When Jenova Chen released Journey ten years ago, he wanted to prove to the world that video games were art. Now, everyone pretty much agrees they are.

So why, he asks, are they still not getting the wider cultural respect they deserve?

"You go to a party, and someone says, 'What do you do?' If you say, 'I write scripts for movies'...They treat you as if you are an author of a book or a poet…You're a servant for the public. But if I tell them I work in games, in 2005, they said, 'You know the Columbine shooting? The congressmen said you guys are making kids violent.' And in 2014 to today, people are like, 'I heard you guys make a lot of money, right?'...That's basically what people ask. The only other time people would ask these questions is if you run a casino.

"These days we are working on something different because, now [we've proven they're] art, how come people still don't respect games? I got these games like Flower and Journey in the MOMA and Smithsonian and in all these contemporary galleries. I thought this is going to elevate the public respect for games, because how is it possible that game is a lesser art form than any others?...If proving games can be art can't elevate the respect, or how the public view games, what else can I do to change that?"

One reason Chen cites for the continued struggle of gaming for cultural respect is the mobile market, and by association, the rise of free-to-play games and what he sees as predatory monetization tactics. Though he himself has released multiple games on mobile and recognizes there are artistic mobile games out there, he says that the preponderance of those specific business models has dramatically increased the number of people playing games regularly, but also harmed the overall societal image of games as art.

"As a console developer, I feel very mixed, how I want to react to it. On one hand, we have ten times the players now, but at the same time, where is the money flowing to? Where does the talent go? What are we focusing on? I was really happy in 2012 when I saw more and more AAA games starting to become artistic and have emotional power, but suddenly, you have tens of millions of new games created that are the opposite of those old games, with free-to-play and predatory monetizations. The reputation of games today is shaped by these mobile games more than what's on the console, and that's why people are treating me as if I'm running casinos.

"To me, that is my saddest realization of the change in a decade, is no matter how much work we did in console, it doesn't matter because it's diluted by mobile and this new group of people and new group of games."

For right now, Chen can't give any further details on what exactly his new project is or how it will challenge these conventions. But he does confirm that this doesn't mean his own mobile game, Sky, isn't going anywhere. He compares Thatgamecompany to pirates, always exploring and on the lookout for new treasure. But now that they have Sky to maintain, their jobs are split.

"One thing I joke about is we finally found one particular treasure [Sky]. Now, we can't be pirates anymore because the treasure is deep in the mine. We have to dig it up, so we have to have this service operation with hundreds of people, and that's a completely new stage of life. But deep down, I'm still a pirate."

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

When Jenova Chen released Journey ten years ago, he wanted to prove to the world that video games were art. Now, everyone pretty much agrees they are.

So why, he asks, are they still not getting the wider cultural respect they deserve?

"You go to a party, and someone says, 'What do you do?' If you say, 'I write scripts for movies'...They treat you as if you are an author of a book or a poet…You're a servant for the public. But if I tell them I work in games, in 2005, they said, 'You know the Columbine shooting? The congressmen said you guys are making kids violent.' And in 2014 to today, people are like, 'I heard you guys make a lot of money, right?'...That's basically what people ask. The only other time people would ask these questions is if you run a casino.

"These days we are working on something different because, now [we've proven they're] art, how come people still don't respect games? I got these games like Flower and Journey in the MOMA and Smithsonian and in all these contemporary galleries. I thought this is going to elevate the public respect for games, because how is it possible that game is a lesser art form than any others?...If proving games can be art can't elevate the respect, or how the public view games, what else can I do to change that?"

One reason Chen cites for the continued struggle of gaming for cultural respect is the mobile market, and by association, the rise of free-to-play games and what he sees as predatory monetization tactics. Though he himself has released multiple games on mobile and recognizes there are artistic mobile games out there, he says that the preponderance of those specific business models has dramatically increased the number of people playing games regularly, but also harmed the overall societal image of games as art.

"As a console developer, I feel very mixed, how I want to react to it. On one hand, we have ten times the players now, but at the same time, where is the money flowing to? Where does the talent go? What are we focusing on? I was really happy in 2012 when I saw more and more AAA games starting to become artistic and have emotional power, but suddenly, you have tens of millions of new games created that are the opposite of those old games, with free-to-play and predatory monetizations. The reputation of games today is shaped by these mobile games more than what's on the console, and that's why people are treating me as if I'm running casinos.

