A co-founder of Pokémon developer Game Freak is leaving the studio to join The Pokémon Company – moving away from developing the games and looking at the franchise more widely.

Junichi Masuda will begin his new role as chief creative fellow and use his "deep understanding of the Pokémon brand to develop new services and products".

Masuda co-founded Game Freak and programmed and composed music for the original Pokémon Red and Green (and later Blue) games before directing later entries, starting with 2002's Ruby and Sapphire. He has since directed, produced, or had significant influence over practically every subsequent entry, making him one of the most important members of the Pokémon games franchise.

"I have served as the director of the Pokémon video game series, starting with Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version up until Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, and was involved in the development of many video games, including Pokémon GO", Masuda said in an official announcement.

"I would like to express my heart-felt thanks to all Pokémon fans. Going forward, I hope to transcend the boundaries of video games by trying to offer greater surprises, fun and excitement to people all over the world, while doing my utmost to connect people, expand the circle of play, and to help bring about a richer world for us to share. I appreciate your continued support in my new role."

It's unclear exactly what projects Masuda will be working on going forward but it appears as though he made the move to branch out of traditional video game development.That's not to say he won't be involved at all, as The Pokémon Company is obviously still at the centre of the game series, but his influence certainly won't be as hands on as before.

Masuda will still have plenty to do, as Pokémon is as widespread and diverse as any other major franchise, with official Pokémon skateboards, Katy Perry tracks, Tamagotchis, commercial airlines, and Converse sneakers.

There are more traditional routes, of course, such as the anime or Pokémon Trading Card Game, which continues to grow in popularity 25 years after the original set was released, as evidenced, among other things, by the number of people trying to steal them.

An independent gaming store in Minnesota reportedly had around $250,000 worth of Pokémon merchandise stolen in February while in March a man was arrested in Tokyo for allegedly launching a literal heist in order to steal the treasured cards. Also in March, a Georgia man didn't steal Pokémon cards directly but instead misused money from the government to buy one, using a COVID-19 relief payment to buy a rare, shiny Charizard.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

The Star Wars franchise has spoken out to condemn the racist abuse received by Moses Ingram following her debut in Obi-Wan Kenobi as Reva Sevander, aka the Third Sister.

The official social media accounts for Star Wars have issued a strong statement of support for Ingram after the actor posted an Instagram story revealing that she had been sent "hundreds" of racist messages online since appearing in the Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi series, although Ingram had concluded that "there's nothing anybody can do to stop this hate."

"We are proud to welcome Moses Ingram to the Star Wars family and excited for Reva's story to unfold. If anyone intends to make her feel in any way unwelcome, we have only one thing to say: we resist," began the message from the Star Wars accounts. "There are more than 20 million sentient species in the Star Wars galaxy, don't choose to be a racist."

A personal message from Ewan McGregor. pic.twitter.com/rJSDmj663K

— Star Wars (@starwars) June 1, 2022

The show's titular star Ewan McGregor followed up with a personal message of his own via the Star Wars account, condemning those who harassed her. "It just sickened me to my stomach to hear that this has been happening," he said. "We stand with Moses, we love Moses, and if you're sending her bullying messages, you're no 'Star Wars' fan in my mind."

Star Wars actors Kelly Marie Tran, who played Rose Tico in the franchise, and John Boyega, who starred as Finn, were both subjected to racist abuse when they were cast in the sequel trilogy. Boyega called for studios to take a stand against such attacks and be an "advocate for actors when they face backlash for their casting, especially when it revolves around race."

Ingram plays Imperial inquisitor Reva in the latest Star Wars series, which premiered on Disney+ on May 27. Reva has been tasked with hunting down Obi-Wan, and she's not afraid of cheating, lying and backstabbing her fellow Inquisitors along the way. Her single-minded quest has left us with plenty of burning questions about her inexplicable hatred of Obi-Wan.

We can expect to see more of Reva's story unfold in the coming episodes, though it's important to note that there are only six episodes in the first season of Obi-Wan Kenobi. The third episode debuted on Disney+ on June 1, and the final three episodes of the series will continue to drop on Wednesday each week, leading up to the series finale on June 22.

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

Lionsgate is set to cast Rachel Zegler in The Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Zegler is best known for playing Maria in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story.

