Monthly Archives: July 2020

IGN Exclusively Collaborates With San Diego Comic-Con 2020

IGN is happy to announce that we'll be exclusively collaborating with San Diego Comic-Con to bring you Comic-Con@Home on IGN Live from July 22-26. With SDCC going all-digital and totally free for 2020, we'll be bringing you a selection of livestreamed panels throughout the show, handpicked from the 350+ options that Comic-Con is airing this year. On top of that, we'll be screening our own content, including exclusive interviews, expert analysis and much more, covering the length and breadth of Comic-Con content – from film, TV and comics, to gaming, cosplay and collectibles. We'll be releasing our full schedule next week, so make sure to check back with us for that. ComicConAtHome_blogroll You'll be able to watch Comic-Con@Home on IGN Live across IGN.com, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Twitch, and we'll have custom-created programming for Snapchat, Instagram, Samsung TV Plus and more. “We know this world inside and out, so to have the chance to collaborate with San Diego Comic-Con to bring their programming to a huge online audience was such a natural fit,” said IGN's Terri Schwartz. “We’re thrilled to continue to bring what we do best to the Comic-Con circuit, albeit under very different circumstances than previous years.” Panels so far announced for Comic-Con@Home as a whole (with far more to come) include:
  • Amazon Prime Video: The Boys, Upload, Utopia, Truth Seekers
  • AMC: The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, NOS4A2
  • CBS: Star Trek Universe (Discovery, Lower Decks and Picard)
  • Disney TV: A Conversation With Nathan Fillion
  • HBO: His Dark Materials, Lovecraft Country
  • HBO Max: Adventure Time: Distant Lands - BMO
  • Hulu: Helstrom, Solar Opposites, Crossing Swords
  • Fox: The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, Family Guy
  • FX: Archer, What We Do in the Shadows
  • Orion: Bill & Ted Face the Music
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Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! Officially Announced

After a soft launch earlier this year, King has officially confirmed Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!, a mobile runner featuring the platforming mascot, is officially on the way for a wider launch on iOS and Android phones. King announced today that On the Run! is currently available for pre-registration on the Google Play store for android phones, and will soon be available to pre-register on iOS as well. Those who pre-register will receive the Blue Hyena Skin from Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled when the game launches. You can check out a trailer for the mobile game below. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/09/crash-bandicoot-on-the-run-announce-trailer"] On the Run! features Dr. Neo Cortex, along with his henchmen, aiming to take control of the multiverse. Crash and Coco will venture through various levels that harken back to classic Crash regions, like Temple Ruins, Turtle Woods, Bear It, and more, in the new runner game. Levels will include secret paths for players to find, much like any classic Crash experience, and boss battles will see returning villains like Scorporilla, Nitrus Brio, Nina Cortex or Dingodile. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=crash-bandicoot-on-the-run-first-screenshots&captions=true"] On the Run! will also feature a base for Crash and Coco, which players can build up, customize, and upgrade bu gathering rewards and ingredients. The runner will also offer asynchronus multiplayer to let players battle one another. Crash and Coco are set to have a busy year, as Toys for Bob's Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is set to be launched on PS4 and Xbox One on Oct. 2. Toys for Bob recently confirmed Crash 4 won't feature microtransactions, and we got a new look at Crash Bandicoot 4 gameplay. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and Crash Bandicoot specialist. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.

Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! Officially Announced

After a soft launch earlier this year, King has officially confirmed Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!, a mobile runner featuring the platforming mascot, is officially on the way for a wider launch on iOS and Android phones. King announced today that On the Run! is currently available for pre-registration on the Google Play store for android phones, and will soon be available to pre-register on iOS as well. Those who pre-register will receive the Blue Hyena Skin from Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled when the game launches. You can check out a trailer for the mobile game below. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/09/crash-bandicoot-on-the-run-announce-trailer"] On the Run! features Dr. Neo Cortex, along with his henchmen, aiming to take control of the multiverse. Crash and Coco will venture through various levels that harken back to classic Crash regions, like Temple Ruins, Turtle Woods, Bear It, and more, in the new runner game. Levels will include secret paths for players to find, much like any classic Crash experience, and boss battles will see returning villains like Scorporilla, Nitrus Brio, Nina Cortex or Dingodile. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=crash-bandicoot-on-the-run-first-screenshots&captions=true"] On the Run! will also feature a base for Crash and Coco, which players can build up, customize, and upgrade bu gathering rewards and ingredients. The runner will also offer asynchronus multiplayer to let players battle one another. Crash and Coco are set to have a busy year, as Toys for Bob's Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is set to be launched on PS4 and Xbox One on Oct. 2. Toys for Bob recently confirmed Crash 4 won't feature microtransactions, and we got a new look at Crash Bandicoot 4 gameplay. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and Crash Bandicoot specialist. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.

Valorant Releases Weapon Pack Where the Weapons Are Just Dragons (and it Costs Nearly $100)

A new weapon pack has been revealed for Valorant which turns the game's guns into dragons – and will cost you nearly $100 dollars for the full arsenal. You can check out the Elderflame skin reveal trailer here, with the first "Ultra Edition" guns arriving in-game this Friday, the July 10. The developer has gone above and beyond as far as cosmetics are concerned - the guns are literally sentient dragons, and will emote when you get kills, reload, aim down the sight and so on. Even the bullets appear like fire shooting from the mythical creature's mouth. Whether it's all a bit too garish to allow for proper focus in a tense match is another story... Regardless of your opinion on these new cosmetics, the price is something to behold. Valorant's Revenue Lead Joe Lee posted the breakdown to Twitter, noting that the full set will cost you 9900 Valorant Points. The closest VP bundle you can buy is 11,000 VP for $100, so be prepared to shell out if you want the full set. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/05/valorant-review"] Also, bear in mind that Valorant's weapons can also be upgraded using Radianite, another currency earned via the battle pass. You can also purchase it using real money to quickly level up and unlock every animation for each gun. A fully tricked out Elderflame set is potentially going to cost you a lot of money. We reviewed Valorant back in early June, scoring it a 9/10 and calling it a "clever tactical hero shooter that's plenty deep." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Valorant Releases Weapon Pack Where the Weapons Are Just Dragons (and it Costs Nearly $100)

A new weapon pack has been revealed for Valorant which turns the game's guns into dragons – and will cost you nearly $100 dollars for the full arsenal. You can check out the Elderflame skin reveal trailer here, with the first "Ultra Edition" guns arriving in-game this Friday, the July 10. The developer has gone above and beyond as far as cosmetics are concerned - the guns are literally sentient dragons, and will emote when you get kills, reload, aim down the sight and so on. Even the bullets appear like fire shooting from the mythical creature's mouth. Whether it's all a bit too garish to allow for proper focus in a tense match is another story... Regardless of your opinion on these new cosmetics, the price is something to behold. Valorant's Revenue Lead Joe Lee posted the breakdown to Twitter, noting that the full set will cost you 9900 Valorant Points. The closest VP bundle you can buy is 11,000 VP for $100, so be prepared to shell out if you want the full set. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/05/valorant-review"] Also, bear in mind that Valorant's weapons can also be upgraded using Radianite, another currency earned via the battle pass. You can also purchase it using real money to quickly level up and unlock every animation for each gun. A fully tricked out Elderflame set is potentially going to cost you a lot of money. We reviewed Valorant back in early June, scoring it a 9/10 and calling it a "clever tactical hero shooter that's plenty deep." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Sony Patent Suggests PS1, PS2, and PS3 Games Could Be Emulated Via the Cloud

A Sony patent has surfaced suggesting that PS1, PS2, and PS3 games could be emulated via the cloud. First posted to Twitter by user Renka_schedule, the tweet can be translated into English, at which point it reads "A large number of game titles across PS1/PS2/PS3 and various generations of game consoles can be stored and used via the cloud gaming library." "These games can be run on a virtual machine that mimics the operating system associated with each game console" it continues. EcbODULXQAAJYbJ The accompanying image shows drawings of the PlayStation 1, 2, and 3 being emulated onto separate screens. It's not clear how this would be achieved, or whether it is tied to the existing PlayStation Now system. It could be that the virtualised operating system solution is a means of not having to build backwards compatibility technology into new hardware, although this isn't mentioned in the patent documents. Later in the thread Renka_schedule posts information from another patent, which suggests that users will be able to record and create mini-games from their gameplay, and share it with friends via the cloud. That sounds as though it could be associated with the new DualSense controller's Create button, and previous Sony patents have mentioned "scene tagging", which could allow players to "record" playable sections of games and share them. Obviously, take all patents with a hefty grain of salt, as it just means that Sony is researching and looking into using the technology. Nothing is confirmed. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/18/playstation-5-specs-detailed-ign-now"] We'v previously heard that the PS5 will be backwards compatible with the "majority" of PS4 games, but haven't heard official word on previous generations. In other Sony news, check out every game confirmed for the PS5. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Sony Patent Suggests PS1, PS2 and PS3 Games Could Be Emulated Via the Cloud

A Sony patent has surfaced suggesting that PS1, PS2 and PS3 games could be emulated via the cloud. First posted to Twitter by user Renka_schedule, the tweet can be translated into English, at which point it reads "A large number of game titles across PS1/PS2/PS3 and various generations of game consoles can be stored and used via the cloud gaming library." "These games can be run on a virtual machine that mimics the operating system associated with each game console" it continues. EcbODULXQAAJYbJ The accompanying image shows drawings of the PlayStation 1,2 and 3 being emulated onto separate screens. It's not clear how this would be achieved, or whether it is tied to the existing PlayStation Now system. It could be that the virtualised operating system solution is a means of not having to build backwards compatibility technology into new hardware, although this isn't mentioned in the patent documents. Later in the thread Renka_schedule posts information from another patent, which suggests that users will be able to record and create mini-games from their gameplay, and share it with friends via the cloud. That sounds as though it could be associated with the new DualSense controller's Create button, and previous Sony patents have mentioned "scene tagging", which could allow players to "record" playable sections of games and share them. Obviously, take all patents with a hefty grain of salt, as it just means that Sony is researching and looking into using the technology - nothing is confirmed. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/18/playstation-5-specs-detailed-ign-now"] We'v ep[reviously heard that the PS5 will be backwards compatible with the "majority" of PS4 games, but haven't heard official word on previous generations. In other Sony news, check out every game confirmed for the PS5. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Boss Fight Gameplay Leaks

Assassin's Creed Valhalla has suffered yet another leak ahead of the Ubisoft Forward conference this weekend, this time in the form of a lengthy boss fight. The new footage now circulating follows Eivor as they encounter and defeat Cordelia, one of the daughters of King Lerion. If that sounds familiar, you probably know these characters from Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear, which is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, who had three daughters named Gonorill, Ragan and Cordelia. The fight appears to be far more on the mystical side of the Assassin's Creed realism spectrum, and may well be activated similarly to AC: Odyssey's fights against Cyclops world bosses. Cordelia is specifically referred to by Eivor as a "demon goddess", wears a skull headdress and is peppered with arrows. In terms of abilities, she can teleport across the fighting arena in flashes of lightning, call in lightning bolts, and fire glowing copies of herself as attacks. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/07/assassins-creed-valhalla-game-engine-reveal"] The footage has a "work in progress" tag emblazoned on the screen, but here are some of the other details we spotted:
  • Valhalla includes a side quest system called 'Mysteries' for each section of the map. Aside from mysteries, there will also be 'Wealth' and 'Secrets' to find in each section of the map.
  • Boss battles appear to have phases, with mini combat cutscenes to complement the flow of battle.
  • Eivor has three bars in the bottom left corner of the screen which pertain to their adrenaline, health and stamina, adrenaline is the resource burned to use abilities in battle.
  • Eivor can eat mushrooms mid-battle to increase the ability gauge.
  • The inventory screen in Valhalla looks almost identical to that of Odyssey, and Eivor will carry around a rations bag, presumably to refill health on the go.
  • The skills screen shows how you will increase Eivor's stats and unlock new abilities, with three styles, Raven, Bear and Wolf on offer - similar to Odyssey's Hunter, Warrior and Assassin build system.
  • There's also a separate 'abilities' screen, where it's revealed that Eivor will unlock new skills using Books of Knowledge found in play at heavily guarded monasteries and military camps while searching for territorial wealth.
  • Up to 8 abilities can be assigned at once.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=assassins-creed-valhalla-first-screenshots&captions=true"] 30 minutes of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla gameplay leaked earlier this week, and you can check out what that included in by heading to our article here. Hopefully, we'll see non-leaked footage of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla on Sunday, July 12 during the Ubisoft Forward conference. For what else you can expect from Ubisoft's E3 replacement, check out our article detailing the games line-up. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Boss Fight Gameplay Leaks

Assassin's Creed Valhalla has suffered yet another leak ahead of the Ubisoft Forward conference this weekend, this time in the form of a lengthy boss fight. The new footage now circulating follows Eivor as they encounter and defeat Cordelia, one of the daughters of King Lerion. If that sounds familiar, you probably know these characters from Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear, which is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, who had three daughters named Gonorill, Ragan and Cordelia. The fight appears to be far more on the mystical side of the Assassin's Creed realism spectrum, and may well be activated similarly to AC: Odyssey's fights against Cyclops world bosses. Cordelia is specifically referred to by Eivor as a "demon goddess", wears a skull headdress and is peppered with arrows. In terms of abilities, she can teleport across the fighting arena in flashes of lightning, call in lightning bolts, and fire glowing copies of herself as attacks. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/07/assassins-creed-valhalla-game-engine-reveal"] The footage has a "work in progress" tag emblazoned on the screen, but here are some of the other details we spotted:
  • Valhalla includes a side quest system called 'Mysteries' for each section of the map. Aside from mysteries, there will also be 'Wealth' and 'Secrets' to find in each section of the map.
  • Boss battles appear to have phases, with mini combat cutscenes to complement the flow of battle.
  • Eivor has three bars in the bottom left corner of the screen which pertain to their adrenaline, health and stamina, adrenaline is the resource burned to use abilities in battle.
  • Eivor can eat mushrooms mid-battle to increase the ability gauge.
  • The inventory screen in Valhalla looks almost identical to that of Odyssey, and Eivor will carry around a rations bag, presumably to refill health on the go.
  • The skills screen shows how you will increase Eivor's stats and unlock new abilities, with three styles, Raven, Bear and Wolf on offer - similar to Odyssey's Hunter, Warrior and Assassin build system.
  • There's also a separate 'abilities' screen, where it's revealed that Eivor will unlock new skills using Books of Knowledge found in play at heavily guarded monasteries and military camps while searching for territorial wealth.
  • Up to 8 abilities can be assigned at once.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=assassins-creed-valhalla-first-screenshots&captions=true"] 30 minutes of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla gameplay leaked earlier this week, and you can check out what that included in by heading to our article here. Hopefully, we'll see non-leaked footage of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla on Sunday, July 12 during the Ubisoft Forward conference. For what else you can expect from Ubisoft's E3 replacement, check out our article detailing the games line-up. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Cancelled, Will Conclude with Part 4

Netflix has announced that Chilling Adventures of Sabrina has been cancelled and will conclude with Part 4 in late 2020 with a "spooky, sexy & supernatural series finale." Part 4 will consist of eight episodes and will see The Eldritch Terrors descending upon Greendale. The coven must fight each of the Terrors, including The Weird, The Returned, The Darkness, all before facing The Void, which is "the End of All Things." As the witches wage their war with the help of The Fright Club, Nick will also try to slowly earn his way back into Sabrina's heart before its too late. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-tv-show-cancelled-or-announced-to-be-ending-in-2020&captions=true"] “Working on ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ has been an incredible honor from Day One. The cast, beginning with Kiernan as everyone’s favorite teen witch, has been an absolute joy. I am beyond thankful to the crew, writers, editors, assistants, and everyone for pouring so much love into this dark dream of a show,” said showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. “I’m also grateful to our partners at Netflix, Warner Bros., Berlanti Television and Archie Comics for letting us tell the story we wanted to tell, the way we wanted to tell it. We can’t wait for everyone to see Part Four.” In our review of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: Part 3, we said "benefiting from a vast step up in quality on almost every level, a strong ensemble cast who have grown into their roles, and a creative vision that finally feels like it's been given full reign, this season of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is easily the best yet." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/31/20-of-the-best-tv-shows-of-the-decade"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.