Monthly Archives: May 2021

Deathloop’s Invasion PvP Mode Can Be Played Like a Co-Op Game

Deathloop may be most anticipated for its immersive sim take on a time loop, but developer Arkane is also using it as a place to experiment with new player versus player ideas – even allowing a game-invading player to become a co-op partner of sorts. PvP in Deathloop revisits some of the ideas created for The Crossing, Arkane's cancelled multiplayer game, so much so that the game could have taken on the same name. In Deathloop, PvP works akin to the Invasion mechanic of Dark Souls. A player controlling Julianna, the rival of main protagonist Colt, will spawn into another player’s campaign and attempt to kill them. Quite how they do that will be entirely up to them. “The multiplayer element is quite freeform,” explained Deathloop’s Game Director, Dinga Bakaba, as part of a recent press Q&A. “We don't incentivise 'winning' as Julianna that much. We see her more as an 'entertainer', so what we reward is playing with style, playing creatively, or playing cautiously, things like that.” That freeform approach means an invading player can simply headshot their rival the moment they see them, or stalk them through the map, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Particularly cruel Julianna players may want to wait right up until the moment that the person playing Colt is about to kill their target, and then attack and ruin their plans at the final moment. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/16/deathloop-two-birds-one-stone-gameplay-trailer"] All the way on the other end of the spectrum, some players may want to have their Julianna “be friendly” with Colt, essentially acting as a co-op partner – “Because why the f**k not?” said Bakaba. Julianna has been written as an ambiguous character with a connection to Colt, meaning both aggressive and allied playstyles will still make sense in the wider narrative. What's not clear right now is whether you'll be able purposely join a friend's game to help them out as Julianna – it may be that you can help other players, but that whose game you join is out of your hands. Regardless of your approach, Deathloop will score Julianna players based on their activities within a PvP session. Those points will unlock new tools for Julianna to use; she starts with next to nothing, but will soon earn new weapons, powers, upgrades, and trinkets. “Those rewards are randomised,” Bakaba revealed. “For instance, after playing three hours of Julianna, [you] will have a different character than mine. That's something that we do to ensure diversity in encounters.” PvP is also the only way to unlock cosmetic skins for both Julianna and Colt. “We figure that if you care about how you look in a first-person game, that's probably because you want to play with others, so that's why we reward you with them,” explained Bakaba. The concept for Julianna was born out of a wish for there to be an enemy called The Nemesis, which would never be in a predictable place on Deathloop’s Blackreef island. Over time, this idea evolved into a multiplayer component. “It's something that just came out of a weird brainstorm about this one NPC,” recounted Bakaba. “Someone said ‘What if you could play them?’, and then someone said ‘Like The Crossing?’. We went all in almost immediately.” The Crossing was an Arkane project from 2009, in which a single-player campaign was infused with multiplayer elements. It was ultimately cancelled, but this idea presented the perfect opportunity to bring back some of the project’s ideas. In fact, those elements almost dictated Deathloop’s identity. “At some point, [we] discussed calling this game The Crossing,” Bakaba revealed in a separate interview with IGN. “In the end marketing didn't go for it because Deathloop was so cool [as a title], but we tried The Crossing because you cross [Julianna] a lot. It was not the same Crossing, but it was still a crossing.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=deathloop-screenshots&captions=true"] Importantly, where The Crossing was all about the mesh of single and multiplayer, for Deathloop PvP is entirely optional. “Overall we really wanted this mode to be something we don't force the players to engage in,” said Bakaba. As such, you’ll be able to play Deathloop entirely offline should you choose, with Julianna played by an AI. “It’s something we really see more as an anecdote generator,” Bakaba said, further detailing its position as optional extra flavour to Deathloop’s main campaign. “That's why it's so freeform, and we're not about competition here. Of course some people will be competitive, but that's the charm of it. I don't know what kind of encounter it will be.”

