OLED 4K TVs might be the kings of contrast and true blacks, but one area they’ve always lacked in was pure brightness. Well, now Sony is rolling out a new flagship A90J 4K OLED TV that promises to be the brightest in its class. To hit a higher peak brightness, the Sony A90J features a new aluminum sheet lamination that essentially acts as a heat sink for the TV. With this extra cooling capability, Sony was able to implement a new type of OLED panel that can display more light by activating all of its white, red, blue, and green elements at the same time. Most OLED screens are designed to only display either a pure white backlight or a mix of colors from the RGB hues. By illuminating the OLED screen's entire WRGB spectrum, Sony tells us its new flagship TV is significantly brighter. Another effect of this greater brightness is expanded color volume, so expect a more vibrant screen as well. The Sony A90J also features a new Cognitive Processor XR that enhances sound and picture using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Picture enhancement can mean everything from 4K upscaling to improved sharpness. Meanwhile, the Cognitive Processor XR can also generate object-tracking sound and 3D sound. Like all of Sony’s 2021 TVs, the A90J features a new UI built on Google TV rather than the Android TV base that has been used for the last few years. The new OS brings a greater focus to content rather than apps, though you can still download all of your favorite streaming and gaming apps. Last but not least, the Sony A90J also comes equipped with a new light and color sensor that adjusts the brightness and warmth of the picture depending on your ambient lighting conditions. Sony plans on announcing the pricing and availability of the A90J later this spring. [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

OLED 4K TVs might be the kings of contrast and true blacks, but one area they’ve always lacked in was pure brightness. Well, now Sony is rolling out a new flagship A90J 4K OLED TV that promises to be the brightest in its class. To hit a higher peak brightness, the Sony A90J features a new aluminum sheet lamination that essentially acts as a heat sink for the TV. With this extra cooling capability, Sony was able to implement a new type of OLED panel that can display more light by activating all of its white, red, blue, and green elements at the same time. Most OLED screens are designed to only display either a pure white backlight or a mix of colors from the RGB hues. By illuminating the OLED screen's entire WRGB spectrum, Sony tells us its new flagship TV is significantly brighter. Another effect of this greater brightness is expanded color volume, so expect a more vibrant screen as well. The Sony A90J also features a new Cognitive Processor XR that enhances sound and picture using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Picture enhancement can mean everything from 4K upscaling to improved sharpness. Meanwhile, the Cognitive Processor XR can also generate object-tracking sound and 3D sound. Like all of Sony’s 2021 TVs, the A90J features a new UI built on Google TV rather than the Android TV base that has been used for the last few years. The new OS brings a greater focus to content rather than apps, though you can still download all of your favorite streaming and gaming apps. Last but not least, the Sony A90J also comes equipped with a new light and color sensor that adjusts the brightness and warmth of the picture depending on your ambient lighting conditions. Sony plans on announcing the pricing and availability of the A90J later this spring. [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

This week in Grand Theft Auto Online, claim triple rewards in several modes, pick up the brand new BF Weevil vehicle, and get Cayo Perico bonuses.

This week in Grand Theft Auto Online, claim triple rewards in several modes, pick up the brand new BF Weevil vehicle, and get Cayo Perico bonuses.