Zegler will play Lucy Gray Baird, one of the main characters in the prequel which details the rise of the villainous Coriolanus Snow before he became President of Panem.

Baird figures quite heavily in the book and is pivotal to how Snow became the brutal dictator he eventually becomes.

Lionsgate President Nathan Kahane said in a statement, “When you read Suzanne’s book, Lucy Gray’s emotional intelligence, physical agility, and fiercely powerful, determined singing voice shine through. Rachel embodies all of those skills — she is the perfect choice for our Lucy Gray.”

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes place about 10 years after the war that created the Panem of the Hunger Games lore. The official logline for the movie is as follows:

“Years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.”

As this is only the 10th Hunger Games, there are notable differences between that and the Hunger Games we see with Katniss Everdeen. For one, the earlier Games aren't nearly as "glamorous" as later Games due to the relative newness of the brutal sport. Some aspects of the Games hadn't yet been developed or implemented. As such, this new movie will likely have a different tone than the previous Hunger Games films.

Earlier this month, Lionsgate cast Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow himself. Blyth is known for playing the lead character in Epix's Billy the Kid series.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will be released on November 17, 2023, and be directed by previous Hunger Games director, Francis Lawrence. Series creator Suzanne Collins will also return as executive producer along with Tim Palen.

David Matthews is a freelance writer specializing in consumer tech and gaming. He also strongly believes that sugar does not go in grits. Follow him on Twitter @packetstealer

Lionsgate is set to cast Rachel Zegler in The Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Zegler is best known for playing Maria in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story.

Zegler will play Lucy Gray Baird, one of the main characters in the prequel which details the rise of the villainous Coriolanus Snow before he became President of Panem.

Baird figures quite heavily in the book and is pivotal to how Snow became the brutal dictator he eventually becomes.

Lionsgate President Nathan Kahane said in a statement, “When you read Suzanne’s book, Lucy Gray’s emotional intelligence, physical agility, and fiercely powerful, determined singing voice shine through. Rachel embodies all of those skills — she is the perfect choice for our Lucy Gray.”

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes place about 10 years after the war that created the Panem of the Hunger Games lore. The official logline for the movie is as follows:

“Years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.”

As this is only the 10th Hunger Games, there are notable differences between that and the Hunger Games we see with Katniss Everdeen. For one, the earlier Games aren't nearly as "glamorous" as later Games due to the relative newness of the brutal sport. Some aspects of the Games hadn't yet been developed or implemented. As such, this new movie will likely have a different tone than the previous Hunger Games films.

Earlier this month, Lionsgate cast Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow himself. Blyth is known for playing the lead character in Epix's Billy the Kid series.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will be released on November 17, 2023, and be directed by previous Hunger Games director, Francis Lawrence. Series creator Suzanne Collins will also return as executive producer along with Tim Palen.

David Matthews is a freelance writer specializing in consumer tech and gaming. He also strongly believes that sugar does not go in grits. Follow him on Twitter @packetstealer

Game producer Shinji Hashimoto announced today that he has retired from Square Enix after almost 30 years with the company.

Hashimoto started at Square Soft in 1995 and was the brand manager for both Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts franchises.

"Thank you, everyone. I will retire on May 31st (Tuesday) today. During my tenure, I am very grateful to all of you in various fields," Hashimoto announced on Twitter. "From now on, I would like to support you as a Square Enix fan. I'm really thankful to you."

皆様、お疲れ様です。本日5月31日（火）をもちまして定年退職することになりました。在職中は多方面の皆々様方々には大変お世話になりました。これからは、一スクエニファンとして応援させて頂きたいと思います。本当にありがとうございました。 pic.twitter.com/yIj89uvh8x

— shinji hashimoto (@shinjihashimot3) May 31, 2022

He also posted a video message on Twitter, saying that he enjoyed his time traveling across the world and attending different kinds of events. In recent years, however, he stopped going to them due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While he would have liked to visit everyone in the wake of announcing his retirement, he had to opt for a video message instead.

Even though he's leaving Square Enix, he'll still continue to enjoy video games and play Square Enix titles. Additionally, Hashimoto says that if anyone spots him in public at events, he'll be happy to take photos with them.

