Update 03/08/2021: Crystal Dynamics has has clarified how XP progression will change in Marvel's Avengers, accepting that it had caused confusion in its first announcement of the move. On Reddit, the official developer account for the game wrote, "We did not change XP to increase grind for grind’s sake. Our initial blog was not comprehensive enough to convey what we were doing and why....so we caused confusion,…we get it." In the clarification, the developer explains that the progression curve will now mean that players level up faster than before at low levels, and take longer than before at higher levels – it estimates later levels will take 2-4 missions for each level, rather than once or more per mission as can happen in the current version. More powerful enemies will also  offer additional XP, further incentivising fighting them. In all, Crystal Dynamics expects that reaching maximum level with heroes will take around 3-5 hours longer than before the changes. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvels-avengers-screenshots&captions=true"] While it's certainly a clearer picture of the changes, fans on Reddit broadly remain unconvinced by the changes' usefulness to the game. The top-rated reply to the post comes from antca87, who puts it simply: "This is a terrible move. Leveling up was never the issue. The lack of content was." Last week, we wrote about how the move represents Avengers fixing the wrong problems. "In a year’s time," reads the piece, "I want to look back and see the success it's become. For that to happen though, there needs to be better communication with fans, and a genuine back and forth regarding the issues fans have with the game. Of all the complaints I’ve seen about Marvel’s Avengers, none were about how surprisingly quick leveling up your heroes can be, but almost all have been about the dearth of fun to be had once you’ve done that." The XP changes come alongside next-gen versions of the console game, and the addition of Hawkeye content. Besides the promise of PlayStation exclusive Spider-Man content, long-delayed endgame missions, and Black Panther content, very little is known about the future of the game beyond that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Leveling up your heroes in Marvel’s Avengers will take longer after Crystal Dynamics announced it will be changing the way XP progression will work. On March 18 the newest DLC character Hawkeye is set to be released alongside the next-gen versions of Marvel’s Avengers. But Crystal Dynamics is also changing up some key progression mechanics along with how random cosmetic drops will work. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/marvels-avengers-next-gen-capabilities-trailer"] In a new developer’s blog, the Marvel’s Avengers team shared that the current XP progression curve “isn’t really a curve at all.” Whereas most RPGs increase the amount of XP required to level up as players get stronger, Marvel’s Avengers’ XP system is linear and static. “This has led to pacing issues, such as skill points currently being rewarded too fast, which may be confusing and overwhelming to newer players,” says Crystal Dynamics in the blog.

To fix this, Marvel’s Avengers will begin increasing the amount of XP required to level up starting at around level 25. The required XP will increase the closer players get to level 50, which is the current max level. Crystal Dynamics says players looking to max their characters quickly can try and grind before March 18, when the update is set to go live.

As for cosmetics, Marvel’s Avengers is getting rid of random cosmetics entirely. Starting today, random cosmetic item drops will be temporarily removed and they’ll re-appear later in the cosmetic vendor and can be purchased through Units. On the r/PlayAvengers subreddit, players are somewhat divided on the XP rework. Some argue that characters don’t even begin to feel good to play until level 50 and that adding more grind to progression isn’t a solution. Others say this change will only impact new players and that easing them into characters through a longer progression will breed more familiarity with the game’s systems. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-marvel-superhero-game-review&captions=true"] Crystal Dynamics has shared some of the changes coming to the native next-gen version of Marvel’s Avengers on PS5, including native 4K resolution or 60FPS checkerboard 4K (in performance mode) as well as improved load times, higher-resolution textures, and more. Check out the full next-gen details here. You can also find out everything about Operation Hawkeye - Future Imperfect here, or check out IGN’s Avengers review here. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor.

Valve has officially stopped development on Artifact, its struggling collectible card game based on the DOTA universe.

Valve made the announcement Thursday, citing poor player count following the game’s launch in 2018 and subsequent reboot, Artifact 2.0 beta.

“While we're reasonably satisfied we accomplished most of our game-side goals, we haven't managed to get the active player numbers to a level that justifies further development at this time,” the Artifact team writes. “As such, we've made the tough decision to stop development on the Artifact 2.0 Beta.”

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-valve-game-review&captions=true"]

For those Artifact players still hanging on (or for those who never gave it a shot), Valve is making both versions of Artifact free for all, and players will be able to access all cards for free. Card packs will no longer be available to purchase.

For players who purchased card packs in Artifact Classic in the past, they’ll see their cards converted into special Collector’s Edition versions, which will remain marketable between players. That said, marketplace integration is being removed from the game. Players who previously paid for the base game of Artifact will continue to receive Collector’s Edition cards for playing, while players who got Artifact for free will not. Players can read full details here.