Update (1/12/21) - YouTube has suspended United States President Donald Trump's channel from uploading new content for "a *minimum* of 7 days" and has removed new content uploaded to his channel for violating YouTube's policies. The full statement from YouTube, as given on Twitter, is as follows; "After review, and in light of concerns about the ongoing potential for violence, we removed new content uploaded to Donald J. Trump’s channel for violating our policies. It now has its 1st strike & is temporarily prevented from uploading new content for a *minimum* of 7 days. "Given the ongoing concerns about violence, we will also be indefinitely disabling comments on President Trump’s channel, as we’ve done to other channels where there are safety concerns found in the comments section." Update (1/7/21) - Donald Trump's Twitch account has now also been disabled. A spokesperson told IGN, “Given the current extraordinary circumstances and the President’s incendiary rhetoric, we believe this is a necessary step to protect our community and prevent Twitch from being used to incite further violence.” Original story follows. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Mark Zuckerberg has announced that President Donald Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts have been blocked "indefinitely and for at least two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is complete." In a statement on Facebook (which you can read in full at the bottom of this post), Zuckerberg wrote that the decision stems from Trump "clearly" intending to use his remaining time in office to undermine the transition of power to President-Elect Joe Biden. The historic decision to block a sitting president from a major social media account follows a tumultuous day in US politics. As the Georgia run-off all but confirmed the Democrats' control of the Senate, and Congress convened to formally confirm Biden's election victory, Trump held a 'Stop the Steal' rally in Washington DC, during which he made continued and unsubstantiated claims of election rigging. Many have drawn a line between Trump's rhetoric – which included recommending that the crowd march to the United States Capitol – and an ensuing attack on the Capitol itself, seeing dozens of Trump supporters enter the building by force, and which resulted in a reported four deaths. Congress reconvened after the mob had been dispersed and officially cleared the Electoral College count, ratifying Biden's victory. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="3155"] President Trump at his January 6 rally. (Image credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)[/caption] While Trump eventually used social media to call on those inside the building to peacefully leave, he continued his false claims of election rigging, and told protestors, "We love you". It led both Facebook and Twitter to first flag, then remove multiple Trump posts, before issuing him with temporary bans. Twitter's 12 hour ban has now expired after Trump removed what were flagged as offending tweets. Facebook's approach appears to be going a step further, with its 24-hour ban lengthened indefinitely, and at least until the end of the presidential transition process on January 20. Following the attack on the Capitol, Street Fighter player Ryan 'Gootecks' Gutierrez posted a tweet that appeared to call for further violence. As a result, Twitch confirmed that it would remove the popular 'Pogchamp' emote based on Gutierrez. In a statement, the company wrote: "We can't in good conscience continue to enable use of the image. We will work with the community to design a new emote for the most hype moments on Twitch." Zuckerberg's post follows in full:

"The shocking events of the last 24 hours clearly demonstrate that President Donald Trump intends to use his remaining time in office to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power to his elected successor, Joe Biden. His decision to use his platform to condone rather than condemn the actions of his supporters at the Capitol building has rightly disturbed people in the US and around the world. We removed these statements yesterday because we judged that their effect -- and likely their intent -- would be to provoke further violence. Following the certification of the election results by Congress, the priority for the whole country must now be to ensure that the remaining 13 days and the days after inauguration pass peacefully and in accordance with established democratic norms. Over the last several years, we have allowed President Trump to use our platform consistent with our own rules, at times removing content or labeling his posts when they violate our policies. We did this because we believe that the public has a right to the broadest possible access to political speech, even controversial speech. But the current context is now fundamentally different, involving use of our platform to incite violent insurrection against a democratically elected government. We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great. Therefore, we are extending the block we have placed on his Facebook and Instagram accounts indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is complete."

[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.

