Tencent has purchased a minority stake in Life Is Strange developer, Dontnod, to create new IP. This minority purchase cost Tencent €30 million, or roughly $36 million, and will be used to finance a new IP from Dontnod for PC, consoles, and mobile devices. The funding will also be used to allow Dontnod to self-publish whatever this new IP becomes.

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"The funds raised will mainly be used to finance the ramp-up of Dontnod's strategy to develop new self-published intellectual properties worldwide on PC, consoles, and mobile platforms, and thereby take full advantage of positive trends within the industry for creators of internationally renowned and originals games, such as Dontnod," a Dontnod press release reads. In terms of what this new IP will be, it's anybody's guess, although one could presume it to be in the style of games Dontnod has continued to make over the years, such as Life Is Strange, Tell Me Why, and Twin Mirror. These are third-person narrative-based games that see the player making choices that affect the outcome of stories and solving small puzzles along the way. Tencent's purchase is part of a total €40 million capital increase that comes by way of an accelerated bookbinding process, according to Dontnod. The studio also announced a, "concurrent signing of a business cooperation agreement with Tencent" as well. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/01/twin-mirror-review"] "We are delighted to welcome Tencent as a Dontnod investor," Chairman and CEO of Dontnod, Oskar Guilbert, said. "This is a real expression of trust from a key online game leader, which is behind a number of success stories and has invested in several leading companies in the video game industry. Through this partnership, Dontnod is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the various growth drivers in the video game industry, in particular in China and on mobile platforms, in cooperation with an industry leader. The capital increase announced today will enable us to step up and boost the roll-out of our development plan, which aims to capture more value from our original creators by self-publishing more games." While waiting for whatever this new IP is, check out our thoughts on Dontnod's latest two games in IGN's Tell Me Why review and Twin Mirror review. Read this story about a new narrative survival game being developed by the new studio of a Dontnod co-founder after that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

The World of Darkness is coming to VR with a new title, Wraith: The Oblivion - Afterlife. This VR title will exist in the same universe as Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2. Set in a world where vampires, werewolves, and now ghosts are all real, Wraith: The Oblivion - Afterlife stars photographer Ed Miller who is dead by the start of the game. But fear not, he becomes a wraith and can traverse between the world of the living and the dead. As a wraith, Ed must enter the opulent Barclay Mansion and use supernatural powers to uncover the horrible mystery behind the mansion's dark history. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=wraith-the-oblivion-announcement-gallery&captions=true"] The Oblivion - Afterlife is a single-player, story-focused game with an emphasis on mystery and exploration. Players will use their ghostly powers and commune with a mysterious voice called The Shadow who will push Ed closer to "Oblivion" where departed souls ultimately go. There will be some instance of combat in The Oblivion as Ed must face off against malevolent spirits haunting the Barclay Mansion. Check out the announcement trailer below with in-development footage of the Shadow. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/27/wraith-the-oblivion-afterlife-announcement-trailer"] "Being the first studio in the world to create a video game based on Wraith: The Oblivion AND the first-ever VR game set in the World of Darkness has made us incredibly proud," says Fast Travel Games Creative Director Erik Odeldahl in a statement. "We cannot wait for all of you to try it out." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=wraith-the-oblivion-afterlife-screenshots&captions=true"] The World of Darkness is fast expanding in the world of video games. Alongside The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, which has unfortunately been delayed, games set in the Werewolf universe are also on the way from The World of Darkness. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

