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LATEST NEWS
MLU4 GOES VIRTUAL FOR BRAND NEW SERIES [3.6.20]
MLU4 and team are back for a brand new series - but forget Revolutionist, Battlebot, Arctic and those life like hands. This year, the channel goes virtual, with the first series of Megabots. With the situation regarding the global pandemic of Covid-19, MLU4 sadly announced there would be no ninth series anytime soon, adding, "with the close proximity to one another, and of course, the whole series is controlled be people's hands, we have to remain socially distant to keep in the guidelines during these strange times. Therefore, the arena and robots are taking a long hibernation and recharging their batteries". In its place, MLU4 has been busy making Megabots, a tournament based on the PC game Arenas of Destruction. The first episode will start on June 14th and will premiere across eight consecutive nights - a first for the channel. "In these times of lock down, people need entertaining, so entertained is what they will be!". Despite being based on an old game, the series has been made with a personal touch, so expect MLU4's own commentary, updated music and sound effects, and brand new virtual robots (plus the return of some famous ones, as seen in this sneak photo from the first episode) - "the new robots you will see aren't actually new, but old warriors we created back in the day". Hot off Reactivated, it's great to have a new batch of episodes lined up - enjoy this series, as it is the last major series you will see for the rest of the year.
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Want to get in touch? Start your messages by contacting MLU4 through this website or on the MLU4 Youtube channel.
WAR RETURNS - AND IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG ONE! [8.9.19]
We asked, and we got it! We can now reveal that the eighth series will premiere on September 27th. It's been 18 months since the team at MLU4 crowned Revolutionist for the third time. Many questions are circulating about which robots are returning - we are aware of 12 that have already been seeded, plus robot #13: Stinger - from this exclusive photo (left) we can see Stinger getting a grilling from the master of mayhem Sir Killalot. Stinger isn't the only veteran to be returning, as we can reveal that a further 23 robots will be joining these 13, some are brand spanking new, some we've seen before, and some have been resurrected from years of dormancy. What else can we expect? Well, Heat 1 will be episode number 93, which means the Grand Final episode will be the 100th episode. Does this mean we are in for one of the biggest episodes in the show's history? Equally, it could mean a perfect way to end the series entirely - let's hope the latter doesn't happen, after all, 16 years since the first episode, the series keeps finding ways to refresh, more so with series 8 - the arena looks beautiful, there are new hazards, and the house robots have had a makeover, in particular, Dead Metal. There will be 6 heats, a semi final, and then the Grand Final 100th episode. According to one of the team members behind the series, this is going to be the most shocking, brutal and fun series there has ever been - one of the episodes will include a never-before-seen 6 way robot redemption melee. So settle down to 8 weeks of fighting - Heat 1 will feature the reigning champion Revolutionist. Delicious.
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Want to get in touch? Start your messages by contacting MLU4 through this website or on the MLU4 Youtube channel.
#WE WANT SERIES 8! [3.1.19]
There comes a time when all good things come to an end. Remember all those late 90s shows that ended and were then revived years down the line? MLU4's Robot Wars followed the same pattern, and despite being 15 years old, the show was in hiding between 2008 and 2016. As the third series of Extreme ended back in November (no spoilers here but wow, was it worth the wait), does this mean the series has now gone into hibernation and won't come back until the year 2026? Let's hope not. The creators have got to look at the response on the channel, especially the feedback received since Series Six. There's even a twitter hashtag that some of the fans have started: #wewantseries8. So, when are we likely to see another series? Three clues have been given. The creators have stated in their Pit Stop episode that 'we would never rule out bringing the show back, never say never'. In the same episode, eagle-eyed viewers would notice a post-credit sequence (pictured left) of Sir Killalot patrolling the arena. And we also got a hint in the last heat of Extreme of Storm 3 - why would this robot be upgraded for just one fight? I caught up with Matt, the creator of the channel, over Christmas and he had this to say, 'As ever, we can't thank the fans on the channel enough, they make the channel work. We have film projects in the new year which don't include Robot Wars. However, we have a gap in late 2019.' Does this mean we will eventually get our wish? Let's hope so.
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Want to get in touch? Start your messages by contacting MLU4 through this website or on the MLU4 Youtube channel.
THE FUTURE OF MLU4 ROBOT WARS [17.3.18]
THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE CONTAINS DETAIL OF HEATS 1 to 5 of SERIES 7.
