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Jimmy Fallon, The Roots and the cast of Super Mario Bros. Movie just one-upped the game franchise’s original theme song.

In celebration of March 10 — aka “MAR10 Day” — Chris Pratt, Jack Black, Seth Rogen, Anya Taylor-Joy, Fred Armisen, Keegan-Michael Key and Charlie Day joined Fallon and his in-house band for a special Tonight Show video, singing a choral rendition of the instantly recognizable video game’s theme song. The actors make up the main voice cast of the upcoming animated Super Mario Bros. Movie, which hits theaters April 5.

In the video, Fallon and the actors take turns taking center stage as Questlove and other members of The Roots add layers of suave harmony. All the while, the singers are edited into the pixelated landscape of the Mario universe, where they pop in and out of green pipes and send shells flying at one another.

Then, Nintendo legend and Mario game creator Shigeru Miyamoto makes an appearance, and even has a little solo at the very end of the video.

Fans in the comments absolutely loved the creative take on the Mario music. “Broooo… This is so awesome!” wrote one. “Just to see the voice cast of The Super Mario Bros Movie and even seeing Miyamoto singing in acappella cover of the iconic Super Mario tracks is just phenomenal to watch.”

“The ending was a masterpiece in every way,” added another.

Watch Jimmy Fallon, The Roots and the Super Mario Bros. cast perform their elevated take on the film’s theme song above.

HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: Joe Buglewicz / Getty / Sony
The ongoing battle between Sony and Microsoft over this Activision Blizzard acquisition continues to get weird.
Sony has numerous concerns about Microsoft’s still stalled acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and now thanks to a PDF, we know every one of them.
In the documents sent to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Sony says it fears that Microsoft could raise the price of Call of Duty, make it exclusive to its Xbox Game Pass service, and sabotage the game so that it runs poorly on PlayStation consoles.

To be more specific, Sony hints at Microsoft releasing a Call of Duty game on PlayStation full of bugs and errors.
Sony’s claims in its documents:
Microsoft might release a PlayStation version of Call of Duty where bugs and errors emerge only on the game’s final level or after later updates. Even if such degradations could be swiftly detected, any remedy would likely come too late, by which time the gaming community would have lost confidence in PlayStation as a go-to venue to play Call of Duty. Indeed, as Modern Warfare II attests, Call of Duty is most often purchased in just the first few weeks of release. If it became known that the game’s performance on PlayStation was worse than on Xbox, Call of Duty gamers could decide to switch to Xbox, for fear of playing their favourite game at a second-class or less competitive venue. 
It remains unclear if Sony means that Microsoft would intentionally wreck the game or do the whole “plays best on Xbox” thing because it will own the franchise if the acquisition goes through.
Still, Sony has fears Microsoft could sabotage COD on PlayStation in multiple ways by “degrading the quality and performance of Call of Duty on PlayStation compared to Xbox”; “degrading Call of Duty to ignore PlayStation-specific features (eg. better controller haptics)”; or “restricting, degrading, or not investing in the multiplayer experience on PlayStation.”
None of This Makes Any Sense For Microsoft Financially
While these are legit concerns, financially and optically, it makes no sense for Microsoft to do such a thing even if they wanted to.
Sony is also very concerned about the Xbox Game Pass exclusivity for Call of Duty, fearing Microsoft would prevent the company from putting the game on its subscription service.
Ironically in documents submitted by Microsoft, they claim the exact opposite, with Microsoft claiming “any CoD Game in a Microsoft multi-game subscription is eligible for inclusion in Sony’s multi-game subscription service, at the same time and for the same duration.”
Sony is scoffing at that deal because it does not care about the licensing terms or pricing, adding the terms “would commercially destroy Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) multigame subscription business model.”
MS Has Made Two Big Offers To Ease Regulator’s Concerns
Microsoft did extend a 10-year offer to Sony to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation, but the Japanese company has yet to sign the deal. Microsoft secured a 10-year agreement with Nintendo hours before meeting with the EU regulators and reached a similar deal with Nvidia in what many saw as a way to put more pressure on Sony.

Sony remains firm in its stance, writing in its documents, “Microsoft has not shown any real commitment to reaching a negotiated outcome. they had dragged their feet, engaged only when they sensed the regulatory outlook was darkening and favored negotiating in the media over engaging with SIE.”
Still, Microsoft’s decision to strike deals with Nintendo and Nvidia seems to have worked, as the EU will reportedly approve the $68.7 billion acquisition deal.
That leaves the United States as the last remaining hurdle.

