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It's been a rough few years for Sega, in no small part due to COVID-19 forcing the shutdown of its already declining arcade businesses. Since last year, the company has been working on a strategy change to help its business become more sustainable long-term. The good news in this for fans of classic Sega games is that this means more remakes and remasters of older Sega IP.

In its annual earnings presentation for investors, Sega outlined some of its plans for the current fiscal year, which runs from April 2022 to March of 2023. One of those plans includes "multiple titles" that Sega considers "Remake/Remaster, Spin-Off/Change of theme."

Though the wording is a big clunky there, Sega gives a few helpful examples from this past year: think more games like Sonic Colors: Ultimate, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania, or Lost Judgment. The publisher is hoping to sell five million units total from this category, up from four million this past year.

Including brand new releases, Sega is aiming to publish 13 games during that same period, up from seven this past year. We already know about Sonic Frontiers, Sonic Origins, Soul Hackers 2, Endless Dungeon, and Two Point Campus, and it's possible that 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim's Switch release last month is also being counted in that total. That would leave seven games we don't know about yet, and possibly multiple remakes or remasters.

On an average day, the IGN news tips line sees a slow but steady stream of messages from folks who want to let us know about something we might report on. Maybe a handful of tips a day. But this past weekend, the line was flooded in just a few hours with over a hundred messages from a group of very frustrated folk: the Team Fortress 2 community. Why were so many of them in our inbox? According to the contents of all those messages, their game has a massive, two-year-long botting problem – and they desperately want Valve’s attention in getting it fixed.

We weren’t the only site getting these messages, nor were they limited to just the media. The source of the flood is a community centered around Team Fortress 2 content creator SquimJim, who published a video on May 7 lamenting the rampant botting issues within Team Fortress 2. In it, he encourages his audience to reach out to both media and Valve employees in hopes that enough pressure will force the developer to take action. SquimJim offered an email template (which many of our tippers used, though others wrote their own messages) and a list of both media tiplines like our own, and publicly-available Valve employee emails. At the time this piece was written, the video had almost 150,000 views, 15,000 likes, and nearly 2,000 comments chiming in about their own frustrating experiences with bots.

It’d be easy enough to dismiss the problem as the natural fate of a 15-year-old game, or point out that the vast majority of online games have botting problems – how bad could this one be? But as IGN discovered, Team Fortress 2’s botting problems are egregious when compared to other online multiplayer games. Head into a casual match on Valve’s servers, and you’ll find that the game is practically impossible to play.

The alien that's too proud to ask for directions, Xûr, is now live in Destiny 2 for the weekend until next week's reset. If you're looking to get your some shiny new Exotic armor or weapons for your Guardian, look no further.

Each week, Xûr has a random assortment of Exotic armor, one for each Guardian class, as well as a random Exotic Weapon and an Exotic Engram available for purchase. In addition to his Exotic wares, he's got a random collection of Legendary weapons and armor to deck out your Guardians.

We've rounded up all the info on Xûr for the week including where to find Xûr, which Exotic weapons and armor are available, as well as which Legendary weapons you should pick up, either for PvE or PvP.

Where Is Xûr Today?

Xûr's location can be found at Winding Cove in the EDZ on May 14 through May 17. To reach him, travel to the landing point at Winding Cove. When you arrive, make for the rock cliffs at the far end of the cove and look for a cave winding up to a platform next to some Fallen. There you'll find the freakish salesman we all adore peddling his wares.

Welcome back to IGN Game Scoop!, the ONLY video game podcast! This week your Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Tina Amini, Sam Claiborn, and Mark Medina -- are discussing Gotham Knights, the fate of PS4/Xbox One, Starfield, Redfall, Dead Space remake, the Nintendo Switch Pro, and more. And, of course, they play Video Game 20 Questions.

Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service.

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Epic Games is releasing an "open to everybody" Unreal Engine 5 editor for Fortnite, and will let creators monetize what they make.

CEO Tim Sweeney told Fast Company that around half of players' time in Fortnite is spent playing other users' content and Epic Games wants to make that experience more fully-fledged through the editor, and the ability to monetize that custom content.

"We’re going to release the Unreal Editor for Fortnite, the full capabilities that you’ve seen [in Unreal Engine] opened up so that anybody can build very high-quality game content and code," Sweeney said, "and deploy it into Fortnite without having to do a deal with us. It’s open to everybody."

He added that it's Epic Games' aim to make Fortnite a marketplace similar to Steam or the App Store, comparing it to other games like Roblox that, while free to download and play normally, feature player-made content that can be bought with real money.

Sweeney said: "We’re building an economy, and it will support creators actually building businesses around their work and making increasing amounts of profit from the commerce that arises from people playing their content."

Despite being involved in a lawsuit over its development, and negative reviews, Square Enix says it recommends Balan Wonderworld "with confidence".

The game was brought up in a Q&A session during a company earnings briefing, during which an investor asked about ex-director Yuji Naka's lawsuit against the company, seemingly brought after his dismissal from the project.

Square Enix confirmed that Naka had a lawsuit case with the company but wouldn't give any further details about it. However, according to Bloomberg's Takashi Mochizuki, Square Enix also commented on Balan Wonderworld itself, saying, "it is a game that we recommend with confidence."

Square Enix confirmed it had lawsuit case with Yuji Naka but declined to comment further. As for Balan Wonderworld, "it is a game that we recommend with confidence." (from Q&A session during earnings briefing)

Nintendo won't be drawn on when it will release a successor to the Switch, but president Shuntaro Furukawa has made it clear that the company aims not to repeat the same mistakes as it did when moving from Wii to Wii U, and DS to 3DS.

In the company's latest financial briefing Q&A, an attendee asked Furukawa how Nintendo aimed to move on from the Switch smoothly when it chooses to release next-generation hardware. While Furukawa didn't directly acknowledge new hardware, or when it might arrive, he pointed out that the company is aiming to learn from its past mistakes:

"Looking back on past experiences of generational change such as the change from the Wii and Nintendo DS eras, we recognize that one of our tasks is ensuring the transition to future generations of hardware is as smooth as possible," he said.

Nintendo saw enormous success with the Wii and DS (the latter of which remains its best-selling hardware of all time), but their successors, Wii U and 3DS, both suffered very rocky launches. While 3DS recovered to some extent, Wii U became one of Nintendo's most notable failures, with production ending just 5 years after launch. Much of the problem for both machines were their similarities to their predecessors, with many customers unclear on what had been upgraded, and whether they even needed the new hardware.

Variable Rate Refresh has been one of the most requested features on the PlayStation 5 since it launched nearly two years ago. Sony has now resolved that, finally rolling out VRR to PS5 consoles, allowing players with a compatible TV or monitor to activate the feature in potentially any PS5 game. There’s a short list of games that will receive a patch enabling VRR support in the coming weeks, but you can turn it on for unsupported games as well – just know that those without official support might not achieve perfect results.

What is VRR and how does it work?

VRR is a relatively new technology (2013) that changes a long-standing limitation of computer and console display methods. Prior to VRR (also known as Free-Sync/G-Sync), your TV or monitor fixed the rate at which games could update their images each frame, based on the speed at which the screen could refresh its display to draw a new image. Most popular TVs tended to be 60Hz, which is why 60fps has been the target for gaming performance for so long. This means that the fastest a PC or console could send a new image would be every 16ms, which after 1 second gives us 60 new frames.

The next rate below this is 30fps or 33ms, which divides into 60fps evenly. This meant that game engines had to lock all their functions, loops and inputs into this fixed drumbeat that was dictated by the screen, called V-sync, and means that so long as both console and TV align at the same 16 or 33ms point in time, we get a new frame each time. The problem here, or at least one of a few, is this can come at a large cost to performance and impacts console and PC alike. This is why turning off V-sync can sometimes improve performance, as it lets the system ignore this fixed period of waiting for the screen.

Ubisoft's Skull & Bones could finally see release, after a rating for the PC version of the game has found in South Korea.

According to South Korea's Game Management Committee (via VGC), the rating was filed on May 12 and it appears to indicate a game that will fall under a Mature rating. A rating is usually given to a game that is complete or nearing completion, meaning the long-delayed game could finally be on the way.

The game seemingly includes drug use and contains people drinking alcohol, and smoking. The rating also mentions that the game is an open-world set in the Indian Ocean during a golden age of pirates.

Skull & Bones has had a turbulent development. It was first announced at E3 2017 with a 2018 release window. Since then, the game has repeatedly been delayed, amid reports of difficulties in making it. Back in 2020, Ubisoft reportedly rebooted Skull & Bones to follow a live game model, and it apparently only still exists because of a deal with the Singapore government in which Ubisoft must launch original games in return for subsidy payments.

An Elden Ring dataminer has found several unused text popups in the game files, which seem to allude to a PvP ranking system.

The popups were found by Twitter user @StrayKurtis and appear to be part of a progression system tied to different Elden Ring factions, reading "Bloody Finger Rank Advanced", "Hunter Rank Advanced", and so on.

There's currently no way to tell if these are from a scrapped mechanic or if they're perhaps linked to an upcoming piece of DLC but the Elden Ring community is already speculating wildly.

#ELDENRING datamine fun fact: There are several unused text popups related to the various online interactions(invasions, coop, etc). Perhaps there are some sort of ranking systems in the works? pic.twitter.com/FTurtshwS2

— StrayKurtis (@StrayKurtis) May 11, 2022

Previous games from developer FromSoftware, including Bloodborne and Dark Souls, had a somewhat hazy PvP ranking system, where defeating invading players would grant faction-specific rewards that could be traded in to increase your rank and eventually get rare items or unlocks.

Cardy, Matt, and Joe are here to take your breath away with some chat about Top Gun: Maverick. They also delve into how Gotham Knights is shaping up, as well as impressions of Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters, Rogue Legacy 2, and Citizen Sleeper. There’s also what must be the highest-scoring Endless Search yet to enjoy.

Want to get in touch to talk about digging graves? Or maybe Elden Ring? Feel free to send us an email at ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.

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The latest figures from The NPD Group reveal that the Nintendo Switch is now the fourth highest selling console in US history, having now eclipsed Sony's sales of the PlayStation 4.

The data shown in NPD's U.S. games industry sales from April 2022 report show that the Nintendo Switch achieved the highest unit sales of any console for both April and all of the overall year to date. These sales push it past the milestone set by PlayStation 4, making the Nintendo Switch the fourth highest unit-selling home console in U.S. history, behind the PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, and Wii.

If handheld consoles are counted, Switch is now the sixth highest-selling video game platform in the US, as both the Nintendo DS and Game Boy are comfortably among the best selling games machines of all time.

In April, spending on games hardware incresed by 16% in the US compared to the same period in 2021, which NPD attributes to the improved supply of PS5 and Xbox consoles. That can be seen in the fact that Xbox Series consoles are the second highest-selling devices of both the month and 2022 overall. The PS5, however, led April in terms of dollar sales.

Last month's NPD data revealed that Xbox Series consoles were 2022's best selling platform by dollars made, representing the continued strengthening of the Xbox brand.

A Final Fantasy 14 streamer was jailed in-game, banned for ten days, and got a week's suspension on Twitch for using mods in the MMO, amid a seeming crackdown on their use.

As reported by Polygon, Twitch user Bagel Goose was streaming Final Fantasy 14 with mods active (that altered his own visuals without affecting other players) when his character was teleported to an in-game jail to face judgement from a moderator.

Various mods have been created to alter the players' HUD and make things like damage output (an important statistic for high-level players) clearer, but a blog post from Final Fantasy 14 director Naoki Yoshida on May 9 made clear even these are prohibited.

There's no way my tank got pulled out of DSR mid pull to get a 10 day ban on a clean account. I hate it here.

— Melo (@MeloArkwind) May 10, 2022

While these mods may not be damaging to other players, Yoshida said, analysing every mod in existence to determine its appropriateness "is physically impossible, which is why we decided to simply prohibit the use of all third-party tools and software."

A well-known leaker shared four images of an alleged new Silent Hill game before they were quickly deleted by the "copyright holder" – leading many to believe they are legitimate.

Twitter user Dusk Golem posted the images before their account was locked and the images removed. The leaker later claimed on ResetEra that the copyright claim was made by Silent Hill's owner Konami.

The deleted images have been seen by IGN, and appear to show a handful of appropriately horrid environments, including a rundown house and creepy corridor, alongside a character model whose face is peeling away to reveal bits of paper behind the skin.

(1/2) Silent Hill leak. There's a lot I'm not sharing for now. This is from a relatively new source for me, but I have been given more than enough proof to believe them. I also will mention the names "Anita & Maya", "SMS Messages", & this is not the only SH game in dev. The shots pic.twitter.com/t5MWzNxfFS

— AestheticGamer aka Dusk Golem (@AestheticGamer1) May 13, 2022

Dusk Golem has previously leaked correct information, particularly in relation to other Japanese horror series Resident Evil, and claimed to have "more than enough proof to believe" these images were real.

Around four in the morning on February 24, 2022, Alex Molodkin was hard at work in his Kyiv apartment. The Steam Next Festival was in full swing, and Molodkin was participating with a free demo of the cozy puzzle adventure he was developing with his partner, Puzzles for Clef. His family was asleep. It was a normal night for Molodkin, until the war began.

“I was just working on our game because I often work late into the night,” Molodkin says. “Everyone else was sleeping and I hear some distant explosions. Didn't need much time to realize what's happening. So I just had to wake everyone up and deliver the awesome news.”

Molodkin woke his family and the group moved into the hallway of the apartment, bringing necessary belongings. And that’s where Molodkin has been, for the most part, since February – sleeping in shifts with his partner to keep an eye on the news or any threats that might require them to react. He considered evacuating with his family, but with a family of four and no car, it’s a logistical nightmare. Plus, as Molodkin puts it, it’s a matter of principle. “When some bad guys show up in your country, you don't want to run the moment they show up. You want to stay put for as long as possible.”

Molodkin’s story is a familiar reality for a number of game developers from all across Ukraine, who found their lives upended unexpectedly when Russia attacked their country in late February. The invasion is still ongoing over two months later, and has resulted in (at time of writing) the deaths of over 3,000 Ukrainian civilians and the displacement of over 5.5 million.

News that Redfall and Starfield are being delayed into 2023 made waves this morning, not the least because they were expected to be major tentpole releases for Xbox this holiday season. Since then Xbox CEO Phil Spencer has taken to Twitter to respond, acknowledging fan disappointment while also saying that "delivering quality and consistently is expected" and that Xbox "hears the feedback."

Spencer's tweet reads, "These decisions are hard on teams making the games and our fans. While I fully support giving teams time to release these great games when they are ready, we hear the feedback. Delivering quality and consistency is expected, we will continue to work to better meet those expectations."

These decisions are hard on teams making the games & our fans. While I fully support giving teams time to release these great games when they are ready, we hear the feedback. Delivering quality & consistency is expected, we will continue to work to better meet those expectations. https://t.co/mIfXGd3rui

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) May 12, 2022

Starfield was originally slated for November 2022, where it was expected to be one of the biggest Xbox games of the year. Both it and Redfall join other high-profile exclusives like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 in being pushed into next year.

The brand-new Dead Space remake officially has a release date, with EA announcing during a stream that the updated version of the beloved survival horror game will be out January 27, 2023.

In addition to the release date, EA also released a trove of new concept art for fans to pick through. While EA says it isn't indicative of in-game footage, it does offer an idea of the scope that the development team is going for with its newly-updated version of Dead Space.

First announced in July 2021, Dead Space is a remake of the 2008 sci-fi horror game starring Isaac Clarke, an engineer who must battle a series of horrors known as Necromorphs. The original developer, Visceral Games, was shuttered in 2017, with co-creator Glen Schofield now working on a similar game set in the PUBG: Battlegrounds universe titled The Callisto Protocol.

Meanwhile, EA Motive is handling development of the remake.

According to EA, the Dead Space remake will seek to retain the look and feel of the original while utilizing "next-gen tech." EA Motive has since shown off an early version of the game's build while continuing to interface with fans, including adjusting weapon sounds based on fan feedback.

A "full reveal" of Dead Space will be arriving around Halloween, upon which EA Motive will properly take the wraps off its long-awaited sequel. When it releases next year, it will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. In the meantime, check out our list of the most anticipated games for the rest of 2022.

Pokémon Home will add support for Pokémon Legends: Arceus as well as Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl in the coming weeks with update 2.0.0. With the new update, Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will be mutually compatible with Pokémon Sword and Shield, allowing Pokémon to be moved freely between them using the Pokémon Home app, albeit with changes to their movesets.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will join a complex ecosystem that also includes Pokémon Go, Pokémon Let's Go, and Pokémon transferred from the Nintendo 3DS games. The latter games, however, will continue to support only one-way transfers with Pokémon Home.

To illustrate the system, the official website included this handy infographic.

Fans have been waiting a long time for Alan Wake 2, and it's finally happening. Unfortunately, it'll be a bit longer until we hear about the game's development from Remedy.

In an Alan Wake anniversary update from Remedy, creative director Sam Lake revealed that the studio will be keeping Alan Wake 2 updates under wraps for a little while longer, and there won't be an update this summer.

"Everything with Alan Wake 2 development is going really well. We are deep in production, have a lot of material, and a great deal of the game is playable," said Lake. "But we've been talking for the past couple of months and have come to the decision here at Remedy, along with our wonderful publisher Epic Games, that we will not be showing anything big this summer."

Lake says that "to create a proper, polished demo or a trailer takes a lot of effort, and it's several months of work that could take away from development."

So, rather than sacrifice resources for a promotional update, Lake says Remedy wants to take the current momentum and keep developing Alan Wake 2 which means "unfortunately, you'll have to wait a bit longer for a demo and trailer."

Alan Wake Remastered is officially headed to Nintendo Switch, making it the latest remaster to find its way to Nintendo's hybrid platform.

Remedy creative director Sam Lake introduced the port during a video in which he also provided updates on Alan Wake 2 and a brand-new Alan Wake TV show. Lake and actor Ilkka Villi offered a brief glimpse of an in-development build, but provided little other information.

Previously released in October 2021, Alan Wake Remastered is the updated version of the open-world survival game first relesaed on Xbox 360. The original game was lauded for its atmosphere and a sequel is now in development.

In IGN's review we said that Alan Wake Remastered is a bit like "taking an old horror hardcover off the bookshelf and wrapping it in a glossy dust jacket." It has long since been surpassed, but it's still a "distinctive survival horror experience for newcomers."

Alan Wake Remastered does not have a release date.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

One of Remedy's biggest dreams for the Alan Wake franchise was to bring the series to TV. Now, Remedy has announced that AMC has picked up the rights to develop Alan Wake for the small screen.

"We were quite a while ago talking about the Alan Wake TV show," says Remedy creative director Sam Lake in an Alan Wake update video. "Well, AMC, the wonderful, wonderful home for absolutely brilliant TV shows has bought the rights for Alan Wake. And we have been collaborating on making a TV show happen," says Lake.

AMC is the network that has aired hits like Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead. Given AMC has found success with TV adaptations of hit comic book series, adapting a video game series like Alan Wake seems like a perfect fit, especially if Remedy is also collaborating on the project.

In 2018 Remedy announced that there were talks of creating a live-action Alan Wake TV series, and Remedy in the past has spoken about its desire to bring the hero to TV. Especially since the TV motif figures so prominently into the games.

In Alan Wake, there are fictional TV shows that serve as important story points, and the TV imagery is spread throughout the games. Bringing Alan Wake to TV is a no-brainer.

Alan Wake joins other video game adaptations currently in the works including The Last of Us series at HBO and a Twisted Metal show for Peacock.

Dying Light 2's first story DLC has been delayed from early summer to September 2022.

Developer Techland said in a statement that it simply needed more time in order to meet player expectations and deliver the expansion with "the absolute highest level of polish".

It did reveal that another big content drop was on its way in June, however, as Techland will release the much-requested photo mode alongside a series of community events called "In the Footsteps of a Nightrunner".

Dear Pilgrims, your feedback always has the highest priority for us, and we want to be honest and transparent with you. We will still need a bit more time to develop the first story DLC. It is now planned to be released in September. pic.twitter.com/5XNe1uIC9u

— Dying Light (@DyingLightGame) May 12, 2022

The delayed story expansion is set alongside the main events of Dying Light 2, with Techland saying it wants to mix up what players expect. It's also a practical move, as it allows the developer to work around the game's fairly dramatically branching storyline.

Though Techland didn't directly connect the delay to the signficiant amount of other updates and fixes its released for Dying Light 2, it did list some of these additions, including its New Game Plus mode.

Control and Assetto Corsa publisher 505 Games has announced that its first ever digital showcase will take place next week, on Tuesday, May 17.

The Spring 2022 showcase will start at 6am Pacific / 9am Eastern / 2pm UK / 11pm AEST on the publisher's YouTube channel and promises updates on previously announced titles in addition to "a surprise or two along the way".

505 Games didn't give any inclination as to how long the showcase would be, or what it would be reveal.

We're hoping that it could include an update on the Control multiplayer spin-off that's already in the works. The publisher also has a sequel to Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night in development that was announced briefly in May last year and is therefore still due an official reveal.

We also know that 505 Games is publishing a dark fantasy RPG from Metroid Dread developer MercurySteam, but this was only announced in December so may not be in any state to show yet.

Two of 505's bigger projects that have just launched recently. The PC version of Death Stranding: Director's Cut was released in March and Eiyuden Chronicle Rising launched earlier this week on May 10.

Elden Ring developer FromSoftware could be used to assist in the development of games based on manga and anime.

FromSoftware's parent company is the Kadokawa Corporation, a huge Japanese firm with several entertainment brands under its umbrella, including magazines that publish Neon Genesis Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, and other manga.

Kadokawa's latest financial earnings, as spotted by ResetEra user Nightengale, revealed the corporation is planning to adapt some of its manga and anime into video games, with FromSoftware listed as one of the "game adaptation resources" it may use, alongside Spike Chunsoft (Jump Force) and Gotcha Gotcha Games (RPG Maker).

It's unlikely the developer would be given an adaptation as its main project, however, given the success of Elden Ring and its other original IPs including Dark Souls and Bloodborne.

It's also unclear which manga or anime franchises the Kadokawa Corporation is considering, but it said it's looking to "create the next big hit from original works that are suited to a video game adaptation".

On the surface, Overwatch 2 may not look that different from its predecessor – and in truth, when playing as many of the 33 assembled heroes, it doesn’t feel too different to play either. But that simply can’t be said for the nine tank members of the roster, for whom Overwatch 2 has made sweeping changes that allow for a more action-packed experience. It doesn’t just change the game for tank players – it changes Overwatch 2 as a whole.

The most obvious difference from its predecessor is that Overwatch 2 is now a 5v5 game, not 6v6 – and it’s a tank slot that’s been removed from the team line-up. Naturally this means a lot more responsibility is placed on the broad shoulders of that single tank player. My Overwatch tank of choice is undoubtedly D.Va, the Korean teenager in a mobile, rocket-powered mech. If this were Overwatch 1, I’d feel guilty picking her as the sole tank due to the lack of protection I’d offer my teammates. In the original, tank heroes could be broadly split into main tanks (like Orisa and Reinhardt, who can act as walls between you and your aggressors) and off-tanks (such as Roadhog and D.Va, whose job is to be more aggressive and deal as much damage as they soak up). That line appears to be blurring with the arrival of Overwatch 2 though, with all tanks set for a more active place in the fight from my experience in the closed beta so far.

Criterion Games has absorbed a part of fellow EA studio Codemasters to double down its development of a new Need for Speed.

Codemasters' Cheshire studio - which most recently worked on Onrush - has spent the last few months developing a "close partnership" with, and is now officially a part of, Need for Speed developer Criterion.

Announced on Codemasters' Twitter (below), the developer said the collaboration will "create the future of Need for Speed, forming one Criterion studio with two location hubs."

