wallace, 8, and her YouTube Minecraft channel, Cake Longtail, aren’t quite there yet, but give her time.

“She’s got 32 subscribers!” said Bradin Roberts, 10, of Sea Isle City, boasting on behalf of her quieter cousin.

Abaigeal and her mother, Margaret McGrogan, traveled from Virginia Beach to attend Minefaire with their South Jersey relatives who own Shoobies restaurant in Sea Isle and also love Minecraft.

The young YouTuber may not be making a bundle on her channel yet, but in the meantime there are other rewards.

Abaigeal is on the autism spectrum, her mother said. She shies away from social settings and is measured with her words.

“But when she turns the camera on, she’s like a different person,” McGrogan said. “She’s like an actress. It’s a positive outlet.”

Abaigeal piped up in agreement: “I love everything about Minecraft.”

Minecraft is holding a contest right now that gives one lucky player the chance to have their cat featured in the building game.

There’s already a collection of animals in Minecraft that players can breed, tame, and use for various resources, but the newest Minecraft contest will add a cat that’s quite familiar to at least one person. Mojang shared news of the contest on Saturday with a post that said Minecraft is calling for everyone’s best cat pictures.

“All you have to do to enter is take a photo or video of the cat you think deserves to be in Minecraft, then share it on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #Minecraftcatcontest,” the contest details said.

Along with the full details on Minecraft’s contest, the post said that people have until November 12th to submit their cat contest contributions. After narrowing the choices down to three different options, players will then vote on which of the three cats they think should be added to the game.

Voting will take place on November 16th with the winner chosen on November 19th, but players can go ahead and start submitting their cat pictures now. People have already started doing so with some of the best cat contestants that we’ve seen shown below.

“Mustache Cat” sounds like the perfect name for a Minecraft mob anyway, so this cat submission already has a decent chance of winning the cat contest. The furball of a cat already got a decent amount of attention on Twitter with the contest just beginning recently as well.

Instead of sharing an image of a house cat, a user submitted a picture of an actual lion. It’s not a likely winner seeing how it’s not sticking within the contest’s rules, but it’s still a viable suggestion for Minecraft to one day add much larger cats to the game.

Doing some of Mojang’s work for them, one Twitter user submitted images of what their cat would look like if it were added in-game. Pictures of the actual cat weren’t provided, but it gives an idea of what a player’s cat would look like in Minecraft.

Moving away from the stream of cat photos, one player had a different idea: Create a cat version of an existing mob. The Twitter user above submitted an idea for a “Puffercatfish” that tweaks the Pufferfish added in Update Aquatic and mixes it with a cat.

Another unlikely submission but one that’s still unique, Bongo Cat was of course suggested to capitalize on the relatively new meme. Bongo Cat has been turned into many things before, but never a Minecraft mob, so even if Mojang doesn’t add it, players will likely find some way to mod in their own version of the musical cat.

When it was originally released in 1993, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm didn’t receive anywhere near the reception it deserved. It’s reasonable to assume that most audience members were still thinking of the Caped Crusader in the terms of Tim Burton’s two live-action films, and didn’t think that an animated Batman implied a film aimed at adults as much as it was children. But although few saw it at the time, the secret of Mask of the Phantasm gradually began to get out. Some 25 years later, it’s rightly recognized as the finest Batman animated feature … and by many as the best Batman movie, period.

Sure, you can have your Dark Knight. Christopher Nolan’s film is a masterpiece, but it’s more of a crime epic than it truly is a traditional Batman story, of the type you’d find in the original comics. Mask of the Phantasm, on the other hand, is a classic Batman comic come to life; the synthesis of everything that was already great about the style-defining Batman: The Animated Series. Its Gotham is a blood-skied, terrifying megalopolis of gothic architecture. Its villains are chilling, but not afraid to ham it up at the same time. Its style is gratuitous and bombastic. It’s much more BATMAN than something like The Dark Knight ever attempts to be.

