Rainbow Six Siege’s Seventh Year Promises New Maps, Cross Play, and Less Toxicity

Ubisoft has revealed the content roadmap for Rainbow Six Siege’s seventh year. As usual it includes four new operators, but 2022 will see the addition of three new maps, the much-requested cross-play and cross-progression, and a variety of new improvements to Siege’s player behaviour systems.

Starting with season one’s Operation Demon Veil, which was revealed yesterday, Rainbow Six Siege will receive a further four playable operators. Azami, a Japanese defender, has already been fully detailed, but the remaining three have only been teased. Season two will add a new Belgian operator, season three will introduce an operator from Singapore, and the final operator landing in season four will hail from Colombia.

Mid-way through season one we’ll see a new competitive map in the form of the Ireland-set Emerald Plains. Season three will also add a new competitive map. A third new map will also be available, arriving in season two, however this Greece-set map will be exclusively for the new Team Deathmatch game mode, and not available for traditional competitive Siege matches.

Alongside this, a new shooting range will be added during season two, which will provide a place to test guns and practice weapons drills. A series of ‘operator tips’ will also be added, in an effort to better explain to new players how Siege’s many unique characters work. In season three, Ranked 2.0 - an overhauled version of Siege’s ranked competitive mode - will be introduced.

Ubisoft is also working on crossplay and cross-progression for console and PC, but notes that it is taking longer than expected. As such, it is currently planned to be launched during season four, right towards the end of the year.

In addition to this new content, Ubisoft plans to make a host of improvements to Siege’s player systems. In season one, there will be changes made to the way griefing and player disconnects are detected and acted upon, in an effort to make a fairer experience. Season two will further the war on toxic players by restricting those who misuse friendly fire, while season three will add reporting systems to the Match Replay feature, allowing you to report violations if you spot them in a replay. A new Reputation Scores system will launch in season four, which will reward good behaviour while blocking repeat offenders. Joining all this will, naturally, be seasonal balance updates. There will also be updates dedicated to the console version to allow personalisation of aim control, controller mapping, and field of view settings.

As usual, balancing, gameplay upgrades, and map content will be provided for free, but operators will be provided through paid-for battle passes. These can be purchased seasonally, but there will also be the Year 7 Pass, available until March 21, which unlocks every upcoming operator 14 days early. Two variations are available this year, the regular one for $30 (essentially the four standard season passes in one bundle) or the $60 Premium Year Pass that also comes with exclusive weapon skins, VIP credits, and 20 extra tiers on the battle pass.

For more, check out the full details on what is arriving in Rainbow Six Siege year 7, season one. And to see what else is going on in the Tom Clancy-verse, be sure to read our review of the recently released Rainbow Six Extraction.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.

Update: An earlier version of this article said the regular Year 7 Pass was $40. Ubisoft corrected its press release and informed IGN that the correct price is $30. The article has been updated to reflect this.

Rainbow Six Siege’s Seventh Year Promises New Maps, Cross Play, and Less Toxicity

Ubisoft has revealed the content roadmap for Rainbow Six Siege’s seventh year. As usual it includes four new operators, but 2022 will see the addition of three new maps, the much-requested cross-play and cross-progression, and a variety of new improvements to Siege’s player behaviour systems.

Starting with season one’s Operation Demon Veil, which was revealed yesterday, Rainbow Six Siege will receive a further four playable operators. Azami, a Japanese defender, has already been fully detailed, but the remaining three have only been teased. Season two will add a new Belgian operator, season three will introduce an operator from Singapore, and the final operator landing in season four will hail from Colombia.

Mid-way through season one we’ll see a new competitive map in the form of the Ireland-set Emerald Plains. Season three will also add a new competitive map. A third new map will also be available, arriving in season two, however this Greece-set map will be exclusively for the new Team Deathmatch game mode, and not available for traditional competitive Siege matches.

Alongside this, a new shooting range will be added during season two, which will provide a place to test guns and practice weapons drills. A series of ‘operator tips’ will also be added, in an effort to better explain to new players how Siege’s many unique characters work. In season three, Ranked 2.0 - an overhauled version of Siege’s ranked competitive mode - will be introduced.

Ubisoft is also working on crossplay and cross-progression for console and PC, but notes that it is taking longer than expected. As such, it is currently planned to be launched during season four, right towards the end of the year.