We can confirm Criterion Games and the development team at Codemasters Cheshire are officially coming together to create the future of @NeedforSpeed, forming one Criterion studio with two location hubs. [1/3]

— Codemasters (@Codemasters) May 12, 2022

It added: "This integration builds off the close partnership the two studios have developed over the past few months. Sharing common values and similar cultures, we strongly believe unifying the huge wealth of expertise across both teams will help us to deliver the best racing experiences we can for our players."

It appears Criterion is ready to speed up development on its untitled Need for Speed game after it was delayed to instead focus on EA's Battlefield 2042.

Dark Horse Direct continues to release new statues inspired by the ships of Blizzard's StarCraft universe. Their latest StarCraft replica depicts one of the most imposing and disgusting ships in the series - the Zerg Brood Lord.

This statue features a detailed recreation of the devastating aerial siege unit from the StarCraft games, suspended above a Zerg Swarm-themed display base. The piece is sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios.

The Zerg Brood Lord measures roughly 15 inches in width and length and stands 10 inches tall (with the ship itself measuring about 4 inches in thickness).

The Zerg Brood Lord statue is priced at $349.99 and is limited to 500 units worldwide. The statue is currently available to preorder through the Dark Horse Direct website, with an estimated release window of November 2022 to January 2023.

StarCraft isn't the only sci-fi gaming franchise receiving new collectibles from Dark Horse. The company recently unveiled a Mass Effect Reaper Sovereign ship replica, a companion to the long-sold-out Normandy statue.

Bethesda has announced that Starfield and Redfall have been delayed to "the first half of 2023".

Announced by Bethesda on Twitter (below), no specific reasons were given for the delays, other than to say that the teams "want to ensure that you receive the best, most polished versions of them."

The statement also promises that the first gameplay deep dives for both games will be released "soon" – and you can imagine that would come during the Xbox/Bethesda Summer Showcase on June 12.

An update on Redfall and Starfield. pic.twitter.com/pqDtx26Uu6

— Bethesda (@bethesda) May 12, 2022

A follow-up from Starfield's Bethesda Game Studios simply says, "We can't wait for you to play Starfield, but we need some more time. We’re so thankful for all the support and encouragement and are excited to show you the game soon."

Arkane followed up the tweet with a message from Redfall's director, Harvey Smith. "Here at Arkane Austin, we've decided to delay the launch of Redfall," Smith explained. "The team needs more time to bring the game to life. Thank you so much for your continued support. Redfall is our most ambitious game yet, and we can’t wait to show it off soon."

Since 2017, Dutch developer Total Mayhem Games has been quietly working on the We Were Here series, a trilogy of cooperative-only puzzle games that puts us in the shoes of two explorers who find themselves trapped in castles, dungeons, snowstorms, deathtraps, and all other manner of escape rooms. The whole trilogy is a little uneven, but for the most part they’re all pretty good, especially since no other developer scratches this particular asymmetrical co-op puzzle itch quite like the We Were Here series.

The latest, We Were Here Forever, is – to put it quite simply – an absolute glow-up. It’s gorgeous, with fantastic art direction that takes you from the familiar castle interiors to surreal dreamscapes, a spooky abandoned village, and much, much more. There are significant barriers to overcome to get the most out of We Were Here Forever, not the least of which are having to buy two $18 copies so you can play with a like-minded friend (unfortunately it’s not as generous as Hazelight was with its co-op hits A Way Out and It Takes Two, which include a free friend pass.) But if you’re able to hook in someone who loves escape rooms and asymmetrical puzzles as much as you do, you’re both in for a co-op adventure the likes of which I’ve rarely seen.

We Were Here Forever places you and your buddy into the boots of two nameless explorers who, for untold reasons, find themselves locked inside series mainstay Castle Rock. There is an ongoing story connecting the We Were Here games together, but it’s not required knowledge to enjoy the self-contained plot of Forever, which itself is serviceable, but certainly not the reason anybody is here.

On this week’s episode of IGN’s PlayStation podcast, Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Jada Griffin to dive into all the latest and greatest in the world of PlayStation news and games.

The duo dive into a breakdown of big takeaway from Sony’s earnings report, and what they mean for potential and current PS5 owners. We discuss Sony’s forecast for selling PS5’s in the next fiscal year, and how it would nearly double the number of PlayStation 5’s out there, meaning a lot more players could jump onto PlayStation’s latest console. We discuss our hopes and realistic expectations for when we might see these millions of more PS5s make it into the hands of players, what it may mean for this generation as a whole, and much more. Plus, we dig into PlayStation’s commitment to invest $300 million more into its first-party studios (not referring to PlayStation acquisitions), and what that might mean for the cadence and ambition of PS5 games being released. We discuss whether the cross-gen release plan is dwindling and if PlayStation and third-parties are primarily moving on to the latest console generation, what that means for players, and how we’re already seeing that go into effect with games like Gotham Knights.

Speaking of that upcoming Batman game, we dig into the Gotham Knights gameplay demo that WB Games recently revealed, offered our impressions on the gameplay and WB’s decision to abandon the last-gen PS4 and Xbox One versions in favor of just releasing Gotham Knights on PS5 and Xbox Series. Could we see more companies doing this? Do we expect God of War Ragnarok to be the last cross-gen first-party game? All this and more in our discussion!

Fans of the Chrono series have clamored for a sequel for years, ever since the 2000 release of Chrono Cross posed even more questions about the Square RPG's universe. And while the March release of the Chrono Cross: Radical Dreamers Edition was just a remaster, not a new entry, it did contain a hidden snippet of new content from the original creator himself: Masato Kato.

Spoilers Ahead for the Ending of Chrono Cross: Radical Dreamers Edition! Read at your own risk if you have not finished both Chrono Cross and the packed-in text-based adventure Radical Dreamers:

The new content is small, subtle, and may not be an obvious find for most players. To access it, you need to first complete both Chrono Cross and the text-based adventure Radical Dreamers, obtaining at least one ending for both.

Once you do, you'll need to go to the main menu of the Radical Dreamers Edition (where you select which of the two games you want to play) and choose to watch the credits. Watch them through to the end, and you stumble upon the following text over a black background, without imagery, music, or animation:

An orchestral composer whose music has appeared in several film trailers including Avengers: Endgame has transformed the Elden Ring theme into 15 different styles of music.

Alex Moukala, who also makes tons of video game music content on YouTube — including the legendary 30-person Wii jam session — uploaded a video of himself playing Elden Ring's main theme in every style from Spanish guitar to trap and traditional Japanese.

Sharing the video in a tweet (below), Moukala asks the question we didn't know needed answered: "What if Elden Ring took place in a multiverse where the soundtrack keeps changing?"

Elden Ring's Main Theme... in 15 Styles pic.twitter.com/5PKPqrwbWs

— Alex Moukala (@alex_moukala) May 11, 2022

Adding further elements into the mashup, he says on the YouTube version that the entire video and remixing compilation was inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe's latest film Dr Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

The full list of genres are: Spanish guitar, nu-disco, symphonic metal, smooth jazz, lo-fi hip hop, darksynth, movie trailer, piano solo, baroque, reggae, big room house, French house, trap, traditional Japanese, and orchestral.

A former Respawn Entertainment developer has claimed that requests from team members to make the protagonist of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order female and/or Black were shut down. The response allegedly centered around the fact that the Star Wars franchise had a female lead after the movies' Rey, and the game already had 2 prominent Black characters.

Nora Shramek, a lighting artist at Respawn who worked on Fallen Order, tweeted (below) that multiple employees pushed for a Black and/or female protagonist during development, before the game launched in 2019, but were rejected because the game and wider franchise already represented those communities.

"When I worked on [Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order], a lot of devs wanted and advocated for the main character to be Black and/or a woman," Shramek said in a tweet spotted by GamesRadar. The reasons apparently given for not going in that direction were because "we already have two Black people in the game" and "Rey is a woman and we can't do that too."

When I worked on SW:JFO a LOT of devs wanted & advocated 4 the main character 2b black &/or a woman. 'Reasons' 4 NO: We already have 2 black people in the game. Rey is a woman & we can't do that to' guess what the demographic of the people making those decisions looked like?

Nintendo has shared with its fans another edition of its Indie World Showcase and has once again provided a glimpse into the future of indie games on the Switch. In this roughly 20-minute show, Nintendo shared updates on previously announced games and revealed plenty of new ones to keep an eye on.

From a “crustacean-themed Soulslike” in Another Crab’s Treasure to a rhythm-based dungeon crawler in Soundfall to the adorable world of Ooblets, there was a wide range of genres on display in the 15 games that were featured in this latest Indie World Showcase. To ensure you don’t miss a thing, we’ve gathered all the announcements and trailers below so you can hopefully find your next favorite indie game.

Ooblets and Its Adorable World Arrive on Switch This Summer

Ooblets released in Early Access on Xbox and PC in July 2020, and Switch owners will soon get to visit its adorable world when it is released on the platform in Summer 2022. Alongside growing and training creatures called Ooblets, players will also have to help Badgetown grow and prosper. Much like Animal Crossing, Ooblets gives players the freedom of customization, crafting, making friends with your neighbors, and much more. Oh, and you can participate in “epic dance battles” and who doesn’t want that?

The Lord of the Rings star Billy Boyd is swapping one fantasy epic for another as he joins Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO).

Most famous for playing Pippin in Peter Jackson's Lords of the Rings trilogy, Boyd has more recently featured in the likes of Outlander and is now taking on the role of the elf Brahgas in ESO's upcoming High Isle expansion.

Brahgas introduces the player to the new Tales of Tribute card game that's being added to ESO, which lets players take on NPCs and real opponents akin to The Witcher's Gwent or Final Fantasy's Triple Triad.

Boyd can be seen recording several voice lines in a new trailer for High Isle (above), with Brahgas introducing himself as "a professional gambler and semi-professional everything else."