"Now, I'll be leaving the company in high spirits," he explains. "But I will continue to be around and involved in entertainment, so please be assured. To everyone around the world, I hope you will continue to support Square Enix titles."

To celebrate Hashimoto's retirement, Square Enix illustrator Toshiyuki Itahana drew a picture of him with a Moogle and a Chocobo.

橋本さん、おつかれさまでした！@shinjihashimot3 pic.twitter.com/eSX8vLoKks

— 板鼻利幸 Toshiyuki Itahana (@ItahanaT) May 31, 2022

Square Enix recently sold off its western division to the Embracer Group and is currently working on projects such as Kingdom Hearts 4 and Final Fantasy XVI.

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

Game producer Shinji Hashimoto announced today that he has retired from Square Enix after almost 30 years with the company.

Hashimoto started at Square Soft in 1995 and was the brand manager for both Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts franchises.

"Thank you, everyone. I will retire on May 31st (Tuesday) today. During my tenure, I am very grateful to all of you in various fields," Hashimoto announced on Twitter. "From now on, I would like to support you as a Square Enix fan. I'm really thankful to you."

皆様、お疲れ様です。本日5月31日（火）をもちまして定年退職することになりました。在職中は多方面の皆々様方々には大変お世話になりました。これからは、一スクエニファンとして応援させて頂きたいと思います。本当にありがとうございました。 pic.twitter.com/yIj89uvh8x

— shinji hashimoto (@shinjihashimot3) May 31, 2022

He also posted a video message on Twitter, saying that he enjoyed his time traveling across the world and attending different kinds of events. In recent years, however, he stopped going to them due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While he would have liked to visit everyone in the wake of announcing his retirement, he had to opt for a video message instead.

Even though he's leaving Square Enix, he'll still continue to enjoy video games and play Square Enix titles. Additionally, Hashimoto says that if anyone spots him in public at events, he'll be happy to take photos with them.

"Now, I'll be leaving the company in high spirits," he explains. "But I will continue to be around and involved in entertainment, so please be assured. To everyone around the world, I hope you will continue to support Square Enix titles."

To celebrate Hashimoto's retirement, Square Enix illustrator Toshiyuki Itahana drew a picture of him with a Moogle and a Chocobo.

橋本さん、おつかれさまでした！@shinjihashimot3 pic.twitter.com/eSX8vLoKks

— 板鼻利幸 Toshiyuki Itahana (@ItahanaT) May 31, 2022

Square Enix recently sold off its western division to the Embracer Group and is currently working on projects such as Kingdom Hearts 4 and Final Fantasy XVI.

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

Joe Quesada, former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief and current executive vice president and creative director of Marvel Entertainment, has announced he's leaving the company after 22 years.

Quesada made the surprise announcement via Twitter, telling fans, "After two plus decades (has it really been that long?), the time has come for me to move on. As you can imagine, my love for the company, its characters, and all my coworkers runs deep, but I have an exciting new chapter that's about to begin, so the time feels right."

And now for something completely different... pic.twitter.com/5Vurcra9kJ

— Joe Quesada (@JoeQuesada) May 31, 2022

Quesada's long and highly influential Marvel career actually dates back to 1998, when he and frequent collaborator Jimmy Palmiotti were contracted to spearhead the Marvel Knights imprint. Thanks in no small part to Quesada and writer Kevin Smith's Daredevil: Guardian Devil, Marvel Knights proved to be one of Marvel's first major sales successes following its brush with bankruptcy in the mid-'90s. That paved the way for Quesada's rise as Marvel's editor-in-chief in 2000.

Quesada's tenure as EiC proved to be hugely transformative for the company. Quesada oversaw the rise of Marvel's Ultimate Universe line, the revamped Avengers franchise and major crossovers like House of M, Civil War and Secret Invasion. This period also saw a new generation of creators make their names at Marvel, including Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man, New Avengers), Ed Brubaker (Captain America, Daredevil), Matt Fraction (The Immortal Iron Fist, Uncanny X-Men) and J. Michael Straczynski (The Amazing Spider-Man, Supreme Power). Quesada was also notable for directly engaging with readers, particularly with his regular Cup O' Joe web column and panels at various comic book conventions.

