The LEGO Group has not only officially unveiled the LEGO Ideas Sonic the Hedgehog Green Hill Zone Set, but it has also announced that it will be available for purchase on January 1, 2022, for $69.99 USD.

Green Hill Zone, which has become one of the most iconic levels in gaming since its debut in the original Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991 for SEGA Genesis, is getting the LEGO treatment thanks to the 24-year-old Viv Grannell.

Grannell conceived this concept through the LEGO Ideas platform and, after it reached the required 10,000 votes from the community, the LEGO team chose to make this dream a reality.

The LEGO Ideas Sonic the Hedgehog Green Hill Zone Set is a 1,125-piece set and it includes five minifigures, including Sonic, Crabmeat, Moto Bug, Dr. Eggman, and the Phantom Ruby. Additionally, the box will also come packaged with TV monitor power-ups, Eggman's Egg Mobile, gems, "10 boxes of golden-coloured Rings and a Technic lever to spring Sonic and friends into the air."

"Just about anyone who has enjoyed video games on any level in the last 30 years, knows and loves Sonic — and has probably sped through the unforgettable Green Hill Zone with him," LEGO Designer Sam Johnson said. "We have designed this set to be just as colourful and fun as the in-game version of The Green Hill Zone, then filled it with lots of easter eggs and even prizes to help fans enjoy some of their most beloved gaming icons in a brand-new way.”

As previously mentioned, the LEGO Ideas Sonic the Hedgehog Green Hill Zone set will be available from January 1, 2022, and will cost $69.99 USD.

This is just one of the many new Sonic adventures underway, as the blue blur himself will also be starring in the upcoming "open-zone" Sonic Frontiers and Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Movie.

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.

The LEGO Group has not only officially unveiled the LEGO Ideas Sonic the Hedgehog Green Hill Zone Set, but it has also announced that it will be available for purchase on January 1, 2022, for $69.99 USD.

Green Hill Zone, which has become one of the most iconic levels in gaming since its debut in the original Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991 for SEGA Genesis, is getting the LEGO treatment thanks to the 24-year-old Viv Grannell.

Grannell conceived this concept through the LEGO Ideas platform and, after it reached the required 10,000 votes from the community, the LEGO team chose to make this dream a reality.

The LEGO Ideas Sonic the Hedgehog Green Hill Zone Set is a 1,125-piece set and it includes five minifigures, including Sonic, Crabmeat, Moto Bug, Dr. Eggman, and the Phantom Ruby. Additionally, the box will also come packaged with TV monitor power-ups, Eggman's Egg Mobile, gems, "10 boxes of golden-coloured Rings and a Technic lever to spring Sonic and friends into the air."

"Just about anyone who has enjoyed video games on any level in the last 30 years, knows and loves Sonic — and has probably sped through the unforgettable Green Hill Zone with him," LEGO Designer Sam Johnson said. "We have designed this set to be just as colourful and fun as the in-game version of The Green Hill Zone, then filled it with lots of easter eggs and even prizes to help fans enjoy some of their most beloved gaming icons in a brand-new way.”

As previously mentioned, the LEGO Ideas Sonic the Hedgehog Green Hill Zone set will be available from January 1, 2022, and will cost $69.99 USD.

This is just one of the many new Sonic adventures underway, as the blue blur himself will also be starring in the upcoming "open-zone" Sonic Frontiers and Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Movie.

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.

Riot Games, the company behind such games as League of Legends and Valorant, will pay out a total of $100 million — including an $80 million settlement, plus an additional $20 million in fees and expenses — after reaching a global settlement agreement with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), and several private Plaintiffs to resolve its gender discrimination lawsuit from 2018.

As per the agreement, Riot will pay $80 million to all current and former full-time employees and temporary agency contractors in California who identify as women and worked at the company from November 2014 to the present day. The other $20 million will go towards "attorneys' fees and miscellaneous expenses."

Furthermore, Riot has agreed to have its internal reporting and pay equity processes monitored by a third-party company that is approved by both Riot and the DFEH for three years.

Final approval of this settlement by the court is currently pending, and a hearing is expected to take place within "the coming months."

“Three years ago, Riot was at the heart of what became a reckoning in our industry," A Riot spokesperson said. "We had to face the fact that despite our best intentions, we hadn’t always lived up to our values. As a company we stood at a crossroads; we could deny the shortcomings of our culture, or we could apologize, correct course, and build a better Riot. We chose the latter.

"We’re incredibly grateful to every Rioter who has worked to create a culture where inclusivity is the norm, where we’re deeply committed to fairness and equality, and where embracing diversity fuels creativity and innovation.

"While we’re proud of how far we’ve come since 2018, we must also take responsibility for the past. We hope that this settlement properly acknowledges those who had negative experiences at Riot and demonstrates our desire to lead by example in bringing more accountability and equality to the games industry.”

