Monthly Archives: April 2020

Death Stranding Jacket Retails For Nearly $2000, Sells Out Immediately

German brand Acronym launched a custom Death Stranding jacket for almost $2000 - and it sold out almost immediately. The sleek techwear coat arrives thanks to a collaboration between Hideo Kojima and Acronym's co-founder Errolson Hugh, who you may recognize from Death Stranding as the Weather Station occupant that gives the player delivery assignments. Legendary Metal Gear art director Yoji Shinkawa also worked on the jacket's design. The jacket references the in-game delivery company, with BRIDGES detailing and iconography. It also features a yellow pocket, designed to evoke Sam Porter Bridges' B.B. Pod from Death Stranding. You can see (a lot of) images of the jacket in the gallery below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=death-stranding-timefall-jacket-replica&captions=true"] The core design of the hardshell Gore-Tex jacket derives from the J1A-GT, an Acronym product first developed at the dawn of the Millenium. This custom version has been modified in collaboration with Kojima to ensure that elusive Death Stranding aesthetic. "'My body may be present, but my soul is on the Beach. I'm already dead," the description reads. You can't buy the jacket right now, but the Kojima Productions store is seemingly taking reservations for another shipment. If you need some convincing, Hideo Kojima himself was seen wearing the jacket after Errolson Hugh made him a personal sample: kojima death stranding jacket Kojima previously collaborated with Errolson Hugh's Acronym on outfits that appeared within the game rather than outside of it. For example, the vest that Sam Porter Bridges wears in the Private Room was designed by Errolson Hugh for use in Death Stranding. For more on Death Stranding, check out our review of the game from November 2019, where we called it "a fascinating world of supernatural sci-fi." A Death Stranding easter egg was also recently found in Valve's Half-Life: Alyx. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/01/death-stranding-review"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN who would happily buy this if money were no object. Follow him on Twitter.

Nintendo Switch Shortages Exacerbated by Resellers Using Auto-Buying Bots

The current shortage of Nintendo Switch consoles is being exploited and exacerbated by a number of resellers, who are using auto-buying bots to quickly buy up new stock and then sell it on for hundreds of dollars more than recommended retail prices. Motherboard recently published an investigation into the situation, in which they discovered Bird Bot; an open source tool that is being used to target online stores that have had new Nintendo Switch stock, and quickly automatically purchase them before most other people have had a chance to notice new consoles are available. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/09/27/nintendo-switch-review-2018"] Due to the shortages, these people are then able to command high prices from customers looking for a console. Motherboard reports that prices of up to $500 are being demanded on eBay, with the Animal Crossing bundle selling for around $750. The creator of Bird Bot, called Nate, spoke to Motherboard, saying: “Me and my friends were talking about reselling Nintendo Switches, and at one point my friend, nicknamed Bird, told me I should make a bot. And here we are today.” Motherboard reports that a Discord channel used by people buying and reselling Switches using Bird Bot featured conversations about buying consoles in bulk, not just one-offs. In addition to online stores, people are also using tools like Brickseek, which identify local physical stores with Switch stock, which they then buy up to resell. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=top-25-nintendo-switch-games&captions=true"] Nintendo has stated that more Switch stock is coming soon, but this report suggests that resellers will use that to their advantage, and so buying consoles from retail may not be as easy as it otherwise has been. "Honestly I can't wait till the mass restock," said one user in the Bird Bot Discord, reports Motherboard. If you have managed to get a Switch, or already owned one before the coronavirus-induced shortages, then you may be pleased to hear that 2K are bringing BioShock, Borderlands, and XCOM 2 to Switch in May. There’s also rumours of many remastered Mario games arriving this year for Mario’s 35th anniversary. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter

Nintendo Switch Shortages Exacerbated by Resellers Using Auto-Buying Bots

The current shortage of Nintendo Switch consoles is being exploited and exacerbated by a number of resellers, who are using auto-buying bots to quickly buy up new stock and then sell it on for hundreds of dollars more than recommended retail prices. Motherboard recently published an investigation into the situation, in which they discovered Bird Bot; an open source tool that is being used to target online stores that have had new Nintendo Switch stock, and quickly automatically purchase them before most other people have had a chance to notice new consoles are available. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/09/27/nintendo-switch-review-2018"] Due to the shortages, these people are then able to command high prices from customers looking for a console. Motherboard reports that prices of up to $500 are being demanded on eBay, with the Animal Crossing bundle selling for around $750. The creator of Bird Bot, called Nate, spoke to Motherboard, saying: “Me and my friends were talking about reselling Nintendo Switches, and at one point my friend, nicknamed Bird, told me I should make a bot. And here we are today.” Motherboard reports that a Discord channel used by people buying and reselling Switches using Bird Bot featured conversations about buying consoles in bulk, not just one-offs. In addition to online stores, people are also using tools like Brickseek, which identify local physical stores with Switch stock, which they then buy up to resell. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=top-25-nintendo-switch-games&captions=true"] Nintendo has stated that more Switch stock is coming soon, but this report suggests that resellers will use that to their advantage, and so buying consoles from retail may not be as easy as it otherwise has been. "Honestly I can't wait till the mass restock," said one user in the Bird Bot Discord, reports Motherboard. If you have managed to get a Switch, or already owned one before the coronavirus-induced shortages, then you may be pleased to hear that 2K are bringing BioShock, Borderlands, and XCOM 2 to Switch in May. There’s also rumours of many remastered Mario games arriving this year for Mario’s 35th anniversary. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter

PS4 Exclusive Wild Gets Unexpected Art Update

Long-dormant PS4 exclusive Wild has gotten a small update, with new concept art images added to its website. Developed at a new studio, Wild Sheep, by Rayman and Beyond Good & Evil creator Michel Ancel, Wild was first announced in 2014, but we've seen and heard nothing of it since a hands-off preview at Paris Games Week 2015. The four new images (in a gallery below), show off new views of its landscapes and characters. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=wild-4-new-concept-art-images&captions=true"] The images appear as a slideshow on the Wild website homepage, and have not been shown off previously. Slightly curiously, that slideshow also includes concept art of a giant bear that we have seen before. The website doesn't seem to have received any other update, and we know no more about the game itself, or its development status. LinkedIn reveals a number of employees still at the company, however, and Wild Sheep Studio was advertising for new roles as recently as February. If the project is ongoing, it feels more likely that the game would be reintroduced as a next-gen game than remain a PS4 exclusive. We've contacted Wild Sheep Studio for comment. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/10/27/wild-5-minutes-of-impressive-footage-from-the-wilderness"] What we do know of Wild is that it's an open world game in a mystical, prehistoric setting. Players take control of a shaman, and are able to possess the bodies of animals, each with different abilities. We named Wild one of the biggest games missing from E3 2016, 2017 and 2018. Here's hoping that we see more sooner rather than later. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News, and he really wants to play this game, and become a snake or whatever. Follow him on Twitter.

PS4 Exclusive Wild Gets Unexpected Art Update

Long-dormant PS4 exclusive Wild has gotten a small update, with new concept art images added to its website. Developed at a new studio, Wild Sheep, by Rayman and Beyond Good & Evil creator Michel Ancel, Wild was first announced in 2014, but we've seen and heard nothing of it since a hands-off preview at Paris Games Week 2015. The four new images (in a gallery below), show off new views of its landscapes and characters. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=wild-4-new-concept-art-images&captions=true"] The images appear as a slideshow on the Wild website homepage, and have not been shown off previously. Slightly curiously, that slideshow also includes concept art of a giant bear that we have seen before. The website doesn't seem to have received any other update, and we know no more about the game itself, or its development status. LinkedIn reveals a number of employees still at the company, however, and Wild Sheep Studio was advertising for new roles as recently as February. If the project is ongoing, it feels more likely that the game would be reintroduced as a next-gen game than remain a PS4 exclusive. We've contacted Wild Sheep Studio for comment. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/10/27/wild-5-minutes-of-impressive-footage-from-the-wilderness"] What we do know of Wild is that it's an open world game in a mystical, prehistoric setting. Players take control of a shaman, and are able to possess the bodies of animals, each with different abilities. We named Wild one of the biggest games missing from E3 2016, 2017 and 2018. Here's hoping that we see more sooner rather than later. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News, and he really wants to play this game, and become a snake or whatever. Follow him on Twitter.