“We're grateful to all Artifact players, and particularly to those who were able to help us tune and refine what would become Artifact Foundry,” the Artifact team writes. “The team feels this is the approach that best serves the community. We're proud of the work we've done on both games and excited about delivering them to a much larger audience of gamers.”

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-and-worst-reviewed-games-of-2020&captions=true"]

Artifact’s failure to gain traction proved to be a massive disappointment for Valve, even to co-founder Gabe Newell. In an interview on IGN First, Newell said he and Valve looked to Artifact and other failed projects as valuable learning experiences. Valve’s next project, DOTA Underlords (a streamlined version of the popular Auto Chess mod) managed to beat Artifact’s player count in two hours.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/18/ign-first-half-life-alyx-gabe-newell-interview"]

Artifact managed to review fairly well, but players criticized it for its card monetization, with booster packs costing $2 a piece. Players could also earn cards via draft modes, but were required to use event tickets, which also cost money. Shortly before the launch of Artifact 2.0, Valve announced its reboot would be earned through gameplay rather than sold for money.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/ancient artifact for IGN.

Valve has officially stopped development on Artifact, its struggling collectible card game based on the DOTA universe.

Valve made the announcement Thursday, citing poor player count following the game’s launch in 2018 and subsequent reboot, Artifact 2.0 beta.

“While we're reasonably satisfied we accomplished most of our game-side goals, we haven't managed to get the active player numbers to a level that justifies further development at this time,” the Artifact team writes. “As such, we've made the tough decision to stop development on the Artifact 2.0 Beta.”

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-valve-game-review&captions=true"]

For those Artifact players still hanging on (or for those who never gave it a shot), Valve is making both versions of Artifact free for all, and players will be able to access all cards for free. Card packs will no longer be available to purchase.

For players who purchased card packs in Artifact Classic in the past, they’ll see their cards converted into special Collector’s Edition versions, which will remain marketable between players. That said, marketplace integration is being removed from the game. Players who previously paid for the base game of Artifact will continue to receive Collector’s Edition cards for playing, while players who got Artifact for free will not. Players can read full details here.

“We're grateful to all Artifact players, and particularly to those who were able to help us tune and refine what would become Artifact Foundry,” the Artifact team writes. “The team feels this is the approach that best serves the community. We're proud of the work we've done on both games and excited about delivering them to a much larger audience of gamers.”

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-and-worst-reviewed-games-of-2020&captions=true"]

Artifact’s failure to gain traction proved to be a massive disappointment for Valve, even to co-founder Gabe Newell. In an interview on IGN First, Newell said he and Valve looked to Artifact and other failed projects as valuable learning experiences. Valve’s next project, DOTA Underlords (a streamlined version of the popular Auto Chess mod) managed to beat Artifact’s player count in two hours.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/18/ign-first-half-life-alyx-gabe-newell-interview"]

Artifact managed to review fairly well, but players criticized it for its card monetization, with booster packs costing $2 a piece. Players could also earn cards via draft modes, but were required to use event tickets, which also cost money. Shortly before the launch of Artifact 2.0, Valve announced its reboot would be earned through gameplay rather than sold for money.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/ancient artifact for IGN.

Scientists have discovered that space hurricanes are real after finding evidence of one years ago that occurred over the North Pole. As if the revelation of space hurricanes wasn't enough, the scientists also learned that it rained down charged electrons, according to a new abstract on Nature.com as reported by The Weather Channel. A Shandong University research team recorded a swirl-type formation of plasma above the North Pole on August 20, 2014, and it's now been determined, years later, that the glowing swirl was actually a space hurricane. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=gorgeous-photos-of-earth-from-space&captions=true"] "Until now, it was uncertain that space plasma hurricanes even existed, so to prove this with such a striking observation is incredible," University of Reading space environment physicist, Mike Lockwood, said in a statement to The Weather Channel. This hurricane was observed in the magnetosphere – no, this isn't related to the X-Men, although that'd be awesome – which is the space surrounding Earth where charged particles are affected by, in this case, the Earth's magnetic field. It was this magnetosphere that helped scientists to determine that the 2014 space hurricane rained down charged electrons. The electrons rained down into the planet's ionosphere, which is, "a part of the Earth’s upper atmosphere that is ionized or charged by solar radiation," according to The Weather Channel, which created an enormous, cyclone-shaped aurora. This aurora, and any aurora commonly see in the North Pole or South Pole regions of the world, occur when there's a disturbance in the magnetosphere. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/04/human-made-space-bubble-is-shielding-the-earth-from-radiation"] According to the scientists and their abstract, this space hurricane was made of plasma and featured multiple outbursting arms that swirled in a counterclockwise direction at speeds as fast as 2100 meters per second or 4698 miles per hour. Much like the hurricanes that happen down here on Earth, the eye of this space hurricane basically remained still while the rest of the storm swirled quickly around it. The results of the team's findings mean that aurora can now be used to potentially identify space hurricanes. It also means that the magnetosphere, previously deemed a calm region, can be the location of some severe conditions, like that of a space hurricane, which could possibly affect the lower spheres of Earth, according to The Weather Channel. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/06/24/igns-top-10-best-disaster-movies"] "This study suggests that there are still existing local intense geomagnetic disturbance and energy depositions, which is comparable to that during superstorms," Shandong University space physicist and study lead, Qing-He Zhang, wrote in the abstract. "This will update our understanding of the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling process under extremely quiet geomagnetic conditions." For more science, check out this story about dust storms on Mars that glow purple with tiny sparks and then read about these spooky circles in space that are puzzling astronomers. Check out IGN's list of the top 10 best disaster movies ever made after that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Scientists have discovered that space hurricanes are real after finding evidence of one years ago that occurred over the North Pole. As if the revelation of space hurricanes wasn't enough, the scientists also learned that it rained down charged electrons, according to a new abstract on Nature.com as reported by The Weather Channel. A Shandong University research team recorded a swirl-type formation of plasma above the North Pole on August 20, 2014, and it's now been determined, years later, that the glowing swirl was actually a space hurricane. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=gorgeous-photos-of-earth-from-space&captions=true"] "Until now, it was uncertain that space plasma hurricanes even existed, so to prove this with such a striking observation is incredible," University of Reading space environment physicist, Mike Lockwood, said in a statement to The Weather Channel. This hurricane was observed in the magnetosphere – no, this isn't related to the X-Men, although that'd be awesome – which is the space surrounding Earth where charged particles are affected by, in this case, the Earth's magnetic field. It was this magnetosphere that helped scientists to determine that the 2014 space hurricane rained down charged electrons. The electrons rained down into the planet's ionosphere, which is, "a part of the Earth’s upper atmosphere that is ionized or charged by solar radiation," according to The Weather Channel, which created an enormous, cyclone-shaped aurora. This aurora, and any aurora commonly see in the North Pole or South Pole regions of the world, occur when there's a disturbance in the magnetosphere. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/04/human-made-space-bubble-is-shielding-the-earth-from-radiation"] According to the scientists and their abstract, this space hurricane was made of plasma and featured multiple outbursting arms that swirled in a counterclockwise direction at speeds as fast as 2100 meters per second or 4698 miles per hour. Much like the hurricanes that happen down here on Earth, the eye of this space hurricane basically remained still while the rest of the storm swirled quickly around it. The results of the team's findings mean that aurora can now be used to potentially identify space hurricanes. It also means that the magnetosphere, previously deemed a calm region, can be the location of some severe conditions, like that of a space hurricane, which could possibly affect the lower spheres of Earth, according to The Weather Channel. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/06/24/igns-top-10-best-disaster-movies"] "This study suggests that there are still existing local intense geomagnetic disturbance and energy depositions, which is comparable to that during superstorms," Shandong University space physicist and study lead, Qing-He Zhang, wrote in the abstract. "This will update our understanding of the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling process under extremely quiet geomagnetic conditions." For more science, check out this story about dust storms on Mars that glow purple with tiny sparks and then read about these spooky circles in space that are puzzling astronomers. Check out IGN's list of the top 10 best disaster movies ever made after that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

This week in GTA Online, claim double rewards in Air Freight Cargo Sell Missions, Stockpile, Air and Sea Races, and much more.

This week in GTA Online, claim double rewards in Air Freight Cargo Sell Missions, Stockpile, Air and Sea Races, and much more.

