The Last of Us Part II director Neil Druckmann has discussed the recent delay of Naughty Dog’s highly-anticipated PlayStation juggernaut, explaining the frustration of having the game on the “one-yard line” but held up due to reasons beyond their control. “It’s a bit rough,” Druckmann told the Official PlayStation Blogcast. “You’re working on something for so long – some of us, for years – and there’s a built-in anticipation when you’re doing this thing. Like, you can't wait for this thing that you’ve been crafting and honing and sometimes dreaming about; you can’t wait to get it in people’s hands and then see their reactions. See what they like or didn’t like, or where the story takes them. And now you gotta put all that on hold because the world is conspiring against us!” “Internally we know we have a great game and it’s just we have to wait a little bit longer to get it out there to fans. I know fans are disappointed and believe me when I say this: we’re just as disappointed, if not more so, to not be able to get the game out on time.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-last-of-us-part-2-new-screenshots&captions=true"] On the question of why not release The Last of Us Part II digitally on the planned date, Druckmann explained there’s still no new plan yet but the key priority is getting the game to all fans – not just some. “Well, there hasn’t been a final decision yet; right now we’re just reacting,” said Druckmann. “You know, it’s a different retail chain – whether we could get physical copies to people. What is the internet infrastructure there to support it in all countries? This is a worldwide game that people in every country are waiting for, and we want to make sure we’re fair.” “If we just get it to a small fraction of people, what about all the people that don’t get it? Right now we’re looking at all sorts of different options: what’s the best way to get it to all of our fans as soon as possible? But that’s gonna take time for us to shift and figure things out, and also see where the world’s at. You know, things are changing from day to day.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/26/our-the-last-of-us-part-2-hands-on-impressions-deep-dive-beyond-episode-608"] Druckmann also stressed that turning the previous press demo into a standalone demo that could be downloaded by the public would be a “massive amount of work” and that the team would rather focus on finishing the game itself instead of rebuilding an outdated demo. “We’re at the one-yard line, I would say,” said Druckmann. “There’s still some bugs that we’re finding that we’re squashing – we want to polish it as much as we can, taking our time to review each section and making sure it’s all Naughty Dog quality.” “It’s there; that’s the frustrating part for us! The game is there. We just have to sit on it for a little bit and figure out what’s the best way to get it to our fans.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-last-of-us-part-2-story-gameplay-details&captions=true"] The Last of Us Part II was initially set to arrive on February 22, 2020. That initial release date was confirmed late last year alongside a story trailer and our first chance to go hands-on with The Last of Us' long-awaited sequel. Shortly after, Naughty Dog announced The Last of Us Part II would, in fact, be delayed until May 29 for additional polishing. In the wake of this delay reports emerged that the shift to May allegedly led to sustained crunch at Naughty Dog rather than alleviating it. The Last of Us Part II was also supposed to have its first public hands-on at PAX East 2020 but, due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19, Sony pulled out of PAX East. Sony and HBO also recently announced that a The Last of Us TV show adaptation is in the works, set to air on HBO with Druckmann and Chernobyl executive producer Craig Mazin behind the series (and the TV show will replace The Last of Us movie that was previously in the pipe). No casting has been announced, but we've offered plenty of suggestions for who should play Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us TV show. For more on the upcoming sequel, we spoke to Druckmann about Joel's role in The Last of Us Part II, why The Last of Us Part II isn't an open world game, as well as how dogs affect stealth and combat. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter every few days @MrLukeReilly.

Similar to the news about countries around the world setting drones loose to scold citizens who aren't staying indoors, some inventive goofballs in England let a Dalek roll down the block while it barked commands at humans, promoting self-isolation. Posted by the Sanford Police Twitter account, which isn't a real police account (as that's the name of the town in Edgar Wright's Hot Fuzz), these lads are here for "s***s and giggles." And giggles they indeed get as this roving cyborg alien from Doctor Who has a lot on its mind when it comes to staying put in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. Take a look...

All humans must keep indoors. All humans will self isolate. By order of the daleks.#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/tFKyQ0sDnj

— Sandford Police (@Sandford_Police) April 3, 2020

The demands are harsh, but simple. "All humans must keep indoors. All humans will self isolate. By order of the daleks." While we're own the subject of Doctor Who, check out this "emergency transmission" from the BBC featuring Jodie Whittaker's Doctor in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Other celebrities are trying their best to entertain fans from home too, like Patrick Stewart, who read Shakespeare sonnets online. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/28/doctor-who-cast-respond-to-ign-comments"] [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.

