Monthly Archives: August 2021

Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel Will Feature Over 10,000 Cards – Gamescom 2021

Konami Digital Entertainment has revealed that Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel will feature more than 10,000 cards to unlock and build into your deck.

The staggering library of cards includes icons such as Dark Magician, Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and Exodia the Forbidden One. All can be seen in the new Master Duel trailer, which can be watched below.

Alongside those iconic cards will be a huge range of other monsters, spells, traps, and more, drawn from Yu-Gi-Oh's two-decade-long legacy.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is based on the official trading card game, which itself is based on the Duel Monsters game featured in the popular Yu-Gi-Oh! manga and anime series.

For more from this week's huge gaming event, be sure to check out our Gamescom 2021 schedule.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel Will Feature Over 10,000 Cards – Gamescom 2021

Konami Digital Entertainment has revealed that Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel will feature more than 10,000 cards to unlock and build into your deck.

The staggering library of cards includes icons such as Dark Magician, Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and Exodia the Forbidden One. All can be seen in the new Master Duel trailer, which can be watched below.

Alongside those iconic cards will be a huge range of other monsters, spells, traps, and more, drawn from Yu-Gi-Oh's two-decade-long legacy.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is based on the official trading card game, which itself is based on the Duel Monsters game featured in the popular Yu-Gi-Oh! manga and anime series.

For more from this week's huge gaming event, be sure to check out our Gamescom 2021 schedule.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.

Xbox Games With Gold for September 2021 Announced

Microsoft has announced that the Games with Gold for September 2021 include Warhammer: Chaosbane, Mulaka, Zone of the Enders HD Collection, and Samurai Shodown II.

As detailed on Xbox Wire, all Xbox Live Gold members and those with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will be able to play these games as soon as they are available, beginning with Warhammer: Chaosbane and Zone of the Enders HD Collection on September 1.

Warhammer: Chaosbane will be available on Games with Gold from September 1-30 and is an action-RPG with four classes to choose from and a mission to save a "world ravaged by war and dominated by magic." It is the first hack-and-slash game in the Warhammer universe and supports co-op locally and online.

In our Warhammer: Chaosbane review, we said that it "can stand proudly alongside some of the best games that have used the foreboding, Gothic Old World as a setting."

Zone of the Enders HD Collection is an Xbox 360 backward compatibility title and includes both Zone of the Enders and Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner. For those unaware, Hideo Kojima was a producer on both games. It will be part of Games with Gold from September 1-15.

In our Zone of the Enders HD Collection review, we said that "these aerial brawlers cleaned up nicely ten years later. Both Zone of the Enders titles do interesting things, but The 2nd Runner is a forgotten classic that holds up unquestionably better than the first game in the series."

Mulaka will be available from September 16 - October 15 and is an action-adventure game that is based on the indigenous culture of the Tarahumara people of Mexico. Players will become a local shaman named Sukurúame and will need to use the power of the demigods while solving puzzles defeating foes in a land "inspired by real Sierra locations."

Samurai Shodown II is another Xbox 360 backward compatibility title that will join Games with Gold from September 16-30 and follows the release of 2019's Samurai Shodown. This game allows you to utilize the Rage System and Weapon Breaking Attack features to battle 15 playable fighters in weapon-based combat.

In our Samurai Shodown II review, we said, "I wouldn't go so far as to say that this sequel is far and away superior to the original, as I find nostalgia to be much more of a positive factor for Samurai Shodown I than it is for this less well-known follow-up. But loyal fans of the franchise will often point to Samurai Shodown II as the best in the series, citing flaws and mistakes introduced in later sequels."

While you wait for these games to arrive, don't forget that Darksiders 3, Yooka-Laylee, and Garou: Mark of the Wolves are still available as part of August 2021's Games with Gold.

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.

Xbox Games With Gold for September 2021 Announced

Microsoft has announced that the Games with Gold for September 2021 include Warhammer: Chaosbane, Mulaka, Zone of the Enders HD Collection, and Samurai Shodown II.

