Electronic Arts will shut down online services for several games next year, including Mirror’s Edge, NBA Jam: On Fire Edition, Gatling Gears, and Shank 2.

First spotted by Trueachievements, the specific date for the server shutdowns for these games is January 19, 2023. There are two Achievements that will be affected by server closure in NBA Jam: On Fire Edition and they are Arena Noob and Arena Vet, which requires players to earn one and ten Arena medals, respectively. Mirror’s Edge, Gatling Gears, and Shank 2 don’t have any Achievements that require online access, so unlocking them after the shutdowns will be possible.

EA is also shutting down more online servers this year, including ones for several Command & Conquer games on November 9, as well as Onrush on November 30. EA recently updated its list of service updates to contain:

October 20, 2022

• Army of Two: The 40th Day
• Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel
• Dragon Age: Origins (Multiplayer Screenshots Server)

November 9, 2022

• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
• Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
• Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath
• Mercenaries 2: World in Flames

November 30, 2022

• Onrush

January 19, 2023

• Mirror's Edge
• NBA Jam: On Fire Edition
• Gatling Gears
• Shank 2

Other than EA, other companies have also shut down servers for old games, such as Ubisoft with its older Assassin’s Creed games earlier this month.

The most recognizable of these games, Mirror’s Edge, was first released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2008. It came to PC in 2009. A reboot of the game, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst, launched in 2016 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Unfortunately, there haven’t been any words about new entries in the franchise. Last year, EA France posted something about Mirror’s Edge, possibly hinting at a new game, but later clarified that it wasn’t a tease for anything.

George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @yinyangfooey

Good news: as of today our review of God of War: Ragnarok is officially underway, and Odin willing, you'll be able to read it here on Thursday, November 3 at 9:00AM PDT / 12:00PM EDT / 4:00PM GMT / 5:00PM CEST. If you're counting, that's six days ahead of Ragnarok's November 9 release date. It's being tackled by our own Simon Cardy, who you may remember from such reviews as Overwatch 2, Horizon: Forbidden West, and his annual drubbings of FIFA Legendary Edition on Switch.

That's about all we can say for the moment, but we'll have some spoiler-free thoughts on the first hours to share this Friday at 6am PT, so check back soon! In the meantime, please weigh in on this crucial question:

Now that that's out of the way, let's look back at what we thought of the previous game for a reminder on why we're so excited to play the new one:

And finally, some Ragnarok eye candy:

See you back here in a couple of weeks!

Good news: as of today our review of God of War: Ragnarok is officially underway, and Odin willing, you'll be able to read it here on Thursday, November 3 at 9:00AM PDT / 12:00PM EDT / 4:00PM GMT / 5:00PM CEST. If you're counting, that's six days ahead of Ragnarok's November 9 release date. It's being tackled by our own Simon Cardy, who you may remember from such reviews as Overwatch 2, Horizon: Forbidden West, and his annual drubbings of FIFA Legendary Edition on Switch.

That's about all we can say for the moment, but we'll have some spoiler-free thoughts on the first hours to share this Friday at 6am PT, so check back soon! In the meantime, please weigh in on this crucial question:

Now that that's out of the way, let's look back at what we thought of the previous game for a reminder on why we're so excited to play the new one:

And finally, some Ragnarok eye candy:

See you back here in a couple of weeks!

While most original iPhone owners tore open their boxes back in 2007 to use the revolutionary piece of tech, one person who didn't is now reaping nearly $40,000 in profit.

As reported by GameSpot, a factory-sealed, original iPhone from 2007 just sold for $39,339.60 in an online action. The 8GB model originally sold for $599, earning the patient owner $38,740.

"This factory sealed, first-release example is in exceptional condition," the listing read. "Virtually flawless along the surface and edges, the factory seal is clean with correct seam details and tightness.

"It quickly became Apple’s most successful product, forever changed the smartphone industry, and was named the Time Magazine Invention of the Year in 2007."

The original iPhone came with 16 pre-installed apps with no way to get more due to there not being an App Store, including Phone, Text, Camera, Calculator, Weather, and more. It was only available in 4GB and 8GB variants, a far cry from today's iPhone 14 which has a minimum of 128GB and maximum of 1TB.

In our 9/10 review of Apple's latest, IGN said: "The iPhone 14 Pro is one of the most substantial refreshes to the iPhone formula, with a 48MP camera, always on-display, and spiffy Dynamic Island animations."

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

While most original iPhone owners tore open their boxes back in 2007 to use the revolutionary piece of tech, one person who didn't is now reaping nearly $40,000 in profit.

As reported by GameSpot, a factory-sealed, original iPhone from 2007 just sold for $39,339.60 in an online action. The 8GB model originally sold for $599, earning the patient owner $38,740.