A first-person Resident Evil 8 will release sometime in 2021 for current and next gen consoles and will feature more “serious departures” from the mainline series, according to a new report from Video Game Chronicle.

VGC reports that they have verified the information provided by known Resident Evil leaker “Dusk Golem” on Twitter. That said, take the following information with a massive grain of salt, as previous reports from Dusk Golem on a “soft reboot” for Silent Hill were later squashed by Konami, so the track record thus far isn’t entirely perfect.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-resident-evil-bosses&captions=true"]

Golem stated on Twitter that Resident Evil 8 was previously a third Resident Evil Revelations game (which transitioned to a mainline title after positive feedback), and that it will feature new mechanics and themes like insanity, hallucinations, occultism, and not being able to trust others. Golem’s internal sources appear to be playtesters or Capcom ambassador program members - basically, fans who act as playtesters and possibly influencers.

Golem also stated that a gameplay sequence of Resident Evil 8 had been leaked to him, featuring a “sequence where you're in a village with multiple routes trying to make your way to a castle, being attacked by beast-men, zombies in armor with swords, and a witch that laughs a lot.”

According to VGC, it will again feature Resident Evil 7 protagonist Ethan Winters.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/03/resident-evil-3-final-review"]

Capcom has not commented on the supposed leak yet, so again, take these statements for what they are: Rumors.

If true, this would make Resident Evil 8 the third RE game to release in three consecutive years.

A report earlier this year also indicated that RE8 would be first-person, and touched on some of the details this report mentions again, including the addition of werewolves and witches to Resident Evil’s repertoire of monsters. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/future Nemesis victim for IGN.

As Robert Downey Jr. celebrated his 55th birthday this weekend in Los Angeles, the social media highways and biways flooded with well wishes and warm sentiments from many of his MCU co-stars - including Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Marvel's Black Widow may have been delayed until November, taking The Eternals' premiere date, but the Avengers aren't about to skip a chance to assemble. Here's a quick look at the precious posts from some of the coolest characters in Tony Stark's life...

Happy birthday to one of my absolute favorites! Love you 3000, @RobertDowneyJr pic.twitter.com/xkJmOivAdw

— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) April 4, 2020

Sending you all the virtual hugs for your birthday, @RobertDowneyJr I love you to life, 3000. It’s an honor knowing such a generous and complex man. pic.twitter.com/oufQoVy35V

— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) April 4, 2020

Happy Birthday, @RobertDowneyJr !!! pic.twitter.com/a6k0GQRb9W

— Taika Waititi (@TaikaWaititi) April 4, 2020

Downey Jr. himself, when he saw how many people loved him 3000, posted the following to Twitter...

Thanks to everyone who put a smile on my face today. There's a lot of you out there... pic.twitter.com/IhmLnzbI3t

— Robert Downey Jr (@RobertDowneyJr) April 4, 2020

As Black Widow gets shifted to November, The Eternals has been moved to Feb. 12, 2021 (which was Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' spot). Shang-Chi now takes the May 7, 2021, date that had belonged to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Multiverse now moves to Nov. 5, 2021, which bumps Thor: Love And Thunder to Feb. 28, 2022. Black Panther 2 remains scheduled for May 8, 2022, though Captain Marvel 2 has been bumped ahead two weeks to July 8, 2022. No word yet on the new dates, if any, for the Phase 4 Disney + shows. Last heard, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was still on track for August, though its production shut down back at the beginning of March so it stands to reason that series will get postponed. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/04/disney-reveals-massive-changes-to-marvel-phase-4-ign-now"] [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.

UPDATE, April 9: Netflix has officially announced the follow-up to their hit true crime series Tiger: The Tiger King and I, an after-show set to air April 12. Netflix tweeted the official announcement featuring a video greeting from the after-show's host Joel McHale. The Tiger King and I will feature "brand new interviews with John Reinke, Joshua Dial, John Finlay, Saff, Erik Cowie, Rick Kirkman, and Jeff and Lauren Lowe."

The Tiger King and I — a Tiger King after show hosted by Joel McHale and featuring brand new interviews with John Reinke, Joshua Dial, John Finlay, Saff, Erik Cowie, Rick Kirkman, and Jeff and Lauren Lowe — will premiere April 12 pic.twitter.com/8fbbNdaiDA

— Netflix (@netflix) April 9, 2020

Our original report from April 5 follows. [poilib element="accentDivider"] With most everyone now basking in, or currently binging, the oddball glory that is Netflix's Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, series star Jeff Lowe (with wife Lauren Dropla) dropped a message online that should excite the ever-increasing Joe Exotic fandom. In the video, Lowe says that Netflix is adding a new episode, currently filming now, that will arrive on the site next week. Check it out...

