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Eight years after the launch of the original, the Nintendo Switch 2 is finally being released in midnight launch events around the country. At the same time, gamers around the United States are checking retailers like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, GameStop, and even Costco in search of the next-generation console.
On social media platforms like X, Reddit, and YouTube, gamers are sharing photos and videos of long lines and excited crowds outside stores like GameStop and Target. And some lucky gamers are already showing off their successful purchases.
SEE ALSO: Where to buy Nintendo Switch 2 online: Check every listing at Best Buy, Walmart, and GameStop This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. New E-shopWhile there are dozens of Switch 2 games and accessories available for purchase, gamers looking for the console itself have two options: Get the base Switch 2 console for $449.99 or opt for the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle for $499.99. Of course, both are in short supply, even as Nintendo forecasts selling 20 million units in the next 12 months.
The first customers to get their hands on Switch 2 consoles were the lucky players who placed a preorder through GameStop or Best Buy. Both retailers hosted midnight ET launch events around the country, which gave people the chance to pick up their preorders in person. In addition, these retailers will be selling limited supplies of consoles on a first-come, first-served basis, according to their websites. Mashable recently received a Switch 2 review unit, and we'll be sharing more first impressions soon.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.However, even though the Switch 2 has been officially released, that doesn't mean online inventory will be available right away. Nintendo is only allowing purchases for customers with active, paid Switch Online memberships. And Target previously announced that it wouldn't start selling the console online until Friday (June 6). However, retailers like Best Buy and Walmart promised to start selling the console online promptly at midnight.
When preorders officially went live on April 24, gamers promptly crashed retailer websites, and history may repeat itself for launch day. But if you want to try your luck at placing an online order, head to the retailers and start smashing that refresh button like you're playing Super Smash Bros.
You can check the latest Switch 2 stock at the following online stores:
If those links don't work, you can also look for the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle at Walmart, GameStop, Best Buy, Costco, and Staples.
TL;DR: Find a wide range of free AI courses on Udemy. Learn about ChatGPT, Copilot, DeepSeek, and so much more without spending anything.
We all know that there is a small possibility that AI is going to take over the world. Are we OK with it? Not really. Do we accept it to be true? Yes, because there's not much we can do about it.
The good news is that we should have a few good years before we get to that terrifying point of no return. And in that time, we should learn all about this technology so that it works for us before we work for it.
Fortunately, a wide range of free online courses on AI can be found on Udemy. We've checked out everything on offer and lined up a selection of standout courses to get you started. These are the best online AI courses you can take for free this month:
AI and Crypto 2025: Trading, Investing, Careers, and AI Automation
AI for Business and Personal Productivity: A Practical Guide
How To Make YouTube Automation Videos in 20 Minutes Using AI
Midjourney and ChatGPT: Unleash AI for Unique Image Generation
These free online courses don't include certificates of completion or direct instructor messaging, but you still get unrestricted access to all the video content. So there's no unpleasant catch to worry about.
Find the best free AI courses on Udemy.
The best deals this week, hand-picked by Mashable's team of expertsRoku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)
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TL;DR: Live stream Boisson vs. Gauff in the 2025 French Open for free on 9Now, France TV, or Servus TV. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The 2025 French Open semi finals are everything we wished for at the start of the tournament. Sabalenka takes on Swiatek in an all-star showdown, and we've got Gauff going up against the home favorite. Lois Boisson has shocked everyone this year by progressing through to the semi-final stage. Could she make the final and give the French fans something to celebrate?
If you want to watch Boisson vs. Gauff in the 2025 French Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
How to watch Boisson vs. Gauff for freeBoisson vs. Gauff in the 2025 French Open is available to live stream for free on a number of platforms:
These services are geo-restricted, but anyone can access these free streaming platforms with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another country, meaning you can stream the 2025 French Open for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream the 2025 French Open for free by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia, Austria, or France
Watch the 2025 French Open for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Roland-Garros without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to live stream Boisson vs. Gauff (plus the rest of the 2025 French Open) before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for sport?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).
Live stream Boisson vs. Gauff in the 2025 French Open for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Watch U21 Euro 2025 for free on Channel 4. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Football fans are in for a real treat this summer. As if the Club World Cup and Concacaf Gold Cup weren't enough, the European Under-21 Championship is here to showcase some of the best young players from the continent. Are you panicking about not having enough time to follow all these tournaments? Make time, because all UEFA U21 Euro games are available to live stream for free.
If you're interested in watching U21 Euro 2025 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.
What is U21 Euro 2025?The European Under-21 Championship is a biennial football competition contested by men's under-21 national teams of the UEFA member associations. The tournament is comprised of 16 European men's under-21 national teams, with a group stage followed by knockout fixtures.
England are the defending champions.
