A new Silent Hill game called The Short Message may be on its way, according to a Korean rating.

The Game Rating and Administration Committee of Korea (via Gematsu) has given a rating to the previously unannounced Silent Hill: The Short Message. Unfortunately, it’s not known what this new game is, or even what platforms it will appear on. Some have speculated that the title could allude to a playable teaser, not unlike PT, the last mainline Silent Hill release.

The publisher was listed as UNIANA – the publisher of Konami’s recent free-to-play soccer fiasco, eFootball 2023. It’s also unknown whether The Short Message will be a new instalment in the Silent Hill, a teaser, a spin-off, or mobile game. Considering UNIANA’s production of arcade cabinets, it could even be a new Silent Hill arcade experience.

Silent Hill was originally released for the PS One in 1999 and tells the story of Harry Mason – a man searching for his missing adopted daughter in the titular fictional American town. The survival horror was a huge hit, spawning numerous sequels and spin-offs over the years.

It’s been about 10 years since the last full games, and fans are eager for more. Unfortunately, P.T. was the last time we saw anything official, all the way back in 2014 – the legendary teaser for the since-cancelled Silent Hills by Hideo Kojima.

However, a slew of leaks and rumours have pointed to, potentially, multiple new Silent Hill games in the works. Whether or not Silent Hill: The Short Message is connected to these leaks is unclear. For now, we’ll have to wait and see, but it could be good news for Silent Hill fans.

There are currently eight mainline games in the Silent Hill series, beginning with the original Silent Hill in 1999 and ending with the lacklustre Silent Hill: Downpour in 2012.

Want to read more about Silent Hill? Check out how someone recently trolled Konami with SIlentHill.com and find out how P.T. became a modern urban legend.

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

A new Silent Hill game called The Short Message may be on its way, according to a Korean rating.

The Game Rating and Administration Committee of Korea (via Gematsu) has given a rating to the previously unannounced Silent Hill: The Short Message. Unfortunately, it’s not known what this new game is, or even what platforms it will appear on. Some have speculated that the title could allude to a playable teaser, not unlike PT, the last mainline Silent Hill release.

The publisher was listed as UNIANA – the publisher of Konami’s recent free-to-play soccer fiasco, eFootball 2023. It’s also unknown whether The Short Message will be a new instalment in the Silent Hill, a teaser, a spin-off, or mobile game. Considering UNIANA’s production of arcade cabinets, it could even be a new Silent Hill arcade experience.

Silent Hill was originally released for the PS One in 1999 and tells the story of Harry Mason – a man searching for his missing adopted daughter in the titular fictional American town. The survival horror was a huge hit, spawning numerous sequels and spin-offs over the years.

It’s been about 10 years since the last full games, and fans are eager for more. Unfortunately, P.T. was the last time we saw anything official, all the way back in 2014 – the legendary teaser for the since-cancelled Silent Hills by Hideo Kojima.

However, a slew of leaks and rumours have pointed to, potentially, multiple new Silent Hill games in the works. Whether or not Silent Hill: The Short Message is connected to these leaks is unclear. For now, we’ll have to wait and see, but it could be good news for Silent Hill fans.

There are currently eight mainline games in the Silent Hill series, beginning with the original Silent Hill in 1999 and ending with the lacklustre Silent Hill: Downpour in 2012.

Want to read more about Silent Hill? Check out how someone recently trolled Konami with SIlentHill.com and find out how P.T. became a modern urban legend.

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

The new Final Destination movie found its directors in Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein after they delivered a deadly Zoom pitch that proved they were the right people for the job.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lipovsky and Stein, the filmmaking duo behind the 2018 sci-fi thriller Freaks, were already in the running for the Final Destination directing gig but ultimately sealed their fate when they jumped on a final Zoom pitch with New Line execs and producers. The pair created quite a scene to ensure they were the frontrunners after the meeting faded to black.

Towards the end of the call, the fireplace situated behind Lipovsky and Stein became engulfed in flames and the mantel began burning, putting an urgent pause on proceedings. The filmmakers quickly extinguished the blaze, much to the relief of the other meeting participants, but the chaos continued when an overhead ceiling fan came crashing down and decapitated one of the directors.

The tension in the air was immediately lifted as the execs and producers realized that Lipovsky and Stein had pulled a stunt. The filmmakers reportedly used a combination of pre-recorded footage and visual effects to create the action-packed scene, which elicited laughs from the crowd and secured their places in the directors' seats for Final Destination 6, as it's currently known.

Plot details for the Final Destination reboot are seemingly being kept under the cloak of the Grim Reaper, but it is understood that the sixth movie will follow a similar formula to the other films in the franchise, wherein a group of people cheat death and then death comes back to claim them by using any means possible, resulting in some very elaborate and unexpected death sequences.

Guy Busick, who worked on the screenplay for the latest Scream film installment, is said to be in charge of the script along with Lori Evans Taylor. Jon Watts is producing the picture after also writing the treatment for the relaunch. He is being joined by his wife and manager, Dianna McGunigle, who is serving as a producer alongside Final Destination franchise veterans Craig Perry and Sheila Hanahan.

Final Destination first terrified audiences back in 2000. Four sequels followed that initial movie, with each new installment focusing on a different group of characters being pursued by Death. The franchise has earned over $655 million at the global box office, making it a huge commercial success, but Perry previously assured fans that the sixth overall entry wouldn't feel like a "cash-grab."

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

The new Final Destination movie found its directors in Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein after they delivered a deadly Zoom pitch that proved they were the right people for the job.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lipovsky and Stein, the filmmaking duo behind the 2018 sci-fi thriller Freaks, were already in the running for the Final Destination directing gig but ultimately sealed their fate when they jumped on a final Zoom pitch with New Line execs and producers. The pair created quite a scene to ensure they were the frontrunners after the meeting faded to black.

Towards the end of the call, the fireplace situated behind Lipovsky and Stein became engulfed in flames and the mantel began burning, putting an urgent pause on proceedings. The filmmakers quickly extinguished the blaze, much to the relief of the other meeting participants, but the chaos continued when an overhead ceiling fan came crashing down and decapitated one of the directors.

The tension in the air was immediately lifted as the execs and producers realized that Lipovsky and Stein had pulled a stunt. The filmmakers reportedly used a combination of pre-recorded footage and visual effects to create the action-packed scene, which elicited laughs from the crowd and secured their places in the directors' seats for Final Destination 6, as it's currently known.

Plot details for the Final Destination reboot are seemingly being kept under the cloak of the Grim Reaper, but it is understood that the sixth movie will follow a similar formula to the other films in the franchise, wherein a group of people cheat death and then death comes back to claim them by using any means possible, resulting in some very elaborate and unexpected death sequences.

Guy Busick, who worked on the screenplay for the latest Scream film installment, is said to be in charge of the script along with Lori Evans Taylor. Jon Watts is producing the picture after also writing the treatment for the relaunch. He is being joined by his wife and manager, Dianna McGunigle, who is serving as a producer alongside Final Destination franchise veterans Craig Perry and Sheila Hanahan.

Final Destination first terrified audiences back in 2000. Four sequels followed that initial movie, with each new installment focusing on a different group of characters being pursued by Death. The franchise has earned over $655 million at the global box office, making it a huge commercial success, but Perry previously assured fans that the sixth overall entry wouldn't feel like a "cash-grab."

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

Nier: Automata Ver1.1a, a spin-off anime, will arrive in January next year, and game creator Yoko Taro has discussed how it will adapt the original game.

An official announcement trailer revealed that Nier: Automata Ver1.1a will premiere in January 2023 but the exact release date hasn’t yet been announced. We see clips of main character 2B in action, as well as fellow android 9S.

Creator Yoko Taro spoke about the anime's creation during Aniplex Online Fest over the weekend, and how he was surprised to be asked about the project:

"When I actually heard about making an anime version, I thought, 'What? This late?' Normally an anime version is released right around the game's release to gain synergy and increase the game sales as a result."

The idea has been to create a version that tells a different kind of story, rather than rehashing the original:

“The anime title has the affix 'Ver 1.1a' because Nier: Automata was a story we created to be a game, so copying it as is wouldn’t make an interesting story for an anime. So I brought up the idea of changing things around,” said Taro.

Despite the animation studio's apparent reluctance to change the story too much, Taro and the team seem to have come to a compromise:

"I often see fans who worry that creators are going through their creative process with a complete disregard for the original game. But in this case, those worries have no grounds," he said. "The fact that the anime side, starting with the director, really respected the game struck a chord with me.

“I'm the one going around and breaking things for [Aniplex],” joked Taro. “So, if anyone is dissatisfied [with the anime's story], it's likely to be my fault.”

Nier: Automata was released back in 2017 to critical success. It tells the story of Combat Android 2B – created to help liberate Earth from the clutches of hostile machine lifeforms built by an unknown alien race.

The upcoming anime was first announced back in February. Although details are scarce, we know that the set-up will be very close to the original game, thanks to the announcement’s description:

“The stage is a far future where humanity is defeated by the moon in front of the overwhelming force of 'mechanical life forms' that aliens carry out,” reads a translation of the YouTube description. “2B belonging to the newly organized Android unit YoRHa will throw themselves into a fierce battle to recapture the earth”.

IGN’s review of Nier: Automata gave it 8.9/10 and said: “Nier: Automata is a crazy, beautiful, and highly entertaining journey full of nutty ideas and awesome gameplay. It may not include the most sensical story or compelling characters, but its frenzied combat -- coupled with beautiful visuals and a stunning soundtrack – make it too much fun to pass up.”

Want to read more about Nier Automata? Check out all the details about the recent Nier: Automata ‘Church’ mystery, as well as details about the upcoming Nintendo Switch release.

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

Nier: Automata Ver1.1a, a spin-off anime, will arrive in January next year, and game creator Yoko Taro has discussed how it will adapt the original game.

An official announcement trailer revealed that Nier: Automata Ver1.1a will premiere in January 2023 but the exact release date hasn’t yet been announced. We see clips of main character 2B in action, as well as fellow android 9S.

Creator Yoko Taro spoke about the anime's creation during Aniplex Online Fest over the weekend, and how he was surprised to be asked about the project:

"When I actually heard about making an anime version, I thought, 'What? This late?' Normally an anime version is released right around the game's release to gain synergy and increase the game sales as a result."

The idea has been to create a version that tells a different kind of story, rather than rehashing the original:

“The anime title has the affix 'Ver 1.1a' because Nier: Automata was a story we created to be a game, so copying it as is wouldn’t make an interesting story for an anime. So I brought up the idea of changing things around,” said Taro.

Despite the animation studio's apparent reluctance to change the story too much, Taro and the team seem to have come to a compromise:

"I often see fans who worry that creators are going through their creative process with a complete disregard for the original game. But in this case, those worries have no grounds," he said. "The fact that the anime side, starting with the director, really respected the game struck a chord with me.

“I'm the one going around and breaking things for [Aniplex],” joked Taro. “So, if anyone is dissatisfied [with the anime's story], it's likely to be my fault.”

Nier: Automata was released back in 2017 to critical success. It tells the story of Combat Android 2B – created to help liberate Earth from the clutches of hostile machine lifeforms built by an unknown alien race.

The upcoming anime was first announced back in February. Although details are scarce, we know that the set-up will be very close to the original game, thanks to the announcement’s description:

“The stage is a far future where humanity is defeated by the moon in front of the overwhelming force of 'mechanical life forms' that aliens carry out,” reads a translation of the YouTube description. “2B belonging to the newly organized Android unit YoRHa will throw themselves into a fierce battle to recapture the earth”.

IGN’s review of Nier: Automata gave it 8.9/10 and said: “Nier: Automata is a crazy, beautiful, and highly entertaining journey full of nutty ideas and awesome gameplay. It may not include the most sensical story or compelling characters, but its frenzied combat -- coupled with beautiful visuals and a stunning soundtrack – make it too much fun to pass up.”

Want to read more about Nier Automata? Check out all the details about the recent Nier: Automata ‘Church’ mystery, as well as details about the upcoming Nintendo Switch release.

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

Netflix has announced and revealed five images from an Onimusha anime based on the hit Capcom game series.

Revealed in a tweet from Netflix Anime (below), the stills show a handful of characters against a backdrop of Japan's Edo period. The anime is being created with 3D, CGI characters and hand-drawn backgrounds, and the series promises to give new life to the classic game series.

No release date was announced but Netflix did reveal the team behind Onimusha's anime. The project is being led by Takashi Miike and Shinya Sugai from Sublimation (the studio that released the Dragon's Dogma anime in 2020) and features Toshihiro Mifune as Musashi Miyamoto.

pic.twitter.com/NcKtTe22ew

— Netflix Anime (@NetflixAnime) September 25, 2022

A short plot-synopsis was also released (courtesy of Gematsu), with Netflix saying: "The beginning of the Edo period, Musashi is no longer a young man. He departs with the legendary Oni Gauntlet to defeat the Genma."

The Onimusha series began in 2001 but has been more or less dormant (outside of a mobile game, browser game, and remaster) since 2006, when Dawn of Dreams was released on the PlayStation 2.

Capcom hasn't said much about whether the series will make a full return, but did comment the this would be "the first animated adaptation of its game series Onimusha" and it is "firmly committed to enhancing the brand value of its content" through different forms of media.

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

Netflix has announced and revealed five images from an Onimusha anime based on the hit Capcom game series.

Revealed in a tweet from Netflix Anime (below), the stills show a handful of characters against a backdrop of Japan's Edo period. The anime is being created with 3D, CGI characters and hand-drawn backgrounds, and the series promises to give new life to the classic game series.

No release date was announced but Netflix did reveal the team behind Onimusha's anime. The project is being led by Takashi Miike and Shinya Sugai from Sublimation (the studio that released the Dragon's Dogma anime in 2020) and features Toshihiro Mifune as Musashi Miyamoto.

pic.twitter.com/NcKtTe22ew

— Netflix Anime (@NetflixAnime) September 25, 2022

A short plot-synopsis was also released (courtesy of Gematsu), with Netflix saying: "The beginning of the Edo period, Musashi is no longer a young man. He departs with the legendary Oni Gauntlet to defeat the Genma."

The Onimusha series began in 2001 but has been more or less dormant (outside of a mobile game, browser game, and remaster) since 2006, when Dawn of Dreams was released on the PlayStation 2.

Capcom hasn't said much about whether the series will make a full return, but did comment the this would be "the first animated adaptation of its game series Onimusha" and it is "firmly committed to enhancing the brand value of its content" through different forms of media.

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

James Earl Jones, the 91-year-old legendary voice actor behind the most menacing voice from that galaxy far, far away, has signed off on A.I. recreations of his Darth Vader voice as he looks to step back from the iconic role.

The news comes via a report from Vanity Fair about how Ukrainian tech workers at Respeecher worked to make Darth Vader sound like he did 45 years ago for Disney+'s Obi-Wan Kenobi series despite the ongoing Russian invasion of their country. Jones' voice has obviously changed over the years and he has "stepped back from the role," so bringing in A.I. tech is a way to keep the voice we all know and love alive for many years to come.

Respeecher uses "archival recordings and a proprietary A.I. algorithm to create new dialogue with the voices of performers from long ago," and Lucasfilm supervising sound editor Matthew Wood said the company also has this "elusive human touch" that makes all the difference.

“Certainly my main concern was their well-being,” Wood added. “There are always alternatives that we could pursue that wouldn’t be as good as what they would give us. We never wanted to put them in any kind of additional danger to stay in the office to do something.” While the risks were very real for these Ukrainians, the project was a lifelong dream of the Respeecher employees, including Bogdan Belyaev.

Wood continued to discuss how he had recorded Jones' performances as Darth Vader at least a dozen times, with the last time being for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Around that time, Jones began talking about how his time as the character may be coming to an end, and this is when the idea of Respeecher keeping his voice going was brought up.

"He had mentioned he was looking into winding down this particular character,” says Wood. “So how do we move forward?” The answer, it appears, is Respeecher, as "the actor signed off on using his archival voice recordings to keep Vader alive and vital even by artificial means—appropriate, perhaps, for a character who is half mechanical."

While Jones may not be as involved as he once was, he still helped bring Vader to life in Obi-Wan Kenobi as a "benevolent godfather" who helped the team get Vader just right.

As for the workers at Respeecher, they continue to work as it means so much to them and their country.

"We create places to work for people, we create jobs, we pay them money, we contribute to the Ukrainian economy, and that’s quite meaningful,” Respeecher CEO and Co-Founder Alex Serdiuk says. “But also, hopefully more people will hear about Ukraine—about our tech community, about our start-ups—because of it.”

It may be some time until we hear Vader's voice again, but Respeecher wants us to know, as they continue to work hard on secret projects, that Obi-Wan Kenobi did provide a "rare moment of celebration" for those facing so much.

"Why did I do it? It’s a big honor to work with Lucasfilm, and I’ve been a fan of Star Wars since I was a kid," Belyaev said. "Even if it’s war, there’s no excuse for you to be the troublemaker of what you loved from childhood.”

For more, check out why we chose Darth Vader to top the list of our Best 100 Villains and our review of Disney+'s Obi-Wan Kenobi series.

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.

James Earl Jones, the 91-year-old legendary voice actor behind the most menacing voice from that galaxy far, far away, has signed off on A.I. recreations of his Darth Vader voice as he looks to step back from the iconic role.

The news comes via a report from Vanity Fair about how Ukrainian tech workers at Respeecher worked to make Darth Vader sound like he did 45 years ago for Disney+'s Obi-Wan Kenobi series despite the ongoing Russian invasion of their country. Jones' voice has obviously changed over the years and he has "stepped back from the role," so bringing in A.I. tech is a way to keep the voice we all know and love alive for many years to come.

Respeecher uses "archival recordings and a proprietary A.I. algorithm to create new dialogue with the voices of performers from long ago," and Lucasfilm supervising sound editor Matthew Wood said the company also has this "elusive human touch" that makes all the difference.

“Certainly my main concern was their well-being,” Wood added. “There are always alternatives that we could pursue that wouldn’t be as good as what they would give us. We never wanted to put them in any kind of additional danger to stay in the office to do something.” While the risks were very real for these Ukrainians, the project was a lifelong dream of the Respeecher employees, including Bogdan Belyaev.

Wood continued to discuss how he had recorded Jones' performances as Darth Vader at least a dozen times, with the last time being for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Around that time, Jones began talking about how his time as the character may be coming to an end, and this is when the idea of Respeecher keeping his voice going was brought up.

"He had mentioned he was looking into winding down this particular character,” says Wood. “So how do we move forward?” The answer, it appears, is Respeecher, as "the actor signed off on using his archival voice recordings to keep Vader alive and vital even by artificial means—appropriate, perhaps, for a character who is half mechanical."

While Jones may not be as involved as he once was, he still helped bring Vader to life in Obi-Wan Kenobi as a "benevolent godfather" who helped the team get Vader just right.

As for the workers at Respeecher, they continue to work as it means so much to them and their country.

"We create places to work for people, we create jobs, we pay them money, we contribute to the Ukrainian economy, and that’s quite meaningful,” Respeecher CEO and Co-Founder Alex Serdiuk says. “But also, hopefully more people will hear about Ukraine—about our tech community, about our start-ups—because of it.”

It may be some time until we hear Vader's voice again, but Respeecher wants us to know, as they continue to work hard on secret projects, that Obi-Wan Kenobi did provide a "rare moment of celebration" for those facing so much.

"Why did I do it? It’s a big honor to work with Lucasfilm, and I’ve been a fan of Star Wars since I was a kid," Belyaev said. "Even if it’s war, there’s no excuse for you to be the troublemaker of what you loved from childhood.”

For more, check out why we chose Darth Vader to top the list of our Best 100 Villains and our review of Disney+'s Obi-Wan Kenobi series.

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.