IGN

Bungie's Halo Player Files Archive Is Going Offline Next Month

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Bungie has announced that it will close its Halo archive in February, which will mean player stats, screenshots, and files from the developer’s Halo games will be gone forever. Detailed as part of the studio’s weekly update blog post, Bungie explained that on February 9 the halo.bungie.net website will be taken offline permanently. Player stats, files, and screenshots from Halo 2, Halo 3, ODST, and Reach are currently stored on the website, although those archives have not been updated in almost nine years. For the best part of a decade, the website has effectively been in stasis, acting as a memorial for Bungie’s pre-Destiny years. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/07/07/bungie-25-years-in-25-seconds"] Players now have until February 9 to save their stats and files, should they wish. Bungie notes that this only applies to player data; news articles, forums, and groups from the Halo-era were imported into the current Bungie.net website in 2013, and so will remain online. Bungie’s current long-term project is, of course, Destiny. You can see what we made of its latest expansion in our Destiny 2: Beyond Light review, and catch up with the latest developments in our Fireteam Chat podcast. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 
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Matt Purslow

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Why Diablo Immortal's Alpha Was a Hell of a Good Time

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Ah, Sanctuary. It’s good to be back. Adventuring through Diablo’s bleak, harrowing and evil-infested world in the recent alpha was just the respite I needed from our own bleak, harrowing and evil-infested world. Anyway, after spending a dozen or so hours with it, I can report that Diablo Immortal is absolutely a game to be hyped about. It’s great – a proper new entry in the series, and not – as some feared - a watered down mobile lookalike. Not only that, but while Diablo Immortal may be a free-to-play game, there are no gameplay roadblocks tied into that; you can play every class, take on every mission, find every piece of loot and max out all your characters without spending a cent. I felt no impetus to spend at any point during my time with it.[poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=Diablo%20Immortal%20is%20a%20proper%20new%20entry%20in%20the%20series%2C%20and%20not%20a%20watered%20down%20mobile%20lookalike."] With that out of the way, here are some of the reasons the alpha was such a good time. (If you’d like a broad overview of the game first, check out this piece on what Diablo Immortal is all about.)

Meaty Combat

Diablo Immortal’s moment to moment combat feels great. Diablo III was already best in class when it came to punchy combat; there was nothing quite like hitting an enemy so hard its skeleton was ejected from its body. Immortal has similarly potent animations and meaty sound effects. And crucially, the actual mechanics of controlling your character with a touch screen are fine. I’ve never liked virtual analogue sticks or virtual buttons, but it really didn’t take long to adapt to Diablo Immortal’s controls.
Author
Cam Shea

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Fighting Game Community Organizers Introduce Code of Conduct to Combat Harassment, Abuse

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
The fighting game community is taking steps to adopt and standardize a code of conduct to make the community safe and more welcoming. The code of conduct aims to make official best practices on matters ranging from abuse and harassment to personal hygiene. As reported by Kotaku, the Code of Conduct was crafted by a community of volunteers, reviewed by peers, and agreed to by community leaders to get tournament organizers [TO] to sign on and adopt the measures. “This is the Fighting Game Community Code of Conduct. Its goal is to prevent and expel predatory behavior and emotional, sexual, verbal, and physical abuse to create a safer and more inclusive [Fighting Game Community] in which more people can enjoy the fun, exciting, grassroots spirits of our community,” the Code’s preamble says.
Author
Matt T.M. Kim

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New Pokemon Snap Release Date and the Big Bowser's Fury Reveal - NVC 543

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Welcome to Nintendo Voice Chat! Nintendo finally pulled back the curtain on Bowser's Fury, and the NVC panel is here to react to the Koopa King's sweet new look. Plus, New Pokemon Snap's release date was revealed this week, along with a brand new trailer! Join your permanent temporary host Seth Macy, along with Brian Altano and Tom Marks for another fun episode of NVC.

NVC is available on your preferred platform!

You can also Download NVC 543 Directly Here

You can listen to NVC on your preferred platform every Thursday at 3pm PT/6pm ET. Have a question for Question Block? Write to us at nvc@ign.com and we may pick your question! Also, make sure to join the Nintendo Voice Chat Podcast Forums on Facebook. We're all pretty active there and often pull Question Block questions and comments straight from the community.

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Logan Plant is the Production Assistant for NVC. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.