In this case, Riot Games is represented by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, while the plaintiffs in the class are represented by Genie Harrison Law APC and JML Law APLC. Genie Harrison also issued a statement saying that this was a great day not just for the women of Riot Games, but for those all over the gaming and tech industry who deserve a workplace devoid of any harassment and discrimination.

"This is a great day for the women of Riot Games — and for women at all video game and tech companies — who deserve a workplace that is free of harassment and discrimination,” said Genie Harrison. “We appreciate Riot’s introspection and work since 2018 toward becoming a more diverse and inclusive company, its willingness to take responsibility for its past, and its commitment to continued fairness and equality in the future.”

As previously noted, this settlement is for the gender-based discrimination lawsuit that was filed in 2018 following a report from Kotaku that exposed the sexist culture that had become prevalent at Riot Games.

Kotaku spoke to 28 current and former employees who had dealt with a "bro culture" that "in some instances, rewards behavior that disadvantages women."

Jessica Negron, one of the two plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said she went through a situation where her manager had quit and she took on all of their responsibilities but saw no increase in compensation or change of job title. Three men were hired over her despite her speaking up, and she was never even interviewed or talked to about the role.

Melanie McCracken is the other plaintiff in the case and claimed that, after speaking up about her experiences with the sexist culture at the company, "HR failed to keep the meeting confidential and leaked the information to her supervisor." In 2015, she took a new position, and her former supervisor was then promoted to a senior position a year later. McCracken was then told that she had been "given a five-month countdown to find a new position or 'be fired.'"

In 2019, Riot Games was ordered to pay at least $10 million as part of a settlement for the lawsuit, but the DFEH stepped in and blocked the agreement and stated these victims should be paid as much as $400 million.

In 2021, Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laurent was sued following allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination. Riot's investigation showed no evidence of these accusations, and this particular settlement does not include this separate case.

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.

Riot Games, the company behind such games as League of Legends and Valorant, will pay out a total of $100 million — including an $80 million settlement, plus an additional $20 million in fees and expenses — after reaching a global settlement agreement with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), and several private Plaintiffs to resolve its gender discrimination lawsuit from 2018.

As per the agreement, Riot will pay $80 million to all current and former full-time employees and temporary agency contractors in California who identify as women and worked at the company from November 2014 to the present day. The other $20 million will go towards "attorneys' fees and miscellaneous expenses."

Furthermore, Riot has agreed to have its internal reporting and pay equity processes monitored by a third-party company that is approved by both Riot and the DFEH for three years.

Final approval of this settlement by the court is currently pending, and a hearing is expected to take place within "the coming months."

“Three years ago, Riot was at the heart of what became a reckoning in our industry," A Riot spokesperson said. "We had to face the fact that despite our best intentions, we hadn’t always lived up to our values. As a company we stood at a crossroads; we could deny the shortcomings of our culture, or we could apologize, correct course, and build a better Riot. We chose the latter.

"We’re incredibly grateful to every Rioter who has worked to create a culture where inclusivity is the norm, where we’re deeply committed to fairness and equality, and where embracing diversity fuels creativity and innovation.

"While we’re proud of how far we’ve come since 2018, we must also take responsibility for the past. We hope that this settlement properly acknowledges those who had negative experiences at Riot and demonstrates our desire to lead by example in bringing more accountability and equality to the games industry.”

In this case, Riot Games is represented by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, while the plaintiffs in the class are represented by Genie Harrison Law APC and JML Law APLC. Genie Harrison also issued a statement saying that this was a great day not just for the women of Riot Games, but for those all over the gaming and tech industry who deserve a workplace devoid of any harassment and discrimination.

"This is a great day for the women of Riot Games — and for women at all video game and tech companies — who deserve a workplace that is free of harassment and discrimination,” said Genie Harrison. “We appreciate Riot’s introspection and work since 2018 toward becoming a more diverse and inclusive company, its willingness to take responsibility for its past, and its commitment to continued fairness and equality in the future.”

As previously noted, this settlement is for the gender-based discrimination lawsuit that was filed in 2018 following a report from Kotaku that exposed the sexist culture that had become prevalent at Riot Games.

Kotaku spoke to 28 current and former employees who had dealt with a "bro culture" that "in some instances, rewards behavior that disadvantages women."

Jessica Negron, one of the two plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said she went through a situation where her manager had quit and she took on all of their responsibilities but saw no increase in compensation of change of job title. Three men were hired over her despite her speaking up, and she was never even interviewed or talked to about the role.

