For those of you looking forward to some Diablo action on mobile, the good news is - as of this moment, Diablo Immortal’s technical alpha has launched. The bad news is, it’s largely restricted to Australia. If you don’t happen to be in Australia right now – sorry about that, by the way – fear not, as we can still give you a stack of details on how Diablo Immortal is shaping up. First though, for those of you that can check it out, the technical alpha has four classes available - Barbarian, Wizard, Monk and Demon Hunter, a level cap of 45 (as opposed to the planned 60 for the game’s release) with Paragon points beyond that, and includes seven open world zones and six dungeons. There’s a lot of content, in other words, and Blizzard’s goal is to test the early level experience and mid-game systems, as well as client performance and server stability. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/17/see-8-of-diablo-immortals-class-intros"] That latter point is particularly important given that Diablo Immortal is a massively multiplayer action RPG, in which tens of thousands of players can be on a single server. This change manifests itself in communal areas like Westmarch, where players can show off their gear, but for the most part the team is very much aiming for Diablo Immortal to feel like classic Diablo – wading through hordes of enemies alongside a friend or three, nabbing loot and upgrading your character. It will also feel familiar from a story perspective. Yes, Deckard Cain puts in an appearance, like some kind of desiccated security blanket, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m referring to the fact that Diablo Immortal takes place between the events of Diablo II and Diablo III. Those of you that pay attention to these things will remember that Archangel Tyrael destroyed the World Stone at the end of Diablo II: Lord of Destruction. And now, in Diablo Immortal, pieces of it have been flung across Sanctuary and demon legions are scouring the mortal plain in search of the still-powerful shards. Sounds like a reasonable enough excuse for the action… even if it is somewhat reminiscent of every Mario RPG storyline ever. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/17/diablo-immortal-destructions-end-cinematic"] Anyway, let’s dive into some of the stuff we’ve just learnt.

Yes, It’s Free-to-Play

I mean, of course it is, but now it’s officially, 100% confirmed. “We plan to have all content, all story and all classes… be free,” lead designer Wyatt Cheng told the participants in the technical alpha pre-briefing. “Diablo Immortal will have in-game purchases that are not required for people to progress or to simply enjoy the game…” In terms of the team’s approach to free-to-play, Cheng was unequivocal. “First and foremost,” he said, “all of our gameplay systems and core mechanics are designed to be fun first and not circumvent Diablo’s core gameplay. The game is about killing monsters and getting gear and at Blizzard, gameplay comes first.” All gear in Diablo Immortal is self-found and cannot be purchased. “We want to ensure that players who choose not to spend money still have access to every piece of gear in the game as well.” For Cheng and his team, the goal is for in-game purchases to make players feel good, deepen their enjoyment and be a bonus on top of an already robust experience. “There’s a lot of ways to design in-game purchases,” he explained. “When you spend money we want to make sure that you feel like you’re paying to get a bonus. There’s a lot of designs across the mobile market that add something negative and then offer an in-app purchase to remove or circumvent it. That’s not what we want to do here.”[poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=We%20want%20to%20ensure%20that%20players%20who%20choose%20not%20to%20spend%20money%20still%20have%20access%20to%20every%20piece%20of%20gear%20in%20the%20game%20as%20well."] By way of example, one of the in-app purchase options will be a Battle Pass. All players will progress down a free reward track as they make progress, but purchasing a Battle Pass opens up a second set of unlocks. This progression system will be refreshed monthly and “no matter what you’re doing in Diablo Immortal, you’ll earn progress on your Battle Pass, whether it’s clearing a Rift, doing a dungeon or completing some bounties,” says Cheng. He gave a couple more examples of in-game purchases, but we’ll get to them in a sec.