As detailed on Xbox Wire, all Xbox Live Gold members and those with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will be able to play these games as soon as they are available, beginning with Warhammer: Chaosbane and Zone of the Enders HD Collection on September 1.

Warhammer: Chaosbane will be available on Games with Gold from September 1-30 and is an action-RPG with four classes to choose from and a mission to save a "world ravaged by war and dominated by magic." It is the first hack-and-slash game in the Warhammer universe and supports co-op locally and online.

In our Warhammer: Chaosbane review, we said that it "can stand proudly alongside some of the best games that have used the foreboding, Gothic Old World as a setting."

Zone of the Enders HD Collection is an Xbox 360 backward compatibility title and includes both Zone of the Enders and Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner. For those unaware, Hideo Kojima was a producer on both games. It will be part of Games with Gold from September 1-15.

In our Zone of the Enders HD Collection review, we said that "these aerial brawlers cleaned up nicely ten years later. Both Zone of the Enders titles do interesting things, but The 2nd Runner is a forgotten classic that holds up unquestionably better than the first game in the series."

Mulaka will be available from September 16 - October 15 and is an action-adventure game that is based on the indigenous culture of the Tarahumara people of Mexico. Players will become a local shaman named Sukurúame and will need to use the power of the demigods while solving puzzles defeating foes in a land "inspired by real Sierra locations."

Samurai Shodown II is another Xbox 360 backward compatibility title that will join Games with Gold from September 16-30 and follows the release of 2019's Samurai Shodown. This game allows you to utilize the Rage System and Weapon Breaking Attack features to battle 15 playable fighters in weapon-based combat.

In our Samurai Shodown II review, we said, "I wouldn't go so far as to say that this sequel is far and away superior to the original, as I find nostalgia to be much more of a positive factor for Samurai Shodown I than it is for this less well-known follow-up. But loyal fans of the franchise will often point to Samurai Shodown II as the best in the series, citing flaws and mistakes introduced in later sequels."

While you wait for these games to arrive, don't forget that Darksiders 3, Yooka-Laylee, and Garou: Mark of the Wolves are still available as part of August 2021's Games with Gold.

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.

Halo Infinite’s PC Requirements Have Been Released

Microsoft and 343 Industries have announced the full PC system requirements for Halo Infinite.

As listed on Halo Infinite's Steam page, the minimum and recommended system specs are:

Minimum:

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 10 RS3 x64
  • Processor: AMD FX-8370 or Intel i5-4440
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: AMD RX 570 or Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Storage: 50 GB available space

Recommended:

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 10 19H2 x64
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel i7-9700k
  • Memory: 16 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Radeon RX 5700 XT or Nvidia RTX 2070
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Storage: 50 GB available space

Additionally, the Steam page also states that Halo Infinite on PC will support "advanced graphics settings", ultrawide and super ultrawide resolution support, and triple-key binds for features such as dynamic scaling and variable framerates. "Halo Infinite is the best Halo experience on PC to date," the page states.

These specifications are largely similar to those required for the Halo Infinite multiplayer technical preview held a few weeks ago, so if you were able to play that then you should be good to go.

Halo Infinite releases on Xbox and PC this December. The news was announced at Gamescom 2021, alongside the reveal of a new limited edition Halo Xbox console. While Halo Infinite may launch this year, it will not have campaign co-op or the Forge until next year.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.

Fortnite Is Getting a Martin Luther King Experience

Epic Games and Time Studios have teamed up to create Fortnite March Through Time, an all-new experience that pays homage to the life and achievements of Nobel Peace Prize recipient and civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.

Developed by members of the Fortnite Community and available as of today, the new experience allows players to witness Dr. Martin Luther King's full "I Have a Dream" speech in-game. Details of the game mode were shared on the PlayStation Blog, which states that players taking part in the experience will travel to a reimagined Washington DC at the Lincoln Memorial and US National Mall, where Dr. King originally gave his speech in 1963.

The experience also includes museum-inspired points of interest and mini-quests that players can undertake alongside one another. Those who fully complete the March Through Time experience will gain access to an in-game reward in the form of a D.C. 63 spray for their lockers.

In addition to the game's new March Through Time experience, Fortnite recently also launched a new Impostors mode. With lobbies up to ten players, the game mode draws upon similar mechanics to the indie title Among Us. Situated on a new map known as The Bridge, fans of the title are split into teams of eight agents and two imposters who are then pitted against one another in a battle of wits and nerve.

Whilst many Fortnite fans have flocked towards the new game mode, the feelings haven't all been positive - a number of Among Us developers took to Twitter upon Impostors release to share their feelings about the similarities between the two games. For more on Fortnite, make sure to check out our dedicated IGN page where you can access a range of the game's latest news, clips, and trailers.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Netflix’s Gaming Service Now Available, But Only If You Live in Poland

We already knew that Netflix is planning to branch into gaming, and it's taken another big step forward. Today, the streaming giant announced that subscribers with an Android device can now try out its gaming service. Unfortunately, this feature is currently only available to Netflix subscribers that live in Poland.

As noted in a recent Twitter thread, Netflix announced two games available right now in its gaming library: Stranger Things: The Game and Stranger Things 3: The Game. Both games are playable only on Android devices, but are seemingly installed and played within the Netflix app.

Users can expect no ads or in-app purchases when trying out the feature, and Netflix reaffirmed that it will not charge an additional fee to access games in its service. Netflix also notes that the feature is in "its very, very early days," with more work to be done to refine its gaming service in the coming months.

It is no surprise that Netflix announced the first two games select subscribers can test out are mobile. In July, ahead of its quarterly financial earnings, Netflix confirmed it was focusing on mobile games first. The company also noted that it would be building on top of its earlier efforts around interactive shows like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.

That same month, Netflix also announced that ex-EA and Facebook Executive Mike Verdu was hired as the company's vice president of game development.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

The Matrix Resurrections: Lilly Wachowski Explains Why She Didn’t Want to Co-Direct

Lilly Wachowski, the co-director of the original Matrix trilogy, has clarified why she didn't return to helm the newest entry in the franchise.

Speaking at Showtime's TCA panel on Wednesday, per The Wrap, Wachowski addressed her lack of involvement in The Matrix Resurrections, explaining that she found the idea of "going backwards" in her career "expressly unappealing" and that she struggled to find the motivation to return to the franchise following some major shifts in her personal life.

"I didn't want to have gone through my transition and gone through this massive upheaval in my life, the sense of loss from my mom and dad, to want to go back to something that I had done before and sort of walk over old paths that I had walked in, felt emotionally unfulfilling and really the opposite," Wachowski explained. "Like I was going to go back and live in these old shoes in a way. And I didn't want to do that."

Wachowski last worked on a movie with her sister, Lana, who is solo directing the fourth Matrix entry, on Jupiter Ascending in 2015. She admitted that she had felt "completely exhausted" from working back-to-back on Cloud Atlas and Jupiter Ascending and then moving immediately on to the first season of the Netflix series Sense8.

"My world was like falling apart, to some extent, even while I was like, you know, cracking out of my egg. So I needed this time away from this industry," she said. "I needed to, like, reconnect to myself as an artist. And I did that by going back to school and painting and stuff. And I made that decision. So I started painting that summer with my mom and then Lana got the call from Netflix that they wanted to order up another season. And I said, 'I can't do it.'"

Warner Bros. debuted the first official footage of the fourth entry in The Matrix series during its CinemaCon presentation on Tuesday. The studio also officially confirmed that the title of the long-awaited sequel is The Matrix Resurrections. For more about the upcoming sequel, here's a rundown of everything else that we know about the first Matrix film since 2003.

Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

The Designer of NES and SNES Has Left Nintendo

Lance Barr, the designer of the NES and SNES, has left Nintendo after well over three decades working with the company.