System Shock 3 Developer Confirms the Game Is Still Coming

The development team behind System Shock 3 has confirmed that the game is still in development, despite a rumoured round of layoffs. Speaking on the Otherside Entertainment forum, VP of Marketing and Business Development Walter Somol explained the situation, stating "We're still here. We're working remotely right now... Our new concept is coming along nicely and we're really excited about it." Somol notes later in the post that System Shock 3 is progressing well, with a "distinctive art style" and "gameplay coming together" in Unreal Engine 4. "I know it's a tease, but I just can't really say anything about it at this point," the post reads. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/03/19/system-shock-3-in-engine-teaser"] This is good news, especially given the alarming report in early February which claimed that the entire System Shock 3 team at Otherside had lost their jobs. This was presumably impacted by the poor fortune of System Shock 3's publishing company, Starbreeze AB, which sold the rights to the game back to Warren Spector and Otherside Entertainment earlier this year. There have been some major departures since, which were revealed via LinkedIn updates, but there's clearly still a group of developers working on the game, albeit under remote conditions as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/11/system-shock-3-gameplay-trailer"] System Shock 3 was teased first in 2015, with System Shock and Deus Ex developer Warren Spector joining the team in 2016. It took until 2019 to get our first look at the game in action, which teased the return of the malicious artificial intelligence that plagued System Shock's spaceship setting - SHODAN. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

System Shock 3 Developer Confirms the Game Is Still Coming

The development team behind System Shock 3 has confirmed that the game is still in development, despite a rumoured round of layoffs. Speaking on the Otherside Entertainment forum, VP of Marketing and Business Development Walter Somol explained the situation, stating "We're still here. We're working remotely right now... Our new concept is coming along nicely and we're really excited about it." Somol notes later in the post that System Shock 3 is progressing well, with a "distinctive art style" and "gameplay coming together" in Unreal Engine 4. "I know it's a tease, but I just can't really say anything about it at this point," the post reads. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/03/19/system-shock-3-in-engine-teaser"] This is good news, especially given the alarming report in early February which claimed that the entire System Shock 3 team at Otherside had lost their jobs. This was presumably impacted by the poor fortune of System Shock 3's publishing company, Starbreeze AB, which sold the rights to the game back to Warren Spector and Otherside Entertainment earlier this year. There have been some major departures since, which were revealed via LinkedIn updates, but there's clearly still a group of developers working on the game, albeit under remote conditions as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/11/system-shock-3-gameplay-trailer"] System Shock 3 was teased first in 2015, with System Shock and Deus Ex developer Warren Spector joining the team in 2016. It took until 2019 to get our first look at the game in action, which teased the return of the malicious artificial intelligence that plagued System Shock's spaceship setting - SHODAN. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Shang-Chi’s Simu Liu Trolls Fans with Green Lantern ‘Suit Reveal’

The star of Marvel's upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings -- which has had its release date moved, along with several other films in the MCU's Phase 4 -- had a bit of fun over the weekend, posting a "suit reveal" to Twitter that had fans rolling. Actor Simu Liu, who was cast as Shang-Chi, Marvel's "Master of Kung Fu," back in July, revealed a custom image of himself as DC's Green Lantern, where Liu's head is placed atop a Green Lantern image from Injustice: Gods Among Us. Take a look... Here's IGN's quick guide to Shang-Chi, including his background, powers, and what the film might be about. DC's cosmic champion Green Lantern may have stumbled in 2011 with a poorly-received Ryan Reynolds movie, but a new Green Lantern series, from the Arrowverse's Greg Berlanti, is on its way to HBO Max. The show will reportedly span several decades and focus on the origin story of two major Green Lanterns on Earth while linking it to the story in space - along with a Green Lantern-favorite character, Sinestro. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=everything-coming-to-hbo-max&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

Shang-Chi’s Simu Liu Trolls Fans with Green Lantern ‘Suit Reveal’

The star of Marvel's upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings -- which has had its release date moved, along with several other films in the MCU's Phase 4 -- had a bit of fun over the weekend, posting a "suit reveal" to Twitter that had fans rolling. Actor Simu Liu, who was cast as Shang-Chi, Marvel's "Master of Kung Fu," back in July, revealed a custom image of himself as DC's Green Lantern, where Liu's head is placed atop a Green Lantern image from Injustice: Gods Among Us. Take a look... Here's IGN's quick guide to Shang-Chi, including his background, powers, and what the film might be about. DC's cosmic champion Green Lantern may have stumbled in 2011 with a poorly-received Ryan Reynolds movie, but a new Green Lantern series, from the Arrowverse's Greg Berlanti, is on its way to HBO Max. The show will reportedly span several decades and focus on the origin story of two major Green Lanterns on Earth while linking it to the story in space - along with a Green Lantern-favorite character, Sinestro. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=everything-coming-to-hbo-max&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

True Detective Creator Breaks Down His Dream Batman Project

As everyone, including filmmakers and actors, attempts to pass the time and assuage anxiety during self-isolation, by doing things like Q&A sessions and favorite movie lists, True Detective creator/writer Nic Pizzolatto took to Instagram to share his idea for a Batman film. Or, really, his overall opinion of the Caped Crusader's psychosis. With three seasons of True Detective under his belt, Pizzolatto, who has no connection to any current (or future) Batman project, decided to answer a question from a follower. Here's his posted IG caption...
"Pestilence Days. A random answer to a supporter becomes a small Q&A on Batman... Hi, DC DC, Hi ...WILL WORK FOR FREE ***ADDENDUM: I PROBABLY ANSWERED YOUR OBJECTION SOMEWHERE IN COMMENTS, SO GIVE A LOOK... FINAL THOUGHTS: LEX LUTHOR COULD BE PROBLEMATIC FOR BATMAN... BUT A FRAIL, TWIGGY MAN WHO WON'T STOP SMILING? DRESSED LIKE A CLOWN, YOU SAY? I CANNOT IMAGINE ANY SCENARIO WHERE THAT TAKES MORE THAN TEN MINUTES-- G'NIGHT***"
Pizzolatto's Instagram slides, regarding his ideas about Batman, included...
“Batman is the only character in the world I didn’t create that I want a shot at. And he’s the only piece of geek culture I have any affinity for.”
Continuing...
“Batman’s no-kill policy is valid and should always remain. BUT the policy does not exist because 'killing makes me as bad as them' or some kindergarten bulls***. That never held water at all. Batman’s no-kill policy exists BECAUSE BATMAN’S REAL AND ETERNAL ENEMY IS DEATH. DEATH is his real enemy.”
And more...
“And his money doesn’t matter; it’s merely a convenience. It actually adds to his heroism: his wealth means he could have done literally ANYTHING else than what he devotes his life to.” “Batman’s superpower is not money. Batman’s superpower is that he thinks of everything. And he has the strongest will of the species. If he had some time to strategize, Batman could credibly defeat God.””
Here's Pizzolatto's original Instagram post. Click it to flip through his special Batman thoughts... [caption id="attachment_233931" align="aligncenter" width="720"]Screen Shot 2020-04-19 at 7.42.15 AM Click to flip through original IG post.[/caption] Following this, Damon Lindelof, creator of HBO's Watchmen and The Leftovers, humorously endorsed Pizzolatto's hypothetical "Batman vs. God" movie... Screen Shot 2020-04-19 at 7.39.33 AM Recently, director Matt Reeves said The Batman was about 25 percent of the way through its planned production schedule when it had to shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, but that he is using this time to review the footage they've shot and tweak the tone of the DC film. For more on The Batman, check out Reeves' picks for his favorite Batman movies, the two detective movies that The Batman hopes to emulate, learn what composer Michael Giacchino had to say about scoring the film, and trace the origins of the new Batmobile. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=all-the-times-batman-and-robin-broke-up&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.