IGN

Ubisoft Delays Avatar Game Into 2022

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
Ubisoft has delayed its upcoming Avatar game to 2022, which would make it arrive in the same year as James Cameron's Avatar 2 in theaters. As reported by GameSpot, this news was included in the same earnings call that Ubisoft revealed that Far Cry 6 and Rainbow Six Quarantine were delayed and would now be releasing in its next fiscal year, which takes place from April 2021 to March 2022. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/05/19/why-being-an-avatar-fan-sucks-up-at-noon"] This new delay for the Avatar game by The Division developer Massive Entertainment was discussed in response to the delay of Avatar 2 in theaters to 2022. If that release date holds, it will arrive 13 years after the original film. Ubisoft announced its Avatar game in 2017, and revealed that Massive Entertainment is working alongside Fox Interactive and James Cameron's studio Lightstorm Entertainment to create the game. Ubisoft released Avatar: The Game alongside the first film, and in our review, we said "Avatar: The Game feels like all of the development effort was put into building out the look of Pandora... The gameplay feels like it needs more work.
Author
Adam Bankhurst

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Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition - Vergil Hands On Preview

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN

Devil May Cry 5 is already a special game in the hearts of many, but the next-gen version is about to get even more special thanks to the addition of everyone’s favorite blue-clad brooding son of Sparda, Vergil. I got to play the PlayStation 5 version of DMC5 Special Edition to give him a test drive, and while he feels very similar to previous iterations, Vergil’s got more than a few tricks up his sleeves.

If you’ve played as Vergil in previous Devil May Cry special editions, especially his iteration from Devil May Cry 4, you’ll feel right at home with DMC 5’s version. For those unfamiliar, he uses three weapons: his trusty Yamato sword, the Beowulf gauntlets introduced in Devil May Cry 3, and the Mirage Edge, which is virtually the same as the Force Edge that he used in Devil May Cry 4. He also has a unique mechanic called Concentration, which rewards the player for playing Vergil in a way that suits his confident, stoic, and elitist personality.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=devil-may-cry-5-special-edition-playstation-5-showcase-screenshots&captions=true"]

You see, Vergil is not the kind of character that would just rush head into action like Dante or Nero would. He’s calm, collected, and above all else, precise in his movements and strikes. As such, if you’re standing still or walking slowly towards your enemies, the concentration meter will start to fill. If you start running around, missing wildly, or get hit, the gauge will plummet. The higher your concentration, the more effective each of your weapons become: the range and damage of Yamato will increase, Beowulf will be able to charge up an additional level to deal massive damage, and the Mirage Edge will take on multi-hit properties.

Author
Mitchell Saltzman

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Bethesda Engine Is Getting Its Largest Ever Upgrade Before Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
Bethesda's Todd Howard has said that the company's current engine – which will be used for Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 – is getting what could be its largest upgrade yet, and is being worked on by the largest number of employees the company has ever assigned to engine work. Speaking during the Develop:Brighton keynote session, Howard was asked how much work was being done on Bethesda's proprietery Creation engine, which has attracted criticism in the past. "We too will acknowledge it needs more work than it has in previous times," Howard replied, "and we do that between generations - and we've been doing it. I can say that the engine work started a while ago." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/29/bethesdas-todd-howard-hard-to-imagine-elder-scrolls-6-as-an-xbox-exclusive"] It sounds as though this is a major rework, too – perhaps the largest leap for the engine in its long history (Creation was born out of the older Gamebryo Engine, which was initially released in 1997). "We have more people doing engine work now, by a factor of five, probably than we've ever had," Howard explained. "So the overhaul in our engine is the largest we've probably ever had, maybe larger than Morrowind to Oblivion." Howard went on to explain that there are elements of Creation that Bethesda continues to like, but pointed out the sheer number of changes being made: "There are things we do that we still like. The way we build our worlds, the way people can mod it – these are things that I think are fundamentally good about our tech stack.
Author
Joe Skrebels

