IGN

Experimental AI Tool Makes GTA 5 Look Stunningly Photorealistic - Here's How

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
An AI research group has released a new video showcasing a new photorealism enhancement tool being applied to GTA 5 – and the results are stunning. As part of the Intel ISL research group's Photorealism Enhancement project, the new machine learning tool helps make computer-generated images more realistic by analyzing each frame of the game animation and comparing that to real-life images before applying enhancements based on them. In a video demonstration, Intel ISL shows some regular gameplay of Grand Theft Auto 5 before switching over to its tool's output, which analyzes the gameplay footage and uses machine learning to make it look more photorealistic. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/gta-5-stunning-photorealism-with-an-experimental-ai-tool"] Immediately when watching the video, the tool makes asphalt on the road a lot smoother, and cars a lot shinier and more reflective when compared to the original gameplay – not to mention causing major changes to colour grading. Of course, there's still work to be done; as with most AI-generated imagery right now, there is visual smearing to be seen. By leveraging convolutional neural networks, Intel ISL's photorealism tool allows it to produce images at "interactive rates" while playing the game – essentially, the tool could theoretically work in real-time as you play.
Author
Taylor Lyles

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Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids Review

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN

Returning to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s vast world can feel daunting after months away. Even with dozens of hours of completing the story and side exploration and pillaging under my belt, there was still so much to be done. But fear not: you should feel no need to complete it all before jumping into Wrath of the Druids, the new expansion that brings Eivor to the rolling hills of Ireland, because its content available early in the campaign and is worth putting ahead of most of the other sidequests that fill out the world. The adventuring and combat is more of the same for the most part, but its new twisting tale of politics and mysticism really stands out among the best storytelling in the series and the Druids themselves are stand-out enemies.

Author
Jarrett Green

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PlayStation Working on 25 PS5 Games, Half are New Franchises

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
PlayStation Studios head, Hermen Hulst, says they have more than 25 PlayStation 5 games in development, half of which are new IP. As reported by Wired, Hulst says PlayStation Studios — which is comprised of development studios like Hulst's old stomping grounds, Guerilla Games, Naughty Dog, Insomniac Games, and more — has more than 25 titles in development for the PS5. Half of these 25 games are said to be new franchises. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-ps5-games&captions=true"] This doesn't necessarily mean that there are 25 first-party games in the works at PlayStation Studios. Games like Sackboy: A Big Adventure and Returnal were both published under the PlayStation Studios banner, but they were developed by studios not owned by Sony — Sumo Digital and Housemarque in this instance, respectively. This is exciting news nonetheless for anyone wondering what Sony is up to beyond Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, which is set to release next month.
Author
Wesley LeBlanc

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Lumione Announced for PC and Nintendo Switch

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Developer Glimmer Studio and publisher Perfect World Entertainment have announced Lumione, a colorful platformer in development for PC, and it will also be coming to Nintendo Switch at a later date. It's powered by Unreal Engine 4 and promises hundreds of levels, challenges that include traps and puzzles, and continued development even after release through DLC. Get your first look at it in the cinematic trailer above and the screenshots below. "Lumione is set in a deep-sea world that is shrouded in darkness," Glimmer says. "The people of the sea struggle in fear for all they have lost. A light appears in the darkness that sends the tiny elves in search of its source as they seek to bring light into long night." It's got kind of an "Ori but underwater" vibe at first glance, doesn't it? [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=lumione-screenshots&captions=true"] You can wishlist Lumione on Steam now. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Executive Editor of Previews. Follow him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan, catch him on Unlocked, and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.
Author
Ryan McCaffrey

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Guerilla Collective Digital Showcase Returns in June

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
The Media Indie Exchange has revealed this year's Guerilla Collective Showcase, which will take place across the first two Saturdays in June. The show kicks off on June 5 at 8 AM Pacific / 11am Eastern / 4pm UK (that's June 6 at 1am AEST) and then returns on June 12 at the same time. 2021's Guerilla Collective events will offer "wide-ranging game, footage, guest and news-filled showcases." This year's show will feature over 80 games from studios such as 505 Games (Control), Innersloth (Among Us), Fellow Traveller (Paradise Killer), Good Shepherd (Monster Train), tinyBuild (Hello Neighbor), Thunderful (the SteamWorld series), Superhot and more. You'll be able to watch it all on the Guerilla Collective Twitch channel, and right here on IGN. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/guerrilla-collective-games-showcase"] A Black Voices in Gaming segment will follow the show on June 5, returning from last year's show. This part of the stream will highlight Black voices in the games industry and spotlight games made by Black developers, with Black protagonists. On June 12, the main showcase will be followed by the Wholesome Direct. This mini-showcase will feature over 75 cute and cuddly titles and has been organized by the Wholesome Games community.

