IGN

Returnal, the PlayStation 5 exclusive from Housemarque, has been delayed from March 19, 2021 to April 30, 2021. Announced by PlayStation, SIE and Housemarque have chosen to move the release date "in order to give the team extra time to continue to polish the game to the level of quality players expect from Housemarque." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/13/returnal-combat-trailer"] Returnal was announced at the PS5 reveal event and is the next title from the developer of such games as Resogun and Super Stardust HD. This new game is a roguelike third-person shooter that sees you play as Astra space scout Selene as she is stuck in a constant loop of resurrection. Housemarque has also noted that Returnal will offer fast load times, and haptic feedback that will let players "feel the natural ambience of this alien planet as the controller mimics its environmental effects." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=returnal-game-awards-trailer-screenshots&captions=true"] Returnal also follows Housemarques comments that it was moving away from developing arcade-style games - like Resogun and Nex Machina - after poor sales. It looks like Returnal will still have the feel of many of Housemarque's previous games, but this marks a new direction for the studio. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN.

Update 01/28/21: Stock trading apps have seemingly begun limiting the purchase of Gamestop, AMC, and other recently volatile stocks. Popular app Robinhood will now let users sells these stocks, but not buy them, displaying a message saying "This stock is not supported on Robinhood" (image below). These stocks are no longer even searchable on the app. [caption id="attachment_2466593" align="alignnone" width="1125"] A screenshot of the Robinhood app, displaying the "stock not supported" message.[/caption] Other trading solutions, such as Schwab, TD Ameritrade, and Trading 212 have similarly limited purchases. In a blog post, Robinhood explained that it was restricting transactions for AMC, Gamestop, Blackberry, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Express, Koss, Naked, and Nokia, due to "recent volitility". "We’re committed to helping our customers navigate this uncertainty, reads the blog.

The world's most expensive Magic: The Gathering card, Black Lotus has broken its own auction record, selling for more than $500,000. As reported by Polygon, a 1993 'Black Lotus' with a case signed by the card's illustrator Christopher Rush has sold for $511,100.00 on eBay. This is triple the price of a Black Lotus which sold for $166,000 in 2019. You can see the original listing here, which offers more details about the groundbreaking auction. The Black Lotus is one of the 'Power Nine', a set of highly-coveted Magic: The Gathering cards that are restricted or banned in competitive play, due to their incredible in-game potential. [caption id="attachment_2466590" align="alignnone" width="705"] The Black Lotus card in question. Source: PWCC[/caption] This particular card is from the Alpha, or Limited Edition Alpha set of cards, which is the first print run of the first core set of Magic: The Gathering cards, which debuted in 1993.

A Cyberpunk 2077 mod that allowed players to swap models and have sex with characters based on real-world likenesses such as Keanu Reeves has been removed. The mod let players swap characters into explicit sex scenes who usually shouldn't be there, such as Keanu Reeves' Johnny Silverhand and the game's antagonist, Adam Smasher. In a statement issued to Eurogamer, CD Projekt Red said that they broadly permit modders to "tweak the game at will and have fun" when it comes to the characters the studio has created for the game, but for the characters based on real people, the studio is taking a different stance. "When it comes to models of real people whom we've asked to participate in the game, we kindly ask you to refrain from using them in any situation that might be found offensive if you don't have their explicit permission." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/07/cyberpunk-2077-review"] Permission will have to be sought from the likeness (and other "concerned parties") before modders and players create or use these explicit mods, or else they will be taken down. CD Projekt Red clarified further, telling Eurogamer "our most important rule regarding user-generated content, game mods, in particular, is that it can't be harmful towards others.

If you have nostalgic love for old Amiga and MS-DOS sidescrollers, Olija is a game that practically demands your attention. Its striking minimalist art style is complimented by a fluidity of movement and realistic animations that will immediately bring to mind games like Flashback, Another World, or the original Prince of Persia. But even if you lack that frame of reference, Olija stands on its own as a 2D action game with exceptional combat, a chilling atmosphere, and a small handful of great boss fights that go a long way toward elevating its otherwise disappointingly short adventure above your average retro-themed platformer.

Developed by Kyoto-based Skeleton Crew Studio, Olija is a game with a story that’s simple but well told: our hero, a penniless lord named Faraday who finds himself marooned in a mysterious land, needs to rescue his shipwrecked crew and find a way back home. The only problems in his way are creepy black goopy creatures, hostile natives, and monstrous beings that have been awakened thanks to Faraday taking possession of a magical harpoon.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/28/the-first-18-minutes-of-olija"]

That harpoon is what drives the design of Olija, and it's a large part of why combat and movement are so much fun. Much like Noctis from Final Fantasy 15, Faraday can throw the weapon and teleport to whatever it punctures. In combat, the use of this is obvious: it allows Faraday to instantly close the distance between himself and a foe, and that means there’s a quick and snappy pace for every encounter – but it’s also a super fun tool to use when it comes to exploring the world.

Partner Content by Square Enix [poilib element="accentDivider"] This is a special advertising section. Read more about IGN’s policies in our Standards and Practices. Dragon Quest Tact, the strategic mobile monster battler from Square Enix, is now available worldwide for Android and iOS devices after amassing over 10 million free downloads since its July 2020 debut in Japan.