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Mass Effect Cast to Reunite for N7 Day Amid Trilogy Remaster Speculation

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
Multiple cast members from the Mass Effect franchise are reuniting for an N7 Day celebration amid continuing speculation about a remaster of the the series' first three games. The news was revealed by Commander Shepard himself Mark Meer on Twitter, who added that the special event will take place on "11/7 @ 11 AM PST."
Author
Jordan Oloman

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Gran Turismo 7 Reportedly Aiming to Launch in First Half of 2021

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
Gran Turismo 7 may launch in the first half of 2021, according to a reported Canadian PlayStation 5 advertisement. As reported by GTPlanet (and spotted by user ElietheStig on the site's forums,) a YouTube advert for the PlayStation 5 shows an image from the game. The screenshot is accompanied by a small piece of text, which reads "Sortie prévue pour la première moitié de 2021," which when translated reads "Release scheduled for the first half of 2021." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/11/gran-turismo-7-announcement-and-gameplay-trailer-ps5-reveal-event"] Sony has yet to announce an official release date for Gran Turismo 7, which was revealed back in June of this year, but this advert suggests that we might see Gran Turismo 7 release within the PlayStation 5's launch window, at some point in early 2021. The advert is yet to be verified by multiple sources, so do take it with a pinch of salt. If you want to learn more about Gran Turismo 7, you can check out our piece from the game's announcement here, which digs into some of the features coming to the game, including the reintroduction of GT Simulation Mode. An official PlayStation Blog post added that the game will benefit from the haptic feedback provided by the DualSense and the PlayStation 5's 3D Audio system. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
Author
Jordan Oloman

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Call of Duty: Warzone Won't Shift Engine, Even Though Black Ops Cold War Has

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
Call of Duty: Warzone won't be switching engine when it welcomes content from Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - even though Black Ops Cold War uses a new engine itself. A verified Activision Art Lead revealed the news on ResetEra. "There will not be an engine shift for WZ," writes ShutterMunster, in response to a comment chain about the future of the battle royale game. Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War runs on a new engine, but it looks like Warzone won't be making the switch, despite the fact that weapons, operators and loadouts from the latest Call of Duty game will be brought to Warzone as part of a cross-franchise integration, arriving in December. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/23/call-of-duty-warzone-review"] The decision means that Warzone should feel broadly the same to play, even while the tools of war you use may be altered drastically by the update (although existing, Modern Warfare-themed equipment will reamin available to players). Equally, it may mean that playing Warzone and Black Ops Cold War side-by-side may take some getting used to. Some players in the same ResetEra thread are concerned about how the Black Ops Cold War arsenal of weapons will be balanced in Warzone when they make the jump between engines. We're sure we'll hear more about that when the game's integration is detailed further. Back in September, Activision reportedly banned around 20,000 Call of Duty Warzone cheaters during the launch of the game's Season 6 update.
Author
Jordan Oloman

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Demon's Souls PS5 Has Over 180 Guide Videos in the UI

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
The Demon’s Souls remake on PlayStation 5 will indeed take advantage of the activities bar and feature over 180 help videos that players can choose to watch to complete sections of the game. As reported in The Washington Post, Demon’s Souls “will make use of the PS5’s activities UI, which offers helpful tips regarding certain tasks. [Demon’s Souls remake creative director Gavin] Moore says there are over 180 videos, each with increasing levels of visibility into what’s needed to complete portions of the game[.]” Sony outlined the revamped PS5 UI in a deep dive last month which showed off the new Activities feature. Aside from tracking players’ progress in missions, the Activities bar can show players video hints that can help reveal hidden objectives or checkpoints. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ps5-ui-screenshots&captions=true"] Demon’s Souls is a notoriously difficult game, so being able to bring up video help on the fly could be beneficial for new players. Especially since an M.O. of the Souls series is intentionally keeping certain game mechanics or challenges opaque. This feature is also optional, so players who don’t want to watch the videos can ignore it by never bringing it up in the UI. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/29/demons-souls-ps5-gameplay-trailer"] Sony’s UI demo from October showed Sack Boy Adventures utilizing the help feature in the Activities UI, so that’s two confirmed PS5 games utilizing the feature.
Author
Matt T.M. Kim