And now, it’s back in theaters! Yes, for one night only, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm will be returning to select theaters on Nov. 12, 2018, via Fathom Events. It’s your chance to see the best Batman movie in the way it was always meant to be seen! Oh, and we should probably mention that Richard Donner’s 1978 Superman will also be returning to theaters in the same way on Nov. 25 and 27, but come on—we know which of these films is cooler, right?

Directed by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, Mask of the Phantasm features many classic voices from the animated series and Batman lore, including Kevin Conroy as The Batman and Mark Hamill as The Joker, along with Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as Alfred, Dana Delany as Andrea Beaumont and Stacy Keach as The Phantasm.

You can buy tickets for Mask of the Phantasm in advance by clicking here. In the meantime, enjoy this modern recreation of a new Phantasm trailer.

Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have launched a petition for Tobey Maguire to play a pizza delivery guy in Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Before either Andrew Garfield or Tom Holland suited up as the wall-crawler, Maguire played Peter Parker in Sam Raimi’s trilogy, concluding in 2007 with Spider-Man 3. Now a Change.org petition seeks to bring him back to the franchise, only in another role.

RELATED: Spider-Man: Far From Home Set Photos, Videos Show Off Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio

Petition creator Owen Lee explains how a Maguire cameo could work in the 2019 sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming. “Think about how cool it would be to get the OG movie Spider-Man to make a cameo in the MCU as a pizza delivery guy,” he wrote. “It could also open possibilities to the Spider-Verse in the MCU.”

Casting Maguire as a pizza delivery guy is also a nod to his role in Spider-Man 2, in which Peter Parker balanced his work at the Daily Bugle, complicated love life and superhero activities with a part-time job at Joe’s Pizza in New York.

One fan has taken Lee’s idea further and suggested Garfield could also join the Far From Home as the person who ordered the pizza. As it stands, however, there is only a petition to see Maguire in the superhero sequel. Sorry, Andrew.

Marvel movies are packed with references and cameos from the likes of Stan Lee, and some might remember how The Incredible Hulk TV actor Lou Ferrigno appeared in Louis Leterrier’s 2008 movie of the same name.

At the time of writing, more than 41,000 people have signed the Maguire petition, and with filming under way on Spider-Man: Far From Home, there is every possibility that director Jon Watts could find a cameo for the actor.

Spider-Man 2 is often cited as one of the best superhero movies of all time, and set a high standard for comic book movies before the MCU. It sounds like a great idea for Watts to homage Raimi’s legacy, and although Lee’s idea is a clever one, does it really top Tom Holland’s idea to have Maguire play Uncle Ben in a flashback sequence?

Directed by Jon Watts, Spider-Man: Far From Home stars Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Jacob Batalon, Hemky Madera, Tony Revolori, Jake Gyllenhaal, Cobie Smulders and Samuel L. Jackson. It hits theaters on July 5, 2019.

Longstanding speculation that director Matt Reeves’ The Batman will star a younger Bruce Wayne has been given another boost with a new rumor that Jack O’Connell is being considered for the title role.

That Hashtag Show reports Warner Bros. has “expressed interest” in the 28-year-old actor, who rose to prominence on the U.K. drama Skins. Although the website emphasizes it’s been unable to substantiate the rumor, there are indications O’Connell may have been present for a recent meeting between studio executives and Ben Affleck, or else met with Warner Bros. himself.

The rumor arrives mere days after a report that, Affleck, newly out of alcohol rehabilitation, is still interested in returning to the role of the Dark Knight.

O’Connell, whose credits also include 300: Rise of an Empire, Money Monster and Trial by Fire, recently earned acclaim for his role as Roy Goode in the Netflix Western Godless.

He joins a growing list of actors, including Jake Gyllenhaal and Jon Hamm, who have been mentioned as a potential successor to Affleck as Warner Bros.’ Batman. There have been rumors that Reeves’ film is a reboot set early in the icon hero’s career, and thus featuring a younger actor in the title role. While the writer/director has clarified that the movie isn’t based on “Year One,” the influential comic book storyline by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, little else is known about the project.

Batman is easily one of the most engaging superheroes of all time. This mostly has to do with the fact that everything that makes him “super” is something he’s worked at mastering. Batman has no superheroes, as everyone knows. He was given no supernatural gifts via magic, technology, or alien-heritage. The only gift he was given was money. And what he did with this money is astounding.