It's been a chaotic week in the world of Robot Wars. With the announcement that the revived BBC series has been axed, where does that leave things in the online world? Well thankfully, the robotic community will never 'cease' to build robots and fight each other across the country in events; as for the online community, there are still some great channels dedicated to the hit series. But, as MLU4's latest series continues in explosive style, where does that leave us now that the BBC version has finished? With this exclusive photo of old favourite Cassius 2 against American veteran Beta, it would appear that the show will be continuing beyond Series 7 - Cassius 2 has already been knocked out of the heats, so this photo would indicate either a brand new eighth series or an upcoming special - strong rumours are that to tie in with the 15th anniversary of MLU4's Robot Wars and the 20th anniversary of the BBC show, the third series of Extreme will follow the current seventh series to mark this landmark event. With Heat 6, two Semi Final shows and the Grand Final still to come from Series 7 there is still plenty of fighting left to savour. One thing is certain, as the seventh series comes to a close on April 21st (the robots will be taking a break for Easter), we will be at least getting another edition later in the year. Beyond that, the future is sadly uncertain for the online series, and we are yet to hear confirmation of a future series.
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Excited for the finals of the seventh series? Excited to see Beta and Minotaur? Start your messages by contacting MLU4 through this website or on the MLU4 Youtube channel.
SEVENTH WARS START DATE CONFIRMED [12.1.18]
War is here. The Seventh War has been officially confirmed to start next month - February 17th to be precise. Once again, robots will be pitted against each other in the fabulously realistic arena, in which we saw Challenger conquer all comers and be crowned champion last year. Now, Challenger returns to the arena to defend its crown, but the robots are hungrier and meaner and will stop at nothing to win the contest. As can be seen in this exclusive photo from the upcoming series, we see Challenger up against not just one machine but three! We can reveal that the robot is called Bots & Pieces, a three-part cluster bot, which will surely mean three times the challenge for our champion. Three against one? Is this fair? Eagle-eyed fans will also note that Bots & Pieces seems to be made up of feather-weight veterans Axios and Sir Rammer, last seen back in Extreme Series 2 - the photo also reveals the lance of long-standing house robot Sir Killalot. One thing we don't know is, does this battle take place in the heats or further down in the competition? All will be revealed next month. Let the wars begin!
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Excited to see Challenger back? Start your messages by contacting MLU4 through this website or on the MLU4 Youtube channel.
NO MACHINE IS SAFE. ROBOTS AT THE READY [29.10.17]
It's all-out war once again, as Series 7 has been given the green light, on the same day as the opening heat of the BBC series last Sunday. Production will officially start next month, with filming due to commence in the new year. That might be a while to wait, and with no official release date of the new series announced, we can only await in anticipation for more news. Despite this, our spies have been out and some detail has already emerged from the depths of the arena. For Series 7 we can expect more robots in each heat, a number that decreased last series due to the group battle stage. This could mean that we will be going back to the original format. Also, one robot veteran has been confirmed to return, last seen in Series 4. And what about the arena itself and the infamous house robots? Don't expect much to change, but there will be a few minor upgrades to both the arena and two of the house robots, but one thing we can confirm, Sgt Bash will still be absent. The third series of Extreme has also been hinted at. In the meantime, we can press rewind and binge-watch all of the heats before the arena is activated once more in 2018.
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What would you like to see from the new series? Start your messages by contacting MLU4 through this website or on the MLU4 Youtube channel.
SERIES SIX REVIEW [22.10.17]
THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS
It's hard to believe that it has been six months since the latest series ended in fine style, with the new champion Challenger flipping its way to the crown. As the carnage settles and the fire dies down, we can divulge into the series as a whole. As for the robots, the return of Revolutionist pleased most, the new and improved Cassius 2 and Thor II excited us, Adriel made us laugh, and the explosive demise of veterans APD3, Forklift's Revenge and Radar Response shocked us. The arena looked visually stunning and not forgetting the return of Refbot and his counter. However, the group battle stage did receive mixed reviews, even more so, as this only allowed for 4 robots per heat, and the exclusion of war veteran Sgt Bash was always going to let the fans down. Overall, the series has been a stunning nostalgic battle down memory lane, combining satisfying nods to the original series with a new and updated format and feel. Heat 5 was arguably the best heat of the series, and the Grand Final show was full of action, twists and turns, with even an attack on one of the house robots - the last time this happened was the Series 5 Grand Final. One thing we did miss this time around - the trial round. Could we ever see the Soccer or Pinball rounds resurrected? Watch this space.
SIXTH WARS REFLECTION [10.4.17]
THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS
And... breathe! What a war it's been. The comeback series we had been waiting for finally came to an end last week as a brand new champion was crowned. But what a road to the final it has been; full of surprises and twists right from the start. Arguably the best heat to come from the sixth series was Adriel's Heat 5 victory, packed full of memorable moments, not least, the previous runner up being catapulted out of the tournament by the arena flipper. Revolutionist made a comeback, and even though it finished third, it did suffer a minor wobble against the toughest and heaviest robot in the tournament Wedgehog. Storm 2 blew away the cluster bot Wild Things and the Roman God Thor II, but didn't forecast meeting Challenger, the robot who came out on top, flipping more robots out of the arena than any other, surviving the semi-finals, before having one final dig at Shunt. So what next for the series? Already confirmed is the Seventh War, but for the fans, there's a while to wait for that. For now, keep pressing that replay button and relive the most exciting war yet. One thing we did miss though... Sgt Bash. He may have taken early retirement, but that doesn't mean we've seen the last of him... Well done Challenger, you join a very elite group of robots.
EXCLUSIVE PHOTO REVEALED! [7.2.17]
Ahead of the first heat of the sixth wars on the 18th, we've gained access to a special sneak photo of an upcoming fight from one of the heats involving Sir Killalot hoisting up a robot, presumably seconds away from being placed on to the flame pit. The picture also reveals Refbot, and the arena tyre, presumably to activate the pit of oblivion. However, all focus is on the robot that Killalot has in its grip. Some may recognise the front forks to be from robot veteran Forklift's Revenge, who came runner up in the Fifth Wars. Could this be true? Are we in for a shock? Or is it one of the brand new robots taking part in what promises to be the most shocking and gripping series yet? It'll all be revealed next Saturday. For now, we can revel in this image of the master of mayhem getting up to his old tricks, as he lances and rips into this poor machine, cautiously being watched over by Refbot. The series airs on February 18th.
OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE ANNOUNCED [28.1.17]
Fans have been waiting in anticipation for word on a start date for the new series of the show. Well the waiting is now over, as the official launch date will be Saturday 18th February. The series wrapped filming last month, but due to the volume of work needed for post-production, the release date was pushed back slightly. Already confirmed to return are the house robots and a few robot veterans, with the series consisting of 7 heats. It's unclear as to what time the episodes will be available to watch on You Tube due to the long process of uploading, but be assured, at some point on each Saturday from the 18th for 7 weeks, we will be treated to a brand new heat. The team behind the show had this to say, "It's been a long time coming, but we finally have a sixth series. We've just had a binge-watch of all 7 heats and it's absolute 'metal' mayhem from start to finish." So set your watches, only a few weeks to go.
THE VOICE OF ROBOT WARS [20.1.17]
With the sixth series now finished filming, no one but the producers know who has been crowned series champion. But what about the voice of Robot Wars? In every episode ever made, Matt Unsworth has provided commentary for the battles we have witnessed, and he again returns to commentating duties for the new series. A special sneak photo of him on duty last week shows his shock expression at a potential upset from one of the heats. Is this a reaction of finding out who has become champion? Could it be a reaction from one of the most amazing battles ever witnessed? Or maybe he's just watched an old favourite being completely destroyed by one of the many mean newcomers? One thing is certain, the sixth war will grip you from start to finish, as Matt Unsworth commentates to each heat yet again, "I can't give too much away, but this series is just great. I've just finished commentating to the final, but one of the highlights throughout the war is seeing one of the biggest ever robots tear up the warzone." The Sixth series airs in February.
SERIES 6 FULL STEAM AHEAD! [12.1.17]
Filming is well and truly underway for the brand new series of Robot Wars. With all the hype behind the new series, there is a lot of living up to do in order for this to be the best series ever. Matt and Elliot Unsworth, the team behind the series, felt that it was the right time to bring the show back. "Based on the fact that the actual show on TV has made a comeback, it seemed only fitting to resurrect the robots. It's been a whole 10 years since we filmed a series and saw Storm 2 rise to become victorious. We are really chuffed to be back filming." Details of which robots will be taking part in the new series are being kept heavily guarded, but we have been promised to expect old favourites and frightening new machines to compete to become the sixth wars champion.
REFBOT RETURNS [2.1.17]
As fans will already have seen from the second part of The Best Bots show, four house robots are returning, but the real question we all wanted to know is would Refbot return. Since the orignal series ended in 2007, most of the robots were left to rust in pieces including Refbot and his counter and lights. From what we saw from the sneak peak clips, Refbot is back, complete with a new counter, which is rumoured to be slightly faster than the last series. One thing we do know is that the lights are on and Refbot is home... again. Refbot will be ever present through each bout in order to count out an immobilised robot and to keep reign of the mechanical menace of the house robots.
WAR IS COMING [23.11.16]
A week after the long-awaited best moments show, we can now reveal that the sixth wars is indeed imminent. Complete with brand new arena, robots and logo, the sixth wars is set to hit our screens in late February. It may be some time away yet, but it creates the perfect excuse to re-watch all previous episodes before the launch. Fans were also given a never before seen episode which was originally made in 2004 called 'Against The Flipper', which pitted four flipper robots against four non-flipper robots. Details are sketchy regarding the upcoming sixth series, but be assured, expect the unexpected, as already confirmed to return are Dead Metal, Matilda, Shunt and Sir Killalot, along with the ever present pit of oblivion, floor flipper, flame pit and spike zone.
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