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How Club Penguin Came Back As a Horrifying Blood Sport

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN

Club Penguin was an idyllic place to waste your time. It was always either a gorgeous sunny day or a brisk cloudless night. Snowcap mountains towered over the distant horizon, bright yuletide storefronts lined the streets, and players found a nation of cheerful, polychrome penguins greeting them at every corner. They logged on to chill in gaudy igloo manors before scampering off with friends to play a variety of simple, Flash-based mini-games. Club Penguin was free-to-play and available on even the most primitive PC specs. You could do a lot worse on a Tuesday afternoon.

Author
Luke Winkie

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Marvel's Avengers Permanently Cuts Some Cosmetic Prices

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics have permanently reduced the price of some cosmetic items in Marvel's Avengers. Recently, an in-game event in Marvel's Avengers temporarily reduced the price of multiple microtransactions, including Epic Takedowns, Legendary Emotes, Epic Emotes, and Rare Emotes. After confirmation earlier this week on Twitter, the reduced prices are now permanent, even after the sale event ended. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvels-avengers-screenshots&captions=true"] "Based on your feedback, we are keeping the 50% discounts on Takedowns and Emotes from last week's sale and making them the new regular price of these items," reads a new announcement upon booting up the game. The prices are now set at 50% of their original cost. Epic Takedowns are now 600 credits instead of 1200, Legendary Emotes are 500 credits, and Epic Emotes and Rare Emotes come in at 250 credits and 125 credits, respectively. Credits in Marvel's Avengers run at roughly $1 per 100 credits, meaning at 1200 credits, one Epic Takedown previously cost around $12. The permanent price reduction brings the price for each Epic Takedown to around $6. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/10/marvels-avengers-review"] Marvel's Avengers has seen multiple updates since its September launch. A few weeks after release, Crystal Dynamics released a patch designed to fix over 1,000 player-reported issues.
Author
Logan Plant

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Apple Announces 'One More Thing' Event

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
Apple has announced a "One More Thing" event set to take place on Tuesday, November 10. Speculation has it that this is when Apple will unveil its first Arm-based Macs running on Apple Silicon Chips. A departure from the Intel processors the company previously favored. An invitation sent out to customers announced the special event will take place at 10 am PT/1 pm ET from Apple Park. The name comes from the phrase which Apple CEOs use at the end of keynotes for some sort of surprise announcement. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=best-smartphones&captions=true"] Apple rumors previously pegged the Apple Silicon Chip powered Macs to start arriving at the end of the year. Apple has promised the new chips will deliver a new level of performance at lower power consumption. Prototypes for the new macs were shown running hefty apps like Final Cut Pro, and the new GPUs in the chips were shown running games like Tomb Raider. Tune in to IGN on November 10 for a full rundown of Apple's surprise announcement. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.
Author
Matt T.M. Kim

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Godfall PC Specs Revealed

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
The minimum and recommended PC specs for the upcoming looter-slasher Godfall have been revealed. If you’re looking for the highest fidelity experience, you may need to upgrade your graphics card. Posted on the official Twitter account for Godfall, the PC specs can be seen in the image below. B06DAA06-4B71-4634-8B2E-ADC175BC4B43 The minimum required specs for Godfall require at least an AMD Ryzen 5 1600 or Intel i5-6600, 12 GB RAM, and either an AMD Radeon RX 580 (8GB) or NVIDIA GeFORCE GTX 1060 (6GB). Those are pretty beefy specs for a minimum recommendation, meaning players may need to upgrade some of their components to be able to run the game effectively. The recommended settings require at least an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel i7-8700, 16GB RAM, and either an AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT (8GB) or NVIDIA GeFORCE GTX 1080 Ti (11GB). [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/22/godfall-customization-progression-and-the-tinkerers-dream] Keep in mind that these are just the recommended settings to enjoy the game. If you’re looking to push the limits and take full advantage of everything Godfall has to offer, you’re going to need to have a pretty hefty rig. In addition to being available on the Epic Games Store on PC, Godfall is one of the PS5’s upcoming exclusives launching alongside the console November 12th.
Author
Matthew Adler