With the advent of the MCU in the late '00s, Quesada began taking a more active role in developing the company's various multimedia projects, including serving on the sometimes contentious Marvel Creative Committee. He was officially promoted as Marvel's chief creative officer in 2010, and stepped down as EiC the following year. Quesada was then named executive vice president and creative director in 2019 after Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige assumed the chief creative officer role.

Despite a shift to a less public-facing role at Marvel, Quesada's presence has continued to be felt, with his X-Men artwork being featured in 2017's Logan and Quesada voicing a recurring character named Joe in the 2017 animated series Marvel's Spider-Man.

“As an artist and a storyteller, Joe is second to none in what he’s accomplished in the comics industry," said current editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski in a statement. "From the day I started at Marvel years ago (I became an editor largely due to his encouragement), he’s embodied the heart of Marvel and the work we do, and he’s taught me and so many others how to do the same. Following in his footsteps is no easy task, as he set the creative bar so high. But he's always gone above and beyond to lend me his ear as a mentor and offer his sage advice when needed. He’s someone I can call family, and I know so many on our editorial team feel the same. While Joe’s moving on to begin his next big chapter, I’m thrilled we’re going to keep working together on a few projects, and he’ll never be far from our stories here.”

Feige also released a statement, writing, “There are few who know Marvel Comics like Joe, and his countless contributions have helped create characters and stories that will never stop growing and evolving. I’m grateful for his creative leadership and collaboration over the years and wish him nothing but the best for what’s next.”

Quesada's tweet hints at several upcoming film and comics projects, including what appears to be a new Marvel book. But while his name may not be entirely gone from Marvel, this is certainly the end of a very pivotal era for the company.

Quesada's departure comes two years after the similarly influential Dan DiDio departed as DC Comics' Co-Publisher. DiDio is now partnering with The Dark Knight Returns' creator Frank Miller to launch the Frank Miller Presents publishing label, which will include sequels to both Sin City and Ronin.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Joe Quesada, former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief and current executive vice president and creative director of Marvel Entertainment, has announced he's leaving the company after 22 years.

Quesada made the surprise announcement via Twitter, telling fans, "After two plus decades (has it really been that long?), the time has come for me to move on. As you can imagine, my love for the company, its characters, and all my coworkers runs deep, but I have an exciting new chapter that's about to begin, so the time feels right."

And now for something completely different... pic.twitter.com/5Vurcra9kJ

— Joe Quesada (@JoeQuesada) May 31, 2022

Quesada's long and highly influential Marvel career actually dates back to 1998, when he and frequent collaborator Jimmy Palmiotti were contracted to spearhead the Marvel Knights imprint. Thanks in no small part to Quesada and writer Kevin Smith's Daredevil: Guardian Devil, Marvel Knights proved to be one of Marvel's first major sales successes following its brush with bankruptcy in the mid-'90s. That paved the way for Quesada's rise as Marvel's editor-in-chief in 2000.

Quesada's tenure as EiC proved to be hugely transformative for the company. Quesada oversaw the rise of Marvel's Ultimate Universe line, the revamped Avengers franchise and major crossovers like House of M, Civil War and Secret Invasion. This period also saw a new generation of creators make their names at Marvel, including Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man, New Avengers), Ed Brubaker (Captain America, Daredevil), Matt Fraction (The Immortal Iron Fist, Uncanny X-Men) and J. Michael Straczynski (The Amazing Spider-Man, Supreme Power). Quesada was also notable for directly engaging with readers, particularly with his regular Cup O' Joe web column and panels at various comic book conventions.

With the advent of the MCU in the late '00s, Quesada began taking a more active role in developing the company's various multimedia projects, including serving on the sometimes contentious Marvel Creative Committee. He was officially promoted as Marvel's chief creative officer in 2010, and stepped down as EiC the following year. Quesada was then named executive vice president and creative director in 2019 after Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige assumed the chief creative officer role.

Despite a shift to a less public-facing role at Marvel, Quesada's presence has continued to be felt, with his X-Men artwork being featured in 2017's Logan and Quesada voicing a recurring character named Joe in the 2017 animated series Marvel's Spider-Man.