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Logan Plant

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Axiom Verge Gets Its First Free Update Six Years After Release

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Axiom Verge — the critically-acclaimed Metroidvania — has released its first free content update six years after its release, a Randomizer Mode for all the speedrunners out there. Developer Tom Happ is busy working on the sequel Axiom Verge 2, but as a recognition of Axiom Verge’s popular speedrunning community, he has released a Randomizer Mode as a free update. The mode will let players randomize the items they get as they progress in the game. But instead of just a simple jumbler, the mode is “smart enough to know that in certain areas you need weapons with certain characteristics to progress.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/10/axiom-verge-2-announcement-trailer"] As par for the genre, players will need certain items to backtrack and access previously inaccessible areas. And the Randomizer will take this into account while still adding an element of chaos and difficulty for speedrunners. The Randomizer Mode is currently only available on Epic Games Store and Steam copies of Axiom Verge, with a console release slated for a later date. Epic Games Store users will find a beta version of Axiom Verge with the new mode automatically in their library. On Steam, players will right-click their copy of Axiom Verge in their library, go to Betas, and select the new version with the Randomizer update. Happ says he’s adding the “finishing touches” to Axiom Verge 2 and there will be an update on it soon. Check out IGN’s review of Axiom Verge for more. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.
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Matt T.M. Kim

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The (Mostly) Complete History of the PS4

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN

PlayStation 4’s dominance this past generation could not have been more of a 180 from Sony’s struggle during the PS3 era. From minute one, Sony not only announced what the PS4’s impressive seven-year run would be about - games, first and foremost - but also found ways to leapfrog ahead of the Xbox One, which stumbled out of the gate and lost the momentum it Microsoft enjoyed during the reign of the Xbox 360.

Author
Jonathan Dornbush

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Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War and Warzone Get New Maps, More, in Major Update

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
New weapons, maps, modes, a new Zombies map, and more are being added to Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War and Warzone as Season One updates continue to hit the games. The latest update for Season One is already live and it brings to the game a new melee weapon, a new multiplayer map, and two new maps for the PlayStation-exclusive mode Onslaught. There are also new modes for multiplayer and Zombies, and free access to the game's Zombies mode until January 21. The second part of this Season One update will go live on February 4 when a fan-favorite "Express" map from Call of Duty: Black Ops II returns to multiplayer and when the new Zombies map is added to the game. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/11/8-things-to-know-about-call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war"] Specifically, today's update brings the "Wakizashi" katana-like melee weapon to the game as an in-game challenge unlockable and blueprint available for purchase in the new Disavowed Assassin bundle on the store, as well as the "Sanatorium" multiplayer map, which sees ten squads of four "head up to the Ural Plains to fight over objectives and vehicles on land, sea, and air." "Dropkick" is the new mode joining the fray today and Treyarch describes it as a "frantic game of nuclear hot potato" that feature two teams fighting for control of a very important briefcase. On the Zombies side of things, "Cranked" is a new game mode available today and it sees players fighting zombies while racing against a clock that requires them to kill at least one undead enemy within a certain time limit.
Author
Wesley LeBlanc

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Sonic the Hedgehog Is Now a Playable Character in Puyo Puyo Tetris 2

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Sonic the Hedgehog has been added as free playable character in Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 alongside Sonic music and avatars, a Boss Raid mode, and more. Available today on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, Sonic is joined by three other characters - Ms. Accord, Lidelle, and The Ocean Prince. These three characters are making their first appearance in a localized release since Puyo Pop Fever. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/14/puyo-puyo-tetris-2-new-content-trailer"] The Boss Raid mode allows you and three friends to take down a challenging CPU-controller boss. As you all play, you will pop Puyos and clear Tetriminos that will shake Garbage Puyos loose and cause the boss to lose HP. There will also be different difficulty levels that will increase the number of bosses players will have to fight in a row. There will be Chance Time challenges that pop up through the match that, when completed, will inflict major damage on the boss. Item Cards can be earned from Boss Raids, and players can use them in the Skill Battle mode. This update also adds four new Background Music tracks like the Sonic the Hedgehog theme song and 20 new avatars, including Sonic, Shadow the Hedgehog, Dr. Eggman, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Metal Sonic. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=puyo-puyo-tetris-2-screenshots&captions=true"] [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. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
Author
Adam Bankhurst

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Ubisoft's Riders Republic Delayed

