The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will mix Prince of Persia-like stealth action, feature a branching narrative, and expand on the hints given by J.R.R. Tolkien about the Stoor-formerly-known-as-Sméagol to create a brand new Lord of the Rings story that aims to fit alongside the books. Daedelic still isn't showing off gameplay footage of its 2021 next-gen stealth project, but the game's developers spoke exclusively to IGN about Gollum's mixture of stealth-action and interactive narrative gameplay, how they're expanding on Tolkien's original fiction, how they tried to create a version of the character you actually want to spend time with, and more. We can also reveal a first CG teaser trailer, giving you a better look at this take on Gollum, and the Mordor he finds himself stranded in. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/21/the-lord-of-the-rings-gollum-teaser-trailer"]

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum's Stealth Gameplay

Gollum will be a game broadly spent in two distinct states - either stealthily making your way past the various hulking threats living in Mordor, and making narrative chocies as the warring personalities of Sméagol and Gollum fight for control. The former should be familiar to many: "The game mixes stealth with vertical climbing parkour," explains lead game designer Martin Wilkes. "If you want a reference you might think of it as similar to Prince of Persia. It is mostly a non-combat game, but Gollum will be able to stealthily take out enemies. However, this will not be easy and always come with big risks. We want players to carefully weigh these encounters. After all, Gollum’s strengths lie in cunning not combat." That focus on cunning over combat means you won't be directly taking on enemies - instead you'll be relying on scavenged items, environmental hazards, and even newfound friends for help. Wilkes continues: "Gollum doesn’t use weapons, but he can distract enemies with throwables. In parts of the game, he will also profit from the abilities of special allies and can use the environment to his advantage." That mention of "special allies" is interesting - will we meet familiar characters along the way? "You will!" says lead narrative designer Tilman Schanen. "We cannot wait to talk about this but it's still a bit early for that. Keeping in mind the scope and timeline of our narrative, we have to closely consider who Gollum would even be able to meet, where, and when. This means that for the most part, they will play smaller - but in some cases very significant - roles in the story."

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum's Narrative Gameplay

Between those stealth sections, Gollum will be forced to make decisions and dialogue choices, choosing from responses proposed by both his gentler Sméagol personality, and the Gollum psyche that emerged after he was corrupted by the One Ring. So, do those decisions mean there's a branching narrative to play through? "There is," explains Schanen. "Also, the decisions you make affect the way the game feels. You always either play as Sméagol or as Gollum as the 'dominant' persona and that can influence animations, soundscapes, certain gameplay situations, and in-game dialogue." Daedelic's quick to make clear that it won't be changing the source material - this is a prequel to the Lord of the Rings books, meaning Gollum has to reach a set place by the end of the game, but the journey there can change: "We naturally stay within certain limits," Schanen continues. "It won’t be like you’re going to end up destroying Middle-earth because you never made a Sméagol choice. In the end, of course, Gollum's fate is pretty much determined by the books. But your decisions can and will have effects, for example, for other NPCs in the game. Some decisions will have a bigger impact, others very little. Just as in real life." Wilkes adds that it's "sort of" a morality system as seen in other narrative-focused titles (although we won't see any physical changes in the character, a la Fable), "but a bit more twisted than in most other games. It's not as simple as, 'Choose Sméagol to be good, choose Gollum to be evil'. Our first rule is to stay true to the character (or our interpretation of him at least). Since you play two personalities in one character, choosing sides will give you some control. But it's more like maneuvering a truck with two flat tires and trying not to drive it off a cliff."