Elder Rifts Offer Up Punchy Dungeon Runs

One of the foundations of Diablo Immortal’s gameplay will be Elder Rifts - short, randomised dungeon experiences that can be run as many times as you want. What makes them different? Well, the gameplay is centered around killing monsters to fill up a progress bar, with Elites obviously filling it a whole lot more than normal mobs. Once the bar is full, the final boss spawns and if you beat it, your run is complete. Elder Rifts also serve as another example of the kinds of in-game purchases that will be available in Diablo Immortal. Players can buy Crests that they can then use to introduce random modifiers to their Elder Rift runs. Beating these modified runs will then net better rewards. Oh, and if you’re in a party everyone can take part – only one person needs to use a Crest. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=diablo-immortal-screenshots&captions=true"]

Challenge Rifts Return But in a New Form

In Diablo III, Challenge Rifts charged players with beating a Greater Rift challenge using a fixed character, but Diablo Immortal flips this. In this game, players use their own character and the Rift is randomised for every run. The challenge will be in working through the difficulty tiers, as each has a reward package to earn. Each Challenge Rift will also have a leaderboard and players will get additional rewards based on placement.

Zone Trials Will Shake Up the Gameplay

It won’t just be the main story quest guiding you through a zone, there will also be side quests to complete and spontaneous pop up events (such as being ambushed by enemies or finding cursed chests), as well as unique objectives called Zone Trials. The Library of Zoltun Kulle, for instance, contains a towering Hydra world boss that, in the words of lead producer Caleb Arseneaux, “presents such a massive threat that players from across the entire zone will band together to defeat it.”

Bounties Will Send You All Over Sanctuary

The iconic capital, Westmarch, will offer a reprieve from the demons and monsters. This hub city is where you’ll access your stash, upgrade your armour, weapons and gems, and show off your gear to other players. It’s also where you’ll unlock Nightmare and Hell difficulty modes during the technical alpha, and get access to bounties. Bounties are small quests that will have you fighting monsters, gathering materials and taking part in new stories all over Sanctuary. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/17/diablo-immortal-this-is-sanctuary-cinematic"]

The Horadric Bestiary Is No Ordinary Tome

Diablo Immortal is packing a wider variety of enemies than Diablo III, and these enemies will be on display in a special book called the Horadric Bestiary. Defeating key monsters will unlock pages in this tome, and each unlock will actually make you more powerful.

All Gear Must Be Self-Found

Any gear that is equipped – weapons, armour, jewelry - must be self-found. It cannot be purchased, nor can it be traded with other players. This means that anything another player is wearing is the product of their own blood and sweat… or at least, the blood of a whole lot of monsters.

Legendary Gems Promise Even Broader Build Options

Each character has six primary gear slots in Diablo Immortal (for your head, torso, shoulders, lower body, main hand and off-hand) and each piece of this gear can be socketed with a legendary gem. Legendary gems boost your abilities in significant ways, such as charging your skills faster, making your channeled skills last longer or increasing damage based on the number of targets that you hit. Having a full complement of six legendary gems on top of legendary items with their own bespoke properties should make for some really powerful, fun builds. Regular gems also return, boosting things like health, defense and attack, but these can only be socketed into secondary gear like rings and boots. There are six slots for secondary gear all up.

Diablo Reforged

Like Diablo III, any unwanted gear in your inventory or stash can be salvaged for crafting materials. This can then be put towards leveling up the gear you’re focused on. Each rank an item gains boosts its stats, but more interestingly, every five levels it gets an additional random bonus property. Once you get to the max level of 20 for an item it will have three bonus properties and be considerably more powerful – and that’s not even factoring in any socketed gems. Don’t like one of the random property rolls? You can use the reforge system to re-roll. Reforging an attribute will cost players a reforge stone, which can be earnt during gameplay. There is, however, another option, which is to spend real world money to purchase specialised reforge stones. These limit the pool of properties that can appear. Importantly, however, the properties aren’t improved – you just have more control over what the result may be.

Charmed, I’m Sure

In additional to six primary gear slots and six secondary gear slots, there’s a 13th piece of equipment and that’s your Charm. This is used to increase the rank of your skills - Whirlwind for the Barbarian or Meteor for the Wizard, for instance. Charms promise to be pretty powerful, as they can add bonus ranks to up to five of your skills. That said, according to lead designer Wyatt Cheng “it is a long tail progression system for the most dedicated players.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=diablo-immortal-artwork&captions=true"]

Market Prices Are Based on Supply and Demand

Yes, Diablo Immortal has a player to player market. And no, it’s nothing like the ill-fated auction house in Diablo III. You won’t be able to buy or sell gear here, instead, the market is for things like Charm crafting materials and gems (including legendary gems). Transactions are anonymous and you can only buy and sell at the current market rate. Thus, the value of items is directly related to what players are looking for, so if a particular build gets hugely popular, for instance, it might drive up the price of a particular material or legendary gem.

