Nintendo Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Nintendo has announced Charles Martinet, the voice behind Mario, is stepping down from the role after almost three decades.In a statement on Monday (August 21), the company said Martinet will now become a “Mario Ambassador” who will “continue to travel the world sharing the joy of Mario”.“It has been an honour working with Charles to help bring Mario to life for so many years and we want to thank and celebrate him,” Nintendo’s statement read. “Please keep an eye out for a special video message from Shigeru Miyamoto and Charles himself, which we will post at a future date.”In response to the statement, Martinet wrote: “My new Adventure begins! You are all Numba One in my heart! #woohoo!!!!!”My new Adventure begins! You are all Numba One in my heart! #woohoo !!!!!!! https://t.co/3YWYewlnXt— Charles Martinet (@CharlesMartinet) August 21, 2023Martinet first voiced the character in 1994’s Mario Teaches Typing, but was widely introduced to many in 1996’s Super Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64.Along with Mario, the actor voiced various other Nintendo characters including Luigi, Wario and Waluigi across the Mario Kart, Luigi’s Mansion and Mario Party series.While Chris Pratt voiced the character in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Martinet made a cameo appearance as the voice of Mario and Luigi’s father, along with Giuseppe.Many fans have since shared tributes and clips to honour Martinet’s retirement on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Charles Martinet, the original voice of Mario in Nintendo games since the 1990s, is stepping down.

Mamma mia! Charles Martinet, the voice actor behind Nintendo’s famous, animated plumber Super Mario, has officially announced his retirement from voicing the character in any upcoming projects. “Charles Martinet has been the original voice of Mario in Nintendo games for a long time, as far back as Super Mario 64,” announced Nintendo of America in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).

Charles Martinet, the original and longtime voice actor of Mario in the Nintendo Super Mario game series, is retiring from the role he’s held since the 1990s, Nintendo announced today. The actor will continue his association with the character in the capacity of what the game company calls a “Mario Ambassador.”

Charles Martinet is stepping away from an iconic role.

Ethan Shanfeld Charles Martinet, the iconic voice of Mario for more than three decades, is “stepping back from recording character voices” for Nintendo as he transitions into a new role. Now a “Mario Ambassador,” Martinet will travel the world and interact with fans on behalf of the gaming company. Martinet started at Nintendo in 1991, and his first major performance as the mustachioed plumber was in 1996’s Super Mario 64, the landmark 3D platformer that introduced much of the world to Mario’s enthusiastic Italian intonation.

The Legend Of Zelda has been working on an Ocarina Of Time romhack that includes missing enemies and environments from the acclaimed game.The results thus far were revealed in romhacker Kaze Emanuar’s F3 2023, an event celebrating fan games and mods from all eras and all platforms. Zelda 64, shown off in the supercut of trailers, is a mod and restoration of a very early version of The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time that ultimately disappeared over its development.

Nintendo Switch is one of the best portable gaming systems for gamers on the go. Being able to play games from anywhere also means that the Switch is susceptible to scratches, dust, and all sorts of potential damage over time. If you travel with your Switch, you'll need to keep it safe.

Minecraft players are being warned about a significant vulnerability in a number of modded servers, leaving their machines defenceless against hackers.As reported by Tom’s Hardware, the Minecraft Malware Prevention Alliance (MMPA) notified players over the weekend of this discovery. “BleedingPipe is an exploit being used in the wild allowing FULL remote code execution on clients and servers running popular Minecraft mods on 1.7.10/1.12.2 Forge,” the team explained.They added that there may be more versions of Minecraft that could be at risk of the exploit and suggested that players take this warning seriously.

was released a month ago and gamers have since been busy uncovering the secrets of Hyrule. Now, Nintendo and publisher Piggyback have teamed up for the official strategy guide to further help you discover and enjoy every moment of this game.Officially released on July 7, is on sale at Amazon giving shoppers up to 40% off both editions. Today, the guide book can be yours for as low as $20.Save up to 40% on the authoritative, all-encompassing guide that so richly deserves.