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Ubisoft's upcoming open-world, extreme sports "massive multiplayer playground" Riders Republic has been delayed later into 2021. Previously set for a Feb. 25 release on PC, PS5, PS4, Stadia, Xbox Series X and S, and Xbox One, the developers announced its release has been moved "to later this year" without giving a new release date or month. The full statement, posted in photo form on Twitter, reads: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/10/riders-republic-gamplay-trailer"]
Hey Riders, In September, we gave you a first look at our massive multiplayer playground in Riders Republic. We promised an action-packed outdoor sports park, filled with all-out mass races with more than 50 fellow Riders on next-gen consoles, a variety of diverse activities, and insane stunts. We can’t wait to have you traverse our vibrant world and live out your own Rider’s fantasy. Today, we want to let you know that we have made the decision to move our release to later this year. This additional time will allow our passionate team to deliver the best fun fueled experience to our players. Thank you so much for your support and understanding. Stay safe and get ready to join the madness of riders republic soon! -The Riders Republic Dev Team
As revealed during Riders Republic's September announcement, the extreme sports outing is from Ubisoft Annecy, the studio behind Steep and is set across seven different U.S. national parks and other landmarks brought together into an open world.
Author
Jonathon Dornbush

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Resident Evil Village: First Gameplay Reveal Showcase Announced

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
A Resident Evil Showcase will take place on January 21, 2021, at 2pm PT/5pm ET/10pm GMT and will give a guided tour of Resident Evil Village, a new trailer, the first-ever gameplay, and more Resident Evil news. Revealed via Resident Evil's Twitter, this showcase will be hosted by What's Good Games' Brittney Brombacher, and Capcom shared a short teaser video of what fans can expect next week.
Author
Adam Bankhurst

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Assassin's Creed Valhalla's Mysterious Isu Language Has Been Translated By Fans

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
The secret Isu language found in Assassin's Creed Valhalla has been deciphered by fans of the series. Assassin's Creed fan community Access The Animus released a video on January 13 (as reported by Eurogamer) detailing the fascinating process behind translating the secret texts, which has led them to decipher symbols found in the collector's edition of the game. There are a number of tablets you can find while playing as Eivor that display this language, and they can be cross-referenced with partially translated files found on Layla's computer in the modern portion of the game to be decrypted in full. Access the Animus used corresponding words, in-game translations and a complex understanding of grammar and historical language construction to figure out what had been written. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/09/assassins-creed-valhalla-review"] Using the in-game translations from Antony Henry, Access the Animus was able to apply what they had learned to the collector's edition of the game, which features Isu text on the packaging. So far they've found the words "Hidden Inside" on the Soundtrack CD, and "This Lake" in the CD bed of the game's case. They also arranged the collector's edition art prints which revealed another Isu word, "Now". Assassin's Creed Valhalla's Narrative Director Darby McDevitt praised the community on Twitter shortly after the release of the video. "Access the Animus, I never doubted you.
Author
Jordan Oloman

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New Pokémon Snap: April Release Date Announced

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Nintendo has announced that New Pokemon Snap will be released on Nintendo Switch on April 30, 2021. New Pokemon Snap will take place in the Lental region and will take players on an Pokemon-filled adventure through jungles, deserts, and more. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/14/new-pokemon-snap-release-date-trailer"] In New Pokemon Snap, players will take on the role of a budding Pokemon photographer and will work with the Lental region expert known as Professor Mirror, and his assistant Rita, on an ecological survey to photograph Pokemon in nature. You will also be traveling in ann auto-driving vehicle known as the NEO-ONE to allow you to focus on getting the best shots. Players will be able to interact with Pokemon by throwing Fluffruit to catch their attention or watch them eat, and can use the fruit to help draw them out of variety of situations. Professor Mirror will evaluate your photos and your score will be based on "the subjects’ poses, how large they appear, how directly they’re facing the camera and where they fall in frame." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=new-pokemon-snap-fresh-screenshots-and-art&captions=true"] As more photos are taken and more research is completed, Pokemon may even start to look and behave in new ways. Capturing these and more will help fill out your Photodex. Furthermore, some Pokemon and vegetation will appear to have a special glow. This is known as the Illumina Phenomenon and it will be up to you to figure out exactly what is causing it. New Pokemon Snap is the first new entry in the Pokemon photography game since the original N64 game in 1999.
Author
Adam Bankhurst

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Bowser's Fury Is a Short, Action-Packed, Free-Roaming Mario Adventure