So our friend @christie_dish listened to the podcast, @HoldingKourt and after last weeks episode decided to send us this!!!

BREAKING NEWS FOLKS There will be 1 more episode of #TigerKing on@Netflix pic.twitter.com/YeRSIlDKTJ — Justin Turner (@redturn2) April 4, 2020

Make sure to check out IGN's review of Tiger King, which calls the series a "fascinating and depressing look inside a community of big cat fanatics." Tiger King is currently having a huge "lightning in a bottle" moment as people self-isolate and look for buzz-worthy things to watch. Actor Jared Leto even held a viewing party for the show, while many other celebrities -- including Edward Norton, Kate McKinnon, and Dax Shepard -- have asked to be cast in the upcoming scripted series based on Joe Exotic. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/01/tiger-king-whos-the-worst"] [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.

GameStop has closed all of its stores in Massachusetts, including any curbside service, according to The Boston Globe. The closure also comes after a report that GameStop leadership instructed employees to wrap their hands in plastic or wear gloves while handing off orders to customers.

The state of Massachusetts ordered all nonessential businesses to close on March 24. GameStop pushed back against the closure order by saying it provided an essential service, a statement that appeared to apply to GameStop stores across the U.S.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/07/how-gamestop-plans-to-save-itself"]

After keeping stores operational despite the state government’s order, the inspectional services department for the City of Boston ordered GameStop’s Dorchester location to close. The Boston Globe reports that no fine was issued to GameStop, but a nuisance order was issued, and the inspector followed up by visiting the store location on Wednesday to ensure the store had actually closed.

GameStop confirmed to Boston Globe it had closed all Massachusetts stores on Thursday.

It's unclear If GameStop has fully shut down stores in other states, except for California, where GameStop eventually relented and followed the governor's shutdown order. IGN has reached out to GameStop for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=gamestop-in-the-news-timeline&captions=true"]

Facing increasing pressure and criticism last month, GameStop finally relented and closed the physical storefronts of all U.S. locations on March 23, announcing the decision in a press release. Despite the announcement, many stores continued to offer curbside pickup for customer orders. According to Boston Globe, this included employees being instructed to either wear gloves or wrap their hands in plastic shopping bags while handing orders to customers through the crack in a door.

According to Boston Globe, In a company email, GameStop employees were specifically instructed to “lightly (you want to be able to get it off easily) tape a Game Stop plastic bag over your hand and arm. Do not open the door all the way — keep the glass between you and the guest’s face — just reach out your arm.”

GameStop still has some pretty lofty plans to save itself as a company, but like a lot of businesses throughout America, it’s coming under increasing strain to remain afloat. GameStop is set to permanently close 300 stores this year after more financial struggles. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.

GameStop has closed all of its stores in Massachusetts, including any curbside service, according to The Boston Globe. The closure also comes after a report that GameStop leadership instructed employees to wrap their hands in plastic or wear gloves while handing off orders to customers.

The state of Massachusetts ordered all nonessential businesses to close on March 24. GameStop pushed back against the closure order by saying it provided an essential service, a statement that appeared to apply to GameStop stores across the U.S.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/07/how-gamestop-plans-to-save-itself"]

After keeping stores operational despite the state government’s order, the inspectional services department for the City of Boston ordered GameStop’s Dorchester location to close. The Boston Globe reports that no fine was issued to GameStop, but a nuisance order was issued, and the inspector followed up by visiting the store location on Wednesday to ensure the store had actually closed.

GameStop confirmed to Boston Globe it had closed all Massachusetts stores on Thursday.

It's unclear If GameStop has fully shut down stores in other states, except for California, where GameStop eventually relented and followed the governor's shutdown order. IGN has reached out to GameStop for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=gamestop-in-the-news-timeline&captions=true"]

Facing increasing pressure and criticism last month, GameStop finally relented and closed the physical storefronts of all U.S. locations on March 23, announcing the decision in a press release. Despite the announcement, many stores continued to offer curbside pickup for customer orders. According to Boston Globe, this included employees being instructed to either wear gloves or wrap their hands in plastic shopping bags while handing orders to customers through the crack in a door.

According to Boston Globe, In a company email, GameStop employees were specifically instructed to “lightly (you want to be able to get it off easily) tape a Game Stop plastic bag over your hand and arm. Do not open the door all the way — keep the glass between you and the guest’s face — just reach out your arm.”

GameStop still has some pretty lofty plans to save itself as a company, but like a lot of businesses throughout America, it’s coming under increasing strain to remain afloat. GameStop is set to permanently close 300 stores this year after more financial struggles. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.

With just about every movie and TV show being delayed, and production on future projects being halted, here's news of a series actually debuting earlier than originally scheduled. TNT has bumped up its Snowpiercer series. Previously slated to premiere on Sunday, May 31, Snowpiercer -- which is based on French graphic novel Le Transperceneige (that spawned the 2013 Bong Joon-ho film adaptation) -- will now arrive two weeks sooner, on Sunday, May 17. The story involves a future world that has become a frozen wasteland. The remnants of humanity -- who struggle with class warfare, social injustice and politics -- inhabit a perpetually moving train, with 1001 cars, that circles the globe. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/21/snowpiercer-season-1-trailer-comic-con-2019"] “Snowpiercer is one of the most anticipated original series of 2020 and in this climate, viewers are craving thrilling, engaging, edge-of-your-seat content that speaks to them on a deeper level,” said Brett Weitz, general manager for TNT, TBS and truTV. “It is extremely important that we continue with our promise to meet audiences where they are, and to that effect, we are moving up Snowpiercer’s premiere so that fans can enjoy this futuristic series even earlier.” Snowpiercer, which has already been renewed for a second season, stars Tony-winner Daveed Diggs, Oscar-winner Jennifer Connelly, Emmy-nominee Alison Wright, Mickey Sumner, and Tony Award-winner and Grammy-nominee Lena Hall. For more Snowpiercer, check out these posters drawn by popular artists, and a sneak-peek clip that we saw at New York Comic Con back in 2019. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-best-sci-fi-movies&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.

With just about every movie and TV show being delayed, and production on future projects being halted, here's news of a series actually debuting earlier than originally scheduled. TNT has bumped up its Snowpiercer series. Previously slated to premiere on Sunday, May 31, Snowpiercer -- which is based on French graphic novel Le Transperceneige (that spawned the 2013 Bong Joon-ho film adaptation) -- will now arrive two weeks sooner, on Sunday, May 17. The story involves a future world that has become a frozen wasteland. The remnants of humanity -- who struggle with class warfare, social injustice and politics -- inhabit a perpetually moving train, with 1001 cars, that circles the globe. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/21/snowpiercer-season-1-trailer-comic-con-2019"] “Snowpiercer is one of the most anticipated original series of 2020 and in this climate, viewers are craving thrilling, engaging, edge-of-your-seat content that speaks to them on a deeper level,” said Brett Weitz, general manager for TNT, TBS and truTV. “It is extremely important that we continue with our promise to meet audiences where they are, and to that effect, we are moving up Snowpiercer’s premiere so that fans can enjoy this futuristic series even earlier.” Snowpiercer, which has already been renewed for a second season, stars Tony-winner Daveed Diggs, Oscar-winner Jennifer Connelly, Emmy-nominee Alison Wright, Mickey Sumner, and Tony Award-winner and Grammy-nominee Lena Hall. For more Snowpiercer, check out these posters drawn by popular artists, and a sneak-peek clip that we saw at New York Comic Con back in 2019. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-best-sci-fi-movies&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.

The Entertainment Software Association has formally announced dates for a “reimagined” E3 in 2021, following the cancellation of E3 2020, and IGN's own announcement of its Summer of Gaming event. E3 2021 will be held from June 15 to June 17, 2021.

According to GamesIndustry.biz, the ESA sent out the news to industry partners late Friday.

E3 2020 was officially cancelled on March 11 due to concerns over the COVID-19/coronavirus and the ensuing shelter-in-place orders that various state governments have issued, including Los Angeles, California, where E3 is held each year.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/03/ign-announces-summer-of-gaming-showcase-for-june"]

The ESA has previously stated it is considering the possibility of an online event, although it has not provided any further details as of early April.

If by some chance you missed the news, IGN has announced its own “Summer of Gaming” event, which will take place this June. Summer of Gaming will feature developers and news from studios like 2K, Square Enix, SEGA, Bandai Namco, Amazon, Google Stadia, Twitter, Devolver Digital, THQ Nordic, and more. Check out the link above for more details, and keep an eye on IGN for when we announce more details.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a reimagined writer/producer for IGN.