Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes Announced for Nintendo Switch

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes will bring the heroes from Fire Emblem: Three Houses into the Warriors-Musou genre.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes will be released on June 24, 2022, for the Nintendo Switch.

This is not the first Warriors game set in the Fire Emblem universe. The first Fire Emblem Warriors game was released in 2017 and featured characters from games like Fire Emblem: Awakening and Fire Emblem Fates. You can read our review of Fire Emblem Warriors here.

This sequel stars characters from Fire Emblem: Three Houses, the first strategy Fire Emblem game developed for the Nintendo Switch. Players are able to lead one of three schoolhouses as they learn to grow into proper leaders on the battlefield.

Warriors is a unique action genre where players take on a single hero who must take on wave after wave of enemies to reclaim territory.

Nintendo has worked with the developers of the Warriors series on several spinoffs including Fire Emblem Warriors and Hyrule Warriors.

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

New Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp Release Date Announced

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp's new release date is April 8, 2022, Nintendo announced during today's Nintendo Direct.

The reboot of the classic Advance Wars games was originally intended to release on December 3, 2021, but was delayed to 2022 for "a little more time for fine tuning."

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp was originally announced at E3 2021. This remastered collection includes Advance Wars and Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising.

Miranda Sanchez is the executive editor of guides at IGN and a member of Podcast Unlocked. She's a big fan of stationery and fountain pens. You can sometimes find her on Twitter.

No Man’s Sky Is Coming to Nintendo Switch

Hello Games has announced that No Man's Sky is coming to Nintendo Switch this summer.

Announced as part of today's Nintendo Direct, the ambitious space-faring survival game that originally launched on PS4 and PC back in 2016, will soon be available in a portable form.

This is a full version of No Man's Sky, including five years worth of updates. That means the many features introduced in updates such as Foundation, Pathfinder, Companions, and more will all be included, although it presumably doesn't include the next-gen focused updates added as part of the Next update. This is, after all, a Switch and thus has modest hardware compared to a PS5 and Xbox Series X.

No firm release date has been set, but No Man's Sky will be available on Switch sometime this summer.

For more from No Man's Sky, check out what arrived in its most recent update back in October, and the major Frontiers update earlier in the year.

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

Nintendo Direct February 2022: Everything Announced Today, Including Xenoblade Chronicles 3

The first Nintendo Direct of 2022 has finally arrived and it revealed a ton of new games on their way to Nintendo Switch in the first half of 2022 and beyond. From Xenoblade Chronicles 3 to 48 new DLC courses being added to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to a remaster of Chrono Cross, there was a lot to keep track of.

To ensure you don't miss a single announcement, we've gathered up all the biggest news and trailers from the latest Nintendo Direct below. Let us know which reveal was your favorite!

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Announced for September 2022

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has been announced and it will be released in September 2022. This new story will follow the adventures of Noah and Mio amid "turmoil between the hostile nations of Keves and Agnus." Xenoblade Chronicles 3 also looks to "connect the futures of both Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2."

Mario Kart Deluxe to Get 48 New Tracks With Paid DLC Through 2023

Mario Kart 8: Deluxe will soon be getting new tracks via the paid Booster Course Pass. This will add 48 additional courses to the game through 2023. The first of six waves, all of which will contain eight courses, arrives on March 18 and includes such classic tracks as Wii Coconut Mall, N64 Choco Mountain, and Tour Tokyo Blur.

While the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Booster Course Pass will cost $24.99, it will also be free to all members of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes Features Characters from Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Nintendo has announced that Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes will be arriving on Switch on June 24, 2022. This is the second musou-style Fire Emblem game and it looks to feature characters from Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Brings 5v5 Soccer Action to Switch

Mario Strikers is Returning with Mario Strikers: Battle League. This 5v5 soccer game with "no rules" features Mario characters and will allow up to eight players to compete on one Switch. Much like Mario Kart, Battle League will let players use items and activate special shots to help them secure victory.

Mario Strikers: Battle League will be released on June 10, 2022.

Chrono Cross Remaster Announced for Switch

A remaster of Chrono Cross will arrive on Nintendo Switch on April 7, 2022. Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition, as it is called, will include such updates as the ability to turn off encounters and an enhanced soundtrack. The game also includes the Radical Dreamers text adventure that was previously only available on Satellaview.

Nintendo Switch Sports Announced and It's a New Take on Wii Sports

Fans of Wii Bowling will be happy to know a new version of it will be returning as part of Nintendo Switch Sports. Joining Bowling will be Tennis, Chambara (Swordplay), Soccer, Badminton, and Volleyball. Additionally, the Leg Strap accessory found in Ring Fit Adventure can be used to kick a virtual ball in Soccer Shoot-Out!

Nintendo Switch Sports will become available on April 29, 2022, and there will be free updates post-launch, including one that adds Golf.

An Online Play Test will take place on February 18-20 for all Nintendo Switch Online members.

TRIANGLE STRATEGY Gets a Free Demo That Will Carry Over to the Full Game

Triangle Strategy is set to be released on Nintendo Switch on March 4, and a brand new demo will be available today that will let players try out Chapters 1 through 3. If players choose to purchase the game, all save data will transfer over to the full version.

Remakes of Front Mission and Front Mission 2 Announced

The Nintendo Switch will soon be home to remakes of Front Mission and Front Mission 2. Front Mission 1st: Remake will arrive first this summer, and Front Mission 2: Remake will come at some point in the future.

Splatoon 3's New Salmon Run Mode Revealed

Splatoon 3 will be getting a new version of the co-op Salmon Run mode first introduced in Splatoon 2. We were given no new release date beyond Summer 2022, but we did get a glimpse of some of the colorful and chaotic action we will be a part of later this year.

Metroid Dread Free Update Adds Dread Mode and Rookie Mode Difficulties

A free update is arriving for Metroid Dread later today that will add both a more difficult Dread Mode and an easier Rookie Mode. In April 2022, Metroid Dread will get a free Boss Rush mode.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land's Mouthful Mode Will Let Kirby Become a Car or a Vending Machine

Ahead of Kirby and the Forgotten Land's release date of March 25, it got a new gameplay trailer that showed off, among other things, Mouthful Mode. This will allow Kirby to inhale real-world objects like a car or vending machine to turn into them.

Earthbound and Earthbound Beginnings WIll Be Added to Nintendo Switch Online Today

While fans will still have to wait for an announcement regarding Mother 3, Nintendo did reveal that both Earthbound and Earthbound Beginnings will be released on Switch later today.

Advance Wars: 1 + 2 Re-Boot Camp Launches on April 8

While the return of Advance Wars was delayed out of 2021, fans won't have to wait too long as Advance Wars 1 + 2 Re-Boot Camp will be released on April 8, 2022.

LIVE A LIVE Will Come West For the First Time in 2022

LIVE A LIVE is a JRPG that has previously never been released outside of Japan. On July 22, that all changes as LIVE A LIVE will arrive on Switch in the HD-2D style that games like Octopath Traveller are known for. LIVE A LIVE's story follows seven protagonists and you can choose to follow their paths in any way you choose.

Portal 1 & 2 Will Be Released on Switch Later This Year

Valve's Portal 1 & 2 will both make their way to Nintendo Switch in 2022 as part of the Portal: Companion Collection.

MLB The Show 22 Gameplay Footage Revealed

For the first time, MLB The Show will arrive on Nintendo Switch. While this was previously announced, we got a glimpse of the game in action.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Announced for Switch

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed will be another new Star Wars title headed to Nintendo Switch courtesy of Aspyr. This 2008 action-adventure title will be available from April 20, 2022, and is a port of the Wii version.

Disney Speedstorm Racing on to Switch with Disney and Pixar Characters

Disney Speedstorm is a new free-to-play racer that features Disney and Pixar characters like Mickey Mouse, Captain Jack Sparrow, and Sulley. It will support cross-platform play and split-screen, and new characters, circuits, and karts will be introduced as part of a seasonal format. This new challenger in the kart racer genre will be released this summer.

No Man's Sky Is Traveling to Switch This Summer

Hello Games' No Man's Sky will be traveling through the stars to Nintendo Switch in Summer 2022.

Klonoa: Door to Phantomile and Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil Make Their Way to Switch This July

KLONOA Phantasy Reverie Series will be released on July 8 and packages together KLONOA: Door to Phantomile and Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival Drums Onto Switch With 76 'Boppin' Beats' in 2022

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival will play its way to Switch with 76 "boppin' beats," including an orchestral version of The Legend of Zelda's main theme, Gurenge, Feel Special, and Racing into the Night.

Cuphead - The Delicious Last Course Paid DLC Joins Switch's Library on June 30

The long-awaited paid DLC for Cuphead - The Delicious Last Course - will be released on June 30.

Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection Sneaks Onto Switch Next Week

While it was previously announced, Nintendo reminded fans that Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection will be released on Switch on February 17, 2022.

Kingdom Hearts Inegrum Masterpiece for Cloud Will Be Released Tomorrow

Cloud version of the Kingdom Hearts games from the original through Kingdome Hearts 3 will be available on Nintendo Switch from February 10. You can purchase the entire collection or single game collections.

Stop the Breaks in SD Gundam Battle Alliance Later This Year

SD Gundam Battle Alliance challenges players to stop "strange incidents called Breaks." To accomplish this mission, players will "lead three Mobile Suits in dynamic action-RPG battles, with the ability to enhance each suit with Parts to improve their power."

GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon Is a Roguelike Set in a Dark Fantasy World

GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon combines "intense Ukiyo-e roguelike action with a stunning dark fantasy world, brought to life through traditional Japanese art." It will be available on Switch later today.

Even More Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games

In a montage of upcoming Switch games, we caught a glimpse of LEGO Brawls (Summer 2022), Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles (June 10), Two Point Campus (May 17), and Zombie Army 4 (April 26).

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.

Obi-Wan Kenobi Star Wars Series Release Date Announced

Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced on today's earnings call that the Obi-Wan Kenobi original series will premiere in May on Disney Plus.

The new series is the next in line after Book of Boba Fett, which wraps its run this week. Obi-Wan Kenobi will follow the venerable Jedi during his exile on Tatooine.

We still know relatively little about the series, though there have been hints of a new duel with Darth Vader. Actor Ewan McGregor recently opened up about the upcoming series as well.

A few days ago, Disney Plus executive Brandon San Giovanni accidentally teased the release month, saying, "Our very own Obi-Wan wi [sic] be saying "hello, there," on Disney+... May 2022." Now, there's the official confirmation that the series is indeed coming in May.

There's also a recently announced comic series with five stories featuring Obi-Wan, set at different points in his life. Written by Christopher Cantwell (Iron Man) and illustrated by Ario Anindito (Star Wars: The High Republic), the first issue will release in May 2022, just in time for the Disney Plus series.

Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres on Disney Plus on May 25.

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

Now the PUBG Developer Is Getting into NFTs and the Metaverse

Editor's Note: The subject of NFTs is currently a very controversial topic in the gaming community. IGN urges community members to be respectful when engaging in conversation around this subject and does not endorse harassment of any kind.

PUBG: Battlegrounds' creator Krafton is developing an NFT metaverse in Unreal Engine in collaboration with NAVER, the company behind Asia's largest metaverse platform, ZEPETO, which has more than 290 million users.

Krafton will use its experience creating online games like PUBG to build the virtual world alongside a user-generated content creation tool in the Web 3.0 and NFT-based project.

NAVER Z, the subsidiary of NAVER that Krafton has entered a memorandum of understanding with, meaning a nonbinding agreement, will use its experience designing and running ZEPETO to manage the metaverse's services.

HyungChul Park, lead of the Web 3.0 team at Krafton, said: "This partnership between Krafton and NAVER Z is bolstered by each company’s unique expertise and shared global focused as they look toward a future driven by NFTs and metaverses.

"By combining Krafton's existing technologies and research on how to build scalable Web 3.0 creator-driven ecosystems with NAVER Z and ZEPETO’s experience and capabilities, we’re confident we can build a high-quality user-generated content-driven open metaverse that stands apart from other services and vitalizes the global creator economy through NFT technologies."

The two companies announced their partnership hours after Krafton made equity investments into Seoul Action Blue (purchasing $2.5 million worth of stock) and its subsidiary XBYBLUE (purchasing $4.1 million worth of stock).

Seoul Action Blue is an affiliate of South Korea's largest art auctioneer and aims to expand the market by running a joint art purchasing platform while XBYBLUE operates a service that secures and curates IPs.

NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are essentially one-of-a-kind pieces of online content that can be bought and sold - imagine fine-art collecting but digitally. This speaks to the specialty of both companies, and Krafton has also entered a memorandum of understanding with them to develop NFT-orientated products.

NFTs have been a polarizing topic in the gaming industry with companies appearing hot and cold on the new, untested market.

Worms creator Team 17 recently announced and cancelled an NFT project within 24 hours while STALKER 2 developer GSC Game World went a step further and cancelled its plans within one hour. Voice actor Troy Baker, known for roles in a number of games including The Last of Us, also recently ventured into NFTs before quickly withdrawing following fan backlash, and Indie game marketplace Itch.io called NFTs a scam.

There is still something of a goldrush in the industry however, with Krafton being the latest to get on board. It joins retailer GameStop, who recently announced that it's launching an NFT marketplace, and Assassin's Creed publisher Ubisoft who has also moved into the NFT space, with a company executive commenting that "gamers don't get it".

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

Uncharted Movie Director Working With PlayStation on Jak and Daxter Adaptation

Jak and Daxter could be the next PlayStation franchise to receive a TV or movie adaptation. Sony has lately been pushing film and TV adaptations of Uncharted and The Last of Us, and it looks like the initiative won't end there.

In an interview with Digital Trends, Uncharted movie director Ruben Fleischer said that he's developing a potential adaptation of the classic franchise. Fleischer said, "I’m actually working on Jak and Daxter, a version of that, for PlayStation, which I think would be really cool to bring to life."

Sony hasn't officially announced any plans, but Fleischer has at least confirmed that it's being discussed. This also means that there's some hope for a possible new Jak and Daxter game, as PlayStation released a Ratchet & Clank animated film, which led to a 2016 reboot on PlayStation 4.

The release of the Uncharted film later this month also lined up quite nicely with the launch of Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection late last month on PlayStation 5. The Last of Us TV adaptation is heading to HBO, and there are rumors about a remake of the 2013 game as well.

It's been a while since Jak and Daxter has seen the spotlight as its last proper release was in 2009 with Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier on PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. The first three games in the series were remastered for the Jak and Daxter Collection on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

Uncharted: The Movie has gone through some messy development issues since 2008, but it's finally releasing after 14 years on February 18, 2022.

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

Obi-Wan Kenobi: Ewan McGregor Opens Up About Upcoming Star Wars Disney Plus Series

With Book of Boba Fett wrapping up this week, all eyes are turning to Obi-Wan Kenobi, which will star Ewan McGregor in his return to the famous role.

Speaking with Forbes, McGregor opened up about the new series, saying that he "loved" reprising the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi. At 50, McGregor isn't far removed from the age of Alex Guinness circa 1977, who was 62 when he first donned the battered brown Jedi robes in the original Star Wars.

With Obi-Wan Kenobi being McGregor's first major turn in the role of Kenobi since 2005's Revenge of the Sith, the Scottish actor reflected on what the prequels have meant for younger fans who have since come of age.

"I mean it's quite interesting, after the experience of making the first three films and living through sort of their reception in the world, which wasn't always glowing, I have to say," McGregor said. "And then now, meeting the generation who we made those films for, the children then — and now, people in their late teens or early 20s, those people who were kids who we made those films for, they loved them. To them, they're their Star Wars films, you know? For us, it was the original films of the ‘70s, but for them, it was our films were their Star Wars. So to step back into his shoes again now and do a series, a whole series about Obi-Wan Kenobi for those fans, it just makes me really happy."

Once vilified and virtually ignored, Star Wars is increasingly embracing prequel nostalgia. Book of Boba Fett includes a number of direct nods to Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, among them a glimpse of Kamino, where Kenobi battled Jango Fett.

With Obi-Wan Kenobi focusing on the exiled Jedi's time in the deserts of Tatooine, the new show figures to include equal parts nostalgia for the original trilogy and the prequels. Among them are hints of a secret duel between Darth Vader and Kenobi — the proverbial rematch of the century between master and student.

Beyond that, McGregor only offers hints of what's to come in Obi-Wan Kenobi, praising director Deborah Chow and talking about what it's like to reunite with Hayden Christensen, who played Anakin Skywalker in the prequels.

"It was a great experience. Deborah Chow directed all the episodes and she’s really good. She directed a couple [episodes] of The Mandalorian and she’s a really great director. She really knows the Star Wars world, inside out, far more than I do," McGregor laughed. "We just had a great time. I think it's no secret that Hayden Christensen comes back and we got to play scenes together again as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker and it was just fantastic to work with him again.

"I'm not going to give away anything else about the storyline, only I think it's really going to satisfy Star Wars fans. I always felt there was a story between Episode III where I finished playing Obi-Wan in the movies and Episode IV where Alec Guinness is Obi-Wan Kenobi. The [Obi-Wan Kenobi series] writers and Deb and I and everyone, I think we crafted or they crafted a very fine storyline. I think people are going to like it."

We'll know soon enough whether Obi-Wan Kenobi passes muster with Star Wars fans, who have been mostly split on Book of Boba Fett. Obi-Wan Kenobi will release on May 25.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN

Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ Map Lines Up With Diamond and Pearl’s Surprisingly Well

Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes place in the past of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, in the area that will one day become the Sinnoh region. So it's naturally full of connections to Diamond and Pearl, including story threads, characters, native Pokemon, and of course its map.

It would have been easy for Game Freak to take some liberties here, but the map of Hisui you explore in Legends is surprisingly accurate to the Sinnoh we know from the fourth generation of Pokemon games, right down to where towns are in relation to one another and some of the geography in each area. And even if you're not looking hard, you can find lots of obvious references.

Spoilers for Pokemon Legends: Arceus' map locations below:

The most obvious starting point for a little map exploration is Jubilife Village, which obviously will become Jubilife City in Diamond and Pearl. It's surrounded on two sides by the Obsidian Fieldlands.

Zooming in on Obsidian Fieldlands puts the Sandgem Flats to the south of Jubilife, where Sandgem Town will eventually be, with Lake Verity in between.

There's no corresponding location for Twinleaf Town, sadly, but you can imagine it would be on the far south coast of Sandgem Flats.

Ramanas Island is roughly where Ramanas Park (or Pal Park) is, though it's not really an island anymore by Diamond and Pearl.

To the north are the Floaro Gardens, which have a large flower patch in the center where Shaymin can be encountered later. This seems to line up with Floaroma Town, though it's forgivably a bit off where it would be in Diamond and Pearl in relation to Jubilife.

Then to the east, still in the Fieldlands, you can find Oreburrow Tunnel, right about where Oreburgh City (or its associated mine, more likely) will end up.

The other areas of the map don't have quite the same extreme level of close correspondance, but there's still plenty to be found. In the Crimson Mirelands, the Unown-filled Solaceon Ruins seem a bit off in relation to other landmarks, but it's still easy to see how the future Solaceon Town ended up built around them.