Update (1/12/21) - YouTube has suspended United States President Donald Trump's channel from uploading new content for "a *minimum* of 7 days" and has removed new content uploaded to his channel for violating YouTube's policies. The full statement from YouTube, as given on Twitter, is as follows; "After review, and in light of concerns about the ongoing potential for violence, we removed new content uploaded to Donald J. Trump’s channel for violating our policies. It now has its 1st strike & is temporarily prevented from uploading new content for a *minimum* of 7 days. "Given the ongoing concerns about violence, we will also be indefinitely disabling comments on President Trump’s channel, as we’ve done to other channels where there are safety concerns found in the comments section." Update (1/7/21) - Donald Trump's Twitch account has now also been disabled. A spokesperson told IGN, “Given the current extraordinary circumstances and the President’s incendiary rhetoric, we believe this is a necessary step to protect our community and prevent Twitch from being used to incite further violence.” Original story follows. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Mark Zuckerberg has announced that President Donald Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts have been blocked "indefinitely and for at least two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is complete." In a statement on Facebook (which you can read in full at the bottom of this post), Zuckerberg wrote that the decision stems from Trump "clearly" intending to use his remaining time in office to undermine the transition of power to President-Elect Joe Biden. The historic decision to block a sitting president from a major social media account follows a tumultuous day in US politics. As the Georgia run-off all but confirmed the Democrats' control of the Senate, and Congress convened to formally confirm Biden's election victory, Trump held a 'Stop the Steal' rally in Washington DC, during which he made continued and unsubstantiated claims of election rigging. Many have drawn a line between Trump's rhetoric – which included recommending that the crowd march to the United States Capitol – and an ensuing attack on the Capitol itself, seeing dozens of Trump supporters enter the building by force, and which resulted in a reported four deaths. Congress reconvened after the mob had been dispersed and officially cleared the Electoral College count, ratifying Biden's victory. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="3155"] President Trump at his January 6 rally. (Image credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)[/caption] While Trump eventually used social media to call on those inside the building to peacefully leave, he continued his false claims of election rigging, and told protestors, "We love you". It led both Facebook and Twitter to first flag, then remove multiple Trump posts, before issuing him with temporary bans. Twitter's 12 hour ban has now expired after Trump removed what were flagged as offending tweets. Facebook's approach appears to be going a step further, with its 24-hour ban lengthened indefinitely, and at least until the end of the presidential transition process on January 20. Following the attack on the Capitol, Street Fighter player Ryan 'Gootecks' Gutierrez posted a tweet that appeared to call for further violence. As a result, Twitch confirmed that it would remove the popular 'Pogchamp' emote based on Gutierrez. In a statement, the company wrote: "We can't in good conscience continue to enable use of the image. We will work with the community to design a new emote for the most hype moments on Twitch." Zuckerberg's post follows in full:

"The shocking events of the last 24 hours clearly demonstrate that President Donald Trump intends to use his remaining time in office to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power to his elected successor, Joe Biden. His decision to use his platform to condone rather than condemn the actions of his supporters at the Capitol building has rightly disturbed people in the US and around the world. We removed these statements yesterday because we judged that their effect -- and likely their intent -- would be to provoke further violence. Following the certification of the election results by Congress, the priority for the whole country must now be to ensure that the remaining 13 days and the days after inauguration pass peacefully and in accordance with established democratic norms. Over the last several years, we have allowed President Trump to use our platform consistent with our own rules, at times removing content or labeling his posts when they violate our policies. We did this because we believe that the public has a right to the broadest possible access to political speech, even controversial speech. But the current context is now fundamentally different, involving use of our platform to incite violent insurrection against a democratically elected government. We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great. Therefore, we are extending the block we have placed on his Facebook and Instagram accounts indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is complete."

[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.

UPDATE: Ray Fisher has clarified details of Cyborg's apparent removal from The Flash movie. The actor posted a thread of tweets in relation to The Wrap's article that cited insiders (with purported knowledge of the situation) as the main source behind emerging claims that Cyborg has been removed from The Flash movie screenplay, and that the role isn't going to be recast. The story also asserted that Fisher "publicly stated he did not want to be involved with the project via Twitter." Fisher urged the outlet to amend the article immediately, as he discredited the report for being factually inaccurate since he "did not publicly step down from anything." He then shifted emphasis to the studio, writing: "If Warner Bros. has made the decision to remove me from The Flash, rather than address, in any way, Walter Hamada tampering with the JL investigation—that's on them."

I strongly suggest that @TheWrap amend this article immediately.

While I appreciate the reporter’s undying desire to do @wbpictures and Walter Hamada’s bidding—it is factually inaccurate. I did not publicly step down from anything. 1/5https://t.co/905q9eX2QX — Ray Fisher (@ray8fisher) January 7, 2021

