Monthly Archives: April 2020
Brothers in Arms Is Getting a TV Show Adaptation
Gearbox Software is adapting its World War 2 shooter series, Brother in Arms, into a TV show with the help of showrunner Scott Rosenbaum.
The show will follow a team of eight soldiers on a mission to rescue their colonel from the Nazis before they discover the D-Day plans. It will explore both Allied and Axis sides of the war, and feature characters based on real people from the period.
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The original Brothers in Arms games, which began in 2005, explored the D-Day landings from the perspective of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment. Seen through the eyes of Sergeant Matt Baker, the games are known for their historical accuracy, with levels built using contemporary maps and combat tactics influenced by 1940s army training. The TV series will continue that look at real history, as well as the more personal stories of infantrymen on the front-line.
"I love the stories we told in the games, and we do have more stories to tell, but a TV show lets us explore this subject matter and the effect on the relationships and people in broader ways," Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford told The Hollywood Reporter.
"The story we ended up using has never been dramatized on TV," says Rosenbaum. "Almost 800 U.S. servicemen were killed and it had to be covered up because the Allies were preparing for the real Normandy invasion."
The series has only just been put into pre-production, and so the hunt is currently on for directors and a broadcast partner. While casting won’t be settled for some time, Picthford is looking for fresh talent.
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Randy Pitchford will serve as executive producer alongside Rosenbaum. They are joined by Richard Whelan - who previously worked on Band of Brothers and Captain America: The First Avenger - as well as Jean-Julien Baronnet, producer on the Assassin’s Creed movie, and Gearbox Software’s chief business officer, Sean Haran.
This is the second Gearbox Software game getting the live-action treatment; Eli Roth is directing the Borderlands movie, which is allegedly going to be an R-rated action flick.
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Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter.
2K Announces WWE 2K Battlegrounds, a New Arcade-Style Wrestling Game
Last week WWE confirmed that there will be no WWE 2K game this year. Today 2K Games revealed why that is, and also took the opportunity to announce a new WWE game called WWE 2K Battlegrounds.
2K Games won’t be releasing a new WWE 2K game this year, but to ease the blow the company announced a new WWE game. WWE 2K Battlegrounds is a new arcade-style brawler developed by NBA 2K Playgrounds studio Saber Interactive. You can check out a reveal trailer below:
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Favorite wrestlers from across eras in “over-the-top Superstar designs” will star in the new wrestling game. 2K says it’s focusing on “social pick-up-and-play fun” instead of a more traditional wrestling sim like the WWE 2K series. WWE 2K Battlegrounds is scheduled to be released this fall.
As for WWE 2K21, the company said that it has heard feedback from fans regarding WWE 2K20, which was panned for its many issues like poor graphics, gameplay glitches, and bugs. In order to deliver experience fans want from a WWE game, 2K says it’s extending the production timeline for the next WWE 2K game.
“We are applying what we’ve learned to the next WWE 2K simulation with a renewed focus on quality and fun,” 2K says in a press release. “As part of that commitment, we are extending the production timeline and will not be releasing a WWE 2K simulation game in fiscal year 2021.”
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As part of this renewed commitment to quality, 2K and developer Visual Concepts hired Patrick Gilmore as executive producer. Gilmore is a 25-year video game industry veteran with credits dating back to Disney’s Aladdin on Sega Genesis as well as work on Killer Instinct, Medal of Honor, and Amazon’s New World.
Along with the longer development time, 2K announced it will keep servers for WWE 2K19 running and active.
Visual Concepts took over the WWE 2K series from Japanese developers Yuke’s after the latter split with 2K to work on its own wrestling game. For more on why WWE 2K may be going into extra development, read our review for WWE 2K20.
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Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.
Gears Tactics Review – Build-A-Cog-Workshop
Gears of War, as a series, has always required tactical planning. Understanding how to read a battlefield to find ideal cover and a path to outflanking your opponent is just as essential as your trusty Lancer assault rifle. Still, it's surprising just how well the series translates to a turn-based strategy RPG. Gears Tactics captures the chaotic, gory roller coaster energy generated by the shooters, even as your focus turns from playing a cog to maintaining the machine.
Technically, Tactics is a prequel, as it takes place before the events of the original series, but it really feels like a throwaway story from the expanded canon. Though connections to the overarching Gears saga, particularly Gears 5, abound--your unit is led by Gabe Diaz, Kait's dad--Gears Tactics' story is simple and mostly detached from the larger franchise.
So while the plot takes a back seat, Gears Tactics cleverly twists the formula of the modern strategy RPG, creating scenarios that fit the Gears mold. All the XCOM-inspired mechanics are there: action points that can be used to move or attack, half- and full-cover, defensive "overwatch" positioning. If you've ever so much as thought the word "tactics game," the flow will feel comfortable.
