Monday, August 31, 2020

Windbound Review

Washed ashore on a remote island with nothing but a knife and my wits to protect me, I was immediately grabbed by Windbound’s opening moments. In this seafaring adventure you must harvest materials and craft tools to keep main character Kara alive as she navigates through a series of procedurally generated archipelagos in her search for the other surviving members of her tribe. Unfortunately, the combination of exhausting survival mechanics and a paper-thin plot meant that neither the voyage nor the destination proved to be worth the time and effort. Windbound takes an intriguing premise and completely blows it. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/31/the-first-17-minutes-of-windbound-gameplay"] A gorgeous painterly aesthetic gives the impression that Windbound could be set somewhere off the coast of Hyrule, but that’s largely where comparisons with The Legend of Zelda end. While it does feature a lead character with an insatiable appetite for smashing pots, Windbound otherwise lacks the dungeons, environmental puzzles, flexible combat, or boss fights typically found in one of Link’s legendary adventures. Instead, Windbound leans hard into a survival-based grind that makes Breath of the Wild’s breakable weapons seem like little more than a minor inconvenience. Before you begin the adventure you’re instructed that the ‘Survivalist’ difficulty setting is ‘the full Windbound experience’, and so that’s exactly what I chose to play it on. Survivalist strips you of most of your inventory and returns you to the beginning each time Kara perishes, and I found those high roguelike stakes made me particularly careful about which beasts to engage with and which craftable objects to prioritise as I made my way from one island to the next. There’s a fairly extensive crafting system at Kara’s disposal, as almost everything in her surroundings - from grass and sticks to animal bones and hides - can be gathered and converted into rudimentary tools like shovels and hammers or enhancements to her boat in order to make sailing speedier. But aside from a basic boat and perhaps a sharpened stick to defend yourself with, none of it feels particularly essential. You can play all the way through Windbound’s story existing on a pacifist’s diet of mushrooms, avoiding all enemies and not making a single modification to your canoe. There aren’t any creatures of significance that force you to strengthen Kara’s combat capabilities in order to overcome them, nor are there particular stormy seas that require extensive boat upgrades to cross. There’s all this crafting to do in Windbound, but no compelling reason to bother with any of it. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=windbound-screenshots&captions=true"] In fact, the most persistent threat in Windbound isn’t the deadly inhabitants of its islands nor the turbulence of its waters; it’s the rumbling of Kara’s stomach. Windbound’s hunger meter constantly nags at you to drop anchor at every landmass you see in order to search for food, a search that can frequently prove futile when the procedurally generated island you manage to land at has no procedurally generated flora or fauna to eat. Worse still, any food you carry with you is often likely to spoil before you need to eat it. Indeed, starvation proved to be the direct cause of the majority of my deaths early in Windbound as I got to grips with its systems. Still, I was otherwise content to play on the Survivalist setting - that is, until midway through the fourth chapter when, with a full bar of health and a recently topped-up hunger meter, I was suddenly killed by a single hit from a shark-like beast that charged my boat in the middle of the ocean; quite literally out of the blue. The next thing I knew I was waking up on the shore at the beginning of the first chapter, some six or seven hours of progress washed away like a sand castle in a rising tide. This abrupt and seemingly unavoidable demise left a salty taste in my mouth that had nothing to do with swallowing too much seawater, and needless to say after that I switched the difficulty to ‘Storyteller’ and kept it there for the remainder of my Windbound playthrough.

Whatever Floats Your Boat

Storyteller mode certainly makes progress easier since enemies are weaker, and if you die you can restart with your full inventory intact at the beginning of your current chapter rather than all the way back at the start. But Windbound’s plot is so scarce, and its objectives so repetitive, that once you’ve stripped away the more challenging survival mechanics and roguelike structure you really aren’t left with a particularly engrossing adventure. Each of the five chapters of Windbound feature three randomly placed but structurally indistinct tower beacons that must be found and activated before you can pass through an exit portal. The story, or what evidence there is of one, is mostly told either through cryptic text that occasionally appears onscreen or via a static mural that is gradually revealed upon the completion of each chapter. That’s it. In story terms there’s no reason to really explore Windbound’s waters since, at least from my time with it, there appears to be no characters to meet or unique structures to uncover. There’s just not enough mystery to lure me into clearing the fog off each of its maps, since invariably the most exciting discoveries to make are merely shrines to increase the limits of your health and stamina bars. Windbound hints at an ocean of possibilities at its outset, but ultimately delivers an adventure with all the depth and excitement of a wading pool. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=Windbound%20hints%20at%20an%20ocean%20of%20possibilities%20at%20its%20outset%2C%20but%20ultimately%20delivers%20an%20adventure%20with%20all%20the%20depth%20and%20excitement%20of%20a%20wading%20pool."]In fact, the biggest mystery that confounded me in Windbound was trying to figure out why the developers didn’t include a minimap. I’m totally in favour of eliminating minimaps to make exploration in open-world games more immersive - most recently exemplified by Ghost of Tsushiba - but I honestly feel like that’s a far more practical design choice when you have landmarks to navigate by. In the case of Windbound, the lack of a minimap or even a simple compass meant I was constantly pausing to check the in-menu map as I sailed across huge swathes of empty ocean with nothing on the horizon to orient myself with, which made already lengthy journeys even more sluggish.  
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Fortnite vs. Apple: Parody Ad Disappoints Original Director, Ridley Scott

When Epic Games launched its legal action against Apple over alleged ‘anticompetitive’ behavior in the App Store, the developers of Fortnite created a shot-for-shot remake of the famous “1984” Apple Super Bowl commercial directed by Ridley Scott. IGN spoke with Scott about Epic’s homage in a recent interview and while Scott feels the Fortnite ad was well produced, feels the message should have been about a more powerful topic. IGN asked Scott, director of critically acclaimed films like Alien, Gladiator, and Black Hawk Down, if he has seen the Epic remake of his famous Apple “1984” commercial. “I sure have and I wrote to them because on the one hand I can be fully complemented by the fact they copied [my commercial] shot for shot,” Scott says. “But pity the message is so ordinary when they could have been talking about democracy or more powerful things… And they didn’t use it.” Scott added, “I think the animation was terrific, the idea was terrific, the message was ‘ehh’.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/13/fortnite-1984-apple-parody-video-short"] “1984” is the name of Ridley Scott’s famous Apple commercial which aired nationally during Super Bowl 18. The commercial was based on the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell and was meant to convey Apple as a rebel against an oppressive regime believed to be IBM. After Epic bypassed App Store rules by implementing its own payment system on the Fortnite iOS app, Apple removed Fortnite from iOS devices. After this, Epic announced a lawsuit against Apple over anticompetitive practices and started its #FreeFortnite social media campaign. As part of this campaign, Epic released its version of Scott’s “1984” commercial, only this time Apple is the oppressive regime, and Fortnite is the rebel. There's even an in-game Fortnite event about the dispute with Apple. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=games-that-came-back-from-the-brink-of-disaster&captions=true"] Apple has countered Epic’s lawsuit, claiming the company broke the App Store rules and has threatened to revoke Epic’s developer account, which will jeopardize not only Fortnite but any iOS game running on the Unreal Engine. Companies like Microsoft have come to Epic’s defense, claiming that revoking access to Unreal Engine will harm more companies and developers than just Epic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.
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Today's Your Last Chance to Get These Bugs and Fish in ACNH