Hero Collector will be releasing a new series of collectibles called the Star Trek Universe Starship Collection, featuring high-quality replicas of starships from Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Discovery, and the upcoming Captian Pike series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Set to launch in April 2021, these hand-painted, die-cast starship models are meant to replicate their onscreen counterparts. Each one also comes with an in-depth magazine, including ship specs, behind-the-scenes info, and interviews with designers. The Star Trek Universe Starship Collection will be a monthly collection and Hero Collector has only revealed the first six starships - La Sirena, U.S.S Zheng He, Romulan Bird of Prey, Fenris Ranger Ship, Narek's Snakehead, and Romulan Bomber Warbird. You can see each starship and their full descriptions in the slideshow below. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-trek-universe-starship-collection&captions=true"] This collection was designed as a continuation of Hero Collector's Star Trek: Discovery Starships Collection, meaning these new starships will be at the same scale to keep collections compatible. Here are more details on each ship from Hero Collector: La Sirena: The hero ship of Star Trek: Picard, this Kaplan F17 Speed Freighter was hired by Jean-Luc Picard and helmed by Captain Rios, an ex-Starfleet officer himself. It was a discreet warp-capable ship, well-suited to the search for Soji Asha. U.S.S. Zheng He: An Inquiry-class starship, the U.S.S. Zheng He was touted as the toughest, fastest, most powerful ship Starfleet had ever put into service. William Riker returned from retirement to captain it into battle above the planet Coppelius. Romulan Bird-of-Prey: A retro callback to the classic Romulan designs of the Original Series, this antique Romulan starship was owned by the warlord Kar Kantar, and terrorized shipping throughout the Qiris Sector. Fenris Ranger Ship: A small, aggressively-armed one-person starship, this vessel was piloted by Seven of Nine in her work with the vigilante Fenris Rangers. She used it to come to the rescue of La Sirena when it came under fire in the Qiris Sector. Narek’s Snakehead: A nimble Romulan scout vessel, the Snakehead’s size belied its formidable armaments and cloaking capabilities. Narek flew this starship in pursuit of La Sirena, as it fled The Artifact. Romulan Bomber Warbird: A new class of Romulan starship, this sharp-edged, angular warbird was employed by both the Romulan Free State and the secretive Tal Shiar in their exploitation of The Artifact. These collectibles can be purchased as part of a subscription or individually, beginning with the La Sirena from Star Trek: Picard. They will be available from your favorite specialty retailers or direct from Eaglemoss Hero Collector. Fans can also register their interest or subscribe to the collection at Hero Collector. For more on Star Trek, check out our review of Picard's first season finale, the review of the finale of Star Trek: Discovery's third season, or the teases of Star Trek: Prodigy and Strange New Worlds from Comic-Con 2020. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/dig-into-the-specs-of-ds9s-classic-starship-the-uss-defiant"] [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.

Hero Collector will be releasing a new series of collectibles called the Star Trek Universe Starship Collection, featuring high-quality replicas of starships from Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Discovery, and the upcoming Captian Pike series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Set to launch in April 2021, these hand-painted, die-cast starship models are meant to replicate their onscreen counterparts. Each one also comes with an in-depth magazine, including ship specs, behind-the-scenes info, and interviews with designers. The Star Trek Universe Starship Collection will be a monthly collection and Hero Collector has only revealed the first six starships - La Sirena, U.S.S Zheng He, Romulan Bird of Prey, Fenris Ranger Ship, Narek's Snakehead, and Romulan Bomber Warbird. You can see each starship and their full descriptions in the slideshow below. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-trek-universe-starship-collection&captions=true"] This collection was designed as a continuation of Hero Collector's Star Trek: Discovery Starships Collection, meaning these new starships will be at the same scale to keep collections compatible. Here are more details on each ship from Hero Collector: La Sirena: The hero ship of Star Trek: Picard, this Kaplan F17 Speed Freighter was hired by Jean-Luc Picard and helmed by Captain Rios, an ex-Starfleet officer himself. It was a discreet warp-capable ship, well-suited to the search for Soji Asha. U.S.S. Zheng He: An Inquiry-class starship, the U.S.S. Zheng He was touted as the toughest, fastest, most powerful ship Starfleet had ever put into service. William Riker returned from retirement to captain it into battle above the planet Coppelius. Romulan Bird-of-Prey: A retro callback to the classic Romulan designs of the Original Series, this antique Romulan starship was owned by the warlord Kar Kantar, and terrorized shipping throughout the Qiris Sector. Fenris Ranger Ship: A small, aggressively-armed one-person starship, this vessel was piloted by Seven of Nine in her work with the vigilante Fenris Rangers. She used it to come to the rescue of La Sirena when it came under fire in the Qiris Sector. Narek’s Snakehead: A nimble Romulan scout vessel, the Snakehead’s size belied its formidable armaments and cloaking capabilities. Narek flew this starship in pursuit of La Sirena, as it fled The Artifact. Romulan Bomber Warbird: A new class of Romulan starship, this sharp-edged, angular warbird was employed by both the Romulan Free State and the secretive Tal Shiar in their exploitation of The Artifact. These collectibles can be purchased as part of a subscription or individually, beginning with the La Sirena from Star Trek: Picard. They will be available from your favorite specialty retailers or direct from Eaglemoss Hero Collector. Fans can also register their interest or subscribe to the collection at Hero Collector. For more on Star Trek, check out our review of Picard's first season finale, the review of the finale of Star Trek: Discovery's third season, or the teases of Star Trek: Prodigy and Strange New Worlds from Comic-Con 2020. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/dig-into-the-specs-of-ds9s-classic-starship-the-uss-defiant"] [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.