It's mostly off due to its relationship with Lake Valor, which is to the north in Legends rather than its normal place to the southeast in Diamond and Pearl. But we'll forgive them this one.

You can also find Spiritomb's dwelling in the same very rough area, though again it's thrown off a bit by the location of the other two.

Cobalt Coastland is also pretty tricky to find 1:1 comparisons to, though the Veilstone Cape is exactly right next to where Veilstone City will eventually be.

And Firespit Island could easily be the beginnings of Stark Mountain in the post-game Diamond and Pearl Survival Area, with Heatran found in both.

Meanwhile, in the Alabaster Icelands, everything is centered around Snowpoint Temple, which exists in Diamond and Pearl within Snowpoint City.

And Lake Acuity is quite close by, very accurate to its future Sinnoh location.

Perhaps most striking is the Coronet Highlands running through the center of the map and corresponding to Mt. Coronet's modern-day location, including landmarks like Wayward Cave and Celestica Ruins — aka Celestic Town.

In Legends: Arceus, we climb all over the highlands and the mountain, and also get to visit the Temple of Sinnoh — which (after a certain plot event) surprisingly looks about the same as its counterpart in Diamond and Pearl, explaining how it got its name.

A lot of these places don't have too much in the way of dramatic landmarks to indicate that they'll eventually be something in the modern-day Pokeworld, though some small details can still be found. The Horseshoe Plains, for instance, correspond with areas in Diamond and Pearl that are great to catch Ponyta. And even though there's no Sunyshore City, it's easy to see why the solar-paneled city was built on the coastlands where it eventually ends up.

There are tons of other little easter eggs like this, including many characters who appear to be the ancestors of characters you meet in later Pokemon games. If you're still on your Pokemon journey, IGN has plenty of detailed guides both for Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, as well as Pokemon Legends: Arceus. We also reviewed Legends: Arceus, finding it to be a wonderfully ambitious refresh of Pokemon mechanics that is unfortunately set in an empty, repetitive world.

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

Microsoft Confirms Activision Blizzard Will Release Games on PlayStation ‘Beyond Existing Agreements’

Microsoft has confirmed that "Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles" will not just be released on PlayStation to honor existing contracts, but "beyond the existing agreement and into the future."

In a piece published to explain how the company will adapt to gain regulatory approval for its Activision Blizzard takeover, president Brad Smith addressed concerns that popular games would no longer be available on competing consoles:

"To be clear, Microsoft will continue to make Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles available on PlayStation through the term of any existing agreement with Activision. And we have committed to Sony that we will also make them available on PlayStation beyond the existing agreement and into the future so that Sony fans can continue to enjoy the games they love."

Previous reports have indicated that the next three Call of Duty games would come to PlayStation, but not indicated what's beyond that.

Smith added that Microsoft would be looking to assure the same for Activision Blizzard games on Nintendo consoles: "We are also interested in taking similar steps to support Nintendo’s successful platform. We believe this is the right thing for the industry, for gamers and for our business."

There are caveats here, of course. Smith does not commit to all traditionally multiformat Activision Blizzard games coming to PlayStation and Nintendo, nor does he commit to this agreement existing in perpetuity. This is to say nothing of brand new games developed within Activision Blizzard after a takeover takes place.

Smith's post also announces changes and commitments for the Microsoft Store, in line with showing regulators that the company is encouraging rather than stifling competition in the gaming and tech space. Smith points to access, fairness, and openness in Microsoft's app store plans (including allowing developers to use their own payment systems rather than Microsoft's own).

"Too much friction exists today between creators and gamers; app store policies and practices on mobile devices restrict what and how creators can offer games and what and how gamers can play them," Smith wrote. "Our large investment to acquire Activision Blizzard further strengthens our resolve to remove this friction on behalf of creators and gamers alike. We want to enable world-class content to reach every gamer more easily across every platform."

While FTC and Justice Department investigations will take place for some time before the Activision Blizzard takeover is complete, legal experts and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella seemingly don't see the deal being blocked.

Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.