As spotted by Nintendo Life, the veteran designer updated his LinkedIn profile, confirming that he'd left his role at Nintendo after almost thirty-nine years with the company. After joining the company in 1982, Barr was credited with successfully redesigning the Japanese Famicom and Super Famicom for the North American market, giving birth to the NES and SNES.

A 1Up report in 2011 looked back at Barr's work on the NES and its prototype, the Nintendo Advanced Video System (AVS), which was shown off during the 1985 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, before being later replaced. Prior to being scrapped, Barr had worked on the designs for the AVS, which came paired with a piano keyboard, and futuristic-looking pistols.

Speaking in the report, Nintendo executive Don James said "[Nintendo] knew that the Advanced Video System was probably going to be too expensive for consumers to really jump into it at a reasonable rate," said James. "And so they had cost-engineered the unit back to what we currently know as the lunch box." Some of the designs in the AVS made it through to what became the NES. Whilst quirkier features such as the integrated keyboard were scrapped, the AVS's pistols were eventually reimagined in the form of the NES Zapper.

Speaking to Nintendojo in 2005 Barr spoke about his time working on the redesigns for the NES and bringing what was once the Japanese Famicon to North American audiences. "After the first public showing in the US at the Consumer Electronics Show, I was asked to redesign the case based on new engineering requirements. To reduce costs, the wireless function was eliminated, as well as some of the modular components such as the keyboard and data recorder." Barr said.

"But the biggest change was the orientation and size requirements to accommodate a new edge connector for inserting the games. The new edge connecter was a "zero force" design that allowed the game to be inserted with low force and then rotated down into the "contact" position. The case had to be designed around the movement of the game, and required the shape and size of the NES to grow from the earlier concepts. Many of the features remained, such as the two-tone color, left and right side cuts, and overall "boxy" look, but the proportions change significantly to accommodate the new edge connector."

Barr's LinkedIn profile notes that he has retired from his position at Nintendo as of July 2021 in order to move onto other unnamed projects.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

eFootball Is Going to Launch Without Some of Its New Mechanics

Konami's free-to-play replacement for Pro Evolution Soccer, eFootball, is set to launch without some of its new mechanics.

In a press release sent out by Konami, the company has delivered new gameplay details for eFootball which state that a number of its new mechanics will be added in an update after launch.

Konami has plans to include a feature that will allow PS5 players to make use of the Dualsense's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers when controlling players' movements in the game. However, this is just one of a number of features that won't be available until after launch.

Other features that won't arrive in eFootball until a post-launch update include the ability to trick defenders through greater freedom in how players trap the ball and the option to perform a "sharp kick" - a new type of special move which will release combined with new animations. After an update, players will be able to charge up the new special kicks to execute different shots, passes, and crosses on the pitch though these will take more time to execute and according to the studio, should be saved until the right opportunity presents itself during a match.

Despite the setbacks, a number of eFootball's new features will make it in for launch. Fans will be able to experience advanced techniques for regaining possession from opponents where players throw their bodies towards the ball to block a shot or intercept a pass. Further features that will make it into the game for launch include the use of motion-tracking technology to create more realistic 1v1 duels during a match, a new "Duel" camera that zooms in during a 1v1 situation, and more.

Seitaro Kimura, eFootball™ series Producer at Konami Digital Entertainment spoke about the upcoming title and its ambitions moving into the future. He said, “With so much change this year, we believe it is important that people first understand the feel of our football game on the pitch – highly realistic and grounded in a clear passion for real-world football. Decades of experience developing PES and Winning Eleven titles have been poured into eFootball with the aim of reaching a massive audience of football fans around the world. This is the start of a unique journey and we have big plans for the future."

Konami had previously commented on the game's limited launch, telling fans that the game's early autumn launch will not contain any microtransactions but confirmed that some content would be missing during its initial release.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter where he is often seen supporting the northern powerhouse known as Merseyside Red.