Guerrilla Collective 2021: Confirmed Developers and Publishers

  • 2Awesome Studio (Rainswept)
  • 505 Games (Control, Bloodstained)
  • Akupara Games (Mutazione)
  • All in!
Author
Jordan Oloman

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How You Can Get the Golden Lara Croft Skin in Fortnite

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Fortnite Chapter 2, Season 6’s Battle Pass brought fans multiple Lara Croft skins. No one expected her to show up in all gold though. No worries. Our guide below details how to get this special skin.

Don the Lara Croft Skin

In order to unlock the golden anniversary skin, you’ll first have to equip the basic Lara Croft skin. We assume it’s to keep with the theme of her exploring forgotten tombs. Whatever the case, don her “threads” before jumping into a match.

Visit Isla Nublada to Find Orelia

The v16.40 update introduced a new island called Isla Nublada to Fortnite. Located just south of Flush Factory, this small area comes complete with its own NPC and set of ruins. The new NPC, named Orelia, isn’t all that important to this particular mission. The golden SCAR assault rifle that Orelia guards is important, though, as you need it to unlock Lara’s golden anniversary skin.fortnite-isla-nublada-location-poi-gold-lara-croft-skin-anniversary-how-to-get

Pick Up The Golden SCAR

Dive down to Isla Nublada as Lara and retrieve the golden SCAR. This is easier said than done. The first hurdle being rival players. Only one person can pick up the SCAR per match. Killing the person who picks it up and taking it for yourself afterward, doesn't work. We recommend getting as close to Isla Nublada as possible before diving out of the bus. If it happens to spawn on the same side of the map, immediately dive and head straight down, only adjusting your descent once you’ve opened your parachute.
Author
Kenneth Seward Jr.

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Control Developer Confirms It's Started Work on Another New Game

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Control developer Remedy Entertainment has confirmed that it's started working on yet another new game, meaning the studio has six publicly announced games yet to arrive. In Remedy's latest business review, CEO Tero Virtala explained that, as of last quarter, "Almost all of our internal Control developers have now moved on to work on other Remedy projects, including a new, exciting early-phase project." Asked for comment on whether that game was separate to Remedy's previously announced projects, Virtala replied: "Yes, we have a new project, but it is in very, very early stages.
Author
Joe Skrebels

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Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart Devs on Rivet's Importance to the PS5 Game

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Though she may not be in the title, Rivet not only shares a co-starring role with Ratchet and Clank in the upcoming PS5 adventure Rift Apart, but she’s also been at the heart of the marketing for the new game since its reveal. And though she went from “that mysterious lombax” in the original Rift Apart trailer to the now-Jennifer Hale voiced Rivet who captivated us in our recent hands-off Rift Apart preview, she’s always been a foundational part of the game. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/12/ratchet-and-clank-rift-apart-ps5-preview-massive-heart-epic-scale"] “When I pitched the game, it had a scene that was very similar to what we released in our [reveal] trailer, where Clank finds himself isolated and calls out to Ratchet and a female lombax steps up and is like, ‘Who?’ That was in the original pitch,” creative director Marcus Smith told IGN in an interview. “And there were some people who were a little worried that it's a game called Ratchet and Clank, not Ratchet and Clank and Rivet. And I had to walk them through the idea that it is Ratchet and Clank. It's just a different Ratchet. We're playing with dimensionality. That allows us to bring in new players by experiencing new versions of different characters.” Of course, as the past looks at the game, our hands-off demo, and time with Smith indicated, Rivet is a fully realized, new hero with her own hopes and goals, who is simply serving the Ratchet role in her dimension.
Author
Jonathon Dornbush

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How Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart Uses PS5's DualSense, 3D Audio

