Monthly Archives: November 2020

70% of Xbox Series X And S Owners Have Game Pass

Close to three-quarters of Xbox Series S and Series X owners are subscribed to Xbox Game Pass. the company confirmed as Xbox celebrates its biggest console launch ever. Xbox announced today that the joint launch of the Series X and Series S is the most successful debut in the company's history, confirming that 70% of those new consoles are attached to either new or existing Game Pass members. It also said that more new consoles were sold this launch than in any prior generation launch, with the Xbox Series S adding to the highest percentage of new players for any Xbox console at launch. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true"] "Your support, and what you accomplished in the first 24 hours of launch, inspire us and demonstrate the connective power of play is more important than ever," Xbox corporate vice president of gaming experiences and platforms Liz Hamren said. Hamren said that 3,594 games spanning four generations of Xbox were played during the Series launch, which is a record for the company. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/05/xbox-series-x-review"] Xbox is working to get more Series X and S consoles available for purchase as the console remains mostly sold out around the world, according to Hamren, and she encourages people to check with their local retailers for specific details about availability in their market. This comes days after the launch of the Xbox Series X and S, where scalpers were selling the console for two to three times its standard price on Amazon and Ebay. If you're still looking for a new Xbox, here's where to buy the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S when they come back online. If you're one of the people with a new Xbox console, here are 7 things to do first with your Xbox Series X. Be sure to check out all of IGN's Xbox Series X guides when setting up your new console. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes

70% of Xbox Series X And S Owners Have Game Pass

Close to three-quarters of Xbox Series S and Series X owners are subscribed to Xbox Game Pass. the company confirmed as Xbox celebrates its biggest console launch ever. Xbox announced today that the joint launch of the Series X and Series S is the most successful debut in the company's history, confirming that 70% of those new consoles are attached to either new or existing Game Pass members. It also said that more new consoles were sold this launch than in any prior generation launch, with the Xbox Series S adding to the highest percentage of new players for any Xbox console at launch. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true"] "Your support, and what you accomplished in the first 24 hours of launch, inspire us and demonstrate the connective power of play is more important than ever," Xbox corporate vice president of gaming experiences and platforms Liz Hamren said. Hamren said that 3,594 games spanning four generations of Xbox were played during the Series launch, which is a record for the company. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/05/xbox-series-x-review"] Xbox is working to get more Series X and S consoles available for purchase as the console remains mostly sold out around the world, according to Hamren, and she encourages people to check with their local retailers for specific details about availability in their market. This comes days after the launch of the Xbox Series X and S, where scalpers were selling the console for two to three times its standard price on Amazon and Ebay. If you're still looking for a new Xbox, here's where to buy the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S when they come back online. If you're one of the people with a new Xbox console, here are 7 things to do first with your Xbox Series X. Be sure to check out all of IGN's Xbox Series X guides when setting up your new console. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes

Ubisoft Montreal Office Scare: Police Investigating Source of ‘Hostage Situation’ Call