"This character is a gambler, he's a talker, he likes people," Boyd said in an interview. "How he attacks this game, this new card game, is how he attacks life: all in. He is just all in on everything."

He added: "I see life as a team game. I think Brahgas does as well. I think he likes to see other people succeed. He likes to see other people being happy.

"I think a night in the pub with Brahgas, a couple of beers and a little Tales of Tribute would be fantastic. I think we'd have a great time together."

UPDATE May 11 1:38 ET: The Nintendo Switch price drop has expired. The original story is below.

Nintendo Switch has seen its first significant price drop ever in the US, months after regions such as the UK and Europe saw a similar reduction in price.

The console can now be purchased for $259.99, a reasonable $40 drop from the previous $299.99 price point it's held onto for almost five years. It is currently not clear whether this will be a permanent price cut, or simply a limited-time sale for the Switch.

Nintendo Switch Drops to Just $260 For First Time

Back in September 2021, Nintendo Switch consoles sold in Europe got an official price cut not long before the Switch OLED Model was released. There was some speculation about a US cut as well, but Nintendo previously responded to this by saying there are "no plans" for a price drop in the US.

But around nine months later, albeit via a sale, the price reduction has come to fruition with Nintendo Switch consoles currently down to $259.99 at Amazon, GameStop, and Walmart.

The Pokémon Company has collaborated with Converse Japan to release a classy collection of Pokémon sneakers.

As reported by Kotaku, the set of four designs - based on Pikachu, Eevee, Charizard, and Mewtwo - has only been announced for Japan so far and are priced at ¥9,900 (around $75).

The Pokémon side of the collaboration isn't over the top, with each pocket monster only really lending their colour palette. A small pixel art version of each Pokémon is also stamped on the tongue with their basic Pokédex details printed near the heel.

Despite the minimalist design there are plenty of little details to win over Pokémon fans. Each shoe comes with a shoelace tag based on different Poké Balls, with Pikachu getting a regular version, Eevee getting a Great Ball, Charizard an Ultra Ball, and Mewtwo, of course, getting a Master Ball.

The shoe box has a similarly sleek and subtle Pokémon design, as alongside the Converse x Pokémon logo on its lid, it's coloured to resemble a Poké Ball: red on top and white on the bottom.

Elden Ring's mightiest hero, Let Me Solo Her has now defeated Malenia, Blade of Miquella 1,000 times – and shared his glory with fans by livestreaming the milestone on YouTube.

Despite being considered one of Elden Ring's toughest bosses, with various strategies to defeat Malenia rising and falling, one increasingly guaranteed way to win the fight is by summoning Let Me Solo Her.

The legendary player was first spotted in April for wearing nought but a pot on his head and wielding two katanas. Telling players to stay back, Let Me Solo Her would take on Malenia by himself, and has now beaten the boss roughly 999 more times than most players.

In his two and a half hour long stream, Let Me Solo Her starts at 981 kills before inching his way towards the final goal of 1,000.

Upon reaching it, the message "thank you everyone for all the support. I couldn't have been here without you," pops up on screen before he poetically enters New Game Plus and heads back out into The Lands Between. As you'd expect Let Me Solo Her says he'll be trying to make his way back to an even tougher version of Malenia soon.

PS5 consoles are actually available fairly consistently at the moment in the UK, and now retailers are even able to sell the consoles outside of a queue system, with some bundle deals lasting more than 24 hours. We've seen Amazon, GAME, ShopTo, PS Direct, and Argos drop stock within the past week, and I've included the retailers that are still in stock down below. If you miss the available stock, make sure to follow @IGNUKDeals on Twitter for further updates.

Xbox Series X is also back in stock at the moment, with the popular new-gen console currently available at Amazon, Currys, GAME, and Microsoft. Amazon is our pick of the bunch here, especially for those with a Prime account to get next-day delivery (and possibly use and vouchers you've got saved up). Other deals today include Mario Strikers Battle League Football preorders for £42, TMNT Collection preorders going live in the UK, the WD Black PS5 SSD for £135, and more to check out below.

TL;DR - Our Favourite UK Deals Right Now

TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection Preorders Now Live in the UK

PS5 Available Right Now in the UK

Apex Legends Season 13 Saviors launched May 10th and there’s a lot to go over from Stormpoint map changes, new Legend Newcastle, and new balance updates. There are actually quite a few major weapon changes and smaller Legend adjustments that has the community talking about how this might be the most interesting update to Apex yet. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest Apex Legends Season update.

Map Changes

The map rotations this season will be Olympus, World’s Edge, and Storm Point. Stormpoint has some minor and major changes to its map this time around. There’s a new POI called Downed Beast where the giant sea creature rose up and died while fighting the Legends. Downed Beast is a high tier loot location that connects to three other POIs: North Pad, Checkpoint, and The Mill. You can enter the sea creature’s corpse (ew) to loot around or get cover from enemies and the body provides several points of elevation since you can climb on top of the body but also stay below if you like.