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The Pokemon Company and P-Bandai have announced a new Gengar pillow that allows you to rest your head inside Gengar's mouth and people are very excited about it...for reasons. There's no judgment here though — everyone has those days where you just want to go home and curl up inside the head of the totally-sweet-and-not-at-all-scary Pokemon, Gengar. Thanks to The Pokemon Company and P-Bandai, that's now possible with their new Gengar pillow cushion for the price of 25,950 yen, or $249.54. The pillow sold out in just over an hour, as noted by Pokeshopper, but perhaps a second wave of pillows will be announced. Not only can you rest your head inside this Gengar's pillowy mouth, but you can use the cushion's 5 feet, 5 inches long tongue as a blanket to wrap yourself up in or lay on for additional comfort. As you might expect, the internet is going wild for this new pillow and there are already plenty of memes, jokes, and fears circulating social media. Here are just a few of IGN's favorites:

having a rough day just gonna shove my head in gengar’s mouth for a bit pic.twitter.com/Kc5NzZqZL1

Even though 2020 saw a lot of tabletop RPG groups move online, the team over at WizKids has been busy. In addition to their annual block of D&D minis, an update to its modular terrain system, and releasing one of the coolest tabletop accessories we've ever seen, the team was also working on a new run of Pathfinder Battles minis. Set to launch early next month, the Darklands Rising series features a host of creatures and monsters often found in the sprawling subterranean caverns below its core setting, along with a few famous faces from the Pathfinder universe. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=pathfinder-battles-darklands-rising-tabletop-minis&captions=true"] We've got an early look at the set, which you can check out in the gallery above. It contains roughly half of the 52 minis that can be collected, which are sold in "booster boxes" of four minis each. The Darklands Rising run features some of the most detailed 25mm-scale minis to date, and also reintroduces the "Huge" size category back into the Pathfinder Battles series. The final piece of the set is an impressive "premium" figure of the gold dragon Mengkare, also known in Pathfinder lore as The Great Wyrm. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=pathfinder-battles-darklands-rising-mengkare-the-great-wyrm&captions=true"] This "gargantuan"-sized (based on the rules for Pathfinder creature sizes) figure stands more than 10 inches high, with a wingspan just as wide.

Brad Venable – who provided his voice acting talents to Devil May Cry 5, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, multiple anime series and more – has died aged 43. Multiple members of the voice acting community have today posted tributes to Venable, having been given permission to share the news by Venable's wife. No cause of death has been announced at time of publish.

You saw the best in all of us and brought it out. You treated me like family, and called me your little brother. You motivated & inspired us. Our bond & friendship these past few years is something I will treasure forever. I love you @bradvenable I miss you brother pic.twitter.com/URPRVRgPro

— Brian Olvera @ Home Studio (@LiveStudioBrian) January 8, 2021

With the permission of his wife, I'm posting this video for you @bradvenable. Once I can gather my thoughts tomorrow, I'll record them when I'm not a goddamn mess. You'll tell me to let it all out, but man, if I do, I'd be crying forever. My brother. I love you so much. pic.twitter.com/S8x7fEjiTD

It’s been quite a ride for Agent 47. Over the last 20 years, Hitman has gone from a stealth sandbox masterpiece to a misguided (but still very good) action-adventure to an episodic reboot. And now it’s come full-circle, with Hitman 3 serving as a full-scope capper to the reboot trilogy that set the series back on its best course before developer IO Interactive moves on to its James Bond 007 project, which could signal the end for Agent 47 for the foreseeable future. If Hitman 3’s first mission is anything to go by, our favorite bald and barcoded assassin is going out in style. Agent 47’s passport has stamps from all around the world in it by now, and Hitman 3’s first mission takes him to Dubai. Hitman, at its best, has always been about its player-driven creativity, and Dubai sets this game off on the right foot as far as that goes. You’re tasked with taking out bad guys Carl Ingram and Marcus Stuyvesant as you stride towards the end of this trilogy’s Providence story arc. I played the mission three different times, which Hitman 3 encourages by once again unlocking new starting locations and gear based on your choices and performance on each successive playthrough.

Treyarch has confirmed that a mid-season update for Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War will arrive on Thursday, January 14, adding new maps and modes to the game's Multiplayer and Zombies modes. The January 7 Patch Notes update on the Treyarch blog confirms a few details about the mid-season Cold War content drop. One of the major introductions is a new Fireteam map called Sanatorium. This map will complement a new Fireteam mode called Dropkick, a 6 v 6 battle where players must "fight for control of the nuclear codes". [caption id="attachment_245944" align="aligncenter" width="720"] The new Sanatorium map coming to Cold War on January 14.[/caption] Elsewhere, Zombies players can enjoy tweaks to the Cranked mode, where "every zombie killed resets the timer counting down to your demise". In the PlayStation exclusive Onslaught mode, the Black Ops 2 map Raid has been added to the pool, as well as new Dark Aether intel for players to collect as they fight the horde. In other Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War news, check out our article covering how the game was made from home during a pandemic. If you're still trying to tackle the easter egg in Die Maschine, check out our handy guide for a walkthrough of all the steps. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN.