Mario and several of his friends have warp piped their way into Animal Crossing, and the endlessly artistic community has already turned a relatively simple catalog of new Mario furniture items into stunning island designs in a matter of days. If you haven't yet seen it, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is celebrating Mario's 35th anniversary with a slate of new Mario-themed items and costumes added to the game. These include, alongside outfits of Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Wario, a number of decorative items like nothing the game has had before. There are coins that can be "collected" by players, interactable items like Stars and Mushrooms, hovering blocks and giant mushrooms that can have items placed upon them, and most exciting of all -- a Warp Pipe that can transport you instantly to a second Warp Pipe placed elsewhere on your island. So, of course, the Animal Crossing community is already making some amazing creations, including yes, literal actual platforming courses:

AC is a Mario platformer game now#AnimalCrossing #ACNH pic.twitter.com/OpMVI6wYfL

— doom desire (@doom_mori) March 1, 2021

Mario courses like this don't just pop up overnight -- literally -- in Animal Crossing. All the Mario items are available through a separate tab of the Nook Shopping app, but the app limits you to ordering five items a day. Which means if you want to make elaborate courses like this, you need to time travel...a lot. Some players have used custom patterns on the ground to theme their outdoor levels in creative ways, like this area reminiscent of sky levels:

marvel at my mario world. #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/QR3ftkWxTB — Danielle Dungeonrunner (@D_Dungeonrunner) March 2, 2021

Or this amazing rendition of Rainbow Road:

レインボーロードを再現してみた#マリオカート8dx #マリオ家具 #どうぶつの森 #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/L55JG3qch5 — Beluz/ベルヅ (@Beluz_kintere) March 1, 2021

Or even a Mario Party recreation:

A recreation of the Lucky Space Event from "Mario Party 8" in New Horizons style ^o^ #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/kdaC231KIe — (@Mettuar30) March 2, 2021

Players aren't just making amazing outdoor courses -- there are also some really wonderful indoor set-ups being done in people's houses using the floor and wallpaper sets along with the Mario furniture items.

I have all the mario stuff!! #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/0rYxMnto8Q — KittyPie (@Ash_KittyPie) March 3, 2021

A few creators have gone beyond just recreating Mario 2D levels, and have used custom design prints to put together recreations of fan-favorite 3D spaces, like Peach's Castle: Some clever players aren't using the Mario items specifically to make Mario stages, but rather are getting clever with items like the Warp Pipes and floating blocks. The Warp Pipes, for instance, make island transit easier in ways that allow for interesting or beautiful designs that weren't possible before, given that they only take up about one "square" of space, while a ramp can take up several. Others noticed that the floating blocks can be used to make tunnels -- again, a feature that wasn't possible with the items and features available in the game previously. There are lots of other beautiful creations incorporating the Mario items, including several gorgeous mushroom forests and this clever use of Warp Pipes that appear to have ended up in the wrong video game entirely:

Made use of the new Mario pipes https://t.co/AAv3ZmLh1P pic.twitter.com/gtp1aVSKZs

— John Edwards (@EuclidianBoxes) March 2, 2021

Meanwhile, a few people are just using the Mario costumes to make "Mario" do goofy things in the Animal Crossing universe:

Mario routine #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/caqB7D0krh

— Rikrio (@RikrioTastroff) March 3, 2021

Smash Bros. players: Buff Mario! Buff Mario: #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/LeMwYREzIk

— Phøx McMint #BLM (@Phox_McMint) March 4, 2021

Finally, multiple creators have noticed that at least one popular Mario character seems to have been left out of the costuming options for this update: Waluigi. A few folks have tried to give the tennis-playing antagonist an appearance with custom clothing designs, and are using those designs to let their disappointment be known via meme format, like this one: Sorry, Waluigi. Maybe next time? (Please, Nintendo!) [poilib element="accentDivider"] Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.