Pokémon games.“POKÉMON GANG 4 LIFE,” read Kyrgios’ caption on the video of the process posted to Instagram. “HAD TO COOK UP SOMETHING CRAZY!!!!” Check it out below:Nick Kyrgios got a full back tattoo of Pokémon characters

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Ken Goldin is on the hunt for more collectibles.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor The Supreme Court rejected an 11th-hour bid to stop Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, maker of popular games like Call of Duty, Candy Crush and World of Warcraft, knocking down what appears to be the last legal challenge standing in the way of the deal’s closing. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan on Tuesday turned down the request, filed by a group of gamers, for an emergency injunction to halt the merger. On Friday, the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied a request by the Federal Trade Commission to stop the merger, coming after a federal district court judge on July 11 rejected the FTC’s request to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Kagan, who reviews emergency applications to the Supreme Court from the Ninth Circuit, did not provide an explanation for her decision in rejecting the motion.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. From sound engineers and screenwriters to celebrity makeup artists and stylists, Variety’s series “Ask an Insider” asks top professionals within the entertainment industry to share their must-have essentials, for work…and for play.

The Northern Quarter’s hit gaming bar NQ64 is moving. But never fear, it’s not moving far - it’s simply moving next door, into what was formerly the late-night spot Dive Bar on Tib Street.

Nintendo fans are in luck for this year's Amazon Prime Day thanks to some cut price deals. Switch consoles, accessories and games are all available for the special day with some games seeing a price reduction for as much as 50%.

cough, , cough—but it’s very much its own savings event. And after perusing the markdowns, it’s almost unbelievably good. The retailer’s summer sale is packed with brand-new tech, , and summery clothes at deep discounts, not to mention brands like Dyson, Apple, Keurig, Nintendo, and Ninja.Target’s first-ever Circle Week runs from July 9 through 15, with deals online, in-store, and on its app.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor A federal court nixed the FTC’s request to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which could pave the way for the $69 billion deal to close as soon as this month. The U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California on Tuesday issued a ruling denying the Federal Trade Commission’s request for a preliminary injunction in its case regarding Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Microsoft has signaled it intends to close the takeover of Activision Blizzard — which would be the biggest ever in the gaming sector — by the July 18 deal termination date. In the ruling (available at this link), District Court Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley cited in part Microsoft’s commitment to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation for 10 years, on parity with Xbox, and that Microsoft inked an agreement with Nintendo to bring the game to Nintendo Switch. The judge found that “the FTC has not shown a likelihood it will prevail” on its claim that the merger “may substantially lessen competition,” she wrote. “To the contrary, the record evidence points to more consumer access to Call of Duty and other Activision content.”

If you have upcoming birthdays, Amazon Prime Day is the perfect time to get some cheap video games cheap for the gamer in your life.

Amazon Prime Day 2023 has officially arrived in Canada, and the deals on this year’s roster are seriously impressive. From home goods to clothes and accessories to beauty products, you’ll find almost everything you could ever want on sale today.

exclusively reported.In her role as President, Universal Creative, Murphy will develop and lead the longterm vision and strategy of Universal Creative while overseeing daily operations, creative development and project delivery globally. Murphy will also collaborate with leaders across the organization to accelerate delivery of cutting-edge creative.Murphy joins Universal from Gensler, a global architecture, design and planning firm where she served as Principal and Co-Managing Director of Gensler New York.

Andrew Garfield is enjoying a fun day out!

The Super Mario Bros. Movie has gotten its Peacock premiere date following a hugely successful run in theaters, the streamer announced on Thursday. The film from Universal and Illumination begins streaming exclusively on the platform on August 3rd, and will be joined there by behind-the-scenes cast interviews, as well as an immersive “Field Guide” expanding the film through bonus features, and a lyric video for a song sung by Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy).

Microsoft also revealed Xbox trailed in the share of existing consoles in use with only 21%.In related news, Beth Wilkinson, Microsoft’s lead attorney, said the case was going to determine whether Microsoft’s Activision acquisition happens or sends the companies into a multiyear “administrative nightmare” that sinks the transaction altogether. The company hopes to close the deal by July 18.The hearing also unearthed fresh details on games that have otherwise been extraordinarily light on news, such as Bethesda’s upcoming “Indiana Jones” title.