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum's Level Design and Structure

Middle-earth is a huge place, and we've seen other games adapt it as an open world, but Gollum will take a slightly more curated approach. "The game is, for the most part, structured in sets of levels and hubs," Wilkes explains. "When Gollum arrives at a new location the places where he can go from that hub are limited until he either works his way in (for example, the prisons of the Dark Tower), finds secret passages or information, or manages to scheme his way into otherwise restricted areas. "Some levels are completely open in all three dimensions and can be explored freely, while others are more linear but often with alternative routes where players can, for example, decide if they rather sneak around some guards or take a risky parkour route in vertiginous heights to pass the next segment." The idea seems to be to balance player choice with allowing for satisfying puzzle solving and perhaps even platforming, with Wilkes saying that, "Verticality plays a big role in our levels, and the outstanding climbing skills of our main character not only provide us with epic views but also really open up this dimension for the players from a gameplay perspective." As for the look of the world itself, Daedelic's environments are in part inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's own drawings, but without straying too far from expectations of what Middle-earth should look like because of the film series: "Peter Jackson’s movies are fantastic but our game is based on the original book license," says Wilkes. "The source material for both is, of course, largely the same. Our world follows the same descriptions and is also in parts inspired by the same artworks as were the movies. Their influence on popular culture has been tremendous, so we have to be mindful of players who might only know Middle-earth from the two film trilogies." Art director Mathias Fischer adds, "Our approach is therefore to create a unique and distinctive style but at the same time not deviate entirely from the iconic shapes that are familiar from the movies. Sauron's Dark Tower will still look like a tower and not like a broad fortress, even if the books would allow such interpretation."

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum's Story

So what are we doing all of this stealthing and inner warring for? We knew previously that the game would be set in the relatively unexplored time period before we meet Gollum in the Lord of the Rings books, and now we know how this new story begins, with Schanen explaining: "We start our story parallel to the first book when Frodo is still in the Shire and knows nothing about anything. Gollum at that time ventures to Mordor still desperately looking for Bilbo Baggins and the Ring. Unfortunately, he gets caught by Sauron’s servants and this is basically where our story begins. "Gollum’s overall goal in the game?" adds Wilkes. "Well, that’s a bit more complicated. Obviously, Gollum wants to escape his captors and retake the Ring (and hopefully get his hands on some nice fish along the way). After some time, though, the Sméagol-side causes trouble and distractions and opens up new, conflicting goals that we cannot talk about yet." The Daedelic team says they've worked closely with Middle-earth Enterprises in order to stay respectful to Tolkien's work (a process that has apparently been "an absolute pleasure"), but they're having to create their own story as they go simply due to a lack of direct source material: "We follow Tolkien's story quite strictly and only take some freedom for purposes of gamification or sometimes simplification," says Schanen. "Tolkien doesn't describe Gollum's story before he appears in the book in great detail. So mainly, we draw from small notes in the appendices and second-hand reports from characters like Gandalf. Since we need to fill in many gaps, it gives us quite a bit of creative freedom to pursue our narrative vision. "At the same time, we would have never gotten the chance to work on this project if that vision would not be in tune with the source material. Think of it like taking a few verses from the bible and extending them to a novel without changing the overall narrative." And what of Gollum himself? As many pointed out after the first screenshots emerged, the character looks like a slightly more wide-eyed take on the version Andy Serkis made famous. As it turns out, that's more or less the point. Fischer explains the goal with the design of their anti-hero: "With Gollum himself, our goal is to make him more relatable, as players have to be able to slip into his skin for the course of an entire game. That's why our Gollum looks less creepy (and has more hair) than the movie version." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=lord-of-the-rings-gollum-11-screenshots&captions=true"] The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will come to PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2021 [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Barry Keoghan, star of Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk and Marvel's Phase 4 film The Eternals, has been cast as Officer Stanley Merkel in Matt Reeves' The Batman. Warner Bros. revealed the new addition to the cast in the official video description for The Batman trailer, which recently debuted at the virtual DC FanDome event to offer fans an extended first look at the 2021 reboot. Keoghan is listed as playing an officer in the Gotham City Police Department. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/23/the-batman-trailer-dc-fandome-official-footage"] In the comics, Stan Merkel was featured as James Gordon's first partner in crime before later being killed off in the pages of Batman: Dark Victory. The character became the Hangman's sixth victim after he was found dead at the hands of Sofia Falcone on St. Patrick's Day. Keoghan has officially signed on for the role opposite Jeffrey Wright, who is portraying GCPD's James Gordon in the highly-anticipated DC film. The Irish actor previously boarded Marvel's The Eternals, which means this announcement marks the second comic book movie role for the standout Dunkirk star. He joins an ensemble cast that includes Robert Pattinson as Batman, Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Colin Farrell as Penguin, Paul Dano as Riddler, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and John Turturro as Carmine Falcone. The cast also includes Peter Sarsgaard and Jayme Lawson. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-batman-official-trailer-1-stills&captions=true"] During DC FanDome, fans were given a closer look at Robert Pattinson's darker, dishevelled Dark Knight as the first official footage was released for Reeves' Batman reboot, which is said to take place during "year two" of Batman's career (while Reeves' Gotham PD prequel series for HBO Max will take place in "year one.") There's also some new evidence in the trailer that the movie will not be set in the 1990s as previously speculated. The Batman is currently slated for an October 1, 2021 release date. However, the film is currently only around 25% complete, according to Reeves, as production has faced multiple setbacks and delays due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. While awaiting its release, fans have been left with plenty to analyse, especially after DC FanDome's recent wave of announcements and reveals. In fact, The Batman trailer's riddle might have already have been solved. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

