Tony Drovetto is MoPOP's Content Marketing Manager.
I.C.Y.M.I.: What We Learned From The PlayStation 5 Showcase
Greetings, fellow pop culture aficionados, and welcome to week 32 of our I.C.Y.M.I. (In Case You Missed It) blog series, where we recap a handful of trending tidbits from the past week(s) in popular culture, in case you missed them.
- We're Open! — Plan Your Visit to MoPOP
Last week, we started by sharing the first official trailer for Dune (2020), and if you haven't seen it yet, it's definitely worth a watch. This week, we begin with some highly-anticipated news from the gaming world. Read on!
Unpacking The PlayStation 5 Showcase
At MoPOP, we love games. So much so, in fact, that we have an entire exhibition dedicated to them. Indie Game Revolution presents some of the most groundbreaking and creative work being done in contemporary video game culture, with several titles available for you to play at MoPOP. As such, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise to learn that we were eagerly awaiting all news to come from Sony's PlayStation 5 Showcase, which took place this past week.
So, what did we learn? Well, the PS5 will release in the U.S., Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea on November 12, with a global roll out continuing on November 19. There will be two versions of the console for folks to choose from: a digital, disc-less edition available at $399.99 and an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive edition available at $499.99.
Now, on to the fun stuff. Sony also offered a sneak peek at the games that will be coming to PS5. It's a list that includes launch-day titles like Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War, and Demon's Souls. Plus, fans can expect to see new games like Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition, Final Fantasy XVI, Hogwarts Legacy, a new God of War title, and more.
PS5 preorders have been going quick, but The Verge is helping track incoming stock. And of course, we'd be remiss not to mention the next-gen console competition: Microsoft's Xbox Series X hits shelves November 10, with preorders set to begin September 22. Which console (if any) will you be targeting?
#ReclaimYourVote — BET Holds National Black Voter Day
Did you know that as of today's writing we're just 46 days from Election Day? And also today, BET is holding the first-ever National Black Voter Day, with a goal to "aid Black citizens against suppression tactics and ensure that their vote counts in the various elections taking place in November." Alongside the National Urban League and other civil rights organizations, the day is part of BET's #ReclaimYourVote campaign, a social change campaign committed to "harnessing Black collective power and increasing Black participation in the 2020 census and the 2020 election."
Head over to BET.com to get involved and learn more about the content, programming, and initiatives that are underway.
This Is The Way — The Mandalorian Season 2 Official Trailer
Baby Yoda is headed back to Disney+ this fall. Star Wars' series The Mandalorian returns to the streaming service on Friday, October 30, and this past week the franchise released an exciting trailer for the show's second season, which you can check out in the video embedded above.
The Mandalorian's season two teaser reads: "The Mandalorian and the Child continue their journey, facing enemies and rallying allies as they make their way through a dangerous galaxy in the tumultuous era after the collapse of the Galactic Empire."
What Else To Catch Up On This Weekend
- It's been a loooooong wait, but we're finally reopening this weekend! As we begin to welcome you back to MoPOP, learn all about the COVID-19 safety precautions we're taking to ensure the health and safety of visitors and staff. When you're ready, plan a visit with us! We'll be open Fridays-Sundays from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. PT.
- From increased safety precautions to social distancing and capacity limits, there's a number of things that will look a little different as our doors reopen, including the interesting ways in which our museum tech team plans to keep delivering stellar interactive experiences as we operate in a no-touch/low-touch world.
- Our Grow Up! coming-of-age virtual movie series continues Friday with an online watchalong and discussion of Hairspray (1988). We'll be joined by special guest writer/podcaster/video-maker Matt Baume beginning at 6 p.m. PT. Make sure to register in advance over at MoPOP.org/Movies
- Week two of our 2020 Pop Conference wrapped up on Thursday with a special announcement of next week's closing keynote speaker: pop culture phenomenon Dua Lipa.
- And finally, our milestone series celebrating 20 years of MoPOP continued by taking a look back at the 2004 launch of our Youth Advisory Board.
What'd We Miss?
Now that we've filled you in on a few things, what do you feel we failed to mention? Let us know in the comments, or hit us up with a suggestion on social media. We'll look to include your ideas in our next edition of I.C.Y.M.I.
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If you like what you see, support our work by making a donation or planning a visit to MoPOP today!