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Nintendo has explained that Bowser's Fury - the new standalone adventure coming with the Switch release of Super Mario 3D World - will be a free-roaming experience that is "short but action-packed". The new Bowser's Fury website describes the story of the expansion: "Mario is sent to Lake Lapcat, where everything is cat-themed—and Bowser has gone berserk! Team up with Bowser Jr. to help his dad chill out in this short but action-packed standalone adventure." The website also confirms the adventure is free-roaming. You'll be travelling around Lake Lapcat in search of Cat Shines - which will let you unlock the new Giga Bell Power-Up - and reignite lighthouses to clear darkened areas. That sounds a little closer in approach to Super Mario Odyssey than 3D World's more curated courses. On Twitter, Nintendo added that Bowser's Fury can be selected from the Super Mario 3D World title screen - it's not an endgame level, or unlocked by playing the Wii U re-release. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/13/super-mario-3d-world-bowsers-fury-overview-trailer"] The new website also confirms how amiibo will work in the expansion. Using a Bowser amiibo will cause the new Fury Bowser to appear in game, and a Bowser Jr. amiibo will unleash "a powerful shockwave to knockout nearby enemies and blocks".
Author
Joe Skrebels

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Nioh 2 Complete Edition PC Features Detailed

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Nioh 2 publisher Koei Tecmo and developer Team Ninja have detailed the PC-specific features in the upcoming Nioh 2 Complete Edition, which will be released on February 5. PC players (Nioh 2 Complete Edition will be available on Steam) can expect support for 4K resolution, ultra-widescreen, HDR, 144hz (including the option for locked 60fps or 120fps), customizable key bindings, and gamepads. You can see them in action in the trailer above, and check out a bunch of screenshots in the gallery below. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nioh-2-complete-edition-pc-screenshots&captions=true"] Those who buy Nioh 2 Complete Edition on PC or PlayStation in its first three weeks of release will also receive the bonus pieces of armor “Sohaya Deserter Garb” and “Ornate Gold Armor.” And if you owned the original Nioh 2 on PlayStation 4, don't feel out - play the original game any time in those same three weeks, and you'll get them too. Check those armor sets out below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nioh-2-complete-edition-bonus-armor&captions=true"] IGN gave the original release of Nioh 2 an "amazing" review last March. Nioh 2 Complete Edition includes all of the original content, plus all three DLC expansions and multiplayer modes. [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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Ubisoft Massive's Star Wars Game Job Listings Hint at Game Details

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Following the news that Ubisoft Massive — the studio behind The Division series — will be developing an open-world Star Wars game with Lucasfilm Games, the company has updated several job listings for its Star Wars Project, with hints on what to expect from it. Listings include mentions of action-adventure and RPG games, linear and non-linear storytelling, and more. Ubisoft Massive’s job recruitment page was updated following this morning’s big Star Wars news. The page now lists several jobs in various departments in gameplay, art, production, animation, and more. While details on Massive’s upcoming Star Wars game remains sparse — only officially announcing that it is a story-driven, open-world adventure — the job listings indicate some areas of focus the developers are looking into.

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Author
Matt T.M. Kim

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The Future of Star Wars Games Is Bright

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
On this week's episode of IGN's PlayStation show, Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano, Max Scoville, and Lucy O'Brien to discuss all the big Lucasfilm Games news for the week. The cast discusses Ubisoft's newly announced Star Wars games, what we expect to see from EA's continued work on Star Wars franchises, like whether there will be a Jedi: Fallen Order 2 and Battlefront 3, and more about how this deal could mean a bright future for Star Wars games. Plus, we tackle the Indiana Jones game coming from MachineGames, and more. Watch the episode above! [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-ps5-games&captions=true"]
Author
Jonathon Dornbush

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ESO Delays Expansion Reveal Due to U.S. Presidential Inauguration

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
The Elder Scrolls Online: Gates of Oblivion reveal event has been pushed from January 21 to January 26 due to the U.S. presidential inauguration taking place on January 20. The January 26 event will be streamed on Bethesda's Twitch channel beginning at 2 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. ET / 10 p.m. GMT, the company announced on Twitter. Bethesda's Pete Hines, ZeniMax Online studio director Matt Firor, ESO creative director Rich Lambert, and other members of the development team will be on hand "to talk about the Gates of Oblivion’s new worlds, challenges, systems, and adventures." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=elder-scrolls-online-the-gate-of-oblivion-game-awards-trailer&captions=true"] Gates of Oblivion was announced at The Game Awards with a 2021 release window. The MMO's previous three expansions were all released between late May and early June, though Bethesda has yet to announce a date for Gates of Oblivion. ESO's last expansion, Greymoor, offered players a return to the province of Skyrim. IGN's ESO: Greymoor review called it "a strongly nostalgic return to the northwestern corner of Skyrim" marred by a "formulaic story [that] isn't as compelling." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/11/the-elder-scrolls-online-gates-of-oblivion-cinematic-trailer"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan is a freelance writer for IGN.
Author
Jordan Sirani

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Cyberpunk 2077 Next-Gen Update Will be Released in the 'Second Half' of 2021

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
CD Projekt Red co-founder Marcin Iwiński appeared on a video today to apologize on behalf of the company and the leadership team over the launch of Cyberpunk 2077. Iwiński promises more updates will be regularly delivered along with free content, including the promised free next-gen upgrade for PS5 and Xbox Series X, now targeting the “second half of 2021” CD Projekt never revealed when a next-gen upgrade for Cyberpunk 2077 will be released, other than that it would be released for free sometime in 2021. But now, Iwiński confirms that players will likely not see the update until the latter half of the year. As Iwiński says in the video, Cyberpunk 2077 was developed with PC first and foremost in mind. This was reflected in IGN's review of Cyberpunk 2077 where the PC experience was relatively smooth but nearly unplayable on base PS4 and Xbox One systems. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/11/cyberpunk-2077-graphics-comparison-ps5-vs-ps4-base-model"] Currently, console players, even those with PS5 and Xbox Series X systems, are playing a backward-compatible version of the PS4 and Xbox One game. The performance issues for Cyberpunk 2077 on consoles are so widespread, CDPR opened up an unprecedented refund policy, and companies like Sony even removed digital versions of Cyberpunk from the PlayStation Store.
Author
Matt T.M. Kim

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Steam in 2020: 50 Percent More Hours Played Than in 2019

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Steam has released its 2020 Year in Review, which reveals that the hours played on Steam was 50.7% greater than 2019. Steam began its 2020 Year in Review by acknowledging the COVID-19 pandemic that is still ongoing, and noted that while Steam was seeing "significant growth" before the lockdowns began, video game playtime surged when people began staying at home. This change led to new record breaking stats for Steam, including 120 million monthly active players, 62.6 million daily active players, 24.8 million peak concurrent players, 2.6 million new purchasers per month, 21.4% more games purchased compared to 2019, and the previously mentioned 50.7% more hours played compared to 2019 statistic. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/30/the-best-and-worst-reviewed-games-of-2020"] The increase in people purchasing and playing games led to a huge increase of traffic, with March 2020 seeing a 30-40% increase in total traffic related to game downloads. Cyberpunk 2077 also added to that server stress, with the game breaking records for download traffic with a peak of 52 terabytes per second, which doubled the previous record. This, and so much more, led to 25.2 exabytes of data being downloaded from Steam in 2020.
Author
Adam Bankhurst

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How Star Wars Games Can Flourish Now That EA Lost Exclusivity

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
With the revival of the Lucasfilm Games banner earlier this week and multiple game announcements, including a Ubisoft-developed Star Wars one, the galaxy far, far away is broadening outside the walls of EA Studios. And while the announcement may not be surprising given the turbulent stewardship of Star Wars at EA, it’s still an exciting prospect - one filled with hope for the future of Star Wars games and the potential freedom Lucasfilm Games may now have. In fact, Lucasfilm’s moves in the gaming space this week appear to be following in the footsteps of another Disney-owned entertainment - Marvel. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/13/the-future-of-star-wars-games-is-bright-beyond-episode-683"]

There’s Been an Awakening

Lucasfilm Games revives the pre-LucasArts branding from the ‘80s, and evokes classic adventure games like Indiana Jones, Monkey Island, and Sam and Max.
Author
Jonathon Dornbush

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Indiana Jones Trailer Breakdown: Setting, Timeline, and Easter Eggs Explained

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Indiana Jones is back, in video game form! I know, I know, we can’t believe it either. Helmed by MachineGames (Wolfenstein: The New Order) and the newly reformed Lucasfilm Games, an untitled Indiana Jones project is officially in the works. The game was announced on January 12 via a short teaser from Bethesda, where it was also revealed that Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard would serve as an executive producer on this exciting new adventure. In an interview with Wired, Lucasfilm’s VP of franchise content and strategy James Waugh said that the game was a “passion project” for Howard. “He came in with a point of view and a story that he really believes in”. That is the extent of our official knowledge about this game, but, like any good Indiana Jones mystery, there is always more to the story. As part of the game’s announcement blog, the copy notes that while few details have been revealed so far, the cryptic teaser “may hold some clues.” We’ve been poring over the short trailer with a fine-tooth comb, and sure enough, there are a lot of small details that you might have missed. Let’s talk about the most interesting finds.

Some of the game takes place in October 1937

Author
Jordan Oloman

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Amazon's Lord of the Rings Prequel: The Second Age Explained

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Update: With the recent reveal of the official plot synopsis for Amazon's Lord of the Rings series, we thought it was the perfect time to dig in on what the Second Age of LOTR is all about. Read on to learn more about the marvelous world author J.R.R. Tolkien created. [poilib element="accentDivider"] As the streaming wars heat up, Amazon is betting big on The Lord of the Rings. The company is spending hundreds of millions of dollars developing a prequel series set long before the events of the movies. This series will be set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, an important time that literally reshaped the face of the planet. And now casting news is pouring in on the show, with Game of Thrones’ Benjen Stark, Joseph Mawle, hired to play -- it seems -- the series’ villain. Will Poulter, will play protagonist Beldor and Markella Kavenagh has been cast as Tyra. If you're not familiar with the extensive backstory behind The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, don't worry. Here's everything you need to know about Middle-earth's Second Age and what it could mean for the plot of the prequel series. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=8-shows-that-could-be-the-next-game-of-thrones&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

The Second Age: The Basics

The fantasy universe created by J.R.R. Tolkien is much bigger than just the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings. The land of Middle-earth is part of a larger world called Arda.
Author
Jesse Schedeen

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Pokemon Is Working With Katy Perry for Its 25th Anniversary

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
The Pokemon Company and pop star Katy Perry are collaborating for Pokemon's 25th anniversary this year. 2021 marks the 25th birthday of the original Pokemon games released in 1996 and The Pokemon Company is looking to celebrate that anniversary in a big way, starting with Katy Perry, according to a press release from the company. The company plans to unify Pokemon with "another universal unifying force" in the form of music and that musical collaboration will be headlined by Katy Perry. [caption id="attachment_2460994" align="alignnone" width="720"]Credit: Christine Hahn and The Pokemon Company International Credit: Christine Hahn and The Pokemon Company International[/caption] "Headlined by pop icon Katy Perry, the star-studded program created in partnership with Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, accompanies fan-focused activations celebrating 25 years of Pokemon across the franchise's portfolio of video games, mobile apps, animation, merchandise and more," the press release reads. The Pokemon Company says it is working with some of the biggest names in music, "from rising artists to award-winning global superstars," for a program titled P25 Music.
Author
Wesley LeBlanc

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Hogwarts Legacy Delayed into 2022

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Harry Potter RPG, Hogwarts Legacy has been delayed into 2022, in order to give "the game the time it needs". In a statement on Twitter, a spokesperson explained: "We would like to thank fans from around the world on the tremendous reaction to the announcement of Hogwarts Legacy from our Portkey Games label. Creating the best possible experience for all of the Wizarding World and gaming fans is paramount to us so we are giving the game the time it needs. Hogwarts Legacy will be released in 2022."
Author
Joe Skrebels

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Factorio Review

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN

Rags-to-riches survival games are a dime a dozen these days, but Factorio’s wild ambition and open-ended format takes the potential for complexity up several notches. It starts you off as a spaceship crash survivor with only a pickaxe with which to explore its randomly generated 2D planets, but stick with it long enough and you can build all the way up to fighting aliens with tanks and creating manufacturing megastructures in seconds with a personal robot swarm. While it gets a little slow in certain places and its ultra-complex logistics chains can be overwhelming, the rewarding depth that can be extracted from its whirring conveyor belts and steam-belching power plants are worth the trouble.

Author
Leana Hafer

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Little Nightmares 2 Demo Now Available

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
A demo for Little Nightmares 2 is now available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The demo is also available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S users as well, and it's available on PC through Steam and GOG.com. According to Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe, the demo allows players to "discover the spooky world of Little Nightmares II and get a glimpse of Mono's journey discovering the Wilderness level on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/13/little-nightmares-ii-lost-in-transmission-demo-release-trailer"] The news of this demo dropped alongside a brand new trailer for the game, which you can view above. Digital preorders for the Switch version of the game are now live as well. Preorders on PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and PC, were already live before today. Physical preorders for the Day One Edition and the TV Edition, which is only available in Europe, are still available on the Bandai Namco Entertainment Store. "The TV Edition will add, in addition to the Nomes' Attic DLC and Mokujin mask, the complete soundtrack of the game as well as an exclusive diorama of Mono & Six, an artbook, a steelbook case...and stickers for the game," according to Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe. If you haven't yet played the first Little Nightmares, it's available to download for free on PC from January 13 to January 17 on the Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe store. An Epic account is require to download the game.
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Wesley LeBlanc

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EA Comments on Making More Star Wars Games After Lucasfilm/Ubisoft Partnership

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN

Today, Lucasfilm Games and Ubisoft Massive announced the two companies are working together on a new open-world, story-driven Star Wars game, and have started a "long-term collaboration". But what does this mean for EA’s multi-year licensing deal on Star Wars games? According to EA, the company will still work with Lucasfilm Games on Star Wars projects "for years to come".

EA released a statement about its future with the Star Wars brand following today’s news that Ubisoft will be working on a brand new Star Wars game with the newly formed Lucasfilm Games.

“We are proud of our long-standing collaboration with Lucasfilm Games, which will continue for years to come,” EA said in a statement. “Our talented teams have created some of the most successful games in the history of the Star Wars franchise, including Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars: Battlefront, Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes and Star Wars: Squadrons. We love Star Wars and look forward to creating more exciting experiences for players to enjoy.”

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/11/all-star-wars-games-will-be-branded-under-new-lucasfilm-games-banner-ign-news-"]

Earlier today, Lucasfilm Games made clear that it would continue to work with EA, and said that there were "a number of projects underway with the talented teams at EA". One of those projects is presumably a sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, after EA made clear that the first game was intended as the start of a new franchise.

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Matt T.M. Kim

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Lucasfilm Games Has More Projects to Announce This Year

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Lucasfilm Games has announced an open world Star Wars game from Ubisoft and an Indiana Jones game from Bethesda in the last two days – but it's not done yet, with more announcements to come this year, some of which will apparently be unexpected. On StarWars.com, Lucasfilm Games VP Douglas Reilly explains that the recent Lucasfilm Games rebrand, "Is really the culmination of years of preparing to come out and say, ‘We’re here, we’ve got a team of people, we’re going to make a lot of great games, and here’s some new things you weren’t expecting from us to do that we’re now starting to do.’ “And that’s going to continue throughout the next year or so, where we’re going to continue to announce projects that are more representative of the legacy of the old Lucasfilm Games that we’re now trying to live up to.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/12/indiana-jones-game-in-the-works-from-bethesda-and-lucasfilm-games-ign-news"] Those games will include Star Wars projects from EA, who previously held that license exclusively.
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Joe Skrebels

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Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury: Photo Mode, Giga Bell Power-Up and New Details Revealed

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury has gotten a new overview trailer, which reveals a number of new details, including a Snapshot photo mode, and details on how Fury Bowser is a timed event in the new spin-off adventure. You can check out the trailer below, or read on for all the new details. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/super-mario-3d-world-bowsers-fury-overview-trailer"]

Super Mario 3D World Snapshot Mode

  • Super Mario 3D World now includes a version of Super Mario Odyssey's Snapshot Mode, which allows you to freeze time, adjust the image, and change filters.
  • Collectible stamps - previously used for the Wii U Miiverse - are now usable in Snapshot mode, and can be applied to walls in your shots.

Bowser's Fury: New Details

  • Bowser's Fury, a full spin-off adventure, takes place in a kingdom of cats, Lake Lapcat, featuring cat-themed enemies, architecture and more.
  • You're tasked with collecting Cat Shines spread across the kingdom.
  • Bowser Jr. will appear for solo players, aiding the player, but can be controlled by a co-op partner.
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Joe Skrebels

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Elite Dangerous: Odyssey Expansion Delayed on PC and Console

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Frontier Developments has revealed that Elite Dangerous: Odyssey has been delayed due to the impact of COVID-19, with console versions in particular seeing a major pushback. The expansion, which lets players touch down on and explore planets on-foot, was originally slated to launch in early 2021 on PC and console, but this has had to be pushed back to later in the year. PC players who have pre-purchased Elite Dangerous: Odyssey Deluxe Alpha Expansion or hold a Lifetime Expansion Pass will get access to the Odyssey Alpha in early Spring 2021 to test the game ahead of its PC launch in late Spring 2021. The game will then launch on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in Autumn 2021, following feedback and iteration in the wake of the PC release. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/03/elite-dangerous-odyssey-announcement-trailer"] "The ongoing impact of the pandemic ... including the renewed lockdowns in 2021, continues to put added pressure on our teams and ultimately our development timeline," Frontier's statement reads. "We have therefore had to make the difficult decision to make some adjustments and changes to our existing development roadmap." "Please do know that these difficult decisions have been made with a focus on making Odyssey as incredible as it can possibly be for all our Commanders regardless of their platform, while also respecting realistic project deadlines for our teams during this difficult global situation," Frontier notes. For more on Elite Dangerous: Odyssey, check out our interview with Frontier about how the developer is not finished with space exploration just yet. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
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Jordan Oloman

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Open World Star Wars Game in Development at Ubisoft

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN

Ubisoft is working on a story-driven, open world Star Wars game with Lucasfilm Games. The Division developer, Ubisoft Massive will develop the new game. According to Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot, it marks the start of a "long-term collaboration" with Disney.

No other gameplay details have been announced, and Massive is "actively recruiting" for the project. The game will utilise the Snowdrop engine used for the studio’s Division games, and Division 2 director Julian Gerighty will direct this project too. No indication has been given as to whether Massive's Star Wars game would be single or multiplayer, what part of the Star Wars timeline it would be a part of, or when it might be released.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot did give a small tease to Wired, saying the game will be "an original Star Wars adventure that is different from anything that has been done before." Lucasfilm also told Wired that all Star Wars games would continue to be treated as canon alongside the film TV, book, and comic releases.

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Earlier this week, it was announced that Star Wars games will be brought under a new, single brand called Lucasfilm Games. Yesterday, Lucasfilm Games also announced that MachineGames and Bethesda are working on an Indiana Jones game.

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Matt T.M. Kim

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The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield 'Aren't Affected' By Todd Howard Producing the Indiana Jones Game

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Bethesda marketing boss Pete Hines has said that Bethesda Game Studos director Todd Howard's work on the MachineGames Indiana Jones project will not affect his "main focus" on directing Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6. As part of the announcement that MachineGames and Bethesda are working on an Indiana Jones game, it was also made clear that Todd Howard would act as executive producer for the project. However, Howard is also director on Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 – which we expect to be huge projects for the company. Replying to a Twitter thread noting Howard's involvement in multiple Bethesda projects at the same time, Hines reassured fans of his priorities. "Todd is currently EP on many BGS and other projects, such as the Fallout TV show," the tweet reads. "His main focus remains directing the upcoming Starfield and TES6 games, which aren't affected by today's news."
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Jordan Oloman

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Will Bethesda’s Indiana Jones Game Be an Xbox Exclusive?

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Will the just-announced Indiana Jones game from Bethesda, Machinegames, and Todd Howard be an Xbox exclusive? We discuss this fascinating announcement. Plus: is Star Wars gearing up for life after EA? And we sort through the revelation that Microsoft tried to buy Nintendo (!) in the early Xbox days, a rumored Mass Effect: Legendary Edition release date, and more. It's a busy week of Xbox on Podcast Unlocked! 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!
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Ryan McCaffrey

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D&D Reveals New Book, Candlekeep Mysteries, Designed for One-Shot Adventures

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Wizards of the Coast has announced a new Dungeons and Dragons book called Candlekeep Mysteries, which will launch on March 16. The title alludes to the library-fortress of Candlekeep, which will be familiar to fans of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. The tome will feature "seventeen mystery-themed adventures each centred around a single book found in the iconic library fortress" and provide background information about Candlekeep itself. The expeditions offered by Candlekeep Mysteries are designed to be played as one-shots - so they wrap up within the course of one tabletop session. The adventures in Candlekeep include 'The Canopic Being', in which "a book brings several puzzling organ transplants to light," 'Kandlekeep Dekonstruktion', in which "a stolen book leads adventurers to a tower in Candlekeep that is more than what it seems", and 'Zikran's Zephyrean Tome', where "a djinni trapped in a book offers a wish spell to adventurers who find a way to release him." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dungeons-dragons-candlekeep-mysteries-covers-and-art&captions=true"] However, Dungeon Masters will be able to drop these stories seamlessly into existing campaigns. WOTC says that the book is handy for DM's who want to "inject new characters, story hooks, magic items, and monsters into their game without tons of prep".
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Jordan Oloman

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Todd Howard May Have Teased Bethesda's Indiana Jones Game Months Ago

3 years 3 months ago
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IGN
Pete Hines has said that Todd Howard wasn't actively teasing the Indiana Jones game last year - he's just a huge Indiana Jones fan. Frankly, that makes the fact he's executive producing the game even nicer. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Todd Howard may have teased Bethesda's newly-announced Indiana Jones game two months ago. Speaking to Geoff Keighley last November, Todd Howard seemed to have the Ark and Idol from Indiana Jones & The Raiders of the Lost Ark propped up on his bookshelf behind him (as you can see in the tweet below).
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Joe Skrebels

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