Update 2:  The Service de police de la Ville de Montreal (SPVM) has issued a statement regarding the incident that took place today at the Saint-Laurent Boulevard office building where Ubisoft Montreal is based. In a short statement, the SPVM said it "deployed a large number of resources to answer a call for a hostage situation in a Saint-Laurent Boulevard office building." "The perimeter was quickly secured and the SPVM confirms that no threat has been detected and no injuries are reported." Investigators are now taking the statement of the evacuees from the building and are attempting to find out the origins of "the call behind this important police force deployment." In a second statement, Ubisoft Montreal says: "We want to salute the courage and composure our teams showed today, our focus remains on ensuring their health and wellbeing. We would also like to thank the SPVM for their quick and professional response, helping to bring the situation under control." Update 1: The Montreal police are now evacuating the building after identifying no threats. IGN will have more updates as the situation continues to unfold. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Original Story: Canadian news outlets are reporting a police situation taking place at the building where Ubisoft Montreal is based. Montreal PD has confirmed there is a police operation in the sector where the offices are located but didn’t provide any further details. IGN reached out to the Montreal Police’s media box where an automated briefing said a “police operation” is happening at the location of Saint-Laurent and St-Vieateur, but that they are still verifying the situation. The Montreal police added that people should “avoid the sector.” "We are aware of the situation and working with local authorities," a Ubisoft representative said in a short statement to IGN. Montreal PD has issued a follow-up saying specialized officers are on-site inspecting the premise, but no injuries have been reported. The news first began when Ubisoft Montreal employees started sharing about a possible situation at the Montreal office. Ubisoft senior community director Eric Pope alerted social media about a police situation unfolding at the offices, though it was unclear at the time what the situation was about. There was much confusion about the event, especially since the first reports from Canadian outlets like the Montreal Journal first reported a possible hostage situation where Ubisoft’s offices are located, on Saint-Laurent Boulevard in the Mile End area of Montreal. The Montreal police did not confirm any details beyond a police operation, however, and there was no mention of any hostage situation. Ubisoft employees were filmed protecting themselves on the roof of their office building, and images of the scene were widely circulated online. Ubisoft Montreal employees shared updates on their safety online. While some Ubisoft Montreal employees are still working from home, others who have been in the office have provided updates on social media. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

9 of October’s Top 20 Games in the US Were Published by Nintendo

Nine of October's top-sellingop 20 games in the U.S. were published by Nintendo, according to the latest monthly sales report from The NPD Group. The best-selling game published by Nintendo in October was Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, with Super Mario 3D All-Stars coming in right behind it as fifth and sixth place this month respectively. Animal Crossing: New Horizons came in at eighth, Mario Kart 8: Deluxe at 11th, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at 15th, Ring Fit Adventure at 16th, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at 17th, Super Mario Party at 19th, and finally, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe at 20th. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-top-25-switch-games-fall-2020-update&captions=true"] Nintendo, however, didn't take the top spot for the month, as that belongs to FIFA 21, which is the best-selling game of October 2020. This achievement also represents the first time a FIFA game has launched as number one in the U.S. market. The game launched on October 6 and became the number one game for October on both PlayStation and Xbox platforms. It's important to note that this is just PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X versions of FIFA 21 launch on December 4. In hardware news, the Nintendo Switch set a new U.S. October dollar sales record, besting the previous high set by the Nintendo Wii in October 2008, according to The NPD Group. Nintendo has been the best-selling hardware platform in the U.S. for 23 consecutive months, which is also a record. The NPD Group also reports that year-to-date dollar sales of the Switch are the second-highest of any platform in U.S. history, coming in second only to the 2008 year-to-date dollar sales of the Wii. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/06/fifa-21-review"]

October's Best-Selling Games

  1. FIFA 21
  2. Madden NFL 21
  3. Watch Dogs: Legion
  4. NHL 21
  5. Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
  6. Super Mario 3D All-Stars
  7. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
  8. Star Wars: Squadrons
  9. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
  10. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
  11. Mario Kart 8: Deluxe
  12. Ghost of Tsushima
  13. NBA 2K21
  14. Marvel's Avengers
  15. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  16. Ring Fit Adventure
  17. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  18. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
  19. Super Mario Party
  20. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Check out IGN's reviews for some of October 2020's best-sellers like FIFA 21, Madden NFL 21, Watch Dogs: Legion, and Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes

9 of October’s Top 20 Games in the US Were Published by Nintendo

Nine of October's top-sellingop 20 games in the U.S. were published by Nintendo, according to the latest monthly sales report from The NPD Group. The best-selling game published by Nintendo in October was Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, with Super Mario 3D All-Stars coming in right behind it as fifth and sixth place this month respectively. Animal Crossing: New Horizons came in at eighth, Mario Kart 8: Deluxe at 11th, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at 15th, Ring Fit Adventure at 16th, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at 17th, Super Mario Party at 19th, and finally, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe at 20th. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-top-25-switch-games-fall-2020-update&captions=true"] Nintendo, however, didn't take the top spot for the month, as that belongs to FIFA 21, which is the best-selling game of October 2020. This achievement also represents the first time a FIFA game has launched as number one in the U.S. market. The game launched on October 6 and became the number one game for October on both PlayStation and Xbox platforms. It's important to note that this is just PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X versions of FIFA 21 launch on December 4. In hardware news, the Nintendo Switch set a new U.S. October dollar sales record, besting the previous high set by the Nintendo Wii in October 2008, according to The NPD Group. Nintendo has been the best-selling hardware platform in the U.S. for 23 consecutive months, which is also a record. The NPD Group also reports that year-to-date dollar sales of the Switch are the second-highest of any platform in U.S. history, coming in second only to the 2008 year-to-date dollar sales of the Wii. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/06/fifa-21-review"]