For more from Arkane, check out our Deathloop preview, our discussion with Bakaba about Arkane's freedom to make games without the pressure of blockbuster sales, our Fan Fest interview with the developers, and why time loops are the new zombies.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest Begins June 10 With World Premiere Showcase

The season of summer games announcements is nearly upon us, as Geoff Keighley has officially announced the date of this year's Summer Game Fest, with festivities beginning on Thursday, June 10. Summer Game Fest will open with an event called Kick Off Live!, a livestreamed showcase taking place on June 10 at 11am PT/2pm ET/7pm UK across Twitch, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other major streaming services. The event will be hosted by Geoff Keighley, and promises to feature "more than a dozen world premieres and announcements from select publishers." Alongside new major announcements, Kick Off Live! will feature Day of the Devs, an indie games showcase headed up by iam8bit and Double Fine Productions. And it will also include a performance by Weezer, who will perform a new "stream safe game soundtrack song" that Summer Game Fest promises will be freely streamable across Twitch, YouTube, and "anywhere else without being blocked or losing monetization." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/07/ps5-xbox-series-x-e3-2021-predictions-next-gen-console-watch"] The event will continue over the course of June, with updates from the following publishers to be expected either within Kick Off Live! or at some other point during the full event: 2K, Activision, Amazon Games, Annapurna Interactive, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Battlestate Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Capcom, Devolver Digital, Dotemu, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Finji, Frontier, Gearbox Publishing, Hi-Rez Studios, Inner Sloth, Koch Media, Mediatonic, MiHoYo, PlayStation, Psyonix, Raw Fury, Riot Games, Saber Interactive, Sega, Steam, Square Enix, Tribeca Festival, Tencent Games, Warner Bros. Games, Ubisoft, Wizards of the Coast, and Xbox. A full calendar of free, live-streamed events associated with Summer Game Fest will be available on the official website. Though Summer Game Fest isn't technically part of E3, it comes in right before E3 starts on June 12. So far, Ubisoft has announced its own major event at the show, a number of other partners have confirmed their involvement, and EA has announced its annual event won't be until July. Summer Game Fest is also a distinct event from IGN's Summer of Gaming, which is partnered with E3 2021. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

Deathloop Director Isn’t Worried About Sales Pressure: ‘This Isn’t Fast Food. This is Cuisine’

Arkane is a well-regarded studio with games that rarely sell more than a couple million units. With big-budget games expected to sell tens of millions units, it's tough to be a boutique studio that continues to favor traditional packaged releases. But if Arkane is feeling pressure to make Deathloop a sales success in the wake of Dishonored 2, which reportedly saw a 40 percent drop in sales compared to the first game, it isn't showing it. Speaking with IGN, Deathloop director Dinga Bakaba says that Arkane has the full backing of Bethesda to chase its figurative creative bliss. "We want to give players something that they really enjoy. Something that they will remember. Something that they will talk about. Maybe something that they will hate, but at least something that doesn't leave them feeling... apathy, basically. Apathy is the enemy of what we do," Bakaba says. "This is not fast food. This is cuisine. So maybe you don't like the taste, but at least there is this taste. It has a personality." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/13/deathloop-official-launch-date-reveal-trailer"] Deathloop certainly has that. Cast a time loop adventure in the style of Hitchcock and Kill Bill, Deathloop grabbed attention for its unique structure and graphical style. Arkane showed Deathloop to press earlier this month, and the response has been extremely positive. It follows previous projects such as Prey and Dishonored 2, which were known for their creativity if not necessarily their mainstream appeal. Prey in particularly had a rough time of it owing to poor marketing and little lead time for reviews. Within 6 months of release it was on sale for $20. With Deathloop nearly complete, Bakaba expressed gratitude for Bethesda's support. "We are lucky that our publisher is actually like, 'Yeah! Do Arkane stuff! Do Arkane stuff! You are Arkane!' You know? So that's been really nice. Otherwise, a project like this could just not exist in the AAA space." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=deathloop-concept-art&captions=true"] The real pressure, ultimately, is to make an excellent game, Bakaba says, "not to run after the sales numbers." He's hopeful that will continue now that Arkane is a part of Xbox Game Studios, citing Game Pass as a potential positive. Bakaba doesn't go into details, but Game Pass has been a boon for some creators in the way that it encourages players to try out games they might otherwise ignore. For now though, Deathloop is a timed PS5 exclusive, and Bakaba sees reasons to be optimistic there as well. "Sony is not known to have shied away from original games and interesting concepts. Just, you know, Returnal, being one of our fellow exclusives on the platform, and before that, Death Stranding. Sony is never afraid of innovation and artistic vision."