In addition to this new content, Ubisoft plans to make a host of improvements to Siege’s player systems. In season one, there will be changes made to the way griefing and player disconnects are detected and acted upon, in an effort to make a fairer experience. Season two will further the war on toxic players by restricting those who misuse friendly fire, while season three will add reporting systems to the Match Replay feature, allowing you to report violations if you spot them in a replay. A new Reputation Scores system will launch in season four, which will reward good behaviour while blocking repeat offenders. Joining all this will, naturally, be seasonal balance updates. There will also be updates dedicated to the console version to allow personalisation of aim control, controller mapping, and field of view settings.

As usual, balancing, gameplay upgrades, and map content will be provided for free, but operators will be provided through paid-for battle passes. These can be purchased seasonally, but there will also be the Year 7 Pass, available until March 21, which unlocks every upcoming operator 14 days early. Two variations are available this year, the regular one for $40 (essentially the four standard season passes in one bundle) or the $60 Premium Year Pass that also comes with exclusive weapon skins, VIP credits, and 20 extra tiers on the battle pass.

For more, check out the full details on what is arriving in Rainbow Six Siege year 7, season one. And to see what else is going on in the Tom Clancy-verse, be sure to read our review of the recently released Rainbow Six Extraction.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.

Rainbow Six Siege: Demon Veil Season and New Operator Azami Full Breakdown

Year Seven, Season One of Rainbow Six Siege - titled Demon Veil - is set to arrive on March 8th, 2022, and brings with it a new Operator in Azami, a teaser for a new map in Emerald Plains coming later in the season, and a ton of exciting changes and additions like Attacker Repick, Team Deathmatch, Match Replay for console players, improved face tech, and so much more.

To help you start this new year with a bang in Rainbow Six Siege, we’ve gathered everything you need to know about Demon Veil in one place alongside the best tips for using Azami to her fullest potential.

Azami and Her Kiba Barrier Kunai Will Help You and the Defenders Close Up Holes and Secure Victory

Defender Kana “Azami” Fujiwara is the newest Operator to join Rainbow Six Siege and she is set to arrive in Season 7, Year 1 - Demon Veil. She was raised in Kyoto City, Japan, and found a passion for both fashion and physical combat early on as a way to escape the “rigid rules of her household.”

She rose up the ranks of Aikido, and would use those skills, her expertise in multiple languages, and much more to move to Tokyo and begin her studies at the Metropolitan Police Academy. After she faced suspension from the force after “multiple violent outbursts in the line of duty,” she decided to leave that life behind and join the private sector as a bodyguard.

In Rainbow Six Siege, Azami will be joining the roster of Defenders and is being built as “a total gamechanger.” While Azami comes equipped with the 9X19SVN SMG, ACS12 Shotgun, D-50 Handgun, Impact Grenades, and Barbed Wire, the star of her arsenal is undoubtedly the Kiba Barrier.

The Kiba Barrier is a mix of Compound L-7 and Solution K-13 and begins life as gas before solidifying and placing a bullet-proof circular surface anywhere on the map. Azami uses a wrist sheath - similar to the hidden blade from Assassin’s Creed - for the Kunai that house these chemicals. These Kiba Barrier kunai can be fired at the floor, walls, or ceilings, giving Defenders a chance to protect themselves against vertical play in addition to the ability to plug up any holes/lines of sight that could mean the difference between life and death.

“Azami is a total gamechanger, literally,” Game designer Dominic Clement said. “For the first time ever, the Defenders can actually protect themselves from vertical play, which is something that was never possible before. If you had a Buck or a Sledge right above you making holes on the floor, you were kind of in panic and you had to run away, you had to get out of there. There wasn’t anything you can do. But now, you can.”

As for how players should use Azami, Clement recommends that she stay close to the objective as you’d want her to be ready for any breaches that the Attackers may be planning.

“The role of Azami is really an anchor,” Clement said. “You know, she’s an architect. So, you want her close to the objective, you want her close to your anchor players so she can provide the necessary cover for them. You want her close to the walls that you’re going to expect some form of breach, so you want her on site. That’s where she is strongest.”

While the bullet-proof Kiba Barrier may sound like a nightmare to the Attackers, they can easily be dispatched by explosives or with three melee hits. This means that Ash, Zofia, and Flores should be utilized, as they will have the easiest time using their arsenals to bring down any barriers that appear on the battlefield. Those who use Sledge, Buck, Thermite, Maverick, Hibana, and Ace should be aware that their ability to make holes in the map can be easily countered by Azami if she is on the enemy team.

Rainbow Six Siege Demon Veil’s New Mode, Map, Gameplay Changes, and More

Team Deathmatch, which should be familiar to any who have played other multiplayer shooters, will arrive in Rainbow Six Siege with Demon Veil. It is meant to be a fun and fast-paced mode that can be used to play casually with friends or to warm up for some competitive play. There are no restrictions with Operators or Loadouts, but Operator Gadgets will not be in play and everyone will start with the option of Impact or Flash Grenades.