The World of Darkness is coming to VR with a new title, Wraith: The Oblivion - Afterlife. This VR title will exist in the same universe as Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2. Set in a world where vampires, werewolves, and now ghosts are all real, Wraith: The Oblivion - Afterlife stars photographer Ed Miller who is dead by the start of the game. But fear not, he becomes a wraith and can traverse between the world of the living and the dead. As a wraith, Ed must enter the opulent Barclay Mansion and use supernatural powers to uncover the horrible mystery behind the mansion's dark history. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=wraith-the-oblivion-announcement-gallery&captions=true"] The Oblivion - Afterlife is a single-player, story-focused game with an emphasis on mystery and exploration. Players will use their ghostly powers and commune with a mysterious voice called The Shadow who will push Ed closer to "Oblivion" where departed souls ultimately go. There will be some instance of combat in The Oblivion as Ed must face off against malevolent spirits haunting the Barclay Mansion. Check out the announcement trailer below with in-development footage of the Shadow. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/27/wraith-the-oblivion-afterlife-announcement-trailer"] "Being the first studio in the world to create a video game based on Wraith: The Oblivion AND the first-ever VR game set in the World of Darkness has made us incredibly proud," says Fast Travel Games Creative Director Erik Odeldahl in a statement. "We cannot wait for all of you to try it out." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=wraith-the-oblivion-afterlife-screenshots&captions=true"] The World of Darkness is fast expanding in the world of video games. Alongside The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, which has unfortunately been delayed, games set in the Werewolf universe are also on the way from The World of Darkness. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

While movie delays are sadly still a thing in 2021, at least DC fans can look forward to the return of the Arrowverse over the next few months. Batwoman: Season 2 has already introduced new heroine Ryan Wilder, and February marks the debut of the long-awaited Supergirl spinoff Superman & Lois. To help tide you over until the series premiere, IGN can exclusively debut a new piece of Superman & Lois teaser art. Check out this epic art below, which spotlights Tyler Hoechlin's Superman, Elizabeth Tulloch's Lois Lane, Jordan Elsass' Jonathan Kent and Alexander Garfin's Jordan Kent: We've already learned Superman & Lois will introduce a new and somewhat more comic-inspired Superman suit. We also got a much closer look at the series with the debut of the first Superman & Lois trailer earlier in January. Superman & Lois also stars Dylan Walsh as general Sam Lane, Emmanuelle Chriqui as Lana Lang and Erik Valdez as Lana's husband Kyle Cushing. The series is set in Smallville rather than Metropolis, as Lois and Clark move back home to raise their teenage sons in an increasingly confusing and chaotic world. The two-hour series premiere will debut on The CW on Tuesday, February 23, with the series continuing to air alongside The Flash: Season 7 in 2021. We still don't know when Supergirl's final season or DC's Legends of Tomorrow: Season 6 are returning this year. [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.

While movie delays are sadly still a thing in 2021, at least DC fans can look forward to the return of the Arrowverse over the next few months. Batwoman: Season 2 has already introduced new heroine Ryan Wilder, and February marks the debut of the long-awaited Supergirl spinoff Superman & Lois. To help tide you over until the series premiere, IGN can exclusively debut a new piece of Superman & Lois teaser art. Check out this epic art below, which spotlights Tyler Hoechlin's Superman, Elizabeth Tulloch's Lois Lane, Jordan Elsass' Jonathan Kent and Alexander Garfin's Jordan Kent: We've already learned Superman & Lois will introduce a new and somewhat more comic-inspired Superman suit. We also got a much closer look at the series with the debut of the first Superman & Lois trailer earlier in January. Superman & Lois also stars Dylan Walsh as general Sam Lane, Emmanuelle Chriqui as Lana Lang and Erik Valdez as Lana's husband Kyle Cushing. The series is set in Smallville rather than Metropolis, as Lois and Clark move back home to raise their teenage sons in an increasingly confusing and chaotic world. The two-hour series premiere will debut on The CW on Tuesday, February 23, with the series continuing to air alongside The Flash: Season 7 in 2021. We still don't know when Supergirl's final season or DC's Legends of Tomorrow: Season 6 are returning this year. [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.

