Halo Infinite’s Big Team Battle Mode Still Broken Despite New Hotfix

Halo Infinite's Big Team Battle mode has been a sore point for fans for more than a month now. The matchmaking queues have had major issues, with larger parties having a tough time joining games since early December. Those who do make it are frequently disconnected.

Today's Halo Infinite hotfix was supposed to fix issues regarding Big Team Battle, but it hasn't completely solved them. 343 community director Brian Jarrard took to Twitter to say that there have been minor improvements, but acknowledged that overall matchmaking issues persist. The team is going to continue working on the problem until matchmaking is stable again.

To compensate players for their trouble, 343 Industries is offering five XP boosts and five Challenge Swaps to those who log in before February 16.

However, issues remain with the Big Team Battle Challenges, which may forces players to use their Challenge Swaps more quickly than usual. Jarrard responded to a user on Twitter who brought this point up, saying that because the matchmaking issues in Big Team Battle continue to occur, the team is investigating what to do about those types of challenges.

Currently, there's no timeline on when there will be additional fixes, but hopefully, it comes soon as the matchmaking issues started nearly a month ago. In the meantime, developer 343 Industries has also been focusing on reducing the cost of in-game items.

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

Halo Infinite’s Big Team Battle Mode Still Broken Despite New Hotfix

Halo Infinite's Big Team Battle mode has been a sore point for fans for more than a month now. The matchmaking queues have had major issues, with larger parties have had a tough time joining games since early December. Those who do make it are frequently disconnected.

Today's Halo Infinite hotfix was supposed to fix issues regarding Big Team Battle, but it hasn't completely solved them. 343 community director Brian Jarrard took to Twitter to say that there have been minor improvements, but acknowledged that overall matchmaking issues persist. The team is going to continue working on the problem until matchmaking is stable again.

To compensate players for their trouble, 343 Industries is offering five XP boosts and five Challenge Swaps to those who log in before February 16.

However, issues remain with the Big Team Battle Challenges, which may forces players to use their Challenge Swaps more quickly than usual. Jarrard responded to a user on Twitter who brought this point up, saying that because the matchmaking issues in Big Team Battle continue to occur, the team is investigating what to do about those types of challenges.

Currently, there's no timeline on when there will be additional fixes, but hopefully, it comes soon as the matchmaking issues started nearly a month ago. In the meantime, developer 343 Industries has also been focusing on reducing the cost of in-game items.

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

Shenmue Anime Gets February Release Date for Adult Swim and Crunchyroll

The Shenmue anime will premiere on Saturday, February 5 on both Adult Swim and Crunchyroll, with the two services splitting the dubbed and subbed versions of the show.

Shenmue the Animation is based on the popular Sega video game franchise and will be an adaptation of the events from the video game. Set in 1986, martial artist Ryo Hazuki trains under his father until one day a mysterious man murders him.

Now Ryo must travel from Yokosuka to Hong Kong to uncover the mystery of his father’s death.

Adult Swim will premiere an English dubbed version of the series while Crunchyroll will stream a subtitled version worldwide outside of Japan and China.

The voice cast includes Austin Tindle as Ryo Hazuki, Scott Gibs as Lan Di, Ryo’s father’s murderer, Natalie Rial as Shenhua a young girl from a rural village, and Cat Thomas as Nozomi Haraski, Ryo’s classmate and admirer.

Shenmue was created by famed game developer Yu Suzuki who envisioned a free-flowing cinematic game. The first Shenmue game was released in 1999 for the Sega Dreamcast to critical acclaim. A sequel was released in 2001.

After over a decade, a third Shenmue game was successfully crowdfunded and finally released in 2019. It was one of the fastest-funded video game projects ever to go up on Kickstarter. You can check out IGN’s review of Shenmue 3 here and how it feels like a game stuck in time.

Shenmue the Animation is directed by Chikara Sakurai who worked on the second season of One Punch Man, and with animation from Telecom Animation Film.

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

Shenmue Anime Gets February Release Date for Adult Swim and Crunchyroll

The Shenmue anime will premiere on Saturday, February 5 on both Adult Swim and Crunchyroll, with the two services splitting the dubbed and subbed versions of the show.

Shenmue the Animation is based on the popular Sega video game franchise and will be an adaptation of the events from the video game. Set in 1986, martial artist Ryo Hazuki trains under his father until one day a mysterious man murders him.

Now Ryo must travel from Yokosuka to Hong Kong to uncover the mystery of his father’s death.

Adult Swim will premiere an English dubbed version of the series while Crunchyroll will stream a subtitled version worldwide outside of Japan and China.

The voice cast includes Austin Tindle as Ryo Hazuki, Scott Gibs as Lan Di, Ryo’s father’s murderer, Natalie Rial as Shenhua a young girl from a rural village, and Cat Thomas as Nozomi Haraski, Ryo’s classmate and admirer.

Shenmue was created by famed game developer Yu Suzuki who envisioned a free-flowing cinematic game. The first Shenmue game was released in 1999 for the Sega Dreamcast to critical acclaim. A sequel was released in 2001.

After over a decade, a third Shenmue game was successfully crowdfunded and finally released in 2019. It was one of the fastest-funded video game projects ever to go up on Kickstarter. You can check out IGN’s review of Shenmue 3 here and how it feels like a game stuck in time.

Shenmue the Animation is directed by Chikara Sakurai who worked on the second season of One Punch Man, and with animation from Telecom Animation Film.

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

DC Comics Will Kill the Justice League in April 2022

30 years after DC Comics made headlines by killing off Superman, they're poised to do it again. And this time they're taking out the entire Justice League for good measure.

As revealed by Entertainment Weekly, the current Justice League series will end with April's Justice League #75, which is written by Joshua Williamson and drawn by Rafa Sandoval There won't be an immediate replacement on the way, however, because most of the team will be killed in that story battling a team called the Dark Army. That finale is intended to serve as the foundation for an ongoing storyline that sees the DCU come to terms with the loss of so many beloved heroes.

This new storyline is intentionally designed to echo the infamous "Death of Superman" crossover from 1992, which culminated with the Man of Steel losing his life in a battle with Doomsday in Superman #75. Though Superman did eventually return to life, it was only after a prolonged absence and the rise of four temporary replacements in the follow-up crossover "Reign of the Supermen."

"I remember the experience of reading the build-up to 'The Death of Superman' and then waiting in the rain for my copy of issue #75." Williamson told EW. "I think one reason that story was so powerful was that after the 'Funeral for a Friend' story, there were no Superman comics for three months. That's part of what led us to make the decision that this is the last issue of Justice League. But then three months later, there's still not gonna be a Justice League comic. It's gonna be a while, and that's gonna be a major part of what the DCU looks like after this story: There is no Justice League."

Though Justice League #75 marks Williamson's first and, apparently, only issue of the series (current writer Brian Michael Bendis is leaving with March's Justice League #74), he confirmed this twist is part of a larger storyline that began in 2021's Infinite Frontier #0 and will continue to play out in many corners of the DCU going forward. Williamson is also currently writing the monthly Batman and Robin titles and co-writing Justice League Incarnate.

"Ever since Infinite Frontier #0, we've been building to this story," Williamson said. "Last year was a lot of fun and games, but when this story starts, it's the beginning of the third act. We're going to see things get darkest before the dawn. The Justice League gets called in to fight this Dark Army that's been building on the edge of the multiverse. They go up against this Dark Army and they lose."

Of the current Justice League roster - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern John Stewart, Martian Manhunter, Hawkgirl, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Black Canary and Zatanna - only one member will survive their battle with the Dark Army and bring news of this tragedy to Earth. Presumably, this will force a younger generation of heroes like Jon Kent, Yara Flor, Jace Fox and Naomi McDuffie to step up and fill the void left by their mentors. This would also seem to suggest a number of other ongoing DC books will either be canceled or revamped to feature new lead characters.

Be sure to check out our full breakdown of what's coming from DC in 2022. And let us know which Justice League member will survive the events of issue #75 by voting in the poll below:

DC Comics Will Kill the Justice League in April 2022

30 years after DC Comics made headlines by killing off Superman, they're poised to do it again. And this time they're taking out the entire Justice League for good measure.