The Paragon System Will Have Skill Trees

Just as Diablo III had the Paragon system to let players continue to grow stronger after they hit the level cap, so too does Diablo Immortal. The difference here is that Diablo Immortal will have multiple skill trees that you can put points into, with each based on a particular play style. One focuses on gaining bonuses after you defeat an enemy, for instance, while another is all about survivability bonuses to help you stay alive. The technical alpha has four Paragon trees, but more are planned for launch. When will Diablo Immortal be more widely available? We don't know, but in the meantime, why not read our retrospective on the early days of the series? [poilib element="accentDivider"] Cam Shea is IGN's AU Studio Lead and has been mixing a lot of rave era breakbeat lately. He's also played more Breath of the Wild than any other game this year. Catch him on Twitter. Maybe.

During a deep dive into the newest fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Sephiroth, director Masahiro Sakurai announced the Sephiroth DLC will be released on December 22. Sakurai also revealed the next wave of Mii Fighter costumes which include Tifa, Aerith, and Barret, as well as a Chocobo hat and Geno from Super Mario RPG. As part of the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Fighter Pass, Nintendo releases several skins for Mii Fighters, standard fighters categorized as Gunner, Brawler, and Swordfighter. These Mii Fighter templates can wear different skins based on popular characters. In the past, Nintendo has released Mii Fighter skins for characters like Sans from Undertale and Travis Touchdown from No More Fighters. Now, three Final Fantasy 7 character skins will join the roster. Barret (Gunner outfit), Tifa (Brawler outfit), and Aerith (Swordfight outfit) will be coming to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as part of Round 8 of the Mii Fighters skin line. You can check out the skins in action below. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/17/super-smash-bros-ultimate-mii-fighters-round-8-reveal-trailer"] Sakurai also announced two additional Mii Fighter outfits, a Chocobo hat, and Geno (Gunner outfit). Geno is actually from the Super Mario RPG which was developed by Square in partnership with Nintendo for the SNES back in 1996. Geno was a unique character created for the Super Mario RPG and has been a popular request from fans to be added to the Smash Bros. roster. Geno was actually previously released as a Mii skin in Super Smash Bros. 3DS and Wii U. Sakurai once said he considered Geno to join the Smash Bros. roster in an interview with Nintendo Dream back in 2016, which helped fuel the fan movement to get the character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/17/super-smash-bros-ultimate-sephiroth-gameplay-overview"] Sephiroth is the eighth DLC fighter to join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and the third character in the latest Fighter Pass, which means there are still three more DLC fighters yet to be announced. Along with the character, players will gain access to a new Final Fantasy 7 stage as well as nine new music tracks from Final Fantasy, remixed for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The tracks include:

• Opening - Bombing Mission
• Those Who Fight (AC Version)
• Those Who Fight Further (AC Version)
• Aerith's Theme
• Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII
• Jenova
• Cosmo Canyon
• One-Winged Angel
• Advent: One-Winged Angel

  Additionally, a limited-time Sephiroth Challenge mode has been announced. From December 17th to 22nd, players can face Sephiroth and play him and the new stage early if they defeat him. Players must own Challenger Pack 8 or the Fighters Pass Vol. 2 to participate. Check out IGN's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate review and guide for more fighting goodness. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Actor Jeremy Bulloch, known for playing Boba Fett in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, has died. He was 75. Born in Leicestershire, England in 1945, Bulloch was a mainstay on British television, with dozens of credits on shows like Doctor Who and Robin of Sherwood. He also appeared in several James Bond movies like The Spy Who Loved Me and Octopussy. In 1980 Bulloch donned the armor for Boba Fett in The Empire Strikes Back, as well as Lieutenant Sheckil in the same film. Bulloch reprised his role in the armor for Return of the Jedi. [caption id="attachment_245465" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Jeremy Bulloch in 2017. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images)[/caption] Bulloch would go on to have a small cameo in Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith as Captain Jeremoch Colton, and he was a mainstay on the convention circuit, giving talks and appearances until he retired in 2018. News of Bulloch’s death was shared on social media by actor Daniel Logan, who played a young Boba Fett in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. Bulloch wrote a memoir of his life as an actor and times on the Star Wars convention circuit in his autobiography Flying Solo: Tales of a Bounty Hunter. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=boba-fett-lives-how-the-bounty-hunters-story-continued-after-return-of-the-jedi&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images)