Photo: Joe Buglewicz / Getty

HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: Activision / Call of Duty / The Shredder
One of the greatest villains in pop culture history is coming to Call of Duty.
Wednesday, Call of Duty announced on its official Twitter account in a teaser that players will be able to play as The Shredder, the notorious villain from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as an operator.

The brief teaser didn’t showcase any gameplay but did give us a glimpse of how Oroku Saki will look in the video game.

The Shredder will be donning his signature villainous drip with a Call of Duty twist while dishing out pain with not one but two katana swords.
Another cool feature is a mutagen canister with TCRI written on it that fans will recognize from the cartoons and films.

This will mark the first time The Shredder leaps out of the TMNT franchise into another IP. His eternal enemies, the Ninja Turtles, have frequently appeared in other video games.
The Heroes in a Half Shell have appeared in Injustice 2 thanks to a character DLC pack, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, Splatoon 2 Splatfest, and Knockout City.
Call of Duty Has A Rich History of Featuring Movie Characters
The Shredder will join the likes of The Terminator, John Rambo, Die Hard’s John McClane, Godzilla, Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Leatherface, and Saw’s Billy The Puppet as other popular movie characters to join the game.
The news of The Shredder coming to COD is a huge surprise and follows the release of the first trailer for Seth Rogen’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem animated film.
You can bet there will be more TMNT-related crossovers coming down the pipeline, and we will be looking forward to all of them.
The Shredder will arrive in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0 on March 21.

Photo: Activision / Call of Duty

HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: 2K Games / WWE 2K23
2K Games successfully rebooted its WWE 2K franchise last year with WWE 2K22 and is looking to continue the positive momentum and come back even stronger WWE 2K23. Ahead of the game’s launch, we now know what to expect in the form of DLC.

Monday, March 6, 2K unveiled WWE 2K23’s post-launch content roadmap revealing that fans can look forward to a consistent rollout of wrestling legends who have blessed WWE’s rings over the years.
WWE 2K23’s content roadmap boasts 24 playable characters featuring WWE Superstars, Legends, and several NXT superstars making their debuts.

Players can look forward to mashing their controller buttons playing with inflicting pain with three-time former World Champion Bray Wyatt, former Raw Tag Team Champions Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, aka The O.C, 2022 WWE Hall of Fame inductees Scott Steiner and Rick Steiner, Hollywood icon Zeus (Tommy Tiny Lister), SmackDown color commentator and five-time Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett, and first-ever three-time WWE Divas Champion Eve Torres.
Peep the full slate of DLC coming to WWE 2K23 below.
Steiner Row Pack (April 19)

Scott Steiner
Rick Steiner
Top Dolla
Ashante Adonis
B-Fab – Manager only. Not a playable Superstar

Pretty Sweet Pack (May 17)

Karl Anderson
Luke Gallows
Tiffany Stratton
Elton Prince
Kit Wilson

Race to NXT Pack (June 14)

Harley Race
Ivy Nile
Wendy Choo
Tony D’Angelo
Trick Williams

Revel with Wyatt Pack

Bray Wyatt
Zeus
Valhalla
Joe Gacy
Blair Davenport

Bad News U Pack

Eve Torres
Wade Barrett
Damon Kemp
Andre Chase
Nathan Frazer

2K revealed the season pass will feature the MyRISE Mega-Boost, which includes an additional 200 Attribute Points, and Supercharger, which will unlock all of the base-level WWE Legends and throwback arenas.
WWE 2K23 Deluxe Edition and Icon Edition will launch on March 14, 2023. The Cross-Gen and Standard Edtion’s of the game arrive on March 17.
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Photo: 2K Games / WWE 2K23

HipHopWired Featured Video

CLOSE

Source: Xbox / The Mandalorian-Inspired Xbox Series S & X Bundle
The folks are Xbox are back with another exciting giveaway that fans of Disney’s original Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, will absolutely love.
To celebrate season three of The Mandalorian, Xbox partnered with Lucasfilm to celebrate the return of the hit show starring Pedro Pascal as the titular character to giveaway Mandalorian-inspired gear.
Fans can enter a sweepstake right now where they can hope to win custom Xbox Series X and S consoles featuring Mando and Grogu, oops, we mean Baby Yoda and a custom controller that looks like The Child and a controller hoodie playing off his drip.
That’s not all. Fans can also win a life-size version of the Baby Yoda’s hovering ride, called The Pram XL, that they can actually sit in and either game or watch the new season of The Mandalorian.
Before you ask, no, it does not hover. Still, it is a fully operational gaming station featuring massaging cushions, cupholders, LED lights, and holders for your controllers and headphones, making it the best gaming chair on the planet and in a galaxy far, far away.
Source: Xbox / The Mandalorian-Inspired Xbox Series S & X bundle
Here’s How To Win
Retweet the official Xbox Twitter account starting today to enter for a chance to win the custom Mandalorian-inspired gear. You have until May 11 to enter the contest.

