Since the official release of Marvel Snap, fans have pondered the inclusion of Ego — the living planet played by Kurt Russell in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

In Marvel Snap, Ego takes control of cards and plays for you, effectively randomizing the outcome. There's no rhyme or reason to Ego's actions; his moves are completely arbitrary. So why include Ego at all?

According to Second Dinner founder Ben Brode, who recently spoke with IGN on the occasion of Marvel Snap's launch, Ego's design stemmed from a simple question.

"What would a location that's sentient do? Well, maybe it would play your cards for you. I don't know," Brode says. "So it was very what we call top-down design, where we start with the flavor and art, and then design what the heck it would do. And I couldn't think of anything else for what the heck Ego would do."

Just had the most INSANE game of Marvel Snap - got Ego who auto plays the game for both players, but it eventually played scarlet witch, killing itself and giving control back to us, but changing into a location that randomizes every card on the board.

WHAT IS HAPPENING?! pic.twitter.com/3ympdBJwZr

— Andy Yen (@renowned) November 3, 2022

Ego winds up being a change of pace; an opportunity to laugh as it haphazardly plays your deck, frequently resulting in disaster. However, Brode says, that doesn't mean that Ego lacks strategy.

"What's really interesting about that location is it's surprisingly skill testing, actually. Just weirdly, because you're obviously not making any decisions in the gameplay. But because of the Snap mechanic, your ability to say, 'Okay, I have secret information. I know where Ego has played my card. It's either good or bad. And so I need to use that information to decide to Snap, to double down, or retreat,' Brode says.

"And so it puts so much focus on the Snap mechanic in a way that changes the game up in a really interesting way. So I think it's really interesting. It's certainly a very unique location."

This user puts it best:

When Ego is playing in @MARVELSNAP you're obligated to snap!

— JR (@DudeDudenstein_) November 11, 2022

Whatever fans think of Ego, Marvel Snap continues to be very successful. In our review we wrote, "Marvel Snap upends the collectible card game genre with some truly fresh ideas, impressive strategic depth, wonderfully slick presentation, and a fantastic use of the Marvel license.

In addition to talking about Ego and other topics in our review, Brode revealed his three favorite Marvel Snap decks, which may be of interest to high-level players with access to a wide variety of cards. If you're just getting started, make sure to check our some of our best beginner's decks.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

The Nintendo Switch currently offers a decent selection of games for Nintendo Switch Online users, and Representative Director Shigeru Miyamoto says backwards compatibility has "has become easier" than before. But that doesn't mean Nintendo will focus on backwards compatibility when creating new hardware.

In a financial briefing on Wednesday, Miyamoto spoke on how backwards compatibility has become easier over time.

"Previously, software development for dedicated video game systems was conducted in development environments dedicated to each hardware platform. This meant that those environments could not be brought forward when the hardware changed, and it would become impossible to play software released for previous hardware without making changes," Miyamoto said.

"However, the software development environments have recently been gradually integrated. So, generally speaking, it has become easier to implement an environment where software released for past hardware can be played on new hardware."

Nintendo has a long history of backwards compatibility — the GBA supported original Game Boy cartridges, the Wii supported GameCube discs, the Wii U supported Wii discs, and the 3DS supported DS cartridges.

Because of this history, Nintendo fans have been wondering how the company's next console might handle backwards compatibility, as the Switch doesn't currently support cartridges from older consoles.

However, Miyamoto believes that Nintendo's strength lies in the creation of new games and not the preservation of old titles, which means the company won't focus on backwards compatibility when creating new hardware.

"Having said so, Nintendo's strength is in our creation of new entertainment, so when we release new hardware going forward, we plan to continue to offer new and unique gameplay that cannot be realized on existing hardware," he added.

Nintendo also recently revealed that it has sold 114 million Switch units, though the company lowered its sales forecast for the current fiscal year and revealed that a price increase for the Switch hasn't been fully ruled out.

Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN who loves all things indie and Nintendo. Outside of IGN, they've contributed to sites like Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun. Find them on Twitter: @ameliazollner.

Netflix has unleashed a new teaser trailer for The Witcher: Blood Origin, the upcoming four-part prequel series starring Michelle Yeoh.

Set 1200 years before the events of The Witcher, the trailer transports us back in time to offer a glimpse at an untold story from the Continent: the creation of the first prototype Witcher. The clips show sweeping landscapes, magic-wielding warriors, and lots of bloody combat, with Yeoh's character Scían declaring aloud: "All beginnings, all ends."

Aside from Yeoh, we'll see Sophia Brown as Éile, "an elite warrior-turned-nomadic musician," Laurence O'Fuarain as Fjall, "a warrior that carries a deep scar within," and a host of new characters, including Mirren Mack as Merwyn, Lenny Henry as Balor, and Minnie Driver who will play a "pivotal" role in connecting Blood Origin to the main series.

The four-part prequel series is created by Declan de Barra and Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, with original author Andrezej Sapkowski consulting. It will chronicle the events leading up to the Conjunction of the Spheres: a cosmic occurrence that allowed different dimensions to briefly merge and brought magic to The Continent for the very first time.

The show's first episode 'Of Ballads and Bloody Blades' is written by Declan de Barra and directed by Sarah O'Gorman. It will be released on Netflix alongside the series' other three episodes on December 25 — joining the first two seasons of The Witcher and The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, an animated origin story film released earlier this year.

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

Dave Bautista really wants to be in Netflix's Gears of War movie as the Guardians of the Galaxy star posted a video of himself in the game’s iconic armour on Twitter.

“I can’t make this any easier,” he said, tagging both Netflix and the official Gears of War Twitter account. The move is well timed given that Netflix announced the Gears of War film just a few days ago, alongside an adult animated series.

The footage isn't brand new, however, as it comes from a 2019 Gears 5 trailer featuring Bautista after he was announced as a playable DLC character.

I can’t make this any easier. @gearsofwar @netflix #marcusfenix #GearsofWar pic.twitter.com/SzDpiT2rNA

— Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) November 10, 2022

But the actor clearly thinks it’s the right time to pitch, once again, for the role of Marcus Fenix. He previously turned down a role in the Fast and Furious franchise in order to pursue the Gears of War movie, and has described Marcus Fenix as being his “dream role”.

“They wanted to talk to me about Fast and the Furious, and I said 'I’m not interested, let’s talk about [Gears of War character] Marcus Fenix,’” he said at the time. He also commented that those creating the film "could give AF" about his desire to join the project, though it's not stopped Bautista from continuing his campaign work.

A Gears of War movie has been in the works since at least 2007 but languished in development hell for much of that time. Several writers have joined and since left the project, with the movie changing hands from New Line to Universal and eventually making its way to Netflix.

Gears of War was originally released in 2006 on PC and Xbox and tells the story of a squad of troops embarking on a desperate final mission in an attempt to put an end to a war between humans and a race known as The Locust on a planet called Sera.

Want to read more about Gears of War? Find out how Xbox got its hands on the Gears of War franchise and check out our fan casting of the Gears of War movie.

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

Paramount has confirmed a 2025 release date for its previously-announced Avatar: The Last Airbender animated film.

As reported by Variety, Avatar will bring its next movie to the screen on October 10, 2025. It's the first of three planned Avatar movies from Paramount and Nickelodeon, but little else is known about the project right now other than it being referred to as the "untitled Aang Avatar film," with Lauren Montgomery at the helm as director.

As the project name suggests, the first film from Avatar Studios will focus on the series' original hero: Aang. Unfortunately, there haven't been any specific plot details shared just yet, such as when in Aang's life the movie might take place and whether any other characters from the original series might make an appearance.

Several Avatar veterans are returning to assist Montgomery with the first movie. Series creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino, who previously stepped away from Netflix's live-action Avatar adaptation, are on board as producers alongside Eric Coleman, the executive producer and production manager of The Last Airbender series.

All three films are being developed under the Avatar Studios banner, which was launched last year with the goal of creating original series and movies set in the beloved world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, for release on Paramount+, Nickelodeon platforms, and unspecified third-party platforms, as well as in cinemas.

It was also announced last year that Nickelodeon had started laying the groundwork for an "Avatar Airbender universe" that would encompass multiple TV series and movies across various platforms. Avatar Studios leaders Konietzko and DiMartino noted that "there are still many stories and time periods in Aang's world" to be covered on-screen.

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

After 25 years, perpetual 10-year-old Ash Ketchum has finally become the world's greatest Pokémon trainer.

Ash's big moment took place in the latest episode of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series, which premiered today in Japan. In it, Ash's Pikachu defeats a Charizard belonging to Leon, who video game fans will remember as the champion of Pokémon Sword and Shield's Galar region.

Their battle was the final bout in the Pokémon World Coronation Series Masters Eight Tournament, which pits champions from across multiple regions against one another, including Cynthia, Iris, Steven, and Lance. By defeating Leon, Ash effectively proved himself the strongest of all the Pokémon League Champions, thus completing the dream he first set out to accomplish when he left Pallet Town in episode one of the original 1997 series.

This is an especially big deal for Ash, who historically has had a tough run in tournaments like this. In fact, until 2019, he'd never managed to become a Pokémon League Champion in any of his attempts - a losing streak that ended when he defeated Gladion in the Manalo Conference and became Alola's Champion.

Prior to that, though, Ash suffered championship loss after loss, all the way back to his initial run in the Indigo League arc where he only placed in the top 16.

What's next for our hero, then? Well, with a new Pokémon game coming out next week, we're sure to see Ash eventually make his way to the Paldea region and challenge that league. He's also previously expressed desires to, you know, "catch 'em all," but given how far behind he is now that the total number of Pokémon is pushing 1000, this seems an unlikely feat for him to achieve.

Congrats, Ash. You're an inspiration to us all.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

As Battlefield 2042 gears up for the release of Season 3, EA is trying to get wary fans back on board to see how the troubled shooter has changed over the past year, including adding it to Xbox Game Pass.

EA confirmed that Battlefield 2042 will be available via EA Access starting with Season 3, meaning that it will be available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. EA is also planning free access periods across all platforms through December.

While EA has yet to confirm Season 3's launch date, it did reveal that Update 3.2 will include the reintroduction of Classes to Battlefield 2042. This update is part of Battlefield 2042's Specialist revamp, which will see them get more defined roles on the field in addition to a specialized set of gadgets and equipment.

EA says that it has been testing the updates extensively, and that it will soon be revealing another new Assault Specialist. EA is also promising updates to Battlefield 2042's Manifest and Breakaway maps, with the latter getting a "massive overhaul."

While Battlefield 2042 hasn't received much attention over the past year, EA has been working quietly in the background. Season 2 was comparatively well-received by fans, featuring numerous improvements to the launch version as well as the introduction of mid-season events.

Battlefield 2042 notably had a very rocky launch. An uncertain roadmap; poorly-received additions like the Specialists, and overly-large maps all drew criticism from longtime fans of the series. It led to EA saying that the shooter "did not meet expectations" earlier this year.

In addition to the new Specialist and the map improvements, Season 3 will include a new Battle Pass, new events, and numerous quality-of-life improvements. EA says that it should be live "in a few weeks," with Classes rolling out in early 2023.

While you wait, check out some other high-quality Xbox Game Pass games, as well as our full review of Battlefield 2042.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

As Battlefield 2042 gears up for the release of Season 3, EA is trying to get wary fans back on board to see how the troubled shooter has changed over the past year, including adding it to Xbox Game Pass.

EA confirmed that Battlefield 2042 will be available via EA Access starting with Season 3, meaning that it will be available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. EA is also planning free access periods across all platforms through December.

While EA has yet to confirm Season 3's launch date, it did reveal that Update 3.2 will include the reintroduction of Classes to Battlefield 2042. This update is part of Battlefield 2042's Specialist revamp, which will see them get more defined roles on the field in addition to a specialized set of gadgets and equipment.

EA says that it has been testing the updates extensively, and that it will soon be revealing another new Assault Specialist. EA is also promising updates to Battlefield 2042's Manifest and Breakaway maps, with the latter getting a "massive overhaul."

While Battlefield 2042 hasn't received much attention over the past year, EA has been working quietly in the background. Season 2 was comparatively well-received by fans, featuring numerous improvements to the launch version as well as the introduction of mid-season events.

Battlefield 2042 notably had a very rocky launch. An uncertain roadmap; poorly-received additions like the Specialists, and overly-large maps all drew criticism from longtime fans of the series. It led to EA saying that the shooter "did not meet expectations" earlier this year.

In addition to the new Specialist and the map improvements, Season 3 will include a new Battle Pass, new events, and numerous quality-of-life improvements. EA says that it should be live "in a few weeks," with Classes rolling out in early 2023.

While you wait, check out some other high-quality Xbox Game Pass games, as well as our full review of Battlefield 2042.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

The Batman fans will see a different side to The Penguin as he becomes more of a hustler in the upcoming spin-off show.

During an interview with Variety, HBO Max head of originals Sarah Aubrey revealed that Colin Farrell’s Penguin is a gritty, grounded villain.

“The goal of this is to show what Oz’s life is like and that’s very much in the streets of Gotham, trying to get up and over as only the Penguin can,” she said. “As a hustler and a strategist with his own ambitions. It is a great example of having the time over eight episodes to tell a longer-arc character story with a lot of delicious twists and turns and new characters.”

“It’s very much going to be about Gotham at that street level, because he’s not flying around like Batman does,” she added. “We are all embracing that as a very specific experience for audiences to have.”

The Penguin will see Colin Farrell reprise his role from The Batman as Oswald "Oz" Cobblepot. Originally appearing as more of a mid-level mobster than a kingpin in his own right, The Penguin ran the Iceberg Lounge and hated his nickname.

The upcoming series will seemingly show his rise from Falcone henchman to a villain in his own right, to become the Penguin we know and love.

“Penguin will sit immediately after the end of The Batman and temporally before the events of the second movie,” said Aubrey. “The show will come out in between the two movies. Now beyond that, it’s fun for the audience to know that it will be a bridge between the two, but the actual release date, I’m not at liberty to say.”

IGN’s review of The Batman gave it 10/10 and said: “The Batman is a gripping, gorgeous, and, at times, genuinely scary psychological crime thriller that gives Bruce Wayne the grounded detective story he deserves. Robert Pattinson is great as a very broken Batman, but it’s Zoe Kravitz and Paul Dano who steal the show, with a movingly layered Selina Kyle/Catwoman and a terrifyingly unhinged Riddler. Writer/director Matt Reeves managed to make a Batman movie that’s entirely different from the others in the live-action canon, yet surprisingly loyal to Gotham lore as a whole. Ultimately, it’s one that thoroughly earns its place in this iconic character’s legacy.”

Want to read more about The Batman? Check out which other Batman villains could get their own spin-offs and find out what Colin Farrell has to say about The Penguin.

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

The Batman fans will see a different side to The Penguin as he becomes more of a hustler in the upcoming spin-off show.

During an interview with Variety, HBO Max head of originals Sarah Aubrey revealed that Colin Farrell’s Penguin is a gritty, grounded villain.

“The goal of this is to show what Oz’s life is like and that’s very much in the streets of Gotham, trying to get up and over as only the Penguin can,” she said. “As a hustler and a strategist with his own ambitions. It is a great example of having the time over eight episodes to tell a longer-arc character story with a lot of delicious twists and turns and new characters.”

“It’s very much going to be about Gotham at that street level, because he’s not flying around like Batman does,” she added. “We are all embracing that as a very specific experience for audiences to have.”

The Penguin will see Colin Farrell reprise his role from The Batman as Oswald "Oz" Cobblepot. Originally appearing as more of a mid-level mobster than a kingpin in his own right, The Penguin ran the Iceberg Lounge and hated his nickname.

The upcoming series will seemingly show his rise from Falcone henchman to a villain in his own right, to become the Penguin we know and love.

“Penguin will sit immediately after the end of The Batman and temporally before the events of the second movie,” said Aubrey. “The show will come out in between the two movies. Now beyond that, it’s fun for the audience to know that it will be a bridge between the two, but the actual release date, I’m not at liberty to say.”

IGN’s review of The Batman gave it 10/10 and said: “The Batman is a gripping, gorgeous, and, at times, genuinely scary psychological crime thriller that gives Bruce Wayne the grounded detective story he deserves. Robert Pattinson is great as a very broken Batman, but it’s Zoe Kravitz and Paul Dano who steal the show, with a movingly layered Selina Kyle/Catwoman and a terrifyingly unhinged Riddler. Writer/director Matt Reeves managed to make a Batman movie that’s entirely different from the others in the live-action canon, yet surprisingly loyal to Gotham lore as a whole. Ultimately, it’s one that thoroughly earns its place in this iconic character’s legacy.”

Want to read more about The Batman? Check out which other Batman villains could get their own spin-offs and find out what Colin Farrell has to say about The Penguin.

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