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Despite the PS5 being just over six months old, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart isn’t Insomniac Games’ first game for Sony’s newest console. But while the developer does have Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and a Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered edition under its belts, the studio is looking to take advantage of all of the new system’s features for their first PS5-exclusive outing. Insomniac have, of course, emphasized how the PS5’s SSD allows the developers to let Ratchet, Clank, and Rivet hop from one dimension to the next near instantaneously, and with good reason. Shifting between fully rendered locations, sometimes from completely different planets, is an impressive example of what the console can do. But after a few months with the PS5’s available, it’s the DualSense’s haptics and 3D audio that allow for yet another level of immersion that couldn’t be achieved before. And given Ratchet and Clank’s penchant for wacky weapons, fascinating alien planets, and vibrant environments, Rift Apart is looking to certainly take advantage of those elements. “We've put a lot of effort into our haptics implementation, and the result is you get this very complex tapestry of haptics responses.
Author
Jonathon Dornbush

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Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart Shows Plenty of Heart, and PS5 Spectacle

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Ratchet and Clank’s first PS5 adventure is shaping up to be something special. And as a longtime player of the franchise, seeing over 30 more minutes of Rift Apart gameplay in a hands-off demo solidified for me that this proper, full-length, brand new Ratchet and Clank could be both a perfect starting point for newcomers and one that, so far, looks to be the best showcase for how developers can push games on the PS5. My demo consisted of two major sections: what appears to be either the very start of Rift Apart, or something very close to it, as Ratchet and Clank receive a parade honoring their years of heroic service, as well as a section sometime later, following Clank being thrown into another dimension and teaming up with the new lombax Rivet. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ratchet-and-clank-rift-apart-preview-screenshots&captions=true"] The scale and spectacle is clearly, um, ratcheted up right from the first dimensional jump in what seems like clear lessons learned from Insomniac’s work on Marvel’s Spider-Man. And, most importantly as someone who’s been playing this series since 2002, Rift Apart looks to be the most nuanced on an emotional level, with Ratchet and Clank’s friendship and their own personal histories coming into play alongside the fascinating depiction of Rivet, who, somewhat unsurprisingly thanks to the studio’s track record, is an endearing, funny, and welcome addition to the core cast.

A Web of Influence

Something really striking about both sections of gameplay I saw came from the sheer scale of what Insomniac is pulling off. The expanse of what Ratchet can do on PS5 became clear in the State of Play, from the bustling density of Nefarious City to the meticulous detail of Ratchet’s fur.
Author
Jonathon Dornbush

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Scarlet Nexus: The Final Preview

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN

I’ve played a lot of character-action games and action-RPGs in my years of gaming, which was why when I went into my hands-on session with Scarlet Nexus, I figured that I pretty much knew what to expect. But Scarlet Nexus surprised me with a style of combat that was both fast-paced and deliberate, while also still managing to combine that with an endearing cast of characters that already had me invested in their relationships and struggles even in just the four hours that I got to play. Add on top of that a unique “Brainpunk” aesthetic and the core mechanic of being able to throw cars at your enemies, and Scarlet Nexus is standing out in all of the right ways.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=scarlet-nexus-preview-screenshots-and-art&captions=true"]

Scarlet Nexus’s world is one that runs largely due to the powers of the brain, hence the “Brainpunk” label. People communicate telepathically, there are augmented reality pop ups and advertisements all over the city, and most importantly, many of its inhabitants are gifted with special mental abilities. The two playable protagonists, Yuito and Kasane, are equipped with Psychokinesis, which gives them the ability to move objects with their minds. But through the usage of what’s known as the SAS (Struggle Arms System), they’re also able to temporarily borrow the powers of those close to them.

Author
Mitchell Saltzman

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Multiple New SteamWorld Games are in Development

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
'Several' games in the SteamWorld series are currently in development at the developer now previously known as Image & Form. Announced on the Image & Form Twitter account, the developer announced that not just one, but multiple new SteamWorld games are in the works. Image & Form also announced that it was formally rebranding as Thunderful Games, bringing it closer in line to it s parent company:
Author
Liam Wiseman

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Magician Penn Jillette Has a Small Role in the Borderlands Movie

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Magician Penn Jillette is no stranger to the Borderlands universe, having voiced one of the magical duo Pain and Terror in Borderlands 3 – but he’s also going to pop up in Eli Roth's Borderlands movie too. Revealed in Jillette’s Sunday School Podcast, Jillette announced that he would be taking to the big screen for a small role in the live action movie adaptation of the Borderlands universe. Whilst his previous work for the games was based on characters inspired by his magic act, Penn and Teller, the role in the movie looks to be more unique. Jillette will be filming in Budapest, and plays a preacher overseeing a wedding. During the wedding, a fight breaks out (very Borderlands) and he ends up in a “space paddywagon”. Jillette makes clear that most of his scenes are with Kevin Hart, and the part isn't much more than a cameo: "I have a very, very, very small part – I'm in like four scenes and I have like four lines." [caption id="attachment_2512541" align="alignnone" width="1280"]Penn Jillette, of Penn and Teller. (Image Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Penn Jillette, of Penn and Teller. (Image Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)[/caption] Borderlands has already received spin-off games and novels set in the Borderlands universe, such as Tales from the Borderlands, but this will be the first movie version that the franchise has seen.
Author
Liam Wiseman

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Gabe Newell Hints at Steam Games Coming to Consoles

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Valve president Gabe Newell has hinted at the idea of PC-only Steam games coming to consoles, and said we should know more "by the end of this year." In a talk at Sancta Maria College in Auckland, New Zealand this week, Newell was asked by a student if Steam would be porting games to consoles, to which the legendary developer hesistated, before saying, "You will have a better idea of that by the end of this year." The exact meaning of that is a matter of speculation right now. Some have taken Newell's comment to mean we could see Steam itself, as a storefront, brought to consoles. Others have taken it to mean that Valve's own games, currently available only on Steam, will be ported to consoles. With each console currently only featuring its own closed store, the former seems unlikely – but we've seen Xbox in particular striving to see its services on other consoles, so it's not outside the realms of possibility. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/23/half-life-alyx-review"] Valve has of course launched its own games on console before, most notably with the likes of Portal and The Orange Box. With Valve now actively working on its own games in a way it hasn't for some years, it may be that we'll see the company return to the console space.
Author
Joe Skrebels

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Gears and Fable’s Next-Gen Tech Revealed

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
As Fable and Gears of War's next-gen tech is revealed, we discuss what their new engines mean for the future of those franchises - and the franchises around them. Plus: our impressions of Resident Evil Village, 12 Minutes, what we want from the new list of publishers who've confirmed they'll attend E3 2021, and more! Subscribe on any of your favorite podcast feeds, to our new YouTube channel, or grab an MP3 download of this week's episode. For more awesome content, check out the latest episode of IGN Unfiltered, featuring an interview with noted game industry investigative reporter Jason Schreier about the unfortunate nomadic lifestyle that many developers must live, crunch culture, unionization, and much more: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/11/jason-schreier-discusses-why-he-thinks-the-video-game-industry-needs-to-press-reset-ign-unfiltered-58"] Oh, and feel free to leave us a video Loot Box question on Twitter by tagging Ryan at the handle below! For more next-gen coverage, make sure to check out our Xbox Series X review, our Xbox Series S review, and our PS5 review. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Executive Editor of Previews. Follow him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan, catch him on Unlocked, and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.
Author
Ryan McCaffrey

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Original Xbox Dashboard Now Available on Xbox Series X|S

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Microsoft is rolling out the May update for the Xbox Series X|S and users can now select the original Xbox dashboard animation as a dynamic background. As reported by Tom Warren of The Verge, Microsoft rolled out new dynamic backgrounds today for the Xbox Series X and Series S. One of them is called "The Original" and it is the glowy green orb made famous by the original Xbox back in 2001. You can check out Warren's preview of the dynamic background below.
Author
Matt T.M. Kim

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QuakeCon 2021 Returns As a Digital-Only Event This Summer

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
QuakeCon will once again be a digital-only event in 2021. This is the second year in a row QuakeCon will be digital after Bethesda canceled the live convention in 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. QuakeCon 2021 will take from August 19 to August 21 online. In a statement published on the official QuakeCon site Bethesda writes, "We can't wait to get back to Dallas with our QuakeCon family, but for the continued safety of our staff, the volunteers, and the community, this year's QuakeCon will once again be a digital-only event." "We'll have all the Peace, Love, and Rockets -- remotely -- August 19-21."
Author
Matt T.M. Kim

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Sega Is Mostly Okay With Sonic Fan Games

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Fan remakes and other community passion projects can be a wonderful expression of communal fandom. Unfortunately, they tend to be shut down with depressing regularity. So it's refreshing to see Sega go to bat for fan games, even if that support comes with some caveats. In response to questions regarding fan games from the community, Sega social media manager Kate Chrzanowski wrote that "there is usually* no issue" with fan games as long as profit isn't involved. Chrzanowski added the asterisk with the caveat that for legal reasons she couldn't promise that all content was okay. "We can handle outliers case-by-case as we notice them, but our goal isn't to stifle everything," Chrzanowski wrote.
Author
Kat Bailey

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Subnautica: Below Zero Review

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN

The original Subnautica is one of those games I wish I could wipe from my memory so that I could plunge in and comb its depths for the first time all over again. No one’s worked out how to do that without some pretty severe side effects, but Subnautica: Below Zero is the next best thing: even though it’s a bit smaller, it gives us a whole new watery sector to explore, survive, craft, and build awesome bases in, and it’s just as exhilarating.

Author
Leana Hafer

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Next Battlefield Planned for Release Between October and December 2021

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Update: EA confirmed on its earnings call today that Battlefield was being developed by four studios EA DICE, Criterion, DICE LA, and EA Gothenburg are all contributing. EA has also confirmed that the game will be released for both previous-gen and current-gen consoles, as well as PC. Original story: It looks like the next Battlefield game is being planned for a holiday (or thereabouts) release this year, at least according to EA's financial plans. In a slide presentation accompanying its earnings results today, EA lays out its plans for releases for the rest of its fiscal year, placing Battlefield in Q3. This is a fiscal calendar, so for EA, that means Battlefield 6 (or whatever it ends up being called) is headed this way between October and December. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/04/battlefield-6-setting-potentially-revealed-in-leaked-screenshots-ign-daily-fix"] The calendar also has the rest of EA's known releases slotted in, with FIFA 22, F1 2021, and Madden NFL 22 all coming in the July through September window, NHL 22 coming around the same quarter as Battlefield, and EA Sports PGA Tour finishing off the year in the January through March 2022 window. This calendar does not include any unannounced titles, though it does note the already-announced next-gen upgrade for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Battlefield 6 hasn't yet been formally revealed, and its formal announcement was only very recently teased by EA for a June first look. Notably, no Battlefield game was released in 2020, breaking what had previously been an annual cycle.
Author
Rebekah Valentine

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World's End Club: Here's What Comes in Each Edition

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
World's End Club is coming to Nintendo Switch on May 28. Two editions of the game are available for preorder right now from a handful of retailers (see it at Amazon). Read on to find out what the game's all about, as well as where you can snag a preorder and what comes in each edition.

World's End Club Deluxe Edition

worlds-end-club-deluxe-edition Despite being called a "deluxe edition," this is the entry-level version for those who prefer physical games. (It's not up for preorder in digital format yet).
Author
Chris Reed

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Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2 Could Also Get a Re-Release

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN

After the surprise re-release of the original Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance on consoles (PC and mobile to come later), it seems fan reaction has been strong enough that a re-release of Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance 2 is “on the table,” according to developer Black Isle Studios.

Black Isle took the time to thank fans on Twitter and respond to additional comments and concerns.

“The sequel is on the table. Stay tuned!” Black Isle said.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/06/baldurs-gate-dark-alliance-official-launch-trailer"]

Dark Alliance 2 came out in 2004 on PS2 and Xbox, three years after the release of the original. The cult classic hack-and-slash RPG released to generally positive reviews, receiving an 8.4 out of 10 from IGN for its continuation of the original’s formula, moderately mixed up with the new necromancer class and workshop feature.

Just don’t expect a full remake. The first Dark Alliance re-release has 4K support, backwards compatibility, and two-player co-op, but new features aren’t really a draw here.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/16/dd-dark-alliance-gameplay-trailer"]

If you’re a fan of the D&D realm, the upcoming Dark Alliance from Tuque Studios combines modern design with that old school combat feel, but we’ll find out for sure when that launches on June 22. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/Drizzt fanboy for IGN.
Author
Joseph Knoop

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How to Find Mew in New Pokemon Snap

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Here's how to get Mew to show up in New Pokemon Snap, and how to get all four of its star ratings for your Photodex.
Author
Casey DeFreitas

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Overwatch 2: Two Hours of Gameplay Being Shown This Month

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Blizzard will show off two hours of Overwatch 2 gameplay on May 20, including a first look at changes to the game's PvP mode. Announced by new director Aaron Keller in a short development update, the livestream will begin on May 20 at 12pm Pacific / 3pm Eastern / 8pm UK (that's May 21 at 5am AEST). It will focus on PvP, and will include footage of changes coming to the mode – and will serve as our biggest public look at the game since it was announced. You'll be able to watch the stream with us on IGN. The livestream will feature Keller, lead hero designer Geoff Goodman, and associate art director Dion Rogers, and will be hosted by Matt “Mr. X” Morello and Mitch “Uber” Leslie (with appearances from Overwatch influencers Stylosa and Cuppcaake). [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/overwatch-2-55-new-details"] Exactly what the livestream will introduce for PvP is unknown, but it will definitely affect both Overwatch 2 and the original Overwatch, with the two games sharing a single player-vs-player set-up.
Author
Joe Skrebels

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Xbox Is Making Quick Resume Even Quicker

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Microsoft's May Xbox update is set to make Quick Resume even quicker, as well as introduce several new features including audio passthrough and extra family controls. The full update notes can be found over on the Xbox Newswire, where it's explained that Quick Resume will benefit from "improved reliability and faster load times" with this latest patch. Quick Resume on Xbox Series X and S lets users suspend a set of their favorite games so that they can hop into them whenever they please. This update will make that process faster, as well as making it easier to identify which games are Quick Resume compatible with new groups and tags. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/16/xbox-series-x-quick-resume-tech-demo"] Beyond the Quick Resume buffs, audio nerds will be pleased to hear that an Allow Passthrough option is set to be added to the Xbox audio setting screen. This will let you bypass the console audio decoding in apps like Disney+, Plex, and Apple TV to improve sound quality on your external sound system. Many smaller features are also on the way including the ability to watch game trailers for Xbox Game Pass games within the library, and a new dynamic background. Parents will also be able to approve multiplayer games directly from their phone with the Xbox Family Settings app when a child boots a game on their console. Elsewhere in the Xbox ecosystem, performance improvements and push notifications are coming to the Xbox app for iOS and Android, while the Smart Glass app for PC will be removed from the Windows Store in June.
Author
Jordan Oloman

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Skull and Bones Delayed Yet Again to 2022

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Skull and Bones has been pushed back yet again. Ubisoft confirmed the ship sim is now targeting a release date sometime between 2022 to 2023 The latest Skull and Bones delay was confirmed in Ubisoft's full-year earnings report for 2020. Ubisoft boasted its robust product lineup for 2021 including Far Cry 6, Rainbow Six Quarantine, Rider Republic, The Division Heartland, and Roller Champions, but also snuck in the new Skull and Bones delay into its report. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/06/11/skull-and-bones-cinematic-trailer-e3-2018"] Skull and Bones was originally announced at E3 2017 and was set to be released in 2018. Skull and Bones was later delayed to 2019, then 2020, and again to 2021. It was announced as a standalone game and seemed to build on top of the popularity of the ship combat gameplay from the Assassin's Creed series. The game's creative director Elisabeth Pellen announced that the development team has expanded and there is a new vision for the game. Ubisoft Singapore is in charge of the project but is joined by Ubisoft studios in Berlin, Chengdu, Kieve, Paris, and the Phillippines to help fulfill this expanded scope. Ubisoft is currently presenting its full-year earnings so check back with IGN as we hear more details about the company's 2021-2022 plans from CEO Yves Guillemot. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor.
Author
Matt T.M. Kim

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EA Play Live Showcase Coming in July

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
EA Play Live, the developer's summer showcase, will return this year on July 22. While EA hasn't formally announced plans for the show, it feels likely to be an all-digital event in the vein of E3 2021 and Gamescom 2021.
Author
Joe Skrebels

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Jason Schreier Discusses Why He Thinks the Video Game Industry Needs to 'Press Reset'

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Welcome to IGN Unfiltered, our regularly occurring interview series where we sit down with the best, brightest, and most fascinating minds in the video game industry. (Catch up on the other 50-plus episodes here.) My guest this episode is games media investigative reporter Jason Schreier, who's written a new book called Press Reset: Ruin and Recovery in the Video Game Industry. The former Kotaku and current Bloomberg reporter talks about the perils of the game industry in his experience reporting on it, from crunch to studio instability and more, as well as what might be done about it to make the industry a healthier, more sustainable place for its many thousands of talented developers. Check out the full episode in the video above, but if you'd prefer to listen to the interview, here's an audio-only podcast download link.
Author
Ryan McCaffrey

