Capcom’s release of the Resident Evil Village demo, Maiden, is a short slice of what the full release will offer...sort of. Maiden doesn’t even include combat, it’s over in about 15-20 minutes (unless you get stuck on a simple puzzle, like I did), and in one of my favorite demo design choices, it isn’t even a scenario you’ll encounter in Village itself. Instead, it’s a mood piece, designed to give a sense of the atmosphere of one of Village’s main locations, tease some of the characters we can expect to face, and, hopefully, creep the hell out of you with a constant feeling of dread, as it did me. While they’ve perhaps less ubiquitous than when publishers tucked demo discs into a gaming magazine, Maiden and other recent examples show there are many right ways to execute a demo, reminding us of just how damn effective they can be in selling players on a game in a way no other part of the video game hype machine can. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/22/resident-evil-village-maiden-demo-gameplay"]

How a Demo Can Be So Effective

Regardless of what form a demo takes, a good one should accomplish at least a few things: let a player get a sense for some key aspect of gameplay, whether it’s basic gameplay mechanics or how they’ve changed within an ongoing series (like last year’s Bravely Default II demo), or introduce you to an atmosphere of a new world (like BioShock’s demo did back in 2007), or give you a sense of scale and spectacle, (like Final Fantasy VII Remake’s demo in 2020). I’ll never forget the BioShock demo specifically, as BioShock was a game I was unsure whether I’d like before launch. That demo, which replicated BioShock’s opening minutes in Rapture, is forever ingrained in my head. I don’t know if I would have ever picked up the full game had I not actually played it; it gave me just enough to want more. No amount of reviews, gameplay teases, or trailers could have properly conveyed everything that hands-on did. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=resident-evil-8-village-showcase-screenshots&captions=true"] Maiden does a fantastic job of preserving the twists and turns the developers have in store for the full game while still communicating what it is about. While it’s likely the more rare case, a totally new slice of gameplay can still thematically and mechanically touch on the full experience. More commonly, a part of the existing game is sectioned off as a demo on its own, either a level a bit into the game to give a full understanding of gameplay, or even just the game’s opening. And thanks to modern advancements, many of these opening mission demos now let players carry progress forward to the full experience. I will always be happy when I can pick up from that spot in the full game without needing to replay anything. Even when progress doesn’t carry over, though, developers have found smart ways to incentivize players to play a demo with content they may or may not have to replay later. Take Monster Hunter Rise’s recent demo, which doesn't carry over progress to the upcoming Switch game, but playing it does earn an item booster pack for players when the full game is available. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/25/resident-evil-8-village-maiden-demo-ps5-performance-review"]

Risk and Reward

Games by their very nature have to be sold on interactive levels that movies and TV just don’t. Trailers and images are all those entertainment mediums can offer, and while there’s no shortage of both in gaming, they pale in comparison to how much a demo can convey about what playing a game is actually like. Of course, there’s also the inverse risk - a player can experience a demo, decide a game isn’t for them, and move on without ever buying that game. I can only imagine the risk-cost analysis in releasing a demo. Not every game is for every person, and you can just as easily decide to buy a game after loving a demo as you can decide to never touch it again. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=resident-evil-village-playstation-5-screenshots&captions=true"] But when demos work, they really work. I don’t know if Maiden will necessarily usher in a new era of demos - their popularity seems to come in waves, either from generation to generation or even just on a given console. And plenty of developers have been putting out demos in recent years, so Capcom’s move here isn’t necessarily a new or unexpected one. Tt’s a reminder of the power of a demo. And they’re an enormous player service, allowing for discoverability and understanding of upcoming games on a deeper level. Demos may help you decide a game isn’t for you, but when they help a player fall in love with a new game, they act incredible gateways to worlds you’ve never experienced before, in a way no other tease could ever accomplish. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and PlayStation lead. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.