When is U21 Euro 2025?The 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship is the 25th edition of the competition. This year's tournament takes place from June 11-28 and is hosted by Slovakia.
How to watch U21 Euro 2025 for freeU21 Euro 2025 is available to live stream for free on Channel 4. Games will be shown on Channel 4, 4Seven, and Channel 4 Sport YouTube.
Channel 4 content is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access these free live streams with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can live stream all the action from U21 Euro 2025 for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream U21 Euro 2025 for free by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Connect to Channel 4
Live stream U21 Euro 2025 for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch U21 Euro 2025 without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream every U21 Euro 2025 fixture before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for Channel 4?ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms like Channel 4, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).
Live stream U21 Euro 2025 for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Watch the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
This summer of sport is shaping up to be pretty special. We're almost overwhelmed by the level of entertainment on offer this season, with the Club World Cup, Concacaf Gold Cup, Wimbledon, U21 European Championships, and so much more vying for your attention. What a time to be a sports fan.
We're not picking a favorite because it's totally subjective, but we would make the case for the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour being the most unique event taking place this summer. This special tour only takes place every four years and brings together the best rugby players from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. This time they are touring Australia.
If you're interested in watching the 2025 British and Irish Lions for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.
What are the British and Irish Lions?The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. The team tours every four years, rotating between Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa in order.
When is the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia?The 2025 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia is scheduled to take place between June and August 2025.
The Lions are scheduled to play a three-match Test series against Australia, plus Australia's four Super Rugby franchises (Western Force, Queensland Reds, NSW Waratahs, and ACT Brumbies), an invitational side made up of players from Australia and New Zealand, and a team of players with First Nations and Pasifika origin. The Lions will also play a warm-up match against Argentina in Ireland before departing.
The full schedule for the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour is as follows:
British and Irish Lions vs. Argentina — June 20
British and Irish Lions vs. Western Force — June 28
British and Irish Lions vs. Queensland Reds — July 2
British and Irish Lions vs. NSW Warratahs — July 5
British and Irish Lions vs. ACT Brumbies — July 9
British and Irish Lions vs. Invitational AU-NZ — July 12
British and Irish Lions vs. Australia (1st test) — July 19
British and Irish Lions vs. First Nations & Pasifika XV — July 22
British and Irish Lions vs. Australia (2nd test) — July 26
British and Irish Lions vs. Australia (3rd test) — Aug. 2
The good news is that it's possible to live stream all the British and Irish Lions vs. Australia games for free.
How to watch the 2025 British and Irish Lions for freeEvery British and Irish Lions vs. Australia game is available to live stream for free on 9Now.
9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can live stream all three British and Irish Lions vs. Australia games for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream the 2025 British and Irish Lions for free by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia
Connect to 9Now
Live stream British and Irish Lions vs. Australia for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the British and Irish Lions without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream every Test match before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for 9Now?ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Australia
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).
Live stream the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Sabalenka vs. Swiatek in the 2025 French Open for free on 9Now, France TV, or Servus TV. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The 2025 French Open semi finals are all set up to be special, with Sabalenka taking on Swiatek in arguably the pick of the bunch. It really doesn't get much bigger than this. It's going to be an epic battle between two incredible players, and you can follow all the action without spending anything.
If you want to watch Sabalenka vs. Swiatek in the 2025 French Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
How to watch Sabalenka vs. Swiatek for freeSabalenka vs. Swiatek in the 2025 French Open is available to live stream for free on a number of platforms:
These services are geo-restricted, but anyone can access these free streaming platforms with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another country, meaning you can stream the 2025 French Open for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream the 2025 French Open for free by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia, Austria, or France
Watch the 2025 French Open for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Roland-Garros without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to live stream Sabalenka vs. Swiatek (plus the rest of the 2025 French Open) before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for sport?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).
Live stream Sabalenka vs. Swiatek in the 2025 French Open for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Chile vs. Argentina in World Cup qualifiers for free on SBS On Demand. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Argentina are totally dominating the South American World Cup qualification campaign, and they'll be confident of beating bottom side Chile in their next fixture. Chile have only won two games so far, but anything can happen in international competition. They'll need to be at their absolute best to take anything from Argentina, but the passionate home support should help.
If you want to watch Chile vs. Argentina in World Cup qualifiers for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Chile vs. Argentina?Chile vs. Argentina in World Cup qualifiers kicks off at 9 p.m. ET on June 5. This fixture takes place at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos.
How to watch Chile vs. Argentina for freeChile vs. Argentina in World Cup qualifiers is available to live stream for free on SBS On Demand.
SBS On Demand is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can access free live streams on SBS On Demand from anywhere in the world.
Lve stream Chile vs. Argentina for free by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia
Visit SBS On Demand
Stream Chile vs. Argentina for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Chile vs. Argentina in World Cup qualifiers without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select World Cup qualifiers before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for SBS On Demand?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on SBS On Demand, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Australia
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).
Live stream Chile vs. Argentina in World Cup qualifiers for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Paraguay vs. Uruguay in World Cup qualifiers for free on SBS On Demand. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Paraguay started the South American World Cup qualification campaign really poorly, but they've slowly turned things around. Paraguay are now unbeaten in their last eight games, and have beaten the likes of Argentina and Brazil in recent outings.
Next up for Paraguay is Uruguay. These teams are tied on 21 points, so we're expecting a really close game between two strong sides.
If you want to watch Paraguay vs. Uruguay in World Cup qualifiers for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Paraguay vs. Uruguay?Paraguay vs. Uruguay in World Cup qualifiers kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on June 5. This fixture takes place at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco.
How to watch Paraguay vs. Uruguay for freeParaguay vs. Uruguay in World Cup qualifiers is available to live stream for free on SBS On Demand.
SBS On Demand is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can access free live streams on SBS On Demand from anywhere in the world.
Access a free live stream of Paraguay vs. Uruguay by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia
Visit SBS On Demand
Stream Paraguay vs. Uruguay for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Paraguay vs. Uruguay in World Cup qualifiers without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select World Cup qualifiers before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for SBS On Demand?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on SBS On Demand, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Australia
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).
Live stream Paraguay vs. Uruguay in World Cup qualifiers for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Ecuador vs. Brazil in World Cup qualifiers for free on SBS On Demand. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Ecuador have been the surprise package in the South American World Cup qualification campaign. Argentina are way out ahead of the competition, but Ecuador are second in the standings ahead of the next round of fixtures. They are even two points ahead of Brazil, but that could all change as the sides meet in Guayaquil.
If you want to watch Ecuador vs. Brazil in World Cup qualifiers for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Ecuador vs. Brazil?Ecuador vs. Brazil in World Cup qualifiers kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on June 5. This fixture takes place at the Estadio Monumental.
How to watch Ecuador vs. Brazil for freeEcuador vs. Brazil in World Cup qualifiers is available to live stream for free on SBS On Demand.
SBS On Demand is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can access free live streams on SBS On Demand from anywhere in the world.
Access a free live stream of Ecuador vs. Brazil by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia
Visit SBS On Demand
Stream Ecuador vs. Brazil for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Ecuador vs. Brazil in World Cup qualifiers without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select World Cup qualifiers before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for SBS On Demand?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on SBS On Demand, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Australia
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).
Live stream Ecuador vs. Brazil in World Cup qualifiers for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Spain vs. France in the UEFA Nations League semi final for free on TF1+ and RTVE. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The UEFA Nations League semi finals kicked off with Germany vs. Portugal, but the second match is arguably more interesting.
Spain are taking on France for a spot in the showpiece event. Fans will flock to see the stars on display in this exciting matchup, with the likes of Yamal and Mbappe going head to head. It's going to be fascinating to see which side comes out on top, and you can do exactly that without spending anything.
If you want to watch Spain vs. France in the UEFA Nations League semi final for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Spain vs. France?Spain vs. France in the UEFA Nations League semi final kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on June 5. This fixture takes place at the MHPArena.
How to watch Spain vs. France for freeSpain vs. France in the UEFA Nations League semi final is available to live stream for free on TF1+ or RTVE.
TF1+ and RTVE are geo-restricted to France and Spain respectively, but anyone can access these free streaming platforms with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in France or Spain, meaning you can access free live streams on TF1+ or RTVE from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Spain vs. France by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in France or Spain
Live stream Spain vs. France for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Spain vs. France in the UEFA Nations League without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select UEFA Nations League fixtures before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for live sport?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on TF1+ or RTVE, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including France and Spain
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).
Stream Spain vs. France in the UEFA Nations League semi final for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Australia vs. Japan in World Cup qualifiers for free on 10Play. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Australia are taking on Japan in an absolutely massive World Cup qualification matchup in Perth. Japan have already secured their spot in the 2026 World Cup, but Australia still have work to do. A win for the Socceroos would go a long way to securing automatic qualification to next year's showpiece event, but they will need to be at their best to take anything from Japan.
If you want to watch Australia vs. Japan in World Cup qualifiers for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Australia vs. Japan?Australia vs. Japan in World Cup qualifiers kicks off at 7:10 a.m. ET on June 5. This fixture takes place at the Optus Stadium.
How to watch Australia vs. Japan for freeAustralia vs. Japan in World Cup qualifiers is available to live stream for free on 10Play.
10Play is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can access free live streams on 10Play from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Australia vs. Japan by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia
Visit 10Play
Live stream Australia vs. Japan for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Australia vs. Japan in World Cup qualifiers without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select World Cup qualifiers before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for 10Play?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 10Play, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Australia
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).
Stream Australia vs. Japan in World Cup qualifiers for free with ExpressVPN.
Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Final-round basketball teams
Green: Basketball emblems
Blue: OKC players
Purple: Indianapolis players
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: This year's NBA conference finalists
Green: NBA mascots
Blue: Thunder stars of years past
Purple: Pacers stars of years past
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #255 is...
What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition todayThis year's NBA conference finalists - KNICKS, PACERS, THUNDER, TIMBERWOLVES
NBA mascots - BENNY, BOOMER, BURNIE, RUMBLE
Thunder stars of years past - DURANT, HARDEN, IBAKA, WESTBROOK
Pacers stars of years past - GEORGE, MILLER, O'NEAL, SMITS
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for June 5 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: On the edge
Green: Used to fix a leak
Blue: Ways to deck out your ride
Purple: Famous musicians
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Precipice
Green: Plumbing equipment
Blue: Ways to modify a car's exterior
Purple: Best Female Rock Performance Grammy winners
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections #725 is...
What is the answer to Connections todayPrecipice: BRINK, CUSP, EVE, VERGE
Plumbing equipment: PIPE, PLUNGER, SNAKE, WRENCH
Ways to modify a car's exterior: BUMPER, GRILLE, RIM, SPOILER
Best Female Rock Performance Grammy winners: APPLE, CROW, SUMMER, TURNER
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 5Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.
Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on MashableBy providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferrined pace.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 5 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 5 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Mary, Mary, quite...The words are music-related.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThese words are found in a popular nursery rhyme.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is Garden
Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for June 5Contrary
Silver
Garden
Cockshells
Bells
Maids
Pretty
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for June 4 Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for June 5, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:A piece of information.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?There are no recurring letters.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today's Wordle is...
DATUM.
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 5Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.
SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hintTo drop.
SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answerSLUMP
Hurdle Word 2 hintReferring to a birthplace.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 5, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 AnswerNATAL
Hurdle Word 3 hintAn emotional person.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 5 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 5, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answerCRIER
Hurdle Word 4 hintA transplant.
SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for June 5 Hurdle Word 4 answerGRAFT
Final Hurdle hintWhat a hawk might do.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answerSWOOP
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
As of this writing, we're about five hours away from the first midnight launch parties for the Switch 2 here in the United States. However, over on eBay, we identified more than 100 listings for the yet-to-be-released Switch 2 console.
Nintendo expects to sell 20 million Switch 2 units in the next year, but preorders have been very hard to come by for many gamers. (Check the latest stock ahead of the launch.) That can make eBay listings very tempting.
Opens in a new window Credit: Walmart Switch 2 console $449 at WalmartMost eBay listings for the console are priced between $650 and $750, which is a lot to ask considering that most of these sellers don't yet have the console in hand. Although the console has been released overseas in countries like Australia, the first units won't be released in the United States until 12:01 a.m. on June 5. For gamers waiting on delivery, it could take days or weeks for their console to arrive.
While some of the eBay sellers we identified are based in Australia, and thus may actually have the console, other U.S.-based sellers are only promising to sell the console after their "confirmed preorder" arrives. Some sellers are using alleged screenshots of Walmart and Target preorder confirmation pages or shipping tracking details. I know these listings can be tempting, but as Mashable's Tech Editor, I recommend purchasing through the retailers themselves.
Opens in a new window Credit: GameStop Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle $499.99 at GameStopNintendo has actually taken steps to discourage this type of opportunism — at least, in Japan. In Nintendo's home country, the game company is working directly with third-party seller platforms like Mercari and Rakuten to ban Switch 2 listings after the launch, according to The Verge. Unfortunately, those plans don't include the United States.
I would be extremely skeptical of these listings, at least for now. The only Switch 2 units we know for certain have been delivered so far are review units, like the one received by Mashable earlier today.
So, while you can try your luck on eBay listings, we recommend exercising patience. Hopefully, once the console officially launches, retailers will have a steadier inventory available for sale. Plus, we never want to encourage hoarding and price gouging.
We reached out to eBay to ask if the early Switch 2 eBay listings violated any of their policies, and we'll update this post if we hear back. In the meantime, keep checking Nintendo and its official Switch 2 retailers to see if they have the console in stock yet:
We're only one episode into Dimension 20's steampunk campaign Cloudward, Ho! and I may already have a new favorite Dimension 20 NPC: Wealwell Gotch (Brennan Lee Mulligan).
One of pugilist Maxwell Gotch's (Brian Murphy) six older brothers — and yes, all their names end in "well" — Wealwell is blessed with both a funny name and a funny voice. Sometimes that's all you need to get attached to a character, something Game Master Mulligan knows all too well when it comes to making up NPCs on the fly.
SEE ALSO: The 'Dimension 20' cast improvises a 'Dungeons and Dragons' character from scratch"If I had made Wealwell, [the cast] wouldn't have loved him as much," Mulligan told Mashable in a Zoom interview. "The Intrepid Heroes smell fear, and when a character has a stupid name and a weird voice, they can tell right away."
Wealwell's origin story begins with Murphy's reveal that Maxwell has six brothers, all of whom become characters Mulligan has to create. By this stage in the campaign, some are simply names on a list Mulligan reads out in an early scene. That could have been Wealwell's fate too, but you can't just rattle off a name like Wealwell and expect a group of professional comedians not to pounce on that potential. Watching the cogs turn in the cast's heads as they decide to single out Wealwell is a wonderful reminder of Dimension 20's roots in improvisation, as is Mulligan's instant decision to bring Wealwell into the fold.
With that decision comes Wealwell's voice, a simpering over-exaggeration of Mulligan's other rich (and already heightened) Gotch family voices.
"When I started speaking as Wealwell, I went, 'Oops, this voice is a little sillier than I anticipated it was going to be,' and the rest is history," Mulligan said. "That's what [the cast] seized on, that's what they loved, and that's where we went."
The rest of the episode focuses on Maxwell and Olethra MacLeod's (Ally Beardsley) efforts to reunite the crew of the legendary Zephyr airship, but it also doubles as a "get-to-know-me" for Wealwell, who seems to be along for the ride for the foreseeable future.
As the cast gets the ball rolling on this season's main adventure, they also pepper in new information about Wealwell. Murphy declares that he's "fun" and "solid," setting him apart from Maxwell's other jerk brothers. Beardsley decides that Wealwell is super hot. And Mulligan adds in a running gag that Wealwell is constantly nauseous — not great for a character who's about to spend a lot of time on an airship! (But great for the audience, who gets to witness his posh queasiness in all its glory.)
Each of these building blocks combine to create an instantly memorable new NPC. Wealwell is the product of a perfect storm of Dimension 20's spontaneity, with the cast taking a one-off gag and turning it into something hysterical. For Mulligan, that's part of the magic — and occasionally, the peril — of playing with the Intrepid Heroes.
"What do they say? If you want it to rain, don't take your umbrella, because it will rain on the day you don't have your umbrella. And if you do bring your umbrella, it won't rain. For NPCs, if you have a stupid name and a weird voice and nothing else, that will be [the players'] favorite NPC," Mulligan explained. "They will smell the half-bakedness, and they will go, 'What's his name? What's he like? What's his favorite food?' Because they'll know that you don't know, and they want you to do it on the spot because they're trying to get you."
Dropout's Dimension 20 has run the gamut of speculative fiction genres, from urban fantasy in The Unsleeping City to space opera in A Starstruck Odyssey. In its newest season, Cloudward, Ho!, the tabletop anthology series leaps into yet another genre: steampunk.
SEE ALSO: Brennan Lee Mulligan talks 'Dimension 20: Cloudward, Ho!'s breakout NPCCloudward, Ho! incorporates several familiar steampunk genre trappings, from airships and mech suits to Victorian-era aesthetics. But the new genre also allows Dimension 20 to take some new risks, ushering in new mechanics, new inspirations, and new ways of approaching Dimension 20's community-focused, anti-capitalist core themes. Mashable spoke with Dimension 20 creator and Game Master Brennan Lee Mulligan about what steampunk brings to Dimension 20, and what viewers can expect from Cloudward, Ho!
What led Dimension 20 to go full steampunk? "The Zephyr" in "Cloudward, Ho!" Credit: Kate ElliottAfter Fantasy High: Junior Year, the third installment in the Fantasy High series, Mulligan and the rest of Dimension 20's Intrepid Heroes cast — Emily Axford, Ally Beardsley, Brian Murphy, Zac Oyama, Siobhan Thompson, and Lou Wilson — were "in the mood for adventure," Mulligan told Mashable in a Zoom interview.
"They were like, 'Let's do something high-action and bold and colorful and exciting.' So steampunk really spoke to us," Mulligan said. "H.G. Wells and [Hayao] Miyazaki, biplanes in the clouds and the Golden Age of aviation — that felt like where we wanted to be."
Thus the land of Gath was born, and with it, the lost land of Zood, which Cloudward, Ho!'s characters seek out. Atlantis and Castle in the Sky served as major touchpoints for Cloudward, Ho! and its central arc, but they're far from the campaign's only inspirations. Other Miyazaki films, including Porco Rosso, proved useful due to the director's focus on aviation. Cloudward, Ho! also draws on the works of H.G. Wells, Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, James Gurney's Dinotopia series, and Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black's The Spiderwick Chronicles. (The zoological treatise element of the latter suggests extra-exciting new creatures ahead.)
SEE ALSO: The 'Dimension 20' cast improvises a 'Dungeons and Dragons' character from scratchWith such rich source material to draw from, and such a vast world to explore — Gath has over 20 continents! — Cloudward, Ho! also provides Dimension 20's creative team new opportunities to stretch themselves.
"It's hard to fathom how stunning the artwork is this season," Mulligan said. "[Production designer] Rick Perry and his team have truly outdone themselves."
That's already evident in the teaser for Cloudward, Ho! episode 2, which features an astoundingly detailed model of the airship Zephyr.
For Cloudward, Ho!, Mulligan also brought on game designers to craft aerial combat rules and stat blocks for the season. Designers Hannah Rose, Mazey Veselak, Dan Dillon, and Brandes Stoddard have all collaborated previously with Mulligan, helping create the Witch Class for the narrative podcast Worlds Beyond Number, which Mulligan hosts alongside Dimension 20 staples Aabria Iyengar, Erika Ishii, and Wilson.
Steampunk themes helped build Cloudward, Ho!'s generation-spanning party. Brian Murphy, Siobhan Thompson, Ally Beardsley, and Brennan Lee Mulligan in "Cloudward, Ho!" Credit: Kate ElliottSteampunk adventure tropes also shaped the dynamics of Cloudward, Ho!'s party. Four of the six characters are older, seasoned adventurers, while two are new faces to the skies. The youngest character, Ally Beardsley's Olethra MacLeod, starts the game at Level 2, while everyone else begins it at Level 6. (The experience divide echoes how A Crown of Candy's Jet, Ruby, and Liam all started at Levels 1 and 2, as opposed to the older characters' Level 3.)
That power balance decision came from the idea that some of these characters would be aging legends with formidable legacies — Mulligan cited Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen as a touchpoint here — and that others would be joining the crew for the first time.
"A crew having to incorporate new members is a really classic moment of this [genre]." Mulligan said. "Who are the people that have this long-standing adventurer relationship, and how do you bring in the new blood? [That's] a classic trope of this kind of storytelling that was really fun."
SEE ALSO: The 'Dimension 20' cast chooses their ultimate Intrepid Heroes squadEven the decision to start some characters at Level 6 as opposed to Level 5 came from steampunk genre tropes.
"The source material we're drawing from doesn't have a lot of what fantasy has. Fantasy has a lot of starting powerless and quickly becoming very powerful. Luke goes from a scruffy nerf herder to blowing up the Death Star in the span of one movie," Mulligan explained. "Whereas for these characters, I think the genre is filled with more [people] starting very competent and continuing to get sharper. We don't get to these higher demigod levels in steampunk as a genre. There's some older gaming stuff around 'epic Level 6,' something I had heard about a lot growing up in gaming. So there was an interesting element of wanting to say, 'Level 6 is where you're super-duper heroic, but you are not superhuman yet,' and that felt like a sweet spot for us to be."
Capitalism is the bad guy (again) in Cloudward, Ho! Zac Oyama, Emily Axford, and Lou Wilson in "Cloudward, Ho!" Credit: Kate ElliottThe divide in Cloudward, Ho!'s party is not just one of time, but of how people relate to aviation in Gath.
"In Gath, aviation is invented, and the people who are inventing it are miscreant, criminal, eccentric inventors," Mulligan said. "Over the course of time, that new technology is gobbled up by empire and capital and industry, and so it naturally created this generational divide."
The role of capital already shines through in Cloudward, Ho!'s premiere, where industrialist Longspot Gotch, father to party member Maxwell Gotch (Murphy), is intent on squeezing every last penny out of the doomed voyage of Professor Olethra MacLeod. His money-centric approach to the miracle of aviation reiterates a common theme in Dimension 20: Capitalism is the bad guy.
"I love all the memes that are like, 'In Brennan's stories, capitalism's always the bad guy,'" Mulligan joked in a behind-the-scenes video for Dimension 20's Gauntlet at the Garden. "And it's like, yeah, but in a cool, novel way each time, like no one's bored of it, right?"
Steampunk, with its focus on new technology and who gets to use it, seems like just the kind of "cool, novel way" Mulligan can continue to explore this theme.
"Fundamentally, steampunk is a reaction. The aesthetic is that of machines and the industrial revolution," Mulligan told Mashable. "A lot of steampunk tends to come in these two flavors. There's the extremely dark, brooding gaslamp steampunk, and then there's also the ones that are more in that Miyazaki vein, with conversations between nature and technology. Miyazaki really dwells on the horrors therein, but not to the preclusion of the beauty and importance of nature and the revelry of innovation, of invention, of flight."
He continued: "The Luddites were a labor and capital movement, and there was some smashing of machines, but it's not that machines are bad. It's about who owns them, what we do with them, and if we use them for destruction, or if we use them for affirming the wonder and majesty of human cleverness and innovation."
SEE ALSO: The 'Dimension 20' cast reveal which campaign they would most like to revisitBalancing these flavors of steampunk — destruction and capitalism versus wonder and hopefulness — became a key tenet to building out Gath. Episode 1 already gives us a taste of several varied landscapes, from the Western-style canyons of Pilby to the rusty wastes of Scrapsylvania. ("You've got to hit them with the lore up top," Mulligan said.)
"I wanted to make Gath so enormous, because if I create a world that is only gloom and empire, am I breeding a sense of despair in my world that I don't want to be reflected in my work? But also, if I don't honor the real problems of real life, is there even something to work on here?" Mulligan said. "So the thing with Gath was, let's create a world where there are some elements of that gaslamp steampunk empire that's worth resisting, but also continents that exist that are untouched by it. What if we imagine places that were successful in their rebuffing of imperial efforts? So Gath is a big, wild world filled with lots of different things going on that stretch the boundary of imagination."
With the entire toolbox of the steampunk genre at its disposal, expect Cloudward, Ho! to keep stretching those boundaries even more as the season takes flight.
There’s an exciting 20-minute stretch midway through Ballerina — or From the World of John Wick: Ballerina — that expands the John Wick mythos. These scenes swerve past the series' expectations and break new ground in delightful ways. Unfortunately, what comes before and after is a Wick facsimile through and through, even though the film repeatedly insists it's showing you something novel.
This is the key issue with the Ana de Armas-led action spinoff. For most of its 125-minute runtime, Ballerina remains torn between adhering to the tenets of its franchise mothership and charting its own course. There’s some fun to be found in the movie, but it’s also severely disjointed in obvious ways that reflect its tumultuous production (Ballerina began shooting so long ago that it features the final screen appearance of Lance Reddick, who died in early 2023). The result is a film that ends up less than the sum of its scattered parts, despite its numerous explosions, headshots, and vicious stabbings.
What is Ballerina about? Ana de Armas in "Ballerina." Credit: Larry D. Horricks for Lionsgate.After her father is killed by a mysterious cult, led by a man named the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne), young Eve (Victoria Comte, a spitting image of de Armas) is rescued from their clutches by Wick series mainstay Winston (Ian McShane), owner of the assassins-only Continental Hotel and longtime ally of John Wick. He delivers Eve to the ruthless trainer known as the Director (Anjelica Huston), who last appeared in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum as the head of the Ruska Roma, a Belarusian ballet school and crime syndicate tied to John Wick's origins. Here, she serves as a stern headmistress overseeing Eve's ballet training — a skill she learns alongside fists and bullets, though it doesn’t really come in handy — and her decade-long transformation into an assassin-for-hire.
Ballerina has a distinct overlap with Parabellum, in that we see Eve briefly cross paths with John Wick himself (Keanu Reeves, in all his grunting, exasperated glory), a.k.a the notorious Baba Yaga. The duo’s fleeting exchange establishes them as diametrically opposed archetypes. Wick wants to leave behind this world of contract killers — much as he does in his four-part series, after he exacts his puppy-inspired vengeance. The starstruck Eve, meanwhile, desperately wants to enter Wick's world of assassinations, so she can exact her own revenge on her father's killers.
Ana de Armas and Keanu Reeves in "Ballerina." Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.To add to this nominal differentiation, Eve repeatedly fails tests involving hand-to-hand combat and close-quarters gun-fu, shot (by cinematographer Romain Lacourbas) and choreographed (by a large team of stunt coordinators, many of them John Wick veterans) in the traditionally fluid John Wick style. That is, until her assassin mentor Nogi (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) commands Eve to fight on her own terms, rather than letting her male counterparts dictate their sparring. "Fight like a girl," she tells Eve with a wry smile, before dropping hints about using agility and intellect instead of raw strength. A lightbulb seems to go off in the ballerina's head. However, what follows during each combat and shooting simulation is the exact same blocking and choreography as before (only with a few added kicks to the groin).
It's the first of several instances where the dialogue attempts to lay claim to a brand new path for the series, while the action plays out like a John Wick pastiche: the same Judo takedowns and quick clip-emptying, shot with the same verve and atmosphere, but edited with far less impact. As Eve is sent on her first mission to a nightclub, the neon pink and blue-hued setting is practically ripped from previous Wick films, down to the action being backdropped by the slow-motion writhing of unbothered dancers. Scene after scene, these uncannily familiar elements play host to lesser versions of fights we’ve already seen, but assembled with less finesse.
The pieces of Ballerina rarely fit together "Ballerina" is full of inconsistencies. Credit: Murray CloseWhen the plot finally gets moving, and Eve begins tracking down information on her target — leading her to an alluring new assassin with an oddly truncated role, played by Norman Reedus — Ballerina becomes torn between motivations. This results in de Armas never having enough pathos to feel worthy of this particular, grief-steeped series — for John Wick, the fact that "it was never just a puppy" is always clear.
On one hand, Eve is driven by vengeance and deep-seated rage. On the other hand, her tale quickly becomes entangled with that of a young girl with whom she empathizes, one who becomes a kidnapping target for the cult like Eve once was. However, this symbol of Eve’s lost innocence doesn’t complicate her trajectory in any way, or have any real impact on the plot. In fact, it’s just one of several inconsistencies that makes Ballerina such a strange film to watch.
Norman Reedus gets an oddly truncated role. Credit: Larry D. Horricks for Lionsgate.Byrne’s Chancellor is, for all intents and purposes, the movie’s key antagonist from the word go, since he leads the interrogation and slaying of Eve’s father. However, young Eve is distanced from her villain. She never sees his face in the prologue, an oddly specific visual information which is clarified when they finally come face to face and she doesn’t recognize him. His actions ought to make Eve’s mission deeply personal, but it’s unclear if she ever finds out who he really is, beyond being the leader of an organization she hopes to bring down. In the process, she’s kept at an arm’s length from the most involving and tragic parts of her own story.
There’s a lack of urgency to the movie at times, in part because of these dramatic inconsistencies. Its action scenes don’t feel nearly as personal as they should, both in terms of what Eve is trying to achieve, and in the context of how her scenes are staged. Her movements never feel like extensions of her character; her choreography is only ever mapped onto the existing body language Wick exhibits in the rest of the series. Despite the film's title, the one skill set that differentiates Eve from her male counterparts — her ballet training — is somehow never put to use, even during a fight scene on ice that requires finding balance. And the running thread about the act of killing weighing on her conscience is also swiftly dropped.
Add to this the fact that several fight scenes lack a coherent sense of geography and space between the characters, and what you’re left with is a disorienting movie that never fully clicks. This often feels like the product of Ballerina's many reshoots — several months' worth, reported to have been spearheaded by John Wick series helmer Chad Stahelski, rather than credited director Len Wiseman — whose seams show in occasional moments of janky ADR (Automatic Dialogue Replacement), and unclean digital face replacement to hide de Armas' stunt doubles.
Ballerina works best when it isn’t John Wick The late Lance Reddick makes his final screen appearance in "Ballerina." Credit: Larry D. Horricks.There’s an imaginative streak to some of the action in Ballerina, from its Tchaikovsky- and Vivaldi-influenced soundtrack and score (by composers Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard), to the comically excessive presence of flamethrowers and hand grenades. But its action scenes are so awash in cartoonish digital effects that fly in the face of the grounded, tactile, blood-squib-heavy productions that made Reeves' versions so damn thrilling. The film is at its weakest when it’s trying to be a John Wick sequel — which, unfortunately, is the majority of its runtime.
However, there’s a turn about midway through that feels unlike any Wick movie in its setting, theme, and choreography, leading to a stretch of action and story that feels almost worth the price of admission. The hour-long wait for this sequence can be frustrating, but when Eve catches up to the cult’s headquarters — located in a quaint, snowy mountain town — the film zigzags in raucous ways.
Wait for the midway turn. Credit: Murray Close for Lionsgate.Part of the fun of the Wick films is how they reveal seedy metropolitan underbellies to have secret criminal entanglements. This doesn’t happen much in Ballerina, making Eve’s initial night-time missions through crowded cities feel like mechanical, soulless retreads. However, her daylight rendezvous to the peaceful mountainside goes off the rails for equal and opposite reasons, as everyday Samaritans — from parents and tourists, to small business owners — become part of the action in unexpected ways. Even the so-called normal life that Wick craves, and that Eve has intentionally left behind, harbors gloomy secrets, out in the open.
It's a ridiculously bleak turn that yields some of the series’ most entertaining action yet (involving several household items), though it doesn’t last long before being toppled by clunkily written melodrama, whose twists and turns aren’t given nearly enough weight or time to land. The preceding set pieces are so wildly entertaining that it’s hard not to feel robbed of some truly inventive action filmmaking when they’re eventually — and inevitably — derailed by a half-baked story.
By the end, what little individuality the film contains is entirely subsumed by the larger franchise. De Armas even ends up dressed in John Wick chic before the credits roll. But rather than playing like an organic character choice, it resembles flimsy cosplay — an unfortunate metaphor for Ballerina as a whole.
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