He continued: "The Warner Bros. pr team has struggled to regain control of the narrative ever since they failed to bury me and the JL investigation with their September 4th hit piece—which, unsurprisingly, was written by the same reporter. "The fact is: the Justice League investigation led to WarnerMedia (and it's affiliates) parting ways with Joss Whedon. Geoff Johns will be following suit. Had Walter Hamada gotten his way, NONE of that would have been possible, and the cycle of abuse would've continued. "My team and I are still in deep conversation with WarnerMedia regarding all these matters and—Flash or no Flash—we fully intend to see this through. I'll keep you all posted, but in the meantime—thank you for your continued support." Shortly after, Variety reported that multiple sources have disputed Fisher's claim that WarnerMedia will be parting ways with Geoff Johns after the company's Justice League investigation. According to three of those sources, the company "remains in business" with Johns, who continues to work on The CW's Stargirl, and several other DC properties. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/03/23/cyborg-in-a-minute"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] ORIGINAL STORY: Ray Fisher's Cyborg cameo has reportedly been written out of The Flash movie, and there's currently no plans to recast the role. According to The Wrap, insiders with purported knowledge of the situation have claimed that Cyborg has been removed from The Flash movie screenplay entirely, which means that the cameo has been cut and that Fisher will not be replaced by another actor in the upcoming DC movie — despite the character's inclusion in the long-gestating DCEU installment dating back to 2016. This comes shortly after Fisher stated that he would no longer participate in any productions associated with DC Films president Walter Hamada. "Walter Hamada is the most dangerous kind of enabler," Fisher tweeted. "His lies, and WB PR's failed Sept. 4th hit-piece, sought to undermine the very real issues of the 'Justice League' investigation. I will not participate in any production associated with him." A week later, it was announced that Hamada had renewed his deal with DC, and would be continuing as president of the studio through to 2023. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/12/the-flash-movie-features-lots-of-superheroes-and-will-restart-the-dceu-dc-fandome"] Hamada was thrust into the public spotlight after Fisher accused him, along with DC Films co-chairs Geoff Johns and Jon Berg, of enabling an alleged toxic work environment from Joss Whedon, who took over directorial duties on Justice League after Zack Snyder's departure in 2017. Hamada was not president of DC Films at the time of principal photography. WarnerMedia recently confirmed that the Justice League investigation had concluded and that "remedial action" had been taken over Fisher's claims following a months-long investigation into the allegations. It remains unclear what "remedial action" was taken, though Fisher observed on Twitter that it includes "some we've seen, and some that is still to come." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-flash-movies-possible-dceu-cameos&captions=true"] Fisher's Cyborg/Victor Stone character may not be appearing in The Flash but he will be back for The Snyder Cut of Justice League, which is expected to debut on HBO Max in March. The movie is said to feature over 150 minutes of unseen footage, and won't be using a "single frame" from Whedon's theatrical version of the movie. As for cameos in The Flash, Michael Keaton previously joked that all "127" previous "Batmen" will be making an appearance in the DCEU movie after he confirmed he had been in discussion over the possibility of reprising his Batman role in the movie, which is now scheduled to hit theatres on November 4, 2022, after being pushed back from its original June 2, 2022 release date. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

UPDATE: Ray Fisher has clarified details of Cyborg's apparent removal from The Flash movie. The actor posted a thread of tweets in relation to The Wrap's article that cited insiders (with purported knowledge of the situation) as the main source behind emerging claims that Cyborg has been removed from The Flash movie screenplay, and that the role isn't going to be recast. The story also asserted that Fisher "publicly stated he did not want to be involved with the project via Twitter." Fisher urged the outlet to amend the article immediately, as he discredited the report for being factually inaccurate since he "did not publicly step down from anything." He then shifted emphasis to the studio, writing: "If Warner Bros. has made the decision to remove me from The Flash, rather than address, in any way, Walter Hamada tampering with the JL investigation—that's on them."

I strongly suggest that @TheWrap amend this article immediately.

While I appreciate the reporter’s undying desire to do @wbpictures and Walter Hamada’s bidding—it is factually inaccurate. I did not publicly step down from anything. 1/5https://t.co/905q9eX2QX — Ray Fisher (@ray8fisher) January 7, 2021

He continued: "The Warner Bros. pr team has struggled to regain control of the narrative ever since they failed to bury me and the JL investigation with their September 4th hit piece—which, unsurprisingly, was written by the same reporter. "The fact is: the Justice League investigation led to WarnerMedia (and it's affiliates) parting ways with Joss Whedon. Geoff Johns will be following suit. Had Walter Hamada gotten his way, NONE of that would have been possible, and the cycle of abuse would've continued. "My team and I are still in deep conversation with WarnerMedia regarding all these matters and—Flash or no Flash—we fully intend to see this through. I'll keep you all posted, but in the meantime—thank you for your continued support." Shortly after, Variety reported that multiple sources have disputed Fisher's claim that WarnerMedia will be parting ways with Geoff Johns after the company's Justice League investigation. According to three of those sources, the company "remains in business" with Johns, who continues to work on The CW's Stargirl, and several other DC properties. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/03/23/cyborg-in-a-minute"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] ORIGINAL STORY: Ray Fisher's Cyborg cameo has reportedly been written out of The Flash movie, and there's currently no plans to recast the role. According to The Wrap, insiders with purported knowledge of the situation have claimed that Cyborg has been removed from The Flash movie screenplay entirely, which means that the cameo has been cut and that Fisher will not be replaced by another actor in the upcoming DC movie — despite the character's inclusion in the long-gestating DCEU installment dating back to 2016. This comes shortly after Fisher stated that he would no longer participate in any productions associated with DC Films president Walter Hamada. "Walter Hamada is the most dangerous kind of enabler," Fisher tweeted. "His lies, and WB PR's failed Sept. 4th hit-piece, sought to undermine the very real issues of the 'Justice League' investigation. I will not participate in any production associated with him." A week later, it was announced that Hamada had renewed his deal with DC, and would be continuing as president of the studio through to 2023. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/12/the-flash-movie-features-lots-of-superheroes-and-will-restart-the-dceu-dc-fandome"] Hamada was thrust into the public spotlight after Fisher accused him, along with DC Films co-chairs Geoff Johns and Jon Berg, of enabling an alleged toxic work environment from Joss Whedon, who took over directorial duties on Justice League after Zack Snyder's departure in 2017. Hamada was not president of DC Films at the time of principal photography. WarnerMedia recently confirmed that the Justice League investigation had concluded and that "remedial action" had been taken over Fisher's claims following a months-long investigation into the allegations. It remains unclear what "remedial action" was taken, though Fisher observed on Twitter that it includes "some we've seen, and some that is still to come." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-flash-movies-possible-dceu-cameos&captions=true"] Fisher's Cyborg/Victor Stone character may not be appearing in The Flash but he will be back for The Snyder Cut of Justice League, which is expected to debut on HBO Max in March. The movie is said to feature over 150 minutes of unseen footage, and won't be using a "single frame" from Whedon's theatrical version of the movie. As for cameos in The Flash, Michael Keaton previously joked that all "127" previous "Batmen" will be making an appearance in the DCEU movie after he confirmed he had been in discussion over the possibility of reprising his Batman role in the movie, which is now scheduled to hit theatres on November 4, 2022, after being pushed back from its original June 2, 2022 release date. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

