Uncharted Evolution

North has portrayed Nathan Drake from the first Uncharted game to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. The actor has seen how the game has evolved with updates in technology.

“It was technically the first fully motion capture game with actors, speaking to each other, no scripts,” North tells Nerd Reactor. “We shot it just like an on-camera job. It’s the same technology that Avatar does; the same type of cameras, everything. So I think the biggest thing for me, technology-wise, was that the first three games were all created for the PS3. So, what you see if you go back and look at those, in terms of graphics and gameplay and what you can do as a player, it’s pretty remarkable what Sony and Naughty Dog, the developer, were able to learn. I mean, they sucked the marrow out of that CPU.”

From Real Jeep to PVC Pipes

The first game had Elena and Nate jump into a Jeep, and Naughty Dog actually rented a Jeep onto the stage, with the actors jumping into that. In Uncharted 2, the Jeep was made of wood blocks that the team had put together, and then the actors jumped into that.

“By the third and fourth game, it was two chairs with a PVC pipe with a tennis ball on the end,” he explained. “That was the stick shift. They were like, ‘We don’t need the actual physical prop when we can do everything else. We’re gonna generate that around you sitting.'”

Another big difference in how the game was made was that Naughty Dog used key-frame facial animation for the first three games, with the fourth one capturing North’s performance.

“They had reference cameras, video cameras that would, from every angle, when Nate squints, they can hand-animate that,” the actor said. “In the fourth game, we did wear the helmets with the cameras. So, the facial recognition. I remember doing a three-hour facial scan at Sony, which was just bizarre. I mean, in the fourth game, every pore, every hair, every wrinkle on his face is actually one that was on my face. I probably have a few extra in the last 10 years, but yeah, it was pretty remarkable.”

A Chuck E. Cheese Christmas

There have been two specials for Chuck E. Cheese previously. One was a 1983 animated Christmas special, The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t, that had a low framerate with around 1 frame per 4 seconds. The other was a live-action direct-to-video film, Chuck E. Cheese in the Galaxy 5000, where Chuck E. Cheese and friends worked together to help Charlie Rockit’s aunt and uncle.

On November 27th, A Chuck E. Cheese Christmas released on Prime Video and Check E. Cheese’s YouTube channel. North voices Jasper T. Jowls, the hound dog and bass player.

“It’s got everything,” North said of the animated special. “It’s heartfelt. It’s funny. It’s smart. Funny is what I like to call it. You know, it’s not just silly humor. And I like animation that I can watch with my kids growing up. There were certain shows and certain things that are typically geared toward kids. But the writing is usually so good, like it is in this one, that there’s humor in there for the parents to enjoy. So I think we should be able to see that. We struck a really good balance.”

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To celebrate the game, Sony Interactive Entertainment has partnered with Alamo Drafthouse for the Ghost of Yōtei popcorn bucket. You’re probably thinking, “Why is the theater chain selling video game collectibles?” Well, Alamo Drafthouse has a love for old-school cinema, and the Ghost of series is inspired by samurai films. As a result, select Alamo Drafthouse theaters will be showing 5 classic samurai films.

If you’re in the Los Angeles area, the Alamo Drafthouse in Downtown LA is participating. For tickets, visit https://drafthouse.com/movies/way-of-the-samurai. The event will run from August 2nd through September 4th at select Alamo Drafthouse theaters.

The Classic Samurai Films

The films include Lady Snowblood, Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance, The Tale of Zatoichi, 13 Assassins and Ran.

Check out the synopsis of the films below:

• LADY SNOWBLOOD (1973, dir. Toshiya Fujita) – A blood-soaked tale of revenge that influenced KILL BILL and countless others.
• LONE WOLF AND CUB: SWORD OF VENGEANCE (1972, dir. Kenji Misumi) – A brutal, beautiful saga of a disgraced samurai and his infant son on a path of vengeance.
• THE TALE OF ZATOICHI (1962, dir. Kenji Misumi) – The first installment of the legendary blind swordsman series.
• 13 ASSASSINS (2011, dir. Takashi Miike) – A modern epic of strategy and sacrifice that redefined large-scale action.
• RAN (1985, dir. Akira Kurosawa) – The master’s sweeping tragedy of power, madness, and betrayal.

Custom Menu

In addition to the exclusive popcorn bucket, there will be a custom menu that includes appetizers, desserts, and cocktails to match the themes of the films.

• Togarishai Shishito Peppers – Roasted shishitos, sesame togarashi crunch, yuzu aioli.
• Samurai Slice Pizza – Grilled chicken, pineapple, bacon, red onion, marinara and mozzarella topped with Truffle Parmesan and fresh basil on a thin crust.
• Mango Matcha Shake – A creamy fusion of mango, strawberry, and matcha topped with whipped cream.
• Midori & Rye – Rittenhouse Rye, Midori, basil honey syrup, lemon.
• Yuzu Gin Spritz – Uncle Val’s Gin, Monin Yuzu Purée, ginger beer, lime.

The exclusive Ghost of Yōtei popcorn bucket is a 100-ounce container modeled after a traditional Japanese rice basket. The bucket is available for pre-sale starting July 17th at AlamoMart.com and can also be purchased at participating theaters beginning August 2nd.

About Ghost of Yōtei

Ghost of Yōtei will be available for PlayStation 5 on October 2, 2025.

Synopsis: Set 300 years after the critically acclaimed Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yōtei is a standalone experience set in 1600s rural Japan. The story follows a haunted, lone mercenary named Atsu. Thirsty for revenge, she travels through the beautiful, rugged landscapes of northern Japan, hunting those who killed her family many years earlier.

Sixteen years after her family’s death, Atsu’s quest across Ezo brings her to unexplored lands in search of a gang of six outlaws, but she finds much more than vengeance. Throughout her journey, Atsu will discover unlikely allies, and greater bonds than she could have imagined.

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Tickets will go on sale this Friday, June 20th. Pre-sale is available for most cities right now until 19th using the pre-sale code PSTC25 at https://www.playstation.com/en-us/theconcert/.

The world premiere of the tour was held in Dublin last month. The U.S. tour of PlayStation | The Concert will begin in New York City on October 11 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

The concert is a collaboration between Sony Interactive Entertainment, GEA Live and RoadCo Entertainment. Astro Bot, Journey, Helldivers 2 and Bloodborne will be joining the lineup of PlayStation game music.

Audiences can expect to see multi-layered visuals, immersive surround sound, and an all-star ensemble featuring classical and modern instruments.

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Today at PlayStation’s Summer 2025 State of Play, we not only got a release window for the game but also a trailer that includes both cinematic and gameplay. Utilizing the Glacier engine, the game looks gorgeous, and the early look gives the game a truly cinematic feel and one that remains true to the Bond aesthetic.

Titled 007 First Light, the game follows a 26-year-old Bond played by Patrick Gibson (Dexter Original Sin, Shadow and Bone). He’s described as “a promising yet rebellious Royal Navy air crewman who is recruited into MI6. His sharp instincts and heroism in combat propel him into the agency’s rigorous training program for the once revered, and newly resurrected, elite 00 section.”

The trailer goes through different training and entry activities, including a lie detector test. The character model they used gave me Tom Holland, when he played Nathan Drake, vibes, which completely works with the story they are trying to tell. And do not worry, traditionalists, events like how his parents died are kept to the canon we know and love.

Not only do we get to see James Bond, but many of our favorite side characters show up as well. From Moneypenny to Q, and of course M all make their appearances. It was a delight to see that Lennie James (The Walking Dead, Snatch, Colombiana) has a prominent role in the game. We do not know who he plays, but based on the trailer, his character, Greenway, seems as if he is M’s second in command. It would be fun if he is Bond’s direct superior. At one point he and Bond are hanging upside down tied up.

For those excited to relive the old Goldeneye days, it looks like you will have to wait. First Light will be a third-person, single-player experience. The game looks to handle much like other games in the genre like Splinter Cell, Uncharted and of course Hitman.

The trailer showed all the regular Bond tropes. Fast car, fist fights, and of course flirting. There are also lots of explosions and gunfights. We also were treated to look at someone who could the villain. They were wearing a Julius Caesar bronze mask and had henchmen around them. Since we are getting a young Bond, this game could set us up for future 007 escapades from the developer.

IO Interactive looks right at home with the 007 franchise. We will probably see more footage and details on the game during the IO Interactive Showcase. Check out Nerd Reactor’s article announcing that showcase and keep coming back for more coverage on 007 First Light.

Releasing in 2026, the game is coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series consoles, and Nintendo Switch 2.

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