Monthly Archives: March 2020

Justice League Mortal Designer Reveals Armie Hammer’s Batman Cowl

Justice League Mortal will forever be known as one of the great superhero movies that never was. But now we have a slightly better idea of how that movie would have looked, as a new image of Armie Hammer's Batman cowl has surfaced online. Designer Ryan Unicomb posted a previously unseen piece of concept art on his Instagram, showing a sculpted bust of Hammer wearing a form-fitting Batman cowl. Screenshot 2020-03-19 at 1.17.16 PMHere's a color-corrected image that gives a slightly better idea of how the finished product would have looked: BatmanCowl_social This art suggests Hammer's Batsuit would have been more heavily comic-inspired than that of fellow Batman actor Christian Bale. Whether Hammer would have been able to turn his head in this costume is another matter entirely. In fact, the long ears, sculpted browlines and generally sleek quality of the mask hearken very closely to the painted art of Alex Ross: Image_Resize_Merge_images This isn't the first time Unicomb has given fans a glimpse of this canceled Justice League movie. In 2019 he posted another piece of concept art showing a very different take on Hammer's Batsuit. While retaining the classic gray, black and yellow color scheme of the comics, the execution was much different in this case. Unicomb wrote, "The costume was a mixture of Kevlar and chain mail with a kind-of robotic exo-skeleton under his arms, legs and back designed to help Bruce fight crime even when his body was in its most broken state. Reflective paint over the eyes and chest would catch any available light, heightening his intimidating figure in the darkness. Thick padding around the neck would make sure no blows to the neck or throat would incapacitate him during battle. This was a concept that never went [past] this initial 'discovery stage' during development." Screenshot 2020-03-19 at 1.17.27 PM This abandoned suit sounds like it was inspired more by Ross' design in 1996's Kingdom Come, which featured an older Bruce Wayne wearing an exoskeleton to support a body battered by years of fighting crime. That comic also inspired the look of Kevin Conroy's live-action Bruce Wayne in the Arrowverse's recent Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover. For those who don't remember, Justice League Mortal would have been directed by George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road) and was set to star Armie Hammer (Call Me by Your Name) as Batman, D.J. Cotrona (From Dusk Till Dawn series) as Superman, Adam Brody (The O.C.) as The Flash, Santiago Cabrera (Transformers: The Last Knight) as Aquaman, Megan Gale (Mad Max: Fury Road) as Wonder Woman, Hugh Keays-Byrne (Mad Max: Fury Road) as Martian Manhunter and Common (Suicide Squad) as Green Lantern. Fans got a small glimpse of the entire Justice League Mortal cast in 2018, when Collider acquired a very low-res costume test photo featuring all seven League members. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=actors-who-almost-played-batman&captions=true"] As this concept art shows, Mortal was well into preproduction before being canceled by Warner Brothers, one of many casualties of the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America strike. The film was even set to feature an epic brawl between Superman and Wonder Woman. Unicomb himself is attached to direct a documentary chronicling the canceled DC film, but the current status of that project is unknown. What do you think of this new glimpse of Armie Hammer's Batman? Let us know in the comments below. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/designing-the-perfect-batsuit"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Justice League Mortal Designer Reveals Armie Hammer’s Batman Cowl

Justice League Mortal will forever be known as one of the great superhero movies that never was. But now we have a slightly better idea of how that movie would have looked, as a new image of Armie Hammer's Batman cowl has surfaced online. Designer Ryan Unicomb posted a previously unseen piece of concept art on his Instagram, showing a sculpted bust of Hammer wearing a form-fitting Batman cowl. Screenshot 2020-03-19 at 1.17.16 PMHere's a color-corrected image that gives a slightly better idea of how the finished product would have looked: BatmanCowl_social This art suggests Hammer's Batsuit would have been more heavily comic-inspired than that of fellow Batman actor Christian Bale. Whether Hammer would have been able to turn his head in this costume is another matter entirely. In fact, the long ears, sculpted browlines and generally sleek quality of the mask hearken very closely to the painted art of Alex Ross: Image_Resize_Merge_images This isn't the first time Unicomb has given fans a glimpse of this canceled Justice League movie. In 2019 he posted another piece of concept art showing a very different take on Hammer's Batsuit. While retaining the classic gray, black and yellow color scheme of the comics, the execution was much different in this case. Unicomb wrote, "The costume was a mixture of Kevlar and chain mail with a kind-of robotic exo-skeleton under his arms, legs and back designed to help Bruce fight crime even when his body was in its most broken state. Reflective paint over the eyes and chest would catch any available light, heightening his intimidating figure in the darkness. Thick padding around the neck would make sure no blows to the neck or throat would incapacitate him during battle. This was a concept that never went [past] this initial 'discovery stage' during development." Screenshot 2020-03-19 at 1.17.27 PM This abandoned suit sounds like it was inspired more by Ross' design in 1996's Kingdom Come, which featured an older Bruce Wayne wearing an exoskeleton to support a body battered by years of fighting crime. That comic also inspired the look of Kevin Conroy's live-action Bruce Wayne in the Arrowverse's recent Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover. For those who don't remember, Justice League Mortal would have been directed by George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road) and was set to star Armie Hammer (Call Me by Your Name) as Batman, D.J. Cotrona (From Dusk Till Dawn series) as Superman, Adam Brody (The O.C.) as The Flash, Santiago Cabrera (Transformers: The Last Knight) as Aquaman, Megan Gale (Mad Max: Fury Road) as Wonder Woman, Hugh Keays-Byrne (Mad Max: Fury Road) as Martian Manhunter and Common (Suicide Squad) as Green Lantern. Fans got a small glimpse of the entire Justice League Mortal cast in 2018, when Collider acquired a very low-res costume test photo featuring all seven League members. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=actors-who-almost-played-batman&captions=true"] As this concept art shows, Mortal was well into preproduction before being canceled by Warner Brothers, one of many casualties of the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America strike. The film was even set to feature an epic brawl between Superman and Wonder Woman. Unicomb himself is attached to direct a documentary chronicling the canceled DC film, but the current status of that project is unknown. What do you think of this new glimpse of Armie Hammer's Batman? Let us know in the comments below. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/designing-the-perfect-batsuit"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Netflix Will Reduce Bandwidth in Europe for 30 Days

UPDATE: Netflix has agreed to reduce bandwidth in Europe over the next 30 days, according to Variety. It's not clear at this time how this will affect the quality of streams. “Following the discussions between Commissioner Thierry Breton and Reed Hastings — and given the extraordinary challenges raised by the coronavirus — Netflix has decided to begin reducing bit rates across all our streams in Europe for 30 days,” a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement to Variety. “We estimate that this will reduce Netflix traffic on European networks by around 25% while also ensuring a good quality service for our members.” The company has yet to announce if they plan to do the same for any other markets. Variety reports that about 30% of Netflix's users come from Europe, the Middle East and Africa. ORIGINAL STORY: The European Union has urged Netflix and other streaming services to restrict users from streaming in high definition to help to ease bandwidth strain amid concerns of surges in online traffic during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic despite there being no reports of outages or adverse affects at this time. As reported by CNN, European Commissioner Thierry Breton has asked streamers to switch the quality of its movies and TV shows from high definition to standard definition in order to manage the increased demand from users who are at home due to forced lockdowns. In a tweet on Wednesday, Breton confirmed that he had spoken to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings about the issue, as he encouraged people and companies to "switch to standard definition when HD is not necessary" to avoid putting infrastructures "in strain" and ensure that everyone has "secure internet access." In a secondary statement on Thursday, Breton stressed the importance of streaming platforms, telecom operators, and users taking the necessary action to reduce congestion and to safeguard the "smooth functioning of the internet during the battle against the virus propagation." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/19/5-kick-ass-action-movies-on-netflix"] A Netflix spokesperson told CNN, "Commissioner Breton is right to highlight the importance of ensuring that the internet continues to run smoothly during this critical time. We've been focused on network efficiency for many years, including providing our open connect service for free to telecommunications companies." The streaming giant also confirmed that it already takes measures to reduce the consumption of bandwidth by adjusting stream quality based on available network capacity and using a special network to deliver its library of content. Further, there have been no reports of outages or adverse affects as a result of the increased usage so far. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-delayed-movie-due-to-coronavirus-so-far&captions=true"] At the moment of writing, cities in the USA have been following the lead of many in Europe with mandatory lockdowns. San Francisco and Los Angeles, California both announced lockdowns that include mandatory work-from-home policies, and shutting down bars and other high-risk gathering spaces. The most recent World Health Organization confirmed over 200 thousand cases globally, though that number increases every day. Consequently, people have been looking for ways to connect with their friends without having to leave the comfort of their sofas, with many turning to Netflix Party, a Google Chrome extension that allows multiple users to stream a Netflix show or movie together at the same time. This in itself shows a shift in behaviour as more and more people move towards indoor activities and creative connectivity at this unprecedented time. For a list of recommendations on how best to help, and stay safe, during the Coronavirus pandemic, please read our resource guide. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Netflix Will Reduce Bandwidth in Europe for 30 Days

UPDATE: Netflix has agreed to reduce bandwidth in Europe over the next 30 days, according to Variety. It's not clear at this time how this will affect the quality of streams. “Following the discussions between Commissioner Thierry Breton and Reed Hastings — and given the extraordinary challenges raised by the coronavirus — Netflix has decided to begin reducing bit rates across all our streams in Europe for 30 days,” a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement to Variety. “We estimate that this will reduce Netflix traffic on European networks by around 25% while also ensuring a good quality service for our members.” The company has yet to announce if they plan to do the same for any other markets. Variety reports that about 30% of Netflix's users come from Europe, the Middle East and Africa. ORIGINAL STORY: The European Union has urged Netflix and other streaming services to restrict users from streaming in high definition to help to ease bandwidth strain amid concerns of surges in online traffic during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic despite there being no reports of outages or adverse affects at this time. As reported by CNN, European Commissioner Thierry Breton has asked streamers to switch the quality of its movies and TV shows from high definition to standard definition in order to manage the increased demand from users who are at home due to forced lockdowns. In a tweet on Wednesday, Breton confirmed that he had spoken to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings about the issue, as he encouraged people and companies to "switch to standard definition when HD is not necessary" to avoid putting infrastructures "in strain" and ensure that everyone has "secure internet access." In a secondary statement on Thursday, Breton stressed the importance of streaming platforms, telecom operators, and users taking the necessary action to reduce congestion and to safeguard the "smooth functioning of the internet during the battle against the virus propagation." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/19/5-kick-ass-action-movies-on-netflix"] A Netflix spokesperson told CNN, "Commissioner Breton is right to highlight the importance of ensuring that the internet continues to run smoothly during this critical time. We've been focused on network efficiency for many years, including providing our open connect service for free to telecommunications companies." The streaming giant also confirmed that it already takes measures to reduce the consumption of bandwidth by adjusting stream quality based on available network capacity and using a special network to deliver its library of content. Further, there have been no reports of outages or adverse affects as a result of the increased usage so far. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-delayed-movie-due-to-coronavirus-so-far&captions=true"] At the moment of writing, cities in the USA have been following the lead of many in Europe with mandatory lockdowns. San Francisco and Los Angeles, California both announced lockdowns that include mandatory work-from-home policies, and shutting down bars and other high-risk gathering spaces. The most recent World Health Organization confirmed over 200 thousand cases globally, though that number increases every day. Consequently, people have been looking for ways to connect with their friends without having to leave the comfort of their sofas, with many turning to Netflix Party, a Google Chrome extension that allows multiple users to stream a Netflix show or movie together at the same time. This in itself shows a shift in behaviour as more and more people move towards indoor activities and creative connectivity at this unprecedented time. For a list of recommendations on how best to help, and stay safe, during the Coronavirus pandemic, please read our resource guide. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Toilet Paper Prices Are on the Rise… in Fallout 76

Much like the real world, the demand for toilet paper is increasing in Fallout 76. With the world dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in many ways, with some countries opting for drive-thru testing stations and others going into full quarantine, the U.S. has collectively emptied stores around the country of toilet paper. This has crossed over into the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout 76 as players are spending thousands of bottle caps on single rolls of toilet paper. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-fallout-review&captions=true"] Reddit user HistoricPigDog posted on the fo76 subreddit to ask the simple question of "why" to the user who purchased four rolls of his toilet paper for 450 caps each. That's still an unreasonably high price for toilet paper in a game where you don't need to use toilet paper in a bathroom, but someone in the comments of HistoricPigDog's post said they've sold a roll for 20,000 caps. "I have sold my only one for 20,000 caps," Reddit user bigjon176 said. "I put it up as a joke. Joke is on me. I should have listed it for 30k." Perhaps people are buying toilet paper for extraordinary prices in Fallout 76 because at least it's available in the game, unlike in the real world. Perhaps it's just a joke, but regardless, some wastelander has a roll of toilet paper in their possession that they spent 20,000 caps on to own. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/05/31/the-history-of-vault-76-and-everything-it-means-for-fallout-76"] Speaking of wastelanders, check out the trailer for the upcoming Fallout 76 Wastelanders update coming April 7. You can also read up on the game's new $100-a-year Fallout 1st subscription service. Be sure to check out our story featuring ways to help others and keep safe during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes

Toilet Paper Prices Are on the Rise… in Fallout 76

Much like the real world, the demand for toilet paper is increasing in Fallout 76. With the world dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in many ways, with some countries opting for drive-thru testing stations and others going into full quarantine, the U.S. has collectively emptied stores around the country of toilet paper. This has crossed over into the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout 76 as players are spending thousands of bottle caps on single rolls of toilet paper. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-fallout-review&captions=true"] Reddit user HistoricPigDog posted on the fo76 subreddit to ask the simple question of "why" to the user who purchased four rolls of his toilet paper for 450 caps each. That's still an unreasonably high price for toilet paper in a game where you don't need to use toilet paper in a bathroom, but someone in the comments of HistoricPigDog's post said they've sold a roll for 20,000 caps. "I have sold my only one for 20,000 caps," Reddit user bigjon176 said. "I put it up as a joke. Joke is on me. I should have listed it for 30k." Perhaps people are buying toilet paper for extraordinary prices in Fallout 76 because at least it's available in the game, unlike in the real world. Perhaps it's just a joke, but regardless, some wastelander has a roll of toilet paper in their possession that they spent 20,000 caps on to own. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/05/31/the-history-of-vault-76-and-everything-it-means-for-fallout-76"] Speaking of wastelanders, check out the trailer for the upcoming Fallout 76 Wastelanders update coming April 7. You can also read up on the game's new $100-a-year Fallout 1st subscription service. Be sure to check out our story featuring ways to help others and keep safe during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes

Star Wars: Did Luke Have A Third Jedi Mentor?

Marvel's current Star Wars series is bridging the yearlong gap between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. One of the biggest mysteries from this unseen era of Star Wars lore is how Luke becomes the fully capable Jedi Knight he is in Episode VI. Star Wars #4 takes another important step in that journey, suggesting Luke may have had a third Jedi mentor after Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. Read on to learn more about the progress of Luke's hunt for his lost lightsaber and his new Jedi benefactor, but beware of spoilers for Star Wars #4 ahead! [poilib element="accentDivider"] [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-wars-how-marvel-continues-the-story-of-the-empire-strikes-back&captions=true"] The new series' first major story arc deals with Luke, Leia and Lando returning to Cloud City in the aftermath of Episode V. Each character has their reasons. Luke is trying to make sense of a Force vision showing a mysterious robed Jedi catching his blue lightsaber. With Luke's connection to the Force weakened after learning the truth about his father, he hopes that recovering his saber and finding this mystery Jedi will put him back on the path toward true Jedi Knighthood. Unfortunately, Luke never actually retrieves his saber, which has landed somewhere in the midst of a giant pile of trash in the bowels of Cloud City. Sensing his friends are in danger, Luke chooses to help them rather than continue his search, an act which reawakens his connection to the Force and results in another vision of the mystery Jedi. [caption id="attachment_2321675" align="aligncenter" width="1864"]Art by Jesus Saiz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics) Art by Jesus Saiz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption] After rescuing his friends and retrieving his lost X-Wing, Luke decides to venture out on his own in search of this mysterious benefactor. Luke senses this character is a woman, giving us our first real clue as to their identity. Members of Reddit's StarWarsLeaks subreddit are already speculating this character could be Verla, a Jedi previously introduced in writer Charles Soule's Star Wars: Darth Vader series. Verla was depicted as a Jedi Padawan who survived Order 66 and battled Vader's forces on Mon Cala. She went into hiding after that battle, meaning she could still be alive and working to guide Luke on his journey. However, the mystery Jedi seems to be drawn with an unusually tall head in the image above, suggesting they could be a nonhuman Jedi. That brings to mind several iconic prequel Jedi like Shaak Ti and Ahsoka Tano. We know Ahsoka survived the Clone Wars, thanks to Star Wars Rebels, though her exact whereabouts in this period are unclear. Shaak Ti's post-Episode III fate is currently a mystery. The 2008 video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed established she survived and went into hiding on the planet Felucia, but that game was rendered non-canon in Disney's new Star Wars timeline. Whomever this character may be, she could well become Luke's newest Jedi mentor as the series progresses. Will she be the one that helps him complete the training he left unfinished back on Dagobah? [caption id="attachment_2321745" align="aligncenter" width="1570"]Art by Jesus Saiz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics) Art by Jesus Saiz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption] As for Luke's lightsaber, the missing weapon is instead discovered by an Ugnaught on Cloud City. Somehow, the saber will make its way from Bespin into the hands of Maz Kanata. But as for how that happens or if that story will even be told in the pages of this series, that remains to be seen. The good news is that Luke won't be saber-less for much longer. The cover for the upcoming Star Wars #6 shows Luke wielding a yellow-bladed lightsaber, a twist Soule confirmed is intended as an homage to the classic Kenner action figures. The hilt design and blade color both suggest this saber was once wielded by one of the Jedi Temple Guards on Coruscant. Star Wars #4 does solve another long-running Star Wars mystery, as we finally learn how Luke recovered his X-Wing from Cloud City. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/27/star-wars-the-high-republic-explained"] For more big developments in the Star Wars universe, find out all the new plot details revealed in the Rise of Skywalker novelization and learn more about the brand new Star Wars era being explored in The High Republic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Star Wars: Did Luke Have A Third Jedi Mentor?

Marvel's current Star Wars series is bridging the yearlong gap between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. One of the biggest mysteries from this unseen era of Star Wars lore is how Luke becomes the fully capable Jedi Knight he is in Episode VI. Star Wars #4 takes another important step in that journey, suggesting Luke may have had a third Jedi mentor after Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. Read on to learn more about the progress of Luke's hunt for his lost lightsaber and his new Jedi benefactor, but beware of spoilers for Star Wars #4 ahead! [poilib element="accentDivider"] [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-wars-how-marvel-continues-the-story-of-the-empire-strikes-back&captions=true"] The new series' first major story arc deals with Luke, Leia and Lando returning to Cloud City in the aftermath of Episode V. Each character has their reasons. Luke is trying to make sense of a Force vision showing a mysterious robed Jedi catching his blue lightsaber. With Luke's connection to the Force weakened after learning the truth about his father, he hopes that recovering his saber and finding this mystery Jedi will put him back on the path toward true Jedi Knighthood. Unfortunately, Luke never actually retrieves his saber, which has landed somewhere in the midst of a giant pile of trash in the bowels of Cloud City. Sensing his friends are in danger, Luke chooses to help them rather than continue his search, an act which reawakens his connection to the Force and results in another vision of the mystery Jedi. [caption id="attachment_2321675" align="aligncenter" width="1864"]Art by Jesus Saiz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics) Art by Jesus Saiz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption] After rescuing his friends and retrieving his lost X-Wing, Luke decides to venture out on his own in search of this mysterious benefactor. Luke senses this character is a woman, giving us our first real clue as to their identity. Members of Reddit's StarWarsLeaks subreddit are already speculating this character could be Verla, a Jedi previously introduced in writer Charles Soule's Star Wars: Darth Vader series. Verla was depicted as a Jedi Padawan who survived Order 66 and battled Vader's forces on Mon Cala. She went into hiding after that battle, meaning she could still be alive and working to guide Luke on his journey. However, the mystery Jedi seems to be drawn with an unusually tall head in the image above, suggesting they could be a nonhuman Jedi. That brings to mind several iconic prequel Jedi like Shaak Ti and Ahsoka Tano. We know Ahsoka survived the Clone Wars, thanks to Star Wars Rebels, though her exact whereabouts in this period are unclear. Shaak Ti's post-Episode III fate is currently a mystery. The 2008 video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed established she survived and went into hiding on the planet Felucia, but that game was rendered non-canon in Disney's new Star Wars timeline. Whomever this character may be, she could well become Luke's newest Jedi mentor as the series progresses. Will she be the one that helps him complete the training he left unfinished back on Dagobah? [caption id="attachment_2321745" align="aligncenter" width="1570"]Art by Jesus Saiz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics) Art by Jesus Saiz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption] As for Luke's lightsaber, the missing weapon is instead discovered by an Ugnaught on Cloud City. Somehow, the saber will make its way from Bespin into the hands of Maz Kanata. But as for how that happens or if that story will even be told in the pages of this series, that remains to be seen. The good news is that Luke won't be saber-less for much longer. The cover for the upcoming Star Wars #6 shows Luke wielding a yellow-bladed lightsaber, a twist Soule confirmed is intended as an homage to the classic Kenner action figures. The hilt design and blade color both suggest this saber was once wielded by one of the Jedi Temple Guards on Coruscant. Star Wars #4 does solve another long-running Star Wars mystery, as we finally learn how Luke recovered his X-Wing from Cloud City. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/27/star-wars-the-high-republic-explained"] For more big developments in the Star Wars universe, find out all the new plot details revealed in the Rise of Skywalker novelization and learn more about the brand new Star Wars era being explored in The High Republic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Overwatch: Echo Will Be the Last New Hero Before Overwatch 2

Echo is Overwatch's 32nd hero - and the original game's last. For now, Blizzard's plan is for any further new heroes to arrive once Overwatch 2 has been released. Speaking to IGN Nordic & Benelux in advance of the new hero's release, game director Jeff Kaplan made clear that, "Yes, currently Echo is the last hero coming to standard Overwatch. The focus for the next couple of heroes will be on Overwatch 2." It's worth remembering that any heroes that arrive in Overwatch 2 will also be added to the original game, as their PvP modes will support full cross-play. As for when Overwatch 2, and those new heroes, will arrive, that remains unclear. At Blizzcon 2019, Kaplan said the game was in early development. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/18/echo-origin-story-overwatch"] For those worried that Echo adds to an already deep pool of DPS characters in the game, Kaplan also reassured fans that future characters will fill other roles, saying, "there is a big list of support and tanks in development for Overwatch 2." We've previously heard that there are four new heroes in the works for Overwatch - one of those is likely Echo, and another is almost certainly Sojourn, who was teased at Blizzcon 2019. We've gone hands-on with Echo - a flying DPS character with an ultimate that turns her into clones of other characters - and you can read our full thoughts right now. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=overwatch-2-gameplay-reveal-screens&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Overwatch: Echo Will Be the Last New Hero Before Overwatch 2

Echo is Overwatch's 32nd hero - and the original game's last. For now, Blizzard's plan is for any further new heroes to arrive once Overwatch 2 has been released. Speaking to IGN Nordic & Benelux in advance of the new hero's release, game director Jeff Kaplan made clear that, "Yes, currently Echo is the last hero coming to standard Overwatch. The focus for the next couple of heroes will be on Overwatch 2." It's worth remembering that any heroes that arrive in Overwatch 2 will also be added to the original game, as their PvP modes will support full cross-play. As for when Overwatch 2, and those new heroes, will arrive, that remains unclear. At Blizzcon 2019, Kaplan said the game was in early development. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/18/echo-origin-story-overwatch"] For those worried that Echo adds to an already deep pool of DPS characters in the game, Kaplan also reassured fans that future characters will fill other roles, saying, "there is a big list of support and tanks in development for Overwatch 2." We've previously heard that there are four new heroes in the works for Overwatch - one of those is likely Echo, and another is almost certainly Sojourn, who was teased at Blizzcon 2019. We've gone hands-on with Echo - a flying DPS character with an ultimate that turns her into clones of other characters - and you can read our full thoughts right now. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=overwatch-2-gameplay-reveal-screens&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]