One way or another, Arkane feels free to focus on creativity over audience expectations, and Deathloop reflects that. It'll be out on PS5 and PC on September 14. In the meantime, lots of new Deathloop coverage is out, so check out our look at how Deathloop's PvP can even become a co-op game, and our breakdown of why the game isn't a roguelike, it's supernatural Hitman.

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A New Batman Animated Series from Bruce Timm, Matt Reeves, and J.J. Abrams is Coming to HBO Max

Gotham is getting animated again. HBO Max and Cartoon Network have greenlit a straight-to-series order for Batman: Caped Crusader, a new animated series based on the DC property. The show boasts a trio of powerhouse executive producers in Bruce Timm, J.J. Abrams, and Matt Reeves. “We are beyond excited to be working together to bring this character back, to tell engrossing new stories in Gotham City," the three executive producers said in a joint statement. "The series will be thrilling, cinematic, and evocative of Batman’s noir roots while diving deeper into the psychology of these iconic characters. We cannot wait to share this new world.” [caption id="attachment_2515218" align="alignnone" width="1920"]Source: Warner Bros. Source: Warner Bros.[/caption] Timm is one of the primary minds behind DC's animated series, having co-created and produced the original Batman: The Animated Series through its three-year run beginning in 1992. Timm went on to co-create and produce Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, and Batman Beyond, the beginning of a decades-spanning career behind various animated films and television shows based on DC properties. Now, almost 30 years after the premiere of Batman: The Animated Series, Timm is returning to Gotham. “Batman: The Animated Series was a masterpiece that shaped the perception of the character for an entire generation of fans," said Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios president Sam Register. "It is in that spirit that we are bringing together three master storytellers in J.J., Matt, and Bruce – each with their own intuitive understanding and affection for the character – to create a new series that will continue in the same groundbreaking legacy.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-10-best-batman-animated-movies&captions=true"] Reeves has his own major connections to Batman, as he is directing Warner Bros.' upcoming reboot The Batman starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne, set to release in March 2022. Reeves will executive produce under his 6th & Idaho banner, while Abrams will executive produce under his studio Bad Robot. [poilib element="commerceDeal" parameters="slug=hbo-max-sign-up"] The entirety of Batman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond came to HBO Max back in January. For more about The Animated Series' legacy, read about how The Batman adopts the show's Batmobile design. [poilib element="accentDivider"] J. Kim Murphy is a freelance entertainment writer.

Harry Potter Getting a TV Series… But It’s a Quiz Show

Harry Potter is getting two Wizarding World TV specials as part of a five-night event on HBO Max. If you didn't pick up the latest issue of The Daily Prophet this morning, then you might have missed the news about WarnerMedia's plans for the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. According to The Hollywood Reporter, HBO Max will be playing host to an unscripted Harry Potter quiz show and a retrospective special, which will air over five nights on the streamer. The quiz show will see Harry Potter superfans competing to answer trivia questions faster than the speed of Hermione Granger's lightning-quick hand-raising in Professor Snape's potions class. The four one-hour challenges will take place over four consecutive days and will finish with a retrospective special, airing across HBO Max, Cartoon Network, and TBS, with international viewing plans to follow. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/26/what-is-hbo-max-doing-with-harry-potter"] "To celebrate the dedicated fans old and new who have passionately kept the Wizarding World magic alive in so many forms for decades, these exciting specials will celebrate their Harry Potter fandom in a must-see multiplatform TV event," Tom Ascheim, president of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics, said about the upcoming specials, which will feature some very special guests. "All Potter fans can gear up for this ultimate one-of-a-kind celebration by embracing their inner Hermione Granger and studying their Wizarding World knowledge," he added, extending an invitation for people to submit applications via WizardingWorld.com. "For fans who have always wanted to discover what it might be like to take the O.W.L. exams, this is as close as they are going to get!" Those watching from home may also want to scrub up on their spells and spend some time studying everything from their Snitches to their Quaffles, as the epic quiz competition series will also include an online play-along component for Muggles, aka non-magic folk, which promises to make the contest as challenging as the Quidditch World Cup, no matter where you are in the world. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-best-harry-potter-characters&captions=true"] This comes shortly after a report emerged about a Harry Potter TV series being in early development at HBO Max. Sources indicated that "broad ideas" for the project had been discussed, but that no deals had been made. HBO Max and Warner Bros. commented on the speculation, telling THR, "There are no Harry Potter series in development at the studio or on the streaming platform." However, it's possible that HBO Max and Warner Bros. were giving a response based on a very different definition of "in development" at the time as there have been talks of Harry Potter offshoots for a while. WarnerMedia chief Jason Kilar previously teased the expansion of the Wizarding World franchise for HBO Max and Warner Bros, noting a lot of "potential" for sequels and spinoffs. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