If you want to land the Pram XL, you will have to enter with Microsoft Rewards for the chance to win a full entertainment package by heading here starting March 16 until May 11.
In more Mandalorian news, Disney partnered with Xbox for a season three launch event in Los Angeles at the iconic El Capitan Theater.
In attendance were stars of the show Pedro Pascal, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Katee Sackhoff, Emily Swallow, Chris Bartlett, Rosario Dawson, and more. Series creator Jon Favreau, plus directors Rick Famuyiwa and Dave Filioni were also on hand for the big night.
Source: Xbox / The Mandalorian Season 3 Event
So, may the force be with you when trying to win that custom Mandalorian swag.
For more photos from The Mandalorian’s season 3 launch event, hit the gallery below.

Photos: Courtesy of Xbox

1. The Mandalorian Season 3 Event

Source:The Mandalorian Season 3 Event
The Mandalorian-Inspired Xbox Series S & X bundle xbox,the mandalorian,xbox series x,xbox series s

2. The Mandalorian Season 3 Event

Source:The Mandalorian Season 3 Event
The Mandalorian-Inspired Xbox Series S & X bundle xbox,the mandalorian,xbox series x,xbox series s

3. The Mandalorian Season 3 Event

Source:The Mandalorian Season 3 Event
The Mandalorian-Inspired Xbox Series S & X bundle xbox,the mandalorian,xbox series x,xbox series s

4. The Mandalorian Season 3 Event

Source:The Mandalorian Season 3 Event
The Mandalorian-Inspired Xbox Series S & X bundle xbox,the mandalorian,xbox series x,xbox series s

5. The Mandalorian Season 3 Event

Source:The Mandalorian Season 3 Event
The Mandalorian-Inspired Xbox Series S & X bundle xbox,the mandalorian,xbox series x,xbox series s

6. The Mandalorian Season 3 Event

Source:The Mandalorian Season 3 Event
The Mandalorian-Inspired Xbox Series S & X bundle xbox,the mandalorian,xbox series x,xbox series s

7. The Mandalorian Season 3 Event

Source:The Mandalorian Season 3 Event
The Mandalorian-Inspired Xbox Series S & X bundle xbox,the mandalorian,xbox series x,xbox series s

HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: Amy Sussman / Getty / Angela Bassett
The 54th NAACP Image Awards went down last night live for the first time in front of an audience for the first time in three years, and it was an evening full of Black excellence.

Queen Latifah held down the hosting duties during the 2-hour special that aired on BET and was held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California.

Understandably, the awards show has not had a live component since the coronavirus pandemic came and shut every damn thing down. Last year’s show was a hybrid presentation because it was partially virtual and featured live appearances from live presenters, award winners, and honorees.
As expected, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever took home the big honor of winning the Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture.
Wakanda Forever star Angela Bassett took home three awards: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for emotional performance as Queen Ramonda in the MCU film, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for 911, and night’s biggest honor Entertainer of The Year.

During her speech, Bassett showed love to Ariana DeBose, who was ridiculed for her BAFTA Awards rap featuring the lyric “Angela Bassett Did The Thing.”

DeBose wound up deleting her Twitter account following the ridicule she received. Bassett did reveal she reached out to the West Side Story star to see if she was okay following the “ridicule.”

Other Notable NAACP Image Award Winners
Will Smith, who was not in attendance, won the Outstanding Actor award for his performance in the AppleTV+ film Emancipation.
Viola Davis, the most recent person to reach EGOT status, won Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her performance in The Woman King.
Beyoncé didn’t get the recognition she deserved at The Grammys, but her latest project, Rennaissance, was appreciated at the Image Awards, winning Outstanding Album.
It was a night of celebrating nothing but Black Excellence in many different categories.
You can see some of the winners from the night below and here for the complete list.
Motion Picture Categories
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Motion Picture
Tenoch Huerta Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
The Inspection 
Outstanding International Motion Picture
Bantú Mama
Outstanding Breakout Performance In A Motion Picture
Jalyn Hall, Till
Outstanding Ensemble Cast In A Motion Picture
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Outstanding Animated Motion Picture 
Wendell & Wild
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture
Keke Palmer, Lightyear 
Outstanding Short-Form (Live Action)
Dear Mama…
Outstanding Short-Form (Animated)
More Than I Want to Remember
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)
Ericka Nicole Malone, Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story
Television Categories
Outstanding Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
 Cedric The Entertainer, The Neighborhood
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
Outstanding Drama Series
P-Valley
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Nicco Annan, P-Valley
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Power Book II: Ghost
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Loretta Devine, P-Valley

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special

The Best Man: The Final Chapters

Photo: Amy Sussman / Getty

HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: Geoffrey Short / Universal Pictures / Blumhouse 
Horror video games are all the rage again, and Blumhouse Productions, one of the biggest studios that push out horror films at a ridiculous clip, is getting in on the action.