Continue Reading at GameSpotGears Tactics Review – One Step At A Time
Gears of War, as a series, has always required tactical planning. Understanding how to read a battlefield to find ideal cover and a path to outflanking your opponent is just as essential as your trusty Lancer assault rifle. Still, it's surprising just how well the series translates to a turn-based strategy RPG. Gears Tactics captures the chaotic, gory roller coaster energy generated by the shooters, even as your focus turns from playing a cog to maintaining the machine.
Technically, Tactics is a prequel, as it takes place before the events of the original series, but it really feels like a throwaway story from the expanded canon. Though connections to the overarching Gears saga, particularly Gears 5, abound--your unit is led by Gabe Diaz, Kait's dad--Gears Tactics' story is simple and mostly detached from the larger franchise.
So while the plot takes a back seat, Gears Tactics cleverly twists the formula of the modern strategy RPG, creating scenarios that fit the Gears mold. All the XCOM-inspired mechanics are there: action points that can be used to move or attack, half- and full-cover, defensive "overwatch" positioning. If you've ever so much as thought the word "tactics game," the flow will feel comfortable.
Continue Reading at GameSpotUpdate: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Coming to Disney+ Next Week
UPDATE: Disney has confirmed that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will begin streaming two months early on Disney+ in celebration of May the 4th, also known as Star Wars Day. In the Netherlands, however, the movie will launch on May 5 due to the Memorial Day holiday.
Disney+ is yet to announce the official release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on its streaming service. Therefore, it is currently unclear whether this title will be added to the platform on the same date in all available countries and regions.
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The Rise of Skywalker's prospective release date aligns itself with Star Wars Day, an annual celebration of the iconic space opera franchise. This year, the force is strong with fans of binge-worthy content, as there is a small batch of new original content due to arrive from the galaxy far, far away.
Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, an eight-episode documentary series, will start streaming on Disney+ on May 4. The multi-part show is expected to offer fans of The Mandalorian a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the series. It will be released on the streamer on the same day as the highly anticipated Clone Wars Season 7 finale.
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These new additions come shortly after the digital and home release of The Rise of Skywalker, which was accompanied by "over two hours of bonus material," including a feature-length documentary titled, The Skywalker Legacy, which takes fans behind-the-scenes of the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was released in theatres in late 2019 and earned $1.074 billion at the global box office, even though it ended up being one of the lowest-scoring Star Wars movies on Rotten Tomatoes. For an alternative comparison, find out how Episode IX performed on its opening weekend alongside the other Star Wars entries.
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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.
Disney+ will also honour the artistry of Star Wars with a week-long concept art takeover on the service, with the artwork for each movie and series from the franchise being updated on May 4 to feature original concept art from celebrated artists such as Ralph McQuarrie and Doug Chiang. In addition, the Star Wars brand tile on the Disney+ home screen will be upgraded with a new animation to commemorate the signature hyperspace jump. [poilib element="accentDivider"] ORIGINAL STORY: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has been added to the Disney+ app with a release date of May 4 (aka Star Wars Day). IGN captured a screenshot of the Episode IX placeholder on the US version of the Disney+ app, which states: "Due to existing agreements this title will be available on May 4, 2020."The complete Skywalker Saga, all in one place. Start streaming all 9 films, including Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, on May the 4th, only on #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/qNNAHsrOkh
— Star Wars (@starwars) April 27, 2020
Disney+ is yet to announce the official release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on its streaming service. Therefore, it is currently unclear whether this title will be added to the platform on the same date in all available countries and regions.
[ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/18/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-every-ship-bonus-feature]
The Rise of Skywalker's prospective release date aligns itself with Star Wars Day, an annual celebration of the iconic space opera franchise. This year, the force is strong with fans of binge-worthy content, as there is a small batch of new original content due to arrive from the galaxy far, far away.
Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, an eight-episode documentary series, will start streaming on Disney+ on May 4. The multi-part show is expected to offer fans of The Mandalorian a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the series. It will be released on the streamer on the same day as the highly anticipated Clone Wars Season 7 finale.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-star-wars-rotten-tomatoes-and-metacritic-review-score&captions=true"]
These new additions come shortly after the digital and home release of The Rise of Skywalker, which was accompanied by "over two hours of bonus material," including a feature-length documentary titled, The Skywalker Legacy, which takes fans behind-the-scenes of the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was released in theatres in late 2019 and earned $1.074 billion at the global box office, even though it ended up being one of the lowest-scoring Star Wars movies on Rotten Tomatoes. For an alternative comparison, find out how Episode IX performed on its opening weekend alongside the other Star Wars entries.
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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.PSA: The Last of Us 2 Spoilers Have Apparently Leaked
A set of what seems to be major spoilers for The Last of Us Part II has leaked - watch what you're searching for, people.
The spoilers have apparently emerged from leaked videos of major moments from the upcoming game, which have now been turned into lists of details.
It's not totally clear at this point if the details are correct but we, of course, won't be printing them here.
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In the past, bots on social media sites have sent spoilers as automated replies to posts including related terms - we haven't yet seen reports of this but, if you are trying to wait for release, it's likely worth paying extra attention to tweets containing the name of the game, or its main characters.