Catch these bugs and fish before August ends!
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PS5's Backward Compatibility Is Even More Confusing Now

PlayStation 5's full backward compatibility potential has remained somewhat of a mystery as Sony has not confirmed or denied any potential for support beyond PS4 games, but a recent, and now updated support page from Ubisoft, has further muddied the waters about what past generations the PS5 will or won't be potentially backward compatible with. A Ubisoft Support Q&A page, in response to a question about upgrading games from PS4 to PS5, as spotted by Wario64 and confirmed by IGN, originally said that "Backwards compatibility will be available for supported PlayStation 4 titles, but will not be possible for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, or PlayStation games." The page has since been updated to remove all mention of backward compatibility or prior PlayStation generations of hardware. It only continues to mention the upgrade process moving into the PS5, as well as that PS4 players will be able to play multiplayer games with PS5 players. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/ps5-series-x-price-and-release-date-have-sony-and-microsoft-waited-too-long-next-gen-console-watch"] PS5's backward compatibility has been a murky topic for those looking forward to PlayStation's next-generation hardware. Sony began talking about PS5's backward compatibility potential earlier this year, confirming that the "majority" of PS4 games would be playable on PS5. However, that confirmation came after an unclear first discussion of its compatibility, in which Sony's Mark Cerny seemed to imply only most of the top 100 PS4 games would be playable. Sony later clarified with follow-ups about most of this generation being playable on the PS5, and that Cerny was only using the top 100 games as an example. Yet the company has still not outright confirmed whether older generations will be playable on PS5, a feature not included on the PS4, but one the Xbox Series X touts for parts of its library from for all previous Xbox generations. And patents that surfaced earlier this year also suggested PlayStation could support backward compatibility for those older systems via the cloud, leading many to hope for those past Sony consoles' games to be supported on PS5. IGN has reached out to Sony for comment on whether the PS1 through PS3 libraries will be backward compatible on PS5 and will update this story should they respond. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"] Speaking of the cloud, however, Sony does have one existing way to play several generations of PlayStation games on PS4 — PlayStation Now, its subscription streaming service, which features PS2, PS3, and PS4 games. PS2 and PS4 games can even be downloaded to play offline. With PS Now looking to continue into the future, that could be one potential outlet for Sony to offer its back catalog, even if the system itself does not inherently offer backward compatibility with discs or PSN downloads. For more, be sure to read our deep dive into PlayStation's history with backward compatibility. The PlayStation 5 is still set for a holiday release, but the PS5 is not yet available for preorder, however Sony is offering fans a chance to sign up to be the first to preorder a PS5. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor, PlayStation lead, and host of Podcast Beyond! Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Here's What Comes in Each Edition

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is heading to PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 13. The PS5 and Xbox Series X versions will arrive at a later date. This year's installment of the long-running military shooter series includes a campaign, along with multiplayer, Zombies, and a continuation of Warzone. It's available to preorder now. As usual, you can purchase Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War in a variety of editions. Notably, one new edition is the cross-gen bundle, which lets you play the game on current-gen hardware, and when PS5 and Xbox Series X arrive, you'll be able to play on the respective next-gen console with all the visual upgrades and shorter loading times. The standard edition will be backwards-compatible on both next-gen consoles as well, but without the next-gen upgrades.

Preorder Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Standard Edition

cold-warPS4 PS5 Xbox One Xbox Series X PC The standard edition gets you access to the game itself. On consoles, you'll be able to play the game on PS5 and Xbox Series X once those arrive (thanks to backwards compatibility), but this version won't have the upgraded features available on the next-gen versions of the game. To get those, you'll want to read on and preorder the cross-gen bundle version.

Preorder Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Cross-Gen Bundle

cross Buying the cross-gen bundle edition gets you the game on Xbox One or PS4, plus full access to the Xbox Series X or PS5 versions (respectively) when those consoles come out.

Preorder Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Ultimate Edition

ultimate The ultimate edition comes with everything in the cross-gen bundle (so, access to the full next-gen edition when those consoles launch), plus the following items:
  • Land, Sea and Air Pack:
  • 3 Operator Skins
  • 3 Vehicle Skins
  • 3 Weapon Blueprints
  • Battle Pass Bundle (1 Season Battle Pass + 20 Tier Skips)
  • Confrontation Weapons Pack

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Preorder Bonus

Preorder any digital edition of the game, and you'll get access to the beta. Additionally, Best Buy is offering a $10 reward for My Best Buy members. As for what to expect from the game itself, the campaign is set in the early 1980s, where Activision says you'll encounter real-life historical figures as you drop into hostile situations in places like East Berlin, Vietnam, Turkey, and Soviet KGB headquarters. The multiplayer and Zombies mode will use the same era-appropriate weapons in skirmishes against real-life opponents and undead enemies respectively. You'll find a lot more information in our Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War hands-on preview.

Other Preorder Guides

[poilib element="commerceDeal" parameters="slug=other-preorder-guides&type=list"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Chris Reed is IGN's shopping and commerce editor. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed. [widget path="ign/modules/recirc" parameters="title=&type=articles%2Cvideos&tags=us-shopping&count=3&columnCount=3&theme=article"]
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Fall Guys: Ninja Skin Announced After Streamer Wins Charity Auction

Update: After almost two weeks Fall Guys' charity auction for a new skin has ended, and a joint donation of $1 million between G2 Esports, Aim Lab, and Streamers Ninja and Mr. Beast has won. This means Fall Guys will create a skin based on Ninja, Mr. Beast, Aim Lab, and G2 Esports which will eventually find its way into the popular battle royale. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Original Story: Fall Guys has initiated a "Battle of the Brands" bidding contest to bring themed skins to the game, in aid of UK games charity Special Effect. Announced via the Fall Guys Twitter account, the contest will run for two weeks, at which point the highest bidder will work with Mediatonic to bring a branded skin to the game. The winning donation will go to Special Effect, a charity focused on putting "fun and inclusion back into the lives of people with physical disabilities by helping them to play video games." You can learn more about Special Effect's mission statement here. In less than 16 hours, the donation total has already breached $100,000, with bids arriving from many high profile brands including G2 Esports, Warframe and The Sidemen. Warframe started the bidding at $20,000, opting to adapt the design of 'The Lotus' for Fall Guys if they won. YouTube brand The Sidemen later doubled Warframe's bid with a $40,000 donation, before being superseded by a number of brands overnight. The current highest bidder is G2 Esports at $130,003, who posted a concept for a Samurai-themed Fall Guy to coincide with their branding. We're sure this won't be the last bid over the next two weeks. You can check out our review of Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout here, which we scored an 8, calling it a "consistent delight." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
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Everything We Know About Xbox Series X Preorders: Still Not Much

It's been a long time coming, but Xbox Series X preorders are expected to go live before too much longer. Maybe? Seriously, are we ever getting news on these next-gen consoles? Short of an official announcement from Microsoft, "before too much longer" is the best prediction we have for when preorders will go live. And while Sony has said it will announce the PS5 preorder date in advance to give fans time to prepare, Microsoft has made no such promise. If you just came here for the console wars, you can read about where to sign up for PS5 preorder notifications on our dedicated PlayStation page for the subject.