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Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol Coming to Modern Platforms in June

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Lucasfilm Games is resurrecting Zombies Ate My Neighbors and sequel Ghoul Patrol for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. They'll arrive on June 29. The 16-bit games, released by LucasArts in 1993 and 1995 respectively, have been made playable on modern consoles and given a few new features along the way. The re-releases have been worked on by retro specialist Dotemu (Streets of Rage 4), and will be sold together for $14.99 (other regional prices not available at time of writing). [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/12/indiana-jones-game-in-the-works-from-bethesda-and-lucasfilm-games-ign-news"] Per a press release, the new features in both games include:
  • Modern Save System: Quickly save your progress in either game and continue your adventure wherever and whenever you want.
  • Museum Features: Watch a video interview with one of the original Zombies' developers or explore numerous galleries containing game art, as well as previously unreleased marketing assets and concept art.
  • Soundtrack: Listen to the entire soundtracks for both games in the included music players.
  • 2 Player Mode: Team up with a friend in two player local co-op.
  • Achievements: Track your game progress with a set of achievements covering both games.
Both games are top-down action-adventures with a comedy-horror tone.
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Joe Skrebels

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The Biggest Game on Roblox Just Opened Its Own Development Studio

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
The developers behind record-breaking Roblox game Adopt Me have launched an entire new studio to support it, called Uplift Games. A press release from Uplift Games reveals that whilst the studio was “originally founded by two talented Roblox developers, the team has now expanded to a 40-strong game studio, including a mix of experienced Roblox creators and veteran developers". Roblox is a hugely popular online platform, which allows players to create their own games for others in the community. Its success has been enormous, particularly with young players and, after going public in March, it was revealed that Roblox is now worth more than development giants Take-Two and Ubisoft combined. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/04/14/a-roblox-player-poses-as-a-journalist-fools-white-house-officials"] Adopt Me originally launched on Roblox in 2017, and has gone on to become “the fastest growing and most successful Roblox title of all time”. Adopt Me is a game created within Roblox, where players can “build houses, collect and trade over 150 cute pets, and use in-game tools to create their own fun with friends”. The game has seen over 22 billion visits to date, and set a new world record for concurrent players on Roblox, hitting 1.92 million concurrent users in April 2021.
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Liam Wiseman

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New World: Hands-On With 1 of the Expeditions

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
One of the best parts of any great MMORPG is its dungeons, and it sounds like Amazon Game Studios’ New World is bringing those in droves when it releases this August, launching with six whole dungeons - called expeditions - that range from mid-level to endgame content. The very first one you’ll get to visit is Amrine Excavation, which is immediately easy to pick up and fight through with a team, minus a highly challenging boss sequence towards the end that can sneak up on you if you’re not prepared for it. But it’s pretty unremarkable if you aren’t already engaged with New World’s overarching storyline, which, if you’re not all caught up, takes place in the high fantasy world of Aeternum. This world is host to an ongoing war between players and The Corruption, a malevolent force that seeks to, well, corrupt everything in its path. The Corruption is especially dangerous when in contact with the mystical substance called Azoth, a substance that is simultaneously vital to the world’s inhabitants, highly vulnerable to The Corruption’s influence, and so prevalent throughout Aeturnum that it is central to the conflict that drives the story as well as the PvP battles. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=new-world-may-2021-screenshots&captions=true"] Absolutely none of that is necessary to know if you only want to delve into a dungeon and kill some monsters for loot, which is exactly what I did. This first expedition unlocks when you’re level 25. And because of that low level gate, things are kept pretty simple as you work your way through a linear corridor with your party, fighting monsters and collecting loot as you go, then eventually spreading out and fighting tougher monsters for even better loot. The dungeon itself looks pretty run-of-the-mill, featuring mostly standard grays and browns without much else to flavor it.
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Gabriel Moss

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Nier Reincarnation: Yoko Taro's Mobile Game Available for Pre-Registration

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
If you still want more Nier in your life, Square Enix and Applibot have announced the pre-registration for the mobile spinoff NieR Re[in]carnation is open today for North America and Europe.

Nier Reincarnation is a whole new mobile RPG set in the Nier universe directed by Yoko Taro and Daichi Matsukawa. Nier Reincarnation stars a Girl in White who wakes up in a realm called the Cage. This girl is aided by a ghost named Mama and two venture into this world trying to regain the girl's memories.

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Matt T.M. Kim

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PS5 Got Nike Shoes, So Xbox Seems to Be Getting Adidas Shoes

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Last week PlayStation revealed a pair of PlayStation 5 themed sneakers with Nike, and now it looks like Xbox is partnering with Adidas on its own console-themed shoes. Complex cites "sources familiar with the upcoming collaboration" in its report, which offers a sample of an Xbox-branded Adidas shoe. The brand deal remains unannounced, but Complex says that the schedule of the collaboration will see four Xbox-themed shoes coming this year, with more potentially planned for 2022. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1400"] Reported image of work-in-progress Xbox sneakers. (Source: Complex)[/caption] The 2021 shoes mentioned will all reportedly be variants of Adidas' popular Forum basketball silhouette. As can be seen in the image of a work-in-progress sample above, the shoe has multiple Xbox details, including a distinct logo on the side and a lattice trim around the heel reminiscent of the top vent of the Xbox Series X.
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Jordan Oloman

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No, the Gears of War Devs Aren't Working on a Star Wars Game

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
After Gears of War developer The Coalition confirmed that it was working on 'multiple new projects', rumors sprung up saying the team was working on a Star Wars game. Sadly, that's not the case. In a Reddit post by senior community manager Shaun Akerman (TC_Kilo on Reddit), he confirmed that the team at The Coalition are not working a Star Wars game, stating: "Just to clarify regarding the Star Wars thing. We are not working on any such title. We have nothing else to announce at this time." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/14/how-star-wars-games-can-flourish-now-that-ea-lost-exclusivity"] The original rumour popped up earlier this month, with GamesBeat's Jeff Grubb summarising, “Now, I've heard rumours that [there] could be a Star Wars thing from out of the Coalition. But I haven't been able to confirm that, and these are rumors are kicked around in a few different places [...] Basically I'm not putting any money on that”. Yesterday, The Coalition confirmed it will now make the leap to developing future projects on Unreal Engine 5, and that it did indeed have multiple projects planned. That led to fan speculation that the Star Wars project was among them – but the studio stepped in to deny that early on.
Author
Liam Wiseman

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PSVR 2 Reportedly Includes 4K Lenses, Eye Tracking, and Haptic Feedback

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
PSVR 2 will reportedly include a 4K display, eye tracking, haptic feedback, and more according to a newly published report. UploadVR cites multiple "reliable sources" on the matter, who say that Sony has shared details with its partners about these PSVR 2 features. The report suggests that the new revision of the headset could feature a "4000x2040 pixels (2000x2040 per eye)" resolution, gaze tracking and a lens separation adjustment detail, a feature that can be seen on the Valve Index headset. The 4K resolution would be a big step up from the original PlayStation VR, which featured a 960x1080 pixels per eye – and a small step up on the popular Oculus Quest 2 headset's 1832x1920 per eye. Eye tracking within the headset will allow for foveated rendering, a technique that allows VR experiences to reduce the quality of rendering in players' peripheral vision – essentially allowing for developers to increase the quality of what players actually see. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/01/12/heres-our-wishlist-for-psvr-2-beyond-526-teaser"] Another feature mentioned in the report is haptic feedback, which the report suggests could be implemented via a motor in the headset (and would complement the headset's new controllers, which also feature haptic feedback). An onboard camera would track the position of the controllers, reducing the amount of peripherals needed to make the headset work.
Author
Jordan Oloman

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Resident Evil Village Has Shipped Over 3 Million Units Globally

2 years 11 months ago
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IGN
Since its launch on May 7, Resident Evil Village has shipped over 3 million units globally. Capcom announced the news in a press release, revealing that this newest entry available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC is off to a strong start. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/07/13-things-you-need-to-know-before-starting-re-village"] Since 1996, cumulative shipments of Resident Evil games have exceeded 100 million and Village builds upon the success of Resident Evil 7 biohazard, which itself has shipped 8.5 million units as of December 31, 2020. This news also follows Capcom's announcement that it has hit record-high profits for the fourth consecutive year, in big part due to the releases of both Monster Hunter Rise and the remake of Resident Evil 3. In our Resident Evil Village review, we said that playing it "is like visiting a disturbing and deadly Disneyland, where every attraction is a house of horrors.
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Adam Bankhurst

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