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Apple TV Coming to Xbox Consoles for Series X Launch

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
Microsoft has revealed all the entertainment streaming apps that will be available with the launch of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, and has also confirmed that Apple TV will be ready at the launch of the new next-gen systems and Xbox One for the first time on November 10. As revealed on Xbox Wire, Microsoft wants to make the transition from Xbox One to Xbox Series X/S as seamless as possible, and it is bringing forward all the entertainment apps currently available on Xbox One, including Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, NBC Peacock, Vudu, FandangoNow, Twitch, Sky Go, NOW TV, Sky Ticket and more. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/28/xbox-series-xs-official-next-gen-walkthrough"] This news confirms that both the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 will have mostly similar launch line-ups for those looking to watch TV shows or movies on their new consoles. Microsoft's message of a seamless transition to next-gen also extends to its games, as it has previously stated that it has performed more than 500,000 hours of testing to confirm that every game playable on the Xbox One - from the original Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One - will work on Xbox Series X/S, except for Kinect-only games. The Xbox Series X, and the cheaper, all-digital Xbox Series S, will be released on November 10, 2020, just two days before the PlayStation 5 arrives on November 12. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a
Author
Adam Bankhurst

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Upcoming England Lockdown Affecting Xbox Series X, S, PS5 Pre-Orders

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
The nationwide lockdown beginning in England on Thursday, November 5 has caused multiple retailers with physical stores to change their policies regarding collecting preorders for PS5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. All non-essential retailers in the UK will be closed to visitors from midnight on Thursday until December 2 – crossing launch dates for Xbox Series X, S and PS5. However, deliveries and collection services can continue to run. UK retailer Game addressed the potential issues on Twitter, explaining that customers with preorders should go into shops and pay for their new Xbox Series X and S units by Wednesday, meaning they will be able to pick up the units on launch day:
Author
Joe Skrebels

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Surround Yourself in Blizzard Merch With Its New GearFest Event

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
Announced last week, Blizzard' GearFest is now live. The event introduces a whole slew of new products to the Blizzard online store ahead of the holiday shopping season. According to Blizzard, "nearly 50 total brand-new products" are available as part of the event, with wave 1 hitting today, with "collectibles, pins and figures" featuring prominently. Check out the gallery below to see some of the new products coming to the Blizzard store. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=blizzard-gear-fest-announcements&captions=true"] Launching today:
  • Overwatch 2020 Blizzard GearFest Mercy Funko – $14.99
  • Overwatch D.Va Collectible IncrediBuild (from Insight Editions) – $129.99
  • World of Warcraft 2020 Blizzard GearFest Illidan Funko – $14.99
  • World of Warcraft 2020 Blizzard GearFest Murloc Funko – $14.99
  • World of Warcraft 2020 Blizzard GearFest Sylvanas Funko – $14.99
  • Hearthstone Collector’s Edition Pin Set – $59.99
  • Blizzard Series 7 Blind Pack Pins 5 Pack – $29.99
  • Blizzard Series 7 Platinum Signature Pin Set – $199.99
  • Blizzard Series 7 Collector’s Edition Pin Set – $79.99
  • Blizzard Series 4 Badges Booster Pack (4 Packs) – $19.99
Another wave of Blizzard GearFest merch is scheduled to hit November 16. Last week Blizzard revealed a massive, collectible World of Warcraft Thrall statue in both colored and unpainted variants, as well as a tease for today's GearFest kick-off. The next WoW expansion, originally scheduled for October 27, has been pushed into next month.
Author
Seth G. Macy

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Fortnite Next-Gen Upgrade Will Arrive When Consoles Launch