Ten new Star Wars stamps featuring droids from all over the galaxy will be released in the US sometime this Spring. The United States Postal Service revealed that these stamps will feature IG-11, R2-D2, K-2SO, D-O, L3-37, BB-8, C-3PO, a GNK/Gonk power droid, a 2-1B surgical droid, and C1-10P aka "Chopper", each with their own unique backdrop based on some of the more memorable locations in the Star Wars saga. For example, as you can see in the image below, D-O's backdrop is that of a hallway in the Millennium Falcon. "These sets of droids are a nod to Lucasfilm's, as well as its parent company, Disney's, commitment to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning and the continued collaboration between 'Star Wars: Force for Change' and global pre-K-12 nonprofit organization 'First' (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)," reads USPS's announcement. The USPS didn't specify when these stamps will be released or how much they'll cost, but it said additional details about this droid-inspired collection, including the issue date, will be announced later this year. The announcement does say these stamps are coming this Spring so we'll likely learn more about them in the coming months. Based on the images included with the announcement, it seems all 10 stamps will be for sale on a single sheet or doubled for a total of 20 stamps — two of each droid — on a single pane. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/21/star-wars-2021-upcoming-tv-shows-games-comics-and-more"] While waiting for these stamps to release, catch up on everything going on in the world of Star Wars by reading this breakdown of any and everything Star Wars coming out this year. Check out this announcement of an Ahsoka Tano spinoff and a Rangers of the New Republic TV show coming to Disney Plus after that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Ten new Star Wars stamps featuring droids from all over the galaxy will be released in the US sometime this Spring. The United States Postal Service revealed that these stamps will feature IG-11, R2-D2, K-2SO, D-O, L3-37, BB-8, C-3PO, a GNK/Gonk power droid, a 2-1B surgical droid, and C1-10P aka "Chopper", each with their own unique backdrop based on some of the more memorable locations in the Star Wars saga. For example, as you can see in the image below, D-O's backdrop is that of a hallway in the Millennium Falcon. "These sets of droids are a nod to Lucasfilm's, as well as its parent company, Disney's, commitment to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning and the continued collaboration between 'Star Wars: Force for Change' and global pre-K-12 nonprofit organization 'First' (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)," reads USPS's announcement. The USPS didn't specify when these stamps will be released or how much they'll cost, but it said additional details about this droid-inspired collection, including the issue date, will be announced later this year. The announcement does say these stamps are coming this Spring so we'll likely learn more about them in the coming months. Based on the images included with the announcement, it seems all 10 stamps will be for sale on a single sheet or doubled for a total of 20 stamps — two of each droid — on a single pane. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/21/star-wars-2021-upcoming-tv-shows-games-comics-and-more"] While waiting for these stamps to release, catch up on everything going on in the world of Star Wars by reading this breakdown of any and everything Star Wars coming out this year. Check out this announcement of an Ahsoka Tano spinoff and a Rangers of the New Republic TV show coming to Disney Plus after that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Hitman 3 is a major success for developer IO Interactive, which has already recouped all of its development costs for the game. Those costs were recouped just under seven days after the release of Hitman 3, according to GamesIndustry.biz. The success of this game is even more important for the studio as Hitman 3 is the first game in the series self-published by IO Interactive. IO Interactive CEO, Hakan Abrak, told GamesIndustry.biz that keeping the game's marketing and PR close to the development team was a huge benefit to Hitman 3's success. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=hitman-3-playstation-5-screenshots&captions=true"] "We have been really happy with the Hitman 3 journey," Abrak said. "It has been a labor of love between our fans and everyone at the studio. As the developer and publisher, we are immensely proud that we can say Hitman 3 is already profitable. We have recouped the total project costs in less than a week." Abrak said that this success puts IO Interactive in a "really good place" and allows the studio to "confidently move forward with (its) ambitious plans for future projects." Abrak is likely alluding to the James Bond game in the works that was recently announced. The CEO said creating a game that can be brought to audiences in the most direct way possible — self-publishing — was very effective as it allowed the creative and development sides of the studio to work closely with the publishing and marketing arms throughout the entire project. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/25/hitman-3-accolades-trailer"] "We need that collaboration because we all want to create a quality product," Abrak said. "We demand of each other that our games are hand-crafted, meticulously detailed, and unique. At this point, we'd be doing our community a disservice if we delivered anything less than that." You can read our thoughts on the game in IGN's Hitman 3 review. Watch this video showcasing the top 13 crazy Hitman 3 kills and takedowns after that and then read about how IO Interactive's 007 game will feature a James Bond that won't be based on any previous actor. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Hitman 3 is a major success for developer IO Interactive, which has already recouped all of its development costs for the game. Those costs were recouped just under seven days after the release of Hitman 3, according to GamesIndustry.biz. The success of this game is even more important for the studio as Hitman 3 is the first game in the series self-published by IO Interactive. IO Interactive CEO, Hakan Abrak, told GamesIndustry.biz that keeping the game's marketing and PR close to the development team was a huge benefit to Hitman 3's success. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=hitman-3-playstation-5-screenshots&captions=true"] "We have been really happy with the Hitman 3 journey," Abrak said. "It has been a labor of love between our fans and everyone at the studio. As the developer and publisher, we are immensely proud that we can say Hitman 3 is already profitable. We have recouped the total project costs in less than a week." Abrak said that this success puts IO Interactive in a "really good place" and allows the studio to "confidently move forward with (its) ambitious plans for future projects." Abrak is likely alluding to the James Bond game in the works that was recently announced. The CEO said creating a game that can be brought to audiences in the most direct way possible — self-publishing — was very effective as it allowed the creative and development sides of the studio to work closely with the publishing and marketing arms throughout the entire project. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/25/hitman-3-accolades-trailer"] "We need that collaboration because we all want to create a quality product," Abrak said. "We demand of each other that our games are hand-crafted, meticulously detailed, and unique. At this point, we'd be doing our community a disservice if we delivered anything less than that." You can read our thoughts on the game in IGN's Hitman 3 review. Watch this video showcasing the top 13 crazy Hitman 3 kills and takedowns after that and then read about how IO Interactive's 007 game will feature a James Bond that won't be based on any previous actor. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