Rainbow Six Siege’s Demon Veil season will also see the introduction of the first new map entry in three years: The Emerald Plains. This map, which will arrive mid-season, is set in Ireland and takes place in an old-style estate/castle that has been turned into a country club for the elites of the world. The first floor was “modernized for the enjoyment of the guests,” meaning it will be much more open, but the second floor has remained mostly unchanged for the “very private elites and maybe the shady deals that they do there.”

The manor’s rooftop overlooks a two-story fireplace lounge, and the map itself is very expansive and was made with a special focus on learnability in hope players will become familiar with it as quickly as possible.

“Finding the location was a challenge for the team, but I think we really hit the target right in the bullseye and created something that is quite unique and enjoyable,” Level designer Josam L Rene said. “We really wanted to take what we’ve learned from the old maps and really bring a new one with those learnings. I really like when I know where I am, I know what is coming next. That is something that is really important to make a map enjoyable is that it's easy to learn. The faster you get to know the map, the faster you’ll get enjoyment out of it, and that’s what we strove for.”

The other big addition to Rainbow Six Siege this season is Attacker Repick.

Attacker Repick is exactly as it sounds - it will let Attackers choose different Operators depending on what they find during the prep phase. While the Attackers use their drones and scout out the map, they will be given the option to change both their Operators and attachments to better suit their plan of attack.

There are a bunch of other changes that will be implemented with this new season, including a substantial one to Goyo. Whereas before Goyo would drop a shield that held a Vulcan Canister, this new season will drop the shield in favor of more canisters that are even deadlier. The team felt that the explosion and shield combo was a bit too tough to play against, so this change will hopefully balance things out without making Goyo any less dangerous.

Alongside giving all weapons 1x sights and the ability to have any sight, console players will gain access to Match Replay with all the features PC players enjoy, ranked play will require a phone number associated with your account in an attempt to deter cheaters, and Ubisoft will reward players that report bugs using R6 Fix.

Demon Veil will also introduce some long-requested improvements to facial technology. The implementation of this new tech will be mostly seen in future Operators, but players will be able to see it in action with the arrival of Azami. This means the team has redone skin, hair, and eye shaders and have upped the amount of polycount for headgear and the face itself to bring more life to Operators. Thunderbird will also see these improvements in Demon Veil.

Furthermore, fans of Nomad, Montagne, and Kaid will be able to purchase a new Elite Skin and players will have more options to practice in playable spaces, complete with Operator tips, target ranges, and no added pressure of being in a match.

Rainbow Six Siege Year Seven, Season One - Demon Veil, its all-new Battle Pass, and Azami will be available on March 8th, 2022.

Rainbow Six Siege: Demon Veil Season and New Operator Azami Full Breakdown

Year Seven, Season One of Rainbow Six Siege - titled Demon Veil - is set to arrive on March 8th, 2022, and brings with it a new Operator in Azami, a teaser for a new map in Emerald Plains coming later in the season, and a ton of exciting changes and additions like Attacker Repick, Team Deathmatch, Match Replay for console players, improved face tech, and so much more.

To help you start this new year with a bang in Rainbow Six Siege, we’ve gathered everything you need to know about Demon Veil in one place alongside the best tips for using Azami to her fullest potential.

Azami and Her Kiba Barrier Kunai Will Help You and the Defenders Close Up Holes and Secure Victory

Defender Kana “Azami” Fujiwara is the newest Operator to join Rainbow Six Siege and she is set to arrive in Season 7, Year 1 - Demon Veil. She was raised in Kyoto City, Japan, and found a passion for both fashion and physical combat early on as a way to escape the “rigid rules of her household.”

She rose up the ranks of Aikido, and would use those skills, her expertise in multiple languages, and much more to move to Tokyo and begin her studies at the Metropolitan Police Academy. After she faced suspension from the force after “multiple violent outbursts in the line of duty,” she decided to leave that life behind and join the private sector as a bodyguard.

In Rainbow Six Siege, Azami will be joining the roster of Defenders and is being built as “a total gamechanger.” While Azami comes equipped with the 9X19SVN SMG, ACS12 Shotgun, D-50 Handgun, Impact Grenades, and Barbed Wire, the star of her arsenal is undoubtedly the Kiba Barrier.

The Kiba Barrier is a mix of Compound L-7 and Solution K-13 and begins life as gas before solidifying and placing a bullet-proof circular surface anywhere on the map. Azami uses a wrist sheath - similar to the hidden blade from Assassin’s Creed - for the Kunai that house these chemicals. These Kiba Barrier kunai can be fired at the floor, walls, or ceilings, giving Defenders a chance to protect themselves against vertical play in addition to the ability to plug up any holes/lines of sight that could mean the difference between life and death.

“Azami is a total gamechanger, literally,” Game designer Dominic Clement said. “For the first time ever, the Defenders can actually protect themselves from vertical play, which is something that was never possible before. If you had a Buck or a Sledge right above you making holes on the floor, you were kind of in panic and you had to run away, you had to get out of there. There wasn’t anything you can do. But now, you can.”

As for how players should use Azami, Clement recommends that she stay close to the objective as you’d want her to be ready for any breaches that the Attackers may be planning.

“The role of Azami is really an anchor,” Clement said. “You know, she’s an architect. So, you want her close to the objective, you want her close to your anchor players so she can provide the necessary cover for them. You want her close to the walls that you’re going to expect some form of breach, so you want her on site. That’s where she is strongest.”

While the bullet-proof Kiba Barrier may sound like a nightmare to the Attackers, they can easily be dispatched by explosives or with three melee hits. This means that Ash, Zofia, and Flores should be utilized, as they will have the easiest time using their arsenals to bring down any barriers that appear on the battlefield. Those who use Sledge, Buck, Thermite, Maverick, Hibana, and Ace should be aware that their ability to make holes in the map can be easily countered by Azami if she is on the enemy team.

Rainbow Six Siege Demon Veil’s New Mode, Map, Gameplay Changes, and More

Team Deathmatch, which should be familiar to any who have played other multiplayer shooters, will arrive in Rainbow Six Siege with Demon Veil. It is meant to be a fun and fast-paced mode that can be used to play casually with friends or to warm up for some competitive play. There are no restrictions with Operators or Loadouts, but Operator Gadgets will not be in play and everyone will start with the option of Impact or Flash Grenades.

Rainbow Six Siege’s Demon Veil season will also see the introduction of the first new map entry in three years: The Emerald Plains. This map, which will arrive mid-season, is set in Ireland and takes place in an old-style estate/castle that has been turned into a country club for the elites of the world. The first floor was “modernized for the enjoyment of the guests,” meaning it will be much more open, but the second floor has remained mostly unchanged for the “very private elites and maybe the shady deals that they do there.”

The manor’s rooftop overlooks a two-story fireplace lounge, and the map itself is very expansive and was made with a special focus on learnability in hope players will become familiar with it as quickly as possible.

“Finding the location was a challenge for the team, but I think we really hit the target right in the bullseye and created something that is quite unique and enjoyable,” Level designer Josam L Rene said. “We really wanted to take what we’ve learned from the old maps and really bring a new one with those learnings. I really like when I know where I am, I know what is coming next. That is something that is really important to make a map enjoyable is that it's easy to learn. The faster you get to know the map, the faster you’ll get enjoyment out of it, and that’s what we strove for.”

The other big addition to Rainbow Six Siege this season is Attacker Repick.

Attacker Repick is exactly as it sounds - it will let Attackers choose different Operators depending on what they find during the prep phase. While the Attackers use their drones and scout out the map, they will be given the option to change both their Operators and attachments to better suit their plan of attack.

There are a bunch of other changes that will be implemented with this new season, including a substantial one to Goyo. Whereas before Goyo would drop a shield that held a Vulcan Canister, this new season will drop the shield in favor of more canisters that are even deadlier. The team felt that the explosion and shield combo was a bit too tough to play against, so this change will hopefully balance things out without making Goyo any less dangerous.

Alongside giving all weapons 1x sights and the ability to have any sight, console players will gain access to Match Replay with all the features PC players enjoy, ranked play will require a phone number associated with your account in an attempt to deter cheaters, and Ubisoft will reward players that report bugs using R6 Fix.

Demon Veil will also introduce some long-requested improvements to facial technology. The implementation of this new tech will be mostly seen in future Operators, but players will be able to see it in action with the arrival of Azami. This means the team has redone skin, hair, and eye shaders and have upped the amount of polycount for headgear and the face itself to bring more life to Operators. Thunderbird will also see these improvements in Demon Veil.

Furthermore, fans of Nomad, Montagne, and Kaid will be able to purchase a new Elite Skin and players will have more options to practice in playable spaces, complete with Operator tips, target ranges, and no added pressure of being in a match.

Rainbow Six Siege Year Seven, Season One - Demon Veil, its all-new Battle Pass, and Azami will be available on March 8th, 2022.