SNK Corporation has formally revealed The King of Fighters XV by debuting gameplay and showing off six characters. The game will launch later this year. The announcement was initially postponed on Wednesday and suffered a brief delay. Characters shown off in a new trailer (below) include K', Kyo Kusanagi, Leona, Benimaru, Shun'ei and Mai Shiranui. Not much in the way of detail is added, but we get a good look at the game's visual style, which looks to be a little more stylised than KOF 14. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/08/the-king-of-fighters-xv-official-gameplay-reveal"] Following the reveal trailer, KOF XV Creative Director Eisuke Ogura and Producer Yasuyuki Oda revealed a little more about how the game will play when it launches in 2021. "We're focusing on keeping the series' staple of being fast-paced while also adding elements to make it more exciting," Ogura notes. The developers are currently "brushing up features and optimizing the game," but plan to ship in 2021. Another trailer for The King of Fighters XV will land next week to supplement the reveal. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=king-of-fighters-xv-6-screenshots&captions=true"] Today's trailer also included news on King of Fighters 14 Ultimate Edition - out now digitally - a new release for King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match on PS4, and then revealed Cham Cham and The Last Blade 2's Hibiki Tanake as DLC characters for the Samurai Shodown Season 3 Pass. Samurai Shodown will also receive a game reblance in March. KOF XV was announced during EVO 2019, and we got our first glimpse of the game back in December 2020, which revealed that in addition to the characters mentioned above, Benimaru would be playable.

Amid new speculation caused by comments from a Duracell spokesperson, IGN understands that there is no deal forcing Xbox to use AA batteries in its controllers. Speaking to Stealth Optional, Duracell UK marketing manager Luke Anderson sparked speculation by saying, “There’s always been this partnership with Duracell and Xbox… It’s a constant agreement that Duracell and Microsoft have in place [...] [The deal is] for OEM to supply the battery product for the Xbox consoles and also the controllers’ battery. So that [deal is] going to go on for a while… it’s been going on for a while and I think it needs to go for a while [more].” Many took this to mean that the deal mentioned was the sole reason that Xbox uses AA batteries in its controllers, and some speculated that it could change that fact once the deal finishes. However, sources tell IGN that this is inaccurate. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/05/xbox-series-x-controller-review"] Duracell batteries are included with Xbox controllers, and Xbox has indeed been a part of Duracell OEM, a partnership program run by the battery manufacturer, but that appears to be a byproduct of Microsoft's decision to use AA batteries, rather than the cause of it. Contacted for comment, a Microsoft spokesperson said: “We intentionally offer consumers choice in their battery solutions for our standard Xbox Wireless Controllers.

Update: Nintendo has confirmed the outage is now over, and IGN has been able to access the Nintendo eShop (and download the Monster Hunter demo). [poilib element="accentDivider"] The Nintendo eShop is currently down for unscheduled "emergency maintenance", which may be due to demand for the recently released Monster Hunter Rise demo. The eShop has been down for at least 4 hours at time of writing, with Nintendo's Japanese customer support Twitter account repeatedly apologising for the issues, but offering no timescale for a fix. While neither Nintendo or Capcom has specifically commented on the connection, the outage coincides with the release of the demo for Monster Hunter Rise, which includes two quests and two tutorials for the upcoming Switch exclusive. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/07/monster-hunter-rise-hunting-a-mizutsune-gameplay"] Yesterday's Monster Hunter live broadcast revealed a number of new monsters and details about the game, including the fact that a new ability will let you ride monsters (an ability you can test in the demo). The demo weighs in at 1.6GB, and quests can be played a maximum of 30 times before its February 1 closure date.

Welcome to Nintendo Voice Chat! This week, your permanent temporary host Seth Macy is joined by Brian Altano, Tom Marks, and Logan Plant to share their best predictions for what Nintendo will do this year. Hear predictions involving Breath of the Wild 2, the Virtual Boy, and… a potential heist at Super Nintendo World? Plus, hear all about today's Monster Hunter Rise presentation, as well as early impressions of the new demo. Finally, we wrap up with another round of Question Block. Timecodes:

• 00:00:00 Welcome! Nintendo buys Next Level Games
• 00:05:00 Monster Hunter Rise & other news
• 00:27:30 2021 Nintendo Predictions!
• 00:48:10 Question Block!

NVC is available on your preferred platform!

On this week's episode of IGN's PlayStation show, Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano, Max Scoville, and guest Ray Apollo to discuss some of the news we missed over break and the state of the PS5 going into the new year. The cast offers updated thoughts on the Cyberpunk 2077 delisting news, the PlayStation Plus games for January (and moray eels!), before jumping into how Sony can continue the momentum of the PS5 in 2021. From supply constraint issues, more transparency with fans, and more, the cast offers hopes, excitement, and concerns about PlayStation going into 2021. Watch the episode above! [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-ps5-games&captions=true"]

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The Legendary Edition of Curse of Strahd from D&D designers Beadle & Grimm is a high-end edition of the adventure and comes with what might be the largest battle map we've ever seen.

