Andy Serkis, who portrayed Gollum in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films, had nice things to say about the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power show airing over at Amazon.

In an interview with Collider, Serkis said he appreciated that the series stayed true to Jackson’s original trilogy, as well as shouted out Howard Shore’s score, who also wrote the music for the films.

“Yeah, I absolutely watched it, and it really - once you get through understanding the rules of it, and actually how loyal to the trilogy and the feel of the trilogy music by Howard Shore for the opening sequence, et cetera - I found it incredibly engaging, and I really, really enjoyed watching it,” Serkis says.

Serkis also explained that his work recording audiobooks of The Lord of the Rings helped him follow the show and its overarching use of the series’ lore, then confirmed he will be doing an audiobook reading for The Silmarillion, a collection of stories by original author J. R. R. Tolkein published posthumously in 1977.

“And also, because I'd done an audiobook recording of The Lord of the Rings, and read the appendices, and had to read them out loud, I was quite clued up about where it was going to go, which was great, and it was really helpful because I'm going to be - don't tell anybody - reading The Silmarillion, as well,” Serkis says. “So you heard this first. Yeah, no, so I really enjoyed it very much so.”

The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power wrapped up its first season back in October, and Amazon has signed on for multiple seasons of the show, the second of which began filming last month.

Kenneth Shepard is a writer covering games, entertainment, and queerness all around the internet. Find him on Twitter at @shepardcdr, and listen to his biweekly video game retrospective podcast Normandy FM, which is currently covering Cyberpunk 2077.

Sony and Insomniac have announced they're adding five Ratchet & Clank games to PlayStation Plus Premium as part of the series’ 20th anniversary celebration, as well as adding new cosmetics to Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.

The Ratchet & Clank series already has a handful of games on PlayStation Plus Premium, such as the PlayStation 3 games A Crack in Time and Into the Nexus. Now, the PS3 remasters of original PlayStation 2 games, as well as Tools of Destruction, will also be joining the subscription service on November 15. The new additions include:

• Ratchet & Clank
• Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
• Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
• Ratchet & Clank: Deadlocked
• Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Alongside the PlayStation Plus Premium games, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is receiving an update as part of the anniversary celebration, which includes five new armor sets for Ratchet and Rivet based on different games in the series' history.

The Ratchet & Clank franchise is one of PlayStation’s longest-running, having begun on the PlayStation 2 after Insomniac shifted away from the original Spyro the Dragon series. Following this, the series was a mainstay of the PlayStation 3 generation with the Future subseries. The PlayStation 4 only had one game, a remake of the original game that launched alongside a theatrical film.

Outside of Ratchet & Clank, Insomniac is working on its Spider-Man series, with Spider-Man 2 set to launch on PS5 next year.

Kenneth Shepard is a writer covering games, entertainment, and queerness all around the internet. Find him on Twitter at @shepardcdr, and listen to his biweekly video game retrospective podcast Normandy FM, which is currently covering Cyberpunk 2077.

Sony and Insomniac have announced they're adding five Ratchet & Clank games to PlayStation Plus Premium as part of the series’ 20th anniversary celebration, as well as adding new cosmetics to Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.

The Ratchet & Clank series already has a handful of games on PlayStation Plus Premium, such as the PlayStation 3 games A Crack in Time and Into the Nexus. Now, the PS3 remasters of original PlayStation 2 games, as well as Tools of Destruction, will also be joining the subscription service on November 15. The new additions include:

• Ratchet & Clank
• Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
• Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
• Ratchet & Clank: Deadlocked
• Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Alongside the PlayStation Plus Premium games, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is receiving an update as part of the anniversary celebration, which includes five new armor sets for Ratchet and Rivet based on different games in the series' history.

The Ratchet & Clank franchise is one of PlayStation’s longest-running, having begun on the PlayStation 2 after Insomniac shifted away from the original Spyro the Dragon series. Following this, the series was a mainstay of the PlayStation 3 generation with the Future subseries. The PlayStation 4 only had one game, a remake of the original game that launched alongside a theatrical film.

Outside of Ratchet & Clank, Insomniac is working on its Spider-Man series, with Spider-Man 2 set to launch on PS5 next year.

Kenneth Shepard is a writer covering games, entertainment, and queerness all around the internet. Find him on Twitter at @shepardcdr, and listen to his biweekly video game retrospective podcast Normandy FM, which is currently covering Cyberpunk 2077.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone composer Sarah Schachner has shared that she will no longer be composing music for the games as she has had a challenging "working dynamic" with the audio director on the projects.

As reported by Variety, Schachner did not specifically name the audio director, but it is said to be Stephen Miller. She did, however, address the many fans who have been asking about the release of the Modern Warfare 2 soundtrack. Unfortunately, it may not be the answer many were hoping for.

"I am sad to say I can no longer continue to compose music for MWII / Warzone," Schachner wrote on Twitter. "Over the past couple of months the working dynamic with the audio director has become increasingly challenging and I don't see any path forward. As of now, I am unsure of the status and release plan for the soundtrack as it's been taken out of my hands.

"While I don't have any control over how the music is presented in-game, what will be released on the soundtrack is not my artistic intent in regards to mixing and mastering. Mike Dean was a part of the creative vision for the album as well as mixer Frank Wolf. We have soundtrack masters in hand from Mike which unfortunately you will never get to hear."

She then took the time to praise the work of the audio team as a whole alongside wishing that we still enjoy the soundtrack as she worked so hard on it.

"I would like to acknowledge the incredible hard work of the audio team as a whole, and I hope you still enjoy it because I put so much work and effort into it," Schachner said. "The score features some wonderful performances by musicians Baseck, Brian Mantia, and M.B. Gordon. I'm truly appreciative of the outreach so far and I feel a responsibility to the fans to remain authentic in my approach with the game and its sound which I have been a part of creating for many years."

Schachner has built up an impressive resume over the years, as she has composed music for four Assassin's Creed games (including Assassin's Creed Valhalla), two other Call of Duty games, Anthem, and Hulu's Prey.

For more on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, check out our review its campaign and multiplayer and the news that it had the biggest opening weekend in franchise history.

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.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone composer Sarah Schachner has shared that she will no longer be composing music for the games as she has had a challenging "working dynamic" with the audio director on the projects.

As reported by Variety, Schachner did not specifically name the audio director, but it is said to be Stephen Miller. She did, however, address the many fans who have been asking about the release of the Modern Warfare 2 soundtrack. Unfortunately, it may not be the answer many were hoping for.

"I am sad to say I can no longer continue to compose music for MWII / Warzone," Schachner wrote on Twitter. "Over the past couple of months the working dynamic with the audio director has become increasingly challenging and I don't see any path forward. As of now, I am unsure of the status and release plan for the soundtrack as it's been taken out of my hands.

"While I don't have any control over how the music is presented in-game, what will be released on the soundtrack is not my artistic intent in regards to mixing and mastering. Mike Dean was a part of the creative vision for the album as well as mixer Frank Wolf. We have soundtrack masters in hand from Mike which unfortunately you will never get to hear."

She then took the time to praise the work of the audio team as a whole alongside wishing that we still enjoy the soundtrack as she worked so hard on it.

"I would like to acknowledge the incredible hard work of the audio team as a whole, and I hope you still enjoy it because I put so much work and effort into it," Schachner said. "The score features some wonderful performances by musicians Baseck, Brian Mantia, and M.B. Gordon. I'm truly appreciative of the outreach so far and I feel a responsibility to the fans to remain authentic in my approach with the game and its sound which I have been a part of creating for many years."

Schachner has built up an impressive resume over the years, as she has composed music for four Assassin's Creed games (including Assassin's Creed Valhalla), two other Call of Duty games, Anthem, and Hulu's Prey.

For more on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, check out our review its campaign and multiplayer and the news that it had the biggest opening weekend in franchise history.

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.

Final Fantasy 16's development appears to be well on track, as its creators have shared the game is "about 95%" done and that its release date should be revealed by the end of 2022.

Speaking to Famitsu and as translated by IGN, Final Fantasy 16's main director Hiroshi Takai was asked about the current status of the latest entry in the legendary franchise, and he said the team was "about 95%" done with development.

Takai also shared that the team is mostly focused now on debugging and fixing any rough parts in the game that may need some extra care. Especially with a game as large as Final Fantasy 16 is set to be, that will take some time.

Speaking of bugs, Takai laughed when he said, "we've forbidden anyone to add new code in case new bugs appear."

The team was next asked about the release date, as Final Fantasy 16 currently only has a release window of Summer 2023.

"We plan to announce some more information before the end of the year, so I think we can announce it at that time," Yoshida said before adding one more thing with a laugh. "I don't think we'll go beyond the summer, so I think it's okay."

IGN also had the chance to speak to the developers of Final Fantasy 16, and they shared with us more about Game of Thrones comparisons the game is getting, sidequests, representation, and so much more.

For more, check out our breakdown of everything we know about Final Fantasy 16, everything we learned in our last interview with Naoki Yoshida, and what you need to know about its latest trailer.

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.

Final Fantasy 16's development appears to be well on track, as its creators have shared the game is "about 95%" done and that its release date should be revealed by the end of 2022.

Speaking to Famitsu and as translated by IGN, Final Fantasy 16's main director Hiroshi Takai was asked about the current status of the latest entry in the legendary franchise, and he said the team was "about 95%" done with development.

Takai also shared that the team is mostly focused now on debugging and fixing any rough parts in the game that may need some extra care. Especially with a game as large as Final Fantasy 16 is set to be, that will take some time.

Speaking of bugs, Takai laughed when he said, "we've forbidden anyone to add new code in case new bugs appear."

The team was next asked about the release date, as Final Fantasy 16 currently only has a release window of Summer 2023.

"We plan to announce some more information before the end of the year, so I think we can announce it at that time," Yoshida said before adding one more thing with a laugh. "I don't think we'll go beyond the summer, so I think it's okay."

IGN also had the chance to speak to the developers of Final Fantasy 16, and they shared with us more about Game of Thrones comparisons the game is getting, sidequests, representation, and so much more.

For more, check out our breakdown of everything we know about Final Fantasy 16, everything we learned in our last interview with Naoki Yoshida, and what you need to know about its latest trailer.

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.

UPDATE November 4, 2022: The Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Edition Switch OLED is out now, and if you missed preorders, the good news is it's not too late to grab one. Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy currently have available stock of the limited-edition Pokémon Switch, but Best Buy is pick-up only.

Nintendo has announced a new Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Edition Switch OLED.

The new Pokémon-themed console launches on November 4, 2022, and features art inspired by the upcoming Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet games with the legendary pokémon Koraidon and Miraidon pictured on the system dock.

Additionally, the console’s joy-con controllers are scarlet and violet colored, with the emblems of the games' Naranja and Uva Academies taking pride of place. The console itself is covered with purple and red graffiti, which includes drawings of the new starter pokémon – Fuecoco, Quaxly, and Sprigatito.

Other symbols are “ones the player might recognize throughout the game” which seems to include the new logo for the game’s Team Rocket counterpart, Team Star. The Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Edition Switch OLED will be available in stores and on My Nintendo Store from November 4 for around $359.99.

Meanwhile, Pokémon Scarlet & Violet have been making waves with a new trailer that gives us a bit more detail about the upcoming Paldea region, as well as what trainers can expect there.

New trainers will take on three unique storylines in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, including traditional gym challenges, a face-off with Team Star, and a quest to discover new mystical plants.

IGN’s Nintendo Switch OLED review gave it 8/10 and said: “The Nintendo Switch OLED Model’s brighter, more vibrant, and slightly larger screen has made me want to take it out of docked mode much more often – and not just when I am about to travel. I feel more encouraged to lounge around on the couch or even in direct sunlight in the yard and play games handheld. The revised kickstand makes playing on any flat surface easier, and the Ethernet-enabled dock makes downloads quicker. While it’s a tougher sell for current Switch owners, particularly those that mostly keep their console docked, there are enough revisions to make it an easy recommendation for anyone who doesn’t own a Switch already.”

Want to read more about Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet? Check out the new 4-player co-op coming to the games, and find out about the new terastallizing mechanic.

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

Stranger Things Day 2022 is officially arriving on November 6, 2022, and Netflix has shared the schedule of events that will help celebrate the big day, and it includes "surprise reveals about the upcoming season."

November 6 is a special day in the world of Stranger Things as it was the day, in 1983, when Will Byers first went missing in Hawkins, Indiana. Will was luckily saved by his friends, so the day isn't as sad as it could have been.

You can check out the full schedule below, but the event kicks off at 12am PT/3am ET/7am GMT/6pm AEDT. Throughout the day, Netflix will be "teasing new and exclusive content on our social channels, hosting live fan experiences, virtual and in-person special screenings, and introducing limited edition merchandise online and in brick-and-mortar stores around the world!"

The full schedule for Stranger Things Day 2022 is as follows;

Stranger Things Day 2022 Schedule

• Kick off! - 12am PT
• New Photo Drop 001 - 8am PT
• Prepare to be Puzzled - 10am PT
• Roblox Watch Party - 11am PT
• New Photo Drop 002 - 12pm PT
• Headsets on - 1pm PT
• Superfan Trivia w/ Special Guest - 2pm PT
• Merch Hour - 3pm PT
• Super Secret, Be There - 4pm PT
• S4 Volume 2 Theatrical Screenings Throughout the Day

While it isn't crystal clear as to what exactly Stranger Things fans can expect, Netflix is saying that there will be "news and debuts from across the Stranger Things universe; from gaming to new merchandise drops to never before seen photos and surprise reveals about the upcoming season."

As for the movie theater experience, fans in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Philadelphia, Chicago, Phoenix, San Francisco, Austin, Denver, Detroit, Cleveland, Washington DC, Seattle, Las Vegas, Jacksonville, and Toronto will be able to head to select theaters to watch Stranger Things 4: Volume 2 on the big screen for the first time ever. Additionally, there will be costume contests with prizes, trivia, giveaways, and "other surprises."

The Roblox Watch Party will begin at 11am PT and will see Netflix welcoming fans into its Stranger Things world on Roblox. In the world, fans will be able to watch the first episode of Stranger Things and "interact with the immersive world of Hawkins like never before." If interested, fans can visit www.roblox.com/strangerthings for more.

There will also be a party and exclusive items at both Netflix's Stranger Things Experience pop-ups in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and London, and the Stranger Things official stores in Dallas, Miami, and Paris. Lastly, there will be new merch at Walmart, Target, Amazon, Zara Kids, Carrefour, Lush, and Primark, as well as the official online store of Netflix, QVC+, and more.

For more, check out our review of Stranger Things 4, Part 1 and Part 2, the burning questions we have as we wait for the final season, and why that last season will most likely be shorter than this past one.

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.

Hideo Kojima has addressed the report that stated he was working with Google Stadia on an exclusive Death Stranding sequel, saying those rumors were "unfounded."

Kojima was speaking to The Game Awards' Geoff Keighley on his Spotify podcast Brain Structure and was asked about the report that said he was working on this project with Google before Stadia VP and general manager Phil Harrison made the final decision to cancel the project as the company didn't think a solo experience would sell well on the cloud platform.

"The rumor that Death Stranding, moreover a sequel, was in the works to be an exclusive title for Google is unfounded, and Phil Harrison ultimately rejecting that is quite impossible," Kojima said. "I’ve never once said anything to Phil about wanting to create a Death Stranding sequel. I don’t know who pulled this information from where.”

The report came out around the same time as the news that Google Stadia would officially be shut down on January 18, 2023. Google said the platform "hasn't gained the traction with users that we expected," and it informed its users that it would be refunding those who purchased either hardware or games from Google and Stadia.

This episode of Brain Structure was all about clearing up rumors, as Kojima also responded to the rumblings of his supposed involvement with Blue Box Game Studios' Abandoned and how many believed that it was actually a Silent Hill game in disguise.

He said that he was not involved in any way with Abandoned, and that his fans should know that, after the reveal of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain via the fake company Moby Dick Studio, he "wouldn't do the same thing twice."

We are still waiting to hear about the future of Death Stranding, even though the game's star Norman Reedus may have accidentally shared that he was working on a sequel. Kojima playfully responded to Reedus' comments, but didn't outright deny it.

Speaking of things that aren't ready to be talked about yet, Kojima's next game may have leaked online, and it appears to be a game called Overdose starring Death Stranding's Margaret Qualley.

Kojima has begun talking about one of his upcoming projects, and has revealed that Elle Fanning and Shioli Kutsuna will be part of it.

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.