Sunday, January 7, 2024

Wizards of the Coast Confirms 'AI Components' Were Used In Magic: The Gathering Marketing Artwork

Wizards of the Coast has confirmed that "some AI components" were used in recent marketing artwork and that it will be rethinking how it works with vendors for its promotional creative efforts.

For those unfamiliar with the situation, Wizards of the Coast released a new marketing campaign for Magic: The Gathering and people quickliy noticed it looked off and as if AI had created some or all of it.

In a now deleted post on X/Twitter (via PC Gamer), WotC denied that the art was made with AI.

"We understand confusion by fans given the style being different than card art, but we stand by our previous statement," WotC wrote. "This art was created by humans and not AI."

Now, WotC admits "some AI components" did make its way into the images.

"Well, we made a mistake earlier when we said that a marketing image we posted was not created using AI. Read on for more," Wizards of the Coast wrote on X/Twitter. "As you, our diligent community pointed out, it looks like some AI components that are now popping up in industry standard tools like Photoshop crept into our marketing creative, even if a human did the work to create the overall image.

"While the art came from a vendor, it’s on us to make sure that we are living up to our promise to support the amazing human ingenuity that makes Magic great. We already made clear that we require artists, writers, and creatives contributing to the Magic TCG to refrain from using AI generative tools to create final Magic products. Now we’re evaluating how we work with vendors on creative beyond our products – like these marketing images – to make sure that we are living up to those values."

This isn't the first time WotC has been caught up in an AI-related controversey, as there was a debate at the end of 2023 whether some of the art in 2024 D&D Player's Handbook was created with AI as some claimed they found an image of a dwarf missing one of his arms.

You can check out some of the most promotional images in question below in a post from @MarcoMA4PS that says "I guess the whole ad campaign was made with A/I generated imagery, then retouched to give it a semblance of man-made craft."

This latest controversy caused some WotC artists to say they won't work with the company if it plans to use AI like this in the future. One such artist was Jason Rainville, who recently wrote after WotC's apology that "This was what I hoped would be the case. So, all in all good news. I'm going to keep an eye on what the evaluation of their relationship w vendors is going forward. And if those ads are going to be removed or replaced."

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.

Daily Deals: Persona 5 Tactica, EVGA X17 Gaming Mouse, Apple AirPods Pro

It's the first weekend of 2024, and there are some exciting deals that have gone live now that the holiday season has ended. From video games to PC components, there is no shortage of deals you don't want to miss out on. The best deals for Sunday, January 7, include Persona 5 Tactica, the EVGA X17 Gaming Mouse, Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), Super Mario RPG, a 2TB Crucial SSD, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete, and more.

Lowest Price Yet for Persona 5 Tactica

Amazon has Persona 5 Tactica listed for $34.99, which is an even better deal than Black Friday. This action-packed adventure takes the Phantom Thieves into a new adventure with tactical combat. If you enjoyed Persona 5 Royal or Persona 5 Strikers, P5 Tactica should be a game on your radar. Erina, a character new to the series, is a great addition to an already amazing cast of characters.

$17.99 for the EVGA X17 Gaming Mouse

This gaming mouse from EVGA is a solid pickup if you're looking for a new mouse and don't need any fancy features. The X17 includes 10 buttons you can program as you see fit, in addition to a sensor capable of up to 16,000DPI. You can save five different profiles on the mouse, which comes in handy as you alternate between games and tasks. Lastly, there's even the option to add or remove weight from the mouse to best fit your desired experience.

Apple AirPods Pro with USB Type-C for $189.99

Amazon has dropped the price of the 2nd gen Apple AirPods Pro truly wireless noise cancelling earbuds with the universal USB Type-C connector by $60, now only $189. With this current gen AirPods Pro, Apple has replaced the proprietary Lightning port with the more universal USB Type-C. For people who want to bring along a single charging cable for all of their mobile devices, this is a godsend.

Super Mario RPG for $47.69

The recently released remake of Super Mario RPG is 20% off at Walmart right now. If you've yet to either play the original or check out the remake, this is the perfect time to do so. Composer Yoko Shimimura returned to compose the remake's original soundtrack, and each boss and environment has been expertly recrafted for the Nintendo Switch. It's the perfect Mario title to check out if you've already beaten Super Mario Bros. Wonder!

Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 for $95.99

Target recently dropped the price of the professional-grade Xbox Series X Elite Series 2 Core Wireless Controller in Red/Black to $95.99. It's less expensive than the Black/White and Blue/Black variants. This controller wasn't discounted at all during Black Friday and Cyber Monday and would make for an awesome holiday gift for any Xbox gamer who appreciates precision control and customizability.

Note that Target RedCard members get an extra 5% discount. Signing up is free.

2TB PS5 Compatible SSD for $128

You can never have enough storage for a console like the PlayStation 5. File sizes have only grown with each passing year, and each of the biggest titles of the year usually requires 100GB on the low end. This Crucial T-500 2TB SSD includes a heatsink, so it's ready to slot into your PS5 with no other installation required. If you don't have an SSD yet, this is a great deal to take a look at.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition for $11.99

This collection of titles is well worth your money for $11.99. Mass Effect Legendary Edition includes the first three Mass Effect titles and all DLC associated with each. The games are all remastered in 4K, each running at high frame rates. The first Mass Effect title specifically received loads of enhancements and updates to improve the visual and gameplay experience. You can't go wrong with picking this one up.

2021 Apple iPad 10.2" 64GB for $249

Amazon is offering a brand new 2021 Apple iPad 10.2" Wi-Fi 64GB tablet for only $249. This iPad normally retails for $329, so you're saving about 25%. This is the lowest price we've seen for what is already the most affordable iPad you can get. These are brand new and include a 1 year Apple warranty. You'll get 64GB of storage with this model and Touch ID features for login.

Save $70 Off 1TB of Additional Xbox Series X|S Storage

Best Buy currently has the Seagate 1TB Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S listed for $149.99. If you're currently just utilizing the console's internal storage, this is a great deal to look at. Additional storage will allow you to download more games without having to free up space. It's a great addition to your console and will benefit you in the long run. The WD - Black 1TB SSD Card for Xbox is also priced at $149.99, so take your pick of either brand.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete 4K Blu-ray for $18.90

With Final Fantasy VII Rebirth just a month and a half away, there has never been a better time to watch Advent Children. This 4K Remaster of the Complete edition packs in multiple bonus features, in addition to the revised cuts and over 25 minutes of added content throughout the movie. It's likely that Advent Children could be very important to the story of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, especially with Square Enix electing to bring the movie back to theaters just days before the game's release.

43% Off The Last of Us Part I

This is the lowest we've seen The Last of Us Part I in quite some time. The PS5 title doesn't go below $40 usually, so you're saving a few extra dollars with this purchase. If you recently watched The Last of Us on HBO and are looking to experience the game it's based on, this is the best way to do so. The remake of the 2013 title brings loads of gameplay and visual improvements to make it worth your while.

Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 850W

If you're in the market for a new power supply, look no further than the Thermaltake GF A3 850W. This Gold Certified PSU is fully compatible with ATX 3.0 Standards and is PCIe Gen 5.0 ready. Additionally, it is fully modular, so you'll only need to use the necessary cables for your specific build. Almost any of the new 4000 series cards will work effortlessly with this 850W PSU.

$800 Off One of LG's Best 2022 TVs

Best Buy has the 77" LG G2 Gallery Series 4K OLED TV on sale for $2,474.99. It's one of the best TVs that LG put out in 2022, which makes this a fantastic deal for a high quality 4K OLED TV. Utilizing the Gen5 AI Processor 4K, you'll get the best color and picture quality from your LG TV. It will automatically adjust both the picture and sound depending on the content you are watching. Additionally, this TV has 4 HDMI 2.1 ports, making it a perfect for the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X.

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion for $29.99

A remaster of the PSP title with the same name, Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion tells the story of Zack Fair and his journey. The game is set years before the events of Final Fantasy VII and is imperative to expanding upon the overall story. Now is a great time to pick up Crisis Core if you haven't had the chance to play it yet, especially as Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is set to release in February.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora - Limited Edition for $49.99

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora has hit $49.99 on Amazon, matching a previous low. With the limited edition of the game, you'll get a unique weapon and an exclusive character gear set to adjust your appearance. You'll get to experience a full open world with Frontiers of Pandora, exploring and fighting enemies with plenty of Na'vi weapons at your disposal.