House of the Dragon Wraps Filming, George R.R. Martin Loves What He’s Seen

Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin has seen House of the Dragon... And he loves it.

A new blog post from the Game of Thrones creator reveals not only his reactions to the what he's seen, but also that filming has wrapped on the upcoming spin-off series.

“Exciting news out of London — I am informed that shooting has WRAPPED for the first season of House of the Dragon,” he revealed.

House of the Dragon is essentially a prequel to Game of Thrones set 200 years before the events of hit fantasy series.

Based on the book Fire & Blood, it tells the story of the end of House Targaryen, including the events leading up to the Targaryen civil war as well as the war itself.

Now, it looks as though filming is done… and it could head to screen later this year. And while Martin had previously seen the first episode, it now appears he’s binged the lot.

“Yes, all ten episodes,” added Martin. “I have seen rough cuts of a few of them, and I’m loving them. Of course, a lot more work needs to be done.

"Special effects, color timing, score, all the post-production work. But the writing, the directing, the acting all look terrific. I hope you will like them as much as I do. My hat is off to Ryan and Miguel and their team, and to our amazing cast.”

But when will House of the Dragon be heading to our screens?

Thankfully, HBO has already discussed their plans with Deadline, confirming that the series will debut sometime this year, even if they haven’t revealed a date just yet.

“One of the reasons why we’re trying to be cautious about it is when you’re shooting a show that big during a pandemic, especially with the last round [with] a lot of crew and cast members… you didn’t know who was going to drop out or if we’re going to have to shut down so we just didn’t want to declare a date and then find ourselves shut down,” said HBO and HBO Max Chief Content Officer Casey Bloys.

“Now that we are out of production, I think that we will talk to their guys and figure out what we want to do in terms of announcing a date,” he added. “But I was just trying to make sure that we didn’t come out with a date that we couldn’t meet for something that was out of our control.”

House of the Dragon stars Paddy Considine as King Viserys I Targaryen and Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. They’re joined by Olivia Cooke, Matt Smith, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoyo Mizuno, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, and Jefferson Hall among others.

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

House of the Dragon Wraps Filming, George R.R. Martin Loves What He’s Seen

Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin has seen House of the Dragon... And he loves it.

A new blog post from the Game of Thrones creator reveals not only his reactions to the what he's seen, but also that filming has wrapped on the upcoming spin-off series.

“Exciting news out of London — I am informed that shooting has WRAPPED for the first season of House of the Dragon,” he revealed.

House of the Dragon is essentially a prequel to Game of Thrones set 200 years before the events of hit fantasy series.

Based on the book Fire & Blood, it tells the story of the end of House Targaryen, including the events leading up to the Targaryen civil war as well as the war itself.

Now, it looks as though filming is done… and it could head to screen later this year. And while Martin had previously seen the first episode, it now appears he’s binged the lot.

“Yes, all ten episodes,” added Martin. “I have seen rough cuts of a few of them, and I’m loving them. Of course, a lot more work needs to be done.

"Special effects, color timing, score, all the post-production work. But the writing, the directing, the acting all look terrific. I hope you will like them as much as I do. My hat is off to Ryan and Miguel and their team, and to our amazing cast.”

But when will House of the Dragon be heading to our screens?

Thankfully, HBO has already discussed their plans with Deadline, confirming that the series will debut sometime this year, even if they haven’t revealed a date just yet.

“One of the reasons why we’re trying to be cautious about it is when you’re shooting a show that big during a pandemic, especially with the last round [with] a lot of crew and cast members… you didn’t know who was going to drop out or if we’re going to have to shut down so we just didn’t want to declare a date and then find ourselves shut down,” said HBO and HBO Max Chief Content Officer Casey Bloys.

“Now that we are out of production, I think that we will talk to their guys and figure out what we want to do in terms of announcing a date,” he added. “But I was just trying to make sure that we didn’t come out with a date that we couldn’t meet for something that was out of our control.”

House of the Dragon stars Paddy Considine as King Viserys I Targaryen and Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. They’re joined by Olivia Cooke, Matt Smith, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoyo Mizuno, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, and Jefferson Hall among others.

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

Starfield Lead Artist Says the Game’s Overall Aesthetic is ‘NASA-Punk’

Starfield's lead artist Istvan Pely has revealed that the overall aesthetic of Bethesda's upcoming space RPG is "NASA-Punk."

Pely and lead animator Rick Vicens spoke to Xbox Wire and discussed how this term really took on a life of its own and helped shape what Starfield is today.