Not only that, but he trained his body into becoming one of the most lethal weapons imaginable. On top of it all, Batman is an excellent tactician, an academic, a detective, and overall a complete genius. But just because Batman is such a fascinating character doesn’t mean that every single one of his movies have been up to snuff. In fact, a great deal of them haven’t been; need we talk about Batman & Robin?

Still, this hasn’t stopped the studios from pushing forward various films that feature The Caped Crusader, his allies, or his enemies. There have been many Batman movies that have been in the works in the past, but for various reasons have never seen the light of day. Seldom have they been the ones that fans have hoped for (you won’t see another Christopher Nolan film on this list, for instance). The same can be said for some of the upcoming Batman films. However, there may be two or three that we’d all actually love to see unfold on-screen.

Here are 10 Batman Films Currently In Development (And 10 That Were Canceled).

20IN DEVELOPMENT: THE BATMAN

The Batman seems to have had more of a complicated and rocky preproduction history than almost any other Batman film. At first, it seemed like Ben Affleck was set on not only starring in the film and writing it but directing it as well. That, of course, has changed over the years. Now, Matt Reeves has been locked into the project as the director and Affleck’s script has been scrapped.

However, it’s unclear whether or not Ben Affleck will return due to his personal issues, as well as whether or not Warner Bros. will continue with the DCEU continuity. Even the recent rumors that Jack O’Connell will be joining the film seem to be confusing fans. Regardless, this film is alive and will eventually find its way to the big-screen.

19ALMOST DEVELOPED: BILL MURRAY BATMAN

Ivan Reitman is easily one of the greatest comedy directors of all time. One of the reasons why is because he is able to find the authentic moments within the outrageous situations portrayed in his stories without it feeling forced. But he was an odd choice for a director to helm a Batman movie.

He was supposed to direct a film 1985 that featured comedy-legend Bill Murray as the Dark Knight.

Reitman was fresh off his hit-film Ghostbusters and promised a grittier take on the character’s origin story. The film, which was written by Superman screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz, was also rumored to star David Bowie as the Joker and feature Rupert Thorne as well as Silver St. Cloud as the love interest. However, for better or for worse, the movie plans fell through.

18IN DEVELOPMENT: JOKER

Of all the entries on this list, it seems like this Todd Phillips’ Joker film is getting the most publicity. Not only is this because it’s currently in production, but Batman fans are just obsessed with the Joker. Part of the character’s allure has to do with this mysterious past, something that seemingly will be uncovered in this new film.

Todd Phillips’ Joker film, starring Joaquin Phoenix, is a gritty take on a failed comedian’s decent into madness. With this Oscar-nominated performer taking on this iconic role, as well as Martin Scorsese in the producing seat, there’s a strong chance that this film could avoid disappointing the fans who worry that it will uncover too much about the origins of the Joker. The film is set for release in late 2019.

17ALMOST DEVELOPED: SCHUMACHER’S THIRD BATMAN

Who would have thought that Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever, starring Val Kilmer, Jim Carrey, and Tommy Lee-Jones, would have made money? Well, it did. A great deal of it actually. Even though critics didn’t like it, it was enough for the studio to greenlight Batman & Robin.

Before Batman & Robin became one of the most disliked films ever, Shumacher had actually planned his third Batman outing, which never saw the light of day.

That film was supposed to feature Nic Cage as Scarecrow and Madonna as Harley Quinn, who would be The Joker’s daughter instead of his love interest. It would also center around Batman confronting the person who ended his parents via Scarecrow’s fear toxin. Joel Schumacher just wasn’t the man to pull it off.

16IN DEVELOPMENT: “BIRDS OF PREY” MOVIE

Director Cathy Yan has been hard at work making sure that the Birds of Prey movie will be reaching the big screen in 2020. The movie, based on a popular series on graphic novels featuring characters from the Batman universe, is set to star Margot Robbie, reprising her role as Harley Quinn.