Saturday, January 6, 2024

Daily Deals: Super Mario RPG, Crucial 2TB SSD, Thermaltake A3 850W PSU

It's the first weekend of 2024, and there are some exciting deals that have gone live now that the holiday season has ended. From video games to PC components, there is no shortage of deals you don't want to miss out on. The best deals for Saturday, January 6, include Super Mario RPG, a 2TB Crucial SSD, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete, and more.

Super Mario RPG for $47.69

The recently released remake of Super Mario RPG is 20% off at Walmart right now. If you've yet to either play the original or check out the remake, this is the perfect time to do so. Composer Yoko Shimimura returned to compose the remake's original soundtrack, and each boss and environment has been expertly recrafted for the Nintendo Switch. It's the perfect Mario title to check out if you've already beaten Super Mario Bros. Wonder!

2TB PS5 Compatible SSD for $124.99

You can never have enough storage for a console like the PlayStation 5. File sizes have only grown with each passing year, and each of the biggest titles of the year usually requires 100GB on the low end. This Crucial T-500 2TB SSD includes a heatsink, so it's ready to slot into your PS5 with no other installation required. If you don't have an SSD yet, this is a great deal to take a look at.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete 4K Blu-ray for $18.90

With Final Fantasy VII Rebirth just a month and a half away, there has never been a better time to watch Advent Children. This 4K Remaster of the Complete edition packs in multiple bonus features, in addition to the revised cuts and over 25 minutes of added content throughout the movie. It's likely that Advent Children could be very important to the story of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, especially with Square Enix electing to bring the movie back to theaters just days before the game's release.

Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 850W

If you're in the market for a new power supply, look no further than the Thermaltake GF A3 850W. This Gold Certified PSU is fully compatible with ATX 3.0 Standards and is PCIe Gen 5.0 ready. Additionally, it is fully modular, so you'll only need to use the necessary cables for your specific build. Almost any of the new 4000 series cards will work effortlessly with this 850W PSU.

$800 Off One of LG's Best 2022 TVs

Best Buy has the 77" LG G2 Gallery Series 4K OLED TV on sale for $2,474.99. It's one of the best TVs that LG put out in 2022, which makes this a fantastic deal for a high quality 4K OLED TV. Utilizing the Gen5 AI Processor 4K, you'll get the best color and picture quality from your LG TV. It will automatically adjust both the picture and sound depending on the content you are watching. Additionally, this TV has 4 HDMI 2.1 ports, making it a perfect for the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X.

Save 20% Off This LEGO Icons Atari 2600 Set

Right now, Amazon has the LEGO Icons Atari 2600 set on sale for $191.99. That's 20% off the listing price of $239.99! This set includes loads of nostalgia and retro fun, with a to-size Atari 2600 console and its iconic controller. Additionally, Asteroids, Adventure, and Centipede cartridges are included to be built, with game scenes representing the three games as well. Overall, this is a great set to pick up if you love Atari or are looking for a rush of nostalgia for video games.

LEGO DC Super-Villains for $14.99

LEGO DC Super-Villains is a title that went under the radar for many. The collaboration between DC Comics and WB Games sees you take control of some of DC's biggest villains and wreak havoc across multiple cities. A new group of suspicious heroes has appeared, and it's up to the villains to uncover their true intentions. This deal is for the Nintendo Switch version of the game, which runs consistently in docked and handheld modes.

Apple AirPods Pro with USB Type-C for $189.99

There's no better holiday gift than a new pair of AirPods. Amazon has dropped the price of the 2nd gen Apple AirPods Pro truly wireless noise cancelling earbuds with the universal USB Type-C connector by $50, now only $199.99. Best of all, it can be delivered to you before Christmas, December 25 without paying any additional shipping fee. With this current gen AirPods Pro, Apple has replaced the proprietary Lightning port with the more universal USB Type-C. For people who want to bring along a single charging cable for all of their mobile devices, this is a godsend.

Friday, January 5, 2024

Star Citizen Introducing a $48,000 Ship Bundle, but Only for Players Who Have Already Spent $1,000

Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games is releasing a ship bundle for its controversial space simulator that costs an eye-watering $48,000.

Revealed on its website, the Legatus 2953 pack will arrive in the first quarter of 2024 and cost $48,000 despite the game not having officially launched yet.

"Ahead of all others, this definitive armada is an equal match to the noble title of Legatus Navium," the Legatus 2953 item page reads. "Comprised of over 175 vessels from every manufacturer of note, this perfect collection, including all ships released and concepted through 2953, empowers every fleet commander to forge a lasting legacy, leading humanity towards a brighter future."

Adding even more to the price, the Legatus 2953 pack is only available to members of Star Citizen's Chairman's Club, which can only be entered after spending $1,000 on other items in game.

Star Citizen is considered one of the most controversial projects in all video games. Over the years it's been called many things, including a scam by those who wonder whether it will ever properly launch.

What cannot be denied is the huge amount of money so far raised by Star Citizen, which CIG displays on its website. At the time of this article’s publication, Star Citizen had raised $658,161,596 from more than five million accounts.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Persona 3 Reload's Super Stylish Opening Cinematic Revealed

Content Warning: The following article contains mentions of themes some readers may find distressing, including those of self-harm and suicide.

Atlus has released the super stylish opening cinematic for Persona 3: Reload ahead of its February 2 launch.

The two minute movie, which can be viewed below, is everything you'd expect of a Persona game, featuring a bright and colourful aesthetic over some incredibly dark themes.

Persona intros, which appear before the main menu when booting up the games, usually feature an upbeat pop track too, and Persona 3: Reload's is no different. Protagonist Makoto Yuki even boots the tune up on an MP3 player in the beginning of the cinematic, which also acts as a quick reminder that Persona 3: Reload is set in 2009 and won't feature smartphones as Persona 5 does.

The dark themes present in the trailer include suicide, headlined by Persona 3's controversial method of summoning Personas that has characters put gun-like items called Evokers to their heads.

This method of summoning, which is regularly featured in the game as both a plot point and battle animation, has been debated for years, but Atlus opted to include it in the remake of the 2006 game.

Persona 3: Reload is a full recreation of the original, meaning it doesn't include the additional features and options in the likes of Persona 3: FES or Persona 3: Portable. It also features a brand new English voice cast. The game was finally announced at the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase following a string of rumours and one final leak ahead of the event.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

IGN UK Podcast 730: Flo Rida's Christmas Catch-Up

Christmas has come late. A new IGN UK Podcast episode has arrived as Cardy, Dale, and Mat have a big ol' catch-up and chat about all the games, movies, and TV shows that were enjoyed (and some not so much) over the festive break. We've got everything from God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla to Cobalt Core. Big blockbuster hits like Godzilla Minus One to French new wave noir. A bit of something for everyone innit.

What are you most excited about watching or playing in 2024? Get in touch at ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.

IGN UK Podcast 730: Flo Rida's Christmas Catch-Up

Thursday, January 4, 2024

Silent Hill 2 Remake Seemingly Confirmed for 2024 Release in New PlayStation Trailer

The highly anticipated Silent Hill 2 Remake may have just received a release window as PlayStation quietly listed the game as a 2024 title.

A reel advertising various PlayStation 5 games coming in 2024 (below) includes lots of entries with established release dates (like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and Rise of the Ronin) but also Silent Hill 2 Remake, which hasn't had any release window until now.

The advertisement didn't offer any more details, as Silent Hill 2 Remake was simply listed amongst the other titles with some previously seen footage. IGN has reached out to developer Bloober Team for comment.

Silent Hill 2 Remake is set to be a full recreation of the survival horror classic, though Bloober Team has been adamant about not making story changes.

"We are focusing on bringing the distinct, visceral atmosphere back in the modernized Silent Hill 2," chief marketing officer Anna JasiƄska said in January 2023. "Longtime fans shouldn’t worry about us missing the point while we’re livening up the title.

"We faithfully stick to the traditional story canon while remaking the gameplay and updating the graphics from the ground up. These are the reasons why Konami entrusted us with the remake in the first place."

Exactly what would change in the remake was a little unclear when Konami first announced it, with director Mateusz Lenart only saying that Bloober Team would "make everything that made the game a timeless classic".

Little has been seen of the Silent Hill 2 Remake since its initial 2022 announcement, leading Bloober Team to appeal to fans for patience. Now it seems like they might not have to wait much longer. For more, check out all the rest of the biggest games of 2024, as well as our world exclusive deep dive interview from 2023.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

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...