"Early on in this project when we were trying to establish the overall aesthetic of this game, we sort of coined the term ‘NASA-Punk’ to describe a sci-fi universe that’s a little more grounded and relatable,” says Pely. “We wanted a very realistic take. You can draw a line from current-day space technology and extrapolate from there into the future so it’s believable and relatable.”

“What’s really interesting is how much we all latched onto that concept,” added Vicens. “When you said NASA-Punk, the Art team could instantly take those two words and make them work. It was just the perfect term for our art direction and keeping everyone in same flow and working with a consistent style. For me, it just clicked. At the start of the project, I think that term was critical for us.”

This "NASA-punk" talk was part of an article that announced an exclusive signed Starfield art giveaway that will give Constellation members a chance to win an exclusive high-quality print signed by artist Mike Butkus and game director Todd Howard.

A previous Starfield developer diary saw art director Matt Carofano talking about how Starfield is a "more grounded game and a grounded setting about explorations." Now, we have a term to go along with this philosophy.

Starfield is set to be released on November 11, 2022. For more, check out what the game's collector's edition may contain and why Howard said making Starfield was now or never.

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.

Starfield Lead Artist Says the Game’s Overall Aesthetic is ‘NASA-Punk’

Starfield's lead artist Istvan Pely has revealed that the overall aesthetic of Bethesda's upcoming space RPG is "NASA-Punk."

Pely and lead animator Rick Vicens spoke to Xbox Wire and discussed how this term really took on a life of its own and helped shape what Starfield is today.

"Early on in this project when we were trying to establish the overall aesthetic of this game, we sort of coined the term ‘NASA-Punk’ to describe a sci-fi universe that’s a little more grounded and relatable,” says Pely. “We wanted a very realistic take. You can draw a line from current-day space technology and extrapolate from there into the future so it’s believable and relatable.”

“What’s really interesting is how much we all latched onto that concept,” added Vicens. “When you said NASA-Punk, the Art team could instantly take those two words and make them work. It was just the perfect term for our art direction and keeping everyone in same flow and working with a consistent style. For me, it just clicked. At the start of the project, I think that term was critical for us.”

This "NASA-punk" talk was part of an article that announced an exclusive signed Starfield art giveaway that will give Constellation members a chance to win an exclusive high-quality print signed by artist Mike Butkus and game director Todd Howard.

A previous Starfield developer diary saw art director Matt Carofano talking about how Starfield is a "more grounded game and a grounded setting about explorations." Now, we have a term to go along with this philosophy.

Starfield is set to be released on November 11, 2022. For more, check out what the game's collector's edition may contain and why Howard said making Starfield was now or never.

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.

IGN Fan Fest 2022: Everything Announced and Revealed

IGN Fan Fest 2022 has arrived and it brought with it a host of exclusive panels, clips, interviews, special announcements, and so much more. From the Halo TV series to Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga to Spider-Man: No Way Home, there was truly something for everyone to enjoy.

However, there was SO much packed into IGN Fan Fest 2022 that we’ve decided to create this roundup to ensure you don’t miss a thing. Let us know below what your favorite moment was and what you’d love to see from IGN Fan Fest 2023 and beyond!

One Spider-Man: No Way Home Scene Was Rewritten 10 Times

Spider-Man: No Way Home writers Erik Sommers and Chris McKenna have shared that a key scene from the movie was written and rewritten at least 10 times before it was good enough to make the final cut.

Spider-Man: No Way Home Writers Reveal Spoilery Secrets

Now that Spider-Man: No Way Home has been in theaters for some time, we thought it was the perfect time to invite on the film’s writers - Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers.

Spider Man: No Way Home Writers ‘Have Answers’ for Plot Hole, But Can’t Divulge Them Yet

Spider-Man: No Way Home is filled with incredible moments and cameos, but its ending left a seemingly major plot hole that we won’t spoil here. However, the writers of the film have shared that while they can’t divulge everything right now, they definitely have answers to explain the events of the finale.

"We deliberated a lot," writer Erik Sommers said. "Is it going to be like a Back to the Future kind of thing? Or are people going to be disappearing from photos? Are physical objects going to be disappearing? All these things. And like Chris said, ultimately, we decided that it would take so much time and real estate in the movie to explain all of that. It would just detract from the emotion of it."

Spider-Man No Way Home Writers Say There are ‘Possibilities’ for MCU Venom, But It’s ‘Above Our Pay Grade’

Many fans around the world have been waiting for the proper introduction of Venom into the MCU, and while the co-writers of Spider-Man: No Way Home revealed that the film’s post-credit scene “leaves the door open for possibilities,” the circumstances of his potential arrival are “above [their] pay grade.”

