Wales Interactive has announced I Saw Black Clouds, a live-action psychological thriller interactive movie produced by Ghost Dog Films. Starring actors from Penny Dreadful, Outlander, and Avatar, the interactive movie will release in the first quarter of this year on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/20/i-saw-black-clouds-official-teaser-trailer"] I Saw Black Clouds puts players in control of Kristina, who returns to her hometown after a friend dies. Looking for answers, she unearths a series of dark secrets that reveal a shocking truth. The interactive movie will feature supernatural elements alongside its thriller plotline, suggesting there’s more going on than just a suspicious death. The storyline branches based on decisions made by players during a number of moral choice sequences. In addition, the movie tracks your actions and monitors them in accordance to five personality traits; honesty, strength, morality, tact, and introspection. Your activity is also categorized as displaying either denial, acceptance, or guilt, and these factors are all taken into consideration as the story branches and develops. Tracking of your relationship statuses and personality determines the resolution at the end of the movie, as well as individual scenes and even the storyline as a whole. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=i-saw-black-clouds-screenshots&captions=true"] For streamers, a dedicated streaming mode will automatically pause the game when choices are presented, allowing creators to discuss with audience chat and decide on the next course of action. The completely live-action film stars Nicole O'Neill (Penny Dreadful), Rachel Jackson (Outlander) and Larry Rew (Avatar), and was filmed in the UK. It will release on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC via Steam, and Mac in Q1 2021, with PS5 and Xbox Series X/S launches coming later. Publisher Wales Interactive has previously put out The Complex, Five Dates, and The Bunker - all interactive FMV-style games - as well as the more traditional Maid of Sker. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Takaya Imamura, the Nintendo artist and designer who gave us characters like Captain Falcon and Fox McCloud and more – not to mention the name and visual identity of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask – has retired from the company. As reported by Kotaku, Imamura announced that it was his last day working at Nintendo on his Facebook page, after 32 years with the company. “This is my last day going to work. I took a selfie with the empty office. I guess I won’t be coming in here anymore. As you’d expect, I’ll miss it,” Kotaku's translation of his commemorative Facebook post reads. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/11/13/star-fox-zero-introducing-star-fox-trailer"] Imamura worked on character designs across the F-Zero and Star Fox series, creating iconic Nintendo characters like Captain Falcon and Fox McCloud among many more. More recently, he directed two Steel Diver games, and was a supervisor on the last two Smash Bros. releases. He was also the art director of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, responsible for the design of the eponymous mask and the game's name, as well as the character Tingle. It's worth remembering that, according to Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma, Imamura came up with the word 'Majora' by combining his own name with 'Jumanji'. In other Nintendo news, recent reports from industry analysts suggest that a Nintendo Switch Pro could be on the way. A hacker has also created an exercise bike game using Nintendo Labo, Ring Fit Adventure and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Takaya Imamura, the Nintendo artist and designer who gave us characters like Captain Falcon and Fox McCloud and more – not to mention the name and visual identity of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask – has retired from the company. As reported by Kotaku, Imamura announced that it was his last day working at Nintendo on his Facebook page, after 32 years with the company. “This is my last day going to work. I took a selfie with the empty office. I guess I won’t be coming in here anymore. As you’d expect, I’ll miss it,” Kotaku's translation of his commemorative Facebook post reads. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/11/13/star-fox-zero-introducing-star-fox-trailer"] Imamura worked on character designs across the F-Zero and Star Fox series, creating iconic Nintendo characters like Captain Falcon and Fox McCloud among many more. More recently, he directed two Steel Diver games, and was a supervisor on the last two Smash Bros. releases. He was also the art director of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, responsible for the design of the eponymous mask and the game's name, as well as the character Tingle. It's worth remembering that, according to Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma, Imamura came up with the word 'Majora' by combining his own name with 'Jumanji'. In other Nintendo news, recent reports from industry analysts suggest that a Nintendo Switch Pro could be on the way. A hacker has also created an exercise bike game using Nintendo Labo, Ring Fit Adventure and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Sony Santa Monica's unannounced second project looks like it's still in the works, according to a job listing for an Art Director position at the studio. A tweet from the official Sony Santa Monica account (below) notes that the studio is "seeking an experienced Art Director for the development of a new unannounced title". There's not much else to go on in the job listing itself, beyond the fact that it's aiming to be a "genre-defining" game, and that it will involve "characters and creatures".