"To me, that is my saddest realization of the change in a decade, is no matter how much work we did in console, it doesn't matter because it's diluted by mobile and this new group of people and new group of games."

For right now, Chen can't give any further details on what exactly his new project is or how it will challenge these conventions. But he does confirm that this doesn't mean his own mobile game, Sky, isn't going anywhere. He compares Thatgamecompany to pirates, always exploring and on the lookout for new treasure. But now that they have Sky to maintain, their jobs are split.

"One thing I joke about is we finally found one particular treasure [Sky]. Now, we can't be pirates anymore because the treasure is deep in the mine. We have to dig it up, so we have to have this service operation with hundreds of people, and that's a completely new stage of life. But deep down, I'm still a pirate."

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

Gamescom is returning in full to Cologne, Germany this year but will offer an extensive online program too for attendees who wish to join remotely.

The world's largest gaming event has been forced online for the last two years due to COVID-19 but will return to the Koelnmesse convention centre from August 24 to 28.

Gamescom will be separated into different areas for entertainment, business, cosplay, retro, and more. Organizers are promising this will be simulated online, with both versions of the event also having interactive quests and rewards.

Felix Falk, the managing editor of game (the association of the German games industry), said in a statement, "This year we are combining the best of both worlds: our extensive digital program with the incomparable Gamescom experience on-site."

He also explained the "Gamescom Goes Green" project, as this year's event is designed to be climate neutral in the medium and long term. "We thus want to not only be a lighthouse for the many initiatives for environmental protection and climate action in the international games industry, but also a pioneer for international events in general," Falk said.

IGN will have its own schedule of Gamescom 2022 events to bring you the latest news and analysis throughout the event.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale.

Gamescom is returning in full to Cologne, Germany this year but will offer an extensive online program too for attendees who wish to join remotely.

The world's largest gaming event has been forced online for the last two years due to COVID-19 but will return to the Koelnmesse convention centre from August 24 to 28.

Gamescom will be separated into different areas for entertainment, business, cosplay, retro, and more. Organizers are promising this will be simulated online, with both versions of the event also having interactive quests and rewards.

Felix Falk, the managing editor of game (the association of the German games industry), said in a statement, "This year we are combining the best of both worlds: our extensive digital program with the incomparable Gamescom experience on-site."

He also explained the "Gamescom Goes Green" project, as this year's event is designed to be climate neutral in the medium and long term. "We thus want to not only be a lighthouse for the many initiatives for environmental protection and climate action in the international games industry, but also a pioneer for international events in general," Falk said.

IGN will have its own schedule of Gamescom 2022 events to bring you the latest news and analysis throughout the event.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale.

Drake and Josh star Josh Peck has joined Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.

According to Variety, the 35-year-old former child star has joined the upcoming World War II epic from the celebrated filmmaker, Christopher Nolan.

He will reportedly play Kenneth Bainbridge, a real-life scientist who worked alongside Oppenheimer on The Manhattan Project — America’s top-secret nuclear weapon project during World War II.

Bainbridge was known for his work on cyclotron research, and his precise measurements of mass differences between nuclear isotopes allowed him to confirm Einstein’s mass-energy equivalence concept.

He was also the director of The Manhattan Project’s Trinity nuclear test on July 16, 1945. After observing the test explosion, he famously remarked to Oppenheimer: “Now we are all sons of bitches.”

Fingers crossed that particular line makes it into the film.

Oppenheimer stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist who is often credited as the “father of the atomic bomb”.

The all-star ensemble cast is already packed full of big names, including Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr, Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, and many more. David Dastmalchian also recently joined the cast in an unknown role.

Oppenheimer is set to be the first film Nolan has worked on with Universal Pictures after they picked up the film rights following a bidding war. Nolan previously expressed anger at Warner Bros. for launching their films day and date on HBO Max – the director calling it “the worst streaming service”.

Now, his break from the studio has led to this first project with Universal, which came with an extensive list of demands.

Christopher Nolan will produce Oppenheimer alongside Emma Thomas and Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven. The film is expected to be made on a $100 million budget – considered considerably “smaller-scale” by Nolan compared to his earlier films.

Oppenheimer is based on the Pulitzer-winning book, American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin.

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

(Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Drake and Josh star Josh Peck has joined Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.