In its two Vermintide games, developer Fatshark has proven its dedication to recreating the fine details of Games Workshop’s Warhammer ‘Old World’ setting. The studio’s next game, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, sees the same team explore the very different - but equally dense - 40K universe. And after a recent chat with a handful of Fatshark staff, it’s safe to say that they are nerding out just as much as they did on Vermintide, if not more. “How should we do the chainsword?” asks Mats Andersson, Game Designer on Darktide, recalling an early design meeting. “Because it shouldn't just cut. It should stick in, it should saw through, and then we should have a second damage that actually pops the [limb] off." The chainsword is Warhammer 40,000’s most recognisable close combat weapon; a device swung like a medieval longsword, but with the blade exchanged for a 30-inch long chainsaw. Hack into someone with it, and the result is akin to Gears of War’s Lancer MK2 bayonet, but significantly more goth. This gory, mechanical process, described in the many Warhammer 40K source books and novels, has meant recreating it has required a slightly different approach to Vermintide’s fantasy knives and axes. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/11/warhammer-40000-dark-tide-cinematic-reveal-trailer"] “And the coder is just like, ‘But can't we just chop the head off?’” recounts Andersson. “‘No, no, no. You have to go into the neck and saw down. And then you'd rip it out and that's when the head comes flying off. This is not other weapons, this is a chainsword.’” Adjust that last sentence a little, and it could be a seeming design philosophy for Darktide: this is not other shooters, this is a Warhammer 40K shooter. Like the Vermintide games before it, Darktide is a Left 4 Dead-style co-operative game in which teams of four progress through levels that are governed by an AI ‘Conflict Director’. That AI dictates what enemies the team will face; in Vermintide that was generally packs of man-sized rats known as Skaven, but in Darktide players will carve their way through hordes of Poxwalkers. These undead horrors, created by the literal god of disease, have provided the perfect next step in evolving Vermintide’s gory melee systems. “Looking at the amount of weapons we did for Vermintide, we have quite a robust set for us to paint a vivid picture of how to break bodies,” says Andersson. “And it's just about applying that and expanding it specifically with the different enemies. There's a difference between a Poxwalker breaking apart and a Renegade Guard breaking apart.” Having opted to cast the forces of Chaos as the game’s villains, Fatshark has a huge canvas of potential enemies to pull from (Games Workshop’s range of Chaos miniatures for the tabletop number at well over 100). “The options of using Chaos is almost endless,” says Anders De Geer, Darktide’s Game Director, who also just so happens to have a collection of Chaos Cultists on his tabletop. “From cultists, to daemons, to Traitor Marines, the scale is enormous.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=warhammer-40000-darktide-screenshots&captions=true"] The most important aspect of Darktide’s foes, though, is that they’ll often be wielding guns. Where Vermintide was predominantly a melee game, Darktide’s 41st millenium setting allows ranged weapons to be a significantly larger portion of the game. This creates a variety of opportunities for gameplay encounters, as well as replicating the distinct shoot and fight phases of the tabletop game – but more than that it’s been a chance for Fatshark to get incredibly nerdy about bringing 40K’s vast arsenal of absurd guns to life. “We have worked on the visuals of the Lasgun for a pretty long time,” says De Geer, referring to one of 40K’s most common weapons. Darktide’s version of the rifle is based on the M35 model, a variant chosen from “a list of 150 different patterns”. Some adjustments have been made to the version hobbyists will have painted - Fatshark has added a loading mechanism to the side - but already fans have responded kindly to the authenticity of its almost World War 2-like operation, as seen in the first gameplay trailer. “We want to live up to people's expectations around weapons, but we also want to make sure that their favorite weapons are represented,” says Steve Bigras, Darktide’s Executive Producer. “And so there's been a lot of work put into [thinking] ‘Is it okay if a Guardsman can even have this? Because it's such a cool and iconic thing.’ We're really trying to do our best to make sure that peoples’ favorite weapons are there, and they make sense. And maybe some of them you might have to squint your eyes a bit, but you're happy that you get to play with it.” While the chainsword and lasgun are among Warhammer 40,000’s most beloved weapons, the most iconic is unquestionably the Bolter; a boxy automatic assault weapon that fires explosive bullets. They’re the signature weapon of 40K’s most recognisable warriors: the Space Marines. But in Darktide, you play as regular humans rather than those superhuman posterboys, and the recoil of a Godwyn Pattern Boltgun would break a normal soldier’s bones. This meant Fatshark had to dig a little deeper into the lore to get the gun into Darktide without breaking canon. “We had quite a vivid [discussion about gun caliber] early on between art and design and everyone else,” says Andersson. “We have human sized Bolters, which is their own pattern,” adds De Geer, referring to smaller variants of the gun described in the tabletop game’s lore, such as the Locke and Godwyn-De'az patterns. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/23/warhammer-40k-darktide-announcement-trailer"] Adding the Bolter to Darktide’s arsenal provides a new angle for gameplay design, since the gun is effectively a rapid-fire grenade launcher. “There are very few weapons that just work as a gun,” says Andersson. “They all do different things. From the Bolter, to the Lasgun, to another one, to whatever. And integrating that into the gameplay, you can actually have a player utilize that to take out the different things, and at the same time we're cashing in on your expectations.” Those different things currently consist of a whole host of Chaos troops and daemons, but Fatshark appears to have significantly long-term plans for Darktide. One day we could be jamming the muzzle of a Bolter into the maws of 40K’s cockney greenskins. “Every single interview [Andersson] will talk about Orks, but it's not their time yet,” says Martin Wahlund, co-founder of Fatshark. “At some point they will matter, I promise you, but I don't know when... We see this as a long, continuous journey, so to speak, that we want to build over time.” And, with any luck, there may be more than Orks in the future, too. “When we started Vermintide 1, the Old World was an active IP,” recalls De Geer, referring to the original version of Warhammer Fantasy that has since been discontinued. “And then it stopped being an active IP. And so this time we felt that we want to be current. We want to be able to connect to whatever Games Workshop plans for the future, and so Darktide is very much current 40K, it's the latest and greatest of 40K.” That means Darktide is set during Era Indomitus, the storyline currently powering 40K’s 9th edition on tabletop. And while Chaos remains humanity’s greatest threat, this new phase has placed greater emphasis on 40K’s stranger, more out-there foes, including the skeletal Necrons. If Fatshark plans for Darktide to be a platform for all kinds of 40K conflicts, then they couldn’t have begun development at a more exciting time for the setting. The studio is still holding many cards to its chest about Darktide’s intricate details, but what they will say points to a reverence and depth of understanding of the 40K universe rarely seen outside of Relic’s Dawn of War games. So while Fatshark still has much to prove, one thing is certain: the universe is certainly in passionate hands. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer and resident Games Workshop enthusiast, currently assembling the Adeptus Astartes half of Indomitus (as Ultramarines, sorry).

In its two Vermintide games, developer Fatshark has proven its dedication to recreating the fine details of Games Workshop’s Warhammer ‘Old World’ setting. The studio’s next game, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, sees the same team explore the very different - but equally dense - 40K universe. And after a recent chat with a handful of Fatshark staff, it’s safe to say that they are nerding out just as much as they did on Vermintide, if not more. “How should we do the chainsword?” asks Mats Andersson, Game Designer on Darktide, recalling an early design meeting. “Because it shouldn't just cut. It should stick in, it should saw through, and then we should have a second damage that actually pops the [limb] off." The chainsword is Warhammer 40,000’s most recognisable close combat weapon; a device swung like a medieval longsword, but with the blade exchanged for a 30-inch long chainsaw. Hack into someone with it, and the result is akin to Gears of War’s Lancer MK2 bayonet, but significantly more goth. This gory, mechanical process, described in the many Warhammer 40K source books and novels, has meant recreating it has required a slightly different approach to Vermintide’s fantasy knives and axes. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/11/warhammer-40000-dark-tide-cinematic-reveal-trailer"] “And the coder is just like, ‘But can't we just chop the head off?’” recounts Andersson. “‘No, no, no. You have to go into the neck and saw down. And then you'd rip it out and that's when the head comes flying off. This is not other weapons, this is a chainsword.’” Adjust that last sentence a little, and it could be a seeming design philosophy for Darktide: this is not other shooters, this is a Warhammer 40K shooter. Like the Vermintide games before it, Darktide is a Left 4 Dead-style co-operative game in which teams of four progress through levels that are governed by an AI ‘Conflict Director’. That AI dictates what enemies the team will face; in Vermintide that was generally packs of man-sized rats known as Skaven, but in Darktide players will carve their way through hordes of Poxwalkers. These undead horrors, created by the literal god of disease, have provided the perfect next step in evolving Vermintide’s gory melee systems. “Looking at the amount of weapons we did for Vermintide, we have quite a robust set for us to paint a vivid picture of how to break bodies,” says Andersson. “And it's just about applying that and expanding it specifically with the different enemies. There's a difference between a Poxwalker breaking apart and a Renegade Guard breaking apart.” Having opted to cast the forces of Chaos as the game’s villains, Fatshark has a huge canvas of potential enemies to pull from (Games Workshop’s range of Chaos miniatures for the tabletop number at well over 100). “The options of using Chaos is almost endless,” says Anders De Geer, Darktide’s Game Director, who also just so happens to have a collection of Chaos Cultists on his tabletop. “From cultists, to daemons, to Traitor Marines, the scale is enormous.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=warhammer-40000-darktide-screenshots&captions=true"] The most important aspect of Darktide’s foes, though, is that they’ll often be wielding guns. Where Vermintide was predominantly a melee game, Darktide’s 41st millenium setting allows ranged weapons to be a significantly larger portion of the game. This creates a variety of opportunities for gameplay encounters, as well as replicating the distinct shoot and fight phases of the tabletop game – but more than that it’s been a chance for Fatshark to get incredibly nerdy about bringing 40K’s vast arsenal of absurd guns to life. “We have worked on the visuals of the Lasgun for a pretty long time,” says De Geer, referring to one of 40K’s most common weapons. Darktide’s version of the rifle is based on the M35 model, a variant chosen from “a list of 150 different patterns”. Some adjustments have been made to the version hobbyists will have painted - Fatshark has added a loading mechanism to the side - but already fans have responded kindly to the authenticity of its almost World War 2-like operation, as seen in the first gameplay trailer. “We want to live up to people's expectations around weapons, but we also want to make sure that their favorite weapons are represented,” says Steve Bigras, Darktide’s Executive Producer. “And so there's been a lot of work put into [thinking] ‘Is it okay if a Guardsman can even have this? Because it's such a cool and iconic thing.’ We're really trying to do our best to make sure that peoples’ favorite weapons are there, and they make sense. And maybe some of them you might have to squint your eyes a bit, but you're happy that you get to play with it.” While the chainsword and lasgun are among Warhammer 40,000’s most beloved weapons, the most iconic is unquestionably the Bolter; a boxy automatic assault weapon that fires explosive bullets. They’re the signature weapon of 40K’s most recognisable warriors: the Space Marines. But in Darktide, you play as regular humans rather than those superhuman posterboys, and the recoil of a Godwyn Pattern Boltgun would break a normal soldier’s bones. This meant Fatshark had to dig a little deeper into the lore to get the gun into Darktide without breaking canon. “We had quite a vivid [discussion about gun caliber] early on between art and design and everyone else,” says Andersson. “We have human sized Bolters, which is their own pattern,” adds De Geer, referring to smaller variants of the gun described in the tabletop game’s lore, such as the Locke and Godwyn-De'az patterns. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/23/warhammer-40k-darktide-announcement-trailer"] Adding the Bolter to Darktide’s arsenal provides a new angle for gameplay design, since the gun is effectively a rapid-fire grenade launcher. “There are very few weapons that just work as a gun,” says Andersson. “They all do different things. From the Bolter, to the Lasgun, to another one, to whatever. And integrating that into the gameplay, you can actually have a player utilize that to take out the different things, and at the same time we're cashing in on your expectations.” Those different things currently consist of a whole host of Chaos troops and daemons, but Fatshark appears to have significantly long-term plans for Darktide. One day we could be jamming the muzzle of a Bolter into the maws of 40K’s cockney greenskins. “Every single interview [Andersson] will talk about Orks, but it's not their time yet,” says Martin Wahlund, co-founder of Fatshark. “At some point they will matter, I promise you, but I don't know when... We see this as a long, continuous journey, so to speak, that we want to build over time.” And, with any luck, there may be more than Orks in the future, too. “When we started Vermintide 1, the Old World was an active IP,” recalls De Geer, referring to the original version of Warhammer Fantasy that has since been discontinued. “And then it stopped being an active IP. And so this time we felt that we want to be current. We want to be able to connect to whatever Games Workshop plans for the future, and so Darktide is very much current 40K, it's the latest and greatest of 40K.” That means Darktide is set during Era Indomitus, the storyline currently powering 40K’s 9th edition on tabletop. And while Chaos remains humanity’s greatest threat, this new phase has placed greater emphasis on 40K’s stranger, more out-there foes, including the skeletal Necrons. If Fatshark plans for Darktide to be a platform for all kinds of 40K conflicts, then they couldn’t have begun development at a more exciting time for the setting. The studio is still holding many cards to its chest about Darktide’s intricate details, but what they will say points to a reverence and depth of understanding of the 40K universe rarely seen outside of Relic’s Dawn of War games. So while Fatshark still has much to prove, one thing is certain: the universe is certainly in passionate hands. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer and resident Games Workshop enthusiast, currently assembling the Adeptus Astartes half of Indomitus (as Ultramarines, sorry).