This week in Grand Theft Auto Online, claim triple rewards in several modes, pick up the brand new BF Weevil vehicle, and get Cayo Perico bonuses.

In its two Vermintide games, developer Fatshark has proven its dedication to recreating the fine details of Games Workshop’s Warhammer ‘Old World’ setting. The studio’s next game, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, sees the same team explore the very different - but equally dense - 40K universe. And after a recent chat with a handful of Fatshark staff, it’s safe to say that they are nerding out just as much as they did on Vermintide, if not more. “How should we do the chainsword?” asks Mats Andersson, Game Designer on Darktide, recalling an early design meeting. “Because it shouldn't just cut. It should stick in, it should saw through, and then we should have a second damage that actually pops the [limb] off." The chainsword is Warhammer 40,000’s most recognisable close combat weapon; a device swung like a medieval longsword, but with the blade exchanged for a 30-inch long chainsaw. Hack into someone with it, and the result is akin to Gears of War’s Lancer MK2 bayonet, but significantly more goth. This gory, mechanical process, described in the many Warhammer 40K source books and novels, has meant recreating it has required a slightly different approach to Vermintide’s fantasy knives and axes. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/11/warhammer-40000-dark-tide-cinematic-reveal-trailer"] “And the coder is just like, ‘But can't we just chop the head off?’” recounts Andersson. “‘No, no, no. You have to go into the neck and saw down. And then you'd rip it out and that's when the head comes flying off. This is not other weapons, this is a chainsword.’” Adjust that last sentence a little, and it could be a seeming design philosophy for Darktide: this is not other shooters, this is a Warhammer 40K shooter. Like the Vermintide games before it, Darktide is a Left 4 Dead-style co-operative game in which teams of four progress through levels that are governed by an AI ‘Conflict Director’.

Twitch has announced that it will remove the popular "PogChamp" emote from its service following a tweet made by Ryan 'Gootecks' Gutierrez, whom the emote is based on, which "encouraged further violence" following today's insurgency on Capitol Hill. Today, during the legislative confirmation of the electoral votes for Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 Presidential Election, President Trump's supporters rushed, and briefly occupied the Capitol building, forcing Senators and House legislatures to barricade themselves or leave the premises for safety. During these events, Gutierrez tweeted a statement about the events on Capitol Hill that appeared to call for further violence during the takeover. [caption id="attachment_2458841" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The 'PogChamp' Emote[/caption] 'Will there be civil unrest for the woman who was executed inside the Capitol today or will the #MAGAMartyr die in vain?" Gutierrez tweeted. In a statement to IGN from a Twitch spokesperson, the company announced, "We've made the decision to remove the PogChamp emote following statements from the face of the emote encouraging further violence after what took place in the Capitol today." The company added, "We want the sentiment and use of Pog to live on — its meaning is much bigger than the person depicted or image itself — and it has a big place in Twitch culture. However, we can't in good conscience continue to enable use of the image. We will work with the community to design a new emote for the most hype moments on Twitch."

We've made the decision to remove the PogChamp emote following statements from the face of the emote encouraging further violence after what took place in the Capitol today.

A Monster Hunter Rise digital event revealed a lot of new gameplay details - not least the fact that you can now ride unsuspecting monsters. The new Wyvern Riding feature uses the new Wirebug item, and an unlockable ability, to let you ride and control monsters, even letting you organise fights between monsters in the process. It looks, quite frankly, brilliant. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=monster-hunter-rise-20-new-screenshots&captions=true"] Other new content included a new area, the Frost Islands, and the presentation detailed a number of new and returning monsters, including the Oni-like, ice blade wielding Goss Harag, as well as Barioth, Khezu, Great Baggi, Lagombi, Tigrex. We also learned more about the previously revealed Mizutsune - which can create movement-hindering bubbles - and flagship monster Magnamalo, an armoured beast that attacks with claws, tail, and hellfire-like gas. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/monster-hunter-rise-official-gameplay-details-trailer"] The show also showed off the game's key characters - village leader Fugen, singing twins Minoto and Hinoa, tea shop owner Yomogi, guildmaster Hojo, hunting leader Master Utsushi, and buddy handler Iori, who helps you with your Palamutes and Palicos. Outside of the village, Kogarashi is the chief of the local Felyne Meowcenaries, and Rondine is a travelling trader. Monster Hunter Rise gets a demo later today, featuring two tutorial quests and two hunting quests. The game will be released on March 26. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Capcom has announced that a demo for Monster Hunter Rise is coming today for Nintendo Switch, and will run until February 1. No specific release time has been announced. The demo includes 4 quests set in the Shrine Ruins area - a beginner and intermediate quest, and two tutorial quests. All 14 weapon types are available, and multiplayer can be played both online and locally. You'll also be able to bring along Palicoes and the new dog-like Palamutes. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=monster-hunter-rise-20-new-screenshots&captions=true"] The beginner quest will task you with taking down a Great Izuchi and its pack, with the intermediate example pitting you against a stronger Mizutsune. The tutorials will teach you the basics of using a Wirebug, and the new Wyvern Riding feature, which sees you controlling monsters and even causing them to fight one another. Today's presentation also introduced a new area, new and returning monsters, and other new gameplay details. The game will be released on March 26. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/monster-hunter-rise-official-gameplay-details-trailer"] We've learned quite a lot about the Switch exclusive in the run-up to its release, including that it marks the a new era in non-numbered Monster Hunter games, that it will feature skippable cutscenes, and much more. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story?

A seeming lost remake of the original Tomb Raider game has been discovered and made partially playable – and it may also have been planned as a possible Indiana Jones or National Treasure game. As reported by PC Gamer, Tomb Raider: 10th Anniversary Edition is now being preserved on the Internet Archive and is playable with some tinkering. The files include several levels, including Croft Manor, but there are no enemies present. The build was originally posted by Tomb of Ash, who says in a playthrough video that they were sent the files by an ex-Core Design developer. Per Tomb of Ash, Tomb Raider: 10th Anniversary was being developed for PSP by Core Design, the original creator of Tomb Raider, before it was cancelled in 2006. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/11/02/tomb-raider-anniversary-official-tv-commercial"] Interestingly, these files apparently represent a build of the game created after that cancellation, when Core Design may have attempted to reskin its work and create either a game based on Indiana Jones or National Treasure. Modder XProger has seemingly discovered a main menu screen that includes a National Treaure logo, but an Indiana Jones model.

Wasteland 3 developer InXile Entertainment appears to be working on an FPS RPG, according to new job listings. Spotted by Twisted Voxel, the studio's open positions such as Lead Gameplay Engineer mention that applicants will be working on InXile's "next-generation action role-playing game", implementing "new first-person shooter gameplay features". The Senior Gameplay Designer position talks about the creation of "powerful, tactile first-person weapons and unique combat abilities that draw the player right into the middle of the action", all but confirming that Inxile's project will be an first-person shooter RPG similar to the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 or Deus Ex. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/27/wasteland-3-review"] You can read through all of the job openings for yourself here, which offer more tidbits about the Xbox-owned studio's next big game. The Senior Lighting Artist position mentions experience in raytracing as a requirement, and the Lead Environment Artist listing talks about "evocative and immersive worlds" with a range of art assets "from realistic to slightly stylized" which gives us a vague idea of how this unannounced game will look.

In an attempt to secure exclusives for the original Xbox, Microsoft uncuccessfully talked about acquiring EA, Square, Mortal Kombat publisher Midway, and even Nintendo – before it found the unexpected trump card of Bungie and Halo. In a fascinating Bloomberg oral history about the creation of the original Xbox (that contains a lot more of Bill Gates shouting at people than you might expect), multiple Microsoft executives discuss the company's attempts at acquisitions. The first company approached was EA - which, due to its dominance in the industry at the time, team members apparently called the Snow White to the rest of the industry's Seven Dwarves. Then-head of business development Bob McBreen says the answer was "No, thanks", before Microsoft turned to Nintendo. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/07/02/podcast-unlocked-201-3-xbox-bosses-share-secrets-of-the-consoles-past"] "Steve made us go meet with Nintendo to see if they would consider being acquired," explains then director of third-party relationships, Kevin Bachus. "They just laughed their asses off. Like, imagine an hour of somebody just laughing at you. That was kind of how that meeting went." It seems the teams met more than once, with McBreen adding, "We actually had Nintendo in our building in January 2000 to work through the details of a joint venture where we gave them all the technical specs of the Xbox. The pitch was their hardware stunk, and compared to Sony PlayStation, it did. So the idea was, 'Listen, you’re much better at the game portions of it with Mario and all that stuff. Why don’t you let us take care of the hardware?' But it didn’t work out." McBreen also discusses that a potential Square takeover went as far as Microsoft providing a letter of intent to buy the company.

After two generations at the centre of Nintendo’s consoles, Miis seemingly took a back seat for Switch. You can still design a Nintendo-themed avatar on the handheld hybrid system, but Nintendo games support them far less frequently, with token appearances in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate their most notable appearances. It led many to believe the age of the Mii was over, but a new discovery seems to show that Miis are secretly at the heart of one of Nintendo’s most beloved Switch games – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. You just wouldn’t necessarily know that at first glance.

On January 4, Mii modder HEYimHeroic posted a discovery that seemed to confirm that Mii-like parameters had been used to create NPCs in Breath of the Wild, by using modding to inject custom Miis’ details into the game and seeing their familiar cartoon faces rendered as Hylians in Breath of the Wild’s art style. Those results seem to prove that Breath of the Wild’s NPCs are a form of advanced Mii - a point the game’s code helps support by referring to them as ‘UMiis’.