Xbox Series X Preorder Information Pages

The Xbox Series X is coming November 2020, but the exact preorder date, price, and release date have yet to be officially announced. Even so, you can visit the Xbox Series X info pages at the below retailers to read up on the upcoming console, and several of them let you enter your email address for notifications once Xbox Series X preorders do go live. As for us, this is IGN's dedicated Xbox Series X preorder page. Bookmark it now, because we'll have link and information for all the retailers as soon as preorders go live. We'll continuously monitor which stores have preorder stock, what (if any) bonuses they offer, and any other relevant information to ensure anyone who wants an Xbox Series X can get one at launch.  For faster information about Xbox One X preorders when they go live, be sure to follow IGN Deals on Twitter. [poilib element="commerceDeal" parameters="slug=xbox-one-x-retailer-preorder-pages&type=list"]

Xbox Series X Specs

Xbox_ShortBullets_JPGMicrosoft released the official Xbox Series X technical specs on February 24, promising 12 teraflops of graphical processing power and backwards compatibility all the way back to the original Xbox console. Here's a quick rundown of the Xbox Series X technical specifications:
  • Custom-designed AMD Zen 2 and RDNA 2 processor
  • A "patented form" of variable rate shading (VRS)
  • DirectX raytracing (hardware accelerated)
  • SSD storage
  • HDMI 2.1
  • 120fps support
The console's Velocity Architecture, Microsoft Says, should mean we'll see smaller game file sizes, less and faster loading, along with other immediate benefits. Microsoft also showed off the Xbox Series X UI, saying its new interface reduces load times to the home screen on start-up and when returning to it from a game.

Xbox Series X Release Date

The only official word we have about the Xbox Series X release date is that it will launch "Holiday 2020." We did get a possible Xbox Series X launch date leak in early August, when packaging for alleged Xbox controllers bore a sticker reading "Do not sell or display before November 6." That's the closest we've come so far to an actual date, but Microsoft still hasn't confirmed it yet. That same leak also revealed a possible Xbox Series S, the long-rumored second version of the upcoming Xbox hardware.

Xbox Series X Game Prices

Pricing on next-gen games is a little complicated. Many Xbox Series X-compatible games launching this fall, including Ubisoft's fall lineup, will cost $60. Others, like NBA 2K21, will cost $70. Going into next year and beyond, it's likely an MSRP of $70 will become more and more common for Xbox Series X titles.

Xbox Series X Games

Thanks to Microsoft's years-long push for backwards compatibility, Xbox Series X will launch with "thousands of games." Some of the big launch-window titles that have been announced include Halo Infinite, Cyberpunk 2077, and Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Check out our Xbox Series X game list wiki for an up-to-date list of all the confirmed and rumored Series X titles. [poilib element="accentDivider"]
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Here's Where to Sign Up for PS5 Preorder Notifications

Against all odds, we still don't have any concrete news on the PS5 price, release date, or preorder information. We do know you can sign up on Sony's site to possibly get a claim for an opportunity to preorder PS5. Think of it as a chance to preorder your preorder. It's kind of strange, and requires an existing Sony online account, but it speaks to the real possibility the PS5 might be in limited supply when it finally becomes available. Aside from that, we have a new PS5 commercial showing off some of the coming features in the PlayStation 5, like haptic feedback and 3D sound. We also got news Ratchet & Clank: A Rift Apart is definitely a PS5 launch game, except not really? Over Gamescom it was confirmed to be a "launch window" game, which could mean anything. In spite of a total lack of new news on PS5 release date, earlier Sony reiterated the PS5 is NOT being pushed into 2021. So good news! We're still getting PS5 this year. And the window keeps shrinking due to the fact we're growing increasingly close to the end of 2020. This might be the most frustrating lead-up to next-generation console launches... ever? To be fair, 2020 has been kind of a wild ride. If you're just here for the console wars, you can check out our article on where to sign up for Xbox Series X preorders.

Where to Sign Up for PS5 Preorder Information

As we're now much closer to the end of 2020 than we are to the beginning, the PS5 release window remains simply "Holiday." Yes, with each passing day we grow closer to what's almost certainly the most anticipated gaming news of 2020, but as of right now we still know absolutely nothing concrete about price, preorders, or release date. However, this page is going to be our dedicated PS5 preorder link and information page once we do get that juicy info, so make sure to watch it like a hawk because the second preorders are announced, we're going to update this page as fast as is humanly possible. Also, while you're here, you can get much more immediate stock updates by following IGN Deals on Twitter.

Retailer PS5 Preorder Notification Sign-Up Pages

Here are the retailers with placeholder pages for PS5 in the US, but again, no preorder or pricing info. With the exception of Amazon, all the links below have sign-up forms so you can get email notifications for more info on the PS5. If you're anything like me, you've entered your email address in all of them. [poilib element="commerceDeal" parameters="slug=playstation-5-retailer-preorder-pages&type=list"]

UK Readers

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/29/ps5-the-future-of-gaming-trailer"]

PS5 Availability

A report earlier this year claims Sony plans to make fewer PS5s for the console's launch than it did for the PS4 for the same period, keeping the initial supply at around 6 million units worldwide. However, a more recent report claims Sony is ramping up PS5 production to 10 million units, anticipating high demand due to the global pandemic.

PS5 Price

Still waiting on price. Given Sony's initial estimates for demand were almost certainly driven by its internal pricing estimates, I don't think the PS5 will come cheap. At the same time, given the overwhelming response to any and all Sony PS5 news, and general online sentiment, hype for PS5 is so high it's looking like Sony could get away with basically charging whatever it wants at this point. The consensus puts the PS5 price in the $400-$500 range, but that's entirely speculative. Only the people working at Sony know for sure. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/20/first-ps5-trailer-teases-next-gen-features"]

PS5 Game Prices

The good news is we know games like Far Cry 6 support free upgrades from PS4 to PS5. While it looked as though PS5 and Xbox Series X games will cost $70, more recent developments seem to point to publishers holding onto the current $59.99 price for new games, at least for the time being. For a look at the first round of PS5 games, make sure to check out our guide to the PS5 launch game line-up.

Will My PS4 Controller Work on PS5?

No. Well, not at least for PS5 games. Sony confirmed the DualShock 4 won't work for playing PS5 games, but you WILL be able to use your existing PS4 controllers to play "supported PS4 games." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]  
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PlayStation's Major Franchises: Tracking the Years Since New Entries

This generation, Sony has cemented its status as the industry's premier publisher of narrative-driven, single-player games. Over the past four years especially, the company has rarely missed the mark; whether it be new entries in acclaimed series (Uncharted 4, The Last of Us Part II), fresh takes on old properties (God of War, Marvel's Spider-Man), or brand new IP (Horizon Zero Dawn, Ghost of Tsushima), there's been a remarkable consistency in the quality of PlayStation-exclusive releases. With Sony's PS4 swan song Ghost of Tsushima now behind us, we're looking back at the output of PlayStation's biggest first-party franchises over the past seven years — and beyond(!). (This list measures the time between original, mainline releases only. If a spinoff or remake was released more recently it's noted with an asterisk (*). Time elapsed figures are based on U.S. release dates and are recorded as of August 2020.) [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=playstation-major-franchise-output&captions=true"]

0-7 Years (PS4, PSVR)

Ghost of Tsushima – 1 month

Latest: Ghost of Tsushima (July 2020)

We may be only a month removed from Ghost’s debut, but after its record-breaking launch, it’s safe to assume Sony has a new franchise on its hands. In addition to becoming Sony’s fastest-selling original IP debut this generation, Ghost of Tsushima had the best sales launch ever for developer Sucker Punch and was the best-selling game of July in the U.S. Next up for Ghost is a new co-op mode that will be released this fall.