Scavengers Studio's Season, which had an impressive debut trailer at 2020's The Game Awards, has reportedly had a tumultuous development that is due to the latest in a reported pattern of workplace harassment and toxic behavior at the studio. A new comprehensive report from GamesIndustry.biz lays out a host of allegations from nine current and former employees of Scavengers Studio, the team behind the previous Darwin Project and the upcoming Season, against co-founder and Darwin Project creative director Simon Darveau. Specifically in regard to Season, the report describes an alleged, previous worry among developers at Scavengers that, should Darveau become a part of the team working on Season, he would essentially "override" the current creative director, Kevin Sullivan (who IGN previously spoke to about Season), and the rest of the team's work. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/11/season-announcement-trailer"] According to the report, these concerns became real, with allegations that, despite his actual role on the game remaining unclear, he has come in and led to "a considerable shift in focus and scope" on Season than what had previously been in place. "Several current employees mentioned that Darveau had used the partnership with Sony to force his own ideas onto the game, saying he had promised a number of features to seal the deal - such as a larger world, quests, and objective markers - that either weren't planned or had already been scrapped by the team. Now, they said, the studio is on the hook for them," Gamesindustry.biz's report states, with one source quoted in the story saying "I don't even recognize the game" from what was originally planned. One source even told the outlet "While it brought me extreme joy to see the work of my friends, it did sting a little bit to see a bunch of people praising the studio, saying how calming and chill and progressive everything looked. It might well be true for the Season project, but it has not been my experience with management." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=season-9-screenshots&captions=true"] And those concerns are allegedly not just due to the claims of Davreau's "inability to follow through on ideas" that was also a marked aspect of Darwin Project's development internally. Instead, the report shines a light on a number of accusations against Devreau and current-Scavengers CEO Amélie Lamarche. Chief among the claims of the alleged hostile workplace created by Davreau and Lamarche is the sense of a "boys' club" atmosphere, with allegations that women at the studio have been " frequently degraded by male employees including Darveau, or infantilized and treated as if they did not know what they were talking about even when speaking from a position of expertise about their own work." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/25/darwin-project-review"] Additionally, the report lays out reported concerns from current and former employees about Davreau's mistreatment and bullying of employees, save for a group of "commandos" that were Davreau's favorites; allegations of Davreau groping multiple employees, and the implications of Lamarche essentially serving in an HR role to other employees despite having previously been in a romantic relationship with Davreau. Scavengers responded to Gamesindustry, saying "Scavengers Studio appreciates that there have been situations during its rapid growth and takes the position that any type of harassment is unwelcomed and unacceptable and takes any complaints in this respect very seriously," and while the studio told the outlet that "Certain elements...are false, somewhat blown out of proportion or lacking important pieces," Scavengers did not comment further on what specifically may have been incorrect about the allegations. Season is scheduled for a release this year on PC and PS5. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Dragon Age 4's main location will be Tevinter, according to a new BioWare book. BioWare: Stories and Secrets from 25 Years of Game Development was recently released and in it, it's revealed that the forthcoming Dragon Age game will be set in the land of Tevinter, as originally reported by Eurogamer. Tevinter, while existing in the lore, is a place that hasn't been visited in the Dragon Age games before, making it a first for the series. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dragon-age-4-game-awards-trailer-screenshots&captions=true"] As pointed out by Eurogamer, Tevinter was set up at the end of the Trespasser expansion for 2014's Dragon Age Inquisition. The book indicates that places other than Tevinter will be visited as well, which makes sense considering Dragon Age usually sees players trekking across multiple different lands. Antiva City, the capital of Antiva, is shown in the book too. This city borders Tevinter to the east and is surrounded by water. Other concept art depicts an Antivan Crow, who is an assassin "celebrated for their mastery of stylish slaying" that wears a mask, wields a sword, and has multiple sidekicks, according to Eurogamer. Alongside that concept art is an image of Mourn Watch, who guards Thedas from occult threats and hangs out in a necropolis. Eurogamer points out that while the location of this necropolis isn't mentioned, necropolises are used in Nevarra, which is a part of Thedas, as its citizens are known for mummifying their dead. Like Antiva City, Nevarra also borders Tevinter. Other images in the book depict The Deep Roads, which are dwarven tunnels in Thedas, and The Lords of Fortune, which is a treasure hunters' guild. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/27/dragon-age-4-behind-the-scenes-teaser"] While waiting to actually see Tevinter in Dragon Age 4, check out the cinematic trailer for the game released last December and then read about how that trailer hints at returning characters. Watch this video breaking down all of the hidden details within the trailer after that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Welcome back to Game Scoop!, IGN's weekly video game podcast. This week your Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Sam Claiborn, Justin Davis, and Mark Medina -- are discussing Resident Evil Village, Hitman 3, playing Video Game 20 Questions, and more. The music in this episode is mostly Rambo on NES. Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service. Listen on: Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Stitcher   Find previous episodes here!

A Harry Potter TV series is reportedly in early development at HBO Max. A report by Variety says that sources have indicated plans for a show are moving ahead, although no talent, director, or writers have been attached. No plot details have been revealed. THR echoes the report, saying that "broad ideas have been discussed" for what the show could be, but that no deals have been made. HBO Max and Warner Bros. have told THR that, "There are no Harry Potter series in development at the studio or on the streaming platform." This could, however, be a different definition of "in development" – with early discussions reportedly ongoing, the companies may not yet define the project as formally in development. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-best-harry-potter-characters&captions=true"] There are multiple avenues for a new Harry Potter story to head down, with more recent additions to the series pushing away from the original books' time period. The Fantastic Beasts movies have depicted an early 20th Century version of the Wizarding World, while the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child pushed into the adulthoods of the main series' characters. In gaming, Hogwarts Legacy will head back to an 1800s take on the school – although we won't see that for some time, after it was delayed into 2022. However, Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe previously told IGN that he expects to see the stories receive a full movie or TV reboot one day. "It will be interesting to see how long those films stay… it feels like there’s a sacredness around them at the moment, but that’ll go, the shine will wear off at some point," he explained. "It’ll be interesting if they reboot them and just do the films again or do a series; I’m fascinated to watch." It remains unclear what part Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling will play in future additions to the franchise, particularly those coming from the entertainment companies that hold the rights to create Harry Potter projects. While the author has oversight on all elements of the property, she has recently caused widespread controversy for her expressed views on trans women and gender identity, which have drawn condemnation from the likes of Harry Potter actors Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe among others. The FAQ page for Hogwarts Legacy seemingly indirectly referenced the ongoing issues by specifically confirming that "J.K. Rowling is not directly involved in the creation of the game." [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.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment's upcoming projects, including core games in major franchises, will have a "heavy focus on live service", according to an internship advert from the company. Spotted by Twitter user MauroNL3, an advert for a Games Production MBA Intern includes a section that reads: "WBIE is currently involved in a variety of new projects, ranging from casual games to core games featuring our well-known franchises on all platforms (console, digital, mobile) with a heavy focus on live service. " Live service refers to the process of continually updating a game after release to keep players invested, adding new features, items, storylines and more – and has become an increasingly profitable model for developers and publishers across the industry. It's not without controversy, however, with high-profile releases like BioWare's Anthem launching with notably little content, and Marvel's Avengers failing to recoup its costs after failing to enamour its audience at launch. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/17/back-4-blood-hands-on-preview-the-spiritual-successor-to-left-4-dead"] No specifics are given, but we can likely assume that the upcoming Back 4 Blood will include live service elements, given its modular, online nature. Similarly, any future Mortal Kombat and Injustice games from the WB-owned NetherRealm would likely incorporate live service elements, as they have in recent iterations. What's less clear is what other announced WBIE games could include similar ideas, and to what extent. The publisher is currently working on Hogwarts Legacy, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, and Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League, none of which have outwardly announced live elements. The upcoming Gotham Knights from WB Montreal seemingly won't be a part of that push – its developers previously told IGN that it was "very much not designed as a game-as-service", and will tell a self-contained story, rather than an evolving narrative. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/23/everything-we-know-about-suicide-squad-kill-the-justice-league"] We've contacted WBIE for comment, but haven't received a response at time of publish. It wasn't long ago that we were debating the future of WBIE as a whole, until parent company AT&T announced that it was no longer looking to sell the company, after reportedly deeming it "too valuable to unload". [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.

Even with the recent announcement that Netflix has surpassed 200 million subscribers worldwide, a new study has revealed that streaming services are in danger of losing customers due to an overabundance of choice. In 2020 alone, there were three new streaming services (HBO Max, Peacock, and Quibi) released, though Quibi ended up being the first major casualty in The Great Streaming Wars. Even with Quibi's $2 billion demise, the demand for streaming is showing no signs of slowing down with the new Discovery+ platform joining the fray in January and Paramount+ set to launch in March. [poilib element="poll" parameters="id=4c478d9d-70ed-46fc-9dd4-ded0d54056a1"] While streaming appears to be at an all-time high, a recent study from professional service network Deloitte (per the Los Angeles Times), revealed that the overwhelming amount of streaming platforms and shows available may be causing customers to cancel their subscriptions and seek out something new. Deloitte's survey, which consisted of 1,100 participants, showed that "46% of respondents canceled at least one streaming service in the last six months," according to the LA Times, which is a major rise from only 20% who said the same in a similar January survey. The majority of participants (62% to be exact) said they canceled a particular service after finishing a TV series or movie. "Churn" is the term used to describe this phenomenon in Hollywood. Deloitte's data suggests that streaming providers are going to have a difficult time keeping subscribers as competition in the space increases. According to the LA Times, "streaming subscribers reported having an average of five services in October, up from the three they reported having before the COVID-19 pandemic," but this increase also seems to indicate that viewers are more willing to cancel a service once they've seen the show or movie that initially prompted them to sign up. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/03/warner-bros-and-hbo-max-2021-movies-announcement-trailer"] In an interview with the LA Times, Deloitte's Media and Telecom Leader Kevin Westcott said, "the competition for the streaming services is shifting to a different level. Over the last few years, the focus was on having exclusive, original content. In 2021, it’s going to come down to the user experience, and do you feel like a special VIP for being a member." While Netflix is currently winning the war with its 200 million (and growing) subscriber base, Disney+ is catching up with an impressive 86.8 million of its own since launching in late 2019, with Peacock making a push with 26 million subscribers in under a year. And with so many services vying for subscribers, streamers are going to have to get creative to keep their audiences active. Disney+ will attempt to keep Marvel fans hooked all year long with an ambitious slate of original TV shows set in the MCU, with WandaVision's weekly release schedule rolling right into The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's March release date, followed by Loki in May. Amazon has also experimented with a weekly release schedule for some of its shows, including Season 2 of its breakout hit The Boys and its upcoming Robert Kirkman animated superhero series Invincible. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-cinematic-universe-every-upcoming-movie-and-tv-show&captions=true"] Looking ahead, Netflix has an ambitious lineup of at least 70 original movies releasing in 2021, while HBO Max rocked the film industry by announcing that 17 of its theatrically-released movies in 2021 will drop simultaneously on HBO Max for a one-month exclusive window. What do you think of the results from the study? Do you cancel a particular streaming service after you finishing binging a show or watching a movie? Let us know in the comments. [poilib element="accentDivider"] David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.

A Resident Evil fan has released a concept video of what Resident Evil 7 could look like with the series' original fixed camera angles – and we're now hoping it becomes a fully-fledged mod. YouTuber Enveloping Sounds has used a free camera mod to find fixed positions for the camera around Resident Evil 7's Baker Mansion location, and another mod that depicts the game's hero Ethan with a head for third-person mods. With some smart editing of both visuals and background sound effects, they've been able to show off an alternate reality version of Resident Evil 7 that didn't even begin using Resi 4's over-the-shoulder view, never mind 7's first-person approach – and you can watch the video below (kindly provided by Enveloping Sounds). [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/resident-evil-7-with-a-classic-resi-fixed-camera-concept-video"] Sadly, this is just a concept right now. "Just to be clear, this is not an actual realized playable 'mod'," Enveloping Sounds tells IGN. "This is more of just a concept that I created using the free camera tool and spliced scenes together to show what COULD be." So... any enterprising mod makers want to make this a reality? Enveloping Sounds has previously given the same treatment to the Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 remakes, transplanting the original versions' locked cameras into the shiny new games. Those earlier videos got a lot of fans of classic Resi in the comments wishing the new games had followed the original style. Seeing 7 – a game never designed to even be seen in third-person – presented this way is a very interesting follow-on  experiment. I'd say it's a successfu one too. In other Resi news, the much-rumoured Resident Evil 4 remake has reportedly seen a partial reboot and an internal delay, which may be in part due to it feeling too traditional. We also learned that Resident Evil Village will be released on May 7, and will seemingly be a successor to Resi 4. It will also come with a new multiplayer mode, RE:Verse. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/resident-evil-8-village-maiden-demo-ps5-performance-review"] [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.