According to Variety, the 35-year-old former child star has joined the upcoming World War II epic from the celebrated filmmaker, Christopher Nolan.

He will reportedly play Kenneth Bainbridge, a real-life scientist who worked alongside Oppenheimer on The Manhattan Project — America’s top-secret nuclear weapon project during World War II.

Bainbridge was known for his work on cyclotron research, and his precise measurements of mass differences between nuclear isotopes allowed him to confirm Einstein’s mass-energy equivalence concept.

He was also the director of The Manhattan Project’s Trinity nuclear test on July 16, 1945. After observing the test explosion, he famously remarked to Oppenheimer: “Now we are all sons of bitches.”

Fingers crossed that particular line makes it into the film.

Oppenheimer stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist who is often credited as the “father of the atomic bomb”.

The all-star ensemble cast is already packed full of big names, including Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr, Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, and many more. David Dastmalchian also recently joined the cast in an unknown role.

Oppenheimer is set to be the first film Nolan has worked on with Universal Pictures after they picked up the film rights following a bidding war. Nolan previously expressed anger at Warner Bros. for launching their films day and date on HBO Max – the director calling it “the worst streaming service”.

Now, his break from the studio has led to this first project with Universal, which came with an extensive list of demands.

Christopher Nolan will produce Oppenheimer alongside Emma Thomas and Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven. The film is expected to be made on a $100 million budget – considered considerably “smaller-scale” by Nolan compared to his earlier films.

Oppenheimer is based on the Pulitzer-winning book, American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin.

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

(Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

The first Super Nintendo World theme park area in the U.S. will open at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2023, with themed merchandise making its way onto shelves ahead of the land's debut.

Announced by Universal Studios, next year, theme park guests will be able to visit a newly expanded area of Universal Studios Hollywood. The themed land brings visitors into the brightly colored world of Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach, including a 'groundbreaking' ride and interactive areas. Themed shopping and dining aim to enhance the experience.

The park is a partnership between Nintendo and Universal Creative, aiming to deliver "exhilarating entertainment with innovative technological achievements inspired by characters and video games that have appealed to generations of Nintendo fans for over 40 years".

Before that 2023 opening, Universal will release related merchandise such as Mario and Luigi-themed apparel, character hats, and a selection of plush characters (including Yoshi, Mario, Bowser and Luigi). That will all be stocked at Universal Studio Hollywood's Feature Presentation retail store, which will open soon with new Super Nintendo World theming.

The first Super Nintendo World opened at Universal Studios Japan in 2021. IGN Japan visited the land, capturing photos of the new theme park area as well as the food and merch items available at the location, while summarising the whole experience in a review that praised it for offering "a theme park experience unlike any other."

Super Nintendo World is scheduled to become part of other Universal Studios sites around the world, including Orlando and Singapore, but the opening of the Orlando attraction has reportedly been delayed until 2025. Meanwhile, the Mario-themed land at Universal Studios Japan is only set to expand further with a Donkey Kong-themed area, opening in 2024.

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

The first Super Nintendo World theme park area in the U.S. will open at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2023, with themed merchandise making its way onto shelves ahead of the land's debut.

Announced by Universal Studios, next year, theme park guests will be able to visit a newly expanded area of Universal Studios Hollywood. The themed land brings visitors into the brightly colored world of Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach, including a 'groundbreaking' ride and interactive areas. Themed shopping and dining aim to enhance the experience.

The park is a partnership between Nintendo and Universal Creative, aiming to deliver "exhilarating entertainment with innovative technological achievements inspired by characters and video games that have appealed to generations of Nintendo fans for over 40 years".

Before that 2023 opening, Universal will release related merchandise such as Mario and Luigi-themed apparel, character hats, and a selection of plush characters (including Yoshi, Mario, Bowser and Luigi). That will all be stocked at Universal Studio Hollywood's Feature Presentation retail store, which will open soon with new Super Nintendo World theming.

The first Super Nintendo World opened at Universal Studios Japan in 2021. IGN Japan visited the land, capturing photos of the new theme park area as well as the food and merch items available at the location, while summarising the whole experience in a review that praised it for offering "a theme park experience unlike any other."

Super Nintendo World is scheduled to become part of other Universal Studios sites around the world, including Orlando and Singapore, but the opening of the Orlando attraction has reportedly been delayed until 2025. Meanwhile, the Mario-themed land at Universal Studios Japan is only set to expand further with a Donkey Kong-themed area, opening in 2024.