The Batman fans might have already have solved The Riddler's coded message that was glimpsed in the film's first trailer at the DC FanDome event. Twitter user Andrew Lane was amongst the first to put pen to paper on the riddle, which was presented inside a card, left behind at a murder scene being investigated by GCPD's Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) in the trailer. One side of the card appears to ask the question, "what does a liar do when he's dead?" while the opposite side of the card challenges the recipient to decipher a coded sentence of symbols.

So hyped for Matt Reeve’s Batman Movie, I decided to solve The Riddler’s code. #TheBatman pic.twitter.com/vsxVxucedv

— Andrew Lane (@TheMasterD101) August 23, 2020

"He lies still," is the answer, according to the fan who worked to crack the code. Lane shared his methodology below the original tweet, explaining how he analysed the symbols to find recurring ones and then started to substitute those with the most commonly used letters. Game designer Mike Selinker reached the same conclusion when he tried to solve the puzzle by "brute force."

In the new #TheBatmanTrailer, the Riddler leaves a card with the question “What does a liar do when he’s dead?” I could just solve it like a riddle (and did), but it’s a good opportunity to show how to solve a puzzle by brute force, so you’re sure of the answer. Here goes. (1/12) pic.twitter.com/sHveBmU2Pt

— Mike Selinker (@mikeselinker) August 23, 2020

His Twitter thread details the lengthy process of unravelling the secret message, revealing a similar process of elimination for decrypting the sentence. However, the meaning behind that sentence still appears to be unclear. "He lies still" is a double entendre because the word "lies" can relate to an individual being in a resting position or a person giving an intentionally false statement. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/23/the-batman-trailer-breakdown-riddler-penguin-catwoman-and-no-more-lies-explained"] Despite not making an official appearance on screen in the new footage, Paul Dano's Edward Nashton (AKA the Riddler) seems to be one of the main villain's in Matt Reeves' The Batman, though it is not yet known whether he will turn out to be the masked killer from the trailer or whether he will simply serve as an obstacle in the Dark Knight's quest to bring the true enemy to justice. We've examined all of the evidence of The Riddler as friend or foe as part of our roundup of DC FanDome's biggest announcements and reveals. For even more Bat-coverage, feast your eyes on the first images from The Batman, The Batman's new logo and this sweet Jim Lee artwork, get the latest on when The Batman will resume filming, and learn about the GCPD spin-off series coming to HBO Max. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-batman-official-trailer-1-stills&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Cyberpunk 2077 will feature Free DLC as well as paid expansions, CD Projekt Red has revealed. The Polish developer replied to a fan on Twitter, who asked about the potential for Cyberpunk 2077 to have "free DLC" like The Witcher 3, which offered an entire roadmap of free content to support the game beyond its initial launch. Responding in kind, CD Projekt Red replied with a gif of the Kool-Aid Man spouting his famous catchphrase.

pic.twitter.com/y5PNLf3nIR

— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) August 22, 2020

Beyond the free DLC, it was previously confirmed back in April of 2020 that Cyberpunk 2077 will feature paid expansions of similar size to those that were available for The Witcher 3, such as Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. There will be more than just DLC available to complement and flesh out the world of Cyberpunk 2077 - a comic book series based on the game's Trauma Team is on its way from publisher Dark Horse Comics. You can check out the full broadcast of Night City Wire Episode 2 to catch up on all of the latest news about Cyberpunk 2077. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cyberpunk-2077-june-2020-screenshots&captions=true"] In other CD Projekt Red news, a 12" Geralt of Rivia action figure clutching a wreath of Harpy heads was recently revealed by McFarlane Toys. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Bungie has revealed what content will be leaving Destiny 2 with the launch of Beyond Light on November 10, 2020, and how the game will change when Io, Titan, Mars, Mercury, and Leviathan enter the Destiny Content Vault (DCV). Bungie took to its blog to explain how the Destiny Content Vault will work, why it's necessary, and how this removed content will make way for the Cosmodrome's return and Europa's debut. It tries to simplify some of the confusion by stating that "when a destination goes into the DCV, so too do its PvE activities and associated rewards." However, Bungie wanted to take a "crystal clear" approach and detailed exactly what will be leaving on November 10. Let's run through it. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/destiny-2-half-the-game-is-going-away-heres-what-you-need-to-know-fireteam-chat-ep-274"]

Strikes

Strikes of the vaulted planets will also be entering the DCV, and they are as follows;

• The Pyramidion (Io)
• The Festering Core (Io)
• Savathûn’s Song (Titan)
• Strange Terrain (Mars)
• Will of the Thousands (Mars)
• Tree of Probabilities (Mercury)
• A Garden World (Mercury)

Gambit and Gambit Prime

Gambit and Gambit Prime will be merging into a single experience with the launch of Beyond Light, and will be "a single round face off with tweaked Blockers, heavier mote drain, and some changes to the Primeval fight." The Year 4 Gambit playlist map selection will be a "best of" list and will feature Emerald Coast (EDZ), Legions Folly (Nessus), Deep Six (Titan), and New Arcadia (Mars). There will be two maps moving into the DCV, and they are Cathedral of Scars (Dreaming City) and Kell's Grave (Tangled Shore).

Crucible

Like Gambit, the Crucible will also have a curated "best of" mix and will contain maps from both Destiny 1 and 2. The following maps will not make it to Year 4 and will move into the DCV;

• Meltdown
• Solitude
• Retribution
• The Citadel
• Emperor's Respite
• Equinox
• Eternity
• Firebase Echo
• Gambler's Ruin
• Legion's Gulch
• Vostok

There will also be modes in the Crucible that will find their way to the DCV, and they are as follows;

• Supremacy
• Countdown
• Lockdown
• Breakthrough
• Doubles
• Momentum Control
• Scorched

Momentum Control and Scorched will return from the DCV "at some time during Year 4." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/23/destiny-2-beyond-light-expansion-gameplay-trailer"]

Trials of Osiris

The Trials of Osiris experience will not be impacted by any of this content being moved into the DCV this year. The Lighthouse "will continue to be available to those who are able to complete a Flawless passage."

Raids and Dungeons

There will be no dungeons rotating into the DCV this November, as "all dungeon-hosting destinations will remain active in the game during Year 4." However, Raids will not be so lucky. The following raids will be vaulted in November, due to the fact their destinations will be so too;

• Leviathan
• Eater of Worlds (Leviathan)
• Spire of Stars (Leviathan)
• Scourge of the Past (Last City)
• Crown of Sorrows (Leviathan)

This year's Moments of Triumph features these five raids that will be removed, and their reward lockouts have been removed to make "grinding them extra... well, rewarding." Furthermore, Bungie plans on bringing the Vault of Glass raid out of the DCV and into Destiny 2 at some point in Year 4. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=destiny-2-season-of-arrivals&captions=true"]

Exotic Quests and Catalysts

As destinations are sent to DCV, some Exotic quests will not be able to be completed in their original forms. Those specific quests will be retired on November 10 and incomplete progress will be abandoned. If you wish to acquire these exotics via their original quests, do so "prior to the end of the Season of Arrivals;

• Sturm
• MIDA Multi-tool
• Rat King
• Legend of Acrius
• Sleeper Simulant
• Polaris Lance
• Worldline Zero
• Ace of Spades
• The Last Word
• Le Monarque
• Jotunn
• Izanagi's Burden
• Thorn
• Lumina
• Truth
• Bad Juju

It's important to note that none of these legacy Exotics will be retired from Destiny 2, its just that their original acquisition journeys will be vaulted. Starting in Year 4, any Exotic tied to a quest that has been vaulted will "now become available through a new Memorial kiosk situated among the Vault kiosks in the Tower. As for Catalysts, there will be number of them that will be going into the DCV and will be unavailable to earn starting in Season 12;

• Bad Juju
• The Huckleberry
• Izanagi's Burden
• Legend of Acrius
• Polaris Lance
• Skyburner's Oath
• Sleeper Simulant*
• Telesto*
• Outbreak Perfected*
• Whisper of the Worm*
• Worldline Zero*

If you have these catalysts equipped and their objectives completed, you will be able to continue to use them. If you have any of the above with an asterisk, "make sure you finish completing the necessary objective to apply it as the objective will no longer be available at the end of Season of Arrivals." All of these catalysts will find their way out of the DCV in a future season. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/07/destiny-2-season-of-arrivals-solstice-of-heroes-gameplay-trailer"]

New Guardian Experience

These changes will impact those looking to get into Destiny 2 as a free-for-all player, as the Red War, Curse of Osiris, and Warmind campaigns will no longer be playable. Bungie is building a "new, expanded Guardian origin story on the Cosmodrome that will launch alongside Year 4 and will be available to all Guardians to play." The Forsaken and Shadowkeep story campaigns will still be available for owners of those expansions.

The Whisper, Zero Hour, and Year 2 Seasonal Content

The Whisper and Zero Hour secret missions will be sent to the DCV, and their Exotic weapon rewards will "not be acquirable until we find a new way to reintroduce them" Additionally, Year 2 Seasonal content - including Forges, Reckoning, and Menagerie - will be vaulted on November 10. The full list is as follows;

• Ada-1, Black Armory, and Season of the Forge quests.
• Gambit Prime, Reckoning, and Season of the Drifter quests.
• Benedict-66, Werner 99-40, Menagerie, and Season of Opulence quests.
• Pinnacle and pursuit weapon quests. (Note: These weapons will receive an alternate acquisition method. More details to come later this Season.)

There is obviously a lot here, and Bungie promises to share more updates in the future. For more, be sure to check out its DPS article that shares more details on the DCV. [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.

The latest tease for Fortnite's Chapter 2, Season 4 is an in-game comic book that looks to tell the story of how Thor and Galactus, and possibly other Marvel heroes, make their way to Fortnite's island. The comic can be seen in Fortnite itself, and we've also gathered them in the slideshow below, and the story is slowly unfolding day-by-day. The first day revealed two pages, and today unveiled two more. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=fortnite-chapter-2-season-4-comic-thor-and-galactus&captions=true"] It begins with Thor as the King of Asgard and the new Herald of Thunder, which also makes him the newest herald of Galactus, a position previously held by those such as Silver Surfer. Galactus arrived at Asgard "desperate and beaten and in need of help." He warned Thor of the "coming of the Black Winter, of the death of all things." He also described the existence of five planets that, when consumed, "would give Galactus the strength to push the winter back." After Thor evacuated the first planet's inhabitants and Galactus devoured the planet, they noticed a new disturbance that was filled with a power Galactus could not ignore. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/17/fortnite-chapter-2-season-3-splashdown-launch-trailer"] As Galactus entered this rift, Thor followed as quickly as he could to warn whatever lifeforms existed in this unknown space. He arrived on Fortnite's island and sees familiar Fortnite characters and tries to let them know he comes in peace and means them no harm. Well, considering Fortnite is all about getting that Victory Royale, these Fortnite character's ignore Thor's plea and being attacking him, to which Thor sighs and says "Very well then..." As of this writing, that is all the story we have, yet it would be safe to assume we will get more pages in the upcoming days leading up to the start of Chapter 2, Season 4 on Thursday, August 27. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/05/10/9-times-thor-lost-his-hammer-mjolnir"] The set-up for this crossover that was teased last week very much echoes the stories being told in the Thor (2020) comic series. In this latest Thor series, he not only becomes Galactus' herald, but there is also a crossover with [spoilers], and Thor manages to kill [spoilers]. [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.

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is officially in development for mobile devices in China, which could be a promising sign for those who don't have a PS4 or PC, or who wish to play the multiplayer party game on-the-go. Niko Partners senior analyst Daniel Ahmad shared the news on Twitter, stating that "Chinese games and entertainment company Bilibili has secured the rights to publish a mobile version of Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout in China."

I think this is the first official confirmation of a mobile version of the game being in development?

Not too surprising to see. But interesting that the China announcement has come first with seemingly no confirmation of a mobile version for the West. pic.twitter.com/JzODsZuyoS — Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) August 22, 2020

This is seemingly the first official confirmation that a version of Fall Guys is being developed for mobile devices, and the news arrives after the official Fall Guys Twitter account warned about ads for a mobile version that are scams. It's important to note that there is no confirmation for a mobile version for the West, so it remains to be seen what developer Mediatonic and publisher Devolver Digital have in store for bringing Fall Guys to other devices and regions. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/07/fall-guys-18-crucial-tips-and-tricks-to-help-you-win"] Fall Guys has been a viral hit since it was released on August 4, 2020, and its popularity was bolstered by it being available for PlayStation Plus subscribers. For those who have yet to download Fall Guys on PS4 and wish to try out the game, be sure to download it before it leaves PlayStation Plus on August 31, 2020. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-fall-guys-minigame-ranked&captions=true"] [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.

Fans can expect four DC Universe Movies to be released in 2021, as revealed by host Matt Bomer during IGN’s exclusive DC FanDome panel for Superman: Man of Tomorrow. The DC Universe Movies slate for 2021 includes two original productions and one two-part film that adapts an iconic DC Comics storyline. Fans can expect more details -- including casting and exact release dates -- closer to the movies’ releases. Their first release will be Batman: Soul of the Dragon, a 1970s-set original tale exec produced by Bruce Timm. Batman: Soul of the Dragon’s voice cast includes Grimm’s David Giuntoli as the voice of Bruce Wayne/Batman, Arrow's Michael Jai White reprising his live-action role as Ben Turner/Bronze Tiger, Mark Dacascos as Richard Dragon, Kelly Hu as Lady Shiva, James Hong as O-Sensei, and Josh Keaton as Jeffrey Burr. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-dc-animated-movie-in-development&captions=true"] The next film is Justice Society: World War II, an original story slated for release in spring 2021. Bomer told viewers that they may hear a familiar voice from the Superman: Man of Tomorrow panel in the movie, half-jokingly implying that he has a role in it. But arguably the biggest news reveal is the panel’s confirmation of rumors that the acclaimed storyline Batman: The Long Halloween will receive a two-part animated feature film adaptation. Part one of Batman: The Long Halloween will debut in the summer of 2021, with the second and final installment due out in the fall of next year. Watch the DC FanDome Superman: Man of Tomorrow panel below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/23/superman-man-of-tomorrow-dc-fandome-panel"] A 13-issue comics story arc from Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale that was first published in 1996, The Long Halloween chronicles a period early in Batman’s crime-fighting career that sees him on the trail of the Holiday Killer, a serial murderer who claims a new victim on each major holiday. In the meantime, Batman remains busy breaking the power of organized crime in Gotham City through his alliance with the GCPD’s Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent. Batman’s mission to catch Holiday also sees him cross paths with supervillains such as Joker, Catwoman, Scarecrow, Calendar Man, and Solomon Grundy. There’s been speculation that The Long Halloween could be an inspiration for The Batman, director Matt Reeves’ live-action reboot starring Robert Pattinson due out next year. Like The Long Halloween, The Batman is set during the early years of the Dark Knight’s career and will, as Reeves has said, be a Noir-style detective story told from Batman’s point-of-view. Watch our in-depth breakdown of The Batman trailer and the clues we discovered below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/23/the-batman-trailer-breakdown-riddler-penguin-catwoman-and-no-more-lies-explained"] Are you excited for these upcoming titles? Let us know in the comments!

If you weren't already anxious about November 3, a hurtling space rock is headed our way to add to the chaos. Not to fear though, the asteroid, named "2018VP1," is only about the size of a truck (an estimated diameter of 1.8 to 3.9 meters per NASA data), and will likely burn up in the atmosphere a day before Election Day, on November 2. It also only has an estimated 0.41% chance of being in the right trajectory to hit Earth anyhow. "Asteroid 2018VP1 is very small, approximately 6.5 feet, and poses no threat to Earth," a spokesperson for NASA told Business Insider. So nothing near the size of the planet killers featured in Michael Bay's Armageddon or Mimi Leder's Deep Impact. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/12/action-analysis-empire-strikes-backs-asteroid-chase"] Apparently, 2018VP1, which holds a two-year orbit around the sun, has already had a few close calls with Earth dating all the way back to 1970. Last week, on August 16, an SUV-size space rock ("2020 QG") flew past our planet, per NASA. There are "hundreds of millions of small asteroids the size of 2020 QG, but they are extremely hard to discover until they get very close to Earth." Anyhow, if you're really set on preventing Armageddon, remember to vote! [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=justice-league-snyder-cut-all-the-known-differences-from-the-theatrical-version&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.

Microsoft has filed a statement "in support of Epic's request to keep access to the Apple SDK for its Unreal Engine." Microsoft believes that Epic having access to the latest Apple technology is "the right thing for gamer developers & gamers." Head of Xbox Phil Spencer shared the filing on Twitter, which was a declaration by Kevin Gammill, the general manager of gaming developer experiences for Microsoft, that describes how harmful this potential move by Apple could be for Microsoft and the gaming industry as a whole. Gammill's main point stems from the fact that Epic Games' Unreal Engine is "critical technology for numerous game creators including Microsoft." While there are many studios who develop their own game engines, Unreal Engine remains one of the top choices for those who don't have the resources or capabilities to do so. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/13/apple-removes-fortnite-from-ios-app-store"] In Microsoft's view, there are very few other options for game engines that offer "as many functionality as Unreal Engine across multiple platforms, including iOS." Furthermore, Microsoft has an "enterprise-wide, multi-year Unreal Engine license agreement and has invested significant resources and engineer time working with and customizing Unreal Engine for its own games on PC, Xbox consoles, and mobile devices (including iOS devices)." This is the case for other developers in the gaming industry, and if Apple were to deny Epic access to Apple's SDK and other development tools, it would "place Unreal Engine and those game creators that have built, are building, and may build games on it at a substantial disadvantage." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=games-that-came-back-from-the-brink-of-disaster&captions=true"] Game development is a multi-year process in many cases, so those who chose to develop a game for iOS on Unreal Engine may be put in an unfortunate situation if Apple does go through with denying Epic its SDK. This move, according to Microsoft, would also harm those developers who have already released Unreal Engine games on iOS, as there would be no future ability to develop updates and improvements for iOS and macOS. If this were to go through, many developers would have to choose between "(a) starting development all over with a new game engine, (b) abandoning the iOS and macOS platforms, or ceasing development entirely." This whole battle between Epic Games and Apple and Google began when Epic altered the price of Fortnite V-Bucks and implemented a new direct payment system in response to Apple and Google's "exorbitant" app store fees." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/13/fortnite-1984-apple-parody-video-short"] Fortnite was removed from both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, and Epic filed a complaint against both companies. In the latest move, following Epic parodying Apple's 1984 commercial in-game, Fortnite will be starting its #FreeFortnite cup today that will be one of the last times all platforms may be able to play together. This is because when Fortnite's Chapter 2 - Season 4 launches on August 27, players on iOS devices will have no way to update the game if these companies don't come to an agreement. Microsoft has also had issues with Apple in the past, as it won't currently be able to launch its Xbox Game Pass app on Apple devices, mostly due to Microsoft having to "comply with App Store policies." [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.