As We Remain at Home Due To Coronavirus, We're All in Desperate Need of Distraction -- a New Movie or Video Game Would Help (theoutline.com) 117
The ongoing coronavirus crisis has thrown the release schedule of cultural products into chaos, as now is an exceptionally bad time to drop anything that isn't a government check for lost wages. Jeremy Gordon, writing for The Outline: Our cultural producers -- movie studios, publishing houses, television networks, and so forth -- must decide whether to go ahead with previously made plans, or wait until all of this is over. The new Fast and Furious movie, for example, has been pushed back from its May 2020 release date to April 2021, in hopes that mass gatherings will be back on the table by then (maybe!) and we'll all be in a better mood to watch some big cars go boom. But as more people are driven inside for the time being, it's also true that everyone is looking for something to do at home. As a result, unconventional solutions have emerged: Last week, Universal Pictures announced it'll make several of its current film releases available to stream on-demand at home, as movie theaters around the world are being closed. Beginning Friday, movies like The Invisible Man, Emma, and The Hunt will be rentable for $19.99 apiece, with Trolls: World Tour set for a similar release.
Emma and The Invisible Man were finished products already in theaters, so Universal just had to skip the typical waiting period between when a movie is released, and when it's available for purchase. But there are so many more finished products waiting to be released in the coming weeks, which publishers may now consider delaying until a time when everyone can go back outside. While they may be reticent to promote anything in the current climate, I would submit an opposite suggestion: Release that shit. While everyone is sitting at home stewing in anxiety, people have never been more desperate for distraction. We have all become a captive audience with the free time to give that show or game a try.
Emma and The Invisible Man were finished products already in theaters, so Universal just had to skip the typical waiting period between when a movie is released, and when it's available for purchase. But there are so many more finished products waiting to be released in the coming weeks, which publishers may now consider delaying until a time when everyone can go back outside. While they may be reticent to promote anything in the current climate, I would submit an opposite suggestion: Release that shit. While everyone is sitting at home stewing in anxiety, people have never been more desperate for distraction. We have all become a captive audience with the free time to give that show or game a try.
I bought GTA V Saturday (Score:2)
YUGE ratings: The Apprentice President (Score:1)
So that was the video game, eh? I've never played Grand Theft Auto, but from what I've heard my question would be "Isn't GTA the worst way to kill time?" I don't even know if that's a new version or you [Snotnose] just got around to it now...
However, I have to mention the top new show, much as it annoys the stock market. It's "The Apprentice President, Cutting-Room-Floor Edition". Even a worse way to kill time, but the fans would riot and start shooting if it got canceled.
No mention of books in the story? I
Am I the only one (Score:5, Interesting)
...who already lives that isolation lifestyle anyway? I go to work, and the weekends I can happily spend alone. I have all the distractions and hobbies I need.
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Yes, you are definitely the only one.
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Yes, you are definitely the only one.
How would he know if he's the only one?
Just asking for a friend, eh?
Re:Am I the only one (Score:4, Interesting)
Yeah it's scary how little changed. I just stopped going to the office for work and my regular weekly football is cancelled but that's it. I've been trying to socialize more but mostly unsuccessfully, at least now there's an excuse.
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I'd assume that many games and movies that were already finished or were in the pipeline will get finished and released, but keep in mind that film and TV filming completely shut down so there's going to be a massive gap in new stuff soon.
Honestly this is like the least of my concerns. Doom just came out and Half Life should be out today. Beyond that there are tons of great old content, or you can use the time to study or learn the guitar as I'm trying to do. Really there are so many possibilities that I find myself struggling to prioritize just one thing.
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Not alone... that's basically what I do.
I shop only once a month already (still have 2+ weeks of food left). Shopping every week or even several times a week seems an enormous waste of time. Not to mention that even that delivery you could pay a little more for and have someone else do it and save HOURS.
I go out but I do that by planning it, going out and coming back. Absent plans or nice weather, what's to go out for? After 6pm Friday, work emails no longer alert me. All that's changed is the number of
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Does your shopping take hours because you buy so much? I buy groceries every other day. It takes me ten to twelve minutes and it is on the way home anyway. Fresh fruits and vegetables taste better and so do the meals I use them in.
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I shop every (other) day too.
Dude must depend a lot on preserved, canned, frozen, or ordered food.
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I shop only once a month already (still have 2+ weeks of food left).
So you eat unhealthy processed junk food? Not sure why you'd be so proud of that.
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Books, Magazines, audible books, newspapers, online content.
Reconnect with friends, clubs, groups via phone calls, online meetings, conference calls, even, OMG!, snail mail letters.
Straightening stuff up at home/de-cluttering. Feng Shui-ing,
Hobbies, chores, house maintenance.
I have started exploring YouTube channels and found more good/enjoyable channels than I could watch in this lifetime.
Staying off the news
And
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I don't know about an isolated lifestyle, I have way more human contact than I want. But other than not having to show up at the office and the frustrations with grocery store antics, life is mostly unchanged. I don't find myself having an extra free time, if anything LESS because now I have to act as, if not teacher for my children, drill sergeant to get them to do their "online learning" stuff.
Re: Am I the only one (Score:2)
Seconded.
After a divorce and a medical bankruptcy it's work, home, work for me. More than 3 yrs already...
I'm actually upset that the trains in NL have almost stopped. I'd go to work every day, corona or not.
If I stay at home during the week I'm too restless.
Started new Oblivion game, believe it or not. I saw that last time I played it in 2015.
Old episodes of Top Gear help too.
Have about 5000 books of which several hundred I haven't read yet. Going retro there as well, just finished re-reading 'Rich man, po
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I work mostly from home. One thing I regret is that I had to cut down on shopping for food. Usually I go shopping for food every day and I decide what I want to eat while shopping for it. The other thing is that I had invited some friends for dinner, but we decided to postpone because of this crisis. Other than that, I have no problem with the current situation.
Most people are just not interesting enough that I want to spend time with them. And the classical family model? No, thanks. (And no, that is not be
Hey Millennials... (Score:3, Insightful)
Hey Millennials. Stop Whining!
Re:Hey Millennials... (Score:5, Informative)
Especially for *NEW* distractions. This reads like someone who just wanted to see X movie and it's been delayed.
We live in a world where there is more content available to you than you could ever watch. There are more tutorials for hobbies, activities, etc. at your fingertips than ever before. So yeah, this does feel like a stfu, stop whining situation.
To be fair though, I had the same reaction when they closed ski resorts. WHAT, THE, FUCK. Hey at risk population, don't go skiing. Now I'm doing woodworking =/
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NOW would be a very good time to learn to cook.
It would also be a good time to maybe go in the back yard and clear out a place for a garden. I would be good exercise outdoors AND well....it might be something to help you have food to eat if things stay bad months instead of weeks ahead.
I"m about to dig into my old home brewing hardware and see what I need replace and look into starting to home brew again.
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Are you insane? That guy is trying to kill me!
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Well...no one said you couldn't wear your house gun in its holster while you're cooking, eh?
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A gun now? Dude I just said that guy is trying to kill me! Besides, it wouldn't be easy to cook with one hand while pointing a gun at myself.
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If you live in the city, fill a 5 gallon bucket with dirt and transplant some dandelions.
1 dandelion per day is enough to keep a person alive, assuming they have beans and rice stockpiled.
Sneak out to the park at night and dig some up! It could save your life. Get as many as you can before somebody else hoards them all!
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To be fair though, I had the same reaction when they closed ski resorts. WHAT, THE, FUCK.
I still don't get it.
Ok, close the Apres Ski bars. Seat people on lifts only in the groups they travel with.
But otherwise? I'm more than enough away from other people all the time, and all areas that are critical to infection (eyes, nose, mouth, hands) are covered. Hard to imagine how even with a hundred infected people skiing with me the actual infection would work. The risk is probably higher that someone sneezes a bundle of the stuff on you from the balcony above.
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Kitchen staff would be gone - restaurants closed. The others are either behind a glass wall anyways or can keep their distance. I mean yes, not risk free and you're right about mentioning the staff. But their exposure isn't higher than the people on public transport, for example.
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We live in a world where there is more content available to you than you could ever watch.
Yes but how much of it is good content.
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Check Piratebay, because they must all be good.
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Ok boomer. ;)
Or, maybe, a non-boob-tube activity? (Score:5, Insightful)
Entertainment is fine, but you shouldn't spend all of your free time just on entertainment. Other "distractions" include reading fiction and non-fiction, practicing a hobby, exercise, cooking, gardening, painting, playing music, organizing. All of these give your life a lot more positive benefits than just sinking into a couch and letting your brain melt.
Re:Or, maybe, a non-boob-tube activity? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Or, maybe, a non-boob-tube activity? (Score:5, Insightful)
So what you're saying is that people forgot how to live?
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Time to read some Thoreau, I guess!
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In what sense do reading fiction or practising a hobby not qualify as "entertainment"?
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All of these give your life a lot more positive benefits than just sinking into a couch and letting your brain melt.
Who said sinking on the couch and letting your brain melt? I'm going to be standing for the next hour playing Half-Life Alyx. I spent yesterday trying to beat Cycle Hit on Expert+ on BeatSaber and according to my fitness band I blew through close to 700kcal in the process, twice as much as my run did today.
Entertainment comes in many forms, it's a provision of enjoyment, nothing more. No where does it say people need to sit on the couch and have their brains get melted in the process.
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All you care about is entertainment? (Score:3)
There are plenty of other things to worry about and there are more movies in the world than you can possibly watch in a lifetime. Stop demanding free shit and go download some free games from GOG. The Postal game is free and always lots of fun.
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Why demand? From all the sales over the years, I have more games than I'll ever play. Not to mention books.
With that said The Division has been one of the more topical games I've owned. Even more than Plague.Inc.
Books (Score:5, Insightful)
Or go read a book. There are literally millions of them. Amazon or Barnes & Nobel will deliver them to your door. You can download them as well. They can take days to read. They are pretty cheap as far as cost per hour of entertainment goes.
Or, you know, you can yell impotently at giant media conglomerates. Whatever floats your boat.
I'm going to fire up the kindle and read everything by William Gibson.
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After a day reading a computer screen for work I usually don't feel like reading a book. Audio book maybe but for some reason they put me to sleep if I'm not careful.
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The worst thing is when you get an audio book with a narrator that sounds just like yourself. [youtube.com]
Eyes (Score:2)
Same here. I found if I avoid looking at a screen for a couple of hours after work, I can read for an hour before my eyes get tired again. But to each their own :)
Xbox Ultimate Game Pass (Score:1)
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And only 999 dollars per month* for the rest!
* a 50-year subscription is required.
UK (Score:1)
UK broadcast TV this weekend just gone was shite. Literally nothing but re-runs. Not even a decent TV movie or similar.
Amazon Prime is the same - all the same stuff as has been there forever, unless you want to pay £11.99 to rent a 2 hour movie for a day or two.
Google Play TV/Movies - same.
I don't have Netflix but I see nothing enticing there either.
These media outlets are literally missing out on the biggest, most captive audiences they've had in decades, and they can't even field a half-dece
I have the perfect game (Score:2)
Yeah, we are all working from home. Here is the perfect game to pass the time during this trying time:
https://mumbrella.com.au/wp-co... [mumbrella.com.au]
New? (Score:5, Insightful)
We are at a point in time where it is nearly impossible for a person to consume all the media (movies, music, video games, tv show episodes) that has already been created. If you need something "new" for the sake of it being new, well, I don't get that, because there are an endless number of things that already exist that are new... to you.
Go back and watch Alfred Hitchcock's classic films, or fire up a SNES (real or emulated) and play some games you've never played before. Go play the original Half Life single player all the way through. Load up Monkey Island 2 on a PC and play that - heck, go ahead and use a walkthrough if you want, it's still entertaining and a lot of fun. Plenty of things to experience and occupy time, without Hollywood or AAA game studios having to spoon feed us something at premium price.
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Basically all the old Sierra On-Line (the Space Quest series especially) and LucasArt adventure games (at least the Monkey Island series and Day of the Tentacle) on PC.
Chrono Trigger, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Super Metroid on SNES.
Portal, Portal 2, Kingdom: Two Crowns, Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime on PC.
There's also Final Fantasy XIV or World of Warcraft that can keep you occupied for weeks, months or even years. Added bonus is that you can talk with other players, so there's the socia
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If you need something "new" for the sake of it being new, well, I don't get that, because there are an endless number of things that already exist that are new... to you.
Except that the goal is not just the mindless consumption, but rather the consumption of something which entertains you. From all the works ever created you'll find even for you personally only a tiny subset of that fits the bill.
Personally I enjoyed watching the occasional classic. My wife on the other hand sat through the first 15 minutes of Citizen Kane and then started reading a book because she got bored. Try watching Eddie Murphy's stand-up routine - Delirious now, in modern times you'll most likely f
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If you have never seen it/played it is new to you anyway.
One recommendation: go back in time. (Score:3)
One recommendation I have for everyone in need of a "new" distraction: new to you doesn't need to mean new to the world. Over the decades of loving music, movies, and computer games, I've kept up with what's current and brand new and checked it out, but I've also gone back in time to explore those things I remember from a kid but never appreciated back then, or discovered things that are even older than that.
I can share one example: the music group Big Star was a Memphis-based rock band that produced some absolutely incredible music in the early and mid 70s. If you know the theme song to "That 70's Show", you have heard Big Star; that particular version was a cover by Cheap Trick. Discovering Big Star was a mind-blowing experience: how could such amazing music be relegated to an "underground" position in music history? The band never made it big, and yet their music is absolutely superb. If I'd never been so curious about discovering old music, and searching out those influences on my current favourite artists, I'd never have discovered them, and then I'd never have discovered This Mortal Coil and their amazing music and covers.
So become an archaeologist of sorts: a pop culture archaeologist. How many of you are playing DOOM Eternal, but never played the original game? If you play WoW currently, have you checked out any of the other MMOs that are somewhat similar, like LOTRO? How many people love Florence + The Machine but haven't ever discovered Kate Bush? There are decades of existing works of art that are simply wonderful, just waiting to become "new to you" and give you plenty of enjoyment. And, just maybe, those works might discover new life and their creators get a bit more exposure.
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Big Star is always thrown around as the quintessential "undiscovered great band". As a wannabe record producer, I'd always heard that their work was superb. So I sat down and finally listened to all three of their albums - they were OK, but I didn't hear anything out of them that was in any sense remarkable for the time. They were just an average Nashville pop band with a standard shitty contract with their labels who didn't promote them and, as such, they didn't go anywhere.
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"gone back in time to explore"
Unfortunately my Delorean is broke down. I'm waiting for a lightening storm to jump start it.
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Get back in the house, grandpa, you're under quarantine.
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Find a BBS and play some LORD!
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I have done some of that too. For example, some excellent literature about risk management in industrial settings is _old_ and still very readable and at the ssme time just as relevant as when it came out decades ago.
"Social Distancing" is an Orwellian term for (Score:2)
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I'm more of a neutral-social, thank you very much. Just because I don't like going outside doesn't mean I hate people. Even though most people are selfish assholes who wouldn't lift a finger to help you even in a life-threatening situation and...
Yeah ok, I'm anti-social. But it's not me, it's them.
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No, it is not. Being antisocial means to go out of your way to harm others. Social distancing is more akin to being asocial.
Forget new, go old! (Score:2)
After the PS3, I never bought a PS4 and wasn't a huge gamer so I missed a lot of great titles. For $300 I was able to buy 40 of the top games made for PS3. New consoles focus on multiplayer (because it earns them $$$) but PS3 has lots of good single player games. I now have a library of games to play rather than a handful. I've started with the Mass Effect trilogy.
Perhaps learn to self educate or entertain? (Score:4, Insightful)
Instead of having to wait for others to provide you entertainment, how about learning a new skill, or starting a garden?
Maybe read a book or learn a new topic (lots of online classes!)
There are cheap online edutainment channels (youtube, CuriosityStream, etc)
Or take time to reach out to a relative, and see how they're doing? You could learn how to research your own family for free. Lessons are at https://thefhguide.com/ [thefhguide.com] and free access to a world-family-tree is at https://familysearch.org/ [familysearch.org] (info you enter on living people is private to you, but once you get to/enter dead people, others can see it as well)
There are certainly PLENTY of things you can do online and in your home!
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It takes a certain kind of sophistication and refinement in a person for them to be able to find something they are interested in and entertain themselves with it. It seems many people struggle with getting there or never even tried.
Read a fucking book! (Score:2)
For the millennial, that's sort of a long papery blog.
Coronado (Score:2)
Coronado Meets Sharknado: The Fight for Control Over Humanity's Doom.
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Pangolinado!!!
how can you need more? (Score:1)
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Just do OpenSource / OpenHardware (Score:3)
Try the garden & driveway constructor simulato (Score:2)
I tried it, man virtual gardening can be so satisfying after shovelling some metric tons of soil.
Read a book. Work in the yard (Score:2)
I've started pairing and waterproofing my basement.
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"I've started pairing and waterproofing my basement."
A bluetooth basement. Welp, now I've seen it all.
Re: Read a book. Work in the yard (Score:2)
Come On! (Score:1)
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Learn to live with yourself without the constant need to be "distracted". Are people shallow now or what!?!
A large part of the human race was always shallow and probably will always be. An average human is not really impressive.
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Work on your hobbies or pick up a new one (Score:2)
Always wanted to mess around with 3D printing, for example? Build a pre-built printer, or a kit or even make one yourself from scratch. [reprap.org]
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+5 for Prusa.
Books (Score:1)
How about a book or three? I've got probably a dozen unread to study.
How about a new hobby instead? (Score:1)
One that doesn't feed privacy-violating DRM-supporting employee-underpaying asshole industries like the movie and games industries?
The lapidary hobby is a great way to keep you occupied and away from everyone for many months.
games and books (Score:1)
Finished Mechwarrior 5 recently. It's pretty good if you grew up on Mechwarrior stuff and want more, but it doesn't offer that much to a newcomer.
The Outer Worlds has been okay too. It's a mix of Fallout, Bioshock, and Borderlands. It doesn't stand out much but offers what you expect.
Pathfinder Kingmaker is outstanding if you love RPG-heavy D&D games (though it does lose something from using a subpar setting and rulebook).
Terraria is always good if you want to chill and get your architecture on, and it'
Want cyberpunk 2077 SOON! (Score:2)
Want cyberpunk 2077 SOON!
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Want cyberpunk 2077 SOON!
Me too, last I heard they were optimizing the game for consoles which is the cause for the delay?
Doom Eternal? (Score:2)
The new Doom game (Doom Eternal) just came out, but it costs $60 and requires a pretty beefy computer to run. Those two things will probably prevent it from becoming the next Fortnite, but it still might be fun if you got the system to run it.
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And Half-Life: Alyx just came out today. It's amazing!
Distraction? Hell no (Score:2)
Honestly, self isolation has me feeling more creative and productive than I've felt in years. The weight of distraction and social requirements and commutes has totally lifted. I'm cooking better meals, spending quality time with family, and netflix binging does not appeal.
It seems that most of the things I have not been happy with in my life arose from my constant distraction. I wonder how many others are figuring this out. The enforced habit change has been a real positive.
Game expansion for Control coming out this week (Score:2)
Since I thought it seemed likely people would miss it that cared, if you liked the game Control an expansion pack is coming out for it this week (26th). Should be a lot of fun as it will bring up a lot of new story elements to consider, so it's like a game *and* a book!
Still working here - Telecommuting 8am-5pm (Score:2)
Believe me, I'm happy to be gainfully employed during this obvious health and financial crisis... but I am also pretty envious of those who now have the free time to first-world-problems whine about being insufficiently entertained while stuck at home.
I'm stuck at home and still working. I assumed most on this site would have similar experiences.
make your own (Score:2)
I shot this 4k video last saturday (Score:1)
What in the Hell is wrong with you people? (Score:2)
You people (submitter) are weak. Your brains must be like oatmeal. Entertain yourself. Other people are a distraction. Life is better without that distraction. Be creative. Don't rely on others to entertain you. Stop being so needy.
You act like you've been snowed-in for three weeks already. You can still go outside. What in the Hell is wrong with you people???
Prejudiced headline (Score:1)
Crap (Score:2)
What an utterly wrong approach to a hopefully unique situation in most of our lives. This fucking virus is not funny and we would of course be much better off without it, but here comes the unexpected occasion to do all the things we've always wanted to do but didn't have or allow us the time to do. And there are plenty of them, even while being confined at home.
No. (Score:1)
New episodes (Score:2)
I can't wait for the new episodes of Professor Gas Can to come out!
A new movie? (Score:2)
Well, that'll sort some for 2hrs.. What then?
Old stuff can be new to you! (Score:2)
Even re(play/peat)s can be fun too.
oh please... (Score:2)
How about just exploring the vast ammount of games/movies/series that already exists. I'm pretty sure there are more than enough already available that you haven't seen or played yet. Maybe expand your horizon and try new genres..
There is absolutely no real need for new games/movies/series.
Uh ok (Score:2)
People were giving the submitter a hard time for posting an article about the rugby commentator doing everyday life commenting videos in Twitter but that was actually hilarious.
But this. What is this? Where's the news? Here's the tl:dr summary:
Now is a good time to release new games and movies because people are bored.
That isn't irreverent, it's irrelevant. Almost a non-sequitur. File this under who-gives-a-shit. Next they'll submit an article about how people are tired of reading stupid articles on /..
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Be careful [youtube.com]