Luke Brown

Over the past few years, EA Sports has been refining the Madden franchise on its proprietary Ignite Engine into a product that would please both competitive players and simulation fans. That often left potential newcomers behind, as Madden grew more complex and required more and more patience to master. After switching to the Frostbite Engine, EA Sports was afforded the chance to welcome players of all skill types with an original story mode called Longshot, as well as redefining the on-field action for every fan possible. As a result, Madden NFL 18 is quite possibly the best this football franchise has ever been.

Llexi Leon, interactive creative director of Phantom Music Management and creative director of 'Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast,' discusses the latest on the game.

Foregoing the deluge of single-character reveal trailers, this week NetherRealm Studios decided to give the popular WWE gaming channel the hot tip on the latest roster addition. After getting a bit of a tour of the studio behind the Mortal Kombat series, speaking with Ed Boon, and just clowning around like good wrestle-buddies do, Xavier, Kofi, Bayley, and Sasha get to spend a little time with Firestorm in Injustice 2.

If you've been paying attention to Damian Wayne for even just a little while, you already know he's one Robin you don't want to cross. Batman's son is just that much of a bad little dude. Depending on which alternate timeline you believe happens, he also grows up to be Batman, or in the case of Injustice, he sticks around as Robin after maybe not-so-accidentally killing Nightwing. Five years after the events of the first game, Damian is back, and judging by this new trailer for Injustice 2, he's still just as angry with his father as ever.

Now in the third year of the newest console generation, Madden NFL 17 finds itself served well by the combined efforts of the past as well as a number of great small improvements.

This week at Gamescom, NetherRealm Studios unleashed its latest two roster additions to Injustice 2 upon the world. Fresh off their starring turns in Suicide Squad, both Harley Quinn and Deadshot will be front and center when the DC fighting game sequel hits shelves next year. Harley Quinn's return was about as easy to predict as the inclusion of the Trinity, but Deadshot is a bit of a surprise addition that gives Injustice 2 a bit more ranged variety. Both are shown off in the latest trailer, which also gives us a glimpse at a number of armor variations you can earn for the Suicide Squad members.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our years on the Internet, it’s that there’s no aspect of comics that can’t be broken down and quantified in a single definitive list, preferably in amounts of five or ten. And since there’s no more definitive authority than ComicsAlliance, we’re taking it upon ourselves to compile Top Five lists of everything you could ever want to know about comics. This week, we're casting our gaze at the greatest quarter-munching, joystick-waggling, button-mashing comic book video games.

The first day of Star Wars Celebration Europe was chock full of incredible people decked out in fantastic costumes, but the cosplay contest held late opening night was a sight to behold. More than two dozen entrants dazzled the crowd and judges with intricate costumes for characters both beloved by all and some known to but a few at first glance. The judges certainly didn't have an easy night, but out in the crowd, it was pure spectacle that we could just enjoy. But the cosplay goodness didn't stop there. If you thought day one was full of amazing handiwork, the folks we encountered on day two upped the ante tremendously. From the original saga, to The Force Awakens, to the animated shows, comics and beyond, these are the best Star Wars cosplays from day two of Star Wars Celebration.

If you had told me the new Ghostbusters movie would lead to a new four-player, co-op, isometric RPG shooter meant to tie into the film's release, I probably would have given a speech much like the OG GBs gave to the mayor of New York in the original film. Rumors of a Ghostbusters game have been flying around since the updated feature was announced, but this week Activision confirmed plans to support the Paul Feig film with an original game that takes place after the events of 2016's Ghostbusters. Which is interesting considering the game comes out before the movie hits theaters. As if enough Ghostbusters media and merchandise branded with that simple name wasn't confusing enough already, the game too will rely on just the default team name coined by the original paranormal investigators back in 1984. No real prior knowledge of the franchise will be necessary though, as Ghostbusters will feature an entirely new cast of characters, different from the new cast of characters in the movie, which are all different from the comics and cartoons based on the first Ghostbusters. Still with me?

Telltale Games' Batman is coming for you and he's coming this summer. During the "Batman: Telltale Unmasked" panel at SXSW today, Telltale's team gathered to discuss the game in (little) detail, offering a bit of insight into what to expect from its second DC Comics adventure game. While much of the game is still very much under wraps, Telltale did spill the beans on the release window. Summer might not be a definitive timeline, but there are several major conventions during those few months wherein a more concrete announcement might take place. The other major reveal was more about the tone of the upcoming Batman adventure, which will stay very much in line with previous Telltale games like The Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead. While this won't be the first time a potentially "M" rated Batman game will see release, the panel compared it to an R-rated film, which may raise some eyebrows. There's been a bit of consternation around the director's cut of the upcoming Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice feature, and knowing that Telltale's game might be in that same vein might turn a few fans off.

Hot Toys' plan to ruin the bank accounts of every Batman fan around the world continues with the official announcement of the life size Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Batman statue. Following hot on the heels of the Armored Batman version, this one shows off the Batfleck in his more traditional crime-fighting costume from the upcoming film. It's also the second full-size piece Hot Toys will release for sale, and is an indication that the Superman and Wonder Woman (with "real" hair) will follow later this year. I have to admit, I'm coming around on this suit. Maybe it's the unrelenting media coming at me from all angles promoting Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, but this duct tape and ACE bandage costume is starting to grow on me. I'm still not 100% on this thing, and it does have a texture a little too close to Superman's Kryptonian garb, but I no longer hate it. Baby steps.

As the fight enters into the championship rounds, Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald look like they've already been through hell. Their faces each carrying massive battle scars in the making, their bodies weakening by the second due to the high volume of punishment taken. Neither combatant looks like he can take much more, but both will gut it out for the gold and reverie awaiting at the conclusion of this historic and memorable night. The respective teams leave the Octagon and the referee summons both fighters to the center of the cage. The normally excited Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg are tentatively speaking about the carnage that's about to ensue.