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

Blizzard is changing up its release plans for Overwatch 2 in a major way. Rather than ship the PvP and PvE portions of the shooter together, Blizzard will decouple the package to get the Overwatch 2 PvP to players sooner rather than later.

In a new update — the first in a series of updates for the sake of more regular communication with fans — Blizzard announced that Overwatch 2 PvP will be entering closed alpha testing later today, with a beta planned for late April.

We look forward to building a new era of Overwatch 2 together ✨ pic.twitter.com/CadWUwlIxh

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) March 10, 2022

The closed alpha is only open to Blizzard employees, Overwatch League pros, and a few other select groups. The late April PvP beta, however, will be available for PC players in all regions. While it will be a closed beta, it's a chance for a larger group of testers to play the PvP mode and provide feedback to the developers.

As part of the beta, several of the changes coming to Overwatch 2 will be available for testing. This includes the new hero Sojourn, the new game mode Push, 5v5 Multiplayer, the new Hero reworks, and four new maps.

Players can sign up to request access to the Overwatch 2 PvP Beta 1 on https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/beta/. More players (and hopefully platforms) will get an opportunity to beta test the PvP in upcoming beta phases.

Overwatch 2 is a sequel to 2016's critically-acclaimed competitive shooter. The plans for Overwatch 2 are somewhat arcane as Blizzard announced big changes to the multiplayer which will affect both Overwatch 1 and 2. A new PvE story mode will be exclusive to the sequel.

Overwatch 2 was announced at BlizzCon in 2019, but according to an IGN investigation, the announcement was premature with internal sources saying Overwatch 2 was still years away. The news that Blizzard will split the Overwatch 2 package into PvP and PvE suggests that if the company continued to release the two together the game would take longer to release.

But with PvP becoming a separate release, Blizzard looks to be targeting an earlier launch date for the hero-shooter sequel. The strategy mirrors other recent games like Halo Infinite, which split the main campaign from the free-to-play multiplayer mode.

Whether this means we’ll see Overwatch 2 in 2022 remains up in the air, but for now, many fans will get to go hands-on with the long-awaited shooter sooner than expected.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Blizzard is changing up its release plans for Overwatch 2 in a major way. Rather than ship the PvP and PvE portions of the shooter together, Blizzard will decouple the package to get the Overwatch 2 PvP to players sooner rather than later.

In a new update — the first in a series of updates for the sake of more regular communication with fans — Blizzard announced that Overwatch 2 PvP will be entering closed alpha testing later today, with a beta planned for late April.

We look forward to building a new era of Overwatch 2 together ✨ pic.twitter.com/CadWUwlIxh

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) March 10, 2022

The closed alpha is only open to Blizzard employees, Overwatch League pros, and a few other select groups. The late April PvP beta, however, will be available for PC players in all regions. While it will be a closed beta, it's a chance for a larger group of testers to play the PvP mode and provide feedback to the developers.

As part of the beta, several of the changes coming to Overwatch 2 will be available for testing. This includes the new hero Sojourn, the new game mode Push, 5v5 Multiplayer, the new Hero reworks, and four new maps.

Players can sign up to request access to the Overwatch 2 PvP Beta 1 on https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/beta/. More players (and hopefully platforms) will get an opportunity to beta test the PvP in upcoming beta phases.

Overwatch 2 is a sequel to 2016's critically-acclaimed competitive shooter. The plans for Overwatch 2 are somewhat arcane as Blizzard announced big changes to the multiplayer which will affect both Overwatch 1 and 2. A new PvE story mode will be exclusive to the sequel.

Overwatch 2 was announced at BlizzCon in 2019, but according to an IGN investigation, the announcement was premature with internal sources saying Overwatch 2 was still years away. The news that Blizzard will split the Overwatch 2 package into PvP and PvE suggests that if the company continued to release the two together the game would take longer to release.

But with PvP becoming a separate release, Blizzard looks to be targeting an earlier launch date for the hero-shooter sequel. The strategy mirrors other recent games like Halo Infinite, which split the main campaign from the free-to-play multiplayer mode.

Whether this means we’ll see Overwatch 2 in 2022 remains up in the air, but for now, many fans will get to go hands-on with the long-awaited shooter sooner than expected.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.