“As an artist and a storyteller, Joe is second to none in what he’s accomplished in the comics industry," said current editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski in a statement. "From the day I started at Marvel years ago (I became an editor largely due to his encouragement), he’s embodied the heart of Marvel and the work we do, and he’s taught me and so many others how to do the same. Following in his footsteps is no easy task, as he set the creative bar so high. But he's always gone above and beyond to lend me his ear as a mentor and offer his sage advice when needed. He’s someone I can call family, and I know so many on our editorial team feel the same. While Joe’s moving on to begin his next big chapter, I’m thrilled we’re going to keep working together on a few projects, and he’ll never be far from our stories here.”

Feige also released a statement, writing, “There are few who know Marvel Comics like Joe, and his countless contributions have helped create characters and stories that will never stop growing and evolving. I’m grateful for his creative leadership and collaboration over the years and wish him nothing but the best for what’s next.”

Quesada's tweet hints at several upcoming film and comics projects, including what appears to be a new Marvel book. But while his name may not be entirely gone from Marvel, this is certainly the end of a very pivotal era for the company.

Quesada's departure comes two years after the similarly influential Dan DiDio departed as DC Comics' Co-Publisher. DiDio is now partnering with The Dark Knight Returns' creator Frank Miller to launch the Frank Miller Presents publishing label, which will include sequels to both Sin City and Ronin.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki is making a new game for Apple Arcade and it's a rail shooter entitled Air Twister. The new game will be coming to the iOS gaming service on June 24 of this year.

Developed by Suzuki's studio YS Net, Air Twister is billed as an "endless shooter" starring a young woman named Princess Arch, who is fighting off a group of enemies invading her home planet.

It uses a swipe shooting mechanic to target and fire at enemies flying around the screen as Princess Arch soars through the skies of her planet, passing through fields of giant mushrooms or through archipelagos of floating islands.

One of the most striking things about the trailer for Air Twister is its music, which is done by Dutch New Age composer Valensia. The result in the trailer is something like what would happen if you crossed Nier Automata's battle themes with a 70s rock opera, which is a fascinating choice for a rail shooter where everyone's riding giant swans and giant flappy whales are dragging air balloons attached to...floating...houses? Sure!

Suzuki's most recent work was Shenmue 3, which he unveiled in 2015, successfully Kickstartered, and released in 2019. Previously, he worked at Sega on franchises such as Virtua Fighter, OutRun, Outrigger, Virtua Cop, and of course, Shenmue. He also somewhat famously worked on Space Harrier, which Air Twister has clearly taken several cues from.

Alongside Air Twister, Apple Arcade also unveiled Cooking Mama: Cuisine! coming to Apple Arcade on June 17 from Office Create, and Frogger and the Rumbling Ruins launching June 3 from Konami.

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

Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki is making a new game for Apple Arcade and it's a rail shooter entitled Air Twister. The new game will be coming to the iOS gaming service on June 24 of this year.

Developed by Suzuki's studio YS Net, Air Twister is billed as an "endless shooter" starring a young woman named Princess Arch, who is fighting off a group of enemies invading her home planet.

It uses a swipe shooting mechanic to target and fire at enemies flying around the screen as Princess Arch soars through the skies of her planet, passing through fields of giant mushrooms or through archipelagos of floating islands.

One of the most striking things about the trailer for Air Twister is its music, which is done by Dutch New Age composer Valensia. The result in the trailer is something like what would happen if you crossed Nier Automata's battle themes with a 70s rock opera, which is a fascinating choice for a rail shooter where everyone's riding giant swans and giant flappy whales are dragging air balloons attached to...floating...houses? Sure!

Suzuki's most recent work was Shenmue 3, which he unveiled in 2015, successfully Kickstartered, and released in 2019. Previously, he worked at Sega on franchises such as Virtua Fighter, OutRun, Outrigger, Virtua Cop, and of course, Shenmue. He also somewhat famously worked on Space Harrier, which Air Twister has clearly taken several cues from.

Alongside Air Twister, Apple Arcade also unveiled Cooking Mama: Cuisine! coming to Apple Arcade on June 17 from Office Create, and Frogger and the Rumbling Ruins launching June 3 from Konami.

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