Last week, Twitch announced changes to its hateful conduct and harassment policy, including disallowing the use of terms such as “simp,” “incel,” and “virgin” when used in a derogatory fashion.

The new policy will start on January 22 and is effectively an update to Twitch’s evolving hateful conduct guidelines. To that end, Twitch says it will “look at the content of statements or actions in order to determine whether a behavior is abusive and violates our guidelines, rather than relying solely on perceived intent,” suggesting the company hopes to shut down bad actors who feign ignorance of unclear guidelines.

Using terms like 'simp,' 'incel,' and 'virgin' as an insult—to negatively refer to another person's sexual activity—is not allowed under this new policy," Twitch COO Sara Clemens said during a Twitch townhall stream. "In addition to the policy change, we're also proactively denying emotes that include the term 'simp.' And we remove them when reported, and we'll keep doing that once the policy changes."

Twitch also updated its hateful conduct and harassment policy page with a new section on sexual harassment. Twitch notes that sexual harassment can take a multitude of forms, including “unwelcome sexual advances and solicitations, sexual objectification, or degrading attacks relating to a person’s perceived sexual practices, regardless of their gender.”

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Twitch’s policy also includes more particular acts of sexual harassment, including privately messaging a user with unwanted compliments about their appearance, stating a person is sexually immoral because of their clothing or physical appearance, and the aforementioned use of the word “virgin” as well as “whore.”

Other notable inclusions are:

• Degrading another person by accusing them of having a sexually transmitted disease.

• Suggesting a person’s channel is popular only because of sexual favors.

• Using the whisper function to send unwanted sexual comments to another user.

• Commenting on someone’s sexual prowess or lack thereof.

• Threats of releasing revenge pornography.

You can read the full policy here.

Twitch’s policy states that it will look at a streamer’s actions when considering disciplinary actions against another user. This basically means that if a streamer has previously banned you from their channel, given you a timeout, or previously reported your behavior, that will be added to the case against you if Twitch moderators become involved.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/30/among-us-60-second-strategy"]

Twitch’s other hateful conduct and harassment policy include rules about posting racially discriminatory language and imagery.

The word “simp” has developed into a derogatory term for a man who is overly desperate for the affection of another person, particularly a woman. It follows in the footsteps of terms like “white knight,” which describes a man who exhibits an overeagerness to defend a woman’s reputation. Ironically, “simp” has become somewhat interchangeable, with some people using it as a way to mock any form of professional or personal admiration.

“Incel” (or “involuntary celibate”) has had a similar although not identical trajectory as a slur. The incel movement began as an online subculture of men who expressed frustration at not being able to find sexual or romantic partners, which developed a trend of resentment and misogyny directed towards sexually liberated individuals. Much like “simp,” it too has become a sort of catch-all insult for people perceived as sexually lacking.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.

Sure, Fortnite may have its Winterfest, and Overwatch has its Winter Wonderland, but Vikings? Vikings practically invented the winter solstice, and Ubisoft is showing that off in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s free holiday update, dubbed the “Yule Festival.”

Valhalla’s Yule Festival runs from December 17 to January 7, letting players collect some free cosmetics and play around with some new activities. Note: You’ll have to complete one story arc (either Grantebridgescire or Ledecestrescire) to access the Yule Festival.

The first thing players will likely notice is the expansion to Ravensthorpe, the settlement that players establish as Eivor early on in the game. The area is much snowier as a result of the winter solstice, and the settlement has been decorated in preparation for festivities.

Side activities include drunk brawls (the best kind), archery challenges, and others. Players who play throughout the activities will receive “Yule tokens” to exchange for cosmetic rewards, like new outfits for Eivor.

Here’s the full list of Yule rewards.

• Mōdraniht Ceremonial Outfit

• Mōdraniht Tattoo Set

• Mōdraniht Ceremonial Seax

• Mōdraniht Ceremonial Shield

• Traditional Yule Garland

• Sacrificial Altar

• Ritual Tree Ornaments

• Cozy Fire Pit

• Yule Beech Tree

Starting December 22, players can also purchase the Niflheim theme in the Ubisoft store, which includes a stunningly blue set of winter armor, a reindeer steed, and even turns your crow into a little ice dragon.

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Players who have an artistic side can try their hand at Valhalla’s community contest. Players can submit a photo or a video for a chance to win Valhalla’s official art book and 50 euros worth of in-game Helix credits. That runs from December 17 to January 1. Details can be found on the official Assassin’s Creed Discord or Twitter.

Ubisoft says Yule season will continue into February as well, with a new replayable River Raid mode and the addition of ranks to the Jomsvikings recruits you meet during your adventures. As if that weren't enough, the real-life village of Ravensthorpe (located in England's Northamptonshire and sporting a hearty population of approximately 500-600 people) will be offering an Assassin's Creed Valhalla-themed takeaway menu to patrons at the local Chequers Pub. So get your fill if you feel like making the drive to the countryside, although don't expect to find any actual vikings. Valhalla narrative director Darby McDevitt told Eurogamer that the game's settlement being so similar to the real-life town is a total coincidence.

If you need to rush to get into the Yule Festival, check out IGN’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla wiki, where you’ll find an entire walkthrough, tips for beginners, and guides for all the best weapons and armor and more. Thankfully, Ubisoft’s latest patch has also fixed up a number of bugs, making for a smoother axe-swinging experience.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/true Saxon for IGN.

Amazon Studios has released the first look at Coming 2 America, the sequel to 1988's Coming to America, starring Eddie Murphy. It was revealed in 2019 that a sequel to Coming to America was happening with a cast that included Wesley Snipes, Murphy, and more, and now, a little over a year later, we have our first look at Murphy and the cast in their respective roles for the first time in over 30 years. You can take a look at Murphy's King Akeem and Arsenio Hall's Semmi, and others, in the slideshow below. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=coming-2-america-first-look&captions=true"] "Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York — where it all began," a press release for the film reads. The sequel was reconfirmed in October when Murphy announced that the project was officially moving forward with Empire director, Craig Brewer, set to direct. Murphy will be joined by Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, KiKi Layne, Shari Headley, Snipes, James Earl Jones, John Amos, Teyana Taylor, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Paul Bates, Nonzamo Mbatha, and Bella Murphy. The Coming 2 America screenplay comes by way of Kenya Barris (Black-ish, Girls Trip), Barry W. Blaustein (Coming to America), and David Sheffield (Coming to America), with a story by Blaustein, Sheffield, and Justin Kanew. Murphy and Kevin Misher will produce the film with Brian Oliver, Bradley Fischer, Valerii An, Barris, Charisse Hewitt-Webster, Michele Imperato Stabile, and Andy Berman set to executive produce the film. Ruth E. Carter will be handling costumes for the movie. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/15/best-movie-of-the-year-2020-nominees"] Coming 2 America will be released exclusively by Amazon Studios on Amazon Prime Video on March 5, 2021. Check out these 13 movie sequels that took forever and then check out IGN's list of the best 80s action movies. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Nintendo is focusing on existing Switch models rather than the heavily-rumored Switch Pro, according to Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser. In a new interview with Polygon, Bowser touched on the rumors of a Switch Pro and whether or not the company is looking at a refreshed Switch with more powerful hardware down the line. He said the success of the current models, the Switch and the Switch Lite, allow the company to view life cycles differently and that Nintendo's focus is on the momentum of those models at the moment. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-nintendo-exclusives-of-2020&captions=true"] "It allows us to manage the life cycle differently, I would say," Bowser told Polygon when asked about the success of the Switch and whether or not it gives the company time for a model refresh if needed. "I think that's the easiest way to put it. Right now, with the momentum that we have, our focus will be on the existing form factors." Bowser also spoke to the rumors that Nintendo may be holding back certain yet-to-come titles for a rumored Switch Pro model and according to the Nintendo of America president, the company is currently leaning into what it sees as a "very strong lineup for this holiday." He also said Nintendo will continue to release content on a "regular cadence year-round" and that there's a lot more to come that will be released when it's ready. When pressed further by Polygon about a future hardware refresh, Bowser said Nintendo is changing the trajectory of the console life cycle with the Switch. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/26/nintendo-switch-lite-review"] "However, we also see right now [...] that the momentum on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite in the fourth year is strong," he said. "And we believe we're changing the trajectory of another typical console life cycle. And we will continue, for the foreseeable future, to really lean into both of those platforms and the content that comes with it, because it's the symbiotic relationship that makes the real difference. And it's why Nintendo Switch is so differentiated." Bowser also said the company is always looking at technology and whether or not it can "enhance and improve the gameplay experience." Whether that can be done on a current platform or a future one, Nintendo is always looking into it, he said. The rumors of a Switch Pro began in 2019 where it was believed by some that the Pro could arrive in 2020, but Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said back in January that the company would not release a new Switch model in 2020. Then, in August, a new report claimed that a new Switch model — believed to be the Pro — would launch in 2021. Bowser's comments could seem to contradict that report so we'll have to wait and see what 2021 brings. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

DC's monthly Nightwing comic will resume in March 2021, and it's got quite the creative team attached. Injustice: Gods Among Us and Suicide Squad's Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo will take over the series beginning with Nightwing #78. Though DC isn't relaunching Nightwing with a new #1 issue, the series will still offer a fresh jumping-on point, as Dick Grayson forges a new path for himself following the events of Joker War and recovering from his amnesia. Taylor and Redondo's run will focus heavily on the dynamic between Nightwing and Batgirl, and also deal with Dick's struggle to accept the fact that a relative of Tony Zucco (the mobster who murdered his parents) is now mayor of Bludhaven. Check out the slideshow gallery below for a closer look at Nightwing #78 and Dick Grayson's new three-legged canine sidekick, and then read on for exclusive commentary from Taylor: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=a-new-day-dawns-for-dick-grayson-in-nightwing-78&captions=true"] "I’ve always been a huge Nightwing fan (despite, awkwardly, killing him twice in DCeased and Injustice)," Taylor told IGN. "Having been a professional juggler, performer, and fire-eater, and having spent years doing circus training, I like to think I have a pretty unique perspective on Dick Grayson. I’ve always considered Nightwing an A-list DC hero. This series is about showing that. It’s about putting Dick Grayson back on that pedestal where he belongs." Taylor continued, "While there’s definitely an evolution here, it’s an evolution built on embracing the past. It’s about taking everything Bruno Redondo, [colorist] Adriano Lucas, [letterer] Wes Abbott, [editor] Jessica Chen and I love about Nightwing, and testing him in a completely new way. It’s about seeing how Dick reacts when faced with impossible odds, and with the life-changing opportunity that comes his way in our very first issue. Also… it’s about giving him a puppy." Taylor also confirmed the Batgirl in question is Barbara Gordon. Barbara is going through changes of her own in the aftermath of Joker War, and the series will feature her both as Batgirl and Oracle. "I’ve always loved their relationship," said Taylor. "There aren’t many characters who know each other so well. They’ve been through so much together, respect each other, and have always been there to support one another. They’re not Batman and Robin. There’s no side-kick here. They’re equals in every way and Babs will be a big part of our story, as Batgirl and as Oracle. Bruno and I have told some huge stories with giant casts between Injustice, Star Wars and Suicide Squad, and we’re very excited to focus on a smaller cast and imbue this book with as much heart and hope as we can." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/22/titans-nightwing-debuts-in-season-2-finale-teaser-trailer"] Despite the more intimate approach to the series, Taylor teases some big conflicts to come for Dick and Barbara, as well as a bit of interplay with the other titles in the Batman family. "We have a big story planned for Nightwing, and it’s all centered in Blüdhaven," said Taylor. "This is about Nightwing’s home, not Batman’s. This is about Dick’s crusade and the people beside him as he pushes against the impossible. It’s about him fighting for the soul of his city. While his past will come back to haunt him with the name ‘Zucco’, this is definitely a story for the future. Some life-changing and character-defining events are coming for Dick Grayson." Taylor continued, "All that said, everyone in the Gotham group are keeping in close contact with regular face-to-face meetings, and we have big plans for 2021 and beyond. It was great to see some of my favorite people in comics at our first Bat-meeting. This is a group of people with good hearts who love comics and are going to be telling some brilliant bat-stories. I’m really honored to join them and to be a part of the Bat-family’s future." Nightwing #78 will hit stores in March 2021. In other recent DC news, Joker is getting his first ongoing series in 45 years and Brian Michael Bendis may be taking over Justice League. Also be sure to check out IGN's nominees for the best comic book series of 2020 and vote in our reader's choice poll. [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.