The Last of Us – 2 months

Latest: The Last of Us Part 2 (June 2020)

While the video game future of Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic series is uncertain, we know the franchise will live on through a different medium: A television adaptation is in the works at HBO, led by Naughty Dog director Neil Druckmann and Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/12/the-last-of-us-part-2-review"]

MLB The Show – 5 months

Latest: MLB The Show 20 (March 2020)

Sony has released an MLB game each year since 1998, with “The Show” subtitle appearing every year since 2006. That yearly cadence should continue, though beginning as early as next year, The Show is expected to be released on non-PlayStation platforms for the first time.

Blood & Truth – 1 year, 3 months

Latest: Blood & Truth (May 2019)

Blood & Truth may become PlayStation’s first VR franchise. Sony’s Stuart Whyte told VR Focus the story of Blood & Truth was set up as something London Studio “can continue to build on.” He added, “That’s, fingers crossed, where we’re planning on going next.”

Everybody’s Golf – 1 year, 3 months

Latest: Everybody’s Golf VR (May 2019)

Days Gone – 1 year, 4 months

Latest: Days Gone (April 2019)

With only one entry, Days Gone has yet to establish itself as a franchise. However, developer Bend Studio is likely to return to its virus-plagued world, considering Days Gone became Bend’s best-selling game ever after only a month, according to NPD. Director Chris Reese even suggested there may be more to come, telling GamesRadar, "This is a world that we want to keep breathing more life into, and explore many, many different avenues.”

Astro Bot – 1 year, 10 months

Latest: Astro Bot Rescue Mission (October 2018)

Astro Bot is returning later this year with Astro’s Playroom, a non-VR pack-in game for PlayStation 5 that demonstrates the features of the console’s DualSense controller.

Marvel’s Spider-Man – 1 year, 11 months

Latest: Marvel’s Spider-Man (September 2018)

A smaller-scale spinoff, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, will be released as Sony’s premier PlayStation 5 launch exclusive this holiday. Insomniac, which was acquired by Sony following the release of Spider-Man, has already hinted at a proper sequel.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=spider-man-miles-morales-playstation-5-screenshots&captions=true"]

God of War – 2 years, 4 months

Latest: God of War (April 2018)

A God of War sequel has not yet been confirmed, but it’s hard to imagine Sony’s Santa Monica Studio isn’t working on the series’ next entry. The 2018 reboot was a massive critical and commercial success; it holds a 94 on Metacritic and has sold over 10 million copies as of May 2019.

Gran Turismo – 2 years, 10 months

Latest: Gran Turismo Sport (October 2017)

The series’ next entry, Gran Turismo 7, has been announced for PlayStation 5. There’s no release window at this time.

SingStar – 2 years, 10 months

Latest: SingStar Celebration (October 2017)

The future of Sony’s long-running karaoke franchise isn’t promising, as all the SingStar servers were shut down earlier this year. Developer London Studio has since moved on to creating PSVR games, including VR World and Blood & Truth.

Knack – 2 years, 11 months

Latest: Knack 2 (September 2017)

The brainchild of PS4 and PS5 lead system architect Mark Cerny, Knack and its sequel failed to garner the acclaim bestowed upon many of its PS4-exclusive contemporaries. Despite the PlayStation community’s (partially ironic) calls for a new entry, there’s been no word on a third Knack.

Uncharted – 3 years

Latest: Uncharted: Lost Legacy (August 2017)

Uncharted 4 may have been the end of Nathan Drake’s story, but it probably won’t be the last we see from Sony’s beloved action-adventure series. Uncharted games combined to sell over 41 million copies as of 2017, and rumors suggest a new development team within Sony is working on a new entry, though this remains speculative.

Either way, the series will continue on the big screen with a Tom Holland-led movie adaptation.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=9-sequels-that-would-make-ps5-a-force-to-reckon-with&captions=true"]

Horizon – 3 years, 6 months

Latest: Horizon Zero Dawn (February 2017)

A sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, was recently announced for PS5, with a target release window of 2021. The original, meanwhile, was recently ported to PC.

Gravity Rush – 3 years, 7 months

Latest: Gravity Rush 2 (January 2017)

Ratchet & Clank – 4 years, 4 months

Latest: Ratchet & Clank (April 2016)

While not an entirely new game, 2016’s Ratchet & Clank reboot integrated enough new ideas into the original’s blueprint for us to consider it its own entry. The next mainline game, Rift Apart, is currently in development for PS5.

Fat Princess – 4 years, 8 months

Latest: Fat Princess Adventures (December 2015)

LittleBigPlanet – 5 years, 9 months

Latest: LittleBigPlanet 3 (November 2014)

LBP 3 developer Sumo Digital is working on a new spinoff game, Sackboy A Big Adventure, for PS5. Original LBP developer Media Molecule released its creation game, Dreams, earlier this year.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=sackboy-a-big-adventure-playstation-5-screenshots&captions=true"]

Infamous – 6 years

Latest: Infamous: First Light (August 2014)

Given Ghost of Tsushima’s breakout success, a sequel is the safest bet for Sucker Punch’s next project, though the developer hasn't ruled out a return to Infamous.

Killzone – 6 years, 9 months

Latest: Killzone: Shadow Fall (November 2013)

Similar to Infamous, Killzone’s future has grown more uncertain following the launch of its developer’s newer, more successful IP; Horizon Zero Dawn had sold “well over” 10 million copies by February 2019, and Guerilla Games is currently working on a sequel. In 2017, studio co-founder and current head of PlayStation Worldwide Studios Hermen Hulst told Interactive “it’s too early” to announce “whether or not we've put a permanent period behind [Killzone].”

7-14 Years (PS3, PS Vita, PSP)

Sly Cooper – 7 years, 6 months

Latest: Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (February 2013)

Original Sly Cooper developer Sucker Punch passed the baton to Sanzaru Games with Thieves in Time. Sanzaru has since been acquired by Oculus, while Sucker Punch has moved on to Infamous and Ghost of Tsushima, adding to the uncertainty of Sly’s future.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/18/ghost-of-tsushima-how-to-dress-as-sly-cooper"]

Twisted Metal – 8 years, 6 months

Latest: Twisted Metal (February 2012)

Sony’s car combat series skipped the PS4 generation, and there’s no indication the company is looking to bring it back for PS5. Should the TV adaptation revitalize interest in the franchise, perhaps Sony would consider a return to Twisted Metal.

Wipeout – 8 years, 6 months*

Latest: Wipeout 2048 (February 2012)

*Wipeout Omega Collection, a remastered bundle of Wipeout HD and 2048, was released for PS4 in 2017.

The studio responsible for Wipeout, Sony’s Studio Liverpool (fka Psygnosis), was shuttered in 2012, six months after the release of Wipeout 2048.

Resistance – 8 years, 11 months*

Latest: Resistance 3 (September 2011)

*A PlayStation Vita spinoff, Burning Skies, was released in 2012.

If Resistance were to return, it wouldn’t come from regular series developer Insomniac; the studio’s CEO, Ted Price, said in 2012 it was “not moving on with the Resistance franchise.” Price could have a change of heart, or Sony could task a different studio with developing a potential Resistance 4.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/21/why-sony-buying-spider-man-ps4-developer-insomniac-has-us-so-excited-beyond-episode-603"]

MotorStorm – 9 years, 3 months*

Latest: MotorStorm: Apocalypse (May 2011)

*An RC car spinoff was released the following year for PS3 and Vita.

