Geoff Keighley has revealed that the 2020 Game Awards is still happening, but it will be available online, and it is poised to be the biggest Game Awards yet. IGN's Ryan McCaffrey sat down with Keighley to discuss The Game Awards in the latest episode of IGN Unfiltered (the full episode drops tomorrow), along with details on Keighley's storied history with awards shows, his thoughts on the PS5 and Xbox Series X, the cancellation of E3, his famous friendship with Hideo Kojima, and much, much more. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/13/fromsoftwares-hidetaka-miyazaki-accepts-award-for-game-of-the-year"] When asked if the Game Awards would be virtual, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Keighley said, "Yeah... what I will say about it is, we have a very interesting plan for the show this year. We're definitely doing it. A lot of people are [asking], 'Are you delaying it? The Oscars are being postponed, are you postponing The Game Awards?' We are absolutely not. We'll share more in the coming weeks about it, but it's actually probably going to be our biggest show yet. "We are obviously not going to have 10,000 people in a room together, physically, for the show, but I think... you'll see a little bit of this with how we do GamesCom. We're definitely doing more than just me in a room, announcing winners. I'm really passionate about [still] doing the show live, versus something pre-recorded. So, yeah, we're working on some scenarios for ways we can present the show live with a bit of spectacle to people... without the public [being] able to buy tickets to come to the show, and things like that, this year. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/13/xbox-series-x-console-announcement-trailer"] "There's a lot of work and, honestly, our team is working overtime thinking of how we present this in a way that celebrates the industry in a bit bigger fashion. So we're going to do some live stuff, we're still hoping to do some spectacle and scale to how we do things, but we're likely not going to be able to do the 'traditional' show this year, but it's absolutely happening, for sure." For more interviews with the best, brightest, most fascinating minds in the games industry, check out be sure to check out every episode of IGN Unfiltered, which includes talks with Master Chief co-creator Marcus Lehto, 343's Bonnie Ross, Valve's Robin Walker & Chris Remo, Respawn's Stig Asmussen, and many, many more.

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Brian Barnett writes wiki guides, deals posts, features, and much more for IGN. You can get your fix of Brian's antics on Twitter and Instagram (@Ribnax).

Hellboy creator Mike Mignola is one of many artists using their talent to raise money for charity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mignola's social media accounts have been full of stunning new sketches, and now those sketches are being collected in a hardcover volume to help fight world hunger. IGN can exclusively reveal several pages from this forthcoming collection. Check them out in the slideshow gallery below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=hellboys-mike-mignola-the-quarantine-sketchbook-exclusive-preview&captions=true"] Mike Mignola: The Quarantine Sketchbook features Mignola's distinctive takes on everything from Batman to cereal mascots to Masters of the Universe, along with plenty of the monsters and fantastical creatures that permeate his comic book work. Proceeds from the book are being donated to Chef José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen. “I started out doing these sketches just as a way to take my mind off the pandemic, but as they piled up it became clear that we had to do SOMETHING with them,” said Mignola in a statement. “My wife, Christine, suggested donating to World Central Kitchen. José Andrés has been doing an amazing job getting food to people in need for a very long time, and now we are very happy to be doing what we can to help him with that.” “I love Mike’s drawings,” said Andrés. “We’re so grateful for his support and continuous effort this year raising awareness and money for World Central Kitchen.” [caption id="attachment_2397690" align="aligncenter" width="5760"] WCK volunteers providing food and relief during the recent California wildfires. (Image Credit: World Central Kitchen)[/caption] Mike Mignola: The Quarantine Sketchbook will be released in comic shops on March 3, 2021 and in bookstores on March 16. While Dark Horse continues to publish new comics set in the wider Hellboy/BPRD universe, the core Hellboy saga reached its dramatic conclusion in 2019 with the release of BPRD: The Devil You Know #15. Find out why we think the Hellboy saga is an unprecedented accomplishment for Mignola and his collaborators. Unfortunately, fans probably shouldn't hold their breath for a sequel to 2019's Hellboy movie. Star David Harbour is pessimistic about the prospects of a second movie. "I don't think there'll be much of a light [for a sequel]," Harbour told ComicBook.com. "There's a lot of people who reach out to me who really loved it and really enjoyed the new take, and were just happy to see [Hellboy] back on the screen, but I know in the culture at large, I don't think it was very well received." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/04/10/hellboy-review"] [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.

Hellboy creator Mike Mignola is one of many artists using their talent to raise money for charity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mignola's social media accounts have been full of stunning new sketches, and now those sketches are being collected in a hardcover volume to help fight world hunger. IGN can exclusively reveal several pages from this forthcoming collection. Check them out in the slideshow gallery below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=hellboys-mike-mignola-the-quarantine-sketchbook-exclusive-preview&captions=true"] Mike Mignola: The Quarantine Sketchbook features Mignola's distinctive takes on everything from Batman to cereal mascots to Masters of the Universe, along with plenty of the monsters and fantastical creatures that permeate his comic book work. Proceeds from the book are being donated to Chef José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen. “I started out doing these sketches just as a way to take my mind off the pandemic, but as they piled up it became clear that we had to do SOMETHING with them,” said Mignola in a statement. “My wife, Christine, suggested donating to World Central Kitchen. José Andrés has been doing an amazing job getting food to people in need for a very long time, and now we are very happy to be doing what we can to help him with that.” “I love Mike’s drawings,” said Andrés. “We’re so grateful for his support and continuous effort this year raising awareness and money for World Central Kitchen.” [caption id="attachment_2397690" align="aligncenter" width="5760"] WCK volunteers providing food and relief during the recent California wildfires. (Image Credit: World Central Kitchen)[/caption] Mike Mignola: The Quarantine Sketchbook will be released in comic shops on March 3, 2021 and in bookstores on March 16. While Dark Horse continues to publish new comics set in the wider Hellboy/BPRD universe, the core Hellboy saga reached its dramatic conclusion in 2019 with the release of BPRD: The Devil You Know #15. Find out why we think the Hellboy saga is an unprecedented accomplishment for Mignola and his collaborators. Unfortunately, fans probably shouldn't hold their breath for a sequel to 2019's Hellboy movie. Star David Harbour is pessimistic about the prospects of a second movie. "I don't think there'll be much of a light [for a sequel]," Harbour told ComicBook.com. "There's a lot of people who reach out to me who really loved it and really enjoyed the new take, and were just happy to see [Hellboy] back on the screen, but I know in the culture at large, I don't think it was very well received." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/04/10/hellboy-review"] [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.

The Dungeons & Dragons team has announced a new community event and sourcebook called Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, both of which are set to debut this fall. The event, called D&D Celebration, will take place September 18-20, 2020, and coincide with the release of the newest published adventure, Rime of the Frostmaiden. The event will consist of multiple gameplay streams from a variety of D&D personalities - including what's being called "the largest virtual game of D&D ever played, with over 1,000 players participating in a shared story - as well as panel discussions from the D&D design team and members of the community. Tickets to participate in the "Epic" session, which is being run through the D&D Adventurer's League (the official "organized play" group), can be purchased here, with all proceeds being donated to Extra Life. Tasha's Cauldron of Everything is scheduled for release on November 17, 2020, and is a companion to 2017's Xanathar's Guide to Everything.It provides plenty of new options for players and dungeon masters alike, some of which consist of updated "official" versions of published content or playtest material previously released as Unearthed Arcana, while other content will be wholly new. "There are even more new levers that people will be able to use," said D&D's Lead Rules Designer Jeremy Crawford during a recent press briefing. "The amount of customization that's available is huge." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dd-tashas-cauldron-of-everything-covers-and-concept-art&captions=true"] Totaling 192 pages, the book has four major chapters that cover a wide variety of game options, including:

• A chapter featuring new/updated character options
  • 22 updated/officialized UA subclasses
  • 5 reprinted subclasses*
  • An updated version of the Artificer class
  • New class features (updated/imported from UA)
  • New player feats
  • New character "lineage" options that allow players to divest their character's race from their feats and ability score adjustments
• A chapter full of new spells, magic items, and high-level artifacts
• A chapter on group patrons, originally seen in the Eberron: Rising From the Last War sourcebook
• A chapter focused on tools for the DM, including...
  • Expanded sidekick rules (originally introduced in the D&D Essentials Kit)
  • Rules for running magical or supernatural environments
  • A full section of puzzles from veteran TRPG designer Elisa Teague

The most noteworthy item is probably the new "lineage" options, which allow players to adjust the features and ability modifiers traditionally associated with a character's race or species. "If a person wants to play Elfy McElferson from the PHB, they still can," Crawford laughs. "But if you want your elf to have skipped longbow training, or speak a language other than elvish and have a bonus to charisma instead of dexterity, Tasha's Cauldron is going to give you the ability to do that – and to do it very easily." This notion of divesting a character's stats from their species has long been a topic of discussion among the D&D fanbase, and whether via discussions in forums or on social media, or feedback on previous Unearthed Arcana, it seems that much of the content in TCoE is a direct result of that type of player feedback. "As I often say, our work on the game is a conversation with the community that never ends," said Crawford. "The community does such a good job of sharing with us what they want to see in this game we all love; and we go to our workshop and make sure we deliver that as best as we can." Tasha's Cauldron of everything will be available in digital and physical editions, with an alternate cover available at your local game and hobby shops. For more D&D on IGN, why not check out an exclusive unboxing of the upcoming Curse of Strahd Revamped collector's edition, or our guide to playing D&D online to maintain good social distancing (and avoid stumbling into melee attack range). [poilib element="accentDivider"] JR is a senior editor at IGN, and will definitely be using these new options to min/max the hell out of every character he rolls from now on. You can discourage this bad behavior on Twitter. [poilib element="accentDivider"] *Reprinted subclasses include: Order Domain Cleric and Circle of Spores Druid (Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica), College of Eloquence Bard and Oath of Glory Paladin (Mythic Odysseys of Theros), and the Bladesinging Wizard (Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide).

The Dungeons & Dragons team has announced a new community event and sourcebook called Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, both of which are set to debut this fall. The event, called D&D Celebration, will take place September 18-20, 2020, and coincide with the release of the newest published adventure, Rime of the Frostmaiden. The event will consist of multiple gameplay streams from a variety of D&D personalities - including what's being called "the largest virtual game of D&D ever played, with over 1,000 players participating in a shared story - as well as panel discussions from the D&D design team and members of the community. Tickets to participate in the "Epic" session, which is being run through the D&D Adventurer's League (the official "organized play" group), can be purchased here, with all proceeds being donated to Extra Life. Tasha's Cauldron of Everything is scheduled for release on November 17, 2020, and is a companion to 2017's Xanathar's Guide to Everything.It provides plenty of new options for players and dungeon masters alike, some of which consist of updated "official" versions of published content or playtest material previously released as Unearthed Arcana, while other content will be wholly new. "There are even more new levers that people will be able to use," said D&D's Lead Rules Designer Jeremy Crawford during a recent press briefing. "The amount of customization that's available is huge." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dd-tashas-cauldron-of-everything-covers-and-concept-art&captions=true"] Totaling 192 pages, the book has four major chapters that cover a wide variety of game options, including:

• A chapter featuring new/updated character options
  • 22 updated/officialized UA subclasses
  • 5 reprinted subclasses*
  • An updated version of the Artificer class
  • New class features (updated/imported from UA)
  • New player feats
  • New character "lineage" options that allow players to divest their character's race from their feats and ability score adjustments
• A chapter full of new spells, magic items, and high-level artifacts
• A chapter on group patrons, originally seen in the Eberron: Rising From the Last War sourcebook
• A chapter focused on tools for the DM, including...
  • Expanded sidekick rules (originally introduced in the D&D Essentials Kit)
  • Rules for running magical or supernatural environments
  • A full section of puzzles from veteran TRPG designer Elisa Teague

The most noteworthy item is probably the new "lineage" options, which allow players to adjust the features and ability modifiers traditionally associated with a character's race or species. "If a person wants to play Elfy McElferson from the PHB, they still can," Crawford laughs. "But if you want your elf to have skipped longbow training, or speak a language other than elvish and have a bonus to charisma instead of dexterity, Tasha's Cauldron is going to give you the ability to do that – and to do it very easily." This notion of divesting a character's stats from their species has long been a topic of discussion among the D&D fanbase, and whether via discussions in forums or on social media, or feedback on previous Unearthed Arcana, it seems that much of the content in TCoE is a direct result of that type of player feedback. "As I often say, our work on the game is a conversation with the community that never ends," said Crawford. "The community does such a good job of sharing with us what they want to see in this game we all love; and we go to our workshop and make sure we deliver that as best as we can." Tasha's Cauldron of everything will be available in digital and physical editions, with an alternate cover available at your local game and hobby shops. For more D&D on IGN, why not check out an exclusive unboxing of the upcoming Curse of Strahd Revamped collector's edition, or our guide to playing D&D online to maintain good social distancing (and avoid stumbling into melee attack range). [poilib element="accentDivider"] JR is a senior editor at IGN, and will definitely be using these new options to min/max the hell out of every character he rolls from now on. You can discourage this bad behavior on Twitter. [poilib element="accentDivider"] *Reprinted subclasses include: Order Domain Cleric and Circle of Spores Druid (Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica), College of Eloquence Bard and Oath of Glory Paladin (Mythic Odysseys of Theros), and the Bladesinging Wizard (Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide).

Nintendo will allegedly launch a new version of the Nintendo Switch in early 2021. According to a report from Economic Daily News (via VGC), the new version of the Switch will enter production later this year and is set to launch at retail in the first quarter of 2021. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/26/nintendo-switch-lite-review"] The report, which claims to be informed by sources in the console's supply chain, says that the new version of the Nintendo Switch will feature improved "interactivity" and a better quality display. There are no suggestions as to the power of the hardware, so it's unclear if this is a 'Pro'-like update with more powerful internals. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=15-big-nintendo-switch-games-coming-in-2020-and-4-guesses&captions=true"] Rumours of an "enhanced" Nintendo Switch began in 2019, and were sparked up again earlier this year.  Nintendo extinguished the flames by announcing that it had no plan to release a new Nintendo Switch in 2020, but said nothing about a new console in the following year. That initial Wall Street Journal report also correctly predicted the launch of the Switch Lite, so perhaps the predicted more powerful Switch may finally be set to make a real appearance next year? [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

James Gunn directs Idris Elba, Margot Robbie, John Cena, Michael Rooker, and the gang in this behind-scenes-look at the highly anticipated DC movie sequel coming out in 2021.

IGN is happy to reveal that a new game in the Wonder Boy series, Wonder Boy - Asha in Monster World, has been announced with members of the original development team behind the wheel.

A full reveal with gameplay is set to arrive later this week during the gamescom Awesome Indies showcase, which kicks off at 10am Pacific Time on Saturday, August 29 right here on IGN. In the meantime, you can see a sneak peek at some key art below, with more details about Wonder Boy - Asha in Monster World under that.

This next entry in the Wonder Boy series stars the titular Asha, the protagonist of 1994’s Wonder Boy IV. She is assisted by her flying, blue Pepelogoo (a creature also originally from Wonder Boy IV), and together the two of them must set off to save the world – what exactly is threatening it, however, we don’t know quite yet. Excitingly, this will be the first game in the history of the series to be fully voiced, with the announcement describing Asha and other characters as “lively and talkative.”