"I have no idea,” Writer Chris McKenna said. “That is above our pay grade. We are part of a bigger, larger universe that we are not the gods of, we're just mortals in. I think it was a fun idea that the sixth [member of] the Sinister Six gets stuck in a bar and doesn't get out of there, but maybe he leaves a little something behind. Again, we're not masters of that course of that next adventure."

Sonic the Hedgehog 2's Cast on the Little Details Fans Will Love

Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s Ben Schwartz, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, James Marsden, Jeff Fowler, Idris Elba, and Jim Carrey sat down with IGN at Fan Fest 2022 and discussed much about the upcoming sequel based on the beloved SEGA character.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Is ‘Chock Full’ of Sonic 2 Game References

At IGN Fan Fest 2022, Sonic the Hedgehog director Jeff Fowler was asked if there would be any Sonic 2 or Sonic 3 levels or references featured in the sequel. In addition to Tails and Knuckles making an appearance, Fowler teased that there are “all kinds” of nods to the source material.

“It’s a great problem to have that there are so many great Easter eggs to incorporate, and this movie is chock full of them,” he emphasized. “I couldn’t even begin to list them because there’s just so much stuff fans get excited about.”

Halo TV Show Will Reveal Master Chief’s Face

The upcoming Halo TV show will reveal Master Chief’s face for the first time in the history of the franchise. Halo’s executive producer and 343 Industries’ Studio Head of Transmedia Kiki Wolfkill shared that the decision was made to show Chief’s face as it is important for the personal story the show is trying to tell.

Halo TV Show’s Timeline Is Still ‘Rooted In Canon’

While it has been previously revealed that the Halo TV show will not take place in the timeline of the video games, the show is very much still “rooted in canon” and will feature everything fans would expect to see of a series starring the legendary Master Chief.

“The Halo Silver Timeline is about giving the show and the core canon room to grow, evolve, and be what they need to be,” Halo’s executive producer and 343 Industries’ Studio Head of Transmedia Kiki Wolfkill said. “Really think of the Halo Silver Timeline as being rooted in canon, so events and characters and certainly all of the things you see in canon are all part of the show, but sometimes you will see those events from a different perspective.”

Halo TV Show: New Image Shows Off the Key Cast Members

As part of IGN Fan Fest 2022, we were able to exclusively reveal a new image from the Halo TV series that shows off the key cast members. The image includes Quan Ah (Yerin Ha), Catherine Halsey (Natascha McElhone), Soren-066 (Bokeem Woodbine), Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber), Kai-125 (Kate Kennedy), Riz-028 (Natasha Culzac), and Vannak-134 (Bentley Kalu)

The Northman: Check Out Four Exclusive Images From the Viking Revenge Film and a Conversation with Director Robert Eggers

The Northman director Robert Eggers stopped by IGN Fan Fest 2022 to share four exclusive images from the upcoming Viking movie. The photos in question feature Alexander Skarsgard’s Viking prince, Claes Bang as Fjolnir, Ingvar Sigurdsson as The Sorcerer, and Ethan Hawke who plays King Aurvandil.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Developers Made New Creatures From Existing Model Kits

While it’s exciting that LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga contains all nine movies in the mainline Star Wars series, it posed a problem for developer Traveller’s Tales as they had to create LEGO forms of some creatures that have never been made by LEGO as physical kits. To solve this problem and keep things as authentic as possible, the team used existing kits as reference and built them from a mixture of existing and original parts.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Has Enough Deep Cuts to Please Die Hard Fans

As part of IGN Fan Fest, IGN sat down with TT Games head of production to get a deep dive into LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and learn why this is meant to be the definitive Star Wars LEGO game.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Exclusive Developer Diary

Get a behind-the-scenes look at LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and learn about its biggest challenges, coolest advancements, most exciting new features, and much more.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge New Level Reveal & Exclusive Xbox Gameplay

Take a first look at Xbox gameplay for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge and see an all-new level in action ahead of the game’s release later this year.

Vikings: Valhalla Has the Largest Flotilla of Viking Ships in the World

Vikings: Valhalla actor Sam Corlett - who plays Leif Erikson in the upcoming Netflix series - discussed with IGN that the crew making the show were working with what’s apparently the largest fleet of Viking ships in the world at the moment.

Vikings: Valhalla's Brutal Action Scenes Resulted in a Number of Cast Injuries

The cast of Netflix’s Vikings: Valhalla takes pride in the fact that they do most of their own fighting and stunts for the series’ brutal action scenes. However, that pride also comes with a number of injuries during filming, including a sword to an eye, bloody knuckles, scars, and much more.