Hi, Mii expert here. Turns out, the NPCs in TLoZ:BotW use an advanced version of the Mii format. This means that with modding, you can inject Miis into the game. :)

Square Enix and People Can Fly have announced that Outriders has been delayed to April, and that a demo featuring all classes will be made available in late February. In a statement published to the Outriders Twitter account, the development team said "We have decided to move the release date of Outriders to April 1st 2021 (no joke!). We will spend this extra time fine tuning the game and focusing on delivering a fantastic play experience at launch."

An important update regarding Outriders. pic.twitter.com/HHZrq5GIik

Update: The official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account has now posted the same message to the account's 1.6 million followers:

Normally we don't comment on rumors but this time we wanted to make an exception as this story is simply not true.https://t.co/JuOTY2qJbM

Dishonored co-creator Harvey Smith is working on an unannounced new game at Arkane Austin, alongside devs from the Dishonored and Prey teams. Speaking to Vandal (and translated by IGN), Smith explained that he had moved back to Austin after completing Dishonored 2 at Arkane's Lyon studio, and confirmed that he's not a part of the company's next game, but a separate unannounced project: "I'm not on Deathloop , I'm on something else, working with the guys who made Dishonored and Prey." Smith makes no further mention of what that project could be, nor how far away it might be. It's possible that it could be a new Dishonored game, but we already know that any sequel to the much loved immersive sim series would feature new characters, after the Death of the Outsider 'expandalone' marked the end of the series as we know it. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/07/wolfenstein-and-dishonored-developers-play-each-others-games"] Whatever the game ends up being, it will be part of the new era of Microsoft-owned Bethesda games, meaning it would almost certainly launch into Game Pass and, perhaps, even be an Xbox exclusive. Vandal asked Smith if the upcoming acqusition had changed anything at Arkane as yet, who replied that there's been no difference so far.

Update: As Twinfinite points out, Endo actually said he'd like to create a stealth ninja game for PS5 - indicating something more like a successor to the original Tenchu games - rather than a definitive new entry in the series. IGN apologises for the error. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Tenchu: Stealth Assassins creator and president of Acquire, Takuma Endo has said that he would like to create a new Tenchu game for the PlayStation 5 - but nothing is formally in the works right now. In an interview with Weekly Famitsu (translated by Gematsu), Takuma Endo said that he would like to "create a new Tenchu from the ground up for the PlayStation 5 generation if the possibility arises", but also acknowledges that it's currently difficult. That difficulty likely stems from the fact that the Tenchu IP is currently owned by FromSoftware, who released Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice in 2019. In the early stages, Sekiro was being developed as a Tenchu successor, but From Software eventually decided to take the development in a different direction. It's not clear if the developer has any plans for the Tenchu franchise at this point. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/06/12/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-is-souls-crossed-with-tenchu-e3-2018"] Back in August of last year, Acquire registered a trademark for "Stealth Assassins" in Japan which set the rumour mill off that a remake or spiritual successor was in the works.

A survey sent to owners of next-gen Xbox consoles is querying whether users would appreciate the features of the PS5's DualSense in their Series X or S controller. As reported by TechRadar, the console experience survey asks owners whether they think the Xbox Series X "feels next-gen" and later asks whether they feel like they are missing out in the peripherals department. "I am aware of features on PlayStation controllers that I wish were on the controller that came with this console," the question reads. This is, of course, referring to the PlayStation 5's DualSense, which offers adaptive triggers for simulating resistance and provides precise haptic feedback, with the goal of increasing immersion in games. By comparison, the Series X controller wasn't too much of a jump from the last generation, despite the addition of features like a dedicated share button and textured triggers. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/06/ps5-dualsense-controller-review"] Microsoft's interest in these questions would suggest that they're at least thinking about upgrading the next-gen controllers in the future, to line up with Sony's offering in the current-generation. While that line of thought doesn't necessarily promise changes in the future, Xbox has a recent history of adding well-received features on other console controllers to its own – the Xbox One controller adopted a 3.5mm jack partway through the last generation, for example. We reviewed the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller at launch in November 2020, scoring it a 9 and lauding its "tactile feedback" – and called it out as one of PS5's most impressive features in our overall PlayStation 5 review.

Nintendo has revealed that it is shutting down Netflix functionality on the Wii U and 3DS this June, and there's still no sign of the streaming service on Nintendo Switch. The news arrives via the support page for the Netflix Wii U app, which now offers a statement from Nintendo: "Starting Dec 31st, 2020, the Netflix app will no longer be available for new users to download from Nintendo eShop on the Wii U console or Nintendo 3DS family of systems. During that time, it will be possible for existing users to re-download these applications. Service for existing users will continue until June 30th, 2021. Thank you to everyone who enjoyed Netflix on these platforms over the years." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/11/09/hulu-app-coming-to-nintendo-switch"] It's understandable that Nintendo would want to close up shop for these apps on older consoles, but it very much shines a light the fact that the Nintendo Switch, despite its popularity, has yet to receive its own Netflix app. Back in 2017, then-COO of Nintendo of America, Reggie Fils-Aime said that Nintendo Switch apps for Netflix, Hulu and Amazon "will come in time". Switch doesn't have a huge selection of streaming services, but it does have some - Hulu is already available on the console in the US, and the Anime streaming service Funimation came to Switch as recently as last month, but there's still no sign of Netflix.