R.L. Stine’s Fear Street to Be Released as 3 Netflix Movies Over 3 Weeks

A Fear Street movie trilogy, based on R.L. Stine's book series, will be released on Netflix over three consecutive weeks, beginning on July 2. Netflix has revealed that scary season will arrive a little earlier this year as the streaming service will be playing host to "an epic summer movie event" comprising three Fear Street movies. The first of the trilogy, Fear Street Part 1: 1994, will drop on Friday, July 2, with Fear Street Part 2: 1978 coming just one week later on July 9, and the final installment, Fear Street Part 3: 1666, on July 16. The movie trilogy is directed by Leigh Janiak (Scream: The TV Series), and will introduce "a new brand of horror to the next generation," with the story told across three movies spanning more than 300 years. It opens in 1994, with a group of teenagers who discover that the terrifying events that have haunted their town for generations​ may all be connected — and that they may be the next targets. "We filmed all three Fear Street movies over one crazy, bloody summer," Janiak said of the production, which wrapped back in 2019. "It's a dream that audiences now get to experience the story in the same way - back to back to back, with only a week of waiting in between. I can't wait to welcome everyone into the world of Fear Street in 1994, 1978, and 1666!" [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=12-exciting-netflix-movies-coming-in-2021&captions=true"] "Fear Street fans are in for a treat--and some major surprises," R.L. Stine added. "Readers know that the book series is rated PG. But the movies are rated R. That means a lot more thrills--and a lot more terror! I have seen Leigh Janiak's epic trilogy releasing on Netflix in July and I can tell you the scares and the SCREAMS are more than I ever expected. What fun to see the horrors of Shadyside come to life!" At the very beginning of the year, Netflix vowed to release at least one new movie a week throughout 2021 for a total of at least 70. Fear Street was one of the projects announced as part of that line-up, together with several large-scale, star-driven movies like Red Notice and Don't Look Up, which both appeared on the streaming service's sizzle reel for its 2021 movie slate. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

