Here’s to looking super present in that video call while getting other stuff done just off camera.

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The US will not be opening back up by Easter.

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C’mon…I know you’re curious.

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Video games have been a very practical outlet for millions of people stuck in their homes as they do their best to practice good social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic, and now we know that practice is World Health Organization approved.

The WHO announced earlier in the week that it has partnered with video game companies to encourage people to stay home and, well, play video games as a way to help flatten the curve.

The #PlayApartTogether hashtag encourages people to use gaming to make human connections that won’t be at risk of spreading coronavirus by remaining safely away from others.

Many gaming companies have used the hashtag to share information about the WHO’s COVID-19 safety guidelines as a way to help gamers take precautions as coronavirus cases rise worldwide, especially in the United States.

This is a pretty significant stance by the WHO, especially considering that in 2019 the organization actually classified “gaming disorder,” or playing games to the point of addiction, as an illness. Clearly COVID-19 is a far more dangerous and deadly ailment than gaming disorder, so it makes sense that the organization would encourage solo gaming as not only a way to practice social distancing and pass time but also interact safely with others through online play.

Finding a Nintendo Switch console to occupy yourself with has become increasingly difficult and it seems the coronavirus pandemic has made it all but impossible to do so without paying a hefty price. Part of the problem is the arrival of Animal Crossing on the Switch, as the special edition of the console was essentially sold out well before the game was actually released. But with the coronavirus keeping folks inside and the World Health Organization actually encouraging people to play video games, demand has gone up even further.

For people who would like to get into gaming the Nintendo Switch may not be a reasonable option thanks to the pandemic. The console appears to be all but impossible to find online at retail price, which for many is their only option now that visiting retail stores is not encouraged.

As of this writing the cheapest Switch available for purchase on Amazon starts at $469, hundreds of dollars over the $299 retail for the full-sized model. The only consoles available are all from secondary sellers, as the console is sold out through Amazon’s own vendors. Walmart has similar price gouging issues, and Forbes pointed out Best Buy has Switches available but apparently not able to deliver until the second week of April.

It’s not impossible to get a Switch if you really want one. Some stores like Target still have stock available in some models for in-store pickup, though going out to buy a video game console may not be considered an essential trip no matter what the WHO says. Those models, however, tend to be the Switch Lite, the cheaper more handheld version of the console.

There’s certainly something to be said about supply and demand here, or maybe price gouging during a global pandemic. But even when you take into account Nintendo’s fairly consistent supply shortages, it’s clear folks trapped at home are trying their best to keep occupied with new hobbies. Unfortunately for most, checking out Animal Crossing or Breath of the Wild won’t be an option unless they already have their console or are willing to pay a premium.

Songwriting legend John Prine is one of the most influential in the world. His story of rising from a working class mail carrier to profound fame as a country and folk-leaning musician has struck a chord for decades, and even well into his sixties and seventies, Prine has remained prolific and continued to produce incredible work. He has also beat cancer twice, an underlying condition that makes him more susceptible to a disease like Coronavirus.

During the pandemic that is currently sweeping across America, Prine has unfortunately been diagnosed with COVID-19, and his estate shared today via the John Prine account on Twitter that his situation has worsened quickly. “After a sudden onset of Covid-19 symptoms, John was hospitalized on Thursday (3/26),” the statement said. “He was intubated on Saturday evening and continues to receive care, but his situation is critical. This is hard news for us to share. But so many of you have loved and supported John over the years, we wanted to let you know, and give you the chance to send on more of that love and support now. And know that we love you, and John Loves you.”

The full statement from their Twitter is below:

Sending as much love and healing strength as possible.

The John Wick movies have always emphasized style over realism. Keanu Reeves‘ title character is an unstoppable killing machine, there’s a world of assassins collecting shiny gold coins right out in the open, and Lawrence Fishburne has a pigeon army. The events of the films are largely based in New York City, but there’s an other-worldly quality to the story that a new viral fan theory suggests might be very intentional, and not just because it looks cool as hell.

If you’ve ever sat through a movie and thought, “This is like watching someone play a video game,” Redditor u/mantaraypreviouslife has taken that idea and run with it when it comes to the John Wick universe, and they might actually be onto something. Granted, even the Marvel movies can feel like a cutscene straight out of a console, there are very specific elements to the flow of the Wick films that closely resemble progressing through a video game.

As u/mantaraypreviouslife notes, Wick plows through mostly generic non-player characters (NPCs) before progressing to an “end stage boss who is usually more difficult.” While that’s not entirely uncommon for action films, there is very little dialogue spoken during the gun battles, and generally conversations take place either before or after the fights, not unlike a video game cutscene. The plot thickens even further when you realize that as John Wick does his “John Wicking,” his injuries barely even register.

“It is as if he is picking up health packs along the way,” the Redditor wrote, suggesting a common video game tool might be at play here. “He shouldn’t be walking, let alone fighting after getting stabbed, cut, sliced and shot.”

Again, these could just be action movie tropes taken to extremes, but the video game theory gains even more traction when it comes to the gold coins used by The High Table, the assassin’s guild that Wick has been systematically shoot-punching his way through for three films and counting. Not only are the coins a potential reference to Super Mario Bros., but they’re used exactly like in-game currency to purchase health, upgrades, and essentially save points for Wick at The Continental, which acts as a “shop/game admin area.”

As for why the filmmakers would secretly set the story inside a video game, u/mantaraypreviouslife takes his theory to the next level by speculating that it won’t stay secret for long, specifically to Wick himself:

Future John Wick films will progress the story plot of John Wick realising he is a person controlled character in a video game and him trying to fight/shoot his way out of it to take revenge on the game creator(s) who created his wife and her death.

If that sounds like a Matrix-y twist, u/mantaraypreviouslife admits that he’d love it if the John Wick world was one of the numerous simulations designed by the Architect and the Merovingian. While that scenario is probably not happening, the video game theory still tracks, so it’ll be very interesting to see if John Wick 4 will offer up more clues to support it.

(Via Reddit)

There isn’t much in the way of sports happening right now as the COVID-19 outbreak has put a halt to most all sports leagues as they attempt to prevent of people both for the protection of fans and the athletes themselves. Right now, the only things really happening are virtual NASCAR racing (which has been surprisingly thrilling to watch) and horse racing, as some tracks continue to insist on holding races in front of empty stands.

The reason for that is, simply, money, as there is still a large amount of revenue brought in from off-track betting on horse racing and, with nothing else happening in the gambling world, there’s surely an even greater spotlight right now on the ponies. Fox Sports 1 has even taken to showing the live feed of races around the country still going on and on Sunday at Tampa Bay Downs viewers were treated to a rogue horse on the loose.

The 4 horse in Race 2 of the day at Tampa was the overwhelming 3-5 favorite (the one horse was 7-2 as having the second best odds), but she decided she was not trying to run on Sunday and bucked off her jockey and broke free, twice, in a rather incredible scene.

They tried to wrangle her back in but she bucked away from the handler again and took off away from the starting gate. I must say, good on the 4 horse for challenging authority and freeing itself from being forced to race. Maybe if more star horses refuse to race they too will have to consider shutting down horse racing amid the pandemic.

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