WWE 2K22: Rey Mysterio Showcase

In WWE 2K22, fans will be able to walk down memory lane and relive Rey Mysterio’s most iconic matches and moments of his career. Gameplay is mixed with live action footage, and you can check out a glimpse of it in action with a fight between Rey Mysterio and Dolph Ziggler below.

The Walking Dead Final Season Part 2: Exclusive Clip

Here’s an exclusive look at episode 10 of the final season of The Walking Dead. This scene begins to showcase the class division within the Commonwealth that will be explored in this final run of episodes.

How The Legend of Vox Machina "Farted" Out Their Characters

Catch an exclusive conversation with the entire cast of The Legend of Vox Machina and learn more about the making of the adaptation of the first campaign of Critical Role.

Everything Everywhere All At Once Cast Tries to Explain Its WTF Premise

Join Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Cutis, Stephanie Hsu, and Ke Huy Quan as they do their best to try to explain the WTF premise of the upcoming film Everything Everywhere All At Once.

Crazy Rich Asians Inspired Indiana Jones' Ke Huy Quan to Return to Acting

Ke Huy Quan, the actor that starred in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies in the ‘80s, talked about how Crazy Rich Asians finally got him to consider returning to acting after choosing to work behind the scenes for years.

Raised by Wolves: Androids Becoming Human

Season 2 of Raised by Wolves has begun on Netflix, and we sat down with creator Aaron Guzikowski and stars Amanda Collin, Abubakar Salim, and Peter Christofferson to talk all about the new adventures the cast will go on this year.

The Adam Project: Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds Re-Write Time Travel Rules

Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds stopped by IGN Fan Fest to talk about the time travel rules of their movie and others, the possibility of this film existing in the 13 Going on 30 cinematic universe, and much more.

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals Table Read Previews a Creepy Scene

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is not set to arrive until later in 2022, but writer Adam Hines and voice actors Liz Saydah and Joe Blanco of the upcoming game stopped by IGN Fan Fest to help with the wait by performing a table read and giving a sneak peek at a scene from the game.

Even Attack On Titan's English Voice Actors Don't Know How It Will End

Attack on Titan is nearing the end of its legendary 10-year run on the air, and while fans who have read the manga may have an idea of what to expect, the show’s English voice actors are still uncertain what will happen to the characters they have been playing since 2014.

Nightingale Will Let Players Explore a 'Seemingly Endless' Number of Fae-Inhabited Realms

Nightingale is an upcoming survival game that is set to be “a magical realm-hopping adventure full of bizarre far creatures and worlds inspired by Victorian themes and fairytales.” As for how many of these mysterious worlds players will be able to explore, Nightingale’s art and audio director Neil Thompson has suggested that the amount will be “seemingly endless.”

Shenmue the Animation: Exclusive Clip

Check out an exclusive look at an upcoming episode of Shenmue the Animation alongside an intro by Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki.

DC Showcase - Constantine: The House of Mystery Trailer

We are proud to present an exclusive trailer for the upcoming DC animated short Constantine: The House of Mystery.

FROM: Exclusive Clip

Watch an exclusive clip from EPIX’s new series FROM, and see an intro by series star Harold Perrineau.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Is ‘Chock Full’ of Sonic 2 Game References

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 director Jeff Fowler has said that fans can expect to see plenty of references to the original Sonic 2 video game in the upcoming movie.

As part of IGN Fan Fest, Fowler was asked if there would be any Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 levels or references featured in the sequel movie. The movie features Tails, who was first seen in the second game, and Knuckles, who was introduced in the third game, so would there be anything else from their respective games? “Oh yeah, all kinds,” he replied.

“One of them was in the trailer, of course, the bi-plane Tornado. It’s such an iconic visual from Sonic 2,” he said. The Tornado, first introduced in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, is a prominent part of the Sky Chase Zone, and will hopefully provide a memorable sequence in the movie.

Fowler would not provide any more details about other game references, but did note that fans can expect many more. “As we were setting out to plot Sonic 2, we all got really excited about just pulling that great imagery that all the fans are going to get excited about seeing on the big screen, and just creating a real cinematic version of the stuff that fans have loved from Sonic 1 and Sonic 2.”

“It’s a great problem to have that there are so many great Easter eggs to incorporate, and this movie is chock full of them,” he emphasized. “I couldn’t even begin to list them because there’s just so much stuff fans get excited about.”

For more from Sonic 2, check out the trailer, and Jeff Fowler confirming which emerald is featured in that trailer.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.