Hey, listen! We love hearing your feedback on Nintendo Voice Chat, and for the first time this year, you have the chance to make your voice heard on NVC. At the bottom of this article, you will find an option that lets you share a brief video with us and the IGN community, powered by audio and video commenting tool, Yappa. We want as many NVC fans as we can get to answer this question for this week's episode: What is your biggest Nintendo prediction for 2021? Do you think it's the year for Breath of the Wild 2? How about the long-rumored Switch Pro? We want to hear your wildest theories, and we'll pick the best ones to be part of this week's NVC Prediction Spectacular.

Here's how you can participate:

• Create a Yappa account or sign in with a Facebook, Google, Disqus, or LinkedIn account.
• Look for the video commenting box at the bottom of our articles on both desktop and mobile web. Note that the feature is currently not available on our mobile apps.
• Hit the green bar with the speech bubble icon, allow access to your mic and camera if your permission settings require that step.
• You can choose between audio and video recording. We’d prefer video to see your face (and only your face, please -- although Samus and Master Chief helmets or God of War face paint, etc. are cool with us), but you can use the audio-only option if you’re having a bad hair day.
• When you can see your face, hit record to start recording your video. Hit stop when you’re done. You can leave a message that's up to 45 seconds long.
• You can rewatch your video and then choose to cancel or post.
• If you'd rather upload a video you recorded separately, you can use the Upload Media function to do so. This'll be handy to show off your amiibo or classic games collections.

A special website detailing the attractions at Super Nintendo World is now live, giving additional information on the rides, activities, dining options and merchandise that will be available at the new themed area when it launches at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka on February 4. Read on for details, and also be sure to check out our article on the ways Super Nintendo World has been gamified for even more new details on the rides and unlockable achievements awaiting guests at the park.

A video featured on the new site shows what visitors can expect from the area’s two rides, including a mock-up of the AR visuals and projection-mapping incorporated into the ambitious Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge ride, along with the first concrete glimpses of the Yoshi’s Adventure ride, which a USJ spokesman described to us as an all-ages family attraction in the vein of Disneyland’s It’s A Small World. The site lists some basics about each ride, revealing that duration for each will be roughly five minutes, along with useful details such as height restrictions. Check this article for many more details.

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When Super Nintendo World opens at Universal Studios Japan on February 4, it will be the largest themed area at the Osaka park to date. But more than that, the new Nintendo area promises a level of interaction that draws from the video game antics of Mario and friends in meaningful ways, developed with input from Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto and the creative team at Nintendo.

With a ton of new information dropping today at an exclusive media briefing attended by IGN Japan, read on for eight ways that Super Nintendo World will gamify the theme park experience.

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1. Rides

Both Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge and Yoshi’s Adventure showcase a level of interaction that really set them apart from other theme park rides.

Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge is an on-rails experience with four riders per kart, and a blend of AR and projection mapping to bring the ride to life. Better yet, each rider in Mario’s team has their own steering wheel, which they must turn in time with arrows that appear on their adorable Mario hat-shaped AR headset; timing each turn just right nets a coin. Similarly, riders will pick up Green Shells from item boxes along the course, which they can aim at enemies in the AR headset by turning their head towards them – a direct hit will also earn a coin. Each team of riders will have to collect a set number of coins during the five-minute ride to beat Bowser’s team – and the game comes with good and bad endings depending on whether your team wins or loses.

Happy New Year! On our first Unlocked episode of 2021, we look ahead to the (long) list of Xbox exclusives coming this year. Plus: Gears 5: Hivebusters rocks, Fortnite's developer moves into...a mall(?), Games With Gold for January includes an OG Xbox cult classic, 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.

A mod for the PC version of Cyberpunk 2077 allows male V players to romance Judy, who can only be romanced by V with a female body and female voice in the unmodified version of the game. As reported by Eurogamer, modders recently discovered a way to unlock Judy's romance scene using V with a male body type and male voice. The modded scenes with Judy include full voice work for male V, which had some fans thinking Judy was initially supposed to be romanceable by both male and female protagonists. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cyberpunk-2077-pc-gameplay-screenshots&captions=true"] However, a CD Projekt Red representative told Eurogamer Judy was always intended to be a romance option just for female V, saying they still recorded the male V dialogue, "so we could avoid missing something by mistake that would require future recordings." The rep said the team recorded all lines with both voices, just to be safe. And, CDPR confirmed there was no male romance option cut from Cyberpunk 2077. If you want to see how to access the scene in Cyberpunk 2077, you can check out an NSFW video from YouTuber FrederickFlower. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/05/how-to-play-cyberpunk-2077-in-3rd-person"] There are four romanceable characters in Cyberpunk 2077, and each one has different requirements for V's voice and body type. You can check out our Cyberpunk romance guide to see how to progress with each character.