HOT JOB: ART DIRECTOR

We are seeking an experienced Art Director for the development of a new unannounced title! If you’ve got what it takes to guide and inspire our team to deliver best-in-class visual quality, apply here https://t.co/HBV4G97OtI #SMSCareers #Gamedev pic.twitter.com/IkzVzcvCJV — Santa Monica Studio Is Hiring (@SonySantaMonica) January 19, 2021

Back in 2018, we learned via ResetEra that Sony Santa Monica had created "a strategic, multi-phase, long-term studio plan spanning two future projects" following God of War, according to LinkedIn posts from studio staff. Of course, one of these projects is the now-revealed God of War: Ragnarok, which closed Sony's September 2020 PS5 showcase. The second project is still a mystery, but the fact that the studio is now hiring for key positions seems to suggest it's actively moving forward. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/16/god-of-war-ragnarok-teaser-trailer"] Prior to 2018's God of War, the studio was working on a new sci-fi IP which was unfortunately cancelled. You can check out some of the art from that project here. In other God of War news, the 2018 title recently made our list of the best PS5 games, given that it features a bump to 60FPS on the next-gen console. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Sony Santa Monica's unannounced second project looks like it's still in the works, according to a job listing for an Art Director position at the studio. A tweet from the official Sony Santa Monica account (below) notes that the studio is "seeking an experienced Art Director for the development of a new unannounced title". There's not much else to go on in the job listing itself, beyond the fact that it's aiming to be a "genre-defining" game, and that it will involve "characters and creatures".

HOT JOB: ART DIRECTOR

We are seeking an experienced Art Director for the development of a new unannounced title! If you’ve got what it takes to guide and inspire our team to deliver best-in-class visual quality, apply here https://t.co/HBV4G97OtI #SMSCareers #Gamedev pic.twitter.com/IkzVzcvCJV — Santa Monica Studio Is Hiring (@SonySantaMonica) January 19, 2021

Back in 2018, we learned via ResetEra that Sony Santa Monica had created "a strategic, multi-phase, long-term studio plan spanning two future projects" following God of War, according to LinkedIn posts from studio staff. Of course, one of these projects is the now-revealed God of War: Ragnarok, which closed Sony's September 2020 PS5 showcase. The second project is still a mystery, but the fact that the studio is now hiring for key positions seems to suggest it's actively moving forward. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/16/god-of-war-ragnarok-teaser-trailer"] Prior to 2018's God of War, the studio was working on a new sci-fi IP which was unfortunately cancelled. You can check out some of the art from that project here. In other God of War news, the 2018 title recently made our list of the best PS5 games, given that it features a bump to 60FPS on the next-gen console. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Warner Bros. has shared a release date and short synopsis for Wonka, a new Willy Wonka prequel movie from Paddington director Paul King. According to the studio, Wonka will explore the early years of the titular character before he became an eccentric candy maker, as the movie will tell the story of "a young Willy Wonka and his adventures prior to opening the world's most famous chocolate factory." It will open for audiences to pick up their golden theater tickets on March 17, 2023. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/10/22/new-willy-wonka-casting-picks-ign-keepin-it-reel"] King will be taking to the director's chair on the movie while David Heyman, whose past credits include the Harry Potter franchise and the Paddington movies, will be producing the long-gestating Willy Wonka spin-off from a script by Simon Rich, who recently penned the Seth Rogen comedy An American Pickle. All three of these names have been attached to the project since 2018. At this stage, Warners hasn't shared any of its casting plans for the movie, however, Collider has heard that the studio is interested in possibly enlisting Tom Holland or Timothée Chalamet to star in the lead role, playing the younger version of Roald Dahl's fictional confectioner. The beloved character was previously portrayed onscreen by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-netflix-original-movies-and-tv-shows&captions=true"] As one of Dahl's best-known stories, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has received two big-screen adaptations over the years, with the most recent coming from director Tim Burton, starring Depp as the title character. Taika Waititi is also known to be developing two new animated series' for Netflix, inspired by the whimsical world and colourful characters of the classic children's book. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Warner Bros. has shared a release date and short synopsis for Wonka, a new Willy Wonka prequel movie from Paddington director Paul King. According to the studio, Wonka will explore the early years of the titular character before he became an eccentric candy maker, as the movie will tell the story of "a young Willy Wonka and his adventures prior to opening the world's most famous chocolate factory." It will open for audiences to pick up their golden theater tickets on March 17, 2023. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/10/22/new-willy-wonka-casting-picks-ign-keepin-it-reel"] King will be taking to the director's chair on the movie while David Heyman, whose past credits include the Harry Potter franchise and the Paddington movies, will be producing the long-gestating Willy Wonka spin-off from a script by Simon Rich, who recently penned the Seth Rogen comedy An American Pickle. All three of these names have been attached to the project since 2018. At this stage, Warners hasn't shared any of its casting plans for the movie, however, Collider has heard that the studio is interested in possibly enlisting Tom Holland or Timothée Chalamet to star in the lead role, playing the younger version of Roald Dahl's fictional confectioner. The beloved character was previously portrayed onscreen by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-netflix-original-movies-and-tv-shows&captions=true"] As one of Dahl's best-known stories, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has received two big-screen adaptations over the years, with the most recent coming from director Tim Burton, starring Depp as the title character. Taika Waititi is also known to be developing two new animated series' for Netflix, inspired by the whimsical world and colourful characters of the classic children's book. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Guerrilla announced on Tuesday that they will release patches for Horizon Zero Dawn on PC at a slower rate as they work on the game's sequel. In a post on Guerrilla's website, Guerrilla announced that Patch 1.10 is now live for Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition on PC, which "introduces crash fixes and performance improvements." Guerrilla also said that more updates will come to the PC version, but more focus is going towards Horizon Forbidden West. "As our team continues development on our upcoming title Horizon Forbidden West, we are shifting to less frequent updates for Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition for PC after this patch," the statement says. "Please note that we will continue to monitor our community spaces as always!" [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/05/horizon-zero-dawn-21-minutes-of-pc-gameplay-at-max-settings-1080p-60fps"] Horizon Zero Dawn launched on PC in August 2020, three years after its original release on PS4 in 2017. The PC port received praise for visual improvements, but performance issues were common. IGN's analysis of a pre-release version of the Horizon PC port commented on how some of the graphics options are "actively detrimental to performance or perceived smoothness in non-obvious ways." Guerrilla has since released multiple patches for the PC port. On Steam, the Recent Reviews from the last 30 days are "Very Positive" with over 2,000 submissions. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=horizon-forbidden-west-playstation-5-screenshots&captions=true"] Horizon Forbidden West was announced in 2020 during Sony's PS5 reveal event. With a trailer and a handful of news drops, here is everything we know so far about Horizon Forbidden West, including details on new enemies as well as Guerrilla's plan to release the game in 2021. Horizon Forbidden West is one of the biggest games coming in 2021 and is expected to launch on both PS5 and PS4, similar to Spider-Man: Miles Morales. There are unfortunately no official announcements regarding a PC release for Horizon Forbidden West at this time. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN.