The Fighting Game Glossary Is an Incredible Resource for New Players

Members of the fighting game community have revealed The Fighting Game Glossary, a new website that explores, defines and breaks down fighting game terminology for old and new players alike. FGC veteran Ricky, better known by his handle Infil (@Infilament on Twitter) led the project, and revealed it yesterday via a tweet. Per Infil, the glossary includes, “Over 650 terms carefully explained with 200+ video examples and Japanese translations. Easily search by term or game, share links to terms with your friends, and explore related concepts without losing your place”. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2013/11/18/killer-instinct-video-review"] According to a tweet from April, Infil has been working on the guide for 9 months at this point, and it looks like the time spent developing the guide has been well worth it. It's an easy-to-navigate site and, with the ability to search either by term or game name, users will easily and quickly be able to find the information, guide or advice they’re looking for. There’s even a term of the day on the homepage if you’re just looking for a quick new fighting game fix. Other prominent figures in the FGC, such as Maximilian Dood, have expressed their support for the guide. Infil is well known in the Fighting Game Community for his work on the excellent Killer Instinct guide. Infil has been focused on breaking down barriers for new players interested in fighting games, as the terminology associated with the genre can often be confusing and off-putting for new players. The Fighting Game Glossary definitely fits that bill. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/17/guilty-gear-strive-story-trailer"] If you’ve ever struggled to break into the fighting game scene, this might be the go-to guide for you. With Sony’s recent purchase of Evo, it’s likely that fighting games will continue to increase in popularity, so having a guide like this for new players and veterans alike will be useful moving forwards. The next major fighting game to launch will be Guilty Gear Strive, and it was recently revealed that members of the FGC were very impressed by the game’s netcode. Thankfully, there's plenty of Guilty Gear content already sitting on The Fighting Game Glossary for those looking to jump in. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Liam Wiseman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN, and loves all things Final Fantasy and Okami. You can follow him on Twitter @liamthewiseman

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Is Getting an amiibo That Helps with Traversal

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is getting a brand new Zelda and Loftwing amiibo that will help Link traverse the world of this Nintendo Switch remaster. In The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Link is able to use designated save points to travel from the surface to the sky and his trusty Loftwing. By using this new amiibo, which will release alongside the game on July 16, you can return to the sky whenever and wherever you wish. Screenshot_2021-05-18 800x450_WN_Zelda_Loftwing_amiibo webp (WEBP Image, 1920 × 1080 pixels) Once you are done flying through the clouds or visiting Skyloft, you can use the Zelda & Loftwing amiibo again to return to the spot on the surface where you previously used it. This new feature even works in dungeons on the surface and from within buildings in the sky. There is no mention if this functionality is available without amiibo, but it appears this may be an advantage for those who are able to get their hands on one. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/19/the-legend-of-zelda-skyward-sword-introducing-the-zelda-loftwing-amiibo-trailer"] The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is a remaster of the the 2011 Wii title and, while it keeps and improves the original's motion controls, it adds a new button-only controller scheme that will allow for play in handheld mode. The Zelda & Loftwing amiibo joins the Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword-themed Joy-Con that will also release on July 16 and are modeled after the Master Sword and Hylian Shield. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/02/17/the-legend-of-zelda-skyward-sword-hd-nintendo-switch-announcement-trailer"] [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.

Everything Announced at Google I/O 2021

Google I/O is usually a developer heavy event with talk about coding and data, but if you’re looking for the biggest platform updates and new features you’ve come to the right place. We’ve stripped out all really existential talk about Pluto and paper airplanes and the odd Michael Peña cameo to give you only the biggest announcement's from Google's developer conference. Android 12

Android 12

Android 12 is shaking things up with the biggest UI redesign in years called Material You. The new design adds color to buttons, elements, and even your home screen background. Android 12 essentially sets a custom palette of one dominant color and multiple complementary ones based on your wallpaper, changing the overall mood of your entire smartphone. Meanwhile, buttons and other elements on your screen will be larger and rounded than previously. The pull-down Quick Settings, for example, is displayed as two columns of large buttons for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Flashlight, and other settings that were previously just a little icon. Aside from the new UI, Android 12 brings plenty of new features including a privacy dashboard, a new way to trigger Google Assistant, and more. Be sure to check out our article on Android 12 for more or download the Android 12 beta that’s available starting today onto your Google Pixel device. Wear OS Tizen

Wear OS x Tizen

Most smartwatches (that aren’t Apple Watches) come running either Wear OS or Tizen and now Google is combining the two. Essentially, this merger allows Galaxy Watches to load Google Maps, Google Pay, and all the apps from the Google Play Store. Supposedly, Wear OS mingling with Tizen will also improve battery life too. It should be interesting to see the next Samsung Galaxy Watch running the new Tizen Wear OS hybrid. Additionally, Google plans on introducing Fitbit exercise tracking features into Wear OS. Google also announced its plans to design Wear OS-based devices this fall.

Android Auto remote

Google is adding digital car key support for Android. While the search company didn’t say exactly what companies it's working with, it showed a splash page of brands including Dodge, BMW, Chevrolet, Honda, Buick, Ford, Audi, Jeep, Chrysler, Cadillac, Volkswagen, and Renault. Android car key is designed to work with NFC and Ultra Wideband, and you’ll even be able to share it with a friend. It launches on Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices later this fall. The ability to use your Android device as an Android TV remote will also come soon. Cinematic Photos

Google Photos

Apple has had short-movie like Live Photos for a while now and Android users are finally getting the feature with Cinematic photos. Essentially this feature takes any burst shots you’ve captured, fills in any large transitional gaps, and animates them into short clips. Google is also working on making updates to its camera and photometry software to capture skin tones more accurately in images.

Private Google Photos folders

Google Photos is getting a new feature called Locked Folder that lets you hide pictures on your general camera roll and stops apps from seeing them. If you want to hide that new puppy from your kids or stop your date from seeing any revealing photos, you can throw them all into a password-protected locked folder to stop them from showing up in your main photo feed. Google Maps

More detailed Google Maps

Google Maps is pretty great as it is already but now Google is making them more detailed with added sidewalks, crosswalks, and pedestrian paths. It’s all thanks to machine learning translating satellite imagery into detailed Google Maps. Google says detailed maps for 50 cities will launch by the end of the year. On top of better, more detailed maps, Google Maps will soon add more routing options for drivers. Instead of just giving users the fastest possible driving route, a new “safer routing” option will factor in road conditions, weather, and traffic to give you a path with fewer sudden stops to help you avoid getting into an accident. Meanwhile, another Eco-Friendly Route option picks roads and a route that’s most fuel-efficient for your vehicle. [youtube clip_id="Q13CishCKXY"]

Project Starline

Google’s latest crack at video calling after Hangouts, Meets, and Duo. Project Starline is at least introducing something innovative by essentially creating holograms using high-resolution cameras and cutting-edge compression to create 3D models. Meanwhile, users sit and talk to the other person through a half window that displays the other person with such fidelity that they look like they're actually there. It's all pretty impressive. [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 SEO Updates Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

2K’s NFL Arcade Game Delayed Past March 2022

2K's upcoming NFL arcade game has been delayed. Originally set to release this year, 2K announced that its upcoming untitled NFL arcade game has been pushed out of fiscal year 2022. This places the game's release date to beyond March of next year. "While we are very excited to once again be working with the NFL and NFLPA, our first title under these new partnerships is no longer expected to be released during fiscal year 2022," a statement from 2K reads. "2K will have more to share on their plans for our football offerings going forward." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/10/nfl-2k-isnt-really-coming-back-ign-now"] This news comes by way of publisher Take-Two Interactive's full-year financial results that were released today. These results revealed that the publisher has plans to release a total of 21 games between now and the end of its fiscal year in March 2022. None of those 21 games are likely to be Grand Theft Auto 6, nor will they be 2K's first foray back into NFL games in years. When 2K's NFL arcade game was announced as in development, the company said it will be working on "non-simulation football game experiences," meaning the games will not be like EA's Madden football games, which has the simulation football video game experience cornered quite well. When this 2K NFL arcade game releases presumably next year, it will be the first time in well over a decade that anyone but EA has released an NFL football video game. The last non-EA NFL game was 2K's extremely well-received, aggressively-priced ESPN NFL 2K5 back in 2004. After that release, EA signed a long-term exclusive deal with the NFL. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2004/06/21/espn-nfl-2k5-xbox-gameplay-2004-06-21-2"] It's unknown when this game will release, but it is now known that fans shouldn't expect to play it before April of next year. When asked for details about the untitled game when it was originally announced, 2K said the goal is "always authenticity, depth, fun, and as it relates to these titles — approachable and social football experiences." The company also said it believes this game is "a good opportunity to service a more casual market, and our research shows there's an appetite for that." As far as what that means for platforms, that's currently unknown. While waiting to learn more about this game, check out our thoughts on the only NFL game released last year in IGN's Madden NFL 21 review. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes