Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie

In 1983, two million copies of ET for the Atari 2600 were dumped in a landfill outside Alamogordo, New Mexico, creating a legendary relic of a failed game. The discovery of the buried cartridges becomes the film's central mystery and a symbol of industry hype gone awry. The event casts a long shadow over the present day plot.

In the present day, Mandi, a sharp Cockburn Industries executive, pitches a sequel built on deliberate poor quality to exploit a cult following. Her plan hinges on tapping into nostalgia and a viral review from the Angry Video Game Nerd. The pitch foreshadows a corporate driven expedition to uncover ET's buried past.

The Nerd is wrestling with burnout after years of warning gamers away from bad releases, yet his audience keeps buying his broadcasts. At GameCops, he faces pressure to promote mediocre titles, deepening his internal conflict. He wonders if reclaiming ET's legacy could redeem him or ruin him.

The Nerd decides to travel to Alamogordo to investigate the buried ET cartridges and, if the conspiracy is real, review ET on air for his followers. Cooper and Mandi join the expedition, with Cockburn Industries fully funding the mission. The trio sets out with a mix of skepticism and curiosity.

On the road to Alamogordo, Cooper reveals his belief in a super-being named Death Mwauthzyx who could erase existence. The group's presence also draws the attention of McButter and General Onward, who suspect alien scouting. A chaotic misfire heightens the danger as they flee.

During the pursuit, General Onward accidentally blows off his own left arm with a grenade, creating a dramatic distraction that helps the trio escape. The incident marks a turning point in the chase and escalates the stakes. The group presses on toward Alamogordo while the authorities regroup.

The trio's search for Howard Scott Warshaw leads them to Dr. Zandor, who reveals an astonishing idea: ET’s level design functions as a map of Area 51. He explains Warshaw received the code to meet Atari's five-week deadline and helped finish the game, while the government buried the cartridges. The revelation reframes the mystery around the buried tech.

Zandor's tale hints at a motive against a government that abducted and silenced an alien Warshaw hoped to free. Back near Alamogordo, McButter captures Mandi, complicating the mission and raising the stakes for the trio.

At a public rally in Alamogordo, Cockburn's leaders promise to dig up ET cartridges, while Warshaw appears with a conflicting claim about the past. The Nerd disguises himself as an alien and infiltrates Area 51 as General Onward pushes to force him to play ET, escalating the tension.

In the Area 51 confrontation, a missile is launched at Mount Fuji, severing Onward's arm in the chaos. The alien rescues the Nerd during the countdown as Death Mwauthzyx begins to emerge, redirecting the pursuit toward Las Vegas.

In Las Vegas, Mandi and Cooper confront McButter atop the Eiffel Tower, where McButter falls to her death. Death Mwauthzyx captures Mandi and Cooper, tightening the grip on the heroes as they race toward a final plan.

The alien summons every ET cartridge to assemble a makeshift spacecraft, and the Nerd and his ally rush toward Las Vegas to stop Death Mwauthzyx's cataclysm. Onward is slain, and a laser from the Nerd ricochets off a satellite dish, sending Death Mwauthzyx fleeing into space. The group regroups in Alamogordo as fans cheer, the Nerd reviews ET for his audience, and the alien departs.