Mojang Studios has announced that it is shutting down its augmented reality mobile game Minecraft Earth, which lets players interact with a Minecraft game superimposed onto real-world GPS data. In a new blog post, the Minecraft Earth team confirmed that it is winding down its game with plans to end support on June 30, 2021. Although never explicitly mentioned, the devs cite the complications of managing an AR game during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of its decision to shut down Minecraft Earth. “Minecraft Earth was designed around free movement and collaborative play — two things that have become near impossible in the current global situation,” the staff writes in a blog post. Other AR games, like Pokemon Go, faced similar COVID-related obstacles during the pandemic. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/05/17/minecraft-earth-official-reveal-trailer"] Still, the developers will support Minecraft Earth until June 2021 and are releasing one more update before the end that will let players enjoy the game before the shutdown. As part of the update, Minecraft Earth will remove real-money transactions, drastically reduce ruby costs, add all content — complete and unreleased, reduce time requirements for crafting and smelting, replace unused crafting and smelting boosts with radius boosts, and grant a set of Character Creator items to anyone who signs in between January 5 and June 30. Then, on June 30, Mojang will discontinue all content and service support for Minecraft Earth. This will also mean people will no longer be able to download or play Minecraft Earth.

This week in RDO, claim triple XP in A Land of Opportunities and Free Roam missions, as well as free drinks, free haircuts, and 50% off character appearance changes.

The Medium reminds me of Alan Wake, if Wake leaned a bit harder into its horror side. Bloober Team’s upcoming Xbox Series X and S exclusive – that’s right, it’s not coming to Xbox One when it gets released on January 28, which I’ll explain shortly – thoroughly impressed me in a 20-minute demo that skipped around to a few different areas. It’s moody, it’s cinematic, and like any good horror game, it’s got a creepy little girl that sends shivers down your spine. And it’s literally two games running at the same time. The two worlds thing is why The Medium is a next-gen Xbox exclusive: it’s running two game worlds at once – protagonist Marianne’s real world and the sinister spirit world that she can see and do unique things in. The screen literally splits horizontally at times while you navigate both worlds at the same time, and the lead designer told me that, quite simply, running two worlds simultaneously just doesn't work on current-gen from a technical perspective. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-medium-january-2021-screenshots&captions=true"] The result is a unique gameplay experience, and one that’s guaranteed to have some variety in it. My demo began a chunk of the way into the campaign, in which Marianne enters the abandoned and decrepit old Hotel Niwa looking for a man named Thomas for reasons I didn’t have context for in this demo. She examines an open suitcase on the ground. Inside is a men’s dress shoe, and when examining it she hears screams – voices from the past, Bloober Team said. But that’s just a warmup. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=Running%20two%20worlds%20simultaneously%20just%20doesn't%20work%20on%20current-gen%20from%20a%20technical%20perspective."] Later, a kid’s ball bounces down the stairs behind you, and that’s when you meet Sadness, the aforementioned creepy little girl. She’s missing an arm and has a mask on her face, and the spirit world has clearly not been kind to her.

A tabletop version of Slay the Spire has been revealed, with a Kickstarter campaign set to launch in Spring 2021.

You can see a concept picture of the game's box on the Contention Games website, who will be adapting the hit indie game for physical play. Megacrit, which developed Slay the Spire, will seemingly be working with Contention Games on the board game. The website's description says the game will be "a cooperative deckbuilding adventure. Craft a unique deck, encounter bizarre creatures, discover relics of immense power, and finally become strong enough to Slay the Spire!" [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/01/25/slay-the-spire-review"] If you're unfamiliar, Slay the Spire is a roguelike where players travel up a spire, slaying enemies in procedurally generated situations. Players pick from a deck of cards to decide their actions in combat, earning loot and upgrading abilities as they go. It'll be interesting to see how Contention Games adapt it into a board game - and particularly a game played by more than one player. We reviewed Slay the Spire back upon its launch in 2019, scoring it a 9 and calling it a "wholly new and extremely satisfying package". We subsequently called it one of the games of 2019. The game came to iOS back in June of 2020, with an Android port on the way. [Disclosure: Humble Bundle (which is owned by Ziff Davis, the parent company of IGN) is either the publisher or financier of Slay the Spire and may receive a commission or fee in connection with sales.