"This factory sealed, first-release example is in exceptional condition," the listing read. "Virtually flawless along the surface and edges, the factory seal is clean with correct seam details and tightness.

"It quickly became Apple’s most successful product, forever changed the smartphone industry, and was named the Time Magazine Invention of the Year in 2007."

The original iPhone came with 16 pre-installed apps with no way to get more due to there not being an App Store, including Phone, Text, Camera, Calculator, Weather, and more. It was only available in 4GB and 8GB variants, a far cry from today's iPhone 14 which has a minimum of 128GB and maximum of 1TB.

In our 9/10 review of Apple's latest, IGN said: "The iPhone 14 Pro is one of the most substantial refreshes to the iPhone formula, with a 48MP camera, always on-display, and spiffy Dynamic Island animations."

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Doctor Strange 2 was already pretty dark… but Cumberbatch apparently suggested making it even darker. During an interview with Prestige, the Marvel star revealed that he wrote some of the scenes featuring Doctor Strange variants, and that he worked to make some of the scenes less "saccharine."

“I suggested that it needed to get darker at a point,” he said. “There was a slightly more saccharine version at one stage and I’m really happy with the way it evolved. Sam Raimi was so game for it and Michael Waldron really supported me to write it as well.”

One of the more ‘saccharine’ versions may well have been ‘Marvellous Melvyn’ – a rather tame version of Doctor Strange that existed in one of the multiverse’s infinite worlds, where he was little more than a performer of stage magic.

But while concept art of Marvellous Melvyn was produced, the character was eventually cut.

“We turned what was a very small combat between the two into a sort of very bizarre and inventive battle in that moment,” said Cumberbatch. “I really loved it. It was how the original was pitched to me a long while back when Scott Derrickson was still working with us: Strange would meet versions of himself. It was something I wanted to lean into. We could have gone even further, and maybe it will go into the future. Who knows what other versions we might need in the multiverse chapter of the MCU? But it was very enjoyable to play all the variants of myself.”

Cumberbatch also talked about how much he enjoyed playing against versions of himself, and that he even helped to write some of the scenes.

“That was the most fun bit,” he said about acting with himself. “I absolutely loved it, and it sounds so egotistical – but there we go, that’s what actors are – but I loved doing the scenes with myself because of the challenge of it. And I got to write some of those scenes.”

Unfortunately, it’s unknown which scene Cumberbatch wrote himself… but those Strange variants sure were pretty dark. Along with Zombie Strange and Strange Supreme (who was killed by the Illuminati after he became too powerful), we also saw Sinister Strange, complete with a third eye and delusions of grandeur.

Whether or not we’ll eventually see even darker Strange variants remains to be seen… but it looks as though Cumberbatch isn’t so fussed about pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

Want to read more about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? Check out which Marvel character Scarlet Witch wants to team up with and find out more about the scrapped Fantastic 4 post-credits scene.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon producer and Ryu Ga Gotoku studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama has revealed One Piece to be one of the game's biggest influences, saying its cast was effectively based on Luffy and his crew.

Speaking to Crunchyroll, Yokoyama said the long-running manga and anime series was on his mind during the entire writing process, resulting in Like a Dragon being essentially Yakuza: One Piece in his mind.

"I’ve never really talked about this before, so I’m not sure if I should just go for it now, but for [Like a Dragon] I was really, really inspired by One Piece," Yokoyama said. "To me, Ichiban is basically Luffy. And around him there’s Zoro and Nami and basically the rest of the party. One Piece’s party composition was on my mind so much during writing that it was a massive influence."

He added: "This is definitely not official, but in my own heart, [Like a Dragon] was basically my ideal version of what would be Yakuza: One Piece. That’s how I got the inspiration to make it."

The influence even bled into Like a Dragon's promotional material. "If I recall correctly, even the catch copy for [Like a Dragon] was something like ‘Life is an adventure,’ with the keyword being ‘adventure', Yokoyama added. "You can definitely feel the One Piece inspiration coming through there."

It makes sense in retrospect, as Like a Dragon was a lighter take on the Yakuza series that featured a protagonist who could switch between being a badass and goofball, much like Luffy from One Piece.

The manga is finally approaching its end after more than 1,000 chapters and 25 years, though the franchise will likely continue to grow. Netflix is currently working on a live action series with some incredible sets that recreate the manga's weird and wonderful pirate ships, a new video game is coming in January, and a card game is also in development and expected to be released this winter.

Given Yokoyama's inspiration, it will also somewhat live on in Yakuza 8 (officially rebranded as Like a Dragon 8), which continues the story of Ichiban Kasuga.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Kanye West is buying Parler, the self-styled "uncancelable free speech platform" that has been removed from Apple and Google app stores on multiple occasions.