Introducing a new form of grid-based combat to the long-running RPG franchise, Dragon Quest Tact challenges players to recruit, train, and customize a roster of iconic monsters from across the series’ many instalments. To celebrate the worldwide launch of this tactical RPG, Square Enix is offering a free King Slime for a limited time to bolster players’ starting line-up with a touch of regal class and power.

From the series’ signature adorable Slimes, Sabrecubs, and stalwart Golems to the fiercer Hybirds, Killing Machines, and fire-flinging Dragonlords every monster has a place as players battle to save the world of Orchesterra from the machinations of the dark lord.

[youtube clip_id="TS9tOk7Y00w"]With simple controls and a tactical grid-based battlefield view, players can orchestrate the movements and attacks of their team of monsters to outwit foes and overcome challenges. Assembling a team of monsters with complementary abilities is key, with a mix of single-target, area-of-effect, and status imbuing powers necessary to succeed.

Control: Ultimate Edition's lack of next-gen save transfers and recent addition to the PS Plus line-up has frustrated players who bought the game early to get a later upgrade. Last year, Control's publisher caused controversy by announcing that only Control: Ultimate Edition, a newly-released version of the game, would receive a free upgrade from current to next-gen platforms. With the current-gen version of the Ultimate Edition released last year (and the next-gen version subsequently delayed into 2021), many seemingly paid for the game with a view to waiting to upgrade and play the next-gen version later. Compounding the problem, Ultimate Edition for PS4 was recently discounted on the PS Store, leading to more players buying the game in order to secure a next-gen upgrade. However, when the PS5 Ultimate Edition was announced for a February 2 release, it was revealed as a day-and-date release for PS Plus, offering a free download in return for the monthly subscription. The move has left many players who paid in advance for the next-gen version upset at the surprise announcement of a far cheaper method of purchase.

PS4 Ultimate Edition is the only way to get a free PS5 upgrade. PS4 Ultimate Edition is put on sale. Less than 2 weeks later PS4 Ultimate Edition is free on PS Plus and no refunds are being issued. Shocking behaviour from Playstation and Remedy.

Tesla has unveiled refreshed versions of its Model X and Model S cars, revealing that both are equipped with gaming hardware supporting “up to 10 teraflops of processing power”. This theoretically puts a car within the ballpark of a new generation console. The Tesla models, priced in excess of $80,000 and shipping in March, are fitted with hardware to power Tesla Arcade, an in-car gaming system that is already available in current Tesla models. The difference is that previous models are only able to run less demanding games such as Cuphead and Cat Quest, while the promotional materials for the new Tesla models show The Witcher 3 displayed on the 17” central console. This suggests a significant step up for the car’s gaming potential. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/05/26/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt-blood-and-wine-review"] Specifics on how powerful the car’s gaming rig is isn’t easy to tell, as the quoted "up to 10 teraflops of processing power" can’t be directly translated to the power of a PS5, which is capable of 10.28 teraflops. The accompanying components must also be taken into account, and Tesla has offered no details on the full specs of the hardware. It’s unclear if Nvidia or AMD GPUs are being used, or if it all comes from Tesla’s own system-on-a-chip. And while The Witcher 3 is an impressive game by… err… car standards, it’s very much a last-gen experience now. Theoretically, though, the system in the new Teslas is capable of strong gaming performance. [caption id="attachment_2466529" align="alignnone" width="1280"]

Update 28/01/2021: CD Projekt Red has released a Cyberpunk 2077 hotfix that, among other things, fixes the widespread new bug in the Down on the Street quest, which would halt all player progress. Hotfix 1.11 is available now on all consoles, PC, and Stadia, and is designed to alleviate two issues created by the major 1.1 patch. "A bug in Down on the Street quest has been fixed", read the patch notes. "It occurred for some players during a holocall with Takemura, when using a save made on version 1.06 with Down on the Street quest in progress at "Wait For Takemura's call" objective. After loading such a save on version 1.1, the holocall would lack dialogue options and block interactions with other NPCs." The second bug is less 'fixed' than 'reverted', with item randomization restored to how it was calculated before patch 1.1. The bug had been seemingly causing found items to fail to randomize properly, meaning they didn't scale with player levels, rendering loot useless in some circumstances. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/08/5-best-pc-mods-to-help-fix-cyberpunk-2077"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Cyberpunk 2077 got its major 1.1 patch last week, offering performance improvements, crash fixes, and more stability-related changes – but players soon noticed a new, potentially game-breaking bug had seemingly been added, too. CD Projekt Red has now acknowledged the issue, and offered a workaround before a full fix is added. The new bug centres around the 'Down on the Street' quest, in which Goro Takemura is meant to close the quest in a phone call – however, players on 1.1 have now found that Takemura can call but never begin speaking.

The Divison 2 will receive an update next week, bringing 4K resolution and 60 frames per second support for next-gen consoles. The news was revealed in a tweet from user JohanLnh, a Ubisoft Community Developer for The Division 2. Johan was replying to a fan asking about the potential of a forthcoming 'State of the Game', which is where The Division 2's developers take part in a livestream to provide fans with updates about the game. "No State of the Game tomorrow," the tweet reads. "TU12.1 releases on Feb 2nd with the Resident Evil Apparel Event, a rebalance of the Optimization Station cost as well as 4K 60 FPS support for next-gen consoles." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/03/23/the-division-2-review"] So while there won't be a State of the Game this week, there is a title update coming to The Division 2 on February 2, which will bring support for 4K resolution and 60 FPS on next-gen consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. The update will also bring with it some special Resident Evil apparel items, including weapon skins, arm patches and outfits. This is part of a collaborative promotion that will run from February 2 to February 15. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Resident Evil Village voice actress Jeanette Maus has died at the age of 39 following an eight-month battle with colon cancer. Maus, who played several characters in Capcom's upcoming Resident Evil game, including one of the witch sisters that makes up the daughters of the House of Dimitrescu, also suffered from Crohn's disease and had contracted COVID-19 last year — details which were outlined by her fiancé, Dusty Warren, in a GoFundMe campaign that was set up to help cover her medical expenses at the time. Per Deadline, Warren confirmed her passing in a statement on Facebook. "It is with a shattered-yet grateful-heart that I inform you that Jeanette Maus passed away late last night due to complications of cancer," he reportedly wrote. "I'm really sad, but I'm super proud of her. She fought so hard, with tremendous grace and optimism, inspiring myself and I'm sure many of you." Capcom, the developer and publisher of the best-selling video game franchise, paid its condolences on Twitter. "We here at Capcom R&D 1 are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Jeanette Maus, the talented actress who helped bring several different characters, including our witches to the world in Resident Evil Village.

A team of dedicated Assassin's Creed secret hunters have solved a wild mystery found within the bonuses included in the Assassin's Creed Valhalla's Collector's Edition. In early January, Access the Animus released a video talking about how they had decoded the ancient Isu language found in-game and then applied what they had learned to translate a series of corresponding Isu words such as "hidden inside", "this lake" and "now" that can be found on the packaging of the Assassin's Creed Valhalla Collector's Edition. Already a staggering achievement, the team pressed on to see if they could unravel any more secrets, as it felt like the mysterious terms had to lead to something. In the meantime, user JorRaptor posted a video to YouTube showing players how they can find a secret Isu Bow called Nodens' Arc in-game, by smacking a non-descript unbreakable patch of iron ore, exiting the game and reloading your save. But as revealed by Valhalla Narrative Director Darby McDevitt on Twitter, this was just a "brute force" way to solve a more complex mystery. The proper steps were still hidden, but have since been unravelled.

It is done! We were able to find the proper in-world path to obtain the Nodens' Arc bow in #AssassinsCreed Valhalla!

Capcom’s latest earning report details a record Q3 for the company, with high sales over the last nine months having been fueled by Resident Evil 3 and the continued success of Monster Hunter: World. A press release from the company states that net sales for Capcom are up 22.6% and operating income is up 32.2% year-over-year. Net sales amounted to a healthy 64,867 million yen, putting the earnings per share of the company at 164.15 yen, up from 122.39 yen in 2019. This covers the period April to December 2020. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/03/resident-evil-3-final-review"] During the third quarter, Capcom experienced growing sales of Resident Evil 3, which released at the very start of the financial year in April 2020. It has now hit 3.6 million sales. Meanwhile, 2019’s Monster Hunter World: Iceborne continued to sell well in 2020, and now has topped a cumulative 7.2 million units sold. On the business side of Capcom, a sale and profit increase was seen due to the release of a Monster Hunter: World-branded pachislo casino machine in November. “As a result, Capcom achieved the highest profit at all levels for the end of a third quarter in company history,” stated the press release. As detailed in the financial results presentation, the impact of COVID-19 has been considered ‘negligible’.

Destruction AllStars received its own State of Play today, detailing game modes, currency, hero abilities, the challenge series, and much more for this PlayStation exclusive launching on PlayStation Plus on February 2, 2021. Destruction AllStars' State of Play was revealed alongside the PlayStation Plus games for February 2021, a list that includes this new title from Lucid Games. This 8-minute deep dive began by discussing the game's three types of vehicles. The first is all about speed, which can drift and take corners like no other. The second is all about agility and was built specifically for giving the maximum amount of control. The third type are the heavy vehicles and can endure the most damage. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/27/destruction-allstars-state-of-play-video"] These cars are disposable by design and you are meant to constantly be jumping in and out of vehicles to earn points and destroy your opponents. When you are evading, wrecking enemies, and getting pick-ups, you will be charging both your hero vehicle ability and hero ability, each which are unique to the one of 16 characters you choose. The State of Play revealed Lupita's trail of fire abilities that damage all in their wake, while Shyft's are more strategic as they can turn them invisible and allow them to disappear from the mini-map. All heroes will be able to move faster and double jump while in hero mode.