Multiple users are reporting that the PlayStation Store is listing certain games at a £10,000 price point (or even 10,000 of the local currency outside the UK). Currently, the pricing glitch appears to be affecting GreedFall, which is part of this month's PS Plus line-up. The issue was first reported to IGN by Twitter user Andreas K.:

@AskPlayStation yo @AskPS_UK do you reckon this is a good price... #Greedfall £10,000.00 for PS Plus members? Assetto Corsa for £6.24? Are these your monthly PS Plus games? #Playstation #Sony #psplus #AssettoCorsaCompetizione @eurogamer @IGNUK pic.twitter.com/U5E2JZUjZ4

Sony Japan has reportedly announced that it will end production of PS4 Pro, and will only continue to produce one model of the PS4. It's not clear at time of writing whether this policy extends to western markets. GameWatch reports that Sony has discontinued all models of PS4 Pro (CUH-7000), and all but one model of PS4 Slim (CUH-2000), with the original PS4 design (CUH-1000) already out of active production. The only PS4 that will remain in production is the 500GB Jet Black 'slim' design. The move has been taken so that Sony Interactive Entertainment can increase production of the PS5, which has seen major stock shortages since launch, not least in the US, where it had the biggest console launch month in the country's history. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/06/playstation-5-review"] So far, the move has only been announced in Japan, and it's unclear whether Sony's western arms will follow suit.

Nintendo has announced that it will acquire Luigi's Mansion 3 developer Next Level Games. You can read the notification of acquisition on Nintendo's website, where it states that the deal is expected to close on March 1, 2021. According to Nintendo, the acquisition will "facilitate an anticipated improvement in development speed and quality by enabling closer communication and exchange of staff with the Nintendo development team". [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/28/luigis-mansion-3-review"] Nintendo has been working with the Canadian developer for a long time now, with their relationship stretching all the way back to the release of Gamecube title Super Mario Strikers in 2005, which was developed by Next Level Games. Since then the studio has worked on Mario Strikers Charged and Punch-Out!! for the Nintendo Wii, as well as Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Metroid Prime: Federation Force for the Nintendo 3DS. We reviewed Luigi's Mansion 3 at launch in October 2019, calling it "fun, charming, and smartly designed," scoring the game an 8.3. If you're just starting out with the game, check out our detailed guide to every floor, boss, and collectable. In other Nintendo news, Shigeru Miyamoto recently revealed his plans for creating a  kinder world in an interview with The New Yorker. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Jarod Nandin, a member of the Blizzard fan community known for his South Park World of Warcraft cosplay, has died.

BlizzCon host Michele Morrow, who met Nandin in 2013, shared the news on Twitter Sunday afternoon, adding that Nandin had died due to COVID-19.

“Today the @warcraft and greater @blizzard community lost one of it’s sweetest souls to Covid-19. I met Jarod in 2013 when I asked to take a photo with him and stupidly grabbed -and broke- the Rockstar energy drink glued to his desk.  I was mortified and Jarod couldn’t stop laughing. I felt awful but he gave me a hug and we became friends. In 2014, my first year hosting the convention, we met up and recreated the moment we first met. Jarod had a fantastic sense of humor and was an advocate for cosplayers, body acceptance and positivity. I always enjoyed seeing him online and at conventions throughout the years….Jarod was one of the fucking best. It’s not fair. Rest In Peace Jarod, you beautiful soul. Blizzcon won’t be the same without YOU. Thank you for making an impact on my life and so many others. Tonight we raise our thumb drives of “The Sword of a Thousand Truths” in your honor. We will never forget you.”

Nandin rose to viral fame for his 2013 cosplay of “That Which Has No Life,” the unkempt antagonist of South Park’s World of Warcraft episode “Make Love, Not Warcraft.” Members of the Blizzard community are mourning Nandin by posting photos of them holding up their "Sword of a Thousand Truths," a reference to the same South Park episode.

Blizzcon 2013 - Jarod’s famous cosplay moment. It’s impossible not to watch this without smiling: pic.twitter.com/OOXIA07y38

Thanks to a post-Phase 3 lull and the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 was a fairly quiet year in terms of new Marvel releases. Fortunately, that should be anything but the case in 2021. The new year will finally bring with it a new lineup of MCU movies, along with the first wave of Disney+ series and plenty of big developments on the comic book front. To get a better sense of what Marvel has planned for the new year, let's break down the biggest and most noteworthy developments in the MCU, on Disney+ and in Marvel's comics.

The MCU Is Back With a Vengeance

When Spider-Man: Homecoming landed in theaters back in July 2019, no one could have predicted it would be nearly two years before Marvel would follow up with Black Widow and the start of Phase 4. But 2020 proved to be the first year since 2009 without a new MCU movie. And unless you count ABC's Agents of SHIELD and Hulu's Helstrom - neither of which were produced by Marvel Studios - there was no new MCU content of any sort in 2020. But that promises to change very quickly in 2021. Marvel's WandaVision is debuting on Disney+ on January 15, the first in an ambitious lineup of TV series designed to be more closely integrated with Marvel's movies. That debut will be followed by The Falcon and the Winter Soldier in March and Loki in May, and we may also see Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye before the end of the year. We'll even see the debut of the very first animated series set in the MCU. Marvel's What If...