Parlement Technologies said in a press release that the firm had reached an agreement in principle to sell the platform to West, who now goes by the name Ye. The two parties are expected to close on the deal during the fourth quarter of 2022, though Parler did not disclose how much the platform will be purchased for.

"In a world where conservative opinions are considered to be controversial we have to make sure we have the right to freely express ourselves," West said in a statement. Parler's parent company expressed optimism over the proposed acquisition, noting that it would help create "an uncancelable ecosystem where all voices are welcome."

West has faced restrictions on social media platforms several times in the past, most recently on Twitter and Instagram. According to the LA Times, the rapper was suspended from both of his accounts just over a week ago after he allegedly violated platform rules by posting a series of antisemitic statements. This move will be seen by many as a way to make similar statements without official rebuke.

Both Apple and Google have previously removed Parler from their respective app stores, citing increasing and unmoderated calls for violence from its users leading up to the riots at the Capitol building in January 2021. After an extended period of expulsion, Parler returned to both app stores.

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

We've gotten some new details about the plot of the long-awaited Attack the Block 2, with Moses (John Boyega) taking on gentrification and getting older as well as, presumably, another alien invasion.

During an interview with Deadline, Boyega reveals that gentrification has hit some of the original film’s locations, and that’s going to be a big part of the Attack the Block sequel.

“We go back and look at the locations where we shot the first movie [Southwark and Walworth in south London] — once dodgy areas — and we find that it’s all gleaming, high-end apartments and Starbucks,” he revealed. “There’s a whole world that we’re about to explore here with a whole new take on that universe, building and revisiting those characters.”

Attack the Block debuted in 2011, so a lot has changed since we first saw Moses (Boyega), Sam (Jodie Whittaker) and more fighting off alien invaders in South London. It was Boyega's first major role, and catapulted him to stardom, including a major role in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. The Attack the Block sequel was announced last year, with Boyega set to return and even produce this time around.

“It's been a decade since Attack The Block was released and so much has changed since then," he said in a statement at the time. “I'm excited to see this heightened story return to the streets of London. Moses has remained one of my favorite characters to play and bringing him back is a huge honor.”

According to Boyega, the sequel picks up as Moses is now nearing 30, and London has “changed between the first movie and now”. It’s unclear how much Moses has changed in the process, but the gentrification of South London has been a regular headline in the UK press for years, with areas such as Brixton seeing locals pushed out of the area as house prices and amenities become too high for locals to live there.

How much this affects Attack the Block 2's wider plot remains to be seen. But it’s an interesting premise that’s already on a lot of Londoners’ minds.

IGN’s Attack the Block review said: “Attack the Block cleverly combines genres to create an utterly unique and wholly entertaining cinematic experience. It also announces the arrival of a heavyweight talent in the shape of Joe Cornish, and his sharp script and assured direction make Attack the Block a blast from start to finish.”

Want to read more about Attack the Block? Check out the 10 most successful alien invasions on film as well as director Joe Cornish on his early suggestions for a sequel.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law was a show full of quirky Marvel references and comic book deep cuts, but its head writer has now explained how its most surprising cameo came about.

Spoiler Warning: This article features spoilers for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law's first season, including its final scene.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, She-Hulk head writer Jessica Gao explained that the last-minute appearance of Bruce Banner's son Skaar was something of a last-minute decision in itself. Though a final, out-there cameo was planned from the beginning, the writers were unable to lock any one thing in because of real-world restrictions, such as actors' schedules.

"When we first started talking about how the season would end, we were like, 'It'd be fun if we did a big cameo at the very, very end, the last scene, the last moment, a big cameo from the MCU'," Gao said.

"That'd be really cool, but then we realized that's so dependent on who's willing to do it, what their availability is, and there's just no way at the scripting stage that we would be able to get any sort of guarantees on who would be able to do it.

"It's so dependent on that that you can't really commit to a person in the script. So then we thought it would be really cool if we could tease a new character at the end, either as the last moment of the last scene or even as a post-credits tag."

That's not to say the writing team didn't have a lot of ideas, however, as Gao said they "went through a lot of the comics to find out who we could use". It was Marvel boss Kevin Feige who eventually decided on Skaar, Gao said, joking that only the head of Marvel Studios could reveal how the Hulk's son would be involved going forward.

MCU fans didn't have a lot to go on themselves, as Skaar didn't even have a line of dialogue in his brief appearance at the end of She-Hulk. He comes straight from the comics, of course, in a tragic story involving Hulk, the Planet Sakaar, and true love.

In a 7/10 review, we called the finale itself a "strong enough success in the other areas of the episode, with the humor, the fourth wall breaks, and all the cameos a girl could ask for. It just doesn’t have the time to unpack the scope of the injustice its protagonist faced in the penultimate episode."

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.