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
Epic Games has announced what players can expect from the next-generation versions of Fortnite, which naturally includes faster speeds, higher frame rates, and enhanced visuals, and is available from launch of the new consoles. PS5 and Xbox Series X players can expect 4K resolution, 60 FPS gameplay, and dynamic visuals and physics; grass and trees will respond to explosions, while liquids and smoke have more realistic simulation effects. Clouds and the Storm have also been enhanced. Split screen modes also support 60 FPS on these consoles. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/22/fortnite-fortnitemares-2020-midas-revenge-gameplay-trailer"] Loading performance has been upgraded across all next-gen consoles thanks to their SSDs, both in terms of texture load times and the speed at which players can get into a match. For PS5, Fortnite supports the DualSense controller's haptic feedback features, with vibration and trigger feedback. There’s also support for the PS5's home screen Activities, which allows you to go straight to the Battle Royale lobby of your choice - Solo, Duos, or Squads - instead of going via the game’s main menu. The Xbox Series S version of the game supports “most” of the visual enhancements available in the Series X version, but runs at 1080p / 60 FPS rather than 4K. Epic promises all progress from the current-generation version of Fortnite will carry over to your new console. Xbox users will find that data is transferred by their Xbox profile, so will just need to download Fortnite to their Xbox SeriesX|S and start playing.
Author
Matt Purslow

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PSVR On PS5 Seemingly Currently Available Only Via Backwards Compatibility

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
It looks like PSVR support on PS5 is currently only available through PS4 backwards compatibility. In a statement issued to UploadVR, Sony reiterated that the PSVR was a backwards-compatible device, noting that the company has "not announced PS5 titles for PSVR." UploadVR uses the example of Hitman 3, which touted a PSVR mode back when it was announced earlier this year. According to a statement from Sony, players will need to buy the PS4 version of Hitman 3 to make use of the game's PSVR mode. They'll also need the official PS5 PSVR adaptor and the old PlayStation Camera so that the peripheral will be compatible with the new next-gen console. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/06/hitman-3-psvr-teaser-trailer-state-of-play-2020"] It looks to be a similar situation with Hello Games' No Mans Sky on PS5. The PlayStation Blog post for the game notes that the game is fully playable in PSVR on PlayStation 5 "by virtue of its backwards compatibility functionality." The good news is that both of these games will offer free next-gen upgrades, granted you own the PS4 version of No Man's Sky or Hitman 3. That said, it's not clear whether you'll need to have PS4 and PS5 versions installed in order to play both in VR and in higher quality non-VR modes. You'll still be able to get access to PSVR experiences on PS5, it just looks like for now, the PSVR support won't be native - it will leverage the PS5's backwards-compatibility features instead.
Author
Jordan Oloman

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Vampire: The Masquerade Battle Royale Revealed For 2021

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
A battle royale game set in the Vampire: The Masquerade universe has been revealed, and is set to launch in "the later half of 2021." The debut for UK and Sweden-based developer Sharkmob, the currently unnamed title was revealed with a teaser trailer showing warring sects of vampires battling through the "streets and rooftops of Prague." The video description offers a few more details on how the game will function, noting that players will be able to choose their playstyle and queue solo or together as they spend their time "battling rivals and the hostile Entity who's hellbent on exterminating all vampires." It's not clear whether the Entity will be a player-controlled character or a PvE NPC who interferes with the battle royale gameplay. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/02/vampire-the-masquerade-battle-royale-official-teaser-trailer"] Supernatural powers, weapons and blood are listed as the main tools in your arsenal as you "hunt, fight and survive the night." It's not clear just yet what platforms Sharkmob are planning to release the game on, but their website notes that they "develop for PC and next-gen consoles." Sharkmob has two studios in London and Malmö who will be working on the project, though their website also states that they have two additional projects in the works. "These are highly ambitious, AAA quality projects powered by the Unreal Engine. One is developed with Malmö as lead studio and the other by London.
Author
Jordan Oloman

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PS5 DualSense Doesn't Work Natively With PS4... But It Does With PS3