A Tomb Raider anime series is in development at Netflix, and will be set after the events of Crystal Dynamics' most recent trilogy of games. The streaming service announced the news in a press release on Wednesday. Tasha Huo, who is working with Netflix on The Witcher: Blood Origin, will write and executive produce. Legendary Entertainment is working with Netflix on Tomb Raider after previously working with the streamer on the Lost in Space remake. It was also announced on Wednesday that Legendary is working on a Skull Island anime series at Netflix. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/01/shadow-of-the-tomb-raider-developers-react-to-48-minute-speedrun"] dj2 Entertainment is also working on the Tomb Raider anime. It's the latest in a long line of video game adaptations for the company following the Sonic the Hedgehog movie. They have a movie based on Sleeping Dogs in development along with TV shows based on My Friend Pedro, Disco Elysium, Life is Strange, and more. There's no word yet if Camilla Luddington, who played Lara Croft in the reboot trilogy, is part of this project. The actress is currently starring on Grey's Anatomy and recently played Zatanna in the animated Justice League: Dark movie from 2017 and its 2020 sequel, Apokolips War. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-anime-series-on-netflix-right-now&captions=true"] Shadow of the Tomb Raider was the last game released in the series. It came out in 2018 and earned mostly positive reviews from critics. IGN's Shadow of the Tomb Raider review praised the game and said, it "convincingly leaves her in a place resembling where she was when we were first introduced to her more than 20 years ago." The Tomb Raider movie franchise is also still in full swing. The sequel will be written and directed by the creator of Lovecraft Country with Alicia Vikander once again playing Lara Croft. Anybody looking for some current anime recommendations on Netflix can check out IGN's updated list of the best anime on Netflix. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN.