Axiom Verge — the critically-acclaimed Metroidvania — has released its first free content update six years after its release, a Randomizer Mode for all the speedrunners out there. Developer Tom Happ is busy working on the sequel Axiom Verge 2, but as a recognition of Axiom Verge’s popular speedrunning community, he has released a Randomizer Mode as a free update. The mode will let players randomize the items they get as they progress in the game. But instead of just a simple jumbler, the mode is “smart enough to know that in certain areas you need weapons with certain characteristics to progress.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/10/axiom-verge-2-announcement-trailer"] As par for the genre, players will need certain items to backtrack and access previously inaccessible areas. And the Randomizer will take this into account while still adding an element of chaos and difficulty for speedrunners. The Randomizer Mode is currently only available on Epic Games Store and Steam copies of Axiom Verge, with a console release slated for a later date. Epic Games Store users will find a beta version of Axiom Verge with the new mode automatically in their library. On Steam, players will right-click their copy of Axiom Verge in their library, go to Betas, and select the new version with the Randomizer update. Happ says he’s adding the “finishing touches” to Axiom Verge 2 and there will be an update on it soon. Check out IGN’s review of Axiom Verge for more. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Axiom Verge — the critically-acclaimed Metroidvania — has released its first free content update six years after its release, a Randomizer Mode for all the speedrunners out there. Developer Tom Happ is busy working on the sequel Axiom Verge 2, but as a recognition of Axiom Verge’s popular speedrunning community, he has released a Randomizer Mode as a free update. The mode will let players randomize the items they get as they progress in the game. But instead of just a simple jumbler, the mode is “smart enough to know that in certain areas you need weapons with certain characteristics to progress.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/10/axiom-verge-2-announcement-trailer"] As par for the genre, players will need certain items to backtrack and access previously inaccessible areas. And the Randomizer will take this into account while still adding an element of chaos and difficulty for speedrunners. The Randomizer Mode is currently only available on Epic Games Store and Steam copies of Axiom Verge, with a console release slated for a later date. Epic Games Store users will find a beta version of Axiom Verge with the new mode automatically in their library. On Steam, players will right-click their copy of Axiom Verge in their library, go to Betas, and select the new version with the Randomizer update. Happ says he’s adding the “finishing touches” to Axiom Verge 2 and there will be an update on it soon. Check out IGN’s review of Axiom Verge for more. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

General Motors has unveiled a flying car concept and it looks like something straight out of Westworld. The flying car concept doesn’t have an official name but it is designed to be a single-seater electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=general-motors-evtol-car&captions=true"] The vehicle was unveiled as part of Cadillac’s Halo Portfolio of designs so it’s a long way from becoming a practical mode of transport. That said, Cadillac has a few of its mechanics figured out. The eVTOL aircraft will supposedly use a GM Ultium battery and a 90kWh electric motor to power four rotors similar to a drone. It also features a pack and an ultra-lightweight body with four pairs of rotors. Meanwhile, the largely glass cabin offers a panoramic view of the world below you. Unfortunately, that’s all about we know about the eVTOL concept as a GM spokesperson declined to share any more details on it. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam  

General Motors has unveiled a flying car concept and it looks like something straight out of Westworld. The flying car concept doesn’t have an official name but it is designed to be a single-seater electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=general-motors-evtol-car&captions=true"] The vehicle was unveiled as part of Cadillac’s Halo Portfolio of designs so it’s a long way from becoming a practical mode of transport. That said, Cadillac has a few of its mechanics figured out. The eVTOL aircraft will supposedly use a GM Ultium battery and a 90kWh electric motor to power four rotors similar to a drone. It also features a pack and an ultra-lightweight body with four pairs of rotors. Meanwhile, the largely glass cabin offers a panoramic view of the world below you. Unfortunately, that’s all about we know about the eVTOL concept as a GM spokesperson declined to share any more details on it. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam  