As revealed by Entertainment Weekly, the current Justice League series will end with April's Justice League #75, which is written by Joshua Williamson and drawn by Rafa Sandoval There won't be an immediate replacement on the way, however, because most of the team will be killed in that story battling a team called the Dark Army. That finale is intended to serve as the foundation for an ongoing storyline that sees the DCU come to terms with the loss of so many beloved heroes.

This new storyline is intentionally designed to echo the infamous "Death of Superman" crossover from 1992, which culminated with the Man of Steel losing his life in a battle with Doomsday in Superman #75. Though Superman did eventually return to life, it was only after a prolonged absence and the rise of four temporary replacements in the follow-up crossover "Reign of the Supermen."

"I remember the experience of reading the build-up to 'The Death of Superman' and then waiting in the rain for my copy of issue #75." Williamson told EW. "I think one reason that story was so powerful was that after the 'Funeral for a Friend' story, there were no Superman comics for three months. That's part of what led us to make the decision that this is the last issue of Justice League. But then three months later, there's still not gonna be a Justice League comic. It's gonna be a while, and that's gonna be a major part of what the DCU looks like after this story: There is no Justice League."

Though Justice League #75 marks Williamson's first and, apparently, only issue of the series (current writer Brian Michael Bendis is leaving with March's Justice League #74), he confirmed this twist is part of a larger storyline that began in 2021's Infinite Frontier #0 and will continue to play out in many corners of the DCU going forward. Williamson is also currently writing the monthly Batman and Robin titles and co-writing Justice League Incarnate.

"Ever since Infinite Frontier #0, we've been building to this story," Williamson said. "Last year was a lot of fun and games, but when this story starts, it's the beginning of the third act. We're going to see things get darkest before the dawn. The Justice League gets called in to fight this Dark Army that's been building on the edge of the multiverse. They go up against this Dark Army and they lose."

Of the current Justice League roster - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern John Stewart, Martian Manhunter, Hawkgirl, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Black Canary and Zatanna - only one member will survive their battle with the Dark Army and bring news of this tragedy to Earth. Presumably, this will force a younger generation of heroes like Jon Kent, Yara Flor, Jace Fox and Naomi McDuffie to step up and fill the void left by their mentors. This would also seem to suggest a number of other ongoing DC books will either be canceled or revamped to feature new lead characters.

Be sure to check out our full breakdown of what's coming from DC in 2022. And let us know which Justice League member will survive the events of issue #75 by voting in the poll below:

The Batman’s Robert Pattinson To Star in Sci-Fi Epic From Parasite Director

Robert Pattinson is reportedly teaming up with Bong Joon Ho for the Parasite director's next film, which Deadline reports will be based on an upcoming sci-fi novel titled Mickey7, with Bong set to write, direct, and produce the new adaptation.

Pattinson appears set to play Mickey7, an expendable colonist who is sent on suicidal missions that no one else will take. If Mickey7 dies, then a clone is generated with most of his memories intact. It sounds a bit like Hardspace: Shipbreaker, a unique physics sim with a similarly expendable blue-collar starship salvager that is currently in Early Access.

Mickey7 hasn't yet been published, but it's expected to early this year. As Deadline points out in its report, Bong Joon Ho's adaptation may well be a very different take on the novel's story.

Bong Joon Ho found international success with Parasite, a story of a poor Korean family who manage to work their way into the employ of a rich household, with horrifying results. In our review, we described Parasite as a "film that sneaks up on you," opening as a dark screwball comedy and graddually becoming a tragedy.

Parasite swept the Oscars in early 2020, and Bong has been weighing his next project ever since. Bong has previously worked on movies such as The Host, a film in which a fictional monster wreaks havoc on the people of Seoul.

As for Pattinson, he will soon star in The Batman, which is ramping up for a Spring release. It will be out on March 4.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN.