3 years 5 months ago
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IGN
PS5's DualSense controller doesn't appear to work natively on PS4 but, curiously, it does connect to PS3. With PS5 peripherals on sale in the US, YouTuber Midnight Man (as spotted by VGC) managed to unbox a DualSense and test its features. In the video, we see the PS4 failing to recognise the DualSense using a USB connection, and recognising a wireless controller in its Bluetooth menu, but not allowing control once connected. However, when connected to a PS3 using a USB controller, the DualSense is recognised and can navigate the console menus. ResetEra user iceblade has previously said that only the PS button doesn't work when connected to the PS3 in this way, but that it can be connected wirelessly too. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/27/astros-playroom-ps5-preview-dualsense-is-a-fun-evolution"] There is seemingly a workaround for using DualSense on PS4 - if you connect it via USB on a PC or Mac and then use the PS4's Remote Play function, the controller will function as expected (although it's a pretty roundabout way of playing the console). It's perhaps not a surprise that Sony's locking off DualSense functionality - as we've heard previously, PS5 games will require a DualSense to play, with PS4 controllers able to connect to the new console, but only able to control last-gen games. Last week, we learned a little about DualSense's accessibility features, including that haptic feedback can be reduced or turned off.
Author
Joe Skrebels

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The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope's End Credits Reveal House of Ashes

3 years 6 months ago
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IGN
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope has a post-credits teaser for House of Ashes, the third game in this horror series, and it appears to feature Sumerian mythology and star Ashley Tisdale. Bandai Namco has yet to fully reveal House of Ashes, but RabidRetrospectGames has captured the trailer for you to take a look at what we can expect from the next Dark Pictures Anthology game that is scheduled for 2021. The new game appears to feature some form of military personnel and looks to take players underground to the titular House of Ashes. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/29/the-dark-pictures-anthology-little-hope-review"] This tease was given in the same way that Little Hope was at the end of the first game in The Dark Pictures Anthology series - Man of Medan. These games are meant to be standalone experiences, rather than sequels, and developer Supermassive Games has said that it plans to release eight games under this banner. In our review of The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope, we said "tells a mostly one-note story with underdeveloped characters, and even a fun co-op mode can’t inject enough life to fix that. There weren’t enough meaningful consequences to the choices I made to inspire further digging into its box of tricks, which made additional playthroughs tough going, and the more generous amount of time you have to react to quick-time events deprived me of any gory deaths.
Author
Adam Bankhurst

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The Fans Preserving the Original Demon’s Souls Experience

3 years 6 months ago
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IGN
I’m a huge fan of FromSoftware’s trademark design philosophy, having played most of what they’ve made many times over, and yet, it took the announcement of a next-gen, Bluepoint-developed remake to finally give me the impetus to play through the original Demon’s Souls. Though massively excited by the idea of a next-gen Souls experience, one reimagined with unprecedented visual flourish and all the new shiny things next-gen can bring, I really wanted to play it within the context of the original. Playing the original Demon’s Souls was a terrific choice. While certainly less robust than what came after, often feeling like From’s Dark Souls dress rehearsal, once I’d dealt my final blow and made my decision as to the world’s fate, Demon’s Souls not only ranked super-highly for me amongst the other Souls games, but even helped me reconcile some of the lore elements I found less favourable in Dark Souls III. That said, I couldn’t help but feel something was missing. Though all Souls games are intentionally oppressive, lonely experiences, this one felt lonelier than usual. The reason? Its collective regional publishers—somewhat understandably—decided the running costs of its online services were no longer viable with dwindling users and, having already extended its life longer than intended, finally called time on its servers in February 2018. Because of that, my maiden playthrough of Demon’s Souls meant no in-game help from others - no messages from the community warning me of ambushes, no tips for upcoming enemies, and no trolls telling me to jump off ledges, which I secretly missed the most. Though in these games I usually opt not to call in help from other players (Darkeater Midir in Dark Souls III being the sole, ‘soul’-crushing exception), it felt weird having that cut-off as an option.
Author
Andy Corrigan

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54 Things Breath of the Wild Fans Will Love About Age of Calamity

3 years 6 months ago
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IGN
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is an exciting prospect for die-hard Breath of the Wild fans, as it’s set 100 years before the events of that game, in the lead-up to the Great Calamity. That means we'll get to see the Champions in their prime, we'll get to visit a familiar but very different Hyrule and we'll learn a whole lot more about exactly how Ganon was once more unleashed upon the world. After playing the pre-release demo for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity – which you should play before you read this, incidentally - there’s some debate about whether this game will be in the Breath of the Wild timeline or represent a new split, as... well - SPOILER ALERT – time travel is involved. We’ll get into that shortly, but regardless, there’s a heap of things to be excited about for Breath of the Wild fans. 54 in fact! (Oh, and please be aware – the video companion above was published before the demo became available, so we’ve obviously found out more since then. The written feature incorporates all the new info.) [poilib element="accentDivider"]

1) It’s Official!

Age of Calamity is effectively an official prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and that’s a huge deal. Yes, it’s a Dynasty Warriors-style game, but unlike the previous Hyrule Warriors games, the developers at Koei have been collaborating with Nintendo’s Zelda team at every step of the way, on game elements including gameplay direction, graphics, the world and all dialogue. That means that the Zelda team has approved how Age of Calamity will be handling the Great Calamity. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/08/hyrule-warriors-age-of-calamity-official-trailer"]

2) More Lore, Blimey!

From a story perspective there’s so much to explore here. Obviously I’m excited to find out who is pulling the strings behind the resurrection of Calamity Ganon, but I’d also like to know more about the background of the Yiga clan.
Author
Cam Shea

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Anthem 2.0: Javelin Builds, Skill Trees, and Artifact Details Revealed

3 years 6 months ago
Link
IGN
Anthem is currently undergoing a major overhaul, and BioWare has detailed how the team is planning to improve Javelin gameplay, builds, skill trees, artifacts, and more. Revealed on BioWare's blog, these ideas, mockups, and direction are all works in progress, and may change, but it gives a glimpse into the development of Anthem's future. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=anthem-20-javelin-gameplay-builds-skill-trees-and-artifacts-concepts&captions=true"]

Javelin Gameplay and Builds

One of the biggest complaints that BioWare has heard about Anthem was that it "doesn't offer satisfying Javelin Builds." It has taken that to heart, and wants to give more choice and experimentation for loadouts. Anthem's UI, at least in this look, appears to take a more Destiny-like approach, and shows how items will now be categorized to one of 11 available equipment slots. Weapons would also be Primary or Secondary to offer "distinctiveness in their role," Mods and Artifact slots would replace Components, and players would be able to manage their Equipment and Abilities in their Loadout Screen. Abilities would also be unlocks, not drops, to help players get the build they want. Builds would be defined by synergies of Specializations, Abilities (which can be enhanced by Mods), and Equipment. Inscriptions would also improve build synergies, but would no longer be as much a primary factor in them. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/10/anthem-getting-major-overhaul"]

Anthem's Updated Skill Trees and Artifacts

The Anthem development team is playing around with the idea of Javelins leveling up and earning Skill Points.
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Adam Bankhurst

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Gears of War Mobile Spin-Off Gears Pop! To Shut Down in 2021

3 years 6 months ago
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IGN
Gears of War mobile spin-off Gears Pop!, the multiplayer PvP battle arena-style game, will be shutting down on April 26, 2021. Gears Pop!, which was developed by Fall Guys developer Mediatonic, will be closing down because of "a number of things that go into maintaining a game beyond keeping servers active. Addressing issues, developing content, and providing support are critical in keeping a game running. Unfortunately, this is no longer feasible." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/22/10-minutes-of-gears-pop-gameplay"] While the game is still running, Gears Pop! will see some of its most popular events return, Bounty rewards will be increased, and the drop rates for Legendary Pins will be increased. It was also mentioned that all in-app purchasing has been disabled, effective immediately. Refunds will be issued automatically for all those purchases made 90 days prior to October 28, 2020. These may take a few weeks to be processed. Gears Pop! Was revealed during Microsoft's E3 2018 press conference and surprised the gaming world with a game that mashed together Gears of War with Funko Pops.
Author
Adam Bankhurst

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Everspace 2 Delayed Because of Cyberpunk 2077's New Release Date

3 years 6 months ago
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IGN
Everspace 2's Early Access release has been delayed due to Cyberpunk 2077 moving its date to December 10, 2020. Everspace 2 follows Path of Exile's 3.13 end-game expansion's delay to January 2021 and, as Rockfish Games said in a Kickstarter update to Everspace 2 backers, this was a "major blow" to the studio. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/27/everspace-2-trailer-highlights-space-combat-while-dodging-asteroids-and-space-stations"] "Let’s get the cyber elephant out of the room right away: The Cyberpunk 2077 release has just been pushed back to December 10, which is a major blow to our planned EVERSPACE 2 Early Access release in mid-December," Rockfish Games said. "Not only will every media outlet and content creator cover the arguably most-anticipated AAA game in history throughout the entire holiday season (and not much else), we also know that there’s quite a bit of audience overlap within our community (and our team), so... After a quick consultation with our marketing friends at Evolve PR, Plan Of Attack, and Swordfish PR, we’ve decided to push back the EVERSPACE 2 Early Access release to January. We know that sucks, but hear us out! There’s actually some good in this." The good news is that any Kickstarter backer that doesn't have access to the Closed Beta will receive a pre-release key on November 2, 2020.
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Adam Bankhurst

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FromSoftware Thanks Fans for Elden Ring Support, But Offers No New Info

3 years 6 months ago
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IGN
A Tweet from FromSoftware about its upcoming game Elden Ring has caused fans around the world to rejoice, yet it offered no new info and simply thanked  fans for all the enthusiasm and support shown for the Dark Fantasy Action RPG. FromSoftware, alongside a Tweet about the newest update for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, wanted to ensure fans that Elden Ring is still on its way, and that the developer truly appreciates all the excitement surrounding the game that is being built with the help of A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin. Screenshot_2020-10-31 FROMSOFTWARE on Twitter"We also greatly appreciate all the enthusiasm and support shown for "ELDEN RING", our next Dark Fantasy Action RPG. We hope you look forward to it," FromSoftware's Tweet read.
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Adam Bankhurst

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The Bizarre Story Behind an Iconic Resident Evil Sound Effect

3 years 6 months ago
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IGN

What if I told you that I'd been hearing a single sound, everywhere, for 22 years? I’ve heard it in countless movies, tons of television shows, video games and even pop music. I can almost guarantee that you have too.

It's a short, 3 second sound effect of something that’s really quite inoffensive, but still manages to register with me every time I hear it. It's very simple, and there are a lot of sounds like it, but it cuts through the noise of anything I'm watching or listening to whenever it plays and I've become obsessed with it.

Dale Driver · Resident Evil 2 - Lab Door Sound Effect

It's most often used as the effect of a futuristic lab door opening. I don't know why, but for decades it's been burrowed into my brain. This innocuous noise has been in and around practically everything I enjoy and, every time it plays, it forces two simple questions into my brain: How was it made, and who made it?

It’s been 22 years now, it’s time to get those answers.

The Obsession

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Dale Driver

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What's Your Favorite Horror Game of All Time?

3 years 6 months ago
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IGN
Welcome back to Game Spook!, our yearly Halloween-themed episode. And what an episode! Not only is it Game Spook!, it's also our 600th edition of this humble little podcast. Thank you so much to everyone who watches every week! On the docket for this episode: The Co-op Mages discuss their favorite horror games from every generation, Control comes to Switch, Watch Dogs Legion, and so much more. The music this episode is from Castlevania Bloodlines. Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service. Listen on: Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Stitcher   Find previous episodes here!
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Daemon Hatfield

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