New weapons, maps, modes, a new Zombies map, and more are being added to Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War and Warzone as Season One updates continue to hit the games. The latest update for Season One is already live and it brings to the game a new melee weapon, a new multiplayer map, and two new maps for the PlayStation-exclusive mode Onslaught. There are also new modes for multiplayer and Zombies, and free access to the game's Zombies mode until January 21. The second part of this Season One update will go live on February 4 when a fan-favorite "Express" map from Call of Duty: Black Ops II returns to multiplayer and when the new Zombies map is added to the game. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/11/8-things-to-know-about-call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war"] Specifically, today's update brings the "Wakizashi" katana-like melee weapon to the game as an in-game challenge unlockable and blueprint available for purchase in the new Disavowed Assassin bundle on the store, as well as the "Sanatorium" multiplayer map, which sees ten squads of four "head up to the Ural Plains to fight over objectives and vehicles on land, sea, and air." "Dropkick" is the new mode joining the fray today and Treyarch describes it as a "frantic game of nuclear hot potato" that feature two teams fighting for control of a very important briefcase. On the Zombies side of things, "Cranked" is a new game mode available today and it sees players fighting zombies while racing against a clock that requires them to kill at least one undead enemy within a certain time limit. This mode is free for those that own Black Ops Cold War and it's free for anyone to try as the game's entire Zombies mode is free to play until January 21. The PlayStation-exclusive "Onslaught" mode has a new map called Raid available today, which takes place in a Los Angeles mansion overrun with hordes of zombies. On January 21, Operator Zeyna, who is pictured below, will be added to the game as part of a new store bundle and on February 4, the other half of this Season One update will go live. This February 4 update will add "Express," a map from Black Ops II, to the game as a 6v6 multiplayer map that features two trains looping around a transportation hub's main hall. Express will also go live as a map for Onslaught the same day. February 4 also marks the addition of the game's newest zombie map, "Firebase Z," which is the next chapter of the Black Ops Cold War Zombies storyline, according to Treyarch. Elsewhere in Season One, a Double Weapon XP weekend will take place from January 15 to January 19, 3v3 Face-Off will continue as a playlist featuring 3v3 Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, and Domination on various Gunfight maps, and Snipers Only Moshpit and Endurance Mode will make appearances throughout the season as playable modes. While waiting for all of this to drop, check out these 33 tips and tricks to help you in the game's multiplayer. Check out this walkthrough to find the Die Maschine zombies Easter egg after that and then read about how to unlock all Dark Ops challenges in the game. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

New weapons, maps, modes, a new Zombies map, and more are being added to Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War and Warzone as Season One updates continue to hit the games. The latest update for Season One is already live and it brings to the game a new melee weapon, a new multiplayer map, and two new maps for the PlayStation-exclusive mode Onslaught. There are also new modes for multiplayer and Zombies, and free access to the game's Zombies mode until January 21. The second part of this Season One update will go live on February 4 when a fan-favorite "Express" map from Call of Duty: Black Ops II returns to multiplayer and when the new Zombies map is added to the game. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/11/8-things-to-know-about-call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war"] Specifically, today's update brings the "Wakizashi" katana-like melee weapon to the game as an in-game challenge unlockable and blueprint available for purchase in the new Disavowed Assassin bundle on the store, as well as the "Sanatorium" multiplayer map, which sees ten squads of four "head up to the Ural Plains to fight over objectives and vehicles on land, sea, and air." "Dropkick" is the new mode joining the fray today and Treyarch describes it as a "frantic game of nuclear hot potato" that feature two teams fighting for control of a very important briefcase. On the Zombies side of things, "Cranked" is a new game mode available today and it sees players fighting zombies while racing against a clock that requires them to kill at least one undead enemy within a certain time limit. This mode is free for those that own Black Ops Cold War and it's free for anyone to try as the game's entire Zombies mode is free to play until January 21. The PlayStation-exclusive "Onslaught" mode has a new map called Raid available today, which takes place in a Los Angeles mansion overrun with hordes of zombies. On January 21, Operator Zeyna, who is pictured below, will be added to the game as part of a new store bundle and on February 4, the other half of this Season One update will go live. This February 4 update will add "Express," a map from Black Ops II, to the game as a 6v6 multiplayer map that features two trains looping around a transportation hub's main hall. Express will also go live as a map for Onslaught the same day. February 4 also marks the addition of the game's newest zombie map, "Firebase Z," which is the next chapter of the Black Ops Cold War Zombies storyline, according to Treyarch. Elsewhere in Season One, a Double Weapon XP weekend will take place from January 15 to January 19, 3v3 Face-Off will continue as a playlist featuring 3v3 Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, and Domination on various Gunfight maps, and Snipers Only Moshpit and Endurance Mode will make appearances throughout the season as playable modes. While waiting for all of this to drop, check out these 33 tips and tricks to help you in the game's multiplayer. Check out this walkthrough to find the Die Maschine zombies Easter egg after that and then read about how to unlock all Dark Ops challenges in the game. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Sonic the Hedgehog has been added as free playable character in Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 alongside Sonic music and avatars, a Boss Raid mode, and more. Available today on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, Sonic is joined by three other characters - Ms. Accord, Lidelle, and The Ocean Prince. These three characters are making their first appearance in a localized release since Puyo Pop Fever. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/14/puyo-puyo-tetris-2-new-content-trailer"] The Boss Raid mode allows you and three friends to take down a challenging CPU-controller boss. As you all play, you will pop Puyos and clear Tetriminos that will shake Garbage Puyos loose and cause the boss to lose HP. There will also be different difficulty levels that will increase the number of bosses players will have to fight in a row. There will be Chance Time challenges that pop up through the match that, when completed, will inflict major damage on the boss. Item Cards can be earned from Boss Raids, and players can use them in the Skill Battle mode. This update also adds four new Background Music tracks like the Sonic the Hedgehog theme song and 20 new avatars, including Sonic, Shadow the Hedgehog, Dr. Eggman, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Metal Sonic. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=puyo-puyo-tetris-2-screenshots&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Sonic the Hedgehog has been added as free playable character in Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 alongside Sonic music and avatars, a Boss Raid mode, and more. Available today on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, Sonic is joined by three other characters - Ms. Accord, Lidelle, and The Ocean Prince. These three characters are making their first appearance in a localized release since Puyo Pop Fever. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/14/puyo-puyo-tetris-2-new-content-trailer"] The Boss Raid mode allows you and three friends to take down a challenging CPU-controller boss. As you all play, you will pop Puyos and clear Tetriminos that will shake Garbage Puyos loose and cause the boss to lose HP. There will also be different difficulty levels that will increase the number of bosses players will have to fight in a row. There will be Chance Time challenges that pop up through the match that, when completed, will inflict major damage on the boss. Item Cards can be earned from Boss Raids, and players can use them in the Skill Battle mode. This update also adds four new Background Music tracks like the Sonic the Hedgehog theme song and 20 new avatars, including Sonic, Shadow the Hedgehog, Dr. Eggman, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Metal Sonic. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=puyo-puyo-tetris-2-screenshots&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Ubisoft's upcoming open-world, extreme sports "massive multiplayer playground" Riders Republic has been delayed later into 2021. Previously set for a Feb. 25 release on PC, PS5, PS4, Stadia, Xbox Series X and S, and Xbox One, the developers announced its release has been moved "to later this year" without giving a new release date or month. The full statement, posted in photo form on Twitter, reads: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/10/riders-republic-gamplay-trailer"]

Hey Riders, In September, we gave you a first look at our massive multiplayer playground in Riders Republic. We promised an action-packed outdoor sports park, filled with all-out mass races with more than 50 fellow Riders on next-gen consoles, a variety of diverse activities, and insane stunts. We can’t wait to have you traverse our vibrant world and live out your own Rider’s fantasy. Today, we want to let you know that we have made the decision to move our release to later this year. This additional time will allow our passionate team to deliver the best fun fueled experience to our players. Thank you so much for your support and understanding. Stay safe and get ready to join the madness of riders republic soon! -The Riders Republic Dev Team

As revealed during Riders Republic's September announcement, the extreme sports outing is from Ubisoft Annecy, the studio behind Steep and is set across seven different U.S. national parks and other landmarks brought together into an open world. Players can choose from skiing, snowboarding, downhill biking, wingsuiting, and rocket wingsuiting to traverse and explore the environment alongside other players. Late last year, Ubisoft also revealed how Riders Republic and a host of other games would be enhanced for the PS5 and Xbox Series X and S. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and PlayStation lead. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.

Ubisoft's upcoming open-world, extreme sports "massive multiplayer playground" Riders Republic has been delayed later into 2021. Previously set for a Feb. 25 release on PC, PS5, PS4, Stadia, Xbox Series X and S, and Xbox One, the developers announced its release has been moved "to later this year" without giving a new release date or month. The full statement, posted in photo form on Twitter, reads: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/10/riders-republic-gamplay-trailer"]

Hey Riders, In September, we gave you a first look at our massive multiplayer playground in Riders Republic. We promised an action-packed outdoor sports park, filled with all-out mass races with more than 50 fellow Riders on next-gen consoles, a variety of diverse activities, and insane stunts. We can’t wait to have you traverse our vibrant world and live out your own Rider’s fantasy. Today, we want to let you know that we have made the decision to move our release to later this year. This additional time will allow our passionate team to deliver the best fun fueled experience to our players. Thank you so much for your support and understanding. Stay safe and get ready to join the madness of riders republic soon! -The Riders Republic Dev Team

As revealed during Riders Republic's September announcement, the extreme sports outing is from Ubisoft Annecy, the studio behind Steep and is set across seven different U.S. national parks and other landmarks brought together into an open world. Players can choose from skiing, snowboarding, downhill biking, wingsuiting, and rocket wingsuiting to traverse and explore the environment alongside other players. Late last year, Ubisoft also revealed how Riders Republic and a host of other games would be enhanced for the PS5 and Xbox Series X and S. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and PlayStation lead. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.