Update 1/27 4:49 pm PT: Activision Blizzard reached out to provide a response to today's report claiming Vice "mischaracterized" the SEC filing made by the company's attorneys. In this new statement, Activision Blizzard says its objections were "rooted in the fact that the AFL-CIO proposal failed to adequately consider how to apply these practices in all of the countries we operate in." The AFL-CIO is a federation of labor unions and is based in the United States. The organization is affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation, and several affiliated unions do cross borders into Canada. IGN has asked Activision Blizzard to clarify whether the AFL-CIO specifically requested these hiring rules to be applied across all of Activision Blizzard's international businesses, or just ones based in the United States. Here's Activision Blizzard's full statement below:

Activision Blizzard is committed to inclusive hiring practices and to creating a diverse workforce; it is essential to our mission. Vice completely mischaracterized the SEC filing made by our outside attorneys. In fact, our hiring practices are rooted in ensuring diversity for all roles. We engage in this aggressively and successfully. Our objection was rooted in the fact that the AFL-CIO proposal failed to adequately consider how to apply these practices in all of the countries we operate in. Our games have uniquely influenced popular culture and have helped to increase tolerance and inclusion through their connectivity as well as the heroes we portray and our stories that celebrate diversity, equity and inclusion in so many powerful ways. In order to ensure that our games stay true to our mission--to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment--we require that all candidates of all backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, races and sexual orientations are considered for each and every open role.

On this week's episode of IGN's PlayStation show, Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano, Lucy O'Brien, and Max Scoville to discuss the Resident Evil Village Maiden demo, exclusively available on PS5, as well as why we're loving Hitman 3, Cyber Shadow, and more. Plus, we miss the PlayStation Plus games announcements but make our guess for the lineup, answers some listener questions, and more! [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-ps5-games&captions=true"]

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It’s true what they say. No one escapes the “Loop” in Fortnite. Whether it’s the near-constant barrage of licensed characters or world-altering events, there’s always something going on. The latest of which being an interesting update called the Fortnite Winter Trials.

What are the Fortnite Winter Trials?

Just like the game’s loop – involving Fortnite’s trapped denizens and their repetitive battles – Epic Games’ frequent updates are seemingly perpetual in nature. So much so, that they recently jumped the gun and revealed the Fortnite Winter Trails site before the event was live. Epic hasn’t come forward with any news just yet. Thankfully, data miner HYPEX was able to share some information about the coming event. According to Hypex and the official event page, the Winter Trials is an influencer tournament that will reward active players with cosmetics; they’ll be able to garner badges that unlock different rewards over the course of seven days.

Fortnite Winter Trials 2021 Schedule

The Fortnite Winter Trials site states that the tournament starts on January 25 and ends on February 1 at 8:59pm PST/11:59pm EST. Individual and team challenges start on January 26 and run until the 31st. Check out the full Fortnite Winter Trials schedule below:

Group Tournament Schedule:

• January 25, 28, and 31 starting at 3pm PT/6pm ET

Individual and Team Challenges Schedule:

• January 26, 27, 29, and 30 starting "at every player's convenience"

How to Earn Fortnite Winter Trial Badges

In order to unlock the Fortnite Winter Trial rewards, players will need to first gain badges. This is done by voting for challenges, collecting bounties, and by just playing Fortnite. The number of badges earned is determined by the activity.

Despite AMD's record breaking 2020, it anticipates PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC chip shortages to last through at least the first half of 2021. As reported by Tom's Hardware, AMD recently held its Q4 2020 earnings call and AMD's president and CEO Lisa Su discussed these shortages in response to an investor asking about the magnitude of supply constraints due to growth and the COVID-19 pandemic. While AMD saw "a strong revenue ramp" in its business, Su mentioned that "overall demand exceeded our planning." As a result, there were supply constraints near the end of the year in the PC market, low-end PC market, and in the gaming markets. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-ps5-games&captions=true"] Su also discussed how this means she expects chip shortages in the first half of 2021 as AMD works to improve supply, but she reassures that there is "added capacity" in the second half of 2021 that should hopefully help. "And so we do see some tightness through the first half of the year, but there's added capacity in the second half," Su said. "And then as in terms of how we -- how we think about these things, so for our full-year annual guide, we do have good visibility on both the demand side and the supply side. And that was the basis for the guidance across the businesses." Su previously spoke to Xbox head Phil Spencer, as AMC produces the CPU and GPU of the Xbox Series X/S, and both teams are working as hard as they can to meet the high demand of the next-gen consoles.

Scavengers Studio, the developer of Darwin Project and the upcoming Seasons, has issued an official statement regarding the toxic workplace allegations levied against the studio's co-founders Simon Darveau and Amélie Lamarche. Lamarche, who is Scavengers Studio's CEO, said in the statement that the company "wishes to apologize for the harm caused" and that it is taking these allegations seriously. Additionally, it is "committed to doing better for our employees, our fans and our partners." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/season-announcement-trailer"] The studio held an emergency Board of Directors meeting to decide on the best course of action moving forward, and is enacting the following changes immediately;

• Simon Darveau is indefinitely suspended from all responsibilities within the company and from the Board of Directors.
• An external auditing firm will conduct an independent workplace assessment and audit of our culture and practices.
• Daisy Lilly Best, currently Director of Operations, is appointed as Chief Operating Officer and will be reporting directly to the board of directors for the duration of the audit to ensure complete transparency and accountability.
• The audit report will be shared in its entirety with the team and presented by Daisy to the board for further actions to be taken.

Furthermore, to "ensure a transparent, fair and unbiased process" Lamrache will be stepping down as from her role as CEO for the duration of the audit.

Tencent has purchased a minority stake in Life Is Strange developer, Dontnod, to create new series. This minority purchase cost Tencent €30 million, or roughly $36 million, and will be used to finance a new franchise from Dontnod for PC, consoles, and mobile devices. The funding will also be used to allow Dontnod to self-publish whatever this new game becomes.

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What a week! There's so much to discuss on this episode, from Microsoft shockingly doubling the price of Xbox Live Gold only to just-as-shockingly walk it back later that same day, to the insane new Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic rumor, to Vicarious Visions merging into Blizzard to work on...Diablo 2 (!), and more! Subscribe on any of your favorite podcast feeds, 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 Brian Raffel, the cofounder of Raven Software – the studio behind Star Wars Jedi Knight II Jedi Outcast, Soldier of Fortune, Heretic, Hexen, Star Trek Voyager Elite Force, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, X-Men Origins Wolverine, and this year's Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War, among many others: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/27/working-on-call-of-duty-star-wars-star-trek-and-more-stories-from-raven-softwares-cofounder-ign-unfiltered-54"] It's already been an incredibly fun year of Xbox coverage, and the best is yet to come. Join us! Oh, and feel free to leave us a video Loot Box question below using Yappa and you might be featured on an upcoming episode! 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.

The World of Darkness is coming to VR with a new title, Wraith: The Oblivion - Afterlife. This VR title will exist in the same universe as Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2. Set in a world where vampires, werewolves, and now ghosts are all real, Wraith: The Oblivion - Afterlife stars photographer Ed Miller who is dead by the start of the game. But fear not, he becomes a wraith and can traverse between the world of the living and the dead. As a wraith, Ed must enter the opulent Barclay Mansion and use supernatural powers to uncover the horrible mystery behind the mansion's dark history. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=wraith-the-oblivion-announcement-gallery&captions=true"] The Oblivion - Afterlife is a single-player, story-focused game with an emphasis on mystery and exploration. Players will use their ghostly powers and commune with a mysterious voice called The Shadow who will push Ed closer to "Oblivion" where departed souls ultimately go. There will be some instance of combat in The Oblivion as Ed must face off against malevolent spirits haunting the Barclay Mansion. Check out the announcement trailer below with in-development footage of the Shadow. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/27/wraith-the-oblivion-afterlife-announcement-trailer"] "Being the first studio in the world to create a video game based on Wraith: The Oblivion AND the first-ever VR game set in the World of Darkness has made us incredibly proud," says Fast Travel Games Creative Director Erik Odeldahl in a statement. "We cannot wait for all of you to try it out." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=wraith-the-oblivion-afterlife-screenshots&captions=true"] The World of Darkness is fast expanding in the world of video games.

Hitman 3 is a major success for developer IO Interactive, which has already recouped all of its development costs for the game. Those costs were recouped just under seven days after the release of Hitman 3, according to GamesIndustry.biz. The success of this game is even more important for the studio as Hitman 3 is the first game in the series self-published by IO Interactive. IO Interactive CEO, Hakan Abrak, told GamesIndustry.biz that keeping the game's marketing and PR close to the development team was a huge benefit to Hitman 3's success. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=hitman-3-playstation-5-screenshots&captions=true"] "We have been really happy with the Hitman 3 journey," Abrak said. "It has been a labor of love between our fans and everyone at the studio. As the developer and publisher, we are immensely proud that we can say Hitman 3 is already profitable. We have recouped the total project costs in less than a week." Abrak said that this success puts IO Interactive in a "really good place" and allows the studio to "confidently move forward with (its) ambitious plans for future projects." Abrak is likely alluding to the James Bond game in the works that was recently announced. The CEO said creating a game that can be brought to audiences in the most direct way possible — self-publishing — was very effective as it allowed the creative and development sides of the studio to work closely with the publishing and marketing arms throughout the entire project. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/25/hitman-3-accolades-trailer"] "We need that collaboration because we all want to create a quality product," Abrak said.

A Tomb Raider anime series is in development at Netflix, and will be set after the events of Crystal Dynamics' most recent trilogy of games. The streaming service announced the news in a press release on Wednesday. Tasha Huo, who is working with Netflix on The Witcher: Blood Origin, will write and executive produce. Legendary Entertainment is working with Netflix on Tomb Raider after previously working with the streamer on the Lost in Space remake. It was also announced on Wednesday that Legendary is working on a Skull Island anime series at Netflix. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/01/shadow-of-the-tomb-raider-developers-react-to-48-minute-speedrun"] dj2 Entertainment is also working on the Tomb Raider anime. It's the latest in a long line of video game adaptations for the company following the Sonic the Hedgehog movie. They have a movie based on Sleeping Dogs in development along with TV shows based on My Friend Pedro, Disco Elysium, Life is Strange, and more. There's no word yet if Camilla Luddington, who played Lara Croft in the reboot trilogy, is part of this project.