October's Best-Selling Games

  1. FIFA 21
  2. Madden NFL 21
  3. Watch Dogs: Legion
  4. NHL 21
  5. Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
  6. Super Mario 3D All-Stars
  7. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
  8. Star Wars: Squadrons
  9. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
  10. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
  11. Mario Kart 8: Deluxe
  12. Ghost of Tsushima
  13. NBA 2K21
  14. Marvel's Avengers
  15. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  16. Ring Fit Adventure
  17. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  18. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
  19. Super Mario Party
  20. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Check out IGN's reviews for some of October 2020's best-sellers like FIFA 21, Madden NFL 21, Watch Dogs: Legion, and Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Main Location Is a Huge Historical Coincidence

Ravensthorpe, the Viking settlement that players build and customise in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, is a fictional place invented by Ubisoft’s writers. Except it isn't all that fictional after all: Ravensthorpe is actually a real place in England, and the developers had no idea until a few months before the game launched.

In AC Valhalla, the fictional settlement of Ravensthorpe is located in the middle of England’s central kingdom, Mercia. "We chose the name Ravensthorpe because Eivor's clan was the Raven clan, and Thorpe means 'farmland'... and we set the settlement in the middle of Mercia so it was centrally located on the map,” explained Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Narrative Director, Darby McDevitt, in a thread about the discovery on Reddit.

Ravensthorpe RealThe real Ravensthorpe, meanwhile, is a village in Northamptonshire. It may not have originated as a Viking settlement, but in its position just slightly south east of Coventry, it is pretty much in the middle of England. “We had NO idea that there was a real Ravensthorpe in exactly this location in real life, until a few months ago,” said McDevitt. “Granted there is no river running by the real Ravensthorpe, but a lot can happen in 1000 years. Rivers change courses.”

Ravensthorpe ACVIt’s an absurd coincidence, and one that certainly has amused the Reddit users who brought the topic up. Northamptonshire. However, this village isn’t the only place called Ravensthorpe in England; type the name into Wikipedia and you’ll easily find that Ravensthorpe is also a district in West Yorkshire, an area in Peterborough, and a historic manor in North Yorkshire. None of these appear to be Viking/Assassin settlements established by Eivor, though.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/29/assassins-creed-valhalla-story-trailer"]

For more on Ubisoft's latest, check out our Assassin's Creed Valhalla review, which is one of the best PS5 and Xbox Series X launch games. If you're playing already, check out our pick of the essential abilities and when you can find them. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Main Location Is a Huge Historical Coincidence

Ravensthorpe, the Viking settlement that players build and customise in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, is a fictional place invented by Ubisoft’s writers. Except it isn't all that fictional after all: Ravensthorpe is actually a real place in England, and the developers had no idea until a few months before the game launched.

In AC Valhalla, the fictional settlement of Ravensthorpe is located in the middle of England’s central kingdom, Mercia. "We chose the name Ravensthorpe because Eivor's clan was the Raven clan, and Thorpe means 'farmland'... and we set the settlement in the middle of Mercia so it was centrally located on the map,” explained Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Narrative Director, Darby McDevitt, in a thread about the discovery on Reddit.

Ravensthorpe RealThe real Ravensthorpe, meanwhile, is a village in Northamptonshire. It may not have originated as a Viking settlement, but in its position just slightly south east of Coventry, it is pretty much in the middle of England. “We had NO idea that there was a real Ravensthorpe in exactly this location in real life, until a few months ago,” said McDevitt. “Granted there is no river running by the real Ravensthorpe, but a lot can happen in 1000 years. Rivers change courses.”