Wonder Boy - Asha in Monster World is being developed by STUDIOARTDINK alongside ININ Games, with members of the original Wonder Boy creative team at the helm. That includes series creator Ryuichi Nishizawa (who has returned to lead and direct this new game), original composer Shinichi Sakamoto (who will be producing the game’s sounds, this time around), character designer Maki Ōzora, and creative manager Takanori Kurihara.

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The long-awaited sequel arrives after the success of 2017’s Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap (a remake of 1989’s Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap), as well as the 2018 follow-up to the series, Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom. Wonder Boy - Asha in Monster World is set to release on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch at the beginning of 2021.

A Wonder Boy teaser site is currently live with a link for a mailing list, but more information and first gameplay will be revealed during the gamescom Awesome Indies showcase on August 29. You can watch gamescom Awesome Indies live starting at 10am Pacific Time right here on IGN, and follow all of our gamescom 2020 coverage here.

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Tom Marks is IGN's Deputy Reviews Editor and resident pie maker. You can follow him on Twitter.

Sega has announced when we'll be able to play the next Yakuza game. Yakuza: Like a Dragon releases on November 13. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/24/yakuza-like-a-dragon-how-will-you-rise-trailer"] That November 13 release date applies to the Xbox One, PS4, and PC platforms. It's also promised as a day 1 release for Xbox Series X, but without a release date for the console it's unclear when the next-gen version of Yakuza: Like a Dragon will be available. A tweet from developer RGG Studio does state 'Nov', though, so looks like the Xbox Series X is definitely coming in November. The next-gen version is also set to release on PS5, but is listed only as "coming soon". It's unclear how much longer the wait for that version is, but we do know that a cross-buy system means that if you do buy the PS4 version, it will be upgraded to the PS5 version should you make the leap to next-gen. The same also applies to the Xbox One / Series X version, too. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=yakuza-like-a-dragon-comic-conhome-screenshots&captions=true"] During Comic-Con earlier this year we learned about the English dub of the game, meaning Like a Dragon will be the first mainline Yakuza game to feature English language voice acting since the original in 2005. Among the English cast is legendary actor George Takei. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

The critically acclaimed Cuphead is easily one of the best platformers of the past few years, but its distinctive art style makes it a natural fit for other media as well. Dark Horse Comics has already published one Cuphead graphic novel, and a second volume is on the way next year. IGN can exclusively debut several pages of gorgeous art from Cuphead Vol. 2: Cartoon Chronicles & Calamities. Check them out in the slideshow gallery below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cuphead-exclusive-preview-of-dark-horses-cartoon-chronicles-calamities&captions=true"] Cuphead Vol. 2: Cartoon Chronicles & Calamities is again written by Zack Keller and drawn by Shawn Dickinson. Here's Dark Horse's official description for the book:

Our plucky heroes return in this brand-new collection of adventures starring Cuphead, Mugman, and now Ms. Chalice! The trio can't seem to catch a break as they find themselves in a plethora of peculiar positions and side stories in the all-cartoon magical wonderworld of the Inkwell Isles! This original graphic novel features fresh new tales, all authentically drawn to match the glorious, award-winning vintage animation style of Cuphead!

Cuphead Vol. 2 is priced at $10.99 and will be released on March 2, 2021. You can pre-order the book on Amazon. Dark Horse continues to release lavish hardcover art books geared toward various iconic video game franchises. IGN recently debuted the cover to The Art of Halo Infinite and several pages from The World of Cyberpunk 2077. You can also watch an unboxing of both the regular and deluxe editions of The World of Cyberpunk 2077 in the video below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/24/the-world-of-cyberpunk-2077-artbook-is-packed-with-lore"] [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.