Melanie McCracken is the other plaintiff in the case and claimed that, after speaking up about her experiences with the sexist culture at the company, "HR failed to keep the meeting confidential and leaked the information to her supervisor." In 2015, she took a new position, and her former supervisor was then promoted to a senior position a year later. McCracken was then told that she had been "given a five-month countdown to find a new position of 'be fired.'"

In 2019, Riot Games was ordered to pay at least $10 million as part of a settlement for the lawsuit, but the DFEH stepped in and blocked the agreement and stated these victims should be paid as much as $400 million.

In 2021, Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laurent was sued following allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination. Riot's investigation showed no evidence of these accusations, and this particular settlement does not include this separate case.

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.

A new app for iPhone and iPad lets DualSense controller owners customize and try out different feedback configurations for the controller's trigger buttons.

Included with every PS5, the DualSense introduces many novel features, such as adaptive triggers, which adjust the tension of the rear buttons, making it easier (or harder) to press them down while playing a game.

While some games take advantage of the adaptive triggers, there’s no official way to manually test and adjust the DualSense on PS5. Fortunately, the PS5 Controller Trigger Test app does just that, allowing you to mess around with different trigger effects on the DualSense controller, among many other things.

You’ll need to connect your DualSense controller to the mobile device to start. Afterward, it is pretty straightforward. The UI is direct and gives you access to a few things, such as how much battery life is on the controller, the ability to change the light color on the DualSense controller, and of course, play around with the triggers.

The trigger options themselves are robust. You can test out the vibration, feedback, and weapon feedback on the L2 and R2 triggers on the controller. So, for example, if you wanted to test the vibration feedback on the triggers, you can adjust the start position or how much weight you need to press on the triggers before it responds, along with the frequency of the vibration effect. And there are individual buttons for each trigger, so if you wanted to test different settings for either trigger, you would just need to tap the appropriate button as shown in the image above to your preferred testing preset.

It's an interesting look into the sheer amount of options developers have to play with on the new controllers. “I've always wanted to test and mess around with the different Dualsense trigger effects,” said Rihab Mehboob, the 20-year-old developer of the app. “[B]ut not many games use it, and when they do, it’s not customizable.”

The app costs $1.99 and is available on the App Store with support for iPhone and iPads, though both need to have iOS/iPad OS 14.5 or later to use the app. The listing also notes support for Mac, though you’ll need a Mac that is powered by Apple’s proprietary M1 chip. While there are no plans to bring the app to Android, Mehboob told IGN that he would love to learn how to code for Android.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster

A new app for iPhone and iPad lets DualSense controller owners customize and try out different feedback configurations for the controller's trigger buttons.

Included with every PS5, the DualSense introduces many novel features, such as adaptive triggers, which adjust the tension of the rear buttons, making it easier (or harder) to press them down while playing a game.

While some games take advantage of the adaptive triggers, there’s no official way to manually test and adjust the DualSense on PS5. Fortunately, the PS5 Controller Trigger Test app does just that, allowing you to mess around with different trigger effects on the DualSense controller, among many other things.

You’ll need to connect your DualSense controller to the mobile device to start. Afterward, it is pretty straightforward. The UI is direct and gives you access to a few things, such as how much battery life is on the controller, the ability to change the light color on the DualSense controller, and of course, play around with the triggers.

The trigger options themselves are robust. You can test out the vibration, feedback, and weapon feedback on the L2 and R2 triggers on the controller. So, for example, if you wanted to test the vibration feedback on the triggers, you can adjust the start position or how much weight you need to press on the triggers before it responds, along with the frequency of the vibration effect. And there are individual buttons for each trigger, so if you wanted to test different settings for either trigger, you would just need to tap the appropriate button as shown in the image above to your preferred testing preset.

It's an interesting look into the sheer amount of options developers have to play with on the new controllers. “I've always wanted to test and mess around with the different Dualsense trigger effects,” said Rihab Mehboob, the 20-year-old developer of the app. “[B]ut not many games use it, and when they do, it’s not customizable.”

The app costs $1.99 and is available on the App Store with support for iPhone and iPads, though both need to have iOS/iPad OS 14.5 or later to use the app. The listing also notes support for Mac, though you’ll need a Mac that is powered by Apple’s proprietary M1 chip. While there are no plans to bring the app to Android, Mehboob told IGN that he would love to learn how to code for Android.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster

The newest The Batman trailer has been released and it shows more of Robert Pattinson's Bruce Wayne/Batman, Zoe Kravitz's Selina Kyle/Catwoman, and Paul Dano's Edward Nashton/The Riddler.

The trailer, which is titled "The Bat and the Cat," can be seen here, and it gives a closer look at The Riddler's plan for the Dark Knight and all of Gotham.

Alongside the trailer, we also get a new look at the split cover art for Empire Magazine that features both Batman and Catwoman.

The trailer begins with Pattinson's Bruce Wayne talking to Jayme Lawson's Bella Reál, with the mayoral candidate accusing Bruce of not doing enough for the city despite his wealth and influence. As she speaks, it intercuts with scenes of him as Batman doing exactly what she says he isn't doing enough of.

It then moves on to The Riddler, who left an ominous message for Batman and even takes the time to video chat with him. How thoughtful!

Kravitz's Selina Kyle is up next and, alongside seeing that she owns a bunch of adorable stray cats, she tells Batman that, "if we don't stand up, no one will... The Bat and the Cat, it's got a nice ring." The trailer also reveals their relationship is not the most friendly, as they both trade blows multiple times during the new footage.

The Batman is set to arrive exclusively in theaters on March 4, 2022, and is just one of the big tentpole releases for DC in the new year.

For more, check out our breakdown of The Batman's last official trailer, how Pattinson's Bruce Wayne was inspired by Kurt Cobain, and when you'll be able to watch the film on HBO Max if you can't make it to the theaters.

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.

The newest The Batman trailer has been released and it shows more of Robert Pattinson's Bruce Wayne/Batman, Zoe Kravitz's Selina Kyle/Catwoman, and Paul Dano's Edward Nashton/The Riddler.

The trailer, which is titled "The Bat and the Cat," can be seen here, and it gives a closer look at The Riddler's plan for the Dark Knight and all of Gotham.

Alongside the trailer, we also get a new look at the split cover art for Empire Magazine that features both Batman and Catwoman.

The trailer begins with Pattinson's Bruce Wayne talking to Jayme Lawson's Bella Reál, with the mayoral candidate accusing Bruce of not doing enough for the city despite his wealth and influence. As she speaks, it intercuts with scenes of him as Batman doing exactly what she says he isn't doing enough of.

It then moves on to The Riddler, who left an ominous message for Batman and even takes the time to video chat with him. How thoughtful!

Kravitz's Selina Kyle is up next and, alongside seeing that she owns a bunch of adorable stray cats, she tells Batman that, "if we don't stand up, no one will... The Bat and the Cat, it's got a nice ring." The trailer also reveals their relationship is not the most friendly, as they both trade blows multiple times during the new footage.

The Batman is set to arrive exclusively in theaters on March 4, 2022, and is just one of the big tentpole releases for DC in the new year.

For more, check out our breakdown of The Batman's last official trailer, how Pattinson's Bruce Wayne was inspired by Kurt Cobain, and when you'll be able to watch the film on HBO Max if you can't make it to the theaters.

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.

Researchers have placed networks of neurons into dishes, placed them into what amounts to a simple version of The Matrix, and found they can learn Pong faster than an AI.

As reported by New Scientist, researchers at Cortical Labs explained that they've grown groups of human neurons into organoid mini-brains (a process also being used to attach Neanderthal brain cells to crab robots) and placed on micro-electrode interfaces. Those interfaces pulse with electricity, used to effectively convince the mini-brains that they are the paddles inside a game of single-player Pong.

“We often refer to them as living in the Matrix,” explained chief scientific officer Brett Kagan. Within that virtual game world, the neurons can begin to move those paddles, using them to stop Pong's relentless bouncing ball from passing by them.

What's impressive is how quickly they can learn how to do this. Cortical Labs says that an AI would generally take around 90 minutes to learn what to do in this situation, where the mini-brains seem to learn in just 5. However, an AI would become much, much better at the task after learning it. You can see a game in action on YouTube.

Cortical Labs hopes to use studies like these to combine live neurons into traditional computing, allowing computing to "solve problems in unfamiliar situations", which could be used to solve autonomous robotics problems.

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.

Researchers have placed networks of neurons into dishes, placed them into what amounts to a simple version of The Matrix, and found they can learn Pong faster than an AI.

As reported by New Scientist, researchers at Cortical Labs explained that they've grown groups of human neurons into organoid mini-brains (a process also being used to attach Neanderthal brain cells to crab robots) and placed on micro-electrode interfaces. Those interfaces pulse with electricity, used to effectively convince the mini-brains that they are the paddles inside a game of single-player Pong.

“We often refer to them as living in the Matrix,” explained chief scientific officer Brett Kagan. Within that virtual game world, the neurons can begin to move those paddles, using them to stop Pong's relentless bouncing ball from passing by them.

What's impressive is how quickly they can learn how to do this. Cortical Labs says that an AI would generally take around 90 minutes to learn what to do in this situation, where the mini-brains seem to learn in just 5. However, an AI would become much, much better at the task after learning it. You can see a game in action on YouTube.

Cortical Labs hopes to use studies like these to combine live neurons into traditional computing, allowing computing to "solve problems in unfamiliar situations", which could be used to solve autonomous robotics problems.

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.