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PlayStation has announced that it is managing download traffic in Europe to ease bandwidth strain, which will mean that players may see "slower or delayed game downloads". Online gameplay should not be affected. In a blog post, Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO, Jim Ryan explained that the company was "working with internet service providers in Europe to manage download traffic to help preserve access for the entire internet community. "We believe it is important to do our part to address internet stability concerns as an unprecedented number of people are practicing social distancing and are becoming more reliant on internet access." It's not clear if or how this move will affect PlayStation Now, Sony's game streaming service. We have contacted Sony for comment on that. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/19/netflix-to-reduce-bandwidth-in-europe-due-to-surge-in-traffic"] The move follows the likes of Netflix, YouTube, Amazon and more, who have pledged to lower streaming video quality across the continent. Unlike the US, internet service providers in Europe tend not to put data caps on Internet usage. That means, as internet usage increases during a period of social distancing and school closures, services could become strained by high-usage services. With levels gaming increasing across the world, PSN's downloads would have been one of those high-usage elements. Online gameplay is a far less intensive activity, due to the fact that much of the information onscreen is already stored on the console, which explains why it's not also being throttled. "We appreciate the support and understanding from our community, and their doing their part," Ryan's statement ends, "as we take these measures in an effort to preserve access for everyone." Here's how you can help and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Konami has denied that it is working on a new Silent Hill game following numerous rumours suggesting the series would be returning. Talking to Rely on Horror, a Konami US PR spokesperson said "We’re aware of all the rumors and reports but can confirm that they are not true. I know it’s not the answer your fans may want to hear.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/27/konami-rumored-to-be-soft-rebooting-silent-hill"] “It’s not to say we are completely closing the door on the franchise, just not in the way it is being reported,” they added. Recent rumours pointed to two new projects in the Silent Hill series, which were allegedly set to ‘soft reboot’ the franchise. One would be a straight new game in the series, while the other would be an episodic game with gameplay akin to Until Dawn and Man of Medan. This rumour was quickly followed by teases that Kojima Productions is also working on Silent Hills. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2014/09/19/pt-demo-aka-silent-hills-at-tgs-2014"] Rely on Horror pressed for further details regarding these projects specifically, but Konami has provided no further response. The resulting picture is that it appears Konami may want to revisit Silent Hill at some point, but the direction it will take is not what recent rumours and speculation has suggested. While it looks like we won’t be revisiting Silent Hill any time soon, the demo that spawned out of it, PT, is the gift that keeps on giving. A famous PT hacker has made another discovery about the game’s ghost, which is another achievement on his pile of discoveries. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter.

PC manufacturer HP has announced that it is working on a new ‘next-gen’ VR headset, in collaboration with Valve and Microsoft. The HP VR headset, the Reverb G2, is described as “the new standard in VR” by HP and that it offers “a more immersive, comfortable and compatible experience than the previous generation.” That’s all the details that the website and newly-listed Steam store page reveals. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/06/28/valve-index-vr-kit-review"] What we do know is that it is a follow up to the Reverb, HP’s expensive VR headset designed for Windows’ Mixed Reality lineup. That headset is best known for its very high-definition display, which measures 2160 x 2160 per eye. That’s significantly ahead of even Valve’s Index, which has a resolution of 1440x1600 per eye. Quite what Microsoft and Valve’s contribution to the project is has not yet been made clear, but based on the original Reverb it may be that Windows Mixed Reality is a core design principle for the G2. Steam VR is a given - it’s on the Steam store, after all - but there’s no indication yet as to if the Index’s Knuckles controllers with be compatible with the G2. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-valve-game-review&captions=true"] VR has had a surge in interest over the last few months in anticipation of Half-Life: Alyx, Valve’s first feature-length VR game and the first return to the Half-Life universe in over a decade. We gave it a 10/10 in our review, calling it a masterpiece. That surge in interest has led to sold-out VR headsets, a situation further worsened by the impact of the coronavirus. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

Weeks after its initial announcement for PC, Hideo Kojima has confirmed that Death Stranding's Photo Mode will come to the PS4 version of the game. It's not an unexpected announcement, but every post Kojima has made about the mode has been met with fans asking for a PS4 version, so it should set some minds at ease. Kojima says the mode should be a part of the next patch to the PS4 game, and he is "trying to make it happen at the end of this month's update".