What makes the situation worse is that we don't even know a release date for the game, after it was delayed indefinitely due to supply chain problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
For less ruinous Last of Us 2 content, we spoke to Neil 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.
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Cyberpunk 2077 Joins IGN Summer of Gaming Line-Up
The IGN audience's most-anticipated game is joining our summer showcase.
PUBG Adds Bots to Public Matches on Xbox One, PS4
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds developer PUBG Corp is adding bots to public matches on consoles in order to address the growing gulf between the skill levels of new players and proficient PUBG veterans.
“While PUBG veterans continue to hone their skills and improve, we’re seeing more often that many newer players are being eliminated early with no kills – and oftentimes with no damage dealt,” explained lead project manager Joon H. Choi in a blog post published on PUBG.com.
“In an effort to provide more ways for players to hone their skills and be able to fully enjoy what PUBG has to offer, we’ve decided to introduce bots with Update 7.1.”
Choi went on to detail the three main priorities the PUBG team considered when building the console bots, including carefully laying out navigation meshes across the entire map “in a way that prevents bots from throwing themselves off of a cliff”, a “carefully balanced” shooting system that allows players to avoid fire using authentic evasive action, and ensuring bots concentrate on seeking out, looting, and arming themselves with the most appropriate gear during each phase of the game.
“While there were many other factors that went into programming PUBG’s bots, these were the three we felt carried the most potential impact on a match,” wrote Choi. “We hope that introducing bots will help players get more shooting practice and kills, a higher average survival time, and maybe even that first exciting chicken dinner. Basically, the full battle royale experience.”
Choi also qualified that this is just the first iteration of bots in PUBG on console. Bots will be monitored for improvement over the coming months.
Experienced players with high matchmaking ratings will be less likely to encounter bots in their games. Competitive, ranked PUBG will not feature bots.
Serving to lower the barrier of entry to the cutthroat genre, bots are already in a feature in PUBG on mobile and were added to battle royale rival Fortnite in an update in October 2019.
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Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter sporadically @MrLukeReilly.
Avengers: Infinity War Writers Showcase Deleted Shot of Doctor Strange in Iron Man Armor
Avengers: Infinity War screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely have unveiled a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange clad in Tony Stark’s Iron Man armor. The scene was reportedly shot as an alternative version of the sequence where Iron Man and Spider-Man rescue Strange from the clutches of Thanos minion Ebony Maw.
Markus and McFeely revealed the shot during a Watch Party viewing of Avengers: Infinity War for ComicBook.com, musing while there were “other versions” of the rescue, “[s]ome were just too awesome (and long) to keep.”
While this costume change ultimately got the chop, Marvel undoubtedly has plenty more memorable Doctor Strange moments up its sleeve in the upcoming sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – which was recently confirmed to have Spider-Man and Evil Dead director Sam Raimi at the helm. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/14/what-is-doctor-strange-2s-multiverse-of-madness"] Release date upheaval on account of the global coronavirus pandemic has seen the Doctor Strange sequel shift to March 25, 2022. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo also recently discussed their keenness to bring the dramatic conclusion to the MCU’s Infinity Saga – Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame – back to cinemas for an encore performance (once they’re open again, that is). [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-phase-4-official-lineup&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter sporadically @MrLukeReilly.So, there were other versions of this rescue. Some were just too awesome (and long) to keep. But still, one can dream... #Infinitywar #QuarantineWatchParty -SM pic.twitter.com/ZToVfWpnHg
— ComicBook.com (@ComicBook) April 27, 2020
Avengers: Endgame’s Russos Would Love to Welcome Fans Back to Theaters with MCU Re-Releases
It's been one year since Avengers: Endgame hit theaters -- back on April 26, 2019 -- and the Russo Brothers, who helmed four massive MCU movies, including Endgame and Avengers: Infinity War, would love nothing more than to bring audiences back to theaters with re-releases of their franchise films.
The Russos, who now have an action-packed film on Netflix starring Chris Hemsworth called Extraction (read our Extraction review here), recently appeared on CinemaBlend's ReelBlend podcast and discussed the possibility of re-releasing both Infinity War and Endgame once theater chains start to reopen and accept crowds.
"The theatrical experience is a community experience," Joe Russo explained. "Perhaps the most touching moment of our entire careers was a few weeks ago when the lockdown started, and Endgame was trending on social media because everyone was posting videos of opening-night screenings in their theaters with audiences really emotionally connected to the material."
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"For us," he added, "that's really the strength of the theatrical experience is that it combines audiences, and it combines you globally. To have been a part of movies that did that, on that scale with that level of emotional connection from the audience, was really very touching, and will be the highlight of our careers. So, using those films to get people back into the theaters? We would be ecstatic. I mean, any opportunity for people to go back and share in those stories together is one that we would support."
Meanwhile, just a few weeks after announcing a massive changeup to their upcoming theatrical release slate, Disney has set new 2022 dates Marvel's Thor: Love and Thunder and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
At the same time, Sony Pictures announced new release dates for their forthcoming sequels to Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
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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.