The Batman’s Robert Pattinson To Star in Sci-Fi Epic From Parasite Director

Robert Pattinson is reportedly teaming up with Bong Joon Ho for the Parasite director's next film, which Deadline reports will be based on an upcoming sci-fi novel titled Mickey7, with Bong set to write, direct, and produce the new adaptation.

Pattinson appears set to play Mickey7, an expendable colonist who is sent on suicidal missions that no one else will take. If Mickey7 dies, then a clone is generated with most of his memories intact. It sounds a bit like Hardspace: Shipbreaker, a unique physics sim with a similarly expendable blue-collar starship salvager that is currently in Early Access.

Mickey7 hasn't yet been published, but it's expected to early this year. As Deadline points out in its report, Bong Joon Ho's adaptation may well be a very different take on the novel's story.

Bong Joon Ho found international success with Parasite, a story of a poor Korean family who manage to work their way into the employ of a rich household, with horrifying results. In our review, we described Parasite as a "film that sneaks up on you," opening as a dark screwball comedy and graddually becoming a tragedy.

Parasite swept the Oscars in early 2020, and Bong has been weighing his next project ever since. Bong has previously worked on movies such as The Host, a film in which a fictional monster wreaks havoc on the people of Seoul.

As for Pattinson, he will soon star in The Batman, which is ramping up for a Spring release. It will be out on March 4.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN.

Should Xbox Make Activision Games Exclusive? IGN Readers Are Almost Perfectly Split

In the aftermath of Microsoft's bombshell acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the gaming industry is still trying to assess the impact the move will have on the rest of the market. One of the biggest debates is if Xbox will make Activision Blizzard games like Call of Duty, Diablo, and Overwatch console exclusive. We asked you, the IGN audience, that very question, and the results came back practically split down the middle.

The poll closed with more than 55,000 total votes, and here are the results:

  • Almost 41% said Xbox should make Activision Blizzard games console exclusive and add them to Game Pass.
  • Nearly 38% of the votes said Activision Blizzard games should be playable in as many places as possible.
  • 21% of you said you don't care either way where these games end up.

A handful of household names will now fall under the Xbox umbrella. In addition to massive, multi-billion dollar franchises like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, Xbox will also have control of recognizable characters like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, as well as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Guitar Hero, and more.

The exclusivity debate is just one aspect to think about after yesterday's huge news. There's the uncertain future of Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, who has been at the center of multiple scandals over the last year. We'll have to wait and see how leadership changes at the company when Xbox officially takes over, which could happen as late as June 2023.

And, there's the potential impact on PlayStation, as Sony stock reportedly took a huge hit after Xbox's announcement. For more, check out the game industry's biggest reactions to the Xbox Activision news, and how this acquisition represents the shift from a traditional console war to a new type of content war.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Should Xbox Make Activision Games Exclusive? IGN Readers Are Almost Perfectly Split

In the aftermath of Microsoft's bombshell acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the gaming industry is still trying to assess the impact the move will have on the rest of the market. One of the biggest debates is if Xbox will make Activision Blizzard games like Call of Duty, Diablo, and Overwatch console exclusive. We asked you, the IGN audience, that very question, and the results came back practically split down the middle.

The poll closed with more than 55,000 total votes, and here are the results:

  • Almost 41% said Xbox should make Activision Blizzard games console exclusive and add them to Game Pass.
  • Nearly 38% of the votes said Activision Blizzard games should be playable in as many places as possible.
  • 21% of you said you don't care either way where these games end up.

A handful of household names will now fall under the Xbox umbrella. In addition to massive, multi-billion dollar franchises like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, Xbox will also have control of recognizable characters like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, as well as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Guitar Hero, and more.

The exclusivity debate is just one aspect to think about after yesterday's huge news. There's the uncertain future of Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, who has been at the center of multiple scandals over the last year. We'll have to wait and see how leadership changes at the company when Xbox officially takes over, which could happen as late as June 2023.

And, there's the potential impact on PlayStation, as Sony stock reportedly took a huge hit after Xbox's announcement. For more, check out the game industry's biggest reactions to the Xbox Activision news, and how this acquisition represents the shift from a traditional console war to a new type of content war.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.