Series developer Evolution Studios closed in 2016. The development team later joined Codemasters, which went on to create the MotorStorm-inspired Onrush.

Patapon – 9 years, 4 months*

Latest: Patapon 3 (April 2011)

*After years of promise, a remastered version of Patapon 2 came to PS4 in January.

SOCOM – 9 years, 4 months

Latest: SOCOM 4 U.S. Navy SEALs (April 2011)

Sony shut down SOCOM developer Zipper Interactive in 2012, and there’s been no word on a potential new entry since.

LocoRoco – 11 years, 6 months*

Latest: LocoRoco 2 (February 2009)

*Remastered versions of LocoRoco and LocoRoco 2 were released on PS4 in May and December 2017, respectively.

Syphon Filter – 12 years, 10 months

Latest: Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow (October 2007)

Bend Studio created six Syphon Filter games between 1999 and 2007 before moving on to other projects. However, Syphon Filter lived on through Bend’s most recent game, Days Gone, which featured an easter egg suggesting the two exist in the same universe (via GamesRadar).

As for the future of Syphon Filter, series writer-director John Garvin told Eurogamer, “Never say never!”

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14+ Years (PS2, PS1)

Ape Escape – 14 years, 7 months*

Latest: Ape Escape 3 (January 2006)

*There have been several spinoffs since the release of Ape Escape 3 on PS2 — the most recent being 2011’s critically panned PlayStation Move: Ape Escape.

A new Ape Escape, or perhaps a remake, was seemingly teased last year. Months later, during an interview with Siliconera, Shuhei Yoshida acknowledged “the voices of many people asking for a new Ape Escape title,” but fell short of announcing any future entries.

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Jak and Daxter – 15 years, 9 months*

Latest: Jak 3 (November 2004)

*Multiple Jak spinoffs have been released since Naughty Dog’s last proper installment, including Jak X: Combat Racing in 2005 and Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier in 2009. A bundle of the mainline trilogy (plus Jak X) came to PS4 in 2017.

Naughty Dog’s Arne Meyer told IGN in 2014 that a new Jak is “never off the table,” though the studio’s focus is on “narrative-driven games with strong characters.” In the six years since, Naughty Dog has released Uncharted 4 and The Last of Us Part 2, suggesting that, at least for now, that design philosophy is still in place.

PaRappa The Rapper – 18 years, 7 months*

Latest: PaRappa The Rapper 2 (January 2002)

*A PS4 remaster of the original was released in April 2017.

A Japanese mobile spinoff was announced in 2016, though it has yet to be released and isn’t listed on the website of developer ForwardWorks.

MediEvil – 20 years, 4 months* Latest: MediEvil 2 (April 2000) *A full remake of the original came to PS4 in October 2019. [poilib element="accentDivider"] What do you think of Sony's first-party output? Which series on this list surprised you most? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to vote in the poll below! You can also check out our previously published analyses of Microsoft and Nintendo's first-party outputs. [poilib element="poll" parameters="id=50bf273b-4a5c-49eb-b425-49ddb0c9ea27"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan is a freelance writer for IGN.
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Crusader Kings 3 Review

Empress Hamam accomplished a lot in her 71 years. Hailing from a meager tribe in what would be modern Sudan (eastern Africa), she restored the organized worship of the ancient Egyptian gods and cemented the rule of a new pharaonic dynasty in the medieval Nile Valley, finally ending centuries of foreign rule. Her passion in life, however, was her 12 children, some of whom would go on to rule in their own right. Raising that many kids is stressful, though, which led her to develop a drinking habit and a taste for elaborate feasts, ultimately ingratiating her in the eyes of her more revelrous subjects even further. This is just one of the countless human stories that emerged organically over more than 100 hours I’ve already spent in Crusader Kings 3. And its marriage of the personal and the political, the grand and the intimate, is nothing short of glorious.

Crusader Kings has always been a series about how individual characters, and their interactions, shape history, and this third installment finds new and intriguing ways to portray that. Like its predecessors, Crusader Kings 3 lets court drama, dynastic feuds, and marriage alliances underpin the more familiar grand strategy game tasks of constructing castles, researching technology, and waging war. A personal slight between two neighboring rulers can plunge the entire region into bloodshed and chaos worthy of a great historical fiction novel, while a well-planned betrothal can forge a mighty alliance and eventually unite kingdoms under one crown. Fundamentally, it’s a game more about people than things – and that focus is what makes it truly special and memorable. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/6-minutes-of-crusader-kings-3-gameplay"]

Paradox Development Studio has deepened and expanded upon most of the key elements that made Crusader Kings 2 work. The stress system, which led our merry matriarch Hamam to find solace in the bottom of a bottle, is emblematic of this. In Crusader Kings 2, characters have personality traits that affect their stats, but they didn’t do much to guide your behavior. In Crusader Kings 3, a cruel character will build up stress if you often offer your enemies mercy, while an honest one will chafe at dark dealings in the shadows. This encouraged me to roleplay the traits of my characters rather than just seeing them as numerical modifiers, or live with the consequences of denying their natural tendencies, which I really enjoyed. Understandably, Crusader Kings 3’s system doesn’t feel as broadly fleshed-out as its predecessor’s, which has had the benefit of seven years and hundreds of dollars’ worth of expansions, but it’s well on its way.

[poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=Stress%20encouraged%20me%20to%20roleplay%20the%20traits%20of%20my%20characters%20rather%20than%20just%20seeing%20them%20as%20numerical%20modifiers."]Stress never felt like it railroaded me into a specific kind of behavior, though. Accumulating too much leads to a mental break, which offers you the choice of a couple different coping mechanisms you can adopt to deal with the strain of ruling a medieval realm. Whether it’s drinking, fighting, or frequenting the brothels, each of these provides authentic-feeling character development and introduces new opportunities for drama and conflict. Hamam’s love of booze led her to make new friends with other magnates who shared in her favored pastime. But developing a temper could lead to you punching out a priest and upsetting the Pope, which is generally a bad idea in this time period. Of course, due to the in-depth, free-form new religion system, you can always bid farewell to a religious doctrine that no longer suits you. You can create a new heresy of Catholicism that, for instance, exalts cannibalism, believes in reincarnation, and allows only women to become priests. Everything is customizable, from the role of the clergy to views on witchcraft and homosexuality. The possibilities are practically limitless, and allow you to customize your experience and leave your mark on the world in very satisfying ways that were never possible in the previous games.

Master of Whisperers

Medieval dynastic politics would be nothing without a little cloak and dagger, and this is another area where Crusader Kings 3 has gone all out. A new system of secrets and hooks allows you to gain leverage over other characters by, for instance, discovering and threatening to expose an extramarital affair. It feels rewarding and viable to work solely in the shadows, building your base of power through trading favors, manipulating the careless, and assassinating those too inconvenient to your schemes. Most of the same results were achievable in Crusader Kings 2, but the way you get there is so much richer and more hands-on now. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=crusader-kings-3-screenshots&captions=true"] Warfare has some strong new ideas too, well beyond the advantage bar that clearly shows you who’s winning a battle at any given moment (a huge improvement over Crusader Kings 2’s arcane and inaccessible number-crunching). While combat is still fairly simple and hands-off, from a tactical perspective, the ways it can have repercussions after the fact have been greatly broadened and deepened beyond simple success or failure. The addition of Knights gives individual, named warriors a bigger role to play in turning the tide, and more opportunities for personal stories to emerge from the din of clashing steel. What’s more, the risks of bloodshed now include consequences that can be more shattering to a ruler than losing an entire army. A lover serving in your personal guard might sacrifice themselves to save you from a stray arrow. A close but bloody battle, even if you emerge victorious, could end with all of your adult children, your most trusted counselor, and your best friend dead or maimed. The survivors will be left to return to a completely changed political situation and atmosphere at court while possibly sending your current avatar into a depression spiral full of angst and debauchery.

Martial Management

The logistics of conducting a campaign of conquest could still use some work. In an effort to cut down on the micromanagement that bogs down Crusader Kings 2 at times, Crusader Kings 3 has all of your armies arrive at a designated rally point as a single force, rather than raising dozens of small stacks from their home counties and having to merge them together. The problem is it doesn’t always send troops where they’re needed, this often leaves you without the fine control you need to stage your invasion efficiently. Setting up multiple rally points is supposed to split your forces somewhat evenly when you call up the banners, but I’ve never found this to work properly in practice. Usually one rally point would spawn a small contingent of troops, while the entire rest of my army showed up at the other. This is pretty annoying, because having too many troops in one spot will cause you to lose men and supplies to attrition, and in a war with multiple fronts it leaves one or more positions woefully undermanned. The end result is that you end up doing almost as much work micromanaging your soldiers, manually splitting them into smaller contingents and marching them halfway across the realm, as you would have under the old system. [poilib element="poll" parameters="id=5c494444-91df-4f19-ad27-96a5f5b6be19"] This is partly alleviated by the fact that there’s so much to do besides marching armies around, and all of that is done so well. But it’s the one major thing I’d really want to see improved, and I take comfort from the fact that Paradox has a rock-solid history of polishing its games for years after launch. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=This%20is%20easily%20Paradox%E2%80%99s%20best%20looking%20game%20to%20date%2C%20across%20the%20board."]The graphics don’t need any polishing though. This is easily Paradox’s best looking game to date, across the board. I couldn’t have anticipated how much having fully 3D, animated character models would help the world and stories come to life, but it makes an absolutely massive difference over Crusader Kings 2. And it’s more nuanced than you’d probably expect, in that you get to see your characters age gradually year over year in complex and realistic ways, rather than suddenly getting gray and wrinkly at a pre-set age like in the previous installment. On top of that, the new DNA system allows children to be a believable mix of their parents’ features, with the ability to pass on everything from hair color to nose bridge width to ear lobe size. The historically-inspired clothing is a joy to look at, from the roughspun tunics of a Swedish commoner to the elaborate, embellished court dress of the Byzantine Emperor. I do wish there was a little more regional variation – my pharaohs were stuck with fairly generic Arabic-looking outfits, for instance – but that’s something I’d bet strongly on getting more of in updates, mods, and DLC down the line. And the portrait system can even model things like scars from battles, weight gain from too much wine and feasting, athleticism, and the signature buboes of everyone’s favorite plague. Characters have always been the mechanical heart of Crusader Kings, but making them its visual focus in so many new and effective ways elevates everything else substantially. The map is gorgeous to look at as well, fading seamlessly from an era-appropriate parchment mode at higher zoom levels to highly detailed and striking close-ups of terrain at the lowest ones. It’s very easy when maneuvering to see where features like hills, swamps, and forests start and end without having to rely on the UI, which is a huge boon for tactics and immersion when on a campaign. And using zoom levels instead of discrete map modes that must be toggled on and off (though there are a few of those) allows you to access the information you need much more quickly and intuitively at a moment’s notice. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-modern-pc-games-summer-2020-update&captions=true"] The interface is generally clean and well-organized, using a dusky but not depressing color palette that’s easy to look at and feels decidedly medieval without casting a sense of gloom all over everything. Hand-painted backgrounds on events and character pages enhance the atmosphere and sense of place, from a chieftain’s smoky tent on the Eurasian steppe to a Sultan’s elaborate, ostentatious palace grounds. It can get a little busy at times, though, due to the fact that Crusader Kings 3 seemingly wants to avoid overlapping menus as much as possible. If you open the intrigue screen, for instance, it shoves everything that’s normally along the right hand side over to the left instead of covering it up. If you have a lot of menus and notifications going on at once, you can be left with what feels like basically a postage stamp of the map left to peer at and it sometimes made me feel very claustrophobic. Too much information at a glance can be a bad thing, so you have to learn to manage it. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=Every%20music%20track%20is%20excellent%20and%20effective."]The soundtrack and sound design is also a new high for Paradox Development Studio. Ambient sounds like a bustling market or the clash of swords in battle at the lowest zoom levels are crisp, layered, and effective at reinforcing that sense of place. Every music track is excellent and effective, whether it be a serene and ambient bed of strings or the bombastic, energetic contextual stings that play when you declare war or being a crusade. Even little things like the clicky feedback noises you get from clicking on menu options are great. Subtleties like that can go a long way. [poilib element="poll" parameters="id=01cdf707-d4ff-4070-8847-6033c8cf596e"] All of this is sealed with the slick, regal wax of the new lifestyles system, which takes the ideas of Crusader Kings 2’s best add-on, Way of Life, and expands on it excellently while folding it into the base mechanics. Characters can choose to focus on one of five areas: war, intrigue, learning, diplomacy, and stewardship. Each of these has three distinct and rich sub-focuses within them. Does your scheming duke want to get his way through murder or seduction? Both can accomplish the same goals, but in very different ways. And each is loaded with new events, almost none of which are repeats that those of us who played Crusader Kings 2 to death will recognize. And since so many of them are specific to one focus within one lifestyle, I imagine it’s going to take a very long time to see them all even once. At around 100 hours played, I’m still getting tons of novel events pop up at my court and it feels like I’ve only scratched the surface.

Power and Progression

Lifestyles also come with three talent trees that don’t only give you boring, flat modifiers to your skills, but actually open up entirely new playstyles. A skilled diplomat who is a vassal to a higher ruler, for instance, can unlock the ability to claim the throne of their liege lord even if they have no right to it by blood. Seedy schemers can gain the ability to abduct other characters and take them prisoner, up to and including kings and popes! On top of this, you’ll be accumulating Renown for your whole dynasty, which can unlock bonuses like making everyone in your line longer-lived or more likely to inherit positive genetic traits like Strong and Intelligent. This means that while each new ruler you inhabit might be a fresh start in terms of lifestyle points, you’ll always be accumulating dynastic progress that never goes away. It’s really satisfying, and one of those things I’m now realizing was painfully missing from Crusader Kings 2. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-modern-ign-1010&captions=true"] The new technology system is another great example of improving on this idea of long-term progression. While Crusader Kings 2’s system was full of more of those boring, flat modifiers – a small bonus to prestige here, an increase to the fighting effectiveness of heavy infantry there – almost all of Crusader Kings 3’s historically-inspired innovations give you something new and exciting to play with. It’s how you unlock new succession laws that allow you to consolidate power under one heir, rather than having the kingdom split between all your kids when you die. The latter system makes the early game very chaotic and challenging, and by the time you get rid of it, you feel like you’ve really earned it. It will also unlock new buildings and culture-specific military units and abilities for just about every corner of the map. Mongols get deadly horse archers. Norse longships will allow you to sail along major rivers, not just the open seas. In a tapestry where regional variation is one of the few colors that isn’t as bright, these little touches really help each region in Crusader Kings 3’s feel somewhat new and different.
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Yakuza: Like a Dragon - Here's What Comes in Each Edition

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is slated to launch on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 13. It will also be an Xbox Series X launch title and will arrive "later" on PS5. But if you buy either current-gen version, you'll get the corresponding next-gen version for free. Like its many predecessors, it's an action-RPG set in Japan's criminal underworld. It that follows a low-ranking gang member named Ichiban Kasuga, a new protagonist for the series, who is released to find that his clan has been destroyed. As you can probably imagine, it's time for revenge. The game has a revamped combat system compared to previous entries. You control a team this time around, with turn-based beat-'em-up combat. It also offers 19 unique jobs to take on and 50 side quests, that will surely range from the serious to the downright ridiculous. Fans of the series would have it no other way. While we don't have an exact release date yet, the game is already available to preorder at a number of retailers.

Where to Preorder Yakuza: Like a Dragon Day Ichi Edition

yakuza-like-a-dragon

PS4 / PS5

Xbox One / Xbox Series X

PC

The standard edition of Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the Day Ichi edition, which includes a steelbook case (physical copies only) and the in-game Legends Costume Set.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Hero Edition (Digital Only)

yakuza-like-a-dragon-edition-differences Also available digitally is the Dragon Hero edition which, in addition to the Legends Costume Set, comes with the Job Set and Management Mode Set DLC.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Legendary Hero Edition (Digital Only)

Yakuza: Like a Dragon Legendary Hero Edition includes the Legends Costume Set, Job Set, Crafting Mat Set, Management Mode Set, Karaoke Set, Ultimate Costume Set, and Stat Boost Set DLC.

Other Preorder Guides

[poilib element="commerceDeal" parameters="slug=other-preorder-guides&type=list"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Chris Reed is IGN's shopping and commerce editor. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed. [widget path="ign/modules/recirc" parameters="title=&type=articles%2Cvideos&tags=us-shopping&count=3&columnCount=3&theme=article"]
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Sunday, August 30, 2020

Tonight Is Your Last Chance to Catch Fireworks in ACNH

Here's how to see fireworks in ACNH and how to get all the prizes.
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Eiyuden Chronicle Has Become the Third Best-Selling Video Game Kickstarter

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, the spiritual successor to Suikoden, has become the third best-selling Kickstarter video game with a final total of over $4.5 million raised. Eiyuden Chronicle trails only behind Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night's $5.5 million and Shenmue 3's $6.3 million as the best-selling video game Kickstarter, flying past its original goal of $500,000. Key members of the development team responsible for the cult classic RPG series Suikoden will be working on Eiyuden Chronicle, and it will take the form of a JRPG with a 2.5D visual style. Furthermore, it will have 100 heroes to recruit, a 'fortress building system,' and a turn-based battle system with parties of six characters. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/24/eiyuden-chronicle-hundred-heroes-gameplay-teaser"] The story of Eiyuden Chronicle will be written by Suikoden series creator and Suikoden 1 and 2 writer Yoshitaka Murayama, and other ex-Suikoden team members will handle the character design, system design, and direction. Since this Kickstarter surpassed its goal in a major way, many of the stretch goals were met, including PS5, Xbox Series X, and Switch versions, and a companion game called A Quiet Place that was the $4.5 million goal. For those who aren't familiar with the Suikoden series, which began in 1995 on the original PlayStation, be sure to read our take on why Suikoden 2 is the best game you've never played. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=eiyuden-chronicle-hundred-heroes-16-images&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.
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How to Make Your Own Clone in Wasteland 3

Why risk you own neck when you can send a clone charging into battle ahead of you in Wasteland 3.
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Summoner's War: Sky Arena Getting Street Fighter Crossover

Summoner's War: Sky Arena is beginning a crossover event to bring Street Fighter 5 characters into the mobile game from August 31, and we have a new trailer. Announced at Gamescom 2020, the crossover will bring Ryu, Ken, M. Bison, Chun-Li, and Dhalsim to the turn-based strategy game - check out a trailer below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/30/summoners-war-x-street-fighter-5-crossover-event-trailer"] Playing in the event between August 31 and November 1 will net you Ken for free. Make sure to check out our full gamescom schedule to find out what else is on the way and our roundup of gamescom 2020 highlights. [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.
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Animal Crossing: Turnip Seller Daisy Mae Is On Your Island

How to make a lot of money (bells) in ACNH.
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Monster Hunter World: Iceborne's Final Update Adds the Dragon Fatalis

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne's final, free title update will add Fatalis, a fan-favorite traditional black dragon who has taken over the ruins of Castle Schrade. This final update will arrive on October 1, 2020, and Fatalis will be able to be taken on once players finish the story of Iceborne and complete the Alatreon investigation. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/30/monster-hunter-world-iceborne-fatalis-trailer"] This isn't a simple fight add-on, as it features story content with new characters like the General from the Guild itself and returning faces like the Excitable A-Lister. Once in battle, hunters will be able to take advantage of the Dragonator, cannons, and ballistae to take down this legendary foe who made his first appearance in the original Monster Hunter for PS2 in 2004. When Fatalis is defeated, players will obviously be able to craft weapon and armor from its materials, but it's the Palico Equipment that may be the star of the show. The Fatalis Set α+ turns your trusted Palico companion into a mini-Fatalis that has a little hunter doll clutched in its claws that it uses for a weapon. This update will also add the arch-tempered Velkhana, a Clutch Claw Boost skill which will allow players to wound monsters easier, and more. Monster Hunter World: Iceborne was released in 2019 and added a new story that began after the events of of the main game. In our review, we said, "a true beast of an expansion, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne adds a boatload of impressive new and returning monsters and improvements to an already incredible game... Iceborne is exciting and creative throughout, reiterating Monster Hunter: World’s place as one of the very best games of this generation." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=monster-hunter-world-iceborne-fatalis-update&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.
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The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon DLC Gets New Gameplay

The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon has gotten new gameplay, showing new characters, locations and weapons. In a new gameplay clip, we get a look at an early part of the Peril on Gorogn storyline, taking us to the Sprat Shack (a good spot to talk through the DLC's mysteries with locals), and the Gorgon Overlands. We also see a new Science weapon, the Pest Extermination Tool, able to use grav-plating to pull enemies towards the pointy end of your weapon. Check out all that and more in the video below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/30/reunite-with-parvati-and-felix-in-this-the-outer-worlds-peril-on-gorgon-dlc-gameplay"] Set on an asteroid and featuring a noir-inflected storyline, Peril on Gorgon will have you investigating the origins of the Adrena-Time drug. It's the first of two narrative DLC expansions for The Outer Worlds. Make sure to check out our full gamescom schedule to find out what else is on the way and our roundup of gamescom 2020 highlights. [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.
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Chivalry 2 Delayed to 2021