The studio behind M3GAN, Insidious, The Black Phone, and GET OUT is looking to make the next big horror game with the announcement of Blumhouse Gaming.

According to Deadline, Jason Blum’s production company, Blumhouse Productions, will enter the gaming space as Blumhouse Gaming, Zach Wood as President, and Don Sechler as CFO.
While the goal is to produce and publish games, Blumhouse Games aims to help independent game developers create “original, horror-themed games for console, PC, and mobile audiences.”
Indie Developers Blumhouse Games Is Looking To Work With You
Per Deadline, Blumhouse Games solely “will target indie-budget games (below $10M) in pushing creative boundaries.”
“For some time, we have been looking to build out a team to start accessing the growth opportunity in interactive media. When we sat with Zach and Don, they articulated an approach that resonated with Blumhouse’s model, and we knew it was a perfect place for us to start our push into the interactive space,” Abhijay Prakash, Blumhouse President, said in a statement.
“With their experience, sensibility, and knowledge of the gaming marketplace, Zach and Don are the ideal leaders to leverage Blumhouse’s unique genre strengths into gaming,” he continued.
Wood adds, “Through my time in the industry, I’ve had the good fortune of working closely with developers to bring their ideas to life. There’s a unique opportunity for horror and genre in the indie game space, and I’m thrilled about teaming up with Blumhouse to meaningfully leverage the company’s brand, reputation, and creative talent.”
Does this mean we might get a video game based on M3GAN or GET OUT? We sure hope so.

Photo: Geoffrey Short / Universal Pictures

HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: PlayStation Studios / MLB The Show 23: The Captain Edition
Earlier this week, it was announced Miami Marlins’ electric All-Star Jazz Chisholm is the new cover athlete for the 2023 edition of The Show. New York Yankees fans rejoice. Derek Jeter is gracing the cover of the MLB The Show 23: The Captain Edition.

The announcement of the Captain Edition of MLB The Show 23 came last night during the World Series-winning/ Hall-of-Fame shortstop’s visit to The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon Show.

The 14x All-Star, 5x World Series Champion, 5x Silver Slugger, 2000 World Series MVP, and former CEO of the Miami Marlins is the latest MLB pro to grab a collector’s edition cover of the game, and honestly is a fantastic choice.
It has to be epic when putting someone of Derek Jeter’s stature on the cover of a game. PlayStation Studios contracted visual artist Sanford Greene to envision the larger-than-life athlete on the cover to make that happen.
On the cover, Jeter is drawn jumping out of Yankee Stadium, aka The House That Jeter built, flanked by tons of easter eggs for New York Yankees and MLB fans to spot.
Along with The Captain’s Edition, a Digital Deluxe Edition was also announced. Anyone who purchases the Collector’s Editions, The Digital Deluxe Edition, or The Captain Edition of MLB The Show 23 will get early access to the game.
The Captain Edition of MLB, The Show 23 on PlayStation consoles, includes both a PS4 (disc) and a PS5 (voucher download code) entitlement.
If you purchase the digital version of The Standard Edition on PlayStation or Xbox, you can upgrade for $10. The option is not available for copies of the physical Standard Edition.
The Digital Deluxe Edition Includes:

Full Game for PS4 and PS5*
[4] Days Early Access
Double Daily Login Rewards (For the life cycle of MLB The Show 23)

Additional Digital Items

[1] Captain’s Choice Pack
[1] To Be Announced Choice Pack
[1] To Be Announced Uniform Choice Pack
[5] Gold Choice Packs 
[20] Show Packs
[1] Ballplayer Pack
[1] Derek Jeter Cover art bat Skin
[30,000] Stubs™ for MLB The Show 23

MLB The Show 23 The Captain Edition is $99.99 & Includes:

Full Game for PS4 and PS5
New Era MLB The Show 9FIFTY Limited Edition Cap
Limited Edition Steel Book
[4] Days Early Access
Double Daily Login Rewards** (For the life cycle of MLB The Show 23)

Additional Digital Items

[1] Captain’s Choice Pack
[1] To be announced Choice Pack
[1] To be announced Uniform Choice Pack
[2] Gold Choice Packs 
[5] Show Packs
[1] Ballplayer Pack
[1] Derek Jeter Cover art bat Skin
[10,000] Stubs™ for MLB The Show 23

Also announced was the MLB The Show 23 Technical Test, which will begin on February 15 around 10 am PST and ends at 10 am PST on February 21.
The game launches on March 28, 2023. The standard edition on PlayStation 4 is $59.99, and $69.99 on the PlayStation 5. The game will also launch on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

The game will also be on Xbox Game Pass.
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Photo: PlayStation Studios / MLB The Show 23: The Captain Edition

HipHopWired Featured Video

PlayStation Plus emerged as a must-have monthly service back in 2010, becoming the chief way players can join multi-player games along with other incentives. The PlayStation Plus Collection, which emerged as a bonus for people who signed up for the service, will be going away later this year but there is still time to grab some of the heavy hitters before they’re gone.
Via the PlayStation Blog, the new monthly games for the PlayStation Plus Essential tier were announced Wednesday  (Feb. 1). This month’s offerings are fan-favorite Destiny 2‘s Beyond Light expansion, survival horror title Evil Dead: The Game, skateboard adventure OlliOlliWorld, and organized crime saga Mafia: The Definitive Edition.

Of the three, the star might be  Destiny 2′s Beyond Light and the expansion pack includes more looting, a new power in Stasis, and more unfolding on the massive planet of Europa. However, we’re hearing good things about OlliOlliWorld and Evil Dead: The Game enjoyed strong reviews during its initial release. Mafia: The Definitive Edition is a remake of the 2002 original title.
In that same blog post, the PS Plus Collection announcement was tacked on the bottom and we’ll feature the message below:
We also wanted to provide an update on the PlayStation Plus Collection that has been offered as a benefit to PlayStation Plus members on PS5 since 2020. On May 9 the PlayStation Plus Collection will no longer be offered. If you haven’t redeemed the titles in this collection yet, you can still do so until May 9, which will enable you to access those titles even after this date for as long as you remain a PlayStation Plus member.
As the message reads, the games aren’t exactly going away forever but the collection as we’ve come to know it will be gone. Standout titles in the collection include God Of War, Detroit: Become Human, The Last Of Us: Remastered, and Bloodborne among other stunning titles.
Learn more by checking out the PlayStation blog post by following this link.

Photo: Sony/PlayStation

Warner Music Group will launch Rhythm City — a “music-themed social roleplay experience” — on the gaming platform Roblox on February 4th. 
Not only will Rhythm City host events and shows from Warner’s artists, it will allow users to take on roles like DJ, producer, or dancer as they explore the virtual world and purchase digital items only available on Roblox. Rhythm City was developed in partnership with Gamefam, a metaverse-focused gaming and content company. 

Warner is the latest music company to partner with Roblox, which has been around for more than 15 years but exploded in popularity with young users during the pandemic. Sony Music and BMG announced partnerships with Roblox in 2021. Spotify became “the first music-streaming brand to have a presence on Roblox” last year. 

Earlier this month, Roblox announced that it had more than 61 million daily active users in December who spent close to 5 billion hours on the platform. It’s no surprise, then, that record companies are eager to find new ways to seed their music to Roblox users.

“Immersive online environments represent a meaningful opportunity for reaching a growing number of fans who want to use virtual communities to enjoy shared music experiences,” Dennis Kooker, Sony Music’s president of global digital business and U.S. sales, said in 2021. When BMG announced its Roblox partnership, Christopher Ludwig, BMG’s vp of global digital partnerships and strategy, noted that the platform “has transformed the gaming experience for millions and is proving a powerful way to introduce new generations to music they love.” 

In a statement announcing Rhythm City, Oana Ruxandra, chief digital officer and evp, business development at Warner Music Group, struck a similar tone. “As our lives become increasingly digital, exciting opportunities are opening up for artists and fans to engage and interact,” she said. “WMG is focused on facilitating the foundations of these new experiences by building and experimenting across evolving ecosystems. This partnership with Gamefam sees WMG creating a place for artists and audiences to come together to define and contextualize their communities within living spaces.” 

Joe Ferencz, founder and CEO at Gamefam, added that “we are thrilled to have a chance to combine our passion for developing authentic, highly-engaging metaverse content with our love of music.” “WMG has been a brilliant partner in pushing innovative strategies, and together with our expertise, we’ve channeled that into production excellence creating a new community for music lovers in the metaverse,” he continued.

Warner acts, including Twenty One Pilots and David Guetta, have previously hosted virtual concerts on Roblox.