All Knowledge

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Akshan's Name Comes From Ancient Sanskrit

Akshan's name translates roughly to "eye" in Sanskrit, a nod to Hindu mythology where Shiva's mostly-closed third eye is said to unleash devastating power whenever it opens. Riot's champion team has talked about wanting more South Asian representation in the roster, and Akshan's very name is where that story starts.

Murphy Auditioned to Be Batman

Cillian Murphy actually tried out for the role of Bruce Wayne, not Scarecrow. He didn't get it, obviously, but Nolan liked what he saw so much that he created a role for him anyway and cast him as the film's main villain instead.

Playing WoW Was Linked to Sharper Minds in Seniors

A study out of North Carolina State University had a group of 60 to 77 year olds play WoW at home for two weeks after establishing a baseline cognitive score. Those who'd started off with lower scores showed a noticeable improvement in mental agility by the end of it, which is a pretty solid excuse to get your gran into raiding.

Sharks Swimming Beneath the Surface

Vice City's waters actually have sharks patrolling underneath, though most people never clock them because the water's murky enough to hide the detail. They're far more visible in the original PS2 release than on later remasters, where the clearer water almost works against the secret. They don't attack you, they're just quietly there.

A Real Hip-Hop Legend on the Airwaves

Wildstyle Pirate Radio, the station playing old-school hip-hop and electro, is hosted by Mr. Magic, who wasn't some voice actor playing a part, he was an actual legendary DJ from New York's early hip-hop scene. Having him front the station gives it a layer of authenticity that a scripted character just couldn't match.

Ashley Johnson's Double BAFTA

Ashley Johnson didn't just voice Ellie once and move on - she picked up BAFTA Award wins for her performance in both the original game and the Left Behind expansion. Part of why fans were so invested in seeing her get a meaningful role when the HBO show came around.

Jimmy Kimmel Hosts a Fake Late-Night Show Inside the Game

Black Ops II's epilogue features Jimmy Kimmel playing himself, hosting a fictional episode of his own talk show within the game's near-future setting. It doubles as some pretty shameless self-promotion on Kimmel's part, but it fits right in with the game's habit of blending real celebrities into its 2025 vision of the world.

The Series' First Self-Flying Jetpack

San Andreas was the first GTA game to let players strap on a fully controllable jetpack, first picked up during the mission where CJ steals it from a secret underground lab at Area 69. After that mission it respawns permanently at Verdant Meadows Airfield for players to mess around with.

Alfred's Voice Came From a Real Soldier

Michael Caine didn't just play Alfred as a generic proper English butler. He based the voice and bearing on a colonel he'd served under in the army at eighteen, saying the loyalty and duty Alfred shows Bruce reminded him of that military comradeship.

Alduin Isn't Meant to Be Purely Evil

Alduin, the 'World-Eater' players fight throughout Skyrim's main quest, is a child of Akatosh, the God of Time, whose true purpose is to eventually devour the world so a new one can begin. His war against humanity stems from pride and a refusal to accept that duty rather than pure malice, and after his defeat, Arngeir suggests he may one day return to fulfil it.