Chivalry 2 has been delayed and will now be released in 2021 on PC (Epic Games Store), Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. Announced by Torn Banner Studios, this delay is "necessary to allow Chivalry 2 to be the greatest game it can be, and one that realizes our vision of a “true sequel” to the original Chivalry: Medieval Warfare." The developer cites COVID-19 as a big factor for the updated timeline, but the extra time will allow them to "incorporate several quality of life improvements and also include what was originally post-launch content, in the release." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/10/chivalry-2-console-and-crossplay-announcement-trailer"] While this will mean that more maps and game features will be playable at launch, horses will still be arriving after launch as they "need a bit more time in the training stables." Chivalry 2 recently completed its sixth round of its Alpha stage, and Torn Banner Studios reassures fans that this delay will not impact the previously-planned Summer beta. There is no specific date given yet, but more information will be coming soon. Chivalry 2 was announced during E3 2019 and looks to bring players into their favorite medieval movie battle scenes. It features first-person melee battles of up to 64 players and will allow players to relive moments that invoke battles like Game of Thrones' Battle of the Bastards. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=chivalry-2-two-new-screenshots&captions=true"] During our IGN Expo earlier this year, we were able to exclusively confirm that Chivalry 2 would be headed to consoles alongside the previously confirmed PC version. Furthermore, they will all feature cross-play with each other. [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.
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These Are All the X-Factor Abilities in Madden NFL 21

Plus, take a look at the rest of our Madden 21 guide for tips and a full roaster.
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Saturday, August 29, 2020

Ubisoft to Remove Raised Black Fist Imagery from Tom Clancy's Elite Squad

Ubisoft has decided to remove the black raised fist imagery from Tom Clancy's Elite Squad's intro, as it has been deemed "insensitive and harmful" and appears to connect a fictional terrorist group called Umbra to the Black Lives Matter movement. Ubisoft posted its statement on Twitter, and confirmed it will be removing this "raised fist" imagery from Tom Clancy's Elite Squad in the next title update on Tuesday, September 1 on Android and "as soon as possible on iOS." Umbra "Imagery that appeared in the opening video sequence of Tom Clancy's Elite Squad featuring a 'raised fist' was insensitive and harmful in both its inclusion and how it was portrayed," Ubisoft tweet reads. "We have listened to and appreciate the players and the broader community who have pointed it out and we apologize. This 'raised fist' imagery will be removed in the next title update this Tuesday, September 1 on Android and as soon as possible on iOS." In Elite Squad's intro video, the narrator describes Umbra, this fictional terrorist group, as "a new threat has emerged to take advantage of escalating civil unrest." It continues by calling them a "faceless organization that wants to build a new world order." When the narrator says "They claim to promote an egalitarian utopia to gain popular support," the "raised fists" in question come into view. The raised fist has been used for many years as a symbol for revolution, and most recently has been used by those in the Black Lives Matter movement in the fight against police brutality and systemic racism. This controversy is yet another one for Ubisoft, a company that has been dealing with the fallout of the multiple sexual allegations against some of its employees. Ubisoft has committed to "major changes" and is putting systems in place to ensure these issues will not happen again. [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.
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Marvel's Avengers: Every Post-Launch Character Will Have a $10 Battle Pass

Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics have revealed more details on Marvel's Avengers gear, cosmetics, vendors, marketplace, and the premium Hero Challenge Cards, which will cost $10 for each free, post-launch character. This explainer on Gear and Cosmetics began by reiterating that all future updates - including new characters, story content, missions, and regions - will be available for free for all players. Furthermore, while there will be cosmetic content that will be purchasable with real money, it will be aesthetic-only and will not impact gameplay in any way. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvels-avengers-hero-challenge-cards-vendors-and-marketplace&captions=true"]

Marvel Avenger's Hero Challenge Cards and Marketplace

One of the biggest ways to earn a ton of cosmetics is through the Hero Challenge Cards. Each card has 40 tiers of free and premium rewards that are earned by Challenge Points gained from completing daily and weekly challenges. The premium Hero Challenge Card rewards for all six starting heroes - Iron Man, Kamala Khan, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, and Black Widow - will be activated for free for all who own Marvel's Avengers. All post-launch character's premium Hero Challenge Cards, however, will cost $10 (1,000 credits) to activate. Although, if you complete the entire card, you will earn back your 1,000 Credit activation cost and earn over 12,500 Credits worth of content. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/10/marvels-avengers-review-in-progress"] This means that post-launch character's like Clint Barton's Hawkeye and Spider-Man - who is PS4 exclusive - will be free for all players, and only extra cosmetics and their premium Hero Challenge Card will cost real-world money. Marvel's Avengers will also feature a Marketplace that will feature "purchasable cosmetics in the form of Outfits, Emotes, Takedowns, and Nameplates." Credits will also be required to purchase these items, and a 500 credit pack will cost you $5.00. Credits will come in packs of 500, 2,000, 5,000, and 10,000, with bonus credits rewarded for the bigger packs. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/05/avengers-spider-man-exclusivity-is-good-for-playstation-bad-for-players-opinion"]

Cosmetics and Vendors

Cosmetic items come in four different varieties - Outfits, Emotes, Takedowns, and Nameplates - and many can be earned, crafted, or purchased from vendors. Vendors are narrative-based store operators who set up shop around Marvel's Avengers game world. They will sell Cosmetics, Gear, and Rare Resources in exchange for Units and common Resources. Speaking of Resources, these can be found in-game and will allow you to upgrade your gear. Patterns can also be earned through play and can be used at Fabrication Machines to create an Outfit or Nameplate. Lastly, Units are Marvel's Avengers "soft-currency", which means it is in-game digital currency that has no real-world value and can be found in strongboxes or as rewards for increasing your Faction Level. Gear Vendors will sell you character-specific Gear and Resources in exchange for Fragments, which can be earned by collecting and dismantling Gear. Gear choices will rotate daily and weekly. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/24/marvels-avengers-launch-trailer"] Cosmetic Vendors will take Units from the player in exchange for Outfits, Emotes, and Nameplates. Legendary Outfits will rotate weekly, while Nameplates, Emotes, and Epic & Rare Outfits rotate daily. Marvel's Avengers will be released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia on September 4, 2020. PS5 and Xbox Series X versions will also be released later this year. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvels-avengers-character-combat-breakdown&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.
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Take an Extended Look at Borderlands 3's Next DLC

Borderlands 3's next major DLC release is only a few days away from launch, and we now have a new look at the fustercluck fans can expect. As revealed during gamescom 2020, lead writer Connor Thomas Cleary takes a look at the new DLC in the gameplay breakdown for Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck, which you can watch below. The new DLC takes players inside the mind of Krieg, the Crimson Raiders' resident psycho, who returns after his appearance in Borderlands 2. Players must travel through warped memories of Krieg's, including The Siege of Castle Crimson, followed by Sapphire's Run featuring an evil train, and then the Benediction of Pain, which essentially serves as Krieg's origin story. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/29/borderlands-3-psycho-krieg-and-the-fantastic-fustercluck-dlc-gameplay-explores-the-warped-memories-of-a-psychos-brain"] Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck will be released on September 10. For more, check out our verdict on the best Borderlands DLC of all time, our review of Borderlands 3's latest DLC Bounty of Blood, and our review of Borderlands 3 itself. There's much, much more to come from gamescom 2020 on IGN - check out our full gamescom schedule to find out what else is on the way and our roundup of gamescom 2020 highlights. [poilib element="accentDivider"]
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Nexon's Medieval Fantasy Brawler Warhaven Shutting Down 6 Months After Launching in Early Access

Nexon's medieval fantasy brawler Warhaven is shutting down on April 5, 2024, just six months after it launched on Steam in Early Access...