Netflix has announced that Shadow and Bone, a new original series, will premiere globally on the streamer in April 2021. Based on Leigh Bardugo's worldwide bestselling Grishaverse novels, the series will explore a world that is cleaved in two by a massive barrier of perpetual darkness, where unnatural creatures feast on human flesh, and a young soldier uncovers a power that might finally unite her country, though it may take more than magic to survive, as dangerous forces start to plot against her. Jessie Mei Li will star as Alina Starkov, the central protagonist, alongside Archie Renaux as Malyen Oretsev, Freddy Carter as Kaz Brekker, Amita Suman as Inej, Kit Young as Jesper Fahey, and Ben Barnes who will portray General Kirigan in the upcoming series, which is coming from Shawn Levy's 21 Laps Entertainment, together with Eric Heisserer, Leigh Bardugo, Pouya Shahbazian, and Lee Toland Krieger.

You and I are going to change the world. Shadow and Bone is coming April 2021, only on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/5Z8cONCdJD

— NX (@NXOnNetflix) December 17, 2020

The eight-episode series will combine the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the Six of Crows duology, both of which exist in the same universe, but take place across different timelines, meaning that fans of the fantasy book series' will be able to witness the two stories come together to form a new cohesive narrative, with "certain characters meeting certain other characters" from the two different timelines. "We've taken the stories of Shadow and Bone and the characters of Six of Crows and we've brought them together in what I think will be a really unexpected way," Bardugo said of the upcoming Shadow and Bone series. "Eric [Heisserer] and our writers' room and our directors have built something entirely new that still somehow stays true to the characters and to the heart of the stories. "Eric took two fantasy series — with powers and creatures and horrors and heists — and molded them into this cohesive, incredible thing. I don't think I could've been more lucky in the person that we found to hand the keys over to. It wasn't just the keys to a book or one series, it was a whole world I had been working on for the better part of my career." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/04/new-to-netflix-december-2020"] Bardugo, the bestselling author of the two fantasy book series' on which the Netflix series is based, also explained why she thinks the show will appeal to both longtime fans of the books as well as brand new viewers, saying that audiences are going to "encounter a world that feels fully realized" yet unlike "any place they've been before." "When I was on set, I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay in that world longer," she said. "When you start an endeavor like this, you don't know what's going to happen. To have your expectations surpassed, to see magic on top of magic, and to see things come to life in a way that is bigger and more beautiful than you ever could have hoped, it's impossible to fathom." Over the years, Netflix has garnered a reputation for spending enormous amounts of money to secure original streaming content for its platform in a bid to stay ahead of its competitors in the increasingly crowded streaming landscape. In fact, it was projected earlier this year that Netflix would be spending $17.3 billion on new content for 2020, up from $15.3 billion last year. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-10-best-reviewed-shows-on-netflix-in-2020&captions=true"] For more on Netflix's entertainment offerings, check out everything that is new to the platform this month. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Update: Red Candle Games says it "won't stop striving" after GOG unexpectedly delists Devotion.