Ravensthorpe ACVIt’s an absurd coincidence, and one that certainly has amused the Reddit users who brought the topic up. Northamptonshire. However, this village isn’t the only place called Ravensthorpe in England; type the name into Wikipedia and you’ll easily find that Ravensthorpe is also a district in West Yorkshire, an area in Peterborough, and a historic manor in North Yorkshire. None of these appear to be Viking/Assassin settlements established by Eivor, though.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/29/assassins-creed-valhalla-story-trailer"]

For more on Ubisoft's latest, check out our Assassin's Creed Valhalla review, which is one of the best PS5 and Xbox Series X launch games. If you're playing already, check out our pick of the essential abilities and when you can find them. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion Release Date and Trailer Revealed

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion special will air on HBO Max from November 19. To celebrate the show's 30th anniversary, the reunion brings together star Will Smith alongside Tatyana Ali (Ashley Banks), Karyn Parsons (Hilary Banks), Joseph Marcell (Geoffrey Butler), Daphne Maxwell Reid (Vivian Banks), Alfonso Ribeiro (Carlton Banks), and DJ Jazzy Jeff (Jazz). It also features the first meeting between Smith and Janet Hubert - the original Aunt Viv - for 27 years. You can check out a trailer below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/13/the-fresh-prince-of-bel-air-reunion-official-trailer"] The unscripted special will look back at the show, seemingly showing behind-the-scenes footage, and examine its cultural impact since it aired. On Instagram, Smith said that “These are the people who made me the man I am today. And I couldn’t let this day go by without marking the occasion.” The reunion isn't to be confused with the reboot, which will adapt the sitcom into drama. It's being developed by Morgan Cooper, who achieved Internet fame in March 2019 with the release of Bel-Air, an unlicensed faux-trailer for a proposed Fresh Prince reboot. It's still unknown whether the original cast will be a part of the reboot. [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.

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion Release Date and Trailer Revealed

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion special will air on HBO Max from November 19. To celebrate the show's 30th anniversary, the reunion brings together star Will Smith alongside Tatyana Ali (Ashley Banks), Karyn Parsons (Hilary Banks), Joseph Marcell (Geoffrey Butler), Daphne Maxwell Reid (Vivian Banks), Alfonso Ribeiro (Carlton Banks), and DJ Jazzy Jeff (Jazz). It also features the first meeting between Smith and Janet Hubert - the original Aunt Viv - for 27 years. You can check out a trailer below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/13/the-fresh-prince-of-bel-air-reunion-official-trailer"] The unscripted special will look back at the show, seemingly showing behind-the-scenes footage, and examine its cultural impact since it aired. On Instagram, Smith said that “These are the people who made me the man I am today. And I couldn’t let this day go by without marking the occasion.” The reunion isn't to be confused with the reboot, which will adapt the sitcom into drama. It's being developed by Morgan Cooper, who achieved Internet fame in March 2019 with the release of Bel-Air, an unlicensed faux-trailer for a proposed Fresh Prince reboot. It's still unknown whether the original cast will be a part of the reboot. [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.

Cyberpunk 2077: Night City Wire Episode 5 Airs Next Week

CD Projekt Red has announced that the next episode of Night City Wire, the reveal stream that offers details on Cyberpunk 2077, will air next Thursday. In a tweet from the official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account, CDPR revealed that episode 5 of Night City Wire will be streaming from 6pm CET / 9am PT on November 19, and will reveal more about Keanu Reeves' character, Johnny Silverhand, as well as take a look at the game's music. The previous episode of Night City Wire took a close look at the vehicles and fashions of Cyberpunk 2077, and was streamed back in mid-October, weeks before Cyberpunk 2077 was delayed to December. It's unclear if this episode of Night City Wire will be the last one, but with three weeks remaining until launch after episode 5 airs, it seems likely this could be our last big information drop before release. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.