Today’s good news! DEATH STRANDING PC ver. Photo Mode will be also implemented for PS4 ver. as many of you requested! We are doing the final checks right now and trying to make it happen at the end of this month’s update. Photo Mode during your journey and delivery pic.twitter.com/Dspi2DpVpS

— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) March 24, 2020

Should it meet that target, it will arrive far earlier than the PC version, which is scheduled for release on June 2. That PC version will also include Half-Life themed content, which is unlikely to make the jump to PS4. Early looks at the Photo Mode show that it'll work similarly to comparable modes in other PS4 games, such as God of War. However, Kojima has intimated that it may contain a "psychic photo" mode, that could work similarly to how he previously hid staff images as 'ghosts' in Metal Gear Solid games. Next month, Kojima is set to receive BAFTA's highest honour, albeit at a now-online only event. [ignvideo url="https://uk.ign.com/videos/death-stranding-pc-release-date-trailer"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

The writer of Final Fantasy 7 Remake has revealed that he has scripted the new version of Cloud to show a different side of the character, noting that he is nervous about how fans will receive the change. Talking in a new Inside Final Fantasy 7 Remake documentary video, story and scenario writer Kazushige Nojima, who is one of the returning developers from the original game, explained that Remake has allowed him to explore Cloud’s personality further. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/24/inside-final-fantasy-7-remake-part-2-english-subs"] “For this game I have gone much deeper into the inner psychology of Cloud, the main character,” Nojima said. “In the original I depicted him as a cool and stylish character. However, this time, he can miss the mark and be a little cringe-worthy at times. His cool facade can often slip. Because he wants people to accept him and respect him, he puts on a front. So, when he doesn't know something he just goes ‘Not interested’. I have written him in a way that makes you think that ‘Not interested’ might not be a cool thing to say, but can sometimes be a bit lame.” “I am nervous about whether the fans will accept that or not,” he added. Cloud isn’t the only character Remake is revealing more about. In the same video, co-director Motomu Toriyama revealed that the game will provide more information about Aerith. “In Remake we actually reveal quite a major untold part of [Aerith’s] past,” he says. “You might not even catch it at all.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=final-fantasy-7-remake-over-100-screenshots&captions=true"] Beyond just extra personality traits, we’ll also see new events that help broaden players’ understanding of the relationships between the core characters. “Cloud's childhood friend Tifa shows him a flat in Midgar, and they come to live in the same building,” reveals Nojima. “It is a Japanese styled flat and the scene itself is quite sweet, So, I want people to look forward to that.” For more, check out Square Enix's explanation about why Final Fantasy 7 Remake is multiple games rather than one big one, our most recent hands-on with the game, details on how the Remake will let players see more of Midgar's Upper City, and the reveal of some brand new characters and locations in Wall Market. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s belated buddy cop blockbuster Bad Boys for Life is joining the lengthy list of films getting an early digital release amid the current COVID-19 coronavirus crisis, reports Variety. Bad Boys for Life will hit digital platforms on March 31 (its physical 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD release is slated for several weeks later, on April 21). [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/15/bad-boys-for-life-review] Bad Boys for Life originally hit cinemas on January 16 in Australia and January 17 in the UK and North America – so the gap between its theatrical and home release isn’t quite as truncated as other films recently confirmed to be making unusually speedy home releases – but it is still slightly earlier than has previously been typical. The long-gestating follow-up to 1995’s Bad Boys and 2003’s Bad Boys II, Bad Boys for Life has been well-received by fans and critics and is currently 2020’s highest grossing film. IGN’s review called Bad Boys for Life an outrageous throwback threequel with great cast chemistry and plenty of all-out action. Development on a fourth instalment has already been confirmed. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/02/the-bad-boys-story-recap-in-6-minutes] While the spread of COVID-19 has resulted in considerable upheaval across the entertainment industry, more importantly there are number of things you can do to stay safe during this pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter every few days @MrLukeReilly.

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s belated buddy cop blockbuster Bad Boys for Life is joining the lengthy list of films getting an early digital release amid the current COVID-19 coronavirus crisis, reports Variety. Bad Boys for Life will hit digital platforms on March 31 (its physical 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD release is slated for several weeks later, on April 21). [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/15/bad-boys-for-life-review] Bad Boys for Life originally hit cinemas on January 16 in Australia and January 17 in the UK and North America – so the gap between its theatrical and home release isn’t quite as truncated as other films recently confirmed to be making unusually speedy home releases – but it is still slightly earlier than has previously been typical. The long-gestating follow-up to 1995’s Bad Boys and 2003’s Bad Boys II, Bad Boys for Life has been well-received by fans and critics and is currently 2020’s highest grossing film. IGN’s review called Bad Boys for Life an outrageous throwback threequel with great cast chemistry and plenty of all-out action. Development on a fourth instalment has already been confirmed. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/02/the-bad-boys-story-recap-in-6-minutes] While the spread of COVID-19 has resulted in considerable upheaval across the entertainment industry, more importantly there are number of things you can do to stay safe during this pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter every few days @MrLukeReilly.

Aquaman writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick has said Aquaman 2 will pull from the Silver Age Black Manta Comics. Spotted by Batman News, Johnson-McGoldrick took the chance to answer fan questions on his Twitter account and, when asked if he had any recommended reading that might give insight into Aquaman 2, he cited Black Manta Silver Age stories in his reply.

Hmm... Good question. We're not taking any one particular comic book story and adapting it, but if you want to know the vibe we're going for, pick up pretty much any Silver Age story featuring Black Manta.

— David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (@bravecarrot) March 21, 2020

Another fan asked about when we might see The Trench spin-off movie and, while he didn't give a concrete date, Johnson-McGoldrick let us know the setting is potentially slated to fit in between Aquaman 1 and 2. In the first Aquaman film we saw the Trench appear as amphibious creatures who attack Aquaman and Mera. They're typically depicted as a vicious race of sea creatures which should fit the light horror tones said to be present in the spin-off. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/02/27/aquaman-2-confirmed-for-2022-release] While there's still no confirmation for exactly when The Trench is scheduled to hit cinemas, Aquaman 2 is still set to premiere on December 16, 2022. [poilib element="accentDivider"]Hope Corrigan is an Australian freelance writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Aquaman writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick has said Aquaman 2 will pull from the Silver Age Black Manta Comics. Spotted by Batman News, Johnson-McGoldrick took the chance to answer fan questions on his Twitter account and, when asked if he had any recommended reading that might give insight into Aquaman 2, he cited Black Manta Silver Age stories in his reply.

Hmm... Good question. We're not taking any one particular comic book story and adapting it, but if you want to know the vibe we're going for, pick up pretty much any Silver Age story featuring Black Manta.

— David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (@bravecarrot) March 21, 2020

Another fan asked about when we might see The Trench spin-off movie and, while he didn't give a concrete date, Johnson-McGoldrick let us know the setting is potentially slated to fit in between Aquaman 1 and 2. In the first Aquaman film we saw the Trench appear as amphibious creatures who attack Aquaman and Mera. They're typically depicted as a vicious race of sea creatures which should fit the light horror tones said to be present in the spin-off. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/02/27/aquaman-2-confirmed-for-2022-release] While there's still no confirmation for exactly when The Trench is scheduled to hit cinemas, Aquaman 2 is still set to premiere on December 16, 2022. [poilib element="accentDivider"]Hope Corrigan is an Australian freelance writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.