Konami has announced an internal restructure in which three production divisions will be dissolved – but has denied that it is shutting down its gaming production after fans and media began speculating about the move. The story began in an announcement to investors of, among other things, organizational restructuring. A post on the Konami Digital Entertainment website explained that it will dissolve Production Divisions 1, 2, and 3, "to respond to the rapid market that surrounds us." With Production Divisions previously representing the company's home of game development, some took this to mean that gaming production at the company was being shuttered as a whole. However, in a statement to IGN, a Konami representative wrote: “The announcement made refers to an internal restructure, with Production Divisions being consolidated. We have not ‘shut down’ our video gaming division.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/21/top-10-konami-games-that-need-next-gen-remakes"] While Konami hasn't commented further, the same announcement shows that several executives who previously led Production Divisions are now solely leading separate Production Departments. Per the statement's mention of consolidation, it may be that the development work of the old Divisions is being folded into wider Departments. Konami, once a huge part of the games development and publishing landscape, has become increasingly quiet in the field in recent years, which goes some way towards explaining why many jumped to the conclusion that Konami was moving away from games production. The company is currently actively developing PES 2022 for next-gen consoles, and set up a western game publishing division last year. [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.

NBC's Peacock and WWE have announced a multi-year agreement that gives Peacock exclusive streaming rights to the WWE Network in the US. WWE has revealed that NBCUniversal will officially launch the WWE Network on its Peacock streaming service in the US on March 18, beginning the roll-out of "more than 17,000 hours of new, original, and library WWE Network programming" both on-demand and on a 24/7 channel. Per Variety, any existing subscribers of the WWE Network in the US will be migrated over to Peacock Premium for $4.99 per month or, for an ad-free experience, Peacock Premium Plus will be available for $9.99 per month. The Wall Street Journal reports that WWE is set to rake in more than $1 billion for the five-year deal, which will see Peacock become the sole streaming distributor in the US of the WWE Network. Consequently, WWE will shut down its WWE Network streaming service in the US in March but will continue to operate as a standalone streaming service outside of the US, meaning that nothing will change for WWE Network subscribers in other countries. The companies plan to share further details about the switch to Peacock and the management of customer accounts in the next few weeks. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/08/peacock-streaming-service-review"] The new agreement will bolster Peacock's sports programming selection, with all of WWE's live pay-per-view events, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Fastlane (available on Peacock on March 21). The catalog also includes original series like Steve Austin Broken Skull Sessions, Undertaker: The Last Ride, and the all-new WWE Icons, plus in-ring shows like NXT, NXT UK, and WWE 205 Live, as well as replays of Raw and SmackDown, together with WWE Network archives and documentaries. "NBCUniversal has a long-standing relationship with WWE that began nearly 30 years ago with Monday Night Raw on USA. WWE has always tapped into the cultural zeitgeist with spectacular live events and larger-than-life characters, and we are thrilled to be the exclusive home for WWE Network and its millions of fans across the country," said Rick Cordella, Peacock's EVP and Chief Revenue Officer. "WWE Network is a transformative addition to the platform and complements Peacock's massive catalog of iconic movies and shows, as well as the best live news and sports, from NBCUniversal and beyond." "We are thrilled to further the long-standing and trusted partnership WWE has with NBCUniversal," Nick Khan, WWE's President and Chief Revenue Officer, added in an adjoining statement alongside the announcement. "Peacock is an innovative platform that will enable us to showcase our most significant events, including WrestleMania, and provide the extraordinary entertainment our fans have come to expect with the combination of premium WWE content, live sports, news, films, and television programs." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=most-devastating-finishing-moves-in-wwe-history&captions=true"] WWE's 24/7 streaming network launched in 2014, offering wrestling fans exclusive access to live and on-demand programming with some original series and special partnerships. For the first time ever, US subscribers will be invited to access this content on Peacock's streaming platform, which is already populated with a diverse selection of noteworthy movies and shows to choose from. For more about the service, read IGN's official review of Peacock, then check out our rundown of 20 hidden gems worth watching on the platform. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.