Quinn, after breaking up with the Joker, will team up with Black Canary, Officer Renee Montoya, and The Huntress to save the life of a little girl who may or may not grow up to be the next Batgirl. It’s been suggested that the Batman villain Black Mask will be featured as the Big Bad of the story. This would be a smart choice since the crime lord is often seen as far more ruthless and dangerous than many of Batman’s greatest foes.

15ALMOST DEVELOPED: TIM BURTON’S “BATMAN FOREVER”

It was Batman Returns’ tone as well as its mediocre box-office results that got Tim Burton removed rom his third Batman film. The biggest issue the studio had with Tim Burton after Batman Returns was the fact that the film was far too dark for some of the companies that had aligned themselves with the product, namely McDonalds. This is really too bad as it would have been nice to see Burton’s take on Batman Forever, which was eventually taken over by Joel Schumacher.

Before Burton was turfed, he had planned to have The Riddler as the main villain of the film.

It was rumored that Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman would return and a different version of Robin would be introduced. Unfortunately, Burton’s vision would never see the light of day.

14IN DEVELOPMENT: CHRIS MCKAY’S NIGHTWING

At one stage in the game, it seemed like the DC Extended Universe knew exactly what it was doing. So many were announced, and so many unexpected characters were given their very own standalone pieces. This includes Nightwing, a film directed by the Lego Batman Movie’s Adam McKay that followed the adventures of Batman’s first partner, Dick Grayson, AKA Robin #1.

Although this Batman character is particularly popular, especially when it comes to his solo stories as Nightwing, it remains to be seen whether or not this project is still in development or not. Even though the film has a director who seems passionate about it, the studio hasn’t provided many recent updates.

13ALMOST DEVELOPED: BATMAN: YEAR ONE

After Batman & Robin, and before Christopher Nolan revamped the Batman franchise for the better, director Darren Aronofsky was utterly keen on directing an adaptation of the graphic novel Batman: Year One.

Aronofsky’s vision wasn’t unlike Nolan’s.

Both preferred a more grounded, moody, honest, and emotional Batman film. He collaborated with the writer of the novel, Frank Miller, in order to bring the project to the treatment and outline phase for the studio to deliberate on. The main reason why Warner Bros. rejected the idea from the acclaimed director was that both he and Miller wanted the film to be R-rated and had designed it to fit that rating. Unfortunately, the studio system was not yet ready to make superhero films that were that edgy.

12IN DEVELOPMENT: THE BATGIRL MOVIE

At this point, little is known about the Batgirl movie. Unfortunately for fans of the character, the film seems to be stuck in limbo along with Nightwing and a host of other DCEU properties. At one stage, fans were excited about the fact that Joss Whedon was going to write and direct the film. After he bowed out of his duties, the film was up in the air again.

There is a script for the project. It was penned by Christina Hodson, the same screenwriter behind Birds of Prey and the Bumblebee movie. However, some rumors suggest that the film has been pushed back. The latest rumors say that DC is moving forward with a Batgirl television show. Whether or not it will have anything to do with Hodson’s script remains to be seen.

11ALMOST DEVELOPED: WOLFGANG PETERSON’S BATMAN VS SUPERMAN

Back in 2003, before Nolan’s revamp of the Batman franchise, director Wolfgang Petersen was an absolute shoe-in to take on a Batman V.S. Superman film. Peterson had pitched the idea to Warner Bros., which was keen on his approach to the characters.

The story was supposed to follow Bruce Wayne as he got married to the love of his life.

However, the Joker interferes and takes out his fiancee before the wedding. Bruce then spirals into a vengeful rage that triggers Superman to attempt to stop him. The film was eventually scrapped after the shooting dates were announced and Peterson pulled out of the project. In a way, this decision pushed Warner Bros. to make Batman Begins in the following year. Coincidentally, Christian Bale was the leading candidate for the Superman role in Peterson’s film.

10IN DEVELOPMENT: GOTHAM CITY SIRENS

Although Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn was a standout character in Suicide Squad, the film failed to live up to expectations of the fans. This isn’t uncommon for the vast majority of the DCEU films. The feeling seems to be shared amongst the studio executives who have put the future of almost all DCEU films in limbo. This includes a Gotham City Sirens film that’s been in development for a while.

However, there was recently a sign of hope for those who desire to see this movie. Director David Ayer released that he had met with Gotham City Sirens creator Paul Dini. The storyline is supposed to feature Margot Robbie’s Quinn, fighting alongside famous Batman villains Catwoman and Poison Ivy.

9ALMOST DEVELOPED: BOAZ YAKIN’S BATMAN BEYOND

During the period between Joel Schumacher’s Batman & Robin, and Christopher Nolan’s stellar reimagining of the Caped Crusader in 2005’s Batman Begins, many filmmakers took a shot at creating Batman properties in hopes that they’d be the ones to breathe life into a character made dormant by Schumacher.

Boaz Yakin, the man behind Remember the Titans, was tinkering around with a live-action, cyberpunk version of Batman Beyond. He later revealed in an interview that he didn’t really have the passion for it and that’s the reason why he bailed on the project after only completing a single draft of the script. He also claimed that it would have had similar elements to Sam Raimi’s first Spider-Man film due to the fact that both Peter Parker and Terry McGinnis are teenagers when they embark on their quests.

8IN DEVELOPMENT: BATMAN HUSH ANIMATED

Although the DC Extended Universe has been particularly unreliable these days, Warner Brother’s animated department seem to be pumping out quality Batman films far more regularly. According to DC Comics, an animated version of the famous Batman comic Hush will be released sometime in summer 2019. The original 12-part novel, released in 2002, featured a large chunk of Batman’s most famous arch-enemies but also introduced a figure from Bruce Wayne’s childhood, Tommy Elliot. Elliot would turn into a master of disguise named “Hush” who is dedicated to bringing down Bruce at all costs.

The storyline is particularly emotional, and has a cool visual style.

Therefore it makes perfect sense that it will be made into an animated feature film.

7ALMOST DEVELOPED: THE WACHOWSKIS’ YEAR ONE

Due to the fact that Darren Aronofsky’s outline for Batman: Year One that was too violent and edgy for Warner Bros., the studio searched for a replacement. Year One already had legs and the studio was desperate to revive the franchise after the Schumacher mess, so they needed someone who could both do something respectable with it and make it marketable.

Warner Bros. turned to the Wachowskis, who were hot off the enormously successful Matrix sequels.

The first Matrix, starring Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, was and still is, one of the most beloved films of all time. Therefore, there’s no doubt the Wachowskis would have been a good choice. The studio liked their proposal but ultimately went with Christopher Nolan who came in with a different vision altogether.

6IN DEVELOPMENT: THE JUSTICE LEAGUE V.S. THE FATAL FIVE ANIMATED

Without a doubt, Marvel has the upper hand on DC when it comes to the current slate of motion pictures. Sure, one could argue that DC’s films of the past, such as Burton’s or Nolan’s, are the strongest of all time, but right now DC is living in the shadows. However, its animated slate has consistently been strong and seems to have no issue pumping out a few Batman and Justice League cartoons every year.

It was announced that fans will be receiving a new Justice League animated film in spring 2019. In this DC Universe original film, Batman and the League will take on the Fatal Five, a gang of 30th century supervillains; Mano, The Persuader, The Emerald Empress, Validus, and Tharok.

5ALMOST DEVELOPED: ADAM WEST’S NEXT BATMAN

For years after his smash-60’s television show, Batman actor Adam West had been adamant about returning to his role. He also voiced his dislike of the Tim Burton Batman films in an interview with Rolling Stone, calling it “Robocop in Gotham City”. Since Warner Bros. wanted to move away from the campy style of the ’60s Batman series and film, West penned his own movie for him to star in.

The film would feature a retired Batman living with Robin in the desert.

A new villain would then arrive, forcing the Dynamic Duo back into action. By the sounds of West’s description, the film would have been overly convoluted and quite silly. As much as we all love Adam West, it’s probably for the best that this film wasn’t made.

4IN DEVELOPMENT: JARED LETO JOKER MOVIE

Like it or not, it seems like the DCEU is going to push forward with another movie that will feature Jared Leto’s take on The Clown Prince of Crime. The film is reportedly going to be titled Harley Quinn and the Joker and will costar Margot Robbie as Quinn.

Though this film has been a bit up in the air due to the DCEU’s struggling and Todd Phillip’s Joker film, rumored details about the film’s plot were dropped at the end of September. These details seem outlandish enough to engage the talents of both Leto and Robbie. Leto is also set to appear as the title role in Morbius, a movie about the Spider-Man villain that reportedly won’t conflict with his duties as the Joker.

3ALMOST DEVELOPED: “JUSTICE LEAGUE: MORTAL”

During the time of Christopher Nolan’s epic Dark Knight Trilogy, Mad Max: Fury Road director Geoge Miller was keen on creating a Justice League film with a bunch of up-and-coming actors. Although few story details for Justice League: Mortal were ever released, Miller did cast Armie Hammer as Batman, D.J. Cotrona as Superman, Megan Gale as Wonder Woman, Adam Brody As The Flash, and Common as Green Lantern. Talia Al Ghul and Maxwell Lord were supposed to be the villains of the piece.

The 2007/2008 writer’s strike, as well as other variables, dismantled the film altogether.

Who knows whether or not this project would have pleased fans or not, but certainly some variables caused them to have questions.

2IN DEVELOPMENT: THE LEGO MOVIE 2

One of the things you can count on is that the Lego movies will find a way to include Will Arnett’s hilariously arrogant version of Batman. This can certainly be said of the upcoming Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, which is to be released in 2019.

Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and Raphael Bob-Waksberg have penned this follow-up film which will focus on our Lego heroes as they defend themselves against the threat of DUPLO, who have made their home a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Batman will join Lucy and Emmett once more to defend Brickburg and all of its inhabitants from a force that seeks to take over. It’s expected that Batman will have a decent role in the film since his own standalone film, The Lego Batman Movie, was well-liked.

1ALMOST DEVELOPED: JOEL SCHUMACHER’S THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS

The Dark Knight Returns is one of the most iconic and beloved Batman graphic novels, so it makes sense that many directors would have wanted it to make it to the big screen. Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice featured some threads from the story, as well as some visual homages, but it has otherwise not being featured as a live-action film.

Around the time of Batman & Robin, director Joel Schumacher was very interested in adapting the piece, hoping to go for a darker tone than both his critical flops, Batman Forever and Batman & Robin. Though it was likely a good thing that the studio wouldn’t let Schumacher go ahead with these plans, at least he was considering a more adult piece as well as hoping that Michael Keaton would reprise his role.

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Which of these canceled or in-development Batman films do you want to see the most? Let us know in the comments below!

Microsoft has just announced a new Xbox One S console bundle aimed at Minecraft gamers or those who may be interested in playing the hit video game for the first time.

Named the Xbox One S Minecraft Creators Bundle, this pack comes with an Xbox One S console, an Xbox controller, a digital copy of the Minecraft video game, 1,000 Minecoins (the Minecraft in-game currency), the Starter Pack DLC (which contains the Greek Mythology Mash-up, Plastic Texture Pack, Skin Pack 1, and Villains Skin Pack), and the Creators Pack (Adventurer’s Dream Mash-up and Winter Mini-Games Festival by Noxcrew, Relics of the Privateers by Imagiverse, PureBDcraft Texture Pack by BDcraft, Pastel Skin Pack by Eneija, and Wildlife Savanna by PixelHeads).

In addition to the above, the Xbox One S Minecraft Creators Bundle will also come with a 1-month membership for Xbox Game Pass, the Xbox One’s Netflix-style video game subscription service, and two weeks of Xbox Live Gold for online play.

The Xbox One S Minecraft Creators Bundle doesn’t appear to be available for pre-order yet however it will be priced at $299. The bundle is said to be due for release “soon.”

Are you interested in the Xbox One S Minecraft Creators Bundle or do you have your eye on another bundle or maybe the Xbox One X console? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more Minecraft content.