Guerrilla announced on Tuesday that they will release patches for Horizon Zero Dawn on PC at a slower rate as they work on the game's sequel. In a post on Guerrilla's website, Guerrilla announced that Patch 1.10 is now live for Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition on PC, which "introduces crash fixes and performance improvements." Guerrilla also said that more updates will come to the PC version, but more focus is going towards Horizon Forbidden West. "As our team continues development on our upcoming title Horizon Forbidden West, we are shifting to less frequent updates for Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition for PC after this patch," the statement says. "Please note that we will continue to monitor our community spaces as always!" [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/05/horizon-zero-dawn-21-minutes-of-pc-gameplay-at-max-settings-1080p-60fps"] Horizon Zero Dawn launched on PC in August 2020, three years after its original release on PS4 in 2017. The PC port received praise for visual improvements, but performance issues were common. IGN's analysis of a pre-release version of the Horizon PC port commented on how some of the graphics options are "actively detrimental to performance or perceived smoothness in non-obvious ways." Guerrilla has since released multiple patches for the PC port. On Steam, the Recent Reviews from the last 30 days are "Very Positive" with over 2,000 submissions. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=horizon-forbidden-west-playstation-5-screenshots&captions=true"] Horizon Forbidden West was announced in 2020 during Sony's PS5 reveal event. With a trailer and a handful of news drops, here is everything we know so far about Horizon Forbidden West, including details on new enemies as well as Guerrilla's plan to release the game in 2021. Horizon Forbidden West is one of the biggest games coming in 2021 and is expected to launch on both PS5 and PS4, similar to Spider-Man: Miles Morales. There are unfortunately no official announcements regarding a PC release for Horizon Forbidden West at this time. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN.

Netflix has added 8.5 million new paid memberships, bringing the streamers' total paid memberships past the 200 million marks in Q4. Netflix has seen a boom in subscribers as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep people at home. In its latest quarterly earnings report, Netflix announced that it has surpassed the 200 million paid memberships threshold. “For the full year, we added a record 37 [million] paid memberships, achieved $25 billion in annual revenue… and grew operating profit 76% to $4.6 billion.” At 200 million, Netflix has the largest subscriber base out of any streaming service, though competition in the streaming space is heating up. In December, Disney reported that it had 86 million subscribers for its Disney+ streaming service, alone. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=12-exciting-netflix-movies-coming-in-2021&captions=true"] Meanwhile, HBO Max is looking to make a big play this year by bringing highly-anticipated movies formerly scheduled for theater-only releases to HBO Max streaming on the same day. This includes titles like Godzilla vs. Kong, Dune, and The Suicide Squad. But at over double the subscriber count of its nearest competitor, Netflix is sitting pretty atop the streaming throne. The company recently announced that it will premiere a new original movie every week for the full 2021 calendar year. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=army-of-the-dead-first-look&captions=true"] Looking forward to Netflix’s 2021, there will be new offerings like Zack Snyder’s zombie heist film Army of the Dead starring Dave Bautista; Thunder Force starring Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer; and Red Notice starring Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Ryan Reynolds. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.