Watch Below: How to properly clean your tech devicesFrom charming farm simulations to enchanting exploration adventures, these delightful titles are perfect for unwinding and embracing a sense of comfort. So, grab your favourite blanket, pour yourself a warm cup of tea, and prepare to discover the top cosy games that will transport you to a world of peace and serenity right on your Nintendo Switch. You can't talk about cosy gaming without mentioning Animal Crossing! Animal Crossing is a beloved and highly popular video game franchise that made its debut in 2001 and has since captivated millions of players worldwide.

Ethan Shanfeld After “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” powered up to over $1.3 billion at the global box office, it’s Princess Peach’s turn to take the spotlight in a brand new video game coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2024. The gaming giant made the announcement during their June 21 Nintendo Direct, debuting a 26-second teaser trailer. In the clip, Peach frolicks around a version of the Mushroom Kingdom that looks like a theater production. From the available footage, the game appears to be a 2.5-dimension side-scroller. She also appears to have a star-shaped companion who she can employ to knock out enemies. Plot details, or a title, for the game have yet to be announced.

via Jeff Sneider) had the two companies collaborating on a different beloved property – “The Legend of Zelda.” At the Annecy International Animation Festival, TheWrap caught up with Chris Meledandri, the founder and CEO of Illumination and the producer of all of their films, and asked about whether Link was coming to the big screen soon.“I don’t know where that came from,” Meledandri said of the “Legend of Zelda” rumor. “I mean I can understand how people would surmise all sorts of things because obviously, we’ve had a great experience working together.

After “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” made over $1.3 billion at the global box office, it’s safe to say that Illumination is pretty pleased with its partnership with Nintendo.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Step aside, Madden: NBA 2K is officially the most popular video game in the U.S., according to new research conducted by OHgamblers. The sports gaming experts analyzed Google searches and search terms related to the games, and found that NBA 2K has become the most-searched game in 31 states over the last 12 months.

Shoppers could get expensive tech products for less than £10 including a PS5, an Xbox Console, Samsung TV or the popular GHD original Hair Straighteners, as Wowcher launches a 'Mystery' tech deal.

Carole Horst This year, the Annecy Animation Film Festival hosts a variety of first-looks and works-in-progress, including the anticipated “Migration,” from Illumination, to be released by Universal on Dec. 22. On the heels of a presentation at CinemaCon in April, Illumination chief Chris Meledandri will present never-before-seen footage of the feature at Annecy June 13. Meledandri and “Migration” director Benjamin Renner (“Ernest and Celestine,” “The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales”) will also be in conversation about the film. The film stars the voice talents of Kumail Nanjiani and Elizabeth Banks as duck parents who lead their family on an adventure. Rest of the cast is rounded out by Casper Jennings, Tresi Gazal, Awkwafina, Carol Kane, Keegan-Michael Key, David Mitchell and Danny DeVito.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. There are many types of dads, and even more types of gifts you can buy them this Father’s Day.

As the shockwaves continue to reverberate from Tuesday’s news of the planned merger of Saudi-backed LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, it appears likely that a lot more foreign money will soon start to flow into U.S. sports.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Disney’s perennial hit “Frozen” is saying “let it go” to its spot as the second-biggest animated film in history. Over the weekend, Universal’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” hit $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office, enough to bump the original adventures of royal sisters Anna and Elsa ($1.28 billion) to the No. 3 spot. But the kingdom of Arendelle still reigns supreme in terms of all things computer-generated. The sequel “Frozen II” was even bigger than the original and stands as the highest-grossing animated movie of all-time with a mighty $1.45 billion. (Disney’s 2019 remake of “The Lion King,” which earned a staggering $1.65 billion, is technically computer-generated, but the studio has categorized the movie as live-action. Thus, it doesn’t have a place on the list of top-animated movies.)

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” as many times as you like.The wildly successful animated film will be released on Digital, 4K UHD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on June 13, packing each home video release with a bevy of bonus features including a pair of behind-the-scenes featurettes that unveil how the film was made.The partnership between Nintendo and Illumination Entertainment proved mighty fruitful as “The Super Mario Bros.