Sony has revealed that Destruction AllStars, Control: Ultimate Edition (PS4 and PS5!), and Concrete Genie are the PlayStation Plus games for February 2021. Announced on PlayStation.Blog, all three games will be available on February 2, 2021. While Control: Ultimate Edition and Concrete Genie will only be available until March 1, Destruction AllStars will stay until April 5. Alongside this news, PlayStation also shared its newest State of Play, and it is focused entirely on Destruction AllStars. It lasts nearly eight minutes, and gives an in-depth look at the "car-smashing, heart-pounding, thrill-seeking world of Destruction AllStars." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/27/destruction-allstars-state-of-play-video"] Control: Ultimate Edition is a welcome one, as there was a bit of controversy over the fact that this version was the only one that would get the next-gen upgrades. Those who purchased the base game would have to buy Control again to get these improvements. Control was our game of the year in 2019, and in our review, we said "thanks to a strong supporting cast, a well-written script, and plenty of intriguing breadcrumb trails, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my adventure through the shifting rooms of Oldest House.

EA has announced the newest studio in its stable, Full Circle, and the Vancouver-based, but also globally focused, studio will be the team behind the recently announced new Skate game. While it remains unclear whether the newest entry in the Skate franchise will be Skate 4, or reboot of the franchise, or something else, EA confirmed the Full Circle team will be led by Daniel McCulloch, the former Head of Box Live at Microsoft. Returning Skate producers Deran Chung and Cuz Parry remain on board, having appeared in the Skate sequel's announcement video at EA Play 2020. [caption id="attachment_2465615" align="alignnone" width="720"] Full Circle's Studio Logo[/caption] “The fans wished Skate back into existence and we want them to feel involved in the process from development to game launch and beyond. We want them to feel like they are a part of Full Circle,” McCulloch said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “We’re all about having fun and making great games that people want to play with their friends.

Remothered developers Stormind Games have announced Batora: Lost Haven, a new action-RPG in development for current-gen consoles (including Nintendo Switch) and next-gen consoles as well as PC. Batora puts you in control of Avril, a regular teenage girl who finds herself traveling to many planets to try and save a dying Earth from being destroyed. As the Stormind team describes it, "Batora is based on the duality between mind and body, introducing a new game mechanic that challenges players to find the perfect balance between the two - losing sight of one could mean that their journey is over. Batora doesn’t present the hero’s journey in black or white, good or evil: there are decisions and there are their consequences. Every single decision Avril makes will turn out to be important, often even life-changing, for the characters she meets or the places she visits." In gameplay terms, this means mastering when to alternate between physical-based and mental-based attacks within the same battles, which you can get a hint of in the announcement trailer above. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=batora-lost-haven-announcement-screenshots&captions=true"] The art direction is described as a 1950's sci-fi aesthetic inspired by the work of Paul Lehr. “Bridging the gap between the physical and mental calls for a particular visual representation and we’ve really tried to distinguish between the two with a hand-painted approach inspired by Sci-Fi art of the 1950s versus the photo-realistic approach of many of today’s AAA titles," said art director Gaetano Caltabiano.

There are always two sides to every story, but rarely does the audience get to experience them both at the same time. Such is the novel gameplay hook central to The Medium, an enthralling psychological horror adventure that splits your focus between a gloomy real-world setting and a haunting parallel spirit world, with actions performed in one having a measurable impact on the other. It’s a stylish and clever technique that’s used to consistently engaging effect, allowing for some stimulating puzzle design and exhilarating moments of reality-hopping cat and mouse with a truly memorable monster.

I quickly warmed to the self-deprecating charm of The Medium’s split-screen scream queen, Marianne. She’s a spirit guide who is lured to an abandoned resort in the Polish hinterland hoping to uncover the origin of her clairvoyant abilities, and her consistently wry observations – delivered by actress Kelly Burke – kept the mood from becoming too dire in what is an otherwise intensely disturbing detective tale. Determining the extent of the evil atrocities that went down within the hotel’s walls and identifying the perpetrators soon becomes the main focus, one that I took great morbid delight in as I pieced together each and every sinister scrap of evidence along its bloodsoaked breadcrumb trail.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/25/the-medium-the-first-18-minutes-of-gameplay-on-xbox-series-x-4k"]

First thing’s first: you might need to reconfigure what you think this upcoming package of Mario gaming on Switch is. When it was first announced, it felt like the archetypal re-release - a shiny port of an underplayed Wii U game to entice those who missed it first time round, with an extra expansion to tempt back those who did play 3D World. It isn’t that, really.

Yes, Super Mario 3D World is a mostly unchanged game, but Bowser’s Fury isn’t an expansion – it’s a fundamentally separate game, picked from a title screen and booted into without ever having to touch 3D World. It’s built from the same foundations, yes, but into a very different shape. With that in mind, this isn’t so much a ‘preview’ as ‘previews’, plural - so let’s start with the more familiar of the two halves.

Super Mario 3D World

Like a lot of Wii U re-releases for Switch, Super Mario 3D World feels less like a triumphant encore than a necessary reintroduction. After its last console’s failure, Nintendo knows how comparatively few people will have played this installment of its most famous franchise. As such, we seem to be getting a version built more to offer a smoother on-ramp for new players than to offer new ideas amid the original formula.

For those who know nothing about it, 3D World is a classic, course-based Mario game, extruded from 2D into 3D, and offering the flexibility to play with up to 4 people at once. It’s a riot of colour, mechanical ideas and, especially with others, gentle chaos, as characters, enemies, obstacles, and physics objects collide. We loved it back in 2013, and time hasn’t dimmed its charms - Nintendo’s mastery of art design means even its visuals haven’t suffered too much in the intervening years.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2013/11/19/super-mario-3d-world-video-review"]

Psyonix is adding new visual options for the Rocket League arena Neon Fields following reports from players of potential seizures. In early January, The Loadout reported on the neon-soaked new arena, noting that it was potentially causing seizures in some players. User psyonixistrynakillme made a post on the official Rocket League subreddit, which started "I am epileptic and the new map is giving me seizures. I've tried complaining on psyonix support and tweeting at them. Got no real answers than pretty much "Oops! Sorry!" So I made a reddit and hopefully my voice is heard here." Other members of the subreddit rallied around the post, bringing it to the attention of Psyonix, who replied to the thread in an attempt to speak to the poster. [caption id="attachment_2465964" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Neon Fields arena in Rocket League.

Among a recent slew of exciting developer-acquires-major-franchise announcements, the one that really stands out as a truly natural fit is IO Interactive’s acquisition of the James Bond licence. It’s easy to see why this team is a perfect fit for the license – the developer’s recent Hitman games have oozed 007 energy, from their sharp suits and jet-setting missions to kill animations that are practically Moore-era one-liners in physical form. With Hitman 3, IO Interactive has effectively crossed the finish line on a three-part proof-of-concept for the iconic spy. In this final entry, we see all the tools necessary to not just make a great Bond game, but to continue the evolution of IOI’s design philosophy into more cinematic territory. The secret to that lies in Hitman 3’s unparalleled blend of sandbox level design, meticulously-crafted simulation, and emergent, player-driven storytelling. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/19/io-interactive-bond-game-project-007-teaser-trailer"] One of the hallmarks of all Bond stories – and, by extension, Bond games – is that they take place across a variety of exciting locations. This is perhaps what makes IOI so immediately recognisable as a great fit for 007: Hitman is a globe-hopping series. It takes Agent 47 to a wide variety of international locales, from the streets of Mumbai, to italian villas, to the extravagant parties of clandestine societies. But it’s how Hitman allows you to deploy your predatory skills in each of these unique arenas that really demonstrates IOI’s talent for the secret operative genre. The trilogy offers unparalleled freedom of approach, allowing you to infiltrate zones and eliminate targets in almost any method you can imagine. Intertwining groups of NPCs permit the ascension from backstreets to penthouse, such as disguising yourself as hotel staff to infiltrate a room and steal a socialite’s identity, which in turn allows you to blend in at a wealthy party.

CD Projekt Red has begun releasing official modding support tools for Cyberpunk 2077, paving the way for more complex mods of the PC version. The official Cyberpunk 2077 mod support page explains that it will offer "official tools and resources that will help you modify and create your own experiences in the world of Cyberpunk 2077." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/08/5-best-pc-mods-to-help-fix-cyberpunk-2077"] Those tools tools are currently fairly limited, offering downloads of the game's metadata, and two utilities for listing game data and settings. There's nothing just yet that allows modders to easily unpack and edit the game's files, so this should be considered a first step on the road to official mods, rather than the beginning of a new influx. CDPR adds that, "Tools will be continuously updated alongside with game patches to ensure compatibility." It also encourages users to read the licence agreement before opting to use modding tools, presumably to ensure all users understand the guidelines around using third-party software in relation to CD Projekt's own creation. While official mod support is only just being added, the community has been producing mods for Cyberpunk 2077 since the game released in December last year. While generally simple, some successful mods so far include one that adds the smoggy atmosphere of Blade Runner to Night City, renders the game in a Borderlands-style cell shaded look, and a variety of others than improve the game.

Nintendo has revealed a new Monster Hunter Rise variant of the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. Posted to Twitter by Nintendo of Europe, the special edition Monster Hunter Rise Nintendo Switch is adorned with a variety of runes and symbols relating to the game, with some engraved onto the back of the console. The Joy-Cons also feature golden accents, with the dock itself depicting the Magnamalo and raining fire. The tweet reads, "This Monster Hunter Rise #NintendoSwitch bundle (includes download code for #MHRise + Deluxe Kit DLC + bonus content) will be available on 26/03, alongside this special edition Nintendo Switch Pro Controller." pic.twitter.com/38qm3qPZF0

— Nintendo of Europe (@NintendoEurope) January 27, 2021

According to the tweet, the Monster Hunter Rise Nintendo Switch bundle will include a download code for the game as well as "Deluxe Kit DLC + bonus content." The bundle and the Monster Hunter Rise Nintendo Switch Pro Controller will be available for purchase on the 26th of March to coincide with the game's release. In other Monster Hunter Rise news, Capcom is set to launch ultra-rare and golden Japan-only Monster Hunter Rise amiibo, available as part of a 7-Eleven promotion.

Bethesda has revealed The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood, a new story chapter that serves as a prequel to the events of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. It will launch on separate dates in June for PC and consoles. Revealed in a livestream on the Bethesda Twitch channel, the chapter will launch on PC on June 1 and June 8 on consoles. Blackwood will task players with "uncovering the schemes of the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon," who served as the primary antagonist of Oblivion. 30 hours of story content is set to be added to the game, set over 800 years before the events of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/27/the-elder-scrolls-online-gates-of-oblivion-blackwood-expansion-trailer"] This update will also introduce Oblivion Portal World Events, quality-of-life features and a Companions system similar to the single-player Elder Scrolls games, where players will be able to recruit, develop and customize NPCs to fight alongside them. It's all part of a year-long 'Gates of Oblivion' content roadmap for Elder Scrolls Online. The expansion will send players to famous locations related to the fourth Elder Scrolls game, including Leyawiin and Blackwood itself, which is "caught between the Argonian homeland and Imperial province of Cyrodiil." The Blackwood narrative will kick off with the Flames of Ambition DLC, which adds new dungeons that "reveal the threat of Mehrunes Dagon".

This metaphor might be a little on the nose, but Skul: The Hero Slayer brings a fresh new face to the now overflowing rogue-lite genre by literally giving you lots of faces. Like the bizarre offspring of Dead Cells and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask that it is, this undead adventure combines fast-paced 2D platforming and combat with the ceaselessly amusing ability to swap your hero’s skull, and with it your playstyle, at will. And while it undoubtedly shares DNA with Dead Cells (so much so, in fact, that The Prisoner is actually a playable cameo character) Skul is by no means a copycat, rivaling its inspiration in the quality of its chaotic combat while standing out with plenty of interesting new ideas. As with all rogue-lite games, the key to getting better is in both learning the areas, enemy types, and bosses you might face in any given randomized run, as well as permanently upgrading your character’s base stats and gaining perks that make you a bit stronger with each attempt. But where Skul truly shines is in how its head-swapping manages to keep its grind sustainably fun even after dozens of hours of failure.

Microsoft has posted record profits this quarter, including a boom in its gaming sector which has revenues up 51%. The company as a whole posted a record-breaking $43.1 billion in revenue. In the most recent financial earnings report for the period ending on December 31, 2020, Microsoft shared that revenue increased by 17% to reach $43.1 billion and $15 billion in profit. As per the case for the last several quarters, profits were driven by Microsoft’s cloud platform, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t other successful ventures. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true"] Hardware saw the biggest growth thanks to the launch of the Xbox Series X|S. Microsoft says the gaming hardware segment grew 86% thanks to the new hardware, though the company hasn’t shared exact numbers. Meanwhile, Microsoft reported that revenue has grown 51% overall in games, with Xbox content and services revenue up 40%. The growth has been attributed to third-party titles, Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, and first-party titles. According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella during the conference call, Xbox Game Pass now has 18 million subscribers. The numbers also don't take into account Microsoft's Zenimax acquisition, which it says is expected to close later this year. News of Microsoft’s successful quarter has pushed up Microsoft stock. The success of the company is of course based on a broad array of product and offerings, not just gaming.

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has revealed the finalists for the 24th annual D.I.C.E. Awards, which will take place virtually on April 8. Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II leads the way with 11 nominations, followed by Ghost of Tsushima with 10.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum has been delayed to 2022. Nacon, the new publisher, announced the news on Twitter, confirming the company's involvement alongside developer Daedalic. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/24/the-lord-of-the-rings-gollum-teaser-trailer"] "We are forming a fellowship with @Daedalic to publish The Lord of the Rings: Gollum," Nacon's tweet reads. "The game will be released in 2022 on Xbox and PlayStation consoles, Nintendo Switch and PC. More news to come in the future."

We are forming a fellowship with @Daedalic to publish The Lord of the Rings™: Gollum™.

A huge Anglo-Saxon burial site in Northamptonshire in the United Kingdom was recently discovered and archaeologists unearthed over 3000 pieces of jewellery, weapons, and more. There are about 154 burials at this site and these burials and the nearly 3000 objects found within the span of them date back to around 1,500 years ago, according to LiveScience. These burials and objects were spread across a 15-hectare site that includes a 4000-year-old Bronze Age burial site as well. Seven different structures – three burial mounds and four other buildings – were discovered at this Bronze Age site. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/09/assassins-creed-valhalla-review"] "The Overstone Leys site contains by far the biggest Anglo-Saxon cemetery ever found in Northamptonshire," Project Manager at Museum of London Archaeology, Simon Markus, said in a MOLA release about the discovery. "It is rare to find both an Anglo-Saxon settlement and a cemetery in a single excavation. The excavations will help us understand the way people lived in both the Anglo-Saxon period, around 1,500 years ago as well as the Bronze Age, nearly 4,000 years ago." Markus said the human remains, objects, and buildings found at the site will help them learn more about the Anglo-Saxon and Bronze Age diets, health, origins, and day-to-day life of the people that lived during that period of history. Fifteen rings, 150 brooches, 2,000 beads, 75 wrist clasps, 15 chatelaines, 40 knives, 25 spears, 15 shield bosses, and an assortment of other things like cosmetic kits and bone combs were unearthed at the site, according to the MOLA.

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